#Isaiah Saxon

[beepingmemesauce2727]

GUYS I'M AFRAID I WON'T BE ABLE TO WATCH THE LEGEND OF OCHI IN TIME MY NEAREST TGEATER ISN'T SHOWING IT WTFFF

[gebo4482]

The Legend of Ochi | Official Trailer HD | A24

Dir: Isaiah Saxon Star: Helena Zengel / Finn Wolfhard / Willem Dafoe

[nomallmovieschicago]

3 May 2025

Film: THE LEGEND OF OCHI (dir. Isaiah Saxon, 2025, USA) and SINNERS (dir. Ryan Coogler, 2025, USA) {AMC NewCity} 05/03

Forum: AMC New City   Format: DCP

Observations: Another double-feature! What little attention THE LEGEND OF OCHI has gotten is because of the filmmaker's publicized decision to favor practical FX over digital. The rudimentary narrative will be familiar to anyone who's seen a kids' movie in the past 40-odd years, starting with E.T.: a young person protects a vulnerable living thing from marauding grown-up forces (embodied by the absurd Willem Dafoe, pictured); the adult ally is played by the indispensible Emily Watson. There are some updates to the story - the lead character (Helena Zengel, as "Yuri") is kept gender-ambiguous, and there are broad hints that the hunted Ochi are stand-ins for Indigenous people. Undoubtedly the draw here is the wondrous moments in the wild, largely using mattes and puppetry, seen to their best advantage on the big screen. After only one week, the film was down to matinee screeings. Two families with children and two gamer-guys were in attendance with us. SINNERS has gotten such granular attention on social media that I have little to add other than that our theater was full (in the movie's third week) and that we greatly enjoyed seeing it.

[pluechow]

Isaiah Saxon makes an impressive feature film debut creating a visual feast for the eyes. The film follows a pretty familiar structure about man’s misunderstood relationship with nature but the film is very much a show rather than tell kind of film with minimal dialogue and story. Where it lacks in story development, it more than makes up for in one of the most beautiful looking films you will see all year.

[filmhabits]

The Legend of Ochi - Poster

Releases April 25, 2025 (USA)

[cinematicendevaourz]

Isaiah Saxton's "Legend of Ochi" let's audiences know they should stick to A24's adult catalog. This film had one too many close ups with a cast that could do without that treatment. Willem Defoe couldn't save this picture on a Goblin Glider. The Ochi sound god awful with their trill form of communication , piercing the ears whenever they speak making the viewing uncomfortable. And they aren't cute. If an Ewok and Gizmo had a baby in Tarzan's jungle, there would be Ochi. The "Ochisong" will be used for future forms of corporal punishment.

There are better family films about reunification and gender roles. "The Legend Of Ochi" was torture for me. I would hate to think what it would do for my offspring if I had any.

-

V.V. 7th/May 2k25

[nickwolfhardburneraccount27]

Issiah also went here:

https://x.com/criterion/status/1918000288490836108?s=46

https://x.com/criterion/status/1918000290898288817?s=46

Kes makes so much sense for him. Seems like a cool guy tbh

[filmhoundsmag]

Familiar Fantasy Adventure Story - The Legend of Ochi (Film Review)

Continue reading Familiar Fantasy Adventure Story – The Legend of Ochi (Film Review)

[jmunneytumbler]

'The Legend of Ochi' Unfolds with Big-Eyed Wonder

[trilhadomedo]

The Legend of Ochi | First Look | A24 https://trilhadomedo.com/2025/03/the-legend-of-ochi-official-first-look-a24-2/ Do escritor e diretor Isaiah Saxon e estrelado por Helena Zengel, Finn Wolfhard, Emily Watson e Willem Dafoe. THE LEGEND OF OCHI da A24 chega em 25 de Abril nos cinemas dos EUA. Veja o post completo no site trilhadomedo.com

[must-watch-it-all]

Saw The Legend of Ochi with an AAA24 ticket.

This movie deserves to succeed. If you are even the slightest bit interested in seeing it, please buy a ticket if you can.

This film very specifically replicates the feeling of being an 80's fantasy kids movie that is just slightly more mature than it's PG rating. The only other movie that comes close to this vibe is Riddle of Fire which I also love.

The Ochi is a physical puppet, matte paintings are used throughout, the colors and sets give off such a dreamlike quality that I almost thought that AI was used in some way. The director, Isaiah Saxon, has denied any use of AI and from the looks of his prior short films and music videos I believe he could accomplish this look without it.

It's a fairly simple story with a lot of small details to flesh out the themes. The way people sing, the juxtaposition between the rustic and the modern, the main character's clothing (the color of the boots was definitely intentional). It's a great little story about finding your own identity and self expression.

I think this is a must watch, definitely support it if you can. My theater only had two other people in it at 4:30 on a Saturday which is a real shame. I hope word of mouth encourages more people to give it a chance.

[animusrox]

🌧️FAVORITE FIRST WATCHES OF APRIL 2025🌧️

I was tagged by @evilvvithin, @pennywises, @anyataylorjoys, and @turturros (thank you guys!) to share my favorite first watches for April. It's interesting this month because I normally would watch a lot of crap among the good shit, but I've been watching a lot less movies so the output has been good (at least to me anyways).

Sinners (2025) dir. Ryan Coogler

Havoc (2025) dir. Gareth Evans

Hell of a Summer (2023) dir. Finn Wolfhard, Billy Bryk

The Legend of Ochi (2025) dir. Isaiah Saxon

Drop (2025) dir. Christopher Landon

Until Dawn (2025) dir. David F. Sandberg

tagging: @talesfromthecrypts @zombooyah @madeline-kahn @yellenabelova @crumb @nick-nellson @stars-bean @audreys-hepburn @margoterobbies @andrew-garfielld and anyone else reading this

[nastasya--filippovna]

WHO IS CROWLEY AFTER THE FALL (PART2)

Here it is finally.

So what is the Leviathan.

In mythology and theology the Leviathan is a sea-serpent and is mentioned in several books of the Hebrew Bible such as the Book of Job and Book Isaiah and Book of Enoch. The Leviathan of the Book of Job is a reflection of the older Canaanite Lotan, a primeval monster defeated by the god Baal Hadad. Parallels to the role of Mesopotamian Tiamat defeated by Marduk have long been drawn in comparative mythology, as have been wider comparisons to dragon and world serpent narratives such as Indra slaying Vrtra or Thor slaying Jörmungandr.

Once again we see the pattern of Biblical creatures being “inspired” from pagan ones.

Thomas Aquinas described Leviathan as the demon of envy, first in punishing the corresponding sinners. Peter Binsfeld likewise classified Leviathan as the demon of envy, as one of the seven Princes of Hell corresponding to the seven deadly sins. Leviathan became associated with, and may originally have been referred to by, the visual motif of the Hellmouth, a monstrous animal into whose mouth the damned disappear at the Last Judgment, found in Anglo-Saxon art from about 800, and later all over Europe.

In the Book of Enoch, The Leviathan is a female giant chaos serpent that lives deep in the ocean, while her mate, Behemoth, is a male giant chaos beast (based off of a hippopotamus or water-ox) who lives in the mythical desert of Duidain, East of Eden.

Ring any bells. Chaos mongering (fomenting), ox, eastern gate of eden…. 

The Hebrew word that translates to Leviathan (Livyatan) appears six times in the Old Testament. One of them is in Job 41. The word is derived from the root Iwy or ‘ twist, coil’ and means ‘the sinuous one.’ So I think we can establish that this creature is at least indicated to be snake-like. Scholars trace the etymology of whale and crocodile 

In the Book of Isaiah it is mentioned that the beast will rise from the water and will be defeated by God on the Last Day. However, quite interestingly nowhere in the Old Testament is the Leviathan written as evil. Only later scholars have equated it with the devil so that the battle between God and Chaos can be interpreted as the battle between God and the Devil.

Now let’s make this more interesting: The Gnostic sect venerate the biblical serpent of the Garden of Eden as a symbol of wisdom, which the malevolent Demiurge tried to hide from Adam and Eve. They identify the Leviathan as the serpent of Eden and in this belief system the Leviathan appears as an Ouroboros, separating the divine realm from humanity by enveloping or permeating the material world.

I mean I don’t even need to say anything further.  

And he does show up in GO Season 2. The matchbox.

Here 

When did this happen, I wonder……hmmmmmm

Oh YES!

Crowley wearing Aziraphale’s face

     

Here’s the rest of the passage from Job

1 Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?

2 Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?

3 Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto thee?

4 Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant for ever?

5 Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?

6 Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants?

7 Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish spears?

8 Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more.

9 Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?

10 None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me?

11 Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.

12 I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.

13 Who can discover the face of his garment? (penetrate his coat of armor)  or who can come to him with his double bridle?

14 Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about.

15 His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal.

16 One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.

17 They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.

18 By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.

19 Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.

20 Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.

21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.

22 In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him.

23 The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved.

24 His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.

25 When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.

26 The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.

27 He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.

28 The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble.

29 Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.

30 Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire.

31 He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.

32 He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.

33 Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.

34 He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.

The Leviathan is a magnificent creature. And the very fact that God goes to so much trouble to describe the magnanimity of this creature is to show what God has created and hence Her magnanimity must be even greater in comparison for the Creator is always superior to the Creation. And if God can so easily abuse and humiliate this beautiful monster, then God must be worshipped and feared.

Though to the unsuspecting eye these passages may ring no familiar bells, a closer look makes you realize how Crowley-coded they are. And to think that in a story where Neil has never witten or shown anything that wasn’t woven in finely with the characters, I alwsy wondered why he chose the Book of Job for the minisode when he could have included any other one.  

But it reminded me that Crowleys character is truly unrelenting. He’s a nether millstone. He won’t give up that easily. He absolutely won’t submit to anyone, and he’s shown time and time again that his vociferous litanies about running away disappear as soon as someone or something he cares about is in danger (i.e. Aziraphale). And the second coming will also threaten his creation (the universe). His refusal to submit to authority, the refusal to be subjugated is the reason he fell in the first place. And quite interestingly he doesn’t own Hell either. He resists that too. For him it’s not Heaven or Hell that matters but the resistance to Power.  

I also think it’s also fitting that the Leviathan is perceived to be a monster that must be slain or enslaved but in reality is another of God’s creations just like the sun and the stars and the rivers and the mountains.  

And it makes me think of how Crowley has always been labeled as evil because he fell. I think of how, at heart, he is truly gentle and kind, he’s a starmaker. But his fall, his appearance, his desire to be autonomous and his grey moral campus make him feared and a target. And that has made him the embodiment of chaos. His refusal to submit himself to the uniformity of both worlds, to the rules and guidelines that create this illusion of order sets him apart from them. He embraces the chaos that grayness offers, that being ‘human’ brings. And hence the final battle will be between God and chaos with God justifies as being the battle between good and evil because, well, he’s a demon.    

The Leviathan being historically associated with the sin of envy is again I think written into the plot very carefully. He is envious of humanity’s ability to question God, to have choices to not be doomed to heaven or hell for all eternity. He is envious of what Maggie and Nina have. He’s envious of what Beelz and Gabe have.

“I mean if Gabriel and Beelzebub can go off together…..”

And then him rejecting Azirapahle’s offer— he has spent his life (a long, long life) rejecting power and authority. In his relationship with Aziraphale he found his sanctuary, a relation clean of power dynamics. Up till now they were both equal. But this new offer jeopardizes that.

And I love how his ego and pride come to play here. He would never accept being “second in command to anyone”. And his envy of how God’s mercy is free for some but wholly denied to him.

[lostinaflashforward]

LIAFF SPECIAL - I titoli più attesi di Maggio 2025

Carissimi lettori, ben ritrovati con un nuovo appuntamento con LIAFF Special, dove andremo a scoprire i titoli più interessanti del nuovo mese. Il mese di Maggio è piuttosto interessante sia in ambito cinematografico che quello televisivo (non dimentichiamoci che Maggio è anche il mese del Festival di Cannes e degli Upfronts televisivi), e quindi c'è stata difficoltà nel scegliere quali titoli proporre in questo speciale, soprattutto per quanto riguarda le serie TV. Infatti sono incluse due serie che in Italia non saranno disponibili all'uscita e, includendole qui, si spera che si accenda un pochino l'interesse, in vista di una potenziale messa in onda. Quindi, mettetevi comodi e andiamo a scoprire i titoli più interessanti di Maggio 2025!

CINEMA

The Legend of Ochi (Cinema - 8 Maggio)

La casa di produzione A24 continua a produrre e distribuire film con una certa visione artistica, rendendola una delle produzioni più remunerative negli ultimi anni. In un 2025 già caratterizzato da particolari uscite, come Opus e Death of a Unicorn, arriva un altro film che potrebbe suscitare parecchio interesse. Stiamo parlando di The Legend of Ochi, film fantasy diretto dall'esordiente Isaiah Saxon, che narra la storia della giovane Yuri (Helena Zengel) e della sua missione per riportare a casa un cucciolo di Ochi, in un racconto fiabesco a 360 gradi. Nel cast anche Finn Wolfhard, Willem Defoe e Emily Watson.

Lilo & Stitch (Cinema - 21 Maggio)

Quando si parla di live-action firmati Disney c'è sempre un po' di paura, in parte anche giustificata dal fatto che raramente escono prodotti validi per il genere. Ma, a quanto pare, qui siamo di fronte a qualcosa che potrebbe accontentare tutti. Lilo & Stitch, uno dei film d'animazione più amati della Disney, torna in formato live-action, per la regia di Dean Fleischer Camp (Marcel and the Shell), riproponendo l'amatissima storia di amicizia fra Stitch, riprodotto con un effettistica davvero azzeccata, e la piccola Lilo (Maia Kealoha) in una veste più moderna, ma non per questo meno appagante. Speriamo che questa volta Disney riesca a fare centro.

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning (Cinema - 22 Maggio)

Il mese di Maggio è fra i più attesi per gli appassionati per via dell'uscita, tanto attesa, dell'ottavo e ultimo capitolo di una delle saghe action più amate di tutti i tempi. Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning arriva nelle sale italiane, probabilmente dopo l'anteprima mondiale al Festival di Cannes, portando Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) a compiere un ultima disperata missione per salvare il mondo. Con l'aiuto di vecchi amici e nuovi acquisti, Ethan si troverà a ripercorrere tutte le sue decisioni più importanti, al fine di poter annientare l'Entità una volta per tutte. Mettetevi comodi, il film durerà quasi tre ore, rendendolo il più lungo del franchise, durata più che dignitosa per quello che sarà l'addio a Ethan Hunt. Come si fa a resistere?

The Phoenician Scheme (Cinema - 28 Maggio)

Altro film che vedrà l'anteprima mondiale al Festival di Cannes è The Phoenician Scheme, nuovo film scritto e diretto da Wes Anderson, una garanzia quando si tratta di film davvero particolari. Al centro di questo film, di genere spionistico, abbiamo un ricco uomo d'affari (Benicio del Toro), il quale, dopo aver rischiato la vita, si ritrova a dover recuperare il rapporto con la figlia (Mia Threapleton) e a divenire il bersaglio di gente pericolosa. E, visto che è un film di Anderson, aspettatevi un cast gigantesco.

Bring Her Back (Cinema - 29 Maggio)

Tornando in zona A24, l'ultimo film proposto in questo speciale è un film horror, che sembra tornare alle radici più cupe della famosa casa di produzione. Bring Her Back, nuovo film diretto dagli australiani Danny e Michael Philippou (Talk to Me), vede al centro un fratello e una sorella che scoprono un inquietante rituale in corso all'interno della casa della loro madre adottiva. Nel cast abbiamo Sally Hawkins, Billy Barratt e Jonah Wren Phillips.

SERIE TV

Poker Face 2 (Peacock - 8 Maggio [USA], ancora inedito in Italia)

A Gennaio 2023 esordiva Poker Face, serie a cavallo fra la commedia e il crime che utilizzava come approccio narrativo il metodo come "howtocatchem" (inaugurato dalla celebre serie Colombo), che vede all'inizio di ogni episodio il crimine messo in scena, con tanto di rivelazione del responsabile, e si incentra sul percorso del protagonista nello scoprire il movente e le dinamiche dietro tale crimine. Grazie al suo successo (in patria, visto che in Italia non è ancora arrivata), la serie ha ottenuto una seconda stagione, che arriverà all'inizio del mese. Natasha Lyonne torna nei panni di Charlie Cale, la quale, dopo tutte le peripezie in cui si è trovata nella scorsa stagione, si ritrova nuovamente a fuggire e a dover utilizzare la sua capacità, ovvero capire quando le persone mentono, che la porterà di fronte a situazioni sempre più bizzarre. Speriamo che qualcuno riesca a portarla da noi.

Duster (Max - 15 Maggio [USA])

Lo scorso anno uno dei più grandi capolavori della televisione, ovvero Lost, compiva venti anni dalla prima messa in onda. E non si poteva scegliere momento migliore per mandare in onda la serie di cui andremo a parlare, visto che, all'indomani di tale ricorrenza, la serie creata da JJ Abrams ha visto una seconda giovinezza, acquisendo una nuova ondata di fan. Duster, serie di genere crime ambientata nei primi anni Settanta creata da Abrams assieme a LaToya Morgan, vede la reunion fra il primo e una delle stelle di Lost, ovvero Josh Holloway, interprete dell'indimenticabile Sawyer, e già questo dovrebbe essere un valido motivo per guardarla. Altro motivo è la trama, che verte su uno spericolato autista che lavora per un'organizzazione criminale (capeggiata da un boss malavitoso interpretato da Keith David), il quale si ritrova a dover collaborare con una giovane agente del FBI, interpretata da Rachel Hilson, in una storia dinamica, ricca di azione e colpi di scena. Speriamo di non dover aspettare troppo prima di vederla in Italia.

Murderbot (Apple TV+ - 16 Maggio)

Negli ultimi anni Apple TV+ è diventata una delle piattaforme streaming più rilevanti, grazie a un'offerta di titoli variegata e mai scontata. Fra i nuovi arrivi della piattaforma va segnalata Murderbot, serie sci-fi tratta dalla saga letteraria di Martha Wells chiamata The Murderbot Diaries. La serie parlerà di un cyborg di sicurezza in parte umano (Alexander Skarsgård), il quale deve nascondere la sua capacità di pensare liberamente e, soprattutto, il suo interesse per la natura umana mentre compie incarichi pericolosi. Mai dire di no alla fantascienza!

Nine Perfect Strangers 2 (Prime Video - 22 Maggio)

Quattro anni fa arrivava su Hulu Nine Perfect Strangers (in Italia è un esclusiva Prime Video), serie tratta dall'omonimo romanzo di Llane Moriarty, che vede un gruppo di persone, apparentemente non legate fra loro, prendere parte a un centro benessere non convenzionale, gestito dalla misteriosa Masha (Nicole Kidman). A seguito dell'inaspettato successo della serie, la seconda stagione arriva con nuovi volti, nuova ambientazione (più fredda del solito), ma stessa leader, con Masha che sembra pronta a regalare nuove e indelebili esperienze ai suoi prossimi clienti. Nel cast abbiamo Murray Bartlett, Christine Baranski, Mark Strong e Dolly de Leon.

The Better Sister (Prime Video - 29 Maggio)

Rimanendo su Prime Video, alla fine del mese abbiamo il debutto di una delle miniserie più interessanti dell'anno. Stiamo parlando di The Better Sister, tratta dall'omonimo romanzo di Alafair Burke e diretta da Craig Gillespie. Come protagoniste abbiamo Jessica Biel e Elizabeth Banks, nei panni di due sorelle, allontanatesi per anni, che si ritrovano dopo che il marito di una delle due viene assassinato. Un concentrato di dramma e thriller da non perdere.

[geekcavepodcast]

The Legend of Ochi Trailer

Yuri is a young girl living in a remote northern village where the residents don't go out after dark for fear of the ochi. Yuri discovers a baby ochi and goes on a journey to reunite it with its family.

The Legend of Ochi is written and directed by Isaiah Saxon. The film stars Helena Zengel, Finn Wolfhard, Emily Watson, and Willem Dafoe.