Ultraman: Rising | Review by: Stefano Bove

Ultraman has been around in television and film properties since the 1960’s. That is a lot of story to potentially catch up on if you are interested in learning about the character. Thankfully, Ultraman: Rising reboots the brand for a new audience.

The story follows superstar baseball player; Ken Sato as he is trying to balance his baseball career and protecting Japan from the occasional Kaiju as the new Ultraman. Ken is the second generation Ultraman after inheriting it from his father. Japan also has another defence against the Kaiju, THE KDF but Ultraman must tread lightly during Kauju events because the KDF shoot to kill and have a troubled relationship with Ultraman. Ken does not come off as a likeable or relatable character at the start of the film. He is arrogant, self-centered and harbours a lot of resentment towards his dad but this all changes after Ken accidently gets hold of a Kaiju egg and must now protect and safeguard it from the KDF. This sets Ken straight and puts him on a path of fatherhood he did not anticipate.

Sports journalist Ami Wakita is a great addition to the film. She has an extremely professional working relationship with Ken and she is not in the film solely to be a love interest. In fact, she’s the opposite as they exchange a lot of work and personal advice and realize they can help benefit each other’s careers. It is refreshing to see a platonic relationship such as this that allows two characters to evolve freely without being tied to a sexual relationship.

Ultraman Rising is a wonderful family friendly film about fatherhood and forgiveness. Ken Sato is not a perfect hero but aren't all heroes flawed in some way? This Ultraman Reboot does lack exposition on the history of Ultraman and its technology but that may have been saved for an eventual sequel.

3/5

Review by: Stefano Bove

#netflix #animated #ultraman

Boss Level Film Review

Boss Level is a new addition to the time loop genre, with a twist. Ex-special forces officer, Roy Pulver, played by Frank Grillo, relives the same day until he dies. Every day he is hunted by assassins and when killed, he wakes up back in his bed where he started, only to have to try and survive all over again. Roy has no idea why he is stuck in this infinite time loop but he must do what he can to survive, and the longer he survives, the more he uncovers about his particular situation. Unlike most action films that take time to build up, this film gets right into it and offers tons of non-stop combat sequences that would satisfy any lover of action films. Its erratic flow makes for some fun action scenes which come out of nowhere since Roy can expect the assassins to attack at any moment. If you play video games often and have ever been stuck on a level for hours or even days, you know the feeling of having to repeat the same thing over and over again u...

Godzilla vs. Kong Film Review

Godzilla versus Kong is the action movie we have been longing for since all major blockbuster films pushed back their release dates. After three solo films between Kong and Godzilla, we finally see the two titans clash on film for the first time in what is the culmination of the Universal Monsterverse. The story is split nicely in two as team Kong and team Godzilla each have their own mission. Team Kong is on a secret mission to the center of the earth to uncover the mystery of the titans. This team consists of Dr. Nathan, Dr. Ilene, Maia, and the Youngest character in the film, Jia. Team Godzilla consists of Madison, Josh, and Bernie who are also on a secret mission, to infiltrate Apex Cybernetics with the theory that they are up to no good and are the reason why Godzilla has been acting up recently. The dynamics of the teams are well balanced as the Kong story provides us with serious and more action-heavy bits in contrast to the Apex team story that ...

5Lb of Pressure | Review by: Gaius Bolling

5lbs of Pressure doesn't add anything new to the crime thriller genre but that's not to be meant as a detriment. By hitting on familiar beats, with the help of top-notch performances, writer/director Phil Allocco taps into what makes these films work. This is a tale of redemption and how being a product of your environment can shape you for better or worse. It's a story told across many films but that doesn't mean that Allocco's lens isn't still profoundly tragic and gripping. It's the sense of familiarity that makes the film work and as it reaches its tension-filled climax, anxiety hits a high hoping that the characters won't end up in an all too familiar outcome. Seeking redemption is Adam (Luke Evans). He's an ex-con, now sober, who is finishing his last month of probation for committing a crime that will continue to have a ripple effect through his life, even though he would like to leave it behind. He's attempting to forge a relationship w...

1st Reviews

Search This Blog