mcrpghk Reviews

Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song (2021)

As you like my pleasure!

[9/10 · 21 June 2021]

Vivy uses as a basis the old concept of humanity subjugated by machines, it has been a recurrent idea in audiovisual works since 1927 with the film Metrópolis, it must be worked with caution so that it does not fall into the comfort already known by the public, and in fact the work carries a a lot of "generic" when talking about a world in which humans live, depend on or relate to artificial intelligences.

So where is Vivy's glow? Perhaps in its own simplicity, even though it doesn't go far in narrative terms, it still delivers what it promises, and I must say that I ended the series very satisfied with what I watched. As much as the ultimate goal is to complete an arduous mission that prevents the eradication of humanity, the anime uses much of this journey to talk about its characters and debate what humanity is through the eyes of an AI.

Why would a robot have to worry about its surroundings when its function is something so objective and simple? Vivy, when asking herself "What is singing from the heart?" poses a question in all of us, the eternal search for a reason. By creating awareness of their actions, they expand their range of possibilities to find countless ways to fulfill their goal, as irrational as it may seem coming from a machine, it is what is expected of a being to whom you give autonomy and a reason for which exist, is not very different from what humanity has done since the creation of the first civilizations, that is, "I think, therefore I am".

The few problems I can point out when I finish watching Vivy is the way she works with different realities, possibilities and time travel, even the great rebellion of machines sounds convenient for there to be an unstoppable conflict in the work, but I manage to overlook since as stated before, the focus on Vivy's construction is greater.

And as if what was mentioned before wasn't enough, the anime makes a point of delivering a fantastic animation, Studio Wit really doesn't save resources when it wants to deliver beautiful choreographies, Close Up, and of course, the soundtrack, which however much it is a must to be good because it is a musical anime, it is still a delight to the ears.

Vivy is a good anime, which doesn't demand much from the debate it sets itself, but which still entertains and stirs the viewer's emotions in a natural way, certainly one of the best animes of the year.

86 (2021–2022)

Will you remember the Eighty Six?

[8/10 · 20 June 2021]

Eighty Six was the anime that many people bet their coins on, coming from a very well rated Light Novel. This anime promises to deliver high-level political, ethical and social conflicts, which many didn't know was if these would be worked in a cohesive way. And not biased.

That said, I must say that the anime fails to deliver such a debate, writer Asato, perhaps out of inexperience or lack of grounding, delivers the obvious that is said in most current works that carry these themes, "hey, fascism is wrong and racism is a bad thing!", having said that, don't expect complex dialogues and debates about these themes, because one of the flaws of this one is not having a design that facilitates the difference of ethnicities, since the characters follow the line of "generic anime character design" (search Google Images if you don't understand), of course we have exceptions, for example those who live in the republic are all white (almost albino) and have the same hair color, one of the characters that is shown in battlefield is black, the rest has the same skin color, so it's up to us to find out what their races are, one of the tips I give is to see the origin of their names.

But for all that reason, what was delivered by the anime is bad? By no means does he work very well with what he has and, as simplistic as it is, the message is catchable.

Of course those who expected more due to your proposal may be disappointed with the delivery, but I must say that at no time did I bother with what the anime discussed, as much as it doesn't raise the debate to grandiose levels, it doesn't offend, and it can to put the most lay people to reflect on something bigger.

The anime can also divide viewers on the issue of empathy for the characters, it goes well when putting together short scenes and small moments for each of the secondary characters so that we have an appreciation for them, however, which for some can be seen as sad for others it will be just generic montage to catch us in the fragile part of our feelings. I'm particularly torn between both situations, in some moments I was moved, but in others I don't care.

The soundtrack is also something to highlight, Sawano once again did well, and alongside the singer Laco created striking themes, the same cannot be said for the responsible for sound design, Jin Aketagawa is great for creating ambient sound (sound from the breeze in the trees, raindrops, burning wood), but the same cannot be said in battle sounds, where the noise of trucks and machines, in addition to muffling the soundtrack, hinders the concentration of the dialogues.

86 is a good anime, which entertains and raises debates that need care, despite its mistakes I believe it's better than a lot we've had recently on the market, it's worth being seen and discussed, I'm looking forward to the continuation.

Those Snow White Notes (2021– )

Steal With Your Sound.

[7/10 · 20 June 2021]

After losing his grandfather, Sawamura finds himself lost in life, without seeing meaning or value in music he goes to Tokyo to try to discover his purpose and what gave meaning to both his grandfather's music and his own. Upon arriving in the city, he finds people involved with his purpose and with his mother's involvement in his plans, he ends up being forced to play the instrument and seek the same excellence that his late grandfather had.

Mashiro no Oto is an anime that explores the mind of a frustrated musician, unlike the ones that are released annually, it doesn't talk about achieving success or large spaces in the industry, but what gives meaning to making music, in the case of the protagonist, the search for your "true sound" through Shamisen.

We follow much of the work through the eyes of Sawamura, who through his life in Tokyo understands that art above all must have a meaning, and that even frustrations can be turned into music.

The anime does well when exploring the drama of the main character, although it often seems to be something simplistic, as much as it is clear that the work is about maturing and seeking meaning in what we do, it seems to be an empty shell. As much as Sawamura goes through several moments that apparently impact him, we don't see drastic changes in his personality, which ends up being understanding when we realize that these situations affect his music, this being his best way to express who he is, but it's still strange that there is no impact on their behavior.

The secondary characters, on the other hand, appear to be in much more interesting situations than the main ones, not that they are carefully developed, but it is clear who they are and where they want to go, whether those whose objective is the music or not, in addition to showing traces of Personalities much larger than the protagonist also generate more empathy for acting and reacting according to the situations they go through, these supply what is expected of the main character.

Another compliment that I must leave the work is how it expresses the music through the characters' comments and artistic concepts, for example a character says that the music makes him feel a gentle breeze in a field, then the color palette turns green and in the background we heard a faint rumble of the wind.

The soundtrack is also wonderful, it would be terrible if a musical anime used repetitive and boring songs, but that's not the case, the compositions are great and for someone who had never listened to Shamisen so often, I was delighted with what it was. Presented here.

I hope to see a second season soon, this is an anime full of potential to become something big if worked carefully, until then I consider it just good, but recommendable, mainly for lovers of drama and good music.

Roxanna (1970)

Saturday Night Wrist

[4/10 · 16 June 2021]

The only reason I watched Roxanna was the same one that most people had I believe, the Saturday Night Wrist album by Deftones, in this case a screenshot of the underground movie was used on the cover and is a reference among the band's fans.

But the movie is too weak, the premise that a woman suffers from nymphomania and drug abuse is too complicated to be worked out so poorly.

Amidst the sex scenes is a narration of a mysterious woman (who was probably Roxanna's sex partner) describing who the protagonist is, why she does what she does, and how she is feeling doing it, however , in addition to the sensual voice disturbing the viewer's focus, she transforms this tragic situation into something to delight in.

The acting of the main actress is also deplorable, whether in the sex scenes, scenes where she is high or the melancholic ones, it's hard to hold back the laughter seeing the girl moving like a puppet doll or forcing a cry.

I don't know if this was the director's intention, but these complications that Roxanna goes through seem more like a way to promote fetishes in mentally unstable people than to convey a message. The only compliment I can give the work is the montage in one of the scenes where a psychedelic music plays in the background while scenes of Roxanna being violated and her suffering after the act are interspersed (too bad they make this scene last 10 minutes).

An addendum: Watching the film with the soundtrack of the album that pays homage to the film makes the experience hundreds of times better, but in this case it would not be worth the film.

AD Police Files (1990)

Naughty police officer cosplaying Rambo and newcomer virgin battling sex dolls across the city of Tokyo!

[6/10 · 3 June 2021]

The Spin Off/Bubblegum Crisis Prequel is what you'd expect from a Cyberpunk themed Noir anime from the 90s. As the name suggests, they are separate files from the AD Police where each one tells its own story, stories that however much simple has its discussions well implanted in the work.

"Phantom Lady" focuses on sex dolls called Boomer that for mysterious reasons have become aggressive with human beings, especially with men who use them for sex, those who are not able to satisfy them end up being murdered for bringing them frustrations instead of pleasure for them, which ends up being a dilemma brought by the work itself, which satisfies a humanoid machine that shouldn't even have feelings? And how do these distinguish sensations without even possessing humanity?

"The Ripper" talks about femininity, social problems about equality in the labor market, and the extent to which bodily changes make us stop being human or even have an individuality. The positive point of this episode is that for a moment the work leaves the AD organization aside and focuses on the perspective of the newcomer to the city and the common police, Iris, who has an innocent look at the terrible city of MegaTokyo as for the how violent are the crimes committed by the Boomers, but thanks to this and the antagonist, a discussion is created about what makes us human.

"The Man Who Bites His Tongue" follows the premise of a soldier severely wounded in combat but still retaining his services through severe changes in his body, becoming almost completely a machine, with no emotions or memories of his past life, this he wonders if he still makes sense of continuing "alive" just to maintain his function as an officer of the law. The episode is also about criticizing human greed over what will bring them personal advantage without giving importance to those who might harm themselves with such actions.

AD Police Files despite bringing several themes and questions he doesn't take any steps out of his comfort zone, he never goes deep in his discussions beyond the casual, which in a way is positive since with a weak cast it's hard to go beyond what is shown on screen, leaving us viewers to discuss what little is delivered. As interesting as the main duo Gina and Leon seem to be, they are just that, the first is a tough and attractive policewoman who wears a mechanical prosthesis, but despite wondering if that makes her less human, we have no conclusions from her. In addition to a tear and an expression of doubt, the latter is a novice who despite his inexperience makes himself effective, and demonstrates a personal and traumatic reason for joining the task force facing the Boomer dolls, but nothing more so that make us at least have sympathy for the character.

Merits I have to give to the miniseries is the ability to not get stuck in good manners, talking and showing sexual scenes freely, as Gina for example makes it clear how much she likes sex, and even though these scenes sometimes seem to be just The author's personal fetishes somehow fit into the discussions brought up on screen. Highlight for the soundtrack that encompasses everything that these three episodes bring, with an entire album dedicated to each chapter, the songs are largely responsible for involving us in the shallow story.

Fortunately this little Spin Off of a series brought us a new version in the future, which I consider positive since this anime has a great proposal, which needs more time and care to be worked on, this is a curiosity for those who liked Bubblegum Crisis or for fanatics in Cyberpunk universes of the 90s.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part III: The Rebellion Story (2013)

Homura has always been the protagonist!

[10/10 · 17 May 2021]

While its predecessor had as main point the subversion of a genre, this subverts what had already been established by the anime. Focused on the character Homura, this film studies the psychological and personality of the character through symbolism and subliminal messages, while giving us a tragic continuation of the previous story that, although melancholic, reached a minimally happy ending.

The anime that had worked out mixed feelings in the midst of a chaotic situation is no different from this one, which decided to focus entirely on negative but natural feelings of most people, what is evident with this is what had already been shown in the background in the series, that Homura is the main character of Madoka Magica, everything that happened previously was only because of her actions, that is, Madoka was only capable of her achievements in the previous one because of this.

The film majestically works on selfishness and desire, that even in a world that was balanced and healthy there are still those who do not accept it, who can still suffer even with the guarantee of a "happy ending".

In addition to expanding the fantasy universe, he also masterfully studies the philosophy between good and bad, which when they are unbalanced are nothing more than pure chaos, Homura who until then had not noticed this "flaw" in Madoka's plan at the end of the anime , decides to take the lead, until he realizes that regardless of the fear of becoming a witch, he disappeared, that would not necessarily cease the negative feelings and apprehension that we feel daily, causing the character to take drastic measures in the face of the situation.

Rebellion is responsible for creating one of the greatest antagonists of anime, not because of its psychopathy and supposed malice, but because it is something so close to us and our actions that it makes us reflect; "What if I was in this situation? It would probably do worse! ".

Puella Magi Madoka Magica (2011)

Madoka is not the Protagonist!

[10/10 · 17 May 2021]

The concept of Madoka Magica in its essence is the same as any other of the Mahou Shoujo genre, what impacts is the way it is treated, addressing a message of maturity and loss of innocence, this becomes memorable compared to the others.

It is not necessarily the first Mahou Shoujo to deal with adult themes, but it is the best when working on the turning of a script, it is not for nothing that the anime became known for establishing the "rule of the three episodes", proving that to have understanding about the that work is really about and has to offer, this number of chapters seen is necessary.

In addition to being beautiful in its art direction and symbolism, Madoka Magica brings a fluid animation and unlike any other anime seen before, more precisely when the main characters face their enemies with unique characteristics.

What could be just another difference has a direct impact on the work, since it feels like being out of place and vulnerable, and not only in these magical worlds, but also in the physical world, the anime shows an empty immensity, in spite of being beautiful.

What can irritate many who watch it is the one that gives the title to the work, Madoka is the typical fairy tale girl, who always seeks optimism and romanticism in the most tragic situations, but just a careful look is enough to understand that this despite carrying the anime name is an observer and driving force of the script, Madoka could be seen as us, the viewers, who are as confused and frightened by that situation as the same, leaving the highlight almost entirely for the other characters in the story .

Madoka is much more than a subversion of genre and script, this anime must be contemplated for its character construction that differs from the majority, placing human situations in fantastical universes that end up being in the background when compared to the drama of the characters.

Highlight for the composition of the soundtrack by Yuki Kajiura that has become a jewel in the anime world, with just a few seconds in our ears we are able to recognize its singular characteristic, and remember the exact moments when it is presented in the series.

Angel's Egg (1985 Video)

Maybe the bird never existed at all.

[10/10 · 17 May 2021]

The impact of Angel's Egg is in its symbology, running away from the conventional and direct narrative, the anime chooses to pass its entire story and message through the visual and almost exclusively, a lost minute of this film can be crucial to lose all the impact that he brings.

There are few films that can generate as many theories and interpretations as this one, even if some of them bring some exaggeration, they are still plausible, and the few dialogues he brings are crucial to not allow our interpretation to go beyond what is appropriate.

Being a visual and sonic treat, Angel's Egg gives goosebumps all over the body, the only defect that the film could have would be its slowness in the narrative, even though some scenes are contemplative above anything, they take a lot of screen time without necessarily send an exact message, making the work tedious in a few moments.

Ghost in the Shell (1995)

The most important film of my life!

[10/10 · 9 May 2021]

The first time I watched GITS it was a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts, I had seen the character at one time or another, but I only decided to see it after knowing its importance to the industry, and well, no matter how many times I watch it , will always be an hour and twenty minutes well used.

Everything that this film represents is incomparable to any that I have ever seen, from the first scene in which we have Major at the top of the buildings to his final credits, you know that film or anime that you can spend hours talking about every day, because the messages discussed here are such that they would hardly fit in a criticism.

Motoko Kusanagi is a unique character, all his dilemma about his existence and free will are genuine and identifiable, who has never felt trapped or enslaved to something greater that determines where we go and what we do? The debate around this theme is done with mastery, leaving anyone to reflect on it for hours.

What Ghost In The Shell does is take our hands and throw us without any support in that world, and as much as we are lost with so much information in front of us, at no time does the film treat us as unable to understand, the only thing that he asks is our attention and deduction.

And speaking of the world, what a wonderful setting, the cities, despite being technologically evolved, are still rustic, full of slums and dirty alleys, showing that even with so much evolution in the field of science and engineering, the human being will never leave misery, especially involving the ordinary citizens, a society that is beautiful and full of rich details, is claustrophobic and threatening due to its crowds and lack of privacy, the film to reserve good minutes with its setting is a hit.

The animation is impeccable, the scene of the open-air fair and the boat ride make this very clear, I have never seen a world so alive in an animation as before, and I still haven't found another one to compare (besides its sequence of course) Also worthy of mention is the fabulous lighting work, clearly visible at night, with car panels and building lights that illuminate the city.

The ambience is also due to the work of Kenji Kawai on the soundtrack, once we hear it, it will not leave our heads, both in relation to the main theme that brings a choir of traditional Japanese music along with traditional female vocals from Bulgaria, as well as dirty but smooth industrial trail.

Ghost In The Shell is about the search for being, the search for free will and taking the reins of life itself, navigating the possibilities of the world without restraints or surveillance.

"Who we are? Are we who we claim to be or are we limited to being what we think of ourselves? Perhaps we have no sense of our own being until we find it and show our true identity to ourselves." that's the question that gets in my head every time I review this movie. Of course, for those who don't care so much about the philosophical part of the anime, it's still a spectacular police action movie, the more revised the better, thanks to its wealth of details.

FLCL (2000–2001)

Fooly Cooly is silly, fun and deep.

[10/10 · 8 May 2021]

This is one of the most fun animes I have ever seen, even though it seems uncompromising, it is still full of valuable messages.

FLCL talks about the passing of adolescence, and how sometimes even at that age we worry too much about life, and we take things too seriously, this is reflected in the character "Takkun" who is always in a bad mood, and thinks that everyone his back are stupid or inferior to him for some reason, mainly adults, who because of the smoke that is released in the city, are all supposedly childish and naive.

The character "Mamimi", on the other hand, has problems entering adult life, an age that she is almost reaching, discounting the indecisions and uncertainties that we all have in a false passion for Takkun, cigarettes, among other ways that the character has as escapism.

The star of the series, "Haruko", in turn, seems to be the only character who treats life in the "right" way, our "Wasp Woman" lives lightly, having fun with everything possible and treating her work as something pleasurable. Of course, like all the characters, in the future she shows her defects that are just as problematic as the others, but still she has no problem accepting those defects.

Highlight for the animators who did a phenomenal job in all the episodes, with a fluidity and transitions that I had never seen before.

The text is also a highlight, both with its subliminal messages and with its humor at the right point.

Applause also for the band "The Pillows" which is responsible for a good part of the quality of the anime, playing their songs practically the entire episode, giving a unique atmosphere to the series.

Fooly Cooly sends the message that sometimes it's okay to be silly, maybe even cool, and that living lightly, a smile on your face even in the face of life's complications, is the best solution.

The best anime possible for someone who is lost or without answers to the particular situations that everyone goes through in this life, regardless of age.

Ergo Proxy (2006)

I think, therefore I exist!

[10/10 · 8 May 2021]

Ergo Proxy is the kind of work that catches us off guard, the less we know of the work the more surprised we are. When I thought about watching it I figured it would be a police investigation anime with the futuristic theme, and I wasn't wrong about that but fortunately it's a lot bigger than that simple premise.

The way the anime works philosophy, politics, science and beliefs is very high level, with each episode I was more intrigued by the plot, I had no idea where it was taking me and I think it is very important for the viewer to trust what the series wants to go through and embark on the journey to enjoy the story

I would like to talk a little about the characters, starting with Re-I, at first glance she seems to be the typical badass character, without patience who likes to go straight to her goals, but it is interesting to see with the passage of time that in addition she is also spoiled, annoying and rude, because of the life she had always been flattered, so has trouble understanding that not everything is black and white as she always thought. The anime does not try at any time to give her a reality shock to the point that changes from one day to the next, this change is gradual, the more time she spends with Vincent and Pino the more she understands about aspects of life that she had never realized before, which makes us create affection for the character she becomes at the end of the journey.

Speaking of Vincent, I can quietly say that he is one of my favorite characters of all time, a fragile character who was literally thrown into this world with no idea what to do or where to go, at certain times it's as if we were him, lost in this alternate and misrepresented reality. As the plot progresses, it is not a wonder that his character gives meaning to the name of the anime "Ergo Proxy" (I think, i soon exist). His search for the reason for existing and who he really is is what moves the plot so peculiarly.

And lastly, Pino, who in short is the comic relief of the series, the character for being an android, does not understand anything of the world, whether with regard to the situation or people, and even in serious moments treats everything with a passivity and innocence that ends up making us smile, which makes perfect sense since she was designed to be a child , his innocence is charming. Fortunately the anime not only leaves her in this position of humor but works as well as the previous ones, perhaps Pino's plot is the most emotional of all after being revealed.

And this is Ergo Proxy, an anime about finding our reason for existing (raison d'être), which we all seek and can identify at some point. All characters, including the most vague are important for work and full of message to pass, all other aspects of the series are also of quality, both artistic and technical. The only thing that can shake a little the experience of those who watch it is its ending that as the anime itself says, "Deus Ex Machina".

Devilman: Crybaby (2018)

Devil's May Cry...

[10/10 · 7 May 2021]

Devilman is a unique work, created with the intention of being another shounen manga to amuse young people, has as its outcome one of the best stories ever created in a fantasy universe, which even written in 1972 remains current and frightening.

Crybaby adapts the work to the present times, bringing all the problems that were already in evidence at that time to an even more impactful perspective by involving social networks, digital influence and promiscuity.

Masaaki Yuasa, who was already known in the industry for his peculiar animation style, had complete freedom to use his creativity here, which fortunately combines a lot with the work, since in addition to the creatures being strange, the world of humans itself is unbalanced. The debate about prejudice and intolerance has never been so well presented before, showing the more animalistic side of the human being, the work creates a fantastic narrative, where anyone, regardless of their reality, can identify themselves in some respect.

Even when we already know the direction that history will take, the text still manages to subvert things, whether in the main narrative or in the secondary, it is impossible not to watch it and not feel a sorrow in the heart for everything shown to us on screen.

In short, a great study of characters, world and society today, mandatory for anyone!

Devil May Cry: The Animated Series (2007)

A Different Perspective On Dante.

[7/10 · 7 May 2021]

The Anime of Devil May Cry gains value by showing a different point of view of the life of our favorite demon hunter, since the first game we have in view a completely badass character, who does not care about much besides a good fight and make jokes of his opponents. Of course, in specific parts of his journey we have exciting and even sad moments, such as when he thinks he let Trish die, as if he had failed his mother again, moments where he talks to his brother or his childhood, leading the character even to cry (hence the name of the franchise is obvious), but overall what we have is a buck , stylish and a joke.

Already here we have a tired Dante, sad with his life, the anime in chronological terms takes place right after "Devil May Cry (2001)" ie, his brother was supposedly dead, his revenge against the one who took the life of his mother had already been realized and his partners were no longer present, so there was nothing that gave meaning in his life , he was moved only by the jobs morrison delivered him and the goal of protecting the weak, but that was just a hobby. Interestingly the few moments when we see Dante smiling and having fun is when he fights, since in these hours the character went out all his internal problems, the anime also makes it clear that the protagonist spent every day feeding on pizza and ice cream, just as another escape from his anguish, and in his ending it is implied that alcohol was also part of his routine.

Just for these examples is already valid to say that this anime is a pearl in the midst of the whole franchise, but things get better because we have a counterpoint to all this that was mentioned before, "Patty Lowell" is the typical child that even young is mature and seems to understand a lot of life and how people feel, and even if dante's main mission is to defend her and escort her , for the most part it is she who takes care of his feelings and supports him, creating a relationship almost between brothers. Of course there are times where one teaches the other about different aspects of life, but it is Patty who gives Dante a reason to live, either through his scolding or his sympathy that seemed to be missing in the protagonist's life for a long time.

Another point at which the series hits is not only on the main mission but finally showing Dante and the others acting as genuine demon hunters, things that are mentioned in all games in the franchise but never shown, of course they still act as protectors of humanity, but finally is shown the mercenary side, which accepts the works for money , the research side is of paramount importance in these moments, showing that Dante is not only a fighting machine without any strategy or intelligence, the relationships that the existence of demons causes in humanity is also portrayed, another positive point since in most games this is left aside.

The action scenes are also decent, as much as Dante solves most of his cases with extreme ease makes perfect sense, since at this point in the story the character is completely invincible.

The anime also brings cool curiosities such as dante's way of doing his work through his partner Morrison, as Trish and Lady recognized each other and began their rivalry, never-before-explored ties of Sparda and other demons that followed his ideology, among other interesting moments. Anyway, this anime is a treat for any fan of the franchise and a pastime for a casual audience.

Madan Senki Ryukendo (2006)

My Childhood Heroes!

[10/10 · 4 May 2021]

While for some people their childhood heroes were Superman, Goku, Power Rangers, but for me it was the Madan Warriors.

I've never been a fan of Tokusatsu, the few I've watched have been the most well-known and important to the industry, and I haven't even finished them, Kamen Rider, Jaspion, Godzilla, Ultraman, those were some of what I watched, but with Ryukendo it was different.

I'd come back from school in the afternoon and run straight to TV, and in about a few minutes the opening started and that moment was magical, I watched with a warmth in my heart, and best of all is that even after broadcasting all the episodes, a few weeks later they broadcast again, and of course I watched with a smile on my face.

Today, years later I began to review it by chance, and I must say that it was an amazing experience, every minute I watched referred to my childhood, I felt like a child seeing his friends after a long time without contact.

I think what makes the series so unique is that even with the low budget compared to the other Tokusatsu, everything in Ryukendo has personality and charisma, the creators knew how to use creativity to create a show as much, as for example in an episode where villains use a giant umbrella to attack the city, or a giant balloon that turns citizens into balloons.

By the last paragraph I think I have already hinted that the series does not mind exploring a silly humor to bring fun to the series, after all it is a show for children, but that does not mean that we do not have serious and dramatic episodes, mainly involving the characters Koichi and Komachi, who have sad stories in their past.

The series also builds light and tasty novels to watch, I think a dozen episodes is focused on this theme, which generates greater empathy for those characters and their relationships.

And of course, like every good Tokusatsu, it is full of values and principles to be passed on to children, such as honor, loyalty, friendship, justice, etc. I imagine that any child with a healing imagination, even with many films and series available and with a bigger budget underneath, watching Ryukendo, can be enchanted by what he sees on screen.

I could be fair and technical and evaluate the series for what it really is, but this time I'll let my heart speak louder and i'll evaluate it only for the sensations that cause me, Ryukendo is 10/10.

The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)

This movie is Powerful!

[10/10 · 16 April 2021]

Before I even watched this film, I already knew joan's story, read her story, watched documentaries, saw priests and theologians talking about her, and as I got to know her I ended up creating more and more respect for her, regardless of her belief or disbelief I think we agree on the importance of this woman in the history of France, and why she is one of the greatest symbols of endurance and resilience.

I ask for a space to talk a little of my beliefs for a moment. After I came to have more faith in Christ and a closeness to Catholicism, I came to understand that it was through Joan of Arc, I believe that this saint intercedes for me to this day, so that I may reach higher levels of faith and at the end of my life rest in Christ.

So, since she is such an important figure to me I decided to watch her films, which I admit I hesitated for a good time, since in recent decades we had dozens of religious films that did not mind being really good movies, or worse, treated the faith of a Christian as something that came out of nowhere, without reason or reason , and anyone who truly believes in God knows that these representations of the Christian faith are very poor.

Anyway I decided to start with the most praised, studied and debated by moviegoers throughout history.

I watched a completely mute version, just the film and its lines of dialogue, and I must say that it was a powerful experience, I am to this moment perplexed by every second I saw, the emotions that Joana felt defined mine, I felt close to the character, as if I were in the same situation as her.

The threat that those judges face is almost demonic, even if someone who was a saint (which was Joan's case) would question whether he is really guilty of something or would think of surrendering to false accusations just to get rid of that threatening environment.

And the performance of Maria Falconetti deserves all the applause of those who watch, this woman delivered everything of herself for this film, all the expressions that conveys the emotions of the character, be it a tear of suffering, a look at the sky representing her faith, a finger pointing that shows her resistance, or a small smile that exudes passion. If the character didn't even have a line in the entire movie, we'd still capture everything that's passed on screen.

The film gains even more merits by choosing the documents and historical records that were preserved from that time, especially in the trial of Joana, making it believable even for those who do not believe in the religious part of history, director Carl Dreyer was very smart the religious vision to the look of Joana, which we can perceive with its symbolisms, for example the window with a cross shape.

The most interesting after the end of this film was that, I do not feel like watching any of the others, not because I believe they are bad but because I believe it is difficult to overcome the impact that this had on me, eventually I will watch them of course, but I am fully sure that 'La passion de Jeanne d'Arc' is the definitive work on this saint of which I have so much affection.

And if I may be religious again in my analysis, ora pro nobis Jeanne, di vivere Christus rex!

Perfect Blue (1997)

Nothing is perfect, maybe it's not even blue!

[10/10 · 12 April 2021]

Perfect Blue is the best picture of how the life of a famous person works behind all the glamour of the cameras.

Unsurprisingly, the world of fame is full of dirt, and in Satoshi Kon's film we have a bigger perspective of these problems in the life of a Japanese Idol, besides being treated as a small gear that moves the industry, these girls rarely have freedom in their personal life, being manipulated with promises to leverage their career or with conversations like : "your fans will love it". So these end up going into several projects that are uncomfortable for your life.

It is visible that today, a little more than 20 years after the release of the film these problems remain current, which demonstrates that the machine has not stopped working, was only better made up, which is very sad if we think that the advance of the internet and social networks could expose everything that dirty in this beautiful world of celebrities , but the truth is that strengthened the cult of artists and popstars, as much as every month we are bombarded with sad news about the lives of those who submit or end up trapped in the life of idol, it is the very fans of these people who hinder the public to give greater attention to these complaints, thus encouraging the continuation of this practice. As much as they do not directly defend the daily abuse that these young people suffer, they end up muffling it using as an example "that group is well treated" or "in that company it does not happen" when they know that the reality is that these are minority and that still uncertain, moreover these same fans who defend them are the same to attack if their favorite idols go out of the standard expected by their followers.

The film also makes it clear that most of those who accompany the Idols are more interested in their body and in satisfying their fantasies than in fact the artwork of those who take the stage, so much so that it is normal after going through the first phase of their career, that is, the fun and cute girl, leave for adult shows and sexy rehearsals , as with the protagonist "Mima".

The pressure that these artists have is shown perfectly, bordering from the paranoia of stalkers to the state of madness, for doing things they did not want just to ensure continuous success and not be forgotten since the vast majority of celebrities end up getting more and more vague and replaceable, especially when it comes to appearance.

In addition duality is the key point to embark on everything that this film provides us, the director was a great master by confusing us with the delusions of "Mima", putting us inside them, where even we ask what is real or dream, the great truth is that all we saw will only have its explanation for those who pick up the smallest details of the film , from a broken mirror to the view of a window!

The Last Exorcism (2010)

Decent!

[6/10 · 5 April 2021]

The Last Exorcism is a film that tries to explore certain situations that I don't remember seeing many films of the genre do, after the release of The Exorcist (1973) the number of films that tried to copy the formula is immense, and the vast majority end up using and abusing all the clichés that he has established, and this is no different in a few moments but the way he does that good makes it good.

While in most films dealing with the subject we have a priest already tired, who because of certain situations that occurred in his life or in the world around him he finds himself in doubt regarding his faith, so someone who is really in trouble because of demonic entities draws the attention of the priest so that he resumes his faith in Christ and faces that evil.

Already here the character Cotton is practically a blasphemer, who does not mock God directly but of those who believe in him or put his hope in his hands so that he has a miracle in his life, and the worst of all is that those closest around him know and support him. But in the midst of all this, what draws attention is that despite these crude attitudes the character is notionthat a portion of religious leaders abuse the belief of other people to create their theaters, and that some believers are so easily manipulated that they can really be convinced through tricks and fallacies, their plan is to unmask it.

But as in most films he did not expect to deal with a more delicate case, the best is that everything that the priest and his recording team witness is uncertain, in case the film is at all times playing with hypotheses of psychological illness, mental and physical abuse, besides the possibility of possession actually existing, which makes the plot more interesting than the other of the genre.

The film weakens by not further exploiting the main character, missing scenes demonstrating that despite his blasphemy and theater he is not necessarily an evil man since he actually does it for the sake of family stability, in addition to the clichés of the genre and most of the mistakes that films found footage make, his third ends up climbing to something bigger than the film promised , leaving an open ending to questions or continuations, which was the case.

Horimiya (2021)

Beautiful and Empty

[4/10 · 4 April 2021]

Horimiya begins with a common premise and somewhat cliché, but with the differential of its spectacular and captivating art, in addition to the direction that makes miracle for the anime walk, but that's just it.

In the first episode there is already a sense of haste with so many events that usually take half a dozen episodes to occur, the first impression this is good, until we notice that this is due to the number of episodes that the work has compared to the number of manga that have been published.

One of the big problems that the anime has is the lack of development of the characters, from the main two to the supporting cast, everything is vague and played, characters come and go all the time just to make a scene or another, actions that are taken have no immediate or future impact, besides the feeling of the passage of time being terrible , gives the impression that if the anime ended in half it would still be the same thing as finishing it in twelve episodes.

The direction of art and sound try to support us so that we empathize with the characters but it is not enough, you know when the work passes that impression of "forced sentimentality?" That's what I feel when Watching Horimiya, it got to a point where we didn't even have script, just squeets that didn't take the story anywhere.

For those who do not care about development, well structured script and with the consequence action effect and just want to see cute characters have random scenes on screen, this is your anime.

Wonder Egg Priority (2021)

Wonder Egg is Wonderful

[10/10 · 1 April 2021]

This will easily go to vote for "Anime of the Year", I love it when I see animes so unique that they generate me a whirlwind of thoughts but that make it difficult to put them in a critique, when it happens I know that the work is special.

From the first episode to the last we have a deep conversation about numerous social problems, not only of Japanese society but of the whole world.

And there is no better theme to work with these subjects than magical girls.

I had countless thoughts and reflections about each scene that this anime showed, and when going into discussion chats, listening to analysis and podcasts the discussion became richer and deeper, because they are subjects so delicate that each person will have their own perspective of looking at them, and the more the conversation expands the better it gets.

The studio put on a show in absolutely everything, every trace of animation, from the simplest and funniest scenes to the uncontrolled action next to the emotional scenes, every detail matters, from a flower in a sweatshirt to a band tied to one arm, the symbolisms can be interpreted in several different ways and yet they wouldn't be enough to give a definitive explanation for each subliminal message.

This is definitely one of those that any fan of animation and good story should put on your list, I wish we had more details about this universe as a whole and how certain things work, but still it's nothing that takes away the beauty of this anime.

The Evil Dead (1981)

A classic of Splatter!

[10/10 · 30 March 2021]

I believe that The Evil Dead is the best example that with a camera, good friends and committed people a small idea can create a great movie, in an era where renowned directors spend millions on their stars, gigantic scenarios and state-of-the-art effects still create mediocre films if the classic 1981 had been released today would be a laughing stock , but this film is brilliant.

When I watched it was something stunning, I've never seen demonic possession and haunted houses being approached that way, it's unbelievable that four decades later this film still remains clight, in a good way of course.

The atmosphere that is created with camera movements around the hill and cas next to the background sounds is terrifying, as an unsuspecting person is apprehensive about the mysterious threat that is to come, and when they come it is a shock, although the mythology is still small in this first film it is certainly very much alive.

Using the lack of budget to treat evil entities as a force of nature and the invisible supernatural was a master move, since the last thing we imagine as an enemy are trees, wind and earth.

And what about the main enemies? A spectacle of makeup and practical effects, all those possessed humans are terrifying in a way that no other zombie movie or mutation has achieved, both by physical and mental torture to their victims, highlighted by actress Betsy Baker who was responsible for one of the most macabre scenes I've ever seen in a horror movie.

People imagined in the past, indeed some to this day, that hell is summed up in violence, blood and suffering and this film lived up to this vision, the torment that the characters go through with the whole situation that are exposed is to give agony, both the physical and mental injuries that deteriorate each little by little are tormenting to see , especially Bruce Campbell who shows Ashley's insanity increasingly high because of everything that has to be done to make her survive.

Despite some continuity errors there is nothing in this film that erases its brightness and originality, it is certainly mandatory for any fan of the genre!

Dawn of the Dead (2004)

"Get up, come on get down with the sickness!"

[8/10 · 30 March 2021]

In 1978 George Romero presented us with the second film of the trilogy of the dead "Dawn of the Dead", as I was born in the 2000s I did not have the opportunity to follow at the time, but while watching in the present day I can not like it, yes I understand all its importance and criticism behind the cannibals stuck in the mall without any other way , but in my opinion he has aged poorly, both in practical effects, makeup and acting, but thanks to zack snyder's version I can appreciate the whole concept of the work!

Of course, to this day we have the discussion about ordinary zombies vs fast zombies, and although many people believe that Zack was responsible for this concept, but it has existed since 1985 when "The Return of the Living Dead" came to us, so I prefer to say that what was established with this Remake was the frenzy of these monsters , which combines with the times when we lived in 2004, in fact combines much more in the present day, where it seems that nothing in our society has as virtue or principle patience, everything must be instant an instant or immediately, people act as animals or even as lifeless machines, regardless of the most basic things of life as "human being" above all.

I think the only thing missing in the film that ends up getting inferior to the original are scenes showing the comodism and materialism of human characters when being trapped in that mall, if we analyze well there is not so many reasons to splother or panic the characters to be trapped in that place.

The savagery that the human being can have with his fellowmen only by selfishness or resentment is also not exploited in the way he deserved, it is already consensus that in most apocalyptic works the greatest threat to a human being is himself, here this message ends up being resolved very quickly and forgotten during the course of the film, the idea that our society is sick becomes clearer in the music of the band Disturbed in the final credits than in the whole movie.

I think in the end the proposal of the work is to put us in a state of total caution since only one mistake can cost his life and the well-being of his entire group, despite some attitudes without logic that some characters have the balance is positive and the film does well overall.

Midsommar (2019)

Beautiful and Unconventional

[7/10 · 27 March 2021]

This film itself is a great work of art, I speak this in the purest sense of the word, during the long two and a half hours I felt seeing a great painting, alive, full of colors and messages, it is much more art than terror itself.

But what frightens in the film would be its proximity to reality, we live in a world full of different cults, sects and religions that if we are not accustomed can be a great shock to us when we see how their faithful behave, especially when certain sometimes archaic attitudes are made in a totally natural way without any strangeness even by those who participate in the cult.

Of course, even though the director treats the whole situation as something common to those pagans, it is clear that certain decisions they make end up being cruel and criminal with those who are not directly involved with their beliefs, making clear a mental, emotional manipulation that can result in physical abuse if necessary.

In the first half the film is right to develop more and more the distancing of the couple and the loneliness that Dani feels for not having anyone really close to lean on their moments of pain, but the same can not be said about the cult that shows sometimes be something just to shock the audience and not to fit into the story , given the feeling that the director has lost the notion of time and has become increasingly extravagant with his rituals that yes, create a giant malaise but seem to be lost in history.

At one point I feel a breakdown in the middle of the film, as if everything that happened in the first hour was just a cheap reason for the characters to find themselves in that uncomfortable situation, and the more the film goes on the more brutal it becomes, losing all the subtlety we had until then.

In addition, it bothers me the lack of resistance of the main group even after they realized that very strange things were happening in that place, with everything the work shines in its look and symbolism, although tiring the film is attractive and makes me want to review for further reflections.

Otherside Picnic (2021)

Great premise, poor execution!

[5/10 · 23 March 2021]

The anime has an interesting premise, Japanese folklore related to urban legends and horror legends is great and quite different from most other cultures, so much so that we see it being used in several different ways in works of all kinds, so it would not be a bad idea to create a work focused only on that, but the anime explores very poorly its base structure.

Sorao is a lonely girl who doesn't have much to lose in the world so isolates herself in this place that the characters call "another world", but at random she ends up meeting the person who would be his partner from then on, Toriko, a girl a little more experienced in that world who exploits him to find a lost friend.

From the moment Sorao forces himself to follow Toriko around the world the anime gives indications that those conflicts with monsters only have 3 objectives, create interesting suspense and action scenes, develop Sorao's personality for her to mature and a turn in her life through the relationship with Toriko and solve the mystery of the missing girl.

But none of the three premises are successfully fulfilled, the anime fails to create empathy for the main character since most of the time exchanges interesting dialogues with jokes or interruptions for something that happened in the background, the most we know of it are monologues that she does about her person, but we have almost no moments of personal improvement of the character.

The action scenes are mediocre and mostly anti-climatic, and the main mystery is most often interrupted by an isolated mission that takes the characters nowhere.

In the end what held me in the anime was its world, which by the way seems to be very rich and full of complex rules to survive in it, but in very few episodes these same rules end up being deconstructed by the whims of the script and conveniences, if the anime were only paranormal research as its basic premise I would not bother since its closed missions are at least interesting that give a reasonable level of entertainment , but become a problem in the middle of twelve episodes since, upon arriving at the end of the anime it seems that we have just begun the journey and nothing relevant has been done so far!

Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)

So that's what we have when the studio lets the director work with complete freedom?

[8/10 · 21 March 2021]

There are times when we finish watching a movie and feel happy, it's such a genuine and sincere joy that it becomes difficult to describe it in a review, maybe anyone who has felt the same as I understand what I mean.

I remember when Batman vs Superman was announced and good, the hype was real, we went to the movies on the opening day and it was a great experience, of course, after a while thinking about the film and its choices I ended up finding various defects and script problems, but still it was a good movie, the look of Zack Snyder is so unique and attractive, besides it was the first time we were seeing the trinity on the big screen, the emotion was already taking care of us without much difficulty, it is not a movie that I try to defend at all costs but still i can enjoy it.

So Justice League was announced right after Wonder Woman, for a moment I thought "ok, maybe we're going too fast with this universe just to reach the competition", but still was anxious, after all, it was the Justice League, again we went in the opening week, and at the end of the movie my face was on the floor of so much sadness, in short the film became a cheap copy of Avengers, and not that I did not like the marvel universe, some of my favorite movies carry the name of those heroes, but the biggest problem was how much it was foreseeable, the next day I no longer cared about the movie, and it really annoyed me, we're talking here of characters that emerged in the golden age of heroes , they were the first and are in our hearts to this day, it is almost unfair with a fan doing any work with these characters.

Of course, after we understood everything behind the production of this film we understood that it was not the fault of the actors, screenwriters, much less the directors involved, the great villain and cause of the failure of that film was the WB itself.

Then a phenomenon came to pass, the entire internet including with those who participated in this film began to raise the #releasethesnydercut and amazingly Warner gave in and gave the green light for Zack to complete his work, which makes me think, shouldn't it always be like this? Imagine if all directors had the approval to create their works freely? Of course there are all the rules to enter the cinema, but we would still have more sincerity and passion in every movie we see, and this one is full of it!

Zack Snyder made the 2017 film totally disposable after the release of its version, there is nothing in this film that has not been better than its previous version, the characters have a greater development, relevance to plot, their attitudes and actions have consequences, humor is in the right place and with the right characters, the action scenes are infinitely better and worthy of a movie of heroes, it is ridiculous today to think of a story of these characters where they are not completely invincible, as much as some think that the exaggerated action of Snyder ends up tireing the viewer, I think from the moment we understand that they are practically semi gods this "exaggeration" becomes understandable.

By the way, the most important part of a hero movie is here, the inspiration, we have dozens of films with this theme coming out every year, but most of them forget that in addition to an interesting story and a fun action, a hero should give us hope, and I speak clearly that this was one of the few in recent years that managed to get that message across.

I respect the fact that Snyder didn't use any scene from Joss Whedon's cut, that's the complete view of him, and as for that he did not hold, everything that a fan of comics imagines on screen is here, I heard a person say the following phrase "It's like they give budget to a child of 13 years passionate about heroes make the story that she always wanted." and I could not be more cheerful in agreeing with this placement, it's like a great graphic novel alive, with a rich universe and full of paths to which we walk after reading the last page.

Now what i'm most glad about is the fact that I felt actually witnessing the JUSTICE LEAGUE, it may be kind of unfair to compare with the Marvel Universe since they had a decade to consolidate their characters, but what they needed some movies to make me like some characters this movie achieved in just four hours, of course the film has its problems like the excess of slow motion or some less neat CGI effects, but as I started this review I end up saying, there are few movies that can convey a real passion for design and genuine happiness to the audience, and this certainly ignores defects that can be seen.

Now it remains to be seen what the WB will do with what was left by Zack, and for him I just have to congratulate me, for sure his daughter Autumn is proud whatever plan she is in.

Jack Reacher (2012)

Tom Cruise is Jack Reacher!

[7/10 · 18 March 2021]

Tom Cruise is a great actor, I've seen him in different roles, but with the exception of films with unique ideas like Edge of Tomorrow or War of the Worlds whenever I see him in action and research films, I think "look it's Ethan Hunt", I think this is common since several actors are marked by only one role , and I'm glad that's not the case with Tom, but I always thought he had a lot of potential to be another memorable action character other than Ethan, and Jack is this guy, a pity that this saga wasn't so remarkable and ended up losing even more popularity in his second film.

I like the fact that this film doesn't try to be extravagant or unreal, it's just a well-orchestrated crime with a great investigation behind it, but with a great direction almost everything pleases, from the one-on-one fights to the very realistic car chases.

Jack is a trained guy who does not get involved in any problem that does not belong to him, but who still can not see something wrong in front of him without taking an attitude, the only problem in the character is that he is so incredible that at no point in the film we worry about him, we know that he will get out of that situation without too many problems , i'm still surprised he took a few blows.

Rosamund Pike is very good as Helen, she is a lawyer who had never paraded to observe how the relatives of the victims of the criminals felt after the crime, but still believes that everything should be well investigated and that everyone deserves at least a fair trial, her relationship with Jack is quite amusing, including breaking some clichés that are usually used in these films.

About the villains, are generic but work for the proposal, some humorous scenes do not work, but in general it is a good movie, I predict a reboot of this saga in this decade with some younger actor, following the chronology of the books.