2017 Movie Release Dates

Salutations, my lovelies! 

I know, I know, it's been forever and a day since last I or the others have posted. 

But you must understand, we're a busy bunch! 

A lot has been happening for all of us. I, myself, am trying to juggle pretty much everything at this point and am finally starting to find the time to settle down and enjoy myself. (: 

It's a new year, which means a new chapter opened up for The Character World.
As you may have noticed, we didn't do Geek Week last year. 

So, while I plan to do the 2017 one this August/September, I'm going to make up for the 2016 one by doing my own Geek Week sometime between May and July. This time, I'll be working on the posts and getting them scheduled ahead of time so you won't have to wait and be disappointed if I can't find the time to do it. 

I got into a lot of awesome fandoms last year and have lots to talk about. So I can't wait for it! 

I am also excited for the 2017 one, considering this year is gonna be a very full one for movies! 

I'm gonna be mega broke by year's end..and I'm already broke. 😜 

While there's a lot that other people are bound to see, I'm not seeing the ones you'd probably expect me to. For instance, I'm not watching Wonder Woman, Justice League (well, possibly, the second trailer kind've got me interested) or the new Spider-Man. 

I miss Andrew's Spidey story too much and feel it's an injustice that they didn't give the series a proper ending. The Tobey films at least ended with a little bit of closure.
Whereas with the Garfield films, I was promised many things and then got dumped. 

One of the primary reasons I refuse to see Civil War. I'm still angry at them, tbh.

I shall now proceed to show you a list I concocted of the main films coming out this year. 

Since I posted this on TCW fb page, I only listed movies that hold the interest of the majority of fans. The list seemed to be well received. 

I hope it helps you all in the coming months! 

So far I have seen Logan and Kong. Which reviews for them could also be a part of the Geek Week. The next ones I plan on seeing are King Arthur, POTC 5, The Mummy, Transformers, War of the Planet of the Apes, Thor and the Lego NinjaGo movie. 

I wanted to see A Monster Calls in the theater, but alas, I haven't had the money to spend in the ways that I want. So I'm waiting for it to come out OnDemand. It looked strange and interesting and imaginative, and frankly right up my alley. 

And I know I'm gonna cry. 

Speaking of crying, I cried at Logan.

Being Hugh's last film and Patrick's, I ended up a crying disaster. But the whole Logan and Laura thing was so worth it. I swear, they stalked my father and me. XD Cuz they were so us.

Still greatly confused on what happened to Yukio. 

I was totally expecting the two to be fighting with one another, but then she just disappeared and they never explained. 

But yeah. Lots of good looking films coming up this year and I can't wait to fangirl about them in this year's Geek Week. 😄 

Like I said, there's a lot I'm planning on for this upcoming one. So be on alert for my announcement! Love you all and hope you're having an amazing day. (:

Victor Frankenstein Review by The Character Queen

I had been in great anticipation of this movie for about a year before finally seeing it this previous Sunday.
When I found out about it, I didn't know who was in it or what they planned to do with it.
With the way they're desecrating a lot of the things I like with utter trash, I'll be honest, I was biting my nails and holding my breath throughout the whole thing for a major downer to happen.
But let me tell ya; I was not disappointed.

SPOILERS AHEAD

This movie has the combination of so many things; it's not a gory monster movie with cheesy lines and acting.
It has different layers to it.
It had action, great characters, great character development, emotion, steampunk qualities, mad science, the barrier between life and death, a cute love story, and a reasonably lengthened climax.
Plus it had a few circus scenes.
I loved it more than you know.

Basically the center characters are played by Professor X, Harry Potter and Jim Moriarty.
So yes, when I found out Andrew Scott was gonna be in here, and the literal only thing I'd seen him in was Sherlock, the movie wasn't all I was excited about! XD

Having read the original book by Mary Shelley a few years ago, I've loved the storyline to bits ever since, and was super stoked to actually be able to get on board a film based on Frankenstein.
--
Seeing this movie was a bit of a chore, though. I wasn't able to see it at my local theater at the time of it's release, so my dad, sister and I just decided to put it off until later (and see it together) when we were all available the following two weeks.
What I wasn't expecting was for the theaters to start pulling the film so gosh darn soon.
Not even three weeks later, and I wasn't able to find absolute ANY showings for it anywhere locally.

I was a mad frustrated penguin. But then, at last, I spotted an available showing at a theater quite a bit of ways from us, more towards where my sister and her husband live.
I was totally willing to travel to great lengths to go see it, but my dad was hesitant.
The only theater we've been to (in years, at least) is our's, so on top of going so far away, he didn't really feel comfortable with going to a foreign theater. ;P

But nah, bro, that didn't keep us away for long.
We were off the next day and arrived at the theater. (not a bad looking theater, if I do say so myself. It had a really nice set up and a neat little gaming area, plus a restaurant of sorts with actual food you can eat.)


I wasn't a crazy fan of the previews. A couple of horror films, along with Pride *cough* Prejudice *cough* Zombies.......yeah. And then a movie with Leo Caprio and meh boy Tom Hardy.
Anndddd Deadpool. -_-
Yeah. I would've honestly preferred to see the trailer for Suicide Squad, cuz that would've been a hundred percent more entertaining to watch than what they laid out for me. I'm aware they were trying to go with a more dark selection of films to show given the plot of the movie we were watching, but seriously...

But yeah, so, skipping back to the movie.


1. The Wardrobe and Scenery

Oh my gosh, I'm not for these types of things and to get on about graphics or anything, but everything about the movie was visually and creatively beautiful! Even the monsters.
The clothing they chose for everyone was so pretty and Victorian, and the props they used were astounding.
Everything was so steampunk, I loved it. XDDD
I seriously want Frankenstein's laboratory, just saying.
But no, they did a really good job with that set up. I'm proud of their attention to the details surrounding the characters and their environment.

2. The Casting and Characters

What's probably even prettier than the scenery is the actors. You've got James McAvoy-- who's looks I was rather smitten with in Penelope-- that was incredibly hard not to look at with his handsome ruggedness and extra quirky charismatic self. Facial hair was a good call this time around, James. ;)



Not attracted to Daniel, but he did a really job in this. I haven't seen him in anything (not in the HP fandom) but this, so this was the first time I got to see him act and he's not bad!
He gave a lot of good depth to the character of Igor.



But I think everyone did a great job in this, so the casting couldn't be more perfect.
There was lots of humor and sassiness on Victor's part. :P
Let's not forget the conveniently placed Molly Hooper (the one horrified with Victor), Mycroft Holmes (the one standing beside Finnegan, with the super cool steampunk goggles) and not to mention meh baby Moriarty, I mean ahahahaha, let's not even start with that, yeah.


(the internet is mean and won't let me have pictures of Molly and Mycroft, so here is Moriarty)

BUT NO, the creators basically had a "let's put a few Sherlock cast members and see what happens" thing going for them and it worked out, beautifully.

The girl who played Lorelei was so darn sweet and innocent in her portrayal. What I loved about her character is that she isn't the typical female love interest that would be so horrified (under the film's circumstances) that she would treat (Igor) horribly and act like a snob and toss all their history aside to ruin him or avoid him and treat him like an absolute jerk..no. There was none of that nonsense. No drama.
She didn't agree with what was going on, but she generally loved Igor and didn't want to see him get treated badly again, and she supported him in all the ways she could. She showed actual compassion and understanding to what was going on. It was a nice change of pace from what we normally see in these types of characters. There was no threatening or uncomfortable arguing-- she expressed her concern, but she was there when Igor needed her. And I loved that. :) Their relationship was so sweet. ♥



Also, Finnegan, YOU. >8/
(you're apparently not allowed to see Finnegan, my apologies)

The bro friendship between Victor and Igor was awesomely done.
While others naturally have been "shipping" the two, because apparently no two guys or girls can be friends anymore, I saw the aspect of their friendship in an entirely different way.
To me, Victor saw Igor as his brother. As a replacement, almost. He was clearly alone and needed someone to share things with, whether it be a sibling or a friend...and he recognized that he and Igor were kindred spirits and they worked so well together. So in a way, Igor fulfilled the void that Victor had had for so long, not having a brother. Yes, he was his assistant, and did treat him badly on occasion, but he eventually wound up seeing Igor as more than that and as a general friend. Whatever negative bits that occurred was simply a side effect of Victor's obsession. There was so much of Victor's life following his brother's death that was simply due to him trying to atone himself and "bring back the balance". So they gave the traditional story a rather emotional and heart-breaking twist. He wasn't just obsessed with the idea of bringing people back to life; he wanted to take it upon himself to rid the world the pain of losing someone, as he had lost his brother.
Clearly, it was too late to bring him back, after all those years.
But between Igor and his creation, that was as close as he could get to having him around again.

As for Moriarty (I refuse to call him anything else), his storyline was heart-breaking in it's own right.
As my father commented, it seemed that everyone in this story had some sort of brush with death or lost someone to it, which gave everyone an emotional attachment to the work Vincent was trying to do.
I loved his character's general intellect, though. And personal mission to stop Victor and Igor, at any cost.
I thought the religious aspect of his character, too, was an interesting element to add. Since religion and science are polar opposites, it was almost crucial they placed it within the story, and the way it was handled was rather clever. Andrew's character, a man of law who's natural duty was to stop Victor's illegal activities, was on the side of religion and morals. While Victor was a man of science and taking matters into his own hands, and was so consumed by his goal, he didn't care what laws he broke or who's life he ruined.
So their portrayal of Andrew's character wasn't offensive to me in the least. He wasn't a villain, either.
The two had differing opinions and walks in life, and the film leads you to believe that maybe both is right or both is wrong, or one of them is right and the other is wrong...you don't really know, do you?
And that's the whole point. He did his job as a policeman, he wanted to see his wife again and believed he would do so in heaven, once he died...and he eventually dies..so beyond that is a mystery that only he would know about. As for Victor, he failed in his experiments, clearly, but that did not stop him from trying again and again and again. It's almost like an addiction. To him, he would never be finished, even if it took him all his life and would never get even close to succeeding. He was the type that would just not be told no.

I also wanna point out that the incredible Charles Dance has a brief appearance, in which he portrays Victor's father. Who in himself was a great big jerk. hmph.
(....and no Charles Dance for you, either..)


3. Music and The Creature

The music surprisingly wasn't all that noticeable..not that that's a bad thing, at all.
It blended well with the scenes to where you really don't think about it being there.
But it was good for the timeline of the story, so thumbs up for that!

As for the Creature, I wasn't disappointed at all. I also liked how they didn't overplay his screen time. He was around for the right amount, and had a good bit of action and carnage drawn from him.
And how they made him look was perfect! Clearly wasn't sporting the look Mary had originally chosen for the character, but it was good, nonetheless. Whoever did the makeup and design for him rocks, because wow. O.O
He was spooky and powerful, much like how the Creature is supposed to be.
And let's not forget about poor Gordon. Poor, poor Gordon. :( I felt so sorry for that little guy.
But they did a terrific job on his look, too. Wow. Just wow.
I especially liked how they got some spooks and the whole idea of the monsters down, but they weren't all overly bloody and gory and ewwwww, and disturbing. It was set right and actually rather tame compared to what they could've done.
As I've mentioned to many, the movie's feel reminds me a lot of Guy Richie's Sherlock films.

So, yeah. I could probably go on with more, but I'm just not. XD
Now for the parental advisory...

Language: 4/10

There's a few h's and d's said mostly by Victor, and if it counts, he also refers to the female anatomy and how babies are developed in a conversation with two women (one of them being Molly) over dinner, but a lot of it is played for comedic effect. It's important to note he wasn't really being flirty and sexual towards them, he was simply being blunt and direct about things, since he's not really used to being around people and having to use proper manners. And then towards the end, Igor utters the s word. It's clear that he's said it, but it's more of an under-the-breath, we're-in-deep-trouble type of tone, rather than screaming it aloud for all to hear.

Sexual Content: 3/10

As I said above, Victor is having a conversation with two women about the female anatomy and how babies develop, but again, it's not really him being weird in that area, just him going off and spouting out things he knows like an arrogant goof, so it's comedic. And the whole time, they're horrified about what they're hearing and are clearly uncomfortable. So it's a laughable few minutes.
Igor and Lorelei develop a relationship with eachother, and at one point, after dancing at a ball, they run upstairs and shut themselves inside a room. And then a few moments later are seen kissing and on the floor, but we don't see anything past that. So all in all, besides those two parts, the film was pretty tame in that factor. I might also note that when Lorelei is describing the man she's appearing as a mistress for, she implies that he's a closeted homo. But it's not all too direct, due to the times, as it was considered more of a hush-hush thing.
So it's only a few seconds and the part doesn't press it.

Frightening Scenes/Gore: 7/10

Although I said they were rather tame in this, I wouldn't advise letting your young kids watch it.
The creature scenes CAN get scary and intense. They weren't overly gory, but human parts are seen (I mean, c'mon..) and Victor puts the creatures together (off screen, as far as I can remember) with said parts, so it can get gross and a tiny bit bloody, but nothing too over the top. I still wouldn't advise anyone under maybe 10 or 12 watching it.
Gordon was a bit creepy, no matter how much I loved him. And the Creature was more on the spooky, menacing side, than super scary, mostly because he lacked any real facial emotion other than anger.

Also, it had a decent amount of action to it. One man gets accidentally shot by another, Moriarty's hand gets crushed by accident and he has to replace it with a seemingly wooden one, as well as his eye getting a bit messed up, and of course, the Creature does a lot of carnage and tosses random guys around, as well as smack aside Andrew, killing him. Finnegan falls to his death and is seen laying on the ground, motionless. Lorelei, a former acrobat, falls by accident and breaks (I believe) a collar bone, but that is quickly fixed by Vincent and Igor, without there being too much of a fuss.
Igor is also taken by Finnegan, tied up, and thrown into the ocean to drown, so it would be a little unsettling to watch him struggle underwater, but he does eventually get out safely.
They have to kill Gordon (again) after he proves to be too dangerous, and all we see is Victor hitting at it a few times, and that's it. And then for the Creature, they have to run through both it's hearts in order to stop him, so you'll see a couple of poles sticking through it.

Alcohol/Smoking: 4/10

There is drinking, social and otherwise. Victor and Igor practically finish the Creature's design drunk and act a little goofy. As for smoking, I can't clearly remember anyone doing so, but I'm sure there was. Just wasn't really in a 'in your face, I'm smoking' kind've way.


Overall movie scale: 8/10

Annnddd that's all I really got. :)
I seriously loved this movie and don't at all (more like never) agree with the critics' stupid opinions about this. Go see it for yourself, if it's still available to you! I'm so getting it when it comes out. ♥

Day 5: Best of the Disney Films

Almost done! ♥

Wreck-It Ralph

*8.5
*A really good message about reflecting one's role in this world. Whether or not you're actually a bad guy, therefore causing kids to eventually look at their own qualities and having an inner desire to be good.
There's also a great theme of friendship and loyalty developed especially between Ralph and Vanellope. And a neat side message that if you have a job, you need to do it, cuz other people are depending on you.
*Perhaps one of the best movies Disney has made. It certainly has it's problems, but you can't argue; it's awesome! So good and so special. The video game theme is what attracted me to it and I'm so glad it was successful in it's exposure. There are some emotional qualities to it that are mixed in with the clever humor and fun plot, as well. It's a great one to watch with the whole fam, cuz there's a lot to enjoy. :)


Prince of Persia

*8.0
*The most important quality in this is the theme of family. There's also the note that you need to be careful with the choices you make. Cuz in reality...at least that we know of. ;)...there really isn't a magic dagger that turns back time.
*This one was utterly fantastic. I had only played bits and pieces of the original game, so I had vague memory of the storyline when the movie came out, which basically, this is a sugarcoated Disney version, who turned it more into a fairytale, but that's fine, cuz they still did a great job! It's an awesome movie with an element I wish we can use on every movie, and well, everything...y'know...turning back time to where none of the bad stuff happened. XDDD But they gave a few really respectful nods to the original game and that was cool. Daston and Tamina were adorable, yo. Their relationship developed rather nicely.
So yeah, really good film, all around!

Beauty & the Beast

*9.0

*Don't judge someone based on their appearance, for a person can be more than what they seem. Beast was externally a selfish, bitter and ugly person, but on the inside, he was hurt, and spiteful for what happened to him and had heroic qualities to him that he just refused to acknowledge. Gaston, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. He might have been the most "handsome" man in town and was adored by all those around him, he was really a vain, greedy, envious and cruel individual who lusted for things only to have them as trophies. While he sought out Belle to be a prize to be won, Beast saw her with love and respect and was willing to earn her as opposed to just taking her. That meant looking within himself and try to change to be more worthy of her, which is an important thing to teach to kids. We're not always going to be perfect people. We're gonna have our own separate issues, but as long as they're not too terrible and we really love a person, we have the chance to try and compromise and attempt to be better so we're worthy of the people we care for. And that change winds up not only appealing to the ones we did it for, but to others, as well.

* It's a classic. What can I say? It's a beautiful tale, with magnificent art, voice acting and direction.

They added real action to it, as well, which is something the original story lacked.

Sure, there's a song here and there, but nothing too annoying or unbearable. There's cheese, but the film is so good, you're required to sit through it and just smile. It's a wonderful film, regardless. ♥

God Bless,

Day 5: Movies I Could Watch Again and Again

Good day. :)
Sadly, this will be the last one of this set.
I hope you've enjoyed it and got some ideas as to what to watch!


13. Batman Returns

Yes, another Batman movie. What a surprise. ;)
Out of all the original four Bat films they did, this one I could watch over and over (hence the title of this set).
Indeed, it has it's share of issues. Such as the handful of inappropriate moments and references, but I just can't help but adore this film. When I'm not watching it on my Bat-film days, I always go out've my way in making sure I watch it for Christmas. Cuz frankly, it's a Christmas film and you can't argue with that.
So watching it has sort've become a little tradition of mine.

But no, no, no, see, I just loved it. The dark and creepy atmosphere is fantastic and their choice of villains was spectacular. ♥ I love what they did with the characters and how awesome they made Batman.
The film was treated with plenty of Batman galore and tons of lovely, respectful moments to all of the characters. They made Selina and Oswald actual freaks of nature; turning Penguin into an inappropriate, mutated, spiteful little creep. And Catwoman into a suggestive, vengeful sort of feline.
So the fact they umped their characters to an actual level of legitness was pretty fun.

The only time I actually was for one of Bruce's relationships in these movies was in this exact film;
him and Selina were perfect. What I love about her as a love interest, though, is that she wasn't like the others; she made him come to her. Much like in Dark Knight Rises.
And had she given Bruce a chance, I think the two really would've worked out and been a perfect team. But everything she did made her feel as if it was impossible for a normal life.
So yes, the ending has it's deal of sadness. And I will be honest, I get sort've teary when Penguin dies.
Despite all of his creepy little flaws, I loved the guy. He balanced his weirdness with lots of humor and quotable words, and dressed rather stylishly.
You see the film begin with his birth and you follow his story from that point on, then things wind up closing out with his death is just...sad. Hero or villain, it's sad. Especially the way they did it, made it seem so final and sorrowful, as if showing, despite your feelings about him, you had to feel sad he was going.

The whole atmosphere may be dark and creepy and at times a bit gloomy, which is to be expected from Tim Burton, but I love it. I just love it. It's one of my favorite films simply because it's Batman and they did a really great job with it. I can't help but smile when watching it. Out of the four, this one had to be the greatest.
So, yeah. 9.5 :)


14. Eight Legged Freaks

Ah, yes. Eight Legged Freaks. A childhood favorite.
This is so because of a thing about me that people think is weird; I love spiders.
Always have, always will! ^_^
I love the creeptastic, multi-eyed little cuties. Especially Black Widows and Jumping Spiders. ♥
So I, for one, don't watch this film in disgust. I adore it.

Despite being a comedy of sorts, I think of it as just another film with lots of appropriate levels of humor.
It's fantastic and hilarious. Yes, yes, yes, I know, it has flaws and some cheesy parts, but stop raining down on my parade! I love it to pieces. ^_^
The characters are an interesting bunch and the plot is fun and it has it's moments where you kinda widen your eyes, especially when everyone starts to discover the spiders themselves.
And let's not forget, this movie had a young Black Widow in it, ok?
No, I'm serious, it actually had a young Natasha Romanoff, look, I have photographic evidence!



The pacing of things is good, too. And the right level of action, if you can call fighting giant spiders action.
And I was incredibly sad to see Joshua go. Him and Mike had a fun friendship going on.
And Samantha was fabulous. Her and Chris' backgrounds were really interesting subplots to watch and I feel they had great character development.

Ah, what else can I say, you won't believe me, but it's a really fun film and I loved it and shut up.
9.9! Just to spite you. >=/


15. Gremlins

Your cruelty to spider kind has forced me to close this set off with a scary Gremlin photo.
You're welcome. Happy now?

Yes, how can I not end things with the loveliness that is Gremlins? It's a classic and pure awesomeness.
I just really don't have much to say about it besides, like, the pacing? The pacing is good.
And the character development is decent enough. I'm sorry, I'm really just tired and don't wanna think too much, but yes, it's fantastic. I love both the Gremlins and Mugwais and Gizmo is precious. ♥
Billy is a major sweetie. I loved him as a character, and it made me sad to see so many unfortunate things happen to him. And yeah...Kate had problems.

But the whole point of it is, GREMLINS.
I watch it every Christmas, like Batman Returns, and I just love it, dude, don't step on my happiness.
Just Gremlinnssssss, we don't judge it, we watch it, NEED I SAY ANYMORE?
9.9 and done.

So yes, thank you for taking the time to read my overly-long mini reviews of all my beautiful beloved films. :)
Love you all and God Bless you!

Day 4: Best of the Disney Films

Three more posts to this set. ;) Let's continue with the first!


Aladdin

*8.5
*Much of this amazing classic is suitable mostly for entertainment purposes rather than get preachy, however there are a few strong themes that one can take from; the power of friendship, respect and loyalty, for one. Aladdin and Genie were the best of pals and Genie was there for him whenever he needed help.
Second is the subject that someone's social status shouldn't dictate whether you should love them or not. Despite being poor, Aladdin had just as much a good heart as he would were he powerful.
Jasmine recognized this and the two fell for one another. And throughout all the trials, they eventually found a way to be together. He also didn't have to play prince in order to impress her. He just needed to be himself. Another is, well, be careful what you wish for. Cuz it might be exactly what you wish for.
*I just love this one so much. It's very well done and has a great feel and direction about it. I mean, c'mon, who doesn't love Aladdin?!


Tron: LEGACY

*8.5
*If you pay attention, this actually has a lot of Christian comparisons I'd probably have to name sometime. But other than that, there aren't too many messages around. It is a great film, though..
*I know how this movie got bad reviews and I don't even understand. How can you not love it?!
It was spectacular! The graphics, the acting, the storyline, EVERYTHING, it all looks so pretty and digital and you can not deny the awesomeness of the soundtrack. ♥ The characters are also portrayed so well. I loved almost everybody and was incredibly sad when almost all of them were killed off. :( One of the cons of this film, to be sure. But that doesn't stop me from absolutely loving it.

Day 4: Movies I Could Watch Again and Again

We're coming close to the end of our first Geek Week.
This is has been an awesome experience, to say the least. :)

9. Pacific Rim

Dude, this movie is so, SO underrated!
It even got my buddy Aja liking it!
Ok, ok, if you haven't seen it, you really need to. If the trailer didn't do it for you, which I don't understand why it wouldn't, you really need to see it and give it a chance. Because it is utter awesomeness.
When I first saw the trailer, I had no clue it was based on a graphic novel series. In fact, I didn't find that out until after I saw the movie. In any case, they did a fabulous job.

Even though it's about aliens and robots, it's story is so unique. One of it's biggest positive aspects is the character development. It has great characters and portrayal, and it's so easy to love all three the humans, the robots and the aliens, because all of them are so different compared to other sets of characters.
Like, oh my gosh, I can not even. I fangirl every time I watch it.

It has brilliant sci-fi scenes and elements, beautiful graphics and design. They put in such amazing detail not only in the artwork, but also in the props and the film's settings.
And most importantly, the story pulls you in. You can't help but love everyone and just how different everything is. It's so fresh and you really connect with the characters.

Also what I love about it is that Mako and Raleigh had one of the best relationships ever built between two perfect strangers and they didn't even kiss once.
They had loyalty and friendship and attraction and honor and understanding and love and they didn't even have to smooch or get weird to show it. They're perfect, yo. I love 'em.

But dude, I just, you don't even understand. Just see it.
The characters, the plot, the background, the CGI, the robots, the aliens, the everything, amazing.
And yes, I give it a 10/10. bwaaaaaa.


10. Super 8

The general reason why I adored this film was because it was yet another masterpiece involving film making.
I've always loved movies about three of my passions; writing, acting and film making.
And this one is bloody brilliant.

Sure, the language is over the top, especially being said mostly by kids, but let's face it, that's reality.
Kids younger than me have said some dang nasty things that I would never say in my life.
But y'know, no.
All those kids are fabulous. I love the whole cast. Every last one of them.
The emotional backgrounds and scenes of Joe and Alice were terrific. They really reel you in to connect with them and the scene where Alice cries makes me cry.
They each portray their character so well that it's almost as if they're real people running around in this type of situation. The plot involves aliens, of course, which was what originally drew me on board to see the film, but it takes a rather interesting turn when you find out more about the oh-so-terrible alien.
In his eyes, we, as humans, were so cruel to him that he saw no good in us and we were all the same, so he took his revenge for all the bad they did to him, but it all turned around when he saw the goodness in Joe's heart and how Joe reminded him that "you can still live", which basically means, bad things happen, but we don't have to destroy ourselves and others because of it. We can still live, we can move on and instead of doing bad, do good. Nobody innocent has to suffer just because we do.
And that was an excellent message to squeeze in there.
I really liked how they turned things around for the alien and didn't villainize him completely.

I mean, gosh, though, the kids were absolute jewels. Yeah, I wanna smack 'em around at times and wash their mouths out with soap, but they were fantastic. Joe was pretty much the only one who didn't sit there and speak like the others; he was calm, mature and such a sweetie. You really feel for the kid when you see more about his mom. And him and his dad's relationship was an interesting one to watch play out.
The strain between both Joe and Alice's fathers was a great addition. The realism in all the relationships between the characters had a good impact on the way you saw the film. You got emotionally connected to the characters in a positive way and actually cared where they went or what happened to them.

The movie itself is mixed in with good amounts of humor and suspense and really pulls you in, waiting to see what happens. I'd give it a 9.5. Great for nightly entertainment. ^_^


11. Speed Racer

Ok, you have no right to judge me, but I thought this one rocked.
I'm not even a fan of racing or movies ABOUT racing, but I just love this movie.

Ohhh, yes, it has plenty of shares of flaws. But if there's one thing you've found out about me in this Geek Week so far, it's that I get easily pleased. I love things despite all the wrongs in it, as long as it appeals to me in the slightest, I'm in and I'm loyal.
I can't help but get mesmerized by how flashy and stylish it is. It's a rather stunning look, the graphics.
The background and scenery and visual effects makes everything look almost like it's sprung out from a comic book. I never watched the original Speed Racer (naturally, I heard a great deal about it), but that didn't stop me from wanting to see this one. It's trailer really stuck out to me and at the time, we were in short supply of films being made based on classic cartoons, so I was excited.

So when I started to watch it, I could tell there were lots of parts that were like..you know...the thing seemed odd, but only because it was different and I wasn't used to the type of storytelling and characterization the creators were prone to. I watched it that first time and enjoyed it well enough.
But by the next go, that was it. I was in love. :)

Despite it's source material, they didn't treat it with a hidden disrespect.
They stayed true to the original story, while not making every single thing ridiculous and silly.
It was well beyond entertaining and actually quite a ride (excuse the pun) when you're watching it in the dark and all those vivid, bright colors pop up on the screen.
The actors did well with what they got and made it fun and comical. The mixture of different moods, especially having to do with competition and humor, was done well.
You've gotta love Speed and Trixie, though, since they were the cutest cuties.
And I severely, to this day, want Matthew Fox as Batman, because he would do perfect.

So yeah, it gets cheesy and has it's moments of flaws, but if you're anything like me, you'll love it simply because it's a good strange, colorful and witty film.
I give it a 7.5. ^^


12. King Kong

Another film involving a filmmaker subplot that I just adore Peter Jackson for adding.
But no, bro, this film is amazing.

I'm not even kidding, it's one of the best experiences I've had watching a movie.
Everything about it is so thrilling and the story comes together so spectacularly.
I love what they did with the characters and the direction, even though the ending is bloody sad and makes me blubber like a baby, the film in itself has a beautiful quality.
The look, the acting, the suspense, the action, it's like wow.

Ann Darrow was incredible. She really made you care, with just how sweet and honest, but strong and capable she was. And I love the way her and Kong connected. Almost like Beauty and the Beast.
While it wasn't love on her side, she really, truly cared for him and did everything she could to protect him.
Her and Jack made a great couple, too. Jack had a great character. He had his own issues, but at least he was willing to go and try to save Ann, not refusing to give up, and that took guts given the island's harsh environment (...and inhabitants). But he had such sass and a can-do attitude, it's hard not to fall for his charm.

The rest of the characters you really have to see past the annoying attitudes to be able to like them.
I loved what they did with Kong, though. They gave him the right level of emotion over all that happened to him, almost showing a human side of him the audience hadn't seen before. And the fact that the rest of his kind all died off made his passing all the more tragic.
The ending, like I said, makes me blubber like a fish. Or maybe I said baby, but I'm going with fish.
Sure, Peter, make it aS BLOODY SAD AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE, AND JUST GO AHEAD AND RIP MY HEART OUT, WHY DON'T CHYA?
uuugggggghhhhhh

But yes, the acting, the characters, the look, the feel, the work they put into everything, the story, the direction, the everrytthhiiinnggg.
Fabulous. All fabulous.
9.9
bam.

That is all for now. You may be excused.

Day 3: Best of the Disney Films

Hello, my beautiful subjects!


Lilo & Stitch

*7.0
*A large portion of this movie's plot is about family, which I find to be really important. Even though this was a key thing, there weren't many other messages you can take. The relationship between Lilo and Nani was done well and warmly for sisters to relate to. That even though they fought a lot, they were still sisters and loved one another. They added a bit of realism to the story, as well, as far as the human backgrounds went. People who have lost family members can relate to the girls, who themselves had lost their parents, so it has a good chance of emotional connection. Lilo not being accepted by the other girls and then finding Stitch, who actually understood her, is also a good addition, showing that you just have to find people who love and accept you for who you are. And it was actually nice to see a girl make a connection with the otherworldly creature, for a change.
*It has it's share of Disney corniness and I'm not necessarily a fan of beachy, paradise-type backgrounds, but this one has a lot of charm and humor that's good enough to hold my attention. The alien aspect of things also might've played a role in my liking it. ;P Stitch is precious and totally lovable, so it's hard not to love at least him. All in all, they did a good enough job with this one, that was successful enough to spawn sequels and a fantastic TV series.



Brave

*7.0
*One of the most important messages to take from this film is the beautifully portrayed relationship between Merida and her mother. There are a few touching parts that make me out and out cry, so it's sure to strike people who have close relationships with their mothers in the feels. There's an added message here about finding your own path and not giving in to arranged relationships, which is an important thing for young people to know. Merida may have disobeyed her parents, but the movie does show that because of it, there were bad consequences that she needed to fix. Her arguing with her mother also showed a bit of realism to parent-child relationships, but the important thing they showed was that in the end, it all worked out, and love is more powerful than hate, as they both began to understand one another. There are some things in here that are inappropriate for children (if you've seen the film, you'll know what I'm talking about), but it's not too horrendous and still a great movie with good messages to consider.
*I was surprised by how much I loved this one. Merida is a girl after my own heart. Like Mulan, she doesn't accept that just because she's a girl means she has to doll herself up. She's a huge tomboy princess and that's a refreshing thing to see compared to all the girly princesses. I especially loved the relationship between her and her mother. The characters are great and most are likable. The plot and theme throughout the story was a nice change of pace in the fairytale genre, and the animation was beautifully done. I, for one, loved the Scottish background, lore and landscapes. It has some faults, but it's still a really good movie.


Peter Pan

*7.5
*There aren't too many wholesome messages in this movie (I could go into detail about some negative aspects that people frequently complain about, but I'll spare you that opening of drama, not that it's coming from me, cuz I really don't care. XD). I will say that since forever, I've loved the Peter Pan story with all my heart and treasure it's inner message to never grow up. I'm 20 years old and I still follow this great advise. I may adult a lot, but I'm still just as immature as a puppy. Not growing up doesn't necessarily have to mean aging or doing mature things. It can simply mean to never stop having that inner child to escape to when things go wrong. To never stop having fun and enjoying your life. To never stop playing. And I think that's as beautiful a message as you can get. :)
*How can you not love this one, though? Sure, it doesn't follow a lot of elements from the book, in fact it sugarcoats most things, but it's still a well done classic and has a good amount of humor and mischief to keep you entertained. Plus, Peter Pan. So yeah.


Oliver & Company

*6.5
*The same concept, essentially, as with The Rescuers and Meet the Robinsons, where Oliver is basically an orphan. Being that this has to do with animals, you have a lot more potential for people going to get dogs and cats after watching this film, so it raises attention to all the lonely little hearts out there, waiting to be loved.
It also deals a small positive aspect of friendship when it comes to Oliver and the others.
*This is one of my dad's favorites, so I kinda grew up with this one. Sure, it's not my favorite of Disney movies, but I do love it! It's got a good habit of keeping me reeled in and the writing isn't too bad. It isn't completely riddled with singing, so that part makes me happy. Alot of the characters are also likable, naturally for the dogs, cuz dogs are glorious. ^^ Overall, good entertainment.

Until next time!

God Bless,

Day 3: Movies I Could Watch Again and Again

Good evening, everyone! Welcome to the third day of Geek Week. =D
I hope y'all have been having just as much of a blast as we have! ♥

7. Mirrormask

So you know I've said a few times that I like dark/creepy things, but nothing that goes too overboard?
Well, this is a perfect example.
YES, it can get weird and a little unsettling (mainly at the queen parts), but I think that's part of it's charm.
It's literally placed inside a dream world and we all know how cooky dreams can be.
But I love it. I love it's dark, creeptastic atmosphere and vivid detail.
I love all the off-the-wall creatures and peculiar situations. The graphics are too pretty not to love.

It's certainly one of the strangest movies I've seen, but it's so unique and full of inspiration.
The plot is so much more different from others and it isn't splattered with actors you've seen over and over. It's just different, but it's a charming kind of different. It's another one of those creative films that gets my creative juices going. I honestly love every detail of this movie and it's direction.
It also sends a clear message of a mother/daughter relationship and the importance to accept your life and be proud of it, because it's your's. Even when things get a little rough or just aren't perfect or you argue a lot with the people you care about, you need to appreciate them, because one day, they just won't be there.

I adore Helena and Valentine's friendship-turn-relationship and the way they closed things off was brilliant.
The music is eery at times, but fits the movie's tone well enough. As for the actors, they all do surprisingly great, for not being so well known (not that I'm judging) and the storytelling is executed cleverly.
There's just a lot to love about this movie. If you can get past some blatantly odd atmospherics, I'm sure you'd really like it, too. I give it 8.5. ^_^

8. Jumanji

One of my childhood favorites, Jumanji is a movie that's hard to hate.
It's tone and look are dark and spooky at times, especially at scenes involving the game, but there's something about it that just speaks to you, as if you have to like it.
Another movie with a unique plot to it, I love the direction this movie takes and how fast it pulls you in and makes you care about the characters and their situations, no matter who it is.
The quiet game scenes are done in such a way that can bring chills down your spine-- the contents that it produces are not even that scary, it's just the way the game summons them and lures you in that's unsettling and frankly quite freaky.

I love all the characters, though. They're an odd cast, but they each have traits that you've gotta love.
The acting is done well with the right level of emotion and panic that one would get in that sort've situation.
What I love most about it is all the random, crazy things that take place and how everyone interacts while trying to figure out what in the heck's going on. Carl was a hilarious comic relief that I really felt for, along with Nora, since they were the most confused people in that movie. XD
Robin, as usual, did a spectacular job. He brought humor to a serious situation, being successful at making you laugh, even in times of crisis. Him and Bonnie worked really well together. The way they portrayed their characters was impressive, as if they really were the kids they started out as from the beginning.
Peter and Judy were an adorable pair and did a really good job (acting wise) with how they responded to scenarios, especially emotionally.

So yeah, the movie is a great one to watch for an evening of entertainment. You can't go wrong with a movie about a board game. ;D I give it 8.0!

That's all for now. ^_^

Day 2: Best of the Disney Films

Good evening, precious people! ^_^


Holes

*7.5
*Not necessarily meant to be a wholesome film that you can get a clear message out've, but it does have a few good points you can take from. Such as don't judge people based on their race, for one. The townspeople (mainly Walker) were racist against Sam (due to interracial relationships being illegal) and didn't want Kate to be with him, so he was killed. Course, it was a bad and difficult time and we are since past that type of thing, but it still teaches you and shows you the goodness of people's heart from everywhere and you shouldn't be prejudice to one another. Also, keep your promises. Had Stanley's ancestor been honorable to Madam Zeroni's request, he wouldn't have had that curse put upon him. Thankfully, years down the line, his descendant did the job for him, but the curse wound up bringing endless bad luck to the family until that point, so, basically, do what you are meant to do, before it effects others. An added message to take from this is that justice will always prevail. May not be today or tomorrow or even where we can see it at all in our life time, but evil always pays in some way and everything works out in the end.
*What I love about this storyline is that everything intertwines. All the characters are connected somehow, but not in an annoying, in-your-face way. A clever, aha way. The ending is just pure poetic justice and the relationships built up scattered around the movie are very well done. The moment Kate loses Sam always draws out emotion in me, too. It's a movie you can enjoy with everyone, but it has a lot of things that adults will be able to relate to. It holds your attention good and keeps it balanced with lots of humor, character development and a cleverly written plot.


Meet the Robinsons

*7.0
*There are a few really good messages inside this one. For one, it shows the importance of family and love and brings light to how orphan children feel, and no matter how old they are, they matter too. It's another one of those movies that has to do with the past and shows the consequences of our actions and what we wind up leaving for ourselves and others later down the line. Granted, the fact that Goob carried a grudge against Luis was ridiculous, but in the end, he wasn't such a bad guy (turns out it was really Doris the hat) and he really was misguided on the matter and wanted to be good in the end. Another good message was "Keep Moving Forward", which really encourages everyone to simply do just that. Never give up. If nothing works out the first time, try try again. :)
*The plot itself is what interests me the most. The characters are likable enough and I love the way things build up. It has some corny parts, but for the most part, I can really tolerate it and it closes things off rather well. Nevertheless, it's a great family film!


Sleeping Beauty

*7.0
*A beautiful classic that doesn't necessarily have too many messages one can pull out. It does have the age-old "love at first sight" subplot that fairytales normally have where Aurora and Phillip have one or two encounters and then they marry, so it's not the greatest thing to teach kids. But it makes up for it with charm, beautiful art and a warm magical feel that'll have a lot of it's more mature atmospheres fly over kids' heads.
I guess you can also point out to kids...not to tick off evil witches?
*Just as I said, it's beautiful and I love the feeling I get when I watch it. It's a true fairytale and has a really great set of voice actors for the lovable characters. You gotta love it simply because it's a fairytale. ^^


The Rescuers

*7.5
*Another one that doesn't necessarily have a lot of a message you can take away. It does explore a storyline involving orphans, so it brings the matter to people's attention and it has a good tendency to make people emotional about the characters. The characters themselves have good moral background and the film explores good examples of friendship and Good Samaritan acts.
*I love the characters so much and the story is adorable. The art is also very well done, very vivid and detailed. The music is also catchy and it isn't littered with everybody singing. What more can I say? It's a classic. XD

Tune in tomorrow for my next post!

God bless,

Day 2: Movies I Could Watch Again and Again

Welcome to the second round of our Geek Week!
Let's continue my post-chain, "Movies I Could Watch Again and Again", shall we?

4. The Dark Knight Trilogy

Ok, let's back up a bit here and lemme just say, I am one of the biggest fans, biggest lovers, biggest supporters, biggest everythings of all things Batman.
I can't help it, I have a serious obsession.

Now I absolutely adore the other Bat films, I do! They have a lot of good things about them.
But the DK trilogy is like...oh my word.
There is very little you can say against such perfection.
The style, the characters, the story, the direction, everything is just so intelligently written and perfect.
Christopher Nolan is by far one of the most amazing and talented directors of our time, no lies.
He puts a lot of detail and thought into what he does and he does a bloody brilliant job at it.

I have no favorites when it comes to this trilogy. They're all the same movie to me.
The usage of villains and the characters are just so clever. I don't always dig it when people try to make things I like more realistic, but I definitely did with this one.

Christian Bale did a glorious job as Bruce/Batman. He covered his accent well and humanized the character in a unique way. Bruce's character has always been really interesting to me. He puts up an act with Bruce, which is supposed to be his real identity, but almost reveals the real him when he's Batman. And this has been a different thing from other super heroes. Morally, he's triumphant.
I don't always agree with his stances on things- e.g. the no killing policy- but that's his own walk and I respect it. Because he's awesome at everything he does.
Bale portrayed Bruce in an amazing way, taking everything we've seen from Bruce's character and putting his own spin into it. He acts in a way where it's almost as if he's playing two characters. He separates the two personalities of Bruce and Batman very well, making it look almost effortless.
I love his mixture of emotions and restrain from making who's supposed to be the same person seem like the same person. He did a terrific job as Batman and it's a shame we won't be seeing him play him again.

Of all the Gordon portrayals I have seen, Gary's take was fantastic. He really humbled the character and made him likable even in times where he shouldn't be. I love the loyalty and trust he showed to Batman and how their partnership built up. Gary made Gordon's character seem believable and as good a cop and person as Gordon can be. His character honestly was just as important and heroic as Batman was.
And that's why you need to be careful with how you portray everyone.
In a story like this, everyone has an important role.

I liked Rachel well enough and it was horrible when she died, but there was a bit of an annoyance how she kept friend-zoning Bruce and was so conflicted with her feelings. Not that I was annoyed with how it was portrayed, it was an annoying situation, so it's supposed to be annoying.
Her personality was in the right place; she loved her city and it's people and wanted to try her best to save them both, and I really respected that part of her. She did what seemed right to her and that's always a good thing. I would've loved to have seen her and Harvey together longer, because they did make a good couple.

But thankfully, Selina really made up for the bad relationship that went down in the first two movies.
Bruce needed some love and he sure found it.
I've always loved BatCat's (yes, don't judge me) relationship and adored their sass with eachother.
Catwoman has always been one of my favorites, especially in Batman Returns, but I think Anne's portrayal is my more favored one, simply because she's not as sexualized as with Michelle's.
She's more grounded and realistic and does what she can to survive and doesn't put herself out there for men to boggle over. (Michelle's didn't do this, but you know what I mean)
I love her sarcasm and wit, then change to a more serious and aggressive behavior when it's down to business. She's more like Bruce in this way, as far as knowing what personality to use when it comes down to things. I really loved the way they set the relationship up in the movie. It wasn't rushed or dragged, it was a perfect build. And I'm sorry, but in almost every portrayal of them I see, they are just perfect for one another.

Ahhhh, the villains. I could go on and on about the villains, but I just won't.
You have Villainous Villains for that one.
I will say that I loved Crane in this one and that he actually got to have a film appearance.
That's one of the only shames about the movies is that he didn't play a bigger role.
But who can deny that the whole judge-y scenes of him were not absolutely perfect?

So yeah, I know I went even more overboard on my so-called "mini" review than I did for Advent Children, but I AM talking about three movies in one here, so go easy on me.
The soundtrack was incredible and because of it, I am a huge fan of Hans Zimmer, cuz golly, the man is the king of music. I'm not kidding.
The plot, the acting, the look, the feel, everything to me is perfect. I could watch those movies every day and not get tired. They're so brilliantly well done and I give every thumb up possible to everyone involved for putting it together. So I give a very strong 10/10, because yes.

5. Terminator 2: Judgement Day

I have always been a big fan of the Terminator films. I love the concept, the story and all the characters.
I haven't fully watched the first one (although I would like to), didn't much care for the third one, even though I could tolerate it unlike other people, loved the fourth and adored the fifth, but the 2nd one was just incredible. They did a massively awesome job with how they went about things in this one.

The build up was done right, with how they opened it and how they brought on all the characters.
And the terminator scenes are intense in their own right. I, for one, always get chills.
The music they use also really helps the mood.
Young John Connor, I'm sorry to say, I always had a crush on him when I was around his age.
But his character was great. Especially when he was interacting with Arnold. XD
Sarah rocked here. I love how intense and aggressive she got after her experience.
Her portrayal was insane and it was bloody epic. But she didn't always do things that made the most sense.
If anything, she started to react to a lot of things in anger, which is totally understandable.
The whole deal really messed her up and it was heartbreaking when she lost Kyle. (Which is why I'm pretty thankful for Terminator 5, because you know...)

Arnold, as usual, was his awesome acting self. He plays tough and serious so well.
The action scenes mesmerize me. And Robert's terminator gives me the willies, mainly because he is so cold and direct with how he acts and kills. Let's be honest, if his kind've terminator existed, we'd all be scroogled.

I just seriously loved this movie. Sure, the language is a bit much, and it has it's own set of flaws, but it's the best one (next to T-5) of the series, mainly because they take this one seriously and didn't mess around with it. The story was great, the actors were great (and intense, my word), the music was mixed in well, and the look of it all was dark and edgy, just the way I like this kind of movie.
I give it a 9.5. ^^


6. Hugo

I will go very far in saying that this movie is stunning.
It is gorgeous in every way. Everything about it was just perfectly done and so full of life.
They really paid attention to things and built it up in the correct way a movie should.
Every time I watch Hugo, I get so full of inspiration.

I originally hadn't even heard much about it, except for one little TV spot and a mention of it when talking to my sister, who saw it and loved it. So when it was available, I decided to give it a try.
And boy, was I right to do so. :)
It has since become one of my most beloved movies. I was super surprised at how much I adored it.
I fell in love with the plot (DEFINITELY the plot), the characters, the look of everything, and just everything in general. It really pulled me in and kept my attention glued to the screen.
I am always fascinated by movies about writing or acting or just simply film-making.
It's a topic that's closest to my heart and I love to see other people's takes on it, especially from the writers or film-makers themselves. They really capture the beauty of books and movies so vividly here and gave out the perfect message that films had the power to capture dreams.

I love Chloe Grace Moretz and this is actually the only movie I own that she's done, mainly because her others just don't interest me, even though she's a fantastic actress.
I adored her character and her lively spirit, even though at time she could be a real brat.
But she makes up for it with charm and compassion and the way her and Hugo slowly become best friends is just so touching. They complimented eachother's personalities really well and they made eachother better people by being around one another. Also, the fact that she became a writer made me love her even more.
Hugo had his moments of being unlikable, but he really pulled through when he started to show more emotion and revealing what was happening within him, to where you really felt for the kid. He had went through a lot and it was a shame he had such a hard life, knowing how smart and talented he was.

Georges Méliès and his wife Jehanne were precious. I loved those two so.
They both had incredible dreams and talents and were so smart and passionate about what they did, it was so shattering to watch them be so broken. Like Hugo, they had their beginning times of being unlikable, but then when you find out what all happened to them, you just really have nothing but pity for them.

Uggghhh, but the movie, I love this movie so incredibly much. It was so beautiful and fantastic and I adored the Inspector and his lovely love interest and his dog so much. Anyone who has not seen it really needs to, because it's just a perfect film, especially for writers or film-makers like myself.
It always, always fills me with so much inspiration and really speaks to my heart, awakening the passion I have for writing and film-making in really strong volumes.
So yeah, if you haven't, watch it.
You'll probably love it.
All the things are fantastic. I give it a 10/10. Hands down.

That's all for now. Check back tomorrow for more! ♥