movie list: The Scorch Trials (Maze Runner 2, 2015)

The fad for making movies from books has always been in our culture, humanity in general, since around the first time someone discovered or tried to make a film from a book. So standards aren't much for my taste, yet finally, the first time I had an honest to something opinion of a movie flow or kind of criticism shows up in the second film of the series Maze Runner.

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I've watched the first movie, simply The Maze Runner, repeatedly in a movie cable channel, I've forgotten which one. Personally I liked it, I mean the ending didn't look like an "obvious" open ended one, until of course that one scene that symbolized that its a series in the end credits.

As usual my mother asked me to watch the movies cause she wants to spend some movie time, plus free movies on that day. Lovely perks of the seniors. There were only two movies in the roster, sadly there was no Heneral Luna which is a movie that is locally trending with my friends and majority of the people I know thats got the same taste of entertainment or probably even better than mine. Either a movie about something relationship related "again" and a movie about kids running around trying to survive, or I assume are kids.

Basically watching and getting to know more about the universe of Maze Runners dystopian future made me realize that the second movie, no its not the times I missed those scenes from the beginning that I missed, that I am pretty much confused with some elements that felt "off".

Without knowing anything about the book, basing only from the movie. I was confused about several characters significance, as if their introduction and purpose was "great" yet their time in the movie or even circumstances felt lacking. True, we cannot expect any kind of detail focus as the books can give, but to the extent that I can feel it is not a good sign.

My personal nit-pick are Aris (Jacob Lofland) and Brenda's (Rosa Salazar) significance in the books, obvious by their sudden involvement and roles in the movie.

Dunno how "updated" this picture of him is, still...
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Aris is the character that is the "outcast" in the facility they were brought to prior from the ending of the first movie. He had little time to develop any kind of relationship or kinship to Thomas, the main. But circumstances and a sudden shift of personality from the book tells that Thomas is such a paranoid and curious cat that he was right to trust the information fairly given by Aris as if it was Aris' instinct to tell them. Assuming, he must've done this to all the new comers expecting some kind of rebellious source of energy when ever he shows them around. By instinct maybe, or what ever, Aris shows them. The movie not clearly showing whatever motivation, well besides being paranoid. Whilst compared to the other kids in the facility.

However, I do understand if not much of the kids in the facility would be willing to trade the comfort for something perilous as suspicion of their food and shelter source. Nevertheless, it was something I found lacking in explanation on why. So basically I'm ending Aris' existence as a spur of the moment.

Further information about Aris, researching about the book of course. Aris seems to be a completely important character as he shared a telepathic connection to both Thomas and Teresa, main lead female (?) from the previous movie although we are basing in the books now. Of course another lacking element in the movie.

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Second character nit-pick, Brenda. I shipped Brenda to Thomas the moment she showed her face. Clearly my fan girl side showed, although I did not squeal. Her role in the movie was quite significant, besides being the only other girl Thomas clearly showed interest to. Checking on her, book version, I was correct to ship her to Thomas even though I'm not quite sure how they end up.

Her character, and the actress, portrayed a strong girl. Not just in opinion but in surviving as well. Something that awfully attracted me to her, plus her round eyes. If I compared movie Teresa with movie Brenda in the current movie, they flowed so differently that it even clearly showed that Teresa was finally shifting sides. Although it might be intentional. Meh.

To me it's a matter of taste. The most shocking part for me in the movie was Minho and how...well you'll have to watch the movie for yourself because the only thing I needed to nit-pick were the characters. The flow of the story is the typical dystopian world with an infectious mankind killing virus. What stands out in this story and movie, besides a hand pick of characters some girls would like to fan over, is probably the attempt to reach out to the fan base.

Which by now might be rolling over their beds from sheer disappointment or pride of how the 2 movies has run.

Inevitable . Antisocial? . Onision universe

This may sound weird, but people who give advice and has an official title to give so for specific parts of life in general is respected. You gain a sliver of trust due to that established societal method of acceptance, which I pertain is the title acquired from years of studying and practice.

The issue I see here is the distribution of or who you choose to trust.

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Recently I've been smothering myself with Onision videos, specifically his outspoken opinions about topics he is asked in his website or forums under the YT channel Onisionspeaks. I collectively view all his videos in that channel as his point of view alone and to whoever gives a fuck and for his fans or listeners, they're free to listen to it. Listen, regardless of whether his opinion or conclusion to the topic would match the listeners P.O.V. or not.

Again, since I'm kind of immersing myself with stuff about him, I tried going back to some of his videos disregarding all the questionable and dramatic content. Curiosity is one thing that won't be taken from man I tell you.

I discovered one of his life dramas, namely the one about his ex-girlfriend Shiloh. Who I discovered is a singer before she got involved with Onision, lets just call him Greg. (In context with Shiloh, I like her music. I hope she comes back, as I hear she hasn't done any since 2005/9(?). Kudos to her career)

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That sources' article is funny, but intriguing *shrug*.

I do not like or patronize the action of posting too personal stuff online, since I am generally a private person. But, come on, who doesn't like the drama (and it's the person who's posting the private thing is the one at fault for deciding it generally). Any-many, I saw a lot of mental and emotional stuff enough for me to re-watch it just to confirm that what I heard was what I heard. 

Messy and sad comes into my mind. Greg's choice on how to handle his problem, involving the opinion of several people who is allowed to view his videos made me think every single break up he has gone to is just an act. But who am I to be confirmed of this, personally I'm not going to go deeper, but it was sad.

Moving on to that sad thing is the tons of criticism he received with his "advices". I watched one video, from KSicFlip, about Greg giving an advice to one of his patrons who is thinking of killing their self because of their abusive mother (got a shock that the Onision video linked in reaction video I watched is incorrect, or sort of incorrect since their wasn't even any mention of suicide, but KSicFlip must be just generalizing the whole style of how Onision advices). KSicFlip is against Greg's words in the video. Later maybe I would post the video of the critic for me to remember everything (I did!).

Personally, the only thing I did want to say was, everyone has selective anything. And to me the person who made the criticism just did selective anything. I remember listening to the video, and I know Greg noted in the middle of the video, at the end of some parts of what he said and at the end of the video itself that the only method is to ask for help that's why he pointed out the hotlines.

That's the only thing I want to point out, and possibly the only thing I saw that Greg wanted to pin. However I do agree with the critics other words, giving advice on holding on ones life and trying to take a hold of it and stuff, when I heard Greg say those things I remember myself when I give advice to some of my friends who have issues about something.

I know I'm just spouting words to give them a smidgen of confidence for them from what they feel. But it doesn't mean we're dismissing the severity of the situation when we say it, and if the situation does need help greater than a boost of life confidence giving them information they need that might help is the next best thing.  I do feel guilty of saying it to them harshly, but I had good intentions to the person. However it wasn't her cup of coffee, it hurts that they perceive it differently but I can't control what anyone would think once I spout the words I intend to help (defensive, eeeeey!).

I guess each one has their own opinion that they know can help, same as with the KSicFlip and the one Greg gave to the person who asked help. But in the end these are just words and options given to the person who needs it.

Personally I'd rather look for it myself, especially if it's gonna be hard to decide when you hear peoples opinion of the situation. Sadly not every single being rolls like each one, so as a small whisper of hope for the good that they get to stand and decide it for themselves whatever the method. Or you can just go end everything. Not much choice if one person begins to think drastically towards the brink of life. (reason why people act involuntary acts of kindness, but thats another story)

Edit: Kinda realized this is a slightly biased rant for the side of Onision more? Oh, well, hypocrite and a fan *shrug*. What can I say.

OnisionSpeaks >> join him

movie list: Fantastic 4 (2015)

This might be one of the not so great and not so bad movie I have watched for this year. You could say I'm not correct but honestly it's just my opinion of it. Plus I'm not a fan of the franchise, and making a quaint judgement for the whole production plus movie...it really is mixed.

First off let me introduce Fantastic 4, with little knowledge of what I knew of the whole universe from Marvel, its a group of people that garnered super powers from some meteorite somewhere because of science purposes (I don't know the whole story okay, you can go check this out: Wiki-article). And now because of this cosmic change in their DNA they gained powers and well they help man kind with whatever evils has befallen the unfortunate world of ours, in their universe that is.

Eventually I have come to shed light and simple words of comfort for the Fantastic Four franchise of 2015, at least my mother said she was good with the movie. Even I myself is shrugging at the so-so-ness of it, however its entirety as a movie in the SUPER category, the way it was produced. Could've done better. Even the flow of the story, its a good story starter, but it wasn't stable enough. In a sense its a let down, but its a good base. The base that was half baked and should've been produced better.

What happened? No, I don't really know. Some sources here tells me that the director had big plans but who knows. They say its FOX, you know like FOX channel and stuff, and the way they handled the whole thing. How uncreative they became in choosing their cast, and even their choices of staff (a.k.a director).

However the choices were poor and unexpectedly disappointing short of coming, the end result will still hold, that the movie was a big flop in an embarrassing sense. It would've been better if it was an obvious brunt on the face like M.Nights' Last Airbender. Now that one I agree didn't have a good directing. This movie, Fantastic Four, has a style, its just not for the story nor the franchise. The whole thing felt like a waste of time and talent.

Sad.

movie list: Minions (animation 2015)

Yesterday (to clarify, July 21 21015) my mother wanted to spend her morning with a free movie in our local cinemas. Here in the Philippines, there are thousands (not really, but it sounds like it) of political rackets for every area and their method of treatment for the Senior Citizens. One of which is to give one or two days of free movies for them to view. Whatever movie in the cinemas the old 'uns want they're free for the whole day, just as long as they present their movie pass.

Well to cut the morning story short, I ended up treating my mother and we both watched Minions. Those yellow gibberish talking walking pills.

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As everyone knows, or maybe some of, the Minions originated from the movie Despicable Me (starring Steve Carell as Gru, yes I need to state this, BECAUSE!). These seemingly "cute" pill shaped creatures are the "evil" minions of the "evil-villain" named Gru, and according to the story has been with him since he can remember (or maybe I missed the part where he explained how he got to have them?). On a side note, the movie DM is a commercial success majority of the reason is because of the Minions, is what I'm assuming, according to what I can sniff around marketing and media exploits.

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I did not know this happened. Where was I when this happened!!
He looks like Penguin from the Batman series...

Its quite a nice move to make a movie that explains the origins of the Minions, although I'm fairly satisfied just assuming that they were accidents made by Gru's scientist assistant. Discovering though that they were undoubtably natural causes (spoiler) from our own world (or their world) kind of makes you think how come they never really got to evolve. They were born the same way as anyone, through scientific explanations of course, and eventually watched the world evolve while they abruptly stopped evolving (physically that is, mentally a wee bit).

They were explained as creatures that sought the evilest being and make this evil being their "boss". The "boss" that they dreamed of following, (spoiler) which was actually shown from their conception through the eras I could not possibly know which (I'm not well versed with my sciences and histories). I could say they are affectionate towards the stronger, the one who can in any manner conquer by any means possible for psychological reasons maybe.

So goes the flow of the story till the moment they met Gru, (spoiler) kid Gru making a cameo by the end of the movie. Big things happened in the events before they met Gru, but I could tell that the simpleton plot of the movie would actually attract kids. Kids aged 8 below, or possibly lesser than 5. The story is so simple, the execution and scenarios completely random that you might say you paid to watch a Tom and Jerry show for 1 hour and a few minutes (not that Tom and Jerry doesn't deserve to have their movies be shown in cinemas and paid the same amount).

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Just, as a simple person (ah yeah, simple, ah...hahaha), of course I was quite amused by all their antics and gibberish. Before I did watch the movie I've heard that the movie had negative reviews, guessing it would. The story seems so random and everywhere. Villain with a shallow purpose, and for some reason it felt like the Minions became icons of heroes even though its much better to just retain their "dumb" like stand as a character.

To a child's point of view its a good satisfying movie, simply amusing and childishly entertaining. But as an adult who seems to have acquired a critic self, my simple self says its amusing and considerable, critic however says its not worth to watch if your aim is to see the retention of the Minions character from the DM franchise.

manga list: Pluto (seinen)

Urusawa Naoki is one of the mangakas that really hit me in the spot. I know I've expressed something about his works before but I don't remember how thorough I gave my impression of it. Thinking, maybe I have expressed that over whelming "fuck you author you made me think, i love you" emotions I always have when I adore a work of fiction, but with a different titled book of his.

My only method of being a fan girl is common, again here I am going to express it by drooling over one of the afore mentioned mangakas work, and the focus is pointed out on one of the insanely coolest "doujin collaboration" I have ever encountered in my life as a netizen. PLUTO.

The manga has been listed in my head as one of Urasawas works that I needed to read, besides Monster and 20th Century Boys. I've actually started reading it multiple times but never got to finish it as I have the habit of having the best luck in deciding to read the manga in the wee hours of my desire to rest (or my body's sleep time clock). Recently I've just read and finished it, so far I've still got my feels for it albeit just expressing it lightly here.

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The story is set in the universe of Tezuka Osamu's famous anime/manga Astroboy, with a little real life tweaking from Urusawa. Thus I dub it as "doujin collaboration", its a real grand doujin with actually having a famous author approved to use the characters of a legendary artist.

Story goes that a murderer is out to kill the most advanced AI's known to man in their current time. Its trace cannot be subjected to man as there is no traces of and neither a robot for no robot has ever disobeyed one of the greatest laws it was built with. To solve this case a highly sophisticated robot named Gesicht from Interpol was assigned to solve it and the mysteries that will intertwine deeper in the story. Its a very emotional chase, not that action packed, but like Urusawas style, strikes a chord inside your belly by his method of story telling.

Like most of his works, he highly focuses on the development of each involved characters into something you can surely sympathize on a scale of familiarity. They dissolve each mystery and insecurity upon the slow progress of the case into fairly dissected emotions and philosophical theories. Meeting up to this point or getting choked up into dying before even solving the case, you'd be caught analyzing even for them the rational and sensible questions even you yourself can relate highly.

His style is not focused on the action packed sense and almost all the fight scenes are limited to a quick shot put battle. The longest was at the end which was tasteful as seeing everything was beginning to make sense and has now a clear path to tread on for an actual purpose to fight. This reminded me greatly of Dianne Wayne Jones method of writing. There are so many moments of build up and release but never to a point that it explodes on your face because a new build up was going to catch you just in case.

This method of writing is captivating to me, albeit I clearly remember forbidding myself to read Urusawas works due to it being emotional to a pin prick point ouch to my heart. Giving a reader as much small leeway when it comes to the climax is like a good sex, and I don't know why I compared that to sex but lets just say thats that.

I don't know much about the characters histories in Tezukas Astroboy universe so I have little to compare to, except of course for Atom/Tobio. Tobio was the only robot that I clearly know, or a wee bit well than the others, due to me encountering a series about him in my childhood days. And he is basically the famous of Tezukas success.

Tobio was one of the reasons why I wanted to read the manga, although I like Gesicht as well. I was captivated on how he was portrayed in the story. Clearly a great contrast to his counterpart in Tezukas universe. Honestly, I can blame Urusawas method as most of the action packed thrill of the universe was mellowed down. Still it gave me a satisfying taste when I saw that he depicted Tobio as a completely normal boy.

Normal in every sense. He was a caring brother and child to the elders. Respectful and generous if given. The desire to yearn has built in his system like a good child should. Over all he was too perfect as an AI but imperfect as a human being. Which was one of the main points of the story. Urusawa built the concept of the plot towards the identity of an AI that can copy a human but never be completely human because they do not have that one universal concept man is greatly known for. The irresistible urge to hate.

Robots cannot innately hate anyone unless they were programmed to, and of course even in this universe who would want to implant something explosive in the body of a bigger threat against anything living. Hate was the one thing that, by concept  of Dr. Tenma in the manga, would make a robot perfectly like a human. I quite agree in that, eventually it made me think if i compared a human specie against any creature from the category of the animal kingdom. Conclusion though, at some degree we are the same but for the reasons, which may contrast and greatly vary on occasions.

But implanting hate into a robots AI, is simply monstrous as it is clear in evident and even in fictional history that hate is the one thing that can burst human kinds bubble into a dwindling race of ashes. Running on it like an endless energy drink can bring the world or any creature into its end, especially if given the right kind of imaginative device of destruction. Something even the robot characters involved in the story shudder and regret the greatest upon their moment of death.

Clearly alot of people are aware of this, but are they competent and strong enough to fight one of the strongest and perfect imperfection of man called hatred?

movie list: Strange Magic (Animated Movie 2015)

I've been excited to see a funny looking movie since I saw its trailer in the start of this year. The title, Strange Magic. Honestly I didn't even try to anticipate it in the local theatres, however I did want to see it be locally shown. But it seems like fate had a different plan for the movie. According to what I saw it didn't receive that positive of a reaction from the masses. Kind of did not expect that at first, but since I wanted to watch it despite the negative stuff I hear about it, I sought out a copy of it.

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Summary, no spoilers, trust me. It's a story about a kingdom of Fairies and Goblins. Where the idea of a love potion is forbidden. Eventually some rules got broken and all hell broke loose. Someone became a hostage, three people tries to save her. Two actually feels responsible and sensible and heart wrenched for their mission, one just likes to be macho about it. Alot of lame puns and singing in the most weird mashup, but nice ring in it, ever.

Wait, I just felt like I said a lot of spoilers than I intended to keep? Totally do not trust me when I say "NO SPOILERS". Ever. In the near future.

Oh, well. It's not like its a big deal. Because eventually this movie has me going fifty-50. Fifty for being pun-ny and at some point cool in concept and art design, while the other 50 just made me cringe at several shallow concepts and loop holes in the story that I felt like I knew but forgot due to the pun-ny-ness.

Can't help it, I'm originally a shallow person. But it can't escape even the shallow me to notice a lot of potential gone down the drain if it was thought of well, in the story and the characters personality design I mean. Not piling it out is something bland that I shouldn't do, BUT, I'm going to do it.

I'm not gonna pin point every single what was wrong about in the movie, because I can't be a hypocrite by saying I did not enjoy the movie. I enjoyed it. All those pun intended moments, lame placed jokes that were obvious modern references of true to life societal personalities and the facts of life and what not. Plus the weird ship of the "villain" and "heroine".

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Yes, I ship the Bog king and Marriane romantically. They're very existence in the story is an actual (or physical) representation of the idealistic concept of falling in-love. Both experiencing heart aches in their own, in the story, for rushing in love. However I did not ship them due to that fact, because they're going to heal each others wounds, etcetera. Shipping them was what I did even before I got the chance to confirm it by watching the movie.

I shipped them because they had a perceived contrast slash similarity in personalities. I only had the trailer for reference but they felt both spunky and hardened warriors. They have the impression that they would stand firm in their perceived conviction and morale. Eventually they were both sappy heart broken beings, that needed a whole gallant battle just to realize they love each other. Of course my guess of their personalities was still there so it like it wasn't a lost cause for me guessing, and my shipping their romance.

In the end I wouldn't recommend this movie, wished it was premiered in February instead of January due to sappiness and again I have encountered a use of a whole concept of a universe wasted by a simple shallow story that told of romance in the most musical action-fantasy "packed" way.

critique-ing . spoilers . Poltergeist(2015)

So far I've been an avid movie goer (watcher? viewer? fan?) since the dawn of me spending too much time with my mother, yes I haven't moved out of my parents house, and have countless times watched movies good or bad. But it was only when I reached the age of more than 20 and just became aware that almost all movies are remakes from some era, that I became a truly grumpy critique, well, to me its already grumpy. Not that grumpy grumpy though, cause I appreciate what the modern movie production groups and stuff are doing. Hey, it's not bad to see remakes of alot of movies from the era of pioneer, golden, silver, and overly what ever generation. Its a nice opportunity to attract young'uns to get into the cult base, if the movie series or not has one.

(credits for the images: LINK, haven't really read the article but it looks good, sorry for just viewing the images author of the article oTL)

Yet, it cannot escape the horrible truth about the fact of "shallow" content or production. The movie may be "well made" and the modern graphics and stuff technology is considerably used through out. But, it gets me when the movies story flow just goes down a wee bit the drain.

Concerning, my latest example of this would be the movie Poltergeist(2015), which has been recently premiered in our local theatre's (I know it was released earlier in other countries). I've watched the 80's (?, yes wiki says so, such a reliable temporary source that can well be edited in the near future by scumbags that wants to edit the information falsely, maybe) version when it was shown in our local channels back in the 90's. Back then I was still a wee liddle tyke, and watching horror movies contains several covering of my face just so I won't be scared of the possible jump scares.

Eventually I haven't got over with jump scares, OF-COS, but I did have a twisted sense of what makes me laugh and the only difference now is I laugh more at some jump scares than actually be surprised. Back to the movie, we watched it and of course I didn't expect it to try and be the exact copy of its predecessor back in the 80's. So I wasn't THAT disappointed when the tiny woman medium with a tiny voice wasn't in the movie, however I was hoping she was.

Zelda Rubenstein as Tangina Barrons
(source: http://rhinoshorror.com/2012/04/05/a-look-into-the-poltergeist-curse/)
(note: oh gohds, why is her name, when pronounced in the right way is a cuss word in our country LOL)

She was the number one missing essence for me, I mean yes mister Jared Harris' character as that awesome medium that knows all etcetera actually made a nice impression, however I feel like at my age right now I'm becoming tired of encountering the stereotype black coat, black hat wearing, many scars from experience bragging, super mysterious but sometimes light hearted (or not) man that is the needed factor to save your princess from them ugly rotting dragons. I can compare Tangina to the medium from Insidious, but her charm is just different of course, to each their own.

source: http://filmjunkieconfessions.blogspot.com/2015/06/a-screening-of-poltergeist-2015.html

The end result of my reaction, if I compared it to the 80's version:

• The feel of the script, how they entered snippets of modern media "comedy" or "light hearted family humour" doesn't really cut to the 80's version, it just didn't feel natural against the plot.
• Casting was good, rewritten personalities of the characters (if compared to the 80's version) is "lovable" or "adorable" for me. However the seriousness of the plot doesn't seem to fit them to a POINT that when they do take the whole thing seriously there wasn't enough tension to build it.
• The jump scares as usual caught me off guard.
• Elements that were used to scare the children (Elder sister, first child: basement boss where mud glops out of a chip from the cemented floor and the potential bony love interest dragging her to their new home in the alternate dimension. Elder brother, second child: clown toys boss and tree boss. Younger sister, third child: closet boss) were actually cool, just cool. The clown was cute, definitely a keeper. A friend of mine however will not like him / her.
• Ghost science, the normal ghost science enhanced with the modern graphics of today is typical. The ghost history however feels white-washed (was that correct?), there was no intense build up for my opinion. It got lost somewhere. I think.

Over all, in the harshest words I could muster, it was a let down. Giving it a chance, its a good shallow and cheap ride. Don't get me wrong, I haven't read the article of the production groups true true intentions with this movie. However I cannot help but consider this as a remake of the 80's, unless there was an older one maybe I can get newer reaction feels, and comparing the two is inevitable considering the quality of the wasted tension in the story.

I'm surprised actually that I critiqued it, and was let down. Its different when you have feels towards what you knew and suddenly see a remake and hope it was good but was just so-so.