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Lee (2222 KP) rated Titans - Season 1 in TV

Feb 4, 2019  
Titans - Season 1
Titans - Season 1
2018 | Action, Crime, Drama
Outstanding. This is DC done right
As the DC movie universe continues to struggle with consistency and quality, it is so refreshing to finally come across a DC TV show as entertaining and as epic as this one. A show which, in my opinion, manages to get the tone and style just right, restrained at times, but constantly teasing much bigger and much more exciting possibilities. I struggle with most superhero TV shows, failing to get more than a season into shows like The Flash, or more than just a handful of episodes into shows like Daredevil or Luke Cage, but this one just got me hooked. It kept me engaged and enthralled through every single episode, and managed to tweak every geeky bone in my body during its final episode. It had a decent cliffhanger finale, an interesting post-credits scene, and I absolutely loved it. What Titans manages to do extremely well is with the introduction of its main characters. It does this slowly, but enjoyably, leaving much of their character traits and abilities to be discovered throughout the season. It takes a while for them all to come together as a team, but even when they do it's more about them discovering who they all are individually and how to deal with the dangerous situations they find themselves in than just kicking bad guy ass (although they manage to do plenty of that too!). Occasionally, an episode will end on a real cliffhanger, only for the next episode to go off on a tangent, exploring another character and their past. But it just works, developing and enriching the story rather than acting as unnecessary or frustrating season filler.

We kick things off by meeting Dick Grayson, or Batman sidekick Robin as he's more usually known. He's currently working as a detective in Detroit having left Gotham City about a year ago. When asked about his reasons for leaving Gotham, he puts it down to problems with a difficult partner, but he still likes to wear the Robin suit occasionally - picking up leads as part of his day job, then dealing out swift vigilante justice as Robin by night. The criminals can't quite take him seriously though - scouring the skies, wondering whether the more terrifying Batman is going to show up to help out his little sidekick. Robin can more than handle his own though, brutally taking care of business before growling "F*** Batman". Yep, if you hadn't already gathered, Titans is a much grittier show than animated show Teen Titans! This version is much darker - we get blood, we get violence, our heroes have sex and they also have potty mouths!

Next up is Rachel Roth, a teenager with purple hair who sleeps in a locked room with crucifixes affixed to the door, fearful of a dark entity living within her. She has a vision of Dick Grayson, who she has never met, witnessing the moment from his childhood when his parents died during their acrobat act, the Flying Graysons. Rachel is being pursued by a number of individuals for reasons that are unclear for much of the season and, following the murder of her guardian, heads to Detroit where she crosses paths with Dick. Meanwhile, a fiery redhead named Koriand'r awakens in a crashed car in Austria, with no memory of who she is. She learns that she has some pretty good combat skills and some cool superhuman abilities. She also discovers that she is on the hunt for Rachel Roth, but she has no idea why. There is also a teenage boy called Gar, who is able to shape shift into a green tinged tiger, but only when he's naked!

Along the way, as these core characters all come together, we're introduced to a variety of other weird and wonderful characters from comic book history. Some, such as Hawk and Dove, have a recurring and increasingly important role, earning one of the more enjoyable episodes later on in the season when we delve into their backstory. Other characters, such as Doom Patrol and The Nuclear Family are briefly introduced, only to disappear for now - although I'm sure we'll be seeing them all again in future seasons (hopefully). But it's when new Robin Jason Todd appeared on the scene, and then Wonder Woman sidekick Wonder Girl, that I really started geeking out. New Robin is younger and much more sadistic than his predecessor (Robin 2.0 as he puts it), while Wonder Girl now leads a much quieter life. Her and Dick also share a past, with both of them being sidekicks, and we get a brief glimpse of her abilities a couple of times throughout the season. Hopefully with a lot more to come next season.

And then we come to the finale, with things coming to a head and with a serious threat to our planet looming. Dick heads back to Gotham where Commissioner Gordon has been murdered, the streets are rife with crime and Batman has gone off the rails - on a mission to kill The Joker and all of his enemies in Arkham Asylum. I loved this episode. The Joker, Batman, Wayne Manor, the Batcave - all of these things we're so used to seeing in countless movies and TV shows over the years, but in this context and as part of this world, this huge story that's been unfolding over 11 episodes, there was something about it that just blew me away. As mentioned before, the show also ends on a fantastic cliffhanger and teases some interesting additions post credits. I cannot wait for more of this!
  
The Red Turtle (2016)
The Red Turtle (2016)
2016 | Animation, Fantasy
Verdict: Beautiful

Story: The Red Turtle starts when a man gets washed up on a desert island, alone he looks for the essentials, water and food, before trying to figure out how he can get off the island. First, he builds a raft, which only fails his escape plans.
Once the man learns that he is being followed by a mysterious red turtle his whole life on the island changes in a way her would never have imagined.

Thoughts on The Red Turtle

Characters – This is a film where the characters have no names, only roles, the man is the one that gets trapped on the island, looking for a way to find rescue, shelter and survival, something he can manages, before setting off on his own voyage of self-discovery on the island. The Red Turtle seems to be holding the man on the island before giving him a gift which will change his life.
Story – The story here follows a man that becomes stranded on a desert island where he searches for a way off, looks to survive, only to clash with a mysterious creature that seems to be holding him to the island. This is a story that is all about the visuals we see, it could easily be reflected into the garden of Eden that the man has been given with different aspects of survival involved, be it from needing food, drink or shelter or one’s own mental ability of being alone. This is a story that could also be look at in different ways by different people, which only enhances this to new levels.
Adventure/Fantasy – The adventure side of this film shows just how one man makes a life out of his time on the island, this does get mixed with the fantasy elements of the film too.
Settings – The film is set on one desert island which does have a lot to survive with, only it has no escape from. It looks beautiful while feeling empty.
Animation – The animation is amazing too, with the different lighting to show different times of day, weather conditions and environment changes.

Scene of the Movie – The Full Life.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Nothing.
Final Thoughts – This is a beautiful animation that shows the importance of life, happiness and survival.

Overall: One of the most beautiful animations ever.
  
Alita: Battle Angel (2019)
Alita: Battle Angel (2019)
2019 | Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Fighting fit
#alitabattleangel may just be the most #intense & visually splendid mature cgi fest I've seen in a long long time. Having not seen #anime that inspired this #movie i had no idea what i was walking into with this one. Upon leaving it i not only felt extremely satisfied but also like i had experienced something #breathtaking & full to the brim with #passion. To start I can't stress enough just how god damn #beautiful this #film is, cgi is staggering as well as jaw dropping. From the intricate inner machinery wires, dust particles & realistic lighting to the tiny blemishes on skin Alita simply knocks it out the park. Its locations are vast, immersive, claustrophobic, lived in, #depressing & full to the brim with story telling/world building so much so that they could each tell a story themselves. #Animation is slick, fluid & #natural with #human & cgi interaction weighty & almost flawlessly done. Story wise its extremely empowering as we watch #Alita grow from & innocent child like #girl into a tuff driven #woman. Seeing Alita emit such wonderful human emotions such as #love, excitement & #happiness is not only #heartwarming but also #magical. Starting so warm & ending so bleak we see Alitas innocence almost ripped away from her as she is forced to #mature fast letting her primal instincts & bad human traits (such as jealousy/#anger) take control tarnishing her other wise loving/careing inner self. Its tense, adrenaline inducing stuff & this mixed with well constructed action & your token damn right nasty at times #robertrodriguez death scenes its not always the happiest of films either. #Deep themes are explored but theres alot of them too so only surfaces are scratched. My favourite being how #society/entertainment glorifies/condones violence & uses it as a tool to control us all. Negatives - if anything #Battleangel is far to short, i feel i needed another hour of content in there somewhere especially the final act which felt rushed. If we dont get a sequel or 3 i will be very disappointed as this is a fantastic world i simply must know more about it. A must see for sure. #edskrein is an absolute joy to watch too. #odeon #odeonlimitless #robot #thursdaythoughts
  
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Fred Durst recommended Taxi Driver (1976) in Movies (curated)

 
Taxi Driver (1976)
Taxi Driver (1976)
1976 | Thriller

"Taxi DriverComing off my head, I could just go on, but… Taxi Driver. I was really moved by the unraveling of this guy, and the interesting choices Scorsese made, the things he used to tell the story. You know, like zooming in to the bottle of Alka Seltzer fizzling, this guy’s about to really cross over to the next layer of dementia. Just amazing choices, and for him to be so meant to be a filmmaker. Be it and feel it. And De Niro, just, oh man, I just get carried away. Every time, in the beginning of that movie, when he — he’s just so not self aware — he goes in to ask the girl out at the campaign center, and the feeling’s so uncomfortable. I loved him also as Rupert Pupkin in King of Comedy. Man, I love the way De Niro can sorta just play a guy that’s not aware. So those are five. I wouldn’t say they’re my favorite movies of all time. I just say it if I had to, off the top of my head. It just came, and if you asked me again tomorrow, it might be maybe one of those, maybe a bunch of others."

Source
  
The Happytime Murders (2017)
The Happytime Murders (2017)
2017 | Comedy
Man or muppet?
#thehappytimemurders is a dull, tasteless, uninspiring flat hot mess.
Eeeeessssshhh possibly a contender for one of this years worst movies #happytimemurders is an extremely bad case of "if you've seen the trailer you've seen the film". What could of been done in a 15 minute skit is drawn out here to nearly 2hours of #boring, repetitive creatively lacking garbage. Seriously the film has a plot so basic, predictable & overdone I couldn't believe the nerve of it, & whats worse is that its using the puppet thing to try & mask its self as being different & unique. #Creativity is pushed way aside here in favour of bland dialog, repetative overused #jokes, shock value, scenes that go on far to long & acting that feels as lifeless as the puppets themselves. I really feel minimal effort was put into this film as they thought they could make money on the mere concept of it alone. Once you've heard a puppet swear, seen one have #sex, do #drugs or be #murdered thats it the #novelty instantly wears off so showing us all that multiple times every 5 minutes just becomes exhausting. Not much happens either, im being serious I couldnt name one scene that made me laugh or excited me in any way & after 30minutes I was more interested in planing my meal for tomorrow in my head. Please dont waste your #money on this I dont want them thinking we want a sequel id rather have another actual #Muppet #movie instead of this tripe. Dumb, bland, irritating, messy, lifeless, unfunny & also a huge waste of #Elizabethbanks talent. It gets a 2 & thats only because at least some of the puppet design was impressive. Abysmal on every level. #odeon #odeonlimitless #muppets #melissamccarthy #comedy #silly #funny #mondaymotivation #jimhenson #muppetshow #monsters #filmbuff #filmcritic #filmreview #film #review
  
Toy Story 2 (1999)
Toy Story 2 (1999)
1999 | Animation, Comedy, Family
Masterpiece
Toy Story 2 picks up right where it left off packing the same creativity from the first film. It's an absolute marvel from start to finish, a film that not only checks all the boxes but touches you on every level. I found myself laughing way harder than someone should've after multiple watches. Is it perfect? Maybe not, but it's damn close.

If the animation was groundbreaking in the original movie, Toy Story 2 surpasses that by taking it up to new heights. Spectacular doesn't even begin to define it. Colors are more vibrant. Movements are more crisp. The attention to detail in every single frame is unreal.

Success also comes from a number of clever moments sprinkled throughout the film. In one scene, the gang is driving a toy car down an aisle being led by Barbie while Rex is chasing after them. He gets closer and closer to their rearview mirroring a very similar moment in Jurassic Park. It was terrifying in the dinosaur film, but hilarious in this context.

With such a fun film, you never expect your feelings to get caught up in it but they do. You feel heartbroken for Woody (Tom Hanks) when Andy feels he has to leave him behind while Andy goes to Cowboy Camp. Woody was so excited to be chosen to go and he's devastated when Andy decides to leave him.

I can't think of anything to dislike about the film as a whole. It's a fun ride to remember about a toy trying to find himself and his place in the world. You'll love everything from the old characters to the new dog who is just plain adorable. Welcome to my All-Time Top Ten, Toy Story 2. Hope you enjoyed the stay, Safety Not Guaranteed. We have another well-deserved 100.
  
This Adventure Ends
This Adventure Ends
Emma Mills | 2016 | Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
This Adventure Ends started off by speaking to my little sarcastic, witty heart and introducing us to a funny, female character. It’s crazy, but yes girls can be funny. The humorous person in your novel does not have to be a guy. It is your classic high school story where a new girl moves to town and makes friends – but of course, the friends all have drama and secrets.
Sloane is also a singer and loves to read, so basically, this is starting to sound like my life. I joke, sort of, but she is a relatively normal, relatable high school girl. It really made me miss taking voice lessons even though they’re not expressly featured in the book. A lot of the events are more just telling the reader that it happened, than showing them what happened.
I’m sure most readers can relate to this line in the book:
“He looks at me for a moment and then says, ‘Maybe I’ll just watch the movie.’
‘Those are fighting words,’ I say.”
It just speaks to how relatable the author makes the book, from fanfics and fandom to high school sports and friends. This book gives you feels and might even cause a tear of joy. All of the effort that Sloane goes through, the love that Vera and Gabe have for their mother, just comes together in one poignant moment and it’s beautiful.
The friendships are authentic, from their ups and downs to the simple fun they have together. The characters are likable and relatable – and although there’s some typical, adorable teen romantic cuteness, it fits in the story and I approve.
Recommended to teen/young adult readers who enjoy cheery contemporary novels about family, friendship and high school.
  
Planet 51 (2009)
Planet 51 (2009)
2009 | Action, Animation, Comedy
On a planet far from our own, green creatures are experiencing their own version of the 1950’s. Among them is Lem (Justin Long) who has just gotten his first job as an assistant at the local planetarium. When a space ship appears harboring an alien, human astronaut Captain Charles T. Baker (Dwayne Johnson), the fearful locals are not so friendly. It is up to Lem to save the astronaut and help his people learn not to fear the world beyond what they know.

The film is written for both children and adults, like a toned down version of “Shrek” with a more relevant moral feel. Putting the characters in the 1950s adds to the film’s charm, allowing kids access to the blatant characterizations of the time period, such as the bumbling science professor and the hippy protestor who maintains from the start that the alien is friendly.

Other characters of note are Lem’s comic book and movie fanatic best friend, Skiff (Seann William Scott) and the military commander General Grawl (Gary Oldman) who is hell-bent on capturing the alien. Children will also enjoy the two pet creatures from a local alien dog that excretes acid to a rock-obsessed robot sent to pick up local specimens for Baker.

“Planet 51” is wholly entertaining. It provides some mature insight by displaying how we would appear to another culture if we ever did encounter aliens. This switch of perspective is sure to make children think and laugh over the simple cross-cultural mishaps that occur while Lem and Baker are attempting to find common ground.

A delightful, animated romp, “Planet 51” will make you hope for a groovy 1960’s sequel.
  
<b>First Time Rating:</b> 5 out of 5 (Give me a break, I was a kid.)

<b>Second Time Rating:</b> Ya girl is debating between a 2 or a 3, but I'm feeling nice, so 3 it is.

Adapted from the novel by Rick Riordan, The Lightning Thief: The Graphic Novel by Robert Venditti follows Percy Jackson as he journeys with Annabeth Chase and Grover Underwood across the US to retrieve Zeus’ lightning bolt before the summer solstice.

As an avid fan of the novels in middle school when the movie was in production, I was curious about the graphic novel version. When I first read The Lightning Thief: The Graphic Novel shortly after it came out, I just enjoyed myself. Reading it now with a more critical eye, I still enjoyed the adaptation, considering how poor the movies were. The graphic novel remains faithful to Riordan’s book and while most of the main storyline is still included, it does cut out some scenes and the story would have been better if it were longer.

In addition to the briefness of the graphic novel, I also noticed during my second read that the characters appear to be much older than they really are. There were moments in the story where if I didn’t read the original novels or knew the plot really well, I would have forgotten that Percy and many of the other characters are around 12 years old.

Overall, The Lightning Thief: The Graphic Novel is perfect for those who are avid fans of Riordan’s original series and want a recap, but not the greatest intro for those who want to read the graphic version before the novels.

<a href="https://60secondsmag.com/the-lightning-thief-review/">This review is originally posted on 60 Seconds Online Magazine</a>