Saturday, September 27, 2014

The Maze Runner (2014) movie review


Overall verdict: 8/10

The Good: Intriguing mystery premise, well rounded characterisations, magnificent production design, well paced narrative, touches on social commentary

The Bad: cliched storyline, shaky camera cinematography, "designated hero" syndrome for main character

3D Readiness: Post filming 3D conversion.
IMax-ability: Tight shaky shots of running do not work in iMax. 

*****************************
His name is Thomas. That is all he knows. He has been sent via the mysterious "box" into a contained colony of boys called "the glade". Nobody knows why they are there, only that they cannot leave. Around the glade lies the maze where only the fastest and bravest among them, dubbed "maze runners", get to explore in the hopes of finding a way out. Thomas' arrival causes a schism among the boys and strange incidents start happening one after the other. As the perfect peaceful society of the Glade is slowly torn asunder, Thomas must unravel the secrets of the maze and confront the horrors within. 
Secrets, half-truths, and a sense that all is not what it seems. I have always loved a good sci if mystery. Our premise of a community of male teens isolated from the world is a premise many would be familiar with. The group rivalries, the competition for alpha male status, the unique lifestyle and forms of punishment; MAZE RUNNER takes advantage of its slow moving first half to build that world of lost boys. All the while, the constant mystery of the maze lingers. And just when things start to wind down, the writers throw more surprises into the mix which give the film a much needed sense of urgency. What are these surprises? No spoilers now. But rest assured, this movie has great pacing.
MAZE RUNNER is how I always imagined a gritty blockbuster movie would look based on those printed mazes in activity books we used to trace with crayons when we were kids. The maze itself is marvelously designed, oozing with a sense of dread. The ominous walls combines an ancient monolithic look with pieces of worn out future tech peeking out the corners; just enough to give this uneasy sense of that something is not quite right. Couple all that with some truly spine chilling sound effects and the movie starts to cross into horror territory. 
It is to mazes kind of like what they did to a simple board game called Battleship. Unlike the battleship movie, MAZE RUNNER gives us some well rounded characters with believable motives and decent development. Yes you have some clichéd stereotypes in the benevolent but status quo upholding leader, the hot headed "warrior chief" alpha male edging for a fight, the conflicted second in command, and an adorable sidekick for the main character. Yet it is this sense of familiarity with the character archetypes and the isolated single gender community setting that let's one ease into the story without being alienated by the already alienating premise.
Amazing as the movie is, MAZE RUNNER is not without some flaws. Main character Thomas suffers from the typical designated hero syndrome. He is not a kid who earns his heroism or the respect of the group. From the get go, everything important revolves around him, he is able to do startling things that no one else can. You know he is special and the plot does not hide that or let it develop naturally. Director Wes Ball crafts a decently paced narrative with top notch special effects, but the visuals tend to be marred by his obsession with out of focus shaky cameras in action scenes. Perhaps the biggest misstep is some poorly placed flashbacks that could have completely ruined the mystery element for audiences familiar with certain video games (hint: Portal). 
I admit to not having read the original book so I would not know how close it is to the source material. On its own, MAZE RUNNER is The grandchild of LORD OF THE FLIES and TV's LOST. It combines tried and true story beats sieved through an intriguing premise and a decent mystery (despite being almost undone by the ill advised flashbacks). It avoids many mistakes other adaptations of young adult novels make, like lingering on romance subplots, and leaves a decent sequel hook that leaves you wanting more.


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Entertainment: A
Story: B-
Acting: B+
Characters: A
Music: B+
Replay value: A
"Brains": B

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Need For Speed (2014) movie review



Overall verdict: 7.5/10

The Good: Intensely choreographed races, dynamic camerawork,  

The Bad: cliched storyline, flat characterisations, 

3D Readiness: Post filming 3D conversion.
IMax-ability: Wide shots of open country racing and first person POV shots lend itself well to iMax.

******************************Review*****************************
When a need for speed movie was first announced, people questioned its necessity. After all, a movie based around exotic cars, high octane races, police chases and racing rival had already been made and it is called THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS. Fortunately, 3 movies into the franchise and the Vin Diesel star vehicle dissed its racing concept and became a series of straight up heist movies. NEED FOR SPEED fills the vacuums it left with a plot focused squarely on racing instead of having racing as a side dish to a police/criminal cat and mouse game.

Taking its name from the long running Need For Speed video game franchise, NEED FOR SPEED manages to...........wait what? A video game movie? Yup, we can all hear the critics putting on their prejudice cap and throwing out the mandatory scathing review. All things considered, yes NEED FOR SPEED is not award winning material. It has a done-to-death "underdog out for revenge against a big wig" storyline, simplistic characterisations, and every single racing movie cliche you can think off.

Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul stars as Tobey Marshall, a down-on-his-luck mechanic who enters night time street races to try and keep his shop out of the red. One day, Tobey and his pals get hired by his childhood rival turned millionaire Dino Brewster to customise a one of a kind Ford Mustang. When Tobey's earnest nature and driving skills wins him the favour of Julia, who purchases the car, Dino challenges Tobey and his best friend Pete to a race. Too proud to lose, Dino knocks Pete off road to his death during the race, implicating Tobey as the prime suspect. Now Tobey serves his time and gets out of jail with vengeance and a plan. Catch the attention of the mysterious "Monarch" who runs the De Leon cross country race, outrun the cops, and get his revenge against Dino.

Sacrilege! Some may cry. Why is this movie not about characters that were featured in the games? Where is Zephyr and his youtube videos of illegal racing thus spurring the Cops to try and take him down? Where is Caleb Reese, leader of "the wraiths"? Why is the main character's girlfriend not named Samantha?

Oh how shallow they look. The whole story in this movie, the characters, the cars, the races, the very style of the cinematography; it is all the pure distillation of the games' concepts.  For those who had played the Need For Speed games, this movie is a real thrill as it pays tribute to most of the signature concepts of past games. The whole underground race organised by Michael Keaton's "Monarch" harkens back to "Need For Speed: Underground" series, the main character and his crew of mechanics pays tribute to "Need for Speed Carbon", the various police chases and the fact that our character is an ex-convict on the run is right up there with "Hot pursuit" and "Most Wanted". Even the main car and the holographic heads up display is exactly like in the games.

Cliched story aside, NEED FOR SPEED is surprisingly well done. Cinematography is magnificent not just for a video game movie but for any movie. Shots are bright whether day or night, colours are rich and vibrant without breaking the sense of reality, and beautiful locales are brought to life with wide steady camera angles. A far cry from the typical jitter cam and quick cuts that plagues car scenes in movies. Perhaps the most impressive is the fact that most of the movie is done with practical effects.

On a side note, the script does allow our actors to shine despite . The love/hate bickering between Aaron Paul's Tobey and Imogen Poots' Julia is a real treat showing the chemistry the two actors cook up between each other. We get a good peppering of witty laugh-out-loud humour particularly from Tobey's mechanic crew pals. Do not expect dialogue that is layered or complicated though. This is straight up good guy underdog vs rich bad guy smug snake. Between Dino's evil scowling and Tobey trying his darndest to master the "intense" stare, the subplot about their rivalry seems to hold as much weight as a rivalry between playground bullies.

So yes, NEED FOR SPEED is in no way avant grade cinema with its level of storytelling and dialogue. It is however a very enjoyable racing movie and one good example of how to properly capture the essence of a video game despite detracting from in-game story lines. Accompanied by an astounding soundtrack that sounds like a cover mix of Brian Tyler and Hans Zimmer, NEED FOR SPEED is fun, exciting and an all out thrill to watch despite its shortcomings. Until the FAST AND FURIOUS series ditches the overdone heist/chase plots, NEED FOR SPEED is here providing pure adrenaline pumping blockbuster racing to fill that gap.

*****************************Review End***************************

Entertainment: A
Story: C-
Acting: A-
Characters: A-
Music: B+
Replay value: A
"Brains": B-

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Batman: Assault on Arkham [2014] direct-to-video animation movie review



Overall verdict: 9/10

The Good: Stunning detailed artwork and character designs, dynamic fight sequences, smooth character motion, timely comedy without going overboard, badass soundtrack, marvellous cast chemistry and acting.

The Bad: Misaimed marketing (Batman), short running time, 

3D Readiness: none


******************************Review*****************************

Villains get the spotlight in BATMAN: ASSAULT ON ARKHAM, a loose prequel set before the critically acclaimed Batman: Arkham Asylum video game. A black ops mission to assassinate the Riddler is foiled by Batman, prompting CIA operative Amanda Waller to assemble "Task Force X", aka The Suicide Squad. Morally ambiguous Vigilante Black Spider, seductive ice queen Killer Frost, savage brute King Shark, Australian scoundrel Captain Boomerang, crazy Harley Quinn and the cynical assassin Deadshot. These sociopathic misfits have to put aside their differences to work together, lest they "lose their heads".

Playing out like a good ol fashioned heist film in the vein of THE ITALIAN JOB or OCEAN'S ELEVEN, we see six villains assembled by Amanda Waller and sent on a mission impossible deep into the heart of the dreaded Arkham Asylum to retrieve a thumb drive containing sensitive information, that was in the Riddler's possession. From the electronic heavy rock soundtrack to the Taratino-esque roll call opening credits sequence, you know you are in for a completely different animated movie. The fun begins when we get to see how well these bad guys play off one another in a script that is chock full of dark humour and depth.

Although each villain does not get much development, we do get a "keynotes" look into their personalities, their motivations and their minds as the brisk pace of the movie sprints from action scene to action scene. Their roles in the team are familiar archetypes for classic villain teams: the alpha male leader (Deadshot), the butt monkey backstabber (Captain Boomerang), the dumb muscle (King Shark), the seductress (Killer Frost), the mysterious odd one out (Black Spider), and the psycho (Harley Quinn). Yet in this familiarity comes the opportunity for the characters to truly shine thanks to some magnificent chemistry and voice acting. 

Alas, for a title named "Batman: Assault on Arkham" the titular Batman plays a supporting, almost cameo, role. But when he does appear, he exhibits a powerful onscreen presence. Those barely visible eyes staring intensely from within the cowl, the new look of the costume which blends the dark blue streamlined design of Justice League Unlimited with the armoured detailing of New 52, not to mention the return of the classic Batman voice Kevin Conroy. But I digress. Batman is not the focus here, the Suicide Squad is. And they get one hell of a 75 minute showcase. Throughout the movie, you get a sense that some of the team members have their own agenda and secrets. What looks like a crazy outburst turns out to be a well calculated distraction for example. This movie keeps you guessing and keeps the tension up from start to finish. 

Like previous DC Animated movies, ASSAULT ON ARKHAM does not shy away from bloody violence or semi-sexual depictions. The near nudity, the blood letting, it is insane, threading close to an "R" rating. Action is smooth, fluid, with a very high budget quality which combines detailed artwork with dynamic animation. Visually, Moi Animation studios have outdone themselves once again delivering top notch animation that surpasses many of their Japanese anime counterparts. For quick comparison, take a look at the animation on SON OF BATMAN done by Japanese anime studio "TheAnswerStudio" and then compare it to the visuals in BATMAN ASSAULT ON ARKHAM. No contest. 

BATMAN ASSAULT ON ARKHAM was a risky experiment, but an experiment that pays off. Edgy but fun, dark but not brooding, intense but not shallow. There seem to be things you can do onscreen and a dark sense of fun you get with villains instead of heroes. Here I am hoping that DC would consider releasing a villain centric animated movie for every two hero centric movies per year. The DC rogues gallery needs to be tapped and tapped well. This is a good start.

*****************************Review End***************************
Entertainment: A-
Story: B+
Characters: A-
Animation: A
Art: A
Music: A-
Voice work: A
Replay Value: A-
"Brains": C-

Friday, August 15, 2014

Movie Tweaks: The Spirit

Movie Tweaks is where we tweak a tiny element of a movie in a way that may make it better,

So lets start things off from the bottom of the barrel with Frank Miller's critically panned 2008 film "The Spirit"

1) THE SPIRIT [2008]
What it is: A satirical dark remake of a classic comic that has almost nothing in common with the original.

What it can be with a simple script addition: Will Eisner's "The Dark Knight Returns".
The Octopus is revealled to be Ebony White and the movie's story is revealled to be 30 years after the end of the original comic.
 Instead of re-telling an altered version of the Spirit's origin in which the Octopus was responsible for Danny Colt's resurrection, the death we see is not of Danny Colt but of The Spirit.

The 50s. The world was good, and everything was grand. Life was great. The Spirit, champion of Central City assists the police to uphold the law. Ebony White, a young african american kid is is biggest fan.He dreams of one day becoming a sidekick to the Spirit and join in his life of crimefighting. He worshiped The Spirit and obsessed over him.

All Ebony White ever wanted was to be just like his hero. Ebony himself, being an african american in a predominantly white city, had to bear with poverty, hardship and racism. The Spirit is Loved by all, fighting crime, getting the girls, everything Ebony ever wanted. Faithfully he served as the Spirit's driver until one day, Ebony decided to tell the Spirit about his dream. Ebony would be his crime fighting sidekick. But the Spirit declined.
"You don't have these enhanced abilities like me, Ebony", he said, "plus you're......you. No one would ever take you seriously".  It was true. Where the Spirit was reanimated by mysterious chemicals which gave him superhuman endurance, Ebony was mere mortal. In a time where coloured folk were looked down upon, no one would ever take a black superhero seriously.

On one fateful day, the two best friends had their final falling out, and then went their seperate ways. Ebony became obsessed with being a better superhero than The Spirit. He left Central city and devoted his life to science, reasearching a way to imbue himself with superhuman powers and eternal life.  The streetsmart young punk funded his obsession through an illegal drug trade, gaining infamy in the criminal underworld. Adopting the name of the Spirit's one time nemesis "The Octopus", Ebony White shed all vestiges of his former life and embraced evil as the perfect counterbalance to the Siprit's good, as the perfect yang to the Spirit's Ying.

Then one day, The Spirit died a mysterious death. No one knew why or how. Perhaps the chemicals in Danny Colt's body finally deteriorated. Perhaps Central City no longer needed him. Perhaps it was just his time to go. The Spirit died and Ebony White never got his revenge. In a fit of obsession fueled madness, Ebony White was determined to get his vegence. To that end, he used his experimental formula to resurrect The Spirit, thus leading to the events of the film. 









Thursday, July 10, 2014

Local Productions as internationally appealing Blockbuster Remakes

1. Virtual Reality - remake of VR Man
In a sentence: the nature of reality and all existence itself is called into question when one young man awakens with the power to change the world.

Synopsis: All is not right with the world. Vernon, An amnesiac young man, simply exists. He exists in modern day bSingapore. He exists to discover that he has powers to alter peoples' perception of reality. He meets other like powered individuals; a young mother who can control the source of all emotions, an idealistic boy able to mainpulate physical matter, and a mysterious individual named Mr Lie who claims to hold the answer to the truth about this world. With great powers, some would desire to change the world, while one would protect the world as it is. But when perception manifests as actual occurrences, Vernon has to question the very nature of existence and uncover a tragic mystery that threatens all reality. If your mind and senses tell you it's real, is it truly real? What is real? What is reality?

Tone: Dark City and Matrix meets The dark knight returns



2. 999 - remake of Triple 9
In a sentence: A veteran detective and a corrupt cop play a dangerous cat and mouse game leading up to one of the biggest anti-gang bust in the history of the country.
Synopsis: Shah Khairul was a best trainee in police academy, quickly working his way into the CID and rising through the ranks. He is a loving husband, an efficient policeman and a role model admired by his colleagues. Unknown to all, he is also a mole for the notorious "gamma" gang, planted within the CID in a never ending intel war between criminal and cop. Shah is partnered with Inspector Alan Leong, an "old timer" intending to pass on his skills before he retires. A psychological cat and mouse game ensues at at first, but a series of events at home and Alan's undying friendship slowly shakes Shah's loyalty and belief in his gang. When a rival gang moves in on gamma home turf, and the Home Team prepares for the largest anti gang operation in the history of Singapore, Shah is faced with a fateful choice. A choice that may damn life and his family.

Tone: Infernal Affairs and Gangs of New York set in Modern Singapore in the style of Kurt Wimmer


3. Extra Ordinary - loose remake of Extraordinary People
In a sentence: An honest normal girl triumphs over insurmountable odds in a superpowered society which values monetary power, beauty and purchased status.
Synopsis: For a million dollars a month, your child will be granted one Superpower of his or her choice as long as they remain in Singapore. Flight, super speed, hyper intellect, enhanced strength, we have it all. This is the promise of POWERS.SG. Thanks to a salvaged alien transmitter, children can be granted superpowers within a 40km radius. This turns Singapore into the world's leading country in all industries, cutting edge tech, work efficiency and knowledge. Competition for schools, results, jobs etc is steeper than ever. Into this  highly competitive world stands Sarah, an ordinary girl in every sense. Not rich enough to afford the monthly subscription for a superpower, Sarah is continually just scraping by in a school full of geniuses, failing physical fitness standards set by men who can run like lightning, and constantly ridiculed for her lack of status defining power. But through a quirky new friend, Sarah would learn that one does not have to be Super in order to be special. Watch as one ordinary girl overcomes extra ordinary odds to show that In a world where your ability to afford artificial enhancements define you, there is still room for a pure heart and hard work to pay off.

Tone: Gattaca with superpowers  and the social satire of Robocop


4. I'm Not Stupid - remake of I not stupid
In a sentence: a misunderstood autistic young boy forms a lasting bond with 2 social outcast friends and brave the trials of school work, competitive parents, unreasonable teachers and bullies.
Synopsis: it is a big confusing world for young Gordon Liu. A failure at everrything but math, Gordon is continually ridiculed for his isolationist behaviour, weird quirks and quiet nature. He hates it when people are late, he follows a strict time guided routine, and he never memorises his facts. His teachers find him lazy, his classmates have stopped bothering with him, his parents think he is stupid, and his only friends in school are 2 fellow social outcasts, the pampered Terry deCruz and fight-hungry tough boy Bobbie "The Hawk" Tan. Yet with an IQ beyond average, Gordon is no retard. Here is a boy with autism, a condition barely understood by those around him. Some would attempt to make use of his genius intellect, while other merely content on ridiculing him. Together, theyface demanding parents, the rigours of student politics, and a notorious school bully intent on making their lives a living hell.

Tone: man of Steel's flipped premise by way of Rain Man with elements of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

5. Army Daze: First Cohort - prequel/remake of Army Daze
In a sentence: Young men of different upbringings, race and religion must unite In a time of social divide to stand against an even greater threat,

Synopsis: this is not your Grandfather's army! Well actually, it is. In 1969, a platoons worth of brave young men signed up as Singapores first batch of combat national servicemen. Forget the quirky staff sergeants, the culture shock, or the Ntuc food fare sponsored lunches of modern times. Back then, these brave men cooked their own disgusting excuse for food, bathed in crap, and were tormented by the fiercest Israeli trainer in existence. Beaten, burned, broken in mind and body, only the strongest would survive. This was a true journey from boys to men. In a nation fresh out of turmoil, this platoon of pioneers would be all that stands between peace and a daring terror attack that history conveniently forgot.

Tone: Band of Brothers in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket, 1960s Singapore version


6. Peace - loose remake/prequel of Price of peace
In a sentence: the price of peace is a heavy one presented as an interconnected tale of love, loyalty and unsung heroes set against the fall of Singapore to the Japanese.

Synopsis: From the north they came. Invaders. Conquerors. The gods of War. A bloody tide of vengeance swept forth from japan, consuming south east asia in what history has come to know as the Japanese Occupation. All that remains is the Lion City itself, the prized port of East Asia: Singapore. Abandoned by their british colonial masters, this tiny island was left to fend against the invaders for seven days. Seven days of death as bombs rained on the island. Seven days of terror as troops swept through villages, pillaging and kidnapping at will. Yet unsung heroes would emerge: a servant who puts aside racial prejudice to hide his late master's son, a priest providing sanctuary to the innocent despite the threat of execution, a boy's daring plan to save his family, and a brave platoon of local volunteer troops in their last glorious stand against certain death. 

Tone: tragic invasion movie in the tone of Skyline or Independence Day's first act with elements of 300.


7. Growing Up - Growing up
In a sentence: a man's faith, love and simple unassuming nature would be tested across the ages as he braves war, famine, betrayal, loss and an ever changing society.

Synopsis: Charlie Tay had big dreams. A mansion on a hill, the most beautiful wife in the world, fame, riches and many children. Life, however, had different plans for Charlie. A time of great upheaval looms on the horizon. He is One man with many stories. For a moment, he is 10; frolicking in the swamps near punggol. For a moment, he is 15; bombs go off as he runs home in terror, the Japanese flag flying from fort canning hill. In a time of uncertainty and violence, Charlie finds his first love in a young woman named Soo Mei, faces up to the local extortion gangs and tries to bring his life under control.  From the transistor radio to the HD tv, from the pager to the smart phone, Charlie has seen it all. Faced with the choices in life, Charlie would have to make tough decisions between his dream and his family. For in life, not everyone can shape their choices to reach their dream. And sometimes, the perfect life need not be the perfect dream.

Tone: About time without the time travel with The Wind Rises.


8. Orang Minyak
In a sentence: an unstoppable killer hunts down horny young campers.
Synopsis: the oily man. Folk tales speak of a pervert who sold his soul to the devil. In return for ultimate power, he would have to rape 7 young virgins. Moral of the story: be a good girl and stay home at night. But hey, in comes a bunch of 12 horny 18 year olds to a secluded chalet at the outskirts of Johor Bahru. They have one mission: get high, get laid, and get little Stephanie Chua inducted into the degenerate culture of drugs, booze and sex. Screw the folklore, screw the warnings, let's just screw. But a week of sinful getaway turns to terror when a stranger covered head to toe in slick crude oil stalks the teens. This killer rapist could be one of them, or it could be the legendary orang Minyak. Is the monster merely a sick twisted man? Or is there more to the myths of this creature's demonic origin? And what twisted fate does it have in store for virginal little Stephanie?

Tone: Jason Voorhees meets Alien and Swamp Thing

9. Break Free - Remake of "One More Chance"
In a sentence: One man's journey to redemption is plagued by doubt, fear and enemies on all sides, yet one idealistic prison officer may be all that is needed to rekindle his faith in a new life.

Synopsis: In the deadly aftermath of Singapore's largest anti gang operation, Chan Yao Ming is imprisoned when he was seized doing drugs in a local nightclub. He had heard stories of changi prison; stories of heartless officers who would beat you into painful submission, stories of violent inter-gang tension, of getting anal raped, chained to walls, stripped, humiliated and worse. Yao Ming is housed in block Bravo 5, together with other druggie inmates pending treatment. There, he becomes embroiled in the inmate sub culture, the good the bad and the utterly disgusting. In the prison, he meets officer Rachael Han, a young senior officer barely 2 years in service and trying to earn the respect of her male subordinates. Rachael's idealistic outlook towards changing inmates stands in contrast to Chief Warder Ishmael, an "old timer" who sees inmates as mistakes to be forced into correction through any means necessary. Initially dismissive of Officer Han and constantly attempting to manipulate her, Yao Ming is slowly won over by her encouraging and forgiving attitude. Yet unknown to our main players, a devious scheme is being plotted by some of the imprisoned gang members. A scheme that may forever impact the lives of both inmate and officer.

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

5 other Light Novels that deserve a hollywood adaptation - And how Hollywood would change them.

Edge Of Tomorrow has earned critics' praise. Little do most people know that it was adapted from a japanese light novel called "All you need is Kill".

Now, here are 5 more light novels i would like to see in live action blockbuster form.

I also reflected on expected changes that we might see if these get adapted into movies.


1) Full Metal Panic

Tone: A-Team and Terminator without cyborgs, in a high school setting, with mechs.

Plot synopsis: Eighteen year old Katherine "Kathy" Connelly is the smart, sporty, and good looking, head of the student council at Dyson College. Her hot headed nature and tomboy demeanour makes her less of the hot prom date than "one of the guys". All is well, all is good, until a foreign transfer student arrives: Souske Sagara. This isreali with a japanese name turns out to be highly trained professional commando on a mission to protect Kathy whom his employers believe to be the last of "The Whispered"; humans with hidden knowledge of a long lost alien technology. He proves only too effective in dispatching anyone who gets too close, including the occasional panty thief, and ruining Kathy's social life. Amid the high school hijinks, a sinister force from Souske's past is plotting to kidnap Kathy. And he might just get the chance with an upcoming field trip.




2) Vampire Hunter D

Tone: Dirty Harry meets Aliens Vs Predator Requiem in the style of gothic horror

The people of the village of Tepes once cowered in fear beneath the shadow of an ancient manor rumoured to be the home of a powerful Vampire.  It became a place whispered of in ghost stories to caution young people to stay away. One day four of the village children vanished. Only three returned, with no memory of what happened or where they went.
That was ten years ago. Now, in the year 12,090 A.D., vampires who can walk in the daylight have appeared. Did the disappearance of the children have something to do with the undead's newfound powers? Into this mystery comes the even more mysterious "D"; a tall pale vampire hunter with a sullen air about him. He is instantly handsome and beautiful at the same time, and his prowess with his longsword is matched only by his inhuman strength. What secrets do the children hold in their memories? What secrets does D hold himself? The answer may lie in house on a haunted hill.

3) The Third

Tone: Elysium in the setting of Resident Evil Extinction.

The world is a ravaged desert land. With the help of an artificially intelligent tank called Bogie, Hannah attempts to make a living as a jack of all trades for hire in a future devastated by war and full of over-sized insects that plauge the sands between towns. One day in her travels she comes across a strange man alone in the desert, but rescuing him has consequences and brings unwanted trouble her way. Through this man, Hannah discovers another society observing the devastated earth from a pristine space colony. The mystery deepens.

4) Trinity Blood
Tone: Priest and Van Helsing
The background is in the distant future after the destruction brought about by Armageddon. The war between the vampires and the humans continue to persist. In order to protect the humans from the vampires, Vatican has to rely on other allies to counter the situation. The protagonist, a priest called Peter Abel Nightroad, travels through the countries as a representative for the Vaticans. However, he is also part of "Ax", a special operations group controlled by the Cardinal Catherina. His encounter with a young girl called Esther will determine the struggle and survival between the human race and the vampires.



5) Baccano!
Tone: Highlander with Sin City set in 1920s prohibition era

In the year 1711, a group of alchemists are granted an elixir of immortality, with the stipulation that they must kill each other until there can be only one. The now-immortal group unanimously decides it wasn't worth it and destroy the elixir; but one of them, Slizard Quates, starts to kill off his fellow immortals. To reduce the risk of Quates tracking them all down, the group separates and goes their separate ways. Neither of them crosses paths again till 1930, Manhattan, when Quates manages to create a new elixir of immortality. However, he loses it and it ends up going around town, taken to be a bottle of alcohol and unknowingly drunk by many residents. The drinkers of this new elixir include Isaac and Miria, an eccentric pair of thieves; the Gandor brothers, a Mafia family; and their associates in the Camorra, the Martillos (who employ some of the original immortals). Now, not only are a new group of immortals created, but the simmering criminal underworld is about to explode.