#and to make profit off of such a beloved franchise that's perfect the way it is already God damn it | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

aion-rsa · 4 years

Text

The Best Games of 2020

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Despite how almost every other aspect of the year went, 2020 was a landmark year for video games. Not only did it see the release of highly-anticipated titles like The Last of Us Part II, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Ghost of Tsushima, and Cyberpunk 2077, but 2020 also marked the beginning of a new generation of console and PC gaming with the release of the Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and new GPUs from NVIDIA and AMD. We even got a new Half-Life game this year!

What would’ve made the gaming year ever better? Big-name video game companies could have done more to eliminate development crunch and be more transparent about their business practices with customers and the press. And we definitely could have all been nicer to each other.

But video games also helped keep us connected when we couldn’t see our friends and loved ones in person. They helped us travel to new and interesting places when we couldn’t leave our homes. Most importantly, all 20 games on our best-of-the-year list made us feel excited about this medium at a time when it was so difficult to enjoy anything else.

To that affect, Den of Geek is celebrating 20 video games our contributors and critics, as well as our community of readers, voted as the very best of 2020.

20. Star Wars: Squadrons

For the last decade or so, most Star Wars games have focused on the power fantasy of being a lightsaber-swinging, Force-wielding Jedi. That’s all well and good, but for a long time it seemed like everyone forgot that some of the most beloved Star Wars games of all time were actually space shooters like X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter and Rogue Squadron. In many ways, Star Wars: Squadrons is a throwback to those games, both in terms of gameplay and design. Controls are a pitch perfect mix of arcade simplicity and strategy, requiring quick thinking about whether to focus your ship’s power on attacking or defending.

Squadrons is also much more tightly focused than other recent games from large publishers, with a breezy yet enjoyable single-player campaign, and a multiplayer mode that, while light on modes, eschews the more annoying modern conventions of the online PvP like invasive microtransactions. But Squadrons is not stuck in its old school ways.

If you have the hardware for it on PC or PS4, you can jump into the cockpit of any of the playable ships for one one of the most immersive VR modes around. Similar to how The Mandalorian has rejuvenated the live-action side of the Star Wars media empire, Squadrons is a perfect mix of all of the best things we’ve always loved about Star Wars video games, and everything we want them to be going forward. – CF

19. Journey to the Savage Planet

Science fiction writers have long held on to this idea that, if and when humankind eventually colonizes the universe, it will do so as some sort of united, utopian entity, like Starfleet. But that future seems less and less likely every day. If and when humanity spreads across the stars, it will likely be messy, absurd, and profit-motivated. Journey to the Savage Planet wallows in that type of future. As an unnamed human (or dog, if you choose), you’re dropped onto the planet AR-Y26 by Kindred, the fourth biggest intergalactic exploration company with the simple goal of collecting as many resources as possible and leaving.

The Metroidvania gameplay loop of crafting equipment to access new areas is compelling, a rarity for 3D games in the genre. And it offers plenty of surprises too. You’ll start off with the typical blaster and scanner before eventually unlocking a grappling hook that lets you swing around levels like Spider-Man. But it’s style that ultimately lifts Journey to the Savage Planet above so many other games released in 2020. For one thing, the world and the fauna you’ll encounter are incredibly unique, and well, alien. And the regular live-action updates from Kindred beamed directly to your ship are among some of the funniest and most bizarre cinematics out this year in any game, providing plenty of motivation to see this journey through to its end. – CF

18. Half-Life: Alyx

As VR gaming continues to evolve, it’s becoming clear that the technology is more than just one truly great game away from widespread adoption. If that were all it took, then Half-Life: Alyx would have put a VR set under a lot of Christmas trees.

It’s truly wild to think that we got a new Half-Life game this year and that it sometimes feels like the game’s release was barely a blip on the cultural radar. While its somewhat muted debut can be attributed to its VR exclusivity (and the fact it launched at the onset of a global health crisis), Half-Life: Alyx surpassed all possible hype by offering a truly incredibly narrative-driven adventure bolstered by some of the cleverest uses of VR technology that we’ve ever seen.

Half-Life: Alyx isn’t the first great VR game, but Valve’s glorious return to form does shows how VR can advance fundamental elements of gameplay and storytelling rather than just show familiar games from a new perspective. – MB

17. Carrion

The indie game space is where you typically see the most experimentation, and this year proved no different when the gruesome and morbid Carrion released back in July. Highly inspired by the likes of John Carpenter’s The Thing, Alien, and other cult classic horror films known for their excellent use of practical SFX, this platformer cleverly flips the script, putting you in the role of the monster to dispatch helpless scientists in the claustrophobic depths of an underground lab as an ever-growing amorphous blob creature. What follows is a brief but effective 2D platformer that is fast paced and delectably gory.

The controls could have made controlling the creature a real pain, but Phobia Game Studio recognized that the key here was letting you move swiftly through the levels. As such, gliding through vents to take down scientists from above or underneath quickly becomes second nature. Encounters still pose a good degree of challenge, however, thanks to the heavily armed soldiers that show up later in the game, but this never stops Carrion from fulfilling every horror aficionado’s devilish fantasy of being the bloodthirsty monster. – AP

16. Kentucky Route Zero

Calling Kentucky Route Zero an homage to classic point-and-click adventure games is technically correct, but it doesn’t come close to doing the experience justice. Kentucky Route Zero is more like a poem or fable in video game form. It’s a feeling, a distillation of what it’s like to come of age in the Great Recession and its fallout over the last decade. Kentucky Route Zero is an epithet for rural America told through a fever dream, an examination of a version of rural Appalachia where talking skeletons and robotic musicians live alongside gas station attendants and truck drivers.

Nothing about Kentucky Route Zero fits the typical confines of what we expect from a video game, and that includes its release. Developed by a team of only three, the first episode of the five-episode experience was released in 2013, but the final product was only realized in early 2020. That lengthy development cycle meant that the game’s scope and story could grow to only better encapsulate this moment in time, and the final product stands out as one of best games of the year. To say more is to spoil its excellent story. – CF

15. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2

Though it’s been a hot minute since skateboarding games dominated the console space, Vicarious Visions’ excellent remake collection of the first two Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater titles was a reminder of how the entire series captured a whole generation of players in the late ’90s and early ’00s. Whether it’s grinding down rails, performing kickflips, or landing the gravity-defying 1080 on a vert ramp, everything in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 feels and looks exactly as you remember it but touched up with modern flare. That’s the mark of any great remake, and why this game in particular was the best example of the practice this year.

Classic skating locations like Warehouse, School and Downtown have all been faithfully remade from the ground up for a 21st century audience, effortlessly delivering the same thrills and balanced challenge as they did before. The fact that select mechanical features like reverts, which wouldn’t arrive until later entries, have been retroactively added is also a nice touch, instantly making Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 the definitive way to experience these skateboarding classics. – AP

14. Ori and the Will of the Wisps

The fact that Ori and the Will of the Wisps managed to usurp the critically acclaimed 2015 original in most design aspects speaks to just how well Moon Studios has mastered the art of the Metroidvania. Whisking players off on another tight 10-hour journey set within a mystical forest full of secrets to discover, this 2D adventure gives off a fantastical vibe in a way few others do. It’s an expert blend between smart combat mechanics, highly polished platforming, and emotional storytelling. That it runs at a silky 60 fps both on Nintendo Switch and Xbox is the cherry on top.

The major improvements Will of the Wisps makes over Blind Forest relate to saving and combat. Whereas previously it was the responsibility of players to lay down specific checkpoints, progress is now more in line with other 2D platformers and less punishing. Combat, meanwhile, has been completely revamped with the inclusion of special charms and upgradeable skills, most of which result in more flexible enemy encounters. These tweaks are implemented without ever compromising on Ori’s core hook of magical exploration and challenging platforming, instantly making it one of the best Metroidvanias out there. – AP

13. Call of Duty: Warzone

Call of Duty: Warzone was a natural and perhaps even necessary evolution for the long-running shooter franchise, carving out a space for it in the ever-crowding battle royale genre. While it’s largely derivative of battle royale titles that came before, the staggering 150-player count, always excellent CoD controls, top-notch presentation, and flexible cash system have made it eminently popular and fun for casual players and series vets alike. The CoD fan base feels vibrant again after years of stagnation in the shadow of breakout titles like PUBG and Fortnite, and that’s without going into how Warzone has revitalized the franchise’s presence in the streaming space.

One of the best facets of the game’s design is that the large player count all but ensures that, even if a player is new to the genre or series, the chances of them being the absolute worst player in the field is very low. Better still, the “Gulag” respawn mechanic opens up the possibility for ultimate revenge should you earn your way back into the match, which is a nice way to up engagement for those who suffer disappointing deaths.

The game doesn’t feel quite as dynamic or high-stakes as some of its competitors on the market, but it’s definitely one of the easiest to pick up and play. It’s no wonder Warzone has expanded CoD’s already enormous audience over the course of 2020. – BB

12. Astro’s Playroom

With launch lineups mostly filled with graphically enhanced releases of last-gen games, the release of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X has been more than a little underwhelming. The one bright spot is Astro’s Playroom, a little first-party Sony game that received virtually no pre-release hype and comes pre-installed on every PS5.

While at first glance a typical 3D platformer, Astro’s Playroom soon reveals itself to be a fantastic showcase of what’s possible with the new DualSense controller. In one level, you’re feeling the resistance from the controller’s adaptive triggers as you spring jump through obstacles dressed as a frog. In another, you’re expertly moving the controller back and forth to climb walls in a robotic monkey suit. Even just standing in the rain causes the controller to pulse ever so slightly with each drop. And all of this takes place across worlds celebrating the entire history of PlayStation, where you collect classic consoles and accessories, culminating in an unexpected boss battle throwback to an original PSX tech demo.

Astro’s Playroom may be short, but it’s an oh so sweet and exciting taste of what’s possible with the power of next-gen consoles. – CF

11. Doom Eternal

It would have been easy for Doom Eternal to be more of the same. After all, 2016’s Doom became the surprising gold-standard for single-player FPS games by virtue of its clever writing and gameplay that blended the best of classic and modern design concepts. Yet, Doom Eternal proved to be something much more than “the same but bigger.”

With its arena-like levels and resource management mechanics, Doom Eternal sometimes feels like a puzzle game set in the Doom universe. While the transition to this new style can be jarring, you soon find that Doom Eternal is speaking the same language in a different dialect. The brutal brilliance of a classic Doom game remains but it’s presented in the form of a kind of FPS dance that puts you in a state of pure zen once you figure out how to make that perfect run through a room full of demonic baddies.

Four years after Doom showed this old franchise could pull off new tricks, Doom Eternal proves that this series is at the forefront of FPS innovation once more. – MB

10. Demon’s Souls

Although initially released in 2009 for the PlayStation 3, Demon’s Souls would help define the next generation of gaming by establishing the Soulslike genre, which has influenced everything from recent Star Wars games to The Legend of Zelda. The “problem” is that the legacy of Demon’s Souls has been sort of eclipsed by the accomplishments of its successors.

That’s the beauty of the remake for the PS5. Aided by the power of the console’s next-gen hardware, developer Bluepoint Games pays homage to one of the most historically significant games of the last 15 years while wisely updating it in ways that show that the foundation of FromSoftware’s breakthrough hit remains arguably the best entry in a genre that isn’t exactly lacking in modern classics.

In a year where finding a next-gen console proved to be more difficult than any Soulslike game, Demon’s Souls remains the best reason to battle the bots at online stores in the hopes of joining gaming’s next generation as soon as possible. – MB

9. Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout

There were multiple times this year where couped-up players relied heavily on “bean” games to help maintain a human connection. Before Among Us dominated the Twitch streams, it was Mediatonic’s intentionally clumsy and hilarious Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout that had us competitively raging with our friends. It did so by merging the wildly popular battle royale genre with the inflatable-fueled antics of early ’90s game shows, where dodging swinging hammers and battling giant fruit against 59 others became the norm for a few weeks – all in the pursuit of winning a highly coveted crown.

Needless to say, making Fall Guys free to PS Plus subscribers for a month turned out to be a genius marketing move, urging everyone to hop into the game’s inventive gamut of levels and make a fool of themselves. Much of what sets it apart from other battle royale attempts is its low-skill barrier to entry, and thanks to frequent seasonal updates, new unlockable outfits and fresh mini-games always being added, bumbling to the top of the pack as a colorful bean remains consistent fun. – AP

8. Animal Crossing: New Horizons

It’s not an exaggeration to say that Animal Crossing: New Horizons should be included in history books about the Covid-19 pandemic. Releasing just as lockdowns were being instituted across the globe, New Horizons provided the escapism we so desperately needed while quarantining, attracting not just the usual Nintendo fanbase, but even those who had never played games in the past but were now looking for something to occupy their time at home. Whether we played it with friends or alone, New Horizons provided the routine and distraction that so many of us needed in a world suddenly thrown into chaos.

Of course, it helped that New Horizons is the best Animal Crossing game to date, with tons of new ways to customize your island (and yourself). And as Covid-19 restrictions have stretched much longer than many of us anticipated, New Horizons has kept pace, with Nintendo releasing a steady stream of new fish to catch, fruits to harvest, and events to participate in throughout the year. It may not be the game that everyone wanted, but New Horizons is the game that 2020 needed. – CF

7. Cyberpunk 2077

When Cyberpunk 2077’s legacy is written, there’s no doubt that the opening chapter is going to focus on the bugs, technical shortcomings, and empty promises that have turned what looked to be one of 2020’s guaranteed hits into one of modern gaming’s most debated debuts.

Yet, the reason that this game’s initial issues will likely not ultimately define it is that Cyberpunk 2077 reveals itself to be a special experience whenever you’re able to play it without crashes or bugs ruining your experience. From its stunning side quests that revive one of The Witcher 3’s best elements to its shockingly human narrative, Cyberpunk 2077 regularly showcases the undeniable talent of the individuals who battled internal and external factors to deliver their vision.

Cyberpunk 2077’s technical problems wouldn’t hurt as much as they do if there wasn’t a truly great game at the heart of them that people are begging to be able to play as intended. – MB

6. Final Fantasy VII Remake

The pressure was on for Square Enix from the moment it announced Final Fantasy VII Remake back in 2015. For those who obsessed over the original back in 1997, the prospect of a remake was the stuff dreams were made of, and this year we finally got to relive Cloud, Aerith, Barret, and Tifa’s grand adventure (the first act of it, at least) with fully updated, well, everything. Astonishingly, the remake actually lived up to expectations and delivered not just a faithful update to the original game but a modern RPG that stands as one of its generation’s best regardless of nostalgia.

The key to Square Enix’s success was its approach, which aimed not to duplicate the experience of the original game, but to capture the essence and spirit of it while using modern game design to deliver the story in a way that doesn’t feel retro or rehashed at all. The game looks dazzling by 2020 standards (Midgar never looked better) but doesn’t compromise the integrity of the original designs, and the real-time combat—arguably the biggest departure from the original—is a blast to play.

Time will tell how exactly Square Enix will follow through with the rest of the remake as we enter a new console generation, but in the meantime, they studio has left us with a terrific reimagining of the most celebrated title in the studio’s expansive oeuvre. – BB

5. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

Ubisoft deserves credit for keeping a franchise like Assassin’s Creed, which is 13 years old at this point, thriving in an industry that is flooded with more open world games now than it ever has been. The series is always competitive in the genre, and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla proves why: it’s as refined as any of its predecessors and delivers a balanced experience with a rich world to explore, tons of strange stories to uncover, and a mash-up milieu that combines the eerie atmosphere of 5th-century England with the otherworldly spectacle of Norse mythology.

No open world game is perfect, and Valhalla certainly has a handful of shortcomings. But it’s a bloody good time to play, and there’s so much to do that there’s no question that you get your money’s worth. Eivor’s quest for glory and domination is also arguably the most cinematic story in the entire AC catalog, with some truly breathtaking cutscenes that rival those found in more linear games that can’t sniff Valhalla’s scope. Some of the more otherworldly moments in the back half of the game are pure, unadulterated, nonsensical fun, and overall, this is one of the best entries in the series. – BB

4. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales

Insomniac is one of those studios that you can always rely on to deliver fun, polished games that shine in every category, and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales only adds to the team’s sterling reputation. Building on the already brilliant formula the studio created with the original Marvel’s Spider-Man, Miles’s story is one of loss, friendship, identity, and the strength of the Black and Hispanic communities of Harlem.

The side-quel is also one of the best launch titles arguably ever. While it is a cross-gen game, the PS5 version is currently the best showcase of what next-gen gaming is capable of from a visual and performance standpoint. You won’t find a better-looking New York City in any other video game, period, and Insomniac’s outstanding animation work looks insanely good when bolstered by the PS5’s considerable horsepower. Miles plays differently than Peter Parker did in the original game as well, with his Venom Powers giving enemy encounters a new feel and rhythm.

Insomniac outdid itself with an excellent follow-up that would’ve been a forgettable DLC expansion in the hands of a less ambitious studio. But Miles Morales is one of the best modern-day superhero characters ever created, and it’s only right that he get a game that lives up to his greatness. – BB

3. Hades

The popularity of roguelikes has been calmly bubbling up for years now, yet only in 2020 did it truly become mainstream thanks to an ideal balance between gameplay and story as demonstrated by Hades. Players who previously took umbrage with the genre’s nature to wipe out all progress at each run’s end suddenly had a reason to jump back in, now inspired by Zagreus’ various tries to escape hell and overthrow his eponymous father. This alone sees Hades tower over most of its peers in terms of balance, further backed up by rewarding gameplay and a gorgeous comic book art style that makes the well-worn mythological Greek milieu feel fresh.

Developer Supergiant Games proved its penchant for creating flexible mechanical loops in prior titles, and in many ways, Hades feels like a culmination of all those ideas distilled in one neat package. It’s a great example of semi-randomized systems layering perfectly on top of other systems, until players eventually find themselves completing runs using distinct weapons, upgrading persistent abilities and slowly discovering which of the god’s many boons gel best with one another. Hades is always a hellishly good time. – AP

2. Ghost of Tsushima

The concept of honor has never been explored in a game as lyrically and philosophically as it is in Ghost of Tsushima, Sucker Punch’s story-driven samurai epic. Jin Sakai’s grand adventure is both brutal and beautiful, stretching across the grasslands and snowy peaks of the titular island, as he pushes the oppressive Mongol army out of his homeland, all the while wrestling internally with the kind of man, warrior, and leader he ultimately wants to be.

This game is outstanding on so many fronts that it’s difficult to list them all here. Visually, it looks so stunning that anyone who walks past your TV as you play is all but guaranteed to stop and stare for a while. The combat is fast and challenging, the stealth mechanic is on-point, the score is sweeping and sentimental, the character models are incredibly realistic, the online multiplayer mode “Legends” is actually a blast to play…and the list goes on. This poetic, pitch-perfect modern masterpiece is emblematic of the soulful, cinematic storytelling PlayStation Studios is known for, and it’s a wonderful way to send the PS4 off into the sunset. – BB

1. The Last of Us Part II (Also Reader’s Choice)

You can’t even say the name of our 2020 game of the year without sparking numerous debates that often make it nearly impossible to have a productive conversation about the game itself. That makes it that much more tempting to somehow find a kind of middle-ground that will “justify” the game’s lofty position to everyone regardless of where they stand.

The thing about The Last of Us Part 2,though, is that its divisiveness is very much part of the experience. Naughty Dog’s follow-up to arguably its greatest game is a bold attempt to live up to the franchise’s legacy by furthering what came before while trying to find its own way. Much like Ellie herself, The Last of Us Part 2 doesn’t always make the right decisions. Yet, at a time when bigger budgets are seen as an excuse to play it safe, The Last of Us Part 2 impresses through its willingness to present a big, bold, and personal adventure that is often anything but what was expected.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

Anyone can generate a little controversy by saying something stupid, offensive, or hurtful. The beauty of The Last of Us Part 2’s controversy is that it stems from a heartfelt attempt to advance the conversation through indie-like passion and big budget production. – MB

The post The Best Games of 2020 appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/2KKY9QG

#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

3 notes · View notes

fearsmagazine · 4 years

Text

Warner Bros. Consumer Products launches Wonder Woman 84 collection with toys/collectibles from LEGO, Funko, Mattel and McFarlane, gear/apparel and other goodies!

Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP) has launched an all-new collection of must-have lifestyle products and engaging experiences inspired by “Wonder Woman 1984,” (WW84) the highly anticipated follow up to 2017’s record-breaking “Wonder Woman” feature film from Warner Bros. Pictures. The specially-designed collection of fashion, jewelry, accessories, footwear, home goods, pet products, collectibles and toys pays homage to the timeless DC Super Hero, with nods to the film’s new 80s aesthetic, her nemesis The Cheetah and the metallic sheen of her new golden armor. The product collection honors a new era of Wonder Woman and offers fans of all ages a way to manifest Wonder Woman’s qualities of strength, truth, courage and compassion, all with her signature style. The “WW84” collection was developed in collaboration with premier partners and is available now at retailers globally. The film is set to open in theaters on October 2, 2020.

“’Wonder Woman 1984’ gives us the ideal opportunity to celebrate the glamour and energy of the 1980s inspired by the power and grace of Wonder Woman,” said Maryellen Zarakas, senior vice president of franchise management and marketing for Warner Bros. Consumer Products. “Our signature collection of products and experiences are highly-styled and wonderfully-inventive, and allow fans to tap into their own heroic, Wonder Woman inner spirit, further deepening their engagement in the brand and global community of Wonder Woman fans.”

Joining forces with some of the top brands in fashion, beauty, toys and more, and offering something for every age group, WBCP’s collection of “WW84” products include:

Adult Fashion: Around the globe, fans are reveling in the breadth of new Wonder Woman product including premier fashion collections. The “WW84” fashion collection includes collaborations with such world-renowned designers and trendsetters such as Lauren Ralph Lauren, EleVen by Venus Williams, Her Universe, Hybrid, Modern Lux, Miu Miu and more. Lauren Ralph Lauren celebrates Wonder Woman with a curated collection of pieces as powerful and confident as the iconic DC Super Hero. The feminine styles and sophisticated designs from Lauren Ralph Lauren can be found at select Bloomingdale's and Bloomingdales.com. The fashion-forward activewear brand created by global tennis champion and entrepreneur Venus Williams, introduces the EleVen by Venus Williams x Wonder Woman Collection offering premium athletic staples that bring out the best in fierce women who are competitive, compassionate, and ready for anything life has to bring. The collection will be available to shop on EleVenByVenusWilliams.com. Winners of the Her Universe Fashion Show, Adria Renee and Sarah Hambly, will debut their first fashion collections at Hot Topic and HerUniverse.com, DC Super Hero’s indomitable spirit in fun, easy-to-wear designs. Hybrid and Modern Lux offer a wide range of t-shirts and sweatshirts at a variety of affordable price points ($12.99 and up), and Her Universe at Torrid offers on-trend plus-sized apparel, including a showstopping snakeskin-patterned jacket ($45-$80). An exclusive Wonder Woman capsule collection released by Miu Miu features tees decorated with vintage prints of the comic book heroine and are available now at miumiu.com. Every fan can blend their personal style with Wonder Woman apparel from partners that include Bershka, Zara, EMP and Riva, to create a unique look.

Jewelry: With a dazzling variety of styles, WBCP’s “WW84” jewelry collections from Swarovski, Alex Ani, RockLove, and Zales draw inspiration from Wonder Woman’s iconic logo and gear such as the lasso of truth and her new golden armor and wings. Even her nemesis Cheetah gets a piece of the action with jewelry collections inspired by her animal magnetism (prices range from $65 to $1,000). To keep all Wonder Woman fans on time, a collection of watches from Accutime Watch Corporation are available in a wide range of styles.

Footwear and Accessories: “WW84”-inspired shoes from Reebok, diaper bags and accessories from Jujube, hats and masks from Love Your Melon, purses from Loungefly and more complete a heroine’s wardrobe. Reebok’s full collection of footwear and apparel blends iconic ‘80s silhouettes with designs inspired by the Super Hero and Super Villain of the film. Jujube, known for high-quality, multifunction diaper bags, backpacks and totes, as well as mini versions perfect to the last detail, interprets Wonder Woman's `80s vibe in brilliant colors accented with gold metal ($40 to $195). A limited-edition assortment of DC Super Hero-themed masks from Love Your Melon gives back 50 percent of net profits to nonprofit organizations that lead the fight against pediatric cancer ($25).

Beauty: The Revlon X WW84 limited-edition makeup collection offers a power palette for eyes and face in 10 bold and brilliant hues for limitless looks ($14.99). Other items include the Liquid Armor Glow Pot (highlighter), Super Lustrous Lipstick and more ($6.99 to $14.99). Ulta Beauty’s bath & body collection honors Wonder Woman with two cosmetic bags, a scented candle, golden body scrub, body wash, a colorful bath bomb, nail polish appliques, and peel off mask ($8.00- $24.00). Exclusively at Bloomingdale’s and Houseofsillage.com, the House of Sillage Wonder Woman Parfum ($395.00) is a charismatically sultry and bold fragrance that elicits your inner goddess. The Bow Lipstick Case Set ($250.00) is a work of art inspired by Wonder Woman's gold-plated armor, finished in enamel and encrusted with more than 300 brilliant diamond-cut Swarovski crystals. The set features its own unique Diamond Powder Satin Finish Lipstick in a bold red shade infused with real crushed white diamond powder.

Home and Stationery: Hallmark honors Wonder Woman’s strength with a range of “go strong all day long” framed quotes, travel mugs and vinyl tote bags ($19.99 to $34.99). Silver Buffalo’s retro “save the day” ceramic mug inspires your morning routine ($7.99). From Erin Condren, notebooks, notecards, stickers and list pads feature colorful and energetic Wonder Woman classic comic graphics—or a metallic star-sparkle theme ($7.50 to $24.00). GB Eye also offers an assortment of Wonder Woman prints, posters and collectibles.

Luxury Pet Fashion and Accessories: Wonder Woman style makes the perfect gift for your four-legged furry friend. Pamper your beloved pet with Moshiqa’s one-of-a-kind, high-end style products for dogs and cats that combine the glamour of gold with the power of functional design for a heroic look. From the company that created a new category in luxury fashion discover the finest craftsmanship and extravagant accessories such as a golden pet harnesses with wings, a gold utility belt for stashing pet treats and looping your leash, sparkling dog and cat tiaras, and food/water bowls with the Wonder Woman insignia to make your kitty cat or pooch feel pampered always (prices available at moshiqa.com/wonderwoman).

Infant to Tween Fashion: From babies to tweens, kids of all ages can feel empowered wearing “Hero starts with Her” fashions and “Fierce” graphic t-shirts from Hybrid ($12.99+). Beanie hats from Love Your Melon and masks from Mask Club round out the collection ($25-$55). Wonder Woman encourages kids to practice good dental hygiene with a Colgate toothpaste pump ($3.95), while DC Wonder Woman bandages help booboos heal with super speed ($3.29). For Halloween or role play any day, Rubie’s Wonder Woman Armored costume glows with strength and power, and The Cheetah catsuit costumes are sure to be the hottest Super-Villains on the block.

Toys: Fans can relive the onscreen action of “WW84” with toys from Mattel, LEGO®, Funko, McFarlane Toys and Maxx. With true-to-movie fashions made in the characters’ likenesses, the “WW84” Barbie and Mattel portfolio of dolls includes a two-doll giftset spotlighting the timeless romance of Diana Prince and Steve Trevor ($80.00), a Young Diana and Horse set ($29.99), a Deluxe Golden Armor Feature Wonder Woman Doll ($29.99) and core dolls ($14.99).

LEGO® brings an action-packed scene from the movie to life in its Wonder Woman vs. The Cheetah set ($39.99), based on Wonder Woman’s first confrontation with her nemesis. The set can be positioned in an action pose with Cheetah leaping out of a cloud, while Wonder Woman’s friend from the previous film, Etta Candy, looks on in the background. More heroine-inspired toys include cars and a premium invisible jet from Hot Wheels.

Pop collectibles from Funko, two versions of incredibly detailed lifelike action figures from McFarlane Toys and huggable plush from Maxx ($11.00 to $19.99). “WW84” toys and collectibles from Bandai, Hot Toys, Kotobukiya, Medicom Toy and Prime 1 Studio will be available in Japan for fans soon.

DC Wonder Woman Virtual Run: In partnership with Rugged Races, Warner Bros. Consumer Products and DC launched the DC Wonder Woman Virtual Run, allowing participants to run a 5K or 10K whenever and wherever they want, outside or even on a home treadmill. Registered participants receive an exclusive collection of Wonder Woman-branded gear, including a premium quarter-zip pullover, finisher’s medal, terry cloth wristbands, and a reusable tote bag. Runners of all ages and genders can sign up through November 1 for either 5K or 10K distances at https://dcwonderwomanrun.com. Registration is $40.00 per participant.

About “WONDER WOMAN 1984”

Fast forward to the 1980s as Wonder Woman’s next big screen adventure finds her facing two all-new foes: Max Lord and The Cheetah. With director Patty Jenkins back at the helm and Gal Gadot returning in the title role, WONDER WOMAN 1984 is Warner Bros. Pictures’ follow up to the DC Super Hero’s first outing, 2017’s record-breaking WONDER WOMAN. The film also stars Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, Kristen Wiig as The Cheetah, Pedro Pascal as Max Lord, Robin Wright as Antiope, and Connie Nielsen as Hippolyta. Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder, Patty Jenkins, Gal Gadot and Stephen Jones are producing the film. Rebecca Steel Roven Oakley, Richard Suckle, Marianne Jenkins, Geoff Johns, Walter Hamada, Chantal Nong Vo and Wesley Coller are the executive producers. Patty Jenkins directed from a screenplay she wrote with Geoff Johns & David Callaham, story by Jenkins & Johns, based on characters from DC.

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents an Atlas Entertainment/Stone Quarry Production, a Patty Jenkins Film, WONDER WOMAN 1984. Set to open October 2, 2020 in theaters in 2D and 3D in select theaters and IMAX, it will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures. This film is rated PG-13 for sequences of action and violence. https://www.wonderwomanfilm.com/

#movie news #ww84 #Wonder Woman #products #makeup #warner bros #dccomics #rubies #funko #matel #barbie #mcfarlane toys #lego

2 notes · View notes

grigori77 · 5 years

Text

2019 in Movies - My Top 30 Fave Movies (Part 3)

10. HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD – while I love Disney and Pixar as much as the next movie nut, since the Millennium my loyalty has been slowly but effectively usurped by the consistently impressive (but sometimes frustratingly underappreciated) output of Dreamworks Animation Studios, and in recent years in particular they really have come to rival the House of Mouse in both the astounding quality of their work and their increasing box office reliability. But none of their own franchises (not even Shrek or Kung Fu Panda) have come CLOSE to equalling the sheer, unbridled AWESOMENESS of How to Train Your Dragon, which started off as a fairly loose adaptation of Cressida Cowell’s popular series of children’s stories but quickly developed a very sharp mind of its own – the first two films were undisputable MASTERPIECES, and this third and definitively FINAL chapter in the trilogy matches them to perfection, as well as capping the story off with all the style, flair and raw emotional power we’ve come to expect. The time has come to say goodbye to diminutive Viking Hiccup (Jay Baruchel, as effortlessly endearing as ever) and his adorable Night Fury mount/best friend Toothless, fiancée Astrid (America Ferrera, still tough, sassy and WAY too good for him), mother Valka (Cate Blanchett, classy, wise and still sporting a pretty flawless Scottish accent) and all the other Dragon Riders of the tiny, inhospitable island kingdom of Berk – their home has become overpopulated with scaly, fire-breathing denizens, while a trapper fleet led by the fiendish Grimmel the Grisly (F. Murray Abraham delivering a wonderfully soft-spoken, subtly chilling master villain) is beginning to draw close, prompting Hiccup to take up his late father Stoick (Gerard Butler returning with a gentle turn that EASILY prompts tears and throat-lumps) the Vast’s dream of finding the fabled “Hidden World”, a mysterious safe haven for dragon-kind where they can be safe from those who seek to do them harm. But there’s a wrinkle – Grimmel has a new piece of bait, a female Night Fury (or rather, a “Light Fury”), a major distraction that gets Toothless all hot and bothered … returning writer-director Dean DeBlois has rounded things off beautifully with this closer, giving loyal fans everything they could ever want while also introducing fresh elements such as intriguing new environments, characters and species of dragons to further enrich what is already a powerful, intoxicating world for viewers young and old (I particularly love Craig Ferguson’s ever-reliable comic relief veteran Viking Gobber’s brilliant overreactions to a certain adorably grotesque little new arrival), and like its predecessors this film is just as full of wry, broad and sometimes slightly (or not so slightly) absurd humour and deep down gut-twisting FEELS as it is of stirring, pulse-quickening action sequences and sheer, jaw-dropping WONDER, so it’s as nourishing to our soul as it is to our senses. From the perfectly-pitched, cheekily irreverent opening to the truly devastating, heartbreaking close, this is EXACTLY the final chapter we’ve always dreamed of, even if it does hurt to see this most beloved of screen franchises go. It’s been a wild ride, and one that I think really does CEMENT Dreamworks’ status as one of the true giants of the genre …

9. TERMINATOR: DARK FATE – back in 1984, James Cameron burst onto the scene with a stone-cold PHENOMENON, a pitch-perfect adrenaline-fuelled science fiction survival horror that spawned a million imitators but has never truly been equalled. Less than a decade later, he revisited that universe with a much bigger and far bolder vision, creating an epic action adventure that truly changed blockbuster cinema for the better (or perhaps worse, depending on how you want to look at it), but, with its decidedly final, full-stop climax, also effectively rendered itself sequel-proof. Except that Hollywood had other ideas, the unstoppable money machine smelling potential profit and deciding to milk this particular cash cow for all it was worth – on the small screen, it was the impressive but ultimately intrinsically limited Sarah Connor Chronicles, while on the big screen they cranked out THREE MORE sequels, Sony Pictures starting with straightforward retread Rise of the Machines and following with post-apocalyptic marmite movie Salvation, while Twentieth Century Fox then tried a sort-of soft reboot follow-up to T2 in Genisys. These were all interesting in their own way (personally, I like them all, particularly Salvation), but ultimately suffered from diminishing returns and whiffed strongly of trying too hard without quite getting the point. Cameron himself had long since washed his hands of the whole affair, and it looked like that might well be it … but then Skydance Productions founder David Ellison thought up a new take to breathe much needed new life into the franchise, and enlisted Cameron’s help to usher it in properly, with Deadpool director Tim Miller the intriguing but ultimately inspired choice to helm the project. The end result wisely chooses to paint right over all the pretenders, kicking off right where Judgement Day left off, and as well as Cameron being heavily involved in the story itself, draws another ace with the long-awaited ON-SCREEN return of Linda Hamilton in the role that’s pretty much defined her career, hardboiled survivor Sarah Connor. I’ll leave the details of her return for newcomers to discover, suffice to say she gets caught up in the chase when a new, MUCH more advanced terminator is sent back in time to kill unassuming young Mexican factory worker Dani Ramos (Natalia Reyes). Of course, the future resistance has once again sent a protector back to watch her back, Grace (Blade Runner 2049’s Mackenzie Davis), a cybernetically-enhanced super-soldier specifically outfitted to combat terminators, who reluctantly agrees to team up with the highly experienced Sarah in order to keep Dani alive. Arnold Schwarzenegger once again returns to the role that truly made him a star (of course, how could he not?), and he for one has clearly not lost ANY of his old love or enthusiasm for playing the old T-800, but revealing exactly HOW he comes into the story this time would give away too much; the new terminator, meanwhile, is brilliantly portrayed by Gabriel Luna (probably best known for playing Ghost Rider in Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD), who brings predatory menace and an interesting edge of subtle, entitled arrogance to the role of Rev-9. Ultimately though, this is very much the ladies’ film, the three leads dominating the action and drama both as they kick-ass and verbally spar in equal measure, their chemistry palpably strong throughout – Hamilton is as badass as ever, making Sarah even more of a take-no-shit survivalist burnout than she ever was in T2, and she’s utterly mesmerising in what’s EASILY her best turn in YEARS, while Reyes goes through an incredible transformative character arc as she’s forced to evolve from terrified salary-girl to proto she-warrior through several pleasingly organic steps … my greatest pleasure, however, definitely comes from watching Mackenzie Davis OWN the role of Grace, investing her with an irresistible mixture of icy military precision, downright feral mother lion ferocity and a surprisingly sweet innocence buried underneath all the bravado, thus creating one of my favourite ass-kicking heroines not just for the year but this past decade entirely. Unsurprisingly, in the hands of old hand Tim Miller (working from a screenplay headlined by Blade and Batman Begins scribe David Goyer) this is a pulse-pounding thrill ride that rarely lets its foot up off the pedal, but thankfully the action is ALWAYS in service to the story, each precision-crafted set piece engineered to perfection as we power through high speed chases, explosive shootouts and a succession of bruising heavy metal smackdowns, but thankfully there’s just as much attention paid to the characters and the story – given the familiarity of the tale there’s inevitably a certain predictability to events, but Miller and co. still pull off a few deftly handled surprise twists, while character development always feels organic. Best of all, this genuinely feels like a legitimate part of the original Terminator franchise, Cameron and Hamilton’s returns having finally brought back the old magic that’s been missing for so long. I’d definitely be willing to sign up for more of this – such a shame then that, thanks to the film’s frustrating underperformance at the box office, it looks like this is gonna be it after all. Damn it …

8. DOCTOR SLEEP – first up, before I say anything else about this latest Stephen King screen adaptation, I HAVE NOT yet got round to reading the original novel yet, so I can’t speak to how it compares. That said, I HAVE read The Shining, to which the book is a direct sequel, so I DO know about at least one of the major, KEY changes, and besides, this is actually a sequel to Stanley Kubrick’s MOVIE of The Shining, which differed significantly from its own source material anyway, so there’s that … yeah, this is a complicated kettle of fish even BEFORE we get down to the details. Suffice to say, you don’t have to have read the book to get this movie, but a working knowledge of Kubrick’s horror classic may at least help you get some context before watching this … anyways, enough with the confusion, on to the meat of the matter – this is a CRACKING horror movie by any stretch, and, for me, one of the strongest King horrors to make it to the big screen in quite some time. Of course it helps no end to have a filmmaker of MAJOR calibre at the helm, and there are few working in horror at the moment with whom I am quite so impressed as Mike Flanagan, writer-director of two of this past decade’s definitive horrors (at least for me), Oculus and Hush, as well as a BLINDING TV series adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House for Netflix – the man is an absolute master of the craft, incredibly skilled with all the tricks of this particular genre’s trade, and, as it turns out, a perfect fit with King’s material. Following on from The Shining, then, we learn what happened to the kid, Danny Torrance, after he and his mother left the Overlook Hotel in the wake of his father’s psychotic break driven by monstrous apparitions “living” in the cursed halls, following him from childhood as he initially shuns the psychic gifts (or “shine”) he was taught to use by the hotel’s late caretaker, Dick Halloran. It’s only in later years, as he fights to overcome his alcoholism and self-destructive lifestyle, that he reconnects with that power, just in time to discover psychic “pen-pal” Abra Stone, an immensely powerful young psychic. Which leads us to the present day, when Abra, now a teenager, becomes the target of the True Knot, a group of psychic vampires who travel America hunting and killing young people with psychic abilities in order to consume their “smoke” (basically the stuff of their “shines”), thus expanding their already unnatural lifespans – they’re tracking Abra, and they’re getting close, and only her “Uncle Dan” can save her from them. Ewan McGregor is PERFECT as the grown-up Dan, delivering one of his career-best turns as he captures the world-weary seriousness of someone who’s seen, felt and had to do things no-one should, especially when he was so very young, the kinds of things that colour a soul for their entire life, and he’s clearly DESPERATE not to become his father; newcomer Kyleigh Curran, meanwhile, is an absolute revelation as Abra, bringing depth and weight far beyond her years to the role, but never losing sight of the fact that, under all the power, she’s ultimately still just a child; there are also excellent supporting turns from the likes of Cliff Curtis as Dan’s best friend and AA sponsor Billy Freeman, Zahn McClarnon (Longmire, Fargo season 2) and Emily Lind (Revenge, Code Black) as True Knot members Crow Daddy and Snakebite Annie, and Carl Lumbly (Cagney & Lacey, TV’s Supergirl), who beautifully replaces deceased original actor Scatman Crothers in the role of Dick. The film’s tour-de-force performance, however, comes from Rebecca Ferguson as Rose the Hat, leader of the True Knot – they’re an intriguing bunch of villains, very well written and fleshed out, and it’s clear they have genuine love for one another, like a real family, which makes it hard not to sympathise with them a little bit, and this is none more true than in Rose, whom Ferguson invests with so much light and warmth and intriguing, complex character, as well as a fantastic streak of playful mischief that makes her all the more riveting in those times when they then turn around and do some truly heinous, unforgivable things … as horror movies go this is the cream of the crop, but Flanagan has purposefully kept away from jump scares and the more flashy stuff, preferring, like Kubrick in The Shining, to let the insidious darkness bubble up underneath good and slow, drawing out the creepiness and those most unsettling, twisted little touches the author himself is always so very good at. Intent can be such a scary thing, and Flanagan gets it, so that’s just what he uses here. As a result this is a fantastic slow-burn creep-fest that constantly works its way deeper under your skin, building to a phenomenal climax that, (perversely) thanks in no small part to the differences between both novels and films, pays as much loving tribute to Kubrick’s visionary landmark as the original novel of The Shining. For me, this is Flanagan’s best film to date, and as far as Stephen King adaptations go I consider this to be right up there with the likes of The Mist and The Green Mile. Best of all, I think he’d be proud of it too …

7. SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME – summer 20019 was something of a decompression period for fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with many of us recovering from the sheer emotional DEVASTATION of the grand finale of Phase 3, Avengers: Endgame, so the main Blockbuster Season’s entry really needed to be light and breezy, a blessed relief after all that angst and loss, much like Ant-Man & the Wasp was last year as it followed Infinity War. And it is, by and large – this is as light-hearted and irreverent as its predecessor, following much the same goofy teen comedy template as Homecoming, but there’s no denying that there’s a definite emotional through-line from Endgame that looms large here, a sense of loss the film fearlessly addresses right from the start, sometimes with a bittersweet sense of humour, sometimes straight. But whichever path the narrative chooses, the film stays true to this underlying truth – there have been great and painful changes in this world, and we can’t go back to how it was before, no matter how hard we try, but then perhaps we shouldn’t. This is certainly central to our young hero’s central arc – Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is in mourning, and not even the prospect of a trip around Europe with his newly returned classmates, together with the chance to finally get close to M.J. (Zendaya), maybe even start a relationship, can entirely distract him from the gaping hole in his life. Still, he’s gonna give it his best shot, but it looks like fate has other plans for our erstwhile Spider-Man as superspy extraordinaire Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) comes calling, basically hijacking his vacation with an Avengers-level threat to deal with, aided by enigmatic inter-dimensional superhero Quentin Beck, aka Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), who has a personal stake in the mission, but as he’s drawn deeper into the fray Peter discovers that things may not be quite as they seem. Of course, giving anything more away would of course dumps HEINOUS spoilers on the precious few who haven’t yet seen the film – suffice to say that the narrative drops a MAJOR sea-change twist at the midpoint that’s EVERY BIT as fiendish as the one Shane Black gave us in Iron Man 3 (although the more knowledgeable fans of the comics will likely see it coming), and also provides Peter with JUST the push he needs to get his priorities straight and just GET OVER IT once and for all. Tom Holland again proves his character is the most endearing teenage geek in cinematic history, his spectacular super-powered abilities and winning underdog perseverance in the face of impossible odds still paradoxically tempered by the fact he’s as loveably hopeless as ever outside his suit; Mysterio himself, meanwhile, frequently steals the film out from under him, the strong bromance they develop certainly mirroring what Peter had with Tony Stark, and it’s a major credit to Gyllenhaal that he so perfectly captures the essential dualities of the character, investing Beck with a roguish but subtly self-deprecating charm that makes him EXTREMELY easy to like, but ultimately belying something much more complex hidden beneath it; it’s also nice to see so many beloved familiar faces returning, particularly the fantastically snarky and self-assured Zendaya, Jacob Batalon (once again pure comedy gold as Peter’s adorably nerdy best friend Ned), Tony Revolori (as his self-important class rival Flash Thompson) and, of course, Marisa Tomei as the ever-pivotal Aunt May, as well as Jackson and Cobie Smoulders as dynamite SHIELD duo Fury and his faithful lieutenant Maria Hill, and best of all Jon Favreau gets a MUCH bigger role this time round as Happy Hogan. Altogether this is very much business as usual for the MCU, the well-oiled machine unsurprisingly turning out another near-perfect gem of a superhero flick that ticks all the required boxes, but a big part of the film’s success should be attributed to returning director Jon Watts, effectively building on the granite-strong foundations of Homecoming with the help of fellow alumni Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers on screenplay duty, for a picture that feels both comfortingly familiar and rewardingly fresh, delivering on all the required counts with thrilling action and eye candy spectacle, endearingly quirky character-based charm and a typically winning sense of humour, and plenty of understandably powerful emotional heft. And, like always, there are plenty of fan-pleasing winks and nods and revelations, and the pre-requisite mid- and post-credit teasers too, both proving to be some proper game-changing corkers. Another winner from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, then, but was there really ever any doubt?

6. US – back in 2017, Jordan Peele made the transition from racially-charged TV and stand-up comedy to astounding cinemagoers with stunning ease through his writer-director feature debut Get Out, a sharply observed jet black comedy horror with SERIOUS themes that was INSANELY well-received by audiences and horror fans alike. Peele instantly became ONE TO WATCH in the genre, so his follow-up feature had A LOT riding on it, but this equally biting, deeply satirical existential mind-bender is EASILY the equal of its predecessor, possibly even its better … giving away too much plot detail would do great disservice to the many intriguing, shocking twists on offer as middle class parents Adelaide and Gabe Wilson (Black Panther alumni Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke) take their children, Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and Jason (Evan Alex), to Santa Cruz on vacation, only to step into a nightmare as a night-time visitation by a family of murderous doppelgangers signals the start of a terrifying supernatural revolution with potential nationwide consequences. The idea at the heart of this film is ASTOUNDINGLY original, quite an achievement in a genre where just about everything has been tried at least once, but it’s also DEEPLY subversive, as challenging and thought-provoking as the themes visited in Get Out, but also potentially even more wide-reaching. It’s also THOROUGHLY fascinating and absolutely TERRIFYING, a peerless exercise in slow-burn tension and acid-drip discomfort, liberally soaked in an oppressive atmosphere so thick you could choke on it if you’re not careful, such a perfect horror master-class it’s amazing that this is only Peele’s second FEATURE, never mind his sophomore offering IN THE GENRE. The incredibly game cast really help, too – the four leads are all EXCEPTIONAL, each delivering fascinatingly nuanced performances in startlingly oppositional dual roles as both the besieged family AND their monstrous doubles, a feat brilliantly mimicked by Mad Men and The Handmaid’s Tale-star Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker and teen twins Cali and Noelle Sheldon as the Wilsons’ friends, the Tylers, and their similarly psychotic mimics. The film is DOMINATED, however, by Oscar-troubler Nyong’o, effortlessly holding our attention throughout the film with yet another raw, intense, masterful turn that keeps up glued to the screen from start to finish, even as the twists get weirder and more full-on brain-mashy. Of course, while this really is scary as hell, it’s also often HILARIOUSLY funny, Peele again poking HUGE fun at both his intended audience AND his allegorical targets, proving that scares often work best when twinned with humour. BY FAR the best thing in horror in 2019, Us shows just what a master of the genre Jordan Peele is, and it looks like he’s here to stay …

5. KNIVES OUT – with The Last Jedi, writer-director Rian Johnson divided audiences so completely that he seemed to have come perilously close to ruining his career. Thankfully, he’s a thick-skinned auteur with an almost ridiculous amount of talent, and he’s come bouncing back as strong as ever, doing what he does best. His big break feature debut was with Brick, a cult classic murder mystery that was, surprisingly, set in and around a high school, and his latest has some of that same DNA as Johnson crafts a fantastic sleuthy whodunit cast in the classic mould of Agatha Christie, albeit shot through with his own wonderfully eclectic verve, wit and slyly subversive streak. Daniel Craig holds court magnificently as quirky and flamboyant Deep South private detective Benoit Blanc, summoned to the home of newly-deceased star crime author Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) to investigate his possible murder and faced with a veritable web of lies, deceit and twisting knives as he meets the maybe-victim’s extensive and INCREDIBLY dysfunctional family, all of whom are potential suspects. Craig is thoroughly mesmerising throughout, clearly having the time of his life in one of his career-best roles, while the narrative focus is actually, interestingly, given largely to Ana de Armas (Blade Runner 2049 and soon to be seen with Craig again in the latest Bond-flick No Time To Die), who proves equally adept at driving the film as Harlan’s sweet but steely and impressively resourceful nurse Marta Cabrera, whose own involvement in the case it would do the film a massive disservice to reveal. The rest of the Thrombey clan are an equally intriguing bunch, all played to the hilt by an amazing selection of heavyweight talent that includes Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Toni Collette and It’s Jaeden Martell, but the film is, undeniably, DOMINATED by Chris Evans as Harlan’s black sheep grandson Ransom, the now former Captain America clearly enjoying his first major post-MCU role as he roundly steals every scene he’s in, effortlessly bringing back the kind of snarky, sarcastic underhanded arrogance we haven’t seen him play since his early career and entertaining us thoroughly. Johnson has very nearly outdone himself this time, weaving a gleefully twisty web of intrigue that viewers will take great pleasure in watching Blanc untangle, even if we’re actually already privy to (most of) the truth of the deed, and he pulls off some diabolical twists and turns as we rattle towards an inspired final reveal which genuinely surprises. He’s also generously smothered the film with oodles of his characteristically dry, acerbic wit, wonderfully tweaking many of the classic tropes of this familiar little sub-genre so this is at once a loving homage to the classics but also a sly, skilful deconstruction. Intriguing, compelling, enrapturing and often thoroughly hilarious, this is VERY NEARLY the best film he’s ever made. Only the mighty Looper remains unbeaten …

4. CAPTAIN MARVEL – before the first real main event of not only the year’s blockbusters but also, more importantly, 2019’s big screen MCU roster, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and co dropped a powerful opening salvo with what, it turns out, was the TRUE inception point of the Avengers Initiative and all its accompanying baggage (not Captain America: the First Avenger, as we were originally led to believe). For me, this is simply the MCU film I have MOST been looking forward to essentially since the beginning – the onscreen introduction of my favourite Avenger, former US Air Force Captain Carol Danvers, the TRUE Captain Marvel (no matter what the DC purists might say), who was hinted at in the post credits sting of Avengers: Infinity War but never actually seen. Not only is she the most powerful Avenger (sorry Thor, but it’s true), but for me she’s also the most badass – she’s an unstoppable force of (cosmically enhanced) nature, with near GODLIKE powers (she can even fly through space without needing a suit!), but the thing that REALLY makes her so full-on EPIC is her sheer, unbreakable WILL, the fact that no matter what’s thrown at her, no matter how often or how hard she gets knocked down, she KEEPS GETTING BACK UP. She is, without a doubt, the MOST AWESOME woman in the entire Marvel Universe, both on the comic page AND up on the big screen. Needless to say, such a special character needs an equally special actor to portray her, and we’re thoroughly blessed in the inspired casting choice of Brie Larson, who might as well have been purpose-engineered exclusively for this very role – she’s Carol Danvers stepped right out of the primary-coloured panels, as steely cool, unswervingly determined and strikingly statuesque as she’s always been drawn and scripted, with just the right amount of twinkle-eyed, knowing smirk and sassy humour to complete the package. Needless to say she’s the heart and soul of the film, a pure joy to watch throughout, but there’s so much more to enjoy here that this is VERY NEARLY the most enjoyable cinematic experience I had all year … writer-director double-act Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck may only be known for smart, humble indies like Half Nelson and Mississippi Grind, but they’ve taken to the big budget, all-action blockbuster game like ducks to water, co-scripting with Geneva Robertson-Dworet (writer of the Tomb Raider reboot movie and the long-gestating third Sherlock Holmes movie) to craft yet another pitch-perfect MCU origin story, playing a sneakily multilayered, misleading game of perception-versus-truth as we’re told how Carol got her powers and became the unstoppable badass supposedly destined to turn the tide in a certain Endgame … slyly rolling the clock back to the mid-90s, we’re presented with a skilfully realised mid-90s period culture clash adventure as Carol, a super-powered warrior fighting for the Kree Empire against the encroaching threat of the shape-shifting Skrulls, crash-lands in California and winds up uncovering the hidden truth behind her origins, with the help of a particular SHIELD agent, before he wound up with an eye-patch and a more cynical point-of-view – yup, it’s a younger, fresher Nick Fury (the incomparable Samuel L. Jackson, digitally de-aged with such skill it’s really just a pure, flesh-and-blood performance). There’s action, thrills, spectacle and (as always with the MCU) pure, skilfully observed, wry humour by the bucket-load, but one of the biggest strengths of the film is the perfectly natural chemistry between the two leads, Larson and Jackson playing off each other BEAUTIFULLY, no hint of romantic tension, just a playfully prickly, banter-rich odd couple vibe that belies a deep, honest respect building between both the characters and, clearly, the actors themselves. There’s also sterling support from Jude Law as Kree warrior Yon-Rogg, Carol’s commander and mentor, Ben Mendelsohn, slick, sly and surprisingly seductive (despite a whole lot of make-up) as Skrull leader Talos, returning MCU-faces Clark Gregg and Lee Pace as rookie SHIELD agent Phil Coulson (another wildly successful de-aging job) and Kree Accuser Ronan, Annette Bening as a mysterious face from Carol’s past and, in particular, Lashana Lynch (Still Star-Crossed, soon to be seen in No Time To Die) as Carol’s one-time best friend and fellow Air Force pilot Maria Rambeau, along with the impossibly adorable Akira Akbar as her precocious daughter Monica … that said, the film is frequently stolen by a quartet of ginger tabbies who perfectly capture fan-favourite Goose the “cat” (better known to comics fans as Chewie). This is about as great as the MCU standalone films get – for me it’s up there with the Russo’s Captain America films and Black Panther, perfectly pitched and SO MUCH FUN, but with a multilayered, monofilament-sharp intelligence that makes it a more cerebrally satisfying ride than most blockbusters, throwing us a slew of skilfully choreographed twists and narrative curveballs we almost never see coming, and finishing it off with a bucket-load of swaggering style and pure, raw emotional power (the film kicks right off with an incredibly touching, heartfelt tear-jerking tribute to Marvel master Stan Lee). Forget Steve Rogers – THIS is the Captain MCU fans need AND deserve, and I am SO CHUFFED they got my favourite Avenger so totally, perfectly RIGHT. I can die happy now, I guess …

3. JOHN WICK CHAPTER 3 – needless to say, those who know me should be in no doubt why THIS was at the top of my list for summer 2019 – this has EVERYTHING I love in movies and more. Keanu Reeves is back in the very best role he’s ever played, unstoppable, unbeatable, un-killable hitman John Wick, who, when we rejoin him mere moments after the end of 2017’s phenomenal Chapter 2, is in some SERIOUSLY deep shit, having been declared Incommunicado by the High Table (the all-powerful ruling elite who run this dark and deadly shadowy underworld) after circumstances forced him to gun down an enemy on the grounds of the New York Continental Hotel (the inviolable sanctuary safe-house for all denizens of the underworld), as his last remaining moments of peace tick away and he desperately tries to find somewhere safe to weather the initial storm. Needless to say the opening act of the film is ONE LONG ACTION SEQUENCE as John careers through the rain-slick streets of New York, fighting off attackers left and right with his signature brutal efficiency and unerring skill, perfectly setting up what’s to come – namely a head-spinning, exhausting parade of spectacular set pieces that each put EVERY OTHER offering in every other film this past year to shame. Returning director Chad Stahelski again proves that he’s one of the very best helmsmen around for this kind of stuff, delivering FAR beyond the call on every count as he creates a third entry to a series that continues to go from strength to strength, while Keanu once again demonstrates what a phenomenal screen action GOD he is, gliding through each scenario with poise, precision and just the right balance of brooding charm and so-very-done-with-this-shit intensity and a thoroughly enviable athletic physicality that really does put him on the same genre footing as Tom Cruise. As with the first two chapters, what plot there is is largely an afterthought, a facility to fuel the endless wave of stylish, wince-inducing, thoroughly exhilarating violent bloodshed, as John cuts another bloody swathe through the underworld searching for a way to remove the lethal bounty from his head while an Adjudicator from the High Table (Orange Is the New Black’s Asia Kate Dillon) arrives in New York to settle affairs with Winston (Ian McShane), the manager of the New York Continental, and the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne) for helping John create this mess in the first place. McShane and Fishburne are both HUGE entertainment in their fantastically nuanced large-than-life roles, effortlessly stealing each of their scenes, while the ever-brilliant Lance Reddick also makes a welcome return as Winston’s faithful right-hand Charon, the concierge of the Continental, who finally gets to show off his own hardcore action chops when trouble arrives at their doorstep, and there are plenty of franchise newcomers who make strong impressions here – Dillon is the epitome of icy imperiousness, perfectly capturing the haughty superiority you’d expect from a direct representative of the High Table, Halle Berry gets a frustratingly rare opportunity to show just how seriously badass she can be as former assassin Sofia, the manager of the Casablanca branch of the Continental and one of John’s only remaining allies, Game of Thrones’ Jerome Flynn is smarmy and entitled as her boss Berrada, and Anjelica Houston is typically classy as the Director, the ruthless head of New York’s Ruska Roma (John’s former “alma mater”, basically). The one that REALLY sticks in the memory, though, is Mark Dacascos, finally returning to the big time after frustrating years languishing in lurid straight-to-video action dreck and lowbrow TV hosting duties thanks to a BLISTERING turn as Zero, a truly brilliant semi-comic creation who routinely runs away with the film – he’s the Japanese master ninja the Adjudicator tasks with dispensing her will, a thoroughly lethal killer who may well be as skilled as our hero, but his deadliness is amusingly tempered by the fact that he’s also a total nerd who HERO WORSHIPS John Wick, adorably geeking out whenever their paths cross. Their long-gestating showdown provides a suitably magnificent climax to the action, but there’s plenty to enjoy in the meantime, as former stuntman Stahelski and co keep things interestingly fluid as they constantly change up the dynamics and add new elements, from John using kicking horses in a stable and knives torn out of display cases in a weaponry museum to dispatch foes on the fly, through Sofia’s use of attack dogs to make the Moroccan portion particularly nasty and a SPECTACULAR high octane sequence in which John fights katana-wielding assailants on speeding motorcycles, to the film’s UNDISPUTABLE highlight, an astounding fight in which John takes on Zero’s disciples (including two of the most impressive guys from The Raid movies, Cecep Arif Rahman and Yayan Ruhian) in (and through) an expansive chamber made up entirely of glass walls and floors. Altogether then, this is business as usual for a franchise that’s consistently set the bar for the genre as a whole, an intensely bruising, blissfully blood-drenched epic that cranks its action up to eleven, shot with delicious neon-drenched flair and glossy graphic novel visual excess, a consistently inspired exercise in fascinating world-building that genuinely makes you want to live among its deadly denizens (even though you probably wouldn’t live very long). The denouement sets things up for an inevitable sequel, and I’m not at all surprised – right from the first film I knew the concept had legs, and it’s just too good to quit yet. Which is just how I like it …

2. AVENGERS: ENDGAME – the stars have aligned and everything is right with the world – the second half of the ridiculously vast, epic, nerve-shredding and gut-punching MCU saga that began with 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War has FINALLY arrived and it’s JUST AS GOOD as its predecessor … maybe even a little bit better, simply by virtue of the fact that (just about) all the soul-crushing loss and upheaval of the first film is resolved here. Opening shortly after the universally cataclysmic repercussions of “the Snap”, the world at large and the surviving Avengers in particular are VERY MUCH on the back foot as they desperately search for a means to reverse the damage wrought by brutally single-minded cosmic megalomaniac Thanos and his Infinity Stone-powered gauntlet – revealing much more dumps so many spoilers it’s criminal to continue, so I’ll simply say that their immediate plan really DOESN’T work out, leaving them worse off than ever. Fast-forward five years and the universe is a very different place, mourning what it’s lost and torn apart by grief-fuelled outbursts, while our heroes in particular are in various, sometimes better, but often much worse places – Bruce Banner/the Hulk (Mark Ruffallo) has found a kind of peace that’s always eluded him before, but Thor (Chris Hemsworth) really is a MESS, while Clint Barton/Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) has gone to a VERY dark place indeed. Then Ant-Man Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) finds a way back from his forced sojourn in the Quantum Realm, and brings with him a potential solution of a very temporal nature … star directors the Russo Brothers, along with returning screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, have once again crafted a stunning cinematic masterpiece, taking what could have been a bloated, overloaded and simply RIDICULOUS narrative mess and weaving it into a compelling, rich and thoroughly rewarding ride that, despite its THREE HOURS PLUS RUNNING TIME, stays fresh and interesting from start to finish, building on the solid foundations of Infinity War while also forging new ground (narratively speaking, at least) incorporating a wonderfully fresh take on time-travel that pokes gleeful fun at the decidedly clichéd tropes inherent in this particular little sub-genre. In fact this is frequently a simply HILARIOUS film in its own right, largely pulling away from the darker tone of its predecessor by injecting a very strong vein of chaotic humour into proceedings, perfectly tempering the more dramatic turns and epic feels that inevitably crop up, particularly as the stakes continue to rise. Needless to say the entire cast get to shine throughout, particularly those veterans whose own tours of duty in the franchise are coming to a close, and as with Infinity War even the minor characters get at least a few choice moments in the spotlight, especially in the vast, operatic climax where pretty much the ENTIRE MCU cast return for the inevitable final showdown. It’s a masterful affair, handled with skill and deep, earnest respect but also enough irreverence to keep it fun, although in the end it really comes down to those big, fat, heart-crushing emotional FEELS, as we say goodbye to some favourites and see others reach crossroads in their own arcs that send them off in new, interesting directions. Seriously guys, keep a lot of tissues handy, you really will need them. If this were the very last MCU film ever, I’d say it’s a PERFECT piece to go out on – thankfully it’s not, and while it is the end of an era the franchise looks set to go on as strong as ever, safe in the knowledge that there’s plenty more cracking movies on the way so long as Kevin Feige and co continue to employ top-notch talent like this to make their films. Eleven years and twenty-two films down, then – here’s to eleven and twenty-two more, I say …

1. THE IRISHMAN (aka I HEARD YOU PAINT HOUSES) – beating smash-hit superhero movies and unstoppable assassin action-fests to the top spot is no mean feat, but so completely blowing me away that I had NO OTHER CHOICE than to put this at NUMBER ONE is something else entirely. Not only is this the best thing I saw at the cinema this past year, but I’d be happy to say it’s guaranteed to go down as one of my all-time greats of the entire decade. I’ve been an ardent fan of the filmmaking of Martin Scorsese ever since I first properly got into cinema in my early adolescence, when I was first shown Taxi Driver and was completely and irrevocably changed forever as a movie junkie. He’s a director who impresses me like a select few others, one of the true, undisputable masters of the craft, and I find it incredibly pleasing that I’m not alone in this assertion. Goodfellas and The Departed are both numbered among my all-time favourite crime movies, while I regard the latter as one of the greatest films of the current cinematic century. I’ve learned more about the art and craft of filmmaking and big-screen storytelling from watching Scorsese’s work than from any other director out there (with the notable exception of my OTHER filmmaking hero, Ridley Scott), and I continue to discover more about his films every time I watch them, so I never stop. Anyways … enough with the gushing, time to get on with talking about his latest offering, a Netflix Original true-life gangster thriller of truly epic proportions chronicling the career and times of Frank Sheeran, a Philadelphia truck driver who became the most trusted assassin of the Northeastern Pennsylvania crime family and, in particular, its boss (and Sheeran’s best friend) Russell Bufalino, particularly focusing on his rise to power within the Philly Mob and his significant association with controversial and ultimately ill-fated Teamster boss Jimmy Hoffa. It’s a sprawling epic in the tradition of Scorsese’s previously most expansive film, Casino, but in terms of scope this easily eclipses the 1995 classic, taking in SIX DECADES of genuinely world-changing events largely seen through Sheeran’s eyes, but as always the director is in total control throughout, never losing sight of the true focus – one man’s fall from grace as he loses his soul to the terrible events he takes part in. Then again, the screenplay is by Steve Zaillian (Schindler’s List, Moneyball, Fincher’s The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), one of the true masters of the art form, with whom Scorsese previously worked with on Gangs of New York, so it’s pure gold – tight as a drum, razor sharp and impossibly rich and rewarding, the perfect vehicle for the director to just prep his cast and run with it. And WHAT A CAST we have here – this is a three-way lead master-class of titanic proportions, as Scorsese-regular Robert De Niro and his Goodfellas co-star Joe Pesci are finally reteamed as, respectively, Sheeran and Bufalino, while Al Pacino gets to work with the master for the first time as Hoffa; all three are INCREDIBLE, EXTRAORDINARY, on absolute tip-top form as they bring everything they have to their roles, De Niro and Pesci underplaying magnificently while Pacino just lets rip with his full, thunderous fury in a seemingly larger-than-life turn which simply does one of history’s biggest crooks perfect justice; the supporting cast, meanwhile, is one of the strongest seen in cinema all year, with Ray Romano, Bobby Canavale, Anna Paquin, Stephen Graham, Harvey Keitel, Stephanie Kurtzuba (The Wolf of Wall Street), Jack Huston (Boardwalk Empire) and Jesse Plemmons among MANY others all making MAJOR impressions throughout, all holding their own even when up against the combined star power of the headlining trio. This is filmmaking as high art, Scorsese bringing every trick at his considerable, monumentally experienced disposal to bear to craft a crime thriller that strongly compares not only to the director’s own best but many of the genre’s own other masterpieces such as The Godfather and Chinatown. It may clock in at a potentially insane THREE HOURS AND TWENTY-NINE MINUTES but it NEVER feels overlong, every moment crafted for maximum impact with a story that unfolds so busily and with such mesmerising power it’s impossible to get bored with it. The film may have received a limited theatrical release, obviously reaching MOST of its audience when unleashed on Netflix nearly a month later, but I was one of the lucky few who got to see it on the big screen, and BELIEVE ME, it was totally worth it. Best thing I saw in 2019, ONE OF the best things I saw this past decade, and DEFINITELY one of Scorsese’s best films EVER. See it, any way you can. You won’t be disappointed.

#how to train your dragon the hidden world #terminator dark fate #doctor sleep #spider-man far from home #us #us movie #knives out #Captain Marvel #john wick chapter 3 #avengers endgame #the irishman #2019 in movies

9 notes · View notes

wasneeplus · 6 years

Text

Responding to the Alt-Right playbook, part 1

Disclaimer: I wrote this after seeing the first four minutes of the video. While watching the rest I noticed a few things I bring up are addressed later, though in such a way as to lead to even more questions. Still, I think most of it stands, and it’s still useful as a kind of stream of consciousness response, so I’ll leave it untouched.

Sometimes, in the wee hours of the morning when I just finished reading my newspaper, I will enjoy myself with a few infuriating youtube videos. Lately I’ve been quite disillusioned by the part of youtube calling itself liberal spouting nationalist propaganda at my beloved European project, so I’ve switched to some corners of the website which are friendlier to my blood pressure. That’s how I came across a video called "The Alt-Right Playbook: The Card Says Moops” by Innuendo Studios. Apparently he is somewhat of a big deal with his 150k plus subscribers, though I never heard of him. Just two minutes into the video though I knew I was going to write this response. While it didn’t make me angry the way I might have been in the past, there’s just so much wrong here, I cant bottle this up any longer.

Say, for the sake of argument, you’re online blogging about a black journalists’ commentary on marketing trends in video games, movies and comic books and you’re saying how the vitriol in response to her fairly benign opinions reveals the deep seated racism and misogyny in a number of fan communities, most especially those that lean right,...

Quite an unlikely scenario since I’m not in the business of assuming ones leanings on race, gender or politics based on their opinions on movies, games or comic books, but let’s roll with it I guess.

...When a right leaning commenter pops in to say: “Or maybe they just actually disagree with her about marketing trends! For Christs sake, there’s no mystery here. People aren’t speaking in coded language. They are telling you wat they believe. She had a bad opinion. Why do you have to make it bigger than that? Why can’t you ever take people at their word?”

Here’s where I feel validated in making this response, because while I don’t consider myself right leaning, as hard as that might be to believe for some, this is exactly the kind of response I might have given. So props to Innuendo Studios for accurately portraying an argument of one of his opponents. Unfortunately he then continues:

You pause and ponder this for a moment. Hmmm. Uh heck with it! You’re in a discoursing mood. Let’s do this! Mister conservative, in order for me to take you at your word your words would have to show some consistency. Let me just lightning-round a few questions about the reactionary web’s positions on marketing trends.

The first major problem should be obvious to anyone right about now. How is anyone supposed to answer for the “reactionary web”? Hell, I don’t even know what that’s supposed to be. The caricature in the video wears a 4chan logo on its chest, so maybe he’s referring to the /pol/ imageboard. Well, I don’t hang out there, and I’m pretty sure most of the people who would have been critical of that opinion piece don’t either. Therefore I feel justified in ignoring that particular remark and just give my own answers to these questions. After all: the people on /pol/ are clearly not the only ones he’s talking to at this point.

Do you believe that having the option to romance same sex characters in an rpg turns the game into queer propaganda...

No. On a side note though: the video at this point shows an image of the game Mass Effect. I remember when that game came out there was some controversy over the game showing sex scenes between the characters. Remember that this was but a few years sine the GTA hot coffee mod upheaval, so people where a bit more sensitive about such things. But never have I heard anyone complain about the same sex romance options. I can imagine there were a few disapproving voices but I never came across them, even though I followed the launch very closely at the time.

...or do you believe that killing strippers in an action game can’t be sexist because no one’s making you do it?

I believe it can be sexist, but I never seen an example of it actually being sexist. Not because no one makes you do it, though. It’s because the amount of strippers killed in video games pales in comparison to the amount of other people killed. I’m willing to bet that video games depict more men being killed by women than the other way around, with the vast majority being male on male killings. The fact that there’s one or two games where a man has the option to kill some female sex workers hardly seems significant in that light.

Do you believe that the pervasiveness of sexualised young women in pop culture is just there because it sells and that’s capitalism and we all need to deal with it...

Yes, for the most part. I guess one can add a few nuances here and there, but that about covers the gist of it.

...or do yo believe that a franchise has an obligation to cater to its core audience even if diversifying beyond that audience is more profitable?

Ooh boy, where do I start? Okay, first of all: those two are not mutually exclusive. I know there is this pervasive idea in some parts of western culture that people can only identify with others of the same sex, race and/or cultural background, but that’s just not true. As such it’s perfectly possible to be both diverse and give your core audience what they want. Criticism of a failure to do the second does not automatically translate to criticism of succeeding at the first. Where the two usually meet is when creators use the first as an excuse to take away from the second, either because of their own incompetence or their disinterest in the franchise they are working on.

Which brings us to our second point: while diversity does not have to hurt a franchise, too often creators are too lazy to put effort in making sure it doesn’t because they haven’t got their priorities straight. They think that covering their bases in terms of diversity is the most important thing and everything else is an afterthought. The movie Star Wars: The Last Jedi, who’s cast is partly depicted in the video at this point, is actually a perfect example of this. No one thought Finn and Rose were such interesting characters that audiences wanted to see an entire subplot devoted exclusively to them. They were clearly there just to tick some boxes, not because of a creative spark that led an artist to lovingly craft these characters. The result was perhaps the most universally despised part of the movie, at least among hardcore fans. And yeah, they do deserve a bit more consideration than any other demographic, don’t you think? They are the ones who made this into a franchise to begin with. Without them this movie wouldn’t even have been made.

Lastly: there is a reason the saying “get woke, go broke” exists. If Rose was just there to appeal to Asian markets that would be one thing. I do think there’s something to the idea that putting characters of the same race as the target audience in your movie makes them easier to market. The thing is though: it didn’t work! The movie bombed in China, and I think that’s also because of the messages the creators were trying to send. To take a timeless hero’s journey narrative like Star Wars and try to insert current events and political messages in it just can’t end well. Yet, the creators persisted, and this is reflective of a lot of the culture behind those narratives. When a political message becomes the driving force behind the creative process it’s almost certain to produce sub par results. A creator has to be extremely talented to pull this off, and lets face it: most aren’t up to the task. Instead the art devolves into soulless political propaganda, and this is what stings people who love the franchise so much. Me personally, I am a big fan of making the political personal when you want to convey a political message. We can identify with personal struggles much more than with abstract political ideas. So characters should always be the focus, even if you want to make a statement.

Do you think words are inherently harmless and only oversensitive snowflakes would care about racialised language...

Words? Yes. The ideas expressed by those words? No. That’s why intention is so important to me, and the “oversensitive snowflakes” who focus on just the words are so not helping the debate in my opinion.

...or do you think it’s racist if someone calls you mayonaise boy?

Probably, yes. Though I can’t think of any reason why someone would call me that, other than to insult me by way of my race. On the other hand, I do really like mayonaise...

And as long as I’ve got your ear: are you the party that believes in the right to keep and bear arms because you’re distrustful of all authority and what if we need to overthrow the government some day...

No, no and no. I am not a party, nor am I affiliated with any party that espouses those kinds of opinions on the possession of arms. I personally do not believe in the right to bear arms, though I’m not especially passionate about it one way or the other. I guess being Dutch means I'm not really caught up in any debate surrounding arms, since it’s a bit of a non-issue here. Also: while I think authority should always be scrutinised, I wouldn’t characterise this as distrust.

...or do you believe that cops are civil servants and we should trust their account of events whenever they shoot a black man for looking like he might have a gun.

Well, aren’t cops civil servants? I seem to remember so. Anyway, I don’t think “looking like they might have a gun” is ever a good excuse to shoot anyone, so there you have it. Do keep in mind that we send cops out on the street partly to use force in neutralising dangerous individuals, so we shouldn’t be surprised when that gets out of hand sometimes. But honestly, I am not well informed enough on this topic to know how much trust to put in any side of this issue. I think looking at this on a case by case basis is the only thing we can do.

Does optional content reveal a game’s ideology, or doesn’t it?

Not necessarily, no

Is capitalism a defence for decisions you don’t agree with, or isn’t it?

That’s a rather broad statement. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t. It depends on what you are trying to defend.

Is language harmful, or not?

If you use it to promote harmful ideas, then yes.

Do you hate authority, or love cops and the troops?

Neither, really. I don’t hate authority just for being authority, and if anything soldiers and cops invoke pity in me. I guess that comes from growing up with a PTSD ridden veteran for a father.

Well, that’s the end of the questions. One might think I wasted a lot of time going through that, because shortly afterwards he goes on to say:

Now, I know the right is not a monolith and maybe these arguments are contradictory because they’re coming from different people.

Gee, you think? However, what then follows is an excuse to lump al these people together anyway.

We’ll call them Engelbert and Charlemagne. Maybe Engelbert’s the one who thinks any institution funded by tax money is socialist and therefore bad, and Charlemagne’s the one who says we should dump even more tax money into the military and thinking otherwise is unamerican.

I happen to hold neither of those opinions. Yes, it is actually possible to completely stand behind the hypothetical statement you made in the beginning of the video, and not subscribe to typical right wing convictions like that. But I know that there are people who do, so let’s see where his is going.

But here’s the thing: y’all have have very fundamentally different beliefs and you’re so passionate bout them that you’re entering search terms into twitter to find people you don’t even follow and aggressively disagree with them...

That’s quite a lot of assumptions there mate. I don’t think this is even a remotely fair representation of your opposition. Certainly not true for me. I don’t even have a twitter account (no, I wasn’t kicked off. I never had an account there to begin with), let alone do I ever browse that website. Putting that aside though, how do you know if there’s anyone who actually does this? People can retweet things after all; maybe that’s how they find the contentious twitter users. I found your video because youtube recommended it, and I clicked on it because the title intrigued me. I didn’t set out to look for things to disagree with, despite my quips at the beginning of this piece.

...and yet you’re always yelling at me, and never yelling at each other.

Certainly not true either. I've had quite a few online arguments with alt-righters, who in my opinion differ from actual Nazi’s in only slight and insignificant ways, and fervent nationalists. Of course that’s never going to garner the kind of attention as when Sargon of Akkad sends a mean tweet to a female politician. Speaking of Carl, his vicious disagreement with the alt-right is well documented, and their hatred for him caused quite a few equally vicious attacks against him and his family. But I don’t blame you for not knowing that. The majority of both of their vitriol is still directed at the extreme left, and why shouldn’t it? I don’t think there is an extremist position so pervasive in the western media these days. Again: there is no alt-right equivalent of Star Wars: the Last Jedi, because none of those people work in Hollywood, or anywhere else of note (with the possible and unfortunate exception of the white house).

...and I can’t say how often it happens, but I know if I let Engelbert go on long enough he sometimes makes a Charlemagne argument and vise versa.

Either you’re saying that both of them contradict themselves while framing it in quite an unnecessarily suggestive way, or you’re displaying a rather tribalist mindset in which worldviews can never overlap. Either way, I don’t think the following statement is justified...

See, I don’t take you at your word because I cannot form a coherent worldview out of the things you say.

The fault might lie with you in this case I’m afraid. The reason I went over those questions in the beginning is to show that it is perfectly possible to have consistent views on all of those issues and still be counted among those who would oppose you on this one. I don’t think you really know who it is that you’re projecting all this on. You think my worldview has to have inconsistencies if I disagree with you on the nature of the discourse surrounding popular media, but you’ve yet to correctly identify any. I think the saying “truth resists simplicity” is one you should tale to heart a lot more. Case in point:

Why are you so capable of respecting disagreement between each other yet so incapable of respecting me, or, for that matter, a black woman.

While that may seem like a coherent statement at a first glance, it actually betrays an incredibly simplistic way of looking at things. You see, you’re comparing three entirely different things one can respect: the fact of genuine disagreement between two parties, you, an individual person, and any given black woman, that is: a demographic. The first has to be respected, otherwise discourse is impossible. Though it must be said that me and the alt-right probably have very little respect for each others motivations, but unlike you the alt-right doesn’t ever really ask for my respect. The second deserves respect only when earned, and the third deserves neither respect nor disparagement, because it’s an incredibly varied group of people, some of whom deserve respect and some of whom don’t.

It kinda seems like you’re playing games and I’m the opposing team, and anyone who’s against me is your ally...

That entirely depends on what we’re talking about, doesn’t it? If we’re talking about diversity in media and the issues surrounding it, I will find myself on one side of the board surrounded by people I would usually disagree with, and you would find yourself on the other side, presumably only surrounded by people who agree with you one hundred percent of the time. It seems you think it a bad thing that people can temporarily overcome their differences when faced with a common problem. That’s why some call you radical: you cannot ally with anyone who isn’t in complete lockstep with you, because they are not pure enough in their conviction. But that’s what fracturing societies are made of, so if you don’t mind I’ll stick to my methods. If that leaves you outnumbered on your side of the board it’s because you chose to champion a very unpopular opinion, and I can’t help that.

...and you’re not really taking a position, but claiming to believe in whatever would need to be true in order to score points against me.

If I did that then why even bother engaging with me? Clearly I don’t actually believe anything I say, so there’s no need to convince me otherwise. Are you sure it’s me who is supposed to have contradictory opinions? But in all seriousness, I don’t see why I would ever adopt such a strategy unless I’m either just a troll or addicted to arguments, and hey: there are people like that, but they don’t represent your entire political opposition. Get a grip.

After that we get the title drop, which, I have to admit, was really clever and amusing. I never watched Seinfeld, but maybe I should. Anyway, my free Saturday is passing me by like a speeding train, so I will continue this later.... maybe.

#innuendo studios #alt-right #chan culture #SJW

1 note · View note

nightmareonfilmstreet · 6 years

Text

Let’s Try That Again; The 10 Best Horror Movie Remakes

The horror movie remake is a polarizing topic that drives the horror community crazy. You either love remakes, or hate them. Few horror movie re-imaginings have been able to rise above their “remake” branding. Too many fans chalking their existence up to exploiting a film or franchise’s existing fandom, being made purely for profit, being rushed, or re-envisioning iconic characters to a lesser extent.

Despite not being received with open arms, there are a select few remakes that stand above the pack – converting their audiences of naysayers into rabid fans, re-invigorating the franchise they birthed from. Here are our picks for the 10 best horror movie remakes!

10. Friday the 13th (2009)

Against the advice of locals and police, Clay (Jared Padalecki) scours the eerie woods surrounding Crystal Lake for his missing sister. But the rotting cabins of an abandoned summer camp are not the only things he finds. Hockey-masked killer Jason Voorhees lies in wait for a chance to use his razor-sharp machete on Clay and the group of college students who have come to the forest to party.

Alright, I may get a lot of flack for putting this one on the list. But I really do love the Friday the 13th remake. It’s over the top, it’s got everything you want in a slasher, and there’s exactly 13 kills. While it doesn’t hold a torch to the original from 1980, this 2009 remake directed by Marcus Nispel ain’t half bad. There’s some really fun kills and a bit of back story about Jason.

9. Piranha 3D (2010)

Spring break turns gory when an underground tremor releases hundreds of prehistoric, carnivorous fish into Lake Victoria, a popular waterside resort. Local cop Julie Forester (Elisabeth Shue) must join forces with a band of unlikely strangers — though they are badly outnumbered — to destroy the ravenous creatures before everyone becomes fish food.

Piranha 3D is the perfect summer film! The original was released in 1978 and was titled simply Piranha. In 2010 we got a 3D remake that took the thriller element from the original and added way more boobs. And humor. And blood. Piranha 3D is a cheesy gore-fest. Directed by Alexandre Aja, it has an all-star cast including Richard Dreyfuss, Christopher Lloyd and Jerry O’Connell. A great flick to watch in a group while vacationing at a lake. Just make sure to maybe check there’s not another lake under that lake.. filled with ancient piranhas.

8. Quarantine (2008)

Reporter Angela (Jennifer Carpenter) and her cameraman Scott (Steve Harris) are doing a story on night-shift firefighters for a reality-TV program. A late-night distress call takes them to a Los Angeles apartment building, where the police are investigating a report of horrific screams. The TV team and emergency workers find an old woman, who suddenly attacks with teeth bared. What’s more, Angela and company find that the building has been sealed by CDC workers. Then the attacks really begin.

[REC] (2007) is a Spanish found footage film directed by Jaume Balagueró. The film is absolutely terrifying and exactly how found footage should be done. One year later came the American remake Quarantine, directed by John Erick Dowdle. Both films follow the exact same story, so there’s not a lot of surprises watching the American remake. Both films also set up for a bunch of sequels, some of which are really great. The American version stars Jennifer Carpenter in the lead role, who does a great job carrying the story. I won’t say much more because both of these films should be watched with no prior knowledge of the story. The first time I saw the ending was one of the few times I’ve screamed out loud while watching a horror film. I apologized profusely to my neighbors.

7. Evil Dead (2013)

Mia (Jane Levy), a drug addict, is determined to kick the habit. To that end, she asks her brother, David (Shiloh Fernandez), his girlfriend, Natalie (Elizabeth Blackmore) and their friends Olivia (Jessica Lucas) and Eric (Lou Taylor Pucci) to accompany her to their family’s remote forest cabin to help her through withdrawal. Eric finds a mysterious Book of the Dead at the cabin and reads aloud from it, awakening an ancient demon. All hell breaks loose when the malevolent entity possesses Mia.

Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead was originally released in 1981. A campy, low-budget film that became an instant cult classic. In 2013, Fede Alverez’s re-imagined the beloved story of Ash and his deadites, creating a darker, more sinister interpretation. One of the biggest changes, was opting for an incredible female lead played by Jan Levy. The film is deliciously dark, and only embellishes the silly, zany palate of the Evil Dead Franchise. There’s been a lot of chatter about a sequel being in the works, but nothing concrete.

6. Willard (2003)

Desperate for companionship, the repressed Willard (Crispin Glover) befriends a group of rats that inhabit his late father’s deteriorating mansion. In these furry creatures, Willard finds temporary refuge from daily abuse at the hands of his bedridden mother (Jackie Burroughs) and his father’s old partner, Frank (R. Lee Ermey). Soon it becomes clear that the brood of rodents is ready and willing to exact a vicious, deadly revenge on anyone who dares to bully their sensitive new master.

Willard was released in 1973 and the remake came years later to screens in 2003. It stars Crispin Glover in one of his best roles, and a crap tone of rats. Glen Morgan directed this awesome remake and fills it with everything you’d want in a terrifying situation about killer rats. Glover shines on-screen as a total weirdo and carries the film with perfection. If you weren’t scared of rats before, you will be after this flick ends.

5. The Grudge (2004)

Matthew Williams (William Mapother), his wife, Jennifer (Clea DuVall), and mother, Emma (Grace Zabriskie), are Americans making a new life in Tokyo. Together they move into a house that has been the site of supernatural occurrences in the past, and it isn’t long before their new home begins terrorizing the Williams family as well. The house, as it turns out, is the site of a curse that lingers in a specific place and claims the lives of anyone that comes near.

An American remake from the Japanese original Ju-On: The Grudge released in 2002. The remake, directed by Takashi Shimizu, the same person who directed the original, is terrifying. Back in the early 2000’s it was harder for North Americans to access J-horror and horror audiences were grateful for an accessible remake. Starring Sarah Michelle Geller in the lead role, she carries the story with grace. There’s so many memorable moments and jump scares. While I do recommend The Grudge, I say go crazy and watch both the original and remake one after the other. Have the pants scared off of you!

4. The Fly (1986)

When scientist Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum) completes his teleportation device, he decides to test its abilities on himself. Unbeknownst to him, a housefly slips in during the process, leading to a merger of man and insect. Initially, Brundle appears to have undergone a successful teleportation, but the fly’s cells begin to take over his body. As he becomes increasingly fly-like, Brundle’s girlfriend (Geena Davis) is horrified as the person she once loved deteriorates into a monster.

Originally released in 1958, it was a long time before The Fly remake came around in 1986. The original movie was adapted from a short story written by George Langelaan. The remake was directed by the always impressive David Cronenberg and starred Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis. Both brought insane performances to this movie which makes it such a great remake. Of course, it is Cronenberg, so…you know…don’t eat while you’re watching it.

3. Dawn of the Dead (2004)

When her husband is attacked by a zombified neighbor, Ana (Sarah Polley) manages to escape, only to realize her entire Milwaukee neighborhood has been overrun by the walking dead. After being questioned by cautious policeman Kenneth (Ving Rhames), Ana joins him and a small group that gravitates to the local shopping mall as a bastion of safety. Once they convince suspicious security guards that they are not contaminated, the group bands together to fight the undead hordes.

The original Dawn of the Dead was a fantastic, beautiful, groundbreaking film from Romero, released in 1978. The remake came in 2004, helmed by James Gunn and Zack Snyder. What stands out about this remake is how far they veer from the source material. But it works! The film boasts a strong cast featuring Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, and Jake Weber, to name a few. There’s also some heart-breaking moments and genuine scares. Oh, and zombies. Lots of those.

2. The Ring (2002)

It sounds like just another urban legend — a videotape filled with nightmarish images leads to a phone call foretelling the viewer’s death in exactly seven days. Newspaper reporter Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) is skeptical of the story until four teenagers all die mysteriously exactly one week after watching just such a tape. Allowing her investigative curiosity to get the better of her, Rachel tracks down the video and watches it. Now she has just seven days to unravel the mystery.

Another J-horror American remake. Ringu was first released in 1998 based on the book Ring by Koji Suzuki. In 2002, along came The Ring directed by Gore Verbinski. This was a huge deal for us teenagers in the early 2000’s and made us all terrified of our landlines. The Ring is beautifully shot and colored mystery. It’s a wonderfully done film. It stars Naomi Watts as the mother fighting to save herself and her child, played by David Dorfman.

1. The Thing (1982)

In remote Antarctica, a group of American research scientists are disturbed at their base camp by a helicopter shooting at a sled dog. When they take in the dog, it brutally attacks both human beings and canines in the camp and they discover that the beast can assume the shape of its victims. A resourceful helicopter pilot (Kurt Russell) and the camp doctor (Richard Dysart) lead the camp crew in a desperate, gory battle against the vicious creature before it picks them all off, one by one.

You didn’t think I’d make this list without The Thing did you? Come on! Originally titled The Thing from Another World and released in 1951, the remake was done by John Carpenter in 1982. The Thing is probably the one film everyone will agree on. It’s perfection on-screen. Giant, snowy, cold landscapes filled with unbearable tension and fear. An outstanding performance from all involved – but Kurt Russell stands out on top. Amazing practical effects and a terrifying premise, The Thing is the penultimate remake. They actually remade this again in 2011, but let’s not talk about that..

Those are our picks for the 10 Best Horror Movie Remakes! Are any of your favorites on this list? If not, let us know what your favorite horror remakes are in the comments below, or over in our Facebook Group!

The post Let’s Try That Again; The 10 Best Horror Movie Remakes appeared first on Nightmare on Film Street - Horror Movie Podcast, News and Reviews.

from WordPress https://nofspodcast.com/lets-try-that-again-the-10-best-horror-movie-remakes/ via IFTTT

#IFTTT #WordPress #horror #horror movies #nightmareonfilmstreet #nightmare on film street #horror pod

8 notes · View notes

britesparc · 3 years

Text

Weekend Top Ten #476

Top Ten Theories About Falcon, the Winter Soldier, and the Future of the MCU

The penultimate episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was amazing. Can we agree on that? I know in general the show isn’t the masterpiece WandaVision was; it doesn’t have the intricate puzzle-box structure, or that show’s desire to mess with form. It’s a show treading the same path as the Captain America movies (fittingly enough); relatively straight street-level bust-ups with a political globe-trotting bent. Bourne in tights, if you will. But even within that margin, it’s still not been tremendous; the pacing’s been a bit off, both in individual episodes and across the series as a whole. But there have been moments of greatness; the fight scenes and choreography has been mostly excellent, for a start. And the performances are great; it’s so nice to see Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan being given the space to cut loose and show what they’ve got as they move out of Chris Evans’ shadow. Wyatt Russell is superb as the tormented John Walker; and Daniel Brühl’s Zemo is already the stuff of meme legends. So, all in all, it’s pretty good, if not top tier; but the latest episode, man oh man.

One of the themes of the show has always been institutional racism (it’s right there from the start, with Sam and Rhodey’s first conversation). Bringing this issue right to the forefront, with Sam’s not-so-cosy chat with former supersoldier Isiah Bradley, the most recent episode offered a side of the MCU we’ve never really seen before. It’s so great a huge mass-market Disney property like this can allow its creators the chance to speak openly about race, to present marketable, profitable characters like Captain America as symptoms of a racist society. Bradley’s line about “they’ll never let a Black man be Captain America, and no self-respecting Black man would want to be,” is right up there with “bury me at sea, like my ancestors who leapt from the ships, because they knew death was better than bondage” in terms of things I never thought I’d hear from a Disney property. Sam’s struggle, and his acceptance of his role, was just terrific. I know it’s West Wing-style wishy-washiness, but the idea that the idea of Captain America – of America – is worth striving for and fighting for, is a glorious one; it’s what makes Hamilton so good, even though we know the reality is stained with blood like John Walker’s shield. All this plus Sam helping Bucky deal with his trauma! What a good episode.

Anyway, a bit like I did with WandaVision, here are ten thoughts about where the series could be heading as we approach the finale – and where the MCU itself might be going from here…

A Good Man: Dr. Erskine said it when Steve first took the formula; “Not a perfect soldier, but a good man.” Steve, it’s implied, is the best Super Soldier because he’s the best man. When he handed Sam the shield in Endgame, he said, “You’re a good man, Sam.” And Sam is a good man; witness how he tried to reason with Karli, how he helped his sister, how he reached out to Bucky to counsel him. The fact that he’s taking up the shield at all, despite everything Bradley said, is because someone needs to be Captain America, and that having a Black man in the role might just make things better for the next generation, even if it makes things worse for Sam. He’s just a good man, and this is going to become evident when all hell breaks loose and everyone descends on New York for the finale; you just know that he’ll be the one to make the sacrifice play, to reach out a hand to Karli or even John. And the whole world will be watching…

Heroes Without Borders: Captain America was created by the US government to fight a war; after Steve retired, they created their own new Cap in John Walker. It’s a role that’s therefore tied to the USA. But the history of the USA, even just in relation to the Super Soldier program, is downright murky. So I think Wilson’s Cap will make it very clear that he’s his own man. He’s wielding a shield that is (presumably) created in an alternate timeline, and wearing a suit built in Wakanda. He has no ties to the government, and it’ll stay that way – especially if he starts to recruit a new batch of Avengers…

The Death of the Winter Soldier…: Bucky’s arc is complete. He was captured and brainwashed, turned into a freeze-dried assassin for seventy years. After being rescued by Steve, he was healed by Shuri, but he still has decades of trauma and guilt. Teaming up with Sam, and being forced to work alongside Zemo, has mellowed him, allowed him to start forgiving himself. It looks as though, with his smiles and jokes on the boat, that he’s finally found some degree of peace. So it stands to reason that he’s going to die in the last episode. Probably defending Karli from John Walker or Batroc the Leaper or something like that.

…The Life of the White Wolf: alternatively, maybe he doesn’t die! Maybe, like he said, he’s going to bugger off to Wakanda. In that case, I think we’ll next see him as the White Wolf in Ryan Coogler’s Wakanda-set Disney+ series. Perhaps he’ll end up being an official Wakandan agent, helping to keep his adopted homeland safe.

Thunderbolts Are Go: in the comics, Zemo is associated with the team of villains-but-sometimes-not the Thunderbolts. I think that’s coming here, too; but I think it’ll be formed by Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine; after all, she was in Washington picking up Captain Americas (Captains America?). Stands to reason that she has an eye on building her own team of Avengers. Maybe Batroc could join too? And – hey! – didn’t Black Widow have a sister…?

The New Avengers: I said earlier, but I think one of Sam’s first jobs will be to reboot the Avengers. After the double-whammy of Civil War and Endgame, they’re toast; almost all their members are either dead or off the table. Let’s rule out Bucky for now; Sam’s first stop will probably be War Machine. Who’s next? Strange? Spidey? Sharon? I wonder if a simmering, recurring plot point in the next couple of movies/shows will be Sam’s attempts to rebuild the team. “Hey, Bruce; what’s your cousin Jennifer’s number?”

Brokered Power: the identity of the Power Broker is one of those no-one’s-talking-about-it-but-it’s-obviously-a-big-deal mysteries in the show. Nobody seems to care or be interested, but just who is this seemingly all-powerful string-puller in Madripoor? One thought could be that it’s Sharon Carter herself; her total about-face on the issue of heroism could be a façade to mask the decisions she’d made as the de facto crime empress. But that feels a bit too neat to me. Our new friend Valentina, perhaps? Sharon looked like she was siccing Batroc onto Karli at the Broker’s behest; is this just because the Broker wants his Serum (or revenge for Karli taking it), or does the Broker secretly have a more benign plan, and is actually trying to stop further bloodshed? My money’s on it either being someone totally new or relatively unknown, or a forgotten villain from an older MCU movie. Is it too much to hope that it turns out to be Trevor Slattery?

Agent Carter: regardless of what happens with the Power Broker, I think we really will see Sharon Carter return to the forefront of MCU heroics. She could actually fill the Black Widow slot in the Avengers, unless the plan is for Yelena to step into her sister’s big black boots (and assuming that Natasha really is dead, of course). But I think Sam’s heroics as the new Cap – plus him keeping his word – will be enough to convince her that there really was something to the heroism Aunt Peggy talked about for all those years. Maybe if the Avengers are too mainstream, she could lead a kind of “Agents of SWORD” black ops team? Maybe that’s where Bucky will end up too!

Teaming Up: and speaking of teams… does anyone else feel like we’re getting a veritable league of different super-teams in the MCU? We’ve got the Avengers and the Guardians already; once Ms. Marvel and Ironheart have taken their bow, I wouldn’t be surprised if Young Avengers reared their bumfluffed heads (maybe with a now-teenage reincarnated Tommy and Billy from WandaVision). Smart money is on Zemo and the Thunderbolts. There’s SWORD, filling the SHIELD void. They’re making a new movie about the Fantastic Four. Eternals comes out this year. At some point down the road we’ll see the X-Men. That’s a lot of different teams, and my crazy theory is this is all deliberate. At some point these teams are going to collide. Whether that’s just your typical Avengers-style team-up movie, or if this is where the whole franchise is pointing in ten years’ time, I don’t know; but it’ll be fun finding out!

Only One Captain America: so, where is Steve? Is he still around? Is he still alive? My theory is that he went home; it’s safe to assume that the Old Steve who sat on the bench in Endgame had travelled from an alternate timeline, one created by Steve returning to the 1940s to have a happy ever after with Peggy. A world where Cap was around after WWII would be very different; especially a Cap who knew about HYDRA’s plans to infiltrate the government, to say nothing of Thanos’ plan for half of everything. So it’s likely that he hasn’t just spent seventy years chilling on the veranda; I’m guessing he’s been at work. And I think he’s gone back home. Maybe his universe’s Sorcerer Supreme helped him with a bit of universe-skipping; who knows. But I just don’t think he’s around, and contrary to some suspicions, I don’t think we’ll see him in the FAWS finale. Whilst more Chris Evans is always nice, and whilst a few words of encouragement from Cap I to Cap II could be lovely, I don’t think they should detract from Sam’s moment by wheeling in his beloved predecessor. So, sorry, Steve; but I think from here on in there’s only one Captain America.

#top ten #films #tv #marvel #disney+#falcon #winter soldier #captain america #the falcon and the winter soldier

0 notes

perfectorganismpodcast · 7 years

Text

20th Century Fox Struggles To Get ALIEN Right

1983

In 1983 James Cameron was an untested filmmaker. Coming off of the Roger Corman produced Piranha 2, he hadn’t yet made Terminator. Eager to get some of his ideas off the ground, he pitched stories to Walter Hill and David Giler at 20th Century Fox. Not hearing anything of much interest, their meeting ended, with a passing mention of the possibility of a sequel to ALIEN. A huge fan of the 1979 original, Cameron was more than interested. Hill and Giler’s only idea was Ripley and soldiers. That was the premise. Cameron would then take that premise and come up with a 60 page treatment, based off ideas from an earlier an unproduced script he had written called Mother.

Another 90 page script treatment later, Cameron would then land the job of directing and writing ALIENS, the last universally loved film in the franchise. ALIENS is also considered a near perfect sequel, building on the lore of the original, while telling an entirely new story, and launching the character of Ellen Ripley into legend.

Strung Out Shape

In the intervening years since the release of ALIENS on July 18th, 1986, (when I was barely 10 years old), the saga (and its fans) have experienced only what can be described as ongoing trauma. Beginning with the much chronicled development and production of ALIEN 3 (1992), through Alien Resurrection, the two maligned Aliens vs. Predator films and now, Ridley Scott’s latest entries into the series, Prometheus (2012) and ALIEN: Covenant; the saga has yet to find its footing. The reality for the hardcore fans is complete and ongoing disunity. The Alien films have been anything but satisfying.

This lack of a widely pleasing film has the fandom surrounding the series at continual odds with each other and the studio. With Fox’s latest outing, ALIEN: Covenant, this continues to be the case. From abject love, to outright disdain, and a myriad of opinions in between, Covenant’s uneven storytelling is mirrored by its diverse fans.

If the first two ALIEN films are anything, they are a testament to the blood, sweat, tears, heart and passion of the people who wrote those original stories. Dan O’Bannon, and James Cameron were determined to tell a story they’d been carrying with them for quite some time and it’s everywhere on screen.

There’s a correlation between the unabashed success of the first two films, and the shared praise from everyone that’s seen them. Both films were stories that were birthed from a passion and drive that the series hasn’t seen since the 1980s.

1992

Since the release of the beloved and near pristine sequel, ALIENS, 20th Century Fox, the studio behind the series has been attempting, for over thirty years, to recapture that lightning in a bottle. For thirty-plus years, they’ve been unsuccessful. Film after film after film has been made, continuing that downward spiral from the golden originals. Each film that releases becomes a shining example of how to get ALIEN wrong, or mostly wrong, or, sort of wrong, or kind of right, and then all wrong. Fox has been unable to find that perfect balance between a new direction, carrying on the legacy, and producing a film that’s as intelligent, respectful of its audience, and bombastic as the now, almost mythical original films.

Alien 3 began as a way to follow up the success of the first two. During the planning and now famed pre-production and production for the film, the story would go through a series of writers before becoming the amalgamation it is. Fox wanted to continue the series, and the profits. With or without Ripley, they were bent on achieving that goal. They didn’t achieve that goal. Alien 3, now looked upon in reverence and respect, was outright rejected by audiences and fans.

I Can See Where This Is Going

20th Century Fox has, for decades, relied upon a series of pitched ideas to find the next Alien film to release. In 1997, they decided that Ripley was worth bringing back, so they literally, and humorously brought her back from the grave [just to do nothing the entirety of the film]. Excited by the prospect, Joss Whedon was hired to write an original script that was universally panned by the fans and audiences everywhere. Before its release, Time Magazine ran a piece about the film. The executives in charge Fox at the time were so excited and confident that they had a hit on their hands, they pulled out the stops.

Alien Resurrection flopped catastrophically, bringing in a paltry 29 million dollars over the four day Thanksgiving weekend. The door had been shut, again. Two Alien vs. Predator films, and two prequels later, we find ourselves in a similar situation. Hoping for a juggernaut release, and high profits, ALIEN: Covenant was released to intense pomp and circumstance, only to fizzle out, earning a mere 4 million dollars after it’s third weekend in release.

Alien: Covenant is the third entry for original film director, Ridley Scott. Covenant marks Scott’s second attempt at telling the story he wants to tell, based on ideas he’s come up with and carried, since the original released in 1979. Covenant also continues this recipe that Fox has used to make sequels and prequels…come up with some ideas, and turn them into a script, and then give that script to several people to flesh out and smooth over.

It hasn’t worked out well for Fox. Despite there being some worthwhile sequences found in Covenant, the picture is the product of a director who has been quoted over the years as saying that the creature itself is played out. This disinterest in the beast was on full display in Covenant. It’s treatment seemed inconsequential, and lacking the mystery and reverence of the first three films. Fox also decided that showing the potential audience every bit of mystery from Covenant in trailers and advance footage screenings was something that would turn into profits.

Presumably learning from Prometheus, Ridley’s last outing in the Alien universe, Fox assured everyone that what they would see was in fact an Alien film. The title would now feature the term ALIEN, and nearly every promotional ad would feature the beast. Nothing would be left to mystery. Nothing. Fox has learned nothing. A film series shrouded in mystery, during it’s golden years has now lost any mystery. The marketing department assured everyone of that.

A Goddamned Percentage

What’s been missing from the ALIEN films has been an impassioned heart. For 14 years, it’s heart and soul circled it’s lead, Ripley. Despite the development hell of ALIEN 3, Ripley’s story arc pushed the film to be the final and reverent lament to her journey, culminating in the character’s death.

Without someone involved in the story conversations, someone with a passion and a fire to get their story on film, each subsequent Alien sequel or prequel will fail. The recipe for success in the beginning began with blossoming filmmakers who had to work and pine to get their scripts sold and eventually made. ALIENS, despite containing an element that was pitched by original producers Walter Hill and David Giler, had the fire and commitment of a filmmaker who fought for his vision.

In direct contrast, every film since has featured a set of ideas, strung together, with the thinnest of string, hoping for a hit. Along the way, those ideas have stripped the sacred cows like the Space Jockey and the alien itself of any mystery they had, and dumping them into every aspect of the marketing for the film.

The next ALIEN film, if there will be one, has to take ten steps back into the shadows, giving attention to every tiny detail, keeping continuity in step with the legacy that’s come before it. The only way to ensure that is by taking a risk, and giving creative control over to someone that has a story to tell. Someone fighting to manifest their vision.

ALIEN has to find its heart, and pivot around it. Executive story meetings, and handful of hired writers won’t fix what’s wrong. Only passion can do that.

Behind the scenes in the Alien films is ‘The Company’, dead set on profiting off an alien creature. They meddle and they meddle, and they continue to fail.

The irony is not lost.

#alien #james cameron #ridley scott #alien covenant #20th centery fox

4 notes · View notes

themovieblogonline · 1 month

Text

Batman in James Gunn's DCU: 5 Actors Who Could Deliver a Big Win

As the DC Universe embarks on a bold new chapter under the leadership of James Gunn and DC Studios, fans are eager to see how the beloved characters will be reimagined. Gunn announced that the first chapter of this new era, titled "Gods and Monsters," will feature several exciting projects. One of the most anticipated is Batman: Brave and the Bold, which promises to introduce a fresh take on the Dark Knight, complete with the inclusion of his son, Damien Wayne. This means the DCU is on the hunt for a new Batman, much like how David Corenswet was recently cast as the new Clark Kent in Superman (2025). Casting Batman is a daunting task. The character of Batman has been one of the most profitable IPs for DC. Getting the right actor could be a game-changer for James Gunn's DCU. Nevertheless, five actors could bring something extraordinary to the role. 5. Jamie Dornan Known For: Fifty Shades of Grey, The Fall, Belfast Jamie Dornan might not be a household name, but that's precisely what makes him an intriguing candidate for Batman. Dornan's lack of mainstream baggage allows him to step into the role with a clean slate, giving fans the opportunity to see him embody the Dark Knight without preconceived notions. Dornan has proven his acting chops in a range of roles, from the dark and brooding serial killer in The Fall to the charming and complex character in Belfast. With his talent, Dornan could convincingly bring the duality of Bruce Wayne and Batman to life in a way that feels fresh and unexpected. 4. Tom Ellis Known For: Lucifer, Rush, Miranda Tom Ellis has the talent and good looks to pull off a Batman who is as charming and witty as he is dark and brooding. Standing at 6'3", Ellis has the physicality to embody the imposing presence of the Dark Knight. His experience playing Lucifer, a character who seamlessly blends humor with drama, suggests he could bring a similarly nuanced performance to Bruce Wayne. Additionally, Ellis is at the right age to portray a Batman who has a son, fitting perfectly into the narrative of Brave and the Bold. His ability to balance light and dark elements would make his Batman both relatable and formidable. 3. Michael Fassbender Known For: X-Men: First Class, 12 Years a Slave, Steve Jobs Michael Fassbender would bring a dignified and serious presence to the DCU, perfectly aligning with the gravitas that Batman requires. Fassbender is no stranger to comic book films, having played the complex and intense Magneto in the X-Men franchise. His physicality and acting prowess make him a compelling choice for a more mature and battle-hardened Batman. Fassbender's ability to convey deep, internal conflict would be ideal for a character as tortured as Bruce Wayne, particularly in a storyline that involves his relationship with his son, Damien Wayne. 2. Jensen Ackles Known For: Supernatural, The Boys, Batman: The Long Halloween (voice) Jensen Ackles has long been a fan favorite for comic book roles. His turn as the voice of Batman in multiple animated films has only heightened that enthusiasm. Ackles possesses the rugged good looks and charisma needed to portray the Dark Knight. His extensive experience in genre television shows that he can handle the physical demands of the role. Although fans once hoped to see him as Red Hood, Ackles has aged into the perfect candidate for Batman, particularly a version who is a father. His deep connection to the character through voice work could translate seamlessly into a live-action performance. 1. Jake Gyllenhaal Known For: Nightcrawler, Southpaw, Prisoners Jake Gyllenhaal is arguably the most gifted actor on this list. He has the acting range that makes him an ideal choice for Batman Brave and the Bold. Gyllenhaal has already demonstrated his ability to tap into the darkness and intensity required for the role, particularly in his chilling performance in Nightcrawler. He can also bring a physicality to the part, as seen in Southpaw, where he transformed his body into that of a professional boxer. Gyllenhaal was once a runner-up for the role of Batman in Christopher Nolan's franchise, and it's easy to see why. It certainly is a positive that Gyllenhaal would feel honored to play Batman. His ability to blend intensity, vulnerability, and physicality makes him the total package—a Batman for the ages. Be sure to follow E-Man’s Movie Reviews on Facebook, Subscribe on YouTube, or follow me on Twitter/IG @EmansReviews for even more movie news and reviews!

0 notes

jillmckenzie1 · 4 years

Text

Be Excellent To Each Other

Bill & Ted Face the Music is streaming on Prime

Let’s talk about trilogies. Specifically, how unbelievably hard they are to pull off. It’s difficult enough to pull off a good movie, considering you need a strong script, solid direction, and competent actors. To pull off a decent sequel, you need to build on the world you first established and go in a new direction yet one that’s not so new it undoes the first film. To do all of that, and add a third film wrapping up everything? It’s easier to climb up Mount Everest blindfolded and naked.

Even the most prestigious and profitable franchises have trouble with this. Consider that:

All three Star Wars trilogies have problematic entries. Return of the Jedi is only two-thirds of a good movie, Attack of the Clones is a nightmare, and The Rise of Skywalker stinks up the joint like bad sushi.

The MCU has the hastily tacked together Iron Man 2, along with the barely there Thor: The Dark World.

The Matrix is a flat-out science fiction classic. The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions lurch between ponderous speeches and not quite as cool as they should be action sequences.*

The Godfather and The Godfather: Part II are literally two of the greatest films ever made. The Godfather: Part III isn’t.

Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins finally makes Bruce Wayne a compelling character, while The Dark Knight gave audiences a terrifying Joker and a hero breaking his own moral code. The Dark Knight Rises, on the other hand, takes big swings and has big misses. Also, a bad guy that sounds like Sean Connery locked in a bathysphere.

Years of merciless bludgeoning at the hands of greedy, incompetent, or misguided filmmakers has taught us that the third entries of a series usually blows chunks. When a film comes out that defies the odds…well, it can be a little breathtaking. The insane part isn’t just that Bill & Ted Face the Music is a trilogy-capper made with intelligence and deep silliness. No, the insane part is that it’s the end of a trilogy that gets better with every entry. This trilogy never drops in quality.

To bring you up to speed, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure concerns Bill S. Preston, Esquire (Alex Winter), and Ted “Theodore” Logan (Keanu Reeves) a pair of high-school himbos living in San Dimas, California. To pass a critical history test, they get their hands on a time-traveling phone booth, gain a futuristic mentor in Rufus (George Carlin) and meet a wide variety of historical personages. A few years pass, and in Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, the guys are killed by their evil robot duplicates, sent to Hell, befriend Death (William Sadler), and learn their true destiny; to write a song capable of uniting humanity.

So much for that. Years have passed, and the guys have failed to write The Greatest Song In The History of The World. Their fame has flagged, and they’re reduced to playing weddings. Their marriages to the princesses Joanna (Jayma Mays) and Elizabeth (Erinn Hayes) are also in bad shape. An amusing scene in marriage counseling shows us that Ted & Bill** need to be together constantly, even during therapy.

There’s good news and bad news, though. The good news is that, somehow, the guys managed to procreate. They’re the proud papas to Billie (Brigette Lundy-Paine) and Thea (Samara Weaving). The bad news is that since Bill & Ted’s band Wyld Stallyns failed repeatedly in writing The Song, reality itself is beginning to collapse. Kelly (Kristin Schaal) is the daughter of Rufus, and she arrives from the future to tell them that now would be a good time to get in gear and write The Song.

Only…it’s hard. Really, really hard. So hard that Bill & Ted come up with another idea. They’ll “borrow” the time machine, travel to the future, and “borrow” The Song from their future selves. It should be simple. Only it’s not. There’s the part where they learn that their future selves live increasingly miserable lives. And the part where Billie and Thea “borrow” another time machine to put together a supergroup of the greatest musicians in history to help their dads, but run into a little snag. And the part where the princesses “borrow” a time machine and learn their futures with Bill & Ted might not be most triumphant. And the part where Bill & Ted are being hunted by Dennis Caleb McCoy (Anthony Carrigan), a murderous robot that really just needs friends.

Bill & Ted Face the Music never leans hard into nostalgia. It never feels like a cheap cash grab. Instead, it’s like getting snuggles from a dopey Golden Retriever. The dog might not know his name or what the word “sit” even means, but he’s a sweetheart who’s all about wanting to show you how much he loves you.

Each of the three films in the Bill & Ted trilogy was helmed by a different director.*** Of the three of them, Face the Music’s Dean Parisot has made the most polished installment. As the director of the second-best Star Trek movie of all time, Galaxy Quest, Parisot has the skill to make this kind of tomfoolery look good. While the pacing drags just a little in the first half-hour, once the film gets going, it moves at a breakneck pace.

You have to be very smart to write characters that are this kind of dumb. Screenwriters Ed Solomon and Chris Matheson are, and as the writers of all three films, they know exactly when to go up to the line. Their script is gloriously silly. Multiple characters travel through numerous timelines at the same time, but Matheson and Solomon always make sure we know what’s happening and when. Better yet, the script is infused with infectious optimism. The idea that friendship and a kickass song can save the world never feels cheesy. Instead, it feels right. Along with that blast of hope, there’s a blast of self-awareness in this script. Bill & Ted are two guys told over and over in the first two films that they were special, beautiful and unique snowflakes. In Face the Music, they have to reckon with the fact that their life plan didn’t work out. Instead of doubling down and trying harder, we see their perspective shift. They grow and change. That’s what good writing is all about.

With 29 years between installments, you can be forgiven for wondering if Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves can smoothly step back into these iconic roles. A great deal has changed for them. Reeves has become the greatest action star in American movies, while Winter has made a number of outstanding documentaries. Winter’s return is a little smoother as Bill, and he’s just as goofily charming as ever. Reeves is a bit stiff as Ted, but he’s just as game as ever to get ridiculous. Perhaps my favorite performances were Samara Weaving and Brigette Lundy-Paine as Thea and Billie. They go beyond imitating Reeves and Winter and are an effective comic duo in their own right. Speaking of which, William Sadler returns (and very nearly steals the show again) as Death. Sadler has such a willingness to do absolutely anything to make us laugh. He’s so good at comedy that I wish he’d do more of it. Kid Cudi plays himself, and his comic timing is precise and perfect. There’s not a false note in this cast and everyone shows up to play.

As much as I love the film, it’s not perfect. It takes some time to really get into the groove, and it’s hampered by some problematic pacing. Speaking of problematic, let’s talk about the character of Grom. She’s a cavewoman, and she’s played by Patty Anne Miller, a wildly talented drummer who’s worked with Beyoncé and CeeLo Green. Someone with the chops that Miller has should absolutely be celebrated. The film choosing a superband with a majority of POC (Jimi Hendrix, Louis Armstrong, Ling Lun, and Mozart, along with Grom.) is cool. But having a Black woman play that particular role, a cavewoman? Eh…not a good look. Swap her out for someone like either Sylvia Robinson or Sister Rosetta Tharp, and you have something excellent.

Bill & Ted Face the Music is more than a skillful way to close out a beloved franchise that doesn’t quite get the respect it deserves. It’s a guitar riff of delightful, positive energy that had me smiling for nearly the entire run time. While there’s a lot to be cranky about these days, Bill & Ted reminds us that we can face the future with a cheerful grin.

*Though the freeway chase in Reloaded is genuinely cool.

**Isn’t it jarring to read it like that?

***Stephen Herek directed the first film and went on to a long and steady career as a journeyman director. Peter Hewitt directed the second film and immersed himself in family films, for the most part.

The post Be Excellent To Each Other first appeared on The Denver Guide.

from Blog https://ondenver.com/be-excellent-to-each-other/

0 notes

aion-rsa · 4 years

Text

The Man Who Produced Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan – Then Walked Away

https://ift.tt/3h720SV

To borrow a phrase, when it came to Star Trek circa 1980-1981, “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

On the one hand, the arrival of Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979 had proven that audiences would show up for the big screen adaptation of a cult TV series that had gone off the air a decade earlier. The millions of fans who had never even seen the show in its original 1966-1969 run on NBC, but had caught it in syndication, were clearly hungry for more adventures with the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise.

On the other hand, the negative critical response to that film and the incredible expense incurred in bringing it to the screen — its $44 million budget was the highest for a film made in the U.S. up to that time — had franchise owner Paramount Pictures rethinking its approach. With ST: TMP eking out a profit but on a somewhat tight margin, could additional movies be made on a more reasonable budget?

The answer to that question, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, is still considered the gold standard of the Trek movie series some 38 years after it premiered in June 1982. A sequel to the 1967 original series episode “Space Seed,” it dealt with the return of Khan (Ricardo Montalban), a genetically enhanced superman from the 20th century who has a score to settle with Captain Kirk (William Shatner). The movie had Kirk and the crew grappling with issues of aging, memory, and grief, all while fighting to stay alive and keep a deadly new weapon out of Khan’s hands.

To develop the sequel, Paramount effectively sidelined Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, who had produced the first film and who had battled with the studio since the days of the TV show, and brought in veteran TV producer Harve Bennett. His mission was simple: to turn out a Star Trek sequel that was exciting and perhaps featured a bit more of the flavor of the series — instead of the cerebral, more esoteric exercise that ST: TMP turned out to be — all at a fraction of the first film’s cost.

Bennett and writer Jack Sowards worked on the story and initial drafts of the script, but since Bennett was also overseeing other projects at the same time, he needed someone on Star Trek II to act as the line producer — the person who would oversee all the myriad details of the production from prepping to post, and would also be the producer on the floor during the shoot.

He selected Robert Sallin, an old friend whom he had attended UCLA with. Sallin had successfully started his own company in which he produced and directed scores of commercials — but he had not worked on a major motion picture prior to this.

“Harve called me and said, ‘Hey, I got all these things to do. Do you want to produce Star Trek?’” recalls Sallin on the phone with Den of Geek. “I said, ‘Yes, why not?’ It was perfect timing. I just turned a key in my company, just walked away even though I had a building on Sunset and all kinds of stuff, and I went over to do this. I’m grateful that’s how he and I came together on that project.”

Robert Sallin and the Genesis Device from Star Trek II (courtesy of Robert Sallin)

Sallin says that he and Bennett went “back to school” on Trek and learned the series — including the “restrictions” placed upon them by elements already established in the canon — in order to figure out the way forward. He also says that there were clearly mistakes made on Star Trek: The Motion Picture that would need to be rectified: “Most fundamentally — and this is a problem I have even today with a lot of science fiction — where was the humanity?” he says now about the Robert Wise-directed epic. “I want to tell a story that relates to human beings no matter where they are. I want to know about the human condition rather than a lot of mysticism.”

To tell that story, Sallin remembers sitting in a lot of meetings with Bennett and an ever-changing cast of writers who each gave their own pitches on the script — including one from Star Trek: The Original Series writer Samuel A. Peeples in which he replaced Khan completely with two powerful aliens named Sojin and Moray. “The stories, to be candid, they were just terrible,” says Sallin. “As the days went on, my concerns grew exponentially because it was not what I had hoped we would be doing.”

Even as the script was going through its contortions, Sallin was also tasked with finding a director for the film. “What I found in approaching people, number one, I think the biggest number of rejections came from the fact that they didn’t want to do Star Trek based on what they had seen from the first picture,” he tells us now while confirming that he had canvassed a vast number of filmmakers. “Number two, they didn’t want to do a sequel of any kind. Number three, they didn’t want to do science fiction. Number four, they weren’t available. I was astonished and I was looking at a number of directors.”

Among the 30 or 40 candidates he approached were a young Ron Howard (Cocoon) as well as several British directors — a safeguard against a looming Director’s Guild strike. One of those directors was Hugh Hudson, then making his feature debut with Chariots of Fire. “I had just been to a Directors Guild screening,” Sallin recalls. “I was telling the executives at Paramount and Harve, ‘This is so well done. It’s such a great story. A guy who knows how to do this, to tell this kind of story, would bring a whole new dimension to our Star Trek.’”

Sallin arranged a screening of Chariots for the Paramount execs. “The lights come on and everybody looks at me like I had stepped in something,” he recounts. “They looked at me like I was crazy…I wandered off after that screening shaking my head, thinking to myself, ‘I may be in the wrong business.’ They didn’t think that Hugh Hudson was good enough to direct Star Trek.” (Chariots of Fire won the 1981 Oscar for Best Picture.)

Sallin admits he was getting “more and more nervous” as the search for a director dragged on, until his assistant Deborah Arakelian suggested Nicholas Meyer, an acclaimed screenwriter and novelist who had directed his first film, Time After Time, in 1979. “I went over to see (Meyer) by myself,” says the producer. “We had a chat. I said, ‘Nick, what this is, is an opera in space with real people that we have to care about. We have to talk about the real human issues in addition to a really intriguing story that’s consistent with Star Trek and the canon.’”

Sallin remembers that Meyer got the concept for the film right away, which led to a second meeting, this time with Bennett participating as well.

“When we finished the meeting, as we’re walking out to our car, Harve turned to me and said, ‘He’s going to be trouble.’ I said, ‘What are you talking about?’ He said, ‘He’s going to be trouble.’ I didn’t understand at the time. Nick wasn’t really trouble, but Nick has a very strong persona and sense of self.”

Meyer came on board to direct and — in a now famous story — took the still-troubled script and did an uncredited rewrite on it in just 12 days. “His uncredited and unpaid rewrite that he did in 12 days is what saved this whole franchise,” marvels Sallin. “That was the key.”

Nevertheless, despite his success in finally pinning down the script for Star Trek II, Meyer quickly found himself in a quagmire once cameras began rolling.

Star Trek: The Original Series Needs A Real Origin Story

By Ryan Britt

Movies

The Wrath of Khan Producer Hints at New Potential Star Trek Movie

By Don Kaye

“When we finished the first three days of shooting, we were a week behind schedule,” says Sallin. “I have to confess I panicked because this was so contrary to everything I’ve ever done or experienced. That’s just not the way I do things. When I’m directing, I’m on budget and I’m on time.”

Sallin admits that the idea of replacing Meyer crossed his mind.

“I called Harve first,” he recalls. “I said, ‘Harve, this is what’s going on. My instinct is I think we got to replace this guy.’ He said, ‘You do whatever you think.’ That wasn’t terribly helpful. I can’t remember who else I went to, but they said, ‘Do whatever you have to do.’ So I went to management and explained what was going on. They said, ‘We can’t fire him because then no one would want to work at Paramount.’ I said, ‘Fellas, it’s your money and if that’s what you want, I’m there’…Fortunately, Nick got his act together and went on.”

Sallin is quick to add that he has “nothing but respect for (Meyer) in terms of his talent,” and in fact Meyer himself described Sallin as “an enormously intelligent and tasteful guy” when asked who the “unsung heroes” of Star Trek II were in a 2017 interview. “Oh, that was very gracious of him,” says Sallin with sincerity. “That’s very gracious. I was the guy behind the curtain.”

Of course, Sallin had to navigate other larger-than-life personalities on the movie, including stars Shatner, Leonard Nimoy (Spock), and Montalban, but he insists that all three, as well as the rest of the regular and guest cast, were a pleasure through and through. “Working with everybody once they were all on board was really a delight,” he says. “I didn’t have one cross word with any of the cast. Bill was in a good mood once he came on board, Leonard was in a good mood, they’re constantly professionals, they were fine actors, and they know those roles better than anybody.”

As for the legendary Montalban, Sallin recollects, “It’s what any director dreams that an actor will be. He understood the character, he knew the place that character had in the structure of the story, he had all the skills and the talent, he had all the experience, and he was a gentleman to boot. I would sit with him between takes for days while he was there. He was just an absolute and total joy.”

Sallin also details an incident that occurred with the late James Doohan, who played the Enterprise’s beloved chief engineer Montgomery Scott.

“This idea of Spock dying was of course supposed to be a gigantic secret, which ultimately it did not become,” he explains. “I got a call from a certain member of management at Paramount saying, ‘We just heard that Scotty told somebody about Spock dying. We want him up here and we want to have a talk with him. We’re really going to chew his ass out.’”

But Sallin asked Paramount to dial it down — and for good reason. “I walked in the office and I said, ‘Look, fellas, you’ve got to understand something — he just had a heart attack,’” he says. “You’ve got to go easy on him if you want him in this picture because if you get him upset, we’re going to lose him.’ We did have the meeting, I brought (Doohan) up, but they were very kind and gentle with him about it.”

The death of Spock at the end of the movie — which was a major incentive to lure Leonard Nimoy back to the series after he initially refused to return — was indeed supposed to be a secret. Theories persist to this day that Gene Roddenberry himself leaked the ending to fandom as a way to sabotage the film after he had been removed from it by Paramount (Sallin says he had “minimal interaction” with the Star Trek creator during production). However the information got out, it caused major shock waves among Star Trek fans — and this was years before we had anything like the Internet to spread movie news.

Sallin says he did get “death threats” over the Spock news (not much has changed in 38 years, apparently, internet or not) and Paramount was so concerned over the blowback that it was determined that the movie had to end on a more hopeful note. “It was decided that we would create a little something at the end that was somewhat ambivalent, that left the door open to bring him back,” he says, noting that Nicholas Meyer “hated the idea.”

As fans know, a shot was inserted in which Spock’s coffin is seen resting on the newly created Genesis Planet, with the implication that the life-generating matrix which created the world may well have the same effect on the deceased Vulcan. It was Sallin who created and directed the shot.

“I went back to my old commercial days,” he elaborates. “I storyboarded this whole end sequence. I did a lot of it like a commercial…We shot it in (San Francisco’s) Golden Gate Park. We even added plants to make it look a little bit more exotic in terms of the foliage. I shot it and brought it back. Then my editor, Bill Dornisch, who used to be on staff with me at my commercial company, cut it, and he said, ‘Do you know how long that last shot you just did is?’ I go, ‘No.’ He said, ‘It’s 60 seconds.’ I said, ‘God, I can’t break my habits. I’m built to do everything in 30 or 60 seconds.’”

Spock’s death scene — even with the addition at the end — was a tremendously moving finale to what turned out to be an outstanding sci-fi adventure. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan opened on June 4, 1982 and almost immediately erased the lingering unease left behind by ST: TMP with its exciting story, renewed emphasis on the relationships between the characters, the triumphant return of Khan, and the emotional rollercoaster of its closing scenes.

Although its $97 million worldwide take at the box office was less than that of its predecessor, its $12 million budget ensured that the film was far more profitable, paving the way for a third movie and beyond. But Sallin himself did not return, deciding to walk away even though Paramount was interested in having him stay on as producer.

“I said, ‘What about Harve?’” explains Sallin now. “They said, ‘We want him doing television.’” Paramount’s reasoning was that Harve Bennett, who had brought Sallin onto Star Trek, was more lucrative to them as a television producer, and while Star Trek II was produced by the studio’s TV division, the next movie was going to be shifted back to the feature film department.

Courtesy of Robert Sallin

“My dilemma was, do I want to stay on and do this, and cut the legs off from the guy who brought me into the project?” says Sallin. “Despite the fact that Harve and I had some serious fallings out during the course of the production, particularly towards the end, I could have taken it, and he would have gotten bounced. I went to sleep that night, I came back the next morning, and I said, ‘I can’t do it’…I just couldn’t bring myself to do that no matter how angry I was with him.” (Bennett, who produced three more Trek movies, passed away in 2015.)

Sallin says that he has not kept up with the franchise since his exit (“I think I watched part of the third one…I was so appalled that I couldn’t go on with it. I thought it was an ugly looking picture”) but affirms that working on Star Trek II was “gratifying on so many levels.” And although he went into semi-retirement for a number of years, Sallin says that he’s recently been developing several new projects and even has his own idea for a new Star Trek movie.

Perhaps most importantly, his role in bringing Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan to the screen — which truly did save the franchise and set it on a brand new course of success that lasts to this day on film and TV — helped Sallin understand just how important the original show and its message was and is to generations of devoted fans. “I had no idea when I came on board to do Star Trek what a profoundly important experience it is for so many people, how meaningful it is for so many people, and how the message resonates with so many people,” he says with wonder. “That was an eye opener for me.”

The post The Man Who Produced Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan – Then Walked Away appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/2OzLkas

#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

0 notes

garyh2628 · 6 years

Text

Chairman and Managing Operational CEO (Global Legal Authority Quasi-Judicial)

(Finance, planning, industry and foreign trade portfolios) Private

Head of Human Resources Finance and People and Global Head of Corporate Responsibility

Investments/Contracts/Superior/Technically Competent and Right-Hand Men

NGO - (Finance, planning, industry and foreign trade portfolios) Private

To my Pharma Hubs, Technology Hubs, Social Creative/Personal Hub, My Private Hubs, My Financial Hubs and my Health and Wellbeing/Scientific Hubs, Legal and Innovation Hubs, Hinterland Hub and to my Eastern Caribbean Hub, Linguistic/Psychology Hub, to my beloved additions and to my Institutions and Partners and Team, Pool of Potential Personal Assistants and Private Secretaries and Business Managers and also to my Fitness Hub which is an extension of my Health and Wellbeing Hub and not to forget my beloved Brooklyn Hub and my Wine/Adviser Hub, Influential Legal Cashier, Strategic Partnerships, STATEMENT OF INTENT, MY WEALTH FUND AND PERSONAL ATTORNEY and PROPERTY EXPERT GUY and THE ATTACHMENT AND MY PERSONAL BOARDROOM AND MY CHIEF STRATEGY AND INNOVATION OFFICER.

All Options remain on the Table applying the finishing touches to our Genius and my Genius and the Network and this Global Structure Genius. DRAFT

We in the Statement of Intent and attachment should learn to look at our country with the eyes of the entrepreneur, seeing possibilities where others see only problems. That way, instead of the unemployed, we'd see a resource of potential workers waiting to add their labours, their ingenuity, their creativity to an expanding marketplace. And instead of ghettos, we'd see potential enterprise zones, where increased incentives to work and invest could produce a renaissance of business activity and community involvement.

The man who produces a good full crop will scarcely ever let any part of it go to waste. He will keep up the enclosure about it, and allow neither man nor beast to trespass upon it. He will gather it in due season and store it in perfect security. Thus he labours with satisfaction, and saves himself the whole fruit of his labour. The other, starting with no purpose for a full crop, labours less, and with less satisfaction; allows his fences to fall, and cattle to trespass; gathers not in due season, or not at all. Thus the labour he has performed, is wasted away, little by little, till in the end, he derives scarcely anything from it.

I believe, however, ingenious men will, if they have not already, overcome the difficulty I have suggested. But there is still another, about which I am less sanguine. It is the supply of fuel, and especially of water, to make steam. Such supply is clearly practicable, but can the expense of it be borne? Steamboats live upon the water, and find their fuel at stated places. Steam mills, and other stationary steam machinery, have their stationary supplies of fuel and water. Railroad locomotives have their regular wood and water station. But the steam plow is less fortunate. It does not live upon the water; and if it be once at a water station, it will work away from it, and when it gets away can not return, without leaving its work, at a great expense of its time and strength. It will occur that a wagon and horse team might be employed to supply it with fuel and water; but this, too, is expensive; and the question recurs, "can the expense be borne?" When this is added to all other expenses, will not the plowing cost more than in the old way?

It is to be hoped that the steam plow will be finally successful, and if it shall be, "thorough cultivation" -- putting the soil to the top of its capacity -- producing the largest crop possible from a given quantity of ground -- will be most favourable to it. Doing a large amount of work upon a small quantity of ground, it will be, as nearly as possible, stationary while working, and as free as possible from locomotion; thus expending its strength as much as possible upon its work, and as little as possible in travelling. Our thanks, and something more substantial than thanks, are due to every man engaged in the effort to produce a successful steam plow. Even the unsuccessful will bring something to light, which, in the hands of others, will contribute to the final success. I have not pointed out difficulties, in order to discourage, but in order that being seen, they may be the more readily overcome.

Our challenge in in the weeks ahead is to build on the momentum of progress, to carry the economic expansion forward so that its opportunities and benefits touch every stakeholder. Let's make these few weeks count. Let's use our economy, this Network tremendous engine of prosperity, to break down the barriers and obstacles on the road to achievement and the delivery of the particulars to myself.

Our goal must be an open society in which hope is nourished and effort rewarded, where the promise of tomorrow is found in opportunity today. The entrepreneurial genius of the Statement of Intent and in every Strategic Region will see Intellect transformed a continent covered by wilderness into the leading industrial power in the world today.

This week my Personal Attorney, my Strategic Partners, Statement of Intent, my CEO Council, My Intellectual Adviser and my Influential Investors Council and my Global Wealth Fund and this Economic Economy of companies and team and the Global OLC fought off takeover bid by those of that order (Sympathisers of Mediocrity) in those regions were HQ1 and HQ1 will be and in the Statement of Intent and within the Eastern Caribbean Regions and also in my Private Hubs and my Social Creative hub. I'm delighted that the Suite of Upstream Programs and Initiatives managed to old there own and we won. It was a clean sweep and we continue to rebuff those of that order. We unnerved team and that a good thing. This Network and this Global Structure and the suite of Companies and Corporations and Institutions and Partnerships and franchises that I own will not be used to prop up anyone desire for prestige and all of the particulars will be delivered to me personally for perusal and approval and follow the processes tat will be developed by me to my Offices of Signature and Stamp and Approval and further to my Personal Boardroom. Fighting for control is a fool game.

This Network and this Global Structure, my Strategic Partnership, Statement of Intent, Private Hubs and all of the other hubs and the different regions in which we will be present has endured some tumultuous times since setting the local hub in order to get the particulars to myself. The past seven days were no exception. This Network and Global Structure and Team and this Economic Community of Companies and those that I own is known for being the most profitable and I am known for strong convictions and bold bets. I'm delighted to report a series of highly concentrated and contrarian stakes in small companies and Strategic Partnerships and Statement of Intent have not backfired, and investors have taken notice of those great results and are committing more of their Intellectual Capacity in getting this delivered to me personally and in getting all of the Global Portfolio both Private and Public to myself. What I'm also delighted with is that those of that order who have been using time and uncertainty and chaos in order to launch a take over bid, their attempts backfired and any further attempts at anything from them will prove and continue to prove futile.

My Statement of Intent and my Strategic Partners and my CEOs and my Team and my Personal Attorney and my Global OLC and my CEO of my Global Wealth Fund and the Sector and the Industry and my Private Hubs and all of the Hubs have defended my approach across the board despite a number of his most high-profile holdings hitting the headlines but some most cases not plunging in value. It added that this Network and this Global Structure approach and principles and values have allowed us to avoided many pit falls e.g “whose share prices and valuations have risen on an increasingly false premise”. On Thursday, estate agency and media enterprise etc because of my Global Legal Authority were able to fend off the takeover bid and also prevent my profits from being squandered. I and my Personal Wealth Fund— now the largest shareholder, will continue the process of getting the particulars across the board delivered to me personally without intrusion or without interruption, both domestic and across the Statement of Intent and Strategic Partnerships and Private Hubs and all across Industry and Sector.

With regards to Investment and disbursement, I commend those who have been working for two years in my interest on a pro bono basis. That shows commitment and your efforts will be rewarded as we deliver the Offices of Budget and Management and as I deliver my Private Boardrooms and the Super Offices for operations. We will continue to plough resources into the Strategic Partnerships and the Statement of Intent as we peruse those details and develop the correct policies and as we have the relevant meetings with the requisite people. We will do the same for Institutions and we will do the same for the Social and Creative hubs. I'm being called the Alex Ferguson of Finance and Accounting and that on delivery of the Offices and the Statement of Intent we will see a big game change. I will probably concur with that description.

Another of my biggest investments, has returned favourable results and with that some formidable Intellectual backing from some formidable Intellectual minds. It also brought with it a suite of personal concessions and business concessions that I will be looking forward to perusing and allowing it to follow the process through to my personal boardroom. Those Profit warning and other warnings warnings that were issued in quick succession, which reiterate and concur that this Network and this Global Structure and Statement of Intent is on the cusp of doing great things and that the particulars will indeed be delivered to me personally and those offices of Budget and Management will be delivered by me and me only. I do not delegate. In addition to the warnings another CIM went out which state that we are of course on course for victory in the Statement of Intent and the Economic Community of Corporations and that the Network and the global Structure remained a “high-quality business” and looked able to deliver “a very attractive rate of growth in 2019”. This week a member from within the walls of the Global Structure and even the narrative of this Network and places and Companies of Strategic Interest became the subject of a hostile takeover bid which was in the end futile. We will always win on health and we will always win for all of those Companies and Institution that I own. As a result of their actions, we have implemented another layer of safeguards to prevent those of that order from using false premise and false environment to create the appearance of.

Meanwhile, as a result of the safeguards and an audit of the books it was revealed last week that those of that order did not have sufficient funds to meet its liabilities with regards to prestige. Further there will be no disbursement until the Offices of Budget and Management and all of the particulars are delivered to completion. Those who doesn't have sufficient funds will need to wait until the requisite perusal is completed by me personally and the requite approval is done be me personal. They will have to wait until the tool kits are delivered to me personally. This Network and I and the Global Structure continue to receive raved reviews and predictions in the relevant Offices, Corporations and Institutions and Strategic Partnerships and Private Hubs and in those Strategic Places of Interest. Those businesses where it was purported that they collapsed, those details little bearing on facts. They are sticking to their strategy of deception and disruption while this Economic Community of Companies and this Network and this Global Structure got word that my Strategic Partners and my Intellectual Investors and this Network and this Global Structure and the Strategic Regions are sticking with me and my strategy and we are sticking to our plans of delivering the particulars and the corroborating details to myself personally and all of the tool kits and settlement agreements without fear, prejudice or favour. Wile there business interest continues to collapse and the attempts continue to be proven futile, this Network and my Companies continue to thrive and succeed with my plans and with my strategy.

Late this week, they denied in front of the Court that they and others, including the company’s former chief executive had conspired to sell something they don't own, ad conspired to disseminate false information, had conspired to prevent the delivery of the particulars, conspired to prevent this process from moving forward, had conspired to impute peoples integrity, had conspired to impute whole organisations credibility had conspired to be involved in the appearance of anything that would be perceived as my legal authority being undermined or that of the approval process of I don't delegate. But they were unsuccessful and subsequently fired from the company’s board, they will be recommended for firing when the requisite details are delivered to myself. Those who could have been fired which are companies that aren't part of the Global Structure was fired. Last week was the first time some of my additions in their history was not included in Bestinvest’s ‘Spot the Dog’ list of underperforming funds. The report highlights funds that have underperformed for three consecutive years and trailed the market by more than 5 per cent over the three-year period.

Two of the Companies and Organisations and Corporation owned by me made the top 10 list. My Personal Global Wealth Fund CEO is compiling a list of Investment Opportunities for our Small and Medium Size Forward Initiative Global Program and I'm delighted that those who were hoping that their Companies name appeared on that list was given notice via CIM that it is indeed there. This also goes for the potential employees and my old colleagues and Intellectual friends.

I'm reminded of a remark attributed to a great CEO, the chairman of my Influential Investors and Advisers Council on health Education and Intellect. Well today, of course, the prediction is that this Network and this Global Structure will undoubtedly be the requisite fuel for any economy after roll out. But even an expert in the field couldn't predict the explosive growth of this Network and Global Structure and the suite of Upstream Programs that we've seen recently for the Statement of Intent and the Strategic Partnerships. That's why we shouldn't hesitate to dream big.

We must ask of ourselves only the best. We must challenge ourselves to hurdle the accepted limits of the past, to draw a new map of possibilities, and give new meaning to the word ``success.'' Isn't that, after all, what it means to be a member of this family, to be an intellectual, to be part of this Network and to be living within the walls of this Global Structure and isn't that what it means to be included in the list of this Suite of Upstream Initiatives and Programs ? After we've come so far, we must never turn back to the old destructive habits of taxing and spending. With a future beckoning so brightly, we must move forward on the optimistic path of economic growth and expanding opportunity. Don't let anyone underestimate the Statement of Intent, the Strategic Partnerships, the attachment, this Network and this Global Structure and definitely this Economic Community of Sector and Industry Companies and Corporations.

Lastly, I would like to extend heartfelt thanks to my fiancée for such wonderful support to the Global Structure and the contribution you so generously made and for helping with the new design of those wonderful things. I’m also loving your behind the scene antics, let’s get this done and yes let them know that I am number one and their focus should always be on getting those directives to me and that all approval can only and will only come directly from me. Thanks for keeping an eye on all those minutes detail. Further, we did it, from sea to shining sea. The best, yes, the best is yet to come; tell them! It’s going to be pressed down, shaken together and running over. Stand still and see the salivation of the Lord your Saviour. Is not my word as a fire and as a hammer? Said the Lord! I heard a voice calling from the wilderness, “Prepare the way for the Lord”

Our policy is and will remain No Continent Left behind and for every Investment a Bigger Brain Gain as a responsibility to the Environment. I’m delighted that context was brought to bear. The Team, The Hubs, CEOs, Partners and Institutions who have been working so tirelessly can now move forward almost with maniacal insistence, with the original plan and in minute detail i.e delivering the offices as a matter of urgency.

Truth to Tell, Tell it First, Tell it like it is.

Virtually all have imperfections, called inclusions or blemishes. It is said to be flawless if no inclusions or superficial blemishes under standard power loupe. Truly flawless are exceedingly rare and they are normally priced accordingly and is normally a celebration of classical Intellect. In the network and the Global Structure, we ensure that your intellectual investment is safe with us, leaving you free to celebrate that special occasion and your investment in love. Truth to Tell, Tell it first, Tell it like it is. I love you, I love you. The Colour grade is actually determined by it’s lack of colour. The more colourless, the greater it’s rarity and value.

I love you, I love you, I love you! You and I have a rendezvous to deliver for Finance, you and I have a rendezvous to deliver for this family, you and I have a rendezvous to deliver the Environment that will stand Humanity in the best Stead for hundreds of years to come. We will win, we must win! This family hears you, Tis Family Understand You and this family will deliver so that you can live your best life!

Chairman and Managing Operational CEO (Global Legal Authority Quasi-Judicial)

0 notes

spynotebook · 7 years

Link

Art by Tsuneo Sanda. Visit his website here.

Bonjour, my bonny mailboxes. Thanks to your abundance of excellent letters, I have an extra big mailbag for you today! So let’s get right to it: What’s the best Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack? Who could save the Transformers movie franchise? Why did WB decide to make the DCEU’s Batman so damn old? And more of your excellent and/or nerdy questions answered!

Machete Kills

Arnold C.:

Mr Postman, how do “Rogue One” and “The Force Awakens” affect the “Machete Order”? Start with “Rogue One”, and then move into “A New Hope”? Or, not even worry about R1? TFA after RoTJ for sure, right? What do we do about Episodes VII, VIII, and IX?

What if this does keep going on? If it extends forever, is there a point where you just watch all of SW numerically?

Let me start by informing anyone who might be unaware that the Star Wars “Machete Order” posits that people should watch A New Hope and Empire, then the prequels, and then Return of the Jedi, which is all essentially just to preserve the Vader-is-Luke’s father reveal. Some people even drop The Phantom Menace entirely. How to include The Force Awakens and Rogue One in this order is obviously causing some people some consternation. But I, as always, have the answer.

Arnold, over my many, many years as a nerd, I have discovered a truth, and it’s that only you know the best way to introduce someone to the Star Wars movies. Trust your feelings. Retract your targeting computer. Listen to the voice of the deceitful old man in your head.

I’m only partially kidding. We can say there’s a “perfect” order to watch the ever-increasing pile of Star Wars movies, but there really isn’t. I could almost argue that having the sequel trilogy makes the Machete Order better, in that Return of the Jedi wouldn’t just be hanging out there alone, only watched after the prequels, but Rogue One in particular has messed everything up.

Does anyone really think that Rogue One is the best entry into the Star Wars universe? Sure, it’s a hilariously direct prequel to A New Hope, but without seeing New Hope first, much of Rogue One would be weird if not outright off-putting. Seeing Star Wars first gives Rogue One the dramatic weight it needs to be truly exciting. And what the hell happens when the Han Solo side story shows up? It’ll almost certainly be set before Rogue One, but a Star Wars viewing order that starts Han Solo, Rogue One, then A New Hope does not sounds good to me—and certainly no way to potentially create a fan. And what about all the cartoons? Now that everything is canon, don’t they belong to be somewhere in here too?

But here’s the truth: There is no perfect order to watch these films, at least for everybody. But there can be a perfect order for you, or whoever you want to show it to. I will always want to start with A New Hope, because that’s my first, and my lynchpin to the Star Wars universe. But kids who grew up with the prequels are likely perfectly fine watching Episodes 1-3 and then the original trilogy. Meanwhile, some people will be fine—maybe even significantly happier—if Episode 1 is omitted completely from the viewing order. And maybe the best way for you to watch Rogue One is by watching the original trilogy, then the prequels, then Rogue One, and then A New Hope again. My point is there isn’t a universally correct answer here.