Rogue One - A Star Wars Story - Movie Review

I'm a big Star Wars fan since I was a little. Eps IV was amazing, and I still held up to this day that Eps V is the best Star Wars among them all. I personally loved Star Wars Eps VII. (Which I already write the review of it last year in here). So here we are, another year, another Star Wars movie! And this time is a spin off movie. It takes place between Eps III and Eps IV. Or should I call it, it's Star Wars Eps 3.8 Final Chapter Prologue (HD ver)? (I'm sorry, Kingdom Hearts fans, I can't help it. The similarities are uncanny XP)
So jokes aside, This movie is directed by Gareth Edwards, the one who is responsible for Godzilla (2014) which honestly let me dissapointed. When I watch this movie, I was kinda worried about that. But my god, I was wrong. So how was the movie? Let's just jump into the review, shall we?

Story
In Eps IV, there's Death Star, the weapon of mass destruction that could destroy a planet in one shot! And in this movie, it's the story about how that Death Star's plan got stolen. You know. that title crawl at the beginning of Eps IV.

I just have to put it here, to make sure that we are in the same page. 

 My thoughts on the movie

1. First of all, this movie is a breath of fresh air for me. It feels like "different" Star Wars movie that I'm already familiar with. In this movie, it feels like that we see a "different" side of War on that galaxy far far away. The wars seems more realistic and gritty this time. Of all times, we see that the Rebellion is the good guy and the Empire is the bad one. And Rebellion seems "clean". But it's different in this movie. We will see a morally ambiguous moments from the Rebellion side which make them have to "dirty" their hands because they have to make the call for it. 
2. I must say, this movie is the PREQUEL that we deserve and we need! It added a new layer to the plot. And that layer added a new perspective on how we see this universe in a whole. And it answers the BIG question if you watched Eps IV. 
3. Just like any other Star Wars movies (prequels are not included). This movie has some witty and quirky dialogue. And every humor in this movie doesn't feel forced at all. *pun intended
4. In my opinion, the main characters in this movie are very likeable. They have their own role in this movie, and they serve a purpose until the end of movie. They are there for a reason. K-2SO is the best character! Somehow I feel that he is Sheldon (from The Big Bang Theory) in Star Wars Universe! 
5. For those who expect to see a lot of Darth Vader in this movie, well, He's not in this movie that much. But when he do, OH MY GOD! I feel like that Darth Vader finally redeemed his image from the Prequel Trilogy. From a whiny teenager who used "I don't like sand. It's coarse, rough, and irritating, and it gets everywhere." as a pick up line to the most badass and menacing villain in the movie ever!
6. This movie has the most intense battle of all Star Wars battle ever! The stakes are high! And also there are some brilliant moments in the battle. It was really engaging, fun, and intense!
7. The soundtrack is done by Michael Giacchino, and maybe it's just me, the soundtrack doesn't really stood out to me. But it's still atmospheric and suits the tone of the movie.

One of the problem with this movie is just I wish we got more a background story on the main characters. Like Chirrut Imwe and Baze Malbus. They seem that they have been friends for a very long time. But we don't get a glimpse of their past in this movie unfortunately. The other problem in this movie is the pacing on the first act. It was really fast and it goes all over the place to introduce the characters and so on. But that doesn't take my overall enjoyment to this movie

So here comes the final verdict. Should you watch Rogue One : A Star Wars Story? If you are a long time Star Wars fan, You SHOULD watch this movie! For a new comer, this is not the best way to start your Star Wars experience. My recommendation to the new comer is at least you have to watch Eps IV first before you watch this movie. That'd make you have a better understanding of the overall movie! XD. Rogue one is an awesome movie, It is very entertaining. It feels like a "different" Star Wars movie, but it's still a Star Wars movie. And this is the prequel that we deserve! As a long time Star Wars fan, I'm satisfied with this movie!

So that's it from me guys, I hope that you will find this review useful. This is Reikichi, signing out!

Gojira (Godzilla) (1954) - Movie Review

Before watching this movie, I honestly never watched the Japanese version of Godzilla (shameful, I know). I grew up with the crappy Hollywood interpretation of Godzilla back then in 1998 starring Matthew Broderick. The movie sucked so hard and so cheesy. And they were teasing at the end of the movie that they'd make a sequel out of this. Thankfully that didn't happen haha.

Moving forward to 2014, yet again another Hollywood attempt on making the "King of the Monsters" movie. I had high hopes on that movie since it has interesting casts like Bryan Cranston (famously known as Walter White from Breaking Bad, which is an awesome series! You should watch it!), Ken Watanabe, etc. And again, was let down by that movie since it focused a lot on human drama rather than Godzilla itself. Seriously tho! Godzilla barely have screen time on this movie! Even the Mutos have more screen time than Godzilla! 

And the fight scene! Oh my god! Don't get me started on that! It's filled with a cock tease! We thought that we are going to see Godzilla and Muto duking it out! But NOPE! You won't see them fight! Even the movie is making fun of itself. "Let them fight!" says Ken Watanabe on that movie. But on a serious note, 2014 Godzilla movie is a far better movie rather than the 1998 one. And that final battle between Godzilla and Muto actually have a satisfying pay off!

So I was thinking to myself, where can I have the most authentic Godzilla experience? Of course the first movie! And then I watched it. Today, I'm going to talk the first Godzilla movie that was ever made in 1954. How was it? Let's just jump into the review! XD

Story
There's a ship get wrecked near the Odo Island. Japanese government sent a rescue team on a boat as well to save the remaining survivor. However, the rescue ship met the same fate as the first ship. It is believed that the ship is destroyed by ancient sea creature that is known as "Godzilla". The fishermen has learned about this legend and was told to be aware of that creature when sailing to sea. Reporters came down to the island to found that many things on the village is destroyed by something enormous. Hearing that information, the Japanese Government decides to send a paleontologist, Kyohei Yamane, to investigate the island. Later on, he found a giant radioactive footprint and a trilobite. Suddenly, the Godzilla appears on that island. Yamane saw the Godzilla. Fortunately, the Godzilla just showed up and returns to the sea.
Yamane came back to Tokyo to report his findings in the Odo Island. He told the government that Godzilla is evolved from ancient sea creature into terrestrial animal being. He also concludes that Godzilla showed up because he feels disturbed on his underwater habitat because of the hydrogen bomb testing. And later on, the government figure have some debate on the matter whether they should kill the monster or let him be alive.
What will happen to Japan? What will they do to Godzilla?

My thoughts on the movie

1. When you watch this movie in particular, you will see that Godzilla is actually an allegory of the atomic bomb that happened during the World War II. And this movie really nailed it on portraying the metaphor on the situation back then. When you watch this movie, you will feel the fear, depressed, the sorrow, and also how horrifying it is to live on that era.
2. The special effects on this movie seems dated if we look from today's perspective. (well, it's a 60 years+ movie, duh). But it's still pretty convincing and horrifying to see. I think people back then when watching this on a theater will feel scared back then (since it's just almost a decade after WWII). If we look at Godzilla, we know for sure that Godzilla is a person on a rubber suit. But still, this effects was a breakthrough back then. I read on the trivia (or you can watch it here) that the suit is too heavy for the suit actor that he can even barely move. What I love when I watch a very old movies is that the limitation is a big constraint back then. And how they overcome it with anything that they got to make a great scene is really admirable. And the result is a well-known classic that will be watched by generations to come.
3. When I watched the Hollywood Godzilla, I don't really care about the humans. But it's different on this movie. The characters actually matter to the plot. And most of the main character have some depth and development. Especially the scientist guy, Serizawa. We can see his dilemma on this movie. And it's not just a stupid moral dilemma. It's a high-stake dilemma that actually matters. 

So here comes the final verdict. Should you watch Gojira (Godzilla) (1954)? Yes you should! This is a classic movie that everybody should watch (moreover if you claimed yourself a Godzilla fan). The movie might seem dated (which, I realize that is a huge turn off for some people) but this movie is genuinely great. Everything in this movie is serious and there's no silly jokes just like the Hollywood one. Heck, I think there's not even one joke on this movie. You will feel the terror and horror of Godzilla in this movie. Every time he showed up, You will say "damn this monster is terrifying" especially when Godzilla destroys everything on his sight. The metaphor that Godzilla carries throughout the movie still quite relevant to this day (the effect of nuclear bombs and wars to the people). Stop the war and make peace people! And now, I can't wait to watch Shin Gojira. I hope this movie will be released soon here in Indonesia! It's directed by Hideaki Anno, the guy who made Neon Genesis Evangelion. The anticipation is real guys! XD

And that's it! My review on Gojira (1954). I hope that you will find this review useful. This is Reikichi, signing out! 

After Thoughts - Lost in Translation

So this is a new segment on my blog that I'd love to call as "After Thoughts",
It's basically my after thoughts after I watched something, be it movies, anime series, or anything.
Of course it contains spoilers (well, duh!). This is a review of the movie... welp, kinda! but more to my thoughts about it.

So I just watched this movie yesterday with my girlfriend, and I honestly loved this movie! I've heard a lot of good things about this movie but I didn't have a chance to watch it, but fortunately, I finally watched it.

The ending of the movie just hit me right in the feels, the story is focused on these 2 persons who stuck in Japan. 

The first one is Bob Harris, a well known actor played by Bill Murray, who is going to Japan for shooting some advertising and doing a lot of, you know, actor stuff there. And since he is busy with work. he forgot his children's birthday and sometimes having trouble with his wife. 

The second one is a housewife named Charlotte, played by Scarlett Johansson, whose husband is a photographer and rarely spend his time together with her. And she hardly enjoying her stay in Japan because she felt that she is marrying a different person right now.  

The main dish of this movie is the relationship between these 2 characters. 

This title is quite self-explanatory. Both of them are lost in translation since they can't really understand Japanese and both of them are lost in translation as in they are in a point where they don't know where to go in their life right now. 

Normally, we would expect them to hook up or fall in love in the end of the movie, but this movie didn't go there. They are just two persons whose life are stuck in the rut and they share loneliness together in the foreign world and I loved this idea!

I loved the chemistry between Bob and Charlotte throughout the movie. But in the end, they have to say goodbye which hits me right in the feels. And the thing that he whispered to Charlotte, I think he is saying a proper goodbye to her since he didn't managed to do so before he leaves the hotel. and maybe he is thanking her for sharing his loneliness together with him when he is in Japan.

Bill Murray's acting is superb here, I'm not really sure who is he playing here, is he playing himself here? Hahaha

Scarlett Johansson's acting here is good as well.

The cinematography is really good and beautiful. and honestly this is the first Sophia Coppola movie I've ever watched and I'm excited to see more of her movie.


So that's my after thoughts on Lost in Translation, have you watched it? Did you like it? Share your thoughts on the comments below!

if you liked this new segment, please let me know :)

This is Reikichi

Signing out!

Should a fictional story make sense?

Hey guys, welcome back to my weekly blog post! This week I'm going to talk about logic in a fictional story

What triggers me to post this is because I saw a comment in Attack on Titan Live action movie (which got a lot of bad reviews btw, but I'm not going to watch it haha) that comment was saying like
"Err Should a fiction movie be realistic? If a movie is realistic, well that's a real world sir!"
that person is commenting on the movie critique about this movie that told us that this movie makes no sense and not realistic at all.

that comment grinds my gears *seriously tho hahaha* (I spent too much time on the internet seriously, Sometimes when I don't know what to post, I read up the comments just for blog post material, oh me XP)

The thing is, that comment is neither wrong or right, every single movie or anime or books or manga/ comic are not real (depends on the source material too, if it is a biography or telling a true story events, then it is real). But what makes us feels absorbed to that described "world" is because every story has its own logic and concept. And what makes a good story if  the story is consistent with its own logic until the end of the story. (one factor point for me, actually there's a lot of factors that make a good story good)

When I told you that it is not real, it means that it is bullshit. And I believe that every single person have their own "Bullshit-tolerance" which means how much bullshit that you can tolerate when you encounter an idea. A good fictional story, which is consistent with its own logic would make you say like Giovanna Giorno

my girlfriend is already finished reading part 5, while, I'm still in part 4 lol

and one of the factor that makes a story bad is because that the story is inconsistent with its own logic would make you say "THIS IS TOTAL BULLSHIT!"
The problem is, most of the people didn't aware of this "Bullshit-tolerance"and have a high "bullshit-tolerance"
As for me, my bullshit tolerance is quite low since I am a very skeptical and logical person hahahah


Let's take examples from one of most #rekt anime that I've ever watched, BIRDALDNOAH.ZERO which is a total crap anime (but God-Tier Soundtrack,thanks to Hiroyuki Sawano). In this scene, they are fighting in outer space in a mecha suit and then there's this line in the anime. (This is not an edit or troll sub)

They actually say "Kaze" in this scene. which means "wind" so in their world there's a wind in the outer space. At first I was like, "Okay so in their world, there's wind in the outer space" trying to comprehend with the total bullshit that happened in this anime.The next thing I'm going to say is spoiler for Aldnoah.Zero which is for me is totally okay to be spoiled because it's already crappy anyway XP

Later on in the next 5-6 episodes, there's a fight between this Slaine guy with other count guy *i forgot the name* and they fight. and Finally Slaine wins the battle by beheading the enemy's robot which exposed the pilot to the outer space. and then he dies because there's no oxygen in the outer space.

so.........
there's no oxygen in the space? So WHERE DOES THE WIND COME FROM?? A WIND IS A MOVING AIR RIGHT? This kind of inconsistency makes me irritated.

Let's take a look for consistency of logic now. For example Psycho Pass Movie (which is awesome btw). There's a equipment in a bracelet that lets the person to translate foreign language to the user's native language simultaneously. This equipment is used by Akane Tsunemori when she deals with people in Shambala Float which is located *maybe* in Thailand or other South East Asia country. And when Akane is around, they talk in Japanese, but when they are not around, they use English. I just love that minor consistency

Another example is JoJo's Bizzare Adventure where the fights are using logic which is consistent throughout the series. Like their Stand can only be attacked by other Stand and could not be damaged by any physical material.

Or Inception where the dreams logic is very solid and consistent too through out the movie. About the layers of dreams."The Kick" and many more!

Edge of Tomorrow also have a very unique logic and story telling, which is time loop, It is consistent right till the end. I won't spoil it for you, but it is an awesome movie! If you haven't watched it, go watch it now! XD

So, answering the title's question, Should a fictional story make sense? The story can make no sense at all, but the way how the story is delivered should make sense.

How about you guys, have you ever encountered a movie/book/anime/comic/manga that makes no sense?