aaaronhamilton Reviews

Steven Universe: A Single Pale Rose (2018) Season 5, Episode 18

I will never be able to look at this series the same way again

[10/10 · 9 May 2018]

Well, I expected one or two major fan theories to end up being true relating to Pink Diamonds shattering, NOT PRACTICALLY ALL OF THEM!

To be honest, I thought the Crewniverse had written themselves into a corner. There was so many pieces of evidence and theories that fans believed in that I thought there wouldn't be a way to make the majority of people happy. I would've still enjoyed a simple "Pearl did it" revelation, or another simple revelation, but it wouldn't have impressed me as much as this show usually does with it's crazy reveals. i thought that there was no hope to pull off something truly amazing.

And then the Crewniverse pulls off something truly amazing

As I've said before, there's a little bit of every possible theory in here. Pearl shattered Pink Diamond. Pearl was Pink Diamonds pearl. Pearl was physically unable to speak of the truth because of her master's orders. The shattering was a Diamond's idea. The shattering was faked. ROSE IS ACTUALLY PINK DIAMOND! I truly did not see that last one coming! And you know what? None of this feels tacked on or cheap! A full day after watching this episode, I am still having sudden realizations of moments in the series that now have an extra layer of meaning thanks to this episode. I may re-watch the series with this episode in mind, but until then, I cannot think of a single moment in the series that contradicts what we just learned. This is a perfectly executed reveal, and this episode is arguably one of the most important episodes of the series. I think this episode is the start of the series' climax. This episode made me rethink everything that came before it, and made me unfathomably excited for the future. And to think that I was just telling myself to lower my expectations so I wouldn't be disappointed.

Well done Crewniverse. You have impressed me yet again. I apologize for ever doubting you.

The only downside this episode has is that Can't Go Back will be overshadowed by it. Oh well I guess. I still loved both.

Ready Player One (2018)

Amazingly fun adaptation

[7/10 · 6 April 2018]

First of all, why is there so many reviews here only complaining about the movie being very different from the book? I don't think there has ever been a movie adaptation of a book that doesn't change the source material. Even though this movie is, admittedly, one of the more different adaptations I have seen, did you guys really expect it to be exactly like the book? Anyways, Ready Player One is an experience I enjoyed immensely. It's not perfectly written, but the action, editing, and special effects make up for it's flaws. The large amount of references and in this movie work even better on the big screen than they do in a book, in my opinion. I honestly feel that most of the changes from the book were necessary to help the story translate better into a movie. Overall, this is an extremely fun movie that I definitely recommend, especially to kids at heart and fans of the book. (Well, ones that are fine with the movie being way different.) The book was better, but this wasn't bad either. I would totally watch this again.

Henry Danger (2014–2020)

A decent show at it's core, but ultimately unfunny and filled with unlikable characters.

[3/10 · 9 February 2018]

I'm sorry, but I just really despise this show. I will, however try my best to give it a fair review. Let's look at what Henry Danger does right. I think that the idea could've worked great if there wasn't already a superhero show on Nick (The Thundermans). Furthermore, I think the drama aspects of the show are decent. Those types of moments make me care about the characters more, and it's a shame that those moments don't appear very often. At least the show tries to incorporate continuity by having things from those moments matter later, but I do think that there is a lot of room for improvement continuity-wise. Lastly, the acting for the most part is decent. That is about all of the praise I can give the show. Now let's move on to the areas the show falls flat on it's face. As I said, the drama aspect of the show is fine, but at least %95 of the show is just a regular tweenage sitcom, and this show is really bad at being a sitcom. I think the problems I have with the show can be boiled down to four main points, the first of which is the laugh track. It won't shut up! It plays after every sentence, even ones not meant to be jokes, and it drives me crazy! Now, a lot of sitcoms overuse the laugh track, so you might be thinking this point is invalid. Well how about I explain it this way: think of the worst, most inhumane thing you can think of. The laugh track would most likely go off during that. There are a handful of mildly disturbing scenes in this show that no one would ever laugh at. They are completely fine on their own, but they're a problem because the laugh track is going off like crazy during them! Okay, my second point is the humor itself. There are a few moments that make me laugh, but for the most part its just completely random. A completely random thing will happen out of nowhere, and you're just expected to laugh. Humor is subjective, so this may or may not be your thing. Thirdly, the show expects me to take it's absurd antagonists seriously. It's hard to be engaged when these obviously joke-villains are played off as serious threats to our heroes. Finally, the show's biggest fault: every character is unlikable. I don't know how they did it, but I can't think of a single character in this show that I don't hate. Henry is selfish, Rey is an unfeeling jerk to Henry, Charlotte is always making smart-alack remarks, Piper is the most spoiled, bratty character ever conceived, Henry's parents are awful at parenting, both Jasper and Schwaz are profoundly annoying, and the list goes on. The number 1 thing I usually want to see when I watch a show or movie is likable characters that I can get invested in, and the fact that this show fails so badly in this category is probably the reason I hate it so much. Overall, I'll give it a 2/10.

Favorite episode: The Spoiler It's absurd villain is actually played off as a minor threat! The concept for the villain is hilarious as well! Not only that, but I feel sympathy for Piper since she is being bullied by someone 100 times worse than her! It's a funny episode too! This episode is overall great, and definitely caught me by surprise. 8/10

Least favorite episode: The one Christmas special that I forgot the name of Jasper is annoying, I want to slap every minor character, it's not funny, It tries to push a "Christmas is about the people you love" message but utterly fails, and it ends in such a rushed, unfinished, and unsatisfying way that I, just, MY GOD I HATE THIS EPISODE! 1/10

Steven Universe: Rose's Scabbard (2015) Season 1, Episode 45

The most heart-wrenching episode of the entire series

[10/10 · 23 January 2018]

My god, this episode is indescribable. Everything is top-notch - The writing, the animation, the humor, the music, in every way this episode is just, perfect. Let's talk about the second half of this episode, shall we? It was already a very heartfelt and cute episode up until this point. Pearl is obsessing over Rose, and Steven is being adorable. Pearl (and the rest of the Crystal Gems, for that matter) then find out about lion's pocket dimension. Pearl gets upset when she realizes that lion had something to do with Rose, and that Rose never told her. She lashes out at the Crystal Gems for "not understanding her", and when Steven tries to comfort her, she says "How do YOU know! You never even met her!" Geez, Pearl! That is almost an "Amethyst in Maximum Capacity" level of bad! Steven is just a kid! You shouldn't be lashing out at him like that, especially not saying something like THAT! Anyways, Pearl then runs away in tears, and warps out. Steven tries to follow her, but she keeps running, and the path that he is following her on gets more dangerous as it goes on. Steven finally cries out "Pearl! Did I- Did I do something wrong! You have to tell me!" This is definitely relatable to people who had parents that always fought, and I am amazed by the realism in that one statement. Steven then tries to jump over a large gap to try to reach Pearl, and while he is airborne, Pearl gives him this stare that, okay you know what, that stare was somehow 10 times WORSE than what Amethyst did in Maximum Capacity. I can only describe it as the look someone would give to someone who they truly wish was dead, and I can see why. Pearl blames Steven for Rose being gone, and it has all been building up until this very moment. Steven is shocked, looses concentration, and starts to fall to his death. Pearl looks over the edge in worry, signifying that she regrets any thoughts she may have had, and Steven barely catches on to the edge. Pearl is still a traumatized mess, and does nothing to help Steven, who is dangling off the side of a cliff. Now, this part until the end of the episode is what I consider one of the best scenes not just in this series, but in all of animation. Steven climbs up and says "Pearl, you have to tell me what's wrong." to which Pearl replies "Sometimes, you even sound like her." She then summons a hologram of Rose, and reenacts the moment she decided to stay with Rose and fight in the war. You truly see Pearls admiration for Rose in this scene. Despite Rose saying "If we loose, we'll be killed. But if we win, we can never go home." Pearl still insists "Why would I want to go home, if you're here?" They then interlock hands, and the hologram disappears. Wow, Pearl's admiration for Rose seemed more close to, romantic, than anything else in this scene. It was confirmed later that it's true, but still! Pearl then says "Everything I ever did, I did for her, and now she's gone. But I'm still here." My god, my heart is aching. I truly feel for Pearl right now, especially after she states "Sometimes, I wonder if she can see me through your eyes. (sigh) What would she think of me now?" Even Steven doesn't even seem to know how to react. It is completely silent for a few seconds. You can feel Pearl's emptiness and grief, and it is heartbreaking. Steven then embraces Pearl and says the absolute perfect thing to say in this situation. "Well, I think your pretty great." OH COME ON! THAT'S NOT FAIR! This show has gotten me close to crying on multiple occasions up to this point. I did indeed shed some tears during Lion 3. I shed just as many during On the Run. This episode, on the other hand, was the first piece of media to make me lie on the floor and ugly cry since the first time I listened to Hamilton. Well, until some later episodes in this show made me do the same, but STILL! Pearl starts crying, I start crying, absolutely gorgeous music starts playing, and there is a scene that despite having no dialogue, has more character than a few entire series that I have watched. Everything down to the way the character's eyes move in this scene screams character, and it only added more to my uncontrollable sobbing. Even though Pearl still isn't quite over Rose, she feels more accepted and loved than before, and, I swear I don't think I can say anything else about this episode that would do it justice. Is it my favorite episode in the series? Probably not, I loved Mindful Education a ton, and it actually ended up helping me with anxiety issues, so that's probably my number one episode. The most likely place for this episode is number two, though I could argue that it could be as low as number four or even tied for first. Overall, saying this episode is a masterpiece is a major understatement. I haven't been this invested in a show's characters and their emotions in a very long time, and this episode is a prime example of why.

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)

My personal favorite star wars movie

[10/10 · 18 January 2018]

Was it similar to A New Hope? A little, I guess... but I still absolutely loved this movie. The acting was great, and the editing and effects were both phenomenal. All of the new characters are very likable, and it was awesome to see Han Solo return. I will admit though, that Rey is a little too good at everything. That is fixed a little in The Last Jedi, but still. I still loved her character, though. Han Solo's death scene was handled very, very well. Even though I knew he was dead as soon as he stepped out there, I did start to believe for a second that Kylo Ren had changed. The action is awesome to watch and I loved every second of it. Overall, I really love this movie and the new movies in general. It may not be the best sequel, but on it's own merits this movie knocks it completely out of the park.

Steven Universe (2013–2019)

Very likely one of the best cartoons of all time, in my opinion

[10/10 · 18 January 2018]

Wow, just, wow. I have no idea why I have dismissed this show for so long. After watching the entire series up to this point, I have to say that this is my favorite show. I'm not sure if I can explain this show in a way that will do it justice, but I will try my best...

-Let's get the big thing out of the way first: the characters. In my opinion, the characters in this show are the most realistic-feeling, relatable, lovable, layered, and imperfect characters in all of television. If you asked me to pick a favorite character, I wouldn't be able to. Almost the entire cast is so good! Even the characters I don't like have their great moments, and they are well-written, so I can't say I hate them. Even the villains are likable, because I understand their intentions and because they are well-written and vastly humanized. Almost every character is given extensive development throughout the series. For example, lets look at the title character, Steven. After the first few episodes, I would say that Steven was a kind-hearted, naive, and, to be honest, annoying kid that was struggling to control his powers, but was enthusiastic and wanting to help anyways. Now, I would say that he is a mature young teen (though still a kid at heart sometimes) that knows bad things are happening, and even though he doesn't always understand them he is willing to fight for the greater good, though he would rather use violence as a last resort. Not only that, but no character is perfect, or a "Mary Sue", in any way, shape or form. The character's imperfections are what make them more realistic, layered and likable, and it shows that nobody is perfect, but we can still try to improve. I've rambled on for a while now, so let's talk about another aspect.

-The animation is wonderful. While it is a little ugly during some early episodes, it grows to become more consistent and good. Now, I would say that the animation ranges from simple and cute, to absolutely stunning. Just look at the backgrounds in most episodes! They're beautiful! The movements are realistic-looking and, just, the animation is all around great. Though, one of the bigger problems with the series is that it sometimes goes off-model, but that isn't a deal breaker for me at all.

-The voice acting is exceptionally good. The VA's seriously have a lot of emotional range. Many of the VA's are singers or Broadway stars, so they have a lot of musical talent as well. Speaking of music...

-THE MUSIC IN THIS SHOW IS AMAZING. The background music ranges from catchy chiptune style music, to intense battle themes, to absolutely beautiful piano arrangements. There are also many lyrical songs in the series, and I love them all. Some songs are awesome and/or insanely catchy, some songs are sweet, and some songs are tear-jerkingly emotional.

-The plot is intriguing, exiting, immensely original and creative, and for the most part, well paced. During major story arcs I am always on the edge of my seat, exited for what's to come. There is rarely any tropes either. This show instead takes tropes, flips them on their heads, and builds skyscrapers of development and plot off of them. It also tends to keep many things mysterious and secretive, and it likes to foreshadow many things in advance, so expect to be theorizing many things. This show does have a lot of quote-on-quote "filler", but a) They still deal with character development, world building, and minor issues almost every time, and b) I have never minded most filler episodes of shows anyways. That's where the second of the shows biggest issues comes in. As the stakes get higher, these "filler" episodes feel more and more out of place, though not by a very large margin IMO. This would barely be an issue, IF CARTOON NETWORK ACTUALLY AIRED MORE THEN 2 NEW EPISODES EVERY 3 MONTHS! If you can deal with that, then you'll be perfectly fine.

-It's one of the most progressive shows of this generation. Yeah there's the obvious stuff, like Steven's non-nuclear "family", the wide range of body types represented, the abundance of strong female characters, and even many openly gay characters. Steven Universe has even more up it's sleeve though. It deals with issues and problems such as loosing a loved one, dealing with anxiety and PTSD, abusive relationships, asking for consent, and many, MANY others. Cartoons from just 10 years ago wouldn't touch things like this with a 20 ft. pole, much less integrate them into the plot in such clever, respectable, and mature ways.

-Finally, Steven Universe spans over many different genres and themes. It can be a very lighthearted and comedic cartoon at times. Episodes like this are cute and give me a chance to escape reality, even if only for eleven minutes. Some episodes are plot-heavy and exiting, and as stated earlier, always have me on the edge of my seat. Some episodes are very dark and disturbing. Yes, this is a very lighthearted show, but when it wants to get dark, it gets darker than some adult shows I have seen. No matter how dark the series gets, though, it still manages to go back to being lighthearted. Lastly, some episodes may be intriguing, deep, and heartbreakingly emotional. Don't be surprised if you find yourself shedding a tear or two. I'm not a very emotional person and I am unashamed to admit that I cried multiple times while watching this show.

If you read my wall of text up until this point, then congratulations! You are almost done! Now for the third of the biggest things wrong with the series: the beginning is a little weak, slow moving, and childish. I didn't mind the beginning at all, but I can see that it is definitely NOT everybody's cup of tea. If you can make it to about episode 25, then trust me, you will love it. The episodes are only 11 minutes each, so it's easy to watch like, two a night until you get to the really good stuff.

All in all, this series is a masterpiece. It is not flawless, but it's flaws are almost nonexistent when compared to everything Steven Universe does right. It isn't as consistently good as something like Gravity Falls, but it very often reaches high points that are even higher than Gravity Falls' high points (in my opinion, of course). If you take the time to stick with it, then I promise you will NOT regret it. If you want a good episode to watch before the rest of the series, to see if it's right for you, then I suggest Sworn to the Sword.

Fred 3: Camp Fred (2012 TV Movie)

The worst movie I have ever seen

[1/10 · 18 January 2018]

I didn't think it was possible, but they did it. Each movie in the Fred trilogy somehow tops the other in how mind-boggling awful it can be. We're not here to talk about the other two movies, though. We are here to talk about what is, in my opinion, the worst of the three. Let's start with the obvious: it is an entire movie about an adolescent boy with a chipmunk voice, doing stupid things, messing up, and screaming. If you can't watch the first minute of the movie without getting a headache, then you aren't going to have a very good time, to put it lightly. All of the "jokes" end up falling flat on their face. At least the previous two movies each made me laugh once! The supporting characters are all extremely generic and uninteresting. The plot is non-existent, and jumps around all over the place. One minute Fred is creating a theory for why people in the camp are getting sick, and the next minute he is in a team competing with another camp. The editing and cinematography are both awful. Multiple scenes have Fred suddenly jumping around the screen for no reason while he is talking. Finally, the movie is extremely boring. The only possibly(?) good thing this movie has going is that John Cena makes a very, very short appearance, and that isn't saying barely anything. I'm pretty sure the actor and creator of Fred once said that he wished this movie never existed, and I agree with him!

Stranger Things (2016–2025)

Amazing 80's throwback that is the smash hit it deserved to be

[9/10 · 18 January 2018]

The perfect blend of Steven Spielberg, Stephen King, and 80's in general. The series could've easily gotten by on pure nostalgia, but it went the extra mile to have an intriguing plot, likable and realistic characters, good pacing, and an amazing original soundtrack. I only have three major issues with the series. 1. IMO, Mike and Eleven's relationship feels EXTREMELY forced. The entire first season I thought they were great friends, and then they kissed and I was like "Uhh, okay? We're doing this then?" 2. I seem to be one of the only people who LOVED S2E7: The Lost Sister, but I still can't deny that it interrupted a cliffhanger ending, and I do think it could've been, I don't know, half an episode instead of a whole one? 3. The ending of Season 2 was a little underwhelming. Come on! I wanted to see more of the Mind Flayer! Even with these flaws, I still love the series.

Coco (I) (2017)

Pixar does it again!

[9/10 · 18 January 2018]

If I could use one word to describe this movie, it would be artistic. The movie looks amazing and vibrant, and it perfectly captures the culture of mexico and the meaning behind dias de los muertos. The characters are likable and realistic, and the buildup to the end of the movie is masterful. All of the songs, even the obvious Oscar contender, are great. The only gripe I have with this movie is that the middle dragged on a little too long. It's not my favorite Pixar movie ONLY because of personal preference. Go watch this movie, and ignore the Frozen short.

The Emoji Movie (2017)

One of the most soulless "movies" I have ever had the displeasure of watching

[1/10 · 18 January 2018]

Pros: -The movie, as bad as it is, actually looks pretty great. Shoutout to the animation team for at least trying to make this movie have any redeeming qualities. -There is like, two or three good ideas

Cons: -Even without all of the other cons, this movie would've still been a predictable, unoriginal, cliched, boring, and forgettable piece of (poop emoji) -The writing is INFURIATINGLY awful. I had to pause the movie so many times to let the stupidity sink in. -The "jokes", if you can call them that, are all either bad visual gags or awful "puns" that don't even make sense half of the time. There were a few times when I was a little close to laughing, and two times when I genuinely laughed, but the rest of it is garbage. -This movie has some of the worst product placement I have ever seen. They weren't trying to be even a little subtle, it just felt like I was watching a big ad for a bunch of apps, with an awful movie in between the ads. -The characters are bad. Gene is just an uninteresting "meh" protagonist. High-five is very annoying, and I don't buy his friendship with Gene at all. He just seemed to tag along on the adventure for his own personal gain that I didn't care about. Jailbreak is a somewhat boring character who randomly spouts out feminist remarks from time to time, and does some EXTREMELY out of character things near the end of the movie. Again, I don't buy her relationship with Gene, but at least it isn't the most forced in relationship I've ever seen. -This movie doesn't seem to have rules. Here are some examples (minor spoilers): "He is going to go to the phone store to delete us tomorrow!" After what seems like a few minutes in the movie's time: "We only have 4 hours before the phone is deleted!" "We have to travel to the other side of the phone to get to the trash to save High Five from being deleted!" Later: "Here, I can pull up this email you found and left in the trash on my screen." Not to mention, a large amount of things that happen in the movie are just not how phones work at all. Also, many plot holes and things that didn't make sense were created just to throw in more ads. -There were some subplots, but I din't care at all about them. At least they were breaks from the infuriating main plot -The voice acting is sub-standard

I know there are worse movies out there, but this is one of the worst movies I have ever seen. Don't watch this ad that is calling itself a movie. It is not so bad it's good, it's just infuriating, and it will be forgotten within a year or two.

Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)

"It was awesome except for when it was kind of dumb."

[9/10 · 18 January 2018]

THIS IS A SPOILER FREE REVIEW

So, Nostalgia Critic just made a review for this movie, and his verdict is pretty much exactly what I thought of the movie: "It was awesome except for when it was kind of dumb."

First of all, wow, the fanbase is split down the center over this movie. I personally think it's crazy the people who criticized The Force Awakens for being "too similar to A New Hope" are largely the same people criticizing this movie for being "too different". Anyways, despite some parts being kind of meh, I would be lying if I didn't say that I enjoyed this movie greatly and that this is probably one of if not my favorite movie this year. The movie started out alright, and then as it went on it became something amazing. The acting is excellent. I don't think I can pick a favorite actor in this movie. The plot doesn't follow many of the big Star Wars tropes, and I think that's great. There is one or two times where the plot is a little too different (looking at you, casino scene!), but for the most part it is an intriguing addition to the saga. About half of the big moments in the movie were really predictable, but the other half were pretty good. While I did laugh a lot at every good joke, I feel they went a little overboard with the amount comedy. The characters were very well done in this movie. By the end I truly cared about all of them. Also, can someone give the guy who choreographed all of the fights scenes a raise? Those scenes were incredibly exiting to watch. Unfortunately, many things from Force Awakens didn't seem to matter in this movie, and the loose ends that were tied weren't always brought to a very satisfying conclusion. Overall, this is a very good movie that isn't quite a 10/10 due to the somewhat slow beginning, some things from Force Awakens not having a good payoff, and a few other flaws. Since I still enjoyed it immensely, and I am a generous reviewer, I will be giving it a 9/10.