Marvel's Daredevil Trailer Review

Marvel's Daredevil upcoming series is looking good in this trailer, although there are some issues. If you do not already know, Marvel is working with Netflix to create several series based on the smaller scale Marvel heroes like Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Daredevil. As for the trailer, the darkness and gritty tone of the trailer is very intriguing. It is not blowing me away since the budget is not all that high, but it has the potential to be something great. The series does not seem to hold back on the blood, so that is refreshing. Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock, aka Daredevil, looks okay as the character, but this trailer does not have him look all that impressive either. Using the black costume for Daredevil is kind of a questionable choice though. It looks like something that you would see on television, although that is probably because a similar costume was used on the 70s Hulk TV movie where Daredevil guest starred. However, as with all things Marvel, I have faith that it will be great until proven wrong. Plus, even though Agent Carter is not a ratings success, it is the best thing that I have seen on television, especially network TV, in quite some time. Overall, Netflix's Daredevil is not amazing at first glance, but considering the acclaim that their previous has received, we might be in for something exceptional. Regardless of how this series turns out, it could not possibly be worse that the Ben Affleck film a decade ago, so there's that.... What did you think? Please comment below and let know, and check back tomorrow for my review of one of the best romance stories.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Assassination Classroom: First Impressions

My winter impressions continue with Assassination Classroom.

Assassination Classroom (Ansatsu Kyoushitsu)

In Assassination Classroom, aka Ansatsu Kyoushitsu, the earth is threatened by a yellow tentacle creature, who is later named Koro-sensei. Koro-sensei has already destroyed most of the moon, and he promises to destroy earth within a year if he is not killed. However, for some unknown reason, he agrees to teach the students of class 3-E, a class of misfits and troublemakers, and they are given the task to kill Koro-sensei by the end of the school year before he destroys the earth. Of course, Koro-sensei is fully aware of the kids trying to kill him. He almost encourages well thought-out attempts, and since he is so absurdly fast and nearly unlikable, almost every attempt results in complete failure. Also, Koro-sensei is a fantastic teacher as he helps the students not just in academics, but also in life problems, much like Great Teacher Onizuka. 

Despite the somewhat serious premise, Assassination Classroom is a comedy, which seems to be a trend this season. It is mostly about Koro-sensei teaching the students, with each episode focusing a specific character, and the students' assassination attempts, which often result in humorous "punishments" by Koro-sensei as he does things like painting a guy's fingernails at superspeed before he realizes it. 

Episode 1 sets up the premise effectively and delivers some good laughs. Episode 2 made me think the series would become repetitive with a less than impressive episode; however, the series improved the quality with episodes 3 and 4, which were often very funny and featured some fun new characters. 

Nothing about Assassination Classroom is groundbreaking, but it is just a lot of fun to watch. Thus far, the characters are generally interesting, and while the humor is not on Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun levels, the series' story and concept keeps it from becoming boring. 

Koro-sensei himself is a very interesting and unique character. Even though the "Great Teacher" aspect is a trope, his other characteristics are something that I have seen in anything else. Also, we have been given glimpses at a tragic past, which is apparently the reason he wants to teach these students, so maybe that will provide strong character development later in the series (or not, since this is a comedy). 

On the other hand, the main student character, Nagisa Shiota (left), is a bit of an enigma. The character has a generally feminine name, somewhat of a girlish character design, and is voiced by a woman, yet Nagisa is a guy. He never acts like a girl and the other characters never bring it up, so I assume this was done to make the character somewhat gender neutral. Regardless, as a character, Nagisa is not given a lot to do other than observe, but he is a decent character. 

Studio Lerche's animation is simple, yet unique, with pronounced outlines similar to Danganronpa: The Animation, which was by the same studio, so it works and the quality is usually consistent. 

With 24 episodes, hopefully Assassination Classroom can keep up the good humor and fun characters throughout the entirety of its run. Of the season's anime, Assassination Classroom is one of the better ones, and while it is not exceptional in any category, it is just all around entertaining to watch.

Watch if you like: Comedy, Great Teacher Onizuka, Shounen,

*7.8/10*

More Winter Impressions:
Death Parade Episodes 1-3 Review
Kantai Collection: KanColle: First Impressions

The Rolling Girls: First Impression

Winter Anime Impressions: Part 1
Winter Anime Impressions: Part 2
Yatterman Night: First Impression

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Kantai Collection: KanColle: First Impressions

My winter impressions continue with Kantai Collection: KanColle.

Kantai Collection: KanColle

Based on the popular video game of the same name, Kantai Collection: KanColle is set in a world where the, presumably alien, abyssal fleet has taken over the seas, and to combat this threat, special human girls that possess the spirit of historical naval vessels, who are known as kanmusu, use weaponized outfits to battle the abyssal. The series is from the viewpoint of a kanmusu named Fubuki, as she trains and fights the abyssal. While KanColle might sound like some epic sci-fi battle anime, it is more of a moe-fluff series with the battles as a backdrop. Seriously, all of the kanmusu are either cute moe girls or their older superiors. As of now, there are literally no male characters either (not that this is a bad thing). 

Moe slice-of-life anime, aka "moe-fluff," is not a bad genre, providing that is what you are looking for, and while most settings for such anime are generic, KanColle manages to set itself apart with the mix of action and sci-fi. In fact, the third episode introduces some surprisingly serious war elements and consequences. Unfortunately, the execution of said element is rather poor, but it makes me hopeful that maybe the series can do it again, except with better execution. 

Overall, KanColle has me conflicted. In one sense, it is different than a lot of other moe-fluff thanks to those original elements, and the concept of moe-girls with the spirit of battle ships fighting for humanity is really out there, in a good way. Plus, the moe antics, while not special, are fun to watch for the most part. On the other hand, the poor execution of what could have been something akin to the next Madoka Magica is disheartening. But then again, no one expected anything more than fluff from this series and that is what we got. With that said, episode five changed the status quo a bit, so it makes me interested to see how this new team of ship-girls will interaction.

Diomedéa's 2D animation and character designs are all around excellent. It has the perfect type of designs for moe characters, and the background art is generally beautiful. On the other hand, the series often switches to 3D animation for the characters during combat, and occasionally, it switches animation style during the same scene! Considering it is CGI, the animation is not that bad and the action sequences are above average considering that this is a moe show. However, when the animation changes mid-scene, it is terribly jarring.

Whether or not you will enjoy Kantai Collection: KanColle entirely depends on if you enjoy moe, and if you do, KanColle's additional elements change the formula enough to make it something a little more than the typical moe series. Maybe, just maybe, the series can throw in some serious moments to mix things up later in the series.

Watch if you like: Moe, Girls und Panzer,

*6.8/10*

More Winter Impressions:

Death Parade Episodes 1-3 Review
The Rolling Girls: First Impression

Winter Anime Impressions: Part 1
Winter Anime Impressions: Part 2
Yatterman Night: First Impression

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Review

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, the most recent installment in the Apes franchise that takes place ten years after the events of the first film, where over 90% of the human population has been wiped out by the Simian Flu. With the human population reduced, Caesar, played by Andy Serkis, and the other apes create a civilization in the Muir Woods outside of San Francisco, until their peace is disturbed by encountering humans for the first time in ten years. What ensues is a variation on the classic cultures collide scenario that we have seen in various films such as Avatar and Dances with Wolves.

From the start, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, or Planet of the Apes for the sake of brevity, is a film about the apes, not the humans. The first 10-15 minutes it exclusively focuses on the apes and their civilization that they have built thanks to their enhanced intelligence. Most of the "dialogue" during these early scenes is sign-language between the apes with subtitles to translate, and thanks to the motion capture performances, it does an effective job at drawing the audience into the world it has created. Of course, humans are introduced later and conflict is started. 

On a side note, the original Planet of the Apes is one of my favorite pre-Star Wars sci-fi films, and Rise of the Planet of the Apes, while not great, was a good solid movie.

Directed by: Matt Reeves

Genre: Sci-Fi, Drama, Action,

Release Date: July 11, 2014

Running Time: 131 minutes

MMPA rating: PG-13

The Good: Generally exceptional special effects, Andy Serkis' performance is amazing, Impressive motion capture performances across the board, Koba is a well executed character, Changes the clichéd formula just enough, Likable ape characters,

The Bad: Clichéd jerk that screws things up, Predictable, Clichéd plot elements, Koba's plot armor, Forgettable human characters,

Plot: 8.1/10- After the set up of the apes' culture, the film focuses on the human characters trying to fix the dam while negotiating and bonding with the apes. For the first hour, the film is almost exclusively the interaction between the humans with apes. While this is mostly effective, it dragged on just a tad too long, although what we got was good. 

Unfortunately, the film suffers in the overall narrative being the same story that you have seen many times with the same predictable jerk human screwing things up, which leads to cheap conflict and predictable resolution. Later in the film, more generally predictable things happen and none of it is surprising. With that said, it includes a few variations on the story that sets it apart from the rest, and the execution of said story is one of the best that I have seen. Again, however, I knew how everything would go down before the 30 minute mark. But, I have to give the film credit for not focusing on any romance.

*Spoilers* My favorite aspect of the execution is how the movie does not vilify the humans. Sure, Gary Oldman's character tried to blow up the apes, but he did not know the entire situation, so he is not really the villain unlike how Stephen Lang's character is vilified in Avatar. Koba is the main villain, and he is definitely a villain. *End Spoilers*

Characterization: 7.8/10- Caesar is an all around great character. He is the star of the film and the main reason why the film as a whole works, because he tested and the resolution is satisfying. Blue Eyes, Caesar's son, actually has a decent character arc considering his limited screen time, and it is very effective. 

Koba is the only other ape is significant screentime, and *SPOILERS* he is a great villain. Even though his plot armor is annoying at times, Koba is a classic villain that is almost a throwback to ones from the 80s. However, some of his blatant villainy did make certain plot points predictable, but other than that, he is perfect type of villain for this story. *END SPOILERS*

While the apes are surprisingly fleshed out as characters, the humans are generally forgettable and one note. Malcolm is the only human character with significant screentime, and even though he was not a bad character, he is just rather generic. Gary Oldman's character, Dreyfus, seemed as though his part was cut from the film, since the director obviously wanted you to actually care about the character, despite the 10 minutes of screentime. Other than that, Carver is the definition of a clichéd troublemaker, and his actions are entirely predictable, and the rest of the human cast is completely forgettable. 

Action: 7.9/10- While the first hour is void of action, the battle sequences later in the film actually add some new elements to the usual shootout battles thanks to the apes' physicality. 

Acting: 9.0/10- Andy Serkis is the best! It cannot be stressed enough how amazing Andy Serkis is at motion capture performances. He is an innovator in the industry, and how he brings the character of Caesar to life incredible. Of course the special effects guys should also be given credit, but Serkis gets a Best Actor nomination from me! Toby Kebbell as Koba is exceptional as well, as he plays off Serkis' great presence. The rest of the main ape characters are not given a lot of screentime, but their performances are convincing. 

On the other hand, the human roles are generally decent, but nothing special. Jason Clarke's performance never hinders the film, and he does have some great scenes with Serkis. Gary Oldman is underused, and the rest of the cast are all average. 

Special effects: 9.7/10- With the majority of the film featuring computer generated characters, the special effects are obviously a selling point, and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes does not disappoint. Even though a few scenes' special effects suffered from being too noticeably animated, overall, you almost forget that the apes are computer generated at times, thanks to the immersive effects (and motion capture performances).

Soundtrack: 7.0/10- Michael Giacchino's score is all around good; not much more to be said.

Humor: N/A-

Entertainment Value: 8.0/10- Despite telling a clichéd story, the film easily managed to entertain me throughout. 

Overall: 8.1/10- Dawn of the Planet of the Apes might be predictable and bring almost nothing new to the story; however, the execution and presentation of the typical story elements is where the film excels, which is largely thanks to the impressive effects and well developed ape characters. In fact, I would go as far to say that this is the best example of the clichéd story that I have seen in film.

Closing comments: The only thing that puzzles me is why the critics were so positive about the film when it was released. It was certainly a great film and one of the best of the year, but it is still a variation on a story that we have seen before. Regardless, you should most definitely give it a watch.

Recommended for: Andy Serkis fans, Sci-Fi fans, Drama fans, Anyone that watched the previous film,

Click here to check out more of my movie reviews.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Coming Soon: February 2015

Hello all! I hope those resolutions are going well as we enter the second month of the year. January was a interesting month for me at the movies while it started off pretty strong and then quickly decreased in quality. Let's take a look at the January releases as well as some limited releases that I was able to catch up on. Remember to click the titles for my reviews!

Before I get to that though, feel free to check out the 2014 Rath Awards where I cover the best of the best (and some of the worst of the worst) in MUSIC, TV, VIDEOGAMES, and MOVIES. It's a big post with over 50 awards handed out. Enjoy! CLICK HERE

The Woman in Black: Angel of Death: Does anyone actually remember that this film released less than 30 days ago? No? Ok good then I'm not the only one. Seemed like a average and forgettable horror flick.

Selma: It's a film that is especially important given recent events and it really was a fantastic film that covered a highly controversial event of the Civil Rights Movement. (Rath's Review Score: 9/10)

Tak3n: This one wasn't quite as bad as the abysmal Taken 2, but it certainly wasn't a shining gem either. It's forgettable and the action editing is atrocious, but I had some fun nonetheless. Olivier Megaton (the director) needs to go though if they decide to do Tak4n /4aken. (RRS: 5.5/10)

Blackhat: This movie could have and been so much more. It had the star power, the concept, and the director, but ultimately it ended up being a slightly-above-average thriller that didn't really dive into any of the depths of hacking at all. (RRS: 6/10)

Kingsman: The Secret Service: SURPRISE! I got to go to my first advanced screening ever and it was a blast. Kingsman is a perfect spiritual successor to Kick-Ass as it combines extreme violence, British humor, and the James Bond spy genre effortlessly. It's incredibly fun and I will most likely see it again when it comes out Valentine's Day weekend. (RRS: 9/10)

Paddington: I'm kind of bummed that I missed this one but I just really didn't feel like seeing 4 movies in one weekend. That being said, almost all reviews are positive and it seems like Paddington is the perfect family film.

American Sniper: Despite the controversy surrounding it (which I address in my review), I found this Clint Eastwood film to be fantastic and intense with some great action. Made me truly appreciate the sacrifices of the soldiers and their families during this war. (RRS: 9/10)

The Boy Next Door: It seems like the only positive to this film was being able to look at J-Lo the whole time. Most reviews are pretty negative for this most-likely cliched tale. Only other positive that I've heard is that the film has some hilarious sexual innuendos. 

Mortdecai: It was destroyed by the critics and audiences didn't bite for Johnny Depp's most recent film at all. But once all the dust settled, I actually found it to be somewhat entertaining and I was amused by most of it. Not a good film by any means, but not terrible either. (RRS: 5/10)

Project Almanac: This one was a disaster waiting to happen and luckily it ended up far better than I was anticipating, although it still wasn't anything all that incredible. It has its issues, but at the end of the day, it was a fun combination of time travel and found footage. (RRS: 7/10)

Most Disappointing: Blackhat

Most Surprising:Project Almanac

Worst Movie: Mortdecai by default

Best Movie: Tie between Selma, American Sniper, and Kingsman although my personal favorite would be Kingsman

Now let's check out a somewhat busier February. Remember to click the movie titles for their trailers!

Jupiter Ascending -- Feb 6

Why It's Worth Seeing: Originally supposed to debut in July (I think?) 2014, this one was pushed way back to this month. Personally, I have a good gut feeling about it and Channing Tatum has proven himself in his past few outings to be a strong lead. The special effects also look really well done.

What Could Go Wrong: The Wachowski siblings are directing and their last efforts haven't been all that great (although I would argue too harshly criticized by professional critics). It depends if they can help Jupiter stand out from the crowd and be unique. Otherwise this will just be the space opera that got forgotten between Guardians and Star Wars. 

Seventh Son -- Feb 6

Why It's Worth Seeing: I'm always intrigued when Jeff Bridges is attached and the rest of the cast isn't shabby. Moreover, there is always the possibility that the film has some awesome Lord of the Rings-style fights.

What Could Go Wrong: I read a lot of books and I've never heard of the source material. That right there worries me, not to mention that this looks like a deliberate rip off of LotR and Game of Thrones, albeit one with more monsters. It's an easy genre to cliche, and this film looks riddled with them. 

Fifty Shades of Grey -- Feb 13

Why It's Worth Seeing: Despite the book being mostly trash (yes, I've read it...somewhat accidentally), the trailers for the movie adaptation have been surprisingly well made, showing that the film is going to have a very distinct mood/theme/style. Early releases of music from the soundtrack have been stellar too.
What Could Go Wrong: This is the film that truly could go either way I think. If the creators go a little bit more in depth to the characters while also focusing on the sex that made the series so popular (with most likely a hard-R rating), it has a chance. But if it carries over the faults and dialogue of the novel, it will be pretty looking trash with a good soundtrack.

Kingsman: The Secret Service -- Feb 13

Why It's Worth Seeing: The action is stellar, kinetic, and well filmed, the humor is positively British and hilarious and the whole film is just tons of fun. If you enjoyed the silly Bond films and/or Kick-Ass, then you will LOVE Kingsman
What Could Go Wrong: Not much goes wrong at all except for maybe being a tad too long. Also, if you are easily offended, this film is not for you. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Hot Tub Time Machine 2 -- Feb 20

Why It's Worth Seeing: While the first isn't one of my all-time favorite comedies, it had its merits. I had no idea the merits were enough for a sequel but here we are. The cast's chemistry is good and I personally think Clark Duke (right side of the picture) is the funniest of the bunch. If he has a lot of material, this could be a hoot. 

What Could Go Wrong: John Cusack leaving isn't a good sign although he didn't really bring much to the first film. Also, I find Rob Corddry incredibly annoying when playing arrogant characters, which his is in this film. It's unfortunate but all signs are really pointing at this one being a stinker.

Focus -- Feb 27

Why It's Worth Seeing: A Will Smith film always has potential and the con man base premise for this one really allows for a lot of fun and twists to be had. The trailers look fun and it looks like it could help Smith out of a bit of a career slump.
What Could Go Wrong: I'm curious about the February release date as a Will Smith film often pulls in the big bucks. It could spell bad signs for the film, and I'm wondering if all the con twists will bog down the screenplay.

The Lazarus Effect -- Feb 27

Why It's Worth Seeing: For starters, the "Olivia Wilde Rule" that states: any film with Olivia Wilde in it is slightly better because it has Olivia Wilde in it. Also, the concept is somewhat unique for a horror film and the trailer is genuinely creepy.
What Could Go Wrong: Ummm, who's the marketing team for this one? I haven't heard a thing about it until I wrote this post. Failure there. Also, it could be flat out stupid, based on the premise.

Must See (in order): Kingsman: The Secret Service (again, LOL), Focus

On My Radar: Jupiter Ascending, Fifty Shades of Grey, The Lazarus Effect

Predicted Duds: The Seventh Son, Hot Tub Time Machine 2

There's the month of February! Tune in next month for a somewhat dull month of March. Thanks everyone and I hope that you enjoyed the overview! As always, I'd be really appreciative if you came and followed me through Blogger at RATH'S REVIEWS and like me on Facebook HERE! I follow-for-follow 100%. Thanks again!  

James the Movie Reviewer here to say to check back tomorrow for my review of one of the year's most critically acclaimed films, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.