luke-eberhardt

So many online film reviewers exploded out of the reviewing communinty late 2000s to early 2010s. Yet most tended to resort to an egotistical sense of showmanship exasperated by large outbursts and questioning the film's rationality (even when it's not required i.e. 'Watching film Wrong').

The Smeghead is a little different, despite the evolved quality of his earlier reviews he's remained consistent with his approach and has remained likable, let alone has sense of humour that can be greatly appreciated. His laid back sense of understanding and examining the sublty of bad films is something I have always enjoyed. He knows how to effectively use humour on good timing and doesn't resort to all too many overdramtic or embarrising outbursts (too tiring in this day and age to express negativity).

I've stuck by him quite a lot more knowing he's likely to never going take his viewing experience all too seriously. He has great insights too let alone is able to empathize with his audience while also making us appreciate the fact 'you can have fun watching some of the worst films ever made.' I don't think I need to point out a particular review he's done that I truly enjoyed, they always provide great comfort for me especially before bed.

In essense I think it's best to analyze and offer a hilarious breakdown of some of the worst films ever made. Also understand nobody sets out to make a bad film and closely examining what went wrong is essential for a greater film understanding. Great to see after all these years he's still going strong.

While Robert A. Heinlein's controversial classic sci-fi romp about humanity fighting an intergalactic space war with alien bugs has been largely overshadowed by Paul Verhoeven's more satirical audience friendly but deprived of high regard 1998 film adaptation. This Anime OVA (Original Video Animation) remains the more faithful and unique adaptation to date, it's also something industry professionals should look to if a 'Reboot/Re-adaptation' is in the works.

First and foremost, the original novel was more about the main character; Juan 'Johnnie' Rico making his way through the rough and tumbles of life training and living under the military. It was never pleasant and always fraught with conditions nobody would've ever believed and not just on the battlefield fighting a vehement and unreasoning enemy. That's what's presented here as being fairly accurate to the development for Johnnie, he loses family and friends, but he never loses his sense of purpose and follows through on strict orders. This anime is less melodramatic than Verhoeven which makes it easier to relate, even when some characters are being unpleasant due to circumstances. It also puts Heinlein's conception of 'Powered Military Suits' up front and center and being the primary weapon of combat for these soldiers. While there isn't much of that to distinguish this from other 'mech themed' anime, it's the story and commitment the series makes as Heinlein's 'Starship Troopers' that makes it unique. Even if action on the book pages were far and few in between, here it's very much worthy of the the wait and build up until the most thrilling of action battle scenes are on display.

My only criticisms for this film is the conception of the aliens, while the book and Verhoeven film make it quite clear the aliens are 'Insectoid' or 'Ant-like' which has always been up for interpretation and classification or it's kind(s). Here it's less of being 'bug-like' and act more like an infecting alien parasite threat that simply breeds and destroys, although still very effective, revealing less until the penultimate moment the squad of soldiers figures out how to fight them.

Overall, despite being dated and barely having a full narrative that pays-off much like Verhoeven's film. This version of Starship Troopers is surprisingly accurate to Heinlein's novel, straightforward with it's narrative and unique in it's design and characterization. Not the best anime of sci-fi to recommend but good enough for anyone to see a fresh perspective on Heinlein's book rather than spawning off from what someone else created.

What to say about Uwe Boll that hasn't been said? what about who he is as a person?

Upon watching this documentary I have no doubt Uwe Boll is a nice guy and can easily get along with those wanting to be reasonable to him, even when this film begins; all his close friends and colleagues have expressed he has a great personality being very direct and charismatic; albeit, coming along with being very opinionated, yells quite a lot and says whatever he wants without apologies. If the latter doesn't show a slip end to the divide in how he conducts himself both personally and professionally? than that's where the need to dive deep into where this film goes becomes vital.

Professionally speaking Uwe Boll is passionate about what he made as a filmmaker. he has a cinematic vision about where he wants to go with the story, it's just his process is unique. Hows so? first up Boll was never one to care about quality or self improvement to his craft or practices. Even for the most part he didn't care about making trash (due to how easy it was to sell), he even enacted on his instincts with little accountability or had the self awareness that he could take his time with writing, directing and hiring others to ensure a sense of quality to his films. However, he was good at at financing, getting the money he needed from investors and ensuring he filmed what he needed in a fixed amount of time. Boll even admits he lacks respect for others but doesn't personally show a great sense of disrespect, this part of his character and work would really take a toll in how the public saw him, his colleagues would be in a love/hate relationship with the guy, while the public would see him as "A New Ed Wood"/"Worst Director of the 21st Century." While it's easy to admit Boll was likable because he was so blunt, he was insufferable in how he conducted himself as both a writer and director, even when he wasn't making trash based off properties, he was prone to making loud and offensive jokes without a sense of what's funny. His Incompetence combined with belligerence would contribute to his very well deserved Golden Raspberry Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Worst of all was how he presented himself to the public, largely reacting to how critics saw him, he soon became a tainted name, that anything he made was to be seen as trash, regardless of whatever he made a film about (loved how it was easy to sell video game films despite not being a gamer). Rather than taking care of what actors could do (hence his lack of true collaboration), he acted impulsively in what he shot and seemed to make whatever he saw fit rather than following scripts or stories. Even for real professionals, 'Not Reading Reviews' is a healthy way in how you would conduct yourself, unless you knew how to take criticism, sadly Boll didn't. Neither did an amateur boxing match with critics help his reputation but only boost his ego of a showman he could be.

Overall, it's sad to see Boll was never a great filmmaker, while I don't deny the fact if he were passionate about something and did do the right things to make a film stand out as well as he could, maybe it could be good. But his willingness to be controversial didn't help as much as it's barely inspirational, even as he was willing to risk things, he was prone to pissing off a lot of people too. Now middle aged, Boll is content to reflect on his mistakes or even admit what he could've done better. Sad to think Boll was largely polarizing as a person but was never a great at things he said he loved to do. While he seems to be doing great as a restaurant owner, maybe he'll come out of retirement and prove the world wrong in finally making a 'skilled film' that could be admired rather than ridiculed.