Movie Preview: Evangelion 1.0

Evangelion 1.0 is an anime movie that most anime fans already know. In fact, when I was the trailer for the film I had to ask myself why this is a movie.

This was a full anime series, Neon Genesis Evangelion. The characters, battles, and outcomes are all known. It’s so bad that the entire movie trailer is just several scenes from the coming episodes of the television series strung together. Yeah, it’s just that recycled.



The art is the same. The characters are the same. I would even guess that the voice acting is exactly the same. Beyond editing together the episodes, I am unaware of anything that this movie presents to people that have seen the series. [Though a quick scan of the internet states that there are a few new scenes. Which is still not enough for me to spend my money on.]

The argument can be made that the whole venture is an attempt to find new audiences. But let’s be realistic. In America the anime audience is relatively small, and they have seen this before. New fans are more likely to be drawn from watching Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim lineup (especially on Saturday night), than will ever come from this movie.

Add to that the fact that showing this film overseas, in Japan, is useless. In fact all the major venues of anime are pretty much out. Though some will enjoy seeing this on a major big screen, most will be bored watching a story they have seen several times over in various episode re-runs 1 more time. At a cost of over $20+ per person.

[Again, I stand corrected. My research found that this did incredibly well in Japan. Who knew a retread would do so well.]

The film is a re-release of a 2007 version. It has been dubbed into English and should hit selected theaters this weekend I believe. Honestly I would suggest getting the DVD, or the series and watching that. At least then the same money will allow you to watch the anime anytime you want.

Movie Preview: Blood:The Last Vampire

If you want to see something outside the usual Hollywood mega-explosion, action without plot, summer blockbusters I think there is another choice. It’s a film that most have likely not heard of, unless you happen to be into anime and/or manga. Blood: The Last Vampire is a live-action film based on an anime of the same name.

The original story, in the anime, is of a girl called Saya. She happens to be at least several hundred years old, a vampire, the last of her kind, and hates an offshoot breed called Chiroptera. The Chiroptera are literally hematophagous bat-like creatures, or if you recall the comic book character Man-Bat (on steroids and not as cute). Saya kills and feeds off of the Chirptera. The story takes place in Viet Nam era Japan.

To give you a better idea of what it’s about I found this video.



This is the basis of the live-action film. While there have been a few changes, the core story is basically intact. Saya is now a half-human, half-vampire. She still is out to kill, just this time it’s other vampires. She is still incredibly old. And she still works with a mysterious government agency.

Saya has been made a bit older for the film. The time has been changed to around the 70’s, still in Japan. The film is in English with Japanese sub-titles overseas, which is a switch based on improving the number of people seeing the film (silly Americans can’t watch a film and read at the same time you know). And it looks like a solid film.



The look and feel of this movie is incredibly close to the original anime. This is likely due to the attentions of producer Bill Kong (who was producer of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), and the original direction thoughts of Ronny Yu (known best to American audiences for Fourmula 51, Bride of Chucky, Freddy vs. Jason, and Jet Li’s Fearless) – who became a producer on the film as well. Both men are very good when they are left alone to make a non-Hollywood style film, which Blood is. As for the director Chris Nahon, the only thing he has done that I am aware of is Kiss Of The Dragon. That was a so-so film, thus this may be his break-out or break-down piece.

If you know anime, you have likely know all about this film. If you don’t I suggest it anyway. It is rare that you get to have a plot (of some degree), action, martial arts, strong female leads, and solid visuals in a single movie. The fact that the film was made in English is just another benefit and reason to go see the film.

I realize that there is no hulking CGI robots, that the lead is Korean (Jun Ji-hyun also known as Gianna Jun for this English version film), and that there is a plot. Obviously that makes this film less appealing to some that prefer intergalactic robots that apparently are idiots and plot-holes so big that the NCC-1701 could fly through them. But perhaps these comments might change your mind

“The Hollywood Reporter's Maggie Lee praised Jun's performance as Saya, feeling that she "displays ample aptitude for being an action heroine, doing most of her own tendon-twisting martial arts stunts and looking utterly fetching in a sailor suit that could turn any guy into a uniform-fetishist".

Will this film win an Oscar? No. But it should fill the void in a higher quality action films that nothing so far this year has hit upon from Hollywood. At least that’s what this movie preview concludes. I’ll review the actual film as soon as I can.

Movies to see before you die

There is nothing quite like a list of something to get the blood boiling. When that list happens to be of movies, and is called the 100 movies to see before you die, well you can imagine I was like a moth to a flame.

This Yahoo list is pretty good though. In fact I have seen 74 out of the full 100. When it comes to lists of great movies, I normally have far more issue with some of the choices. But this list is very much on the mark.

But they did get a few wrong.

Like Princess Monoke. A very good anime film. But not something you must see before death. I'd substitute that with Akira or Ghost in the Shell. Both are dazzling in the story and art. Far more compelling anime.

They touched on martial arts films, including Bruce Lee's Enter The Dragon. A true classic. But not the only style of martial arts film worthy of viewing. For a story that is completely different yet deep in thought and martial arts try Circle of Iron as an addition to your top 100 list.

I have to be excited about this list as they included one of my favorite films, and one that most people never heard of. M. That is a classic and groundbreaking. It may be old and sub-titled, but it is powerful cinema and that's what matters.

The list leaves out The Princess Bride, which I think is great on a comedic and swashbuckling level. And they did not include a universal classic The Adventures of Robin Hood. How can they not have Errol Flynn's most renown role.

Still the list does have Blazing Saddles and Do The Right Thing. Something I'm glad to see as films starring Black actors or directors normally seem to not exist in these kinds of lists.

Though they ignored Malcolm X, by Spike Lee. There is a reason why this was Denzel Washington's first Oscar nominated role (which he was robbed of), and why the movie itself was robbed of an Oscar Award. Once you see it I think you will agree.

I like that the list includes: the original 12 Angry Men, Alien, Apocalypes Now, Blade Runner, Bridge on the River Kwai, Die Hard, Dr. Strangelove, The Matrix, The Lord of the Rings, the original King Kong (one of the first films I ever saw and remember to this day), Groundhog Day, It's a Wonderful Life, Lawrence of Arabia, M.A.S.H. (yes it was a movie long before it was a television show), Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Animal House, Nosferatu (second film I recall ever seeing), Schindler's List, Seven Samurai, Some Like It Hot, Star Wars (the first of the series in 1977), To Kill A Mockingbird, and Usual Suspects. I find them all to be essential films that everyone should see at least once.

Also included in that list of core movies (besides the others I mentioned above) that everyone should see is Being There. A Peter Sellers film unlike anything he did before it. This is comedy of a cerebral nature yet enjoyable just to watch and eat popcorn with.

Overall this list is very good. One of the better lists to come out of Yahoo. But it isn't perfect. At least to me. And I think if you take the time to compare the movies I would add to the list, you'll see how much better it becomes in total.