Reviews

A decade-in-the-making, Jason Ritchie's 'Diana Clone' is a bizarre, convoluted, yet fascinating and layered British thriller. Almost Lynchian in its absurdity, it is not your typical mainstream film, but rather, a cult-classic in the making.

It is a film that must be experienced to be believed. I came across this film by pure accident, happening across it through Facebook advertising. I purchased it on Amazon Prime out of curiosity, and wow. I'm very glad I did.

The plot is so dense, it is almost incomprehensible to the casual viewer. But the film's subtle symbolism and characterisation, especially with its props, which are all handmade (my favourite is the motif of Door Numbers).

It is no surprise this was famed producer Harvey Weinstein's top film of 2017 - a man with an eye for cult classics in the making. In a perfect world, this would be up there with features such as 'The Room', 'Pulp Fiction', 'Fight Club' and 'Stalker'. Sadly, as we no longer live in the era of cult classics like 'Burger Cop', it's unlikely to find this at a midnight screening; instead, most will end up catching it online.

For a budget of £37,000, Ritchie has made a serviceable motion picture, better and more funny and cleverer than films made by established directors with 100x that amount of money. In other words, 'Where's my sauce, b*tch?"

9/10 - watch it twice, and remember - watch the scenes that AREN'T there. THAT is true cinema. 10/10

I rented the recently released 'Zone of the Enders - HD Collection' a couple of days ago for my Playstation 3. I'd heard a lot about it, and I am a big fan of Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear series and thought I'd give it a go. Maybe my expectations were a little too high with a name like Kojima and the promise of 'high-speed robot action', but overall, the name felt pretty... hollow.

Don't get me wrong, mind. Speaking from a technical viewpoint, the game excels - for a thirteen-year-old Playstation 2 launch title, the graphics, physics engine and fluid controls still hold up very well against the games of today. The colours, textures, polygons and pre- rendered cutscenes all look great, especially with this high-definition remaster, and I'm sure it would have astonished gamers back in 2000.

But the game has a few too many shortcomings. The story is fairly generic and forgettable, and I found myself skipping many cutscenes, combined with the awful voice acting. The player character is a young boy called Leo, who does nothing but whine and cry. Obviously the writers were trying to get the player to sympathise with the character, but we don't - it's just very, very annoying, and whenever I heard his terrible voice actor start to wail I'd attack the start button. Overall, the story made little sense and seemed like an interesting premise that could have been done very well - a boy is the only person left able to guide a mecha back to where it is needed and has to battle through a war zone to get there - but unfortunately, the writer(s) haven't pulled this off very well.

In terms of gameplay - most of the time it's fairly fun, simply button- mashing robot fighting that's a tad on the easy side, which occasionally dabbles into repetition (there are only TWO varieties of enemy - that's right - TWO) but isn't too bad. The boss fights are fun but nothing special. On a number of occasions, I had to resort to using walkthroughs, as sometimes it's too hard to figure out where to go or what to do. There is a lot of backtracking, which is very cheap and annoying, in order to obtain passcodes so you can use new weapons which you need to beat bosses to advance through the game. It's simple and fairly effective, but far from great.

Also, it's very, very short. I beat it in about five hours (I got it on the Friday night and had finished by late Saturday afternoon), and it just felt like... nothing. There wasn't an awful lot of variation to gameplay, and it just felt as if it had been over in an instant.

The controls are very, very good - fluid, responsive and not too simple and not too complex. The game gives you a very nice tutorial to show you how to use them - fast and easy to learn.

Music is where it gets tricky. The overworld theme is great - very dreamy, reminds me of old sci-fi animes from my childhood - but a couple of the levels have very droney and repetitive tunes throughout that just stick in your head. But for the most part the music was very good, especially if you're into techno, like me. So it's a mixed bag there.

Concerning the HD edition, it's pretty great. I haven't played the original PS2 version, so I can't compare them, but it looks excellent on my HDTV. The menus and design are all well-presented and flawless - plus, you get the second game (which I have not yet played and hope is better than this one) and a fabulous demo for the upcoming Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. Whether it is worth the price tag is up to you, I have not yet played the sequel so I do not know. But apparently, like the first game, it is short, so I'd recommend a rental as I'm not loaded enough to shell out £30 on a game collection I won't spend more than 10 hours on.

Overall, ZOE is an OK game, not particularly good but not really bad.

Final score: 6.8/10

OK, I'm new to Metal Gear Solid. The first one I played a few months ago and it's definitely a great game, especially for its time. But, it has its flaws here and there - the dated controls and graphics, and the somewhat uninvolving story and one or two gameplay issues. The general consensus for the sequel is that it isn't so good, so I lowered my expectations. But boy, was I wrong - MGS2 overwrites all the flaws of the original and creates a gripping, thrilling, moving and often funny game that will stand out as one of my favourites for a long time.

The key issue most people moan about is that you don't play as Solid Snake in this game, but that's barely an issue - viewing him from the third person as the unstoppable 'cool' guy and playing as a slightly more relatable and sympathetic character, Raiden, had actually a much better effect than I had once thought it would be. In the first game, we barely care about Snake because he's so... awesome, there's no way he can fail. Raiden, on the other hand, is flawed - he is undermined by Snake and struggles with the mission. He's imperfect - like us - and that is why I prefer him to Snake.

But anyway, gameplay-wise it's fantastic - a perfect combination of stealth, action and puzzle-solving that's nothing short of a pleasure to do - there are no particularly annoying bits or anything and it's relatively glitch-free with enough interesting mechanics to keep you occupied. The only problem I can see here is the slightly odd Japanese control layout, where triangle is the action button, circle is select and x is back(!), which might be a bit of a pain if you're used to the normal western format - but not me, because most of my favourite Playstation games use this format anyway.

And, as for the story - it starts off slow, but gets interesting with some fantastic twists - I won't ruin anything for you, but there's a few ingenious turning points and unexpected surprises that come out the blue and catch you off-guard completely. The rest of the story is straightforward but interesting and engaging, especially if you love conspiracy stories. This part of the game is one of the biggest steps up from Metal Gear Solid - rather than the strange set-up there where there doesn't seem any point in understanding the nonsensical plot, we get a rock-solid thrill ride packed with emotion as well as action.

And, much like the rest of the series, it has a very distinct cinematic feel to it - rather than the usual cramming of a story we don't care about around the fun gameplay, we get what is essentially a brilliant spy/action film come to life. The tension and the quality of this action increases towards the finale, getting better and better until it gives us a stunning ending.

In conclusion, MGS2 is a game you need to play before you die - a real, ground-breaking experience that stands out as one of the best games on the Playstation 2.

Overall score: 9.8/10

After an ever-so-slightly disappointing first episode, this one was much better and got me into the series much more. Whilst the first episode was slow and somewhat dull, despite having a brilliant atmosphere, this second episode seriously picks up the pace, making things far more interesting and enjoyable.

Situations become far more intense with more action and more interesting plot devices, great camera work and the introduction of some very interesting new characters. We get to know Rick a little better, too, advancing the series furthermore.

Seeing this second episode has got me very excited for the rest of the series, and I am very much looking forward to episode three.

9.8/10

During the first disc, I wasn't entirely convinced. It seemed an OK 8/10 stealth game that hadn't aged incredibly well, boring at times but exciting at others. Of course, the story, graphical quality, AI and gameplay were revolutionary back in 1998 - it's like a Playstation 2 game on a Playstation 1. But still, I wasn't sure.

However, where Metal Gear Solid really redeems itself in when we move onto the second disk, where it gets deeper - figuratively and literally. The game gets darker, more challenging, and the pacing closes in to a stunning finale. It does feel like an incredibly action movie, and the plot thickens and twists especially towards the end, gripping you. After being a tiny bit let down by the first half, the last few hours of gameplay were a real refreshment.

Of course, the game's not perfect. Unless you're the most patient person in the world, you'll be tempted to skip the incredibly lengthy cutscenes, and the control isn't brilliant - but otherwise, this is one of the best games on this platform (not quite the best, I think Final Fantasy VII holds that title) and if you are at all a fan of action games, you should certainly give Metal Gear Solid a try. And before you make quick judgements like me - stick with it, it gets a lot better.

Overall rating - 9.5/10

I just finished the game, and all I can say is... just... wow. It took over 40 hours, and I loved each and every second of it. After the end credits rolled, I can honestly say that I cried. This was quite possibly the best gaming experience of my life.

From the start, I was incredibly excited and hooked. The first level immediately thrusts you straight into the action rather than being tedious, and after my first session I couldn't sleep I was so excited to play it again.

The gameplay itself was very fun. Though it used the same basic battle formula throughout, it never felt repetitive, even though it's such a very long game. I was constantly challenged and never entirely bored or annoyed. The only criticism I can think of is the random battles that pop up as you're walking, that always startle or slightly annoy me. But it's easy to get used to.

But what really makes Final Fantasy VII stand out above any other game in history is the story, the sound, the imagery, the design... it's certainly the most heart-breaking, emotionally gripping and simply beautiful game ever made. Never has a game made me laugh or cry so much, or made me feel so exhilarated. You truly feel for the characters, you like the ones you're supposed to and hate the ones you're supposed to. They toy with your emotions, and the game soon has you under its control. The art and graphics are beyond perfect, especially considering this game is more than fifteen years old!

And the music is just fantastic. The series has always been recognised for its brilliant compositions, but FF7 stands out among them all. Every time I hear a track from this game, I really feel like welling up.

By the end, you'll feel like you've just had the adventure of a lifetime. It's the best game I've ever played, I have to say, and if I could ever recommend a game to anyone, ever, it would be this one without a doubt. In my mind, it's pretty much perfect.

10+/10

Though 'The Watch' is barely a masterpiece, I do believe critics are unfairly trashing it and picking on it. It's rude, loud, fun and very funny, and if you don't mind this kind of comedy you should definitely give it a go.

My expectations were low after seeing bad review after bad review, but when I saw the actual movie I did really enjoy it. Of course, there's nothing particularly memorable but it's really not hard to sit through. I myself have never been a fan of Ben Stiller or Vince Vaughn, but after seeing this I've changed my mind a little. It's not 'just a string of dick jokes' like some critics have decided to hail it, because if it was just that I'd have hated it. But no, 'The Watch' is consistently funny and never gets boring.

Just to give another example: last year there was '30 Minutes or Less', another comedy that got the same treatment as 'The Watch' - everyone decided to hate it, despite it being a good laugh and a very fun ride. There's nothing at all bad about these films, and you shouldn't expect so much from them.

The Verdict: nowhere near the disaster most are hailing it as (it doesn't even have THAT many dick jokes), 'The Watch' is a hell of a laugh for its target audience at least, and it's a very, very fun ride.

The only really good thing about this film is the CGI. I have to admit, it does look pretty cool. Maybe it doesn't exactly work for a full movie, but the quality is impressive. That aside, it's safe to say Resident Evil Degeneration is... quite bad. I do like the original games, and the first game in the RE series is one of my all-time favourites. But even I found this hard to sit through.

What really kills it is the script. God, it is horrible. The dialogue is atrocious, the plot is unclear and seems to go nowhere and half the stuff is ridiculous. If there was a half-decent script to combine with the flashy design it might have worked, but this is just a mess... It's really one of the worst written films I have ever seen. There is little to no characterisation, cringe-worthy dialogue and no real direction of the plot. The main character, Leon, seems fairly cool and interesting, but he's given nothing in the script. Instead, it's all just boring action.

And that's another thing. Of course zombie movies are cheesy. But boring? Zombie movies shouldn't be anything like boring. It's barely even gory. It's very unsatisfying.

The Verdict: die-hard fans of the games should give it a go, but if you're not so familiar or keen with the series, you'll be in for a long sit.

While it's not exactly a perfect film, 'Ted' will put a massive grin on your face from the start. Most of the gags will have you laughing until your chest hurts, and the ones that won't will at least make you smile like crazy.

To be fair, Seth McFarlane's inexperience as a director does show in places, but with jokes pulled off so brilliantly it's often hard to notice. If you're a fan of Family Guy, American Dad or any of McFarlane's creations, you will love this. Of course, some of the jokes may be too crude for some people's tastes, so be warned. But it isn't all penis jokes and swearing, there's a lot of light-hearted humour in there too, and plenty of pop culture references and parodies (the Flash Gordon scenes are hilarious).

But, despite it being McFarlane and co's debut feature film, the writing and characterisation are very good, certainly better than any other comedy this year. In fact, even the emotional stuff is pretty powerful and you feel a lot for the characters.

Haters will hate and nitpick all they want, but 'Ted' is hands-down the comedy of the summer, the kind of feel-good comedy with unexpected, hilarious jokes flying from everywhere and just making you want to smile. It's beautiful.

See if you liked: Family Guy (series), American Dad (series), Paul (2011), Superbad (2007)

From start to finish, I had a massive grin whilst watching this film. I have to say, I can't have been more impressed. Never for a second was I bored, and I burst out laughing at every joke, and I have to say, there's not many films I can say that about.

Sure, for more mature audiences the dick jokes and sight of teens partying might put them off the fun, but teens themselves will be impossibly thrilled. It's cleverly written and brilliantly stylised, and never lets up, not for a second.

Tatum and Hill work brilliantly together, and Johnny Depp's cameo (which I was not expecting and was pleasantly surprised by) was a real treat. And even the comedic car chases and shoot-outs had me on the edge of my seat, as well as laughing my ass off.

Another good point is the soundtrack: it's exciting and has a kind of retro 1980's feel, though it isn't too retro for modern audiences.

Overall, 21 Jump Street is perfect for teen or fun-loving audiences, but people looking for something serious won't be so thrilled. I enjoyed it so much.

Overall: 9.6/10

See it if you liked: Kick-Ass (2010), Hot Fuzz (2007), Superbad (2007), Scott Pilgrim vs the World (2010)

I'm not a massive Batman fan, but I decided to check out 'Batman Begins' and 'The Dark Knight' because of almost entirely positive reviews. I enjoyed them both thoroughly, and because of this I went to see 'The Dark Knight Rises' in an Imax theatre. And, I have to say, I've never experienced anything like it. I was completely mesmerised, and I certainly enjoyed it the most out of the three films in the series.

Of course, it wasn't perfect. Occasionally the plot was hard to follow, but it barely faltered otherwise. Both fans and newcomers will be immensely pleased, I can guarantee. It's certainly the ending the series deserves.

And yes, the Imax is completely worth it. The image works fantastically well. In fact, it was so effective I was afraid to lean forward during gunfights as I honestly felt I was there, part of the action! Sounds a bit exaggerated, but you'll see what I mean.

But it's not all just special effects and action stunts. The script is top-quality, possibly even surpassing The Dark Knight, with plenty of clever surprises and devices. And the acting skill is great, too, especially Michael Caine, whose emotional skills almost left me in tears.

Fans will be pleased, and it is well worth seeing whether you like superheroes or not. Out of all the films I've seen so far this year, The Dark Knight Rises was definitely the best.

I guess there's no point watching this if you don't like Daft Punk, as the whole film is just their critically-acclaimed (for good reason) album 'Discovery', bought to life in animation. But, there is certainly much for non-fans and newcomers to enjoy in this truly magical film.

Well, for a start, the music is great. 'Discovery' is considered one of the definitive dance music albums; there's not a bad song on the whole thing, and any fan of electronic will certainly love hearing it. But the animated story adds a whole new emotional layer to the music. Of course, the animation is highly stylised and anyone not tolerant of stylised anime (people who think it looks 'weird') will not enjoy, but as for me? It's beautiful, I loved every second of it.

And the emotional quality of the film struck me hard. I was touched in a way few films touch me. At times I shivered and by the end I was in tears. The final shot of the film is probably the most magical and beautiful shots I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot of films. And Daft Punk's cameo was so unexpectedly hilarious, that's a key point too.

This film touched me, it meant a lot to me, and though it may not be for everyone, fans of Daft Punk and anime will love it to bits, as I did.

This show certainly isn't for everyone. I couldn't recommend it to anyone other than young men, who will most certainly at least enjoy the constant nudity. But that shouldn't put everyone off. The series starts off seeming perverted, but as it progresses it starts getting soppy, cutesy and romantic. And so what? It's a boy's show, meant for boys at the kind of age where hot girls and breasts are all that matter, and in that area, it works.

The main point of criticism I have is in the writing. Some of the dialogue, is, well, pretty embarrassing, but on the whole it's okay. And I couldn't help feeling that the plots could be better; that many things about the demons weren't explored as much as I wanted them to be. In fact, the writing goes out of the way to include something to with boobs or whatever, but I guess that's what the exploitation genre is all about.

But still, the animation was very good, as was the music. Some of the battle sequences were thrilling, and the interactions between the main protagonist and his friends were pretty hilarious. On the whole, I enjoyed it; not for everyone, but if you're into this sort of thing, give it a go.

As the film starts, as with most found-footage films, we gain an understanding of the characters. Here, we see that the protagonist is shy, and bullied, and weak, and we sympathise with him. But, as soon as things get interesting, we forget nearly all that.

As the teens start experimenting with their powers, we find it fun and intriguing. As each one is revealed, we get more excited and more interested. Unfortunately, though, after the first act things get a little tiresome and uninteresting. During this period, I was tempted to give it a seven.

But, the final act seriously packs a hell of a punch, and by the end, I wanted to give it a 10. The inventive methods of cinematography are dazzling, the effects are good and it is totally unpredictable and packs many emotional punches. You'll leave feeling thrilled and inspired, guaranteed.

8.7/10

I'll start off by saying my expectations for this film weren't entirely high. Normally, I hate POV-camera movies. 'The Blair Witch Project' was really disappointing, and 'Paranormal Activity' was just boring. But 'Cloverfield' did what these films didn't. You will honestly stop thinking that professionals made this; after not long you start to honestly think you are there with the characters, seeing what they see. The photography captures everything; the camera-work feels deep, and in one scene, even, in which our heroes are atop a very high ledge, we could swear we are scared of the height too. The film is alive.

The writing is very clever and the characterisation is very rich. Every time we lose a hero, we feel it hit home hard. Whatever the characters feel, we also feel. It's very connected.

There are some very good tricks in there, too. The style in which the aliens are photographed makes the film all too more exciting and scary. The film feels exhilarating, and I was certainly very pleased.

Another point of greatness is the short clips of the other film on the supposed tape. This is a very clever device used by the film-makers to make us want to see more, to identify with the characters, and it works incredibly well.

'Cloverfield' was a much better film than I had hoped, and I do recommend it. It's possibly the most effective POV-found-footage film ever made.

9.6/10

I should start by saying, anyone looking for quality shouldn't watch this film. The effects are cheap, the dialogue is nothing special and the performances aren't top-notch. But for anybody looking to be entertained, this film is great. It starts off a little slow, but as the film progresses it gets quicker and edgier, and it soon evolves into one of the best horror films I've seen for a while.

A reason for complaint from many fans of the original is the fast-running zombies, rather that the original's slow, shuffling zombies. I have yet to see the original, and though slow-paced zombies are generally more effective in other zombie movies I've seen, I was impressed by the zombies in this film. The cinematography was good at keeping you on the edge even without suspense. The zombies were startling and panicking, got your heart racing a bit more.

Though the dialogue was nothing special, it doesn't at all drag on the film; it's nothing enlightening but it's bearable, especially for a zombie movie. Characterisation comes across fairly well, it has to be said, as most of the movie is not simple repetitive zombie splattering but interesting interactions between the survivors. A couple of the performances were a little cheesy - but really, you'll be too entertained to be bothered by it.

The effects were quite bad - but the beauty of it is, for a film of this type, bad effects are better than good effects. It's like, we want it to be cheesy - and that's why it works. The CGI looked very unrealistic and unconvincing - but still, it does not drag down on the film.

Most zombie film remakes have been denounced as some of the worst films ever made. But this one certainly stands out. In fact, for a remake on any kind it's impressing - I enjoyed it, and that's all I can say.

8.6/10

It's not a surprise this film is considered one of the best of all time. Right from the start it's compelling, pulling you right in, and as the story paces along it turns exhilarating.

Right from the start the haunting, chilling atmosphere is built and never faults. The musical score sets the scene perfectly.

The script is brilliant. Some of the writing is the best I've ever seen in a film, the voice-over narration particularly. Those iconic opening words - "Sh-t. Saigon." - really stay with you, not like I've ever really experienced before.

But the main point of brilliance is that fantastic scene where the napalm strike is called onto the beach. Not once with a film have I felt so excited and entertained, the whole sequence was heart-stopping. That alone was enough to give the whole film a ten-out-of-ten.

But the excitement didn't stop there. As the story progresses, as we see more, more interest develops. The scenes with the calendar models and the soldiers meeting are compelling, giving us more of an insight of the characters. It's really more than JUST a war film.

It goes without saying that Marlon Brando's performance was simply superb, as with all of his performances. But there isn't a single bad actor in the whole film. Every famous face never faults.

Of course, the film's epic length may be strenuous for some viewers, and less patient viewers may find it tedious, but for me and many others it's a sure classic.

Overall: 9.7/10

When I first saw trailers for Inception a couple of years back when it first came out, I shrugged. It looked really mediocre, another one of "those" films Hollywood churns out every now and then trying to spin off the success of the Matrix films and isn't half as clever as it thinks, ending up a waste of a big budget. But recently noticing the reams of five-star reviews from hundreds of critics, I decided to check it out. And I was so very, very wrong.

The whole concept is very mind-bending, almost impossible to get your mind around. It pushes the very limits of your intellect into trying to understand this riddle of a movie, and, as it goes along, it feels like everything falls into place, like every question is answered and as a result, in the end you do not feel cheated but satisfied and enriched. What's more incomprehensible than the story itself is how Christopher Nolan came up with the story, put it to paper and ended up with an almost flawless script, and then created a film almost impossible to imagine in the first place.

Of course, it's not perfect. Not every single second captivates you like with some films, but it certainly is great enough for ten-out-of-ten. The score is fantastic, one of the best I've heard for a long time, and it really helps you engage with the film.

It really leaves you wondering. You won't stop thinking about it for a long time as it has challenged your intellect so far. It may not be quite on the same level as 'The Matrix', or quite as thrilling as Nolan's earlier hit 'The Dark Knight', but its intelligence surpasses any film I've seen in my life, and that is why I can give 'Inception' an honest ten-out-of-ten.

It's unfair to give Prometheus a bad rating simply because it does not live up to the first two films in the Alien series, but I don't think anyone was expecting it to anyway. Sure, the script feels a bit botched and things could have been done much better, but it sure could have been much worse.

Prometheus is far better seen on the big screen, in 3D. The effect does not distract but rather deepens the picture and is well worth the extra money. The visual design is breathtaking and flawless, and is the film's best quality.

The only real problem is the script. If the director would have had that polished up, we'd probably have a five-star film on our hands. But, characters feel a little flat, dialogue isn't top-notch and suspense isn't there most of the time, but other than the writing, nothing needs improving. Picture is flawless, performances are fair, music is brilliant and the visual effects are some of the best I've ever seen.

I guess it would have been hard to get some proper suspense and scares going, and for the most part the film falls flat in that area. However, when it is scary, it is REALLY scary. A few times in the cinema I found my heart racing and in one particular scene I almost jumped out of my seat.

The ideas behind the film are interesting, and not focused on or spoon-fed to the audience (a very good thing). But the ending doesn't feel entirely satisfying, though it is thought-provoking.

In the end, it's an idea that could have been a stunning and almost flawless film, like Alien and Aliens. But through being dragged behind by poor writing, it doesn't feel all too satisfying and maybe a little silly. But some stunning scenes make up for all that, and it's certainly much, much better than Alien 3 and Resurrection.

A good film, not fantastic, but certainly a very enjoyable watch.

As I have gathered from other reviews on this site, this film is very prejudiced and overlooked. Nobody seems to have taken into account the warm humour, the brilliantly cheesy action and the neat script and instead gone on to bash the "hoodie youth" protagonists, who are seen mugging people, vandalising things and smoking cannabis. But all that isn't half the point.

'Attack the Block' really gets you going; it's exciting, especially for a teenage audience. It's best seen on the big screen, and when I did see it I'm certain I've never had more fun in a theatre. There's so many laughs, thrills and scares to be had it's unbelievable.

Joe Cornish does terrifically as a debut, helped all the while with Edgar Wright producing. If you enjoyed Wright's previous films ('Shaun of the Dead', 'Hot Fuzz', 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World' and of course the brilliant series 'Spaced') chances are you'll love this too, with its darkly comic but warm and different stylistic cinematography. And speaking of Wright, Nick Frost doesn't exactly give the performance of a lifetime, but his character fits in incredibly well with the kids. It's a real pleasure to see.

There's barely anything I didn't like about this film personally, to be honest. The characters were great, the script brilliant, the filming style amateurish - but that's one of the things that makes it so great. If this was a Hollywood production, it would only be worth a pretty average 6.8 rating. But this is different; a light-hearted, fun-filled adventure.

In conclusion, it's best avoided by miserable, fussy people who can't stand to see delinquent teens in an adventure - but as for those who love laughs, thrills, jumps, frights and excitement, this is one of the best films you'll see for a very long time.

9.8/10

I only just saw this episode. I've recently been watching all the episodes of this show in order, and I've loved every episode. Its haunting beauty, playful humour and just quality in general...

But it wasn't until this episode, until I was literally in tears. Shinji's whole experience was so touching, so beautiful and shocking... Something similar also happen with Rei a couple of episodes before, that I also loved.

This just goes to show that this series is certainly one of the best animes ever made. Seriously, check it out.

10/10

Before you watch this film, I suggest you read the manga first, or at least get a good idea what it's about, otherwise you'll probably be lost. Though the plot between the original comics and this adaptation differs, the characters and setting stay the same and it's a good start to get an idea of what it's about.

Also, another recommendation: watch it in Japanese with the subtitles on if possible. In my time I've heard some pretty bad dubs, but 'Appleseed''s English dub is just appalling.

At least in my point of view, this was a very enjoyable film. During action sequences and chatter between characters I laughed and smiled constantly. I don't think there was a point in it where I felt bored, it's pretty entertaining the whole way through.

But the main thing I loved was the music and animation style. It really reminds you of old 80s cartoons, and I loved the nostalgia. The music, a kind of synthy, jazzy-type score, was constantly engaging and enlightening. I really loved that too.

The story, too, may seem a bit silly, but it had a few interesting twists, and was often engaging too.

A lot of other reviews have compared 'Appleseed' to "watching from a weird CCTV camera". I have not got a clue where that criticism has come from, other than a poor quality VHS release. But the DVD version I have looks brilliant, the animation was way above the standard for the time it was made.

Fans of the manga will love it like I did, and for anime fans it's a must, but it probably isn't for everyone.

Overall: 9.7/10

Yes, this film may be stupid, sick, and make even the toughest people want to throw up, and the graphic content alone is a good enough reason for a 4.2 rating, but I can't say I didn't enjoy it at all.

I had incredibly low expectations too. But once I began watching it, hoping for a laugh, a cheap gross-out, I became somewhat interested. The fact that it was in black-and-white was a very good factor indeed; if it had been in colour, it would have lost its effect. But the colourless, consistently dark atmosphere gave this film a much more compelling effect. And the fact that the central character never speaks, or never has to speak, is another interesting feature. I think that one small subtlety topples most of the lack of subtleties in this film.

I did watch the cut version, and, though I will never say this about most cut films, I would recommend it more. The violence is dumbly graphic and disgusting, but what more do you expect? That was the sole reason this film was made: to be disgustingly awful. Yes, it does lack any kind of meaning or moral, and the violence is all blatant, full on-screen trying to make you uneasy, but that's the point, and for a cheesy gross-out b-movie video nasty, I think they did a half-decent job.

Appalling acting and dialogue, and terribly disgusting (I VERY highly recommend the cut version), but it's interesting, well-paced, disturbing and sticks with you. We get a bit of an emotional bond with the highly disgusting protagonist, which is the beauty of it: the filmmakers have got us on the side of a sexually disturbed maniac.

7/10 - not a bad job, certainly for its expectations.

It's such a huge surprise that Katsuhiro Otomo managed to pack so much wonder, beauty and pure cinematic perfection into only two hours of film. Of course, with the equally extravagant source material, I would expect the adaptation to be horrifically cut and toned down, washing away all the excitement of the manga, and though a lot has changed, Otomo has certainly done very, very well.

The music is beyond brilliant; it gets you heart racing when it wants, it frightens you to death in the nightmare scenes, and it breaks your heart in the sad scenes. Throughout the film, I couldn't stand up, do anything else, or press the pause button. In fact, I stayed sat down, watching the end credit sequence. I was so impressed by its beauty, that I got that glorious feeling of crying, as you so do after such a brilliant film.

There are a few very mild criticisms though, as the film is not without very minor flaws. The more recent English dub by Pioneer Sound is certainly more impressive than the previous Streamline sound version, but the best way to watch it is definitely in the original Japanese with subtitles on. Even if you're one of those people who hates having subtitles on, no matter what, it's much better the way it was originally written. The American voices often sound very silly and they draw away from the wonder of the story. And also, they cut out some parts from the actual film, and edited the music (no creepy organs, or 80's style action riffs!) due to some reasons I've yet to understand.

Another small criticism I'd like to give is the story. Given the 2,000 A4-size page material that Otomo originally wrote and had to adapt into a 2 hour motion picture, he did a very, very good job at getting all of the most suited bits and making the necessary changes. But, if you're a casual film-goer, you may miss the points and end up lost. As for clever people, they will spot everything and realise all of the points, and the clever but complex story will affect them as it did with myself. The first time I saw it, I loved the spectacle but barely understood it, but the second time (after I'd read the books) I fell in love with the story too.

I'm not sure what else to say... great story, great plot, great characters and voice performance (in the Japanese version at least), and the animation is remarkable, even for today! At 26 frames-per-second and all of the complex action, it's certainly a wonder how they achieved nearly everything with hand-drawn, hand-painted cells. It's at the level that we can only achieve with CGI today... and this is only a few artists on paper in a studio, with few computers involved.

If you love anime, you HAVE to watch this film at some point. I wouldn't recommend this to anybody who won't pay attention to it, but any film- goers who love a great story along with superb spectacle, this film is totally worth it.

Overall: 10.0/10

7.7 seemed an average rating, but 'Watchmen' does deserve higher. Apart from a few sloppy moments, the film seemed amazing. I can't believe Metascore only gave it %55! You cannot miss this if you are a fan of the graphic novel. I read it after I saw the film, and I can't decide which was better. Of course, the book had more detail and explained the story a bit more, but the cinematography and choreography of the film was dazzling.

I'm against CGI, but, in this case I can make a huge exception. The fight scenes are the best you'll see in ANY film. The opening is stunning, and the entire visual quality of the film is unforgettably brilliant. Of course, this applies to all of Zack Snyder's films, but especially to this one.

I'm also very impressed on how the film had no stars. Instead, chosen to act were actors who were identical to the characters from the comic. Everything was just as you imagined in the book. I'm especially impressed with Rorschach, who was just the same as in the book: perfect. His costume, the growly voice, everything was brilliant.

The Comedian was another perfectly adapted character. He seemed like the ultimate anti-hero, really getting a lot of hatred across to him, but still... he was so cool.

The script is just as perfect as in the graphic novel. All of the philosophical, meaningful, dreamy lines... it's a wonder this film didn't get so much praise as it should have.

The plot didn't get across as well as it did, which I think is one of the only minor flaws, along with the ending. Otherwise, this film is a must-see for any cinema fans.

10/10. See this film, no matter what Metascore tells you.