#got released in 2007 and then got a sequel in 2011

[edelgards]

this game is so unreal to me i'm not going to lie

[nadziejastar]

When did Kh go to complete shit in your opinion

The short answer is that the series experienced a gradual decline after the release of BBS. I think it officially went to shit with Union X, particularly the story arc that started after the Keyblade War. The longer answer will be under the cut.

KH2FM/Days/BBS (2007-2010)

Since Birth by Sleep is the first part of the Kingdom Hearts storyline, I'd like if you considered it as Kingdom Hearts, "Episode 0". This title isn't placed as a side story, with its storyline and battle system, it is substantial like that of a numbered title.

During this time, the series was extremely healthy and at its peak of popularity, with a bright future. KH2 was a beloved JRPG classic (and still is). The Final Mix introduced interesting new mysteries surrounding Xemnas and solid gameplay extras like the Lingering Will. Days was a side game, but it gave more development to fan favorites Roxas and Axel. The PSP wasn't the most popular system in the West, but BBS still sold quite well. It was a bit of a downgrade from KH2 due to the lesser hardware, but it was still a true mainline numbered sequel in the spirit of KH2 and was well received by fans. Tbh, I'd consider BBS the last truly great game in the series.

Re:Coded (2010)

After BBS the next new installment was...a filler game in the spirit of CoM. Recycled Disney plots, and an even more nonsense story with the datascape stuff. But it was just a DS port of a Japanese flip-phone game. It was a title that you could completely ignore and not really lose out on anything. Still, it is a low-quality title that didn't need to exist and wasn't doing the reputation of the series any favors.

Birth By Sleep Final Mix+ (2011)

[D]uring that movie there were the words ‘A fragmentary passage’, weren’t there? That means a ‘bits and pieces of something whole’. In short, a story for ‘Volume Two’ exists that ought to be told, but the story cuts off with those scenes. Because of that, I won’t say there is absolutely no chance that we will produce a title to follow KHBBS, but there are no plans as of now.

This game had an interesting playable secret ending and video. Volume 2 was supposed to be a numbered game (KH0.5), a mainline title that would fill in important gaps from across the timeline. But BBSFM didn't sell well in Japan. Which isn't surprising. Final mixes made sense in the PS2 era. But the extra content for BBS could have been released as DLC. Not many people want to buy the same game again for some new content.

Dream, Drop, Distance (2012)

KH3D was put together relatively quickly, I was still concepting the story when I brought it to the table.

This is when the series started going to shit. It started gaining quite a bad reputation and articles like this began to pop up. Re:Coded could easily be dismissed as filler, but 3D was advertised as more of a mainline game. People were eager for KH3, or at least a game with the same quality as BBS. DDD isn't terrible or anything. But you could tell that it didn't have as much thought put into it as BBS.

It was originally just the beginning part of KH3 that got stretched out into a full game and it shows. The Disney worlds don't fit into the normal timeline, there's fewer of them, Disney party members were replaced with animals, and the drop gimmick was controversial. There's weird time travel stuff that is convoluted and not explained very well. This didn't help with the story's reputation.

I originally planned to make that [a mystery KH title] after KHBBS, but we ended up making KH3D and the project was stopped. It’s a shame, but we won’t be starting that project again.

BBSV2 was planned after BBS. Production stopped to make DDD. The secret ending of DDD showed Young Xehanort on the beach of Destiny Islands, which was one of the events shown during "A Fragmentary Passage". There may have still been plans to start production of BBSV2 again after KH3D finished. But Square changed their minds. I suspect the reason for that has to do with Versus XIII.

Versus was being developed by the Tokyo team which made KH2. BBS was made by the Osaka team, which also made DDD. The original plan was for the Tokyo team to finish Versus and then make KH3. But things were a mess with Versus and eventually it was decided that the Osaka team would make KH3. So, if the Osaka team was busy on KH3, then they wouldn't be able to make BBSV2.

X (2013)

To tell the story about the Keyblade War we need the capacity of hi-spec hardware and we need to accumulate all of our knowledge on this hardware. And in telling this story, we will need to tell it in separate episodes, and how specifically to tell it has yet to be figured out.

There is evidence that X was probably intended to be an MMO on high-spec hardware. Square had a lot of trouble with the transition to HD consoles, so it was downgraded to a minor release on browser. It's an okay title. Interesting lore that expands on the fairy tale of Kairi's grandma. But it's got the typical recycled Disney plots and low-budget gameplay. Not exactly lighting the world on fire for the core audience.

If you do know, then you will enjoy the world of KH all the more, make no mistake. However, you don't have to know everything. The protagonist himself, Sora, doesn't know everything. That said, I'd be happiest if you did play it (laughs). If you do give it a try, I think you'll be surprised at what a rich experience you get for free.

But X was not meant to be a title with an emphasis on story. It was a spin-off, totally separate from the main plot thread. It was written alongside KH3 and the two were intimately related. If you played X, it would enhance your enjoyment (Ephemer cameo), but it was not essential.

X was rebranded as Unchained X and rereleased for mobile in 2015. X was also remade into Back Cover, which was included in the 2.8 HD Remaster collection. People would naturally assume that Back Cover told you everything you needed to know about the X story in preparation for KH3. And maybe at one point, that was the plan...

0.2 A Fragmentary Passage (2017)

As far as content goes, we can’t include a full volume of content to play with like the second chapter of KHBbS, so it’s just a “fragment,” and we left that part of the subtitle. 0.5 is one of the letters and numbers that appeared in the secret episode of KHBbS FM, and that meant full volume, so we decided on 0.2 this time, to indicate that there will be more content to come.

IMO, this is the first high-quality release since BBS. But it's still just a 3-hour prologue instead of a complete game. The events with Aqua are interesting, but they are just one "fragment" of the whole 0.5.

Actually, this was what I worried about the most. We showed this for a bit in the secret episode of [KHBbS FM], but the concept for two chapters of [BbS] is something we've had for a while, and because of problems with time, it's become just a morceau.

Releasing it as a full game on consoles would have delayed progress of KH3. And after nearly a decade of nothing but remasters and low-quality spin-offs, that was the last thing Square wanted. Despite how important 0.5 was, fans would be upset if the next mainline game wasn't KH3.

Union X (2017)

As a gacha with a worldwide audience, X was extremely profitable, so its storyline was extended past its natural ending. Even though X was a complete story that was meant to lead directly into KH3, Nomura retconned the ending, allowing the story of Ephemer and friends to continue in a new story arc called Union X which began in 2017. UX was...strange. It took place in the afterlife? Or the datascape? It had tons of filler, very infrequent story updates that barely progressed anything, and weird retcons, like character backstories that felt like they were in the wrong game (Why tf are Ventus and Marluxia here???).

Unlike X, the story of UX felt like it was being made up on the fly. Also, UX did not directly tie in with KH3 anymore. Its run actually continued past KH3. It was as if Nomura knew there were going to be too many plot holes for KH3 to properly resolve. So, he began using UX to set up the plot of KH4. People who only played the remasters were going to be completely blindsided when they played KH3. It wouldn't conclude anything that was set up in Back Cover, like the black box. KH3 would actually just be one big "to be continued" for KH4 with UX acting a band-aid. IMO, this is the point when the series had officially gone to shit.

KH3 (2019)

I had quite a tough time writing the story this time around. So many characters appear in this game, with each of them having their own set of problems and needing to choose their own fate. [...] I believe that KINGDOM HEARTS III is truly completed when the two thoughts - whatever you feel from playing the game, and my thoughts that I’ve secretly placed in the game - match up together. I hope that everyone playing the game will complete the game for us.

The long-awaited big budget mainline title on home console was a decent game, but it just wasn't a complete experience like KH2 was. 0.5 should have properly developed the relationships of Lea/Isa, Ansem the Wise/Ienzo, and Xehanort/Eraqus. Instead, these backstories only get lightly touched on in the Secret Reports and then one cutscene was given to "resolve" their problems. The new original world that was shown off in a private trailer in 2014 dubbed "Cable Town" was completely absent from the final game, except as the final battle stage.

KH3 had beautiful production values, solid gameplay, and vastly improved level design. But it didn't capture people's hearts like KH2 did. More incomprehensible time travel, rushed unsatisfying reunions for the trios, plot holes galore, and a cliffhanger ending only made things worse for the reputation of the series. The story is infamous in the gaming community now. A meme. KH4 doesn't have anywhere near as much hype as KH3 did.

Fans all have different favorite characters, so I thought I should give each of them their own time to shine, but because the amount of things needed to be explained was too large, I had to find a way to have Sora move forward, at the very least. Actually, when the scenarios were being written, the Keyblade Graveyard part was the most difficult. If I focused on each character at a time, the progression of events would be quite slow, and the battles involving Sora were necessary to be shown, so making allowances for everything was difficult. The way I imagined it, all of the characters tied to each other should fight in order and put an end to everything [themselves], but if I did that, the explanations would end up being too long.

Re:Mind was content that should have been in the main game, but was removed due to time constraints. For instance, the Final Fantasy characters from RG. Also, being able to play as the various guardians of light in their respective battles, rather than just Sora. Roxas and Xion weren't even supposed to be revived in the middle of Lea and Kairi's fight, but were included to please fans. The focus of the DLC is on Yozora, a new OC reminiscent of Noctis, showing that KH4 will be an attempt to revive the cancelled Versus XIII. The series is just...a hot mess at this point.

Melody of Memory (2020)

Another budget side game nobody wanted. Only has a tiny bit of story at the very end. Similar to Re:Mind, the plot felt like cut content from KH3. Stuff like Kairi's childhood flashbacks of Apprentice Xehanort, her arrival in the Final World to look for Sora's soul, then having a confrontation with old man Xehanort. All stuff that should have been in KH3. Ya know, when Xehanort was still alive...

Dark Road (2020)

I know what you're probably thinking: the Dark Seeker Saga, which depicted the battle against Xehanort, finished with KINGDOM HEARTS III, didn't it? Well, it's a grey area, but I wouldn't call this title part of the Dark Seeker Saga. Why? Because this isn't about battling against Xehanort—it's about the battles of Xehanort. And maybe you're thinking that's a bit of a reach, but… okay, maybe it's a bit of a reach. However, I had the concept in my head for many years. It got shelved because it never really fitted what our team wanted. But around then, I heard from the Union X team that they'd like to do a parallel title with a new protagonist. And, since it seemed there was an unexpected number of Xehanort fans out there, it all came together like it was destined to be.

This story was no doubt one of the missing "fragments" of 0.5. Unlike many KH games, DR has a very solid premise and an interesting storyline. It's just a story that should have been told in a mainline game before the Xehanort saga ended. Because it was rebranded as part of the X series, there were weird retcons like Xehanort being the reincarnation of the UX Player. However, the main problem was the VERY low budget. The chibi pop-up book graphics fit the childish fairy tale story of X, but don't fit this story. Story updates were slow and gameplay was trash. Didn't even last a year. The scenario was truncated, and we got an abrupt ending that didn't even delve into Master Odin, how Xehanort fell to darkness, or how he and Eraqus grew apart. At this point, the state of the series is just pitiful.

Missing Link (2024)

"Kingdom Hearts: Missing Link" is a work that fills in the blanks between the two arcs and acts as a bridge, so it doesn't belong to either the "Dark Seeker" or "Lost Masters" arcs.

When UX finally ended, the Player, who was already dead, dies again. Only, instead of going to the Final World (X's ending) it's implied that they're reborn. This is because Square wanted to make a new UX with a parallel protagonist. But DR flopped. So, they retconned things yet again. No, no. Xehanort wasn't the reincarnation of Player-kun. Rather, it's this new robed person and Xehanort just absorbed their memories. ML is the REAL mobile follow-up to UX.

Honestly, ML doesn't look too bad. Unlike UX, it will be able to deliver a console-like experience (yay controller support!) and the story seems like it will be closer to a mainline game. I imagine most of the unused "fragments" from 0.5 will be included as "missing links" this time around. Better late than never. But fans are definitely burned out from the vast amount of side games and most just want KH4. Fortunately, mobile games only need a few dedicated whales to stay funded. ML won't delay progress of KH4 and it can dole out its story gradually, and it won't have to be rushed or shortened like KH0.2.

[heavenboy09]

Happy Belated Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 To You

The Dark Ravened Haired Beautiful Actress 👩🏻Of Both Scifi & Other TV Show Genres 📺, Early Horror Films & Superhero Films In The MCU

Born On March 12th, 1984

Jaimie Alexander was born in Greenville, South Carolina, but moved to Grapevine, Texas, when she was four years old. She is the only girl in a family of five children. Alexander first got into acting in grade school, where she took theater for fun. Alexander stated that she was kicked out of theater when she was in high school because she could not sing, so she instead went into sports. When she was 17, she substituted for a friend at a meeting with a scouting agency and she met her manager, Randy James, who sent her some scripts. After her graduation from Colleyville Heritage High School, a year and a half later, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career.

She is an American actress. She is known for portraying Jessi on the TV series Kyle XY and Lady Sif in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Thor (2011), Thor: The Dark World (2013), and Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), as well as the television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013–2020) and the Disney+ series Loki (2021). From 2015 until 2020, she starred in the NBC series Blindspot.

Her career was launched in 2003, when she was cast in the leading role of Hanna Thompson in the low budget, award-winning film The Other Side.

In 2007, she began starring in the ABC Family television show Kyle XY as Jessi, a troubled show-off with superhuman powers who is trying to find her way in the world, with increasing cooperation and eventual romance with her male counterpart Kyle

In September 2009, Alexander was cast as Lady Sif in the live-action superhero film, Thor, directed by Kenneth Branagh and released in May 2011. She reprised the role in the sequel Thor: The Dark World, released in November 2013. She reprised the role twice in special crossover guest appearances in the TV series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on March 11, 2014, and again on March 10, 2015.

In 2015, Alexander began starring as Jane Doe in the NBC series Blindspot.

Please Wish This Dark Ravened Haired Beautiful Actress Of TV & Cinema 🎥 A Happy Belated Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊

MS. JAIMIE ALEXANDER 👩🏻

HAPPY BELATED 40TH BIRTHDAY 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 TO YOU MS.ALEXANDER 👩🏻 & HERE'S TO MANY MORE YEARS TO COME

#JaimieAlexander

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

MUTANT MAYHEM Stuff

I finally saw this big deal of an animated movie... As always, review is on Letterboxd.

Yes, I've heard that they got a sequel lined up already. Though with the writers and actors strike going on, I don't expect work to begin on it any time soon. This means, to me, that it'll be here in 2026 at the earliest, should these dingus CEOs keep it up in being dinguses. But all I know is, I'm ready for more!

It seems like Paramount Animation, after so many years of false starts, might have something going. Yes, it may be with a recognizable superhero-action comic book-based IP that's been adapted into movies **multiple** times... And I mean MULTIPLE... You have the early 1990s live-action movies, you have the 2007 animated movie (remember that?), you have the two Michael Bay-produced movies where the turtles look like tanks, and now this movie. In addition to what seems like a gazillion TV show adaptations going all the way back to the classic late '80s Saturday morning series.

So far, the $70m-costing movie has made about $100m worldwide. It admittedly hasn't had the greatest start. It even opened below MEG 2, which goes to show where the moviegoing public's priorities are at the moment, post-Barbenheimer. But I see a leggy run for this, similar to that of the first SPIDER-VERSE, which only opened with a fairly meager $35m. I guess most of the public made the 2014 TMNT movie open so big because live-action just a lot of audiences them a way in to such an outlandish concept. I remember some "Why is there a cartoon Spider-Man now?" reactions to SPIDER-VERSE Uno when that was coming out in 2018, especially after three big live-action iterations that came out back-to-back. It makes me curious to see how TRANSFORMERS: ONE opens next summer, if it does come out next summer that is.

Paramount Animation, if that's even a thing anymore (for that logo or name does not show up in the opening logo rollout), has a weird future ahead that seems very IP-reliant. They recently demoted UNDER THE BOARDWALK to a Paramount+ release, and it seems like book adaptation THE TIGER'S APPRENTICE is still on for a January release despite no trailers or images or any kind of promo being out there at the moment. Or for a while even, before the strike. Following that are things that have been done as big movies before: Transformers, The Smurfs, PAW Patrol, etc. We have plenty of 2D AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER movies on the horizon, too, which is great! But at the same time, coupled with Paramount CEO Tim Robbins' recent comments on making original animation for theaters, this studio's slate is just... Franchises. Now, if these future entries do what MUTANT MAYHEM did, that's cool and all... But at the same time, new stories are always welcome, because when some franchises run out of juice... You'll need something new to start another one? I don't get Hollywood.

But yeah, this is looking to be Paramount Animation's first theatrical score in a while, after a slew of movies like SHERLOCK GNOMES and WONDER PARK and PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF HANK.

The other day, I watched sections of RANGO... One of my all-time favorites! Gore Verbinski's film through and through, weird as fuck throughout, it was released by Paramount all the way back in 2011, and despite not making back its budget theatrically, Paramount leadership were so impressed with the movie - and also upset that DreamWorks wasn't going to renew their distribution deal with them - that they founded Paramount Animation in 2012. Like, RANGO's the reason that all took off! And yet, I don't see Paramount greenlighting something like that today. Or most studios, for that matter. How did it even get greenlit in the mid-2000s is my question?? I feel like we're lucky to even have it. And that the thing managed to make over $100m domestically alone.

Anyways, I see MUTANT MAYHEM doing quite well for itself. They already have sequels and TV show lined up, so we shall what that entails. In the mean time, it's cool that we even got such a dynamic and neat new take on this property, in animated movie form. Another win for mainstream feature animation. And for interesting big budget studio cinema in general, really. Much like SPIDER-VERSE, BARBIE, GUARDIANS VOL. 3, and a few others, it shows that filmmaker-driven unique takes on classic properties are much more desirable than workmanlike network TV-lookin' franchise movies.

[denimbex1986]

'Cillian Murphy is getting noted for his role of J. Robert Oppenheimer in the film Oppenheimer and he is looking very promising in the role. He is all geared for the big release and for the promotion of the film.

Murphy was born on 25 May 1976 in Douglas, Cork. His mother taught French while his father, Brendan, worked for the Department of Education. His grandfather, aunts, and uncles were also teachers. He was raised in Ballintemple, Cork he had two sisters and one brother. He started writing and performing songs at the age of 10. He was raised Catholic and attended the fee-paying Catholic secondary school Presentation Brothers College, where he did well academically but often got into trouble, sometimes being suspended; he decided in his fourth year that misbehaving was not worth the hassle. Not keen on sports, which was a major part of the school’s curriculum, he found that artistic pursuits were neglected at the school.

Murphy did his first performance in secondary school when he participated in a drama module presented by Corcadorca Theatre Company director Pat Kiernan. Novelist William Wall, who was his English teacher, encouraged him to pursue acting but he was set on becoming a rock star. In his late teens and early 20s, he sang and played the guitar in several bands alongside his brother, Páidi, and the Beatles-obsessed duo named their most successful band The Sons of Mr. Green Genes, which they adopted from the Frank Zappa song of the same name. They were offered a five-album deal by Acid Jazz Records, which they rejected because Páidi was still in school and the duo did not agree with the small amount of money they would get for giving the record label the rights to Murphy’s compositions.

Murphy began studying law at University College Cork (UCC) in 1996 but failed his first-year exams because he was busy with his band, but he knew within days after starting at UCC that law was not what he wanted to do. After seeing Corcadorca’s stage production of A Clockwork Orange, directed by Kiernan, acting began to garner his interest. His first major role was in the UCC Drama Society’s amateur production of Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme, which starred Irish-American comedian Des Bishop.

He made his professional debut in Enda Walsh’s 1996 play Disco Pigs and in the 2001 screen adaptation of the same name. His early notable film credits include the horror film 28 Days Later (2002), the dark comedy Intermission (2003), the thriller Red Eye (2005), the Irish war drama The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006), and the thriller Sunshine (2007). He played a transgender Irish woman in the comedy-drama Breakfast on Pluto (2005), which earned him a nomination for a Golden Globe Award.

Murphy began collaborating with filmmaker Christopher Nolan in 2005, playing Scarecrow in The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005–2012) as well as appearing in Inception (2010) and Dunkirk (2017). He gained prominence for his role as Tommy Shelby in the BBC period drama series Peaky Blinders (2013–2022) and for starring in the horror sequel A Quiet Place Part II (2020). In 2023, he starred as J. Robert Oppenheimer in Nolan’s biopic Oppenheimer.

In 2011, Murphy won the Irish Times Theatre Award for Best Actor and Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance for the one-man play Misterman. In 2020, The Irish Times named him one of the greatest Irish film actors.'

[hopeymchope]

I posit the theory that PMMM and Danganronpa are two very similar works that are both products of their time. In many ways, they compliment each other.

Characters with distinct personalties

Deconstruction of various character tropes

Marketed itself one way, only to pull the rug out and become darker

Tons of sequels and spinoffs that get even darker and more divisive

Focus on hope vs despair (with hope winning after great sacrifice)

The first death is well known, even outside the fandom

Release around the same time

Now I'm no expert on Japanese politics and finances, but I do know that there was a global recession in the late 2000s-early 2010s. Japan was also rocked by a major tsunami in 2011.

What I'm saying is there's a reason they gave Madoka and Chiaki the same VA in English

I'm a hugely devoted fan of both. And honestly, so little else comes CLOSE to them for me, even though I only got into them YEARS after their initial release.

Therefore, I guess if they're "products of their time," then apparently for me, 2011 is the ideal time??? LOL! But nah, they resonate so hard even so many years after the fact. I don't think they've aged all that much, except for maybe (?) Fujisaki's storyline in Chapter 2 of the first one. Otherwise, it's all good. Anything else they do that's kinda sketchy is stuff that tons of anime and manga still do today all the time.

I'll disagree with/question a few other things in your list, though:

1) I'll maintain that Danganronpa characters are still some of the quirkiest and most realistically complex people I know in fiction thanks to Kodaka's "ordinary process for crafting extraordinary stories [and characters]." I don't think the PMMM characters quite get there, or at least not as quickly as the DR characters do. The ones that do reach that height of complexity often require spinoffs and deep dives in the "Magia Record" game to nail it down. So to me, the unique PMMM characters rarely stack up to the DR characters. .......... But that's just a personal taste thing, really.

2) Wait, how did Danganronpa market itself one way and then pull the rug out? By the time the game was fully in production and then released, I think it was pretty clear that it wasn't gonna be like "Distrust" anymore. But I guess it does still pull the rug a bit with that famous early death? Featuring a character that was central in the marketing, ofc. Is that what you mean?

3) Given how long the lead time is on producing a visual novel AND an all-original anime, I don't think the tsunami could've played a factor in the start of these franchises. Maybe some other stuff could've, however... but it's harder to pinpoint major events with national impact when you remove the tsunami from the mix. Perhaps that recession you mentioned (which is only agreed to cover 2007-2009 on a global level) informs the despair/hope dichotomy, inspiring some of the theming. That would make sense.

4) The sequels/spinoffs don't always get darker, but they certainly do get more divisive all the time. I guess that's common with most franchises; people always start to splinter off with sequels. I feel like DR2 went down pretty smooth for everyone, but things got more divisive from there for sure. (And hey, DR2 isn't as dark as DR1 either!) On the flip side, "Rebellion" is definitely something that comes off divisive AND darker than the original PMMM series, so it's kinda the opposite case of the first follow-up to DR1. However, some of the PMMM spinoff manga definitely go lighter in tone overall, even among those that AREN'T strictly comedic (Homura's Revenge and Kazuki Magica jump to mind).

[mytechbug]

Kelly Mcgillis's Net Worth: From Top Gun to Present

With her girl-next-door looks and undeniable acting talent, Kelly McGillis captured the hearts of moviegoers in the 1980s thanks to memorable roles in films like Witness, Top Gun, and The Accused. Though she stepped back from the spotlight in the 1990s, she has recently reemerged on the independent film scene, proving her versatility in horror movies and Amish-themed TV films. Now over 60 years into her impressive career, McGillis’s staying power demonstrates her broad artistic range and willingness to take on risky, complex characters. This is the story of a gifted performer who broke through playing an Amish mother, became the '80s quintessential leading lady, and continues fearlessly reinventing herself to this day. Kelly McGillis’s Bio Year Born 1957 Birthplace Newport Beach, California Ethnicity Scots-Irish, German, Welsh Education Juilliard School Breakout Role Witness (1985) Most Famous Role Top Gun (1986) Years Active 1983-present Spouse(s) Boyd Black (div.), Fred Tillman (div.) Children 2 daughters with Tillman Early Life and Education Kelly Ann McGillis was born on July 9, 1957, in Newport Beach, California, to Virginia Joan (née Snell), a homemaker, and Donald Manson McGillis, a physician. She has two younger sisters. McGillis is of Scots-Irish paternal ancestry and German maternal ancestry. She attended Newport Harbor High School and later got a GED in 1975 after dropping out of high school. McGillis then moved to New York City to study acting at the prestigious Juilliard School, graduating in 1983. Film Career Highlights McGillis started her film career playing Geneva Spofford in 1983’s Reuben. Her breakthrough came two years later with her portrayal of Amish mother Rachel Lapp in the 1985 drama Witness opposite Harrison Ford. The role earned her Golden Globe and BAFTA award nominations for Best Supporting Actress. In 1986, she starred as flight instructor Charlotte “Charlie” Blackwood in the blockbuster action film Top Gun with Tom Cruise. Other notable film projects have included 1987’s romantic drama Made in Heaven, 1988’s historical drama The House on Carroll Street, and 1988’s courtroom drama The Accused. Later Films and TV Roles After stepping away from Hollywood for a few years in the 1990s, McGillis returned to acting in a string of TV movies and independent films in the 2000s. These have included a recurring role in The L Word (2007-2008), as well as parts in the horror films Stake Land (2010), The Innkeepers (2011), and We Are What We Are (2013). Recently, she has starred in several Amish-themed TV movies like Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio (2014) and An Uncommon Grace (2017). The actress returned to acting in 2006 after a five-year break. After Top Gun, Kelly McGillis' resume is vast, perhaps shockingly. Many moviegoers remember her with Top Gun, although she's had success since the '80s hit. McGillis paused acting for five years after 2001's Morgan's Ferry. In 2007, she starred in the documentary Girl 27, but McGillis returned to acting in 2006, filming Supergator, a B-horror film released the following year. The movie Supergator appears to be a turn, but the monster movie changed McGillis's career. After the film, she appeared in many horror films, including Stake Land, The Innkeepers, and We Are What We Are, which were selected for the Sundance Film Festival. Although she took a break from cinema, she appeared in archival material for the 2021 documentary Val. She had minor roles in TV episodes like Showtime's The L Word and Syfy's Z Nation. In Top Gun: Maverick, Kelly McGillis didn't return—is she retired? Look no further for Kelly McGillis in Top Gun 2. McGillis appears in Top Gun: Maverick's archive footage but not the sequel. Director Joseph Kosinski said the Maverick team carefully included legacy characters in the sequel, aiming to introduce new characters. Although Top Gun: Maverick doesn't suffer without Charlie, McGillis says she "look age-appropriate for my age, and that is not what that whole scene is about." Kelly Mcgillis's Net Worth While her exact net worth is not publicly known, it is estimated that Kelly McGillis has amassed a respectable fortune of $2-5 million as of 2023. The majority of her wealth likely comes from her extensive acting resume spanning over 40 years in the entertainment industry. Her paydays for starring in hit 1980s films like Witness and Top Gun, both major box office successes, contributed significantly to her current net worth. Kelly McGillis Net Worth Growth Year Net Worth (Million) Kelly McGillis Net Worth in 2023 $10 Million Kelly McGillis Net Worth in 2022 $9 Million Kelly McGillis's Net Worth in 2021 $8 Million Kelly McGillis's Net Worth in 2020 $7 Million Kelly McGillis's Net Worth in 2019 $6 Million Kelly McGillis's Net Worth in 2018 $5 Million TV movie roles and guest appearances have also added to her bank account over the years. Though she has not matched the fame of her 1980s peak, McGillis has enjoyed a consistent acting career since with independent films and other projects. Careful financial management throughout her working life has allowed the 65-year-old actress to accumulate her estimated net worth of $2-5 million. Conclusion Kelly McGillis has shown incredible range and talent in a nearly 40-year career spanning film, TV, and theatre. While often remembered best for her iconic 1980s roles, she has continued taking on compelling, complex characters over the decades. Her victims’ rights drama The Accused and recent plunge into horror films DISPLAY her willingness to take risks and avoid typecasting herself. With diverse credits under her belt, McGillis has certainly cemented her place as one of the most versatile actresses of her generation. FAQs What was Kelly McGillis's breakout role? Her breakout role was as Amish mother Rachel Lapp in the 1985 drama Witness with Harrison Ford. How many times has she been nominated for a Golden Globe? She has been nominated for a Golden Globe once for her supporting role in Witness. Has Kelly McGillis been married? Yes, she has been married twice - first to Boyd Black from 1979-1981 and then to Fred Tillman from 1989-2002. She has two daughters with Tillman. What was her most famous film role? Her most famous film role was that of flight instructor Charlotte "Charlie" Blackwood in the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun opposite Tom Cruise. Is Kelly McGillis still acting? Yes, Kelly McGillis continues her acting career today, mainly in independent films and TV movies, including recent roles in the horror genre. Read the full article

[airadam]

Episode 175 : You're Forced To Chill

"Speaking to the people that matter, with my mind."

- Grap

While a lot of December up this way has been surprisingly mild, but there was an absolutely vicious period - was lucky that the heating in the house only died after the worst had passed. Still, it's fixed now, so I didn't freeze to death putting this episode together! As we draw towards the end of the year, the themes here might be wintery and seasonal, but the tunes are heat :)

As promised, here's the link for WORKINONIT - definitely support this collective (and the venue that hosts the monthly events!) if you want to support grassroots talent 💯

Twitch : @airadam13

Mastodon : @airadam@mastodon.me.uk

Show/Stream Schedule : events.airadam.com

Playlist/Notes

Median : Median Alleviates The Drama

A deep cut from the heyday of the Justus League, with 9th Wonder (of course) chopping it up on this breezy beat for his Winston-Salem, North Carolina, compatriot to get busy on. You may not know Median as he only recorded two albums, his last in 2011, but he's a grounded yet imaginative writer who is well worth your listening time. Of interest to many who do take the time to dig into his history will be "Brenda's Baby" from the 2007 "Median's Relief" LP, his sequel to 2Pac's famous "Brenda's Got A Baby".

Soul Supreme : Mood Swings

Big shout to Jim Bane of Eastern Bloc who gifted me the "Poetic Justice" LP on wax for my birthday earlier this year! Amsterdam's Soul Supreme has been giving us quality music for a long while now, but in recent times has been locked in what sounds like an awful legal dispute with a record company and another producer. Despite still being in the thick of it, he delivers his commentary in the form of instrumental music on this album, which is even clearer when you read the track titles. The interplay between the horns and his keyboard work are the highlight on this particular track, but for the full effect, sit down and listen to the whole album end-to-end.

Cookin Soul : Kamaal Xmas Time

Cookin Soul usually comes out with a special Xmas release each year, mixing up an artist you know well with seasonal sample flips. This track comes from the 2002 "A Tribe Called Xmas" collection, and takes Q-Tip's verse from "Mind Power" and adds on a few more lines I can't place before going full Christmas - but keeping that boom-bap!

Noveliss & Mega Ran : Memory Card

One of the OGs of leaning fully into video game culture in Hip-Hop alongside the Clear Soul Forces veteran and manga writer Noveliss? You know the references are going to be fire. Hir-O provides the beat, and both MCs bring it as they centre the concept of the memory card (ask your parents if you don't know) on this standout from their "Maverick Hunters" album.

Bounty Killer, A.R.P, Curly, and Tulokk  : Evils Of Your Mind (Edited)

Devil on one shoulder, devil on the other? Almost like a dancehall version of Eminem's "Guilty Conscience" (especially with that second voice), this is a big single from 2001 on the "Heavyweight" riddim that also appears on the 2002 "Ghetto Dictionary : The Mystery" album as "Evils Of The Mind". 2002 was a busy time for the Warlord, who also dropped "Ghetto Dictionary : The Art Of War" that same year.

Kuartz & Vybz Kartel : Clarks (Kuartz Real Badman Remix)

If you're a DJ, especially in a city like Manchester where crowds react to big sounds, get "Hybrid Dialects" just for this monster! A local producer with worldwide rep and reach, Kuartz has done the home scene proud and on his latest release, the industrial, digital vibes come through loud and clear. The cold, wintery feel on the intro make it a perfect inclusion this dark month. Kuartz bends and effects the voice of Vybz Kartel as much as any other instrument on the track, making for a sound system killer! 

Da Beatminerz & KRS-ONE : Seckle

KRS was one of the first to really bring that reggae/dancehall flavour into the Hip-Hop arena, and Da Beatminerz have had that as an element of their style since they debuted on the production for the first Black Moon album, so this is a union you know is going to come correct. Slow and low single, with the soundclash samples at the front, back, and in the hook, this loping, skipping beat allows Kris to come through clear as a bell on the mic, still, after almost forty years of recording. Continue to enjoy new artists, but support the veterans too!

NYG'z ft. Rave : Itz On

Rugged and triumphant in equal measure, this was the big opening track on the first and so far only LP from NYG'z, "Welcome 2 G-Dom" from 2007. Guest emcee Rave (sometimes credited elsewhere as R.A.V.E Roulette) features on six of the album's fifteen tracks, which definitely puts him in "honourary group member" territory! Production is handled by DJ Premier, who also released this album on his own label Year Round Records - truly backing this crew in every way possible. PS - the apostrophe setup in the artist name and song title are verbatim from the release, don't come after me :)

Paul Wall & Termanology : Talk About It

As I say, you might not think that Houston's Paul Wall and Lawrence (Massachussetts) native Termanology are the most obvious MC pairing in the world, but my goodness, they fit togther perfectly. They already gave us one excellent LP in "Start 2 Finish" and now they're back with "Start, Finish, Repeat". It might just be in my head, but it feels like they each lean towards each other - Paul Wall with slightly more wordplay in his flow, and Termanology dialling back on the trademark syllable barrages he can unleash at any time. Large Professor bases his production around a great soul sample I added to my own collection this year, spices up the hook with some cuts.

Curren$y ft. Mac Miller : Money Shot

I've always been iffy about including this one from 2014's "More Saturday Night Car Tunes" - partly because the sound quality isn't great, but also because if I'm honest, I don't think the late Mac Miller's verse on this is his finest work. That said, I know many people online disagree with me and love it! Curren$y is solid here, but for me, the real star is the production by Sap - taking a great late 70s slow jam sample, and speeding it up (which speaks to how slow the original is), layering a suitably straightforward drum track, and then trying to turn your speakers inside out in the closing seconds! I blend out during that segment, just in case...don't want any of you coming after me for damages 😄

Luxury Elite : Parkway

A bit of vaporwave for this interlude, pure 80s vibes on this slow, moody instrumental from the "World Class" album. Luxury Elite digs out some of those really obscure 80s samples for her work, and it's all about just vibing out to the loops and little change-ups.

Mega Ran, Young RJ, Erick Roberson, Abstract Orchestra, Daru Jones, Marcel P. Black : Black Is Beautiful

Apologies to Marcel P. Black - the digital file I read the artist information on at first didn't have his name, but he kills it on the third verse and rightly deserves major respect here. This is a gorgeous and poetic track about Blackness from the 2020 "2 Hands Up" album by Young RJ and Mega Ran, which is not just (or even mostly) about police violence, but a varied and well-rounded LP. Young RJ produces this one in not just the sense of getting on a beat machine, but pulling in Leeds crew Abstract Orchestra, frequent collaborators with the Detroit scene, plus the Grammy-winning drummer Daru Jones and shaping the union into this exceptional song.

Amp Fiddler : Eye To Eye

I first heard this track on a Qool DJ Marv mix, and it was years before I could tell you who the artist was! It turned out to be just one facet of the talents of the brilliant Joseph "Amp" Fiddler, who featured this track on his debut album "Waltz Of A Ghetto Fly". It's a classic piece of funky soul, which could easily have been written twenty-plus years earlier, but had all the quality and polish to stand out in the early 21st century. RIP Amp.

InI : Mind Over Matter

Classic, if relatively little-known heat from the 90s. This Mount Vernon crew had their debut "Center of Attention", from which this is taken, shelved due to friction with the label and legal issues around ownership, but it was heavily bootlegged before eventually surfacing officially in 2003. Solid rhymes here from Grap Luva, Rob-O, and Ras G, atop some vintage SP-1200 action courtesy of Pete Rock, who produced the whole project.

Platinum Pied Pipers ft. Invincible : Detroit Winter

After that brief trip to New York State, we close out the section by bringing it right back to Detroit, this time to the PPP duo (Waajeed and Saadiq) for a track from their debut album, 2005's "Triple P". MC Invincible of the Anomalies crew kills it on the mic with their almost monotone flow, describing the bitter coldness of Detroit in detail, making it a suitable selection for this time of year. Musically, the piano riff is the standout element, but if you listen really closely, you can also hear a famous rhythm sample in the background quietly holding it down too!

[EZ Elpee] Capone-N-Noreaga : Calm Down (Instrumental)

"Calm Down" never made it onto the classic C-N-N debut album "The War Report" due to sample clearance problems - hey, I guess Bette Midler wasn't down with the Queensbridge thug life - but you might get lucky and find it on a promo 12" somewhere. If you're really lucky though, you might find an instrumental LP of tracks from the LP, including a couple that, like this one, didn't end up on the final release. Nice beat by EZ Elpee, just a shame it didn't get the shine it deserved!

Souls Of Mischief : A Name I Call Myself

I really didn't know what to end this episode with, but settled on a track from a much-loved LP which turned thirty this year. This was a deep album cut, produced by Del The Funkee Homosapien, with some really clever sample combinations underneath the cheerfully-rhymed X-rated lyrics! It's great to see how Souls' music has continued to reflect their journeys through life, from this during their teenage years through to the present day - and by the way, they were pioneers in using the internet to promote their music.

Please remember to support the artists you like! The purpose of putting the podcast out and providing the full tracklist is to try and give some light, so do use the songs on each episode as a starting point to search out more material. If you have Spotify in your country it's a great way to explore, but otherwise there's always Youtube and the like. Seeing your favourite artists live is the best way to put money in their pockets, and buy the vinyl/CDs/downloads of the stuff you like the most!

Check out this episode!

[prancingintheshadows]

Part of the reason the VN hasn't been localized for so long is because Fate's surge in popularity actually came long after it. FSN released in 2004, then got an updated, definitive rerelease in 2007.

Fate as a series only began hitting its mainstream stride with the prequel, Fate/Zero anime in 2011. Because of that success, the next anime adaptation, Unlimited Blade Works, is treated more like a sequel to Zero in some ways despite it being an adaptation of one of the OG VN's routes. And going even further, arguable, Fate didn't actually become super big until the gacha game, Fate/Grand Order in 2015, which has very little focus on any of the characters from FSN.

Because the majority of Fate's fanbase had been gained through the anime adaptations or the mobile game and get further removed from FSN each time, there's been little incentive to bring over a VN that was years old at that point. This 2024 release is the first VN rerelease that's come after FGO's release.

Honestly, the only mandatory media in Fate is the FSN visual novel. Everything else in the series pretty much builds off of that base in an alternative timeline. And every Fate fan swears by reading the visual novel as, while the routes have had various adaptations, most of them have lost something in the translation. This is because every anime adaptation drops all of the first person narration and insight.

For a heads up, the VN clocks in at 60-80 hours. The 20 hour difference time is usually due to people deliberating going for wrong choices because they're pretty detailed and also have a comedic post game over scene.

I will say it's a good time to get into the VN as it got a remaster recently and it's literally the first time it's been officially localized. For the past 20 years, fans have been relying on fan translations.

That's the general vibe I got, yeah, and part of the reason I wanted to start with the VN in the first place.

I'm not really intimidated by the length tbh. I genuinely do love reading and I've gone through some hefty VNs in the past. But honestly the fact that this is the first time to original VN has been localized is kind of insane for how popular this franchise seems to be.

[teaveetamer]

Intelligent Systems Has Always Been Amazingly Mismanaged, and I'm Surprised They're Still Alive

This is literally just going to be me pointing out super obvious stuff that literally anyone on a development or marketing team probably should have noticed and which every long time FE fan has probably already mentioned BUT I HAVEN'T so let's go.

A TIMELINE OF IMPORTANT INTSYS AND NINTENDO LAUNCHES

July, 1983: Release of the NES/Famicom in Japan

April, 1990: Release of FE1 for the NES in Japan

November, 1990: Release of the SNES/Super Famicom in Japan

March, 1992: Release of FE2 for the NES in Japan

January, 1994: Release of FE3 for the SNES in Japan

May, 1996: Release of FE4 for the SNES in Japan

July, 1996: Release of the N64 in Japan

September, 1999: Release of FE5 for the SNES in Japan

March, 2001: Release of the Game Boy Advance in Japan

September, 2001: Release of the GameCube in Japan

March, 2002: Release of FE6 for GBA in Japan

April, 2003: Release of FE7 for GBA in Japan

October, 2004: Release of FE8 for GBA in Japan

November, 2004: Release of the Nintendo DS in Japan

April, 2005: Release of FE9 for GameCube in Japan

November, 2006: Release of the Wii in North America (Why was it released in North America first??? Anyway, it released in December in Japan)

February, 2007: Release of FE10 for Wii in Japan

August, 2008: Release of FE11 for DS in Japan

July, 2010: Release of FE12 for DS in Japan

February, 2011: Release of the 3DS in Japan

April, 2012: Release of FE13 for 3DS in Japan

June 2015: Release of FE14 for 3DS in Japan

(Wii U in here somewhere but it's not really relevant because the Wii U was never relevant)

March, 2017: Release of the Nintendo Switch worldwide

April 2017: Release of FE15 for 3DS in Japan

June 2019: Release of FE16 for Switch worldwide

Ok now DO YOU NOTICE ANYTHING REALLY STUPID ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE I DO

FE1 Released only seven months prior to the release of the next big console. Seven months is enough time that this isn't necessarily a death sentence, though.

FE2 released TWO. YEARS. AFTER. THE SNES. FOR THE NES.

FE3 was actually in a good spot. It released for the most recent console I can't believe that even needed to be said before that console was made irrelevant. I know it also included the entire contents of FE1, which probably made the purchase of a sequel released for a completely different console a lot more appealing and did good things for its sales, so kudos to them

FE4 then released only two months before the next Nintendo console was set to release. At least it came out before, but... JFC my dude, you're cutting it really close, and it probably killed momentum. Usually people don't buy games that close to the release of a new console, since they're saving up for the next thing or planning on selling their previous consoles/games to buy the next thing. Not to mention all the marketing for your game gets lost (or squashed) in the hype.

FE5 then released THREE. THREE YEARS. AFTER THE N64 WAS ON THE MARKET. THREE YEARS. AN SNES TITLE CAME OUT THREE YEARS AFTER THE N64 DID.

FE6 and FE7 once again fell into a pretty good spot, being GBA titles at a time when the GBA was current, and not too close to the release of the next big console.

FE8 in a bit of a tight spot, coming out only one month before the DS. Though I think it was probably less impacted than FE4 because the DS was backwards compatible with GBA games, so it wouldn't have been completely overshadowed by the DS's release.

FE9 is alright. FE9 was not the problem with the Tellius duology. It got kind of a raw deal, coming out on a notoriously underperforming Nintendo home console, but it was a well placed title.

No, the issue with the Tellius duology is FE10. Because. When you have a game for a niche series which already released on a notoriously underperforming console, then the absolute last thing you want to do is create a direct sequel to the game very few people played, which requires you to have played the first game, and offers incentives if you have. That's a great way to make sure NO ONE buys FE10. AGAIN, it came out at a good time, on a good console, and I'm not saying it would have sold amazingly if it hadn't been tied to FE9, but I have a feeling it would have sold much better.

FE11 and FE12 are, again, fine... The issue with them is that they're a remake, and remakes never sell as well as non-remakes, and that's not really the kind of thing you want to do coming off of a poor selling set of games prior. Also, FE3 had previously combined the contents of FE1 and FE3. Now the devs are selling them both again, this time separately. People don't exactly like that. This was also the point where they included some controversial features, like changing the story to add Kris and the removal of permadeath. Not exactly great to be upsetting your fanbase when you're still reeling from the last two entries' poor sales.

FE13. The stars literally aligned and there must have been some divine intervention from god to save this series, because they never tripped into being this lucky this hard before. Not only did it release on a current console (I still can't believe that's such an accomplishment for this series), it basically held 3DS owners captive since it was the only thing worth playing for a gooood long stretch of the 3DS's early life.

FE14, another well timed entry. I won't say that the three games approach was the best idea from a marketing approach, but they also weren't punished for it. Turns out people are willing to put up with your janky marketing practices when they're actually aware your series exists lmao

FE15 and we hit another rough patch, because it released two months after the Switch. For the 3DS. Why do people still wonder why this game sold so poorly, again?

Like it really seems like IS just makes a string of godawful decisions about their games, then accidentally trips into doing something correctly which perpetuates the series for another few entries before it inevitably falls into another string of bad decisions.

This post brought to you by: me googling FE2's release date, seeing 1992, and going "Wait... isn't that a bit late for an NES game..?"

To quote the Kevin story on Reddit, "This is where it all became clear. It was by some incredible fluke that this franchise hadn't been wiped off the face of the Earth years ago. Odds are its entire history was based on blind luck and some type of sick divine intervention that saves it every time a threat presents itself."

[themattress]

Eras of a Franchise:

1996 - 1998: Generation I (1998 - 1999 US) - Pokemon: Red/Green is released in Japan early in 1996, and proves successful enough that an updated version, Blue, gets released by the end of the year alongside the first set of a Trading Card Game. In 1997, the anime adaptation begins airing and several manga series such as Pokemon Adventures begin serialization. In 1998, another updated version of the game based on the anime, Yellow, was released in Japan while the franchise finally made its way to the US with Red/Blue, which were actually the Japanese Red/Green remade with the Japanese Blue’s engine. The TCG, anime, manga and Yellow followed suit in both that year and the following year of 1999.

1999: Gen II Adjacent (2000 US) - Generation II ended up taking longer to develop than expected, and so we got a strange year (1999 in Japan, 2000 in the US) that wasn’t quite Gen I but wasn’t Gen II either.  It was a good time for spin-off games though, as we saw the releases of Pokemon Stadium, Pokemon Snap, Pokemon Pinball, Pokemon Puzzle League and Puzzle Challenge, and the Pokemon franchise’s inclusion in Super Smash Bros.

2000 - 2002: Generation II (2001 - 2003 US) - Mainline games of Gen II were Gold/Silver, released at the very end of 1999 in Japan and late 2000 in the US, and Crystal, an updated version released in 2000 in Japan and 2001 in the US. Spin-off games curiously dried up almost completely at this point, with Pokemon Stadium 2 being essentially the only one.

2003 - 2006: Generation III (2004 - 2007 US) - Mainline games of Gen III were Ruby/Sapphire, released at the very end of 2002 in Japan and early 2003 in the US, Gen I remakes FireRed/LeafGreen released across the world in 2004, and Emerald, an updated version of Ruby/Sapphire released in 2004 in Japan and 2005 in the US. Spin-off games returned with a vengeance, including Pokemon Colosseum, Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness, Pokemon Pinball: Ruby and Sapphire, Pokemon Box RS, Pokemon Dash, Pokemon Trozei, Pokemon Channel, Pokemon Ranger, and the original Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games.

2006 - 2010: Generation IV (2007 - 2010 US) - Mainline games of Gen IV were Diamond/Pearl, released late 2006 in Japan and early 2007 in the US, Platinum, an updated version released in late 2008 in Japan and early 2009 in the US, and Gen II remakes HeartGold/SoulSilver released in late 2009 in Japan and early 2010 in the US. Spin-off games, as plentiful here as in Gen III, included Pokemon Battle Revolution, Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia, Pokemon Ranger: Guardian Signs, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky, My Pokemon Ranch, Pokepark Wii, and Pokemon Rumble.

2010 - 2013: Generation V (2011 - 2013 US) - Mainline games of Gen V were Black/White, released late 2010 in Japan and early 2011 in the US, and sequels Black 2/White 2, released across the world in 2012. Spin-off games were less prevalent during this gen than the previous two and included Pokemon Conquest, Pokepark 2, Pokemon Rumble Blast and Rumble U, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity, and Pokemon Dream Radar.

2013 - 2016: Generation VI - Starting with this gen, the mainline games began to launch worldwide simultaneously. They include X/Y in 2013 and Gen III remakes Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire in 2014 (a Z duology of X/Y updated versions was planned to be developed and released in 2015, but was scrapped). Spin-off games include Camp Pokemon, Pokemon Battle Trozei, Pokemon Shuffle, Pokemon Rumble World, Pokken Tournament, Pokemon Picross, Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon, Pokemon Detective Pikachu, and of course Pokemon GO, which actually brought Gen I level mainstream attention to the franchise again.

2016 - 2019: Generation VII - Mainline games of Gen VII were Sun/Moon in 2016, updated versions Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon in 2017, and new Gen I remakes Let’s GO! Pikachu/Eevee in 2018. Spin-off games include Pokken Tournament DX, Pokemon Talk, Pokemon Quest, Pokemon Rumble Rush, and Pokemon Masters, later upgraded as Pokemon Masters EX.

2019 - 2022: Generation VIII - Mainline games of Gen VIII were Sword/Shield in 2019 which underwent DLC expansions in 2020, Gen IV remakes Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl in 2021, and Legends: Arceus in 2022. Spin-off games included Pokemon Cafe, New Pokemon Snap, Pokemon UNITE, and a 3D remake of the original Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games.

[falloutbradreviews]

The Devil Wears Prada - Color Decay One of my favorite bands about fifteen years ago was the Ohio metalcore outfit The Devil Wears Prada. I have fond memories listening to this band when I was fifteen, give or take. I found them in 2008, but I don’t think I properly listened to them until 2009 when their third album came out, 2009′s With Roots Above And Branches Below. My first experience with them was 2007′s Plagues, and listening to that album fifteen years later, I still love it. These guys were one of the main driving forces in the Risecore style of metalcore would become famous in the next couple of years. Bands like Memphis May Fire, Pierce The Veil, Blessthefall, Of Mice & Men, Attack Attack, and a lot of other bands in the same vein would release albums a year or two later, but one of the bands that started that style is TDWP. They helped to pioneer, at least, because their sound was composed of very heavy instrumentation, including a lot of breakdowns, but they also juxtaposed that with catchy hooks and choruses. With Roots Above did get a bit heavier, especially in the sense that the band wanted to be taken more seriously as a metal band, so they got heavier on their next couple of albums, including that and 2011′s Dead Throne (2010′s Zombie EP kickstarted that, and it’s considered a classic for the time, but I’m just talking albums here). I just listened to the latter album for the first time last week, and it’s a killer record, mainly because it’s a lot heavier and more mature than their earlier work prior to that. They still utilized hooks, but the riffs and breakdowns were much more emphasized. Since then, however, the band’s popularity and relevance has been fading, unfortunately. I stopped listening to them with Dead Throne, and that was because I just didn’t listen to metalcore anymore at the time; I was getting into other styles of music, including folk and indie, trying to expand my horizons, and I just felt as though I didn’t want to listen to that anymore. I still did from time to time, but I didn’t listen to it at the point that I used to. I’ve eventually gone back to really enjoying hardcore, metalcore, and post-hardcore, but there was a time when I just didn’t listen to it. Even as I’ve been getting back into the genre, The Devil Wears Prada is a band that I just haven’t wanted to listen to. From what I’ve gathered, they strayed away from their metal sound completely on a couple of records, but they’ve slowly been going back to it over the last few years. I listened to 2019′s The Act, when it came out, and I remember it to be an interesting mix of metalcore, post-hardcore, alt-metal, and hard-rock. What’s also interesting about it is that it was their first album with Solid State, but the band would eventually come back last year with Zombie II, a sequel to the EP of the same name. I only listened to it a couple of times, but it was a heavy record, definitely akin to their early work, so people were excited.

Well, we’ve got their newest LP, Color Decay, and as is the case with a lot of stuff, I didn’t know this was coming out until the week of release. I was honestly kind of looking forward to it, because I’ve been in a metalcore mood for the last few weeks. A lot of good metalcore albums have been coming out, so I’ve wanted to check it out, and to preface how I feel about this album, I’ll say this for now -- this is one of the only albums I’ve been listening to all week. In case that doesn’t give it away, I really love this album. Color Decay is one of the best albums of the year, but make no mistake, this record is not a return to form for this band. The best way to describe this album is a crossroads between metalcore, post-hardcore, and hard-rock; the breakdowns and harsh vocals from vocalist Mike Hranica are back in full force (he screamed a little bit on The Act, but I think he tried his hand at singing, too), but there are a lot of catchy hooks and some radio-friendly tunes. The album doesn’t go full metalcore, like their early work, and the hooks are a lot more refined and less over the top compared to their early work as well.

The album’s opener, “Exhibition,” is a good indicator what you’ll get, as it has heavy verses and a clean chorus, along with a pretty good breakdown in the middle, and that’s the basic formula of most of the album, but there are some deviations, such as the synth-heavy “Fire,” which is this synth-rock/pop song that has a good hook, or the very depressing closer, “Cancer,” which is a piano-led ballad. The song “Twenty-Five” is a bit different, too, as Hranica’s vocals are more in the vein of wailing, versus screaming, and it’s really cool. The album does have a lot of very similar-sounding moments, but nothing on this album sounds boring, repetitive, or uninteresting, it manages to keep your interest throughout it. At 45 minutes, this album is a bit daunting, but it surprising goes by quick. It’s not as long as you’d think, and I love it for that. Everything sounds really good here, and for those that want them to go back to their old sound, you’ll get glimpses of it here and there, but it’s a lot cleaner than it was in the past. I have nothing against that, and in fact, I welcome it, because it makes their sound more accessible. It’s unfortunate that this band has become sort of irrelevant over the last decade, pretty much, but this album might get them that late-career kick they need. It happens sometimes, so hopefully this album gets them some more success. It’s surprisingly good, and it’s way better than I was expecting. It’s one of the only albums I’ve been listening to all week, and I’ve been having a blast with it, because it just hits that metalcore itch that I’ve been having. I’ve been struggling to find albums that successfully scratch it, but this one does just that, and I love it. If you’re like me, and you haven’t really listened to them in the last decade and some odd years, you should do yourself a favor and check this one out. It’s a good album, maybe even a great one. I can guarantee I’ll be playing it a lot more in the coming months before the year’s end, so it’ll successfully earn a slot on my yearend list.

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

FROZEN IV "might" be in the works, huh?

The possibility of the story of FROZEN III being so long that it's gonna be two-partered?

Also a big "huh", from me... I mean, they're happening, no two ways about it. FROZEN and FROZEN II were both billion dollar behemoths at the box office and they continue to be Top 10 most-streamed titles year after year...

If this all pays for more non-sequel movies, like RAYA, ENCANTO, STRANGE WORLD and whatever this studio's fall 2024 movie is, go right ahead. ZOOTOPIA 2 still has my full interest, however.

My one concern...

Walt Disney Animation Studios only does one movie a year. Let us except 2021 from this equation, for RAYA was supposed to be a Thanksgiving 2020 release, but ended up in spring 2021 because of COVID-19 complications.

And also ZOOTOPIA and MOANA sharing 2016...

Otherwise, it's *usually* one a year from them.

MEET THE ROBINSONS (2007)

BOLT (2008)

THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG (2009)

TANGLED (2010)

WINNIE THE POOH (2011)

WRECK-IT RALPH (2012)

FROZEN (2013)

BIG HERO 6 (2014)

ZOOTOPIA and MOANA (2016)

RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET (2018)

FROZEN II (2019)

RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON (2021)

ENCANTO (2021)

STRANGE WORLD (2022)

WISH (2023)

UNTITLED (2024)

UNTITLED (2025)

UNTITLED (2026)

If they're able to, and should they NOT resort to outsourcing, I'd like to see them try to do two a year... So we don't go a full year without an original.

We were *starved* for one after MOANA. MOANA was released in Thanksgiving 2016... RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON hit theaters and Disney+ in March 2021... Almost a full five years went by with no new original WDAS movie.

The original plan was to have at least one not-sequel movie come out in 2018 in addition to another film. Disney Animation wanted to do a repeat of 2016 where there was a movie in March (ZOOTOPIA) and a movie during the holidays (MOANA)...

Originally, the plan was to have GIGANTIC debut in March 2018 followed by a then-undetermined film.

Then, in mid-2016, Disney officially announced that a WRECK-IT RALPH sequel was happening and it took GIGANTIC's original date. GIGANTIC was now set for Thanksgiving 2018.

But then over time, things shuffled once more. GIGANTIC got pushed back to Thanksgiving 2020, RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET took the Thanksgiving 2018 slot. (With, of course, FROZEN II remaining firm in Thanksgiving 2019.)

Then Disney straight up pulled the plug on GIGANTIC, leaving RALPH BREAKS as the only 2018 release from WDAS... And it got pushed to November of 2018... So we waited two years for a new WDAS feature, and it was a sequel... And the year after, it was another sequel... Then COVID-19 happened, and due to such recreational activities being unsafe until the vaccine was available, RAYA missed Thanksgiving of 2020.

To make up for it, there's been a steady streak of not-sequel WDAS movies one after the other. I don't know if the movie to debut after the 2024 movie will be a sequel or not, but we shall see... I have no idea how far along either ZOOTOPIA 2 or FROZEN III are in development. I guess one of them could debut as early as 2026? Disney could knock one of those undetermined live-action slots off and give it to a sequel, so it can share the year with an original... But that all depends on resources and if they feasibly can do that.

But yeah, more not-sequels please.

[auralpatterns]

well it's been a while on here! let's do a 2021 wrap-up of discoveries (from any year; people who think they can do an effective end-of-year wrapup of all releases that year as casual listeners are fooling themselves)

per RYM I've logged 212 new ratings:

| 2 at 5 stars |||| 21 at 4.5 stars |||||||||||| 59 at 4 stars |||||||||||||| 66 at 3.5 stars |||||||||| 47 at 3 stars ||| 14 at 2.5 stars | 1 at 2 stars | 2 at 1.5 stars (first ratings I've given this low since 2007)

One of the two 5-stars is a 90s single I've known for long and hadn't gotten around to rating before … so my best-rated find of the year is uncontestedly Arjen Schats, Manifolds (2021); classic Berlin School

The 4.5-ers:

Sergey Eybog: Everlasting Summer (Bright Side) (2013) – cool VGM, very sunny atmospheres. I have not played the game (apparently a visual novel actually)

Nigel Mullaney: The Navigator (2021) – versatile synthwork from a long-time Ian Boddy collaborator

U/V Light: Cenotaph (2015) – hella catchy retro synthpop; 5 stars for the opener "Arriviste"

V/A / Lucky Lotus label: Journey to the Stars (2016) – four-hour orbital strike of J-core / J-trance / allies. I got this in 2018 already but eh it was back in its day a major stimulant for me get my thesis finished and all, might as well leave it a shoutout here

Material Object: Indiana Drones (2013) – very ambient techno, dedicated to the late Pete Namlook

CFCF: Liquid Colors (2019) – the new savior of ambient d'n'b? not even in a meme way?

Curium: Aember (2007) – chill IDM from what I think of as the "netlabel side" of the genre: none of the drillcore 3avant5u aggression, just a honest interest in doing clever electronic music

Маяк: Река (2013), Вышеe звёзд (EP, 2014) – best synthwave find of the year. you may need to know something about East European 80s to get full nostalgy bonus from this

Holon: Connect | Isolate (2017), Echoes of the Void (2017) – a new breed of synth music entirely really; psybient techniques without the drugs, electro-industrial soundworld without the angst, space exploration without the analog fetish … to honor the trend of Really Dumb Genre Names I've decided this should be called "Uplifting Industrial"

Kashiwa Daisuke: april.#07 (2007) – modern electro-classical snippets; some fantastic, some eh

Doss: Doss (EP, 2014) – dream trance! it's not just for the 90s, even if kids these days for some reason get the core idea usually wrong completely *coughxd*

Penguin Cafe: Handfuls of Night (2019) – not the original Penguin Cafe Orchestra but an excellent "sequel band"; if you ever needed more Brian Eno in their work maybe

Aural Expansion: Surreal Sheep (1995) – kinda same deal as Aember above, more actively techno; might be better than the much-hyped 76:14. it is very cool when labels put their 90s or 00s back-catalogue, rarities and all, on Bandcamp

Floating Points: Bias (single, 2020) – some promising initial exploration into "future garage". I still have no idea what is the core sense of "garage" or if one even exists

Nanoray: Zapper (2021) – wherein it turns out that hardcore breaks is not just a new spelling for breakbeat hardcore and is actually a cooler new evolution. a lot of it is a bit over-memed but this one is just right for me

Martin Stürtzer: The Omarion Nebula (2020) – best ambient find of the year; artist mostly does somewhat less outstanding Berlin School

Zabutom: Zeta Force (Digitone Version) (single, 2021) – FM synth re-edit from Swedish chiptune legend's 2011 EP. more please

Tangerine Dream: Recurring Dreams (?? compilation, 2019) – new-generation lineup goes back to the basics forreal and puts out excellent advanced covers of their classic-era work. much better than similar attempts in earlier decades

Earth Trax: LP2 (2020) – I'm finally starting to find good clues / entrypoints into house; this one and several others found via @lamuyazimina (thx!)

[somethingusefulfromflorida]

Writing “We Didn’t Start The Fire 2“

I’ve been working on a sequel to Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire” which would explore world history and culture from 1989 to the present.  I got distracted while doing research, sending myself down an information rabbit hole for the last 3 hours, so I haven’t written anything besides the first few lines.

What I have written is the start of comprehensive list of major events since 1989 to include in the song.  I started by listing major events I could recall off the top of my head, then went down each year’s Wikipedia article to find more.  Each article would remind me of a dozen different events from different years, so I’ve been hopping up and down the list, filling it out randomly.  I stopped researching at 2002 because I need to take a break, but I will continue it later.

If you have any suggestions for major events to add, let me know

1989: Tienanmen Square protests, Berlin Wall falls, Seinfeld premiers, The Simpsons premiers, Game Boy released

1990: German reunification, Hubble Space Telescope, World Wide Web

1991: Gulf War, USSR collapses, Boris Yeltsin, Apartheid ends, Cold War ends

1992: Bill Clinton elected, Rodney King riots

1993: StART II, Jiang Zemin (President of China), WTC bombing, Pablo Escobar dies

1994: Nelson Mandela becomes president of South Africa, Rwandan Genocide, Republican Revolution (Newt Gingrich), Kim Jong-il, Amazon founded, Play Station 1

1995: Yitzhak Rabin assassinated, Christmas Shutdown (96 - 96), OJ acquitted, Oklahoma City bombing, 6 year old Panchen Lama kidnapped by the Chinese government (whereabouts still unknown), Galileo probe orbits Jupiter

1996: Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (not in force), Benjamin Netanyahu (96 - 99), Mir space station completed, Unabomber arrested, N64

1997: Princess Diana dies, UK transfers Hong Kong to China, Pathfinder and Sojourner, Jeanne Calment dies at 122 (oldest person ever), Madeleine Albright, Deep Blue defeats Garry Kasparov

1998: Pakistan gets the Bomb, impeachment, ISS begins construction, Seinfeld ends, Google founded, Northern Irish Parliament founded, the Troubles end, Pinochet arrested

1999: Euro introduced, Star Wars prequels, Vladimir Putin, JFK Jr. plane crash, Scottish Parliament founded, Welsh Parliament founded, Columbine shooting, US leaves Panama

2000: Y2K, Bush v. Gore, SCOTUS picks the president, first long-term mission to the ISS (it has been continuously inhabited ever since), Peanuts ends, Play Station 2

2001: 9/11, Afghanistan War, first iPod, Mir decommissioned and de-orbited, George Harrison dies, first artificial heart implanted, Enron goes bankrupt, Game Cube,  Xbox

2002: SpaceX founded

2003: Iraq War #2, Hu Jintao, Columbia Disaster, Mars Express (ESA), Elon Musk buys Tesla (claims to have founded it), Shenzhou 5 (first taikonaut)

2004: Ronald Regan dies during Pride Month, Facebook, Spirit and Opportunity rovers

2005: Pope Benedict XVI, Hurricane Katrina, Israel “ends occupation” of Gaza Strip (still controls airspace and coast), YouTube founded, Xbox 360,

2006: North Korea gets the Bomb, Milosevic dies at the Hague, Pluto demoted, Twitter founded, Wii, Play Station 3

2007: Great Recession, Battle of Gaza (Hamas), first iPhone

2008: Barack Obama elected, Dmitry Medvedev (Putin’s puppet), Russo-Georgian War (Russia “provides military aid” to Abkhazia and South Ossetia)

2009: Netanyahu is back (09 - ~21), Swine Flu (09 - 10)

2010: Haiti earthquake, BP oil spill

2011: We Got Him! (Osama), Kim Jong-un, “the rapture,” Fukushima disaster, Space Shuttle program ends

2012: Mayan calendar, Putin’s back, Sandy Hook shooting, Curiosity rover, Wii U

2013: Xi Jinping, Margaret Thatcher finally dies, Pope Francis, Ebola (13 - 16), Mars Orbiter Mission (India), Play Station 4, Xbox One

2014: Russia annexes Crimea

2015: Star Wars sequels, Obergefell v. Hodges (gay marriage), New Horizons flies by Pluto, Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko spend a year in space (15 - 16)

2016: Pulse nightclub shooting, SCOTUS seat stolen, Brexit begins, Donald Trump elected

2017: Las Vegas shooting, Charles Manson finally dies, Switch

2018: longest shutdown in history (18 - 19), Stoneman Douglas shooting (deadliest mass shooting in US history)

2019: impeachment (Ukraine), Hong Kong protests, “space force,” International Criminal Court investigates Israeli settlements (war crimes against Palestine)

2020: COVID, George Floyd, hurricanes, wildfires,  Play Station 5, Xbox X/S, Joe Biden elected

2021 (tentative): Perseverance rover/Ingenuity helicopter, Tianwen-1 Mars rover (China), Emirates Mars Mission (UAE), 2020 Olympics, Brexit finally happens

[anindoorkitty]

Benedict Cumberbatch On His Upcoming Movie "The Courier" And Life During Covid-19   By Annie DarlingAugust 07, 2020  (x)

From the moment he donned his deerstalker as the great Sherlock Holmes, Benedict Cumberbatch’s popularity soared, but his ego didn’t. The actor talks about his forthcoming spy drama and how he’s spending lockdown learning the banjo

Benedict Cumberbatch’s portrayal of the alarmingly awkward Sherlock Holmes has catapulted his career to unimaginable heights. Before donning the detective’s hat in 2010, the distinctive-looking London native landed several quirky acting jobs. He’s played theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, Van Gogh and, lest we forget, the hair-raising paedophile in Atonement (2007). But it was his fast-talking performance as the private investigator, which Steven Spielberg has called “the best Sherlock Holmes on screen”, that transformed Cumberbatch into a high-cheek-boned dreamboat, quite literally overnight.

Now 43, Cumberbatch has proven to be the ultimate chameleon, having played everyone from Khan in Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in The Fifth Estate (2013). His portrayal of British mathematician Alan Turing, who cracked Nazi Germany’s Enigma military code during the Second World War, earned him Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations. This year, the performer stars in true-life drama The Courier, which is set for an August 28 theatrical release.

STARRING ROLES

This Sixties-based spy story bursts with intrigue and political subterfuge, but what was Cumberbatch’s most memorable moment on set? “The last scene we shot because I got to eat a doughnut afterwards,” he tells me. For the role, he lost a striking amount of weight to transform himself into British businessman Greville Wynne, who spied on the Soviet Union during the Cold War and spent 18 months in a Moscow prison after being caught. Directed by Dominic Cooke, The Courier is based on Wynne’s real-life experiences, and production had to be suspended to give Cumberbatch enough time to slim down to Wynne’s post-lockup figure.

Drawn to characters he describes as “unexpected”, Cumberbatch enjoys the challenge of an on-screen transformation. But when asked about his greatest achievement, he refuses to answer. “That’s a question for others. Getting my first paid acting job felt as good as anything I’ve been lucky enough to land.” His thoughtfulness has somehow survived super-stardom. “Life’s about the journey,” he reminds me, before admitting that winning his first BAFTA for the title role in Patrick Melrose (2019) was a “wonderful moment”.

For Cumberbatch, there was never any doubt about which road his career would take. When asked what he would do if he could no longer act, he draws a blank. “I have no idea. Maybe I’d be a surf instructor in Costa Rica. Or a tree surgeon.” The only child of British actors Tim Carlton of Downton Abbey (2011) and Wanda Ventham of Only Fools and Horses (1989-1992), Cumberbatch grew up in London’s exclusive Kensington neighbourhood before attending Harrow, one of the oldest all-boys schools in Britain. From there, he headed straight to drama school. On advice from an agent, he began calling himself Benedict Cumberbatch—adopting the surname his father had dropped years before, thinking it too complicated.

You’d be wrong, however, to assume it’s all been smooth sailing. While filming the BBC mini-series To the Ends of the Earth (2005), Cumberbatch and two of his co-stars were kidnapped in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, after a day spent scuba-diving. When the trio pulled over with a flat tyre, six men jumped them at gunpoint. After a visit to the ATM, the hijackers let them go. Surprisingly, this harrowing ordeal hasn’t put Cumberbatch off the underwater sport. “I’ve loved diving ever since I learned how to do it with a friend in Mozambique years ago.”

DIVING TOOLS

It’s one of the reasons Cumberbatch wears a Jaeger-LeCoultre Polaris Memovox. The original from 1968 had one of the first diver’s alarms, which would remind divers when it was time to resurface. Cumberbatch was introduced to the Swiss watchmaker when he starred in Doctor Strange (2016), in which he plays one of Marvel’s more mind-blowing superheroes. He’s currently learning lines for the sequel, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (planned for 2022).

“In 2016, Jaeger-LeCoultre was just another watch brand to me,” admits Cumberbatch, but he learned more about the company after visiting its manufacture in Vallée de Joux. Engraving and enamelling require hours of minute manipulation. “There was a George Seurat masterpiece called Bathers at Asnières projected onto a screen that was the size of the original painting,” he recalls. “Not understanding what I was looking at, I turned around and saw that a lady was painting it onto the back of a Reverso watch, which is no bigger than a postage stamp. She was doing it with a brush barely bigger than a millimetre.”

Halfway across the world, at the time of interview, Cumberbatch and his family were adjusting to life after lockdown in New Zealand, where he is filming Jane Campion’s upcoming drama The Power of the Dog (planned for 2021). He and his wife, the stage director Sophie Hunter, have two sons, Christopher (nicknamed Kit) and Hal. “I’ve tried to maintain some sense of sanity by using lockdown as a forced opportunity to be in one place.” Fun-filled activities include learning how to play the banjo and baking bread. “Actually,” he contemplates, “it’s been really busy.” And a good thing too, because we won’t have to wait long before he’s back on the big screen.