I'm strongly compelled to give an in depth explanation on why fan service is bad for art in general, especially storytelling. I've seen tons of movies and TV shows that could've been masterpieces but failed to reach perfection because of fan service. I'm tired of fan service and demand better from the film industry. For those who don't know, fan service is material intentionally added to please the audience. It's often sexual but can also include references to other films and shows. Here's 4 ways fan service ruins movies and TV shows.
Fan service doesn't advance the plot - Fan service doesn't tell us anything interesting about the characters. What do we learn about characters from a sex scene? That they love sex with each other? If that's the only reason, it's extremely superficial. Fan service is a waste of screen time which could be used for substance.
Fan service feels inauthentic - Stories and characters are supposed to be believable. Fan service makes the story inconsistent. For example, many movies and TV shows love to include subtle references to "the Shining" horror movie. Would characters really say lines similar to "here's Johnny!" Like Jack Torrence? Compare their characters and you'll see they wouldn't. It makes no sense.
Fan service is a cop out - Creators often use fan service when they lack the skills and/or confidence to create original material. They hope the audience won't notice but if you analyze it deeply, you'll see it.
Fan service is often poorly done - Fan service is often poorly made. It's unimaginative, boring, tasteless, cringe worthy, etc.
I'm not saying movies and TV shows shouldn't have fan service. I'm saying it should not affect the story in any way. If a movie or TV show soundtrack and merch. has fan service, it's completely fine.
The Prince of Egypt movie is one of the greatest and most powerful animated Exodus movies ever! I've seen it dozens of times throughout my life. In this review, I'll explain why the Prince of Egypt is still one of the best animated musical films to this day!
From the beginning of the Prince of Egypt movie to the end, you can tell the creators poured their souls into this movie. There's so much raw emotion behind almost every scene. I nearly cried watching the Prince of Egypt movie because of how emotional it was!
Non spoiler review
Acting:
The acting was amazing! All of the actors completely immersed themselves in their roles! They were all completely believable!
Dialogue:
The dialogue in the Prince of Egypt was very well-written and powerful! It had so much emotional depth!
Animation:
The animation was amazing and breathtaking! I was surprised a film from 1998 had such high-quality animation! If I didn't know when this movie was made, I would've thought it was made around 2000-2005!
I loved how historically accurate the character and building designs were. It made me feel like I was actually there at the time of the Exodus.
Cinematography:
The camera shots of the vast landscapes and places left me speechless!
Story:
The script for the Prince of Egypt movie was incredibly well written! They all felt very human. The Prince of Egypt movie had a complex story. Rather than have a simple "good vs. evil" plot, the Prince of Egypt movie had the characters make extremely difficult choices. The Prince of Egypt was a powerful masterpiece because it addressed real life issues that are still relevant to our time. It took us on an epic and awe inspiring journey of the Exodus story from the Bible.
One of the flaws of the Prince of Egypt movie is the humor. I felt like the creators tried too hard to appeal to children with comedic scenes. As a result, it felt forced and unnatural. The story was dark, serious, mature, etc. until you watch scenes intended to be funny. When I was a child, I didn't really laugh much at the jokes. The Prince of Egypt movie could've been better if it used the screentime to develop the story and characters rather than attempt to make the audience laugh. If you plan on creating a serious and mature movie, you shouldn't try to change it because you're afraid your target audience won't like it.
Characters:
All of the characters in the Prince of Egypt are memorable whether they're the main characters or minor characters. There are no filler characters that are placed there for the sake of being there. They greatly impact the story even without words. I loved the character designs. I loved how the Prince of Egypt movie portrayed the characters as tan or dark-skinned rather than have them whitewashed. It felt authentic and special.
I loved how the Prince of Egypt movie had three-dimensional characters!
I was amazed at how despite having no blood or gore, the Prince of Egypt movie made you empathize with characters such as the Hebrew slaves.
Soundtrack:
The Prince of Egypt movie had some of the most powerful and epic soundtracks in film history! The movie had a strong opening song "Deliver us." I loved how the Prince of Egypt movie made a distinction between Egyptian and Hebrew music. I also loved the Prince of Egypt movie included Hebrew lyrics in the soundtrack. There was a ton of emotion in almost every track! Almost every word was written with purpose! The soundtrack made various emotions such as sadness, grief, fear, etc. more powerful.
One of the flaws of the Prince of Egypt movie soundtrack was the "playing with the big boys" song. I didn't think it fit well with the rest of the soundtrack. It was catchy but It's not something characters would say considering the time period they were in. I felt like the creators included it to try to entertain the audience.
In conclusion, the Prince of Egypt movie is an unforgettable masterpiece that everyone can love regardless of their backgrounds. I highly recommend you buy the Prince of Egypt movie on DVD!
The acting was amazing! All of the actors completely immersed themselves in their roles! They were all completely believable!
Dialogue:
The dialogue in the Prince of Egypt was very well-written and powerful! It had so much emotional depth! I loved how the Prince of Egypt movie foreshadowed some events through dialogue. For example, in the scene where Seti reveals Moses real origins - he spoke of sacrifices. Moses would later understand the meaning of that during the plagues of Egypt when the Egyptians faced the same oppression they put the Hebrews through!
Animation:
The animation was amazing and breathtaking! I was surprised a film from 1998 had such high-quality animation! If I didn't know when this movie was made, I would've thought it was made around 2000-2005!
I loved how historically accurate the character and building designs were. It made me feel like I was actually there at the time of the Exodus.
Cinematography:
The camera shots of the vast landscapes and places left me speechless!
Themes:
The Prince of Egypt movie dealt with mature themes such as slavery, freedom, hope, justice, identity, etc. The Prince of Egypt was a special Exodus movie because it tackled beliefs we hold about ourselves. Sometimes, we believe we have no purpose and feel insignificant but we can't see everything in store for us.
Story:
The script for the Prince of Egypt movie was incredibly well written! They all felt very human. The Prince of Egypt movie had a complex story. Rather than have a simple "good vs. evil" plot, the Prince of Egypt movie had the characters make extremely difficult choices. The Prince of Egypt was a powerful masterpiece because it addressed real life issues that are still relevant to our time. it took us on an epic and awe inspiring journey of the Exodus story from the Bible.
I will analyze my favorite scenes from the Prince of Egypt movie!
The opening was hard to watch because of the dehumanization of the Hebrews at the hands of the Egyptians.
The Prince of Egypt movie had deep symbolism. For example, Moses had the color red while the other Egyptians usually had dark colors. This showed you that Moses never truly belonged to them.
The nightmare scene was one of the scariest scenes of the Prince of Egypt movie! Mainly because of the animation style and music. I loved how there didn't need to be any words in the nightmare for it be scary.
The aftermath was scarier! Seti admits the truth to Moses. Seti isn't at all villainous like you would expect. He doesn't have an evil grin or laugh like typical villains. Instead, he tries to comfort Moses with a quiet and relaxed tone of voice as a step father. You can catch a glimpse of trauma on his face as he's talking to Moses like he's still tormented by what he's done. It's almost as if Seti was trying to convince himself he did the right thing to absolve his guilt. You can't help but wonder what Seti was doing nearby at night close to the hieroglyphics. The line "oh my son...they were only slaves.." was one of the most terrifying lines of the Prince of Egypt movie! That sent chills down my spine! This scene sometimes kept me awake for a couple of nights. I thought about what would've happened if Moses didn't escape from the Egyptians when he was a baby. Seti would've had him killed! This is a truly disturbing realization!
I love the ambiguity of the Prince of Egypt movie! It gives you room the movie. The part where Moses falls in the Nile is a foreshadowing of the Egyptians chasing him after he killed the Egyptian. If he stayed in Egypt, the Egyptians would've killed him anyways.
The scene where Moses flees Egypt was one of the most powerful scenes of the Prince of Egypt movie. The Pharaohs were supposed to be gods who could do anything and everything they wanted. Nevertheless, Ramses showed himself to be a mere human in this scene and begged Moses to not abandon him. This was one of the saddest scenes of the Prince of Egypt if not the saddest. You see Moses develop as a character and how much Ramses loved Moses.
The burning bush scene was one of the most powerful scenes of the Prince of Egypt movie. YHWH's voice was made of the many voices Moses came in contact with. This gave the message he often speaks to us through those we love. You could tell YHWH was a God of love and compassion but also of wrath from his vocal tone along with the way he comforts Moses. I loved this version of YHWH in movies best. In other movies, his voice sounds distant and more commanding.
The scene where Moses returns to Egypt and tells Rameses to free the Hebrews was sad as well as powerful. I felt at that point, Rameses became the villain. Rameses transformation was disturbing. It's interesting to note when Rameses told Moses "I will not be the weak link!" - he stood in the same place where his father rebuked him in the beginning of the film!
The plagues scene and music was amazing! It was scary as well as intense! It was genius for the creators to show most of the plagues in the form of a musical song. I loved the attention to detail in the Prince of Egypt movie. When Rameses angrily looks at the Egyptian gods, it's as if he's angry at them for allowing Egypt to be destroyed.
The death of the firstborn scene was one of the scariest scenes of the Prince of Egypt movie! The angel was just an essence moving around! The silence and darkness in this scene made it scarier!
I loved the "when you believe" song especially the way it started. The Hebrews didn't immediately burst into song. It took time for them to realize they were finally free.
The red sea crossing scene was powerful and emotional. When Moses parts the red sea and Aaron smiles at him, that was a symbol of the Hebrews (especially Moses) transitioning into a new life. Though Moses lost his brother Rameses, he gained a new brother. While the Hebrews crosssed the red sea, you saw the young motivating the old to move forward in their strength and hope. When the young were afraid of the unknown, the old were there to comfort them with their wisdom. It's implied Moses was going to sacrifice himself to the Egyptians and stop running from his problems to save the Hebrews. He realized however that without him, there wouldn't be anyone to lead the Hebrews.
The scene where Ramses is stranded seemingly in the middle of nowhere is terrifying. He's surrounded by the red sea alone with apparently no way to return to civilization. He can't swim to shore without possibly drowning or getting eaten by wild animals. He probably doesn't know where the shore is. All he could do was cry out Moses name as he died a slow death from lack of food. He could drink from the sea but the salt would only quicken his end. What a horrible way to die!
One of the flaws of the Prince of Egypt movie is the humor. I felt like the creators tried too hard to appeal to children with comedic scenes. As a result, it felt forced and unnatural. The story was dark, serious, mature, etc. until you watch scenes intended to be funny. When I was a child, I didn't really laugh much at the jokes. The Prince of Egypt movie could've been better if it used the screentime to develop the story and characters rather than attempt to make the audience laugh. If you plan on creating a serious and mature movie, you shouldn't try to change it because you're afraid your target audience won't like it.
Characters:
All of the characters in the Prince of Egypt are memorable whether they're the main characters or minor characters. There are no filler characters that are placed there for the sake of being there. They greatly impact the story even without words. I loved the character designs. I loved how the Prince of Egypt movie portrayed the characters as tan or dark-skinned rather than have them whitewashed. It felt authentic and special.
I loved how the Prince of Egypt movie had three-dimensional characters! The villains were sympathetic and relatable. I was amazed at how despite having no blood or gore, the Prince of Egypt movie made you empathize with characters such as the Hebrew slaves. I felt their agony and pain through their body language.
These are characters who stood out to me the most!
Queen/Moses stepmother - I loved Moses' step mother because although she was quiet, she was strong and ruled with compassion. She was gentle. For example, she grasped Seti's shoulder with disappointment after he sternly rebuked Moses and Ramses for desecrating his statue. Its as if she was trying to say harsh words weren't going to do much to help them change. When Moses humiliates Zipporah, he looks at his step-mother and sees her bow her head in disapproval. This is because she knows he's a Semite like Zipporah.
Moses - I loved Moses portrayal in the Prince of Egypt movie. He was torn between two civilizations - Egypt and the promised land of the Hebrews. While the Hebrews were his biological family, the Egyptians were his adopted family. Moses displayed a wide range of emotions in the Prince of Egypt movie. In other movies, he appears mostly angry which is not realistic.
Miriam - I loved Miriam because she was optimistic and brave like her mother. She helped Moses grow as a character.
Ramses - The Prince of Egypt did a spectacular job in developing Ramses character! He loved his brother Moses and often went against his Egyptian upbringing to defend Moses. He was plagued by his father's legacy and eventually had to choose his brother or his father as he was heir to the throne.
Zipporah - Zipporah is very sexy and attractive! I loved how the Prince of Egypt made her dark skinned to show black can be beautiful. She had a strong personality but could also be gentle, supportive, and nurturing. I'm not sure if the creators should've made her stunningly beautiful as she didn't have as large of a role as other characters.
Soundtrack:
The Prince of Egypt movie had some of the most powerful and epic soundtracks in film history! The movie had a strong opening song "Deliver us." The emotions are further emphasized by Moses' mother lullaby. I love how the supporting vocals mix cries of anguish with chants.
"Through heaven's eyes" is another amazing song. I love how Jethro and supporting vocalists don't stay stuck in a fixed structure. Even the instruments sometimes vary the rhythm and melodies. Rather than repeat the same chorus, Jethro changes some words and mostly repeats the chorus melody. The way Jethro and vocalists hold high notes is powerful. This makes the song feel alive and joyous. It doesn't sound recorded.
I loved how the Prince of Egypt movie made a distinction between Egyptian and Hebrew music. I also loved the Prince of Egypt movie included Hebrew lyrics in the soundtrack. There was a ton of emotion in almost every track! Almost every word was written with purpose! The soundtrack made various emotions such as sadness, grief, fear, etc. more powerful.
The Prince of Egypt movie soundtrack profoundly developed the story! For example, in the plagues track - Moses sang in the same melody he used in the "all I ever wanted" track. It was a symbolic way of Moses finally accepting his identity as a Hebrew and moving away from the denial he had at the beginning of the film. One creative feature of "the plagues" song is when Rameses sings "I will not let your people go!" while Moses sings "let my people go!" at once.
The burning bush song was a phenomenal example of memorable storytelling. In the burning bush scene, the music sounded as if angels were singing to inspire awe in Moses. The ascending and descending notes made you feel like earth was merging with heaven. In the red sea crossing, the same melody plays but there's different instruments and voices added. This track inspired amazement, zeal, and almost a child-like curiosity over the red sea crossing.
One of the flaws of the Prince of Egypt movie soundtrack was the "playing with the big boys" song. I didn't think it fit well with the rest of the soundtrack. It was catchy but It's not something characters would say considering the time period they were in. I felt like the creators included it to try to entertain the audience.
In conclusion, the Prince of Egypt movie is an unforgettable masterpiece that everyone can love regardless of their backgrounds. I highly recommend you buy the Prince of Egypt movie on DVD!
The three extremes film is one of the best horror movies of all time. It's an anthology horror masterpiece. Three extremes film took me on a journey full of disgust, shock, horror, dread, etc.! I was on the edge of my seat for the whole movie! In this review, I'll try my best not to spoil too much because this is a must-watch horror movie!
Stories:
Three extremes had a strong and gross opening story! Three extremes wasn't afraid to include very dark and violent content that might've crossed boundaries!
Three extremes' dialogue was bone-chilling and electrifying! It made the film tenser! In fact, the dialogue is what made the Three extremes film so scary!
The second story "cut" reminded me much of the horror movie "Saw" but it was drastically different. Saw unfortunately became a boring horror franchise full of nothing but torture. The characters in "Cut" are forced to make very hard choices and reveal who they really are under pressure. "Cut" was psychologically brutal and far better than almost all of the Saw movies.
The last story was more dramatic than scary. If I had to list one flaw from the Three extremes film, it would have to be this. Nevertheless, it was still horrifying! When Shoko emerges from the box, that was one of the scariest scenes of the movie! There's no gore in this scene. No one's trying to kill each other. There's just pure psychological torture and torment from Kyoko's guilt over what she did! This is what I love about Asian horror movies!
Soundtrack:
The soundtrack in the Three extremes film made the film scarier and helped us understand the characters! The soundtrack mostly consisted of noise but it was effective! In "Dumplings", the noise emphasized tension and disgust while the beautiful music symbolized the main character's hopes.
The last story made great use of silence to build horror!
Cinematography:
The camera shots (namely moving camera ones) made the Three extremes film more uneasy! The close up shots of the main character staring at the camera made three extremes more disturbing! I loved the use of color in each story of the Three extremes film!
Acting:
The actors were mind-blowing! The acting felt so real especially in cut and dumplings!
Themes:
The opening story "dumplings" gave a scary commentary on Chinese culture that might just become reality. In traditional Chinese culture, people will do extreme things to attain beauty and excellent health. People eat certain foods westerners find disgusting because they believe it will give them certain benefits. China is one of the rare countries that doesn't have dietary restrictions. I wouldn't be surprised if the next step in the quest for beauty for the Chinese is cannibalism.
The second story "cut" had a profound message on the rich and powerful abusing their power. Those of high social status treat those of lower status horribly. What made it scary was how the characters profoundly affected each other. What made this story so scary was the philosophy that good people can become horrible given the circumstances.
The theme of envy was prevalent in all three movies. The Three extremes film warns of the danger of envy and how it can cause people to do horrible things because of a distortion of reality. It's not uncommon in some parts of the world for jealous men to kill their girlfriends simply because they suspected infidelity. This is what made the Three extremes film terrifying!
In conclusion, the three extremes film for all of those reasons is a real horror masterpiece! It had straight raw energy from beginning to end! That's why I recommend you buy the three extremes 2-disk special edition DVD! How would you benefit from buying this DVD?
DVDs are cheaper than streaming - Streaming sites are a waste of money. When you compare the time you're not using your monthly subscription to the time you are, you'll see you're not getting your money's worth. It's worse if your internet is poor to where your movies buffer. You're wasting money paying monthly fees. If you pay more for better internet, that's even worse. With DVDs, you only make one-time buys which save you a ton of money long-term.
DVDs have tangible ownership, streams don't - When you buy DVDs, you technically own them. With streams, you only pay for permission to watch them. If a company no longer wants to have its content in say Netflix's library, the company can request Netflix to remove it. You won't be able to stream it anymore. If a company stops selling a movie on DVD, that's the worst thing they can do. The company won't bother to confiscate your DVD.
DVDs have exclusive content, streams don't - DVDs (namely special editions) have much more content than streaming services such as extended editions, unrated editions, deleted scenes, interviews, "making of" documentaries, etc. Movie streams don't. Typically, streaming services play only standard editions of movies. This DVD set has a making of documentary and full version of "Dumplings."
You can resell DVDs but not streams - You can resell DVDs since you have tangible ownership of them. With streams, you don't own them so you can't. Once again, you save a ton more money buying DVDs than streaming.
DVDs have better quality than streams - Quality is determined by bitrate. Higher bitrate means higher quality video and audio. Quality can also be affected by codec encoding and compression techniques. Regular DVDs run at 6-8 megabits per second. Streams usually play movies at lower rates. Netflix for example plays movies at around 5 megabits with a standard connection. This DVD set has 5.1 Dolby Digital.
DVDs don't require Internet, streams do - If your internet connection or streaming service fails, you won't be able to finish watching your favorite movies and shows. Nothing is worse than watching one of the most critical and intense scenes in a movie only to be interrupted by say internet lag. It ruins the viewing experience. With DVDs, you don't have those problems.
DVDs look fantastic on display! - DVDs will make your room look much more alive with its stunning physical artwork! There's nothing like holding a DVD of your favorite film in your hands! With streaming, everything belongs to the streaming service. It can feel like you're just renting your favorite films.
The Audition 1999 movie is one of the scariest and most disturbing movies I ever saw! It's one of the finest horror masterpieces! When I saw it for the first time, I was deeply troubled and tense. I squirmed in discomfort and disgust. I'll give a non spoiler review then a spoiler review.
Non spoiler review
Story:
Audition is about an old man looking for love. He meets Asami but realizes she's not who she seems to be.
I loved the Audition 1999 movie for its slow-pace but effective approach in building tension and horror!
This was a hard horror movie to watch because there was so much emotion! The Audition 1999 film helped you to understand these are real people with real feelings! The Audition 1999 film is such a memorable Asian horror movie because of its strong characters and compelling story. It's refreshing to have a horror movie like this. There are no poorly made jump scares, weak character development, terrible acting, excessive blood, and guts, etc. like there are in many other horror films.
What I loved about the Audition 1999 movie is its ambiguity. The Audition 1999 film gave you some room to interpret the story.
Dialogue:
The dialogue was powerful! At the beginning of Audition, it felt so natural and realistic. As the film progresses, the dialogue becomes haunting!
Soundtrack:
The Audition 1999 film soundtrack gave me chills! There wasn't really any music. Just ambient ominous noises.
Cinematography:
The cinematography made this film scarier! It was disturbing how the camera is shooting and it stays in a fixed position for a while. I loved the first-person perspective and shaky camerawork. It made the Audition 1999 movie feel more real and lively! It also helped you connect more with the characters!
Acting:
The acting was superb! They were all believable and immersed in their roles! I'm not sure if every character's reaction was realistic in every scene though.
Overall, Audition is a real horror masterpiece. We may never see a horror movie like this again. I highly recommend you buy the Audition 1999 movie on DVD!
Audition is about an old man looking for love. He meets Asami but realizes she's not who she seems to be.
I loved the Audition 1999 film for its slow-pace but effective approach in building tension and horror! Audition is such a memorable Asian horror movie because of its strong characters and compelling story.
This was a hard horror movie to watch because there was so much emotion! The Audition 1999 film helped you to understand these are real people with real feelings!
The scenes where the man calls Aoyama on the phone were highly disturbing! Asami simply kneels with her head hanging down as if she's completely obsessed with this man. It's as if she has no life's purpose and her entire existence depends on him. There's no decorations or objects in her room. The room is full of mostly emptiness like her spirit. The man in the bag represents her emotional baggage from past trauma. She can't separate sex, violence, and love from one another. They're all the same to her.
While I'm usually against sex scenes, I thought the sex scene in Audition was decent and added to the story. We learn more about the characters. The sex scene didn't give unnecessary nudity, moaning, explicit sexual intercourse, etc.
At some points of the Audition 1999 movie, we see flashbacks and hallucinations. We see Aayoma's insecurities and possibly abusive personality. We see what he wants to see. We see Asami's origin which appears to mesh with him. It's hard to tell what's real vs. fantasy or how to interpret all of this. Ultimately, these scenes show how disoriented the main character is which made the Audition 1999 movie more disturbing.
The torture scene between Asami and Aayomas terrifying as well as brutal! There's no music. The creators didn't try to trick you into being horrified with a typical horror soundtrack. There was no excessive and unnecessary blood. Seeing a helpless man get brutally tortured by his lover was horrifying!
What I loved about the Audition 1999 film ending is its ambiguity. It's not clear whether the woman died or survived. Its also not clear what happened to the man after this incident and the trauma he endured. I feel like the man forgave her and probably still kept pursuing her despite everything she did based on his choice of words.
Characters:
I loved the characters because they were relatable.
Aoyama - I loved his character. It reminded me of myself in the past. He does questionable things out of fear of loneliness.
Asami - What made her scary was her deceitful beauty and calculating obsessive personality. She didn't need to be strong to subdue the main character. Asami's innocent and playful personality, while she did vile things, was what made her scary!
Dialogue:
The dialogue was powerful! At the beginning of the Audition 1999 film, it felt so natural and realistic. As the film progresses, the dialogue becomes haunting! The woman's dialogue in the torture scene sent chills down my spine!
Soundtrack:
The Audition 1999 movie soundtrack gave me chills! There wasn't really any music. Just ambient ominous noises.
Cinematography:
The cinematography made this film scarier! It was disturbing how the camera is shooting and it stays in a fixed position for a while. Seeing images like psychedelics added to the horror and made you question reality! I loved the first-person perspective and shaky camerawork. It made the Audition 1999 film feel more real and lively! It also helped you connect more with the characters!
Acting:
The acting was superb! They were all believable and immersed in their roles! I'm not sure if every character's reaction was realistic in the torture scenes.
Themes:
What made the Audition 1999 film horrifying were the themes. Audition is a horror movie on the dangers of toxic love. The main character was so in love with the woman, he ignored the warnings his friend tried to give him because he was intoxicated to her. People who are in love tend to do that. Before they know it, their partners do horrible things to them. I wonder if the main character himself was traumatized in some way like Asami and if he had free will. Ultimately, the Audition 1999 movie made you feel like these were the characters destinies.
What also made this horror movie disturbing was the message on trauma. The woman was abused as a child and wanted to get revenge. Eventually, it became a lifestyle for her. It's like she expressed her distorted view of love through violence.
Overall, the Audition 1999 movie is a real horror masterpiece. We may never see a horror movie like this again. I highly recommend you buy Audition on DVD!
Finding Nemo is a Disney Pixar masterpiece and one of the best-animated movies I've ever seen. You can feel the immense love for this film as soon as it opens. I was blown away when I first saw it. I watched it several times after that because of how memorable it was! I'll write a non-spoiler review first before I write a spoiler review on Finding Nemo.
Non-spoiler review:
These are some deleted scenes from Finding Nemo. Finding Nemo isn't afraid to get dark and shows mature themes such as grief or loss. The humor is also great like in the scene when Dory plays with the other sharks.
Gill's origin story was borderline disturbing. It made me really think about his mental state and the mental states of the other fish.
The scene where Marlin and Dory finally find Nemo but Nemo is unconscious was very dramatic. It was also moving especially when we see how guilty Marlin feels over losing Nemo.
Story:
The story is about a clown-fish named Marlin who is overly cautious about his son, Nemo, who has a short fin. When Nemo swims too close to the surface to gain his father's trust, divers catch him as Marlin watches in horror. Marlin must rescue him. Along the way, he meets a blue reefed fish with short-term memory loss named Dory. They face sharks, jellyfish, and other dangers. Meanwhile, Nemo plots his escape from the tank.
I loved the adventure Finding Nemo puts you on. The scenery, the plot, the characters, the emotions all captivate you. You feel all sorts of emotions watching Finding Nemo such as fear, shock, joy, sadness, relief, and so on. Finding Nemo is a rare movie because almost every scene keeps you engaged with the story. It's also a rare movie with its ability to make essentially all the characters memorable.
Animation:
The animation in Finding Nemo is breathtakingly beautiful! It looked so real! I loved the full attention to detail, the different colors of light, the different shades used, etc. The animation was so detailed, you could distinguish between seawater and tank water!
Cinematography:
I loved the different camera shots used for Finding Nemo. I loved the use of first-person perspective in some scenes. It made them more intense.
Soundtrack:
The soundtrack was incredible! The soundtrack was full of raw energy, tension, and emotion.
Acting:
The acting was phenomenal! The voice actors didn't just play the characters. They became the characters!
In conclusion, Finding Nemo takes you on an unforgettable journey from start to finish. I loved almost every scene of Finding Nemo! This truly is a movie everyone can love! I highly recommend you buy Finding Nemo on DVD!
Spoiler review:
Animation
The animation in Finding Nemo is breathtakingly beautiful! It looked so real! I loved the full attention to detail, the different colors of light, the different shades used, etc. The animation was so detailed, you could distinguish between seawater and tank water! The changes in lighting made scenes more suspenseful.
Story
The story is about a clown-fish named Marlin who is overly cautious about his son, Nemo, who has a short fin. When Nemo swims too close to the surface to gain his father's trust, divers catch him as Marlin watches in horror. Marlin must rescue him. Along the way, he meets a blue reefed fish with short-term memory loss named Dory. They face sharks, jellyfish, and other dangers. Meanwhile, Nemo plots his escape from the tank.
I loved the adventure Finding Nemo puts you on. The scenery, the plot, the characters, the emotions all captivate you. You feel all sorts of emotions watching Finding Nemo such as fear, shock, joy, sadness, relief, and so on. Finding Nemo is a rare movie because every scene is tense. It's also a rare movie with its ability to make essentially all the characters memorable.
The opening scene got me instantly hooked with its emotion and Marlin's promise to Nemo.
The scenes between the seagulls, Marlin, and Dory were genius as well as hilarious.
Bruce, the shark, was terrifying! It wasn't just his size that disturbed me. It was also his whole demeanor, his facial expressions, and his personality changes! I get the impression he and the other sharks are trying to trick the fish into becoming their next source of food. That's what made them scary. When Bruce smells blood and goes into a frenzy, my suspicions were correct!
I loved how there's no hero vs. villain trope. The characters simply do what's in their nature. The real "villain" is Marlin's mistrust of others and himself. The villain is Marlin's view that the world is a dangerous and unsafe place. The reality is the world is a neutral place.
One of the biggest reasons why Finding Nemo is so great is how natural the animals sound. They have unique almost human-like personalities. The changes in sound also were realistic.
Gill became a father figure to Nemo. Gill teaches Nemo to trust himself and face his fears. However, he learns Nemo can't do everything.
I loved the character development in Finding Nemo. Gill became a father figure to Nemo. Gill teaches Nemo to trust himself and face his fears because he wants to escape the fish tank. However, he learns Nemo can't do everything and regrets putting him in harm's way. Eventually, Gill helps Nemo by risking his own life. That was powerful.
Characters:
Marlin - He's often driven by anxiety and grief more than he is by love.
Nemo - he's like Marlin except he's more curious about the world and wants to be trusted.
Dory - I loved Dory's playful personality. Sometimes, she's too reckless for her own good.
Soundtrack:
The soundtrack was incredible! The soundtrack was full of raw energy, tension, and emotion.
Cinematography
I loved the different camera shots used for Finding Nemo. I loved the use of first-person perspective in some scenes. It made them more intense.
Acting
The acting was phenomenal! The voice actors didn't just play the characters. They became the characters!
Flaws
Finding Nemo had a few minor flaws. I disliked a crude subtle reference to a curse word. I didn't think that was necessary. Finding Nemo already had great humor that advanced the story.
I also didn't like the subtle reference to the Shining when Bruce chases Dory and Marlin. I feel like the creators didn't know how else to make Bruce scary so they included that. I wish Bruce's character could've been developed more.
Themes:
Finding Nemo tells the importance of trusting your family and not being overprotective of them. This is best explained in the Whale scene where Marlin says he promised he wouldn't let anything happen to Nemo then Dory said "you can't let anything happen to him..then nothing would ever happen to him!" Characters like Marlin believe the world is so dangerous but he learns the world is not that bad. He has to depend on some creatures who help him in his quest. He was so determined to protect Nemo that he failed to realize he couldn't do it alone. He needed others to help him. If he tried rescuing Nemo alone, he would've died in the process. Nemo also learned to trust himself and that's why they were saved from the fishermen at the near end of Finding Nemo!
In conclusion, Finding Nemo takes you on an unforgettable journey from start to finish. I loved almost every scene of Finding Nemo! This truly is a movie everyone can love! I highly recommend you buy Finding Nemo on DVD!
If you've been reading my blog for a while, you're probably wondering why I'm promoting DVDs in the age of digital streaming and downloads. In this post, I'll explain why you should watch films and movies on DVDs for the best results.
I'll compare DVDs with streaming sites first then compare them with digital downloads and theater versions.
DVDs vs. streaming services:
DVDs are cheaper - Streaming sites are a waste of money. When you compare the time you're not using your monthly subscription to the time you are, you'll see you're not getting your money's worth. It's worse if your internet is poor to where your movies buffer. You're wasting money paying monthly fees. If you pay more for better internet, that's even worse. With DVDs, you only make one-time buys which save you a ton of money long-term.
DVDs have tangible ownership, streams don't- When you buy DVDs, you technically own them. With streams, you only pay for permission to watch them. If a company no longer wants to have its content in say Netflix's library, the company can request Netflix to remove it. You won't be able to stream it anymore. If a company stops selling a movie on DVD, that's the worst thing they can do. The company won't bother to confiscate your DVD. Even if you lose it, you can just buy used copies at affordable prices.
DVDs have exclusive content, streams don't - DVDs (namely special editions) have much more content than streaming services such as extended editions, unrated editions, deleted scenes, interviews, "making of" documentaries, etc. Movie streams don't. Typically, streaming services play only standard editions of movies.
Streaming libraries can be limited, unlike DVDs - If a streaming service hasn't updated their libraries, you can't watch everything you want. With DVDs, you can watch anything you want as long as there's a copy of the movie.
You can resell DVDs but not streams - You can resell DVDs since you have tangible ownership of them. With streams, you don't own them so you can't. Once again, you save a ton more money buying DVDs than streaming.
DVDs have better quality than streams - Quality is determined by bitrate. Higher bitrate means higher quality video and audio. Quality can also be affected by codec encoding and compression techniques. Regular DVDs run at 6-8 megabits per second. Streams usually play movies at lower rates. Netflix for example plays movies at around 5 megabits with a standard connection.
DVDs don't require Internet, streams do - If your internet connection or streaming service fails, you won't be able to finish watching your favorite movies and shows. Nothing is worse than watching one of the most critical and intense scenes in a movie only to be interrupted by say internet lag. It ruins the viewing experience. With DVDs, you don't have those problems.
DVDs vs. digital downloads:
DVDs are easier to resell than digital downloads - You can't really resell digital downloads as you don't own them.
DVDs have better quality - Whether we're discussing legal digital downloads or illegal ones, DVDs have consistently better quality. I used to torrent a lot and I noticed you aren't guaranteed high-quality content with torrenting. Sometimes, one movie came in two parts. That interrupts your viewing experience. The picture and audio quality can be terrible as well. Other times, the movie has a company logo on the lower far right corner of your screen which is annoying. You don't have those issues with DVDs if you buy them brand new. DVDs run at higher bitrates than even high-definition digital downloads.
Digital downloads can be limited - If streaming services offering digital downloads have a limited library, you can't download your favorite movies and shows. Even if you try to download movies illegally, the same could happen. I tried to torrent some of my favorite pro-wrestling matches and couldn't find them. This is because they were rare, old, and not very popular. That's why I could find DVD versions of them.
DVDs have tangible ownership, digital downloads don't - When you buy DVDs, you technically own them. With digital downloads, you only pay for permission to watch content. If someone removes the content from the streaming service's library, you can't redownload it.
You can resell DVDs but not digital downloads - You can't sell digital downloads. You can resell DVDs easily.
Now let's compare DVDs to movie theaters.
DVDs are cheaper - You can watch movies at the lowest price if you rent them. You can't with theater tickets.
DVDs save a ton of money - You can watch movies on DVD as many times as you want once you buy them. If you want to watch movies in theaters, you have to keep paying money to buy viewing rights and gas to drive to the theater. Movies are available in theaters for a limited time. After that, you have to pay a huge amount of money to watch them again if you're even fortunate enough to have that chance.
DVDs are portable - As long as you have a DVD player, you can watch movies anywhere. You can't with theater versions of movies.
DVDs have better quality - Based on my research, you're not guaranteed high-quality movies at your local movie theaters. Movie theaters aren't doing much to ensure people watch movies of their best quality. Projector brightness and screen masking can ruin picture quality. You don't have those issues if you buy DVDs brand new.
DVDs have exclusive content - Movies in theaters don't have extended editions, deleted scenes, uncensored editions, etc. like DVDs do. Theaters play movies in standard editions.
DVDs are more customizable - You can add subtitles to DVDs, pause them, play them at different speeds, play them in different languages, etc. There's no customization when you watch movies in theaters.
The last reason DVDs are superior to movie theaters, digital downloads, and streaming services is DVDs look great in your library. You can proudly display your favorite DVDs on your bookshelf or wherever. You can appreciate box artwork. You can't do the same with digital downloads and streams. In conclusion, you're getting better value with DVDs than other forms of digital cinema.
Samurai Jack season 5 episode 10 was one of the most powerful episodes of the whole show. This review contains spoilers so beware!
I loved how Aku took his time in deciding how to best kill Jack. Finally, he decides to use Ashi to kill him. That would've been a cruel fate as Jack loved Ashi.
Before Aku can have Jack killed, Jack's friends come to save him. That was a very emotional moment. They most likely knew they were going to die but they tried rescuing him anyways. It was hard to watch Aku kill some of them. This episode did an astonishing job of building up tension and various emotions. If Jack doesn't travel back to the past, Aku will kill everyone. Jack tries his best to get Ashi back on his side. When he said "I love you!" out of desperation, that was powerful. The power of love was what finally helped Ashi regain control of herself. The soundtrack during this part of the episode made the scene more intense.
Ashi realizes she has Aku's powers which means she can create a time portal to send him back to the past. The rematch between Jack and Aku was epic. Jack finally destroys Aku and rids the world of him forever.
The scene of his return to the past was amazing. I loved how beautiful the animation was especially during the wedding. The use of slow-motion in this scene was perfect. It made a dramatic transition from the awe and joy of marriage to shock and despair as Ashi slowly collapses. When she disappears and Jack cries, that was heartbreaking.
Jack grieves presumably for a long time over her disappearance. Although Jack destroyed Aku and saved the world, Aku got the last laugh by taking away the woman he loved from him. He left a deep wound in Jack. When he sees a ladybug, he's reminded of the ladybug Ashi saw earlier in Samurai Jack season 5. This scene was a powerful ending. Jack realizes although Ashi is gone along with Aku, he can create a future of his own. What made it more powerful was the brand new soundtrack. The animation in the last scene was so amazing, especially the last shot of the mist dispersing as sunlight shined through. The shot of the cherry blossom tree was breathtaking. It resembled Ashi's head to me which meant she is still with him in his memories.
Originally, I loved the ending but as I pondered more and more - I realized this was not a good ending. I disliked Ashi and Jack's relationship because it felt more like fan service than essential to the story. I understand what the writer was trying to do but it didn't work well. Ashi's purpose was to motivate Jack to return to the past which worked well. However, when he returned to the past - it felt like fan service and a forced ending. Jack spent so many years trying to get back to the past. He made so many friends in Aku's world and developed as a character. He learned valuable lessons in his journies like freeing himself from his rage and the meaning of friendship.
For him to return to the past is to undo all of that. Its character development but backward. Losing Ashi after returning to the past was powerful but if Aku destroyed both Ashi AND his chance to return to the past - that would've been completely devastating. I feel like having Aku destroy Ashi and his chance to return to the past before Jack destroyed Aku would've been the best ending. It would've given a powerful theme that you can't change the past but you can change the future. Sadly, that's not the ending we got.
There are other flaws in Samurai Jack such as adult references and screentime devoted to Ashi's relationship with Jack. The humor was good but I felt it was mostly filler material. I really wished that screentime would've been devoted to things like the story rather than humor. Samurai Jack season 5 felt rushed compared to past seasons.
In summary, Samurai Jack season 5 was an amazing season regardless. The show was near perfect. Samurai Jack is one of the best legendary animated TV shows in my view. I highly recommend buying season 5 on DVD!
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