r_massey
Joined Sep 2014
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Ratings97
r_massey's rating
Reviews22
r_massey's rating
I couldn't make it through the first half of the film.
Even after 30 minutes I was wondering whether it was worth carrying on towards the end.
With most movies, I'll watch until the end credits roll, even when the film is bad or average, just so I can form a full opinion.
With "A Field In England", however, the novelty and enjoyment wears off quite quickly due to the very slow pace and it's hard to see the kind of direction this film wanted to go in. Having turned off the movie halfway through and watched , I had to look up the plot summary to see what I had missed, which, in the end was just a very ambiguous finale.
I'm glad I didn't force myself to sit through the whole runtime but also disappointed that I couldn't seem to pluck anymore enjoyment from the film and didn't have reason to watch to the very end.
Sure, "A Field In England" may have a hidden subtext or meaning, but it's way too buried for anyone to see and extrapolate how it would come to fruition in a way that's purposeful and makes sense.
Even after 30 minutes I was wondering whether it was worth carrying on towards the end.
With most movies, I'll watch until the end credits roll, even when the film is bad or average, just so I can form a full opinion.
With "A Field In England", however, the novelty and enjoyment wears off quite quickly due to the very slow pace and it's hard to see the kind of direction this film wanted to go in. Having turned off the movie halfway through and watched , I had to look up the plot summary to see what I had missed, which, in the end was just a very ambiguous finale.
I'm glad I didn't force myself to sit through the whole runtime but also disappointed that I couldn't seem to pluck anymore enjoyment from the film and didn't have reason to watch to the very end.
Sure, "A Field In England" may have a hidden subtext or meaning, but it's way too buried for anyone to see and extrapolate how it would come to fruition in a way that's purposeful and makes sense.
**Very mild spoilers**
Just when you think Hollywood are going to butcher another franchise with some unnecessary reboot or sequel, the execution of "Jurassic World" actually works well enough for it be watchable and possibly exceed expectations for those who had their doubts (I certainly had mine before entering the theatre). This can mainly be pinned down to the cast, starring Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins and Nick Robinson, whose characters are all (eventually) likable enough to want to follow their journey, especially Pratt, who was initially criticised for appearing too 'wooden' with his role when the first trailer made its way online. "Jurassic World" thankfully doesn't seem to take itself too seriously either, with a nice handful of jokes and light-hearted moments scattered throughout, mainly in the latter acts of the movie.
The film is dazzling, its vibrancy making it visually appealing to large audiences and also contributing to the fact that the film is not meant to be incredibly 'serious' (by alternatively employing a dark and washed out colour palette; a trope popular with 'rebooted' movies to imply a somber, grittier re-telling of a popular story). The CGI, which is definitely something of concern when involving the "Jurassic Park" franchise, can look incredible at times (the Mosasaurus being my favourite example) but is undeniably overdone, especially when the previous trilogy evinced that animatronics are a plausible alternative in the appropriate shots. The illusion of dinosaurs being real and tangible in this movie universe is sadly broken by the overwhelming use of CGI.
As a result, one of the major aspects missing from the film is the 'wow' factor that the previous movies instilled; dinosaur reveals just aren't exciting enough, especially when "Jurassic World" takes too long to even reveal the dinosaurs in the first place. Also disappointing is the fact that one of the first times we hear the grand and well-recognised "Jurassic Park" theme, composed by John Williams, is not for the dinosaur reveals but for a shot to establish the 'updated', modern theme park, glistening with standardisation and uniformity as it looks no different to any other immaculate holiday resort that we might expect, making the audience feel more 'amazed' by this 'modernised' park than the dinosaurs themselves.
However, this all ties in to the themes and comments made on society's present consumerist ways, the fact that we want 'bigger' and 'better', the whole reason for creating the hybrid dinosaurs in the first place; we have been so used to seeing the various dinosaurs in "Park"'s trilogy that the novelty has now worn off, hence the introduction of hybrid dinosaurs, a means to reel in a bigger audience and generate more excitement (and revenue).
The Indominus Rex, the result of hybrid experimentation, is an interesting concept to begin with but soon loses its novelty as the film progresses. This terrible lizard can be easily replaceable with a 'Spinosaurus' or any other large, intimidating carnivore, and subsequently produce no change in the latter half of the movie whatsoever.
"Jurassic World" makes it tempting to dose off in the first half of the film as it takes its time to introduce its attractions and dinosaurs, most of which were spoiled and revealed in the trailer anyway. After most of the plot devices and characters have been established, however, the movie finally grabs your attention and launches into the action, although more of an effort could have been made to create more suspense and tension as the stakes just never feel high enough, especially with the main characters, who hardly feel as if they're in danger.
Cutting right to the bone, "Jurassic World" is a solid film. While it isn't the most innovative out of the whole franchise and is sadly missing the 'wow' factor from its predecessors, it is entertaining enough and not too somber to appeal to and reel in wide audiences everywhere. Fans of the original "Jurassic Park" will also appreciate the many nods and easter eggs found throughout. I wouldn't particularly recommend "Jurassic World" but at the same time, I have no reason for deterring anyone to watch it at all.
Just when you think Hollywood are going to butcher another franchise with some unnecessary reboot or sequel, the execution of "Jurassic World" actually works well enough for it be watchable and possibly exceed expectations for those who had their doubts (I certainly had mine before entering the theatre). This can mainly be pinned down to the cast, starring Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins and Nick Robinson, whose characters are all (eventually) likable enough to want to follow their journey, especially Pratt, who was initially criticised for appearing too 'wooden' with his role when the first trailer made its way online. "Jurassic World" thankfully doesn't seem to take itself too seriously either, with a nice handful of jokes and light-hearted moments scattered throughout, mainly in the latter acts of the movie.
The film is dazzling, its vibrancy making it visually appealing to large audiences and also contributing to the fact that the film is not meant to be incredibly 'serious' (by alternatively employing a dark and washed out colour palette; a trope popular with 'rebooted' movies to imply a somber, grittier re-telling of a popular story). The CGI, which is definitely something of concern when involving the "Jurassic Park" franchise, can look incredible at times (the Mosasaurus being my favourite example) but is undeniably overdone, especially when the previous trilogy evinced that animatronics are a plausible alternative in the appropriate shots. The illusion of dinosaurs being real and tangible in this movie universe is sadly broken by the overwhelming use of CGI.
As a result, one of the major aspects missing from the film is the 'wow' factor that the previous movies instilled; dinosaur reveals just aren't exciting enough, especially when "Jurassic World" takes too long to even reveal the dinosaurs in the first place. Also disappointing is the fact that one of the first times we hear the grand and well-recognised "Jurassic Park" theme, composed by John Williams, is not for the dinosaur reveals but for a shot to establish the 'updated', modern theme park, glistening with standardisation and uniformity as it looks no different to any other immaculate holiday resort that we might expect, making the audience feel more 'amazed' by this 'modernised' park than the dinosaurs themselves.
However, this all ties in to the themes and comments made on society's present consumerist ways, the fact that we want 'bigger' and 'better', the whole reason for creating the hybrid dinosaurs in the first place; we have been so used to seeing the various dinosaurs in "Park"'s trilogy that the novelty has now worn off, hence the introduction of hybrid dinosaurs, a means to reel in a bigger audience and generate more excitement (and revenue).
The Indominus Rex, the result of hybrid experimentation, is an interesting concept to begin with but soon loses its novelty as the film progresses. This terrible lizard can be easily replaceable with a 'Spinosaurus' or any other large, intimidating carnivore, and subsequently produce no change in the latter half of the movie whatsoever.
"Jurassic World" makes it tempting to dose off in the first half of the film as it takes its time to introduce its attractions and dinosaurs, most of which were spoiled and revealed in the trailer anyway. After most of the plot devices and characters have been established, however, the movie finally grabs your attention and launches into the action, although more of an effort could have been made to create more suspense and tension as the stakes just never feel high enough, especially with the main characters, who hardly feel as if they're in danger.
Cutting right to the bone, "Jurassic World" is a solid film. While it isn't the most innovative out of the whole franchise and is sadly missing the 'wow' factor from its predecessors, it is entertaining enough and not too somber to appeal to and reel in wide audiences everywhere. Fans of the original "Jurassic Park" will also appreciate the many nods and easter eggs found throughout. I wouldn't particularly recommend "Jurassic World" but at the same time, I have no reason for deterring anyone to watch it at all.
"Tokyo Magnitude 8.0" tells the story of two young kids, a brother and sister, surviving a post-apocalyptic world after the events of a catastrophic earthquake as they make a long journey home to be re-united with their family. Though it isn't the most creative and compelling story, it really is more about the 'journey' that these characters take and the people they meet along the way that makes the anime worth the watch.
Even with just 11 episodes in 1 exclusive season, some episodes simply come across filler material as certain elements become repetitive very fast due to the show's slightly slow pace. However, this is all forgiven when we reach the show's bittersweet climax and, without delving into spoiler territory, discover the surprises that the anime has in store, making you appreciate the time taken to reach the ending and, as previously mentioned, the journey taken to get there.
Aided by the admirable story are the beautiful visuals, the art style being very reminiscent of Studio Ghibli productions. It is also worth mentioning the delicate score too, which is often serene and led by an elegant piano in the show's calmer moments, complimenting the animation and contributing to the show's overall bittersweet ambiance.
An English dub of the series does exist and though the entire voice cast is not superbly talented, the performances are definitely sufficient and convey the characters appropriately, especially Luci Christian whose performance of teenager Mirai Onozawa stands out amongst the rest and comes across impeccably from episode to episode.
Whether you're new to anime or not, "Tokyo Magnitude 8.0" is definitely worth the watch and with just 1 short season, it gets to the point with a definitive ending. It's worth noting that there's a "condensed" version of the series which runs under just less than an hour but I would strongly recommend just watching through all 11 episodes and following the characters' journey in these tragic events from the very beginning to the very end.
"Tokyo Magnitude" appropriately gets an "8.0" for its simple yet effective storytelling and memorable characters.
Even with just 11 episodes in 1 exclusive season, some episodes simply come across filler material as certain elements become repetitive very fast due to the show's slightly slow pace. However, this is all forgiven when we reach the show's bittersweet climax and, without delving into spoiler territory, discover the surprises that the anime has in store, making you appreciate the time taken to reach the ending and, as previously mentioned, the journey taken to get there.
Aided by the admirable story are the beautiful visuals, the art style being very reminiscent of Studio Ghibli productions. It is also worth mentioning the delicate score too, which is often serene and led by an elegant piano in the show's calmer moments, complimenting the animation and contributing to the show's overall bittersweet ambiance.
An English dub of the series does exist and though the entire voice cast is not superbly talented, the performances are definitely sufficient and convey the characters appropriately, especially Luci Christian whose performance of teenager Mirai Onozawa stands out amongst the rest and comes across impeccably from episode to episode.
Whether you're new to anime or not, "Tokyo Magnitude 8.0" is definitely worth the watch and with just 1 short season, it gets to the point with a definitive ending. It's worth noting that there's a "condensed" version of the series which runs under just less than an hour but I would strongly recommend just watching through all 11 episodes and following the characters' journey in these tragic events from the very beginning to the very end.
"Tokyo Magnitude" appropriately gets an "8.0" for its simple yet effective storytelling and memorable characters.
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