MARIAH's THOUGHTS on The Addams Family (2019)

 

Genre:

Animated/Comedy/Family

Rating:

PG

Release Date:

October 11, 2019

DVD/Blu-Ray Release Date:

January 21, 2020

Run Time:

1 hr 26 min

Directed by:

Greg Tiernan, Conrad Vernon

Based on the Characters by:

Charles Addams

Executive Producers:

Kevin Miserocchi, Andrew Mittman, Joe Earley, Aaron L. Gilbert, Jason Cloth

Producers:

Gail Berman, p.g.a., Conrad Vernon, p.g.a., Alex Schwartz, p.g.a., Alison O’Brien

Production Co.:

MGM

Distribution Co.:

United Artists Releasing

Social Media:

   

Cast:

Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Chloë Grace Moretz, Finn Wolfhard, Nick Kroll, with Bette Midler, and Allison Janney

(For full cast and crew on IMDB)

Plot Summary:

Get ready to snap your fingers!

 The first family of Halloween, the Addams Family, is back on the big screen in the first animated comedy about the kookiest family on the block. Funny, outlandish, and completely iconic, the Addams Family redefines what it means to be a good neighbor.

source

~~~~~

*My Thoughts*

The Addams Family (2019) animated film revels in the kooky and creepy atmosphere originally presented in Charles Addams’ comics, the 1960’s, and 1990’s films, but it adds a modern popular culture twist to incorporate fans from newer generations. The beginning of the film starts with Morticia and Gomez at their wedding night and before the iconic family came together. At the wedding, they have Thing, Grandmama, Uncle Fester, and the rest of the Addams clan, but their happy night is interrupted by an angry mob. Fester, Morticia, Gomez, and Thing escape for a new home, find Lurch who would become their butler, and settle in an abandoned New Jersey asylum. It is a sweet and quick introduction. Now, skip thirteen years later, Wednesday and Pugsley are introduced going through their deadly morning routine including axes, guillotines, and living trees. This is where the film turns from just the Charles Addams’ caricature to another coming-of-age story.

 

Wednesday is not only iconic with her gloomy atmosphere and murderous attempts on her brother, but she now shows a desire for something new and rebellious. She desires entertainment away from her family. Pugsley is a mischievous and explosions expert going through the expectations of family tradition, perfectly executing the saber mazurka. After the fog and marsh around the old asylum clears away, the town below is revealed. It’s bright and happy appearance is different and strange to the curious Wednesday. While Morticia is skeptical of these new people, the new neighborhood of Assimilation piques Wednesday’s curiosity causing her to enroll in the local junior high. Wednesday chooses to start wearing pink and sparkly clothing. She seemingly assimilates into the neighbor’s lifestyle, much to Morticia’s chagrin. Pugsley, still at home with his family, is stressed because of the upcoming mazurka. Unlike Wednesday, Pugsley tries to embrace the Addams family tradition but still feels stifled. He is unable to be himself and express his passion for demolition. Altogether Gomez and Morticia struggle to raise their children instead of accepting them and their quirks, By the end of the film and after battling a mob of angry citizens from Assimilation, Wednesday and Pugsley learn to wholly be themselves and return to their kooky and death-defying lives.

 

The Addams Family (2019) enjoys the novelty of its predecessors but turned into a trendy retelling and lost its original allure. The 2019 film makes references to the recent adaptation of IT, inserts pop music, and makes the Addams seem more curious of others than a curiosity themselves. It also makes references from across the Addams Family history with Pugsley collecting road signs and incorporating a dance number like in the 1991 film, but it all felt so cliché when tied together with the pop culture from today. As the Addams family and townspeople learn to coexist with each other and the film includes references every few minutes, but it leaves behind the feeling of kooky and weird that made the Addams family so enjoyable. Nonethe ess, the The Addams Family (2019) film is entertaining and cute.

My rating:

MARIAH's THOUGHTS on Weathering With You (2019)

Genre:

Slice of Life/Drama/Romance/Fantasy

Release Date:

July 19, 2019

Run Time:

1 hr. 54 min.

Directed and Written by:

Makoto Shinkai

Studio:

CoMix Wave Films

Plot Synopsis: Tokyo is currently experiencing rain showers that seem to disrupt the usual pace of everyone living there to no end. Amidst this seemingly eternal downpour arrives the runaway high school student Hodaka Morishima, who struggles to financially support himself—ending up with a job at a small-time publisher. At the same time, the orphaned Hina Amano also strives to find work to sustain herself and her younger brother. Both fates intertwine when Hodaka attempts to rescue Hina from shady men, deciding to run away together. Subsequently, Hodaka discovers that Hina has a strange yet astounding power: the ability to call out the sun whenever she prays for it. With Tokyo's unusual weather in mind, Hodaka sees the potential of this ability. He suggests that Hina should become a "sunshine girl"—someone who will clear the sky for people when they need it the most. Things begin looking up for them at first. However, it is common knowledge that power always comes with a hefty price... [Written by MAL Rewrite] source Voice Cast: Kotaro Daigo, Nana Mori, Tsubasa Honda, Sakura Kiryuu, Shun Oguri, Kana Hanazawa, Yuki Kaji, Chieko Baisho

Full Cast

~~~~~

**My Thoughts** Note: This review contains SPOILERS From the same director and studio for Your Name, the viewer is offered another cinematic masterpiece and its name is Weathering with You. Within the first twenty minutes of this film, I was captivated not only by the visuals but the ongoing story. Weathering with You is set in a modern-day Tokyo with endless rain. Although it seems gloomy, the film is amazing at raising emotions of hope and joy and here’s why. It starts with a fourteen-year-old Hina Amano in a hospital room holding her mother’s hand until she sees a patch of sunshine. When she goes to investigate, it is illuminating a small Shinto shrine on top of an old, condemned building. Skip forward one year, the film switches to a sixteen-year-old boy covered in band aids, Hodaka Morishima, who has run away from home to live in Tokyo. From the start, it seems like both characters have a hard life or trouble at home. It isn’t until they find each other and Hodaka encourages Hina to use her prayers to make the sunshine that they begin to live and smile happily.

Of course, a film is not complete without some conflict. Early in the film, the weather maiden foreshadows Hina’s fate. When Hodaka is investigating the “100% sunshine girl,” he encounters a fortune teller that gives him information about Weather Maidens. Hodaka, also earlier in the film, found a gun and becomes a wanted suspect, Hina begins to disappear as a sacrifice for using her sunshine prayers, but before anything else can go downhill, they decide to run away together. Their friends and family get wrapped up in their desire to have a life together, such as Keisuke Suga. After seeing some resemblance to himself in Hodaka, Keisuke saves the boy from getting swept off the side of a ship headed for Tokyo and was the first employer to take in Hodaka. But as the police investigate Hodaka’s whereabouts and question his possession of a gun, Keisuke chooses to kick Hodaka out in favor of saving himself and his relationship with his daughter.

The accumulation of all these character relationships ups the drama, but I can’t possibly forget to mention the visuals of this animated film. The animation is fluid and the artwork otherworldly, no puns intended. There was a heavy emphasis on making the rain and water creatures iridescent. The colorful and transparent creatures played very well in Weathering with You’s attachment to mentions of mythology, but instead of a snow woman we get a rain maiden. Overall, I would say Weathering with You is a beautifully made film with emotional soundtracks to accompany it and a deep romantic storyline.

My rating:

MARIAH's THOUGHTS on Yuri!!! On Ice Season 1 (2016)

Genre:

Young Adult

Comedy, Sports

Anime

Season:

1

Episodes:

12

Rating:

PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

Run Time:

23 min. per ep.

Release Date:

Oct 6, 2016 to Dec 22, 2016

Directed by:

Sayo Yamamoto

Studio:

MAPPA

Produced by:

Dentsu, TV Asahi, Movic, Avex Pictures, CIC, Cygames

Plot Summary:

Reeling from his crushing defeat at the Grand Prix Finale, Yuuri Katsuki, once Japan's most promising figure skater, returns to his family home to assess his options for the future. At age 23, Yuuri's window for success in skating is closing rapidly, and his love of pork cutlets and aptitude for gaining weight are not helping either.

However, Yuuri finds himself in the spotlight when a video of him performing a routine previously executed by five-time world champion, Victor Nikiforov, suddenly goes viral. In fact, Victor himself abruptly appears at Yuuri's house and offers to be his mentor. As one of his biggest fans, Yuuri eagerly accepts, kicking off his journey to make it back onto the world stage. But the competition is fierce, as the rising star from Russia, Yuri Plisetsky, is relentlessly determined to defeat Yuuri and win back Victor's tutelage.

https://myanimelist.net/anime/32995/Yuri_on_Ice

Cast:

Toshiyuki Toyonaga, Junichi Suwabe, Kouki Uchiyama, Shiho Kokido, Yoshimasa Hosoya, Mari Doi

source

~~~~~

*My Thoughts*

Note: This review contains spoilers

This is my first sports anime and it might be because of my inexperience but Yuri!!! on Ice leaves much to be desired. It had a lot of hype online and among my anime friends. I got through the entire 12 episodes but was mildly entertained and only felt enthralled once or twice throughout the anime. It wasn’t as inspirational as it could have been and I don’t feel like it had a definitive end.

The story was sweet as Yuri is coached by his figure skating idol and brings in “man service,” light yaoi, messages of perseverance and determination, or sexuality. Each of these, however, were underwhelming. The plot follows Yuri and Victor as they begin their skating careers together as coach and athlete; their relationship heats up but dies down immediately. At first, Yuri feels very awkward with Victor and begins to warm up to him after displaying his determination to redeem himself as a figure skater. There are a few moments of intimacy but that’s about it. By episode ten, Yuri!!! on Ice shows the epitome of their relationship with gold rings but brushes it of as “good luck charms” and they seem to re-begin their relationship in a tepid mood. Are they engaged? Are they friends? Are they just trying to be professional at an event? I guess, that’s up for interpretation.

What caught my attention the most was the choreography and animation. The characters display their emotions through their skating but the lines in their faces get lost with the movements of the arms or legs. The skaters were graceful and the soundtrack was executed with elegance, as figure skating and music combine into a powerful performance. Yuri as a main character is very human; he shows insecurity, some development and confidence, and (sometimes) is honest with his feelings. His coach, Victor, is friendly almost day-dreamy and can do no wrong. Yuri puts him so high on a pedestal that’s it’s hard to focus on Yuri as the main character. A few in the supporting cast is probably more memorable with their different and outgoing personalities. It was interesting to have the various ethnicities displayed as figure skaters like Canada, Thailand, Russia, and Italy.

Overall, I wouldn’t recommend Yuri!!! on Ice to the next person I meet to get them excited about anime. It seemed like a one season type of anime. If it did end up with a second season, the studio could try to focus on more dynamic characters.

My rating:

MARIAH's THOUGHTS on Drifters: Battle in a Brand-New World War Season 1 (2016)

Genre:

Young Adult/New Adult

Historical Action/Adventure Anime

Comedy, Samurai, Fantasy, Seinen

Season:

1

Episodes:

12

Rating:

R - 17+

(violence & profanity)

Run Time:

23 min. per episode

Release Date:

Oct 7, 2016 to Dec 23, 2016

Based on the manga by:

Hirano, Kouta

Directed by:

Suzuki, Kenichi

Studio:

Hoods Drifters Studio

Produced by:

Hoods Entertainment, NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan, Shounen Gahousha

Plot Summary:

Shimazu Toyohisa, whilst involved at the Battle of Sekigahara, manages to mortally wound Ii Naomasa, but is critically wounded in the process. As he walks from the field broken and bleeding, Toyohisa finds himself transported to a corridor of doors, where a bespectacled man at a desk waits for him. This man, Murasaki, sends Toyohisa into the nearest door where he wakes up in another world. There, Toyohisa meets other great warriors like him who have been transported as well, to be part of a group known as "Drifters".
source

Cast:

Yuuichi Nakamura, Mitsuki Saiga, Naoya Uchida, Shiho Kokido

Full Cast



~~~~~

*My Thoughts*

Note: This review contains spoilers

From the creator of Hellsing!!! Drifters: Battle in a Brand-new World War is an anime derived from a manga series by Hirano, Kouta and started serialization in Shōnen Gahosha's magazine, Young King Ours, in 2009. For those (un)familiar with his style, it includes intense, serious tones and plenty of blood shed with thrown in comedy punches at unnecessary times. Drifters uses historical names from all over: Russia, Japan, America, Italy, etc., so brush up on your history or just google everything. This work gives the impression of a dark fantasy anime, as it holds nothing back with inclusions of war, rape, death, poverty, humanity, coup d'etat, and racism (albeit with different species like elves, dwarves, and demi-animals). Yes, it has a "good versus bad" introduction to it but it becomes more complex the more we learn about the Drifter's ideologies and the deaths of the Ends in their previous life.

The opening theme song and overall OST give the impression of an anime that doesn’t take its plot seriously. It’s jazzy and even it’s opening sequence has satirical animation. It only lightly introduces the characters but doesn’t show much about their personality. There was hardly a time where I felt too drawn into the anime because of the music. On the other hand, the animation didn’t miss a beat. Every slice of a sword or axe was accounted for. The ripples of a banner blowing in the wind or the beads of sweat rolling down a soldier’s face complimented the battle scenes perfectly, the only let downs are moments of comedic relief. At that moment in time, I was entranced by the episode only to be hit with flowers, goofy faces, and bright colors. I know it was intentional but please let the characters develop more before throwing that in the audience’s face.

The first few episodes are intense as it starts with a battle scene and introduces us to the main protagonists: Toyohisa Shimazu, a samurai who had died in 1600, Oda Nobunaga a powerful daimyo from 16th century Japan, and Nasu, Yoichi Suketaka from the Genpei war, each of them recruited by the mysterious Murasaki to join other Drifters. Toyohisa Shimazu acts as the fearless military general that can raise armies just by sheer courage alone, Nobunaga acts a brilliant strategist but does not truly understand the “hearts” of his soldiers, and Yoichi being the youngest is lively and fun for someone who can shoot three people (probably more) with one arrow. My beef with Toyohisa as the main character is that he is so dense and focuses on so little but I like his conviction, keep it up. Nobunaga and Yoichi… can stay the same. The other Drifters haven’t been fully introduced to me but all of them have a vibe to them that represents a different ideology. I’m guessing teamwork becomes an important part of this anime.

But what’s a story without conflict? The antagonists are called “the Ends” and are considered insane, abandoned, and work for one purpose. Each of them recruited by E.A.S.Y. and are figures that have been forsaken by their beliefs or died a brutal death, including: Joan of Arc and Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanov. The Ends’s leader is named the “Black King,” we have yet to see his face. So, there’s a lot of speculation with him but “being rejected by humanity” and certain scars may indicate Jesus Christ. Drifters’s plot is so... intriguing (to me at least) and a brilliant way to play with historical figures. It’s like a giant chess game between E.A.S.Y. and Murasaki with an entire world at stake. Season one leaves with a huge cliff hanger as war begins between the Drifters who lead (demi-)humans and the Ends who lead monsters or ogres. My only concern with that is the Drifters, although resilient, are only humans with tools but the Ends practically have “Jesus” who can heal all injuries and the Ends with magical capabilities. Like, “How dis fair?” I’ll just have to see in either the manga or season two.

I love Hirano’s work but that was also the problem with Drifters. It needed an extra push, as I was not the only person in the comments on Crunchyroll alluding to Hellsing. Maybe redesigning characters with different colors would be helpful because apparently, a homosexual version of Comte de Saint Germain wasn’t enough. “Joan of Arc,” the you say? I saw “Zorin Blitz,” from Hellsing, in both physical appearance to personality. “Rasputin,” I think you mean Rip Van Winkle. I think I’ll get over it as the series progresses because the plot escalates so well.

My rating:

MARIAH's THOUGHTS on Assassination Classroom Season 1

Genre:

Young Adult

Anime/Seinen

Action/Drama/Comedy

Season:

1

Episodes:

22

Rating:

TV-14

Run Time:

25 minutes

Release Date:

January 9, 2015 – June 19, 2015

Based on the manga series by:

Yūsei Matsui

Directed by:

Seiji Kishi

Studio:

Lerche

Produced by:

Dentsu, FUNimation Entertainment, Fuji TV, DAX Production, Lerche

Plot Summary:

The Earth is threatened by a powerful creature who destroyed 70% of the Moon with its power, rendering into the shape of a crescent moon forever. The creature claims that within a year, Earth will also be destroyed by him, but he offers mankind a chance to avert this fate. In class 3-E at Kunugigaoka Junior High School, he starts working as a homeroom teacher where he teaches his students not only regular subjects, but the ways of assassination. The Japanese government promises a reward of ¥10 billion (i.e. 100 million USD) to whomever among the students succeeds in killing the teacher, whom they have named "Koro Sensei" (殺せんせー Korosensē?, a pun on korosenai (殺せない, unkillable) and sensei (先生, teacher)). However, this has proven to be an almost impossible task, as not only does he have several superpowers at his disposal, including the capacity of moving at Mach 20, but he is also the best teacher they've ever had.

Cast:

Jun Fukuyama, Michelle Rojas, Lindsay Seidel, Tomokazu Sugita, Nobuhiko Okamoto

See Full Cast on IMDB

~~~~~

*My Thoughts*

An adorably sweet anime atmosphere but with a serious and menacing undertone. Assasssination Classroom made me think of whether the actions I take for the future are right, necessary, or for selfish gain; it’s not only entertaining, it is meaningful. This anime captured my attention within the first ten minutes. The intro song is catchy and happy, something that you’d want to dance to and is easily deceiving. The lyrics themselves tell the tale of determination and pressure required of assassins, while the title is blunt and to the point, the episodes contain meaningful lessons not only needed for middle school killers but also for life and succeeding in general. The story told in Nagisa Shiota’s point of view gives the viewer perspective on what it is like for the class 3-E to survive especially when everyone in their school expects them to fail and the whole world is at stake. From Korosensei’s perspective, however, he is by no means an antagonist despite the fact that he is the assassination target and actually encourages his the 3-E class in all their endeavors. The characters are cheerful, attentive, and lovable; if you’re looking for something mature I discourage Assassination Classroom.

My rating:

MARIAH's THOUGHTS on Tokyo Ghoul Season 1

Genre:

Young Adult

Anime/Seinen

Supernatural/Horror Action/Drama

Season:

1

Episodes:

12

Rating:

R-17

(contains violence & profanity)

Run Time:

25 minutes

Release Date:

July 4 2014 - September 19, 2014

Based on the manga series by:

Sui Ishida

Directed by:

Shûhei Morita

Studio:

Pierrot

Produced by:

Studio Peirrot, FUNimation Entertainment

Plot Summary:

Tokyo has become a cruel and merciless city—a place where vicious creatures called “ghouls” exist alongside humans. The citizens of this once great metropolis live in constant fear of these bloodthirsty savages and their thirst for human flesh. However, the greatest threat these ghouls pose is their dangerous ability to masquerade as humans and blend in with society.

Based on the best-selling supernatural horror manga by Sui Ishida, Tokyo Ghoul follows Ken Kaneki, a shy, bookish college student, who is instantly drawn to Rize Kamishiro, an avid reader like himself. However, Rize is not exactly who she seems, and this unfortunate meeting pushes Kaneki into the dark depths of the ghouls' inhuman world. In a twist of fate, Kaneki is saved by the enigmatic waitress Touka Kirishima, and thus begins his new, secret life as a half-ghoul/half-human who must find a way to integrate into both societies.

Cast:

Natsuki Hanae, Michelle Rojas, Sora Amamiya

See Full Cast on IMDB

~~~~~

*My Thoughts*

Animations is nothing to scratch at nowadays unless you’re trying your hand at 3D or CGI; Tokyo Ghoul follows with lovely details and pattern-like colors (meaning the picture isn’t flat like 90s’ animation). At first Tokyo Ghoul was just a manga that was passed along as scanlations through several sites but to me it made a sudden boom in popularity after the anime was released last year. It escalated quickly in terms of introducing Kaneki to the ghoul world that was literally in front of his face. The anime lacks much character development compared to its’ manga influence and all reoccurring characters are introduced by name and face only. The relationships are rather shallow other than, “We’ve known each other for a while already,” and it seems like the events pass by in a matter of 2 weeks. A time skip appeared because it was blatantly stated but that’s explored more in Tokyo Ghoul √A of the anime series. While the Tokyo Ghoul anime looks great with intense fight scenes, I think it could have done better with more support and a longer run time therefore creating a deeper story, more thought out characters, and a more emotional ending (all of this not including √A).

My rating: