Ghibli Takes Its Leave by Leaving Us 'When Marnie Was There'

We all love Studio Ghibli.  We can always expect its movies to be of fantastic, delightful quality.  Whether it’s science fiction/fantasy or purely down-to-earth drama, a trademark Ghibli production is sure to have a heartfelt, amiable story with rich, thoughtful themes conveyed in beautiful, meticulous hand-drawn animation.  And When Marnie Was There is typical Ghibli.  It’s not as marvelous as its predecessors from last year – not as deep as The Wind Rises or as visually refreshing as The Tale of the Princess Kaguya – but it was still nonetheless a special, well-crafted film. 

The movie is based on a 1967 novel by Joan G. Robinson.  It tells the story of a young girl named Anna Sasaki who suffers from asthma and, presumably, melancholia as well.  She is sent by her foster mother to spend time with some relatives in the countryside of Kushiro so that the clean, seaside air and environment can improve her health and disposition.  One day, Anna finds herself charmed and drawn to the Marsh House – an old, deserted mansion that is accessible by foot during low tide.  In her first visit to the place, she sees the Marsh House in its dilapidated condition, but, the next time, it mysteriously takes a revitalized appearance and she meets the blonde girl that resides in it, Marnie.  Anna and Marnie become fast friends, and they secretly meet several times afterwards – having picnics and boat rides, intimate conversations, hand-in-hand walks by the coastline, and even a party in the Marsh House.  However, only Anna can see Marnie.  And whenever Marnie isn’t around, Anna sees the Marsh House just as everyone else sees it – abandoned and rundown. 

So who really is Marnie?  Is she a ghost?  Is she merely a figment of Anna’s unstable psyche?  What’s up with the Marsh House?  Is there a crack in the space-time continuum that allows the past and the present to interact?   Those are the underlying questions that the movie was raising all throughout.

The movie is pretty innocent and warm.  However, the mystery of Marnie really provided a subtly dark and eerie flavor to the story.  I was crazily half-expecting a “jump scare” or Twilight Zone-like twist happening sometime during its narrative.  It provided a tinge of excitement to an otherwise pleasant tone.     

The answer to the mystery (SPOILERS!) wasn’t really supernatural in nature.  Once enough clues have been revealed, it was easy to deduce who Marnie really is and why Anna knows her before the actual revelation is presented.  It requires a bit of soap opera-level of implausible coincidence to work, but it was still a satisfyingly appropriate plot twist.

When Marnie Was There is a lovely, well-made animated movie about friendship, healing, and finding a positive outlook in life.  By itself, this movie has enough reasons to be a must-watch.  But this movie also possesses some additional sentimental value if you are a Studio Ghibli fan.  The studio announced last year that it would take a temporary (hopefully) break from making movies.  Hence, this would be the last Ghibli film for a while, so it’s really worth seeing. 

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Top 10 Fictional Mob Bosses

I know that there are probably better choices than some of my picks for this list.  The likes of Scarface’s Tony Montana and The Departed’s Frank Costello and The Soprano’s Tony Soprano are some of the noteworthy names that aren’t in this list.  There are just others, though less popular, that I found to be more enjoyable.  “Mob bosses”, for all purposes of this list, are characters that happen to be either actual heads of a crime organization or rightful heirs for the position – regardless of their alignment: good, bad, or in between.              

10.) JABBA THE HUTT

I don’t really care much for this ugly, sluggish alien, but I love Star Wars and he’s one of its important antagonists that I still think he’s qualified to get a spot in this list.   This despicable and powerful crime lord is depicted as greedy, ruthless, and derives pleasure from keeping slave girls, maintaining a gluttonous lifestyle, and watching others suffer a slow, terrifying death.   

  

9.) LIM ARYONG

 

I quite enjoy South Korea’s My Wife Is a Gangsterand My Wife Is a Gangster 3 (didn’t see the second one).  The movies aren’t really connected but do share the same premise: a romantic comedy that features a badass female mob boss.  Between the two movies’ respective protagonists, I’d go for MWIaG 3’s Lim Aryong than MWIaG’s Eun-jin.  MWIaG 3 having a better story (for me) helps.  The whole language barrier that Lim Aryong had to undergo also added more dynamic to her character and provided more memorable, funnier character moments.  Actress Shu Qi dictated amazing strength, presence, and grace when portraying her character and executing her action scenes that I can’t help but be quite dazzled.    

     

8.) YAMAGUCHI “YANKUMI” KUMIKO

Though she’s a Yakuza Ojou (boss/princess), Yankumi is more excited to be a teacher.  She carefully keeps her identity secret from her students and co-teachers, and will only display her proficiency in combat whenever her students are in trouble. 

Yankumi is actually one of my most favorite female characters in fiction.  However, though her Yakuza background helps in making her an interesting character, she’s actually not much of a mob boss, so she’s not rated any higher.

7.) VICIOUS

Vicious is the main antagonist of Cowboy Bebop.  At first, he was a mere foot soldier for the Red Dragon syndicate, but he overthrew its leadership to become its boss.  If his rival, Spike, is a great gunslinger, he, on the other hand, is an incredible swordsman (though he didn’t make my list on fictional swordsmen).  He is merciless and ambitious, and won’t hesitate to kill whoever is on his way.  

    

6.) THE VENTRILOQUIST & SCARFACE

Oswald Cobblepot a.k.a. the Penguin is the more popular Batman-villain mob boss, but I find Arnold Wesker a.k.a. the Ventriloquist and his puppet/alter ego, Scarface, significantly more fascinating.  Suffering from schizophrenia and multiple personality disorder, the usual timid Wesker projects his sociopathic, cunning, and criminal personality to Scarface, his gangster puppet.  However, for Wesker, he delusionally considers himself as a mere docile minion who has no choice but to obey Scarface’s biddings.  The Ventriloquist/Scarface is definitely one of Batman’s most underrated and most unique villains.    

    

5.) TSUNAYOSHI SAWADA

Tsunayoshi Sawada, or Tsuna for short, is the main protagonist of the delightfully wacky mafia-themed manga/anime, Katekyo! Hitman Reborn.  Despite being just a junior high student, Tsuna found himself the rightful tenth boss of the most powerful mafia famiglia in the world, the Vongola Famiglia.  He is understandably unwilling to have anything to do with the mafia, but he is forced to embrace the role of the Vongola Tenth in order to protect his friends and the world.

Tsuna started off as cowardly, inept, and clumsy.  But with the guidance and training of his tutor, Reborn (a legendary hitman that has been mysteriously transformed into a baby), as well as the mafia conflicts that he’s thrown in because of his Vongola title, Tsuna is developed into becoming an accomplished mafia boss and a courageous, strong-willed individual. 

4.) THE KINGPIN

In the Marvel Universe, Wilson Fisk a.k.a. the Kingpin is considered to be the most powerful crime boss of New York City.  For most of Fisk’s character history, he is seen as a high-profile public figure whose criminal nature was known to all; however, he was so efficiently careful in making sure that none of his criminal enterprises could be traced to him that the law found it impossible to send him to prison (at the present, however, he’s no longer concerned in being subtle, and is even a wanted fugitive, after the Superior Spider-Man outed him).  His appearance is that of a “fat man”, but his bulk is actually mostly muscle instead of lard.  That’s why he’s not only a criminal mastermind but is also very dangerous to engage in physical combat.       

3.) BALALAIKA

In an anime such as Black Lagoon that is full of badass characters, I find Balalaika as the most awesomely badass.  Her real name is Sofiya Pavlovena but no one dares to utter it in her presence.  She is the boss of Hotel Moscow, the Russian mafia based on Roanapur (a fictional city found in southeast Thailand that serves as a criminal hub) and one of the regular clients of the Lagoon Company (the anime’s main protagonists, a merceneray/pirate/smuggling firm). 

A former Army captain of the elite Vozdushno-Desantnye Vojska (the Russian Airborne Troops), Balalaika proved to be a tough combatant and a brilliant strategist during the hellish Soviet War in Afghanistan, earning the deepest respect and fiercest loyalty of his troops.  When she became a mafia boss, these same soldiers became her subordinates and enforcers in Hotel Moscow.  Thus, being made up of former elite soldiers, Hotel Moscow operates with efficient military precision and discipline, making them the strongest and most successful crime organization in the region.    

2.) & 1.) MICHAEL & VITO CORLEONE

The Godfather and The Godfather Part II (I don’t hate the third installment as much as most, but I have to admit that it was significantly inferior) are not only two of the greatest movies of all time, but they also served as the ultimate depiction of mob culture (in fact, I read once that not only did its romanticized depiction shape our pop culture awareness of mob culture, but it also compelled real-life mobsters – who were merely barbaric thugs at that point – to imitate the stylishness and class portrayed in the films).  Thus, it’s not a surprise that the definitive mob bosses in fiction are the titular Godfathers – Vito Corleone and, his son and successor, Michael Corleone – and the holders of the top two spots in this list.

Both are smart, calculating, and intimidating dons.  Both are vengeful and ruthless when necessary.  Both love their family and value loyalty and respect greatly.  Both have strong charisma.  Both are awesome.  But Vito edges Michael a bit in my eyes.  Al Pacino’s portrayal of Michael was terrific, but Marlon Brando’s portrayal of Vito was incredibly magnetic.  Moreover, Vito’s character development during his younger years (as portrayed by Robert De Niro) was a bit more compelling.

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Mayweather Might Not Have Out-Fought Pacquiao, but He Absolutely Out-Boxed Him

As a Filipino and a PacMan fan, of course, I rooted for Manny Pacquiao.  But let me be objective here.  As far as the performance on the ring is concerned, Floyd Mayweather beat him fair and square. 

People who wanted to witness an exciting, full-on brawl is frustrated by how Mayweather refused to engage Pacquiao in a slugfest by constantly running away and clinching (hugging).  They thought of his style as dull and cowardly – or even a form of “cheating.”   However, what was displayed was actually boxing savvy. 

It is a misconception to equate boxing with brawling.  Mayweather’s “running” and “hugging” is within the parameters of the sport of boxing and he smartly used it to negate Pacquiao’s “slugger” advantage.  He ran away to avoid turning the fight into a slugfest, something he can’t win and doesn’t need to win; and clinched (hugged) whenever Pacquiao was gaining momentum.  Meanwhile, he collected points by connecting careful, well-picked shots out of Pacquiao’s initiated assaults.  It might be unsatisfying and boring to watch, but that was simply a perfect execution of smart, efficient, clinical boxing.  In spite of Pacquiao being the more active fighter, Mayweather’s style allowed him to dictate the pace and to land the cleaner punches.

I’ve always thought that it’s unlikely for Pacquiao to beat Mayweather via score cards (especially since he could be favored by the judges).  That’s why I believed that Manny could only win if he knocked Mayweather out – or, at least, knocked him down several times – and that his best gameplan was to go for broke and seek the knock out win as soon as possible.  If this had been the actual plan by Pacquiao’s corner all along, I never felt it during the match.  Yes, Pacquiao was the more aggressive fighter, as usual, but I never felt that he dominated.  

Pacquiao is definitely the better – or, some might even say, the only – fighter in that match.  That is something that can’t be denied.  However, by incorporating the exploitation of the flaws of the sport to his technique, Mayweather has made himself the superior boxer.  Mayweather knows that he doesn’t need to out-fight Pacquiao to win.  He just needs to out-box him.  Sorry to say, that’s exactly what happened.      

Miscellaneous musings:

• All that said, still, it would be nice if boxing rules are revised to penalize too much running and hugging.
• The Compubox stats had surprising results.  Mayweather having more punches landed and better accuracy is not really a shocker, but also having more total punches thrown?  Possibly true, but really hard to believe. 
• Manny Pacquiao is still the People’s Champion.  It was apparent from the crowd’s reaction.  He lost the so-called “Fight of the Century” but he will never lose the love and respect of the people.
• No matter the result, as long as Pacquiao does his best to glorify God, he is the winner in a more important matter. 
• Just as he promised during Pacquiao’s latest guesting in Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Jimmy really dressed up like Justin Bieber when he walked with Pacquiao into the ring.  Cracked me up.      
• I know Jamie Foxx can sing (he even won an Oscar by portraying rhythm and blues legend Ray Charles in Ray), but his singing of the American national anthem was hilariously awful.  The accompanying organ was just as bad.     
• I feel a mix of amusement and irritation by all the sour-graping in my Facebook news feed.  Understandable, but I wish for a little bit of classiness.
• It was said that Pacquiao was denied by the Nevada Athletic Association to take anti-inflammatory drug for his shoulder injury prior the fight.  Hence, Pacquiao was not in 100% condition.  Shame.  Could have had an opposite outcome if Pacquiao wasn’t injured, or was allowed some painkillers for the injury.    
• In an alternate universe, Pacquiao catches up with Mayweather’s running, corners him completely, and sends him falling to the canvass after a hard left hook.  Referee counts to ten.  Manny wins by knockout.  Immediately, the date of Manny’s return to the Philippines is declared as a special non-working national holiday to honor him.  Filipinos around the world are euphoric for weeks.
• There’s no reason for Mayweather to give Pacquiao a rematch.  But I wish there will be one.

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Embracing Its Awfulness Makes Watching ‘Seventh Son’ Enjoyable

At last, after having its release date was moved a couple of times in the past two years, Seventh Son was shown earlier this 2015.  But it was only recently that I got to see it.     

Seventh Son tells of a wizened “spook” (not a spy or secret agent on this world, but a witch-hunter) named Master Gregory who took upon himself an apprentice – the seventh son of the seventh son, implied to be the requirement to become a spook – named Tom Ward after his previous apprentice was killed in a failed attempt to slay the dragon-morphing witch queen, Mother Malkin.  Master Gregory and Tom set towards Mother Malkin’s castle to slay her before the Blood Moon becomes full, on which her powers will peak and, by then, nothing will be able to stop her.  It’s a worn-out fantasy premise that I have many times encountered in many different forms. 

And yet I didn’t find Seventh Son tiresome at all, but, on the contrary, I was thoroughly entertained by it.

Make no mistake.  Seventh Son is a ludicrously bad movie.  Its plot is predictable, dumb, and horribly paced.  Character developments are dull and nonsensical; chemistry between characters is virtually non-existent; characters make obviously stupid decisions to push the plot forward; and, understandably, its decent cast has no choice but to ham it up (kudos especially to Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore).  However, this movie is aware of what it is and has no delusions of grandeur of what it is not.  It knows it is no Lord of the Rings, and rather of attempting be so – which would have been pathetic – it simply chose to thrive and have fun on its own campiness, accomplishing a “so bad that it’s good” result.

Accept this movie as it is, don’t think too much, enjoy its awfulness, and it’ll be genuinely fun.

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What Can Christians Learn from Spider-Man

Jesus Christ is the ultimate standard of every Christian.  But through our earthly heroes – whether real or fictional – we receive reflections of the good and praiseworthy qualities that we can fully see in Jesus Christ.  And, at the same time, the good and praiseworthy qualities that we find in our heroes – real or fictional – are traced back or projected towards our admiration of the supreme worth of Jesus Christ. 

As far as I can remember, Spider-Man has always been one of my most favorite fictional characters ever.  However, it’s not only because of the coolness and uniqueness of the character that I get to love Spider-Man but, most importantly, because of the admirable qualities that make him a genuine role model despite of being a fictional character.  And Christians can learn some really deep lessons from Spider-Man. 

WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY

Let’s start with the most obvious – Spidey’s iconic motto: “With great power comes great responsibility.”  From what I’ve written about it before:

It simply means that responsibility always accompanies power, and the amount of responsibility is directly proportional to the amount of power; hence, the greater the power, the greater the responsibility.  And what is this responsibility?  To do the right thing, of course!  If you found yourself possessing the capability or are in the position to do the right thing, then you should do it.  Or as Martin Sheen (as Uncle Ben in 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man) put it, “…if you could do good things for other people, you had a moral obligation to do those things.  That's what at stake here.  Not a choice, responsibility.”

Therefore, if Spidey is put in a situation where he knows he can do something good, he jumps into it with no hesitation.  When facing a difficult choice, but it’s apparent that it’s the right thing to do, he will still choose it.  He takes responsibility of the good he could do with the power he found himself having.      

In the same way, we Christians have been given much “power” (2 Timothy 1:7, Acts 1:8, Philippians 4:13, Ephesians 3:20, Luke 10:19, etc.), hence, we should act on the “responsibility” that has been entrusted to us (Matthew 28:19, Matthew 5:13-16, Luke 10:30-37, Hebrews 10:24, Titus 2:7-9, etc.).  Nonetheless, we should not think that we have to immediately go “save the world” (besides, saving the world was Jesus’ job, not ours).  Yes, Spider-Man has been instrumental or has contributed to saving the world a couple of times.  But it’s only because of his consistent willingness to take responsibility and do his best in every chance he can do good that he developed the moral instinct and preparedness to do good in whatever scenario, regardless of being big or small in scale.  Likewise, we should just do the best we can in doing good whenever the opportunity or situation calls for it – whether it be small or big (Luke 16: 10).

DO THE RIGHT THING.  NO MATTER WHAT.

An integral facet established by Spider-Man co-creator, Stan Lee, for the character to make him relatable is how his alter ego, Peter Parker, is constantly struggling with personal troubles such as financial difficulties and getting bullied (especially during his earlier days).  Moreover, his personal life is even affected negatively because of prioritizing the good he does as Spider-Man – he’s always late on appointments and school, benefits and opportunities are sacrificed, and even his relationships with the important people in his life suffer.  It’s as if he can’t catch a break.  What’s even worse is, due to the works of haters like J. Jonah Jameson, any good that he does is unappreciated by the public as he’s branded as a “menace.”  But regardless of the circumstance he’s in or any consequences it might cost him personally, he makes no excuses and he will do the right thing at every opportunity. 

Facing difficulties is always part of being a Christian.   But even in the midst of whatever degree or form of difficulties, just as Spider-Man constantly brings justice to the being of his Spider-Man identity, we should likewise constantly uphold our Christian identity.  We, Christians, are to obey Christ’s commandments and pursue God’s glory in all things.  With the same consistency and selflessness that Spider-Man displays in doing the right thing, so should we likewise display in doing right in every situation.  No.  Matter.  What. 

Doing the right thing is often not easy.  There will be times we will be sacrificing a personal benefit or advantage.  And there will be times that a good deed will go unappreciated.  And there will be even times when the right thing to do is an unpopular one.  But we learn from Spider-Man that we ought to do the right thing, no matter how hard it proves to be. 

For us Christians, if it’s worth doing for God’s glory, then we need to do it.  Even at the point of death (Revelations 2:10).            

PRESS ON.  NO MATTER WHAT.   

Spider-Man displays inspiring resiliency.  Whatever antagonisms and difficulties he faces as both Spider-Man and Peter Parker, he continues to fight on.  He will do the best that he can in any situation to do the right thing and to overcome the challenges in front of him.

But he does fall sometimes.  He gets discouraged.  There are times he wishes that he never became Spider-Man.  There are times that he wants to quit – or even had quit.  Despite the spider-powers, he is human after all and subject to human failings.  However, he never permanently stays down.  He eventually rises back to his feet.  Stronger than ever.  He presses onwards.  He continues being Spider-Man.    

Resiliency – and, most importantly, faithfulness – in all circumstances is necessary for a Christian.  In discussing my life slogan, “Keep Calm and Press On”, I wrote, with regards to Philippians 3:7-14:

Despite the tremendous amount of hardships and struggles that he had undergone in his life, Paul remained enthusiastic, resolute, and kept moving forward.  Why?  For he understood the great value of this future prize that God has set for him in Heaven, and that no earthly pleasure or glory can ever come close in matching that.  So he worked hard for the glory of God – storing riches in Heaven that will last for eternity – rather than seeking earthly pleasures and glory that are all temporary anyway.  In everything, he gave it his all, no matter what.  He knew that every sacrifice, every pain, every drop of effort, is going to be worth it; the glory and happiness that he would receive as reward far outweigh the sufferings that he experienced in this world while working for God’s glory.

While Spider-Man probably only has a noble – but incomplete – sense of altruism that keeps him fighting, Christians have the advantage of having an infinitely valuable Heavenly Prize to look forward to – a Reward that will more than make up for all sacrifices done in this world.  Hence, don’t Christians have more reason to fight for?  Don’t Christians have more reason to be resilient about?  Don’t Christians have more reason to rise up after falling?  Don’t Christians have more reason to press onwards?  Don’t Christians have more reason to continue upholding their Christian identity? 

BE JOYFUL.  NO MATTER WHAT. 

With the many problems that he experiences in his life, and with his strong sense of duty of doing right no matter what, it would come to no surprise if he ended up being a burdened and grave superhero.  But, ironically, he is quite the opposite.  Spider-Man is one of the most joyful superheroes around.  Yes, there are some times that he feels that being Spider-Man is a curse, but as I’ve mentioned earlier, he eventually gets over his brooding.  Most of the time, he enjoys being Spider-Man and delights in what he does.  And that is reflected on his cheerful, goofy attitude when he goes around doing his Spider-Man duties. 

In the same way, despite the hardships, there is much to rejoice about as a Christian (1 Peter 1:8, Philippians 4:4, Luke 10:20, etc.).  I no longer need to go at length discussing how or in what ways.  Yes, we have crosses to bear (Luke 9:23), and pain and struggles will always be part of the Christian life, but there is much joy in the presence of Christ.  And it should be apparent for the world to see as we live out our Christian identity and do our Christian duties.

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‘The Last’ is a Necessary ‘Naruto’ Shōjo Story

The Last could be the most well-made Naruto movie ever.  Though, to be fair, this is only the third Narutomovie I’ve seen – but it’s certainly the best among those three.  There aren’t any epic action scenes, and its story treads on many familiar tropes, but it was compelling enough at the right parts to make it an enjoyable watch.  Moreover, being set during the time lapse between the events of Chapter 699 (the end of the Infinite Tsukoyomi; aftermath of the Fourth Shinobi World War) and Chapter 700 (Naruto as the 7^th Hokage), The Last is officially part of the Narutocanon – thus, this elevates its importance above the other movies and making it more interesting.        

  

Personally, I’m just happy to see a story set during the time lapse.  And this is the thing about the movie I liked the most.  The time between Chapter 699 and 700 was a period I wish the manga chose to explore instead of immediately jumping towards Naruto being Hokage.  For me, it would have been the best opportunity to start afresh with the interesting characters and world of Naruto after its exposition-heavy, convoluted last arc ruined everything.

Plot synopsis: the antagonist Toneri seeks to destroy the world by sending the moon crashing towards it.  And, as to be expected, it is up to Naruto and his friends to stop him.  But this is just padding to what The Last is really about – the story of how Naruto and Hinata became a couple.  Which is fine since that is one of the intriguing questions that Chapter 700 has raised.  And the two do make a cute, engaging Shōjo story. 

Miscellaneous musings:

• Apparently, ninja can breathe on the moon.   
• 19-year old Naruto’s look is his coolest yet. 
• It is understood that Hinata is a meek, gentle character.  But she is much too fragile in this movie – something I didn’t like – as if she’s not a toughened, veteran shinobi of the Fourth Shinobi World War. 
• Nice to be reminded that Shikamaru is the smartest character in Naruto.  
• Seriously, I want to have more tales set in the period between Chapters 699 and 700.  And the anime series has the window of making this happen before it proceeds towards the “New Era” (Naruto as Hokage, and his son, Boruto, as main protagonist).  I remember how the Naruto anime series provided ample time for the manga to considerably pull ahead by doing 77 filler episodes before proceeding to Shippuden.  I suggest that the same thing be done this time around (but in a much, much better fashion than what transpired in that 77 episode-run, since that stretch has most of Naruto’s most mediocre, pointless, and awful episodes).  So, after covering the events of Chapter 699, the anime should do a lengthy run of filler episodes set during the period before Naruto become Hokage.  And let there be sensible character and plot developments that would appropriately set up the status quo of Chapter 700.  At least show me if Kakashi was any good as Hokage and how Naruto was chosen as his successor and how all those characters developed into couples. 

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The Plot of ‘The Voices’ Fell Short of Giving Justice to the Promise of Its Premise

Jerry is a factory worker suffering from psychological imbalance.  Whenever he doesn’t take his prescribed medication, he experiences hallucinations, which includes imagining that his pets – Mr. Whiskers (a cat) and Bosco (a dog) – can talk.  And he prefers it this way, as his world is brighter and more cheerful.  On the other hand, whenever he takes his pills, he becomes more in tune with reality; thus, he sees his world as it is – messy and bleak – and is haunted by nightmares of his abused childhood.  Struggling with his mental condition – with Mr. Whiskers and Bosco somewhat acting as his id and superego respectively – an unintended, accidental killing (or is it?) would propel him into becoming a serial killer.

I’m probably not the first one to notice (because it’s that obvious) that The Voices is like a twisted version of the comic strip, Garfield – a socially awkward adult that talks to his cynical cat and is adored by his blissful dog.  It’s the perfect premise for a dark comedy.  That’s why I was really looking forward to this film after I got to read its synopsis.

Unfortunately, the premise was not transformed into the adorable and smart plot that I was expecting.  Sure, the story is not really bad.  In fact, most critics liked it.  But I find it lacking.  I believe there was a lot more that can be accomplished with the available material.

Ryan Reynolds’ performance here has been one of his best yet.  He really thrives in playing deranged, funny characters.  And it’s the best thing that I can probably take from this movie – a reminder that Ryan Reynolds is born to play the loony Wade Wilson a.k.a. Deadpool.  Now that’s one movie I would really hate to be disappointed about.

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