#haley joel osment icons

[tuppencetrinkets]

Icons / The Boys, Pt. 3/?? 200x100 slightly sharpened.

Kenji Miyashiro / Mouse - Abraham Lim #1,800 

Mesmer - Haley Joel Osment / Aram Avakian #3,700 

Mindstorm - Ryan Blakely #411 

Monique - Frances Turner / Alvina August #1,500 

Nathan - Christian Keyes #2,500 

Popclaw - Brittany Allen #3,300

Robin - Jess Salgueiro #800 

Sam Butcher - John Noble #500

Young Annie January -  Maya Misaljevic #500

This content is free for anyone to use or edit however you like; if you care to throw a dollar or two my way for time, effort, storage fees etc you are more than welcome to do so via my PAYPAL.  Please like or reblog this post if you have found it useful or are downloading the content within.  If you have any questions or you have any problems with the links or find any inconsistencies in the content, etc. please feel free to drop me a politely worded message via my ASKBOX (second icon from the top on my theme!)          

[youremyheaven]

Uttara Bhadrapada & Revati: Psychic Insight, Time Travel & Dreams

In my last post about Punarvasu & Swati, I had briefly gone into their association with time travel but in my research since I have found that Pisces rashi (0-3 degress Purvabhadrapada, Uttarabhadrapada & Revati) is also connected to time travel, as well as with psychic powers and using these abilities to solve crimes, prevent disasters or save others. This is an important distinction because not everybody uses their paranormal/supernatural powers to do good necessarily.

The word spirituality has been so over used in the last decade or so that it has now kind of lost all meaning as most people don't understand it in its true sense of transcending the material but instead as a way to play around with crystals or tarot or astrology, engaging with these tools in the most shallow way possible and using it as a balm to remain in the loop of earthly attachment.

Some people are born with an inherent understanding of what it means to be connected to the spirit. Due to the way religion & belief are often structured, not all of these people will identify their own beliefs as spiritual ones but you've got to admit that some people are just naturally intuitive and capable of understanding things in a way that goes beyond education or any taught knowledge. What is intuition though? Is it just a profound inner knowing? Usually, it is a combination of several things, including observational skills, the ability to be perceptive and understand what lies beyond the surface, deduction etc. Intuition isn't always knowledge from the beyond but it can also refer to the ability to read a room or a person and be emotionally intelligent enough to behave accordingly.

I am by no means suggesting that all Pisces natives are this way. They are not. But I have noticed several Pisces natives possessing a heightened sense of perception & intuition. This is just water sign culture tbh and as you'll see in the post, also extends to other rashis/nakshatras.

Derren Brown, the British magician & mentalist is a UBP Moon. He's a skeptic himself and has repeatedly said he does not possess any psychic powers but he's never really gone into his methods either. You could say that he has astute observational skills that makes his performances truly one of a kind but its pretty incredible to train yourself to do what he does; you can only build on the natural acumen you possess.

The Sixth Sense is a pretty iconic film in the "child has visions" genre and it stars Haley Joel Osment, Revati sun & mercury as well as Bruce Willis who is UBP Sun

Bruce also starred in a movie (also directed by M Night Shyamalan) called Unbreakable where his character has psychometric powers.

Psych is detective comedy drama series (very underrated imo) that features a guy who possesses eidetic memory and great observation skills and uses it to convince the police department he is a psychic.

James Roday Rodriguez who plays this character has Revati sun & mercury, Venus in Pisces (2 degree Purvabhadrapada )

Patricia Arquette stars as a psychic medium in the show Medium (honestly the police department x psychic consultant is one of my fav tropes of 2000s television). She has a Revati stellium (sun, saturn & rahu) and UBP mercury and venus.

Salma Hayek, UBP Moon, plays a psychic medium in House of Gucci (based on a true story)

Devon Sawa who played the main character on Final Destination (he has premonitions and tries to help others avoid death) has Ketu in UBP

Joan of Arc, UBP Moon went to King Charles at the age of 17 as she was guided by visions from the archangel Michael, Saint Margaret, and Saint Catherine to help him save France from English domination. Convinced of her devotion and purity, Charles sent Joan, to the siege of Orléans as part of a relief army. After several military defeats in which Joan played a role, she was put on trial by Bishop Pierre Cauchon on accusations of heresy, which included blaspheming by wearing men's clothes, acting upon demonic visions, and refusing to submit her words and deeds to the judgment of the church. She was declared guilty and burned at the stake on 30 May 1431, aged about nineteen.

Baffled is a movie about a race car driver who has psychic visions. He is played by Leonard Nimoy who has UBP Sun, Mercury in Revati (amatyakaraka) & Rahu and Swati Rising (Swati is a nakshatra that is associated with ESP but more on that later).

The Dead Zone is about a man who wakes up from a 5yr coma and learns he has psychic abilities. Christopher Walken who plays this man has Revati sun & UBP mercury (being in a coma/waking up from sleep is also a very Pisces theme a la Sleeping Beauty)

In Doctor Sleep, a sequel to The Shining, Ewan McGregor plays Danny Torrance (who has psychic abilities). He has UBP Sun

Harry's ability to see things is kinda overlooked (in Goblet of Fire for instance when he makes those predictions in Trelawney's class). We know that he sees a lot of stuff due to his connection with the Dark Lord but still. Harry's intuition has saved his ass on more than one occasion. Daniel Radcliffe has UBP Moon.

The Initiation of Sarah is a movie about a nice girl who is bullied by her sorority sisters and then unleashes her psychic powers to get even. Kay Lenz who plays her has Mars in Revati atmakaraka, UBP mercury (swati moon & rising)

Nostradamus who had prophetic visions of the future (many of which have come true) had Rahu & Rising in UBP

This brings me to Pisces' connection to time travel because if you think about it having premonitions and making prophecies is tied to an ability to see into the future; you are mentally time travelling.

I have noticed that in several instances Pisces natives are cast in time-travel movies.

Nathan Fillion who was in Firefly & Serenity (time travel series & movie) had UBP sun, Revati moon atmakaraka

Bliss (2021) a movie about alternate realities accessed through drug induced hallucinations??? (i dont know for sure the plot is kinda dense) stars Salma Hayek, UBP Moon and Owen Wilson, Swati Moon with Saturn in Revati atmakaraka

Predestination is a time travel movie starring Sarah Snook who has Revati moon & jupiter

Joseph Gordon Levitt, UBP rising stars in the time-travel movie Looper as a hitman from the future who has to kill himself.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a movie about a girl who can travel through time, its directed by Mamoru Hosoda who has UBP Moon and Saturn

La Jetee is an experimental French short film about a man who travels through time to understand the past/present/future of WW3. Its directed by Chris Marker who has Ketu in Revati

Pisces is kind of obviously connected to the story of Sleeping Beauty (I'll explore this more in a separate post) but I think Pisces and dreaming (not sleeping but dreaming) are also connected.

Joseph Gordon Levitt, UBP Rising stars in Inception a movie about dream thieves essentially

Werner Krauss, Ketu in Revati starred in The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari (1920) as a hypnotist who uses a somnambulist to commit murders.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Science of Sleep etc was made my Michel Gondry who has Venus in Revati amatyakaraka (he is also Punarvasu Rising but I'll discuss more in my post about Surrealism)

Dreams (1990) is a movie by Akira Kurosawa and is based on 8 dreams he had. He is UBP Sun & Punarvasu Rising

Dreams That Money Can Buy is a surrealist film about a guy who sells his dreams to others. Its directed by Hans Richter who has Revati Sun

All of Miyazaki's movies have a dream-like quality and one is literally a dream (won't spoil by saying which one hehe). He is UBP Moon.

I have noticed many Shatabhisha natives be drawn to similar themes and tropes in their work.

Dreamscape is a movie about a psychic who works for the President of America. Its directed by Joseph Ruben who is Shatabhisha Sun & Jupiter (he also has Venus in UBP) and stars Dennis Quaid (Punarvasu Moon) as the psychic.

Firestarter is a movie about a child with psychic powers and stars Drew Barrymore who is Shatabhisha Sun & Punarvasu Moon

Jennifer Love Hewitt, Shatabhisha Moon starred in The Ghost Whisperer as a person who can communicate with ghosts.

Sissy Spacek starred in Carrie about a girl who has supernatural powers. She has Shatabhisha Moon

Scott Bakula who starred in Quantum Leap, a TV series about a scientist stuck in time, has Shatabhisha Moon

I hope this post was interesting and informative, pls lmk if you have any other examples!!

[milesonthenet]

Kingdom Hearts: A bizarre Disney experiment that took off.

Welcome to the House of Milesverse, and today we will be discussing a truly bizarre series. I promise that I'll try to keep it Simple & Clean when it comes to discussing it. Today's topic is Kingdom Hearts, the iconic Disney-Final Fantasy crossover that you've probably heard of.

This is in late honor of the franchise, in fact. March 28th celebrates the 22nd Anniversary of the first Kingdom Hearts game. That is 22 years since Kingdom Hearts' inception.

What IS Kingdom Hearts?

The Process:

Years ago, the early seeds of Kingdom Hearts were laid in a game idea. Square Enix (Square at the time) wanted to make a 3D game similar to Mario 64. However, they could not figure out an idea on who would represent the series. They believed that only characters from Disney could potentially rival Mario in popularity.

That led to a chance encounter between former game producer Shinji Hashimoto and a Disney Executive. Square as it turned out, operated in the same japanese office building as Disney did. From there, Hashimoto pitched the idea to Disney directly, and it was smooth sailings from then on.

Development soon began in 2000 with character designer Tetsuya Nomura providing the 'look' of many characters in the game. Initially, Disney wanted Donald Duck to be the main protagonist for the game. Square on the other hand argued for Mickey Mouse to be playable.

Instead, a compromise was made, and an original character was created. Sora is the main protagonist of the Kingdom Hearts series and wielder of the keyblade. He's recognizable to many people who aren't as familiar with the games.

A fun fact about Kingdom Hearts is its use of Final Fantasy characters. These characters were quite a shocker expected back then. In fact, their appearance was deliberately kept a secret to entice fans.

Success & More:

The first game, Kingdom Hearts 1, was released in 2002. It was a commercial success, and it quickly paved the way for a sequel. As of 2022, the game has sold well over 36 million copies worldwide.

Tetsuya Nomura himself was unsure if there would be room for a sequel. He still snuck in a secret trailer scene in the game for fans. Soon enough, plans for a sequel were made after Kingdom Hearts 1, and other games quickly followed. Chain of Memories, for example, was released in 2003, and directly follows the story from the first game.

Since then, Kingdom Hearts is up to its 13th installment. It has spawned a massive following worldwide. The series just perfectly captures the Disney magic that many people had in their childhood. More than that, it also offers something fun for the Final Fantasy fans.

In 2021, Sora would finally join Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as its last DLC fighter. In addition, it was revealed that Sora is the most highly requested fighter to ever appear in the Smash Bros series. It's quite a testament to his character, and how popular he is.

In 2022, Kingdom Hearts IV was announced for the next generation of consoles. It is a sequel to Kingdom Hearts 3, which acted as an ending to numerous old storylines. Kingdom Hearts IV sets the stage for a new story, pitting Sora and his friends against the 'Lost Masters'.

Voice Actors who have worked on Kingdom Hearts:

Kingdom Hearts has boasted many actors over its installments. You would be surprised to see who's been in the series.

The main character Sora is voiced by Haley Joel Osment. Osment played in the Sixth Sense as Cole Sear, a psychic child. You'd know him from the iconic film line, "I see dead people".

The main antagonist Xehanort is voiced by at least three actors.

Leonard Nimoy (Spock from Star Trek)

Rutger Hauer (Roy Batty from Blade Runner)

Christopher Lloyd (Doctor Brown from Back To The Future)

Opposite of Xehanort is Eraqus, who is played by Mark Hamill. He's Luke Skywalker and the iconic voice of The Joker in numerous Batman media. Nimoy and Hamill in a way also represents the Star Trek Vs. Star Wars debate that's pervaded fandoms for so long.

The character Roxas is Sora's 'nobody', essentially his other half. He and Ventus, the character he's modeled after, share the same voice. They are both voiced by Jesse McCartney, a famed popstar in the 2000s. Jesse McCartney would also do the voice for Robin in Young Justice, and later, as Nightwing.

Ansem the Wise, later known as DiZ, is another supporting character in the franchise. Christopher Lee is well-known as Dracula, Saruman, and Count Dooku. After his unfortunate passing, Lee was replaced by Corey Burton.

Hayden Panettiere was the initial voice for Sora's close friend, Kairi. She played Kirby Reed in both Scream 4 and Scream 6. She also played Juliette Barnes in Nashville, and Claire Bennet in Heroes.

Hayden would later be replaced by Alyson Stoner in future installments. Alyson Stoner played Caitlyn in Camp Rock and it's sequel. She was also Isabella Garcia in the popular Disney series, Phineas and Ferb.

The main antagonist of the first game was Ansem, Xehanort's Heartless. Ansem was at first voiced by Billy Zane for the first game. Billy Zane was also the main antagonist of Titanic, aka Caledon Hockley.

In later games, Zane would be replaced by Richard Epcar. Richard Epcar is notable as the voice of Raiden from Mortal Kombat, and Daisuke Jigen from Lupin the 3rd. He's also the voice of Joseph Joestar's older self in later seasons.

All of this is further compounded by the Disney worlds. Kingdom Hearts gets numerous old actors back to reprise their roles. For example, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy all retain their current voice actors.

Overall, Kingdom Hearts has a well-crafted cast of voice actors. Numerous notable names have come to play characters in the series. I think that on its own is another impressive fact to add to the series.

The Story (And why it's not as confusing as you think):

What makes it so confusing?

Kingdom Hearts is renowned across online fandom platforms for its plotline. Almost anything about it is guaranteed to create confusion in fans. It's hard enough having to keep up with how many people are just different iterations of other characters. Fans have coined the phrase "Everyone is Sora/Xehanort." for a reason.

In reality, the story itself is not 'confusing' at first glance. It all relies on making sure you play the games in order. Kingdom Hearts' greatest flaw is when people overthink it to the extreme.

There are a lot of people who would prefer to skip to the most recent game. However, that creates its own net of issues. When you don't play the games in order, you end up confused by certain plot elements.

To fully comprehend the bigger picture, you need to accept a few things about the series as well. For example, keyblades are inherently magical weapons. They possess a degree of sentience and can open or lock any door. Only someone strong of heart can wield a keyblade.

Overall, Kingdom Hearts is not a confusing series to get into. It's just a lot to look at. This leads to the games overwhelming people who try to take in every single detail.

Why it works:

The love for Kingdom Hearts is phenomenal. After its release, it quickly gained praise as a best-selling hit under Disney. Much of this praise is given to the story, and characters. Even more praise is added to its scene-stealing music.

Its blending of Disney and RPG tones is also enjoyed by the audience. This is something that you would not expect to work, but it does. Kingdom Hearts itself is a perfect balance of Square Enix's usual flavor, combined with the childhood Disney magic that you are familiar with.

Kingdom Hearts' accuracy toward Disney also works when looking at the films. Fan-Favorite locations in the game are pulled from Disney's various films. They are almost perfectly replicated in Kingdom Hearts' own animation. It is a testament and love letter to the franchise's cartoonish roots.

Kingdom Hearts is something that at first glance, you think would not work. It's effectively a bizarre fusion between two things that have nothing in common. However, the developers behind the scenes do their part in making sure that the game balances it. Everything has a purpose, and nothing feels out of place.

Conclusion:

Kingdom Hearts is an interesting topic to bring up in terms of video games. It's attracted a lot of confusion and shock from newcomers. However, I believe that this zaniness does its part. It is meant to be shocking, and as a series, it does that well.

There's something fun about how the series presents itself. Kingdom Hearts does not take itself seriously. Yet, there's no harm coming from that effect. This only accentuates its deep connections to the Disney franchise.

I think Kingdom Hearts is a fun series that has a lot of heart. I wanted to play the games myself as a kid after seeing how cool they were. I finally had the chance to buy them last year. It was perfect being able to relish every moment in playing them. I would recommend you pick up the game yourself.

What's NEXT?

Remember when I said that I was doing a review of Transformers: Earthspark? I still am. I pushed it back in favor of other topics, but it is still happening.

We'll also talk about X-Men '97 and discuss some other things. Moon Girl season 2 will also be another topic sometime this year. I hope you really enjoyed this one, by the way. If you have any questions or suggestions, please send them my way.

[heavenboy09]

Happy Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 To A Veey Well Known Child Actor Now All Grown Up & Became A Big Sensational Movie Star 🌟 at such a young age in the early 90's to Early 2000's with Some Of His Iconic & Memorable Films In History

Born In Los Angeles,  California On April 10th 1988

He is an American actor and voice actor. Beginning his career as a child actor, His role in the comedy-drama film Forrest Gump (1994) won him a Young Artist Award.

His breakthrough came with the psychological thriller film The Sixth Sense (1999), which won him a Saturn Award and earned him nominations for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

He achieved further success with the drama film Pay It Forward (2000), the science fiction film A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) which won him a second Saturn Award, and the comedy film Secondhand Lions (2003), which won him a Critics Choice Award.

He has had a long-running role in the Kingdom Hearts video game franchise, voicing the series' protagonist Sora (2002–present) and one of its villains Vanitas (2010–2020) in the English versions of the games.

& His Younger Sister of 4 Siblings is also a Famous Actress & Continues Acting to this very day.

Please Wish This Outstanding & Remarkable Child Actor All Grown Up A Very Happy Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊

You Know Him When He was A Kid

& You will always Choose to Love His Acting FOREVER

The 1

& The Only

MR. HALEY JOEL OSMENT

HAPPY 35th BIRTHDAY 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 MR. OSMENT TO YOU & Here's To Many More #HayleyJoelOsment #TheSixthSense #ISeeDeadPeople #Sora #KingdomHeart

[suchananewsblog]

M. Night Shyamalan cannot stop shocking the world

In 1999, a 29-year-old filmmaker — who was born in Mahe, Puducherry to two doctors: a Malayali father and a Tamilian mother — suddenly emerged as Hollywood’s most exciting talent. A wildcard they had not seen in years, as A-listers across town clamoured to work with him… all because of one line of dialogue.  “I see dead people.” And with those iconic words uttered by Haley Joel Osment in The…

[h-worksrambles]

who are your favorite voice actors in the kh series? least favorites?

Ah. This is an interesting question.

For favourites, Haley Joel Osment has always given Sora a lot of really endearing energy and gusto. And it’s a big part of what’s kept him as one of my favourite characters in the series. Jesse McCartney has also been a standout. He’s done a very good job distinguishing his roles as Roxas and Ventus and tends to give some of the strongest performances out of many game in the series he’s in. I’ll also say Paul St. Peter’s deep booming, yet silky smooth delivery basically makes Xemnas for me.

There’s also some iconic ones I have to mention. The late Leonard Nimoy killed it as Master Xehanort and gave him a deliciously evil energy. Christopher goddamn Lee is fantastic as Ansem the Wise in Kingdom Hearts 2 (though Corey Burton has been a great replacement since). And you can never go wrong with Mark Hamill. He’s very good as Master Eraqus.

Least favourites? Well these just make me feel kinda mean. I guess I’ll say Jason Dohring as Terra and Willa Holland as Aqua didn’t really work for me in Birth By Sleep. They came across a little wooden, though I’m tempted to say it’s down to direction and scripting. And while Holland did much better in 0.2, Dohring hasn’t had many lines as Terra since, so he hasn’t really been able to show off what he can do. I’ll also say some of the Disney character soundalikes are…not great. A lot of the voices in Pride Lands in Kingdom Hearts 2 especially are really off. Scar’s voice actor is trying so hard to match Jeremy Irons and it’s just not working.

Thanks for the ask.

[ailtrahq]

Artificial intelligence (AI) has long captured our imaginations, inspiring both awe and trepidation about the possibilities it holds for our future. This fascination with AI’s potential has resulted in a plethora of thought-provoking movies that delve into its ethical, existential and technological implications. This article will present five AI-themed movies that offer captivating narratives while delving into the intricate relationship between humans and the machines they create.Blade Runner 2049 (2017)A sequel to the iconic 1982 film Blade Runner, this sci-fi masterpiece directed by Denis Villeneuve continues to explore the blurry line between humans and AI. Set in a dystopian future, the film follows Officer K (Ryan Gosling) as he uncovers a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge society into chaos. With stunning visuals and a thought-provoking storyline, Blade Runner 2049 delves deep into questions of identity, morality and what it truly means to be human.Ex Machina (2014)In this cerebral thriller directed by Alex Garland, a young programmer is invited to administer the Turing test to an intelligent humanoid robot with a female appearance named Ava. As the programmer engages in conversations with Ava, the film raises unsettling questions about consciousness, manipulation and the boundaries of AI ethics. Ex Machina is a tense exploration of the thin line between creator and creation.Related: Top 9 hacker and cybersecurity moviesHer (2013)Spike Jonze’s Her offers a poignant and emotionally charged take on the relationship between humans and AI. The film follows Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix), a lonely man who falls in love with an AI operating system named Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson). As their bond deepens, the movie delves into themes of intimacy, loneliness and the nature of human connections in an increasingly digitized world.A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)Directed by Steven Spielberg and based on a story by Stanley Kubrick, A.I. Artificial Intelligence is a futuristic fairy tale set in a world where highly advanced robots are part of everyday life. The story revolves around David (Haley Joel Osment), a robot boy designed to experience human emotions, as he embarks on a journey to become “real.” The film raises complex questions about the nature of love, consciousness and the desire for acceptance.Related: Top 7 virtual reality (VR) movies to add to your watchlistThe Matrix (1999) A true classic in the realm of AI-themed movies, The Matrix, directed by the Wachowskis, envisions a world where humans are unknowingly trapped in a simulated reality by intelligent machines. The film’s exploration of simulated existence, the quest for truth and the battle for liberation has left an indelible mark on popular culture and ignited philosophical debates about the nature of reality.These five AI-themed movies offer diverse perspectives on the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence. They delve into ethical dilemmas, existential questions and the potential consequences of pushing the boundaries of technological advancement. Whether you’re seeking mind-bending concepts or emotionally charged narratives, these films are sure to captivate your imagination and leave you pondering the future of AI and its impact on humanity. Source

[irvinenewshq]

Misplaced Kingdom Hearts Animated Collection Pilot Launched On-line

Screenshot: Seth Kearsley/YouTube Regardless of Kingdom Hearts’ seemingly countless capability to proceed current, its relationship with Disney past the literal video games themselves has all the time been just a little distant—not less than on the Disney aspect of issues. You’re not going to see Sora within the theme parks maybe any time quickly, however as soon as upon a time that wasn’t all the time going to be the case. Animator Seth Kearsley, who as soon as served as government producer on a deliberate animated adaptation of the primary Kingdom Hearts sport, just lately revealed that he’d discovered a long-thought-lost VHS recording of the sequence’ animatic pilot, used to pitch executives on the concept of a Disney adaptation of the action-RPG sequence. Now, simply weeks after discovering it, Kearsly has launched the 11-minute brief on-line for followers to see what may need been. The sequence was greenlit shortly after the launch of the primary sport, however by no means made it to air after being scrapped by Disney and Sq. Enix. Kearsley, who has spoken in regards to the challenge overtly right here and there for years, just lately mirrored on his intent to share extra in regards to the unseen work after being in a near-fatal automobile accident. “I nearly died, and there’s some shit I wanna put out on this planet that just about by no means acquired to be put out on this planet,” Kearsley stated in a video made after the invention of the animatic recording. “So I’m gonna put it out on this planet. That’s loads of stuff, I do know—possibly that’s just a little too private, however every part is just a little too private for me now.” Misplaced Kingdom Hearts Pilot Animatic The 11-minute storyboard animatic, titled “Agrabah,” is a fast, free approximation of a number of the early beats of the unique Kingdom Hearts, first launched in 2002. The brief opens with a short rationalization of authentic characters Sora, Riku, and Kairi being separated from their island house by an assault by mysterious creatures generally known as the Heartless, earlier than Sora and Riku discover themselves happening totally different paths to rescue Kairi. A lot of the sport’s solid returned to voice their roles—save for Haley Joel Osment as Sora, changed by actor Bobby Edner as a consequence of scheduling commitments, in response to Kearsley—and it’s by and enormous a surprisingly direct tackle the sequence. The totally different floating worlds primarily based on basic Disney films; Sora, Donald, and Goofy’s battle animations; the way in which the heartless explode into clouds of neon, toylike stars on defeat; and even a number of the sport’s eventual darkness—Riku being introduced beneath the thrall of Maleficent, who’s working with the Heartless—are touched on. Utterly out of nowhere, there’s even a teeny little bit of iconic Hikaru Utada banger “Easy and Clear” in there for good measure! Alas, that is possible all there ever can be of a Kingdom Hearts animated adaptation. The video games themselves have lengthy since diverged into authentic tales, with the Disney components appearing extra as set dressing to their often-memed-upon plots. The concept of a Disney-made Kingdom Hearts present now would look very totally different to what Kearsley and his staff ever deliberate, however not less than we now, a long time later, get to see what may’ve been. Need extra io9 information? Try when to anticipate the most recent Marvel and Star Wars releases, what’s subsequent for the DC Universe on movie and TV, and every part you must find out about Home of the Dragon and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Energy. Originally published at Irvine News HQ

[dreview98]

31 Days of Halloween Movie 2

Movie title: The Sixth Sense 

Genre: Horror/Thriller (Supernatural)

Released: 1999 Rating: PG-13 1h 47m

My rating: 10/10

The Sixth Sense is not new to me, it is a family staple and we watch it year round. This movie is a timeless classic to me in the world of horror, I believe people will watch this film for years to come. The suspense, jump scares and psychological rollercoaster this film takes you on goes well past the first or second watch. I cannot tell you how many times i’ve seen this movie and it still gets my heart racing. 

The Sixth Sense stars, Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Olivia Williams and Toni Collette. Malcolm Crowe, (Bruce Willis) is an award winning child psychologist living in Philadelphia with his wife Anna (Olivia Williams). It follows his path with a new patient that has a very similar diagnosis to a precious patient Crowe had, he believes he must help his new patient in order to fix his marriage and right his wrongs. 

Cast.. I wouldn't change anything about this cast, Bruce Willis is amazing, who has proven himself to be a timeless actor. Olivia Williams is a beautiful costar, and killed the dynamic role. Haley Joel Osment at 11 years old, blew me away of how he was able to portray his fear and speckles of comedic relief. “They don't have meetings about rainbows.” is an ongoing joke in my family. Toni Collette play Cole’s (Haley Joel Osment) mother, she is a hard working badass single mother, when I think of Lynn (Toni Collette) I think of my own mother. Beautifully showed a mother’s love for her baby. 

Spoilers...

I love when Lynn goes to get Cole a new tie and all the cabinets and drawers are opened in the kitchen while Cole is sitting in the kitchen with hands pressed against the table. Frozen in fear, making us also frozen in fear. 

Another scene that I loved was when Cole was in the car with his mother ready to tell her his secret. At first Lynn is creeped out and doesn’t want to believe her son. But Cole then speaks to her about her mother and it’s a beautifully touching seen of heartbreak, healing and unity between mother and son. Without fail every time I will cry at this scene.

The major twist being that Crowe himself is dead, from the beginning scene with his “failed” patient, Vincent. In a mental break, Vincent breaks into the home of Crowe and Anna claiming that Crowe failed him and how he hates being scared all the time. Vincent shoots Crowe and then fatally shoots himself. Crowe is telling his wife he thinks he’s okay because he doesn’t feel any pain in which he takes his last breath. 

The amount of trauma Anna just endured.. her husband is dead in their bed and his old patient is dead in their bathroom. I would personally have to move out of that house and find another place in which I could heal from everything. 

And to complete this review with the iconic line that everyone knows..

“i see dead people”, i hope you see dead people this halloween. 

[jasonstuart]

Click on the clips https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/644116115 #CharacterActorMonday again not on Monday! lol . I got to work on the Billy Bob Thornton #Amazon series that TV Icon David E. Kelly (Big Little Lies & The Practice) created! ... opposite Oscar winner J.K. Simmons (Whiplash & Being The Ricardos), veteran character and 2 time Oscar nominated (Coming Home & Nebraska) actor Bruce Dern and Haley Joel Osment Oscar nominated for "The Sixth Sense". I was character actor heaven to say the least. I had not worked for over a year because of covid, hence we were all rusty and had to take call these precautions. They filmed us across the room from each other, so we could be at a distance. We had our masks and shields on right before they said action, did the scene and back on again. The director Larry Trilling was a joy to work with .. and I got to play the head of the board at a pharmaceutical company who had to challenge J.K. Simmons knowing my character "Charles" would lose, but being backed up by no other than Bruce Dern! thanks to Cami Patton for casting me.

[mylegendaryicons]

[tuppencetrinkets]

Sorted screencaps from The Boys, S1-3. Found HERE.

A-Train / Jessie T. Usher #16,800

Actress (Stormfront) - Charlize Theron #500

Adam Bourke - P.J. Byrne #1,370

Alastair Adana - Goran Visnjic #1,800

Also Ashley - Sabrina Saudin #900

Anika - Ana Sani #1,300

Annie January / Starlighter - Erin Moriarty  #78,000

Ashley Barrett - Colby Minifie #14,700

Becca Butcher - Shantel Van Santen  #7,800

Billy Butcher - Karl Urban #64,800

Black Noir - Nathan Mitchell #183

Blue Hawk - Nick Wechsler #1,600

Cameron Coleman - Matthew Edison #1,300

Carol Manning - Jessica Hecht #915

Cassandra - Katy Breier #3,500

Cherie - Jordana Lajoie  #1,000

Connie Butcher - Lesley Nicol  #248

Crimson Countess - Laurie Holden  #1,700

Donna January - Ann Cusack  #3,200

Eagle the Archer - Langston Kerman  #1,400

Elena - Nicola Coccia-Damude  #2,900

Ezekiel - Shaun Benson  #1,000

Frenchie -  Tomer Capone  #30,000

Gecko - David W. Thompson #357

Grace Mallory - Laila Robins  #7,500

Gunpowder - Sean Patrick Flanery / Joel Gagne #950

Homelander - Antony Starr #80,000

Hugh Campbell - Simon Pegg #1,300

Hughie Campbell - Jack Quaid  #82,800

Janine - Liyou Abere / Nalini Ingrita #1,300

Jonah Vogelbaum - John Doman #1,500

Judy Atkinson - Barbara Gordon #400

Kenji Miyashiro / Mouse - Abraham Lim #1,800

Kevin Moskowitz / The Deep - Chace Crawford #22,174

Kimiko Miyashiro - Karen Fukuhara #20,000

Lamplighter - Shawn Ashmore #4,300

Lenny Butcher - Jack Fulton #800

Little Nina - Katia Winter #2,200

Madelyn Stillwell - Elisabeth Shue #12,400

Maggie Shaw / Maeve - Dominique McElligott #23,600

Mesmer - Haley Joel Osment / Aram Avakian #3,700

Mindstorm - Ryan Blakely #411

Monique - Frances Turner / Alvina August #1,500

Mother’s Milk - Laz Alonso #25,000

Nathan - Christian Keyes #2,500

Popclaw - Brittany Allen #3,300

Robert Singer - Jim Beaver #1,800

Robin - Jess Salgueiro #800

Ryan - Cameron Crovetti #8,000

Sam Butcher - John Noble #500

Soldier Boy - Jensen Ackles #8,900

Stan Edgar - Giancarlo Esposito #6,400

Stormfront - Aya Cash #15,400

Supersonic - Miles Gaston Villanueva #3,400

Susan Raynor - Jennifer Esposito #2,900

Tessa (TNT) - Kristin Booth #600

The Legend - Paul Reiser #1,800

Todd - Matthew Gorman #1,200

Tommy (TNT) - Jack Doolan #600

Translucent - Alex Hassell #800

Victoria Neuman -  Claudia Doumit #7,500

Young Butcher - Luca Villacis / Josh Zaharia #300

Young Lenny - Bruno Rudolf #800

Young Mallory - Sarah Swire #1,600

Young Nadia - Elisa Paszt #200

Young Sam Butcher - Brendan Murray #150

Young Stan Edgar - Justin Davis #800

Young Starlight - Maya Misaljevic #500

This content is free for anyone to use or edit however you like; if you care to throw a dollar or two my way for time, effort, storage fees etc you are more than welcome to do so via my PAYPAL.  Please like or reblog this post if you have found it useful or are downloading the content within.  If you have any questions or you have any problems with the links or find any inconsistencies in the content, etc. please feel free to drop me a politely worded message via my ASKBOX (second icon from the top on my theme!)  

[themattress]

Kingdom Hearts vs. Kingdom Hearts II vs. Kingdom Hearts III

I am never playing Kingdom Hearts IV, so might as well see how these three stack up.

GRAPHICS - Let’s get the easiest one out of the way first. Obviously graphics improve as time goes on, and such is the case here. While I have issues with many of the KH-original characters’ models in Kingdom Hearts III since they seem so stiff, that’s more than balanced out by all the breathtakingly accurate Disney models and scenery. The worlds of Hercules and Winnie the Pooh look great enough, but the worlds of Toy Story, Monsters Inc., Tangled, Frozen, Big Hero 6 and Pirates of the Caribbean look exactly like those movies; it’s amazing!

Winner: Kingdom Hearts III

GAMEPLAY - The combat in the original Kingdom Hearts is fun, but can also be pretty cumbersome due to Sora’s unrefined movement, Donald and Goofy’s less than reliable AI, a frustratingly too-close camera, and the default game difficulty being a tad more difficult than one might expect. The combat in Kingdom Hearts III is also fun, but its problem is the exact opposite - it’s way too easy, with Sora’s floaty movements combined with all kinds of special features in battle at your disposal right from the start making every fight a walk in the park. Kingdom Hearts II‘s combat, otoh, is a perfect balance; the best in the series hands-down.

Winner: Kingdom Hearts II

MUSIC - This seems like a tough one since Yoko Shimomura always does a fantastic job. However, you have to ask yourself which soundtrack is the most impressive on the basis of how it was put together. And the answer is the original Kingdom Hearts’ soundtrack - with the other games’, musical tracks are always re-used and put alongside new additions. The first game’s soundtrack, by contrast, was 100% new, meaning its success was crucial. Also, none of Utadu Hikaru’s songs afterward are nearly as iconic as “Hikari” / “Simple and Clean”.

Winner: Kingdom Hearts

VOICE-ACTING - Another tough one, since the KH series usually excels at voice-acting, helped by many of the voices being original Disney film cast members or convincing soundalikes. When it comes down to it, though, I’m going to have to give the nod to Kingdom Hearts II. There’s only one especially bad performance in that game - Mena Suvari as Aerith. But otherwise, everyone is giving it their best. Standouts include Haley Joel Osment, who isn’t as whinily high as in the first game or artificially modulated to sound younger in the third, Jesse McCartney who first showed us all what an amazing voice-actor he can be with his performance as Roxas, Paul St. Peter who is chilling as Xemnas, the late Wayne Allwine who makes Mickey sound convincing even with dialogue like “Did somebody mention the Door to Darkness?”, and the legendary Sir Christopher Lee lending all his dignity, gravity and general badassness as DiZ / Ansem the Wise. It’s just a perfectly skilled and star-studded vocal cast. 

Winner: Kingdom Hearts II

STORY - Ha! This one’s easy. The original Kingdom Hearts, no question about it. The story of Kingdom Hearts II is good, but it’s haphazardly told due to disharmony between its primary tellers (Tetsuya Nomura, Kazushige Nojima and Masaru Oka), can be confounding with its central concepts which isn’t helped by said haphazard storytelling, and won’t leave the same impact if you haven’t been through Chain of Memories first. And as for the story of Kingdom Hearts III....pfffft, WHAT story? That thing is a goddamn mess! This naturally leaves the original Kingdom Hearts’ story, which is classically themed, perfectly structured, and beautifully told, being both incredibly simple and incredibly deep. The talents of Tetsuya Nomura, Jun Akiyama, Daisuke Watanabe, Kazushige Nojima, and Keiko Nobumoto came together perfectly; it was lightning in a bottle that was never really going to be recaptured.

Winner: Kingdom Hearts

CHARACTERS - From a character arc standpoint, the three leads Sora, Riku and Kairi were never written better than they were in the original Kingdom Hearts. They feel like they’re just wrapping up loose ends in Kingdom Hearts II, and Kingdom Hearts III shits on all of them in various ways. While Xemnas in Kingdom Hearts II is actually a stronger character than his Heartless counterpart Ansem in Kingdom Hearts, Ansem is still well-written in his own right, and both are far ahead of Master Xehanort in Kingdom Hearts III. Kingdom Hearts II also has the advantage of memorable characters such as Roxas and his friends, Namine, Axel, and DiZ /  Ansem the Wise. Kingdom Hearts has more Disney characters in major roles, while Kingdom Hearts II has more original characters in major roles, with certain Final Fantasy characters having major roles in both (and absolutely not in Kingdom Hearts III!) Given that and how well the majority are depicted, I think this one is a tie between the PS2 installments.

Winner: Kingdom Hearts & Kingdom Hearts II (TIE)

UNIVERSAL LORE - Let’s rule out Kingdom Hearts III right now, since the universal lore at this point is nigh incomprehensible and so sharply divided from the Disney stuff that it may as well be two different universes altogether. As for Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II, their universal lore is equally solid and compatible, and the difference lies in their presentation. Simply put, Kingdom Hearts does it better because it’s simply put. The more perplexing aspects of the lore are there for you to think about on your own as they float along in the background of the story and the actions of the characters. Kingdom Hearts II brought them to the forefront, which leads to a lot of expositing and drawn-out cutscenes that more often than not still leave players confused, and unless it’s Christopher Lee talking it’s never done particularly well. Leagues ahead of Kingdom Hearts III, don’t get me wrong, but not ideal.

Winner: Kingdom Hearts 

WORLDS - With this category, I mean the worlds from an outside perspective, not related to the events or gameplay that goes on within them. Which assortment of worlds holds the most appeal? Much of that will depend on your preference in Disney properties, but this is my post so my opinion is the one that counts here. And my opinion is that Kingdom Hearts II wins out. Worlds representing Mulan, Beauty and the Beast, Hercules, The Little Mermaid, Pirates of the Caribbean, Aladdin, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Lion King and Tron, all some of the finest Disney properties of all time....oh, and let’s top that off with a world based on fucking Steamboat Willie, Mickey Mouse’s premiere! You just can’t beat a line-up like this.

Winner: Kingdom Hearts II

LEVEL DESIGN - Now we get into how it actually feels to play through the worlds. Kingdom Hearts’ worlds are designed where you get the maximum amount out of all space available, with all sorts of things to interact with, puzzles to solve, and treasures to collect. The downside is that combat in these areas can be a chore, especially with the game’s weak camera. Kingdom Hearts II’s worlds are streamlined for combat, with the camera expanded which helps make battling through them fun as all Hell (or Hades, in one specific case), but the lack of interactivity and exploration is missed, and the lack of collectibles given how easy it is to get every treasure chest in the original edition went over so badly that Final Mix had to make up for it with the puzzle piece and Mushroom XIII sidequests. And that brings us to Kingdom Hearts III - not only are both previous game’s styles merged perfectly, but each world feels like it’s in its own sub-genre of video game altogether. Combine that with the graphics replicating each world’s cinematic source material perfectly and you have the best experience playing through worlds. Kingdom Hearts III is worth it if not only for this factor.

Winner: Kingdom Hearts III

GUMMI SHIP - The scenery and music in the original Kingdom Hearts’ Gummi Ship segments is wonderful, but the gameplay is horrendous. Kingdom Hearts III has great scenery and gameplay, but the music is bland and forcing you to fight Gummi bosses three times to progress to a world was not a good choice. Kingdom Hearts II is the only one that it’s get it all right - great visuals, great music (in a wide variety of different tracks, too!), and great gameplay, feeling almost like a Disney theme park ride. I always love going through it.

Winner: Kingdom Hearts II

MINIGAMES - Kingdom Hearts had many memorable minigames....unfortunately, the majority of them weren’t very well designed. Kingdom Hearts II’s are much better designed, but a lot of them are repetitive and sometimes feel like more time went into them than other things that needed it more. That leaves Kingdom Hearts III as the winner, as its minigames such as the Bistro, the 100 Acre Wood and the Flan Heartless, are fun, plentiful and unique. Special mention goes to the Classic Kingdom app, which packs over 20 minigames into it.

Winner: Kingdom Hearts III

EXTRA CONTENT - In terms of which game is packed with the most stuff beyond what is required to get through, I’m not sure which one objectively places first. What I do know is that what Kingdom Hearts II had initially didn’t feel sufficient compared to its predecessor and needed to be rectified by its Final Mix. Kingdom Hearts III had more from the getgo, but at the cost of crucial things that should have been required being absent and needing to be filled in with Re:Mind. The original Kingdom Hearts, even before its Final Mix, felt so loaded with extra content that it was dizzying; truly on par with what you would expect out of a Final Fantasy game. Square, still headed by Hironobu Sakaguchi at the time, spared no expense.

Winner: Kingdom Hearts 

OVERALL SATISFACTION - So, Kingdom Hearts III clearly isn’t winning this whole thing, with just two victories to its name. But Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II are tied, so this last category has to serve as the tiebreaker. Which game, as a whole product, is the most satisfactory? Which of the two has all its qualities even out to provide the best experience?

Personally, playing through the original Kingdom Hearts is an experience that has never been matched by anything since in this franchise. And therein lies the problem. It’s not that the game doesn’t hold up and I don’t enjoy replaying it - far from it! But the sheer magical feeling that gripped me back at the end of 2002 and start of 2003 can’t be replicated, which leaves some of the game’s technical issues in a more glaring light. And that’s a problem that doesn’t exist with Kingdom Hearts II (especially the Final Mix version). It was a highly fun, thrilling, well-polished ride to begin with, and it still is with every new playthrough. It feels like the apex of what the concept of Kingdom Hearts is supposed to be: the best of Disney and the best of Square all in one crazy, epic package. It’s the series’ finest game....and it always will be.

Winner: Kingdom Hearts II

[hakeism]

KH1 Sora’s design always has a special place in my heart! I love the bright colors and the simple, but iconic design.

Did I ever mention how disappointed I was that they didn’t bring back KH1 Sora’s voice actor back for Re:CoM? Turns out I’m dumb and it’s just Haley Joel Osment aging like a natural human being

[nitrateglow]

Favorite films discovered in 2020

Well, this year sucked. I did see some good movies though. Some even made after I was born!

Perfect Blue (dir. Satoshi Kon, 1997)

I watch a lot of thrillers and horror movies, but precious few actually unsettle me in any lasting way. This cannot be said of Perfect Blue, which gave me one of the most visceral cinematic experiences of my life. Beyond the brief flashes of bloodletting (you will never look at a screwdriver the same way again), the scariest thing about Perfect Blue might be how the protagonist has both her life and her sense of self threatened by the villains. The movie’s prescience regarding public persona is also incredibly eerie, especially in our age of social media. While anime is seen as a very niche interest (albeit one that has become more mainstream in recent years), I would highly recommend this movie to thriller fans, whether they typically watch anime or not. It’s right up there with the best of Hitchcock or De Palma.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (dir. Sergio Leone, 1966)

Nothing is better than when an iconic movie lives up to the hype. Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, and Lee Van Cleef play off of one another perfectly. I was impressed by Wallach as Tuco in particular: his character initially seems like a one-dimensional greedy criminal, but the performance is packed with wonderful moments of humanity. Do I really need to say anything about the direction? Or about the wonderful storyline, which takes on an almost mythic feel in its grandeur? Or that soundtrack?

Die Niebelungen (both movies) (dir. Fritz Lang, 1924)

I did NOT expect to love these movies as much as I did. That they would be dazzlingly gorgeous I never doubted: the medieval world of the story is brought to vivid life through the geometrical mise en scene and detailed costuming. However, the plot itself is so, so riveting, never losing steam over the course of the four hours it takes to watch both movies. The first half is heroic fantasy; the second half involves a revenge plot of almost Shakespearean proportions. This might actually be my favorite silent Fritz Lang movie now.

Muppet Treasure Island (dir. Brian Henson, 1996)

I understand that people have different tastes and all, but how does this movie have such a mixed reception? It’s absolutely hilarious. How could anybody get through the scene with “THA BLACK SPOT AGGHHHHHHH” and not declare this a masterpiece of comedy? And I risk being excommunicated from the Muppet fandom for saying it, but I like this one more than The Great Muppet Caper. It’s probably now my second favorite Muppet movie.

Belle de Jour (dir. Luis Bunuel, 1967)

I confess I’m not terribly fond of “but was it real???” movies. They tend to feel gimmicky more often than not. Belle de Jour is an exception. This is about more than a repressed housewife getting her kicks working as a daytime prostitute. The film delves into victim blaming, trauma, class, and identity-- sure, this sounds academic and dry when I put it that way, but what I’m trying to say is that these are very complicated characters and the blurring of fantasy and reality becomes thought-provoking rather than trite due to that complexity.

Secondhand Lions (dir. Tim McCanlies, 2003)

The term “family movie” is often used as a synonym for “children’s movie.” However, there is an important distinction: children’s movies only appeal to kids, while family movies retain their appeal as one grows up. Secondhand Lions is perhaps a perfect family movie, with a great deal more nuance than one might expect regarding the need for storytelling and its purpose in creating meaning for one’s life. It’s also amazingly cast: Haley Joel Osment is excellent as the juvenile lead, and Michael Caine and Robert Duvall steal the show as Osment’s eccentric uncles.

The Pawnbroker (dir. Sidney Lumet, 1964)

Controversial in its day for depicting frontal nudity, The Pawnbroker shocks today for different reasons. As the top review of the film on IMDB says, we’re used to victims of great atrocities being presented as sympathetic, good people in fiction. Here, Rod Steiger’s Sol Nazerman subverts such a trope: his suffering at the hands of the Nazis has made him a hard, closed-off person, dismissive of his second wife (herself also a survivor of the Holocaust), cold to his friendly assistant, and bitter towards himself. The movie follows Nazerman’s postwar life, vividly presenting his inner pain in a way that is almost too much to bear. Gotta say, Steiger gives one of the best performances I have ever seen in a movie here: he’s so three-dimensional and complex. The emotions on his face are registered with Falconetti-level brilliance.

The Apartment (dir. Billy Wilder, 1960)

While not the most depressing Christmas movie ever, The Apartment certainly puts a good injection of cynicism into the season. I have rarely seen a movie so adept at blending comedy, romance, and satire without feeling tone-deaf. There are a lot of things to praise about The Apartment, but I want to give a special shoutout to the dialogue. “Witty” dialogue that sounds natural is hard to come by-- so often, it just feels smart-assy and strained. Not here.

Anatomy of a Murder (dir. Otto Preminger, 1959)

I’m not big into courtroom dramas, but Anatomy of a Murder is a big exception. Its morally ambiguous characters elevate it from being a mere “whodunit” (or I guess in the case of this movie, “whydunit”), because if there’s something you’re not going to get with this movie, it’s a clear answer as to what happened on the night of the crime. Jimmy Stewart gives one of his least characteristic performances as the cynical lawyer, and is absolutely brilliant. 

Oldboy (dir. Park Chan-Wook, 2003)

Oldboy reminded me a great deal of John Webster’s 17th century tragedy The Duchess of Malfi. Both are gruesome, frightening, and heartbreaking works of art, straddling the line between sensationalism and intelligence, proving the two are not mutually exclusive. It’s both entertaining and difficult to watch. The thought of revisiting it terrifies me but I feel there is so much more to appreciate about the sheer craft on display.

Family Plot (dir. Alfred Hitchcock, 1976)

Family Plot is an enjoyable comedy; you guys are just mean. I know in an ideal world, Hitchcock’s swan song would be a great thriller masterpiece in the vein of Vertigo or Psycho. Family Plot is instead a silly send-up of Hitchcock’s favorite tropes, lampooning everything from the dangerous blonde archetype (with not one but two characters) to complicated MacGuffin plots. You’ll probably demand my film buff card be revoked for my opinion, but to hell with it-- this is my favorite of Hitchcock’s post-Psycho movies.

My Best Girl (dir. Sam Taylor, 1927)

Mary Pickford’s farewell to silent film also happens to be among her best movies. It’s a simple, charming romantic comedy starring her future husband, Charles “Buddy” Rogers. Pickford also gets to play an adult character here, rather than the little girl parts her public demanded she essay even well into her thirties. She and Rogers are sweet together without being diabetes-inducing, and the comedy is often laugh out loud funny. It even mocks a few tropes that anyone who watches enough old movies will recognize and probably dislike-- such as “break his heart to save him!!” (my personal most loathed 1920s/1930s trope).

Parasite (dir. Bong Joon-ho, 2019)

This feels like such a zeitgeist movie. It’s about the gap between the rich and the poor, it’s ironic,  it’s depressing, it’s unpredictable as hell. I don’t like terms like “modern classic,” because by its very definition, a classic can only be deemed as such after a long passage of time, but I have a good feeling Parasite will be considered one of the definitive films of the 2010s in the years to come.

Indiscreet (dir. Stanley Donen, 1958)

Indiscreet often gets criticized for not being Notorious more or less, which is a shame. It’s not SUPPOSED to be-- it’s cinematic souffle and both Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant elevate that light material with their perfect chemistry and comedic timing. It’s also refreshing to see a rom-com with characters over 40 as the leads-- and the movie does not try to make them seem younger or less mature, making the zany moments all the more hilarious. It’s worth seeing for Cary Grant’s jig (picture above) alone.

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (dir. Joseph Sargent, 1974)

This movie embodies so much of what I love about 70s cinema: it’s gritty, irreverent, and hard-hitting. It’s both hilarious and suspenseful-- I was tense all throughout the run time. I heard there was a remake and it just seems... so, so pointless when you already have this gem perfect as it is.

They All Laughed (dir. Peter Bogdonavich, 1981)

Bogdonavich’s lesser known homage to 1930s screwball comedy is also a weirdly autumnal movie. Among the last gasps of the New Hollywood movement, it is also marks the final time Audrey Hepburn would star in a theatrical release. The gentle comedy, excellent ensemble cast (John Ritter is the standout), and the mature but short-lived romance between Hepburn and Ben Gazarra’s characters make this a memorably bittersweet gem.

The Palm Beach Story (dir. Preston Sturges, 1942)

Absolutely hilarious. I was watching this with my parents in the room. My mom tends to like old movies while my dad doesn’t, but both of them were laughing aloud at this one. Not much else to say about it, other than I love Joel McCrea the more movies I see him in-- though it’s weird seeing him in comedies since I’m so used to him as a back-breaking man on the edge in The Most Dangerous Game!

Nothing Sacred (dir. William Wellman, 1937)

I tend to associate William Wellman with the pre-code era, so I’ve tried delving more into his post-code work. Nothing Sacred is easily my favorite of those films thus far, mainly for Carole Lombard but also because the story still feels pretty fresh due to the jabs it takes at celebrity worship and moral hypocrisy. For a satire, it’s still very warm towards its characters, even when they’re misbehaving or deluding themselves, so it’s oddly a feel-good film too.

Applause (dir. Rouben Mamoulian, 1929)

I love watching early sound movies, but my inner history nerd tends to enjoy them more than the part of me that, well, craves good, well-made movies. Most early sound films are pure awkward, but there’s always an exception and Applause is one of them. While the plot’s backstage melodrama is nothing special, the way the story is told is super sophisticated and expressive for this period of cinema history, and Helen Morgan makes the figure of the discarded burlesque queen seem truly human and tragic rather than merely sentimental.

Topaz (dir. Alfred Hitchcock, 1969)

Another late Hitchcock everyone but me seems to hate. After suffering through Torn Curtain, I expected Hitchcock’s other cold war thriller was going to be dull as dishwater, but instead I found an understated espionage movie standing in stark contrast to the more popular spy movies of the period. It’ll never be top Hitchcock, of course-- still it was stylish and enjoyable, with some truly haunting moments. I think it deserves more appreciation than it’s been given.

What were your favorite cinematic discoveries in 2020?

[365days365movies]

May 9, 2021: A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) (Recap: Part One)

Welcome to the future.

At this point, we’ve mostly looked at the past, present, or the near-future (as in, the next ten years, if that). Additionally, we’ve looked either at nonexistent technology in a contemporary setting, or an extension of existing technology taken to a logical next step. But no more. No more realism, no more real-world rules, and nothing that we’re even close to in this reality.

Well...mostly.

That’s genuinely impressive, not gonna lie. Anyway, yeah, from here forwards (for a bit), we’ll be looking at the future and futuristic technology. Now, there are a couple of ways in which these films tend to go. The first big way that we tend to represent the future in film is the same way we always have: flying cars, futuristic technology, smart houses, and robots.

Now, there are countless examples of this future, and it always changes a bit depending on the present. Which, yeah, makes sense. After all, what I’m doing right now, at this moment, would’ve been seen by many people as a massive technological achievement, even around the time that I was born. Which, yes, I’m old, deal with it (because I can’t). Anyway, the way that this begins is with the first major filmed view of a seemingly idyllic future: Fritz Lang’s 1927 film Metropolis.

The overly mechanized (and politically dystopic) society seen in this film, as well as the visuals and technology, would inform our ideas of the future throughout the next century. Multiple themes and common objects reoccur throughout futuristic fiction. You know the stuff I’m talking about. Flying cars, automatic food machines, robotic assistants, video watches, holograms, jetpacks, so on and so forth.

But here’s the thing about the future. It’s always ahead of us, and eventually...well, we’ve gotten to most of those things to some degree. Either they already exist...

...or is currently being developed.

Well, one of them we’re still working on. And the development of more advanced AI is something we have yet to perfect, or even fully develop. However, the development of A.I. (and the consequences of that technology) are ALL OVER science fiction. Sometimes, they’re merely used for flavor to help establish the futuristic setting.

Sometimes, they’re characters with their own agency and conflicts, which may or may not define the plot. In these cases, they’re often simply there to back up the main human characters, and help with their development, and sometimes their own. You know, manic pixie dream robots.

And then, possibly most often, they’re the abject villains of the piece. they can be mysterious alien technology, like in The Day the Earth Stood Still, or a man-made danger that turns on the race that created and/or abused it.

But then, on occasion, an A.I. is given the chance to develop as a character, without being used to define the development of a human character. Sometimes, the question of what life truly means is raised through these characters, and we become attached to them outside of any other character. This isn’t nearly as common as the others, but it’s definitely not unheard of.

And for the record...things don’t often go well for those AIs. But still, some of those characters have quite a lasting impact. So, there’s quite a lot of potential for this type of character, from a dramatic standpoint. And that potential leads us to the guy who made this.

I WILL MAKE A JURASSIC PARK REFERENCE AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE

Steven Spielberg gives us today’s entry, and this director of a classic science fiction story about science gone awry teamed up with the director of a science fiction film where an artificial intelligence went awry. You know, this thing.

I didn’t forget about HAL. And I won’t forget about him later, either.

Director Stanley Kubrick is pretty well-know for his mind-bending films, especially The Shining and 2001: A Space Odyssey. But he also worked with Spielberg on this film before his death in 1999, as this was one of his dream projects for many years, and the two directors were well-known friends.

And so, eventually, Spielberg was given the reins from Kubrick, and results were...mixed. It’s funny, because I’ve never actually seen this movie, but I remember it through its surprisingly widespread ad campaign. I used to go to NYC as a kid a lot, and there was a massive building-side plastered with the iconic logo of this movie. So, I’ve been hovering around this movie for a long time. Enough navel-gazing!

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Recap (Part One)

It is, unsurprisingly, the future. A marrator informs us that climate change has caused the ice caps to melt, and global flooding drowns several countries. You could say that it’s a...Waterworld.

I genuinely considered watching that movie at some point, and then I decided I liked myself to much to watch 2 hours of Kevin Costner’s emotionless acting. Granted, it’s not much better now, listening to the emotionless acting of...

Professor Allen Hobby (William Hurt) is a straight-up sociopath. OK, technically, he’s a robotics engineer, but dude’s making a speech, right? He talks about how far robots have come, dissing my boi Deep Blue in the process, and notes that pain-memory response can also be demonstrated by robots. He proves this by stabbing a woman in his audience, like RIGHT through the hand. Jesus, man! Why the hell would you do that?

Oh. Holy shit, I got fooled. Advanced technology indeed. But OK, so Sheila’s a robot, and a very advanced one...to us. But Hobby wants more, and proposes to his workers to make a robot that can really TRULY love. And through love may come a true subconscious, which means making a robot that can dream. And what better robot to make than a robot child? After all, all child conception requires a license in this futuristic world, so many childless couples are yearning for a child.

Which is why, twenty months later, the first robot child is offered to Henry and Monica Swinton (Sam Robards and Frances O’Connor), a couple...with a child. Um. Guys. You JUST SAID that there are legit childless couples who need a child, and those people would be best suited to love that robot child back (a VERY GOOD question raised by one of Hobby’s subordinates). So why give it to a couple whose son is still alive? Yeah, he’s got a rare disease that they don’t have a cure for yet, and is currently in cryostasis, BUT THEY HAVE A KID! Surely, that’s going to be a potential emotional conflict! And what if the kid wakes up or some shit? This is a TERRIBLE goddamn idea. Think this shit through, guys.

And yet...

This is David (Haley Joel Osment), Cybertronics’ first child robot, brought home by Henry to essentially replace their son. Which is AMAZINGLY FUCKING TONE-DEAF AND INSANE, GODDAMN. That’s extraordinarily messed up. And, for the record, I totally get what Spielberg’s going for, but Jesus Christ, man. This was a terrible way to go about this. And it gets fucking WORSE.

See, Henry (who actually works for Cybertronics) tells Monica that, once they sign the papers and complete the updates, David will imprint on them and see him as their true parents, loving them unconditionally. Which...yeah, fuck, that’s an entire DUMP TRUCK of ethics issues right there. And, while we’re at it, David is...creepy as shit. I mean it, dude, Haley Joel Osment is a VERY good child actor, but he’s laying on the creepy robot child thing THICK. And yeah, this is BEFORE he imprints on them. Jesus fuck, man, there’s a scene where the still uncomfortable Monica is outside of a glass door, and he looks back at her THROUGH THE DOOR like a goddamn SERIAL KILLER.

And I gotta tell ya, dude does not lay off that creepy-ass dial one iota. And for that matter, the music by John Williams ISN’T FUCKING HELPING. LISTEN to this shit, and imagine a robot child that you don’t know wandering around your house. It’s amazingly fucking creepy.

AND IT JUST. KEEPS. GETTING. WORSE. There’s a scene where they’re all at dinner, right, and David’s just staring at them as they eat, mimicking their actions. After all, he’s a robot, he can’t actually eat or drink anything because of his internal working. And then, out of FUCKING NOWHERE, he starts laughing like the FUCKING JOKER, and it scares the EVER-LOVING SHIT OUT OF ME. And somehow, they laugh alongside him, in the never-ending Stockholm syndrome that is this movie! And as soon as its over, he just STOPS laughing, spontaneously. Fuck me, man, I’m tempted to stop watching here and now, and I’m only TWENTY MINUTES IN! I need a fucking break.

And after that...OF COURSE she decides to activate his imprinting protocols to make him, let me remind you, LOVE HIM FOREVER! She reads out a series of words, and after “FREIGHT CAR”, he knows his mission is to kill the Prime Minister of Sokovia. But first, he’ll settle down and love Monica unconditionally (again, FOREVER), calling her Mommy and making me shit my pants in fear. IT WASN’T ME, IT WAS FUCKING DAVID

Oh, and by the way, isn’t it kinda shitty to do that without Henry being involved AT ALL? Like, cool, he has unconditional maternal love, but Henry wasn’t a part of that conditioning at all! And he still refers to him as “Henry” instead of Dad! However, Henry definitely doesn’t care about that, because he still sees David as only a robot. Hey, guys, maybe using these two as your first experiment with a robot child WAS A TERRIBLE FUCKING IDEA, YOU IDIOTS! No wonder William Hurt was cast as Thunderbolt Ross in the MCU. Already shown he can play a character with shitty ideas before.

Anyway, after this terrible series of events, David prevents the parents from leaving one night due to his childlike antics. When Monica goes to comfort him, he asks how long she’ll live, and tells her that he hope she never dies, a COMPLETELY NORMAL THING TO SAY. Look, I get that he’s a robot, but only a goddamn emotionless sociopath would program emotional responses like this into a robot. Which, given what we’ve seen of Hobby, makes sense.

In response, she gives him Teddy (Jack Angel), a technologically advanced teddy bear with sentience, a personality, and the voice of Astrotrain from The Transformers TV series. Because, yes, I am THAT MUCH of a goddamn nerd.

Soon after, the house gets a phone call, which David receives...literally. He takes the phone and allows it to speak through him. It turns out that, shock beyond shocks, THEIR SON IS CURED! Yeah, fuck. Maybe giving David to a family with a STILL LIVING SON is a fucking ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE IDEA, for about a thousand reasons.

And, fucking understandably, Martin Swinton (Jake Thomas) is a little upset to find out that he’s essentially been replaced by a robot kid. Although, to be fair, he’s also kind of a dick to David, holding his humanity over him and treating him as a toy that he attempts to manipulate and bully. My Lord, this is a massively stupid idea. And Martin immediately shows his dickishness by asking his mother to read Carlo Collodi’s The Adventures of Pinocchio to them. Which is meant to be a punishment for Pinocchio. However, of course, David loves it.

Still, however, there’s trouble in paradise for David, as he tries to compete with Martin for being a real boy, and eats spinach at dinner one evening. Despite Teddy’s mildly ominous warning to him (”YOU WILL BREAK”), he keeps eating until he basically has a stroke and breaks, forcing him to be repaired by some of Cybertronics’ technicians. Monica has a bit of a break down as a result, which Martin notices. This causes Martin to go pure supervillain, manipulating David to do creepy things in order to insert doubt into Monica about David. Jesus, Martin’s a creepy kid, too. No wonder Monica grew to be cool with David, her actual son is a FUCKING SOCIOPATHIC MONSTER! Are there ANY truly normal people in this world? IS THIS WHAT THE FUTURE IS?

Martin convinces David to cut a lock of Monica’s hair while she’s sleeping. And lemme tell ya, a little boy holding scissors over someone while they sleep is not exactly comforting. Henry agrees, and after stopping him, believes that they need to return him. Monica disagrees, knowing that they’ll destroy him if brought back. But David, ever the semi-sociopath himself, ignores any signs of humanity in David and dismisses Monica's feelings for him entirely. He also says this thing about “IF HE CAN BE PROGRAMMED TO LOVE, CAN NOT HE BE PROGRAMM-ED TO HATE?”, which...no. No, he cannot. He didn’t learn to love, he was programmed to. And, again, that’s ethically FUCKED, but taking that into account...no. HE WASN’T PROGRAMMED TO HATE, HENRY. Goddamn, buddy, use your head here.

It’s Martin’s birthday, and his friends at the pool party expose David to the fun world of anti-robot (or Mecha) racism, and test to see if he has Damage Avoidance Systems by threatening him with a knife. And he does. Buuut, when those systems kick in, he goes to the nearest point of safety to keep himself safe. That point is, unfortunately, Martin, whom he gets behind...and accidentally drags into the pool.

Thing is, because of Martin’s recent illness, he can’t exactly swim, meaning that David almost drowns him. When Henry and other partygoers go to save him, they abandon David in the pool completely. And now, David’s fucked. Because although this situation isn’t even a little bit his fault, he also just nearly killed Martin. And so, after seeing notes that he’s been writing to her, Monica offers to take for a “ride in the country”. Which definitely means something good. In reality, she’s planning on taking him back to Cybertronics. But once in the car, there’s a change in plans. And hear me out...it’s arguably far more horrifying.

She decides to abandon him in the woods completely, despite how hard it is for her to leave him. She’s sparing him from death, sure, but also throwing him into a world he doesn’t understand, and for reasons that he doesn’t understand. It’s genuinely terrible. And then...yeah, she leaves him forever, to an uncertain future.

End Act One.

I think this is a good place to stop. It’s early, and I need more coffee to handle this shit. See you in Part Two. Of Three. Yup. It’s a long one.