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sweetsmellosuccess · 4 years ago

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The Best Films of 2020

The 15 Best Films of 2020

Normally, when I assess a full year of cinematic offerings, I consider both sides of that coin — the outstanding entities, and the least successful — but the year of our lord two thousand and twenty provided more than enough misery for all of us, I do believe. Ergo, in my own small way to bring better vibes into the universe, for this year’s round-up, I’m staying solely on the positive tip, highlighting those films whose unfortunate release date during the Year of the Hex shouldn’t preclude them for being fully appreciated. Let’s take a year off from negativity and schadenfreude, shall we, and just stroll amongst the poppies and bright sunshine of some of the best releases of the year.

15. The Invisible Man

“Leigh Whannell’s film is thoroughly modern in approach and sophistication, but the film it most reminded me of was made back in 1944. George Cukor’s Gaslight starred Charles Boyer as a loathsome husband who attempts to convince his already anxious wife (Ingrid Bergman) that she’s going insane by secretly rearranging things in their house and taking things from her so she thinks she’s always misplacing them. He preys on her emotional vulnerability in order to mask his own pathology and emotional detachment. The effect is absolutely enraging: Onscreen, he’s one of the more hateful villains ever committed to celluloid.”

Full Review

14. The Killing of Two Lovers

“From the opening sequence, with a distraught, estranged husband standing over the bed of his wife and her new boyfriend with malice in his heart, and a gun in hand, the film spirals out into incredibly well structured compositions, taking us inside and outside of David’s recurring psychosis, utilizing a bevy of techniques: The framing shrinks down around him, the sound gets muffled, as if underwater, save for the incredibly unnerving metallic sound of cables being stretched taut, and the sickening kathunk of a heavy car door slamming shut.”

Capsule Review

13. Another Round

“Typically, Vinterberg avoids simple conclusions — and God help us all if this film gets picked up by a U.S. studio and remade with, say, Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Steve Buscemi, and Chris Rock — providing more or less equal examples of the delirious fun drinking with your friends can be (the film opens with a group of high schoolers gleefully doing “lake races” whereby teams compete to drink a case of beer while running around the nearby body of water; and closes with the same teen crew, and some of their teachers, whooping it up in celebrating their graduation); and the horrorshow it can become (one teacher ends up peeing the bed, and on his wife in the process, another wakes up bloodied and out of it in front of his neighbor’s house), leading to very real and horrible consequences.”

Capsule Review

12. Soul

“Co-director Pete Docter is the creative force behind many of Pixar's best titles, having a hand in the Toy Story franchise, WALL-E, Up, and also directing Inside Out, a brilliantly moving treatise on the subject of emotional upheaval. This film, which he co-wrote and made along with fellow co-director Kemp Powers, is his first film back at the helm since that high-water mark, and he has again dug into the fertile earth of our mortality and come back with a particularly vibrant crop.”

Full Review

11. The Burnt Orange Heresy

“Based on the novel by Charles Willeford, the film briskly moves through its paces, clouding the waters with the schemes of duplicitous men, who have sold out any love of art for their greater obsession of cash and prestige. A literary thriller in the vein of The Talented Mr. Ripley, it’s become a genre all too rare in the era of blockbuster bravado. This film will remind you what a mistake that is.”

Full Review

10. Lovers Rock

“In the course of the party, the fuses blow while the house DJ is spinning Janet Kay's "Silly Games," a fan favorite at the time. Undaunted, the guests continue dancing away, singing the lyrics a capella in delirious unison, as McQueen's camera swirls around the living room as if nothing happened. Such a heartfelt moment of unbridled togetherness, putting into distinct bas relief the sense of community we've been denied as a species in 2020, feels like a benediction, an epitaph for the year, and a salve for what we've all been so desperately missing.”

Capsule Review

9. Time

“Ostensibly, it’s about the strain of incarceration on even the most grounded of families (an experience naturally disproportionate for POCs); but, on a deeper level, it’s also about the manner of our use of the limited number of revolutions we get to enjoy situated on this earth. It is a profound knock-out.”

Full Review

8. New Order

“Meet the new boss, only in Michel Franco’s damning portrait of a society locked forever in cycles of oppression, revolution, and new oppression, it makes no difference who you are, what your belief system is, or whether or not you subscribe to a moral set of ethics.”

Capsule Review

7. Dick Johnson is Dead

“Utilizing stunt people and special effects, Johnson kills her father off a number of different gruesome ways, as a means of softening the blow of actually losing him as his mind slowly slips away. This eventually culminates in a final gambit, both acutely painful and deeply moving, in which our sense of things gets seriously upended. As Johnson put it during the post-screening Q&A, the film serves as a “doomed experiment trying to keep my father alive forever.” This film won’t make him immortal, alas, but it does make him indelible.”

Capsule Review

6. Martin Eden

“Marcello packs the film with offbeat bits and pieces of other films, including strips of what appear to be vintage home movies, sometimes in juxtaposition to what Martin is feeling — a group of kids swinging wildly from the bar of a fence, to a full galley ship taking in water and suddenly sinking like an iron ingot – which adds a more winsome, timeless element to the narrative. It’s clearly set in the past, but avoids being too dependent on that particular sense of place and time. Martin is a young man, at first, just coming into himself, and the actions he takes, what he goes through, the film seems to suggest, would be similar in any age.”

Full Review

5. Minari

“The film is certainly charming, but that’s not to diminish its straightforward approach to its characters’ plight. It doesn’t shy away from their difficulties, and as a result, it doesn’t cheat towards smarmy emotional closure.”

Capsule Review

4. Collective

“The breath of hope in the film, when the inept Minister of Health resigns, leading to the placing of a new, emboldened director who works quickly to clean the quagmire left by his predecessors, is just as quickly expelled after the next round of elections, in which the Social Democrat party — the very ones in charge of this catastrophe in the first place — gets re-elected with an even greater majority than what they had before. A perfect reflection of what happens when a government is allowed to exist without any meaningful oversight, other than from a bedraggled press and a disenchanted electorate.”

Full Review

3. First Cow

“Reichardt, a naturalist at heart, is not known much as a humorist, but there is a lightness to her screenplay -- co-written by Jonathan Raymond, her frequent collaborator, who wrote the original novel upon which its based -- that keeps it as sweetly airy as one of Cookie's fried confections. The two friends are so out of step with their surroundings -- the party of men Cookie initially travels with are little more than brutish thugs, and the fort upon which they end up is no better -- they almost had to find each other. They are reunited in the local bar of the fort only because literally every other patron runs out to egg on a brawl between two loutish combatants.”

Full Review

2. Never Rarely Sometimes Always

“Hittman’s eye for detail and emotional complexity — her characters can rarely articulate anything they’re experiencing — is incredibly acute, and she pulls tremendously understated performances out of her two leads.”

Capsule Review

1. Nomadland

“Perhaps no American director since Terrance Malick has made more of the collapsing light of dusk and twilight than Chloe Zhao. Much of her new film, which stars Frances McDormand as a transigent woman (“not homeless, houseless”), who traverses back and forth across the west in her beat up live-in van, doing seasonal work, takes place in that particular kind of vibrant half-darkness that shrouds the desert and its mountains with a magic kind of mystery.”

Capsule Review

Other Worthy Mentions: 7500; Assassins; Bacurau; Beanpole; Beginning; Black Bear; Bloody Nose Empty Pockets; Boys State; Come Play; Emma; Gunda; His House; Horse Girl; I Am Greta; Jacinta; La Llorona; Let Him Go; Limbo; Mangrove; Mayor; MLK/FBI; One Night in Miami…; Palm Springs; Possessor Uncut; Red, White & Blue; Relic; She Dies Tomorrow; Shirley; Shithouse; Shiva Baby; Some Kind of Heaven; Spring Blossom; Swallow; Tenet; The Dissident; The Invisible Man; The Nest; Sound of Metal; The Vast of Night; The Viewing Booth; The Way I See It; Vitalina Varella; Welcome to Chechnya

Inexplicably Underrated: 7500; Shithouse

Biggest Welcome Surprise(s): The Vast of Night; His House; She Dies Tomorrow

The Best Two Films I Saw This Year, Period: Satantango (1994); Harlan County, USA (1976)

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kitkatwinchester · 4 years ago

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Tag Game

Tagged by @meilas

I don’t know why this doesn’t have a title, so I gave it one. XD

1. How many pets do you have and what are they?

Three doggos and two snakes (though technically the third dog belongs to my grandma).

Doggo 1: This is Griffin. He’s 3/4 black lab and 1/4 shiba inu. He’s super needy and claims we starve him to death (we don’t), but we love him all the same. Favorite thing: pretending eh loves you so you’ll give him food from your plate. He turns 12 this year. <3

Doggo 2: This is Loki. He’s a rescue, and as such, we honestly have no idea what breed he is, or how old he is, but we love him. Favorite thing: standing between your legs and tripping you. XD

Doggo 3: This is Jack, my grandma’s dog. To be honest, he’s kind of a butthole, and not very nice to our other dogs, but my grandma loves him, so I guess that’s what matters. He’s a cockerspaniel, and he’ll be 10 this year.

Snake 1: This is Zak. He’s a milk snake. He used to be quite the hunter, but now he’s really lazy and makes us lay his food on the bottom of his cage before he’ll even eat it. Favorite thing: wrapping around your necklace/watch/bracelet while you’re holding him. To be perfectly honest, I have no idea how old he actually is, ‘cause I don’t know how snake ages work, but we’ve had him for two years.

Snake 2: This is Charlie. She’s a ball python, and let me tell you, she is insanely quick. When she grabs the food we give her, just when you think you’re expecting it, she scares the crap out of you and snatches it out of the air. Favorite thing: curling up into a ball (hence the name “ball python”) in your hand and just chllin’. Like Zak, I don’t know how old she is, but we’ve had her for a year.

2. What’s your Hogwarts house?

According to Pottermore, Ravenclaw, and while I fully agree with this and will shout my Ravenclaw pride to the heavens, hell, and back, I do think there’s a little bit of Hufflepuff in me too.

3. What’s your faction? (From the Divergent series)

Umm...well, I’ve never taken an official quiz or anything, but I’m probably Abnegation.

4. What’s your most underrated OTP?

Well, most of my Supernatural OTPs are pretty mainstream, so I guess I’ll go with an underrated MCU one, which is Interwebs, because Peter and Ned would seriously make an adorable couple (shout-out to @baloobird for helping me realize that that ship even existed to begin with XD).

5. What’s your favorite dessert?

Chocolate chip cookies. <3

6. What’s your guilty pleasure?

Watchings “kids” tv shows and movies no matter how bad they are and loving them all the same. XD

7. What’s your favorite musical?

Les Miserables and Mary Poppins, both of which I’ve been lucky enough to see on Broadway.

8. What is your proudest accomplishment?

This tends to vary as life goes on, but I’d say one of my proudest accomplishments was the work I did for Henry IV: Part II in 2018. I did so much, but I was so proud of it. I was the assistant stage manager, composer, music director, fight captain, main musician, and even had a role in the show. It honestly came with a lot of stressors, and was pretty intense, but I loved every minute of it, and I’m still really proud of everything I pulled off with that production and everything that came with it.

9. Which 2 Disney Princesses do you relate to on a personal level?

Right now? Rapunzel. Oh you were speaking not in quarantine times. Got it. XD See, this is always a little hard, because, first of all, I’m a hardcore Disney fan, and always have been, so every Disney film has a special place in my heart. Second of all, I relate to pretty much all of the Disney Princesses for different reasons--especially the most recent ones. If I had to pick two, though, I guess I would say...Moana and Belle. I relate to Moana because of her love for the water, sense of adventure, interest in traveling, connection to home/family, and lack of a love interest. I relate to Belle because of her love of reading, connection to family, sacrificing for those she loves, and wanting to make the world a better place. Yeah. I think that works.

10. Disney Princes you relate to on a personal level?

Ummm...none of them? My favorite Disney Prince, unofficial or otherwise, is Kristoff. I guess, if I were to really think about it, he’s probably also the one I relate the most to? He was kind of on his own as a kid, but he was taken in by people (trolls) he now considers family (not quite in the same way, but I get what he’s feeling). Plus, he really just throws himself whole-heartedly into his relationship Anna and isn’t ashamed or embarrassed to show how much he loves her; he’d do anything for her (which is really romantic, by the way). So yeah. I guess I’d say Kristoff.

11. If you could date any fictional character, who would it be?

Dean Winchester. No contest. <3 That said, though, he’s technically way too old for me, so if I’m trying to be a little more realistic, Peter Parker.

12. If you could be best friends with any fictional character, who would it be?

Jack Kline. Because I love him and adore him, but I don’t really want to date him; I just want to spend all of my time with him. XD <3 Tony Stark is a close second.

13. If you had to murder someone, how would you do it?

Well...it honestly depends on the situation. Am I murdering them for myself, or for someone else? Do I care about getting caught? If I want to get away with the murder, poison, definitely. Probably cyanide. Easy to hide, hard to detect, gets the job done pretty easily. If I’m trying to make a point, slow and torturous is the way to go. Knife wound, probably? I don’t know. I watch a lot of crime shows, so I know how to get away with a murder if I really wanted to; however, I honestly do not have the stomach to kill someone, so trying to imagine how I would do it is difficult. That said, though, I could definitely be convinced to kill you if you hurt anyone I care about--fair warning.

I’m tagging @baloobird, @crowleyellestair, @annieshurley, @jen27ny, @spneveryseason, @ninjazzz3, and @jelly-pies.

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luckycheesefoodie321 · 5 years ago

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Prince of Tennis (2019) meme

I was tagged by @hardworkingprocrastinator aka @rupru-russiaxprussia whom I do believe I ranted with about the Imperial Pair ship, and the unexpected potential of Si Yang x Qi Ying… so thanking you kindly for another excuse to rave about ChinaPuri… sooo uhhh time for some fun times!!

Tagging: I have 0 idea who to tag because we a smaller fandom

Warning: I have not watched or read the original manga/anime soooooo I’m in an even smaller subset of the fandom babeyyyy!!! It has also been a couple months since I watched the show, so there is a strong chance I’ll have forgotten names and situations, and just general thoughts I have... BUT WHATEVER time to rant to the thirteen people who’ve watched ChinaPuri!!!

Questions:

1. Favorite character(s)? 2. Favorite school team(s)? 3. Favorite coach(es)? 4. Favorite supporting cast member(s)? (characters who aren’t regulars, aren’t on tennis teams etc.) 5. Favorite original character(s) in the adaptation? 6. Who do you think enacted their role best? 7. Favorite singles match? 8. Favorite doubles match? 9. Favorite story arc? 10. Most amusing tenipuri scene(s)/moment(s)/running joke(s)? 11. What did you like most about the adaptation? 12. What do you think the adaptation could have improved on? 13. Any other thoughts you want to share?

Answers: THIS ISH GETS LONGGGGG SO CUT OFF NOW

1. Favorite character(s)?

MU SI YANG BABEYYYYY!!! I already love a stoic glasses boi, but Mu Si Yang (again not TeniPuri Tezuka, just ChinaPuri Si Yang) may be one of my favourite takes on the stoic glasses boi… like I don’t often enjoy live action versions of anime, especially because the acting is never the best (and granted this one too, had some okay performances) but the guy who plays Mu Si Yang melted my heart… he was the stony-faced serious captain, who could deliver a subtle joke that left you snickering… but he was also the determined, earnest, crazy talented leader with his own hidden struggles who just wanted to take his team and friends as far as they go into competition… which is an essential part of any good sports drama… and he captured it so perfectly… and I love him.. he’s so beautiful too… I would fall in love with him in a heartbeat, and I don’t often say that about characters (like I love them but never in love ya dig?)

Zhou Zhi was a close favourite…basically I just love the two genius senpais…

2. Favorite school team(s)?

Oh god… Yu Feng maybe? We spend the most time with them, they have the most screen time of all the other teams…we have a whole training arc where they’re continuously winning against the struggling to evolve Yu Qing…very reminiscent of the Karasuno-Nekoma rivalry in that they help each other get better… I would’ve loved to see the rivalry/camaraderie develop even more so that when Si Yang leaves, the relief at having this network of tennis friends would’ve been that much more powerful…

Also I really enjoy Xu Ziping’s hustle… I love the story of Yu Feng…they had a shitty coach and had to make a deal to keep winning in order to even remain an official team… and when Yu Qing faced Yu Feng, I really couldn’t tell who I wanted to root for because I knew there was real weight behind every loss for Yu Feng…

After that, maybe No. 6… they’re so chill, they’re not straining for each win and just enjoying their time on the court…and the Old Coach dude was a great character to introduce...

3. Favorite coach(es)?

Maybe No. 6’s coach… I legit can’t remember his name but he oozes skill and experience without all the stress of younger coaches who bend over backwards for success… and while, again, the circumstances surrounding his appearance was a bit waffle-y in execution (which is about par for live action adaptations), I love that he serves as a sage outsider who can assess in three seconds what kind of player Lu Xia is, and what he needs to do to improve… I love me a good wise character who still knows how to inspire people in a fun way but you never, for a second, doubt that what they’re saying is legit advice, even if their mannerisms are goofy…

4. Favorite supporting cast member(s)? (characters who aren’t regulars, aren’t on tennis teams etc.)

Oh I mean…Stretcher Bros for life amirite? They were great…they were just hanging out, trying out.. Huang Jing is kinda jerk-ish, but he’s the starting antagonist who turns out to have a pure heart and a genuine love of the sport (kinda like Tsukishima Kei from Haikyuu!! or the GoMs from Kuroko no Basuke)… and Xiu Wen is such a soft boi who wants to shower in peace without girls being in the locker room…

Put these two besties together forever…and I just love how cuddly they are with each other…no hesitation to hold hands or hug…it’s gooood

5. Favorite original character(s) in the adaptation?

Um…idk who’s an original character??? Again never watched the original anime/read the manga!

SO IMMA CHANGE THIS TO FAVOURITE SHIP!

5.5. Favourite ship? (Get ready my friendsss issa long one)

Si Yang x Qi Ying my friendssss… a super unexpected pairing that came outta nowhere!!! Because the trailer clearly shows (or maybe it doesn’t and I forgot) that Lu Xia and Qi Ying are gonna be THE THING but then we get hit with the surprise senpai-kouhai/team manager ship and I’m like uhhh were you planning this or am I reading into it too much???

Like y’all they were flirting right in the beginning… that whole bit where she stands outside the change rooms and Si Yang confronts her, and she begs him to add Lu Xia to the team (even tho he already did) and he was weirdly teasing her about the roster when he had no reason to, and she was kinda bantering back with him and she fully called him out later on… i was like, umm this is a vibe

They just kept getting thrown together in weird ways…aside from Lu Xia, she’s probably had the most interactions with Si Yang of all the other team members… she’s the only one he calls Xiao~ like the boys in the tennis club have their nicknames like Dachi, Ah Mu, Ah Yan, but only Qi Ying is Xiao Ying!! he’s not a nickname guy… and maybe if it were a girl/cheerleader thing, you’d think he’d call Peng Xiang, Xiao Xiang BUT NO… only Qi Ying gets called Xiao Ying!!!

AND ANOTHER THING: other than Lu Xia, he’s the only one concerned for Qi Yang, despite what he says, when she gets caught in the rain and gets sick… he fully visits her in her room, and receives the call about her health after they send her to the hospital… he says everyones worried BUT YO they’re straight up just bored and end up having a pillow fight…sooooo can’t be that worried…

AND ONE MORE THING: Qi Ying, I get she’s this weird mascot/team manager figure on their team (even tho she’s meant to be a cheerleader but they never invite Peng Xiang to any of their team dinners or their training camp) BUT WHEN SI YANG RETURNS HOME, THEY SEND IN QI YING TO GREET HIM and they have this whole charming convo where she teases him...and they were chatting as if they always had this banter going on but they’d only talked like 3 or 4 times on screen before then, so there’s this whole relationship she has with the tennis team (not just Lu Xia) that is implied but we don’t really see it! And when she teasingly calls him Captain Si Yang after he returns to China, he had the softest smileeee!!! HE TOTALLY DOES HAVE A SOFT SPOT FOR HER!! He didn’t want her to think he wasn’t happy to see her... and then she leads him to their surprise party in the club room and he just keeps saying Xiao Ying… like damn you keep trying to establish the Lu Xia x Qi Ying ship (and it is a decently strong ship) but Si Yang x Qi Ying is soooo good!

After this Rival Pair, and then Golden Pair - our resident married couple

(POST Here: all the gay faves they didn’t even try to hide)

(POST Here: almost confirmed ships by the end)

6. Who do you think enacted their role best?

I…I think this is obvious… NEXT

Jk… other than Si Yang, I really enjoyed the guy who plays Lu Xia - Peng Yu Chang… he played the typical “stoic, super talented/genius sports idiot” type prolific in sports anime (like Furuya from Daiya no A, Kageyama from Haikyuu!!, Midorima from KnB)… but he was never too stuck in his head, and he was never mean… too often there’ll be a moment where this type of character is played too seriously, gets stuck in their own head, and lashes out at anyone they deem getting in their way, especially when they feel they’re stuck in a rut… which Lu Xia is in, for essentially the entirety of the show, in one form or another…

But PYC played Lu Xia as this mildly cocky, but still incredibly enthusiastic young genius who is looking for the next big challenge so as to further himself, but is so obsessed with this one opponent (his dad), that he can’t see the bigger picture and realise his entire way of playing is a mirror of the very opponent he’s trying to overcome… but even at the height of his stagnation, he’s never mean to Qi Ying, who tries her best to support and encourage him… while he does distance himself from the team, it’s not an active dismissal of their assistance or support… he can play a straight faced comic when embarrassed/discombobulated (like Si Yang when faced with Yan Juice), but also always participates in most of the weird antics his team is up to… and it never feels OOC and thats clearly a result of Peng Yu Chang’s subtle acting…

ALSO PENG YU CHANG IS IN OUR SHINING DAYS, A SUPER UNDERRATED CHINESE FILM THAT HAS SO MUCH POTENTIAL TO BE ADAPTED INTO LIKE, A ONE SEASON SHOW AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU WATCH IT

7. Favorite singles match?

Oh pfft… please… PLEASE IS THERE EVEN A QUESTION it was arguably the best match of the whole show, it was what we were all waiting for, a super tension filled, super hyped up match because it features my favourite character, who has simultaneously been promoted as THE BEST PLAYER ON THE TEAM but also super injured and avoiding over-exertion… MU SI YANG…against his personal rival, whom had never tasted defeat before, and subsequently trained like crazy, throwing all of the money at professional players, FOR A YEAR, in order to be ready to face him… JI JING WU

That’s right baby, its the Imperial Pair Match (I do hope I’m using all these nicknames correctly..I just tried to pick them up from the anime/manga to save time writing out their names XD)…

This match is everything you ever want in a match…it’s a gritty, no-holds-barred, all-out, clash-of-titans-style face-off between probably the two most talented players in that whole (province? Prefecture? Idk China regional names) BUT YEAH THESE TWO ARE CLEARLY TOP TIER PLAYERS WHO FINALLY GO HEAD TO HEAD… it’s a year in the making, Ji Jing Wu is in peak physical condition, but Si Yang is not…and yet we see Si Yang powering through the literal agony of an arm injury that threatens complete destruction of not only his tennis career, but his general usage of that arm… and for glory and to bring his team to the national stage, Si Yang lays it all on the line… and he still gives Ji Jing Wu a run for his goddamn money… he matches him hit for hit, and at one point he was even WINNING…and had it not been for his arm, I swear up and down that he would’ve beaten Jingwu…

BUT THAT’S NOT EVEN THE BEST PART… i mean, all sports anime and just shounen anime in general have those moments where the characters are down and out and summoning the power of friendship and determination to their side to go above and beyond the physical limitations of their bodies… NO THE ACTUAL BEST PART WAS JI JINGWU’S RESPONSE TO THE WHOLE SITUATION

The goddamn respect he gave Si Yang.. this is his rival, the only person he’s ever viewed as equal and even superior to his own skills (at least as far as people the same age as him go)… Jingwu wants to beat him so bad… and he’s heard the rumours about Si Yang’s injury, and he even sees for himself how bad the injury is… but as a skilled player who recognises skill himself, he does not do Si Yang the disrespect of going easy on him… what kind of arrogant prick has that kind of nerve to give less than their best to someone who is giving them 120% effort… no, Ji Jingwu doesn’t hesitate to hit back full power, even as he’s yelling at Si Yang to stop before his arm is utterly destroyed… because the last thing any person of talent would want, is to see another person lose such an incredible gift… but even worse than that, have that person realise someone was going easy on them... it was so goddamn beautiful… and when Jingwu grips Si Yang’s hand and raises it high because he and everyone there knows who the real winner of that match is…they all know that they just witnessed something incredible, and he wants everyone in the stands to not only acknowledge it… but remember it…

And then he proceeds to fund Si Yang’s surgery, his flight, his meals, his rehabilitation, AS WELL AS take care of his team… and if that isn’t love, idk what is… like they don’t even disguise the hard core DEDICATION AND LOVE... Jingwu has obsessed over Si Yang for a year and it goddamn shows

Honourable Mention: I really enjoyed Zhou Zi versus the demon child whose eyes go red…we finally get to see Zhou Zi stretch his legs and push himself and I LOVED THAT… like he’s actually trying his best and that’s dope… also the match against the captain of the team his little brother his on… he basically led this cocky motherfucker by the nose for 5 games, pretends to be losing, and then destroys him in the following 7…

OH AND I GOTTA SHOUT OUT MY OTHER GLASSES BOI YAN ZHIMING VERSUS HIS BEST GUY FRIEND FROM YOUTH… that was a beautiful evolution of Ah Yan transcending but also evolving his data tennis against his childhood friend and it feels good ya know?

8. Favorite doubles match?

Oh pfft anything with the Rival Pair… they bicker like cat and dog, but then you put them on the court together, and suddenly their chemistry is through the roof… also Baiyang and Qiao Chen are a stronger couple than Qiao Chen and Yu Xing Zi and that’s the damn tea

(Same two posts for why that tea)

9. Favorite story arc?

Oh man… ummm training arc with Yu Feng was fun but it was definitely beaten out by the “village raises a child” arc when Si Yang leaves, so literally all their previous opponents step up to encourage, train, or otherwise intimidate Yu Qing into giving it their all, improving, and ultimately winning the finals… plus this arc gave so much depth to the network of teams who all have the same aspirations, in the end, and want to push forward the people who beat them to not let their loss be in vain…and that’s pure…

10. Most amusing tenipuri scene(s)/moment(s)/running joke(s)?

Yan Juice... especially the first time NEXT

Honourable Mentions: When Lu Xia gets stood up by Xinglong Lu Xia running interference on Qi Ying’s admirer in the final ep When Zhou Bros run into Lu Xia in the dressing rooms Stretcher Bros trying to become Painter Bros

11. What did you like most about the adaptation?

It captured the essence of a good sports anime: power of friendship, ridiculous action sequences of outrageous moves that would never be allowed in real life, determination and guts is all you need to succeed, that all-or-nothing mentality of high schoolers who suddenly have tunnel vision and no future thinking whatsoever, and decide to risk life and limb for one match… plus it kept a charming and comedic beat running throughout, really endeared you to the characters, and their struggles... AND NO ONE WAS MEAN... well I mean Ya Jiuxin was an angry bitter jerk for a hot second, but he ended up being endeared towards the lil fluffball kouhai of his, and we all know he loves Xinglong in his heart of hearts... other characters like Jingwu, or demon child, or Zhou Yu’s captain were cocky or arrogant, but they were never mean to each other, and respected each other’s game play even if they were defeated.. a couple were poor losers, but they didn’t throw a fit or try to get revenge or anything like that... everyone, in general, had some decency to them, and in fact all of Yu Qing was a super nice...sometimes too nice and self-deprecating that you wanted to smack them...

12. What do you think the adaptation could have improved on?

This is mostly just a consequence of live action adaptations of sports anime where they have to condense a whole lot of story that is already condensed from the manga into a palatable show that anyone, not necessarily pre-existing fans of the original source, can enjoy… the story around the characters seemed waffle-y and disjointed… sometimes things would happen but wouldn’t connect smoothly to the next thing that happens… there was this whole implied close relationship between Qi Ying and the team that just was never shown… I would’ve preferred they made her an official manager, so it would make sense that she’d be so close to the team, when for whatever reason, Peng Xiang wasn’t…even tho they’re both cheer captains…

The match sequences were cut down a little too much (tho I get why)… I would have loved that final training arc to be extended, to fully flesh out how discombobulated Yu Qing was when Si Yang had to leave, and how forcefully the other teams picked them up and got them better… so to develop the dynamic between the teams before this would’ve been good, but obviously they can only got the core actors of each team at a time… hence that barbecue scene… but if they’d pulled off something like the Haikyuu!! Tokyo training arc, or even something like in KnB where the teams were thrown together in wacky hijinks or impromptu match situations to develop their camaraderie (and they sorta tried to but nothing really came of the interactions), it would’ve made the final training arc THAT MUCH MORE heartwarming and I would have cried..

13. Any other thoughts you want to share?

I’ve already said enough. The end.

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amphtaminedreams · 5 years ago

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50 Films You’ve Got to Watch

Hi to anyone who’s reading,

I thought I’d take a break from the fashion posts to ramble on about something else that I’m really interested in for a hot minute. And I say ramble with intent, because I do go ON.

The topic is film and I thought that I’d make a list of my 50 must watches. These are movies that I feel had the biggest impact on me which means, yes, I do have tattoos referring to a couple of them, lol. My genre of choice is usually horror and although there has been a bit of a “horror renaissance” and a shift towards prioritising good quality storylines over jump scares in recent years, on the whole, they typically aren’t the most highbrow films out there, so there aren’t THAT many on this list. Most of the horror films I listed are just genuinely good quality rather than a straight-up gorefest or anything too terrifying, however, I’m not that easily scared so if you did fancy watching any of the films I mentioned, take that with a slight pinch of salt!

Also, this isn’t anything to take too seriously. I really like movies and cinema but I’m also not a movie critic and this is more of a hobby than something I want to pursue. Like, I’m completely aware of how unrealistic working in TV or film is as a career if your family isn’t loaded. Very aware. Painfully aware you could say (imagine me sighing as I’m writing this). That being said, part of me does want to do a ranking of every film I’ve seen in 2019 at some point this year, so if anybody else is interested in this kinda thing let me know!

Lauren x

50 Films You’ve Got to Watch:

1. Black Swan (2010)

“I felt it. Perfect. It was perfect.”

I watched Black Swan years ago now and I still remember how disturbing I found it and how exciting that was to me. I was probably a bit too young (young enough that my mum felt it necessary to cover my eyes during the Natalie Portman/Mila Kunis sex scene, lol) but even then I could recognise that it was a beautifully haunting film and Darren Aronofsky has gone on to be one of my favourite directors.

2. Jennifer’s Body (2009)

“And now, I'm eating your boyfriend. See? At least I'm consistent.”

Engrave it on my tombstone: JENNIFER’S BODY DESERVED BETTER. I fully believe that if this movie was released in 2019, it wouldn’t have faced half the criticisms it did back in 2009. It genuinely was ahead of its time. Megan Fox? As a boy-eating, demonic cheerleader? And Amanda Seyfried? Some of the most ICONIC DIALOGUE EVER? It should’ve invented a GENRE. Instead it got paid DUST. Yes, when I write in caps lock, my internal voice is YELLING. I feel passionately about this, okay?!

3. La La Land (2016)

“I guess I'll see you in the movies.”

Again, maybe it’s a basic film bitch opinion to have but I adored La La Land. I saw it at the cinema and spent the last 20 minutes of the film sobbing, only to find my mum and sister distinctly underwhelmed. I indignantly ranted back then to them how perfect a film it was and I’m going to do the same thing now so if you are reading and you didn’t like it, then you should probably just move on because I wouldn’t want to read myself banging on about Emma Stone again for several paragraphs either (don’t worry, I’ll try and keep it to one). I can’t help it. This film was just TOO REAL! Like, in every way but the actual plot and characters, La La Land has the dreamlike quality of a fairytale. The colours are rich and thick and always complimentary, the musical sequences are either like Disney songs or lullabies, and Emma and Ryan Gosling are made for each other. But then life and ambitions and resentments get in the way. And that’s the real part! That’s why it’s so bloody good!

4. Easy A (2010)

“People thought I was a dirty skank? Fine. I’d be the dirtiest skank they’d ever seen.”

And so we arrive at the movie that actually began my love affair with Emma Stone. Iconic. Iconic in every way. The bad reputation montage is cinematic excellence. For real, though, this is so underrated as a coming of age movie. Like don’t get me wrong, Mean Girls is everything (I easily could’ve included it on this list but I feel like it’s just a given that anyone who grew up in the noughties loves that film) but Easy A deserves just as much credit. It has Penn Badgley, one of the few celebrity males I care about! Amanda Bynes! Aly Michalka! Lisa Kudrow! Did I mention Emma Stone?

5. Kill Bill (2003)

“Now, if any of you sons of bitches got anything else to say, now's the fucking time!”

If I had to put any of these films as my singular favourite, it would probably be the first Kill Bill. Controversial, I know; even my dad introduced it to me as the weaker of the two. To list any Quentin Tarantino movie as the one that inspired you to want to be a director is probably a very cliche film student thing to say BUT I’m not a film student and I’ve put my directing pipe dream permanently to one side, thus, coming from me it’s not as hackneyed a statement. Or so I tell myself, lol. Basically, I was in awe of Kill Bill from start to finish. The colourisation is a dream, from the crazy 88 scene to the final fight between The Bridge and O Ren Ishii, and I particularly remember loving the animation sequence despite that not really being my kinda thing. I was just so impressed with how seamlessly something so out of place, considering the live action format of the rest of the film, fit in with everything else; even the scenes that should be absurd instead work with the comic book style narrative. Uma Thurman is of course amazing and iconic af but Lucy Liu as O Ren Ishii is my favourite thing about this film and the line I chose gave me all the bad bitch energy I need to, I think, get me through the rest of my time on this planet. If not, the tattooed version of this still I have on my arm should hopefully do the job. Yep, I truly ascended to a divine level of basic film hoe with that life choice.

6. Marie Antoinette (2006)

“This, Madame, is Versailles.”

The first Sofia Coppola film on this list, I love this woman’s work to death. Regardless of the content she’s working with, the end result always gives me the feeling I’m watching an extended music video. They always have this almost dreamlike quality to them and everything from the colour palette to the camera movements to the soundtrack in Marie Antoinette is tied together perfectly.

7. Mother! (2017)

“You never loved me. You just loved how much I loved you.”

I was tense throughout the entirety of Mother. As a socially anxious, obsessively tidy control freak, this whole film was like something from one of my nightmares; think unwanted house party on crack. I was mentally screaming along with Jennifer Lawrence for all of those people to get out, whilst simultaneously just staring at her face because she is so fucking gorgeous! Even when she’s completely lost it! Totally unrealistic but it makes for some really pretty shots! And then there’s the ending which left me kind of like “what the fuck did I just watch?” Which is what Darren Aronofsky films do best. They’re terrifying but also quite beautiful and Mother is no exception.

8. Gerald’s Game (2017)

“Everybody's got a little corner in there somewhere. A button they won't admit they want pressed.”

I finally got round to watching this for the first time the other day and I absolutely loved it. It probably helps that the last Stephen King adaptation I saw was Pet Sematary, so despite the praise this got at the time, my expectations weren’t super high, but I think this really is a perfect horror film. It’s clever, doesn’t rely on jump scares, and the creepy scenes that are in there really get under your skin. It drags a little in the middle though it’s beautifully shot, acted and has one of the few “body horror” scenes in a horror that’s actually made me cringe.

9. A Beautiful Mind (2001)

“I think that's what it's like with all our dreams and our nightmares, Martin, we've got to keep feeding them for them to stay alive.”

I don’t want to say too much about this film and spoil the plot, so I’ll just say that it’s incredible. Devastatingly sad but also wonderfully hopeful at the same time, and solidified my interest in psychology! I could watch Jennifer Connelly all day.

10. Alien (1979)

“This is Ripley, last survivor of the Nostromo, signing off.”

As a horror fan, I don’t think I need to explain why this film’s on the list. It’s been raved about and video essayed and called a pioneer of the genre ad nauseam. Again, not that this is really anything new but part of what I love about this movie is the context of its release and success; before Sigourney Weaver’s portrayal of Ellen Ripley, it was a rare occurrence to have a female protagonist in an action-based movie. Alien really paved the way for women to take up space in a previously male-dominated genre.

11. 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

“Crazy is building your ark after the flood has already come.”

I saw this for the first time at the cinema and pretty much went in blind. I hadn’t seen Cloverfield but I love Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Final Destination 3 was always my favourite of the franchise, lol) and there wasn’t really anything else on worth seeing, so my sister and I chose this and it was an experience. Like, of all the films on this list, this is probably the one that had me most on edge and I’m not sure watching it on your laptop on Putlocker will do it justice. You need the curtains pulled to, the volume way up and complete silence.

12. American Psycho (2000)

“Try getting a reservation at Dorsia now, you fucking stupid bastard!”

There isn’t a dull moment in American Psycho. Every line is quotable and every scene is straight to the point. I feel like this film is a masterclass in that Stanley Kubrick quote about editing where he says he liked to get rid of everything that was not absolutely vital to advancing the plot or the audience’s understanding of the character in any way. Plus, the ending is trippy af! Or maybe I’m just a bit oblivious to something that was quite obvious throughout, who knows. Either way, what the final scenes really mean are fun to think about.

13. The Descent (2005)

“I'm an English teacher, not fucking Tomb Raider.”

Okay, so I literally just watched this the other day and had to begrudgingly remove Silent Hill to make space for it (I KNOW it was critically panned and I KNOW the video game is better but I liked the visuals, OKAY!?) because The Descent is truly one of the best horror films I’ve ever seen. Before we even get to the supernatural element of the creatures, which are genuinely creepy for once, there’s a party bag of other phobia-inducing sequences that had me emotionally exhausted within the first half hour alone. Claustrophobia, darkness, heights, actual cringeworthy body horror, The Descent has something for everyone. The way it utilises space (or lack of for that matter) and darkness and panicked camera pans makes you feel as if you are really down in the cave with the characters. To add to that, I was actually rooting for all of them too; it probably helped that they were English rather than the typical American slasher cast but I found them to be a believable and likeable group of women. I truly did want them all to get out alive *spoilers*, which only made the ending all the more devastating and although the general narrative is quite predictable, the way in which things get wrapped up left just the right amount of shocks and questions to leave you reeling.

14. Eighth Grade (2018)

“Gucci.”

No film has ever captured what it’s like having social anxiety during “high school” (it’s called secondary school here in England, I know, but you get me) better than Eighth Grade. A tribute to the feeling of never quite fitting in and wishing you knew how to do what everyone else seems to be able to do naturally, it encapsulates that awkwardness with an accuracy that is really impressive considering that 1. it’s Bo Burnham’s first film, and 2. he’s not...like...a 13 year old girl. It is just as funny as it is sad and Elsie Fisher is great and so, so believable. Girl should’ve won some kind of Oscar.

15. American Beauty (1999)

“I don't think that there's anything worse than being ordinary.”

I wavered on whether or not to include this film on the list due to the Kevin Spacey controversy and decided that I had to with the disclaimer that I watched it quite some time before the stories about him came out and won’t ever watch any of the new things he inevitably ends up doing (because Hollywood has a notoriously short memory when it comes to the actions of disgraced male actors, lol). You can’t deny the amount of talent and skill that went into making a film so graceful and elegant and yet in equal parts unnerving, and I don’t think we should refuse to acknowledge the achievements of everyone else on that set because of Spacey’s behaviour.

16. Bandersnatch (2018)

“The past is immutable, Stefan. No matter how painful it is, we can't change things. We can't choose differently with hindsight. We all have to learn to accept that.”

As I was watching/playing through Bandersnatch, I didn’t necessarily love it. I think I’m echoing a common sentiment when I say that I was kinda confused. I was desperately trying to *spoiler* avoid the option of the protagonist murdering their dad (he seemed like a nice guy!?) but somehow always ended up there by their logic. So I watched most of the endings and then I went on and busied myself for the rest of the evening. AND I COULDN’T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT. One minute I was completely deluding myself into believing the whole parallel universes thing was true and that I should test it out (don’t ask), and then the next I was thinking how disturbing it was that we’d been basically been inside the head of a person experiencing a mental breakdown severe enough for them murdering their dad, who had only ever wanted to help when you think about it objectively, to seem rational. The confusion started making sense within the context of the experience of the protagonist and our role as the audience and though I hadn’t realised it at the time, I’d been completely absorbed in the episode. Maybe the confusion wasn’t intentional, maybe I’m giving Charlie Brooker too much credit based on the recent couple of series of Black Mirror BUT I can’t deny that Bandersnatch left a huge mark on me, and after all, this is the man who wrote White Christmas.

17. Get Out (2017)

“White girls. They get you every time.”

Going into this film, I was cocky. I’ve gotten pretty good at predicting what’s going to happen in things, probably just because I watch too much TV, but from the trailer I was sure I knew exactly what was going to happen. And then, I was completely blown away. The ending was SO SMART, in terms of both the within universe storytelling and also the metaphorical narrative/commentary on the way our society treats black men and women. Like those early episodes of Black Mirror, it had me like “how the fuck did Jordan Peele think of that!?”. I can only dream of being as creative in my writing one day. Even little plot points like where the “police” car turns up at the end and your stomach sinks and you realise the intention of that is most likely to help you empathise with what the average African-American person feels in their day to day life when police make themselves present, what with institutional police brutality and racial profiling; it’s clear so much thought went into this script.

18. Ghost Stories (2017)

“It's funny, isn't it? How it's always the last key that unlocks everything.”

I don’t have all too much to say about this one apart from that I love a well-constructed English horror. I feel like it’s something we don’t do all too often and to be honest, I’m struggling to think of many English horror films in the first place. Ghost Stories is a great example of why we need more; it’s smart and spooky and folky without hitting you over the head with all those elements and Andy Nyman is a perfect lead. Love a bit of Martin Freeman too.

19. Girl, Interrupted (1999)

“Crazy isn't being broken, or swallowing a dark secret. It's you, or me, amplified.”

Maybe this is the 13 year old black and white Tumblr girl in me jumping out but I still adore this film. I know it’s not necessarily the most critically well received but Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie and Brittany Murphy are 3 of my favourite actresses and I do love the script. I also like the way that Borderline Personality Disorder was characterised in Winona’s character Susanna (I’m wavering on whether to call her a character as if I recall correctly the book was based on the author’s real experience) in that it was quite subtle and that she wasn’t portrayed as manipulative, or aggressive or basically, as the villain, which I feel is usually the go-to. It focussed more on the mood aspects and the way that people with BPD tend to latch onto and idealise others, as Susanna does with Lisa, and these are both things that I have personally struggled with in the past.

20. Hereditary (2018)

“All I do is worry and slave and defend you, and all I get back is that fucking face on your face!”

It was hard to find a quote that encapsulated what makes Hereditary so great because so much of it is about what isn’t said, if that makes sense. It’s a lot of pained silences and resentful looks and horrified screams, and doesn’t that sound like a fun time? Honestly, it’s not necessarily, lmao. Shocker. It has you feeling like something awful is about to happen the whole time, deep in the pit of your stomach, but I like that in a film, when it does make you properly feel. Ari Aster gets slow-burning dread just right in his exploration of dysfunctional families and grudges, with a few heart-sinking shocks thrown in for good measure all without overdoing the jump scares. There are a lot of deeply unnerving “supernatural” moments but there are just as many horrifically realistic familial conflict scenes that give you that whole “something is wrong” gut instinct in equal measures. It’s been a year and I’m still so angry that Toni Collette didn’t get an Oscar nomination for her performance, because it was really the perfect opportunity to break down the invisible wall between horror and critical recognition. On a more positive note, I loved Midsommar too (not as much as Hereditary but it was still a trip) and I cannot wait to see what Ari Aster does next. Once again, I’ll be in the cinema on opening night.

21. Heathers (1988)

“Dear Diary, my teen-angst bullshit now has a body count.”

Heathers is iconic in every way: the outfits, the cast, the lines. I mean, the acting can be a bit iffy at times but I honestly think that without Heathers, Jennifer’s Body might never have existed and that’s a world I wouldn’t want to live in. There was so much choice when I was picking a line to summarise why I like it so much and of course, “fuck me gently with a chain saw, do I look like Mother Theresa?” deserves an honourable mention. You almost made it bby. The TV remake? We don’t speak of it.

22. Hot Fuzz (2007)

“The way we see it, it’s all for the greater good.”

It might not be the “artiest” movie ever but I’ve seen Hot Fuzz so many times and it never gets old. Though I used to love it when I was younger purely for the PG-13 gore, now I appreciate it for the absurdity and the ridiculousness and to be honest, the total believability of the plot when it comes to towns ruled by low-key hostile, doddery old white people. I should know, I live in one.

23. Inglourious Basterds (2009)

“You probably heard we ain't in the prisoner-takin' business. We in the killin' Nazi business. And cousin, business is a-boomin’.”

I wish I wasn’t a hoe for Quentin Tarantino films (I’ve felt personally attacked by many a poundlandbandit starter pack) but I am. The breakneck pacing, the tongue in cheek dialogue and the gore all make this one of my ultimate favourites. Also, I have a huge crush on Melanie Laurent. Yes, it’s the French accent. No, I don’t know the mechanics of how that works. I hear someone speak French and I want to marry them! I can’t help it!

24. Ingrid Goes West (2017)

“Are you actually insane?”

This seems like a random choice to have on the list seeing as it was never really that hyped up, nor did it receive masses of critical acclaim. It did get positive reviews but that was about it. However, as soon as I saw the trailer, I knew I had to see it. Months, and an £8 purchase from HMV later, I finally got to watch Ingrid Goes West and I loved every moment of it. Whilst Aubrey Plaza’s character, I feel, is an exploration of a lot of young women’s insecurities and self-doubts and fears, blown up to monstrous proportions (or maybe just mine, lol), and a 90 minute film about that doesn’t sound all that revolutionary, this one is as intense as it is stylish and darkly comedic and that’s what puts it on the map for me.

25. Insidious (2011)

“I like to call them travellers.”

So this film scared the ever-living SHIT out of me when I was younger and though I now consider horror my favourite genre and watch it on the regular with absolutely no qualms, 13 year old me was (not to use the world lightly) mildly traumatised. I genuinely couldn’t be home alone by myself or sleep at night without thinking the old woman ghost from the beginning was outside my room for a good 6 months or so. Like it literally exacerbated an already present sleep disorder to the point where my understandably frustrated-at-being-woken-up-nightly-by-her-panicking-daughter mother got me referred for CBT (to reflect on a time when I didn’t know what CBT or CAMHS was is…blissful, lol). And maybe because of that, in my mind, I still conceptualise it as one of the very few horror movies that has actually scared me, hence its place on the list. That scene where we first see that Star Wars looking red faced devil? I’d probably still nope out even now.

26. It Follows (2014)

“It could look like someone you know or it could be a stranger in a crowd. Whatever helps it get close to you.”

There’s not too much to say about It Follows, other than that it’s a good horror film and more importantly just a really good film. I feel it’s a crucial, early part of this warmly welcomed horror renaissance we are now fully in the thick of where writers are focussing less on making people gasp and more on actual good quality cinema. It’s a simple concept that leaves enough room for you to ask your own questions whilst still feeling somewhat complete, and not annoyingly open-ended. The shots are good, the characters are normal enough to be believable, and the colour palette is Fincher-esque; the muted tones perfectly complement the feelings of dread that run throughout. Whilst you don’t need to be concerned with what the whole thing is a metaphor of in order to enjoy the film, the possibility of there being that second reading of the narrative, for me, elevate it to a higher level. In other words, it’s got *Shrek voice* layers.

27. Juno (2007)

“I'm just gonna go ahead and nip this thing in the bud. Cuz you know, they say pregnancy often leads to…you know...an infant.”

I love Ellen Page. I love Michael Cera. Together they are the best thing ever. See, I’m not really much of a rom-com girl but I see this as less of a rom-com and more of a coming of age film with romantic snippets and great one liners. It’s sweet and whimsical and funny but also really fucking real in parts, and it’s definitely what I would consider a modern classic. If you haven’t watched it already, do!

28. Suspiria (2018)

“Love and manipulation, they share houses very often. They are frequent bedfellows.”

Witches! Ballet dancing! Decapitation! Tilda Swinton! What’s not to love? As soon as I saw the trailer for Suspiria, I knew I had to see it. Creepy but also beautifully shot and scored, it was worth the 8 month wait from the Venice Film Festival and eventual caving and watching on 123Movies after I couldn’t find the DVD on Amazon; I finally got to tick it off my watch list only to like it so much I had to add the original Suspiria back on.

29. Mulholland Drive (2001)

“I hope that I never see that face, ever, outside of a dream.”

Another film which had me like WTF by the end, I really recommend Mulholland Drive for anyone who wants to be vaguely creeped out and extremely confused at the same time. See, I really love a film where you spend the next few hours after watching researching all the different interpretations and reading interviews with the director. That sounds sarcastic, but honestly, I love it. It’s a moody, film-noir style mindfuck of a movie and even after doing my research I’m still quite baffled. That’s the best part.

30. Requiem for a Dream (2000)

“Purple in the morning, blue in the afternoon, orange in the evening.”

It took me a while to get on board with seeing Marlon Wayans in a serious role (I’ve seen White Chicks far too many times, clearly), but once I did, I was into it. To be totally honest, I don’t think there’s a single happy moment in this film; it comes up quite frequently as one of the most disturbing of all time, which I’m sure Aronofsky probably thinks of as another notch on his belt. Whilst imo, that’s quite a grandiose claim, Requiem for a Dream definitely stuck in my mind after I watched it. Even if you’ve never watched the film, the ending sequence is notorious for how fucked up it is and I do think it’s earned the infamy. What stuck out more to me, though, was how purposeful every shot and sequence felt in terms of trying to let you into the character’s states of mind, the short lived bursts of euphoria and the panicked downwards spirals. I think it will always be one of the most compelling films about addiction for highlighting how terrifyingly out of one’s control it can be.

31. Room (2015)

“No one is strong alone.”

This film made me cry buckets. Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay are wonderful, and everyone involved deserved all the Oscar hype. Every line was so heartfelt and emotive, and I loved Tremblay’s voiceovers. To translate the stream of consciousness of a kid from page to screen in a way that it remains believable in spite of its wisdom (not like those tweets where people try to make out their kid just casually made some off the cuff scathing political jibe at the dinner table) is quite the feat and similarly, I’m in awe of how the director managed to communicate the pain and confusion of the characters on a level that transcended the physical confines of said room. The escape scene had my heart in my mouth. All this being said, I should really read the book because it’s supposed to be even better.

32. Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (2010)

‘When I'm around you, I kind of feel like I'm on drugs. Not that I do drugs. Unless you do drugs, in which case I do them all the time. All of them.”

Michael Cera and Mary Elizabeth Winstead are two of my favourite actors and so it’s a given that Scott Pilgrim is one of my favourite films. It’s such a fun, easy watch and the video-game inspired directorial style makes it, in terms of cinematography, probably the most memorable Edgar Wright film on this list imo. The concept, based on the graphic novel, is quite a simple one but that doesn’t stop it being entertaining from start to finish. The rest of the cast is great too: Brie Larson, Anna Kendrick, Mae Whitman, Aubrey Plaza and Alison Pill (Ivy from American Horror Story, anyone?) All make appearances, plus Chris Evans. He’s Captain America or something, right?

33. Scream (1996)

“No, please don't kill me, Mr. Ghostface, I wanna be in the sequel!”

The Scream movies were my absolute favourite when I was just getting into “horror” as a 13/14 year old because they were always pretty tame in terms of scares but nonetheless, always a trip. Though, controversially, I’d probably say I enjoyed Scream 4 just as much as the first one (I am a bit of an Emma Roberts stan), I chose the first one purely for how iconic it was and how ahead of its time. It mixed satire and horror in a way that hadn’t really been done in such a mainstream way before and made it possible for films like Cabin in the Woods and The Final Girls to do so well.

34. Shaun of the Dead (2004)

“Take car. Go to Mum's. Kill Phil, sorry, grab Liz, go to the Winchester, have a nice cold pint, and wait for all of this to blow over.”

I’ve seen Shaun of the Dead way, way, way too many times and I’ll still probably watch it again the next time ITV decide to show it too. It makes me laugh, it’s got lots of good gore and it’s easy to follow. The perfect film to put on whilst eating a take away, as long as you’re not too squeamish, lol.

35. Silence of the Lambs (1991)

“Well, Clarice. Have the lambs stopped screaming?”

Jodie Foster’s portrayal of Clarice Starling makes her one of my favourite movie heroines of all time; quietly courageous, she was the type of female lead that really hadn’t cropped up all that much in the films that came before Silence of the Lambs. And despite its problematic handling of certain issues, it’s a fucking incredible film. The thing about Hannibal Lecter is that they don’t have to tell you that he’s always one step ahead, you see it for yourself (the elevator scene!) and so it kinda feels like he’s looking into YOUR soul too. The confrontation at the end between Clarice and Buffalo Bill is one of the most nerve-racking 15 minutes or so of film I’ve ever watched, and if I ever get asked to justify why I’m scared of the dark again, I’m going to point straight to this scene. Yes, I’m a baby but my fears are VALID!

36. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

“I do this! Time after time after time! I do all this shit for other people! And then I wake up and I'm empty! I have nothing!”

As you can probably tell from my inclusion of Mother! on this list, I love Jennifer Lawrence, and this is probably my favourite drama film of hers. The way that she and Bradley Cooper portray two people struggling with mental illness is refreshingly honest in that it shows it can make you quite an unlikeable person at times, albeit someone who is just trying their best to survive. That being said, in spite of the subject matter it’s still a relatively light and easy-to-watch film. The diner scene in particular is a masterclass in realistic conflict and reaction, and I hate to be “ooo, edgy” but several of the lines did strike a really deep chord.

37. The Babadook (2014)

“Sometimes I just want to smash your head against the brick wall until your fucking brains pop out.”

The best thing that the Babadook does, much like It Follows, is instils a sense of deep seated dread in you before you even see the supernatural forces at work. The washed out colour palette, apparent emotional disconnect of Jennifer Kent’s (who also directs!) character, and the disorienting movements of the camera all help to create a lingering unease that is just as effective as the grossly uncanny appearance of the monster/ghost/creature/whatever-you-want-to-call-it himself. It’s obvious that Kent had a very clear vision of the story she wanted to tell and even more so that she is a very talented woman; I hope to see even more female directed horror films in the future if the Babadook is anything to go by. The way this film blurred the lines between the inner struggles of a grieving family and the outside supposedly paranormal influence was unsettling as fuck and to get into the psychology of a mother left on her own to raise a small child and how terrifying that might feel is something only a immensely intuitive and empathetic woman could do. Props to her.

38. The Craft (1996)

“We are the weirdos, mister.”

Not to sound all halloween-is-the-only-day-of-the-year-I-care-about VSCO girl (although that might actually be quite an accurate description of me to be honest), but if there’s one thing that sticks in my mind about the craft, it’s the aesthetic. It’s kind of what I aim to emulate in every aspect of my life, NBD. Seriously, when I was trying to pick a still, I was spoilt for choice. The rituals, the outfits, the witchy interiors; there’s this one GIF of Nancy, Rochelle, Bonnie (and maybe Sarah?) lighting all these gorgeous candles and if I could walk around with it permanently looping on my forehead, I would. And ignoring my shallow reasons for liking The Craft, it’s just a really good film. Nancy Downs is probably one of the most interesting female villains of all time and I’m obsessed with anything that explores magic and the occult. It’s equal parts dark and girly, not to use that in a derivative way at all, in that not only does it teeter on the line of being scary, it’s also a gritty exploration of female friendship, power and jealousy. If you are a halloween-is-the-only-day-of-the-year-I-care-about VSCO girl, definitely watch it; more power to you.

39. The Favourite (2018)

“All I know is, your carriage awaits and my maid is on her way up with something called a pineapple.”

I’d seen The Favourite twice within, like, a month of it being released in British cinemas and I do not have a single regret about that; well, maybe a minor regret in paying over £12 to see it in the Leicester Square Odeon with the assumption that the extra price meant fancy seats (it didn’t), but on the whole, I’m pretty happy with my life choices. Emma Stone, Olivia Colman, and the period Mean Girls comparison drew me in but I came back the second time for the costumes, the dialogue, the editing and Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough. Or Rachel Weiss, in other words. See, The Favourite is superbly casted in that Yorgos Lanthimos must have known we can’t help but see Emma Stone as the “good girl”/protagonist and so it took me a whole second viewing to see her character for what she really was, and realise The Favourite is in some ways less a story of Abigail Masham’s rise to power and more the tragic disintegration of Sarah and Anne’s relationship. I’m sure you can view the film both ways but to view it as the latter brings a whole new dimension to it and the ending, imo. I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t go into the film expecting some vaguely historical lesbianism and that definitely made for a slightly awkward birthday viewing with my family BUT I wasn’t at all disappointed.

40. The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)

“If you dig a hole in the yard, better make it a big one.”

This film is slow-moving, weird and the acting can be stiff at the best of times, and yet somehow all these things add to the (take a shot every time I say-) dread that builds throughout. You don’t know exactly how things are going to end, but you do know it’s not well. Like in his latest directorial entry of The Favourite, Yorgos Lanthimos excels in the realm of the strange and vaguely fantastical through his script, score and cinematography, and so even though the settings are quite mundane, The Killing of a Sacred Deer kind of feels like some macabre modern fairytale, the moral of which I can’t quite work out. I can’t imagine anyone playing Martin more unnervingly than Barry Keoghan and I’m never going to complain about Nicole Kidman, but it’s the imagery of the tears of blood, Steven’s children dragging themselves along the floor and the ending scene that stuck with me long after the film had finished. If you’ve got the patience and you enjoyed the style of The Favourite, there’ll definitely be something positive for you to take away from The Killing of a Sacred Deer.

41. The Orphanage (2007)

“Seeing is not believing. It's the other way around. Believe, and you will see.”

When I was first told by my year 11 Spanish teacher that we were going to be watching The Orphanage in class, I definitely didn’t foresee myself including it in a top 50 films list 5 years later and yet here we are. I mean, I shouldn’t have been surprised really as she did tell us it was good and I had frequently seen it included in lists of the best horror films but as with pretty much anything our teachers would put on as an excuse not to teach for a few lessons (I’m really NOT complaining here, they deserve the break and I would definitely do the same, lol), my expectations were definitely low. Side note, I also since found out that Bilbao seems like a pretty cool place and there was a reason she kept banging on about that too, and so moral of the story, teachers do sometimes have some decent recommendations BUT my assumption was that The Orphanage must be pretty tame for her to show it to us. Parents-even of 16 of year olds-love to complain, lol. And to be fair, it isn’t so much in your face scary so much as it is kind of tragic with an undertone of spooky but I really enjoyed it. I want to say that part of what I enjoyed about it so much was the mystery element but honestly I think a lot of that comes from the fact that it’s in Spanish so I had to work to follow what was actually going on.

42. The Ring (2002)

“I can't imagine being stuck down a well all alone like that. How long could you survive?”

The Ring does visuals better than any other horror. The contorted faces of Samara’s victims, the infamous tape and the shots of the well all have a staple in pop culture for a reason. Whilst I don’t find Samara herself particularly frightening, the lore and mythology surrounding her feels so authentically creepy; the tape in particular reminds me of the kind of weird YouTube video you might stumble across when you’re supposed to be trying to get to bed late at night and instantly hate yourself for watching. Naomi Watts is a compelling lead and though I was probably rooting for Sarah Michelle Gellar in the American remake of the Grudge more (I still low-key associate her with the live-action Scooby-Doo and I have no shame), to compare other noughties horror classics, on the whole The Ring is definitely the better quality movie.

43. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

“I guess it comes down to a simple choice, really. Get busy living, or get busy dying.”

The Shawshank Redemption is just an unequivocally good film. On paper, it doesn’t necessarily have any of the things that draw me to a movie in it, but it’s brilliantly acted, written and shot. It’s frequently cited as one of the greatest movies of all time and I think that’s a very fair statement.

44. The Shining (1980)

“Wendy? Darling? Light of my life. I'm not gonna hurt ya. You didn't let me finish my sentence. I said, I'm not gonna hurt ya. I'm just going to bash your brains in!”

I love The Shining. In terms of scares, not all that much happens in it, but what we do see (the corpse in the bath tub is fucking horrifying) undoubtedly leaves an impact. The score is so unnervingly perfect that I can still hear the sound that’s made when we see those 2…puppets? Costumed people? Basically some kind of weird furry activity-which believe me, makes sense if you’ve seen it-going on. And I only need to see a still of the Overlook Hotel and I can immediately feel the sense of claustrophobia and growing tension that Stanley Kubrick so effectively communicated. A lot of people shat on Shelley Duvall’s acting at the time and whilst she obviously didn’t match Jack Nicholson’s energy, she did come across as a woman genuinely traumatised which is sad when you do consider the effect that shooting the film had on her. With that aside, The Shining is a massively pivotal part of horror history and I’m very excited to see Doctor Sleep this year!

45. The Virgin Suicides (1999)

“Obviously, Doctor, you've never been a 13-year-old girl.”

It really is a toss up between Marie Antoinette and The Virgin Suicides when it comes to Sofia Coppola’s best film, and so of course I had to include them both. See, whereas Marie Antoinette could be the visual incarnation of an album like Marina and the Diamonds’ Electra Heart or Charli XCX’s Sucker (if you ignore the less than fortunate ending, lmao), The Virgin Suicides plays out more to the tunes of something less bubblegum pop and more breezy and mellow, maybe LDR’s Ultraviolence or Honeymoon. You could say in a way that this film romanticises suicide and you’d definitely have a point, but I think considering the fact that it’s based on a book and was made in a time when we were less aware of the damage popular media can do (I think there’s a similar point to be made about the way the villain of Silence of the Lambs’s gender is portrayed and linked to his motivation), I give it a pass. It does also kind of make sense for the film to take this approach; the Lisbon girls are viewed through the eyes of a group of boys who are infatuated with them but also ultimately know nothing about them. In a way, it’s almost a critique of the way these boys think and a commentary on just how stifling and confusing young womanhood can be. I think it’s a beautiful film and a perfect adaptation of Jeffrey Eugenides’ novel.

46. The VVitch (2015)

“Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?”

Is it sad that I have this quote tattooed on my back? Is it biased for me to say no? Because for me, just as much as the Virgin Suicides is about how stifling society’s expectations of young women and how they are supposed to think and act, The VVitch is about the demonisation of girls who go against this and how liberation and sexual freedom for so long were perceived as the result of some kind of satanic and deeply disturbing force at work rather than individual expressions of freedom and femininity. The ending is HAPPY, okay, and if you take away the misty, barren landscapes and the isolation and the paranoia and the baby eating witches and the accusations and the demonic goats, it’s kinda a dark feminist fairy tale to go against puritan panic. I mean, let’s be honest, *spoilers* Thomasin’s siblings were annoying AF. Not that I’m condoning child murder on any level, but you know. In a narrative context was it really so much of a loss when those little shits got the chop?

47. Thoroughbreds (2017)

“At the end of the day, I have a perfectly healthy brain. It just doesn't contain feelings. And that doesn't necessarily make me a bad person. It just means I have to work a little harder than everybody else to be good.”

I love Olivia Cooke. I love Anya Taylor-Joy. I love concise, cutting dialogue, the idea of middle class American social politics, and a little bit of (fictional, of course) murder thrown in there for good measure. Thus, I really love Thoroughbreds. If you watched it with the sound off, it’d be a Polo Ralph Lauren promotional film that gets really dark at the end, and what’s not to like about that?

48. We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)

“What are these people watching, people like me?”

I still haven’t got round to reading the book this film was based on and I feel like that’s something I need to get on top of ASAP, because it’s been sitting on my shelf for a long ass time. However, based on the little I know about how faithful a film adaptation it is, I think Ezra Miller and Tilda Swinton were a wonderful pairing, and this is a film that’s all about the characters, so it’s a good job they were so well cast. Miller does a great job at getting right under your skin and answering a lot of my questions about what leads someone to commit the kind of horrific crime that his character, Kevin, does. Arrogance, done subtly, is hard to pull off but he nails it, and Swinton is very, very believable as a haunted, grief-stricken mother wrestling with the natural question of the part she played in her son’s actions and the scrutiny that comes with it. Not only that but from the offset, every part of the cinematography helps to convey the feeling of impending doom that builds right up until the climax. The colour palette in particular, which for the most part doesn’t stray too far from the mundane greys and bleak washed-out tones perhaps reflective of Eva’s state of mind, does a great job of foreshadowing what to come when it quite purposefully does take a diversion. It’s all about the red, apparently. Take note.

49. Whiplash (2014)

“Any fucking moron can wave his arms and keep people in tempo. I was there to push people beyond what's expected of them. I believe that is an absolute necessity.”

You honestly wouldn’t believe that a film about drumming could feel like a horror and yet here Whiplash is, leaving me on the edge of my seat and wincing for, like, 2 hours straight. Tonally it couldn’t be more different from the other Damien Chazelle film on this list (La La Land), and yet it flows just as seamlessly and has his same impeccable rhythm; every word, yell and snarl slots perfectly into place and every swivel of the camera is flawlessly executed. If you’re looking for an intense and fast-paced drama, I can’t recommend Whiplash enough.

50. Zombieland (2009)

“Twelve's the new twenty. Gun please.”

Zombieland has only one fault: that Jesse Eisenberg’s character wasn’t played by Michael Cera. But it has Emma Stone and Woody Harrelson so I’ll let it slide. Not much to say about this one other than it’s a wild ride from start to finish, but simultaneously easy to watch and probably the most lighthearted zombie film out there. Almost like The Hangover or something along those lines, but with the addition of the undead. It’s a hard film not to enjoy and I’m just really hoping they don’t fuck up the sequel.

DISCLAIMER: 90% of these stills are from Filmgrab, it’s an amazing website!

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ryanmeft · 6 years ago

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Ranking the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Part 1

The culmination of the superhero ride that started with Iron Man back in 2008 is almost here. Avengers: Endgame tickets are selling out fast even though the movie is nearly three weeks away, and speculation as to how this stage of Marvel’s box office juggernaut will all end is at a fever pitch. What better time to rank the movies that have brought us here? Now, no one with even a tiny bit of objectivity sincerely believes Marvel had a ten year plan and executed it precisely according to a grand vision. Looking back through these movies makes it clearer than ever that, more often than not, they made it up as they went along. In fact, considering all the retcons, changed minds, dropped plot threads and unexpected surprises, it’s amazing the continuity holds together at all. It mostly does...but the bottom part of this list contains the few movies even Marvel’s PR team probably wishes they could have a mulligan on, as well as some good-but-not-quite-lighting-the-world-on-fire fare. Let’s get to it. Warning: this article contains spoilers for nearly every movie in the MCU.

21. Iron Man 2

The red-headed stepchild of the MCU. After the surprise success of the original Iron Man, Marvel Studios apparently forgot that the strength of that film was allowing Jon Favreau and the writing team to put heart before brand synergy, and decided to make a movie that was half marketing for their planned Avengers crossover. Dropping Black Widow in here felt completely jarring, and it didn’t help that her role just added to the jumble of plot threads that didn’t seem to add up to anything; at the time, many saw it as proof that Marvel was putting a little too much faith in their ability to pull off this whole crossover thing. That’s only part of the sordid story, though, because the movie is also a mess in nearly every other way. Rather than the tight plotting of the original, this one sees Tony, Rhodey, Pepper and the rest speeding from random situation to random situation---a car race, an unhinged party, a spy caper---with only the barest of plot threads holding it all together. The movie’s only saving graces are the villains played by Sam Rockwell and Mickey Rourke. Each of them deliciously devours every scene they are in, providing the film’s lone moments of enjoyment, but they’re also squandered on what feels like an extremely low stakes plan. Iron Man so well proved that superhero movies can have a soul that it even managed to make some critical best-of lists for 2008. The sequel made us wonder if that might have been a tad premature.

20. The Incredible Hulk

There are some genuinely creative moments in this action-oriented “apology” for the in-reality-pretty-good Ang Lee Hulk movie. The opening sequence showing how Hulk’s blood travels, a chase through a Brazilian favela, tossing Bruce out of a helicopter to incite his other half, and the almost-love scene aborted by the alter ego were signs of how clever the movie could have been if it were not focused on cramming in as much smashing as possible. Nick Nolte’s complex antagonist is replaced with William Hurt chewing a little too much scenery, the new super-villain played by Tim Roth is a dull waste of the actor’s talent, the finale is listless, and the entire movie is just one long excuse to show Hulk ‘roiding out as much as possible. The camera work of skilled action veteran Peter Menzies Jr. and some excellent CG on the title character make it more fun to look at than many of the tights flicks of the time, which is something. As a general rule, things that are made to chase fleeting audience sentiments don’t stand the test of time, and there’s been a quiet reversal since 2008 in which Lee’s more original and creative vision for the character has come to be re-evaluated, while this one has been almost forgotten and relegated to endless TNT re-runs. Maybe with Mark Ruffalo having one more movie on his contract, he’ll get a crack at doing it right post-Endgame.

19. Thor: The Dark World At the time, this movie served as iron-clad proof that the only reason the Thor character worked at all was Loki. The god of mischief is at his delicious then-best here, conniving from a prison cell, partnering with his brother out of genuine concern, and eventually managing to actually take the throne. Sure, that latter development was quickly undone in the next film, but what a parting shot. He’s the only aspect of the movie that fully works, and if you pop it in today you sit patiently waiting for his scenes and snoring through the second, Loki-free half of the movie. Thor himself is lifeless when Loki’s not on screen. The Warriors Three are still nowhere near the right balance of humor and bravery. Natalie Portman remains wasted on a supposedly genius scientist who can nevertheless be stunned into immediate silence by Thor’s golden locks, while Sif is still 100% unnecessary in every way. Perhaps worst of all, the underrated Christopher Eccleston is miscast as a villain who always seems to be doing bad Shakespeare. We all tried hard to forgive it at the time (and director Alan Taylor claims it was made “a different movie” in the editing room, not at all implausible) but thankfully we’ve since admitted this is mostly a misfire.

18. Ant-Man

If you were to judge Ant-Man entirely by the size-changing shenanigans, it would be one of the best Marvel movies. Peyton Reed, building off a script by departing director Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish (and tidied up by Rudd and Adam McKay) gets a ton of mileage out of the novelty of being the size of an insect, from outrunning a flood in a bathtub to that rather brilliant final confrontation in a child’s playroom, using toys as ammo. Further, Paul “I Am Immortal” Rudd is pitch-perfect in the title role, while Michael Douglas and Evangeline Lilly bring a lot to the picture. It’s in the details where Ant-Man falls a bit short (pun intended). To start, we have a single major Hispanic character in the MCU, played by the frankly more-legendary-than-you-think Michael Pena, and he’s reduced to a fast-talking stereotype. Judy Greer and Bobby Cannavale are also worlds better than their roles, which are, respectively, a cliche shrewish ex-wife and a cliche over-suspicious cop. What really drags things down, though, is the lackluster villain, who may be the most inert black hole in the MCU’s rogues gallery. He is neither good enough to engage us, nor bad enough to hate. He could have been played by a grip, for all the personality he’s allowed. The core of the film is delightful. The hill around it is crumbly.

17. Captain Marvel

Marvel’s first female-led flick is understandably a phenomenon, pulling down the sixth-largest opening weekend of all time and serving as inspiration to young girls and target to the kind of people who don’t want women in their clubhouse. So what about the movie that’s causing all this hullabaloo? It’s pretty decent. The movie can be summed up very succinctly as “safe”. It takes few chances and is more like one small step than one giant leap for womankind. Had it been released during the early superhero boom, it would still be fondly remembered as a major link in the genre’s evolution. As it is, it borrows from the buddy-cop subgenre to create what is essentially an adventure/sci-fi movie between Carol Danvers and Nick Fury. It stands out more as a callback to the kind of action pics made in the 90’s (when it is set) than the heavily marketed shared universe of the MCU, and includes standout performances from Annette Bening, Jude Law and Ben Mendelsohn. It meets expectations; it does not exceed them, and if you are a fan of the distinctive style practiced by directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, you won’t find it here. It’s only a month old, and it may be too soon to definitely say how it will be seen as time goes on. Right now, it feels more like a solid first step for the character than a fully realized final destination.

16. Thor

The original Thor has some completely solid, indisputable charms. Chris Hemsworth does physical comedy much more skillfully than he is ever given credit for, it is the debut of Tom Hiddleston as Loki, the third act is a rare-at-the-time case of inventiveness in an MCU finale, and it’s always great to see Stellan Skarsgard in literally anything. I would watch two hours of Stellan Skarsgard eating lunch, with a clone of Stellan Skarsgard. His drinking scene with Thor is a seriously underrated bit of awesome. It helps make up for the fact that the movie has no idea what to do with most of the supporting cast, including in part Loki, who at this stage seems to flail around between personalities, having crazy forced on him in time for the final duel despite it not even being hinted at earlier. It’s as if director Kenneth Branagh just let him do his own thing, and Hiddleston’s not 100% sure what that should be yet. The mirror scene is objectively amazing, but he won’t really come into his own until Avengers. The Warriors Three are utterly wasted; Branaugh and the writers just never nail the right combo of comedy and camaraderie needed to pull them off. Sif is superfluous. Natalie Portman is one of the finest actors of our generation, here reduced to goggling over Thor’s pecs. It’s not bad, especially compared to some of the dreck that gets pumped out of the blockbuster machine. It’s just rather inert.

That’s it for part 1. I’m going to be doing some Marvel/Superhero/General Nerd content leading up to Endgame’s release. Check back next Friday for part 2 of this list, and pop by Monday for part 1 of my predictions on the fate of each character in Endgame. Part 2: https://ryanmeft.tumblr.com/post/184208179827/ranking-the-marvel-cinematic-universe-part-2 Part 3: https://ryanmeft.tumblr.com/post/184372777282/ranking-the-marvel-cinematic-universe-part-3

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doomonfilm · 3 years ago

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Review : Breaking News in Yuba County (2021)

In an effort to be fully informed and knowledgeable at year’s end, I’ve decided to start doing my 2021 release marathon now, as the wheels of film production are seemingly back in full swing. With an army of streaming services and Netflix DVD at my disposal, full (or at least fuller) coverage should be easier to attain, so I went down the list and started queueing things up. One of the first DVDs to reach my home was Breaking News in Yuba County, and I’ve got to say that things are definitely off to a great start.

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Though Breaking News in Yuba County more than likely did not set itself out to be a cautionary tale or a deeply symbolic reflection of our times, it must be given notice for its unflinching look at how sociopathy and a lack of empathy have led to deplorable acts seemingly becoming the norm. Outside of Steve and Jonelle, there really isn’t anyone in this film that doesn’t run off of selfish intentions, a general disregard for others or some level of deception. Center to this universe is Sue Buttons (played wonderfully by Allison Janney), who seemingly finds her power and affirmation in the dual realization of her husband’s infidelity and the immediate relief of responsibility due to his heart attack. This moment becomes a clarifying and freeing event for her, swinging her completely to the opposite side of abusive restraint by turning her into a criminal pathological liar, not to mention an attention-seeking fame junkie willing to say anything for her moment in the spotlight. The levels of entitlement, toxic restraint and willful ignorance she puts up are astounding, making pure criminals like Mina, Ray, her husband Karl Buttons and Mr. Kim pale in comparison.

It is this narrative catalyst that spirals things wonderfully out of control in the most entertaining and oddball ways possible, and all of it is served in a very straight-laced, matter of fact way that amplifies the hilarity. Writer Amanda Idoko does a great job balancing Sue’s desperate spiral into madness, Karl’s fear-based actions, Petey’s errant assumptions, Mina and Ray’s criminal exploits, Nancy’s need to be valued and the duo of Det. Harris and Steve’s twist and turn-filled investigation, leaving us with plenty of comedic and dramatic stimulus, punctuated at the end by a few outrageous bursts of properly-toned violence. What really stands out is how the actions of one or two have a way of ballooning out to the point that the wake of destruction takes victims that did not deserve to become victims while someone like Sue Buttons, as skewered as her perception is, can seemingly benefit and move forward in a blissfully ignorant manner due to her disassociation. Maybe that’s what makes stories like these work so well... despite the intentions of the writer(s), the mixture of relatability and outrageousness leaves just enough grey area for viewers to fill in the blanks with personal experience to make a connection or attain a deeper understanding.

There is nothing necessarily flashy or standout about the technological production aspects of the film, but then again, Breaking News in Yuba County clearly was not made to be visual bells and whistles. One thing that does immediately stand out, however, are the costuming and hair choices in this film. There is an interesting blend of outdated fashion, evergreen fashion and personality-exuding haircuts (and wigs) that immediately give our characters a sort of visual shorthand for viewer understanding (ie Nancy is serious, in comparison to Gloria Michaels being shallow and exploitative) while also playing as funny in many cases. The comedy is also handled in a very nuanced and dynamic matter in terms of both writing and performance, with it being wholly apparent that all parties involved “get” the joke they are trying to convey, and are all going about making sure that their various levels of dry deliveries and nonchalant reactions to horrifying situations play consistently.

Allison Janney has some serious dramatic and comedic range at her disposal, and it is on full display in Breaking News, as she swings between a meek and mild-mannered disregarded housewife, an attention-seeking sociopath and professional victim with relative ease. Regina Hall matches this energy with a matter-of-fact, no-nonsense put-upon approach that, in tandem with a keen eye for detail and a strong judge of character, makes her a narrative lightning rod for key events. Mila Kunis turns in a surprisingly strong and subdued performance as a second-tier news anchor that is begrudgingly dependent to a sister who marginalizes her accomplishments and a stepbrother who makes financial promises with dirty money. Jimmi Simpson gets to set his trademark comedic snark and smugness to the side for a victim role that is heavy on concern, fear and desperation, all played with a eye-opening amount of dignity despite the drastic and outrageous circumstances. Simpson is set up against the foils of Awkwafina and Clifton Collins Jr., who have surprisingly wonderful chemistry as they channel unique shades of the same volatile mixture of sinisterness and dry comedic wit that feed off of one another. Appearances by Wanda Sykes (who is always hilarious), Matthew Modine, Samira Wiley, Ellen Barkin, Bridget Everett, Dominic Burgess, Keong Sim, Chris Lowell and the wonderful Juliette Lewis round out the strong cast.

I doubt that Breaking News in Yuba County will garner any sort of awards recognition next spring, but I’d be willing to bet that this film will likely find itself a cult audience at some point down the road. During my viewing, films like Fargo, I Care A Lot and the criminally underrated Drowning Mona all came to mind, meaning that this film sits in the midst of very good company. To my knowledge, this film has not been well-received by critics, and the general viewer consensus is only slightly better, but I found it to be entertaining and worth my time, and would definitely recommend for those that don’t take their entertainment too seriously.

#ChiefDoomsday #DOOMonFILM #TateTaylor #BreakingNewsInYubaCounty #AllisonJanney #MilaKunis #Awkwafina #ReginaHall #WandaSykes #JulietteLewis #SamiraWiley #JimmiSimpson #CliftonCollinsJr #MatthewModine #EllenBarkin #BridgetEverett #DominicBurgess #KeongSim #ChrisLowell

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eyesaremosaics · 7 years ago

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What are your experiences with Geminis? I love the astrological posts you've been doing. You write so vividly, so viscerally, that I can actually feel the experiences you convey - have you ever considered writing as a pursuit in itself?

Thank you so much sweetling, I have considered it, once as a young girl. However…I don’t know if my writing is good enough to get published. Bit insecure about my abilities, one of my flaws is lack of confidence. I have difficulty completing extraordinary tasks (such as writing a novel). It’s a huge undertaking and responsibility in my eyes.

However, I have always felt that I needed to write a book. That I need to leave something behind for others. I still feel that way, and I will. There is a novel I have been slowly working on for years, but I am very secretive about it. There is a superstition amongst writers, about sharing their work before it is fully formed. Rather like a jinx.

Oh Gemini…. As aforementioned in a previous ask, I have slightly dreaded answering the question about Gemini, because many of my personal experiences with them have been less than positive. Yet so many artists that I love and respect are Gemini, so I have very mixed feelings about them.

I will say this: they are sharp, witty, childlike and hilarious. Often they would do well as a stand up comedian/comedienne. They generally are very gifted in the artistic sense, musically (Morrissey is a prime example, even though I want to punch him in the face), in terms of painting, sculpture, mixed media, dance, and most especially–acting.

Because Gemini have a dual aspect to their nature, they are rather like dr. Jekyl and mr. Hyde. When they are good–they are great. Bubbly, effervescent like champagne, with quick witticisms and random tidbits of information you may not have been privy to before. They are the life of the party, confetti, streamers, excited explosions onto the scene. They will make you come alive with their unique and creative sense of humor. However, when they are bad, they can be wishy washy, non-committal, pathological liars who are out to save their own hide.

It truly depends on what else is in their chart. For example, my aunt Joan was born in the 1930’s, and she is the toughest old broad you will ever meet. However. She is born on the first day of Gemini, so she carries with her a lot of Taurus, which grounds her significantly, and makes her very reliable and dependable with a sassy flair and biting wit.

Another Gemini friend of mine has a lot of Scorpio in her chart, which makes her very deep and penetrating–an excellent writer with a lot of depth and dimension and an ability to truly empathize with whatever you are going through. She usually has a unique perspective on a problem as well, gives great advice and insight. She is very observant, with a heavy aspect to her personality tempered with humor.

Another Gemini friend of mine had a lot of cancer, which makes him rather sensitive, touchy and moody at times. Though he is an excellent dancer, we called him “twinkle toes”. He has great taste in art and music–as most gemini’s tend to have.

In fact they rival libra in terms of being “art snobs” or “hipsters” at times. They can be a little judgmental about others who have what they consider to be “poorer” taste. They are the best party friends you could ever have, always on the incline with their tonality, they have a refreshing and eternally youthful quality about them. Even with heavy earth in their chart (Like Johnny Depp for example who has a Capricorn moon), they will have a playful, silly side to them which they compartmentalize.

Johnny Depp is someone I like to use to explore what I love about Gemini. He is truly a character actor, and very underrated in my opinion. He completely transforms into whatever character he plays to the point where you hardly recognize him. Look at him in blow, compared to fear and loathing, compared to Edward Scissorhands, compared to Charlie in the chocolate factory, compared to Pirates–all completely different. His voice, his walk, his mannerisms are so unique to the character. He’s a natural. As is Angelina Jolie, Helena Bonham Carter etc.

Another Gemini I love to death is Judy Garland. I feel for this woman so much. She was forced into the vaudeville circuit by her domineering stage mother at 2 years old, with little regard to her wishes or personal safety/mental sanity. Judy had this gift from the gods, this powerful voice that stands out even to this day. She was unique in her talent, and in my opinion–one of the greatest performers of all time.

Her life was a great tragedy, because so many people told her she was too short, too fat, too ugly. This took a toll on her self esteem as a growing girl. Her self concept became wrapped in other people’s opinions about her, and she NEEDED their validation to have self worth. Judy fell in love with Vincent Minnelli (Liza’s father) and she was told not to be with him, because he was an adulterer and a rumored homosexual. She said very seriously: “all I know is he is kind, and intelligent… And he adores me. And I NEED to be adored.”

Gemini is very dependent on the opinions of others because their own self concept is always changing. As a mutable sign they are very adaptable, but they constantly lose their sense of personal identity. This can cause a serious crisis for them. However, they won’t let this on usually. They like to appear sprightly, cheerful and driven.

This is why they make great actors, because they can so easily become someone else. Meryl Streep is the most famous and successful example of this. She has won more awards than any man (or woman) in history.

In Judy’s case, it was heartbreaking. The studio system starved her, and got her addicted to amphetamines to keep her figure thin and appealing for the camera. If you watch her in later films, you can see the hollows in her cheeks. This matched with gemini’s propensity to over analyze, led to drug induced psychosis in Judy. She had to be hospitalized many times for panic attacks, drug overdoses, and suicide attempts.

Judy never stopped fighting though, she was up and down on a daily basis, damn near impossible to work with, but she clawed her way out of her own grave many a time to prove everyone wrong. That is what I find so inspiring about her. She never could quite get over the rainbow, but it wasn't for lack of trying.

In the darker aspect: Gemini are (in my experience) self deceptive. The reason the exaggerate or stretch the truth as often as they do, comes out of their innate insecurity about their abilities/accomplishments, but also because they convince themselves of their own lies. They truly believe them. So, in that way, they are innocent not malicious about it. They have a way with words and cal talk themselves out of almost anything.

If they have have water influence in their chart (as many of the Gemini friends I have do) there will be an added depth and complexity to their character. They will have a greater capacity for empathy. Gemini is known as the pre school age child, if you were to look at each sign as an age bracket. They are eager to be a part of things, curious about the world around them, always questioning reality, always absorbing information. Although… In my experience they know a little about a lot of things, so they can carry on conversation in a broad spectrum, very few things interest them enough for them to specialize in, the way say a Virgo does.

They are curious about everyone and everything, but they are often restless. They become easily bored or overwhelmed–sometimes simultaneously. Depending on what they have in their chart to support them, they CAN be there for you. However, a typical “true” Gemini is gone when the party is over. They are on to find the next adventure.

My bitterness toward them comes from a Gemini friend that was very important to me. He left me in a situation where I was at risk, and as a result I was molested by an older man. We went to a party together, where I was drugged by this predator, and the Gemini just left me like that at a strangers house. When I confronted him about what had happened in his absence, he got very impatient and evasive and said: “well it’s in the past now. Let’s just forget it.”

Dismissing my trauma because he couldn’t shoulder the responsibility, made me lose respect for him, and our friendship dissolved very quickly following this incident. I realized I could not count on him, and if it came down to the wire, he would throw me under the bus. Now granted, I know not all Gemini are this way, but this situation deeply affected me.

I dated a Frenchman when I was 18–also a Gemini–absolutely gorgeous man. He looked like Stuart Townsend as Lestat in queen of the damned. He was very romantic, very suave with his words, big romantic gestures… Roses, chocolates, picking me up in a sports car. Yet he only saw me as a conquest. After he “had” me he discarded me abruptly, and with little regard for my feelings at all.

Many exes of men I have loved were Gemini. These women were often conniving, vengeful, many of them trying to break up my relationships. Crusading to put me in the ground because they were jealous and insecure. Spreading lies about me, trying to taint other people’s perception of my character. One of them even put a curse on me–no joke.

There was a Gemini girl who I became friends with, I admired her so much. She was a clothing designer, had her own antique shop, was a ballet dancer, a painter, and she went to an environmentalist high school where they planted trees and learned about conservation. I looked up to her–even though we were the same age. We got along famously, and became very close. One day she abruptly stopped talking to me. I asked her tearfully why and she very coldly said: “because. You treat me like you are older than me, or better than me. I don’t want to be your friend anymore.”

I was totally crushed, I had adored her. My maternal instincts come out when someone is hurting, and her insecurities prompted her to perceive this quality of mine as “looking down on her”, which was not true.

I had a manager at Starbucks who was Taurus/Gemini, she hated me for some reason. Once I was sick with a fever, throwing up. She told me if I didn’t come in she would fire me. I came in to prove to her how sick I was, and she told me I was just hungover (which I wasn’t, I didn’t drink back then. I was a stoner). She forced me to scrub the grout lines in the tile while I was simultaneously vomiting in the toilet, and sadistically watched me do it while she sat at her desk doing nothing.

So you can see my aversion to them. In my experience they were unreliable, wishy washy, and self absorbed. Yet I have also been very close with many Gemini’s who I love dearly so it’s confusing. My godson is a Gemini–true blue Gemini. He’s hilarious! He has such sweet, vibrant energy, always coming up with hilarious phrases and opinions about things. Super active and excited.

Every morning he comes into Jeanne’s room smiling, wearing an apron with a serving tray on his hand saying: “hey guys! It’s me! River Thompson!” He tells everyone that I am a dancing vampire. Introduced me to the guy at chuckie cheese by saying: “this is my friend Megan, she’s a vampire from San Francisco.”

One time, he ate all the candy his grandma left out and I said: “oooooo Riverrr. Your mom is gonna be maaaaaad… You ate all that candy tsk, tsk.” When Jeanne came in half asleep, River said: “ mom, you can’t come in here because Megan says you’re mad because–I ate all the candy.”

She just walked away un phased, to which his response was: “phew, that was a close one.”

He loves me so much, his whole being lights up when he sees me. It’s nice to be greeted with such enthusiasm. He always gives me a big hug and starts dancing around when I come over, and always asks about me when I’m not there. He tells Jeanne: “I need to be with Megan because she loves me.”

Gemini’s have a very lively imagination, which is why they are so creative. They are natural writers, and sweepingly romantic. They foil Sagittarius in this way. They are natural orators, commentators, creative genius’, musicians, actors, and designers. They have a natural eye for an image, and it’s a very effortless process for them.

Gemini’s avoid conflict and like to walk away before things become too heated. Gemini tries to be a pacifist however, if you back them into a corner they will not hesitate to retaliate and put you in your place.They’re not afraid to stand up for themselves and can be quite severe with their words when they are angry.

They are extremely independent and can’t be controlled. I sense this is why Gemini and Scorpio have an attraction to one another, Scorpio sees it as a challenge and Gemini enjoys the intense focus that Scorpio brings.

The Gemini mind is constantly racing with thoughts and ideas, as an air sign they can become constantly trapped in their own mind, which is why they appear to always be fleeing from something. Always arriving. They are more mercurial than Virgo, and are a pure incarnation of Hermes (the messenger God).

Gemini are curious creatures, and they are always soaking up their surroundings and retaining knowledge. They are natural investigators, they rival Scorpio in this aspect. Do not underestimate their ability to get to the bottom of things.

They are fickle and indecisive at times, but they are generally good friends. In my experience they are supportive and encouraging of whatever your dreams and ambitions are.

They are also majorly flirtatious, this is maddening to the more possessive signs. Gemini have a way with words, they are charming and genuinely like people most of the time. They can’t help themselves really, and just think they are being friendly. They are always on the go, have eclectic tastes, and prefer to keep things offbeat and interesting. Gemini love to travel, city life, large parties, art galleries, camping trips anything gregarious that will get them out in the world.

If they have more earth or water in their chart, they will tend to be a bit more shy. Though once they warm up their weirdness will come out. I have known a few shy gemini’s, but not many. Mostly they are VERY vocal about what they think and how they feel. They are usually great fun to play with. They are playmates.

More famous gemini’s include: Natalie Portman, Clint Eastwood, Donald Trump 😑, Prince, JFK, Marilyn Monroe, Nicole Kidman, Kanye West… You get the picture. They run the gamut from amazing to horrible. I think an important thing to note is that they are a dual sign. They have two sides to them, and as JK Rowling said in the HP series: it is not our abilities that decide who we are in is our choices.

Gemini’s like Johnny Depp, JFK, Prince and Nicole Kidman are excellent examples of all the beauty and artistry that Gemini can bring into the world. I find that highly evolved gemini’s who are artistically oriented and (most importantly) self aware are wonderful. Gemini’s who are unevolved, who refuse to look inside or be there for others because they can’t even be there for themselves are unbearable.

Gemini is the little girl asking you to play with her, they are murals spanning the walls of an otherwise filthy urban environment. They reinvigorate and add sparkle to any environment they enter. They are the wandering poet, the distressed painter mad with drink and excess. They are the inconsistency of the sky. The impurity of the air. Chalk drawings, geology, a massive library, microscopes, satellite signals, glitter polish. Air brush, pin wheels, sour candies. Music festivals, disco lights, The sound of music. The flowers of spring, blooming youthful, ostentatious. Forever young, and always inspiring.

#asks #Gemini #zodiac #astrology

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lilywyrm-blog · 5 years ago

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The 7 Best Action-Packed Jason Statham Movies To Watch Before Hobbs And Shaw

He’s been a hero, a villain, a joker and a competitive diver. But if action superstar Jason Statham is known for anything, it’s his ability to kick a lot of ass. The most recent example of that piece of his career has been his success as an ass-kicker in the Fast and Furious film series, so much so that he’s half of the new spinoff, Hobbs and Shaw.

If you’re a fan of Jason Statham's, or are looking for a reason to get into his work, we recommend you, at the very least, watch the last two films in the Fast and Furious series to get caught up to the point that Hobbs and Shaw is at in the series. However, there are other movies in the Statham catalog you should be partaking in to get yourself pumped and ready for his latest action romp, and we have a good list of what those films should be.

So schedule a little bit of “me time” on the books, make sure you do your streaming and rental research as to how to get ahold of the Jason Statham movies we’re about to lay down and prepare for your very own film festival. Let’s call it “StathamFest,” which means that the following are your required stops on the StathamFest trail.

The Italian Job Handsome Rob chatting up the cable girl next to her van The Italian Job (2004) With his career as an action lead getting a huge boost out of The Transporter’s surprise success, one of the Jason Statham movies that increased his visibility exponentially was director F. Gary Gray’s remake of the 1969 crime caper, The Italian Job.

Flexing his action hero muscles as Handsome Rob, Jason Statham also got to play the eye candy of Mark Wahlberg’s band of criminals, which was certainly a bonus for the audience that made it a theatrical hit. The Italian Job not only gave Statham a chance to be a comedic heartthrob, but it also gave him even more experience with the impressive car stunts that helped make his career what it is.

While we never got the proposed sequel, The Brazilian Job, we did get a Statham/Gray reunion when the star and director paired up for The Fate of The Furious; so The Italian Job is a good film to re-watch in preparation for the further adventures of Deckard Shaw.

The Transporter 2 Frank Martin speeding down the road in his sports car The Transporter 2 (2005) The Transporter is one of the earliest successes of Jason Statham’s career, as Frank Martin was the first blockbuster character that Statham had under his action belt. And with The Transporter 2 bringing Frank to the mean streets of Miami, the scenery is closer to home, along with the high flying automotive action.

While it acts as a sort of loose remake of Man On Fire, with Jason Statham’s Frank replacing Denzel Washington’s Creasy, the film is a full throttle thrill ride, complete with one of the most ridiculous action moments in the man’s entire career. The second of three installments with Statham as Mr. Martin, our hero is charged with not only preventing a viral outbreak, but also recovering a wealthy family’s child in the process.

A positively breathless ticking clock action film, The Transporter 2 is a Jason Statham movie quick enough to fit into any day’s schedule, but it’s also weighted enough to keep an audience fixed on the screen the whole time. If you believe one of life’s rules is a person knowing their car and its contents, in and out, this one is a no-brainer.

Crank Chev electrocuting himself with jumper cables on his tongue and nipple Crank (2006) Mixed in with all of the big budget franchises and one-off action fests that make up the body of Jason Statham’s movies are some smaller, and definitely weirder, choices. Case in point is the extremely memorable Crank, directed by Neveldine/Taylor, a duo more than familiar with the world of the weird.

Jason Statham’s character this time around is Chev Chelios, with Crank seeing his protagonist injected with a drug intended to prevent the flow of adrenaline, in hopes of killing him dead. But, of course, as this is a Neveldine/Taylor directed film, Statham’s assassin antihero does have a way out of this mess. And it’s keeping his adrenaline pumping in such an extreme fashion, that methods such as electrocution and other feats tempting death are needed at all times in this single day thriller.

Pushing the boundaries of every force it comes into contact with, Crank makes for one of the weirdest, but also one of the most exhilarating Jason Statham movies in his collected canon. Proving that he can turn his charms and action talents to 11 when need be, Crank gave Statham the range he needed to eventually jump into the sort of antics that Hobbs and Shaw will eventually demand of him.

War John Crawford walking the docks with a gun is his hand War (2007) While Jason Statham and Jet Li would eventually team up yet again in The Expendables, their paths would cross earlier in the gang thriller War. Except in the instance of this particular film, Statham and Li faced off as nemeses in an all-out street fight between an FBI agent and a rogue element.

Jason Statham’s John Crawford is the FBI agent who’s swearing revenge against Jet Li’s former CIA operative Rogue, a target who survived his supposed death and not only killed Crawford’s partner, but also plans on starting a gang war between the Triads and the Yakuza. Things get pretty hairy as the two play cat and mouse on the streets of San Francisco, and will use everything at their disposal to strike the other where it hurts the most.

Another interesting connection that adds an interesting layer to watching War is the fact that Jason Statham’s character, Crawford, works with an FBI sniper by the name of Goi throughout the film’s duration. Playing Goi is none other than Sung Kang, better known as Han from the Fast and Furious universe; and considering how War ends, Jason Statham’s murder of Han in that particular series could be seen as pure revenge.

Death Race Jensen and Case stand next to their car in the garage Death Race (2008) Sometimes a movie gets remade because of its popularity. But in the case of director Paul W.S. Anderson’s Death Race, the film feels like a remake that is made to capitalize on the popularity of someone like Jason Statham. At least it feels that way, because wisecracks meet car stunts in this dystopian action extravaganza that screams its status as a Jason Statham movie.

Framed for a murder he didn’t commit, Jason Statham’s Jensen Ames is sent to prison and given the opportunity to win his own freedom through the titular Death Race. A televised pay-per-view spectacle, take The Running Man and infuse it with the DNA of NASCAR, and you’ve got the basic premise for this particular film.

As far as Jason Statham movies go, Death Race is sort of an underrated gem. Showcasing Statham’s abilities as an action lead, while also putting him into an ensemble that sees Joan Allen, Ian McShane and future Fast and Furious co-star Tyrese Gibson all mixing it up, Death Race is well worth tracking down if you’re serious about your Statham.

The Expendables Lee aims a gun, while hanging onto the nose of a flying plane The Expendables (2010) If there’s anything that the viewing public should know about Jason Statham by this entry in the list, it’s that he plays very well as both a lead and an ensemble member. The latter is part of why The Expendables is such a treat to watch, as the relatively fresh faced Statham gets to play with heavy hitters like Sylvester Stallone and Dolph Lundgren.

Hired to overthrow a villainous dictator, The Expendables sees some of the biggest names in action teaming up, or in some cases fighting against, the likes of Sylvester Stallone’s expendable team. Playing Lee Christmas, the team’s blade expert, Jason Statham gets to be a man who only talks when the conversation requires him to. And if he’s not talking, chances are his opponent is about to take some serious damage.

Whether it’s an island in the Gulf of Mexico or a basketball court on home soil, Jason Statham takes the fight to whomever stands in his way in The Expendables. Even though he appears as a member of the overarching ensemble, this Statham movie has enough action to excite the crowd and enough Statham magic for him to stand out from all the rest.

The Meg Jonas looks back in disbelief, as the image of the Megalodon is projected in front of him The Meg (2018) Let’s just get something out of the way: The Meg is, by no means, a film that needs to be taken seriously. Getting past that though, it’s easy to see how people enjoyed this film so much, it became a blockbuster hit in 2018’s film market. And naturally, part of that success is Jason Statham’s Jonas Taylor.

Playing a rescue diver obsessed with proving the existence of a rare Megalodon, Jason Statham gets to be The Meg’s hero, front and center. As such, Jonas is wise, kind and not afraid to put his foot down; all the things you’d expect from a Statham performance, with a little more heroic charm allowed this time out.

In fact, it’s Jason Statham’s charm that helps anchor The Meg’s all-star cast, which also includes Rainn Wilson, Ruby Rose and Li Bingbing. And with both Statham and his cast fully in sync, the level of ridiculous spectacle and action is balanced in such a state that the audience can really sink their teeth into it. And if you want to make it a family affair, this film’s PG-13 rating will certainly allow the kids to enjoy this one alongside the adults in the room.

Jason Statham’s career is as varied as it is exciting, and this sampler pack of films is only the beginning of the proof to that point. So let StathamFest pump you up for a summer of action, as well as the eventual box office debut of Hobbs and Shaw. But more importantly, let these films entertain you while showing the many facets of Jason Statham’s career as a hero, a villain and a comic relief for the ages.

Hobbs and Shaw promises to kick the box office’s ass on August 2, but if you’re looking for some action prior to that point, check out the 2019 release schedule for more of the options available to you.

https://moviestailler.blogspot.com/2019/07/actoin-movies.html

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rob-blog1234 · 8 years ago

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WEEKEND TV HOT FILM PICKS!

Check out my guide to the top films on TV this weekend, the best of the rest and what to avoid at all costs! Enjoy!

LATE FRIDAY 7th APRIL

HOT PICKS!

TCM @ 2350 The Exorcist (1973) *****

Although many have tried, no one can ever match this exorcism film. It is so well put together and will always withstand the test of time. It’s quite a simple premise with few parts but that doesn’t dilute the power and ferocity of its impact. Some say it looks old hat with today’s standards of Horror, but I disagree - it still packs an excellent punch. The script is superb with performances to match. The Exorcist has proven itself as a scary and impressive piece of cinema history that will always get my vote.

Horror @ 0240 Grabbers (2012) ****

I came into Grabbers ready for a mediocre throw away indie monster flick with little in the way of quality and fully expected another dud added to the long list of substandard horror comedies. B-Jesus! I was wrong. Grabbers layered up the appreciation and just kept on giving.

Set on a small Irish island Grabbers introduces us to some beautiful scenes of the luscious Irish coastal countryside with some rather stunning cinematography that oozed loveliness on Blu ray. Immediately it had my attention. We are introduced to the booze riddled local Garda Ciaran O'Shea who is meeting up with a very focused young Garda Lisa Nolan who is transferred to the village for a short while. She immediately realises there’s not much in the way of Police work to do in this remote Irish fishing village. The film succeeds wonderfully at building their relationship interweaving it into the story of an unknown multi-tentacled creature causing havoc to the sea life and local populous alike.

As we establish the alien creature is a lot bigger and more dangerous than was previously imagined, comes a splendid plot development that these blood sucking creatures can be killed by high blood alcohol levels! Here the film descends into a wonderful, farcical and very drunken stand-off in the local pub. The scenes of the lock-in are great and all the action within the pub is captured really well.

It’s worth mentioning that although its indie roots and meagre budget the CGI is great and directed well to give it real solid appearance. The main reason this film worked for me is the two leads, they are great together and particular praise goes to Ruth Bradley whose inebriated scenes are absolutely spot on.

There are a few lulls and it’s by no means perfect, it tends to lose pace a little too many times but overall this film pitches its comedy well removing itself from any confusion regarding the lack of Horror. Grabbers knows what it is and it is not ashamed to show it. A very competent comedy and addition to the genre. Funny, well presented with a great main relationship, for fans of the genre and for fans of films like Tremors - this is a must see.

Best of the rest:

ITV2 @ 2100 Knocked Up (2007) ***

TCM @ 2100 The Hunt for Red October (1990) ***

W @ 2240 Chocolat (2000) ****

Dave @ 2200 Blade (1998) ***

#### AVOID AT ALL COSTS! ####

Film4 @ 2325 Van Helsing (2004) * AVOID AT ALL COSTS!

It’s a mystery how Jackman and Beckinsale were duped into making a diabolically bad film that not even Bekinsale’s under bust corset could redeem. Terrible CGI, bad hats, bad hair, bad script, bad full stop. Criminally handled, ham-fistedly delivered to soil our screens with yet another simply shite monster movie. AVOID.

SATURDAY 8th APRIL

HOT PICKS!

5* @ 1220 Labyrinth (1986) ****

You remind me of the babe What babe? babe with the power What power? power of voodoo Who do? you do Do what? remind me of the babe…

Check out the Honest Trailer for Labyrinth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjobWguWIRk

C4 @ 2235 Dredd (2012) ****

In a dark and dysfunctional future crime is at an all-time high and policed by Judges - these are judge, jury and executioner - dealing out swift and brutal justice to those flouting the law. Karl Urban plays our downturned mouthed hero - Judge Dredd - a seemingly heartless, brutal and ruthless Judge but one of the very best in the business. This is a great adaption of the comic series and with a great sense of pace, amazing visuals - namely the slow motion ultra-violent sprays of blood - and booming soundtrack this is an action movie to remember. Need a dose of Action in your weekend? Make way for Judge Dredd.

Film4 @ 2315 An American Werewolf in London (1981) *****

It’s only in recent years that I saw this film for the first time and I was concerned that I had missed the boat and it would be horrendously outdated, but I was pleasantly surprised. It barely shows its age at all!

The story begins with two American back packers on the remote moors of England that lose their way as they turn to a local village for help they find a rather unaccommodating group of villagers and they soon realize they are well and truly on their own. As they cross the moors they are attacked by a huge wolf like creature! The villagers appear to be covering up the true horrors of their encounter.

It has a real interesting mix of horror and comedy that is really quite subtle. The lighter moments offset the horror in a real complimentary way and the 80’s “moon” related soundtrack seemed rather odd to start with but adds yet another layer to the overall experience. Unlike today’s heavy reliance on CGI, director John Landis had to rely on physical effects and make up when putting together the transformation scene. It is an absolutely amazing job - every elongation of limbs and warping of body parts is done with amazing skill that looks very realistic and quite horrifying even to today’s standards.

Overall, the film is based on a very simple idea but is executed in a very accomplished way. If you haven’t seen this film, push it to the top of your to do list.

Best of the rest:

ITV3 @ 0930 The Railway Children (1970) ****

Film4 @ 1300 Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) *****

ITV4 @ 1455 The Alamo (1960) ****

Syfy @ 2100 The Mist (2007) ****

TCM @ 2100 Fatal Attraction (1987) ****

Comedy @ 2300 Pineapple Express (2008) *****

#### AVOID AT ALL COSTS! ####

C4 @ 2000 Battleship (2012) * AVOID AT ALL COSTS!

Rhianna is on a ship. Acting badly, Aliens are coming - Fight. The end. Battleship is a shoddy CGI laden mess. Awful characters, badly acted, with dreary and mostly boring action sequences. What annoys me the most is it’s not even tongue in cheek - it’s all played out rather seriously. This film deserves nothing. Such a big budget wasted on something quite unwatchable. I hope all involved wept as they called "that's a wrap". Battleshit.

SUNDAY 9th APRIL

HOT PICKS!

ITV4 @ 2100 The Deer Hunter (1978) *****

Good grief. It’s an experience watching The Deer Hunter. It’s so real, heart wrenching stuff. Beautifully handled and presented. It is well deserving of its critique as one of the greatest films ever made.

C4 @ 0005 The Guard (2011) ****

Don Cheadle and Brendan Gleeson play the most unlikely of Buddy Cops in this great black comedy, full of laughs with a lot of heart this film is a must see. Gleeson and Cheadle are a great pairing - when on screen together the comedy script and expert timing from Gleeson combine for a laugh a minute ride.

Gleeson is an Irish Garda from a small town who does things his way and is not afraid to speak his mind. In fact he enjoys it. Cheadle is a straight laced FBI agent who is in for a bit of a shock at how differently things work in this small town. They join forces to investigate an International drug smuggling ring and as the case progresses our two leads relationship grows.

Directed by John Michael McDonagh - it is very evident they are a very skilled family in the field of film. His brother, Martin, we have to thank for the excellent In Bruges, and with this film also being a Black Comedy, also starring Brendan Gleeson, it was always bound to be compared. One thing is for certain, they are both very funny, re-watchable and thoroughly interesting comedies with a fresh feel that I for one have really welcomed.

So, if you like your comedy on the dark side of life this will be right up your street. It’s not just all comedy, it’s a great crime drama and technically impressive, it looks fabulous with some great cinematography. Gleeson is the star but kudos to a great supporting cast. The Guard rockets along keeping you interested every step of the way. John Michael McDonagh has proven himself as one to watch!

If you like his style then look out for his newest 2014 film Calvary. It’s a much darker ride and quite a sombre affair - but very impressive indeed - proving McDonagh’s credentials.

Syfy @ 0100 The Omen (1976) *****

The original Omen film is by far the best of the Omen films and quite underrated. Regardless of its age it still fills me with dread with its combination of iconic creepy music and the mysterious dead eyes of Damien. Its success lies in the unseen and the implied, a trait that horror movies of today seem to have forgotten with all the unnecessary gratuitous violence and gore that fill the majority of recent horror offerings.

The story follows a wealthy couple that have struggled for many years to have a child and after a successful pregnancy term they are faced with the stillbirth of their son. Robert Thorn fears for his wife’s sanity and he agrees, unbeknownst to his wife, to take a new-born child whose mother died in childbirth and pretend it is their own. As time goes by a host of mysterious accidents plague the family.

Gregory Peck, who has a lot to thank for the success of this film, plays Robert Thorn. He brought the film into mainstream audiences on its release due to his success and fame. That’s not to say his performance here is anything but great either. He drives the film forward and is a great choice for the main character. We follow Thorn as he begins to realise the terrifying truth about his “acquired” son.

The Omen is a fantastic supernatural thriller with some great scenes that horror movies of today can only hope of achieving.

Best of the rest:

ITV3 @ 0625 The Railway Children (1970) ****

ITV1 @ 1345 Goldfinger (1964) ****

E4 @ 1430 Evolution (2001) ***

ITV4 @ 1440 The Alamo (1960) ****

ITV2 @ 1550 Liar Liar (1997) ***

ITV2 @ 1550 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) *****

C4 @ 1645 Boxtrolls (2014) ****

ITV3 @ 2305 Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007) ****

Film4 @ 2310 Extract (2009) ***

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yuyuhakushofangirl11 · 8 years ago

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My Thoughts on the Canon Disney Princesses(thus far)

Snow White- While most would complain about Snow white being ‘Not Feminist Enough’ and ‘like the worst princess evar’, I think her personality is pleasant. Understanding that the Princess brand had to begin somewhere, Snow White if taken into the context of being made just before WWII as well as evoking a classical vibe from the original fairy tale before Disney’s mission was to make it their own, Snow White is harmless enough.

Cinderella- Cinderella was my first ‘favorite’ princess as a small child and for good reason. She was for quite some time the gold standard of what a princess should be. Kind, intelligent, kept a positive attitude, and a hard worker. I’m sorry, but to those who say she just sat on her ass and didn’t do anything, she was made a slave to her step mother and sisters, and she wasn’t happy about it. But she did the best she could and survived it. Is she super empowering? Well that depends on the person. For a bullied 7 year old me? Oh hell yeah.

Sleeping Beauty- Not much to say of her really. She’s barely present in her own movie. If anyone should bare the title of least empowering princess, it would be Aurora. SHE is the one that sits on her ass and doesn’t do anything aside from magically fall in love with her fiance. You know a character makes minimal impact if the remake couldn’t salvage her.

Ariel- I have a great distaste for Ariel. Don’t get me wrong, the Little Mermaid was more than worth the title of first movie of the Disney Renaissance. My issue with her is that, while I understand her character is a sixteen year old princess, her actions make minimal sense, are selfish, and moreover not a good example for little girls. Seriously who sells their voice for a guy they met twice? If she was a little less ‘but daddy I love him!’ then maybe I could suffer her.

Belle- Among my favorite female protagonists. As a bookworm in a rural town I related to her although I confess I didn’t complete the movie until I was in my college years. Beauty and the Beast earned their spot as the first animate movie nominated for an Oscar for good reason. I hear complaints about Belle being too perfect to which I say as with Snow White her purpose is to delight and entertain. Belle is more of an ideal like Snow White instead of a flawed character. And as for the whole Stockholm Syndrome thing? You do realize she wasn’t compliant and attempted to run away and only stayed after they reached an agreement to be kind to one another, right? And they fell in love over the course of implied months? Just checking.

Pocahontas- I honestly have mixed emotions on her. On one hand me and my sister loved the movie growing up. The soundtrack was a Disney classic, the nature themes were amazing, and it was nice to see a non white Disney princess for a change. However, as an adult I realize now that not only was Pocahontas based on a real person, the events of which are uncomfortable to really think of making into a Disney movie. So while the character herself is meant to be good, I think in the future another Native American princess would be wonderful. But instead of bastardizing history, perhaps one of the many rich Native American legends and stories we have in our arsenal? Even do a search for the voice like in production of Moana?

Jasmine- Much like my thoughts on Aurora, Jasmine didn’t make much of an impact on me. While I liked the adventure in Aladdin and Robin Williams(rest in peace) was spectacular as Genie, Jasmine as a character didn’t make much impact on me. Or rather neither did Aladdin. I was more focused on wanting to hang out with Carpet and Genie. I suppose it’s a matter of personal preference.

Mulan- As a movie, I have an undying love for Mulan. Not only is this my little sister’s favorite princess, but the entire movie is amazing for little girls to feel strong. I read Mulan’s journey, aside from risking her own life for the sake of her father, was of an unorganized woman joining the military to make something of herself and kicking ass about it. Not only was there much needed cultural diversity, given my engrossing love of anime began shortly after, but it taught my sister and I, for the first time, women can be physically strong and intelligent. However, for both men and women as shown in the movie, it takes work and dedication. And I think it’s a worth while message.

Tiana- The fact Princess and the Frog is so vastly underrated is criminal to me. Upon seeing the movie, I fell in LOVE with Tiana. I was in college at the time and I needed some motivation. And after seeing her struggle throughout the movie and have a never give up attitude throughout but still being a layered character who wasn’t fixated on finding her prince but fell in love anyway was refreshing. I feel as though if Disney made Princess and the Frog, as well as Tiana, CGI instead of hand drawn it would have gotten much more attention since Rapunzel, being the ‘Frozen’ of 2010 and being the First CGI princess during the decline of hand drawn animation in popularity really didn’t help. I love Tiana, and out of all the princesses she’s the only whom I have the most respect for.

Rapunzel- I was extremely hesitant to watch Tangled at first since I considered myself a purist and didn’t want to acknowledge that hand drawn animation was in its dying days. However after watching it, I found it still held the spirit of the hand drawn animation I loved as a child. That being said, Rapunzel herself is a bright and chipper princess, I can see why she was so well liked. An artistic princess, that I can relate to, and the relationship with Flynn/Eugene as well as Mother Gothel was fascinating. I wouldn’t put her in my top three, but she’s somewhere in the middle.

Merida- I dislike Merida just as much as I do Ariel, in completely equal measure. Why? Because they have the same mentality but in opposite extremes. While a tomboy princess was nice in concept, I felt throughout the movie that Merida was selfish. While Ariel wanted to marry someone she barely knew and abandon a kingdom and family who needed her, Merida refused to marry to ensure peace between the clans and essentially give up her mother to the witch’s powers, risking her life to get ‘her freedom’. It’s not that I wanted her to be all googly eyed and marry one of them or sacrifice herself, but some sense of duty would have been nice. And while it’s nice to see a mother/daughter relationship portrayed in an unfortunately more realistic way with an out of touch mother and a rebellion/angst fueled teenage daughter. I love the Scottish setting and I need an army of wisps like yesterday, but Merida to me is not brave. Not at all.

Elsa(Queen)- To be clear Frozen is not on my ‘must watch’ list. Not only have I been driven mad with overplay and constant praise of the film, but I have to say it. I’m disappointed. When it was announced that the Snow Queen was going to be made into a Disney movie I was excited. And the concept art of her dressed as a regal ice queen with a gown lined in fur and a sophistication around her made me anticipate the release date. However, upon realizing the movie I was excited for turned out to be completely different, I wasn’t impressed with the results. Yes, Let it Go is catchy. Yes, it’s awesome to have a single queen in the line up. However, I can’t help but feel underwhelmed given the movie I had my heart set on.

Anna- Annoying. That’s all that comes to mind when I think of this princess. Is she as abrasive as Ariel or Merida? No. However, unlike Elsa I had no anticipation of this character. Given that the circumstances of the strain between her and Elsa while failing to maintain a sense of caring between them, particularly on Anna’s end, fell flat I couldn’t sympathize with her. Not to mention the fact she looks uncomfortably like Rapunzel. Not only that, but she ACTS like her without the natural charm. She tries too hard to be quirky and cute, and while I understand the story between her and Hans is supposed to be subversive, I could not bring myself to sympathize with her. Personally, if the king and queen wanted to truly protect Anna, instead of keeping her locked away alone in a castle with her very dangerous sister, whom they didn’t handle wisely anyway, they should have sent her to boarding school and never bring her home. Why? That way the distance she feels between her and Elsa would make sense. Instead of craving to interact with others, she would yearn to finally reconnect with her sister after the death of their parents. Plus with all the time she spent in studies, she would still be socially awkward, but also keenly intelligent. Intelligent enough to match Elsa due to her training to become queen with actual power instead of just princess. In case Elsa’s power took control and Anna had to step in as queen. Wasted potential really.

Moana- Upon hearing a Polynesian princess was in the works, I was completely giddy for months. One of my favorite female Disney characters has been Lilo, who is Polynesian, so having a fairy tale based in the Pacific islands was invigorating. And damn was I blown away. The culture was refreshing and exciting, Moana as a character wasn’t just a quirky caged bird oh no she was training to become a Chief, a leader of an entire island. And she took it in stride, at first sacrificing her inherited sense of adventure. This was the no prince princess I wanted from Disney, one with a warm personality but strength and a sense of duty and responsibility. Not to mention(spoilers) in the climax where she uses compassion, the same compassion for the little sea turtle when the ocean chose her, to return the heart to Te Fiti. An exciting and non violent climax , not to mention she learns a useful skill as a wayfinder/voyager. All in all definitely in my top five. (by the way I fully understand that her ‘Princess’ crown is pending but if she isn’t made a princess I will be PISSED) I do hope Disney makes more princesses, giving each a distinct personality and story that not only I can enjoy, but my daughters, cousins, and friends can enjoy too.

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