Reviews

An unexpected encounter introduced me to Inspector Sun y la maldición de la viuda negra, an animation that promised a classic investigative adventure. However, the film soon revealed a major problem that permeated the entire work: the lack of a clear identity.

Not knowing if it was aimed at a child or adult audience, Inspector Sun y la maldición de la viuda negra tries to please both, following the Shrek model. But, unlike Dreamworks' success, the film fails to deliver sharp and intelligent humor, becoming a hybrid of entertainment without really being pleasant to any of the audiences.

The construction of the villain is another negative point. His lack of astuteness is evident, easily surrendering to the protagonist, the bumbling Inspector Sun. And the main character, in turn, becomes annoying by being ignorant of the help of his sidekick, a cliché already worn out in other works "Old dogs can learn new tricks".

But I cannot fail to mention the surprisingly positive points. The animation is impressive, bringing textures and fluidity that resemble the quality of Disney / Pixar art. In addition, there are intelligent references to classic films, such as the scene in which the bedbug uses a giant gong as a shield, alluding to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

In the end, even with its flaws, Inspector Sun y la maldición de la viuda negra leaves a hook for a possible continuation, this time in Egypt. And if the responsible studio manages to hit the script, an incredible work can be expected. After all, everyone deserves a second chance to excel, and the potential for something better is present.

Knives Out is an engaging film that manages to capture the audience's attention. However, this impression only comes true after the initial interrogation. The beginning of the film is a common mistake that can make impatient viewers give up on the plot. After the interrogation, we are introduced to numerous characters, each with motives for causing the incident that triggered the investigation of the shrewd detective Benoit Blanc, excellently played by Daniel Craig. The cast, by the way, is of high quality!

One point that I consider very positive is that the film plays with the viewer's suspicion, as the protagonist is not the detective, as in Sherlock Holmes, but the suspect itself. This suspect, however, has a problem that makes her vomit every time she lies. At first, it is difficult to know who to believe.

In the middle of the film, for those with sharp eyes and ears, it is possible to discover who the real culprit is. At this point, the plot becomes more detailed, which is very positive in my eyes, as the film offers elements that allow the viewer to discover the solution to the mystery. It's horrible when the detective presents a conclusion based on elements that were not presented before, isn't it, my dear Watson?

Finally, I would like to make a brief general comment on the film. The acting of everyone is of good quality, the setting of the mansion is excellent, and the plot and details are crucial to the good performance that this film presents. The truth is that Knives Out was a pleasant surprise that made my "cinema afternoon" even better.

"Kickboxer", starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, is a 34-year-old movie. Although one can understand the quality of the production in relation to the standards of the time, the script deserves a deeper analysis, as the writing depends entirely on the ability of the author, regardless of technology.

The story presents Jean-Claude Van Damme as Kurt Sloane, brother of Eric Sloane, a skilled fighter. Eric claims he is talented and that Kurt should trust him. In a fight, Eric is challenged to travel to Thailand to face local fighters, since it is the birthplace of Muay Thai. Although it is understandable to present the trip, I suggest that the story starts directly in Thailand, taking advantage of the local culture and customs from the beginning. Unfortunately, the culture is portrayed inadequately, with brothels and women offering themselves for money through Eric, presented as a womanizer.

Before the fight, Kurt hears a loud noise and approaches a room to investigate. There, he finds Tong Po, the Thai warrior that Eric will face. The scene in which Tong Po destroys a column and falls debris on the ground is impactful and reveals the true nature of the character.

Eric ignores Kurt's warnings and fights with Tong Po, but the choreography leaves something to be desired, as the fights seem to be like a turn-based game, one waiting for the other to hit, without a concept of defense. After the humiliating defeat, Tong Po destroys Eric's spine, leaving him confined to a wheelchair. Although Kurt swears to avenge his brother, I could not buy his transformation from a shy character to someone willing to take revenge, especially due to a lack of time to establish a connection between the brothers.

I cannot fail to mention an inappropriate scene in the brothel that serves only to show butts to the audience.

The shy Kurt is taken to train with the old Xian, who, at least at first, seems to be a Miyagi master who went wrong, especially in the pseudo-philosophies. However, Xian improves over time and becomes increasingly interesting. Kurt's training seems a bit senseless, just to justify his preparation to face the monster that is Tong Po. Furthermore, I like the fact that Tong Po speaks almost nothing during the movie, he works better when we know less about him.

There is a subplot between Kurt and a local woman who fall in love, but it progresses too quickly, lacking development. However, it "works".

Before concluding, I want to criticize the character Eric. He is very bad. As I mentioned earlier, he is a womanizer. In an unnecessary scene, he touches the butt of a nurse for no reason. He literally learned nothing, even after suffering an accident, and his ending is like a good guy, which is very bad, since he is a pervert.

Finally, we arrive at the fight. Kurt faces the monster Tong Po, who troubled him until the day of the fight, almost killing Xian's pet dog, kidnapping Eric and abusing Kurt's girlfriend. During the fight, Kurt is beaten, but the tension is created by the fact that they have glass in the bandages, making everything more dangerous. However, the Muay Thai of both is bizarre.

At the end of the fight, Kurt, almost getting beaten up, discovers that Tong Po abused his girlfriend and, in a sort of love magic power, finds strength from beyond and defeats Tong Po with ridiculous blows, more ridiculous than the dance he did in a bar some scenes earlier.

My final opinion is that none of this makes sense. The film addresses revenge as a flame to fight, instead of a poison that destroys it. And I don't believe Kurt is better than Eric, it doesn't make sense. The film may get a rating of 6/10.

It was an interesting experience. The theme of artificial intelligence is relevant and intriguing, especially when they come to life. The protagonist, Guy, has a funny sense of humor and works well as the "ears character", allowing the audience to learn along with him.

Although the character of Molotovgirl is initially a stereotype of a sexy woman with two guns who blows everything up because she's radical, she manages to be cool and grow in the plot, escaping this, especially in scenes with Guy, they have an interesting chemistry. However, the movie is full of cliches but with good references to the world of gaming and pop culture. Although it's not tiring.

But I can't help but talk about the villain Antwan, who was a big disappointment. He is childish, annoying and unfunny, damaging the audience's connection with the movie and cutting immersion... He's boring!

The part where Guy shows Molotovgirl that it's not him she should love, but her creator, is reflective, but the resolution of the ending was disappointing, the movie ends without us being able to enjoy who the new Guy, the Free Guy, is.

Talking a little more about the "villain", Antwan simply accepts the deal with Molotovgirl without reluctance, which doesn't make much sense, considering he wasn't even angry with her for having destroyed everything he had.

In conclusion, "Free Guy" is an interesting movie but with serious flaws in the villain and a somewhat abrupt ending resolution. My rating is a solid 7/10.

Death Note is one of the best animes I've had the opportunity to get my hands on, I dare say it's the best to represent investigation and suspense in the world of anime.

The story is presented to us through a different perspective, we follow Light Yagami, the genius student of primitive sense of justice, but of profoundly advanced intellect, a chemical combination ready to explode when he puts his hands on the Death Note, thus bringing his vile ideas on the fate of criminals. But suddenly we are surprised by the triumphant appearance of the greatest detective in the world using the nickname of L, it is at this moment that the spectators start to change chairs, thinking again about which of them is right, who is the true justice.

(Bonus comment) I want to declare that Touta Matsuda is one of the characters I had the most affection for in the work, he is extremely funny, serious when necessary and proved that he is indeed useful filling Kira with accurate shots, a true gunslinger!