The Wolverine- Review

"Eternity can be a curse."

"Sorry. Sorry means you feel the pulse of other people's pain as well as your own, and saying it means you take a share of it. And so it binds us together, makes us trodden and sodden as one another. Sorry is a lot of things. It's a hole refilled. A debt repaid. Sorry is the wake of misdeed. It's the crippling ripple of consequence. Sorry is sadness, just as knowing is sadness. Sorry is sometimes self-pity. But Sorry, really, is not about you. It's theirs to take or leave. 

Sorry means you leave yourself open, to embrace or to ridicule or to revenge. Sorry is a question that begs forgiveness, because the metronome of a good heart won't settle until things are set right and true. Sorry doesn't take things back, but it pushes things forward. It bridges the gap. Sorry is a sacrament. It's an offering. A gift." 

-Craig Silvey, Jasper Jones

Taking the themes of The Wolverine (as well as a lot of its surrounding circumstances) into consideration, this quote is perhaps the most appropriate for how I feel about this film. In all honesty, I still (and probably always will) have a bad taste in my mouth from X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Regardless of my most sincerest efforts, I can't seem to be able to make myself forget about that heart-achingly bad movie, even with four whole years between my first viewing of it and now. While I may not be able to ever get my money (or my time for that matter) back, the folks over at Fox Studios can certainly find ways to make it up to me. One of those ways is giving everyone's favorite clawed canuck a flick properly worthy of his copious amounts of adamantium rage.

Yes! That's right children of the atom, we can now proudly proclaim that Logan finally has a good solo film. While The Wolverine isn't exactly the best at what it does, I would certainly call it a solid piece of work in its own right, and a good addition to the X-Men movie mythology to boot. I don't want to be the one to jump the gun, but if the franchise can maintain this kind of momentum, mutant lovers may finally have good reason to get back into theaters. It's work like this and X-Men: First Class that gives me hope for the future of the label.

While The Wolverine may not be the most accurate of comic-to-film adaptations, it certainly has a firm enough understanding of what it needs to do in order to get the job done well. Taken purely on its own merits, this is a pretty badass flick. Even with the obvious liberties taken on the material (and the PG-13 rating) at no point do I feel that director James Mangold's version of the iconic character truly fails to tell a Wolverine story in spirit. Unlike its predecessor (and regardless of its niggling flaws) there is a genuine sensation of earnestness to a lot of what The Wolverine does with itself. I cannot deny that the creator's passion here is also somewhat contagious, as it's that passion that really carries this flick from its literal blast of a beginning, well into its credit roll.

Hugh Jackman should just change his name to Huge Jackedman.

In the year 1945 (at the end of World War 2) Logan is a prisoner at a camp near the city of Nagasaki. As American forces drop the atomic bombs on Japan, Logan escapes his capture and saves the life of Japanese solider; Ichiro Yashida. As they wait for the fallout from the bombs to dissipate, a bond forms between the two soldiers. For saving his life, Ichiro offers his katana to Logan, who respectfully declines. Logan tells Ichiro to instead keep it safe for him unitl the day he comes to collect it.

Years later (after X-Men 3: The Last Stand) Logan lives as a hermit in the Canadian wilderness. Hallucinations of Jean Grey/The Phoenix torture him on a nightly basis, racking him with guilt from having killed her. Right as Logan seems to be truly without reason to live anymore, a mysterious woman appears. Claiming to be a disciple of Ichiro Yashida, the woman (Yukio) brings Logan to Japan so that he may bid farewell to his now old and dying friend. With top-of-the-line technology at his disposal, Ichiro makes one final offer to Logan. As a way to pay his debt, Ichiro promises to give Logan what he desires most; a means to finally die.

I must admit that in this post Avengers world, I find it to be quite refreshing to see a studio opt for telling a smaller story that focuses on building character, rather than the world. As nice as those other Marvel films are, The Wolverine reminds us that the super hero genre can still offer great standalone pieces. While there is a pretty cool post credits sequence that teases the next X-Men installment, at no point does it feel like The Wolverine is merely just a vehicle for starting up hype on another movie. This flick is pretty much its own self-contained beast, and I personally think the character, and the franchise are much better off because of it.

The action beats here are some of the best that the X-Men franchise has probably seen yet. Strong use of practical effects and solid fight choreography add to the overall gritty look and tone of the story. A good deal of CGI comes in for the climatic showdown, but thankfully it looks worlds better than the effects in the previous Wolverine picture. Special mention I feel must go to the bullet train sequence, as it features the most unique conditions for a fight. I can almost guarantee that it will keep most viewers on the edge of their seats.

Sadly I do think that the cinematography could stand to have some improvement in parts. Early on in the first act, there is quite a bit of shaky cam use. While I can't say that it's done too egregiously, I can say that it does noticeably distract from the first few fight scenes. Thankfully by the middle of the second act the shaky cam goes away, and the camera work moves along with all the action just fine.

Hugh Jackman reprises his iconic role as Weapon X once more, and continues to show why he is probably the only man on the planet suitable to bear the claws time and again. With his growls, shouts, and howls in tow, Jackman delivers perhaps his best performance with the character yet. Even though he has been portraying ol' shorty for well over ten years now, Jackman still manages to make the character feel fresh and untapped in some way. Of course, Jackman is only getting older with each of these films (he's currently in his forties) but his muscles appear to only be getting bigger. Seeing the physical condition of Jackman's body really adds to the intimidating feel that someone like Logan needs to have. When the inevitable time comes for Jackman to hang up the claws and move on to other parts, a small part of me is probably going to cry a little. Seeing how that time hasn't come yet, we can thankfully look forward to seeing more of Jackman's work.

Viper is deliciously evil.

As for the supporting cast, high caliber Japanese actors Rila Fukushima (Yukio) Tao Okamoto (Mariko) and Hiroyuki Sanada (Shingen Yashida)  all bring their A game.. Svetlana Khodchenkova (say that one three times fast) breathes evilly gleeful life into Viper/Madame Hydra, as she happily chews on the scenery every time she shows up. Oddly enough she is perhaps the most fun villain the movie has to offer. The Wolverine's biggest tragedy may be that characters like Viper and Shingen do not get as much screen time as I would like for them to have. I would go so far as to say that some of my favorite moments in the movie come from these characters, especially when one considers the actors playing them. All the same, everyone is good in their roles and I can't find a single person that feels miscast.

Marco Beltrami's score definitely has a different vibe to it altogether as far as the movie franchise goes. Utilizing Japanese wind instruments, and making them play a slightly more spaghetti western sound really makes The Wolverine a ton of fun to listen to. Plenty of the tracks are memorable, with the bullet train sequence (yet again) being one of the coolest sounding pieces. While I don't see it as a negative, sadly most of the tunes are short, and seem to end right when they're getting really good. Barring that one niggling detail, The Wolverine certainly gets me to perk my ears up during its run time.

For the all the work that The Wolverine puts into preserving the spirit of the character, I will say that if you consider yourself a comic enthusiast, you may take some issue with this movie. The creators take many (and I do mean many) liberties with the source material. The circumstances that help facilitate the plot are only marginally similar to the original Chris Claremont/Frank Miller comic, with many character motivations being different, or some characters being completely different altogether. Silver Samurai and Madame Hydra suffer the most from this, with their characters being absolutely nothing like how they are in the comics. Changes the creators make do have a certain degree of internal logic to them, but others make me wonder what the point of the edits are. In my humble opinion, the original material is just fine, and could totally work for what this film is trying to achieve. If one is familiar with the original work, you'll more than likely be scratching your head asking/wondering about the changes as well.

Overall, I can't say that this is the best X-Men movie ever, but I can thankfully say that it is the best Wolverine movie so far. With a vast array of improvements on practically every aspect from X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the biggest fault I can find here is the liberties the film takes with the source material. Almost every scene in The Wolverine feels like an apology from Fox for giving us such a lackluster film the first time around. With that in mind, I will say this to any Fox workers reading this review: Apology accepted. Now keep up the good work!

Positive Factors

• Spirit of the character is preserved with a lot of love.
• Great standalone film that reminds us all that smaller stories can be just as fun as huge crossovers.
• Solid action scenes, with the bullet train fight stealing the show.
• Hugh Jackman provides what could be his best portrayal of the character yet.
• Supporting cast delivers on the goods. Viper and Shingen bring the villainous heat all the way.
• Score offers a unique blend of Japanese instruments and spaghetti western flavor.

Negative Factors

• Cinematography could use improvement at points. A lot of use of the dreaded shaky cam at the start.
• Some of the most fun characters get the least screen time. More Viper and Shingen please.
• Accuracy to the source material was obviously not a major concern to the creators.

Final Rating: Splenderiffic!

Manyuu Hikenchou- Review

Yup... That about sums it up.

Sometimes I prefer to think about the entertainment we all consume everyday to being like the taste of food. There is an incredibly wide range of flavors the globe over that can appeal to someone's palette. Ranging anywhere from the decadently delicious to the downright spew worthy, everything in the world of entertainment has a distinct spice to itself.

Going further with the analogy, if one looks at their entertainment like a meal, one can begin to see how everything stacks up to each other. Is a book you're reading right now something you could see as a hearty home cooked dinner? Maybe a game you play on a regular basis feels like a light afternoon snack you have all the time? Perhaps a television show you watch is like eating a greasy fast food burger? You know that it's probably not the best thing for you, but damn if it doesn't have a good relish to it.

That is where Manyuu Hikenchou steps into the picture. This is the sort of meal that I could never recommend to somebody as a healthy, gratifying choice for supper. This show is like eating a can of processed cheese.

I cannot bring myself to tell a lie; I like this show a lot more than I should, despite of the fact that almost everything about this show puts up a red flag. Irrespective of its questionable subject matter, regardless of its thematic statements, and notwithstanding its general lack in overall quality, I can't help but want to watch more. On several occasions I'll find myself loading up an episode to watch, just so that I can get in a quick and easy laugh. Sure the jokes are shallow and dirty (and the plot leaves you wondering if you should even enjoy this sort of thing) but Manyuu Hikenchou just fascinates me in such a way that it is hard to put my thoughts and feelings into words.

If you can't tell by now, Manyuu Hikenchou is a show that is fundamentally dedicated to a certain iconic part of the female anatomy. That's right folks, this is a story that focuses pretty much exclusively on nothing but breasts. Now I'm sure I lost some of you on that statement alone (and frankly I can't blame you) as this show is definitely not for everyone. In fact, this show is so far beyond not being safe for work that it is practically soft core pornography with a major tit fetish. If I didn't lose you earlier, I'm pretty sure I lost even more of you after that. For those who think they can manage to continue the review, I promise that there are only a few more hurdles left to go.

A knowledge I'm sure a lot of us would like to know.

In an alternate version of Japan's Taihei Edo period, the Tokugawa Shogunate make big breasts one of the most important parts of society. Women possessing gracious endowments live a life of fame, fortune, and privilege. While those lacking breasts are seen as less than human. To better ensure the lavish lifestyles of the Shogunate (or those in the Shogunate's favor) the illusive Manyuu Clan of ninjas (with their knowledge of how to grow large bosoms) help maintain the caste system.

When it becomes time for Chifusa to inherit her position as the Manyuu Clan's leader, she takes a scroll (containing secret writings/techniques on how to grow gargantuan gazongas) and goes rogue. Feeling every woman has the right to be buxom and beautiful, Chifusa dedicates her life to destroying the horribly dehumanizing world that her family facilitates. As her former clan hunts her at every turn, Chifusa's work is cut out for her, but she isn't alone as her best friend Kaede joins her cause. 

You can totally tell when Chifusa steals something.

Let us get it out of the way right now, this is a downright silly story. Essentially we have a Robin Hood-esque tale where the heroine steals boobs (instead of riches) and shares her knowledge of mammoth mammaries with the less fortunate.. Oh? You didn't know that Chifusa has the ability to take someone else's breasts? Guess I must have forgotten to mention that part. Yeah, she has this ability and it leads to some pretty interesting scenarios throughout the experience.

While I won't fault anyone who would not want to get within more than one hundred feet of this show, I can't bring myself to dislike Manyuu Hikenchou either. Pondering over the matter, I feel this show does exactly what it sets out to do, never compromising any part of its vision along the way. This is meant to be a sleazy action-comedy, that only marginally dips into some minor social commentary on the odd occasion. Keeping that in mind, the more I think about Manyuu Hikenchou, the more my fondness for the show grows, much like Chifusa is in the the neighboring gif.

Even though I am a fairly young heterosexual male (who happens to be rather fond of the particular part of the female form in question) I make no allusions about the material. This show is undeniably lascivious, and undoubtedly speaks to a lot of people's more base and carnal desires. At times though I would like to think that maybe my own attraction here is more than something simply hormonal and indeed goes deeper. Not much deeper mind you (more like puddle deep really) but I'd like to think that Manyuu Hikenchou resonates with a certain sense of humor that wells up in me from time to time. For whatever reason, I find boob jokes to be immensely amusing. Some part of my infantile (or maybe primitive) mind finds the image of beautifully well endowed women who's assets seem to do nothing but cause trouble for themselves and others to be pure comedy gold. Much like how everyone seems able to immediately laugh at the sound of a fart, I just find this sort of thing to be intrinsically funny, and I don't think I will ever truly know or understand the reason why.

Make no mistake, this is a show that I feel is best enjoyed with an ironic mind, and something that makes the show an even funnier watch is the censored broadcast version. It is seriously one of the most unintentionally hilarious things to come along in a while for me. Even with the censoring the show is still pretty lewd, but it at least takes on a more foolish edge. The best way I can describe the censoring here is to imagine that a Jedi Knight from Star Wars is sitting just outside of frame and cranking on his light-saber every time a breast is about to get full exposure. Certain shots become even more amusing when they do away with the beam-of-light-obscuring-technique and instead just make the entire breast glow like some kind of sacred orb of pure energy. In a lot of ways I suppose that it plays into the whole notion that breasts are the most holy and valuable body part in this world, but it just looks so silly. As an example, one of the first (and fairly graphic) scenes that we witness has a character who almost looks like they're comically chomping on a light-bulb because of how it's censored.

It isn't all fun and games though, as there is a darker side to Manyuu Hikenchou, and it cannot go without mentioning. From the outset it is obvious that this show objectifies the female form to an inarguable degree. To the plot's benefit it is about trying to destroy that problem, but in the process all it does it play to the issue more. This is a fetish show through and through, and when I said earlier that there is some questionable content within this program I really do mean it. At points children do share scenes with topless adult females, and there is even a scene where kids essentially molest Chifusa by fondling and suckling her breasts. The scene in which Kaede debuts involves her being outright raped by a female comrade who (as far as the audience could tell) just killed someone moments prior. The earlier scene I used as an example of the dubious censoring still takes on a darker edge when you understand that what you're watching is a woman get sexually violated and physically mutilated. Granted she isn't mutilated in the most literal of sense, but she does have the soul of her breasts (I know it sounds ridiculous but stick with me now) cut from her. This changes her physical appearance from a voluptuous full figured woman to that of a flat chested woman. They show how this change deeply affects her emotionally, much like it would anyone. I do give points for attempting to touch on the subject matter, but the show just doesn't take itself seriously enough to do this sort of material justice.

Looking at the overall artistry to the show, Manyuu Hikenchou manages to get the job done well enough. While it is well out of the ring for being the most poorly animated show I've seen, there are much better achievements out there with the medium. Character designs are sexy and relatively distinct, but tend to blend together at times due to the clear emphasis on fanservice. While there is a variety to the types of characters you'll see, you're never really too far from having someone with a ridiculous bust line enter the scene. Most of the animation efforts obviously go into bringing the breast expansion sequences to life, and while they do look quite titillating (pun intended) the rest of the show suffers for it. Action beats come and go with little to no mind for flow or energy, with static still shots being the name of the game. As a cost cutting measure, I do understand why still shots happen in some of the fight scenes, but I feel it takes a good deal of the momentum out of those moments. Thankfully, every episode has something memorable that keeps the humor going. Be it Chifusa fighting a fellow assassin who can hypnotize someone with her breast jiggles, escaping a perverted monster squid, or even Chifusa struggling against her own growing chest, there is a unique challenge to every enemy encounter. It's not high art, but it's certainly fun to watch.

Uh oh! Kagefusa is getting robbed by Chifusa. You know what the means.

While there is the occasional foray into more serious/dramatic scenes, the show is at its best when it's making good on the more pervy humor. Clearly everyone is having fun with their parts, and you can tell that they're more than aware of how goofy everything in the script is. Minako Kotobuki plays Chifusa as the typical straight lace kunoichi who takes her task super seriously, but brings out the laughs with how Chifusa can't handle her constant swelling issues. This plays incredibly well against the likes of Aki Toyosaki's Kaede, who forever obsesses over Chifusa's blossoming bosom. The standout performence for me though is without a doubt Kaoru Mizuhara's role as Kagefusa; Chifusa's half sister. While everyone else delivers great comedic work, it is Mizuhara who displays the most range with her character. Seeing her arc where she undergoes a major physical and emotional change from an antagonist into a fun loving anti-heroine is a blast to watch. Listening to Mizuhara sell every moment with Kagefusa really gets me into the series whenever she's on screen.

Miyu Nakamura's score is passable at best. Even with the recurring musical cues throughout the series, most of it feels homogeneous, leaving the mind almost as quickly as it enters. The only truly memorable piece is the show's opening song, but even then that track doesn't resonate with me. While I can't say that any of the tracks are annoying or grating to the ears, I will say that it is wholly forgettable. Sure, the tracks fit the mood of the scenes for the most part, but I can't help but wish that this show could give more impact. Ironically enough, the stand out work in the sound department is actually how much effort the sound effect guys put into the noises that breasts can apparently make. While I can't claim to be an expert on the matter, I am fairly certain that breasts don't sound like they do here when they move. The best way to describe them is such: fill a water balloon, now slosh and flop it around. That is what these character's breasts sound like when they move. Of course, it's stuff like this that only adds to the humor of Manyuu Hikenchou, so I guess I can let it slide.

Overall, at twelve episodes in length (with eight fairly short and indecorous OVAs) I can't bring myself to say that Manyuu Hikenchou is outright bad entertainment. I won't say that it is good, but it's not bad. It's pacing makes it quick enough to get through so that it never really wears out its welcome. I will admit that it's actually pretty fun to participate in the constant shifts with how many different ways/times a boob joke can be done, but that's just me. This is purely nothing more than indulgent entertainment, so in terms of longevity, I don't really see this being the type of show one would come back to over and over again. Unless you're really into this show's tastes, you're probably best at leaving this one where it lies. This clearly has guilty pleasure written all over it. Some of the material present here is so fetishist that I personally can't see the fandom for this work being all that big. If anything else, I swear that in more ways than one, this show is the result of some kind of bet. I know that it is an adaptation of a manga by the same name (which is quite popular in Japan to my knowledge) but honestly, who here would think that a show like this could ever fly? Regardless of one's personal tastes and opinions on the topic, no one can argue that Manyuu Hikenchou does exactly what it's meant to do, and does it (oddly enough) fairly well. With this kind of show (is there even a genre term for this sort of show?) this may in fact be one of the best of its kind. 

Positive Factors

• BEWBS!
• Glorious, glorious fanservice here my friends! If you're a fan of a certain part of the female anatomy, your show has arrived!
• Censored version is perhaps even more entertaining than the uncensored version.
• Each episode has something fun and unique about it. Usually involving BEWBS!
• Voice cast is clearly enjoying their roles, with the fun feeling very contagious. Kagefusa is the stand out player.
• Short length keeps the pace nice and brisk, with it never wearing out its welcome.
• Did I mention BEWBS?!

Negative Factors

• Definitely not for everyone. In fact, I see the audience for this kind of show to be very small.
• Essentially pornography for those who love breasts.
• Some may find the show's overarching themes and certain scenes to be quite deplorable.
• While the scenes involving fanservice are great, the action in the show suffers for it.
• Sound track is mostly forgettable with only the opening being of note.
• Did I mention BEWBS?!

Final Rating: Craptacular! (Racktacular! If you find yourself really into the idea this show is selling!)

Let the Good Times Roll- Editorial

If you say so pal.

"What makes something good?"

A recent series of conversations between my friends and I focused on this very question (and with the ever fluctuating quality of media out there today that one can consume) we all agreed that it is a very reasonable question for someone to ask.

It seems like now (more so than ever due to the internet) we as consumers have concern for whether or not the entertainment we indulge in is something we can see without doubt as being "good." It's entirely understandable in the regard that we want to be able to answer this question with some degree of certainty or clarity.

We all like to be able to think that the things we enjoy are in fact good as (more often than not) we actually see our entertainment as an extension of ourselves, or some kind of measure of our personal character. If we think that the things we enjoy are good, then by extent, we are good for enjoying it. The same applies for when someone thinks of something as being bad. If people enjoy something that one person finds bad, that one person will sometimes think less of the people who enjoy said thing.

The nature of what makes something "good" is debatable to say the least. Tons of variables make the definition and philosophy of what good is vary from person to person. So when it comes to "What makes a good movie?" or "What makes a good story?" etc. etc. I can only say that it all depends on what you're personally looking to get out of your entertainment. For some of us though, that answer isn't quite enough. Perhaps there is more than meets the eye to what makes something good. Maybe there is indeed a formula one must follow in order to have their work achieve that status.

I am not so bold as to claim that I have the winning formula that will yield positive results every time. Personally, I don't think that there even is a definitive measuring stick for what constitutes something as good. There is no guarantee that anything I'm about to say here will in fact work for you and whatever work you may be doing. All I have is a personal philosophy on the matter, and it's one that I think is maybe the closest we can ever get to that answer for "What makes something good?"  Fundamentally I think that everything comes down to two factors, the intent of the piece and the execution of that intent. Regardless of my personal opinion on a particular subject, if it manages to do what it does well, I can usually see why people other than myself could like it or even love it. I usually like to think in the broad term for things such as this, so when it comes time to judge the overall quality of something I can be fair. Of course this sort of thing is a highly subjective topic, and all of this is just a matter of my opinion, so please try to keep an open mind when reading.

Paved with Good Intentions

Getting down to brass tax, the closest thing we essentially have to a definitive measuring stick for quality is simply the creator's intent. With the advent of modern technology (particularly social media) creators can be far more open and available now more than ever when it comes to effectively sharing what the intent of their work is. Creators can introduce important concepts, clarify thematic statements, and even offer new interpretations for their work to those who just wish to know. When one looks at any piece of work, knowing what the creator's intentions for it are can vastly help one in better assessing whether or not the work fundamentally achieves its goal. If it manages to be close (or at least can be considered to get close) to what the core intentions are, than one would have the inclination that this is a good thing. It's doing what it is meant to do, so in that regard the product is a success; which also can be seen as good.

Think about it; knowing what a wheel's intended purpose is allows you to understand why a wheel looks the way it does. You wouldn't hate a wheel for simply being round would you? How could you even begin to? The wheel's entire purpose in its design is to be round. Hating it for being round is unfair to the wheel, and to the person making that wheel. It's only when one examines the wheel closer that we can truly asses its actual quality. Can the wheel do what it's meant to do? Can the wheel maintain integrity throughout its job? Is the wheel even meant for this kind of job? Questions like these can allow us to better understand the intention of a creator's work. Even if you're not a fan of a particular person's wheel, you can't exactly lambaste them for having something do what it is built for. Creators don't have to reinvent the wheel, they just have to make the right wheel for the job they wish to do.

For instance, I am not a very big Micheal Bay fan. I never have been, and I don't think I ever will be. His movies usually feel shallow and pedantic to me, with his films opting for the kind of entertainment that I think appeals to the lowest common denominator. Even then so, I still don't hate his movies. His movies do exactly what he designs them for; mindless fun that anyone can sit down and enjoy with little investment. Anyone who likes his films simply has a taste that is different from my own. I can't bring myself to hate his films for doing their intentional purpose. With that in mind, even I will admit that Micheal Bay is frankly the best at what he does. It isn't my cup of tea, but I can see why others enjoy his movies so much.

We also can run into the issue of the creators having shallow intent from the start. How many times do you find yourself viewing a product as merely nothing more than a soulless cash in? How often do you find yourself getting the feeling that a piece is done with little to no mind for effort or dedication in making the work the best it can be? Sometimes (in order to turn a profit) creators compromise the intent of a product so that it can perhaps come out on time, beat a rival product, or simply cash in on the craze/demand. When this little bugger rears its ugly head, we as consumers usually recoil at the sight. Calling the makers lazy, heartless, or hollow. When we see that ill intent from someone, we feel that whatever their actions are, a taint resides on it now. Thus the product will more than likely be seen as bad.

Even with all of that in mind though, the creator's intent can always be thrown to the wayside due to such issues like the intentional fallacy. For those unfamiliar with the term, the intentional fallacy is when (regardless of knowledge to the creator's intent) we as the audience can/may/will see their work in another light. This happens quite more often in entertainment than one would think, and in turn it usually renders the creator's intent as moot. As an example, if I want to see the film trilogy Toy Story as a plot that actually focuses on the deeper implications of man and his relationship to god, than I am technically correct. While some may think that is me digging for something that probably isn't there, it is simply the way I see the story, and no one can tell me different. Even if I know the creators always intended Toy Story to just be a fun little tale about talking toys trying to find their way home, the intentional fallacy leans in favor of my views. Whatever the creator intends is irrelevant to the matter at hand. What is important is how the audience sees their piece.

The Excellence of Execution

Which brings us to the other major part of this philosophy. The execution of someone's intent. As far as I'm concerned, a creator sticking to what they intend to do, is something I think at least puts them on the right path. While what they are doing may not speak to my sensibilities, I do believe it is important for one to stay true to their artistic vision. One's way of seeing things is something that is entirely unique to them. While we as people may share similar visions, we can never truly see things from the perspective of another person. So while an idea may be great, how one executes that idea is going to invariably affect how others can and will see their work.

Perhaps the most important thing when executing work for a piece is making sure that one's vision/intent is evident and clear in all of its aspects. Taking the time to have everything reinforce the core values of the intention can make the vision more clear in displaying what it is. How often do you feel that a story you're reading isn't quite clear in the kind of story it's trying to be? Do you find yourself getting mixed messages from a movie while you're watching it? Those conflicting thoughts are usually the result of the work in question not being clear with its intent. Poor execution in displaying the work ends up muddling the overall purpose, and results in viewer confusion. This in turn can open the door for much debate about the fundamental point of any given piece, its general quality, and its overall perception from the audience. As the old saying goes "You get back what you put in." so the more work you put into executing your idea, the more likely it may be to come off clearly. Sometimes execution of an idea can be essential to its success.  

Of course this is yet again purely subjective. As one can feel that a creator's message was clear throughout their work, and another can feel entirely lost on what the point of it all is. Different minds search for different things in the sea of information out there before us all. Perhaps (if anything else) the goal of the creator should be to reduce the amount of people who can't share their vision. When a creator can manage to acquire more than enough people to see things from their point of view and understand their intent, then they probably won't have to worry about falling prey to the likes of the intentional fallacy. Naturally, not everyone will be on board with someone's concepts, but that is all part of being human. While they may not be able to appeal to absolutely everyone's ideals for entertainment, they can appeal to those who can see their vision for what it is. All they need to do is make sure that it comes across right to those willing to participate.

In Conclusion

As I said before, I don't think that there is in fact a definitive measure to the actual quality of something. We only have these two things to really go on, and even they're not absolute. So the next time you find yourself watching a movie, reading a book, or looking at a picture, try to keep an open mind while you're observing. Ask yourself some questions before you pass judgement. Is the piece doing what it's meant to do? Is it clear in its intent? While it may not be exactly what you're looking to gain from your entertainment, it doesn't constitute the subject as being bad. In fact, it may be really good, if not great to those who it is speaking to.

The Dude abides.

Pacific Rim- Review

"Today we are canceling the apocalypse!"

Regardless of age, upbringing, and personal preference, there is a child in all of us. A kid who just wants to witness something amazing; to see what they could only ever dream about come to life on the silver screen. A classic film like Jurassic Park, or a more modern piece like Real Steel work because they tap into that child-like mind and its sensibilities.

After the almost endlessly long wait, Pacific Rim is finally here, and it's everything that your inner ten year old could ever want the movie to be. As I write this review, my birthday has come and gone (July 15th for those who are curious) and I am now twenty eight years old. Even though I'm ridiculously close to knocking on the door of thirty years, the very idea of Pacific Rim still talks to that kid who resides in me. "Why is that?" you ask, because giant robots are cool!

Sometimes all a movie needs to do in order to breakthrough to that inner child is to simply be a lot of fun watch.

A big part of my birthday celebration this year had a lot to do with my friends and I getting together and deciding that we would mark the occasion with what would hopefully turn out to be an incredible experience. My friend Leo graciously bought my ticket for the 3-D showing, and I can thankfully say that this was one of the best birthday presents I've had in a while. The 3-D looked amazing, the giant robot battles were everything I wanted them to be, and I even got a little chocked up at few of the more emotional scenes the flick offered. Not since The Avengers or The Expendables 2 have I been honestly able say that I was this entertained at the theater. My friends and I practically lost our collective $h*T over how much fun this movie was to watch.

(On a side note, I would like to take a moment to apologize to those who had to share the Cinemark theater with all of us that night. We didn't mean to get so incredibly into the movie, it just sort of happened. I'm sure all the clapping and hollering during every major moment in the fight scenes got annoying, but you've got to admit that stuff was pretty damn awesome! That part where Gypsy Danger hit the Kaiju with the boat, or when they went into space, or when- Sorry, got a tad carried away there... The point is you saw how awesome everything in this movie was. I hope you can understand that we were just having a really good time. Also try to understand that sharing the theater with a bunch of man-children who happen to think "Giant robots beating the snot out of Godzilla monsters is like the most coolest thing ever! OMG!" were bound to get just a little excited. With that said, again I'm sorry for the cheers, but dammit! This movie was awesome!)

I am going to put this out here now though so that I can simply get it out of the way; Pacific Rim is the sort of movie that most mainstream critics hate. It isn't for everyone, as not all viewers are going to be on board with Pacific Rim's outlandishly bombastic escapades of over-the-top carnage. There are no bones about it, this movie is seen by plenty of its peers as being about as deep as a puddle, and as gratifying as a single bite of milk chocolate. While those individuals are correct in their statements regarding Pacific Rim, they are also the people who seem to forget that kids love puddles and chocolate. Even though you're an adult, it is okay to enjoy something for being more simplistic in nature. Just because you've gotten older doesn't mean you have to become an older person at heart. Is Pacific Rim the most intellectually stimulating or artistically fulfilling picture of the year? Not really, but it is probably the most entertaining one I've seen so far.

It's simple enough to sum up the plot to Pacific Rim. Enormous beasts (known as Kaiju) emerge from a trans-dimensional gateway deep in the Pacific ocean (known as The Breach) The Kaiju start causing all sorts of havoc on earth, so in order to better combat them, mankind creates giant robots (known as Jeagers) and we essentially have our story. Giant robots versus giant monsters, if the robots and their respective pilots lose the fight then humanity is done for. While it isn't exactly Citizen Kane, or a work of Shakespeare, it is surprisingly deeper than its concept initially lets on. We have characters that are impressively complex given the material, and even some twists that you probably wouldn't expect to find in a film with as admittedly silly an idea. There are plenty of emotional moments that legitimately pull at the heartstrings, and give a good deal of gravitas to all the action. So in a funny little way, you get more than what you actually bargain for. Still, there is a metric ton of action movie cliches' to be found here, but Pacific Rim does them so well that it doesn't bother me at any one given point. In fact, every time a cliche' came up, I found myself saying "Why wouldn't that happen? This is a giant robot movie, it has to do that!" They say that honesty is the best policy, and Pacific Rim makes no illusions about itself, it knows exactly what it's supposed to be and embraces that fact. It doesn't compromise its integrity by lying to the audience or attempting to be something it's not.

Badass in a can!

The actors hold their own and make the most of their parts, regardless of the size of their role. This movie could have not given the characters any dimension whatsoever and I don't think anyone in the crowd would have noticed. Impressively enough, all the actors bring their A game, and make every character a blast to watch. Idris Elba steals the show as the seemingly always badass and ever stoic Stacker Pentecost. His inspirational speech at the film's climax got cheers and applause out of my group with the greatest of ease. Charlie Hunnam and Rinko Kikuchi both do great as the respective male and female leads. Their budding romance feels natural, and when they finally team up to save the day, it comes off as believable and gratifying. Burn Gorman and Charlie Day provide a good deal of the comedy in Pacific Rim, eliciting laughs every time they have an exchange of witticisms. Even smaller roles from the likes of Del Toro mainstay Ron Pearlman (Hellboy, for those who don't know) or the voice over cameo of Ellen McLain (the voice of Glados from Portal) make for fun little add ons to an otherwise solid cast that does great work with the script.

Even with the surprisingly solid story and characters, the main attraction to this movie is the fight scenes. My good gawd the fight scenes! For anyone who considers themselves a fan of giant robots in some capacity, this is your movie. The CGI is topnotch, with the big money shot moments being palpable well into the back row of the theater. You can feel the weight of the Jeagers and Kaiju with every step they take, and when a punch is thrown the impact rocks your socks off. Thanks to the immaculate cinematography that captures every bit of the action on screen, you never feel like you miss a beat. The excellent precision of the camera work here is so impressive that I think this only proves further that Guillermo Del Toro is one of Hollywood's best visual directors. The implementation of 3-D gives all the scenes a great deal of depth, and only adds to the overall sensation of just how big these combatants actually are. It is abundantly clear that the makers of this movie love giant robots with every fiber of their being, and put the utmost of their efforts into making these sequences shine.

Ramin Djawadi's composition of the film's score feels appropriately big when the need arises, and yet again he creates incredibly catchy orchestral tunes that one will hum for weeks to come. While not all of the themes come off as stand out pieces, the main theme really captures the sensation of old school giant robot/giant monster movies. His use of big brass and strings enhance the grandeur of the fights to the levels they need to go, making every fight feel that much more integral to mankind's survival.

Despite all of my praise, there is at least one negative that I can't ignore. The respective pilots of the Russian and Chinese Jeagers barely have a moments notice in this story. Let alone enough time to do anything significant in the scenes that you think would be meant to develop them. While I understand they are not the main characters, I do feel that giving them more influence in the narrative would make their presence feel more relevant seeing as how they are meant to play a pivotal role in the second act climax. At almost three hours in length, I think Pacific Rim's story could afford to give a little more insight to those characters. Thankfully that is the only negative that I can come up with, and it isn't a deal breaker for me in the slightest.

Overall, Pacific Rim currently stands as perhaps one of the best love letter films to a genre that I've ever seen! All the overt nods and subtle references to the genre that the creators implement are fun to spot, and help make Pacific Rim just that much more enjoyable to see. For the more genre savvy viewers, you may find yourself noting those references as well, and may even perhaps geek out as much my friends and I. Again, I won't be so bold as to say that this is a perfect film, but it does exactly what it set out to do as a fun summer blockbuster, and that's something to admire.

Positive Factors   

• Your inner ten year old finally has the movie it's been waiting for. This movie will make you feel like a kid again.
• Story offers up more depth and complexity than one would initially think.
• Actor performances are solid all around, with Idris Elba totally stealing the show.
• Giant robot/monster battles are some of the best seen of its kind.
• Solid composition provides catchy tunes and appropriately awesome tracks for the fights.
• Nods and references to the genre all around, if you're a giant robot fan, this is a love letter to you.

Negative Factors

• Not everyone is going to be on board for this sort of concept.
• Some characters get practically no development time, and feel rather inconsequential to the plot because of it.

Final Rating: !!!AWESOMESAUCE!!!