Anime Review: Vampire Hunter D

Release date: December 21st 1985 (Japanese release). August 1992 (US release).

Story: In a post apocalyptic future, vampires and other supernatural creatures have awoken and are trying to claim the world. But a handful of humans have also survived and are doing their best to fight back and carry on with their lives. This is the story of a dhampir who is only known as D. He is a human/vampire hybrid who travels around on his cyborg horse, hunting and slaying monsters. One day, he is hired by a young woman named Doris Lang. Who has been bitten by a vampire noble named Count Lee. And wants D to slay him so she can be cured. Will D be able to slay the count? Watch the film and find out.

My thoughts: This was based on a series of novels by Hideyuki Kikuchi. And it is pretty good. D himself  is a cool character yet rarely speaks. This anime movie is a cross between Fist of the North Star and Hellsing (D himself is the son of Dracula). This movie has a sequel named Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (which I may cover in a later review). If you like anime or horror, then I would recommend giving this a watch.

My score: Four stars.

TV Review: Buck Rogers in the 25th century

Release date: September 20th 1979 - April 16th 1981 (2 seasons. 37 episodes).

Story: The year is 1987, and NASA has launched the last of America's deep space probes. In a freak mishap, Ranger 3 and its pilot, Captain William Buck Rogers, are blown out of their trajectory into an orbit which freezes his life support systems. And returns Buck Rogers to Earth... five hundred years later.

My thoughts: I like this show. I like the settings, the characters, and the action. This series was based on a series of novels which also spawned a comic strip, a radio series, a serial film, three video games, a board game, other novels, and loads of merchandise. This show was inspired by the Star Wars films and had recycled props, effects shots, and costumes from Battlestar Galatica. This show definitely is one of the best sci fi tv shows along with Star Trek, Doctor Who, Battlestar Galatica, Space: 1999, and Blake 7. If you like sci fi tv shows, then I would check this out.

My score: Four stars.

Film Review: King Kong vs Godzilla

Release date: August 11th 1962 (original Japanese release). 1963 (US release).

Story: Godzilla has returned after being trapped inside an ice tomb for seven years. And wastes no time in going about his old ways of rampaging through cities. Everyone has no idea how to deal with a giant monster that can't be killed. Until the recent discovery of another giant monster that has escaped from capture and is also arrived in Japan. The giant gorilla... King Kong.

My thoughts: One of the few Godzilla movies to have been released on DVD in the UK. And it is really good. The American monster fighting the Japanese monster on the big screen in full colour for the first time. Yet there are a few things that I didn't like. One of them being that Kong looks like a giant yeti rather than a gorilla. The other is Kong's ability to gain more strength and power by absorbing electricity. But then I found out that this was going to be Godzilla vs Frankenstein. But they switched Frankenstein's monster for King Kong. But they kept the ability to get stronger when absorbing electricity and gave it to Kong. Also there was a myth floating around for years after the film's release. It states that in the original Japanese version, Godzilla wins. And in the American release, Kong wins. Then years later, it was finally revealed that the different endings were untrue. They both fall into the ocean, Kong surfaces, he swims off, and Godzilla is nowhere to be seen (until the next film Mothra vs Godzilla). If you are a fan of Godzilla and kaiju films, then I would recommend this. And I am looking forward to the remake Godzilla vs Kong in 2020.

My score: Five stars.

Film Review: Charlie and the chocolate factory.

Release date: July 10th 2005 (Grauman's Chinese theatre release), July 15th 2005 (US release), July 29th 2005 (UK release).

Story: Charlie Bucket wins a golden ticket and goes on a grand tour of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.

My thoughts: A good remake but it has a few flaws. Like Willy Wonka acting like a creepy man with the mind of a child for example. Put on the plus side, the scenery is impressive (Tim Burton directed this movie) and I do like the fact that they tried to give Wonka a back story (showing him to be the son of a seriously strict dentist. Played by Christopher Lee). And the boat ride scene is more family friendly then the previous movie. I remember when this movie was in cinemas, there was a line of actual chocolate and confectionaries being released to help promote the film. I used to buy them a lot (the Scrumdidilyumtious Fudgmallow delight was my favourite). And the Oompa Loompa songs are catchy and imaginative (each song was styled from the 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's). I would recommend it for anyone who is a fan of the book and/or the previous film.

My score: Three stars.

Film Review: Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory.

Release date: June 30th 1971.

Story: Charlie Bucket lives with his mother and his four bedridden grandparents in a tiny hut just on the edge of a large town. A town which is also the home of a world famous chocolate and confectionary factory owned by the mysterious Willy Wonka. One day, Wonka announces that he has hidden five golden tickets inside the wrappers of five chocolate bars and that the ones who find them, will be given a grand tour of his factory. Will Charlie be one of the lucky ones to find a golden ticket? And if he is, what amazing experiences awaits for him in the factory?

My thoughts: One of the first films to be based on the book 'Charlie and the chocolate factory' by Roald Dahl. And one of the most remembered (even though Roald Dahl hated the movie). The sets are amazing, the characters are recognizable, and the songs are catchy. Gene Wilder does a great performance as Willy Wonka. In fact, Jon Pertwee (Doctor Who and the Navy Lark), Peter Sellers (the Goon show, the Pink Panther), Spike Milligan (the Goon show), Fred Astaire, and all six members of Monty Python were all considered to play the role. The only thing that I didn't get about it is the subplot where Wonka's rival Slugworth asks each ticket finder to steal a new yet unreleased creation called the everlasting gobstopper. How on earth did he managed to track them down? I can understand Augustus Gloop, Violet Beauregarde, and Mike TeeVee (Slugworth could have just followed the news crews) but what about Veruca Salt and Charlie? Slugworth was at Veruca's father's factory when the second ticket was found and he encountered Charlie just seconds after Charlie finds the last ticket. But apart from that, this is a good film and I recommend it for everyone. Though you might want to skip the boat ride through the tunnel scene.

My score: Four stars.

TV Review: The Addams Family

Release date: September 18th 1964 - April 8th 1966 (2 seasons. 64 episodes).

Story: The many happenings and adventures of a macabre family named the Addams family. Whose family members include Gomez, his wife Morticia, their children Pugsley and Wednesday, Uncle Fester, Grandmama, their butler Lurch, and the mysterious unseen Thing.

My thoughts: This show was based off the newspaper cartoon strip by Charles Addams. It has been often mistaken for The Munsters (a similar comedy show about a family of monsters) and they even share the same musical clips. The cartoon strip later spawned two animated shows, four movies, a musical stage show, another tv show, and loads of merchandise. The theme song is widely known all over the world and it is one of the best known tv theme songs. If you like comedy shows like the Munsters then I would give this a watch.

My score: Three stars.

Film Review: The thing with two heads.

Release date: July 19th 1972.

Story: This is the story of two people. A terminally ill doctor named Maxwell Kirshner and a African American convict named Jack Moss. Jack had been sentenced to death for a crime that he did not commit and only managed to escape death by signing up for a science experiment. Which as it turns out is to transplant Kirshner's head onto Jack's body. Which is a problem seeing that Kirshner is a racist. So Jack has another man's head on his shoulders and had taken the opportunity to go on the run in order to prove his innocence. Will they managed to get along? Watch the movie and find out.

My thoughts: This is an ok film. The characters are ok and there is some comedy to be found in it. But I was a bit disappointed. The trailer made it look like that the film was going to be a comedy/science gone wrong/ someone trying to prove their innocence while on the run type of movie. I was expecting that Jack would have proved his innocence and that Kirshner would have find another body to transfer his head onto and perhaps stop being a racist at the end of the movie. But what we get is what I felt like was a little let down. Kirshner wants to remove Jack's head so that he can have his body but is double crossed and left for dead while Jack leaves to look for the person who wronged him. And the end credits start playing. Apart from that, it is an ok film to rent or if you like science gone wrong type of movies.

My score: Three stars.