#Evolution of Joker in Films

[sassylightcycle]

hulk 1985 and hulk 2021

[artbyblastweave]

I was thinking the other day that Red Hood is a compelling character but inherently an extremely high context one. It's really obvious that he's a character who required the two-decades and change of publication history, editorial evolution and fandom debate that it took for him to bake. Red hood presupposes, bare minimum:

that there's an established Batman/Joker rivalry that's been going for a while

That Batman has gotten past the year-one section of his career and brought at least one Robin into the fold

That after the crowbar incident Batman has continued to operate as Batman for a significant amount of time

That the version of the DCU you're looking at includes some method of resurrection, be that the Lazarus Pit or the retcon punch

Ideally, you'd have Dick Grayson as Robin first, because you obviously lose a lot of the crunch if Jason doesn't exist uncomfortably in Dick's shadow prior to his death, but if you had an executive breathing down your neck about how the narrative has too many moving parts you could maybe drop this

On top of all this the story arc also presupposes audience familiarity with the out-of-universe debate about the no-kill rule, and moreover it presupposes that the version of Joker you're looking is specifically awful enough that there's an actual utilitarian argument in favor of breaking the no-kill rule- Can't do Under the Red Hood with Ceaser Romero's take on the character. You may or may not have had time to establish his track record.

Oh, yeah, and it's gotta be a version of the continuity where the censors let you kill people on screen! Nearly forgot that. I recall thinking that despite the obvious scramble to introduce all the priors, Under The Red Hood was remarkably effective for being able to import everything it needed to create the sense of time, place and progression of Batman's character, the very specific point in his development where you need to catch him for Red Hood to make any sense. By contrast I remember thinking that the half-hearted attempt to backport Red Hood into the DCAU in the comics-IIRC he actually post-dates that continuity- was just very obviously doomed, like come on, you're trying to cram a third robin into an established timeline? You already made a decision to hopscotch him when you went right from Dick to Tim, no backsies! There are other characters I bucket like this, characters who I think have some there-there, but are immensely high-context in a way that seems tough to negotiate in an adaptation. Miles Morales is one, and I was amazed at how gracefully the Spider-verse films navigated that, how gracefully something with a four-or-five hour runtime integrated the broader concept of continuity lockout/creep/what-have you into the story. Power Girl is another, and they've never really figured out how to integrate her as far as I'm aware- Galatea in JLU being the closest I know of. I have no doubt that if I were more familiar with the Teen Titans side of things I could start rattling off ancillary characters from that space. I don't have anywhere in particular I was going with this, I just think about this category of character a lot.

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

About Me: Favorite Video Games

So you may not know this, but I’m a gamer. Shocking, right? Who’d ever have guessed it? But to be totally fair here, I rarely talk about video games on Tumblr. I talk about movies, and there have been a handful of times where I reviewed video games, but I focused more on the story, characters, and all that then I did on whether or not the gameplay was good. In my earliest days, before I found my niche, I talked about games a fair deal, but that fell by the wayside so I could focus on films (my true passion).

So hey, look at this! You’re all going to get to see what my favorite video games are now! Remember, everything here is just my personal opinions; I'm not trying to give actual reviews of each of these games in a couple of sentences or trying to sell you on them, I'm talking about the stuff in them that makes me love them. All of this is my subjective opinion, and I'm not asking you to agree with me here, I'm just trying to talk about stuff that I love.

Oh, and here are some honorable mentions: Super Mario Bros. 3, Banjo-Kazooie (I still haven’t finished it and I don’t want to include games I haven’t played through), Kid Icarus: Uprising, Bayonetta 2, Injustice 2, BioShock, Doom Eternal, Super Metroid, Dragon Age II, God of War II, Castlevania: Aria/Dawn of Sorrow, The Wolf Among Us, The Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando/Up Your Arsenal, and Heritage for the Future. Also a shout out to Tell Me Why and Life is Strange, games I watched my wife play and loved the story of but that I didn’t actually play myself; the former in particular has all sorts of elements I love in my stories.

Now, without further ado, here’s my top 50! Oh, and only the top 30 have pictures because there's image limits on posts! What a load of BS!

50. Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Ok, maybe this game is lacking in a few areas at the expense of its massive customization system… but boy howdy what a system it is! I cannot tell you how much time I’ve sunk into decorating my island, reorganizing my villagers, and just making all sorts of weird themed areas. It’s a lot of fun, and I get to do all this work while hanging with a bunch of weird, cute animals.

49. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure All-Star Battle R

The original game was a lot of fun, but even I’ll admit it felt like it was missing something. That something was probably Foo Fighter, but guess what? She’s in the updated rerelease, along with aslew of other new characters like my favorite minor antagonist Mariah and the bane of Heritage for the Future players, Pet Shop! Add onto that a much better campaign mode with some fun little AU shenanigan matches and you have the most loving fighting game tribute to JJBA imaginable! Now if only they’d give Part 8 a little more love...

48. Batman: Arkham Origins

This is the redheaded stepchild of the Arkham series, and on some level I get why. It is very much aping City, right down to the map despite their being some expansions here and there, and the combat is much more of the same with little in the way of evolution, and don’t get me started on the fucking Joker showing up again. But this game also features some of the best bosses in the series such as Firefly and especially Deathstroke, a Bane who isn’t just a mindless mass of muscles like in the other games, and some interesting sidequests that make this early look at Batman’s superheroics a worthwhile entry in my eyes.

47. Miitopia

This is one of the easiest games out there, what with the autopilot combat and minimal difficulty (though there is a big spike late in the game). But the sheer vastness of the facial customization means that literally anyone from all of art or history can take part in a wacky, cliché RPG adventure. Hank Hill can fight the evil overlord Seth MacFarlane with a crew consisting of Chowder, Thor, and Japanese comedian/director/actor Beat Takeshi. If that’s not worth the price of admission, I don’t know what is.

46. Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin

The DS is where Castlevania truly shined, and my favorite of all the handheld entries is this portrait-hopping journey to defeat a mad artist and his evil vampire children. The locations are pretty great, there’s tons of sidequests and alternate game modes (my favorite is the one where you play as the Old Axe Armor), and there’s an awesome brutal bonus dungeon where you get to fight the bosses from Dawn of Sorrow without the stupid drawing bullshit!

45. Maximo vs. Army of Zin

The original game was a fun, yet very flawed action platformer. This game veers more into the hack-and-slash genre to great effect; it’s not the deepest combat ever, but it’s a lot of fun, with much better platform, bosses, and story than the first game. There’s just something cool about a world that mixes Gothic horror, steampunk, and other fantasy elements together all in one place.

44. God Hand

This is one of the most deceptive games you’ll ever come across. On the surface, it might seem like an ugly beat-em-up, but it’s so much more than that. The bosses are brutal yet fantastic, the music is fucking incredible, and the humor is just the right level of absurd to be incredibly charming. It’s ball-bustingly difficult, but let me tell you, when you finally overcome a fight or a boss battle that’s been giving you trouble? It is literally the best feeling in the world.

43. South Park: The Stick of Truth

‘Member when South Park was funny? I ‘member. And The Stick of Truth really brings back all those memories because this is a hilarious and loving tribute to the series made with the help of Trey Parker and Matt Stone to deliver the playable South Park experience of your dreams. It’s gross, immature, raunchy, and funny, and best of all it doesn’t get too preachy or up its own ass with messages—no, it gets up Mr. Slave’s ass to defuse a bomb. Peak South Park right here, though the gameplay is kind of basic. It’s all carried by that stellar writing.

42. Crash Bandicoot: Twinsanity

This game mainly scores a spot on my list for being fucking hilarious. This is the funniest Crash Bandicoot ever got, with all sorts of wacky gags and clever dialogue. Cortex really is the MVP here, with the constant slapstick that befalls him combined with his snarky dialogue making him a standout. It’s a bummer so much was cut from the game, and it does feel a bit incomplete in some areas, but for what it is it’s a damn fun time.

41. Pokemon White/White 2

It was genuinely hard to pick a single game from the series to go on here considering how much I loved Gens III – V. Emerald perfected the generation I first got into the series, LeafGreen is the definitive Kanto experience to me, Platinum polished up Gen IV’s uneven debut and made it incredible, and SoulSilver is a fantastic remake of the first Pokemon game I ever played (Crystal). But I think I have to go with the Gen V games I played as my favorites. They’re fun and challenging, and while the first game has a ridiculously restrictive regional dex and the second has an overreliance on defunct wi-fi features, the fantastic story and fun new Pokemon make up for it. Can’t be too mad at the games that let me make trashy cult classic B-movies with my boy Garbodor, can I?

40. Batman: Arkham Knight

I put off playing this for years, because I wasn’t happy with some of the things I heard about it, such as a lack of traditional boss battles and an overreliance on the Batmobile. These are still problems, but not near as bad as I feared (obviously, since it’s on this list); everything about the gameplay is the series at its peak. The main story is a bit lacking and ends up being a tad too predictable for me to love it as much as the other entries in the series, but the fact it has Professor Pyg and Man-Bat really helps make up for its shortcomings.

39. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

This game is just as silly and clunky as I imagined an older Bethesda game would be, but to my surprise I think it holds up incredibly well even compared to Skyrim. It’s a bit more complex in a lot of areas, but it’s not too daunting. What really strikes me is how this game actually has a really good story; it’s nothing groundbreaking, but when you look at how bad the Civil War plot in Skyrim was it feels like Shakespeare in comparison. Throw in a ton of unique sidequests with interesting plotlines, a gruesome Dark Brotherhood plot, an interesting villain, and Patrick Stewart for all of about five minutes, and I’d almost say I like this more than Skyrim. Almost.

38. Wolfenstein: The New Order

Sure, it doesn’t exactly reinvent the wheel when it comes to FPS games, but does it need to? All I want from a Wolfenstein game is a horde of Nazi motherfuckers to mow down, and guess what this game gives me? What really surprised me was how genuinely cool and likable BJ was. He might be one of my favorite heroes ever after this game. It’s a shame they couldn’t keep this level of polish up in the sequel.

37. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

In a lot of ways, this game is objectively worse than its predecessor. Like the story is ass for sure; I could not give less of a fuck about the Stormcloaks and the Imperials and their stupid civil war if I tried. But the vast world filled with things to do is so much fun to explore, and there’s all sorts of sidequests and shenanigans to get into. This game is pure, stupid fun, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve restarted it just to play as a different race or class. Maybe someday I’ll make it to the final boss. Maybe.

36. Psychonauts

The original Psychonauts is one of the last great platformers, and among them it’s a lot more unique than many of its peers as you’re platforming through the minds of all sorts of wacky characters to help them overcome their issues. Bouncing through the conspiracy theory-addled brain of a disturbed milkman or decimating a city kaiju style inside the mind of a hyper-intelligent mutant lungfish are the kind of off-the-wall ideas this game throws at you, and in my opinion the only thing that could hold it back is if it had a really janky final level that combines meat, circuses, escort missions, and an underwhelming final boss… Oops. Still a great game in my eyes, one that’s 95% perfect.

35. Final Fantasy VI

For a lot of people, this is the best Final Fantasy game, and I definitely see why. It has a truly massive playable roster of unique characters with their own special gimmicks (of which only a handful are actually useful, mind you) and one of the greatest video game villains ever conceived in the mad clown Kefka, plus it is so focused and tightly plotted for the first half of the game. I think that after Kefka takes over the story becomes a lot more aimless and unfocused, but that’s also where the game becomes a lot more fun and challenging too. It’s a bit uneven, but after how hard the opera house scene goes I think it’s allowed to trip a little bit.

34. Dragon Age: Origins

A lot more praise is thrown at this series’ sci-fi sibling Mass Effect, probably because that series is a lot more consistent with how good it is across the board (Andromeda notwithstanding), but I’m much more fond of fantasy settings myself and this game delivers a fantastic one in ways its sequels couldn’t quite manage. This is the only game in the series where I genuinely loved every single party member (especially Leliana) and actively tried to get them the happiest endings possible—yes, even the douchebag anti-villain who joins you if you play your cards right), and the plot is just the right level of epic fantasy cheese seasoned with some delicious side quests. If the dwarf plotline wasn’t such a slog and if Varric was in the game, this would be a lot higher on the list, but this game still holds a special place in my heart.

33. Batman: Arkham Asylum

Our first trip into the Asylum really did kill the notion that licensed games had to be the most obnoxious shovelware schlock imaginable by making a Batman game that actually makes you feel like Batman. Sure, the detective part is a bit minimal here compared to the sequels, but the combat is so fun and refreshing that I’m not too bothered by the lack of crime scene investigations. There’s a clear love for the entire mythos here, and best of all a clear love for the animated series—Hamill and Conroy reprise their roles as Joker and Batman respectively, and Arleen Sorkin gives Harley one last ride before her retirement. It’s a real love letter to the Dark Knight, and it spawned one of the most consistently good video game series around, so I’ll forgive it for having the lamest final boss I’ve ever fought just this once.

32. Kingdom Hearts

What I like about the original game is how it struck such a nice balance in its absurd premise, with it never feeling like the Final Fantasy or Disney elements are really overpowering each other. We have the grandiose, convoluted plots of the former and the magic, whimsy, and awesome villains of the latter combining together into one impressive package. Yeah, a lot of the level designs are dogshit (looking at you, Deep Jungle and Monstro), and some of the stunt casting is really bizarre (Lance Bass as Sephiroth?!) but overall this is a game way better than you’d think by hearing that it’s a game where Mickey Mouse and Cloud Strife exist side by side.

31. Super Mario 64

Mamma mia! It is genuinely impossible for me to not feel nostalgic for this game. So many 3D platformers that came out in its wake took what it did and polished it to absurd degrees, but there’s still something so special about diving back into one of the portraits in Peach’s castle and going through those levels again and again. The music and atmosphere of the game add onto it; every time I play it, I feel like a kid again. It’s just such a charming game.

30. MediEvil

If Tim Burton made a Gothic horror fantasy movie, I imagine it would be something like this game. It really uses the limitations of the PS1’s graphics to the fullest extent, with the jagged polygonal looks of the characters enhancing the experience, and it has such a crazy variety of levels and enemies, from a phantom pirate ship to a crystal cave with a dragon to a village of posessed villagers to an ant hill. Sir Daniel Fortesque is one of my favorite video game protagonists around because of his posthumous journey to live up to the legend fabricated around him.

29. God of War III

Every single one of these games just escalates from the previous one. Oh, you fight the hydra in the opening of the first game? How about you fight through Rhodes and then battle the animated colossus that once stood in its port in the second? And how do you top that for the third game? Beat the ever-loving shit out of Poseidon and gouge his eyes out from his POV. And this game only gets more brutal from there! Titans and gods all fall to Kratos in epic and gory boss battles, but honestly even without that I’d put the game on this list for the simple reason that you get to fucking murder Kevin Sorbo as Hercules.

28. EarthBound

Nintendo’s quirkiest RPG makes the cut, mostly on the basis of how weird and charming it is. At this point I’ve essentially memorized everything you need to do in this game, which is good because if it’s your first time you desperately need a guide or you’ll be fucked. There are points where things get a little too grindy (mostly for Poo’s weapons) but it’s genuinely a game whose charms outweigh any negatives there are. Plus, that final boss battle is something else entirely.

27. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

Rebirth and all of its DLC updates took everything great about the original game and polished it into absolute perfection, with so many different item combos you could potentially get and so many bosses and endgames you could encounter. No two runs ever really feel the same, and it’s so satisfying to become so overpowered you nuke the screen every time you attack. The fact there’s a thriving modding community to continually generate new and crazier content also adds to why I have a ridiculous number of hours dumped into this game.

26. Resident Evil VII: Biohazard

This is the first Resident Evil game I ever played and, wow, I sure was missing out all those years! This is one of the most tense survival horror experiences I’ve played through, with a creepy family of hillbilly horrors to avoid as I creep through their ramshackle domicile. It’s fun, creepy, and even a little campy, and it has raised my interest in the rest of the series. Hopefully the game with the giant vampire mommy will live up to how good this one is when I finally get around to playing it.

25. Portal 2

Yes, the puzzles are great, but this game really soars due to its writing. The first game was fun and all, but it was mostly just GLaDOS insulting you the whole time with Chell being an entirely silent protagonist. In this game, we get the lovable idiot Wheatley and the greatest mad scientist ever conceived Cave Johnson to listen to as well, and the way GLaDOS bounces off the former and reacts to the latter help make this game a fun and engaging puzzle-solving adventure.

24. Doom

The legendary FPS series got revitalized after years on the edge of relevancy, and its return is one of the most metal games imaginable. Slaughtering your way through the forces of Hell while heavy metal blares in the background? It really doesn’t get much better than this. While I do think Eternal improved the formula and gameplay in a lot of ways (particularly with the addition of an awesome hub level), I find the original to be way more fun and balanced in terms of difficulty. The lack of Marauders is really what gives it the slightest of edges.

23. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Nobody got left behind for this one. Everyone across the series came back, and then they went and added even more to give us the most ambitious crossover of all time. Ridley, Simon Belmont, Sora, Sephiroth, Kazuya, and more all get to duke it out on the best stages of the series as well as some fresh new ones, and every character plays even better and more balanced than they ever have before. While the single player campaign isn’t quite as exciting as Subspace Emissary from Brawl, it still manages to be a pretty epic quest with fun boss battles. This is just the definitive Smash experience in my opinion.

22. Red Dead Redemption

My daughter has affectionately labeled this game “Horse Movie,” and she’s not wrong. This is a true cowboy experience right here, with lots of gunfights and horse wrangling, and it’s all a blast. The story in particular is really well done, and there’s plenty of fun side quests too. Maybe the gunfights get a bit samey after a while, but it’s an enjoyable open world to explore and is filled with oddities and mysteries galore.

21. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

The first Metal Gear game to make the list, and easily the most underrated of the bunch. It gets a lot of flak for the missing final episode that would have had Venom fight the young Liquid Snake, and while it does suck that that moment isn’t in the game, the story still feels plenty complete and well-done without it. Venom might be one of the most fascinating characters in the series, and the game has some of the most brutal gutpunches and tearjerking moments in the franchise. Maybe it’s just because I’m predisposed to love Metal Gear, but I loved this game even though I was well aware of what it didn’t have.

20. Final Fantasy VII

Not to be a basic bitch, but this is my favorite Final Fantasy. I mean, the cast is all so cool and fun, the story is great, Sephiroth is an amazing villain, and there’s plenty of obscure and obtuse ways of finding secrets that make a strategy guide practically mandatory if you want the most out of the game. What’s not to love? I think I was mostly surprised by how good the game actually was; it’s always high on lists of the best games ever, and it definitely earns that. The fact that Aerith’s death still made me tear up despite being common knowledge is a testament to just how amazing this Fantasy is.

19. Mother 3

EarthBound coasts by on its fun, lighthearted quirkiness… but what if you took that and applied heaping helpings of darkness and a more solid story? That’s Mother 3, a beautiful tale filled with the same out there humor as its predecessor as well as a lot of more mature and deeper themes than even the original tackled (mind you, Earthbound wasn’t devoid of deeper themes to begin with, so this is saying something). The ending is one of the few times I have openly sobbed while playing a video game. They need to officially release this in the West, because I will buy it day one. Fuck, I’ll pre-order it!

18. Yoshi’s Island

If this game was only one of the most charmingly animated games ever made, that would be enough to earn it at least some respect. But it’s also one of the best platformers in a series that invented the genre, centered around a truly inspired baby-carrying gimmick and featuring all manner of creative boss battles and one of the most earwormy soundtracks ever made. That’s enough to get it a spot on this list, but the fact it solidified Shy Guys as a Mario mainstay and not just a one-shot enemy? That gets it into my top 20.

17. Spyro Reignited Trilogy

It’s kind of cheating since it’s all three games in one package, but it’s my list, I make the rules. I view this as the definitive way to play Spyro; the redesigns are all fantastic (especially Elora) and the fact Tom Kenny is now the lovable purple scamp across all three games is wonderful. They even made the first game more enjoyable and even visually interesting, even though it’s still the weakest link in the series! And as much of a Crash Bandicoot stan as I am, the fact this game allows you to switch between the newly composed arrangements of the songs and the original Copeland tracks is a big W over the Bandicoot remakes only having the new versions of the songs.

16. Metal Gear Rising

This is perhaps the most badass game ever made. The first level has Raiden battling through a war zone and then fighting a RAY singlehandedly, leaping across missiles and slicing it in half while the most fucking awesome metal music blares in the background. The game just decides to get even more insane from there. People have argued against it being canon for years, but these people are stupid. This game is just as insane and politically-charged as the rest of the series, so in my book, it’s fucking canon.

15. Undertale

This game’s time in the spotlight has faded a bit, but that only makes it easier for me to look back on it and say, “Damn, that’s one of the finest games ever made.” It has all the quirkiness of the Mother series with unique combat and a stellar story, a cast of likable characters, and some of the best boss fights I’ve ever been through. Best of all, it’s a game that practically encourages and even rewards you for being nice! I still love it, even after all the discourse and skyrocketing popularity, and nothing will make me budge on that love.

14. Hades

I’m a big fan of Greek mythology, so this is yet another game that would have had to try really hard to make me hate it. Thankfully, all its efforts were put into areas that made me love it instead. While the roguelike gameplay is well done, the writing and story are really the stars here, with fantastic character interactions between desperate god Zagreus, the gods of Olympus, and the various denizens of the underworld really making this game something truly special.

13. Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time

Sometimes this game feels like the designers saw all those articles and reviews comparing the first game to Dark Souls and took it to heart, because some of the levels in this game are absolutely brutal—especially if you’re going for 100% completion. But that same difficulty makes playing through the levels a lot of fun as well; it’s probably the most challenging Crash outing to date. It really polishes and updates the Crash formula for the modern age, and hopefully they expand on this in a future game. If nothing else, it finally lets you play as Dingodile, which is a dream come true.

12. Grand Theft Auto V

It’s wacky. It’s cartoonish. It has a surprisingly good story about three criminals from different walks of life becoming fire-forged friends as they violently work out their emotional issues. There’s just so much to do and so much to see, all sorts of collectibles and side missions, and more black comedy than you can shake a stick at, and all of it is made all the more enjoyable because the main villain protagonists are a likable bunch of nutjobs. Hell, sometimes I just like to hop into a car, put on some tunes, and cruise around until I can cause some mayhem, and the fact that’s just as valid as doing a bunch of story missions really makes me love the game.

11. Silent Hill 2

While the first and third games are good in their own rights, I vastly prefer the psychological horror and the monsters manifesting as living allegories for trauma with heavy and dark symbolism as opposed to the evil cult narrative. Plus, you know, this one has Pyramid Head in it, and his presence makes sense instead of simply being there cuz he’s cool.

10. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Trials & Tribulations

The Ace Attorney series is one of my favorites, and I love just about all the games in it and even the ones I don’t love always have one or two solid cases that keep me coming back. But pound for pound my favorite game in the series is the third one, the one that lets you play as Mia Fey, introduces the callous murderer Dahlia Hawthorne, and has you match wits with the coffee-guzzling prosecutor Godot. Even the filler cases are entertaining, with the one where Phoenix has to get to the bottom of a murder involving his evil doppleganger being wildly amusing (which is more than can be said for that circus case in the second game or cases two through three in the fourth).

9. Live A Live

Few games can boast the sheer variety this game has on display, with levels changing up their style to give everything from standard RPG fair to a prolonged timed puzzle to a fighting game pastiche to an incredibly tense survival horror experience. We also have the precursor to Undertale here in a ninja-themed level where you can spare everyone you come across or otherwise brutally murder them. And while the stories remain relatively simple in every time period you visit, it doesn’t stop them from hitting hard when they need to, like with the fantasy RPG deconstruction that is Oersted’s chapter. This game would easily have switched places with the next game if the final level played a bit more to the game’s strengths, but hey, it’s still good enough to be in the top 10.

8. Chrono Trigger

Square’s other time travel story is definitely the superior one even if it’s a traditional JRPG through and through. Of course, that is because it completely and fully takes advantage of its premise, with actions you take in one time period affecting others in turn, not to mention the vast amount of bonus bosses and sidequests there are to keep the multiple playthroughs to acquire all the endings fresh and fun. I’ve sunk so much time into getting all the endings on the DS version, and I’ve never once been bored even after visiting the Middle Ages or the ruined future world a dozen times.

7. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

There are few games that I love revisiting more than this one. This is Metroidvania at its peak, a perfect blend of action, platforming, and RPG elements into one glorious Gothic horror monster mash package. What’s truly fun with this one is the myriad ways there are to bust the game right open. I’m not ashamed to admit I’ve grinded for hours so that I could dual-wield Crissaegrims and trivialize the Dracula and Galamoth battles.

6. Psychonauts 2

The original Psychonauts is fun and quirky, and is only really held back by a pretty sloppy final level. This game, though? This game is damn near perfect. Nearly every level here is fun and memorable, and the ways Raz has to help each person deal with their mental trauma is a lot more nuanced and tasteful than the original game’s fair-for-its-time takes on dealing with mental illness. The minds of Ford’s old crew as well as Ford himself provide some of the best Psychonauts content to date, and really, who can hate a level that ends with Jack Black as a gay psychic rock star viking performing a musical number to obliterate his own insecurities?

5. Kingdom Hearts II

This is where the Kingdom Hearts franchise peaked, and it’s a high note they’ve yet to reach again. Sure, the tutorial prologue level drags on for quite a long while, but once you get to play as Sora again, ooh boy is this basically the perfect meeting of the worlds of Disney and Square. The Disney worlds are a lot more fleshed out and have twice the plot due to midgame return visits, the combat is more exciting with fun little reaction commands to let you pull off crazy maneuvers, and you get to hang out with Tron and the most based of all Disney heroes, Chicken Little. Best of all, the story manages to strike the perfect balance between being complex and silly without disappearing all the way up its own ass like later entries would.

4. Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy

In my house, there was a legend that I had beaten this game to completion one hundred times. I’m not entirely sure how accurate that is, but considering how often I replayed this growing up it can’t be too far off. This is one of the most gorgeous platformers around, and Naughty Dog’s final shot at a genre they’d perfected with their Crash Bandicoot games. Even all these years later the visuals are breathtaking; I still am in awe at how you can see the entire world from atop Snowy Mountain. Every day I cry because they decided to turn the series into GTA clones instead of continuing to explore the gorgeous fantasy world they created in this game.

3. Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy

The original Crash Bandicoot was the first game I ever played, and the rest of the series were cornerstones of my childhood. Imagine how elated I was when they not only remade the games, but they created the single definitive way to play them! Sure, the soundtrack being redone can be a little hit or miss, but they completely unfucked the brutal difficulty of the first game (and this is even with adding back the ball-bustingly hard “Stormy Ascent” level) and for the most part left the latter two games entirely untouched save a graphical boost and the ability to play as my girl Coco. Playable Coco alone makes this a dream come true.

2. Batman: Arkham City

The Arkham series is one of the most consistently great series, and this is its greatest entry. The titular city is massive, with so many things to do, and the combat and puzzles are polished to perfection. Add in some actual detective work, some truly epic boss battles against iconic Batman villains like Clayface and Mr. Freeze (and also Solomon Grundy, because why the fuck not?), the ability to play as Catwoman, and one of the most shocking and tragic tales the Dark Knight has ever been in, and I’m more than happy to call it my second favorite game ever.

1. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

Of course, there was no hope Arkham City had at overcoming this game. This is Kojima’s magnum opus, not least because the entire rest of the Metal Gear series revolves around the events that transpire in this story. After the mindfuck that was the second game, it’s nice to return to a more coherent story, one detailing how Big Boss came to be the man that Snake fought in Zanzibar Land. Everything in the series sprang forth because of the actions the characters take here, and each subsequent game just makes this one better and better. Every single boss battle is unique and engaging, and the final battle is one of the most heartbreaking moments in all of gaming. I still cry every single time I get to the ending. It's such an amazing game, with a relatively simple yet still strong and convoluted story populated with a Russian madman with inexplicable lightning powers, a spirit medium's ghost, and a man who controls bees. God bless Hideo Kojima, that absolute madman.

[bestpersonalsite]

Top 10 Popular Movies in The World : All Time Movies History

Movies have evolved significantly since their inception, becoming a cornerstone of global entertainment and cultural expression.

History and Evolution: Movies have a rich history dating back to the late 19th century when pioneers like Thomas Edison and the Lumière brothers experimented with motion pictures. Over time, they evolved from silent films to "talkies" (films with synchronized sound) and later to color and digital formats.

Cultural Impact: Movies have a profound impact on culture, influencing societal norms, fashion trends, and even language. They provide a platform for storytelling that resonates across borders and generations.

Technology and Innovation: The film industry is at the forefront of technological innovation, constantly pushing boundaries in visual effects, CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery), and immersive sound technologies like Dolby Atmos. This innovation enhances the cinematic experience and expands storytelling possibilities. Global Reach: Hollywood remains a dominant force in the global film industry, but movies from other countries (like Bollywood in India, Nollywood in Nigeria, and the burgeoning film scenes in South Korea and China) contribute to a diverse cinematic landscape.

Awards and Recognition: Movies are celebrated through prestigious awards like the Oscars (Academy Awards), Golden Globes, Cannes Film Festival, and others. These awards honor excellence in acting, directing, screenwriting, and technical achievements.

Top 10 Popular movies in the World:

The Shawshank Redemption (1994) - A powerful drama about friendship and redemption in a prison setting.

The Godfather (1972) - A classic mafia family saga that explores power, loyalty, and betrayal.

The Dark Knight (2008) - A thrilling superhero film featuring Batman and the iconic villain Joker.

12 Angry Men (1957) - A gripping courtroom drama that delves into human psychology and justice.

Schindler's List (1993) - A heartbreaking Holocaust survival story based on true events.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) - An epic fantasy adventure that concludes the trilogy with grandeur.

Pulp Fiction (1994) - Quentin Tarantino's crime anthology with nonlinear storytelling and memorable characters.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring** (2001) - The first installment of the epic fantasy series.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) - A classic spaghetti western with iconic characters and a memorable score.

Forrest Gump (1994) - A heartwarming tale of an ordinary man's extraordinary life journey.

Additionally, if we consider box office gross, some of the highest-grossing movies include Avatar, Avengers: Endgame, and Titanic. Keep in mind that these lists may vary based on different criteria.

[spawn-universe]

Comic book creator Todd McFarlane talks Spawn reboot, working with Ozzy and competing with the giants

Credit Calgary herald

Todd McFarlane has not forgotten the vow he made to Calgary back in 2017.

At the time, the comic book artist, producer and toy entrepreneur was a guest at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo and was asked about the long-gestating reboot of Spawn, which had spent years in developmental purgatory. He told the audience at the Stampede Corral that the film would hold its premiere in Calgary if he gets it “off the ground.

Fast-forward six years later McFarlane says the film is back on track. A-list writers Scott Silver, who co-wrote the 2019 hit Joker, and Malcolm Spellman, who created the Disney+ superhero series The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, are currently working on the screenplay. Jamie Foxx has long been attached to play the lead role, a superhero/antihero that McFarlane first created at the age of 16 in his parents’ basement near Crowchild and 24th Avenue N.W.

The 1992 comic book debut, which came out on McFarlane’s Image Comics, sold more than 1.7 million copies and the Spawn series holds the Guinness World Record for the longest-running, creator-owned, superhero comic book title. There was a 1997 live-action film with Michael Jae White, which grossed more than $100 million, and an Emmy-winning animated series that ran on HBO from 1997 to 1999. The reboot has been in the works in one form or another for years.

“On the movie front, hopefully – fingers crossed – by the middle of this year we should be making a big announcement that we found our studio, we made our deal and potentially, as part of that deal, they’ve given us our production start date,” says McFarlane. “Really, all fans care about is ‘When can I go see it?’ But at least I’ve got to be able to say ‘This year. We’ve got the money, we’ve got the backing and we’ve even got a start date.'

When it does come out, McFarlane still wants to hold one of the premieres in his hometown.

“Let me tell you right now, if I possibly can, I’m putting it into the contract,” McFarlane says. “It might be the dealbreaker. And I get two premiere spots. I live in Phoenix, I think the Phoenix people will come out in droves because they did the first time we did Spawn. I think they will come out in droves and have a good time in Calgary. That’s it. There it is: If you don’t give me that, then I pull this entire deal. I’m going to see if I can negotiate that.”

McFarlane was back in Calgary this week visiting family. On Sunday, hundreds of fans showed up at Video Game Trader in Lake Bonavista for an autograph session. In 1981, the William Aberhart High School grad left Calgary at the age of 18 on a baseball scholarship to Eastern Washington University, where he studied art and design. Within a few weeks of graduation, he got his first comic book job for Marvel. He would go on to illustrate for both Marvel and DC, drawing for Batman: Year 2, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk and co-creating the Spider-Man villain/anti-hero Venom.

But he is arguably still best known for creating Spawn and for co-founding Image Comics in 1992, which also became home to Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore’s Walking Dead comic-book series. In 1994, he revolutionized the toy industry with the realistic action figures he created for McFarlane Toys. In 1999, he won an Emmy for the animated Spawn series and earned a Grammy nod for directing Pearl Jam’s animated video for Do The Evolution. The following year, he won a Grammy for directing the video for Korn’s Freak on a Leash.

Late last year, he returned to the medium to direct the video for Ozzy Osbourne’s Patient Number Nine, which resulted in a lengthy feature in Rolling Stone magazine about McFarlane’s work in music videos.

“The request came from (Ozzy’s wife) Sharon Osbourne,” McFarlane says. “I knew her from the past. We had done some stuff with toys and comic books with her and had always done well. In the pre-preparation for shooting, I was dealing mostly with the record label and Sharon. I’m sure she showed everything to Ozzy to get the sign-off. The day of the shoot, that dude was a pro. It’s one thing I’ve always been super impressed with for all the music videos I’ve been involved with. When you say ‘Action,’ all of them are performers. They know what to do when they are on stage. This switch goes on and they just do it. At that point when we shot it, I think it was about a week before his back surgery. He just had pretty extensive back surgery and was living in severe pain. You could see he was in pain and his mobility was limited and all that. So he paced himself, which is what a smart person would do. But when I said ‘Action,’ he turned into the 25, 30-year-old Ozzy.”

On top of the promising developments in the Spawn reboot, McFarlane has continued to find success in both the comic book and toy worlds. He credits the relatively small group of people he works with for the company’s David-versus-Goliath success.

“I’ve got a good core of people,” he says. “We’re scrappy. We’re the Bad News Bears of our industry.”

In 2021, Spawn beat out behemoths DC Comics and Marvel to become the No. 1 selling comic book. That same year, his Spawn spinoff titles – Scorched, Gunslinger Spawn and King Spawn – broke sales records. Last year, the crossover Batman Spawn title became a bestseller.

McFarlane Toys’ beat out Fortune 500 companies such as Hasbro and Mattel with the bestselling action-figure line of 2021. The company is currently licensed to create figures for Black Adam, Shazam, The Flash and Batman movies for the DC Multiverse, James Cameron’s Avatar, Dune and even Ted Lasso.

“Their size is their blessing and their curse,” says McFarlane about the giant corporations he competes with. “I could say the same thing about my smallness: it’s my blessing and my curse. Here’s the blessing: I can move quick, I can move fast. Here’s their curse: They are so big and bloated, they can’t move fast. If I see an opening, I can see that opening way faster than they can get into it. I’m not trying to compete, let’s say on the toy front, directly with what the giants are doing. I’m not trying to slay the giants, that’s not the victory. The victory is saying: Where have they left the gap?”

[myfancastings-blog]

The MCU still has a villain problem.

Are any of these villains going to come back stronger than ever, challenging the heroes into a bigger evolution of their character? No.

Either they’re never gonna come back ever or if they do they’re going to be somewhat antiheroes. Every rendition of a superhero franchise in Hollywood does not know how to write long-term villain characters.

Let’s look at dr. doom in the comics. Why do people like him? is it just because he’s a cool villain or a villain with misunderstood motives? That’s the surface level reason. It’s because every time he comes back and featured in a big way in the comics, The scheme or plot that he’s devising can very well be accomplished. Basically there’s a possibility that he’s going to win. No matter whether or not you agree with him, The fantastic four or whoever in the Marvel universe has a lot on their hands. He’s a villain that started out from ” I want to control the world“ to “I want to control the universe”.

He’s a villain that evolves that forces the hero to evolve. That’s good writing. Hollywood writers don’t know how to do that. Either they’ll kill them off after the first movie and will never see them again or we’ll never hear from them ever again unless some other writer decides to pick up where they left off. Turning them soft, into a somewhat misunderstood character. Look at what they did to the Abomination in she hulk. I mean look at Agatha, she’s coming back as an antihero in her own series. And Namor, most likely he’s gonna come back as a hero in the next installment of something. For example there’s going to be some type of next level avenger threat that’s going to happen. The heroes are going to need some extra help. Shuri it’s going to be like, I know a guy who could help us and then we’re going to have the Talocan people in the background fighting kang forces during the last epic fight scene.

Hollywood does not know how to write pure straight up villains. I mean look at Lucifer. They tried to make the fucking devil into an antihero.

I’m not saying the MCU villains are lame. They had their purpose and they were portrayed excellently by the actors. I’m just saying that we live in a world where we’re never going to get another Chris Evans Captain America movie where he fights the red skull again. Or Heath Ledger like joker returning to Challenge Batman again. I mean you at sabertooth in the comics versus him in any of the wolverine movies. Do you think the new MCU version is going to do half the stuff that Victor Creed did to Logan in the comics?

Loki was featured in 9 different projects, but he was only kind of a villain in two. Thanos was just a cameo until he became the big bad in two films.

Let’s look at Lex Luther, Wouldn’t it be interesting if we got a Superman trilogy, where he becomes more in hinged and a bigger threat to Superman with each installment. A type of trilogy where the hero becomes a better person with each movie meanwhile the villain becomes worse at the same time.

In film school, one of my screen writing teachers told us to never write a villain as a villain, but as a character that you want the audience to understand. That’s why we always refer to them as antagonist and not villains. They are somewhat an extension of the main characters story, And that works. But what if you need that antagonist for the next story. They did their job already in the previous story so what else can you do with them for the next. This is what every screenwriter in Hollywood is taught. Villains or antagonist are not being looked at as returning returning characters as antagonist to the story.

Namor and Talocan we’re definitely a major threat towards Wakanda. But are we ever going to get another story where Namor decides to wage war on the rest of the world anyway, without Wakanda help. A movie where Talocan decides to invade America. Where Sam Wilson’s Captain America teams up with Bucky and the rest of the thunderbolts to defend the United States? That sounds pretty cool but that’s never gonna happen, because Namor when featured again is going to be a hero.

A resolution is necessary. The audience wants to feel complete, Otherwise what’s the point. That’s why we always criticize Batman for throwing joker in prison. He’s gonna break out and do it again and again. But then what’s the point of the next Batman story. If Batman kills the joker then the joker has won. Every principle that Batman has for not killing his villains is thrown out the window.

You could still tell a finalize story and tell another one using the same characters. These are superheroes from comic books, ongoing stories similar to novela and soap operas. If the studios and the fans want franchises then it can’t just be one and done stories. It doesn’t work that way.

Even in real life, if all our problems are resolved in one day then what’s the point of getting up the next day. There’s always going to be threats caused by The same thing. 10 years ago America and Russia weren’t on good terms. Now guess what’s happening again. Back then Idiotic groups who called themselves superior are trying to harm and degrade people of color. Now we got other idiotic groups to call themselves white nationalist Who are trying to do the same within social media. The fight never ends, it’s how our heroes tackles each battle one by one that matters.

Ultimately what I’m trying to say in terms of MCU villains, they have a problem writing them for a long-term purpose. That doesn’t mean they’re written or acted badly. It Just that there are no longer viable characters after their first encounter as The main villain. They are used as extensions of the main character. Not as extensions of the shared universe that they’re trying to showcase.

That’s the problem that the MCU has with their villains.

[spongebobafettywap]

okay I'm putting my tinfoil hat on and calling it now :

the only reason margali got bastardised this badly for the past year and treated Kurt so horribly out of the blue after being MIA for nearly 10 years (she last showed up in his 2014 series so yeah, about a decade) is just so mystique appears better as a parental in comparison when the new origin story drops. (... gonna throw destiny in there too because we're at a point where the plot getting this stupid is 100% an option)

if i'm way off, I'll rejoice. if not...

would that even be a win?

Anon stop reminding me that the early 2010s was 10 years ago! Time is not real!

Lol, still though its surreal to me how much time has passed. I feel less connected to marvel as a fan really, I haven't actually felt super connected to the fans for many years now beyond a few of my friends I made through Marvel and DC fandoms but we don't even really talk about marvel anymore.

Yeah honestly I think Margali may always be written badly to make Mystique look better even though Mystique's characterisation is less consistent than the quality of food from a restaurant in kitchen nightmares. Seriously I don't understand the motivations of Main universe Mystique. Is she a well intentioned extremist? Does she want to make things better for Mutants? Is she just selfish? Does she care about her children? Or does she just use them for her own ends?

I know some may make the argument that the lack of consistency makes her so mysterious but personally I don't think it works for a story like X-men. We don't need Mystique to be the Joker, we need to have her show another side of the Mutant Extremist ideology. Honestly for all the faults of the Fox X-men films I feel like their reboot take on Mystique was a lot stronger characterisation of her than most of the comics. I also think Evolution Mystique is another good incarnation of her.

[jedivoodoochile]

The DC character Harley Quinn, created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm, debuted in the ‘Batman: The Animated Series’ television episode “Joker’s Favor” on September 11, 1992. Originally voiced and inspired by actress Arleen Sorkin (1955-2023), many talents have brought life to Harley Quinn, adding to her fan favorite evolution on television, comics, video games, film, live theater, and podcasts over the last 31 years. Who is your favorite to portray Harley?

[swiftpascal]

Worm is a superhero story about a bullied teen girl who develops powers and wants to be a hero, but falls into villainy instead. Think XMen from the perspective of Magneto. Lots of morally grey opposing viewpoints. Warning, basically any trigger you might have shows up at some point, it goes brutal. Given that, the characterization is excellent and the world has a lot of fun with “how would superheroes actually work” .

Parahumans dot Wordpress dot com

Despite this, I like Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man (I imagine that those who really like superheroes would find those three films weak compared to the other more recent ones, it's from my time, I watched the second film with my sister at the cinema, I'm really old, lol), X-Men the 2000 film, was that the year it was released? X-Men Evolution, the biggest ship is Rogue x Cyclops, no one can disagree a six or seven year old mini Vitória, please. But I'm not very close, seriously, I think some Marvel and DC fans didn't help make me like superheroes more. I like Wonder Woman 1984 (of the recent superhero movies I've watched) more than the others. But the story looks very interesting to read, I guess. Thank God, I don't have much triggers to read or watch anything. I watch a lot of true crime stuff, I don't have triggers. My triggers are a little different, about more things that make me uncomfortable about being a woman, but not very serious, around a woman who has suffered violence against her.

A story that can be seen from the perspective of a "villain" seems more interesting to me than from the perspective of a superhero. I loved Joker, for example.

[daisyskeates1]

RESEARCH - how poster very around the world

when we present narratives such as films outside their original environment – they can be perceived differently. Because of this, production companies will often create different posters (and other marketing materials) for each country or region in order to preserve the message of the film or, more commonly, its box office potential. These changes can be anything from subtle tweaks to complete redesigns.

The history of film posters in Poland follows a very different path to the development of the medium in the US and the UK. There’s a big reason for this. After WWII, Poland was under communist rule and under the Stalinist regime fine art was essentially censored. The Polish artistic community found a loophole however: film posters. The state-owned film industry was hiring artists to create film posters for upcoming releases – but – unbelievably - they didn’t care what they looked like. This created a unique situation where artists could work free from the constraints of either studio and government interference – and the results are astounding. These striking interpretations were much more abstract and symbolic than most other poster art and showed influences from diverse artistic styles including Surrealism, Expressionism and Dadaism.

Some territories seem to enjoy certain genres of film more than others. For instance, Action is particularly popular in Asia and Horror and Rom-Coms go down well in Mexico. With this in mind, some marketing campaigns seek to emphasise different aspects of a film depending on where it is being advertised. So whilst the US poster for ‘Big Hero 6’ focuses on adorable robot Baymax, the French version is a much busier design depicting the more adventurous side of the story. 

The Italian version of the ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ poster is virtually the same as the US version – except for one key change. Doctor Strange’s hand gesture – whilst totally acceptable in much of the world – has a different meaning in Italy and some other regions.

 The imagery for both posters is in a very similar vein but the tagline is a little more risqué. Whilst the tagline for the US/UK version of the poster reads: ‘She’s everything. He’s just Ken’ – the French tagline reads: ‘Elle peut tout faire. Lui, c’est juste Ken.’ Which at first glance, seems like a pretty faithful translation. But here’s the thing, in France ‘ken’ is slang for f*ck/sex and when read out loud “c’est” sounds like “sait” which means knows – so the whole line could be read as ‘She can do everything. He just knows how to f*ck’. Now some people have claimed that it’s just an innocent mistake, but given that they changed the first part of original line from ‘She’s everything’ to ‘She can do everything’ – I feel like someone knew what they were doing!

Evolution of posters - joker

[myfrenzi]

Top 10 Must-Watch Movies of All Time

Movies have an extraordinary ability to evoke emotions, transport us to different worlds, and leave a lasting impact on our lives. Throughout cinematic history, there have been countless masterpieces that have captured the hearts of audiences worldwide. In this article, we delve into the realm of timeless cinema and present a carefully curated list of the top 10 must-watch movies of all time. These movies are not only celebrated for their artistic brilliance but also for the emotional rollercoaster they take us on.

If you are confused about what to watch on OTT platforms; Where to Watch Movies Online you must visit myfrenzi.com; here you will get the best ideas for what to watch on OTT.

1. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

At the top of our list is “The Shawshank Redemption,” a heartwarming tale of hope and friendship. Directed by Frank Darabont, the film revolves around Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), a banker wrongly convicted of murder and his transformative journey in Shawshank State Penitentiary. The bond Andy forms with Red (Morgan Freeman) is nothing short of inspiring, and the movie beautifully portrays the triumph of the human spirit over adversity.

2. The Godfather (1972)

Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather” is a cinematic masterpiece that set the standard for crime dramas. Starring Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone, the film delves into the intricacies of the Corleone family’s mob empire. It weaves a compelling narrative of power, loyalty, and family, leaving audiences captivated and emotionally invested.

3. Schindler’s List (1993)

Steven Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List” is an emotionally charged portrayal of one man’s quest to save lives during the Holocaust. Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) risks everything to protect over a thousand Polish-Jewish refugees from the horrors of Nazi persecution. This poignant film leaves a deep impact on viewers, reminding us of the resilience and compassion of the human spirit.

4. Titanic (1997)

James Cameron’s epic romance “Titanic” takes us on a heart-wrenching journey aboard the ill-fated RMS Titanic. The film’s iconic love story between Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet) against the backdrop of one of history’s most tragic maritime disasters tugs at our heartstrings, making it an unforgettable cinematic experience.

5. The Dark Knight (2008)

Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” redefined the superhero genre with its thrilling narrative and an Oscar-winning performance by Heath Ledger as the Joker. The movie explores the moral dilemmas faced by Batman (Christian Bale) as he confronts the chaos orchestrated by the Joker, raising questions about heroism and sacrifice.

6. Forrest Gump (1994)

“Forrest Gump,” directed by Robert Zemeckis, is a heartwarming tale of love, perseverance, and destiny. Tom Hanks portrays Forrest, a kind-hearted man with a low IQ, who inadvertently becomes part of several defining moments in history. The film’s emotional depth and profound storytelling leave an indelible mark on the audience.

7. Gone with the Wind (1939)

A timeless classic, “Gone with the Wind,” directed by Victor Fleming, is an epic romance set during the American Civil War. Starring Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O’Hara and Clark Gable as Rhett Butler, the film showcases a love story amidst the backdrop of war and societal change, earning it a place in cinematic history.

8. Casablanca (1942)

“Casablanca,” directed by Michael Curtiz, is an immortal romance that continues to captivate audiences to this day. Set in the early days of World War II, the film follows Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) and Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) as they navigate love and sacrifice in war-torn Casablanca.

9. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi masterpiece “2001: A Space Odyssey” is a visual and philosophical marvel. The film takes viewers on a surreal journey through the evolution of humankind and its encounter with an alien monolith, prompting profound questions about existence and the universe.

10. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

“E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” directed by Steven Spielberg, is a heartwarming and emotionally charged tale of friendship and acceptance. The film follows a young boy, Elliot (Henry Thomas), who befriends a stranded alien, E.T. Together, they forge an unbreakable bond that transcends the boundaries of space and time.

Conclusion

These top 10 must-watch movies of all time have left an indelible mark on the history of cinema. From tales of hope and redemption to epic romances and thought-provoking sci-fi, each film on this list has the power to move us to tears, laughter, and introspection. So, grab some popcorn, find a cozy spot, and let these cinematic masterpieces take you on a rollercoaster of emotions.

FAQs

Why is “The Shawshank Redemption” considered a must-watch movie? “The Shawshank Redemption” resonates with audiences due to its powerful themes of hope, friendship, and resilience.

What makes “The Godfather” a cinematic masterpiece? “The Godfather” stands out for its exceptional storytelling, stellar performances, and compelling portrayal of the mafia world.

Why is “Schindler’s List” such an emotional movie? “Schindler’s List” is emotionally charged as it depicts the harrowing reality of the Holocaust and one man’s heroic efforts to save lives.

Why is “Titanic” still popular after all these years? “Titanic” endures due to its epic romance set against the backdrop of a tragic historical event, resonating with audiences of all ages.

What makes “The Dark Knight” a groundbreaking superhero movie? “The Dark Knight” explores the complexities of heroism and morality, backed by a legendary performance by Heath Ledger as the Joker.

[sassylightcycle]

godzilla tokyo sos 2003

[sahind]

Live-Action Jokers on Empire Magazine over the Years

[brokehorrorfan]

Batman: The Long Halloween - Deluxe Edition will be released on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray on September 20 via Warner Bros. It combines both parts of the animated film, which were released separately last year, with additional content.

Based on DC Comics’ 1996 comic series written by Jeph Loeb and illustrated Tim Sale, the movie is directed by Chris Palmer (Voltron: Legendary Defender) and written by Tim Sheridan (Reign of the Supermen).

It stars Jensen Ackles as Batman, Naya Rivera as Catwoman, Josh Duhamel as Two Face, Billy Burke as Commissioner Gordon, Titus Welliver as Carmine Falcone, Julie Nathanson as Gilda Dent, David Dastmalchian as Calendar Man & The Penguin, Troy Baker as The Joker, Amy Landecker as Barbara Gordon & Carla Vitti, Fred Tatasciore as Solomon Grundy, Alyssa Diaz as Renee Montoya, and Alastair Duncan as Alfred.

Special features are listed below, where you can also watch the trailer.

Special features:

Evolution of Evil - The Long Halloween featurette with original writer Jeph Loeb and filmmakers (new)

Atrocious serial killings on holidays in Gotham City send Batman into action – confronting both organized crime and a unified front of classic DC Super-Villains – while attempting to stop the mysterious murderer.

Pre-order Batman: The Long Halloween - Deluxe Edition.

[gloomdivision]

The Evolution of Harley Quinn in Film

This is a review on the evolution of Harley Quinn, so the films will be rated solely on how they treat her (yes there are other aspects of these movies that I would love to talk about and maybe I will another time but for now let’s just focus on Harley). I will score the films based off of the following questions:

Is she objectified?

Does she feed into misogyny?

Does her story revolve around a man?

Are her appearance and outfit choices for male gratification?

Are her only positive interactions with male characters?

The films will get no points for yes, one point for kinda, and two points for no. The higher the film scores, the better it is in terms of Harley Quinn being a well rounded and autonomous feminist character. At the end, the scores can be an easy way to see how much or how little Harley Quinn has evolved in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Spoilers ahead for Suicide Squad, Birds of Prey, and The Suicide Squad!

Suicide Squad (2016)

Let’s start with Suicide Squad. Like most people on here, I am not a fan of this movie! For this little review I rewatched all of the movies and this was my first rewatch of Suicide Squad in a long time, it was unpleasant. That being said, I will do my best to be as unbiased as possible and just focus on the facts of the film.

Is she objectified?

Yes. A resounding yes. Even in our very first introduction to Harley Quinn, she is an object. Though she is quite literally in prison, Quinn dangles upside down in her cage and the guard describes her as “a whole lot of pretty and a whole lot of crazy.” Scenes like this and comments like that linger through the whole film. In a flashback, she’s seen pole dancing in a club looking sexy for the Joker and his company. The guy with the Joker is watching her and says “you’re a lucky man, got a bad bitch” so the Joker sends Quinn over to the guy saying “you are my gift” and “you belong to him now.” Literally giving her away like she is an object! Yes, it is a way to mess with the guy and he kills the man for wanting then refusing Quinn because she is the Joker’s but like! What! Literally an object.

GIF ID: first gif is Harley Quinn in the introductory scene dangling in cage at prison, second gif is her in the pole dancing club scene pressing another dancer against the wall and grinding up against her.

Does she feed into misogyny?

Yes. Can we blame Harley Quinn for this and say she has internalized misogyny? No, she’s a fictional character. Is she written to feed into the misogyny and general ickiness men show her in this movie? Yes. Back to the same guard who made the comment about her being pretty and crazy, she feeds into it and talks to him in a cutesy baby voice asking the guard to come in or let her out so they can “play.” Maybe that could be written off as she’s purposefully trying to trick him but it has no payoff and she still does it? It’s still a present and icky part of the movie. At a point she is drowning and Batman pulls her out of the water to arrest her but first he gives her mouth to mouth then when she wakes up she giggles. There is no reason for her to do that, she just does.

Does her story revolve around a man?

Yes. As her jacket states, she is “property of the Joker.” Throughout the whole movie she is only really concerned with how to get back to the Joker or upset over his “death.” After he “dies,” she rejoins the team because she has nothing else going for her and nothing else to do and maybe this mission can provide her some consolation. Plus when her deepest desire is offered to her by the Enchantress, it’s just to be with the Joker! Quinn has no autonomy or independence in this movie whatsoever.

Are her appearance and outfit choices for male gratification?

Yes. Oh my goodness gracious yes. Harley Quinn’s outfit from this movie has been one of the most popular Halloween costumes ever since it came out, even this year she was ranked #7 most popular costumes in America. Her outfit is short, tight, and impractical plus it brands her as “daddy’s lil monster.” There isn’t any way you can dice it that her outfit is made for anything other than for her to be ogled at. In fact, there is actually a scene in the movie where all the men around her freeze and do just that!

GIF ID: from the scene where the men stop to look at her, she's pulling her shirt down after changing and turning to see them all staring.

Are her only positive interactions with male characters?

Yes. There are only three other main characters who are women in the movie, two of which are villainous. The other can’t speak English so she only talks through translations of a man, she also doesn’t really talk to any of the characters except that man so much so that I forgot she was even in this movie until I rewatched it even though her comic book story is cool as hell. There wasn’t an opportunity for her to even have positive interactions with anyone else.

Suicide Squad gets zero points overall. Also there are a lot of other problematic things about the movie besides it’s treatment and characterization of Harley Quinn but I guess at least the sound track is pretty good? And without this terrible movie we wouldn’t have gotten the two that follow that are my personal favorites but back to being objective.

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020)

Is she objectified?

No. In a stark contrast to Suicide Squad, Harley Quinn is not objectified. If Suicide Squad is the male gaze (and it 100% is a movie filmed with the male gaze in mind), then Birds of Prey is the female gaze. It is a story told by Quinn from her perspective, something I’m sure we can credit to the majority female team behind the film.

Does she feed into misogyny?

No. Quinn actually does the opposite and actively stands up to it. There are a lot of examples in the movie but my two favorites are when a man tries to get her to pay him in sex so she feeds him to her hyena and when a man berates her while she is dancing and calls her dumb for her to break his legs and say the iconic

GIF ID: from the scene mentioned right above, Harley smiling and saying "I've got a PhD, motherfucker!"

Does her story revolve around a man?

Kinda. Though it pains me to say it, Quinn goes straight from her breakup with the Joker to doing a job for Roman Sionis so her story does still kinda revolve around a man. It is cool as hell that she announces her breakup to the Joker by blowing up ACE Chemicals, directly going against her “origin” scene from Suicide Squad.

GIF ID: Harley Quinn walking away from the explosion at ACE Chemicals, smiling.

Are her appearance and outfit choices for male gratification?

No. In yet another lovely contrast from Suicide Squad, Quinn’s outfits are for her own fun fashion-forward amusement. My favorite contrast is how instead of wearing clothes branding her as the Joker’s, one of her shirts is covered with her own name. She also goes over her tattoos and changes all of the ones about the Joker to say something else: from “I ❤ Puddin” to “I ❤ Pudding Cups.” They also show her as a real person! Instead of having her look perfect the whole time and putting her in a heavily padded bra, she is shown unflatteringly having a mope session after her break up and wears a sports bra for the majority of the film.

GIF ID: her from the police fight scene, smiling with pink and blue smoke behind her. You can see her shirt I mentioned that says "Harley Fucking Quinn."

Are her only positive interactions with male characters?

No. There are a plethora of strong female characters in the film and Quinn interacts with all of them. She also peppers in her own positive commentary about the women in her narration of the story. In the final battle, they all come together and fight in a way that supports each other while defeating the army they’re going against.

Birds of Prey gets nine points out of ten! The bar was set low with Suicide Squad gaining none but that improvement is still really significant. I mentioned it earlier but Birds of Prey had a strong female team behind it. Cathy Yan was the director, Christina Hodson was the writer, and Margot Robbie served as both producer and star. It is incredible how much of a difference it makes to have women creating women’s stories and how it can help a character evolve away from just being “the Joker’s girlfriend.”

The Suicide Squad (2021)

Now that we’ve had the excellent progress of Birds of Prey, we should see a lot of advancement and further evolution with Harley Quinn...right?

Is she objectified?

No. Continuing from Birds of Prey, Quinn is not objectified. When she meets President Luna, he tells her that she has become a sort of symbol for the people of Corto Maltese: “Harley Quinn’s fire and rebellion against the face of American oppression is something to which my entire country aspires.” I was a bit torn if this should count under objectification because women being used as symbols certainly could based on context but Quinn is a symbol because of her personality and actions so still a full fledged individual.

Does she feed into misogyny?

No. The closest instance is when Javelin says that “all American women love accents,” but that’s just a generalization he makes to Quinn to which she agrees but it doesn’t really put women down in any way so I don’t feel like it has any sort of significance. Plus in my opinion it certainly isn't enough to dub a misogynist statement.

Does her story revolve around a man?

Yes. While her involvement with Task Force X has nothing to do with a man, Quinn’s story after landing on the beach of Corto Maltese has to do with men. When Javelin dies, he gives Quinn his javelin and tells her “you are the only one fit to carry my javelin,” which she does for the rest of the film. She also tries to figure out what purpose it has and it ends up being what she uses to defeat the big bad monster in the final fight. That story takes a brief interlude where she meets, gets engaged to, and kills the president of Corto Maltese. She kills him because if she saw another red flag in a man she liked she vowed “I would do the healthy thing, and I would murder him.” And while this does show evolution in Quinn’s character, her story still does revolve around a man.

GIF ID: after killing the president, Harley explains why she had to kill him. She's rolling her eyes and saying that him saying he would kill people and children for power is "kinda a red flag."

Are her appearance and outfit choices for male gratification?

Kinda. Her initial outfit of the film is very classic superhero, she has her coordinated black and red color scheme in a leather suit. While it is pretty form fitting, her form itself isn’t overly sexualized and her costume isn’t much different from what the other members of Task Force X wear. What makes this a “kinda” is the fact that for the rest of the film she wears a dress literally picked out for her to look nice for the president. By the end, Quinn does get roughed up and the dress isn’t as beautiful as intended but it still was meant for the purpose of male gratification.

GIF ID: first gif is Harley Quinn on plane at beginning of movie, it is her back and you can see her red and black outfit with jacket that has her diamonds logo and text "live fast, die clown." Second gif is during escape fight scene, she is spinning in dress looking pretty roughed up, shooting those coming at her.

Are her only positive interactions with male characters?

Yes. While there is another prominent female character in the film, she and Quinn don’t interact once! To be fair, Quinn is separated from the majority of the group for a long time and really only has a relationship with Flag but like she at least interacted with all of the other core characters. No pass, even if Ratcatcher 2 is great.

The Suicide Squad gets five points out of ten. So over the course of three films, Harley Quinn’s score on the Charlie scale of feminist character went from zero to nine to five what a way to make a living. Clearly the best results came from the woman led film but unfortunately one film isn’t enough to make a difference in the long run. Birds of Prey and The Suicide Squad were only released a year apart but since they had different teams behind them, they had different responses. I love The Suicide Squad and think Harley Quinn is great in it but it just doesn’t meet the same standards of Birds of Prey and backtracks a bit in her evolution.

GIF ID: from the character announcement trailer of The Suicide Squad, Harley Quinn in different poses in her black and red outfit with bazooka and her name written behind her. Margot Robbie's name comes up on screen next to her.

[mcbastardsmausoleum]

BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN – DELUXE EDITION

THE COMPLETE THRILLER, WITH ADDED MATURE CONTENT, AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME ON 4K ULTRA HD STARTING 9/20/22

No tricks, just treats for Dark Knight fans as Batman: The Long Halloween – Deluxe Edition – the complete mystery with added mature content – comes to 4K for the first time ever. The R-rated, feature-length animated film will be available on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack (USA $34.99 SRP) for the first time ever, as well as on Blu-ray+Digital (USA $24.99 SRP), Blu-ray (only available in Canada, $29.99 SRP) and Digital starting September 20, 2022.

Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, DC and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, and inspired by the iconic mid-1990s DC story from Jeph Loeb and the late Tim Sale, Batman: The Long Halloween – Deluxe Edition begins as atrocious serial killings on holidays in Gotham City send The World’s Greatest Detective into action – confronting both organized crime and a unified front of classic DC Super-Villains – while attempting to stop the mysterious murderer. Batman: The Long Halloween was originally released as a two-part film, and both films still stand at 100% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Jensen Ackles (Supernatural, The Boys, Batman: Under the Red Hood) leads a star-studded Batman: The Long Halloween – Deluxe Edition cast as the voice of Batman/Bruce Wayne alongside the late Naya Rivera (Glee) as Catwoman/Selina Kyle, Josh Duhamel (Transformers, Jupiter’s Legacy) as Harvey Dent/Two-Face, Billy Burke (Twilight, Revolution, Zoo) as Commissioner James Gordon, Katee Sackhoff (The Mandalorian, Battlestar Galactica, Batman: Year One) as Poison Ivy, Titus Welliver (Bosch, Bosch: Legacy, Deadwood) as Carmine Falcone, Julie Nathanson (Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Suicide Squad: Hell To Pay) as Gilda Dent, David Dastmalchian (The Suicide Squad, Dune, Ant-Man) as Calendar Man & The Penguin, Troy Baker (The Last of Us, Young Justice) as The Joker, Amy Landecker (Your Honor, Transparent) as Barbara Gordon & Carla Vitti, Jack Quaid (The Boys, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Oppenheimer) as Alberto, Fred Tatasciore (American Dad!, Family Guy) as Solomon Grundy, Alyssa Diaz (The Rookie, Ray Donovan) as Renee Montoya, and Alastair Duncan (The Batman, Batman Unlimited franchise) as Alfred. In addition, Robin Atkin Downes (The Strain, Constantine: City of Demons) voices both Scarecrow & Thomas Wayne, John DiMaggio (Futurama, Disenchantment) is the Mad Hatter, Laila Berzins (Genshin Impact) is Sofia Falcone, Jim Pirri (World of Warcraft franchise) is Sal Maroni, and Zach Callison (The Goldbergs, Steven Universe) is Young Bruce Wayne. Additional voice work was provided by Gary LeRoi Gray, Rick Wasserman, Frances Callier and Greg Chun.

Chris Palmer (Superman: Man of Tomorrow) directs Batman: The Long Halloween – Deluxe Edition from a screenplay by Tim Sheridan (Reign of the Supermen). Producers are Jim Krieg (Batman: Gotham by Gaslight) and Kimberly S. Moreau (Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). Butch Lukic (Justice Society: World War II, Superman: Man of Tomorrow) is Supervising Producer. Executive Producer is Michael Uslan. Sam Register is Executive Producer.

 Special Features:

- BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN – EVOLUTION OF EVIL (New Featurette) – The mystery surrounding the Holiday Killer shrouds Gotham in a sinister darkness forcing Batman to stop the villain's assault on the city.  This is a comprehensive look at The Long Halloween with original writer, Jeph Loeb, and filmmakers.