Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Dark Side of Dimensions (2016)

Let me preface this with...Actually this is going to take a lot of prefacing. I did not think that I would watch the Yu-Gi-Oh movie in Japan. In fact, Yu-Gi-Oh has not crossed my mind in many years. I did not think that I would watch any Japanese movie ever without English subtitles. I don't feel like I really have the right to give it a rating seeing that I didn't understand the movie. It's one thing to not understand the language, but I also wasn't up to date on the backstory. I used to watch Yu-Gi-Oh when I was younger as a casual Saturday morning thing. I didn't really follow it closely for story. I do remember going to see the movie in theaters years ago and getting a pack of souvenir cards. I can confirm that today I also got a souvenir card, in Japanese of course.

As expected, the movie had no substance, or I just missed it. But the computer graphics were pretty good. A big step up from the TV show. The duel scenes almost make a mockery of the TV show, which I believe used to have more of an emphasis on the mechanics of the duels. The duels in the movie are so fast, you can't even keep up. It is a product of the action movie period we live in. Not that it really mattered, cause again, no substance.

But none of that matters because I wasn't there for the movie, but the experience. I am very glad that Gabrielle and Amy convinced me to join them. Because this was a hell of an experience, by far the most Japanese thing I've done so far.

We went to buy tickets first earlier in the day. Being a Wednesday, ladies got discounted tickets for "Ladie's Service Day" whatever that means (do they have to service something or is the theater doing them a service?). I got a less discounted price as a student and had to show my student ID. Curiously, the women did not have to show ID to prove gender.

I had a large popcorn, which was like an American medium. It comes in the usual bucket, but then they put the bucket in a plastic tray so you can hold the tray which has a spot for popcorn and a drink. And then at the end of the movie, there are people to collect your tray and trash. It is very clean and efficient.

Back in May, I attended the Cannes Film Festival. And we all said that movie theaters were ruined for us now because we were spoiled by Cannes. At Cannes, you have audiences who enjoy and respect movies. They laugh when they're supposed to and clap at the right place and cry when appropriate. It is the reason watching movies in a group is different than watching a movie alone. Well, this experience was totally the opposite.

First, the audience for these anime movies at "Road Show" screenings cosplay. That means they dress up in costume and they're really good costumes too. They spend some real money on these. And it's not just one or two people. I'd say half the audience is in costume. And they all have glow sticks. Now, I don't know where they got these glow sticks, but they all knew exactly what to do without instructions. They have different color settings, and somehow they all know that the different colors correspond to different characters. I don't think the sticks are specifically made for this purpose, but they have all the necessary colors and everyone has them. And they hold them up and shake them to the beat of the background music to cheer for the characters...Not just their favorite characters, but all of them. Turning back in my seat, I would see a whole sea of glow sticks beating an imaginary drum in unison. It is hilarious. They get so into it. They being the audience, which was predominantly female, probably in their twenties.

Before the movie even started, they were screaming at the top of their lungs at the trailers. And they are so loud. This would not be acceptable in an American theater, but this was like an interactive movie experience. Sometimes one person would call and then everyone would respond. And they all know exactly what to say at the right time. Clearly these people are coming back for second and third viewings. They would yell "kawaii" when there was a cute kid on screen or "ohayou" when someone on screen woke up or simply yell the name of the character on screen like a fan girl. It was like being at a Justin Beiber concert but the screaming was totally unexpected. Most of the time I had no idea what they were saying, but it was always hilarious. They are so into it.

I don't think I'll ever have a movie experience like that again. But it was unforgettable.

The Little Prince (Le Petit Prince) (2015)

This is a gorgeous little movie that mixes traditional computer animation with creative stop motion animation. The animation is brilliant. That is by far the best part. I admit I didn't read The Little Prince. So I don't have the same connection to this story that other people have. But it is a touching story with an uplifting moral. There is this strange balance between English and French in this movie. The dialogue is in English but the text is in French. The production is French, but was supposed to be accessible to a wider audience. And yet it has had a difficult time breaking into the American market. I had to see it on an international flight. But I would highly recommend it to all kids.

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2016)

This was the movie that really exhausted me on the plane. After watching Hail Caesar, I saw another bad movie. This is what I call a running movie. It was basically nonstop running. It doesn't make for very interesting plot. It's a chase without a destination. I enjoyed the first one because of the mystery surrounding the premise. But the mystery does not resolve itself in this one. The plot doesn't really move at all. We just have to wait for the final installment. They didn't give me enough answers. And there wasn't enough Minho.

Hail, Caesar! (2016)

In short, I didn't really like this movie. I fell asleep. It has its funny moments. There are some great scenes, like the one in which the religious leaders discuss the accuracy of the movie. There just aren't enough of them.  It really feels like a Coen Brothers movie. The humor is unusual and dry but fast and witty. But I just couldn't really get into it. The movie is loving depiction of Hollywood and the movie-making business. 

Downton Abbey (2010-15)

Downton Abbey is a costume soap opera that started out with a phenomenal first season. And it kept it up for a bit, but then they fell into a lull in the fourth and fifth seasons. Gladly, they ended strong with an excellent final two episodes, tying nicely everyone's story lines in a touching and emotional way. As a big ensemble drama, there are a lot of characters. And admittedly, some characters have more interesting story lines than others. You try to equally invest in the upstairs aristocrats and the downstairs servants. The separation between the two spheres was distinct but I enjoyed watching their interaction as well.

The characters that last all 6 seasons maintain continuity in a world of change. The great estates of England are in decline by the end of WWI and we watch the times change and the family adapt. It is a period drama, and the time period always played an important part of the story as new technology was introduced and as events unfolded around the world. And time moves very quickly episode to episode. The music and cinematography of Downton Abbey is really pretty too. It takes place in the gorgeous Highclere Castle.

Mary was known for being mean to poor Edith. Their dynamic was always funny to watch. Mr. Carson and Ms. Hughes also had some great banter. But Dame Maggie Smith was was the star of the show with her never ending one-liners.

Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me (2014)

This documentary chronicles the a few years in the life of the legendary country musician Glen Campbell, specifically after his Alzheimer's diagnosis on his farewell tour. The footage of his tour is particularly well done. You watching the show go off without a hitch at first, and slowly as his health deteriorates the show falls apart. It is an unflinchingly emotional portrait of a man who is only part of who he once was. It is especially moving seeing him retain his musical skills while other parts of brain fade. And it is especially powerful watching his final concert, which he barely gets through. This movie achieves its goal in a very tasteful way. It sets to raise awareness for Alzheimer's disease and it certainly does that. The audience sees this man suffering from a disease in all his strength and courage. And it brings out lots of big name musicians for talking head interviews to talk about their memories of Glen and their own experiences with Alzheimer's. And the end of the film presents a new song: I'm Not Gonna Miss You. It is a heart wrenching ballad sung by Glen, his swan song.