#also it’s just visually a genuinely stunning film

[chirpsythismorning]

The more I discover about Wings (1927) the more I need it to be used as inspiration in s5

[notedchampagne]

if you're still looking for movie recs!! here's some i LOVE not sure how hidden some of them are but they ARE gems

Moonstruck (1987) - cher and nic cage are extremely italian and say some of the most bonkers lines ive ever heard. nic cage's "johnny has his hand! johnny has his bride!" monologue got kinda memed i think and it might make you think its a goofy movie which it is but its also a genuinely phenomenally constructed and really gorgeous and clever one.

Down with Love (2003) - hyperstylized, chic and campy faux-60s satirical battle of the sexes romcom with maybe the highest joke per minute ratio ive ever seen in a movie. every second of it is hilarious and SUCH a feast for the eyes, all around hysterically fun.

Ida (2013) - Polish black and white film about a nun and her aunt and their family history in the 60s. never graphic or violent but does deal with some pretty heavy topics (namely the holocaust and suicide). a lot more quiet and introspective but pretty short and sweet around 80 minutes

We Have a Pope (2011) - smart, funny, surprisingly melancholy italian comedy about a papal conclave. this one was an instant fav for me, its one of those movies that sort of opens with a thesis question and instead of resolving it just continues to wind it around and reflect in on itself in really cool, weird ways

Certified Copy (2010) - lush, gorgeous, disorienting romance about a french single mother and an english author in tuscany. kind of hard to explain without giving it away but it follows this theme of originals and copies and reflections of reflections. it exists on this like, razors edge of cynicism and sincerity and its SO visually stunning, like there were some shots that actually made my jaw drop

OOH certified copy and down with love definitely grabbed my interest but for the latter thats something id watch on my own time. you know for silly joyous things to see while im drawing.

i am still open for more movie recs but if anyone wants to see the type of stuff i already watched heres my letterboxd

[animesmolbean]

My thoughts on Wonka 2023.

Straight up, I loved it!! I was excited when they announced this movie was being made. Having been a fan of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory material since I was five years old, this made me jump with excitement.

I have been a fan of Tim's Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory since I was a kid, and my love for it is still strong. Then, I saw Wilder's film a few years later, read the book (when I was little, I didn't know there was a book), and then I saw Broadway show just a few years ago in Chicago.

Watching the trailer for the new movie made my childhood nostalgia resurface, and I told my mom I wanted to go see it. Over Christmas break, she, along with my little sister (who had already seen it with friends, along with my mom), and I was hopping with excitement.

Now, to the review. Some spoilers ahead, especially for the ending!

Again, I absolutely loved it! It was exactly what I needed. A sweet, adorable, and fun experience! The visuals were stunning, the casting and acting were phenomenal (the whole cast stood out to me), the costumes were detailed, and they suited the characters perfectly. The humor was spot on. I laughed when Hugh Grant's Lofty started to sing and dance to the Oompa Loompa song, along with my mom and little sister. The songs were very catchy and nostalgic (hard to pick a favorite), and the vocals were great! My favorite scenes were the scene in the Gallery Gourmet when Willy first meets Slugworth, Fickleberger, and Prodnose, "For a Moment," when we first meet Lofty, "A World of Your Own", and the ending.

I also loved how it has references to the films that came before it. Most of them were references to the Gene Wilder film, but I noticed a few references from the Johnny Depp movie, too, which made me very happy!

I know people were a bit turned off when they first watched it and found out it was a musical. But honestly, I knew it was going to be a musical from the beginning because of how the Wilder's film was, and Burton's one had songs in it too; not to mention the Broadway show. If anything, it made me even more excited to see it!

I never knew Timothée Chalamet could sing or dance before this movie. I've seen a few of his films before this one (Pretty Women and Bones and All), so I was genuinely surprised at how great he sounded. He sounded so passionate, and I think that is better than sounding right all the time; it feels a bit robotic to me. I teared up and quietly freaked out when Timothée started singing Pure Imagination, and the nostalgia hit me like a truck. It hit me so hard that in the movie theater, I started to sing along with Timothée and I didn't regret it.

All in all, this movie was what I needed. It felt like a big, warm hug or a warm cup of hot chocolate. It also officially made me a Timothée Chalamet fan. I highly recommend this movie if you're a fan of the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory material, if you're a Timothée Chalamet fan, or if you just want a fluffy and fun family movie to watch.

10/10 🎩🍫

-AnimeSmolBean 💜

[moviewarfare]

A Review of “Oppenheimer (2023)”

Christopher Nolan is one of my favourite directors operating today. He makes some of the most entertaining movies in modern cinema. Even at his worst, such as with his last film Tenet, it is still way more entertaining than a majority of movies released. After the Warner Bros same-day streaming debacle they pulled; Nolan left for Universal and this is his first film with them. Does Nolan continue to deliver or has he dropped a big bomb?

Cillian Murphy has been a long-time collaborator with Nolan but this is the first time he is the main lead. He is PHENOMENAL as the titular character. He gives such nuance to his performance through body language and facial expressions alone to convey the emotion of his character. It is such a breath of fresh air from the normal yelling Oscar performances you see. He is genuinely perfect at Oppenheimer and if he doesn't get a nomination for his performance then I will be fuming! One surprising aspect of watching this film was how stacked the cast truly was. There are so many well-known actors in here that I didn't even know was even in the movie. Every supporting actor is terrific in their roles, even if it was a very minor role. The biggest standout amongst the supporting actors has got to be Robert Downey Jr as Lewis Strauss. He gives a spectacular, compelling and even frighteningly realistic performance that makes his character stand out from the crowd. It is great to see him in a non-Marvel role and knock it out of the park. If he doesn't get a nomination for the best supporting actor then I will be also fuming!

This movie is 3 hours long but you won't even feel the length because of the amazing pacing. Despite being a drama, it never drags or bores you. It moves from scene to scene very quickly in a non-chronological order but you're never lost either. There are lot of scientific jargon which is to be expected as this is about the making of the nuclear bomb. However, the excellent screenplay makes these relatively understandable so that non-scientist can easily comprehend what's going on. There is some great political tension in the 3rd act as well which was handled masterfully. In terms of story, it is juggling a lot with Oppenheimer's early life, the making of the bomb and the aftermath. Despite this, Nolan does an amazing job of exploring the character of Oppenheimer which shows all aspects of him, including his flaws. The constant build-up and tension to the bomb is incredibly engaging!

Ludwig Goransson, the composer of Tenet, returns for this film. His music score is wonderfully haunting with his use of violins. His music score illustrates the horror of the actions of these scientists. Hoyte van Hoytema also returns as the cinematographer. His cinematography is visually stunning and this is thanks to the practical sets, natural lighting and real locations used. On that note, the use of practical effects and no CGI is just so awesome to see. Nolan thankfully didn't use a real nuke but he still replicates it practically and it certainly shows! The realistic explosion meant it didn't take us out of the movie as you don't question the look of the explosion as it is real. When the explosion occurs, it is weirdly captivating and frightening to look at just like it was for the characters. The sound design is also a highlight as the sound of the explosion is impactful and even terrifying. The sound itself is the jump scare and it works. The only nitpick I have with this film, which is a common problem in Nolan movies is sometimes I just can't hear what the characters are saying because of the weird sound mixing. It isn't as bad here as it was in Tenet but it is still a problem.

Overall, what an amazing movie from Nolan! This is a monumental and engrossing achievement from him. Nolan is one of the few directors whose name alone is enough of a reason to watch and Oppenheimer does not change that. He successfully made a 3-hour biopic drama, the most entertaining film of 2023. Oppenheimer isn't one of those Oscar-bait movies that were made to just win an Oscar. It was made to be enjoyable for everyone and that is why this film should win best picture. This is a must-watch for everyone as it is the best movie of 2023 so far!

For more reviews like this visit:

https://moviewarfarereviews.blogspot.com/

[psychic-waffles]

Top 5...................?

Cookies?

Redheads (Dyed is acceptable)?

Costumes from tv or movies?

COSTUMES FROM MOVIES LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOO

i am gonna keep it just to movies or i'll be sitting here all day just trying to decide, this is something i am EXTREMELY passionate about (sorry)

Edith's Nightdress (Crimson Peak - Kate Hawley):

I'm a HUGE fan of all of the costumes in crimson peak, especially how edith and lucille's costumes run with the butterfly/moth motif in the movie, but my absolute favourite is edith's nightgown (sorry yellow dress, you were a close second)

as with all of edith's dresses, THE SLEEVES!! THE DETAIL!! THE DRAPE OF THE FABRIC!!! the amount of hours that must have gone into each of these costumes jut blows my mind. like jsut look closely at the stitching holding all of the pleating in place!!! the size of the buttons!! it's just utterly beautiful

but the nightdress just makes her look so young, and so fragile, especially when she's wearing the dressing gown as well she's just swamped in fabric.

and then the visual storytelling of the red of the clay and the blood creeping up from the hem when she's running around at the end, it's BEAUTIFUL.

Elizabeth Swann's 'Pirate King' outfit (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End - Penny Rose)

if i had to name one film that got me interested in how films were made more than any other it would be at world's end, i watched the behind the scenes features HUNDREDS of times. every single costume told a story, and the amount of thought gone into aging and weathering them just blew me away. it was so hard to pick just one costume, even just one of elizabeth's costumes (sorry black pearl nightgown) but honestly i wish i had a deeper reason for picking this one specifically but mostly i just think she looks cool as hell during the final battle.

and also i just will forever be heart eyes over the goldwork

Evelyn's wedding gown (The Fall - Eiko Ishioka)

Eiko Ishioka is a genius, the fall is quite honestly a visual masterpiece, and the costumes are a HUGE part of that. if you haven't seen it, half of the film is a little girl being told a story, and how she's picturing it in her imagination.

Because of this each costume is a totally unique look, and the fact that they're all so different to each other makes them pop even more. Everything is in bold shapes and colours, with distinct silhouettes, but the details are just as beautiful.

The costume I've actually picked is a evelyn's wedding gown, just because i think of all of them it's (by a narrow margin) the most visually striking. mostly due to that headpiece.

It's a moment in the film where all eyes are supposed to be focussed on evelyn (to distract from other things going on), so if they were going to put her in a showstopping costume this was the moment.

It's obviouslly just stunning all round, and such a genuinely interesting design, like no one else could have EVER come up with this other than eiko ishioka. I don't know how else to explain that other than go and look at the costumes for the fall (2006) and bram stoker's dracula (1992) next to each other and you'll get what i mean.

but it's the little details as well, that seem so unneccesary to the overall look but are still beautiful, like the change in bead on the end of the veil, the trim around the neck and on the headpiece, the slight pattern on the fabric. and then there's just the overall construction of it, which is just flawless!!

Truly i would sell my soul to see the design process behind any single costume in this film.

Queen Ravenna's 'Beetle' dress (Snow White and the Huntsman - Colleen Atwood)

i'm not going to try to defend it, this was a bad movie, HOWEVER the costumes were absolutely stunning, and ESPECIALLY the costumes they gave to charlize theron.

And despite being in the film for only a moment i will never ever be able to stop thinking about this dress.

the structured shoulders!! the colours!! the trailing layers!! the contrasting textures!! the way they've shredded the fabric to give it EVEN MORE texture!! and of course, most importantly, the hundreds of individually attached beetle shells

i just think it's a work of art

Aragorn's 'Strider' outfit (The Fellowship of the Ring - Ngila Dickson):

So i've always adored the lord of the rings costuming, it all feels very believable and cohesive as a world, whilst also having distinct looks for each race/location, and has set a bit of a blueprint that not a lot of high fantasy has strayed very far from since (which is a shame, but also speaks to how effective it is).

However my absolute favourite costume is Aragorn's first costume, or rather the version of this costume that he arrives at by the end of the Fellowship of the Ring. It's both an incredibly practical costume, whilst also having hints that Aragorn is more than just some random ranger. My favourite of which being the beautiful smocking detail on the sleeves.

I also am a HUGE fan of the fact that nothing on his costume is actually black - it's greens and blues and browns, and then it's all beautifully aged over the top of that, and there are parts that are ripped and sewn back together, it looks like something actually lived in (cue aragorn never showers joke). i just think it does a brilliant job of telling aragorns story visually. and of course it's kind of ""completed"" when he adds boromir's bracers to it 😭

[ultrahpfan5blog]

Elemental is a delightful surprise...

I am generally a fan of anything Pixar. They probably have the best quality track record of any major studio in Hollywood. So I expected a minimum level of quality going into the movie, but the reviews for the film were more moderate than top tier Pixar. Frankly, after watching the movie, I am shocked that the reviews aren't higher because the movie is an absolute delight. A beautifully animated, visually stunning, and very fun and well meaning movie which was hilarious and moving at various points. The movie is a mixture of a romcom, a first generation immigrant story, and a self discovery story, and these elements are all juggled together due to a creation of some really likable characters. This is genuinely the best romcom that we have seen in years. Romcoms have become a rarity in theatrical release, but Elemental has all the ingredients of a good one. There is great chemistry between Ember and Wade, which made me really root for them. There are funny moments, genuinely romantic moments, and some heartbreaking moments between them. The first generation immigrant story is also heartwarming. There are little touches that work so well, like Bernie and Cinder having to keep names that are easier to pronounce in Element city, Bernie's english not being perfect, and having their own community and traditions, separated from the rest of Element city. The story of dealing with the pressure of expectations, and the battle between duty to your parents vs doing what you want is an evergreen story. If there is a ding against this film, it is that these are all stories and tropes that have been done before, including by Disney, and the metaphors are fairly obvious. But it honestly didn't matter to me because the execution was great. And frankly, these are stories that are always relevant. All the individual aspects of the story just work and there are numerous quite moving scenes. I will say that I was surprised by just how much the very ending scene moved me. Of course, being Pixar, the animation is breathtaking. The way they show emotions of Ember by how her flames ebb and flow is just a joy to watch. Element city is vibrant and full of color. There is a dance scene with Wade and Ember that is beautiful, romantic, and intimate, and a lot of credit has to be given to the design and animation of that scene.

All in all, I think Peter Sohn has done an excellent job with this film. It is definitely an improvement over The Good Dinosaur. The voice acting is stellar, particularly by Leah Lewis as Ember, Mamoudou Athie as Wade, and Ronnie del Carmen as Bernie. I hope that the film has legs and people watch it because it is worth watching. An 8.5/10.

[royallpetrichor]

Okay so I haven't posted in like 12 years and I know I'm like a week late, but what's everyone's thoughts on the live-action ATLA teaser? I'm genuinely very interested to know, because I certainly have thoughts, and I've definitely seen some polarised opinions. What do you like about it, and are you worried about anything?

Anyway, my long personal thoughts are below the keep reading line. I probably haven't said anything super new, or any hot takes but they're there.

First, what I loved about the teaser. It looked visually stunning! The shot composition all looked amazing (to someone who knows nothing about film), the visual tone was definitely there, and the set design was gorgeous! The entire time I was just going "oh my god, oh my god, oh my god" but in a good way. The characters especially look great. In particular, I loved Suki, Aang, and Zuko. I know some people were disappointed with how the characters looked, but I really think it's the best we could have gotten considering the wide disconnect between animation and live-action, and I think it's something people need to remember.

The acting obviously hasn't been shown very much, so it's still up in the air in that regard. I've been trying to convince myself I'm cautiously optimistic, but quite honestly I've gone straight to pure excitement, despite my worries.

We're also getting more flashbacks, as shown by the fact there's a scene of the Air Nomad genocide. More worldbuilding and backstory is definitely something I'm very happy about, so I'm excited to see where it goes. The thing that stumps me on it is whether they're going to do it well. In the film that shall not be named, Shyamalan put references to the original show everywhere, but he never took the time to understand why they worked. It was like he wanted us to say "Wow! They said the thing!!!!!" as if we'd clap at the screen without actually thinking about anything. I'm really, really hoping that's not the case here.

The tone is definitely something that people are concerned about, myself included. The teaser was very serious and dramatic. Of course, the show has those moments but it's overall very lighthearted. It's a show about friendship first and foremost, and those positive messages are highlighted throughout the series. I'm hoping this teaser is more Netflix saying "Look at these cool effects!" and less "This is the overall tone of the entire series!".

The humour also comes to play in this. ATLA has a lot of jokes. You know this, I know this, they work, I don't have to talk about it. I'm curious about the humor in the live-action series because a lot of the humour in ATLA works because the show is animated, and wouldn't work in the live-action setting. In the film that shall not be named, Shyamalan tried to take jokes from the show, but they just fell completely flat because it was the completely wrong genre and just created tonal dissonance.

The last big thing I'm worried about is the characters, particularly Katara and Zuko.

I'm worried about Katara, because film has had this tendency in the past (and I know this is probably outdated) to "tone down" a female character's more "unsavoury/unladylike" traits. This is a bad example but it's the best my brain can come up with, but Hermione in the HP films compared to the books. In the films she was smart, brave, never wrong, and never made fun of. In the books, she was smart, yes, but also naive, and really mean and judgy sometimes.

Katara is a strong female character because she's not perfect. She's hotheaded and can hold a mean grudge, but those make her who she is. Also, in the film that does not exist, other character's strong moments are inexplicably given to Katara to make her more "badass" without actually putting in the work for her.

I'm worried about Zuko for an entirely different reason. I'm scared they'll "tone back" his assholeness in the first season, and possibly even give us his backstory a lot sooner. I really don't want this, because the whole reason his redemption arc works is because he was a villain first. He did bad things, but he atoned for them. His backstory explains his actions but doesn't excuse them. If we're sympathetic to him too early, the payoff is going to feel a lot cheaper, and like he didn't actually work to make himself better because he was already there.

Okay wow that was a lot, but that sums up all of my thoughts/concerns/excitement for the show. I'm really stoked to see where they go with it, and even if it's a disaster I'll probably enjoy it anyway honestly.

[beaft]

recommend some horror?

aha!! i am glad you asked (no really, i am, thank you for giving me the opportunity to be loud about my favourite genre). here is a non-exhaustive list of some of my personal favourites:

books

-the ballad of black tom by victor lavalle (retelling of lovecraft's "the horror at red hook" by a black author, i could talk about this one for hours suffice to say it's Very Good)

-pet semetary by stephen king (i have a love/hate relationship with mr king but i think this is one of his better books)

-the haunting of hill house by shirley jackson (actually, just about anything by shirley jackson, my personal favourite book by her is "we have always lived in the castle")

-beloved by toni morrison (it's not exactly horror, but i have to put it here anyway because it's too good not to)

-things we say in the dark by kirsty logan

-tell me i’m worthless by alison rumfitt

-house of leaves by mark z. danielewski (i detest this book. yes it's still one of my top favourites and no i will not be taking questions at this time.)

-my heart is a chainsaw by stephen graham jones

-literally anything by robert aickman

movies

-pan’s labyrinth (historical fantasy-horror, visually stunning, one of my favourite movies of all time)

-lake mungo (australian found footage horror about ghosts and grief)

-the texas chain saw massacre (not as gory as the title might suggest)

-the wicker man (the original version, unless you’re in the mood to see nicolas cage at his nicolas cagiest)

-jacob’s ladder (beautiful, eerie, hallucinogenic, you will not know what’s going on for most of it and that’s honestly kind of the point)

-carrie (the sissy spacek version NOT the one with chloe moretz)

-the ritual (it's not a perfect movie but the creature design is WONDERFUL)

-alien (grr! i'm gonna getcha! i'm the alien! and so on)

-nosferatu (both versions are excellent, but i am particularly partial to the 1979 one with klaus kinski as the vampire)

-whistle and i’ll come to you (unsettling short film based on an m. r. james story)

-hereditary (this one's best if you go in blind, but i realise that’s probably difficult since a lot of it has been memed to hell and back)

-the thing (sci-fi thriller/body horror movie set on an isolated arctic research base)

-don't look now (based on a daphne du maurier short story; light on the horror but heavy on the uncanny)

-cabin in the woods (comedy-horror) okay this one is kind of a guilty pleasure for me but it does have some clever moments and it’s genuinely very fun to watch

-silent hill 2006 (another guilty pleasure, it is very much not a good movie but also i've seen it like 7 times, so.)

-ginger snaps (the close relationship between a pair of misfit sisters is tested when one of them starts going through puberty, and also incidentally becomes a werewolf. similar vibes to jennifer's body although i personally prefer this one)

-penda’s fen (startlingly ahead of its time – it’s basically a coming-of-age story about a gay teenager in rural england with a tasty slice of religious/folk horror)

-crimson peak (love letter to the "gothic melodrama" genre)

-us (i personally preferred it to get out, but they’re both amazing; i haven’t seen NOPE yet but i hope to soon!)

tv shows

-castlevania (based on the video game, vampires + religious horror, gorgeously animated, unexpectedly funny)

-the terror (true-ish story of a doomed voyage to the north-west passage) (the demon bear may or may not be historically factual) (we just don't know)

-twin peaks (idk if it counts as horror but i’m putting it here anyway. it’s not for everyone but it occupies a special place in my heart)

-in the flesh (again, not quite horror, but there are horror elements, and i am putting it here because it’s both a pleasingly original take on the zombie-apocalypse genre and a beautiful queer love story. it got cancelled halfway through its run and i will never stop being salty about it.)

-the enfield haunting (three-part tv drama) (much better than the james wan movie) (not that that’s hard)

podcasts

-the magnus archives (do not ask me about this show unless you're prepared to hear me yell about it for Ever and Ever and Ever)

-alice isn't dead (lesbian trucker searches for her missing wife amidst various spooky happenings)

-a scottish podcast (washed-up radio DJ decides to become a phony paranormal investigator to make some extra cash, but his scheme goes awry when he stumbles on a genuine paranormal event)

-i am in eskew (man attempts to leave city, is unsuccessful)

message me if you want trigger warnings or a more detailed description for any of these!

[popcultureoverdosed]

One Piece Film Red is Cinematic Gold

The latest one piece film is a visual and musical feast for fans old and new alike. The center focus is on Uta, a childhood friend from Luffy's past who is none other than Shanks' (adoptive) daughter. She uses her talented singing skills to charm the audience and usher in a new era of peace. But at what cost will she manifest her dreams?

Uta is an exemplary example of an anti villain done right. She grew up seeing how much despair pirates cause with their mayhem so she set out to make songs to soothe the hearts of their victims. She genuinely wants what is best for the world but goes about it in the worst way possible. I loved the dynamic she had with Luffy. It started out as a cheerful reunion between two distant friends before their clashing ideals results in conflict. Luffy embodies the idea of freedom while Uta uses forceful measures so everyone follows her version of happiness. This contrast makes the drama all the better. Seeing Uta devolve from a high spirited girl to a broken martyr was so gut wrenching to sit through. I truly feel that she's one of the best female characters in the entire franchise from just one movie alone.

The animation and music were also stunning throughout the entire movie. Uta's musical numbers were vividly animated and full of detail. Character designer Masayuki Sato elevated Oda's designs to the next level and brought them to perfection. I wish he was the main character designer for the anime, but the art has improved ever since the Wano arc began so I'm content. The animation goes full throttle during the final battle against Tot Musica where all the straw hats and Shank's crew team up, albeit indirectly. One piece has never looked so eye catching before. Luffy briefly tapping into gear 5 in the final battle was icing on the cake.

Ado absolutely killed it on this soundtrack. I've been a fan of her since discovering usseewa and she doesn't disappoint at all. Each song captures how Uta feels at the current moment in the film and sheds light on her character. My favorite songs are the victorious sounding "Backlight" and the captivating haunting " Tot Musica", which is also the name of the ultimate villain in Red. Fun fact, Tot Musica was composed by legendary composer Hiroyuki Sawano, the same guy who worked on titles like Promare and blue exorcist. He's not the only high profile name on the list either. New Genesis is composed by Yasutaka Nakata, a man who played a pivotal role in the 2000s J-pop scene. I'm hoping these ambitious musical collabs become more common in one piece soon.

Overall, One piece film Red outshines all other films in the franchise with its gripping character drama and impeccable soundtrack. You can officially watch the movie on Vudu.

[bb-bare-bones]

Deya's Favourite Body Horror Films

Art and Words by Dy Dawson, @xgardensinspace

John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982)

Films that have practical special effects tend to be my absolute favourites! And this film is – at least in my humble opinion – the holy grail for practical special effects! I never get tired of watching bodies becoming unrecognisable masses of bone and sinew in this incredible film, and the fact that everything looks agonisingly real whilst being done through the power of makeup and human hands with such extensive precision blows my mind! EVERY GODDAMNED TIME!

The Void (2016)

Similarly to The Thing, I praise the shit out of this hidden gem because the practical effects are PRISTINE! I don’t wish to say much about this one because it’s a real treat, and the fact that they managed to build a WHOLE creature on such a tight budget (plus all the many other special effects) is insanely amazing. A must watch, if you haven’t already!

Braindead (1992)

For this one I would like to say, buckets of blood and a lawnmower. That is all.

Nah, but in all seriousness, this is considered to be the goriest film of all time, and for good measure. It’s extremely campy, but all the effects are practical (I think you might start seeing the pattern here), super well done, and even if this is a horror comedy, the gory scenes are bound to make you feel icky! Also…Peter Jackson made this masterpiece before Lord of the Rings. I just think that’s fucking precious.

Child’s Play 2 (1990)

Some might not consider this a “body horror” film, but if we really think about it, this film series still contains an extensive showcase of body horror as a doll is quite literally turning human. This could fall under the “mutation” bracket of body horror. The first two films do the best job at showcasing that; the doll’s appearance shifts as Chucky spends time inside the doll. It’s shown through the progression of his staining teeth, the receding hairline, and a blemished face. I have specifically selected Child’s Play 2 because it’s got the most beautiful blend of this “mutation”, and the violation of the doll’s (human) body itself. That final scene in the factory is the best, and this stands as the only film that I couldn’t sleep with after watching. Sure, I was 8 years old, but I’ve been watching horror since the age of 5 and the fact that this one genuinely frightened me and has now turned into one of my favourite franchises saysa lot (mee thinks).

Akira (1988)

This film is simply amazing! And the most stunning example of body horror in animation! Well, the kind about physical human body mutilation, of course. But the animation behind those scenes is pure bliss and such a beautifully grotesque visual. I played King of Fighters before actually watching Akira, though. So when I saw Tetsuo’s arm do “the thing” for the very first time, you can imagine how happy I was to know there was a magnificent reference to the character X/9999. It fulfilled some childhood nostalgia I didn’t know I was craving, and seeing those scenes in the movie still runs chills down my spine because that animation is GORGEOUSLY disturbing. And trust me, I like to be disturbed.

Hellraiser (1987)

My favourite thing about body horror is the absolute gory violation and destruction of the human body. The whole centrepiece of this film is body mutilation, so of course it’s going to be on my list! My favourite scene is when Frank Cotton is being resurrected from the floorboards of the attic. When that spine connects to the brain, I shriek with Frank in pure awestruck! Another thing I love about body horror is THE GOOP! I need fluids, blood and goop and ooze and stringy bits. And that scene has SO much of it!

If I’m not being disturbed and/or disgusted, am I really watching horror?

Re-Animator (1985)

What can I say about this one that Ed hasn’t already? I mean… c’mon! There is SO much body horror and practical effects in this baddie to fill an entire house! I mean, the opening scene has exploding eyeballs, for Pete’s sake! And the entirety of Dr. Halsey head is oscar-winning material for the makeup department! As well as for the effectiveness of working smart, not hard. This entire film is a beautiful collection of practical effects that work effectively by not spending an absurd amount of money. It’s a B-film for a reason! And let’s face it, B-films often have some of the best effects in the industry because people have to work around that tight budget, get very creative and manage to deliver effects that can withstand the test of time, as well as look as convincing as possible. Re-Animator does this so well, and I sometimes forget Dr. Halsey isn’t actually decapitated in that fucking scene. Such a simple effect accomplished incredibly effectively.

Ginger Snaps (2000)

This is one of my favourite films, but not necessarily for the body horror; it’s just such a bloody good story! I still wanted to include it because I feel it’s a bit of an underrated or not very talked about film. Anyone with a period needs to watch it, first of all… And the practical special effects for Ginger’s werewolf transformation are genuinely impressive! One of my favourite things about this film is the opening sequence, with the sisters’ photoshoot on deaths. They are all very precious ways to die, and some are very body-horror oriented! (As well as the social commentary on women and their periods. It’s fucking BRILLIANT!)

Event Horizon (1997)

This one is truly a treat for sci-fi and horror films alike! And if you, like me, adore both genres, this film is just a treasure! It’s gorey, it’s gritty, and the plot is to die for. A little Hellraiser around the edges, but who’s complaining? And the special effects are truly magnificent! Also, look out for deleted scenes or the unrated versions of this film, please. You cannot miss this film in its full horrific glory!

Taxidermia (2006)

Taxidermia’s a bit odd, but I love it for exactly that reason. It’s one of the only films to have genuinely disturbed me; although it’s for my emetophobia reason rather than for body horror-situations. Although…it brings the question on whether competitive food eating is a bit of a violation on the body, hehe. It’s a film about 3 generations of one family, through the POV of the grandfather, the dad and the son. The biggest “body horror” part in this film is the last segment, and boy is it beautiful! Well, the bits with the son only. The body metamorphosis the dad went through is certainly grotesque, but the effects are sort of unrealistic/comedic(?) and thus look a bit silly. But trust me, that final transformation the son goes through is truly beautiful :)

Again… a really bizarre little Hungarian film, but if you are interested, go watch it and don’t say I didn’t warn you! I also don’t personally know anybody who has seen this film…so it’s always great to recommend and put it out there!

Honourable Mentions:

Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989)

This one is here for being ICONIC. This film is so creative and artsy about its body horror. Certainly taking inspiration from Akira, but also just being unsettling for its stylised way of showcasing the destruction of the human body. Bits and wires everywhere! In black and white? SURE! I love the red of blood, but this movie gets a pass for its sheer imaginative way of displaying body horror.

The Fly (1986)

Love this film, but surprisingly it’s not one of my favourites! I wanted to include it here though, because the metamorphosis Seth Brundle goes through is EXTREMELY grotesque! It’s got absolutely everything I adore about the genre: Physical human body violations, gore, GOOP, and practical effects.

Scanners (1981)

Honestly, this one is just here because I FUCKING love that head exploding scene everyone knows about :b LITERAL ART!

Black Sheep (2006)

A dark comedy! Or horror comedy? Either way, this fucking film is DISTURBING! The practical effects are to die for, and the final creature sent shivers down my spine. I don’t care how silly this film is, if it wasn’t comedic, this would be a straight up HORROR of the most disturbing kind. And besides, anything making commentary on animal cruelty and animal testing is a definite narrative artistry about body horror in my book.

American Mary (2012)

This film has A TON of body horror displays! Full frontal and all. It’s one of my picks that isn’t just about gorey mutilation, but actual sexual violation as well :0 It’s got such a strong message, and the visuals are pretty great! Extra points for empowering women ;)

Slither (2006)

This film is only here for being one of the only ones to genuinely disgust and disturb me. The transformation of that one woman in the barn creeps me to the core :( And that doesn’t happen often! So as much as I hate this movie for making me feel uncomfortable, it’s gotta be on the list, right?

Society (1989)

This film is also fucking GROSS. Commentary on the rich being as disgusting as the actions happening, and as gross as they look in the end of this film is fucking GOLD! I’m all for it. Definitely not one of my favourites (it’s just a little boring at parts), but worth mentioning for that social commentary mixed in with absolutely horrendous body mutilation scenes done with practical effects.

Splinter (2008)

Another little hidden gem of a movie! I don’t hear people talk about this one ENOUGH! One of two films in my list that doesn’t exclusively include practical effects (I think). But that’s okay! Because this film is SO creative and has such a unique version of the zombie virus! It certainly will shake you; especially if hearing and/or seeing bones cracking is one of your “irk” uncomfy factors.

[bluecoolr]

My OCs as Influencers

inspired by @solmints-messyocdiary

The Todd Siblings

Darrell

mainly YouTube

has Insta, reddit, and tumblr but uses those mostly to lurk

content is mostly helmet cam footage of him driving through Devil's Peak and the surrounding highways

trail cam footage of the wild hogs, many of it grainy, black and white, and mildly unsettling

educational stuff about the hogs, shows off Jeb like a subway sandwich for views

"close encounters" videos with "supernatural beings" in the woods

DIY home repair and gardening tutorials

unintentional thirst traps, especially when he films himself changing clothes at a rest stop

Susannah

Instagram and tiktok

content is Southern Belle/cottagecore realness

posts the most beautiful pictures you've ever seen

selfies are always stunning

seamstress by trade and probably has an etsy shop

models all the clothes she makes

GRWM videos with the most soothing voice-over

gets loads of hate but is genuinely super nice

Nathan

YouTube vlogger

cinematic vids showcasing farm life

day in a life vids

informational vids about the crops, etc.

gained lots of attention because he's cute and looks hot in overalls

not above making thirst traps, unlike Darrell, he claims they were unintentional.

Judah

tiktok, insta and YouTube

dark academia content

posts playlists, book and fashion recs, and study with me/study tips

sometimes posts his poetry with accompanying music and visuals

very highbrow stuff

Salome

tiktok

videos about thrifting, plushie hauls, and art

sketchbook tours

draws strangers and random farm animals

reviews art supplies

does art giveaways

just does her thing and has one of the most wholesome comment sections

super easy to befriend

Darcellen

Youtube for her covers and original songs

a private insta for keeping in touch

not really an influencer, just someone who wants an outlet for her talent

Rex Hoskins

this old man? social media? Pfft

"influence? Influece what?"

too busy rounding up cattle

Stephanie

tiktok

mostly shows off outfits and gives styling tips

style is gurokawa ("creepy cute") and/or pastel goth

positive pov videos (like "if you're sad watch this")

probably collects monster high dolls and sanrio merch

Cheryl Catacutan

Cheryl Fear on YouTube

video essayist and aspiring filmmaker

focuses on horror, film analysis, real-life and internet mysteries, and urban legends

has an ongoing found footage horror series shot in first person

actually really good at acting and sound design

collaborates with "Clancy" for her soundtracks

has other socials that are completely empty except for when she uses them to promote her projects

goes on pinterest a lot for inspo

"Clancy"/"Pay Phone"

manages his band's youtube channel aside from being the lead singer

also has a bandcamp

heavy metal/doom metal

some of his band's music videos are directed by Cheryl

[lumiereandcogsworth]

hey lumi! I just thought of another question I wanted to ask you, other than batb, which live action remake do you think is the best? I haven't seen any and I want an expert opinion 😄

oh my gosh!!!!! i’m so honored. and i’m also SO autistic so i did so much more here than you asked. but anyway i wanted to wait to answer this until today because the little mermaid (2023) just dropped on disney+ and i JUST watched it for the first time. so i can include it in my list!!

of course prefacing with these are all my personal opinions, im not a film expert (and i pray to God i never am) i just like what i like! so without further ado: my thoughts! also this is just in chronological order, not ranked.

alice in wonderland (2010) - dude!! this was SUCH a hyperfixation for me when i was a kid. somehow, batb 2017 is NOT the first live action disney movie i’ve been utterly obsessed with. this movie is so good. i love the lightly gothic, mysterious fantasy aesthetic that is has. i love the wardrobe, i want to wear every outfit alice wears. i love how dark it is, like there’s such an edge to it while still being pleasant and fun enough to respectably be a disney movie. johnny depp does a fantastic job of course, (purely discussing his acting abilities here) he truly brings the madness into the mad hatter. all the acting is fantastic though. i highly recommend this film. you don’t really need to have seen the 1951 cartoon, i hadn’t, but it doesn’t hurt to! (i don’t recommend the sequel, alice through the looking glass, though. they really should’ve quit while they were ahead on this one)

maleficent (2014) & maleficent: mistress of evil (2019) - i enjoyed both of these!! i actually liked the second one more, but either way, it’s such a fun take on sleeping beauty. and this is coming from someone who LOVES sleeping beauty 1959!! it’s different obviously but it really is a good time, absolutely worth watching.

cinderella (2015) - beautiful! lovely!! not the most exciting film honestly but i do love the aesthetics and wardrobe. it’s a really pretty, pleasant movie. i’d love to rewatch it sometime! if only disney+ had it! which it doesn’t! for some inexplicable reason!!

beauty and the beast (2017) - i know you said besides my wife but obviously i have to still list it because. that’s my wife. anyway perfect film no notes!

the nutcracker and the four realms (2018) - i wanted to like this one so much more than i did. but it was just, so weird. it derails from canon in a way that isn’t enjoyable. ah. twas a let down, for me.

christopher robin (2018) - i don’t remember much honestly but it’s cute!! certainly worth a watch, but i don’t recall anything too special about it. it did make me cry though (that’s not hard for me to do at movies, to be fair)

mary poppins returns (2018) - CANNOT RECOMMEND ENOUGH!! THIS MOVIE IS LIKE IF JOY WAS TURNED INTO A FILM!!!! AAAHHH!!! :) SO LOVELY SO WONDERFUL!!!

the lion king (2019) - :/ genuinely not worth your time. it was TOO similar to the cartoon in terms of storyline, so it felt incredibly pointless to me. plus, it’s kind of boring that they look like real lions. i felt like i was watching animal planet but then pulled out of reality whenever they spoke or sang afjskfj

aladdin (2019) - ever since i saw this, i’ve only ever had three takeaways, and i’ll say them like a compliment sandwich. 1. visually STUNNING. the colors and the choreography, the people! all very beautiful. 2. the romance was… very flat? i honestly kept forgetting there was a love story going on. when they kiss at the end i was like “OOOHHH RIGHT!!” lmao. there’s just so much other stuff going on, jasmine & aladdin’s love story really fell to the wayside for me. 3. i LOVED that they gave jasmine her own song. she’s like the only disney princess that didn’t have her own song, somehow, so i was happy they gave her one and it was SO good. i remember it giving me chills on the first listen. — so, all in all, it was fine. not the worst but also not a personal favorite. worth a watch.

mulan (2020) - BLEGH sorry i almost threw up a little. maybe the worst live action remake of all time? let’s think: what are the best parts of mulan 1998? the music? mushu? shang’s bisexuality? shang, in general?? WELL LOOK NO FURTHER BECAUSE THIS HAS NONE OF THAT!!! :) it’s genuinely just… so bad. they took the basic concept and turned it into a freaky ass action movie. they make it so mulan was like, gifted from a young age with superhuman abilities (calling it chi, which, i don’t know the full story but i believe there was some major cultural appropriation that occured) instead of just being a normal badass human!!! and it wasn’t the villain from the cartoon it was a random witch. nothing made sense and it was stripped of everything that makes mulan one of the greatest disney films of all time. *godfather voice* look how they massacred my boy.

the little mermaid (2023) - so honestly i never really liked the original cartoon. it just never clicked with me. but i had every bit of hope that this one would maybe bring it to life for me!! and… well, it wasn’t bad! it was visually lovely and the music was fun. i just don’t think i’m a “love at first sight” kind of person. but eric was an incredibly likable nerd boy, sebastian the crab was funny, and ursula was SCARY. especially at the end oh my gosh???? anyway. worth a watch, but not my personal cup of tea. ariel and eric get points for dancing a bit AND they hugged at the end which was really sweet. couples Do Not hug enough in media.

lastly, i can’t comment on: peter pan & wendy (2023), the jungle book (2016), dumbo (2019), lady and the tramp (2019), and cruella (2021), because i have not seen them. i will absolutely note though that i despise cruella 2021 in solidarity with my friend @freakwiththeknifecollection because it blatantly disregards the canon of 101 dalmatians 1961 and they couldn’t even like?? train the dogs?? for ONE scene?? huge huge mess. i’m just scratching the surface. if you want a live action cruella, look no further than 101 dalmatians 1996. top tier live action that i loved as a kid!!

[honourablejester]

While we’re on this topic of old films we watched and enjoyed, some random movie recs from the 1910s through to the 1970s based on the things that popped into my head fastest. Warning in advance, I like horror, noir, swashbucklers, dark comedy and dodgy fantasy films.

1910s

Fantômas serials (1913/1914) – As I said in the previous post, if you ever get a random hankering for silent-era pulpy French crime thrillers, these are an excellent start.

1920s

Metropolis (1927) – the imagery in this movie is absolutely stunning, even if the morals are extremely heavy-handed. Worth it for the Robot Maria transformation sequence alone. Also, and I feel mean for thinking this, because the poor man’s going through hell, but there are moments where Freder is truly hilarious. And also, Batman: The Animated Series owes so much, visually, to this movie. It single-handedly shape a vision of what cities and the future and architecture and transport could look like.

Nosferatu (1922) – imagery. The Germans were so fucking good at imagery in early cinema. Admittedly the movie does some very strange things to the Dracula mythos, and is probably the source of a lot of later ideas of him that have nothing to do with the novel (the sunlight thing), but it’s so cool.

1930s

M (1931) – Peter Lorre is incredible. And actually the whole set up of this movie is so creepy and tense and enthralling, and then the court scene busts it wide open. Deals with some heavy things, including child murder, vigilante justice and mental illness, but it’s so good. And you will never hear ‘Hall of the Mountain King’ the same way again.

The Thin Man (1934) and sequels – they’re half hardboiled noir and half screwball comedy, but they’re not a parody, because they predate most of the noir genre, so this is more of a funny hybrid precursor series. And they’re really funny. If you just want some pep and jazz in your life, a good time for an hour or so, totally watch these, they’re adorable.

The Prisoner of Zenda (1937) – Okay. I just like a good swashbuckler? You will see Zenda several times on this list, because I enjoy a lot of versions of this, but of all of them you need to start with this one, because Douglas Fairbanks Jnr. No one else will ever do Rupert of Hentzau like him. If you like your charming, snarky villains, if you like your Lokis, Rupert of Hentzau. Douglas Fairbanks Jnr. If you also like your villain and your hero to have powerful sexual tension and lean very close to each other while crossing blades, again. Rupert of Hentzau. Just watch. You’ll see.

Son of Frankenstein (1939) – I’m not going to lie, I watched this movie purely to see where Young Frankenstein (1974, also very much worth a look) was getting a lot of its in-jokes and gags from (Inspector Kemp in YF is riffing off Inspector Krogh in this movie). But it is worth watching wholly on its own merits. Among other things, Inspector Krogh is a genuinely cool and compelling character (as a kid, the monster ripped his arm out during its first rampage, and during this movie Krogh fully stands up to that childhood nightmare and has a cool moment with his prosthetic arm), and if you have any interest in Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff or Bela Lugosi, this movie is fantastic. Lugosi in particular as Igor does so much in this movie. If all you picture when you think of him is Dracula, try this. (And The Black Cat (1934), which also has Karloff and Lugosi, but is significantly more intense).

1940s

The Mark of Zorro (1940) – Okay. I like swashbucklers. I like movie sword fights. This movie has the best movie sword fight ever. Basil Rathbone vs Tyrone Power. No contest. And, I mean, yes, the rest of the movie is also good. But watch it for the sword fight. Perfection.

The Wolf Man (1941) – This movie and Casablanca between them gave me a bit of a thing for Claude Rains. I don’t know, he’s just really compelling to watch. Very soft-spoken, but very there. And if you want the tragedy of the werewolf curse, this is the movie that started it all. This is not a monster movie. This is a psychological horror story of one man breaking apart under the burden of a curse. It’s so good.

Casablanca (1942) – I mean, it’s everyone’s answer. It’s stereotypical, the classic movie. But it is very, very good. Extremely quotable. I wish to punch Rick in the face several times over. And Claude Rains as Renault is so sleazy, but also so compelling.

Arsenic & Old Lace (1944) – If you ever wondered what the deal with Cary Grant was. This movie. His face. The whole movie just rides on his face. His reactions, his body language. I mean, the movie does a lot of things spectacularly. If you enjoy dark comedy, this is the pinnacle. Hiding bodies in window seats, kill count competitions between a psychotic criminal and his maiden aunts, the extremely morbid running gags of ‘yellow fever’ and Teddy charging up the stairs and the elderberry wine. But really it’s all Cary Grant and his fucking expressions. There are several points in this movie where I can’t breathe. For a man with so many suave, serious leading roles, his physical comedy was incredible.

The Big Sleep (1946) – This was the movie that introduced me to noir. Not the Maltese Falcon, not Double Indemnity, not Sunset Boulevard. This one. The Big Sleep. And you can argue that it’s not the best of the noirs, it’s a bit too caught up in itself, the plot if you pay attention has some big holes in it, and if you compare it to the book one female character in particular got rather cheated. But. As an introduction. It does land, very definitely. Bumpy Go-Cart (sorry, Humphrey Bogart) and Lauren Bacall are all that and then some. If you want to pick a noir, you can do a lot worse.

1950s

The Prisoner of Zenda (1952) – Mostly I like this as a compare/contrast to the 1937 one. It’s damn near a shot-for-shot remake, and while that could be a bad thing, it’s fascinating what differences and interpretations show up because of that. Watch the ’37 one first, and then watch this one. It’s just cool to compare them. And, you know. It’s still a really fun swashbuckler.

The Court Jester (1955) – Just the best time. The best. I have an unreasonable amount of fondness for this film, this gentle send-up of previous swashbucklers and period dramas in the vein of The Adventures of Robin Hood, and basically every movie Basil Rathbone ever made. Watch it for Danny Kaye, watch it for the tongue twisters, watch it for a baby Angela Lansbury, watch it for an absolutely hysterical duel scene, watch it for Maid Jean being the single most competent character there. Just watch it. I cannot entertain criticism on this point. It’s excellent, and I’m not sane about it.

Some Like It Hot (1959) – Jack Lemon is going to show up again later in this list, and for good reason, (as is Tony Curtis, but we don’t care as much about him), but Some Like It Hot is also, for a 1959 movie, a really gentle, funny, interesting look at gender roles? I mean, the premise is two dudes going undercover as female musicians with an all-female band to avoid mob hitman, and one of them keeps getting hit on by rich man while the other struggles to get it on with Marilyn Monroe in his male persona while trying to hide from mob assassins in a female persona, so it could be such a hot mess, but it actually … It’s quite gentle. Marilyn’s Sugar gets to talk about what men expect when they see her and, because he’s pretending to be a woman, Tony Curtis’ Joe has to listen to her, Jack Lemmon’s Jerry/Daphne gets to get genuinely swept up in the feeling of being romanced as a woman to the point that he’s semi-seriously talking about marriage, and in the end, when Jerry reveals he’s a man to Osgood, the rich old idiot who’s been trying to romance ‘Daphne’, Osgood famously just goes ‘well, nobody’s perfect’, and still appears perfectly willing to marry ‘her’. I mean, it has its issues still, but there’s such a lot of gentleness in it for a comedy movie made in 1959.

1960s

The Innocents (1961) – One of my two all-time favourite horror movies, on raw atmosphere alone. It’s so eerie. SO EERIE. It’s horrible and twisted and goes heavy places (child death, a child acting ambiguously sexually while possibly possessed, strong questions of sanity), but it’s done so gracefully and gently and eerily. If Gothic Horror is of interest to you as a genre, if you enjoyed Crimson Peak, try this. It is all beautiful sunshine and sprawling lawns and twisted desires and paranoid terrors and the single eeriest scene I’ve ever seen in anything ever. Watch the lake scene. It’s stunning.

The Raven (1963) – Pivoting back to comedy horror, this time with added fantasy. Vincent Price has been in a lot of better movies, but I’m not sure if he’s been in many funnier ones. Him and Peter Lorre just own this movie. Wall to wall ham. Just. Just go in, just watch it. There’s a loose frame plot of duelling magicians, vague references to Poe’s ‘The Raven’, Boris Karloff returning as a villain, animal transformations, and the obligatory young romance getting embroiled in their sorcerous parents’ plots (although, jarringly, the young romantic lead is a baby Jack Nicholson, which sure gives it a weird vibe), but honestly? You’re here for Vincent Price and Peter Lorre and the wizard duel.

The Great Race (1965) – Jack Lemmon is back, as is Tony Curtis, but we only care about the former of those, because Professor Fate (obligatory shouting). Okay. I don’t know how many people remember the old Hanna-Barbera Wacky Races cartoons? Am I aging myself here? But this is the movie they were based on, and Professor Fate is who Dick Dastardly was based on. The premise is a 1910s global car race between Curtis’ Great Leslie (you will want to punch him, and that’s perfectly natural) and Lemmon’s Professor Fate, an exaggerated eccentric conman and cheater and over the top cartoon villain of man, and you will love him. He’s the best thing in it. But there’s also Natalie Woods as the reporter who also enters the race, and a young Peter Falk as Fate’s sidekick Max. That’s a baby Columbo as the ‘villain’s more competent henchman. AND. For me, for bonus points, a huge section at the end of the rest is basically a whole-plot Prisoner of Zenda reference in which Professor Fate is the hero. Look. Look. Do you ever want to watch a live-action cartoon? This is that movie. Trust me. It’s fantastic. The romance has aged terribly, you will want to throw Leslie off a cliff, it has several extremely sixties tropes in it, but it’s that movie. Watch it. Have fun.

1970s

The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973) – Right. So. 70s fantasy movie. Not politically correct in the slightest, and some extremely unfortunate choices were made in it. But. Ray Harryhausen. Stop motion fantasy effects of awesome. And, also, I just really enjoyed the character of the Vizier. He doesn���t really get to do anything, he’s kinda just set-dressing, but he is the horrifically maimed advisor to the king who fell afoul of our sorcerous villain, and he has a cool golden mask to cover his scars, and you think he’s going to turn out to be treacherous but no, he’s rock-solid calm and noble and helpful the entire way through, and I just really really like him. The image of him stuck in my head for years.

Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) – My other all-time favourite horror movie, and again it’s the eeriness. Pure eeriness. Nothing happens in this movie. There’s no monsters, there’s no explanations. 3 girls go missing on a rock in early 1900s Australia, in the midst of baking heat and sunshine and the looming shape of a volcanic geological formation, and the movie just follows their society unravelling in the aftermath. No one knows what happened. Grief and terror and unanswered questions destroy people. Reactions, prejudice, respectability and hidden flaws, loss of innocence, the unpredictable reactions of people unstrung by grief and fear, all of it snowballs in the wake of the disappearances, and over it all looms the sunshine and the rock. The score and the cinematography of this movie work so well to create this pervasive, eerie, unreal mood, this sense of something watching, this ancient force presiding over the unravelling of the false civilisation layered over top of it. I fucking love this movie. It’s stunning.

Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) – A rather big jump in genres, we’re back to crime thrillers here, which we haven’t really touched since the 1910s on this list, but the sustained tension in this movie is par excellence. The opening half hour. A theme for the seventies movies on this list is going to be sunshine and drifting tension, and Precinct 13 does it so well. Heat, claustrophobia, urban isolation, siege mentality. And the character relationships that develop inside that siege mentality, the alliances and bedrock life-or-death trust that evolves between enemies, and then are brutally cut short by the re-establishment of the outside world at the end, the rude reintroduction of law and connectedness and social consequences, is just … amazing. The movie is a heat dream, a bubble of disconnectedness and violence and blood and faith, and then the ‘real’ world slams back down at the end. It’s good. It’s so well paced. Watch this movie.

Nosferatu (1979) – Just to, again, tie things back to the earlier entries on this list. Werner Herzog’s 70s remake of Nosferatu was actually the first version I saw, as it was considerably easier to get hold of. And it stuck. Even after seeing the original. And a lot of that, I think, was because of the opening, which is just spectacularly eerie. The drifting, eerie music, the monastic chant, the heartbeat under it, the panning shots of the mummies in the catacombs (which are from Mexico, but howandever). I mean, there are a lot of problems with this movie, Werner Herzog is not exactly the most upright and sensitive of dudes, (and it added some more questionable elements to the Dracula mythos), but for sheer imagery and tone-setting, this opening was incredible. And the movie does keep that tone, that eerie drifting, especially once Dracula starts bringing the plague behind him. Again, the 70s theme of sunshine and eeriness. It’s worth a look.

[denimbex1986]

One of my favorite movies of all time is the 1999 adaptation of one of my favorite books of all time, Patricia Highsmith’s 1955 novel The Talented Mr. Ripley. The book and film both follow grifter Tom Ripley when he goes to Italy to convince Dickie Greenleaf to return home after Dickie’s father believes Tom to have been his friend. Tom goes to Italy for the money, but finds himself obsessed with Dickie, leading to him murdering him and stealing his identity.

Netflix recently released season one of Ripley, which follows the same book, with the intention of subsequent seasons following the other books of the Ripliad. Andrew Scott (All of Us Strangers, Fleabag) stars as Tom Ripley with Johnny Flynn (One Life, EMMA.) as Dickie and Dakota Fanning (Man on Fire, War of the Worlds) as his girlfriend Marge Sherwood. It was created, adapted, and directed by Steven Zaillian, screenwriter of films such as Schindler’s List, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Irishman, and All the King’s Men, the final of which he also directed. Just those four are an exciting group of people—I was particularly excited about Scott and Zaillian—that I was looking forward to making one of my favorite novels into a series, which it suited quite well.

But let’s get into the actual show. It is shot in a noir-style black and white that is genuinely the most stunning show I have ever seen. The visual motifs are also very strong, with Ripley’s cunning work frequently compared to the masterful Caravaggio, with the light and dark contrast of the camera also mirroring the paintings and sculptures. I also quite like the use of seagulls against a white sky looking like crows flying, which is especially impactful at various points after Dickie’s murder. The numerous shots through doorframes and out from under tables add to the feeling of Tom being watched, especially when we are peering over the bloodstained bathtub as he is questioned by the police. We are what Tom is paranoid about. The screenplay is also good, as are most of the actors, though the only things that really make it stand out are the visuals, from the cinematography to the production design to the gorgeous Italian streets, with the black and white adding to it rather than making things feel duller. The whole vibe of the show is much darker than that of the movie, which is deeply unsettling, but the show is also fun in a lot of moments, until it’s really, really not.

The show tries to be a more faithful adaptation than the 1999 film, which is exciting. As I said, I love the movie, but there is always something wonderful about a well-done faithful adaptation. The problem with this is that in its faithfulness, every digression is very noticeable, and most of them make little sense. The biggest example is that Marge is Dickie’s girlfriend. This makes a lot of sense in the movie, but I don’t understand why the show does the same thing. The uncertainty of their relationship followed by it turning romantic is one of Ripley’s main motivators to kill Dickie as it is one of the things that he feels betrayed by. If Marge is already dating Dickie, the moment of betrayal when Tom finds out is simply not there, a moment which was a major turning point in the book.

One scene that is a major moment in the book, film, and show is the moment when Tom wears Dickie’s clothing and impersonates him in the mirror. In the film, there is no real dialogue, just singing along to music. In the book, the scene drags on for a long time and it truly makes your skin crawl. Tom not only impersonates Dickie, but pretends to reject and then murder Marge, refuting an imaginary accusation that the Dickie and Tom are lovers. Both are ended by Dickie coming in and asking “What are you doing?” The show seems to want to be more true to the book, having Tom enact breaking up with Marge, but it lacks the murder. While this moment in the book is deeply disturbing, the show is clearly leaning into a more disturbing angle than the movie and the pretending to murder Marge would fit right into the tone. While it feels natural to not include it in the movie, it really added to Tom’s characterization in the book and I missed it when watching an adaptation that was presenting itself as more faithful.

There was also a frankly unnecessary sequence of Tom nearly drowning from falling off of the boat after killing Dickie. It was more high-energy than the actual murder scene and dragged on for far too long. That scene is perfectly representative of most of my problems with the show: what Zaillian chose to emphasize. Some characters seemed to have THE IMPORTANT THING ABOUT THEM and other character traits were flat-out ignored, particularly smaller parts like Freddie, though it unfortunately transferred into the leads on occasion, particularly Marge.

Visual emphases on the motifs of water and Caravaggio were effective, but some scenes would drag on for a long time. There’s a difference between “slow” and “tedious” and this show occasionally went a little too close to “tedious,” though I will say that these are typically the moments that demonstrate the chilling apathy of Scott’s Tom Ripley. I wanted these moments to end and go on forever. Scott is able to do so much in the silence and he along with the cinematography make the moments both hard to watch and impossible to look away from. How can moments be both tedious and riveting? I both wish that they were gone and wish that there had been a whole episode of Andrew Scott in complete silence. The problem was typically the timing—this would be interesting, but he just committed murder. I don’t care about the boat. I know that Tom isn’t about to die, we’re not even halfway through the season.

The characters can feel like shells of themselves at times. They seem to know that they live in a black-and-white Italy. Marge is reduced to the simple character trait of “doesn’t like Tom” and Fanning plays her like someone who has taken a single semester of Acting I. Flynn’s Dickie is good, but it’s impossible to stop comparing him to the masterful and charismatic performance by Jude Law in 1999. And then there’s Andrew Scott’s mostly critically acclaimed Tom Ripley.

Andrew Scott is doing a tremendous job at what he’s doing. He’s terrifying and mesmerizing at the same time. But the problem is that his Tom has no charisma. I can’t watch him and say “I would let this man live in my house.” I especially can’t imagine letting him live in my house after he put on my clothes in my room and impersonated me in my mirror. The show makes a point of Dickie’s naivety, but there’s a point when I’m practically screaming at him to listen to his girlfriend and kick Tom out of the house. Where’s Tom’s one-man show? Where’s his funny way of telling stories? Why on earth does Dickie like him?

The thing that makes me sad is that I know that Andrew Scott could have done a book-accurate Tom Ripley justice, and a book-accurate Tom Ripley is the only way that a mostly faithful show could possibly work. The quieter, more genuine scenes hit home much better than any social interaction that was supposed to be positive or convincingly charming. None of the acting choices that I disagreed with happened in the final episode, however. Fanning was suddenly believable and Scott’s Ripley was perfect. I wish that this energy had translated prior to the final episode.

Zaillian being director, screenwriter, and producer is what truly hurt the show in the end. It feels like it was all his ideas and nobody to edit, meaning that every idea that made little sense was kept in. I am of the general opinion that, if the director is the screenwriter, there needs to be another screenwriter, or at least a different producer. This is just Zaillian. It feels like Zaillian’s project where he has certain views of the characters and the actors did those. Tom Ripley, one of the most fascinating characters in 20th-century literature, regularly falls flat despite being played by one of the best currently working actors in film and television. Seeing the credits ending with Zaillian’s name over and over gives the vibe of a passion project more than it does a fully realized show. There is so much potential there—both Scott and Zaillian are very talented people—and it is being squandered by the lack of creative diversity on the storytelling side. I want to love it, but I just like it, which is somehow worse than hating it. I want to have a strong opinion on an adaptation of one of my favorite novels, but aside from the visuals and some of Scott’s acting choices, no daring choices were made until episode eight. There are eight episodes.

So… do I like Ripley? Despite all of my criticisms, yes. Do I hope that this show gets renewed and we get to see more of the Ripliad adapted? Absolutely. A lot of the show was quite good. I’ve recommended it to multiple people and would watch it again with them. I hope that it gets better when Scott is acting alongside different actors and there isn’t a masterpiece of a film hanging over it, because no matter how hard you try, it’s hard not to think of the 1999 adaptation when watching Ripley. I will say one thing, though: Mr. Scott is certainly talented, but I am left wondering:

Is he Mr. Ripley?'

[marinerainbow]

I don't usually make posts like this, but I said I would. So Herr are my thoughts on

The Live Action Little Mermaid

First and foremost: HALLE BAILEY IS AN AMAZING ARIEL!!!!

I never had my doubts about her from what I saw in the trailer. But HOLY HELL she brought the animated mermaid to LIFE with how she played her! Her voice, her expressions, her acting! It all flowed together and I could see Ariel, not someone playing as Ariel. The same goes to the rest of the actors!

And Ariel took more initiative in this film too! She did do a little of that in the original (actively breaking the rules to pursue her passion, taking a leap of faith to try to join the land and have her love, etc) but she seems more involved in the live action film. And not in a way that tries to hammer in the 'girl power' message either (children should have good role models. But when the feminist message starts to take away from the story and becomes that characters' entire personality, that's a bit too much). Ariel here was crafty and wanted to unite the two worlds, but remained her old bubbly and curious self!

Not to mention, Eric! First of all, I loved his performance in the film just as much as Ariel. And they made him more likable too! Like Ariel in the original, Eric was a bit more developed than other prince's in the original film (talking about how he'd not going to go through an arranged marriage, having fun with his love interest instead of just saving her, etc). Though, he was still a kinda bland character. In the live action though, Eric is not just Ariels prince. He feels like he's actually her second half. And the decision to make their goals and backgrounds similar also sheds a new light on Eric and Ariels relationship that the original didn't quite have.

And of course, I can't forget Ursula. I'll admit, I had a slight doubt when I heard they were casting Melissa McCarthy as Ursula. Not because I don't like her, I actually love her in her films. But I've never seen Melissa play a fairytale villain, so I wasn't sure how it would go to have a raunchy comedy actress starring as the sea witch. But BOY HOWDY, Melissa quickly dashed my those fears away. She brought her own spin to the character while also being the sassy, intimidating, deal maker we all know and love! And not to mention her singing voice. Holy. Shit. Melissa, you gotta play more characters like Ursula.

And the same applies to all the other characters! From Ariels friends and her family, all the actors and actresses' brought a whole new life to the characters they were casted as! Including the new ones, such as Eric's mother! Honestly, that's pretty much how this whole movie felt. It felt like I was watching a fairy tale brought to life once again, and not an exact repeat of the original nor a butchered version. They kept a lot of the original script and songs, while also adding new things. Eric and Scuttle got their own songs, some locations were changed but they felt like they worked with 2023 Little Mermaid, and the decision to make the film take place on the Caribbean Islands was a very interesting choice that they made work!!

And I CAN NOT finish this post without mentioning the CGI, beautiful visuals, and character design! All if the graphics were just... AHHH! I can't even describe it. The cast felt like they actually were under water with the changed gravity, and the stunning way they animated the animals. Speaking of which! Yes, they did change the characters' designs, and some of them are goofy, such as Flounder. But they are just as cute too!! And they gave the animals E X P R E S S I O N S!!! This isn't a repeat of the live action Lion King. Through body language, eye movement, and voice, these character genuinely feel like they are living!!! My personal favorite thing about the CGI is that they still gave Sebastian the realistic crab eyes, but animated them so you can still see where he's looking and what he's feeling!!

I found only ONE fatal flaw, though... They did not have Sebastians arch nemesis, the Chef (I'm just kidding. I'm a bit disappointed the Chef wasn't in here, but that's a personal thing and not like a 'the movie is ruined' thing)

Conclusion? Go see The Little Mermaid. Please. You WILL NOT REGRET IT.

In all seriousness, I was a little disappointed when there weren't as many vocals/back up singers in the songs 'Under the Sea' or 'Kiss the Girl', but that's not at all a bad thing. That's just my nostalgia being nit-picky XD and they did make those songs work! It was awesome to hear Ariel and Sebastian sing together, and her friends ACTUALLY working together instead of Sebastian carrying the majority of this operation on his shell.

[bluejaybytes]

top 5 movies ? :3

WAUGH this is a bit of a harder one, I need to watch more movies :3

1. Spider-Man Across the Spiderverse

Sorry I know its a bit of a cheap pick but oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. I've probably mentioned this on my Tumblr before, but my freshman year of highschool I gave what was basically a mini-sermon at my church, talking about mental health representation in childrens media and how it effected me as an autistic child growing up, with Miles and anxiety from the original Spiderverse as my core example. And then the sequel came out and blew my tits clean off and also made Gwen transgender. Literally can not sing its praises high enough. The most visually stunning movie I've ever seen

2. Alien

The original Alien Gets To Me. I'm already such a sucker for womens hairstyles at that time so Ripley is literally everything to me. Utterly fantastic movie. Arguably the movie I'd argue with my friends with the second most (good thing). Epic lesbian moment is when Ripley shoves Ash into a wall and then breaks down. I'm in love with her

3. The Matrix

The only reason Alien is the SECOND most "argue with my friends about (good thing)" movie is because The Matrix is the first. I fucking love just. Everything about this movie. If left alone too long to think about how well utilized those sickly green hues are in the beginning of the movie I will LOSE IT. Also I'm gay for Trinity as to be expected

4. Treasure Planet

THE movie of all time. It's genuinely such an outstanding film and it's also especially important to me because it's not just nostalgic as a "movie I watched growing up" film, but also because it was one of the things one of my sisters was really into, and she very much Did Not Like that I was autistic for it and wanted to watch it a ton. Very funny to reminisce on. I actually just rewatched it the other week and yeah. Still holds up. Transition goals: Jim Hawkins but as a lesbian

5. 2001: A Space Odyssey

This movie gave me extreme and intense existential dread and nightmares at the ripe old age of 7! My poor mother had nooooo clue how to comfort her panicked child talking about their fear of time being an eternal cycle. I'm pretty sure this movie gave me some weirdass religious views as a kid despite not being religious. It's so good. I find the obelisk so fucking creepy its fantastic, like... you can tell. You can TELL its alive, its watching, its concious, yet its complete lack of ANY body language or facial features, ANYTHING that could indicate intent, there's nothing. Utterly fantastic. Also I'm realizing 4/5ths of my answers are sci-fi lol