#the cinematography is IMPECCABLE

[mikimeiko]

The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart | Miniseries (2023), Sarah Lambert

[atomicradiogirl]

generation kill | rotten apple

[blindlydancing]

why is no one talking about that shot of janet and martin on the lake and their reflections are maddie and anderson ??? like where are the gifs?? the screen grabs?

[vielmouse]

Hogan is such a pest!

This is such a Yakko Warner moment of Hogan. Right down to the "Ahhhhhhhhhh'll wait here!" I can just see Yakko pestering Dr. Scratchansniff just like this!

[cloudbends]

Oh gundam gquuuux SLAYS

[puppetmaster55]

look, I know there's probably heavily contested rankings, but First Contact really is one of the best star trek movies ever

[qulizalfos]

dark was many things. like the cinematography was a fucking art form. the writing was super consistent. the soundtrack slapped. the emotions were really vividly portrayed by the cast which was selected IMPECCABLY to line up with their older/younger selves. there were lots of characters but none of them ever felt like they didn’t belong in the story or stood out too much or not enough. the big moments hit hard. the layers were batshit insane. and Yes i did unfortunately whisper “don’t call me don’t come by my house we’re done” out loud after ulrich talks to hannah in the car scene

[no-fucking-way-bro]

ive just seen the new nosferatu film, and as a devout enthusiast of bram stoker's novel and murnau's 1922 silent film - i am amazed and pleased beyond measure!

the costumes, impeccable

the atmosphere, unnerving

the cinematography, wonderful

the acting, phenomenal

the music, so good

also, the moustache was a great choice. orlok's clothes as well. i'm not even mad about the ugly hair (forgive my french).

i literally have nothing bad to say about this film! it pulled me in so hard at times to such an extent that i felt i could have almost smelled the air. robert eggers is a genius.

[folcanta]

i mentioned freid a little in this post. frêj, or فُرَيْج, furaij, means "liberation/relief from suffering."

mahad's name is arabic and means "one who is great." i'm totally pro-duke freid, even when he's being a stone cold bastard. he's dripped out and hot as hell and is an excellent complex character. the whole freid arc is impeccable, a stunning midway point to reset and explode your expectations.

so, freid is visually inspired by india during the mughal empire (a misnomer as mughal means mongol, and while the dynasty was persianised turkic, they weren't solely mongol) a multicultural empire in which the emperors were muslim. one such emperor was shah jahan, who commissioned the taj mahal as his wife's tomb. the taj mahal is a good example of what makes the era distinct, which is all of the islamic and central asian influence in the overall art and architecture while also clearly south asian. the building roofs in freid though do seem inspired by thai architecture, with the tall peaks and chofa. so they may be pulling from the yuan dynasty also.

amazing cinematography. this whole scene is very economical labour-wise, but the shots don't feel that way at all. they made enough clever, striking decisions in the imagery that it feels as natural, believable as any other.

my man genghis' trident and shiva's trishul

has anyone heard of aenon? it was a place of baptism. aenon is a hellenised (ancient greek) version of the semitic term for "spring" or "natural fountain", ayn, which is also a prefix used to denote places where water can be found.

the duke's mech is named chafaris, or spelled chafariz, a portuguese word meaning fountain, which comes from the arabic ṣihrīj, meaning water tank or cistern. the first ever arabic dictionary, "Kitāb al-ʿAyn " or "The Source" is using a specific definition of ayn— "a water source in the desert" ⛲

i've said it before and i'll say it again, escaflowne is a merging of eastern and western concepts and ideas following the silk road and the history of various occupations in the region; it is not as simple as "well it's europe with some japanese flair," at all. it's inspired by nepal and tibet, and because it's inspired by nepal and tibet, that includes the rich history of the place. mecha series are almost innately political. if you want to focus on portuguese, here: spanish, portuguese, and italian all took major contributions of art, architecture, and vocabulary from arabic, and all these europeans had an invasive presence in MENA and asia. the muslims of iberia were in portugal until the 1200s. muslim spain lasted from the 700s to 1492, the toledo school was established to translate from arabic into latin. mughal/timurid empire was from the 1500s to the 1800s. portuguese india was from the 1500s to the 1960s. basra (... basram?), a port city of iran, was under portuguese control from the 1500s to 1600s. hm... maybe we can kinda ballpark some things from this :^)

wait i've just translated a section from an artbook

so it turns out i didn't NEED to do all this mental math myself, but hey ✌🏻😎

oh by the way! do theeeeese shapes look familiar to anyone?

no...? how about... this:

uh oh!

[mindmeltonabun-blog]

My Demon: Inspiration or Plagiarism?

Guardian Goblin...Guardian Mountain God...Guardian Demon

In the latest drama, "My Demon," we're introduced to a guardian demon. However, as I delved into the series, a sense of déjà vu crept in. Was this guardian demon truly distinct, or did he bear striking similarities to others we've seen before?

Questions about plagiarism first emerged when Gu Won's death scene in "My Demon" closely resembled that of Kim Shin's death scene in "Goblin". Many dismissed the notion that the writer had plagiarized the scene, citing the cinematographer had worked on both "Goblin" and "My Demon".

However, I believe the issue of plagiarism extended beyond cinematography; from the characterization of the male lead to the overall concepts, "My Demon" seemed almost identical to well-known fantasy kdramas, echoing themes, lines, and scenes from its predecessors. The writer, Choi Ah Il, appeared to borrow extensively from existing works, crossing the line between inspiration and outright plagiarism.

Gu Won, the guardian demon, was a mishmash of characters from various supernatural dramas. His personality, appearance, and even punishment seemed like something taken right out of "Goblin", "Tale of the Nine-Tailed", and "Doom at Your Service." Beyond his Thanos-like finger snap and cross tattoo, there was very little that made him unique.

For a writer who criticized goblins, nail-tailed foxes, grim reapers, and vampires, Choi Ah Il failed to differentiate her demon. Gu Won could've been a distinctive supernatural character with his own unique backstory or even a different style, but instead, he felt like a Frankenstein creation of well-established supernatural creatures. Ultimately, I was left to wonder if the writer or even Gu Won himself knew who he really was.

In my field, we constantly aim to create innovative and original ideas. Therefore, I understand the fear that can come with breaking new ground. For Choi Ah Il's first fantasy drama, the fear of her original ideas not being good enough might have led her to heavily rely on existing works.

My advice to Choi Ah Il is to have more confidence in both herself and her ideas. When we put our entire heart and soul into our work, our sincerity and passion will shine through, making them more likely to be appreciated by others. We should embrace all of our "crazy" ideas instead of plagiarizing others' work. Even if our idea doesn't work out, at least we know we gave it our all. And this, to me, is infinitely more fulfilling than imitating others.

So in conclusion, "My Demon" had the potential to be a great fantasy drama, but it seemed to copy too much from others' works. Whether it's an issue of inspiration or outright plagiarism, the drama left me wondering what ideas truly belonged to Choi Ah Il. As viewers, we deserve to experience a writer's unique voice, not a patchwork of borrowed elements hastily stitched together. Going forward, I'll probably give this writer one more chance to improve her scriptwriting. I must add that if it weren't for the great cast and their impeccable acting and adlibs, this drama would've been doomed due to its messy plot and lack of true originality.

Below are some scenes and concepts from other shows and movies that are nearly identical to the ones in "My Demon". I'll let you decide for yourself if you think the writer of "My Demon" was inspired by other's works or simply plagiarized them.

(Note: I might add more later, but it's a lot of work to go through each show and screenshot everything and then compile them in a collage)

p.s. I'll post my review, thoughts, and analysis for Eps 15-16 in a few days!

Goblin The Great and Lonely God

Hooded supernatural

2. Objects that represent the end of a human's journey...clocks instead of tea cups

3. The mother has complications with her daughter's birth and is saved by a supernatural being

4. In the past, the FL dies, ML kills a bunch of people, and ML ends his life. ML has memories of his past sins erased. As punishment, ML is turned into a grim reaper character.

Others:

The quote Madam Ju said in Ep 3 about plants and seeds was similar to the one said by Ji Tak in "Goblin": Humans have four lives. A life of planting seeds, a life of watering seeds, a life of harvesting, and a life of using the harvests.

The ML's had blamed God for all the obstacles in their lives and when they finally got a chance to talk to God, God told them they didn't have all the anwers to their questions and that they didn't know everything similar to God in MD.

The FL dies at the peak of her happiness similar to how in MD, the FL's parents died at the peak of her happiness.

The FL in "Goblin" was the key to ending the ML's life as an immortal just like how in MD, the FL was the key to making the ML human.

Tale of the Nine Tailed

Supernatural ML has an obsession with desserts

2. FL died in the past to save the ML

3. FL's parents is involved in a car accident on FL's birthday (9th birthday in TOTNT and 10th birthday in MD)

4. Wishes Granted By The Devils

5. Wishes and Exploiting Other's Misfortunes to Survive

6. FL wears object and remembers tragic past life

7. Personal Hell is being in a world without the FL

8. Working for the Divine as Their Best Performer

9. Mother-like Figure is a Goddess

10. Wearing Two Wedding Rings

Others:

In "Tale of the Nine Tailed," The Almighty granted Nine-Tailed Foxes or Gumihos various powers, but they were bound by one rule: they must fulfill their end of the deal/contract with humans or face death. This rule aimed to prevent Gumihos from murdering humankind. Similarly, in "My Demon," Gu Won faced a similar fate. If he didn't make deals with humans, he would die. Additionally, if Gu Won murdered humans, he would also face death. In both cases, rules and contracts were established to prevent supernatural beings endowed with god-like powers from killing humans.

The concept of wanting to live or die together in TOTNT was also present in MD

In TOTNT, the FL tried to protect the ML, but ended up dying. In the present, the ML made it a mission to protect the FL to prevent the same tragic fate from happening. ML ended up saving the FL in present but died in the process...and then ML came back to life just like in MD.

ML in TOTNT came back to life/was reincarnated as a mortal human with Gumiho powers similar to how after Gu Won came back to life, he was a human with demon powers.

Twilight

Supernatural leaves human because they hates their monstrous nature

2. Supernatural watches their human sleep

3. Human is kidnapped to draw out supernatural ML

4. Human gets a leg injury during kidnapping

Others:

Gu Won played "Clair de lune" just like Edward did in Twilight

Doom At Your Service

Listening to others' wishes and meeting a wisher that would change their fate

2. Beginning of a new journey filled with hand-holding, bubbles, and water

3. Necessaity of holding hands/wrist to recharge

4. Creating a dream of the FL's deepest desire

5. Celebrating a supernatural's birthday

Others:

One of the major themes in DAYS was choices just like in MD

Hotel Del Luna

Fireflies by the lake

Others:

FL's name was Man Wol (means "Full Moon") in HDL and FL's name in MD was Wol Sim (means "Moon Heart")

[caviarsonoro]

Alain Resnais: Hiroshima mon amour / Max Richter: Mercy

"Hiroshima mon amour", directed by Alain Resnais and written by Marguerite Duras, is one of the most representative works of the French New Wave, standing out for its innovative treatment of time, memory, and cinematic narrative. The film merges the personal with the historical, the intimate with the collective, through a fleeting encounter between two lovers —a French actress and a Japanese architect— in the city of Hiroshima, scarred by the aftermath of the atomic bombing.

From the very beginning, the film challenges traditional cinematic conventions by introducing a non-linear structure, where memories of the past intertwine with the present. Resnais masterfully employs editing, alternating images of Hiroshima’s destroyed body with the skin of the lovers, creating a striking parallel that underscores the duality between love and devastation. Through impeccable black-and-white cinematography, the film captures the tragic beauty of a city and its people, while Duras' poetic dialogue reflects the fragility and complexity of human memory.

The central theme of the film is the impossibility of forgetting. The French actress (brilliantly portrayed by Emmanuelle Riva) relives her memories of the German occupation in France and her forbidden love with a Nazi soldier, experiences that resonate with Hiroshima’s devastation. In this way, the film explores how individual and collective traumas coexist, how past wounds persist in the present, and how love becomes a desperate attempt to reconstruct identity in a fractured world.

"Hiroshima mon amour" is not simply a romance; it is a visual essay on memory and forgetting, a reflection on history and the need to remember in order to heal. Through this work, Alain Resnais succeeds in humanizing suffering and evoking deep empathy, creating a film that remains timeless and revolutionary, both for its emotional depth and its aesthetic form.

[namjhyun]

DRAMA REVIEW | Love Scout (2025)

Love Scout it's a really lovely drama, perfect to watch if you need to disconnect from reality while you are enjoying a warm cup of hot chocolate and your favourite snack. It's full of colourful and endearing characters, who are good people and you are more than happy to cheer for as they strive to succeed in their personal and professional lives.

All of these goes perfectly in hand with solid performances and a cohesive story, although a little formulaic and, at times, lacking bite. If I am being completely honest I think this drama suffers a little from the writing. It builds up conflicts and character development but they don't fully go into the nuances or undertones of it, instead preferring to waste time in classic troupes that, honestly, we could have done without. For example, there are two secondary characters who had a very interesting situation going on but we never really find out much about until the last few episodes. Another example it's the main antagonist whom, for the lack of a better description, it's absolutely flat and irrelevant. I won't mention other instances because I don't want to spoil the story for everyone since, despite this issues, I think Love Scout it's a story worth your time.

This it's very much a character driven drama and the production crew knew this because they used it to perfection. Everyone's chemistry is impeccable and the relationships among characters make sense, developing in a good rhythm. The cinematography, music and camera work are also very well utilised to visually comment on the characters' inner turmoils, growing feelings for each other and their teamwork.

Overall, this was an enjoyable watch and I recommend it.

[rickrakontoys]

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)

9/10

Just let George Miller make whatever Mad Max movies he wants. I will witness it.

A very different beast than Fury Road, this is a sweeping, ambitious, character driven story of vengence and violence. Splitting the story into 5 chapters, each having their own narrative goals, makes the film feel very episodic. However, this structure allows each segment to have a distinct feel, while familiarizing us with the key players and the motivating events in young Furiosa's life that lead her on the path to Fury Road. The themes, visual motifs, and symbols woven through the story create a rich tapestry that, like Fury Road, elevates this beyond action spectacle and into something grand and mythic.

Anya Taylor Joy doesn't actually appear as Furiosa until nearly a third into the movie, but once she does, she commands the screen with a nearly wordless performance, glowering with intense resolve and roiling emotions. This gives the few words she does say more importance and weight. Joy has much more to do with the character here than Charlize Theron, and, while evocative of Theron's version, makes it her own. Alyla Brown as young Furiosa is terrific as well in the first two chapters, also saying very little while using only her eyes and body language to convey feelings.

While many of the Wasteland denizens new and old are portrayed impeccably with that signature manic "Mad Max" energy, it is Chris Hemsworth's Dementus that basically steals the show. Equal parts charismatic and menacing, intimidating yet vulnerable, he provides Furiosa with an interesting antagonist whose motivations are as nebulous and volatile as a desert sandstorm. Hemsworth plays Dementus as a true product of the end of the world: a sad, pitiable, broken man acting the part of a cruel, bombastic leader, allowing himself to be corrupted by the unforgiving reality around him, using humor and eccentricity as a thin veneer over his brutal nihilism.

Much has already been discussed about the film's look. While John Seale's cinematography is missed, Furiosa still contains some terrific and creative shots, particularly during its many action scenes. The wasteland is once again presented using a variety of highly-saturated colors, which is always a refreshing deviation from the typical, washed-out appearance of other post-apocalyptic movies. Yet, the compositing, lighting, and computer effects are a step down from Fury Road, and can be distractingly noticeable at times, especially due to the grander scale of the setpieces requiring more CGI effects and background replacements. But these are relatively minor complaints, as the practical effects involving smashing vehicles and flailing stunt persons are still astonishing to behold. Miller's skill in staging action remains some of the best in the business, as even the most chaotic of sequences remain visually coherent.

While not as laser focused as Fury Road, Furiosa is still an incredible achievement in both character and world-building. It is perhaps one of the best prequels made, as it not only expands what was seen before in a satisfying way, but its added context improves its predecessor.

It is rather odd that Miller chose to include a montage of Fury Road scenes in the end credits... This movie would make a perfect double-feature with Fury Road, except it decides to show you "Fury Road: Cliff Notes edition" right at the end...

[privatedb]

Watched A Discovery of Witches today. I can't remember when I last watched it. It's been a while, before the summer from hell at least.

Blown away by the power of the second season as usual. The first was incredible but the second was even more so with detail, story and cinematography.

Definitely my favourite television series of all time.

I love the fact that Susie Conklin worked on this as well as P&P. There's a lovely moment in season one that reminds me of a scene from P&P. The tone and style, even if they're completely different in genre.

Dad's off work today because he has issues with his balance which is possibly flu, which we're hoping not to catch. His timing is impeccable.

Mum worked herself into a tizzy this morning about work.

At least things were civil last night.

[otterskin]

Otterskin Recs: Blue Eye Samurai

Premise: A 'half-breed' samurai with blue eyes, possessed by an evil spirit of vengeance, cuts her way across the land as she seeks her father - one of only four white men in isolated Japan. For the crime of her own miserable existence, she will execute him.

Oh yeah, it's good. This may be sacrilegious to say, but...

American Cartoons < Anime < American Cartoons trying to be anime

Somehow, that last thing can overcome the problems the first two things are usually crippled by. BES is one such incredible show. It's well-paced, designed for the screen first and foremost, builds on its continuity and has occupied my thoughts for a week.

Thanks to that excellent pacing, it was very hard to not binge the whole thing. I only made it till episode 4 by watching one at a time, and then binged the rest with only a sleep to interrupt it. Its influences range from Samurai Champloo (naturally) to Hellsing Ultimate to Shogun by James Clavell to Kill Bill to maaayybe The Last Samurai. I've no idea how accurate to Japanese history it is, but even with all the ultra-violence and impossible physical feats, I did feel very grounded in its version of 17th century Japan.

The storytelling is compelling, the characters complex, the action exhilarating, and the voice-acting impeccable. Particular kudos given here to Maya Erskine as the titular character, who manages a convincing androgenous voice that is meant to come across to others as emotionless, but must convey all kinds of emotional information to the audience - for an entire show. That is no easy feat! The work of Randall Park as Heiji Shindo was also a favourite, managing to juggle menace and comedy. Even in the character's darkest moments, he is first and foremost entertaining.

Believe it or not, I did not at first realize that Abijah Fowler was played by my own beloved Kenneth Branagh! I should've realized it when this despicable character was so instantly charismatic, ha ha. As good as everyone else is, and they are all excellent, Branagh's menacing Irishman is the most interestingly performed, with small inflections and lilting menace that makes this odd duck out a protagonist of his own terrifying story. In a world of propriety and performance, only he and Mizu, the Blue-Eyed Samurai, are honest about who they are and what they want.

However, my favourite character of the show is probably Akemi. To avoid spoilers, I'll simply say that she's a competing protagonist and much-needed counter-balance to Mizu's story. She enriches the story with her perspective and experiences, which is a necessary thing when the protagonist is so laser-focused on a single goal. It is through Akemi's eyes that we actually come to understand the world and how it works, before Mizu ruthlessly slices through it.

The one fly in the ointment is that the CGI animation can't always keep up with the show's ambition. It's nowhere near as good looking as the impossible Arcane was, but once you accept its limitations, you get used to it. The animation also increases in quality as the show goes on, which means it only gets better! There are all kinds of dynamic camera movements and creative cinematography to make it engaging, too. My favourite was the use of a bunraku puppet show intercut with a flashback, which is interesting on several levels, not the least of which is realizing that since this is in 3D, that these animated characters are also puppets, of a modern kind.

I recommend this show for fans of Claymore and Afro Samurai in particular. It's violent, dark and carnal, but unlike so many anime that are so, it has excellent writing for its female cast and the wider story. This is the rare 'adult animation' that is actually for mature viewers, who expect mature writing and sensibilities.

Give it a go. And let me know what you think!

[via707]

i saw the tv glow - review & favorite frames

one of my goals for 2025 was to watch more movies and since i finally worked up the courage and felt mentally stable enough, i decided to watch I Saw the TV Glow. and it gutted me out from the inside in the best way possible. it is 100% in my top ten all-time favorite movies.

the color palette, soundtrack, cinematography, and writing is absolutely impeccable. i adore how this movie discusses queerness. it truly was some amazing much needed representation, and i really hope to see more projects like it in the future!

here are some of my favorite frames:

(anyways, you guys should totally add me on letterboxd 😌💗)