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sparrowgirl
Reviews
Almost Famous (2000)
Go see Almost Famous, you won't be sorry!
I saw a private screening of Almost Famous last night and I can't wait to see it for a second time. Honestly, the whole cast is amazing and even though I don't exactly care for some of the actors, I didn't mind them in this film. Jason Lee was wonderful, as always, but this time in a different sort of character than I've seen him play in the past.. which is good, being diverse is always an asset to an actor. His singing voice is beautiful and he and Billy Crudup have great rock star attitude. Kate Hudson was amazing, I'd only see her in 200 Cigarettes and so was shocked to see her play a much more deep and sad role. This movie was funny, touching, sweet, and believable.
Gekijô-ban poketto monsutâ - Myûtsû no gyakushû (1998)
This is a wonderful, moving film that everyone should see!
I'm a nearly 17 year old girl, and therefore I am not the targeted audience for this film. However, as soon as my little brother introduced me to the world of Pokemon, I fell in love. And what's not to love? The TV show is smart, funny, sweet, and at times touching (I sobbed during "Goodbye Pikachu" and "Bye bye Butterfree"). There are plenty of characters for both girls and boys to identify with (which are something I think a lot of cartoons/video games/comic books lack these days) and it teaches good morals. So needless to say I was thrilled to go see Pokemon the first movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back, and today my Mom(who's also a huge Pokemon fan at age 47) and little brother and I went to the theater.
I was surprised to find the place was packed with a lot of boys who looked like they were at least in their late teens or early 20s. But of course there were plenty younger kids and parents there as well. My Mom and brother (who's 12 btw) had seen the Japanese sub-titled version of the film and had warned me that it was going to be a rather dark plot, and that it was sad... But I didn't expect what actually happened at all.
The first half an hour or so is taken up but a short, and very cute film called "Pikachu's Summer Vacation" which I became absorbed in as the 3 year old a few rows back! Of course it helped that my favourite Pokemon, Jigglypuff, had a part in it!
Moving on, the feature film, "Mewtwo Strikes Back" started out in a very dramatic, Batman-ish way, and I don't think that the younger kids in the audience were ready for that. The next part of the film, which introduces us to Ash, Misty, Brock, and their Pokemon, happens in a much lighter tone - like the show usually is, but that doesn't last for long. Soon afterwards our heroes, along with some other trainers are invited to a battle with someone described as the world's toughest trainer.
Now for those of you who've never seen Pokemon or know little about it, one of the important things to remember is that these are NOT war like battles and the object is not to kill anyone's Pokemon. What Pokemon battles are, is more like a karate match where they fight for sport until one of them is K.O'd (or fainted as they say in the video game). They never fight for the sake of fighting; they fight because it helps the Pokemon become stronger.
One of the things that I really loved about the trainers that were invited to this ultimate battle is that they really did love their pokemon and they cared for them, as one should with any living being. A lot of people tend to ignore this aspect of Pokemon and consider it to be a marketing scheme because of the tag line "Gotta Catch 'em All" but in truth it is not that way at all. On the show and in the game (although not in the movie) Ash's rival trainer Gary is obsessed with the act of catching as many pokemon as possible...And that's a trait to be looked down upon. Although Ash doesn't have as many Pokemon as Gary, he cares for the ones he does have and treats them as his best friends, and that's why he's the hero and Gary is not.
The new Pokemon in the film, Mewtwo, does not understand that many of the trainers love their Pokemon, because he was created by scientists for their own benefit and he has a strong hatred for humans because of this.
Once the characters had entered the Castle where this battle was to take place, the film became a lot darker and action packed. In turn many of the little kids who were there started screaming - but that's understandable, I mean I was freaked out by some of the things that happened! Also the intensity becomes a lot greater.
Never fear though, Ash being the brave person he is comes through and saves the day - with the help of the pokemon, and teaches Mewtwo that it isn't the life that you're given that makes you who you are, but rather it's what you choose to do with it.
I am a person who tries very hard never to cry in public places (which include movie theaters) no matter how sad I am. But with the Pokemon movie, I just couldn't hold back and spent the last half-hour of it crying my eyes out! Honestly, it touched me on a level that few movies have been able to.
The only complaint I have about it is that the soundtrack was made in extremely poor taste. I've been into Pokemon for about 2 years now, and I must say that with the exception of 3 songs on that album, the rest had NOTHING to do with the meaning of Pokemon or the film! It wasn't the fact that the type of music and the artists that were on the album are not really my style... But it was rather that the songs were *very* sexual and I think it's INSANE to put songs about "giving it to you" among other things, on an album that's aimed for children! Especially when there's nothing even remotely related to that subject involved in anything Pokemon!