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jamesbgeorge
Reviews
One Piece (2023)
Safe viewing for manga/anime lovers.
After what Netflix did to Bleach and Full Metal Alchemist, I admit I pre-judged this series based on those terrible experiences, and initially swore off watching this at all. The buzz that it was good got me curious, and after re-watching the anime, I decided to give it a try - what did I have to lose?
It's not a perfect show, but it is worthwhile. It's not totally faithful to the anime, but given the pacing of the story, it's easy to see why some diversions were necessary. Overall - it's faithful to the core plot and carries the spirt of a grand adventure as well as the source material. If you thought the anime/manga was too long and exhausting, this adaptation is for you. The characters retain their charm (something I didn't think the actors would do, so kudos there), and one positive note is some of the stereotypes and tropes that are common in anime (women portrayed like Barbie dolls, dark-skinned men with racist-drawn lips) disappear in live action seeing them portrayed by real people.
The makeup and costumes are decent, and I was really worried about that One Piece is known for some crazy non-human characters. We haven't seen Chopper or Franky yet; that should be interesting.
Last thing I'll note is there is something here even if you have seen the anime/manga that's worth a viewing. Two characters that disappear in the source only to reappear almost forgotten and much later is Koby and Helmeppo. I liked how they expanded on these characters. I didn't need to see Helmeppo nude and not sure why that was necessary (don't let the younger kids watch), but I did love the new origin story behind his legendarily bad haircut. That was a new joke not in the source, and it was a good one.
Long story short, whether you're new to the series, or an old fan worried they'll ruin it - there's nothing to worry about. This series is just good fun. You might roll your eyes a few times at some minor things, but no more than the source itself, so it's a quality watch overall.
And Netflix - I hope you know how legendarily huge this story is. Don't you dare get fickle and cancel this mid-way. You're gonna have to increase your special effects budget for what's coming - you haven't even scratched the surface (can't wait to see the Marineford Arc). You hooked this fish; finish the entire story and reel it in or so help me...
Please Don't Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain (2023)
Please Do Destroy
I love the SNL shorts. I wanted to love this expansion into feature films. The troupe's charm doesn't carry for more than 10 minutes. By the end I felt like I was watching a bad porno with no porn, or one of those high school pep rally skits that really make you want to punch the actors in the face. At least now we finally know if Conan can act or not. You might as well have let him string dance; it would have shattered none of the reality of his performance.
I hope you guys try again. I think you could easily do better, just don't turn a 5 minute short into a feature film again. If you need a reason to watch the full film, stick around to see what happens to Gaten Matarazzo. That was the only fulfilling scene.
The Orville: A Tale of Two Topas (2022)
This episode deserves an Emmy.
This episode resonated with me so much I resurrected my otherwise useless imdb account just to praise it; I don't know a lot of others in my orbit that would care for my in-person commentary so online we go...
First off, I'm very middle of the road on trans issues - not an enemy nor an ally, even if not being a great ally makes me an enemy to some. I did not see this episode as a trans issue - though I suppose it will resonate differently with anyone depending that your individual perspective.
This episode resonated with me as a child that grew up knowing something very normalized and accepted in my culture all around me was wrong. I couldn't say anything about it, and I couldn't do anything about it, without risking different kinds of unhappiness either way. I grew up knowing despair and abandonment. I grew up knowing rejection. I grew up very much against the wishes of the kinds of commentators trying to trash messages like these as propaganda. I grew up knowing full well some wished I was also never born, and I know the battle all too well to struggle against believing they are right...
This episode was a very rare moment in TV you don't see often anymore - not entertainment though not void of it, but delivering a true human connection, and a true human experience you can't ignore without being a real "Klyden" about it.
Bravo Seth, the cast, writers, and crew. TBH The Orville has felt like the true spiritual successor to Star Trek and I know that gets said a lot and maybe overstated. But Star Trek was never just science fiction and never just purely for ratings (don't tell the network). You know you've hit the right tone when the same people that would have been angered by Kirk and Uhura kissing are angered by the same kind of raw human love and expressions of human self. That was what Star Trek was to me, and this reconnected with me again in the same way. Like I said, I'm middle of the road on trans issues, but moments like these reach even people like me, and only increase my empathy, and dare I say maybe make me a better person, hopefully. I'm glad to be graced with the gift of empathy for other humans and their struggles, even the ones I don't quite understand myself. I wish the rest of you trashing this episode were capable...
My only criticism of The Orville so far has been how it's kind of all over the map sometimes. One episode it's a comedy, one episode it's an epic, or drama, or sci-fi dystopia, and it can be disorienting. But now I forgive you, because this was a pleasant surprise out of nowhere. Keep being you Orville; keep surprising all of us.
Hagane no renkinjutsushi (2017)
Shame everyone making & supporting projects like this.
I actually enjoyed the original anime series more than the Brotherhood reboot which told the original story, but both deserved respect. What always made FMA great wasn't just good production quality, but larger, deeper dives into what it means to be alive, human, and flawed. It is no coincidence that the homunculi are named after the 7 deadly sins. FMA reminded us in a beautiful way that all choices have consequences we not only have to accept, but have to live with - and die with. And also, the line between sin and redemption is closer than we think.
This movie does NONE of that. It's a pure fanboy vanity piece that completely misses all points. While it surely had to leave out major characters and story arcs for time, the fact that it does completely strips away all subtlety and existential plot. They likely realized that just trying to write a 120 minute script, but didn't care much because they were so dead set on just making a movie regardless. It shouldn't have been done and it shouldn't have been made knowing that from the beginning. I could LARP the Bible in 120 minutes sure, but let's not pretend the result should even be within 9 stars of the original. This movie is what happens when LARPing meets fans meets monied film producers.
The opening sequence reveals all the bad special effects. The monsters keep damaging the ground and it's all repaired in the next shot, smoke keeps clearing inexplicably, or lack of it. Winry is god-awful, and is closer to japanese female stereotypes than the actual one-of-a-kind genius she's supposed to be. And OMG did they seriously just stick Gluttony in a horrible tooth costume and have him run around chasing people that are easily outrunning him, and reacting like he's Godzilla?!
Watching this movie is like reading the works of Ralph Waldo Emerson, then listening to them recited by Justin Bieber. The idiots all love watching some gussied-up pop icon looking deep and meaningful. The rest of us with a lick of sense realize we're just watching something great being completely appropriated for money and vanity. It's absolutely disgraceful.
If you insist on making anime into live action with so little care or thought put in, like ALL anime is equal and just candy for kids, then stick to Pokemon or some crap. At least I'd laugh watching that than cry as you ruin something that was already great.