hanentr

It's bad. It knows it's bad. And it's having fun with it. If you go in hoping for an engaging live-action retelling of the anime, you're going to realize really quickly that the anime doesn't translate well into real life. Luckily, the creators realized that too. So they made it as silly and insane as possible. Go in after having a few drinks and just have a good time.

The title states most of it. If you loved Yugioh as a kid, you'll love this. If not, it's probably not the show for you.

On the technical side of things, this show is absolutely gorgeous. The animation, the designs, the backgrounds are all incredible. The voice acting is phenomenal (both the sub and the dub, which is amazing). And the music is so good that I actually downloaded the soundtracks for both seasons.

The actual gambling is flashy, but it won't take you long to realize there aren't many stakes (much like Yugioh). But while the gambling aspects could be handled better (it is a gambling anime after all), most of the fun comes from watching these insane characters bounce off each other. They all have wildly different and entertaining personalities, and the writers and actors do an excellent job at selling their interactions.

As a gambling anime, it fails. But as a messed up school-comedy, it's amazing.

Birds of Prey is not trying to do what most MCU movies do and reach a broad audience. It's aimed at women who have been beaten down in life, whether by men in power, societal pressures, poverty, etc. To someone who hasn't experienced those things, characters may seem underdeveloped. But I didn't find this to be the case. The movie uses quite a bit of shorthand that many women will understand so that it doesn't need to spend too long on the backstories of five different women, and can instead jump into creating a dynamic between them. My favorite interactions were those between Harley and Cassandra, and those between Harley and Dinah.

That's not to say this is a perfect film. The first 20-30 minutes jump around in multiple different time-frames, and can be difficult to follow. Once it gets rolling in a chronological structure, this problem disappears, and it becomes a well-paced wild ride. Secondly, many people have pointed out that the movie focuses much more on Harley than it does on the Birds of Prey. This is 100% true. If you're coming to see a Harley Quinn movie (which to be fair, is largely how it was marketed) you will be very satisfied. If you wanted more of a Birds of Prey movie, you may be disappointed. Finally, I'm not well-versed in the comic book lore behind most of these characters, but as I understand it the movie takes a lot of liberties with them, and their movie counterparts are essentially different people. This could upset fans of the books who were hoping to see these characters represented on-screen.

However, if you're willing to look past these things (as I was) and you pick up on a lot of the subtext and implications, this is an incredible movie. In addition, the cinematography makes it a treat to the eyes. You could pause on almost any moment and have a great picture for your desktop. Finally, the action is fantastically choreographed, shot well, and the lighting makes it easy to see what's going on.

I highly recommend this movie.

Made in Abyss is going down as one of my favorite shows of all time. Not just one of my favorite animes, one of my favorite shows. The characters, world-building, plot progression, music, art style, animation, voice acting (sub and dub), everything is incredible.

The show is a return to fantasy elements, and doesn't set up an rpg style world or borrow from Tolkien or C.S. Lewis. It begins in an optimistic and lighthearted tone with just enough dark implications to get you wondering, but as it goes on it begins to explore the most brutal aspects of being human in an increasingly harsh manor. But it never gets to be too much, and it doesn't feel like gratuitous suffering because the two lead characters push through with hope, determination, and a childish charm.

I really hope Made in Abyss gets another season. I'm dying to know what happens after the latest episode, and I would read ahead in the manga if the author weren't such a creep. If you're prepared for a shockingly dark and intense show with incredible quality and enough high moments to get you through the low ones, then give it a watch. You won't regret it.

I expected this to be a cheesy low-brow kids show (and it can be cheesy at times) but it turned out to be a very intelligent story that both kids and adults can enjoy. The plot is character-driven, and all of the characters are extremely likeable and have distinct personalities. The writers did a great job balancing comedy (the comedic timing is on point) and seriousness (there are some really heart-felt moments). Adora and Catra's relationship is the heart of the show, but she has unique and enjoyable dynamics with all of the characters, especially with Glimmer and Bow.

The only reason I'm giving this an 8/10 instead of something higher is because while it did surpass my expectations on every level, it never blew me away like Avatar the last Airbender or Steven Universe. But even those took some time to get started, and I'm hoping we get more seasons so the show gets an opportunity to really shine. I totally recommend this.

There are spoilers in this so read at your own risk.

I know that a lot of users are saying this is just a carbon copy of A New Hope, and in a lot of respects it is. A Droid takes data vital to the Resistance's future and hides in a desert planet where it is found by one of our protagonists. When the other protagonist shows up they have to flea the First Order and get the Droid to the Resistance. Throw in a cantina scene, a very Death Star-ish super weapon, and the gradual discovery of Jedi powers and you can understand why people are a little miffed. But in my opinion, the plot isn't the biggest reason to watch. Yes a lot of things are similar, but it's not just a carbon copy. It's done so in a way that's respectful to the Originals while still adding a new flare. The cantina scene turns the tables and has Han asking for help. The Death Star-like thing is not just a one hit kill like in previous movies. An entire fleet of fighters goes up against it and it still isn't enough.

But the biggest reason to watch is by far the characters. You have Finn who's been raised in a 1984 style society and knows nothing other than being a Storm Trooper. Because of this, he latches on to any and all friends he makes. Rey is waiting for her family and dealing with the pain of having lost them for so long. Kylo Ren is Darth Vader-esque because he wants to be Darth Vader, and that alone places a huge weight on his shoulders. Watching them change as various challenges are placed before them is both entertaining and engaging.

Then there's the old cast. This is what everyone's been waiting for. We see the old faces we loved so much after thirty years, and a lot has happened to them in that time. We get to see a lot of Han, and he's dealing with his own struggle the only way he's ever known. Be a pirate. But he's not the same person we met in 1977. He's carrying this incredible burden from everything he's seen and done, and Harrison Ford does an incredible job as always.

Add some really good humor (I think we've been starving for that since the Prequels) and phenomenal acting and this movie is worth seeing again and again. Does it have problems? Of course. Could it have worked a little more on a different plot? Yep. But for what it is, it's an amazing movie, and the good things outweigh the bad a thousand times over.

And if you haven't seen it then you should stop taking random internet critics words as truth, and go make your own opinion. You might like it, you might not. But you'll know for sure what you think.