Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier. (Short and Sweet review.)

Its come to my attention that some readers of my blog don't want to read my reviews for movies they haven't seen that are new. This is when I say, "Isn't the point of reviewers to review things that you haven't seen, to say if you should see them or not?" They sort of gives me these mixed answers about how they don't want me to spoil things, (Even though I keep my reviews relatively spoiler free, excluding my Grave of the Fireflies review of course.) So in order to make my life easier, as well as not reveal to much to people, I will introduce: Short and Sweet reviews!

In these reviews I will limit myself to only 2-3 short paragraphs, keeping that review short and spoiler free. This doesn't mean that I won't make a normal review later. I'm doing this just so that people who don't want a long review that reveals too much, can still hear my opinion. So expect a normal length review of the movie soon after.

With all that said lets review Captain America 2!


The Movie short and sweet style:

Captain America is back, and he is getting used to his new life in modern times. But when he begins to uncover a plot within shield, he becomes a fugitive. And theres this creepy guy called The Winter Solider that starts killing people. Only with the help of Black widow, and is new friend The Falcon, can Captain America stop the bad guys and stuff.

The Action is awesome in this movie. Every scene with fighting gets your blood pumping.

I also really like the acting in the movie as well. Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson reprise their roles as Cap. and Black widow, and they do a great job. Anthony Mackie as Falcon is also really awesome. Robert Redford is in this movie and he is awesome too. The Winter Solider is by far one of the coolest characters in the movie. Every time he is in the scene you know something is up, and that awesome stuff is about to happen. Love the way he looks too.

Overall Captain America is really awesome, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Just buy this game already. (Final Monaco Update)

I feel like I keep singing this games praises, but I think it deserves it.

That's right folks the final update for Monaco: Whats your is mine, has been released. This adds one final chapter to the campaign, making a totally of 4. And man is this thing hard. I haven't beaten the second level yet! Maybe if people played with me. *sigh*

Anyway now seems to be the perfect time to buy it. Theres a zombie mode, four chapters in the campaign, 8 different characters to play as. Theres just tons to love about this game. If you haven't already check out my review of the game.

This game is worth buying. Go and buy it!

This movie confuses me. (Noah review)

Noah is one of those movies that seems like it doesn't exist. But then you go and sit down in the theater and watch it, and you can see that it exists. I don't know its just one of those movies for me. Anyway lets get this over with.

The Plot:

Its the story of Noah from the Bible. Except there are Rock monsters, and Noah thinks that the human race should die off.

The Movie:

This is a really weird movie. As I mentioned above there are Rock monsters, I would be more weirded out by this except they're called the Watchers, and the Watchers are actually mentioned in the Bible. They're pretty cool looking.

I like they way that they are explained, because it makes sense. They are fallen angels, and when they hit the surface of the earth there fire... spirit... bodies get covered with heated earth, that hards and turns them into Rock monsters.

Russell Crowe as Noah is good, but I mean come on he's Russell Crowe. I like this internal conflict he has; he thinks that "The Creator" wants all humans to die off because he sends the flood. So when their journey on the arch ends he wants to have his family die. It was interesting. Although this is probably why the Christian community didn't really like this movie.

Emma Watson was good.

 Logan Lerman was good.

 Anthony Hopkins was good.

 Everyone was good. The only stand out performance is the bad guy. Ray Winstone as Tubal-cain is just flat out awesome in his role. You can tell that this guys is evil, even when he isn't doing anything. You feel kind of uneasy when ever he is in the scene too.

One thing I have to mention is how brutal the movie is towards animals. While know animals where harmed during the making of Noah, it's like they want you to think that they were.

The Music and Presentation:

I don't remember the music in this movie at all, so I can't really comment on it at all. Maybe it wasn't that memorable, and thats why it didn't stick with me.

Presentation is pretty awesome in this movie. For the first 40 minutes of the movie it's like your in this waste land. There is nothing.

 Then they plant a seed from the garden of Eden, and this giant, lush, beautiful forest grows up around them. It is a really nice contrast.

I also really like how terrible it looks in Tubal-cains camp. It's definitely somewhere you wouldn't want to be.

There are a few scenes where Noah has these visions, and they are really creepy to watch.

The Verdict and Final Thoughts:

This movie is really weird. I liked it, but it confused me. I can see why some people didn't like it. But it was really awesome to watch, and it kept me entertained for over two hours. So with all this in mind I give Noah 7 out of 10 stars. "It's fun to watch once or twice."

Hey look Crowe is confused too!

Holy crap this is not a kids movie! (Grave of the Fireflies review)

Movies can be deceiving, you may start watching a movie about a bunny rabbits and then crap like this happens:

Big Wig, Get up!

This is why you should always read the back of the box.

I was in no way deceived by Grave of the Fireflies, I can see why some people would be. Despite it's anime exterior it isn't really "Kid friendly."

The Story:

It's a few days before the Americans occupy Japan near the end of WWII. A boy named Seita lies against a column in a train station and dies.

Flash back to a few months before; when fire bombs destroy the city of Kobe, leaving Seita and his younger sister Setsuko homeless.

With their mother dead and their father out at war, Seita and Setsuko must live with their judgmental aunt. After a while Seita and Setsuko decide to leave their aunts home, and live out in the country. But food rations become scarce, and no one wishes to help them. Unfortunately starvation, and malnutrition leads to Setsuko's death. With no one else left in the world, Seita gives up on life, and dies.

The Movie:

From the very beginning of the movie, you know it ends badly. The first few minutes are of Seita starving to death. It's really weird, because you know they are going to die even from the very beginning, but you still don't want to except it.

So I guess I should tell you that the movie is really depressing, even though it's pretty clear from the subject matter alone. I tip my hat to the excellent performances, as well to Isao Takahata who directed the film. Sir I am now a fan.

There isn't that much to dislike about this movie. Sure you could say that its anti-america but that wouldn't be true. We never see the americans except for the planes, and they never really talk about them being terrible monsters either. I would say that this film is more anti-war than anything else, and you know what; I like it. I like the subject matter of the movie, it pulls you in and makes you cry by the end. Now don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying that I like kids starving and dying. I'm saying I find it compelling and my heart goes out to the characters.

I don't really have any complaints about the movie, but here are some things to think about. The aunt in this movie, I hate the living crap out of this person. She starts out seeming like a kind, nice, loving woman. That all is thrown in the garbage when she starts complaining to Seita, and telling him he should get work, or get his own food. She doesn't seem to get that they are practically orphans, and that you need to be able to have fun during the hard times to remember what, and who you really are. So yeah I really hate her.

Other than that the only thing I can say is that it feels a bit like two different movies. Let me explain; One minute your watching this really depressing war film with starving children,

and the next thing you now you're watching this happy peaceful movie about a brother and sister.

Now this isn't a bad thing, in fact I feel like the movie is better for it. If there wasn't happy parts, then it would just be terrible thing after terrible thing. I just think maybe it could have been paced a little better.


Music and Presentation:

The movie is animated by Studio Ghibli, and if you know me you know how big a fan I am of them. The movie looks great, its got that anime style, and the painted backgrounds, overall its awesome.

The music is kinda weird. It did do a good job of conveying the sadness of the movie, but I guess I'm just not really a big fan of it.

The Verdict and Final thoughts:

I think this movie is great. Its nice to every once and a while to watch something that doesn't have a happy ending. It looks great, the voice acting is great, the story is great. It's such a great movie! But I can also see people not liking it because it really is dark. And this is definitely not a movie to show to little kids. With all this in mind I'm giving Grave of the Fireflies 8 out of 10 stars. It is an "Awesome" movie!

Try to have fun.