Samurai Champloo- As the second brainchild of Cowboy Bebop director, Shinichiro Watanabe, it’s safe to say my expectations for Samurai Champloo were through the roof. As far as I’m concerned, Bebop is a near perfect testament as to what anime can achieve. Samurai Champloo is, well it’s not as good, but it’s still a fantastic piece of entertainment.
Japan’s Edo period is no stranger to anime, but the great thing about Wanatabe’s work is the oozing of soul. Pre-industrial revolution Japan melds with the hip-hop themes at play in a charming fashion. It’s mature, yet playful in its brazenly stylized action, but never forgets to drizzle in the proper amount of levity.
Much like in Bebop, most episodes are loosely tied to the main plot. They’re by no means filler, but it’s the double episodes archs which really progress the story. As a result, some episodes lack a sense of impact no matter how enjoyable they are. For example, one episode has the three protagonists- Mugen, Jin, and Fuu,- experience a psychedelic trip, with no ramifications to the overarching narrative.
As far as characters go, it’s a very inclusive cast. Mugen, Jin, and Fuu play off each other extremely well. They each rely on the “secret past” cliche but how they develop along the way is what really matters. For example, Mugen, my favorite of the bunch, is an all-around cocky asshole. He epitomizes the anti-hero early on, but eventually peels back his crass exterior, revealing a sympathetic sob-story.
But what is an anime critique without a discussion of the animation itself? Several phrases and terms come to mind, those being stunning, eye-candy, visual ecstasy, and ocular bliss. Each and every character has a unique sense of fluidity and the color palettes make the environments leap out and slap you with the caressing and supple hand of art. Tor bring up Mugen again, oh good lord does is his spastic fighting style an utter joy to watch. In fact, other than Fuu, most character don’t adhere to the typical anime art-style.
Much like Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo is an all-around refreshing experience. It’s always clear when your watching Watanabe's handy-work, thanks to the shear individuality and high level of craftsmanship to it, and Champloo is a prime example.
The Evil Dead & Evil Dead 2: Dead Before Dawn- The other day while playing some Poker Night at the Inventory 2, I had knocked Ash Williams off the table and realized something. Army of Darkness is a thing, and thing that I have not seen in years. So I booted up Netflix , but to my disappointment they didn’t have it. They did however have the first two movies of The Evil Dead trilogy.
After watching the films I was reminded how batshit crazy it is. The first movie is remarkable bit of horror. It’s a blood bath, but not in the same sense we receive them today. The Evil Dead’s horror initially starts off as the more traditional physical threat, eventually mixing in some physiological debauchery for good measure.
Evil Dead 2: Dead Before Dawn on the other hand, well that movie is fucking bonkers. The Camp-O-Meter is cranked up to full-blast as Ash, the protagonist, even dukes it out with his own possessed hand while dishing out one-liners and catch phrases like “Grooooooooovy!” The first 20 minutes even contradict the events of the previous film. It’s a drastic departure, but still rather enjoyable when approached with the right mindset. I’ve chalked up the differences to Ash’s descent into becoming a blithering lunatic, but maybe that’s more work than necessary on the viewer's part.
All in all, they’re entertaining movies. The first is certainly more grounded and therefore approachable. The second seems to almost go out of it’s way to piss-off fans of the first while being too incoherent to to be enjoyed by newcomers. Nonetheless, if you’re looking for a creative coupling of horror, set your peepers upon The Evil Dead.
The Prophecy- You know those movies that are so bad they’re almost good. Well this isn’t one of them. The Prophecy is simply bad and I knew that going into it. So why did I bother? Well, I was told Viggo Mortensen plays an excellent Satan. Truth be told, he does. The sad thing is he doesn't show up until the final 30 minutes.
The story goes along the lines of a war between angles. Although this war seems to be more low key and between Gabriel (Christopher Walken), one other dull-as-dirt angel, and a few inconsequential mortals. There really is nothing redeemable or the least bit captivating.
Back to good ol’ Viggo though. The reason for his involvement is just...well so apropos of Satan. He wants nothing more than to remain the only embodiment of evil and Gabriel’s rebellion threatens that. So he comes, fucks shit up, cuts a deal with the humans, and leaves.
You know what, let me save you the trouble of watching the whole film for a single scene. To the YouTubes!
Into the Wild- Chances are at one point in your life you’ve had the urge to drop everything and go off the grid. For most of us, this is a passing desire. For Chris McCandless, this is exactly what he did 1990 after graduating college.
Into the Wild is based on the novel of the same name which in turn based on the true events of McCandless’ life as wanderer. As a college student it’s a very endearing and sympathetic tale. Society really can be a drag, and every now and then I want nothing more than to forgo all the rules and travel the world. While the Alaskan wilderness is beyond me, I still fully understand the sentiment. So much of Into the Wild is handled with the utmost care. The acting, cinematography, and retelling of McCandless’ story are remarkable. My only gripe would have to be the pacing. At times certain chapters can drag on. It’s a minor slip in an otherwise enjoyable experience.
I’d elaborate further, but this is a film best begun blindly. Just know it’s worth your time.
Sons of Anarchy- For four and a half seasons I’ve watched Sons of Anarchy and in all that time I’ve been mildly entertained. It’s goes back and forth between just about everything. Attempting to straddle the line between a rough and tumble bro-drama and a serious piece of entertainment shooting for the Emmy’s. The problem is, the machismo never really lets up enough to allow a whole lot of character or plot progression. By the fifth season you’re pleading to have Clay and Jax finally stop their dance. For fives seasons you wonder why no gets fed up with Gemma’s constant shitty attitude and troublemaking. Consistency is important, but too much will drown the audience in boredom.
It’s not all bad though. Jax, Opie, and a few others are able to carry the action longer than the inconsistent acting deserves. Jax is especially sympathetic as he’s one of the few who realizes the biker gang life isn’t all that grand. His constant struggle to keep his friends happy while finding a way out and do what’s best for his family manages to keep a palpable level of tension.
Sons of Anarchy’s biggest problem is pretty darn obvious. It’s okay to try and straddle the line between mindless action and a well written story, but when you do such a humdrum job on either front, nothing becomes particularly memorable. The action is cheesy and the writing meddles in the putrescent waters of mediocrity.
Oreimo- I’m a sucker for analyzation and subversion. Oreimo is no Attack on Titan or Evangelion, but as far as slice-of-life comedies go, it’s shockingly good. Albeit a bit odd, even for anime standards. Okay, maybe it actually gets really odd by the end, but that’s part of the magic.
When high schooler Kyosuke Kousaka finds out his little sister’s, Kirino, humiliating secret there cold-war relationship goes by the wayside as the two become close friends. Of course Kirino's secret isn't all that typical. She’s not only an otaku, but a fierce fan of eroge. For most of the duration of Oreimo, the story plays second fiddle to the characters. It’s a colorful cast who each possess a number of flaws but never fail to bring a smile to my face with their goofy antics.
Cliches and idiotic episode systems be damned! Oreimo's playing-up of anime tropes ends up working in it's favor in tongue-in-cheek sort of way. I don't want to pretend it's all clever, but it's laugh-worthy, and isn't that the point?
I usually avoid spoiler territory, but you’ll have no such luck from here on out. So if you’ve not finished all of Oreimo, steer clear.
That ending. So after a series of clever reveals, Kirino and Kyosuke act on their taboo feelings and see each other in secret. Seeing such a thing was cold slap across the face. I also began contemplating one matter in particular.
By all accounts society views such things as strictly forbidden. I’d wager that more than a few would be disgusted by the content in Oreimo, especially the positive light in which it’s shown. But in comparison to how poorly some entertainment handles far more heinous material, is Oreimo really all that bad? Shows like the aforementioned Sons of Anarchy casualty glorifies gun/drug trafficking, patriarchy, and the killing of our fellow man. All three of those things have been undeniably more cancerous to our society. Yes, relationships between family members instantly comes of as strange within our culture, but consider this. They’re not harming anyone, and it’s bringing happiness two consenting adults, fully aware of the ramifications of their actions. It may not be my cup of tea, but I’m willing to take a live and let live approach.
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