#the casting for young bulls was PHENOMENAL

[bullseyelover]

CAMERON MANN as YOUNG DEX POINDEXTER aka BULLSEYE in DAREDEVIL SEASON THREE

| behind the scenes

[ncisfranchise-source]

“Tiva” is back. CBS Studios is expanding its ever growing NCIS franchise by bringing back two fan favorite characters from the mothership series, Tony DiNozzo, played by Michael Weatherly, and Ziva David, portrayed by Cote de Pablo, who will reunite on screen for the first time in 10 years. Paramount+ has given a 10-episode series order to the untitled spinoff headlined by Weatherly and de Pablo and written by John McNamara (Trumbo, The Magicians). All three executive produce.

Nicknamed NCIS: Europe, the new action-packed spinoff, set to start production later this year, will follow Tony (Weatherly) and Ziva (de Pablo) as they find themselves on the run across the continent.

NCIS is one of CBS Studios’ most valuable franchises and its expansion has been a goal for the studio. This is one of two new NCIS offshoots greenlighted this year, along with the Young Gibbs prequel series for CBS, NCIS: Origins. It is also the second extension of the NCIS franchise beyond the U.S., following NCIS: Sydney, which has been airing on CBS in the U.S.

After Ziva’s (de Pablo) supposed death, Tony (Weatherly) left the NCIS team to go raise their daughter. Years later, Ziva was discovered alive, leading her to complete one final mission with NCIS before she was reunited with Tony and their daughter in Paris. Since then – and where we find them in the new Paramount+ original series – Tony and Ziva have been raising their daughter, Tali, together. When Tony’s security company is attacked, they must go on the run across Europe, trying to figure out who is after them and maybe even learn to trust each other again so that they can finally have their unconventional happily ever after.

“We’ve been talking about this story for many years, and now with John McNamara at the helm, we are ready,” Weatherly and de Pablo said. “The world of Tony and Ziva (and daughter Tali) promises to be an action-packed roller coaster fueled by love, danger, tears and laughter. We also want to acknowledge and thank the fans from around the world who supported the ‘Tiva’ movement for years. To this day, they say hello in grocery stores and on the street to tell us how much these characters mean to them and ask what Tony and Ziva are up to now. This is for you!” 

Weatherly hinted at a potential ‘Tiva’ reunion last month when his New Year’s tweet, “It’s time to look at time and enjoy the moment!” prompted a fan to respond, “We all would rather look at you and Ziva reuniting.” Weatherly highlighted the comment, adding, “Stay tuned… for this might be an interesting year for such ‘moments’!” He further fueled speculation this week by responding to a fan tweet lamenting about him and de Pablo, “miss the chemistry and magic you both create,” with the cryptic, “the universe works in mysterious ways…”

De Pablo, Weatherly and McNamara executive produce the spinoff series with Laurie Lieser, Christina Strain and Shelley Meals. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

“I’m incredibly excited to step into the NCIS universe with Cote and Michael and thrilled to explore it from a few new angles,” McNamara said. “Given that the franchise is such a global sensation, I think it’s phenomenal that CBS Studios and Paramount+ have given us the greenlight to shoot in Europe. As to the title of this series, if I told you what it is, I’d be violating the Espionage Act.”

Weatherly, an original NCIS cast member, had been with the series since its launch in 2003. He left after 13 seasons and went on to headline another CBS/CBS Studios drama, Bull. Speculation about his potential return to the NCIS franchise picked up after Bull ended its run last spring. He recently did a surprise cameo in the Ducky tribute episode of the mothership series.

De Pablo joined NCIS in Season 3. She appeared in Seasons 3 through 10 and exited the series early in Season 11. In the Season 13 finale, it was revealed that Ziva apparently had died in an explosion in Israel. She returned three years later in 2019, where it was revealed she was alive and had gone into hiding. She made a surprise unannounced return in the last scene of the season 16 finale, which aired on May 21, 2019, in which Ziva arrives at Gibbs’ basement to warn him that his life is in danger. She later appeared in the first two episodes of the show’s 17th season and in that season’s 10th and 11th episodes as part of her storyline.

Weatherly, repped by Anonymous Content, Verve, and McKuin Frankel Whitehead, and de Pablo, repped by UTA and Entertainment 360, have remained close off-screen. In 2018, they teamed up to executive produce detective drama MIA, which was set up at CBS.

Twenty-one seasons in — currently ranking as the third-longest-running U.S. primetime drama — the mothership NCIS series remains the most watched non-sports program on broadcast. A big global seller, which once ranked as the most watched drama in the world, the venerable procedural has spawned three spinoffs in the U.S., NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans as well as NCIS: Hawai’i, which kicked off its fourth season. The franchise recently went international with its first non-American offshoot, NCIS: Sydney, which also has done very well in the U.S., ranking as the most watched new series of the fall.

Veteran showrunner McNamara most recently served as an executive producer on the Apple TV+ series Physical and prior to that co-created and executive produced Syfy’s The Magicians.

[soul-music-is-life]

Young Sheldon Finale

*spoilers*

It was a surreal experience to watch the final two episodes. Even though I suspected it, it still caught me off-guard. Death often does. Even when you think you're prepared...you're not.

The pain of losing a parent never goes away, and I don't know that I've ever seen a show do justice to this like Young Sheldon did.

From people bringing food to all the "I'm sorry's" to the different ways everyone reacted.

Connie trying to numb the loss (did that)

Mary being angry at George (I was pissed at my mom for leaving me)

Georgie trying to make everything okay for everyone (same...and can I say...the way that it was incorporated into the opening credits this season with Georgie seemingly taking on the paternal role shoeing the bull away from his family? Lovely touch).

Missy's irritation at people being around in general (I had to have a friend pull me away from someone who said it was "God's plan").

The funeral itself, with a mixture of good memories and pain. That hit hard. Because I remember feeling a mix of nostalgia only to be slapped in the face moments later with reality.

Sheldon having to process was also relatable. I went through a million scenarios of "what ifs" after I lost my mom.

A few moments that were all too real to me:

Heartbreaking way to end the show, but also...what a phenomenal cast.

Bittersweet. I'm going to miss this show.

[makeyourownmyth]

best seen in 2020.

My usual caveats from previous years are still applicable here: I don’t watch most of the major nominations the years they come out, and I’m usually not much for theaters and/or current TV. However, due to the pandemic, we watched a loooooooot of content. Here’s just a list of movies that I watched or rewatched this year, that were neither terrible, nor great, but I want to make note of:

Toy Story 4, The Brothers Bloom, Happiest Season, The Peanut Butter Falcon, Moana, Mr. Right, Moulin Rouge, Ocean’s Eleven, Spring Breakers, X-Men: Dark Phoenix (this might have been the worst movie I watched this year?), Widows, Gattaca, Black Klansman, Primer, It 2, Shazam (this maybe should have gone on the Honorable Mentions - it was fun), Training Day, Parasite (OK, now I have to update my Honorable Mentions), The Green Book, Strange Days, Elf, Love & Basketball, Above the Rim, Coach Carter.

That being said, there was some bad stuff, and I try not to shit on any artist’s creations too much, because I know no one sets out to make something bad, but these didn’t work for me. 

Anti

Uncut Gems - It’s not that it was BAD, it was just too stressful for me to enjoy.

Brick - It wasn’t even close to enjoyable on a rewatch that I encouraged my partner to take on for the first time. I felt bad. 

Hereditary - Neither a scary movie, nor a good movie.  

The Witch - Same, but maybe better made?

Under The Skin - Jesus, this was terrible. Maybe I’m not artsy enough to get it?

Now, however, let’s get to the good stuff. 

Honorable Mention TV

Avatar - I can’t legitimately put it on the Best Of list, because I’m not done yet, but I’m on Book 3, after finally actually getting started. I think I tried to start this in 2016, and i know all my nerd friends have been yelling at me for a long time because I haven’t gotten to it yet, and as someone who’s almost done, I can say: they were right! It’s great. 

Ozark - S1 was great. It fell off a fucking CLIFF after that. Ignore people who tell you that you HAVE to watch this. They’re wrong. It’s fine. 

The Last Dance - I know the world is obsessed with Michael Jordan, and I’m glad it came out when it did, but really, all it did for me was confirm that he’s an asshole who was very fortunate to play when he did. And also that the Bulls were fucking phenomenal. 

His Dark Materials - Neither as bad as some of my friends think, nor nearly as good as the books (obviously) but also not good enough that I’ve even started S2 yet, so....I guess it’s fine? 

The Mandalorian S2 - I think they know what they’re doing, and it’s super enjoyable, and I loved the ending, but I’m also curious as to where they’re going now. 

Fargo S3 - Given how good the rest of the series is (other than my distaste for S2, dealt with below, and out of step with pop culture) I thought this one was a misstep, 

Orphan Black - I cannot believe how late I was to this, and how good it still was. It really fell apart toward the end, but the acting was incredible, and the fact that they got to tell the story they wanted to was amazing. 

Best TV

7. All the Smoke with Kobe (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3R3KIyEgCgc) - Maybe it was just his death, but it hits hard, and I miss him. Does this even count as TV? 

6. Looking for Alaska - It felt like gratuitous masochism to watch this and enjoy it, being 20 years older than when I fell for it, and feeling ashamed of the young person I was, but even knowing what was coming, I was weeping when it happened. Even knowing that they were ultimately going on a fruitless search and yelling at the TV while the Colonel and Pudge were searching for “signs” and hating them for it, I remember feeling like everything HAD to happen for a reason when I was this young... So yeah. It’s pure nostalgia for me. I’d be super interesting in hearing how kids responded to it. 

5. Locke and Key - I get that some people feel like they don’t need old shit in a new medium, but for me, I’m always up to try it out. If it’s fun, I’ll stick with it. And this is. It’s fun, it’s got some of the old shit, it’s got some new shit, and it’s a treat to see my favorite comic of the last decade in a new medium. Haters need a new bit. 

Fargo s1 and s4 (I didn’t love S3) - I know that I’m in the minority here, but I think 1 and 4 are the best and 2 was good, and 3 was fine. I literally watched all of this show this year, though, so I didn’t have the same time to digest as others. But I think that’s a benefit in some regards? 

4. Magicians s5 - One of the saddest conversations of the last year to two was when a nerd friend of mine said he didn’t like The Magicians because all of the characters were whiny and self-indulgent. For me, that was almost literally the point: they shoved Q into the corner and told the story of the others (at least one episode quite self-referentially so) and it was so much better for that. I wish it hadn’t ended, but I’m glad they left it where they did, because it was so good.  

3. Devs esp. The beginning of e5 - Jesus. The show of the year? Except for the fact that Watchmen came out at the tail end of last year, and I didn’t have it on my 2019 list? I mean, honestly, is there a show more tailored to me? I’m not gonna get into any spoilers, but it’s a quick watch, and it’s fucking fantastic. Watch it, have your mind blown by the concept, especially in the beginning sequence of E5, and then stick around for the subpar ending where basically all of the threads are resolved in the least good way. 

2. Watchmen - This deserves multiple re-watches and all the praise that people heaped upon it. 

1. The Good Place - I know, objectively, that Watchmen was a better show than The Good Place. But this is my list, and I’ll be damned if anything overtakes my favorite sitcom (maybe of all time?) for best of the year. I know it barely just ended this year, and there’s plenty of acclaim to go around for this show, but honestly, every time I talk to anyone about it, it feels like they kind of laugh it off. This show is not only worth your time, but should almost be considered must-watch material. If more people watched this show, we wouldn’t need the insult “sophomoric” to describe people who’ve just had their minds blown by Philosophy 101, and we’d be better off as a species. 

Honorable Mention Movies

In this order, and you can take the comedies and make them the only honorable mentions, if you’d like to make a nice, even top 10. (Until I saw Tenet the night before I posted this.( (And then I looked back at the playing cards that we use to randomly choose movies and I found that I needed to modify the Honorable Mentions and the Best Of lists.) 

21 and 22 Jump Street - In general, I’m not a fan of comedies. So I’m happy I watched these, thanks to Nathan Zed, and they’re funny. Good work guys. 

Palm Springs - Apparently there’s now backlash against Groundhog Day? I dunno, man, it was fun, and all the actors seemed like they were having a good time, and I was down for it. 

Parasite - I can’t add anything to this that hasn’t already been shouted from the rooftops, so let me just briefly say that I thought it was great, but it didn’t quite make the list of best. The combo of genres was great, the cast was fantastic, but what I loved the most about it was how quiet it was.

Best Movies

10. Blinded by the Light - Way more resonant than I thought it’d be from the previews, and I already thought it was gonna be stellar. I didn’t take into account TIME along with place, and that made a hell of a difference for this movie. 

9. Shoplifters - Yeesh. What a tough watch, but so good, and so necessary. For me, I think we watched it back to back to back with Parasite and I, Tonya, and this one just stood out so much more. The storyline was softer all the way through, but really had gravitas simultaneously. 

8. Tenet - It was fucking fun! I don’t get the hate! I liked it, I’ll like it more next time I see it, and I wish I’d seen it on the big screen, but I’m super glad I could see it on my TV! 

7. I, Tonya - Geez, what a powerhouse of acting. Not only did they get me to feel good about the villain of my childhood, they got me to feel good about Margot Robbie, who I’d only thought of as a hot lady before. Superb acting from everyone else, too, and what a great pick up to be like, yeah, this is the story we’re gonna tell. 

6. I Am Not Your Negro - I avoided watching it for so long because I was already depressed this year, and I didn’t think I needed any more of that, but it turns out I did, and I always do, from Baldwin. He’s a master for a reason. 

5. Hamilton - I know there was some backlash with the time difference, and I’m sure it was better to see it pre-2016 in the theater, where it’s meant to be seen, but I’m not a billionaire New Yorker, and I was plenty happy to see it when and where I could. 

4. Won’t You Be My Neighbor - I mean...what do you think? It’s so much exactly what you’re thinking it is, but then it’s even better, because it’s the real deal, and he was so good, and it’s so pure. Watch it. 

3. Her Smell - Elizabeth Moss has already gotten all the acclaim, but to play this different of a role, in a movie that felt as stressful as Uncut Gems, but pulled off an actual plot so much more successfully? I can’t believe this one didn’t get more pub, but then again, yes I can: it’s a movie about a girl band that rages against the machine, and she’s got severe issues. Small surprise that the people didn’t react well. Seek this one out! 

2. Arrival - Yes, I am going to totally cheat and put a movie that’s appeared on my list (sooooo long ago) as the #2 entry this year. You know why? Cuz fuck 2020, and this is a great movie, and it’s the movie that made me feel second best this year. It’s incredible, and I know people appreciated it in its time, but I feel like they should appreciate it even more. 

1. Moonlight - It’s not a shock, nor am I trying to appease anyone with anything. It’s just that I finally watched it, and it’s the best movie I saw this year. I don’t think I could possibly add anything to the authentic critics who have already heaped praise upon it, but I do have to say that it’s all due, and so much more. The acting obviously stands out, but the direction, from the color palettes, to the choice of when and where (and how) to break it up, are all masterful choices.  

[daniellethamasa]

Hey all, Dani here.

I love talking about books. It’s the reason why I started this book blog, but over the years I’ve tried to balance my love of reading with all of my other geeky passions and hobbies. Occasionally that means posting about non-bookish things on here. Honestly this is more like my little corner of the geek universe. Today is one of those days where I just feel this huge need to talk about not quite as bookish things.

I say not quite because today I’m talking about shows that I’ve been binge-watching or re-watching quite recently. However, I can also say that they all have books attached to them, so I’ll talk about both the show and the books that go along with it.

It’s kind of a shorter list, but I’m probably going to gush about most of these for a little bit so it’ll still be a decently sized post.

First off, I have to talk about “The Good Place.” This show just finished its four season run recently, and I’ve somehow managed to avoid spoilers for the season finale, which is really impressive. I’m in the middle of season 3, so I’ll have to wait a little bit to be able to watch the final season, but you guys, this show is utterly amazing! The way it is able to balance all of these deep philosophical and ethical lessons and debates with ridiculous randomness and hilarity, as well as having massively compelling characters is just wonderful.

The character development is pretty exceptional overall as well. Watching these characters, who some of them are self-centered or obnoxious or arrogant or downright evil, learn and grow and change through all of these events that happen, and all of the ethics lessons that are presented to them, it’s just a delight to watch.

I don’t own this book yet, but come on, how cute is the idea behind it? A cookbook based on the show? Like, there are some pretty fun episodes around food and such throughout the show, so I’m excited to take a look at the book in the future.

Next, I’m going to mention one of my more recent manga/anime obsessions, and that is “Fruits Basket.” When it comes to reading I’m only through the third volume of the Collector’s Editions, which I think is like the first 9 volumes of the standard manga editions.

This story is just really cute, and like a lot of manga and anime I seem to enjoy, there is a fairly decent focus on food. It is a shojo manga, which is a story that is aimed more towards a teenage female audience, and the stories typically involve romance. This one follows a young woman named Tohru, whose mom recently passed away, and through a series of circumstances she ends up temporarily moving in with a classmate…only to learn that he and several other members of his family are possessed by the animal spirits of the Chinese Zodiac.

I just think that Tohru is so adorable and caring and compassionate, and watching how she interacts with members of the Sohma clan is really intriguing. I didn’t get into this series back when it was originally released (back in like 1999/2000), and didn’t even actually know it existed back then. I think the only manga/anime I really knew about back then was Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura, though I had heard of Dragon Ball Z and all that.

Anyway, I’m glad that Funimation decided to bring back the anime, mostly with the original cast as well. Much like what they did with Fullmetal Alchemist/Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, this new adaptation is supposed to follow the manga more closely. Now, considering I never watched the original series, I can’t say if that’s true or not. But based on images I’ve seen from both shows, I can say that the art and animation style has certainly improved over the past two decades, so that’s great.

I’m looking forward to continuing with this series and meeting the last members of the Zodiac, and seeing how Tohru living with a few of the Sohmas affects and changes them all.

My third current show obsession is “The Witcher.” Clearly I have to talk about this show, because I’m a little bit obsessed with it at the moment. I have the whole season downloaded on my phone so I can watch it anywhere/anytime. I own all of the books. We own a couple of the games.

The action in the show is phenomenal. Okay, yes, if you aren’t fully paying attention, the timeline in season one can be a little confusing, because there’s like three different timelines running at once for most of the show. I personally didn’t have any issues with it, though I know a lot of people complained about it. I enjoyed the costuming, and the magical special effects. The creatures were fantastic. There was a dragon in one of the episodes and he was glorious. Most of the creatures that Witchers hunt were delightfully creepy, which I thought was pretty darn cool.

I had tried to read the first book of stories twice before the release of the show and didn’t make it that far in, because while it was good, I still struggle with translated books. After watching the first couple episodes of the show, I picked up the book again and I was completely hooked. I don’t know what it was but all of the stories and characters and the world, it all just clicked for me, and now I just really want to binge-read the whole series, but at the same time, I want to savor the books…especially since we’re apparently not getting season two until at least early 2021.

Okay, fine, I have another manga/anime to talk about, and that’s “Black Clover.” Yes, I gush about this series pretty much every time I do a Manga Monday review for one of the volumes. I absolutely adore the characters in this show/series, and I’m excited about every time I get to enjoy more of their adventures.

Honestly, seriously, one of my absolute favorite parts about the Black Bulls squad of the Magic Knights is how they work together, and fight together, and stick up for each other, and defend each other, and how they never ever give up. They could be hurt and weak and be at the end of their magical ability, but if the people around them need protecting, the Black Bulls find a hidden reserve of strength and find a way to overcome any obstacle in front of them. It’s really awesome and inspiring.

Plus getting to watch the development of each character’s magic is really fun too. I’m completely caught up on the released volumes of the manga, but I have I think like 40 episodes or something of the anime to watch yet. I’ll be getting to that on my Funimation account next; I want to finish Fruits Basket first.

Finally, my obsession absolutely continues with one of my favorite shows, which you can watch for free on YouTube or you can just listen to as a podcast, and that is “Critical Role.”

Again, this is another one of those fandoms that I’ve talked about a number of times on this blog. I’ve been to three of the Gen Con live shows, I own a whole lot of merchandise, and I just love how this show sparks the creativity of so many and helps to inspire a lot of us out there.

I just, I really connect with the characters, each of them in different ways, but you do grow to really love them, and it’s all improv, and some of what happens is truly decided by rolls of the dice, so you never exactly know what to expect. But the characters and the stories are just complex and they get deep, and sometimes you’re watching it and you get emotional about it. If you’re like me then you get emotional sometimes while thinking about the characters and the story lines. Like, you know, right now while I’m typing this. I’m probably not helped by the fact that I have the show on in the background as I try to get completely caught up. –not having the best internet at home has meant that Damian and I have fallen quite a bit behind. It’s like if we don’t get to watch it live each week that we sometimes forget that we need to watch it.

There are a number of books that can be enjoyed from this fandom. There’s the art books, the prequel comics, a third party 5th edition setting book, and coming in March an official 5th edition setting book. So there’s so much out there to expand the massive world that Matthew Mercer has created and it’s fantastic.

All right, that is all from me for today. What are some shows that you are currently watching/obsessed with? Let me know in the comments, and I will be back soon with more bookish content.

Recommendations: Shows I’m Loving Right Now Hey all, Dani here. I love talking about books. It's the reason why I started this book blog, but over the years I've tried to balance my love of reading with all of my other geeky passions and hobbies.

[thatalfredpennyworth]

Dragon Ball Super Broly Review

Oh god, it's happening, BROLY NOW OFFICIALLY EXISTS IN THE DRAGON BALL UNIVERSE!...*sighs* BRING IT ON! *Spoilers DUH* For those of you who don't know a year ago I watched Broly the Legendary Super Saiyan and found it to be a hot mess. It had a weak and bland villain, over the top dialogue, even in the context of DBZ, and after it happened, I decided it was by far the worst dragon ball z movie I've ever seen...at least it was until I discovered another Broly movie that was even worse. And then came movie three which is without a doubt the worst one. Then this movie came along and it is a Broly movie once again meaning I have to review it. Now I was going to review Quest For Camelot but trust me that atrocity is coming later. This is Dragon Ball Super Broly This is without a doubt THE BEST Dragon Ball Z movie of all time! Quick Note For Families: You don't have to be a fan of Dragon Ball Z to enjoy this one. When I came into the theater, I saw a wide variety of people there and oddly enough, there were a lot of young kids in the theater that fell in love with this movie. Honestly, for a Dragon Ball Z movie, it's surprisingly something that would be pretty appealing to all age groups and even all genders. Most of the DBZ movies are definitely fans only but this one gives viewers enough backstory that you can just jump right in and enjoy it. That said though if you are considering taking any little ones with you, please keep in mind that there are some scenes and characters that sensitive viewers may be uncomfortable with but it really depends on your kid. I honestly don't believe in the Focus on the Family bullshit that if a movie has this many fight scenes or this many swears that it's (in the words of Mermaid Man) "EEEEEEEEEEVVVVVIIIIIIIILLLLLLL!" because it really depends on your kid. Most kids should enjoy it ok, all the kids in my theater loved it and most of them were little girls. I know several people on twitter who have told me that when they were kids back in the toonami days, they were afraid of Vegeta who I would say at this point is a kitten compared to some of the newer characters. Just know your kid and if they can handle all the action, they will have a great time on the adventure. Let's just say, if your kid can handle Star Wars, they can handle this fine. And Now On With the Review: Broly as a Character: When I first came into this I admittedly in some ways got what I was expecting, but in all honestly, there were plenty of surprises and interesting choices made here. In the original story, Broly was not only extremely powerful but he was a violent ball of rage who could not say anything other than his infamous "KAKAROOOOOOOT". He was pretty bland in the original story and was just kind of there to be the huge boss fight. In some ways, he was a bit of a big lipped alligator character. Here Broly is more of a Quasimodo type character, someone who could do some serious damage if pushed far enough but is a misunderstood gentle giant. Yeah, we've heard this story, it's Ferdinand the bull but with saiyans though what they do with it is surprisingly compelling and actually kind of relevant to the way some conservatives go too far when parenting children who don't necessarily fit in with social standards. In that case, the Frollo of this story is Paragus. He's a complete asshole who's constantly nitpicking and micromanaging his son because of the fact that he was born with an abnormal CP. He doesn't let Broly speak unless he's told it's ok, he calls Broly a danger to others, refuses to let Broly pursue his own interests and even hooks him up to an electrode device...I'm not kidding, that's in the movie. Gee, where have I seen this kind of parenting before...Oh yeah, the F%$king Judge Rotenberg Center treats their students EXACTLY like this! For those of you who don't know, there's a video on youtube of a news reporter visiting this place to find out if hooking mentally divergent children to shock devices is an abusive practice. In this video, she meets a young girl named Rachel wearing a shock device on her arms, neck and legs which is hooked up to her. Rachel seems to be calm but refuses to speak. The reporter asks to see the shock device remote and as soon as the aid pulls it out off a belt on her waist, Rachel tries to back away, moans and starts to cry. There's a scene in the movie that actually goes almost EXACTLY like that and for some people, it could be triggering. What's interesting about what they do with Broly is the fact that there's some animal motifs with his character being likened to domestic dogs, ,more specifically, bully breeds like pit bulls and rotties, dogs that have some of the strongest bite forces in the animal kingdom but are in general pretty gentle animals that don't attack unless seriously provoked. We even see that at one point Broly had a pet that was kind of like a space dog. Paragus of course wanted Broly to be a fighter so he considered the "dog" a distraction and shot its ear off. Broly decided that he'd keep the animal's ear pelt as a makeshift blanket to wrap on his waist in order to remember his pet. Broly is also socially awkward, shy and even a bit emotional when he finds someone he trusts, that person being Cheelai. Broly does not want to be a soldier for Paragus but would rather live a peaceful existence on Vampa, of course Paragus disapproves of this and forces him into Frieza's army to which Frieza can manipulate him more. Broly is not fighting Goku because he wants to, he's fighting because he's been provoked far enough by his father and Frieza and cannot control his suppressed emotions. He's a complex social outcast who cannot control his own power yet and just wants to have a friend or two in his life. This Broly is 1,000 times better than the original and there were moments when I was actually crying. This Broly is a reflection of real world child abuse and for a dragon ball z movie, they tackle the abuse of divergent children by parents and teachers rather realistically and thoughtfully. Cheelai is not a peer to Broly, she's a legitimate friend and what comes out of their bond is really heartwarming. I can say this, you will end up rooting for him and smiling when he gets to pursue his own life in the end. Positive Elements: The rest of the cast is also pretty well put together. We see character development from almost everyone, and yes, even Frieza has several moments of this. Goku and Vegeta are the highlights of the movie besides Broly and are just a ton of fun to watch. Goku's got some good one liners, Vegeta's got some softie moments and of course, the fight choreography BLOWS the rest of Dragon Ball Z away. This movie's fight scenes kicked ass and no expense is spared here. The animation is superb and is without a doubt, the best in the franchise. I'd even say it reminds me of Don Bluth animation, it'd gorgeous to look at and although a bunch of craziness is flying at you, it looks amazing. The backstory on our saiyans is also well thought out and executed. We meet Goku's parents, a loving saiyan couple that sense something is up with Frieza and want to save their son by sending him to Earth. We meet Vegeta III who's an ableist power hungry jerk, and we get to see plenty of other new saiyans with distinctive personalities. Everything is connected in this story and it really shows how hard they were trying to write a thoughtful and compelling piece. We get to see plenty of amazing new locations, some excellent backdrops and get more insight into what makes these characters tick. The humor in this is also some of the best in the franchise. We had people in my theater cracking up when Goku and Vegeta left Frieza to deal with Broly for an hour while doing the fusion dance. There's even a nice little message about being who you are which is really nice to see out of a dragon ball z movie. The musical score is also pretty well done. Unlike any other dragon ball z movie, the score here is more orchestral and feels theatrical. The Gogeta transformation is absolutely perfect and is everything fans of Gogeta were hoping for. The final fight is just phenomenally animated and really blew  me away on the big screen. Also, the fact that they chose to let Broly live on as a friend to the main cast with more adventures to come for him is a positive way to further the message of the movie. The way this movie is executed is near perfect and serves as an experience that both fans of the show and newcomers can go and enjoy. What can I say, this movie is a fun and emotional popcorn flick that will leave you on the edge of your seats and cheering for our main cast. Nitpicks: There are definitely problems as with any movie. I'd say the biggest one is the waist of Beerus as a gag character. This is the friggin GOD OF DESTRUCTION and they reduce him to a throwaway gag early on. They also don't do a lot with Whis and that was kind of disappointing. We do finally get to see Whis in combat but it's blink and you will miss. Also, Frieza has lost a lot of his intimidation at this point. I'd say he's more of a troll than an evil emperor and his purpose in life is now just to mess with Goku rather than blow up his planet. It gets some good laughs but it feels out of character. These are the only true problems I have with the movie and honestly, these are really just nitpicks and not true criticisms. I really can't find any real faults with this one, and that's saiyan a lot The Verdict: Rarely do I consider a movie, let alone a dragon ball z movie, in the ranks of classics like Star Wars and Close Encounters, but Dragon Ball Super Broly truly deserves to be recognized as a cinematic classic in its own right. I hate most of the dragon ball z movies with Wrath of the Dragon and Battle of Gods being the only ones I really liked. This movie BLOWS all the previous films away and for me, even surpasses the entire franchise. New risks are taken here, more challenging topics are talked about, and our characters are more grey rather than just black and white. What makes this movie truly spectacular is that it can reach an audience beyond the fanbase. I saw people of all ages in that theater and I'd say about half the theater was non fans interested in checking the movie out for a popcorn flick night. I've only ever given a standing ovation in a theater to Star Wars VII, Coco, Arrival and Black Panther. Dragon Ball Super Broly is now on that list of films I've stood up clapping for. The visuals are stunning, the characters are multi dimensional, the story is near perfect, the music gave me goosebumps, it's a masterpiece of science fiction. I'd tell you to go see it, but let's face it, you probably already have. This is one super saiyan sized flick that will leave you cheering and asking for more. Story: 10/10 Characters: 9/10 Animation: 10/10 Rating: 9.5/10

[michalwu]

Best of 2018 in TV

Another year passed and again I watched a lot of good quality tv. I think that although again it was very hard to choose my top 10 this year was a little bit less intense than previous. Still I had to do a short list of places 20-11 because I couldn’t resist not to mention a few more productions. That said remember I’m not a critic. I watch thinks I like not because I have to and this list is totally subjective though I tried to be fair. I watched over 50 series from 2018 and that’s the results:

20-11 (in random order)

The Affair (season 4), Atlanta (season 2), Homecoming, ACS: The Assassination of Gianni Versace, Killing Eve, One Day at the Time (season 2), Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, Maniac (season 2), Legion (season 2), AHS: Apocalypse.

10. Anne with and E (season 2)

I never was a huge fan of the book as a kid but I read it as mandatory lecture in primary school. But I am a huge fan of this series. Beautiful placement of the plot plus very talented young cast with leading Amybeth. The best part of the story for me always was the dynamics of Anna's relationship with her adopted parents.

9. Patrick Melrose

What an absolutely outstanding trio of actors: Benedict Cumberbatch, Hugo Weaving and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Plus another young talent this year Seabstian Maltz who as a young Patrick is giving one of the most dramatic performence of the year. Creators did justice to the novel.

8. The Deuce (season 2)

This was one of the most enjoyable series this year. I love the period it shows and since the first season I started to develop a sympathy for all those characters especially for Candy. Too bad the series seems to be forgotten this year by critics. In my opion it came back in a lot better shape than last year. It’s funnier, it’s faster and the whole fuss around making porno adaptation of Red Riding Hood is just captivating.

7. Sharp Objects

Another great limited series and another proof of my love to the craftsmanship of brilliant Jean-Marc Vallée. The story from book was kinda predictable and tacky. But thanks to the director who is an expert of showing emotions and dilemmas from the past plus the cast of three great actresses made it into phenomenal work. I am really looking forward to see more projects from cooperation of Mr. Vallee and HBO because so far it brings only true treasures.

6. Barry

I was always a fan of Bill Harder on SNL and his (usually) small roles in comedies. So then I found out that he’s making his own show I kept my fingers crossed for the success. And the results are better than expected. Barry is a great combination of drama and comedy. It sound like things we see lately very often but Barry is the best mix of two this year (not to mention animated series). Why? Because drama is real (he’s a seriall killer with many very hard moral choices to make) and the comedy provided (mostly) by Henry Winkler is just a poor gold. Well done.

5. The Haunting of  Hill House

I’m not a big horror enthusiast but I do have a soft spot for those stories in classical form. And what’s more classic than beautiful, old, and huge haunted house. I fell in love with this series and it’s so much better than the previous movies. This one is actually very far from the original story written by Shirley Jackson but it capture the atmosphere the best. Separation of episode focusing on different from five siblings was a great idea. From non-believer to the most affected of the kids the story became more and more intense and scary. I honestly was scared almost the whole time. Still I tried to play with creators and watch for all  the hidden ghosts in the background. The secret of Bent Neck Lady was haunting me for a while and even after finishing the series it all stayed with me in my mind. This was my favorite new series of the year. I’d love to see it again in other form, maybe as anthology like AHS. With this cast yes please!

4. GLOW (season 2)

It’s so nice today that we can get such a smahing tv show this such a huge female cast. I love this series and those Gorgeous Ladies Of Wrestling since season 1. I always enjoy it when show or movie takes me to another peroid of time and GLOW blend us into into that reality of 80 like nothing else. We had so many exctiting things this season with Debbie becoming single mother after divorce, Sam Silvia trying himself as a father and the whole team becoiming more and more like a crazy family (recording of intro in the mall was amazing). In real life I’m not really intrested in wrestling (like at all) and though it probably differs a lot than reality I loved those duels bethween characters. Episode Mother of All Matches is one of the best in 2018.

3. BoJack Horseman (season 5)

Oh how I love this show and this character. And before anyone judge me I don’t love BoJack for being a walking disaster and misery. I love this character and many other on the show for the incredibly smart writing. He is a alcoholic, narcissus and washed-out tv star and that who he is. Just like Priness Caroline is an ambitious woman who will give up many things for career even if she know it won’t give her happines in the end. But that’s the greatest thing about this show and creators that they won’t change those characters and put them in unexpected positions just to get the wow factor from the viewers. They still find  a way to present those persons in fresh and captivating way but making it “in” the nature of the character. And that’s the fift season so congrats! And still we can count on them to give us some real gems like episode Free Churro which is a masterpiece of writing. The thing is this season of BoJack doesn’t stand out in specific way from other but it gives us the thing it always did and never disappoints - crazy rollercoaster ride.

2. Mozart in the Jungle (season 4)

When I said at the beginning that this list is totally subjective I meant it inter alia because of this series. Mozart IS my favorite tv series. I don’t know if the best but it always gave me the most joy when watching it adn that’s a pretty good determinant. Unfortunately I will have to start saying it WAS my favorite because Amazon cancelled series after this season. I’m still mad and disappointed because GoT is about to end so all platforms grab the money to invest in “next huge thing” (in case of Amazon it’s new Lord of the Ring..yeah we need it). But don’t get me wrong. I didn’t put Mozart this high because I’m mad and or to mark someone’s mistake. I just really loved this season. Placing the plot in Japan was bull’s-eye move. Rodrigo De Souza (favorite tv character next to Leslie Knope) as a boyfriend of Hailey was hilarious, a much as observing her way to become succesfull and independent artist. The scene when she debuts as conductor with piece “Hi” is maybe my favorite moment in whole season. Even stronger is her performence at the finale. Although I rooted for Hailey and Rodrigo as a couple I’m glad that creators didn’t go into cliche with their relationship. Another strong scene is the on at traditional tea ceremony. Of course as always the whole season was very firm from the music side (this series helped me to discover a little piece of classical music and I’m grateful for that). I will really miss this series. I think it could easily do another season especially now when creators decided to end this season in such an interesting place. Too bad...

1. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (season 2)

There’s nothing to explain... but I will ;) I compared all the series with each other and in my opinion there was nothing better that Mrs. Maisel this year. I enjoyed it last year but I didn’t even expected how much delight will it be to have it back. Visually it is the most beautiful thing in tv right now. And the writing as always is case of Amy Sherman-Palladino is just excellent. Those characters are so fast and wit it’s just a pleasure to observe them interact and discuss with much to many words and refrences than any normal person would use. And those actors really take it like a champs. All episodes in Paris was nice but it was nothing compre to Catskill where it felt like watching dirty dancing but with much better and more interesting story. I love the way Palladino direct her characters. How they develop especially Midge, her friendship with Susie and her realisation that stand-up comedy is not only the thing she want to do but it is something she will do for the rest of her life. Every time she stands in front of audience, camera or father himself she proves to be nailer and we as audience live for those moments! I really enjoyed see her parents in Paris as we could discover totally different side of them both and also new romance of Midge. But my favorite sequence of the season was Midge watching Lenny Bruce (Luke Kirby is so on point with this role) in last episode and realising it all (inconspicuous scene but made me waste a few tears). At the end I will add that I love the attitude towards the children presented in this series...irrational like many other things.

*******

Suming up in my list dominant are HBO and Netflix productions but in the end two first places go to Amazon.

Comapring with previous year there is no sign of Legion in top 10. Well season 2 was good, sometimes even great but not enough to get into the top. Beside there’s less new series on the list (seven in 2017, four this year) but we had some amazing comebacks.

I don’t have huge disappointments this year, maybe just a few. 1) Romanoffs were boring as hell and I really counted on Weiner. 2) Cancelling of many good series like Mozart in the Jungle or Daredevil. 3) Riverdale became so absurd that it beats and law of logic. I mean why it gotta be so intense?

[wordshakerofgallifrey]

okay I promised someone a recount of Springfield Newsies from last night SO LET’S GO ANOTHER LONG POST BECAUSE I HAVE LOTS TO SAY:

PART ONE BECAUSE IT’S LITERALLY THAT MUCH

FIRST OF ALL they had a live orchestra, which may not seem like a big deal but Tulsa just had the music and it was so cool hearing the music played live

When Crutchie wanted to go down the ladder, he handed his crutch to Jack and before Jack could get over to help him, Crutchie was already climbing down and Jack was like “whoa whoa whoa wait!”

During the prologue, Crutchie mostly just looked like he was indulging Jack in his Santa Fe dream, but he looked hopeful about it too..

oh man. this Crutchie??

LOVE OF MY LIFE

he could literally give AKB a run for his money he was fantastic

Carrying the Banner was fantastic

the ensemble was all girls and they were amazing

in the ensemble there were probably 4-5 kids under 10 playing Newsies and they were so cute, they’d come on and summersault around

really a lot of the cast was pretty young actually, I know Albert and Elmer were still in high school and they were so talented...

Romeo did this big exaggerated swing on “Back ta the bench slugger! Ya struck out!”

when the nuns came in, Elmer followed them up the stairs, crossing himself 

When the Delancey’s shoved Crutchie, the kid was barely down a second before two other newsies helped him up, and another grabbed his crutch to toss to Jack

I was like in the second row and at the very end they all rushed the edge of the stage and Elmer’s hat fell off stage and the lady in front of me grabbed it and tossed it up to him and he managed to grab it before it fell off again and he winked at her.

Poor Davey was just confused the entire time he was on stage for his first scene

Oscar was ready to pound Jack on “Oscar can’t count to 20 with his shoes on” and Morris stopped him

When Les said “You wouldn’t pull a fast one on a little kid?” he paused right before “little kid” and looked at the audience all sad and pitiful

born to the breed indeed

one of the newsies scooped Les up when Davey wasn’t paying attention and started to carry him away and when Davey tried to get him back the guy just threw Les at him

there was a lot of throwing of the little newsies it gave me a heart attack every time 

Nunzio looked at the audience like he was looking at a camera on the Office when Pulitzer paid him for his shave like “you seein’ this?? you see what I put up with?”

when Davey tried to sell his pape, his voice cracked and he was really quiet and Jack just looked so disappointed

he grabbed the paper from him and smacked him with it

“buy a pape from a poor orphan?” Jack was dying and Davey was like “you taught my brother to lie!!”

after Snyder was chasing them, Jack was like “go, go!” and then they ran past where he wanted them to go, he was like “no! quit runnin’ he’s gone!”

when they met Medda and Davey bowed, she looked really confused and said, “uhm, rise!” and she and Jack laughed 

the Bowery Beauties were showing off their legs for Les and he reached out to poke one and Davey grabbed him away

“Miss Medda!! You’re on!!’ she stepped really close to the stage manager and went “REALLY???” did a full circle, looking around, “HOW AM I DOIN’?” and Jack laughed really sarcastically before giving Davey a look

like a dozen Bowery Beauties came out and danced behind Medda as she sang

Katherine, the light of my life, she was so perfect

they had projection screens so they had Jack’s drawing up on the stage while he sang

when the next headline went up, Race just like slid between Albert’s legs, looking up at the board

“QUIT CROWDING HIM. LET. THE MAN. THINK!”

*quietly from the back, Elmer* “what’s wrong with that kid?”

*tap tap* “hey Jack?” *tap tap* “you still thinking?”

I don’t know if this was intentional, but Davey was kinda out of sync for the beginning of WWK but by the end he was with the others, like he was really becoming one of them

“A COUPLE DAYS INTO THIS STRIKE AND PULITZER’S GONNA BE BEGGING FOR AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE ME. YOU GOT THAT?” *turns around, cracks knuckles, rolls shoulders* “He got it!”

Les was such a cutie

“Who wants Brooklyn??” one newsie rolled under the table and closed his eyes like “if i can’t see you, you can’t see me, and you can’t send me to Brooklyn.”

“Fine, me an’ Davey got Brooklyn.” “Actually, I have to go---” “Why’s everyone so scared of Brooklyn?”

cue widespread Boy Panic At Seeing A Pretty Girl

Al and Race started smacking each other, Romeo made the guy next to him fluff his hair, one jumped up to help her down the stairs, one whistled at her

“Methinks the lady needs to be handled by a---” *dramatic hip swivel* “---real man”

Kath took it all in stride

this actress played WWH a little more rushed, which I kinda liked?? like she knew this was a big deal and she was panicking and everything it was great

Seize the Day was fantastic, they’d have little groups come out and dance and Race had a group of little newsies and it was really cute

the little quiet “oonnnnnNNNNNNNE!” that gets louder?? oh hell yes, they were perfect

Elmer was ready to fight, he threw himself at everyone it was hilarious

Snyder showed up with the bulls and took Crutchie away and was yelling for Jack 

Synder was terrifying tbh

the newsies brought Jack’s penthouse set pieces together and one of the guys looked really panicked and he was looking around and just took a flying leap off the stage and ran up the aisle

Jack took off his hat on the last “Santa Feeeeeee!” and that was literally all i wanted in life

he was phenomenal his voice was fantastic

part 2 coming soon with Brooklyn, Jack and Kath, and Crutchie absolutely murdering me with Letter From the Refuge

[himitsusentaiblog]

Yes, after the urging of that last Anonymous ask and a few other followers, I watch the first episode of the Korean tokusatsu series Legend Hero of the Three Kingdoms (레전드히어로 삼국전).  My first impression is that is has a very Kamen Rider feel to it with the introduction of the main hero, the way he gets his powers and the story structure.  Specifically, it feels like a cross between Kamen Rider Ryuki and Kamen Rider Gaim.  Yes, this is a story of various powered heroes fighting each other to gain their wish much like Ryuki but with the more humorous tone of the early episodes of Gaim before the hammer fell.

I like the looks of the hero costumes and the main protagonist, Liu Bei reminds me a lot of Kouta from Gaim in personality if not circumstance.  He’s a frustrated martial artist, the heir to a school who is bullied and picked on by the current Master who is bitter and angry that he did not inherit the dojo. 

He slacks off on a lot of his duties and has to be kept in line by his best friend/fellow student Gongsun Zan.

One day while running errands, Liu Bei comes across a young woman named Xu Shu, who claims to be an angel.  She has been sent to Earth to find the Legend Heroes and give them their Hero Pieces, intelligent henshin items that grant them phenomenal powers.  

Xu Shu is adorable and I think she’s just the cutest thing I have seen since Poppy in Kamen Rider Ex-Aid.  She actually reminds me of her a lot. Anyway, she gives Lui Bei his Hero Piece, Guan Yu and warns him not to show it to anyone or he might be killed.

Well, unfortunately, bitter rival Master guy overhears Lui Bei talking to Guan Yu one day and attacks, revealing himself to the bull-themed Legend Hero Wang Kuang.

A fight ensues, Lui Bei tranforms for the first time and there is a pretty good fight.

Of the three Non-Japanese Tokusatsu series I have watched at the suggestion of my followers in the last few days, this one definitely has the highest production values and sense of polish. It is obviously aiming for an older audience than Dispatch!  K-Cops and a higher budget to boot.  It also has more story with the episode being about the same length as an episode of Kamen Rider instead of the 13-14 minutes for K-Cops.

It does a nice job of introducing us to the main character, some of his supporting cast, getting the very basics of the premise down and setting up the wider plot. I will definitely be coming back to this one.  You can check out all of the episodes subtitled in English on Youtube here X.

Oh and I just have to post one more screenshot of Xu Shu.  She is Best Angel.

[jellatin-skelly-blog]

A brilliant picture of the American mafia

Audiences https://moz.com/community/users/13121979 round the world are familiar with film director and actor (often composer-composer). Then, the "couple" together generate more than a dozen jobs, and sometimes they create collaboration sympathy, reconciliation in private https://onlineuniversalwork.com/iuhm In my opinion, they have the most important films: Burton-Depp, Leone-Eastwood, Peckinpah-Coburn, Coppola-Pacino Sheridan-Day-Lewis or a very interesting combination of recent years: Scorsese-DiCaprio. However, the most notable "pair" film was featured by Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro. These knights settled in the New York neighborhood, they shared the "sight" of each other, they shared their friends. Their collaboration began in 1973, and "Miseria de las calles" continues to work and is still present. Together they made eight films, all of which were outstanding. They have received many paintings such as "Taxi Driver" or "Raging Bull". The great representatives of American cinema might be tempted to owe our blessing and recognition: De Niroren Scorses would not like to create such masterpieces, and De Niro would not have had so much memorable, brilliant and glittering role. When we look at it, if we are https://www.sitelinks.info/vipmovies.to/ in their cooperation, we realize that men like the gangster story. The scheme is simple: Martin directs the phenomenal image, often writes the script, and Robert plays an important role. This was, among other things, "Casino". However, five years earlier, the world's film geniuses created a "crew gang", the "best picture about the American mafia" described by many as one of the most outstanding masterpieces in film history. "Gangster Girl" is a story of gangsters, Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) and his colleagues tell the story. At a young age, he wants to become a gangster and manage it. He is a member of a local Mafia organization and takes into account the environment and enters a new " https://yelloyello.com/places/cinema-movies-online ". At the same time, Jimmy participates in his friends' activities (Bob De Niro) and Tommy (Joe Pesci) and will do everything to reach a criminal hierarchy. Under the influence of many experiences and events, Henry turns the crown into witness. immersing your old friends. Does this story contain a lot of https://nora.biz/go.php?url=https://vipmovies.to/ In the film, Scorses has shown well. His gangster drama becomes a story about human fates: ups and downs. Criminal life shows the "cover" itself: the gangsters see flesh and blood people in homes, which value equivalent values, such as loyalty. We look at family celebrations and when they die of criminal law they unfortunately "sharpen". The director in the right way - from the actions of the directed films, the people who appear to be contradictory show: security, freedom, cunning ("we considered that we sucked people who needed to help their family") and tomorrow's doubts, mutual mistrust, fear. I must admit that an artist that is not as bright as that, Scors does not draw the American underworld movie. In addition, the director explains nonsense, errors, shortcomings, errors of operation, and also breaks the view that is called in his work. "American Dream" - It shows the dreams of Hill's power and tragic ending. "Cuadrilla chicos" are amazing with "depth", with wisdom and many interpretations. Martin did not create a "gay-glitzy" gangster movie. Gangster films were the story of people, their dreams, friendship, and betrayal. As a story about life. It's worth mentioning, De Niro does not play the main role as a result of other famous pairs, "The boys from the bush". The difference with other paintings is obvious: Robert Scorsese is a contributing character, this time the main role was that Ray Liotta, at that time, cast a young actress, his first and unfortunately, so far, was the last great creator. The third hero of the film is Joe Pesci and is often featured in the work of a great director. The presence of these two big stars almost completely obliterated Liotta. Probably, if De Niro and Pesci were not cast, the main laurel would meet his role. He created an interesting psychological figure in Henry Hill and deserved recognition. Honestly I can say it was the best one up until now.

[mrmichaelchadler]

Home Entertainment Consumer Guide: February 7, 2019

10 NEW TO NETFLIX

"About a Boy" "Annie Hall" "Bull Durham" "Casino Royale" "Jaws" "The Magnificent Ambersons" "The Master" "Personal Shopper" "Silence of the Lambs" "Zodiac"

8 NEW TO BLU-RAY/DVD

"Boy Erased"

Can a movie be given points for effort? The message behind "Boy Erased" is undeniably an important one to hear in 2019 as efforts to roll back gay rights or at least halt the implementation of them continue under the Trump administration. So the story of a family that learns the hard way that gay conversion therapy is an evil practice that denies human rights and damages people forever is one that feels urgent and important. And there are strong performances embedded in this film, particularly from Nicole Kidman as the mother who senses in her heart that she should just accept her son. The problem is that the film doesn't work as storytelling, keeping its subject matter under glass in a way that never allows us to know him, developing his parents as characters more than the center of this story. Still, it's a story worth hearing, even if one wishes it were told better.

Buy it here 

Special Features Deleted & Extended Scenes Jared Revealed - Featurette Becoming the Eamons - Featurette Man Consumed: Joel Edgerton - Featurette

"In the Heat of the Night" (Criterion)

It's a slower movie than I remembered now that I've revisited it for the first time in probably two decades, but it's still powerful, thanks in large part to Sidney Poitier's commanding performance and something I think I was too young to really appreciate the first time: Haskell Wexler's amazing cinematography. This movie looks phenomenal, capturing a time and place while also having a strong visual language as cinema at the same time. And the new 4K restoration really allows Wexler's work to shine. It's interesting that several people have brought up this film in the context of 2018 Oscar players "Green Book" (another film about an interracial partnership) and even "If Beale Street Could Talk" (Baldwin had some harsh words for the film in one of his most famous essays). It's incredible how often Criterion finds a way to release a film at just the right time, although "In the Heat of the Night" would probably find a way to resonate whenever it was released. 

Buy it here 

Special Features New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray New interviews with director Norman Jewison and actor Lee Grant Segment from a 2006 American Film Institute interview with actor Sidney Poitier New interview with Aram Goudsouzian, author of Sidney Poitier: Man, Actor, Icon Audio commentary from 2008 featuring Jewison, Grant, actor Rod Steiger, and cinematographer Haskell Wexler Turning Up the Heat: Movie-Making in the ’60s, a 2008 program about the production of the film and its legacy, featuring Jewison, Wexler, producer Walter Mirisch, and filmmakers John Singleton and Reginald Hudlin Quincy Jones: Breaking New Sound, a 2008 program about Jones’s innovative soundtrack, including the title song sung by Ray Charles, featuring interviews with Jones, lyricists Alan and Marilyn Bergman, and musician Herbie Hancock Trailer PLUS: An essay by critic K. Austin Collins

"Lu Over the Wall" "Night is Short, Walk on Girl"

Japanese animator Masaaki Yuasa released two films in Japan in 2017 that were both released by GKids in 2018 and are now new to Blu-ray from the wonderful company that brings some of the best overseas animation to American audiences. The sweet "Lu Over the Wall" owes a great deal to Hayao Miyazaki's wonderful "Ponyo," which, of course, owes a great deal to Hans Christian Anderson's "The Little Mermaid." In this iteration, Lu is a one of the mythical merfolk, who comes alive when she hears sullen middle-schooler Kai playing with his band in a small fishing village. She sings, dances, and even grows legs, becoming a phenomenon in the community, where they build a mer-theme park and turn her into an attraction. It's a cute movie that runs WAY too long at 112 minutes. I haven't had the chance to check out "Night" yet but wanted to include it for Yuasa fans or those looking for the latest from GKids, a company all film fans should keep an eye on. 

Buy it here 

Special Features Interview with Director Masaaki Yuasa Audio Commentary with Director Masaaki Yuasa Trailers TV Spots Original Japanese language and English dub versions

"A Private War"

Matthew Heineman's first fictional film tells a story in keeping with his experience as a documentary filmmaker but proves that what works in one may not work in another. Rarely has a performance fought against the weaknesses of a script more than Rosamund Pike's does here. You can almost see some of the cliched dialogue get stuck in her mouth, but she does just enough to ground the story of Marie Colvin in something genuine that she elevates what is a truly awful screenplay and pedestrian direction. Pike is one of those great actresses who always seems on the verge of finding the right part to make her a household name or Oscar winner. This could have been it with a better script. Watch it for what could have been.

Buy it here 

Special Features Becoming Marie Colvin: How Rosamund Pike transformed herself for A Private War Women in the World Summit Q&A: Featuring Rosamund Pike, Jamie Dornan and Director Matthew Heineman, moderated by Tina Brown Requiem for A Private War: Inspiration behind award-winning musician Annie Lennox's song

"The Sisters Brothers"

One of the films already popping up on "Underrated" lists for 2018 is this character-driven Western from Jacques Audiard, an entertaining rental with a great quartet of actors. Seriously, how does a movie with John C. Reilly, Joaquin Phoenix, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Riz Ahmed slide this far under the radar? Perhaps it's for the best in terms of the film's longevity in that this is a movie that I'm certain people will find on DVD and Blu-ray and recommend to their friends. It's more than just a competent genre flick thanks mostly to its cast, especially Reilly, who imbues his Sisters brother with a perfect blend of world-weariness and dedication. It's a reminder of how good Reilly can be in the right part. 

Buy it here 

Special Features Striking Gold: Making a "Modern Day" Western Q&A Panel Promotional Featurettes: Brothers Forever Wanted Dead or Alive Gallery Theatrical Trailer

"Suspiria"

You would think that the director of my #1 film of 2017 ("Call Me By Your Name") reimagining one of my favorite films of all time would be an easy slam dunk for this critic, but "Suspiria" is more of a modest lay-up. It's a film that I can appreciate in terms of ambition, but it has a number of elements that simply don't work. I'll never understand some of the washed-out visual choices, especially when compared to the unforgettable imagery of the first, and I don't like the way it uses real political upheaval as cheap background. Still, there's that Tilda Swinton performance and that climax, which is like nothing else released in 2018. It's funny how divisive this movie became when it was released, making some top ten and some worst ten lists at the end of the year. I really don't understand either extreme reaction, but love to see the debate. 

Buy it here 

Special Features "The Making of Suspiria" Featurette "The Secret Language of Dance" Featurette "The Transformations of Suspiria" Featurette

"Widows"

I don't believe I had to defend any 2018 review more than my 4-star write-up of Steve McQueen's latest, now on Blu-ray and DVD. I stand by every word. And I think history will come around to reveal the criticisms of this film being petty or unfounded. "Too much movie"? Yeah, how often do we get to say that? Yes, there are a lot of characters to follow and a few plot threads left dangling, but that's true of a lot of classic cinema that attempts to capture the pulse and people of a major city like Chicago. A lot of those '70s crime epics you love? They've got some plot holes too. We're in an era in which we sometimes fail to see the forest for the trees, too eager to pick apart little plot details when we miss the overall fabric of a piece like this one. It's a great movie. And it gets better every time I watch it. And every time I have to defend it too. 

Buy it here 

Special Features Widows Unmasked: A Chicago Story Plotting The Heist: The Story Assembling The Crew: Production The Scene Of The Crime: Locations Gallery

from All Content http://bit.ly/2WJ8LkJ

[mudcosmetics-blog]

MY favorite teacher; MUD LA

Ray Shaffer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Eventually you made a transition from practical or teaching.

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

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

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

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

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

What has changed about the industry from your perspective?

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

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

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

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

And what does the future hold?

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

What advice do you want to share for makeup artists?

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

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

[junker-town]

What lessons have we learned from the 2017 NBA Playoffs?

We’re two weeks into the 2017 NBA Playoffs. In this week’s Flanns & Zillz we consider the surprises and truths that have been exposed so far.

By the end of Tuesday, all eight NBA teams still alive will have a second round game under their belts. That makes this a good time to reflect what’s happened in the NBA playoffs so far.

FLANNERY: We're through the first two weeks of the NBA playoffs, and while the games get more meaningful from here on out, they are never as hectic as the first round. The first round is a singular entity within the larger playoff ecosystem and has a pace all its own. It's more random and charmingly weird.

I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted by the end of the first round. It makes me feel like the playoffs truly start in the second round because that's when normalcy and the scheduling snap into place.

But before we get there, let's revisit what we've learned.

Let's start with the Most Valuable Player race that is still raging. We had every narrative and every argument come to life during the first round and there still is no consensus.

You and I both had Russell Westbrook. I felt bad about shortchanging James Harden, who really didn't do anything to lose his hold on the top spot, and I wasn't at all surprised by the 4-1 series outcome. Is it wrong that I still back Russ?

ZILLER: Not at all. Nothing about the series made it clear Harden is more valuable than Westbrook right now. The Thunder continued to revolve around Westbrook in every way; the Rockets continued to be better than the Thunder because of Harden's excellence and a superior supporting cast. That series was essentially a microcosm of each team's season (though the Thunder obviously had a good deal of success in the regular season).

Kawhi Leonard, however, certainly gave his MVP voters great cover by completely dominating on both ends in a surprisingly competitive Spurs-Grizzlies series. (Let’s ignore Game 1 of Rockets-Spurs for now.) I thought LaMarcus Aldridge would play a bigger role, but he struggled to make an impact. San Antonio revolves around Kawhi, and boy is he amazing. LeBron was also phenomenal in the Cavaliers' sweep. We started the playoffs with four amazing contenders for MVP, and we're still there even though one has been eliminated.

What was your biggest surprise of the first round? The Grizzlies' ability to stick with San Antonio for six games threw me off, as did the Bucks' friskiness against Toronto.

FLANNERY: I expected the Bucks to be frisky and the Raptors do love to make things hard on themselves. As I said earlier in the series, if anyone can get blown out like they did in Game 3 and come back and a win a series, it's the Raps. God love them. So that didn't surprise me, although it did satisfy my appetite for sluggo basketball. I've had enough now, thanks.

The Grizz were more surprising to me, but that's probably my fault. I wasn't fully in tune with how good this version of the Grizzlies has become and how they'd give the Spurs problems. A lot of that stemmed from trying to keep Mike Conley in check and that will be a recurring theme for as long as San Antonio is in the playoffs.

I've moved from undecided to on board with keeping the Grizz mostly intact, by the way. Your piece changed my mind.

I am far less certain about the futures for Indiana and Chicago. The Pacers kind of have trade Paul George now, don't they? And the Jimmy Butler saga feels like it needs resolution.

Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images

ZILLER: Yes, Indiana needs to trade Paul George. Without Larry Bird or a reasonably short path to contention, he's too huge a flight risk to leave in free agency in one year. Once we find out if PG-13 makes All-NBA -- I think he won't -- the Pacers need to offer the biggest extension they can. If George demurs, trade him and build around the return and Myles Turner.

Butler's a tougher decision because he's under contract an additional year. I think you keep Jimmy going into 2017-18 and weigh how the season goes before potentially shopping him at the deadline and making a decision next summer based on where the team is. I'm not convinced Butler's value will decrease closer to his free agency -- you listen now, but there's no real rush for the Bulls in my estimation.

Where are you at on those guys and the Hawks' future?

FLANNERY: Bleak. If I have to choose any of their futures, I'll take Indiana because of Turner, but I like Milwaukee's much better and Miami is now dangerous. Teams come up, teams go down. It's the fundamental nature of the league.

Let's look out West. Safe to say we both think the Blazers will be a factor next year with Jusuf Nurkic and a few roster-clarifying moves? I'm really interested in what Sam Presti has up his sleeve now. The Thunder can't maintain the status quo and they know that.

And the Clippers ... this is gonna get ugly.

ZILLER: I think we need to see what exactly Neil Olshey does to clarify the roster before I'm on board with Portland to be better than what they've been, which is a team winning 45 or so games. They still don't have perimeter defense, and one month per season of strong play doesn't instill a great deal of confidence in Jusuf Nurkic in me. Evan Turner seems like a difficult contract to move, no?

I'm extremely interested to see what both Olshey and Presti do to gain an edge. The Thunder so badly need shooting, but Blake Griffin might be available. Do you chase that?

If I can briefly bring in a team outside the playoff picture, it's a critical summer for Denver, too: they know Nikola Jokic is their centerpiece now, and they can build around that. The Nuggets chased Dwyane Wade last summer, and I wonder if they'll be looking to vets again.

Where are you at on the Clippers? I'm usually on Team Run It Back, but that payroll with the repeater tax is simply outrageous. The West isn't getting easier.

FLANNERY: I think the Clippers’ time is done. It just can't keep going on like this with the same ending year after year after year.

I'm going to assume that Chris Paul comes back, but beyond that I really don't know. J.J. Redick can have his pick of situations and so can Griffin. And what of Doc Rivers? There seems to be some uncertainty there.

They could all come back, of course, but it seems unlikely that everyone signs up for another year or two of this. Just don't ask me what they would do instead of Option Run It Back, because I don't have any useful suggestions at the moment.

Sure, I'd look into Blake if I was OKC. The list of NBA superstars who grew up in Oklahoma starts and ends with Griffin, and so might the list of stars who would seriously investigate the Thunder's situation this summer. Presti is resourceful and I'm sure he has several viable plans under construction. I highly doubt any of them are labeled, 'Blake or Bust.' If you are a roster management nerd, then what Olshey and Presti do this summer is fascinating.

Ah yes, Denver. It's always a critical time for Denver. They finally have a centerpiece player in Jokic, and I am quite fond of much of their young talent. They really need to figure out that point guard situation, though. And the veteran logjam. I'd like the Nuggets to be good again. That was a great basketball market back in the day and I think it can be again with the right combinations.

Let's spin this forward. What second round series has your attention? I'm all in on the East right now.

ZILLER: Spurs vs. Rockets should be educational. Houston brought the beatdown to San Antonio in Game 1, but series are long and full of twists. The Spurs will have something to say. We’ll see if the Rockets can hold up. Cavaliers vs. Raptors could get interesting too, assuming Monday’s game was more about Toronto’s typical Game 1 malaise. (I know better than to doubt LeBron. Man, what a rookie mistake not picking Cleveland to make it back to the Finals.) It's pretty clear that Wizards-Celtics will be a series of barn burners.

The good thing about the second round is that none of these teams would really be plunged into crisis with defeat. I mean, the losers may make some real changes (especially in the face of blowouts). But there are no referenda of the teams' very existence as we saw with the C's, Clippers, Raptors, Hawks, and Pacers in the first round. Now it's just basketball.

FLANNERY: True, but I do think the Raptors (and the Celtics to some extent) are still on the clock. If the Raps get dusted by Cleveland in five games, can they really afford to pay everyone? On paper, I liked their chances, but then Game 1 happened and I'm reminded of just how hard it will be to take down Cleveland. Just give me one game where the Cavs need to play up to their potential to win. That's not too much to ask, is it?

I'd also like to talk myself into Utah giving Golden State a run, but I think the Dubs are peaking at the right time. You see anything so far that makes you think we're not getting Round 3 of the Cavs-Warriors in the Finals?

ZILLER: No. You?

FLANNERY: No.