The following video is a new cut to a previous episode of Cinematic Adventures. Changes include reedited clips and a new sense of presentation. Enjoy!
Following his review of Dragonball Evolution, Timdiana endures one of the latest films in the Dragon Ball franchise-Dragonball Z Battle of Gods. Who will survive this colossal showdown? Well it certainly won’t be Timdiana.
If there is one filmmaker who is an innovator to his craft it would be none other than Christopher Nolan. For over a decade the acclaimed filmmaker has made some of the most memorable blockbusters (not to mention some of my favorite films) like Inception and The Dark Knight Trilogy, and each of his films bring a sense of style to their respected genres. Now Nolan is back with a new twist filled blockbuster by the name of Tenet. Much like Inception, Tenet takes a known genre like spy movies and blends with a surreal concept such as time travel. Originally the movie was supposed to be released in July, just in time for the tenth anniversary of Inception, but the global closure of theaters prevented it from making its that date and so the film was move to start the fall season. Regardless of when the film came out, seeing what Nolan had in store for Tenet was enough for me to check out this blockbuster-and the movie did not disappoint.
The X-Men have certainly had a memorable time on the big screen. Since 2000, the iconic superhero team have been a part of cinema with an array of movies to its name; from massive adventures like X2: X-Men United and X-Men: Days of Future Past to more unique titles like Deadpool and Logan. However, since Disney bought 20th Century Fox, the franchise has come to a halt and its future is now a mystery. The series came a conclusion, albeit an abrupt one, last year with X-Men: Dark Phoenix, but it was not the last movie in the franchise as one remained in the form of The New Mutants. Directed by Josh Boone, The New Mutants is based on the X-Men comic series by Chris Clairmont and Bob McLeod which centers on the younger mutants of the X-Mansion. While there were interesting aspects surrounding the movie, such as its decision to have a horror aesthetic, the real story has been its journey to the silver screen as its been trying to hit theaters for over two years. From making room for other releases to the current pandemic, The New Mutants has struggled to arrive to the big screen but at long last it has finally made it and after this new superhero movie I find that The New Mutants was a different, albeit problematic, entry in the X-Men franchise.
DC Comics certainly made a statement this past weekend. When so many events have been cancelled because of the current pandemic, DC along with Warner Media and AT&T decided to take this opportunity to make something new for fans, and so came the creation of the DC Fandome. The Fandome was an all-day event that featured presentations covering the properties of DC Comics. With such an unprecedented event I decided to take a digital trip to the Fandome and I have to say that, for the most part, I was impressed. The event had several standout moments, like an intriguing panel about foreign voice actors dubbing Batman and a hilarious riff of Batman 66 by Batman Beyond’s Kevin Conroy and Will Friedle, but for me the main attraction was the DC Films; and they were there in full force. From the upcoming Wonder Woman 1984 to the anticipated release of The Batman, DC had plenty to showcased when it came its film division and here are some of the highlights from the Hall of Heroes.
When it comes to Dreamworks the animation studio has had its share of successful series like Shrek, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon. However, in recent years the studio has had difficulty establishing a new franchise that can live up to Dreamwork’s more popular series; well that was case until a few years ago when Dreamworks released Trolls: a movie based on the classic toy line. In a way Trolls took Dreamworks back to its roots by being an energetic musical and though it may not have been groundbreaking the film certainly made an impression by being an enjoyable experience. Needless to say, Dreamworks found success with the 2016 feature and with it came a new franchise for the studio. After a few television specials the colorful creatures would make a cinematic return in the new film: Trolls World Tour. Directed by Walt Dohrn, Trolls World Tour continues the adventure of Poppy and Branch by expanding the world of trolls. A sequel for Trolls was not unwarranted as there was plenty to explore in this zany world, and that idea alone was enough to get me interested to check out the new film. After seeing it for myself, I can say that Trolls World Tour brings the music-but it falls flat in certain areas.
Greetings one and all! It’s been quite sometime since I ventured to the movies. Some may say that a global pandemic would be a viable excuse for a hiatus but I’m not so sure. However the time away has not been all bad. It has given me some time to reflect on things such as what I want to do moving forward as well as provided me a chance to get some things organized. Needless to say this break has not been a waste, but I think it’s time to get back to work.
When it comes to fantasy the realms of magic have been defined with the likes of elves, trolls and dragons; and these beings have continuously played a role in stories for many years be it in novels or movies. So what happens when you take these mythical creatures and you modernize them? That is the question that surrounds the latest film from Pixar: Onward. Directed by Dan Scanlon, Onward takes a fantasy world and puts a modern spin on it by having the likes of elves and gnomes in an urban society. While this idea is not original, this new animated film still managed to peak my curiosity with its promising adventure. I ventured to the theater to see this magical quest for myself, and while it may not enchant Onward is indeed one of Pixar’s more enlightening films in recent years.
Adventure comes in many forms. Concepts such as grand scale journeys and personal quests are the backbone of storytelling and it continues to be effective for the adventure film genre. In this case the latest adventure to hit the silver screen is one that deals with a dog’s odyssey throughout the wilderness; which many may know as The Call of the Wild. The Call of the Wild is based on the acclaimed novel by Jack London and has been depicted on several occasions. The latest rendition is directed by Chris Sanders and brings the story to life in a live action film that is heavy on visual effects. The trailer teased an adventurous movie but it also appeared to be a journey that was a little too straightforward for my liking. After seeing it for myself I can say this adaptation falls under the saying of “what you see is what you get”, but in this case that was not a bad thing.
When it comes to new anime, none may have gained notoriety like My Hero Academia. The work of Kohei Horikoshi has become a prominent title for both manga and anime and the series continually makes its mark in pop culture. In 2018 the series made its cinematic debut with the film My Hero Academia: Two Heroes. While the movie had some issues, Two Heroes was an enjoyable experience and accomplished in bringing the series to the silver screen. Two Heroes was a success with the movie doing surprisingly well in the US market to the point where its limited release was extended. For this reason it came to no surprise that Two Heroes would not be the only cinematic adventure for Midoriya and the rest of Class 1-A, and sure enough the next installment for the anime has come in the form of My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising. Directed by Kenji Nagasaki, Heroes Rising was released in Japan on December 20, 2019 but now the movie has made its way to American theaters. Because of how impressed I was with the first film, and the fact that I am a fan of the series, I knew I had to see the new film for myself; and just like its predecessor Heroes Rising lives up to the series by being an exciting film filled with heroism.
When it comes to video games there have been many characters to define the medium; from a plumber saving a princess to an adventurer raiding tombs. Among these icons is a blue hedgehog who redefines the meaning of going fast. Since 1991, Sonic the Hedgehog has been a major franchise in the video game industry and, despite the series having its ups and downs, the high speed rodent continues to be a major player in video games with his various titles. Sonic has been no stranger to pop culture as he has had several comics and television series to his name, but now the blue hedgehog takes a new leap as he runs onto the silver screen. Directed by Jeff Fowler, Sonic the Hedgehog was originally going to be released last year but, due to controversy surrounding the character’s design, the movie was pushed back to the winter season. Now the film has hit theaters and as a fan of the series I knew that I had to see this adaptation for myself. There were a number of ways that this movie could have gone, but what came to theaters was a blockbuster that was as much a worthy adaptation as it was an entertaining experience.
