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Tv/Movie Reviews/Rants by SFK

Started by SuperFireKirby, October 20, 2011, 07:13:42 PM

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SlowPokemon

Quote from: KefkaticFanatic on October 31, 2011, 12:34:35 AMNot really.  Dub actors are in most cases inevitably going to be less professional and shitty compared to the original voice actors.  I dunno if this is a problem because I have watched 3-4 animes ever, but if the mouths don't match with the voices that would be annoying also.  Plus they won't fit what the original directors wanted from the voices as well.
All the basic film stuff really.  I also watch other foreign films with subs and in their native language.

Ohhh I see what you mean, if you're watching an anime SERIES watch it in its original format. Yep. I agree.
Quote from: Tobbeh99 on April 21, 2016, 02:56:11 PM
Fuck logic, that shit is boring, lame and does not always support my opinions.

KefkaticFanatic

No clue about series.  I've only ever watched films.



me irl
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SlowPokemon

Well i don't think I've ever seen an anime film with noticeably bad voice work besides Ponyo. :P
Quote from: Tobbeh99 on April 21, 2016, 02:56:11 PM
Fuck logic, that shit is boring, lame and does not always support my opinions.

KefkaticFanatic

Dunno, it's always sounded awkward to me when I accidentally forget to switch the voice tracks.

Plus it's fun to try and understand pieces from the dialog and not just read the subtitles.

Unless it's Ghost in the Shell and they're going into the heavy philosophical discussion o.o



me irl
[close]

SuperFireKirby

AND ON TO THE NEXT REVIEW.

In the spirit of Halloween, it's time for a little nightmare. What's this?

The Nightmare Before Christmas


Written and Produced by: Tim Burton
Directed by: Henry Selick
Original Score by: Danny Elfman


The Nightmare Before Christmas is the story of Jack Skellington the Pumpkin King and his discovery of Christmas. He wishes to take part in it and ends up causing quite a bit of trouble. A beloved halloween classic, this merry, yet eery tale has woven it's way into the hearts of many of our generation.

Now, if you somehow have not seen this movie, be warned, it is a musical. Musical's tend to turn some people away from a movie the instant they hear the word for reasons I personally don't understand. But being a musical, music is one of the chief components in this films greatness. The score is some of Elfman's best work to date. Every song is truely a work of genius, lyrically and musically, and truely shows off both Elfman's talents as a writer and a vocalist(he plays Jack's singing voice). But fair warning, these tunes are as catchy as they come and will most likely be stuck in your head for days to come.

The animation is beautiful and flawless. Every frame of animation has such magnificent detail it is almost difficult to believe the amount of work put into it. Besides the music, the other truly memorable quality of the film is it's art style. Not only was it completely new and original for this time, it brought about a whole new sense to dark cartoons and the like and has been a huge influence on the world of animation. But The Nightmare Before Christmas, even close to 20 years after being released, still has a fresh and original feel to it that you will not find with many other animations.

Voice acting is superb. I am amazed at how flawless the transition between Chris Sarandon(Jack's speaking voice) and Danny Elfman(Jack's singing voice) are. It's difficult for me to even discern that there are two different people playing the role. Every memeber of the cast does a beautiful job at portraying their character, no matter how large or minor the part. I also love that Grep Proops(Who's Line Is It Anyway?, MadWorld) is in the movie, as I simply love his voice.


Overall, The Nightmare Before Christmas has more than earned it's rank as one of the best animated movies to ever be produced and I'll be damned if kids 50 years from now aren't being stupified by it's crazy, creepy, merry, wonderfulness.

Rating: 10.5/10

Quote from: Mashi on March 26, 2013, 05:54:37 PMAfter viewing both FMA:Brotherhood and Naruto Shippuden, it would be frivolous to even consider watching an anime as unbearably mediocre as Melancholy. NARUTOxHINATA 4 LYFE!!!

SlowPokemon

Did you know this was my favorite movie or are you just being awesome?
Quote from: Tobbeh99 on April 21, 2016, 02:56:11 PM
Fuck logic, that shit is boring, lame and does not always support my opinions.

SuperFireKirby

Both. It's one of my favorite movies too.

Also, I apologize for the shortness of the review. I would have made it much longer but I didn't have enough time.

Quote from: Mashi on March 26, 2013, 05:54:37 PMAfter viewing both FMA:Brotherhood and Naruto Shippuden, it would be frivolous to even consider watching an anime as unbearably mediocre as Melancholy. NARUTOxHINATA 4 LYFE!!!

SuperFireKirby

And now it's time for an extremely biased comparison.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory(1971) VERSUS Charlie and the Chocolate Factory(2005)

Now before I get into this, I must say both movies were great in their own regard. Unfortunately only one may reign supreme.

First up:
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory(1971)
Directed by: Mel Stuart
Screenplay by: Roald Dahl
Starring: Gene Wilder - Willy Wonka
             Jack Albertson - Grandpa Joe
             Peter Ostrum - Charlie
Based off the the book by Roald Dahl
     

Now to give a quick synopsis of both films, this is the story of a poor boy named Charlie who finds one of 5 golden tickets in a candy bar which allows him entrance into the magical chocolate factory of Willy Wonka.(as if you didn't know this already)

Now for those who had read the book before seeing the movie, it is easy to see that the 1971 film is a much less accurate portrayal of Dahl's novel compared to Tim Burton's version. But does that really matter? No, it doesn't.

First off, the screenplay was written by Dahl himself, ensuring the excellence of the film. Second off, it has Mutha Fuckin GENE WILDER. The man is a marvelous actor, and in my opinion, his portrayal of Willy Wonka was the perfect balance of brilliance and total insanity, as was the movie. The movie has such a child friendly look to it, that it seems perfectly harmless. But then you get scenes like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Zail7Gdqro which make you do a double take.

But back to Gene Wilder. Yeah, he pretty much made this movie. His blend of eccentricity with madness with brilliance with wit was just so AWESOME. I'll get to more on this later but let's take a quick look at the challenger.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory(2005)
Directed by: Tim Burton
Screenplay: John August
Starring: Johnny Depp - Willy Wonka
              Freddie Highmore - Charlie
              David Kelly - Grandpa Joe

Tim Burton's version of the film is more in line with the book, true, but does that make it better? Well to start off Johnny Depp is an exceptional actor. But it's no surprise to see Johnny Depp here seeing as he has been in virtually all of Burton's live action films(as well as Corpse Bride). But a doll faced Johnny Depp is not what I picture or will ever picture Willy Wonka as. I understand where Burton was coming from, giving him a childish appearance to convey that he never really grew up, but it just doesn't really seem right to me.

Now the story in Burton's version extends past that of which you will find in the 1971 version. At the end of the tour, instead of being the end of the movie, Charlie rejects the offer for the chocolate factory because his famiry would be allowed to stay there and he would never be allowed to see them again. And then more stuff happens. I do enjoy this because it allows the movie to go deeper, mostly into Mr. Wonka's past. Also Elfman's score for the film, as usual, was wonderful to listen to.

Comparisons and such:

Speaking of music, one of my least favorite parts of the Tim Burton version was the Oompa Loompas, or should I say Oompa Loompa. They didn't look magical or exotic or other worldly. It just looked like an army of 100 cloned short dudes. Singing what I remember to be show tunes, none the less(well not necessarily show tunes, but I lack a better word to describe them so yeah). Without even teaching a discernible lesson! What kind of song is that! I'll stick with my 5 creative, non-cloned Oompa Loompas teaching me about how I should read books instead of watch TV. Because you get no, You Get No, YOU GET NO COMMERCIALS!

Secondly, while both Depp and Wilder are spectacular actors, Gene Wilder played a much better Willy Wonka. Gene Wilder, as I have said, just combined insanity with brilliance in a spectacular manner. Johnny Depp didn't necessarily play Willy Wonka. He just did what he does best, which is be Johnny Depp, with a high pitch voice none the less.

Aside from the Oompa Loompa songs, I must say I did enjoy the overall score of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I dare say it was better that that 1971 version's score. Until you get to the part where Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory's musical number were undeniably awesome. That's not even coming from nostalgia, since I hated musical parts of movies when I was a kid. Willy Wonka makes you feel like your in a World of Pure Imagination like no other when he breaks out into song. Not to mention Gene Wilder has a wonderful voice. Peter Ostrum,well... not so much. But as I said earlier, Elfman's score was wonderful and if the 1971 version had not been a musical, his score would have, without a doubt, be the winner of the musical debate.

While many people would assume that Burton's version is much darker and crazy than the 1971 version if they never saw either of the 2 films, I would say they both have about equal amounts of darkness. While the "Tunnel Scene" is one major example of this in the 1971 version there are many others. One of the most amusing to me being the 1 in 2 chance that Veruca will be incinerated in the garbage furnace, though it is never revealed in the film if she lives, so you are left to your own imagination. I would go into Tim Burton's use of dark elements, but is it really even necessary. I mean, it's freaking Tim Burton! That should pretty much cover it.

Overall:

Both films incorporate their own level of brilliance and awesomeness and both are excellent movies to watch. But only one can reign supreme.

And the winner is: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory(1971)!

As for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: You Lose! Good day, sir!

Note: This choice was not fueled by nostalgia in any way, what-so-ever but more so by my love for all things Gene Wilder.

Quote from: Mashi on March 26, 2013, 05:54:37 PMAfter viewing both FMA:Brotherhood and Naruto Shippuden, it would be frivolous to even consider watching an anime as unbearably mediocre as Melancholy. NARUTOxHINATA 4 LYFE!!!

SlowPokemon

I really enjoyed that! :D they're both great films.

Btw, did you know Roald Dahl actually hated the 1971 version? Despite writing the screenplay? I always found that hilarious.

Sfk, you really have a dryly comic flair...you could totes be a comedy writer.
Quote from: Tobbeh99 on April 21, 2016, 02:56:11 PM
Fuck logic, that shit is boring, lame and does not always support my opinions.

spitllama

Quote from: SuperFireKirby on December 20, 2011, 07:58:00 PMit is easy to see that the 1971 film is a much less accurate portrayal of Dahl's novel compared to Tim Burton's version. But does that really matter? No, it doesn't.

I have to disagree with this one. I'm assuming you saw the movie BEFORE you read the book. That's the only explanation for this...
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SlowPokemon

Quote from: spitllama on December 20, 2011, 09:15:59 PMI have to disagree with this one. I'm assuming you saw the movie BEFORE you read the book. That's the only explanation for this...

No, it's much closer to the original book... this is true...
Quote from: Tobbeh99 on April 21, 2016, 02:56:11 PM
Fuck logic, that shit is boring, lame and does not always support my opinions.

SuperFireKirby

orly? I actually haven't read the book.... but I remembered something about the Tim Burton version being closer to the book than the original one.

Quote from: Mashi on March 26, 2013, 05:54:37 PMAfter viewing both FMA:Brotherhood and Naruto Shippuden, it would be frivolous to even consider watching an anime as unbearably mediocre as Melancholy. NARUTOxHINATA 4 LYFE!!!

spitllama

Sorry, I should have clarified, I meant this part-

Quoteit is easy to see that the 1971 film is a much less accurate portrayal of Dahl's novel compared to Tim Burton's version. But does that really matter? No, it doesn't.

Like after reading the book first, I enjoyed Tim Burton's more BECAUSE it was accurate and gave nostalgia and all that good stuff. Stuart's I was like WTF IS THIS NONSENSE lol.
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SuperFireKirby

Time for another review. Today's review is actually of a fairly recent film you probably haven't heard of:

The Artist(2011)
Directed and written by: Michel Hazanavicius
Produced by: Thomas Langmann
Starring: Jean Dujardin as George Valentin
             Berenice Bejo as Peppy Miller

The Artist starts in the year 1927 where we meet silent film actor George Valentin, who has just unveiled his latest film. He meets a girl named Peppy Miller, who had dreams of becoming an actress. As the movie progresses, the new "Talkies"(movies with sound) start to rise in popularity and George ends up being left behind in the silent film era, and despair takes in.

There are two things that must be understood before watching this movie. First, 99% of the movie is a silent film. And second, this is, without a doubt, the best movie of 2011.

Dujardin is an excellent actor. I had never even heard of him before this movie, but he had definitely shown his talents throughout the entire course of this film. Conveying emotion without any use of words is very difficult, but Dujardin doesn't need to talk for you to perfectly understand his emotions and his character. Bejo also did a great job as Peppy Miller, through I do not think her performance was quite on par with Dujardin's.

Also, the use of sound was fantastic. You might be thinking "Wait, use of sound? But this is a silent movie!" and for the most part it is, with exception of two scenes. One of which is George having a nightmare about "Talkies" where you can here sounds of everything but his voice. The sounds are harsh and unpleasant to help emphasize George's feeling about these Talkies. I won't spoil the use of sound in the other scene as that would give away some of the plot.

Not only was the use of sound great, but also Hazanavicius' use of silence. He uses that lack of sound to play tricks on the audience because we lack the knowledge as to what may be making what noise is described in words. One key point in the film specifically does this and will make you understand why I felt this was necessary to mention.

Overall, this is just a brilliant movie. It is such a great throw-back to when movies were black and white and the only sound was that of a live orchestra playing in the theater. And if you do decide to wise up and watch The Artist, I challenge you to not smile for at least half of the film, a challenge which you will fail.

Overall:
A beautiful tribute to the silent film era which no one who enjoys movies of any and all kinds should miss.

10/10

Quote from: Mashi on March 26, 2013, 05:54:37 PMAfter viewing both FMA:Brotherhood and Naruto Shippuden, it would be frivolous to even consider watching an anime as unbearably mediocre as Melancholy. NARUTOxHINATA 4 LYFE!!!

spitllama

Next you should critique Inglorious Bastards ::)
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