Film Review: Godzilla 2014

There will be some SPOILERS but not much because this is just a quick review and not too in depth. You might be wondering why I have chosen Godzilla and that is because I have randomly chosen one of the DVDs I got for Christmas to review and I just really wanted to get back to reviewing something that isn't Arrow, so why not start with this.

This film stars Bryan Cranston as Joe Brody as a former engineer who is obsessed with uncovering the mystery to the destruction of the nuclear plant he was working at that claimed his wife's life, he is also reluctantly joined by his son Ford (Aaron Taylor - Johnson). However what they uncover is something the government has been keeping a secret for many years; two monsters that can lay waste to the entire human race and one more that is a force of nature on to itself.

Well this film certainly had a lot of surprises and twists that I wasn't expecting when I first watched it and that is most of the time a good thing and Godzilla 2014 did it right for the most part. Firstly I guess I should touch first on the topic that split audiences down the middle on this film; the actual lack of Godzilla in a film called Godzilla. This was a really gutsy move because I know a lot of people saw this film and expected to see some kind of epic monster rumble that would last throughout most of the film. I have also seen the original Japanese Godzilla film and I know that Godzilla doesn't appear in that much either; it is all about the people dealing with Godzilla and I guess that is what they are trying to recreate here. For the most part they succeeded because I was never bored with the human elements in this film because I found their storylines interesting enough and engaging which could also be because of the great cast.

A great and compelling story is one of the most important elements in a creative work and action isn't important to make a great film; for example two of my favourite films are Wuthering Heights (1939) and Rebecca (1940) both staring Laurence Oliver who was one of the greatest actors in the world. Despite that I do feel cheated that there isn't a lot more of Godzilla and monster rumbles and that is because of two reasons. Firstly since this is the 2000s and not 1954 you expect that they should have put a lot more fighting in this because they can, take Pacific Rim for example which had a great story (almost manga like in my opinion) and they still gave us some awesome mech vs. monster battles. The second reason is because they kept teasing us with showdowns between Godzilla and the MUTOs too much; like when Godzilla and the male MUTO met at the airport and we didn't see it. However the final fight does make up for a lot of it because it was just that damn epic.

They do give you some backstory on Godzilla, that there was a race of giant creatures that once feasted on the planet's radiation, but I think they wanted to create an air of mystery around this colossal force of nature so instead they focused on the two MUTOs. I do like the story they gave with the MUTOs that they feed off radiation to reproduce and that the male was reasonable for all the death at the beginning at that Japanese power plant, effectively making it the bad guy right off the bat lol. As for the MUTOs design it is really creative because unlike most of the monsters from the old Godzilla films (Motha or Rodan) they look really alien. Sure you can compare them to insects more than anything else but I will say again they are really unique in their looks and colouring etc. It was interesting how they gave us a male and female and that the male is smaller but has the ability to fly while the female is a lot more bigger.

However whether or not you are a fan of how they treated Godzilla in this or the MUTO creatures you can't deny that they visual effects for them where just epic. Godzilla truly looked like a force of nature more than ever before, I mean the sheer size of him when he appeared really makes you think he earned the "God" in Godzilla. Not to mentioned the CGI looked absolutely perfect because that is definitely how I expected Godzilla to look and him and the two MUTOs looked so realistic; honestly I can really picture this stuff happening in real life. Godzilla definitely looks more like it's Japanese counterpart along with the awesome roar that they gave him which sounds close to the original too. Then we have all of the destruction caused by Godzilla and the MUTOs and none of it looked fake at all which is again a nod to the great CGI and I am someone who prefers practical effects.

Lastly we have the human cast which most of the film revolves around and I could have been really annoyed it did, like with the Transformers films. However unlike Transformers the humans in this film don't fill the screen time with a lot of meaningless dry humour and irrelevant subplots that no one even cares about. Take Byran Cranston for example who was just such a terrific actor in this especially at the beginning when he lost his wife and his obsession with finding out the truth. I really wished he was the main character throughout the whole film instead of the first quarter; I think they where giving us a twist we didn't expect but they built up his character so much with excellent scenes and dialogue that it might have been a bad move. Then there is Aaron Taylor - Johnson and I have been a fan of his since Kickass so I liked seeing him in this despite being overshadowed slightly by Cranston. I do enjoy his story of trying to get home to his family because through his perspective we got to see the destruction of major cities and several missions with the military.

Overall do I wish that Godzilla and the two MUTOs could have fought each other more; yes. However I just enjoyed the special effects and the human element so much, everything from Byran Cranston trying to learn the truth, Aaron Taylor - Johnson trying to get home and Ken Watanabe with the military. As I mentioned above I was not bored watching any of it and since I have got the film on DVD I would gladly watch it over and over again.

As I said at the beginning this was just a mostly spoiler free review because I just wanted to get back into reviewing films. Besides I might just make all my future film reviews spoiler free because they are longer to talk about than TV series.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Godzilla and MUTO
                   Truly epic special effects
                   Great human story and perfect casting

Let - Downs: They gave us a lot of expectation and teases of some epic clash of monsters but only the ending of the film delivered on that
                      Should have had a lot more Byran Cranston

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net/        

Film Review: Resident Evil Extinction

On to the third now and like before MAJOR SPOILERS.

Extinction takes place an uncertain amount of time after the Raccoon City Incident and despite their best efforts Umbrella could not stop the halt of the the T - Virus. It has now spread throughout the entire world infecting humans, animals and plants and because of the latter the environment on Earth has mostly turned in to desert wastelands. Umbrella however have not given up on their experiments and Dr. Sam Isaacs (Iain Glen), head of Umbrella's North American underground facility, is determined to recapture Alice for his research. Alice herself has been in hiding since acquiring her new powers and just wanders the wasteland while evading Umbrella. Meanwhile a small convoy of humans are making their why across America just trying to survive (inspired by Mad Max 2) led by Claire Redfield (Ali Larter) and accompanied by new and familiar faces such as Carlos Oliveria (Oded Feher) and L.J. (Mike Epps).

Best film characters right here!

Just like the last film Paul Anderson writes and produces this one while it is directed by someone else however unlike the last one I know the director of this one; Russell Mulcahy who directed Highlander one of my most favourite films. I really like his style because it involves a lot of a lot of moving camera and crane work which is how he got those beautiful location shots in Highlander. Also while the last film was heavily influenced by the Resident 2 and 3 games this one decided to have an original plot like the first film. Not only that but they destroyed the world with the T - Virus something which the games didn't do yet. While this is a bold new direction it also means that the films after this one will have to have mostly original plots as well because they could hardly copy the games much after this.

Ass - Kicking Alice time to shine

We got a good cast of characters with Alice returning again and kicking ass like she always is however even though she is important in the story (with Umbrella trying to catch her and cloning her) I don't find her as interesting as Claire and her convoy. I find that the exciting bits of the film are when it focuses on the other characters and even though she joins them half way through, even of she didn't I wouldn't really mind. Also returning is Carlos Oliveria and L.J. and since they are two of my favourite film characters I am glad; as I said before I am grateful that Carlos has such an important role in the films and this one is no different and L.J. has a lot more serious role now which is great to see.

Bad place to be Isaacs 

For the new characters we have Claire Redfield and I was looking forward to seeing her because, like Jill, she is one of m favourite game characters. She takes more of a leadership role in this which is different from how she is in the games but it works and Ali Larter was a really great choice. We also have Sam Isaacs is a great primary antagonist in this and is obviously a replacement for William Birkin since they missed on their chance to use him however Isaacs is cold, calculating and merciless and serves as a great final boss (more on that later). Last from the video games is Jason O'Mara as Albert Wesker and he is a lot different from his video game counterpart; he is chairman of Umbrella now and only appears as holograms when Umbrella has their board meetings. It is a drastic change and even though I really wish he had a more prominent role I did quite like it, Jason O'Mara is a great actor (seen him in a few other stuff) so I have no complaints about the casting I just think he was underused. We also have a wide range of characters as part of Claire's convoy and I really like them all and they are what makes me like the parts with the convoy the best. Oh yeah really good seeing Linden Ashby in this film as a member of the convoy, I don't really see him in anything else but I remember him best as Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat, a great Paul Anderson film :)

Where your signature crossbow Claire?

Now on to the monsters and I was really pleased to see that they upped up the gore a lot in this one; finally we see blood coming out of zombies when they are shot, finally we see their body parts crushed! They also look a lot better as well because the zombies in the previous films really looked to normal for my taste but they looked more dried up and deformed now and probably because of the change in the environment. Besides zombies we also have the Crimson Heads from the games; they are not intelligent zombies but ones that are a lot more hyper, stronger and aggressive and I think they where perfect in this. The sequence where they fight the group is my favourite part in the film, it is just so brutal seeing them using their fists, running and biting all over the place. For animals we once again have the zombies dogs and I have always liked them but we also have the crows which I admit I am not that bothered about. Sure their scene was inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (awesome film) and sure their attack on the convoy was really cool but honestly who really cares about the crows from the game?

What a why to go out

Now for the final boss of the film and something I was looking forward to along with Nemesis; Tyrant! Isaacs is the one who transforms into the Tyrant after overdosing on the T - Virus and it's Anti - Virus and I have to say it did not disappoint. It looked really cool with it's grey skin, long clawed arm and that fact that Isaacs was still in control. This Tyrant, in my opinion, is a cross between the Tyrant from the original game and the Tentacle Tyrant from Dead Aim and I have always liked both. The action scenes when he was fighting against Alice was just great however I did feel that it was a bit too short and it's death at the hands of the laser grid was kind of rushed and lacklustre.

This looks kind of familiar?

As I said some of the best parts in the film where the attack of the Crimson Heads, final battle with the Tyrant and Claire's convoy but I also liked scenes such as Carlos's death scene because that was really badass and the beginning where Alice runs into that family of crazies. However I did not like that they had so many references from the first film in here like modelling the underground to look like the mansion or putting in the laser grid just to finish of the Tyrant, it was just too much. I do really like the story overall but I just didn't get the point of testing all the Alice clones in that survival training ground at all and they never really explain why they did it.

Sorry Stevie

Overall Extinction is my favourite entry in the film franchise because I think they improved a lot from the previous films. I think the bright, desert locations was a great choice and was really different from the underground lab from the first and the dark city in the second. Plus the convoy parts are the best parts in the film and I think that's because its fun to watch, it has the best characters and events with them.

SCORE: 9/10

Highlights: Claire's convoy/cast of characters
                   A higher level of gore
                   Like the wide, bright locations

Let - Downs: Alice seemed more like a side character in this to me
                      Too many references to the first film
                      Once again they don't have a wide variety of monsters

You can find all of the great screenshots I used right here;

http://ladymanson.com/ShadowofReflection/home.php

Game Review: Silent Hill 2

Been a while since I reviewed a game and I thought I would review one of the most classic horror genres; Silent Hill. Thought I'd start off with 2 because I admit I haven't played 1 in years and years and I was going to review some of the Resident Evil games but I'm currently reviewing the films of them now.

What better place to start a journey than in a dirty public bathroom

Silent Hill 2 is not a direct squeal to the first because while it is set in Silent Hill it has it's own original plot and uses no characters or events of the first game (that is a job for 3). Instead this game follows the protagonist James Sunderland who lost his wife to a fatal disease three years ago but mysteriously receives a letter from her. The letter tells James to go to their special place in Silent Hill; a town they have been to before and that his wife loved very much. So we follow the story of James as he makes his way through the dangers of Silent Hill, meeting characters who are also drawn to the town while evading the stalking Pyramid Head.

"You killed him, who is the real monster here!?"

The story of Silent Hill 2 is probably one of the best and well thought out ones that I have come across but that is to be expected when published by Konami; Metal Gear series anyone? But what really is great is the psychological horror aspect that leaves you questioning everything you come across. The game starts out kind of simple; a man searching for a supposedly dead wife but as the game processes there is a deeper story to it. Subtle hints are thrown in, in cut scenes and during game play, either written on walls, in notes, trivial examines you might find etc. It is not a game you can just pick up and play, you really, really have to pay attention to what is around you and you have to invest yourself in to the story to appreciate it.

My god Pyramid Head

We also have a great assembled cast here that really compliment the story; James works well as the main character because a first you think that he might be just some regular joe but that is far from the truth. As he develops over the course of the game and we get to understand him better and at the end form a definitive opinion of him; while he is a determined character in finding his wife he does hold secrets you might not have expected. We also have the seductive Maria who tags along with James for a portion of the game and has a mysterious connection with his wife which is interesting to figure out. Then there is the three side characters, Angela, Eddie and Laura; each have their own reasons for being in town and blends in to the main story nicely, none feel like they are just shoved in there.



"James, I think those monster nurses are either trying to kill us or coming on to us"

As for the monsters they all have some great designs which are scary and down right disturbing, like Pyramid Head who follows you with an over size sword while making some weird grunting noises and who also likes to rape monsters during the cut scenes. They are also a part of the story as well and I liked how most are all a representation of James. For example the Bubble Head Nurse and Mannequin represents James's sexual desires and frustration while Lying Figure represents him being trapped. Each one also has their own strategy and weaknesses to defeat them and they can be rather aggressive in combat (like a whole group of Bubble Head Nurse!).

Pretty disturbing; constantly trapped in your own skin

The game also has typical survival horror elements such as collecting guns, ammo and melee weapons to fight the monsters while collecting health packs to heal your injures. It also has puzzles to solves for keys and passageways however none of them are really hard on any of the puzzle levels. This is the type of elements that makes a horror game a horror game something more recent games have been forgetting. However I must admit that the gameplays lets it down slightly and that is because the controls do feel a bit clunky and stiff (especially in melee combat). Also whether it inside or out monster can be easily out run so you can avoid fighting them for most of the game and even if you do fight them you do find a awfully lot of ammo and supplies.



"Should be OK as long as I shot anywhere by the helmet"

For the graphics in the game they are some of the best for the PS2 at the time however some of it looked a little grainy and the fog might have been a bit too thick and hid away too much environment. The soundtrack for this is absolutely awesome, creates a really dark and suspenseful atmosphere and the voice acting is some of the best I have heard. That's the thing about games in late nineties - early two thousand, you haven't really heard of any of the voice actor before and you never really hear from them again.

A box that protected must have something unbelievable inside 

Silent Hill 2 is defiantly for mature audiences only and earns that rating because of its dark themes such as murder, rape, sex and violence but I highly recommend anyone who doesn't mind that to play this game at least once in their lives. Overall this is a classic survival horror game and one of the most influential of its time that is let down slightly by its gameplay.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Story/Characters
                    Monster design
                    Soundtrack

Let-downs: Controls
                    Easy Puzzles
                     

There screenshots you see here where provided by;

http://www.silenthillmemories.net/main/main_en.html

Anime Review: Attack on Titan



Back again but this time with another anime review and I don't think I have done one of these since my review of Sword Art Online (might redo that one since I after re - watched it and I am having second thoughts about my verdict). This review will be on the anime that everyone has been talking about; Attack on Titan. Minor Spoilers.

Attack on Titan is set one hundred years after a race of giant humanoid creatures called Titans suddenly appeared and brought the human race to the brink of extinction. Titans come in many sizes (the tallest being 15 metres) and they live only to devour humans without any mercy. While they lack intelligence they are extremely strong and are near invincible, they cannot be destroyed by any method except by slicing off a small area on the back of their necks. Humanity has been forced to retreat behind three massive 50 metre walls that have blocked off the Titans but have also isolated what is left of the humans from the rest of the wall. The main protagonist is Eren Yeager who dreams of seeing the world beyond the walls and hopes to one day kill every last Titan.

Now I just had to watch it because everyone I talked to was going crazy over this series and after watching it myself I can understand why. This a really unique and dark story that is unlike any others that are out there; it combines horror, supernatural, action all mixed in a medieval kind of setting.

First off lets talk about the Titans, the creatures that I am sure was the main attraction for most viewers of the series. At first you would not think that these slow moving giants with low intelligence would pose any threat to the characters but that all changed in the second half of the first episode when we get to see what the Titans are capable of. These things are brutal, strong and completely single minded about wiping out humanity and not only that but I have watched the anime and read the manga and even though we get some answers the Titans are still shrouded in mystery. This is just one example among many that makes you want to keep on watching the series.

I will also talk about the animation and music now because these two points also connect with the Titans. Another thing that is great about the Titans is the many, many faces that the artists give them ranging from comedic to down right creepy. For example who wasn't creep out the first time you saw the face of the Smiling Titan? It is these faces which to me almost have a kind of strange attraction to the Titans, you just cannot take your eyes off them in the scenes.
Also, you might have noticed but around the Titans and human characters there is a black line that separates them from the background. I have not seen anything like this before but it really makes the characters stand out, it even makes them look even more animated.
As for the music it is all great, we got a lot of orchestral soundtracks in here that blend well with the situations on and the music for the main intro is just awesome. Once again during the first episode when you see the Titans devouring humans and what the Smiling Titan is doing, it really makes you feel like all is lost.



However this anime isn't just about doom and gloom because the action can be really over the top when it wants to be. This comes in the form of the manoeuvring gear, along with a pair of swords, that the characters use to reach to the back of the Titan's neck. While this does make for some great action sequences, watching the humans take on giants with swords, some of this can look a bit silly. An example of this is when Eren rushing towards the Titans in episode five and his weaving about between the buildings. I have read the manga so I know that that scene is mostly over done so while it does work on the screen I cannot help but thinking that Eren should have been splattered on a wall.
But when the fighting does get started it is edge of your seat good and it is really dark because of the gruesome death scenes that the humans suffer. This is not for the faint of heart but those who like a lot of blood in their action will be glad here. Not to spoiler too much but in the series we also get some unusual Titans who attack each other which is some of the best moments in the anime.
 My favourite part, and arc, is with the Female Titan. She is so badass that she is also my favourite Titan,  she is just epic when I read the manga and it was great seeing her in the anime. Glad that they managed to include that arc before they ended the first season.

Now if I am going to be completely honest if I had to pick something that nagged me during the series is my lack of liking for the three main characters. Eren Yeager is a decent protagonist but I just find his outbursts of slaughtering the Titans to be annoying at times, he is good but defiantly not my favourite. Armin just gets on my nerves sometimes because he is a wimp for the most part who has yet to kill a single Titan, I know he is the brains of the group but I just can't find myself to like him. However the one who bothers me the most is Mikasa who is the biggest b***h since Rachel from Revolution in my opinion. She is portrayed as this ultimate fighter who is an expert at slaying Titans but they have made her too flawless at it that it lowers the danger of the Titans. Also her complete obsession with Eren does go overboard most of the time, I know he saved her life but her complete single mindedness with Eren (and her willingness to kill anyone and disobey the rules for him) is just not enjoyable to watch but frustrating. There are however a lot of great side characters such as Reiner, Bertolt, Annie, Levi and Zoe just to name a few.

Overall this a near perfect anime and a perfect adaption to a great manga.

9/10