#outstanding stunt performance

[mrs-mandalorian]

[justthemis124]

My opinion on "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez story" PART II

Hello everyone! I'm back for the second part of my opinion on the show "Monsters". If you haven't read the first part, go check it out right here :)

III. THE PORTRAYAL OF THE PARENTS

If I previously talked about the brothers’ portrayal in part 1, I also have a LOT of things to say about how the parents were portrayed.

Like I mentioned in part 1, I do believe that Ryan Murphy produced the show with the idea in mind that Erik and Lyle were liars. So, ultimately, it wasn’t that surprising to see that José and Kitty (in my opinion) weren't exactly portrayed as the monsters they truly were.

First things first, I would like to address the very last scene of the show, when they are on the boat shark fishing. In all honesty, I really did not understand that scene and the reasoning behind putting it at the very end. The feeling that I got when this scene came on was that, somehow the show was trying to depict José and Kitty as a nice couple that was trying to overcome their past difficulties, a depiction that I, obviously, absolutely hate. In my mind, it was just so weird to put that one scene at the end, after everything. You know what they've done, who they really are, and still there is that clip of them as a happy married couple spending the afternoon on a boat. If anyone has any insight or an opinion on that scene please don't hesitate to leave a comment!

Now there is one main episode where we get to see a lot of José and Kitty, and that's episode 7 when Kitty is seeing a therapist. She proceeds to talk about how Erik and Lyle scare her and don't care about her at all. In my opinion, this is just a sickening stunt of Ryan Murphy to try and get us to have empathy towards the parents. And I truly felt that this specific episode was just full of moments like this, moments that depict Erik and Lyle as spoiled kids, undeserving of what they have and not appreciative towards the parents. While Kitty and José are shown as parents trying their best, giving their kids everything they ask for, but ultimately powerless against the anger and ungratefulness that their children hold against them. No need for me to explain how such a representation of literal child m*lesters is extremely dangerous.

In that episode we also learn that, apparently, José was also m*lested by his parents when he was a child. Now I did some research on that because I was quite shocked to hear that in the show, because I don't remember hearing that anywhere. Now I wasn't able to find anything, so if anyone has any informations on that please leave a comment! Because here's the thing, my fear is that RM might have lied about this part to try and justify the abuse that Erik and Lyle suffered from José, which, if that's the case, I genuinely have no words to describes how vile, sick and straight up psychopathic it is. So again if anyone has any information about that, please leave a comment!

IV. THE ACTORS' PERFORMANCES

Having said everything that I said up until now, I wanted to dedicate a part to the actors' performance and all the work that they put into it.

I mentioned at the end of the first part, that all this criticism was directed at Ryan Murphy and not at the actors, because at the end of the day, actors have to follow a script and do the best they can with the instructions that they've been given. So If we forget for a second everything that's wrong with this show, I think it's important to salute the incredible performances that Cooper Koch (Erik Menendez) and Nicholas Alexander Chavez (Lyle Menendez) gave us. As we've seen before, yes, the portrayal of Lyle was not accurate at all and quite defamatory, but still as an actor, Nicholas did an amazing job. Especially during the trials scene, when he is taking the stand, that seems to be the only accurate thing they got of Lyle.

Of course I have to mention episode 5, where Cooper Koch delivered an outstanding and heartbreaking performance in a 35 minutes monologue in one single take. It almost brought me to tears, and for me this is one of the few scenes that does the brothers justice. I also have to mention Cooper Koch's involvement with the actual case, you all probably know this by now but he went to visit Erik Menendez in prison, he said that they had a long conversation, that they hugged and Cooper told him that he was standing with them (Erik and Lyle) and that he believed them. He also told Erik that he did everything he could to try and portray him as best as possible. And I'm so happy that at least one person of the project actually understood what it truly meant to do this show.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, I can only express disappointment and disgust towards this show. I was really pumped at its announcement and couldn't wait to see it. Because for me, the name "monsters" was obviously directed towards the parents, but then I saw that it was actually for the brothers and I really couldn't believe it. And no amount of billboards trying to turn this around with "are they monsters?" can make up for anything (see below).

As you all probably know by now, a Netflix documentary about the brothers and their perspective is coming out on Monday 7th October, and after that show I am glad Netflix gave them a chance to express themselves.

Alright guys that was it for my opinion on the show, I hope you liked it! Again if there is anything you disagree with or if you'd like to add something, another point of view or another insight please do and leave a comment! Thanks to everyone who read this post all the way to the end!

See you in the next post!

FREE THE MENENDEZ BROTHERS

[bonzosbunker]

I’ve been getting a lot of love for The Scareiff recently, so I wrote down a lot of lore and ideas n’ stuff for you all.

HIS STORY:

The Scareiff was outstanding in his field of entertainment, enough so that he was the star of his own show. His show was called “Scareiff’s Saloon” which combined family fun with crazy spaghetti western action! The show was a hit, and he had plenty of fans. But then everything changed when someone, thought to have been a fan of his, got too close to him. His show and him started going downhill. He started messing up his parts, he made bad PR for himself, and he became a total mess. Shortly after C. Rook came into the picture, he was booted from Cathode Entertainment and his show was cancelled. Nobody knows where he is now. But he’s somewhere out in that desert, hoping an opportunity will come by where he can prove his worth again.

THE BATTLE:

They didn’t call him a sheriff for nothing. He was an expert with a pistol, and he performed all of his stunts. This expertise in the art of combat is why you most certainly need the Shadow Mantle. With such, you’ll be able to effortlessly deflect his shimmering bullets. Then you can find his whereabouts in Dreamy Desert, inside of a place called Ghost Town. Pacifying him grants you the Gleam Badge, a badge made out of pure hope.

Taking the more aggressive route makes The Scareiff impossible to find in Ghost Town. Instead he will try to hunt you down. He hopes that by turning in The Fun Gang to Tenna that that’ll get him his show back. As soon as you find the Shadow Mantle, he ambushes you. The battle with him is significantly harder in this route, even with the mantle aiding you. If you manage to strike him down, he still refuses to give up, as if his unwavering hopes are what’s keeping him going. It is this overwhelming hope that begins to turn him into a mess of TV static, withering him down until there is nothing left but his Shadow Crystal. In the process, he drops his gilded Fire-Arm, something you can equip to Toriel.

THEMES:

- Ghost Town

- Music that plays upon finding The Scareiff’s hideout

- Standoff

- Song that plays when The Scareiff is encountered

- DARN SHOOT’N

- Pacifist/Normal Route battle theme

- SERVIN’ JUSTICE

- Aggressive Route battle theme

- Cancelled

- Post-Agressive Route battle scene

QUOTE EXAMPLES:

* Y- Y’ALL’VE NEVER’RE SEEN MY SHOW BEFORE… ?

* WELL THAT’RE BE A DARN SHAME. Y’ALL’RE MISS’N OUT!

* Y’THINK’N SOME RAGGEDY OL’ CAPE’S GUNNA STOP ME???

* YOU SHOULD’VE STUCK’T TO YER’ GUNS INSTEAD!

* WELL I GOT MY OWN HOPE’S N’ DREAM’S TOO Y’KNOW!

* SO IT’D BE GREAT IF Y’ALL’D JUST’T. LET. ME. WIN.

OTHER THOUGHTS AND IDEAS:

- The Scareiff’s unwavering hope and refusal to back down in the Aggressive Route is meant to reflect the fight with Undyne the Undying.

- Continuing the theme of all the secret bosses being “trapped” in some way. Despite all of The Scareiff’s hopes, he is never able to overcome that feeling and return to normalcy. But he does try his best, and comes considerably closer than any of the other secret bosses in my lore for the game.

- There is no “friend” inside of The Scareiff. There’s only hope and straw in there. However, if you’ve been looking at any of my past posts, there still is a “friend” in my take on Chapter 3.

- The Scareiff rode a horse at one point that left him a long time ago. He misses him, but he does have a cool stick horse now!

- The Scareiff knows about the other secret bosses, much like how Spamton knows Jevil. He thinks the rest of them are a bunch of weirdos and suckers. He especially doesn’t like Spamton, who he thinks is lousy and incapable of doing anything for himself.

[namjhyun]

DRAMA REVIEW | Lovely Runner (2024)

Lovely Runner it's undoubtedly one of the best dramas of 2024.

It has all the elements that make a drama a mega hit: comedy, romance, time travel, well written characters (both leads and supporting ones) and an engaging plot line that never bores you. Starring Kim Hye Yoon and Byeon Woo Seok, adapted from the web novel The Best of Tomorrow by screenwriter Lee Shi Eun and directed by Yoon Jong Ho and Kim Tae Yub, the Lovely Runner team achieved a perfect execution in front and behind the camera.

I think the true star of this drama it's the writing and on this I can't commend Lee Si Eun enough. I had already seen her potential in dramas like True Beauty but here she really manages to shine through a well crafted, smart and cohesive story with no loose ends. I'm incredibly impressed by her talent.

The writing was perfectly complemented by the directors's outstanding work in leading a film crew that was on every detail of each part of the story, in each timeline, never missing a beat. Always delivering their A+++ game. But there was also great work done from the directors part in helping the actors get the comedic timing exactly right, the more emotional scenes to deliver and the team work among cast and crew to be flawless.

Lovely Runner might be a big hit now, but it's actually a sleeper hit. The lack of promotion this drama had was embarrassing and if it wasn't for the devoted fans, studio executives would have never realized they had a gem in their hands. So, it's not only a great drama with a super fandom that really fought for this story, it's also becoming yet another prime example in the list of films and tv that achieved all of it by themselves because artists delivered nothing short of excellence.

On this point I can't ignore the incredible performances given by the entire cast. Kim Hye Yoon and Byeon Woo Seok are definitely the standouts, they stole the show, this is their story and the actors chemistry it's electrifying. But the way supportive actors would show up in a scene and push the story forward in a coherent way and even make it better, it's wild to me. The chemistry this cast had it's a rare feat for an ensamble cast and how they managed to transition seamlessly through different phases of their characters's lives and relationships when events, in each timeline, were changing because of the things our leads did they still remain truthful. So, not only the leads are well developed in this drama but also every single character that shows up, no matter how small the role is.

The best example of this it's actor Heo Hyeong-Gyu who has been working for sixteen years, playing very minor characters, finally having a breakthrough in the industry because of his role in this drama. And while his presence was prominent and important to the story, he barely had lines. So his entire performance is mainly based on micro-expressions or physical stunts.

I also fully expect the actors like Song Geon-Hee, Lee Seung-Hyub, Song Ji-Ho or Seo Hye-won to receive a lot of what korean entertainment industry calls "love calls" aka commercials, dramas and films, among other things.

Experiencing watching Lovely Runner alongside the fandom, waiting every week for a new episode, it's a big part of what made this drama so good. Healthy and good loving fun people, clowning, poking fun at our faves and crying at heartbreak. It's been a long time since I have been able to engage in this way with other fans and I am thankful for them, the cast and crew for all these amazing weeks of fun.

Rating: 10/10

[kevinsreviewcatalogue]

Review: The Crow (1994)

A remake of The Crow just came out last weekend. I heard it sucked, so I decided to go back and watch the original instead.

The Crow (1994)

Rated R for a great amount of strong violence and language, and for drug use and some sexuality

<Originally posted at https://kevinsreviewcatalogue.blogspot.com/2024/08/review-crow-1994.html>

Score: 4 out of 5

Stop me if you've heard this one: exactly one year after they did something horrible, a group of hoodlums are stalked and murdered by a ruthless, seemingly supernatural killer who happens to look a lot like the man whose death they were responsible for. It's a setup for a slasher movie in the vein of Prom Night or I Know What You Did Last Summer, a mood that this film definitely tilts towards in how it frames its killer, but make no mistake: The Crow is not a slasher movie, and the killer is not a villain. Rather, Eric Draven is framed as a gothic superhero, somebody who makes Batman look like Superman, a fact that, together with its stunning style, an outstanding performance from Brandon Lee that would've made him a star under better circumstances, and the real-life on-set tragedy that made its production notorious, has made this film an enduring classic among generations of goth kids, horror fans, and superhero fans. It's a movie that's pure style over substance, but one where that style is so much fun to watch, and the substance just enough to hold it up, that I barely noticed the thinly-written supporting cast or the many moments where it was clear that they were working around Lee's death trying to get the film in a releasable state. Thirty years later, The Crow is a film that's simultaneously of its time but also timeless, and simply a rock-solid action thriller on top of it.

Set in Detroit, where the weak are killed and eaten (the film barely mentions the setting, but the comic it's based on makes it explicit), the film starts on Devil's Night where a young couple, the musician Eric Draven and his fiancé Shelly Webster, are brutally murdered in their apartment by a gang of criminals, who we later learn targeted them because Shelly was involved in community activism to prevent evictions in a neighborhood controlled by the ruthless crime lord Top Dollar. However, according to legend, the souls of the dead are taken to the afterlife by a crow, and if somebody died in an especially tragic way that they didn't deserve, then that crow can resurrect them to give them a chance to set things right. This is what happens to Eric exactly one year later, causing him to set out to take his revenge on his and Shelly's killers and protect those who they continue to menace.

A huge component of this film's mystique to this day revolves around Brandon Lee, and how it was intended as his big star vehicle that likely would've been his ticket to the A-list if not the fact that, thanks to its chaotic production and the crew's lackadaisical attitude towards safety, he wound up suffering a fatal accident on set with a prop gun that turned out to have not been as safe as the crew thought it was. (Chad Stahelski, who went on to direct the John Wick movies, was one of Lee's stunt doubles here, and now you know why production on the John Wick movies never uses real guns on set.) The tragedy alone would've given Lee an aura comparable to River Phoenix (who was also considered for the part), Heath Ledger, Paul Walker, or Chadwick Boseman, especially given how his father, martial arts legend Bruce Lee, also died young, but the truth is, watching him as Eric Draven, this really was the kind of star-in-the-making performance that makes you mourn the lost potential almost as much as the man himself. Lee walks a fine line here between playing an unstoppable killer who's framed as almost a horror monster on one hand and still making him sympathetic, charismatic, and attractive on the other, the result feeling like a man with a hole in his heart fueled by rage at what he lost who seems to be straight-up enjoying his revenge at times, especially with some of his one-liners. Had he lived, I could easily imagine Lee having had the career as an action hero that Keanu Reeves ultimately did, such was the strength of his performance in this one film. He kicks as much ass as you'd expect, especially given that he also handled much of the fight choreography and took every opportunity in the action scenes to show off how he was very much Bruce Lee's son, but he also brings a strange warmth to the character such that I didn't just wanna see him kick ass and take names, I wanted to see him win.

That strange warmth is ultimately the film's secret weapon. Its dark aesthetics and tone and grisly violence go hand-in-hand with a story about loving life, because this is the one life we have to live and it could easily be taken away from us. Gothic it may be, but nihilistic it is not. Eric may look like a horror movie monster, but he is still a hero, a man who goes out of his way to help and protect the innocent and redirect those who are on the wrong path just as he goes after the unrepentant bastards who bring misery to the community. He felt more like a proper superhero than a lot of examples from movies in the last ten years, which seem more interested in the "super" part of the equation and the awesome fight scenes it enables than the "hero" part. There's a reason the tagline on the poster is "Believe in Angels," and not "Vengeance is Coming" or something along those lines. At its core, this is a movie about getting a second chance to set things right, one in which the things that have to be set right just so happen to involve a lot of righteous violence, and by the time the credits rolled, I felt oddly uplifted having seen it. Not exactly the feeling you expect to have when you watch a film with this one's reputation!

The villains here are mostly one-note caricatures, working largely in the context of the film as a whole and because of the actors playing them. Top Dollar is a cartoonish, if charismatic, madman who wants to burn down the city just for the hell of it, his half-sister/incestuous lover Myca is a sadistic vamp who cuts out women's eyes, and his assorted goons all constantly behave in ghoulish ways so that you don't feel bad when Eric kills them. Ernie Hudson's character, the police officer Albrecht, exists largely to serve as a stand-in for the audience learning who and what Eric is. They work less as characters than as part of the fabric of the world that this movie builds, a version of Detroit that resembles a mix of Gotham City out of Tim Burton's Batman and something close to a post-apocalyptic wasteland. It's a city where the streets are winding, decrepit, shrouded in darkness, and all too often devoid of people, as though everybody moved out to the suburbs a long time ago, with the only centers of activity being nightclubs, bars, and pawn shops that are all run by gangsters. Between this and Dark City, it definitely feels like director Alex Proyas has a thing for this style of urban noir setting taken all the way into the realm of the utterly fantastical, and he makes the city feel... well, "alive" isn't the right word given that it's depicted as a place that's falling to pieces, but definitely a character in its own right. He does a lot to build this film's mood, staging much of it like a horror movie whether it's in the scenes of Eric stalking his prey or the action scenes where an unstoppable supernatural killer shrugs off everything that gets thrown at him like Jason Voorhees, and it works wonders in making for a very unique take on the superhero genre, especially thirty years later when the genre has come to be associated with blockbuster action. The soundtrack, too, does wonders to set the mood, loaded with '80s goth rock and '90s alternative that pairs well with Eric Draven's backstory as a rock star (especially when paired with the scenes of him playing guitar on the roof in the dead of night) and which I imagine turned a lot of young Gen-Xers into fans of The Cure. That kind of music might be a cliché today, but there's a reason it endures.

The Bottom Line

Skip the remake and check out the original, which remains a classic for a reason. It's not a perfect film, but it's one that still holds up to this day as not just a monument to a man who died too soon but also as a very well-made action/horror flick that I'm surprised more superhero movies since haven't tried to imitate.

[dindjarindiaries]

The Mandalorian season 3 got 9 Emmy nominations, including Lateef Crowder for Outstanding Stunt Performance!

[captn1999]

Arcanist: Bette

One of the nobodies dreaming to become a superstar in Hollywood. She's able to change appearance temporarily, which makes her a perfect stand-in, a fake gem as brilliant as the real ones on the crown.

Exhibition Details An arcanist's work exhibited in the 1930s for 20 years. Completed in summer, on June 22. Exhibited in Los Angeles, California, USA.

3-star arcanist, mineral afflatus, reality damage

Bette She and her great dream in the dust.

Fedora Hat with Notches: A worn fedora. The holes on it make it look worthless, but it's essential for the owner to play a gentleman well.

Bamboo Cane: A bamboo staff which is a bit shorter than the common ones. Its outstanding resilience allows it to support most body movements, making it the best choice for stunt performers.

Cotton Hairband: An olive green cotton band tied to the end of her braid and makes both the braid and itself different to their kinds. It is the only thing on her that is not worn for imitation. Even if it looks plain, it's unique to her.

Classic Shot ✦ She is looking forward to a big scene. ✦ ✦ She is looking forward to a big scene, such as an explosion. ✦ ✦ ✦ She is looking forward to a big scene, something more than just an explosion.

Important Part ✦ She plays an important part. ✦ ✦ She plays an important part, a crucial one. ✦ ✦ ✦ She plays an important part, a crucial one, but it has nothing to do with her.

Every Audition This is a good job. Both the spotlights and music ready, the chosen one must be enjoying it.

The camera recorded the 125th time she fell and the 126th time she got up.

Birthday: June 22 Medium: Film Stock Fragrance: Leather - Cinnamon, Cocoa, Vanilla, Amber, Tolu Balsam Inspiration: Resilience of the Gravels [Mineral] Clumsy Imitation

Voicelines | Character Stories

[ablatheringblatherskite]

my thoughts on ep 1 and 2 of the live action ATLA series!

So it is absolutely GORGEOUS. like the visuals??? the costumes?? THE VFX??? OUTSTANDING. CHEF'S KISS. INCREDIBLE. the worst thing is Zuko's scar and like ok whatever nothing we can do about that.

Episode one was fantastic we actually see a lot of great additions, which is COOL! like more of Monk Gyatso, and the actual attack on the Air Nomads... 😭

I'd say writing wise it's not as great as I want it to be. A touch too many monologues for my taste, especially in the first episode, but nothing too bad. Could've been better, but definitely DEFINITELY could've been worse *eyes the movie that will not be named*

You can tell they're trying to squish important plot points together instead of spacing it out across more episodes I mean especially since Netflix decided everything has to be EIGHT EPISODES. but the pacing is actually good considering that LOL

but oh the EMOTIONS. THE EMOTIONS?!?!!

the actor of Aang oh my gosh, Gordon Cormier, OMG. DUDE I NEARLY BAWLED MULTIPLE TIMES BASED ON HIS PERFORMANCE ALONE. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY HEARTBREAKING 😭 HE'S SO GOOD 😭 and he's so cute too he's so baby I'm wjrhwhrhwhdhwhdhwh

I love the actors of Sokka and Zuko whdhwhdhshdsjjdhsjd. Ian Ousley and Dallas Liu? DID NOT DISAPPOINT.

SOKKA WAS HILARIOUS we BURST out laughing SO MANY TIMES, he was so GOOD 😭 the jokes he cracked were genuinely funny wwhdhwhgd and the SARCASM especially. and HIS ACTING THE ACTING HE NAILED IT?? It was so natural and THE EXPRESSIONS HE'D MAKE AND JUST. ALL HIS ACTING CHOICES IN GENERAL WERE SO GOOD. HE WAS HILARIOUS. and other than the funny parts in general he was just so good! HE GETS IT. HE IS SOKKA.

and Zuko was so good too like, we haven't gotten to all the juicy angst yet so I can't fully judge, but so far he's done SO well. Like especially the moments he'd get really angry and also HE'S SO GOOD AT MARTIAL ARTS. SO.

BUT HE'S ALSO RLLY FUNNY TOO??? especially when he gets annoyed with Uncle Iroh LIKE THE BODY LANGUAGE WAS SO SUBTLE BUT IT WAS HILARIOUS. and YES UNCLE IROH WAS GREAT TOO, I LOVE HIM SO FAR. HE IS ALSO HILARIOUS and does seem like Uncle Iroh to me so far!!

Katara hasn't had much to do yet and much like. acting stuff or much to do with her character yet but like that's okay, I'm pretty confident they're still building it up. They haven't gotten to the JUICY bits yet. But she was already so good too.

I'm really interested in some changes, like how they focus more on the Avatar State as a plot point? It's interesting LOL. There was also a shot that showed that in this universe, Katara actually saw her mom die?!?? like omg, that's so gruesome I'm crying.

and it's true that they cut out the sexism arc of Sokka 😭 BUT BUT BUT. IAN OUSLEY. OH HE GETS IT. Like you can see he's really doing his best to keep it a part of the story, like in his acting choices, he's still trying to include the more sexist aspect of his character even if the script isn't supporting it. Like he really truly did his best with what he had and he nailed it, it's the script's fault

And I will say I'm not crazy about some of the stuff they added to Suki? like, I wasn't crazy about the whole "thank you for bringing the world to me" thing, but it's just okay LOL. She's frickin GORGEOUS tho

(also I was really hoping we'd get the scene of Sokka wearing the Kyoshi warrior outfit and makeup but sadly they didn't put it in but it's okay)

OH BUT THE CRUMBS. THE SOKKA AND SUKI CRUMBS. OH THEY'RE SO CUTE. ESPECIALLY THE SCENE IN THE DOJO WHERE SHE'S TEACHING HIM?? OH IT WAS SO CUTE. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. you can tell they're doubling down a bit more on their romance, especially since we know it's already gonna be endgame, but it's making me wonder how they'll tackle Yue 🤔

but yeah. Sokka and Suki stinking adorable I was SQUEALING MULTIPLE TIMES, I LOVE IT I LOVE IT

and the BENDING. THE BENDING IS KRIFFING GORGEOUS. IT'S SO GOOD. THE STUNTS?? THE MARTIAL ARTS?? BEAUTIFUL!! MAGNIFICENT!! PERFECTION!! and the VFX?? HECK YES. AUGH!! I'm definitely not disappointed about it. And I love how dangerous the bending legitimately feels?? like it feels so LETHAL. And there were some really shocking bending moments that were done incredibly well. I loved it.

so YEAH. IN CONCLUSION. so far, judging from just the FIRST TWO episodes... I rate it a 7.5/10

The writing is maybe a 6.5/10, but the acting for sure a solid 9/10. DEFINITELY worth the watch imo, BUT so much more enjoyable with an open mind and acceptance that it's not supposed to be a carbon copy of the show.

[thewarmestplacetohide]

Dread by the Decade: Phantom of the Opera

👻 You can support me on Ko-Fi! ❤️

★★★

Plot: After he is fired from the Paris Opera, a violinist's obsession with a rising singer grows dangerous.

Review: Though its story and pacing disappoint, this adaptation's gorgeous costumes, sets, and music still make it worth a watch.

Source Material: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra by Gaston Leroux Year: 1943 Genre: Psychological Horror, Gothic Country: United States Language: English Runtime: 1 hour 32 minutes

Director: Arthur Lubin Writers: Samuel Hoffenstein, Eric Taylor Cinematographers: W. Howard Green, Hal Mohr Editor: Russell F. Schoengarth Composer: Edward Ward Cast: Susanna Foster, Claude Rains, Nelson Eddy, Edgar Barrier, Leo Carrillo, Jane Farrar

-----

Story: 2/5 - The film's weakest link. Far too much time is given to overlong opera scenes at the expense of the story. The actual conflict and climax are wildly rushed as a result.

Performances: 3.5/5 - Rains is great when he's pathetic and beginning to spiral, but, once he turns into the Phantom, a level of intimidation is absent. Foster is lovely as Christine, though.

Cinematography: 4.5/5 - Really great camera movements and angles.

Editing: 3/5

Music: 4.5/5 - Outstanding, if slightly overused.

Choreography & Stunts: 4/5

Effects & Props: 4/5 - The cave in is very elaborate.

Sets: 5/5 - Elegant and vibrant.

Costumes, Hair, & Make-Up: 5/5 - While I cannot attest to the historical accuracy, every aspect is stunning with incredible detail work.

Trigger Warnings:

Very mild violence

Misogyny (brief and largely period appropriate)

[awardseason]

2023 Screen Actors Guild Awards — Winners

Outstanding Performances in a Motion Picture

Cast Babylon The Banshees of Inisherin Everything Everywhere All at Once — WINNER The Fabelmans Women Talking

Female Actor in a Leading Role Cate Blanchett (Tár) Viola Davis (The Woman King) Ana de Armas (Blonde) Danielle Deadwyler (Till) Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once) — WINNER

Male Actor in a Leading Role Austin Butler (Elvis) Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin) Brendan Fraser (The Whale) — WINNER Bill Nighy (Living) Adam Sandler (Hustle)

Female Actor in a Supporting Role Angela Bassett (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) Hong Chau (The Whale) Kerry Condon (The Banshees of Inisherin) Jamie Lee Curtis (Everything Everywhere All at Once) — WINNER Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All at Once)

Male Actor in a Supporting Role Paul Dano (The Fabelmans) Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees of Inisherin) Barry Keoghan (The Banshees of Inisherin) Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once) — WINNER Eddie Redmayne (The Good Nurse)

Stunt Ensemble Avatar: The Way of Water The Batman Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Top Gun: Maverick — WINNER The Woman King

Outstanding Performances in Television

Ensemble in a Drama Series Better Call Saul The Crown Ozark Severance The White Lotus — WINNER

Female Actor in a Drama Series Jennifer Coolidge (The White Lotus) — WINNER Elizabeth Debicki (The Crown) Julia Garner (Ozark) Laura Linney (Ozark) Zendaya (Euphoria)

Male Actor in a Drama Series Jonathan Banks (Better Call Saul) Jason Bateman (Ozark) — WINNER Jeff Bridges (The Old Man) Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul) Adam Scott (Severance)

Ensemble in a Comedy Series Abbott Elementary — WINNER Barry The Bear Hacks Only Murders in the Building

Female Actor in a Comedy Series Christina Applegate (Dead to Me) Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary) Jenna Ortega (Wednesday) Jean Smart (Hacks) — WINNER

Male Actor in a Comedy Series Anthony Carrigan (Barry) Bill Hader (Barry) Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building) Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building) Jeremy Allen White (The Bear) — WINNER

Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries Emily Blunt (The English) Jessica Chastain (George & Tammy) — WINNER Julia Garner (Inventing Anna) Niecy Nash-Betts (Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story) Amanda Seyfried (The Dropout)

Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries Steve Carell (The Patient) Taron Egerton (Black Bird) Sam Elliott (1883) — WINNER Paul Walter Hauser (Black Bird) Evan Peters (Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story)

Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series Andor The Boys House of the Dragon Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Stranger Things — WINNER

Lifetime Achievement Award Sally Field

[struggle-but-its-all-ocean-floor]

Watched LSRF's documentary and I guess I have some thoughts and a headache I need to distract myself from.

Overall, the doc was nothing special. Episode 1 was ridiculous. They filmed LSRF like they were the Beatles - incredibly dramatic music and a classic, heavy documentary style for a two! year old group. Thankfully, they toned it down a lot for the other episodes. I thought the last episode would never end... It stopped being interesting after Kkura's amazing and relatable reflection about happiness. After a lot of tears, they tried to make the last episode more about their bond and great story, but it was boring. This "review" has no structure, so bear with me. Episode 2 was about Eunchae, Kazuha, and Yunjin, while episode 3 was about Sakura and Chaewon - except they spent 20 minutes on Sakura and 5 minutes on Chaewon... as if there was nothing worth showing about Chaewon since she isn't regularly criticized for anything. She had a bigger spotlight in episode 4 due to her small break from activities, which caused by something she couldn't control - a flu. Clearly if no one is crying or feeling unwell, why have them on screen?

The biggest goal of this doc was to make LSRF look sympathetic and show how much they suffer and how hard they work. It's what you see in every idol documentary, so there's nothing outstanding about it - no offense. What was very noticeable to me was that in the first LSRF doc their staff looked like assholes, while in this one they were endlessly understanding and encouraging. Obviously, this is also a publicity stunt for Source Music. While the doc made a good job of showing the highs and lows of the girls lives, it was often less about showing their true selves and more about addressing every single critique they get.

Watching all 5 parts, I don't understand why stans were so shocked on Reddit. Compassionate? Yes. Shocked? No. Anxiety, frustration, exhaustion, fame/a dream not living up to expectations, etc. are all famous people 101. It's always the same regardless if they're Western stars, idols, or athletes. Many aspects of these people's lives are crap, due to pressure, lack of privacy, lack of time for themselves, facing public judgment, expectations vs. reality, bad contracts, competitive and perfectionist personalities, etc. But the doc didn't show anything you couldn't have seen in a random Netflix special. Also, not being happy or knowing what happiness is is pretty common at their age.

I'm not saying this to be unsympathetic or because I didn't feel for them, but I don't care about them enough to cry about it, and kpop stans need a reality check. This doc didn't really show the dark side of kpop, as much as the dark side of fame and success.

I was a bit shocked by how often Sakura broke down in tears though. She's very insecure and unhappy with her performance. She's also a perfectionist. Eunchae was the same, but she's too young to be in this industry. Her panic attack was the most concerning incident, but the dance teacher said it sometimes happened when she struggled for breath? Does she suffer from panic attacks or asthma? I don't understand if she actually panicked or just had shortness of breath.

Most of my thoughts while watching the documentary were about how stupid Source Music is as well as the industry in general. It's all terrible inefficient. Working hard isn't enough to get good results. They debuted a minor Eunchae who can't sing well, struggles with confidence, and looks scared or empty on stage most of the time. They debuted Sakura who can't sing and doesn't seem to ever have learned the basics. They debuted Kazuha who barely had time to learn to dance or sing... If they can't do the basics, it doesn't matter how much they practice, especially when they are fatigued and have no time to focus on honing their skills. Kazuha improved a lot, but Sakura and Eunchae haven't as much. They also have to pull off these tiring choreos and practice all day but it doesn't help that they seem to be too weak. If the company insisted on them working out and bulking up a bit, surely their moves would have more power and their endurance would improve? But maybe they would be "less attractive". And why waste time and tire the girls out shooting Easy for VEVO 8 times when the differences between takes were probably minimal?? I never saw the members happy about dancing and performing. It was all about perfection and reaching greater heights, but where was the drive to make music, dance, and perform? I didn't see a lot if it - only some excitement for the tour (and Yunjin who loves writing music). It kind of reminds me of BTS, who genuinely love performing and music, but at some point the pressure took some of the fun out it. I'm not sure LSFR love performing as much, which makes happiness harder for them. No wonder they have to work so much on their facial expressions. Every idol does, but when you really love performing it's a lot more natural. Kpop is just stupid. You can fake less than stellar singing in the studio and less than stellar dancing in MVs, but when idols are performing live, you can't fake anything. Most of them have 0 stage presence, poor singing skills, and so-so dancing. Why give idols choreos where all they do is jump around and there's no room for the idols to sing and the fans to appreciate the choreo? I was watching EN's new MV and the choreo practice and performance videos, and I can't remember a second of it. Most of their choreos are them jumping around like mad men in a rotating move while making sexy facial expressions (except in the cute choreos where they make cute facial expressions). None of it is memorable, appealing, genuine, unique, or interesting to watch. If companies were smarter, they'd give groups dynamic choreos, with hard-hitting moves as well as softer ones, with moments for idols to sing and engage the audience, and they would let the idols show individuality instead of perfect, boring synchronization. They would also invest more in talent and training. This is why there is no next BTS, and why SKZ and Ateez are the most popular and impactful boy groups right now. I don't get why companies don't get this. But it's easy for me to say, obviously.

This is just a rant. Thanks if you read all of it.

[world-of-pandora]

Congratulations to Avatar: The Way of Water for their Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble

[demifiendrsa]

SAG Awards 2023 winners:

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once 

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role: Brendan Fraser, The Whale

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role: Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series: The White Lotus

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series: Jason Bateman, Ozark

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series: Jennifer Coolidge, The White Lotus

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role: Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role: Jamie Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series: Abbott Elementary

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series: Jeremy Allen White, The Bear

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series: Jean Smart, Hacks

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series: Sam Elliott, 1883

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series: Jessica Chastain, George & Tammy

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture: Top Gun: Maverick

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series: Stranger Things

Lifetime Achievement Award: Sally Field

[kwebtv]

TV Guide  -  May 9 - 15, 1964

Victor Morrow (born Victor Morozoff; February 14, 1929 – July 23, 1982) Film and television actor. He came to prominence as one of the leads of the ABC drama series Combat! (1962–1967), which earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Series. Morrow continued acting up to his death during filming of Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983) when he and two child actors were killed by a stunt helicopter crash.

Morrow began appearing on television in the early 1950′s, guest starring on shows like The Millionaire, Matinee Theatre, Climax!, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Restless Gun, Trackdown, Richard Diamond, Private Detective, and Telephone Time.

Despite appearing in movies Morrow remained mostly a television actor, appearing in Naked City, Wichita Town, The Rifleman, The Lineup, Johnny Ringo, The Brothers Brannagan, The Law and Mr. Jones, The Lawless Years, The Barbara Stanwyck Show, General Electric Theatre, Target: The Corruptors, The Tall Man, Outlaws, Bonanza, Death Valley Days, Alcoa Premiere, Suspense, The Immortal, Dan August, Hawaii Five-O, Mannix, Sarge, McCloud, Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law and The Untouchables.

He was cast in the early Bonanza episode "The Avenger" as a mysterious figure known only as "Lassiter" – named after his town of origin – who arrives in Virginia City, and helps save Ben and Adam Cartwright from an unjust hanging, while eventually gunning down one sought-after man, revealing himself as the hunter of a lynch mob who killed his father; having so far killed about half the mob, he rides off into the night, in an episode that resembles the later Clint Eastwood film High Plains Drifter. Morrow later appeared in the third season Bonanza episode "The Tin Badge".  (Wikipedia)

Rick Jason (born Richard Jacobson; May 21, 1923 – October 16, 2000) Film and television actor most remembered for starring in the ABC television drama Combat! (1962–1967).

In the 1950′s Jason received offers for television series. He guest-starred on ABC's anthology series, The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse. In 1954, he played Joaquin Murietta, the notorious Mexican bandit of the California Gold Rush, in an episode of Jim Davis's syndicated western series Stories of the Century, the story of a railroad detective investigating crime in the American West. He appeared on the NBC interview program Here's Hollywood, in the Rawhide episodes "Incident of the Coyote Weed" and "Incident of the Valley in Shadow", and co-starred in 1969 in The Monk.

In 1960, he starred as insurance investigator Robin Scott in The Case of the Dangerous Robin, a syndicated American television series that lasted only one season. It was not renewed due to Jason's health issues, including back problems. In 1962, he began starring in the television series Combat! as Platoon Leader 2nd Lt. Gil Hanley, probably his most memorable role. In this series he shared the starring role in an alternating episode rotation, with Vic Morrow as Sgt. Chip Saunders, though in many episodes they both appeared. The show was a hit that lasted for 152 episodes in five seasons.  (Wikipedia)

The outlandish TV Spoof was the British Series, “The Avengers”, starring Patrick McNee and Honor Blackman.  

[akajustmerry]

thoughts on Bella Hadid's acting in Ramy?

i mean...her performance aligns with the other stunt casting/cameos throughout Ramy in that its not about her actually acting as much as it's about the disconcerting novelty of her... being there. like a lot of characters in Ramy, she's a handful of extreme stereotypes made manifest. in this case, she's the walking talking embodiment of those heavily curated pretty girl under-30 dating profiles who have "always watching the office" in their bios. but i think crux of her character is to really just nail in the coffin how vapid and uncaring ramy is that he refuses to see her as a person who would be into his best friend. i mean acting-wise, she's fine, no notes! idk its hard for me to be objective because a) bella is my parasocial wife and b) it was so nice reading all the interviews where she spoke about how working on ramy was the first time she got to be around so many other Arab-Americans and Muslim-Americans and this opportunity came at a time bella was blacklisted for speaking about Palestine. you know, its like, why must her acting be outstanding? is it not enough that Bella Hadid had a nice fulfilling validating time contributing her bit to the creation of an entertaining show?

[themosleyreview]

The Mosley Review: Monkey Man

Vengeance driven films are a cornerstone of the action genre and it’s good to see more of them popping up her and there. Yes, we had the John Wick saga that started out that way and became the new standard for the genre and for action sequences in general. It actually showcased the artistry in stunt performers and actors doing their own fight scenes. What's slowly creeping back into the spotlight is the brutality of these type of films. It’s always amazing to watch the lead character kick ass, but the more realistic and blood soaked it is, the more you see feel the rage and justification behind it. That's what this film does in such a old school way that I appreciated. The story itself is simple and yet expansive with its many locations, highlighting of the darkside of the drug fueled VIP parties and a surprisingly spiritual look into ones motivations. The film truly takes its time to develop the rage, the character growth and the plotting that most films today shy away from.

Dev Patel is always outstanding and as Kid / Bobby / Monkey Man, he really delivers a vastly layered character that is pure in his quest for vengeance. I loved the growth of him being a not so great brawler that once an opportunity presents itself, he seeks out his target in a elaborate way that includes his environment. He was a creature of his environment and I loved that he was unrelenting. The amount of focus, pain, sadness and sometimes joy in his eyes as he reaches his ultimate goal was so immersive and haunting. Sharlto Copley is always great and as his fight handler, Tiger, he was the perfect showmen and scummy promoter. Pitobash was fun as the mid level gangster, Alphonso. I liked the small amount of chemistry between him and Bobby and how they sort of became friends amongst the madness. Vipin Sharma was great as the spiritual leader, Alpha. He represented the more internal struggle that Bobby goes through and his words of wisdom and sorta medicine man feeling to his character was cool. He was that classic motivator to the hero trope that ultimate helps re-ignite the fire within. Ashwini Kalsekar was truly a mean and powerful business woman as Queenie Kapoor. There was a special kind of venom to her that made her one of the most unlikable characters and shows her excellent acting skill is. Sikandar Kher was a brilliantly menacing villain as Rana Singh. The man was the scum of the earth and one of the most brutal men to ever grace the screen. I loved the fights between him and Bobby as they are truly the most personal, brutal and satisfying.

The score by Jed Kurzel was pulse pounding, ethereal and sometimes soothing in the flashback moments of innocence. It really kicks off in the fight scenes and in a specific portion during the finale fight sequence, I loved that it took a much more melodic tone instead of the traditional fast, electronica beat. I loved the gritty and grimy visuals of the film and especially how the action was shot. Yes, shakey cam is used, but it is the most steady shakey cam ever and nothing is truly lost in the impact of the hits or use of weapons. The tuk tuk chase sequence was awesome and fun. The sound design in the film was top notch and you feel the impact of the very meaty punches, slices and stabs along the way. This was a truly fun, dark and engaging blood soaked revenge story that knew the assignment and excelled with the right amount of spirituality added for extra credit. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!