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iam-back · 3 months ago

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A Review of Vinny's Quality DOS Games 2

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I have to put a Content Label on this post because of one of the games in the video and therefore displayed on the thumbnail, front-and-center for all to see.

[ISR] MsiBamba ShelBamba | Much like Chex had Chex Quest and Skittles had Darkened Skye, everyone's favorite Isr43li (I have to censor out the name because filters aren't word-bound) peanut-Cheeto has a video game featuring its infantile mascot!

It's bad enough for a video game to only have one song in its "soundtrack", but Bamba: The Game is up there with Hong Kong 97 in terms of repetitious torture! Not helping is the wonky controls and everything, even the animals you're supposed to get to, hurting you. You want some good games where you play as a baby? Miracle Upa-World, Family Guy: Video Game! and Road to the Multiverse, Rugrats: Search for Reptar, Studio Tour, Gotta Go Party, etc...

And legend tells that this game can only be played once per bootup, otherwise subsequent playthroughs won't work properly or the game will flat-out refuse to load.

[Unknown - likely Asia] Hilarious Bowling | Whoa, okay! Only two games in and we're already going from a 0 to a 100! No wonder doktawhawee9870 said this feels like the sorta game they, their brother, and their friends would make drunk, and when they sobered up the next morning, they'd come to regret it!

In our roster we got a certain former painter-turned-historical monster, Madonna who has bowling pins on her stage presence, a mishmash of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, a guy who wears "Old-Year" on his big old hat and calls himself Napoleon, and Sherlock Holmes.

But then you play as some ordinary little ankle-biter pipsqueaks. Bowling for a Content Label. "You can... have a Napoleon v.s you-know-who in Dracula's castle, in this game."

Ooh, poor Napoleon. His Psychonauts appearance, this is not.

[SWI] BeerThe Last Eichhof | "You try my patience, make your choice!" Did you expect Galaxian but with beer bottles and the game studio's logo? No? Good, cuz that's what this is! You can buy beer bottles to extend your range (Vinny ends up passing up on Pony and buying Bunkel) and powerups (the speedup is called "I Want To Be Fast", which leads to the exact joke you've come to expect if you've spent any time on the Internet after, say, 2003).

Also, what are these sounds? Laughter when you die? "I am!" Cowbell? Exploding Pac-Man appears sometimes? A train that drops plates is a boss? Sneezing? What!? And it all leads to some dudebros yelling "RUCKSACK! RUCKSACK!", which of course Vinny mistakes as them saying "suck".

[CHN] Clearance/Bubu Bubu | What would you expect from a game Vinny calls "Bubboo/Bubba Chang Tang-Gan"? If you said Bomberman with space-octopodes, you're right! This one begins as an octopus spends his last gasp of moon-air sending a distress signal to another Death Star-like thing. Immediately after, you're off to the space-pyramids farting out black exploding newborns to defend yourself against the ladybugs, hermit crabs, and... things!

If you press other keys, you can shoot fireballs or leave trails of fire, but Vinny can't figure out how to do that before he moves on to...

[RUS] Crow II | I say "Russia" because look at this! The Wise Cat in the cup game, Pike v.s Ivan the Fool in the fighting section with Katyusha playing, chasing Baba Yaga's house on a horse-drawn carriage... Let's skip to the second go-round of the second section, because yee-yikes the crow is loud and woo-wee does that ominous laughter give you a chill.

After Vinny wins, he finds himself on carriage-back chasing what he at first believes to be menstruation or anal bleeding, but is actually, of course, Baba Yaga's house. Unfortunately, he doesn't realize his objective until it's too late and he's outpaced the house by kilometers.

I appreciate the semi-Mode-7 though.

[???] Cyber Marine | First Super Cop, now this! The gamedevs somehow went by without a lawsuit from Orion Pictures - that's clearly Robocop! These levels complete themselves, literally, and joystick-less movement is a galdurn MYSTERY! Did these bozos not know how to program A VIDEO GAME!?!?!?

[KOR] Dark Side Story | The feel-good hit of the summer: Dark Side Story! Starring Kevin James as a toaster, Jean Claude van Damme as an arm, Adam Sandler as a washed-up broad, and ET as a slimy space-penis! Alright!

...Nah just kidding. This one's from Sonnori (yes, "A Labyrinth Called School" Sonnori), and after two crashes and some bumbling around with commands he's off! After witnessing this poor gentleman get trapped inside a gachapon ball you're immediately thrust into a girl's living room, neither cutscene nor fanfare - she's our player character, whom I'll call Seonhwa, but Vinny says she's more like Tifa Lockhart.

All Vinny can do is run around, get lost, smack a guy around (by the way, the outside stuff is a beatmup), and be constantly preturbed by the D-note that goes on a bit long.

[KOR] Dino: Earth Rescue Operations | Are those Cheetos? Even the Hangeul says "Cheetos"! Anyway, in this arcade-esque game, you burn the dinosaurs and collect fattening junk foods like bananas, cherries, and yes, those sweet succulent Cheetos!

DESSERT P! Seouo is quite prolific on the leaderboard, aren't they?

[JAM] Ganja Farmer | Much like K(S)FH was a Simpsonized Rat Trap and BeerThe Last Eichhof was an alcoholic Galaxian, Ganja Farmer is a marijuana-scented Missile Command. NEXT!

[DEN] Guldkorn Express | To get that salty Bamba taste out of your mouth, have some sweet Guldkorn cereal! On a sentient train driven by a bear! Whoa, this old IBM DOS game has some good physics! Why does the dynamite sound like a Mozart? When will Vinny learn the key you need to press to drop the dynamites you've collected? And why does the death message sound like "high maintenance taint"???

Ah yes - I forgot about the thing I thought was a dragonfly, but on closer inspection is a bee!

[CHN] Jinyong Fighter | This fighter comes with the BEEFIEST bass this side of that one YTPMV of a swamp level. After a fight between Little Dragon Lady and what looks like Sammy Hagar who controls ice and lightning, we're introduced to 13 wacky characters! A red kung-fu guy, an old man who can become a frog at will, not-Sammy Hagar, a magic rocket-card guy, an electro-wizard, a ninja who got lost on the way to Edo, Little Dragon Lady, the red dancer, a monk who throws psychic projectiles, a clown who becomes a monster, a guy who has a dragon, and a fiery swordsman.

He plays as the frog-shifter v.s not-Sammy Hagar and loses both times. Handy-king-dude-guy wins. Twice.

[KOR] Kart Race | From the "developers" that brought you The Day saga and Icarus (which was shown in the last Quality DOS but skipped), and immediately after one of Vinny's trademark Super Show Bros Talk About episodes (presumably Mario Kart and how slapdash Korean bootleggers ripped them off or some doomsh--), here's essentially the Korean Skunny Kart/Miracle Design slapdash racers!

Our repertoire this time is Jyun, Ijin, Can, Chang, Tina (?), Elle, Tai, and Mog! Together they race in their dumb cars, pick up just one item to use it 8 times, and take victory ultra-seriously, as if Vinny places second the game will not let him proceed. Why is the hit-sound one of those fast-talking-on-phone sounds?

[ITA] Our Thing | Oh boy, more common games reskinned with a certain thingy in mind! This time it's Mafia Doom, complete with O Sole Mio droning on and on in the background! NEXT!!!

[KOR] Catch the Mole | Oh joy, 60 seconds of Whack-a-Mole excitement, now with Numpad requirements, packaged entirely as its own game for you to play at your rinky-dink home in the seedier side of Seoul. As an added bonus, the game messed up Vinny's mic quality, he thinks.

[KOR] Real Fighter | More like "Not Virtua Fighter"! The vanity plate runs faster than the game until Vinny increases the cycles. Also, in the menu graphic, Inoeru looks like Spy TF2. This one's quirk is that the CPU will always pick the first character you pick for this session, in this case Blood. Don't you think the music is a bit wrong for a fighter? Sounds too peaceful for such violence.

He always loses, even when switching to Inoeru, whereupon the game crashes when the word "PERPECT" shows up.

[KOR] Reon's Adventure | After a long intro sequence set in the grassy fields with a Kremlin castle, some come with mee-eeyalaboo, ducks, and Museum of Anything Goes, we finally come across the title screen where we meet Reon himself, who seems to be a rascally lion-scamp.

Gameplay consists of Reon swashbuckling his way through the levels in 200 seconds or less, but he can jump on the ones that aren't cacti as well. He can rake in the won coins as he adventures, and then at the end of the level he meets this merchant with shoes of steel walking on a bed of spikes! Metal.

Vinny then gives up when he puts the Ctrl key back in (it popped out and it happens to be the key you use to use a sword), killed by a Spindashing Squirrel.

[RUS] SABOR | Y'ever see a game with better music than art? This is that. The story is as follows: weapons are banned somehow, and scrolls for SABOR end up in a rural village where 5 guys find it and then they're off to save the world. Hefty task for a bunch of quintuplets, but okay.

The outcome of the first round determines that of the second - but because Vinny loses all five times the first round he has no choice but to watch the quintuplets get beaten to death. Then he goes to training mode, where the training dummy is not a sandbag, or a sack of meat, but an entire other guy! You punch its lights out, because the healthbar is candles - worst MS-DOS pun ever until 1994's SpaceKids came along and Zeedle rode on a literal horseshoe!

[KOR] Sybal's Monkey Adventure | This side-shooter refreshingly takes place in the open plain, as a monkey shooting bananas against evil jumping and flying monkeys. A lot of stuff is in 5s. 5 lives, 5 hits before death, enemies in waves of 5 at first...

[CHN] Violent Myth | True to its name, this one is a fighter with a mythical twist! You got these birds, soldiers, kings, Little Dragon Lady? This one's gimmick is that you can go reeeeeeeeaaaaaaally far away from each other. Vinny's first match, the opponent fires blue Blazing Torches. Then the AI craps its pants.

Second match, the opponent fires little castles and he complains about how apparently far away the controls are (S and D to move, Shift to kick, X to crouch? Seems close-knit to me!).

[KOR] Hello! Mr. President YS | Contrary to my initial wishes for this to be a dating sim where you talk to South Korea's president, this one is a political board game in an era where we really don't need any more of it.

#vinny vinesauce #ms dos #Youtube

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themovieblogonline · 2 years ago

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TMNT: Mutant Mayhem Review - Do The Turtles Return With a Bang?

Get ready to join the beloved Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in their latest animated escapade, "TMNT: Mutant Mayhem"! Directed by Jeff Rowe, this action-packed film bursts onto the screen with a visually stunning animation style. While some may draw comparisons to Sony's Spider-Verse films, "TMNT Mutant Mayhem" has its own signature flair, making it stand out in comparison to other animated films. This movie is a thrill as the turtles' begin their heroic journey to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers. Their journey takes an unexpected turn when they find themselves facing off against a mysterious crime syndicate and an army of menacing mutants. This movie is a fun adventure that's filled with pop cultural references, surprisingly contemporary slang, and an amazing rap music soundtrack that'll keep your head nodding from sta The Good: The animation in "TMNT: Mutant Mayhem" is really on point! Sure, some folks might compare it to the Spider-verse movies, but honestly, it's got its own unique visual flair that I totally dug. The movie is a colorful rollercoaster of action, and I was here for it! There are moments early in the film that show off the movie's dedication to having a great story. That great story helps ease you into the animation style and introduces us to our characters. The pop culture references and contemporary slang had me cracking up! The turtles using iPhones and even airdropping info with April was both hilarious and oddly relatable. I mean, who doesn't love a good tech-savvy turtle? The characters all look and sound great and do a good job of modernizing these old characters. They look good, they sound good, and they have great taste in music. The characters get great-looking updates to go along with their new animation, especially April O'Neil and Baxter Stockman. And can we talk about the music for a second? Specifically the rap music. It's the heart and soul of the movie! Gucci Mane and Bruno Mars bringing the beats in TMNT to make it Superfly! The entire soundtrack slaps, for real for real. Ice Cube's character Superfly barely seems like a villain and actually is really likable... until he goes full supervillain and changes everything. I really enjoyed his voicework as Superfly and what I presume he brought to the story with his dialogue delivery. There are so many good scenes with this character that it's hard to pick a favorite but if I HAD to then I'd say the whole bowling alley scene. Oh, and don't even get me started on that after-credit scene! Predictable? Maybe. But it's still everything you could hope for! It left me itching for more TMNT madness. The Bad: Now, let's address the elephant in the room - there is an action overload problem! There's so much happening on that screen, it's like a ninja hurricane! Don't blink, you'll miss some awesome moves... or even a sai to a dude's face! But hey, maybe a bit of toning down wouldn't hurt. There's a moment where Master Splinter, voiced by Jackie Chan, goes FULL Jackie Chan in the movie. Anyone familiar with Jackie Chan's action scenes knows how busy they can be. Add some squiggly line animation in the corner of the screen to go with the martial arts and its eyeball overload! Also, I couldn't help but wonder if I just forgot what actual 15-year-olds sound like? Some of these turtles were chattering like they were still in grade school! It's cool to be hip, but it can get irritating really fast to my millennial ears. And speaking of being "hip," the black slang and Gen Z speak were a hit-and-miss for me. I mean, it adds flavor to the dialogue, but sometimes it felt a tad forced. I just can't decide if it's cool or cringe! Lastly, why does the movie have to be so short? I could've used a solid extra 10 minutes of turtle time. More action, more laughs, and more character development, please! If the movie has momentum, keep going! I get wanting to end on a high note but this feels wrong. Final Verdict: "TMNT: Mutant Mayhem" is a wild and outrageously fun ride that will please die-hard fans and entertain newbies. It's got its quirks, but that's what makes it fun. It's very different than the previous TMNT entries so grab your pizza and hit the theaters when it drops on August 2, 2023! Cowabunga, dudes! Read the full article

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humongousfanhologram · 7 years ago

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Barrington Pheloung - Hilary & Jackie soundtrack

Barrington Pheloung with London Metropolitan Orchestra, David & Sally Heath (flute - piano) and Caroline Dale (cello). 1. Sisters, 2. Badinerie from Bach, 3. The farmhouse, 4. The holiday song, 5. The hospital, 6. Day on the beach, 7. Elgar's Adagio.

#Hilary & Jackie soundtrack #barrington pheloung #movie soundtrack #caroline dale #classical music

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moved-attre · 4 years ago

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Here is my review of Cyberpunk 2077! It is a bullet point list of what I liked, and did not like about the game. I mean no offense in my writing, and am, of course, willing to be educated if I am wrong about anything! But please do not send me anonymous hate. I know many fans and haters of this game can be very, uh... So take it all with a grain of salt, and form your own opinions.

This is very long and likely boring so if you manage to make it to the end, I will be very impressed! Also, I may ramble or repeat myself, sorry. There’s more bad points than good, since the game is very glitchy and I couldn’t not mention the glitches I have experienced.

Obviously, this contains major spoilers! 👁👄👁

I’ll start off by saying, this is a game where you will likely not get what you expected. If you expected Cyberpunk 2077 to be a game filled with features that were never before seen, to revolutionise the gaming industry as we know it and become the most iconic video game ever made... You will not get that. If you expected it to be the worst, most irredeemable video game ever created that you’ll hate... You will not get that, either. If you expected a game that is a fairly standard RPG with some impressive graphics when played on a high spec PC, albeit with some bad glitches and a wonky story with lots of potential, then you’ve got it!

Pros:

The majority of the voice acting, such as in V, Johnny and Viktor, was very good and emotional. Viktor in particular made me tear up! And the way V manages to sound almost like Johnny with the subtle accent change was amazing!

The character’s such as Takemura, Jackie, the LIs, Johnny, Viktor, Misty (I could go on) and even many random NPCs were interesting! I wanted to know them and loved their relevant missions. The best ones were unromanceable, of course, but that’s what imagination is for.

THE ALDECALDOS! I love them! A found family, and I wish there was more to do with them other than Panam’s missions and a few side missions. I love found family, and I’m disappointed V couldn’t form their own, so I’ll take what I can get and love the Aldecaldos, even if V can’t join them until the very end. Panam had the best missions of all the LI’s, even if the last one felt very abrupt. (At least, on her friendship route.)

Night City felt alive. There was always plenty going on, it felt like a real city, and it could be beautiful.

Jackie and Corpo V’s friendship was lovely. I loved their “To this!” inside joke, and I loved how Jackie roasted V but would jump to their defence in a second. It didn’t feel forced at all.

There’s lots of environmental storytelling. The atmosphere of a city choking to death under it’s own pollution/corruption was very apparent in the areas not lived in by the rich. Lots of homeless characters, violence, drugs, absolute poverty, trash (The dump! I felt sick just looking at it, and I couldn’t even smell it! Poor V, though.) and general apathy from a lot of the residents really sold the concept.

Johnny and V’s dynamic was the best part of the story! I hated him at first, but slowly came to enjoy his commentary and advice. His interactions with V were very funny at times, and thoughtful at other times. He was an interesting perspective for the player to consider, while still being an asshole you could dislike for much of the story. He has some really emotional scenes and I played a V that viewed him as a friend, so it was really nice hearing him call V the closest person he’d ever had. They became so devoted to each other! CDPR did good with this element, but I can’t help wishing for more. The dynamic had so much more to give, and a romance/happy ending could have worked.

And to add on, the mission where Johnny takes over V’s body to go on a bender was great! I loved all the moments to play as Johnny in V’s body. All the symbolism between them was so good. Every mission matters, and you can replay to look closer at details! He also comments on other side missions with no personal relevance to him, which was neat.

All the enemies had unique names. A minor detail, but it made me feel some guilt over killing them. 🤣 I think all character’s had unique names, which is such a nice detail.

The soundtrack was incredible, I loved every original piece and radio song. I have several saved on Spotify, which is big praise coming from me! I very rarely listen to video game soundtracks.

V can adopt a cat! 🐈‍⬛ It was adorable, and Johnny’s interaction with it made me tear up!

The size of the map was good, not too big or too small. I got about 100 hours of play in by exploring, which is pretty good to me! I got lost a few times, but always found something interesting to do in the meanwhile. I loved the Badlands especially.

Some of the side missions, particularly the more mysterious ones involving investigating deaths and the cyberpsychos, were very enjoyable! I’m a big slut for mystery, and there were some interesting cases to figure out. I wish we could’ve done missions like that with River, though, especially once he becomes a PI.

I was complaining about the lack of aliens in CP2077, but I suppose we did get a couple space themed missions which was pretty fun. I still want to go experience going into orbit, though. 👽 Or the moon!

Separating voice and body in the CC was a good idea, even if it was handled a little strangely. I’ll talk about this more in the ‘Cons’ section below!

Act 2 was my favorite part of the game, but it blended weirdly with Act 3 and that put me off. I am nostalgic for Act 1, but not eager to replay it because it felt so slow... I’m not sure on this point! I liked Act 2 because the story picked up and I was excited for more, but the more I got wasn’t as I expected. So, yes, Act 2 was good.

The scenery is very beautiful, and sometimes the outside lighting is absolutely perfect. The Arasaka parade mission was lovely to look at. I always stop the car and watch the sunrise/sunset, and I like going out to the Badlands to look at the stars!

An addition to that, is the lighting in some main quest missions. Very noir! It made for some beautiful screenshots. (Of which I sadly can’t share because my game doesn’t record well on medium settings. 😳)

The motorcycles are fun to drive! Mainly because I can zoom in between cars and Jackie’s motorcycle has a lot of sentimental value, as well as other vehicles like Johnny’s Porsche and Jake’s car. You can open the trunk to dump bodies in, which was a cool detail., and each one drives differently!

There could be amazing attention to detail, such as making Jackie look like his mother. I expected his mother to be a randomly generated NPC, but she was completely unique. It’s the minor things like that which stood out to me the most.

The scanner was a fun tool and very useful! I liked being able to find alternative ways to do a mission, it felt more realistic than the standard “massacre everybody, pick up an item and get out” fetch quests normally seen in RPGs. I could sneak in a tunnel or a side door! Perhaps irritating and unnecessary to some, but I liked it. I love utilising every possible option.

The interface color changes if you have Johnny controlling V’s body. Another small but good detail! The game is good with the minor details.

The sex scenes were not... awful. I expected much, much worse! I expected fully animated first person porn. Instead, I thought they were fairly realistic and intended to be romantic. Still very awkward, though, and unnecessary.

When they didn’t glitch, the animations were very good. Not as impressive as I hoped, probably because of glitches, but in line with other AAA games like Horizon Zero Dawn, I suppose? I noticed Judy’s animations in particular as being good, and Johnny had lots of unique ones too!

The clothing options are very fun, I like the holographic items and “Bitch” clothes, hehe. Also including Hijabs! 🧕 Great idea, and more games should do that.

The diversity of the NPCs was welcome. I enjoyed seeing Native American, Asian, Black and Latinx NPCs who weren’t there just to suffer! They would occupy important roles in the story, such as Fixers or friends/romance options for V, so they were pretty much unavoidable! It felt very natural, and they helped Night City feel more realistic.

Adding to that, the different cultures included were interesting too! I liked the Haitian characters in Pacifica.

The photo mode is pretty good. Not as good as I expected, the camera angle presets were useful but the filters weren’t very good. I liked that the photo mode could be used in cutscenes, though! It was standard, and I hope more bits will be added in for it.

A lot of the glitches are hilarious, but I recognise not all will share that opinion so I’m just adding this down here. The T-Posing NPCs are a highlight for me. Call that the Skyrim effect.

Cons:

No NB gender options/No pronoun options. Would they/them have been so difficult to implement?

No body or height sliders. There’s so many fat character’s in the game! Why can I not make my V fat? Or muscular?

Gender restrictive hairstyles and clothes. Come on, guys, it’s 2020/2077! Aren’t we beyond gender restrictive appearance options?

No tattoo parlours, no plastic surgeons and no hairstylists for V to change their appearance. I don’t understand why a CC was included at all, since we spent the majority of the game in first person. It reminded me of Far Cry.

The main story started off strong, albeit slow, picked up in Act 2, then felt very rushed in Act 3. The point of no return was very abrupt!

The celebrity cameos felt very gimmicky. The one exception to this is Keanu Reeves, who did a very good job as Johnny. Genuinely brought tears to my eyes at times... but Grimes was just embarrassing! Why was she there! A talented VA could have done Lizzy Wizzy much better, giving her actual emotions instead of just monotone “boredom”.

I don’t know what the point of owning apartments is. You can only sleep in V’s bed, what is the point of looking in the mirror? V has no use for their terminal in their apartment, they never get any messages after the first time they meet Johnny. It was so unnecessary, especially when there’s several across the map. I can access the stash of weapons and clothes from my car! Why would I ever need to go home? Judy gives me her apartment and I’m like, girl, I’m never visiting unless you have a mission to give me.

Also, there are no penalties for not showering or sleeping. I wanted character’s to comment on that! Call me stinky or tell me I look exhausted!

V doing side missions makes no sense, and no explanation is given for why we can do them. Why would V, who is dying and has precious few days left to live, be driving for hours on end to deliver packages and shoot random criminals? When they could be figuring out how to survive the biochip! Who the hell would care about a some extra money or buying every available car for sale, when they’re dying of something that could be preventable?

Some side missions were either very poorly done or obviously majorly glitched, since it felt like they skipped important parts and I was often very confused at the end of them! For example, the Corpo V side mission was so short! I expected to be able to hunt down Abernathy and get revenge for V and Jenkins, but instead, I shoot some random assistant I don’t even remember? And that’s it? Done in 2 minutes! If that! What is the point of that? I didn’t even have fun! Also, what happened to Garry? I wanted to save him but V just never follows up on it.

And, I wish we got closure with T-Bug. The fact that V never bothers to find her body and give her a proper burial was just poor form.

The endings were not... good. There are technically 6 different endings, all wrapped up into 3 parts. In my opinion, the best ending is the one where V kills themselves and has a very “Arthur Morgan watching his last sunset” vibe. It made me cry. Another good ending is having Johnny take over V’s body forever, as you can really see how much Johnny has changed as a person thanks to V’s influence. But they still felt very... eh and the story just never got that boost it needed, ending before it could take off. In the “best” ending, the Nomand ending with Panam, V ”survives” but has only another few months to live. So they die off screen. Satisfying? Uh, no. Not at all. There’s no possible ending where V has any hope of survival, but I much preferred being there with V until the very end. I disagree with the people calling Johnny’s ending the “bad” ending, because it really isn’t! I ignore all of this of course, and my V is living happily ever after.

I kind of hate that CP2077 has this illusion of options when some are clearly intended to be chosen more than others. Judy and Panam have the best endings in term of romance. Why bother with River and Kerry? Kerry is more of a fling than an actual romance, and is met very late in the game at a point where you can ignore him completely and just end the game, and River’s romance is so glitched that many people can’t even do it fully, and in every ending he dumps you, so it feels like none of it mattered to him despite him being the most “domestic” of the possible LI’s...

Takemura’s ending! He died in my playthrough, because the game didn’t tell me I could save him. That really annoyed me. Also, I recognise that V is in no place to lecture him, and there is some wisdom to his quote: “You speak against corporations yet offer no valid alternative.” But, Goro, bro... anything is better than fascist mega corporations keeping most of the city in absolute poverty, while waging devastating wars against other mega corporations? I wish we could have opened his eyes a little. There’s a good, even ground between Takemura believing Corps to be doing the best for humanity and Johnny being willing to kill 12k people for a revolution. This game went a little “capitalism is bad, but the alternative is worse!” at times, in my opinion. I wish more could have been done against the corporations, instead they just kind of... exist... in the background. And I know, “Realism! “ because we live with massive corporations like Amazon in our lives and can do fuck all about them but we’re not V. V is an absolute unit who survives death multiple times... I wish there had been two paths, like do Johnny’s path and work against the system or do Takemura’s path and work with the system? Sort of like The Witcher 2?

You know how in Saints Row, The Boss has homies they can call on for help? I wanted V to have homies to help them out in fights. It felt pointless building trust with the Fixers only to not have them help out at all with fights against the NCPD/Militech/Arasaka in their territories.

The stealth mechanics are not good. They are funny! But not very good. Often, It’s better to just attack and save yourself the trouble of sneaking only to get caught by a guard who can see through the back of his head.

The fact that you cannot get arrested and have someone bust you out of jail. Maybe RDR2 set my expectations too high, but I thought this would have been included.

I’ve read about the cut content, and I’m really disappointed they weren’t included in the game. Wall running would have been amazing! And the police hiring mercs to hunt V down? I would have loved to see it! 😔

Driving cars is terrible. Just awful. Sometimes, you crash. Other times you’re flung up into the air and break through the sky into the void, spinning for all eternity.

River’s glitched romance deserves a special mention. The relationship just drops off suddenly and you cannot interact with him properly again. It does not affect the main story at all, so you wonder, what was the point? The text messages also glitch and V will sent messages that you can’t control, leading to disappointing dialogue, like with Joss.

The romances in general were just not all that impressive. I was expecting something great, considering there was only 4 and thought they’d really affect the main story, but I’d only recommend Panam and Judy. I would have played the game just as well without romances, and they felt very unnecessary but I wanted to do one to get the most possible story content. I think we should all leave romances in RPG’s as the exception, not the norm. Some studio’s can do them well, other’s cannot. CDPR cannot, in my opinion...

Obviously the many glitches and bugs, several of which are game breaking. I usually have to reload a save at least once an hour, because an NPC won’t talk to me or I can’t move the mouse to select different dialogue options! Or my gun won’t equip, so I die.

The AI in general is very bad. Sometimes cars will stop in the middle of junctions for no reason, causing you to crash or mount the sidewalk to get past, meaning you’ll likely run someone down and get a police warrant. NPCs just walk from one end of the road and back again, over and over on a loop. It’s very creepy!

The lighting, mostly inside buildings. Everything is pitch black! Why does V not own a flashlight? The amount of enemies I’ve barrelled into and alerted because I couldn’t see is too much.

The lack of dialogue choice, it was less interactive than what I’d been told to expect. There was only two or three options, with one only ever rarely being unique to one of V’s three possible background choices and most will yield the same results with a few exceptions, like avoiding combat.

V’s personality is already decided by the game, and is not really customisable. Do not expect full control over your V’s personality, as they are very much a canon character and exist outside of your (limited) choices. I didn’t expect Baldur's Gate 3 levels of customisation, but I did expect something more like Dragon Age 2’s dialogue wheel? Nice, Sarcasm and Angry? You know?

Obviously, the seizure inducing scenes were very dangerous. I get a headache whenever I have to do a braindance, and I wish it was skippable!

Accessibility as a whole is very much an afterthought in this game, I think. The subtitles are in “speaking English”, so instead of: Hey, how are you? It’s: Heyyy, how’re ya? It is often difficult to understand, and sometimes I just couldn’t work out what was being said.

It’s nitpicky but I wanted to do a pacifist route and I realised you can’t, you need to kill certain character’s...

The main “villains” such as Yorinobu and Adam Smasher were very forgettable, and V had no personal stake in taking them out. I honestly forgot all about them. Takemura was talking about revenge and I’m like, who? Who are you talking about? Why are we kidnapping Hanako Arasaka, again? Johnny, why would I bother killing Adam Smasher? If they’d personally murdered Jackie, then yeah, I’d understand! But all V needs is to remove the chip and I don’t know... I just didn’t feel anything.

So, to summarise: I think CDPR were out of their depth. The long, very long, troubled development process was an indication of this before the game was even released, and the story I’ve experienced in the game is proof enough. I don’t think they knew what they wanted from this game, and as a result, we have a game that is honestly very confusing and frustrating with a story that always got close to gripping, but never quite makes it. All in all, I found this game to be pretty average. When the bugs are ironed out, I will think better of it. But as it stands, if I had to score it, I would give it a 6.5/10 or maybe 7/10. Good concept, somewhat misguided execution. The best part of the game was the Johnny/V dynamic, but I wasn’t satisfied with how it ended. They needed more time together! Anyway, it will be interesting to see what happens next.

#cp77 spoilers #cp77 critical #cyberpunk 2077 #I’ve already been vagued about a few times for my CP2077 opinions so I expect more to happen now I’m posting this hehe

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meichenxi · 4 years ago

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What’s Your favorite Chinese song ?

ahhHHHHH ok here are a few

I mainly listen to OSTs!! I love anything by Tan Dun, especially the Hero soundtrack. My favourite from that soundtrack: For the World https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCkbfapn-I4 Hero is possibly one of the prettiest films I’ve ever seen, and if you haven’t, I really recommend it

Another favourite (sung this time): Only For Love from The Banquet (also Tan Dun yeeeee) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cgf7chXgyF0

I rewatched Little Big Soldier recently - which is excellent and very particular in how it is objectively hilarious for about 9/10s and then you will gross sob for the last ten minutes. But I can’t stop listening to this song, it’s kind of ridiculous but you will NOT be able to get it out of your head: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhklgLmcl8k (Jackie Chan who actually has a great voice)

Otherwise I’m not reeeeeally a fan of the ballad, so always looking for new recommendations :D

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wits-writing · 5 years ago

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Birds of Prey (Movie Review)

Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), from now on referred to as BOP for brevity, directed by Cathy Yan with a script by Bumblebee screenwriter Christina Hodson, follows Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) as she carves out her own place in Gotham City after breaking up with the Joker.

After an act of destructive spectacle to make sure everyone knows she’s serious about the breakup, Harley finds out just how many people want her dead now that the Clown Prince of Crime won’t be protecting her. Special notice in that aspects gets given to Roman Sionis (Ewan McGregor), aka Black Mask, a mob boss of Gotham’s East End currently making a play for the city as a whole.

[Full Review Under the Cut]

BOP’s story structure and aesthetic presentation are an exercise in communicating perspective. Harley provides the primary framing through her narration and overall off kilter way of looking at the world. Slow motion, the tone of the music and use of on-screen text impart how she’s our main filter for these events. Moments that don’t focus on her and the occasional nonlinear order of the central narrative’s events are Harley as the narrator backfilling that information. Her narration at one point outright says to the audience, “I guess I forgot to tell you about them.” Narration often gets framed as a lazy way to impart exposition and character development, but BOP uses Harley’s narration with a purpose. In the larger subtext of this being a post-breakup recovery story, Harley literally controlling her story’s presentation ties in with taking control of her own life.

Though like she says early on, Harley’s not “the only dame in Gotham looking for emancipation.” Once she makes her grand statement to let everyone know she’s cut ties with Mr. J for good, chaos spiraling out from that ends up ensnaring several other characters in her path as she runs from the people that want her dead. Starting with the Gotham street rat, Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco). A foster kid who’d rather be on the streets than living her bleak home life. The kid ends up accidentally running afoul of Sionis when her routine pickpocketing brings her into possession of a valuable item that could give him the resources to expand his control beyond his turf into all of Gotham. Harley plans to save her own skin by agreeing to deliver the kid to Roman in exchange for protection. When Harley finally crosses paths with Cass, complications prevent her from turning the kid over to the mob boss right away.

Those complications become the heart of Harley’s character arc as circumstances force her to get to know the kid. Cass sees Harley’s flippant way of going about her criminal life and sees someone who has things figured out. A notion Harley tries to dissuade her of even as her moments with the kid are the first non-alcohol or drug induced states of happiness she’s had since the movie began. Robbie and Basco’s interactions have a sisterly back and forth to them, especially in the moments when Cass proves cleverer and more resourceful than Harley anticipated.

Cass is also the center of the Venn diagram formed by the stories of Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez) and Dinah Lance (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), aka Black Canary. Renee mainly knows Cass as a recurring face at the police station every time she’s gotten caught pickpocketing. In her daily life, Renee’s job as a detective involves a lot of people either not taking her seriously or stealing credit for her work. She’s been building a case to take down Black Mask for years but gets talked down from her pursuit by everyone else at the GCPD. Perez plays Montoya with a world-weariness that sells the years of being ignored that have taken a toll on her.

Her investigation leads her to Dinah, a singer at a club owned by Sionis recently promoted to his personal chauffeur. After seeing her mother lose her life trying to protect people in Gotham, Dinah wants to keep her head down and go on surviving for as long as possible. It’s complicated by the fact she can’t stop herself from caring or wanting to get involved despite everything. A trait shown in her tender interactions with Cass, whose foster parents live in the same apartment complex, and fighting to protect a drunk Harley outside the club. Smollett-Bell and Perez get their best material playing against each other in scenes where Renee tries to convince Dinah to help inform her on Roman’s plans.

Rounding out the Birds of Prey is an interloper in Black Mask’s plans to control Gotham, Helena Bertinelli (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), aka Huntress. Her role makes her BOP’s secret weapon as she’s the lead we at first learn the least about. All we know at the start is she’s going around killing mobsters that have ties to Sionis’s operations. She doesn’t say anything but takes care of her targets with ruthless efficiency. Once she’s given the room to talk, it becomes clear that she has all the skills necessary to handle her vigilante manhunt but has a negative amount of social skills or flare for drama. Helena’s attempts at stoic one-liners are hilariously inept and Winstead plays each one perfectly.

A character I’m more mixed on than any other element of the movie is Black Mask himself. None of that is down to Ewan McGregor’s performance, who’s playing the representative of the type of controlling, entitled monster of a man that Harley doesn’t want in her life anymore after her breakup. While McGregor’s charisma can almost make you forget how awful Roman is, BOP has no interest in letting the audience forget what he’s willing to do to anyone that even slightly wrongs him. It makes for the movie’s most disturbing moments, especially when he’s sharing the screen with his torture-happy partner-in-crime, Victor Zsasz (Chris Messina). He makes his motives to kill Harley plain when he tells her he wants her dead just because he’s free to do it now that she’s out from Joker’s protection, not any specific grievance. However, that lack of specific antagonism with the main character makes him feel hollow outside of his cruelty, existing as something for the heroes to bounce off for their arcs. He’s functional and well played, but not much beyond that.

Once all the characters are gathered and their story threads have fully converged, BOP has its boldest showcase of the stellar action that makes it stand apart from other movies in the superhero genre. The movie never slouches to deliver on the goods when it comes to its leading ladies tear it up in the fights. Every one of them does something different, keeping things varied with different settings and weapons. Varied tones to the fights keep them from getting exhausting. Most of the fights focusing on Harley maintain the movie’s usual stylization, like her breaking into a police station with a glitter loaded shotgun. Which contrasts with the grounded street brawl when we first see what Dinah can do in a fight. Action scenes escalate as the movie goes, culminating in the previously mentioned final showcase. The fights up to that point already embrace Jackie Chan levels of “every object can be a weapon if necessary” and takes it to the next level. All boosted by the work of cinematographer Matthew Libatique and editors Jay Cassidy and Evan Schiff keeping visual information clear, which helps every bone crunching impact land. Pushed further by the soundtrack consisting of Daniel Pemberton’s original score and songs, plus some well-timed needle drops.

Like Christina Hodson’s previous work as a screenwriter with Bumblebee, what stands out about BOP is how it capitalizes on the wasted potential of previous entries in the film series, in this case 2016’s Suicide Squad. While in that case, the stylization and music choices were crudely plastered on, BOP uses every element with pointed purpose and feels genuinely fun rather than forced as a last-minute decision. Yan, Hodson, Robbie and the rest of the collected cast and crew put together a movie that accomplishes being exactly the kickass, glittery ride it sets out to be.

If you like what you’ve read here, please like/reblog or share elsewhere online, follow me on Twitter (@WC_WIT), and consider throwing some support my way at either Ko-Fi.com or Patreon.com at the extension “/witswriting”

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aion-rsa · 4 years ago

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The Weird History of A Chinese Ghost Story Franchise

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When A Chinese Ghost Story premiered in 1987, it was already part of a unique category – the fusion of horror, comedy, and Kung Fu. Asian horror films are known as jiangshi, which is the name of a specific spooky hopping ghost found in Chinese folklore that proliferates these films.

Part zombie, part vampire, jiangshi are corpses that are usually reanimated by demons or Daoist sorcerers. They hop along mindlessly with their arms outstretched like sleepwalkers, and feed on the life essence – or qi – of the living. Often a jiangshi is blind but can smell breath. This makes for great comic hijinks as hapless characters struggle to hold their breath while gruesome jiangshi shove their rotting noses close to their mouths trying to pick up the scent.

Comedy is a common horror film device. It releases tension and leaves the audience unguarded for the next jump scare. The addition of Kung Fu is purely Hong Kong and can be traced to Sammo Hung’s groundbreaking Encounters of the Spooky Kind in 1980. Adding martial arts action comes naturally because in Chinese culture sorcerers and exorcists are Daoist or Buddhist Kung Fu masters. In the wake of that film, Kung Fu Horror Comedies became a thing of its own with plenty of franchises, most notably Mr. Vampire.

If the horror, comedy, and Kung Fu menage a trois wasn’t enough, A Chinese Ghost Story was one of the first films of a then-burgeoning period genre called FantAsia. FantAsia is the Chinese answer to sword and sorcery flicks. It includes superhuman Kung Fu (which means lots of wirework and flying about), magic spells and supernatural beasts. FantAsia is based on a longstanding body of fiction in movies and literature known as Wuxia, which means ‘martial heroes.’

A Chinese Ghost Story was produced by Tsui Hark, who spearheaded FantAsia with his Zu: Warriors From The Magic Mountain four years prior to A Chinese Ghost Story, and followed with many other FantAsia classics like The Swordsman, Once Upon a Time in China and Green Snake. Ching Sui-tung directed all three A Chinese Ghost Story films and continues to deliver FantAsia films like The Sorcerer and the White Snake, but Tsui is the undisputed father of the genre.

The Chinese Twilight Zone from the 1800s

A Chinese Ghost Story retells a beloved Chinese tale of star-crossed romance. All these Chinese Ghost Story films are titled Qian Nu You Hun in Chinese, which translates into “beautiful woman dark spirit.” This is the story of Nie Xiaoqian, drawn from a 1740 short story compilation titled Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio by Pu Songling. These were stories of the supernatural world with covert social commentary, akin to The Twilight Zone today.

Tales from Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio have been depicted in countless Chinese films and TV shows, most recently in last year’s CGI-drenched FantAsia flick The Knight of Shadows: Between Yin and Yang where Jackie Chan played Pu Songling. Nie Xiaoqian’s tale is a favorite having been retold in over a dozen TV shows and the films mentioned here.

In the original tale, Nie is a beautiful ghost, doomed to haunt an abandoned temple and hunt for souls for a demon that has enslaved her. She tries to capture a milquetoast travelling scholar, Ning Caichen, who manages to free her from her curse and takes her home to help his sickly wife. After Ning’s wife dies, he marries Nie and redeems her. In Chinese folktales, supernatural beings often strive to become human. It’s a device to analyze what being human means, akin to the journeys of Data, Seven of Nine, and T’Pol in Star Trek.

There was a notable adaptation of Nie’s tale in 1960. For that film, Qian Nu You Hun was translated as The Enchanting Shadow and was Hong Kong’s submission for Cannes and the Academy Awards. In the lead roles were two of the most popular actors of their generation. Nie was Betty Loh Ti, who died tragically to an overdose at just 31. Betty was a classic beauty, perfect for Nie, and this was her most celebrated role. Ning was Zhao Lei who enjoyed a long career of over a hundred films from the early 50s to the late 80s.

The Enchanting Shadow is a gorgeous film with sumptuous sets and costumes, which is what gave it such international appeal. It plays out almost like a European gothic horror in its gradual pacing and eerie Theremin soundtrack. With its international acclaim, The Enchanting Shadow set the stage for A Chinese Ghost Story 27 years later.

The Chinese Ghost Story Trilogy

A Chinese Ghost Story casts the alluring Joey Wang as Nie and heartthrob Leslie Cheung as Ning. Also in the cast are Wu Ma as the Daoist exorcist Yin and Lau Siu-ming as the androgynous Tree Demoness (Lau is male). The Tree Demoness steals the show like she plucks the hearts of her prey. Shifting between male and female voices, she attacks with entangling roots reminiscent of The Evil Dead (although she penetrates her victims through the mouth not other orifices). Her main weapon is her tongue, which grows so long that it wraps around her prey, cuts down trees and mutates into fangs and tentacles of Lovecraftian proportions.

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Joey is entrancing, a seductive portrait of long flowing locks wrapped in diaphanous silk gowns. Everything is always blowing in the wind like Beyonce’s hair, lending a mysterious grace to Joey in every scene.

And Leslie is adorably naïve. Who can’t but sympathize for him getting smitten by mystical Joey and her luxurious eyebrows, even if she was trying to eat him? A Chinese Ghost Story was pre-CGI so the special effects are dated: stop motion zombies, puppet tongue prosthetics, post-production glowy effects and lots of wire work. But there’s a certain charm to the cleverness of the effects. It’s old school filmmaking and although it looks dated now, it still works.

Three years later, the cast was reunited for A Chinese Ghost Story II. It picks up where the original left off. Leslie is still the innocent Ning, thrust in a horrid world. To show the brutality of his environment, there’s an early homage to Yojimbo, with a stray dog fetching a severed human hand.

Ning is in trouble from the start. He accidently sits down in a restaurant for cannibals, and then gets thrown in jail. After Elder Chu (Ku Feng) helps him escape, Ning gets mistaken for Chu by his gang of rebels. One of the gang members is Windy, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Nie because she’s played by Joey Wang. Ning is smitten again.

New to the cast is another Daoist wizard named Autumn (Jacky Cheung) and his frenetic energy ramps up the comedy and action.

The sequel quickly goes to a lot of fun places with absurd fight choreography, Daoist and Buddhist magic, amorous naked hijinks, crazy flying sword blades and a hysterical giant gloppy demon puppet that’s tenuously held captive by a Daoist freezing spell. And the reveal of the main demon is over-the-top strange and hilarious.

A Chinese Ghost Story III came out the following year, but it’s a break from the narrative. In the first film, the Tree Demoness was banished for a century, so the threequel skips forward to a century later, outliving Ning and the other good characters. Lau Siu-Ming reprises his Tree Demoness role and Joey Wang returns as another beautiful ghost named Lotus. She’s joined by her sister ghost Butterfly (Nina Li, Jet Li’s wife). Jacky Cheung returns but as a different character, the Taoist exorcist Yin. It’s the same name as Wu Ma’s character in the first film because Jacky plays Yin’s rejected student.

Replacing the lovelorn Ning is a bumbling Buddhist disciple, Shifang (Tony Leung Chiu-Wai) and his master Bai Yun (Lau Shun). Their relationship adds its own comic relief. Early on, Shifang is splattered with blood while witnessing a random roadside sword fight, just like what happened to Ning, while Bai Yun meditates obliviously.

Although the weakest of the trilogy, the special effects have improved over the years. The Tree Demoness’ tongue lickings are more vicious, including a tongue’s eye-view as it deep throats its prey and swims down to pluck out its heart. Lotus attacks with her entangling locks and Butterfly uses telescopic fingernails.

Instead of Daoist sorcery, there’s more Buddhist magic: restraining sutra wraps, flying carpet cassocks, magic malas, and blood so pure that it is gold. And who can forget Bai Yun’s enchanted earlobes? The finale demon reveal is the strange bastard child of a Transformer and a Kaiju that doesn’t quite work but by then, things have gotten so outrageous that it doesn’t really matter.

More Haunting Chinese Ghost Stories

Tsui Hark returned to the romance of Nie and Ning in 1997 for A Chinese Ghost Story: The Tsui Hark Animation. That was during a pivotal year for Hong Kong because it was the handover when it ceased being a British colony and was returned to China. Consequently, Hong Kong cinema was on fire. Filmmakers had no idea what would become of their industry under communist China, so they were producing their edgiest political work as many tried to immigrate to other countries in fear of having their artistic vision oppressed.

Hark had been working on the project for years and the animated format allowed him to unleash his vision like never before. This story stands independent of the others, but revisits characters developed for the threequel.

Ning and Nie are the same, although Nie is translated as Shine. Nie Xiaoqian translates to “whispering little lovely” so it’s unclear why Shine was chosen for the English language version. Other characters are translated literally like White Cloud and Ten Miles (translations of Baiyun and Shifang). Also appearing are Butterfly and the Tree Demoness, renamed Madame Trunk, along with her creepy bald minor demoness entourage.

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Replacing Master Yin is a new Daoist exorcist named Red Beard who travels in the bizarre magical giant transformer with temple bells for arms, a drum for a torso and barrels for legs. There’s also Mountain Evil, a giant rock star like demon that holds a concert and is obsessed with his hair. There’s a lot of music in this installment.

And Ning has a dog sidekick, Solid Gold, who serves as a comical canine conscience. For the Chinese versions, Tsui Hark voiced Solid Gold, which is funny because he only makes dog noises like barks and whimpers.

Like the threequel, Ning finds himself in a cannibal restaurant but this time, it’s not in the normal world. This one is filled with demons. A Chinese Ghost Story: The Tsui Hark Animation is a deep dive into the yaoguai world.

Yaoguai means “supernatural and strange.” Fans of Asian cinema know it better from the Japanese term Yokai. It’s the world of magical creatures – fairies, demons, ghosts, immortals, enchanted snakes and foxes – different from the elves and gnomes found in Western folklore.

Hark’s animated film was echoed in Hayao Miyazaki’s Oscar-winning Spirited Away four years later. A Chinese Ghost Story: The Tsui Hark Animation transitions between conventional and CGI animation, which was groundbreaking then but comes off awkward today. It has its visionary moments but pales in comparison to the artistry of Spirited Away.

In 2011, a remake came out, appropriately titled A Chinese Ghost Story 2011 and answered the question “What would A Chinese Ghost Story look like with today’s eye-popping CGI special effects?” Sadly, it doesn’t help despite a stellar cast.

Nie is played by Crystal Liu, who just appeared in the titular role in Mulan, but she falls short. Crystal is China doll cute, but she lacks the mystery needed for a haunting ghost. Ning is Yu Shaoqun. Like Leslie Cheung, Yu is a pretty boy singer, but doesn’t add much to the role beyond eye candy.

The Tree Demoness is veteran actress Kara Hui, who usually delivers gripping performances, but here she reduces the character to a cackling maniacal wicked witch that is strangely unsatisfactory.

There’s some redemption in the Daoist exorcists, which have a completely different and complex story arc. There are two, Yan Chixia, played by a brooding Louis Koo, and the one-armed Xia Xuefenglei, played by Louis Fan. The remake doesn’t capture the charm of the originals and the effects are unimaginative. This isn’t to say that this version is totally negligible. It has some moments like the villagers getting infected after rerouting water from the tree demon’s pool which makes them grow leaves. The villagers provide good comic relief. The sword fights are amusing too. The duel between the two Louises is high flying Kung Fu fun. The film is dedicated to the memory of Leslie Cheung, who tragically committed suicide by jumping off a building in 2003.

Despite the title, A Chinese Ghost Story isn’t frightening. There’s nothing in any of the films that might keep one up at night. It’s a haunting tale of undying romance, retold with visionary action and hilarious slapstick moments that, apart from some splattered demon ichor, is family friendly, with about the same level of frights as the Ghostbusters franchise. But be warned. A Chinese Ghost Story opens the portal to the psychotropic genre of FantAsia Kung Fu horror comedies. Once entered, there are hundreds of films in this genre that can possess a viewer for months of binging.

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A Chinese Ghost Story and A Chinese Ghost Story II are available on Amazon Prime.

The post The Weird History of A Chinese Ghost Story Franchise appeared first on Den of Geek.

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moviemagistrate · 4 years ago

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ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD review

ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD is my favorite movie of the 2010’s.

I’ll give you a minute to put your recently-blown mind back together.

So why do I love this movie so much? The overall response to Quentin Tarantino’s supposedly penultimate opus has been very positive if not rapturous, but I’ve seen some surprisingly lukewarm and even negative reviews, with people criticizing it for being slow, meandering, lacking in depth or *shudder* boring. Obviously the quality of any movie is subjective, as I’m quick to remind anyone who hates Michael Bay movies, but I honestly don’t understand people who dislike OUATIH. Maybe it’s a matter of expectations, because I didn’t know how to feel about the film for much of the first time I watched it either.

The year is 1969, a time of great political and cultural change in the country and in the entertainment industry. The star-driven films of yesteryear are giving way to grittier, artsier, more auteur-driven works as we primarily follow Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), former star of a popular cowboy show whose failed attempt to start an A-list movie career has left him relying on guest spots as TV villains-of-the-week to stay afloat. This is wonderfully laid out in the opening scene where he meets casting director Marvin Schwarz (Al Pacino, easily his best role since JACK & JILL), who lays out Rick’s lowering hierarchical status (“Who’s gonna kick the shit out of you next week? How about Batman & Robin? PING. POW”), while offering him an opportunity to be a leading-man again in Italian pictures.

Tagging along is Rick’s best, and maybe only, friend Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), Rick’s go-with-the-flow stunt-double who in the slowdown of Rick’s career has effectively become his driver and gofer, as well as Rick’s sole source of emotional support. Rick is also neighbors with Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), the beautiful young actress and wife of then-superstar director Roman Polanski (whose inclusion in the film is minimal and handled tastefully), as she lives out her idyllic life, beloved by those around her like the ray of sunshine she was in real life. Her gated, hillside home looms over Rick’s, as he ponders aloud about how even meeting her the right way could resurrect his career.

For almost two-and-a-half hours, we follow these three characters as they just live out their lives, Rick nursing hangovers and having emotional breakdowns in front of his 8-year-old co-star on set while contemplating his future, Cliff going where the wind blows him while taking care of his adorable and highly-trained dog, and Sharon as she drives around Old Hollywood, spends time with her friends, and sneaks into a matinee showing of one of her movies, her eyes and infectious smile beaming with pride when the audience laughs at her comedic timing and cheers her martial-arts prowess.

I think it’s safe to say it’s not the film any of us were expecting from Quentin Tarantino. Having only made loud, gory, over-the-top genre pastiches for the last 15 years, you’d expect from the trailers for this to be about an actor and his sexy stunt-double getting mixed up with the Manson family before teaming up with Bruce Lee to save Sharon Tate from her horrific real-life fate, mixed with the filmmaker’s usual self-indulgent homages to films of yesteryear. While some of this is true to some extent, it’s surprisingly a much more relaxed, easygoing dramedy that follows a trio of funny, charismatic people as they just…exist, as people living in the moment instead of relics.

OUATIH is much more concerned with atmosphere, character, and capturing the feeling of a bygone era than the traditional narrative structure. It’s more effective than pretty much every nostalgia trip movie I've ever seen because you can feel Tarantino's affection for this era of his childhood bleed through every character, car, song, radio advertisement, TV show, background poster, etc. It’s through this meticulous level of detail and willingness to just hang out with these characters and take in this world that he reconstructed, Tarantino successfully resurrects the era in all its 35mm glory, but with the knowing twinge of real-world melancholy.

I guess the reason I love it so much is because the love that Tarantino has for everything and everyone in it is so tangible that it’s infectious. Watching OUATIH I honestly felt like I understood him better as both a filmmaker and as a person. He shows a level of restraint and maturity I haven’t seen since JACKIE BROWN. Even most of his trademark foot fetishizing is tasteful and subdued (I say “most” because I recall at least three close-ups of actresses’ feet that definitely made him a bit sweaty behind the camera). He’s a weird, shameless nerd with a big ego, but he’s 100% sincere about expressing his love for film and its rich history. And it’s this love, and the skill and style with which it’s expressed, that just put a big smile on my face each of the 6 (SIX) times that I’ve seen it since it came out.

Tarantino offers a tantalizing contrast between reality and fantasy. Throughout the film, as the characters of Hollywood live in their own idyllic world, relaxing in pools or driving around in bitchin’ cars, we also see the disquieting eeriness and griminess of the Manson family. The soundtrack and accompanying old-timey commercials for tanning butter or Mug Root Beer that plays through a lot of the film is a joy to listen to, but we also hear news bulletins of the war in Vietnam or the aftermath of the Bobby Kennedy assassination. You could argue this is just to set the scene for the era, but it feels too deliberate, because even after that joyously fantastical ending, we remember that it was just a fairy tale and real life didn’t turn out as pleasantly. Tarantino’s ability to make his world and characters so meticulously detailed and lived-in works to great effect in instilling a bittersweet melancholy to this film in a way I was really taken aback by. It feels like a window into his soul, someone who yearns for the fantasy of the world he grew up in but remembering that not all good things last and not everything in your nostalgic past was good to begin with.

One beautiful, spellbinding scene is Rick and Cliff coming back from their excursion into the world of Italian filmmaking. In this montage, we see Rick, Cliff and Rick’s new Italian wife arriving at the airport and driving home before unpacking their baggage, interspersed with Sharon Tate welcoming a guest at her home and having lunch, before cutting to a series of shots of famous LA landmarks like Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Taco Bell, and Der Wienerschnitzel all meticulously resurrected in their retro glory as they light up the night. “Baby, baby, baby you’re out of time”, sings Mick Jagger as we’re watching multiple stories about people who are each embodying those words: Rick’s career, his friendship with Cliff, Sharon Tate, and Hollywood itself.

Tarantino himself feels like one of the last mainstream auteur filmmakers, as well as one of the last and biggest proponents of shooting large-budget movies on film (even Scorsese’s embraced digital now, the fantastically-talented traitor). And with the rise of streaming services, one can’t help but feel like the movie-going experience itself is also becoming obsolete, especially recently, what with theaters going to war with distributors over fucking TROLLS: WORLD TOUR, not to mention that global pandemic we’ve been having lately all but killing general audiences’ enthusiasm for the movie theater experience (Christopher Nolan’s TENET certainly didn’t help). If all these things, both real and fictional, are indeed out of time, then at least with Tarantino’s penultimate film they get one hell of a bittersweet sendoff, a great time that’s more of an Irish wake than a funeral, and it’s a film I have no issue calling a truly introspective, late-career masterpiece.

And that’s without mentioning uniformly incredible cast. Leo DiCaprio, an actor I normally don’t care too much for, gives the best and funniest performance of his career as a dependent prima donna actor clinging to his remaining fame. Brad Pitt earns the hell out of his Oscar as an embodiment of old-school masculinity and charisma with an amazing set of abs (and everything else) whose outward coolness masks his mysterious past and complete badass-ness. Margot Robbie shines in her depiction of Tate, a beacon of warmth and likability who in many ways symbolized the love and carefree attitudes of the swingin’ 60’s. I’ve heard people criticize her character for not having a lot of dialogue, but to me it feels like they’re ignoring the visual storytelling, which just gives way to them assuming the film is sexist just because the female lead isn’t constantly monologuing. Every member of the supporting cast is memorable with their own quirks and great lines, no matter their screentime.

And of course, it wouldn’t be a Tarantino joint without some truly hilarious and shocking violence, and without going into spoiler territory, the last 20 minutes delivers on this promise to such a degree that I feel comfortable calling it the best thing he’s ever done. Some may decry the climax as unnecessary or over-the-top, but the way it leads to an alternate world while subtly acknowledging what happened in the real one is cathartic beyond belief. And if you’re paying attention, every scene in the movie has been quietly building towards this finale, which to me takes away any potential of feeling meandering in the story. If you saw the movie and didn’t much care for it, I recommend giving it another watch. Having the context ahead of time makes it feel so much more rewarding, and even on the fifth watch I’m noticing clever, subtle set-ups I missed beforehand.

It’s also just super cozy and really easy to watch. The two hours and 45 minutes fly by. I could watch a 4-hour version of this.

Quentin, if you’re reading this, please don’t let your last movie be Star Trek.

#tarantino #feet #hippies #brad pitt

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jobethdalloway · 5 years ago

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Susan Song Tag

Rules: You can usually tell a lot about a person by the music they listen to! Put your music on shuffle and list the first ten songs then tag five people. No skipping!!

Haven’t done something like this in a while - it feels like it’s harking back to ye olden days of tumblr interactions and I like it. Bring on the coping mechanisms! AMA whatevs. Anywho, thanks for tagging me @luckypenguinbuddy!

1. Jackie’s Theme - Waking Ned Devine

2. The Deadwood Stage - Doris Day

3. Soarin’ - Jerry Goldsmith (of disneyland! Oh gosh. Back when that was a thing.)

4. Party Up - Hilary Duff

5. Josephine - Brandi Carlile

6. The Negative - Keala Settle, Kimiko Glenn and Jessie Mueller (Waitress)

7. It Could Happen to You - Doris Day

8. Someday We’ll Be Together - The Supremes

9. Poppa Santa Claus - The Andrews Sisters

10. I’ll Take You There - The Staple Singers

Well, that sounds about right - a hint of millennial nostalgia, grandmotherly music, a Christmas song, oldies, showtunes and soundtracks. Show me what you got @nightwing-jodariel , @laoisepotter , @lunafeather , @hellojustreading and @thefootlightclub

#asks

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birdlord · 5 years ago

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Everything I Watched in 2019

Movies

The number in parentheses is year of release, asterisks denote a re-watch, and titles in bold are my favourite watches of the year.

01 The Death of Stalin (17) does a neat trick of building goodwill for Steve Buscemi’s Krushchev, then brutally pays that off in the last few minutes.

02 Sorry to Bother You (18)

03 Support the Girls (18)

04 Paddington (14)*

05 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (16)

06 Eighth Grade (18) probably the most terrifying movie I watched all year, if you didn’t watch it through your fingers, who even are you?

07 Morvern Callar (02) much less bleak than the book, but then, nearly anything would be

08 The Favourite (18) revolting and beautiful.

09 Columbus (17) a really lovely movie about architecture and parent-child relationships.

10 Bring it On (00)*

11 The Land of Steady Habits (18) feels wackier than your average Holofcener, but still a good watch.

12 Spotlight (15) i was really bowled over by this, and wasn’t expecting to be. Workmanlike filmmaking, but an extraordinary story, well-told.

13 The Killing of a Sacred Deer (17) Barry Keoghan is a blank, but somehow compelling screen presence. This one has an ending that made me bark with laughter.

14 Legends of the Fall (94)

15 Moneyball (11)* if you don’t feel like watching anything in particular, you can always watch Moneyball

16 If Beale St Could Talk (18) very beautiful, but I failed to connect with it on any other level.

17 For Keeps (88)

18 Abducted in Plain Sight (17)

19 Oscar Shorts (Animated) (18) the offerings were very sappy this year, but the winner was decent! Lots of Toronto content (weird).

20 Oscar Shorts (Live Action) (18) *unquestionably* the worst one of these won ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

21 Velvet Buzzsaw (19)

22 Vice (18) ugh

23 Friends with Money (06)

24 Can You Ever Forgive Me (18)

25 Bohemian Rhapsody (18) haha what. was. that.

26 Mars Attacks (96)*

27 Paddington 2 (18)

28 Buffy the Vampire Slayer (92)*

29 Shoplifters (18)

30 Blindspotting (18) jacked Ethan Embry in a supporting role?! Whither? Howso? Wherefore?

31 Witness (85)

32 Harry & the Hendersons (87)*

33 The Matrix (99)*

34 T2 Trainspotting (17)

35 Blockers (18)

36 The Slums of Beverly Hills (98)

37 Can’t Hardly Wait (98)*

38 Avengers: Infinity War (18)

39 Iron Man II (10)

40 Isle of Dogs (18)

41 Chinatown (74)*

42 To Live & Die in LA (85)

43 Age of Innocence (93) Daniel Day-Lewis manages to make Newland Archer compelling, where in the novel he’s...the worst?!

44 Shopgirl (05)*

45 The House (17) didn’t sustain all the way through, but then, that’s how mainstream comedies often go.

46 The Beguiled (17)

47 Badlands (73)*

48 Poetic Justice (93)

49 The Empire Strikes Back (80)*

50 Calibre (18)

51 The Kindergarten Teacher (18)

52 Hounds of Love (17) a nice little Aussie thriller, set in the 80s

53 Kicking & Screaming (95)*

54 Octopussy (83)*

55 Jaws (79)*

56 Lover Come Back (61)

57 Frenzy (72)

58 Always Be My Maybe (19)

59 Certain Women (16) took a while to get to this one, but it’s as great as they say it is.

60 Baby Driver (17) all flash, little substance.

61 Sneakers (92)

62 Roadhouse (87)*

63 Bull Durham (88)*

64 Ghostbusters (84)*

65 Booksmart (19) I think this will improve on multiple viewings, though I loved the soundtrack and the mix of characters.

66 Hereditary (18)

67 Rebecca (40) George Sanders as Rebecca’s cousin is BRILLIANT

68 Vertigo (58)*

69 The Dead Don’t Die (19)

70 Crawl (19)

71 Dazed & Confused (93)* If you don’t watch this once a summer, what is wrong with you?

72 Jackie Brown (97)

73 Talk Radio (88)

74 The Guilty (18)

75 Killing Heydrich (17)

76 Lady Bird (17)*

77 Billy Elliot (00)*

78 White House Down (13)* Channing Potatum saves the White House!

79 The Film Worker (17)

80 Whitney (18)

81 Mascot (16)

82 Apocalypse Now (79)* technically I’d only seen the Redux version from the early 2000s, so the regular cut is new to me.

83 Apollo 13 (95)*

84 Psycho 2 (83) the twist is very guessable, but there are a couple of nice-looking scenes.

85 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (04)*

86 The Bodyguard (92)*

87 Murder Mystery (19)

88 Wildlife (18)

89 The Stepford Wives (75)*

90 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (71)*

91 The Natural (84)

92 The Other Boleyn Girl (08)

93 Speed (94)*

94 Opera (87)

95 That’s my Boy (12) haha what?!

96 The Big Short (15)

97 Elizabeth the Golden Age (07)

98 The Glass Castle (17) when I read the book, I genuinely thought it was fiction, it’s so insane.

99 Dawn of the Dead (78)*

100 All About Eve (50) lady on lady violence is a special thing

101 La La Land (16)

102 Morning Glory (10) remember Rachel McAdams?

103 Casino (95)*

104 Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (06)

105 Pet Sematary (19)

106 Clue (85)*

107 Her Smell (18) amazing soundtrack and the songs were well-chosen. Heartbreaking musical moment in the final act.

108 Bobby Sands: 66 Days (16)

109 She’s Gotta Have it (86)

110 Good Morning (59)

111 Hustlers (19) I didn’t connect with this as much as the reviews led me to believe I might.

112 Nocturnal Animals (16)

113 Kill Bill Vol 1 (03) I’d only ever seen the second one before, being a non-Tarantino completionist.

114 Fried Green Tomatoes (91)* I watch this more than anticipated...

115 Steel Magnolias (89)

116 Notting Hill (99)*

117 A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (19) the tiny city models were inspired!

118 National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (89)*

119 Let It Snow (19)

120 Frozen (13)

121 The Irishman (19) most interesting as a sort of pastiche/reckoning on the part of Scorsese about his other gangster films. Really outmoded view of unions. Definitely could have been edited down if anyone were able to come to it without undue reverence, but I did love the bit about the fish.

122 Girls Trip (17) actual plot is beside the point.��

123 About a Boy (02)* I always think of this as the “vomit and sweaters” movie, anyone else?

124 Animal House (78)*

DOCUMENTARY : FICTION - 4:120

THEATRE : HOME - 9:115

TV Series

01 Russian Doll - I think I would have enjoyed this more if it hadn’t been bingeable - would have made a nice week-by-week discussion sort of show. I loved to watch the changes between re-ups of our major characters, and I think the actual plotting would reward re-watches.

02 Catastrophe S4 - A satisfying ending to an excellent show, with very charismatic leads (and deeply weird supporting characters). Had to write around Carrie Fisher’s death, and I’m sure did a better job of it than Star Wars did.

03 Friends from College S2 - More of the same, which is what I was after. A show like cotton candy (but with more infidelity).

04 High Maintenance S3 - A lot more of this season took place outside of New York City, which was a great change of pace. And a great deal more information about The Guy and his own life; both difficulties and successes included.

05 Losers - This was a great little docuseries on Netflix that I didn’t hear a lot of people talking about - it’s about sports losses, but unusual sports ie curling, figure skating and the like. You’d think it would get repetitive, being as it’s always about recovering after loss, but it doesn’t! I wish they would make another season….

06 Shrill - a tight six episode dramedy about an alt-weekly journalist in the Pacific Northwest, based on Lindy West’s memoir of the same name. John Cameron Mitchell as her boss (based on Dan Savage) stands out of the ensemble cast, as does Annie’s roommate played by a British standup Lolly Adefope.

07 Broad City S5 - I haven’t always kept up with Broad City, but I came back to it for its final season, and thought it did a good job of setting its characters up for big changes in their lives.

08 I Think You Should Leave - It’s easy to assume that all sketch comedy is terrible and always will be, but then you see this, and throw your TV out the window (due to all the laffs)

09 Fleabag S2 - Everything you’ve heard is true, this season is goddamn hilarious and ridiculously sexy. A huge step up from the first season, which was already pretty fantastic and incisive.

10 Fosse/Verdon - Musicals are not particularly my bag, so I’m sure there was a lot that I missed in terms of references, but the lead performances ably carried me through all of the time jumps and various performances.

11 Stranger Things S3 - Say it after me: d-i-m-i-n-i-s-h-i-n-g r-e-t-u-r-n-s! Maya Hawke kills it, though.

12 Big Little Lies S2 - Unnecessary, and (if possible) even sillier than the first season.

13 Lorena - Part of the ongoing quest to rehabilitate the maligned women of the 1990s, this gave me tons of context that I had no idea about at the time, due to being a dumb kid.

14 Glow S3 - I felt like I was losing steam on this series this year, but episodes like the camping ep kept me coming back. A great ensemble, though some unusual character choices (like a certain kiss *cough*) took me out of it by times.

15 Lodge 49 S1-3 - I’d kept hearing about this show, so I finally sought it out. I can’t say it was amazingly compelling (I almost dropped it after the first season) but it’s definitely an oddball of a show, slipping from setpiece to setpiece with little regard for logic. For me, a background show.

16 Chernobyl - This show really gave me the Bad Feeling, humans were definitely A Mistake.

17 On Becoming a God in Central Florida - Kiki in a trashy mode, not as infinitely appealing as the version she pulled off in the second season of Fargo, but scrappy and industrious nonetheless.

18 Show Me a Hero - I’d put off watching this for years, it felt like it was going to be too dull (housing policy in Yonkers?) but it’s great, and larded up with Bruce Springsteen songs, obvs.

19 Great British Bake Off S9-S10 - I’d also held off on watching this for a long time, out of loyalty to Mel, Sue, and Mary Berry. But I needed some comfort viewing towards the end of the summer, and the new hosts and judge do an able job, although the show’s tropes are feeling a bit well-worn at this point.

20 Righteous Gemstones S1 - A rollicking ride for sure, with a great cast. Your mileage/patience with Danny McBride may vary, so keep that in mind, naturally.

21 This Way Up S1 - A small show starring the fabulous Aisling Bea, about mental health and families and some nice comic physical acting. Oh, and in case you were watching The Crown and crushing on Tobias Menzies’ version of Prince Phillip, he plays a hot dad love interest in this, which gives you all the Tobias you’re looking for, without the PP racisms.

22 The Crown S3 - This is the first season of the big cast switchover, and I thought it stuck reasonably well, once we were in it an episode or two. This season concentrated even less on Elizabeth herself, preferring her sister, husband, and (newly!) her children.

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dottiep · 6 years ago

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Wild Nights with Emily (written and directed by Madeleine Olnek)

In theaters on April 12

From Variety’s SXSW review:

In a plummy warble, a woman named Mabel Todd (Amy Seimetz, hilarious) lectures a rapt audience about her good friend Emily Dickinson (Molly Shannon). No, she never spent any “Wild Nights With Emily,” the tongue-in-cheek title of Madeleine Olnek’s defiant comedy. Honestly, Mabel didn’t know Emily at all. Mabel just disrupted the Dickinson household when she seduced Emily’s brother Austin (Kevin Seal) away from his first wife Susan (Susan Ziegler), the poet’s best friend.

[...]

Of course, Olnek isn’t claiming that “Wild Nights With Emily” should be taken as gospel. She casually reminds the audience that this, too, is fiction. Though the film has the rich look of a period-authentic drama, Olnek shruggingly casts actresses with different colored eyes to play Susan, and when Mabel sits down to play the piano, the soundtrack blasts violins. Later, Emily’s sister Lavinia (Jackie Monahan) pets a clump of fake fur that everyone pretends is a cat. The pre-recorded yowl is a great touch.

#take my money #molly shannon #wild nights with emily

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thefilmsimps · 3 years ago

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CODA (dir. Sian Heder)

-Jere Pilapil-

I'll admit that when I first saw the trailer for CODA, I rolled my eyes at it. Here's a movie that seems to wear its cliches with pride. Its plot about a girl with hearing (Emilia Jones as Ruby) among a deaf family (two parents and a brother) is extremely rote, but the representation it accomplishes is novel. Here we get to see a blue collar fishing family live their lives, and these are by far the best parts of the movie. Troy Kotsur and Marlee Matlin play Ruby's parents, Frank and Jackie, and Daniel Durant plays Leo, her brother. Their characters are the ones that feel most alive, as Ruby herself straddles their world, the hearing world and a series of hoary tropes dressing up as a plot.

See, she is basically a part-time interpreter for them, and has been for essentially her whole life. But a chorus teacher hears something in her voice, and she wants to go to college for music in Boston (they're in Gloucester, about an hour's drive away). Blah blah blah she's assigned a cute boy duet partner blah blah blah. Turning Red had a similar plot. It's the moments in between the beats (no pun intended, keeping it, though) that we get something that feels real: Troy Kutsur is the breakout here, hilarious, profane but loving and fatherly as the scene calls for it.

A scene where Leo goes out with other fishermen (sans Ruby) for drinks, feels alienated, and gets into a fight was my favorite, though. It gave me a glimpse at what would probably be a better story, one where older son Leo sees his family's dependence on Ruby as a dead end, is resentful and is trying to better their lives in his own way. There should be a phrase for what this kind of movie is, one that purports to be "progressive" in some way while centering itself on someone who is close to an observer to the subject, whether that's disability or race or what have you. CODA is in a way, a cousin to The Help or Green Book. These movies' values are progressive (and I sense the intentions are mostly good... maybe not so much for Green Book, actually) but falls apart under deeper scrutiny. I'd call this "middle brow woke", though I suspect the Venn Diagram with "Oscar bait" might just be a circle.

I'm not even going to get into how the soundtrack is heavy on R&B classics but chooses to center Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now"* as the big audition piece.

This is still, though, a very sweet movie that features three deaf actors in major roles, all doing great work in a movie full of pleasant performances. I just wish they'd been centered more in the narrative. If you follow the threads on any of these supporting characters, you would probably find a better story than CODA tells. But, as another cliche goes, it is what it is. For what it is, it's a very sweet bit of pap, completely inoffensive except in its makers' insistence in excellence.

*I love Joni Mitchell so much that I'm giving this an 1/10 than I otherwise would, though she is a problematic fav in her own blackface-defending way

5.5/10

#movie review #middle class woke #Oscars #Academy Awards 2022 #Apple TV+

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doomonfilm · 6 years ago

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Ranking : Quentin Tarantino (1963 - present)

When it comes to connecting ‘cool’ with cinema of the past 3 decades, the name that often skyrockets to the top of most lists is Quentin Tarantino. With a distinct flare for mixing varied genres with the grace of a DJ, a unique tone in terms of both dialogue and humor, and more controversy than a gaggle of directors can shake a stick at often surrounding his name, Tarantino’s output never ceases to entertain or amaze. We never quite know what he’ll bring to the table next, but we know what he’s left at the table, and now is the time to put them in a personal favorite order.

While possibly controversial in its inclusion, Four Rooms will be on this list due to Tarantino’s distinct style being present in his equally timed segment of the film. Conversely, Sin City will not be included, as he only co-directed a scene and not an entire section of the film. True Romance and Natural Born Killers have also been excluded, as Tarantino did not direct those films, despite his involvement in them.

10. Four Rooms (1995) While not a full feature directed by Tarantino, his portion was the perfect way to wrap up the entire film. His portion amped up the film’s energy, the stakes were instantly recognizable and identifiable to a viewer, putting this feeling in the pit of your stomach that rides with you until the inevitable conclusion, and it was a continuation of the wonderful working chemistry between Tarantino and Tim Roth. It anchors this list simply because it is not a full-length feature, but it is a notable breathing point in a remarkable career.

9. Inglorious Basterds (2009) In terms of premise alone, this movie should have done it for me. Christoph Waltz gave a performance for the ages. Even my friend Tina Rodriguez is in the opening frames of this film. To put it plain and simple, the final 20 or so minutes of this film lost any and all momentum it had built, in my eyes, and became a piece of shock exploitation when it could have continued being a genre-redefining twist on a story we are all too familiar with. Basterds was definitely a shot at something unique, but Tarantino would go on to do it better in the next film on this list.

8. Django Unchained (2012) This could have been much higher on the list, as it does (in my opinion) what Inglorious Basterds could not in terms of taking a genre or topic we believe is well defined and putting a fresh spin on it. Making a continuation of the Django western series with a former slave in the starring role is a bold choice, but Tarantino came within a breath of hitting the bullseye. The only, and I mean ONLY thing that kicks this film so far down the list is the HORRIBLE choice to include the rap music cues more than two-thirds into the film’s run. It totally took me out of the world that the film had built, and turned it into a Robert Rodriguez level ending for what was nearly a modern day masterpiece.

7. Grindhouse - Death Proof (2007) This film oozes so much style and bravado that it’s almost disgusting. The cars chosen for this film would fit wonderfully in my collection when I become a rich man. The collisions captured for the film are some of the most jaw dropping and gut wrenching ever committed to celluloid. Kurt Russell is a pure joy to watch in this film, and every woman cast in this film has something unique about them that demands your attention and tugs at your heartstrings (if not base desires). The heavy exploitation elements, including the raucous ending, are pitch perfect. Even the touch of the entire missing reel in the theatrical version, present in the home released full cut, divides viewers, as many are missing a huge exposition chunk not present in theaters. Probably would not have worked as well outside of the Grindhouse context, but nevertheless a pleasant surprise of a film that emerged from that collaborative project.

6. Jackie Brown (1997) For a passion project, this film really finds its groove and sticks the landing. One of a handful of Elmore Leonard novels that found its way to the big screen in the mid to late 1990′s, Jackie Brown might be the one that speaks best to an older time and sentiment being forced to find value in a changing age. Robert Forrestor and Pam Grier’s chemistry is undeniable, Bridget Fonda brings a whimsy to the screen not present in full sincerity since the 1970′s, and seeing Samuel L. Jackson paired with Robert De Niro is cinematic gold. The soundtrack is amazing, the story is easy to relate to, and the style used for the film was probably the last Scorcese-esque approach Tarantino used before committing fully to the flare and outlandishness of his exploitation desires. An underappreciated gem, in all honesty.

5. Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)

4. Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004) Oh, what could have been... here was an idea, when pitched, that would cover three to four hours of runtime, emotional and action-based peaks and valleys unparalleled in modern day film, and revitalize the possibility of a director’s vision and execution being identical if not extremely similar. Instead, what we were given were two halves of one film promoted and released as separate films, thoroughly confusing the majority of the viewing public and showing that, despite all that Quentin had done prior, he was still left to answer to the powers that be at Miramax. Had this film been released in its original intended presentation, it would very like be the top film on this list. I will hold out indefinitely for the hopes that it is re-cut as one film for the Criterion Collection one day.

3. The Hateful Eight (2015) Another film that seems deeply personal upon repeat viewing. This one was very specific on the technical side when it came to shooting with the Ultra Panavision 70 (for a true 70mm aspect ratio), but the result is an amazingly claustrophobic experience, as most of this wideness was used to capture strangers locked in together during a fierce snowstorm. Casting Kurt Russell in a low-key remake of The Thing is a stroke of genius. Casting Jennifer Jason Leigh in a scene-stealing lead actress role was another. This film is perfectly tense when it needs to be, extremely violent (usually out of the blue), and hilarious all in equal measure. A true example of what the film experience can (and should) be, and one that must be seen on a big screen if afforded the opportunity.

2. Reservoir Dogs (1992) It may seem obvious, but one way to get an established and fruitful career is with a monumental and mind-blowing debut. In the case of Quentin Tarintino, we got an exercise in minimalism, a showcase for a handful of actors that were not getting the respect they deserved at the time, and a (deceptively) straightforward genre film that you can hang your notions and comparisons on. What is quickly revealed, however, is a demonstration of how tough guys can be cordial when they need to be, and all business when the heat is on. This tale of a robbery gone horribly wrong shows almost none of the robbery, focusing instead on mostly fallout, and still somehow manages to ratchet the tension up so high that you find yourself constantly on the edge of your seat. Cool aesthetic is drenched all over this film, from casting to production to wardrobe. The radio motif presented in both the film and the soundtrack further solidify the film and sear images into the memory, making them instantly recognizable and utterly unforgettable.

1. Pulp Fiction (1994) Tarantino’s magnum opus. The film where he not only truly honed in on his first great run thanks to his style, aesthetic and motifs, but the film that spawned a generation of copycats, both directly and in terms of general filmmaking style. The film made John Travolta a star to an entirely new generation, it helped put Bruce Willis back on the map, and it made household names out of Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson and Ving Rhames. If there were a single film that was ever symbolic of 1990′s cinema, one would be hard pressed find a film more suitable than this one to fulfill that role. Tarantino was truly firing on all cylinders when he put this one together. The film is so good that it made most everything he touched an instant classic for a long, long time afterwards.

If their were ever a director (or a list) made to generate debate, it would be this one. I anticipate disagreements, and in time, I even anticipate this list to probably change. But, as of this point in my life, and this point in Tarantino’s career, I feel strongly and confidently that this is a good representation of his work and how they stand up to one another.

#ChiefDoomsday #DOOMonFILM #QuentinTarintino #FourRooms #IngloriousBasterds #DjangoUnchained #GrindhouseDeathProof #JackieBrown #KillBillVolume1 #KillBillVolume2 #TheHatefulEight #ReservoirDogs #PulpFiction

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aion-rsa · 3 years ago

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Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Reactions Arrive Online

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

It’s time for a solo superhero movie like no other, and Marvel Studios is setting out to deliver just that with their new MCU Phase 4 entry Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which is set after the events of Avengers: Endgame.

Destin Daniel Cretton (Short Term 12) directed, with Kim’s Convenience star Simu Liu cast as Shang-Chi, a skilled martial artist who is trying to live a normal life in San Francisco despite being trained at a young age to be an assassin by his father Wenwu (Tony Leung). The movie examines Shang-Chi’s origins but in the present day we see him get drawn further into the clandestine Ten Rings organization, and he is ultimately forced to confront the past he thought he left behind.

Along with Chloé Zhao’s Eternals, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is one of Marvel’s 2021 blockbuster gambles. Both movies introduce new characters from the comics who will have a huge impact on the MCU going forwards, while more audience-familiar installments like Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Thor: Love and Thunder prepare to release in their wake.

It is unclear how much of an impact the events of Marvel’s multiverse-exploding Disney+ series Loki will have on Shang-Chi’s story at this stage, but no doubt all will become clear when the film finally debuts early next month after several delays.

Liu has been hyping up Marvel fans over on Twitter, posting “We are the underdog; the underestimated. We are the ceiling-breakers. We are the celebration of culture and joy that will persevere after an embattled year. We are the surprise. I’m fired the f**k up to make history on September 3rd; JOIN US.”

Awkwafina, Meng’er Zhang, Fala Chen, Florian Munteanu, Benedict Wong and Michelle Yeoh star alongside Liu in Shang-Chi, which Marvel maestro Kevin Feige hopes will be a game-changer.

“When you have the opportunity to showcase a hero that looks like a huge segment of the globe that feels like they haven’t been showcased, the magic can happen if you deliver,” he told THR. “I think Destin (Daniel Cretton) and Simu have delivered for this movie.”

Most MCU projects tie in to other upcoming Marvel Studios films and Shang-Chi is no different, with Feige confirming that “there is a direct line of where [Shang-Chi] heads to next.”

Ahead of its release, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is in the midst of being screened for select audiences, including various film critics.

Here’s what people are saying about the film so far…

Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings is PHENOMENAL. Get hyped. Even fight scene/action sequence is better than the last. @SimuLiu fully embraces the marvel superhero role. Amazing imagery. Killer soundtrack. You’ll want to see this on the big screen. #shangchi

— Wendy Lee Szany (@WendyLeeSzany) August 17, 2021

If #ShangChi is the first real indicator of what the MCU has in store going forward, then this phase is gonna be great. One of their best origin story flicks and some of the best pure action Marvel's ever done!

— Mike Cecchini (@wayoutstuff) August 18, 2021

#ShangChi is fantastic. It's full of INCREDIBLE, beautifully choreographed fight scenes and full of badass women. Get ready to know Simu Liu's name if you don't already. Marvel has another hit on its hands. pic.twitter.com/3efV1kzJ7O

— Kirsten (@KirstenAcuna) August 17, 2021

#ShangChi has some of the best fight scenes of any MCU movie, sometimes thrilling, other times just stunningly beautiful. @SimuLiu & @awkwafina are a fantastic pairing.

— Peter Sciretta (@PeterSciretta) August 17, 2021

Shang-Chi is a blast! Marvel delivers a wuxia/fantasy/superhero movie mash-up that’s a lot more fun than how the trailers have been selling it. Exciting action, great cast (Tony Leung rules, of course). This is the MCU back doing its thing on a high level again. #ShangChi pic.twitter.com/eW9bxF9QNB

— Aaron Neuwirth (@AaronsPS4) August 17, 2021

#ShangChi is an action packed adventure that checks all the summer blockbuster boxes. Simu shines bringing a long overdue comics character to the silver screen. The fighting is another level and it has some hilarious moments throughout it. pic.twitter.com/bGruxuqMHb

— Dorian Parks (@DorianParksnRec) August 17, 2021

OK, Shang-Chi is part Shakespearen family tragedy, part mythological epic, part martial arts masterpiece. It is fucking awesome. Never expected it to be THIS good. Stay for both credit scenes. Can't believe how much I loved this movie.

— John Campea (@johncampea) August 17, 2021

#ShangChi kicked ass! Come for the killer fight scenes, dark mysticism, and martial arts mayhem, but stay for the thoughtful rumination on family, grief, and legacy. The whole cast is terrific! Simu Liu is a superstar. Tony Leung and Michelle Yeoh are international treasures. pic.twitter.com/Rt7QAWK1T3

— Dan Casey (@DanCasey) August 17, 2021

#ShangChi is an absolute triumph, unexpectedly spiritual and emotionally complex, with some of the very best action in the MCU. @SimuLiu is your new favorite Avenger and the movie’s myriad influences (everything from Jackie Chan to Hayao Miyazaki) pay off big time). Astounding.🐉 pic.twitter.com/72Yubnb4KV

— Drew Taylor (@DrewTailored) August 17, 2021

I WATCHED #SHANGCHI!!! It’s an amazing blend of East meets West! Hong Kong martial arts action comes to the #MCU & CHANGES THE GAME!!! It’s emotional, beautiful & HILARIOUS! This isn’t like ANY MCU film to date. WOW! #Marvel #MCU @shangchi @MarvelStudios @SimuLiu @awkwafina pic.twitter.com/iEEJ0v1DXA

— POC Culture (@POC_Culture) August 17, 2021

#ShangChi is incredible. Like nothing we’ve seen in the mcu before, you are not prepared for it trust me. Also a darker film than I expected which is something new for marvel. Everyone is about to have a new favourite hero see this on the biggest screen you can! pic.twitter.com/byATkr0yja

— Prabh (@dipperdeep) August 17, 2021

#shangchi is the perfect balance of fun, heart and action! And when I say action, I mean jaw dropping action! @SimuLiu is the perfect addition to the #MCU! pic.twitter.com/D29Pll741Y

— The Illuminerdi (@The_Illuminerdi) August 17, 2021

I really dug #ShangChi! There is a lot not in the trailers (maybe avoid ads in the next couple of weeks I fear will show more?) and it has its own vibe and distinct elements that make it stand out and not feel like a standard origin story. And Simu Liu makes for an awesome hero.

— Eric Goldman (@TheEricGoldman) August 17, 2021

I had high hopes for #ShangChi — happy to report it was everything I wanted it to be and more! Charming, hilarious, great performances all around, cool AF action sequences, and strong character arcs. Also arguably Marvel’s best villain in years. pic.twitter.com/WFA9uXXa6X

— Caralynn Lippo (@caralynn_marie) August 18, 2021

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings earns the title of the best superhero film of 2021 so far. The action scenes are simply spectacular, especially the train & skyscraper scene. Best martial arts I’ve seen in a long time. Simu Liu & Awkwafina are terrific. #ShangChi pic.twitter.com/M0EEMJqKu3

— Scott Menzel (@ScottDMenzel) August 17, 2021

#shangchi is one of the best MCU films ever!!!! The filmmakers know how to capture the fight choreography with long takes and quick action. (No shaky cam!) The family story is touching. Tony Leung is perfect as "The Mandarin." Simu Liu and Awkwafina are a great duo on the screen. pic.twitter.com/UaxQqU6zlQ

— John Nguyen (@JohnSpartan300) August 17, 2021

Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will be released on September 3.

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