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harryjchong
Reviews
Turning Red (2022)
Little Girl Grows Up
"Turning Red" isn't a bad movie. Visually, it's beautiful. The animations are perfect. Story-wise, it's okay. This is an okay movie. Something you'll enjoy but not gush over.
Because the writing is far from a home run. The movie sends a lot of mixed messages, and despite the great voice-acting, the characters are flat.
We get to know the main character, and her mother a bit, but everyone else is just there as support.
However, there are some touching moments, and you do feel for the little girl. She is turning red, and also growing up at the same time. This is a coming of age story.
A girl with an overbearing mother is trying to be her own person, and the one thing she wants more than anything in the world is to see a boy band concert with her best friends. The problem is she turns into a giant, red panda when she gets emotional.
Funny, and entertaining at times, though it misses the mark being too simple, and cliched. Yes, you will find some originality in this film, but in its entirety it is predicatable. It is lacking in depth.
The Twilight Zone: The Odyssey of Flight 33 (1961)
Lost
A passenger plane caught in a jet stream breaks the sound barrier, and times travels to the age of dinosaurs. The crew look out a window, and see a brontosaurus.
The captain then makes the wise decision of returning to the jet stream, and he finds himself back in modernity. However, there is a snag as they are in the year 1939, and not the 1960s (i.e., the present). They discover this after seeing the distinctive structures from the New York World's Fair.
Though running out of fuel, the captain makes a final decision to time travel again. He takes his plane back into the jet stream, and that is the end of the story.
Was he successful? Rod Serling's ending speech suggests not. The captain, and all the people in the airplane are lost in the Twilight Zone. Another good "Twilight Zone" episode though a bit sad, and not having the clearest conclusion.
As viewers, we're left with many unanswered questions. Yet the writing is well done. If you scrutinize the episode, you will find there are certain messages, and observations.
First, and most obvious is that we all live our lives with risk and reward. In this episode, the captain takes a risk, and gets himself out of prehistoric times by going back into the jet stream. But he does it again, and the payout is doom.
Two, sometimes we should accept the imperfect instead of seeking perfection. The captain and his crew were in a dangerous situation, yet when they found safety they rejected it because it wasn't good enough. Being 22 years back in the past isn't great but it is not a death sentence. The captain's pursuit of perfection killed them all.
Three, the captain, and his crew, and the passengers represent the structure of modern society. Mistakes, and errors made by those above us, those few in power, can have devastating, irreversible consequences. In this horrifying story, the captain does all the decision-making. He doesn't ask for suggestions. The people around him are his subordinates, and he is the leader.
And that is what "Odyssey of Flight 33" is about. It's about people, and what we do in perilous situations. Do we rise to the occasion, or do we fail?
The Meteor Man (1993)
An Underrated 1990s Family Classic
Meteor Man is a black Superman. But this super man story says more than the story of Superman. There are no aliens in this movie. There are no spaceships. This film is about people, and an ordinary man put under extraordinary circumstances. It's about everyday problems that are ignored in inner cities. It touches on the problem of gangs, violence, and drugs. But these are all battled through self-belief, family, friendship, and community.
Though this movie is not necessarily a Steven Spielberg film it does have attractive qualities to it, especially in its sense of humor. It is a very funny movie, and the story though fairly simple is well written, and entertaining. The film Meteor Man answers the question of, "What would Superman be like if he were black?"
Well worth a watch for lighthearted fun, and drama from an era that some have forgotten. This is the best black super-hero movie of the 1990s.
Ash vs Evil Dead (2015)
Funny and Frightening
When I was younger, I watched the Evil Dead trilogy, and was totally enthralled. Who doesn't like a movie about a man with a chainsaw, and shotgun, fighting demon-like humans?
Sam Raimi did an amazing job. But the story wasn't complete. And many years later, we received the gift of the TV show, Ash vs Evil Dead. It is a continuation of the trilogy, and it exceeded all my expectations.
This TV show is even funnier, and more exciting than the movies it is based on. Everything is well written. Literally every episode is good. There are thrills, chills, and laughs. But if you have a weak stomach do not watch this. This is not for kids! There is a lot of blood. There were moments when I felt sick, but everything was done for a reason.
This is a horror movie with depth. It's not just your regular, kick-butt, TV show. There are interesting relationships, lots of suspense, and mystery. It's all entertaining. It's like being on a roller coaster. If you want a TV show that makes you feel like you're on a roller coaster, this is for you. I highly recommend this to any fans of the horror genre.
Ash is back, and he is a bad mother!
Run Hide Fight (2020)
A Scary But Entertaining Movie
I think this is a really great movie. It's entertaining as much as it is horrific. Run Hide Fight is a must see! It's action-packed, and puts you on the edge of your seat. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and will be watching it again.