#the actors are absolutely fantastic and visually it’s incredible

[ivyithink]

uh-oh, it’s yet another “you are a monster, but you see me and love me for all my faults, and i can’t help but feel the same” dynamic, we have no choice but to go insane over it

[girlcrushart]

Huge surprise to me that I've never posted Emma Stone before. I was sure I had. I def did on girlcrush 1.0, but never since the poster version. So this post is long overdue. Because I really like Emma Stone, and have for a long time. I find her incredibly beautiful and have always enjoyed her work as an actor. She's excellent! I mean, I guess that's why they gave her an Oscar. Normally I pay very little attention to these things because generally I don't really agree and think it's mainly useless, but I think they nailed it this year giving her an Oscar. I watched Poor Things last night upon the recommendation of my pal @love-drunk-sparks and oh my goodness what an incredible movie! Certainly one of the strangest movies I've ever seen, but just so perfectly made in every way! The art direction / style / lighting / sets / costumes.... visually it was just a masterpiece. Mesmerizingly beautiful movie. The soundtrack was just insane. So weird. So unexpected. So perfect for the movie. It was a bold choice among bold choices and it worked great. And then there was Emma's performance which was truly brilliant. Challenging, unusual, weird, and could have gone sideways in a million ways, but she somehow found a way to play the role absolutely perfectly. For a movie that was so absurd and took place in an imagined world that was fantastical and weird and frankly unbelievable in so many ways, her performance anchored it all in a believable, authentic realism that was simply mesmerizing. I enjoyed that movie very very much, and I'm an even bigger fan of hers as a result. Today's girlcrushart guardian is Emma Stone.

[ablatheringblatherskite]

my thoughts on ep 1 and 2 of the live action ATLA series!

So it is absolutely GORGEOUS. like the visuals??? the costumes?? THE VFX??? OUTSTANDING. CHEF'S KISS. INCREDIBLE. the worst thing is Zuko's scar and like ok whatever nothing we can do about that.

Episode one was fantastic we actually see a lot of great additions, which is COOL! like more of Monk Gyatso, and the actual attack on the Air Nomads... 😭

I'd say writing wise it's not as great as I want it to be. A touch too many monologues for my taste, especially in the first episode, but nothing too bad. Could've been better, but definitely DEFINITELY could've been worse *eyes the movie that will not be named*

You can tell they're trying to squish important plot points together instead of spacing it out across more episodes I mean especially since Netflix decided everything has to be EIGHT EPISODES. but the pacing is actually good considering that LOL

but oh the EMOTIONS. THE EMOTIONS?!?!!

the actor of Aang oh my gosh, Gordon Cormier, OMG. DUDE I NEARLY BAWLED MULTIPLE TIMES BASED ON HIS PERFORMANCE ALONE. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY HEARTBREAKING 😭 HE'S SO GOOD 😭 and he's so cute too he's so baby I'm wjrhwhrhwhdhwhdhwh

I love the actors of Sokka and Zuko whdhwhdhshdsjjdhsjd. Ian Ousley and Dallas Liu? DID NOT DISAPPOINT.

SOKKA WAS HILARIOUS we BURST out laughing SO MANY TIMES, he was so GOOD 😭 the jokes he cracked were genuinely funny wwhdhwhgd and the SARCASM especially. and HIS ACTING THE ACTING HE NAILED IT?? It was so natural and THE EXPRESSIONS HE'D MAKE AND JUST. ALL HIS ACTING CHOICES IN GENERAL WERE SO GOOD. HE WAS HILARIOUS. and other than the funny parts in general he was just so good! HE GETS IT. HE IS SOKKA.

and Zuko was so good too like, we haven't gotten to all the juicy angst yet so I can't fully judge, but so far he's done SO well. Like especially the moments he'd get really angry and also HE'S SO GOOD AT MARTIAL ARTS. SO.

BUT HE'S ALSO RLLY FUNNY TOO??? especially when he gets annoyed with Uncle Iroh LIKE THE BODY LANGUAGE WAS SO SUBTLE BUT IT WAS HILARIOUS. and YES UNCLE IROH WAS GREAT TOO, I LOVE HIM SO FAR. HE IS ALSO HILARIOUS and does seem like Uncle Iroh to me so far!!

Katara hasn't had much to do yet and much like. acting stuff or much to do with her character yet but like that's okay, I'm pretty confident they're still building it up. They haven't gotten to the JUICY bits yet. But she was already so good too.

I'm really interested in some changes, like how they focus more on the Avatar State as a plot point? It's interesting LOL. There was also a shot that showed that in this universe, Katara actually saw her mom die?!?? like omg, that's so gruesome I'm crying.

and it's true that they cut out the sexism arc of Sokka 😭 BUT BUT BUT. IAN OUSLEY. OH HE GETS IT. Like you can see he's really doing his best to keep it a part of the story, like in his acting choices, he's still trying to include the more sexist aspect of his character even if the script isn't supporting it. Like he really truly did his best with what he had and he nailed it, it's the script's fault

And I will say I'm not crazy about some of the stuff they added to Suki? like, I wasn't crazy about the whole "thank you for bringing the world to me" thing, but it's just okay LOL. She's frickin GORGEOUS tho

(also I was really hoping we'd get the scene of Sokka wearing the Kyoshi warrior outfit and makeup but sadly they didn't put it in but it's okay)

OH BUT THE CRUMBS. THE SOKKA AND SUKI CRUMBS. OH THEY'RE SO CUTE. ESPECIALLY THE SCENE IN THE DOJO WHERE SHE'S TEACHING HIM?? OH IT WAS SO CUTE. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. you can tell they're doubling down a bit more on their romance, especially since we know it's already gonna be endgame, but it's making me wonder how they'll tackle Yue 🤔

but yeah. Sokka and Suki stinking adorable I was SQUEALING MULTIPLE TIMES, I LOVE IT I LOVE IT

and the BENDING. THE BENDING IS KRIFFING GORGEOUS. IT'S SO GOOD. THE STUNTS?? THE MARTIAL ARTS?? BEAUTIFUL!! MAGNIFICENT!! PERFECTION!! and the VFX?? HECK YES. AUGH!! I'm definitely not disappointed about it. And I love how dangerous the bending legitimately feels?? like it feels so LETHAL. And there were some really shocking bending moments that were done incredibly well. I loved it.

so YEAH. IN CONCLUSION. so far, judging from just the FIRST TWO episodes... I rate it a 7.5/10

The writing is maybe a 6.5/10, but the acting for sure a solid 9/10. DEFINITELY worth the watch imo, BUT so much more enjoyable with an open mind and acceptance that it's not supposed to be a carbon copy of the show.

[tofutortoise]

My Experience at The Tempest (少年社中) + Meeting Imata Taira!!

On Monday I saw Shonen Shachu’s 25th anniversary production of The Tempest in Tokyo! Overall, I had an amazing experience, and even got to meet IMATA TAIRA HIMSELF!!! And speak to him, which was unreal. Details below, but also spoilers for the play! 

First off, I got my ticket through the lottery system, and somehow I ended up with a fantastic seat on the first floor! I haven’t had great luck with random seats in the past, but this time I sure did. It was a pretty small theater with excellent acoustics. The set was minimal but well utilized. I was really excited about the costumes after seeing all the glittering visuals on the official website (see here), but for some reason, the actual costumes they wore for the play were completely different and noticeably lower quality. I was particularly disappointed that the women’s costumes had major downgrades. On the bright side, Hiroshi Yazaki (playing Kagura/Prospero) got an even better costume than the one he wears in the official posters. He looked like a prince! 

As for the story, I can’t say I was the biggest fan. However, this is probably on me more than the production lmao. Because it’s called The Tempest, I assumed that this would simply be a production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. However, as I quickly realized while watching the show and growing ever more confused, this is not the case!! It’s actually an original show about a theater group dealing with the loss of one of their members, reckoning with what it means to be an actor and bringing happiness to people, following their love for acting, etc., all while they put on a production of The Tempest. Scenes from Shakespeare’s Tempest are therefore interwoven into the play, and sometimes I admit I had a hard time understanding what was going on (the many time skips/flashbacks didn’t help on this point lol). Honestly I should have read the plot synopsis ahead of time, but because I assumed it was just the basic Tempest I didn’t bother– oops. 

There were points where I was quite invested and moved, but overall I wouldn’t say the flow of the story was particularly great. However, my experience was also limited by my intermediate Japanese, and I’m sure a lot of it went over my head. 

I think all of the actors did an amazing job! Imata Taira was definitely a highlight, and he portrayed a very troubled, grieving, angry character with artfulness and incredible intensity. Seeing him, along with Yazaki and Shogo in person, was absolutely unreal. As a long time Hakuouki fan, going from first seeing them on my computer in Hakumyu 8 years ago to watching them in person in Japan is a dream come true. 

Now, let’s get to the most exciting part– I MET IMATA TAIRA!!! AND SPOKE TO HIM!!!! AHHH! Basically after the show there was a special line where you could go to buy a piece of merch and talk to Taira for a moment. I had no idea they would be doing this so I hadn’t prepared anything to say to him, and I was SO nervous!! Turns out I needn’t have worried though, because Taira is such a lovely person and it was a great interaction. First of all, when the person in front of me moved on and I stepped up, Taira’s eyes went comically wide and he let out a gasp. I was expecting some level of surprise because I was a foreigner (blue eyes, red hair, etc.) at a completely Japanese play, but he was seriously taken aback. I spoke to him entirely in Japanese, of course, and thanked him for a wonderful performance, but he was just kinda scrambling for words and saying stuff like “Ah I’m so sorry I don’t know English!!”. He was so sweet and even bowed and put his head to the table and apologized for not knowing English T-T. I told him that even though my Japanese isn’t great, the power of theater is such that you don’t need to understand the words to be moved, and he thanked me again and even gave me his best “thank you!” in English too! He was so incredibly kind and genuine, and I found his reaction to be hilarious. It seemed like he was just as nervous to speak to me as I was to speak to him! Absolutely amazing experience!!!! The whole thing still feels absolutely unreal to me. I never thought I would have the opportunity to actually speak to one of the actors who has meant so much to me over the years. What a wonderful way to start off 2024 :) 

If anyone wants to chat about the play or has any questions about seeing it, feel free to PM anytime!

[judeiscariot]

wait so was saltburn good or not 😭 i’m seeing such mixed reviews

objectively no it was total shit. the plot was all over the place, the characters were underdeveloped, several loose ends weren’t tied off, and it was trying so hard to be subversive that it ended up coming across really forced, i.e. it was not nearly as edgy as it thinks it was. HOWEVER i will say that it was legitimately entertaining and i was not ever bored while watching. and beyond that the visuals were absolutely stunning, the cinematography was genuinely incredible and i would watch it again just for that. i like the main actors and i think they did really well with what they were given, especially barry keoghan who played the main guy. i think it was trying to be too many things at once and if it stuck closer to just one of the several plot lines it was trying to keep up with it could’ve been really good. that’s what’s really frustrating abt it for me at least like it had potential to be a really fantastic movie and shitty writing totally prevented that

[licncourt]

What's your opinion on the iwtv movie?

I really like the 1994 movie! It's visually stunning, absolutely immaculate costume and set design and quite faithful to the book aside from a few changes that makes sense for the sake of the transition from book to film. The practical effects are so much fun and even the CGI is very well-applied.

It's not a perfect movie, there are some cut scenes I think should've stayed from the book and from the original script, plus the fact that it's pretty clear the story has been a bit straightwashed with things like giving Louis a dead wife and child instead of a brother and cutting the Only One Coffin scene. It was the 90s though, and it's honestly very impressive how much they managed to get onscreen, so props for that. It can't have been easy to get even what they did into a big Hollywood movie with A-list actors.

As far as standout elements, the casting of Kirsten Dunst in particular was absolutely perfect, she's incredible as Claudia, truly the standout performance in my opinion. Tom Cruise was fantastic too and that's still wild almost thirty years later. I hate to give the scientologist credit, but he did his homework and really put his whole pussy into playing Lestat. He deserves the praise he gets for sure.

Brad Pitt...okay listen. I am a Brad Pitt Louis apologist. I think if you look at his performance as a reflection of Louis' dissociation and apathy during that time in his life, it reads quite well. I just wish there were more emotional peaks and valleys, even just a few, to offset and highlight that monotone approach and make it feel like a character choice rather than BP sulking (which is what it was). However, anyone who's followed me for any length of time knows how I feel about the sewer scene. That was the serve of the century and I was so glad Jacob Anderson resurrected that expression in the show. That's a little baby your honor.

My main gripe with the movie is how flattened Louis' character was. He's presented as a direct opposite to Lestat, the stick in the mud who simply objects to feeding on humans because it's wrong to kill, no more and no less. I really missed the hypocrisy and contradiction that makes Louis LOUIS. We only get it in the (brilliant) prostitute scene and that's a shame.

I also wish they would've kept Louis' religious trauma as a focal point of the story rather than a single mention with Armand. It's so integral to his character that its absence is really noticeable. Still, I understand that it's a movie and there's only so much depth you can include. I think it could've been done a bit better in that regard though.

The highest praise I can give the movie is that they actually added a few things I wish were in the book:

Louis eating some lady's poodles

GRAPE THROWING

Lestat's retort where he yells "why should I know these things? Do you know them?" I think it really hits at the heart of Lestat's pain regarding his turning and provides a great moment of vulnerability

Claudia's line "why do you say such things?" It doesn't fully change the scene, but it drives home the father-daughter relationship in a really poignant way.

Generally speaking, I think it's a great, if inevitably imperfect, movie and definitely one of my favorites. I always use it as an entry point to get people to read the book and it's never failed me.

[rays-of-fire-and-ice]

BLEACH: The Thousand Year Blood War Ep 18 & 19 Reactions and Thoughts

Overall reaction:

First up, I didn't write anything for episode 18 last week because when I sat down to do it, all I could think to talk about was Renji's bankai reveal, which was epic, but didn't have much more to say beyond that. I loved the whole thing though, they made Renji look like such a badass throughout. And the reveal itself was *chef's kiss*

As for this week...WOW. JUST WOW. INCREDIBLE, AMAZING, WOW. There's one main highlight and you all know what it is. Just...look at her:

This is one of the most stunning things I've ever seen coming out of this show, that includes the original series. Hell, this is one of the most stunning bits of animation I've ever seen. How did they make her bankai more pretty and elegant than it already was in the manga?! I just love that her collar and sleeves are transparent, and the little details like the snowflake pattern that constantly moves over her clothes.

The visuals for this episode were so amazing, and as you can tell, I can't reblogging gifs of it. I loved every second from a visual standpoint, everything was beautifully drawn and coloured, whether it was make Rukia look fierce or terrified or beautiful, or to make As Nodt more creepy and hellish than he already is. I mean, just look at this creep:

I loved this design in the manga, and I am LOVING it here now! Paired with church bells and music, this was a fantastic reveal.

As this adaption continues to show, when it comes to the fights of this arc, it's 10/10. Whether it's added content, hearing these characters say the lines, or just finally seeing these panels animated, it's reminding me of why I was so desperate to see this arc adapted into an anime. The moment I saw As Nodt's hand graze Rukia's, and she flinches and tries to find him, I got hyped. The moment he transformed into his Vollstandig, I was screaming. And then Rukia unleashes her bankai, and I was rolling in my chair. If As Nodt vs Rukia doesn't go down as one of the best anime fights from this year, I'll be shocked.

For one, while it goes without saying at this point, I cannot emphasis enough how GOOD the animation is:

I also loved the call back to decaying characters and the flies and how they were used for Rukia's greatest fear. It's a connection to Byakuya, an experience they can say they've both shared now, and it adds to the scenes that come next when he tells her he's proud of her and he helps her defrost.

Speaking of that scene, it was already a great moment in the manga, but see it not only animated but voiced, I teared up a little. I looked forward to seeing the dub version of the scene too, I have no doubt Michelle Ruff and Dan Woren will do great here. It's a small, emotional moment for the two them, and it's more or less a conclusion their brother-sister arc. We've come a long way since the beginning, huh?

While we're on voice acting, can we give As Nodt actor absolute praise. He made him so gosh dark creepy throughout. This is the kind of voice I would hear while reading the manga, and the way he was able to morph his voice from quiet monotony to raging growls was just amazing. He was a standout in the episode for me honestly.

If I had two nit-picks about the animation, one is that As Nodt's eyeball monsters looked a little weird and out of place, but it's so small it didn't take away from the fight for me. The other is the weird video filter they used over Rukia's flashbacks; not sure why they used that filter? Is it trying to say the original show is that old now? Were they trying to be creative? Regardless, it jarred me a little, but again, it's a nit pick in what is otherwise a fantastic episode.

Overall, it was an amazing episode that will likely be in my top fifteen of the arc of the show. Next week, I'm preparing for two shikai reveals and maybe a few tears ;_;

[lunatheseus]

Movie/TV show ships that I'm thankful for and why

Beast Boy x Raven / Garfield x Rachael: Honestly, Teen Titans Go didn't do it for me when it came to this ship because it was almost too silly and cringe, but the live action (I know, I know, the actors have a HUGE age gap, but when talking about the CHARACTERS) really helped me visualize. It's not just about their romantic chemistry at this point (there's plenty of time for that later), but they already had a connection from the start, and that's incredibly important. They already care so much about each other that setting up their romance might be a little underwhelming tbh. They've already established that Gar has feelings/cares immensely for Rachael, and vice versa. They're also seen cuddling on a couch together, so it's not too far-fetched, you know?

Tina Goldstein x Newt Scamander: Honestly, this is already confirmed endgame. In the Harry Potter movies, it is already written in print that these two are endgame, so watching Fantastic Beasts (that occurs before Harry Potter) is incredibly comforting. These two are honestly my comfort couple, and sometimes I wish I could have what they did. My only ick is that Tina isn't around for the entire third movie? which is a little strange. I miss their quiet interactions and such. I also hate how she became so jealous of Leta so quickly without even checking with Newt... like what? Why? He's so in love with you, can't you tell? (Kudos to Eddie Redmayne for really selling the character) ... Anyway, I could go on. I'm just glad that when it comes to Fantastic Beasts, I don't have to focus so much on the rockiness of everyone's love lives and really focus on the real plot of the movie.

Wylan Van Eck x Jesper Fahey: OML do I really have to explain? Ok first off, MAJOR kudos to the actors (good job Kit and Jack) for having INSANE chemistry onscreen. The secretly insecure on the inside but confident on the outside Jesper Fahey falls in love with the shy but extremely intelligent Wylan Van Ek?? Yes please! These two are also SUCH a comfort couple of mine and I could not stop squealing on the inside when I watched their scenes in Shadow and Bone. They-UGH I can't its so good.

Nina Zenik and Matthias Helvar: I know, I know, in the books it doesn't exactly end well, but I love the Sunshine x Grumpy + Enemies-to-Lovers trope that these two absolutely embody. They teach each other so much and I really really hope Matthias doesn't get kicked off in future seasons.

Kaz Brekker x Inej Ghafa: Ok sooooo they're a little problematic, but that's the point. Let's take a moment to appreciate the fact that Inej says that she'll have him without his gloves, or not at all. I love that her character decides that it's not her job to "fix" Kaz. That's a really overused plotline, where one person fixes the person they love and helps them out of their trauma. Inej understands that Kaz needs to come to terms with his own fears and feelings by himself. I also love that Kaz keeps Inej around just to be in her presence, while she comes back from her adventures to visit to be in his.

May I also add that the entire cast of Shadow and Bone are an absolute VIBE! I love the chemistry they have with each other both on and off screen. I am absolutely in LOVE!

The Eleventh Doctor x Clara: This'll be short but I love how they challenge each other and enjoy each other's company at the same time. I was really sad when he changed faces and didn't end up with Clara. They (the actors I guess too) had insane chemistry and banter, which I personally am a sucker for, and I wish that they had more screen time together.

Daphne Bridgerton x Simon Basset: Again with the banter + friends-to-lovers + Simon's speech to the Queen!!! I wish talked more, you know, incorporate the open communication so that all of the misunderstandings would have never happened.

[fandomobsessediguess]

Have you seen the prequel movie? If yes🌹>>>

A. In your opinion, please rate TBOSAS movie with 1-10 scale.

(1 = I hate it, 10 = I love it.)

Things that you like :

Things that you don't like :

B. For people who also read the novel.

Your opinions about the difference between the book and the movie :

Thank you 🎼

@curiousnonny

I saw it for my birthday! I haven’t been on tumblr since before it came out but i have NOT STOPPED TALKING ABOUT THIS MOVIE, i have literally thought about it every single day since i saw it and its definitely 10/10

Everyone did such a phenomenal job, im so glad they had the same director who knew all the lore and everything, the casting was incredible, i loved that they had big names like Viola Davis and Peter Dinklage but also brought in newer and lesser known actors for the younger cast i thought that was really cool

Im a big visual person and and a technical theatre kid so i was simply in awe of the set and costuming, it was just so beautiful to look at in every way this film truly blew me away

I mentioned before i was worried that it would be difficult to show what Coryo was thinking because, as a manipulative narcissist, he doesn’t let his true emotions through often, and while there could never be as much detail as in the books i really believe they did the absolute best of their ability to show what he is thinking and that was very impressive! Its all in those beautiful blue eyes

It was sad we didnt get to see more of the Covey because i think showing Lucy Grays relationship with her family really parallels Katniss’ relationship with Prim and Rue, but i get why they had to cut it out for times sake (RELEASE THE DELETED FOOTAGE)

also LUCKY IS SOO FUNNY OH MY GOODNESS

I have had the soundtrack on repeat for days, i adore the bonus songs (and tbh its gotten me into bluegrass again) they are so catchy and so fully of meaning and raw emotion aahhhh

It was so exciting seeing these scenes that i enjoyed reading so much appear on screen, it was such a faithful adaptation, and even better, it seemed like every change made was purposeful, it wasn’t changed for the sake a being different from the book, it was intentional

Im just obsessed with the parallels and the explanation of why katniss terrifies snow so much, i think it (the book and movie) did a great job explaining why snow does what he does and how he gets to where he ends up with sympathy, but without excusing any of his actions which is very important.

I could go on and on and on about the meanings and implications and what it means for our society today but im guessing if you are reading this you already know all that haha

TLDR: i though the movie was fantastic, best birthday present i could have, cant wait till it comes out on streaming/bluray, it wasn’t without flaws but it was pretty darn close, incredible in every way, great job everyone

Thanks @curiousnonny

[dilfdoctordoom]

Do you like anything about the GOTG movies? I think you've reblogged stuff from them once or twice

I do! I complain about them a lot due to MCU synergy (which is less the movies fault and more of an overall Marvel issue) but there is a lot that I liked:

Zoe Saldana as Gamora is BEYOND perfect casting. She's absolutely fantastic in the role & IMO, gives the most underrated performance in the whole MCU

The character arcs for most characters are done quite well - Rocket, Quill & Nebula are the obvious standouts but I enjoyed what was done with Mantis & how Drax ultimately ends up

Visually, they're incredibly fun. Some of the best imagery in the MCU comes from this trilogy

The GOTG movies, easily, have the tightest character work. It's very fun to see how they all interact in vol 1 vs the end of vol 3; you actually get to see them grow and develop into a family

The humor is honestly better than most of the MCU. I'm not saying it's perfect (see: the green whore joke in vol 1) but eh. It's better than anything in an Avengers flick

Pom Klementieff is incredibly fun like IDK I find her very engaging as Mantis. You can see how much she's enjoying that role & it just bleeds through the screen

I like how we can see Gunn developing as a director in these movies & (in my opinion) getting better with each film

The villains. THE VILLAINS. I know a lot of people had issues with Ronan but I think the point of him was missed. Kurt Russel was just fun as Ego & I lost my MIND when it was revealed he killed Meredith Quill. Chukwudi Iwuji is quickly becoming one of my favorite actors & vol 3 really just cemented that for me.

Rocket <3

[superectojazzmage]

Okay, so review for Across The Spider-Verse

In short, it was exactly as amazing as hoped, arguably more so.

Absolutely brilliant writing, direction, animation, acting, everything. Takes everything the first movie did right and improves on it while pruning out its tiny few flaws. Continues to truly capture the spirit and feel of the comics and staying as faithful to them as possible while still doing it’s own thing. Demonstrates a remarkable understanding of the character of Spider-Man and his mythos. Genuine and earnest in all the right ways, never demeans or sneers at the source material but rather lavishes it with the love and respect it deserves. Just incredible work from everyone involved.

Some specific notes:

The acting is great. Oscar Isaac and Jason Schwartzman in particular are PERFECT and steal the show as Miguel O’Hara and the Spot. The returning actors like Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, and Hailee Steinfeld get to really show off their chops.

The humor and drama are balanced even better in this film than in the first one. The down moments hit harder, the jokes get even bigger laughs, and they never step on one another’s toes.

The action scenes are fantastic just like in the first film. Incredible and very creative fights all around.

Animators REALLY like to show off. The first film’s experimenting with different art styles gets taken up to eleven here. Lots of crazy visuals and elaborate changes in look and feel from world to world while still keeping the same broad ��vibe”, and they even delve into some Roger Rabbit-esque territory. It’s really impressive. That said, just like the first film, there are some scenes that can get really literally flashy and strobing, so be aware of that if you’re especially sensitive to flashing lights. I don’t think there’s anything that’d cause issues, but just a head’s up.

The writing for the Spot was great; they closely follow his arc from the comics of starting out as a dorky, incompetent joke villain and then evolving into a terrifyingly ruthless and vindictive monster with absolutely broken powers and it’s really well done, like a bizarro inversion of an anime “hero trains to get stronger” storyline. He’s definitely one of the big highlights and was a great pick for villain.

Peter B. is everything Spider-Man should be and his relationship with Mary Jane and baby Mayday are another major highlight. Marvel editors on life support.

Miles and Gwen both get really great character arcs themselves. Poor Miles really gets put through the wringer.

Miguel is spectacularly well-done, just the right balance of sympathetic, charismatic hero and total grouchy asshole, just like he was in the comics.

Spider-Punk is a Giga-Chad.

Jessica Drew is a weird outlier in that she’s not very faithful to the comics version and the points where she IS accurate are based off one of her worst runs, in total contrast to everyone else. I feel like she was maybe meant to be a different character and got reworked into Jessica for some reason mid-production, or maybe that they had to completely alter her to use her. That being said, as a functionally new character, she’s pretty cool. Issa Rae does a good job and her design totally fucks.

The overall plot is partly a really brilliant meta commentary on Marvel’s treatment of Spider-Man Post-OMD with middle fingers fully extended at Spider-Editorial and I’m living for it. There’s also some clear commentary on the nature of adaptations and what Spider-Man as a character stands for, amongst many other things. Some very dense and heavy themes underpinning the narrative, but none of it is intrusive and you don’t need any prior knowledge aside from watching the first film.

You can REALLY tell that this and Beyond The Spider-Verse were one giant script split into two movies, because the ending is honestly pretty abrupt feeling, though it’s made pretty clear that this is just Part 1 and Part 2 will pick up from right there, so as long as you’re aware of that it’s okay. It’s a massive cliffhanger.

All in all, we walked out of the theater EXTREMELY impressed and very hyped for the next film. This was a wonderful movie that really captured the essence of not just Spider-Man but Marvel Comics as a whole. 10/10 would recommend.

[mermaidsirennikita]

so i know the globes are no longer relevant (or at least they shouldn't be) but i will still be asking for your thoughts on the nominations.

Hahahaha thanks for your consideration!

Best Picture--Drama: I'm so glad to see Past Lives nominated! It was really gorgeous and made me cry and was touching in a way I didn't expect.

Oppenheimer obviously was going to get nominated. It's probably my favorite Nolan movie besides The Prestige (which SLAPS) so I'm fine with this. It is very impressive, even if it's a sausage fest per Nolan and it probably runs too long and has some issues (the depiction of women).

Kills of the Flower Moon... is one of my favorite movies this year. I will acknowledge critiques from Osage people noting that it is a white perspective, which I agree with; I also agree with the comments that it is the best possible perspective someone like Scorsese could offer. The acting is phenomenal across the board, the visuals are stunning, it actually EARNED its runtime, and the writing is really strong. Fantastic movie, should win this category in my opinion.

I haven't seen Maestro but based on the various issues I'm seeing surrounding it and Bradley Cooper doing... the most... for promo, I'm very turned off by it right now. I will see it in order to critique it honestly, but I'm not super thrilled to see it here.

Haven't seen the other two. This will be a battle between Oppy and KOTFM imo.

Best Picture--Musical/Comedy: I don't see a world where Barbie doesn't win this. I thought Barbie was a lot of fun, and Ryan Gosling was fab. But I don't really fully subscribe to the hype.

I'm excited for Poor Things but haven't seen it; I love Yorgos's eye and I think he and Emma do make a great team, even if I'm meh on her in general.

The Holdovers I haven't seen and don't super want to see but my brother says he's forcing me to see it so I guess I will.

May December is a great movie. It's not a comedy in any way, shape, or form. But this category usually does that so I'm not surprised. This is a dark, intense, heartbreaking, tragic movie. It's deeply disturbing. I love it, but it's not a comedy.

Haven't seen the other two.

Best Director: Again, BCoops is being insufferable and I generally dislike everything I'm hearing about this. Sorry you didn't get an Oscar nom for ASIB my guy, get over it.

I knew Greta would be nominated and I will say that I love the visuals of that movie, but I think the visual greatness of Barbie is super dependent on the production and costume design, so... I'm not saying it isn't deserved, but I'm not in love with it.

Again, haven't seen Poor Things by Yorgos is fab.

Nolan was a foregone conclusion, I think the movie does look great and is very interesting.

Scorsese should win, sorry, he put his heart and soul into that movie and you could tell with every bit of it. Listen, people can dog this man out all they want, but he is THAT GUY and I consider him one of the last Truly Legend Status directors working right now, so. I think this will go to Oppenheimer, but. Meh.

And again, I'm happy to see Celine Song nominated! Past Lives had a really unique vibe to it and I think she offered a film that we don't see as much of anymore.

Screenplay--Based on what I've seen on this list, should be KOTFM, I can see it going to Barbie. Oppy being written in the first person might woo some people, though.

Best Actor--Drama: Should absolutely be Cillian, he carried that movie and it wouldn't have worked without him. Just a fabulous performance. I can see Leo maaaaybe edging him out? He was really good in KOTFM. It is truly wild to me that Barry was nominated, lol, I haven't seen a rush of buzz for him in Saltburn though he is the best part of the movie. I don't think it was his best work, compared to Banshees.

Best Actress--Drama: If this isn't Lily Gladstone I'll screech. Incredibly moving, and another movie where this thing would not have worked if anyone else had played that role. I don't see this category being super competitive against her.

Best Actress--Comedy/Musical: I can see them giving it to Margot for the press. I think Emma has had the strongest buzz of this category, but Fantasia could totally dark horse it.

Best Actor/Comedy Musical--I have no opinion on this, but I'm going for Jeffrey Wright because he's generally so good.

Best Supporting Actor--Charles Melton DESERVES this, people. He's amazing in May December. Heart crushing. An absolute breakout revelation performance.

One person I could see him giving him a run for his money is De Niro, because he was also amazing in KOTFM. Absolutely loathsome. I can also see them giving it to RDJ, because he is entertaining in Oppy, and I'm getting "it's time" vibes, which I hate... but Charles has also been cleaning up with smaller critics' awards.

Best Supporting Actress--Da'Vine is getting some great reviews, I feel like she's got a really good shot. Julianne is very good in May December, but she's also a very decorated actress. Um, sorry, Emily Blunt was not anything special in Oppy and if she gets this I'll be so baffled.

Best TV Series--Drama: I can see this going to Succession or possibly The Last of Us. Succession has the final season going for it, and it was actually amazing. TLOUS has fandom hype going for it, which the Globes likes. The Diplomat won't win, but fwiw I liked that show a lot.

Best TV Series--Comedy: Abbott Elementary better win is all I'll say. The Bear and Barry shouldn't even be in this category lol.

Best TV Actor--Drama: I feel like this will be a duke it out between Jeremy and Kieran. I'd be thrilled with either winning, but Jeremy's already won and Kieran has an "it's his time" vibe, his last shot to win with what may end up being the defining performance of his career. Brian Cox is such a dick for submitting in this category and the awards shows are such dicks for nominating him, lol.

Best Actress--TV Drama: If Sarah Snook doesn't win I'm burning this city to the ground. Why is Emma even nominated lmao. I do love a Keri Russell, but nah man, nobody here compares to Snook.

Best Actress--TV Comedy: Tbh I think Elle gave the best performance in this category.... easily.... but Quinta is great and I'd love to see her win, too.

Best Actor--TV Comedy: I don't care for any of these nominees. Nicholas Hoult outsold everyone here, bummer that he doesn't have a nom.

Best Supporting Actor-TV: I'd love for Alan Ruck to pick something up, but Matty Mac did once again obliterate lol. Askars was amazing but I don't think he had enough PUNCHY moments.

Best Support Actress--TV: Elizabeth Debicki was great but didn't have the material, imo. Christina Ricci would be my pick here, but I feel like it's gonna go to Hannah Waddingham because last season and all that.

Best Limited Series--Beef is easily the best one here, but the horrible way that the casting controversy was handled may have ruined their shot. In that sense, I think Steven gave the best performance but it could go to Matt Bomer or Jon Hamm. For actress, I would've picked Ali Wong but.... Also, I will say, nobody saw Dead Rings but me apparently but I'm so glad Rachel Weisz got nominated here because she was INCREDIBLE. Will probably go to Brie Larson knowing my luck, though I don't think Lessons in Chemistry made the impact they thought it would.

Best Supporting Actress--Limited: Glad to see Carla here, she was great. I have no idea who this will go to but it probably won't be here lmao. Also, The Fall of the House of Usher should've gotten a nom for best Limited, but c'est la vie the awards shows hate horror. Also, I don't know if this is controversial but brave... I would've nominated Bruce for Best Actor. That could be my weird attraction to him in that role speaking, though.

[jadelotusflower]

2023 Oscar Predictions

Since it's Oscars eve and I actually saw a good chunk of the nominees this year (with some exceptions, so I won't address those categories), my should win/will win breakdown in advance of the ceremony.

Best Actor

Should win: Colin Farrell, who I just thought was wonderful in Banshees, which I absolutely loved.

Will win: Brendan Fraser. I love him and want to see him thrive, I just wish it was for another role.

Best Supporting Actor

Should win: Ke Huy Quan, although honorable mention to Barry Keoghan who was heartbreaking.

Will win: Key Huy Quan

Best Actress

Should win: Michelle Yeoh, a long time coming for a brilliant career (that she wasn't even nominated for The Lady is criminal), but also for this fantastic, difficult role.

Will win: Cate Blanchett

Best Supporting Actress

Should win: Stephanie Hsu - i just loved her so much, and hope she gets the roles she deserves

Will win: Kerry Condon

Best Animated feature

Should win: Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio - beautiful, well worth watching!

Will win: Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio

Cinematography

Should win: All Quiet on the Western Front - often this category is a case of is it great cinematography, or are they just filming beautiful landscape? This does have some lovely scenery to contrast the trenches, but there were some beautifully composed shots (the train coming out of the darkness springs to mind)

Will win: All Quiet on the Western Front

Costume Design

Should win: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Will win: Elvis

Best Director

Should win: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert

Will win: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert

Film Editing

Should win: Everything Everywhere All at Once

Will win: Everything Everywhere All at Once

International Feature Film

Should win: All Quiet on the Western Front

Will win: All Quiet on the Western Front

Makeup and Hairstyling

Should win: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Will win: Elvis

Original Score

Should win: All Quiet on the Western Front

Will win: Babylon

Original Song

Should win: Lift Me Up - only because I havem't yet seen RRR and am perhaps missing the context of Naatu Naatu

Will win: Naatu Naatu

Production Design

Should win: Avatar: The Way of Water

Will win: Babylon

Sound

Should win: Top Gun: Maverick - I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this, considering it's not really my sort of movie, nor do I have any particular nostalgic feelings for the original, but was impressed by the practical action sequences. If EEAAO wasn't in the mix this would be my pick for editing too.

Will win: Top Gun: Maverick

Visual Effects

Should win: Avatar: The Way of Water

Will win: Avatar: The Way of Water

Adapted Screenplay

Should win: Women Talking

Will win: Women Talking

Original screenplay

Should win: The Banshees of Inisherin - EEAAO absolutely deserves it too, but Banshees really got me on a writing level.

Will win: Everything Everywhere All at Once

Best Picture

Should Win: Everything Everywhere All at Once

Will win: Everything Everywhere All at Once

Overall it was a really strong batch of nominees (unlike last year). EEAAO was my favourite, followed by Banshees, but I also really appreciated All Quiet on the Western Front. Elvis I wasn't really enamored with even though I am generally a Baz fan - it felt more like a feature length montage than a film even though the central performance was strong. Avatar was visually stunning but not much else, I haven't yet seen Tar but I'm not sure it isn't anything we haven't seen before from Blanchett but maybe I'm wrong.

Pinocchio has some incredible animation and also made me cry like a baby at the end, so there's that.

[the-celluloid-correspondent]

RRR

A fictitious story about two legendary revolutionaries and their journey away from home before they started fighting for their country in the 1920s.

So finally, after three attempts, I watched RRR. It took me this many attempts because I struggled with the dubbed voiceover, which I find incredibly distracting. The moment I finally overcame this distraction, I had an absolute blast watching this movie. From the over-the-top, physics-defying action pieces to the heartfelt story of friendship, there is so much to love about this film. It surprisingly handles numerous complex themes, such as loyalty, sacrifice for the greater good, friendship, and betrayal. These themes are beautifully woven into the story and are the film's heart. Now there are still some issues with the story. It takes about 30-40 minutes for the film to finally start, there are unneeded subplots, and the villains are stereotypical, over-the-top bad guys. If these elements were ironed out a bit more, it would be one of my top films of the year.

The performances from the two leads, N.T. Rama Rao Jr. and Ram Charan Teja were absolutely outstanding. The pair had fantastic chemistry with one another. Both masterfully portray their character's inner conflicts. However, I must praise Teja for being one of the most intimidating "villains" I've seen in a very long time. He is more intimidating than the actual villains of the movie. However, the performances of the English-speaking actors were not exactly the best. Because of this, their characters come across as cartoonish instead of intimidating.

Even though most of the VFX shots were questionable, the film is still visually stunning. The cinematography is filled with bright colors created by the production and costume design. The action and dance pieces were very well shot and fit right into the Tollywood style of filmmaking. The score was outstanding and incredibly fun to listen to.

Overall, RRR is a very fun movie that delves deep into numerous complex themes, from friendship to loyalty. Do not sleep on this film because it is now officially a wild card nomination for the Oscars.

I am giving RRR, a B+.

[reachexceedinggrasp]

(my original ramble from *cough* months ago that fuck it I should just post because I’m going to have to start over and this will no longer make sense once I finish the whole show)

In fairness, I've still only watched 8 episodes and I've seen more than one person say the thing doesn't properly get going until around episode 10, but I struggle to understand why Chuno is so highly regarded and enjoys almost universal acclaim. Maybe the momentum does pick up, but I don't know how much that's going to help since pacing is not really the problem I have with how it's going so far. The pacing is fine, my problem is lack of direction and lack of heart. It doesn't appear to be really about anything.

I’ve been stuck for agessss, first on ep 7 and now ep 8, and since scrubbing through some of the later eps to fix the subs after finally finding it in semi-decent quality, as far as I can determine the thesis statements of the series are: a) slavery possibly bad b) Daegil loves Ennoyeon absolutely unconditionally and always will and this may or may not be admirable of him c) loyalty??? something about saving the crown prince’s last surviving kid

And that’s it. That’s everything. It has nothing more specific to say and has almost no commentary on those two vague things that it does say. It just wants to point them out. There’s a repeated thematic beat about human dignity and not judging by appearances, but with only one exception thus far, dehumanisation is always tied directly back to the literal institution of slavery. The larger point about classism and prejudice is not developed despite looming hugely over the proceedings. It feels... hollow? I have a disconnect from what’s happening.

The positives are the fight scenes (rightfully revered, they’re balletic and gorgeous and all the work put in by the actors is fully captured by the fluid cinematography- totally get why everyone remembers these visuals, they are insanely good) and the music. The music is fantastic. That main fight song evokes historic grandeur and scale but it also has tonnes of individual personality and is an absolute banger. The editing and score always work together in a way that creates great atmosphere, powerful juxtapositions, and many iconic images. Like, A+ work on sensory storytelling, it frequently looks and feels incredibly cool and/or epic.

But it’s not a well-written show, man. There’s no real meat under all that artful presentation. The story and characters are so paper thin that I really struggle to care about them, even when there’s occasional good dialogue.

It has great eye candy (in both the usual sense and in that it just looks good in general- the stylish action beats, the stunning vistas, the grand scope), but there's no emotional core, no anchor. I'm on episode 8 and I have no idea what the actual story being told is supposed to be. It's endless exposition involving characters I mostly see no reason to care about and one giant, aimless, interminable, slow-motion chase sequence. There's certainly a prevailing theme about the rich and powerful grinding down the poor and how this creates a cycle of violence, but there's no substantive narrative tying any of it together or providing a way in for the audience. It's more of an amorphous blob of miseryporn with cheap cliffhangers than it is a story with a committed, focussed point (even one as facile as 'slavery bad', because for all the suffering on display the actual slaves are relegated to subplots, the show does not centre 'unjust society' as the villain despite feinting in that direction).

Out of the three leads, only Dae-gil is even a bit engaging to me on a pure writing level. He has some hints of genuine complexity that cause a lot of tension in everything he does, which is interesting, but he's also very, very static and opaque. You don’t really know what he’s thinking or feeling a lot of the time or what his larger motives are. But at least you wonder about him. The other two are so insufferably, staggeringly, impossibly boring that I cannot even imagine wanting to know more. The fallen general is a featureless plank of wood who causes my attention to wander every time he’s on screen and the girl is essentially a sentient piece of luggage with whom everyone falls in love for no adequately explained reason. Then these, the two most boring people in the universe, team up to be even more boring together.

It also outright lies to me with almost every episode-ending cliffhanger, in a way that borders on comic. Where the closing cliffhanger scene will be played differently with different shots in the opening of the following episode (eg: the closing sequence will have shown a big reaction of obvious shocked realisation on someone’s face as they catch sight of the person/thing they’re seeking, but the opening sequence replays the moment without the character noticing anything). Misleading us is fine, fake-outs can be okay if you don't overdo it, but fuck you show, blatant lying is too far!

Apparently it takes 15 episodes for Dae-gil and the luggage to even meet again and I'm so tired at the very idea of what nonsense will go on between now and then. I’m told there’s also no real emotional payoff or honest conversation between them later anyway. I love his undying devotion as a characterisation choice, I find his complicated attitude towards her and how it contrasts (and doesn’t) to the flashbacks really compelling in theory, but what is the point? She is a total nonentity and there’s no actual content to their relationship- there’s just the idea of it. What is he fighting for? He was this pure-hearted, clear-eyed idealist who wanted to change the world for her, then he became cynical when she left him for dead, and now he just seems ambivalent about slavery and the status quo. Disgusted by it but complicit in it. What is his suffering for? What has he learned? What’s my takeaway from this? I mean, I need to watch the rest, obviously, but seeing bits from later episodes, I’m already frustrated.

These characters just go nowhere. It feels like nothing much changes with any of them.

Don’t get me wrong, I 10000% understand why Dae-gil is an iconic performance that’s indelible in the minds of audiences and will forever define a huge part of JH’s legacy as an actor. It deserved every accolade! But it’s because of his performance not the character on the page. No one else would have been that iconic in this role. The character on the page is every bit as anaemic, thin, and lacking personality as General Balsawood and the Living China Doll. The writing is just as one note, he’s just as much of a flat, stoic cipher as Tae Ha. The reason he feels like something more than that and is about ten million times more compelling to watch than the other two leads is the utterly towering charisma of an actor who is perfectly in his element playing this part, determined to fully inhabit the role with total abandon. There’s an absolute commitment to the character that infuses everything he does on screen with life and mystery.

Jang Hyuk is making this underwritten, one-note person engaging through sheer presence and his empathy as an actor; he has this unmatched ability to bring genuine humanity to archetypal badasses and it’s the exact same quality that makes him so mesmerising as Bang-won and Oh Hyun Jae and Doctor Lee. He can be scary and vulnerable, compassionate and callous, desperate and untouchable all at the same time. There’s so much tension in the way he plays these parts, like they’re at war with themselves, really making you believe their choices are an organic manifestation of troubled psyches, and that makes the characters feel incredibly real. He creates something endearing and intriguing out of rote tough guy bullshit by always allowing a child-like element into these macho personas, a melancholy note of broken idealism.

There is a primary lack of vanity in his approach to playing the ‘cool guy’ that elevates the whole enterprise and allows you to view a stylised character as if they were a real person. He presents no sense of self-consciousness or awareness of his own image in these performances, he makes you believe he just is and it’s all effortless and that puts him in the ranks of the all-time great Byronic heroes. He is aspirational but relatable, charming without trying to be, dark without becoming unsympathetic. Those things make him seem dynamic even when the writing isn’t. If Oh Ji Ho or another equally boring actor had played Dae-gil, he’d be just as boring as Tae Ha.

For example: All three lead characters have a deliberately huge contrast between who they used to be in their past circumstances and what they are in the present of the show, but the only one who actually conveys this shift in identity with his mannerisms is Dae-gil. He comports himself so differently that you could, in fact, be completely forgiven for not recognising him as the same person; the way he speaks, the way he carries himself, the habitual set of his features, the look in his eyes, etc. has all changed. He is a radically different man than he was, obviously transformed from within by his traumatic experiences and also forced to alter his outward behaviour in order to survive.

The other two change outfits a couple times. Nothing else about them illustrates any kind of shake-up in their class status or self-understanding or emotional state. Ennoyeon’s sameness against Dae-gil’s sea-change makes her empty artificiality even more egregious. She should be just as unrecognisable as he is, her rise parallels his fall and is equally drastic.

Imo it’s 30% fortuitous casting of the exact right person and 70% JH doing all the work that makes Dae-gil an iconic character.

And I figure he alone might deserve most of the credit for creating this performance* considering how terrible Lee Da Hae is as the luggage. I know she’s not a terrible actress, she was perfectly fine in Robber, so the fact that she’s this expressionless, lifeless, sucking void of Perfect Noblewoman stereotypes (especially frustrating because she’s supposed to have been raised a slave and it makes no sense she’s this delicate, sheltered wilting flower) is something I’m going to blame on the director. I haven’t seen Oh Ji Ho in anything else, but I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt that maybe he could do better than this, too. His woodenness might have been intended as the character being closed off, but in order for that to work you have to show there’s something going on under the surface and there isn’t. He’s got zero presence in this part, he’s overshadowed even by the one-scene day players.

So the director clearly wasn’t helping anyone much with their acting, is what I’m saying. Dae-gil’s two bros were all right, though General Choi is also a bit wooden and the ‘funny’ one can be kinda try-hard. None of the relationships in the show were super convincing, but the three of them at least had good chemistry together and comprehensible motivations. The same cannot be said of General Balsawood and the luggage, who had the opposite of chemistry. The two of them together is like watching paint dry. If the paint and the wall also somehow didn’t seem to like each other despite being inanimate.

The music is really fucking great though. I strongly suspect a massive amount of this show’s huge cultural impact comes from the epic music along with dazzling fight choreography, superbly shot, and great overall style distracting you from how boring most of the characters are. Coolness is doing a lot of heavy lifting. Even with Dae-gil, part of the appeal is definitely that he’s so cool that it covers how opaque he is as a character despite the phenomenal depth of agony he expresses. That action scene in the first episode is incredibly memorable and I can see how if you watched this on TV spread out over weeks, you’d just focus on the spectacular parts and the big tableaux with their effective imagery while forgetting the dragging, meandering, undefined slog that is the rest of it.

Edit from 300 years later: I mean, going further, and having watched some more contemporary shows, I’d venture that the action scenes are almost revolutionary for this kind of tv. They’re on a level so far above what I’ve seen in other historical dramas from that decade, it might be fair to credit them with the show’s success. The way they’re shot is genuinely beautiful and allows you to follow the flow of the action and actually see what’s going on in a way that’s still rare now. It just makes it ten thousand times more impressive when you can appreciate the choreography playing out in full, and the lack of ridiculous sound effects or wire-work is a big plus. People do flips, but they’re real flips done for real, not gravity-defying hovering.

(I am fine with ridiculous ott magic-fighting existing, it’s just when it’s in shows that are otherwise super grounded in the real world and played totally straight that I’m like ‘wat’. If people can fly, you need to set a tone where that seems appropriate; if you haven’t, the fights should remain tonally consistent and be believable - they don’t have to be realistic, they do have to be believable.)

Like, I’m watching the white whale show now (Daemang, the Great Amibtion, which was a white whale because it seemed like I would never be able to find it) and while it’s totally exceeding my expectations and is in fact genuinely wonderful as a show, the action scenes are terrible. It’s the anti-Chuno: the characters are fantastic, the story is thematically focussed and deeply profound, and the action is almost unwatchable. The fights are shot so badly that you have no idea what you’re looking at, there’s no sense of continuous movement or screen geography, and the sound effects are absurdly silly. The actors look super uncomfortable and mostly unconvincing.

I don’t know who decided constant fast cutting was a good way to cover action, but it’s just not. Even if you have to hide stuntmen or that what the character is supposed to be doing is physically impossible, you still shouldn’t cut every nanosecond. There are better ways to do it. The truly egregious offence is cutting people who can do the thing in a such a way that it looks like they can’t. If the actors can fight fluidly and do their own stunts, my dude you need to let the audience see it. Not that I tried to watch Voice and got motion sickness or anything.

Anyway, my point here is that Chuno’s action scenes are basically the Citizen Kane of action scenes in historical dramas and that plus coolness plus bulletproof anti-hero archetype played by a human inferno of charisma plus tragic romance is probably enough reason for it to take off. I still don’t get its sterling reputation as a masterpiece or why people think it’s such a great story (knowing very loosely where it goes and how it ends, I currently stand by my ‘vague directionless miseryporn’ assessment), but I do admire those elements. It’s a subpar whole with some really, really successful parts. I find I’d like to read fanfic that fleshed out Ennoyeon and her relationship with Dae-gil, so I’m buying in at least that much.

*he even choreographed his own action scenes. Learning that he did this blew my mind. Like... how? How was that allowed? How did he know how to do that? How could he be so good? I understand he was a gymnast and studied martial arts very seriously and went to university for theatre, but none of that really explains for me his ability to be a fight coordinator or do screen action at that level. He didn’t actually do a huge amount action before this! Maybe I’m overestimating how much experience/training you need to get handed that kind of responsibility even on a big budget production. Maybe I’m underestimating how much the director wanted him to play this part since JH said it was his request to design his own fights. An excellent call by the director in hindsight but must have seemed wildly risky at the time.

I think I read this show was over budget before it even started shooting, so maybe recklessness was a theme with the director. Paid off for them, though, didn’t it.

[wat-the-cur]

Tell us about something you've read lately/a movie you watched! I'd love more music recs as well <3

Thanks so much for the ask, buddy, I appreciate it! <3

Something I’ve read: I’ve read one, or two books lately, but quite notable was “Crash”, by J.G. Ballard. If you’ve not heard of the book, you might have heard of the film! “Crash” is about a man who gets into a car crash and finds himself obsessed with cars and crashes, to the point of his sexuality being diverted towards them. He reunites with the lady, who’s husband was killed in the crash, and they find they have both had this same sexual revelation. Through a brief affair, they become acquainted with Vaughn, a young doctor who has founded a society around this car crash paraphilia. They spend all their free time seeking encounters in cars, and re-enacting famous crashes. Vaughn’s principal obsession is the fantasy of getting into a crash with Elizabeth Taylor, in which they both get killed on impact. The main character becomes thicker and thicker with Vaughn, to the point of putting himself and his wife in terrible danger. The book is unusual, a little repetitive and meandering, with no solid conclusion, or moral lesson. It’s sort of like a “This is something that could happen” story, taken to the max. It’s not for everyone, certainly, but I would still recommend it. It was hugely influential to the synth scene in Britain, multiple bands, such as The Normal, The Human League and John Foxx have sighted it as an influence, and written songs based on it.

A movie I’ve watched: A film I watched recently that I thought was brilliant was “The Servant”. It’s a film from the 60s, about a wealthy, young bachelor, who takes on a skilled manservant, only for him to start ruining and running his life. It’s an absolutely gorgeous film, in my opinion. Such creative and effective shots to convey information visually, rather than with dialogue. It does so much with not a lot. This is without the fantastic performances from every one of the actors. It is, of course, also rather bleak and unsettling. After you’ve watched it, you are left with the distinct feeling of your own home and life having been violated.

Music recommendations: Okie dokie, I’m not entirely sure what you would like to listen to, but I’ll happily recommend some of my favourite albums and songs. - Album: Scott 4, by Scott Walker. Favourite Song: The World’s Strongest Man

Album: Wee Tam, by The Incredible String Band. Favourite Song: Ducks On A Pond

Album: Crosby, Stills and Nash, a title album Favourite Song: Wooden Ships and Everybody’s Talkin’ (couldn’t choose between them)

Album: Telekon, by Gary Numan Favourite Song: Remind Me To Smile

Album: Oar, by Skip Spence Favourite Song: Weighted Down

Album: The Madcap Laughs, by Syd Barrett Favourite Song: Terrapin

Album: Sixteen Sunsets, a title album Favourite Song: Tottenham

Album: Songs From The Wood, by Jethro Tull. Favourite Song: Velvet Green

Album: Sleeping With Ghosts, by Placebo Favourite Song: Plasticine