9/11 Memorial

I’d like to take the time to share my thoughts and prayers with all who lost loved ones on this day. May the memories of those we’ve lost live on for eternity. God bless them all.

I apologize for not being active in the past few months. I also accidentally deleted 30 comments in my moderation queue. So if you commented in the past few months, I’m very sorry that I lost your comments. But I was able to read them. Thank you for your comments and I appreciate them. I hope you continue to visit my little blog as I will now be more active. Thank you. I also have to update my wordpress plug-ins. Not sure I will continue using Twitter tools. Not sure I like the settings. Debating.

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So I finally watched this yesterday. This version wasn’t very much like the original as far as I can recall. They changed it up a bit. But the added changes and alterations made for a very good movie. I enjoyed it very much. The cast was stellar. The special effects were amazing. I think Disney did a great job. It’s a little creepy though. It might scare young children.

And so I leave you with the Mad Hatter’s Riddle: “Why is a raven like a writing desk?”

Roger Ebert’s review

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I watched this yesterday when it came out. It was epic. Though I think I liked the original better. The special effects and 3D experience was awesome. The action sequences were great. The cast was good too. Liam Neeson made an awesome Zeus. Although this version was better in terms of special effects, I’m nostalgic for the original. I was also a little sad that the mechanical owl didn’t play a huge role. hehe.

Clash of the Titans movie review by Roger Ebert

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I didn’t really want to see this movie. My friends did. *grin* Anyway Benicio Del Toro and Anthony Hopkins are in it. It’s about werewolves. Some scenes were gory. Anthony Hopkins’ acting was top notch as usual. Benicio was good too. The plot was a bit weak. Benicio always reminded me of a Spanish Brad Pitt. hehe. If you like werewolves, lycanthropy, then you’ll like this movie. I think we would have been better off waiting to watch “Shutter Island.” heh. Wolfman takes place in England 1891. The special effects were good. It wasn’t a long movie. I give it a B-.

Here’s Roger Ebert’s review of it: Roger Ebert’s review

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From Wikipedia:

“Fate/stay night (フェイト/ステイナイト, Feito/sutei naito?) is a Japanese adult visual novel game created by Type-Moon, which was originally released on January 30, 2004, for the PC. It has been adapted into an anime television series, which was animated by Studio Deen and aired between January 6, 2006, through June 16, 2006.

Fate/stay night chronicles a two-week period in the life of Shirō Emiya, an amateur mechanic who attends a school named Homurabara Gakuen in Fuyuki City. Ten years ago, Shirō was caught in a massive fire that incinerated his parents and consumed a large portion of the city; as he was dying, an enigmatic man discovers and treats him. This man, Kiritsugu Emiya, decides to adopt him, though the two maintain a distant relationship because of Kiritsugu’s frequent departures from Fuyuki City. One moonlit night, Kiritsugu and Shirō had a discussion outside of their home, and Shirō discovers a fact about his father that Kiritsugu was actually a mage.

Through their conversation, Shirō learns of his foster father’s failed life ambition to become a “Hero of Justice” (正義の味方, Seigi no Mikata?), a guardian of mankind who could protect the weak and innocent. Touched by Kiritsugu’s conviction, Shirō affirms to his foster father that he intends to devote his life to achieving that distant ideal, much to Kiritsugu’s chagrin. To do this, Shirō pleads with a begrudging Kiritsugu to teach him sorcery (魔術, Majutsu?); but being born without the capabilities of a magus, Shirō proves to be talentless in almost all the fundamental sorcerous disciplines.

Kiritsugu warns his son that the life of a sorcerer is one that leads to destruction, but if he is truly set on benefiting people, he should apply his knowledge in secret and hone his craft in private. After Kiritsugu dies, Shirō becomes frustrated with his progress, feeling inadequate about his good deeds through sorcery and is unsure of how to orient his future to contribute more.

Unknown to Shirō, Fuyuki City is the setting for a secret and violent war among competing magi. For the past two centuries, seven sorcerers have gathered and engage in a Battle Royale, each gambling his or her own life to obtain the Holy Grail, a legendary chalice capable of granting wishes. The past four Holy Grail Wars have typically occurred every sixty years, with the most recent concluding a decade ago, but the fifth war has started prematurely.

Each of the sorcerers, better known as Masters, is aided by one of the seven summoned spiritual familiars known as Servants, who are the reincarnations of legendary souls from all across time. These resurrected Epic Spirits (英霊, Eirei?), possess superhuman characteristics and wield powerful artifacts or abilities called Noble Phantasms (宝具, Hōgu?). A Noble Phantasm’s hidden abilities may be released by invoking its true name, but casual brandishing of a Noble Phantasm is best avoided, for symbolic Noble Phantasms usually belie a Servant’s identity, diminishing that Servant’s competitive advantage. Specific legends may be summoned with the aid of catalysts, which are artifacts, ideas, or experiences similar or of value to the desired Servant. Only one Servant can be summoned in each war from one of seven classes: Saber, Archer, Lancer, Berserker, Rider, Assassin, and Caster.

As only astral entities (i.e. Servants) are physically capable of retrieving the Holy Grail, Master and Servant are forced to cooperate. Masters control Servants with three Command Mantra (令呪, Reiju?), which are crystallized miracles issued by the Holy Grail that manifest on a Master’s body. When activated, Command Mantra permit a Servant to accomplish an incredible feat, or alternatively provide Masters with the authority to issue an irrevocable and absolute order to a Servant. When all three Command Mantras are used up, Servants are no longer obliged to serve their Masters, and as such, may freely choose to turn upon their ex-partner. In the event of a Master’s demise, a Servant may choose to bind him or herself to another Master; if a Servant is slain, a Master may ally with a wayward Servant or pursue sanctuary with the Holy Grail War’s impartial supervisor, who is traditionally a delegate of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Holy Grail materializes fully only when there is one Servant left standing; therefore, it is not necessary to vanquish Masters in order to win the war. However, as many Servants possess powerful Noble Phantasms and are grueling to defeat, many participants have chosen instead to eradicate Masters, who are responsible for maintaining a Servant’s presence through the supplication of Mana.”

It’s only 24 episodes of roughly 25 minutes each. Minus the opening and closing, it’s like 19 minutes each.

This anime was based on a lot of different mythologies from around the world, but it was still essentially Japanese. Japan’s take on other cultures.

Anyway, I enjoyed watching the anime. It was different from what I normally watch. The artistry was lovely and the music was good.

Series Information

Title:
Fate/Stay Night
Type:
TV Series, 24 episodes
Year:
Jan 7, 2006 to Jun 17, 2006
Genre:
Action, Drama, Fantasy, Magic, Romance, Seinen, Supernatural, Tragedy

My favorite characters were Shiro Emiya, Saber, and Archer.

I didn’t like the ending, but I still think it was a good anime.

After I watched the anime I researched it online and discovered spoilers that I wouldn’t have gotten if I didn’t read the light visual novel/manga. For example, who Archer’s true identity is.

Anyway I give this anime a B+.

There’s also a movie coming out this year which I hope to watch

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Well I just came back from watching this movie. It was pretty good. I’ve never read any of the Sherlock Holmes books that I can recall. I do recall seeing other Sherlock Holmes movies on TV though. I think I might have read one book. I’m familiar with them, so I think I’ve read some books when I was younger.

This version was stellar. Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes was amazing. He played the role convincingly well. And Jude Law as Dr. Watson was amazing as well. The chemistry between them was awesome. They worked very well with each other. I imagine there will be a sequel. The special effects were great. The action was pumped up. Holmes’ and Watson’s deductive reasoning skills were top-notch. It was a really good film and it was PG-13.

But my memory of Sherlock Holmes wasn’t one of a teetotaler or drug user. That was new to me. Also I didn’t recall him as a fighter. But this one is.

You can rent it on DVD if you’d like, but I think you’d enjoy it more on the big screen.

I give the movie 4 out of 5 stars.

Here’s Roger Ebert’s review of it: http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091223/REVIEWS/912239991

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Miyazaki’s themes are pacifism, harmony with nature, flying aircraft, floating castles, etc.

These are all themes that can be found in James Cameron’s “Avatar.”

So I decided to do some research. Because after watching “Avatar,” I was like Cameron who wrote the script must have watched a Miyazaki film or all of them. Moreover, he must have watched all kinds of anime, but especially Miyazaki films.

Anyway I checked his IMDB page and Cameron does indeed watch anime: “He is a huge Japanese anime fan, and the releasing studios often uses his opinion about the film on the DVD and VHS covers.”

If Miyazaki made a live action film, it would be something like Avatar.

I mean Cameron used all Miyazaki elements. Floating Mountains, harmony with the planet, advanced flying aircraft, pacifism.

I KNEW IT!

After watching Avatar I was like so sure that Cameron watched Miyazaki and other anime.

I like when I’m right.

In the future I will review the anime I’ve watched too.

Just had to say this :D

It would be awesome if Miyazaki had the 300 million budget to make a live action film instead of an anime. But his anime films are awesome as well.

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I saw this movie on Monday. I haven’t had time to review it until now. It’s a very long movie. 163 minutes. That’s almost three hours. It’s from the Director James Cameron known for his blockbuster hit, “Titanic.” It’s reported that he spent between 250 – 300 million to make Avatar. It takes place in 2154 on a moon called Pandora. Earth humans are there to mine a certain rock that’s very valuable back on earth. The humans are plundering the planet. The planet is home to the Na’vi. They’re 12 feet tall, golden eyed creatures who are very in touch with their planet. They’re in harmony with the forests and wildlife there. Their only weapons are bows and arrows. The Na’vi are very much like the native American Indians here in the United States. Anyway the humans were able to clone the Na’vi and use them as avatars. These clones are controlled by humans. The avatar goes to sleep when the humans get out of the special chamber they are in to control them. I think that’s enough plot setting for now. I don’t want to give it away. The story centers mostly around the character Jack Sully who controls a Na’vi avatar.

I think James Cameron is a fan of Hayao Miyazaki. Because this film could have been a Miyazaki one. The same themes of pacificism and harmony with the planet and not destroying or polluting the planet’s natural resources and wildlife are found in Avatar, as they are found in Miyazaki films. This film reminded me of Princess Mononoke and Nausicaa:Valley of the winds and Laputa:Castle in the Sky. Cameron even made floating mountains. I really believe Cameron watched some Miyazaki films.

From Wikipedia:
Avatar is a 2009 science fiction film written and directed by James Cameron, and starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang. The film was produced and distributed by 20th Century Fox.

The film begins in the year 2154 and focuses on an epic conflict on Pandora, an inhabited Earth-sized moon of Polyphemus, one of the three fictional gas giants orbiting Alpha Centauri A. On Pandora, human colonists and the sapient humanoid indigenous inhabitants of Pandora, the Na’vi, engage in a war over the planet and the latter’s continued existence. The film’s title refers to the remotely controlled, genetically engineered human-Na’vi bodies used by the film’s human characters to interact with the natives.[4]

Avatar had been in development since 1994 by Cameron, who wrote a 114-page scriptment for the film.[5] Filming was supposed to take place after the completion of Titanic, and the film would have been released in 1999, but according to Cameron, “technology needed to catch up” with his vision of the film.[6][7] In early 2006, Cameron developed the script, the language, and the culture of Pandora.[8] He has stated that if Avatar is successful, two sequels to the film are planned.[9]

The film was released in traditional 2-D and 3-D formats, along with an IMAX 3D release in selected theaters. Avatar is officially budgeted at $237 million;[2] other estimates put the cost at $280 – $310 million to produce and an estimated $150 million for marketing.[10][11][12] The film is being touted as a breakthrough in terms of filmmaking technology, for its development of 3D viewing and stereoscopic filmmaking with cameras that were specially designed for the film’s production.[13] Opening to critical acclaim, it grossed an estimated $27 million on its opening day and an estimated $77,025,481 domestically its opening weekend.[14] Worldwide, the film grossed an estimated $232,180,000 its opening weekend,[15] the ninth largest opening-weekend gross of all time, and the largest for a non-franchise, non-sequel and original film.[3] It is also considered to be a front-runner for awards and nominations at the 82nd Academy Awards.

——

I saw it in 3D. The special effects and the fighting sequences were amazing. Cameron used even special types of hovering aircraft and robotic weaponry that can be seen in Miyazaki films and other anime. I truly believe Cameron has watched anime. hehe.

It was a long film, an interesting one, and one that kept my attention riveted. I’ll go see the sequels when they come out. Great film. I give it 5 out of 5 stars. Best film I’ve seen all year in the theaters. I want to go see it again.

Here’s Robert Ebert’s review of it:
http://bit.ly/7ezcIN

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Roger Ebert’s Movie Review

2012

BY ROGER EBERT / November 12, 2009

Cast & Credits
Jackson Curtis – John Cusack
Kate Curtis – Amanda Peet
Adrian Helmsley – Chiwetel Ejiofor
Carl Anheuser – Oliver Platt
Charlie – Woody Harrelson
President – Danny Glover
Laura Wilson – Thandie Newton

Columbia Pictures presents a film directed by Roland Emmerich. Written by Emmerich and Harald Kloser. Running time: 158 minutes. Rated PG-13 (for intense disaster sequences, some strong language and apocalyptic violence).

It’s not so much that the Earth is destroyed, but that it’s done so thoroughly. “2012,” the mother of all disaster movies (and the father, and the extended family) spends half an hour on ominous set-up scenes (scientists warn, strange events occur, prophets rant and of course a family is introduced) and then unleashes two hours of cataclysmic special events hammering the Earth relentlessly.

This is fun. “2012″ delivers what it promises, and since no sentient being will buy a ticket expecting anything else, it will be, for its audiences, one of the most satisfactory films of the year. It even has real actors in it. Like all the best disaster movies, it’s funniest at its most hysterical. You think you’ve seen end-of-the-world movies? This one ends the world, stomps on it, grinds it up and spits it out.

It also continues a recent trend toward the wholesale destruction of famous monuments. Roland Emmerich, the director and co-writer, has been vandalizing monuments for years, as in “Independence Day,” “The Day After Tomorrow” and “Godzilla.” I still hold a grudge against him for that one because he provided New York with a Mayor Ebert and didn’t have Godzilla step on me and then squish me.

In all disaster movies, landmarks fall like dominos. The Empire State Building is made of rubber. The Golden Gate Bridge collapses like clockwork. Big Ben ticks his last. The Eiffel Tower? Quel dommage!

Memo to anyone on the National Mall: When the Earth’s crust is shifting, don’t stand within range of the Washington Monument. Chicago is often spared; we aren’t as iconic as Manhattan. There’s little in Los Angeles distinctive enough to be destroyed, but it all goes, anyway.

Emmerich thinks on a big scale. Yes, he destroys regular stuff. It will come as little surprise (because at this writing the film’s trailer on YouTube alone had more than 7,591,413 views) that the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy rides a tsunami onto the White House. When St. Peter’s Basilica is destroyed, Leonardo’s God and Adam are split apart just where their fingers touch (the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel having been moved into St. Peter’s for the occasion). Then when Emmerich gets warmed up, the globe’s tectonic plates shift thousands of miles, water covers the planet, and a giraffe walks aboard an ark.

Also on board are the humans chosen to survive, including all the characters who have not already been crushed, drowned or fallen into great crevices opening up in the Earth. These include the heroic Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) and his estranged wife, Kate (Amanda Peet); President Wilson (Danny Glover), his chief science adviser, Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor), and his chief of staff, Carl Anheuser (Oliver Platt).

Many gigantic arks have been secretly constructed inside the Himalayas by the Chinese, funded by a global consortium, and they’re the only chance of the human race surviving. Along with the animals on board, there’s the maybe well-named Noah (Liam James). In theory, ark ticketholders represent a cross-section of the globe, chosen democratically. In practice, Carl Anheuser pulls strings to benefit the rich and connected, and wants to strand desperate poor people on the dock. I’m thinking, Emmerich often has a twist when he names villains, like Mayor Ebert from “Godzilla.” So how did this villain get his name? What does “Anheuser” make you think of?

Such questions pale by comparison with more alarming events. The tectonic plates shift so violently scientists can almost see them on Google Earth. This havoc requires stupendous special effects. Emmerich’s budget was $250 million, and “2012″ may contain more f/x in total running time than any other film. They’re impressive. Not always convincing, because how can the flooding of the Himalayas be made convincing? And Emmerich gives us time to regard the effects and appreciate them, even savor them, unlike the ADD generation and its quick-cutting Bay-cams.

Emmmerich also constructs dramatic real-scale illusions, as when an earthquake fissure splits a grocery store in half. Cusack is the hero in an elaborate sequence involving his desperate attempts to unblock a jammed hydraulic lift that threatens to sink the ark. He does a lot of heroic stuff in this film, especially for a novelist, like leaping a van over a yawning chasm and riding a small plane through roiling clouds of earthquake dust.

The bottom line is: The movie gives you your money’s worth. Is it a masterpiece? No. Is it one of the year’s best? No. Does Emmerich hammer it together with his elbows from parts obtained from the Used Disaster Movie Store? Yes. But is it about as good as a movie in this genre can be? Yes. No doubt it will inflame fears about our demise on Dec. 21, 2012. I’m worried, too. I expect that to be even worse than Y2K.

My Review:
First of all you’ll get your money’s worth. Second of all it’s a very long movie. Like two hours and forty-five minutes. The special effects are amazing. The suspense and drama have you on the edge of your seat. It’s one calamity after another as the cast tries to evade each one as the clock winds down. It’s not a very believable story. I don’t think the apocalypse will occur in 2012. I’m a disbeliever. Remember what they said about Y2K. The entire movie is mankind’s battle for survival. Unfortunately only a handful of people are chosen to survive earth’s demise. You have to be well-connected and powerful to get a ticket for one of the seven arks created to withstand the apocalypse. It was a very good action film. And you’ll love the special effects. I highly recommend seeing this movie in a theater so you can get the full experience of watching the earth fall apart. I give this movie 3 and half stars out of five. You won’t be disappointed.

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Roger Ebert’s Movie Review

Law Abiding Citizen

/ / / October 14, 2009

Cast & Credits
Nick Jamie Foxx
Clyde Gerard Butler
Dunnigan Colm Meaney
Jonas Bruce McGill
Mayor Viola Davis

Overture Films presents a film directed by F. Gary Gray. Written by Kurt Wimmer. Running time: 108 minutes. Rated R (for violence and torture).

by Roger Ebert

“Law Abiding Citizen” is a taut thriller about a serial killer in reverse: He’s already in prison when he commits all but one of his many murders, and in solitary for most of that time. So the story is a locked-room mystery: How does he set up such elaborate kills? Does he have an accomplice outside the walls, or what?

Jamie Foxx stars as Nick, the Philadelphia district attorney, and Gerald Butler is Clyde, the ingenious killer. Clyde begins the film as a loving husband and father, but then his wife and daughter are savagely murdered. Nick arranges a plea bargain: One of the guilty men will be executed; the other, in return for his testimony, will get a murder conviction but not death.

Clyde can’t believe this. He saw his family murdered. Both men are guilty. On this everyone agrees. Why is one allowed to live? Because, Nick explains, the case isn’t airtight without the testimony, and if they lose, both men walk free. That’s not good enough for Clyde, who has 10 years to plot, plan and simmer in his hatred. That’s the prologue. I won’t go into detail about what happens next, except to observe that Clyde’s first killing involves his penetration of the Death Row execution chamber itself — and that’s before he’s in prison. Is this guy Houdini, or does he have supernatural powers?

As his methods are uncovered, it’s clear he’s a non-magical human being, but a clever one with remarkable resources. So remarkable, in fact, that they fly in the face of common sense. Movie supervillains have a way of correctly predicting what everyone will do and making their plans on that basis. The explanation of Clyde’s methods is preposterous, but it comes late enough that F. Gary Gray, the director, is first able to generate considerable suspense and a sense of dread.

Foxx and Butler make a well-matched pair in their grim determination. Colm Meaney is underused as Nick’s police partner; we suspect he might be the accomplice, given the Law of Economy of Characters, but perhaps he has a different role to play. Leslie Bibb works well as Nick’s prosecutorial partner, with Regina Hall as Nick’s wife, Annie Corley as the judge who experiences some surprises in her courtroom, and the powerful Viola Davis as the city’s mayor.

“Law Abiding Citizen” is one of those movies you like more at the time than in retrospect. I mean, come on, you’re thinking. Still, there’s something to be said for a movie you like well enough at the time.

My Review
The movie was ok. I give it three out of five stars. The suspense and the action scenes were good. It doesn’t seem like a very believable plot. Not at all. But the chemistry between Jamie Fox and Gerard Butler was good. Their acting skills were pretty good too. I wished for a different ending however. It’s very unbelievable to me because I don’t see how the FBI wasn’t involved and if they were they would have caught Clyde (Gerard) much sooner. I felt like I was watching an episode of Criminal Minds. It’s a good film. You might want to see it in the theater. I didn’t think it was a complete waste of my money. But then again I’m a Gerard Butler fan.

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