Geek Alert - December Loot Crate

Happy anniversary!!!

Because I live across the pond in jolly old Blighty, sometimes it takes a while for things to get through customs, especially at Christmas because it gets busy so this month's Loot Crate took longer to get here.  Fortunately, it was a fantastic parcel that was worth waiting for.

Film Addict's December Film Choice

As of this month, I have graced this planet for 23 years and in celebration of that, I have decided to share with you, anyone who is out there, one of my favourite films.  My original intention was to review New Year's Eve on New Year's Eve because I thought it would fit but when I was watching it, I thought it would be a better idea to share one of my favourite films because that's what Film Addict's Choice of the Month is really, though occasionally, the definition changes whenever I think something might suit a particular month.  So this month, the Film Addict's December Film Choice is Dogma.

Dogma is a comedy film written and directed by Kevin Smith in 1999 starring Ben Affleck (Gone Girl, Good Will Hunting), Matt Damon (The Bourne Identity, Good Will Hunting), Linda Fiorentino (Men in Black, Vision Quest), Alan Rickman (The Harry Potter series, Love Actually), Salma Hayek (Puss in Boots, Grown Ups), Chris Rock (Madagascar, Grown Ups), Jason Lee (My Name is Earl, The Incredibles), George Carlin (Bill and Ted's Most Excellent Adventure, Cars), Jason Mewes (Clerks, Chasing Amy), and the director himself, Kevin Smith (Clerks, Chasing Amy).  Affleck, Lee, and Mewes are frequent collaborators with Smith, appearing in a number of his other work and Mewes and Smith are known for their portrayal of the dynamic duo, Jay and Silent Bob, characters that pop in various films.  Dogma triggered a lot of controversy prior to its release due to its take on Catholicism but it is not meant to offend and it is worth a watch.

Rating: 9

Recommended To: Kevin Smith fans; Alan Rickman fans; Chris Rock fans; those that like quest-like stories

Favourite Characters: Metatron; Rufus; Silent Bob

Favourite Part: Rufus: He still digs humanity, but it bothers Him to see the shit that gets carried out in His name - wars, bigotry, televangelism.  But especially the fractioning of all the religions.  He said humanity took a good idea and, like always, built a belief structure on it.
Bethany: Having beliefs isn't good?
Rufus: I think it's better to have ideas.  You can change an idea.  Changing a belief is trickier...

Good Points: Love the cast and their characters; interesting take on religion; quest-like story; everything comes together nicely

Bad Points: Long film - can drag a bit

Geek Alert - December My Geek Box

It's that time of year; Christmas is here and it wouldn't be Christmas without Wilf wearing two pairs of antlers and dancing.  My Geek Box arrived today which was a nice surprise when I got home from work.

Film Addict's November Film Choice

It's that time of the month again and this month, once again, someone else has picked this month's choice; this time, it is the woman that brought me into this world, my mother, and she has chosen Ruby Sparks for the Film Addict's November Film Choice as we have watched it recently together and she thoroughly enjoyed it.  Originally, I was going to ask her to pick one for April seen as it was her birthday but she couldn't decide in time so the offer was postponed until she chose one.

Ruby Sparks is a 2012 romantic-comedy drama film directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris who have previously directed Little Miss Sunshine which also stars Paul Dano from Ruby Sparks.  Some of the stars are Paul Dano (Looper, Prisoners), Zoe Kazan (What If, ), Annette Bening (The Kids are Alright, American Beauty), Antonio Banderas (The Legend of Zorro, Once Upon a Time in Mexico), Steve Coogan (Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, Philomena), Elliott Gould (Ocean's Trilogy, Friends), and Chris Messina (The Mindy Project, Julie & Julia).  Kazan also wrote the screenplay for Ruby Sparks.

As I like to mention whenever I do a request for the Film Addict's Film Choice, there is an extra point I talk about as chosen by the requester and that could be a character, part of the film, or something they liked and this time it is part of the film.

Rating: 7

Recommended To: Anyone

Favourite Characters: Harry

Favourite Part: Calvin: It's like...it's like I'm falling in love with her.
Dr Rosenthal: That's wonderful.
Calvin: No, it's not.  I can't fall in love with a girl I write.
Dr Rosenthal: Why not?
Calvin: Because she's not real.
Dr Rosenthal: Isn't she?
Calvin: No.
Dr Rosenthal: Are you sure?
Calvin: Yes.  She's some motherfucking product of my imagination.

Good Points: Interesting concept; well cast

Bad Points: Wraps up too easily; no logic to Ruby's existence

Special: When Calvin proves to Harry that he made Ruby up by typing that Ruby starts to speak French and she does

Geek Alert - November My Geek Box

Fantastic!!

As of this month until I so choose, I am getting a double dose of geekery, the first in the form of Loot Crate which I have been getting since August and the second comes in the form of My Geek Box, a UK-based subscription service similar to Loot Crate and today I received my first My Geek Box.  A sidenote is that unlike Loot Crate, My Geek Box doesn't come with a badge so each post will be topped with a random GIF to do with the theme that month if you hadn't guessed.  Enjoy the Doctor dancing; it keeps distracting me.

Geek Alert - November Loot Crate

Is this a battle?! Are we in a battle?!
[paraphrased from Dean Winchester]

It's Loot Crate time!!!  Once a month, a box full of random geek and nerd items arrives on the steps outside my house and it's always exciting to find out what is in it because it's always weird and wonderful, even if I'm not sure on the theme.

Film Addict's October Film Choice

I have two films that I watch at particular times of year because it gets me in the mood for a particular holiday.  In December last year, I reviewed Elf for Christmas because it's my Christmas film from my university days so I've decided to share my Halloween film for October obviously.  It may say Christmas in the title but Halloween is involved and I love it so Film Addict's October Film Choice is The Nightmare Before Christmas.  This is also a Christmas film for me but it felt more appropriate for October instead of December this time around.  I am pondering on whether I should do a film review on Christmas Day but I haven't decided yet.

The Nightmare Before Christmas is Tim Burton's stop motion musical fantasy focussed on Halloweentown and its residents; voices include Chris Sarandon (The Princess Bride), Danny Elfman (Corpse Bride), Catherine O'Hara (Home Alone), William Hickey (Christmas Vacation), Glenn Shadix (Planet of the Apes), Ken Page (Dreamgirls), and Ed Ivory (Nine Months). 

Rating: 7

Recommended To: Anyone; animation fans

Favourite Characters: Zero - so cute

Favourite Part: Jack Skellington: Eureka! This year, Christmas will be - OURS!

Good Points: Animation technique; music; pure Tim Burton

Bad Points: Secondary characters don't really stand out; the romantic subplot

Geek Alert - October Loot Crate

Run!  Hide!  Tis the time to be full of Fear!

It's that time of the month again and Loot Crate is here and I have loved both of the previous boxes I've had because they've both been themes I liked and even this month, though apprehensive, I was intrigued by the prospect and I think I will be for a while yet.  As I've said before, I don't like to hear my own voice so I'm going to continue my blogs on them.

Film Addict's September Film Choice

I was completely gutted last month when Robin Williams died; he was, and still is, one of my favourite actors when I was growing up because he always made me laugh and I especially loved Aladdin and Mrs. Doubtfire.  My original intention was to review one of his films in August but then I remembered I promised to review Treasure Planet for my sister's 20th birthday so now the Film Addict's September Film Choice is Good Will Hunting because it's another one of my favourite films from Robin Williams, plus it's my best friend's favourite film and coincidentally, it was her birthday in August so this is for her as well.

Good Will Hunting is the 1997 drama film from Gus Van Sant and stars Robin Williams (Mrs. Doubtfire, Dead Poets Society), Matt Damon (The Bourne Identity, Saving Private Ryan), Ben Affleck (Argo, Pearl Harbour), Minnie Driver (Tarzan, Princess Mononoke), and Stellan Skarsgård (Marvel Cinematic Universe, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead's Man Chest).  Upon Good Will Hunting's initial release, it received almost universal critical acclaim and became a financial success; as well as critical and financial success, it was nominated for nine Academy Awards and won two: Best Supporting Actor for Williams and Best for Best Writing (Original Screenplay) for Affleck and Damon.  The success of this film, being the writers of Good Will Hunting launched both Affleck's and Damon's careers which allowed them to gain more high-profile roles such as Armageddon (Affleck) and Saving Private Ryan (Damon).

Rating: 9

Recommended To: Matt Damon fans; Robin Williams fans

Favourite Characters: Chuck - voice of reason; Sean - understands Will better than Will thinks

Favourite Part: Sean: Do you have a soul mate?
Will: Define that?
Sean: Someone you can relate to, someone who opens things up for you.
Will: Sure, I got plenty.
Sean: Well, name them.
Will: Shakespeare, Nietzsche, Frost, O'Conner...
Sean: Well that's great. They're all dead.
Will: Not to me, they're not.
Sean: You can't have a lot of dialogue with them.
Will: Not without a heater and some serious smelling salts.

Good Points: Sean and Will's relationship; the use of the hero journey; great chemistry between the cast

Bad Points: First half hour dragged; predictable story

Geek Alert - September Loot Crate

Oh god, oh god, we're all going to die [with excitement because the September Loot Crate is here].
Paraphrased from a Serenity film quote, Wash is a great character.

So it's that time of the month again and my Loot Crate arrived today.  Last month I was thrilled with this subscription service and I loved my random box of themed stuff and I wholeheartedly agree that it's a Christmas present every month from a family member who knows you're a geek/nerd/gamer.  As I've said before, I don't like to hear my own voice so I'm going to continue my blogs on them.

Film Addict's August Film Choice

My kid sister turned 20 this month and while not a big achievement (though she has lasted 20 years without me or my mother killing her), I decided to dedicate Film Addict's August Film Choice to her which meant she got to choose any film for me to review.  So this is Disney's Treasure Planet.

A faithful adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, Treasure Planet is the 2002 animated fantasy film from Ron Clements and John Musker with the voices of Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception, The Dark Knight Rise), Brian Murray (Dream House, In the Family), Emma Thompson (Sense and Sensibility, Nanny McPhee), David Hyde Pierce (Frasier, A Bug's Life), Martin Short (Saturday Night Live, How I Met Your Mother), Michael Wincott (Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, The Crow), Laurie Metcalf (Toy Story, Roseanne), and Roscoe Lee Browne (Babe, Spider-Man the Animated Series) bringing this eclectic group of characters to life.  While a faithful adaptation, there is the major alteration of the film being set in space instead so to make it stand out from other Disney adaptation of Stevenson's Treasure Island.

Just like Film Addict's May Film Choice, Brother Bear, which was dedicated to my best friend, I'm going to add another point to my normal review points which reminds me of my kid sister.

Rating: 9

Recommended To: Disney fans; anyone; adventure fans

Favourite Characters: Dr. Doppler - funny; Jim - loveable; Captain Amelia - just love her

Favourite Part: Captain Amelia: [to a protesting Doppler] Let me make this as... monosyllabic as possible.  I...don't much care for this crew you hired.  They're...
[to Arrow] How did I describe them, Arrow?  I said something rather good this morning before coffee.
Mr. Arrow: 'A ludicrous parcel of drivelling galoots,' ma'am.
Captain Amelia: [to Doppler] There you go, poetry.

Good Points: Variety in character designs; dialogue was great; father-son relationship explored; Silver - a villain who wasn't evil for the sake of it

Bad Points: Not a lot of female characters; Jim and his parents are the only humans

Special Point: Morph - many reasons behind this one

Geek Alert - August Loot Crate

It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's the August Loot Crate.

I was so excited this month when I found out about Loot Crate and what it offers.  It's a subscription service that you get a box full of themed stuff sent to you once a month.  As others have said, it's like a Christmas present every month from a family member who knows you're a geek/gamer.  They like Looters to film when they open their Loot Crates but I don't like to hear my own voice on film so I've decided to blog about it instead.  Originally, they didn't ship to the UK but obviously now they do and I get to enjoy the experience for myself, yay!

Film Addict's July Film Choice

In honour of San Diego Comic-Con and the amazing panels they have had this year, I decided to embrace my inner nerd and chose a film that has something to with Comic-Con in it this month for Film Addict's July Film Choice.  Originally, I was going to review something to do with the film being set in July which ventured away from my usual selection but my inner geek won out and I chose Paul.

Paul is the 2011 British-American comedy science-fiction film directed by Greg Mottola; Seth Rogen (Knocked Up, This is the End) voices the titular character while Simon Pegg (Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy, Star Trek) and Nick Frost (Three Flavour Cornetto Trilogy, Cuban Fury) are the stars along with Rogen as well as being the scriptwriters.  Other actors include Jason Bateman (Arrested Development, Horrible Bosses), Kristin Wiig (Bridesmaids, How to Train Your Dragon), Bill Hader (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Superbad), Blythe Danner (Meet the Parents, What's Your Number?), and Joe Lo Truglio (Superbad, Pineapple Express).

Rating: 8

Recommended To: Anyone; Pegg and Frost fans

Favourite Characters: Pat Shields; Ruth; Zoil

Favourite Part: [Paul hits Ruth and Graeme with his collective knowledge and experience which makes all three of them collapse while Clive is driving which upsets the latter]
Clive: Oh yeah.  He always knew what was going on in Battlestar before me 'cause his mum had cable.
Paul: Fine, pull over, I'll do you.
Clive: Absolutely not.  No spoilers.

Good Points: Pure Pegg and Frost; Paul brought a burst of energy to the film; very sweet film

Bad Points: A bit slow at first; Pegg and Frost dynamic a bit strange at first

Film Addict's June Film Choice

My original intention was to review this particular film in April but I changed my mind because I wanted to review Tron: Legacy instead, plus, I knew this was going to be a hard film so I had to prepare myself for it.  In April, I found this film in my Empire magazine and it intrigued me, plus I like some of the actors.  So the Film Addict's June Film Choice is Snowpiercer.

Snowpiercer is the 2013 science fiction action film from Bong Joon-ho, adapted from a French graphic novel, La Transperceneige by Jacques Lob, Benjamin Legrand, and Jean-Marc Rochette.  This is Bong's first English-language film with a large percentage of it having been shot in English and has a mixture of Korean, American, and English actors.  Some of the stars include Chris Evans (Captain America: The First Avenger, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World), Jamie Bell (Tintin, Billy Elliot), John Hurt (Hellboy, Doctor Who: Day of the Doctor), Luke Pasqualino (Skins, The Musketeers), Song Kang-ho (The Host, Memories of Murder), and Go Ah-sung (The Host, Elegant Lies) to name a handful of them.

Rating: 10

Recommended To: Not for the faint-hearted

Favourite Characters: Curtis - protector, leader, reluctant hero, Chris Evans; Edgar - weird sort of comic relief, Jamie Bell; Grey - quiet fellow, Luke Pasqualino

Favourite Part: Edgar: What does steak taste like again? I had it once, but I can't remember.
Curtis: If you can't remember then it's better to forget.
Edgar: What does it smell like when it's cooked? It must emanate around the place.

Good Points: Great adaptation of original story; chemistry between the cast; odd moments of the humour

Bad Points: Felt like a long film - very intense two hours

Film Addict's May Film Choice

I couldn't decide what film I wanted to review for this month because nothing of major significance happened that stuck out in my mind but recently, I saw my best friend who I've known since I was a kid.  As I missed her so much because we don't live right down the road from one another anymore, I asked her if there was a particular film she liked to watch with me so the Film Addict's May Film Choice is Brother Bear, a film we watched repeatedly over the years and absolutely adore.

Brother Bear was released in 2003 and was directed by Aaron Blaise and Robert A. Walker.  As with a number of Disney films which don't feature a princess, this is an animated adventure feature with comedic and dramatic elements, focussing on a young person going through a particular journey.  Joaquin Phoenix (Gladiator, Walk the Line) stars along with Jeremy Suarez (The Bernie Mac Show, Zambezia), Rick Moranis (Ghostbusters, Little Shop of Horrors), Dave Thomas (SCTV, The Adventures of Bob & Doug McKenzie: Strange Brew), and Joan Copeland (As the World Turns, The Peacemaker) to name a few.

As this was a request review, I've added another point to the review list which is something that reminds me of my best friend who requested Brother Bear.

Rating: 7

Recommended To: Disney fans; siblings

Favourite Characters: Tanana

Favourite Part: Koda: Thanks Sitka, if it weren't for you, I'd have never met Kenai.  I always wanted a brother.

Good Points: Sibling relationship - even if it's not blood/family; background artwork and animation is beautiful; very sweet film

Bad Points: Very predictable and uninspired; the symbolism behind some of the part of this film could be complicated for this film

Special Point: Mabel: This year, I lost my dear husband, Edgar.
Edgar: Quit telling everybody I'm dead!
Mabel: Sometimes I can still hear his voice.
[...]
Mabel: If only Edgar was still alive.
Edgar: I told you, woman! I'm right here!

Film Addict's April Film Choice

I've been so busy at work recently, with picking up some extra shifts and doing stock-take, I have been knackered when I get home so I haven't read any of my books at all or been to the cinema either.  Fortunately, I knew I had many films to choose from at home to review for my Film Addict's April Film Choice and I chose this month's film because I love it so much for the franchise and the visual effects used.  So ladies and gents, it's Tron: Legacy.

Tron: Legacy is the 2010 science fiction film directed by Joseph Kosinski and is the sequel to Steven Lisberger's and Disney's Tron (1982) which has become a cult film.  With the cult following, Disney decided to fund a sequel which included two of the former cast, Jeff Bridges (Iron Man, Crazy Heart) and Bruce Boxleitner (Scarecrow and Mrs. King, Babylon 5) reprising their roles from the original while bringing new blood into the franchise, Garrett Hedlund (Four Brothers, Troy), Olivia Wilde (In Time, House M.D.), Michael Sheen (Underworld, The Queen), Beau Garrett (Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Made of Honour), and James Frain (The Tudors, True Blood).  In Tron, 28 years before Tron: Legacy, Kevin Flynn (Bridges) runs a video game arcade having been fired from ENCOM by another engineer who stole his video game programs (Space Paranoids being one of them), Edward Dillinger (David Warner, Planet of the Apes) and took credit for creating them which earned him a number of promotions.  Once Alan Bradley (Boxleitner), Flynn's friend who still works at ENCOM, is locked out of the ENCOM mainframe by the Master Control Program (MCP) because Flynn has been trying to hack the ENCOM mainframe from his own computer to prove he created the programs that got Dillinger his high position at ENCOM, he goes to Flynn and warns him that Dillinger knows what he is doing so Flynn persuade Alan and Laura, another employee of ENCOM and Flynn's ex-girlfriend, to get him into ENCOM so he can hack it from the inside a bit more discreetly.  All goes well until the MCP beams Flynn into the ENCOM mainframe and he has to ensure that he survives with the help of TRON and YORI and also gain evidence that Dillinger stole his programs.  Eventually, Flynn gains his evidence while saving the programs in the ENCOM mainframe from the control of the MCP and he is able to get back to reality and take his rightful place back at ENCOM, paving the future for the rest of the franchise and for his son.

Rating: 10

Recommended To: Visual effects geeks; Tron fans

Favourite Characters: Sam - just connected with him

Favourite Part: Guard: Didn't anyone tell you?  Stealing is wrong.              
Sam: You can't steal what was designed to be free.           
[...]
Guard: You're Mr. Flynn?  Why?  This is your father's company. 
Sam: Not anymore.  [raises arms and starts to lean back so to fall off the top of the ENCOM tower]

Good Points: Visually stunning; music; references to the original

Bad Points: Predictable plot; introducing Edward Dillinger Jr.; Kevin Flynn's younger face

Film Addict's March Film Choice

So now we're in the middle of Lent and while I don't observe it because I am religious in any way, I think I'm more spiritual, I find it impressive when people actually fully observe Lent properly.  This is why I chose Chocolat as my film of the month - a film about a repressed village going through Lent.

Chocolat is the 2000 drama film directed by Lasse Hallström, adapted from Joanne Harris's book of the same name.  Chocolat was nominated for a number of awards including five Academy Awards, including Best Picture.  The cast include Juliette Binoche (The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Caché), Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street), Judi Dench (Skyfall, Philomena), Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2, Raiders of the Lost Ark), and Lena Olin (The Unbearable Lightness of Being, The Ninth Gate).  Binoche and Dench won an award each for their performances which I fully agree with as they are both fantastic in this film.

Rating: 8

Recommended To: Those looking for a happy film

Favourite Characters: Josephine - better character development; Armande - love her

Favourite Part: Josephine: Who says I can't use a skillet?

Good Points: Most of the characters grew; didn't undermine religion; sets were great

Bad Points: Romance seemed forced; Armande and Caroline's relationship could have been explored more

Film Addict's February Film Choice

Please not this is about the British cut of The Boat That Rocked, not the American.

I was gutted at the beginning of this month when I found out that Philip Seymour Hoffman had died of a drug overdose because I loved his work and I loved him as Plutarch Heavensbee in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire so I decided to review a film that he was in this month as the Film Addict's February Choice.

The Boat That Rocked (also known as Pirate Radio in North America) is the 2009 British comedy film from Richard Curtis (About Time, Love Actually) starring Bill Nighy (a Curtis favourite who is also in About Time and Love Actually), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Capote), Nick Frost (Cornetto Trilogy with Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright, Paul) and Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill, The Amazing Spider-Man) to name a handful of the actors.  Excluding Hoffman, all the other actors who portrayed the main characters were either British or Irish, making Hoffman stand out; while I was studying Media at school and university, one thing we discussed about British films was that they would tend to have an American actor amongst the top billing actors because they would make the film marketable to the American audience as well as the British.

Rating: 8

Recommended To: Richard Curtis lovers; 1960s music lovers

Favourite Characters: Simon - he was so adorable; the Count - got to love him

Favourite Part: Dr. Dave: Climb for America, sir.
[...]
If you fall, you will die.
[...]
Step away from the edge you silly bastards, this is madness.

Good Points: The tension between the Count and Gavin culminating in playing Chicken; great ensemble; the chemistry between each of the characters; the music; the inclusion of the station's listeners

Bad Points: Elenore - she was just a horrible character

Film Addict's January Film Choice

As I haven't been to the cinema this month because there hasn't been anything I particularly want to see, I chose to review one of the films out of my eclectic collection.

Due to a mad obsessive session of watching an old TV show on YouTube, I decided to pick a film adaptation of said TV show.  Ladies and gentlemen, TMNT.  There was a lot about this film that I loved but it derives from my love of the characters and the franchise.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were, and still are, some of my favourite fictional characters growing up because they are such a random concept, turtles that were mutated by some alien goo which leads them to grow to an extraordinary size and are able to walk and talk and then were taught ninjitsu by their walking, talking rat master.  TMNT is the 2007 computer-animated film from Kevin Munroe that pretty much continues the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise from the 2003 series following the defeat of the Turtles' archenemy, the Shredder, and Leonardo is sent away by Master Splinter to become a better for his brothers, leaving the other three to their own devices without someone to help guide them.  This film stars Nolan North (Uncharted series, Assassin's Creed series), James Arnold Taylor (Star Wars: Clone Wars, Johnny Test), Mikey Kelley (Invasion America), and Mitchell Whitfield (My Cousin Vinny) as the turtles, Raphael, Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Donatello respectively, Mako Iwamatsu (Pearl Harbor, Memoirs of a Geisha) as their master, Splinter, and Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Cruel Intentions) and Chris Evans (Captain America: The First Avenger, Fantastic Four) as their human friends, April O'Neil and Casey Jones respectively.  Though not the villain of the story, Patrick Stewart (X-Men series, Star Trek: The Next Generation) is a new character in the franchise, Winters, who unwittingly unleashed monsters into the world millennia before.

Rating: 9

Recommended To: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans; animated fans

Favourite Characters: Raphael - always my favourite; Casey Jones - another old favourite; Michelangelo - yet another favourite

Favourite Part: Raphael: We live together, we train together, we fight together, we stand for good together...we are ninjas.  We strike hard, defend and protected and fade into the night and there ain't no bad guy or monster that gonna ever change that.  That's what is important and that's why we will always be...brothers.

Good Points: The introduction of each brother; the story; the relationships between all of the characters

Bad Points: No Shredder