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Still Walking, a review by Antares

Still Walking (2008) 85/100 - This was such a simple little film, but so hauntingly touching that although I'm filled with varying emotions, I'm kind of at a loss for how to describe just how this story moved me. It reminded me of Ozu's Tokyo Story, but with elements of Redford's Ordinary People mixed in to give the characters a bit more depth. At first, I felt as distant as Ryo did towards his father, as I had a similar relationship with my father. His mother comes across as a caring and doting mother, once again, just like mine. But then Kore-eda threw a curve at me, by having the mother's pain at the loss of her eldest son, take on the form of a cruel yearly ritual of guilt against the boy whose life the son saved. I didn't expect this and it changed my whole outlook on her. So much, that by the end of the film, I felt sorry for the father and only derision for the mother. It must be terribly gut-wrenching to lose a child you gave birth to, but to annually torment an innocent person because they survived and your good Samaritan child is gone, is evil. In the end, I could understand why Ryo only wanted to visit them just once a year.

This was my first film by Hirozaku Kore-eda and I now can't wait to dive into the rest of his oeuvre. If they are half as good as this film was, it will be a happy viewing experience.

What the color coding means...

Teal = Masterpiece
Dark Green = Classic or someday will be
Lime Green = A good, entertaining film
Orange = Average
Red = Cinemuck
Brown = The color of crap, which this film is

(From Antares' Short Summations on March 5th, 2014)

Arthur Christmas, a review by Danae Cassandra

Arthur Christmas

Year of Release:  2011
Starring: James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Bill Nighy, Jim Broadbent, Imelda Staunton, Ashley Jenson
Directed By: Sarah Smith
Genre:  Comedy, Fantasy

Overview:
How CAN Santa deliver billions of presents to the whole world in just one night? With an army of one million combat-style Field Elves and a vast, state-of-the-art control center under the ice of the North Pole! So how could this incredible operation have MISSED one child?! To Santa's young son, Arthur, it threatens to end the magic of Christmas. With retired Grandsanta, a rebellious young elf, an old sleigh and some untrained reindeer, Arthur sets out in a crazy mission to deliver the last present! Deck the halls with excitement, fun and wonder in this new Christmas classic!

My Thoughts:
This was a great, fun movie for the season.  CGI animation keeps getting better every year.  The heart of the film is the relationships between the members of the Santa family, and the characters are pretty well fleshed for an animated film.  It has a good story and lots of humor to keep it going as well.  This will likely make my yearly rotation, and would be a good addition to the collection of any Christmas movie fan or any family with children.

My only complaint is that, like Prep & Landing, I didn't get to watch the blu-ray version because it wants me to update my player.  Which is a pain in the ass.

Bechdel Test:  Fail

Overall:  4/5

(From Danae's Yuletide Marathon on December 26th, 2012)

Weekend Movie Marathon: TV Show Reunion Movies, a review by addicted2dvd

Knight Rider 2000
On the edge of loosing a local government contract, the Foundation and Devon recall Michael from retirement to oversee the completion of the Knight 4000. In a town where handguns are outlawed, crime has become rampant, and the current system of freezing convicts is not working. Michael returns on one condition, to reunited with his friend KITT. Sadly, KITT has been dismantled by KITT has been dismantled and the parts sold by Russell Maddock the new head of the Foundation. Devon manages to recover all but one chip which has been implanted in the head of Shawn McCormick, a female cop whose brain was destroyed by a bullet. He and Shawn, who has a chip on her shoulder as well as in her head, are teamed to stop the current handgun situation where they discover the hidden secrets of the local police department and restore KITT into a new vehicle.

My Thoughts:
This is a reunion movie that was hoped to become a whole new series... which unfortunately never happened. This reunion movie was a bonus feature of the Knight Rider: Season 1 boxset (which is why I used screen cap instead of cover above). I have heard a lot of people say they did not like this movie at all... I did though. I thought it was a good movie... though I do miss seeing the original K.I.T.T.

NOTE: Jimmy... this I just recycled the review from the last time I watched this... no need to put it in the list again.

(From Weekend Movie Marathon: TV Show Reunion Movies on June 14th, 2008)