Movie Review: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

Another wonderful movie from this beloved anime franchise. 

Though this movie is a continuation of the popular anime TV series, it truly feels like something that belongs on the big screen. This movie truly feels larger than life in every way. The visuals here are simply incredible. It has a larger than life and incredibly atmospheric look that sucks you in immediately. As the film starts, we truly feel like we have been transported to this dark fantasy world. The setting is not the only part of the movie that feels larger than life. The action scenes are truly incredible. I can honestly not remember when the last time I watched an anime film with this great of action scenes was. Not only are this action scenes well-choregraphed and exciting but they truly feel like these heroes are facing threats that they have never faced before. They are nearing the biggest battle of their lives, and these action scenes must reflect this. No victory here feels easily earned and many of the fights push us out of the assurance that our heroes will be okay. This is all perfectly captured here, bring a brand new and incredibly effective intensity to every action scene. Yet this movie is not just one big action-packed spectacle. It has some truly emotional moments. I will not give any of these away but some of them are truly heart-wrenching. 

If I have one complaint, it is that the non-conclusive cliff-hanger ending would feel more appropriate in a TV episode than a feature film. However, with how great this movie is up until that point, it is hard to fault this movie too much for that. 

An excellent movie that even non-anime fans, might really like. 

Spinal Tap 2: The End Continues

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

While this may not be the comedic masterpiece that the first film was, it is still often really funny. 

After having been separated for years Britian's loudest rock band gets back together for a reunion tour and once again this tour is documented by filmmaker Marty DiBergi (played by director Rob Reiner). The first movie is a true comedic masterpiece that is still just as funny over 40 years later. This sequel may not reach those heights, but it is wildly entertaining. Not every joke lands (a running gag about a ghost tour and a long fart joke simply don't work) but the gags that are funny are truly hilarious. I laughed out loud many times watching this movie. Like many of the gags from the original these walk the "fine line between clever and stupid." Once again much of the dialogue is improvised by the actors who play the three main members of the band (Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer). They are just as quick and funny here as they were in their younger days providing some truly hilarious moments. The story also does a great job of parodying aging rock stars and current musical climate. It may not feel as fresh in this department as the first, but there is some very clever satire hidden under the dumb jokes. Adding to this film's fun is Valerie Franco as the band's new drummer. While she may not have as many hilarious moments as the main three members, she brings a fun delightful energy to her role that works perfectly here. Cameos by music legends Paul McCartney and Elton John also provide some truly hilarious moments. 

However, this movie can lean too heavily on nostalgia. There are too many jokes that are not really funny themselves but rather are there to remind the audience of some great moments from the first movie. The band even performs some of their old songs in near full without enough of a twist to make them fresh (luckily Stonehenge does have a bit of a twist that makes it a comedic highlight). Still the very few new songs are not as funny or clever as the original songs

Even if it doesn't reach the height of the original, this comedy still contains plenty of really funny moments.   

Movie Review: Lurker

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A dark and twisted but absorbing movie. 

This is a thriller made for this social media age. It holds up a mirror to our current culture and few of us will like what we see. This film shows the artificiality of our social media obsessed world and yet it understands the lure of it as well. It shows how the attention and approval that we can get on social media can be addicting, even if we know it is artificial. The main character in this film gains a taste of this and it is not long until he is consumed by it. It gets to the point where he would do anything (no matter how unethical) to keep it. What makes this film so frightening is even with how dark this character's actions get, we can still see too much of ourselves in him. We all have this desire for approval even approval we know is artificial. With each of this film's dark twists it becomes more uncomfortable to watch. Even if this is not exactly a pleasant viewing experience, it is a compelling one as we remain glued to our seats waiting to see which dark turn it will go down next. This is not hurt by truly great and complex performances from an excellent cast led by Théodore Pellerin and Archie Madekwe. I will not spoil the dark turns this film goes down but many of them are quite unexpected and intelligent. 

This is a horrifying but truly compelling look at the results of a social media obsessed world.  

Mario Kart 64 (1996)

 

There may be a tinge of nostalgia speaking here but this is still my favorite Mario Kart game and my second favorite cart racing game (after Diddy Kong Racing of course). 

As much as I enjoyed Super Mario Kart, this follow up is an improvement in every way. With the N64 being capable of 3-D graphics, the developers took full advantage. These tracks look amazing. While the graphics may have dated, the track designs have not. These designs look larger than life with environments that are extremely memorable and atmospheric. This is enhanced by not having any two tracks that look alike. Each one has their own unique environment and feel as you hop from country roads to big cities to icy slopes to dangerous castles. Not only do these tracks look different from each other but some truly have their own unique challenges. In Yoshi Valley, there are numerous different paths to take and the game does not tell you who is in what spot until the final lap is complete.  Toad's Turnpike has you drive down a busy highway heading in the wrong direction. While you are trying to beat the other racers you are also trying to avoid being hit by oncoming traffic. The most diffcult course is Banshee Boardwalk, where the track is very dark and contains lots of places you could fall off. You have to drive carefully while still trying to win the race. All of this creates a cart racing game that always feels fresh no matter how many times you play it. In my opinion none of the future Mario Kart games ever matched this one, when it comes to course design. These are the most creative, fun and memorable courses made for any Mario Kart game.  

The controls (while not as perfect as in later games) are a lot easier to control than in Super Mario Kart. Though they are not perfect, they very rarely get in the way of the player's enjoyment. The musical scores are fantastic and have stayed with me since childhood (I was still in single digits when this game came out). To this day I can not understand anyone who doesn't like the Rainbow Road theme music.

Speaking of childhood memories, I have great memories of playing the multiplay battle mode with my dad. 

This is a masterpiece. 

Classic Short Film: Flip Flops(1923)

Movie Review: The Roses

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B+

An often-hilarious comedy. 

Jay Roach's loose remake of War of the Roses (1989) is a rare comedy remake that is actually funnier than the original. The storyline of two people falling out of love and considering divorce is hardly a comedic premise. However, the filmmakers and the cast are able to deliver many truly great laughs out of it. I was caught by surprise by how much I truly laughed watching this film (for once the previews actually showed the least funny parts). Judging by the audience in the theatre with me, I am not alone in thinking this movie is absolutely hilarious. For most of this film's runtime, it delivered laugh after laugh. These laughs come equally from Tony McNamara's witty and observant script and Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman's great delivery of many of the jokes. Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman truly add a delightfully wry British wit to many of the jokes that is simply delightful. 

As well as being funny, this movie actually makes us care about the characters. We relate to and feel for them as we are often allowed to put ourselves in their shoes. This is enhanced by us being allowed to gradually see the couple fall out of love. We true believe that they are completely in love with each other as the movie starts and the way they grow to resent each other is completely believable. Helping this out to is that the side characters are also quite well written with each of them having distinct personalities. This is especially shown in comparisons between the main couple and another couple they are friends with. This couple is also having quite a bit of trouble and though this is handled with broad comedy, contrasting how these two couples handle their problems actually brings some emotional weight to the story. 

As hilarious and delightful as this film is for most of its runtime, it loses momentum in its final act. At this point the way that the couple gets back at each other goes into over the top and needless cruel territory. This even includes some over the top cartoon like gags that feel at odds with the nature of the story and characters. If we didn't care about these characters so much or if the film set up an atmosphere where we weren't supposed to take anything seriously (something akin a Three Stooges short), these gags might have been quite funny. However, as they are the gags come off as mean spirited and unpleasant. The movie does redeem itself a tiny bit in this last act with a truly hilarious bit of dark comedy at the very end and quite a funny scene involving their kids. 

Despite a weak last act, the rest of this movie is truly hilarious and what more could you want from a comedy. 

Movie Review: Caught Stealing

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A well-made crime thriller. 

This film marks a real departure for director Darren Aronofsky as it is mostly a simply straightforward crime thriller. However, as a straightforward thriller this one is quite good. The main character is likable (and played very well by Austin Butler), the story moves at a fast pace and there are some great twists throughout. This is a rare modern-day thriller when I didn't always know what was going to happen next. What also really helps this movie is its New York setting. New York City is just as much of a character here as any of the characters played by actors. The movie offers a very atmospheric and absorbing look at New York City in the late 1990's, that makes this film feel all the more real to us. This look at New York City is further advanced by a colorful and fun supporting cast. The movie also benefits from some surprisingly effective emotional moments and some good moments of quirky humor. 

What doesn't always work about this movie is its tonal unbalance. The quirky and more comedic moments often feel quite at odds with the more realistic violence (which can often feel gratuitous).   

Despite its flaws, this is a well-made and absorbing movie.