Problem: Write a negative (OPTIONS:
- negative
- positive) movie review.

Answer: When I rented this I was hoping for what "Reign of Fire" did not deliver: a clash between modern technology and mythic beasts.

Instead I got a standard "monster hunts stupid people in remote building" flick, with bad script, bad music, bad effects, bad plot, bad acting. Bad, bad, bad.

Only reason why I did give it a 2 was that in theory there could exist worse movies. In theory.....

Problem: Write a negative (OPTIONS:
- negative
- positive) movie review.

Answer: I saw this a couple of nights back, not expecting too much and unsurprisingly it didn't deliver anything too exciting. The plot set up of a crew of vampire hunters (V-San, for vampire sanitation), going around in their spaceship periodically killing space vamps and rescuing people, is quite sound and had the film been handled better it might well have been something quite ace. Unfortunately after a fairly decent opening the sense of actual quality starts to drain away from the film, leaving something behind that, though vacantly watchable, is quite laughably bad. I don't expect anything too special from these films that pop up on the Sci Fi Channel and at least this wasn't one of their creature features with an atrocious cgi beast shambling about, but it was still pretty bad, mostly due to the writing and acting, but with a sterling contribution to the overall badness made by the horrible music. When the film opted just for a typical science fiction sounding weird noises approach to the soundtrack it did OK, but all too often hilariously bad soft rock intruded and pitched scenes into silliness. I would have tolerated the general cheesy acting and writing more were it not for the choice of music, which was a serious miscalculation, turning things from cheesy to lamely comical. Of the acting, Dominic Zamprogna was OK but bland as the nominal hero, whilst Leanne Adachi was pretty irritating as the tough girl of the vamp busting team and Aaron Pearl played another member who wasn't well written or interesting enough to make an impression. Though she didn't seem that good at the acting lark Natassia Malte did well through having a less irritating character than the others, and the fact that she is seriously nice to look at. The only serious name in the cast is Michael Ironside and he is underused though he does nicely, pretty amusing in a manner one suspects was intentional. He seems to have fun and earn his paycheck and his role is entertaining. The effects are OK on the whole, they are at least of the standards of the average science fiction TV show, and there are also a few scenes of blood splatter and a bit of fun gore as well. Things move along nicely, and I almost feel harsh rating this film badly, but then I remember bursting into laughter at regular intervals and realising that unless the film is an intentional comedy, which I don't think it is, then it simply doesn't succeed. Too much is lame, daft, unconvincing, its an OK effort I guess but it didn't appeal to me. Only give it a go if you really dig Sci Fi trash or unintended chuckles I'd say.

Problem: Write a positive (OPTIONS:
- negative
- positive) movie review.

Answer: Wow... I mean WOW this has got to be one of the best story's I've ever had the chance to read/watch. We all know this famous story. Two martial artist, a man and his son, go to train in the forbidden Cursed Springs and while ignoring their warnings they both fall in a spring each. The dad, Genma, the spring of drowned Panda. And 16 year old Ranma, the spring of drowned girl. Now with every splash of cold water they turn into the very being titled to the spring they landed in. Crazy enough yet? No, thats just the beginning. As if being one of the strongest teenagers to ever exist who turns into a female wasn't enough, Ranma has to deal with crazed martial arts teachers and hundreds of insane art styles, an insane high school principle, opponents right and left who have a score to settle with Ranma wither it be for messing up their life early on somehow or for "stealling" their loved ones. And speaking of loved ones, I've lost track of how many times a boy or a girl has fallen in love with Ranma. And not once has it been his fiancee, Akane. And thats just from the first few chapters/episodes of the series.

The story itself is amazing. I have never come across something so crazy, so bizarre, so... so... out of this world and yet its so down to Earth and believable... I can't even describe it to its fullest. Its just a charming story thats so easy to get into. What I like about it is the humor. Not once have I laughed out loud this much from a manga, and it doesn't have to try any of the stunts you would catch in Simpson's or something of the sort. I could read any part of the comic and I would be laughing from beginning to end. Another thing is the characters. Ranma, you would think making him too strong would be a set back but nooo... with every little problem the story throws at him he's doing his best just to survive half the time and his personality is that of a foolish young boy it would seem but when worst comes to worst he can be a calculating genius. And to think, of the hundreds of perverts in the show, Ranma who hates the idea of perverts all together is considered by everyone in his town, more so by Akane, the worst pervert to ever live. His father Genma, you would think the father character would blend in to the background right? Correct! But whenever he does have some spotlight... he just gives you more reasons to hate him yet at the same love him! You think you know the worst dad ever from an anime? You haven't met Genma. Ryoga, probably one of Ranma's greatest rivals and my favorite character (next to Ranma)... and probably one of the only people he can actually stand. Most likely the strongest character in the series but has two faults, one is his curse that turns him into a baby pig but his worst fault... is his lack of sense in direction! Then we have... you know, I could spend hours at the computer explaining all the characters, the story's, everything positive about it but that would be just pointless.

Check out the series if you haven't, NOW! You WILL NOT regret it! Though I would advise checking the comic out first. I like the anime, but I've had some trouble getting the series at a good price. And a small nitpick, the humor doesn't seem to translate to the anime as well as the manga. I think partly because the comic seems more cartoonish to me. But either way, its a win win! 10 out of 10!

Problem: Write a positive (OPTIONS:
- negative
- positive) movie review.

Answer:
An American In Paris is an integrated musical, meaning that the songs and dances blend perfectly with the story. The film was inspired by the 1928 orchestral composition by George Gershwin.

The story of the film is interspersed with show-stopping dance numbers choreographed by Gene Kelly and set to popular Gershwin tunes. Songs and music include "I Got Rhythm," "'S Wonderful," and "Our Love is Here to Stay". It set a new standard for the subgenre known as the "songbook" musical with dozens of Gershwin tunes buried in the underscore. The climax is "The American in Paris" ballet, an 18 minute dance featuring Kelly and Caron set to Gershwin's An American in Paris, featuring an Impressionistic period daydream in the style of various painters, is one of the longest uninterrupted dance sequences of any Hollywood film. The ballet alone cost more than half a million dollars, a staggering sum at the time.

It's funny to think of such a work of art being born over a pool game between film producer Arthur Freed (SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, WIZARD OF OZ, ON THE TOWN, MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS and THE BAND WAGON) and Ira Gershwin. It was Freed's idea to buy the title so he could use if in a film about Paris and Gershwin's idea that it would only use Gershwin music.

Original cast was to have Cyd Charisse but she discovered she was pregnant before shooting began. A major reason Gene Kelly suggested Leslie Caron as the female lead was because he felt this movie needed a "real" French girl playing Lise, not just an American actress playing one. Gene Kelly discovered Leslie Caron while vacationing in Paris where he saw her perform in a ballet. When she got the call to audition, she said, "Who's Gene Kelly?" According to Leslie Caron, her introductory dance sequence, which included a seductive dance with a chair, was considered too suggestive by some censors. Gene Kelly directed the brief fantasy dance sequences shown as Lise is introduced.

Vincente Minnelli first wanted Maurice Chevalier in the Georges Guetary part, and 'Celeste Holm' in the 'Nina Foch' part.

Minnelli was a groundbreaking director of musicals with Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), An American in Paris, and The Band Wagon (1953). He used color and songs in ways they hadn't been used before. He used space and time imaginatively. Best of all, though, he allowed himself to cut loose for the long ballet sequences that end all his movies. The ballet in An American in Paris may be his best work.

Even though Vincente Minnelli is credited as the sole director, he was sometimes tied up with his divorce from Judy Garland and other directing projects, leaving Gene Kelly to take over the directing duties.

Other highlights include Guetary's rendition of "Stairway to Paradise"; Oscar Levant's fantasy of conducting and performing Gershwin's "Concerto in F" (see why it was Oscar Levant's favorite.)

The ballet sequence, now that we know it was successful everybody now wants to take credit for it, Freed, Minnelli, Kelly but before the film was completed the New York office of MGM said no to spending a half million dollars on a ballet. So Freed went to studio head Louis B. Mayer himself and got him to agree, New York said no. Finally Gene Kelly showed the New York office how a British film, THE RED SHOES used a long ballet sequence and that film became a world wide hit and is still considered today the premium example of a successful art film. Well the financial guys finally gave in and signed the checks.

There was a break in production after 1 November 1950, at which point Gene Kelly began rehearsing the ballet choreography. By the time production for that final sequence resumed on 6 December, Vincente Minnelli had finished directing another film - Father's Little Dividend (1951).

Irene Sharaff designed a style for each of the ballet sequence sets, reflecting various French impressionist painters: 'Raoul Dufy' (the Place de la Concorde), Edouard Manet (the flower market), Maurice Utrillo (a Paris street), Henri Rousseau (the fair), 'Vincent Van Gogh' (the Place de l'Opera), and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (the Moulin Rouge). The backgrounds took six weeks to build, with 30 painters working nonstop.

Roger Ebert said after viewing the recent restoration, "An American in Paris has many qualities, not least its famous ballet production number, with Kelly and Leslie Caron symbolizing the entire story of their courtship in dance." An American In Paris is often compared to SINGIN' IN THE RAIN as to which it the greatest musical ever made, and one critic put it best when he said, "SINGIN' IN THE RAIN makes me happy and An American In Paris makes me feel good." The ballet represents Kelly's fantasies as depicted by the great French artists (Renoir, Rousseau, Lautrec, Dufy) he admires. Arranging a screening for the then ailing Raoul Dufy, the actor and producer ducked out until the end credits. There, relieved, they found the artist, moved to tears, requesting a second helping of the sumptuous finale.

The film was also the first to win a Golden Globe award for Best Motion Picture (comedy or musical.)

Gene Kelly received an honorary Academy Award that year for "his versatility as an actor, singer, director and dancer, and specifically for his brilliant achievements in the art of choreography on film." It was his only Oscar.