#the scenes i tried to balance it between like. key/memorable moments + different characters + cohesive compositions

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genshin impact ❖ teyvat storyline, 4/?

[lifeisstrange-blog]

The Music of LiS2 with Raoul Barbet

The Life is Strange series has always been synonymous with amazing music. While known for picking standout tracks from lesser-known artists and introducing them to players through memorable scenes, the series has also been gifted with nuanced, emotive scores.

For Life is Strange and Life is Strange 2, Co-Creative Director and Music Supervisor Raoul Barbet worked closely with musician Jonathan Morali, known best for his work with indie rock and folk band Syd Matters.

With Life is Strange 2, their now-seven-year collaborative relationship allowed them to develop a richer and more varied score, made possible because of the trust and familiarity created between composer and director.

Morali’s new score goes on a musical journey with Sean and Daniel, evolving alongside the story and the characters to which it introduces you. Today we wanted to share with you some insights into the score, and how it came to be, by sitting down with Raoul – Beware of spoilers ahead!

What emotions did you want to evoke when briefing Jonathan Morali?

Raoul Barbet: When I got in touch with him to ask him to work on the first Life is Strange score, I had already been a fan of his and Syd Matters’ work for a long time. Having chosen a few tracks he had composed, I wanted him to retain a similar style, to do something “Syd Matters”. Life is Strange 2, we wanted to do something quite different.

The idea was to have a rather stress-free intro that evoked the first Life is Strange, with a lot of acoustic guitar and this ‘cocoon’-like quality we knew from the first game - that tone runs through the whole Seattle section. As soon as the boys started hitting the road, we wanted to change the tone of the score, so we asked him to go with something a little different, with more electronic sounds. Colder, darker things, depending on the scenes, as we knew the brothers were going to face a number of difficulties on the road.

We talked about wanting to convey a general feeling for each scene. The themes we asked him to compose were either linked to a given scene and setting, or to a specific character. It’s all about that character’s past, the feeling we want to evoke upon meeting them, and what story we can tell through the instruments, melody, and music for each character and each setting.

In this video, feel how the scene is elevated when the score is added. It sets a severe, sobering tone as the boys lives are changed forever.

You had the full shape of the season mapped out before work began on the score, so were there any moments or characters you were especially looking forward to hearing with Jonathan’s music?

We had quite a lot of reference material for Jonathan to listen to when we started working on the game, in terms of mood and different musical styles. In Life is Strange 2, I wanted the combination of electronic music with other instruments. We began researching what it would mean to have the brothers on the road. We knew the theme that we called ‘Into the woods” corresponded to specific moments of their journey. We started working on this very early on, especially for Episode 1. We have specific themes for important characters after that. The drifters, for instance, in the camp in Episode 3 , have a score that is tailored to their community, with certain musical layers specific to each character.

In Episode 2, we have a dedicated, warmer theme for the grandparents. We tried to create a sort of family feel, to mirror what we experience with them in Episode 2. These are themes specifically linked to scenes or characters. We discussed this a lot for each episode and we tried to establish what important themes we needed for specific characters or scenes - Jonathan and I exchanged a lot of references and ideas for each character.

I’m also thinking of Karen, who has a very strong personality, and whose themes played for the first time when we see her in Episode 4, and which you will hear again in Episode 5. It’s a theme tailored to her, and there are a number of layers of the composition that play dynamically, depending on how well we know her and what we choose to do and talk about with her. For instance, as we start talking with her at the motel, we’ll add layers to the track – giving depth to the theme.

How has your relationship evolved with Jonathan Morali since you worked with him on the first Life is Strange?

Our relationship has evolved a lot, since we’ve been working together for seven years or so. We’ve become more efficient, as we now know each other better.

Life is Strange 2 has been a huge challenge because we tried to make its score a lot richer than that of the first game, and it has some rather complicated themes. Being a road trip, there are many different tracks to compose – but I would say that our relationship has grown easier because there is more trust between the audio team, Jonathan and myself.

We let him suggest more ideas than before. We did that all along, but now that we trust each other more, we let him suggest things earlier on. We also have technical and melodic needs, too, and sometimes things are missing, so we try to discuss everything as much as possible to speed up the process. For example, if we describe a theme linked to a setting or character, he will create an initial version and then come back to us maybe once or twice but that’s it. It’s a rather fast process and we’re very happy with the results – and I think Jonathan also feels more at ease when composing and making unique suggestions.

It’s notable that, as LiS2 goes along, there’s an increasing reliance on the score to soundtrack the key emotional moments, rather than licensed tracks. Was this a deliberate decision- and was it a conscious choice that thematically replicates the boys leaving behind all they’ve known?

That’s a really good question. Yes, that’s it exactly.

We wanted... Or rather, I wanted Life is Strange 2 to have a richer score than the first game because we love what Jonathan does. I think he’s an amazing composer, but we also knew we wanted licensed tracks for certain scenes. I really enjoyed picking the tracks, working them into the visuals, building on moments of the first game. We also wanted to continue in that vein because we knew the community enjoyed it and it spoke to our story.

There are many licensed tracks to evoke the atmosphere in Seattle, showing us Sean’s taste, what he’s listening to. They also allow us to talk about the characters he meets through the music they listen to. It gives us a quick point of entry to each character. For example, the intro to Sean and Lyla on the bus in Episode 1, set to Phoenix’s ‘Lisztomania’, or the scene with the drifters in Episode 3, with Justice’s ‘D.A.N.C.E.’. The fact that they’re existing tracks gives us a strong mood and adds impact to the scene.

We wanted to continue that way, but we also wanted the score to tell a story, to tell something about the brothers’ journey, so we have made the brothers’ themes evolve throughout the episodes with new tracks in each one. It was important to us that the score as a whole should evolve from something rather folky in Seattle, something that evoked the first Life is Strange, and continue developing until the end. As you’ll hear, Episode 5 has a very different score.

So that was the fundamental idea, and we’re really happy with how it turned out. There are fewer licensed tracks but there are still quite a few of them, and we’re thrilled with the artists we’ve been able to feature. The idea was to re-balance – or at any rate, to have Jonathan create an amazing, evolving score.

Many thanks to Raoul for taking the time to unveil some secrets of the soundtrack – we’ll be back next week with another deep-dive blog interview into Episode 2!

Stay with us all the way to the #JourneysEnd!

[aion-rsa]

Best Anime On Amazon Prime Video

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Isn’t it just the worst when you’re out with friends at your favorite restaurant (masked up, of course) and everyone’s discussing Inuyashiki but you’re unable to jump in? How about when you’re waiting for the bus to arrive and people are discussing the latest Happy Sugar Life plot twist? Or when your cashier at the supermarket tries to make small talk and naturally namedrops the eternal equalizer, Re: Creators, and you just have to quietly look at your shoes?

Okay, so anime’s presence might not be quite at that level, but the popularity of the once-niche area of the animation industry only continues to blossom and become more mainstream. Not only are there now ample anime series that are available on popular streaming services, but this is even used as a selling point in some cases! There have never been more anime titles readily available to audiences, which is certainly exciting, but it can also be overwhelming.

Not only are more legacy titles being added to streaming services every month, but there is also a steady stream of new series that are being added. To guarantee that the various libraries of content at your disposal don’t swallow you whole, we’ve done the hard work and narrowed it down to just the top and most important titles!

Inuyashiki: The Last Hero

Inuyashiki is easily one of the best anime to come out in the past few years. Its storytelling even rivals that of great American serialized television. It’s just that good. Right from the start it presents the sort of story that immediately gets your attention and lets you know that you’re watching something special. Inuyashiki is an elderly man whose family seems to hate him and are totally unappreciative of his existence. One night he goes for a walk in the park and some sort of alien explosion rocks the area. When Inuyashiki comes to, he appears to be a super powered robot with insane abilities. He uses these new powers to help those in need and even learns that he can heal and bring people back to life. Suddenly Inuyashiki has a purpose in life and watching him reawaken straight up made me cry on multiple occasions. 

A bratty teenager is also at the park when the explosion happens and he turns into the same robot that Inuyahsiki becomes. This kid, however, is a psychopath and begins mass murdering individuals at an alarming rate. It’s terrifying how callous he is and what this power brings out in him. Some scenes are genuinely hard to watch and it doesn’t take long for him to become one of the most dangerous murderers that the country has ever seen. Suddenly Inuyashiki has a “rival” and the two are pit against each other in a bizarre, infinitely interesting way. This series is a thrilling examination of what people do with power and it balances humble moments of humanity with disturbing violence and insane action. Everything it does hits hard and its ending is perfect in its precision and poignancy. The animation is also stunning in its depiction of these human/robot hybrids and the “minimalist” (ie. finger guns) approach to the violence.

Inuyashiki is a series that I will be absolutely shocked if some savvy American director doesn’t opt to turn into a movie within the next few years. It’s an absolutely beautiful story that boils down to the universal concepts of good and evil. Catch it now and get ahead of the game. At eleven episodes it’s an extremely easy commitment that you’ll wish was longer.

Watch Inuyashiki: The Last Hero on Amazon

Kokkoku: Moment by Moment

Kokkoku: Moment by Moment is a bleak, surreal mystery that plays with time and space in a way that feels fresh and exciting. Juri Yukawa is your typical underachieving teenager who’s failed to find her calling. Kokkoku quickly pulls the rug out from under the viewer and transforms this slice of life anime into something substantially trippier. Juri’s brother and nephew get kidnapped by a cult and Juri’s uncle reveals that their family has the power to stop time, which is exactly what they’re going to do to save them.

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It’s fascinating to watch Juri learn more of the secrets about her lineage as well as her own unique powers. When Juri and her grandfather freeze time, this frozen world is called Stasis, but there are also terrible monsters that lurk in Stasis that prey on those who stay in there for too long. Kokkoku creates such a rich, fully formed story with a deep history to it, but it also initially keeps the audience in the dark to simulate the same overwhelming experience that Juri is going through. Kokkoku slowly parses out answers as Juri and her grandfather become more entwined in the world of Stasis. It’s such an engrossing story that’s so much bigger than the characters and what they’re caught up in.

Watch Kokkoku: Moment by Moment on Amazon

Happy Sugar Life

Happy Sugar Life is one of the darkest series that you’ll ever come across, anime or otherwise. It may even cause some viewers to tap out due to its extreme subject matter, but those that stick around will see a gripping character study that chronicles cyclical abuse and the worst versions of Stockholm Syndrome.

Happy Sugar Life looks at Sato Matsuzaka, a high school girl who kidnaps a small child named Shio because she’s madly in love with her. Now this isn’t a sexual love, but purely romantic and this child is just so innocent and pure that she tunes out all of the darkness in Sato’s life. Sato goes to any lengths necessary (like murder, for instance) to keep Shio locked in her home and a secret to the public. The series follows the very worst of deviants, but its dark perspective and Sato’s sugary sweet fantasies make for a strangely addictive curiosity.

Watch Happy Sugar Life on Amazon

Re: Creators

Re: Creators is extremely awesome in the sense that it delivers sprawling, insane battle sequences, but is also all about the struggles of creation and failing expectations. Sota Mizushino is an avid manga and anime fan and hopes to one day create his own series that finds an audience. Suddenly, characters from all across media—manga, anime, video games— get brought to the real world and Sota somehow becomes the middleman between two factions of creations where the fate of the Earth is at stake.

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Re: Creators is far from the typical “lost characters need to get home” narrative and it manages to continually add surprises throughout the season (it also features one of the more creative takes on the “recap episode” that you’ll ever find). The series mixes existentialism with flashy fight scenes and Re: Creators creates something very bold and memorable in the process. It’s a great deconstruction of the medium in general.

Watch Re: Creators on Amazon

Vatican Miracle Examiner

Vatican Miracle Examiner is essentially “The Exorcist: The Anime” and isn’t that all you really need to hear? The series follows two priests from the Vatican who investigate alleged “miracles” and supernatural faith-based murders. Vatican Miracle Examiner operates with a fun episodic approach for the most part where each new miracle that the duo go to explore put them in the orbit of things like demonic possession, deals with the devil, and killer clowns. As the anime gets further into these investigations, it becomes clear that there’s a much deeper conspiracy afoot where a shadow organization aims to take control of the Vatican. Immortality is also on everyone’s minds and you’d almost expect Indiana Jones to show up in the final stretch of episodes.

Vatican Miracle Examiner feels like it shouldn’t be an anime, but it’s definitely refreshing to see supernatural and conspiratorial elements worked into religion and faith in an anime series.

Watch Vatican Miracle Examiner on Amazon

Pop Team Epic

Pop Team Epic doesn’t give a fuck if you like it or not—in fact it probably hopes that you don’t—and it’s why this manic, insane series is so special. The show is a parody sketch anime that operates with unpredictable, frenetic pacing. Any topic is fair game, but the animation style also radically changes without notice and the series tries to break itself down more than it presents a polished anime. Hell, the end of every episode even presents a “Next Time On…” preview for Hoshiri Girldrop, a fake series that they made up. Just watch the show’s legendary “Hellshake Yano” sequence to get a glimpse of its crazy style and fall in love with it.

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Pop Team Epic Brings Its Madness To Adult Swim Where It Belongs

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If the show’s unleashed attitude wasn’t enough, each episode is basically eleven minutes long and then the following eleven minutes is the same footage that preceded it, but with minor differences. The voice actors will be changed the second time around, animation touches will contrast, but it’s an incredibly bold experiment to play with the audience and their patience. There seems to be an equal split on the people that love and hate the show’s “Bob Team Epic” halves, but they have people’s attention. With Pop Team Epic recently joining the irreverent Adult Swim’s Toonami lineup, the cult series has become more popular than ever.

Watch Pop Team Epic on Amazon

Sagrada Reset

Sagrada Reset is set within the town of Sakurada, a special community where everyone that lives there possesses some kind of special ability. Kei Asai, for instance, has an exceptional case of photographic memory to the point that he hasn’t forgotten a single thing that’s happened to him in Sakurada. Kei eventually comes in contact with Misora Haruki, who has the ability to reset time for as far back as three days. This is an exceptional power, but through these resets Kei still retains his memory of the now-deleted time. Accordingly, Kei and Misora team up and use their powers in tandem to help out individuals and solve a much larger mystery that’s afoot in Sakurada.

The dynamic here between Kei and Misora is so loving and beautiful, but the show also creates an interesting world where special abilities are not only common, but monitored by a shady corporate board. One of the biggest joys of the series is watching how various abilities overpower and cancel each other out. Kei and Misora have to put some real quick thinking into play to get out of their problems and this thoughtfulness to the stories is why the idea works so well.

Watch Sagrada Reset on Amazon

Onara Gorou

Okay you guys, Onara Gorou isn’t freaking Shakespeare, but it’s a supremely weird series that looks at the antics of Gorou, “the most admirable of farts.” Gorou attempts to help out individuals (all while connected to the human that’s producing him) and every moment of this show elicits questions that you’re not even sure that you want the answers.

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Onara Gorou almost feels like the early seasons of South Park where this crudely presented idea looks juvenile at its surface layer, but there’s something more intelligent going on underneath. Make no mistake, Onara Gorou isn’t a smart series, but it’s unrepentantly silly and it will make you laugh and question the laws of nature in a way that more shows should. How did you live your life without having this show and its nightmarish ending theme in your world!?

Watch Onara Gorou on Amazon

GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka

Great Teacher Onizuka is such a twisted morality story that it sneaks up on you slow subtly that you don’t even realize what’s happened. Eikichi Onizuka enters the series as slacker ex-gang member with few prospects. After an unattractive teacher steals Onizuka’s date, he determines that teachers must hold a strong sexual power over their students. This random event reshapes Onizuka’s entire life and he becomes a teacher! However, through the process he inadvertently develops a strong sense of morals and is no longer interested in doing something as depraved as hooking up with students.

As Onizuka’s quest goes on, he finds himself hungry to become the best teacher of all-time and happy to dispense his unique outlooks on life to help his class. Onizuka turns into an inspiring mentor to dozens and it’s amazing to see how this “bad guy” finally figures out what his passion is in life. Great Teacher Onizuka will make you feel warm inside, but it’s also funny as hell. Onizuka’s embarrassing antics never disappoint and the show finds the perfect rhythm for its comedy. With 43 episodes available, Great Teacher Onizuka is the kind of comforting comedy that’s there for you to binge watch and relax. Live your best life.

Watch Great Teacher Onizuka on Amazon

Vinland Saga

Vinland Saga is the kind of anime that’s absolute joy for not just fans of brutal action, but also historical dramas. The anime is set during the height of conflict between warring Viking nations and the series does not hold back from the violent nature of these battles. The anime centers around Thorfinn, a child who is forced to come of age during this conflict after his father meets his end courtesy of the enemy. What follows is an impressive look into Thorfinn’s gradual evolution into a warrior as he matures. It’s a painful saga that’s both epic and personal and Vinland Saga manages to make its antagonist, Askeladd, just as compelling as Thorfinn and a complex anti-hero in his own right. It’s the perfect series for anime fans who want something a little more adult.

Watch Vinland Saga on Amazon

Kaiba

Kaiba is a 12-episode anime masterpiece by auteur Masaaki Yuasa that’s really like nothing else out there. It’s almost as if Charlie Kaufman tried to write a Philip K. Dick story and the thing that honestly feels closest to Kaiba is Duncan Trussell’s The Midnight Gospel, but that still only scratches the surface of this anime’s unique, curious, and chaotic nature. Kaiba exists in a world where society is divided by wealth and bodies and memories are treated like rejuvenation tools. The aristocracy effectively live forever by coasting between different bodies and there’s an incredible story that’s told here about identity.

Kaiba wades in thoughtful territory, but it also utilizes a warped, fluid art style that reflects the incestuous themes of replication and individuality. The anime is as gorgeous as it is emotional and there’s a deeply cathartic payoff to everything. Kaiba’s story is so beautiful that you won’t want to leave this universe. It’s one of the most enriching and satisfying anime series on Amazon Prime Video and there are so few programs that create the awe-inspiring energy that drives Kaiba.

Watch Kaiba on Amazon

Lupin The 3rd, Parts 1 And 5

Lupin the 3rd is one of the longest-running anime institutions and prolific names in the industry like Hayao Miyazaki even cut their teeth on the Lupin franchise. The anime tackles the “gentleman thief” archetype with an elusive protagonist who always finds a way to evade capture and outsmart the authorities, even if he’s simultaneously a bumbling mess. Lupin the 3rd offers a strong variety of both episodic and serialized storytelling that’s perfect for anyone who’s a fan of mysteries or procedural crime programs. Amazon Prime Video has the first and last series of Lupin the 3rd, which highlight the diversity of the crime and adventure hybrid series. 

Lupin the 3rd, Part 1 introduces Lupin and the eccentric cast of characters that become linked together, for both better and for worse. There’s a balance between adult-themed crimes as well as broader and more fantastical schemes that are appropriate for all ages. Lupin the 3rd, Part 5 offers a more modern take on Lupin’s hijinks with advanced technology like drones, the dark web, and cybercrimes playing major roles in the season’s cases. It’s very easy to get lost in these affable characters and the fast-paced and surprising mysteries that are Lupin the 3rd’s specialty.

Watch Lupin the 3rd on Amazon

Flame Of Recca

There are dozens of shonen anime series and many of the weaker examples can feel interchangeable and derivative of the action genre’s basic archetypes. Flame of Recca is a shonen series from the 1990s that is emblematic of its time period in the best way possible. Recca Hanabishi learns that he’s the descendant of the Hokage, a powerful group of ninjas, and that he has the ability to manipulate fire. 

Recca aligns with many others with impressive and contrasting supernatural abilities and even though Flame of Recca also touches on the typical shonen touchstones like a demon enemy who’s hungry for immortality and an extensive tournament, it feels refreshing rather than lazy. At only 42 episodes, Flame of Recca doesn’t drag on like other anime of a similar nature. It’s not bogged down in filler so it’s able to just deliver satisfying action. Flame of Recca is an underrated shonen title that deserves the same level of attention as Bleach or Yu Yu Hakusho. 

Watch Flame of Recca on Amazon

Kabaneri Of The Iron Fortress  

Attack on Titan is airing its final season and about to conclude, which means it’s the perfect time to check out Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, an anime that cultivates a very similar energy. The series is set during an alternate version of the Industrial Revolution where a gruesome plague of undead vampire-like monsters known as the Kabane wreak havoc on humanity. The only way to kill these monsters is to pierce their iron-coated hearts. There’s a heavy steampunk vibe present with the weapons that get developed and the wall that’s erected around the city to keep the people safe.

Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress does an excellent job in how it mixes action and horror and it makes the Kabane threat feel real and dangerous. At the same time, it’s also careful to make sure that its characters are actually people that the audience cares about. Much like in Attack on Titan, the brilliance of the humans and the strategy that they develop is some of the most gripping material and it’s an exciting take on a deadly outbreak that’s completely different from the norm. 

Watch Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress on Amazon

Elfen Lied

Elfen Lied is easy to dismiss as it looks like the kind of disposable, generic content that gives anime a bad name, but not judging a book by its cover is exactly the point of Elfen Lied. The anime follows Lucy, a mutant experimental reject that is hungry for revenge against humans for their negligent treatment towards her. Lucy looks almost identical to a human, which allows Elfen Lied to unpack a deeper commentary on themes like prejudice and social ostracization. 

Part of what makes Elfen Lied stand out so much is that it’s decked in bright colors and an expressive and soft art style, only to juxtapose this with an extreme amount of blood (Adult Swim even deemed that Elfen Lied was too violent to air on their Toonami block, even in an edited form). Elfen Lied is constantly shocking and will make the viewer wince, but it succeeds in its bold and memorable message.

Watch Elfen Lied on Amazon

Also Available On Amazon Prime Video: Made in Abyss, Black Jack, Land of the Lustrous, Blue Submarine No. 6, Samurai Pizza Cats, Monster Rancher, and a number of excellent anime feature films like Redline, Robot Carnival and Toriko the Movie

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[whateverisbeautiful]

Reveling in Richonne

#47: The "Even If" (7x5)

As much as 7x5 became a bit of a blur after the kiss of life lol, I still had just enough vision left to take note of one more Richonne moment in this episode. 😋  And it's the scene that follows, with Michonne and Carl. 

(Side note: I know we're supposed to assume a lot of conversations between characters are had off camera, but this 7x5 scene is pretty much the first time we’re seeing Michonne and Carl really talk since Richonne became a thing 🙉 Again, I low key feel robbed that we haven’t gotten more scene with them post-canon lol. Here's to wishfully thinking hoping season 8 will give us some continued development of Carl and Michonne’s relationship. 🙏🏽)

So, Richonne is obviously relationship goals and I love that Michonne is definitely an admirable example of a wife. What her character depiction confirms is that you can be both an independent boss and a loving supportive wife. Like she has her stuff together and she can take care of business while simultaneously respecting her man and his leadership and decisions. 

I say all this because this sentiment really comes through in Michonne’s talk with Carl, post-the kiss of life. 

Side note: I feel like there's Richonne “pre-kiss of life” and “post-kiss of life” cuz, for me, that kiss took their relationship to a whole nother level lol.

But anyways, let me stop myself before I get off track and start going on about that kiss again, cuz I need to break this current scene down right quick. 😋 So our homie, Carl has two sides to me. Like he's either this good kid with a killer instinct, or he's this wildn kid with a killer instinct. Both are understandable considering the crazy world he’s had to grow up in. But, I must say, what I’ve noticed is that when Carl's in “wildn kid” mode he has a tendency to disapprove of and try his father. 🙉 So in this scene he's kind of in “wildn kid” mode and trying to see if Michonne also disagrees with Rick's "Submit to Negan" approach. I love that the first thing he asks tho is, “Why didn't you go with my dad?”. Like Rick and Michonne are such a package deal that it feels strange to other people for them to be separate. 

Also I love that Michonne and Carl are in this house cuz it reminds me of when they were in that house in “Claimed” and they were just becoming family back then and now it’s pretty official.  Michonne tells him she has to figure out how they can do this or if they can and that lets you know that while yes, she supports RIck and his decision, she is still trying to find some way to fight.  Carl says “We can’t” which reminds me of when Michonne tells Rick those very words in 7x4. I’m telling you; like Step Mom, like Son lol. 😋

Carl feels like they can’t win if they do things Rick’s way. And I know Michonne understands where he’s coming from but she tells him, “Your dad thinks differently.” I appreciate this cuz it lets you know that, as much as everything in her says they have to fight back, she’s obviously really taken to heart what Rick thinks about the situation. 

Hearing her say “your dad” stood out to me too cuz, what’s so different about this conversation than pre-canon conversations between Carl and Michonne, is that now Rick is not just Carl’s dad but Michonne’s husband lol. Like this just reminds you that they truly are even more of a family than before. 

Carl responds to Michonne saying, “And he’s wrong. You know it”. And low key when he said this, I was like...

Carl tried it just a little bit, cuz even if Rick is wrong, that’s still his father so he has to put some respek on his name lol. But I know this was “wildn” Carl talking. 😋 

And as Michonne lets this resonate it could appear she’s between a rock and a hard place. Does she voice her agreement with Carl that they shouldn’t just play along with Negan? Or does she pretend like she’s fully on board with Rick’s way of thinking? And just when you think maybe she doesn’t know what to say...she reminds us that, y’all, this is Michonne Grimes, she always be knowing just what to say lol. 👌🏽👸

So she responds with such a great line. She tells him “Even if I think he is...I don’t know.” It's a very powerful and wise statement. It’s also such a meaningful thing for her to say because, as strong as she feels, she has enough maturity to say she doesn’t know. She’s not blindly agreeing with Rick, nor stubbornly disagreeing. She’s acknowledging both sides and going out to get answers because she’s productive and a real one. 👌🏽👸

She doesn't feel like Rick's way is the way to go, but since she doesn't have the facts to know for sure, she’s choosing to remain open. She loves Rick and trusts his judgement and so she's willing to consider his side, which is why I love that “even if”.  She's saying “Look, I'm not going to lie and say I think he's right, but I'm not going to just assume I'm right either.” She's wise enough to know that she doesn't know. 

To me, that’s real wisdom. Like wisdom isn’t always having the answers, but rather being open to the fact that maybe you don’t have all the answer, and then going and seeking out the answers, as she’ll later do in 7x7. 

This line is also such a perfect answer to give Carl because it accomplishes two things. It allows her to be honest and admit to having an inking that Rick’s way may be the wrong way, which is good cuz it allows her to honestly communicate with Carl and keep him in the loop so that it’s not like he's just some kid. He's still her friend too. And Michonne’s answer also sticks up for Rick and says, “I support your father and we do need to be cautious and consider that maybe we don't know everything”. Something Carl needs to do (and completely does not do, as his “wildn kid” side takes over and gets him singing songs in the Sanctuary 😑🙈). This line also reminds me of "The Distance" when Michonne tells Rick, “You know what you know and you're sure of it, but I'm not", in regards to Aaron and ASZ. Like this relationship is so healthy because R&M can have strong opinions while also acknowledging that they don't always have the answers. 

Throughout the series, Michonne has had so many great lines that can be used as real life lessons. And this line to Carl is just such a great example of acknowledging that you’re not all-knowing or always right just cuz you think you are. So Michonne leads Carl by example in this moment and is both friend and mom. That's some healthy balance right there. 👌

🏽And you know Carl at least lets this resonate momentarily. I love that it's really only Michonne who can tame Carl's “wildn kid” side. (If only Michonne knew what Carl's plan for the day was 😑) 

And I adore the last part of this scene, where Michonne's mommy mode does in fact take over lol. She heads out and reminds Carl to change his bandage and “be nice to Olivia”. It's such a cute mom/son moment and I was so here for it.

(Side note: I always find it such a funny parallel that Carl has his first low key awkward kiss with Enid in the same episode where Rick and Michonne have the greatest kiss of all time. 😋 )

So this scene is a Richonne scene cuz, even though Rick isn't in it, this is Michonne putting aside any pride to be a supportive wife and a good mom. And I know Rick would be appreciative of how she handled that situation with Carl. Rick's got himself a woman that is A1 wifey and mother material! 👌🏽👸

Michonne is only in like two and a half scenes in 7x5 but I love that these scenes are so memorable. It shows us loud and clear why Michonne is both an excellent wife and an excellent mother. 🏾😊

[justanothercinemaniac]

Epic Movie (Re)Watch #196 - The Walk (2015)

Spoilers Below

Have I seen it before: Yes

Did I like it then: Yes.

Do I remember it: Yes.

Did I see it in theaters: Yes.

Was it a movie I saw since August 22nd, 2009: Yes, #382.

Format: Blu-ray

A note from the original poster:

September 11th, 2001 was a tragic event in not only American history but human history and its events still effect many. I decided to watch The Walk on September 11th because it takes something which primarily has sad memories around it (the World Trade Center) and focuses on a joyful memory instead. Philippe Petit accomplished a feat of pure joy and heart, changing what the towers were to people before they even opened. On a day like 9/11 I know I need to remember that there is good AND there is bad. The Walk is the film equivalent of a happy memory of a late loved one which is why I watch it on this day. I understand that there are those of you who just need to mourn on today and I respect that. The reason I am posting this recap today instead of tomorrow is because in case there is anyone out there like me - someone who needs a happy memory of something that ended in tragedy - they can read it today. I hope that makes sense. And to all those who are struggling with today and what it means to them, know that my thoughts are with you and that I hope you are getting through today as best as you can.

1) One of the very first things Philippe says becomes representative of the entire story.

Philippe: “I do not say this word, death…Instead I say the opposite word: life.”

This is a film about the World Trade Center, even if it’s not about 9/11. But as I mentioned in my note above it is joyful. It is not death it is life, something which permeates every scene and every decision Philippe makes. From the scene where he & Annie are playfully shaking the wire to simulate rough weather conditions, to him jumping around naked on the rooftop, all of it shows such intense LIFE and I think that is just wonderful.

2) The framing device of Philippe on top of the Statue of Liberty telling his story with New York in the background distracted me a little upon first viewing. But you quickly get used to it and I think the framing device works. Primarily because it allows the film to use Philippe’s voice at its strongest.

3) I’ve never fully understood the movie’s decision to start in black and white. The reds and blues are in color which is maybe because these are the colors which are strongest on the French and American flags? But then the color returns in Philippe’s visit to the dentist’s office and a part of me understands why (it’s here where he first learns about the Twin Towers). But also I feel that would’ve been more effective if they’d waited to bring color back into the film when Philippe actually SAW the towers as opposed to entering the dentist’s office. I just don’t fully understand it.

4) Joseph Gordon Levitt as Philippe Petit.

The majority of this film is carried on the character of Philippe and therefore the performance of whoever plays him. He narrates EVERYTHING. His voice is the voice of the film. The action is entirely motivated by his dreams, his actions. He IS the story really, meaning you had to have a strong actor play him. And Gordon-Levitt does absolutely amazingly in the part. Any sense of ego or self washes away because you don’t feel like you’re watching an actor give a performance. You feel like you’re watching Philippe. The actor is able to be incredibly optimistic, positive, occasionally stubborn/arrogant, funny, vulnerable, heartfelt, confident, and genuine in every one of these aspects. He balances the traits of Philippe perfectly which is important in a film about wire walking (see what I did there?). Balance is key. Overplay Philippe’s optimism, he’s naive. Overplay his arrogance, he’s a jerk. Overplay his humor, he’s a clown. But Gordon-Levitt doesn’t overplay any of it but balances it out absolutely perfectly.

5) According to IMDb:

Philippe Petit himself personally trained Joseph Gordon-Levitt how to walk on a tightrope. When the training started, Petit predicted that Gordon-Levitt would need no more than 8 days of training to be able to walk on a wire alone, which came true.

6) Charlotte Le Bon as Annie.

The fact that Annie is able to respect Philippe’s circle (something very important to him as performer) and his craft while also being incredibly mad at him shows an immediate understanding between the two. Le Bon is wonderfully genuine in the part, breathing similar life into Annie that Joseph Gordon Levitt breathes into Philippe. She’s wonderful, genuine, heartfelt, and feels real when the character could’ve easily devolved into a Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope. And her connection/chemistry with Gordon-Levitt is very honest. You are immediately invested in their relationship.

7) This is very telling of the way Philippe sees his art.

Philippe [about when he walks between the towers]: “My performance will not just be a show. It will be a coup.”

This could easily have come off as pretentious, like Philippe is just talking a big game. But through the writing and definitely through Gordon-Levitt’s performance the audience understands that this is honestly how Philippe sees it. He’s not just saying it to brag, to be a grand artist, he just knows that’s what he’s doing and that’s a lot of fun to watch.

8) Ben Kingsley as Papa Rudy.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen Ben Kingsley give a bad performance in a movie. Have I seen him in bad movies? For sure, the guy’s prolific. But I’ve never seen him bad IN a movie. He always fully embraces the part that makes it feel alive and Papa Rudy is no different. But the best part about Papa Rudy is the relationship that he and Philippe have. They bicker A LOT but you come to understand that this bickering comes form a place of concern and (dare I say it?) love for each other. It becomes a wonderful father/son relationship which is one of the most important in Philippe’s life and Kingsley’s portrayal helps the audience understand why.

9) Philippe’s anger at his first failure (falling into the lake, “which is more like a swamp.”) is a wonderful flaw that I really appreciate. Philippe is a very proud person and sometimes he lets this pride get in the way of his relationships with others. But more so it motivates him and he’s able to put that pride aside when it really matters.

10) The Notre Dame wire walk.

This brief but important scene is honestly a wonderful early appetizer of the hope and satisfaction which marks this film and Philippe’s character when he goes out on the wire during the film’s climax. It doesn’t reach that same level of amazing, but few things do. More on that later.

11) I keep bringing this up, but I love that Philippe is portrayed honestly. His flaws, his pride, even his occasional wavering from the task he has set himself upon. The panic upon actually seeing how freaking tall the Twin Towers are is a very honest reaction of someone who wants to do a high wire act up on those towers.

12) The respect that this film pays to the World Trade Center is very strong. We see them as Philippe sees them: beautiful and representative of the opportunity to do something great. They are not some dark shadow that casts over the rest of the film. They’re not sad. They’re amazing and they’re real. The filmmakers put such work into reconstructing the towers for the film that you don’t even think of it as a film set. It’s their way of remembering it and I think that’s just beautiful.

13) Be honest, we all have this friend. Heck, some of us ARE this friend.

Philippe [after Jean-Louis says he’s mad]: “Yes! You love me because I am mad!”

14) Honesty is the best policy, kids.

Philippe [after a TSA agent asks him what he needs all the wiring fire]: “I am going to hang a high wire between the two towers of the World Trade Center and walk on it.”

TSA Agent [after a beat]: “Ha! Good luck!”

15) Philippe’s spy work is a wonderfully lively montage which covers what might otherwise be a very boring part of the film. He’s basically collecting data but it’s so fun we forget that’s what he’s doing.

16) Steve Valentine as Barry.

I have been a fan of Steve Valentine’s ever since I was a kid and he was in “I’m in the Band” on Disney XD. He is a wonderful character actor who is honestly pretty criminally underused in Hollywood. If you just watched this you’d have no idea he is naturally English, that his American accent isn’t real. Valentine’s part might be small compared to some of the other cast members but he uses it well and is INCREDIBLY memorable. I freaking love this guy.

17) And this is the moment you fell in love with JP, Philippe’s newest accomplice.

JP [after Philippe tries to have a private conversation with the others in French and JP responds to it in French]: “Oh you guys thought you were the only ones who spoke French in New York City.”

18) Look, I really like Ben Schwartz. And he’s very good in this film. His character just doesn’t do much. He’s more of a bump in the road (and later pain in the ass) than a developed character. He’s good in the part though, I just always want more of Ben Schwartz.

19) The pre-coup jitters EVERYONE is having is very realistic, especially Philippe’s considering the fact he’s going to be the one on the freaking high wire 110 stories high. The way he refers to the crate with the wiring as a, “coffin,” is very telling. This entire night before is when Philippe is at his shakiest. Not at his most vulnerable though. That’s when he’s on the wire.

20) I’m always surprised by how quickly this movie gets to the day of the coup. Less than half way through and they’re already sneaking around the World Trade Center. I think that’s really smart and honestly organic. It doesn’t stretch the first act longer than it has to.

21) Philippe and Jeff waiting it out.

This is a nice and organic moment to slow down the pacing of the scene, the pair waiting for a guard to leave. I’ve mentioned this before, but Tension doesn’t come from speeding up the scene as much as it does slowing it down. Jeff’s particular fear of heights is very strong here, providing a moment of character analysis for Philippe even as that fear momentarily infects him. It’s just a very nice small moment.

22) So usually when I’m posting about a film I’ll recite the line, “A coincidence that gets the character into trouble is plot.” There are a lot of coincidences and little mistakes which up the conflict and tension of the movie, except here’s the thing: The Walk is based on a real life event with a very popular documentary about it. So the stuff with the nail in Philippe’s foot, the arrow missing its mark, etcetera, that all happened. That’s not an invention. It calls to mind an observation made by Mark Twain: “Truth is stranger than fiction.”

23) A part of me wishes I had seen this film in 3D, because knowing Robert Zemeckis he probably played with the idea of depth beautifully while they’re up on the World Trade Center. But 3D costs money and I was in college at the time (I still am as I write this too, I just decided to say it in past tense).

24) The Mysterious Visitor.

It’s 2017, do we have any idea who this guy was!? Some guy randomly shows up on the tower of the World Trade Center the same day Philippe is going to do his wire walk, says nothing, and leaves. I have two theories about this:

He was a jumper who stopped when he saw other people were up there.

He’s a time traveller from the distant future who wanted to witness Philippe set up his high wire, writing himself into history.

25) I haven’t talked about it yet, but Alan Silvestri’s score for this film is absolutely beautiful. It perfectly stirs the emotion of peace and hope in the film’s audience that Philippe has when he’s on that highwire. I think the main theme for this film is one of the most underrated in movie history because it gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it. Here, have a listen.

26) The Walk.

A climax in a film is typically the moment of greatest tension, but for The Walk it is the moment of greatest euphoria. The moment of greatest joy. No film brings about such a total peace within me as this one does when Philippe takes his first steps onto the high wire accompanied by Alan Silvestri’s amazing score. The extended sequence of MULTIPLE wire walks works beautifully. Yes there are hiccups, there is conflict (a bird, the cops), but more than anything else the sequence conveys to the audience a feeling of one-hundred percent satisfaction and beautiful peace as Philippe is out on his high wire. I’ve seen this film multiple times but this scene always ALWAYS gives me goosebumps and gets me teary eyed. It is beautiful and inspiring and hopeful and just plain moving. I love it with all my heart in a way where I don’t love many films this way. I get such a fountain of euphoria bubbling up inside me and I just ride that wave until the closing credits. It’s amazing.

Philippe [after getting off his wire, to the cops]: “My name is Philippe Petit, I am a wire walker!”

27) There is a line earlier in the film from New Yorkers about how they hate the towers, how they look like giant filing cabinets. And to show you how effective a simple act of pure joy can do, I refer you to this line.

Barry: “They’re different because you walked up there. You know, every New Yorker I talk to now says they love these towers.”

28) There could not be a more perfect closing line to this film.

Philippe [about a visitor’s pass to the World Trade Center]: “And you know this pass I was given? Well, these passes they have a date on them, a date when they expire. But on my pass Mr. Tozzoli he crossed out the date and he wrote on it (small beat), “Forever.”

I have seen 507 different movies in theaters since August 22nd, 2009. I have only ever cried in the following movies (including moves before that day): Bridge to Terabithia, Room, The Imitation Game, and The Walk. I get teary in movies, sure, but the tears usually stay in my eyes. Not in The Walk though. This last line gets me every single time, even today when I watch it. And it goes back to what I wrote at the start of this recap: this movie is a joyful memory that is tied to a tragic event. It is impossible to ever talk about the World Trade Center without remembering all that was lost and all the pain of September 11th, 2001. But this film is able to respect that and still relate a tale of such sheer joy. This movie taught me that the most powerful emotion in the world is a joyful sadness. And I will always be grateful that it did.

The TL;DR version of this is basically note #28, but I’ll repeat why I love this movie anyways. The Walk is beautifully. Wonderfully acted with this incredible story about joy about something (the World Trade Center) that has become such a tragic thing in human history. It makes me cry every single time and it is absolutely one of my favorite movies ever. For those of you struggling with today who took the time to read this whole thing, I truly hope it helps. And for those of you struggling who just scrolled to the end: I hope today was as good as it can be and that tomorrow is better.

[silverscreenclassics2016]

by Paul Batters

It’s always a tough gig trying to compile any favourites list and when it comes to film, I personally find it particularly difficult to do. But after seeing this blogathon hosted by The Classic Film and TV Café, the challenge was too tempting to let slide. The following five films are cinematic classics that have deeply moved me and ones which I have developed a profound connection to. They are also films which I have watched time and time again, only to discover something new during every viewing. Most importantly, they are timeless for the powerful performances of the key actors and actresses, the thematic concerns and the cinematic quality of their production.

There’s no right or wrong answer to this. And yes, yes and yes, there are other films which could be added, dropped or given an honourable mention. But these films are what stand out for me.

So without further ado…

The Asphalt Jungle (1950)

Without a doubt one of the finest films in the pantheon of film noir, The Asphalt Jungle is also the quintessential heist film. Directed by John Huston, it also contains one of the greatest lines in film noir and one which sums up the core value of noir – ‘Crime is but a left-handed form of human endeavour’.

Starring Sterling Hayden as a small time hood named Dix, he’s a tough, no-nonsense man who has principles as well as a dream to get back to his childhood home. The whole cast is outstanding and each character embodies the foibles, dreams and weaknesses of humanity, seeking a way out yet finding themselves moving deeper into the darkness. Dix becomes part of a gang put together by Doc (Sam Jaffe), a gentlemanly crook whose scheme of a big jewellery robbery is funded by Emmerich (Louis Calhern) a corrupt lawyer, who has his own plans. Their meticulous plans will become undone by greed as much as the hand of fate in a taut and superbly crafted story.

There’s no slackness and no loose ends, and Miklos Rozsa’s score underpins the desperation of men seeking to get out from under. We’re left feeling as desperate as the men on the screen, hoping against hope that they will make it – to wherever it is they are going. Grim but exciting and riveting from start to finish, The Asphalt Jungle is mandatory viewing not only for those who love film noir but for any fan of classic film.

Incidentally, I’ll be writing a review of The Asphalt Jungle for the 2019 Noirama Blogathon hosted by Maddy Loves Her Classic Films

The Bad And The Beautiful (1952)

Vincente Minelli’s bittersweet poem to Hollywood pulls no punches, revealing the nature of the industry and the people who work within it. The story focuses on director Fred Amiel (Barry Sullivan), movie star Georgia Lorrison (Lana Turner), and screenwriter James Lee Bartlow (Dick Powell) and their personal and working relationship with producer Jonathon Shields (Kirk Douglas). Minelli made it a point thatthe characters’ humanity was integral to the success of the film and that they were not immune to weaknesses, which were counterpoints to their strengths.

The harsh reality behind the magic of film is brought forward through three different stories told in retrospect. Yet all three are intertwined and ultimately centred on the ruthless yet brilliant and emotional Shields, who has given them their career breaks yet also betrayed them, professionally and personally. Douglas plays Shields with incredible sensitivity and depth, delivering the personal pain, passions and difficulties that film-makers face. The other key players are also superb and for my money it is one of Lana Turner’s most memorable performances as the alcoholic actress, who falls in love with but is eventually spurned by Shields.

There’s plenty to pull apart as the characters and scenarios are drawn from Hollywood history. Georgia Lorrison is based on the daughter of legendary John Barrymore, Diana. The European director von Elstein is certainly a nod to the European directors who came to Hollywood such as von Sternberg and von Stroheim. Watching Shields and Amiel work on ‘Doom Of The Cat Men’ is without a doubt an homage to Val Lewton’s unit at RKO and the making of The Cat People (1942). According to a number of reports, Shields was based on David Selznick, whose life and career certainly shows parallels with the obsessed producer.

The Bad And The Beautifulis not nostalgic or sentimental; there is a deeper undertone of harsh realism that counters any such possibilities, without it being an expose. But it’s impossible not to feel for the characters and despite their ruthlessness, selfishness and complexities, like us, they love film and are ultimately moved by its magic. As a result, I’ve always been deeply moved by The Bad And The Beautiful.

On The Waterfront (1954)

If ever there was an actor on the screen whose brilliance was matched by apathy to the industry, it was and still is Marlon Brando. There are countless actors and film-makers who turn to On The Waterfront as their inspiration for becoming involved in film, and it is impossible not to argue with them.

Elia Kazan’s grim crime drama tells of the corruption deeply entrenched in the unions which control the New Jersey docks but more importantly it highlights the impact that it has one the longshoremen and their families. The harsh, cold setting and stark story is a contrast to the colour extravaganzas of the musicals that were popular during the period. It was a gutsy picture for Kazan to make, aided by Schulberg’s superb script. There are some deeper criticisms that emerge, focused on Kazan’s testimony for HUAC which have been discussed at length elsewhere.

The cast is strong and Eva Marie Saint’s debut as Edie stands tall with Karl Malden as tough priest Father Barry (who for my money deserved the Best Supporting Actor), Rod Steiger as Charley and Lee J. Cobb as the crooked union boss, Johnny Friendly.

But the fact remains that the film is Brando’s and the incredible performance as ex-boxer Terry Malloy is one of the greatest in film history. Brando is natural, realistic and adds subtle touches which add a beautiful element to his performance. Terry is torn between the rules that he has known all his life, the cynical harshness that has shaped his reality and the tenderness and desire for something more that is drawn from deep within by his love for the delicate yet strong and determined Edie.

The most famous scene in the film has been paraphrased, satirised and almost exhausted to the point of cliché. But the cab scene between Terry and his brother Charley is a powerful scene and deservedly one of the most celebrated and lauded scenes in film history. Brando would declare that he initially hated the scene and bemoaned Steiger’s ‘always wanting to cry’ in dramatic scenes. Yet years on, Brando would come to terms with the universality of the scene and be at peace with it. Malloy is channelling what nearly everyone feels at some point in their life – that there was a moment in time, a chance, where they could have become more than what they are and reached heights that met their dreams and potential, which never eventuated for whatever reason.

On The Waterfront is a powerful and provocative film and the ending which sees Terry stand up for a chance to make a difference and that he even though he’s ‘lost the battle’, he can ‘still win the war’ is inspirational. For me, it deserves to be recognised as one of the finest films of the 1950s.

Paths Of Glory (1957)

Paths Of Glory is a masterclass of cinematography by Stanley Kubrick and one of the key reasons why I feel it is an exceptional cinematic experience. The cold realism of the horrors and cruelty of war are experienced by the audience, through the camera’s presence with the soldiers during battle. It is a stark contrast to the conventional war film with dramatic music being absent and the use of silence to heighten tension, with the aim of realism being well-established.

Kirk Douglas plays Colonel Dax in the French army during World War One. An intelligent man who is leading his men into battle, he is also well aware of the futility of war as well as the stupidity of the orders from high-ranking officers. Douglas offers a strong, tempered performance, balancing the character’s frustrations with the unprincipled, contemptuous and disgraceful Broulard (Adolphe Menjou).

Thematically, the film examines the brutality and cruelty of humans during war and the contempt that the military has for the men who are doing the fighting and dying on the battlefields.

Dax leads a futile attack on Anthill, a position held by the Germans which Dax knows is doomed to fail. Dax tries to lead his men as best he can, despite the madness of the orders given but the shelling of his own men by French artillery sees disaster result. Brigadier-General Mireau (George MacReady) decides to court-martial 100 of his men for the failure, in an attempt to deflect blame from himself.

Dax, a former lawyer, defends three of his men in a trial which is at best a travesty of justice and procedure. Despite his honourable attempts, Dax knows it is a pointless defence, mirroring the futility of the battlefields.

An anti-war film it is but it is also more than that – it is a strong indictment against injustice, corruption and the cruelty of humans at their worst. It is as much an anti-militaryfilm as well. It was a film with a rawness that would be banned in some countries due to its’ anti-military tone.

Paths Of Glory is one of Douglas’ best performances in a film that is testimony to the genius of Stanley Kubrick.

Vertigo (1958)

I recently wrote about Vertigo( see link ) and cannot speak highly enough of what I believe is perhaps Hitchcock’s most beautiful film. It leads the audience through the mental anguish of former cop turned private investigator Scottie (Jimmy Stewart) and a mash-up of his obsession founded in dream and nightmare. Kim Novak was never more ethereal and captivating as Madeline and Bernard Herrmann’s score is, as Martin Scorsese declares, a spiralling and circular movement that lifts and drop the audience along with Scottie’s journey through obsession.

The plot won’t be discussed here but needless to say it touches the audience with its’ themes in ways that few films ever could. It becomes personal and deeply intrusive into our own psyches.

It’s no mistake that Vertigo has consistently made the top ten lists of many film critics, film magazines and institutions, such as the AFI and Empire.The BFI’s magazine, Sight And Sound, more recently listed it as the greatest film made, leap-frogging Citizen Kane. Hitchcock constructs his film with all the cinematic tools at his disposal with incredible depth and consideration. Whilst certainly existing in the stylistic and tonal registers of film noir, it is also a deep psychological thriller.

Jimmy Stewart as Scottie is the everyman caught up in and duped by circumstances that he initially cannot see but there could be endless conversation over his choices and the nature of his obsession with Madeline. Madeline is also a victim of her own trick because she falls in love with Scottie as well, something she did not expect to happen.

For me, Vertigo is one of the greatest films of all time and deserves to be in the canon of the best films of the 1950s. For more on my thoughts of Vertigo, you can visit the link here: Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Vertigo’ (1958): The Art Of Obsession. 

Film should be deeply personal, even though we cast a critical eye on the films we watch and absorb. At the end of the day, Hollywood is trying to make a buck but that’s also because film-makers want their films to be seen for an emotional response and connection with the audience. It’s why classic film endure and why they always have something to say.

Paul Batters teaches secondary school History in the Illawarra region and also lectures at the University Of Wollongong. In a previous life, he was involved in community radio and independent publications. Looking to a career in writing, Paul also has a passion for film history.

Five Favourite Films Of The 1950s by Paul Batters It’s always a tough gig trying to compile any favourites list and when it comes to film, I personally find it particularly difficult to do.

[jobsearchtips02]

Amazon series ‘Hunters’ creator: origin story, Jordan Peele, Al Pacino

David Weil, the creator of Amazon’s new series “Hunters,” talked to Business Insider about how he got the series made without another TV show on his resume.

Weil wrote a spec script for the pilot and an 80-page series bible that detailed his ideas five years ago. After one network passed on the series, Amazon picked it up.

“Get Out” director Jordan Peele, who executive produced the series, was already on board at that point after having read Weil’s script.

Weil also discussed how writing the series was cathartic for him and shared his cinematic inspirations for the show.

Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

Amazon Prime Video’s new drama series “Hunters,” which follows a group of Nazi killers in the 1970s US, has some big names attached to it.

Al Pacino, fresh off an Oscar nomination for Netflix’s “The Irishman,” stars as Meyer, the boss of the group. “Get Out” and “Us” director Jordan Peele executive produced the series.

But the show’s creator isn’t a household name — at least, not yet.

Creator and coshowrunner David Weil talked to Business Insider about his creative process and the inspirations behind “Hunters,” his first TV show, which ended up catching the attention of Peele and then Amazon Studios boss, Jennifer Salke.

Weil wrote an 80-page series “bible” five years ago that detailed the characters’ backstories and the entire first season. He said he has ideas for at least five seasons of the show, which he described as a challenging but cathartic experience since it was inspired by his own grandmother, who was a Holocaust survivor. 

Weil also discussed the cinematic inspirations behind the series, the best piece of advice Peele gave him, and tips for aspiring creators trying to break through in Hollywood.

“Hunters”

Amazon Prime Video

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Travis Clark: What was your initial pitch for “Hunters” and how did that change, if at all, from that to what we see on screen?

David Weil: It wasn’t a pitch. Part of that was because it’s such a specific show and high-wire act of different tones with really important and intense subject matter. I wrote a spec script [a script without a deal already in place with the hopes of finding a buyer] and an 80-page bible that explained in detail what the series was and where it would go, who all the characters are, the tone, the visual language … really anything that would be asked about the show, I wanted to have an answer for, or any fear that a buyer would have I wanted to be able to address. I think for a show like this that was really important.

It was a journey and a long process. I wrote it five years ago and then tried selling it four-and-half or three-and-a-half years ago. It sold to one network, but after the head of that network left and the new one came in, they didn’t really understand the show and was afraid of the show [Weil declined to say what the network was]. But the great fortune was that Jennifer Salke came in to run Amazon Studios [in 2018] and my agent sent the script to her, and Jen bought it. She saw something really special in this piece, so Jordan [Peele] and I were so thrilled to call Amazon home. They’ve supported the vision. It was a long ride with ups and downs, but ultimately a wonderful result.

Clark: This is your first TV show, so can you expand more on that creative process, particularly with the series bible? 

Weil: The bible took a number of months. It included my letter of personal intent: why this story, why now, why I’m the person to tell it. And it really touched on all of the characters and their backstories. It spoke to the tone and themes of the show, and how violence would be employed in the show, and why the 1970s were important. It laid out very detailed beats of what the first season would be and then ideas in a more general way for future seasons.

One of the things that people look for when buying a show is whether it can continue and is a business asset with legs that has a vision towards the future.

Greg Austin as Travis in “Hunter”

Amazon Prime Video

Clark: You’ve talked in other interviews about how your own grandmother inspired the series, so I was wondering what outside of your own personal history inspired it. There are a lot of references to comic books in the series and the violence has been compared to Quentin Tarantino’s stuff, so was there anything culturally that inspired you?

Weil: As a Jewish kid growing up on Long Island, I wanted to see a Jewish superhero represented on screen. Even “Inglourious Basterds” [directed by Tarantino] and “Schindler’s List” are stories about non-Jewish protagonists saving Jewish characters. I wanted to tell a story about Jewish characters getting justice and vengeance for other Jewish characters. So there was a creative desire to create a Jewish character on screen that is a Jewish person with might and power and is a bada– in every sense of the word.

In terms of cultural or cinematic inspirations, “The Boys from Brazil” [a 1978 movie about a plot to carry on the Third Reich] was a much bigger inspiration than Tarantino. I like to think of the show as living between two different poles. On one end is “Inglourious Basterds” and on the other is “Munich.” The show certainly has pulpy moments but it has quieter moments of Judaism and the Holocaust. That balance was important to me.

Clark: Do you have any more tips for aspiring creators trying to break through in Hollywood?

Weil: The best thing to do is to just write as much as possible. This is the first thing that I’ve written and produced, that has my name on it, in 10-plus years. But what has been wonderful in those 10 years is that I just kept writing and now I have a stockpile of material. Now that “Hunters” is on, I can show that I have a pilot here and a screenplay there. I have a wealth of material, which is important for buyers and agents to see. There’s this horrible mantra in Hollywood that “everyone has one good script in them.” But the mark of an employable writer or someone that an agent wants to represent is that they can continue to deliver. 

I’d also suggest that people write in different genres and flex different muscles. Show that you’re not pigeonholed as one kind of creator or writer.

Lerman and Pacino in “Hunters”

Amazon Prime Video

Clark: You mentioned that you wrote ideas for future seasons in your series bible. In a perfect world, how many seasons do you envision “Hunters” to be? I know it’s early, but have you heard anything about a season two renewal?

Weil: I have at least five seasons worth of ideas of where I see the series going and I certainly know the ending of the series. I’d love to work on a season two and I’m hopeful Amazon thinks so, too. 

Clark: Going back to Jordan Peele, how exactly did he get involved and what the most memorable piece of advice he gave you?

Weil: I was a huge fan of “Key and Peele.” It was brilliant and the satire was next level. We shared the same agent and I told my agent that I was dying to meet him. So we got to meet and he had just written “Get Out,” so I got to read it. I told him “this is genius, this is incredible.” So we talked a lot about horror movies and genre fare, and just geeked out about the films we love.

I sent “Hunters” to him and told him he’d really dig it. He’s a champion for underrepresented stories. So he came on and just from day one of this journey he’s been such a champion. He’s pushed me to be bold and brave and just have confidence. He told me that people fearing the show was a good thing, so I leaned into that fear and that boldness. 

Clark: What do you mean by that?

Weil: People are afraid to make content about incredibly sensitive or difficult subject matter. I think the boldest storytellers are the ones who take that chance and risk. Stories about the Holocaust are some of the most important stories to tell, but I think a lot of buyers caution against it because it’s not safe or easy. It’s challenging to get it right. But the challenge will get a better result and make for a better show. In some of the harder moments, it was good to keep that in mind.

Lerman and Berlin in “Hunters”

Amazon Prime Video

Clark: Was it difficult for you personally to make the show, with this being inspired by your grandmother? Was it tough to come out of those harder moments?

Weil: It was cathartic in many ways. My grandma’s not alive anymore but to write those scenes with Jonah [played by Logan Lerman] and Ruth [Jonah’s grandmothers, played by Jeannie Berlin] filled me with joy. But yeah, it was incredibly difficult because I felt a responsibility to tell the story right and to honor the millions of other victims and survivors of the Holocaust.

Every night I would go to bed thinking about them and that responsibility, and every morning I’d wake up thinking about it. So every scene, certainly in the flashbacks [set during the Holocaust], was designed with such specificity. I’d labor with the director over whether we needed one frame more or one frame less. I wanted to suggest violence in the past instead of showing it all the time, while in the ’70s setting, it’s much more gratuitous and stylistic. The degree of detail was challenging but important for the show.

Clark: The original title was “The Hunt” and then it changed to “Hunters,” so I was curious if that had anything to do with the Blumhouse movie [which hits theaters on March 13] or if anything else went into that creative decision.

Weil: I think it’s twofold. I don’t think anybody wanted confusion in the marketplace. But “Hunters” feels so right. “The Hunt” is like an event, but “Hunters” is more personal. It’s about the characters and their journeys, and my own grandmother’s story. So I’m glad we made the change because it’s a powerful new title.

Clark: Did you have Al Pacino in mind when writing “Hunters” [for the role of Meyer] or did you just write it and were lucky enough to get Pacino?

Weil: [laughs] I just wrote it. I never met my own grandfather, who was also a Holocaust survivor. In many ways, me writing and creating this character was me meeting my grandfather for the first time, which was a cathartic and special process. It was wonderful to get Al, but for Jonah, I did often think about Logan in the role. I’ve been a fan of his for so long and there are so few actors who can play these roles so well. Logan is a talented master of an actor. 

%%

from Job Search Tips https://jobsearchtips.net/amazon-series-hunters-creator-origin-story-jordan-peele-al-pacino/

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Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart Review – The First Real PS5 Showcase?

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While the Ratchet & Clank series has remained consistently popular over the last 19 years, the franchise has arguably never enjoyed a spotlight as bright as the one Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart finds itself in now. 

After all, Rift Apart is not only one of the biggest releases in what could prove to be a year of delays; it’s the latest entry in a key PlayStation franchise developed exclusively for PS5. There are many fans who hope that Rift Apart may just be the PS5 game that properly showcases the power and potential of the PS5 at a time when incredible circumstances may be preventing many developers from fully utilizing the next-generation of gaming technology.

Well, Rift Apart doesn’t quite achieve PS5 system seller status, but that doesn’t mean it’s not one of the console’s most enjoyable experiences and one of 2021 best games so far.

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Rift Apart Works Best As a Classic Ratchet and Clank Game

2002’s Ratchet & Clank distinguished itself from a considerable collection of platformers popular at the time through its action-focused gameplay that blurred genre lines and offered one of the most creative and engaging shooter experiences of the era. 

Years later, not much has changed. Rift Apart works best when you’re jumping around, using your various navigation tools to gain momentum, and shooting waves of enemies with a series of elaborate weapons. While the thrill and splendor of these encounters shine through in just about every action sequence, veteran players will definitely want to bump up the difficulty level a few notches to get the most out of it. Indeed, some of the game’s more intense moments on higher difficulty settings made my hands sweat, which is a reaction I can’t say I’ve gotten from a modern title since the Tony Hawk remasters.

So far as that goes, it certainly doesn’t hurt that Rift Apart is a stunningly beautiful game. While even the title’s quietest moments are filled with visual details that will excite photo mode enthusiasts everywhere, it’s Rift Apart’s action scenes and their side hustle as one of the greatest video game fireworks displays you’ve ever seen that steal the show. It’s often all you can do to keep from gawking at the onslaught of particle effects long enough to live to see the next visual showcase.

Actually, there are times when the game also seems to be struggling to keep up with the action. I was somewhat surprised by the amount of slowdown I experienced during Rift Apart’s biggest battles. I didn’t get to spend as much time with the optional Performance Modes and Day One patch update (they only became available recently), but I will say that both do seem to have helped performance overall, especially when it comes to framerate.

Some of the PS5’s other notable features end up being something of a mixed bag in the final game. For instance, I like the idea of using trigger sensitivity to swap between a gun’s primary and alternate fire modes, but in the heat of battle, it can be a little hard to utilize that function without making mistakes. The DualSense’s powerful context-sensitive vibrations are also sometimes so intense that they can actually pull you out of the action rather than push you further into it. Thankfully, both of those features are adjustable in the game’s settings menu.

Ultimately, though, Rift Apart is simply a blast whenever it’s throwing enemies at you and forcing you to maximize the potential of your arsenal to defeat them. I also found many of the platforming sections (especially those that led to hidden items or new pieces of armor) to be an absolute joy. It’s when the game tries to do…other things that the quality takes a slight dip.

There are all kinds of gameplay diversions to be found in Rift Apart, and some are certainly better than others. For instance, I liked many of the rail sliding action sequences, but most of the game’s puzzles felt tacked on. Actually, you have the ability to simply skip puzzles (even those that yield collectible rewards), so even the developers seem to be at acknowledging that they’re not the most essential part of the experience and that some players will want to simply move past them.

Even if some of those “diversion” sequences are better than others, I can’t say that any of them offered the thrill of a massive battle, the joy of upgrading a weapon (through both regular use and an expansive upgrade tree system), or even the old-school platforming pleasure of exploring Rift Apart’s various planets in search of every hidden item and optional objective. There is a very, very good game at the heart of the basic Ratchet & Clank experience, which makes it that much stranger that Rift Apart sometimes feels so determined to abandon that game in favor of pursuits perhaps best left to other titles.

You may have noticed that I haven’t mentioned the “rift” part of the Rift Apart experience quite yet. Well, as it turns out, that’s both the game’s most enjoyable deviation from the Ratchet & Clank norms and one element of the game that often falls well short of its potential.

A Rift By Any Other Name

In many ways, Rift Apart’s interdimensional shenanigans defined the game’s pre-release promotional period. You’ve probably heard someone close to the project hype up the way the game would utilize the PS5’s SSD to allow you to seamlessly jump between vastly different dimensions in nearly an instant.

In reality, the game’s rift mechanic isn’t quite that ambitious. Most instances of interdimensional jumping are limited to highly-scripted sequences (which actually sometimes include “pseudo loading screens” disguised as cinematic transitions), quick jumps between areas of a combat arena, trips into secret zones, or a version of the kind of back-and-forth dimensional hopping previously seen in games like A Link to the Past (though that idea is certainly executed here in a more organic and technically impressive way).

While I don’t believe it would have been possible to feature all of those ideas as cleanly as Rift Apart often showcases them if it weren’t for the power of the PS5’s SSD and processing hardware, the game still occasionally reminds you that this is an early next-gen title and that Insomniac is still obviously figuring out the PS5’s full potential. I don’t know if it’s realistic to expect a game even this advanced to let you simply jump between vastly differentdimensions at will via some kind of Portal-like weapon (even if the game plays with this idea somewhat with an amusing late-game gun), but Rift Apart may leave you feeling like it’s teasing such exciting possibilities that it never quite fully realizes. 

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Having said that, some of the game’s most memorable moments are closely tied to its rift mechanics. Without getting into spoilers, there was one sequence in particular that played with the idea of Ratchet jumping between two distinct threats across different dimensional timelines that eventually come together in a fascinating and satisfying way. Even when the game is just using rifts as a way to change the scenery or as a shortcut facilitator, the ability to jump between dimensions with relatively little downtime still enhances the overall experience. 

Actually, most Ratchet & Clank games probably would have benefited at least somewhat from even Rift Apart’s simplest uses of the rift concept. There are, however, some ways that Rift Apart may have benefited from taking a closer look at what made those classic R&C titles work.

Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart Sometimes Suffers From Cuteness Overload

2016’s Ratchet & Clank (a kind of remake of the first game based on the R&C movie) was praised by many for its gameplay, visuals, and accessibility, but criticized by some longtime fans who felt that the remake’s more “Pixar-like” style stood in stark contrast to the slightly drier, more sarcastic, and sometimes darker writing and characters of the original games.

Well, Rift Apart follows in the 2016 game’s footsteps so far as that goes, which is enough to ensure that at least that aspect of the game will once again divide fans. 

To Rift Apart’s credit, the writing feels stronger overall than it did in 2016’s Ratchet & Clank, and some of the new characters created specifically for this story (which includes the wonderful Rivet and some others I won’t spoil here) are quite good and fare better than some of the Ratchet & Clank mainstays who were reworked to match the universe of the 2016 game. By the end of the game, I found myself surprisingly attached to a lot of the new additions.

Rift Apart is also a pretty funny game that’s lighthearted nature often feels like a relief in comparison to the darker fare of so many modern Triple-A titles. While there are some lines of dialog that will inspire eye rolls, the game’s scenario writing is genuinely clever. Some of the best lines come from minor characters and some of the most laugh-out-loud moments occur when you turn a corner and find yourself facing a truly unexpected set of circumstances. There are times when the “new” style absolutely works.

Yet, there were other times when I also found my mind drifting back to the writing, humor, and characters of the earlier Ratchet & Clank games. I hesitate to use the word “edge” to describe the difference, but it did feel like those earlier titles benefited from occasionally employing more of a sarcastic and snarky vibe that balanced the more cartoonish tones of the classic platformers it was building upon. Without those darker tones, Rift Apart sometimes suffers from a cuteness overload that occasionally feels more disingenuous than it was probably meant to be. 

It’s highly unlikely that this is going to be the element of Rift Apart that destroys someone’s ability to enjoy the game, but it is another example of how there are times when Rift Apart fails to speak with its own voice and instead pulls a bit too hard from other sources out of what could be seen as the fear that this kind of game may not be as appealing at a time when pure action platformers are a relative rarity.

Yet, it’s precisely because there are so few games quite like Rift Apart that the experience proves to be so worthwhile.

The Eternal Joy of Ratchet & Clank

Even if Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart sometimes tries too hard to force gameplay variety or be a rough draft for the next Pixar film, those moments do little to diminish the joy of what’s made the Ratchet & Clank franchise work for all these years.

Rift Apart is a stunningly beautiful action platformer that offers an impressive array of sidequests, collectibles, and challenges that make it easy to pick up and play even after you’ve beaten its admittedly sometimes uneven campaign (though the unlockable Challenge Mode does offer a fantastic excuse to play it again). There just aren’t enough action platformers on the modern market, and even if there were more, it’s doubtful they could rival the joy this game so regularly delivers, and it’s even more unlikely they would be this visually impressive

Rift Apart’s unevenness and the specific nature of the things it does so well may not make it a system seller or even a must-have for every PS5 owner, but fans of this series and those who crave a colorful, fast-paced, and lighthearted adventure will almost certainly come to consider Rift Apart one of the most entertaining games of 2021.

While I would love to see what developer Insomniac Games can do once they’ve really figured out the power of the PS5 and perhaps the direction they want to take this franchise in, Rift Apart is, at the very least, a very good time that occasionally flirts with greatness.

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