I HAVE to write about this movie.
Holy frak I liked it so much.

I had never been as excited for a movie or anything as I was for Ninja Assassin, so when some friends were going I just had to tag along. Wow.
So, not to spoil anything but this was the bloodiest movie I've ever watched. In the first fifteen minutes someone's head gets cut in half. Tone-setter, right there.

The plot was a bit scattered to be honest. The exposition was really long (and about half of it was Rain doing training exercises wearing nothing but tight black shorts) and there were a lot of flashbacks. But it wrapped up pretty well in the end so I was content with them. Plus they were really well acted.
I thought the whole movie was well acted actually. I didn't like the girl though. I not only thought she was weak, I also got very little personality out of her. Rain did a fantastic job though, I think he's a great actor, even in English (his accent doesn't hurt anything).

So, acting was great, plot was so-so. What else is there? I'll admit I saw it because Rain was the main actor, but I'm glad I saw it.
4.5/5

of Kevin Smith

Because we had a full night of him
So I don't really want to separate the movies haha.

So
This was a long time ago too..
We watched Clerks 2, Chasing Amy, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and Zack and Miri Make a Porno. I'm also going to include Dogma because we've watched that twice now.

In a word.
LOVE

I've been tossing that around a lot lately but it's because I love movies. There it is again.
Anyway. I got there in time to see the credits for Clerks. I don't remember the order we watched them in after that though.

I won't take the time to talk about each of the movies because they're all great and I really enjoyed them all. Chasing Amy was probably my least favorite because the subject was slightly annoying. But it's still a good movie so I can't complain.
And since Kevin Smith always uses the same people in every one of his movies I can say that the acting in all of them was superb.
The plots are all interesting and fun enough to hold your attention. And the dialogue is always great. I loved Zack and Miri even though I thought I would hate it. The scene between Justin Long and Seth Rogan at the school reunion was pure gold. Everyone is always silent for whenever Bob/Smith speaks as well, adding a great dramatic flair to it if you're with the right people. Because shouting "EVERYONE SHUT UP" makes the following words that much more important.

So, really, I just want to say that everyone should see all of Kevin Smith's big-name movies. The only two we haven't watched are Mallrats and Jersey Girl, but we keep saying we need to. So maybe on Redneck Family Thanksgiving I can convince Caryn to watch those.

Kevin Smith, in general, gets a 4.5/5

I remember when this movie came out.
I remember the previews making it look really dark and gritty.
I remember not wanting to watch it.
Thank you, Caryn, for proving me wrong.

We gathered the other night for Redneck Family Dinner and because we had some people who hadn't seen Dogma we decided to watch that. But seeing as one was absent at the time we first watched another movie - Lords of Dogtown.
Let me just say. Holy frak, Emile Hirsch is in it. The entire time I couldn't stop thinking about Speed Racer.
Anyway.

The plot was really disconnected. The timeline skipped around a lot so if you don't pay close attention (which we weren't because we were talking) you can miss quite a bit of important stuff. I was confused for about half an hour towards the middle of the movie because I couldn't figure out what had happened to Skip (played marvelously by Heath Ledger) or why they were so angry at each other.

I loved the characters in this movie. Funny, one of my favorites was the one that everyone kept saying "I don't like him" - Stacey. His personality was so different from the others' that I couldn't help but like him.
I want to say the acting was good, but when I think about it, it wasn't. At least, not from what I remember. The emotional scenes, for the most part, seemed a little below par for me. But the action and the skateboarding were brilliant.
The cinematography, on the other hand, was gorgeous. The camera angles were perfect.

So, in all I guess, definitely another 4/5 and a huge recommendation.

The next day I watched Paranormal Activity!
It was Halloween so we decided to watch a scary movie.

Well, it wasn't anything I hadn't seen before in all honesty.
One of my most watched TV shows is Ghost Hunters, so I'm completely unfazed by cameras set up to record the entire night and then reviewing through it. I loved Cloverfield, so when the camera was carried around it didn't bother me at all. And I think that helped a little.
But since the plot was so simple I found myself drawn to it. The acting was phenomenal. Of course I was freaked out that the girl's name was Katie but hey, that only added to it. The lack of credits in the beginning or ending really helped too, I felt a lot more like I was involved.
Everything felt so real. I was afraid when they were afraid, I was upset when Katie was upset, I was excited when Micah was excited, everything.

I think being a Ghost Hunters fan helped too. I knew what they were talking about (unlike Justin and Andy who were both really confused by the psychic) and I got really excited when they did things like EVP and the powder on the floor because I knew what to expect but I had no idea what would happen. I love stuff like that.

So, this was definitely a 4/5
The ending was sheer genius.

Wow, going back pretty far now
OK, this is the Filipino horror movie Isang Bansa watched the day before Halloween.
To get this out of the way, I loved it.

The plot was really good. A woman works with this group that helps find the families of orphaned children and a lot of the people there are orphans so they're attached to their work. Our main character Claire going through a rough patch with her husband and so decided to throw herself into her work to get away.
While she and my favorite character Elias were out on another assignment they are unable to make it back to headquarters and spend the night at an orphanage where, oh hey, another lady from their agency was supposed to pick up this girl Angeli and take her to her aunt's. So Claire and Elias take the little girl (after some freaky stuff happens at the orphanage of course)
But weird stuff keeps happening, including these apparitions in white that keep trying to take Angeli. And when we finally get to the aunt's house it all gets even worse.
But that's where the twists start happening and geeze I loved it.

The acting was pretty good I felt, Elias was really strong and I loved his character. Claire was really well-done too, and Angeli was perfectly creepy in the first few scenes.
My only problem was the CGI in all honesty. It's a new movie (2009) but Monica and I thought it was from the 90's. But I forgive it because I don't know anything about the Philippines so I can't really knock it. For all I know the effects were done on iMovie.

I thought the twist with Angeli was pretty good, and the end of the movie was perfect. So scary~ This is one of the only movies that I have ever jumped at where it wasn't someone else's fault (I usually jump because other people jump).
4/5

I have a lot of catching up to do on my movie reviews
So I'll start with the one that's freshest in my mind.

A few days ago, MB texted and asked if I would want to watch Jaws, go to the beach and get dinner with Jacques, her and whoever else wanted to come along.
So we did.

I'll skip the other stuff and write a post about it later.

Jaws..well, I pretty much knew the entire movie thanks to MythBusters but I wanted to see it anyway. The beginning was actually pretty fast-paced for a 70's movie I thought. It got right to the action and didn't let up. Around halfway into the movie I started to get a little bored though, and I fell asleep for 20 minutes since it was midnight.
But I loved the ending. Knowing what was going to happen kept me awake for the last half hour or so.

The acting was actually pretty good, I was surprised. Not sure why, I was just expecting it to be a lot worse than it was.
I got attached to the character of the shark expert guy, I was extremely happy that he survived the movie. And as creepy as Quinn or whatever his name is was I was sad when he got eaten.
The ending though, definitely worth it. I love that scene.

3.5/5 I'd say

Stolen from HappyPurinsu
http://www.comclub.org/lj/fsquiz.php

• You must tell 18 people about this game.

• JunSu is the one that you love.

• Tian is one you like but can't work out.

• You care most about Chibi.

• Monica is the one who knows you very well.

• Samie is your lucky star.

• Wo You Wo De Young is the song that matches with JunSu.

• Date an Asian is the song for Tian.

• Just Because is the song that tells you most about YOUR mind.

• and U is the song telling you how you feel about life 

Um, OH SNAP??  "Just Because" is completely me (even though it's about Asian guys)
"Date an Asian" for the guy I just realized I have a crush on?
'the one who knows you very well' for my soulmate?
'I care most about' my only friend from high school?
Wow.

And another:

Your view on yourself:

Other people find you very interesting, but you are really hiding your true self. Your friends love you because you are a good listener. They'll probably still love you if you learn to be yourself with them.
(I'm not used to being open, so I am hiding my true self in a way)

The type of girlfriend/boyfriend you are looking for:

You like serious, smart and determined people. You don't judge a book by its cover, so good-looking people aren't necessarily your style. This makes you an attractive person in many people's eyes.
(Heck to the yes)

Your readiness to commit to a relationship:

You are ready to commit as soon as you meet the right person. And you believe you will pretty much know as soon as you might that person.
(HELL YES, I want to know what all the hype is!)

The seriousness of your love:

Your have very sensible tactics when approaching the opposite sex. In many ways people find your straightforwardness attractive, so you will find yourself with plenty of dates.
(hahahahhaa, I hope so)

Your views on education

Education is very important in life. You want to study hard and learn as much as you can.
(Yes yes yes!  Languages especially)

The right job for you:

You have plenty of dream jobs but have little chance of doing any of them if you don't focus on something in particular. You need to choose something and go for it to be happy and achieve success.
(I'm still stuck between two...)

How do you view success:

You are afraid of failure and scared to have a go at the career you would like to have in case you don't succeed. Don't give up when you haven't yet even started! Be courageous.
(>____<  OK)

What are you most afraid of:

You are afraid of having no one to rely on in times of trouble. You don't ever want to be unable to take care of yourself. Independence is important to you.
(Yes.  I'm also terrified of being alone)

Who is your true self:

You are mature, reasonable, honest and give good advice. People ask for your comments on all sorts of different issues. Sometimes you might find yourself in a dilemma when trapped with a problem, which your heart rather than your head needs to solve.
(I do get asked for advice a lot.)

I love these things.

So
I skipped going to watch Pirate Porn and drunk people
to hang out with Anne
And we watched The Nostalgia Critic for a little bit (which I recommend, he's funny) 
And then we watched Iron Man

And I see the hype.

Holy hell that movie was awesome
It's basically what I thought GI Joe should have been
Of course there was a romantic subplot
but YAY it was really subdued
and OMG EXPLOSIONS
It was extremely pretty

So, the plot
Tony Stark is kidnapped during a demonstration of his newest weapon
and they force him to build one for them
But instead!
He builds a suit of armour basically 
and bursts out
and then he tries to shut down the weapons division of Stark Industries or whatever it's called
but they claim he has Post-Traumatic Stress and override him
So he makes a better suit (because the first was destroyed)
and becomes a superhero

So.
Yeah.
IT WAS AWESOME

Anne told me that each moment was better than the last and she did not lie
RDJ is a great actor and I totally believed that there was this inner layer to Stark that no one saw
I love character development

So yeah,
Pretty graphics
Gorgeous explosions
and
Good acting

I can't really think of anything else to comment on really..
4.5/5  ^______^

So..
I do not like IMDb right now

This movie stars the teacher from Schoolboy Crush as a magazine editor/reporter/whatever who is being "seduced" by a model.  I wouldn't call it seducing though.
Not really.
But hey, I love the actor already and I've only seen 2 of his movies, so bonus.

Um.  There isn't really much plot to speak of
But it's not PWP because it isn't porn
it's just bizarre

There's the obligatory rivalry between the love-interest and best-friend-who-loves-the-main-character, of course
But the rest of it is pretty much straight outta left field if I'm honest.

It' cute
And I love the main actor
but it made no sense
Especially the ending
3/5

So
This was actually my third or fourth time watching this movie
And I will always love it  ^^
I'm not sure why though haha

OK, so this was the first time I've watched this movie all the way through with other people.
Calvin and I watched a bit of it last summer but it didn't have subtitles
So I tried to get him to translate things and he did a little
But I basically fell in love before I even knew what was going on

So when I found it when I got home (with subs) I was super happy
When I found it on Amazon.com I about blew a gasket of happy
And just had to buy it.

So, a group consisting of three girls and one guy got together at the library
I brought all four of my new gaysian movies
and since our room didn't have a curtain (seriously, wtf..just my luck)
we opted for the one I knew was the safest.
And I'm glad that Tyler told me he liked it after because I'm super paranoid about people not liking what I like after 18 years of living where I was the only one who liked what I liked.

So, the movie, for those who don't know, is about Tien Tsai, 17-year-old Taiwanese boy who meets someone in real life he's been talking to online
But the guy is a freak and wants to have sex (oh noes) so Tien leaves.
He runs into an old junior high school/middle school pal and spends a while with him
It's during this time that he meets and gets a crush on the #1 playboy Bai Tieh Nan
And it's all about this little relationship the two have
and Tien's friend Yu and his compatriots CC and some guy whose name I can never remember  (the only women in this movie are in the background passing by.  We counted two)

It's freaking cute and I love it
The main actors Tony Yang and Duncan Lai are fantastic (the love scene is amazing considering they're both straight) and, if I do say so, quite cute.  So eye-candy is always a good thing.
The movie is also more about characters but it also focuses on comedy.  The directors are two women who were in their early 20s and it was their first film so I can forgive some of the small flaws like scenes taking a bit long to get to the point
Mostly because there are some beautiful shots in between (like the underwater ones, those are love)

So, in conclusion
I love this movie, even if watching it with people scares me because that's how I am
4.5/5

AKA The cutest movie I've ever seen in my life
AKA The saddest movie I've ever seen in my life

WHY AM I NOT BAWLING MY EYES OUT AFTER THIS MOVIE...
I dare someone to watch this with me and not bawl at the ending.
FFFFFF  I dare someone to watch it and not bawl halfway through just knowing how sad it is.

So yeah
Now that I've turned you all off from watching what is possibly one of the best movies of all time, let me tell you why you should watch it anyway.
It's cute as hell.
There, I said it.

The plot is basically - hitman Cloud (I have no idea why they translate the characters' names) refuses to kill target Stone because Stone isn't a bad guy.  So they're attacked of course, but get away with only one major wound.  So Stone takes Cloud to this special rooftop shack thing to nurse him back to health.  And they fell in deep loving lust.
Best gay sex scene I've seen in a movie.  I'm going to watch it and the little part before it where they watch each other pretending to sleep to cheer myself up.

But yes....
holy hell I love this movie
Oh yeah, sorry.  Got distracted.  Screw it, the next movie I watch will probably just be straight-up porn.
AHH
YEAH
BACK ON TOPIC  ^////////^

So yes.
Cloud's family isn't in good shape.  Both his mother and younger brother have HIV, hence the assassin job.  But after the hot sexy sex with Stone he's a little freaked out.
And of course the bad guys are still after them.  Funny how there's one attack the night they get there but no more for what's probably months.
But I didn't care.

Because this movie is all about character development.  It really is a story about the people, not what's happening to them.  And I love it, it's really nice.  I fell in love with Cloud, Stone and Fog (Cloud's little brother).  Stone's wife Sand was annoying though  =____=

And, because I'd just watched something totally unexpected with Schoolboy Crush the entire second half of the movie was just one big "OMG WHO'S GOING TO DIE" for me.
I wasn't let down.  Several times  =____=
But no spoilers.  I swear it's a surprised when it happens.
Please watch this movie.  Watch it with me if you don't mind watching hot Thai guys have sex with each other while another person is in the room.
4.7/5

OK, so I have some serious mixed feelings about this movie.
I just finished watching it and I need to write this out.
I really hope this helps me figure it out.

OK, so.
I'd seen this preview several times on YouTube and it looked horribly interesting.
So when I found it on Amazon while I was buying a couple other movies I decided to get it.
And I watched it.
And I don't know what to think.

I wish it was like..based on a manga or something so I could read it
and get a better idea of it.
But oh well.

So, the main character is a teacher
and this new transfer student at his school is a prostitute he hired
to help him forget his lover, who had broken up with him earlier that day
So YAY.  The teacher is freaked out for a while
and the kid is like..playing mind games with him

It's really obvious that the kid Sora's roomie Ichiyo has a crush on him
but you don't know the extent until later in the film
and then the school rich-boy-bully
has a crush on Ichiyo which became apparent to me a little after the first bulling scene

And there's a lot of drama about Sora's family
Which I won't explain because it's a pretty good plot point.

But I will mention that within the first half hour or so I began to get the feeling someone would be raped during the course of the movie
What I DID NOT EXPECT was a suicide.
And yes, we also got a rape later
Which killed me.  Because one or the other in fine but both?

Seriously
This was alternatively the saddest and happiest movie I've ever watched in my life
I really don't know what to think
I loved the main characters
and the secondary characters all tottered on the extremes of cute and freaking horrifying.
Like Ichiyo's crush on Sora.  That got weirdly strong pretty fast.
But oh well
I feel like it could have easily been a drawn out drama series, or two movies
Especially at the beginning.
But yeah

I'm seriously trying to figure this one out.
I really want to give it a 3.5 just for the sheer sadness factor of it.
I feel like if I were a lesser movie-goer I would have been bawling my eyes out.
And there were a couple scenes that made me go "OMG YAY"

I think a 3.5 is pretty fair.

PS.  The movie is full of naked Japanese boy-butt.  Just a warning.

Woot!  I missed movies  ^^
OK, so it seems like every Friday one of the sophomore animation majors plans to watch movies
and since I'm a friend now I get to go  :D
I've been having a blast every week  ^____^

And this week we watched Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon followed by Kung-Fu Panda.  And since I've seen the second one, I'll write about the first.

OK, so the first thing is..
There were two story lines here.
WTF  I was really confused at one point because it seemed like what was the major plot had just been dropped.  I can totally see how the two were tied together and the one couldn't really be had without the other but still.  I was confused.
So, the main plot is - legendary swordsman played by Chow Yun-Fat gives up his sword.  But the sword is stolen!  And it turns out to be the person who killed his master!
But there's a second sub plot.  Including a governor's daughter who falls in love with a bandit after he steals her comb and she chases him down in the desert.
And that one reveals a lot of spoilers if I say anything more about it.

So, anyway yes.  I was really impressed with this movie.  I'd heard great things about it so I was excited.
The wire scenes were a little ridiculously funny but they always are to me.

Actually, my favorite character was a tie between Chow Yun-Fat and the bandit (whose actor I forget)  They both played their parts really well and they were both pretty likable characters to me.  Even the bandit  XD  He was adorable in several ways.

There was an awesome scene where the governor's daughter, played by Ziyi Zhang, kicked multitudes of butt that we all loved.  The ending was pretty bitter sweet and open for interpretation.  We were told after the movie that in the book it showed her and the bandit living happily together with kids.  So I choose to go with that  ^^

Over all, a really good film.  The exposition took a while and I was really tired so I almost fell asleep at a few points in the beginning.  But by the middle I was like "Yes! Go!" haha.
4/5

From the meme I posted recently..

Big Bang:  Favorite member: G-Dragon
Least favorite member: Good question
Member with the best hair: G-D, especially in Heartbreaker
Member with the best eyes: DaeSung
Member with the best smile: DaeSung (he loses his eyes, COMPLETELY, so cute)
Member I'd most want to kiss: TaeYang has nice lips
Member I'd most likely have sex with: SeungRi 'cause he's a Strong Baby
Member I'd make lunch for: DaeSung so I can get to know him
Member I'd go singing in the rain with: TOP because I love his voice
Member I'd go shopping with: G-D!!
Member I'd go dancing with: Ahh, TaeYang
Member I'd take over the world with: G-D I guess
Member I most want to see more of: All of them~
Favorite pairing: I can't read live-person stuff  >__<
Least favorite pairing:  All


DBSK:  Favorite member: JunSu
Least favorite member: YunHo doesn't do much for me..
Member with the best hair: JaeJoong
Member with the best eyes: YooChun, I love small eyes
Member with the best smile: ChangMin because his eyes go different sizes  -__^ hahaha
Member I'd most want to kiss: JaeJoong
Member I'd most likely have sex with: JunSu
Member I'd make lunch for: JaeJoong
Member I'd go singing in the rain with: JunSu's voice is awesome
Member I'd go shopping with: YooChun
Member I'd go dancing with: ChangMin
Member I'd take over the world with: hmm, YunHo?
Member I most want to see more of: ALL!
Favorite pairing: I can't read live-person stuff  >__<
Least favorite pairing:  All, except the 'pairing' in Dangerous Love hahaha 

Because I have two hours to kill until the GSA meeting

Full Name	****
Age	<input ... >
your dbsk boyfriend is	changmin
you will last for	1 day
he will	cheat on you
you will	cry for him
he will say	goodbye
your next dbsk boyfriend is	jaejoong

LOL

Name / Username	****
You are in love w/	Junsu
Chances? 1-10	7
Where he is gonna take you for your date	His Home

Name	****
DOB	<input ... >
Favourite Color	<input ... >
Best Friend	Yunho
Brother	JaeJoong
Lover	Yunho
Boyfriend	Junsu
Husband	Junsu

First time I got Junsu as my brother, boyfriend and husband  o__O

Name	<input ... >
DOB	<input ... >
Favourite Color	<input ... >
Your Love	Jaejoong
Yuor Best Buddy	Changmin
Your Crush	Junsoo
Your Ideal Man	Changmin

Name	****
DOB	<input ... >
Favourite Color	<input ... >
Best Friend	Yoochun
Brother	Jaejoong
Slave	Changmin
Boyfriend	Yunho
Lover	Yunho
Husband	Yunho

Name	****
DOB	<input ... >
Favourite Color	<input ... >
Husband:	Yunho
Best Friend;	Changmin
Father Of Your Children:	Yunho
When He Proposed He:	Sung to you from your balcony, inturn making you melt into a puddle
Your Children:	Stunning
Will You Last?	We broke up, got together, broke up, got together

Full Name	****
Age	<input ... >
Girl you hate and ruler of school	Tiffany SNSD
Your hot TVXQ lover	Jaejoong
Your Role	Nerd
Your Brother	Yoochun
Title of Fanfic	Nobody

So, we're being more realistic this time I guess.  I like bank robbery movies.
And besides, Denzel Washington, Clive Owen AND Willem Dafoe?  All-star cast right there I tell you.

So.  Clive Owen is robbing a bank basically.  There's not much more to it.  Denzel is a cop trying to get the hostages out.  No big deal right?
Wrong.  Because the actual robbery isn't about the money.  It's about the guy who owns the bank.  And the way they do it is so clever.  Hardly saw it coming.

The acting was pretty good.  I loved Dafoe the most, but Owen was pretty good too.  I normally like Denzel and he had some amazing (mostly ad-libbed) lines but it wasn't my favorite role of his.  The hostages at times seemed a little unrealistic, especially compared to Dog Day Afternoon.

So, there's not much I can say without giving it away but there are a few other major characters that get progressively more important and whatnot, but I think my favorite part was either the scenes where they interrogate the hostages or the end when you see how Owen robs the bank for real.
Great dialogue throughout, a little bit of suspense, a good bit of action, a teensy drop of drama and some solid acting all combine to give this film a 4/5

So, a friend called me up on Sunday and asked if I wanted to go to the Howard Hughes shopping center with her.  I agreed, being bored and not remembering that I had reading to do.  We met another friend before and the three of us went.  First thing we did when we got there?   Went to see what movies were playing.  District 9 had just started so we got our tickets and hurried ourselves in before settling down for the ride.

I was surprised when the movie started.  I had gone into it expecting something philosophical like "Here are the aliens, here are the humans.  This is how aliens live, this is how humans live.  Do the aliens deserve to be here?"  No, instead it started out like a documentary.
The transition into movie was flawless, I didn't even register the change at first.  The main character Wikus was amazing and only for one section in the movie did I start cursing him under my breath.  I understood when he was doing his job, even though he was very enthusiastic about burning the alien eggs  o__o  But the humans in this movie pretty much deserved to die.
I LOVED the aliens.  I'd be holding one of those "I Heart Prawns" signs in the movie.  Especially "Christopher" who I felt was the real hero of the movie.  And his son was so cute.

This movie was a LOT bloodier than I expected.  At first I was squeamish but by the third explosion I couldn't help but laugh at the gigantic POP they made.  I did leave the theater for popcorn at one point and as I came back in I was treated to someone blowing up but hey.

But yes, story was excellent, acting was superb and I loved the script (even with the 137 f-words, according to IMDb haha)
I didn't even mind that the movie switched back to documentary style at the end.

But one of the best parts that I just realized?  I can use this in my History of Ethnic America class!
So, all joking aside, this movie is definitely a 4.5/5

Hoorah, more time-jumping!  This time, we’re going to the future, and a few hundred light years away.  Yepp, Jyu-Oh-Sei: Planet of the Beast King (that’s the full title and the second part is a translation of the first) takes place not on Earth put in the Balkan system.  Twin brothers Thor and Rai are sent to live on a secret planet called Chimaera after their parents are killed.  Catch is, Chimaera is a planet for criminals, and the boys don’t know what they or their parents did wrong. 

The planet is divided into five groups called Rings – Ochre, Night, Blanc and Sun are the Rings, with other Wildlings roaming everywhere, not belonging to anywhere.  The only way off the planet is to become the “Beast King” or the leader of everyone.

 

First thing’s first, I got the series from NetFlix because Shun Oguri voiced a main character, yes I am that shallow.  I saw a clip on YouTube but paid no attention to it except for the name.  Shoot me if you’ve never watched a movie purely because a certain actor was in it!

But, anyhow, his character, known only as Third for about 97% of the anime, quickly became my favorite.  It was the personality, I swear.  After a few episodes I no longer thought of Shun as I watched him.  Tiz, the main female, was my second.  Rai, however, got on my nerves unbelievably quickly.  Whiney little brat he was.

 

Which reminds me, the character designs make people look older than they are.  Thor and Rai are only 11 when they land on Chimaera but I could have sworn they were 16.

Minor quibble though.

 

The whole plot is revealed to be a bit more complicated than I expected and I loved it.  I thought “Well, if I’d known that from the start I would have watched no matter who was in it!”

The ending is one of the first in years to make me tear up.  TOP THAT, I DARE YOU.  The only movie I’ve ever cried during was RENT and I’ve never out-and-out cried during an anime.  This was close enough for me.

4/5  (would be 4.5 but the ending made me tear up)

 

I think I saw the first preview for this at Star Trek, possibly my favorite (new) movie so far of the summer.   I kept seeing previews at every other movie and quickly fell in love, thinking "I MUST see this movie."  On Friday I decided that I would watch no other film until I saw it.  And I finally did.

I always like the villains for some reason, but how much I loved them in this was ridiculous.  Number one: Ninja.  Number two: Christopher Eccleston, aka The Ninth Doctor.  Number three: NINJA!
Yeah, safe to say Shadow Storm was my favorite character.

It took a while for Ripcord to grow on me but it seemed like when he did it was very sudden.  One scene I was neutral and the next I liked him.  My favorite of the Joes was Breaker, the one from Morocco.  Followed closely by Scarlet.

But, yes, the plot!  I loved up until Duke and Ana met.  I could deal with an unexplained terrorist group but I hate hate hate when you bring in exes and make enemies have histories together.  If I could have ignored that I would have been golden, but unfortunately the flashbacks wouldn't let it go.  The Snake Eyes/Storm Shadow angle was a little more doable but that's probably because it included two adorable little kids fighting each other with various martial arts weapons.  I did find it odd that Snake Eyes was in Tokyo at a dojo where they spoke what seemed like almost only English and that he was white.  White ninja doesn't work in my mind, sorry.
And besides that the technology seemed pretty laughable at times.  The accelerator suits, while cool, seemed far-fetched.  The missiles launched by the bad guy were way too easy to take out.  And, while neat, I couldn't comprehend the blast gun things.  The nanomites were awesome and I want a batch but that was about it.

After all of this, I still like GI Joe a little more than I liked Transformers 2 (which seems to be the main comparison everyone makes) but it's still not as far up there as Transformers 1 or Speed Racer (which I loved despite the bad reviews)
I give it a 3.5/5.

Back to my globe-trotting ways I added "Rinjin 13-go" to my NetFlix list.  The plot is fairly simple.  Juzo was bullied through school and when he begins work with his former tormentor as his boos he understandably goes a little mental.  Neighbor 13 manifests himself as an alternate personality with only revenge on his mind.  A couple people die and one is tortured in a horrible way, all in a day's work.

I was on the fence about it for a while because I knew it was violent and didn't quite know how bloody it would be.  My fears were put to rest however, as the worst gore was in an aftermath scene when Neighbor 13 was seen washing the blood off a knife and his hands.
The movie was extremely slow.  I have a feeling the director wanted to be suspenseful but honestly every once in a while it dragged too much.  There were few scenes where I felt truly scared and I only jumped once or twice (which is actually a lot for me so don't be disappointed).  The music, however, was fantastic and I would love to buy the soundtrack.

I actually rented the movie because Shun Oguri, who plays the main character Juzo, is one of my favorite actors.  He looks very different from the roles I've seen him in but the entire movie I could help but smile because, even though it's not his best performance, I just love him.  I did think that Shido Nakamura, who played Neighbor 13, did an amazing job however and he's now very far up on my list of favorites.
I think the best parts in the film were the flashbacks to grade school, and towards the end.  The ending didn't make an iota of sense until I read what other people thought on IMDb but even then there are two possibilities.  I'll leave it up to you to decide because despite my gripes I really enjoyed this movie and would readily watch it again.
3.5/5