Barbie 35: Video Game Hero

Barbie 35: Video Game Hero (2017)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


While this follows the newer Barbie arc, it isn't as obvious at it focuses mostly just on Barbie while playing video games and making new friends inside the game. We barely see Chelsea of her three sisters, and that's pretty much it. If not for the similar art style, you could assume it was completely separate from any of the new arc films since they don't even mention the puppies once, who are one of the biggest differences in the styles and stories. Barbie gets dragged into her own video game to save it, making friends with players, tearing down levels, and trying to escape a virus that is ruining the game. Thankfully, Barbie is apparently pretty good at computer code in this world, so she's able to understand things well beyond just playing the game. Cute and unique challenges using a variety of situations and art as each "level" is a little bit different.

Barbie 36: Dolphin Magic

Barbie 36: Dolphin Magic (2017)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


What's a Barbie movie without some magic and pastel creatures? While the Barbie sisters are directly involved in all events through the movie, it affects Isla and the crystal dolphins more. With the mermaid and dolphin focus, the movie brings in a hint reminiscent of The Pearl Princess or A Mermaid Tale. At one point, we even see an eel that very well could be the same on from The Pearl Princess if based purely on appearance. Marlo comes off strong and wrong right off from the start, leaving a gut feeling that she's up to no good, and proceeds to only make watchers dislike her more as the movie progresses. Ken comes off as even more oblivious than usual, which is a little annoying. The movie is overall a bit of cute fluff, though I suppose you could use the parts about marine research supposed to be about helping animals and how everyone focuses on saving the dolphins proving that you shouldn't trap and use wildlife as lessons, though that can be a fine line to tread since kids also love visiting places like aquariums and the zoo, which arguably cage animals for viewing purposes.

Pinkalicious: Pinkie Promise

Pinkalicious: Pinkie Promise by Victoria Kann

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


The title doesn't really come into play until the very end of the book when the friends decide that their friendship is more important than an accidentally broken promise with some paint. Sort of cute, and an important overall message, both with friendship being more important than things and with it being important to keep your promises. Not too thrilling as far as any sort of character development or story however. Just a bit of childish fluff you can apply some lessons to.

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Out of the Shadows

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Out of the Shadows (2016)

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


We meet Rock Steady, Bebop, and Baxter in this one as well as Casey making a new appearance in yet another original form. This film takes a unique turn in that the city authorities turn form hunting the turtles, to knowing about them and willingly working with them, also aiding in their cover with the rest of the city. A rather nice turn of events after so many others time they're denied credit for their work. Krang even makes an appearance this time around, though the technodrome has been completely revamped as well. There's enough similarities to recognize it as part of the fandom, but enough differences that it feels like something completely new as well. It can be a little confusing if you're stuck on the original formatting.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1 (2014)

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


This is the first reboot live movie of the series and it is leagues different from anything previously established in the fandom. First off, April names the turtles and Splinter when they are her pets in her father's lab rather than Splinter finding and naming them after their encounter with the mutagen (this also happens in the lab instead of in a sewer accident). April herself has now changed drastically as well, going from a red head with a short bob headlining as Channel 6's top reporter to a reporter begging for a story with brunette long hair. She also apparently has a few issues with the "accident" at the lab that resulted in her father's death. The turtles themselves also got a major makeover, making them look even more inhuman than previously and enlarging their shells considerably. They also wear a lot more clothes than they used to, forgoing their basic weapons harness for ballistic vests, goggles, and even jewelry. Overall the movie is amusing, but I can't say it appears to have the same draw that the original series did, at least not for me.

TMNT

TMNT (2007)

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars


I had actually forgotten about this movie, though I first saw it when I was going to LDSBC for college. It was one of my first dates with my husband when we started dating actually. April is perhaps the most different of all the characters as she seems to be more researcher than reporter and apparently now can keep up with the Turtles and Casey when they go up against The Foot Clan and other opponents. Her hair is also significantly longer than in any of the other previous media. In an odd twist, the Turtles end up working with The Foot Clan, their long-time enemies since the days of Shredder, ending with some allusions to perhaps Shredder not being dead as previously believed. This is never actually confirmed as to date there is no sequel to this film, nor does it appear there are any plans for it to continue. If anything, this one focuses on the Turtles learning, both individually and as a group.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Turtles In Time

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Turtles In Time (1993)

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars


This is an odd yet interesting addition to the TMNT line up as the turtles end up exchanging places with some samurai from the past. While initially the people are frightened, wondering if they are demons or casting spells on people when they save a boy from a fire, they ultimately end up finding more acceptance and enjoying the ability to live out in the open then the experience at home in the sewers. Regardless, as their new friends reiterate, the families must stay together, so of course the turtles must return to their own time.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Secret of the Ooze

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Secret of the Ooze (1991)

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars


As with most things TMNT, there's a lot of humor mixed with repetitive and not overly imaginative story line. This time, Shredder has managed to find the "ooze" that makes the turtles and Splinter the intelligent mutates that they are. Of course Shredder wouldn't be Shredder without trying to use that "power" for himself. New friends are made, the turtles once again end up unexpectedly in the spotlight and saving the day.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Watching these now with our own kids is somewhat nostalgic. I even remember "meeting" and getting autographs for these characters when we went to Disney World and Universal Studios for family vacations as a child. It's amusing to see how the "old school" series are making a comeback in popularity once again. This was one of the few series that both my brother and I enjoyed growing up. There are several obvious differences between the TV and movie versions aside from just animated vs. live action. Still, I have to admit being partial to this original form.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1 (1990)

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars


You can tell given the time when this was filmed and how good the costumes/animation is for the time that this is Henson's work. It's a far cry from any of the more modern CGI, yet still well done given the rest of the film and the tech available. Both my husband and I have fond memories of the series and these early movies from our childhood, so we get more than a few laughs out of our son now being obsessed with "Turtles." Most days there are only two things he might as for: Cars or Turtles. The movies do change the story a bit from the TV series. This time around both Splinter and the turtles were all originally just normal animals and Splinter learned from his owner/master without any actual practice until he gained intelligence from the same radioactive container that changed the turtles. April also typically sports a skirt ensemble rather than her famous yellow jumper. Still, the fundamental dynamics are all in place and it's more than amusing how April reacts to first meeting the turtles when they save her.

Attack on Titan 2: End of the World

Attack on Titan 2: End of the World (2015)

My rating: 1.5 of 5 stars


Still don't like the movie, but Part 2 didn't leave me cringing as badly as Part 1 did. There's still plenty of action and some gore as humans are literally stepped on and crushed from sweeping Titan arms. However, no one actually gets eaten or bitten apart in this segment, despite there being lots of Titan action. Actually the only action we see from the typically mindless Titans are the few who come through the wall to be killed by the transformed Titans and the recap of Part 1 at the start of the movie. While there are several transformed Titans in the original animanga, the characters are still changing outside of Eren in this one. Eren does help with sealing the wall this time, though it's his unknown brother who plays a bigger part with the bomb and deflecting the King Titan than Eren himself (no handy boulder hauling this time around). Almost makes you wonder after seeing some of the lab test recordings that created the Titans and then discovering that the same leader who was so set on killing Eren is actually the King Titan (supposedly this is the same Titan who originally breaches the wall, though this happens from the outside). There's also a bit more drama to the Titan transformations as well as outside of the original virus outbreak it appears to require a life threatening injury for the transformation to happen this time around instead of the convenient blood draw where Eren would bite his thumb to trigger his change in the anime. Mikasa also finally starts coming back out of her shell, though she proves to be just as skilled dodging the transformed Titans as the mindless ones. It almost makes one wonder why the mindless Titans are so bent on eating humans when they are essentially immortal and don't need either food or water. It's been stated multiple times that they can live literally without anything. So why then do they essentially chase down the humans though they've proven to ignore animals? It is rather disturbing to realize that Titans would not exist if not for the military experiments in the first place and the fear over who may or may not transform from the general public resulted in just as much, if not more, slaughter than the actual Titan attacks prior to the building of the wall and human seclusion. That obviously wasn't the end of the tests since Eren and his apparent brother are both test subjects carrying the virus, as well as this Commander who is more disturbing every time we hear him talk. Kept seeing flashes of mindless Titans moving towards the hole in the wall while the fight with the transformed Titans was taking place, which lead to some gut clenching wondering if there'd be a secondary bloodbath. Rather relieved with the much more positive note and less overall disturbing images than the first movie left. Seriously did not think I would end up watching this with how disturbed I was from Part 1, but the ending and not knowing, especially with Season 2 waiting to be watched. Hopefully having seen it to the end will close this chapter for me and let me start to forget how much Part 1 haunted me.

Attack On Titan 1

Attack On Titan 1 (2015)

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


Realistically, the CGI is actually very well done here. However, there are a couple of reasons for the low score beyond just the fact that I really did not like this movie. First, they pretty much rewrite the series, which is especially annoying with a popular anime and manga both already in place following the same arcs. Large parts of the main characters stories/development are completely removed or rewritten. On top of that other big characters (like Levi) are missing entirely, yet we have a plethora of new characters that seem to have little to no meaning (other than becoming Titan food). Then there's the changes in the wall and how it breaks, one of the soldiers physically throwing a Titan (adrenaline surge or new ability?), the new commander who apparently replaces Levi and is just disturbing, the strange new character who hits on Eren before being eaten (the scene that still gives me nightmares two days later), and I can't even remember how many other little details now at this point. On top of that is the gore. Now, AOT is a rather bloody series to begin with given Titans literally eat people, I get that. Somehow though, this level or horror and apprehension didn't even register with either the manga or the anime. With this movie however, I find myself flashing back to certain scenes that leave my skin crawling, not wanting to close my eyes or look out windows in the dark. I know I can scare easier than some people, but usually I just watch something else (which I did this time too, I followed up the viewing with re-watching Kamisama Kiss in an effort to reset) and I'm fine, but that hasn't worked this time. It's left me feeling more than a little unsettled and wishing I hadn't actually watched the movie despite originally enjoying the anime with my husband. At least the kids were with grandparent's that night so they didn't catch any unwanted glimpses. There is a sequel film as this was apparently planned in two parts. Given the trouble I'm having with this one however, I'm doubtful about ever watching End of the World.