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Kaubôi bibappu: Cowboy Bebop (1998)
Film noir + Anime + Firefly + Blade Runner = A really good anime
Cowboy Bebop is a show about a couple of bounty hunters (nicknamed "cowboys") aboard their ship, the Bebop (yes its a strange name, I know), hence the show's name. The show itself is a mix between a certain brand of sci-fi seen in films like Blade Runner and in shows like Firefly (which was almost certainly inspired by Cowboy Bebop in a few ways). Firstly, the setting is incredibly deep, atmospheric, and unique, as a combination of sci-fi anime (like Akira), film noir, and cyberpunk. The characters are also all 3-dimensional and fleshed out, from the serious and experienced former cop, Jet, to the brilliant, energetic, and quirky Edward (who reminds me a bit of Tina from Borderlands 2, only less psychotic). Some episodes are self- contained stories, but unlike the filler episodes in other anime, such as Naruto, they are well-made, actually adding to the story and expanding the universe. The more central storyline follows the lead protagonist, Spike Spiegel, and his struggles with his former lover, and old rival, Viscous. Ultimately, this is an extremely well-made anime with flawless characters, an interesting world, and captivating stories in 26 episodes. A must see for any anime fan, and a great watch for the average TV watcher, this show is a solid 10/10 that everyone (above the age of 15, as it can be quite violent sometimes, and there is occasional nudity) should see.
Mulaney (2014)
A really crappy show with a slightly ironic saving point
Okay, Mulaney is not a good show. It isn't. Not by any stretch of the imagination. You know those semi-funny, semi-clever Nickelodeon and Disney live-action shows (like iCarly) that you watched as a pre- teen growing up in the late 2000s? This is basically a version of that, without all of the corny charm and with a few forced adult jokes to remind you that this is not the Disney Channel. The characters are blatant ripoffs of those from other, superior sitcoms like Seinfeld and Friends. The situation humor is forced at best, and the experience is cringe-worthy. "Then what is the saving grace you talked about in the summary?" you might be asking yourself. Well, the title and main character, Mulaney, is a stand-up comedian, and the stand up comedy scenes are actually pretty good. Not Monty Python, Robin Williams, or Bill Cosby good (yes, I do realize that Cosby IS a rapist and professional -censored- but he was a fine comedian), but pretty damn funny. They are what elevates the show from a 1 to a 3. However, they only take place in the beginning of each episode, and the end. Frankly, just go online and look up a playlist of the stand-up bits, and avoid the rest of the show. If you want good sitcoms, go watch reruns of Seinfeld and Friends instead. This is DeletedContent, signing out!
Dancer in the Dark (2000)
Good but OH GOD THE PLOT HOLES
Okay is not a good word to describe this movie. It is not bland or mediocre; rather it dips into both Oscar and Razzy territory... a lot. Lets start off with the positives:
Interesting camera style, which at first feels artsy-fartsy, but works surprisingly well (except for in above shots), and immerses you into this world as if you were an unnamed character
AMAZING acting from all of the supporting cast. Bjork's performance was inconsistent (I'll talk about that later), but everyone else in this film was very, very good
I can actually follow what's going on! While I love movies like 2001 (very few artsy movies are actually good, but some are), they can be very, very, VERY abstract (sort of their draw too, I guess), but this one was easily followable, without shoving everything in the audiences face.
Now for the shitstorm:
The plot holes and technical inconsistencies. Maybe you can chock this up to my CinemaSins nature, but I can't stand plot holes and inconsistencies, especially when they are obvious. And this one has a lot. For example, when Bill first shows off his gun, it is a revolver, and when we see it again in the film later, it is an M1911. While both would make sense for a police officer of the time (which Bill is), he is explicitly mentioned as having only 1 gun, his standard issue police firearm, which is also a major plot point of the film. There are also tons of inconsistencies (this is DEFINITELY NOT THE 1960s, despite the film claiming it as so), like the model of train and SEVERAL background issues. If you nitpick a lot, then this film will give you headaches and nightmares
The writing. I may have said that the acting was superb, but the writing isn't. While the plot itself was very good, it was just handled very poorly. A good script has a plot that revolves around the characters, and fits with those characters. When a character does something in a good script, it feels like THAT CHARACTER performed said action out of a reason befitting of them (I.E. The joker's seemingly random actions in the Dark Knight fit with his character very well). These characters feel like they do thing for the convenience of the plot, which breaks the immersion set up with the great acting and camera style.
Selma's stupidity. Okay, this one goes into the last issue I mentioned. Selma's IQ is very low (not saying Bjork's necessarily is, but Selma the character is about as bright as nylon is flammable). She is SO STUPID!! This is HIGHLY immersion breaking, and she is a disillusion and (unintentionally) irresponsible mother at best, and and a (this segment has been censored due to explicit use of profanity and offensive language. We apologize for the inconvenience, and will now resume the review. Thank you!) at worst.
The verdict:
Good acting and well-done camera angels lead to superb immersion. Songs that are varied in how good or bad they are. A terrible script that breaks most of the immersion set up by point one. Blatant inconsistencies that break the remainder of immersion left after number three. A lot of unbelievable circumstances that the plot forces these characters into against any sort of believablity.
Final word:
A motherload of potential, thanks to great acting and superb camera-work, wasted almost entirely by an atrocious script and so many plot holes that it puts the moon to shame.
A good, but forgettable soundtrack to boot.
Ultimately: wasted potential; this story needs to be revisited by a writer who knows what the hell he's doing. -5.5/10-