Longform reviews of films, TV, anime, books, and audiobooks, written by the scrobble.life community and published to the Hive blockchain, so each one is owned by its author and can earn rewards from readers. 62,573 reviews and counting.
Kung Fu Hustle is one of those movies with action scenes that are very impressive and can definitely draw your attention if you love action films.
The kung fu fighting in this movie is well organised, and the fighters’ abilities are highly impressive. The actor who played Sing acted his part very skilfully.
Sing was a small-time criminal who dreamed of joining the Axe Gang. From the beginning of the story, he wanted to learn because he had wanted to become a fighter since he was young. The Axe Gang happened to be one of the scariest gangs in the city. Bone, his friend, tried to act tough and collect money from other people. However, they were not dangerous people; they were only pretending to be.
Their actions literally led them into danger. When they tried to help people in a fight, those people were not as helpless as they had thought. This led to a fight that revealed who they truly were.
The Beast involved in the fight was very skilful and powerful. He defeated Sing and injured him very badly. That fight became a transformation that made Sing more powerful and skilful.
Sing also remembered a girl from his childhood. When she was very young, he tried to save her from some people who were bullying her, but he could not help. The bullies beat him up and took away the martial arts manual he had bought. Sing always thought about this experience, and it made him more interested in becoming a criminal instead.
Sing had great potential, and his fighting abilities were very different. The interesting part was that he eventually helped the city.
The final fight was something else, and the fighting scene was my favourite part. In this last fight, the action was more serious as Sing and the Beast continued fighting.
The Beast started acting and sounding like a frog, which gave him the ability to jump and hit anything with his head. He used his skills to take Sing high into the sky before sending him falling back with fire from the sky and massive power. Sing used this power to defeat the Beast.
The power Sing used at the end of the fight was more than just kung fu; it was absolutely amazing, and it made the movie even more skilful.And the funny part in the movie make it more interesting.
I loved the skills the other fighters used. They tried their best and were able to defend themselves. The movie was interesting to me, and I decided to rate it 85.
All images are downloaded from IMDb
The second episode of 3% made The Process feel much more personal.
Fernando's medical examination was probably the moment that stayed with me the most. What should have been a routine step turns into something much more complicated, and I liked how the episode used his situation to show that even a supposed opportunity can come with uncomfortable choices.
Then we get the coin puzzle. I really enjoyed this test because the challenge isn't only finding the logical solution — it's dealing with everyone else while the pressure keeps rising. Trust is already becoming a very scarce resource.
Meanwhile, Aline's investigation into Ezequiel adds another layer to the story. Clearly, The Process has secrets beyond what the candidates are seeing.
Two episodes in, I'm getting more interested in the characters and especially in the psychology behind each test.
En esta comedia negra de terror, un padre y su hija atropellan accidentalmente a un unicornio mágico mientras se dirigen al exclusivo refugio de un magnate.
Poster IA inspirada en la película /// AI poster inspired by the movie
🔍 El fotograma inicial (de qué se trata)
El fotograma inicial es básicamente, un padre divorciado, una hija que no le dirige la palabra y un viaje incómodo hacia la mansión de un magnate. Ahora suma un unicornio reventado contra el capó del automóvil. Esa es la premisa de Death of a Unicorn (2025), la comedia negra que enfrenta a Paul Rudd y Jenna Ortega contra una familia de ricos dispuesta a todo por exprimir el cadáver mágico que les ha caído del cielo.
La criatura resulta que cura cualquier enfermedad. Y donde hay cura, hay mercado. Y donde hay mercado, hay codicia sin límites.
El director convierte ese punto de partida en un cóctel de gore, carcajadas incómodas y crítica aguda; una fábula sangrienta sobre quién se queda con los recursos del mundo y quién paga el precio. Ágil, gamberra y sorprendentemente efectiva.
🔍 The opening frame (what it's about)
The opening frame is this, a divorced father, a daughter who won't speak to him, and an uncomfortable trip to a tycoon's mansion. Now add a unicorn smashed against the hood of the car. That is the premise of Death of a Unicorn (2025), the dark comedy that pits Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega against a wealthy family willing to do anything to squeeze the magical corpse that has fallen from the sky.
The creature, it turns out, cures any disease. And where there is a cure, there is a market. And where there is a market, there is boundless greed.
The director turns that starting point into a cocktail of gore, uncomfortable laughter, and sharp criticism; a bloody fable about who gets to keep the world's resources and who pays the price. Agile, cheeky, and surprisingly effective.
Captura del tráiler editado /// Screenshot of the trailer edited
🎥 La razón para apagar el teléfono y mirar la pantalla
Te diría, apaga tu teléfono, sírvete algo y dale al play si te atraen las películas extrañas, irreverentes y con el humor negro por definición. Death of a Unicorn mezcla terror fantástico, criaturas monstruosas y sátira social alrededor de una premisa tan absurda que solo puede funcionar. O fracasar estrepitosamente.
El otro gran imán está en sus protagonistas, Paul Rudd y Jenna Ortega como padre e hija, en una dinámica torpe, incómoda y extrañamente tierna. No es el dúo que uno imaginaría para una masacre con cuernos, y precisamente ahí reside la gracia.
Conviene entrar sin expectativas de trascendencia. La película no busca ser profunda ni realista; busca ser sangrienta, excéntrica y entretenida. Y lo consigue a base de momentos incómodos, comedia macabra y un espectáculo visual que no avisa, solamente pasa.
¿Para quién no es?
Si lo tuyo es el drama cuidadosamente construido, el guion milimétrico o la reflexión existencial, mejor reserva el asiento para otra cinta.
El encanto aquí está en la idea descabellada, la carcajada oscura y el exceso. Sutileza, más bien poca. Diversión garantizada, y mucha.
🎥 The reason to turn off your phone and look at the screen
I'd tell you: turn off your phone, pour yourself something, and hit play if you're drawn to strange, irreverent films with dark humor by definition. Death of a Unicorn mixes fantasy horror, monstrous creatures, and social satire around a premise so absurd that it can only work. Or fail spectacularly.
The other great magnet is its protagonists, Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega as father and daughter, in a clumsy, uncomfortable, and strangely tender dynamic. It's not the duo you'd imagine for a massacre with horns, and that's precisely where the charm lies.
It's best to go in without expectations of transcendence. The film doesn't seek to be deep or realistic; it seeks to be bloody, eccentric, and entertaining. And it achieves it through uncomfortable moments, macabre comedy, and a visual spectacle that doesn't warn you: it just happens.
Who is it not for?
If your thing is carefully constructed drama, millimeter-precise scripting, or existential reflection, better save your ticket for another theater.
The charm here lies in the outlandish idea, the dark laugh, and excess. Subtlety, rather scarce. Guaranteed fun, plenty.
Captura del tráiler editado /// Screenshot of the trailer edited
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🎶🔊 Y el "Hype" Sonoro …
DOA – St. Vincent
Traditional Treatment Options – Dan Romer y Giosuè Greco
The Davos Guest List – Dan Romer y Giosuè Greco
Estas canciones no salen de mi cabeza. ¿Cuál agregarías tú? Nos vemos abajo.
These songs won't leave my head. Which one would you add? See you below.
Captura del tráiler editado /// Screenshot of the trailer edited
💡 Lo que Todos Pasaron por Alto
Lo que la película esconde debajo del cuerno
Empecemos por el engaño geográfico; las Montañas Rocosas que uno cree ver son, en realidad, bosques y mansiones húngaras.
Allí se rodó todo, desde julio de 2023; la producción, independiente y respaldada por A24, pudo avanzar incluso durante la huelga de actores gracias a una exención sindical.
Lo segundo que sorprende es que el unicornio existía. O, al menos, existía a medias.
Marionetas manejadas por titiriteros (Ortega recuerda un cuerno moviéndose junto al coche en plena noche) se combinaron con el trabajo digital de Zoic Studios.
Rudd conservó fotos del proceso artesanal, ojos pintados a mano, pelaje cosido, pezuñas moldeadas.
Y el diseño final no tiene nada de tierno. Scharfman pidió referencias de lobos y caballos locales, rescató grabados medievales y construyó una bestia que él mismo compara con los velociraptores de Spielberg.
La sangre que esa bestia derrama tampoco es convencional. Violácea, brillante, cargada de partículas que se pegaban a la piel y al vestuario como si fueran escarcha tóxica.
Esa lógica material se extiende al resto del filme. La mansión Leopold es un catálogo de lujo frío y ceremonial; Elliot y Ridley, con su ropa de estar por casa, desentonan desde el primer plano. No hace falta diálogo para entender quién tiene el poder.
Y en las paredes cuelgan tapices que no son solo decorado; Scharfman creció obsesionado con La caza del unicornio de los Cloisters, y esa herencia medieval atraviesa la película hasta los créditos, donde un tapiz narra los sucesos como si fueran una hazaña.
Quedan dos detalles para el espectador atento, los detectores de criaturas suenan igual que los de Aliens, y la relación del director con los unicornios no viene de la ternura infantil, sino del asombro ante lo sagrado y lo terrible de los bestiarios antiguos.
Todo eso apunta a una misma idea; la película no solo satiriza a los multimillonarios. Satiriza el reflejo colectivo de empaquetar lo extraordinario, ponerle precio y venderlo. El unicornio debería ser un misterio. Aquí es una patente. Y esa es la verdadera violencia.
Captura del tráiler editado /// Screenshot of the trailer edited
💡 What everyone overlooked
What the film hides beneath the horn
Let's start with the geographical deception: the Rocky Mountains you think you see are, in reality, Hungarian forests and mansions. Everything was shot there, starting in July 2023; the production, independent and backed by A24, was able to move forward even during the actors' strike thanks to a union exemption.
The second surprising thing is that the unicorn existed. Or, at least, it half existed.
Puppets handled by puppeteers (Ortega recalls a horn moving next to the car in the middle of the night) were combined with the digital work of Zoic Studios.
Rudd kept photos of the artisan process, hand-painted eyes, sewn fur, molded hooves.
And the final design is anything but tender. Scharfman asked for references of local wolves and horses, rescued medieval engravings, and built a beast that he himself compares to Spielberg's velociraptors.
The blood that beast spills is also unconventional. Purplish, bright, loaded with particles that stuck to skin and costumes as if they were toxic frost.
That material logic extends to the rest of the film. The Leopold mansion is a catalog of cold, ceremonial luxury; Elliot and Ridley, in their loungewear, clash from the very first shot. No dialogue is needed to understand who holds the power.
And on the walls hang tapestries that are not just decoration, Scharfman grew up obsessed with The Hunt of the Unicorn at the Cloisters, and that medieval heritage runs through the film all the way to the credits, where a tapestry narrates the events as if they were a feat.
Two details remain for the attentive viewer: the creature detectors sound just like the ones in Aliens, and the director's relationship with unicorns doesn't come from childhood tenderness, but from awe at the sacred and the terrible in ancient bestiaries.
All of this points to the same idea: the film doesn't just satirize billionaires. It satirizes the collective reflex of packaging the extraordinary, putting a price on it, and selling it. The unicorn should be a mystery. Here it's a patent. And that is the true violence.
Captura del tráiler editado /// Screenshot of the trailer edited
💬 ¿Vale la Pena el Ticket? (Opinión)
Death of a Unicorn es una película que no debería funcionar y, sin embargo, funciona.
Comedia negra, terror, fantasía y sátira social conviven aquí sin que ninguna termine de fagocitar a la otra.
No es la mezcla más limpia del mundo, pero sí una de las más refrescantes que han llegado a la cartelera reciente y a mis ojos.
Lo mejor que tiene es el tono. Sangrienta, absurda, deliberadamente pasada de vueltas.
Paul Rudd y Jenna Ortega sostienen ese equilibrio con una química que no se fuerza; se puede pedir un padre torpe, hija harta, ambos atrapados en una situación que están obligados a sobrellevar.
Gracias a ellos, incluso las escenas más disparatadas se siguen con una sonrisa cómplice en vez de un gesto de incredulidad.
Visualmente también hay hallazgos. El diseño del unicornio (más bestia que mascota) y la atmósfera de la mansión Leopold generan imágenes que se quedan pegadas.
La película sabe ser incómoda sin perder la ironía, y eso no es fácil.
¿El pero? Por momentos se enamora tanto de su premisa y de sus set pieces extravagantes que descuida a los personajes secundarios. Hay ideas que piden una segunda capa, un desarrollo extra, y se quedan en la superficie. No arruina la experiencia, pero deja la sensación de que había película para veinte minutos más de guion.
💬 Is it worth the ticket? (Opinion)
Death of a Unicorn is a film that shouldn't work and yet it does.
Dark comedy, horror, fantasy, and social satire coexist here without any of them ending up devouring the others.
It's not the cleanest mix in the world, but it is one of the most refreshing to reach theaters recently and, in my eyes, one of the most refreshing overall.
The best thing it has is its tone. Bloody, absurd, deliberately over the top.
Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega sustain that balance with a chemistry that isn't forced; you can ask for a clumsy father, a fed-up daughter, both trapped in a situation they are forced to endure.
Thanks to them, even the most outlandish scenes are watched with a complicit smile instead of a gesture of disbelief.
Visually there are also discoveries. The unicorn design (more beast than pet) and the atmosphere of the Leopold mansion generate images that stick with you.
The film knows how to be uncomfortable without losing irony, and that is not easy.
The "but"? At times it falls so in love with its premise and its extravagant set pieces that it neglects the secondary characters. There are ideas that ask for a second layer, extra development, and they stay on the surface. It doesn't ruin the experience, but it leaves the feeling that there was film for twenty more minutes of script.
Captura del tráiler editado /// Screenshot of the trailer edited
If you are 38 years old and still watch cartoons (yes, I'm talking about you, CaptainRosomak), then you have probably come across a so-called Halloween episode at some point. They appear quite often, and the more recognizable the franchise, the more elaborate the “scariness” tends to be. In newer animated shows, for example The Amazing World of Gumball or Adventure Time, we have been given essentially the same concept: something turns the inhabitants into zombies, and only the main characters can somehow save the world.
Eli Roth seems to have gotten a little lost somewhere along the way. You can see that his beginnings were more niche and aimed at viewers who knew exactly what they were getting into. Over time, however, he seems to have become too influenced by Hollywood and started making movies that have very little to do with horror and are instead more like cartoons with a horror coating.
*Ice Cream Man* is a strange movie. It looks as if it was originally supposed to be a 30-minute episode of some kind of anthology, but something went wrong and, in the end, it became a full-length movie.
Maybe I'll start with what actually worked, because, to my surprise, there are some positive aspects to this thing.
The biggest advantage is the young cast. You can see that the kids are having fun with their roles. They don't take anything too seriously and fire off dry jokes — so dry that I actually had to get something to drink — but it works. You watch them with sympathy, almost as if you were watching a cartoon that had suddenly brought its characters to life for one episode.
Of course, there is a lot of nonsense in this movie, and the closer we get to the finale, the more I started wondering why the filmmaker decided to combine this laid-back movie with gore — unfortunately, gore that often doesn't work very well.
The concept itself, as we already know, is fairly overused and inspired by the Pied Piper of Hamelin (yes, one of the characters actually has Hamlin as his last name).
The movie offers a rather peculiar take on revenge through a grotesque and macabre lens. The titular character arrives in town to make every child happy by giving them a serving of ice cream.
And if the movie had consistently leaned into that kind of grotesque tone, you could probably overlook a lot of its problems. But it is extremely uneven. One moment we get a serious scene, only for the movie to follow it up with some ridiculous gore that adds absolutely nothing to the whole thing.
Everything might have worked if it weren't for those kids and their intolerance to ice cream.
Yes, the main theme is eating ice cream and how the town changes afterward. However, the director apparently had to think very hard about how to make the protagonists immune to the suggestion, so he came up with all sorts of complicated solutions.
Unfortunately, the finale gets lost — and it gets lost so badly that even the characters don't seem to know what they are supposed to do. We get an explanation of the entire conspiracy and an ending that is probably the least satisfying part of the movie. There is, admittedly, a reference to A Nightmare on Elm Street, but it is filmed so poorly that it is difficult to even compare the two.
This could have been a good movie. The young protagonists tried to keep things light, but everything else somehow falls short, including the titular Ice Cream Man, who has some unfinished business with the residents.
I hope the director stops playing around with Hollywood and goes back to making cheap horror movies, because that's when things seemed to work for him. The bigger the budget, the worse the script and the worse the execution.
30/100 — that's the score I can give this movie.
Oh, and I didn't even mention that the movie contains quite a lot of shots generated using AI, which unfortunately makes the overall experience even worse.
As a photographer and traveler, my mind always wants to break through the brick walls of the city and get lost in nature. But like many of you, my sense of duty keeps me tied to the same boring daily routine. In between work, we often get distracted and dream of strange heroic dreams, don't we? When I watched the movie "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty", I felt like I was looking at myself in a mirror. Today, I will talk about a movie that took me out of my 'comfort zone' and reminded me why I fell in love with traveling and photography in the first place.
(BN)
একজন ফটোগ্রাফার এবং ট্রাভেলার হিসেবে আমার মন সবসময় শহরের ইটের দেয়াল ভেদ করে প্রকৃতির মাঝে হারিয়ে যেতে চায়। কিন্তু আপনাদের অনেকের মতোই, দায়িত্ববোধ আমাকে প্রতিদিনের একই একঘেয়ে রুটিনে বেঁধে রাখে। কাজের ফাঁকে আমরা প্রায়ই অন্যমনস্ক হয়ে অদ্ভুত সব বীরত্বের স্বপ্ন দেখি, তাই না? যখন আমি "দ্য সিক্রেট লাইফ অফ ওয়াল্টার মিটি" সিনেমাটি দেখি, তখন আমার মনে হচ্ছিল যেন আমি আয়নায় নিজেকেই দেখছি। আজ এমন একটি সিনেমা নিয়ে কথা বলব, যা আমাকে আমার 'কমফোর্ট জোন' থেকে বের করে এনেছিল এবং মনে করিয়ে দিয়েছিল-কেন আমি ট্রাভেলিং আর ফটোগ্রাফির প্রেমে পড়েছিলাম।
Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) is a very ordinary man who works in the 'Negative Assets' department of the famous LIFE magazine. His life is very boring and he often gets lost in the world of fantasy during his work. The story begins when legendary photojournalist Sean O'Connell sends him a film, but the most important negative - Negative #25, which was supposed to be the last cover of the magazine - goes missing. To save his job and find the missing negative, Walter finally comes out of his fantasy world and goes on a breathtaking real-life expedition to Greenland, Iceland and the Himalayas.
নেগেটিভ #২৫-এর খোঁজ:
ওয়াল্টার মিটি (বেন স্টিলার) একজন অত্যন্ত সাধারণ মানুষ, যে বিখ্যাত LIFE ম্যাগাজিনের 'নেগেটিভ অ্যাসেট' বিভাগে কাজ করে। তার জীবন ভীষণ একঘেয়ে এবং সে প্রায়ই কাজের ফাঁকে কল্পনার জগতে হারিয়ে যায়। গল্পের শুরু হয় তখন, যখন কিংবদন্তি ফটোসাংবাদিক শন ও'কনেল তাকে একটি ছবির ফিল্ম পাঠান, কিন্তু সবচেয়ে গুরুত্বপূর্ণ নেগেটিভটি-নেগেটিভ #২৫, যা ম্যাগাজিনের শেষ প্রচ্ছদ হওয়ার কথা-সেটি হারিয়ে যায়। নিজের চাকরি বাঁচাতে এবং হারিয়ে যাওয়া নেগেটিভটি খুঁজতে ওয়াল্টার শেষমেশ তার কল্পনার জগত থেকে বেরিয়ে আসে এবং গ্রিনল্যান্ড, আইসল্যান্ড ও হিমালয়ের বুকে এক শ্বাসরুদ্ধকর বাস্তব অভিযানে পাড়ি জমায়।
(EN)
A Masterpiece of Visuals and Music:
As a lover of photography, the cinematography of this film has completely captivated me. Every frame of it looks like a perfect picture. The transition from the gloomy, gray offices of New York to the vibrant and dazzling landscapes of Iceland is simply impeccable. Along with this, José Gonzalez's heart-touching soundtrack, especially the song "Step Out", takes the movie to such a level that you can feel the fresh mountain air just sitting in front of the screen.
(BN)
দৃশ্য ও সুরের এক মাস্টারপিস:
ফটোগ্রাফি ভালোবাসার কারণে এই সিনেমার সিনেমাটোগ্রাফি আমাকে পুরোপুরি মুগ্ধ করেছে। এর প্রতিটি ফ্রেম দেখতে যেন একটি নিখুঁত ছবির মতো। নিউইয়র্কের বিষণ্ণ, ধূসর অফিস থেকে শুরু করে আইসল্যান্ডের প্রাণবন্ত ও চোখধাঁধানো প্রাকৃতিক দৃশ্যের যে ট্রানজিশন, তা এককথায় অনবদ্য। সেই সাথে হোসে গঞ্জালেসের হৃদয় ছুঁয়ে যাওয়া সাউন্ডট্র্যাক, বিশেষ করে "Step Out" গানটি মুভিটিকে এমন এক মাত্রায় নিয়ে যায় যে, আপনি স্ক্রিনের সামনে বসেই পাহাড়ি সতেজ বাতাস অনুভব করতে পারবেন।
There is a great scene in the movie, where photographer Sean finally sees the rare 'snow leopard' after a long wait, but he doesn't take a picture. When Walter asks why, Sean says, "When I have a moment that I really like, I don't want to ruin it because of the camera. I just want to live in that moment." This dialogue made me think deeply. Nowadays, in the addiction to capturing life on our phones or cameras, we often forget to 'enjoy' the moments. The movie perfectly portrays the motto of LIFE magazine - "Seeing the world, facing danger, seeing the truth behind the walls, getting close to people and feeling."
(BN)
ফটোগ্রাফি ও জীবনের আসল অর্থ:
সিনেমাটিতে একটি দারুণ দৃশ্য আছে, যেখানে ফটোগ্রাফার শন অনেক দিন অপেক্ষার পর অবশেষে দুর্লভ 'স্নো লেপার্ড' দেখতে পায়, কিন্তু সে ছবি তোলে না। ওয়াল্টার যখন এর কারণ জানতে চায়, শন বলে, "কোনো মুহূর্ত যখন আমার খুব ভালো লাগে, আমি ক্যামেরার কারণে সেই মুহূর্তটা নষ্ট করতে চাই না। আমি শুধু সেই মুহূর্তটার ভেতরেই বেঁচে থাকতে চাই।" এই সংলাপটি আমাকে গভীরভাবে ভাবিয়েছে। আজকাল ফোন বা ক্যামেরায় জীবনকে বন্দি করার নেশায় আমরা অনেক সময় মুহূর্তগুলোকে 'উপভোগ' করতেই ভুলে যাই। সিনেমাটি LIFE ম্যাগাজিনের মূলমন্ত্রটি নিখুঁতভাবে ফুটিয়ে তুলেছে-"দুনিয়াকে দেখা, বিপদের মুখোমুখি হওয়া, দেয়ালের পেছনের সত্যকে দেখা, মানুষের কাছাকাছি আসা এবং অনুভব করা।"
(EN)
My Final Thoughts:
"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" is not just a movie; it's a warning to all of us who are stuck in our daily routines, waiting for the "right time" to chase our dreams. It inspired me to pack my bags, grab my camera, and explore something new.
Before I go, I'll leave you with a question: Do you have a dream destination or adventure that you're always putting off for tomorrow? Let me know in the comments! Let's stop dreaming and start living.
(BN)
আমার চূড়ান্ত মতামত:
"দ্য সিক্রেট লাইফ অফ ওয়াল্টার মিটি" শুধুই একটি সিনেমা নয়; এটি আমাদের সবার জন্য একটি সতর্কবার্তা, যারা প্রতিদিনের রুটিনে আটকে থেকে নিজের স্বপ্নের পেছনে ছোটার জন্য "সঠিক সময়"-এর অপেক্ষায় বসে থাকি। এটি আমাকে আমার ব্যাগ প্যাক করতে, ক্যামেরা হাতে নিতে এবং নতুন কিছু এক্সপ্লোর করতে উদ্বুদ্ধ করেছে।
যাওয়ার আগে আজ আপনাদের জন্য একটি প্রশ্ন রেখে যাচ্ছি: আপনার এমন কোন স্বপ্নের গন্তব্য বা অ্যাডভেঞ্চার আছে, যা আপনি সবসময় আগামীকালের জন্য ফেলে রাখছেন? কমেন্টে আমাকে জানান! চলুন স্বপ্ন দেখা বন্ধ করে বাঁচতে শুরু করি।
Note: Originally written in Bengali and translated into English using Google Translate.
Hello, my fellow movie lovers, happy Throwback Thursday...
Hola, mis amigos cinefilos, feliz jueves de tbt...
When you find yourselves lost in the darkness, look for the light
🎥 The Last of Us 🎥
##
I watched this series a few months ago; I remember my cousin’s husband recommending it to me when I was in Valencia. I started watching it there, but I finished it at home some time later. It’s actually a pretty entertaining series, with action, drama, and suspense.
The Last of Us is a series based on a video game; 23 years after civilization was struck by a virus that mutated people and turned them into cannibals, one of the survivors, Joel, must escort a young woman, Ellie, who seems to possess something that could change the fate of humanity. On this journey, both will have to overcome many obstacles to survive and reach their destination.
Adapting a video game for the big screen is no easy task. Many fans, who know the game inside and out, eagerly await its release, but we know full well that adaptations—whether of games or books—aren’t always faithful to the original; there will always be differences, cut scenes, altered characters, and drastic changes. Anyway, in my case, I know nothing about the game; I just watched the series as just another show, without any expectations based on something that already existed.
From the very first episode, the series draws you in; you feel that empathy for the main character. The action scenes, with their dramatic flair, are memorable, which is what makes the series so compelling.
Esta serie la vi hace unos meses; recuerdo que me la recomendó el esposo de mi prima cuando estaba en Valencia. Allá empecé a verla, pero la terminé viendo ya en mi casa, tiempo después. La verdad es una serie bastante entretenida, con escenas de acción, drama y suspenso.
The Last of Us es una serie basada en un videojuego; después de 23 años donde la civilización fue atacada por un virus, mutando a las personas y transformándolas en caníbales, uno de los sobrevivientes, Joel, debe escoltar a una joven, Ellie, la cual parece tener algo que podría cambiar el destino de la humanidad. En esta travesía, ambos deberán pasar por muchos tropiezos para poder sobrevivir y llegar a su curso.
Adaptar un juego a la pantalla grande no es tarea fácil. Muchos aficionados, quienes conocen del juego por completo, esperan con gran expectativa verlo, pero bien sabemos que no siempre las adaptaciones, ya sea de juegos o libros que hemos visto, suelen ser iguales; siempre habrá diferencias, recortes de escenas, personajes, y cambios drásticos. En fin, en mi caso, yo no sé nada del juego; solo miré la serie, como una más, sin expectativas de algo ya creado.
Desde el primer capítulo la serie te atrapa, sientes esa empatía por el personaje principal; las escenas de acción con el toque dramático son memorables, lo que hace que la serie sea atractiva.
Pedro Pascal plays the role of Joe, a solitary, serious man haunted by his past and reluctant to carry out his mission, but once he gets to know Ellie well, ** Bella Ramsey**—a 14-year-old girl with a fiery, unbridled temper who may hold the key to a cure for the virus—a paternal bond forms, and his sole concern becomes protecting her, even against his own will. As I said, the series starts with a strong episode, full of excitement; then it slows down a bit, but even so, it keeps you on the edge of your seat, wanting to know more.
The series consists of two seasons; the first had 9 episodes, while the second had only 7. It’s an apocalyptic series based on a horror-action video game that, in my opinion, looks great—at least in these seasons—and features an unexpected twist, at least for those of us who aren’t familiar with the game. Let’s wait and see how this story unfolds.
If you haven’t seen it yet, there’s still time, and if you’ve already watched it, let me know what you thought of it.
Pedro Pascal interpreta el papel de Joe, un hombre solitario, serio, traumado por su pasado, y negado a cumplir con su misión, pero una vez que conoce bien a EllieBella Ramsey, una niña de 14 años con un carácter lleno de ira y desenfrenado, la cual puede ser clave para la cura del virus, se crea este vínculo paternal, y su único interés es protegerla, así sea en contra de su voluntad. Como dije, la serie empieza con un buen capítulo, lleno de emoción, luego baja un poco, pero aun así, te mantiene en expectativa, queriendo saber más.
La serie consta de dos temporadas; la primera tuvo 9 episodios, mientras que la segunda solo 7. Es una serie apocalíptica basada en un videojuego de terror y acción, que, a mi parecer, tiene buen aspecto, por lo menos en estas temporadas, y tiene un giro inesperado, por lo menos para quienes desconocemos el juego. Esperemos a ver cómo continúa esta historia.
Si no la han visto, están a tiempo, y si ya la vieron, díganme qué tal les pareció.
RECURSO / RESOURCE:Pictures: themoviedb.orgTranslation/Traducción:👉 DeepL Traductor
**Edition/Edición:**Cover and banner with Canva /Portada y banner con Canva
**Edition/Edición :**Canva Separator/Separador Canva
If the first part of King of Boys was about a woman fighting to enter the political table, then "The Return of the King" is about what happens when that woman finally understands that the table was never meant to welcome her.
Eniola Salami returns to Nigeria after years in exile, five years after the events of the first movie but she doesn't return quietly. She came back with a bigger ambition which is becoming Governor of Lagos State and honestly, this is where the story becomes more interesting.
The Eniola I met this time wasn't exactly the same woman from Part 1. The death of her children has changed her. There is more silence, more reflection and less of the explosive ruthlessness I saw before but I guessed from the start that I shouldn't get too comfortable because underneath that grief is still her inner-self Laburu.
Eniola initially appears determined to achieve political power legitimately. She wants to leave the underworld behind and build a new identity for herself but the deeper she goes into politics, the more she realises that escaping her past doesn't necessarily mean her past has escaped her.
Then one of the biggest challenges to her ambition came around, Jumoke Randle, the First Lady of Lagos State.
Jumoke isn't simply another political opponent. She represents a different kind of power, one that operates through influence, manipulation, information and political connections and this creates an interesting battle because Eniola is no longer expected to fight only with violence but has to learn how to fight with politics.
Meanwhile, a journalist named Dapo Banjo begins investigating Eniola and the political connections surrounding her. His investigation gradually starts uncovering things that these powerful people would rather want hidden and this subplot brings another dimension to the story because it reminds us that power doesn't only fear guns. Sometimes, power fears information.
One of the things I enjoyed about this movie is how Eniola's relationship with her younger self continues. Those moments feel like I was watching Eniola argue with the person she used to be and then comes the graveyard sequence.
That scene becomes particularly important because it reveals just how deeply Eniola's past, grief and present identity are connected. The story makes me question whether Eniola is actually becoming a different person or simply learning a new way to survive and just when I thought she has finally chosen the political route over the criminal one, the story reminded me who she really is.
The return of Makanaki changed the atmosphere completely. His presence brought back the unfinished business from Part 1, and suddenly, the past Eniola tried to bury starts showing again.
What follows remain betrayal, political manipulation, violence and another battle for control but this time, Eniola isn't simply trying to protect an empire but she's trying to build a new one.
The Eniola of Part 2 doesn't always need to shout or threaten people. Sometimes, she sits quietly, listens and allows everyone else to reveal their cards and that, to me, is character development.
However, I also think the movie has its problems. the story has more room to explore its characters, but some subplots feels unnecessarily stretched and dragged. For instance, the journalist's storyline sometimes pulls attention away from the main power struggle and some characters also deserved stronger development just like Eniola.
Sola Sobowale remains the heartbeat of the story. What makes her performance interesting isn't simply the intimidation. It's the restraint.
The biggest question the movie leaves me with is "can someone who built their power through darkness genuinely use that same power to become legitimate?" Because maybe Eniola's biggest battle was never against Makanaki, Aare, Jumoke or the political establishment. Maybe her biggest battle was always with herself.
Power changes people, but sometimes it also reveals who they already were and just like the first part, I found myself asking again that how far can someone go in pursuit of power before they lose the very person they were trying to protect?
That question alone makes this movie worth discussing and I'll say it's a Nigerian movie that hits the viewers list so hard.
Toc Toc (2017) – Humor and reality: my thoughts after watching it last night
List of chapters/clips
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTuw_eXgcqAi4Qn9f2B214an4EKwWf_BK&si=Y6StzSqau4GQOQVs
Last night, I sat down to watch this movie called Toc Toc, and honestly, it surprised me. It’s a 2017 Spanish comedy directed by Vicente Villanueva about a group of patients arriving at the office of a famous psychiatrist, Dr. Palomero. But the guy never shows up—his flight got cancelled or something—and that’s where the chaos begins.
(A while back, I had a friend whom I helped a great deal; he told me he saw insects in his food and heard voices—some telling him to say rude things to women, others urging him to throw himself in front of a vehicle—and he constantly washed his hands. I guided him to understand that he wasn't "crazy," but rather seeing things beyond the ordinary. Today, he has managed to control it and lives and works in Colombia.)
It turns out all the patients have OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder), but each one has their own peculiar quirk. One person constantly spouts profanities and insults, another woman washes her hands obsessively all the time, there’s a religious woman who keeps making the sign of the cross, a guy who counts everything in numbers, another woman who needs everything perfectly aligned... it’s chaos.
What made me laugh the most
One scene I found really funny was when the guy who spouts insults offended the woman who washes her hands. She got angry and threatened to call the police to report him. It was comical because of the contrast: him spouting outrageous things uncontrollably while she was obsessed with cleanliness. You aren't laughing at the illness itself; you're laughing at the absurdity of the situation.
Another part I liked was when the religious woman—who initially seemed like the toughest of the group—suddenly relaxed. She became so cheerful that she even extended an invitation to the guy who spouts insults (who, it turns out, wasn't who he claimed to be). Seeing her aggression drop and watching her become kinder was unexpected and even touching.
What I took away from the movie
Beyond the laughs, the movie leaves you with something meaningful. In the end, you realize that the important thing isn't fighting obsessively against OCD, but learning to live with it. The characters realize that distracting themselves with other things, accepting their condition, and lowering their stress levels helps them more than constantly battling their obsessions.
The final twist is great: you discover that the rude Argentine man is actually Dr. Palomero in disguise. When the realization hits, you rethink everything you saw earlier. It wraps up the story beautifully.
Do I recommend it?
Yes. It’s a lighthearted comedy, but one with heart. It doesn't mock disorders; instead, it humanizes them through humor. The actors (Paco León, Rossy de Palma, Alexandra Jiménez) do a great job bringing life to characters who could easily have been caricatures but end up being truly endearing.
If you want to have a good time, laugh, and leave with a smile (and perhaps reflect a bit on how we all have our own obsessions), it’s well worth watching.
Details: Approx. 1h 30min | Comedy | Spain, 2017
A big shout-out to my friends @enraizar and @cpol; I imagine you’ve both seen this movie.
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Toc Toc (2017) - Humor y realidad mi opinión después de verla anoche
Lista de capitulos
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTuw_eXgcqAi4Qn9f2B214an4EKwWf_BK&si=Y6StzSqau4GQOQVs
Anoche me puse a ver esta película llamada Toc Toc y la verdad me sorprendió. Es una comedia española de 2017, dirigida por Vicente Villanueva, sobre un grupo de pacientes que llegan a la consulta de un psiquiatra famoso, el doctor Palomero. Pero el tipo nunca llega porque su vuelo se canceló o qué sé yo, y ahí empieza el lío.
( Hace tiempo tuve un amigo, que lo ayude mucho pues me contó que veia insectos en la comida , escuchaba voces , que le decían dile a esta señora una grosería, otras le decían que se tirará delante de un vehículo y se lavaba las manos constantemente. Yo lo oriente de que no era que estaba mal de la cabeza sino que veía más allá de lo comun. Hoy día logro controlar eso y vive y trabaja en Colombia.)
Resulta que todos los pacientes tienen TOC (Trastorno Obsesivo Compulsivo), pero cada uno con su cosa rara. Uno no para de decir groserías e insultos, otra señora se lava las manos todo el tiempo como obsesionada, hay una religiosa que a cada rato se hace la señal de la cruz, un tipo que cuenta todo en números, otra que necesita que todo esté perfectamente alineado... un caos.
Lo que más me hizo reír
Una escena que me causó mucha gracia fue cuando el señor de los insultos ofende a la señora que se lava las manos. La mujer se puso brava y lo amenazó con llamar a la policía para denunciarlo. Fue cómico porque tú ves el contraste: él diciendo barbaridades sin control y ella obsesionada con la limpieza. No te ríes de la enfermedad, te ríes de lo absurdo de la situación.
Otra parte que me gustó fue cuando la señora religiosa, que al principio parecía la más brava del grupo, de repente se relaja. Se puso tan contenta que hasta le hizo una invitación al señor de los insultos (que después resulta que no era quien decía ser). Ver cómo le bajó la agresividad y se volvió más amable fue inesperado y hasta tierno.
Lo que me llevé de la película
Más allá de las risas, la película te deja algo. Al final entiendes que lo importante no es luchar obsesivamente contra el TOC, sino aprender a vivir con él. Los personajes se dan cuenta de que distraerse en otras cosas, aceptar su condición y bajarle al estrés les ayuda más que pelear todo el tiempo contra sus obsesiones.
El giro final está bueno: descubres que el argentino grosero en realidad es el doctor Palomero disfrazado. Cuando te das cuenta, replanteas todo lo que viste antes. Cierra bien la historia.
¿La recomiendo?
Sí. Es una comedia ligera pero con corazón. No se burla de los trastornos, los humaniza con humor. Los actores (Paco León, Rossy de Palma, Alexandra Jiménez) hacen un trabajo bueno dando vida a personajes que podrían ser exagerados pero terminan siendo entrañables.
Si quieres pasar un buen rato, reírte y salir con una sonrisa (y quizás pensar un poco en cómo todos tenemos nuestras obsesiones), vale la pena.
Datos: 1h 30min aprox | Comedia | España, 2017
Un gran saludo a mi amigo @enraizar y @cpol pienso que deben haber visto esta película.
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:
What do we do when our curiosity turns into an obsession that ends up swallowing us whole? Los dioses rotos explores the story of a university professor who, captivated by the figure of Alberto Yarini, begins to take an interest in the life of a famous Cuban pimp from the early 20th century. Yarini, from his thesis, defended national honor with a flourish.
Thus, this story intersects with historical myth and the reality of a Havana that was already decadent more than a century later. Because prostitution, although already prohibited in these times, continues to be one of the great problems plaguing Cuba, and one that the director of this film dares to explore with great skill.
Thus, we are also introduced to the figure of Alberto, but Alberto as this character, a young man who enters the life of this professor—perhaps by chance, she would believe—and who was also part of this web of prostitution and pimping. Alberto came from his home in France, a home also achieved through these means, but the film is born in doubt from the beginning about what Alberto has come back to look for in Cuba.
And this question has a very specific name: Sandra. Alberto, in his own words, returns to look for an old love that he lost, that he sacrificed for this new life. Sandra, also working the streets and now being the crown jewel of another pimp in the city, Rosendo, who dominates a large part of this business in Old Havana.
These very different paths intersect in the face of this university professor's interest in a prenda. This is an element that forms part of Afro-Cuban religiosity, a prenda being precisely an item that belonged to some relevant figure and through which this item serves to transmit part of its vital force, its spirit, and put it at the service of whoever possesses it.
The professor tries to investigate a prenda which Rosendo claims collected the last blood shed by Alberto Yarini, murdered by his competitors in the world of prostitution—competitors who, moreover, were foreigners, Frenchmen to be specific—, and a conflict that was unleashed by a woman.
Thus, in the face of this professor's insistence on Rosendo and after threatening him to bring in the authorities to obtain some sample of this prenda, he decides to use Alberto to entangle—as he himself describes it—the professor and get her out of his way. There Sandra becomes involved upon having her jealousy awakened by Alberto and making her collide head-on against this professor.
Thus, a picture is seen where love, desire, and curiosity collide with one another, being the perfect setting for this as well: a Havana that is falling apart and that shows us Cubans from different social positions, the returning immigrant, the university professor who always had a privileged life, the businessman with shady deals, and the exploited woman, in this case.
Thus, also linked by Afro-Cuban religion, a characteristic element and perhaps overexploited in Cuban cinema for its miscegenation, and also as a mythical element. The film partly tries to vindicate this historical account, but stripping it of its ornaments.
It shows us in the story it tells today a reflection of the past and what the crudeness of this world must have really been like and who the truly exploited ones were, these women who gave their bodies solely in exchange for a little affection and security offered to them by these men who did not truly value their lives, but lived off them.
Thus, Los dioses rotos touches a raw nerve in a wound that Cuba as a society has always suffered, but that few dare to explore. Perhaps the skill of this director was to bridge the gap with the historical account and, more than a film with many nuances that dares to put us on each edge of the problem and does not directly point fingers at culprits, it speaks of a systemic guilt where each part has a questionable role, at times even heroic in some cases.
Thus, the film has a perfect arc, having a closure that leaves no one indifferent and that perhaps we could have guessed from the beginning of the film, but like in this chronicle by Gabriel García Márquez, we tried to tell our own story even knowing the end.
Los dioses rotos is a symbolism both of this Afro-Cuban religiosity and of the figure of man put in the place of god, placed above with control over the lives of others. And just like the curiosity or obsession that religiosity can bring, in this case the gods do not end up breaking themselves, but rather breaking whoever gives their life above all else, simply to satisfy these questions that are never resolved.
Versión en Español:
¿Qué hacemos cuando nuestra curiosidad se vuelve en una obsesión que nos termina por tragar? Los dioses rotos explora la historia de una profesora universitaria que, cautivada por la figura de Alberto Yarini, comienza a interesarse por la vida de un famoso proxeneta cubano de inicios del siglo XX. Yarini, desde su tesis, defendía el orgullo nacional a golpe de portañuela.
Así, esta historia se entrecruza con el mito histórico y la realidad de una Habana ya decadente más de un siglo después. Porque la prostitución, aunque ya prohibida en estos tiempos, sigue siendo una de las grandes problemáticas que asolan Cuba, y que el director de esta película se atreve a explorar con gran tino.
Así, se nos introduce también la figura de Alberto, pero Alberto como este personaje, un muchacho joven que entra a la vida de esta profesora —tal vez por casualidad, creería ella— y que también formó parte de este entramado de prostitución y proxenetismo. Alberto venía de su hogar en Francia, un hogar también conseguido a través de estos medios, pero la película nace en la duda desde un inicio sobre lo que viene a buscar Alberto de nuevo a Cuba.
Y esta pregunta tiene un nombre muy concreto: Sandra. Alberto, desde sus palabras, vuelve a buscar un viejo amor que perdió, que sacrificó por esta nueva vida. Sandra, trabajando también en las calles y siendo ahora la joya de la corona de otro proxeneta de la ciudad, Rosendo, quien domina gran parte de este negocio en la Habana Vieja.
Estos caminos tan diferentes se entrecruzan ante el interés de esta profesora universitaria por una prenda. Esto es un elemento que forma parte de la religiosidad afrocubana, una prenda siendo precisamente este un artículo que perteneció a alguna figura relevante y que a través de esto esta prenda sirve para transmitir parte de su fuerza vital, de su espíritu, ponerlo al servicio de quien la posea.
La profesora intenta investigar una prenda la cual Rosendo afirma que recogió la última sangre que derramó Alberto Yarini, asesinado por sus competidores en el mundo de la prostitución —competidores que, por demás, eran extranjeros, franceses para ser específicos—, y conflicto que fue desatado por una mujer.
Así, ante las insistencias de esta profesora a Rosendo y tras amenazarlo con meter a las autoridades para lograr obtener alguna muestra de esta prenda, este decide utilizar a Alberto para enredar —como él mismo lo describe— a la profesora y sacarla de su camino. Ahí Sandra se ve inmiscuida al despertarle sus celos por Alberto y hacerla chocar de frente contra esta profesora.
Así se ve un cuadro donde el amor, el deseo y la curiosidad van chocándose uno contra otros, siendo el escenario perfecto también para esto: una Habana que se cae a pedazos y que nos muestra a cubanos de distintas posiciones sociales, el inmigrante que regresa, la profesora universitaria que siempre tuvo una vida privilegiada, el negociante con negocios turbios y la mujer explotada, en este caso.
Así, también enlazados por la religión afrocubana, un elemento característico y tal vez sobreexplotado en el cine cubano por su mestizaje, y también como elemento mítico. La película en parte intenta reivindicar este relato histórico, pero quitándole los adornos.
Nos muestra en la historia que cuenta en la actualidad un reflejo del pasado y cómo realmente debió ser la crudeza de este mundo y quiénes eran las verdaderas explotadas, estas mujeres que daban su cuerpo solamente a cambio de un poco de afecto y de seguridad que le ofrecían estos hombres que realmente no valoraban su vida, pero que vivían de ellas.
Así, Los dioses rotos mete el dedo de lleno en una llaga que Cuba como sociedad ha sufrido siempre, pero que pocos se atreven a explorar. Quizás el tino de este director fue hacer el puente con el relato histórico y más que una película con muchos matices que se atreve a ponernos en cada arista del problema y no señala culpables directamente, sino que habla de una culpa sistémica donde cada parte tiene un papel cuestionable, por momentos incluso heroico en algunos casos.
Así, la película tiene un arco perfecto, teniendo un cierre que no deja indiferente a nadie y que tal vez podríamos haber adivinado desde el principio de la película, pero como en esta crónica de Gabriel García Márquez, intentábamos contar nuestra propia historia aun conociendo el final.
Los dioses rotos es un simbolismo tanto a esta religiosidad afrocubana como a la figura del hombre puesta en lugar de dios, puesta por encima con el control de la vida de otros. Y así como la curiosidad o la obsesión que puede dar la religiosidad, en este caso los dioses llegan no a romperse, pero sí a romper a quien da su vida por encima de todo, simplemente para satisfacer estos cuestionamientos que nunca se resuelven.
Ne zha is a very cool and popular animation based on the Chinese historical folklore. I thought I was going to watch a beautiful Chinese animation with some ridiculous supernatural powers, funny characters and massive action sequences, and yeah, it was all of that but i also got more out of it. I also got a story about a child who spends most of his life being hated for something he never chose. Its like hating a child for a disability he/she didn’t choose for themselves. It was actually kind of like Naruto if you think about it. Ne Zha is an incredibly entertaining movie, but underneath all the fantasy and comedy, it is a story much deeper than that.
The foundation of the story is fascinating. Ne Zha is born from a powerful spiritual force and is immediately destined for something extraordinary, but unfortunately, he is also destined to be feared as a result of that, because of the nature of the power inside him, everyone believes that he is a demon who will eventually bring destruction. The sad part is that Ne Zha hasn't actually done anything to deserve their hatred. He is just a child but people look at him and see a monster. They stay away from him, talk about him like he is a danger to every one around him for something he hasn’t even done. His destiny had already been painted black.
And for those that have watched Naruto, you can understand the background of the story, because they are both very similar. He becomes angry because he is lonely and has already been judged bad. He becomes rebellious because nobody wants to understand him. He acts out because being hated is easier to deal with when you pretend that you don't care.
There are moments where his behaviour is genuinely annoying i will admit but then you remember why he is like that. This is a kid who has basically grown up without the acceptance that most children take for granted. So instead of trying to prove everyone wrong he accepts what they have labelled him and for some time, even though he doesn’t want to. He becomes the monster they made.
His parents are probably the emotional heart of the entire movie for me. Despite everything they are told about their son, they never stop loving him. His mother especially broke my heart because she understands that her son is being rejected by the entire community, yet she continues trying to make him happy. She doesn't care about what everyone else thinks. She sees her child and his innocence.
That relationship made some of the emotional moments hit much harder because Ne Zha knows that his parents are essentially the only people who truly believe in him and care for him There is something incredibly sad about watching a child who has been rejected by the world still trying to find a reason to believe that he belongs in it. The movie could have easily made this just another chosen-one story, but instead it makes Ne Zha's journey much more personal.
Then there is Ao Bing, Ao Bing and Ne zha appear to be complete opposites, both of them have expectations placed on their shoulders. Both are carrying the weight of their families and their destinies. Both have people who have already decided what their futures should look like. Ne Zha for one spends his entire life being told what he is, and eventually he has to make the decision to define himself.
The animation is absolutely incredible too. Some of the action sequences are completely insane. The fights represent everything they have been carrying throughout the story and the movie starts becoming even more emotional towards the end. Without spoiling anything, I will just say that the final part genuinely got to me.
I genuinely loved this movie and its one that i had put off watching for quite some time. It is funny, beautiful and most importantly chaotic but it also has a heart. Genuinely recommend this if you are into animations
In Hollywood, there are certain actors who serve as a benchmark for specific genres; for instance, I’ve always considered Jason Statham to be one of the best action stars out there. Obviously, there are different tiers—a hierarchy that distinguishes one actor from another—but Scott Adkins, the lead in this film, is undeniably one of those reliable performers who consistently delivers fast-paced movies packed with great action. One Last Shot proves that you can make an entertaining film even with a modest script; you don't need a complex backstory to enjoy the experience. I say this because plots involving military personnel or former service members almost invariably feature some form of lingering resentment or an unsettled score that eventually leads to betrayal.
En Hollywood hay ciertos actores que uno siempre tiene como referencia para determinado tipo de películas, por ejemplo, siempre he pensado que uno de los mejores actores de acción que hay es Jason Stathan. Obviamente hay rangos, hay una jerarquía que hace que tal actor no sea igual al otro pero si es que cierto que el protagonista de este film, Scott Adkins, es uno de esos actores que siempre, pero siempre está y entrega unas películas bastante movidas y llenas de buena acción. One Last Shot es un ejemplo de que con poco nivel de guion puedes hacer una película entretenida, no necesitas manejar un trasfondo muy elaborado para disfrutar de algo y esto lo digo porque en las tramas en donde hay militares o tipos que sirvieron alguna vez por lo general habrá algún tiempo de rencor, deuda pendiente, que eventualmente llevará a una traición.
What we have here is a story of pure, unadulterated resentment. Jake Harris (Scott Adkins) is a veteran Navy SEAL who is called away from an ongoing operation to join a team tasked with neutralizing a threat. It turns out that a man named Eliot Carter—a former comrade of Harris’s with whom he shares the kind of history typical of wartime—is threatening the world; yes, literally the entire planet, with the plan he intends to execute. The goal is to make the United States suffer for the treatment he and some of his fellow soldiers endured during their missions—grievances such as the failure to care for the families of fallen comrades, a lack of recognition and support, and so on. How does he plan to exact this revenge? In spectacular fashion—at least in theory.
Lo que tenemos aquí es una historia de resentimiento puro y duro. Jake Harris (Scott Adkins) es un veterano Navy Seal que se encontraba en una operación cuando es llamado para que forme parte de un equipo con el que se pretende neutralizar una amenaza. Resulta que un tal Eliot Carter, quien fuera compañero de Harris en el pasado y con el cual hay una historia de vida de esas típicas de las guerras, está amenazando al mundo; si, literalmente a todo el planeta con el plan que quiere llevar a cabo. La idea de todo es que Estados Unidos sufra por los tratos que recibió él y algunos de sus compañeros al momento de estar en diferentes misiones, cosas como no hacerse cargo de la familias de los que fueron dado de baja, falta de reconocimiento y apoyo, etc. Como planea llevar a cabo esta venganza? - por todo lo alto, en teoría.
Surprisingly, Carter managed to gather the entire U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff in one location to secure the codes for the country's missile defense systems. Now Harris—recruited by an ageless Dolph Lundgren—must join a special team to infiltrate a fortress, kill Carter, and neutralize the threat. The catch? Harris finds this difficult because Carter is a friend; that is precisely why he was chosen—driven by a twisted sense of morbid curiosity and sadism. The film essentially plays out as a special ops mission, showing the team breaching the complex and fighting their way through it. I enjoy this type of movie because they are usually shot from the operators' perspective; here, for instance, the camera stays right on the men, making the viewer feel like part of the squad and making the action highly entertaining to watch. It’s like a POV shot, without actually being one.
Resulta que de manera sorprendente Carter logró reunir a todo el Estado Mayor Conjunto de los Estados Unidos en un mismo sitio para así lograr conseguir los códigos de las defensas antimisiles del país. Ahora Harris, reclutado por un Dolph Lundgren eterno, deberá, junto a un equipo especial, entrar a una fortaleza para matar a Carter y acabar con la amenaza. Que pasa? - que a Harris eso le cuesta porque Carter es un amigo, de ahí el porque lo llamaron precisamente a él, todo por un tema morbo y sadismo. La película es básicamente una operación especial, veremos como irrumpen en el complejo y van avanzando a través de el. Este tipo de films a mi me gustan porque casi todos los hacen desde la perspectiva de los operadores, por ejemplo acá la cámara va super pegada a estos hombres, el espectador es casi uno más lo que hace que toda la acción sea entretenida de ver. Es como POV pero sin serlo.
As is often the case with this genre, the plot is incredibly straightforward and easy to follow. You have a man with a plan, surrounded by human war machines, facing off against another man—his own friend—who is trying to thwart that plan while also surrounded by trained killers. When they clash, the outcome is exactly what you’d expect. There are solid action sequences, cool use of military tactics, plenty of gunfire, and hand-to-hand combat; it delivers everything you’d want from a movie like this. There’s a complication, though: Carter needs a specific person to unlock access to the system, so the hostage—and her disappearance or whereabouts—becomes a key factor, as she needs to be rescued too. And, naturally, there’s the usual angle where the U.S. acts true to form, feigning ignorance while trying to silence witnesses and eliminate loose ends. Ultimately, I think this is one of those films you enjoy while watching but forget about half an hour after it ends.
La trama, como también pasa en este tipo de historias, es super básica y sin perdidas. Tenemos a un hombre con un plan rodeado por tipos que son maquinas de guerra y a otro, que es su amigo además, tratando de que aquello no prospere rodeado igualmente por hombres entrenados para matar. Cuando el choque se da el resultado es el que se imaginan. Buenas escenas de acción, el uso de la táctica militar está cool, muchos disparos, combates cuerpo a cuerpo, peleas; es y tiene todo lo que realmente esperan que haya en estas películas. Hay un tema y es que a Carter le falta una persona para completar el desbloqueo del acceso por lo que esa rehén y su desaparición/escondite juega un papel porque hay que salvarla también. Y bueno como es obvio también está la parte en la que Estados Unidos es lo que es y pretenden fingir demencia tratando de callar y desaparecer los cabos sueltos. Creo que estamos ante uno de esos films que se te olvidan media hora después de terminarlos pero que los disfrutas viéndolos.
As I’ve said before, some actors are made for specific roles and movies, and Adkins is one of them. He might not be the most refined actor, but when it comes to action, he’s among the best; he always delivers whenever he’s on screen. The thing is, he doesn't have the same profile as others—he lacks the marketing push or name recognition—so he often flies under the radar. Otherwise, everything is very straightforward; there’s nothing particularly noteworthy about it. The ending is exactly what you’d expect—there were no surprises there—which is why the movie ultimately feels flat. In short, it’s an action thriller that plays out like a video game: you arrive at a location and just focus on completing the mission—nothing more. What happens before or after adds no real weight to the plot. It runs for an hour and a half, so at least it’s short and easy to watch. I’ve included the trailer here so you can check it out.
Como ya dije hay actores que están hechos para determinados papeles y películas y Adkins es uno de ellos. No será el más refinado pero en lo que a la acción se refiere es de los mejores, siempre cumple cada vez que aparece. El tema con él es que no es tan relevante como otros, no tiene tanto marketing o nombre y por eso casi siempre pasa desapercibido. De resto todo muy simple, nada que destacar que valga la pena. Su final es el que todos pueden llegar a esperar, en ese sentido no hubo sorpresas, de ahí al porque la película termina siendo plana. En fin, es un thriller de acción, es como un videojuego, llegas a un sitio y tienes que preocuparte por hacer la misión, nada más. Lo que pasa antes y después no le aporta ningún peso a la trama. Dura hora y media, por lo menos es corta y sencilla de ver. Les dejo el tráiler por acá para que le echen un vistazo.
Conocedor de Futbol y las MMA pero malo practicando deportes, me gusta las peliculas y series por eso ahora..."Soy critico de Cine". Viviendo en Venezuela
Desde el momento de la aparición y protagonismo del personaje de "Frances Neagley" en las dos primeras temporadas de "Reacher", era de esperar que desde Prime Video tomaran provecho del éxito de su producción original para intentar generar otra exitosa producción enfocada en un personaje que puede ser considerado como la alumna más avanzada de quien personalmente creo que es uno o el mejor personaje de acción en un TV show en los últimos años. "Neagley" estrenó su primera temporada compuesta de tan solo 8 episodios y en donde observamos a Frances cumplir con su rol de detective privado, lo cual la llevará a investigar la extraña muerte de un amigo de su infancia, en la cual posiblemente estén vinculados un culto, el mundo criminal y poderosos empresarios que no solo pondrán en peligro la resolución del caso, sino la vida de Neagley al intentar evitar que ella imparta su justicia.
Ever since the character "Frances Neagley" first appeared and took center stage in the first two seasons of "Reacher," it was only to be expected that Prime Video would capitalize on the success of its original series to try to create another hit show centered on a character who can be considered the most accomplished protégé of someone I personally believe is one of—if not the best—action characters on a TV show in recent years. "Neagley" premiered its first season, consisting of just 8 episodes, in which we see Neagley take on the role of a private investigator. This leads her to investigate the strange death of a childhood friend—a case that may involve a cult, the criminal underworld, and powerful business executives who will not only jeopardize the resolution of the case but also Neagley’s life as they try to prevent her from dispensing her own brand of justice.
Personalmente, esperaba que el estreno de la serie se hubiera llevado a cabo hace meses y me sorprendió que la decisión final fuese que se estrene cuando finalizó la 4.ª temporada de Reacher; eso fue debido a que primeramente ocurriera la inevitable comparación entre ambas producciones o que hubiera cierta saturación que llevara al espectador a buscar otras vías de entretenimiento, pero al final, creo que muchas de las expectativas fueron superadas, ya que la serie tiene un buen desarrollo tanto en historia como en el renglón de la acción.
Personally, I had expected the series to premiere months ago, and I was surprised that the final decision was to premiere it after the end of the fourth season of Reacher; whether that was because of the inevitable comparisons between the two productions or because of a certain level of saturation that might have led viewers to seek out other forms of entertainment. But in the end, I think the series exceeded many expectations, as it delivers strong storytelling and action.
Creo que la aceptación de Neagley como personaje de acción en las anteriores tres temporadas de Reacher fue más que vital para el funcionamiento de su propia serie; eso hace que el relato de su historia sea más fácil de hacer y que el desarrollo de su personaje también cuente con una gran aceptación porque la base existe desde hace años. Lo que observamos en los ocho episodios de la primera temporada es una buena expansión en la historia de la gran protagonista de esta historia; como espectador, descubrimos ciertas facetas, nuevas y las ya conocidas, como son su inteligencia, fuerza, convicción y la necesidad de imponer justicia, lo cual la hace ser una buena heroína, aunque no necesita ser una implacable asesina, ni una fiel creyente del sistema, sino que sabe cómo y cuándo hacer la justicia verdaderamente necesaria; eso me gustó del personaje en esta temporada.
I believe that Neagley’s acceptance as an action heroine in the previous three seasons of Reacher was absolutely vital to the success of her own series; this makes it easier to tell her story, and her character development is also widely accepted because the foundation has been in place for years. What we see in the eight episodes of the first season is a solid expansion of the story of this series’ main protagonist; as viewers, we discover certain facets—both new and familiar—such as her intelligence, strength, conviction, and the need to uphold justice, which make her a great heroine. She doesn’t need to be a ruthless killer or a staunch believer in the system; rather, she knows how and when to deliver the justice that’s truly necessary. That’s what I liked about the character this season.
Así como sucede en "Reacher" y en otras series de este tipo, en donde un solo personaje no puede hacer justicia por sí solo, en "Neagley" se cuenta con un grupo de personajes que será más que llamados "sidekicks", ya que cuentan con muy buen protagonismo a causa de sus muy aceptables motivos; cada uno de los personajes que acompañan a la protagonista tiene una base en su historia que justifica sus acciones y que podrá ser desarrollada en un futuro; creo que eso hace que encontremos la primera diferencia con la producción que da origen a esta nueva, y siendo sincero, los personajes secundarios en Neagley son muy bien escritos e interpretados. Otro punto relevante en esta temporada son los villanos, que en otras producciones son muy relevantes. Sus diferencias en el desarrollo de la historia, así como el poder de imponer el mal (por así decirlo), fue uno de los puntos positivos de la temporada; te mantiene enganchado esperando qué debe sucederles en el final porque cada uno está muy bien escrito.
Just as in "Reacher" and other series of this type, where a single character cannot bring justice on their own, "Neagley" features a group of characters who are more than just "sidekicks," since they play a very prominent role due to their very valid motivations; Each of the characters accompanying the protagonist has a backstory that justifies their actions and that can be further developed in the future; I think that’s where we find the first difference from the original series that inspired this new one, and to be honest, the supporting characters in “Neagley” are very well written and portrayed. Another notable aspect of this season is the villains, who play a major role in other productions. Their distinct roles in the story’s development, as well as their ability to embody evil (so to speak), were among the season’s highlights; it keeps you hooked, wondering what will happen to them in the finale because each one is so well-written.
La primera temporada de Neagley es bastante buena; personalmente, superó mis expectativas, ya que cuenta con un ritmo muy bueno, debido a un buen desarrollo, primeramente del caso a resolver, en donde todos los involucrados, buenos y malos, tienen protagonismo; eso sí, hay asuntos que se resuelven de una manera fácil, pero creo que también existen excusas aceptables para ciertas resoluciones. El uso de la acción es otro elemento que me gustó porque, a pesar de no ser constante o vital en cada episodio, hace que toda secuencia de acción ocurra en la conclusión de la temporada, un elemento muy repetido dentro del género de la acción y que cumple dentro del relato de la serie. Existe otro aspecto importante en la serie, el cual no me convenció del todo y es referente al drama en la historia de Neagley y demás personajes de su grupo; concuerdo en que es algo necesario para el desarrollo de los personajes, pero con respecto a la protagonista, creo que saca de la zona de confort a su personaje y la actuación de Maria Sten no es muy convincente, pero aparte de eso, su desempeño o interpretación en toda la temporada es correcto; me gusta mucho su personaje, así como los demás en la serie. Disfruté mucho del caso a resolver y de lo entretenido del relato y espero que el éxito que está obteniendo la serie haga que Prime Video dé luz verde a la realización de una segunda temporada que posiblemente funcione como un buen complemento para los meses en que no se cuente con el estreno de una nueva temporada de Reacher; esa debería ser la verdadera prueba de esta nueva serie original de ese servicio de streaming.
The first season of Neagley is pretty good; personally, it exceeded my expectations, as it has a great pace thanks to solid storytelling—starting with the case to be solved, where everyone involved, good and bad, plays a prominent role. That said, some issues are resolved too easily, but I think there are also acceptable explanations for certain resolutions. The use of action is another element I liked because, even though it isn’t constant or essential in every episode, it ensures that every action sequence takes place at the end of the season—a common trope in the action genre that works well within the series’ narrative. There’s another important aspect of the series that didn’t quite convince me, and it has to do with the drama surrounding Neagley and the other characters in her group; I agree that it’s necessary for character development, but as far as the protagonist is concerned, I think it takes her character out of her comfort zone, and Maria Sten’s performance isn’t very convincing in that regard. Aside from that, however, her performance throughout the season is solid; I really like her character, as well as the others in the series. I really enjoyed the case they had to solve and how entertaining the story was, and I hope the series’ current success will prompt Prime Video to greenlight a second season—one that could serve as a great complement during the months when there isn’t a new season of Reacher premiering; that should be the true test of this new original series from the streaming service.
Ne zha is a very cool and popular animation based on the Chinese historical folklore. I thought I was going to watch a beautiful Chinese animation with some ridiculous supernatural powers, funny characters and massive action sequences, and yeah, it was all of that but i also got more out of it. I also got a story about a child who spends most of his life being hated for something he never chose. Its like hating a child for a disability he/she didn’t choose for themselves. It was actually kind of like Naruto if you think about it. Ne Zha is an incredibly entertaining movie, but underneath all the fantasy and comedy, it is a story much deeper than that.
