One Movie Punch

Welcome back to Film Buff Fridays!

All right, enough with the 1970s and 1980s films, no matter how groovy or action-packed or clown-packed they might have been. We’re talking it all the way back to 1946 for a film-noir picture by a little-known director named Orson Welles. And for another film-noir picture, check out “Sunset Boulevard” (1950), which contains one of the most famous lines in movie history. Got any film-noir suggestions? Let us know at onemoviepunch.com.

And now...

Today’s movie is “The Stranger” (1946), the film-noir thriller directed by Orson Welles. The film was based off an original story by Victor Trivas, which was adapted in collaboration with Decla Dunning, then written for the screen by Anthony Veiller, with assistance from Orson Welles and John Huston. The film follows the story of Professor Charles Rankin (Orson Welles), who lives in a quiet town with his so-to-be wife Mary Longstreet (Loretta Young). However, Professor Rankin has a terrible secret, one threatened to be revealed by a stranger who comes into town, and Professor Rankin will stop at nothing to hide it.

Spoilers ahead.

Hollywood has few creative forces as strong as Orson Welles, particularly coming to fame by going up against the most powerful force in Hollywood at the time with “Citizen Kane”. He was an actor, director, producer, and did a great deal of radio work, including the somewhat overblown hysteria from his “War of the Worlds” radio broadcast, not to mention more than a few episodes of one of my favorite radio programs, “Suspense!”. It’s a rich history to dip into, and recently “The Stranger” made its way to the major streaming services, so I figured I should take a look.

“The Stranger” has a surprisingly daring storyline for the time after the establishment of the production code, and for being only a year after World War II ended, probably part of its appeal in the post-war celebrations. Professor Rankin is not just a Nazi, but we find out he’s one of the top Nazis involved in designing concentration camps, with Ranking making quite casually some provocative anti-Semitic statements in a dinner scene as Mr. Wilson (Edward G. Robinson) listens quietly, working to determine who in the town is Franz Kindler, Rankin’s real name. The viewer isn’t required to work out the mystery themselves, however, knowing full well as they watch Kindler/Rankin choke Konrad Meineke (Konstantin Shayne) to death in the forest, who had come to suggest Kindler turn himself in for the sake of eternal salvation. The story ends up being a game of Secret Hitler, with Kindler trying to cover his tracks and Mr. Wilson putting the pieces together. 

All that being said, the film is kind of boring in the first two acts, setting up the scenario with a contextually sexist performance by Loretta Young, stuck with lines about her like “women can’t help who they fall in love with” and “she’s headed towards a nervous breakdown”. The film does pick up in the final act, having me fully engaged as everything comes to its thrilling conclusion. I’m just glad we don’t have to worry about Nazis living next door to us anymore. For the listeners at home, this is my deadpan voice.

“The Stranger” (1946) may not be Orson Welles’ best film, but it is still pretty good, made during his early ascension and concerning a disturbing story, especially in the wake of World War II. It balances drama and suspense pretty well, stuck only slightly in the sexism, racism and anti-Semitism of the day. Fans of Orson Welles, or film noir, or how to determine if your neighbor is a secret Nazi should definitely check out this film.

Rotten Tomatoes: 96%

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 8.0/10 

“The Stranger” (1946) is not rated and is currently streaming on Amazon Prime, Netflix, Starz, Kanopy, and Fandor.

Welcome back to Documentary Thursdays!

Netflix is back with another documentary after taking off most of the month of July. Overall, their documentary features have been pretty good this year. Check out “Seeing Allred” (Episode #041), “Take Your Pills” (Episode #081), “Mercury 13” (Episode #116), “The Rachel Divide” (Episode #123), and “Recovery Boys” (Episode #186). And don’t forget last year’s Oscar nominee “Strong Island” (Episode #046) and Oscar winner “Icarus” (Episode #032). I hope to see many more Netflix documentaries this year.

And now...

Today’s movie is “The Bleeding Edge” (2018), the Netflix Original documentary directed by Kirby Dick and written in collaboration with Amy Ziering. The documentary tracks the process and effects surrounding the medical device industry, specifically how little testing is needed to take products to market and the serious side effects of various treatments, with horrific consequences for many. It also shows the corruption within the little regulation required for medical devices.

Spoilers ahead.

Man, do I hate our health care industry. A lot. And rightfully so, especially since we have the most expensive health care in the world with painfully low return on investment. It is true that we have the most advanced health care in the world, but the question on most people’s minds nowadays is at what cost, when it can be afforded at all. No one wants to admit that the high costs are due to a combination of health industry profits, health insurance profits, and the extremely high cost of being on the bleeding edge of innovation, especially in the medical field.

I always laugh when conservatively-minded folks decry socialized medicine, or decrying the costs of government regulation on our health care industry, at least until they become a victim of medical malpractice or saddled with an unaffordable medical debt. “The Bleeding Edge” exposes all the statutes and loopholes that allow many medical devices to head to market with little to no regulatory oversight, not to mention the revolving door between the regulatory officials and the medical device industry. Oh yeah, and also the painful health effects on the patients affected by the devices and treatments, resulting in some really horrible situations, discussed in graphic detail.

In fact, my main criticism for this film is that I felt outrage fatigue about two-thirds in, assaulted with story after story of medical trauma. I don’t want to take away from their stories at all, though, even if anecdotal evidence, to me, is not as compelling as exposing the more obvious flaws in the review, testing, approval, and evaluation processes. You fix that and you would dramatically reduce the number of medical device issues people experience on a daily basis. If you want to know how to change things, well, there’s not too much said about that. The documentary is already being influential, however, with Bayer recently saying they are taking the birth control device in the film off the market in the United States. For me, it is just one more reason to fully nationalize the health care system, so we can put tighter regulation on all the medical-related industries, including medical devices, until we can stop these needless side effects and deaths.

“The Bleeding Edge” (2018) is an intense documentary about the virtually unregulated medical device industry, outlining the many oversight problems and documenting the awful side effects of faulty medical devices. The overall message is that we need stronger oversight to prevent horrific problems, which end up being dramatically more difficult (and more expensive) to fix. Fans of medical documentaries that don’t mind a few truly cringe-worthy stories should definitely check out this film, and if Bayer’s announcement is any indication, get ready to see a few more medical devices get a whole lot more scrutiny.

Rotten Tomatoes: 100%

Metacritic: 74

One Movie Punch: 7.6/10

“The Bleeding Edge” (2018) is rated TV-14 and is currently streaming on Netflix.

Welcome back to Worldwide Wednesdays!

We’re moving from the Japanese film scene back to the Spanish film scene, this time with another film written by Jorge Guerricachevarría, who also wrote “Sara’s Notebook” (Episode #150). If you like that film, then definitely check out “Orbiter 9” (Episode #101) and my favorite film from the country so far this year, “Sunday’s Illness” (Episode #171). And if you have any recommendations from the Spanish film scene, let me know at onemoviepunch.com.

And now...

Today’s movie is “The Warning” (2018), the Netflix Original Spanish thriller directed by Daniel Calparsoro and written by Jorge Guerricachevarría, Patxi Amezcua, and Chris Sparling, based on the novel by Paul Pen. The film follows Jon (Raúl Arévalo), a mathematician who witnesses his friend get gunned down at a gas station. Exactly ten years later, a young boy named Nico (Hugo Arbues) receives a note telling him he would be killed if he returned to the gas station on his birthday. The two confront the mystery and the meaning of the warnings.

Spoilers ahead.

I love a film with a great premise, especially one that can draw viewers in from the get go. The trailer for this film gives us a few clues, most notably an undefined pattern between the fates of Jon and Nico, a mathematical pattern at that. Jon is furiously attempting to decipher the pattern, forgoing his medication to combat schizophrenia, and wigging out in the process. Meanwhile, Nico is struggling with schoolyard bullies and his own fears about returning to the gas station on his birthday. Bouncing between the two timelines, the viewer has an excellent mystery all set up and ready for the reveal.

And that’s the moment when things fall apart. Jon does a little detective work, learning about other murders which have happened in the same spot, until coming to an incident involving a group of murders and a suicide, an incident so heinous that it would somehow recreate the circumstances for each death over the course of history. Why the spiritual world requires mathematical precision is beyond my understanding, along with Nico’s mother’s insistence on making him go to the station despite a handwritten warning. The last act is Jon desperately trying to warn the next potential victims, beginning to weave the two storylines together, until the final scene that directly links the two in a pretty hokey way, turning the tension builT over the course of the film into a messy conclusion with little messaging.

Does a bad ending mean a bad movie? Not necessarily. I really dug the first two acts when the mystery was still unfolding, heavily invested to see how they might pull this together. I’m not familiar with Paul Pen’s novel, but the film needed a better ending, one that has all the delightful twists without the direct connections. And perhaps a stronger message behind the mystery, which would forgive the more abstractly spiritual/supernatural elements.

“The Warning” (2018) is a decent mystery film that falls flat at the end, turning a great premise into a jumbled story. It may not give you all the answers, but it will give you just enough to not feel cheated, and not a bit more. Fans of mysteries, especially ones involving mathematical patterns, might want to check out this film, but be ready to scratch your head more than once at some of the choices.

Rotten Tomatoes: 40%

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 6.8/10

“The Warning” (2018) is rated TV-MA and is currently streaming on Netflix.

Hi everyone!

Before we get started today, I wanted to remind everyone to check Twitter and Facebook for this month’s top 5 list for July 2018. It’s had quite a few incredible films, both in the theaters and on demand. I have no doubt a few of them will be back around Oscar season. Thanks again for another month of your support. I couldn’t have done it without you!

And now...

Today’s movie is “Mary and the Witch’s Flower” (2017), the Japanese animated feature from Hiromasa Yonebayashi and written for the screen with Riko Sakaguchi, based on the novel “The Little Broomstick” by Mary Stewart. The film follows Mary (Hana Sugisaki/Ruby Barnhill), a young girl who discovers a magical broom and flower that whisks her away to Endor College, a training facility for witches, under the oversight of Madam Mumblechook (Yûki Amami/Kate Winslet) and the tutelage of Doctor Dee (Fumiyo Kohinata/Jim Broadbent).

Spoilers ahead.

In 2014, Studio Ghibli halted production when co-founder Hayao Miyazaki announced his retirement. The decision left a lot of creatives out of work, among them former lead producer Yoshiaki Nishimura who, along with some of the other animators, founded Studio Ponoc. This almost direct lineage is quite evident in “Mary and the Witch’s Flower”, their debut feature-length animated film. So, if you feel like you’ve seen this anime style somewhere before, you have. Also, apparently retirement doesn’t last very long for Miyazaki, because he’s reactivated Studio Ghibli to produce the upcoming feature-length animated feature “How Do You Live?”.

I think the similarities between Studio Ghibli and Studio Ponoc invite a lot of other comparisons between “Mary and the Witch’s Flower” and more than a few of Studio Ghibli’s films. A magical girl anime sub-genre story wasn’t a bad way to go, but it also feels a little too close to “Spirited Away” in structure, tone, and direction. I was hoping for a more distinctly new style for their debut film, but I can also imagine with the number of production companies involved that there was a certain expectation to fill the market seemingly vacated by Studio Ghibli.

Now, I don’t want to give the impression that this isn’t a good film. The animation is well done for the style, with some gorgeously painted backgrounds and a few really trippy sequences. The voice acting is mostly great, with a few noticeable dubbing issues. The pacing was also mostly great, with a noticeable dip in between acts two and three. It is a solid animated film told with great skill, but it just feels too familiar. I really hope Studio Ponoc begins to branch out and become a distinct style. Hopefully the upcoming “Modest Heroes” short anthology will give us a taste of what’s to come.

“Mary and the Witch’s Flower” (2017) is a well-crafted, although exceedingly familiar animated film from Studio Ponoc, with a style clearly derived from their Studio Ghibli roots. Yonebayashi’s debut effort for the studio is high quality and above average for a new studio hoping to sustain a new future. Fans of Japanese animation, particularly Studio Ghibli’s output, or other magical girl stories, should definitely check out this film. Everyone else looking to get into the genre might find better entry points, but this film would definitely not be a bad start.

Rotten Tomatoes: 86% (CERTIFIED)

Metacritic: 75

One Movie Punch: 7.2/10

“Mary and the Witch’s Flower” (2017) is rated PG and is currently streaming on Netflix.

Welcome back to Matinee Mondays!

I feel like some weekends there’s nothing worth seeing at the theater and other weekends there are too many movies to see and definitely not enough days for the reviews. Case in point, this weekend had six films I want to see in my area. However, to keep on format, I went with the newest release for this week, and will be working in the other films throughout August 2018. Assuming there’s not another avalanche of excellent films.

Speaking of August 2018, One Movie Punch will be rolling out a new themed day called Takeover Tuesday, where I’ll be working with listeners and fellow podcasters to guest write and record their own short reviews, including a promo for whatever they would like to plug. I’m still working out all the details, but if you are listening to this and are interested in participating, then reach out to me on social media or head on over to the contact page at onemoviepunch.com.

And now...

Today’s movie is “Mission: Impossible - Fallout“ (2018), the sixth entry into the popular movie franchise, written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie. The film follows Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and the rest of the IMF in the aftermath of a failed mission placing three plutonium warheads onto the black market. The team must work with CIA supervision to meet with the seller, while also trying to outrun their past.

Spoilers ahead.

I really wish that all sequels were just like this film in terms of scope and execution. The “Mission: Impossible” franchise has come a long way since 1996, continuing to refine the right mix of tension and action that goes all the way back to the original television show. It is what has made the intellectual property so endearing, along with Tom Cruise’s dedication to the role of Ethan Hunt and his insistence on doing his own stunt work. And based upon this entry, the franchise shows no signs of slowing at all.

Now, let’s talk about the aggressive marketing campaign. I think I saw a trailer for “Fallout” in 75% of the films I’ve seen in the theaters this year. I could almost quote each version of the trailer, making me not even want to see the film until I saw the incredibly positive early reviews. It definitely worked to get butts in seats, but it also made me spend a good deal of the film trying to figure out the order of the remaining scenes I saw in the trailer, especially when we would see Julia Meade (Michelle Monaghan). I will say that the trailer does a nice job of both misdirection and leaving quite a bit of the best action bits for the full film, but I also think leaving her inclusion in the film a secret would have had greater impact.

Speaking of the end sequence, I began to get action fatigue, especially after over two hours of action adrenaline, and knowing deep down that the team was going to make it, as they always do, because that’s the job. The action sequences are well shot and incredible intense, especially around the tight streets of Europe for more than one car chase. The cast is in top form with the right amount of double and triple crosses that make each transition so exciting. But two and a half hours can feel like a bit much, no matter how great it all is.

“Mission: Impossible - Fallout“ (2018) is another classic “Mission: Impossible” story taking advantage of all the advances in fight and action choreography and stunt work, and leaving everything wide open for further adventures. Christopher McQuarrie and Tom Cruise continue to up the ante without jumping the shark, at least not too much. Fans of the “Mission: Impossible” franchise or fans of action or spy movies in general should definitely check out this film. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride!

Rotten Tomatoes: 97% (CERTIFIED)

Metacritic: 86

One Movie Punch: 8.2/10

“Mission: Impossible - Fallout“ (2018) is rated PG-13 and is currently playing in theaters.

Today’s movie is “Duck Duck Goose” (2018), the Netflix Original animated film directed by Christopher Jenkins and written in collaboration with Rob Muir, Scott Atkinson, and Tegan West. The film follows Peng (Jim Gaffigan), an arrogant goose that breaks his wing just before migration, rendering him unable to fly. On his walk to the winter grounds, he takes along two ducklings named Chi (Zendaya) and Chao (Lance Lim). The trio encounter numerous adventures and dangers as they grow to respect one another. 

Spoilers ahead.

Hollywood continues to rapidly expand their audience in China as their economy continues to grow, beginning to compete with the Hong Kong film scene and the scenes in adjacent countries. Expanding into the Chinese market requires a higher than normal level of government oversight and certain expectations to share in the profits, so naturally films are being produced by partnerships between Hollywood and China, resulting in more than one film intended as a collaboration, such as last year’s “The Great Wall” and today’s film.

“Duck Duck Goose” made its way to the Chinese theaters in March 2018, but a decision as made to pull it from the US theaters and move it to Netflix. If I wasn’t attempting to see every Netflix Original film that comes out this year, then I probably wouldn’t have seen this film, as it is clearly intended for a younger audience. We have no shortage of animated animal fantasy films, and while the premise has all the characteristics of an Aesop fable, it is unfortunately interspersed with an above average amount of potty humor. It also has a quite sinister twist towards the end, when the ducklings learn what life is like in Pleasant Valley.

The film does have a lot of positives, though. The animation is quite good, almost wasted on a story built around the name of a children’s game. The voice acting is also great, with a lot of other notable voices like Greg Proops, Natasha Leggero, Carl Reiner, Stephen Fry, and Colin Ferguson. With a better story, or maybe a different title, and maybe a third of the potty humor, you would have a film that could stand shoulder to shoulder with some of the less profitable animations in the current market. I sincerely hope this doesn’t result in any funding issues for the participating production companies. Netflix sure as hell won’t be hurt by it.

“Duck Duck Goose” (2018) is a child-oriented feature with great animation and voice work, but struggles with a story too contrived to fit the title and too permeated with potty humor. It may not have done well with a theatrical release, but it will find an audience among the Netflix subscribers. Fans of animated films who are looking to fill some time for 90 minutes should definitely check out this film, but be ready for more than a few groans.

Rotten Tomatoes: NR

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 6.6/10

“Duck Duck Goose” (2018) is rated PG and is currently streaming on Netflix.

Welcome back to Streaming Saturday!

We’re back with another Netflix Original, this time an alien invasion thriller. Or is it? Like science fiction thrillers? Check out “Anon” (Episode #125), “The Titan” (Episode #090), “Mute” (Episode #055), “Tau” (Episode #181), and “The Cloverfield Paradox” (Episode #044) for a few other science-fiction Netflix Originals. And if you have a favorite alien invasion film, let us know at onemoviepunch.com.

And now...

Today’s movie is “Extinction” (2018), the Netflix Original science fiction thriller directed by Ben Young and written for the screen by Eric Heisserer, Spenser Cohen, and Brad Kane. The film follows Peter (Michael Peña), a family man who has recurring nightmares about death and destruction, which are beginning to affect his work and family life. After skipping an appointment for treatment, he is present at home with his family when an alien force invades bent on destruction, and in the process of fleeing for safety, learns truths about his life and about the lives of the invaders.

Spoilers ahead. I’m going to try not to spoil the film, so if you want to go in fresh, you can catch up with us tomorrow or after viewing it.

Ostensibly, the film is about Peter struggling with nightmares that seemingly predict the alien invasion, and their resistance to the invaders. I actually thought this premise was kinda hokey, some pseudo-scientific mystical power or a phenomenon caused by some Star Trek like science jargon, perhaps a little too close to religious. About two-thirds in, however, we get to know the identities of the invaders, and more about the history of Peter and his family, and the whole film shifts in tone. Suddenly, I was completely engaged and happily riding to the end of the film.

Films whose trailers engage in misdirection take a significant risk with their potential audience. I’ve seen it done masterfully, as in the trailers leading up to “Dark City”, but more often than not, I’ve seen it done in a way that falls flat or accidentally gives too much away, as in the case of “The Fate of the Furious” last year. But I’m happy to say that the trailer for “Extinction” does it masterfully, even if the overall film is only okay.

I say only okay, because there are some real problems with keeping and maintaining tension, especially in the second act when Peter’s family is fleeing from the invaders to a factory a few blocks away. It’s a pretty obvious trope to place children in danger to build tension, but this film explicitly does it more than a few times, making me hate the kids by the end for putting everyone, including themselves, in danger. The special effects and costumes are pretty good, with only a few noticeable issues. And the rest of the cast, including Lizzy Caplan, Mike Colter, Emma Booth, and Israel Broussard are good when the story permits it and underutilized when it doesn’t. 

“Extinction” (2018) is a film with an awesome premise, a tight storyline, and decent execution that struggles with tension at times. It also underutilizes the underlying premise of the film, perhaps intentionally to keep the scope tight, or perhaps to score a second entry in a potential franchise. Fans of science-fiction films, particularly alien invasion films, will definitely enjoy this film, even if they notice its flaws.

Rotten Tomatoes: NR

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 7.6/10

“Extinction” (2018) is rated TV-MA and is currently streaming on Netflix.

Welcome back to Film Buff Fridays!

You’d think with a movie review podcast called “One Movie Punch” that I would have gotten around to seeing at least one Shaw Brothers production since starting. I was pretty excited when I learned this film became available, and I’m glad I can sneak it in. Who knows, maybe the sequel next week? Only time will tell. Got a favorite Shaw Brothers production? Let me know at onemoviepunch.com.

And now...

Today’s movie is “Five Deadly Venoms” (1978), also known as “The Five Venoms”, the legendary Shaw Brothers production directed by Cheh Chang and written for the screen in collaboration with Kuang Ni. The film follows Yang Tieh (Sheng Chiang), tasked by his dying master to make sure his five top students have not used their skills for evil. Yang Tieh sets out to confront each of the Five Deadly Venoms, attempting to discover who he can trust and who must be defeated once and for all.

Spoilers ahead.

We’re headed back a decade to watch one of the premiere and most influential martial arts films of all time. The Hong Kong film scene remains a bustling industry, but the largest company among them all were the Shaw Brothers. If you saw a stop-motion martial-arts action film on daytime television, it was likely a Shaw Brothers production, which influenced the next wave of action films, directors like Quentin Tarantino, and a little known hip-hop group called... let me check my notes... the Wu-Tang Clan.

“Five Deadly Venoms”, despite its opening technique demonstration and simple premise, is a deceptively complex crime thriller, surrounding an attempt to extort the location of an old man’s wealth built by the use of the Poison Clan techniques. The clan members also don’t know each other’s identities, or at least not everyone’s identity, so we get to discover each member through their fighting style, or by their own revelation. And it all culminates into a melee at the end with shifting alliances and great fight choreography, at least for the time.

I say for the time, because the film also has all the limitations of the technology of the time, still unable to capture the speed of some martial artists, most notably Bruce Lee, and, in the case of this film, some painfully fake blood used liberally, especially from the mouth. I would love to see a remake of this film, using today’s fight choreography advancements, both in style and technology. It could even launch a new series of period kung-fu films, mining the archives of many Shaw Brothers productions.

“Five Deadly Venoms” (1978) is a legendary martial arts film, one of many directed by Cheh Chang and produced by the Shaw Brothers. Its influence is pervasive, driven by syndicated broadcasts with English dubbing and enjoyable fight choreography. Fans of martial arts films who haven’t delved into the Shaw Brothers library would find no better entry than right here.

Rotten Tomatoes: NR

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 8.2/10

“Five Deadly Venoms” (1978) is rated R and is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

Welcome back to Documentary Thursdays!

A lot of great documentaries have been making their way to theaters this summer, including “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” (Episode #193) and “RBG” (Episode #200). Man, 200. Still doesn’t feel real. Anyway, I have a few overlooked documentaries from earlier this year in the queue once this wave of theater documentaries subsides. Got any suggestions for upcoming documentaries? Let us know at onemoviepunch.com.

And now... 

Today’s movie is “Three Identical Strangers” (2018), the critically-acclaimed documentary directed by Tim Wardle. The documentary follows the story of triplets separated from birth and placed into separate homes, never knowing of each other, until a chance meeting and subsequent publicity reveal first two, then all three. However, when attempting to discover the reason for their separation, they are met with all sorts of barriers concealing shocking truths about the agency and the reasons for their placement.

Spoilers ahead. And for me to talk about this film, I have to give away one of the more shocking truths discovered in the film, so seriously, skip this segment or come back to it after you’ve seen it, if you want to go in fresh.

It’s difficult to talk about this film without giving too much away, but I don’t think I can tell you how much I appreciate it without revealing that the triplets were placed in separate homes by their adoption agency as part of a mysterious scientific experiment gathering data about the effects of twin separation, or maybe the effects of economic status on growth, or possibly a larger look at nature versus nurture. The film never answers the why for the experiment, but it is enough to reveal that it happened. And yes, you should be appalled and possibly a little frightened that children were separated from their families for scientific purposes, or by the monstrous policy being enacted by the government right now for asylum seekers.

Tim Wardle really crafts this documentary well, using a blend of subject interviews, existing video, and found images and artifacts from the lives of Robert Shafran, David Kellman, and Eddy Garland. The film follows a chronological look at their lives, beginning with their reunion and the media frenzy surrounding it, and progressing through the truths that are uncovered, each one foreshadowed in previous segments with the expertise of a British detective story, hidden in plain sight. Each revelation is also paced well, helping the viewers with a collective ah-ha moment, then slowly setting up the next one.

The film cannot ultimately give answers to all the questions it raises, however, because the data collected as part of the study is inaccessible for reasons explained in the film. It places “Three Identical Strangers” into the category of documentaries that don’t just present an interesting story, and it is definitely that, but also points towards the necessary action to correct the injustice of their separation. It may not erase the tragedies that have befallen their lives, but it can and must be done.

“Three Identical Strangers” (2018) is a top-notch documentary about the incredible story of triplets separated at birth for nefarious purposes. Tim Wardle brings the story to life with great structure, bringing the audience along in a tale of discovery that goes deeper than expected. If you love biographical documentaries, especially those with great tension, then you should definitely check out this film. I suspect we’ll see this film around Oscar season as well.

Rotten Tomatoes: 95% (CERTIFIED)

Metacritic: 81

One Movie Punch: 9.2/10

“Three Identical Strangers” (2018) is rated PG-13 and is currently playing in theaters.

Welcome back to Worldwide Wednesdays!

From the French film scene back to the Japanese film scene, this time with another live-action adaptation of a beloved manga franchise. Interested in another film in this same vein? Check out “Fullmetal Alchemist” (Episode #058). And if you have any suggestions that fit this sub-genre, let us know at onemoviepunch.com.

And now...

Today’s movie is “Gintama” (2017), the live-action adaptation of the beloved manga by Hideaki Sorachi, written and directed for the screen by Yûichi Fukuda. The film is set in a parallel universe during the Edo period, where aliens have conquered the planet bringing advanced and familiar technologies. It follows Gintoki Sakata (Shun Oguri), a former adventurer known as the White Demon, who is recruited by a master swordsman to retrieve a cursed sword imbued with an adaptive artificial intelligence.

Spoilers ahead.

I have a lot of the same criticisms of this adaptation as I did for Fullmetal Alchemist (Episode #058). The latest set of live-action adaptations of anime/manga properties have been a mixed bag, with all the signs of a genre still attempting to find its grounding in much the same way as superhero films have taken decades to get to this point. I probably have different expectations for live action anime/manga adaptations. I’ll admit, I have no prior experience with either the manga or the anime for Gintama, and I’m sure that puts me in the outer reaches of the Venn Diagram representing all Gintama viewers. Expectations that were likely at the bottom of their list.

“Gintama” is set in an amazing parallel universe, a mashup of Edo-era costumes, modern day conveniences, and incredible alien technologies. The story has a pretty decent scope, essentially a detective story with moderately-sized consequences, almost an introduction to their alternate history. The viewer gets to know the characters, played with all the acting subtlety of Dragonball Z, both in dialogue and mannerisms. It is meant as an adult comedy, with a darker sense of humor, including some really uncomfortable upskirt and pedophilia humor. But the villains all get their just desserts, and if not, they are set up for as many sequels and stories as they want.

The film also has a lot of drawbacks. The aliens that conquered the area are a mixture of detailed headpieces and poorly integrated special effects, which makes the overall cinematography feel patched together, with the exception of a pretty awesome airship battle towards the end. The film breaks the fourth wall more than a few times as well, which acts as a salve for some of the inherent cheese throughout the entire film, sometimes even directly referenced. Overall, I thought it was okay, with some decent parts and a lot of potential.

“Gintama” (2017) is a live-action adaptation with the look and feel of elements from both the manga and the anime adaptation, sometimes to its detriment, especially in composing all the elements together. However, it also has an intriguing story set in a neat alternate universe, with much of what folks love from both genres. Fans of the original anime or manga series have likely already seen this film, but if not, you should get on it. Folks who are into anime and manga may also enjoy this film, but will definitely notice its imperfections. 

Rotten Tomatoes: NR

Metacritic: NR

One Movie Punch: 6.4/10

“Gintama” (2017) is not rated and is currently streaming on Hulu.