The Last Ship

The Last Ship (2014)

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Honestly I only watched this originally because a old fellow classmate (Marissa Neitling) is in it. The premise reminds me greatly of the many zombie movies out now, only it's an infectious disease literally killing everyone instead of turning them into zombies. The last survivors are on a ship (hence the title) and are on a quest to create the cure for the rest of the world before time runs out. The challenge is not getting sick and losing their entire crew in the process. Honestly not looking like the best acting and filming job, so I'm not entirely interested in the series itself, but it is interesting to see my old classmate on screen.

Extant

Extant (2014)

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


Despite the hype of the new series, the first two episodes failed to draw me in. Halle Berry plays Molly Woods, lead star and astronaut who returns from a solo space mission.... pregnant. Fainting, seeing things she's convinced cannot be real, and cryptic conversations with her adopted son as she dodges her husband lead to a confusing foundation. I remember Berry most recently from X-Men, Catwoman and Gothika, none of which are anywhere near this. It's odd to see her in a continuing TV role like this. Sadly, I don't think this is a new series I'll be following.

Cinderella III: A Twist In Time

Cinderella III: A Twist In Time (2007)

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


The sequel films definitely do not follow the original or fall in line with each other at all. Cinderella II saw a short story where Cinderella helped Anastasia find love with a local merchant during the festival. In this sequel, Anastasia once again longs for the type of love Cinderella has with the prince. The catch is that this time she gets her hands on the fairy godmother's wand. This leads to the step mother playing the wicked sorceress as she makes the prince forget Cinderella and even turns Anastasia into a look-alike when her original plan fails to force them to marry. Thankfully Anastasia's longing for a real love overpowers her desire to be with the prince as she recognizes that even her mother's many spells have failed to prevent the prince and Cinderella from recognizing each other. Overall it's very confusing and ridiculous to watch.

Maleficent

Maleficent (2014)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This is a very interesting rendition on the classic story. Nothing like Disney's original Sleeping Beauty, this time it's Maleficent who you can't help but cheer for. Rather than playing a nearly non-existent role, it is the king who is viewed as the villain. The fairies, instead of being wise and kind, are annoying and aggravating pixies who desperately need to take a hike. Maleficent also does not become the dragon herself this time, as it is her companion/friend who often shifts forms for her, including often being seen as her loyal raven. The relationship between Aurora and Maleficent is especially interesting. I wondered if it would be the raven that broke the spell when Prince Phillip failed, but liked the twist even more this time, especially after she had even tried to remove her curse herself. Rather poetic really. The only thing slightly disturbing is those unnaturally sharp and high cheek bones. Is it supposed to be her face or her skeleton? That is totally not normal... even if Maleficent is supernatural given her wings and horns.

Transformers 4: Age of Extinction

Transformers 4: Age of Extinction (2014)

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The dinobots are interesting, but kind of an afterthought at the very end of the movie. The main human counterparts have all been replaced. The only returning autobots are Optimus Prime and Bumblebee. The overall story seems to be more of a reason to blow things up than any cohesive tale. Of course Megatron would find a way to come back again... what is a hero without a villain, even if there is a hunter after Prime already on the loose. The humans trying to literally recreate the transformers but thinking that they wouldn't also be sentient just the same is laughable in it's sheer naivete. Overall not the best movie, but sadly probably better than Dark Side of the Moon.

Sailor Moon Crystal

Sailor Moon Crystal (2014)

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


The new animation style is a lot more true to the original manga, but there are a few things that might drive you nuts. For one thing, arms and legs are ridiculously long, leading to a bit of a rubber limb effect during the transformation sequence. The other that really stands out is the excessive amount of hair and random floating hair tendrils that Usagi/Sailor Moon sports. It also does feel oddly strange to have Endymion dressed in a tuxedo even as a "normal human" instead of only as Tuxedo Mask (which also makes it all the more baffling how he isn't recognized sooner). There is also an odd shift in the animation style when the transformation hits so it looks more like video game graphics instead of anime. This inconsistency is strange to say the least, but the overall story does appear to be following the manga very closely. This is a refreshing change for the constant detours and random characters thrown into the original series. Hopefully it keeps staying true to form as it continues.