talktojulia-1 Reviews

Death Note: The Last Name (2006)

Brilliant sequel

[10/10 · 19 April 2009]

Death Note: The Last Name is a brilliant sequel to the first Death Note and really develops the already capturing story line. It answers many unanswered questions from the first movie, as well as providing you with new questions, which are later answered in L Change the World. Kenichi Matsuyama and Tatsuya Fujiwara maintain exceptional performances as well as the new characters that are introduced. In this movie, you witness the battle of knowledge and wit between Light and L at it's best. I found the ending slightly confusing but after watching the movie a few times it became more clear and any elements that did not were resolved in L Change the World. The movie was superbly produced and the plot was once again intriguing, focusing not only on the main characters, such as Light, L and Misa, but also the Death Gods themselves. I would definitely recommend this movie to all Death Note fans.

Death Note: L Change the World (2008)

A good conclusion

[10/10 · 19 April 2009]

I am a big fan of Death Note and was very satisfied with the 'stunning conclusion' as promised on the DVD case. I think L is a very intriguing character and it was interesting to see a different side to the previous L we had encountered in Death Note 1 and 2. I think Kenichi Matsuyama is a remarkable actor and played his role exceptionally. I heard that he put a lot of his own thoughts and ideas into the character, who he seems to be very attached to from what I've seen in interviews. I can't imagine any other actor who could have played the role as well as Kenichi Matsuyama. He brings a kind of mystery and charm to the character, and you instantly feel drawn to him. The plot itself is attention-grabbing and it was nice to have a change to the usual Death Note story line. I think any more movies following that story line would have become slightly repetitive. The leap through different stages of time helped the viewer to understand elements they may not have fully understood from Death Note 1 and 2. The ending was well written and slightly heart-breaking, I still always feel like crying every time I hear L say his last line. Overall, I think it was a superb movie and definitely worth watching if you are a fan of Death Note.

Knowing (2009)

Great movie, terrible ending

[6/10 · 19 April 2009]

I am extremely torn between what to say about this film. I was completely captivated by the overall plot, constantly on the edge of my seat, until that is about the last 20 minutes. After that, I simply felt like laughing. The plot was very well written, combining elements from both horror and thriller; for example the 'whisper people' or the young girl at the very beginning. However, in my opinion, it all starts going down hill when you discover that the 'whisper people' are in fact shimmering, blue aliens who have come, it appears, to rescue the two young children, and somewhere along the line, provide them with rabbits. Throughout the whole film I had expected some haunting, psychological ending, but I was left disappointed. I don't want to criticize this film too much as I adore Nicolas Cage and think that he is a brilliant actor, despite what most people say. Regardless of the comical element of this film, I think he played his role well. I would recommend this film if you enjoy disappointment.

Face/Off (1997)

Awesome film

[10/10 · 19 April 2009]

I think the first time I came across Face/Off was when I was about 8 or 9 years old, and had walked in on my parents watching it. Of course at the time, I neither registered nor understood the film and it wasn't until about a year ago that a friend of mine recommended it to me saying it was "one of the greatest movies" she had ever watched. After watching it for the second time, I was completely hooked. I had never been much of a fan of action movies, but this film really stuck in my mind. The plot is captivating and the characters themselves are intriguing, and brilliantly played, especially by Nicolas Cage. I think this movie did him a lot of justice, considering he isn't one of the most liked actors around, to say the least (yet I can't seem to understand why). Unfortunately, not many people remember his role in Face/Off as it is quite old. I think the film was brilliantly produced, considering that it was made over 10 years ago, and will always be one of my favourites. I would definitely recommend this if you are interested in action films with a twist.

Fight Club (1999)

One of the greatest movies ever made

[10/10 · 19 April 2009]

To be honest, I don't think it's possible to sum up the greatness that is Fight Club in one paragraph, but I shall give it a try. The film consists of a psychological and beautifully twisted plot, which captures your attention from the very first line. The characters are portrayed remarkably, and the main actors gave brilliant performances. The movie is quite difficult to grasp at first glance and you may need to watch it a few times to fully understand. However, this may just be my judgement. The film gives a different and more complex outlook on life, and how even the average human being can be haunted and controlled by the obscurity that is our mind. Your life won't be complete until you have watched Fight Club; it is one of those few films that will stay with you for the rest of your life.

Death Note (2006)

Definitely worth watching

[9/10 · 18 April 2009]

I first came across Death Note about two months ago whilst absent-mindedly flicking through the TV channels. The movie was already half way through but something about it caught my attention and caused me to stop and watch, and I am so glad it did. I think the movie is brilliantly produced and all the actors played their roles perfectly, especially Kenichi Matsuyama and Tatsuya Fujiwara. The plot itself is also intriguing. Since watching Death Note, I've purchased it on DVD along with Death Note 2 and L Change the World, also brilliant movies.

One of my concerns is that some people may turn this movie away because of it's manga reference, and all I can say is that you would be stupid to do so. Although this movie is based upon manga, there is something about it that draws it away and makes it stand out. And in any case, manga is great.

I've heard rumours that they want to do an American re-make, which I think is a terrible idea. Death Note is Japanese and should be kept that way. Translating everything into the American language will make the movie lose it's sincerity and originality. Besides, how on earth will they find suitable actors to play L and Light and every other character? I heard that Zac Efron is one of the actors up for the role of Light, and although he is a great actor, I think he is probably one of the worst actors you could pick for that role. I dread to think who they will choose to play L. At the end of the day, Kenichi Matsuyama will ALWAYS be L in my mind. I'm not criticising American movies or anything, I just think Death Note should be left as it is, one of the greatest Japanese movies ever made.