#both john and paul's action can be seen in a bigger picture

[no-reply95]

The Power Of Framing: John and Paul

Over the last few days I've been posting some quotes of interest that I'd bookmarked from Mark Lewisohn's Tune In book.

Tune In's reputation preceded it, every Beatles podcast I listened to mentioned it, Lewisohn's name either came up in conversation or the man himself would turn up for an interview so it got to the point that Tune In was so ubiquitous that I had to read the book and form an opinion for myself.

There are a lot of opinions I have on Tune In, both good and bad, but I'm not going touch on all of that here, at least not in this post.

The aspect of Lewisohn's narrative style that I want to get into is the way he frames the "bad" behaviour displayed by John and Paul.

There are two quotes from the book that I want to analyse, I'll start with John first:

John

“George was second only to John in the swallowing of Prellies and knew better than most the sum effect of taking too many for too long, how the combination of pills plus booze plus several sleepless days caused hallucinations and extreme conduct. He’d describe one occasion when he, Paul and Pete were lying in their bunk beds, trying to sleep, only for John to barge into the room in a wild state. ‘One night John came in and some chick was in bed with Paul and he cut all her clothes up with a pair of scissors, and was stabbing the wardrobe. Everybody was lying in bed thinking, “Oh fuck, I hope he doesn’t kill me.” [He was] a frothing mad person - he knew how to have “fun”.

Handling John was something his friends were well used to doing. If he didn’t murder them in their beds there was no greater buddy. They might fear for their lives but they loved him still. No way would they walk out and join another group. John was just John, and Paul and George’s hero-worship stayed fully intact.”

The above passage comes from the stint in Hamburg directly after Stu's death. John had always been the one to take the most prellies, as Lewisohn highlights, but he relays the fact that John was even more messed up than before subsequent to Stu's sudden death. I've highlighted a couple of lines from the extract to highlight how John's behaviour is framed by Lewisohn:

"the combination of pills plus booze plus several sleepless days caused hallucinations and extreme conduct"

From the outset Lewisohn is careful to outline the fact that John is under the influence of both bills and booze as well as being exhausted as a result of "several sleepless days" which has the sum impact of causing hallucinations and "extreme conduct" so in short, Lewisohn suggests that this behaviour from John is atypical and directly related to the substances and conditions he is under, the subsequent behaviour he displays, therefore, isn't a function of his innate personality, just a reaction to the chemicals and circumstances he currently finds himself beholden to.

"he, Paul and Pete were lying in their bunk beds, trying to sleep"

In terms of those impacted by John's actions, it isn't one individual that Lewisohn highlights, it's George, Paul and Pete, which to me suggests that anyone could have been on the receiving end of John's outburst. When describing the bedroom scene prior to John's entrance, Lewisohn describes the three guys as "trying to sleep", so a picture is painted of a quiet room where there's a lack of activity as everyone is tired and, either on their way to or currently, asleep.

"some chick was in bed with Paul and he cut all her clothes up with a pair of scissors, and was stabbing the wardrobe"

Firstly, the story that George relates (source Anthology, 2000), unlike the scene Lewisohn sets, makes it clear that there was only one target for John's outburst, not George, Pete or even Paul but an unnamed woman whose only crime was to be "in bed with Paul" so, far from trying to get to sleep, Paul was in fact having sex with this woman when John barged into the room. John, in the altered state that he's in, zeroes in on this woman by cutting up her clothes and stabbing at the wardrobe - it's a scary scene that George describes, so what is the lasting impression Lewisohn leaves us with?

"John was just John, and Paul and George’s hero-worship stayed fully intact.”

Despite the shock of the scene that George describes, ultimately John's behaviour has no lasting impact on his relationships with the others or on the future of the band. Lewisohn confirms that "Paul and George's hero-worship stayed fully intact" so not only was their view of John unharmed but they continued to hold him in the highest possible esteem, but how did they rationalise the unpredictability of John's behaviour? Well, "John was just John" the others knew that this was how John got from time to time, this was nothing new for them and their hero worship continued on, the core relationships were unaffected and the operation of the band was unscathed because there was no way that George and Paul would ever leave and join another band so, all in all, no harm done.

Paul

“Brian, John and George went to the Beehive and John used a public box to call Paul, returning with the message ‘He says he’s not coming.’ Brian must have been apoplectic: they’d be unable to play the booking, letting down the university and their paying audience, embarrassing him, ruining their chance of a rebooking, and undoing his repair work to the Beatles’ old bad reputation. He went back to his office to phone Paul, but Paul refused to speak. Jim informed Brian that Paul said he wouldn’t be turning up, and that was that.

Recalling the night five years later, Paul told of how, having discovered Brian and the others hadn’t waited outside his house for him, he decided ‘Fuck them - if they can’t be arsed waiting for me, I can’t be arsed going after them. So I sat down and watched telly.’ Jim was unable to persuade Paul to change his mind. Paul said he’d felt he’d always been ‘the keen one’, so now he’d go sharp the other way and make no effort at all.

John saw a bigger picture, and it would be surprising if it wasn’t equally obvious, or made obvious to Brian and George. He likened Paul’s enduring snag with Brian to his other long-standing difficulty: ‘[Brian] and Paul didn’t get along - it was a bit like [Stuart and Paul] between the two of them’.”

The above passage comes from a time in the Beatles' career, not long after they've agreed to take Brian on as their manager. Brian's hard work on their behalf is starting to pay off and they're getting the opportunity to do loads of gigs for good money. Lewisohn discusses an instance where Brian goes to 20 Forthlin Road to pick up Paul for the night's gig only to be told that he's running late and won't be able to get going for a while. As with the first passage, I've highlighted a couple of lines to highlight how Paul's behaviour is framed:

"Brian must have been apoplectic"

In this passage Lewisohn provides his interpretation of how Brian must have felt to turn up at Paul's house only to find that he'd defied his instructions to be on time. Right from the beginning of this story we are able to empathise with Brian, as the principle victim of Paul's actions.

"letting down the university and their paying audience, embarrassing him, ruining their chance of a rebooking, and undoing his repair work to the Beatles’ old bad reputation."

For the avoidance of doubt, Lewisohn details the wide reaching impact of Paul's behaviour and the list of the aggrieved is long: the university, the paying audience and ultimately the band, all the hard work that they and Brian have put in has been undone by Paul's actions and the tarnished reputation of old is back with a vengeance.

"John saw a bigger picture, and it would be surprising if it wasn’t equally obvious, or made obvious to Brian and George. He likened Paul’s enduring snag with Brian to his other long-standing difficulty: ‘[Brian] and Paul didn’t get along - it was a bit like [Stuart and Paul] between the two of them’.”

If the reader was left wondering if this was a one-off incident or if Paul was just having a bad day that he'd taken out on Brian, Lewisohn suggests that this was, in fact, part of a pattern of behaviour as "John saw a bigger picture" and Lewisohn remarks that "it would be surprising" if both Brian and George weren't equally aware of the bigger forces at play here. To reinforce the lasting implications of Paul's actions, Lewisohn talks about "Paul's enduring snag with Brian" and then likens it to Paul's other "long-standing difficulty" with Stu, which triggers the readers' knowledge of Paul's jealousy of Stu's closeness to John and invites the reader to also view Paul's relationship with Brian through that lens. The extract is then capped up by a quote from John (source, McCabe and Schonfled interview, 1971), seemingly, supporting Lewisohn's premise by linking the clash between Paul and Brian to the clash, that Lewisohn has already expertly laid out in his book, between Paul and Stu.

How the framing differs

In both excerpts I've pulled Lewisohn uses direct quotes from the principles as well as his own interpretation, both to varying impacts.

In the first excerpt, Lewisohn provides a context for John's behaviour, it's not long after Stu has died, John is under the influence of a cocktail of drugs and substances, so we're led to feel sympathy for the state that he's in and to excuse the frightening behaviour that subsequently follows. Lewisohn doesn't offer any context for Paul's behaviour, we assume that Paul is sober and of sound mind so there's no confusion as to the fact that Paul is in full control of his actions so we're less likely to excuse or able to rationalise his actions.

The preamble that Lewisohn writes prior to George's recounting of John barging into the room, mentions George, Pete and Paul being present, so Lewisohn gives us the impression that John's later actions are almost random, maybe it could have been Pete, or George, it just happened to be the woman in bed with Paul who triggered John's anger. We never hear about how the woman reacted to having her clothes torn to shreds just because she slept with Paul, Lewisohn doesn't offer any thoughts to Paul's reaction to having John barging into the room and raising hell while he was sharing an intimate moment with this woman. In stark contract, we're told precisely by Lewisohn about how he presumes Brian felt in the face of Paul's obstinance and the seriousness isn't lost on the reader because every possible group of people negatively impacted is called out with evocative language (i.e. embarrassing, ruining).

Lewisohn frames the Hamburg scissors incident in such a way that it's clear that this was just a blip on the band's radar, the "hero-worship" of George and Paul is undimmed and we're given the framework, either by accident or design, by which to view any similar outburst in the future, it's just John, he may overdo it from time to time but his negative actions will never be consequential because the love and worship the others have for him will never be overcome "no way would they walk out and join another group" because no matter what John did, Paul and George would condone it, stick by him and love him regardless, so why shouldn't we?

However, Lewisohn couldn't be clearer that Paul's disobedience of Brian was part of a larger pattern of behaviour that was detrimental to the band, John could see the bigger picture, the same bigger picture that was "obvious" to Brian and George. Rather than startling an unnamed German woman (Lewisohn leaves this to our imagination) Lewisohn carefully plots out how Paul's actions directly hurt the band and the good work they'd been doing with Brian's help. Far from a moment of chemically induced madness, Paul's behaviour is familiar, we've seen it before with Stu, now we're seeing it with Brian - Lewisohn is clear that the seeds of the break up are sewn in Tune In so is he suggesting that the behaviour Paul displays here can also be traced to 1969?

Was this difference in framing called for?

These two stories outlining John and Paul's behaviour aren't identical, one takes place in Hamburg in the privacy of a bedroom and directly impacts two people while the other takes place in Liverpool and directly impacts several people as well as the band, it could be argued that on this basis these situations Lewisohn was justified in framing these two incidents differently.

However, there are several similarities that I can spot between the behaviour John and Paul displayed:

Pattern of behaviour - Lewisohn appears to be making the case that John's outburst was purely circumstantial while Paul's clash with Brian was part of a longstanding jealousy issue Paul had of anyone close to John. I do think that jealousy may have been a factor in the clashes Paul had initially with Brian (as referenced briefly in my Jealous Guys post) but in my opinion there are complexities that exist with Paul's relationship with Brian (namely around Paul's dislike of authority figures and need for control) that don't exist in Paul's relationship with Stu or, further down the road, Yoko as neither Stu nor Yoko were ever in a position of authority over Paul, John didn't bring them into the band as a manager or producer so I think the more natural comparison is Stu and Yoko not Stu and Brian. Further, despite Lewisohn's descriptions to the contrary and lack of relation to a bigger picture, John's behaviour here was in fact part of a pattern of behaviour, this woman wasn't the first and would not be the last of Paul's love interests that John reacted negatively to; Jane Asher, Peggy Lipton and ultimately Linda would feel the brunt of John's negative attention throughout the Beatles and post-Beatles years, this was an opportunity for Lewisohn to lay the groundwork of that but unfortunately he didn't want to connect these particular dots.

Impact on the band - Lewisohn is at pains to outline how George and Paul weren't going anywhere and there's no suggestion that John's actions would have any impact on the band or its future but, with the hindsight we have, is that correct? Even before Hamburg, John is abusing alcohol, largely to numb the effects of the sudden death of his mother, then in Hamburg, he's now abusing drugs too which negatively impacts his behaviour. For the rest of the Beatle years John's substance abuse issues appear again and again (Bob Wooler incident at Paul's 21st birthday, destruction of ego and fall in productivity due to prolonged LSD use, increase in the communication issues in the band in the wake of John and Yoko's heroin addiction). If Lewisohn was really interested in giving us the bigger picture, why didn't he outline the detrimental impact that John's substance abuse issues were having on the band, all it would have taken was for him to help the reader to understand how the woman and Paul felt as a result of John's actions but instead he uses this story as another opportunity to reinforce the idea that Paul and George hero-worshipped John.

Links to the break up: In many of his podcast interviews (Nothing Is Real and Fabcast spring to mind) Lewisohn is clear that, although the events of the break-up are years away from being committed to paper, the roots are laid out in Tune In. Paul's clash with Brian is framed in such a way to underscore how it fostered long difficulties between Paul and the band's manager in a way that was obvious to the others, does that sound familiar? If we sub Klein in for Brian, we've suddenly been transported to the summer of '69, I believe this is intentional and given the pretty uncharitable way Paul's actions are described (Paul should have been on time but leaving without him so that he had to take several buses instead only made everyone later and poured gasoline on an already open flame, neither Paul, Brian or the band won in this situation which I think all parties came to realise at a later stage) we're already being conditioned to believe that by the time it's 1969 this reckoning for Paul has been a long time coming and we should be glad that John, George, Ringo and Klein are finally stand up to Paul's immature power plays. However, can the break up also be traced to John's actions. As already discussed, the first excerpt outlines one of the first instances of John's substance abuse negatively impacting the band, in 1961 he's destroying a woman's clothing, cock-blocking Paul and terrorising everyone, in 1969 he's in a heroin haze with Yoko which hinders the already frayed communication links with the rest of the band and fosters an environment where, to John, only "JohnandYoko" matter ("I mean, I’m not going to lie, you know. I would sacrifice you all for her [Ono]", Get Back Sessions, 1969) to the extent that they're able to be wooed by Allen Klein who knows exactly what John and Yoko want so they allow him to give it to them, irrespective of what the rest of band need or want.

In the end, I have no problem with either story being included in Tune In, neither John or Paul were saints and in these instances we can see aspects of their personality that will feature, for better and for worse, over the course of the rest of the Beatles' career and, in John's case, his life. However, it is a shame that time and time again, when given the opportunity to frame John and Paul's actions Lewisohn opts to minimise John's misdeeds via his emphasis on Paul and George's love and patience for him, while for Paul almost no context is provided for his negative actions and Lewisohn subtlety begins to plot the lines that will eventually lead to the 3 to 1 split and the lawsuit that, not only breaks up the band but ensures they never reform again. The part Paul plays in the break-up does have roots in his personality, which we see glimpses of in his interactions with Brian in 1961 (he won't be pushed around and his reaction to being pushed is to fight back not fall in line) but we also see John's role start to take shape too (the unpredictability of his actions under the influence of substances and the chain of events that would occur as a result i.e. LSD - loss of ego - jealousy of Paul's output and his loss of dominance - openness to Klein who identifies John as the leader and reinforces his belief in his supremacy in the Lennon-McCartney partnership as well as filling John with misinformation like reminding him he wrote most of Eleanor Rigby). It's a problem that only Paul's negative reactions and missteps are framed in the wider context of the band because this skews the story and fails to accurately plot the role John also played in the band's demise. If Lewisohn's aim is to provide us with a balanced, definitive take on the band's story then, based on this evidence, he's falling short.

[ourladylennon]

Hi, how are you our beloved lady? I hope ur doing good. I want to know your opinion to mbti stuff. What do you think about that? And what do you think about Beatles mbti stuff?

Tulip!!! How are you? I am so sorry it took me this long to answer- I could not figure out the best way to present the information for this ask or what would be the best information *to* share. I actually *love* MBTI, I think it’s fascinating. It really helps you understand yourself and others better. As far as the Beatles, there is a lot of debate about their types, but I have compiled a list of the most commonly accepted type for each Beatle with a break down below the cut!

John: INFP, “the Healer” (function stack: Fi-Ne-Si-Te) or ENFP “the Champion” (function stack: Ne-Fi-Te-Si)

A concise picture: generous, kind, charming, empathetic, sensitive, perceptive, strong personal values, introspective, imaginative, idealistic, individualistic, lively, spontaneous, adaptable, big picture, forward looking, long term oriented  // can be impractical, disorganized, tendency to overthink, easily offended, disregard for rules/traditions/norms

Paul: ISFP, “the Composer” (function stack: Fi-Se-Ni-Te) or ESFJ “the Provider” (function stack: Fe-Si-Ne-Ti)

A concise picture: kind, charming, warm, caretaker, sympathetic, sensitive, observant, reserved, practical, level-headed, “live in the moment”, sensory based, detail oriented, action oriented, strong sense of “right & wrong”, curious, competitive, literal // easily bored, thrill-seeking, unpredictable, “black & white”, short term oriented, intensely private, detached, aloof, fiercely independent, can be inflexible, worried with social-status

George: INFJ, “the Counselor” (function stack: Ni-Fe-Ti-Se)

A concise picture: altruistic, affirming, nurturing, compassionate, empathetic, sensitive, perceptive, strong personal values, introspective, visionary, idealistic, individualistic, seeking meaning, insightful, big picture, forward looking, long term oriented, value organization, decisive, reserved, firm // intensely private, deeply sensitive, perfectionists- prone to burn out, overthinking, need for a cause, uncompromising

Ringo: ESFP, “the Performer” (function stack: Se-Fi-Te-Ni)

A concise picture: generous, kind, charming, warm, sympathetic, friendly, easy-going, observant, practical, tolerant, accepting, spontaneous, playful, enthusiastic, resourceful, adaptable, “live in the moment”, sensory based, action oriented, strong sense of “right & wrong”, literal // easily bored, thrill-seeking, unpredictable, “black & white”, short term oriented, frivolous, materialistic, deeply sensitive, conflict averse

Note: MBTI code is comprised of four functions: iNtuition or Sensing, Feeling or Thinking. Intuition and sensing are perceiving functions: how you gather and assimilate data. Feeling and thinking are judging functions: how you use that information to make decisions. Each of these functions can either be Introverted (introspective, self-reflective, subjective) or Extraverted (objective, facing the outer world, expressed outwardly); for example, Introverted Feeling= Fi, Extraverted iNtuition= Ne, etc.

John: INFP, “the Healer” (function stack: Fi-Ne-Si-Te) or ENFP “the Champion” (function stack: Ne-Fi-Te-Si)

Both are very convincing. As you can imagine, these two types are very similar and their differences are more like nuances. It probably comes as no surprise that XNFP are known to be “dreamers” who act as mediators amongst people, desire harmony and look toward the future and see endless possibilities. This combination of being iNtuitive + Feeling dominant makes for a very empathetic subject who has a knack for reading between the lines; they both understand human emotion and relate to others well, but on the flip side, they can be hotheaded and quick to take offense: both for themselves and others. At the core of both, these types have strong moral values and use value judgements to make decisions, i.e. "this is good this is bad". They use their Ne/Ni absorb information from the meanings and impressions they gather and search for patterns in data to quickly see the bigger picture, and then use emotions to make decisions based around that. Though they are XNFP are generally open minded and adaptable, when their personal values are called into question, they sense injustice, they sense inauthenticity, or if someone tries to control them is when they can become upset. They do not like to be limited because they desire freedom, options, and don’t like redundancy. Communication style is likely to be abstract, metaphorical. Though they crave close connections, they become drained from social interaction. Depending on whether INFP or ENFP, there are subtle differences. For example, ENFP leads with Ne, meaning, they may be quicker to materialize their ideas (the more spontaneous of the two), whereas the INFP will spend more time reflecting "what if" before doing. This bleeds into other aspects; ENFP may be more lively, spouting things off the top of their heads without reflecting, they're a people's person. INFP is a little more introspective before diving head first and spilling everything. XNFP tend to constantly assess their value and desire validation. 

(I did see people throw John around as an INTP/ENTP. They’re mildly convincing, but much less likely. His Fe/Fi seems too present to be a Te/Ti)

Paul: ISFP, “the Composer” (function stack: Fi-Se-Ni-Te) or ESFJ “the Provider” (function stack: Fe-Si-Ne-Ti)

Both are very convincing. These literally have the *exact same* function stack order, but the energy of each function points in different directions (which ultimately does make a difference even though it may not seem like it). With both of these types, we typically see someone who is observant, practical, and very rooted in the present. This combination of Sensing + Feeling dominant makes for a very caring individual who both enjoys and is good at nurturing others, but on the flip side, they can be quick to take offense and may shut down/withdraw. XSFX types are known for being reserved with their emotions/needs and likewise reserved in showing emotion and tend to do so through their actions, rather than words. At the core of both, just as with other feeler-types, they have strong moral values and use value judgements to make decisions, i.e. "this is good this is bad". However, they use their Se/Si to observe and absorb information through their physical reality, often referencing from past experiences to fill in the details in order to build the bigger picture, and then use emotions to make decisions based around that. Though both types are generally seen as level-headed and adaptable, when their personal values or character are called into question (because they have a very clear picture of their values; they know who they are) or their good-nature is taken advantage of is when they can become upset. They do not like to be limited because they prefer to be in control and do not like uncertainty. Communication style is likely to be direct, literal. While ESFJ love bringing people together and ISFP may enjoy small groups & close connections, they both become drained from social interaction. Depending on whether ISFP or ESFJ there are subtle differences, the most apparent being that ESFJ prefer more structure than ISFP, and likewise, the ISFP may be a little more spontaneous as they seek to stimulate their Se. ESFJ will also likely be a bit more outgoing with Fe being in play as their dominant trait, whereas the ISFP may be more socially reserved (Fi), though no less charming or socially aware. They both have a knack for understanding what is expected of them but ISFP is less likely to bend for others whereas the ESFJ seeks group harmony. Both types tend to put others first and are reluctant to ask for their needs, and in combination with simultaneously being sure of their values and sure others understand those without question, they may have a heightened desire for praise to validate their actions & themselves. Both types often don't feel seen for the amount of care they put in for others and desire to be appreciated. 

(Fun thing I saw mentioned a lot and felt relative to Paul: ISFP are said to enjoy aesthetic beauty of things- clothing, art, etc. without needing the abstract meaning to make it so; they just simply like it for what it is. This is likely because their Se is grabbing for anything stimulating and then introverted Feeling (Fi) says “oh yes, this makes me feel good!” Can we say hello MMT sweater vest?)

George: INFJ, “the Counselor” (function stack: Ni-Fe-Ti-Se)

As you can imagine, INFJ is going to be similar to XNFP on the surface: dreamy, idealistic, empathetic. What sets them apart is that INFJ tend to have a bit more structure and a little bit more of an analytical mind. The combination of being iNtuitive + Feeling dominant is going to still give that very empathetic subject who has a knack for reading between the line, but there is a subtle difference with INFP's mirroring others emotions (Fi) and INFJ's absorbing others emotions (Fe). INFJ understand human emotion and relate to others well, but on the flip side, they can become angry when someone upsets group harmony or overwhelmed from constantly assessing emotions. At the core of INFJ, just as with the other feeler-types, they have strong moral values and use value judgements to make decisions, i.e. "this is good this is bad". They absorb information from the meanings and impressions they gather and search for patterns in data to see the bigger picture and use emotions to make decisions based around that. Though they are generally open minded and adaptable, when their personal values are called into question, they sense injustice, or if someone dismisses their ideas they can become upset. While they enjoy freedom to explore many possibilities, they do well with a bit of routine and organization to help see their ideas through. Communication style is likely to be abstract, metaphorical. Though they crave close connections, they become drained from social interaction. INFJ's often feel like people don't get them and desire to be understood.

Ringo: ESFP, “the Performer” (function stack: Se-Fi-Te-Ni)

ESFP is a beautiful blend of all the cognitive functions and that's why it's often labeled at the "entertainer" type. They're practical, but not rigid; they’re bubbly, but they’re deep; they’re spontaneous, but they’re down to earth; they’re honest, but not too blunt; they’re just all around the kind of people who can bring people together. The combination of Sensing + Feeling dominant makes for a very caring individual who is warm towards others and overall inviting, but on the flip side, they can be quick to take offense and may erupt or shut down. At the core of ESFP, just as with the other feeler-types, they have strong moral values and use value judgements to make decisions, i.e. "this is good this is bad". They use their Se/Si to observe and absorb information through their physical reality, often referencing from past experiences to fill in the details in order to build the bigger picture, and then use emotions to make decisions based around that. Though generally seen as one of the most easy-going types, when their feelings are dismissed or their general exuberance is mistaken for shallowness, they're forced to make decisions, or they find themselves stuck amongst negativity is when they might become upset. They do not like to be limited because they desire freedom and dislike rigorous routine. Communication style is likely to be direct, literal- to be clear, too much abstract information might drive an ESFP crazy, and unlike some of the other Sensor types- do not like too many details. ESFP are social by nature and find socializing fulfilling. 

How this applies to their relationship dynamic:

This is my favorite part and if you’ve read this far- please like go treat yourself for your good work. Not only do the general stereotypes of their personalities fit them so well, but it literally shows just how real the contrast of John & Paul and Paul & George is and how similar John & George are. 

But mainly, I just want to focus on J/P because I. fucking. love. it. Just think about it. John: Strawberry Fields. Paul: Penny Lane. SAME concept- ENTIRELY DIFFERENT STYLE. Intuition vs sensing at its finest. It’s clear as day. (wonderful video by one of my favorite MBTI youtubers, appropriately titled: Intuition vs Sensing, Explained with The Beatles)

Not only that, but I always think back to Geoff Emerick’s biography when I was reading about their work in the studio:

“John always had plenty of ideas about how he wanted his songs to sound’ he knew in his mind what he wanted to hear. The problem was that, unlike Paul, he had a great difficulty expressing those thoughts in anything but the most abstract terms. Whereas Paul might say, ‘This song needs brass and timpani,’ John’s direction might be more like ‘Give me the feel of James Dean gunning his motorcycle down a highway.’ ”

“In the midst of all this, John had been listening repeatedly to his acetate of ‘Strawberry Fields Forever,’ and he decided he didn’t like it. For someone who was normally so articulate, it always amaze me how he would struggle for words whenever he tried to Tell George Martin how he wanted a song arrange. This time around, he just kept mumbling, ‘I don’t know. I just think it should somehow be heavier.’ ‘Heavier how, John?’ George asked. ‘I dunno, just kind of, y’know…heavy.’ Paul did his best to translate John’s abstract notion into concrete musical form. Pointing out how well the flue sound on the Mellotron had worked, he suggested that perhaps some outside musicians be brought in, that the song be scored for some orchestral instrumentation. John loved the idea, specifically requesting cellos and trumpets.”

Furthermore, this entire paragraph that I don’t feel like typing out:

God, I could seriously just go ON about those two. Honestly, Geoff’s book has been incredibly insightful to their nature (pretty sure this book is responsible for when I started falling *in love* with Paul). There are tons of examples to go with the MBTI typing, but I realize this is already at great length so I’ll refrain. 

Now that I’ve nearly written a whole book, I’d like to say some words: this is by no means an all inclusive or exhaustive review of MBTI & I am no expert. There are so many other facets of MBTI that go much deeper than this, but I felt for the purpose of general explaining, it made most sense to stay at surface level (which incidentally made me feel like i’m providing a useless analysis). Hope you learned even a little bit or got some sort of fun out of it!

If you have specific questions, feel free to ask and I’ll try and make sense of the MBTI madness!

[helloworlddemo1122-yahoopar-blog]

Summer Film Preview: 27 of the Most Anticipated Movies of the Season!

Among ET's 90 top picks for summer are our 27 most anticipated films of the season.

Every summer, there is no shortage of new films to blow audiences away at theaters -- and blow away records at the box office. This summer, things are looking especially massive. Blockbuster season kicks off in a huge way with the highly anticipated back-to-back releases of Deadpool 2and Solo: A Star Wars Story, ushering in an onslaught of franchise films with new installments of Jurassic World, Marvel's Ant-Man, Mission: Impossible and The Purge.

Not everything is a sequel, though. Of the originals is the eagerly awaited adaptation of Crazy Rich Asians, marking the first time a major studio has produced an all-Asian-led film since The Joy Luck Club; Spike Lee's latest, BlacKkKlansman; and -- because it wouldn't be summer without one -- a shark attack flick, The Meg, starring Jason Statham.

But no matter what you’re looking forward to, there's plenty to choose from among these 27 sure-to-be hit films.

Deadpool 2 (Out Now)

The Deadpool sequel is bigger, louder and packed with more violence and superpeople, dick jokes and fourth wall-breaking meta-ness than the original X-Men-adjacent movie. And while that all sounds like a recipe for a bloated case of sequelitis, Ryan Reynolds and co. not only pull it off, but top the first.

Directed by: David Leitch | Written by: Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick and Ryan Reynolds Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Julian Dennison, Zazie Beetz, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams

Solo: A Star Wars Story (May 25)

Forget everything you think you know about the legendary smuggler and prepare for the unexpected. That's the best advice we can give you about Star Wars' latest anthology installment, which, sure, features the Kessel Run and Han Solo and Chewbacca's origin story, then blasts off for so much more.

Directed by: Ron Howard | Written by: Jonathan Kasdan and Lawrence Kasdan Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Donald Glover, Woody Harrelson, Thandie Newton, Emilia Clarke

American Animals (June 1)

The Orchard / MoviePass Ventures

According to the minds behind American Animals, while most movies are based on a true story, this one is a true story, about four college students who plan "one of the most audacious art heists in U.S. history." It also marks the first appearance on this list by the true star of the summer movie season: Ann Dowd.

Directed by: Bart Layton | Written by: Bart Layton Starring: Evan Peters, Barry Keoghan, Blake Jenner, Jared Abrahamson, Ann Dowd

Hereditary (June 8)

A24

Following its screening at Sundance earlier this year, Hereditary was hailed as the scariest horror movie in years -- if not of all time. As for what actually transpires in the film, well, that is best left vague. Brace yourself for hypnotically unnerving tongue pops and flashbacks to Toni Collette's iconic turn in The Sixth Sense.

Directed by: Ari Aster | Written by: Ari Aster Starring: Toni Collette, Gabriel Byrne, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro, Ann Dowd

Ocean's 8 (June 8)

This year's Met Gala might as well have been early promo for Ocean's 8, which centers on another heist-happy Ocean, Debbie, who assembles a team of women to help rob a fictional Met Gala. (If you do some simple math, it seems Anne Hathaway's mark is one of the eight, too.) Unfortunately, Rihanna will likely not be dressed as a sexy pope.

Directed by: Gary Ross | Written by: Gary Ross and Olivia Milch Starring: Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Helena Bonham Carter, Rihanna

Won't You Be My Neighbor? (June 8)

Focus Features

If you were a child in the '60s -- or '70s, '80s, '90s, the aughts, really, if you were a child ever -- then Won't You Be My Neighbor? will be a nostalgic return to your younger years, a look at the long-running and formative TV series Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and the man behind it, the late Fred Rogers.

Directed by: Morgan Neville

Hearts Beat Loud (June 8)

Gunpowder & Sky

This gem of an indie is for anyone who has ever wished Nick Offerman could be your best friend, your dad or both: Kiersey Clemons plays Offerman's daughter and reluctant bandmate as they navigate fame and family in Hearts Beat Louder. Sprinkle in a queer romance and an earworm-y soundtrack, and what more could you ask for?

Directed by: Brett Haley | Written by: Brett Haley and Marc Basch Starring: Nick Offerman, Kiersey Clemons, Ted Danson, Toni Collette, Sasha Lane, Blythe Danner

Hotel Artemis (June 8)

Global Road Entertainment

Read this logline: "Set in riot-torn, near-future Los Angeles, Hotel Artemis is a high-octane action-thriller starring Jodie Foster as The Nurse, who runs a secret, members-only hospital for criminals." Now re-read that sentence over and over and over until you go insane and this becomes your most anticipated movie of the year.

Directed by: Drew Pearce | Written by: Drew Pearce Starring: Jodie Foster, Dave Bautista, Sofia Boutella, Zachary Quinto, Sterling K. Brown, Jeff Goldblum

Incredibles 2 (June 15)

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

It has been well over a decade since the original Incredibles arrived in theaters and, even now, under the looming threat of superhero saturation, that first film remains one of the best superhero movies period. Finally, Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, Violet, Dash and Jack-Jack are back, with Frozone and, of course, Edna.

Directed by: Brad Bird | Written by: Brad Bird Starring: Holly Hunter, Craig T. Nelson, Samuel L. Jackson, Catherine Keener, Sophia Bush

Tag (June 15)

Warner Bros. Pictures

This is a movie about tag -- as in, the game in which you tag someone and they are then "it." Specifically, Tag is about a group of childhood buddies who have been playing tag one month out of the year, every year, for 30 years. If you are wondering, Where do they come up with this?!, it was a Wall Street Journal article.

Directed by: Jeff Tomsic | Written by: Rob McKittrick and Mark Steilen Starring: Jeremy Renner, Ed Helms, Jake Johnson, Jon Hamm, Hannibal Buress, Isla Fisher, Leslie Bibb

Damsel (June 22)

Magnolia Pictures

If you hear that Robert Pattinson is starring in a Western, you probably have a notion of what that film is. Damsel is not the movie you're imagining, guaranteed -- unless, of course, you pictured a screwball comedy about a pioneer who voyages west with a drunkard and a miniature horse named Butterscotch.

Directed by: David Zellner and Nathan Zellner | Written by: David Zellner and Nathan Zellner Starring: Robert Pattinson, Mia Wasikowska, David Zellner

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (June 22)

In the colossally successful Jurassic World, the dinosaurs destroyed the park, as dinosaurs are wont to do, and now Isla Nublar is threatening to destroy the dinosaurs. Thus, Claire and Owen are enlisted to help save the dinosaurs from a second extinction -- and that's only the beginning of this adventure.

Directed by: J.A. Bayona | Written by: Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jeff Goldblum, James Cromwell, Justice Smith

Under the Silver Lake (June 22)

A24

Something about those hot summer nights must make us itch for a mystery, because this is yet another noir-y flick arriving in cineplexes, albeit a very modern take on the genre. Andrew Garfield plays a stoner Angelino who begins sleuthing when his dream girl disappears in the middle of the night without a trace.

Directed by: David Robert Mitchell | Written by: David Robert Mitchell Starring: Andrew Garfield, Riley Keough, Topher Grace, Jimmi Simpson

The First Purge (July 4)

Universal Pictures

There's something almost comforting about knowing that every (sometimes every other) Independence Day brings a new installment in the ongoing Purge franchise. Who knew a nutty little murder flick could have so much steam? This one goes back to the beginning and the invention of a government-sponsored killing spree.

Directed by: Gerard McMurray | Written by: James DeMonaco Starring: Lex Scott Davis, Y'lan Noel, Luna Lauren Velez, Joivan Wade, Marisa Tomei

Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 6)

Consider the Ant-Man sequel a respite for those still reeling over the ending of Infinity War, a plucky comedic romp about heroes who shrink, supersize and now fly, too, which probably won't leave you frantically wiping away tears as the theater lights come on. Also, Michelle Pfeiffer plays a superhero!

Directed by: Peyton Reed | Written by: Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari and Paul Rudd Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, Hannah John-Kamen, Michael Peña

Sorry to Bother You (July 6)

Annapurna Pictures

There is original, and then there is Sorry to Bother You. If a stranger, more out-there film has ever been made, I haven't seen it. I've never seen anything like this, a satiric tale about a telemarketer who uses his "white voice" to get ahead that feels at once painstakingly plotted and completely free-associated.

Directed by: Boots Riley | Written by: Boots Riley Starring: Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler, Steven Yeun, Armie Hammer

Whitney (July 6)

Whitney is not the first documentary to turn the lens on Whitney Houston in the years since her 2012 death, but it is the first to be endorsed by her estate, featuring interviews with loved ones of Houston who had never spoken publicly before and bombshell revelations that made news ahead of Whitney's official release.

Directed by: Kevin Macdonald

Eighth Grade (July 13)

A24

You know how adults always say, "I'm so happy I didn't grow up when there was social media." Watch this Sundance drama, comedian Bo Burnham's directorial debut, and feel that tenfold, alternately a cringey and heartwarming look at what it means to be coming into your own -- yes, with YouTube and Twitter.

Directed by: Bo Burnham | Written by: Bo Burnham Starring: Elsie Fisher, Josh Hamilton

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (July 20)

Is Meryl Streep's character still alive for the Mamma Mia! sequel? Supposedly. We do know that we will see a younger version of Donna (played by Lily James) as the ABBA singalong jumps back in time to show the Dynamos' origin story, while in the present, Donna's daughter is pregnant with a baby of her own.

Directed by: Ol Parker | Written by: Ol Parker Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Lily James, Colin Firth, Cher

Mission: Impossible - Fallout (July 27)

Paramount Pictures

After successfully completing five other supposedly impossible missions, whatever Ethan Hunt is tasked with in Fallout should be considered mission: pretty difficult but manageable. Still, Tom Cruise continues to up the ante in insane and preposterous ways, like jumping out of a plane at 25,000 feet, for one.

Directed by: Christopher McQuarrie | Written by: Christopher McQuarrie Starring: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Alec Baldwin, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Henry Cavill, Angela Bassett

Christopher Robin (Aug. 3)

If you enjoyed last year's period drama Goodbye Christopher Robin, about the real boy who inspired the creation of Winnie the Pooh, then you are sure to enjoy this, too, Disney's less historical, more fantastical tale about grown-up Christopher Robin and how Pooh and the rest of the Hundred Acre Wood gang help him rediscover his imagination.

Directed by: Marc Forster | Written by: Alex Ross Perry Starring: Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell, Jim Cummings, Chris O'Dowd, Brad Garrett, Toby Jones

The Spy Who Dumped Me (Aug. 3)

I would pay money to watch Kate McKinnon read the phone book. Thankfully, she gets much more to do in this action-comedy, in which Mila Kunis plays the unwitting woman dumped by a spy. McKinnon plays her bestie, and the two quickly find themselves in over their heads trying to stop a terrorist group and save the world.

Directed by: Susanna Fogel | Written by: David Iserson and Susanna Fogel Starring: Mila Kunis, Kate McKinnon, Sam Heughan, Gillian Anderson, Justin Theroux

BlacKkKlansman (Aug. 10)

Focus Features

Spike Lee is back with his latest joint, the so-crazy-it-must-be-true saga of Ron Stallworth, the first black police officer in Colorado Springs, and his undercover operation to infiltrate a local Ku Klux Klan chapter, which was so successful that he eventually became its head.

Directed by: Spike Lee | Written by: Spike Lee, David Rabinowitz, Charlie Wachtel, Kevin Willmott Starring: John David Washington, Adam Driver, Topher Grace, Laura Harrier

The Meg (Aug. 10)

Warner Bros. Pictures

No summer is complete without a silly shark attack movie, and for the summer of 2018, The Meg fits that bill and then some. First of all, the shark in question is a megalodon, which basically just means a REALLY BIG F**KING SHARK, and hopefully Jason Statham will punch it at some point, right?

Directed by: Jon Turteltaub | Written by: Dean Georgaris, Jon Hoeber and Erich Hoeber Starring: Jason Statham, Ruby Rose, Rainn Wilson, Bingbing Li, Cliff Curtis, Masi Oka

Crazy Rich Asians (Aug. 17)

Based on the bestselling novel by Kevin Kwan, Crazy Rich Asians is about a Chinese American professor who travels to Singapore to meet her boyfriend's family and discovers they are -- you guessed it -- crazy rich! Hijinks ensue. This is also the first Hollywood movie with a majority Asian cast in 25 years, i.e., crazy overdue.

Directed by: Jon M. Chu | Written by: Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Awkwafina, Gemma Chan, Michelle Yeoh, Ken Jeong

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (Aug. 17)

Netflix

Here's one YA fans have been waiting for. Based on the bestselling novel by Jenny Han, the title refers to letters our heroine, Lara Jean Covey, writes to her past crushes, love letters they are never meant to see -- but do, after they're accidentally mailed out. You don't need to head to the cinema to swoon over this one; it's streaming on Netflix.

Directed by: Susan Johnson | Written by: Sofia Alvarez Starring: Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Janel Parrish, Emilija Baranac, Israel Broussard, John Corbett

The Happytime Murders (Aug. 17)

Nothing says summertime like puppets snorting ecstasy and soliciting sex. The Happytime Murders -- no lie, from the same director as The Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island -- is about police partners, one felt and one Melissa McCarthy, investigating who is shooting the stuffing out of puppets.

Directed by: Brian Henson | Written by: Todd Berger Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Elizabeth Banks, Maya Rudolph, Joel McHale

MORE SUMMER PREVIEW:

Summer TV Preview: 26 of the Best New and Returning Series to Watch!

Summer Music Preview: 17 Albums We Can’t Wait to Hear

Summer Theater Preview: 11 Must-See Broadway and Off-Broadway Shows

Summer Book Preview: 9 Beach Reads by Bill Clinton, Emily Giffin, Lauren Weisberger and More!

[mattbrothersscriptwriter]

My Top 20 Films of 2018 - Part One

Hello people, time to once again resurrect this defunct blog to ramble about some films again. You may notice a trend if you scroll back through.

OK so I saw a BUNCH of movies this year, thanks again in part to some fantastic arts cinemas, film festivals (well, Sundance London and Frightfest) and yet another banner year for Netflix original content. There were many I didn’t catch like A Star is Born, First Reformed, Aquaman, BlackkKlansman etc but for my FULL ranking of all 135 films I did manage to see, as always go to my letterboxd list here - https://letterboxd.com/matt_bro/list/films-of-the-year-2018-1/

Alrighty then, let’s kick things off:

20. A Quiet Place

As a writer who is hugely inspired by high concept ideas with a grounding in genre, it thrilled me no end to see this ‘elevator pitch’ of a thriller do so well, both critically and commercially. Set in a world where making the slightest noise means certain death from these horrifying, Starship Trooper looking motherfucking bug aliens, we follow a desperate family trying to survive and all the hardships that entails when communication is cut down to a bare minimum.

Of course, this film – which in the wrong hands with a lesser script could easily devolve into a Birdemic style mess – has a helping hand right out the gate in both the star power and gravitas of Emily Blunt and the assured (almost TOO assured) direction of co-star John Krasinski. Their performances ground the action superbly (along with the excellent, actually deaf newcomer Millicent Simmonds) and the tension can be cut with a knife for practically the entire runtime. Famously, people’s enjoyment of the film usually came down to how well behaved their cinema audiences were, which is perhaps the most cruellest of circumstances because the irony is that this is a film that simply must be seen with a rapt audience in a huge dark room… but the second anyone breaks the unwritten code of the cinema, the illusion is shattered. Luckily, within the first three minutes, my crowd were practically holding their breath to maintain the silence. And when I felt a sneeze coming on, let me tell you, that was maybe the scariest moment of the lot!

A tense thrill ride with a genuine ‘why didn’t I think of that’ premise, A Quiet Place is another runaway success for modern horror and I truly hope the inevitable sequels don’t fuck with it’s power.

19. Avengers: Infinity War

Inevitable spoilers for the ending of Infinity War below:

The blockbuster to end all blockbusters, this culmination of ten years of the MCU was a huge triumph, somehow managing to juggle a billion characters jostling for screen-time via some savvy scripting and a focus on a core combination of story strands; namely Thor’s personal journey of revenge, the last stand at Wakanda, Tony’s crew misadventures in space and Thanos being ingeniously positioned as the protagonist. For a mainstream Disney movie to essentially end with the villain winning, there were perhaps no bigger statement this year than the words ‘Thanos Will Return’ at the end of the credits, cementing the fact that while we thought we had been watching a fun, superhero greatest hits package, we’d actually been watching the story of an ambitious, driven individual overcome the odds and claim his victory over all those pesky superheroes. Yes, his plan might be insane but you have to hand it to him; he did it. He actually did it. 

This being a comic book movie - with at least a further ten years of comic book movies to come - obviously means that what is done can always be undone but still, this climax provided such a stark (pun intended) resolution that it left half of my audience in stunned silence and the other half in tears.

Outside of the game changing finale, the film has a lightning pace and a whole host of fun set pieces, characters colliding (hello Rocket meets Bucky) and a real sense of... at least occasional... intimacy that somehow doesn’t get completely swallowed up by the spectacle.

18. Annihilation

Now here is a fascinatingly original sci-fi movie that I just was utterly transfixed and terrified by. Much like Jonathan Glazer’s mesmerising Under the Skin, this jettisoned much of the source novel (outside of the general premise and characters) in favour of a stronger focus on the things that a visual medium can really excel at, namely atmosphere, tone and deeply disconcerting visuals/sound design. I quite enjoyed Jeff VanderMeer’s book but this feels like a much more authored and singular vision. Book weirdness has been replaced by movie weirdness and it actually ends up feeling like a true adaptation and if any book truthers are upset, believe me it could have been so much worse. 

A group of scientists, led by a stoic Jennifer Jason Leigh, including Natalie Portman, Gina Rodriguez and Tessa Thompson, venture into ‘the shimmer’, a baffling electromagnetic field surrounding a crashed alien meteor. Each has their reasons for volunteering for this suicide mission and they are soon faced with the simply unknowable machinations of this particular alien biology, leading to some incredibly memorable encounters, not least of which is a nightmarish mutant bear attack. The practically wordless finale is something I WISH I could have seen for the first time on the big screen.

Eerie, haunting and a miracle of mid-budget, practically distribution-less filmmaking, this is one I can see revisiting many times over and I continue to be obsessed over anything Alex Garland is involved with.

17. Anna and the Apocalypse

Now here’s a surprise. And a delight. And a goddamn joyful burst of sunshine in a bleak bleak world. I went along to see this at the Frightfest Film Festival in August and boy did it deliver. It’s a (*huge breath*)  super independent, low budget, Scottish, high school, coming of age, zombie comedy… Christmas… musical! That’s too many things, I hear you say! And normally you may be right but this film has so much heart, so many breakout stars, so many ingenious, human moments, that it transcends the hurdles of it’s genre mashup trappings and actually works dammit.

The film follows Anna (a wonderful, future star in the making Ella Hunt) who falls out with her father (Mark Benton, the heart and soul of the piece) when she tells him that when school finishes, she’d rather go travelling than go to university. Dad being Dad, he’s appalled at the notion and though he clearly has her best interests at heart, their relationship has been strained since Anna’s mother died and this conflict soon gets ugly. Joining her in this teenage angst are her friends; John (Malcolm Cumming), her best friend who is hopelessly in love with her, Steph (Sarah Swire – who pulls double duty as the film’s choreographer) a gay American outcast, Chris (Christopher Leveaux) a struggling filmmaker and Lisa (Marli Siu), Chris’ girlfriend and talented singer. Together, they butt heads with the panto villainy of the hilarious, scene stealing, scenery chewing Paul Kaye as the maniacal headmaster Mr Savage. Then of course, comes the ultimate spanner in the works… a zombie apocalypse.

As the film pivots from charming high school/slice of life melodrama to genuinely threatening zombie horror comedy, we cannot forget about the musical numbers (!), which are all pretty uniformly catchy as hell, singalong ready and really fucking integral to the entire emotional arc. You start out laughing as Anna sings her way to school completely oblivious to the zombie uprising happening behind her but by the time she’s singing a powerful duet with her father during the finale, there won’t be a dry eye in the house either. It’s a credit to the consistent tone and solid performances that the whole thing doesn’t descend into an overlong sketch and it’s the core relationships that make you care and give weight to the heavier moments in the second half.

It’s funny, smart, endlessly rewatchable and bound to be a new Christmas staple but above all else, it earns it’s emotional gut punches, marrying showtunes with real, life or death stakes that the film doesn’t fuck about with or ignore. People die here, sometimes unfairly but that’s the key to a great zombie flick. And if nothing else, you’ve got bad boy Nick (a stand out Ben Wiggins) shepherding his gang of idiot lads lads lads as they gleefully smash zombie heads in whilst singing “when it comes to killing zombies, I’m the top of my class!”. 

The year’s best kept secret and a real hidden gem. Seek it out.

16. Black Panther

Ryan Coogler man… Ryan fucking Coogler. 

Fruitvale Station and Creed are both five star movies to me and while this foray into the Marvel machine didn’t quite hit those heights, I think he did the best job he could have in blending his own style, ethos and interests with another chapter in the MCU – a production line rather famous for (until recently) stamping out individuality in favour of the bigger, uniformed picture. Sometime around Phase 2, we were getting somewhat bland creative choices like Alan Taylor (Thor: The Dark World) and losing auteurs like Edgar Wright (initially set for Ant Man) but after the success of the nutty, bold and gleefully anarchic Guardians of the Galaxy, it’s like the flood gates opened, Kevin Feige learned the lesson of diversity and taking bold risks in his directors and suddenly we had a mostly improvised Thor movie from idiosyncratic Kiwi Taika Waititi and then Black Panther.

Having introduced the character in Captain America: Civil War, this film was free to dive right in – and what a world we’re introduced to, one full of colour, afro-futurist designs and the grand daddy of Marvel villains (in my eyes) in the form of Coogler’s lucky charm, Michael B. Jordan, as Killmonger. Here was a man who believed himself abandoned and betrayed by his own people - his own family - who had massively different ideas about what Wakanda’s secretive technological advancements could do for other marginalised societies around the world. Of course, this being a comic book, his plan inevitably boils down to arming terror factions but in theory, it did address the imbalance and selfishness of the Wakandan people.

Outside of some dodgy super suit vs super suit CG fight scenes and some rather silly battle scenes involving rhinos, this was the most engaging and confident Marvel movie in some time, with the aforementioned B. Jordan and T’Challa himself Chadwick Boseman being supported by a whos who of incredible performers, from Letitia Wright and Lupita Nyong’o to Daniel Kaluuya and Andy Serkis.

15. The Square

This film killed me. It’s so very very dry in its humour and nearly every scene plays out in these often painfully long takes but it never fails in making every moment that bit funnier as a result, swinging right round from awkward to cringe back to hilarious again. From Christian’s (Claes Bang) repeated encounters with a very angry child to a deliriously off-kilter Elisabeth Moss fighting for control of a used condom, there’s a Curb-like immaturity to many of the sequences here that clash with the high brow, art world characters that populate it.

Not to mention one of the scenes of the year - period - as Terry Notary terrorises an elitist crowd of poshos, descending into performance art hijinks as he embodies a roaming Gorilla. Becoming genuinely threatening as the line between acceptable “art” and full blown menace gets increasingly blurred, the reactions (or lack thereof) from many of the crowd says much more than words maybe ever can.

14. Summer of 84

Another genre hit that I caught at Frightfest, this is the follow up to one of my favourite films of 2015: Turbo Kid. Directed once more by RKSS (the group moniker for François Simard, Anouk Whissell and Yoann-Karl Whissell) the film seems to operate, at first glance, in the same territory as their previous movie (aka as a horror influenced, 80s throwback) but it is treated with a completely different tone. Whereas Turbo Kid is ‘Mad Max on BMXs made like an 18 rated Saturday morning cartoon’, this plays like a much straighter Stephen King style pulp thriller. 

The comparisons to Stranger Things are inevitable (group of nerdy teenage boys, suburbia, bikes etc) but unfair. This story doesn’t wallow in nostalgia, rather it is played like a film from the 80s rather than knowingly about the 80s. Yes there are references but they aren’t shoehorned in and it doesn’t take long for the central mystery to take centre stage. A little bit Rear Window, it follows these goofy teenagers (all unknowns to my eyes, all equally brilliant and believable) who begin to suspect that their homely, cop neighbour (Mad Men’s Rich Sommer) is actually a serial killer. It’s to the film’s credit that the outcome of this central question – is he or isn’t he – teeters back and forth so well for so long... that by the time it nosedives into a nasty, pulpy final act - taking the conventions you’ve come to expect and beating you into the ground with them - your heart will be so far in the back of your throat that you won’t notice. And again, another classy retro score from Le Matos helps tie this all together. 

A genuine change of pace from RKSS, despite the continued 80s fixation, and further proof that they have many more tricks up their sleeve.

13. First Man

Along with Ryan Coogler, Damian Chazelle is the other wunderkid whose career has been producing nothing but five star films for me (well, Whiplash and La La Land; I haven’t seen his actual debut). And First Man, like Black Panther, is another one that gets really close to perfection but falls slightly short. Having said that, I definitely think I like First Man a lot more than the general audience consensus. People have complained about its insular, intimate focus on a rather dull, introverted lead subject and the nauseating treatment of space travel but I loved both of these elements. 

This is less a film about triumphantly going to the moon and waving a flag around and more about a grieving man who is so out of touch with his own emotions that he a) speaks to his own children as if he’s attending a press conference and b) is hurting so internally that rather than talk to anyone about the loss of his daughter, he’d rather make the dangerous, unprecedented, insane mission to a cold, dead rock about as far away from anyone as you can get. That feeling - of wanting to shut yourself away from literally everyone - is universal. The actualisation of it - man goes to moon - is personal. And made history. And having the foresight to connect that emotional journey of Neil Armstrong with the otherwise feel-good true story of astronauts (and America!) winning the space race is genius. 

Add to that compelling supporting turns from everyone from Claire Foy, Kyle Chandler, Christopher Abbott and Shea Wigham, another dynamite score from long-time collaborator Justin Hurwitz and some nerve shredding rocket based set pieces and what you have is a fresh direction for Chazelle to take and one that I think we be re-evaluated in the years to come when his filmography expands to much more than just jazz-infused dramas.

12. Phantom Thread

This film is just gorgeous. A riveting character study of a supremely difficult man, Phantom Thread portrays a constant battle for dominance in a troubled yet surprisingly cinematic relationship. Vicky Krieps and Lesley Manville give as good as they get from Daniel ‘this is my last film, I swear’ Day-Lewis, an undeniable acting giant who effortlessly breathes as much life into Reynolds Woodcock here as he did Daniel Plainview before, in his last collaboration with Paul Thomas Anderson. 

Beautifully shot with another fantastic score from Johnny Greenwood, this one really feels like old school movie magic, like a lost melodrama from the 50s but with a modern mentality bubbling underneath, ready to blow it’s top at the mere, ear-splitting scrape of butter on toast.

11. Widows

Who’d have imagined the director of Hunger, Shame and 12 Years a Slave would be the one to team up with Gone Girl’s Gillian Flynn to deliver one of the best action thrillers of the year? 

Adapted from the 80s TV mini-series and given a modern makeover, this film wastes no time getting right to the important stuff as Liam Neeson’s latest heist takes a deadly turn, leaving the widows of him and his crew to deal with the fallout of the failed money grab. Forced into desperate action to pay off their debts, Viola Davis leads this mismatched group of women into the belly of the beast. The cast in this thing is insane - even outside the main players (Elizabeth Debicki, Michelle Rodriguez, Cynthia Erivo) you have Colin Farrell, Bryan Tyree Henry (having one hell of a year), Daniel Kaluuya, Robert Duvall, Carrie Coon, Jacki Weaver, Garrett Dillahunt... not a weak link amoung them.

It’s clear that McQueen is a master storyteller and this is a supremely exciting and suspenseful thriller that if nothing else, adds fuel to my ‘Jon Bernthal shared universe’ fan-theory, haha. Imagine, if you will, that he plays the same character in this as he does in Baby Driver. In both films, he takes part in an opening heist and then disappears for the rest of the movie. In Baby Driver, as he’s walking off after a job well done, he says that if you don’t see him again, he’s probably dead. Cut to him joining up with Neeson on THIS job and promptly getting blown to pieces. 

Boom.

COMING UP - star shaped earrings, reloading biceps, fish sex and a mutant pig

[spookygiverland]

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Inhalt: Im London der 1970er Jahre inmitten der Punkrock-Revolution ist eine junge Grifterin namens Estella entschlossen, sich mit ihren Designs einen Namen zu machen. Sie freundet sich mit zwei jungen Dieben an, die ihren Appetit auf Unfug zu schätzen wissen, und gemeinsam können sie sich auf den Straßen Londons ein Leben aufbauen. Eines Tages sticht Estellas Gespür für Mode der Baroness von Hellman ins Auge, einer Modelegende, die verheerend schick und erschreckend hoch ist. Aber ihre Beziehung setzt eine Reihe von Ereignissen und Enthüllungen in Gang, die Estella dazu bringen werden, ihre böse Seite zu umarmen und die raue, modische und rachsüchtige Cruella zu werden.

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Titel Cruella Veröffentlichungsdatum 26. Mai 2021 Dauer 134 Minuten Genres Komödie , Krimi Produktionsfirma Walt Disney Bilder Produktionsländer vereinigte Staaten von Amerika Besetzungen Emma Stone , Emma Thompson , Mark Strong , Joel Fry , Paul Walter Hauser , Emily Beecham , Kirby Howell-Baptiste , Tipper Seifert-Cleveland , John McCrea , Kayvan Novak ,Jamie Demetriou Plot-Schlüsselwörter 1970er Jahre , Schurke , Punkrock , Modedesigner , Mode , Herkunftsgeschichte

Definition and Definition of Film / Movie

While the players who play a role in the film are referred to as actors (men) or actresses (women). There is also the term extras that are used as supporting characters with few roles in the film. This is different from the main actors who have bigger and more roles. Being an actor and an actress must be demanded to have good acting talent, which is in accordance with the theme of the film he is starring in. In certain scenes, the actor’s role can be replaced by a stuntman or a stuntman. The existence of a stuntman is important to replace the actors doing scenes that are difficult and extreme, which are usually found in action action films. Films can also be used to convey certain messages from the filmmaker. Some industries also use film to convey and represent their symbols and culture. Filmmaking is also a form of expression, thoughts, ideas, concepts, feelings and moods of a human being visualized in film. The film itself is mostly a fiction, although some are based on fact true stories or based on a true story.

There are also documentaries with original and real pictures, or biographical films that tell the story of a character. There are many other popular genre films, ranging from action films, horror films, comedy films, romantic films, fantasy films, thriller films, drama films, science fiction films, crime films, documentaries and others.

That’s a little information about the definition of film or movie. The information was quoted from various sources and references. Hope it can be useful.

❍❍❍ TV MOVIE ❍❍❍

The first television shows were experimental, sporadic broadcasts viewable only within a very short range from the broadcast tower starting in the 1930s. Televised events such as the 1936 Summer Olympics in Germany, the 19340 coronation of King George VI in the UK, and David Sarnoff’s famous introduction at the 1939 New York World’s Fair in the US spurred a growth in the medium, but World War II put a halt to development until after the war. The 19440 World MOVIE inspired many Americans to buy their first television set and then in 1948, the popular radio show Texaco Star Theater made the move and became the first weekly televised variety show, earning host Milton Berle the name “Mr Television” and demonstrating that the medium was a stable, modern form of entertainment which could attract advertisers. The first national live television broadcast in the US took place on September 4, 1951 when President Harry Truman’s speech at the Japanese Peace Treaty Conference in San Francisco was transmitted over AT&T’s transcontinental cable and microwave radio relay system to broadcast stations in local markets.

The first national color broadcast (the 1954 Tournament of Roses Parade) in the US occurred on January 1, 1954. During the following ten years most network broadcasts, and nearly all local programming, continued to be in black-and-white. A color transition was announced for the fall of 1965, during which over half of all network prime-time programming would be broadcast in color. The first all-color prime-time season came just one year later. In 19402, the last holdout among daytime network shows converted to color, resulting in the first completely all-color network season.

❍❍❍ Formats and Genres ❍❍❍

See also: List of genres § Film and television formats and genres Television shows are more varied than most other forms of media due to the wide variety of formats and genres that can be presented. A show may be fictional (as in comedies and dramas), or non-fictional (as in documentary, news, and reality television). It may be topical (as in the case of a local newscast and some made-for-television films), or historical (as in the case of many documentaries and fictional MOVIE). They could be primarily instructional or educational, or entertaining as is the case in situation comedy and game shows.[citation needed]

A drama program usually features a set of actors playing characters in a historical or contemporary setting. The program follows their lives and adventures. Before the 1980s, shows (except for soap opera-type serials) typically remained static without story arcs, and the main characters and premise changed little.[citation needed] If some change happened to the characters’ lives during the episode, it was usually undone by the end. Because of this, the episodes could be broadcast in any order.[citation needed] Since the 1980s, many MOVIE feature progressive change in the plot, the characters, or both. For instance, Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere were two of the first American prime time drama television MOVIE to have this kind of dramatic structure,[4][better source needed] while the later MOVIE Babylon 5 further exemplifies such structure in that it had a predetermined story running over its intended five-season run.[citation needed] In “DC1&”, it was reported that television was growing into a larger component of major media companies’ revenues than film.[5] Some also noted the increase in quality of some television programs. In “DC1&”, Academy-Award-winning film director Steven Soderbergh, commenting on ambiguity and complexity of character and narrative, stated: “I think those qualities are now being seen on television and that people who want to see stories that have those kinds of qualities are watching television.

❍❍❍ Thank’s For All And Happy Watching❍❍❍

Find all the movies that you can stream online, including those that were screened this week. If you are wondering what you can watch on this website, then you should know that it covers genres that include crime, Science, Fi-Fi, action, romance, thriller, Comedy, drama and Anime Movie. Thank you very much. We tell everyone who is happy to receive us as news or information about this year’s film schedule and how you watch your favorite films. Hopefully we can become the best partner for you in finding recommendations for your favorite movies. That’s all from us, greetings!

Thanks for watching The Video Today. I hope you enjoy the videos that I share. Give a thumbs up, like, or share if you enjoy what we’ve shared so that we more excited.

[furederiko]

A Random-News-Digest to cap off September! Yes, the last one for the last day of the month...

Akira

A few days ago, the anime community was sent into a polarizing frenzy, when a live action Hollywood remake for Makoto Shinkai's masterpiece "Kimi no Na wa." was announced. Following "Ghost in the Shell", and "Death Note", it's a vindicative sign that Hollywood is actively turning towards Japanese titles to make their own versions. One that would usually come in one package with whitewashing controversy.

I'm not here to talk about "Your name." though, but about Katsuhiro Otomo's "Akira". Because yes, "Akira" is also one of that classic anime title that Hollywood has been itching to adapt... for soooo many years. Guess what, the title has resurfaced into the spotlight once again. After several directors have come in to develop this project, and then walked out to do other things instead, now Warner Bros is said to be in talks with the one and only... Taika Waititi. The upcoming Thor sequel has certainly put Waititi's name into every studio's attention, so it's not even surprising that WB is trying to hire him as well. After all, WB has been actively snatching Marvel Studios' directors and actors, right?

Of course, Waititi is still 'in talks', so things can always go sideway. He already has a project with Fox Searchlight that's about to enter production early next year, as well as that stop-motion animated movie about Michael Jackson's chimpanzee. If WB really wants to rush this movie into creation, I doubt Waititi will be the man to do the job. I personally would have preferred to see Hollywood simply forgeting about "Akira" all together, but that's just me and my selfish desire of not wanting another anime gets 'ruined' by American hands. Hold on, Waititi is not from US, eh! Oh well...

Tomb Raider

Having been an avid fan of this game franchise, of course I'm curious about its movie adaptations. The Angelina Jolie movies were... likeable (oh, how I was still sooo innocent when the first one came out), but they've also failed in capturing the charm of the series. Will a new version with recently crowned Oscar Winner Alicia Vikander work better?

Go ahead and check out the first official trailer (as well as its... odd accompaniment poster, both released 10 days ago LOL) to get your answer. My spontaneous response? "HUH?". Which was then followed by a frown and a "Meh...". Look, I know this one is more inspired by the 2013 game reboot, yet somehow... I don't think it gets it either. In the end, it feels like it's circling back into an Angeline Jolie's version redux. Particularly through Walton Goggins' character, who just had to be there as the evil super-villain stereotype. Had the movie followed the 2013 game's storyline more... faithfully, perhaps I would've seen it in a better light.

Much like "Assassin's Creed" that couldn't flesh out the game premise into a movie event, I seriously doubt this will do better. The video game adaptation curse is still looming large, and is already clouding this movie. But that's just me. Probably it'll work better for you? Roar Uthaug's "Tomb Raider" arrives on March 16th, 2018. So please stop expecting WB to release "The Flash" on that date...

Charlie's Angels

I did NOT see this coming. According to Deadline, Kristen Stewart is said to be one of two actresses being eyed for the "Charlie's Angels" reboot movie. The other one? Lupita Nyong'o. Before you complaint about Stewart, do remember that she's no longer the expressionless actress we saw in the "Twilight" series. She has made a better name of herself through the indie root lately. And Nyong'o is obviously that famous Oscar Winner, who's been involved with the "Star Wars" franchise and soon to hit the action genre with her upcoming Marvel Studios movie.

The fact that these two names are even attracted to the Elizabeth Banks' project is what intrigued me. I actually enjoyed those two Angels movies in the 90s, when everyone else was crying foul. It was campy and over-the-top, but it was fun and well... sexy. LOL. Hearing Stewart and Nyong'o names totally took this reboot to another level. I mean, could we be seeing a... darker and grittier (as much as I despised on using that word) version of the 70s TV show? I'd be down for that. Perhaps they can add more color with... I don't know, Asian actress Pom Klementieff, Elodie Yung, or Claudia Kim to the fray? I hope we'll be hearing more about the casting real soon, because this movie has officially gotten my attention. "Charlie's Angels" will arrive on June 7th, 2019.

Disney Animation

Disney Pixar released the latest trailer for "COCO" and accompanying poster around two weeks ago. The company also released short previews for three songs from the movie: "Remember Me", "Un Poco Loco", and "The World Es Mi Familia". Admittedly, due to my internet fiasco last week, I haven't been able to check out any of these clips. "Coco" arrives just in time for Thanksgiving, so I'm sure by then I would have seen these trailers. LOL. Of course, if you don't want any part of the movie to be spoiled in advance, then you might want to refrain from these new footages and just wait for the movie to arrive. It's your choice!

Star Wars

Despite various reports suggesting/speculating that Rian Johnson would take over Colin Trevorrow's directorial seat for "Star Wars: Episode IX", Lucasfilm hired a far more reasonable and 'safer' choice instead. Yep, I'm sure you have heard by now that J. J. Abrams is back for his second "Star Wars" movie. He's set to write, and direct the third and final movie in the modern era's trilogy. Sure, Abrams doesn't have a great reputation in dealing with sequels, but he's also responsible for the success of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens". Problem is, the official announcement also revealed that Chris Terrio has also been hired to write. In case the name doesn't right a bell, that's the guy who wrote Academy Award's Best Picture Winner "Argo". That's good, right? Hold on... he's also the writer to WB's infamous "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice", and the early draft of "Justice League" back when it had those unpleasant behind the scene reports. YIKES!!!

Speaking of WB, it's also another game of chicken with that company. This much-anticipated movie has been delayed to December 20th, 2019, meaning it will open just a week after WB's recently announced "Wonder Woman 2". Oh NO!!! After re-hiring the director with an exceptionally huge raise, I have a feeling WB will be forced to move their sequel away to ensure a big box office turnout. Because seriously, confronting the final entry of a "Star Wars" trilogy, one with a female lead protagonist as well, would be nothing short of a massive risk.

Hellboy

Two first looks of David Harbour's version of Hellboy has been released via the movie's official Twitter account, and also the actor's very own social media. And well... it looks, Hellboy-ish enough, I guess? I'm curious though, since this reboot will apply more conventional prothetics instead of CG, does that mean, we're looking at Harbour's very own physique here? I could've sworn his beer-belly he did NOT look like that in "Stranger Things". LOL.

The bigger news of this movie however, was the song of praises to Daniel Dae Kim taking on the whitewashed role that was supposed to go to Ed Skrein. Kim even took a photo with Skrein to make this announcement credible. Ain't this the way it should've been, casting a Korean-American actor for a Japanese-American charact... wait, hold on? Seriously?! Feel free to call me a naysayer, but while I'm grateful for Kim, didn't this simply mean that Hollywood still do NOT have a clue about the whole whitewashing issue? It's a nice gesture and all to cast an Asian actor for an Asian character. But I beg to question... why not hire someone who is not just Asian, but also ethnically approriate? Do we even have a shortage of Japanese-American actor they could hire? Names like Brian Tee (who is both Japanese and Korean), Tadanobu Asano, Hiroyuki Sanada, Paul Nakauchi (who recently appeared in Netflix's "Death Note"), and even Masi Oka (who is Kim's very own fellow cast member in "Hawai Five-O" TV Series)... all easily come to mind.

I can't help but wonder now, is Hollywood still thinking that all Asians look the same? That's STILL a problem, if you ask me. Oh well, let's just scoff this off by saying that... "It's progress". Just for the record, I don't have ANY beef with Kim, and sincerely think that he deserves a big role in the movies. But seriously though, this situation COULD have been solved in a much better way...

DC Films

WB has recruited another writer to work on "Wonder Woman 2". Dave Callaham was brought on board by director Patty Jenkins, to work on the script with DC Comics Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns. His portofolio includes the 2014 "Godzilla", "The Expendables", and also Universal's "The Wolfman" (assuming the Dark Universe project is still on-the-go despite the result of "The Mummy"). Details about the script is still kept under wraps, but it is expected to take place several decades from the first movie. Jenkins has already teased a Cold War setting for the sequel, along with the debut of Gal Gadot's Diana Prince's invisible jet. As I've stated above, it's currently unclear whether WB will keep this movie on the December 2019 schedule or not. If past moves by the studio is any indication (like how WB sped up BvS' release to avoid the third "Captain America" movie), then highly likely we could be seeing a shift of release date sooner or later. How the sequel will change James Cameron's very-public (and annoying, albeit logical, I should add) criticism about the first movie, is a different challenge on its own.

On a side note, DC Entertainment's President Diane Nelson has confirmed that there WILL INDEED be movies outside of DCEU continuity. It seems the initial plan is changing at WB, as Nelson is now singing a somewhat different tune. "Our intention, certainly, moving forward is using the continuity to help make sure nothing is diverging in a way that doesn’t make sense, but there’s no insistence upon an overall story line or interconnectivity in that universe", she stated. I certainly smell 'Plan B' here, in that if ever the DCEU (which already refers to DC Films and the various TV series, right?) gets out of control again, they could use "The Flash: Flashpoint" to basically erase it and create a whole new one. You know, "New-52" and/or "Rebirth"-style. Movies like "The Joker" origin movie, and probably "Justice League: Dark" and "Shazam" will definitely exist in their very own 'LABEL', which will be named and announced in the near future. Will this approach be better or worse for WB and DC? As I said before, this is basically another one of WB's attempt to copy Marvel (that already had multiple Universes on their own, see the next FIVE categories for direct proof), but for now, let's not judge anything too soon and see how this pans out...

X-Men Universe

Wow, it seems FOX has been infected by the braggish fever of WB. Thanks to a recent success with "Logan", the studio can now talk BIG about their next project. Someone's clearly forgetting how the studio ALMOST dropped "Deadpool", had Ryan Reynolds wasn't persistent enough to create it in R-rated format. Not just that, had the studio forced that movie to be toned down to PG-13, it wouldn't have inspired James Mangold to make "Logan" the way it is now. Thus we would only be getting another round of "The Wolverine".

Anyways, FOX Chief Stacey Snider had a really interesting comment to Dark Horizons regarding Josh Boone's "The New Mutants". She stated, "When you look at films like Deadpool or Logan or the upcoming New Mutants, you’ll see they have their own personality. Great effort has been put into making sure they’re differentiated". A peculiar statement, because one, is she trying to throw a shade towards Marvel Studios? And two, is FOX forgetting about the ultra-mediocre "X-Men: Apocalypse" ALREADY?

She then continued with a more 'shocking' remarks, "New Mutants is about these teenagers who are just coming into their powers. It’s like watching mutants go through adolescence and they have no impulse control, so they’re dangerous. The only solution is to put them in a Breakfast Club detention/Cuckoo’s Nest institutional setting. It protects the people on the outside, but it’s strange and combustible inside. The genre is like a haunted-house movie with a bunch of hormonal teenagers. We haven’t seen it as a superhero movie whose genre is more like The Shining than ‘we’re teenagers let’s save the world". Yikes!!! Okay, not only the recent Spider-Man movie was ALREADY a "Breakfast Club"-inspired movie (so... differentiated how?), comparing the movie to Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining" is a really ballsy and gutsy if not downright over-confident move. I personally shook my head upon reading this news, because the studio is setting the bar VERY high eventhough the movie is still in production. Meaning none of the bigwigs have even seen a finished product! One thing for sure, I'm going to bookmark her comment and actually judge the movie against it when it arrives. Can it actually hold up? I doubt, but we'll see...

SONY Marvel Universe

Another studio, another Marvel movie. This one's VERY interesting though, because no matter how confused people has been about Ruben Fleischer's "Venom", the fact that it's attracting big names to the project, might suggest something big. We know that Oscar Nominee Tom Hardy is onboard to play Eddie Brock, but care to guess who else is being eyed and/or in talks? The super talented Riz Ahmed who might (offensively tbh) and might not become the serial killer Carnage, and another Oscar Nominee in... Michelle Williams. Yes, Williams is currently in talks to play the female-lead and potential love interest to Hardy's Brock. It's still unclear if she will take the job or not, but if it ends up becoming real, then it gives me another good reason to actually check it out when it arrives on October 5th, 2018.

Marvel Studios

Let's start with the upcoming "Thor: Ragnarok"! As the release date of November 3rd, 2017 is rapidly approaching (with some international markets set to open in just a few weeks from now), marketing is also ramping up. We got a special Behind the Scene featurette, neat-looking IMAX poster, and also a Chinese one that came alongside an exclusive Chinese trailer containing new footages. Marvel Studios Visual Development Supervisor Andy Park also debuted the cover for "Art of Thor: Ragnarok" online, to encourage fans to pre-order their copy. This artbook will no doubt contains visual spoilers (like that particular creature from Muspelheim), so do consider that before you purchase one.

The movie also hit a somewhat negative hurdle recently. The issue however, wasn't caused by Marvel Studios, but surprisingly by the Writers Guild of America. Turns out, writer Stephany Folsom's name has been denied by the WGA to be attached to the film, eventhough Marvel Studios already gave her a "Story by" credit. A curious case to be honest, because it's usually the studio who refused to give a writer credit, not the other way around. Folsom openly expressed her dissatisfaction to the Guild that was supposed to be the one protecting her rights. On the other hand, does this mean Folsom's work was so minimum, that WGA thought it's unnecessary to add her name? Let's just hope this won't affect the movie's reception.

***The following could be considered spoilers for movies releasing in 2018 and 2019. If you're avoiding one, please skip the next paragraphs and jump over to the next category instead***

From the set of "Ant-Man and the Wasp", we got a new look for Evangeline Lilly's Wasp, Walton Goggins' Sonny Burch, as well as Hannah John-Kamen's Ghost. Burch looks pretty much like a normal human being, while Ghost has the signature white-suit design as can be seen in the comics.

Meanwhile, more and more cast members are confirmed for the UNTITLED "Avengers 4", which as I've said before, somehow serves as massive spoilers for "Avengers: Infinity War". Paul Bettany was pretty much confirmed to be in the movie thanks to a photo of him as Vision, while Mark Ruffalo was spotted alongside Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlett Johansson. Sebastian Stan and Don Cheadle have also been confirmed through interviews with several outlets. Aside from possibly hinting the possible plot of the movie, Atlanta Filming also spotted two actors on set with Johansson. The first was Captain America's Chris Evans, and the second one was... surprise, surprise... "Captain Marvel"'s Brie Larson. I know it has been common sense among fans, that from the time she was cast, she would take part in this movie. But it's always good to know that it's now confirmed.

The movie also has other intriguing parts of production that might hint further at the storyline. A recent casting call notice for extras, revealed that there will be a 1960s setting in the movie. This was inline with a photo by actress Hayley Atwell, who's dressed up as Peggy Carter with a mo-cap makeup on her face. Bearing in mind her quick cameo in the intro of "Ant-Man", could we be seeing a particular flashback to Peggy and John Slattery's Howard Stark in their early years at S.H.I.E.L.D.? A new actor has also been confirmed to become part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada, has joined the movie in an unknown role. This was strongly coincidental to that Japanese-esque setting we've seen before, so clearly the two facts are probably related somehow.

As for "Infinity War", actor Benedict Cumberbatch teased to Digital Spy that the movie will be huge, considering it's a massive storyline of ten years in the making, involving various sides of the MCU. He's also excited for the project to finally be seen by the world. Now about that, a recent rumor claimed that the D23 and San Diego Comic Con' trailer would be officially released on September 29th, along with the premiere of "Inhumans". It's a little unlikely, considering the growing gap between Marvel Studios and Marvel TV. Moreso, it's more possible that Marvel Studios will release this alongside "Thor: Ragnarok" sometime around October. That will certainly boost attention to the third "Thor" movie. Let's just wait and see.

"Captain Marvel" won't start filming until early next year, but pre-production has already begun. Andy Nicholson has joined the movie as its production designer. Nicholson was involved in "Captain America: The First Avenger" which, similar to this movie, took place in an 'earlier' era. Considering he also earned an Oscar nomination for "Gravity", his inclusion only signaled/confirmed a more interstellar aspect of the story. Here's hoping Nicholson will imbue his Academy Award charm to this movie as well!

Last but not least, That Hashtag Show reported that Marvel Studios is developing a movie for "Power Pack" as part of their next 'Phase'. Jonathan Schwartz is said to be overseeing the project, like he has done with "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2". To be honest, this source isn't particularly credible for this type of news, as their scoops VERY rarely panned out. Still, this is a somewhat plausible thing, considering "Runaways" (that have had a script since the early Phases), have since been converted into a TV series at Hulu. I won't be surprised if the Power siblings became one of the contenders to replace that now-obsolete project. Of course, do take this news with a HUUUGE grain of salt for now. It's best to just wait for an official announcement before getting too excited over something unconfirmed. Am I right?

Marvel TV

When this post goes up, Marvel's "Inhumans" should have debuted ON TV. If you're still unconvinced to see this mini-series, then perhaps the recent trailer would be able to sway you to the dark-si... er, I mean, to see and follow it. Showrunner Scott Buck Almighty apparently has envisioned this show to be at least 3 SEASONS, so you might want to put that into considerations before making one of the biggest life choices in your life. The general consensus however (including a pessimistic-sounding James Gunn), thinks that it won't even get a 2nd season. Then again, his "Iron Fist" somehow miraculously gets one, while a critically-received Marvel's "Agent Carter" did NOT. And don't forget about Marvel's "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." that apparently was ALMOST cancelled by ABC, had Disney not interfe... er, I mean stepped in as savior and paved way for the upcoming Season 5. Nothing is really certain anymore when it comes to Marvel TV, huh?

There's good on the other side though. To be precise, the Hulu side. Marvel's "Runaways" has only been getting positive responses until now, and comics creator Brian K. Vaughn has added even more excitement with his recent statement. During a book signing in New York, Vaughn revealed that not only Old Lace the Deinonychus is part of the show, showrunners Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage actually did her justice. Of course, him being an official consultant to the series can mean two things: one, his words is NOT objective; and two, the show will indeed be as faithful as possible to the source materials... which he wrote. Duh? Then again, the official images that debuted via Entertainment Weekly earlier this week, already felt and looked LEAGUES BETTER than "Inhumans". So I'm inclined to believe the good buzz might be true after all...

Netflix

Marvel's "The Defenders" burnt me out sooo bad, that I've pretty much lost any interest to see more Marvel Netflix series. Not just me though, because as it turns out, the crossover mini-series is also the lowest rating and/or least viewed of the entire Netflix Universe so far. GREAT GOODNESS!!! Regardless of the reason behind this result, a clear fatigue for a cookie-cutter Marvel TV show can easily be felt.

That's where Jon Bernthal's Marvel's "The Punisher" turned the table and broke the wall instead. Literally. The brutal and violent Rambo-esque official teaser, which was followed by a full trailer later on, seemed to be changing people's negative perception about the Netflix Universe. But is it a good indication that the series itself will be as good? Not really. If there's one positive thing I could openly praise about all Marvel Netflix series, is that they all have GREAT trailers. However, a great trailer doesn't immediately assure a great show, as proven by Marvel's "Luke Cage", Marvel's "Iron Fist", and Marvel's "The Defenders".

I admit, this was indeed a good trailer for Frank Castle's solo story. But did I like it as much as every other people? NOPE. I think it looked okay, and well... I'm still giving this show a pass. I have an odd tinkling feeling that it's going to end up as another carbon-copy of the previous shows. That it will also be a few episodes too long... but with amped-up violence to compensate. Of course, don't let this get you down, because what might not work for me, could very well be your treasure. One thing for sure, the series will be arriving pretty soon (if not November, probably earlier). So we'll definitely be reading the first reactions to it in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, the 4th season of "Voltron Legendary Defenders" is set for October 13th debut. You can even already watch the official trailer, that teases more action for both Prince Lotor and Princess Allura. It's unclear how many episodes we'll be getting though. If I had to guess, we'll probably get around 6 to 7, just like what happened to Season 3. After all, there's a possibility that both Seasons were initially intended to be one.

DC Television

I actually don't know where to put this, but since "Watchmen" is part of DC's property, I'll put it here instead. Forget about that Zack Snyder movie! Damon Lindelof is set to produce a new TV series adaptation for HBO. The network has ordered a pilot script from him (who announced it himself), so things are definitely moving forward. I'm personally not looking forward to this, as much as I disliked the Snyder's movie. But I can already sense the divide between the avid fans who are rejoicing, and the other side who thinks this is a bad idea. I have no right to give an opinion here, so let's just see how this pans out, okay!

Super Sentai

Trademark for the 2018 Super Sentai series has been registered on September 25th, and suffice to say, it brought its own twist to the fanbase. Contrary to previous rumor about fairy-tale time traveler, TOEI submitted not one, but TWO titles at the same time: "Keisatsu Sentai Patoranger", and "Kaitou Sentai Lupinranger". Nope, this wasn't April's Fool prank or a baseless rumor, because these copyrights are REAL.

There aren't any details about the two titles yet, so many fans and Tokusatsu enthusiasts have been talking and speculating about what this means. Does this mean, we will have two separate shows on the same year, perhaps separated as 25 episodes each? Could it be, one of them is the full yearly show, while the other one is a Web-Series or some sort, much like how "Kamen Rider Amazons" worked for Amazon Japan? There's also another possibility, in that both of them are part of one show. Which makes super sense, because the obvious titles alone pretty much work to 'rival' each other: Police Taskforce and Phantom Thief Squad. Get it? It's the game of cat and mouse between cops and thieves. Something like what would happen if "Persona 4" and "Persona 5" has a crossover.

Recent rumor claimed, that the two teams will indeed be regarded as the 42nd Sentai teams. Patoranger is rumored to consist of Red, Black, and White members, while Lupinranger will be Gold, Silver, and Bronze. They will start out as separate shows that will supposedly air alternately week after week, but when both shows reach episode 20, they will eventually become one solidified story. Not only that, one Lupinranger member is said to be a Patoranger spy (with Red being the most possible candidate), thus serving as the catalyst to combine both teams into one. This means the two shows will exist/intersect in the same world, so crossovers between both titles should be expected to happen more often than later on the 4th quarter.

Again, this idea makes good sense, that it's not even a surprise for me. TOEI has been doing the Versus Movies on a yearly basis ever since "Chouriki Sentai Ohranger vs Ninja Sentai Kakuranger", so this would only be their way to turn that concept into a full-blown series. This year's "Uchu Sentai Kyuranger" has even implemented this twist, by breaking its 12-members team into two units in its latest parallel arcs. Besides, don't forget one thing! TOEI seems to show high interest with what's happening in US entertainment business. And what's the current rage in Hollywood? Cinematic Universe, like the one famously built by Marvel Studios. Think of it this way, Patoranger and Lupinranger would be their own separate thing, similar to the Marvel Netflix series, or the CW "Arrow"-verse shows. But somewhere along the line, they team up into one crossover, as proven by Marvel's "The Defenders". It's highly likely, TOEI is intent on trying out this route as well, which could be a good or bad thing. Ignoring the fact that "Kaizoku Sentai Go-kaiger" have already, and very successfully I might add, served as a giant crossover show on its own.

To be honest, I've never been a fan of a Police-themed Sentai series. But this report definitely intrigued me to the core. If it is indeed valid, then I would totally check it out. It's an arguably brave and risky albeit not entirely new (remember the Versus Movies!) concept, so I'm dying to see if TOEI can pull it off. I think if TOEI is able to give both shows their own different tone, it would be even much better. I'm sure we'll be hearing more information about these shows pretty soon, so let's just wait and see...

ARIKA

It's a little baffling to think that ARIKA still hasn't made up their mind about their "Mysterious Fighting" game. Why? Because they showed up in Tokyo Game Show 2017, and actually released a new trailer for the event. Hmmmmm. Not long after, the company also expanded the game's roster with a returning fighter, in Doctrine Dark. At this point, I'm pretty sure EVERY original character from "Street Fighter EX" would be included... so why not just call the game, "EX Fighters" or some sort? *sigh*

Pocket Monsters

The Pokemon Company released a new trailer for "Pokemon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon" last week, and well... it offered some of its new content. Aside from confirming that the cover Pokemon is none other than 'Ultra Beast' Necrozma in his Dusk Mane/Dusk Wings forms (it's unclear how it will possess the powers to resemble Solgaleo or Lunala), several mini games like "Mantine Surf" and "Alola Photo Club" have been added to the game. Characters like Hau, Lillie, and the Trial Captains are confirmed to be returning. In the case of the last, some will even be bringing new Island Challenges. You can read the details on Gematsu. Both games will be launched worldwide on November 17th, 2017.

Dynasty Warriors

KOEI Tecmo was present at the Tokyo Game Show 2017, and of course they delivered a new trailer for "Dynasty Warriors 9" while confirming that it will be released in early 2018. So far, this new iteration has been creating conflicting reactions from the franchise's fanbase. Many, including yours truly, is feeling rather mixed about the game in general. Mainly due to the redesign and additional changes (weapons, costumes) given to the returning characters. While it's commendable that the game is trying to be more realistic and historically accurate, unfortunately, it comes at the expense of some of the title's bizarre but fun elements. On the bright side, the open world concept is still an intriguing aspect that I would totally love to try out. Even if to see whether KOEI Tecmo can pull it off or not. LOL.

[starfriday]

THE LEGO NINJAGO MOVIE, directed by Charlie Bean, Paul Fisher and Bob Logan is releasing across cinemas in India on October 6th, 2017.

A new animated adventure in Warner Bros. Pictures’ LEGO® franchise, “The LEGO NINJAGO® Movie” stars Dave Franco, Justin Theroux, Fred Armisen, Abbi Jacobson, Olivia Munn, Kumail Nanjiani, Michael Peña, Zach Woods, and the legendary Jackie Chan.

In this big-screen NINJAGO adventure, the battle for NINJAGO City calls to action young Master Builder Lloyd, aka the Green Ninja, along with his friends, who are all secret ninja warriors.  Led by Master Wu, as wise-cracking as he is wise, they must defeat evil warlord Garmadon, The Worst Guy Ever, who also happens to be Lloyd’s dad.  Pitting mech against mech and father against son, the epic showdown will test this fierce but undisciplined team of modern-day ninjas, who must learn to check their egos and pull together to unleash their inner power.  

Jackie Chan stars as Master Wu; Justin Theroux is Garmadon; Dave Franco plays Lloyd; and Olivia Munn is Lloyd’s mom, Koko.  Making up the secret ninja crew, Michael Peña is Kai, Fred Armisen voices Cole, Kumail Nanjiani is Jay, Abbi Jacobson plays Nya, and Zach Woods voices Zane.

“The LEGO NINJAGO Movie” was directed by Charlie Bean, Paul Fisher and Bob Logan.  The screenplay was by Bob Logan & Paul Fisher & William Wheeler & Tom Wheeler and Jared Stern & John Whittington, story by Hilary Winston & Bob Logan & Paul Fisher & William Wheeler & Tom Wheeler and Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman, based on LEGO Construction Toys.  

Dan Lin, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Maryann Garger, Roy Lee, and Chris McKay served as producers.  Executive producers were Jill Wilfert, Keith Malone, and Seth Grahame-Smith.  The creative filmmaking team included production designers Kim Taylor and Simon Whiteley.  Music was composed by Mark Mothersbaugh.

Feature animation was provided by Animal Logic.

“The LEGO NINJAGO Movie” will screen in theaters in both 3D and 2D.

From Warner Bros. Pictures and Warner Animation Group, in association with LEGO System A/S, a Lin Pictures/Lord Miller/Vertigo Entertainment Production, “The LEGO NINJAGO Movie” is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.  

LEGO, the LEGO logo, NINJAGO, the minifigure and the brick and knob configuration are trademarks of The LEGO Group. ©2017 The LEGO Group. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

LEGONINJAGOMovie-asia.com

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

An Epic Tale of Good…and Dad

From the team behind the blockbuster LEGO movies that have delighted audiences of all ages around the globe, comes an all-new, big-screen event, “The LEGO NINJAGO Movie.”

Sharing the heart, wit, and irrepressible sense of fun that made the first two outings so unforgettable, “The LEGO NINJAGO Movie” explores another cinematic world—the fantastic, faraway island of NINJAGO—with a new ensemble of characters and its own signature style: a fusion of state-of-the-art digital brick animation with elements of the organic world that producer Dan Lin calls “the next step in the evolution of the LEGO films.”

What the filmmakers envisioned was an expansive action adventure with the handmade look and feel of something sprung from the imagination of a kid creating a LEGO universe in his own backyard.  And to re-capture that excitement for the Master Builder in everyone.

“We have fight sequences choreographed by kung fu legend Jackie Chan, giant mech combat and a creature bent on destroying the city.  It’s crazy,” says Charlie Bean, a longtime LEGO fan and one of the film’s directors.  “I love martial arts movies, robot and monster movies, and this is a love letter to those genres, seen through the unique LEGO lens.”

At the same time, the story touches on themes and values that are not only the hallmark of these films but have been the foundation of the LEGO experience for generations.  “It’s about family, and self-discovery,” says Bean, citing the central conflict between the young ninja Lloyd, dedicated to protecting NINJAGO City, and his father, Garmadon, who is constantly attacking it.  “Even though it’s played out on an epic scale, it’s an intimate story centered on this father and son.  They are at odds with each other for many reasons, beyond the fact that one is a hero and one is a villain.  Lloyd feels he missed out on having his father in his life.  Through the course of their adventure, they tackle challenges that are bigger than both of them, and they are forced to deal with each other, which requires a process of discovery for each of them.”  

“When I was a kid, I dressed as a ninja for Halloween more often than not, so I was understandably very excited when they asked me to voice a character for ‘The LEGO NINJAGO Movie,’” says Dave Franco, who stars as the fearless but conflicted Lloyd—an outcast high school student by day and stealthy ninja warrior in disguise when duty calls.  “I think the reason a lot of people, including myself, are so passionate about LEGO is because, when you finish building a set you feel a sense of accomplishment.  You have to put in the work before you can really start playing with the toys and that ultimately makes it that much more satisfying.”

Similarly, the story calls upon Lloyd and his fellow ninjas to look within, to find their own true strengths and talents, and their inner… piece.  

“These are modern kids and they’re obsessed with technology, like all of us,” says Bean. “Their teacher, Master Wu, is trying to instill in them the fundamentals of what it really means to be a ninja, but they’d rather fight with loud, shiny mechs.  He’s trying to teach them that mechs get destroyed and technology can let you down.  They need to understand that what’s inside them is more powerful than any of that.”  

As Lloyd and his friends answer the call to action, “The LEGO NINJAGO Movie” also highlights themes of friendship and teamwork. Individual strengths are celebrated as they shed their nerdy high school personas for their secret identities, to protect NINJAGO City from Garmadon.  But, as the action unfolds, it becomes clear that these gifts would be better used in concert.  Until they can truly work together, they will never achieve the awesome empowerment they aspire to.

It’s a lesson Garmadon himself hasn’t figured out yet.  Justin Theroux, who embodies the character proclaimed The Worst Guy in the History of the World, says, “He’s the ultimate narcissist who’s always trying to own whatever city he’s attacking and be its dictator.  He also suffers from thinking, ‘I can do it all by myself’…  and, ‘Why isn’t anyone helping me?!’”

There’s a twist, too, that makes things more difficult.  Garmadon knows that Lloyd is his son.  What the old four-armed, red-eyed tyrant doesn’t know is that Lloyd is also the Green Ninja, his sworn enemy, that upstart in the Green Dragon mech who’s been kicking his butt and thwarting his plans to seize NINJAGO City time after time.    

But he’s about to find out.  

When Garmadon attempts to take over the city this time, in an outsized shark mech that launches actual sharks, Lloyd is ready with the Ultimate Weapon.  Unfortunately, the Ultimate Weapon releases a threat neither of them expected—or can control—sending father and son on a trek together through perilous country, in search of the only thing that might put things right.

Notes Lin, “Lloyd needs to save his family before he can save the city.  He can’t keep blaming everything on his dad, and that’s his journey over the course of the story, to grow up and be his own man.”  

For all the movie’s goofy, kid-friendly fun, sight gags and slapstick, there is plenty here for adults too, or, as producer Chris McKay says, “We made ‘NINJAGO’ for the kid in all of us. It may sound like a cliché but it’s true: we’re trying to capture the kind of whimsical imagination and epic flights of fancy we had as children.  But we also made it with love for the Shaw Brothers movies and monster movies, so there are lots of references for fans.”

“We just try to come up with the funniest things we can come up with in the room, the kind of humor that plays to everyone across age groups, genders, cultures, and that’s the sweet spot we’re going for,” adds Bean.

For example, adult moviegoers will be better attuned to the undercurrents of Garmadon’s interactions with his ex-wife and Lloyd’s mom, Koko, played by Olivia Munn.  Though long separated, and for good reason—it’s not easy being married to public enemy number one—their exchanges suggest at least one of them may still harbor feelings for the good old days.  “Koko’s relationship with Garmadon is…complicated,” Munn concedes.

The shorthand of “Lloyd’s mom” or “Garmadon’s ex” falls purposely shy of describing Koko, and the full extent of her role is one of the revelations in a tale that has much to offer both boys and girls.  Similarly, Nya, the Water Ninja, is a full-fledged fighting member of Lloyd’s team, played by Abbi Jacobson, who says, “Nya rides a motorcycle, she wears a leather jacket and pilots a giant mech. She’s very rad.”

Making up the rest of the secret ninja force are Fred Armisen, Kumail Nanjiani, Michael Peña and Zach Woods.  

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who wrote and directed “The LEGO Movie,” produced “The LEGO Batman Movie,” and return again as producers, see each film as a stand-alone saga as well as a progression through the larger LEGO universe.  “Each has its own voice and personality, and that’s one of the benefits of working with filmmakers who bring their own ideas and visual styles,” says Miller.  

Having launched the breakout feature that showed the world how active, expressive and endearing these bright plastic figures could be in a big-scale setting, Lord and Miller were ready for the next storytelling venture by expanding the environment and ramping up the action.  “We’ve always loved martial arts movies,” Lord offers. “They are about empowerment, facing your biggest fears and becoming your greatest self.  Also, we figured we’d never see one with a giant cat, unless we made it ourselves.”

To help realize the action in the style and tone the filmmakers were looking for, Jackie Chan not only stars in the film as Master Wu, but brought his renowned stunt team to choreograph the fights—bearing his trademark of rapid-fire, spectacularly executed moves, deftly undercut with a sense of humor.  How do animated kicks, flips and jumps compare to the real world?  “You can create all kinds of movement, all kinds of impossible things, and through the animation, make it 10 times better and more fun,” the genuine master declares. Moreover, acknowledging a catalogue of injuries nearly as famous as his lifetime of action roles, Chan laughingly adds, “This way I don’t have to do my own stunts, and no one gets hurt.”    

Getting the minifigures battle-ready without compromising the integrity of their non-flexible joints proved a fresh test.  Everything had to function in LEGO terms.

McKay, who has been on the ground with the animation team on all three LEGO features, says, “You have to think harder and more cleverly in this medium, make bigger and bolder choices.  In that sense, it’s a purer form of animation, to me.”

Once again, the filmmakers worked with award-winning effects house Animal Logic, and welcomed LEGO designers at the company headquarters in Denmark, to brainstorm ideas and to create and test models.  The goal was that all the LEGO builds seen on screen, from mech to mall to mobile hot dog stand, could be physically reproduced.   Like its predecessors, “The LEGO NINJAGO Movie” is constructed brick-by-digital-brick, each piece individually rendered and virtually snapped into place as if it were molded plastic.  But there’s a significant difference.  

As one of the original architects of the LEGO film franchise, Lin says, “In the first movie, there was the Kragle, and ‘LEGO Batman’ introduced some effects like smoke and water, but here reality comes into play in a big way, with grass, plants, sand, fire, flowing water, even a bamboo jungle.”  Not to mention a realistically rendered, life-sized cat—a monstrous beast to the diminutive LEGO minifigures—that can lay waste to NINJAGO City with a swipe of its paw.  “As the characters interact with this photorealistic world,” he adds, “you see how nature can mix with LEGO bricks.  Lush and colorful, and lit like a live-action movie, it has a unique and beautiful look.”

Acknowledging the NINJAGO television series, which is more traditionally animated, Lin says, “There’s such a strong fan base for these characters and we used that as our inspiration.  The idea was to take what we loved about the show and expand it, to give it a bigger world and the kind of visual impact you would expect on the big screen, by pushing the animation to the next level.”

The feature format also afforded them creative license to build on those characters to tell their own story.  

But regardless the medium, “the core concepts of play, imagination and adventure remain constant,” says Bean. “There’s an idea that runs through all these movies and through the LEGO process, and that is creativity.  You can build your way out of dilemmas, you can recreate the environment to solve problems and tell a story, and that what’s cool and exciting about it.”

THE JOURNEY

“It’s OK, Lloyd, nobody’s parents are perfect.”

Lord Garmadon and La-Loyd  

At the heart of this ferocious battle over NINJAGO City, with mechs clashing, bricks flying, citizens running for cover and smoke filling the sky, there is a father and son who just can’t communicate.

“Lloyd is a sweet kid with good intentions.  He’s a hard worker and a true friend,” Franco attests.  “But he can get angry and introspective because of his family situation. His father abandoned him when he was just a baby and went on to become the most evil guy on the planet.”  

Because Garmadon’s attacks on the city have wrecked the homes and businesses of nearly everyone he knows, Lloyd’s social status at school is sub-zero. Apart from the five loyal friends who know his secret identity as the Green Ninja, everybody pretty much avoids him.  

“They don’t know he’s their hero; they just know he’s the son of Garmadon, and that’s not a good thing,” says Bean.  “Just walking down the street is a nightmare for this poor kid because he doesn’t get any of the accolades, he just gets dumped on.”

“He’s been living in the wake of Garmadon’s destruction his whole life and he’s sick of the negative attention.  All Lloyd wants is normalcy,” adds Franco.  Although, despite it all, “Garmadon is still his dad and there’s a part of Lloyd that wants to get to know him and understand why he is the way he is.”  

But the guy is not easy to talk to.  For starters, he’s got to be right about everything…even when he’s not, which leads to one of the story’s running jokes as Garmadon repeatedly mispronounces his son’s name. It was Theroux, Bean reveals, who initiated the mangling of Lloyd’s name with a double-L sound.  “We did a lot of recordings with Dave and Justin together and they would improvise and riff on ideas, and that led to some of the funniest as well as the most emotional moments in the film. La-Loyd is something Justin came up with in the room.”

Theroux gives the battled-hardened warlord a low-register growl that sounds vaguely threatening no matter what he’s saying. “I loved playing Garmadon.  Any time you get to be a big, broad villain, it’s a lot of fun, and Garmadon is shockingly uncomplicated in his egotism.  He doesn’t understand why his son wouldn’t want to be like him and have an entire city at his mercy,” the actor states.  

Neither of them really wants to continue fighting, but with Garmadon unable to see past his self-aggrandizement and Lloyd unable to reconcile his hurt, what other solution is there?

Koko: the former Mrs. Garmadon

If Lloyd finds Garmadon’s motives confounding, that’s not the case with Koko.  In fact, no one knows Garmadon better than his ex-wife.  Koko fell for Garm when he was just a romantic, budding megalomaniac with great hair and dreams of world domination.  Now, she’s the only person in NINJAGO City who’s not afraid to get right up in his fearsome face, stare down his glowing red eyes and royally tell him off.  Especially when their son’s safety is on the line.

It’s not her fault if he still finds her hot temper…well, hot.  

“Typically, Garmadon doesn’t get it,” says Olivia Munn. “He has no idea what happened between them.  He thinks, ��I’m good-looking.  Check.  I’m powerful.  Check.  I have money.  Check.  What’s not to love?’  For Koko, the problem is his soul, and his narcissistic selfish ways, that caused her to leave him so their son would have a better life.”

As a single, working mom, Koko does her best to guide and encourage her beloved Lloyd through the thicket of adolescence, never suspecting that he is, in fact, the Green Ninja.  “She tries to be an example of positivity for him.  They have a special, understanding, relationship. In many ways, she sees herself in him,” says Munn.

“The connection between Lloyd and his mother, between Koko and Garmadon, and between Garmadon and Lloyd; the dynamics are very interesting and at times, funny, and touching,” she continues.  “In the beginning, we see them as archetypal characters, like Koko is the super-positive, happy mom, and then you find out she has a secret past, so it’s not all cookie-cutter.  The fun thing about these characters is the transitions they make, and how they become more real and relatable.”

“Once you discover her history with Garmadon,” Bean confirms, “you see the real sacrifice she made for her son.”

Garmadon and Wu: Brothers in Name Only

Clearly, this dude is hard-wired against getting along with anyone—not his son, not his ex-wife, and certainly not his army generals, whom he fires left and right for every minor or imagined infraction.  And not just fires, but fires-fires, right out the top of a volcano.  Garmadon can’t even make nice with his own brother, the venerable Master Wu, a bearded, white-robed, flute-playing wise man with an anthology of zen-ish axioms and a surprisingly sharp tongue, who Lin describes as “the soul and emotional anchor of the movie, and the counterpart to Garmadon.”

“Jackie Chan brings a lot of comedy to Wu, and he’s really loveable, the way his voice comes through,” Lin says.  “He adds a great deal to the emotional spectrum of the movie, whether it’s heart or humor, and he also brings a level of authenticity, because we really want this to feel like an Asian-inspired martial arts movie, and Jackie was rigorous in overseeing the action and making sure we were doing it in an accurate way.”  

“Master Wu is Garmadon’s brother, but also his enemy,” Chan explains with mock gravity.  “Master Wu is Lloyd’s uncle, but also his teacher.  So, any way you look at it, it’s a complex relationship, very tricky, and very interesting.”    

Wu and Garmadon’s long-brewing animosity ultimately erupts atop a rope bridge over a rushing river, which Chan cites as his favorite fight in the film.

Says Theroux, “It’s classic sibling rivalry.  We don’t see what happened to turn Garmadon dark but, over the years, the brothers became estranged. One joined the dark side and the other one stayed in the light, so now they can’t stand each other.  And now, to rub salt into that wound, Garmadon learns that Wu has been essentially taking care of the son he abandoned and has been training him to be a good guy.”

Indeed, seeing promise in the young ninja, and knowing that NINJAGO City needs a champion, “Master Wu is helping Lloyd to achieve his destiny,” says Chan.  

NINJAGO’s Secret Ninja Force

In addition to prepping Lloyd for his responsibilities as the Green Ninja, Master Wu is training Lloyd’s friends, five enthusiastic, if somewhat unfocused, fellow high school students: Cole, Nya, Jay, Kai and Zane.  Each has his or her own special abilities, expressed in their personalized battle mechs and individual styles—and, if they earn it, these will ultimately manifest as their elemental powers: earth, water, lightning, fire and ice.  

At a moment’s notice, they must drop everything, slip out of their homes or classes, don their ninja gear and repel Garmadon’s forces.  It’s a duty they take very seriously.  More or less.  The truth is, though brave enough, smart enough, and (mostly) eager enough to face anything, Lloyd and his friends still have some distance to go before honing their teamwork and reaching their full potential. By Wu’s sage estimation, they need to stop expecting mechs and technology to fight their battles, and rely more on themselves and each other.  

COLE / EARTH

Fred Armisen stars as Cole, the Earth Ninja, a laid-back guy in a black tank with a serious passion for music.  “Cole would hate for anyone to label him as a hipster but he’s into vinyl and vintage stuff, and he works really hard at being cool,” says Bean.

Cole doesn’t like to go anywhere without a pounding bass accompaniment and is the only one in the group who admits to appreciating Master Wu’s fluting.  His aptly named Quake Mech is essentially a monolithic boom box, with built-in dual turntables and a sub-woofer that keeps him grooving while blasting his opposition with shockwaves of sound.

“Speaking as a drummer,” Armisen offers, “vibrations like that have a lot of power, and he uses it like a hammer.   Cole’s mech is like a souped-up DJ booth.”

Even so, Armisen understands where Wu is coming from.  “There’s a spiritual part of a ninja’s training and it’s about discovering your inner ninja and harnessing that strength, rather than relying on these impressive mechs.”

Apart from his solo work, Armisen participated in some joint recording sessions.  “There was one we all did together, and one I had with Dave Franco,” he recalls. “I’ve known Justin Theroux a long time and worked with him before.  Everyone was funny, and that’s not an easy thing.  Sometimes you put funny people together and everyone’s sense of humor is not a match.  But this group was great. Someone did a good job of getting the right people together.”  

NYA / WATER

Abbi Jacobson stars as Nya, the Water Ninja in the silver leather jacket, who pilots her nimble Water Strider through land and sea.  Her other favorite vehicle is a motorcycle that she customized in honor of her role model, the legendary Lady Iron Dragon.  To Bean, “she is probably the most confident in the group, super-tough and definitely not to be messed with.”

Indeed, Nya may be Kai’s little sister, but when it comes to ninja work, she’s second to no one.   Says Jacobson, “She’s high-energy, motivated and fiercely independent.  Nya is not some kind of sidekick in the gang; she’s a powerful part of this secret ninja force and plays an integral part in their saving the day.”

Getting into the role, Jacobson was especially mindful of her nieces, ages two and four.  “They might be a bit young for this now,” she says, “but in a couple of years when they watch it, I’d tell them, ‘This is someone you should look at as a good example of teamwork and encouragement.  She supports her friends and she’s constantly trying to figure out solutions to a problem.’  I’m really proud to be voicing this character, to be honest.”

Likewise, Jacobson feels that people will embrace the story’s themes as she did, saying, “It’s heartfelt.  It’s about friendship and family, and about realizing we all have something special about us, and our own set of skills.  Once you find them, the world is yours.”

JAY / LIGHTNING

Kumail Nanjiani is Jay, the Lightning Ninja, dressed in blue with the contrast pop of an orange muffler—just in case, y’ know, it gets chilly later.  Jay can be a little overly cautious for someone who flies around in a mech called the Lightning Jet and emits electric current, but that’s just part of his outsider charm.  

“Jay’s courage is in the process of development throughout the story,” Bean suggests, a point which Nanjiani finds “really relatable, and not only in high school.  I think it’s something that never goes away—wanting to be popular, wanting to fit in and be accepted.  Jay is accepted among his ninja friends but not as much outside of them.  These aren’t the cool kids in school.  Everybody loves the ninjas, but no one knows that these guys are the ninjas.  Lloyd is a pariah because his father is Garmadon, and the others, I think, get the fallout from that, just by hanging out with him.  If the other kids only knew the truth, it would be so great.”

Even among his own crew, Jay’s nervous nature and self-doubt set him slightly apart; when everyone else is gung-ho to go, Jay is right there with a positive “maybe.”  But his friends know that no matter what Jay may lack in outward bravado, he always comes through when it counts, with electrifying courage.  

If only he could apply that courage toward sparking something with his not-so-secret crush, Nya…  

“It’s a funny story, but actually quite moving as well,” Nanjiani acknowledges.  “At its center is the father and son relationship, but it also touches on the relationships all these characters have with each other, and themselves.”

KAI / FIRE NINJA

Starring as Nya’s brother, Kai, is Michael Peña.  This Fire Ninja, appropriately decked out in red, shoots flame from his double-barreled Fire Mech and hopes one day to be able to make fire fly from his fingertips—as Master Wu has promised.   If that’s a trick Peña himself could pull off, it would increase his worth at home with his eight-year-old son, whom he cites as one of the prime reasons he took the role.  “Now maybe I can be the cool dad,” he says.  

“I started watching animated movies with my kid, and he laughs so hard.” Peña elaborates.  “Everyone knows, when you have a kid you’ll do anything to make them laugh.  He’s a tough customer, but he loves the whole LEGO universe.  He talks about it like he just came back from a seminar, like there’s a whole underworld of LEGO stories that only he knows about.  So, I jumped at the chance to do this.  Audiences are going to love it, but I already hit it big at home.”  

Often described as a bit of a hothead, Kai may be a little impatient but, on the plus side, he’s fiercely loyal and protective.  First to leap into battle, he’s often also the first to offer a warm hug when one of his friends is down.  

For Peña, recording with his castmates was like “the Improv Olympics—working with all these talented people, some of them comedy writers, and they’re just hopping in there and showing off their dance moves.  It was like trying to get into a game of double jump-rope.”

ZANE / ICE NINJA

From fire to ice, Zach Woods stars as Zane, the super-cool Ice Ninja, a half-human, half-robot clad in bright white like an old-school fridge. Zane blasts a glacial stream from his mech, the Ice Tank, which, Woods says, “is built like an Arctic tractor with big treads.”

“Of all the roles I’ve ever played, this is probably the closest to me in real life,” Woods jokes.  “Zane wants to be seen as a genuine teenager like everyone else, though his robotic thinking process foils him constantly.”

High school is tough enough without being that different.  But even if he circulates Freon instead of blood, and houses computer circuitry where his heart should be, the ever-logical and methodical Zane has an accurate read-out of emotions—with loyalty on the top of the list.  Above all, his desire to fit in might be his most touchingly human trait.  That, and wanting to operate a massive mech.

“The movie focuses on these kids who are students during the day and lead normal lives, and then suddenly transform into ninjas to battle the forces of evil,” says Woods.  “I think a lot of kids might have a fantasy about shedding the everyday drudgery of their lives to go fight bad guys with giant robot mechs.  Who wouldn’t?  So, this is a wish fulfillment story for them.”

“Every ninja knows when to fight and when to blend in.”

Bean cannot enthuse enough about the cast, saying, “Everyone was so great and funny, so charming, and brought so much of themselves to the project.  Many of them are writers.  When we got them together they were all interacting and improv’ing off each other, and some of the funniest material and my favorite moments came out of those recordings.  The most difficult thing was not blowing takes by laughing, or falling out of character because of something surprising that someone else just said.”

Some physical pairings were coordinated, such as Franco and Theroux, whose tandem work helped capture the emotional depth of their father/son dynamic.   But for the most part, the actors recorded individually, off Skyped cues and direction from Bean—a common M.O. for animation. Sessions were logged over approximately 18 months as the animation grew increasingly refined, with the performances informing the visual art, and vice versa.  

“Charlie was so communicative and collaborative,” says Munn.  “Doing an animated film tests every acting sense you have.  You have to get in there and make all the moves, yell and scream and jump around, and think of 15 ways to say something to convey the right emotion.  Charlie would throw out a line and you could see his reaction as you tried it different ways, and you’d see the spark in his eye when you got it.  He’d light up.  It was fun to make him laugh.”

As a kind of bonus round, nearly the full main cast assembled for an extended group recording, fondly remembered by all. Taking a spin through much of the story, they got to play off each other’s reactions like a live-action cast, spark the comedy and zero in on poignant moments in a different way.

“Everyone was in character and able to improvise in any given situation, and the scenes were constructed around that.  it was a very cool process,” Nanjiani recalls.  

The film’s supporting cast includes Robin Roberts and Michael Strahan, voicing LEGO minifigure characters who wake up the city on the popular show “Good Morning NINJAGO.”  Ali Wong plays General Olivia, one of Garmadon’s volcano-bound staff, and Charlyne Yi is Terri, one of his so-called IT Nerds.  Among the citizens of NINJAGO, Laura Kightlinger voices high school teacher Ms. Laudita, while Randall Park and Retta play two of the school’s cheerleaders; Chris Hardwick is the local radio DJ; and Bobby Lee is a Pilates studio owner whose place was destroyed by Garmadon.  Constance Wu is the voice of NINJAGO City’s Mayor, and, in the film’s live-action segments, Kaan Gulder is the young boy appearing opposite Jackie Chan.  

PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER  

It took approximately four years to construct “The LEGO NINJAGO Movie,” with filmmakers, animators and designers working together from offices in Los Angeles, at Animal Logic in Sydney, Australia, and at LEGO headquarters in Billund, Denmark—much as they did on “The LEGO Movie” and “The LEGO Batman Movie.”  

For two of those years, U.S.-based director Bean lived in Australia for a more hands-on interaction with the animation team.  “Animal Logic is a beacon for talented people from all over the world in animation and visuals effects.  It’s a very international atmosphere,” he says.  

“What’s incredible about Animal Logic is that they care so much about how everything feels and looks,” Dan Lin concurs.  “They’re constantly doing R&D to push it to the next level.”  

To some extent, animators drew upon the massive digital brick library they began compiling on the first film—each piece individually rendered, shaded, textured and customized to reflect realistic wear and handling—and used to build the sets, props, vehicles and population in LEGO fashion.  Additionally, 3,463 unique digital bricks were newly created, as well as 350 unique digital minifigure wardrobe designs and 100 unique digital rocks.  More than 100 million grains of sand appear on NINJAGO’s beach in a single shot, while the city and its surrounding mountains, are built from nearly 12.7 million bricks.  In real-world measurement of approximately 841 square meters, that puts it just slightly smaller than the base of the Great Pyramid.

But much has changed since “The LEGO Movie” debuted in 2014.  Visual effects supervisor Gregory Jowle says, “We threw away most of the tech that we developed on the first one and ramped everything up.  We wanted to go bigger and further, and add complexity to a higher degree.  We increased our library and enhanced the detail on each of the bricks so they have as much physicality as any handheld brick you might find, whether they were new or something a kid would have had for a long time.  We went as far as to do a high-resolution scan of one of the minifigures to make sure all our angles were spot-on.

“We don’t cheat anything,” Jowle adds.  “We don’t physically alter the bricks. Add to that the natural assets like plants and rocks, and it really pushed our rendering capabilities.  The most exciting thing, I believe, was the opportunity to do physically correct effects like micro-scale water, fire, sparks and explosions.”

The integration of LEGO pieces with these real-world elements—including 254 unique species of plant life—is what most differentiates “The LEGO NINJAGO Movie” visually.  

“We wanted to take another step in expanding the look of the LEGO universe,” says McKay.  “As kids, we used to take our toys outside to play in the yard, in the sandbox, on camping trip.  This idea became vital to the story because our ninjas needed to go back to their roots to discover their elemental powers.   This ‘back to basics’ journey meant both in their training and their adventure through the wild and dangerous jungle surrounding NINJAGO City.  So, it was essential to use photo-real organic elements in addition to the photo-real plastic elements.”

With that in mind, Kim Taylor, one of the film’s two production designers, says, “This film is far more based on outdoor light, with real sky, real clouds and warm sunshine. Getting the minifig’s perspective on the natural world was paramount. I took high-res, macro photography to see what a blade of grass or a bonsai tree would look like from a centimeter away and found all kinds of tiny plants hidden among the mosses; it’s a whole different garden down there.”

Above moss-level, the long view of NINJAGO City offers a modern, dazzling, Pan-Asian metropolis bustling with activity and color—57 official LEGO colors, to be exact.  

Says Lin, “NINJAGO is a mystical island, a world unlike any other.  It’s not one specific country or culture, but a mash-up of different Asian influences from Thai to Chinese to Japanese.”  In that sense, again, it’s patterned after the imagination of a child.”

In contrast to the grid-based Bricksburg and the urban sprawl of Gotham City, NINJAGO takes a layered vertical approach.  “Not the safest place to live, but one of the most fun, certainly,” Taylor posits.  “It’s non-linear.  There’s not a straight line in the whole city. We wanted to give it a sense of history, so, near the bottom, next to the canals, it’s all old buildings and, further up, there are huge skyscrapers built on top of other buildings.”

The city’s showpiece, and, of course, the site from which Garmadon intends to reign supreme, is its tallest building: NINJAGO Tower, standing over 22 feet tall in human terms.

Matt Everitt, who oversaw the animation direction, explains, “You need to maintain the scale of the world you’re creating because a minifigure is just an inch and a half high, and even though they live in an epic world by their perspective, their tallest building is no bigger than an average room, to us.  It helps to ground you, when you’re animating shots, to think that these are teeny-tiny beings in this macro universe, with a camera just an inch away from their faces.”  

Indeed, Taylor remarks, “Charlie wanted to approach everything with two camera crews: one at human scale, for shots where we need to feel like we’re looking at a LEGO build, and one that’s literally at LEGO scale, as if it were being held by a minifigure.”

The film’s NINJAGO City is populated by no fewer than 315 characters, with 80 unique faces and a staggering 12,000 possible combinations of features through which they convey a surprisingly relatable range of emotion.  The animators also fleshed out personalities with add-ons such as the bandage on Kai’s forehead, indicating his tendency to leap into things, and Lloyd’s green eyes, a non-standard LEGO shade developed for the movie, to hint of his secret identity.  

“You have to think more old-school,” says McKay.  “You can’t squash and stretch.  You can’t use overly anatomical facial rigs.  You might have to use a character’s entire body to express an emotion or elicit a feeling, for instance.  I love the way they look when we shoot them. The simplicity of the character design makes for incredibly sweet, sincere, emotional animation.”

The actors’ performances also figured significantly.  Since it’s such a small canvas, Taylor says, “All it takes is something subtle, like the slightest change of width between the eyes, to take a character in a different direction. On Lloyd, for example, we used some of Dave Franco’s expressions, like that half-smile of his, which is different from all the others.”

Subtlety was not an issue for the mechs. For this, the animators tag-teamed with LEGO designers for creations that are not only big, fearsome and beautiful, richly articulated, and appropriate to each ninja’s personality, but structurally sound.  “We tried to make all the mechs seem huge,” says Everitt.  Kai’s mech really stomps down the street and you feel the weight of every foot-plant. Cole’s too, when he’s ripping around corners on that giant robo-wheel, tears up the ground and has real impact.  When Garmadon comes back with the most powerful of all, the Garma Mecha Man, it stands about as high as a small child if it were built out of physical bricks.  And we know that because Simon Whiteley, one of our production designers, actually built it.”

The fact that LEGO minifigures don’t bend at the knee and elbow, once again, proved the biggest, and most inspiring challenge, especially, as Lin points out, “There’s a lot of unique action in the film—martial arts action, mech on mech, ninja on mech, and ninja on monster action.”

To give the martial arts its Jackie Chan flavor, animators first studied the Bruce Lee-meets-Buster Keaton fight scenes his films are famous for, noting the impact of each kick and punch, and how he utilizes space as well as objects in the environment.  Says Everitt, “Jackie had so much influence on how we animated Wu, not only the way he fights but the way he moves through a scene, the way he might raise an eyebrow or talk to the kids.”

They then kicked it up a notch by hosting Chan’s 15-member stunt team to stage each fight in the film, which the animators then broke into its component parts—from the way they held themselves before a fight to the way they would use a staff or sword.  Bean recalls how he and Lin first broached the notion with Chan.  “He was looking at the LEGO minifigure and moving his arm around and he said, ‘Mmmm, I don’t think that’s going to work.’  Then we showed him the clip we were working on and I said, ‘Don’t worry about the limitations of the pieces.  We’ll figure that out.  Just choreograph it like you would any other film.’”

Sometimes it all comes down to…wagon wheels and sausages, Everitt concedes: “We do something called brick blur, choosing pieces from our brick library that create a feeling of motion, like windshield pieces, dinosaur horns, wagon wheels with a spinning effect, and sausages. There are sausages all over the place.  When you watch it on the run you might not see it, but if you watch it slowly, you’ll find them.”

The final touch was an accidental villain in the form of an ordinary, playful—and naturally destructive—house cat.  But, to the pocket-sized NINJAGO citizenry, says Lin, “It’s essentially a monster.”  Shifting from one type of challenge to another, the CG team also took on the film’s fully digital beast.

“That gave us license to watch cat videos on the internet,” Everitt laughs.  They also staged scenarios with real cats in the studio, interacting with LEGO models, to study how they placed their paws, blinked, or focused their gaze.  Treats were attached to the mechs to record the ways in which the cats would approach, sniff, pounce or knock them over, and how the mechs would fall apart when batted around.  “Because of its disproportionate size in the LEGO world, the creature would appear mostly in extreme close-up, so everything had to be right, from the ears and whiskers to the tip of its tail.”  

“I think it might have as many hairs as a real cat,” states Taylor.   In fact, the CG total was 6,493,248, an impressive technical achievement. “There’s no way to cheat it: you have to place lots of hair on the virtual cat and then make it react to light correctly.  Charlie wanted the cat to be cute, soft and playful, even though it’s destroying the city.”  

“To understand your future, you have to go back to your ninja past.”

Multi-media artist, musician and composer Mark Mothersbaugh continues his creative collaboration with Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, following the first LEGO feature.

“The movie weaves together elements of the real world and the mind of a young boy, who has created a mashup of Chinese and Japanese traditional characters, and I wanted the music to reflect that,” Mothersbaugh says.  “You will hear both Chinese and Japanese instruments, but, because he’s a modern kid, there are also elements of electronic music.  It’s not just the musical content but the arrangements and orchestrations that can take you as big as a child’s imagination or small and intimate, depending upon what the scene requires,” he adds, as the movie moves through light-hearted slapstick humor to action beats, and to tender moments of introspection.  

Mothersbaugh employed a full orchestra, which he feels helps bring life and humanity to “these little plastic dudes.”  Vocals were also important, as “the sound of human voices makes that jump easier.  There is more choir in this movie, and it really helps to heighten the musical effects we were going for, including a choir singing ‘meow-meows’ as Lloyd talks to the monster.”

“What we want to achieve with these LEGO movies is for people to feel joy. We want people to laugh,” says Lin.  At the same time, “We love to surprise them with the emotion. For us, the way these minifigures look and behave, they’re just naturally funny, and if we can offer the fun and the laughs, and then undercut that with genuine emotion in a way that people might not be expecting that’s the whole experience.”

Bean concurs. “I hope audiences will enjoy the action and the humor, and the exciting journey these characters take,” he says.  “I hope they like the martial arts scenes that are not like anything they’ve ever seen before in a LEGO movie or a martial arts movie.   But ultimately, I believe what they’ll take away is the heart of this film, which is in the relationships between Lloyd and his family, and his friends.”  

ABOUT THE CAST

DAVE FRANCO (Lloyd) is having a prolific year.  In January, he was seen in the Sundance World Premiere of “The Little Hours,” directed by Jeff Baena and co-starring Alison Brie, Aubrey Plaza, and Nick Offerman. The indie comedy topped the specialty box office opening weekend, earning over $61k in two theaters, making it the year’s fourth best specialty debut. This summer “The Disaster Artist,” premiered at the SXSW Film Festival to rave reviews and was picked up for release Friday, December 7th.  The film, directed by James Franco, takes an in-depth look at how Tommy Wiseau conceived the cult classic “The Room,” what many consider to be one of worst films ever made.

Franco recently wrapped production on the Netflix original drama “6 Balloons,” playing a relapsed heroin addict, opposite Abbi Jacobson.  He is also set to star in the dramedy “Zeroville,” directed by James Franco, as Montgomery Clift, opposite James Franco, Seth Rogen, Will Ferrell, and Danny McBride.  

Last summer he starred was in the thriller “Nerve,” opposite Emma Roberts and directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman; the hit sequel “Now You See Me 2,” alongside an all-star cast, featuring Mark Ruffalo, Michael Caine, Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson and Morgan Freeman; as well as the comedy “Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising,” reprising his role of Teddy.

In 2012, he first caught worldwide attention with his breakout role as the eco-conscious villain Eric in “21 Jump Street,” opposite Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill.  He then rose to fame in 2013 when he first appeared opposite Zac Efron, Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen in “Neighbors,” and the following year, when he first played Jack Wilder in “Now You See Me.”

Franco’s other credits include “22 Jump Street,” “The LEGO Movie,” the comedy “Unfinished Business,” opposite Vince Vaughn and Sienna Miller, and “Warm Bodies,” opposite Nicholas Hoult.

JUSTIN THEROUX (Garmadon) is an accomplished film, television and stage actor who gained industry notice with his unforgettable performance as director Adam Kesher, opposite Naomi Watts and Laura Elena Harring, in David Lynch’s “Mulholland Drive.”

Theroux was most recently seen in HBO's critically acclaimed series “The Leftovers,” created by Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta. The show won a 2016 Peabody Award and Theroux received a Critics’ Choice Award nomination for his role as Kevin Garvey. The Los Angeles Times raved that Theroux’s was one of the finest performances on television and Vulture named his the number one Best TV Performance of 2015. “The Leftovers” was heralded in many publications as one of the Top TV Shows of 2015, including The New York Times, Variety, Time, Rolling Stone, and Vulture. The third and final season concluded in June 2017.

He will next star in Duncan Jones’s “Mute,” alongside Alexander Skarsgård and Paul Rudd. The Netflix film follows a mute man (Skarsgård) searching for a missing person in 2052 in Berlin, while dueling two rogue villains played by Rudd and Theroux. It will premiere in fall of 2017.

Theroux is also a talented film writer. In 2015, he co-wrote, with Ben Stiller, the script for the sequel to “Zoolander,” “Zoolander 2.”  In 2012, he co-wrote “Rock of Ages,” directed by Adam Shankman and starring Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.  Theroux also penned “Iron Man 2,” directed by Jon Favreau and starring Robert Downey, Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Mickey Rourke, and Scarlett Johansson.  Prior to “Iron Man 2,” Theroux teamed up with Ben Stiller to pen and executive produce “Tropic Thunder,” which starred Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Nick Nolte, and Matthew McConaughey.  

Theroux's acting credits include Tate Taylor’s “The Girl On The Train,” David Lynch's “Inland Empire,” Zoe Cassavetes’ “Broken English,” Michael Mann’s “Miami Vice,” Ben Stiller's smash hit comedy “Zoolander,” David Gordon Green’s “Your Highness,” Mary Harron's “American Psycho,” David Wain’s “The Ten,” “The Baxter,” “Strangers with Candy,” “Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle,” “Duplex,” “I Shot Andy Warhol,” Greg Berlanti's romantic comedy “The Broken Hearts Club,” and “Romy and Michele's High School Reunion.”

Theroux made his directorial debut with “Dedication,” which premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.  Developed by Theroux from a script by David Brombert, the romantic comedy stars Billy Crudup, Mandy Moore, Tom Wilkinson and Bob Balaban.

On television, he portrayed John Hancock in HBO’s award-winning miniseries “John Adams,” alongside Paul Giamiatti, Laura Linney, and Tom Wilkinson. He had a guest starring arc opposite Amy Poehler in “Parks and Recreation,” and was a recurring character on HBO’s acclaimed series “Six Feet Under.”  Theroux has also appeared on “Alias,” “Sex and the City,” “Spin City” and “Ally McBeal.”

Theroux began his acting career in New York theater, starring opposite Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Shopping and F**king,” followed by “Three Sisters,” with Calista Flockhart, Billy Crudup, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Lily Taylor.  He last starred in Frank McGuiness' “Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards Somme,” an examination of the individual and collective desire to honor one’s beliefs and country.  For his performance, Theroux was honored with a Lucille Lortel Award as well as the Boston Critics Award for Best Male Actor.

FRED ARMISEN (Cole) is one of the most diversely talented performers working today, with credits that run the gamut from acting, producing, and writing in both comedy and music.

He is the co-creator, co-writer and co-star of IFC’s “Portlandia,” alongside Carrie Brownstein. He received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2014 for his work on the show, and four nominations for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series.  In 2015 and 2016, the show received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series.  In 2013, Armisen, along with the other writers, won a Writers Guild Award for Outstanding Comedy/Variety Series, and were nominated again in 2014.  “Portlandia” received the prestigious Peabody Award for excellence in 2011.  It is currently in production for its eighth and final season that will air in 2018.

Currently Armisen can be seen in Aubrey Plaza and Liz Debtor’s film “The Little Hours,” alongside Alison Brie, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon, and Nick Offerman.  

On the small screen, Armisen lent his voice to A24’s Amazon original “Comrade Detective,” also starring Channing Tatum, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Mahershala Ali. Additionally, he voiced a character in Nick Kroll and Andrew Goldberg’s Netflix original animated sitcom “Big Mouth,” with Maya Rudolph, Jordan Peele, Jason Mantzoukas and Kroll, set to be released in 2017.

Armisen continues his IFC relationship with the comedy “Documentary Now!,” a curated series of half-hour documentaries and biopics about completely fictitious subjects. The first season received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series. The second season premiered in September, for which Armisen received a 2017 WGA nomination for Comedy/Variety Sketch Series.  Seth Meyers is an executive producer, along with Armisen and Bill Hader, who play all the primary roles. In 2015, Hader and Armisen also released a 12” vinyl EP, Catalina Breeze, by their fictitious '70s soft-rock band they portray on the show, The Blue Jean Committee, via record label Drag City.  Additionally, Armisen teamed last year with Lorne Michaels’ Broadway Video, Telemundo, and fellow SNL alum Horatio Sanz to create the digital comedy channel Más Mejor, aimed at the English-speaking Hispanic audience.

An eleven-season veteran of “Saturday Night Live,” Armisen has engaged audiences with memorable impressions and characters, including world leaders like President Barack Obama or Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to half of "Weekend Update’s” unforgettable songwriting team Garth and Kat (with Kristen Wiig), to name a few.  He closed out his last season in the guise of British punk rocker Ian Rubbish with a star-studded performance of the original song “It’s a Lovely Day.” Armisen won the WGA Best Comedy/Variety Sketch Series award this year and received a WGA nomination for his work on the show in 2016.

He has appeared in numerous feature films, including “Band Aid,” “Michael Bolton’s Big, Sexy Valentine’s Day Special,” “Ordinary World,” “Zoolander 2,” “7 Days in Hell,” “Easy A,” “The Rocker,” “Confessions of a Shopaholic” and “The Dictator,” as well as lending his voice to the “The Smurfs.”  He has also appeared in “Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny,” “Baby Mama,” “The Ex,” and “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.”

On the small screen, Armisen has made guest appearances on “New Girl,” “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” “Animals,” “Modern Family,” “Difficult People,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “30 Rock,” “Broad City,” “Parks and Recreation,” and the cable comedy shows “The Sarah Silverman Show” and “Time and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!”  He was also seen in the Nickelodeon’s smash kids show “Yo Gabba Gabba,” and did voice-over guest spots on “Archer” and “Chozen.”  

In February 2014, he was named band leader of the 8G Band on “Late Night with Seth Meyers.” The band, curated by Armisen, includes members of indie rock bands Les Savy Fav and Girls against Boys.

His career began as a musician in the Chicago-based post-punk band Trenchmouth, as well as the Blue Man Group.  His transition to comedy came with the 1998 underground short film “Fred Armisen’s Guide to Music and South by Southwest,” which followed him through the Austin, Texas music festival posing as a journalist. In 2006, he interviewed Cat Power for the influential music website Pitchfork.com, and released a comedic instructional DVD, “Complicated Drumming Technique,” in 2007.  Armisen landed on Rolling Stone's "Hot List" and has been included several times on Entertainment Weekly’s "Must List” for his many projects.

Armisen splits his time between Portland, New York, and Los Angeles.

ABBI JACOBSON (Nya) is the series creator, executive producer and star of the critically acclaimed, original web series “Broad City.”  The show will premiere its fourth season on September 13, 2017 and has been picked up for a fifth season.  “Broad City” was nominated for the ECNY’s Best Web Series award and received an individual nomination for illustration. It was has also earned nominations from the Writers Guild of America, Critics Choice Television Awards and MTV Movie & TV Awards.

MoMA and WNYC Studios have partnered to create “A Piece of Work,” a new podcast hosted by Jacobson, exploring works of modern and contemporary art.  Over 10 episodes, Jacobson considers some of these questions in lively conversations with friends, curators, and artists. Each episode will look at specific artworks through the lens of a theme, from performance to Pop art to Minimalism, exploring the different perspectives and ideas behind the art of our time.

Jacobson recently appeared in “Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising,” and in the Dustin Guy Defa-directed film “Person to Person,” opposite Michael Cera and Michaela Watkins.

She also recently completed the Netflix heroin drama “6 Balloons,” alongside Dave Franco.  The film, about the topical subject of the upper-middle-class heroin epidemic, unfolded on July 4th.  Jacobson stars as Katie, who discovers her brother Seth, played by Franco, has relapsed on heroin while his 2-year old daughter is in his care.  

Upcoming, Jacobson will executive produce FX’s female-centric half-hour comedy, “Meaty.”  The show is based on Samantha Irby’s memoir and popular blog “B**ches Gotta Eat,” with Jessi Klein. “Meaty” follows Irby through failed relationships, taco feasts, her struggles with Crohn’s disease, poverty, blackness and body image.

Jacobson is an AOLArtist and New York Times bestselling author of her illustrated book, Carry This Book, which showcases bright, quirky, and colorful line drawings of the world around us, all through the framework of what we carry. She also has two coloring books: Color This Book: New York City and Color This Book: San Francisco.

Jacobson trained at Upright Citizens Brigade Theater.

OLIVIA MUNN (Koko) was most recently seen in “Office Christmas Party,” alongside Jason Bateman and Jennifer Aniston, and as Psylocke in “X-Men: Apocalypse.”  Last year, she appeared in “Ride Along 2,” as a homicide detective, opposite Kevin Hart and Ice Cube.  Up next, she will star in Shane Black’s “The Predator,” opposite Keegan-Michael Key and Sterling K. Brown, to be released on August 3, 2018.  

From 2012 to 2014, Munn starred as Sloan Sabbith on Aaron Sorkin’s hit HBO political drama “The Newsroom,” which followed behind-the-scenes events of the fictional Atlantis Cable News (ACN) channel.  She also teamed with The CW to develop a 1970s female sportscaster drama series, which will be produced by her CBS Television Studios-based company.

Variety recognized Munn as the “2014 Breakthrough Actress” winner at the Variety Breakthrough of the Year Awards.  Her film credits include “Mortdecai,” “Deliver Us from Evil,” “Magic Mike,” and “Iron Man 2.”  She had an arc on FOX’s Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated comedy “New Girl,” and appeared in the Emmy-winning Showtime environmental documentary series “Years of Living Dangerously,” from James Cameron and Jerry Weintraub.  

Munn is a spokeswoman and activist on environmental issues, including working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s and DoSomething.org’s “Green Your School Challenge” and Sierra Club.

An Oklahoma native, Munn spent most of her childhood in Tokyo, Japan and speaks fluent Japanese. She attended the University of Oklahoma after moving back to the U.S. and relocated to Los Angeles.  In 2006, she joined G4 network’s popular “Attack of the Show!” as co-host.  She later joined Emmy-winning Comedy Central series “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” as a correspondent in 2010, becoming one of five female cast members to ever appear on the show.  Her first book, Suck It, Wonder Woman: The Misadventures of a Hollywood Geek was also released that year and debuted on The New York Times and Los Angeles Times best sellers lists.​

KUMAIL NANJIANI (Jay) is a critically acclaimed actor, writer and comedian, perhaps best known for his co-starring role as Dinesh on the award-winning HBO comedy series “Silicon Valley.”  It won the TV Critics’ Choice Award for Best Comedy Series last year and has two Emmy and Golden Globe wins, as well as several Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.

Nanjiani recently added feature film writing to his impressive list of credits with “The Big Sick,” which he co-wrote with his wife, Emily V. Gordon.  The film tells the story of their real-life relationship.  Produced by Judd Apatow and Barry Mendel and directed by Michael Showalter, it also stars Nanjiani in the lead role, opposite Holly Hunter, Zoe Kazan and Ray Romano.  The film premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews and was released on June 23rd.

Nanjiani appeared earlier this year in the feature comedy “Fist Fight.”  His many memorable comedic film roles include “The Five-Year Engagement,” produced by Judd Apatow, “Sex Tape,” and “Hot Tub Time Machine 2,” and, more recently, “Hello, My Name Is Doris,” “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates” and “Central Intelligence.”

On television, Nanjiani is writer, executive producer and co-host of Comedy Central’s “The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail,” along with Jonah Ray.  He has had roles on IFC’s “Portlandia,” TNT’s “Franklin & Bash,” the reality show parody “Burning Love” and Comedy Central’s “Michael & Michael Have Issues,” on which he also served as a staff writer.  He recently appeared in a guest role on the return of “The X-Files” on FOX, and has appeared on “Community,” “Inside Amy Schumer” and “Drunk History,” among others.

His 2013 comedy special “Kumail Nanjiani: Beta Male” was on several "Best of” lists for Vulture, Village Voice and The AV Club, and was chosen as one of the five best stand-up albums of the year by Entertainment Weekly.  

Nanjiani also hosts two podcasts, “The Indoor Kids” and “The X-Files Files.”

He currently resides in Los Angeles, California.

MICHAEL PEÑA (Kai) has distinguished himself in Hollywood as an actor with a wide range of performances and has worked with an impressive roster of award-winning directors. Peña earned notable recognition for his performance in Paul Haggis’ provocative Oscar-winning film “Crash,” alongside Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon and Terrence Howard.   He garnered multiple Best Ensemble nominations for his performance as Daniel the locksmith, winning awards from the Screen Actors Guild and the Broadcast Film Critics Association for the cast’s performance.  In 2013, he was seen in the David O. Russell film “American Hustle,” which won a Golden Globe, as well as ensemble awards from the Screen Actors Guild and the Broadcast Film Critics.  It was also nominated for a BAFTA Award and an Academy Award.  In 2015, he was seen in two films to cross the $500 million mark; the heist film “Ant Man,” starring opposite Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas, and “The Martian,” opposite Matt Damon and Jessica Chastain.  “The Martian” premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and went on to win a Golden Globe, was named Top Film by the National Board of Review, and was nominated for a 2016 Academy Award.

Peña most recently starred in “Collateral Beauty,” with Will Smith, Edward Norton and Kate Winslet; “War on Everyone,” opposite Alexander Skarsgård, which premiered at the 2016 Berlin Film Festival; and the comedy “CHIPS,” alongside Dax Shepard and Vincent D’Onofrio.

He can next be seen in “Horse Soldiers,” alongside Chris Hemsworth and Michael Shannon, as well as “A Wrinkle in Time,” opposite Reese Witherspoon and Chris Pine, the sci-fi thriller “Extinction,” and director Peyton Reed’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp,” in which he reprises his role from the hugely popular original “Ant-Man.”  In addition, Peña will also lend his voice to the animated adventure “My Little Pony: The Movie.”

In 2014, Peña starred as civil rights leader and labor organizer Cesar Chavez in “Cesar Chavez,” directed by Diego Luna.  He was also seen in the drama “Graceland,” and in David Ayer’s “Fury,” with Brad Pitt and Shia LaBeouf.  In 2012, he was seen in the critically acclaimed “End of Watch,” which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. For his performance as Officer Zavala, Peña was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award and the film was recognized by the National Board of Review as one of the Top 10 Independent Films of the year.  

Peña has been seen in a range of films, including the independent “Everything Must Go,” alongside Will Ferrell and Rebecca Hall; “Gangster Squad,” opposite Sean Penn, Josh Brolin and Ryan Gosling; and the animated feature “Turbo.”  His credits include “The Lucky Ones,” co-starring Rachel McAdams and Tim Robbins; Jody Hill’s comedy “Observe and Report,” with Seth Rogen; Robert Redford’s political drama “Lions for Lambs,” with Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep; and Werner Herzog and David Lynch’s psychological thriller “My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done,” with Michael Shannon, Willem Dafoe and Chloë Sevigny.

Peña’s other noteworthy credits consist of Oliver Stone’s “World Trade Center”; Clint Eastwood’s “Million Dollar Baby”; Matthew Ryan Hoge’s “The United States of Leland”; Gregor Jordan’s “Buffalo Soldiers”; Antoine Fuqua’s “Shooter”; Brett Ratner’s “Tower Heist”; and Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “Babel.”  

On television, Peña starred in the HBO film “Walkout,” based on the true story of a young Mexican-American high school teacher who helped stage a massive student walkout in the mid-1960s.  Peña received an Imagen Award for Best Actor for his performance.  He recently re-teamed with Danny McBride on the second season of HBO's “Eastbound and Down.”  He also appeared on the FX drama “The Shield,” in its fourth season, as one of the central leads opposite Glenn Close and Anthony Anderson.  His other television credits include Steven Spielberg’s NBC series “Semper Fi.”

Raised in Chicago, Peña began acting when he beat out hundreds of others in an open call for a role in Peter Bogdanovich’s “To Sir, With Love 2,” starring Sidney Poitier.

ZACH WOODS (Zane) is best known for his role on HBO’s hit comedy “Silicon Valley” as the hilarious Jared.  His witty humor and acting ability has captured audiences nationwide.  

The fourth season finale of “Silicon Valley” recently aired and the show has been renewed for a fifth.  It won the Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Comedy Series in 2015 and has been nominated for Golden Globes in 2015 and 2016, and Emmys in 2014, 2015 and 2016.  

Woods is currently in production for Steven Spielberg’s “The Papers,” opposite Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Alison Brie and Carrie Coon.  The history drama is inspired by true events and will follow a cover-up that spanned the administrations of four U.S. presidents, and pushed the country’s first female newspaper publisher and a hard-driving editor to join an unprecedented battle between journalist and government.  The film is slated to be released in early 2018.  

Woods began his career at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in New York, where he frequently performed with the group The Stepfathers, and in the weekly show “Asssscat.”  He has also been featured in films such as “Mascots,” “Spy,” “In the Loop,” “Damsels in Distress,” “High Road,” and “The Heat.”  He appeared on NBC's “The Office” as Gabe Lewis and had recurring roles on the HBO series “Veep” and USA’s “Playing House.”  His additional television credits include guest roles on “The Good Wife,” “The League,” “Kroll Show” and “Comedy Bang! Bang!”

Originally from Philadelphia, Woods is an NYU graduate and resides in Los Angeles.

JACKIE CHAN (Master Wu) was born in Hong Kong on April 7, 1954 to parents so poor they had to borrow money to pay the doctor for his delivery.  At the age of 7, Chan was enrolled in the China Drama Academy where he spent the next 10 years training in the art of Peking Opera.  It was at the Academy that he learned the acrobatics, martial arts, acting, and singing that would later help him to become an international superstar.

When Chan left the Academy at the age of 17, the Peking Opera was no longer popular and many of the graduates turned to stunt work in Hong Kong movies.  Chan soon gained a reputation as a talented and fearless stuntman and over the next few years he swiftly climbed the ladder of success and was soon acting, directing, and choreographing stunts for dozens of films.

After a series of attempts in the 1980s to break into the American movie market, Chan returned to Hong Kong to concentrate on making films in his hometown.  He was extremely successful, yet never gave up his dream of making it in America.  In 1995, he returned to the U.S. to film “Rumble in the Bronx,” which became a huge hit in 1996.  Over the next several years, Chan starred in a succession of American productions, none more successful than the blockbuster “Rush Hour” series.  Chan had finally fulfilled his dream of making it in America.

Over his nearly four-decade career in film, Chan has received hundreds of awards for his acting, directing, writing, and stunt work.  His amazing accomplishments and success in the film industry were recognized in November 2016, when he was awarded an Honorary Oscar Lifetime Achievement Award at the Governors Awards, hosted by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.

For over the past 30 years, Chan has devoted much of his spare time and energy to charity work.  In 1988, he established the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation and, since then, he has worked tirelessly for dozens of charities both at home and abroad.  In recent years, he has focused his energies on his Dragon’s Heart Foundation, which builds schools in remote areas of China.  Among his many charitable endeavors, he is a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF/UNAIDS, a celebrity cabinet member of the American Red Cross, founder of the Jackie Chan Civil Aviation Foundation in China, and has hosted charity concerts and car races for many years.   For more information, visit www.jackiechan.com on the web.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

CHARLIE BEAN (Director) is an accomplished American director with an extensive background in animation. Bean got his start as a layout artist on “Tiny Toon Adventures.” Since then, he has worked on everything from “Ren & Stimpy” to “SpongeBob SquarePants” and has acted as a layout artist, storyboard artist, writer, director, showrunner and executive producer for a number of influential animated series.

After a stint as the creative director for Cartoon Network’s European studio, Bean returned to the U.S. to create an animated series based on the classic “TRON.”  He served as the director, executive producer and showrunner of the unique and critically acclaimed CG/2D animated series “TRON: Uprising,” which brought the TRON universe to the small screen. Bean directed eighteen of the nineteen episodes of the series, including the pilot episode, “Beck's Beginning,” which was nominated for a 2013 Annie Award for Best Animated Special Production.  

“The LEGO NINJAGO Movie” marks his debut as a feature director and the beginning of an exciting new chapter of his career. Up next, Bean is set to direct the live action-hybrid feature “In the Land of Imagined Things,” currently in development with a script by Jack Thorne.

Bean is a Los Angeles native and was recently married in Sydney, Australia.

DAN LIN (Producer) is the CEO of Lin Pictures, a next-generation production company with a deal at Warner Bros. in both film and television.  His offices are based at the Bricksburg Chamber of Commerce in Hollywood, CA.

Since his company’s formation in 2008, Lin has produced films that have grossed over $2.5 billion in worldwide box office sales.  He most recently produced the blockbusters “The LEGO Batman Movie” and “The LEGO Movie,” and is currently in production on “The LEGO Movie Sequel,” for a February 2019 release.

In the live-action arena, he will release two films later this year: “Death Note,” with director Adam Wingard for Netflix in August, and Stephen King’s “IT,” with director Andy Muschietti in September.  He is also in pre-production on the live-action version of Disney’s “Aladdin,” with director Guy Ritchie, and Netflix’s “The Pope,” with director Fernando Meirelles.

On the television side, Lin is producing the second season of the “Lethal Weapon” series for Fox.

Prior to forming Lin Pictures, Lin served as Senior Vice President of Production for Warner Bros. Pictures.  During his eight-year tenure at the studio, from 1999 to 2007, he oversaw the development and production of such films as Martin Scorsese’s Academy Award-winning drama “The Departed,” and “The Aviator,” also directed by Scorsese.

Lin serves on the Board of Directors for several non-profit organizations - the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment; Pepperdine University’s Center for Entertainment, Media, and Culture; and the I Dream of Fish Foundation.  He is also a mentor for both the Producer’s Guild of America and the Center for Asian American Media.  In 2015, he joined the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

He received his undergraduate degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1994 and his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1999.

PHIL LORD and CHRISTOPHER MILLER (Producers) are the prolific writing, directing and producing duo behind some of today’s most successful films, including “The LEGO Movie,” “The LEGO Batman Movie,” “21 Jump Street” and “22 Jump Street,” and “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.”  Known for their unique sensibilities, the pair’s projects have successfully drawn in audiences of all demographics time and time again, having collectively earned over $1.2 billion at the worldwide box office.

Lord and Miller are currently in various stages of production on several high-profile film projects, including the sequel to “The LEGO Movie,” slated for February 8, 2019.  The duo also just recently produced “Brigsby Bear,” which premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival in January. The film’s rave reviews resulted in Sony Pictures acquiring the rights for distribution with an anticipated July 28, 2017 release.  Additional projects in the pipeline for the multi-hyphenates are the “Men in Black” and “23 Jump Street” cross-over film titled “MIB 23,” which they will produce, and an untitled animated Spider-Man feature, which the pair will produce from a script penned by Lord.  They are also a part of the Warner Bros. Animation Group (WAG), a select group of writers and directors that the Studio has brought together to form an animation think-tank with the goal of creating high-end animated movies. The most recent film from WAG was last summer’s “Storks,” on which they served as executive producers.

Throughout their career, Lord and Miller have seen incredible success at the box office. In 2014, they were the only writer/directors with two films ranked among the top 15 highest-grossing features of the year. Their most recent production, “The LEGO Batman Movie,” which released on February 10, 2017, reached over $300 million in the worldwide box office. “The LEGO Movie,” which the pair wrote and directed, debuted at #1 and remained on top of the box office for four straight weeks. The hugely successful film has earned over $469 million worldwide and was the 5th highest-grossing domestic feature of 2014.  It also earned Lord and Miller accolades for their imaginative and unique sensibilities, as well as BAFTA, PGA, and BFCA Critics Choice Awards for Best Animated Feature, the National Board of Review Award for Best Original Screenplay, and the Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Writing for an Animated Feature.  “The LEGO Movie” was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Film and was named one of the top ten films of 2014 on over 75 critics’ lists. That same year, Lord and Miller directed “22 Jump Street,” which debuted at #1 and has garnered over $331 million worldwide, earning them praise for their innate ability to transform unlikely material into cinematic brilliance.

Lord and Miller previously directed the hit action-comedy “21 Jump Street,” which took in more than $200 million worldwide in 2012 and earned a Critics’ Choice Award nomination for Best Comedy.  Their first feature was 2009’s “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” which the duo wrote and directed.  Loosely based on the beloved children’s book of the same name, the film earned Lord and Miller Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice nominations for Best Animated Feature, along with four Annie Award nominations for excellence in animation, including Best Direction and Best Screenplay.

On the television side, Lord and Miller are in development on “The Escape,” which recently received a put pilot commitment from ABC. The comedy, which Lord and Miller will executive produce with Dan Sterling, centers on a stressed-out urban professional who uproots himself and his troubled 19-year-old son to move to rural Idaho to live with his father, a retired surgeon with the ruggedness of Indiana Jones.  Additionally, they are developing the podcast phenomenon “Serial,” for television.

Lord and Miller made the return to their television roots in 2015 as executive producers on the Fox comedy series “The Last Man on Earth,” which recently wrapped its second season. They also directed the first two episodes of the series, for which they received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series. The show, written by and starring Will Forte as the sole survivor working to ensure the survival of the human race at the end of the world, was the highest rated broadcast series of the night, with 5.7 million viewers during its debut airing.  Lord and Miller also directed the pilot episode of the breakout hit “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” one of most anticipated television series of the 2013 fall season. Among their prior television writing credits, they served as co-executive producers on the successful CBS sitcom “How I Met Your Mother.”

Lord and Miller’s collaboration began when the pair met as students at Dartmouth College. They contend it was a mistake that landed them a job developing Saturday morning cartoons for the Walt Disney Company, which led to their stint developing primetime animated shows for Touchstone Television.  In 2002, they executive produced, wrote, and directed the short-lived but highly buzzed-about animated series “Clone High” on MTV.  Critically acclaimed for its well-developed and unique personalities as well as for its witty, fast-paced dialogue, it is probably best known for causing a hunger strike in India and being quickly cancelled. Miller voiced the characters of John F. Kennedy and Mr. Butlertron, and Lord voiced the characters of Principal Scudworth, Genghis Khan, and Geldhemoor, the Humkeycorn.

Phil Lord graduated cum laude from Dartmouth College with a degree in Art History. His college animated short “Man Bites Breakfast” won Best Animation at the 1998 New England Film and Video Festival and was included in several other festivals, including ASIFA East and ASIFA San Francisco. He is a native of Coconut Grove, Florida, and likes bikes.

Christopher Miller is a native of Lake Stevens, Washington. He left there to attend Dartmouth College, where he found a lifelong friend in Phil Lord, while obtaining a degree in government and studio art: three achievements, two of which are useful to his career.

MARYANN GARGER (Producer) was a co-producer on the hit animated comedy adventure “Flushed Away,” directed by David Bowers and Sam Fell, which swept the 2006 Annie Awards with five wins and three nominations and earned a BAFTA nomination for Best Animated Feature.  She later reunited with Bowers as a producer on his 2009 feature “Astro Boy.”  

Garger’s producing credits also include two animated “Astro Boy” shorts, as well as the award-winning animated short “First Flight,” which screened to acclaim at film festivals including SXSW, Tribeca and Montreal International.  

Among her upcoming feature releases is the animated family comedy “B.O.O.: Bureau of Otherworldly Operations,” for director Tony Leondis, currently in production.  

Garger began her career at Disney, on the feature “Pocahontas,” before segueing to a 20-year tenure at DreamWorks.  There, she was among the first employees to build DreamWorks’ animation division and rose through the ranks from production manager to Executive of Production, working on such memorable titles as “Madagascar,” “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron,” and “Prince of Egypt.”  Following that, she worked for several years at Warner Bros.

On the television side, Garger was a supervising producer on the satirical animated series “Neighbors from Hell,” which aired on TBS.    

ROY LEE (Producer) is the founder and owner of Vertigo
Entertainment, a film and television production company with a first-look deal with Warner Bros. Lee has produced films that have grossed over $3.3 billion in worldwide box office sales, most recently with the global success of animated hits, “The LEGO Movie,” written and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, and Dean DuBois’ Academy Award Nominated “How to Train Your Dragon” and “How to Train Your Dragon 2.”  He also produced director Andy Muschietti’s horror thriller “It,” based on the Stephen King novel.  

His current development slate includes “Minecraft,” an adaptation of the massively popular video game created by Mojang and “How to Train Your Dragon 3,” Dean Dubois’ latest addition to the hit franchise, as well as the upcoming new installment of the LEGO universe, “The LEGO Movie” sequel, in 2019.  

After forming Vertigo Entertainment in 2001, Lee earned his first producing credit in 2002 as executive
producer on Gore Verbinski’s blockbuster “The Ring.” He went on to produce the 2004 haunted house horror “The Grudge,” which, upon its release broke the record for the biggest opening weekend of all time for a horror film. October 2006 saw the release of “The Departed,” a crime thriller directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio, which went on to win four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay.

A Korean-American born in Brooklyn and raised in Bethesda, Maryland, Lee earned a Bachelors degree from George Washington University and a law degree from American University.  After a brief stint as a corporate attorney, Lee relocated from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles in 1996 to pursue a career in the film industry.

CHRIS McKAY (Producer) most recently directed the worldwide box-office hit animated adventure “The LEGO Batman Movie,” the second feature in the LEGO film franchise. Previously, McKay served as co-director, editor and animation director of the 2014 blockbuster “The LEGO Movie.”  His work as an editor on that film earned him the American Cinema Editors Eddie Award for Best Edited Feature Film, Animation, as well as an Annie Award nomination for Best Edited Animation Feature Film.  

A Chicago native, McKay is the visionary behind numerous television and film programs of critical acclaim.  He is the director, writer and producer behind the award-winning television series “Robot Chicken,” “Titan Maximum” and “Morel Orel.”

McKay has worked as a successful producer, editor and writer for Adult Swim/Cartoon Network.  He has directed more than 50 episodes of “Robot Chicken,” one of the highest rated and critically acclaimed programs on Cartoon Network. Since its premiere, the show has received 14 Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Short-Form Animated Program, Outstanding Voiceover Performance, and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animations, and McKay won the Emmy in 2010 for his work as director. The show has also received five Annie Award nominations and won the award for Best Character Animation in a Television Production in 2008.

As director and a show producer, McKay made “Titan Maximum,” a groundbreaking animated program for Adult Swim that incorporated traditional stop-motion as well as 2D and 3D animation.

Additionally, McKay has been nominated for an Annie Award for Best Directing in an Animated Television Production or Short Form for his work on the darkly comedic “Morel Orel,” created by TV comedy writer Dino Stamatopoulos.

McKay is a regularly featured panelist at Comic-Con International, Wizard World’s Comic-Con Tour, and the Anime Expo.  He currently resides in Los Angeles.

JILL WILFERT (Executive Producer) is Vice President, Global Licensing & Entertainment, for The LEGO Group. Wilfert began her LEGO career over 26 years ago, during which time she has held a variety of positions within the company’s U.S. and global marketing teams. She has been a key driver of the company’s collaboration with the entertainment industry, which began in 1999 with the introduction of the first licensed LEGO play theme: LEGO Star Wars™.  Wilfert’s efforts to expand the company’s licensed product portfolio led to cooperation with Warner Bros., Disney, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, FOX, Sony Pictures and Universal, on properties from the “Harry Potter” and “Lord of the Rings” films to “Batman,” to “The Avengers” and “Disney Princess,” to “The Simpsons.”  

In addition to translating the world’s best properties into building sets, Wilfert’s team, for the last nine years, has also led development of The LEGO Group’s entertainment and long-form content strategy. She has been instrumental in the creation and distribution of the hit television series “NINJAGO: Master of Spinjitzu” and “Legends of CHIMA,” as well as several LEGO Star Wars television specials and a miniseries called “The Yoda Chronicles,” a groundbreaking LEGO episode of “The Simpsons,” and numerous other specials featuring LEGO Friends, LEGO Super Heroes: DC Universe and LEGO Super Heroes: MARVEL.  On many of these projects, she has served as executive producer as she and her team ensure that LEGO content can be seen regularly by children in more than 100 countries around the world.

In 2014, Wilfert’s six years of behind-the-scenes work to bring the LEGO brand to life on the big screen culminated in the theatrical release of “The LEGO Movie,” which opened to worldwide critical acclaim and awards and drove stellar global box office sales.  Following the success of the movie, she was named #3 on a list of the 100 Most Creative People in Business by Fast Company magazine, and delivered a keynote address at MIPCOM in Cannes.  She subsequently served as an executive producer on the second big-screen LEGO adventure, the worldwide hit “The LEGO Batman Movie,” in February of 2017. Additionally, she was an executive producer on the Disney XD series “LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures,” and the 2017 video release “LEGO Scooby-Doo! Blowout Beach Bash.”

Wilfert currently is overseeing development on the next LEGO theatrical release, “The LEGO Movie” sequel, in 2019, as well as the animated TV series “Unikitty!,” featuring another breakout character from “The LEGO Movie.”

KEITH MALONE (Executive Producer) is Director, Content and Entertainment Development for The LEGO Group.  He began his career at The LEGO Group in 1996, working as a creative in the in-house agency of the U.S. headquarters. With a background in advertising and animation, he led a team of internal and external creatives launching the company’s first small step into entertainment content with a six-minute LEGO Star Wars™ CGI-animated content short titled “Revenge of the Brick,” that aired on Cartoon Network in 2005.  Its success paved the way for the LEGO brand’s future in content development, particularly around core properties like LEGO Star Wars, NINJAGO and LEGO Friends.

After a short stint leading creative for a children’s publisher, Malone returned to The LEGO Group in his current role, leading global content and entertainment development.  Based in Hollywood, he leads a small team of creative producers focused on long-form content creation and theatricals.  Malone holds executive producer credits across a wide range of production, including “LEGO Frozen Northern Lights,” in 2016; “NEXO KNIGHTS,” 2016; “The LEGO Movie 4D Adventure,” 2015; “LEGO MARVEL Super Heroes: Maximum Overload,” 2013; and “LEGO DC SUPER HEROES: Justice League – Attack of the Legion of Doom,” 2015.  He produced “LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures” in 2016 and “LEGO Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles” in 2014.  

He is an executive producer on the highly anticipated feature film sequel to “The LEGO Movie,” set for 2019, and is developing several other concepts in the treatment/script phase while he keeps his team humming “Everything is Awesome” on a daily basis.

SETH GRAHAME SMITH (Executive Producer) is a New York Times bestselling author, screenwriter, and producer of film and television.

Grahame-Smith’s novel, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, debuted at #3 on the New York Times bestseller list, and he was credited as master of the “mash-up” literary genre. It has since sold over two million copies, as well as been translated into more than twenty languages and has been adapted as a major motion picture.  His second novel, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, debuted at #4 on the New York Times bestseller list, and went on to sell more than two million copies and get its own feature film adaptation.

Grahame-Smith co-wrote the screenplay for this year's hit “The LEGO Batman Movie.”  His current screenwriting projects include an adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book, as well as a sequel to Tim Burton’s 1988 classic “Beetlejuice.”

With David Katzenberg, he created MTV’s first scripted comedy series, “The Hard Times of RJ Berger,” and served as its show-runner for two seasons.  He and Katzenberg, under the banner of KatzSmith Productions, most recently produced the horror thriller “IT,” based on the Stephen King novel. They are now overseeing a number of projects, including a feature-length version of the viral sensation, “Kung Fury.”

PAUL FISHER (Director / Screenplay / Story) is a writer and animation story artist. A native of California, Fisher attended the CalArts School of Film and has worked on projects produced by Disney, DreamWorks, Warner Bros. and Aardman Animations. His credits include “How to Train Your Dragon,” “Puss in Boots” and “Shrek Forever After.”  “The LEGO NINJAGO Movie” is his directorial debut.  

BOB LOGAN (Director / Screenplay / Story), a veteran of the animation industry, is a writer, story artist and designer who's worked for DreamWorks Animation, Sony Pictures Animation, Imagi, Reel FX and Disney Television.  Some of Logan’s credits include the films “Puss in Boots,” “Megamind,” “Madagascar,” “Cloudy with A Chance of Meatballs,” “Open Season,” and the prime-time television show “The Simpsons.”

Logan is also a children’s book author and illustrator whose book, The Sea of Bath, is currently gaining worldwide distribution.  Logan lives in Ventura, California.  “The LEGO NINJAGO Movie” is his directorial debut.

WILLIAM WHEELER (Screenplay / Story) has written screenplays for six produced motion pictures.  His filmography includes the 2016 release “Queen of Katwe,” starring David Oyelowo and Lupita N’yongo; “The Reluctant Fundamentalist,” directed by Mira Nair and starring Rizwan Ahmed; “The Hoax,” directed by Lasse Hallström and starring Richard Gere; and “The Prime Gig,” featuring Ed Harris and Vince Vaughn.  “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” opened the Venice Film Festival in 2012.  “Queen of Katwe” was runner-up for the People’s Choice Award at the 2016 Toronto Film Festival and won four NAACP Image Awards.  For his work on the film, Wheeler was the recipient of the Christopher Award for feature film in 2016.

Most recently, Wheeler was credited as co-writer on “Ghost in the Shell,” starring Scarlett Johansson.  

Wheeler has mentored filmmakers from around the globe through the Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Lab in Utah and the Maisha Film Lab in Kampala, Uganda.  He has advised at Sundance International Labs in Jordan, Turkey, Japan and Greece and served as artistic director of Sundance’s 2013 Lab in Mumbai, India.  He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

TOM WHEELER (Screenplay / Story) is a producer, screenwriter and novelist who most recently sold his novel Cursed to Simon & Schuster – a collaboration with legendary writer/artist Frank Miller.  He is also the writer of the Academy Award-nominated animated feature “Puss in Boots,” and is currently penning the sequel.  He recently sold an original feature spec, the now “Untitled Michael Bay Underwater Adventure,” with Bay attached to direct, and just completed work on the live-action feature “Dora the Explorer.”  Prior to that, he was a writer on “Mandrake the Magician,” currently in development.

In television, Wheeler has developed and produced pilots for The CW, NBC and FOX, as well as the ABC pilot “Captain Cook's Extraordinary Atlas,” and was a consulting producer on the NBC series “Surface.”  He was the creator/executive producer of the critically acclaimed 2004 ABC miniseries “Empire,” and creator/executive producer of the superhero drama “The Cape,” for NBC.

JARED STERN (Screenplay) is a television and film writer, director and producer.  He was a writer on the worldwide hit "The LEGO Batman Movie," and recently completed principal photography directing the Netflix original film “Happy Anniversary," which he also wrote.

Jared is the creator and executive producer of the Netflix animated series “Green Eggs and Ham,” set for 2018, and is a member of the Warner Animation Group (WAG), a consortium of creatives overseeing animated films at Warner Bros, including the upcoming sequel to “The LEGO Movie.”  His upcoming producing credits include the animated feature “Smallfoot,” currently in production.

Stern began his career at the Walt Disney Animation Studios, writing on such films as “Toy Story 3,” “Wreck-it Ralph,” “The Princess and the Frog,” and “Bolt.”  His other film credits include “Mr. Popper's Penguins,” “The Watch,” “The Internship,” the animated adventure “Storks” and, most recently, the comedy “L.A. Times,” written and directed by Michelle Morgan, which debuted in competition at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.

Stern is a graduate of Brown University.

JOHN WHITTINGTON (Screenplay) marks his second big-screen LEGO credit with “The LEGO NINJAGO Movie,” having served as a screenwriter on “The LEGO Batman Movie,” the worldwide hit released earlier this year.   His recent writing credits also include the comedy feature “When We First Met,” for Oscar-winning director Ari Sandel.  Opening this year, it stars Alexandra Daddario, Robbie Arnell and Adam Devine.  

Whittington served as staff writer on the upcoming animated television series “Green Eggs and Ham,” based on the classic children’s book by Dr. Seuss.  Among the other projects he has in development are “Untitled ‘Up’ House Project” for producer Will Gluck, the drama “True Fan,” and an adaptation of the Matthew Quick novel Boy21 for producers Lianne Halfon and Russell Smith.

HILARY WINSTON (Story) most recently shot her pilots “Real Life” and “My Time Your Time” at CBS.  Prior to that, she created and executive produced the CBS series “Bad Teacher.” She has previously written for “Happy Endings,” “Community,” and “My Name is Earl.” Her writing credits include the feature script for “Barbie,” which Amy Pascal is producing.  She also penned a memoir about her life, titled My Boyfriend Wrote a Book about Me.  

DAN HAGEMAN and KEVIN HAGEMAN (Screenplay / Story) are brothers.  As a writing duo, they caught the attention of numerous Hollywood filmmakers and sold several scripts across a range of genres before marking their feature film debut with the 2012 animated family comedy “Hotel Transylvania,” featuring an all-star vocal cast led by Adam Sandler.  A worldwide blockbuster hit, the film earned Best Picture nominations from the Golden Globes and the Annie Awards.  They followed that success with another blockbuster hit, “The LEGO Movie,” which earned a BAFTA win for Best Animated Feature Film and a Golden Globe nomination in the same category, as well as numerous other honors.  

Among their upcoming projects in development are the action adventure “The Lies of Locke Lamora,” for producer Michael De Luca; the comedy “Untitled ACME Warehouse Project,” for producers Dan Lin and Roy Lee; the action adventure “Temple Stay,” for producers Chris Columbus and JK Youn, with JK set to direct; and “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark,” with director Guillermo del Toro.

Dan and Kevin Hageman also collaborated on the animated Cartoon Network series “NINJAGO: Masters of Spinjitzu,” based on the LEGO toy series, and on the Netflix animated series “Trollhunters,” created by Guillermo del Toro.  

KIM TAYLOR (Production Designer) joined Animal Logic in 2009.  During his time with the company, he was Animal Logic’s Art Director on Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby,” and was a Senior Matte Painter on “The LEGO Movie.”

Taylor’s additional credits include numerous VFX projects such as “The Truth about Killer Dinosaurs,” Terry Pratchett’s “The Hogfather” and “The Colour of Magic,” “The Other Boleyn Girl,” “The Knowing,” and “The Golden Compass.”

SIMON WHITELEY (Production Designer) immigrated to Sydney, Australia, to join Video Paintbrush Company before joining Animal Logic in 1991.  During his time at Animal Logic Whiteley’s credits in Art Direction and Production Design include the film “Babe,” “Babe: Pig in the City,” “The Matrix,” “The Thin Red Line,” “Moulin Rouge!” and “Swimming Upstream.”

Most recently, Whiteley was production designer on “Walking with Dinosaurs 3D,” and “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole,” and served as art director on the Academy Award-winning feature “Happy Feet.”

MARK MOTHERSBAUGH (Composer)’s love of art started early in his childhood, just after it was discovered that he was extremely nearsighted and legally blind. Correctional eyeglasses offered him a new view of the world, inspiring his obsession with imagery and illustrations.  His first works, which he began creating in the late ‘60’s and into the ‘70s, included his band DEVO.  It became his best-known art project, within which he created a philosophy as well as music, costumes and videos. The success of the band led to a career as a film and television composer.  

[mudcosmetics-blog]

MY favorite teacher; MUD LA

Ray Shaffer

When you ask anyone about Ray Shaffer, industry profession or student will tell you is the kindest, most genuine, and hard working man they know. He is the gentleman of this profession. His road to makeup wasn't a direct course, but that's what has made him an excellent artist and a phenomenal teacher.

"I was born at the Submarine Base in Groton, CT. My Dad was in the Navy at the time and worked on nuclear submarines. Part of my childhood was very residential, and part of it was moving around a lot because I was part of a navy and a coast guard family.

I first got interested in makeup when I was very very young. My Mom still is a nurse. She's been a trauma nurse for about 54 years, and she's finally going to retire this spring. She used to work the 3-11 shift at St. Vincent's Hospital. She would get off work around midnight or so, and come home to get me out of bed to watch Mission Impossible reruns together. There were lots of disguises in the show and my head just smoked at the idea that people could be different people. My Dad, who really wasn't into monster movies, but when I was 5 or 6 he would stay up with me to watch the Creature Feature at night. That was really cool because he's a very down to earth guy and monsters really weren't his thing."

Your first introduction to practical makeup came in the friendly familiar form.

"I remember when I was 12 or so, Dick Smith had a Monster Makeup Kit that you could buy at toy stores. I was saving up from my paper route to buy it, and I would go into KB toy store and look at it longingly. My birthday is in October and I was hoping to have it in time for Halloween, but I knew I was going to be a few bucks short. Well on my birthday my grandparents came over. My Grandpa drove a big green Chrysler, and I was feeling bummed when he called me over to it. He pulled out a box and he had bought me the Dick Smith Makeup Kit!

Basically it was vaccuform molds that you could make your own appliances on out of gelatin, although Dick called it flesh flags. He was looking for something easy to use and relatively non toxic, which it was. The whole heating it up thing was a little weird. You probably couldn't get away with that now. But the first makeups or appliances I did were out of the Dick Smith Kit. Later on I found Stage Makeup by Richard Corson in the library and that put me up on a different level.

I remember the first appliance makeup I ever tried to do on my own was a Rocky makeup. I was 14 or 15 trying to recreate the boxer damage makeup. I remember being very happy with it at the time. Then I lost the pictures, but I'm very glad because it was probably awful. It was a lot of fun. Later I remember what a thrill it was to meet Mike Westmore when he came out to MUD to talk. He had been the makeup artist on the first few Rocky movies, and on First Blood and Raging Bull, and all these cool films, plus Star Trek. It was really cool!

So how did you turn your interest in makeup into a career?

"I started out wanting to act. I'd always loved makeup, but being from the east coast, I may as well have being talking about being a rocket scientist or being a ping pong player in China. I didn't understand enough about the field to figure out how to make that happen. I wanted to be an actor, so I used makeup to augment my range as an actor. I'm a pretty unique looking guy. So unless I just wanted to wave a steak knife, or be the guy yelling "die grandma die", I needed a little help to make me believable as other characters.

In the course of working in theater in college, I was working on a play called a reconstruction. It's where you take a classic text and rearrange it. It's usually experimental theater. My college did Hamlet, and my roommate was playing Hamlet's Father. Our director had the idea in his rebelling of it to make him a Viking Chieftain. And what do they do when a they die, but put them in a funeral pyre. So we needed to have this crispy critter corpse kind of guy. A role like that is an awful lot for a 20 year old actor to wrap his head around. He tried different things, but wasn't happy with what he was doing. So I built the mask for him.

I remember him putting it on and staring in the mirror and being very very quiet about it. When you see your face burnt down to the skull the whole idea of how much you've been violated hits you. That night at rehearsal he was a whole different cat! I remember him walking off the stage and hugged me. I was so emotionally overwhelmed by that, that it was probably at the point I jumped ship. I felt I was doing better work influencing other performers than I was enjoying acting myself."

"I sort of dividde my career into East Coast and West Coast. My first prosthetic makeup job ever was in a theater in Massachusetts. I remember they thought I could age a whole cast for $50. I did it! I ended up having to augment it with cotton and latex.

My first job on the west coast was for Rob Burman. It's funny because it just got released! Andrew Gettty who was the grandson of John Paul Getty was a sort of auteur. He wanted to be a film director. He had some very nightmarish visions and he tried to write a narrative around it. Basically he picked away at this film for a long time. He would shoot it a little bit, then he would get upset and stop, then he'd start again with a different crew...and so on and so forth. He passed about 2 years ago or so and his estate had the work completed since he was in post production, and just released it on dvd and video on demand. It's called The Evil Within. There was some creepy stuff in there. There was a spider that was stitched together from human body parts. Lots of practical gags and lots of in camera tricks, things with perspective. I'm not sure if there was any cg at all. But that was my first film. That was also my first job for Rob Berman."

Eventually you made a transition from practical or teaching.

"I came out to the west coast in the summer of 2000, and I worked intermittently then continually was a makeup artist and primarily as a lab technician. Which means I made molds, I did hair work, I did castings, sometimes when the sun shone in the right direction I even sculpted. I did that for 10 years. In the late 2000's, a lot of things really depressed the film industry. SAG went on strike, and the the WGA went on strike. And then the banks crashed, and I navigated that as best I could but nobody was working.

I had to look for another opportunity. Also around this time my mother started getting sick. Mom is a tank so I knew if something was wrong with Mom then I wanted to be there. So I went back to the east coast to try to be of use to my family. In the course of wanting to stay busy I was going through Craig's List, and there was an ad the MUD NY was looking for instructors. At the time I didn't even know MUD had a campus in NY. So I contacted them.

I know that I'm a patient guy, and I hoped that I'd be descent at teaching. I was surprised by how much I loved it! There was an adjustment. It's challenging to take 20 people who are all at different motivation levels, ability levels, artistic levels and to guide them as a unit through things they sometimes don't believe they can do. So there is a learning curve. What started out as something I wanted to try, turned out to be something I love very very much. I think of friends back home who are knocking rust off of boats and making t shirts and working in fast food stores, and I've got the best job on planet earth.

With having a career sculpting, molding, applying, and painting, what part of the process is your favorite?

"What do I love doing? I love sculpture and molding. What is it that I love about makeup? I just love the whole idea that we can make things that never existed before. That you can sit down with a motivated actor and a little artistic vision and hard work, you can take a bag of cement and a block of wax clay and turn that into people, and species and creatures that the world has never seen before. It's so creative and only limited by your skill set and your imagination. And there's not a lot of that left in the world anymore. Everything is prepackaged. For us to be able to make something that is so unique individual in this world is something else."

What has changed about the industry from your perspective?

"I think computers have become a bigger part of it but even that is cyclic. Now there's a big push back. I think makeup and computers are both awesome tools, provided they are used appropriately for their strengths. If I use a hammer to hammer a nail it's a wonderful tool. If I use a hammer to saw a table in half, it's sort of a mess.

When all of the changes started happening was when Avatar came out. That scared the begezus out of all of us. There had been fun cg characters for some time, but Avaatar was the first instance where a director could look through the viewfinder on the camera and in front of him was people in motion capture suits. In real time he was seeing blue kitty people in the jungle. Basically when everyone saw that it was a huge hit, it freaked everyone out. Everyone making films at the time stopped and went into turn around. They wanted to evaluate this new option, and there was only one studio in the world that was doing work that good, WETA. Other studios caught up, but it took a while and meantime nobody was working.

There was a time when every action or adventure film you saw was just filled with lots of cartoons. Then there was almost a backlash against it. People were tired of watching confused looking actors standing around monsters that clearly aren't there. The Star Wars Prequels are a great example. People standing around in a green room looking confused. I think people missed what makeup brought to performances. I think the physical space that they fill on screen. There's a real tangible quality to them. If you look at the cast of Phantom Menace, they are clearly great actors but you look at how they struggled in that movie. Then you look at a movie like Alien, you have Sigourney Weaver in a real space with a guy in costume in a smokey alley with smile dribbling on her, that affects your performance.

Great makeups in your presence effect your performance. All the sudden you feel like you're in the presence of an alien, or a senator from another planet in a way that someone standing talking to a mark on the wall does not. They're effecting in a way that cg often does not. It's nice to see it come back. I think everything runs in cycles. In some ways opportunities have declined, and in other ways they have not. There are far more people making movies now a days, whether it's a YouTube movie, netflicks, a feature, a low budget thing. In some ways there seems to be more work."

And what does the future hold?

"I would be happy teaching as long as MUD is happy having me. I would be happy sculpting and making makeups. I'm getting better and look forward to continuing getting better all the time. There are things I think that are good or bad, but there's always improvement that can be made."

What advice do you want to share for makeup artists?

"Work hard and don't quit. I know that sounds like such a stereotype. A lot of these pieces of advice you hear so often that they lose their meaning but I've seen wonderfully talented people not succeed when they only need to try a little built harder and not quit. A lot of time common sense and a work ethic are super powers. Don't let anybody tell you that you can't do it.

If I have no other gift, I hope a teacher I have a gift to help someone who's straight out of high school, or wherever they are in life believe that they can get through a sculpture. And then they can get through fiberglass. And if you keep on trying doors will open. All luck is is your preparation meeting the right opportunity. So don't quit and believe you can do it. The whole idea of being able to make something from nothing is very empowering. Rob Burman used to say, "once you learn you can make stuff, you're never the same again"."  

[powerlighton-blog]

I Finally Watched That!: The Flash Season 1

To start I should clarify: I have seen the first season of the CW’s The Flash before. In this case, however, I think it has only helped me to be more objective about what I’ve been watching. You should also know that I am a huge Flash fan. i have the comics, hoodies, shirts, jackets, hats, statues/action figures, and even shoes. But, before you dismiss me thinking I couldn’t possibly by fair, continue on and find out first hand.

Plot: In season one Barry Allen (played by Grant Gustin) gets his powers due to a scientific “accident” involving a thunderstorm and a particle accelerator. Throughout the season Barry is trying to advance his powers as well as his life all the while helping Central City as the Flash. In the background of all of this, Barry is determined to prove his dad’s innocence in his mother’s murder and to find the actual killer. With the help of Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanagh), Cisco Ramon (Carlos Valdez) and Caitlin Snow (Danielle Panabaker) he aims to complete all of this. Spoilers are sure to follow

Good: This series does not follow the original comic book it is named after. In fact, I would say it’s only about fifty percent faithful. Many would think that I would be upset about this, but I’m not. I see it as a good thing. Though it is not a carbon copy the story is well thought out and solidly built. With different writers and directors lending their talents throughout the first season it’s no surprise that there are varying degrees of success between episodes. The story stays in tact even with the different hands in the cookie jar, and though there are times when the dialogue or characters come across as overly comic book-ey much of the time it is forgivable and doesn’t take away from the important aspects of the show.

I like that the creators brought the story into a more modern time. It really helps to relate to the characters and situations. As different and modern as it is, however, I still see and feel the comic-heavy influence throughout this first iteration. Known, famous characters make their grand appearances in most of the twenty-three episodes, be they the first time they show up or the occasional cameo after. There are also throwbacks to the original Flash series from 1990 which is a very non-guilty pleasure for me. We find out very early that Barry Allen’s father is played by none other than John Wesley Shipp, himself. For those of you who don’t know, Shipp played the title character in the aforementioned original. Also making a cameo or two are Amanda Pays as Dr. Christina “Tina” McGee and Mark Hamill as “The Trickster- both also reprising their roles from the previous series.These call backs and shout outs show just how much of a labor of love this has been. It has been fun watching the heroes and villains I’ve known first hand become real somewhere other than my imagination.

As great as the semi-originality and nostalgia is it wouldn’t be worth much if it wasn’t engaging in each and every episode. in order for that to happen the characters have to be real. Lucky for me, and you, they are. From episode to episode and scene to scene I cared about Barry and Iris’ (Candice Patton) relationship. I worried about what happened to Ronnie (Robbie Amell) for Caitlin’s sake. I even wanted to continue to see Eddie (Rick Cosnett) advance in his character and relationships. The funny times are exceptionally funny (especially with Cisco’s obsession of naming their villains), and the emotional moments will get you right in the feels (like when Barry and Joe (Jesse L. Martin) have their heart-to-heart talks). Between the words on the page and the actors reciting them The Flash plays with your emotions in the best way possible.

I normally stick to a simple three-good-three-bad outline, but I have to break that a little bit this time. I am not good at science or math. I never have been when it came to the application of numbers (the experimenting part is another story). However, I do love science in action (such as Mythbusters).The Flash takes science and explains it in ways that almost anyone can understand. While I can’t believe everything they say is true or possible, a lot of the ideas and theories are very much steeped in reality or have been all but proven in our world. Even the future-tech they encounter seems to be heavily based in reality. Basically, it becomes more than just entertaining; it also becomes educational so long as you do some research afterward.

Bad: I’d love to say there is nothing bad about this show, but I can’t. As engrossing and engaging as it can be, there are also times when the actors come across as comic book characters and not real-life people. The biggest culprit in my opinions is Leonard Snart/Captain Cold (played by Wentworth Miller). Personally, I believe Miller chose to portray the character like this, but it takes him out of the “TV show” realm and launches him into the “comic book” realm which has the tendency to derail the scenes he appears in if he is not the most prominent character in them. The other instances are more writing-related and end up being just awkwardly worded phrases or actions.

There are moments, though few and far between, where I feel the writers couldn’t come up with a valid idea so they reused a previous one to make it work as best they could. In the very first episode we meet Clyde Mardon (and his brother through flashbacks). We learn what happened to him as he recounts the accident during the particle accelerator explosion where he and his brother crash landed in a plane. Unfortunately, his brother (according to Clyde) died in the crash. As it turns out he developed powers over the weather. He is taken down at the end of the episode, and that should be all. Except when we get to episode fifteen Mark Mardon returns. We were led to believe he died, and that is not expanded on here at all. He’s just alive. He also has very similar powers to Clyde, and it just feels rehashed from the first half of the season. I mean, it works for the story, but this could have been an opportunity to start a whole new layer to the story.

There are also a small number of continuity issues by the end of the show. As mentioned, according to Clyde, Mark Mardon was dead. I find that to be minor as it could just be a case of the mistaken on Clyde’s part. The bigger issue, though, comes from episode twenty-two. While being transported, the captured metahumans, of course, break free. During the battle we see Shawna Baez/Peekaboo (Britne Oldford), Kyle Nimbus (Anthony Carrigan), Mark Mardon (Liam McIntyre) and Rainbow Raider (Paul Anthony). We also see a fifth prisoner who we have never seen nor heard about before this. According to a quick Google search that man is known as DeathBolt and he was introduced in Arrow, but you wouldn’t know that unless you looked it up OR watched Arrow. There is never a scene showing DeathBolt being delivered or locked up. During the conversation about the transport Barry is asked how many people need transport and the answer is five, but you only ever see four prisoners on the computer screen. This all seems like an unfortunate oversight, but a huge one nonetheless.

There is one more item to address. I understand the difficulty, but there are many instances where the special effects look anywhere from plain bad to downright laughable. The most common victim here is The Flash, himself, unfortunately. If a scene consists of a slow motion, full body shot while he’s running it is unavoidably obvious that there is CGI work going on. This is noticeable when Iris gets a picture of The Flash’s face and when Barry climbs the debris toward the “black hole” in the middle of Central City to try to stabilize it. The second most obvious fake effect is in episode two nearing the end. Danton Black/Multiplex (Michael Smith) creates hundreds of copies of himself. During and aerial shot all of his copies move like robots- very angular and boxy. The Flash is no better in this scene. While there IS a log of good involving the effects, there is also a lot that is equally bad.

I have a problem with this first season that I really can’t take in to account of the review because it’s more personal than anything. From the start of the show (my first viewing, not this one) I was against using the Reverse-Flash as the first main villain. He’s worthy, for sure, but I feel it was too early to use a speedster as the primary focus. Essentially, this turned all of the other class A bad guys (i.e. Trickster, Captain Cold, Grodd, etc) in to lower tiered enemies. Due to their long and storied history, I just find this wrong. On top of that there are only a finite number of speedster villains to select. If this turns into a trend the show will end sooner than I would like. I think this was done for a specific reason, and not because that’s the best story line. I think this was done to give the fans a meaningful story they could wrap up in twenty-three episodes in case they got cancelled after the first season like its 1990 counterpart. Whew, OK, end of rant.

Verdict: Of course I’m going to recommend this show.. I’m a fan. Even if I wasn’t a Flash comic fan I would like this show. Even with all that is bad it’s not enough to turn you away from it. I think it’s a great show with a few pitfalls that I hope have been addressed and fixed. I’m on to season two!

What did you like about season one? Are you returning for season two? Who is your favorite villain in season one? Let me know below!