MovieVanguard Reviews

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)

An Even Bigger Throwdown Of Giants

[9/10 · 11 April 2024]

Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire in my opinion is better than the previous film because of how it wants little else than to entertain you and have fun, It is filled with so much monster action and cool visuals, and has a light campy feeling where I couldn't help but have fun.

Speaking as a huge Godzilla fan I loved a lot of the little references to Godzilla's past and even how some of the Fights in the movie both reference ( I won't spoil anything for hardcore fans like myself but I think that you will enjoy the nods to Godzillas past). There are some crazy moves that Kong and Godzilla pull off in the film that make both laugh and think that they are cool.

The only reason I am not giving this 10 stars is because the human characters in the film, like the other films in the Monsterverse, fall a bit flat but thankfully their scenes aren't very long and the monsters get just as much screen time as they and all their scenes carry the film. There is still more of a focus on Kong in this film but I'm okay with that because his scenes are entertaining and when Godzilla does show up in the film and towards the climax it is pure blood-pumping action from there on out.

I would recommend this film if you have liked the other Monsterverse movie or if you are a big fan of either Godzilla or Kong (Or even better both)

Digimon Survive (2022 Video Game)

A new direction for Digimon

[8/10 · 8 September 2022]

While I may not be a hardcore Digimon fan, I do admire the risks and new direction this game takes from its child freindly counter parts like the original series.

This reminds me on how I felt on Tamers. A more mature storyline with dark twists and turns and grave consequences for bad choices.

The fact that the game features elements of death, depression and loss really set the game apart from the rest. How the game plans out is left up to the player on what they prioritize most, do you prioritize your freinds, the world or just simply staying alive is left up to you.

The gameplay is very simple and easy to understand. Their are also no penalties for lowering the difficulty of fights which to me is good because this game prioritises its story more then its tactical gameplay.

I recommend this game to anyone who is unfamiliar with Digimon and to any gamer who likes a good storyline with likeable characters and sub par gameplay.

Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (2022)

A Fun Ride and Experement

[8/10 · 26 August 2022]

This was the first Anime Film I saw in theaters so this was new im used to streaming these sorts of things on the television or through my game console so seeing an anime like this was pretty neat to me. Anyway on with the review.

This is the first Dragon Ball film to be entirely animated in 3D and so as someone who has watched all the shows and films this is a little distracting to start with, eventually, I got over it but still would have preferred the traditional 2D art style the series is known for.

This film demonstrates that Dragon Ball could use more of their forgotten side characters than constantly relying on Goku or Vegeta all the time.

The film mainly centers around Piccolo infiltrating the Red ribbon Army ( Yes they are back again) trying to figure out what nefarious schemes they are cooking up. They have created two new Androids GAMA 1 and 2 who are just as powerful as all of the Z Warriors combined and are instructed to wipe out the warriors after their creator was deceived into thinking that the show's heroes are the villains. Piccolo tries to enlist Gohans help but finds that he would be no help because Gohan has neglected his training, focusing on his career and family. So Piccolo infiltrates the Army to figure out their plans and stop them.

This film is made for fans of Dragon Ball so newcomers are warned this film is not a friendly jumping-on point. There is a brief recap of the entire history of the show but it's very cramped and will be a lot for newcomers to take in without prior knowledge of the shows or films they reference in the movie.

If you are a fan of Dragon Ball I think you will have a good time. The film calls back to a lot of the original dragon ball elements being more laid back and low stakes, I also liked that a lot of old characters got included in the film making for great nostalgic callbacks.

This film made me smile because of the laid-back nature of Film and as such I did chuckle at a lot of the humor in the film. Dragon Ball is Known for its humor and I'm glad to see it intact here with characters that we have been disconnected from for so long because of how long the franchise has been going on

All in All, I had a really good time with this film, It's not my favorite out of the films ( Personally it's Battle Of Gods for me) and I would recommend this film to FANS and not New Comers if you are interested in watching but have not seen a lot of Dragon Ball then this film is not for you catch up first and then you can watch it with more clarity.

Divinity: Original Sin II (2017 Video Game)

A MasterClass RPG

[10/10 · 26 July 2022]

Finished my first play through 3 weeks ago and I am blown away by the level of detail in the story and characters I am already itching for another run of this fantastic RPG

This game has tons of content from character creation to player choice( The choices are expansive and help sell the world and the story). I found myself laughing quite often as well this game has such a great sense of humor (my lover at the reapers coast tavern made me laugh so much when it told me what happened to him after the game ended). The combat was great as well as classic turn-based combat with so much depth and options available to you in nearly every battle.

I loved this game from start to finish and I hope my review encourages someone to check this game at some point. And may I lift my glass to the developers of this game, Larian Studios I salute you proudly.

(Editors Note after 100% completion) This game still Kicks Ass after 180 hours and I am always looking for an excuse to dive back into the world of Rievllon.

Trek to Yomi (2022 Video Game)

Great Art Style, Simplistic Gameplay

[7/10 · 26 July 2022]

Although the gameplay is simple, it's a fun game to play and enjoy. I played through the Ronin difficulty and had a good amount of fun and challenge with the game. I will definitely play through it again to see the other endings to the story.

If you are not into games that are short or linear then this game is not for you it's very scripted and narrow in terms of gameplay variety. There is also an English dub that you can apply if you so desire, but I do recommend playing it through with the Japanese audio for Authenticity and Immersion.

If none of these is an issue to you then hack and slash away my fellow Samurai (bows Proudly and then exit's)

The Lion King (2019)

An Absolute Pointless Remake

[2/10 · 22 July 2022]

The Lion King is what I consider one of the greatest animated films ever made. From the songs, animation, story, characters and themes of growing strong through adversity and family are what makes this film stand the test of time.

This remake does nothing original only copies the original film but does it worse in also every way mentioned above. The CGI is good which is the only point I will give the film but that also lead to another flaw of the characters eppresion's are lost due to the realistic portrayal of the animals. So what's ment to be a heart wrenching scene is instead with a blank face with zero emotion behind it.

The songs and voice acting are done worse non of them are on the same level as the original from vocal performance to choreography are all done horribly.

Just watch the original try to forget this was ever made. It will please kids better and tells the story better then this shell of a remake ever could.

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition (2021 Video Game)

"Its Been A Dam Good Ride" "The Best"-Comander Shepard

[10/10 · 22 July 2022]

The Mass Effect Trilogy is a testament to writing in games how we can be transported to other worlds and taken on the adventure of a lifetime and find ourselves on a journey that we experience with unforgettable characters who melt and break our hearts through untimely deaths to tear-jerking goodbyes, the Mass Effect Trilogy has it all.

I have been with the series since the first game back in 2007. And have been replaying the trilogy countless times seeing all the different outcomes ( Of which there are many) and have been a die-hard fan ever since.

There is so much good I can say about the game but it's best if I start with its strongest aspect, The characters, and races of the Mass Effect World.

Mass effect features a wide range of interesting and diverse characters from the regular everyday human, to the Big brody Turian with a heart of Gold, To the isolated Quarian who shines through all, and to the beautiful Asari and their cunning intellect, as well as The Salarians, Batarians, Volus, Elcor, Hannar, Vorcha, Protheans, Krogan, and Drell. There are so many characters featured across all the known races.

The main side characters that accompany you throughout your journey are what makes these games great each game gives you a selection of characters to get to know and to take on missions with from fan favorites Garrus Vakarian and Tali Zorah you will form bonds with your crew as you journey through the Milky Way Galaxy. Talking to them and learning their backstories and alien cultures are what make this game extremely immersive, the world-building is spectacular through dialogue with characters to the scenery via combat and the hub worlds.

The combat in the games evolves from game to game and sees drastic improvements in the 3rd game. The gameplay revolves around a 3rd person cover-based shooter with tactical elements thrown into the mix, you can command your squad of two to use their abilities to help you progress through the levels.

The choices you make throughout the trilogy define what kind of experience you will have and it will be unique to you when you play the journey should feel your own so make the choices that you feel you would. The game has nail-biting life-or-death decisions that could result in the loss of a companion or saving the life of the character you care about.

This is my favorite Si fi franchise of all time I have loved it since 2007 and I still love it in 2022.

Jurassic World Dominion (2022)

Its time for another Ice age

[5/10 · 22 July 2022]

I really like the Jurassic Park/World films( Yes even the bad ones) I find them endlessly entertaining.

This was the first time in one of these films that left me feeling overall disappointed on the same level thet Rise Of Skywalker left ( But not nearly as bad as said film).

The film does have its own entertainment value the effects are really good and I like some of the new characters introduced, I just wish the old characters had more time to shine( Epsecallly Doctor Grant Played by Sam Neil)

If you like the series like me you may also leave feeling a bit disappointed but still entertained non the less.

Foodfight! (2012)

Rotten to the Core

[1/10 · 22 July 2022]

Charlie Sheens characters whole dialogue is made up of food puns.

There are tons of uncomfortable sexual innuendos in this "KIDS FILM" of which none of them are subtle.

The animation makes causes physical pain because of how bad it is.

Dragonball Evolution (2009)

Airbender or Evolution( Which adaptaion did it worse)

[1/10 · 22 July 2022]

I have not been a dragon ball fan for very long, during the covid19 lockdown I had a lot of downtime so I watched the entire dragon ball lineup of anime, and Eversince I would call myself a casual fan of the franchise. When I learned that this film inspired the resurrection of the dragon ball franchise, mainly because of how the creator( Akira Toriyama) of the manga was so mad at this film and what it did to his creation he brought back the series by spearheading the production of Dragon Ball Battle Of gods which at the time of release had been the first film released in 17 years. I also heard about this film from a few movie reviewers like Chris Stuckmmen. I knew that I had to watch the film because of its reputation and my newfound interest in the dragon ball franchise.

After finding it on Disney plus I decided to give it a watch to see for myself just how bad it was..... that was a mistake. This film pays zero respect to the material and is a complete utter mess from characters to the story, action effects, acting, and having zero to do with the anime/manga it is trying to adapt.

It reminds me som much of M. Night Shyamalan's Last air bender movie and how it went out of its way to shame the source material and throw out everything that made their original properties so beloved.

There is little more I can say that hasn't already been said. But I am grateful somewhat because this film lead to the creation of Battle of Gods my first exposure to the dragon ball property and led to the creation of my favorite character of the franchise Beerus. So at least there's my justification for the one star.

Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019)

This should be the Gold standard!

[9/10 · 22 July 2022]

This film treats the pokemon brand with respect and dignity while standing on its own and paying respect to the source material it's based on unlike so many other video game adaptations before and after its release.

Slight spoilers for the beginning of the film

Justice Smith and Ryan Reynolds star in this adaptation of the Detective Pikachu brand of games, The film follows. Tim Goodman( Smith) as he arrives in a city in which pokemon roam freely alongside their human companions, to search for his father who is missing and presumed dead. Tim's dad Pickachu finds Tim back at his father's apartment and Tim finds that the pokemon can talk (and Is also voiced by Ryan Reynolds) but that something bigger is going on and it's up to the two of them to solve the case together.

I saw this on the big screen when it came out and I was so happy that this film had done so many things right. From the amount of onscreen pokemon to the surprisingly good character arcs but also the film's terrific final act which made me nearly squeal in the cinema over one of my favorite pokemon being done so well onscreen.

Pokemon fans will love it and nonfans should hopefully have a great time as well. While this film may not receive a follow up it does prove that films based on video games can be done right.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)

The Blue Blur is Back (And he brought some freinds)

[8/10 · 22 July 2022]

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in my opinion is better than the first because it brings in more aspects from the games and embraces them instead of shunning them and disregarding them (I'm looking at you Halo)

Ben Schwartz reprises his role as Sonic and puts in a solid job again as the titular character, alongside him comes his adoptive parents played by James Marsden and Tika Sumpter and is joined by Sonics best friend from the games Tails The Fox. As well as returning villain Doctor Robotnic played to perfection by Jim Carrey alongside him comes Knuckles the Echidna voiced by Idris Elba.

The cast does a good job of making the movie entertaining. My favorite addition to the film was Knuckles because of his portrayal by Mr. Elba and the way his character changes through the course of the film. The film brings plot elements from the games as well that being the all-powerful chaos emeralds a mainstay in the Sonic Franchise.

The movie is fun for families and people who grew up with this character's games, If you liked the last film then I think you'll love this one.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

I think Strange Picked the Wrong Reality to jump to.

[5/10 · 22 July 2022]

When it was announced that Sam Rami would be directing this film my hopes were high. I really enjoyed his work on Evil Dead films and the series, the original Spiderman Trilogy, and his work on the first Darkman movie.

But the film turns out to be a bit of a mess and really struggles to find a focus point and just jumps from scene to scene, while filled with good visual effects character moments, and easter egg moments. The film struggles to maintain a balance of character and pacing.

I give this a 5 out of 10 because that's how I felt after the movie ended, no different from when I sat down to watch. ( Though the Bruce Campbell cameo made me smile)

The Umbrella Academy (2019–2024)

A solid show about a strange disfunctonal family

[7/10 · 22 July 2022]

I like this show but I don't love it. I think I can speak for a lot of people when I say we have that show or movie we like but don't think about or obsess over when the credits roll we leave and don't think about it again until a sequel or another season gets announced.

That's what this show is to be a solid piece of entertainment when it comes around but after I have finished watching it that'll be it in terms of thinking about it afterward. I'm not saying that it's a bad show just not one that piques my interest that much. In terms of what I like and what I consider the highlights of the show the characters are well done and have great qualities of them.

I liked the third season just as much as the last two seasons but that's all I can say. If you are a big fan of the show then you'll hopefully like it because it gives you more of what you already like about the last two seasons.

The Boys (2019– )

A fresh and brilliant take on the ageing superhero genre.

[9/10 · 22 July 2022]

I have been watching the show since it premiered in 2019 and have been following the show since. I liked the tone of the show and liked how the show held nothing back showing gruesome and dark scenes that can hit so many emotions for different people.

It's a complete contrast to our modern superhero films in which they are safely digestible and full of light-hearted humor.

So when I say that this season has some of the most disgusting and funny scenes I mean it. I love that the show tackles what people and celebrities would do if they had real superpowers. And I also like how the characters are played, deeply flawed and relatable(Aside from the superpowers of course)

if you liked the last two seasons you'll like this one as well. Don't jump into this season fresh though watch the other two seasons so that you'll be caught up on everything that has happened up to this point.