Friday, December 23, 2016

520. Koe Koi

Title: こえ恋 / Koe Koi
English Title: Voice Love
Genre: Romance, Youth, School
Episodes: 12

Summary: Yoshioka Yuiko begins the first grade in high school. She gets sick with the cold and stays in bed. At that time, she gets a phone call from class president Matsubara. Yuiko becomes fluttered by his kind voice on the phone. The next day, she goes to school and meets Matsubara. He is a mysterious boy, wearing a paper bag over his head. Her high school days begin with a pounding heart.

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

519. The Liar and His Lover

Title: カノジョは嘘を愛しすぎてる / Kanojo wa Uso o Aishisugiteru
English Title: The Liar and His Lover
Genre: Romance
Year: 2013

Summary: Set within music field, "Kanojo wa Uso o Aishisugiteru" depicts a love story between a 25-year-old sound engineer and 16-year-old high school student Riko, who posessess a gifted voice.

25-year-old sound engineer Aki is a member of popular band "Crude Play," but right after the band decides to make their major record debut Aki quits the band. But, Aki provides his music to Crude Play under the name of producer Soichiro. Aki begins to date Riko, whose father runs a fruit and vegetable shop. Riko doesn't know about Aki's background, but she likes to listen to him hum. Riko is in a band herself, with childhood friend Yuichi and Sota. One day she is scouted by producer Soichiro.

518. Kaze No Stigma

Title: 風の聖痕 / Kaze no Sutiguma
English Title: Stigma of The Wind
Genre: Comedy, Romance, Fantasy, Supernatural
Episodes: 24

Summary: Kazuma Kannagi was the eldest son of the Kannagi family and presumed heir. However, due to his inability to use "Enjutsu" (炎術, Blaze Technique), the power to control flames, he was considered to be useless within his family. Despite his inability to wield fire, his father insisted on him competing for the right to wield "Enraiha" (炎雷覇, Blaze Lightning Supremacy), a powerful heirloom sword traditionally wielded by the family heir. The 18-year-old Kazuma was soundly defeated by 14-year-old Ayano Kannagi, his second cousin, and his father banished him from the family.

Four years later, he returns as a master of "Fūjutsu" (風術, Wind Technique), the power to control wind, and with a new name: Kazuma Yagami. Soon after his return, several Kannagi family members are killed by someone using Fūjutsu and Kazuma is presumed to have committed the murders in revenge for his banishment. Though innocent of the murders, he is confronted by various members of his former family who wish to fight him. However, the only person that Kazuma wants to fight is his father, the strongest Enjutsu user and whom he later defeats in a duel.

Kazuma is revealed to be a Contractor, a rare individual who has entered into a contract with the "Kaze no Seirei-Ō" (風の霊魂王, Wind Spirit King). Due to this, Kazuma is able to draw upon the wind spirits around him, which amplifies his inherent powers, and allows him to heal his wounds. When using this power, his eyes turn azure blue. However, this ability puts a strain on his body, as it is his stamina and will that limits the amount of power available to him.

After the duel Kazuma returns to his hotel and finds that his younger brother, Ren Kannagi, an extremely powerful Enjutsu user in his own right, has been eagerly waiting to see his adored elder brother again. Their reunion is interrupted by the Fūjutsu user who killed the other Kannagi and who kidnaps Ren. Kazuma returns to his former home to consult with the head of the Kannagi. Ayano intrudes into their meeting and, believing Kazuma to be guilty of the murders, attacks him on sight. Remonstrated by the family head, and her father, Ayano works with Kazuma to rescue Ren.

Further story arcs revolve around Kazuma, Ayano and Ren and the growing relationship between them.

Thursday, December 8, 2016

517. Alchemist

Title: 연금술사 / YeonGeumsulsa
English Title: Alchemist
Genre: Mystery, Romance
Episodes: 12

Summary: The drama will center on the dating life of a refreshing female college student in her 20's, who falls in love at first sight for an upperclassman, leading her to join a forbidden society.

Monday, December 5, 2016

516. The Story of Hua Mu Lan

Title: 花木兰传奇 / Hua Mu Lan Chuan Qi
English Title: The Story of Hua Mu Lan
Genre: Wuxia, Romance
Episodes: 48

Summary: Hua Mulan is strong-willed young woman. She proved that she can be just as good, if not better, than the men by joining the all-male army in place of her elderly father

515. Happy Marriage

Title: はぴまり/ Hapimari
English Title: Happy Marriage
Genre: Romance
Episodes: 12

Summary: Takanashi Chiwa is an office lady who works part-time at a club because she is in debt. One day, she gets into a quarrel with a wealthy and handsome customer who came to the club and is fired. The next day, a depressed Chiwa is summoned by her boss and finds the rude man from the day before down there. This man’s name is Mamiya Hokuto. Hokuto suddenly proposes a contract marriage with Chiwa. Although Chiwa is initially resistant to the idea, she has no choice but to accept. The two of them overcome all sorts of troubles to become a real couple.

514. One Percent of Something

Title: 1%의 어떤것 / 1%ui Eotteon-geot
English Title: 1% of Anything / One Percent of Something
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Episodes: 16

Summary: Jae In, a ruthless son from a wealthy family starts seeing an elementary school teacher, who he has never seen before, on a ten month contract engagement, so that he could inherit the asset as written on his grandfather’s will. 'One Percent of Anything' is a romance drama depicting what happens to the pair during the fake engagement

513. Bring It On, Ghost

Title: 싸우자 귀신아 / Ssauja Gwisina
English Title: Bring It On, Ghost
Genre: Fantasy, Comedy, Romance
Episodes: 16

Summary: Hyun Ji is a wandering ghost who died when she was 19-year-old. One day she meets an exorcist named Bong Pal. They team up to listen and solve the problems of various ghosts so that they can rest peacefully.

512. The Princess Weiyoung

Title: 锦绣未央 / Jin Xiu Wei Yang
English Title: The Princess Weiyoung
Genre: Period, Romance
Episodes: 54

Summary: The princess of Northern Liang takes on the identity of her saviour Li Weiyang to seek revenge against the people who annihilated her kingdom.

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

511. The K2

Title: The K2
Genre: Melodrama, Political, Action
Episodes: 16

Summary: It is about a patriotic bodyguard who was abandoned by his country and colleagues, a shut-in daughter of leading Presidential candidate who regards love as a tool for revenge, and the First Lady contender who hides her ambition and charisma behind a kind and friendly personality.

Sunday, September 25, 2016

510. Norn9

Title: NORN9 ノルン+ノネット / Norn9 Norun+Nonetto
English Title: Norn9
Genre: Adventure Fantasy, Romance
Episodes: 12

Summary: The story takes place a little in the future. Guided by one particular song, young elementary-schooler Sorata Suzuhara, from the Heisei Era, is warped through a time skip to an unfamiliar place that looks much like the towns from the Meiji or Taishō period from his textbooks. In this world, he meets three young ladies and nine young men and joins them on a journey aboard the mysterious Norn ship, a giant globe that floats in midair.

509. Captain America: Civil War

Title: Captain America: Civil War
Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure, Action
Year: 2016

Summary: In 1991, the brainwashed super-soldier James "Bucky" Barnes is dispatched from a Hydra base in Siberia to intercept an automobile carrying a case of super-soldier serum. In the present day, approximately one year after Ultron's defeat in the nation of Sokovia at the hands of the AvengersSteve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Sam Wilson, and Wanda Maximoff stop Brock Rumlow from stealing a biological weapon from a lab in Lagos. Rumlow blows himself up, hoping to kill Rogers. When Maximoff tries to displace the blast into the sky with telekinesis, it destroys a nearby building, killing several Wakandan humanitarian workers.
U.S. Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross informs the Avengers that the United Nations (UN) is preparing to pass the Sokovia Accords, which will establish a UN panel to oversee and control the team. The team is divided: Tony Stark supports oversight because of his role in Ultron's creation and Sokovia's devastation, while Rogers has more faith in his own judgment than that of the government. At a conference in Vienna where the accords are to be ratified, a bomb kills King T'Chaka of Wakanda. Security footage indicates the bomber is Barnes, whom T'Chaka's son, T'Challa, vows to kill. Informed by Sharon Carter of Barnes' whereabouts and the government's intentions to kill him, Rogers intends to bring in Barnes—his childhood friend and war comrade—himself. Rogers and Wilson track Barnes to Bucharest and attempt to protect him from T'Challa and the authorities, but all four including T'Challa are apprehended.
Helmut Zemo tracks down and kills Barnes' old Hydra handler, stealing a book containing the trigger words that activate Barnes' brainwashing. Infiltrating the facility where Barnes is held, Zemo recites the words to make Barnes obey him. He questions Barnes, then sends him on a rampage to cover his own escape. Rogers stops Barnes and sneaks him away. When Barnes regains his senses, he explains that Zemo is the real Vienna bomber and wanted the location of the Siberian Hydra base, where other brainwashed "Winter Soldiers" are kept in cryogenic stasis. Unwilling to wait for authorization to apprehend Zemo, Rogers and Wilson go rogue, and recruit Maximoff, Clint Barton, and Scott Lang to their cause. With Ross' permission, Stark assembles a team composed of Romanoff, T'Challa, James Rhodes, Vision, and Peter Parker to capture the renegades. Stark's team intercepts Rogers' team at Leipzig/Halle Airport, where they fight until Romanoff allows Rogers and Barnes to escape. The rest of Rogers' team is captured and detained at the Raft prison, while Rhodes is partially paralyzed after being inadvertently shot down by Vision, and Romanoff goes into exile.
Stark discovers evidence that Barnes was framed by Zemo and convinces Wilson to give him Rogers' destination. Without informing Ross, Stark goes to the Siberian Hydra facility and strikes a truce with Rogers and Barnes, unaware they were secretly followed by T'Challa. They discover that the other super-soldiers have been killed by Zemo, who shows them footage from Hydra's archives; it reveals that Barnes killed Stark's parents during his mission in 1991. Enraged that Rogers kept this from him, Stark turns on them both, dismembering Barnes' robotic arm. Rogers disables Stark's armor and departs with Barnes, leaving his shield behind. Satisfied that he has avenged his family's death in Sokovia by irreparably fracturing the Avengers, Zemo attempts suicide, but T'Challa stops him and he is taken to the authorities.
In the aftermath, Stark provides Rhodes with exoskeletal leg braces that allow him to walk again, while Rogers breaks his allies out of the Raft. In a mid-credits scene, Barnes, granted asylum in Wakanda, chooses to return to cryogenic sleep until a cure for his brainwashing is found. In a post-credits scene, Parker tests a new gadget.

508. Love O2O

Title: 微微一笑很倾城 / Wei Wei Yi Xiao Hen Qing Cheng
English Title: Love O2O/ A Smile is Beautiful / Weiwei's Beautiful Smile / Just One Smile is Very Alluring
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Episodes: 30

Summary: Xiao Nai is a gaming expert who, courtesy of his basketball skills, academic excellence, swimming talent and game company presidency, also happens to be the most popular student on campus. When he first comes across the gorgeous computer science major Bei Wei Wei, the infinitely talented wunderkind immediately falls in love. But it’s not Bei’s looks that he notices; it’s the ridiculous mastery with which she is commanding her guild and owning everyone in an online multiplayer game that makes her impossible to forget. Now, Xiao Nai must use his skills both in real life and online to capture the adorable but dorky Bei’s heart. But does their love have the XP to succeed, or will this relationship never level up?

Friday, September 23, 2016

507. My Little Princess

Title: 亲爱的,公主病 / Qing Ai De, Gong Zhu Bing
English Title: My Little Princess
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Episodes: 16


Summary: Lin Xing Chen has everything in life. She is rich, beautiful, and adored by all. She is also cursed with the fate that any man she likes will not like her back. She begins a difficult journey to win the heart of a rich heir. Standing in her way to a happily-ever-after is a sweet, compassionate but poor girl and a smart, multi-talented but poor boy.

Thursday, September 22, 2016

506. W Two Worlds

Title: 더블유 / Deobeulyu
English Title: W Two Worlds
Genre: Romance, Comedy, Suspense, Melodrama
Episodes: 16


Summary: A mysterious melodrama about a parallel universe which depicts a man and a woman who live in the same Seoul but in different environments.

Sunday, May 15, 2016

505. The Descendants of the Sun

Title: 태양의 후예 / Taeyangui Huye
English Title:The Descendants of the Sun
Genre: Romance, Melodrama, Comedy
Episodes: 16

Summary: This story tells of doctors stationed in the fictional war zone of Urk (Uruk), and follows the love story that develops between a surgeon (Kang Mo-yeon) and a special forces officer (Yoo Shi-jin), both elite in their respective fields. The story will track both their personal and professional struggles while exploring issues about the value of life.

504. Chronicle of Life

Title: 寂寞空庭春欲晚 / Ji Mo Kong Ting Chun Yu Wan
English Title: Chronicle of Life
Genre: Period Drama, Romance
Episodes: 37

Summary: A simple duet of musical pipes would instigate a complicated love story. During Emperor Kang Xi's 18th year of reign, he was escorted by imperial guard Nalan Rong Ruo during an outing. While Kang Xi played the song "Moon Rising" on his reed pipe, someone was accompanying him on her pan pipe from a distant location. Rong Ruo realized that it was his cousin, Wei Lin Lang, and was overcome with emotion. Kang Xi then ordered Prince Fu Quan to find the palace maid playing the pan pipe so that she could be betrothed to Rong Ruo. However, upon finding Lin Lang, Fu Quan realized that Kang Xi also had feelings for her, thus he secretly decided to pull a switch by selecting someone else to be betrothed to Rong Ruo and ordered Lin Lang to serve Kang Xi instead. It was only after Kang Xi fell deeply in love with Lin Lang that he learned she was actually the cousin Rong Ruo was in love with all along...

503. God of War, Zhao Yun

Title: 武神赵子龙 / Wu Shen Zhao Zi Long
English Title: Chinese Hero Zhao Zi Long / God of War, Zhao Yun
Genre: Romanticized Historical Drama, War
Episodes: 49

Summary: Zhao Zi Long, also known as Zhao Yun, was a great military general who lived in the late Eastern Han Dynasty and early Three Kingdoms period. With unparalleled fighting skills, courage, and charisma, Zhao Yun initially served the great warlord Zan Gong Sun but switched alliances to serve Liu Bei for most of his illustrious career as a member of the famed Five Tiger Generals. But when Zhao Yun becomes embroiled in a love triangle with the beautiful Xiahou Qing Yi, and another great warrior, Gao Ze, will he discover that battles of the heart are the most dangerous of all?

502. Woman on the Breadfruit Tree

Title: 面包树上的女人 / Mian Bao Shu Shang De Nv Ren
English Title: Woman on the Breadfruit Tree / Girl on the Bread Tree
Genre: Metropolitan, Romance
Episodes: 44

Summary: This is about how three best friends set off to find a bread tree that belongs to them. The 'bread' could be a physical substance, vanity, or could be non-existent. The three met each other at 13 years of age, and their friendship started with a game of volleyball. Together, they encounter the happiness of growing up, the confusion of first love, love and hate, sorrow and pain. The best and worst thing women have done is fall in love with men. Zhu Di Zhi said, if she died, her elegy would be about a girl always meeting and loving bad guys. Shen Guang Hui said, marrying off to Tuen Mun is not reputable enough - you at least have to marry someone living in Happy Valley. Cheng Yun said, someone who makes the other person is sad, is the stronger of the two. Some people say that a woman's biggest happiness is being a silk rose and finding a tree that can support it forever. Others say, a woman's most difficult problem is deciding if they want 'bread', or love.

501. My Amazing Boyfriend

Title: 我的奇妙男友 / Wo De Qi Miao Nan You
English Title: My Amazing Boyfriend / My Wonderful Boyfriend
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Comedy
Episodes: 28

Summary: Mutant Xue Ling Qiao, who has been asleep for centuries, is awakened by the unlucky actress Tian Jing Zhi in a car accident. He then forces his way into living at her house despite his mysterious past. On the surface, she acts like she’s not bothered by his super powers, but actually, she tries her best to get rid of this “monster.” Unexpectedly, their torment of each other gradually warms their relationship. This not only illuminates their romantic feelings but also reveals a shocking conspiracy that spans centuries.

500. Ai De Xiang Dui Lun

Title: 爱的相对论 / Ai De Xiang Dui Lun / 家的相对论 / Jia De Xiang Dui Lun
Genre: Romance
Episodes: 34

Summary: 原野生于富裕之家,却从未感受家为何物。父亲原牧娶妻有三却纷纷离异,当下正和一年轻女孩定下终身之约。任性的“小妈”让原野尴尬又无可奈何,迷茫的原野从女友夏楠身上感受到家庭的幸福和睦,看到了人生精彩美满的一面。于是两个年轻人抱着对幸福的憧憬走入了婚姻大门。结婚后的二人才发现家庭生活不单单只是两个人的事。原野的三个妈妈走马灯似的闯入,父亲原牧更是将大家长制推崇到了极限,加上身边两个极品好友时不时好心办坏事的“援助”,原野、夏楠的家庭生活开始鸡飞狗跳波折不断。面对重重考验,二人开始反思,究竟一个家要何以维系?偏偏在这混乱时刻,原牧被诬告入狱,暂趋和缓的家庭更为混乱。经此种种,原野深切感受到家的重要,决意携手夏楠,拯救父亲,挽回家庭,挑起一个家的重担。(Translation needed)

Sunday, March 27, 2016

499. Dracula Untold

Title: Dracula Untold
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Action
Year: 2014

Summary: In the Middle Ages, Vlad Tepes is the Prince of Wallachia and Transylvania. As a child, he was a princely hostage of theOttoman Empire and was trained to be a soldier in the Sultan's elite Janissary corps, where he became their most feared warrior. He was called Vlad the Impaler after slaughtering thousands by impaling them on spears. Eventually sickened by his acts, he put aside his past and returned to rule his domains in peace. One day in the forest, Vlad and his soldiers discover a helmet in a stream. Fearing that an Ottoman scouting party is preparing the way for invasion, they follow the stream to a high mountain cave called Broken Tooth Mountain. Upon entering the cave, they discover the ground of the cave is carpeted in crushed bone; and they are attacked in the dark by an unknown creature (Charles Dance) with shining red eyes, as well as inhuman speed and strength. While his men are killed, Vlad cuts the creature of the cave with his sword before being thrown to the ground. The blood on the sword he used to cut the creature dissolves when exposed to sunlight, and the creature does not pursue Vlad into the sunlight at the mouth of the cave. Returning to his castle, Vlad learns from a local monk that the creature is a vampire, who was once a man who summoned ademon from the depths of hell and made a pact with it for dark powers before being tricked by the demon and cursed to remain in the cave forever until he is released by someone who drinks his blood, then drinks the blood of a human. The person is welcome to share his power in exchange for the freedom to escape the cave.
The next day, as Vlad celebrates an Easterfeast with his wife Mirena, his son Ingeras, and his subjects, an Ottoman contingent arrives unexpectedly at the castle. Vlad offers them the usual tribute payment of silver coins, but theemissary notes that a battalion of Ottoman scouts has gone missing, implying that Vlad has had them killed. Vlad professes that he had not killed them. The emissary demands an additional tribute of 1,000 boys to be trained as Janissaries, through the devşirmesystem. Vlad refuses, but his army is small and no match for the Turks. Mirena believes that, because of Vlad and Mehmed's history together as children, being close like brothers, if he were to ask, Mehmed would show him mercy. He approachesMehmed II and asks him not to take the country's boys. When that fails, he offers himself in place of the boys; but the Sultan refuses and demands Vlad's son in addition. The Sultan sends the emissary to bring Vlad's son. Vlad has an argument with his wife, as he is sending his son to meet the emissary and Ottoman soldiers. Vlad tells his wife to trust him before leaving his wife and son and going to meet the emissary and the soldiers alone. He is unarmed; but his son, afraid for him, runs to him, takes his hand, and tells his father that he is ready to join the Sultan's army. As Vlad approaches the Turks, the emissary, smiling, tells Vlad that he thought there would be some kind of difficulty. Vlad tells his son to run back to his mother, then takes the emissary's sword and kills him and his small entourage of soldiers.
Knowing his actions will lead to war, Vlad returns to the Broken Tooth Mountain cave to seek help from the vampire. Once he is inside, the vampire asks Vlad why he returned. Vlad replies, saying he needs the power of the vampire so that he can defeat the Ottoman army. The vampire tells him there are consequences and offers him some of his blood, which will temporarily give Vlad the powers of a vampire. If he resists the intense urge to drink human blood for three days, he will turn back into a human. Otherwise, he will remain a vampire forever and will one day be called upon to help his maker. Vlad accepts the offer and drinks the vampire's blood, going through a painful and deathlike experience as he transforms.
Waking up in the forest afterwards, Vlad discovers he has been granted heightened senses, inhuman strength and speed, and the ability to transform into a flock of bats; but his skin slowly burns in direct sunlight. When he returns to Castle Dracula, the Ottoman army attacks, but Vlad single-handedly kills them all. He then sends most of the castle's subjects to Cozia Monastery, which is situated on the edge of a mountain, as a better base for safety. During the journey, Mirena learns of Vlad's curse as she sees Vlad holding silver to keep himself weak when near his people to avoid revealing his condition to them or attack them for blood. After Vlad promises he will resist human blood, she accepts that he will regain his mortality once the Ottomans are defeated. ARomani named Shkelgim, who knows Vlad is a vampire, proclaims himself as his servant and offers his own blood; but Vlad resists. As they near the monastery, the Valahs are ambushed by Ottoman soldiers; and, while Vlad and his men successfully repel them, Vlad's sudden increased strength arouses suspicion among his subjects. The next day at the monastery, a monk learns of the curse and leads the Prince's subjects to turn on Vlad, trapping him in a burning building in the sunlight. Black smoke blocks out the sun, allowing an outraged Vlad to escape the fire, and he angrily reveals that he became a vampire for the sole purpose of protecting his people from the Ottoman suzerainty. Before he acts out against them, Mirena stops him and calms him down.
That night, the Ottoman army marches on the monastery. Vlad commands an enormous swarm of bats to repel them; however, the soldiers are actually a decoy force, allowing a handful of Turks to infiltrate the monastery, kill many of the inhabitants and kidnap Ingeras. Mirena tries to defend her son, and falls from the edge of the monastery wall. Dying, Mirena pleads with Vlad to drink her blood before the sun rises to give him the strength to save their son. Vlad reluctantly drinks her blood, triggering his final transformation into a full-blooded vampire and granting him even greater powers. Vlad returns to the monastery and turns a small group of survivors and mortally wounded into vampires as well. At the Ottoman army's camp, Mehmed prepares for a massive invasion of Europe. Vlad and his vampires arrive and easily massacre the terrified Ottoman soldiers, while Vlad himself goes after Mehmed, who is holding Ingeras captive. Aware that vampires are weakened by silver, Mehmed has lined the floor of his tent with silver coins, reducing Vlad's strength and speed, and impairing his vision, and fights Vlad with a silver sword. He overpowers Vlad and prepares to impale his heart with a wooden stake, but Vlad turns into a flock of bats and evades him. Taking the name "Dracula, Son of the Devil," he kills Mehmed with the stake and drinks his blood, fully succumbed to the savagery of his vampiric condition.

As they leave Mehmed's tent, Dracula and Ingeras are confronted by the other vampires, who demand that his son be killed because he is human. The monk who had previously led the Valahs against Vlad appears and keeps the vampires at bay with a Christian cross. When one of the vampires attempts to kill Ingeras, Dracula impales him with a spear as a warning to the others not to harm his son. Dracula orders the monk to take Ingeras away, then uses his power to clear the black clouds in the sky. The sunlight burns the vampires into dust, while Dracula collapses into a charred corpse. With Vlad presumed dead and Europe saved from the Ottoman invasion, Ingeras is crowned the new Prince of Wallachia. However, Shkelgim secretly takes Dracula into a nearby tent and revives him with his blood.
In the present day, Vlad meets a woman named Mina, who strikingly resembles Mirena, in the streets of a modern city (London), and they have a conversation about a line of poetry they have in common. The vampire who cursed Vlad, now healed, in a more human form, and still alive, watches them from afar and follows them, and anticipates what he has planned for Dracula in the future, saying, "Let the games begin."

498. Jupiter Ascending

Title: Jupiter Ascending
Genre: Adventure, Action, Sci-Fi
Year: 2015

Summary: At the beginning of the story, Earth's residents are unaware that the human species on Earth and countless other planets were established by families of transhuman andalien royalty for the purpose of later "harvesting" the resulting organisms to produce a type of youth serum for the elites on still other planets. After the death of thematriarch of the House of Abrasax, the most powerful of the alien dynasties, her children, Balem, Kalique, and Titus, quarrel over the inheritance, with Balem inheriting an enormous refinery on Jupiter and Titus declaring his intention to dismantle the youth serum trade, of which Earth is the next intended source. Protagonist Jupiter Jones narrates that her father, Maximilian Jones, met her mother, Aleksa, inSaint Petersburg. After Maximilian is killed in a robbery, Aleksa names their daughter Jupiter, after his favorite planet, and they move to Chicago to live with Aleksa's family.
Many years later, Jupiter works with Aleksa and her Aunt Nino to clean the homes of wealthy neighbors. To buy a telescope, Jupiter agrees to sell her eggs with the help of her cousin Vladie, under the name of her friend Katharine Dunlevy. At Katharine's house, Jupiter and Katharine are attacked byextraterrestrial 'Keepers'; and when Jupiter photographs these, they erase her memory of the incident. During the egg donation procedure, the doctors and nurses are revealed to be Balem's agents, sent to kill her, and she is saved by Caine Wise, a former soldier sent by Titus. Stinger Apini, an old comrade of Caine's, agrees to help Jupiter, but a group of hunters takes her to Kalique's palace on a distant planet, where Kalique explains that Jupiter is genetically identical to the dead matriarch, and therefore the Earth's rightful owner. Supported by Captain Diomika Tsing of the Aegis (an intergalactic police force), Caine retrieves her from Kalique, and brings her to the planet Ores (the intergalactic capital planet) to claim her inheritance.
Meanwhile, Balem sends Greeghan to kidnap Jupiter's family. On the way back to Earth, Titus detains Jupiter and Caine, to whom he reveals his plan to marry and then kill Jupiter and claim Earth before throwing Caine into the void; but Caine survives and saves Jupiter at the altar. Jupiter asks to return home, but learns that her family has been taken hostage by Balem. In his refinery in the Great Red Spot, Balem demands Earth in exchange for Jupiter's family. Realizing that Balem can "harvest" Earth only with her permission, Jupiter refuses. Balem tries to kill Jupiter; but she defeats him in a fight, and is rescued by Caine, Stinger, and Tsing while Balem falls to his death. Jupiter's family is returned home with no memory of their disappearance, but a new appreciation for Jupiter, while Jupiter secretly retains ownership of the Earth. Caine's rank with the Aegis is restored, and he and Jupiter begin a relationship.
During the ending credits it is revealed that the planets that make up the universe form endless DNA patterns showing how vast the harvesting industry is.

497. Descendants

Title: Descendants
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Action
Year: 2015

Summary: After their wedding, Belle and Prince Adam form the United States of Auradon from the surrounding kingdoms, creating a prosperous new nation, and are elected King and Queen. The kingdom's enemies are imprisoned on the Isle of the Lost, a slum where magic is forbidden and surrounded by an inescapable barrier. Twenty years later, Prince Ben is to ascend the Auradon throne and informs his parents that his first proclamation will give the Isle of the Lost’s children the chance to live in Auradon away from the influence of their villainous parents. On the island, Maleficent instructs the four chosen children to find and steal the Fairy Godmother's magic wand to release the villains. The children, those of the Evil Queen, Jafar, Cruella de Vil, and Maleficent, are Evie, Jay, Carlos, and Mal.
Travelling to Auradon Prep, the four meet Ben and his self-proclaimed girlfriend Audrey, daughter of Princess Aurora, and the Fairy Godmother, who is the school’s headmistress. Evie uses her mother's pocket-sized magic mirror to locate the magic wand, located in a nearby museum, but they fail to steal it. Learning the Fairy Godmother will use the wand during Ben's coronation, the four wait it out by attending classes but start to fit in with the students. Jay is recruited into the school's "tourney" team (a football-like sport), while Carlos surpasses his cynophobia by befriending the school mutt Dude. Evie, though intelligent, acts vain to impress Chad Charming, son of Cinderella, but ends up doing his homework for him. Dopey's son Doug encourages her to not pander to others and be herself.
Mal becomes popular, using Maleficent's spellbook to improve the looks of the Fairy Godmother and Mulan's daughters Jane and Lonnie. Learning that Ben's girlfriend will be seated close to the magic wand during the coronation, Mal creates a cookie laced with a love potion and gives it to Ben, who falls madly in love with her, much to the shock of his friends. On a date with Ben, Mal becomes conflicted with her inherit goodness and desire to please her mother, unsure how to react to Ben's feelings towards her. During the school's family day, the villains' children are ostracized after an encounter with Audrey's grandmother, Queen Leah, though Ben, Lonnie and Doug remain friendly towards them.
On the day of the coronation, Mal gives Ben a brownie containing the love spell's antidote, believing it was cruel to trick him, but he reveals he was already freed of the potion when he went swimming in the "enchanted lake" during their date. During Ben's crowning, Jane grabs the wand from her mother, accidentally destroying the Isle’s barrier. Mal takes the wand from Jane, but torn over what to do, is encouraged by Ben to make her own choice rather than follow Maleficent's path. Mal recognises that she and her friends found happiness in Auradon, and they decide to be good.
Maleficent crashes the ceremony, freezing everyone in time save herself and the children. When they defy her, Maleficent transforms into a dragon. The four children use a counterspell, turning Maleficent into a tiny lizard, based on the amount of love in her heart. Mal returns the Fairy Godmother her wand and she unfreezes everyone. While the villains watch the celebration from afar, Auradon Prep's students party into the night, Mal and her friends finding happiness.

496. Naughty Princess

Title: 调皮王妃 / Tiao Pi Wang Fei
English Title: Naughty Princess
Genre: Romance, Drama, Royalty, Period, Comedy, Time Travel
Episodes: 40

Summary: Yin Qin Rou is a normal woman who gets thrown into the past and lands on a prince (literally). Suspicious of her origins, the prince, Xie Yan Qi, keeps her captive. Slowly, her 21 century attitude and disregard for authority changes him and he begins to fall in love with her.
Meanwhile, there is turmoil in the royal family. The second prince assassinated his older brother to be next in line for the throne. All that's left in his way is Yan Qi, the third prince. Can Qin Rou protect him? And what if Qin Rou isn't the only time traveler... 

495. Love Trouble

Title: 真爱惹麻烦 / Zhen Ai Re Ma Fan
English Title: Love Trouble
Episodes: 38
Genre: Romance

Summary: After the father of Lin Zhen Xin , Lin Shin Nan was chased after a failed family business by the powerful Ko, she made a decision to avenge the death of his father. She pretends to have a romantic interest in the heir Ko Yang , approaching him in order to gather evidence that his father had been falsely victim . However, while continuing his revenge, she falls for him without control. She is not alone on the wall, Wang Xiang , is in love with Lin Zhen Xin , while making a difficult choice.

494. Flower Blooms in The Mid-summer

Title: 花开半夏 / Hua Kai Ban Xia
English Title: Flower Blooms in The Mid-summer
Genre: Modern Drama, Romance
Episodes: 16

Summary: At the age of 7, Wei Ru Feng was taken into the home of Grandmother Xia and brought up with her granddaughter Xia Ru Hua who'd also lost both parents at a young age. After Grandmother's death 10 years later, the two depended on each other for survival and profound feelings develop. Their peaceful lives are disrupted after an unexpected incident - Ru Hua is raped by a juvenile delinquent named A Fu, and during an enraged Ru Feng's quest for revenge, he meets business proprietor Cheng Hao. Drastic changes occur in Ru Feng's life from that moment on as he's sucked into a vortex of material temptation and emotional instability. Meanwhile, the truth behind Ru Feng's family background comes to light...

493. Love's Band-Aid

Title: 爱的创可贴 / Ai De Chuang Ke Tie
English Title: Our Love, Love's Band-Aid
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Episodes: 36

Summary: Zhong Ke Ke rescues Tang Shao Lei from a street fight. Although she assumes that he is a "Moonlight Brother" (those who spend their money before they earn it), nevertheless, they fall in love. Ke Ke's brother, Zhong Yi Fan, becomes a taekwondo instructor since the family business wasn't doing well. He gets to know student Li Dong Dong's single mother Tang Shao Yin and the two fall in love.
Later, the Zhong siblings find out that Tang Shao Lei is actually the CEO of the famous Ding Heng Corporation, and that Tang Shao Yin is his sister who ran away from home years ago. The Tang parents oppose both relationships with the Zhong siblings. Tang Shao Lei's fiancée plays dirty tricks in secret, and Dong Dong's biological father, Li Hao, shows up. How do the two pairs of lovers overcome these obstacles?

492. Sunny Happiness

Title: 幸福最晴天 / Xing Fu Zui Qing Tian
English Title: Sunny Happiness /Happiness is like a Sunny Day / The Sunniest Day of Happiness / Sunshine Day
Genre: Romance, comedy
Episodes:16

Summary: Though he is the well-known and meticulous CEO of his family hotel business, Xiang Yunjie actually was once divorced. After graduating from university, he married his university sweetheart, but soon separated from her. Several years later, a young eight-year-old child happens into his life, and Yunjie discovers that the boy is actually his son. Meanwhile, circumstances with a new hotel housemaid, Fang Yongyong, leads the two of them to form a "fake marriage" contract, much to the dismay of Yunjie's younger brother, Xiang Yunchao, who secretly harbours feelings for Yongyong.

491. Say That You Love Me

Title: 愛情是從告白開始的 / Ai Qing Shi Cong Gao Bai Kai Shi De
English Title: Say That You Love Me
Genre: Romance, Drama
Episodes: 33

Summary: It is the story of four young people in the university, building up their of friendship and love. Chi Zao Zao and two high school friends have finally got into their ideal university in their three years of effort. First day of school, because of a lucky coincidence, Zao Zao and his crush - Ou Hao Chens' outstanding student confession became the object of discussion by the school students on campus. But the cool Ou Hao Chen is very disgusted with this stubborn girl, which makes Zao Zao very distressed. At the same time, Hao Chen's friend Han Fei appears, who resolves embarrassing situations for Zao Zao several times that progressively pull the relations closer between the two. But the perfect girl, Shang Guan Yi, is trying to get closer to Hao Chen and break the relation between Zao Zao and Hao Chen.

490. Dong Nuan Hua Hui Kai

Title: 冬暖花会开 / Dong Nuan Hua Hui Kai
Genre: Romance
Episodes: 34

Summary: 两个面容相似的女孩子,一前一后走进英皓冬生命。前者,像她的名字,昙花般在一场变故中凋零,后者,同样像她的名字,以自己的芳馨温暖了皓冬的心。18岁女孩蓝素馨寻找工作时,碰到深陷在因为女友去世而精神抑郁的英皓冬。作为看护员的素馨为皓冬承受了亲朋好友们的不少误解和岐见,但是,她却能以阳光灿烂的心境对待和化解这一切。在素馨和皓冬妈妈等人的努力下,皓冬的记忆逐渐恢复,纠结在皓冬身上的那场变故疑云也终于云开雾散,素馨伴随皓冬及众亲友们终于走向阳光灿烂的新天地。(Translation needed)

489. My Amazing Bride

Title: 极品新娘 / Ji Ping Xin Niang
English Title: My Amazing Bride
Genre: Period, Romance, Comedy
Episodes: 40

Summary: The highly competent, very independent Tang Dou Dou was reaching the end of suitable marriageable age. Yet, she was unwilling to settle for less than the best. When Shen family proprosed marriage for their eldest son, who by reputation was smart and rich, she thought her dream husband finally appeared. Her joy turned into horror on her wedding night when she discovered her child prodigy husband had turned into an imbecile in an accident. She immediately asked for a divorce but was repeatedly thwarted by her in-laws. In a turn of event, she cured her husband's brain injury and restored his intelligence, but her genius husband forgot all about her. She now had to fight for his love just as he had fought for hers.

Saturday, February 20, 2016

488. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Title: Star Wars: The Force Awakens / Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Genre: Family, Fantasy, Adventure
Year: 2015

Summary: Approximately 30 years after the destruction of the second Death Star, Luke Skywalker, the last Jedi, has disappeared. The First Orderhas risen from the fallen Galactic Empire and seeks to eliminate Luke and the New Republic. The Resistance, backed by the Republic and led by Luke's twin sister, General Leia Organa, opposes them while searching for Luke to enlist his aid.

Resistance pilot Poe Dameron meets village elder Lor San Tekka on the planet Jakku to obtain a map to Luke's location.Stormtroopers under the command of Kylo Ren destroy the village and capture Poe. Poe's droid BB-8 escapes with the map, and encounters a scavenger named Rey near a junkyard settlement. Ren tortures Poe using the Force, and learns of BB-8. StormtrooperFN-2187, unable to kill for the First Order, frees Poe, and they escape in a stolen TIE fighter; Poe dubs FN-2187 "Finn". They crash on Jakku, and Finn appears to be the only survivor. He encounters Rey and BB-8, but the First Order tracks them and launches an airstrike. Finn, Rey, and BB-8 flee the planet in a stolen, rundown ship, the Millennium Falcon.

The Falcon breaks down, and is captured by a much larger ship, piloted by Han Solo andChewbacca, who reclaim their former vessel. Gangs seeking to settle debts with Solo board the ship and attack, but the five escape in theFalcon. The gangs inform the First Order of Han's involvement. At the First Order's Starkiller Base, a planet converted to a superweapon capable of destroying star systems, Supreme Leader Snoke orders General Hux to use the weapon for the first time. Snoke also questions Ren about the involvement of his father, Han Solo; Ren protests that Han means nothing to him.

The Falcon crew view BB-8's map and determine it is incomplete. Han explains that Luke tried to rebuild the Jedi Order but went into exile after an apprentice turned to the dark side and destroyed all that Luke had built. They travel to the planet Takodana and meet with cantina owner Maz Kanata, who can help BB-8 reach the Resistance, but Finn wants to flee on his own. Rey is drawn to a vault and finds the lightsaber that belonged to Luke and his father Anakin Skywalker before him. She experiences disturbing visions and flees into the woods. Maz gives Finn the lightsaber for safekeeping.

Starkiller Base destroys the Republic capital and fleet. The First Order attacks Takodana in search of BB-8. Han, Chewbacca, and Finn are saved by Resistance X-wing fighters led by Poe, revealed to have survived the TIE-fighter crash. Leia arrives at Takodana with C-3POand reunites with Han and Chewbacca. Rey, however, is captured by Ren and taken to Starkiller Base. He interrogates her about the map, but she resists his mind-reading. Discovering she, too, can use the Force, she escapes her cell with a Jedi mind trick.

At the Resistance base on D'Qar, BB-8 findsR2-D2, who has been inactive since Luke's disappearance. As Starkiller Base prepares to fire on D'Qar, the Resistance devises a plan to destroy it by attacking a critical facility. Leia urges Han to return their son alive. Using theFalcon, Han, Chewbacca, and Finn infiltrate the base. They lower its shield, find Rey, set explosives, and encounter Ren. Han confronts Ren, calling him by his birth name, Ben, and implores him to abandon the dark side. Though conflicted, Ren kills Han. Enraged, Chewbacca shoots Ren and sets off the explosives, allowing the Resistance X-wing fighters to attack and start a chain reaction that destroys Starkiller Base.

The injured Ren pursues Finn and Rey to the surface. Finn battles Ren with the lightsaber, but is overpowered and badly wounded. Rey takes the lightsaber and fights Ren, overpowering him with the Force before they are separated by a fissure. Snoke orders Hux to evacuate and bring Ren to him, while Rey and Chewbacca escape with Finn in theFalcon. On D'Qar, the Resistance celebrates while Leia, Chewbacca, and Rey mourn Han's death. R2-D2 awakens and reveals the rest of the map, which Rey follows with R2-D2 and Chewbacca to an island on a distant planet. She finds Luke and presents him with the lightsaber.

487. Ant-Man

Title: Ant-Man
Genre: Adventure, Action, Sci-Fi
Year: 2015

Summary: In 1989, scientist Hank Pym resigns from S.H.I.E.L.D. after discovering their attempt to replicate his Ant-Man shrinking technology. Believing the technology is dangerous, Pym vows to hide it as long as he lives. In the present day, Pym's estranged daughter, Hope van Dyne, and former protégé, Darren Cross, have forced him out of his company, Pym Technologies. Cross is close to perfecting a shrinking suit of his own, the Yellowjacket, which horrifies Pym.

Upon his release from prison, well-meaning thief Scott Lang moves in with his old cellmate, Luis. While visiting his daughterCassie unannounced, Lang is rebuked by his former wife Maggie and her police-detective fiancé, Paxton, for not providing child support. Unable to hold a job because of his criminal record, Lang agrees to join Luis' crew and commit a burglary. Lang breaks into a house and cracks its safe, but only finds what he believes to be an old motorcycle suit, which he takes home. After trying the suit on, Lang accidentally shrinks himself to the size of an insect. Terrified by the experience, he returns the suit to the house, but is arrested on the way out. Pym, the homeowner, visits Lang in jail and smuggles the suit into his cell to help him break out.

At his home, Pym, who manipulated Lang through an unknowing Luis into stealing the suit as a test, wants Lang to become the new Ant-Man to steal the Yellowjacket from Cross. Having been spying on Cross after discovering his intentions, van Dyne helps Pym train Lang to fight and to control ants. While van Dyne harbors resentment towards Pym about her mother Janet's death, he reveals that Janet, known as the Wasp, disappeared into a subatomic quantum realmwhile disabling a Soviet nuclear missile. Pym warns Lang that he could suffer a similar fate if he overrides his suit's regulator. They send him to steal a device that will aid their heist from the Avengers' headquarters, where he briefly fights Sam Wilson / Falcon.

Cross perfects the Yellowjacket and hosts an unveiling ceremony at Pym Technologies' headquarters. Lang, along with his crew and a swarm of flying ants, infiltrates the building during the event, sabotages the company'sservers, and plants explosives. When he attempts to steal the Yellowjacket, he, along with Pym and Hope, are captured by Cross, who intends to sell both the Yellowjacket and Ant-Man suits to Hydra, led by former S.H.I.E.L.D officer Mitchell Carson. Lang breaks free and he and Hope dispatch most of the Hydra agents, though Carson is able to flee with a vial of Cross' particles and Pym is shot. Lang pursues Cross as he escapes, while the explosives detonate, imploding the building. Pym and van Dyne escape by driving a World War 2 Russian T-34 Tank disguised as Pym's keychain, which he used his particles on.

Cross dons the Yellowjacket and attacks Lang before Lang is arrested by Paxton. His mind addled by the imperfect shrinking technology, Cross takes Cassie hostage to lure Lang into another fight. Lang overrides the regulator and shrinks to subatomic size to penetrate Cross' suit and sabotage it to shrink uncontrollably, killing Cross. Lang disappears into the quantum realm but manages to reverse the effects and returns to themacroscopic world. In gratitude for Lang's heroism, Paxton covers for Lang to keep him out of prison. Seeing that Lang survived and returned from the quantum realm, Pym wonders if his wife is alive as well. Later, Lang meets up with Luis, who tells him that Wilson is looking for him.

In a mid-credits scene, Pym shows van Dyne a new Wasp prototype suit and offers it to her. In a post-credits scene, Wilson and Steve Rogers have Bucky Barnes in their custody. Unable to contact Tony Stark because of "the accords", Wilson mentions that he knows someone who could help.

486. Cinderella

Title: Cinderella
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Family
Year: 2015

Summary: Ella lives with her loving parents on a beautiful estate in a peaceful kingdom. From a young age, she is taught by her mother to believe in magic, allowing Ella to befriend many animals on the estate, particularly the mice. Everything is perfect until her mother falls ill and dies. On her deathbed, she asks Ella to promise that she will always have courage and be kind. Ella's father eventually remarries Lady Tremaine, the widow of an old friend, who has two daughters of her own: Drisella and Anastasia. Ella welcomes her new stepfamily, despite the stepsisters' unpleasant attitudes.

When Ella's father goes abroad on business, Lady Tremaine gradually reveals her cruel and jealous nature, as she pushes Ella to give up her room to the stepsisters for the attic. Sadly, Ella's father dies during the trip, resulting in Lady Tremaine dismisses all servants to save money, and places all the chores on Ella. On one cold evening, Ella sleeps by the fireplace for warmth, wakes up the next morning with her face covered in cinders. Her stepfamily consequently mock Ella as "Cinderella", and forbid Ella from eating with the family.

Crushed by the cruelty, Ella rides off into the woods, where she meets Kit, an apprentice from the palace, who is part of a hunting party chasing a stag. Not knowing Kit is actually the prince of the kingdom, Ella admonishes him for hunting the stag, and tries to convince Kit to let the stag go free, which he agrees. Touched by his kindness, Ella takes a liking of Kit. Kit is likewise enchanted by Ella's charm, kindness, and unique outlook on life. The two part without Kit learning of Ella's name, but not before both express the wish to see each other again. The king, upon learning he has little time left, insists Kit takes a bride, who should be a princess for the advantage of the kingdom, at the upcoming royal ball. Kit persuades his father to invite every eligible maiden in the land to the ball, in hope of seeing Ella.

When the ball is announced, the Tremaine family is ecstatic at the prospect of marrying into royalty. Ella is also excited to attend the ball for the chance to see Kit. She fixes up her mother's old pink dress when Lady Tremaine refuses to buy her a new one. On the night of the ball, Ella tries to join her stepfamily on the way out, but Lady Tremaine, together with her daughters, ridicule and tear up Ella's dress, and leave without her. Losing courage, Ella runs into the garden in tears and meets an old beggar woman, who reveals herself to be Ella's fairy godmother. Changed into her true form, the fairy godmother uses magic to transform a pumpkin into a magnificent carriage, four mice into white horses, two lizards into footmen, a goose into a coachman, and finally Ella's ripped dress into a gorgeous blue gown, complete with a pair of magical glass slippers. Before sending Ella on her way to the ball, the fairy godmother warns the magic will be broken at the last stroke of midnight.

At the ball, the entire court is entranced by Ella, especially Kit. Nervous but happy to see each other, Ella and Kit have a perfect first dance, as if the two has been partners their entire lives. This irritates the Grand Duke, as he has promised Kit to Princess Chelina of Zaragoza, a fact that Lady Tremaine overhears.

While surprised by Kit's true identity, Ella nonetheless has a marvelous time with Kit, touring the palace grounds and Kit's secret garden. But before Ella can tell Kit her name, the clock begins striking as midnight approaches, forcing Ella to flee and accidentally drop one of her glass slippers on the palace steps. She manages to get away at the final stroke of midnight, but the spell wears off and causes the animals and Ella's dress to revert back. Ella hides the one glass slipper she has under the floorboards of her room as a keepsake, reasonably contents that her one night will become a beautiful memory.

The king dies soon after, but not before giving his son permission to marry Ella if he wishes. Not knowing Ella's identity and whereabouts, Kit, once become king, declares his love for the "mystery princess" who wears glass slippers to the ball, and intends to marry her if she agrees. Excited at the news, Ella hurries to retrieve the glass slipper in her possession, only to find her stepmother holding it. Deduced that Ella is the mystery princess, Lady Tremaine demands to be made the head of the royal household in exchange for allowing Ella to come forth and marry Kit, and once queen, Ella is to ensure Drisella and Anastasia be married off to wealthy husbands. Ella refuses, causing Lady Tremaine to smash the slipper and lock Ella in the attic. Lady Tremaine then takes the shattered slipper and identity of the mystery princess to the Grand Duke in exchange for the title of countess and advantageous marriages for her daughters. The Grand Duke tries to convince Kit to forget the mystery princess with the shattered slipper, but this only makes Kit even more determined to find her.

Following the letter of Kit's order, the Grand Duke and the Captain of the Guards lead the mission to try the remaining slipper on all of the maidens in the land, but the magical slipper refuses to fit. When they arrive at Ella's estate, the shoe fits neither of the stepsisters. As they turn to leave, Ella's singing of "Lavender's Blue" are heard through a window that the mice have opened. The Grand Duke tries to ignore this, but Kit reveals himself to be one of the guards. Kit asks the Captain to investigate the source of the singing. Once Ella is found, Lady Tremaine attempts to forbid her from trying on the shoe on the grounds that she is Ella's mother, but she is overruled by the Captain, as Ella curtly states that Lady Tremaine has not been, and never will be her mother.

Ella and Kit are thereby reunited, and Kit recognizes Ella even without the shoe, which fits her perfectly. Promised to take each other as they are, Ella and Kit leave the house as Ella offers forgiveness to her stepmother. Afterwards, the stepmother and her daughters, along with the Grand Duke, leave the kingdom never to return.

At last, Ella and Kit are married. The Fairy Godmother narrates that they become the land's most beloved monarchs, ruling with the courage and kindness that Ella has promised her mother, and that they live happily ever after.

Friday, January 8, 2016

485. Inside Out

Title: Inside Out
Genre: Comedy, Adventure, Animation
Year: 2015

Summary: A girl named Riley is born in Minnesota. Within her mind's Headquarters, there exist five personifications of her basic emotions: Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger. The emotions influence Riley's actions via a control console. Riley's memories are stored in colored orbs, which are sent into long-term memory each night by a suction tube. Riley's most important memories, known as "core memories", are housed in a hub in Headquarters and power five "islands", each of which reflects a different aspect of Riley's personality. Joy always tries to keep Riley happy, and she and the other emotions try to prevent Sadness from using the console, not understanding her purpose.

When Riley is 11, her family moves to San Francisco. Riley is disappointed by their lifeless new home, and is further discouraged when the moving van with all their belongings gets lost. Joy starts worrying when Sadness begins touching Riley's happy memories, causing them to become sad, so she tries to keep Sadness isolated. However, on Riley's first day at her new school, Sadness causes Riley to cry in front of her class, creating a sad core memory. Joy tries to dispose of it before it reaches the core memory hub, but instead knocks the other core memories loose during a struggle with Sadness, destabilizing the personality islands. As Joy scrambles to collect the core memories, she and Sadness are sucked out of Headquarters by the memory tube into the maze-like storage area of long-term memory, taking the core memories with them.

Fear, Disgust, and Anger try to keep Riley happy, but inadvertently distance her from her parents, friends, and hobbies, causing her personality islands to crumble into the "Memory Dump", an abyss where fading memories are disposed of and forgotten. Believing that going back to Minnesota will make Riley happy again, Anger inserts an idea into the control console to cause Riley to run away to Minnesota. Meanwhile, in long-term memory, Joy and Sadness find Bing Bong, Riley's childhood imaginary friend. He tells them they can get to Headquarters by riding the train of thought. After exploring Riley's mind, the three eventually catch the train, but it is derailed when one of the personality islands collapses.

As Riley prepares to board a bus to Minnesota, Joy, desperate for Riley to be happy, abandons Sadness and attempts to use a "recall tube" to return to Headquarters, but the last personality island starts to collapse, breaking the tube and plunging Joy and Bing Bong down into the Memory Dump. At the bottom, Joy discovers a sad memory of a hockey game that becomes happy when Riley's parents and friends comfort her, causing Joy to realize that Sadness's importance is to create empathy in others when Riley needs help.

Joy and Bing Bong try to use Bing Bong's old wagon rocket to escape the Memory Dump, but after several tries Bing Bong realizes their combined weight is too much and jumps out, sacrificing himself to allow Joy to escape, then fades away. Joy goes to Imagination Land and uses various tools to propel herself and Sadness through the air to Headquarters. They find that Anger's idea has disabled the control console, rendering Riley numb andapathetic. To the surprise of the others, with Joy's encouragement, Sadness takes control of the console and successfully removes the idea, reactivating the console and prompting Riley to return home.

As Sadness re-installs the core memories, now blue, Riley arrives home and bursts into tears, confessing to her parents that she misses her old life in Minnesota. As Riley's parents comfort and reassure her, Joy and Sadness work the console together, creating a new core memory that combines their respective emotions. A year later, Riley is adapting to her new home, as her emotions now work together to help her lead a more emotionally complex life.

Thursday, January 7, 2016

484. A Good Dinosaur

Title: A Good Dinosaur
Genre: Animation, Family, Adventure
Year: 2015

Summary: In an alternate timeline, the asteroid that would have caused the extinction of dinosaurs 65 million years ago passes safely over Earth.

Millions of years later, two Apatosaurus named Henry and Ida, who are farmers, give birth to three children: Libby, Buck, and the runt Arlo. While Libby and Buck easily adjust to life and their chores on their farm and make their mark (signified by a mud-print on a corn silo), Arlo's timid nature makes his tasks difficult for him. In order to give Arlo a sense of purpose, Henry puts him in charge of guarding their silo from critters and helping him set up a trap. While Arlo is on guard, the trap manages to capture a feral caveboy, but Arlo is too reluctant to kill him and sets him free. Heavily disappointed, Henry has Arlo accompany him to track the caveboy through a ravine where it begins to rain. After Arlo injures himself, Henry decides to turn back just as a flash flood occurs and a massive rapid appears, but Henry only manages to save Arlo before he is swept away and killed.

Without his father, Arlo must help his mother with harvesting crops before the first snow. After spotting the same caveboy inside the silo, Arlo, blaming him for his father's death, chases him until both of them fall into a river, where Arlo hits his head on a rock and is knocked unconscious. Waking up, Arlo is dismayed to find himself far from home and tries to survive on his own with minimal success, leaving himself trapped under a boulder. The next day, the caveboy finds and frees Arlo, and eventually gives him some berries to eat. The caveboy then leads Arlo to a berry tree where they are both attacked by a snake. The caveboy fights and repels the snake, an act which amazes Arlo. A nearby eccentric Styracosaurus, also impressed with the caveboy's physical prowess, tries to give him a name, but when Arlo calls him "Spot", he responds to it. After traveling together for the rest of the day, Arlo laments about his lost family and confides in Spot, who reveals that his own mother and father are dead. The next day, a storm ravages the land and Arlo, remembering the storm that took his father's life, runs away in fear.

The next morning, Arlo wakes up to find Spot only to be encountered by a fanatical band ofpterodactyls, consisting of a leader, Thunderclap, and his accomplices Downpour and Coldfront. The pterodactyls turn out to be savagely carnivorous. After they find Spot, Arlo and Spot run away, encountering a pair of Tyrannosaurus named Nash and Ramsey, who both ward the pterodactyls off. Arlo and Spot then meet Nash and Ramsey's father Butch, who agrees to let the two of them join their party if they can help them locate a herd of longhorns they had lost. Spot manages to sniff them out with Arlo, discovering the presence of "Rustlers". On Butch's instruction, Arlo lures the Rustlers out, who are revealed to be a pack of Velociraptors led by Bubbha looking to steal Butch's herd. As Butch and his children try to fend off the Rustlers, Arlo musters his courage to successfully hit two of them, allowing Butch to scare them off for good. Having gained the respect of the T. rexes, Arlo is led by Butch towards the area of his homeland. Along the way, Arlo and Spot encounter a caveman off in the distance, but they ignore him and continue on.

As another storm begins to pick up, Thunderclap and the pterodactyls return and attack the two, this time managing to take Spot away and leaving Arlo behind. As Arlo gets tangled in some vines, he has a vision of Henry leading him away and back toward home, but Arlo admits his friendship with Spot and resolves to save him, which makes his father proud before he fades away. Filled with determination, Arlo wakes up and attacks the pterodactyls who have cornered Spot at the river. Arlo and Spot manage to throw the pterodactyls into the water where they ride helplessly downstream. A flash flood begins and a massive mudslide crashes into the river and triggers a torrent. Despite his fear, Arlo leaps to save Spot and the two of them are carried away by the flood towards a waterfall. Arlo manages to swim towards Spot and hold on to him as they both fall, with Arlo carrying Spot to shore where he regains consciousness.

As they venture forth, Arlo and Spot both hear the calls of a caveman family just as they come over the hill overseeing Arlo's farm. With great reluctance, Arlo encourages Spot to join them and the two of them share a tearful, loving goodbye. The film ends with Arlo arriving back home to his mother and siblings, and he is allowed to leave his mud-print on the silo between the prints of his mother and father.

483. Minions

Title: Minions
Genre: Family, Comedy, Animations
Year: 2015

Summary: Minions are small, yellow creatures who have existed since the beginning of time, evolving from single-celled organisms into beings who exist only to serve history's most villainous masters.[14] After serving a great deal of masters over the centuries, they find they enjoy serving humans the most. However, after a disastrous end to their service toNapoleon, the Minions are driven into isolation and decide to start a new life in a massive cave in Antarctica. All goes well at first, but after many years, the Minions become restless and undriven without a master to serve. To regain their dignity and sense of purpose, one Minion, Kevin, decides to set out to find a new boss and asks for help. He only receives help from Stuart, a musically inclined Minion who is blissfully unaware of what he has been chosen for; and Bob, a young and inexperienced but infectious Minion who tends to befriend anyone he meets and is the only one who knows what Kevin is doing. Kevin and his friends then leave.

The trio journey to New York City where the year is 1968. After spending the day attempting to blend in, the Minions end up in adepartment store for the night where they see a hidden commercial broadcast for villains advertising Villain-Con; a convention for villains and supervillains in Orlando. The trio manage to hitchhike a ride with a family of villains called the Nelsons and impress them with their accidental villainy. Once at the convention, they meet Scarlet Overkill, the first female supervillain, and they impress her enough for her to hire them. Kevin contacts the other Minions, who had found a new boss, but their service is interrupted when they accidentally kill him and are chased out of their cave. They make their way to England to find Kevin, Bob, and Stuart. Taking the three to her home in London, Scarlet and her husband Herb explain their plan to steal St. Edward's Crown from Queen Elizabeth II of England and promise to reward the Minions if they are successful in stealing it, threatening bodily harm if they aren't. Herb supplies them with inventions to aid in the heist, but they are nearly caught when they break into the Tower of London, which leads to a highly publicized chase that ends with Bob crashing into theSword in the Stone and pulling it free, becoming King of England. Enraged by this, Scarlet confronts the Minions, who claim that their intention was to give her the crown; Bob changes the law to allow him to pass it to her. Undeterred because she feels betrayed, Scarlet imprisons the three in a dungeon to be tortured by Herb before her coronation, but afterwards they are left alone and escape.

Making their way to Westminster Abbey, the three of them interrupt the coronation by accidentally sending a chandelier down on Scarlet, who immediately orders their execution. Dozens of villains chase them and Bob and Stuart are caught while Kevin finds his way into a pub. Scarlet threatens to kill Stuart and Bob at dawn if Kevin doesn't show up. Kevin sneaks into Scarlet's home to steal weapons, but inadvertently triggers an untested machine Herb was building and grows over one-hundred feet in height. He tramples through London, rescuing his friends just as the other Minions reunite with them. Scarlet tries to eradicate them, but Kevin defends them, swallowing a massive missile while being pulled through the air by Scarlet's rocket-powered dress. The missile detonates, apparently killing Kevin and the Overkills. After briefly mourning him, the Minions are overjoyed when Kevin reappears, having returned to his normal size. After Bob gives Elizabeth her crown back, she rewards him with a tiny crown for his teddy bear, Stuart, along with an electric guitar that he calls a "Mega Ukulele" and she knights Kevin for his heroism. Elizabeth suddenly realizes that her crown is missing, and Kevin leads a chase after Scarlet and Herb, who are fleeing through the crowd until they are suddenly frozen in place by a young Gru, who steals the bejeweled crown from them and takes off in a rocket-powered motorbike while the Minions stare in awe. Realizing that they have found a new, cunning boss, they let Bob give the golden crown to the frozen Scarlet whose hand is still moving and give chase to follow him home.