Resident Evil: Degeneration, At least it makes more sense than Extinction

Once the action in "Resident Evil: Degeneration" starts rolling, this viewer had to be reminded of "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within". If it the same crew behind RED, that's cool, but if it is not, it maybe the end of photo realistic motion pictures. It has been eight years since the need for Square to merge with Enix occurred (and I'm sure all RPG fans don't fault the result), and if the effects haven't improved much between FF and RE, one maybe a little miffed if we just rented one giant cut scene.

The good news that only the Sony name connects the two which turns the possibility of the cut motion picture from a negative to a positive. Resident Evil: Degeneration may have a good premise, but can it be executed well.

Like "Resident Evil 4" suggests, Umbrella had fallen after the nuclear annihilation of Raccoon City. The US government has kept what actually happened under wraps, so that they can allow a new firm, WilPharma, to further study the uses of the T-Virus. After a biohazard occurred in India and a terrorist government openly expresses interest in using the virus, a Senate-backed American-based research facility in Hardardville would probably meet with protest. Protest that are led by a former WilPharma employee and father/husband to RC victims, Curtis Miller.

At the Harvardville Airport, Claire Redfield arrives to meet with fellow members of TerraSafe. While waiting to leave, they encounter Senator and WilPharma investor Ron Davis as he is being harassed by protesters with zombie mask. All hell breaks lose when some of the slow moving are not wearing masks, and a plane of undead crashes into the terminal. The only possible clue to what is going on his Claire catching a glance of Miller making his escape.

The airport has been quarantined, and Leon Kennedy is on the scene to coordinate rescue efforts and to help oversee the dispersion of a new T-Virus vaccine. Once word that Miller maybe involved, he and Angela, Miller's sister, are out to stop this biohazard from spreading.

Resident Evil: Degeneration is almost exactly like the video games it is based on. Perhaps to exact. When there is action, the viewer is amazed at the action like they are from the intensity of the video games, but once the scenes are over, the viewer is tied into a bloodless cut scene that consumes most of the picture.

The exposition cut scenes would work in a video game because we need to cool down after getting pass a boss. We are a little more accepting of the details and flashbacks. But RED isn't a game, it is a motion picture. It feels like you are reading the "Resident Evil 3" strategy guide as literature instead of a tool to destroy Nemesis.

I'm not saying that you will not enjoy the movie, but Resident Evil: Degeneration is strictly for the die hard RE fans. Everything you enjoyed in the games are here except sore thumbs. The Resident Evil fan should not be among us skeptics. With their cold response towards "Resident Evil 5", we may be praying Milla Jovovich's Alice will save the property.

HellHorror

Tokyo Godfathers: A Nearly Lost Tale of Understanding

I guess I've officially consider my financial state to be poor. This is because my shift at the front desk is just dragging on. Eight o'clock is the time that I like to start thinking about blogging, but it's 7:00 pm hence I've ran out of things to do with the Internet. At least things that I can afford to do with my time.

MovieDebuts.com 

Fortunately, Netflix came through for me when I received Satoshi Kon's "Tokyo Godfathers." Sadly, renting it through this service is the most affordable way to do so (I really should have booted up my Window Vista PC, my Dazzle Video Import hardware and Roxio software...first time I ever consider using the tech for piracy). When you consider the old movies that may never see streaming services, the $7.99 DVD service is really worth it. And it kind of makes you have to watch it ASAP because if you do not, you negate the value of your purchase (like cancelling Nerd Block too late..."Evangelion," worth 35/"Mr. Bean," not worthless). This also makes my "not going to get shitfaced nights" dedicated to watching new flicks (to me) so I'll can get back into the practice of writing movie reviews. I figure my knowledge of film should further support why "Guy Does Finishing Moves on Zombies," to promote "Main Event of the Dead" needs to be completed. If he knows the medium so well, surely his script (that you can get a treatment of by e-mailing russthebus07@gmail.com) can't be too bad.

Keep in mind, this course of action will only occur on nights that I'm not going to be a poor bore at the front desk. I need to save my other sober nights for "Disney Infinity" and "Infamous."

Tokyo Godfathers

This film from one of my favorite anime directors ("Perfect Blue" is a must view) is quite an appropriate title when it comes to my developed course of action for slow hotel nights. Three homeless Tokyo residents are trying their best to be cheery on Christmas Eve, but it's difficult for the alcoholic Gin, transvestite Hana, and runaway Miyuki to stand each other, let alone accept the spirit of the season. God may be looking over them, because as they are digging through the trash for some classic literature for Miyuki, they hear the whines of a newborn baby.

Hana believes this is his "virgin birth" and decides that he must play the role of mother, refusing to listen to his compatriots that they need to turn the newly christened Kiyoko (translates to messenger of God) to the police. Because the immediate needs of the child, Gin softens his stance and Miyuki can relate to the child's plight in her own way. A compromised is reached in the morning when Hana demands that he cannot give the baby up until her parents explain their actions to him. So, the three that society have forgotten will venture on a quest to find a baby's parents that may lead the three to finally understanding and accepting each other.

I think Kon realized that story may be a bit cliche, so Yakuza, wannabe Droogs and hidden ailments of the three compatriots will present themselves to add greater challenges to our protagonists.

I will warn you this is a subtitled only release. The positive of this is that the authenticity of the translation cannot be questioned. The negatives are whatever the typical person has to bitch about reading. My only issue with the lack of a dub is that I like to see multiple angles to my animation. It's a different art to dubbing animation, and with anime's lack of mouth movement to the correct sound spoken, a good dub is about as good as a track where I will not recognize the actors. For fun, a dub can also throw in extra sounds/dialogue to explain the story even further.

Aside from this, "Tokyo Godfathers" is one of the best subtle stories I have seen in anime. Do not worry, crazy things will occur, but they happen to further our understanding of the characters, not to just break up monotony. It's kind of like the J. R. R. Tolkien adaptations to screen, but every action scene provides depth to the protagonist(s) instead of serving as an obstacle to present the illusion that the story is more than midgets walking towards a goal.

The character of Miyuki offers a lot more to be discovered about her, and the story only breaks the surface. Fortunately, the adult characters, the easiest to understand characters, are totally flushed out, so their stories and how they could seemingly coexist make the film very rewarding. Kon realizes that it is still a cartoon, so the film has a style that lacks realism which may make swallowing some of the tougher character traits a little easier.

Also he successfully reminds us of the medium with the incorporation of devices where characters comfortably break the fourth wall. They're very subtle devices that are not too far removed from Wile E. Coyote holding up one of his signs.

A huge positive of this film is how Kon was able to bring together three story-lines into just 90 minutes. That seems like a daunting task for many Asian directors to do with only one line to follow, and perhaps its through making the audience yearn to see the characters stick together that makes it work so well. Kon obliges, and you are given the time to pop "Perfect Blue" into the player (that's why I keep two VHS decks on standby) to see the range of his storytelling ability in just one night.

"Tokyo Godfathers" is a case for preventing a major distributor (Sony in this case) from getting a hold of marvelous niche films. I doubt there is any rush on their behalf for a Blu-Ray of this masterpiece in storytelling, so it maybe a decade before we can easily see this feature again. Since this and Kon's "Millenium Actress" suffer from poor distributing and Satoshi Kon has since passed away, I fear he may be forgotten in the states as one of the best directors of traditional animation.

90 min. Amazon Prime: "Golgo 13: The Professional" and Sick Trump Fantasy

*Blog started on March 31, 2020.

My 67 and 72 year-old parents are doing fine during the pandemic. Dad is probably a little bored without the grandchildren to spoil. Mom suggested that I call him after I spoke to her. I am not from a broken home, they just have their own preferred spaces in the house. Thus, she could not have just handed the phone over to him. They either screen and/or ignore the landline.

The boredom I suspect from my dad was apparent because in our six-minute conversation, he wanted to fill out my proxy vote for my single WWE stock. I think he was a little let down that I said it was pointless with Vincent Kennedy McMahon owning hundreds of thousands multiple-vote stocks compared to my single single-vote one. But, with no sports, what were we going to talk about?

As for Mom, everything was on the table in terms of our 39-minute conversation, politics being the primary subject. I should say seemingly because it may determine the future of my niece and nephew, it is unavoidable. Perhaps I need to get her on Twitter (find me @maineventzombie), so she can troll millennials. A part of me thinks Mom wants to argue and she knows I am good for that.

Obviously, I do not watch all of the same sources of news that she does. Actually, we follow most of the same with the exception of her with Fox News and whatever soulless network on DirecTV that airs Bill O'Reilly while I have HBO and read the Huffington Post. Guest I am my mother's son...the disappointing one (It is tough to compete with the little brother with the CNA and CDL who outgrew being a roadie.), but her son none the less.

Her biggest issue was all the good things the stimulus had that she thought was House Democrat pork. The House Democrats are Nancy Pelosi (with the exception of The Squad who she feels need to be filtered while Donald Trump does not). Which ever brainwashing station her mind was drying from said that Pelosi's daughter wish COVID-19 on Trump. I did not bring up the president mocking Mitt Romney when he was responsible enough to go into self isolation, or my other blog post this week where I asked which one of the assholes on Pennsylvania Ave should come down with it.

This leads me to the tip toing around spoilers for 1983's "Golgo 13: The Professional". An affluent family incident is what the film is centered around. My sick Trump fantasy is that when he needs to past the reigns of his alleged fortune (Thank the gods my new passport came in before I saw this flick.) was that heir dying just after the exchange happened. I did not have this idea until looking back on this film, but to see the most evil American (How many undisputed war criminals held the highest office in the land?) lose his legacy seems like a fitting form of justice.

Since no one deserves to die (I got to stick by my principles.), Ivanka, Donald Jr., Eric or Baron going "Inception" on Donald's ass is far more ideal. Science be praised for my rationality. Unfortunately, Trump is not a rational man. Unless his fortune is a total fabrication, he would probably only be willing to relinquish his reigns to look good, not because it would be the right thing to do. If this scenario came to be, he would love to see his offspring die so that he can still run things the way he thinks should be.

So, Donald J. Trump is more evil than a villain who trains his elementary school-aged granddaughter to shoot someone down at an airport, releases condemned serial killers, and pimps out his daughter-in-law to gain vengeance. If he were to read this blog (May as well tag him, I have not made a threat.), he would probably make sure that Baron was good with a 9mm. Good thing he does not seem to want to share Ivanka. I guess I best not @realdonaldtrump when I promote this blog. Thanks "Golgo 13" for further realizing how fucked my homeland is.

jposter.net - Authentic Japanese Movie Memorabilia

Golgo 13: The Professional

Duke Togo is the greatest hitman of the past two centuries (There was a brilliant "Golgo 13" anime TV show produced in the late ought's). Only his handlers may have a clue to where he came from or who he was, but when a near impossible assignation occurs, it is safe to presume that it was the man who goes by the codename Golgo 13. Thus, after oil baron Leonard Dawson's son was sniped on the day of succession, Dawson devotes all his resources to kill Togo. Because he could destroy the American economy by pulling his financial interests, the Pentagon and CIA have no choice but to accept this mission. The only question, is that enough to defeat the only man who can make the impossible possible?

"Golgo 13: The Professional" serves as an example of what your James Bond knock off should be. The graphic violence and ruthless nature make loud enough statements that the viewer wants to get to the next action sequence, exposition be damned. I would not be surprised if it did not encourage set pieces by directors like James Cameron, Len Wiseman and John Woo (which in turn suggests Quentin Tarantino).

The animation provides a perfect blend of action, comic book stills, and innovation. Switching from a still seemingly ripped from the manga to the kill shots sets a high standard for the action sequences which the film delivers on. While the CG is out of place, you cannot help but be impressed by graphics that are 12 years ahead of its time. It is still used well enough to provide inspiration for films to come (like the Harrier battle in "True Lies").

If I had any complaints, I could say that the traditional animation quality is not that of 1970's Disney, but it is on par with the time, so that was hardly worth noting. Some of the plot points are gut punches, and you ponder how can they come up with and show such sexual brutality. As I stated at the start of the critique, the stakes are so high, you just want to see them resolved. They serve as a great pacing device and since anime loves to take these liberties, at least it feels somewhat appropriate.

A genuine complaint that I do have is that I wish I could have seen this dubbed. With all of the characters having English names (The Sicilian mob boss early on in the film is Dr. Z whose daughter is Cindy.), it would have felt right. But after "Demon City Shinjuku", Digital Media Rights definitely would have avoided updating the old Streamline Pictures or Central Park Media English voice tracks to sound appropriate.

"Golgo 13: The Professional" is an anime that will please any action movie fan or animation lover. It presents a solid and occasionally awe-inspiring product visually and features a story that 80's Stallone and Schwarzenegger would love to have read for. The subtleness of a Bond film is present, so no movie-goer can claim that it is not their thing. This flick is not perfect, but you got to be impressed that it could be someday.

The Confused Project that Was Armitage III: The Motion Picture

While trying to archive other anime review from the Bus's Transit of Anime Realities, I discovered that I had also written an "Armitage III: Polymatrix" review for another website of mine AnimeFlow. The funny thing about this is that it is a counter to what I originally wrote. All I can say about this re-post is that it reads better, but to truly understand this anime, you might want to read the opposing side.

So, I'm schizophrenic. The good lord must want me to discover something new about my futile existence everyday just to prove his own. Jesus H Douche.

"Armitage III" was always a title I wanted to check out, but with so many other multi-video collections I was trying to complete, I didn't want to trouble myself with another one. So when I heard about the movie version, I was pretty sure I was going to buy it, and when I found out it featured the voices of Keifer Sutherland and Elizabeth Berkley that kind of sealed the deal.

Its great to see celebs trying to help bring this style of art to the main stream. This is the second anime feature length film I've ever bought, but I knew not to expect another "Akira", but this was pretty enjoyable despite it may seem at some points to be over done.

After finally viewing the original OVA series, some may appreciate the restraint the film had when compared to the material it was pieced together from. Then again it may just be an issue of preference. Do you want to dedicate days to the character over the top voice acting or not. Again, this is the fanboy in me wishing that anime DVD's were not released in complete sets, so that I could truly figure that out on my own terms if a series was worth continuing. Does disc one encourage me to buy disc two, or I have the movie, so I'll just put this disc on Half.com.

Of course, if you do not buy much anime and you just want to see this to see another Elizabeth character act like a slut ("Show Girls", "Any Given Sunday", Saved By the Bell type characters) you will be disappointed. This is not one of the reasons I bought the tape, but you some time wonder when is this Cop in hot pants is going to get naked.

Ross Sylibus has left the Chicago PD for the Martian PD after his partner was killed by a cyborg. He immediately gets involved in some traditional movie cop action with a shoot out at the space port where his new partner, Naomi Armitage, is trying to apprehend one of the flights passengers. During the shoot out the criminals suitcase opens and we find the dead body of the universe's only remaining country singer (^_^Yay^_^) Kelly McCannonen. After the suspect escapes, Armitage and Ross find out that the victim is a robot.

Just as Ross is settling in, the murderer, Rene D'amclaude pirates the TV signal to show a montage of the murders other female robots he's takes credit for and calls for a revolution of the "Thirds". With antirobot feelings on Mars, this man gets a lot of support, but the higher ups in the PD seemed to be more concerned with Armitage's drive to solve these cases?

The biggest flaw in the film is that it tries to cover too much in too little time. This is the same plot as the series, so the action has to be hurried. It would appear that there is little room left for the characters' emotions, but it is actually being loyal to the OVA. Some of the voice acting is pathetic, and Sutherland seems to try too hard, but Berkley does a great despite it being an overly whining lead character. This was probably the way the series and film stand behind a claim that the show is quite emotional.

Voice, body what else does Liz need? A decent agent.

The artwork and animation are great. Just looking at still shots and posters doesn't do the film justice since these drawing are beautiful in action. The plot does seem to have too many variables like how the Thirds can be impregnated. Confusion or a sense of over stimulation is all that creates. Despite all this, its extremely enjoyable without the addicting nature of the series.

Armitage III - Polymatrix is not addicting, its not excellent, but maybe the opium suppository for the anime fan with a budget. Just a hit to get you by.