Lissea's Constant Complaints

 Please note that this is written by someone who only had enough passing knowledge of the Mario to get the references in the first film. This is written by a film-goer, not a gamer. It should go without saying, but as I’m mostly complaining here, I should say that this movie is incredibly good. For me, because of subjectivity explained in what I write below, it is not as good as the first movie. But you should still go see it – like right now! First, I want to put two of my more neutral thoughts down: One: I surprised myself by not being one hundred percent on board with Bowser returning to villains after reforming. This is not like me at all! I guess he’d just too likeable as a good guy! Two: The mid credits scene – I don’t get it. I don’t get what the point of it was, what we are meant to think, or what the direction was intended to be. I think it was supposed to be funny, but it actually verged on creepy. Now on to my main point and problem: Peach and Rosalina being si...

In the first scene nothing of significance happens. Just an annoying kid messing up and then trying to get those she has put out to help clear up the mess she made. There are huge issues apparent immediately. The animation is odd and off putting, as is the style – and certainly not something you’d use in a feature. The titular character (the dog) has been relegated to third wheel at best. The dialogue is unnatural and the beats follow-on is random and unconvincing. It is jarring, and not by intention. I’ve never seen anything that so much did the opposite of adding up to something. There are other inconsistencies too, such as that guy who laughs at self and with crown when his underpants on the washing line are there for the world to see, but in the next shot we see him he is having quite a different reaction. This is not just an animation error, as this sort of thing is happening low-key with other characters too. So then we get to the second scene. The villain is overly over th...

This is the first film I have watched in a long time that has any true vision or creativity. It reminds me a bit of the Nutcracker Fantasy, only the plot keeps going. It is weird and creepy, but in a good way – especially that villain, in a way I can’t explain. It could potentially be watched as an occasional alternative to Corine.  The obvious comparison would be Toy Story, but if it was darker with Lord Of The Rings level world building. The animation variation and ambition is something I have never seen since Yellow Submarine.  It isn’t a film that can satisfy you in a normal way, or leave you with that light-hearted positive feeling, but it satisfies in its own ways – maybe how a sad ending can be satisfying if it is done well enough.  It actually reminded me of some of the experimental animation techniques I came up with and tired while at college. I have never seen any other film use anything remotely similar until now. Just goes to show I could have done something ...

-Disclaimer: This isn't an opinion post so much as a research-based post to help people. I give context, examples, and explanation but my approach here is neutrality- Kopa is Simba’s son from the Six Adventures books released shortly after The Lion King’s release, however, the writer did not know that Simba’s cub would be raised at the end of the film, hence why this cub and Kopa look so different. The books are considered semi-canon. Fluffy, as dubbed by the creators, is Simba’s cub raised at the end of the Lion King. While officially ungendered, given the context of the film, and the ways he keeps to real life lions, plus coming full circle, and the film being called The Lion King, we can assume that we are being shown the next king. In real life, prides are run by one or more male lions. T anabi is the name given to Fluffy by a fan-fiction writer from the mid-nineties. The name stuck for many fans, with a lot not realising its origin, or that Tanabi and Fluffy are one and th...

Psycho-Pass: Providence is absolutely brilliant. It does everything nothing else can do. It is dark, without being grim. It has multiple poignant deaths, without being depressing. It has a sad ending, which is still satisfying. It makes you think and has a message – naturally, and through storytelling – not by being forced. My only complaint today is that I don’t know what happens next!

Let’s start by saying there are only about five shots of the titular character – at least as a turtle. I knew better than to hope this movie was an animal fantasy film, which was good, because it wasn’t even really fantasy, more surreal satisfaction. Uncanny valleyish, actually. And not in a good way. There is basically no story at all until about three quarters of the way through the film, and once there is, it just gets weird and, well, stupid. I knew that it wasn’t going to be my favourite film of all time when I realised Studio Ghibli was involved – I simply don’t get on that well with their storytelling style – but it you hadn’t known this was Studio Ghibli, you never would have guessed. What’s the opposite of putting all their previous work to shame? Well, it’s that. I’d barely say there was character design or art style at all. More what you get when you have neither. The animation was . . . mostly walk cycles – you know what you’re supposed to avoid where you can as an animator...