Mark McPherson's Blog, page 53
March 3, 2019
“Reign of the Supermen” Review
The Death of Superman is perhaps one of the most powerful of comic books and received not one but two animated movies around this major event in comic book history. But, of course, like all superheroes, Superman would not stay dead forever. And so begun a convoluted and messy tale to explain Superman not really being dead but within a Kryptonian coma since Kryptonians can apparently do that. Reign of the Supermen attempts to adapt this comic book arc into an animated feature and, much like...
“Stalker” (1979) Review
Stalker may not be the most iconic of science fiction films. It doesn’t feature any weird alien creatures, out-there technological advancements, or a special effects showcase. Debuting in the era after the cinema landscape was changed with Star Wars, the film may appear very minimal in its presentation. But with its deeply engaging themes of faith blended with its metaphysical presentation and drop-dead gorgeous cinematography, it’s easily one of the best films to make great use of the gen...
March 2, 2019
“Heavy Trip” Review
For a film that features death metal, vomit, and a corpse that gets tossed around at a concert, Heavy Trip manages to be inspiring and even adorable at times. In the same way that films such as Sing Street present aspiring musicians eager to become a hit, this film presents an amateur band of long-haired men in a Finnish village hoping to play a metal gig and become rock stars. And it’s a wildly outrageous adventure with a familiar journey but a sound all-together its own.
The amateur band...
March 1, 2019
Panels for Anime Detour 2019
It’s almost that special time of the year once again. No, it’s not when the snow finally melts for Spring. That’s probably not happening until July what with the record snowfall here in Minnesota. I’m guessing when the groundhog finally came out of his hole to look for his shadow he froze and died, which I believe legend says will make for an eternal winter.
Anyway, it’s almost time for Anime Detour (March 29-31), the anime convention I’ve been attending since high school and always have the...
“Ruben Brandt, Collector” Review
The world of Ruben Brandt is as odd and surreal as the titular character’s thoughts about conquering fear. He believes the best way to make the nightmares cease of famous paintings haunting his visions and killing him in his dreams is to steal the paintings. It somehow makes sense to Ruben about as much as anything else in his wildly artistic world that already appears as paintings come to life.
The design of this film is astounding not just for the artistic flair of transforming exaggerat...
February 22, 2019
“How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” Review
After nearly a decade, the saga of How To Train Your Dragon comes in for a landing with the third film to supposedly close out the trilogy. And so it’s time to say goodbye to the familiar characters of the meek-turned-leader Hiccup and the beast-turned-friend dragon Toothless. Oh, and you’ll also need to say goodbye to the likes of Astrid, Gobber, Snotlout, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut. Oh, and also newcomers of Valka and Eret. There’s so many characters to say goodbye to that in trying...
February 9, 2019
“Alita: Battle Angel” Review
A long time ago, I heard tell of James Cameron stating his desires to make a movie based off the manga and anime Battle Angel: Alita. I doubted it. This was the era where there was also news swirling of a Neon Genesis Evangelion movie. Cameron still seem committed to the idea but his schedule grew busier with his underwater documentaries and directing another box office titan, Avatar. But he kept his word and now we have what is perhaps one of the most faithful American adaptations of a Ja...
February 8, 2019
“Chungking Express” Review
Chungking Express is a wonderful portrayal of quirky, confused and complicated people in the crowded corners of Hong Kong. A young cop faces a quarter-life crisis as he approaches his 25th birthday. A mysterious blonde-wigged woman becomes a mess as her underground drug operations go south. A restaurant employee plays “California Dreamin’” loudly at the counter to avoid thinking. Another cop laments about the recent breakup of his girlfriend by treating all his inanimate objects like human...
“The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part” Review
2014’s The Lego Movie was such a groundbreaking animated take on toy-based property films that a sequel would not be easy to craft. So it’s not the least bit surprising that The Lego Movie 2 treads and fairly safe ground, taking care to stick to what made the first film so inspiring and clever. It’s nothing all that new, especially when we’re aware of this animated tale being part of the bigger story about families coming together. But it mostly gets the job done of being another silly sce...
February 3, 2019
“They Shall Not Grow Old” Review
World War 1 is not a subject that has been given as lavish a documentary as the more footage-heavy conflicts of World War 2 and The Vietnam War among others of the second half of the 20th century. But after 100 years, director Peter Jackson assures that the war itself is not forgotten but that the English soldiers who served weren’t passed over either. A tribute to his grandfather, They Shall Not Grow Old is one of the most remarkable films on the subject of WWI in scope, personal accounts...
