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Reviews
Pluto (2023)
Mixing a nice Sci Fi story with some B level scary movie style dumb characters.
I like the series, its world building, ambience, characters, and it has some tear level moments. Though the first episodes I couldn't stop thinking that it was some Asimov level immersion on the psychology of robots.
But then it becomes quite clear to me, how the story can only advance through the dumbest, incoherent and unrelated actions form the characters. Despite addressing the characters, both humans and robots, as genius, smart, logical, etc. They are just the typical teenager from those scary movies in which they do the most illogical and incoherent actions (that usually kills them) only because it's the only way in which the plot could take place.
Their actions simply make no sense, not within the characters, their development nor the story and knowledge they give us. Like in the referred movies, the presence of any decent grow up would quickly solve must of the problems, and yet they fail to justify any of it, and attempt to give some moral values in exchange of some sense.
I don't know the source material, but the Asimov saga of the robots it's amazing, and I believe it puts to shame this content, that could have been easily related to.
Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune (2023)
It could haven been easily decent, but lacks effort.
I am quite comfortable with both the animation, and the voice acting. They are not perfect, perhaps not even good, but more than enough to tell a story on a budget tv show. Really, no complain there.
Sadly, the story itself is very lacking, as well as sloppy, dumb and incoherent, and the characters don't add much to any of it. It seems like in no moment they considered asking any normal adult opinion, something with which the could have easily pull this up, and make some sense. Really, I believe that with some minor changes on the script, which some simple effort, it could actually make a decent story, and it has a lot of potential, which could be even deepen, but it wasn't actually the case.
It does provide some entertainment still, although skipping the flashbacks would help.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022)
The Elves drag it down
So far, I did find some joy in many a landscape, and there is some decent feel of the world; yet, for now the story feels too dumb and senseless, the characters weak and incoherent, the dialogs terrible, and the pacing boring. Especially I am terrible disappointed by the elves, both in their aspect and manners, they are just normal humans with pointy ears in almost all aspects, with drags the series down since they are at it center. The dwarves on the other hand seem so far much more likeable and developed.
Even leaving aside all the hate the series intentionally seeks to cause, and found, it's hard to give, at least for now, a decent rating. Still I can but hope it is just a bad start, and that it has something ahead that may add to it, or at least offer coherency.
Bai She 2: Qing She jie qi (2021)
A nice surprise. Amazing animation, nice action, but plot based on a perhaps too unfamiliar mythology.
I wasn't expecting much of a Netflix recommendation, especially since they hide the fact that it's a sequel, yet I actually enjoyed it. I don't agree entirely with the story, quite sure I didn't understand part of it (especially because the mythological background it's a bit far from my knowledge, and the movie does little effort to introduce it), and I pretty sure part of it can't actually make sense. Yet the animation and scenography are great, the action sequence and the characters design are really good, and the story is enjoyable, giving some nice entertainment, which actually makes me look for the prequel, and makes me think that maybe some great movies could be produced with those elements.
Cowboy Bebop (2021)
They turn a serious anime in a live action cartoon.
I didn't expect much, and was still disappointed. I find the acting quite bad, like if the actors themselves don' t even believe what they are doing, only Spike kind of manages, and barely; the casting is even worst, the scenes and dialogues are terrible, and the action leaves little to believe, much least to appreciate. The Scifi, effects and scenography on the other hand are quite decent, the music is odd, kind like they tried to imitate the anime, but didn't get the feelings right.
That's actually the idea that it gave me the show; that they wanted to make something similar to the anime, yet understood little of it, and because of that failed at every part.
Which such a budget and story to grab on, the result is ridiculous.
Lupin (2021)
If it wasn't titled Lupin, it would be a 5
By Lupin one could refer to the character of the original French Novels (of which I read some), or the Japanese "Lupin the third" and its many itineration's (which I saw many). I thought the former was the case, as I heard it was such the idea, but the series kind of make it clear that they want to relate more to the first one (which doesn't necessarily negates the Lupin III relation, as its character it's also related to the original).
Whatever the case, it has no real relation to any of those. As a standard robbery series it would deserve a 5, maybe a 6. For a Netflix series (with some exceptions of course) the acting is not that bad, the plot not that incoherent (as long as you assume no one has common sense, and the world is quite dumb), it gives you some emotions, it is in the original language of the story, and you can waste some time on it.
But the way the massacred the notorious character, can only be explained by some form of hate towards it. The character, the story, the ambient nor anything has any relation whatsoever to any of those, except from the name, and that it's a thief of course. So why name it Lupin, ¿Why wasting the opportunity of doing something relatable to any of those great fictional characters?
It's nice though that they make it French, and the use of that language, as both the characters has it French roots, but that its all. They waste a great opportunity.
The Letter for the King (2020)
Nice Budget, but a forgettable generic incoherent result.
I have never read the books, nor did I knew they exist till recently, still, I can't but fell utterly disappointed on this series. It has many of the elements one may look for, and clearly they have the budget to make something decent out of it. So, why didn't they use any of it for a decent casting crew? (Which I believe are the unsung heroes of many a success), or at least some decent scriptwriters? (also usually underestimated).
It like they could make great things, but for the same money they prefer to make some forgettable generic incoherent childish waste of time. Its like seeing some multimillionaire burning tons of money, yes, it's their money, but so much could have been made out of it.
I find it actually so dumb, that I had to try at least sending a review, warning about it.
On the bright side, I did like the scenography, ambient and filming.
The Dragon Prince (2018)
Just another generic mass produced Netflix Cartoon - Not good, not bad, just generic and forgetable.
As they are already three seasons I believe I can risk a Review, which in my opinion currently merits a 6 at best (a 5,5 more likely). I can't really understand all those suspicious 10/10 reviews out there which will only causes disappointment on anyone that may actually believe them. I could hardly give and honest 10 or 9 to very few cases, and there is no way some generic forgettable mass production carton like this one could be even close to that. Are today's standards that low? Between the animation, the inconsistency, the plot incoherence, and so many absurdities that shows the little though that was put into it, it's hard to give more.
It's just like all those other generic productions out there which are not bad for killing some time, but it's hardly any kind of quality entertainment like the ones one seek. You know, those that actually makes a difference, are enjoyed, missed and yearned for, like Aang´s Avatar.
Leaving that apart, I think this carton/anime like style it's not bad, the animation is the standard one for Netflix mass productions, witch despite not being eye catching, it can be used to tell a story without so much eye rejection, provided the story is worthwhile, which in this case clearly it's not.
The story starts with some grandiloquence that made me think it could aspire to some potential, but that was quickly left for a bland, incoherent and predictable plot. Things just don't make much sense once you try to think about it, the world, the "politics", the story, the characters, the plot, etc, they simple can't stand the minimum analysis. The characters show some potential, and the story could have easily work on their development, but sadly it doesn't, and completely neglects the possibilities of it.
It all seems so neglected and rushed, like all those standard mass productions they make this day, without not even spending the time to make them coherent, which is a waste.
Black Summer (2019)
It gives more cause to be angry that entertained.
I would really like a decent Zombie series, so I tried this one, and found the first chapter to be quite boring (you must need skill to make a Zombie apocalypse boring).
I continuo never the less, and it improves on that later on, but adding a full cast of screaming, hysteria, extremely dumb people, and no-sense action.
I dont enjoy the narrative experience, nor the way the story is presented, but what bothers me the most is the dumbness, with the addition of the fact that some of the characters cant even understand each other. Come on, ¿a Korean in EEUU that does not speak a word of English continuously screaming it korean to those that dont understand it?, a deaf guy? Its already bad enough that you cant understand why they do those senseless things, and that makes it worst. If the idea is to tell a story, they make sure that you understand the less of it as possible.
I simply dont have the patience to finish such a series.
Gojira: Kaijû Wakusei (2017)
Nice idea, yet it seems like it was done in a rush, without much thinking
Its has an interesting approach on the Godzilla theme, and I like the story central idea. Yet I found the execution of it to frail, like if it was done in a rush without thinking it to much.
The characters, the dialogues, the way the story unfolds, it´s not bad, yet it lacks some sense in it, leaving you the idea that it could have been easily improved, yet there was not much effort in doing so.
Apart from that, The animation is not bad, it gets the point done, but leaves much to improve. The voice acting could be much better, at least in the Japanese version of it, but again, is not a deal breaker.
Still, i enjoyed enough that I watch the rest of the trilogy, without regretting it.
Gojira: hoshi wo kû mono (2018)
Not the best of the trilogy, and a pitiful ending.
I am not much of a Godzilla fan, but I did like this trilogy. And this title, although not the best of them, appears to mark its ending. Not the best ending mind you, nor the one I would have like, even if I can accept the outcome, the amount of philosophy and metaphysic content that it tried to provide doesn't not seem reflected in its ending, a failure which I find tragic.
During the trilogy they spent too much screen time providing insight about the mind of the three/four races, especially in this movie, which I kind of appreciate, yet when they have to make a conclusion, or at least provide the character answer to it, I believe they failed miserably, leaving one´s mouth with a bad taste.
Also, they neglect most of the action and fighting of the previous movies, making it even slower, and gaining little of it.
Apart from that, it can only by point similar facts in what's regards the trilogy:
The animation is subpar, similar to many Netflix content which seems to exploits similar technology, yet is enough for the movie to unfold correctly without offending the viewer.
The voice acting could be much better, at least in the Japanese version of it, but again, is not a deal breaker.
The story is good (although I believe it crash-land on its end), yet I believe that more effort should have been done in many aspects of it, to make it more immersive.
In conclusion, I like the experience, and may even recommended it, I don't regret the time spent, but it's a pity how much better it could have been, just by putting a little more mind into it.