tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131886781139158552024-03-18T20:53:57.404-04:00Why We WatchA New Media Channel. By Fans, For Fans.Eddie Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12008836649805848949noreply@blogger.comBlogger111125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-15746677542592243302024-03-11T16:51:00.001-04:002024-03-17T14:59:01.378-04:00Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024) [Spoiler Review]<p>For the first time last week, I got sucked into the world of <i>Dune</i>. </p><p>It is for this reason I decided to review both <i>Dune</i> and the newly released <i>Dune: Part Two</i> this week.</p><p>In case you don't know, director Denis Villenueve, production company Legendary Pictures, and studio Warner Brothers chose to divide Frank Herbert's 1965 novel <i>Dune</i> into two parts. While this may have been a gamble, it sure paid off. </p><p>Both films follow the journey of Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet), the son of aristocratic leader Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac) and Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), a member of the cultish sisterhood known as the Bene Gesserit, who possess strange, mystical powers through years of physical and mental training. </p><p>Because of the rivalry between his and the Harkonnen family, a group of mostly bald, anti-social people, Paul is a bit of an outcast, which is why the idea of him being the heir to his kingdom known as Arrakis poses a threat.</p><p>In both films, Paul leads a fight against the Harkonnens over "spice," a commodity analogous to oil that increases vitality and awareness and has psychotropic properties. He finds key allies in the Fremen, a group of poor, Bedouin-like people. </p><p>The rather skinny Paul undergoes Jedi Master-like training in the first film from the likes of soldiers Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa) and Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin), physician Dr. Wellington Yueh (Chang Chen) and military strategist <span style="background-color: white; color: #202122;"><span style="font-family: times;">Thufir Hawat (Stephen McKinley Henderson), all associates of his father. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #202122; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;">Arrakis is eventually conquered by the Harkonnens in the first film, leading Paul to officially be taken in by the Fremen, along with his mother Jessica. Father Leto ultimately sacrifices himself in a duel with Baron Von Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgaard). </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #202122; font-family: times;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfXJvbtumed4F3JcNOTuPuhojHL6N102UVQhkXoYlKJOyMWk_sp4_7Pp33x9xQHdUT6JolOFqbLCxnH4rynljOhj_kDr6ZTA3U8YsF7Y771XN4oCgb7RxsOcG8Qkeup0_cRLtIRurA2y5eBp2EIfQcpmtNIodfA1hiOibTebMVAJSUEdfaAlXmeHkGWzH/s1936/DUNE2_INSTA_MAIN_1936x1936_DOM_REV.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Dune: Part Two Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1936" data-original-width="1936" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfXJvbtumed4F3JcNOTuPuhojHL6N102UVQhkXoYlKJOyMWk_sp4_7Pp33x9xQHdUT6JolOFqbLCxnH4rynljOhj_kDr6ZTA3U8YsF7Y771XN4oCgb7RxsOcG8Qkeup0_cRLtIRurA2y5eBp2EIfQcpmtNIodfA1hiOibTebMVAJSUEdfaAlXmeHkGWzH/w640-h640/DUNE2_INSTA_MAIN_1936x1936_DOM_REV.jpg" title="Dune: Part Two Poster" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #202122; font-family: times; font-size: xx-small;">Dune Part Two Poster | Copyright 2024 Warner Brothers and Legendary Pictures</span></div><p></p><p><span style="color: #202122; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;">Cut to the second film, where Paul has taken up with a mysterious young female member of the Freman named Chani (Zendaya), who appeared to him in visions in the previous film. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #202122; font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white;">With the House of Atreides officially disbanded under the leadership of another monarch named </span></span><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122;">Emperor </span>Shaddam IV (Christopher Walken), and he is disheartened over the news that Paul might still be alive at the beginning of the film. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Jessica replaces the head of the Bene Gesserit after its Reverend Mother passes away by drinking the Water of Life, a poison designed for non-pregnant women. She transmutes the poison to her son, only to have him fall into a deep coma. After awakening with the help of Chani, he starts having visions of his stillborn sister Alia (Anya Taylor-Joy in a fabulous, uncredited cameo) and recognizes that he is part-Harkonnen after the revelation that his maternal grandfather is Baron Von Harkonnen. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Speaking of the Harkonnens, we are introduced to one of its most interesting family members, the sociopathic Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler, in a performance that would make the late Heath Ledger proud). Butler commands the screen much like he did as Elvis Presley, although in a manner that is less welcoming and inviting. He is, by far, the standout in Villenueve's second act.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">That is all I am willing to divulge about this most recent film. If you haven't read the classic novel, you're just going to have to spend nearly three hours watching the glorious battle sequences and imagery, all expertly shot by Villenueve and cinematographer Greig Fraser (<i><a href="https://www.why-we-watch.com/2022/03/the-batman-2022.html">The Batman</a></i>). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Villenueve, </span>Jon Spaihts, and Eric Roth have somewhat mastered the art of modern blockbuster filmmaking, subverting without winking. What rung out during the second film's trailers by Chani is, "this prophecy is how they enslave us!" </p><p>The Chosen One Narrative that has driven fiction forever seeped and spread into our very real world thanks to how much smaller it has become. Now, it's become Main Character Syndrome, celebrity, and politics propping up actual figureheads. In <i>Dune: Part Two, </i>it's Paul's reluctance for power slowly subsiding as he as continuously looked toward for guidance at the critical time of young adulthood and during unprecedented times. This is delicately explored and it looks like, once again, that story is only just unfolding. </p><p><span style="font-family: times;">All I will say is what I unfortunately left out of my initial thoughts on both films: that Villenueve is a master at sucking people into rather complex sci-fi. Even if you have to Google more finite plot details afterwards, he takes you on a ride you wish never ended, even with the rather long run time of each film. The good news is that a film based on the next book in the <i>Dune</i> series, <i>Dune: Messiah</i>, is on the way.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpY4TX9DQhQJPTCDiyEhmoGIYMYJXmMqMag9cn8_qJAj-_4SaQN4YK1adH5pN0INyj-536tQS1YxdxeK3ee4OMXVqIiyGgPtoQQNoD6RY-wRa8UG16Q5k1DaxXK4Lat4oNcgca3jd3byQy93hmDeo30JK6v5WcTeOC8KzAiE5wV6rLOMRjUi5sxzxAcy77/s1906/4.5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="4.5/5" border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="1906" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpY4TX9DQhQJPTCDiyEhmoGIYMYJXmMqMag9cn8_qJAj-_4SaQN4YK1adH5pN0INyj-536tQS1YxdxeK3ee4OMXVqIiyGgPtoQQNoD6RY-wRa8UG16Q5k1DaxXK4Lat4oNcgca3jd3byQy93hmDeo30JK6v5WcTeOC8KzAiE5wV6rLOMRjUi5sxzxAcy77/w640-h128/4.5.png" title="4.5/5" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p>Mallika Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03653376961186944763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-47566316693530188692024-02-25T11:02:00.000-05:002024-02-25T11:02:34.009-05:00Nyad (2023)<p><b> Note: Co-written by Eddie Thomson, head writer</b></p><p>If you're interested in watching a high-octane swim for two hours, <i>Nyad</i> is just the film for you.</p><p>The Netflix hit is already Oscar-nominated, but that's not the only reason why you should tune in. It's a rare film that celebrates female friendship and the human body's resilience. </p><p>The film follows famed swimmer Diana Nyad (Annette Bening) as she makes the treacherous journey from Havana, Cuba to the Florida Keys she set out to complete since her career began in 1979. The odds are set against her, as she is approaching her sixties, but she remains determined throughout and the audience remains grateful that she stays the course.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVO82M8zCxu6T13Q_xDFfz3W8oSE8MCiLdbAmKvj8mdO30w2bWKlIgzw_uW5QCLScBVJoeSnProSLvZBQGUCa5hKqMrhSX7ua6biwRxw-7F94DWWAeiBlL6mMHjeO-5O0VqhaJLeTZSPRkp9wH96F96ul_2a3f4kW0oYm4QqxiQafKvZpBuT_h/s800/Nyad.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVO82M8zCxu6T13Q_xDFfz3W8oSE8MCiLdbAmKvj8mdO30w2bWKlIgzw_uW5QCLScBVJoeSnProSLvZBQGUCa5hKqMrhSX7ua6biwRxw-7F94DWWAeiBlL6mMHjeO-5O0VqhaJLeTZSPRkp9wH96F96ul_2a3f4kW0oYm4QqxiQafKvZpBuT_h/w426-h640/Nyad.jpeg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Theatrical Poster | Copyright 2023 Netflix</span></div><p>There by her side is her longtime friend and former partner Bonnie (Jodie Foster), who guides her throughout each of her four attempts to make this historic swim across the Atlantic Ocean. Also there is the navigator she hired to accompany her, John Bartlett (Rhys Ifans). Ifans, glad to say, brings his usual quirky charm, and grounding level-headedness, to the role as a ship captain reminiscent of the late Bill Paxton's <i><b><a href="https://www.why-we-watch.com/2023/03/titanic-1997-short-review.html">Titanic</a></b> </i>treasure hunter Brock Lovett.</p><p><i>Nyad </i>is directed by the documentary team Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin (<i>Free Solo, Wildlife</i>). This is our first film of theirs, but it's very clear what two things made their transition to narrative film so smooth: their incorporation of archival footage and perfect pacing. Footage of the actual Diana is used throughout the movie, which helps bring viewers into the breadth and depth of her career. Each attempt is also periodically time-stamped. When an attempt has to be abandoned, the near futility is doubly felt through both Bening's performance and knowing how close or far off she and her team are.</p><p>We also gain insight into her beginnings as a swimmer, although the filmmakers should have gone more in depth into some of her childhood experiences, especially one dealing with the trauma from a sexual harassment experience with her first coach Jack Nelson (Eric T. Miller). These are generally left as flashback scenes without much depth. </p><p>Ultimately, what anchors this film is the friendship between Diana and Bonnie. It's rare to see platonic friendships on screen, with the same tension as romantic relationships. Viewers will be sucked in as the two tussle over Diana's stubbornness in completing the swim, especially after bad currents and a box jellyfish sting. </p><p>When the film reaches its satisfying conclusion, you know this was a swim worth watching, even with all the complications in between. Watch for the strong chemistry between two of the finest actresses of their generation, and stay for the fast-paced swim journey. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyaevRKGpknNiBn1gNi6Iy9eDiq9qa6qRC5RuxldiO4Ie43-bYgeCEGyWU86xS5evEDh6kbEiPvfZtoyW4V0WDuloE0KsByJI9pBV72dG7Vfcyzao29YJdCUVCQoVE5HhItW8r3tr6uQJlxt-zSdGf2_3g_2iCEq42YvbkNvnsWmAGNBIrCU_6dkrD4D-Y/s1906/4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="4/5" border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="1906" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyaevRKGpknNiBn1gNi6Iy9eDiq9qa6qRC5RuxldiO4Ie43-bYgeCEGyWU86xS5evEDh6kbEiPvfZtoyW4V0WDuloE0KsByJI9pBV72dG7Vfcyzao29YJdCUVCQoVE5HhItW8r3tr6uQJlxt-zSdGf2_3g_2iCEq42YvbkNvnsWmAGNBIrCU_6dkrD4D-Y/w640-h128/4.png" title="4/5" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Mallika Raohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03653376961186944763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-81515857713777554042024-02-19T14:37:00.005-05:002024-02-25T19:32:07.578-05:00Madame Web (2024)<p> <b>Note: Co-written by staff writer Mallika Rao.</b></p><p><i>Kraven </i>outstanding<i>, Madame Web </i>is the definitive death knell in Sony's Spider-Man universe, officially the mouthful known as Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters. To virtually everyone, my girlfriend Mallika included, this result was completely expected. I, however am frustrated by the potential and glimmers of hope that I effectively am trying to conjure out of thin out for this movie.</p><p><i>Madame Web</i> is directed by S. J. Clarkson, and it's written, presumably as they were shooting and editing, by Matt Salaam & Burk Sharpless and Claire Parker & S. J. Clarkson. The story follows NYC paramedic Cassandra Webb (Dakota Johnson). After a near death on the job, she unlocks clairvoyant abilities that she quickly puts to work. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxatu1CkHc3Z_pZsOXHG0tewEuiW9mc4nIHx3jQNycj4w3FAbBtmhcmj6klDP9N-NmsTc8E8_WJ2qDOuPYZHb-7tjoIHXmVw9ZByowPofbjIbN_uCfsEODzqDWyo2rKmFdLCVE_rUlzSTE9QpAf1ng3qHyiXUVHbFDYoXobAGc4QM3T368f7HtWb4H5nNm/s800/madame_web.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Madame Web Poster" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxatu1CkHc3Z_pZsOXHG0tewEuiW9mc4nIHx3jQNycj4w3FAbBtmhcmj6klDP9N-NmsTc8E8_WJ2qDOuPYZHb-7tjoIHXmVw9ZByowPofbjIbN_uCfsEODzqDWyo2rKmFdLCVE_rUlzSTE9QpAf1ng3qHyiXUVHbFDYoXobAGc4QM3T368f7HtWb4H5nNm/w480-h640/madame_web.webp" title="Madame Web Poster" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">French Theatrical Poster for <i>Madame Web </i>| Copyright 2024 Sony and Marvel</span></div><p>Tasked with protecting three young women (Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O'Connor, and Isabela Merced) from D-list villain Ezekiel Sims (Tahar Rahim), Webb will discover secrets of her past and her potential place in a larger multiverse...if this movie was well-made.</p><p>Way back in 2014, there were <a href="https://collider.com/spider-man-aunt-may-movie/">rumors of a potential Aunt May</a> movie that was among a dozen or so straws Sony was grasping at after <i>The Amazing Spider-Man 2 </i>struggled at the box office. I was part of the few and the proud that championed this crazy idea. </p><p>Spider-Man, like Batman, has the deepest bench of well-developed side characters in comics, and any number of these people could go off and do their own thing for an enjoyable two hours without any mention of arachnids or insects. <i>Venom </i>proves this and Peter Parker's parents are, at least in some stories, goddamn spies. Clarkson and company utilize the surface-level of what they're given to play with in the most surface way possible.</p><p>The surface stuff that works includes the use the 2000s settings and references, the unfulfilled promise of grounded, stunt-driven action, and the casting of the main four leads. </p><p>From a clever Sony tie-in of a Beyonce album cover billboard (Queen Bey is a Sony Music Entertainment artist) to a memorable dance number with the three youngest actresses bopping to Britney Spears' "Toxic" to try and impress young men, and even a callback to another superhero flop with R&B group Mis-teeq's 2004 banger "Scandalous" (from the Halle Berry "Catwoman") playing briefly in the background. </p><p>There's enough of a world here that audiences can stay anchored to something even as the plot and pacing start-and-stop sporadically. It's a two hours that doesn't feel like three or even two and a half, thank goodness, but does feel sleepy. The performances, or at least appearances of actors we know and love, keeps our eyes open luckily.</p><p>Johnson, Sweeney, O'Connor and Merced have great chemistry from the start. The film itself wastes their potential to work as a force for the greater good. It's a shame the writing had to be so mid, as kids today would say.</p><p>The always wonderful Adam Scott makes a memorable appearance as Ben Parker (yes, Spider-Man's Uncle Ben). To that point, Emma Roberts plays Mary, who is implied, with all the force of a sledgehammer, to be the matriarch of Peter Parker himself, and Peter's birth scene is one that hit close to home for me, as a month-prematurely born baby myself (sorry for the spoiler alert). I'm going to hold onto the headcanon that that applies to most multiversal Peter Parkers forever.</p><p>With a smaller budget compared to mainline Spidey films, the scaled-back action has an appreciated believability and spark of creativity to it. The hand-to-hand fights aren't caked in CGI until the very end of the movie, so they're luckily comprehensible. The highlight of the few confrontations in <i>Madame Web</i> is when one of the characters uses a defibrillator from inside an ambulance to shock Sims off them during the climatic chase. It's nice, tense, and at least a little inventive. </p><p>Webb's clairvoyance does not get the same treatment. It's really just kind of there and seems to work like the movie <i>Next</i>, where the character just gets a few minutes of a heads up. Maybe if she lost her sight when she got her powers more could've been done with that, but they save her going blind and her comic-accurate look for the final minutes of the movie, ultimately leaving viewers feeling like they wasted their time and money. Still, a final positive, the costume design has a bit of that creative spark, too.</p><i>Madame Web's</i> costumes are designed by Ngila Dickson (<i>Lord of the Rings)</i>. Right off, there is something new, notable, and inspired about seeing spider suits without the classic one-way lenses. The trio of Sweeney, O'Connor, and Merced give us something close to live-action takes on the 2099 suit and two color-swapped Future Foundation outfits. Rahim wears a cross between the classic black suit and <i>Far From Home's </i>stealth suit, and it's always fun to see a covert Spider-Man costume slowly skulk across ceilings. It's way, way too brief, but at least it's there and saving the movie from a completely failing grade. <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4x9aL5P40P_QsmYDkAADgVLBjlZISgePH0h6RRqPu_DUB8xNMvu3w8zqUY2S2OAtPoQR0XMm7h4i96oYxuCA4MDWRGC7bsW8PmdYONhoZ6Khy3_Nbrh7W92zyKWKSM3-byO_o6ocZDBYz1L1dyyhIg61LVUqCsB0Z6naqU0hovzuCaADmKSBLXAYB7AM/s1906/1.5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="1.5/5" border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="1906" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4x9aL5P40P_QsmYDkAADgVLBjlZISgePH0h6RRqPu_DUB8xNMvu3w8zqUY2S2OAtPoQR0XMm7h4i96oYxuCA4MDWRGC7bsW8PmdYONhoZ6Khy3_Nbrh7W92zyKWKSM3-byO_o6ocZDBYz1L1dyyhIg61LVUqCsB0Z6naqU0hovzuCaADmKSBLXAYB7AM/w640-h128/1.5.png" title="1.5/5" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(Not the four stars it tried to will into exist by having a scene at a place called the Four Star Diner in Jersey. Better luck next time with <i>Kraven</i>, <i>El Muerto</i>,<i> Spider-Man: Noir</i>, and the now <a href="https://theankler.com/p/silk-spider-society-writers-room">most likely doomed <i>Silk</i> project</a>. Thank goodness for the animated movies and <i>Venom.</i>)</div><p></p></div>Eddie Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12008836649805848949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-67216389889533142492023-10-16T20:07:00.004-04:002023-12-15T21:48:42.246-05:00Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (2023)<b>Primary Disclaimer:</b> I work for the company making the premium theater concession products. Also, if you need a lid for your cup, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8k87hQp/">this video</a>, and <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8krKvtg/">this one</a>, may help you find one. They’re by <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@paigeruth16?_t=8gj7LFfrl6o&_r=1">Paige Ruth</a>.<br /><br /><i>Secondary Disclaimer:</i> I took my girlfriend to the IMAX screening, and she loved the show!<br /><br />A few years ago, I said "two of the greatest gifts of college were swing dance lessons and a re-introduction to music." Four of the songs on rotation were covers off of <i>1989</i>, and they were my semi-introduction to Taylor Swift. I tell people that I learned to dance to those songs, so I did not feel out of place and happily held my own while singing along with this boisterous crowd. <br /><br />The audience, mostly comprised of girls and women, would make us Marvel fanboys blush with their energy. Even with the expected dancing, I was not ready for the theater to shake the way it did, but what do you expect when your favorite pop star is showing off her moves, and the camera is doing so much more than just keep up with her?<br /><br /><i>The Eras Tour</i> is directed by Sam Wrench (Netflix’s <i>Rhythm & Flow</i> and <i>Lizzo’s 2022 Live in Concert</i>, and cut by a team of near-precise editors. It's rare that a shot feels jarring, but it does happen. Still, under Swift's show-running, something lively, dynamic, and unexpected is created. One of the best examples of this is during the <i>Reputation</i> segment. Performances are better adapted on-stage than on-film in their initial music videos. It's not a bare-bones approach, it's streamlined, and it plays better in <i>Eras</i> because it looks, please excuse me, less silly. <br /><br />During <i>1989</i>'s "Blank Space," a car was projected onto the raised platform of the stage and synced to the lightsaber golf club smashing of your background dancers! The video may have been perfectly timed, or it was set to play sections as-needed. Essentially, if you aren't taken in by the music, you are by the gear-turning of the entire production. So let's start with one, and then go to the other.<div> <br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYulWxuOvktHTJ6Tc-AxY3US68OIxsic2alILrTywJjA0Y2qVEFT7_lGHJeFfqtAGzWSMMs6ekcvkLfV9JJVsAoVA6XGiYw-fkQfF8dlao8Y1lYldGTew3KxcqPc1rTr7OItxRpUYAV1i6E-1BlyBIpl1lzk8RD1nvkIUnKAuKtmGS2zOmTtYj1sJJAWwg/s800/Taylor%20Swift:%20The%20Eras%20Tour.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Taylor Swift: Eras Tour Poster" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="683" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYulWxuOvktHTJ6Tc-AxY3US68OIxsic2alILrTywJjA0Y2qVEFT7_lGHJeFfqtAGzWSMMs6ekcvkLfV9JJVsAoVA6XGiYw-fkQfF8dlao8Y1lYldGTew3KxcqPc1rTr7OItxRpUYAV1i6E-1BlyBIpl1lzk8RD1nvkIUnKAuKtmGS2zOmTtYj1sJJAWwg/w547-h640/Taylor%20Swift:%20The%20Eras%20Tour.jpg" title="Taylor Swift: Eras Tour Poster" width="547" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">"Larger Than Life" doesn't even account for the big screen and big crowd | Copyright Taylor Swift Productions, AMC Theaters, and Cinemark Theaters 2023</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>This woman is incredibly thankful that her fans have allowed her to genre-jump and evolve as an artist, and when she made that known someone sitting behind us gave an equally thankful, and slightly comedic, "you're welcome." It's given her a deep bench to pull from but with very few deep cuts, and that's such a tremendous asset for an artist. That's obviously part of the show, but for someone who has only heard some work passively, it's a treat to realize some of the work you know isn't from the album you thought it was, this song is actually about this topic, or that lyric is actually a metaphor. <br /><br />Straight up, Taylor Swift can belt it incredibly well. As loud as we all got at times, it was still incredibly impressive, and it surprisingly shined through even more during the less up-beat tracks that we sat for. I just wish those were paced out better. <br /><br />Near the end, the length could be felt, and while <i>Eras</i> finishes strong, the lulls are both noticeable and potentially avoidable. I just wonder if the concert would've worked better for some if <i>Folklore</i> and <i>Evermore</i> were put in-between other sections. Maybe tonal whiplash would cause different problems, but it's certainly something to think about and the only real knock against the film. Having said that, one of those two featured a forest-themed piano.<div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/atNqzE-ONpDw-sD-FVyrI37ZP58=/1400x1400/filters:format(png)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/20478707/taylor_best.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Folklore Piano" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/atNqzE-ONpDw-sD-FVyrI37ZP58=/1400x1400/filters:format(png)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/20478707/taylor_best.png" title="Folklore Piano" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Folklore</i> Piano | Via <a href="https://www.vox.com/culture/2020/7/24/21337105/taylor-swift-folklore-lyrics-best-songs-rebekah-harkness">Vox</a> and Her YouTube Channel</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">So stuff like that probably isn't new to most fans, but the production design is the surprise star of the show, so much of those details will be kept under wraps. Basically, we're talking about mini film sets that would typically be reserved for Halftime brought to the stage by, at least in part, production designer Ethan Tobman. They're what make the scale of this whole thing feel so great, and that's why it really felt like the best way to see it was from the front-row or onscreen. Again, all the spectacle of a Marvel movie, and more, despite the third act.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuxKNZ2TIS0Qv2LoeAd_Ybs3W0Npw-_PmHSyVAM4D5B5K0SR6aX2YR2aV9Kq8geym_Vkb0GoyAYHNviMVB0Lq6-WMcFMwN6QSDQR8V2URY9g99cf5PGlfJrli43bJWWGb44Z3CQQpGKaaOv8aiDDwSmK03Odj3Mqm_ZgAgG_44Lsq4slg_8yAbPSWn_pam/s1906/4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="4/5" border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="1906" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuxKNZ2TIS0Qv2LoeAd_Ybs3W0Npw-_PmHSyVAM4D5B5K0SR6aX2YR2aV9Kq8geym_Vkb0GoyAYHNviMVB0Lq6-WMcFMwN6QSDQR8V2URY9g99cf5PGlfJrli43bJWWGb44Z3CQQpGKaaOv8aiDDwSmK03Odj3Mqm_ZgAgG_44Lsq4slg_8yAbPSWn_pam/w640-h128/4.png" title="4/5" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">If you dropped right down to the score, please read the disclaimers at the top of the page</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span>And a bonus <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6TPDy6Kb5UHC7BP3ht9IJrC3RYEvP_eAgEPWTKdZm1rvxFylaW4PcLRmXIy29BG9il35XoR5L2k6vlVOJ8HALYqSF__KnVpfm9w8d-DwAXYLPL3KAr9M9UrUcmjv0dFvbQgVlwrWU3N7YK9cCeYHIu2UpW1oHAggcNDem2ostKRwk6TLsklpvgBnkxei6/s369/1.png"><img border="0" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="369" height="12" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6TPDy6Kb5UHC7BP3ht9IJrC3RYEvP_eAgEPWTKdZm1rvxFylaW4PcLRmXIy29BG9il35XoR5L2k6vlVOJ8HALYqSF__KnVpfm9w8d-DwAXYLPL3KAr9M9UrUcmjv0dFvbQgVlwrWU3N7YK9cCeYHIu2UpW1oHAggcNDem2ostKRwk6TLsklpvgBnkxei6/w200-h189/1.png" width="12" /></a> for a million little things, like the room Taylor gave her background performers to add so much more than "contractual work" to fill out the stage. It wouldn't be surprising to learn that some of them are also actors. A couple people I wanted to highlight, in close, are <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kamnsaunders/">Kameron N. Saunders</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/janravnik/">Jan Ravnik</a>...because I'm not the only one who <a href="https://www.bustle.com/entertainment/taylor-swift-backup-dancer-looks-like-oscar-isaac-jan-ravnik-instagram-tweets">mistook Ravnik for Oscar Isaac</a>. And Isaac, or someone resembling him, automatically improves a movie or show. </span></div></div></div>Eddie Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12008836649805848949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-78799559510776671582023-09-07T22:21:00.010-04:002023-09-13T18:03:09.873-04:00Wood Train Bank Model - Blender 3D - Purchase on CGTrader<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmae3Kvi9x229kZPVYoNypdPBF5Fv4Lg8X798xuzTNWLaJrmpAOM5U7VPXrtipI76B57aALV1ajm7YNuSDpmzdgKKVtoNc1XSDOlw8vA4wbj-A-DXKFFCxC6znnVj0V-yYuAWLH6MltipodpMp0Y0WVrkkWBZu6ztUgB4g_xAKD9UP-7R6liosRCXzES-R/s1920/Train%201.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Wooden Train Bank" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmae3Kvi9x229kZPVYoNypdPBF5Fv4Lg8X798xuzTNWLaJrmpAOM5U7VPXrtipI76B57aALV1ajm7YNuSDpmzdgKKVtoNc1XSDOlw8vA4wbj-A-DXKFFCxC6znnVj0V-yYuAWLH6MltipodpMp0Y0WVrkkWBZu6ztUgB4g_xAKD9UP-7R6liosRCXzES-R/s16000/Train%201.png" title="Wooden Train Bank" /></a></div>This site has never had any hard or fast rules (just run it through the wayback machine), so we're trying something new!<br /><br />To try to get myself back into regular posting, I'm starting with something small, this little train bank that I think I made back in Cub or Boy Scouts. I'm sure it was really fun to build then, and it definitely was to model now.<div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9c_dygd9qwU" width="320" youtube-src-id="9c_dygd9qwU"></iframe></span></p><div><br />I modeled it in Blender and because it's not fan-art, I'm going to try to sell it on CG Trader <a href="https://www.blendswap.com/profile/239054/blends">instead of putting it on Blend Swap for free like I usually do</a>. Honestly, just to see what, if anything, can happen. It feels nice to try to push this site and myself a little bit to see how far along the work has come.<br /><br />Poly Haven used for textures, and plugins used are Easeam by Orcavia and Hole Maker by Tiemen's Addons: </div><div><a href="https://www.blendermarket.com/products/easeam">https://www.blendermarket.com/products/easeam</a><br /><a href="https://www.blendermarket.com/products/hole-maker">https://www.blendermarket.com/products/hole-maker</a><br /></div><br />You can pickup the train here if you'd like for $3 here:<br /><a href="https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/various/various-models/wooden-toy-train-bank">https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/various/various-models/wooden-toy-train-bank</a><br /><br />Speaking of Blend Swap, the last thing I made before this train is these <a href="https://www.blendswap.com/blend/31200">Pym Particle Discs from Ant-Man</a>.<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blendswap.com/blend/31200" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pym Discs" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6A4rymCz4h-n6FMiVRuqEuUupCafGbRpnHzMdp3-Sy23SfoXjgb8vx2hDLJQUQNyTVkK2yXW1GiEb_gILSMxL8AOuYaCctRnTRmSJ3dyygVFMvmVMn69MHiwS-66J2qAU7T6Q8wr5i0sddEac16g-23j6oSoJbj8dXn0nxHl63xDwHbHbgsR7-vYznj2s/w640-h360/Pym.png" title="Pym Discs" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>Really proud of how well they came out, and really excited to try to turn them into earrings with the help of <a href="https://www.newpaltz.edu/hvamc/">my old college's 3D printing program</a>.</div>Eddie Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12008836649805848949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-80602663915570652082023-03-16T20:16:00.017-04:002023-03-23T11:42:14.625-04:00Creed III (2023) | Spoiler-Free<p> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A few months ago, notable filmmaker Patrick Willems made a video about "</span><a href="https://youtu.be/elXLAcl363A" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why Baseball is the Best Movie Sport.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">" Boxing and others were disqualified from discussion because he narrowed the criteria down to team sports that use some kind of ball. If it wasn't disqualified, a case could be made for boxing. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The main reasons are the incredibly fast pace of fights, and no team means there's no ringer who can steal the show. As a bonus to the second point, editing and cinematography are much tighter because the focus is primarily on the two opponents. If this is the case, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Creed Trilogy</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> may be one of the best sports trilogies out there. And to me, the third movie ranks comfortably between the first and second entries in the series.</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-61cb55bf-7fff-18cc-3cb3-b59696059d54"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin: 0pt 11pt 8pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 640px; overflow: hidden; width: 432px;"><img alt="Creed III" height="640" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Ey_dGukEYtnOoIuRd9NFsZGjXHCZT3HxOOJO82vfE2yz3pp4HABaaJBkzU90zQQSjoEOkI_QOSPXm3-mOazjVa49ZwzZCkMPmTbdPeMOHwxxq5tX0E8VxGC28P5ClTVM1WmnCvUUg1J3=w432-h640" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" title="Creed III" width="432" /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another potential tagline, mixing chemistry on-screen and off, "A matchup made in heaven, fought in Hell." | Copyright MGM/Amazon 2023</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rotten Tomatoes</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, "After dominating the boxing world, Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) has been thriving in both his [promotor] career and family life. When a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy, Damian [Anderson] (Jonathan Majors), resurfaces after serving a long sentence in prison, he is eager to prove [himself]."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Adonis's, or Donnie's, family life also includes his hard-of-hearing wife Bianca Taylor (Tessa Thompson), their deaf daughter Amara (Mila Davis-Kent), and Donnie's adoptive mother Mary Anne Creed (Phylicia Rashad). </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are more characters and cast members to get to, but for now, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Creed III </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is written by Keenan Coogler & Zach Baylin, it is Michael B. Jordan's directorial debut, it's shot by </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Creed II</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau, and </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Creed </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">director Ryan Coogler was involved in crafting this story. Ryan Coogler has also maintained some kind of producer role since </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Creed II. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One reason why he had to stop directing this series may be because of the demands of his </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Black Panther </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">movies, but also </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Creed III</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> has been aggressively, and rightly so, hyped up as Jordan's vision. He is excellent on every side of the camera!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The most talked about part of this movie has been Jordan's anime influence. I watch some generally known favorites like </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dragon Ball </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and Ghibli, so the slow motion in the initial fight looked more like a cranked-down version of a bare-knuckle brawl in Guy Ritchie's </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sherlock Holmes,</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and I mean cranked down in a good way because we're not held in suspense for too long. The action flows! Each fight in </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Creed III </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">has a beautiful, proper, electric close, even if they go by a bit quicker than usual.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The final match between Donnie and Damian is unlike anything we've seen before in a boxing movie, and maybe in any live-action film. After the opening round, we enter a hyper-reality that's like </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yu-Gi-Oh's</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Shadow Realm. The two fighters have blocked out their surroundings, but aspects of their lives appear around them. And we, the audience, are not entirely privy to what's said as they fight out their demons. It's told through screaming in-between strikes, and the only clue that there is a real conversation going on is implied because of prior in-ring trash talking, the checking in Donnie does with "Pretty" Ricky Conlon (Tony Bellew) after their fight to make sure it's all business and not personal, and little things like that. The boxers are dressed in black and white, respectively. Yes, that's really on the nose. But I'm going to go to bat for the choice and say that a lot of gray was filled in during those perceived talks. I'll talk more about costumes in a moment. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin: 0pt 11pt 8pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 416px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img alt="Creed 3 Plane Training" height="416" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/CQcFpWFcO7saJha140YZM0oNpUQub9jP44rTK-lqzLXqxB9PvWfWF1VUDDUOpiSIgoHnmj_AxTlOWRgzEMgPZPQISW0ohi2rLwX5pIRWUN8JcVvA0Dsz9C3W1LCejfc2VvdDt2gNYm1_" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" title="Creed 3 Plane Training" width="624" /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some people have said that the training montage this time around was underwhelming, even with an exercise like this... | Copyright MGM/Amazon 2023</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBd2AOdw-exxkk4f3p5cC7k9hxixVvJ1VkyJShAZDrQqxaN8P6RCgAst6R6wI-RYEr3E6IxWafo8sEmqfkaypDOHOREBzCTVEAYcKjx2BeWlWUBQuDKaFiXfhvbNcZBvF21yLZYW9BNFLDdaGElEIP7ukKZ0Hiq-fknG2Qsoue2cpZxAs_tdYVG0alSQ/s3360/Screenshot%202023-03-14%20at%206.12.41%20PM.png" imageanchor="1;"><img alt="Creed 1" border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="3360" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBd2AOdw-exxkk4f3p5cC7k9hxixVvJ1VkyJShAZDrQqxaN8P6RCgAst6R6wI-RYEr3E6IxWafo8sEmqfkaypDOHOREBzCTVEAYcKjx2BeWlWUBQuDKaFiXfhvbNcZBvF21yLZYW9BNFLDdaGElEIP7ukKZ0Hiq-fknG2Qsoue2cpZxAs_tdYVG0alSQ/w200-h125/Screenshot%202023-03-14%20at%206.12.41%20PM.png" title="Creed 1" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvOy5ZHYn2oDwqYgM9S7q8-cloGFR1_gmZ8iQHonSe7R1mI4D_8_zajAQvrkgHo0qRWkzRTLQZb0OxR4dbk9x2iZl29sSp4gi3BNN2VO8ykKGCq4UQk9FKeAoUXpXSMdxUZlQPT_pUgvS2p4egnZih_q1VDLfK9djlOtP8U2M1sTKEW-Q1hL6OSGh9Q/s3360/Screenshot%202023-03-14%20at%206.09.06%20PM.png" imageanchor="1;"><img alt="Creed 2" border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="3360" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvOy5ZHYn2oDwqYgM9S7q8-cloGFR1_gmZ8iQHonSe7R1mI4D_8_zajAQvrkgHo0qRWkzRTLQZb0OxR4dbk9x2iZl29sSp4gi3BNN2VO8ykKGCq4UQk9FKeAoUXpXSMdxUZlQPT_pUgvS2p4egnZih_q1VDLfK9djlOtP8U2M1sTKEW-Q1hL6OSGh9Q/w200-h125/Screenshot%202023-03-14%20at%206.09.06%20PM.png" title="Creed 2" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But I believe the ending of first one and whatever the hell this was from </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Creed II</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> just left unmatchable imprints | Copyright MGM and WB, 2015 and 2018</span></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Michael B. Jordan trusts his audience to pick things up at least on a re-watch, and it affords him, and editors Jessica Baclesse and Tyler Nelson, the ability to trim the movie down to a little under two hours, including credits. It works, but it left me wanting more about this chapter in everyone's lives, not just Donnie's. We may not get back to that in</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the </span><a href="https://deadline.com/2023/03/michael-b-jordan-creed-verse-film-tv-amazon-1235282120/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sequel, spinoffs, or whatever is cooking off the massive success of this entry.</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I reall</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">y hope a director's cut is planned for this one because it looks like Davis-Kent's time as Amara, and Wood Harris's time as "Little Duke," were cut short. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I can only assume that "Little Duke" was going to fill in more of the boys' backstory growing up together. We see him in the prologue, and that's pretty much it at that time. Amara idolizes her dad, watches all his fights, and is looking to be a boxer like him. For now though, she's a very young kid. When she gets into a fight in school, that should be the last resort. The movie loses a bit of the message of "Why we fight" that I had trouble </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">identifying the first time I watched</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Creed II. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It took a rewatch and the insight of other critics for me to find it. I think I struggled less on the first watch of </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">III</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, so that's why I'm putting it above </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">II. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A director's cut won't put it above the first movie, but, whatever the future may hold, it can help form a more complete trilogy.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anyway, we need to talk about Jonathan Majors for a moment. He pulls this amazing long game in his layered performance that takes him from friend who is actually playing everybody, to antagonist, and back to worthy rival. He comes on the scene feeling a bit off, and we're really not sure what his deal is. Some critics have said that they noticed we don't see what his life in prison was like, and that's great because that would've told us too much in an instant. So much of it comes from how he fights. When he relies on illegal blows to move up the ranks, and when he doesn't in his title fight against Adonis. I think it's part of that gray space I mentioned. People have said that his turnaround at the end of the movie was too fast, but I think there's reason enough between his two methods in the ring to buy into it. Again, a longer cut could back these things up more, but it's more than sufficient character-building. Majors plays into all by showing incredible range. It's as easy to see him as a chameleon, between this and his Marvel roles, as it is to see Damian himself as a bit of one too. That really comes through when he's sizing up the Creed family through Bianca. His next huge showcase in <i>Magazine Dreams </i>can't come soon enough.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We've also gotta talk about Tessa Thompson and her dynamic with Jordan. The short version is that this is an incredibly deep relationship that's been constructed over three movies, it's been consistent across three directors, and it's one of the healthiest fictional marriages I can think of outside of the go-to of Gomez and Morticia Addams. The difference, obviously, is that this is much more grounded. That's impressive. Thompson and Coogler made sure early on that Bianca has her own life outside of her man, and that has held on. They are each other's rocks, but she's also got a music producer career that's been a successful, but taxing, transition for her. Thompson usually brings a bit of an edge to most of her roles. That's not dulled, but it's replaced with wisdom, as she has to push others around her to open up more, and she does the same for them. She’s the <a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/tony_porter_a_call_to_men?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare">Tony Porter</a> of the film, although she recognizes the emotional labor of that label and leaves her husband to reflect on that. I love how the movie takes the time to talk about how she copes with her progressive hearing loss. Also, on the subject of women, we see them as trainers and commentators, without it being like "a thing," and that's such a fantastic detail. There are still ring girls in-between rounds though, and so that does stick out more than it normally would.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bianca's struggles are heightened a little bit more by seeing this movie on a big screen with open-captions, which means everyone is seeing those captions in the theatre. And, in this case, sign language is done with its own font style, so everything is crystal clear to just about everyone. I hope blind people also had their needs met for this one. I can only assume that they were, and I hope that's just a standard now. I'd like my dad to be able to at least try to enjoy movies again.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finally, I just want to talk a bit about the costume design by Lizz Wolf, especially because it may go unnoticed when the most notable looks heavily feature pecs and packs. Some of the anime influence is actually right here, as people have pointed out an </span><a href="https://twitter.com/Jehutysan/status/1631719871196303361?s=20" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Akira</span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-style</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of the shorts worn in the first fight. Also, this is a bit silly, but I just love the corporate-casual-comfortable look of the suits the two main actors wear throughout the movie. Dress pants, a suit jacket, but a hoodie underneath the jacket. That sounds so fucking cozy, and I love it. Sweaters with a suit jacket over it, instead of a button-up, that's the best of all of this. It's just something that got me re-thinking my dresser a little, and I didn't know I could be stylish and happy at the same time like that, so it's appreciated. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin: 0pt 11pt 8pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 416px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="416" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/mpDDfNIgk-ZjrkH0U6pXb6G8qUAai1OeJ0nq-t7g0iKKeSZ1M-T5n-z5sT7SkEgTJwVyHv-Cl_KG0pRVo23rBD-R8pw5a2X9VYhaPmOk5RXRABkvE2j_mgAOUoIMIVdZuLdSMDhHVGDu" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.ralphlauren.com/brands-purple-label-creed-feat?webcat=men%7cfeature%7cAdonis%20Creed%20for%20Ralph%20Lauren&orignalCatID=brands-purple-label-creed-feat-rd&altrurlID=brands-purple-label-creed-feat-rd">Look V by Ralph Lauren.</a> We got an appearance from Apollo, too | Copyright MGM/Amazon 2023</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Things like that help </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Creed III</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> go the distance.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin: 0pt 11pt 8pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 125px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img alt="4/5" height="125" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/LCmmbovgNcS2JlcK89hlJXUdaHb8LivWYVLppsL-V5z12JhtiBTE-DjsnBTwtGikKAXXiB7uOPvRPgPt3FfCWBAfDw_gswmoRx4j7b5fktGezA_vyLPHXXKgM2_BJJuuW8Za65P-9EEP" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" title="4/5" width="624" /></span></span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin: 0pt 1pt 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">II</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is at the same rating because no matter how well they pulled it off, bringing in the Dragos will always feel like a gimmick to me. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Creed</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> gets an extra</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 20px; overflow: hidden; width: 12px;"><img alt=".5/5" height="20" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/bTNC9L81PNBL5wcUyO6Usba6LaP9fAzAzwM1tSET-5MuXKEQHWAwR7tgynR0M8eebHrduYQNGHNPBTt0i5ENAY677Mr3BhP6hojTdv0lGxpNmMCqXjfhYuBvoylbQacDZSo3sBl6cDLJ" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" title=".5/5" width="12" /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> because that "</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvOq4hFIRJg&t=150s" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'm not a mistake" line</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> knocked me out the first time, made me fucking cry, and it at least puts me on the mat every other time I see it. </span></p></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Eddie Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12008836649805848949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-72978777420355288122023-03-01T23:40:00.009-05:002023-04-12T09:34:13.246-04:00Titanic (1997) | Short Review<p><b>Thank you to my girlfriend for finally getting me to see this classic.</b></p><p>I'm probably not going to add much that hasn't been said over the past 25 years, so this is just going to be a few notes.</p><p>Rose Dawson should be brought up in the same conversations as Sarah Connor and Ellen Ripley. The only thing people give pause to that is genre.</p><p>This is DiCaprio's best performance that I've seen opposite an actress. That's partially due to a lot of movies keeping his character mostly apart from the woman, or not entirely devoted to her, but it's also probably because Winslet just brought out the best in him. The other movies I have to go off of are The Wolf of Wall Street, The Great Gatsby, and Shutter Island. Revolutionary Road, whatever it is, just shot up the watchlist. Also maybe something about his time as Jack explains why DiCaprio doesn't date people around his own age. The man needs to talk to a fucking therapist before he does something awful to somebody else.</p><p>The same can't exactly be said about Winslet. She's done great romantic work alongside Jack Black, Jim Carrey, and probably tons of people I'm forgetting.</p><p>There's one more actor to briefly highlight. I wish Kathy Bates did more stuff like this because she's usually taking on roles that are a lot more broad. This might be one her most straight-forward performances, and it's refreshing.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j52gsLogR1k/TsKp1H15WdI/AAAAAAAAFcI/hHL75_0AkFU/s1600/kate+winslet+%2526+leonardo+di+caprio+TITANIC+3D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Titanic" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j52gsLogR1k/TsKp1H15WdI/AAAAAAAAFcI/hHL75_0AkFU/w640-h426/kate+winslet+%2526+leonardo+di+caprio+TITANIC+3D.jpg" title="Titanic" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Jack and Rose | Copyright 1997 Paramount, Fox/Disney, and/or Lightstorm Entertainment</span></div><p>With the exception of the Avatar movies, James Cameron for the most part does not hit his audience over the head with the spectacle. It's all backed with just pure, solid filmmaking. Like when he talks about Terminator 2's CGI, he said it was only used when necessary and a lot of the T-1000 was done with practical effects. </p><p>Still, I did not expect to be swept in from the first sepia-tone shots of the movie, but I was. And that lasted until the iceberg, and until everything started going straight to the depths of hell. </p><p>This would've played out better if I didn't know the basics of the ending, and if I wasn't as anti-capitalist as the world has made many of us. It's just frustrating to watch that, and classism, go on for what feels like the bulk of the movie's runtime, murder most of the passengers, and one of our leads. The movie is smart to not overly hammer that point home, but it's just something we're all really attuned to now. So, I was just exhausted by the end of the movie.</p><p>It doesn't help that the shipwreck also stops the fun of watching the romance between Jack and Rose. Also, on that note, thank goodness that fun wasn't stopped early by Jack lying who he is and being found out later. Cameron's dialogue may be clunky at time, although that's mostly just in Avatar, but he always nails the big picture and plot.</p><p>Finally, I think I know why this movie hit with everyone at the time. Those scenes set in the present have a "current" style to them, with the Watchmen-style t-shirt. Something about things like that probably made the movie more accessible to people who wouldn't normally have seen it. It's that, fear of missing out and wanting to know what all the hype was about, and box-office was just a very different place back then.</p><p>After all this, I want to watch something relaxing. I'm going to watch the Futurama episode for the millionth time and try to catch all the new references I've been missing. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNn1kqC0wpeVVyW2bimNiIk_Nipfy8noJ0SrdKNW2Db6R4CXiHEd4gw9E_03dq6ikJqEJpZGoemYdHcoabytgwwcj7lo6lhAkX1rCcO7eQycfJzG_EPr2mggUA03rVxFqooidUR_2Z9I5ggygTAyz1ikrJCdnVGCPHlu2tnntozXEDLtVrWv1YPvT68w/s1906/4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="4/5" border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="1906" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNn1kqC0wpeVVyW2bimNiIk_Nipfy8noJ0SrdKNW2Db6R4CXiHEd4gw9E_03dq6ikJqEJpZGoemYdHcoabytgwwcj7lo6lhAkX1rCcO7eQycfJzG_EPr2mggUA03rVxFqooidUR_2Z9I5ggygTAyz1ikrJCdnVGCPHlu2tnntozXEDLtVrWv1YPvT68w/w640-h128/4.png" title="4/5" width="640" /></a></div>Eddie Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12008836649805848949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-19382476025136507242023-02-26T14:20:00.005-05:002023-03-23T11:51:53.512-04:00Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9txHGf-qHg0o0J4aDdZLo2T73es6ECkxtJ8W4cePxiiY8uCg8JBEX9Gi6XMhknFElKnEai2BMCp-8toTL-AeVnoTVxvZUVM_GkmhpACh2tLQn2GrhxPbmojlUujevUaw82D5D2SnsO1uikJPsuDV_MknY03Ch985aJpmyuYrXnYEalMpS_3E2pDSIQ/s800/ant-man-wasp-quantumania.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Quantumania Poster" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9txHGf-qHg0o0J4aDdZLo2T73es6ECkxtJ8W4cePxiiY8uCg8JBEX9Gi6XMhknFElKnEai2BMCp-8toTL-AeVnoTVxvZUVM_GkmhpACh2tLQn2GrhxPbmojlUujevUaw82D5D2SnsO1uikJPsuDV_MknY03Ch985aJpmyuYrXnYEalMpS_3E2pDSIQ/s16000/ant-man-wasp-quantumania.jpg" style="display: none;" title="Quantumania Poster" /></a></div>There's been a lot of ups and downs with Marvel movies lately, and how we talk about them has even higher highs and lower lows. I didn't see much about the content of <i>Quantumania</i> before seeing it, but I did see the report. The breaking (entertainment) news of the week is that <a href="https://comicbook.com/movies/news/ant-man-and-the-wasp-quantumania-ties-worst-mcu-rotten-tomatoes-score-eternals/">"Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Ties [with Eternals] for MCU's Worst Rotten Tomatoes Score,"</a> and a lot about that is rubbing me the wrong way, so let's try to get into it a little bit. What is the movie, what fixes to it could have been made, and why is that headline unnecessarily loaded?<p></p>From <i>IMDb</i>, the <i>Ant-Man</i> outline is "Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), along with Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer), [and Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton),] explore the Quantum Realm, where they interact with strange creatures and embark on an adventure that goes beyond the limits of what they thought was possible." It is directed by series regular Peyton Reed, written by Jeff Loveless (<i>Rick & Morty</i>), and Rudd notably does not have a script credit for the first time in the series. That's one of the differences worth starting with. <div><br /></div><div>Taking place primarily in the Quantum Realm, there's a feeling that while this isn't a soft reboot, like <i>Thor: Ragnarök</i>, it is a major departure from the grounded (enough) heists and street-level activity from the first two movies. When I reviewed <i><a href="https://www.why-we-watch.com/2018/07/ant-man-and-wasp-2018.html">Ant-Man and the Wasp </a></i>in 2018, I said that "there's no disgustingly evil villain, there's (mostly) just people trying to get by or, in Ava's case, survive." This should be the "Fairly Relaxed Trilogy," and while we're not talking about total tonal whiplash, we are talking about an adjustment. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFIh3BoURdt3UQi9ngOHCs-z8PvFOKq9_gSrHiTxNQlpKturmeLcfPB9OgV14J_qkXNGYLQULPlFqynZZSUkF47AFI-4mXB556YzpTVKUOciADNUYYSWQY44KKxNLSiGhpcDDNsaV7OTf53p_5hhRw106KTUUDQlp8QymUMllZQeS9wEvazxBFAoT4w/s3146/20230220_104720.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="My Ant-Man Cosplay" border="0" data-original-height="3146" data-original-width="1504" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHFIh3BoURdt3UQi9ngOHCs-z8PvFOKq9_gSrHiTxNQlpKturmeLcfPB9OgV14J_qkXNGYLQULPlFqynZZSUkF47AFI-4mXB556YzpTVKUOciADNUYYSWQY44KKxNLSiGhpcDDNsaV7OTf53p_5hhRw106KTUUDQlp8QymUMllZQeS9wEvazxBFAoT4w/w306-h640/20230220_104720.jpeg" title="My Ant-Man Cosplay" width="306" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPmQI8KWvfaA1-nOTkYnmHsLjPFJMOkaVdKq1tonAdzXGuoly7cJ8wrTdsXe7WEbCtkL0u_RgpIdQ_nlT4cdnC5uWU_2iuigTo2MQOOtcHA15anWhinej9-thtmpwYE_4LS-gnGyHGwxijHaewdvITkC3-q66au8HljQxrha8Q96ypTkCXTY4N9tQR0Q/s3125/20230220_104744.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="My Ant-Man Cosplay" border="0" data-original-height="3125" data-original-width="1332" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPmQI8KWvfaA1-nOTkYnmHsLjPFJMOkaVdKq1tonAdzXGuoly7cJ8wrTdsXe7WEbCtkL0u_RgpIdQ_nlT4cdnC5uWU_2iuigTo2MQOOtcHA15anWhinej9-thtmpwYE_4LS-gnGyHGwxijHaewdvITkC3-q66au8HljQxrha8Q96ypTkCXTY4N9tQR0Q/w272-h640/20230220_104744.jpeg" title="My Ant-Man Cosplay" width="272" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Suiting up for this one was a ton of fun. A huge thank you to the guy who listed this cosplay on FB Marketplace. I wasn't exactly sure how to pose in it</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: start;"><i>Quantumania</i> tries to be a bit of a sci-fi epic that takes visual cues from <i>Star Wars</i>, <i>Mad Max: Fury Road</i>, and Denis Villeneuve's <i>Dune. </i>The Quantum Realm is a split empire of high and low-class that is ruled by a variant of Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors). Despite great casting of new characters, like William Jackson Harper as Quaz, a member of the resistance against Kang, few of them leave an impression. Bill Murray does as Lord Krylar, but that's because he's him, and he's also recently been <a href="https://variety.com/2023/film/news/geena-davis-details-bill-murray-set-harassment-screamed-at-me-1235487454/aw36ixM5FFXGpOG6X76pePvw">embroiled in some controversies</a>. Side characters who we most likely won't see again are around mainly to motivate Scott to act, as he's gotten a bit complacent since cashing-in on his status as an Avenger. The good news about that is maybe <a href="https://thedirect.com/article/ant-man-3-william-jackson-harper-character">William Jackson Harper can still play Reed Richards in the main timeline.</a> Gemma Chan was double-cast, so the door is open.</div><div style="text-align: start;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: start;">Now, when I first heard that Scott cashing-in was part of the plot, I was alarmed that they were going to assassinate his character. Luckily, it's not that bad. He just needs a slight reality check. The movie kind of addresses my <i>Ant-Man and the Wasp</i> complaint that Hank and Hope were beating up on him too much in the last movie, but they try to like double-fix it. There's less of that, but also, we're getting a more serious Scott, and it's a slight sticking point for me. </div><div style="text-align: start;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: start;">Cassie, who now has her own suit and may go by the title Stature or Stinger, gets kidnapped by Kang, naturally alarming and enraging Scott. Down the line, I can see this saga of Marvel coming down to just Ant-Man and Kang, but I honestly need to see more range from Rudd first. He has to force anger in his performance, and it just comes off as trying. It's endearing because he seems to really be that sweet guy off-screen, but it hurts the movie. Maybe there's a non-comedic role I missed? If so, please tell me what it is. Performances from everyone, except the wonderfully intimidating and stoic Jonathan Majors, seem off, because it's a less comedic film, and there's more acting against green/blue screen instead of sets and people. Michael Douglas, and perhaps Michelle Pfeiffer, could have been the key to fixing that and some other issues with the movie.</div><div style="text-align: start;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: start;">Hank and Janet move things along in the Quantum Realm, but I think the story would've been more streamlined, and the actors would've for the most part been better used, if they were communicating with Scott, Hope, and Cassie from home over something like radio. Douglas and Pfeiffer feel a little out of their element having to juggle all that CGI in their heads, and they've earned the right to take it easy in blockbuster roles. Not only is the story more focused on a solid trio this way, but it allows more familiar faces to help, or at least pop-in, in the headquarters of the Pym house. It would've been nice to see the rest of the cast from the last two movies, and we know that Michael Peña would level out the tonal shift at least for a sequence. Maybe this was the result of the movie being made at least partially under Covid restrictions. At there is at least one cast surprise that got me excited for a moment, the villain from the first <i>Ant-Man</i> returns. But only for a moment.</div><div style="text-align: start;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: start;">Corey Stoll's portrayal of Darren Cross always struck me as a few notches above the typical corporate superhero villain. He's elevated by the peeks into a long, complicated history with the Pym family and what prolonged Pym Particle exposure has done to his mind. Stoll had a great enthusiasm, mixed with brewing anger. He's great in <i>Quantumania, </i>as the Yellowjacket-turned-M.O.D.O.K, but he's mostly just a servant of Kang. That helps develop Kang further, but it doesn't do much else. His design on M.O.D.O.K is also pretty off-putting, but people are blowing that out of proportion.</div><div style="text-align: start;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: start;">If you've seen the screenshots already, it does indeed just look like Stoll's face is stretched out to a large size. It looks surprisingly okay in motion. The effects in general look good, and I really hope the artists <a href="https://nofilmschool.com/vfx-artist-on-marvels-bullying-power">weren't fucking abused this time around</a>, but they probably were. I think they added some extra vibrancy to the shrinking and growing to match the new setting, and the action throughout is pretty solid too. A giant, relatively speaking, Ant-Man slamming Kang against the wall is quite satisfying, and so is a new variation on the Hawkeye move from <i>Civil War. B</i>ut it also seemed like there were some missed opportunities here-and-there. </div><div style="text-align: start;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: start;">It's a minor thing, but it seems to point toward Marvel just kind of churning these movies out quickly in recent years. There's a scene where Scott keeps multiplying, and while they throw in one Baskin-Robbins employee version, seeing Ant-Men in more costumes from the last couple movies, since the super-suit is changed around a bit every time, would've made the scene pop more. They also could've added outfit variants like Scott as a thief, in prison, and and in an oversized hoodie. </div><div style="text-align: start;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: start;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://pyxis.nymag.com/v1/imgs/fb9/69d/3186fb519fff1ff9c3184465096ac5277d-quantumania-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Infinite Probability Scotts" border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="800" height="266" src="https://pyxis.nymag.com/v1/imgs/fb9/69d/3186fb519fff1ff9c3184465096ac5277d-quantumania-1.jpg" title="Infinite Probability Scotts" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">The possibilities were endless and unexplored | Copyright 2023 Marvel/Disney</div></span></div><div style="text-align: start;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: start;">Still, these are minor things, and Marvel has looked into <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/disney-slow-down-marvel-releases-055650369.html">slowing down</a> and injecting more care back into their movies. Wakanda Forever proves that, and so do statements from the studio lately. So, people who missed Kang in <i>Loki</i> are still looking at a promising start to his rule, and signs point toward that hope continuing, in due time. So, with that in mind, let's not be too hard on them. Let's be fair in our thoughts.</div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLA9h-FjuY_a2WyHnaEB_RRms35lpKOiOxGdU3SYbX_4_tS2y-h2j4XUpjg_zvw1C79hJ375TtIdVBgQUQ7IXkLXFsEeJXlM4tXehGD3jy1GUiPAzTkKLac5tQ0hWBtxvrJ7n9rAo4L6JklLTUU1zX6GyVX_SNUGIWeXM9-yOGjJMy_vU4en3iLU_dMQ/s1906/3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="3/5" border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="1906" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLA9h-FjuY_a2WyHnaEB_RRms35lpKOiOxGdU3SYbX_4_tS2y-h2j4XUpjg_zvw1C79hJ375TtIdVBgQUQ7IXkLXFsEeJXlM4tXehGD3jy1GUiPAzTkKLac5tQ0hWBtxvrJ7n9rAo4L6JklLTUU1zX6GyVX_SNUGIWeXM9-yOGjJMy_vU4en3iLU_dMQ/w640-h129/3.png" title="3/5" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>However, there's one more thing. My girlfriend and I had a fantastic time watching the movie with an opening weekend audience. We were really bouncing off of the movie, and Paul Rudd's charm, together, even if he was diluted to suit the story this time around. Going back to the first two movies will surely be even more enjoyable for us, since Michael Peña will be thrown into the mix. For all that, <i>Quantumania</i> earns a bump.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTBRDtkD0Gn1AJhVsEZf2YE6YBf2U2-Hbe02kWrPTv_dEa4htYzky6kww5KHOwM_gkQW2jEhIm6Zs8mE9hJHKw--eYSq9jybPFthOTZvWcQKqX49411_7ZdP_s-Y23fRDqJYXeW_a3_oTVoz3cnbURnjreII-nezHQteX6VrhUe6x8brRhj0sMshnmcw/s1906/3.5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="3.5/5" border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="1906" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTBRDtkD0Gn1AJhVsEZf2YE6YBf2U2-Hbe02kWrPTv_dEa4htYzky6kww5KHOwM_gkQW2jEhIm6Zs8mE9hJHKw--eYSq9jybPFthOTZvWcQKqX49411_7ZdP_s-Y23fRDqJYXeW_a3_oTVoz3cnbURnjreII-nezHQteX6VrhUe6x8brRhj0sMshnmcw/w640-h128/3.5.png" title="3.5/5" width="640" /></a></div></div></div>Eddie Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12008836649805848949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-4469411172816573742023-01-01T11:50:00.008-05:002023-04-12T09:35:16.225-04:00Comixology: Library and Annotations | Fan Made Commercials<div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81RH0xS5XeL.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="800" height="391" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81RH0xS5XeL.png" img alt="ComiXology" title="ComiXology" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pFBF0UbMmhg" width="320" youtube-src-id="pFBF0UbMmhg"></iframe> <iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SxH_fPKcOSY" width="320" youtube-src-id="SxH_fPKcOSY"></iframe></p>Recording my <a href="https://www.why-we-watch.com/2022/08/ant-man-movie-2015-guest-appearing-on.html">guest appearance</a> on <a href="http://superherocinephiles.com/">Superhero Cinephiles</a> was a fun, wonderful experience. The host was incredible, and the conversation was excellent. Preparing for it, balancing the comic, a notebook, and a pen was a lot more frustrating than expected. What's worse is that it was completely unnecessary. I remembered not just all regular features using a Kindle affords, but I also remembered manually drawing underlines and highlights, and putting notes in the margins of unformatted PDFs that professors occasionally send us. It wasn't perfect, but it was still all on a single tablet and required one hand. <div><br /></div><div>This is impossible with large comics because trying to convert one into a PDF crashes PDF readers. So Amazon really should step in and do something. They clearly have the capabilities, with everything the Kindle and ComiXology apps already can do, but they are more concerned with slashing what ComiXology can do in the interest of cost-saving. <a href="https://youtu.be/GvTMMB8XNQY">Nerdsync</a> and other YouTubers have covered that really well. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, this became my new project. The additional commercial focused on the library was my way of learning Figma. It was simpler to make and it throws around some more useful ideas that ComiXology is lacking. And the commercial framing was the best way to give these things some additional life and not just make it a slideshow. It just also meant I needed some additional help.</div><div><br /></div><div>A ton of people contributed to this, and I highly encourage people to check out their work. For example, Julia Yorks is a professional screenwriter. Before I went to the VA, Kiyana, with my script, I wanted to make sure dialogue flowed from feature-to-feature just right, and she was able to help me do that and make the whole thing less wordy.</div><div><br /></div><div>I don't know if this will actually show up on Amazon's radar, but with all the ComiXology criticism they've been facing lately, at least they might find a potential way out...if they even care or it starts to actually affect the bottom line.</div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, while note-taking was frustrating, I'd consider the library video a strong endorsement of getting your books from your local comic shop. Once they're home, it's just so much easier to enjoy them. Please support your local comic book shops, and enjoy the non-hassle of not having to re-download a large trade or omnibus. Just grab-and-go.</div><div><p><b><u><i>Credits</i><br /></u>Voice Acting<br /></b><a href="https://www.kikisvoicedeliveryservice.com">Kiyana Morgan</a><br /><br /><b>Music</b><br />Christophe Beck's <i>Ant-Man</i> Theme<br />Owned by Marvel/Disney<br /><br /><b>Photos</b><br />Adobe Stock & Shutterstock<br /><br /><b>Script Consulting<br /></b><a href="https://stan.store/JuliaYorks">Julia Yorks</a> – <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/4lJWcVPo0q9oEwV4mOfc7f?si=a25dcabc53c344eb">The Baby Writers Podcast<br /></a><br /><b>Software</b><br /><a href="https://www.figma.com">Figma</a> for UI & Final Cut Pro for editing<br />Play with the Figma files however you’d like<br /><a href="https://www.figma.com/community/file/1188567329616518954">Annotation</a> & <a href="https://www.figma.com/community/file/1140810418842208071">Library</a></p><div><br /><b>Keyboard</b><br /><a href="https://www.figma.com/community/file/768726574016795759">Denis Rojčyk</a><br /><br /><b>Icons by <a href="https://iconduck.com/">Iconduck</a></b></div><div>It's a plug-in in Figma<br /><br /><b>Inspiration</b><br /><a href="https://superherocinephiles.com/antman/">Superhero Cinephiles</a> & <a href="https://youtu.be/GvTMMB8XNQY">Nerdsync</a><br /><br /><b>ComiXology & Kindle by Amazon</b><br />Comics owned by their respective creators or publishers<br />Purchased through ComiXology or, more likely, <a href="https://www.humblebundle.com">Humble Bundle</a><br />I’m affiliated with neither<br /><br /><b>Special Thanks<br /></b>SUNY New Paltz Comic Books United! <br />My school’s comic club showed me the wide world of comics outside of the movies</div><div><br /></div></div>Eddie Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12008836649805848949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-17257501685616021762022-11-24T11:32:00.004-05:002023-03-24T11:23:15.050-04:00Midnight Mass - Book III: Proverbs | Guest Appearing on Gateway Episodes Podcast<p>Months ago I recorded for Gateway Episodes, a podcast about finding the right episode to use to bring people into a show that they love and want to recommend. Derick McDuff recommended the third episode of Midnight Mass. Naturally, we talk about what, if anything, I missed, and then we really get into this fantastic show and our thoughts on it. <br /><br />Thank you <span class="xv78j7m xt0e3qv" spellcheck="false">Undercast Company</span> for having me and introducing me to Mike Flanagan's work. Honestly, I do still have to watch this Midnight Mass, but it finally is the next one on my list.<br /><br />I was very much brought in by the story and haven't forgotten it since. Coming off The Banshees of Inisherin, this is the perfect time to properly dock at Crockett Island. </p><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41VGhdkyefS._SL500_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Gateway Episodes" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41VGhdkyefS._SL500_.jpg" title="Gateway Episodes" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">The Undercast Company has this podcast, Underrated, and You've Never Seen. And they're on Twitch</span></div><div><br /></div><div>You can listen <a href="https://anchor.fm/gateway-episodes">here</a>, there are direct links to Spotify and Apple below, and all guest appearances I make are on a Spotify playlist for convenience and collected on <a href="https://www.why-we-watch.com/p/podcast-gallery.html">this page</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/13A26ZeEAy8Is7RDib1BSP?si=6rn_zckSR-O0XStq1VSH-w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Spotify" border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="6000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihmYUINwrnI_0uiyT0yg8tW3zxTXoVvnE8nY61xWMAbMGkzDJpBlyWfLzC8ONXLNTHTUZy672nGFJcNz384FTpkf_yxZzJe2gI81pxZoe18l6tnjWFGOwjRD-_FYByWCzC7wr58wR2gqMf31MhP-L3hSBhuiVpvTVjks2Z3PwGfZAqu8dp2NB4osLVbQ=w200-h200" title="Spotify" width="200" /></a><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/midnight-mass-book-iii-proverbs/id1583503515?i=1000587228605" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="Apple Podcasts" border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="6000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyXvZSM1DN4Snbbb6fOivJ74XQaMMsS8dewImHKrDC37j_5vc3t2xYOzL1NeFarq3VUTbHLaVIV1BKpKfxfy0IiMXhUjoyhLFGJnW35twZCm1FCc4txJCAsbEGFOJkaomkwjbBoPLhae8MsyVr4zel1oUZraULgdX8GrSmAr9bMejjWLvPHEztqLiXmg=w200-h200" title="Apple Podcasts" width="200" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div>For people interested in appearing on Gateway Episodes, please email <a href="mailto:undercastcompany@gmail.com">undercastcompany@gmail.com</a>.<p></p></div>Eddie Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12008836649805848949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-49735533124063886492022-08-29T21:39:00.001-04:002022-09-11T19:33:44.011-04:00Ant-Man: Movie (2015) | Guest Appearing on Superhero Cinephiles Podcast<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: clear; text-align: center;"></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rmkRuMIRxck/VbvC0f2vpOI/AAAAAAAAEtg/BFTW2lNdS38/s874/AntMan%2BPoster%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display:none; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ant-Man" border="0" data-original-height="874" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rmkRuMIRxck/VbvC0f2vpOI/AAAAAAAAEtg/BFTW2lNdS38/w440-h640/AntMan%2BPoster%2B3.jpg" title="Ant-Man" width="440" /></a></div><br />From the episode's page, because Perry covered it really well, "This week, Perry is joined by video editor and writer Eddie Thomson of Why We Watch to discuss 2015’s Ant-Man! We discuss the long road this movie took to getting made, from Edgar Wright’s long involvement in the project, switching over to Adam McKay and eventually landing in the hands of Peyton Reed. We also talk about how the heist film aspect helps set this apart from the rest of the MCU and why not every movie needs to end in some world-ending threat." <br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">You can listen <a href="https://superherocinephiles.com/antman/">here</a>, there are direct links to Spotify and Apple below, and all my guest appearances are on a Spotify playlist <a href="https://www.why-we-watch.com/p/podcast-gallery.html">here</a>.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/7IOSqChvxdE1FUS6lBjVMR?si=HLnHCTNiTICM-ycqavt2Jg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Spotify" border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="6000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihmYUINwrnI_0uiyT0yg8tW3zxTXoVvnE8nY61xWMAbMGkzDJpBlyWfLzC8ONXLNTHTUZy672nGFJcNz384FTpkf_yxZzJe2gI81pxZoe18l6tnjWFGOwjRD-_FYByWCzC7wr58wR2gqMf31MhP-L3hSBhuiVpvTVjks2Z3PwGfZAqu8dp2NB4osLVbQ=w200-h200" title="Spotify" width="200" /></a><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ant-man/id1479489122?i=1000577632574" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="Apple Podcasts" border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="6000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyXvZSM1DN4Snbbb6fOivJ74XQaMMsS8dewImHKrDC37j_5vc3t2xYOzL1NeFarq3VUTbHLaVIV1BKpKfxfy0IiMXhUjoyhLFGJnW35twZCm1FCc4txJCAsbEGFOJkaomkwjbBoPLhae8MsyVr4zel1oUZraULgdX8GrSmAr9bMejjWLvPHEztqLiXmg=w200-h200" title="Apple Podcasts" width="200" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><p>For people interested in talking with Perry, see <a href="https://superherocinephiles.com/movies/">what's available</a> to discuss and his <a href="https://superherocinephiles.com/guestinquiry/">contact form</a>.</p><p>Our discussion on the Nick Spencer comics is a <a href="https://www.patreon.com/supercinemapod">Patreon</a> exclusive. Re-reading them years later was not entirely what I expected, and that's one of the things that we talk about. It was a great experience though, and it inspired me to cobble together a variant cover for one of the issues.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5pBvxYMNtF9NtbSdAMn580oFS1eW7d21C89MCKeoGjOf69kT0U5_Iq0n-FOU-zfJh3yj1KWQzVYC2LLm87JjZEP0mhNHmyXrXHh-_VR-fe92OcCTPpTV1AWl8494M7k_GGCncPgx-Q-r2nnEFtByet4KM-64wpqANgRLjPK6CsfZOgsNdMp5hkBZMZA/s1283/covering.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ant-Man Variant Cover" border="0" data-original-height="1283" data-original-width="821" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5pBvxYMNtF9NtbSdAMn580oFS1eW7d21C89MCKeoGjOf69kT0U5_Iq0n-FOU-zfJh3yj1KWQzVYC2LLm87JjZEP0mhNHmyXrXHh-_VR-fe92OcCTPpTV1AWl8494M7k_GGCncPgx-Q-r2nnEFtByet4KM-64wpqANgRLjPK6CsfZOgsNdMp5hkBZMZA/w410-h640/covering.png" title="Ant-Man Variant Cover" width="410" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Ant-Man Variant Cover</span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;">Like the <a href="https://www.why-we-watch.com/2022/05/doctor-strange-2016-fan-made-poster-co.html"><i>Doctor Strange</i> poster</a>, this was done with re-used assets in Blender, and then it was finished in Photoshop. The main challenge was laying out and rendering the apps separately and posing Scott. The main issue with Scott is it's an FK rig, so the arms and fingers had to be rotated </span>individually, instead of if it had been an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a9qIj7kwiA">easier-to-pose IK setup.</a> Also I’m sure the scale is ridiculous, but I wanted to balance readability of the phone with showing some background, and perspective is hard.</p><div style="text-align: left;">The <a href="https://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/cartoon-detective-office-3d-model-1461321">room</a> is by <a href="https://www.turbosquid.com/Search/artists/fluza">Fluza</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;">The <a href="https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/electronics/phone/low-polly-phone">phone</a> is by <a href="https://www.cgtrader.com/smartbo">smartbo</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;">The <a href="https://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/design-icons-model-1527139">app icons</a> are by <a href="https://www.turbosquid.com/Search/Artists/prelightmedia">prelightmedia</a>, except the bomb I think is <a href="https://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/3d-ready-1415459">this one</a> by <a href="https://www.turbosquid.com/Search/Artists/Francesco-Milanese">Francesco Milanese</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/character/man/ant-man-fortnite-skin-t-pose-rigging">Ant-Man</a> is by <a href="https://www.cgtrader.com/danntzc">danntzc</a>, and I like that he made one that's different from the movie design.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Logos are direct from Marvel.</div>Eddie Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12008836649805848949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-42977830256272542392022-07-22T18:45:00.023-04:002023-03-23T12:24:42.592-04:00Amazing Spider-Man: Family Business (2014) | Graphic Novel <p>A plain-clothes Peter Parker is nearly captured by private military contractors. That's weird. He's able to escape capture with the help of his long-lost sister, Teresa Parker. That's weirder. And now they need to go globe-trotting to stop The Kingpin. If this story threw many more curveballs, there's a chance people might've checked out, but it doesn't. Instead, it just gets more enjoyable to read and, frankly, just stare at because of the artwork. <i>Amazing Spider-Man: Family Business </i>is part of an Original Graphic Novel line called Marvel OGN, so it's like a longer, self-contained, single-issue. It's written by Mark Waid and James Robinson, painted and covered by Gabriele Dell'Otto, and penciled by Werther Dell'Edera.</p><p>The best thing about stories that go off the rails is that it makes buying into ones like this pretty easy. We don't need to <a href="https://www.gamesradar.com/amazing-spider-man-73-kindred-sins-past/">forgive "Sins Past,"</a> or anything like, but we should give them a bit of a break because of what they allowed future writers to get away with. Plus long-lost siblings reveal themselves in comics, <i>Law & Order: SVU </i>episodes, and even our world all the time. Waid and Robinson do introduce the story gently though, with a standard, but very entertaining, crime-in-progress. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jvERFl2tM4o/UcNbm4JejZI/AAAAAAAAFzw/4Vn1xoUrbSM/s1600/spiderman_dellotto.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Spider-Man Hijacking" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1041" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jvERFl2tM4o/UcNbm4JejZI/AAAAAAAAFzw/4Vn1xoUrbSM/w416-h640/spiderman_dellotto.jpg" title="Spider-Man Hijacking" width="416" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">The only, very minor, art complaint I can think of is that there's usually another panel and speech balloons on top of shots like this | Copyright 2014 Marvel</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p style="text-align: left;">Peter stumbles onto a truck that's full of shop-lifted laundry detergent, intended to be resold to wholesalers, and then smaller retailers. We get great quips, like "Stop in the Name of Mr. Clean," great panels, and a good sense of where this Spider-Man is right now. No Parker industries, so this is the only way to keep <i>Family Business</i> somewhat grounded. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Once the main story kicks off with Teresa's introduction, they're quickly "Jason Bourne-ing," as Peter calls it, to places like Monte Carlo, Switzerland, and Cairo. </p><p style="text-align: left;">As a fan of the show <i>Archer</i>, Monte Carlo was easily my favorite destination. It took a few minutes to confirm, but someone somewhere will rest easy knowing that Peter and Sterling Archer both don't know the first thing about Baccarat. At least they both clean up nicely. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://external-preview.redd.it/LVbAM9RxMHesba7SmRNOoJc1LNsIj7o6aGfMAMgRSLU.jpg?auto=webp&s=c7b7bcae411b44828326a4f214d75d4db93fd9d0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Peter and Teresa" border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="800" height="267" src="https://external-preview.redd.it/LVbAM9RxMHesba7SmRNOoJc1LNsIj7o6aGfMAMgRSLU.jpg?auto=webp&s=c7b7bcae411b44828326a4f214d75d4db93fd9d0" title="Peter and Teresa" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Personally, I recommend "</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span><a href="https://www.ntdaily.com/condom-casino-promotes-safe-sex/">college rules</a>" </span><span>Blackjack. If you can't count cards, just be the last person dealt and pray only one deck is in use | </span><span>Copyright 2014 Marvel</span></span></div><p style="text-align: left;">They're there to get information to lead them to their parents' safe house. They're nearly stopped by a villain named Cyclone, and I really like the way his suit is analyzed. Spider-Man figures out that this version of the character isn't a mutant, so it'll be quick work to basically tear out his battery pack. Still, it would've been nice if Teresa could've helped. The best parts of this story, dealing with this relationship and their relationship with their parents, is where the writing does have some hiccups. </p><p style="text-align: left;">We only get to experience so much of these these two learning about each other, and their mom and dad, because of the constraints of about a hundred pages. Shorthand dialogue about power and responsibility is well-used, but it still feels like a workaround because the plot has to keep powering through. Other times, it is a bit on the nose. The Monte Carlo contact tells the two that Richard Parker was a wisecracker, instead of it being shown in one of Waid and Robinson's flashback scenes. Yes, this stuff should be in there but in a less clunky way. Luckily, the buy-in of the sibling storyline doesn't really have this problem.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Since there's no time to do a DNA test or something, what Waid and Robinson come up with is that Teresa has a family photo and Peter's expertise as a photojournalist tell him that it's not doctored. Doubt is in the back of his mind and ours, but things are addressed well, and nothing about the story really feels cheap because of that doubt. A costume change for Spider-Man is handled similarly, and outside justification for that is the artists get to have more fun. It just works. And again, this part of the story is not the wildest thing to happen in comics, other pop culture, and everyday life. What is wild is that they meet The Kingpin in Cairo.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Leaving out some details, what <i>Family Business </i>comes down to is a male Parker is able to unlock a vault full of Nazi gold that's also guarded by a robot. Nick Spencer's <i>Ant-Man </i>runs into a robot just like this a year or two later, and I recently re-read that for a (<a href="https://www.patreon.com/join/supercinemapod?redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.patreon.com%2Fposts%2Fscp-book-club-5-69026374">Patreon exclusive</a>) guest appearance on the Superhero Cinephiles podcast, so the suspension of disbelief is still going strong here. Plus, this was around the time of the Webb/Garfield movies that were all about Peter's parents, so that probably helped some readers at the time. Now, I'm not so sure. I also wonder if this book has much of a legacy outside of the art and Wilson Fisk's iconic look? </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://imageio.forbes.com/specials-images/imageserve/61c5d0f863b9660fc5554665/kingpin/960x0.jpg?format=jpg&width=960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Wilson Fisk" border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="800" height="364" src="https://imageio.forbes.com/specials-images/imageserve/61c5d0f863b9660fc5554665/kingpin/960x0.jpg?format=jpg&width=960" title="Wilson Fisk" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk | Copyright 2021 Marvel Studios</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p style="text-align: left;">The closest comparison I can make to Dell'Otto and Dell'Edera's work is Alex Ross because of how it's painted. A quick comparison can be made with the Ross art in my <i>Uncle Sam </i><a href="https://www.why-we-watch.com/2017/05/uncle-sam-graphic-novel.html">review</a>, but a better one can be made by looking at his work in <i>Marvels</i> and <i>Kingdom Come. </i>Where Ross excels is scope and detailing, but, as far as I know, work like this in comics is still incredibly hard to come by outside of covers, and any instance of it should be celebrated. Personally, a character like Teresa should be, too. She's definitely not well-known.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I wish she was. Peter having that connection felt really heart-warming, as unexplored as it felt at times, but I couldn't find too much on the character after that, but if I'm missing something please correct me. As far as <i>Family Business</i> goes, Fisk and the robot are stopped, the day is saved, and there doesn't seem to be any major lasting impacts to the story. Some of that is probably by design because of the self-contained thing, but something about a bombshell like this just defusing, one that could've opened up the world of a character, doesn't feel right. This isn't even where Cindy Moon (Silk) was being kept, which is where I thought the story was going, but that just goes to show what casual reading gets you sometimes. Anyway, <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Spiderman/comments/uf8ltm/comment/i6vtexl/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">someone</a> on Reddit said that the Webb/Garfield movies created the perfect universe to introduce and adapt her story, and they're right, but the MCU wouldn't be a bad fit either.</p><p style="text-align: left;">For those who've seen <i>No Way Home</i> or ready my <a href="https://www.why-we-watch.com/2021/12/spider-man-no-way-home-spoiler-review.html">review</a>, they know that that Peter could use literally anybody in his life just popping up right now, and while writing around Doctor Strange's magic to make this happen logically would be quite difficult, it could be incredibly rewarding for Peter, his sister, and the fans who feel especially close to them.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6FbnxE1xiMBRfjS_J3Q7HQl4BVwnsml24ONW_TVwQmzIHnE9lJbAiCpBpOpBZwa0j73syPUDI_F81IdfdaYuzWK8cEOrdSYKZLw_O6psmiI62ndIVgzwwO1a41papq0MUKRPdNjnlAqVmgX3mND99eL8yuGVvZS185cjIIaOYhLs3EEhEWgZbBS0tjQ/s1906/3.75.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="3.75/5" border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="1906" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6FbnxE1xiMBRfjS_J3Q7HQl4BVwnsml24ONW_TVwQmzIHnE9lJbAiCpBpOpBZwa0j73syPUDI_F81IdfdaYuzWK8cEOrdSYKZLw_O6psmiI62ndIVgzwwO1a41papq0MUKRPdNjnlAqVmgX3mND99eL8yuGVvZS185cjIIaOYhLs3EEhEWgZbBS0tjQ/w640-h128/3.75.png" title="3.75/5" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Update</b>: It looks like Chip Zdarsky featured her a few years later in his <i>Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man</i> run.</p></div>Eddie Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12008836649805848949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-30361634375632610572022-06-14T21:54:00.007-04:002022-11-07T16:23:11.901-05:00Prometheus Poster | Knocked Up Style<p>This poster may be one of the worst, and potentially most offensive, creative ideas I've ever had. Some stupid part of me hopes it sparks better work that can break through to people who still don't realize how necessary abortion rights are, and how scary the country is about to be for people who can get pregnant. That's why it's hopefully worth sharing.</p><p>For context on the mashup, if you don't know, please read <a href="https://opinionessoftheworld.com/2012/06/13/is-prometheus-a-feminist-pro-choice-metaphor/">"Is ‘Prometheus’ a Feminist Pro-Choice Metaphor?"</a> by <a href="https://opinionessoftheworld.com/about/">Megan Kearns.</a></p><p>Please donate to your local, or non-local, abortion fund. A list of funds is available <a href="https://abortionfunds.org/need-abortion/?_ga=2.202621208.828307765.1655257727-2010203574.1655257727#funds-list">here</a>, and it's suggested that you do a search to quick make sure that sites and lists like this are up to date.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSeyneQ40WQuFZvnHT1jDU-XGaq-ivkkgBmkOMnczW5HcjjKQScbLmrfbymg9_FS3oVo3MUIYMDy5KEbRGBGff63OaJkEFfqI4n_-lizP9pMCJ7dQcc0M8WnxxWyVtQC-Gr1t69RBApOrMA3BF0kAMAYmET-tWrvehtGxjdLCmCTmQV6pgm9dTfxixLA/s1283/David8-removebg.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Prometheus Knocked Up Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1283" data-original-width="821" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSeyneQ40WQuFZvnHT1jDU-XGaq-ivkkgBmkOMnczW5HcjjKQScbLmrfbymg9_FS3oVo3MUIYMDy5KEbRGBGff63OaJkEFfqI4n_-lizP9pMCJ7dQcc0M8WnxxWyVtQC-Gr1t69RBApOrMA3BF0kAMAYmET-tWrvehtGxjdLCmCTmQV6pgm9dTfxixLA/w410-h640/David8-removebg.png" title="Prometheus Knocked Up Poster" width="410" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Prometheus </i>(2012) is a great movie, by the way</span></div>Eddie Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12008836649805848949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-90381855593957439292022-05-23T21:58:00.005-04:002023-01-02T18:05:30.960-05:00Doctor Strange (2016) | Fan Made Poster, Co-Created By CGFlow and Other ArtistsI was re-binging the MCU recently and remembered how one of the last director commentary tracks I heard was from <i>Doctor Strange. </i>Something about Scott Derrickson's early emphasis on Stephen's watches, in the movie and in the track, stuck out. This was along with the great imagery throughout the film. So a very loose idea for a movie poster came about. The idea was to focus on the symbols that make up the sorcerer more than the sorcerer himself. It seemed interesting because it should've been something done by the actual marketing department, but it wasn't. That also seemed like something worth bringing up, but first, the poster and what went into making it.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLbGW3dn10OV3zhDCZAV4m6zxmh2NcMb8p1TgNJlM1DygkeeMWVPjQr4vThVG9CxdtTNY3hvQSEWPXWTGynFmQzk9ixU8qftSEo5NTVgVmSphBQxPsTkHmIQFO8GrmLMHpVcaNx8PIBKgiqpnoNdcLH5hnELliUT__OACdOD9YHr2f2zsB6CSXC62fcw/s1350/Test.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Doctor Strange Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLbGW3dn10OV3zhDCZAV4m6zxmh2NcMb8p1TgNJlM1DygkeeMWVPjQr4vThVG9CxdtTNY3hvQSEWPXWTGynFmQzk9ixU8qftSEo5NTVgVmSphBQxPsTkHmIQFO8GrmLMHpVcaNx8PIBKgiqpnoNdcLH5hnELliUT__OACdOD9YHr2f2zsB6CSXC62fcw/w512-h640/Test.png" title="Doctor Strange Poster" width="512" /></a></div><div><div><br /></div><div>The poster was co-created by <a href="https://www.cgtrader.com/cgflow">CGFlow</a>, and a breakdown of everything is right below here. Please consider supporting these awesome artists. This would not be possible without any of them.</div><div><br /></div><div>The <a href="https://blendswap.com/blend/9750">background </a>is by <a href="http://elbrujodelatribu.blogspot.com/2013/07/blender-cycles-procedural-stars-world.html">El Brujo de la Tribu</a>.</div><div>The <a href="https://www.cgtrader.com/free-3d-models/various/various-models/vintage-pocket-watch">watch </a>is by <a href="https://www.cgtrader.com/evilvoland">Vladimir Kunyansky</a>, and the <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/blender/comments/8bwltq/i_made_this_magic_circle_inspired_by_doctor/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3">magic circles</a> are by <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/ogyajanitra">OgyaJanitra</a>. </div><div>The sling ring is by <a href="https://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/dr-strange-sling-ring-model-1898077">RadLadFrench</a> and <a href="https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/sports/toy/sling-ring-from-movie-doctor-strange">3DTechDesign</a>. I used some elements of each for one ring.</div><div>The hands and wraps were custom-made by <a href="https://www.cgtrader.com/cgflow">CGFlow</a>.</div><div>Titles are from Fanart.tv, just like my <a href="https://www.why-we-watch.com/2022/03/vudu-disc-to-digital-service-fan-made.html">Vudu video.</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Sad to say I really was just the idea guy on this one, and these creators, especially CGFlow, deserve the the credit for the poster. I just put all the pieces together once they were made or found. Again, please check out everyone's work and consider asking them for a commission.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>People have really taken notice of movie posters lately, but it's been in an unexpected way. <a href="https://www.boredpanda.com/types-of-movie-posters/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic">Lazy poster design is being called out across the industry, especially when it comes to franchise films.</a> We're seeing the same color scheme, and we're seeing stars' faces arbitrarily filling the page. It gets the job done at a basic level, and maybe celebrities are causing the second problem and making it part of their contract for exposure, but ad campaigns at this scale need to vary. The movies have roughly two hours to cater to everyone. The posters have a few seconds.<div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMmZmYTgwZGItNDIxMS00MmRkLWEzODQtYTllNzM0ZWE1NmQ5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODQzNTE3ODc@._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="X-Men Poster" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="540" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMmZmYTgwZGItNDIxMS00MmRkLWEzODQtYTllNzM0ZWE1NmQ5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODQzNTE3ODc@._V1_.jpg" title="X-Men Poster" width="135" /></a><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOTAzODEzNDAzMl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMDU1MTgzNzE@._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="Star Wars Poster" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="542" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOTAzODEzNDAzMl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMDU1MTgzNzE@._V1_.jpg" title="Star Wars Poster" width="136" /></a><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjQ2ODIyMjY4MF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNzY4ODI2NzM@._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Aladdin Poster" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="540" height="200" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjQ2ODIyMjY4MF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNzY4ODI2NzM@._V1_.jpg" title="Aladdin Poster" width="135" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Someone made a meme putting these three together, with the caption "I've Watched This [Disney] Trilogy 5 Times And I Still Have No Clue What's Going On."</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This may be shifting to a new design <a href="https://www.indiewire.com/2022/05/jamie-lee-curtis-everything-everywhere-doctor-strange-2-feud-1234723292/">all studios are adopting</a>. So, that's a small win and loss. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Teaser and concept posters can bring in the tiny piece of the movie-going population who doesn't know what a great guy Paul Rudd is, and luckily Marvel sometimes recognizes that.</div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTc3NzgxNTM0N15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNTMwMDI5MzE@._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ant-Man Poster" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTc3NzgxNTM0N15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNTMwMDI5MzE@._V1_.jpg" title="Ant-Man Poster" width="270" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's also a great way to test if a movie, or some part of it like a character's look, will work or not. It can be done before production is far along and a lot of money is spent. And, most importantly, with open-source software like, as mentioned, Gimp ("free Photoshop") and Blender 3D, fans can put their own spin on these kinds of posters too. I was surprised some version of this Doctor Strange poster wasn't done already, so you'd be surprised what's <b>not</b> out there yet and waiting to be created. </div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Update: </b>I whipped up a quick variant cover version with a <a href="https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-models/science/medical/hospital-room-518ab976-a0cf-49c1-be15-5e366acba8fe">hospital</a> by <a href="https://www.cgtrader.com/jdva3d">jdva3d</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjR3tpAIWiExV_HvfonZcxuXX90-CYOz6YXmryqJWo1OE1KudnRPisfSVHcw8Qw32jJyL5dfntwj0t0Asm850vK0MK4HQqExcvWfybSZaiRvjlBnVwcFLRYhyUlpjUgO-xnhRZzNuFz9w9pZFBCrQbnsMpXYg_StefHJX_8l5fmoh6DBzPzwUSLgKu_Q/s1350/hospital.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="hospital" border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjR3tpAIWiExV_HvfonZcxuXX90-CYOz6YXmryqJWo1OE1KudnRPisfSVHcw8Qw32jJyL5dfntwj0t0Asm850vK0MK4HQqExcvWfybSZaiRvjlBnVwcFLRYhyUlpjUgO-xnhRZzNuFz9w9pZFBCrQbnsMpXYg_StefHJX_8l5fmoh6DBzPzwUSLgKu_Q/w512-h640/hospital.png" title="hospital" width="512" /></a></div></div>Eddie Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12008836649805848949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-90057404651726987452022-04-01T00:06:00.015-04:002024-02-22T08:45:02.561-05:00Morbius (2022) | Short ReviewIn <i>Morbius</i>, via <i>IMDb</i>, "<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; letter-spacing: var(--ipt-type-body-letterSpacing,0.03125em); text-transform: var(--ipt-type-body-textTransform,none);">Biochemist Michael Morbius (Jared Leto) tries to cure himself of a rare blood disease, but he inadvertently infects himself with a form of vampirism instead." And then his friend, played by Matt Smith, infects himself and Morbius has to kill him. </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.5px;">That's</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; letter-spacing: var(--ipt-type-body-letterSpacing,0.03125em); text-transform: var(--ipt-type-body-textTransform,none);"> about it, but the director, Daniel Espinosa, (</span><span style="font-variant-caps: inherit; letter-spacing: var(--ipt-type-body-letterSpacing,0.03125em); text-transform: var(--ipt-type-body-textTransform,none);"><i>Life</i></span><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; letter-spacing: var(--ipt-type-body-letterSpacing,0.03125em); text-transform: var(--ipt-type-body-textTransform,none);">) and writers, Matt </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.5px;">Sazama</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; letter-spacing: var(--ipt-type-body-letterSpacing,0.03125em); text-transform: var(--ipt-type-body-textTransform,none);"> & </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.5px;">Burn</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; letter-spacing: var(--ipt-type-body-letterSpacing,0.03125em); text-transform: var(--ipt-type-body-textTransform,none);"> Shapless, do what </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.5px;">they</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; letter-spacing: var(--ipt-type-body-letterSpacing,0.03125em); text-transform: var(--ipt-type-body-textTransform,none);"> can to fill up the 104 minute runtime.</span></span><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.5px;"><br /></span><div>The writing is some of the worst out there for a comic book movie, as the script doesn't just lack style and substance, but it lacks anything close to its own identity. On top of that, there's borrowing and stealing ideas from other projects, or filling pages with clichés, but it really feels like less than that, although the clichés are there. One of the lines in the trailer is about how Michael feels better than he's ever felt in his life after the experiment, but it has its drawbacks, too. </div><div><br /></div><div>If it's not something like that, Michael is just pushed along by the plot and barely able to make a decision. I'm not a writing expert, but I think plot-driven stories need to rely more on well-developed characters to keep us engaged, unless the plot mechanics are really interesting and out there. However, if I'm wrong or missing something about how that works, please let me know.</div><div><br /><div>The action is okay, and the creature effects look really solid. The climatic fight scene gets a little tough to follow because of how fast the characters can move and teleport, but other than that...it's fine. <a href="https://www.cbr.com/morbius-spider-man-spinoff-avengers-thanos-vfx-tech/">Motion-capture was used to shift the leads in and out of their vampire forms,</a> and the designs of their faces are nearly the only highlight of the movie.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhkpmmN5TlG0_bpr9VUEBuNi6atwCWl7j26Iq0kSDLYq1Kia9P0JnU0q8KNvjZdzm9683Mb9zJZpn58zoQVUQjnzVOje2cOzscedsq2W0sHQPc5B_uivvKhpmiEop9w88Tb7iiZlOsmU_MlcueK8R-5PnWzyEDIXcAlaKBYcS2H-LZDqC2dnJxYvwF1Q/s1177/morbius3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Morbius" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhkpmmN5TlG0_bpr9VUEBuNi6atwCWl7j26Iq0kSDLYq1Kia9P0JnU0q8KNvjZdzm9683Mb9zJZpn58zoQVUQjnzVOje2cOzscedsq2W0sHQPc5B_uivvKhpmiEop9w88Tb7iiZlOsmU_MlcueK8R-5PnWzyEDIXcAlaKBYcS2H-LZDqC2dnJxYvwF1Q/w640-h360/morbius3.jpg" title="Morbius" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span>The movie would be better if Michael was doing the "Lethal Protector" thing like Venom | </span><span style="text-align: center;">Copyright 2022 Sony and Marvel</span></div></span><div><br /></div><div>The other highlight would be Matt Smith. He is really good, and he channels Ewan McGregor’s Black Mask in his performance. It is the ounce of character in the entire movie, and I love my “woo” boys! It's worth nothing that Adria Arjona plays Doctor Martine Bancroft, one of Michael's friends and co-workers. <a href="https://www.cbr.com/morbius-spider-man-spinoff-ardia-arjona-aoc-inspiration/">She shaped her role after Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and that is awesome.</a> Arjona is doing the best she can with what she's given, but Martine is pushed along in that same way as Michael. If this somehow leads to her playing AOC one day, or more people like her with more to do, that's excellent. Until then, Morbius gets graded on what it is, not what it promises. </div><div><br /></div><div>Speaking of which, post-credits and MCU-wise, it's difficult to even tell what it's promising. Those scenes did not balance out the cost of admission on this one, but they rarely do on Sony's solo Spider-Man movies. <a href="https://collider.com/amazing-spider-man-2-x-men-days-of-future-past/">Remember that time there was an <i>X-Men</i> trailer instead because of a trade with Fox?</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>With <i>Morbius</i>, the studio was on cookie-cutter auto-pilot, and that’s somehow way worse than them mandating senseless shit. They rushed the skeleton of a script out and dared to call it a movie. We jump on Sony for throwing out ideas like an <a href="https://collider.com/spider-man-aunt-may-movie/">Aunt May</a> or Silver Sable movie, but that really could be something. I mean the headline alone is out there, and a movie about one of comic's most beloved moms opens a couple of doors. Ignoring that the idea was for an espionage story, I'm seeing a drama that shares the same perspective of Kurt Busiek's & Alex Ross's <i>Marvels. </i>It's superheroes from the perspective of the people again, which, outside of Disney+ shows and DC, hasn't really been deeply explored since the early days of the MCU. If Sony and Marvel are going to maintain a contentious relationship, they should at least try to one-up each other. Right now, it's up to upcoming <i>Kraven the Hunter</i> to rise to the challenge.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL54Zdqw0gH5JK55v2Mrs0xte8ERpewBNtGZQNNuxOKZD-GsFgfaV1m87KvAyPb_oX17rHAQ1eTRg3xbO3wEqGOWn-5nm6eIJkJMapkGTXQBk3xJQ0nGLbq9olN7kzLkmWr84Z7JQy5PB7_89Y2QHU3aLfZvAgBOYRALPp4IwVBsckyA3UoOkoE_8Wb2qZ/s1906/2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2/5" border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="1906" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL54Zdqw0gH5JK55v2Mrs0xte8ERpewBNtGZQNNuxOKZD-GsFgfaV1m87KvAyPb_oX17rHAQ1eTRg3xbO3wEqGOWn-5nm6eIJkJMapkGTXQBk3xJQ0nGLbq9olN7kzLkmWr84Z7JQy5PB7_89Y2QHU3aLfZvAgBOYRALPp4IwVBsckyA3UoOkoE_8Wb2qZ/w640-h128/2.png" title="2/5" width="640" /></a></div></div><br /></div><br /></div></div></div>Eddie Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12008836649805848949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-78528704519869535672022-03-17T22:42:00.011-04:002023-01-02T18:06:18.296-05:00Vudu: Disc to Digital Service | Fan Made Commercial<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJw_Vr9jQAUfFN_wlSw18TtXFqx0q3u2ZcafzbjH4fXQiQ7rH_wmSRmfCuORJeTXJewOR6KLOCt_01SYmUZB9ziqDJ3sFft9jqF924qXw8-4tzey-BIGyLuEu4Z30H0I7IFnbTIoEkAmIaVypgbGwua0BuvKAvX-XfR-3zzCG-6noCcN9s7djBGPKkpA/s1600/Vudu%20Cover.png" style="display: none; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJw_Vr9jQAUfFN_wlSw18TtXFqx0q3u2ZcafzbjH4fXQiQ7rH_wmSRmfCuORJeTXJewOR6KLOCt_01SYmUZB9ziqDJ3sFft9jqF924qXw8-4tzey-BIGyLuEu4Z30H0I7IFnbTIoEkAmIaVypgbGwua0BuvKAvX-XfR-3zzCG-6noCcN9s7djBGPKkpA/s1600/Vudu%20Cover.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/88LbhJpSFw0" width="320" youtube-src-id="88LbhJpSFw0"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>I did an update to that <a href="https://www.why-we-watch.com/2021/12/vudu-disc-to-digital-service-fan-made.html">radio commercial </a>from a few months back. The odd challenge for this one was picking out the movies to feature. Luckily, Vudu has multiple communities dedicated to this service and other stuff like it, so it was easy to find a list to start off with. <div><br /></div><div>As always, this stuff wouldn't get off the ground without the help of a handful of people. The living room model from <a href="https://www.turbosquid.com/Search/artists/fluza">Fluza</a> was also featured in two of the logo animations my friend <a href="https://dylanhirsh.com/">Dylan Hirsh</a> created for me recently. Logo, by the way, by <a href="https://callbackdesign.co">Casey Morris</a>. Speaking of logos, everything featured here came from a site called <a href="https://fanart.tv">Fanart.tv</a>, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKkVcYtNNajZB6AfLmljz1Q">TheMarvelStark</a> pointed them out to me. Without it, picture-to-picture may look pretty inconsistent. This site mandates everything be the same size, so that was a huge help. <a href="https://zanesexton.weebly.com">Zane Sexton</a> had a certain Bruce Campbell quality to his voice, and, while I couldn't sync that with "In the Hall of the Mountain King," he was a pleasure to work with. Finally, this, like the last Vudu video, is thanks to script made in Professor Gregg Bray's Writing For Digital Media class. Please check out his movie <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Liner-Notes-Allen-Enlow/dp/B086YTFQMD/ref=sr_1_7?crid=3KDH61YEG2Q1T&keywords=liner+notes&qid=1647571760&sprefix=liner+notes%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-7">Liner Notes</a>. It's been on my watchlist for a while.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, if you like the video, or any of the puzzle pieces of it, please follow those links and spread the love. </div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, for anyone in an editing funk, this was a quick project to put together, but it's got me wanting to get back into some of the crazier stuff I was trying during lockdown. Small videos are always a great place to start, and they can be exercises you just keep to yourself, although someone will probably get a real kick out of them. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Update: </b>This is a tiny project that I did in an afternoon, so I'm mentioning it here. Months later, I recut an older Snickers ad for TikTok.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QHxHAH7wK14" width="320" youtube-src-id="QHxHAH7wK14"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div>Eddie Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12008836649805848949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-17152661922046548852022-03-06T19:05:00.013-05:002024-03-10T15:20:29.659-04:00The Batman (2022) | Spoiler-Free<p><i>The Batman</i> is directed by Matt Reeves (<i>Dawn of the Planet of the Apes </i>and <i>War for the Planet of the Apes). </i>It is written by Reeves and Peter Craig (<i>The Town), </i>as they stitch together dozens of Bat-sources and incarnations. Non-Bat-sources, as everyone has noted the influences of movies like <i>Seven </i>and <i>Zodiac</i>, play a large part, too. However, this isn't a patchwork, but a deep, warm, red tapestry of a movie. It stars, among others, Robert Pattinson (Batman/Bruce Wayne), Zoë Kravitz (Catwoman/Selina Kyle), Paul Dano (Riddler), Jeffrey Wright (James Gordon), John Tuturro (Carmine Falcone), Andy Serkis (Alfred Pennyworth), Colin Farrell (Penguin/Oswald Cobblepot), and Jayme Lawson (Bella Reál, Gotham's mayoral candidate). The plot is that after two years of developing The Batman, the changing tide in crime isn't what Bruce expected. There's still deep-rooted corruption, but now there's an escalation and assassinations of high-ranking people in Gotham carried out by the mysterious Riddler. It's up to Batman and Gordon to try to get a step ahead of him and his puzzles.</p><p>So, let's start at the top with those sources. For the most part, everything with Batman has probably been done in some way, shape, or form. It's all about what hasn't been done in a live-action film yet, and which combinations of elements either haven't been tried before or work best. The notable source that's not a spoiler is the action, and some set design, being inspired by the <i>Arkham</i> games. Snyder and Affleck were too when it came to action, but they're still fairly different takes. Reeves and Pattinson are less gadget-reliant, as this version of the character is still experimenting with what utilities work best. He's also using armor that doesn't sacrifice speed and flexibility, but that's actually much more for Reeves and his crew than it is for the character. </p><p>According to <i>Cinem</i>a <i>Blend</i>, "<a href="https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2483898/robert-pattinson-is-training-in-jiu-jitsu-for-the-batman">Pattinson was working with eighth degree red and black belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu intstructor Rigan Machado ahead of <i>The Batman</i></a>." Fights are primarily hand-to-hand and rely little on editing. Any tiny cuts or breaks in the action are thanks to the darkness Batman operates in. That's until the firing of a gun or a bullet sparking off his single, removable batarang chest plate reveal a little more. Really, the movie's cinematographer, Greig Fraser (<i>Dune</i>), and the people responsible for lighting and color grading deserve special recognition for shrouding everything away from the light while still keeping it visually comprehensible and beautiful. In all honesty, I have no clue how they made that work, <a href="https://www.why-we-watch.com/2021/12/spider-man-no-way-home-spoiler-review.html">especially after I criticized No Way Home for their night-time scenes.</a> Anyone who can further <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSKOjQ5zT40">explain it</a>, please chime in. The best I can come up with, and it's an oversimplification, is that less cgi was involved. </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyIxu-zDvha6k3hVZqpcUcPUpyRpRSLnXbrXilYZj7LA8d3YKwYMHMFzC8VFbvdJ63TfDD09UcbAv0WdIR8kCiOR5iJ0UtIONfJX7BpUsNHnDZm_ZkVFH4wAL4d7wCB4V1_YdmHyz8CTIvHxJAq771BMpW5984y1Lz9Zs9NJNkgwBOLIUR99t2oZhXgA=s1920" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Batman Returns Poster" border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyIxu-zDvha6k3hVZqpcUcPUpyRpRSLnXbrXilYZj7LA8d3YKwYMHMFzC8VFbvdJ63TfDD09UcbAv0WdIR8kCiOR5iJ0UtIONfJX7BpUsNHnDZm_ZkVFH4wAL4d7wCB4V1_YdmHyz8CTIvHxJAq771BMpW5984y1Lz9Zs9NJNkgwBOLIUR99t2oZhXgA=w360-h640" title="The Batman Returns Poster" width="360" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">I used their own artwork to update the 1992 <i>Batman Returns</i> poster | Copyright 2022 Warner Media</span></div><p>Onto the actors! To come right out with it, I need to see another movie with Pattinson before I can give him a fair ranking against most other Batmen. I think I wanted to see the looser, party-boy Bruce Wayne, even though it's a good thing we didn't get it, just for a fuller picture of his performance. Still, his <i>Year One</i> style narration that opens and closes the movie is fantastic. Ben McKenzie had that in the animated <i>Year One</i> movie, but it was overly stiff. This is closer to Jackie Earl Haley as Rorschach in Snyder's <i>Watchmen</i>, in tone, but it doesn't go overboard in over-the-top despair. It's the fine line that <i>The Batman</i>, luckily, comfortably walks. </p><p>Zoë Kravitz, on the other hand, makes a great Selina and Catwoman, and it only took this movie for her to solidify that. Selina is more drawn from her sources than ever before, so Kravitz is given a lot to work with. Selina's frustration with the city radiates in ways that Bruce's can't, as she quickly sizes him up, behind the mask, as some kind of trust-fund kid. Blunt political, and racial, talking points of <i>Joker</i> (2019) are quickly handled much better through her, Riddler's plans, and Lawson's role as an AOC-like figure. And I very, very much appreciate that, and I'd add more if spoilers weren't at risk. Anyway, those sources include an interesting connection to mob boss Carmine Falcone, and I've never seen a stronger performance from John Tuturro. I've seen funnier and more out there, but I've never seen a show of real strength and power from the man. He and Kravitz are both inspired casting choices. </p><p>Someone named Morris said <a href="https://twitter.com/SketchedBat/status/1500090671880888321?s=20&t=1ylRVwV-d9-C2ZreKvRZ1A">"Jeffrey Wright is the best Jim Gordon and it's not even close."</a> Again, I can't go that far without another movie, but we both agree on one thing, <a href="https://twitter.com/SketchedBat/status/1500097227645198337?s=20&t=1ylRVwV-d9-C2ZreKvRZ1A">"<span color="inherit" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; white-space: inherit;">they both go on the streets and both figure shit out."</span></a> Especially for a first movie in a new set, is a slightly more hands-on Gordon than Nolan's and Gary Oldman's. It's a big benefit of that two-year head start. They're casual with each other, unless it appears one may have crossed the line. A close comparison is probably the Gordon and Batman of the 90s cartoon or <i>The Dark Knight Returns. </i></p><p>While it's still odd that Penguin isn't played by Richard Kind, since that's how Farrell looks under prosthetics, the only real problem with Oswald is we didn't get enough of him. Still, him only as a mid-tier thug is refreshing, especially for fans of the Arkham games, and it's probably the only time we'll see him with much of a funny bone that doesn't rely on breaking them. His interrogation by Batman and Gordon is a comedic highlight, as he mocks their inability to remember some basic Spanish in one of Riddler's clues. In returns, he's left of waddle in handcuffs until he gets picked up. It seems, the next time we see him, it'll be in an HBO Max show tracking his rise to power. Expect a lot of cruelty from him in it, and be ready to savor it. </p><p>Finally, Paul Dano was absolutely pitch-perfect as Riddler. The character may be excruciating to hear to some, as he whines and pleads for attention and validation, but that is how small men like him should appear. When in control, Dano is menacing. One of his great strengths as an actor is an unassuming nature. That's been shown at least a few times over with <i>Swiss Army Man, Prisoners, and There Will Be Blood.</i> Pairing that with this character, he's able to twist reason and the symbol of Batman to suit his own needs, and gravitate people toward whatever side of reason that is. The movie comes together because of this. </p><p>To start to close things out, I'll say that Reeves, Craig, and Pattinson have expertly created another "Brooding Bruce." To balance that out, they crafted a story and city where "it'll get worse before it gets better." A Gotham that never quite hits rock-bottom, although it gets close, is a great opening. A Bruce and Selina who share a kiss and haven't either is, too. Batman has hope. You can see it, and so much more in Pattinson's eyes behind the mask. And so does <i>The Batman, </i>and something like that has been missing from his stories for a while. Maybe because hope's usually more of a Superman thing?</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHClIKzA-DFgtIu8ycu82VD2RSUMGshwqEKdr81FR2hgY7tp0GSHz5BxrTTmtU8BjZMijJDqLRhkEHpQ4RmqRNUd-7XadjyDdK9S8s6NkPVXMubxETPnX9WN0SAGX8-gySklIsh-Uy99ygnfS2jg4i9o2Xt-QyyLsFEt0ovM3Hbf1QC9rVa-HMa4A-wA=s1920" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Man of Steel" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHClIKzA-DFgtIu8ycu82VD2RSUMGshwqEKdr81FR2hgY7tp0GSHz5BxrTTmtU8BjZMijJDqLRhkEHpQ4RmqRNUd-7XadjyDdK9S8s6NkPVXMubxETPnX9WN0SAGX8-gySklIsh-Uy99ygnfS2jg4i9o2Xt-QyyLsFEt0ovM3Hbf1QC9rVa-HMa4A-wA=w640-h360" title="Man of Steel" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfOOV5x91Mdhn-UI21TsBDkm039lWYcrKz-alxuq-cuM8x60Dv9k3NNZdGVG4hWJfhTc8epKYuC9zw5TMyOUxGgHmFyEguErbm5EXk2dTmoRqM3J_axN7evhbrv-kkBv4nOfxyGBcB1MnaTkPBzJ_h-yLt0TzNIpRoCKNB74quviGAm1akMeEOoNcvCA=s1906" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="4/5" border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="1906" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfOOV5x91Mdhn-UI21TsBDkm039lWYcrKz-alxuq-cuM8x60Dv9k3NNZdGVG4hWJfhTc8epKYuC9zw5TMyOUxGgHmFyEguErbm5EXk2dTmoRqM3J_axN7evhbrv-kkBv4nOfxyGBcB1MnaTkPBzJ_h-yLt0TzNIpRoCKNB74quviGAm1akMeEOoNcvCA=w640-h128" title="4/5" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Eddie Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12008836649805848949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-40667856799130167802021-12-28T16:21:00.008-05:002023-01-02T18:06:34.454-05:00Vudu: Disc to Digital Service | Fan Made Car/Radio Commercial<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCpl1BA4fzQrK_MwJ-uDljkWstrpoZVnP032Ll3d6Qkuus28squ-lO8y282bGFqFPI2Oyn173AQ7Tfd7mXUDWpSEVzmEaWw8nC3SE10KZ-Z0A61Zz483KmcZDozwkvhCijxTuMWYu1AeF1rt_SCAkGCJ5Qsn1-nlaPpwZM1w2EBxmELui_KGEF43pbVQ/s1920/Thumbnail.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCpl1BA4fzQrK_MwJ-uDljkWstrpoZVnP032Ll3d6Qkuus28squ-lO8y282bGFqFPI2Oyn173AQ7Tfd7mXUDWpSEVzmEaWw8nC3SE10KZ-Z0A61Zz483KmcZDozwkvhCijxTuMWYu1AeF1rt_SCAkGCJ5Qsn1-nlaPpwZM1w2EBxmELui_KGEF43pbVQ/s320/Thumbnail.jpg" style="display: none;" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1etS6pVCFc4" width="320" youtube-src-id="1etS6pVCFc4"></iframe></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>I'm a big fan of Vudu and this service, but the main reason I made this was to try to experiment and expand a little bit. It was my first time directing actors, and it was my first time putting captions in a video, so that's what made it something worth working on.<br /><br />Just trying out different things with the channel, as I continue through a bit of a slump with trailers, reviews, and stuff like that.<br /><br />Credits are inside the video. Please check out the work of the other people who helped put this together. It just would've stayed on the page without them. <div><br /></div><div>A very special shoutout goes to <a href="https://dylanhirsh.com">Dylan Hirsh</a> for putting <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xro-nqQ0XBY">the ending logo animation</a> together. This is one of three pieces that he did for me. </div><div><br /></div><div>They all came out wonderfully, and we feel that they perfectly capture the themes and ideas of Why We Watch, as something more than just me blogging and having fun every once in a while. This is supposed to be a place of ideas. It doesn't always have to be critical thinking, but there should be something cooking in there while watching just the right movie or show. More info on these animations can be found in their individual YouTube videos.</div><div><br /></div><div>And I did a very different one for myself after, to experiment with concepts and prep for a possible re-branding. Luckily, the Dylan's videos won't need much alteration once <a href="https://callbackdesign.co">Casey</a> is done. </div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>Update: </b>This is a tiny project that I did in an afternoon, so I'm mentioning it here. Months later, I recut an older Snickers ad for TikTok.</div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QHxHAH7wK14" width="320" youtube-src-id="QHxHAH7wK14"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div>Eddie Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12008836649805848949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-19551704667365772542021-12-28T14:55:00.014-05:002023-03-22T11:08:54.609-04:00Accounting From SUNY New Paltz | Guest Appearing on Areas of Interest: A College Podcast<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJBu5o4V7-C7RShhMsFDq6-kARtD4RHxqrEHkAFgS7KEUAPHZylBdIMqahbs61ybcBbtY6OEaSuCTpyvBQxr14lPwj1Pur7VkHKld7XO8xyWjM-pMWi34DBOxghaamaCldYlDisv3SdBHShd257J1SILq6r5njxHA4YtVh1ceN1jQIjifi-1gyMaMnw/s534/area%20of%20interest.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJBu5o4V7-C7RShhMsFDq6-kARtD4RHxqrEHkAFgS7KEUAPHZylBdIMqahbs61ybcBbtY6OEaSuCTpyvBQxr14lPwj1Pur7VkHKld7XO8xyWjM-pMWi34DBOxghaamaCldYlDisv3SdBHShd257J1SILq6r5njxHA4YtVh1ceN1jQIjifi-1gyMaMnw/s16000/area%20of%20interest.png" img alt="Area of Interest Podcast" title="Area of Interest Podcast" style="display: none;" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>Update</b>: All podcasts are also collected in a Spotify playlist <a href="https://www.why-we-watch.com/podcast-gallery">here</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I'm<span style="text-align: left;"> getting back into </span><a href="https://www.why-we-watch.com/2021/12/spider-man-no-way-home-spoiler-review.html" style="text-align: left;">writing</a><span style="text-align: left;"> and </span><a href="https://www.why-we-watch.com/2021/12/vudu-disc-to-digital-service-fan-made.html" style="text-align: left;">things</a><span style="text-align: left;">, and I've been catching up on potential Oscar movies. Binging them is not recommended, since it's hard to do that and process the movies for review. Still, it's been a lot of fun. In the meantime, along with regular work, I'm still looking for podcasts to guest on through </span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/PodcastGuestExchange/" style="text-align: left;">Reddit</a><span style="text-align: left;">. </span></div><div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div><b>Episode Description:</b></div>"Eddie has a long list of degrees ranging from Accounting to Cinema studies. He recently started a project called Why We Watch where he not only blogs, but makes fan-made trailers of films he enjoyed. Eddie faced some medical hardships during his academic journey, and shares with us how important it is to get involved with social clubs. We really appreciated talking with him, and going on a very long tangent about movies mid-way through the episode (sorry, not sorry)."<div><span face="futura-lt-w01-light, futura-lt-w05-light, sans-serif, Avenir" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(48, 48, 48); color: #303030; font-size: 20px;"><br /></span></div>Since I'm still slow to get out of the house, outside of work, and visit people, normally and because of Omicron, these have been a fantastic way to reach out to people. We hope you enjoy the episode, and I hope you check out who else these guys have spoken to. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /><div>You can listen <a href="https://anchor.fm/areasofinterest/episodes/Accounting-from-SUNY-New-Paltz-e1c7ro0/a-a75hepf">here</a>, and there are direct links to Spotify and Apple below.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/5QeDcobOma8wWTDRg5hE5j?si=zWw90vXfRiixVqzcAUXMRw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Spotify" border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="6000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihmYUINwrnI_0uiyT0yg8tW3zxTXoVvnE8nY61xWMAbMGkzDJpBlyWfLzC8ONXLNTHTUZy672nGFJcNz384FTpkf_yxZzJe2gI81pxZoe18l6tnjWFGOwjRD-_FYByWCzC7wr58wR2gqMf31MhP-L3hSBhuiVpvTVjks2Z3PwGfZAqu8dp2NB4osLVbQ=w200-h200" title="Spotify" width="200" /></a><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/accounting-from-suny-new-paltz/id1584342201?i=1000546323533" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="Apple Podcasts" border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="6000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyXvZSM1DN4Snbbb6fOivJ74XQaMMsS8dewImHKrDC37j_5vc3t2xYOzL1NeFarq3VUTbHLaVIV1BKpKfxfy0IiMXhUjoyhLFGJnW35twZCm1FCc4txJCAsbEGFOJkaomkwjbBoPLhae8MsyVr4zel1oUZraULgdX8GrSmAr9bMejjWLvPHEztqLiXmg=w200-h200" title="Apple Podcasts" width="200" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div>For people interested in working with Areas of Interest, see their <a href="https://areasofinterestpod.wixsite.com/page/contact">website</a> or <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/AreasofInterest/">reddit page.</a></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div>Eddie Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12008836649805848949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-69710168653886531472021-12-18T14:50:00.009-05:002022-04-06T21:22:31.694-04:00Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) | Spoiler Review<p><b>Seriously, spoilers. Also, thank you to my friends Louis and Matt for previewing this review. Please check out Matt's podcast, <a href="https://www.certainpov.com/smcpod">Saturday Morning Confidential</a>, which takes a deep dive into nostalgic properties. </b></p><p>In <i>Spider-Man: No Way Home, </i>villains from other universes get sucked into the MCU, after Peter Parker (Tom Holland) enlists the help of Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to re-conceal his identity as Spider-Man and the spell goes wrong. The movie also stars, among others who'll be discussed, Zendaya (MJ), Jacob Batalon (Ned Leeds, "Guy in the Chair"), Jon Favreau (Happy Hogan), Marisa Tomei (Aunt May), Jamie Foxx (Electro), and Alfred Molina (Doc Ock). Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers, and Jon Watts, return from <i>Far From Home</i> to, respectively, write and direct. </p><p>Jon Watts also directed <i>Homecoming,</i> and he's proven himself to juggle the demands of bigger and bigger blockbusters...to a point. He, and Sony and Marvel execs, didn't deliver a perfect movie, but this could've gone wrong a hundred different ways. It just went wrong a few ways. So, while the majority of fans are praising this movie from the top of the Chrysler or Empire State Building, known hangout spots of Spider-Men, let's address the issues now. They're the action and some of the villains. </p><p>With the exception of <i>Into The Spider-Verse </i>action in Spider-Man movies still has not been topped by the train scene way back in <i>Spider-Man 2</i>. Up until now, I used to think the sole reason why is that Sam Raimi and his crew thought of every possible maneuver Maguire's Spider-Man, or any Spider-Man, and Doc Ock could throw at each other at any given moment and left nothing on the table. That's all you need if your fight scene is staying on the page, but <i>No Way Home </i>made me realize that how every possible maneuver was staged and shot truly is what it's all about. It's not about visual effects, although that's a huge factor, it's filmmaking 101. Rather, it's advanced visual filmmaking, something that people have said that Marvel Studios brushes aside to instead focus on things like the characters, story, and humor of the universe. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgvgi3ShcmY">There's evidence to support these claims</a>. If you don't want to watch that video because it's a bit illusion shattering, I can simplify things a little. </p><p>Action movies need to stop setting their action scenes at nighttime, and producers and directors need to add more color to their movies, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6G4nJoKBzY">like these</a> people <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRmPVTSpuiA">did for them.</a> This isn't always a problem, like in <i>Guardians of the Galaxy</i> and <i>Thor: Ragnarok, </i>but it's a weakness in the visuals that leads to seeing different kinds of weaknesses in the visuals. Some parts of <i>Thor Ragnarok</i>, at least to me, look they were quickly shot from just one angle on a soundstage. The environments of those particular scenes were stylized, but it's still a problem. Suddenly, it's done during a living room scene, and something just feels off. It becomes a repeated problem until it's not seen as a problem anymore. It may be seen as lacking, but accepted. Other people can go more in-depth when it comes to these production issues and the practical reasons why they happen, so let's go back to <i>No Way Home</i> as the main example. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hxT_bYGoQR0/YUlUAOCk4eI/AAAAAAABTQQ/FVmj23imHBwvqlaO8-BCVl5GcFaRFxeBgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/SPIDER-MAN%2BNO%2BWAY%2BHOME%2Bb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Title Poster" border="0" data-original-height="381" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hxT_bYGoQR0/YUlUAOCk4eI/AAAAAAABTQQ/FVmj23imHBwvqlaO8-BCVl5GcFaRFxeBgCLcBGAsYHQ/w427-h640/SPIDER-MAN%2BNO%2BWAY%2BHOME%2Bb.jpg" title="Title Poster" width="427" /></a></div><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">Title Poster, for when your thumbnail can't contain spoilers, even when the review does | Copyright 2021 Sony and Marvel Studios</div></span><p>The action in this movie has the most weight when it's stripped down and raw. Yes, that's appropriate, but those fun scenes should have something like that weight too. Holland's web swinging finally does, when it's shown in the daylight, but his webbing people up, less so. Luckily, he starts throwing punches, hard punches, a lot of them, and for a heartbreaking reason. </p><p>The Green Goblin, aka Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe), kills this universe's Aunt May during a battle with Spider-Man, and Spider-Man nearly responds in kind. It feels brutal, as an onslaught of pain is brought upon Goblin. They begin out of fear of what Norman may do, and then they come from vengeance. Those punches are coupled with a great performance from Holland. He's never been better in this role, as Peter is put through the trials of what people are basically calling his official origin movie. His quieter moments are played more understated than ever, as this version of the character has faced, arguably, more loss and has become more beaten down by life than his two counterparts. But one of the character's greatest strength, across universes, is helping others find their strength and resolve. So, let's talk about more bad guys. </p><p>So, the returning roster of big baddies also includes Thomas Hayden Church as Flint Marko/Sandman and Rhys Ifans as Curt Connors/The Lizard. At least, I think it was them. Sandman is all sand until the very end of the movie, and similar can be said about The Lizard. I wasn't completely certain it was Ifans voice. Maybe they weren't interested in returning fully, maybe there were scheduling issues, or maybe it was because of Covid. Whatever the case, all understandable, it's noticeably felt. Flint Marko's deal basically is that he just steals to live, he's not homicidal or anything like that, and he wants to go back to see his kid. He's sensible. This movie's deal is that Peter is trying to save and cure the villains because everyone deserves a second chance. Of course, not all of them are going to be okay with that, but Sandman should be. They set it up in a way where he doesn't really trust the people trying to help him, but again, he should be more sensible than how he's presented. And Lizard, stuck in his transformed state, just doesn't think straight. It's...fine. Maybe it's better than spreading everyone out and too thin, which these movies always risk doing. Plus Church and Ifans got full enough characters the first time around. Jamie Foxx's Electro, on the other hand, didn't. </p><p>As a refresher, he was just stereotypical nerd, and a Spider-Man fanboy, then he feels slighted by the wall-crawler after a misunderstanding. He's not given a full story arc or anything like that, but Electro's desire to been seen and have power is carried over well from his previous movie. With an arc reactor, he has that chance. Quick sidebar, we all thought we weren't going to hear that sound again, didn't we? Anyway, it helps immensely that Foxx doesn't have to act under as much makeup this time. He must've been promised the chance to really have fun with the role, and he took them up on it. Andrew Garfield definitely did that, and so did J.K Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson. We should touch on J.J for a second, before discussing my favorite actor. Not my favorite actor in this movie, my favorite actor period. </p><p>I really wish they didn't go the Alex Jones, conspiracy theorist route with the character. This isn't Raimi's Jonah, but it still feels like character assassination. He can serve the same purpose in this story by just having Spider-Man be his one blindspot when it comes to behaving like a real journalist. Simmons has no issue with the new approach, though, and he gleefully hocks Bugle-branded supplements on the air. </p><p>So, I checked what people were saying after the movie, and people did note how it addresses where Garfield's movies fall short. What I picked up on in the theatre was Maguire giving him some much needed encouragement when they're sharing stories. Acting as Uncle Ben like as we wished:</p><div style="text-align: left;">Garfield: "I'm lame compared to- I fought a Russian guy in like a rhinoceros machine."<br />Maguire: "Can we rewind it back to the I'm lame part? You are not."</div><div style="text-align: left;">Garfield (Kinda Jittery): "Thanks. No, yeah, I appreciate it. I'm not saying 'I'm lame'</div><div style="text-align: left;">And Maguire says that he should may need to work on how sees and talks about himself, and he adds, "You are amazing. Just take it in for a minute, you are amazing," and you need to say that about yourself.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Garfield: "I kinda needed to hear that."</div><p style="text-align: left;">People today still say that this version of the character looks too cool and handsome, and some still harp on the skateboard. That stuff doesn't mean much if your self-confidence is low and you see something else in the mirror. Fucking trust me on that. It's a reading to far into things, but it's fitting that his mask in the second movie is attached to the front of his costume in a way that he can very quickly hide his face. Most blow past the fact that Gwen asks him out, and that's one of the scenes that always stuck with me because it's one of the reasons he became "my Spider-Man." The exchange reminded me of this post I made a few years ago.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihklkste28fh1WnsKp49D7zFJqEZj04G8sNR8JpNdkmATiNsXU7euBjldetu3dCQnVJnMJnKKFHTYCl_HnI_CeK-VM8phH35cWYX8SWtIUYhCjBcfs4lqlpevr6_9S2VIHvy5L08voNti4da0nePX9IANttFNQ1aX3yvtPHZfnP2r5t_7bQqUuoLEiaw=s1288" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Reddit Screenshot" border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="1288" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihklkste28fh1WnsKp49D7zFJqEZj04G8sNR8JpNdkmATiNsXU7euBjldetu3dCQnVJnMJnKKFHTYCl_HnI_CeK-VM8phH35cWYX8SWtIUYhCjBcfs4lqlpevr6_9S2VIHvy5L08voNti4da0nePX9IANttFNQ1aX3yvtPHZfnP2r5t_7bQqUuoLEiaw=w640-h364" title="Reddit Screenshot" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">This reunion for the fans isn't solely built on the references and memes that we've been making and awaiting. It's built on something real and necessary. We get an idea of what an <i>Amazing Spider-Man 3 </i>could've been after fighting Rhino. It's a Peter who struggles to keep going after Gwen's death and puts anger back into his vigilantism, the same way it began for him. It's something we may not have wanted to see. We get a good look at how Maguire would appear in a followup to the Holy Trilogy, too. I'm happy to report he's doing okay. Other have noticed he has serious Peter B. Parker energy from <i>Spider-Verse</i>, as he should. Also, this reunion for the fans is built up to, with the movie having a pretty strong opening that for the most part doesn't rely on the team-ups. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Peter, MJ, and Ned are finally a proper trio, after the first two movies kinda had to slowly bring MJ into the fold. The best and easiest comparison to make is the Harry Potter trio. It's not in the character-types but in the actors' chemistry. Adding an annoyed Doctor Strange to the mix has its moments too. His title still being butchered to "Wizard" is a throwaway joke that never gets old. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The movie's close is equally strong. With May's death and Doctor Strange's original spell needing to go through, this version of Peter is back to a square one we've never quite seen before. Everyone knows Spider-Man, but no one knows Mr. Parker. Iron Man Jr. is no more, and we find ourselves in a one-room apartment (sorry, Mr. Ditkovich cameo) with a, seemingly, beautiful fabric suit. We don't get the best look at it, like the film's action, and hopefully some official pictures are shown after a couple weeks.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Marvel Studios and Feige are still involved in these movies, but if shit goes south between Sony and Marvel, they set it up right. They set it up so that while we may sacrifice some characters we know and love, we may get well-lit battles back. It's a fair trade-off brought after one of the highest highs a Spider-Fan can experience. That's what this movie was too, a fair trade-off. MCU style, for all of its pros and cons, with the interpretations Sony helped build, with all their pros and cons. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0GzL6_83BHP32-d4aExyaYByh_TMTW8bsbQGXu4m_YISbdbh3iDvm5XUXKn16O9EDjznY8pIdtW3JqieY6M-eneZ7Iem01Vx7Kofjre9irTcHZKPnITz63J3WrN7QNPkCWpkpovINpXgiEXvCT-GyNoDiEHtop38JjAtaFoL9ESNX4kX09qFs9smQDw=s1906" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="3.75/5" border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="1906" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0GzL6_83BHP32-d4aExyaYByh_TMTW8bsbQGXu4m_YISbdbh3iDvm5XUXKn16O9EDjznY8pIdtW3JqieY6M-eneZ7Iem01Vx7Kofjre9irTcHZKPnITz63J3WrN7QNPkCWpkpovINpXgiEXvCT-GyNoDiEHtop38JjAtaFoL9ESNX4kX09qFs9smQDw=w640-h128" title="3.75/5" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just under four is as objective as I'm willing to go. Praise the powers that be for doing right by many of these characters, these actors, and the fans, but don't just hand-wave issues either. Having said that, a big thank you to every person on this project who put together a real-world "Amazing Fantasy." You made us all truly happy.</div>Eddie Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12008836649805848949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-83029288682596043102021-12-08T14:03:00.011-05:002023-03-22T11:10:38.905-04:00Talking About Fan-Made Movie Trailers | Guest Appearing on The Turtle Stack Podcast<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_sVzIW1Kgy3QMNoVC58Sd-ulChfO7-LBcGTWGzgfKs5wiKSgc05Y5_1-ezliON8B14o805GioFwa_n7_T0KTWKzcUF2MQOEF55xeByFM-ij31PlKUS_0dR4HnNfn23KSEz5UTR428eMQqm2tUsT66RrrROziK3DpMfl7HO1ErhFlEf0mdIVCXAxUaOQ/s640/turtle%20stack.png" style="clear: left; display: none; float: left; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="The Turtle Stack Podcast" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_sVzIW1Kgy3QMNoVC58Sd-ulChfO7-LBcGTWGzgfKs5wiKSgc05Y5_1-ezliON8B14o805GioFwa_n7_T0KTWKzcUF2MQOEF55xeByFM-ij31PlKUS_0dR4HnNfn23KSEz5UTR428eMQqm2tUsT66RrrROziK3DpMfl7HO1ErhFlEf0mdIVCXAxUaOQ/w640-h640/turtle%20stack.png" title="The Turtle Stack Podcast" width="640" /> /></a></div><b>Update</b>: All podcasts are also collected in a Spotify playlist <a href="https://www.why-we-watch.com/podcast-gallery">here</a>.<div><br /></div><div>Again, videos and reviews have been a little slow lately because of work, and a lot of the time I would be spending here has been playing with <a href="#">3d modeling and improvements to this site</a>. So, to try to get back into the swing of things, I'm seeking podcasts to guest on through <a href="#">Reddit</a>. <div><br /><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div>Joanne and I had a great talk on her podcast <i>The Turtle Stack</i>. We talked about fan-made movie trailers, how I got into it, how projects come together, how some don't may come up. Most importantly, we talk about the incredible, collaborative community surrounding them and resources that are accessible to anyone who wants to cut their own trailer or video. </div><div><br /></div><div>You can listen <a href="https://anchor.fm/theturtlestack/episodes/75---Eddie-and-Fan-Made-Trailers-e18n0i4">here</a>, and there are direct links to Spotify and Apple below.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/66D65rNU1ZL1y81dvULeef?si=5KauixMqTFWmC4rNszgwog" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Spotify" border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="6000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-vOORllQDvyYG4MK8h2ztYwWOknuszHDkHWVDqeWpWsDsABOAhQYWXELfEAqoJfV2Fv3wQzXop_BUEemaKy6JjKZjws4cV8umg9iMAInpTuOF7jAhO-WI2Jl9gTf76SM-2TZbhdZfrRS83MwB6V--N344W2pnho7vIEngyHKuOoW8Gzt6yZW2KhuEAw=w200-h200" title="Spotify" width="200" /></a><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-turtle-stack/id1511081606?i=1000543763503" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Apple Podcasts" border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="6000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-DEyKIWe7UXyJl0kw28oOtiTzEcDLZOEygxx39JLeC0dVRs9dHAy6aNI6B9DxBzLDRv4sVtmMk9gIeYJ5T6uOTzhbEy0ba1a0xoNT5JgtloGHrTlwEsuNfczdilSiwQUKUMyLQZjbUQYMxGXEA3-xOV1lvVxXNlPRLlnzmJcB0DYUP4G5aYbq91z_mA=w200-h200" title="Apple Podcasts" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div></div><div>For people interested in working with Joanne, she has a page for that <a href="https://theturtlestack.wixsite.com/theturtlestack/be-on-the-show">here</a>.</div></div><br /></div></div></div></div>Eddie Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12008836649805848949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-66048142315959303712021-12-03T13:38:00.005-05:002023-04-12T10:03:17.710-04:00House of Gucci (2021) | Short Review<p>This movie features beautiful music like The Barber of Seville, passed down to me through Bugs Bunny and The Looney Tunes. I am fucking trash, but so is <i>House of Gucci.</i></p><p><i>House of Gucci </i>covers the era of the fashion giant that starts with Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver) meeting his future wife Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga), and it ends around 1995. The movie also stars Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Salma Hayek, and an over-the-top, future Razzie-nominee Jared Leto. It is directed by Ridley Scott, as it may have been additionally attached, in error, to the screenplay for <i>The Last Duel. </i>That sounds mean, and several things I've said are, but I do actually think that Becky Johnston and Roberto Bentivegna turned Sara Gay Forden's book into something really fun. Scott just was not the guy to direct it. He didn't exaggerate it with style like Martin Scorsese did with Wolf of Wall Street, and he didn't turn it into a farce. He tried to play melodrama ridiculously straight...with Pacino and Leto. At least, as someone going into the theatre blind, it was unexpected. That, solid pacing, and great chemistry from Gaga and Driver helped keep me engaged. </p><p>If this movie just stretched out the opening, where Driver and Gaga are falling in love and giving off strong Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone in <i>Amazing Spider-Man</i> vibes, I would've just loved it. They basically are playing Peter and Gwen. He's a little bit awkward, and she is able to pursue him and push him out of his comfort zone just a little bit. My favorite part of the movie's opening act is when she asks him to dance. He gives it a go, but he doesn't know what he's doing on the floor. I just wanted that to mostly be the movie. There's a lot of other little areas that could've been explored instead, too.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BwM5yUYtlHo/YHoJOsPcP7I/AAAAAAAA3p8/xnyFftPmJF44T1eUVn8PALKq7Hz_s1yEQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Gucci%2BGawalpop.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Adam Driver and Lady Gaga" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="707" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BwM5yUYtlHo/YHoJOsPcP7I/AAAAAAAA3p8/xnyFftPmJF44T1eUVn8PALKq7Hz_s1yEQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Gucci%2BGawalpop.jpg" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" title="Adam Driver and Lady Gaga" width="283" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://static3.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/The-Amazing-Spider-Man-Franchise-Gwen-Stacy-Emma-Stone.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=960&h=500&dpr=1.5" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Peter and Gwen" border="0" data-original-height="417" data-original-width="800" height="166" src="https://static3.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/The-Amazing-Spider-Man-Franchise-Gwen-Stacy-Emma-Stone.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=960&h=500&dpr=1.5" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" title="Peter and Gwen" width="320" /></a><br /><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Same energy? The top is from MGM (2021), and the bottom is from Sony Pictures (2012)</span></span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;">When the couple discovers the knockoff industry on the sidewalks of New York, she becomes angry that it could damage the brand, but he and others in the family don't see it as a big deal. I really like that the movie doesn't take a hard stance either way, and it's those moments in the story that stuck out more than Maurizio and Patrizia taking control of the family business. </span></p><p>Another would be the rise of Tom Ford, but hopefully he'll get his own movie or miniseries one day. He actually could write and direct it himself, and Reeve Carney could reprise his role from this movie. <br /></p><p><i>House of Gucci</i> opens a lot of doors to future projects, like Driver and Gaga becoming a regular duo, and those two other story areas. That's at least something. Until then, watch the two leads in better projects, and, from what I've heard, the director's work in <i>The Last Duel. </i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVOWyvhhhAAGEj7nvQ745zWCl4Z5TsXH80mOmPE8dwaOzLFvz2dpF4QK2vUq-vY_Ri5Jdq3-i1MgjJbgDe67aPOUVBCV2Fgm97pK1xPQ_cHaDdD9BNQX30lTaiznWXxUZFSyAJ8RJXoy-JKrE5pcQLCS7bjgQqnGswOMYNHGarsOBfZipVVTsxwJP02A=s1906" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2/5" border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="1906" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVOWyvhhhAAGEj7nvQ745zWCl4Z5TsXH80mOmPE8dwaOzLFvz2dpF4QK2vUq-vY_Ri5Jdq3-i1MgjJbgDe67aPOUVBCV2Fgm97pK1xPQ_cHaDdD9BNQX30lTaiznWXxUZFSyAJ8RJXoy-JKrE5pcQLCS7bjgQqnGswOMYNHGarsOBfZipVVTsxwJP02A=w640-h128" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" title="2/5" width="640" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p>Eddie Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12008836649805848949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-81434118786530637092021-11-24T22:11:00.017-05:002023-04-12T10:05:06.546-04:00Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJTQknBHWoBdgmAHbYaIAfYzPgx76xUUYpbhKlEyFgsW1GFvWNOUx4osfNfNRwGaxpZfWLxOnyo3kMqODWykSziyY3cadH60ZQHi1OwxHI6hqtWb08UNy4XwJgvdMXXb7i4Y2vdajIyAQXKBE1SJ4_hHIcPodVO2qMlUTqJE7xzsimr3DPmvpQvNwsoQ=s800" style="display: none; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJTQknBHWoBdgmAHbYaIAfYzPgx76xUUYpbhKlEyFgsW1GFvWNOUx4osfNfNRwGaxpZfWLxOnyo3kMqODWykSziyY3cadH60ZQHi1OwxHI6hqtWb08UNy4XwJgvdMXXb7i4Y2vdajIyAQXKBE1SJ4_hHIcPodVO2qMlUTqJE7xzsimr3DPmvpQvNwsoQ=s16000" /></a></div>This review is mostly spoiler free, for people who are avoiding trailers.<p></p><p>Let's get the hard part out of the way immediately. In this movie, one of main characters, Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) makes a new friend at her new school. Here's how that goes:</p><p>"I call myself Podcast, because of my podcast." That effectively is Logan Kim's character's name.</p><p>I was going to reference that old email hack/leak and say that Amy Pascal and the higher-ups at Sony Pictures haven't learned anything in at least nine years, but it turns out the skateboarding in <i>The Amazing Spider-Man </i>was actually <a href="https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a389931/andrew-garfield-i-insisted-on-skateboards-for-amazing-spider-man/">Andrew Garfield's idea.</a> (Give the man an Oscar this year, please.) Plus, the results are the same. Something inserted into the movie to stay trendy actually has some genuine meaning or payoff to it, and the actors and other filmmakers make those things work. <i>Ghostbusters: Afterlife </i>just has a lot of that. There's a conflict just in what the movie is that can be seen and felt. </p><p><i>Ghostbusters: Afterlife</i> is a direct sequel to <i>Ghostbusters II.</i> The 2016 reboot is now its own separate thing, and the same can probably be said for the 2009 video game that kinda-sorta was <i>Ghostbusters III </i>until now. So, with all that being said the basic plot of <i>Ghostbusters: Afterlife, </i>from IMDb,<i> </i>is "When a single mom and her two kids arrive in a small town [called Summerville, Oklahoma,] they begin to discover their connection to the original Ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind." It stars Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Logan Kim, and Celeste O'Connor. Since it's a direct sequel, some legacy cast members may pop in. It's directed by Jason Reitman, written by him and Gil Kenan, and Ivan Reitman returns as a producer.</p><p>It's probably best to star with Finn Wolfhard because of the <i>Stranger Things</i>/<i>It</i>/80s vibes of his casting. The way this movie grapples with nostalgia is that it knows if it goes all-in people will, for the most part, pissed. So, it's incredibly selective what it brings back in a way where I couldn't tell when the movie took place. Except for a couple lines of dialogue and the timeline having to fit so that somebody could be a grandpa, this could take place in the 80s or 90s. Instead, Summerville is more like one of those tiny towns that time forgot. Like one John Oliver may cover in one of those invisible injustice kind of episodes. So, one of the featured locations is a car-hop diner, and how out of place it looks will vary from viewer to viewer. Wolfhard plays Grace's brother. He's not given as much to do as he probably should, but one of the first big legacy scenes comes from him, and it's pretty wonderful. Drifting in a field in the Ecto-1, with only a learner's permit, is something that dreams are made of. It's even more heartwarming when there's an Ecto-1 in your area that's occasionally in the movie theatre parking lot.</p><p>The other great thing from him is that his scenes with Celeste O'Connor give Summerville a lived-in quality that helps explain that clashing feeling in the town's look. You could easily become stuck there. Whether that's really for better or worse is not really addressed, so that leaves the question more open than most movies that bring up the idea. It's actually pretty fitting, since Reitman's movie <i>Young Adult,</i> reviewed <a href="https://www.why-we-watch.com/2018/12/young-adult-2011.html">here</a>, really dives into that.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2021/11/16/USAT/db44717b-5a34-4af7-b58b-01e1d44a9fe5-TF0560_comp_v004_1009_graded_sRGB_v2.091932_PRINT_ONLY_copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ghostbusters: Afterlife" border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="800" height="269" src="https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2021/11/16/USAT/db44717b-5a34-4af7-b58b-01e1d44a9fe5-TF0560_comp_v004_1009_graded_sRGB_v2.091932_PRINT_ONLY_copy.jpg" title="Ghostbusters: Afterlife" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Mckenna Grace as Phoebe (Right), action hero, and Logan Kim as Podcast (Left), capable sidekick | Copyright 2021 Sony Pictures</span></div><p>Mckenna Grace and Carrie Coon's first experiences in Summerville are on the more mysterious side of things, and they both work really well off of each other and Paul Rudd. </p><p>A lot of the emotional moments of <i>Afterlife</i> come from Grace and Coon learning more about the upbringing they never really had and coping with it. Reitman could, in a lot of successful ways, push this heavily, but instead it's done just enough so that the momentum of the plot, for the most part, doesn't suffer. The movie's editing is a bit choppy in this way, as one discovery is interrupted with a check-in with Wolfhard back at the diner, and it seems like something that could've been left out. It's meant to build up his relationship with Celeste O'Connor, but I think better scenes later on end up doing that anyway.</p><p>Finally, there's the humor, effects, and action. Jokes largely do land, and I laughed out loud a few times in the theatre. Most of the time, this was because of Rudd or some visual gag with a ghost, but everyone delivers in some respect. </p><p>A personal favorite, is when one of the kids says they can't even get any bars on their phone, Coon says there better be at least one. This one, luckily, is the only one ruined by Grace pointing out that it's a joke. Just to be clear, both give great performances, and Mckenna Grace is especially phenomenal. If you haven't seen her in <i>Gifted</i>, go check it out. She and Logan Kim are given what could've been two of the easiest roles to forget, if this was bad <i>Ghostbusters</i> movie, but she's given a lot of time to develop Phoebe, and Podcast has a real charm to him.</p><p>Jokes are actually a big part of Grace's character, as she's told to use them to break the ice in Summerville, but it could've been handled better. She does some pretty standard stuff out of a joke book, and I wonder if something really funny, but also really weird or awkward, and science-based could've been done instead. What we get is somewhere between wasted opportunities and eye-rolling moments. Early on, I was afraid there'd be more of them and that they wouldn't go anywhere...not that they leave a huge impact in the end. </p><p>In a huge surprise, to someone who follows this stuff, Sony Imageworks didn't do any of the special effects for <i>Afterlife. </i>Companies listed are Double Negative, Instinctual VFX, Moving Picture Company, and Proof. They all did a gorgeous job, especially considering that they had to, among other tasks, update our beloved Mr. Stay-Puft. </p><p>The major action set piece is a chase to capture a Slimer-like ghost. Tailing him in Ecto-1, while using an RC-Car/Trap, it's a good to modernize things. It's not too much, and it fits the established world. </p><p>Having said that, I would like to say that the 2016 reboot had a lot of fun with their gadgets, the Ghostbuster's logo actually being a ghost for a minute was a delightful surprise. That second one is what told me it was more than a cash-grab, at least to some people involved. There was a lot more stuff like that, this time around.</p><div>Along with the lived-in world, little character moments, and surprises all its own, there's one I'd like to point out. After the heroes claim their victory, all the ghost are captured, and everything settles down, Podcast meets the sole subscriber of his show. This guy, an occultist himself, on-screen and off, is a big fan of Podcast's podcast, Mystical Tales of the Unknown Universe (MT-double-U).</div><div><br /></div><div>To find out who this occultist is, if you're staying away from trailers and spoilers, go see for yourself. You'll have a good time, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife may even hit you in the heart a little.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-feA5mncgaDw/YaAG_Odl9zI/AAAAAAAAb6k/1lmVPVzkoIg-S-7rWbM4MTfBMqTmwKEcACPcBGAYYCw/s1906/3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="3/5" border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="1906" height="128" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-feA5mncgaDw/YaAG_Odl9zI/AAAAAAAAb6k/1lmVPVzkoIg-S-7rWbM4MTfBMqTmwKEcACPcBGAYYCw/w640-h128/3.png" title="3/5" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Also, my area has a Ghostbusters-centered non-profit. <a href="https://hudsonvalleyghostbusters.org/">Hudson Valley Ghostbusters</a> raises money for a variety of charities that they partner with, while appearing in costume at local events. They have their own <a href="https://hudsonvalleyghostbusters.org/pages/ecto.html">Ecto-1</a> that I've occasionally seen in the area. I think we also have a local Mystery Machine, but I have no clue what that's about.</div>Eddie Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12008836649805848949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-26398572596749465012021-09-11T22:55:00.009-04:002023-03-22T11:11:38.668-04:00Royal Jelly (2021)<p>The synopsis for the horror movie <i>Royal Jelly</i>, from Facebook is, "When a shy high school bee enthusiast is taken under the wing of a mysterious mentor, she discovers she's being groomed as a hive's next queen." The thing is, the horror movie and grooming aspects aren't 100% accurate to what <i>Royal Jelly</i> is, at least to me. Still, stuff like that, and little interesting details here and there, make picking it apart fun. <i>Royal Jelly </i>stars, among others, Elizabeth McCoy (Astar, the bee enthusiast), Sherry Lattanzi (Tresa, the mysterious mentor), and Fiona McQuinn and Jonas Chartock (Astar's parents). It is written, directed, and edited by Sean Riley, the music is by Joe Hodgin, and the cinematography is by Jonathan Hammond. </p><p>So,<i> Royal Jelly's </i>horror elements really come out in the last half-hour or so. It slowly transitions from comedy-drama, to thriller, to bodily horror. This is an approach that makes a lot of sense to build tension up throughout the movie, but it doesn't completely work here. The problem is that the build-up is more like full changes from one mode to the next. It's not jarring, but it is something I felt. This is because a lot of time is spent establishing Astar, but that is done really well. </p><p>Riley leans heavily on costume design and makeup to provide a crash-course on Astar. Band t-shirts, glasses, and dark lipstick work as a quick shorthand, against her less awkward classmates...the awkwardness is something to circle back to, though. This costuming isn't excessive, so it doesn't call attention to itself. It's visual storytelling that luckily is carried throughout the movie, and it's one of several little details and showcases of care and effort. </p><p>Another piece of the movie that's worth noting, mostly early on, is how Hammond shoots it. The opening credits are over the start to finish of a jar of honey, and way McCoy holds it up to the light to get these sparkling glints stands out because it's one of those things that's usually overdone or done like a post-production lens flare. This jar just looks really beautiful, as crazy as that might sound. Unfortunately, the movie doesn't look like this when it becomes a full horror film. At that point everything is dimly lit, and it's hard to make everything out without outside interference, such as changing your screen's brightness and the lights in your room. It's a shame because the blood and creature stuff that's late in the game looks great. At least one moment, with some <i>Nightmare on Elm Street 3 </i>vibes, is done before the full genre shift. Speaking of which, we have to talk about <i>Carrie </i>a little.</p><p>Riley and crew's appreciation for <i>Carrie </i>is explicit, as one of Astar's bullies mentions it by name, and the start of Astar's story is similar in a few respects. What makes this a little tougher, at least on paper is that aspects of it are a bit more relatable. Instead of a religious zealot for a mother, Fiona McQuinn's character is just a crappy stepmother with some selfish tendencies. That comes across really well when she helps herself to an extra serving of dinner, before passing the scraps to her stepdaughter. McQuinn's daughter, played by Raylen Ladner (Drew), is downright cruel in some spots and definitely a fan of Stephen King's work. <i>Royal Jelly</i> is able to do a lot with a little, and that's what I held onto when the acting fell short or a writing convenience was taken. It also made that extra effort mentioned, whether it be the use of a song, a drone shot, or a choir in Hodgin's score, much more noticeable. So, onto the acting and writing shortfalls. </p><p>The acting mostly is just really stiff. Everyone is doing their best, but that really doesn't come across. It's the clearest sign that this is a smaller, indie movie. McCoy is worth bringing up because she is giving a very consistent performance, and she, like many of the actors, is able to fallback on giving a non-verbal performance pretty well. Lattanzi is another story. Her character powers that shift into horror, and her performance is pretty over the top. What could've worked a lot better is if the grooming was stretched out over a significant portion of the movie. What happens is more like trying a few things, and then powering through with someone who's not completely on-board. Stretching it would actually solve a lot of little issues that pop up here and there. There's one I'd like to go into because it's surprising for a movie with a strong start.</p><p>Astar and Tresa get revenge on some bullies by egging their house. When they're getting away, the overhead light inside their car is on a lot longer than it should've been, relatively speaking, so they're spotted, and that's why Astar decides to lay low with Tresa for a while, and that's what really kicks things off. It makes sense, but it still feels like a shortcut taken to force the situation. A little script tightening goes a long way, especially in a movie like that. The other thing that helps though, especially in the cases of small movies, is developing movie posters like this that really stand out. </p><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-small; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZmFlYmFjNDMtNWU4OC00MTQ5LTk2ZGUtMDFhZDkxNzYyODdkXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNTMyNTA3Nw@@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Royal Jelly Poster 1" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZmFlYmFjNDMtNWU4OC00MTQ5LTk2ZGUtMDFhZDkxNzYyODdkXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNTMyNTA3Nw@@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg" title="Royal Jelly Poster 1" width="240" /></a><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYjhlZDE3MGMtOWQyNi00MDE4LTliOTEtZDQ4NjMwYzU3MWZhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNTMyNTA3Nw@@._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Royal Jelly Poster 2" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="320" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYjhlZDE3MGMtOWQyNi00MDE4LTliOTEtZDQ4NjMwYzU3MWZhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNTMyNTA3Nw@@._V1_.jpg" title="Royal Jelly Poster 2" width="213" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Two great posters for the movie.</span></p><p>The movie is an interesting watch on its own, but the promise of these just felt like a great note to go out on. The <i>Pan's Labyrinth</i> and original Grimm influence is really felt through these designs, and through the body horror at the tail-end of <i>Royal Jelly </i>itself<i>.</i> That stuff, and the use of blood and makeup in general, is handled well.</p><span></span><p style="text-align: left;">A screener of this movie was provided to me by Sean Riley. I was not compensated for this review. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Royal Jelly</i> is available September 14th on various digital streaming platforms. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;">Also, stick around for the post-credits scene. There's a PSA about bees, but it's nicely done in a non-preachy, tongue-in-cheek-ish way that, appropriately feels like it was added as an afterthought to help support bees. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-feA5mncgaDw/YaAG_Odl9zI/AAAAAAAAb64/0ZHVO9B4aHQT3W525BxSnfxDPbf2c5YqACPcBGAYYCw/s1906/3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="3/5" border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="1906" height="128" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-feA5mncgaDw/YaAG_Odl9zI/AAAAAAAAb64/0ZHVO9B4aHQT3W525BxSnfxDPbf2c5YqACPcBGAYYCw/w640-h128/3.png" title="3/5" width="640" /></a></div></span>Eddie Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12008836649805848949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-113188678113915855.post-81033455034643574842021-08-22T09:34:00.007-04:002023-03-24T11:58:39.702-04:00Iron Man (2008) | Guest Appearing on the Media Buffet Podcast<b>Update</b>: All podcasts are also collected in a Spotify playlist <a href="https://www.why-we-watch.com/podcast-gallery">here</a>.<div><br /></div><div>Videos and reviews have been a little slow lately because of work, and a lot of what I've been doing with the site has involved improving the design of the place with my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/callbackdesign/">web designer.</a> So, to try to get back into the swing of things, I'm seeking podcasts to guest on through <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/PodcastGuestExchange/">Reddit</a>. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIq4TnD1A43Ekl7YnkenFgU_BQYEicCEDRLMuFDmq_LHg5qUULFXmb7qVRMcu66wJ2SM22keQLT849RBWKhnUUTTHGZEMrcSUfxjFHzhKBAKBRT7dx6wub1k0vGBDTT8H2Xk5oaaYflZOyUtdsQWeze0iYQth44PEg-Qvx97ZJ99I5FVFPPECmZCjAHg/s400/media%20buffet.jpg" style="clear: left; display: none; float: left; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="Media Buffet Podcast" title="Media Buffet Podcast" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIq4TnD1A43Ekl7YnkenFgU_BQYEicCEDRLMuFDmq_LHg5qUULFXmb7qVRMcu66wJ2SM22keQLT849RBWKhnUUTTHGZEMrcSUfxjFHzhKBAKBRT7dx6wub1k0vGBDTT8H2Xk5oaaYflZOyUtdsQWeze0iYQth44PEg-Qvx97ZJ99I5FVFPPECmZCjAHg/s400/media%20buffet.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I, and Joe Meyer of <a href="https://theneutralgroundpodcast.com">The Neutral Ground Podcast</a>, had the pleasure of appearing on Media Buffet. We talked about <i>Iron Man</i> and the many behemoths it kicked off, inside and outside Marvel. We had a really great time talking about the movie, discussing how well it holds up, and Tony Stark's main trilogy of films. With <i>Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings </i>coming out soon, this was a perfectly timed release. </div><div><br /></div><div>Media Buffet, and the episode, can be found <a href="https://anchor.fm/mediabuffetpodcast/episodes/Media-Buffet-Ep--60-Iron-Man-e167r2a">here</a>, and there's direct links to Spotify and Apple below.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/4w4sHlbVwnKVhix7EqQb4T" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="6000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-vOORllQDvyYG4MK8h2ztYwWOknuszHDkHWVDqeWpWsDsABOAhQYWXELfEAqoJfV2Fv3wQzXop_BUEemaKy6JjKZjws4cV8umg9iMAInpTuOF7jAhO-WI2Jl9gTf76SM-2TZbhdZfrRS83MwB6V--N344W2pnho7vIEngyHKuOoW8Gzt6yZW2KhuEAw=w200-h200" width="200" /></a><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/media-buffet/id1554400009?i=1000532681155" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="6000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-DEyKIWe7UXyJl0kw28oOtiTzEcDLZOEygxx39JLeC0dVRs9dHAy6aNI6B9DxBzLDRv4sVtmMk9gIeYJ5T6uOTzhbEy0ba1a0xoNT5JgtloGHrTlwEsuNfczdilSiwQUKUMyLQZjbUQYMxGXEA3-xOV1lvVxXNlPRLlnzmJcB0DYUP4G5aYbq91z_mA=w200-h200" width="200" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>For people interested in working with these guys, I can give you their information. Also, they're serious about their title, as that buffet includes The Olympics, gaming, anime, and more.</div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div></div>Eddie Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12008836649805848949noreply@blogger.com0