The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

With so many big name movies already out this year, it can be easy to forget about those that are still left. For me that was this movie. Until I was invited out to see it, I had actually forgotten it was even coming out anytime soon. After reading the books though, I will admit I was more then a little excited to see the movie. For me this was the book that sold me on the franchise. While I liked the idea behind the first one, this is where the story finally starts to form. Without spoiling anything, this should be the best movie in the series. So did it live up to that? 

Let me start by talking about the new director. Francis Lawrence takes over for Gary Ross, and it is a great change. I had nothing against Ross or the artistic direction he took in the first film. However this one felt more, well more professional. To me the first movie was done in a style you don't normally see in big budget flicks. And I am not just talking about the shaky cam most people seemed to have a issue with. From the way they tried to show the oppressive nature of the peace keepers and the Capitol, to the camera work and the pacing. Everything just felt better in this movie. Instead of using shaky cam, weird angles, and other tactics to try and elicit emotion; Lawrence uses other means. Better pacing, better timing, solid camera work that does not take away from what is going on. The difference was far more noticeable then I thought it would be. 

If you saw the first film, you know what to expect as far as acting goes. Jennifer Lawrence still knows what she is doing, and does very well. She brings a lot of emotion into this movie, and has more then a few stand out moments. Josh Hutcherson, who I tend not to like, did very well also. He was more likable in this movie, and seems to be growing as a actor. As most of this film was not action, and more drama, I was a little worried about that. Kravitz is still amazing, and Harrelson turns in a good performance. Phillip Seymour Hoffman took me by surprise though. I don't remember his character in the book having the presence he did in the movie. He was delightfully unlikable, and yet you loved him at the same time.

Speaking of the movie being more drama then action, I would like to talk about the story a little. I don't want to get into spoilers, so let me just talk about the tone of the film. This is a very depressing movie, from start to finish. When you start to see something good forming, it rips it away. This is actually what makes the film so good though. They really draw you in and make you care about the peoples struggles. From the killings, to the torture, nothing is shown in great detail....but it still really gets to you. Emotion is a powerful tool,and they use it to turn a fairly simple story into something you care about. When it does finally shift into action mode, around the final third of the film, that emotion stays with it. 

While there are special effects before the fighting starts, they are more noticeable late in the film. From some crazy fog, to cool forcefields, this one gets it right. Everything looked great, and yes That includes Katniss's fancy dresses. As far as the fighting goes, you don't see a lot of the actual killing. Most of the times you see the beginning, and the after math. Guessing this is a ratings thing, but it doesn't detract from anything either. You still have plenty of tension and suspense.

I saw online where you could order the soundtrack to the film. After seeing it though, I can't imagine what that would comprise of. Most of the movie is silent, I don't actually remember anytime a song was playing in the background. I felt the silence added quite a bit to the overall effect. It made you feel uneasy at times, or more into what was going on onscreen at others. Who me ever scored this film did a great job by going with the minimalist approach. 

So we have a stronger overall film then the first. Better camera work, better acting.
Better story, that begins to get at the overall idea of what the series is all about. Great effect when used, and solid audio work. And a very sad and angering movie that keeps you entranced for its duration. Honestly I don't see the franchise getting better then this entry. If you enjoyed the First one, you will like this one to. If you loved the book, this does a good job with it.

It does pretty much everything right. Well worth your money.

Ender's Game

I saw Ender's Game a few nights ago with my wife. After the movie ended, I had a pretty good grasp on my feelings for it. However the more I thought about it, and the more I talked about it, the less sure I became. I have some how managed to never read the book, even though it has been recommended to me multiple times. So this review, and my thoughts are in no way based upon the book or the similarities or lack there of. I don't know if that helps or hurts in this case, as the book is pretty well known. So as you read this, just remember that. This view and opinion does not take the book into account.

Ender's Game, the basic idea is Earth was attacked 50ish years ago. Aliens who look like giant ants came in and tried to set up a colony, we fought back and managed to push them off world. In the final battle, we only won because of the heroic sacrifice of one pilot. In the time between then and now, we have managed to increase our military might and technology to the point we are a threat to the aliens and have them locked down on their home world. We have decided that children make better soldiers then adults, because of some reason I don't recall. They are able to better process situations and something or another....it made sense, but it sounded idiotic. The idea is if you raise the kid in that environment, they will be mature enough to handle it. And will be able to better utilize the training then a adult would. Ender is one of those kids, he is being trained and Harrison Ford believes he is the kid to end the war.

The story is what the movie is all about, it is based off of a book that is very well known after all. The original book won some big awards, and as such the movie has a lot to live up to. While I have not read the book, my understanding is some of the more...important aspect of it, were left out. The whole political structure of earth, and what his siblings were up to while he was away for example. From my view though, the story was not a issue with the film. The whole child soldier thing worked well, and was believable in the way it was presented. While I never really felt attached to any character, I was still kept interested in what they were doing. Seeing Ender go from his initial academy, to battle school and beyond was a interesting journey. While it did have some action, at its core it really was more of a drama film. I did find that disappointing, but as I was not really sure what the movie was going into it, I can't fault it for something I did not understand. I liked the family dynamic, and it worked well withing the movie. But it never seemed like they got the most out of those scenes. You never really learn much about them, so the fact his sister is a main focus of the film just felt odd. The movie did have some miss steps though. For one I felt it was to long. Certain parts seemed to last longer then they needed, and the whole pacing of the film suffered for it. While I think Harrison Ford did a good job with the role, he also was one of the more boring parts of the movie. So even though the story seemed good in concept, the execution dragged it down. Maybe they just tried to fit to much in.

Acting....I had no real issues with it. Harrison Ford always does well, and he continues to do so. It is odd seeing a film where you do not like him, but apparently he can do unlikable just as well as charming. Another big role was Viola Davis as Major Anderson. If you don't know who she is, you are lucky. It means you don't have a wife or girlfriend who made you go see Beautiful Creatures. She plays a sort of psychologist to the children. She is constantly checking on Ender to see how he is doing mentally. She is one of the few roles in the film, that shows somebody actually caring about the kids. It is a pretty big contrast to the rest of the military, and I thought she had a good performance here. Ben Kingsley did well, although he didn't really do that much. And Asa Butterfield does decent with Ender. I don't think he was good enough to carry the movie, but I would say he has a good future ahead of him in acting.

I want to talk about space for a moment. The movie takes place in it, and the only real battles are space battles. We see them simulating battles as part of their training, and they use a unique system that allows the commander to see and command the entire fleet at once. Think of a camera pulled back away from the battle, kind of like a video game. He can spin the camera, focus on things, and pretty much get any view of the battlefield he needs. It all sounds pretty cool, but in actuality it lessened those scenes greatly. By not focusing on the ships, and giving us the chaotic view of the battle, all of the space portions just came off as lackluster and boring. I don't go to movies to watch somebody else play a video game, I want to feel like I am out in space with them. For a movie whose final chapter is pretty much about space battle simulations, it really failed to make that section worth while. When Ender takes his final test, his crew is fighting against impossible odds and thousands of ships. That should not be boring to watch, and it should carry some sort of emotional weight with it.

THIS NEXT PART IS SPOILERS, I TALK ABOUT THE END OF THE MOVIE. LOOK FOR MORE BOLD LETTERS BELOW AND SKIP TO THOSE IF YOU DO NOT ALREADY KNOW HOW IT ENDS. THIS IS MOSTLY A RANT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE READ THE BOOK, OR HAVE SEEN THE MOVIE ALREADY. SKIP IF YOU DO NOT KNOW THE ENDING

Okay so the ending is the government is screwing with Ender. It seems like it should have been a big reveal, but they give it away before they drop the bombshell on the kid. By the time he finds out, I was already over it. It made that whole moment feel cheapened. They also never go into why his friends deceived him, or did not tell him what was going on. The ending felt rushed and tacked on, it seemed like there should have been more to it. The whole movie was building to that moment, and for it to fall flat like that really dragged the whole thing down for me.

START READING AGAIN FROM THIS POINT, IGNORE THAT OTHER SECTION.

Okay so we have a strong book which seemed to be stripped down for the theatrical version. We get a story that seems to be lacking key elements, and that fails to deliver in the end. While the movie starts strong, it does tend to lose steam near the end. The entire final act was a let down to me, and by the time the movie ended, I was more then ready to go home. Acting was decent all around, but the kid who played Ender did not seem capable of fully embracing that role. And for a movie who has some pretty big space battles, they all tend to be pretty poorly done. Was the film enjoyable? I would say it had its moments. Ender has some good lines, and seeing the kid mouth off was pretty funny. His emotional scenes though left much to be desired. I enjoyed the movie overall, but would rather have not paid theater prices for it. If you are a fan of the book, from what I have been told you should enjoy it. You will be able to fill int he portions that the rest of us were simply not given. I think most can enjoy the film, but few will truly love it.

Gravity

Gravity is a odd film to talk about. You try to put it into a genre, but it can be difficult. It works off of tension, and has many elements of a horror film, but it obviously is not one. You could call it a drama, but in my mind that doesn't really fit it either. It is being called Science Fiction, but that is usually reserved for the more exotic titles. Stuff with aliens, or some form of paranormal, this is all presented to you as a possible event. It tries to work off of actual science and technology, though it does not do that well. It does however do quite a bit right. The plot is based around 2 people. Ryan Stone played by Sandra Bullock, and Matt Kowalski played by George Clooney. Stone is a medical engineer on her first mission, who is trying to set up some new equipment she developed in a hospital. Kowalksi is in charge of the mission, and is on his last outing before retirement. While they are working with the rest of their team, they get word of a Russian satellite that has been destroyed. The debris is spiraling outward and causing other satellites to explode as well adding to the shrapnel. They determine their ship is currently in its projected path, and try to escape the destruction and make their way back to Earth. Obviously that does not go well, or the movie would be 10 minutes long. This is also where the movie begins to get silly, but more on that later.

Let's start with the movies high point, the visuals. I saw this in 3d, on one of the Sony 4k screens. Basically what the means, other then $15 a ticket, is the best quality visuals and sound that can be offered....according to Sony. And to be fair, this is one of the only movies I can think of that greatly benefits from that treatment. Who ever did that score for this film deserves some sort of award, but the people behind the overall look of it deserve far better. Space is presented to you in a way I had not seen before. It was like looking at NASA photos and footage for 2 hours. Everything looked so crisp, and because it dealt only with the areas around the planet and not some huge system, it really does come off feeling like something you have not seen before. The way they shot it though is what really sets it apart from other films. They use some creative shots and angles to make you feel like you are there, or to make you understand the empty void they are in. Seeing a backdrop of nothing, while a distraught Sandra Bullock slowly spirals into it while there is no sound but her screaming....well it really does sell the moment and creates a very unsettling feeling. I feel I can easily say that this was one of the most Visually appealing movies I have seen.

Now for the music, or sound in general. In Space there is no sound, or so I am led to believe. This movie takes place in space, and as such they do try to replicate that. There are portions of the film where you really don't here anything. The 2 astronauts do talk quite a lot, but that is to help the pacing and narrative. There is rarely back ground music though, which allows it to be used to better effect when it does come in. The opening to the movie is just them talking. You can hear some music being played by Clooney over the com system, but you can not hear anything else. It really does set a mood of unrest, and whether or not you have a quiet theater, or one filled with obnoxious people, will greatly effect how you experience this movie.

I usually talk about acting, and how well people did with this role. However this movie is pretty much just Clooney and Bullock, and chance are you already have a opinion of them. They both do very well with it, and are able to carry the entire film by themselves. Zero complaints, They both did great jobs.

When I saw this movie, the idea of the debris made no sense to me. So of course I google it when I get home, and I see others agree. The debris from the satellite is spiraling in a pattern so that every 90 minutes it circles the Earth, and hits what ever the teams next objective is. Other then the idiotic notion that everything is spaced out perfectly, so that the 90 minutes period works every time, there is another issue. I have a limited understanding of orbits, and....vectors....and space stuff....but in my mind, the debris could not hold that same velocity, and path. It would slow down without some form of constant power, and would begin to fall or lose its path. Turns out people much smarter then I, and who actually understand this stuff agree. The movie works off of Convenient for the plot science, instead of actual science. If you can ignore that, you will be better off.

This is one of those movies you see once, and you are good. It is fueled by the simple fact, that until the very end, you don't know what is going to happen. Will they live, will they die? And while the story is rather simple, it works because of that tension. Clooney is very likable, and Bullock while lacking in that area, is the more relate-able. You really do want them to make it, and the movie thrives off of that. If you can get past the whole, this could never actually happen this way mentality of it all...there is something very interesting and unique here. While I do say I would never buy this movie, or probably even see it a second time....I do feel it is worth seeing that one time. And if ever there was a movie that demands to be seen on the big screen, with a awesome sound system, this is it. Heck I'll even tell you to see it in 3d, which is something I usually can't stand. At the very least though, you should rent it when that becomes a option. It really is worth you time.

This is the End

This Is the End is a movie based around the Apocalypse. It is also based on a short film from 2007 that was never released, it was titled Seth and Jay Versus the Apocalypse. From what I understand, they used the short film to pitch this movie to studios as kind of a prototype. Looking at the original trailer for the short film, it was nice to see them expand the final version so much. What was once two guys all alone quickly became much bigger. This film is filled with so many different cameos that you eventually stop being surprised when somebody pops up. I have no clue what the budget was for it, but I would love to see how much it cost them to get somebody like Emma Watson for 20 minutes as opposed to Jay Baruchel for the whole duration. Also speaking of Cameos, Michael  Cera easily had the best appearance in the film. If you are a fan of his, you will enjoy seeing him in a new light. If you dislike him, you will enjoy seeing him act sleazy. He comes off so unlikable, that it really just makes you enjoy him. We get the Super Bad group back together for a scene, we got the Backstreet Boys back together for a performance. Heck you even get a sequel to Pineapple Express about half way into the movie. If you are a fan of the core group of actors in this film, there will be something for you to like about it. Everybody plays themselves, so they reference their old works through out the film. Everybody really plays off each other, and the movie benefits from that.

The story is simple enough. James Franco is throwing a huge party at his house. Jay Baruchel is staying with Seth Rogen while he is in town, and gets dragged to the party along with Seth. He does not get along with Seth's new friends however. He hates Jonah Hill, who I just wanted to punch in the face the entire film. Jay just does not want to be there, so he ends up leaving to buy some smokes. While he and Seth are at the convenient store, everything goes to hell. People start getting sucked into the sky, there are explosions and chaos all around. The world instantly changes, and they don't seem to understand why. When they get back to the party though, it is as if nothing has changed. All the celebrities are still there, they are still partying and are unaware of what is going on outside. There is actually a pretty interesting message at this point in the film. If you have seen the movie, or when you do, think back to who was left behind. So Jay and Seth freak everybody out, they all try to leave, and people start to die. It is actually one of the funnier scenes of the movie. People are not helping each other, those that do try end up failing in a comedic way. I have not seen wide spread death and destruction that has made me laugh like that in a while. What we end up with is Jay Baruchel, Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jonah Hill, and Craig Robinson in the house together. And the movie is mostly about them trying to survive the final days together.

The comedy is similar to Pineapple Express. It has some drug use, and a lot of sexual comedy. If that stuff bothers you, or you are offended by it, simply skip this one. If stuff like Pineapple Express, and maybe even stuff like Tropic Thunder appeal to you, then give it a shot. Just be aware though, that the movie earns its R rating pretty easily. A easy example would be when they were all discussing what to do with Emma Watson now in the house with them. One was trying to discuss how they should approach the situation cautiously so they would not come off as creepy. It turned into a discussion about rape pretty quickly. Over hearing it, Watson misunderstands and thinks she is about to be raped. That was actually one of the tamer moments of the film, but it does show some of the sexual humor I was referencing.

Visually speaking, the film was a mixed bag. I did like the LA on fire scenes, and the monsters looked pretty good for the most part. However some portions just looked low budget compared to others. Sink holes open up and swallow people into them at one point. The holes looked fine, but what was inside of them looked off. The way people fell, and the effects were done did not seem to match up right. And the whole scene just looked very fake at certain points. They did a good job of mostly keeping in the house after that, so there are not a lot of other scenes with very many effects. So the few miss steps don't really detract that much, but they were noticeable from time to time. Only other real issue I had with the film was simply, you do get tired of the dick jokes after awhile.

Only other thing I would really like to talk about is the ending. But that is a huge spoiler, so let me just go ahead and do this. SKIP THIS PART IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO KNOW WHAT CAUSES THE APOCALYPSE, OR HOW THE MOVIE ENDS. So when the film first came out, a lot of people did not like the ending. I never really understood why until I watched it, and now I just more confused. It ends up being the Biblical Apocalypse, so the people being sucked into the sky are being raptured. They are going to heaven, and everybody left are those who were not eligible. This was the message I was talking about earlier, all the celebrities did not get into heaven. I thought that was funny, since they are the ones making and writing the movie. However with it being a biblical movie, you would expect them to follow the bible...they do not. Pretty much all of the core group end up getting into heaven, but not by the ways the Bible has set out. Also the parts of the apocalypse that were shown, did not really line up with the one in the Bible. So at first I figured, people were annoyed they didn't follow the Bible. After thinking about it though, that can't be right. While Christianity is a huge religion, not everybody complaining followed it, and it would be rather vein to assume that was the reason. So maybe people didn't like it because it was about God? I would assume most people don't go to a Seth Rogen, or Danny McBride movie expecting it to say Christians are right. So if you are reading this, and you have seen the movie....if you didn't like the ending, simply tell me why. I would appreciate it greatly.

Alright no more spoilers.

So we have a movie over flowing with celebrities.  The opening is very strong, mostly because of that reason. Crazy stuff starts to happen, and the tone changes. It is no longer about fun, but about survival. The movie works off of comedy though, instead of tension. The laughs hold up for the most part, but the same jokes over and over again do get stale eventually. We have what I felt was a good ending, with a very strong finish. There are a few effects hiccups from time to time, but for the most part everything looked pretty damn cool. I paid $15 on amazon for the movie, and feel like I got my moneys worth. If you are a fan of Seth Rogen and his other works, chances are you will enjoy this one to. Honestly I put the RedBand trailer below, just watch that. If you like it, you will like the movie. It shows you exactly what you are going to get.

Insidious: Chapter 2

I went to see this movie for my Birthday with the wife. The first Insidious was one of the better horror films I have seen in years. I would even say it was one of my favorite films in that genre. It had great pacing, good camera work, solid acting, and a overall creepy atmosphere that intensified the few scares it had. It was however, not a very scary movie. Still it was very enjoyable, and set a high bar for the sequel.

At the end of the first film, Josh who is played by Patrick Wilson, had managed to find his son in the further. The further is kind of a after world where souls who have not moved on reside in. Josh finds his son who was believed to be in a coma, and brings him back to his body so he can wake up. Josh however does not make it back into his body, a evil spirit who has been following him all his life manages to take control of it while he is gone. That spirit then wakes up, now inhabiting Josh, and kills the Ghost Hunter Elise. Elise was the one who was helping the family save their son, and was a threat to the evil spirit. The final scene in the movie was the wife standing over Elise, and finding the proof that the spirit had inhabited her Husband. The movie closed with him seeing her, and then her screaming. We assumed she was now dead to, however we were wrong. 

This movie starts off right where the other left off, but we get more details. The wife did see the evidence, but she thought the spirit simply materialized along side her Husband. She does not at first know he is now possessed. Her Husband is being investigated for Murder, since he was the last one with the victim. Other then that though, everything seems to be fine at first. They believe they are no longer being haunted. We quickly find out however that is not the case, and the movie picks up and takes off into the further. 

One thing I really enjoyed about the first movie was the pacing, it was perfect. Slow build up, with minimal scares or spirit activity in the beginning. We were not overwhelmed with the spirits, and it made them more intense when we did seem them. The movie built upon that, until it got up to full speed, and then just never really slowed down again. This movie however, the pacing just seemed off. I wouldn't say it was bad, but it did seem to falter in a few places. Unlike the first film, this one was very forthcoming with the spirits. There is a almost origin story early on in the film. It shows Josh as a child, and when Elise first visited him to try and get rid of the Evil Spirit that haunted him. We don't see much, but we get our first attack, and some background info on why this is happening to his family. From there though the movie never really slows down. While it does work for it, I felt it lost a lot of suspense. You always knew when something would happen.

Speaking of Origin stories, this movie basically fits that role. In the first movie we heard bits and pieces about Josh as a child. But we never got the full story of what happened. This movie has scenes from back then, and even gives us info on who the spirit is. We get to know who they are, and why they are attached to Josh specifically. We learn about their past, and why they are so intent on killing people. It was actually kind of neat finding everything out. In the first movie you never cared about it, but seeing them work everything out in this one really paid off. Some of the best scenes are when the ghost hunters and Josh's Mother are hunting down the info. The movie felt so different from the first one, and I really enjoyed the new approach. Also it gave two of my favorite characters from the first film a bigger role. Specks and Tucker, who played Elise's assistant,s are every bit as humorous in this film as the last. They have some great moments, and a little comedy helps the film out greatly. 

Another high point of the first film was the Atmosphere. The way it was shot, the music, the look of the sets. Everything just contributed to the overall vibe of the film. This one was no different, and once again nailed that dark, creepy vibe. The house they live in, looks like it was designed solely to scare you. Low lighting, a Red window pain that creates a effect no sane person would have in their house. Not to mention old houses are already kind of creepy. Add in some great music and audio, and you are ready to go. As with the first film, the camera work was well done, and really added to the overall feel of the film. Watching a spirit float from one room into the next as the camera pans from the hall way for example. It uses focus points that look like something you would be doing in real life. Other times they use odd angels I would have never thought off, but they create a effect that works well in the film. When the police are interviewing the wife, they are in a dark room with just the table lit up. The camera is very far back and slowly pulls into the room where they are sitting. There are no walls though, so it is as if the room is massive when we start off. During that scene the wife finds out her husband is the main suspect, and she starts to wonder if he is the killer. The way the scene is shot creates a effect of the room being cut off. It may have not been intentional, but to me it seemed like they were trying to recreate what was happening to the wife. It was as if everything was closing in on her, and it worked well. It is hard to explain, but the camera work adds to the emotion of the film at times. 

The last thing that is really important about any movie in this genre, does it have scares? For me, it had plenty of jump scares. Startling moments that are usually set off by loud audio, or something quickly happening that catches you off guard. The atmosphere comes into play here, it really does its job of trying to keep you in the right mind set. So when something does happen, they tend to get a reaction from you. However I did not leave freaked out, I did not have trouble going to bed. Once it was over, it was over. I would say it had its moments, but overall not a very scarey movie. Still much like the first film, it does well with what it has. The story and other aspects of it more then make up for it.

Closing thoughts...We get a nice story that answers some questions from the first film. Good audio and camera work really add to the experience. The movie was always entertaining to me, and kept me interested in what was going on. Acting was still good, and the new roles fit well along side the established characters. While it was not a very scare heavy movie, it did have a few good jumps.In the end I really enjoyed the 2nd chapter of Insidious. I felt it fell short of the first film, but only slightly. It felt like a different movie, but it still fit into the overall story. I guess you can't really recreate the first film, without it feeling like a rip off. But I do still wish it had some sort of stand out moment like the first film. The seance for example was much more intense in the first film. And that Devil monster was far creepier then anything we get in this movie. Still it was a solid movie, and one that felt worth the money I spent on the ticket. 

Thinking about the movie more, the creepiest part was by far the way they dubbed over young Elise's voice with Old Elise. I guess you can find a actress that appears to be the younger version of somebody, but getting one that also sounds similar is to much. It makes sense that they would do it that way, but seeing her lips not really match up just felt unsettling.

Also I should probably address this movie vs the conjuring. Both are in theaters still, both are horror, and both have Patrick Wilson in them. Good on him for sticking to a genre, he does well in these roles. I believe I gave Conjuring a 4, and to be honest I almost did the same with this film. I do not do half stars, but if I did this would have been a 3.5. Both movies were good, and both had some decent jumps. But I still feel the Conjuring gets a slight upper hand, simply because it was based off of true events. For me that just makes more more intense, because parts of it were considered factual. So if you are heading to the theater, and want some horror goodness. I would still toss my vote in for the Conjuring over this, but really either should be up to the task.

Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods

Dragon Ball started as a weekly comic back in 1984, published in the Shonen Jump books. It ran for 11 years with over 500 chapters, and was turned into a well received animated series as well. If you grew up in the 90's, chances are you have seen or are at least familiar with the show or books. While America did get everything much later, the show did very well over here. For years you could not turn on cartoon network without seeing something Dragon Ball related. Stores were filled with the merchandise, everything from clothing to video games. Even today the series still has a strong presence. When I looked up how long it had been since the last Dragon Ball film, I was shocked. The Path to Power came out March 4, 1996, around 17 years ago. Maybe that was why I was so excited to finally see Battle of Gods. After so long, anything new from Dragon Ball was sure to excite the fans. However hype does not always work in your favor. This was my major concern for the film. That after so long, it would not be able to find its footing again.

The story is simple enough, and frankly it works better by being so easy to digest. Bills is the god of destruction. He is presented as being the strongest entity in existence. He wakes up every dozen or so years to destroy a few planets, and then goes back to sleep. Our hero Goku learns of Bills existence, and decides that fighting him sounds like a good time. If you are familiar with the show, you know Goku is not the smartest guy around. But taking on a god and potentially pissing him off in the process is pretty much what we would expect from him. Bills has a dream before he sets out though, that there is a Super Saiyan God somewhere, and he will finally be able to give him a great fight. Saiyans are a alien race that was wiped out a long time ago. Only a handful remain, 5 of which live on earth and comprise of the major characters in the show. The movie is about Bills trying to find his Saiyan God, while enjoying his time on earth and deciding if he should destroy it or not.

One thing I have always enjoyed about the Dragon Ball movies, is they don't take themselves to seriously. The Books were fairly fast paced, and while they had some comedic moments, it was not the main focus. This movie however did a great job of being both a comedy and action film. The entire first half has almost no fight in it, which was surprising given that is what the series is known for. However it remained very entertaining by relying on its humor and story telling. Bills visits Goku on King Kai's planet, and they have a very short physical encounter. While it could have been a easily forgettable scene, it was sold by the smaller details. Seeing King Kai, a god, visibly shaken by Bills presence really helped sell just how big a threat he was. This is actually a theme through out the film that just works wonderfully. The majority of the movie takes place on earth at a party. Bulma is turning 38, and being one of the richest people on the planet she throws a very extravagant party for herself. She has a Bingo game where the prizes comprise of a castle and a plane, so very rich. Four of the Five Saiyans are at the party, as she is married to one, and one is her son. So Bills ends up there enjoying the food and festivities, and for a minute it seems he will spare earth simply for the food. Vegita is aware of who Bills is, and why he is there. So we get to see a side of him we are not used to. He tries to entertain Bills, and plays advocate every time something comes up that may annoy the lord of destruction.

So after almost a hour, and no real action, the movie finally shifts into gear. Bills decides the earth is annoying, and that is all he needs to destroy it. The good guys jump into action, and get swatted down like they are nothing. I won't spoil it, but this was one of the better moments in the film. Something happens that pisses one of them off, and the first shot against Bills is finally landed in a very satisfying moment. We even get a moment where Vegita finally surpasses Goku in power...for about 5 minutes. Then Goku comes in, figures out the trick to Super Saiyan God, and transforms for the final fight. I wouldn't say the final fight was a let down, but most of the issues I had with the movie stem from that. Let us just say for now, the finish was lacking. But the actual ending to the film was enjoyable, and continues the theme that action was not the main focus of this particular movie. I don't know if it sets up a future movie, but if another one comes they could incorporate this movie easily enough.

As for those issues, I want to start with animation. I have not seen a anime movie in a few years, so I am not sure if it is a new trend or not. But they mixed traditional animation with 3d animation in this movie. Most of the movie was traditional, however the city and battle grounds were 3d for the most part. Also when Goku goes into his God form, his aura was 3d. For the most part, the 3d animation did not look bad. But when movement was brought into play, it all fell apart. The way the traditional art flows, does not match up with the 3d models. It creates a very jarring effect that took me out of the action. When Goku and Bills are flying around at high speeds, it appeared as if the backgrounds were movie in different directions then they were. Or maybe a better way to say it would be, the characters movements did not appear to match what was happening in the background. Another example was Goku's Aura, or energy radiating from his body. In god form it looks almost as if his body is engulfed in flames. This is a common thing in the series, but the aura was always animated before by hand. It made it easier to match the bodies movements, and it looked natural. With the 3d flames, we get the same issues we had with the 3d backgrounds. It does not move correctly, and it just looks odd when Goku moves or fights. When he fights outside of God form though, it reverts back to the traditional animated aura. We also get by far the best minute of fighting in the entire movie at this point. The animation is so smooth, and everything flows and looks right. The music gears up, and really sells the moment. It was a stark contrast to the last few moments and really made the 3d animation flaws stand out. I don't know why they used that sort of animation for God form. Maybe it was cheaper, or maybe it is easier, but it detracts from the overall product.

So we get a Dragon Ball movie light on action, but heavy one story. Though to be fair, after 17 years that does seem like the best option. It was like seeing a old friend again, and I very much enjoyed it for that. There are plenty of stand out moments, from Drunk Gohan to Bulma going off on a God. There was even a Emperor Pilaf story tossed in. I also really enjoyed the new Villain of Bills. He was funny, and very charismatic. I actually had trouble viewing him as a bad guy because of this. Yes he kills planets and the people on them, but you never really see that.

If you are a fan, or were a fan, you owe it to yourself to check it out. You won't be disappointed. The Blue ray can be bought on amazon.com right now, but be aware it does not have English Subtitles. I do not know when the full English version will come out, but they have announced it will happen.

It was close to perfection, but a few animation flaws held it back in the end.

The World's End

A bit of a weird warning. This film contains a huge plot point that is better experienced, if you do not know what it is. The trailer however gives it away, as it is a major point of the film. If you have not seen the trailer yet, and only know it is another Pegg and Frost film in the vein of Shaun of the Dead, and Hot Fuzz...well I would recommend simply seeing the film, and not reading this or any other news on it. That may seem odd, but if you liked those films, you will like this one. If you don't care about that plot point, or already know it, please read on.

The new Simon Pegg and Nick Frost movie that is somehow considered the third and final film in the Cornetto Trilogy. If you are wondering what the other two films are, the first is Shaun of the dead, followed by Hot Fuzz. The name for the trilogy is a sort of joke based off of ice cream they ate in the 3 films. Cornetto being a brand, and each film features a flavor packed in a color to represent that film. First one was about zombies so we have red ice cream, 2nd police so we get blue. This one being aliens we get a green wrapper in the final sequence floating by a fence. So are the 3 films related in other ways? Other then the cast and a line about shortcuts being in all 3, not really. We do get a running gag about them not being able to jump fences, but the stories are not connected.

So this movie is about aliens, or rather they are simply a part of it. It is about 5 people who used to be friends but went different ways. They are all brought back together by Gary King, played by Simon Pegg, in order to do a bar crawl named "The Golden Mile." 12 pubs in one night, something they tried 20 years ago but failed to accomplish. There is a bigger story here that deals with King trying to figure out who he is and how to get his life back together, but most of that doesn't really come into play until much later on. Interesting enough, if you follow along with the names of the bars as they go, the names actually line up with what is going to happen at each one. As the comedy starts to pick up, and the movie is hitting its stride, the big swerve comes into play. After our heroes are finally good and drunk, the Alien Robots finally attack...Or defend themselves from a depressed drunk. After that the movie much like the other 2 in the trilogy, turns into more action then drama. We get some pretty decent fight scenes, and cool alien robot effects. And as they continue to drink, the humor gets better with each new pub. This movie paints drinking in a very positive light, so if that bothers you, you might as well skip it. Drunk Nick Frost is hysterical though, and worth the price of admission alone.

Speaking of Drunken Nick Frost, does alcohol turn you into a kung fu master in real life? Because I may give up the whole straight edge thing if it does. The fight scenes in this movie were very well choreographed. The robots all had the same style, but for whatever reason Pegg and his group were all pretty well versed in hand to hand combat also. Nothing overly flashy, but seeing Frost drop elbows and breaking out huge slams was oddly satisfying. I think all 5 members of the group ended up beating at least one robot down with their bare hands. The violence was comical though, as you would expect from these guys. Seeing a robot have its arms ripped off, then replace with legs from one of its fallen comrades for example. Or when Pegg rips ones arm off, and then the arm keeps attacking him. Even the more intense parts of the film kept you smiling.

If you are reading this, I will assume you are familiar with most of the cast involved. Pegg and Frost have done quite a few films and have had tv shows before. Martin Freeman is fairly well known from Sherlock, the Hobbit, and other things. Even Pierce Brosnan shows up for awhile. The acting in the film is good, and it really benefits for it. The dialogue though had me troubled from time to time. Gary King, the lead, is a jerk. He is the kind of guy everybody hates. Stuck in his glory days of the past, and dragging everybody else down so he is not the only one depressed. He ends up lying to pretty much every one of his old friends in order to convince them to go on the crawl. And he treats them all poorly while they are out. The character was written well enough, but most of the time my dislike for him brought portions of the movie down. Also parts of it were simply hard to understand, though that is only because of the accent. Thankfully though that only pertained to the beginning of the film. I would say after the first 20 minutes or so, it started to pick up and the issues I had melted away. As the friends become more and more intoxicated, they get funnier, and oddly easier to understand. And seeing the final showdown where they try to reason with the advance alien species, after a good 12+ pints, was a high point for the film.

Really the only other issues I had with the film were small things. Stuff like, why are they still doing the pub crawl while alien robots are trying to abduct them? Something that is explained later on, at least sort of. And the ending, which didn't really bother me, but my wife seemed to dislike it. So we have a strong comedy with a slow start. You have a good buddy film with far better action then I thought it would have. You have a strong twist that actually helps the story out and works well within the limits of the film. You have decent effects, and a very strong final act. I would say the few negatives I had were easily overlooked by everything else the film offered.

This got me thinking, where would I put it in relation to the other 2 movies in the trilogy. I would say Shaun of the Dead is still the best. But this and Hot Fuzz are very close....I would have to re watch that one to decide. But I feel very confident in saying, if you enjoyed Hot Fuzz, you will enjoy this. Likewise, if Hot Fuzz did nothing for you, this probably won't either.

So if you are looking for a good comedy, or even just want something with some action, give "The World's End" a chance. Or at least a consideration, it easily deserves it.