2016 The Year of Films [April]

Here is the post for all the Films I've watched in April, be it at home or at the cinema.
Link back to the year Index.

01. Good Will Hunting (01.04.16)
A acting masterpiece. Such a good film and a very good look at how people of all kinds tick. Loved it.

02. Tales from Earthsea [Ghibli] (02.04.16)
A bit of a strange film, unlike most Ghibli films the characters are not very well defined. The narrative is weak along with the plot but my god is it a beautiful film. The weakness are not that bad and it is still a good film. I may have to look into the books.

03. Batman Begins (03.04.16)
More comicbooky than I remembered. Still a awesome film. Not much to say but he is Batman.

04. Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice [cinema] (04.04.16)
Better than 'Man of Steel', a film with problems but a good core. Well a core that is off centre. Here is my small review.

05. Rambo - First Blood (04.04.16)
I don't know much about Rambo, It's far from what I was expecting. Not that I would want it to be anything else.  Its a strange film but with some good messages to it which aren't totally undermined by the second half. Less mindless destruction and it would of been great. Its a great look into the effects of war and a solid action film.

06. Ponyo [Ghibli] (06.04.16)
A film that doesn't just defy logic it slaps it in the face. As you expect is a beautiful film; its light on plot but high on cuteness. The film makes no sense and it revels in the fact. Strange and awesome.

07. The Dark Knight (08.04.16)
Is there a more perfect superhero film? This is damn close to perfection.
It is long but very well plotted with threads that wind through that tie it all together.

08. Ghost in the Shell (10.04.16)
First time watching in Japanese with subs, it adds another layer to the film. I love this film, I couldn't have stumbles into a better one for my first adult anime all troughs years ago. Its a slightly updated version, more nudity than I remembered.

09. Edge of Tomorrow (11.04.16)
A bit of a rough start but a bloody good film. I'm not a fan of the way Americans represent the military, but I got over it. Nice concept well executed.

10. Arrietty [Ghibli] (13.04.16)
Wow, such a fantastic film. Based on the borrowers and done in a style that captures the essence of Ghiblie's best stuff but with some noticeable differences. Mainly the music, the was much more than normal and it was excellent.

11. Rejected [short film] (14.04.16)
A short form comedy animation and I laughed once. It is a cleaver little film but a bit too random for my liking. The one time I chuckled was at a Python style sketch about silly hats and that was at the stinger. I like the bleak style and the animation at the end but it needed something more.

12. The Last Witch Hunter (17.04.16)
Needs way less exposition, it falls at the show don't tell rule. Nice little film with some cool world building and action. The writing was poor but not unredeemable. All in all it was ok.

13. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (18.04.16)
Hosoda is fantastic, 2 for 2 so far. Nice look into time travel and its effects on a small scale. The voice work and art is awesome. The is some cool direction choices and the animation is smooth and looks good in his flat style. Next up from his is Summer Wars, cant wait.

14. 5 Centimetres Per Second (21.04.16)
Built out of three short stories with a small connection between the first two with the third being a continuation of the first. It is a look and love and relationship that just don't make it. Very well animated and directed with a nice calm feel to it. 

15. The Dark Knight Rises (22.04.16)
Still a very good film and a fitting end to the trilogy. Some stuff gets kind of lost and the is a bit too much telling but it works and makes sense. The flow of time felt better this re watch but the a a few pacing issues. Solid film.

16. Dirty Harry (23.04.16)
Not what I expected, a film that carried on when I though it was about to end. Nice feel to it, slow and almost silent at times. Some of the stuff is old ground now, but its take on a bad ass who goes against the grain is well done

17. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (29.04.16)
Yep still a great film. I will write a post about it I think. But I will just say I like the ending, it is different and it works.

18. Avengers: Age of Ultron (30.04.15)
In preparation for seeing Civil War. Such a good film, as good as the first. Love the dynamic between all of the members and the space given each. The plot makes total sense even the foreshadowing dream stuff.

A big month this one 18 films. 12 being first views and 7 being animation. Best is hard to choose but the one that stayed with me the most was 'The Girl Who Leapt Through Time'. No stinkers and some nice surprises. Onto May!