James' Movie Blog

  We all have been teenagers at one point in our lives. But we could never unleash our full potential. Luckily, through the power of animation, DreamWorks proves that teenage power in their latest feature, “Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken”. And while it doesn't fit a three act structure, it does make up for good performances, interesting characters, and good morals in the end. “Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken” is a decent portrayal of being an outcast in the water; pun intended. The plot involves Ruby Gillman (Lana Condor), a teenager who just so happens to be a descendant from the monstrous kraken that everyone fears. Along with her parents Agatha and Arthur (Toni Collette and Colman Domingo respectively), and her younger brother Sam (Blue Chapman), Ruby must blend in with the humans and try not to go into the water. That is until her crush sends Ruby into the ocean, and transforms her entire body into a giant kraken. Under the tutelage of her grandmother (Jane Fonda), Ruby must protec...

  Opposites attract; quite literally here. With the new animated film from Pixar “Elemental”, we get a variation on the romance trope by using the elements that make up our world. More specifically, fire and water. And while the final product might not be up to standards with, say other Pixar feature films, “Elemental” does do its own unique thing. It may be flawed, but “Elemental” does provide that great and exclusive charm that Pixar is best known for. The story takes place in Element City, where the four major elements converge: earth, air, water, and fire. However, water and fire do not mix, and that can create some tension. That all changes when a fire spirit named Ember (Leah Lewis) suddenly meets a water person named Wade (Mamoudou Athie). Together, both Ember and Wade find out that there are some things that each of them have in common, and can overcome prejudice that concern the two of them in the city. “Elemental” is a rather charming animated feature courtesy of Pixar...

  In May of 1999, Nickelodeon premiered a new series on the channel called 'Spongebob Squarepants', and it was an instant hit. Created by the late Stephen Hillenburg, the show proved to an animated must for those in the late 90s and early 2000's. And once the show achieved massive success, chances of a movie were inevitable. And fortunately, that wish would come true. And, in the year 2004, we got “The Spongebob Squarepants Movie”, which was also a big hit. But with a price. After the movie, Hillenburg left the show, and only served as an executive producer, and many fans consider the seasons post movie not that great. Which only begs the question: is the film that divisive? Well, it's not bad, but it's good, but it does contain some flaws, which will be discussed later on. One good thing that easily be said right off the bat, is that this movie can please everyone. With “The Spongebob Squarepants Movie”, we get an entertaining film that certainly pleases everyone u...

  It's the end of the world as we know it, and I am mildly unimpressed. Yeah, that's the main reaction of this movie here. With “Knock at the Cabin” we get a standard apocalypse movie courtesy of M. Night Shyamalan. And the result is just a big predictable mess from when we saw the first trailer. There are quite a few good things that are present here, like the production value, and the themes explored, but the overall tone and quality is not that great. It feels as if this movie took an awesome concept, and just took it to a rather bland territory. While not the worst film out there, “Knock at the Cabin” is a rather boring experience that really plays it safe with its topics. And not in a good way. The story involves a family consisting of two gay men named Andrew and Eric (Ben Aldridge and Jonathan Groff respectively), along with their young daughter Wen (Kristen Cui) going to spend some quality time at a cabin the woods. Everything goes well until four complete strangers co...

       In theory, this concept should work. The premise that this movie brings forth, tries to work within its setting. Unfortunately, the whole thing just collapses and falls apart. With the movie “Fear”, we do get an interesting idea, but the whole execution just doesn't work within itself. This horror film is the perfect example of how not to do a horror movie in general. From the fast and rushed execution of the story, to the incredible annoyance of the special effects, this film fails in every sense of the word. And yes, I paid real money to go and see this one. “Fear” tries desperately to go ahead and scare its audience, but the end result is just cheap Halloween trick. The story involves a group of friends renting out a cabin in the mountains. It also comes at a time after a global pandemic has died down greatly. However, once at the cabin, the friends admit their darkest fears, and throughout the course of the weekend, these fears will play all kinds of tric...

  We all like to be judgmental about everything; from the clothes we wear, to the places we go. It seems like we want to criticize everything that the world offers. Including food. Food is something that quite a lot of people take for granted, and they want to compliment themselves before they eat what is on their plate. That is where the recent film “The Menu” takes complimenting food to another dark territory. Conceived as a horror comedy, “The Menu” takes its obsession with food, and turns it into a place you do not want to go to. But it is rather fascinating while you watch it. There are a few questions that are not answered within the course of the movie, but the pacing more than makes up for by keeping the viewer engaged throughout the movie's run time. “The Menu” is a blend of suspense and comedy that keeps you on edge, and makes you really appreciate what goes on in constructing a meal. The plot involves a group of people who are heading to a remote island where special me...

  The world of fantasy is a great opportunity for those wanting to explore strange new worlds of excitement and wonder. And all around the world, fantasy is being brought to us in many shapes and forms. One such place where fantasy can thrive heavily is in Japan, and within the realm of animation, fantasy know no bounds. And, there is no better example of a perfect of a fantasy film that outdoes pretty much everything else than 2001's “Spirited Away”. Which was given a proper English dub and release one year later to critical acclaim, and winning an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. Since its release, the impact that this movie has had, has been phenomenal. Many people and critics have praised this movie left and right, and, honestly, what else is there to say that hasn't been said already? It's amazing. “Spirited Away” is clearly one of those movies that needs to be seen to be believed. Not just on an animation level, not just on a fantasy viewpoint, but as a movie in gener...