#post-apocalyptic dystopian action film

[k-i-l-l-e-r-b-e-e-6-9]

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981) directed by George Miller. It is the second installment in the Mad Max franchise, with Mel Gibson reprising his role as "Mad" Max Rockatansky.

[schlock-luster-video]

On November 9, 2016, Mad Max: Fury Road was screened at the Nasu Short Film Festival.

Here's some new Nux art to celebrate!

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

"...GEORGE HAD BEEN WORKING ON THE PROJECT FOR YEARS. SO HE'D LIVED WITH IT; HE HAD A LOT OF IMAGES IN HIS HEAD."

OVERVIEW: "English costume designer Jenny Beavan has been nominated for nine Academy Awards, but this year’s, for "Mad Max: Fury Road," is unlike any other. The heavy corsetry and thick, wide linens of British costume dramas have been her area of expertise, including her Oscar-winning work for 1986’s "A Room with a View," starring a young Maggie Smith, Helena Bonham Carter, and Simon Callow, and her other nominated films including "The King’s Speech" and "Gosford Park." So what’s it like to move from period to post- apocalyptic? We got on the phone to find out."

-- VANITY FAIR, "How Charlize Theron Taught "Mad Max" Costume Designer Jenny Beavan to Take a Compliment," by Bridget Arsenault, February 26, 2016

VF.com: "You’ve been nominated, what, nine times now? Do you still get that goosebump feeling? Does it still feel the same as it did that first time?"

JENNY BEAVAN: "This was particularly special because as you may know it’s obviously quite different to my normal work, not that I ever wanted to be typecast, but one just tends to be a little bit, and so when I got this opportunity that was fantastic. Yes, I was absolutely thrilled and went sort of weak at the knees."

VF: "Did a lot of the film’s lunacy come from the director, George Miller?"

JENNY: "Of course, absolutely, and George had been working on the project for years. So he’d lived with it; he had a lot of images in his head."

VF: How long do the costumes for a project like this take?"

JB: "This was an unusual one. Absolutely each project is its own thing. "On The King’s Speech," I had five weeks from getting the job to the first day shooting. This, we made everything, and in fact we had all the stuff they’d made previously, but even more importantly, we had all the junk they’d collected. Old car parts, old cutlery. So, I got from Australia something like 200 boxes of junk. Old goggles, old bits of ammunition, just stuff, and we set up a workroom. We found materials, like vellum, which I’ve never worked with before. It’s disgusting, it’s raw leather, really, but it made marvelous masks."

VF: "What specifically was different about working on "Mad Max" to other projects?"

JB: "Not only did it have to look amazing, they had to be able to work in it, they had to have safety built into it. Everyone had to wear goggles in the end because of the sand and you know racing through the desert churning up the sand was dangerous."

VF: "Did you have a moment of feeling overwhelmed?"

JB: "No, a friend told me a long time ago, "We don’t do panic, we do sense of urgency.""

VF: "Can you talk a little about some of the more unusual materials and fabrics, as well as how you found them, where you sourced them?"

JB: "Well, I’ve never had a metal worker and a mold-maker in my costume department before because you don’t need them a lot on "Jane Austen.""

VF: "Who do you design for?"

JB: "I’ve never been asked that before. I think I do it for the director and for the film. I’m a storyteller with clothes, and I just try and do the best job probably to support the actor, for the director, and the film, and I don’t think of the audience."

VF: "How much of a collaboration do you have with the actors?"

JB: "Enormous, if they want to be collaborative, and most of them do. It’s normally you have the ideas, and you present them: it might be a drawing or a mood board or a collection of clothes, and you take it to the actor and then you start with the dialogue, you don’t just throw them into it. And when they say, “Oh yeah, now I know who this person is,” or, “Yeah, you’re helping me understand it,” that’s when the whole thing is just the most marvelous job in the world."

VF: "Do you have a favorite anecdote from set?"

JB: "When Charlize [Theron] came for her fitting in Namibia, she put one on and said, “This feels really great,” and it had to be a sort of corset because she had to put this harness on top of it. I went all sort of English and coy and said, “Oh well, you know, we’ve been trying to make it…” And she just said, “Take the compliment, bitch,” and George Miller literally elevated about a foot in the air; he sort of jumped. She’s just very straight talking, and I just loved it, so I’ve been taking the compliment, bitch, ever since."

Sources: www.pinterest.com/pin/577375614697448750,www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/02/jenny-beavan-mad-max-costumes-interview, www.madmaxcostumes.com/mad-max-fury-road/max-4, etc...

[felixravinstills]

Katniss Everdeen: The Mockingjay

Creator Notes:

Tumblr ate my long ramble about stuff, but here is a more abbreviated version of what it said. This webweaving and the last one paralleling Katniss and Snow as defined in some ways by their actions. Obviously, the two chose to act very differently, but I like how it emphasizes the importance of agency.

Also this doesn't quite capture the dehumanizing nature of becoming a symbol (an attempt was made: 3rd quote and only showing Katniss' face once), but it does focus more on becoming a symbol/message making you larger than life. You are the message, so your actions are the message. Still, Katniss' choices and actions led to people choosing her as a symbol of the ideals of the rebellion.

Did any of that make sense? I'm unsure. This is much simpler than my last webweave, but it's been rotating around in my brain for a while!

This webweaving combines some of my favorite dystopian/post-apocalyptic media:

First and last quote Ch. 27 of Catching Fire

All gifs made by me from the Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay Part 2 films

Second quote Ch. 29 of Nona the Ninth

Third quote Ch. 3 of Mockingjay

Fourth Quote Ulysses' Final Message (Fallout New Vegas)

Penultimate quote Ch. 26 of Catching Fire

[effypcfcwrites]

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

WITNESS ME!!!

... as I write another mini-review of another piece of media that I enjoyed. This time, about a film.

Furiosa is the fifth installment in director George Miller's Mad Max franchise, serving as both a prequel and spin-off to 2015's Mad Max: Fury Road, which I am a huge fan of 'til this day, even more so now since watching it. The movie tells the story of Fury Road's Imperator Furiosa, originally portrayed by Charlize Theron, portrayed here by Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen's Gambit, The Menu) and Alyla Browne, as a younger version of her. Taylor-Joy stars alongside Chris Hemsworth (Thor, Extraction, The Cabin in The Woods) and Tom Burke (The Musketeers, Strike, Mank).

In the film, set in post-apocalyptic Australia, the warlord Dementus (Hemsworth) kidnaps Furiosa as a child (Browne), executes her mother, and sells her to Immortan Joe as a slave. Within a decade, Furiosa manages to escape slavery, adopts a new identity as a mechanic under Joe's army of irradiated War Boys, eventually becomes a soldier (Taylor-Joy) serving under Praetorian Jack (Burke), then avenges her mother by defeating and capturing Dementus, and is promoted to Imperator afterward, leading up to the events of Fury Road, where she, with the aid of Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy), helps Joe's "wives" - his remaining sex slaves, referred to in-universe as Breeders - escape to Furiosa's home, the "Green Place of Many Mothers," incurring the wrath of Immortan Joe and his war boys in a lengthy battle across the wasteland.

I saw this film one June weekend ago on a date with my girlfriend, and I must say: personally, there was never a dull moment the whole time, commercial reviews of the film during its opening weekend be damned. Every moment had me at the edge of my seat, in anticipation of what's gonna happen next. Anya Taylor-Joy is well on her way to becoming Hollywood's next big action star. Furiosa's entire character arc, her struggles to survive and rise above, and her desire for revenge were portrayed well. Chris Hemsworth's unhinged delivery as Dementus had truly left its mark on me, as until the time of this writing, my lasting impression of him was his Shakespearean portrayal of Marvel's Norse God of Thunder. It was as if George Miller gave Hemsworth full permission to just let loose as an everyday Aussie, albeit with more villainous bloodlust and melodrama than the average bloke. I swear, the dude goes through so many eras in the movie, that he might as well just compete with Taylor Swift. It had left me both amused and genuinely impressed by his acting chops.

The setting, backdrop, and score are also worthy of my praise. The whole thing just served as a welcome expansion of Fury Road's wonderfully bleak dystopian landscape. No words can ever do justice to Junkie XL's musical accompaniment; it just complements the film's tense high-octane action and more somber dramatic moments really well.

Simply put, I would say that this movie is just one big modern-day Greek epic, and it shall ride forever shiny and chrome, along the hallowed halls of Valhalla.

[adamwatchesmovies]

Uglies (2024)

Oh, the Young Adult Post-Apocalyptic Dystopian/Fantasy Novel Film Adaptation genre. How I’ve missed you. Uglies is a film cut from the same cloth as Divergent and The Darkest Minds. Its villains are obvious, which makes everything that follows evident. The romance and "shocking" revelations that follow are sure to have you rolling your eyes. Any potential it might’ve had is buried in overused ideas. Even if you haven’t seen where this clone's original genetic material comes from, you’ll be holding back laughs. I can’t wait for the sequel.

After the planet’s dwindling natural resources nearly caused civilization to collapse, a new society emerged to solve all of humanity’s problems. Genetically modified orchids provide free, renewable energy and humanity’s worst traits are expunged after they undergo extensive cosmetic surgery at the age of sixteen. Tally (Joey King) cannot wait to become one of the “Pretties” but when her best friend, Peris (Chase Stokes), undergoes the procedure, she has second thoughts. His personality has completely changed. Her uncertainty doesn’t go unnoticed. The city's lead scientist, Dr. Cable (Laverne Cox) assigns her a mission - she will remain one of the "Uglies" until she infiltrates the rebel group that lives in the surrounding wilderness and discovers the location of their leader, a terrorist named David (Keith Powers).

There are some good ideas there. Until you’re sixteen years old, you’re forced to live outside the city in restrictive dormitories. You’re told by the authorities that you need to be fixed and that you don’t fit in but that someday, you will. Once you undergo the surgery, you’ll start a new life “over there” with all the beautiful people living in this place you’re not allowed to visit but know is filled with non-stop revelry, fireworks and fun. If you grew up in a society that broke you down mentally every day, you’d do just about anything to get that carrot they've been dangling. Wanting to belong is something we can all relate to. With everyone over the age of sixteen either part of the corrupt governing body or brainwashed, it makes perfect sense for young heroes to be the driving force of rebellion and change.

The problem is that when we see this world in action - and I’m going to blame director McG here - every cell in your body says “This is wrong”. You take one look at Joey King. She looks fine. The “Pretties”, however, have a distinct sheen of special effects and makeup and the way they act/talk makes you immediately uneasy. When Dr. Cable tells Tally she can’t have the things she’s always wanted until she investigates this mysterious terrorist who operates outside the city, you know who the villain is. Even before we meet Dr. Cable, you’ve got this entire society figured out. From minute one, you’re waiting for our protagonist to catch up to you and scenes of flying skateboards can't make up the difference.

In the film’s defense, it’s got a good message. It’s what's on the inside that counts, and as a bonus, it doesn’t beat you over the head with it. The performances are… fine, so are the special effects. It’s not like anyone acts illogically or there are glaring technical errors, it’s that you feel like everything in this movie is beneath you. There are no interesting twists or revelations. There's nothing new to see. We never dig into Tally’s psyche enough for us to doubt our initial impression of this society. This world's sales pitch isn't good enough to make you think "You know, maybe they're an idea here worth exploring". No one who isn't brainwashed could see the idea of “Uglies” and “Pretties” as a good thing but the society isn't even sinister enough to be interesting and the secondary crisis is the definition of "underwhelming".

For me, the joy in Uglies, The 5th Wave, The Mortal Instruments: The City of Bones, etc. comes from seeing the boxes I know it will check get checked. Does the enemy become the friend? Does the transparently evil-looking character turn out to be evil? Are the protagonists anguished, system-smashing teens? Is there a plot-relevant scar or tattoo? Will victory come at the expense of a vaguely important, but ultimately useless supporting character? Is there a city surrounded by walls or a barrier? Will the first love romance get broken up? What’s the film’s equivalent of “Muggle” and what are the factions called? I’ve made a game out of it, where everyone watching gets random cards and the one who gets the most points once the credits start rolling wins.

Uglies is not worth your time, not when you could re-watch the Hunger Games, Harry Potter or even the Twilight and Maze Runner films but when/if the sequel comes out, I’ll be there. I want to see what comes next so when it comes to Uglies, do as I say, not as I do. (October 4, 2024)

[liquidgirl13]

Ghost

"We Don't Need Another Hero"

(Official Audio) on YouTube

We Don't Need Another Hero

Out of the ruins

Out from the wreckage

Can't make the same mistake this time

We are the children

The last generation (the last generation, generation)

We are the ones they left behind

And, I wonder when we are ever gonna change, change

Living under the fear, 'til nothing else remains

We don't need another hero

We don't need to know the way home

All we want is life beyond Thunderdome

Looking for something, we can rely on

There's gotta be something better out there

Ooh, love and compassion

Their day is coming (coming)

All else are castles built in the air

And, I wonder when we are ever gonna change, change

Living under the fear, 'til nothing else remains

All the children say

We don't need another hero

We don't need to know the way home

All we want is life beyond Thunderdome

So, what do we do with our lives

We leave only a mark

Will our story shine like a light or end in the dark?

Give it all or nothing

We don't need another hero (hero, hero)

We don't need to know the way home

All we want is life beyond Thunderdome

All the children say

We don't need another hero (we don't need another hero)

We don't need to know the way home, ooh

All we want is life beyond Thunderdome

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: גרייניק אבי / Britten,terence Ernest / Lyle,graham Hamilton

We Don’t Need Another Hero lyrics © Wb Music Corp.

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome 

is a 1985 Australian post-apocalyptic dystopian action film directed by George Miller and George Ogilvie and written by Miller and Terry Hayes.[4] It stars Mel Gibson and Tina Turner in a story of a lone roving warrior who is exiled into the desert, and there encounters an isolated child cargo cult, centred on a crashed Boeing 747 and its deceased captain. -Wikipedia

[uths-ethnol-spam]

mad max: fury road and journey

hi. as a french student, i attend to english class as a foreign language and i submitted an oral presentation on a piece of media in relation to our theme: Journey, Travel, Exile. despite the compelling topic, the class had been incredibly dull this semester. i figured i might as well post the text somewhere, if it interests some people in the fandom.

anyway! there are mistakes here and there, sorry about that. :))

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD. GEORGE MILLER. 2015

Journeys depicted in cinema are about going from one place to another; they often mirror the protagonist’s own inner and emotional journey — hence the satisfaction of finally witnessing the protagonist’s arrival: it symbolises the completion of the character’s story after three or five acts.

So what about a movie revealing about two thirds into the story that actually, the journey doesn't end here, because the characters are meant to go back from where they came? How does this depiction of journey match the inner journey of the protagonist?

This question is quite central in MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, and some even expressed criticism about the fact that what was announced as a journey is, basically, a round-trip. 

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, directed by George Miller and released in 2015, is the fourth opus of the MAD MAX series started back in the eighties. The multi awards-winning action movie features Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiosa and Tom Hardy as Max, in the post-punk dystopian “Wasteland” : after a nuclear war, a handful of men have taken possession of means of production and of vital resources, keeping survivors as slaves and fanatic soldiers. But the specificity of this post-apocalyptic feudal society lies in the key importance of motorised vehicles: in the deadly desert, a car is a symbol of freedom and independence. 

Max has been captured by the main antagonist and war lord Immortan Joe, and his iconic car now belongs to the lord’s mechanical cavalry; as for Imperator Furiosa, she drives the War Rig and intends to recklessly flee to the Green Place, bringing with her Immortan Joe’s “Wives”. Starts consequently the epic high-speed car chase, which is the beating heart of this action movie.

Of course, the chase is both a setting for the characters to evolve, and a metaphor of this journey. It is exemplified by the quote at the end: "Where must we go... we who wander this Wasteland in search of our better selves?" But the whole movie also focuses on two other noteworthy elements: what is it like to have no home to return to, hence being perpetually exiled? And what are the mechanics of travel in this collapsed society? Indeed, Miller and the creative team focused on the materialistic dimension of journey — the cars, how they function, and to what extent they inform the public about their driver.

Keeping all of that in mind, we’ll study how the audience’s expectations about this tumultuous journey — relying on a materialistic and spectacular depiction — are subverted into the very heart of the narrative structure, in order to unfold Furiosa’s and Max’s inner journey.

We’ll proceed that way: 

First, we’ll focus on the global approach of journey, exile and migration in the movie, from a thematic and a structural point of view, and how it impacts the narrative.

But the means of the journey are as important as the ends: that’s why we’ll see how filming and showing the journey enable Miller to draw parallels with our own relationship to movement, vehicles and consequently, modern society.

Finally, the means of one’s journey is intrinsically linked to their inner journey, so to speak. We will thus explore how Furiosa and Max evolve as characters throughout the chase, but also to what extent they actually can escape their condition as drivers in the Wasteland.

Out here, everything hurts.  Journey from a thematic and structural perspective

Migration and exile: overarching themes

In this devastated land, migrations — individuals and groups moving from a place to settle in another — are an important dimension of one’s life. The population relying on Immortan Joe for water migrated to the Citadel but depend on the tyrant’s whims and wishes. The nuclear and ecological disasters forced the remaining population to move and eventually, submit in order to barely survive — we’ll come back to that.

The theme of exile is also tackled at the very beginning of the movie. Max is presented as a man with no home anymore — a stateless man. As the audience discovers, it is also sort of Furiosa’s case: she has been taken from her home as a child, and now fully intends to go back. The two lead characters are uprooted, in a desert maybe too dry to let anyone grow anymore. 

Finally, Furiosa and Immortan Joe’s Wives rely on the Rock Riders, who are sort of people smugglers, to cross a canyon: movement and travel in this world is controlled not by a state, but by lords, tribes… informal groups holding power on limited territory thanks to violence. The people smugglers too are an obstacle for Furiosa to overcome.

Subversion of the traditional journey narrative

But the most obvious type of journey or travel one thinks of when watching MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, is the chase. The chase seems at first to structure the narrative as Imperator Furiosa announces she wants to go to “The Green Place”, home. But the third and supposedly last of the three acts turns out to be short-lived: a plot-twist forces the story to go through two more acts, hence a subversion of the narrative.

The first act is Furiosa’s breakout: she leaves Immortan Joe’s Citadel, but the tyrant, his war boys, and other lords are chasing her. The second act focuses on how Furiosa, Max, the Wives and a War Boy succeed in escaping the antagonists: they are now heading to the Green Place, Furiosa’s birthplace. 

As the third act begins, we are expecting the difficult end and final arrival to this utopian world, a space for everyone to grow and settle for good. But the third act is very short and ends on Furiosa’s despair as she discovers that going home is no longer possible. 

Hence the unexpected need for a fourth and fifth act: the dramatic and epic journey back to the Citadel, and the arrival as the characters themselves have opened up and fought for what they thought they would never fight.

Travel, exile and migration are thus important elements in the overall narrative: they are themes directly addressed in the story, and they even bend the traditional hero journey. 

It’s a detour. Filming the means and symbols of journey

The means of the journey — and not just the ends — are themselves a theme explored in MAD MAX: FURY ROAD: they contribute to the depiction of the Wasteland, centred around movement, and a parallel must be drawn with a modern perspective on our own use of means of transportation.

Creative means of transportation and creative process to model the Wasteland

One the strength of the movie is doubtlessly its depiction of travel. Great effort has been put into the choreography of the chase by the creative team and Miller himself, but also in the conception of the motorised vehicles — and even other means of roaming.

The cars all have their specificity and identity. Furiosa’s War Rig probably is the best example: every detail inside and outside of the car is meaningful for the character, but also adapted to the Wasteland — for instance, Furiosa can extinguish fire thanks to the hinged front of the truck, using sand to smother it.

But two other striking elements caught my eye: the Crow Fishers and the Pole Cats.

The former, the Crow Fishers, are men wayfaring thanks to stilts. Their disquieting way of wandering stands in sharp contrast with every other characters’: this detail (just one shot!) shows how every surviving human adapted their means of travelling depending on their environment. 

The latter, the Pole Cats, are the men using swinging poles fixed to vehicles to swiftly attack the protagonists: their agility is remarkable and clearly exemplifies Miller’s will to show great spectacle. 

The chase itself, finally, is filmed in order to be simply remarkable, breathtaking and constantly frenzied. All of the vehicles are real, which is today extremely rare in the industry, hence the amazing effects and materialistic, raw dimension of the film. The use of fast motion (when the action filmed is sped up — a very eighties style of filming and editing), close ups, panoramas, travelings, steadicam… are all means to offer to the spectator an incredible experience of journeying in the Wasteland. 

Fanaticism, symbolism: depiction of movement and travel to question our own 

But there’s also a symbolic dimension of journey in-universe, hence a depiction of movement to question our own. Indeed, there’s a religious belief in the Citadel, focused around speed and driving cars, which of course evokes futurism and facism. Immortan Joe’s fascist reign is fueled by the War Boys fanaticism, praying before taking from the altar a wheel that seems sacred to them. 

To this religious symbolism is superimposed a political one: the means of migration belong to Immortan Joe who keeps them at the top of his fortress. A motorised vehicle for him is not just a means to go somewhere: it testifies of his domination and control of the resources (human and otherwise). The Doof Wagon and its iconic Coma-Doof Warrior demonstrates how Immortan Joe is the man who controls the gas, and that using it with such extravagance is his right. As Colin Gibson (production designer) says, “car have always been about power”.

Obvious parallels are meant to be drawn here. This movie seems to critique severely the disastrous and inequitable use of resources — think of the immigrants needing water we talked about earlier. “Then who killed the world?” Angharad ironically asks at some point, one of Joe’s Wives, clearly thinking of the tyrant and his kind. The glorious spectacle of the chase is also the symbol of a decaying world, destroyed — as it is reminded — by a nuclear and ecological calamity.

Well, you keep moving. Two drivers’ inner journey

All of that being said, this spectacular depiction of the journey mirrors the characters’ inner journey and evolution: but it appears that the periple itself changes deeply both Furiosa and Max, because these individuals, even though they want to escape their condition, can’t help but be submitted by the Wasteland — and hence, be drivers.

Furiosa’s and Max’s progression displayed through the chase 

Both Furiosa and Max are based on archetypes they escape from throughout the pursuit. Max is the lone wolf, wandering on his own, and his initial refusal to help Furiosa and the Wives hammers home that he does not belong to any community anymore. Furiosa seems to be the idealist: the prospect of freedom promised by her native country, the Green Place, keeps her moving.

But both evolve and learn to trust each other. Max eventually proposes himself to “slow down” the chasers, putting himself on the frontline and ready to sacrifice himself in order to save the small community he grew attached to. The stateless man found a shelter to their side.

As for Furiosa, she brutally learns that the Green Place is no more and that her only way of survival is taking back the Citadel. The pragmatic choice of transforming the place that once was her prison, Joe’s former base, is also an adieu to her hopes of travelling away.

The pursuit is a perfect context of this evolution, as the characters have no choice but to adapt or to die. 

Humans unable to escape their path: one’s road is never independant from the world

Nevertheless, the end may seem bitter, especially on Max’s side. Indeed, even though he defeated the bad guy, the protagonist is shown again and again in the movie as a driver, unable to evolve past that — and consequently, is destined to be submitted to the Wasteland. 

The heavy symbolism of the driver clings as firmly to the War Boys as it does to Max: the shot after Max’s “retaliation” makes him appear as a ghost-like figure, almost otherworldly, holding the wheel — and it underlines how that dimension is part and parcel of him. When Furiosa and Max part, the protagonist walks against the current of the crowd — once again a symbol of his eventual loneliness, despite the temporary respite alongside Furiosa: he is ready to drive again, far from here, an eternal nomad.

Finally, the disparition of the Green Place is loaded with symbolic, even religious meaning. This edenic utopia does not exist: in this sublunary space, the overwhelming feeling of dereliction is a weight on Furiosa's shoulders. There is no alternative: Furiosa has no choice but to be part of the Wasteland she had tried to escape all along.

Conclusion

"Where must we go... we who wander this Wasteland in search of our better selves?" asks the end of the movie. I think that the characters’ better selves (especially Furiosa’s and Max’s) emerge when they are together, because they find the human remains buried under all the sand. The spectacular MAD MAX: FURY ROAD seems to be, eventually, asking the audience to go on their own path as wanderers, showing how things may become if we stop moving, and thus, acting for a better future. Thank you.

so here it is... it would be waste just to share it in class. besides, this is the extended version, as i take about 15 minutes to read all of this out loud. god

i may have been caricatural here and there — and i KNOW that some of it is factually incorrect, specifically about Joe's control of gas. but you know, sometimes one HAS to lie during an oral presentation

[themovieblogonline]

Furiosa: Anya Taylor-Joy, Alyla Browne, and the Magic of AI

Get ready because "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" is here, and it's blowing minds with its interesting use of AI. Directed by George Miller, this prequel brings an innovative blend of acting and technology to the screen. Starring the dynamic Anya Taylor-Joy and the talented child actor Alyla Browne, "Furiosa" is not just a visual feast but a testament to the future of filmmaking. Anya Taylor-Joy and Alyla Browne: A Seamless Transition If you’ve noticed the striking resemblance between Alyla Browne as young Furiosa and Anya Taylor-Joy as the adult version, you’re not alone. This seamless transition is no mere coincidence. George Miller, the genius behind this post-apocalyptic saga, employed artificial intelligence to blend the features of both actors. Anya Taylor-Joy, in an interview on “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” revealed that Miller's idea was to create a smooth transition for the audience, already familiar with Charlize Theron's Furiosa in "Fury Road." To achieve this, Taylor-Joy underwent two days of intense and unique facial recording sessions. The result? About 35% of her features were merged with Browne’s at the movie’s beginning, ramping up to 80% by the time she takes over the role. It's wild and fascinating to see the technology at work. The Role of AI in Filmmaking The details of this AI wizardry are still under wraps, but primary visual effects providers DNEG and Framestore, along with Metaphysic AI, played significant roles. Metaphysic AI, are known for developing tools for actor aging and de-aging. While the technology is impressive, it also brings ethical and legal challenges. Anya Taylor-Joy addressed these concerns during her interview, referencing the 2023 SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. She emphasized the importance of consent and transparency in using AI, pointing out the potential risks if misused. The industry needs to navigate these waters carefully to ensure the technology benefits all involved. The Furiosa AI use is quite creative as it's a use case I've heard of but am now seeing fully realized. Furiosa: The Story and Performances "Furiosa" explores the origin story of one of the most iconic characters in the Mad Max universe. Alyla Browne portrays the young Furiosa with a raw intensity that sets the stage for Anya Taylor-Joy’s powerful performance as the adult Furiosa. Taylor-Joy, known for her captivating roles in films like "The Queen's Gambit" and "Emma," brings a new depth to the character, seamlessly connecting the dots between Browne's portrayal and her own. As "Furiosa" paves the way for future installments, it sets a precedent for storytelling and technology. The collaboration between actors and AI opens up endless possibilities. With George Miller at the helm, fans can look forward to more groundbreaking films in the Mad Max universe. A Brief History of the Mad Max Franchise The Mad Max franchise, created by George Miller, began in 1979 with "Mad Max." Starring Mel Gibson, the film depicted a dystopian future where society has collapsed. It was followed by "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior" (1981) and "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" (1985), cementing its place in pop culture. The 2015 reboot, "Mad Max: Fury Road," introduced Charlize Theron as Furiosa and revitalized the franchise with its high-octane action and stunning visuals. "Furiosa" continues this legacy, blending the old with the new and pushing the boundaries of what's possible in filmmaking. So, gear up and get ready to dive into the world of "Furiosa." This film not only continues the epic Mad Max saga but also showcases the future of cinema with its innovative use of AI. Don't miss out on this thrilling ride! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGApSGZe_kQ Read the full article

[k-i-l-l-e-r-b-e-e-6-9]

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) co-written, co-produced, and directed by George Miller.

[schlock-luster-video]

On May 21, 1982, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior debuted in Canada and the United States.

[brokehorrorfan]

Waterworld will be released on 4K Ultra HD on June 27 via Arrow Video. Paul Shipper designed the new cover art for the 1995 post-apocalyptic sci-fi action film; the original poster will be on the reverse side.

Kevin Reynolds (Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves) directs from a script by David Twohy (The Fugitive) and Peter Rader (Escape to Witch Mountain). Kevin Costner, Dennis Hopper, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Tina Majorino, and Michael Jeter star.

The three-disc limited edition includes three version of the film - the theatrical cut on 4K UHD in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible), the extended TV cut on Blu-ray, and the European “Ulysses” cut on Blu-ray - all newly restored from original film elements.

Other contents include a six postcards, a double-sided poster, a 60-page book featuring writing by David J. Moore and Daniel Griffith plus archival articles. Special features are listed below.

Disc 1 - 4K UHD:

Theatrical cut with Dolby Atmos, 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and 2.0 stereo audio options

Maelstrom: The Odyssey of Waterworld – 2018 feature-length documentary with cast and crew

Dances with Waves – Original making-of featurette

Global Warnings – Film critic Glenn Kenny ecologically themed end-of-the-world films

Production and promotional still gallery

Visual effects still gallery

Trailers

TV spots

Disc 2 - Blu-ray:

TV cut with original 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and 2.0 stereo audio options

Disc 3 - Blu-ray:

Ulysses cut with original 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and 2.0 stereo audio options

Also included:

6 postcards

Double-sided fold-out poster

60-page perfect-bound book with writing by David J. Moore and Daniel Griffith and archival articles

Waterworld stars Kevin Costner as The Mariner – a mutant trader, adrift in a dystopian future where Earth is submerged under water and humankind struggles to survive on boats and in ramshackle floating cities. The Mariner becomes embroiled with the Smokers, a gang of pirates who, led by villainous leader Deacon (Dennis Hopper), are seeking Enola (Tina Majorino), a girl with a map to the mythical realm of Dryland tattooed on her back.

[kevinsreviewcatalogue]

Review: Demolition Man (1993)

Demolition Man (1993)

Rated R for non-stop action violence, and for strong language

<Originally posted at https://kevinsreviewcatalogue.blogspot.com/2023/04/review-demolition-man-1993.html>

Score: 3 out of 5

Despite coming out well after the '80s "beefcake era" of action movies, in a time when that style was quickly falling out of favor in the face of more grounded films like Die Hard and the films of Steven Seagal, Demolition Man is a film that still gets talked about today, less for its cast or its stunts and more for its unique premise and creative worldbuilding. Taking the plot of your basic '80s sci-fi action flick and dropping it into a seemingly utopian future with a dark side straight out of Brave New World, a book whose author Aldous Huxley is homaged in the name of its female lead, it's a film that's been rediscovered and hailed over the years as a hilarious social satire, a fun sendup of its genre, and even an "anti-woke" classic (even though it... isn't, really?). It's this, more than anything else, that has kept this movie relevant over the years, as while I had plenty of fun watching it at a Popcorn Frights screening, I often found myself wishing that the action was as good as the premise and the comedy, with a lot of the action scenes feeling like they were going through the motions. It's the kind of film that's destined to be a cult classic more than anything, an imperfect action film that's elevated by the unique twists it puts on the basic premise, and is worth checking out for fans of both science fiction and the actors involved.

The film starts out in Los Angeles in the dystopian near-future of 1996, a time when the city has fallen into anarchy, its streets resembling a post-apocalyptic wasteland run by gangs that the LAPD needs military-grade weapons and vehicles to fight. One of its top cops, John Spartan, is basically the closest thing the police have to a super-soldier, an ultimate badass who gets the job done and doesn't care about how much collateral damage he causes in the process. This bites him in the ass when he goes to capture Simon Phoenix, a notorious criminal and all-around psychopath who's kidnapped a bus filled with dozens of people. Spartan may have gotten the job done, but thanks to his carelessness, he got all the hostages killed in the process, and so both he and Phoenix are sent to a "cryo-prison" where they will be frozen for decades, subtly brainwashed all the while so that, when they're thawed out, they'll be productive members of society.

Where the film gets interesting is when it fast-forwards to 2032, where we see that San Angeles, the massive metropolis stretching from San Diego to Santa Barbara with Los Angeles at its center, has completely put the terrible '90s behind it. On the surface, San Angeles is a utopia, a land of clean streets, well-groomed gardens, advanced technology, and an extraordinary standard of living. The visual design is one of the most striking things about the film, framing the future as the kind of beautiful sci-fi city you see in sketches from that time and, more importantly, making it feel real. It's a very '90s future technologically, but even with how consciously sanitized it was, it still felt like a real, lived-in world thanks to some amazing set design. There's always a catch, of course, and the catch here is obvious when we see it: the people of this world are really, really fuckin' c- <*bzzt* YOU ARE FINED ONE CREDIT FOR A VIOLATION OF THE VERBAL MORALITY STATUTE>

...and there you have it. In ending the lawlessness and misery they suffered through in the past, San Angeles threw out the baby with the bathwater and got rid of everything that reminded them of the "bad old days". Cursing, tobacco, red meat, rock music, guns, violence in the media, sexuality just about anywhere, you name it, if society has deemed it harmful in any way, they've banned it and driven those who continue to embrace it literally underground. The result is a world so safe and squeaky-clean that even the police no longer carry guns, having not needed them in years, and so they have no idea what to do when Simon Phoenix gets unfrozen early and proceeds to go on a rampage. I've often seen this movie described as a parody of political correctness (to use the '90s term), but in truth, given how apolitical its writing was, it read more like a Howard Stern-esque mockery of moral crusaders of all stripes, from save-the-world liberals to Bible-thumping conservatives, perhaps best reflected by how they cast Denis Leary as the resistance leader Edgar Friendly basically playing his stock comic persona.

What's more, the intro does a great job showing why society at large might line up and embrace a world like San Angeles. The worldbuilding establishes how this is a city that, underneath its saccharine Brady Bunch surface to use Phoenix's description, has been scarred by the trauma of its past and is willing to do anything to go back to the chaotic nightmare that existed back then. Coming out of 1993 as this movie did, you can feel shades of how a lot of people at the time justified the "tough on crime" policies that arose from the crime wave of the '70s and '80s, and watching it today, you can see it reflected in how a lot of young people, who've grown up knowing the internet as a cesspool of bullying, bigotry, and toxicity and have spent their childhoods with active shooter drills at school, don't really see "censorship" as a dirty word like their parents do. If people are miserable, and they're given the opportunity to get rid of everything making them miserable, not only will they not care about the hidden costs, they'll think it's worth it. Throughout the film, no matter how comically cringe and uncool San Angeles gets, there's always that prologue, and all of the other horrors of the past that are casually brought up, to remind you of precisely why everybody decided to read Brave New World and think to themselves "y'know, maybe the World State had a point."

The worldbuilding in this was captivating enough, as both a product of its time and as something that still holds up today, that it was a shame the rest of the movie wasn't as good. Wesley Snipes steals the show as the comically over-the-top psycho villain Phoenix, Sandra Bullock was fun to watch as the future cop Lenina Huxley who's nostalgic for the gritty '90s but isn't quite as free of her time's uptight morality as she thinks she is, and while Denis Leary only gets a couple of scenes, his trademark rants are always a good way to make me laugh. Unfortunately, Sylvester Stallone was a weak spot in his own movie and felt like he was on autopilot for most of it. He's mostly playing his usual '80s action movie persona, a character type that he's done better before and since, and the scenes where he reacts with confusion at the world he's stepped into felt like there was a much better action-comedy lurking under the surface, one with him as the roughneck straight man remarking upon the bizarrely sanitized future. Most of that material instead went to Snipes, which is probably why I found Phoenix so entertaining. The subplot about how nearly all of Spartan's friends and family are now dead 36 years later was also treated as an afterthought, brought up a couple of times early on but never really built on after, even though it could've done a lot to flesh out his character beyond "super-cop". I would've liked to see him spend more time interacting with the one elderly cop on the force who still remembers him, or maybe have him try to locate his missing daughter and find that she's still alive, which, however it turned out, could've given him something personal to fight for in the future beyond his beef with Phoenix and his will-they-won't-they romance with Huxley. Nigel Hawthorne also felt wasted as Raymond Cocteau, the leader of San Angeles who released Phoenix in order to take out dissidents. He doesn't get to do much beyond make ominous remarks about social control, and he gets pushed aside quickly during the third act.

The action, too, was of its time, and not in a good way. The only scenes that were really worthwhile were the massive explosion in the prologue and the shootout in the museum, and in the latter's case, that's because it was the only one that really played around with the film's world, as Spartan and Phoenix both head there to get their hands on the only deadly weapons in the city and then proceed to duke it out in an exhibit dedicated to the gangland of '90s Los Angeles. Beyond that, however, the action scenes were all pretty middling, with characters throwing haymakers, shooting wildly, and wrecking cars but never really gripping me as they did so. Maybe I've been spoiled by years of John Wick movies and other modern action films both Hollywood and international that have stepped their game up when it comes to their shootouts, fistfights, and car chases, but this film was an unwelcome reminder that not every mid-budget action programmer from the "golden age of Hollywood action" was a John McTiernan or James Cameron film. There's a reason why this style of action movie was dying by 1993, is all I'm saying.

The Bottom Line

Then again, the action isn't what people remember about this movie. No, that would be the fancy Taco Bell, the three seashells, the fines for cursing, and all the other little details that make this world one of the more interesting sci-fi dystopias ever put to film. If you're a fan of creative science fiction worldbuilding, or you just wanna see Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes duke it out in a thoroughly Disneyfied future that's not prepared for either of them, check this one out.

[hividsmarttv]

Movies Inspired By Comics

© James O'Barr from "The Crow", 1989, Kitchen Sink Press

Comic book adaptations have become increasingly popular in recent years, with many of the biggest blockbuster movies being based on comic book characters and stories. However, not all comic book adaptations are as well-known as the likes of Spider-Man or Batman. Here are 10 movies that you may not have known were inspired by comics.

A History of Violence (2005) - Directed by David Cronenberg, this thriller stars Viggo Mortensen as a small-town diner owner with a dark past. The movie is based on a graphic novel by John Wagner and Vince Locke.

Blue is the Warmest Color (2013) - This French coming-of-age drama, directed by Abdellatif Kechiche, won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. The movie is based on a graphic novel by Julie Maroh.

The Crow (1994) - Directed by Alex Proyas, this gothic action movie stars Brandon Lee as a murdered musician who comes back from the dead to seek revenge. The movie is based on a comic book by James O'Barr.

Ghost World (2001) - Directed by Terry Zwigoff, this indie comedy stars Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson as two teenage misfits who struggle to find their place in the world. The movie is based on a graphic novel by Daniel Clowes.

Road to Perdition (2002) - Directed by Sam Mendes, this crime drama stars Tom Hanks as a hitman in 1930s Chicago who goes on the run with his son after a job goes wrong. The movie is based on a graphic novel by Max Allan Collins and Richard Piers Rayner.

Snowpiercer (2013) - Directed by Bong Joon-ho, this post-apocalyptic action movie stars Chris Evans as a rebellious passenger on a train that travels around a frozen world. The movie is based on a graphic novel by Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette.

Tamara Drewe (2010) - Directed by Stephen Frears, this British comedy stars Gemma Arterton as a young journalist who returns to her rural hometown and causes a stir. The movie is based on a graphic novel by Posy Simmonds.

2 Guns (2013) - Directed by Baltasar Kormákur, this action-comedy stars Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg as two undercover agents who are forced to work together. The movie is based on a graphic novel by Steven Grant and Mateus Santolouco.

V for Vendetta (2006) - Directed by James McTeigue, this dystopian thriller stars Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portman as freedom fighters in a totalitarian Britain. The movie is based on a graphic novel by Alan Moore and David Lloyd.

Whiteout (2009) - Directed by Dominic Sena, this thriller stars Kate Beckinsale as a US Marshal investigating a murder in Antarctica. The movie is based on a graphic novel by Greg Rucka and Steve Lieber.

These 10 movies show that comic book adaptations can be found in all genres, from indie comedies to dystopian thrillers. Whether you're a fan of comics or not, these movies are sure to entertain and surprise you.

[nsfwhiphop]

Part 4 - Incoming Text for Chloë Sevigny (@chloessevigny): “An Idea Worth 800 Million Dollars”

Question:

Who is Cory Goodman?

Cinetown​ (click on the blue link)

ChatGPT Answer:

Cory Goodman is an American screenwriter and producer, best known for his work in the action, fantasy, and science fiction genres. He is credited with writing the screenplays for "Priest" (2011), a post-apocalyptic action film; "The Last Witch Hunter" (2015), starring Vin Diesel; and "Underworld: Blood Wars" (2016), which is part of the popular Underworld franchise. Goodman's works typically blend dark fantasy with action elements, creating compelling narratives set in supernatural or dystopian worlds​.

xwhos.com​ (click on the blue link)

Here is a picture of Cory Goodman:

[carolhsu]

Blog 1:

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga - The Future of Action Cinema

In the recently released film Furiosa, it delved into the post-apocalyptic world meticulously crafted by George Miller. Furiosa differs from previous Mad Max films, it focus more on a character-driven narrative, exploring the evolution of Anya Taylor-Joy's Furiosa. The Mad Max universe is known for its intense chases, elaborate set pieces, and unique dystopian aesthetic, but Furiosa has added new emotional depth and narrative complexity.

digital special effects (CGI enhancement)

AI

dystopian (storyline、plot)

character design

music

*how to get images from film?