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Let me say first and foremost, I am a huge Werewolf fanatic. Everything Werewolf I devour(pun intended), but I’m not afraid to be harsh with criticism. That’s why I gave Werewolves 2/5 stars. So I’m going into this movie as a critic and a werewolf fan. Let’s go. NON-SPOILER REVIEW THE GOOD: This movie is a masterclass on creating atmosphere and tone. Right away, you understand the tension and vibe the movie is going for, and it engrosses you in how delicately crafted the movie is in this aspect. This is what a Wolfman movie should be done to the tee. The WOLFMAN SEQUENCES are gripping, creative, and suspenseful. Truly capturing that inner fear of the unknown and forces beyond our nature. The CHARACTERS are like able and you can truly sympathize for them and the current situation they are in. And the performances are just as good. Once the STORY gets going, it does not stop. Continuing to captivate you and anticipate what comes next. And the TWIST to what people’s general perception of what a Wolfman should be, is a welcome and even an intriguing one. THE BAD: Honestly, after my first viewing, I can’t really say that there’s anything BAD about this movie. It utilizises its run time to tell an isolated, gripping story quite effectively. If anything, it’s bad because it ended. CONCLUSION: This is a Wolfman movie that deserves nothing but PRAISE. It encapsulates why we fear the unknown in the first place and cements itself as one of the greatest Wolfman movies of all time, leaving you craving for more(PUN INTENDED) GO SEE THIS MOVIE!

Wolf Man

110 likes

I am a Werewolf fanatic, especially Werewolf movies. Which in the last decade, there has been a disparity, lackluster number of Werewolf movies. The forgotten, promising genre of cinema. So this review is going to be through an unbiased, yet critiquing scope, in hopes that people don’t lose hope that Werewolf movies can once again, recreate that fear that such myths use to convey. POSITIVES: Many Werewolf movies nowadays rely on CGI effects with minimal use of practical effects, which isn’t a bad thing, as long as it looks good. But it’s very respectable when a company commits to creating authentic, practical werewolves. The design for the werewolves may look silly and off, but the fact that the textures and fur look lifelike, should be commended and appreciated. And the cage scene with the Werewolves transforming is the best part of the movie. The CGI transformations mixed with the rising tension is a staple of how good Werewolf movies could be. NEGATIVES: Sadly, everything else is sub par. The movie has a sad run time of 1 hour and 30 minutes, and unfortunately, for a movie like this, there’s no time for decent character development. I won’t bother with the details because obviously the writers didn’t either. The story concept is actually intriguing, and with a higher budget and better vision, it could have soared to new heights for the genre. The budget for the movie hasn’t been released, but this story was obviously way too ambitious to be pulled off in its current state. CONCLUSION: Is this movie an absolute terrible time? No. People have sat through much worse. But is there room for potential? MOST DEFINITELY. This movie was obviously always going to be a C-tier cheesy movie. But that’s because Hollywood doesn’t believe that Werewolf movies can be a bankable, innovative genre. All audiences need however, is a great Werewolf movie that puts the genre back on the map. The Wolfman releases on January 17th and I hope more than anything that it is received well, financially and critically. If not, this could very well be the last time any Werewolf or cryptic movie grazes the big screen.

Werewolves

10 likes

Wings of Fire: The Dark Secret is a satisfying conclusion to the Nightwing v Rainwing conflict that was started in book 3. Through Starflights eyes you explore the home of the Nightwings, and how their environment shaped them into the monsters they are today. The fake dragonets have the chance to be fleshed out more, and at some points you even sympathize with them. Like the real dragonets, they didn’t ask for any of this, but the commanding demeanor of Morrowseer and Queen Battlewinner is inescapable. Talking about Morrowseer, Tui really stepped up with his character. He wants his tribes survival and he doesn’t care what he has to do to get it. And Queen Battlewinner is a great contrast to Queen Glory. She’s stuck believing that nightwings should have all the dominance and power to the point where she won’t even consider peace with the other tribes. The first half of this book really succeeds in the character work, and gives you a reason to care about each and every single one, including the minor characters. However, everything in the first half leads to the tension gripping third act. The invasion upon the night kingdom is written with intelligence. You fear for every single Rainwing, and you fear the imminent doom of the volcano. Queen Battlewinner’s death is a shocking yet satisfying one. She dies because of her own beliefs, and it seems like the old ways finally die with her. The twist about the prophecy is mind boggling. It shows just how manipulative Morrowseer has been throughout the series. Always trying to control the prophecy underneath his thumb. Morrowseer’s death was unexpected and welcomed, but it was still sad to see such a great villain story end. And Starflight going blind at the end was the true shocker. Overall this book surprised me with how good it turned out to be. It has the most tension gripping third act in any of the first arc. And for that I’ll give it a 9/10 and earns the Ultimates recommendation.

The Dark Secret

3 likes

Wings of fire The Hidden Kingdom is one of the best books in the series. It’s not focused on delving into the war or the battles that are going on around Pyrrhia, but dedicates itself to exploring an isolated mystery. Like the lost heir there are deaths that cannot be explained and the way Tui shapes the mystery in THK is gripping and clever. While the story is self contained, it does a lot of world building and establishes the Nightwings as a mysterious threat. I loved Glory and her arc in this book. She’s such a compelling protagonist with flaws but also strengths. The main obstacle in Glory’s journey is the Queen of the Rainwings, Magnificent. I enjoyed their conflict and I think Magnificent resembles everything Glory feared her tribe was. I think it was brilliant to make Glory Queen of the Rainwings. It was very unexpected and a good subversion of expectations for the character. Might I add that this book introduced so many great characters. Deathbringer, Kinkajou, Jambu, and Mangrove are great inclusions to the series. They each showcase such unique personalities. And the book has such a great pace. The book never drags in one location, and it has several neat locations to keep the environment fresh. And the tunnels connecting to the Desert and Nightwing kingdom showcased the possibility of Animus magic in a cool and unique way. There are so many revelations and surprises that keep you invested in the story. And the competition at the end of the book was a nice touch. The book doesn’t end climatically like books 1 and 2. Instead it raises the stakes in a simple yet very engaging climax. All in all this book is riveting from beginning to end. Glory is an amazing protagonist and the plot is at its best. It’s the book that really got the gears of the first arc turning..5/5. Onto The Dark Secret

The Hidden Kingdom

9 likes

Despite most of phase 4 being a disappointment , I had hopes that Love and Thunder would at least be entertaining and fun. Boy was I wrong. This movie suffers on almost every single level. Thor feels more dragged out than ever and it always feels like the film is racing towards the next beat. The CGI is downright terrible and the story lacks severe imagination. I don’t think Taika is capable of making consistent Thor movies, and it feels more like Ragnarok was lightning in a bottle. Chris Hemsworth is still good as Thor, but his relationship with Jane in this movie feels all out of place and forced. Gorr is only interesting thanks to Christian Bale. If any other actor were to play him, I feel as if the villain would be mostly forgettable. He doesn’t sell as a villain, and they completely underutilize the “God Killer” in his name. Oh and the soundtrack is close to non existent. The only good things were the Guardians stuff. Other than that, don’t waste your time with this movie. Watch Top Gun instead, as I so wished I had.

Thor: Love and Thunder

5 likes

So I’ve been reading a ton of reviews on this book, and they all seem to be mixed. Some people loved it and some people didn’t enjoy it. I’m probably one of the few who will defend WoF with my life, but I’ll try to be as unbiased as possible. This book feels like you’re getting on a train. You don’t know where, but all you can expect is something great at the end. But when you reach the end of the tracks, you realize you were just going through the motions of something that could have been amazing. Not the greatest analogy, but you get the idea. This is what it was like to read The Flames of Hope, Tui’s most recent installment and finale to the 3rd arc. SPOILERS AHEAD. The beginning of the book sets up the main protagonist and side characters really well. You anticipate what’s to come, and what does come is a shocking twist. Half the group gets ambushed and taken by Wasp and the Hivewings, leaving only Luna and a couple others. Veteran characters: Tsunami, Qibli, and Moon were taken out of the story in a very satisfying way. You don’t ever expect an ambush at the beginning, and it makes you expect a really great story ahead. If only it were. Luna and the others are led into the caverns below Pantala, to find this mysterious Abyss. Luna finds herself flying into this abyss, and your mind is rampant with the multitude of possibilities that could come next. And this is where I believe the story divided the fans. Here we are introduced to a dragonet named Lizard and a human named Cottonmouth. From then on, Luna is in this cave for almost the entire 2nd half of the book. No intense action sequences or things of that nature. Lizard and Cottonmouth are actually well written characters. The Scorching is tied into this book in an interesting and intriguing way, and makes you appreciate the lore behind the humans. Lizard is probably the most interesting character in the book. A dragon who never had the chance to grow up, experiences what it’s like to feel. Luna visits memories before the Scorching and it all is just great. Traversing the past to see how it affects the present. But there’s just too much of it. There is no third act because the story has restricted itself to just memories. Nothing huge or impactful happens. And when what little action does happen towards the end, ends way too quickly with little to no consequences. They stop the plant and Cottonmouth, and that’s it. There’s hardly any feeling of triumph, or satisfaction. The abyss introduced some really interesting characters in Lizard(Freedom) and Cottonmouth, but interesting characters and ideas are only as good as the plot. And for the finale of the third arc of a series I’ve been reading since I was in elementary school, it was underwhelming. I love Tui and I hope this isn’t the end of Wings of Fire, but part of the journey is the end, right?

The Flames of Hope

11 likes

How to start? I went into this film thinking that it was going to be a good time. I didn’t expect a No Way Home style movie, but at least a film I could enjoy. I was predictably disappointed. This film is lifeless, and lacks any real weight whatsoever. It is incredibly fast paced and the editing is choppy and leaves you confused most of the time. The way this film is shot is egregious, and the color palette is this dark blue moody mess. Jared Leto as Morbius isn’t compelling and lacks the depth that makes a character interesting. The villain feels cookie cutter. It’s a story that feels forgettable and nonsensical. There is no rhyme and reason to the story at all. Its emotionless, and plays by the beats. Sony clearly doesn’t know how to make good superhero movies. 2/5

Morbius

3 likes

I was so excited to see another Zombie series from seemingly the same creators of Train to Busan. And I was pleasantly surprised, even though I had a feeling I was going to like the show anyway. The zombie genre has more or less gone off the train tracks, of course with the exception of Train to Busan recently. But this show takes the genre to a completely different level. It has lots of the same things you’d expect from a zombie series, but adds in twists of their own to spice up the series. And how can I not talk about the characters. The characters have so much depth and realism to them, it’s almost reflective of people who could exist right now. The show on its own is good, but the characters really hold the torch in all the good ways. I cannot wait for season 2

All of Us Are Dead

For not watching the first Texas Chainsaw Massacre, I had no idea what to expect. Right off the bat I could tell this film had a fast pace. The story tries to make the characters interesting, but the rushed run time doesn’t do them any favors. The story itself is weak, and doesn’t deepen the lore of Leather-face, and the film seems so constrained at times. Literally shoving extras in a bus for slaughter. The survivor from the first movie seems like a dollar tree rip off of Laurie Strode, and the same could be said about this version of Leather-face. I’m not going to go into depth about anything else, because there’s really nothing to talk about. The cheap jump scare at the end feels so unnecessary, and something I’d expect from a cheap Freddy movie. I digress. This is the discount version of Halloween 2018, and that’s all that can be said.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre

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Wings of fire: Assassins is a spin off story featuring the assassin Deathbringer. And let me just say that if you thought he was good when he was first introduced, you’re going to absolutely love his character after this read. The story starts off with a young Deathbringer who is eager and sometimes too cocky when it comes to serving the night wings agenda. You can tell he’s a natural born assassin, eager to prove his worth to his mother. He is charming as much as he is respectfully terrifyingly good at what he does. The story serves the first arc so well. You see the edgy relationship between the Sandwings and Seawings, and what could’ve been a dominate alliance. So far Deathbringer has never had to make a decision that will impact him emotionally, because he’s only emotionally invested in one thing, his mother. But there’s one thing he cares about more, the mission. And when it comes to the time of choosing between his mother and the mission, he chooses the latter. He finally learns that every decision comes with a consequence. And in that moment it is brilliant. This story is a cautionary tale of putting what needs to be done, in front of your loved ones. Deathbringer finally matured into the cold, yet sympathetic assassin we know him as. So it’s intriguing to see that he chooses Glory, over fulfilling an order. He’s decided that he’s going to choose, to care, and make decisions from his heart. He’s the best of both worlds but this time, this time he gets to choose what he wants, not what other people tell him to do. It was present in this story, as much as it was present in his introduction. 5/5

Assassin (Wings of Fire: Winglets #2)

1 like