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Slam! Movie Retrospectives | Y1, Y2, and Y3 Thoughts

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I joined the game in Y4, so this will be a thread where I evaluate films from Y1-Y3. I won't be giving films review scores but I'll be talking about what I think of films from these years! Y1 will be first and should start when I get a chance.

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Y1

 

So I didn't read everything in Y1, but I really liked a lot of the films that I did read. It seems like Y1 was a time when the game was trying to find its footing again, but that meant there was a lot of small, intimate storytelling involved. I want to talk about my favorites.

 

If you want to hear my thoughts on anything that isn't here, I'm more than willing to give my thoughts about it! Not being on this list probably just means I have to go back and read it again. A lot has happened since the last time I looked at the Y1 films.

 

Feel free to ask me questions!

 

****

 

The Adventures of Scrooge McDuck @cookie

This felt like an episode of the show to me. I definitely see that a lot of care was taken to emulate the original series or at least pay homage to it. A very wholesome film, and I'm very excited to read The Number One Dime.

 

Amulet @Alpha

I got to read this one back when I was reading stuff for Y4, and I really enjoyed this one. I'm a fan of the graphic novels and I think this adaptation was very faithful to the source material, and very vivacious in its own right. I enjoyed this one!

 

Apocamance@Ethan Hunt

This one has a really nice premise and would be simple to film in an effective way, but the film started on a lighter, potentially hopeful note and ended on a darker note, which soured it for me. Not sure if Marc Webb and the actors were the best fits for this one. But it's proof that a short film can be an effective one, because I see potential in this concept.

 

Blood & Fur @Ezen Baklattan

One of the most unhinged and bonkers films I've read. It's probably not for everyone, but it's definitely a riot.

 

Chrono Trigger @Electric

If you read this, I want to say thank you for choosing Andrew Adamson to be the director of this film! I love the Narnia movies and I'm really happy that someone gave one of those films' directors a chance here. That being said, the miscastings are pretty unfortunate.

 

The Curse of Monkey Island @Bastien

You know, I first looked at the film, and then by chance, I had the opportunity to play the actual game, and the film definitely clicked then. But I like how this films leans toward "action adventure" a bit more. Tom Holland is a great choice for Guybrush.

 

Faces & Voices: The True Story of Milli Vanilli  @Xillix

An empathetic and thorough examination of what really happened with the infamous music group. I learned a lot about shady tactics that could be utilized by the industry. The record skip revealed the reality behind the glitz and glamour, and so did the film. Well done!

 

Flowers for Algernon

This adaptation is beautiful. I'm really happy with how this raises up its main character, only to bring him back down again. Say what you will about Jared Leto, but the performance that this highly demanding role needed... Yeah, I think Leto would nail this.

 

He-Man

I think I read this to prepare for my Y4 top 25, and I don't have much exposure to He-Man, but I think this was a solid blockbuster. Great casting and a foreboding yet playful sense of atmosphere.

 

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

I don't doubt for a second that every frame of this film is masterful and purposeful. A film that isn't afraid of being risky with its subject matter. The stakes are high and the world is brought to life. And Eddie Redmayne is a great choice for Quasimodo!

 

Life is Strange @ChD

I played the first season of the game when I was in high school, and I was really happy with how faithfully adapted the game was by this film. Ellen Page and Mary Elizabeth Winstead... Yeah, I do think they would play those characters very well. They might've been too old, I'm not really sure. But I still enjoyed this film a bunch.

 

Love at First Sight 

Wholesome and ravishing. I mean, there's teenage partying and that's not wholesome, but there's something about the direction of the story that gives me the vibe of the story being 'wholesome'. A great coming-of-age film, and I love the final shot of Lip and James on the bike.

 

Mara, Daughter of the Nile @Hiccup23

Proof that a shorter film can still be very effective. An evocative and wondrous film!

 

Me & My Shadow

The film isn't flashy, but I can tell it's very well animated. An enjoyable time for sure. The titular characters have a lot of fun banter between each other.

 

Mirror's Edge

Breathless action scenes, but the ending left something to be desired. It's very good though.

 

Poison & Wine

I was repulsed at first but have gradually come to understand and accept why the film includes its content. A bold, daring film that stays with you long after the credits roll. I respect it for being an iceberg and going deeper than it needed to.

 

The Provider

NM is one of the most exciting heroines... There's also confident direction and solid action scenes. I don't really know much about the world of the film, though. But it feels like it's supposed to be at least a little ambiguous?

 

Public Eye

I really enjoyed this film. Josh Hutcherson and Jon Boyega being in a film together and playing off of each other is very nice. More could've been done with this film, but there's definitely something there.

 

Seeing Her

I really liked this one. Intimate, but told with youthful spunk and including some great performances. One of my favorite favorites of the year for sure.

 

SOMA

Very dark and bleak, but also evocative. Perhaps not perfect, but very well done.

 

Spark Rising

There's not much else I can say about Spark Rising that hasn't been said already. Maybe I could compare it to Jupiter Ascending (heh heh). Jokes aside, this is a great blockbuster, and it has a great cast for its characters.

 

The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair

You know, this was actually made into a feature film. Like, someone adapted the source material in real life. And that's inspiring! But yeah, this film is effortlessly cool with its measured pacing and classy style. And it definitely has a lot of twists up its sleeve--and that does threaten to cause some confusion, but I'd still say that I liked this film.

 

Voltron: Defenders of the Universe

I love how colorful this film is, and I love how inspired it seems to be by the Netflix series. An excellent blockbuster that expands the concept of what Voltron could possibly be as a franchise (I'm saying that as someone who hasn't seen the Netflix series).

 

White Hurricane

The dynamic between the families left behind on land and the fishermen on the boat--that was thrilling, and definitely my favorite part of the film.

 

The Yellow Wallpaper

Unnerving and enthralling. Rose Byrne and Darren Aronofsky were good choices for this.

 

FILM I FORGOT THE TITLE OF (please help)

There's a film that has two A-list stars playing a couple who are in a dystopia where everything's perfect but they're wanting to leave the dystopia. Was there a film with that premise in Y1? I completely forgot which film that was.

Edited by SLAM!
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On 4/27/2021 at 3:52 AM, SLAM! said:

FILM I FORGOT THE TITLE OF (please help)

There's a film that has two A-list stars playing a couple who are in a dystopia where everything's perfect but they're wanting to leave the dystopia. Was there a film with that premise in Y1? I completely forgot which film that was.

Apocamance, I believe it's called.

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AAAAAAAH I'm sorry for the delay!

 

Life kept distracting me, but I'm posting my Y2 impressions now!

 

If I missed a film you really want my thoughts on, let me know and I'll provide my thoughts!

 

American Dragon: Jake Long @Xillix

A great foundation for the lovable franchise that would spawn from it. I don't have much else to say.

 

The Amityville Nightmare

I read this in preparation for the Y5 Amityville way back when, and in my opinion, I prefer the sequel but only because of the amount of fat around the first film's meat. But there's a ton of memorable characters in this one and a pervasive sense of dread.

 

And The Band Played On @4815162342

There's really not much I can say that hasn't been said already, but this film still holds up. One of the best films written in 3.0. A fantastic ensemble masterwork.

 

Blank

A whole lot of fun, with great casting and set-pieces.

 

Blood and Fur 2 @Ezen Baklattan

It's two things: bloody and furry. That's for sure.

 

Bounty Hamster

In comparison to the sequel, this first one doesn't have much going on, but it's a testament to the capabilities of shorter films that this one still stands out as memorable and unique.

 

Crash Bandicoot @YourMother the Edgelord

Chris Hemsworth is such a good casting choice for Crash, it's incredible. But yeah, it's a remarkable film, especially from someone just starting out. I'm not *crazy* about it but I enjoyed it.

 

Closed Domain

I was pleasantly surprised by the acerbic and playful nature of this satire. A fun film from beginning to end and one of my favorites for Y2.

 

56 Days of Love @Hiccup23

A simple film, but one with beautiful filmmaking on Ang Lee's part. First person is a gimmick that still has room for exploration in film, and it was applied very well in this film.

 

Flower Eyes and Needle Teeth @Rorschach

I'm a sucker for good book adaptations and while it's not the most memorable film, it's something that I can say with certainty that I thought was good. Very disturbing, but in a way that made thematic sense.

 

Lord of the Flies @Alpha

This is a pretty straight adaptation of the book, and yeah, I'm of the opinion that that's all the adaptation really needed to be in order to be great. Very good job on this one.

 

Midnight in the Afghan Valley

An effective portrait of modern war operations. Definitely holds up.

 

My Life To Waste

The film can be overbearing at times, but I think Inarritu is capable of propelling the film to an exciting technical level. But it's sad to a degree that probably alienated some audiences.

 

The Odyssey: The Spoils of War

Definitely a winner. The second and third film upstaged it, but it isn't hard to see why this film is a winner in its own right.

 

On The Beach

Like I said, I'm a sucker for good book adaptations, and I actually read the book in high school so I knew what to expect going in. Again, it's overbearingly sad, but it effectively portrays the consequences of nuclear warfare.

 

Our City @Electric

This was an excellent animated film. Doesn't stray too far from tropes but also doesn't really need to. It's a nice reflection on the idea of community and being a part of it.

 

The Parvelli Reunion

Very classy and tasteful with its absurdity. A great synopsis of how Lanthimos films usually shake out.

 

Peter and the Starcatchers @Ethan Hunt

I like Peter Pan, and I think this was a nice reimagining of that story.

 

Pokemon: The Journey Begins

I mean, it's Pokemon. I always like Pokemon. I think this one did a good job setting the foundation for the series and honoring the source material.

 

The Road to El Dorado

A pretty straight adaptation of the source film that has some great cast members in it. The bond between the two amigos is really well implemented.

 

The Screwtape Letters

It's thought-provoking from my perspective as a Christian. I've never read the book and it was interesting to see what the book was like from the perspective of a summarization. I wouldn't say this film is one of my favorites but I wouldn't be like "boo" or anything.

 

Spyro: Dragonheart

I preferred Crash Bandicoot if I have to be honest. I felt that the Crash plot was less complicated.

 

The Simulation

Something about this one has stuck in my mind. The general idea of people wanting to break out of a perfect bubble and the way the citizens reacted when the knowledge was broken to them—it was all very profound to me.

 

The Terrible Plight of Freddy Zapper

It definitely has a lovable zaniness to it! A memorable original musical, and I'm glad Ben Platt was given a leading role.

 

The Towering Inferno

Scary, scary, scary, scary. One of my worst fears is death by fire, and this film has a lot of it. The way it was filmed by Brad Peyton places the film in a refreshingly accessible-yet-grim perspective.

 

To The Moon @ChD

A subtle story with a moving ending. The film speaks to the human experience, with great performances and direction. Loved this one.

 

Treasure Planet

The film is, again, very similar to the source material and, you know what, that's okay. That's really all it needed to be.

 

Two Lonely Zookeepers

Hilarious; definitely in a so-bad-it's-good territory, but also with a quality of respectable wholesomeness.

 

Voltron: Rise of Lotor

One of CAYOM's best blockbusters. It has a lot of heart, a lot of color, and a lot of great production value.

 

War of the Gods

One of my favorite CAYOM blockbusters. Xillix, you really did show those Gods of Egypt guys who's boss. This reimagines the Egyptian mythologies in a respectful and somewhat introspective light.

 

The Witch of Blackbird Pond

I'm a sucker for good book adaptations and I really liked this film. It had a good ending and had reasonable stakes and told an interesting story with interesting characters. A respectable effort.

 

Edited by SLAM!
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I don't want to leave everyone hanging longer than I already have, so I'm going to share opinions of Y3 stuff that I've read so far! I won't give thoughts on everything, but on films that I have something to say about—but if I miss something, feel free to ask about it!

 

Y3 (Part One)

 

Battletoads (@YourMother)

You picked great actors for the titular amphibian trio, and they all have good chemistry between each other. I think the film having a group of three protagonist was a fresh spin on Hollywood animated films. This film works!

 

Bioshock (@4815162342)

Reading this, I can see why the film would be "bloated." It's very video-game-y and tries to fit a lot into its runtime. I have no doubts that Alex Garland made something atmospheric with this film, with a bunch of gorgeous costume design and set design, but with the amount of content, I felt overwhelmed by reading this, especially as someone who didn't know the games very well.

 

Burnout (@Xillix)

Robert Rodriguez is the perfect director for this for obvious reasons, and the crashes are cool.

 

Cataclysmic

One of my favorite CAYOM stories I've ever read. Breathtaking disaster action and a constant threat of danger throughout. The cast is full of memorable roles, especially by Lawrence, Affleck, and Pfeiffer. This film is great!

 

Cycle of the Werewolf (@Hiccup23)

For a straightforward adaptation of a Stephen King novel, this film just oozes scare potential. The small town feels like a world and everyone's reaction to the werewolf crisis makes sense. The dream scene with the priest is cinematically ambitious and daring. I liked it more than I thought I would!

 

Chessmen (@Ezen Baklattan)

This is a fun premise! I don't have much else to say, but I do like the chessboard battle dynamic.

 

Dan the Alpaca (@Ethan Hunt)

Alpaca. 'Nuff said. 😎

 

Dark Side

I was sitting in church and I came across this story, and when I saw that it was a sequel to Poison & Wine, I thought, "oh, I can't read this in church..." I read it later, and I thought the film went into campier territory than the last one. It's a "trip" but it's not as memorable or meaningful as the first one. This one's mostly shock value.

 

Fatal Rendezvous

I really loved this. A very cool thriller with an excellent cast that both parodies and responds to film history. This will definitely be one of my favorites from Y3.

 

Island of the Blue Dolphins

I remember reading the original novel in elementary school, and when I read this, I knew that there were a lot of artistic/narrative liberties taken with the source material. They're almost different stories, but this one's still pretty good, and visually ravishing at that. The prospect of this film being animated, especially moments like the dolphin jumping out of the ocean, gives me chills.

 

Lilo & Stitch

This film is mostly a retread of the source material, but the added backstory and the small changes in the story make the film worthwhile. Jon Favreau was a good choice to direct this.

 

The Lonely

Trippy, but not very memorable.

 

My Peoples

It's very similar to Toy Story, but it has a memorable story and good dramatic tension between the two opposing sides. Very well done!

 

The Odyssey: The Counsel of the Dead (@Rorschach)

YES. All the set-pieces, all the character drama, the way the ending edits back and forth between Odysseus and Telemachus. A whole bunch of yes, yes, yes. This is one of the films that got me into Cayom.

 

Ripper (@cookie)

Riveting! The mystery is compelling and the characters, especially Tom Hardy's lead detective, are memorable.

 

The Scavenger Wars

I don't have much to say about the original Scavs film that hasn't already been said. I just really appreciate the way this film crafts a world and commits to unraveling it. Saying I'm a fan would be an understatement.

 

SoulCaliber

I'm a fan of all of the major fighting game franchises, though I can see why this film would be disappointing. It has a good cast—Theo James as Aeon is inspired—but Paul W.S. Anderson sinks the ship before it takes off.

 

Spark: Homeward

I read this way back while I was catching up on CAYOM stories, and I once said this was my favorite film in the Spark franchise. I enjoyed the "down-time"/"personal journey" moments that were put in-between the action and mystery moments. Reading this expanded my vision of what type of scenes an action blockbuster could make room for.

 

Student Film

The story doesn't have much conflict, as the student film gets made without a hitch and the hopeful tone does little to make audiences doubt that it'll get made. But I can absolutely see why this was a sleeper hit.

 

2 Lonely 2 Zookeepers

It's even goofier than the last one!

 

***

 

The 2nd and final part of my Y3 retrospective will cover films I haven't commented on yet from Memorial Day Weekend down. I'm also going to reread God of War and He-Man II as a part of "part two."

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