arorasugam Reviews

Steins;Gate (2011–2015)

An Emotional Time Travelling Journey

[9/10 · 29 May 2021]

Recommending Steins;Gate is extremely frustrating. When I tell people to watch this show they usually follow the following pattern: they start off having intrigue (due to the time traveling premise) that quickly fades due to the extremely slow start. However, I insist that anyone watching this show should stick through the first 11 episodes because the rest of the show more than makes up for its somewhat boring beginning.

Steins;Gate combines solid sci-fi concepts with two of the best characters I have seen in an anime so far - Okabe and Kurisu. Through its characters, this show does a really good job at illustrating the idea that every person is fighting their own battles (even if you are not aware of them). It is also a pleasure to watch an anime with a very strong female character (Kurisu) that is not oversexualized or objectified for once.

While the time travelling/alternate timeline plot elements are fantastic, I think the emotional peaks of Steins;Gate is what has cemented its place in anime history. Without getting into any spoilers, all I can say is that Okabe's struggle against time was incredibly gripping. When the emotional moments hit, they hit hard man - Steins;Gate is one of the only anime shows that has made me tear up.

I think this show's main weakness (other than its slow beginning) is its animation quality. The animation in this show is serviceable at best, and is definitely not flashy or anything close to amazing. However, this weak animation was not a big problem for me since Steins;Gate is not an action show and its focus is more on its plot instead of its looks.

Steins;Gate is without a doubt one of the best anime a person can watch. The ending of this show was so good that after I had finished it, I couldn't get into any other show because I was still thinking about it.

If you are reading this and you're currently struggling to get through the first couple episodes of this show, do yourself a favor and push through them. You are missing out if you don't watch Steins;Gate.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)

The Best and Most Underrated Harry Potter Movie

[10/10 · 15 January 2020]

I would like to start off by saying that I am reviewing this movie as simply a movie - none of my opinions here will be associated with the book, and I will not discuss whether or not this film is a good adaptation of the book. If I had to pick a Harry Potter movie to watch at any given time, I will always suggest this film due to how different it is from every other film in the franchise. It is an excellent movie, not just in the Harry Potter series, but in general due to its cinematography, score, tone, and emotion. The tone of this movie follows the trend of the films getting progressively darker as they go on, with this film by far being the most depressing yet. Similar to the Half Blood Prince, this film has a dark tint to it, which I think was needed considering the light hearted nature of the first few films. It reminds us that Harry, Ron, and Hermione are no longer kids, and the world is falling apart day by day. The stakes are higher than ever for the Golden Trio as Voldemort rages on. One of the biggest reasons I love this movie is because its main focus is on the trio, and there is some really good character development here. Ron gets some serious development for once, as we see him explain to a naive Harry that the war against Voldemort is bigger than just him and his world early on. We also see him struggle with the pressure and frustration of the trio's quest to destroy the Horcruxes, and the scene where he returns to Hermione and Harry is quite heart warming. We get to see Hermione try her best to be the glue of the group while Harry and Ron fight it out, but we soon see the stress of their situation get to her as well. It is amazing to see how far the three main characters have grown, and Grint, Watson, and Radcliffe give their best performances yet. This film has some of the best scenes in the series. I think the wedding sequence was done very well (despite somewhat cringe dialog between Harry and an old woman), as it reminds you that the main cast don't have any time for celebrations anymore. The following scene in a Muggle restaurant was shot stunningly, and the absence of any score really immerses you into the scene.The Ministry of Magic sequence is genuinely hilarious (Ron gets a little too into character), and is every bit enjoyable as it is thrilling towards the end when the three attempt to escape the Ministry. I love every moment of our trio's camping trip, and there are some really gorgeous landscape shots used as transitions. The chase scene through the forest is exhilarating, and again, the lack of score in the scene is gripping. The tales of the three brothers was beautifully animated, and is an example of the several risks that David Yates took in this film. The scene where Harry and Hermione stand in the Godric's Hollow graveyard is one of the best in the series and is quite touching. A lot of people dislike the infamous Harry and Hermione dance scene, but honestly, I thought it was great. It's an incredibly sad scene as we see how depression has struck our main characters; Harry and Hermione try their best to remember happiness after the devastating loss of their best friend, but it quickly fades as the two snap back to the reality of their depressing situation. The main criticism of this film seems to be that "it's too slow" or "not much happens", but I would argue that the people who make these comments are missing the point of this movie. This movie is less about the action and more about who Harry, Ron, and Hermione are as people and how they cope with their struggles (even though the action in this movie is great. It's a depressing film, and there are a lot of long shots of the three characters talking to each other because that's the point of this movie. The characters are depressed, finding the Horcruxes seems impossible to them, and as a viewer you experience their frustration. I feel like the production team easily could have made an action packed final film instead of splitting the last two books, but I'm glad they didn't because it allowed for excellent character moments. I am glad that Yates didn't simply go for the easy way out, and that he wasn't afraid to make a slower paced film. And no, this movie wasn't a "cash grab", because it is simply too good of a film to be. Lastly, I would like to point out that there is and never will be a franchise of the size of the Harry Potter series where all the films are at least decent movies on their own (some of them being outstanding). You will never see another blockbuster series eight films long that has as much artistic integrity as the eight Harry Potter movies, and that's what makes the Harry Potter films so special.

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019)

One of Tarantino's Lesser Movies

[6/10 · 21 August 2019]

I want to start off by saying that this movie was wonderfully produced. Everything from a technical standpoint of filming is sensational here- the soundtrack, the cinematography, and the acting. There is a really great scene between DiCaprio and a little girl that made me laugh out loud. Brad Pitt kinda just makes the same face the whole movie, and Margot Robbie has so little to do in this film. That being said, they both kill it when they are on screen and the chemistry between DiCaprio and Pitt is phenomenal. The last fifteen minutes really showcase this duo's talents.

In my opinion, the biggest problem with this movie is that it is really boring at times. Nothing really happens in the first 2 hours of this film, and Sharon Tate has absolutely no role in the plot. It seems to me that this movie was intended to be a tribute to the 60s, and nothing further than that. I will probably never see this movie again.

Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005–2008)

One of the Best Animated Shows of All Time

[10/10 · 19 August 2019]

Well, where do I begin...

The first time I saw this show, I was around 7 years old. I am now 18, and I have seen it all the way through at least 5 times now. I loved the show as a kid, but of course I didn't understand most of its themes and what made it great. As a teenager, I have recently seen the series during this summer yet again... and I enjoyed it even more so than I did as a kid.

I think the overall structure and premise of this show is truly exceptional. After the first few episodes, we learn how the show will end since it is revealed that Aang learn all four elements and defeat the Fire Lord in order to end the Hundred Years war. Because of the plot point that Aang has the summer to prepare, the show is able to take its time to develop its outstanding main cast of characters through many of their somewhat random adventures.

Avatar: The Last Airbender is essentially a coming of age show. The main characters are mostly kids in their early teenage years, and the show focuses on how the main gang mature throughout their journey. We see Aang struggle with the immense pressure and duties of being the Avatar, the world's savior, as well as being a twelve year old boy.jokes, but eventually develops into a true tactician and leader. Toph, despite being blind, becomes the world's greatest earthbender, and we see her slowly open up and learn what friendship means. Iroh is the show's most direct source of philosophy and wisdom. Katara is usually the person who keeps the group together, but in one of the best episodes of the series, we see her instability with the death of her mother.

These characters are phenomenal, but the standout character of Avatar in my opinion is Zuko, who has one of the greatest redemption arcs I have ever seen. There is so much to be said about Zuko, but I'll leave the analysis of his character to someone else on this site. Even though he spends most of the show trying to capture Aang (and horribly failing at it), I couldn't help but root for him. You'll want him to just be a good person, but he makes so many mistakes, and all of them are so heartbreaking to watch. Zuko's story is one about struggle and destiny, and it is incredibly gripping.

The animation and score here is outstanding, although admittedly the first season's visuals look quite dated (I would say the third season's animation is incredible even when compared to today's standards). I think the Last Agni Kai is one of the best examples of these two aspects of the show (as well as one of the best scenes in the show in general). Scenes where a hero is winning the fight against his/her sworn enemy are usually accompanied by triumphant horns, but here it is accompanied by somber strings, since in this case it is a fight to the death between brother and sister, people who are supposed to care for each other. Combine the tragic score with the beautiful saturated colors of red and blue flames, and you have a true piece of art. Trust me, when you get to this scene, you will just sit there in awe. It's that good. I would also like to highlight the brilliance of the track titled "Avatar's Love,'' which is played several times in the series including the very last scene of the show and never fails to give me chills. The initial strings convey the triumph and relief of the gang finally saving the world, while the kalimba reminds the listener what it took the cast to get to this moment. And the final strings, oh boy. Gets me every time.

In conclusion, Avatar: The Last Airbender is my favorite show of all time, despite it not being the best show I have seen. Watching the show as an 18 year old, the first season was somewhat tough to go through, as many of the episodes are extremely childish with very simple lessons (it was broadcast on Nickelodeon, after all). Also, the humor is objectively childish, although I did find myself laughing at select scenes even now. But yeah, that's it. Those are my only gripes with this show. The Last Airbender has made me who I am today, and I could not recommend it enough.