#THIS is chemistry tell tim burton

[omglaurashutup]

I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE

[sextonsharpwinhalstead]

The black woman,/white man thing is so infuriatingly true, I stopped watching Sleepy Hollow because of it. Like, Abbie was the fucking *lead*, how the fuck are you gonna kill her off and pretend it's still the same show?!? The chemistry she had with Ichabod was undeniable; like tell me you've ever cradled a platonic friend in your arms and whispered into their hair to remember the bond you share. Or run into the arms of someone you're just friends with to be scooped up and twirled as if it had been ages since you'd seen one another. Or wiped latte foam from their lip and received the loudest heart eyes ever in response. Augh!!!

Sleepy Hollow was my first foray into fandom and into seeing a show burn itself down because of religiosity, misogynoir, and white supremacy.

Sleepy Hollow was scary, and fun, and there was mystery, and intrigue and it was kind of playing off the darker vibe and scary legacy of Tim Burton's movie. But then Christians started making a stink about the occult nature weaved into historical American fiction.

Then came the whitewashing. The show had pretty diverse cast, but more importantly than them being diverse they were fucking talented. Orlando Jones, John Cho, and Nicholas Gonzalez revolved AROUND Nicole Behari's character but held there own. John was amazing in his short stint and Orlando was captivating AND smart. (BTW American Gods made the same mistake with Orlando). Then they wiped them all out like they were nothing.

They overemphasized on Tom's/Ichabod's popularity, didn't know that their audience was a TON of Black women who knew Nicole was a lead. They left her off the commentary for the DVD and really pretended that they didn't understand that people were fans of hers.

Then came the WW, that resentment over the CLEAR desire Ichabod had for her, over the clear undeniable chemistry. They got NASTY in the comment sections and on Twitter. They started out with Abbie having an established ex that was John Cho's character. (Even half-dead we ALL know Cho is fine AF) and then Nicholas Gonzalez as another potential love interest but nothing romantic took off for her. She couldn't be seen as desired. Articles were written about her lack of love interests so they introduced Lance Gross but by then the damage had been done. They didn't want her to have ANYONE. That ol' resentment meant that she needed to take a backseat and let Ichabod and his story be the lead. We aren't even getting into the rumors that were made up on set to blacklist Nicole.

All this meant no more story about her and her sister and their potential witchcraft lineage, they derailed the story, added Katrina gave HER the arc and of course Ichabod as her husband and didn't give a good god damn what was in front of them.

Fans tried to tell them how much they loved the show and what they loved about it and the chemistry between Ichabod and Abbie but they decided that they didn't need Abbie and they leaned more into Ichabod and then we got Betsy Ross and that was it. They really believed people were going to watch that show. It fell off the cliff as everyone was screaming that they were walking backward into it.

The parallels to New Amsterdam both in front and behind the scenes is UNCANNY and AWFUL. Nicole wanted to leave, Freema wanted to leave.

The desire-resentment cycle continues.

[symeraid-s]

2022 Retrospective: TV-Shows/Movies

I didn’t really watch any anime this year, so I took all the anime categories out of this retrospective, because I can’t just talk about Spy x Family and Chainsaw Man. So, instead, here are the 2022 shows/movies I watched quickly reviewed.

Zettai BL Naru Sekai vs Sekai BL Narutakunai ni Otoko/The Man Who Defies the World of BL Season 2

This show still is hilarious. I mean, sure, I was hoping for a bit more romance between Mobu and Kikuchi, because they are adorable, and I ship them so hard. But what we got was still good. The last episode of this season had me rolling in laughter and tears. The confession-scene in this show is one of my favourite BL scenes as of now and I rewatch it regularly. Now I only need a season 3 with some actual romance for Mobu and Kikuchi. Come on, don’t leave me hanging, please.

KinnPorsche the Series

Well, this is the big one. Mannner of Death walked, so that this show could run. Some of the scenes in this show are seriously close to pornographic. I still really enjoyed the show, though there were some moments where I thought that it dropped the plot. Mile and Apo are really great together though, so that doesn’t really matter. The fanfictions of this show are really great, and I hope to add some of my own in this new year (most likely not…). Though one thing that is a massive turn off for me is how the fandom baby meow meows Vegas and shits on Kinn. Like, why is there a “Kinn Apologist” tag? Do I really need to apologise for liking a fictional character who is supposed to be morally grey? No, I will not. Kinn is my favourite character, there, I said it. This show also has Jeff Satur in it which is always a plus. And this is also probably just the Ingredients fan in me talking, but wasn’t Gameplay supposed to play Porchay? Why isn’t he? I mean, Barcode is great as Porchay, but he and Jeff by far don’t have the same chemistry that Jeff and Gameplay have.

Old Fashioned Cupcake

Yeah, I think this is my favourite show of the year. The writing is amazing, the acting is fantastic, and the characters are great. The only problem I can see, is that there are only five episodes of this wholesome show. It tells you that even if you’re nearing 40 (which is apparently already considered old) you can always find yourself and that it’s never too late. Kouhei Takeda is absolutely stellar in this show. Funny thing about that is that I watched Kamen Rider Build in 2021, after watching Zettai BL 1 and now three of the main riders have starred in BL Shows and I can’t believe it’s a coincidence anymore.

Kei x Yaku

Another BL with Atushiro Inukai, who is on his steady way to become one of my favourite Japanese actors. It’s a mafia drama bromance, leaning more towards the mafia drama than the bromance. It’s basically Kinnporsche, but with more political intrigue and no porn. Well… on screen at least.

The Umbrella Academy Season 3

This whole season could have been solved in one episode if there were some communication. That’s the most I can say about the story. It’s good. I really liked this season. I really liked the Sparrows. Sloane is a cool character and I really liked Sparrow!Ben. He just such a petty gay throughout the entire season and I love it. The rest of the Sparrows were cool, though I would have loved to get some more development for them and not just meet them for three episodes. I’m really looking forward to the final season coming this year.

Sandman

Yes, this show is amazing, what else can I tell you? The characters are great, the writing is great, it’s a good adaption that uses it’s medium to its fullest. I mean, it’s written by Neil Gaiman, what more can we want, am I right?

Wednesday

Maybe Tim Burton is getting back on track. At least somewhat. There are parts of this show I really enjoy. Jenna Ortega is amazing as Wednesday and seeing her energy clash with Enid’s is one of the highlights of this show. They are cute and I ship them, and they should have been together, mostly because the rest of her love interests are boring guys. I really can’t imagine Wednesday with any guy. Or girl for that matter. I always thought she was Ace. But yeah, make them lesbians, Netflix. I also really like the aesthetic of this show. Though there is one aspect that I just can’t get behind: The rest of the Addams Family. Morticia as a character is fine, though she should have been played by Christina Ricci, it would have been a great nod. My problem mainly lies with Gomez. And no, it’s not because he’s not conventionally attractive. He’s just so slimy and pathetic and that’s not Gomez at all. He needs to be charming. Also, the Addams are not bad parents.

Usogui

I watched this movie on a 14-hour plane ride from Costa Rica back home, when I was unable to sleep. And for what it was, I really enjoyed it. When I got home, I googled the movie and found out it was a live action adaption of a manga. It didn’t dim my enjoyment. I watched the movie again with my sister just for this review and I have to say: For what it is, it’s not bad. It does condense about 100 chapters into two hours, so a lot of stuff gets lost. But, and this is something I can always kind off appreciate about Live Action Adaptions (except Death Note): Most of the time, they get you interested in the source material. I started reading the manga after watching the movie and I do not regret it. The manga is absolutely fantastic. Madarame Baku is one of my new favourite characters. And Ryusei Yokohama is a great actor to play him.

[wandamaximoffappreciationblog]

Baby BatCat in Gotham…

Anyone who talks to me knows I usually have very mixed opinions on BatCat as a couple in other Batman shows/movies. That being said, Gotham BatCat and Battinson BatCat have turned into two of my OTP’s. What draws me to the Gotham dynamic is them being childhood friends to almost lovers. Watching Selina call him out on not being able to handle Gotham’s streets and him being so cute towards her really was a great aspect to the show and I think them and JimLee had the best chemistry for m/w pairings. I really do think Camren Bicondova and David Mazouz have some of the best performances in the show. They were my main focus throughout the show.

As for the last season, I thought their dynamic was the most tragic out of them all. Watching as he starts to develop into the man we all know he’ll become and leave her right as they really start to act on all those feelings they’ve had in a more serious and adult way and seeing Selina deal with being left by the one person she really cares about was really heartwrenching for me. The ending where she tells him she really only wanted him was also sad for me, but I also do love a doomed romance.The scenes where they call each other out on not being their real selves in season 4 and 5 remind me of the Tim Burton dynamic and the scene in The Dark Knight Returns where he says there’s more to Selina than just the thief. These two are layered and tend to be able to see the others true self and I think they showcased this very well in Gotham. Overall, I still love this show despite some of my complaints ( some lackluster storylines, queerbaiting with Ed and Oswald ect…) and these two gave me a version of a pairing I usually have many issues with to fall in love with for the first time

[oraclekleo]

Hello Kleo 👋🏽

I'm here to request for a free Personal Kinky Reading .

About me-I'm 19 years old , a scorpio♏ , introverted . I love cats and dogs. I've always been interested in occult sciences since I was a kid . I love researching about things I speak 4 languages . My MBTI is INFP .I'm a clairvoyant and I love your blog ❤

I hope I did this correctly

Thankyou 🖤 🖤 🖤

Hello!

Thank you so much for being patient with me! 💗

I have finally finished the reading for you and I'm going to be pleased if you can tell me your opinions on it.

@luv8yu

Kinky Tarot Reading

Spread / Question: Kinky Reading Deck(s): Dark Wood Tarot + Wild Mystic Oracle

Position - 3 of Cups

You’re not really that much into power play in a relationship. You prefer to be on an equal basis with your lover but the fact is that you are more likely to take initiative. You simply don’t wait for someone to make the move, you go after what you like. Your lover either sort of matches your tempo or even playfully competes with you or they fall back in which case you are likely to lose interest in them quickly. You might prefer more carefree types of relationships, something like exclusive friends with benefits type of dynamics is probably something you feel most comfortable about.

Libido - X The Wheel of Fortune + Victory

Both the cards speak of high potency and good luck which is a great message for you regarding your libido. You might notice that what makes you excited changes often, you don’t really have an ideal type as such and you might not even be sure whether there is a kink you prefer over others. You like to expand your knowledge when it comes to erotica. You have good natural instincts when it comes to sexuality and you can go with the flow, vibing with your own lust or with your lover. You’re not really shy about the topic of sex and you probably can communicate your wants and needs openly and honestly with your partner. As for your performance in bed… The boar has high endurance and is a symbol of power and potency. You might prefer to dominate in the bedroom and even sort of crush your lover with your affection. In a good way.

Turn On - 2 of Wands + Collaborate

There are too many possibilities in the world, why would you limit yourself? In general, you prefer people who are honest, easy going and have a good chemistry with you. There’s nothing like turning on quality. You follow your instincts and intuition when it comes to people and you acknowledge them as individuals. You tend to always find something good about everyone.

Kink - 10 of Wands

Haha! I mentioned before that you probably don’t have a favourite kink and this card confirms it. You have many irons in the fire and you sort of appreciate and like all the kinks on your list. There are some you just completely dislike and cross out of your repertoire but those which are there are all equally exciting for you. You might even tend to get interested in too many techniques or practices at once and it might take you many hours investigating those, learning about them and eventually putting them to test. Be careful not to drain your lover out of energy as you are so excited by the process of exploring and experimenting like an alchemist in their laboratory.

Dirty Secret - 5 of Cups + Death

Lol! Do you have a thing for macabre? Or at least dark colours, horror movies or goth fashion or something similar to that? The cards point that direction. Maybe you’re a fan of scary, horror or macabre stories or poems or movies (do you like Edgar Allan Poe or The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and maybe the animated movies by Tim Burton?). Maybe you like to watch scary movies with your lover and cling onto them when you get jump scared and use it as an excuse for getting more physical with them. I’m sort of unsure here as the cards are giving me no more leads and I don’t want to offend you by suggesting you might want to get laid in a graveyard or haunted house but it could be one of your secret desires.

Thank you so much for putting your trust in me and have a great time.

Kleo 🦄

[disneydarlin]

Top 8 Halloween Disney Movies

One thing people of all ages can look forward to during the spooky month of October is those must-watch Halloween movies. Some films are a little on the scary side while others are plain Halloween fun. To celebrate this time of the year, this article will present the best movies to watch each Halloween night.

1. Hocus Pocus

This film has been labeled as the best guilty pleasure flick for many people who love the classic, but dark, Halloween fun. The story is a bit on the dark side for adults to enjoy. Meanwhile, it’s full of whacky comedy for everyone’s amusement. Dani and Max have a wholesome sibling chemistry on screen. Additionally, Thackery Binx is remembered by all who watch the movie. But most of all, the three Sanderson Sisters steal the show with their jokes whenever they interact with each other.

2. The Haunted Mansion

Okay, some people may not like this film, but others consider it a Halloween classic. The characters, though seemingly one-noted, are doing their best to put emotion in their performances. This is especially the case with the ghosts. Despite this, the story around the plot is messed-up and dark. In addition, the best thing about the movie is all the special effects put into the sets and hauntings. It’s quite fun to watch for this reason alone.

3. The Nightmare Before Christmas

Because this movie literally represents two holidays into one, it’s lower on the list. The story and characters are on the simpler side as well. Yet, although Jack takes center stage, Sally and Zero are the two best characters in the movie. Plus, the atmosphere and artistry is dripping with Halloween in many scenes. Everything is visually fun to watch as the film utilizes stop-motion animation to create a creative and unique aesthetic for the sets and creatures.

4. The Muppets Haunted Mansion

For some people, this is a more authentic telling of the Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland folks were looking for from the original. Gonzo is one of the main characters in this short movie. He’s also the most entertaining with his fascination for visiting the mansion compared to most people’s opposing reactions. Regardless, while the Muppets version has more jokes and features typical songs, it certainly won’t replace Eddie Murphy’s version in other viewers hearts.

5. The Adventure’s of Ichabod & Mr. Toad

The adventures of Mr. Toad don’t offer much for the Halloween season. It’s simply another Disney animated classic. However, Ichabod’s adventures is another story from Sleepy Hollow. Now, although none of the characters are particularly likable in this cartoon, the audience should still stay for the classic animation style and the eventual ghost story. This sets the creepy atmosphere for the film into an exciting ride for viewers.

6. Frankenweenie

Unlike the other movies featured on this list, this Tim Burton film is all in black and white. However, it does utilize the stop-motion animation like The Nightmare Before Christmas. This is because the movie is trying to capture the feel of those classic horror B flicks; specifically Frankenstein’s Monster. All together, it creates an interesting style for the film. Beyond this, there are some interesting creatures to keep some entertained along with Victor and Sparky’s wholesome owner and pet relationship.

7. Edward Scissorhands

Although this isn’t technically a Disney movie, Disney bought the rights to 20th Century Fox for this film, along with many others; to be on Disney+. This movie sits on the adult side regarding themes and intimate content. Regardless, the Tim Burton film is still quite creative in its storytelling. There are also many bright and colorful sets to contrast the creepy crooked aesthetics of the movie too. In the film, Johnny Depp stars as Edward. Meanwhile, Winona Ryder plays as Kim Boggs. They're characters, alongside Dianne Wiest as Peg Boggs and Alan Arkin is Bill Boggs, are joys to watch on screen for their loving characters.

8. Tower of Terror

What do you think? Do you agree with the list? If not, why? Please share with me!

[weclassybouquetfun]

THE DARK KNIGHT still has G.O.A.T status but THE BATMAN is pretty excellent. After Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy someone pointed out that to them his trilogy wasn't a comic book film. Instead they were gritty dramas no different than Michael Mann's "Heat" or Curtis Hanson's "L.A. Confidential". Matt Reeves takes the same grounded sensibilities with THE BATMAN but instead of giving crime noir, he's giving us a thriller. This is David Fincher's "Se7en" or "Zodiac" or ("Forget it, Jake. It's) "Chinatown".

Just ignore the cap and cowl and envision Bruce in a trench coat. While the film does tap into comics' history, this is a true detective film (not, like, "True Detective" the HBO series that screwed the pooch in the second series.). This film put the "detective" back in "Detective Comics". Matt Reeves was the perfect choice to tackle this film- just look at his work with "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" and "War for the Planet of the Apes".

He took a film series that was beloved despite it being ridiculous and instead of copying the original set of films as Tim Burton had with his 2001 adaptation. Instead Reeves brought real world sensibilities to the film so that audiences wouldn't laugh at the idea of apes on horseback with guns, instead leaving audiences to see the universal reaction of an oppressed class fighting back. It's inescapable for this film to not be compared to other Batman films and Robert Pattinson to other Batmans, but with 82 years of story there's a Batman for everyone's taste and whether it's in-canon or an elseworld, it's all valid so people should keep an open mind if this Batman doesn't feel like *their* Batman; especially considering this film retains the basic element that makes Batman Batman: Posho with dead parents who is emotionally scarred and dresses like a Bat. SPOILERS like Stephanie Brown.

THE GOOD

- He has a face like a parking meter and I couldn't get past one "Twilight" but I have always given Robert Pattinson credit where credit is due. He's a great actor. He spends so much time in the cowl so he has to rely on eye-acting but his eyes tells so much, the way he holds himself in some scenes just conveys the weight that Bruce is carrying. In making him a new-ish crimefighter (he's been Batman for two years) this film gives a chance to see that this Batman is still an extension of Bruce, whereas in other characterizations where he's older he has clearly divorced Bruce Wayne from himself and only dons him as a disguise while Batman is his true identity. He is still close to his childhood pain that it is always just lurking next to him despite the distance he has tried to put from it. This gives the character room to grow. - The Bat and the Cat. Chemistry through the roof (with the convenient skylight).

It's very subtle how he reacts to her. He's still self-assured but there is a pull that he's resisting. This resistance isn't a Tim Drake type of resistance where he turns his back on romantic entanglements because he's too focused on the job. This resistance is just he's in unknown territory with her. Someone who is not Alfred that he can share this part of himself with? Selina thought he was joking when she asked him what's under the suit and he told her he's "horribly scarred". He was being 100% honest. Which brings me to Alfred.

-In the scheme of things Andy Serkis' Alfred had very little to do in this 2 hour and 56 minute film but everything he did count and served to give insight on him and his relationship with Bruce. First off, not just SAS, but SAS working with MI6 (his reference to working with The Circus). I like that this depiction he was a guardian but not a father figure. Though I ankled "Gotham" in S2, there was a similar vibe with that Alfred and Bruce. The very first episode when Bruce's parents are killed Alfred collects him from Crime Alley and after hugging him tells him, "Don't look. Eyes front, don't let them see you cry." Maybe a child who just saw his parents get murked in front of him deserves a good cry without worrying about onlookers. I can see THE BATMAN's Alfred being the same way. He can't handle big emotions and he loves, but it's distantly and that has left him with a Bruce who has adapted that as a way of keeping possible hurt at bay and has also employed that type of love towards Alfred. Total aside: Serkis' son Louis was great in the recent ITV mini-series NO RETURN playing a teenage boy arrested while in holiday in Turkey for the accused sexual assault of another teen boy.

-Influences: a bit of "Zero Year" (the flooding of Gotham), Earth-One, Year One,a bit of "Gates of Gotham" (the Edward Elliott mention, with a brief shout out to "Hush", Elliott's great-great grandson; a bound at the feet Oswald having to waddle around. When the film opens on Halloween I thought we were actually getting "The Long Halloween", but this is close enough. -Since I hated Max and Charlie Carver's characters on DESPARATE HOUSEWIVES, I loved each time their characters got beat up in this.

-It's not surprising that Paul Dano can play deliciously unhinged. Just see THERE WILL BE BLOOD or PRISONERS for proof of that.

I get people wanted to see him don the classic Riddler onesie or something that alludes to his classic look

but that's too camp for the character as it exists right now. Love that like The Joker Nashton does not know who is underneath the cape and cowl but knows that Batman is the truest expression of whoever he is.

-Shaking up the mythos. Like Uncle Ben dying and Krypton blowing up, Thomas and Martha Wayne must always meet their fate in Crime Alley. But I love that they gave more insight into them. While Martha has always just been boiled down to a broken string of pearl necklace, Thomas has had a meatier second life in comics. I love that they fleshed them out more in this in a way that makes perfect sense. Martha with mental issues?! A Thomas who momentarily adapts the behaviour of criminals and hires Falcone to strong arm Edward Elliott? Good stuff.

THE BAD -The whole hot potato over who killed Thomas and Martha Wayne was a bit clunky. "So it was Maroni? So it was Falcone? So it was really Maroni?" I'm glad it's still open-ended. It's like the origin story of The Joker -it's whatever you deem the truth to be. THE OTHER -I cannot stand Peter Sarsgaard so I am amazed this film made him tolerable. Maybe it was easier seeing him because I knew he would meet a horrible fate. But he was quite good. -I was hoping that Jay Lycurgo would turn up again. I thought the film focused too much on him and his hesitancy in joining in with the gang to assault that man, as well as him stepping in to keep Bruce from being shot to just have him ending up being a random character. But it is too much to hope for that he would be a sidekick in the future film as he's already Tim Drake in TITANS.

-Barry Keoghan. It was reported that Keoghan was cast as Gordon's partner. Several months ago it was reported that after test screenings Keoghan's role was going to be cut. Then it was reported that he was actually playing The Joker. While the film never comes out and says that "Unnamed Arkham Prisoner" Matt Reeves confirmed he was. He also confirmed that he cut an earlier scene between Keoghan and Pattinson where Bruce, in trying to figure out the identity of The Riddler, decides to profile another serial killer: Unnamed Arkham Prisoner who is not yet The Joker. -I love that Gotham is not the only place bombed out and depleted. The Wayne Terminus and tower is a mess! It's so fitting! It's like families who come from old money that is long gone but they still have their ancestral homes that they want to retain but just can't afford the upkeep. The difference is Bruce can afford the upkeep but as he tells Alfred he only cares about his name in regards to how it will help his parents' legacy. He's not interested in keeping up appearances. Which is obvious because his wardrobe is busted. And not the expensive busted like Yeezy clothes. The actual "I'm still wearing this Gap shirt from 2004 that is stretched out from when I pulled it over my knees as I rocked back and forth crying while thinking about my dead parents" busted. -Colin Farrell was unrecognizable.

The only time you get any sense that it's Farrell is when he's shouting while being chased by The Batman. Other than that nothing - not the eyes, not the voice to that point, gives him away. He did a great job but I don't see his HBO Max Penguin series being very interesting. If it was about his battle between Falcone, yes (and how great was John Turturro?) but just him and the Iceberg Lounge, etc. etc? No bueno. -Is it any wonder Bruce (depending on which canon) forms the JLA? Man just had to stand there and watch Gotham get flooded. Wally and Clark on hand would never let that happen. I can see him after getting the brakes beaten off him for the umpteenth time just deciding, "You know...I need a couple of aliens. I need an Amazonian. Is there someone who can run really fast? Yeah, Imma need that too. I need whatever Hawkman has going on. Someone with a magic ring? Yes, please. Magic wielders? That too. An archer isn't helpful, but it's good to have another mere mortal on hand to share in getting beaten....spread them out a bit more evenly because this is a bit too much for me."

But I like he goes out as an army of one. And how smart is he to have a cut out in his body armor so he can give himself adrenaline shots? So smart.

[khaleesi-rose]

Is it just me or whenever it comes to the white queen (Mirana of Marmoreal) from Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland I can CLEARLY tell that this woman is not straight.

AM I WRONG?!!! Like miss girl could be gay, bi, pan, etc I don’t care but what I do know is that she’s not straight AT ALL!!

Also, her makeup and chemistry with Alice is a little bit fruity you know. But I guess that I’m overanalysing cuz I have a massive crush on her and this is just my personal opinion so if u think she’s straight then that’s okay! 😅

[au10]

Eastwood

So I watched all the westerns by Eastwood. Below you’ll find my list of what I’d say are his best to not necessarily worst just not great. Keep in mind that this list is just my opinion and yours very well may differ and hey that’s great. Also keep in mind there will be spoilers but to be fair the majority of these movies are older than me. I would also like to point out that I didn’t view Rawhide as I really didn’t seem like something I’d like. The list is as best as I can tell are all of his westerns. Some are kind of iffy as I don’t consider them a western. 

http://most-wanted-western-movies.com/clint-eastwood-westerns/

1.”Unforgiven” 1992

 My original pick was going to be “For a Few dollars more”. I re-watched Unforgiven again and have decided that Unforgiven is his best western. Made in 1992. It features Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman and Richard Harris. There might even be more stars but those are the ones that stood out to me. The plot basically goes like this. William Munny a ruthless killer back in the day settles down with a woman who changes his life. He gave up his killer ways. The wife is already dead when the movie starts and Munny stays on the good path for lack of better phrasing. I don’t want to spoil to much more but needless to say a large bounty put on some ruffians leads to some nice action. 

I love the soundtrack to this movie. Well at least one song in particular and that’s Claudia’s theme. You can YouTube if you wish. I think it’s really great. 

A couple of quotes that I enjoyed. 

“ I've killed women and children. I've killed everything that walks or crawls at one time or another. And I'm here to kill you, Little Bill, for what you done to Ned”

.”It's a hell of a thing, killing a man. You take away all he's got and all he's ever gonna have.“

2. “For a few dollars more” 1965

 This is the sequel to a “Fistful of dollars”. It’s part of the famous dollar trilogy movies. Made in 1965 Eastwood portrays the man with no name. I really like  Lee Van Cleef as Col. Douglas Mortimer. It’s a revenge type of western. Both Cleef and Eastwood characters are pretty much bounty hunters. Cleef has an entirely different motive for his actions though. They seem to have great chemistry together too. I also like the dialogue between them as well. Clint Eastwood's character calls Lee Van Cleef's character "old man", while Van Cleef's character calls Eastwood "boy". Once more I love the music plays when the pocket watch is opened up. 

3.” A fist full of dollars.” 1964  

The beginning if you will of the the man with no name trilogy or dollars trilogy which ever you prefer. The dollars trilogy is what you call a spaghetti western. “ Spaghetti westerns were not rated highly due to their low budgets, over the top violence and inferior art work. But, these Spaghetti Westerns changed that perception forever. Director Sergio Leone gave one after another hit and this trilogy made Clint Eastwood a mega star. “ Some people don’t like them or they find them to corny. Each to their own. I loved the movies. My father pointed out to me one of the things that bugged him was the constant camera cuts to the other characters in the film. It especially focuses on their eyes. I never noticed it until he pointed it out. I do love the scene where he confronts the bullies/bad guys. On his way to them. He passes by the undertaker and tells him to get three coffins ready. After the shootout he passes back by the undertaker and tells him my mistake 4 coffins.

4. “The Good, The bad and the Ugly.” 1966 

The last of the dollars trilogy. A lot of people will say that this is the best of the three movies. Like the previous  film it also stars Lee Van Cleef. This time though he is one of the villain’s. It’s a good movie. I enjoyed  Eli Wallach as Tuco. Once more you have the music on point with  The Ecstasy of Gold. I heard that song years earlier when Metallica would use it. My last thought on this trilogy is I do love how Eastwood is always smoking those little cigars. I have read though he actually hated them.

“ You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig. “

5. “Two Mules for Sister Sara” 1970

This one is a film I really liked. It doesn’t seem to be as serious as the previous I’ve listed above. It actually has quite a few comedic moments in it. I think one of the best parts of the movie is after Hogan (Eastwood) saves Sara from impending doom. She gets dressed and comes back out in her nun gear. Once Hogan realizes she is a known his expression is great then he exclaims “Jesus Christ”. I noticed this movie had blood in it. A lot of the earlier ones don’t. One guy gets his arm cut off and one takes a machete to the face. It’s a good movie and I enjoyed it. I should note the soundtrack or at least one song they play over at times in the film is a play on the title. It sounds like a mule actually braying. Pretty nifty. 

6. “Pale Rider” 1985

Another good movie. Eastwood is just known as the preacher in this movie. He helps out a prospect town from becoming a mining town. When the prospectors will not give up their land. A marshal and his deputies are sent in to get prospectors out. It’s hinted at that the marshal may know the preacher form the way he reacts after told his description. This is definitely one of my favorites though. It does get a little weird with the preacher having intercourse with a guy’s girlfriend. The action is great though. It should be noted that it’s been told that Eastwood’s charter is a ghost in this film. Richard Kiel is in this movie as well. He is a well established actor. Most likely known for playing Jaws in Moonraker. 

7. Outlaw Josey wales 1976

A lot of people like this movie. It’s Eastwoods only PG rated western. It’s once more a revenge type western. Josey’s family is murdered by the Union army and he joins a confederate group to get his revenge. I think one of the best parts in the movie is when Josey shoots the rope holding a ferry going across the river. Some of the Union soldiers horses fall into the river preventing them from reaching Wales. This movie is said to be George Strait’s favorite. I did find it funny that the old man in charge of the ferry was playing to both sides. If you were a Confederate he would sing “Dixie” if you were a Union solider he would sing “Battle hymn of the republic” Ever the opportunist I suppose. 

"Well Mr. Carpetbagger, we got something in this territory called a Missoura boat ride!"

"Well are ya' gonna pull those pistols or whistle Dixie?"

8.”High plains drifter” 1973

This movie could be almost a part of the man with no name trilogy. It’s just not as good. I liked the midget character named Mordecai . He is one of the best in the movie and funny. This is one of the movies where it’s possible that the stranger (Eastwood’s character) could be a ghost. Some people say he is the sheriff’s brother. Eastwood has said that himself. Then again some people say he is the ghost of the sheriff himself. It’s up to the viewer and how you choose to interpret it. This movie also marks the first movie Eastwood directed that was a western.

“You're going to look pretty silly with that knife sticking out of your ass.“

9. “Hang’em High” 1968

This was Eastwoods first major role in America. The Dollars trilogy had yet to come out over here in America. Jed  (Eastwoods character) is wrongfully hanged by a posse. He naturally seeks revenge after being rescued. He becomes a Marshal and winds up bringing some of the posse to justice. It also stars Pat Hingle. I really only know him from Tim Burton’s Batman. He played Commissioner Gordon. 

10. “Joe Kidd” 1972

To be honest with you this movie really doesn’t do anything for me at all. It’s not a bad movie but it’s not one that really captivates me either. It stars Robert Duvall as a rich/wealthy landowner trying to push Mexicans off of their land. He hires Eastwood’s character named Joe Kidd. It does have some decent moments. A pretty cool scene shows Kidd taking out a gunman upon a rock. The final fight is also pretty neat where Kidd drives a train through the bar.

Honorable Mentions: 

1.”Bronco Billy” 1980

This movie was on the list and I viewed it. I liked it. Eastwood plays a carnival showman. It’s your typical story of guy and girl don’t get along. Then as the movie progresses they start to get along and wind up with one another. It’s not a western but it has the theme. It does have  Scatman Crothers in it as Doc. Throw in a crooked lawyer and a crooked husband and this is the movie you have. 

2. “Paint your wagon” 1969 

This set during the gold rush. It is a musical though and you can get the soundtrack on itunes. I heard about this movie from The Simpsons years ago. It doesn’t have a western feel to me. Eastwood plays Pardner. It’s a cool little musical. It’s an interesting movie though. A Mormon has two wives and he sells one. Well Pardner and his partner Ben rum son played by Lee Marvin buys her. Elizabeth the wife that was purchased basically has two husbands. It’s really a good movie. My favorite song being “Wand’rin Star”

3. “The Beguiled” 1971

They had this movie on the list and there again I witched it. It’s certainly not a western. It’s okay. Eastwood kind of plays a bad guy in it but only to survive. Set in the Civil War era. He is an injured Union solider rescued by a little girl. She takes him to an all girls school. It should be noted that this is the only movie in which a character portrayed by Eastwood dies. 

[bi-guy-filmbuff]

My Top 10 favourite movie's of all time...

(The post that no one asked for, but you're getting anyway)

10. Barbarella (1968)

A cult classic staring Jane Fonda as the sexy traveller from earth, on a mission to find the scientist known as Durand Durand. Honestly this film is amazing and so before it's time. It has a blind Angel, a sexy evil queen, and a death sex machine! Its so 80s...yet in the late 60s! Seriously Jane Fonda is such an amazing human whether it's in this or something current like Grace and frankie. She's reason enough to watch this crazy film.

9. To wong foo (1995)

Okay but Patrick Swayze and Wesley Snipes in Drag? Yes please. It's unlike any other drag film I know, especially with straight male leads. It deals with so many serious issues such as homophobia, domestic abuse, transphobia and sexism. It's hilarious and drag is shown in such a true and positive light. Swayze, Snipes and Leguizamo did their research and portrayed the role of a drag queen perfectly. (Rupaul, Miss Coco Peru, Lady Bunny, Candis Cayne and Quentin Crisp all make an appearance)

8. Death Becomes Her (1992)

This film is another cult classic (you'll hear that a lot, sorry) staring Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn and Bruce Willis (with hair wow) Who wouldn't want to stay young forever? It's campy, creepy and hilarious. There's so many iconic scenes filled with superb acting, and the love hate relationship between Madeline (Meryl) and Helen (Goldie) is amazing.

7. The Lost Boys (1987)

This film is everything I love combined into one. 80s punk vampires? Yes. It's so 80s filled with the music, the fashion the hair it's wonderful. A badass gang of punk vampires lead by the gorgeous Kiefer Sutherland vs Corey Haim and Corey Feldman (the two Corey's of the 80s) it's just an absolute masterpiece.

6. Beetlejuice (1988)

Tim Burton is by far my Favourite Director and Writer for film. His movies are what shaped me as a human (human?) Beetlejuice will always have a place in my heart, it's dark funny and so twisted, Tim Burton creates this other world not unlike our own. Just exaggerated. I think everyone loves Winona Ryder as a melodramatic edgy teen yearning to be apart of the land of those who are recently deceased. The use of the Banana boat song is still one of the best scenes in cinema history.

5. Treasure Planet (2002)

Okay yes, don't judge me for having an animated film on the list because this film was literally my childhood. Treasure island...but in space! How is that not amazing? Emma Thompson is a humanoid British Cat captain...again another reason it's the best Disney film of all time. It's so heartwarming and features some really serious stuff, it's classic Disney. I highly recommend this no matter your age.

4. Labyrinth (1986)

David Bowie and his glittery crotch of doom. Another 80s masterpiece (can you tell it's my favourite era?) The music in this movie is superb and the characters created by Jim Henson are amazing. Everything about this movie is magical from the puppetry to David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly's performance. The ballroom scene takes my breath away every single time, it's so romantic yet dark since Jareth is trying to distract Sarah so he may keep her as his queen (Honestly seems like a good deal) My heart does ache a little more since Bowie's passing but atleast he has such a large legacy left behind.

3. The Rocky horror picture show (1975)

A real cult classic, and huge staple for the LGBTQ+ community. I first watched this film at 10 or 11 (probably too young oops) and it immediately became an obsession. This film is part of the reason I'm proud to be who I am today, it gave me so much confidence and pride in being weird or different. Tim Curry is utterly amazing, he is sexy, crazy and talented. Don't even get me started on it's soundtrack, Richard O'Brien is so clever. Using references from other classics such as forbidden planet, king Kong and flash Gordon. Honestly this film started my love of musical theatre and Drag.

2. Sweeney Todd (2007)

Tim Burton appears once again. This film combines my two favourite genre's, horror and musicals. It takes the story from an old Victorian Penny Dreadful of the barber who kills his clients and the baker, who's desperately inlove with him. Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter bounce off eachother so well in every film they do together, Sweeney Todd is no exception. It's dark, funny and poetically tragic. The score by Stephen Sondheim is amazing and so well written it makes the film what it is.

1. The Silence of the lambs (1991)

A true cinematic masterpiece. Everything about this movie is perfection, not only is it my favourite film, it is also my favourite book. The casting of Sir Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter and Jodie foster as Clarice Starling was pure genius. The chemistry between them is almost frightening as if we are truly watching an interview of a well educated killer, by a green southern FBI agent in training. The camera work, the soundtrack, the lighting, everything was so well thought out throughout the entire film. It's one I could watch over and over again.

If anybody actually read this then thank you...

[kdramaxoxo]

Hotel Del Luna (ep 1-4) - An Unpopular Opinion

I’ve been super torn about Hotel Del Luna, a K-drama that has all of these awesome qualities:

Gorgeous visuals: every set is striking and I want to gif every scene

IU looking amazing in 5874 different outfits

Yeo Jin Goo being emotive as f**k, not to mention super cute

Interesting fantasy elements and of course creative storytelling

Fun side characters with backstories

Emotional ghost stories

Sometimes light and funny scenes

I love Jan Man Wol’s back story and all of the scenes with her and her man

But the thing is...something is missing. At first I just thought “hmmm...this feels like it’s moving super slow” which is normally code for too much setup, and rambling plot with lots of filler scenes. I’m almost done with episode 4, I’m still not sure why it’s not grabbing me.

All of my mutuals love this show, and say it’s better than the Hong Sister’s other dramas Master’s Sun and Hwayugi (flawed and overly long but definitely kept my attention better) and I am honestly confused. Clearly I’m missing something or not enjoying some part of it that everyone loves - maybe the sentimental stuff? The leads looking amazing and well lit is just not enough for me.

The elements that I don’t enjoy about Hotel Del Luna

The chemistry with IU and Yeo Jin Goo feels forced. By episode three he’s just like “I’m here for you and not leaving” and they do a lot of staring at one another but it’s not landing for me. (And trust me, I’ll look past a LOT for a romance). 

The soundtrack is super quirky in a very Tim Burton / Danny Elfman style which I normally like but it very heavy-handed and often plays comedic music when things aren’t that funny?

I’m positive people will disagree with this one (mutuals, feel free to comment and know that i love you!) but I think there are too many ghost stories. It’s very similar to the tea house in Goblin where there’s a purgatory for ghosts which I like, but some of it is too predictable or overly sentimental, or there are just too many stories per episode. One per episode would be plenty along with the regular plot. The tiger was awesome though - more of that please?

Too much talking about the fantasy “rules” and just randomly adding on and taking away magical rules at will. I don’t expect a fantasy K-drama to be 100% scientific or anything but I wish they had set up a much more simple plot: Tree, hotel, fated hotel manager, ghosts, destiny. DONE. Apparently the main flower lady can solve huge issues but no one feels like asking her? I’m just confused (but i had the same issue with Hwayugi too ;-)

I try not to say I don’t like a thing on tumblr because I don’t like telling people “Hey you know that thing you love? I don’t love it too.” Plus, I’m still torn because I want to keep watching just to gif the pretty stuff but...sigh.

[pixelatedrose]

A Rose For A Valentine

Part 1/Part 2/Part 3/???

Word Count: 1504

Cast:

Lochesis Lodgick (logic). Lo, Lochy, Sisi for nicknames

Pandora Morralitie (morality) Panda, Pan, Dora, Pancake for nicknames

Rose Kreativve (creativity) Ro, Princess for nicknames

Valentine Anxxiatie (anxiety) Val, Valen for nicknames

Dahlia Desceat (deceit) Dahl, Di, Dahli for nicknames

Ruby Kreativve (Remus/intrusive thoughts) Ru, Ruru for nicknames

Riley Sleapp (Sleep) Riy, Lili for nicknames

Emily Picani (Emile) Em, Emmy for nicknames

Trigger warnings: Verbally fighting, Breakdowns, mentions of sex, uncensored swearing, fake friends

Chapter 3

  Rose walked out of the classroom, knowing Pandora would be calling her later to ask why she'd lied.

  Rose didn't ride the bus home.

  She never had.

  She just didn't want that stupid emo nightmare trying to talk to her, no matter what the reason.

  "Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid…!" Rose muttered to herself as she stormed out of the building. So much for a good first day of school…

  What had happened at lunch was a nightmare that wouldn't be easily forgiven, regardless of the fact that Valentine wouldn't have had any way of knowing.

~~•~~

  "It's none of your business who Pandora is friends with!" Valentine shouted. "And who's to say that maybe she'd rather be friends with someone who's deeper than a puddle on the sidewalk!"

  Rose's mind jumped into action. This emo was starting to cross over the line of things Rose was willing to put up with.

  "Are you calling me shallow?!" Rose yelled, holding a hand up to her chest dramatically on instinct, having her friend's joke and tease with her about the subject in the past. This was different.

  "If by shallow you mean that I wouldn't get my feet wet if I stepped in you with no shoes on then yes."

  Rose was furious now. "Bitch!! Who the hell are you to tell me who I am?!"

  "I don't have to; it's written all over your everything!"

  "At least I try and be friendly instead of hiding in the back of the classroom and sulking like someone just killed my dog!!"

  "Well at least I know my friends want to be my friends!!!"

  Rose stopped and fell back on her fears.

  They're just sticking around out of pity.

  They're not real friends.

  They'll all leave eventually.

  They don't really want to be around you.

  Rose didn't hear the emo try and keep the fight going, she just turned and walked off, unable to get a grip on her emotions. She clenched her fists and held her breath, fighting down her bitter thoughts.

  Lochesis finally caught Rose's shoulder, snapping the redhead back to reality.

  "Rose, hold on-" Lochesis started but was cut off when she saw Rose fighting back her tears.

  "What if she's right though…!" Rose finally choked out, her voice just barely a squeak.

  Lochesis didn't hesitate in embracing the golden eyed girl, letting her friend take a few shaky and choked sobs into her shirt. The tall girl lead Rose over to the stairwell a few steps away and say her friend down on the bottom steps, soothing her long-time childhood friend with coos and quiet shushs.

  Pandora jogged up to the pair and struck Rose with a soft and tight hug, comforting the girl back into reality.

  "I'm okay now…" Rose said, swallowing down her tears.

  As her distress fell away, anger quickly rose to replace it.

  Rose clenched her fists again. "That stupid bitch is gonna get what's coming to her, just you wait. I'll-"

  Pandora quickly jumped up. "NO!!" She shouted. Seeing Rose and Lochesis startle, she calmed her voice. "No. Listen I know Val hurt your feelings, but she didn't know that, A, you have self esteem issues, and, B, that it would hurt you that much." Pandora's big blue eyes pleaded from behind her glasses. "Please give her at least a chance? She's been my best friend since I was like two years old and she's got no other friends. And if you two ended up fighting, well…" Pandora paused, thinking about the situation and shook her head as if clearing it of unkind thoughts. "It'd be sad!!" She stated plainly.

  Rose slouched her shoulders. "Did you even hear what she said?" Her eyes glared down at the tiled floor. "And I don't think she'd be one to actually even want to make up with me." Rose gestured down the hallway back to the cafeteria. "I mean look at her!! She looks like Tim Burton hand crafted her and through some satanic experiment brought her to life!!"

  Lochesis looked at Rose curiously. "Didn't you mention this morning how much you love Nightmare Before Christmas?"

  Rose waved a hand at her friend. "Shut up, just...shuuu."

  Pandora pouted. "You're not even gonna try?" She asked dejectedly.

  Rose looked down and picked at the holes in her jeans. She finally stood up, throwing her hands over her head. "Fine!" She huffed. Pandora started clapping her hands before Rose pointed at her. "But I'm still not talking to her today! It'll have to wait till tomorrow or something."

  Pandora still bounced a little. "Yay~!! I'm glad you're not giving up on my strange dark daughter!!"

  "What even-" Lochesis started to question before Rose's huffing interrupted her.

  "God what a shitty day this is turning out to be…" Rose groaned.

  Pandora gasped and stood on her tiptoes to cover her girlfriend's ears. "GASP!! Watch your language, Rose! We don't want the human computer learning it, you don't know WHO she'll start repeating it to!"

  Lochesis pulled the honey haired girl's hands off the side of her head, settling for them draping over her shoulders. "I'm not a child, Pandora, I know swear words," she leaned her head back to smile at the short girl. "But thank you for worrying, darling." She winked and Pandora nearly fell over herself.

  Rose rolled her eyes, smiling widely. "You two are sickeningly adorable." They laughed together as the bell rung and they parted ways.

  As soon as her friend's were out of sight, the bright smile faded from Rose's face entirely.

  "Well at least I know my friends want to be my friends!!!"

  Was Valentine right?

  Rose couldn't help but feel that maybe she was.

~~•~~

  Rose waited outside the school thinking about the day. Rose had only grown more upset when she'd found out that the emo was in her chemistry class as well.

  Rose shook herself and stood straighter. C'mon, I bet she's not that bad. She's just a little prickly, that’s all. We can make up tomorrow and then everything will be fine! She told herself.

  "Ro-ro!!" A girl that looked strikingly similar to Rose ran up to her. "Guess What?!"

  Rose have an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes. "Please don't tell me you damaged my reputation again, Ruby…"

  Ruby giggled and shook her head. "Oh no, I do that on the daily, I don't have to try to do that!" Rose made an offended noise before Ruby had to dodge a playful battering from her sister. "I got a GIRLFRIEND!!" She shouted gleefully.

  Rose stood shocked in the middle of the walkway as she watched her sister. "You What?!" She nearly shrieked.

  Ruby nodded up and down. "Yep!! You heard me right! Duchess Trash-Bitch landed herself a date with only the most suave girl in school!!"

  Rose snorted. "Pah-lease, Ruby, I don't think that's possible seeing as we're sisters, so go check your facts."

  Ruby pushed Rose so hard she fell into a bush. "You think you're so high and mighty but whatever. Besides, Dahlia is way cuter than you'd ever hope to be, loser."

  Rose stopped. "Dahlia? As in stage director Dahlia?" Rose thought to their student director for last year's winter play. She had known that Ruby and her had become good friends after that year, but she didn't know they'd become that close.

  Ruby nodded happily. "Yep!! That's my girl!!" Ruby sighed happily. "Heheh...Imma fuck her so-"

  "GROSS, RUBY!!!" Rose shouted, shoving her sister. "I don't wanna hear about your gross fantasies!! Keep them to yourself, will ya?!"

  Ruby cackled maniacally. "I was kidding!! Mostly…" She added the last part a bit quieter.

  "In any case I still don't want to hear about your gross sex fantasies! Keep those and whatever other disgusting thoughts you have to your self!" Rose said.

  Rose and Ruby were twin sisters, the only thing telling them apart being a small mole under Ruby's left eye and Ruby's slight height difference, Rose being just a tad shorter. They were best friends- partners in crime! Ruby was always the one to mature up and console Rose after failed auditions and fights, and Rose would always sit there listening to Ruby’s bad days and grievances. They were as close as two sisters could be. A team.

  As Ruby went on and on about how wonderful Dahlia was, Rose was finding it harder and harder to keep up her smile.

  First Lochy and Panda, now Ruby and Dahlia… Rose thought. Everyone seems to have someone in their lives but me...I wonder who else will beat me to the stage of romance…

  The two girls finally got home where Ruby very excitedly and loudly announced her new girlfriend to their parents, who delightfully listened to her rant about her day till dinner was done.

  Rose picked at her food and got up before it was finished. "I'm gonna go take a shower."

  "Don't drown!!" Ruby called after her sister.

  Rose turned on the water and stepped inside before curling up and hugging her knees to her chest.

  She thought of the entire day and what Valentine had said.

  And Rose began to cry, letting the sound of the water mask her sobs as she let the day wash over her and down the drain.

  Hey y’all, sorry this is so late! It’s a short chapter I know, but I hope you liked it! I don’t really have much of an excuse for having this out so late, I just kinda had life catch up to me and lost a ton of motivation. despite that, I had fun writing this in the last hour-ish or so! Hope you liked it!!

  Okay so I just edited this and wow there were a lot of things I messed up. In my defense, I wrote and posted this at like midnight. In any case I fixed it, so I hope you find this version a bit better!

  And one last thing before I go; I drew all of the main cast for A Rose For A Valentine (Valentine, Rose, Pandora, Lochesis) Would all of you like to see them all?

  Okay that’s it, love you all byyee~!!

[happymetalgirl]

Opeth - In Cauda Venenum

Opeth's fan base still seems to be reeling from Åkerfeldt and company's stylistic departure from the very progressive death metal they helped pioneer and build a huge reputation on and to the growl-less retro-prog they pivoted so sharply to on 2011's Heritage and onward. I mean, Damnation and the softer gothic acoustic folk rock ballads sprinkled throughout their catalog should have at least cushioned some of shock to Opeth fans, but it still caused one of metal’s more prominent uproars of this decade and there seemed to be hopes for Åkerfeldt's growls and the death metal elements to return in some degree on the two albums that followed, and it seems to me at least that Opeth's fan base has only now come to accept that this cleaner prog rock retrocelebration is the band's solidified direction in this later stage of their career.

While I, like many other Opeth fans, revere and prefer the band's brilliant balance of death metal and prog rock on their pre-Heritage work, the band have certainly more than earned their opportunity (if you’re of the mindset that a band has to earn it), and fans' patience, to try out something new for them. Like most fans though, I have felt that this new direction has only halfway played to Opeth's strengths, and often come off as indulgent 70's prog worship rather than a fresh Opeth-unique take on it, which was most evident on the band’s most recent “observation” before this one. While it started off really well with its title track and "The Wilde Flowers", the band's 2016 effort, Sorceress, was a painfully unignorable exhibition of this lapse in songwriting to prop up this old-soul prog aesthetic and probably my least favorite Opeth album to date. I mentioned Opeth earning our patience earlier though, and this album is why.

While it was a trilogy, Pale Communion was my favorite of Opeth's prog-rock-era albums, but In Cauda Venenum has finally found them putting a more expressive and intriguing spin on this growl-free progressive rock sound they've been cultivating and is definitely the best album they've released in this style. While the past three albums, even in their better moments, have been rather laid-back and content to mimic prog legends, Opeth finally get back some of that grandiose instrumental ambition that lit up momentous and often conceptual albums like Blackwater Park, Still Life, Ghost Reveries, and My Arms, Your Hearse. The dual release of the album in Swedish and English editions makes the band’s larger artistic investment quite apparent just on the surface, as Opeth’s contextual gesturing often tends to be, but the band do follow through in the meat of the project too.

Once again, In Cauda Venenum plays with the growls and death metal on the bench (not fully retired for this analogy since they still stay true to their older songs’ original style at live shows) and with Åkerfeldt’s smooth clean singing and Joakim Svalberg’s synth playing taking more of the spotlight in their place, as the drumming avoids excessive double-bass and blast beats and the guitars rely not on on/off distortion to drive the loud/soft dynamic of the band’s more tempered prog rock sound. Opeth's quieter songs and their prog rock albums have highlighted their gothic flair, but this album takes it to a more exuberant level that I am glad to hear getting the spotlight again. The opening song, “Livets trädgård” (“Garden of Earthly Delights”), dims the lights for the album’s show through a smooth build of synth-orchestral ambiance before the pre-released single, “Svekets prins” (“Dignity”), breaks through the silence with bombastic, Devin Townsend-esque choral gusto and into a dynamic and deliciously riffed gothic prog ballad. The little touches like the chimes and the synth strings in the back do a lot for the song's various sections soft and loud, and the sludgy drums help give the harder sections this monolithic feel, while Åkerfeldt's hums give the softer sections their extra haunting edge. The album's lead single, “Hjärtat vet vad handen gör” (“Heart in Hand”), follows along a more traditionally heavy progressive rock/metal pattern, but with similar instrumental grandeur; the chugging riff underlying Åkerfeldt's soaring vocals and the faster, flashier guitar playing across the rather consistently turned-up, yet still adventurous, instrumental work (until the honey-sweet acoustic outro) show how even in this style, Opeth are not just reliant on loud/soft dynamics to drive their prog.

The song “De närmast sörjande” (“Next of Kin”) sways through a roller coaster of smooth rock fusion and explosive synth symphonics and guitar dazzling that give the song such a cinematic feeling to it, like it belongs in the climax of a Tim Burton movie. The somber piano balladry during the verses of “Minnets yta” (“Lovelorn Crime”) really turns up the drama in a way that Opeth don't often go for, and, while I wish it carried over to the more instrumentally enhanced sections, I'm loving it here. The strings that come in later to boost the heartfelt sorrow of the song and Mikael Åkerfeldt's harmonized vocals are absolutely gorgeous here. I kind of wish the band put the prog on hold just for this song and stuck to the somber gothic balladry they were playing with so beautifully, but the song still is a highlight for the album as it is.

The song “Charlatan”, for me, is another particular highlight because it captures a mesmerizing Meshuggah-esque groove in its prog-rock, something even djent-focused imitators can't seem to capture the essence of very often, if at all, even with 8-strings. Yet Opeth have done it here with your regular bass guitar and a little distortion. But aside from that, the dissonant synth work is a cool bit of flair for the track, and the band do well again to play excitingly with relatively heavy instrumentation all throughout the song's main portion before its hymnal outro.

“Ingen sanning är allas” (“Universal Truth”) finds the band kind of back in old habits with the acoustic prog worship again, though the swelling strings shine again through the relatively meager composition the band comes through with this time around. Despite showing off some high range, Åkerfeldt's mostly monotonous vocal melody feels more at home with Sorceress than the lush orchestration that carries this song. The creepily slinking bass-range piano melody of “Banemannen” (“The Garroter”) brings the album a sense of welcome darkness and tension akin to being followed through the woods. The woodwinds and the fluttering guitar embellishments sprinkled atop the lighter strings help give the song a sense of enveloping atmosphere, but it's the constantly shifting keys that give the song its attention-holding uneasiness as it shifts back and forth from paranoia to self-assuredness.

The 12-string acoustics and the prominent woodwind melody of “Kontinuerlig drift” (“Continuum”) are probably the only real differentiating elements on the track as the band find themselves slipping back into Sorceress mode again for a bit. I do like the more bombastic solo section in the song's middle, but Åkerfeldt sounds pretty tuned out by this point unfortunately, and the song could have used a bit more of the fantastical imagination that the previous tracks are so strengthened by. The closing song, “Allting tar slut” (“All Things Shall Pass”), fortunately ends the album on a theatrical and conceptual note with huge bursts of orchestral instrumentation and cymbal crashes backing thematic calls back to "Minnets yta" ("Lovelorn Crime") as Åkerfeldt's passionate vocal delivery guides the climactic and lush arrangement toward a fulfilling conclusion.

If they needed to, Opeth have certainly justified their shift away from death metal and into more bona fide progressive rock for the past eight years with this record, and it's because they finally stopped focusing so much on emulating their prog idols and trusted their own prog rock instincts and chemistry to bring out a unique and vibrant form of progressive rock. They've always been about going big and putting a lot into their music, and the massive orchestral instrumentation here helps fill the void the growls and blast beats left behind. And in a way, it feels very much like an old-school Opeth album just without any death metal involved. It's a heady, super-moody prog-fest with all sorts of twists and turns that feels like they have purpose and build toward a wonderfully fulfilling experience. Only time will tell, but I hope that this album serves as a breakthrough for the band, an artistic oasis after years of wandering through the desert of 70's prog imitation. I hope this guides them going forward as a blueprint for success in the absence of death metal. I hesitate to say they should have been doing this for the past three albums, but I don't know if they necessarily had to go through Heritage and Sorceress to get here, as this album builds on much of the signature dynamic from their classic albums with a sonic pallet far more expansive than anything explored on the past three albums. Regardless, I sure hope this is the album they chart their course with, as it is undoubtedly the more advanced form of their prog rock evolution.

Heritage's deliverence/10

[smeemyselfandi]

1. Marriage Story- Never seen a film that did marriage and divorce so well.

2. Avengers Endgame- A almost perfect climax to a great saga.

3. JoJo Rabbit- Such a charming film especially considering the topic.

4. The Last Black Man in San Francisco- A underrated gem with great performances on a unique story.

5. 1917- The gimmick was needed to let you feel what it's like to go through war and how it never feels like it ends.

6. Uncut Gems- This movie is stressful. Also while I think Sandler was very good I don't think he should have won a Oscar for this but maybe nominated.

7. The Irishman- A great reminder of great actors and a great director. Might be the last time we see them this great.

8. Spider-Man: Far From Home- Didn't expect it to be as good as it was. Mainly cause of the great villian.

9. Toy Story 4- This was probably the funniest of the Toy Story series but probably the one with the least amount of emotion.

10. Shazam- One of the best family films of the year.

11. Rocketman- A wonderful music video tribute to one of the best!

12. Parasite- A good message for a crazy story that you don't know where it's going.

13. Us- Wonderful performance by Lupita makes this Twlight Zone episode worth watching.

14. The Lighthouse- Great performances and good atmosphere. Felt like I would have liked it more if it wasn't for the hype.

15. Midsommar- A bit disappointing considering how much I loved Hereditary but still good even though the story was predictable.

16. Missing Link- Underrated with its beatufiul animation and cute story.

17. Knives Out- The story is kind of a mess but the actors are having fun and it's a pretty fun movie for the most part.

18. John Wick 3- Feels similar to the first two but hooks you in the more you watch making it one of the best action trilogies.

19. Little Woman- A good story and film but I'm not so sure it needed to be told again.

20. Honey Boy- Can we all admit that Shia can act now?

21. Steven Universe The Movie- The show is better but the villian in this is sooo good.

22. Captain Marvel- Fun superhero story that people was too harsh to.

23. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood- Feel like Quentin ego and foot fetish hurts it but still a fun movie.

24. Bombshell- A important topic with good performances but felt it could have been done better.

25. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part- It's not as good as the first but still fun and worth watching.

26. Joker- I mean Joaquin did do a great performance but he has done better and the story was a bit ehh. Possibly the most overrated movie of the year.

27. How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World: Beatufiul animation but the story and villian are lackluster.

28. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood- Worth it for Tom Hanks performance but the cliche story almost ruined it.

29. Fyre Fraud- A good story to tell that was told the right way.

30. Judy- Felt this could have been done way better if they focused on her childhood more but Renee is still good.

31. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark- Kind of underrated but had a disappointing ending and some bad CGI.

32. Always Be My Maybe- Has one of the best cameos ever.

33. Doctor Sleep- Two scenes save this from being okay or bad but the rest of it is ehhhhhh.

34. Fighting With My Family- A cute story but feel like it could have been better if they told the real story instead of making up 40% of it.

35. Batman Hush- I think it's better than people say and didn't mind the change of the original but still kind of forgettable.

36. Detective Pikachu- Cuteness makes this one of the best video game movies of all time which doesn't say much.

37. Booksmart- Felt this should have been better but used the same tropes as most coming of age films do.

38. Yesterday- A cute story done in a unique way but nothing groundbreaking.

39. Wicked Shockingly Evil and Vile- The performance of Zach doesn't save it cause the story seems misdirected on what it wants to tell.

40. Glass- It's dumb and Bruce Willis is barely acting in this but still fun and a nice end even though some of it doesn't make sense.

41. Alita: Battle Angel: A good life action anime with a terrible love story in it.

42. Lion King- Was it pointless and way worse than the original? Yes but it was still pretty impressive to look at.

43. Childs Play- A unique way to tell the story but not sure it needed to be retold.

44. It Chapter Two- Wasn't really scary and kind of dumb except the birth mark part. But Bill Hader is sooo good in this!

45. Frozen 2- Probably the most disappointing film of the year. The story was a mess and borderline insulting to the original.

46. Dark Phoenix- The last action scene almost saved it but everything else was pretty bad.

47. Justice League vs. The Fatal Five- Everything is fine with this film except the Fatal Five. They were pretty boring.

48. Aladdin- Will Smith and Mena had good chemistry but still a pointless remake of a great film.

49. Beach Bum- Matthew does a fine performance but his character does something so bad and the film just treats it like whatever.

50. Pet Sematary- A pointless reboot of a great story. This takes everything great about it and makes it bland.

51. Culture Shock- A cliche Twlight Zone wannabe that had potenial but was disappointing.

52. Godzilla: King of the Monsters- The human characters were soooo bad but hey the monster fights were kind of fun

53. Wonder Woman Bloodlines- The beginning is pretty awful considering how they rushed it but the villian at the end nearly saves it.

54. Brightburn- How do you make such a lazy cliche film on such a interesting topic?

55. Dumbo- Dumbo was cute but everything else was pretty bad. WTF happened to you Tim Burton?

56. Reign Of Superman- Just as dumb as the comic.

57. Escape Room- Just as dumb as it sounds and predictable.

58. Happy Death Day 2U- Just because you're self aware how dumb this is doesn't make it any less dumb.

[tespuco]

PotC Liveblog: Dead Man’s Chest

I’d been looking forward to rewatching DMC for some time. It was the movie that canonized my OTP and inspired so many amazing Sparrabeth fics. I fondly recalled seeing it in theaters with my family, my eyes and shipper heart growing bigger and wider with every subtext-laden appearance of Jack’s compass. I remembered feeling personally betrayed by Elizabeth’s death-kiss, like the writers had deliberately buoyed my hopes only to ruthlessly crush them. Unlike CotBP, I had only seen DMC once before, and I couldn’t wait to appreciate the complicated Jack/Elizabeth dynamic with more mature eyes.

Boy, was I disappointed. Not by the Sparrabeth, thank the gods, but by literally everything else.

Is it just me or was this movie composed of a bunch of standalone scenes and set pieces strung together? Did they bring in Tim Burton just to direct the visuals of the interrupted wedding scene? Why does the Turkish prison sequence look like the opening cutscene to a high fantasy RPG videogame with the brightness setting turned down to zero?

OK I laughed at Jack popping out of the coffin and using a femur as a paddle, but I’m confused about everything else

Oh look, the crew’s on the verge of mutiny again, and this time it is Jack’s fault

Listen, I have Ted Elliott’s compass meta tattooed on my heart, but in retrospect the “Why is all the rum gone?” scene was probably too subtle. The audience doesn’t even know at this point how the compass is supposed to work. Maybe if they had the balls to actually include the deleted Sparrabeth scenes in CotBP, Jack’s emotional turmoil wouldn’t have seemed so opaque!

Still, a character being Vexed about their affections/feelings and doing a poor job of managing that vexation is my idea of high romance

(and both Jack and Elizabeth are quite vexed with each other indeed)

I CANNOT believe I had to sit through an uninterrupted half hour of racist filler that does absolutely fuck-all to advance the plot while ticking at least four boxes on my postcolonial bingo card what the fucking fuck

Let’s tally the cinematic sins: unfunny physical comedy in a style that would’ve been more suited to animation; indigenous cannibals speaking in unrealistic, buffoonish gibberish; said cannibals worshiping our hero (and later a dog) as a deity; and worst of all--

All the brown men that Gibbs hired as extras additional crew for the Black Pearl in DMC were put into a separate cage from the recurring white characters from CotBP (btw Anamaria is absent without even a throwaway line of explanation) because apparently even barbaric islanders know and practice segregation

And so segregated, the crew enters the stupidest, most contrived rat race up a cliffside with each other that ends with the brown people’s cage falling into the ravine THEREBY GETTING RID OF ALL THE CHARACTERS OF COLOR IN ONE FELL SWOOP

Also egregious racism aside, I’m put off by the film’s rather cavalier attitude towards gratuitous loss of life? Idk I feel like in the midst of all the action and adventure CotBP knew how to handle death and violence with the appropriate modicum of gravity and horror

Meanwhile on the island Gibbs is just like “oiya we’re standing in cages built from the bones of our former shipmates ha ha”

As for Jack - Jack has yet to save a cat or anything else besides his own skin, so he’s rapidly losing the goodwill he accumulated in the first film

holy shit yet another Elizabeth Swann-related realization about my sexual awakening: her look as a cross-dressing stowaway - pretty, delicate features in a boyish, flat-chested, slender form - is literally my sexuality 

She’s literally pulling the strings of all the men on that ship! What a puppet-master queen

Tia Dalma’s interest in Will and the “touch of destiny” line is an interesting bit of foreshadowing that doesn’t get any payoff in this film. DMC and AWE have been criticized for being impossible to watch as standalone films, but I think there’s something to be said for a universe that strives for internal continuity and demands more than a casual investment in its proceedings (a related but distinct model from the MCU)

If you gave me half a reason to I would ship Jack Sparrow with anybody and everybody. Look at the flirtatious lines and looks he exchanges with Tia Dalma!! Give me that story! (Actually, artaxastra did, twice: once in her standalone Creole!Jack origin story, And All of Them True, and once again in Gods and Heroes, a Jack/Calypso interlude in her Outlaws and Inlaws ‘verse)

Tia Dalma’s acceptance (and release) of Jack’s payment for her services tells me two things about her that I really like: (1) she’s like a magpie that collects interesting miscellany (witty tricksters, cunning pirate lords, undead monkeys). and (2) she’s not interested in caging creatures (the foreshadowing!!)

FINALLY WE GET SOME JACK/ELIZABETH INTERACTION

God bless Keira’s face and acting choices!! The chemistry!! All the little smiles and smirks they share!!

How doth she look at thee? Let me count all the ways: her amused, tentatively credulous smile at Jack’s storytelling and posturing over a magical compass and chest, while Norrington scoffs disbelievingly in the background; her having to bite her lips and walk away before Jack notices her giddiness because she literally cannot handle their flirting; her little laugh as he gently rebuffs the idea that he’s a good man

Also “I have faith in you. Both of you,” were her parting words to Will and here she gets a chance to tell Jack in person yay

Their little dance of “persuasion” is hot and all (Jack literally looks like he has to bite back a groan and whimper), but I’m really here for the banter (“Friendly?” / “Decidedly not.”); they get each other, and, under the right conditions, can communicate so effortlessly

“Why doesn’t your compass work?” - alright so ofc I love the legendary “curiosity” exchange, but I’m so confused by the abrupt transition in their conversation here? Like why didn’t she follow through and tug on that line of inquiry?? The “Because you and I are alike” line that follows makes no logical sense in context (ETA: I guess it could suggest that Elizabeth already knows why the compass doesn't work for him, because he's torn between doing the right thing and the selfish thing... But at this point she doesn't suspect him of lying to her, so...idek)

“You’d never put me in a position that would compromise my honor” - my god what a TEASE my queer heart

Oh, Norrington, what’s happened to you?? What happened to serving others, not just himself?? :(( It kinda confuses me that he goes on about the “dark side of ambition” and the “promise of redemption” when he’s the one who voluntarily resigned from his post...

Norrington carrying both shovels while Jack just poses prettily though lol

JACK’S COMPASS FINALLY WORKS FOR HIM BECAUSE THE TWO THINGS HE WANTS MOST IN THE WORLD--THE CHEST AND ELIZABETH--ARE IN THE SAME PLACE AND HE KNOWS IT

idk I guess some people find the three-way swordfighting scene hilarious but I’m with Elizabeth on this one: men are stupid 

ugh this script makes no sense

I’m so fucking confused by the narrative logic here: if Jones is dead, there’s no one to call off the Kraken?? But isn’t Jones the one calling the Kraken in the first place, to settle Jack’s debt? So if they killed Jones, wouldn’t the debt be null and void? NO JONES, NO KRAKEN, DUUUH.

OK but Jack is really unlikable in this film, last-minute “heroic” acts notwithstanding. Give me fix-it fics please

I mean it’s rather telling that by the time Jack returns to the Pearl there are only enough survivors to fill a single longboat. Oh yes he “saved them all” - the few that were left!!

This script has more holes in it than the Pearl does right now: everyone unquestioningly follows Will’s orders like he’s the captain (what happened to the dork who shouted, “Aye! Avast!”?? And there’s no evidence that since his engagement post-CotBP he’s practiced any sailing)

I mean it’s like no one but Elizabeth even noticed Jack was gone; the moment he comes back Gibbs chirps, “Captain, orders?” as if he never left. This coward just abandoned you all!!!

“It’s only a ship, mate.” - This is actually just the saddest line, and I’m glad Elizabeth was there to witness it because if there’s one thing she took away from their fireside conversation in CotBP it’s that the Black Pearl is more than a ship to Jack; what it really is is freedom, and here Jack’s set to lose both

And that’s what Elizabeth--not the Kraken--definitively takes from Jack: his freedom. Not just his ability to run away from his fate, but also the chance to take a stand and face it. (I like to think that, more than the murderous act itself, is what he finds so hard to forgive post-DMC. The darker Jack in salr323′s oneshot, Perfidy, written post-AWE, articulates this eloquently: “You know nothing of my debt, love, nor of my payment. But had you allowed me a nobler death, my account might have been lighter.”) His last act of defiance entails reclaiming what choice he has left: slipping slickly out of his shackles, hat on, “hello beastie,” into the monster’s maw.

Ugh they could have given Jack’s whole arc with Davy Jones such PATHOS instead of waiting until the very end--he struck a deal with the devil in all his youth and despair and hubris; now the bell is tolling and he realizes 13 years is nothing, no time at all, and he’s not ready to die; not today, not ever--yes it’s selfish and dishonorable (Will’s willing to square the debt of a father he hardly ever knew; he wouldn’t have blinked at paying his own) but how human is that? to fight and run even as the flames lick your heels? 

omg Jack is the jackrabbit

The irony of that eulogy still gives me feelings tho: “Guess that honest streak finally won out.” Elizabeth wrested away Jack’s control over his own story, so now she has to write it for him. When she toasts, “He was a good man,” it’s in both unearned homage and recompense. 

“And the world is a little less bright.” - OK but that’s too much. Moving words from Gibbs, but here it’s like he’s speaking directly to/for the audience, and not in a good way. It’s too obviously meta, and especially out of place in a film where Jack did not shine very bright at all

In-universe, it’s not very believable that two pirates like Pintel and Ragetti--who mutinied against Jack before, without a hint of remorse!--would now risk their lives to save him

Honestly if Disney wanted to include familiar faces/fan favorites in the supporting cast for AWE, they could’ve easily written a more realistic line like, “what the hell do we have to lose?” or some more selfish motive, none of these panegyrics

btw who are the native people standing in the swampwater? holding candles with mournful tears in their eyes?? no seriously who are they??? (I dearly hope such a striking tableau was meant to hint at Jack’s history with Tia Dalma and the residents of this bayou, but the more cynical part of me thinks: “Now hiring: extras of color, to play the part of human candlesticks lit in exaltation of an ambiguously white man” The writers get no benefit of the doubt from me after forcing me to sit through that cannibal island act)

It sounds sadistic of me but seeing how anguished Elizabeth is after claiming she’s not sorry gives me life

She keeps crying, and can’t even bring herself to drink Tia Dalma’s concoction against cold and sorrow! She just fakes a sip, which is such a great little character beat, because it shows she doesn’t think she deserves the remedy! She’ll just have to live with it...

That is, until Will decides he can’t stand the sight of her grief, and opens up Pandora’s box for her despite just catching her passionately kissing another man: “If there was anything to be done to bring him back, Elizabeth...” He really is too good for this world

And Elizabeth MUST know there’s a price, that she’d be staking not just her own life and happiness but her betrothed’s, and yet selfishly, always selfish, she says, “Yes” 

BARBOSSA!!! Still the most epic character reveal ever. I still remember the theater bursting into gasps and applause, good times

[spaceorphan18]

Spaceorphan’s Movie Reviews: Batman (1989)

Before settling down to watch (and rewatch) all the films related to Marvel properties, I thought it’d be fun to take a look back over at DC.  Batman was probably the first superhero I was aware of? Since he (and Superman to a lesser extent) were the most well-known superheroes in the cultural zeitgeist.  I still say DC’s merchandising is far more prominent among children than Marvel, so of course, even in the late 80s, when I was a very young little person, I knew who Batman was.  

Of course, before 1989, there were other iterations of the character, most notably the Adam West series (and TV movies) of the 60s.  I remember catching those old episodes when it reran on Nick-at-Nite in during the 80s - I mean they were ridiculously campy, which of course also makes them family friendly, and so we had them on all the time.    Then Tim Burton came along and updated Batman to be dark and gritty.  (Like the comics! Actually, I have no idea, I’ve never read any Batman comics, so I can’t actually comment on that.)  Of course, being six at the time of theatrical release, I didn’t know what a big deal this would be.  

I don’t remember when I first watched the film.  It wasn’t in the theaters (I was too young - but not too young to see the sequel!), but I did see it a lot once it came out on VHS.  And I’ll be honest with you, it straight up scared me as a kid.  The Burton-esque imagery, mixed with dark cinematography, and the horror-esque elements of the film really seared into my young brain.  It wasn’t a film I sought out (though I don’t remember my parents watching it either, even though we owned it, I wonder if my brother watched it) but it was one that had a lasting impression, much like Ghostbusters and Back to the Future - it’s a film that I vividly remember from my childhood.  

The interesting thing (to me) is that I haven’t seen it (until now) since I was a kid.  I can think of no time as an actual adult that I’ve had the chance to pop it in again and watch it.  But, interestingly, there wasn’t a single moment of the film that I had forgotten - watching it again after, maybe, fifteen-twenty years, I really do remember every beat of this film.  However, maybe for the first time, I really understand the film as it’s intended - cause, yeah, it’s not a kids’ film (even if there was a ton of merchandising for kids - which there was, we had a toy batmobile and batwing).  

So, how does this film hold up all these years later? Surprisingly well - for what it is.  

So, maybe this is the analytical person in me, but I think this film is, maybe, more fun to talk about than to actually watch.  Of all the super fascinating things going on - the plot is the least interesting part of it, even the film itself seems to loosely hinge on the random things The Joker decides to do and is a little, meh, don’t think too hard about it.   To sum it up quickly - Gotham is being run by a crime ring and mob bosses and Batman is single handedly taking them down.  Meanwhile, The Joker is a crazed guy who wants to be bigger than the mob bosses who whole him back, and after he nearly dies in a vat of acid - he decides to become even more of a psychopathic killer and tries to kill everyone.  Because why not?

First, standing out to me much more as an adult, is all the Tim Burton-ishness about it.  Which I don’t say as a bad thing.  He has a certain Gothic, horror, cartoon-ish style, which I may say, is slightly toned down in this film than a lot of others.  Visually, I think he was a good choice of director, I think the film has such a captivating stylized look that it holds my attention when the plot doesn’t.  I think what stood out to me the most was that Burton went a drearily dark, with an occasional splash of white that made the whole film almost seem like it was in black and white - which was purposefully contrasting to the colorfulness of The Joker.  I mean, Burton is purposely giving artistry to the cinematography in a way that I don’t necessarily see in superhero films anymore, and I think that’s kind of cool.  There are times when the film is, maybe, too (literally) dark - but I feel like had the technology been just a bit better, it would have helped.  

Burton also seems to be aware of the special effects limitations of the time, because at no point was I taken out by how cheesy the graphics looked (it helps that there weren’t very man), and some of the scarier images from when I was a kid, like when The Joker kills the guy by incinerating him, hold up pretty well.  Some of the fight scenes seem weaker and stiff, not helped by the fact that I don’t think Michael Keaton could move much in that suit, but the action isn’t overdone.  The action sequences aren’t what they are today, by any means, but I think they work fine given the era of the film - I don’t really judge them for that.  

So - Michael Keaton’s Batman.  Does he do a good job? I say mostly.  As Bruce Wayne, I completely buy him.  He’s a bit charming, a bit reserved, a bit mysterious, and a bit crazy - and when Keaton is actually allowed to do something with the character, he comes alive pretty well.  The unfortunate thing is that this film really isn’t about Batman - it’s about The Joker (which I’ll get to in a moment) and therefore we don’t get to see much of Bruce Wayne doing anything - except staring off into the distance thinking about things.  I get The Joker is iconic and everything, but Keaton has made Bruce Wayne interesting enough that I do wish there had been more - because his character doesn’t get to move much beyond ‘brooding about my parents; murder thirty years ago’.  

As for Batman himself, he’s… fine.  I don’t really have any complaints, but he feels incredibly limited - more so because of the suit, and the constricting ability to do much while wearing it than anything in Keaton’s performance.  It makes sense that Batman would be a near silent warrior, but not being able to see Keaton’s expressive face holds this version back a bit.  

Meanwhile… The Joker.  Before I rented the film again, I was looking through some old reviews - and many of them mentioned that this film seemed to be more about The Joker than Batman.  And I was a bit taken aback.  I hadn’t remembered it that way.  However, it wasn’t like I was paying that much attention as a kid.  But yes, it’s true, this film really is not Batman’s film.  It’s The Joker’s.  And I understand why - The Joker is possibly one of the most intriguing characters and villains in all of literature.  He’s a character who merges tragedy, comedy, and psychopathy all in one - and yes all three are in this film.  I’m sure there are hundreds of think-pieces on The Joker as a character - understandably so.  So, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised at how much of the film he takes up.  

I’m not invested enough to say who played The Joker the best, I hardly think comparisons are necessary (even if inevitable), but I really like Jack Nicholson in the role.  More so now than what I remembered.  Nicholson really embodies that whole crazed-lunatic pretty well, and I think he’s captivating enough that he does steal the show from Batman himself.  I feel like there are so many people who discuss The Joker, much better than I can, that I won’t elaborate much more.  But yes, Jack Nicholson’s Joker is pretty amazing, and I think it holds up relatively well.  

Rounding out the limited cast is Kim Basinger’s Vicki Vale.  And, well, she’s… there.  Despite being the literal stand-in for the audience during most of the craziness - an outsider coming into Gotham and being a conduit between Batman and The Joker.  She doesn’t get much to do and is the pretty standard obligatory love interest.  Keaton and Basinger don’t have that much chemistry - but I don’t blame them, they really only have one big scene to sell the romance, and for me, that’s just not enough.  You just really aren’t given any reason why these people would like each other more than they’re supposed to.  

Meanwhile - during the scene where The Joker is dancing around with Vicki - I kept think about that one test where if the woman is replaced with a lamp, would it change the scene?  And no - no it really wouldn’t.  I get the time period of the film, and how the ‘romance’ angle is kind of beat by beat what you would find in most films around this time, so I’m not judging too harshly.  But still, she’s almost third wheel to the more entertaining and layered dance Batman and The Joker are having throughout the film.  

Smaller Thoughts: 

Prince was the official artist of this films’ soundtrack - and I’m not entirely sure how I feel about it.  The film has such a 40s-esque feel about it that when something slams it into the modern 80s, it feels a little jarring.  At the same time, the dirtiness of 80s New York, and the cultural materialism is all over this film, so the Prince songs fit nicely in.  It’s a weird dichotomy.  

Music, in general, is also what sells this film - and keeps it at ‘Classic’ level.  Danny Elfman (Tim Burton’s go to director, and a personal favorite of mine) does amazing things with the score - and helps deliver the atmosphere Burton is going for.  

I have a soft spot for Alfred - even if he weirdly decides to bring Vicki to the Batcave unannounced.   She’ll disappear next film anyway - so ultimately it won’t matter. 

I kind of enjoy the fact that Jack Nicholson insisted the actor who played Bob be in the film - and that Bob is unceremoniously and somewhat randomly killed off.  

This film is very murdery - even Batman is murdery.  He tries to kill off The Joker whenever he gets the chance.  

Billy Dee Williams is here as Harvey Dent - so that’s a super interesting thread that was never pulled on again.  

Most of the government/police force was kind of meh - and I couldn’t even really tell who Commissioner Gordon was.  

I did really like the flashback to Bruce Wayne’s parents’ deaths.  That guy who they had play a young Jack Nicholson? Spot on.  

There’s a lot of mask symbolism throughout the film.  Again, I’m impressed by Burton as an artist - and as someone who’s willing to tell a more layered film within a superhero film.   

Things that scared me as a kid: The mimes, the parade floats, The Joker’s girlfriend wearing that mask, the two dead models, the dead mob guy being burnt to a crisp, The Joker’s grin, The Joker’s laugh, really every time Jack Nicholson was on screen, and that laugh box that kept going after The Joker had died.  This film really did use to scare me.  

Final Thoughts: This film was incredibly interesting and enjoyable to come back to as an adult.  I don’t think it’s entirely rewatchable - it’s plodding along at a snail’s pace during some sequences, and I don’t think the plot is that engaging.  But I do think there’s a lot of artistry here given to us by Burton, and worth coming back to every now and then to see a film that would inspire superhero films for decades to come.