esbpca Reviews

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

What is everyone complaining about?

[8/10 · 24 May 2008]

Okay, I seriously believe the Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons was a prediction on how people would end up. It seems a lot of people just cannot sit back and enjoy a movie anymore and instead, nit-pick and look for things to criticize.

I'm a long time Indiana Jones fan, back from when I was a kid and I felt this movie was definitely in the spirit of it. The effects were great, the adventure and action was fun to watch and the dialogue was funny. And yes, I feel it lives up to the other titles in the series and would at least put it over Temple of Doom. Okay, you have to suspend your disbelief in watching this movie...but didn't you have to with every Indy film? Who can honestly say the part at the end with the Ark in the first movie was believable? Anyone? Should I even bother getting into the other two movies on the issue of believability?

And that is my recommendation when watching this film. Don't try to take it so seriously and if you get your expectations too high, they'll never get lived up to, as many reviews here have proved to me. All I can say is that I'm an Indiana Jones fan and I enjoyed this movie. I recommend just sitting back and letting yourself enjoy the ride.

Naruto (2002–2007)

It can grow on you...

[8/10 · 24 February 2007]

I've seen a lot of anime throughout the years. I've seen what people call the 'good stuff', I've seen the 'bad stuff'. In time, I realized and accepted that not everyone is going to like something, or dislike it. No matter what the anime (or movie, or book, or game, etc.) it boils down to personal preference. So, how do you know if you'd like something you've never seen but heard so much about? When I first started Naruto, I saw the potential in it. From the first episode, they presented a distinct setting with distinct characters. Sure, archetypes were being followed (the boy dreaming of becoming big, the old grandfatherly figure, the teacher, the rival). The first episode showed emotion and depth to its main character and what he will struggle with, along with the dynamics of his interaction with other characters and their quirks.

Cut about ten episodes later, the plot arc currently being followed felt to me like it was not going to matter much to the main story. Some episodes had drawn out battles, and I got that feeling that the anime would be the type where they would go from different area to different area, developing their skills and learning moral lessons and such, but there would be no grand plot, no B story, that tied the series together. I also worried it would fall into mediocrity. Without giving anything away, by the end of that arc (about 19 episodes in), my mind was changed.

Having seen all of the series up to the current episodes, I can say at least for myself that at its best Naruto is a deeper anime than some give credit to, and can be quite addicting. A strong focus is on its characters as they develop throughout the series and there are moments of real emotion, tragedy, intensity and even just amusement. It's not perfect, as there are slow times in the series (and the cartoon suffers from tricks to get as many episodes out of the original story as they can), and I won't say everyone will end up liking it but I can say it had unexpectedly become one of my favorite anime.

Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)

While I do not trust Moore's artistic integrity, I do respect his ability as a film maker to draw out emotion.

[4 July 2004]

Having gone through changes in personal outlook on politics and the world over the past few years from trusting, to disillusioned, to uncaring, to trusting again and yet disillusioned again, I've become quite a skeptical person when it comes to anything politics in the media.

Moore's /opinion/ on the events leading to the infamous day in early September and the aftermath leading to the Iraq War are, as many have already said, very one-sided in his stance against the Bush administration (while he also does take shots at the Democratic party a couple times). And considering how Moore is documented to distort facts in his other movies ("Bowling for Columbine" "Roger and Me") and books ("Dude, Where's My Country?", "Stupid White Men" ...keeping in mind that was written by a white guy), I could not really watch F9/11 believing everything he said.

Yet, I found the way Moore portrayed Bush and his associates rather humorous at many instances and Moore did a good job with how footage was molded, edited and pasted together as a movie (though the pacing of the movie was slow in a couple points). Aside from these, there also is one thing I cannot deny is how the movie will bring out reactions from its viewers. I often heard "Oh, god..." being murmured by a man behind me in the crowd and the tougher scenes in the second half of the movie that relate to Iraq got me misty-eyed, as well as sobbing from others in the theater. It also got me to reflect on the times, which I think it might have done for many people who have seen it.

While I do not trust Moore's artistic integrity, I do respect his ability as a film maker to draw out emotions and make...well, a pretty darn interesting movie. 7/10