#kamen rider reviews | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

monkey-network · 9 months

Text

Good Stuff: Best Movies of 2023

This was NOT a great year for blockbusters, huh? This was probably Disney's worst in years, multiple flops including what was meant to be their centennial anniversary film. It looked remarkably by the numbers, but think of the conglomerate's losses... Anyway, this to me was a pretty great year for films. Like 2022, I'm amazed at the variety we got that says more about the shifting tides of people's interest in movies. It was the most times I've been to the theater. We got a big worker's strike over the summer, especially large push back against degenerates trying to push AI to do more than just shitposting. And it was enough for me to know Adam Sandler, Godzilla, and Hayao Miyazaki could get the better of Disney. With this said, let this be a first for Good Stuff and count down my favorites of this year.

12. Renfield

My suspicions were on the money and I'm glad I gave this a shot in the theaters. Cage was the best Dracula I could've asked for in what you might say was an Adult Swim-esque dark comedy. It definitely has that style of gruesomeness and humor given Robert Kirkman and the Writer/Director behind Moral Orel made this. Unfortunately, Ben Schwartz stuck out like a sore thumb even if he fulfills his purpose in this, reminding me of Christopher Mintz-Plasse in KickAss; I feel he or Jason Schwartzman would've been better suited. Plus it can feel all over the place, an identity crisis that you can't even grasp after it finishes. Then again, I just had fun watching and would gladly rewatch for Cage and Hoult who are the highlights of this.

11. Migration

Call it blasphemous, but I enjoyed this more than the Mario movie. It's essentially Rio mixed with National Lampoon's Vacation, with a lovable cast, solid animation, and an eazy breezy road trip story. I've always looked to Illumination for simple enjoyable romps and I got what I expected here. Gave me Amphibia vibes in a way, replace frogs with birds. Everything surrounding the villain is my only real issue, he was an obvious and very nothing bad guy, but it's overall better paced than Super Mario Bros where it felt like you watched an eternity in 3 minutes. Still don't get the air of folk looking down on this for just being serviceable when it's honestly become my favorite Illumination movie next to the first Despicable Me.

10. Killers of the Flower Moon

Sad to say this is the weakest Scorsese movie for me, mainly because it felt like we're following the wrong main character. Lily Gladstone is incredible in this, among the other great performers, but she felt sidelined in favor of DeCaprio and De Niro's perspectives. It's like if in 1995's Casino, we just follow Ginger throughout the moment Sam introduces her. I liked the turmoil Leo's character goes through, but it paled in comparison to Mollie who was more affected by his and Hale's actions. That does not mean it's all bad. This can be a beautiful, dynamic, and ruthless movie that just made me feel bad for watching it; running with the words "harsh reality" throughout the 3 and a half hour runtime.

9. Good Burger 2

I watched Good Burger 1 & 2 this Thanksgiving weekend, and just had a blast. These are the kind of movies that are charmingly stupid but not insultingly so. Kel Mitchell's Ed is emblematic of how much dumb fun this duology is where he's actively comical but not smoothbrained to ruin your time. This I say is like Home Alone 2 where it is just beat for beat the 1st movie with minor developments but that doesn't really matter when it's just as well put together. It never feels like Kenan nor Kel missed a beat and the drama not overstaying its welcome. It is just "Good Burger Again" without it feeling like diminishing returns compared to other rehashing sequels.

8. Leo

Can you believe this got better publicity than Disney's Wish? Even YMS could appreciate this movie, that's how you know Sandler has his recognizable game when you least expect it. But Leo is a surprisingly good comedy that has actually sincere moments. Being Happy Madison's 2nd ever animation, it's like Adam waited to refine the production as opposed to putting a cash grab together like one would expect. It's not all good, especially trying to be a musical, but seeing it once you'd be impressed how much good it does with the risks it takes.

7. Nimona

Like Migration, everything surrounding the villain is the one big issue I have with this, especially when it comes to affecting the film's message. At the same time, she pales in comparison to the dynamic pairing of Ballister Blackheart and the titular shapeshifter. Nimona is my favorite character of 2023, her energy and confidence matched by the struggle she bears existing alone and the facade made to band-aid it. Her and Ballister's journey alone made me glad this got out of development hell, being Blue Sky's final production posthumous. To me it wasn't about being a take that to Disney, it was about the fact a movie like Nimona got to exist as great as it did. Hoping Stevenson is satisfied with their adaptation, because it definitely earned its flowers.

6. Emesis Blue

Offhand, it openly sucks that Letterboxd refuses to let this stay on the site to log, but it can't be overstated how much of a marvel this was. Repurposing not just the characters, but the lore and mechanics of Team Fortress 2 into a feature length horror thriller. The animation's top notch where it can have godly framing that was on par with the known legends of horror film making. SFM animations can be beautiful on their own, shitpost or otherwise, but Emesis Blue goes a step beyond by having a compelling story fitting for the universe on top of, again, every frame being a painting.

5. Shin Kamen Rider

I've never really saw any Tokusatsu shows. Not that I hate the genre, just could never get into it while recognizing the glorious looking chaos found in clips. Knowing Hideaki Anno directed was what got me into seeing this film and it opened my mind quite a bit. This was the legacy film that definitely had Anno's touch in both the action and drama. While the climax can notably drag, you never feel left out of what was essentially the original Kamen Rider's origin story. It doesn't have the complex VFX of stuff like Marvel, but the costumes and fight scenes makes me wish we got more of this in America beyond Power Rangers.

4. TMNT Mutant Mayhem

Advertising before release really didn't make this appear like a promising film. If there's anything I learned from this year though, appearances can be deceiving. Like Nimona was for her movie, the creative choices for this made it the TMNT movie I never knew I wanted. To me this felt akin to the Lego Batman movie where it's not only a good love letter of the franchise for more than its fanservice, but this spin on the characters is able to have a new sincere view of them without overhauling everything about the TMNT. That and it has the greatest needle drops I've had in a long while like how do insert He-Man Fabulous Secret Powers and expect me to hate this?

3. Godzilla Minus One

I call this a great year for films because it marks the first time I got to see a Toho produced Godzilla, with subtitles, in an real movie theater. Needless to say, it felt like I got to enjoy the 1954 film again anew. Not a remake mind you, but the parallels were uncanny and this spins here work just as well, if not more here than with the original in a couple places. Both are still strong movies nonetheless. Minus One is a refurbish that dishes out what people always wanted and uniquely giving a little more while never sacrificing why the OG is that timeless. With it getting more than a limited release, I'm glad this got to be more than a niche celebration of the kaijuu king.

2. Oppenheimer

This film's been meme'd to heaven, hell you could say it got meme'd to success thanks to its dual release with Barbie, but it didn't undermine getting hooked to watching this anyways. This really has become my favorite Nolan film, a compelling biopic that doesn't exactly herald its titular lead in the best light thanks to the paradoxical storytelling. Oppenheimer gives us the largest ensemble I know, and delivers in the most breathtaking moments I never knew I could get. Cillian killed it among the many who made the three hours of people sitting and talking in rooms actually tense and intriguing to thread. Plus it gave us the beauty of Josh Peck being the guy to detonate the test bomb like cherry on top of this cinematic cake.

1. The Holdovers

I remember watching Alexander Payne's Sideways with Paul Giamatti as a high schooler but couldn't appreciate it until rewatching this year. It's one of the best mid-life crisis comedies you could see, still fresh in its easy going presentation and music. The same can be said for this film, made to feel like it came from the late 70s or 80s with the old opening logos that I didn't think you could do in these times. Out the gate, this was the holiday story I was shocked would be as relatable as it was, with the trio of Giamatti, Randolph, and Sessa each having their story that resonated with me strongly. With the right amount of time, Payne offers an remarkably cozy, down to earth movie where from reserved to outgoing, it did a lot for me emotionally. Like Netflix's Klaus, I kinda want this to be a traditional rewatch for the holiday seasons. One that everyone should try at least once, especially if they feel the disillusionment of the season where this might lift their spirits one way or another.

If there's anything to learn from this year, it's that the meta has definitely shifted. Even when the many on my list didn't make billions like the Avatar films, the variety and risks made spoke more than the big dogs like Disney and WB putting out unprofitable blockbusters that ranged from very by the numbers to you don't need to see The Flash to know how god awful it just was. More people are & should branch out beyond the major mainstream names. Not that the big dogs aren't ever gonna make great films in the coming years, but we should appreciate more than the big budget features you can tell are playing it safe. Time can be patient for great cinema, sleeper hits or not, so take advantage while you're young.

37 notes · View notes

crimson-ace-reviews · 8 days

Text

Crimson Ace Reviews: Kamen Rider Gavv Episode 3

This week, Shoma meets a thief, but sadly, he doesn't get a cool blue gun like a certain other Kamen Rider.

Let's get into Kamen Rider Gavv's third episode: Soda Punch Is a Guilty Pleasure

We start off with the twins Shita and Jeebh paying one of their employees for harvesting five more humans for their corporation, giving her five Dark Treats as a result.

You know, those things still probably taste better than MrBeast's Feastables... and somehow, probably come from a less toxic work environment too.

The twins see a social media post talking about Gavv and decide to have someone investigate the guy possibly killing their employees. Speaking of Gavv, we cut to Shoma struggling to choose what to spend the last of his money on, and by “What”, I mean “What kind of candy should I get?” He settles on a pack of gummies, but after opening it in a way that flings the candy towards some guy, he passes out, still hungry.

After the opening, the man gets a bento box for Shoma, who reveals he spent most of his money on junk food. The man, naturally wondering how Shoma is still alive, decides to get him some more food to show him the value of a balanced meal.

This is what happens when you grow up with a mom who spends more time talking about how awesome potato chips are instead of telling you to eat your damn broccoli.

After eating the second balanced meal he's had since he got here four weeks ago, Shoma feels full of energy, helping out a local construction team with his super strength. The man who gave him the meal, named Yahiko, asks for his help with a job.

We cut to Hanto and his mentor from the first episode, Kenzo. It's here where the term “Kamen Rider” is used in this season, this time as a moniker for Gavv by people on social media. This is a really strong scene, as it builds the characters of both Hanto and Kenzo. Hanto is determined to find the monster who killed his mom, while Kenzo helps reel him in by pointing out that Hanto can't jump to conclusions, but still supports him as the only other person to buy his story. That being said, Kenzo asks Hanto an important question: When he finds his mother's killer, what the hell is he going to do against a literal monster? And Hanto's just like:

youtube

But it's clear from Kenzo's concern that his and Hanto's relationship is more than just employer and employee, but father and son.

Ten bucks says Kenzo's the killer. Calling it now. Trust me, when you watch Kamen Rider for as long as I have, characters have to either deal with losing their parents or fighting their parents.

Back with Shoma, he and Yahiko go to fix someone's water pipes, only to get no response from their client, meaning Shoma has to break down the door to make sure they're okay. Unfortunately, it turns out the client isn't here, Yahiko is ransacking the place for money, and Shoma just helped a man commit a felony.

Cut to Hanto, who goes to Sachika for help learning more about Gavv, while Ritsu, the victim of last week's episode, recounts her brief encounter with the Kamen Rider. This is Hanto's first indication that this particular “monster” may not be so scary after all.

Speaking of, Shoma asks Yahiko why they're not hiding from the cops—I mean, why Yahiko tricked him into helping him steal from an innocent person. Yahiko explained that he needs the cash to save the company of the man who took him in when he needed it, believing he has to do so to pay him back. Shoma points out how they still did something terrible, and the two part on rough terms, but Shoma sends one of his Gochizo to follow him. Apparently, Shoma can see the future, because the very next scene shows Yahiko getting captured by the Granute from earlier, who was working at the same bento truck he got Shoma his food from.

After a brief scene with Glotta to remind the audience what the Stomach Family does for a living, Shoma thinks back to an earlier scene where Yahiko told him about how snacks can help cheer someone up when they're feeling down. He tries a new flavor of gummy that I guess wasn't in the dozens of packages he ate earlier, a soda-flavored one. This creates a new Gochizo, the Punchin' Gummy Gochizo. Not long after, the other Poppin' Gummy Gochizo Shoma sent out comes back to inform him of the Granute. Shoma heads off to stop the Granute, Granute Bon, whose true form resembles the weapon Tasha Yar used in that one terrible Star Trek: The Next Generation episode.

Shoma transforms into Gavv and the two fight, but I don't think I need to tell you the man with gummies for armor doesn't fare well against a giant wrecking ball. Zakuzaku Chips fares a little better, but after Granute Bon shoots spike rockets at him, Gavv just goes back to Poppin' Gummy form. More of Gavv's armor is blown off, and as he refuels, he takes the new Gochizo for a spin. This gives him a giant blue fist which gives him the power he needs to take down Granute Bon.

However, not only was Hanto watching the fight, not only was one of Stomach Inc's agents watching the fight, but someone else was watching the fight and stole two of Shoma's Gochizo. The same mysterious man butts heads with Hanto as they both want to know who or what Gavv is. Gavv quickly gets away before they can ask any questions.

Afterwards, Yahiko's worst fears come true and his father figure's company goes bankrupt. Yahiko apologizes to his boss for not being able to help, but the boss tells him that he never expected anything in return. Sometimes, people are that kind, and Shoma's words finally get through to Yahiko, who is convinced to apologize to the person he tried to rob.

The episode ends with the twins getting a better look at the mysterious Kamen Rider.

Hey, come on! Why are you so fixated on getting pictures of his Gavv? And so what if it looks a little different? It still works, doesn't it?

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Shiny New Toy: For the Punchin' Gummy Gochizo.

This was easily the strongest episode so far. There were a lot of strong character moments that helped flesh out the cast while still furthering the mystery on Hanto's side. I like how the show is emphasizing the fact that Gavv is a mysterious vigilante in the eyes of the public, something that I feel the franchise doesn't do nearly as often as it should. Yahiko is a pretty solid guest character. He believes he has to do terrible things to help others, putting him in direct opposition to the idealistic Shoma. The fact that unlike the humans Shoma met in the last two epiodes, they don't really resolve their issues, but it's clear that they both learned something from the other. Overall, an episode that just knocks it out of the park.

Next time on Kamen Rider Gavv: Shoma continues to prove how terrifying of a monster he is by channeling the power of one of the most diabolical beings in history: The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.

#crimson ace reviews #kamen rider #kamen rider gavv #Youtube

3 notes · View notes