I’ve been busy for the past two years and I almost completely forgot about this blog. Needless to say, I’ve been…occupied for almost those two years.
But in the process, I was able to consume and collect a lot of new experiences, and one of them being Shift Up Corps’ gacha game titled GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE.
The main cast of characters in NIKKE (from left to right): Neon, Rapi, Marian and Anis
What captured my attention to this game was the literal assets of the units you can commandeer. The game is simply a shoot-‘em-up, with the dash of fan service of jiggly butts and boobs much to the liking of people who are fond of that sort of thing. People dub this game as the game for ass, or in some cases, the ass simulator due to the high emphasis of butt shaking than rapid firing SMGs.
Of course I had to download it to experience what it’s like to play such a crudely dubbed game. Judging from visuals alone, it’s enough to entice me to download as who doesn’t love waifus?
The gist of Nikke’s story is that you are a rookie Commander, a fresh graduate from the academy. You reside in the Ark, which houses the last scraps of humankind. Earth (or the surface, as they call it), is infested by cybernetic fiends dubbed as Raptures, that almost decimated the entirety of mankind. You lead a team of Nikkes- human-like cyborgs that await your every command, as long as it is within their primary duty to wipe out the Rapture threat. To cut it simply, you are a Commander with lovely waifus shooting up evil robots. With every step of the way, you are guided by your squad to victory, to reclaim the surface world from the Raptures.
Now the premise isn’t all bad as the story of NIKKE is what drives it. The story alone, is the very good reason for everyone to play, as it is filled with so much intrigue. It’s fully voiced too across all dubs, so you can hear the cast speak in either language you set it up with. Whether it’s English, Japanese or Korean, Nikke’s story is immersive and enjoyable for a quick read.
Gameplay from Nikke (screenshot by me)
Gameplay wise, it’s also simple. Very, very simple. Your mechanic is to shoot down the Raptures in front of you using the team of Nikke you command. There can only be five of them when you undergo gameplay so it is advisable to choose Nikke that can do a combo chain- or Full Burst, as the game suggests. Each team composition you do has a multitude of effects or synergies so you’ve got to really hit it deep to where it’ll take you as long as you can manage.
An example of how you earn new units in Nikke
You earn new units by pulling them- via Gacha. You don’t know who you’ll get in your pulls until they’re revealed. There are spooks in-bound too, but you get them when you mostly see them. It’s advisable for new players to pull in the ordinary banner but if y’all fancy the featured gacha Nikke in the advanced recruitment, that’s okay too.
I set my voice over language for the Nikke and their NPCs to Japanese because it feels incredibly stellar to hear the talent and gravitas of most character dialogues. Yui Ishikawa does her best to give us kuudere Rapi, while I admit Miho Okasaki’s Anis is the best, right next to Takehito Koyasu’s Mustang and Tomokazu Sugita’s Andersen.
Personally, most of Nikke’s content will take you so far as long as you know where to spend most of your stuff. However, it can be very draining as the game goes, as it is highly geared towards people who’d be willing to spend a ton of cash for getting their target Nikke. I personally didn’t spend any cash but I did buy the partnership cafe they had, which offered 450 gems per can of iced coffee or drink purchased. (I’ll be detailing them in a later post but of course not for now). I am also stuck at the Chapter that really demands I upgrade my Nikke to their highest maximum level, or at least have it limit broken. The game at this point is literally telling me to try and place bets on my patience when it comes to pulling (and I haven’t been easily swayed yet so it’s all good).
Overall, GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE is a very nice game for stress relief. If you don’t pay too much mind on the jiggles the game itself is fun but tedious sometimes. The story will keep you intrigued for as long as it manages, but the game itself needs a whole lot of money and investment to thoroughly enjoy. Unless you have tremendous luck in the gacha, the experience of playing Nikke as a casual player has been quite okay with me. The game listens to its players but also tries to reduce the amount of bugs and UI problems…only if your device can run the graphics the game needs. I am playing Nikke on a 3-year old iPad Air 3 and my experience has been 60/40. I still experience crashes on certain occasions if it had graphics overload, or something of that sort (I am not a full-blown techie to understand how my tablet works but yes, that’s how it happens in most cases).
If this is the sign you’re looking to play Nikke, I highly suggest the game for a wacky good time and feels overload. The game is still rough on the edges as it goes, but patience takes it to a new level of enjoyment (if you are willing to). This game is one such game I enjoy playing, even with how imperfect it is. I always enjoy these little games for escape, and so far, Nikke is one such game that kept me happy as I go along.
This is Chri, beginning to write again for Centerpoint Station and I am here to stay. Stay safe and see ya soon, guys! ^^
Needless to say, the Force is not with me, or so to speak, it really wasn’t present at all when I finished this installment to Disney’s take on Star Wars new sequel trilogy. Imagine watching this film at January 2020 with your father because both of you loved watching Star Wars. Now imagine walking out the movie theater, weighing in on the miserable fact that that was it? Was that the ending to Star Wars? It felt like that.
Hey, what’s up everyone, this is ChrianCai back for a year’s hiatus due to inactivity (add the fact that I never truly topped up on my previous review for Todd Phillips Joker (2019). I was initially planning to add more to the blog after that but I never got to the hang of things after that. I would like to apologize since I haven’t been able to curate posts like this. But I’ll try to make it right again, by giving you this honest review on the conclusion to the Star Wars saga: J.J. Abrams’ Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker. Beware to my readers who have never seen the film, a spoiler warning is still in place even to those who have not come around to watch it.
Light and dark clash in one final battle to end the Skywalker Saga.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker or commonly pegged as Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker is the ninth installment in the sequel trilogy, a trilogy that has long been helmed under Disney since their acquisition of Lucasfilm since 2014. They kicked things off to a rather amazing start with 2015’s The Force Awakens, deliberately almost ruining the fan-base with 2017’s The Last Jedi, but ultimately proving themselves worthy of original stories (except one which heavily drew from a source material) with 2016’s Rogue One, 2018’s Solo and just recently, 2019’s The Mandalorian, an exclusive show for those subscribed to Disney+’s streaming services. Now, this isn’t about me discussing in full detail how the said releases made Episode 9 look baloney than most, but we’ll get there when we get there. The Rise of Skywalker was released in theaters during 2019, yet the Philippines got a delayed release due to the annual Metro Manila Film Festival (author’s note: this annual event happens during December, thus pushing back international film release dates to the next year). The movie stars Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, along with SW veterans Billy Dee Williams, the late Carrie Fisher, and Anthony Daniels. It was also directed by J.J. Abrams, who took over the project after replacing Colin Trevorrow due to creative differences.
The movie starts with the usual opening crawl. Mind you, this is the last time you’ll see this opening crawl, since it marks the end of the saga- and into the new. As per usual fashion, the crawl details the galaxy’s happenings ever since the last episode, The Last Jedi.
The First Order is now under new leadership. Kylo Ren (or his real name, Ben Solo) has taken the mantle of Supreme Leader, leading the remaining forces of troop garrisons, and even assuming control over the Generals in the evil flock of the Order. This time around, he isn’t the big bad anymore. A voice feared from the past has returned: that voice emanated from the lips of one Emperor Palpatine- the tyrant ruler of the Galactic Empire which was deemed dead during the events of Return of the Jedi. To seek out this threat to his foothold, Kylo Ren has traveled to the planet Mustafar to plunder an artifact that would directly lead him to the source of the voice- a Wayfinder to the desolate hidden planet of Exegol, a place where the Sith thrive. As Kylo destroys those who guard the Wayfinder, he immediately jumps ship on his TIE Silencer, letting the ship’s astronavigational capabilities decipher the treacherous hyperspace route that leads him to this part of the Unknown Regions. Fast forward, he lands on Exegol after an intense few minutes, and after a little soul searching in Exegol’s grim laboratories (with the occasional trip to past evils), he finds his quarry. Destined to finally cement his “rightful rule” as Supreme Leader, he instead finds the long-feared Emperor Palpatine, with a face devoid of life but still physically capable of living attached to a machine that seemingly created him. Kylo and the resurrected Emperor speak, but not before long he finds out that his Sith Master, Snoke, was just a tool, a puppet, and he, the Emperor, is the one pulling the strings all along to ensure his fall to the dark. He has then revealed to the young Sith that he has amassed a vast army of Star Destroyers and Sith battle fleets, all of which could seize the Republic and pressure it down to its knees. Palpatine then gives Kylo Ren one mission- find and kill Rey, who grows stronger in the Force. Kylo leaves, with the intent on finding and murdering her.
Kylo Ren meets with the resurrected Emperor Palpatine. Photo courtesy of Topps Trading Cards
Meanwhile, we are taken to a jungle planet named Ajan Kloss where we see Rey. Ever since her recent brief lessons with the late Jedi Master (Luke) Skywalker, she has been intensifying her Jedi training ever since, now under the tutelage of the Resistance General Leia Organa, along with the help of the sacred Jedi texts she has salvaged from the ordeal on Ahch-To. This was cut short, however, after Finn and Poe arrive with news coming from a First Order spy- that indeed the Emperor of which everyone believed long dead, is still alive on a planet named Exegol. Master Skywalker’s notes spoke of the Sith planet, and the trio discover that the only way to locate this planet is by means of a Sith Wayfinder. To find clues, they hop aboard the Millennium Falcon, along with Artoo (R2-D2), Threepio (C-3P0), Chewbacca and BB-8, to the first planet with a clue so as to aid them in finding the Sith artifact- Pasaana.
Arriving on Pasaana, they meet up with an old but familiar face- General Lando Calrissian, who happened to be in the planet. He reveals to the troupe that he aided Luke in finding the artifact, but to no avail. To Rey’s precognition senses, they were led to an old abandoned ship owned by a Jedi hunter named Ochi, which housed a dagger with Sith language engraved in it. Threepio refuses to translate the dagger as it is forbidden by Republic laws to translate ancient Sith, even for a protocol droid.
Kylo Ren, and the Knights of Ren
Enter Kylo Ren, who initiated a Force bond to look for Rey. He sends his men, the Knights of Ren, to take care of the job of rounding up her companions, while Kylo seizes the opportunity to kill Rey himself. In the ordeal that follows, Chewbacca gets captured aboard a First Order shuttle, they impound the Falcon and the dagger clue- of which Rey accidentally zaps the shuttle holding Chewbacca in her fight with Ren, seemingly killing the faithful Wookiee.
Since Threepio has seemingly seen the contents of the ancient dagger, the remnants of the group travel to a desolate planet named Kijimi, to locate a droid slicer named Babu Frik, with the help of Poe’s old flame/smuggling partner, Zorii Bliss. They locate Babu, who was able to bypass Threepio’s law-abiding programming by having him translate the contents of the dagger. The dagger pinpoints them to Kef Bir, a planet in the Endor system, where the second Death Star exploded decades ago. Much to Rey’s surprise, she senses Chewbacca is still alive, but is in captivity aboard Kylo Ren’s Star Destroyer, who located Rey again by means of their Force bond. The pair battle, but not without revealing to Rey that she is Emperor Palpatine’s granddaughter, born out of a failed Palpatine clone that managed to escape and of which Ochi, the Jedi hunter whose ship held the dagger, killed when Rey’s parents dropped her off to Jakku.
Kylo Ren and Rey fighting in Kijimi.
Finn, Poe and Chewbacca escape the Star Destroyer with the help of General Hux, who was their First Order spy all along. As the trio escapes, General Pryde, one of the superior officers in the Council of Generals, sees through the facade of Hux, and brings the latter to his demise with a fatal blaster shot to the chest. Kijimi’s surface is then bombarded by the Exegol Star Destroyers, which now flaunt planet-killing capabilities without the need of a singular space station. Now aboard the recently recovered Falcon, and with Rey having possession of the Sith dagger, they go to Kef Bir in the Endor system to find the Wayfinder.
Rey and Kylo Ren fight in Kef Bir.
Kef Bir’s terrain is mostly oceanic and treacherous, marred with decades-old debris from the Battle of Endor. They meet a group of First Order deserters led by a woman named Jannah, who helps them across the rocky road to the Death Star wreckage. Rey, being hesitant to find the artifact, bravely goes to the wreckage swamped by the vast oceans alone. She finds what she needs by following her Force sense, and out of the shadows came Kylo Ren again- intent on stopping her, even as he revealed the true bloodline of Rey just before in their Kijimi skirmish. They proceed to duel after Kylo Ren destroys the Wayfinder- and with it came a slash-and-parry chase around the water-soaked wreckage of the Death Star. Their battle ends with Rey emerging victorious, thrusting Ren’s saber deep in the left side of his abdomen. Rey, still sensing the fear emanating off him, heals him with the Force, and leaves the planet with his (Kylo Ren’s) ship. Rey lands the ship on Ahch-To, where she meets with the Force ghost of Master Skywalker, who lifts up his X-wing to the shore, bestows upon her Leia’s lightsaber and with the Wayfinder stored on Kylo’s ship, goes to Exegol by herself, but not without transmitting the coordinates and route to R2-D2, for the Resistance to follow. Meanwhile, Kylo Ren meets with the Force ghost of his father, Han Solo, whom he comes to terms with and so reclaims his rightful identity as Ben Solo again. Having known her son to be back to the light, General Organa dies peacefully.
Rey and Ben Solo.
Rey confronts the Emperor on Exegol, who wants her to succeed him by striking him down for dead, leaving her the ruler of Exegol. The Resistance dogfights with the Sith Eternal fleet, led by General Pryde. Ben Solo, who rode an Imperial TIE Fighter to Exegol, follows Rey. As Rey fights with select Sith acolytes, Kylo destroys the Knights of Ren and together they confront the Sith Eternal Emperor himself briefly. Seeing that the pair share a strong Force bond with each other, Palpatine assumes the power of the dyad, restoring himself back to his prime. In a lightning display of ferocity, Palpatine destroys the Resistance fleet, barring any hope of Rey and Ben succeeding to take down the Sith. They all lose hope, until Lando shows up, amassing almost a dozen ship fleets to match the Sith Eternal’s. In the succeeding fight, Rey deflects Palpatine’s Force lightning and bounces it back to him, permanently decimating him and the entire Sith Eternal. Pryde’s forces are outmatched by Lando’s, and is killed later on. Rey dies, having exhausted her powers to stop the Sith, but not before Ben seemingly brings her back to life, but in the process he dies, cradled in her arms. The Resistance then goes back to Ajan Kloss to celebrate, but Rey goes to Tatooine, where she buries the lightsabers in the old Lars farm where Luke grew up. An old woman sees her, and asks her who she was. She looks into the old desert field, seeing Luke and Leia, and she replies: “Rey Skywalker”.
And now, on to the movie review. Seemingly enough, I initially did not plan to pander on the movie by discussing the plot in very intricate detail, yet me doing it is a sign that I would point out the inevitable: it’s muddled storytelling at its finest. Imagine crafting a story that basically is a retcon of all the established storylines, just out of the blue, last-minute changes that tell you: Oh, this doesn’t work for me. So let’s just skedaddle on back to the drawing board we had for the first film and make sure the other episode doesn’t exist. That works, right? But no! It does not. For crafting a conclusion to a rather epic sci-fi saga, sometimes all you really have to do is work with what you’ve got. If said established materiel isn’t so satisfactory to your palette, just do some nice workarounds but never deviating from the actual source material. The Rise of Skywalker, albeit having a nice-sounding sequel name, deviates completely from what has been established, and instead, we are given a two-hour long confusion instead of a proper farewell to the big SW. Imagine bringing back certain characters just so they could make an appearance, and turning a potential ground for a new kind of storytelling turn everyone completely crestfallen, only adding more flame to the griddle by making this hot mess. If the plot I wrote seemed confusing even to you, that means a lot more to those who’ve watched the movie. It was a gigantic pile of puked up lore dump here and to the point that certain parts of the story have no coherence whatsoever to what was established. Sith Eternal? Exegol? Wayfinder? While all terms are seemingly direct parallels to either the Old Republic’s Sith Empire, or coordinates to Dromund Kaas or even Sith planet archetypes for either Korriban or Ziost, I cast my doubts as to why they’d create a planet like that, out of the blue and saying “oh, this planet is an originalplanet, no source material driven.” Enough. A handful of fans seem to know where you got that reference of making a desolate, Sith-ruled planet with plenty of troops and starfighters (what is that planet, a mix of Korriban/Ziost and the Star Forge above Lehon?). No need to claim it as an original idea, given the numerous references for the SIth Trooper battle garrisons (one of them is even named the Revan legion).
I was never a real fan of The Last Jedi. I admire the fact that they have given Luke a new depth, and as far as developments go his was masterfully done. The only thing that left a spark of hope for me there were the subtle hints that there is more to the Force that just being centered around the Skywalkers. There are actual other denizens in the galaxy waiting for the right moment to showcase what they’ve got, and surely there are a-plenty more Jedi wannabes or potentials, right? Don’t look for that in this episode, that’s all I can say. Nothing was ever established, that’s what the film intended. Broom boy who? Rose Tico who? Let’s just pretend those never happened. Instead, have some new characters you’re not familiar with to forget they exist. Here! Have a dude named Beaumont Kin (portrayed by Dominic Monaghan, who is Meriadoc ‘Merry’ Brandybuck in Lord of the Rings)! Let’s throw in Jannah, a defected stormtrooper! Where did they come from? I don’t know, just roll along with it! It felt like that, a smack to the face on whoever wants to see more of Rose. And of course, how can we forget General Leia, who happened to be Force-sensitive throughout the course of the films, who was given a rather abrupt death? Sure, the shortcoming of her floating back to the blown Resistance ship during Episode VIII was justified already, but why did she die just like that? How about C-3P0, who just happened to have forbidden Republic on translating Sith language laws embedded to him? Surely, the memory wipe he had during Episode III might have had a hand at installing such a protocol, but it seems super ridiculous to know that Threepio refused to translate because there’s a law!
Episode IX is not the ending you expect to happen. In fact, it seems like a childhood dream gone terribly wrong to those people who have invested so much to Star Wars as a whole. I’ve been a fan since I was a kid, but I truly loved this when I was around fifteen-years old. I have been so invested that I started collecting many, many Expanded Universe material even if it was deemed as “non-canon” by Disney. The stories. The characters. KotOR. Battlefront. Dark Horse’s many comic story releases. Ever heard of Dawn of the Jedi? The Ashla versus the Bogan? Decades wasted on a new universe, and this is the thanks I get? For investing? A girl, whom we have no direct character and lineage development to, suddenly takes the Skywalker name as if she owned the name? No thank you. Let’s not forget the fact that this “dyad” in the Force is just a lazy way of writing about Force bonds, something in the lines of Revan and Bastila, or even Jacen and Jaina Solo from the EU. Let’s not forget that Finn, a character that had so much potential due to his backstory and nature, become dwindled down to a mere character desperately calling for the protagonist over and over and over.
Finn, screaming REYYY during her battle with Kylo Ren on Kef Bir.
I have no more comment as to express my disappointment. This is not the Star Wars that everyone has grown to love and be familiar with. If it was, they couldn’t have given up the Skywalker lineage to a complete stranger. If it was, they should’ve banked on the importance of being together even in times of need. That family, and love was the driving force of their actions, not just the mere good versus evil cliche one sees in other movies. The Expanded Universe, grim or ridiculous as it may seem at times, have hit or miss spots that made it so remarkable that even the mere mention of this or that character truly as spectacle to behold. The prequel trilogy (The Phantom Menace-Attack of the Clones-Revenge of the Sith), despite having earned an ire for being a meme-able movie franchise due to the cheesy dialogue and bland acting nailed the essence of what Star Wars is by simply revolving around the workings of their character’s relationship towards each other: the bond between master and apprentice, forbidden love and even dark machinations/thoughts. Some canon films and shows, mostly the standalone ones, seem to know their jibe when it comes to portraying the Star Wars everyone grew up with. Rogue One (2016) banked on the hope that a troop of strangers, as long as they remain steadfast and determined even on the face of danger, can accomplish impossible feats, Solo (2018) believed that a dash of luck could shimmy you out of any situation, while the recurring Disney+ series The Mandalorian (2019) showed you how a single object in the entire universe could mean so much to you in such a short period of time, that you’ll do everything or anything to make sure he/she/it gets to its destination safely. Heck, even The Clone Wars or Rebels have proven time and time again just how magical the Jedi versus Sith duels can be. But where does The Rise of Skywalker fit in the mold of these shows? I could honestly tell you that it doesn’t.
Disney’s sequel trilogy has been a wild dumpster fire that’s pretty to look at, nice to hold but extinguish it down and you’re gonna be relieved you actually done the deed. The two movies before TRoS had strong suits. The Force Awakens has a strong sense of being a film nostalgic and reminiscent to Episode IV: A New Hope (1977), but it can hold nicely on its own. The Last Jedi, despite being a popcorn or miss-it-completely flick, had enough spice to call itself a film, but The Rise of Skywalker had nothing the previous films had. It lacks…everything. Talk about a perfectly good way of ruining your childhood for yourself- with pointlessly endless fan service, and a super-confusing plot leaving more questions and answers than it should have been.
And this has been ChrianCai, signing off my first post for the year 2021. Again, I apologize for the inactivity. I will surely try my best to keep things up to speed this time. I promise.
P.S. I do not want to add my ratings to the end of the article as it seems a little comical nowadays. Hope everyone can understand. Hasta pronto. Adios!! Cuidate mucho.
Nope, it’s not SkyTheGoldMan anymore, but it’s KuriyanKkai0731, a new self I developed over the year- and pardon the obvious hiatus. I have not been posting anything since January and it seems fitting that I start something with something I have been mulling over with for over a few weeks already.
Joker is my FIRST R-rated movie. Technically, it’s considered a first because I haven’t got the experience of watching age-restricted movies here in the country in a cinema- mainly because I may be eighteen in age, but I retained this youthful look that made look…look fifteen-years old more than I imagined it to be.
I have been riding along the Joker train since the first trailer came out. It looks very promising, but people weren’t convinced at first- something that I expected would mean either DC’s hit or miss in the superhero genre where a flying red-and-gold exo-suited man and an invincible star-spangled shield-wielder fights against a gigantic purple being whose obsession with collecting stones makes him particularly invincible- with snapping. But enough of the obvious sarcasm- let’s get to the root of this review.
As I have stated prior, I have been following the Joker’s development into the cinemas. I didn’t have much faith then, looking at Todd Phillips’ Joker as sort of a ruse that would get to reveal only an origin story and nothing more. But what changed my mind to watch this masterpiece may be because of Joaquin Phoenix. Honest-to-goodness, who hasn’t liked Joaquin Phoenix’s super versatile acting? Half the world knows something- if Phoenix is in the role of delivery, he gives more than just deliver- he signs the entire waybill and you leave the rest to him.
So let’s start with my come back post of 2019, which is Todd Philips’ Joker. Please be forewarned that this review is not spoiler-free. If you haven’t watched Joker, please refrain from reading this review.
The Joker.
Joker is a super-villain origin story, released last October. It is directed by Todd Philips, starring Joaquin Phoenix playing the titular character Arthur Fleck/Joker, Robert De Niro as Murray Franklin and Zazie Beetz as Sophie Dummond. Other characters include Brett Cullen as Thomas Wayne, and Frances Conroy as Penny Fleck. The movie centers around the life of Arthur Fleck, a clown-for-hire living in the slums (or what it is visually represented as the slums) of Gotham City. He has a condition that makes him laugh uncontrollably in the wrong place and time (in the real world, it’s known as the pseudobulbar effect). He relies on social services for his medication, lives with his mother, Penny, and aspires at least to be like his idol, Murray Franklin, who is a talk show host. His life turns into a downward spiral as the social services for his medication shuts down due to budget cuts from the local government, his work as a clown got him beat up by kids and even fired due to an accidental gun slip (and a falsified purchase of it by his own co-worker) and his failed stint at a comedy bar. Not before long, he encounters three men in the subway, who beats him up and in self-defense he kills two of them, but executes the third. His act becomes a spark of riots across Gotham- while he remains under police suspicion. He also gets to deal with the notion that his mother believes that he’s a son of Thomas Wayne- of which the latter vehemently denies, claiming his mother as crazy, delusional. He uncovers the truth, eventually, and in this, his life blooms anew into a flower of violence, while he slowly kills his way around people who he has a history with- and becomes the man, the Joker.
Joaquin Phoenix stars as the titular character.
Let’s talk first about how Joker seems like a social commentary about mental health and how people deal with this. First and foremost, I didn’t really feel like Joker was trying to put any hidden meaning about mental health and violence whatsoever.
In a nutshell, you would probably think it is, because of all the violent galore of riots across the movie and the trailers itself, but note that Joker is based on a comic book. Comic books have a lot of checkered history characters, and the Joker’s origins are no stranger to being violent. Take the Killing Joke for example: a failed comedian, who turns into a life of crime before Batman interferes, and he falls into a vat of acid that turns his hair green and his skin pale white, making him look like a freak. But the only thing that makes this different from the comics Joker is that you got to see firsthand how he himself is transformed into the monstrosity he is, and that’s saying a lot, due to the fact that his spiral unto madness is highly characterized as one that is tragic, a hopeless tragedy. But what’s the social commentary there? It’s the treatment of Arthur Fleck that got people worried- because in a world where people with mental health problems get neglected, you don’t really expect them to turn into what Arthur did. But note that it seems unbelievably realistic- realistic to the point that it’s the first time I’ve seen anyone root for the villain to win.
Joaquin Phoenix DAZZLES as Joker.
The positive thing I say about the movie is that it’s gripping. It’s gripping, in a sense that no one else could’ve done better if they were Joker- even though Phoenix and Heath Ledger’s Joker differ according to which story they were told in, Arthur Fleck Joker comes from a godawful world. Ledger’s Joker was- and will always be- the best Joker performance, sans with Batman. But on his own, Phoenix Joker shines- shines in the way he delivers it. Dazzling as can be, and as powerful his actions are, its instrumental on how a slightly vengeful kill can be to one person, and don’t get me started with the actual bathroom sequences- Joaquin Phoenix just had me there. At the edge of my seat, looking at the gigantic screen while he dances a waltz over somber music by Hildur Guodnadòttir. Striking visuals, movements and twists make the movie even more painful but amazing to watch- even I couldn’t tell how mesmerizing Joaquin Phoenix was, and neither could my own dad. (He liked the movie too).
I guess the strong suit here is that Joaquin Phoenix delivers. And as I stated, he doesn’t do just that- he completes the order in a brutal fashion. Call me biased, but I got into movies based on how well they portray a character- and yes, Joaquin Phoenix is AMAZING. The critics didn’t lie the first time they were saying that Joker was a good movie. Although critical reception for the film downed a bit once the controversies about sparking real world violence rose, this didn’t stop me for being intrigued to watch this even more. It’s that kind of movie that tells you- oh my God, I can relate to the pains of this character. Phoenix gives more than you chew, and at least in the end you’ll leave satisfied with all the acting he has done prior to you entering and leaving the cinema. That’s how good it was.
The cherry on top of all this is the staircase dance. Hitting with the infamous Gary Glitter’s Rock n Roll Part 2 is enough to tell you how Joker was susceptible to being the man he is- delusional, but still rocking, still rolling- a monumental dancing scene that cements how Joker is- the madman he is.
Robert De Niro as Murray Franklin
Robert De Niro never fails to impress either, as talk show host Murray Franklin. As his saying that his character is a homage to Rupert Pupkin in The King of Comedy, I have yet to give my actual initial thoughts, as I have not seen that movie yet. But nonetheless you are treated into how De Niro delivers his best as that talk show host seemingly kind enough at first to acknowledge people, and that’s saying something about how realistic the actual talk show hosts get in the real world. They are either portrayed as that mild-mannered man who always takes a whiff at the current spazz on politics or controversy, and makes it into a ground for actual joking. I guess the character went particularly well, looking at the impact his own actions did to influence Arthur Fleck- sans Joker -to eventually kill this man. Seemingly enough, I know now that Joker’s violence is that kind of violence that makes us like it- the pent up anger we always feel towards the world is manifested when the titular protagonist tells Murray to get what he fucking deserved– which I think was an astounding piece of mind for all of us to linger on to for quite some time.
Other characters, such as Sophie Dummond (Zazie Beetz), Penny Fleck (Frances Conroy) and Thomas Wayne (Brett Cullen) all give in to a hand on how Joker really undergoes his last downward spiral, although Sophie’s actions remain completely neutral to his character because of her non-involvement in Arthur’s life (Arthur is delusional over Sophie), the other two did just more than reaffirm Arthur’s state of mind- they completely destroyed him. Penny Fleck, who is also a delusional mess, was one, and the revelation of Thomas Wayne being his father (which turns out, he’s not the big daddy Arthur was looking or hoping for) was just some of the many instrumental turns to crafting a completely destroyed and downward villain- which is seemingly pleasant, both visually and aesthetically, because it’s the first time we really ever got to see a villain become the villain he is- and with justifiable reason, at that.
I guess the only negative thing about this movie is that it’s a justification of how bad people can be, and as much as people like to be applauded for doing the good, this one applauds how the terrible deeds are: little things you can huff and puff around like candy. Todd Philips, I have no problem with his direction at all, but it’s a little bit uncomfortable, given the realism the movie has. It’s too real to begin with, you may start wondering how this became a comic book movie in the first place.
Allow us to start at the very root of its source material- Batman. Of course, Gotham City’s where it’s at,but notice that we rarely pay attention to the denizens of Gotham- because either way, they’re either just bystanders, or something unimportant to the roles fulfilled in the comics. Joker however takes those pages involving said denizens, rips them out, and into the new world of shady realism.
I rarely see the common folk, the background people actually pilot a story into where it’ll go. Joker makes the involvement of these said characters feel as if we were really looking into the lives of all these- how they treat Arthur, why they struggle, and to what’s in store for the final chain of events that cement Joker’s face paint.
The entire movie isn’t devoid of its source material, but it goes beyond it– a nonetheless good achievement, a welcome one, but if you were to incorporate almost real-world elements into the mix, it becomes muddled with confusion. I guess that’s the reason why a sum of critics and people started throwing shade at the movie, because of its nature as a film that’s socio-political. But to say this film is a commentary movie is an understatement. It’s just a comic book movie. It just feels too real to think it as a comic book source movie.
And thus so ends my review on the Joker.
Clearly, there were really moments where I didn’t like Joker, but I would definitely watch this movie again, because Joaquin Phoenix dazzles in his portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime. If ever the awards season come to sweep, I hope he wins the Oscar for Best Actor.
I just had to let the feelings sink in down deep before starting this.
I have to admit, I am pretty late in writing this one, but I promise you, this comeback post of mine will probably enlighten or dishearten you. And also spoilers are to be elaborated and furthermore can cause you GREAT harm if you haven’t watched this. (But pretty much of this article is for everyone, so go ahead.)
I recently watched the movie that splintered the entire Star Wars franchise into the haters and lovers last January 1, and safe to say, it wasn’t a bad thing to start a year right with a little bit of starfighter and lightsaber action swiveling here and there. So presenting my comeback article for the year 2018, is my movie review of Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi!
Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is the eighth installment of the almighty Star Wars saga, and is directed by Rian Johnson, and produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Simon Kinberg, J.J. Abrams, Lawrence Kasdan and Ram Bergman. The film was released last December 13.
The story revolves yet again around the Skywalkers, but this time, all their hopes are dwindled to none. With the Resistance outgunned, outnumbered and even on the run from the dreaded First Order forces, no one knows how the tide will turn for the bravest of Resistance troops. As General Leia Organa (played by the late great Carrie Fisher), Finn (played by John Boyega) & Poe Dameron (played by Oscar Isaac) struggles to remain a foothold on the never-ending power-hungry conquest of the First Order led by Supreme Leader Snoke (played by the CGI-riffic Andy Serkis) and General Armitage Hux (played by Domhnall Gleeson), the young scavenger Rey (played by Daisy Ridley) sets out to the distant corner of the galaxy with Chewbacca to find the lost Jedi hero, Luke Skywalker (played by Mark Hamill) as to ignite the fire of the Resistance in their fight against tyranny. But the only one stopping her is Kylo Ren (played by Adam Driver), the son of Leia, whose intention is to kill the last of the Jedi. But only time can tell, if he ever succeeds in doing so…
A hologram of Snoke (played by Serkis) commanding orders to General Hux (played by Domhnall Gleeson). Photo courtesy of CinemaBlend (www.cinemablend.com)
So let’s begin with the good stuff first. In technicality, visual effects are already considered cutting-edge in this movie. Yes, I loved the CGI, effects and all the pizazz embedded in this movie.
Story-wise, it’s very uniform. It’s unique in a sense that nearly outwits some episodes of the prequel saga (this was better than AOTC in a sense), and quite enjoyable that it becomes one of my go-to movies for popcorn-munching.
The movie also adds liberty in adding new faces to the mix, like Vice Admiral Aimilyn Holdo (played by Laura Dern), pipe technician Rose Tico (played by Kelly Marie Tran) and the enigmatic hacker DJ (played by Benicio Del Toro). All characters are somewhat okay, but I have a more elaborate opinion on them after you read this segment.
The acting, I can say, is quite up to par to that of Revenge of the Sith‘s, but with more serious scenes than that of ROTS. You’ll consider Luke as a rough gem in this movie, as he was condescending as heck. I never expected his character to take quite a very depressing turn as to the events prior to TLJ, because as far as we went on theorizing his role in the movie (you can throw the Snoke-is-Plagueis or Luke-turns-to-the-dark-side theories out the window now), we always considered Luke as the figurehead of hope. Rian Johnson’s done an incredible job making one of my favorite fandom heroes seem very vulnerable. It’s the sad, sad truth about it. Heroes don’t live forever, and sometimes we just have to accept that, no matter what. That’s what (Rian) Johnson was trying to reciprocate to the story. Most of the characters I enjoyed, especially Rey’s quite sullen but understanding performance, and I wouldn’t forget that Leia Organa performance by the late Carrie Fisher. She indeed, will always remain the Princess of Alderaan after watching this.
I also liked some tidbits in the movie including the Phasma-face reveal after the Finn vs. Phasma segment, and unusually, I liked the Porgs in this movie. Is there any chance we might be seeing these critters again? But most importantly, some Star Wars and non-Star Wars fans can agree that Ben Swolo was the “excellent tidbit” according to such. It was inevitably good, that every meme group about Star Wars I am supposed to be in blew up making a whole lot of those. Did I forget to say that this installment became a new meme gold mine for the meme groups on Facebook and Tumblr? Go ahead and explore if you dare.
One of my favorite scenes of the movie is the fight between Finn (played by John Boyega) and Captain Phasma (played by Gwendoline Christie).
Let’s not get carried away there. The starfighter sequences were definitely okay, and the lightsaber fights were nicely executed. The Rey-Kylo vs Praetorian Guard scene was the creme-of-the-crop for me there. All those stunts were brilliant! Everyone in the audience actually grinned when I looked at their faces when watching that scene. Pure adrenaline to pump up a movie, eh? Of course. Let’s not forget the Canto Bight interlude, where Finn and Rose bump heads to find a “red flower hacker” to sabotage the First Order, but ends up being a flop mission until DJ came along, and that tedious Battle on Crait, where the “final fight” cliche usually ends on the high note, but with some unexpected (and much disappointing) results. I would have loved this scene if not for that (see bad side opinion afterwards). All-in-all, so good…so what now? And yes, so much nostalgic scenes…The reunions of Luke to R2-D2, Leia and finding out that Han died made me cry so much, I think this has got to be the saddest installment of the saga.
Rey (played by Daisy Ridley) walking in the greens of Ahch-To.
Let’s get to the bad side of the movie. Apparently, even by today’s fandom expectations, everyone who watched this movie expectantly waited for a theory about this or that to be proven without a doubt. But the filmmakers say otherwise, and this enraged fans. Now, I didn’t do any theorizing about the movie and I expected at least a little reveal about this or that (as every Star Wars fan expecting a new movie would), but to actually have some kooky theory about this or that be disapproved by the filmmakers made The Last Jedi a scorn of defeat to a half of the franchise’s gigantic fan base.
Even I couldn’t mask disappointment over what I expected to be the betterment of The Force Awakens. The Last Jedi had tremendous ups-and-downs. The movie was a bit rushed in some point (I think the discovery of the Resistance based on D’Qar wasn’t expanded so), some scenes were ridiculous as heck including that Leia Organa’s flight from space scene, the Luke drinks green alien milk from a moof (I don’t know, some people refer to it as moof), and actually SMILED while drinking it. This isn’t a kids commercial. Just stop.
Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo (played by Laura Dern) is quite a disappointing character.
The character development was flawed. I liked the inclusion of Admiral Holdo and DJ as they add emphasis to what happens when things from both sides go awry, but they aren’t given the correct spotlight. For starters, Admiral Holdo’s story is barely even touched here (although in Claudia Gray’s Leia: Princess of Alderaan novel, Holdo is quite a support in the novel, not in the movie). DJ was the most puzzling of all. Who is he really, and how’d he end up in Canto Bight? Only the novelization will tell (if it really does).
Poe Dameron is reduced to the typical X-wing pilot stereotype in the novels and movies (read: they only like to blow stuff up), and seeing him become a whiny complainer made me think why he’s like that in the first place. Can you believe, that from daring X-wing pilot, he became whiny pilot who only cares about Michael Bay-like sequences? Unbelievable.
Canto Bight, the casino planet, is a bit of travesty. It made no sense whatsoever to add, and it seemed like a City of Dreams Manila rehash but in space. They could’ve made the hacker always drinking in at least his favorite cantina or a backwater planet where he can hide but a planet for vices? C’mon. Something’s got to give.
If people don’t mind, I’d like a little bit of fixation on Rose Tico’s character. IF she were a little bit serious, I would have dubbed her as a good character in the movie. She wasn’t trying to be the next Jar Jar, but I am serious in saying this once or twice, she has made the fans enraged (but I am not one of them. Don’t worry), but I believe she deserves better. It’s just because she pops up when you least expect it, and it doesn’t help the movie experience. Wouldn’t the story course be fine if she doesn’t appear so often? Doubtless you would agree she made the very correct decision of setting the fathiers (the big deer-horse combination) of Canto Bight loose to escape the dreaded casino planet, but stopping Finn’s heroic moment of triumph doesn’t help. If she were in stride with Lieutenant Connix (cameo by Billie Lourd), or even let Finn be in the movie, I think Rose would be better. J.J. Abrams, you’d better make her character good though!
Rose Tico (played by Kelly Marie Tran) needs good character expansion. Photo courtesy of Official Star Wars website (www.starwars.com)
However, I express so much discontent over the villains of The Last Jedi, too. Now, Snoke and Phasma were great. Ability-wise, they’re astonishing but they never got the background or character development needed to make them pop culture icons. Given that, it would be a greater help if at least the novelization expands the story a bit much. Jason Fry, make it good for the fans!
Lastly, I hated the death of Luke Skywalker. The death scene seemed so unsuspecting and took me to tears, and somehow, it felt like a big betrayal to the character that lived from up to 70+ years in the Legends novels (yes, Luke didn’t die in the non-canon novels). Rian Johnson, you don’t need an apology to that. You just did it. “Thank you.”-Kylo Ren
Over-all, the movie was neither good nor bad. It all seems a big disappointment to half of the fan base, but you would always have a second opinion regarding this movie. I kind of liked The Last Jedi but I believe it could’ve been at least better if some changes were applied. So overall, here’s what I solely think about it overall:
“The Last Jedi is indeed a better movie than its previous The Force Awakens, but with a lot of minor setbacks and flaws flurried around the movie, it’s doubtful it will ever be the best, but it would just always try to be the best the Star Wars saga can offer its fans so far.”
RATING: 8.5/10
So, I am back, and will be posting more Star Wars things for the year 2018.
I am Rogue One (SW-0608), and thank you for taking time to read this! Like, comment or share this if you loved it, and follow my Twitter @jedi_knight0731 for more fun stuff.
Thank you, good night, and May The Force Be With You! 🙂
“I am one with the Force, the Force is with me.” A lot of people have been looking for this movie in a long while, and I myself have been waiting for it in a long time (so you can say quote-on-quoting Kylo Ren here). But nevertheless I was amazed at such. 2015’s The Force Awakens packed a big whoop up on the cinema screens and also box office records, amassing 2 billion dollars worth of moolah, but it wasn’t entirely enough to satisfy the cravings for each and every Star Wars fan. But lo and behold: Disney announced it would be releasing at least one SW movie per year starting 2015 and ending in 2020. 2015 bought us the awakening of the Force, now 2016 gave us where rebellions are built on: Hope. Dear readers, I am psyched to say I am reviewing to you my much-loved movie of 2016 (probably my distinct favorite), Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
Rogue One is directed by Gareth Edwards (of 2014’s Godzilla fame), and produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur & Simon Emanuel. The film stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, Jiang Wen & Mads Mikkelsen. Rogue One is about how Jyn Erso (played by Jones), together with ragtag Rebel peeps Cassian Andor (played by Luna), Chirrut Imwe (played by Yen), Baze Malbus (played by Wen), K-2SO (voiced by Tudyk) & Bodhi Rook (played by Ahmed) steal her father Galen Erso’s (played by Mikkelsen) plans for the Death Star weakpoint, while dealing with the cutthroat authority of Director Orson Krennic (played by Mendelsohn) and his fearsome brigade of Deathtroopers.
Jyn Erso, Cassian Andor & k-2SO in a scene from Rogue One
Being straightforward here, Rogue One is actually the saving grace of the ever-taciturn prequel saga, since it features a lot of moments fans and newbies actually appreciate and love. The story is actually centered before A New Hope, and it won’t be a hassle for those who are new to the franchise since Rogue One fits in perfectly between the lapels of Revenge of the Sith & A New Hope. I liked how Mr. (Gareth) Edwards treated Rogue One as a filler for big plot gaps fans have been asking for in a long time. The action sequences are heavily referenced from war film Apocalypse Now (mostly for the Scarif sequences). The effects are ever so amazing, and it features the lot of technological advancement of Lucasfilm all throughout (thank you, Industrial Light & Magic for such glamour). All of the characters, albeit expendable to the eyes of Star Wars purists, are actually likable and tangible. Most notable people include Chirrut Imwe and his bad-ass staff skills, K-2SO’s snarky & funny dialogue, Director Krennic’s cringe-worthy one-liners and bold statements, Cassian’s enigmatic persona & Jyn’s desperation are just a pinch of the whole thing. The new additions to the Imperial fleet such as the Shoretroopers & Deathtroopers are pretty leet to the look, with everything and anything the Imperials (and fans as well) ever wanted (although the Deathtroopers are exclusive to the aide of their boss, Director Krennic and Shoretroopers are designed for Scarif’s sweltering heat). And one thing, always remember to keep your eyelids peeled for VADER. DARTH VADER. Just WOW. Seeing him again on the big screen once again brings back the slightest fond memories I have of him when I was 5 years old, watching him force choke the Imperial officer from Episode IV. So far, so good. The fan appreciation in this flick is strong.
Director Orson Krennic (left) with his Deathtroopers (right)
Now, let’s delve deeper to what I meant and said that this was the prequel we were looking for. Rogue One, despite being a standalone in its own way, still has the feel of an authentic Star Wars movie. I believe everyone remembers why the prequels suck: Jar Jar Binks and Anakin’s sand blues. But given Rogue One, the movie doesn’t focus on the pitchy or lighter side of the franchise like what George did with J.J. Binks, but delves deeper to its darker secrets, which was supposed to be featured in the prequel saga all throughout. I’d also commend Rogue One as such since this is the first Star Wars movie to tackle losses or dark tones in such a family-friendly (and fanboy-fairy) movie. And I am glad to notice the absence of a love interest for Jyn (although I am pitching Jyn with Cassian). Did I forget to mention it was better (Rogue One) than The Force Awakens? Gareth Edwards & Lucasfilm, you’ve done a good movie. Kudos to you people.
Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor
What Rogue One lacked, was the development of characters. They weren’t given exact backstories or backgrounds, which made most of their presences confusing and riddling sometimes. One example is that of Saw Gerrera (portrayed by Forest Whitaker), the leader of the Partisans. I get that he is crucially important to story because Galen sent Bodhi after him, but is he really crucial to at least one point in the plot? Answer is yes, but it’s rather confusing to babble about. However, I do criticize a few bits in the soundtrack as well, since Michael Giacchino is mainly getting pointers from John Williams’ take on the music of Star Wars (I appreciated the effort done in The Imperial Suite, Rogue One & Jedha City Ambush, those tracks were suspense-filled to the brim). If the soundtrack was tweaked a little to the catchy-standard, I’d like it a little more. And did I forget to mention the cringe-worthy CGI remakes of Peter Cushing’s face on a Grand Moff Tarkin actor & Carrie Fisher’s younger palate on a younger actress for this movie? CGI effects on Rebel fleets versus Imperial Star Destroyers are alright, but reanimating the dead through CGI means is NOT a go-go. Ever.
Rogue One IS the Star Wars prequel you’ve been looking for. However, set aside Saw Gerrera, a bit of Michael Giacchino’s music and the CGI Tarkin (Leia’s bring cringes and nostalgia at the same time) and you’ve got a highly satisfying Star Wars movie that not only enthralls, but also intrigues as the first movie before stepping in the Original Trilogy (Episode IV, V & VI). And yep, I’m being honest here: this movie did far better fare than Episode I & II (III was alright).
MY RATING FOR THE MOVIE: 9.8/10
Dealing in the dark side of Star Wars, Rogue One provides the fans everything they want, but partly, fails a little to do so. All-in-all, still a pretty good take on how the Death Star plans where caught from the Imperial’s grubby hands.
If you liked movie reviews like this one, be sure to check out the other reviews I’ve done as well! 🙂
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And that’s it, folks! Happy Valentine’s and May The Force Be With You, dear reader. I am SkyTheGoldMan signing off, for 2/14/2017. See ya ’round again soon! 🙂
“Are the City of Stars shining just for you?” Yep, I’ve been bitten by the La La Land jibe. After two years of bringing us his Oscar-winning film Whiplash, director Damien Chazelle has another film up his sleeves, and it’s tugging the reins of Oscar-dom. Yes, dear readers, I am proudly reviewing (and probably watching as of the moment) one of the most decadent movie pleasures to ever hit us in 2016, La La Land.
The film stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. It is about a tale of two lovers: Mia (played by Stone), an aspiring actress and Sebastian (played by Gosling), a struggling jazz pianist. The two met and crossed paths after learning each other’s struggles, and in the process, help one another achieve his/her dreams…all the while falling in love at the same time as well.
In its own, La La Land is like a savory, visual treat to those who love or like musical or dance numbers. Not only are such numbers fairly good or catchy, but also the singing and acting chops of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling are worth watching for. They have alluding chemistry, and you’ll surely appreciate every tiny bit they bring in front of you, be it their practical singing duets or tapdancing to the sunrise. The flow of the story is okay, you can tread along the footsteps with both Mia and Seb. Although throughout the movie, the most memorable thing is the scene where Mia and Seb dance for the first time, in the style of ’60s tapdancing and all that! Because of its catchy look, you’ll really feel you’re with both Mia or Seb. Honestly, Damien Chazelle has outdone himself. With catchy, feel-good music from Justin Hurwitz & pitch perfect chemistry from both Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone, plus the golden directing of Chazelle combined, you’ll get the best viewing experience of one of cinema’s most modernly good musical movie of 2016, natch. The movie also teaches you that no matter how hard you try, the person you fell in love in the first will never really be yours. Date-less peeps this Valentine’s…prepare Kleenex boxes when you decide to binge watch this movie in your Valentine’s No-Date Movie Watch.
Emma Stone & Ryan Gosling have pitch perfect chemistry.
I have nothing bad to say about La La Land. It’s a really good movie, nothing more, nothing less. However, I believe this movie’s gonna rack up more awards and accolades than Whiplash!
In a nutshell, La La Land seems like a regular musical you’ll see in your day-to-day theater. But watch the entirety of it, and you’ll get more than “just a musical” as your opinion. It’s a love story. An enchanting, yet tragic one, too.
MY RATING FOR THE MOVIE: 10/10
Pitching in elements of both modern and classical tones of each musical, La La Land flaunts itself as a gateway for more musically-aligned movies. The lessons in love you’ll learn here are relatable in real life, and keep your eyes peeled for every moment on, because some moments are key events and if you blink, you miss it! 🙂
If you like movie reviews like this one, don’t forget to check out the others I made too! 🙂
If you want to be updated from the latest happenings from this blog, be sure to check out SkyTheGoldMan’s Twitter page @PadawanMan0731 for updates & hijinks! 🙂
And that’s it folks! I’m SkyTheGoldMan, signing out for this year 2017, and Happy Valentine’s Day to all! May The Force Be With You. 🙂
Back in 1974, Frenchman Philippe Petit attempted nearly the impossible: walk in a high-wire, positioned in the middle of the World Trade Center’s twin towers. 31 years after, filmmaker Robert Zemeckis decided to make a movie in honor of not only Philippe, but also the Twin Towers, named The Walk. It stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Charlotte Le Bon, Ben Kingsley, Clement Sibony, James Badge Dale, Ben Schwartz, Benedict Samuel, Steve Valentine & Cesar Domboy. The story of the movie circles around Philippe Petit (played by Gordon-Levitt) on how he made the impossible possible: walk on a high-wire in the biggest building in the world. With the help of Papa Rudy (played by Kingsley), Annie (played by Le Bon), Albert (played by Schwartz), Jean-Louis (played by Sibony), Jean-Pierre (played by Badge-Dale), Jeff (played by Domboy), David (played by Samuel) & Barry Greenhouse (played by Valentine), we eventually learn the hardships, madness & determination Philippe and his troupe went to bring to life the once-impossible dream.
Among all of Zemeckis’ grand visual parades, The Walk positions itself as a grand visual drama, that is able to support itself in such rapport from a string of talented actors. The story, at firsthand, is quite interesting, and with the help of Zemeckis’ stunning visuals, the movie is much more enlightened, and it has this “optimistic” aura that paves way to you all throughout. The actors gave their all in making the movie great as possible, with the particular standout being Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s acting as Philippe, and the way he delivered was good. He didn’t kill his role, but instead, refurbished it as a whole to deliver audiences around the world that indeed, he was channeling the character of Philippe Petit: ambitious and eager just to prove the world, the impossible can be possible. The values you can learn from this movie is gold, too, as you stride along with Philippe, Annie, & co. Needless to say, it’s not just a visual feast- it’s a stride-along family movie that you’ll remember watching. Lastly, the movie truly honors the victims of the 9/11 attacks, as what Philippe- er, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Philippe suggests, he will truly visit the towers, forever. And that’s why it is such a movie of sorts.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt encapsulates you in the world of Philippe Petit in this very scene right here.
However, not everything ends entirely well with this one, as The Walk narrows down along its drain a strain of inconsistencies, including a tidbit of its effects. There is entirely nothing bad or innuendo tapered into it, but the use of movie cliches and all of that make the movie hard to be taken seriously. And to some of the scenes filmed all throughout, it is either exaggerated or nearly unrealistic. Less to say, The Walk could’ve focused more on its “family movie” type of theme, too. And I nearly forgot to mention: this movie has a storm scene in it. And if you’re concerned about the littlest details of this movie, you’ll probably notice that this is a Zemeckis cliche, as all his movies have “thunder and rain” written all over them.
But as all Robert Zemeckis movies go, The Walk can never match the consistency & charisma Back to the Future provided back in the day. However, this movie is driven by its superiority of talented actors, so it’s well and good.
MY RATING FOR THE MOVIE: 8.1/10
Judging by the fact that visual effects is truly Robert Zemeckis’ forte when it comes to bringing movies, however, this movie isn’t a case of the green screen, but a hit of it- combining drama and SFX truly suggests that The Walk is one for the books on the history of Robert Zemeckis.
If you liked this movie review, be sure to like or comment, or even reblog! (I just noticed that.) If you want more of reviews like this, be sure to check out my other posts below, and if you want to be updated daily on the biz in this buzz, follow me, @PadawanMan0731 on Twitter and I’ll provide you with the sorts.
And that’s it for tonight, folks. I’m SkyTheGoldMan, signing out for 10/12/2016. Have a great night, everybody. 🙂
Does anyone still remember the massive cover-up of Catholic Church sex abuse article in The Boston Globe back in 2002? Yes, the Pulitzer Prize award-winning investigation is now adapted to a feature film by Tom McCarthy, aptly named Spotlight. The film stars Michael Keaton (as Walter “Robbie” Robinson), Liev Schreiber (as Marty Barton), Mark Ruffalo (as Michael Rezendes), Rachael McAdams (as Sasha Pfeiffer), Brian d’Arcy James (as Matt Carroll), John Slattery (as Ben Bradlee, Jr.) & Stanley Tucci (as Mitchell Garabedian, a sex abuse victim lawyer). The movie is about the true-to-life news team Spotlight of The Boston Globe, as they tackle day-to-day investigations on Catholic child sex abuse with specified contacts & victims, possible in putting the puzzle pieces together in their controversial yet phenomenal article.
To be frankly honest, Spotlight, from head to toe, is not your usual cup of coffee. The movie itself is the story, and you have to be both physically and mentally present all throughout to piece the puzzle together with the Spotlight news team. Unlike most biopics I’ve watched, this one is a truly remarkable one due to the fact that it is present in nearly all corners of the movie: it doesn’t get boring, the theme is thought-provoking, and if you blink, you’ll miss the moment at hand. This movie requires your full attention, and this movie is a must-watch to the ones who consider themselves “super sleuths”. Yet this is also a movie about mass journalism, and it has a ton of pointers about it for those who want to pursue their passion in taking AB Journalism for college. And the movie is also quite unique- a standout, even. It combines drama & suspense in a very, journalistic manner and never ceases to keep its mind and aura off in the thinking viewer. The entire ensemble of actors are a big. big standout too. Familiar faces in my book include Mark Ruffalo & Michael Keaton, as they’ve truly put their mind and soul to bringing to life Walter Robinson & Michael Rezendes. The other cast members did astonishingly well, too. I’d say this movie isn’t a hit or miss- it’s a classic, and it has to stay that way, if it does.
This photo provided by Open Road Films shows, Michael Keaton, from left, as Walter “Robby” Robinson, Liev Schreiber as Marty Baron, Mark Ruffalo as Michael Rezendes, Rachel McAdams, as Sacha Pfeiffer, John Slattery as Ben Bradlee Jr., and Brian d’Arcy James as Matt Carroll, in a scene from the film, “Spotlight.” The film is among the 10 nominees for the Producers Guild Awards, which were announced Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016. (Kerry Hayes/Open Road Films via AP)
Spotlight garners every tidbit of thought, but it has a few flaws on its side. First of all, the movie is too mature for young or teen audiences to handle. Also, since this movie is all talk, expect a few yawns from people who’s all explosions in their movie preferences. And also, the movie is too “adult” to handle, as the subjects involves various mentions of sex abuse, and the frequent mentions of the Catholic church may or may not bring harm towards a person. In other words: the movie is for people who’s serious and brave enough to handle such a controversial topic, so beware, casual viewer.
Amidst all that, Spotlight remains as a prime landmark in such biopics, delivering more of the drama in its story, with no sidelines at all., and with the topic so controversial, you’ll have so many thoughts circling around you after watching.
MY RATING FOR THE MOVIE: 10/10
I’d say this a qualified success! Tom McCarthy perfectly combines its compelling storyline with wit & grit, you’ll never wanna keep your eyes (and brain) shut till the very end, too.
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And that’s it for today, folks. This is SkyTheGoldMan, signing off for 10/10/16. Have a great night, everybody. 🙂
(Major credits to image of the Spotlight news team in the movie! Also, if you want to check out the ORIGINAL ARTICLE of The Boston Globe, sure, go ahead, I don’t mind. It’s a good, really good article too. Here’s the link down below 🙂 )
Irish filmmaker John Carney has another musical drama to give to audiences who just can’t get enough of Begin Again. But this time, take away the former cast like Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo (even Adam Levine!) out of the equation, and add unknown child stars. And hit ’80s music, and you’ve got his new film, Sing Street. The movie stars Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Lucy Boynton, Jack Reynor, Mark McKenna, Ben Carolan, Percy Chamburuka, Aidan Gillen & Ian Kelly. Set in 1985, it’s about a Dublin teenager named Conor Lalor (portrayed by Walsh-Peelo) as he forms a band named Sing Street with his newfound friends Darren (portrayed by Carolan), Eamon (portrayed by McKenna) & Ngig (portrayed by Chamburuka) to impress his girl-crush Raphina (portrayed by Boynton). But not only does he deal with the band, but also his family ties with his father (portrayed by Gillen), learn more about rock n’ roll with Brendan (portrayed by Reynor) & outwitting and outsmarting Barry (portrayed by Kelly), the bully.
In its core, Sing Street is an original movie with its unknown cast of actors, and Carney, with his superfluous talent to write such catchy songs, is added to the mix and the result? Something waayy better than his previous movie (Begin Again). It’s a memorable movie worth watching with the family, and with the hit songs of the ’80s on the helm (most notably Duran Duran, a-ha, Hall & Oates & Spandau Ballet were featured), it’s bound to bring back the nostalgia of the catchy song generation. Not only were the songs and story original, but also its characters & actors. Just think about it: when a movie introduces an unfamiliar set of peeps, but they deliver amazingly well, you can already tell it’s a really good movie. It also tells the young of this generation to try and make a band, as a band looks out for everyone, and possibly, enjoy while they’re at it. The familiar standouts in the film include Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Jack Reynor & Lucy Boynton. They all look like they’ve got to give, and the role fits them exactly well- from Walsh-Peelo as a singer-wannabe, Boynton as a wannabe-model & Reynor as a washed-up music lover, how can it get any better than this? And did I forget to mention that all their songs are so catchy, you can sing-along them even if you aren’t watching the movie? Now, as all John Carney movies go, Sing Street has the same poignancy as his previous outings, but instead was delivered to you- in the form of ’80s music. And that, my dear reader, is the reason why the riddle of the model still remains as the key to the missing chord.
Sing Street offers a nostalgic movie viewing experience- if not for the family, for the ones interested in making a band.
But of course, Sing Street has its flaws, one being the inclusion of bullying elements that seem tolerable at first, but to younger viewers, may be found as a little crude. And pretty much the movie is merely for mature audiences to enjoy, as music from the ’80s can be an unknown generation of music to the present-day millennials (read: the children of today). The other common flaw is the introduction of early teen vices such as smoking- as this is a movie that is supposed to take credit the joy of being in a band, but I literally did not expect these clique of teens to smoke kinda early for their ages (most of the roles were in the teen level). And the use of abuse pangs the memories of the current generation down to the core. As I have been saying, the movie seems more mature for teens, but not the children for now.
A big hit in bringing nostalgia, Sing Street truly proves that the classics are timeless, and they’ve delivered it a la Duran Duran, Hall & Oates, Spandau Ballet & a-ha. Although it is not like the acapella-film Pitch Perfect with its Barden Bellas or the steps-back-to-top style of storytelling as Begin Again, this garage-band based movie still stands out on its own.
MY RATING FOR THE MOVIE: 10/10
And this is the reason why garage bands can turn into something more. Sing Street is beautifully written, if not, made to perfection by the master of musical movie maker John Carney. Its talented cast, catchy songs & incredible wit make it one of the best films I’ve watched this 2016.
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And that’s it for today, folks. This is SkyTheGoldMan, signing out, 10/10/2016. Good night, everybody. 🙂
You are now about to witness the strength of street knowledge. And in line with this, filmmaker F. Gary Gray made NWA’s biopic, Straight Outta Compton. The movie is about the humble yet controversial beginnings of NWA, right from the minute they made their iconic track Straight Outta Compton up to the death of Eazy-E. It stars O’Shea Jackson Jr. (as Ice Cube, his dad), Corey Hawkins (as Dr. Dre), Jason Mitchell (as Eazy-E), Aldis Hodge (as MC Ren), Neil Brown Jr. (as DJ Yella) & Paul Giamatti (as Jerry Heller).
The cast of Straight Outta Compton (from left-to-right: Aldis Hodge as Ren, Neil Brown Jr. as Yella, Jason Mitchell as E, O’Shea Jackson Jr. as Cube & Corey Hawkins as Dre)
As I usually expect in biopics, it will obviously feature the life story of a certain topic, and it will revolve on that topic up to the end. But in the case for Straight Outta Compton, throw your expectations out the window. The movie stunningly captures the life stories of its once-controversial artists, and it never goes off topic for one second. Plus it truly depicts a whole lot of thematic elements, and of course, expect some cameo appearances of other rappers in the movie, which include a young Snoop Dogg & the late Tupac Shakur, to name a few. I’d score a lot of kudos to its smash-hit portrayals of Ice Cube, Dr. Dre and of course, Eazy-E. The most noticeable standout may be of Jason Mitchell, who did absolutely well with his portrayal of the late Eazy-E. And did I forget to mention O’Shea Jackson Jr.’s performance as his dad Ice Cube? From the expressions and actions, the movie’ll make you believe that he is a carbon copy of his dad. And certainly, I would never forget Corey Hawkins as Dr. Dre. He did so damn well, I’d think he deserves more performances like this one, right here. The other cast members did quite well. Hearing their iconic gangster rap (songs like Straight Outta Compton & Fuk da Police) is part soothing, yet exhilarating at the same time. The story is an absolute hit, and it makes me wanna watch it even more. And to those who are interested to learn more about hiphop, then this movie is for you.
F. Gary Gray has taken the iconic gangster rap to a very good level of drama. With swag.
Amidst all the love for F. Gary Gray’s movie, Straight Outta Compton has a few flaws. To name a few, the theme that revolves around it is too thematic for sensitive viewers. It isn’t a good movie to watch with the family, as there is use of drugs, swearing and in this movie, expect lots of it. Be warned: the movie isn’t for totes casual viewing with the fam bam. But if you insist, expect the forewarning I’ve said to take effect.The common flaw may be because of Paul Giamatti’s portrayal of Jerry Heller, which needs a little bit of improvement.
Straight Outta Compton is a unique take on your usual biopics, nearly outsmarting The Theory of Everything & outlasting True Story.
MY RATING FOR STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON: 9.7 / 10
This movie is a knockout in all biopics I’ve watched, with newbie filmmaker F. Gary Gray, even. But with the constant profanity, It’ll take a few minutes before you can truly appreciate the film’s theme.
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And that’s it for today, folks. I’m SkyTheGoldMan, founder of The Blocks of Life. Good night, everybody. 🙂
Centerpoint Station 