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brucebocchi · 1 year ago

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Ranking every new anime I watched in 2023, Pt. 4: #5-1

hey, i just started a ko-fi for my writing and possible other creative outlets. this post will also be available there, so please check it out and consider tipping/donating as i'm currently between jobs. the tumblr version of part 1 can be found here, part 2 here, and part 3 here.

The list is complete! This took a lot of work but I'm over the moon to get this out there. Please consider leaving a tip if you've enjoyed reading.

Here goes, my top five anime of 2023:

5. Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead

Zom 100’s debut hit like a freight train, especially coming from a brand new studio. It had everything: Visceral satire of Japanese work culture, incredible animation, vibrant colors in unexpected places, clever cinematography, wish fulfillment for everyone who’s ever wanted to Stone Cold their boss, and most importantly: Zombie titties.

The premise is magnetic: When your job makes you feel like a zombie, an actual zombie apocalypse means certain freedom from the grind. Akira Tendo realizes that he can finally use the vacation time he amassed while being exploited and overworked at a legally dodgy black company, so he writes a bucket list of everything he’s ever wanted to do, with all intention of checking off every single line item before succumbing to a zombie bite. He manages to rescue his hunky fuckboy bestie from college, and they embark on a road trip across Japan to finish out the list, along with a beautiful, risk-averse tsundere and a big-tiddy German weeb.

It's a perfectly fine elevator pitch, and a welcome break from the guns-and-grit quagmire the zombie genre has been stuck in for the past two decades, but what makes any good zombie-flecked media resonate is the human element, which Zom 100 delivers expertly. You’re quickly given reason to care for all the characters, their motivations are clear and relatable, and you want to see them survive and live out their dreams. But more importantly, you just want to hang out with them through their hijinks. It even delves into more serious matters, like what we owe our parents as adults, the ways isolation and bitterness can drive people to act out in their worst moments, and even the factors that push abuse victims to stay with and even return to their abusers.

Above all, though, it’s a powerful (if extreme) story of finding joy in the direst circumstances. Akira, Kencho, and Shizuka are all kindhearted, well-meaning people whose situations kept them from what they truly wanted to do with their lives, and there’s something kinda beautiful to be found in them finding a new opportunity during the possible end of the world (Beatrix is a sweetie too, but aside from the whole zombie thing, she’s already exactly where she wants to be). The final arc of the season, in particular, looks you dead in the eye and asks you: If you were suddenly faced with the ultimate freedom, would you use the opportunity to better yourself, improve the lives of others, or do whatever the fuck you want at everyone else’s expense? You may not like the answer at first if you’re honest with yourself, and that’s okay. The world isn’t over, and there’s still time for you to be your best self.

Zom 100, unfortunately, fell prey to a cruel irony in the form of production issues. Bug Films is a new studio made up of a former team from OLM that was responsible for similarly gorgeous projects such as Komi Can’t Communicate and Summer Time Rendering. They clearly saw so much of themselves in Akira's workplace exploitation that they had to swing for the fences here. The firm he works for is named “ZLM” in this adaptation, for fuck’s sake, and he fully destroys his zombie boss in the first episode. But new studio or old, the anime industry is a grind, and Bug had trouble keeping up; animation quality did take a bit of a dip after the stunning first episode, and episodes were frequently delayed as the summer broadcast season wore on and ended without the entire seasonal run making airwaves. Hell, it was impossible to watch the final three episodes until just a few days before I could write this sentence.

For what Bug were able to pull off, though, Zom 100 is outstanding. The paintball-colored blood splatters everywhere are an instantly-iconic look that strike the balance between horror and spectacle. Everything and everyone looks gorgeously faithful to Kotaro Takata’s art, and delivers an appropriately cinematic look that the manga always deserved. I almost don’t know what else to tell you but that this show is a fucking blast.

There’s also a zombie shark. What more could you want?

4. Oshi no Ko

I spent a good chunk of 2023 just assuming Oshi no Ko was going to be a layup for anime of the year. Shortly after moving on from Kaguya-sama, I rushed to binge Aka Akasaka's subsequent manga in time for the anime's feature-length debut. I was taken in by OnK's bonkers premise and sudden dark turn and quickly fell in love with the characters, and my anticipation only grew. I had high expectations for the screen adaptation, but nothing could have prepared me for just how lovingly it all came together. This is as close to a perfect adaptation as you can find, and the same can be said about both the preceding and following entries on this list.

Oshi no Ko is an audiovisual feast. Doga Kobo cleaned up Mengo Yokoyari’s character designs just a smidge, but put just the right flourishes on them to make every single cast member instantly iconic. One look at Kana Arima’s eyes will tell you everything you need to know about the level of care put into the visual design of this anime. The performances are on point as well; though many of the main cast members are relative newcomers to the world of seiyuu, you can tell they truly came to understand the characters before they even recorded one line. I’ve already gushed about Rie Takahashi in earlier entries, but her turn as Ai Hoshino is easily one of the best voice performances all year. Takahashi makes a meal out of every single second Ai spends on screen and gives you every reason to care about her as a character.

Showbiz manga in general is obviously missing an audio element, and when an adaptation can expand on that aspect well, it can help turn even middling source material into something transcendent (see also: Rock!, Bocchi the). Music is central to Oshi no Ko, and the OP/ED combination is already iconic; YOASOBI’s “Idol” has had the best worldwide chart performance of any Japanese song ever, and the prolonged intro to Queen Bee’s “Mephisto” became a meme in Japan in the same vein as JJBA’s iconic use of “Roundabout.” Rather than taking manga characters’ word for it that someone is a terrible actor, we actually get to cringe along to an amateur actor’s hammy emoting. We get to see and hear what turned a fictional idol group into a national phenomenon rather than just see cute girls posing on the page. All of this is to say that while Oshi no Ko is an excellent manga, it needed a screen adaptation, and especially one of this quality.

Oshi no Ko deserves every shred of its success. I've never seen an anime make a splash this enormous with just its debut episode, even if it’s kind of cheating to say so because the first episode is almost literally a movie, and if I were to give an award for the best single episode of anime this year, it would be that one, hands down. Adapting the entire first volume into a feature-length debut was the correct move (mostly because it’s a tonal rollercoaster, and the Big Event that defines the entire story wouldn’t have happened until the fourth episode otherwise), and the investment paid dividends. The hype naturally died down a bit as the season wore on and settled into a more consistent tone and rhythm, but it remains an essential anime to 2023.

You may have noticed that I have said very little of what this show is actually about, and that’s by design: If you still don’t know the plot of Oshi no Ko’s first episode by now, I refuse to tell you: you need to go in blind. All I will say is that it is an idol anime that glorifies nothing. If you've read this far and still trust what I have to say about anime, I beg you to just take my word for it. It's an incredibly rewarding experience.

3. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off

There's just something so wonderful about taking in an adaptation of a work you’re already familiar with and knowing, almost instantaneously, that every single person working on it genuinely loved the source material and relished the opportunity to bring it to life. Nearly every single member of the original cast is in the dub (including the ones who went on to be MCU mainstays), Edgar Wright is back on as executive producer, Anamanaguchi reprise their soundtracking duties from the video game, and even Bryan Lee O’Malley himself helped co-write everything.

That last detail is probably the most important thing about this entire production: It’s not exactly a secret that the original Scott Pilgrim comics are very imperfect portrayals of a very imperfect young man. I knew reading them at the time that the comic did not have a great grasp on relationships and the dynamics between men and women, and that was at a time in my life when I myself was pretty terrible with and to women. O'Malley has said that he would only revisit Scott Pilgrim if it was “the right thing” and that he was leery of a straight retelling of a work he has since outgrown.

So instead, we have the Rebuild of Scott Pilgrim, to put it simply. Takes Off is a completely new story that reexamines the Scott Pilgrim comics, movie, and even game without undermining what came before it. This series is not a repudiation of Scott Pilgrim (the character or the franchise)’s flaws, nor is it purely fanservice; it splits the difference perfectly. It’s both more mature and completely self-indulgent. This show so easily could’ve marched to the familiar discourse drumbeat of “Scott isn’t the hero here” or “he’s actually not a good dude,” but it instead focuses on what should always be the second half of that sentence: “But Ramona still sees something in him.”

Yes, Ramona Flowers is effectively the protagonist of a new work that doesn’t even have her name on it, and it tackles some surprisingly necessary questions: What was her responsibility in creating seven evil exes in the first place? What made them evil? Are they even that evil? This series opens up entire worlds of possibilities within the extended cast and gleefully dives into them. Though Takes Off may not flesh out every single character, it does take its time with several of the ones who really did need a little more meat on their narrative bones, and even gives some characters new roles just because it would be fun to see them in new situations.

I still cannot believe they got Science Saru to make this show. “They made a Scott Pilgrim anime” and “They brought back the movie cast” are already good enough fodder for that Vince McMahon meme, but “It’s produced by the motherfuckers who made Devilman Crybaby” had me falling out of my chair. The animation maintains O'Malley's chunky, cartoony character designs and works wonders with line weights and simulated camera effects to give everything a tactile, weighty feel, like it’s somehow (and very appropriately) splitting the difference between a comic, a film, and even a video game. There’s a wide array of visual effects that helps to place all of Scott Pilgrim’s influences further on its sleeve: Dynamic action scenes, camera depth and chromatic aberration, and our beloved pixel art inserts. It looks like every Scott Pilgrim, everywhere, all at once.

The live action film’s cast did a (mostly) great job reprising their roles for animation, and there are some wildly unexpected cameos in there. Voice acting is not quite the same as stage or film acting, but everyone pulls their weight, and dialogue feels far more naturalistic than your average anime dub. Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ellen Wong and, surprisingly, Chris Evans are outstanding in their respective roles. I’m gonna have to watch this again in Japanese, though. Fairouz Ai as Ramona, Aoi Koga as Knives, and Yuichi Nakamura as Lucas Lee? Sign me the fuck up.

This is not an apology or revision of Scott Pilgrim the character or work, it is a celebration that still acknowledges and improves on the flaws. If you’re a Scott Pilgrim fan who’d been clamoring for a proper cartoon adaptation, Takes Off may not exactly be what you’ve wanted, but it may be what you needed. Chances are pretty good that you’ve grown since the first time since you read, watched, or even played something with Scott Pilgrim’s name on it, and it’s a blessing to say that while the character may not have grown, Scott Pilgrim the franchise finally has.

2. Jujutsu Kaisen, season 2

I’m so glad I picked up JJK this year, if only because I would’ve otherwise been caught in a mudslide of memes I didn’t understand.

Season 2 follows in lockstep with the manga from where season 1 left off, beginning in extended flashback with the Hidden Inventory/Premature Death arc, covering Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto’s high school life and the events that would eventually create the rift between them that came to shape Jujutsu Kaisen’s story. We see very different versions of Gojo and Geto here, much younger and more naive, but only marginally less powerful as they’re sent on an escort mission with the future of the jujutsu world in the balance. Because this is Jujutsu Kaisen, and because Jujutsu Kaisen is for masochists, nothing happens as planned.

We unfortunately do not get the precious slice-of-life hijinks the OP suggests, but if you watched season 1, you should know better by now than to trust an OP. While the initial arc does have its quieter and goofier moments (and some delicious homoerotic subtext), it wastes little time in declaring that this is a new version of the Jujutsu Kaisen anime: Lines are thinner, character models are looser, and action is buckwild. Two of the best fakeouts in the series happen in the span of five minutes. Those unfamiliar with the source material may have wondered for a bit why there needed to be a five-episode prequel arc to start the season, but the pieces would soon fall into place.

And then came Shibuya.

The Shibuya Incident arc was what made Jujutsu Kaisen a must-read in every new issue of Shonen Jump. It reset the status quo for the story and shaped it into something far beyond another “teenagers with special powers go to a school for teenagers with special powers” battle shonen. Needless to say, the hype for its anime adaptation was astronomical.

The Shibuya arc sets the stakes early: Nobody is safe and there may be no happy ending. Triumph is short-lived, and every threat is existential. Everyone who has been in the series up to this point plays a role, and you’re not going to like a lot of what’s needed of them. This arc punches you in the gut, repeatedly, and in between each blow is some of the most intense and innovative action you’ve ever seen. It will hurt, and you will beg for more.

I liked this arc a good amount in the manga, but by the end I was ready for it to be over. I didn’t get the hype around Toji, thought the deaths were cheap, and was so. FUCKING. sick of Mahito. Seeing it in fluid motion onscreen, though, everything just clicked for me and I couldn’t get enough. I fully get now why the girlies have been wetting themselves over Toji; the character modelers were HORNY horny this season. I see now how even the most unceremonious deaths fit into the narrative, or at least one will make perfect sense to me once Gege Akutami and I have a little chat :). And holy hell do I understand now that Mahito is one of the best shonen villains in the history of the medium, that sick bastard. Season 2 was my Rosetta stone for Jujutsu Kaisen; I see it all now. My sixth eye has been opened. Throughout heaven and earth, I alone am the literate one.

JJK’s second season has a markedly different feel from the first from a presentation standpoint, and I feel it’s for the better. Every aspect of the presentation is on point, and I want to call attention to the audio element: The production music, with a heavy focus on jazz piano, is wonderfully unique for the genre, and the voice acting remains top notch. These are banner performances from the likes of Yuichi Nakamura, Kenjiro Tsuda, Takahiro Sakurai, Asami Seto, and Nobunaga Shimazaki, but the performance that defines the Shibuya arc (and by extension the entire season) is Junya Enoki as Yuji Itadori.

Enoki’s been great this year in lead roles in goofy works like KamiKatsu and Girlfriend Girlfriend (not to mention minor roles in Skip and Loafer and the vending machine isekai), so it’s no surprise that he continues to crush it as JJK’s protagonist; Yuji Itadori is a goofy dude. But the Shibuya arc, for as much ground and as many characters as it covers, is ultimately Yuji’s story as he is forced, time and again, to endure the cycle of the “suffering builds character” meme. His peers and mentors in the first season told him repeatedly that the life of a jujutsu sorcerer is a short and unhappy one, and he now has to shoulder that burden for everyone. Enoki nails every single part of a wide spectrum of emotions Yuji is forced to endure over the course of the Shibuya arc, be it determination, naive confusion, or just pure unbridled trauma. If this isn’t the best voice performance of the year, it’s top five at worst.

Like every major battle shonen release in the age of social media, this season has had its detractors. Reviewers at Anime News Network kinda hated the story, but that’s something you take up with Gege Akutami (and get in line behind the manga readers). I've seen people complain about the animation. Which, like. If you don’t like the new visual style, sure, fine, that’s up to personal taste. But if you think this season isn’t well-animated, you just plain don’t know ball. It may not have a cohesive look, but that was the draw for me: Season 1 was good, but at times I felt like it looked a little too rigid, a little too shiny, a little too samey. Season 2, especially the Shibuya arc, looks like everything. Sometimes it looks like an action film, sometimes it looks like Mob Psycho 100, and at points it looks, most crucially, like Akutami’s most iconic panels brought to life, stroke for stroke.

The varying styles weren’t an accident: Nearly each episode had its own director, and those resumes cover top-tier animations like Mob Psycho, Devilman Crybaby, Kill la Kill, Heavenly Delusion, Oshi no Ko, FLCL, even Akira and goddamn Golden Boy. While the episodes don’t look entirely consistent from one to the next, the variance is less jarring and more “holy fuck, what am I going to see next?”. The looser style of animation is what Jujutsu Kaisen always needed; Akutami’s art is very loose and dynamic, and his action panels are borderline inscrutable at times. Season 2 nails the feel of JJK to a degree that its adaptation always needed and lets its directors, storyboarders, and animators run wild. At times, characters will look like they leapt right off the page; others, they will look like something you have never seen before in your life.

It is unfortunately impossible to talk about this season without also bringing up MAPPA’s working conditions, and how animators were frequently overworked against nigh-impossible deadlines. It was an open secret last year as Chainsaw Man aired that MAPPA’s animation schedule was a meat grinder, but that came bubbling to the surface quickly as JJK’s second season aired. Word got out midseason that MAPPA had its animators sign NDAs about their work conditions, but complaints still broke containment and several staffers took to social media to apologize for their work looking incomplete, and some even publicly announced that they are leaving the studio. It is stunning that the finished product looks the way it does under such conditions, and I respect the animators for putting in such incredible work, but something has to give. Several major series suffered from major delays this year, some of which I gave significant praise, but MAPPA is lucky that all of JJK came out on time. I wish I knew what could push them to treat their workers with the dignity and respect (and pay) they deserve, but that’s a conversation that covers much wider ground than just anime.

MAPPA has already announced that the series will continue through the next major arc. While there is quite a bit of it that I would love to see on screen, I can only hope that the animators get to rest. For now, though, we can be proud of what they made under duress, even if some will forever wonder what it would look like if the staff were treated like something a notch above cattle.

1. Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

Fucking hell. This is why I watch anime.

I was curious about this one because a couple major anitubers I watch had reviewed the manga and were effusive in their praise. I knew the anime adaptation was on the way, so I decided to hold off on reading and see what the anime would be like, and with Keiichiro Saito (director of Bocchi the Rock! and key animator for Oshi no Ko’s instantly-iconic OP) at the helm, my excitement was piqued. That guy turned a B-minus 4-koma into an innovative hit comedy, so what can he do with a beloved source material and the backing of a legacy studio like Madhouse?

I've had so much to say about Frieren since the premiere, and I still have so much to say now, but to talk about what I love about this show is to talk about everything about this show. When the first four episodes dropped, I described it as “Mushoku Tensei without the baggage,” and I stand by that. There were multiple points throughout Frieren’s first cour where I'd nearly forgotten that I wasn't watching Mushoku Tensei. Every single element is on point: The animation is fluid and expressive, backdrops are consistently gorgeous, voice performances are quickly memorable, and the music is evocative and instantly iconic. This is, plainly, one of the most beautiful pieces of television I have ever seen on nearly every level, be it visually, sonically, or thematically.

The initial four-episode debut was a masterclass in establishing the setting, building emotional investment into the characters, and slowly but deliberately laying out the premise of the season to come. The titular Frieren is an elf mage who, for a very brief decade of her millennium-long life, lent her skills to an adventuring party to slay the Demon King. Though she helped save the world, she was never one for stuff like adulation or socializing, so she breaks away from the group to continue her hobby of collecting various spells and arcana. She regroups with them after 50 years, having kept in contact with none of them, only to find them older and frailer. The party’s leader, the hero Himmel, passes away shortly thereafter, and Frieren breaks down at his funeral, having realized exactly too late how important he was to her and that she’d never really bothered to get to know him as a person.

Some time later, she’s called by the surviving human member of the party, Heiter, under the guise of translating an old text, but soon realizes that he duped her into helping train the young orphan girl he adopted, Fern, as a mage. Upon Heiter’s death, Frieren and Fern head out together, carrying out odd jobs and retracing Frieren’s steps from the journey that changed her more than she realized. They soon learn from the other surviving member of the party, Eisen, that (ooh) heaven is, in fact, a place on earth, and that Frieren may be able to properly pay Himmel his final respects in person. In order to do so, they must make a trip to the north, past the Demon King’s castle. The story of Beyond Journey’s End is, quite literally, a nostalgia trip.

Frieren's story is one of grief and regret, but also how we can use those emotions as a way of moving forward rather than looking backward. Her history is a long one and her memories seemingly everlasting, but she uses them to pave the road ahead of her rather than let them shackle her to the past. This is best exemplified by Fern herself, as well as the other companion they pick up along the way in Eisen’s former trainee, Stark. Frieren can carry on the legacies of Heiter and Eisen by helping their young wards grow into the capable young adults they’re meant to be, while Himmel’s legacy lives on in the memories of the towns and villages he helped save along Frieren’s new path, and most importantly, in Frieren herself.

The degree to which Himmel truly mattered to Frieren becomes more apparent to her as the story goes on, and it becomes more evident in her actions. Himmel was a gentle, selfless (if self-aggrandizing) man who was every last bit the hero the modern world believes him to be. With every statue of him she cleans, every flower she plants in his name, every core memory that returns to her, we are watching Frieren become more and more like him in real time. You would expect a thousand-year-old woman to be pretty set in her ways, but we see her holding off on old, bad behaviors because of how Himmel would react to them back then. As Fern and Stark grow into young adults, we see her beginning to treat them the same way Himmel treated her. Frieren doesn’t realize it until later in the season, but it’s apparent to us early on that Himmel well and truly loved her, and I feel that it’s dawning on her that she loved him too and didn’t recognize it. That is tragic in and of itself (this show absolutely is a tearjerker at times and I will cop to getting misty-eyed as I write this), but there is something beautiful, well beyond my grasp, in being able to honor the memory and carry out the legacy of a loved one in how you treat those around you. I don’t think anything could have made Himmel prouder.

Frieren herself is a really goddamn good character too (and expertly voiced by Atsumi Tanezaki, best known for voicing Anya Forger in Spy x Family). Though she is portrayed as quiet and uncaring for the early part of the story, it’s been really delightful to watch her open up, and above all, inadvertently reveal that she’s actually just Really Fucking Weird. For as self-assured and put together as she always seems on the surface, it was great to learn that she’s just an enormous slob (she just like me fr), and any outward expressions of smugness or her offbeat sense of humor are always a joy. “Deeply weird person trying to act normal” is always fun, and there’s just something so consistently delightful about seeing someone so typically calm and intelligent get caught in a mimic chest every single time.

I still can’t get over how fucking good this show looks. Beyond Journey’s End features some of the most intricate, loving animation I’ve seen for stuff as simple as someone putting on a jacket. Action scenes are few and far between, but not a single frame is wasted when shit pops off. Not everyone is as detailed as possible at all times, and they don’t need to be, but everyone looks incredible when they do need to. It’s well above my pay grade to accurately say so, but this show could be a lesson in proper animation budgeting. I could go on and on and on, but I’ve written nearly eighteen thousand words about anime, so I’ll wrap it up.

The debut season of Frieren will continue into 2024, and if the quality remains a constant, it could very well be one of the best anime of next year too. It has remained as MyAnimeList’s top-rated anime ever for its entire run, warding off the legion of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood fans. Frieren deserves it. I say with no hyperbole that this is one of the most perfectly realized things I’ve ever seen on television. This is an essential watch for anyone who likes fantasy anime, anime in general, or fantasy in general.

#anime reviews

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shehungthemoon · 1 year ago

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Just dumping my Ina Paha thoughts here. 🙃

First of all I did NOT know it was the 100th episode going into this, so i was very confused watching the montage at the end lol

I also had to click out and make sure I didn't click the wrong episode when the Pilot started playing at the beginning. When I heard Danny's voice on the phone instead of Hesse's I swear I got whiplash

It's filmed so well (bar where they reshot the pilot where Steve gets Danny on the phone instead of a dead dad, in which they literally forgot to put the same filter over the scene to make the stitching coherent) and I absolutely love the camera work they did with the white-room and the video projections. It felt very much a level above normal network television cinematography, especially the parts where Steve's going in and out of the hallucinations.

Steve finally FINALLY killing Wo-Fat was so cathartic, it should have happened ages ago but I'm willing to look past all the dumb ways he survived just to allow this incredible ending to his story.

Ina Paha gave me Kono doing... this. I owe Grace Park my whole life. Pls costuming department put her in hot pink again 💗

yes, it was a Steve episode. but Danny REALLY shone, first as the only resident Actual Detective figuring out what happened to Steve by the tire-tracks, rampaging through the compound steadily and efficiently and knocking people off without a pause, and then in Steve's mind shooting Hesse's kneecaps off?!?!?! That was CRAZY and probably not suppose to be as hot as it was and definitely made me want an ex-mobster AU immediately. Basically I have a competency kink and really like badass!danny shit 😊

Seeing Chin's long hair again made me swoon

My jaw dropped when I saw Jenna! I think it's really interesting that Steve still thinks of her so much, and I was surprised that she showed up in both the actual dreams and the montage. I definitely underestimated how much she impacted Steve's life, it seems, and I hate that we'll never hear him address that and we'll only know about it inadvertently like this.

(hand over the heart for how lori got like. one team shot. poor girlie.)

⭐I took the montage at the end as being flashbacks and memories that Steve was having as he left the compound. Looking at it through that lens certainly makes one unwell.

Obligatory squeal for Adam appearing just to save the day :))) look below to see the love of my life! :)))))) ⬇⬇⬇

Of course, the obligatory mcdanno bullet(s). It writes itself! The way Danny said Steve's name so small and broken when he found him. The way they look at each other on the ground, the pain their faces. I need an official apology statement from Scott and Alex for it. Can we talk about what flashes by during the montage at the end? (IMO it being Steve's memories.) So much Danny.

The first thing is Danny and Steve's first meeting. Jfc. The showrunners milk it SO MUCH and who's complaining

The big, rocking hug. The hands clasping underground. Gracie of course. And then Danny collapsing from the bioweapon, which to be honest I was NOT expecting to see at all--it felt like a genuinely strange choice to include in there and it really ONLY makes sense if you go along with all that being what Steve's remembering. Even then, I was surprised to see it, so basically this is Hawaii Five-Oh making mcdanno gayer than even I was wanting them to be. Steve still thinks about that? From so long ago? Even with so many other close calls in between then and now? Good fucking lord ok then loverboy that's WILD. Canon accepted ig this show is just pure whump.

Danny goes through all of this just days after losing his brother and killing Reyes. JFC can we please address that. I need a 30k introspection fic to let me into this man's mind rn.

The Wo Fat v.s. Steve fight at the end was INCREDIBLE. I would love to give the choreographer's hand a shake, it's some of the best work I've seen on television in a long time. It was impressive for a procedural like this. It was long and physical and you truly didn't know what the outcome was going to be; it everything that their built-up relationship deserved for a conclusion. It also happening with a Steve coming off of hours of torture and drugging was crazy (guess we finally know who would win a PVP if they were both at full strength!). That being said I was really impressed with Wo Fat's capabilities and physical prowess, I was not expecting it to be so even and close to the line. I actually jumped when Steve LIFTED him up into the lighting fixture. We do not talk about Steve's (Alex's???) raw upper-body strength enough.

Anyway. Electricity in the water play. The physicality hell that this gif below is ⬇. Fire extinguishers and loaded needles. Crazy martial arts. Chair and buckets (holy shit did y'all see the force with which Wo Fat SHOT that bucket?????) flying. All's fair. I loved it.

The shot going right through the forehead, clean. I don't know how to put into words why that's so monumental to me but it is.

The mystery bad lady was SO intriguing, I wish we got more from her... How does she know Wo Fat? Why was she entrusted with all that information on him and Steve and especially Doris? Absolutely where did she come from, what was her name? Why did I have a huge huge hot crush on her? All important questions. (Goes to show that h50 CAN give us some more genuine badass, not just there to date someone women characters, just explicitly choose not to. I'm holding out for Ellie to remain platonic so hard right now.)

Almost forgot Danny in that black Hawaiian shirt. Will be whimpering over that image forever. The whole episode I was trying to focus on the underlining betrayal mystery they were laying out but every time my brain started working too hard Scott with his stupid waist and those flower patterns just started flashing into my head

Again, are you seeing this:

I'm unwell and so so happy.

H50 you're a gem when you want to be.

#just a post for me really #h50 #ina paha #i like to imagine that after this danny and steve just curl up in a house with doors locked and shades shut for a week and cry on each othe #steve mcgarrett #mcdanno #hawaii five 0 #i've been going thru h50 chronologically very very slowly for years but have watched p much most of the show on reruns #but god am i so so glad that i just so happened to never catch this one. i'm so glad I watched it when it was suppose to be watched

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starcrossed591 · 1 year ago

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CDrama Year in Review 2023

I'm still very much a CDrama beginner--I just started watching them in the summer of 2022--but since this is the first year I got into them in earnest, I figured I might as well do a year in review a la @dangermousie (whose lists I have found incredibly helpful in deciding which CDramas I really, really need to go back and watch as part of my CDrama education--so thank you!). So, without further adieu, here is my ranking of 2023 CDramas, in order of least enjoyed to most enjoyed*.

(See also: KDrama Year in Review 2023)

*Disclaimer: *not* a measure of objective quality

10. Royal Rumours: This drama was not great? Meng Zi Yi and Jeremy Tsui were fun, but the story started out messy and got messier. For some reason I still finished it, I think because I had a lingering cold and it was all my brain could handle at the time *shrug*

9. Gone with the Rain: I actually really enjoyed this one! The pacing was inconsistent, but Zhang Nan was fun as the irreverent Mo Xi, and we love a grizzled general. Special shout to the teacher who was not actually evil, just a sad lesbian whose gf disappeared on her

8. Love You Seven Times: Intriguing concept, not a strong enough FL to carry it through. The reincarnation stuff really worked for me at first, especially in their first mortal tribulation (as people, not CGI animals), but I got tired of it pretty quickly. I admit, the gifs of Ding Yu Xi as a sexy cat demon *did* pull me back in, but not enough for me to actually finish the thing, alas

7. Destined/Chang Feng Du: Started out really strong, and then stalled out on me. I think I only got up to about episode 22 or so, after their epic desert crossing and new start in a new state--they lost all narrative momentum for me there. I stopped watching and then just...didn't start again. I do, however, remain a big Bai Jing Ting fan, and will be keeping on eye out for whatever he does next

6. Hidden Love: (Contemporary) Age gap romances are hit or miss for me, but Zhao Lu Si absolutely stole/carried the show for me in this one. Although more fun imo when the main couple are in the the will-they-won't-they phase than in the family melodrama after they get together, still the only contemporary CDrama to get me to give it a go this year--and I'm glad I did

5. My Journey to You: Featuring my favorite murder girlies Esther Yu as Yun Wei Shan and Lu Yu Xiao as Shanguan Qian! Gorgeous costumes and sets, sweeping cinematography, and plot that kept me on the edge of my seat. Full disclosure, I have not actually watched the last two episodes because I got busy and then saw weird chatter about them, so I have no comment on the allegedly weird ending

4. Till the End of the Moon: Look, I know the ending wasn't ideal, but for the majority of its run, this drama owned my entire soul. It also introduced me to Bai Lu as Li Su Su, who inspired my first actual tumblr post (that wasn't a reblog) because I was so obsessed with her. And everyone knows that Tantai Jin is the CDrama ML of the year. 10/10, no regrets at letting it take over my life (and the OST my Spotify) from April to May of this year

3. The Story of Kunning Palace: More Bai Lu is always a good thing, and she's extra fun here as the transmigrated former evil empress and totally-over-your-nonsense Xiang Xue Ning here. The reverse haremness of it all totally shows why Bai Lu is the chemistry queen, especially with the princess (Liu Xie Ning) and cranky, morally grey, would-fail-gym-class strategist Xie Wie (Zhang Ling He). So glad this drama made it out of the CDrama vault and didn't languish indefinitely in censorship hell

2. A Journey to Love: Finished this one two days ago as of this writing and am still not normal about it. Ren Ruyi (Liu Shi Shi) and Ning Yuan Zhou (Liu Yu Ning) lead an exceptionally strong ensemble cast in this wuxia that explores the complicated relationships between love, duty, loyalty, loneliness, and companionship. Ruyi and Yuan Zhou are far and away one of my fave OTPs of the year, but just as compelling are the relationships between friends/brothers/fellow assassins Yu Shisan, Yuan Lu (ugh my heart), Qian Zhou, and Sun Lang. This drama definitely has one of the strongest ensemble casts of the year. And the character growth of Yang Ying from little princess abandoned in the cold palace to who she becomes by the end will stick with me for a long time. Plus another 10/10 OST!

1. Lost You Forever S1: I'm not normally a reverse harem girl, but the longing, loss, and hard resolve portrayed to perfection by Yang Zi as Xiao Yao really did it for me here. This whole drama struck an emotional chord for me, and where TTEOTM consumed my soul, LYF took over my heart. Xiao Yao's relationships with her power hungry, overprotective cousin Cang Xuan; hot snake demon Xiang Liu/playboy archery shufu Feng Feng Bei; and perfectly devoted Tushan Jing are all equally compelling to me, and while I may know who she ends up with in the end, who I *think* she should be with changes based on who's on screen at any given time. And A'Nian, my favorite bratty princess who really just needs some strong parenting, holds a special place in my heart. I know we may never get S2, and even if we do, censorship means it probably won't be what the drama makers are capable of, but I'm so glad for this little piece of absolute perfection. And, again, a top notch OST!

Fave Drama: Lost You Forever, by just a hair over A Journey to Love. See above.

Least Fave Drama: Royal Rumours--truly why did I finish this, what was past me thinking

Biggest Disappointment: 2023 is also the year I read Dreamer in the Spring Boudoir, my very first CNovel! But then I didn't even bother checking out its adaptation, Romance of a Twin Flower, because it got rid of everything that made the novel such an addicting read, including a brilliant, strategic, ice cold FL and an ML who actually kind of sucked at the beginning, only to grow on you very, very slowly over time. I'm grateful that the chatter around the drama is what brought the novel to my attention, but other than that, hard pass.

Favorite Male Character: Lots of good ones this year, but I'm gonna go with Cang Xuan (Zhang Wan Yi) from Lost You Forever. The conflict he faces between getting enough power to protect the people he loves the most and that power making him incompatible with those loved ones is so compelling, and his yearning for Xiao Yao even when she's right in front of him is wrenching. Full disclosure, I also just really love the sound of his voice

Favorite Female Character: This could easily have gone to Li Susu (TTEOTM), Xiao Yao (LYF), or Ren Ruyi (AJTL), but I'm gonna go with Bai Lu's Xiang Xue Ning in The Story of Kunning Palace. Something I really loved about this character was just how jaded Xue Ning really was, even in her second go round at life. Yeah, she wants to make amends for the harm done in her previous rise to power, but that has hardly turned her into a good--or even pleasant--person. Instead, she's incredibly skeptical and still plays most things ice cold, especially with her family. As a bonus, we got plenty of Bai Lu's fantastic side eye as she basically had to do high school all over again when she gets called into the palace despite her very best efforts not to be.

Favorite Ship: Ren Ruyi and Yuan Zhao from A Journey to Love have got to be it. They balance each other out so well, and over the course of the drama, learn to communicate effectively with each other whenever they have a problem. They also recognize that not all problems can be solved by ~love~, which makes their relationship even more compelling when they decide to prioritize each other in a way that respects what the other wants from life.

Favorite Secondary Ship: Little princess Yang Ying and Yuan Lu absolutely broke stole my heart in A Journey to Love. Doomed love even more than the main OTP, these two's youthful romance was such much fun to watch, especially as they egged their respective mentors on in their own romance. Yang Ying's recognition that her first love did not have to be her only love is also something I always love to see, even as it broke my heart that (spoiler) she and Yuan Lu never really had a chance at an HEA. Their relationship really exemplified a key theme of this drama: that you should love the people you love while they're still with you because tomorrow is never promised.

Non-2023 Dramas that I Watched: Two non-2023 dramas I watched that deserve a special shout out are Love and Redemption and The Sword and the Brocade. Love and Redemption prepared me to really appreciate the big swings that Till the End of the Moon took, and The Sword and the Brocade went a little way to filling the Story of Ming Lan shaped hole in my heart. The Sword and the Brocade also had absolutely searing critique of the concubine system, even as it featured one of the most genuinely good-hearted FLs I've seen. Would recommend both!

Most Looking Forward To: Yes, I'm a sucker and the censors (not to mention the characters) will probably break my heart, but I'm still crossing my fingers that Lost You Forever S2 will live up to the promise of part one. See above: still a CDrama beginner, have not yet had all the optimism knocked out of me. Sue me.

#CDrama #year in review #Lost You Forever #A Journey to Love #The Story of Kunning Palace #My Journey to You #Hidden Love #Chang Feng Du #Destined CDrama #Till the End of the Moon #Love You Seven Times #Gone with the Rain #Ren Ruyi #Yang Ying #Yuan Lu #Bai Lu #Meta #CDrama Review

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morsesnotes · 1 year ago

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Does anyone else sometimes wonder why Endeavour wasn't a bigger deal? I'm not really complaining because if it was at Sherlock levels that would be too much, but I just think about the first time I saw it. My parents were watching Pylon on Masterpiece Mystery, and it blew my mind. The beautiful cinematography, the music, the characters, the story, and yes even with the stache I could tell Shaun was attractive under there, lol. I kept thinking "How...have I never heard of this before?? This is incredible???"

And that was S6! The consistency it had was seriously impressive for how long it went on, the length of each film, and only having one writer.

Something about it is different from any detective show I've seen before. You can feel the amount of love which went into every part of it, and it often does the opposite of what you'd typically expect.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this but I feel like it deserves more appreciation than it gets, and I hope people will keep discovering it now there won't be any new seasons coming out. I think there's a lot of people who'd love it but have no idea it exists.

#endeavour #itv endeavour #thinking thoughts

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unreal-unearthing · 4 months ago

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I just rewatched Monkey Man for the first time since I saw it in theaters and HOLY SHIT I can’t believe I forgot how fucking good this movie is.

Incredible cinematography and fight choreography. It doesn’t just have killer action scenes, it has real heart and pathos and a strong political message and theme. It has an incredible score (something I, as a music nerd, thinks makes or breaks a movie).

It has Dev Patel looking almost too hot to be believed, bloody and grimy and constant sad wet dog eyes. (Is there any man who can look that good grimy bloody and beaten from a fight AND that handsome in a nice suit?)

It has a funny and heartfelt interlude for a training montage at a hijra temple + hijra warriors kicking ass.

Dev patel love of my life for writing directing and starring in it.

(Anyway be prepared for the onslaught of dev patel and monkey man posting when my queued catches up lol)

#dev patel #monkey man

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08skyguy80 · 1 month ago

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SEASON 7 OF PUPPET HISTORY IS OUT!!

If you haven’t watched it yet, you should go watch it. It’s a super funny and interesting episode, plus we get huge lore drops that I’m going to dive into below!

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This next part is just going to be my analysis rant for the episode because there’s so much I noticed that I want to share my thoughts on.

‼️Warning for spoilers‼️

TW for mentions of drugs, memory loss, god and death/murder.

I just want to start by saying that this episode was literally a cinematic masterpiece. Even with the silly bits of dialogue, the actual lore writing was so good and so was the acting. Plus the actual cinematography? The pan from the Phorgedytol billboard? The lighting and sets? Masterfully done. You can tell so much love and skill go into the making of this show and it’s so amazing to see!

Onto the actual analysis…

I’m in love with how much the lore is being built up and all the new concepts we were introduced to in this episode. Even from the beginning, we can see that something is off with the professor and when we get to the end things start to begin making sense. Starting even at 1:28, we see him losing his memories. I’m going to list some of the example timestamps here, they might not all be true, it might just be me looking into things for some of these but still. Him forgetting the details of the C-Dogs joke at 7:30, him going into how fuzzy the details are at 36:50, and his slip up on what season it is at 43:30. I assume the memory loss is caused by the Phorgedytol (I mean it is quite literally pronounced like forget it all). I tried to find out if the chemical structure we saw on the front of the bottle meant anything, but I wasn’t able to find a match or anything super similar unfortunately (though in fair warning, chemistry has never been my strong suit).

We see a Phorgedytol billboard during the flashback sequence which has a few pieces of possible symbolism I wanted to point out. For one, the image of the horse which could be in reference to horse tranquilizers which usually depict horses in the branding. The two people covering each other's eyes could be seen as symbolism for not facing something, a reason people might choose to take the pills, or as ignorance, people being blind to the truth behind Phorgedytol. This is definitely me hyper analyzing little details, but the actual pill bottle itself has a purple lid which is a trait commonly featured with melatonin bottles. This could possibly refer to the idea that the drug could have sedative-like qualities or a reference to the fact that sedatives have a risk of causing memory loss. Or it was just an aesthetic choice which is the most likely reason but still.

The introduction of Phorgedytol as the Coveted Capsules is also really interesting. The Professor says they’re a corporate sponsor but why would a pharmaceutical company sponsor a history show? Why are they trying to, as the professor says, “flood the public” (36:20). The ending with both Ryan and the Professor taking the pills is also super interesting to me. It would be so cool if them taking the pills makes them forget that they ever took the pills causing a cycle to form of them taking it “for the first time”.

I want to commemorate Shane’s acting, and character design, in his “clandestine meeting” with the professor. He’s so incredibly talented and in this scene specifically it’s crazy to think that the two characters, The fedora-clad mobster looking ex-producer and the fuzzy blue professor, are actually the same person in real life with how unique the two are. Along with that the lighting in this scene was really cool, with the professor being lit from above, which gave the scene an almost interrogation-like feel, and Shane being lit from behind shrouding his character in shadow.

I think it’s really interesting that Shane repetitively calls the professor Connie, which is the same thing he called the hologram version of the professor in season 5 during The Bloody Life of England’s Fastest Surgeon, despite the fact that he’s, supposedly, talking to the real professor. The professor also never corrects him or comments on the name which maybe just means that Concupiscence is his real name, as he is aware that Shane did meet the evil hologram version of himself (40:45). However, at 41:48 we see in the background a banner saying “six nasty seasons”. Maybe “nasty” is a reference to Concupiscence McNasty, the evil hologram, rather than just an adjective. Maybe this means that the evil hologram will be coming back this season? Or possibly already is back???

When flashing back to the present, we see a skull overlay Elmer Walter Williams and the professor for a split second at 42:11, with the skull lining up directly with the professor's eyes. Regardless of which of the two it was meant for, I think it’s an interesting little detail to point out. As he’s returning to reality, the scene flips back and forth from the professor to Elmer distortedly laughing. That on its own might not mean anything but it paired with how he gave the professor and Ryan Phorgedytol, saying it has “no side effects, just operating on a higher plane” (42:33), how he is the one taking care of brand relations (38:40), and how he was “suspiciously eager for work” (38:35-38:56) makes me suspicious of him. Also his specific wording “operating on a higher plane” and “God willing” makes me wonder if maybe God will be coming back? Plus, there was an image of a prism on the retirement door which some say symbolizes a connection to the divine. Then again, prisms also are known to represent a transformation or life, so who’s to say? Below the prism we see the letters ES, which I think could possibly stand for the name of whatever company is running the “retirement” program.

Speaking of, we are introduced to a new character this episode, Dr. Sprat who introduced himself in the flashback scene as someone from the Department of Puppet Safety. At the very end of the episode, we see him taking the triangle through an office-like building, saying he’s here to assist with the other’s retirement (43:50). We quickly find that retirement doesn’t mean there’s an old puppet nursing home, but rather something much more sinister. The triangle saying that “time, space, and the entire universe come unraveled by my volatile existence” (43:59 references back to The Puppet History Holiday Spectacular where God told the puppets that “the professor was inadvertently creating you abominations” and that they had to be killed but their souls had to go somewhere, which happens to be the Wondrium Arena, or purgatory. I really want to see more of a deep dive into E.S. or whatever the “retirement” company is as it’s clearly quite processed with a whole facility and a Retirement Machine that kills puppets with lasers and sends them to purgatory (44:08-44:35). Also the reintroduction of purgatory supports my idea that we’re going to get another God episode or possibly another episode with the devil.

If you made it all the way here thank you for reading!! I’d love to hear your thoughts on the episode and I hope you have an amazing day/night!! ⭐️

Also I’m thinking of adding seasons 3-7 onto the Puppet History Fandom Wiki as it currently only has the first two seasons. Puppet History is digging its furry little paws into me, I can’t escape the jellybeans.

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morose-marble · 13 days ago

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oh my god I just rewatched the last three episodes of Hannibal season 2 in sequence for the first time in years and... I can't believe that despite seeing it many times, enough to have lost count, it still leaves me on a high so potent, it is verbally indescribable

Perfectly paced dramatic escalation of Will and Hannibal's relationship throughout the three episodes, pitch-perfect handling of Will's ambiguous loyalty culminating in genuinely shocking carnage

and like, i remember when Mizumono aired. I remember where I was when I saw it. It was utterly transformative. The precision with which the show articulates the pathos within the sweeping melodrama of the kitchen scene is incredible on every level from the cinematography to the writing and acting

I genuinely don't know what to do with myself, I am beside myself with excitement despite having known every beat

man, i fucking love television

#hannibal #nbc hannibal #mizumono #ko no mono #tome-wan

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mono-blogs-art · 2 months ago

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Mono's Movies of 2024

Quick reviews of all movies I watched in theatres in 2024 - not including movies I saw at festivals, otherwise this'd be insanely long. One of my new years resolutions of last year was to watch 1 movie in the cinema each month, and I'm happy to say I achieved that!

Listed in order of when I watched them.

Anatomie d'une chute (Justine Triet, 2023): 9/10 loved this movie. Crazy to say that the first movie I watched this year was also one of the highlights, really INSANE. I still think they were ROBBED at the Oscars. Justice for Sandra

Poor Things (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2023): I know this movie was a huge success and won Everything but Boy. I did Not Like this movie. It's funny, sometimes, but the satire just did not hit for me and I actually debated walking out of the cinema in the first 40 minutes. Thankfully the second half was much better. But my God. I saw so many people saying they found this empowering, I found it horrifying. Great cinematography though. 4/10.

Smoke Sauna Sisterhood (Anna Hints, 2023): another 9/10 and probably my favourite documentary of this year, I WEPT like crazy. Just openly sobbing. Really beautiful and bone-chillingly intimate. I briefly met the film cast & crew at Sundance and they were lovely, so that was my main motivation to go watch it. I'm glad I did.

The Big Lebowski (Joel Coen, 1998): First rewatch of the list, I went to a legacy special screening and had a White Russian cocktail with it. Just such a good weird movie. A classic 8/10.

Perfect Days (Wim Wenders, 2023): Another movie that I think was robbed at the Oscars - another 9/10 for me and highlight of the year. Such a calm, tender movie about seeing the beauty in the mundane. Fun fact I actually met Mr Wenders at the European Film Awards this year and he seems kinda like a cool bougie old guy.

All of us Strangers (Andrew Haigh, 2023): another movie that made me OPENLY SOB. Somber, heart-breaking but simple tale that's told really interestingly. Heavy stuff but extremely well worth the watch, 8/10.

The Zone of Interest (Jonathan Glazer, 2023): this movie is another 9/10. Insane sound design. The movie will make you nauseous. It's uncomfortable in the way no other Holocaust movie so far has made me. Watch it. especially in the theaters if you ever get the chance. The sound design really deserves good speakers.

May December (Todd Haynes, 2023): I liked it! 7/10 don't have much to say. I think knowing the real story behind it makes it worse though. Every actor in this movie slayed though. Okay Natalie Portman

C'è Ancora Domani (Paola Cortellesi, 2023): another absolute banger 8/10. Musical elements, great dark comedy, INSANE levels of misogyny. A very serious movie, but doesn't take itself too seriously. A fine line that's tough to do. I really loved it.

Love Lies Bleeding (Rose Glass, 2024): Listen. I thought I was gonna watch a hot sexy lesbian action movie with my gf (<3) but THIS MOVIE IS CRAZY. In a very fun way but also in a very gross, violent way. I still liked it but it did kinda traumatize my gf. Not a very sexy cinema experience 6/10.

Lupin the Third - The Castle of Cagliostro (Hayao Miyazaki, 1979): Never seen any of the Lupin movies but this one made me wanna watch them - completely unexpected Banger. Just a really fun spy/detective dramedy. 7/10

Radical (Christopher Zalla, 2023): This movie is SO. GOOD. I didn't expect it to get me this much but I went to see it on recommendation of my gf and we both cried (second time for her). Brother this movie is simple but incredibly charmingly executed. Go watch. 8/10.

Kinds of Kindness (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2024): The second Lanthimos movie on this list and thank fucking God. It was GREAT. I really like the structure, the movie is very long but doesn't feel like it because of the great plot(s). Every short story is stranger than the last and just really well made. 8/10

Paprika (Satoshi Kon, 2006): What can I say this movie is amazing in every way. Another rewatch for me at a special screening after learning a lot about it in animation class. This is a classic and must-watch for anime fans. 9/10

#mono reviews #movies #my stuff #to be edited in case i forgot anything. just purely going off of the cinema tickets I kept in my room. probably forgot like 3 movies

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hannibal-film-school · 1 year ago

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What is cinematography? Hannibal edition

We know Hannibal often gets cited for its beautiful cinematography. But what does that mean, exactly?

If we talk about the cinematography of an episode, we're talking about the decisions that went into making each shot and scene and episode look just right. It's helpful to remember that at its most basic level, film (or television) is just about using some sort of camera equipment to photograph light. And when you do that, there are a ton of variables affecting the way that recorded light is going to look when you play it back.

Hannibal gets it.

Cinematography means: "We've got these amazing actors performing this great story in this scenic location, now how do we light and photograph all this stuff so that it looks exactly the way we want?"

And this is super important, because of course, the way a scene or shot looks is going to deeply affect what it makes us think and feel.

Elements of cinematography:

Lighting

Types of cameras and lenses, and how you use them

Shot distance (how close you place the camera for each shot)

Shot composition (figuring out where to place everything in each shot, including actors)

Use of color, brightness, shadow, contrast (very important in a "dark" show like this)

Camera movement

Camera angles

Depth of focus (do we want to clearly see everything that's in the shot? or do we want to have things in focus and others out of focus? should the focus change during the shot or stay the same?)

So really, when we say that a show has beautiful cinematography, we more or less mean that the way it's shot is beautiful, striking, evocative. We can tell that someone didn't just throw on some basic flat network procedural lighting and shoot from all the conventional angles. They put thought and style into it.

What does a cinematographer actually do?

The cinematographer is also called the director of photography (DP). They work closely with the director, workshopping their vision with them. They're in charge of both the camera crew and the lighting crew, deciding what they should do to make every scene look exactly the way it should. They read the script ahead of time, and they visit sets and locations before shooting to plan how they're going to tackle the look of each scene.

Director of photography might sound like kind of a secondary position, but not really! It's incredibly important. Hannibal had the same cinematographer, James Hawkinson, working on almost every single episode. This isn't always the case in television, so I think we're very lucky that he was such a consistent part of the artistic process.

Hawkinson dropping that DP wisdom in the season 2 DVD extras.

Check out this interview, in which Bryan Fuller explains how when he saw Hawkinson's cinematography in action, he changed his whole approach to writing the series:

Hawkinson’s cinematography helped elevate the network show into one of the most visually exciting series ever produced for any platform. [...] Bryan Fuller and his staff had written five episodes that tried to toe the tricky line between Thomas Harris’ Hannibal Lecter novels and the structured storytelling of a network investigative procedural. “I remember leaving the edit session where we’d seen the first cut [of the pilot] and I was like, ‘We’re doing the wrong show,” said Fuller in an interview with IndieWire. “When I saw David Slade and Jim Hawkinson’s work, and really understood the artful piece that they were able to conjure for what we had, I threw out the scripts.”

I mean, this says a lot, right? Fuller is saying that he completely rewrote the beginning of the first season, in part because Hawkinson's photography on the pilot made him realize they had the chance to reach for something deeper, something more artistic than he'd thought possible.

Gorgeous moody lighting and photography from the very first episode.

With new directors working on the show from week to week, and Hawkinson needing to work closely with each of them, it became part of his job to make sure they were on the right wavelength with show's vision. He talked in this interview about how he would sometimes need to "check" guest directors if their ideas didn't quite fit the Hannibal style:

There's times where I've been asked to do shots that I didn't feel were the show. And as the director of photography, keeping the aesthetics consistent from director to director, I have to protect and justify the aesthetics of the show. So that's kind of a torch that I kind of just bear, whatever director comes in. [...] Say someone has a vision of a dead person and I'll be asked by a guest director to put smoke and backlight. And I'll argue that ... as soon as you do it becomes hokey and it becomes a B-movie and it's cliché. So the horror in Hannibal is more based in some sort of reality. Yes it's heightened but ... there's nothing fantastical about it.

We can see here that Hawkinson knew the visual language of Hannibal inside and out, and he played a key part in keeping it so consistent and distinctive. The show became known for its evocative color palette, thoughtful shot compositions, and use of light and shadow -- all elements of cinematography. And as Hawkinson said, it was always important that the violence and death at the center of the show was photographed artistically, emotionally... even beautifully.

A horror image becomes moving and mysterious through cinematography.

Imagine how different this shot could have felt with a different quality of light. Or if we were looking from a different angle, or distance. Cinematography is all about making sure those elements are perfectly positioned, as much as possible, so that we see the show just the way its creative team hoped we would.

#hannibal #nbc hannibal #hannibal meta

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lesvegas · 5 months ago

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ritchie’s🎃💀 ABCs of Horror Movie Marathon!! 💀🎃

Horror movie challenge prompted by @quintsmachete

Day Fifteen - O is for Old (2021)

I saw the beach that makes you old.

I don't think anyone in their right mind would go into this movie and expect anything good, unless they were completely unaware of the man behind it and hadn't even seen one of the trailers. I knew to expect stupidity, and stupidity is what I got, so I really don't have a right to complain here.

But not enough of my favourite movie critic youtubers have torn this movie a new one, so give me a minute.

This movie has some of the worst acting I've ever seen. The children were borderline jarring to witness after the performances of the child actors in Let The Right One In, but the adults really aren't much better. I'd argue the parents sounded twice as stilted with incredibly unnatural dialogue that had me both laughing and cringing. The family 'drama' also screams of a writing team where not a single member has ever met anyone who knows anyone who's gotten a divorce. As a child of divorce with two younger siblings, I always find poorly written families like this extremely funny.

The cinematography is nothing special, but there were two types of shots that were especially awful and funny. First is what I can only describe as David Cage style camera angles where nothing is really the focus, there's weird zooms and erratic camera movements, and it genuinely feels like a quick time event is about to happen. Second is extremely zoomed in shots behind the child characters' heads to obfuscate the fact that they've aged rapidly despite the fact that we can hear they sound older AND see that they're taller and their anatomy has changed (and that they're different actors now). I genuinely don't understand why Shyamalan thought the audience would find it shocking to see their faces five whole minutes after we were already told that they're older besides to drill it in for anyone not paying attention.

Speaking of aging, it makes no fucking sense. It doesn't have to make a lot of sense, but with a movie like this it's just begging you to fall into one of the numerous stupid plot holes instead of suspending your disbelief. Everyone ages rapidly but the adults barely change the entire time, particularly the black characters don't change at all, no one's hair or nails grow 'because they're dead cells', bodies decay almost instantly, a baby is born (I'll get to that.) but dies instantly from not receiving enough attention, somehow the cliffs surrounding the beach are rapidly aging everyone via magnets or some shit and trying to leave the beach makes everyone black out but they're just fine walking into it? I know there's more plot holes because I was questioning the movie at least once every five minutes but I didn't take notes and I'm not gonna rewatch it.

I should actually talk about the horror in this movie. There are a few elements that genuinely feel uncomfortable, but not all of them felt like good horror. The few elements that work are inherent to the premise; things even Shyamalan couldn't fuck up when adapting the original graphic novel. Some of the symptoms of rapid aging, like the exacerbation of disorders and impending death, were... occasionally handled well. But half the time, it just felt absurd, and absurdly dark to the point where it was just funny. Or really, really uncomfortable.

Okay. In Shyamalan's defence, two of the kids making a baby is in the source material. The girl going through all stages of pregnancy in like, an hour, is also in the source material. But that doesn't make it any less fucking weird and uncomfortable, and not even in a horror movie way. These kids were six years old about fifteen minutes of screen time ago, them even knowing that much about sex at all is kinda odd but everything that follows is just. I could've gone without ever seeing this shit if I'm being honest. And all that discomfort is almost immediately followed by the baby just, like, dying (it does not die in the novel). And it's wrapped in a blanket and just a bit later when it's moved we just hear bones rattling and ashes trickling out of the folds of the blanket, like... I feel bad, but I laughed. A lot. It's so fucking stupidly dark I couldn't even react any other way. There isn't even anything to mourn; we don't see the baby and I refuse to believe anyone watching this felt anything for any of the characters.

This movie is weird and gross and bad. And funny at times, but mostly bad. There's a twist ending that I saw coming a mile away because it feels like something Bethesda would write. What can I even say about it? It's stupid, polarizing, and as far as I can tell draws no inspiration from the source material whatsoever. It's also just the cherry on top of a fat fucking sundae of plot holes and shit that makes no fucking sense. I have more questions about the twist ending itself than the rest of the movie. I could ask them here but I don't think anyone actually reads these reviews besides one or two of my friends and it's 2:32am and I'm hungry.

I was gonna give this one dead baby out of five, but that seems a little too edgy even for me. And I don't think there's an emoji that can accurately depict a dead baby, so. Uh. This gets one age-inducing beach out of five I guess. 🏖️🗌🗌🗌🗌

Stupid fucking goddamn movie forreal. How the hell did Joe Rogan and Ben Shapiro even figure out how to get out of there by the way.

#abcs of horror 2024

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a-fragile-little-teacup · 2 years ago

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i wanna talk about the bear

THIS IS MY OPINION! THIS IS NOT ME CLAIMING THIS AS FACT OR DIRECTLY ACCUSSING ANYONE OF SHIT! IF YOUR INSTINCT IS TO INSULT ME BECAUSE OUR OPINIONS DON'T LINE UP, THEN I WOULD ADVISE THAT YOU JUST SCROLL AWAY! I AM OPEN TO DISCUSSION, NOT BULLYING.

Hi.

So.

I love The Bear. I think it's a great show with interesting characters and well done directing and cinematography. It's great.

However, that doesn't mean that I have no critiques. And there is one that I feel a need to mention on the internet.

I am very worried about how the show is portraying Claire.

When the newest season came out and I started seeing some... interesting things being said/made about Claire, I assumed it was the fans getting a little defensive. That commonly happens when a show introduces a female romantic interest. To put it simply, I didn't think that it was something being pushed by the show's creators.

I was wrong.

First of all, let's talk about Claire and what I've seen said about her.

She was introduced this season as a love interest for Carmy. Interesting plotline for this show to explore, honestly.

Once the newest season came out, I saw a scary amount of viewers either pushing for the show to simply be pitting Clarie against Syd or they were blaming Claire for Carmy's actions.

two women of similar ages can exist in connection to a male character without them needing to fight over that male character. It dismisses a lot of both Syd and Claire's characters to only see them as being romantically tied to Carmy.

Carmy is responsible for his actions. Don't let his status as a pretty white boy distract from the fact that he's really kinda shitty as a person. He's unreliable and commonly dismisses a lot of accountability. It is not Claire's fault that Carmy didn't show up when he needed to.

I truly thought that this was just the fanbase, so I wasn't going to talk about it. I don't really enjoy being part of fandom culture at all. It is not usually great for my mental health. The cost of my well-being is almost never worth whatever I get as a result of being in that world.

However, I think the creative team on The Bear played a major role in the opinion forming around Claire, even if it wasn't intentional (which I obviously can't prove either way).

And I wanna explain why I think this is happening.

Carmy name drops her a lot. Especially when discussing the restaurant and the menu, he will push her name all the time. This is often around Syd because Syd's his business partner. This helped form an association.

Claire came up with a lot of ideas for what the two of them did. This made it easier for people to claim that she was forcing him away from the restaurant but I'm going to argue (a) that she didn't know all of the details around the restaurant's opening for most of the season and (b) that it was Carmy's responsibility to say no or explain that he was busy. If he hadn't said anything at all and was simply dragged around, then that would be one thing, but I don't personally believe that's what was shown throughout the season.

The panic attack scene in the last episode. Claire is shown in tandem with Carmy's family, which is largely seen as a source for Carmy's anxiety and panic attacks before it cuts to Syd seeming to be the reason that he calms down. This was such a wild fucking thing to throw in during the last episode. I don't know what the true intention behind this scene was, but I don't think it played as well as it could have.

I don't give a singular shit about who you ship with who or what you want to happen in the next season. That's not what this post is about.

Regardless of any of that, it is not fair to make Claire into this twisted almost-villain when she simply isn't one. She was described incredibly kindly by every character that talked about her (Richie, Michael, Carmy, Sugar, Fak).

She clearly has a personality beyond Carmy, which doesn't always happen when writing a female romantic interest (a discussion that I could write a whole separate post about and tie back to The Bear).

The way her character has been treated is worrying and if she is to return for season 3, then I'm equally as worried about how the writers will treat her.

#the bear #hulu #the bear fx #carmy berzatto #syd adamu #claire the bear #molly gordon #jeremy allen white #ayo edebiri #sydney adamu

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ineffableandco · 2 years ago

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✨Good Omens 2 Review✨

There’s so much to say I don’t really know where to start. After watching it I feel utterly and deeply satisfied. I expected this season to be great and I’m not disappointed. It goes beyond my wildest dreams. It’s just perfect. The cinematography, the music, the acting, the writing, everything is just top class. There’s drama, comedy, epic and it all blends in together very harmoniously to create a brilliant piece of television.

I remember being super excited when S2 was announced and when we got the first on set photos but it was nothing compared to the immense joy I felt when I saw my favourite angel and demon back on my screen. It was like meeting up with friends after a long time, it felt just right, like coming home.

I really love how vibrant the colours are this season, I find it extremely pleasing aesthetically speaking. I love that we get to see more of street where the bookshop is and simply more of the bookshop itself. And I’m sure there’s more to reveal. A round of applause for the people who worked hard to build all the various locations in a studio!

Regarding the story itself, I love how it is written and how it unfolds. It is very much about Crowley and Aziraphale but the other characters really have the opportunity to shine no matter the amount of screen time they have. One of my favourite things about S1 was the cold open in episode 3 so I’m thrilled that we get that in S2 with the minisodes. They were brilliant so a big shoutout to the talented people who wrote them!

Now about the characters, can we talk about how fucking amazing they are? I’ll start with Miranda Richardson’s Shax. I LOVE her, a perfect mix of comedy and badass. It’s in tune with Madame Tracy, her character from S1, despite them being two different characters.

In the “returning actor, different character” category Nina and Maggie are just fabulous, I just love them. I really love the wonderful dynamic the characters and actresses have.

As for the new characters, especially Mrs. Sandwich, Mr. Brown, and Pat, they may not have had that much screen time but they were just brilliant and really funny. Still in the new characters category, I am very fond of Muriel and Saraqael. Muriel because they’re the sweetest cupcake ever and Saraqael because the sass is incredible. So a big shoutout to these two wonderful actresses! And also a big shoutout to Shelley Conn for nailing the role of Beelzebub.

Now Crowley and Aziraphale, I didn’t think I could love those two idiots more than I already do but obviously I was wrong. And if anyone needed any more evidence that David Tennant and Michael Sheen are perfect for the roles then they should watch S2. I love how noticeable yet still subtle the changes in the characters and their relationship are. It’s just a natural progression. David and Michael already had incredible chemistry in S1 but in S2 it’s even more remarkable. Their off-screen friendship shines through and greatly contributes to making the connection between their characters even more genuine and believable. (I’ll write more about them/my theories later).

Now I’d like to quickly talk about two of my favourite things this season: the opening scene and episode 3.

That opening scene was everything. I didn’t expect to see Angel Crowley but what a delightful surprise! I cried because he’s just gorgeous and innocent. The pure delight and excitement he feels about creating stars is just so precious. I’m glad we got to see it and I really hope we’ll get to see more eventually.

Now episode 3 was just hilarious. The bits in Edinburgh had me in stitches. I’m beyond thrilled that David Tennant got to use his Scottish accent, it was music to my ears. And Crowley was just peak comedy. One of my favourite little details in that episode is the change in the telephone wallpaper, switching from the Union Jack to the Scottish flag. I see what you did there 👀🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Overall, my mind is blown and my heart is half in pieces and half holding on as best as it can. This new season is a little gem. I laughed and I cried but overall my heart was filled with joy because I got to see my favourite characters again. I wasn’t worried about what this new season would be like but I’m still really pleased to see that it’s Good Omens at heart. And I’m sure Terry would love it. It is truly a labour of love. Made by people who love the story and characters for people who love them just as equally. But also people who love their craft and love to share it with people who are just as eager as them. There are so many details that are so meaningful. And the Easter eggs, I spotted a few of them and I know there are more for me to discover. I also want to give a big shoutout to the costume department who made the wonderful costumes they are truly marvellous. A round of applause to Peter Anderson Studios for their wonderful designs. And also a special mention to David Arnold and his team for the delightful music. The theme variation for the end titles of episode 3 have special place in my heart. Bless me bagpipes it was glorious!

And finally a heartfelt thank you from the bottom of my heart to the wonderful people who made it all happen. Lots of love and gratitude from me. ♥️

@goodomensonprime @neil-gaiman

#good omens #good omens 2 #david tennant #michael sheen #crowley #aziraphale #neil gaiman #terry pratchett #it’s ineffable angel #gos2 spoilers

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shiveringsoldier · 2 years ago

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I wrote an 1100-word review/essay about Dunkirk (2017) on a whim. Please enjoy.

-All we did is survive.

-That’s enough.

I don’t know if I can truly articulate just how much I adore this film, but I’ll try.

I’ll start with the tone. The tension is palpable from the first frame to the last. Even in the seemingly calm moments, the unease remains. Something seems off, or you sense the possibility that at any moment things can go horribly wrong. One can only sustain a suspenseful tone for so long, and Dunkirk is the perfect length for it.

The score and sound design do a lot to maintain that tone. The first two or three times I saw this film, I quite literally jumped at the first round of gunfire. The scream of the Stukas is terrifying, and the screams of soldiers under attack are jarring. Even when things are quiet, sound is a dead giveaway for things to come, whether it’s the barely perceptible rustle of an oncoming torpedo or trickles of water escalating to a flooded ship. The score is more about mood than melody. The use of tritones and the Shepard tone illusion add to the unease and tension, and the momentary triumph in the score as the little ships arrive feels so incredibly earned. This even continues through the end credits, with the score beginning with the more triumphant music and ending with Shivering Soldier’s leitmotif.

The cinematography is immaculate, from the aerial shots to the close-ups to the lighting to the blue and yellow color palette. I like the different timelines and the way they all come together for the climax and resolution. Everyone in the cast delivers a top-notch performance. And the minimal dialogue is so realistic. I love that there are no eloquent speeches or monologues. I love that we hear Churchill’s speech not through Churchill’s mouth but through a monotone reading from an exhausted Tommy. Collins and Farrier only communicate in compliance with RAF protocol. The communication among Tommy, Gibson, and Alex is largely nonverbal, mostly through glances and nods. The most verbal characters (Mr. Dawson, Peter, and George) are the ones who have known each other the longest. The first time I watched Dunkirk, I don’t think I noticed that Gibson hadn’t said anything until Alex pointed it out, but I guess that goes to show the effectiveness of the minimal dialogue.

A common criticism of the film, at least in 2017, is that the characters are poorly defined. I have never shared that issue. Despite the lack of extensive backstory – and, in some cases, the lack of names – for everyone except the Dawsons and George, I found myself deeply invested in every character the first time I saw this film back in July 2017, and I have found myself becoming even more invested over time. One video essay I saw says the characters in the film are defined by their actions, and I think that’s a very accurate assessment. We see that Gibson is resourceful. Collins is not as experienced as Farrier. Farrier’s stoic veneer occasionally cracks. Shivering Soldier appears to have been confident and practical prior to his traumatic event. Commander Bolton is calm and authoritative. Colonel Winnant keeps his composure despite his growing stress and despair. Tommy is aware of his surroundings. Alex is prone to paranoia and low self-esteem. Plus every character is driven by the inherently human need to survive and/or to help others. All of this is more than enough to get me invested.

Speaking of help, this film is filled with small but impactful moments of kindness. Tommy helps Gibson bury a body, and Gibson offers him water once the deed is done. Civilians offer food, tea, blankets, life jackets, and words of encouragement to weary soldiers. Soldiers treat dead bodies floating in the water with deference. Collins greets Peter with “Afternoon” after Peter rescues him. Mr. Dawson’s first action after rescuing Shivering Soldier is to ask him his name. Peter later lies to that same soldier to protect his feelings. No one can do anything to make this horrible situation go away, but everyone does what little they can to make the situation a little more bearable.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t talk at some length about Shivering Soldier, my favorite character from this film and one of my favorite characters period. He had my heart from the moment I saw him crouched atop the hull of the sunken ship, and my love for him has only grown over time. He doesn’t get a name, but he does get his own track in the score. We have only a vague idea of the trauma he’s experienced, but the flashback scene tells us it must have been something truly horrific. I’ve heard a couple of people say they didn’t even realize it was the same character at first. It is horrifying to think about his journey from escape to near death to rescue only to be forced to return to the hell from which he so desperately needs to escape. And as someone who survived multiple traumatic events in a span of about 13 months, I find myself relating almost uncomfortably to him.

I can’t speak highly enough about Cillian Murphy’s performance. He may not have terribly many lines, but he tells you everything with his eyes and his body language and the way he retreats into himself and recoils at the slightest provocation. I love that his panic builds up gradually rather than all at once. You know that it’s only a matter of time before he reaches his breaking point, and there’s nothing you can do but watch. And despite his inadvertent killing of George, I adore how sympathetic the film is to him. Mr. Dawson is so kind to him and tells George (and the audience by extension) that the soldier is traumatized, not cowardly. When Peter lies to the soldier and says George will be okay, Mr. Dawson nods approvingly. And when Mr. Dawson notices him trembling after the last-ditch Stuka attack, he helps him up and gives him a comforting pat on the shoulder. I don’t know, it’s just refreshing and comforting to see a traumatized character portrayed with such humanity and treated with such compassion.

This film is about a catastrophic defeat and people trapped in this hell when attempt after attempt to escape ends in disaster, but there is kindness to be found even in these horrible circumstances. And I just find that moving. And that’s why, despite the endless anxiety this film gives me, I consider it a comfort movie. I will never tire of it.

#Dunkirk #Dunkirk 2017 #.txt #*#dunkirkposting

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