#but it's a good movie with plenty of depths to plumb

[slutforstabbings]

Sorry if you didn't like Halloween Ends but it's not for you, David Gordon Green made it like that for me because he loves me.

[douxreviews]

Walt Disney Presents: The Moon-Spinners (1964) Review

“Everyone lies when it serves their purpose – even the stars.”

I woke up really early one day and decided to watch the 1964 film, The Moon-Spinners, simply because I now have a Disney+ subscription. Deep inside my brain, the frugal lips of my father still read “Squeeze every drop out of what you buy,” so I wanted to plumb the depths of the online archive. My continuing mission (apparently): to explore strange new films.

I am not going to review The Moon-Spinners in this piece. There’s plenty of action and suspense in the film, which centers in Crete and has several awesome moments, including trying to escape the island in a hearse. Instead, I am going to talk about Hayley Mills, who plays protagonist Nikki Ferris, and what I wish had happened in this movie. It’s a fun romp that breaks some of Disney’s typical clichés, even showing some violence, but like most films in the 60's there's a lot of lag time compared to the films we watch today (Shot. Person walking down hall. Shot. Person turning the corner. Shot. Person continuing to walk.) This formula means The Moon-Spinners was a good watch, but lacked much to tax the mind. My mind, therefore, kept working to find ways to tighten the script – and some of them were just too delicious not to share.

Read the full review at douxreviews.com

[josephvirgin495-blog]

Is Pop Music Dangerous For Your Health?

Music actually began to separate into totally different classes through the Fashionable period (1910-2000). However Nashville hasn't all the time been welcoming toward pop and digital music. In the early 2000s, now-defunct document sellers Cat's Music made a killing off Drum Machines Have No Soul" bumper stickers, a rallying cry for Volvo-driving rockists across the Midstate. In 2008, when a very rowdy Woman Talk show at Cannery Ballroom ended with a busted stage and flooded workplaces under, the venue's house owners stepped away from booking non-rock gigs. We are a rock 'n' roll venue, and we're going to play rock 'n' roll reveals from right here on out," Todd Ohlhauser informed the since-folded local leisure weekly All the Rage at the time. In standard music principle right now, the prevailing query is, What is the ‘tonality' of standard music?" Tonality, capitol T, is a really particular phrase in music idea, applying only to a selected use of specific chords (specifically, that the V is the chord that factors back to tonic). But well-liked music would not at all times do that. And yet, the chord progressions should not the chaos of avant-garde or 20th century music - so if they are organized in some style, what is it? What rules govern standard music chord progressions? These kinds of statistics - perhaps on a yet grander scale - might begin to plumb the depths of those questions. It's tempting to confuse pop music with in style music. The New Grove Dictionary Of Music and Musicians, the musicologist's ultimate reference resource, identifies popular music as the music since industrialization in the 1800's that's most consistent with the tastes and pursuits of the city center class. This would include an extremely big selection of music from vaudeville and minstrel reveals to heavy steel. Pop music, on the other hand, has primarily come into utilization to describe music that advanced out of the rock 'n roll revolution of the mid-1950's and continues in a definable path to today. To check these ideas, we estimated four yearly measures of range ( determine four ). We found that although all four evolve, two—matter range and disparity—present the most hanging changes, each declining to a minimum round 1986, but then rebounding and increasing to a maximum in the early 2000s. Because neither of those measures monitor tune number, their dynamics can't be as a result of varying numbers of songs within the Hot one hundred; nor, because our sampling over 50 years is almost complete, can they be because of the over-representation of latest songs—the so-called pull of the current 34 As an alternative, their dynamics are resulting from changes within the frequencies of musical styles. To measure the typical sales numbers of music types we use a dataset that incorporates data on the Amazon SalesRank of music albums as of 2006 27 The Amazon SalesRank can be regarded as a ranking of all information by the time-span since an merchandise last offered 28 Albums in the Discogs dataset are assigned their Amazon SalesRank by matching album titles between the two datasets. Because the Amazon SalesRank dataset solely incorporates information on album titles, it was matched to entries within the Discogs dataset by selecting solely albums whose title appears only as soon as in each datasets.

In spite of everything, genuine causes for disgrace are riddled by way of pop historical past: American standard tradition has its deepest roots in slavery, the blackface minstrel show, ethnic vaudeville comedy, brothels and burlesque, non secular revival movements, rural poverty, urban segregation, mob-run clubs and labels, wheeler-seller rip-offs and plenty of different not-so-fairly chapters. Cultural theft, pandering, shock and other crass strikes are bound up with pop innovation and creativity. Be essential, however do not get on excessive horses, because only a few of our creative heroes may be disentangled from these dubious, generally tragic associations. Just a few weeks ago, Ted Gioia wrote a bit for The Each day Beast taking modern music criticism to job, specializing in his commentary that people who would have once written about a musician's sound and approach are actually targeted on the star's way of life and fame. Then, this past weekend, the New York Instances Journal featured an essay by Saul Austerlitz about poptimism, " deriding the trend of music critics agreeing too readily with the taste of thirteen-year-olds." In their own ways, both essays make the point that at the moment's pop is getting a cross. In that narrative, there existed a great-previous-days time when critics have been unswayed by the lure of pop. Immediately, they argue, quite a lot of elements — maybe a need to reclaim the concept of a mass tradition despite the fracturing influence of the Web; possibly the economics of getting the maximum variety of clicks on an article — have conspired to let pop off that hook. Not solely did 80s pop music outline who we were, but the music held the anthems of our day by day lives. We woke up to Manic Mondays" with the Bangles just to seek out ourselves hangin tough" with the New Youngsters On The Block by the point Wednesday or Thursday rolled around. By the top of the week, it was Friday, I'm in Love." When the weekend got here, Kylie had us doing the Locomotive" and Debbie Gibson taught us that youth was electrical. One of the best ways to revisit all click the next page good pop music of the 80s is to re-watch the music movies of your favourite songs. In spite of everything, MTV was a product of the early 80s - what better solution to enjoy the fashions, dance moves and musical stylings of the last decade's music? We have a giant assortment of our favorite 80s music in our video section: watch 80s music movies right here. If pop's sound is changing into blasé and in need of disruption, so is its subject material. Almost without fail, the songs that ruled 2017 ignored the 12 months's dominant social and political themes in favor of zoned-out lifestyle music. Pop has all the time served an escapist function, but it has additionally been one of many simpler supply strategies for significant content material. So at a time of utmost national turmoil, it was surprising not to hear a single protest music amongst 2017's biggest hits (although bless her coronary heart, at the least Katy Perry tried). Nor have been there any big singles addressing gun violence or the opioid disaster, unless you rely Put up Malone glamorizing drive-by shootings and popping pillies." Though pop stars aligned for numerous charity concerts in response to terrorism, hurricanes, and deadly racist demonstrations, the music itself principally sidestepped weighty matters. By the late Seventies, most major U.S. cities had thriving disco membership scenes, and DJs would combine dance information at golf equipment resembling Studio 54 in New York Metropolis, a venue well-liked amongst celebrities Discothèque-goers usually wore expensive, extravagant and sexy fashions. There was additionally a thriving drug subculture in the disco scene, particularly for medicine that will improve the expertise of dancing to the loud music and the flashing lights, akin to cocaine and Quaaludes , murielproby44.wikidot.com the latter being so frequent in disco subculture that they had been nicknamed "disco biscuits". Disco clubs have been additionally associated with promiscuity as a reflection of the sexual revolution of this period in well-liked historical past.

[thenameofaslan]

Hey, The Name of Aslan followers! 

Currently we stand at 7 members, and to keep things unique, instead of using existing character names, we will be going by Narnia-inspired names we created ourselves! Our names are Veriele, Ailora, Gianah, Astriella, Haaven, Lailenah, and Elledia. Allow us to introduce ourselves! Below we will be sharing some facts about ourselves & our interest in Narnia. 

Hello! I’m Veriele!

Favourite book:

My favourite book tends to change a lot. Of course The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is a classic, and in and of itself it’s possibly the most magical story of the 7. However, I also love The Magician’s Nephew for the beautiful creation of Narnia it shows us. Then The Horse and His Boy really stands out from the other books, and I love the characters and their growth so much. But I think when it comes down to it, The Last Battle holds the most special place in my heart. The ending chapters are so full of life and beauty. The parade of returning characters in Aslan’s Country is stunning and hits my nostalgic heart hard. And those final lines just fill my heart with joy! It’s a hard choice, as the entire series is absolutely lovely, but I do think The Last Battle stands out to me most of all.

Favourite Aslan quote:

I love a lot of Aslan’s lines, but I think my top 3 are “Courage, dear heart,” “Do not dare not to dare,” and “Now you are a lioness.”

Favourite Bible verse:

In the entire Bible it’s hard to choose just one, but Revelation 21:5a fills me with a special kind of joy. “He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’”

Songs that remind me of Narnia:

A lot of songs remind me of Narnia, but to name a few: Hear You Me by Jimmy Eat World, North by Sleeping At Last, and Long Live by Taylor Swift.

What kind of content or art I make/enjoy:

I make edits, analytical posts, and I write the occasional fic!

Hi everyone, I’m Ailora!

Favorite book:

For the Christian themes, my favorite will always be The Last Battle. The ending few chapters make me cry. I also love the atmosphere of Voyage of the Dawn Treader, especially the ending.

Favorite Aslan scene:

It’s so hard to choose just one. I guess I’d have to say the scene where Aslan appears and walks beside Cor on the mountain pass in HAHB. I love Aslan’s gentleness with Cor, but also the sense of wonder when he starts to reveal himself and how he’s been acting in Cor’s story. I love that during the entire scene, Aslan is walking beside Cor to protect him from falling off the mountain, and also that he is guiding Cor to exactly the place he needs to be. I love Cor’s response to seeing Aslan, and I love that Aslan leaves him a footprint-full of cold water at the end. It’s just a beautiful picture of God’s provision and love and kindness and knowledge of us.

Favorite Bible verse:

Again, hard to choose. But for now I’ll say Ephesians 3:17-19: “That you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

Hi, I’m Gianah.

How I got interested in Narnia:

I got interested in Narnia when my friend forced me to watch The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I immediately bought the collection of all seven books, joined tumblr and then got even more obsessed with it. Once I found out other people actually really liked the series, I started to be more invested. The rest is history.

Favourite Bible Verse:

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ 29:11

Kinds of art or content I enjoy/make:

I love both writing and painting/ drawing. I love making analysis texts so much, and also narrative texts.

Hey everyone! I'm Astriella :)

How I got into Narnia:

I've loved Narnia since I was about twelve, when I was first allowed to read the books (I think I burned through all 7 in about a month!). Even then I loved finding “hidden meanings” in stuff and Narnia is a treasure trove of allegory and allusion!

My favourite non-human character:

My favorite has to be Jewel the Unicorn.  Both because unicorns are amazing and majestic and all, but because of his loyalty for Tirian, his sacrificial love, and his gentle gentility.

My favorite Aslan moment: 

It has to be from VotDT, from the Dark Island where nightmares come true.  Lucy, up in the crow’s-nest, looks down on the havoc and chaos on deck as the sailors panic in terror, and whispers to Aslan, begging for help. And help comes in the form of an albatross, which circles the crow’s-nest before leading the ship to safety; but in that moment Lucy hears Aslan’s voice whisper to her, “Courage, dear heart.” That scene means a lot to me because anxiety always provides plenty of possible nightmares, but I know my God will lead me to safety and He gives me courage.

Hello! I’m Haaven!

How I got interested in Narnia:

 I literally cannot remember a time when I wasn’t. I grew up on the series. My true obsession with it, however, would have begun in about 4th grade when I found the entire series in the school library and read them all for the first time.

When/how I became a Christian?

 I could talk for a very long time on this, but I’ll try to keep in short(ish). I grew up in a Christian home so I always kind of knew  that I needed Jesus, but I didn’t know how to go about it. I was also the most shy person you would ever meet, so I wasn’t about to ask anyone how, either. But then when I was ten, I went to church camp for one week during the summer for the first time. (I wasn’t sure I really wanted to go, but my mom convinced me with, “Well, your sister will be there, so you’ll be fine!” haha.) And, I guess you could say, the rest is history (since this is the short version, haha). :P

Favorite Narnia-esque songs:

 I have so many, but I will limit myself to three: All the King’s Horses by Karmina (totally an Edmund/ movie!PC!Peter/ Eustace song!), Up All Night by David Archuleta (okay, yes, I know this is a love song, but if you think about it as Lucy and Aslan especially in LWW… It’s adorable, okay?!?), and Beautifully Broken by Plumb (sort of a post-Last Battle Susan song).

Hi! My name is Lailenah.

Favorite non-human Narnia character:

This is a tough question, because the majority of my faves aren’t human! Hwin and Bree, Mr. Tumnus, Reepicheep, the centaurs, and then of course Aslan in his completely own category...But I’m going to have to go with Puddleglum because I LOVE him. Many heroes tend to be optimistic, hopeful, and outgoing people, but Puddleglum’s the opposite. And yet he’s still a very caring, courageous, and loyal individual; he stays true to his faith and encourages the others to do the same, especially in the scene where the Green Witch tries to enchant them so they deny that the world above and Aslan exist. And when everything is at its most hopeless point, he’s the one to offer hope in the form of, “We’re just four babies making up a game, if you’re right. But four babies playing a game can make a play world that licks your world hollow. That’s why I’m on Aslan’s side, even if there’s no Aslan to lead it.” He’s not a ray of sunshine, but he can be a gleam in the darkest places, when it’s most needed. And sometimes I feel like as a Christian, some people expect that you must always be “joyful” (aka wear a cheerful smile, be optimistic, and act outgoing) to be a good witness and influential for Christ. But Puddleglum reminds me that I can be real, I can be honest, and I can be an encouragement to others even when I am at a low point (in fact, being with others during their low points because I understand how it feels might be when I am most needed!). My faith and my effectiveness to others as a Christian is not less because I am not an extrovert. It is not less because I struggle mentally and feel exhausted because of anxious or depressed thoughts. No. I was created the way I am for a reason. I have the challenges I have for a reason. We all do, and that’s okay. No matter our differences, we’re not less than anyone else in God’s loving eyes, and He has a unique time and place for each of us to serve as His light as Puddleglum did.

Favorite Narnia book:

It’s always been the Last Battle. I love how intense it gets in this book, how the evil is overwhelming, the stakes are high, and the battle between right and wrong is at its climax. It feels like the good guys are losing as their already sparse armies dwindle, and the main characters are being forced into the stable. Sometimes that sense of being overwhelmed mirrors how I feel when I look at all the scary, sad, and bad things happening in the world today, but I’m encouraged by the characters who still are soldiers for Aslan’s cause, who keep going and trusting in what’s right in spite of that and in spite of the fact that can’t see what’s coming next. And then, of course, Aslan’s country. I love seeing all the familiar faces from throughout the series and the joy and rest they find in eternity with Aslan and their loved one. It shows that it truly is worth it all.

What kind of content or art I make/enjoy:

I have always loved to write!  So fanfiction and meta are definitely my favorite ways to participate. Bet you couldn’t tell that I tend to drone on. ;)  (I also make mood boards on occasion.)

Hi, Elledia here!

Favourite book: 

A Horse and His Boy or Silver Chair

What age we got interested in Narnia: 

I SAY 7, but I grew up watching the BBC miniseries, so I don’t know for sure.

Favourite Aslan quote:

 “And I was the Lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you.”

When/how I became a Christian:

 Raised in the church/missionary brat. I decided when I was around eight that I wanted to be baptized and though there’ve been some bumps along the way, I’m growing in Christ as best as I can.

Narnia-esque songs: 

“If You Want Me To” by Ginny Owens reminds me a lot of Narnia, for some reason.

Kinds of art or content I enjoy/make:

 I write, so fanfic and metas are my thing, but I enjoy all kinds of art.

Anyways, it’s great to meet you all! We hope to interact with you all more in the future, and as we begin creating original posts for this blog. Our ask box is open, should you have any questions! Thanks for following us! <3

[monsterrates]

can you rate thanos?

THANOS (Marvel Cinematic Universe)

You didn’t specify MCU, but it’s topical and I don’t know much about comics Thanos, nor do I want to plumb the depths of the various comic universes. NOTE: I’ll try to avoid like, major spoilers for Infinity War, but I’m definitely gonna reference it a bit.

INTRODUCTION: This monster is “The Mad Titan,” an alien warlord looking to complete his signature accessory, for the sake of annihilation. 

PROS:♥ Thanos isn’t THAT much taller than a normal human, but he definitely is and he’s very beefy on top of it. I don’t know how he’s in such good shape seeing as he’s basically just been sitting on a chair in the middle of space for the first 10 years of the MCU, but maybe Titans are just like that. Also points for spending most of IW running around in a tank top to give us tickets to the gun show.♥ The weird face/arm wrinkles... I don’t know what they are, but I’ve not seen something like them before, and I like the visual interest added by them, even if it’s not a whole lot going on.♥ Honestly.... I’m weak to dad types. Throwing that curveball at me was rude on top of everything else rude in IW. Villains who are just COMPLETELY 100% EVIL AND ANGRY ALL THE TIME are boring, like, you can tell me Ronan is the way he is because of injustices his people suffered, but if he’s just a turbo dickhead for the whole movie I can’t be bothered to care. I know people are really agitated about IW, but presenting this big purple maniac as actually having this weird paternal affection, twisted it may be, was a great move imo. Especially because the role of “father” is traditionally, societally, that of a protector and order enforcer in the family. And that’s exactly how Thanos views what he’s doing.

CONS:♥ IW Thanos has way too much of Josh Brolin’s actual face now. They really wimped out on the whole face area, like...

Here’s Thanos in Guardians of the Galaxy, looking far more distinctly alien. His face lines are more prevalent, and he’s got these weird, almost luminous blue eyes. Possibly even with black sclera? It’s unclear. ANYWAY, some coward decided they needed more Josh Brolin and less overtly alien. There are already plenty of generic whitebread men in MCU, we didn’t need this. If someone needs to see Josh Brolin in a Marvel movie, he’s literally also Cable in Deadpool 2, so???♥ Honestly Marvels alien designs are so boring.... like, most of them seem to esentially be “a regular person, but blue and with one weird physical feature.” Thanos is no exception. If I wanted a wild alien design that I still want to fuck, I’d play Mass Effect.♥ As always, I have to have the villain bullet point. This man is an intergalactic mass murderer, and it’s pretty fucking lame of him to do that.

RATINGS:MONSTRUOUSNESS: 1/10This is just a big purple man, honestly.

FUCKABILITY: 5/10This is a handsome dad, but he’s exceedingly bad and crazy, and that’s just hard to ignore on the massive scale it’s happening.

PERSONAL RATING: 6.5/10I enjoyed Thanos a whole lot, as a character, honestly. Still looking forward to him getting his ass handed to him in Infinity War Part 2, though.

[onelifemedia]

CINEMATOGRAPHY OSCAR NOMINEES ON AUTHENTICITY AND AVOIDING VFX https://ift.tt/2OZteQ0

The DoPs behind 1917, Joker, The Irishman, Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood and The Lighthouse reflect on the bold choices they made to bring dynamic visions to the screen. 

Cinematographers are moving both forward and backward in technological terms this year, ironically in pursuit of the same goal: authenticity.

Avoiding VFX and instead opting to shoot reality has been a central theme. Robert Richardson used real Los Angeles backgrounds for the driving scenes in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood. Roger Deakins contended with real explosions and fires in Sam Mendes’s 1917. 

Rigging equipment has also been a common talking point for DoPs in 2019. Deakins pushed the boundaries of stabilising devices to enable extended tracking shots for the continuous-take approach of 1917, while Papamichael explored the limits of large-format cameras, putting them in positions that would have been impossible a few years ago (on a low mounted arm attached to a racing car, in one case). Perhaps most complicated of all was Rodrigo Prieto’s “three-headed monster”, a three-camera set-up used to aid the CGI de-ageing process for Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman.

These and other top cinema­tographers no longer debate analogue versus digital, with plenty saying it is digital and film, rather than digital or film. This is in part due to rapid advances in camera technology by companies like Arri, with films including 1917 utilising a large-format digital camera that, according to Deakins, is as good as any film camera.

Mixing light sources has also been in vogue, with Lawrence Sher using harsh fluorescents and urban streetlamps to create the heightened eeriness of Joker and grittiness of the city.

Whether they are using old-school filmmaking techniques or the latest technology, these cinematographers are creating brave new worlds for audiences and their craft.

Lawrence Sher - Joker

SOURCE: NIKO TAVERNISE

LAWRENCE SHER ON THE ‘JOKER’ SET

Lawrence Sher has been known primarily for his work on comedies including Todd Phillips’ The Hangover trilogy, Paul, The Dictator and I Love You, Man, before he reunited with Phillips to create the dark, sinister world of Joker.

While Joaquin Phoenix’s performance threw up regular surprises during the shoot, Sher was a ready and willing partner for the award-winning actor, and says his own work plumbing the depths of the DC Comics arch villain — which won him Camerimage’s Golden Frog award in November — is not as big a departure as it initially appears.

What was the shooting schedule like for Joker?I read the script about a year before, did an early scout in March [2018] and then prepped for 10 weeks. The shoot lasted 60 days with one day of shooting lost due to issues with the LED lighting on the New York City subway sequence. 

What was your approach to Joker’s colour scheme?My main colour palette was drawn first and foremost from real lighting fixtures that exist in the city. I also looked at movies of that era in which the movie takes place [1981], the colour of the film stock at the time and how it would capture all of this mixed light. The colour palette is a mix of utilitarian light and uncorrected fluorescents — we kept their crappy look so it wouldn’t be clean.

We changed out some of the streetlights so they would be sodium vapour, as opposed to LED which many streetlights are now. When we shot at dusk, you have that blueish light that mixes with the sodium vapours and suddenly you have the colours that I think people associate with the movie: the blues, greens, oranges and greys. You can see the messiness of the city. 

How did you approach working with the actors to capture their performances?On set we maintain a certain rhythm for the actors. If they have to go back to trailer, even for 20 minutes, there is a momentum loss. So if I can shoot fast, they never have to leave the set. It helps everybody, especially the scene. 

Todd Phillips encouraged improvisation, for instance the bathroom scene where Joker starts to dance after killing the men in the subway. Did that approach affect the shooting?That shot was improvisational. He was going to come into the bathroom, hide the gun, wash off the make-up and stand in the mirror and laugh. But with Todd, the movie is constantly being rewritten so you are discovering it as you make it. All of the planning is there but he’s always flexible. With that scene, he wanted to try it non-verbally. He played a piece of music — he didn’t tell the camera operator what was going to happen — and we got that scene in one take. 

Was your approach to Joker different to your other films?My lighting approach is not any different. We are not servicing comedy [in Joker]. Some of the compositions come to the forefront perhaps, more than in my previous works. But my approach, particularly with Todd, is to allow for flexibility and freedom. A lot of it is co-ordination with production design and needing the freedom to be able to light a big space. To have the world lit as opposed to focused on a specific person on a mark. 

Which sequence was the most challenging to shoot?The subway scene where he kills three Wall Street guys. We shot on a stage and with LED panels. It was challenging because while we had more money than other independent films, it’s still a budget issue. Todd had always described it as a fever dream — this kind of escalating light show. We accomplished it with a very expensive row of LED lights on both sides, though not too many LEDs because we tried to keep to the light as they had it in the 1970s and ’80s. I was taking the New York subway all the time and shooting with my iPhone to figure out the lighting for that scene. 

How did you find working with Joaquin Phoenix?It was a transformative experience watching him act and getting to know him. I didn’t say anything to him during prep; he was a little bit intimidating. He apologised to me for acting weird and I said, “No man, do your thing.” We grew to have a good relationship, where we would challenge each other with the choices on set.

Rodrigo Prieto - The Irishman

SOURCE: NIKO TAVERNISE PICTURES

RODRIGO PRIETO WITH MARTIN SCORSESE ON THE SET OF ‘THE IRISHMAN’

Mexican cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto has worked alongside acclaimed directors including Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (21 Grams, Babel), Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain) and Pedro Almodovar (Broken Embraces). The Irishman marks his third feature with Martin Scorsese, after The Wolf Of Wall Street and Silence.

Prieto describes the epic crime drama as one of his most challenging projects to date: an intensive 108-day shoot involving more than 300 set-ups, with the added challenge of managing a complicated CGI de-ageing process for the main actors, which incorporated a “three-headed monster” camera rig.

Although Martin Scorsese is an avid supporter of shooting on film, you had to use digital as well to achieve the de-ageing technique.Yes, 56% was shot on digital and 44% on film. The overall look I thought had to be based on film negative because of the memory aspect. Scorsese talked about home movies, this sensation of remembering the past through images, so I developed looks based on still photography, Koda­chrome and Ektachrome.

For the visual effects, it was necessary to shoot with digital cameras where the face had to be replaced with CGI. Visual-effects supervisor Pablo Helman from Industrial Light & Magic needed three cameras synched for every angle and the shutters had to all be in perfect sync. The challenge of getting three cameras to move in unison meant that using film cameras from a practical standpoint was nearly impossible.

Was it Pablo Helman who came up with the idea of using CGI to de-age the actors?Yes, when we were shooting Silence, Pablo said he thought there was a way to make actors look younger through computer-generated imagery. He came up with a three-headed rig where the central camera, the Red Helium, is capturing the shot and two witness cameras, Arri Alexa Minis, are sat on either side of the main camera to read the infrared map of the actors’ faces. We called it the “three-headed monster”.

Can you talk about the stages of the de-ageing process and how that was achieved?There are several different stages. Prosthetics were used to make the actors look older. Make-up could make the actors look younger, for example making a 70-year-old actor look like they were in their 50s. VFX and CGI de-ageing were used when the actors are close to the transition to make-up, and that was complicated as the ageing transition was subtle, say, only a few months in time rather than several years. The technical and make-up teams had to be sure the transition was smooth.

How did you map out the visual arc of a film that spans five decades over three-and-a-half hours?We did not want to make it over-stylised or flashy. Scorsese wanted the camera to reflect the way Frank Sheeran [played by Robert De Niro] approached his job, which was simple, methodical and repetitive. The audience sees the same shots with Frank — the camera pans around at the same angle. When we were with other characters, like crazy Joe Gallo, the camera behaves differently.

How did the fact the film was made to screen first and foremost on Netflix affect the way it was shot?For the most part it wasn’t a consideration. Scorsese designs his shots in a way that helps the story. The one thing we did change was the aspect ratio. Normally, Scorsese would use widescreen but in this case we thought we had better use 1.85 because it would fill up home screens. It also fit Frank’s personality more, as well as helping to show the height difference between the characters. Frank was a tall man so we made special shoes for De Niro and boxes with cushions where he sat. For accuracy, we also changed his eye colour to blue.

You were working on a tight schedule. Was there any room for improvisation during the shoot?When the actors want to try something different, Scorsese will almost always go for it. Near the end of the film, Frank is looking as his car is being washed and it’s a defining moment. We lit the scene for him standing and always looking at the car. Then De Niro said, “I always kind of imagined being inside the car.” So Marty said, “Oh, OK, let’s do that.” I had to set it up in three seconds. As soon as we shot it, I could see that his performance was there.

Jarin Blaschke - The Lighthouse

SOURCE: CHRIS REARDON

JARIN BLASCHKE ON THE SET OF ‘THE LIGHTHOUSE’

Born in the Los Angeles suburbs, Jarin Blaschke continues a collaboration with filmmaker Robert Eggers that began on the latter’s 2008 short The Tell-Tale Heart and encompassed his haunting 2015 feature debut The Witch. For The Lighthouse, the pair conjured up another strange and foreboding world: a mysterious New England island in the 1890s, inhabited by lighthouse keepers Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe. Blaschke deployed innovative lighting and lensing solutions to take on not just the wilds of authentic Nova Scotia locations, but the demands of dark, cramped, wet settings.

How many years did it take to develop the concept of The Lighthouse?I didn’t have a script until a month or two before prep, but Rob first pitched this idea probably three years before that. With him, it starts with atmosphere, so my subconscious was working on the atmosphere at the same time that we were developing The Witch. We didn’t know which one would go [first] and then The Witch happened.

The Lighthouse was shot in black and white, with a 1.19:1 aspect ratio, on Kodak Double X 35mm film format, which dates from the 1950s. How much testing did you do?There was a battery of tests I put myself through, like testing real oil lamps to see how to do it with an electrical lamp. I had to know how to light differently: I bolstered the light levels by 15, sometimes 20 times, and the film stock had to be tested in rain, backlit to know where it looks like night but also doesn’t look overly lit.

What logistical challenges did you face shooting on location in Nova Scotia?The weather was bad and added about four days to our schedule. It could have been worse but we had a covered set. We couldn’t do a night scene one night because it was too windy and even with day scenes, you have frames where you need to bounce light back using a giant sail and it gets a little hairy. There was a lot of eating cold porridge in the dark in the morning and the breakfast tent was going to blow away. We had to build this hardcore tent just to have breakfast. It adds to the movie, I hope.

In exploring the space between reality and insanity in The Light­house, did you use special lenses for certain scenes?I went to Panavision. I know vintage lenses are really trendy right now. I had some experience with the usual suspects: Cooke Series 2s and Super Baltars [used in The Godfather and The Birds]. They put original Baltars in front of me and I fell in love with them. So we had old Baltars from the 1930s. We used the first high-speed portrait lens of the 19th century for special shots, like [Robert Pattinson] having sex with a mermaid, the hand going down the body. Stuff that was super heightened where we could get away with it.

How did your collaboration with Eggers inspire you for certain images?I’ve known Rob for 12 years so I knew there were going to be a lot of symmetrical two-shots. There is one direct reference to a Sascha Schneider painting. And the last scene in the film is in the lookbook. Those are the only two references, everything else I tried to create. I know Rob watched all kinds of crazy stuff, like videos with shark genitals.

You are also working on Eggers’ next film, The Northman. What can you say about it?Rob says very little. It’s a bigger movie than the others. I can say it’s a Viking revenge movie and we are shooting in Europe. I think he feels a responsibility to do a trilogy. It’s dark and unusually violent.

Robert Richardson - Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood

SOURCE: ANDREW COOPER

ROBERT RICHARDSON WITH QUENTIN TARANTINO

A nine-time Oscar nominee and three-time winner, Robert Richardson’s career has been closely associated with three filmmakers: Oliver Stone, Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino. For Stone, he photographed 11 features in a little over a decade, winning the Oscar for JFK; two of his five collaborations with Scorsese brought him Oscar statuettes (The Aviator and Hugo); and he shared Camerimage’s director and cinematographer duo award with Tarantino for their work across six films including Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood. Richardson is known across the industry for pushing boundaries and doing whatever it takes to achieve a shot.

How would you typify your relationship with Quentin Tarantino?A relationship with a director is a marriage. I have been fortunate enough to forge a series of relationships with all of the directors I’ve worked with from the beginning. It’s the idea that you are linked together and begin to understand how the other speaks, what you like and don’t like. It’s so important. Collaboration at that level is why rock ‘n’ roll bands are the very best when they hold out and play together as the same team as long as they can. The Beatles wouldn’t have been who they were without John, Paul, George and Ringo.

What is your creative process like with Tarantino once you’ve read the script?Quentin was in the room when I first read the [Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood] script. It took me a substantial time to read it. After we had dinner, we made notes and then he played music: ‘Good Thing’ from Paul Revere & The Raiders, ‘Mrs Robinson’ from Simon & Garfunkel, ‘California Dreamin’ from Jose Feliciano. The soundtrack is like a character in the film; it leads you, it is continuously playing from a radio station. The music helped build on the emotion of the characters and the movement of the film.

What is Tarantino’s process for selecting shots?He only shoots on film, he only processes on film and he only watches dailies on film. He doesn’t see digital replication until he gets to the Avid in the editing room. Our process is to shoot a film chemically, process and print chemically, and that print is duplicated on a 35mm projector. You then project the film as well as the digital intermediate, and they need to replicate each other perfectly, otherwise Quentin doesn’t want to discuss it. It’s definitely challenging, but that’s how we get to be better artists.

And when filming, Tarantino always sits beside the camera?Quentin is a director not a selector. He sits beside the camera. There is no video village, there is no video replay. You don’t go back and look at something. He watches the actors and their performance. If he’s got it, it’s over. If there is an error, something happened or an actor needs a retake, he will listen to why, but he will always choose in the editorial process the very best performance. The film is golden in its use of warm, saturated colours. We wanted to make a film that was about California and sunshine. On my side, it’s a combination of film stock, lenses and light. For the golden exteriors, we used a combination of Panavision’s anamorphic lenses and golden lenses.

You are known for using myriad film stocks to achieve different looks. What did you use for this film?We shot 35mm anamorphic, except when shooting Rick Dalton’s western television series, then we were 35mm black and white, and we shot with spherical zooms mostly in 1.33. There were also two sequences at Sharon Tate and Roman Polanski’s home that we shot on Kodak Ektachrome, one in 16mm black and white and the other on Super8mm colour.

Roger Deakins - 1917

SOURCE: FRANÇOIS DUHAMEL/UNIVERSAL PICTURES AND DREAMWORKS PICTURES

ROGER DEAKINS ON THE SET OF ‘1917’

Winner of four Baftas and an Oscar (secured last year for Blade Runner 2049 on his 14th nomination), the prolific Deakins has been an influential figure in cinematography since he burst on to the scene with 1984. On that film he pioneered a bleach bypass process to achieve a washed-out look that went on to be used in films including Se7en and Saving Private Ryan. He has also been at the forefront of embracing digital filming methods, not least on Sam Mendes’s Skyfall.

He reunites with Mendes on 1917, which follows two soldiers on a mission to avert a strategic disaster during the First World War. Deakins and Mendes had to invent new ways to move the camera to create the impression that the narrative was unfolding in a single, continuous shot — an innovative feat that puts the audience on the frontline.

How did you achieve so much fluidity in single camera shooting?We used a lot of different rigs. Probably 60% of the film was shot on a stabilised remote head. Some shots are done on the Trinity [Arri stabiliser rig], some are done on the conventional Steadicam and there’s even a drone. But the majority of the film is done remotely with a stabilised head that’s either carried by the grips or a tracking vehicle on the end of a crane or on a wire.

How did you plan such incredible camera movement while keeping up the illusion of one continuous shot?Sometimes it’s put on to a wire and then moved, or it’s taken off the wire and then someone carries it or runs with it so it all becomes one shot. The reason was not only to sustain the scene but also that we didn’t want to cut in some of the obvious places.

Were you pushing the existing technology, or did you have to create new methods?We created some of our own. For instance, running with speed down a trench in front of two characters like we were, you can’t do that on Steadicam. So a Steadicam operator came up with the design of little mini-posts with gyros on them, and we put a very small remote head on top. He would run down the trench facing forward with the camera facing backwards over his shoulder, which I was remotely operating. Then he’d get to a corner in the trench and segue around so he started on a front shot.

How did you communicate with the operating team on the ground?I’d be operating remotely. I don’t like wearing earphones because I’m constantly running to and from the set talking to grips or whoever. James [Deakins’ wife and digital workflow consultant] would be on set wearing earphones and relaying messages to the crew. During a shot, she would say things to the operating team like “faster, faster” or “you are getting too close, a little to the left”. It helped because they couldn’t see what the camera was seeing.

How integral were the four months of rehearsals?The trick was for Sam and me to figure out what we wanted to do: where we wanted the camera and to finesse the camera moves relative to the actors. We tested specific rigs on specific kinds of shots. That was the big trick, really, practising with different pieces of equipment. We also went to Salisbury Plain and mapped out all the shots we wanted before anything was dug or built, such as the farmhouse.

How was the weather integral to the film?Being such an exterior movie, we were very dependent on the light and the weather. And we realised you can’t really light it. If you were running down a trench and turning around 360 degrees, there’s nowhere to put a light. Because we were shooting in story order, we had to shoot in cloud to get the continuity from scene to scene. Some mornings the sun would be out and we couldn’t shoot so we would rehearse instead.

The shooting in 1917 had to be in sync with the editing. How did that process work?Sam had to choose the take he wanted before we did the next shot because we had to match them, like the beginning of the B side had to match the end of the A side. That frame and the camera movement and the position of the actors had to match exactly. We would have the take on playback, and set up the incoming take and keep playing the beginning to match the end of the shot. That’s the great thing about video assist and being able to overlay the two images.

You were one of the early adopters of digital shooting. What won you over?

The Arri Alexa tipped the point for me between film and digital. I find it a bit of a non-argument. I think it’s what’s in the frame and where you point the camera.

[epfcmoberlyfieldhouse]

October 2019 Events at EPFC North... See you this month at Moberly Fieldhouse!!! All events are FREE. Everyone welcome! Workshop: Phun with Phytograms Saturday, October 5 12 – 3 pm Developed by filmmaker Karel Doing, the Phytogram Method is “a technique that uses the internal chemistry of plants for the creation of images on photographic emulsion.” Intrigued? Let the experiments begin… Free event! Everyone welcome! Workshop: Art Club Tuesday, October 8 11 am – 1 pm Our third international collaboration with Art Club Frome in Somerset, UK! Come on by for some tea, pastries and relaxed art-making on a secret theme to be announced at the start of the session. Free event! Everyone welcome! Workshop: Shoebox Projectors Sunday, October 13 2 pm – 5 pm Learn how to make your very own portable projector! We’ll provide the shoeboxes and the lenses, BYO smartphone. Free event! Everyone welcome! Screening: Vinegar Syndrome presents ON THE MOVE plus Films by Beaux Mingus Sunday, October 13 5 pm – 7 pm Vinegar Syndrome is our Gong Show­-style grab bag series of short educational and ephemeral films, plumbing the depths of EPFC’s impressive film library. For enthusiasts of found footage and collage films, it’s a great way to learn what kinds of films are available at the Film Center—the weird, the cool, the good, the bad, the ugly. All films are selected purely by title around a specific theme and we won’t be previewing anything, so we’ll be just as surprised as you guys! This show’s theme is ON THE MOVE–Films about traveling, moving forward, thumbing for a ride and flying high! As always, there will be lots of snacks and plenty of silly commentary from your host–visiting Artist In Residence Beaux Mingus–and our feisty audience. And speaking of Beaux Mingus, we’ll start the evening off with a few of Beaux’s best loved short films! Free event! Everyone welcome! Event: Home Movie Day Saturday, October 19 1 – 5 pm Saturday, October 19 is Home Movie Day! Bring your home movies to share with family, friends and neighbours at EPFC North Moberly Fieldhouse. We can project many formats including 8mm, Super 8, 16mm, VHS, mini-DV, DVD and Quicktime files so dig deep into that basement or attic and come on down. Free event! Refreshments provided! Everyone welcome! Workshop: 16mm Special Effects Class & Eco-Processing Sunday, October 20 1 – 6 pm Spend a day at EPFC North and learn how to make images dance, pure and sing!!! This In-Camera Special Effects class will allow the filmmakers to experiment with double exposures, motion control, and other optical tricks!! Free event! Everyone welcome! Screening: Comfort Food And Poetry/Comfort Food Is Poetry Saturday, October 26 1 – 3 pm Globetrotting poet Michael R. Jefferson shares a program of short videos made in the last year, each celebrating a different city he has visited. His favorite Vid-Poem, JJ’s Mac and Cheese, sings the praises of his sister Jan’s delicious recipe. Michael promises to bring a batch to the EPFC Moberly Fieldhouse to share. Free event! Everyone welcome.

[theconservativebrief]

Ralph Breaks the Internet is a picaresque, a joyous romp through the backwaters of the internet that nevertheless packs a powerful punch. At first blush, I’d say it falls just short of its predecessor, 2012’s wonderful Wreck-It Ralph, but maybe I need to see it five more times before saying anything so bold.

And when I say it’s a “picaresque,” I mean it. Like the novels that bear this genre label, it’s an episodic journey through an unfamiliar place, following a merry band of travelers as they visit various corners of said unfamiliar place.

At first, the adventures of ’80s video game villain Wreck-It Ralph (John C. Reilly) and ’00s racer game heroine Vanellope (Sarah Silverman) seem largely disconnected or plot-driven. But little by little, the voyage reveals itself to be plucking at unexamined emotional bonds between the two.

Perhaps the best-known American novel to fall under the definition of “picaresque” is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a veritable buffet of tropes from all sorts of genres in which Huck and his friend, the escaped slave Jim, float down the Mississippi. As they get deeper and deeper into the South, Jim faces more and more danger, and the humor slowly drains from the book. As the threat to Jim’s life increases, the story becomes about Huck having a moral reckoning with the institution of slavery he’s grown up alongside.

That is … not what Ralph Breaks the Internet is about, but it’s rather remarkable how closely it follows the same structure, as Ralph and Vanellope plumb the depths of the internet in search of a way to purchase a piece of hardware they need to fix her game back at the arcade where they both live.

They riff on eBay and social media and the dark web, and though the movie is crawling with brand names — whether the sight of a giant tower marked “Google” will fill you with delight or dread is open for debate — it’s much more interested in the internet as a place that binds us together than as any specific series of corporate entities. But it’s also interested in how the internet might bind us together too tightly.

Here are three things Ralph Breaks the Internet gets really right about the internet you’re reading these words on right now. (Alas, Vox does not make a cameo in the film.)

Ralph and Vanellope look out upon the wonders of the internet. Disney

For all its weird adoration of brand names, the first scene where Ralph and Vanellope find themselves online is a visual marvel that captures a feeling I haven’t experienced in 20-ish years: the way it feels to hop online for the very first time.

The two step out of their little wifi portal onto a platform overlooking a vast city, darting with traffic. Little Twitter birds pass along JPGs of Grumpy Cat. Amazon and Google tower over the landscape, but there are plenty of other areas to explore too. It’s at once Times Square reimagined in a digital space and a portal to a wider world. Ralph and Vanellope head down into the throngs to find their way to eBay, and the adventure is afoot.

Later, Vanellope muses that the internet seems disconnected from the day/night cycle of the real world; when you’re online, it feels like the sun is always up. And given that the movie is organized around a pretty strict time limit — after winning her replacement part in an eBay auction, Ralph and Vanellope have 24 hours to cough up the money to pay for it — this “always on” quality makes it a bit difficult to keep track of the story. But Vanellope is right, in the sense that Ralph Breaks the Internet captures that weird, buzzy feeling that comes from being online too long, from feeling like there are a million possibilities ahead and you haven’t even come close to exhausting them.

In some ways, this makes the movie’s inability to imagine the online space in a way that goes beyond a very direct representation of it a little disappointing. Yes, that big, bold city is a lot of fun to look at, but its architecture (which is built atop the very real electronic architecture that houses the internet) never quite conveys the wild, “anything can happen” sense of the internet at its best.

And even if the sequence when Vanellope meets all the Disney princesses (which has been heavily teased for months now) is mostly a lot of fun, the corporate synergy turned my stomach just a bit.

If you place all these gags in the context of Ralph Breaks the Internet co-director Rich Moore’s career, however, they make sense. Moore got his big break taking the piss out of pop culture on The Simpsons and Futurama, and the Wreck-It Ralph movies are among the few big-screen films to manage the same joke-a-minute, satirical snap of those TV shows.

The satire’s a little milder here — Disney’s not going to let him truly mock the princesses — but it’s easier to take the jokes about popular brands when Moore’s the one at the helm. He knows just how to lean into the unhinged nature of the web and speed through them fast enough to keep you from feeling too queasy.

Ralph and Vanellope meet a new friend named Shank. Disney

The script for Ralph Breaks the Internet (by co-director Phil Johnston and Pamela Ribon) was written years ago, which makes it a poor fit for, say, critiquing our current, slightly terrifying online world. But even if it were more up-to-the minute, it’s not as though Ralph and Vanellope would blunder down a dark alley and meet a bunch of 4chan Nazis or anything like that.

And the movie does capture the bleaker side of the web all the same, whether that simply involves Ralph seeing a bunch of comments making fun of him or going to visit the dark web, which promises all manner of salacious items for purchase, right down to a creepy, snake-like virus that looks a little like one of the robot squid critters from The Matrix.

Ralph Breaks the Internet doesn’t want to solely portray the internet as a scary place, but I was a little surprised by how dark the movie was willing to go, especially as it entered a third act that isn’t shy about poking at its heroes’ insecurities.

Ralph and Vanellope meet a lot of fun new characters online — including Gal Gadot as Shank, who occupies an online racing game that catches Vanellope’s eye, and Disney regular Alan Tudyk as an old-fashioned search engine named Knowsmore. But it’s easy to see why Ralph keeps trying to turn back toward the arcade, where life is safe and predictable. To paraphrase Linus from A Charlie Brown Christmas, the internet hasn’t only gotten too commercial; it’s gotten too dangerous.

This marks Ralph Breaks the Internet as belonging to a specific subgenre of the picaresque, one that harks to old Hollywood — the story of two small-town kids who set out for the big city and find their friendship tried by what they encounter there. And it’s in that version of itself that Ralph Breaks the Internet ultimately packs its biggest emotional punch.

How is Vanellope not an official Disney princess? Disney

It’s really hard to talk about what ends up linking Ralph Breaks the Internet’s many loose ends in a third act that feels as bold and smart a story about what it means to live online as any we’ve ever come up with, because to do so is to spoil some of the story’s biggest twists. Suffice to say that if you’re at all familiar with the “two friends go to the big city” format, you’ll know that the big city will seek to divide them. And seeing Ralph and Vanellope realize they’re becoming very different people is legitimately heartbreaking.

But it’s everything that follows from that moment that pushes the movie to another level entirely, one that left me a little gobsmacked. Because ultimately, Ralph Breaks the Internet becomes a story about how entirely well-meaning guys can become toxic to their female friends, as well as a story about how hard it can be to realize that even the best of friends might have to take divergent paths to remain happy.

And the film realizes these themes on just about every level. Its script crackles with references to online toxicity (up to and including a pointed mention of a character who wants to “ride in on a white horse” — a nod to the idea of “white knighting,” when a “nice guy” tries, too aggressively, to come to the aid of a woman online). Its images depict how it feels to have all your vulnerabilities exposed for the world to see. And its themes connect in a way that will make sense to just about any viewer, young or old.

Ralph Breaks the Internet, like all good picaresques, meanders a bit during its journey, stopping to take several little detours that aren’t strictly necessary. Most of these detours are fresh and funny; a few tried my patience. But they’re crucial to what ends up being the film’s ultimate emotional effect. Ralph Breaks the Internet is a movie about how easy it is to forget that the internet is made up of people, sometimes even people you love, because it flatters you and batters you and deflates your ego, until you forget about anybody who’s not yourself.

Ralph Breaks the Internet is playing in theaters everywhere.

Original Source -> Ralph Breaks the Internet is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but for the internet

via The Conservative Brief

[koragame]

The 13 Best It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia Episodes FX's It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia just entered its 13th season, and over the years, the gang has done some incredible and despicable things. From exploiting the gas crisis, to getting drunk on planes, to putting on a rock opera that's just a marriage proposal ploy, the show contains some hilarious and truly memorable episodes.The show follows the owners--and employee--of Paddy's Pub in Philadelphia: Ronald "Mac" McDonald, Dee Reynolds, Dennis Reynolds, Frank Reynolds, and Charlie Kelly. Together, this group of friends is toxic and ruins the lives of everyone around them through malicious schemes and plots to try and make themselves seem like better people.In honor of the show's 13th season, the folks at GameSpot came together to debate which episodes are the best. Obviously, this is no easy task because so many of these episodes are amazing.After plenty of debate, looking at every scheme, every violent encounter, and every hilarious moment, we figured out the best 13 episodes from the series. Let us know what your favorite episodes are in the comment section below.It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia currently airs Wednesdays at 10 PM on FXX. 13. The Gang Gives Frank An InterventionSeason 5, Episode 4Frank has gone off the wagon with his drinking so Dee, Dennis, and Charlie want to give him an intervention. Meanwhile, Frank is trying to have sex with his sister-in-law, who Mac is pursuing as well. However, Frank settles for her daughter, Gail the Snail, who is simply the worst (and one of the show's best side characters, despite being underused). This episode is the point where Frank really goes off the deep end--Season 2 Frank is very different from what the character eventually becomes--and once he starts plumbing the depths of his depravity here, he'll never stop. This episode is a great example of the group dynamic, which involved getting as drunk as possible (this time with wine in soda cans) and berating each other. 12. The Gang Wrestles For The TroopsSeason 5, Episode 7 This episode has the first appearances of both Da Maniac and Ben the Soldier. Mac, Charlie, and Dennis decide nothing is more American than wrestling and decide to put on a wrestling show for the troops. They book Da Maniac, played by the late Roddy Piper, a deranged wrestler with a heart of gold who ends up getting arrested before the show. Meanwhile, Dee meets her online boyfriend Ben but passes him off to Artemis when Ben shows up in a wheelchair after spraining his ankle. One of the best moments of the episode is when Charlie, Mac, and Dennis come to the wrestling ring as "The Birds of War," singing their entrance with drawn on abs. It's one of the few times the majority of the gang actually tries to accomplish something where they aren't benefiting from it in some way and gives the viewer some hope that these people aren't all that bad. Also check out Season 9, Episode 4: "Mac and Dennis Buy a Timeshare" 11. Maureen Ponderosa Wedding MassacreSeason 8, Episode 3 This is the only episode on this list where it really helps to have watched previous episodes revolving around the relationship of Dennis and his ex-wife Maureen Ponderosa. The Wedding Massacre all takes place in flashback form as Frank, Dennis, Charlie, and Mac are telling the story of what happened at the Maureen Ponderosa/Liam McPoyle wedding, which ended like a zombie movie. It's a combination of two major antagonists in the gang's lives that haven't crossed over before. It's tonally a bit different than a traditional Always Sunny episode, as it's darker and a tad creepy, but it works. This episode is a pivotal point in Maureen's storyline, right before she begins transitioning into a cat. Plus it's always fun to spend time with the whole McPoyle clan--not least the raving mad Pappy McPoyle, played for some reason by none other than Guillermo del Toro. Also check out Season 6, Episodes 1 & 2: "Mac Fights Gay Marriage" and "Dennis Gets Divorced." 10. Paddy's Pub: Home of the Original Kitten MittensSeason 5, Episode 8 While the series had already been on the air for five years at the time, The original TV spot for the "Kitten Mittens" episode went viral, as a cat wearing socks tried to walk across a table as Charlie looked on. In the actual episode, everyone in the gang tries to develop products to market Paddy's Pub, which leads them to The Lawyer (played again by Brian Unger). This episode sets up a couple recurring gags, like Charlie believing he's a lawyer or "man of the law" and Frank trying to sell an egg dyed green as a stress ball and "jumping off point." The episode also has one of the best sight gags in the series, with Mac's "D**k towel," a crudely drawn penis on a shower towel. It's a stand-alone episode that's just moment after moment of really solid comedy writing. 9. The Gang Broke DeeSeason 9, Episode 1 For eight seasons, the gang has been brutal to Dee Reynolds, and at the start of Season 9, she cracks like the shell of an egg that she would lay (because she is a bird). Mac, Charlie, and Frank try to lift her spirits by encouraging her to try stand-up comedy again. She actually does well for herself. While this is happening, Dennis tries to hook her up with a "select," a mediocre man Dee can settle down with. The turn at the end episode is outstanding and unbelievably mean. It's so malicious toward Dee, and it ends up breaking Dennis, for very different reasons. While it's an extremely cold-hearted episode, it's amazing to see the depths these characters will go just to one-up each other. 8. Dennis and Dee Go on WelfareSeason 2, Episode 3 Right after Danny Devito joined the cast as Frank Reynolds, Always Sunny started finding its footing, as the series offered more of a variety in how the gang split up into different alliances and they began to get more depraved than ever. "Dennis and Dee Go on Welfare" is a great early example of this. As the title suggests, Dennis and Dee quit their jobs to milk the welfare system--which leads them to become crack addicts--while Charlie and Mac spend all of Frank's money in his secret bank account. This episode sets up a few reoccuring things in always Sunny, like Dennis and Dee's addiction problems and Frank's casual racism. It's actually a great starting point for the series, as it gives the audience a greater understanding of how far these characters are willing to go in order to please their own egos, even if it means turning to addiction so they don't have to work anymore. 7. A Very Sunny ChristmasSeason 6, Episode 13 Originally a straight-to-video release and added a year later to Season 6, this 43-minute episode gives the audience plenty of insight into the gang's childhood and why they're all such damaged people. As kids, Frank would buy himself what Dennis and Dee wanted for Christmas and rub it in their faces. Mac learns his family would steal gifts from other families. Charlie learns his mother was a prostitute that had sex with men dressed like Santa Claus. Also, there's a claymation sequence that is bonkers, and one of the top Sunny gags ever, involving a stark naked, glistening Frank bursting from the bowels of a saggy leather couch in the middle of an office holiday party full of strangers. While this episode tends to be overlooked, it is crucial to understanding these characters, as nowhere else do we see a better blueprint for who these characters are and where they came from. 6. The Gang Solves The Gas CrisisSeason 4, Episode 2 The gang is always coming up with schemes, none of which are good on paper nor do they play out as planned. "The Gang Solves The Gas Crisis" sees Mac, Dennis, and Charlie selling barrels of gasoline to people door-to-door in order to profit from the high gas prices at the time. Meanwhile, Frank and Dee try to besmirch Bruce Mathis (Dee and Dennis's real father) after he plans on donating the late Barbara Reynolds' inheritance. This episode starts the trend of Charlie as the "wild card" of the group, as he dresses up like a Texas oil man, tries to seduce a banker, and throws a fireball at Mac's head. "The Gang Solves The Gas Crisis" sets the trend for how the group's schemes will turn out--poorly--but it delivers the idea that they can work together, despite being despicable people. Out of all of the schemes the gang has come up with throughout the series, this one tops the list. Also check out Season 8, Episode 2: "The Gang Recycles Their Trash" 5. The Gang Beats BoggsSeason 10, Episode 1 Throughout its 13 seasons, Always Sunny had plenty of road trip episodes where the gang leaves the bar to go on adventures. The best of them all is "The Gang Beats Boggs." With Mac acting as commissioner, the gang goes on a cross-country flight in order to try and beat Wade Boggs' record of drinking 70 beers in one flight. Meanwhile, Frank wants to start "The Air Sex Society," by getting it on with someone on the flight. Where the episode shines is in the group dynamic. The gang is reved up for their plan, but as the episode goes on, one by one, they give up or find something they deem more interesting to focus on. This is a repeating trend throughout the series, and an element we've seen before, but no other episode does it as well as "The Gang Beats Boggs," as it contains this all within a tight location, weaving multiple storylines, and keeping the dialogue comedic. Also check out Season 13, Episode 3: "The Gang Beats Boggs: Ladies Reboot" 4. Charlie WorkSeason 10, Episode 4Not only is "Charlie Work" a hilarious and chaotic mess (in the best way possible), but it is shot beautifully, with plenty of long, single-shot takes following Charlie throughout the bar. In the episode, Charlie learns that the health inspector is on her way to inspect Paddy's Pub, so Charlie kicks into high gear to make sure the bar is up to code. However, while this is happening, the rest of the gang has a convoluted scheme involving live chickens, airline miles, and steaks. Charlie has to make sure the health inspector isn't wise to the scheme, all while keeping her none-the-wiser. The episode shows that Charlie is actually incredibly competent as one of the owners, and one of the best gags of the episode is set up right under your nose the entire time. It gives the audience a whole new perspective on the character, and you'll come to respect him more. 3. "The D.E.N.N.I.S. SystemSeason 5, Episode 10It's well-established now that Dennis Reynolds is a full-blown sociopath, but it was this 2009 episode that really defined how awful the character is. Dennis explains to the gang his technique for seducing women, which involves Demonstrating his value, Engaging her physically, Nurturing her dependence, Neglecting her emotionally, Inspiring hope, and Separating entirely. A good portion of this system relies on Dennis making threatening phone calls as a disgruntled neighbor. We also learn about the M.A.C. System, which is just Mac trying to swoop in after Dennis leaves these women. This episode is a big turn for the character. Instead of being a typical scumbag who uses women, we learn that he's a straight-up monster who plays a game to inflate his own self-worth. You'll never look at Dennis the same way again. Fun fact: The pharmacist Dennis dates in this episode is Glenn Howerton's wife in real life. 2. Charlie MacDennis: The Game of GamesSeason 7, Episode 7Without anything fun to do, the gang introduces Frank to a convoluted board/drinking game they created, Chardee MacDennis. Based on board games they loved as children--combined with their love of alcohol--the gang's homebrew tabletop game is pure insanity and the whole goal of the game is to belittle the losers. It's one of the more bizarre episodes and shows that this group thrives on being awful to other people, even if it's to each other. The episode expands on the relationships between the characters and delivering a really fun plot, while never leaving the bar. More importantly, it's one of the most light-hearted episodes in the series, with the endgame of the gang not being anything too crazy.Also check out Chardee MacDennis 2: Electric Boogaloo (Season 11, Episode 1) 1. "The Nightman Cometh"Season 4, Episode 13In the Season 4 finale, Charlie and the gang decide to put on a rock opera based on Charlie's song "Night Man" from Season 3. The opera's story revolves around a young boy who must stop the Night Man in order to win the heart of a princess of a coffee shop. He does this by turning into the Day Man. There's a huge turn at the end, as Charlie appears and asks the Waitress--who is in the audience--to marry him. While it's undeniably one of the funniest episodes, especially when Frank--who plays the Troll--can't get the lyrics right, it's incredibly dark when you realize that this could be the story of Charlie, as a young boy, escaping the clutches of his Uncle Jack. It's a prime example of taking a character who the audience tends to perceive as dumb and showing another side to him, as Charlie is--in many ways--a musical genius, even if the content of the music is disturbing.Also check out "Sweet Dee's Dating a R****ded Person" (Season 3, Episode 9) Source by [author_name] #games #gamer #gaming #game #play #koragame #freegames #onlinegames