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Given what has culminated in the Jurassic World saga, we're now switching gears with Jurassic World's latest installment Rebirth, featuring a new cast of characters and star Scarlett Johansson is recruited as the new lead after Chris Pratt's Owen Grady had stepped away from the series. Have to say director Gareth Edwards really tackled the seventh installment in the Jurassic film series. Given his experience doing monster movies like 2014's Godzilla, Rebirth has that ominous, suspenseful flair when introducing a new creature that the characters have yet to experience. Almost like you can tell from a few scenes were his handiwork that he utilized from his past films.

Five years have passed since the events of Dominion and ex-covert operative Zora Bennett is picking up where the previous protagonists left off. Earth's climate has become increasingly unsustainable and from what has shown with de-extinct dinosaurs roaming around the equator, it's been deemed unsafe for people to travel in these environments that public interest has waned. This becomes Zora's mission to save humanity, even if it means coming across new species of dinosaurs never seen before on a separate island isolated from what has transpired in the past.

As a whole, it's got plenty of action and adventure coming in various ways. But was it better than Dominion? In a way, it does. I cannot stress enough to say that this does feel too routine. Scarlett is now the one carrying the weight of this latest installment. Almost like Universal's following a long-played franchise that has been said and done like Fast & Furious. Though the events of Dominion overlap with Rebirth's, this whole film looked like it was really trying to go back to basics with familiar themes and scenarios done before in the franchise. So neither good, nor bad. And as before, longtime screenplay writer David Koepp borrows some elements of author Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park novel to utilize here, while in the process recover some of its DNA that made the original Jurassic Park a classic. A decent dino outing.

Hearing about the latest work coming from Sony Pictures Animation, comes a new kind of story that's both entertaining and engaging with its unique cultural impact and songs that help keep the story diligently and dramatically written. Though I was initially skeptical about the title thinking it was going to be a gimmicky play on all things Korean Pop, K-pop Demon Hunters has proven otherwise as an interesting blend of Korean culture, modern day pop, and action! Given the fact that this studio is the same animation team behind the Academy Award-winning film Into the Spider-Verse, they've unleashed a unique style that has similar rendering capabilities, but crossed with Japanese anime elements and humorous tropes commonly seen in past works of that genre. Pixar's Turning Red being one recent example to utilize that.

The film tells the story of a trio of female performers known professionally to their adoring fans as Huntrix. Members Rumi, Zoey, and Mira live the luxury life and enjoy singing their hearts out to countless fans out there, but unknown to the public. Their other job is that they come from a secretive long line of demon hunters who have been tasked to protect the human world from demons who would dare breach theirs. Along with a suspicious K-pop boy band who are suspected to be part of this other world.

With a total of ten impressive songs composed by Marcelo Zarvos and written by a handful of South Korean artists who helped contribute to the soundtrack, you've got an awesome blend of traditional and modern wrapped into one. The voice cast did a fantastic job singing the most upbeat, enthusiastic songs. And I'm impressed they've casted relatively unknowns to voice the leads, while a few familiar names like Ken Jeong as Huntrix's manager Bobby serves as a comedic touch to the cast.

The moral itself is really telling, it gets deeper when Huntrix leader Rumi comes across the true nature of her birth and character coming from her foster parent Celine. It's like even though she's different from others, including her close friends. That doesn't make her any less special to the best of her singing skills and won't let doubt get the better of her. Their insecurities and imperfections don't have to be necessarily viewed as bad. They help shape the nature of what makes them who they are in a beautiful way.

Huntrix leader Rumi desperately asks "Why couldn't you love me? ALL of me?" That line resonated deeply about acceptance. Judging by the lore and the backstories of these characters, I can tell there's more to share than what we've already been let on. You don't have to be an avid K-pop fan to enjoy the film. It's mainly about three friends going about their day beyond the mundane and taking action whenever they or those around them are threatened. I was definitely swept away in this musical action tale.

What made me enjoy this anime film by Toho Productions and director Junichi Sato (Sailor Moon, Sgt. Frog) is that it had quite a story that's both fantasy and a wonderful slice of life. The voice actors did a great performance in capturing the characters' personalities on both the humorous and emotional side of things. First heard of this movie at a screening at Anime Expo in Los Angeles, so when the scenario began to take shape and play out, the anime film A Silent Voice came to mind when its most regretful and hurtful moments occurred and the works of Hayao Miyazaki began to emerge too. I mean, the title alone "A Whisker Away" makes me think of a few lead cat characters helmed by Studio Ghibli, including the whimsical nature of their movies. Perhaps inspired from them.

It tells the story about a teen girl named Miyo who has a mad crush on fellow schoolmate Kento Hinode. Though she is head over heels for him, he doesn't feel the same way and usually avoids her out of annoyance or embarrassment. But given her energetic and mundane, yet troubled family life after her mother walked out on her at a young age, she one day magically transforms into that of a white cat after meeting a shady mask seller. Now a cat, her crush finds her alone on the streets and takes her in not knowing the girl who has a crush on him is one and the same. After spending time with him as a cat, she becomes more close to him and learns more about Hinode's personal life with family and other struggles.

Initially, I viewed the depiction of Miyo as a young girl with an unhealthy crush to the point of being obsessed with Hinode much to him and her best friend Yori's chagrin. But then as she gets to know him better while still a cat. That sense of yearning becomes more genuine despite Hinode seemingly not feeling the same way or aware of the truth about Miyo. But her slowly becoming a cat and unable to hear him speak becomes a hindrance and this fantasy cat world also plays a role in a race against time to being human again. This left me intrigued even more.

I consider this a hidden gem of anime films. It's rather charming to watch seeing how the consequences of "getting what you want, but losing what you had" comes into play. It's about learning from them and not taking them for granted until you realize too late. Don't let that go. Through it all, Hinode realizes his and her feelings are genuine. This is well written and I can't imagine what has transpired from this, only blissful happiness.