(no subject)

[shapinglight]

The Guardian reviewed Dragonball Evolution today. Transcribed behind cut, because the whole review isn't on their website. Surprisingly, given that the Guardian will usually only praise very grim Eastern European films shot in black-and-white (well, not really but you know what I mean) it verges on the positive and gets a whole 2 stars, which translates as 'not so bad you want to kill yourself,' or thereabouts.



'This film could have been a lot worse. Resembling nothing so much as a souped-up episode of Power Rangers, this condensed and Hollywoodised version of a popular Japanese manga mixes watery cross-cultural message-sending with the usual randomly assembled 'mythology' that seems designed primarily to sell trading cards. A chipmunk-faced teen must collect a full set of glowing red globes (with much innuendo along the way) to prevent some latex-encrusted goon destroying the planet. The cast take it all incredibly seriously, which helps; and the story motors along at a pace that - just about -forestalls the creeping boredom that normally afflicts anyone over 12 when they sit down in front of this sort of thing. But, in patches, this is almost funny and nearly exciting. Much better than a flying kick to the head.'

See? In Guardian terms, that's almost like saying it's good. And James is a latex-encrusted goon. Hee! Still have no intention of going to see it myself.

Comments

[trepkos.livejournal.com]

That's hilarious!
I'm definitely going!

[shapinglight]

Sounds like a slap and a tickle.

See, I'm playing the BtVS quote game without really playing it. Also, shall be emailing you later about the OF.

[trepkos.livejournal.com]

I look forward to it!

[trepkos.livejournal.com]

My comics arrived BTW - thank you!
Angel really is badly drawn in the first one isn't he?

[shapinglight]

And that's the least of his worries. He's also horribly badly written, as is everyone else.

Are you sure you want to go on reading it?

The Blood & Trenches thing is okay, though.

[acacia5.livejournal.com]

Well I'm going under the excuse of taking my kids, although they know I have a thing for James, so I will have to put up with merciless teasing from them.
I have been preparing myself for it too be pretty bad but I feel much more hopeful now.

[shapinglight]

Sadly, my kids are too old (as in not really kids any more at all), so I don't have that excuse. I suppose I could offer to take my nephews, but since that would involve a 100 mile round trip by car, it seems a bit excessive.

I think it'll be fun - as long as you switch off your brain.

[deborahw37.livejournal.com]

I wanna see " Almost funny and nearly exciting" on the DVD boxes)

Thanks for this :)

I've taken it over to CDS with credit to you for transcribing but without a link back to you LJ .

If that's not OK let me know :)

[shapinglight]

I wanna see " Almost funny and nearly exciting" on the DVD boxes)

Hee! Yes. What amuses me most is that that phrase shouts 'damning with faint praise' and yet manages to come across as positive. Bizarre.

And it's fine to take it to CDS (where I would post more, or at all, if I could ever find the time).

[kazzy-cee.livejournal.com]

Oh I'm glad I'm not the only one with no intention of seeing the film! I was starting to think I was in a very small minority!! My boys said it is a load of rubbish and don't want to see it so I have no reason to suffer through it! LOL!!

[shapinglight]

I might fork out a few quid for the DVD, if I see it in the bargain bin somewhere. :)

Also, I'm glad if the sequel really did get green-lighted, because it's work for James, which is good, and suggests the film's done okay.

[kazzy-cee.livejournal.com]

Well I saw the Ironman DVD in Morrisons today for £5, so I live in hope that I can buy DBE for that in about three months time, just in time for summer viewing.

More work is definitely a good thing! :)

[shapinglight]

Yes, indeed. Especially at the moment.

[quinara]

And James is a latex-encrusted goon. Hee!

Someone so needs to make an icon. (Tee hee hee...) :D

[shapinglight]

Yes! There are a few nice Lord Piccolo icons around (nice, as in, funny) but there needs to be one with 'Latex-Encrusted Goon' on it.

I wonder if the creators of the original manga had any idea that a piccolo is a teeny weeny little musical instrument with a high, squeaky sound, because if so, I really don't understand that name

[quinara]

Good question. Somehow I doubt it... Especially since in Italian it just means "small"!

[shapinglight]

That's even weirder. Why would you want your super-villain to be called 'small'?.

[quinara]

'Cause you're writing manga?

[shapinglight]

Possibly, though it's rather a circular argument

[quinara]

True - sorry! How about because it's one of those ironic things like Little John?

[shapinglight]

Hee! That could work, and note how well this small font goes with the subject matter.

[quinara]

Hee! It's rather good, isn't it?

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

I have to admit I actually know this one - it's a running gag in the comic that all the characters have joke names with little "themes." Many are named after vegetables or underwear - I'm not kidding. Piccolo is one of the music-themed names.

[shapinglight]

:blinks: That really is bizarre, and even so, why call him after the teeniest instrument in the orchestra? Maybe they should have called him 'bassoon.'?

[whichclothes.livejournal.com]

I have young children, so I suppose I'll be seeing it. Most kids' movies I get dragged to don't have JM in them, so at least there's that.

[shapinglight]

Quite true. Pity he's not exactly going to look like himself.

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

Great review! I admit I've been toying with the idea of seeing it. I doubt it'll annoy me anywhere near as much as Watchmen, even though the entire Monkey King-inspired original plot structure seems to have been jettisoned.

[shapinglight]

Never having seen the original cartoon, I would have no idea whether it was being true to the original or not.

The review is good, isn't it, even though it isn't really. If you see what I mean.

[thedeadlyhook.livejournal.com]

It's a fab review. There's a real skill involved in being that facetious and still giving an upbeat impression.

And re: Watchmen, I'm hardly one to tell people to read the comic, since I personally think it's seriously overrated for what it is, but it is notably funnier than the movie, if very black humor. I honestly think that aspect of it, the elaborate-shaggy-dog-jokiness aspect, went completely over the filmmakers' heads.

Or: I just realized you were probably talking about Dragon Ball. Eh, it's pretty easy to sum up as your standard Journey to the West ripoff (a regular item in Eastern pop culture) with more jokes, set in the future. The movie seems to be more Dragon Ball Z, the followup which is all tournament fighting, only without the tournaments.

[shapinglight]

Ah. Interesting.

Our Sunday paper wasn't as kind to Dragonball - said the best thing about it was its brevity.