Monday, May 28, 2018

Black★Rock Shooter OVA LiveStream



For 3 months, I will be doing public livestreams to get a chance to interact with my followers (readers/viewers) and to give a glimpse of all the awesome things I offer on my Patreon. There's only 2 more livestreams planned and soon it'll be your turn to decide on what we watch on Patreon!

When:
Tuesday, May 29 at 8:00 pm CST
Where: Rabb.it via mikosuzahiru18

Click the movie titles to RSVP via Rabb.it!

Saturday, May 26, 2018

Fair Shake Review: Zephyr - NIKI

Zephyr - NIKI
(Genre: Contemporary R&B)


Let the zephyr whisk you:
Vintage (Music Video)
Say My Name (Music Video)
I Like U (Choreography to the first song I heard)
Sindhen Interview (The first one I've seen)
Oceans and Engines (Back in the Nicole Zefanya days)

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Fair Shake Review: Book of Ryan - Royce Da 5'9"

Book of Ryan - Royce Da 5'9"
(Genre: Hip Hop/Rap)


Bookmarks of Ryan:
Caterpillar (Music Video)
Boblo Boat (Music Video)
HipHopDX Interview (Soulful Sundays)
Caterpillar Reaction (Shawn Cee)
Shawn Cee Review (Some differing views)

Sunday, May 20, 2018

Rain's The Squall Live in Hong Kong LiveStream


For 3 months, I will be doing public livestreams to get a chance to interact with my followers (readers/viewers) and to give a glimpse of all the awesome things I offer on my Patreon. There's only 3 more streams left and then it'll be your turn to decide what we watch next!

When:
Tuesday, April 22 at 7:30 pm CST
Where: Rabb.it via mikosuzahiru18

Click the banner to RSVP via Rabb.it!

Friday, May 18, 2018

Quick Movie Review


Catfight (2016, USA) | Rating: 2/5

I haven't heard too much about this movie, but I like Sandra Oh, despite not seeing too much of her work. I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into by the box cover and the description is what made me give it chance. I suppose this is some sort of dark comedy of a movie that has to deal with two women that share a long time grudge from high school and they just constantly fight. It’s quite brutal! The whole story is kinda bizarre and over the top with its execution as the conclusion just seems so unbelievable with what has happened between our two main characters. It’s a little tempting to watch this again to see if there’s something I’m missing, but I feel like one viewing was enough for me.



John Wick Chapter 2 (2017, USA) | Rating: 2/5

Why would I watch the sequel when I didn’t care for the first movie? Simply curiosity I suppose. Something about this John Wick fellow just really gets people excited. Yes, I enjoyed the visuals and the action, but the story was weak. So, I hoped maybe this sequel would change my mind. From what I heard, fans of the first movie didn’t care for this one too much, so it didn’t really change my opinion either. Sure, there was just a little more story, but not enough for me to completely invest myself in Mr. Wick. Visuals and action still remained pleasing, but I couldn’t tell you anything about his motivations.



Detour (2016, USA) | Rating: 3.5/5

While Baby Driver was being promoted, I saw the previews to this one on one of the DVDs I rented. It stars Tye Sheridan, not to be confused with Ed Sheeran or Ansel Elgort, but he has that look about him that confuses my mom sometimes, especially when they both have obviously interesting names. Yes, there’s fast cars, death, and some good action, but I wasn’t expecting too much from this movie. I was pleasantly surprised by all the various twists and turns that this movie did provide after revenge was taken or anger was freed. There’s plenty of action and suspense that kept me interested in seeing this story to the end.



I Am Heath Ledger (2017, USA) | Rating: 4.5/5

There are moments in my life that I wish I was a bigger fan of Heath Ledger. One moment was when I watched 10 Things I Hate About You for the first time and another moment was when I watched this semi-autobiographical documentary. From what I read, the footage you see is from various recordings from Mr. Ledger himself. I found this perspective fascinating and different from your usual talking heads type of documentary. I learned a lot about this talented actor through his eyes and those who were close to him. There were a lot of things I didn’t know about him and it made me want to check out more of his work. If you’re fan of Heath Ledger or want to know more about him, this is a great documentary to watch and reminiscent over.



Sleepless (2017, USA) | Rating: 1.5/5

When I saw the previews to this movie, it had a lot of promise. I enjoy Jamie Foxx and the work I have seen from him and I figured this action movie would be in good hands with him as well as a few other talented actors on the list. After watching it and skimming some of the comments on IMDb, the general agreement was that this action movie ran a little too slow for us and the story was very weak and generic. Sometimes generic premises can be saved by talented actors, but this one was no match for Mr. Foxx and the gang. I found myself bored between action scenes and unimpressed when they did happen. This was such a waste for such a talented cast, which made it kinda disappointing for me.

Review: Castlevania (2017)

Cast: Richard Armitage, James Callis, Graham McTavish, Tony Amendola
Written by: Warren Ellis
Directed by: Sam Deats
Based on: Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
Synopsis: When Lisa Tepes, beloved wife of Vlad Tepes is accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake by an overzealous bishop, Dracula declares war on the people of Wallachia and unleashes an army of murderous demonic creatures from hell. Luckily, Trevor Belmont, last survivor of the Belmont clan, a disgraced family known for hunting all kinds of monsters, is still in town and agrees to take the fight to the lord of vampires.

Video game adaptations are usually more miss than hit. There is one very large reason why this happens. Some production companies forget that there is a dedicated fanbase for these games that will pick apart any little or huge flaw. These are passionate, loyal supporters who devour every little item related to the source material. No matter how good intentioned, these adaptations bring out the inner critic in those very same fans. They will know if any certain item hasn't been treated with the most care.


Warren Ellis, Adi Shankar, and Netflix have luckily created one of the best video game adaptations that I have ever seen. The choice to make Castlevania into an anime was a very good one. Anime works well for the dark fantasy premise. The visuals are action-packed and would have required quite a lot of CGI if it had been live action. The monsters certainly work better with the animation than it would have with all that computer-generated gunk added. 



The voice casting is spot on for me. Trevor Belmont is given life by Richard Armitage's vocal delivery. Graham McTavish also brings a lot to the story with how he portrays Dracula's anguish and wrath. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that both actors were involved in this after their work in The Hobbit among other projects. 



My only real complaint is that there are only four episodes in season one. I was very disappointed that it was over so soon. There should have been so much more. Don't fret! Netflix has already greenlit season two which has begun production. The second season will be expanded to eight episodes. I'm excited to see where this goes and how much better it gets.

Rating: 5/5

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Fair Shake Review: Dirty Computer - Janelle Monae

Dirty Computer - Janelle Monae
(Genre: Pop/R&B/Funk)


Crazy, Classic, Links:
Dirty Computer (The Emotion Picture)
YouTube Space Interview (Fun and Emotional)
Ebro in the Morning Interview (Nice background info)
The Needledrop Review (More in-depth review)
Rap Critic & Mues (Goin' Off Podcast)

Monday, May 14, 2018

Review: Lore


Cast: Aaron Mahnke, Robert Patrick, Hollen Roden, Kristin Bauer van Straten, Campbell Scott
Genre: Horror, Mystery
Release: 2017 - current
Language: English
Available on: Amazon
Based on: Lore


What could be expected when a podcast becomes a tv series? It sounds like a strange idea until you really think about it. The podcast is an anthology series that delves into the truth behind horror legends such as vampires, werewolves, and spirits. The first season is made up of six episodes. The producers chose not to order the show like the podcast. They have mixed up the stories instead. Episode 1 is the same in both the series and the podcast. However, episode 2 is #6 from the podcast and so forth. It gives a good break from the expected for those who may have already listened to Aaron Mahnke's original work. 


The tv aspect brings visuals to the words in the form of actors and animation as well as news footage. I've read some complaints where critics say that visuals actually detract from the appeal of the story. I don't believe they do. These visuals could enhance things for viewers who don't want to simply listen to a podcast. You have actors who can convey the horror of the historical subject through a look or a gesture. This combined with news clippings, footage, and other factual items help ground the true reality of the subject. The other issue some might have is a slower pace than your traditional horror series. That's because this is set up more like an educational show such as Mysteries at the Museum with Aaron Mahnke's narration consistent through the whole show.


I won't go into too much detail simply because it may spoil some of the stories. Do you know the origin of the vampire mythos? How about fae changelings? Both the podcast and the tv series explores multiple stories related to the main theme in each episode. These stories help to define and expand upon the historical one. They may already be familiar to you if you watch other supernatural/horror themed shows. The Isla de las Munecas in episode 6 has been featured on shows such as Ghost Adventures. Don't expect jump scares and screaming dude bros though. This is a more serious affair. 

Recommended for: fans of horror, history and those curious to learn more.


Rating: 4.5/5

Sunday, May 13, 2018

Quadruple Action Feature (2-Day Event)


For 3 months, I will be doing public livestreams to get a chance to interact with my followers (readers/viewers) and to give a glimpse of all the awesome things I offer on my Patreon.
When:
Tuesday, May 15 (The Game Changer & What Happened to Monday) and Friday, May 18 (Blade of the Immortal & Kung Fu Yoga) at 7:30 pm CST.
Where: Rabb.it via mikosuzahiru18

Click the movie titles to RSVP via Rabb.it!

Sunday, May 6, 2018

Re:Mind Marathon (2-Day Event)


For 3 months, I will be doing public livestreams to get a chance to interact with my followers (readers/viewers) and to give a glimpse of all the awesome things I offer on my Patreon.
When:
Tuesday, May 8 (episodes 1-7) at 7:30 pm CST & Friday, May 11 (episodes 8-13) at 7:30 pm CST
Where: Rabb.it via mikosuzahiru18

Click the banner to RSVP via Rabb.it!

Friday, May 4, 2018

Fair Shake Review: KOD - J. Cole

KOD - J. Cole
(Genre: Rap/Hip Hop)




Delve into Cole World:
ATM (Music Video)
Kevin's Heart (Music Video)
The Needle Drop Review (Thoughts I hear most have)
Big Quint Reaction (Always fun to watch)