I’m very glad to say that “Princess Mononoke” was my first real experience with Hayao Miyazaki’s amazing cinematic contributions. After its Oscar buzz in 1997, I sought out the film, and was shocked at what I’d been missing from the master director. “Princess Mononoke” is probably Miyazaki’s broadest film, but one that also conveys a meaningful alllegory about the sanctity of nature, and how the wars of men can taint the sacred lands. It’s an action packed and incredible morality tale that will win over fantasy buffs instantly. “Princess Mononoke” is set in the Muromachi Period of Japan where a local village is attacked by a vicious amorphous demon. The bow and arrow wielding warrior Ashitaka, comes to the rescue of the village, fending off the demon and defeating it after a horrific battle, but the demon manages to corrupt his body with its vile darkness.
Category Archives: Movie Reviews
The Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014)
You could pretty much rebrand the 2014 “The Town That Dreaded Sundown” as “Scream 5” and not many people would know the difference. Except that no film in the “Scream” series has ever been this bold or subversive before. “The Town…” 2014 is a film about the influence of films that disturbs, polarizes, and effects greatly. There’s rarely any satire and zero tongue in cheek, just a mad man viciously murdering people to the tune of a very effective crime thriller/slasher film from 1976. I’d be hard pressed to call this a remake or a reboot, as it’s more a sequel than anything.
Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014)
Seeing as I never liked the original animated shorts the movie is based on, I was very skeptical toward “Mr. Peabody and Sherman.” There hasn’t been much interesting entertainment mined from the Rocky and Bullwinkle short series. Surprising enough, “Mr. Peabody and Sherman” doesn’t just adapt the shorts, but expands on them, injecting heart, characterization, and isn’t reliant on pop culture nods and winks to keep the audience entertained. It’s that refreshing element that makes this adaptation such a stellar piece of animation.
Would You Rather (2013)
Let’s face it. Everyone has a price. It doesn’t matter how moral or just you think you are. At the end of the day someone will put down a price for your will, or strength, and you’ll eventually cash in on what they can offer. Whether money, sex, or possessions, everyone walks around with a price tag. And while “Would you Rather?” is by no means an amazing thriller, it really does succeed in commenting on the cruelty of humanity and how much people will endure for some cash.
Wanda Whips Wall Street (1982) (DVD)
If you ever wondered what Regan Era Republican porn would look like, “Wanda Whips Wall Street” is about as close to the vision as it gets. It’s “Working Girl” meets “Wall Street” except its star Veronica Hart uses her brains and bones a lot of executives to rise to the top of a new company she’s working in and potentially own it. Star Veronica Hart is the perfect Right wing seductress, a business woman who is smart and clever, but also garners a voracious appetite for sex.
Tammy (2014): Extended Cut (Blu-ray/ DVD/Digital)
Ben Falcone and Melissa McCarthy’s “Tammy” is yet another comedy vehicle this year tailored as a vanity film for a specific comic presence that fails on every conceivable level. The movie most of all fails Melissa McCarthy who is much better than this pile of unfunny junk. “Tammy” is specifically tailored for her, and yet she and husband Falcone can never decide what tone they want to run with, they never land even the slightest one-liner, and every effort to make titular Tammy likable is wasted. I’m not even sure what is wrong with Tammy and why she’s comedic. Is she mentally disabled? Is she just naive? Is she the product of coddling and spoiling who just never matured? Is she just a perpetual loser? Are we supposed to laugh at her? Why is watching a human being in constant misery supposed to be funny?
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)
The worst crime that “Shadow Recruit” is guilty of is that it’s mediocre. At no point was I worried for the characters because, I just didn’t care. We know Ryan fights another day, so why fear for his life? The studios can’t quite seem to decide if they want to turn Jack Ryan in to Jason Bourne, or just a geek chic techie, so in “Shadow Recruit” he’s both. One minute he’s zooming through New York in a motorcycle trying to chase down a fake police car intent on blowing up Wall Street, and the next he can barely finish a covert operation without the help of Kevin Costner’s guardian Thomas watching and re-assuring him from afar. At this point, it’s about time to really give up on the Jack Ryan character.