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columboscreens · 2 years

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You know, realizing this latest episode was a reboot puts a LOT into perspective as somebody who was just binge-watching the show and wondered why everything was suddenly so much...better shot?

I mean, the cinematography in this one episode is SO GOOD I friggin' noticed it because of how samey the show normally looked. It's all film noir and I LOVE IT. A strong introduction to the reboot, because this was one of my favorite episodes so far.

in terms of film quality/processes, shots, format, lighting, tracking, etc., the reboot is a pretty noticeable departure from the original. it's both good and bad.

reboot columbo is filmed in a way that speaks a more modern filmmaking language. if you pay close attention to 70s columbo, you'll notice a lot of same-y talking heads in 4:3 aspect ratio, sure, but there's a glut of creative shots. maybe some appear dated, maybe not all of them worked, but many techniques that were crazy and new at the time are taken for granted now. more importantly, they made it a point to take edgy visual risks. after all, spielberg himself kicked off the series' cinematographical tone--artful, while not distracting from the content itself. a major contributor to the series' success.

the second series is decidedly less adventurous. i'll admit there's certainly no shortage of lovely shots, and the widescreen approach is certainly novel. but the show clearly lost that pioneering edge; it was merely of its time. it no longer pushed the envelope visually in the way its progenitor did.

to me, that represents how the series as a whole lost its edge. and i kind of feel like the late 80s/early 90s columbos moreso relied on the era itself looking opulent and dazzling rather than making its own bold visual decisions.

that said, i do really enjoy much of that opulence, as well as the shot composition and noir elements of the new series; my primary gripe is just that everything is so damn MUDDY and NOISY! the current epidemic of dark everything in movies these days has its roots in the 80s, when media started Going Darker for some reason. but come on...

compare with

i know i'm cherry-picking and these shots aren't 1:1, but they demonstrate my point regarding lighting technique in both series. if the scene is supposed to be very dark, i DON'T want realism. short of trying to effect chiaroscuro or something, i don't actually want it to be that dark TO ME--i just want it to be dark to the CHARACTERS. a few soft lights do wonders to seamlessly suggest darkness.

that's only one aspect. i've been hard-pressed to find much information on columbo's film stock, so i'd love to hear any info if anyone knows anything. but while both series used 35mm film, the original's stock just looked better. why? (more pretentious sperging under the cut, if you can believe it)

well, the original used a lot of light and was processed with TECHNICOLOR, a legacy color development process of extremely high (read: archival) quality and dynamic range that does not fade or decompose like other color systems. that's much of why the original show still looks so good. a couple of reboots were (i believe?) done with technicolor, but only the last ones of the series, which look like they have more modern cameras, as well.

the other thing is the grain. in nearly all the reboot episodes, that grain is insanely NOISY even in good lighting. at times, it's downright distracting to watch.

[edit: @firecooking has provided some insight into how the digital development process may have added a lot of noise to the film grain]

now, i'm merely a hobbyist photographer. i don't often shoot on film, i've only ever developed a single roll with my own hands. but i'm guessing the reboot team tried to use a higher ISO film across the board to account for the increase in underexposed (darker) shots. that, combined with maybe the underexposure itself, may have resulted in such obvious grain vs the properly-lit, finer-grained, lower ISO shots of the original. at least, that's my hypothesis. i could be totally wrong.

and sure, not everyone is me staring at a blown-up blu-ray transfer three feet away from a big 4K monitor, but that the disparity in quality exists really speaks to how seriously the 70s iteration was taken. it's as prestige as 70s television got--every episode was its own film, some of which were screened in theatres, not mere TV episodes. most of the reboots are so damn dark and grainy that i can't imagine enjoying them in a theatre without heavy remastering.

there's grain...and there's noise. deafening noise.

so yes, the reboot is splendid to view at times, but really it just makes me appreciate how beautifully and thoughtfully 70s columbo was shot. it's not just nostalgia goggles--sometimes i just like to see who's talking.

#you sly dog. you got me monologuing #look what you made me do.#columbo #text #ask #longpost #film #technicolor

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lilahiswriting · 3 years

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You all know I’m talking about Euphoria. *no spoilers*

This show does a lot of things well. Most importantly, it humanizes addiction. I find myself always rooting for Rue, no matter how many screw ups. It’s also a great outlet for extremely powerful acting. Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney have really made this show theirs with their powerful, sometimes scary performances.

However... what is this show really about? We’re dealing with an insane amount of characters and too many side stories, causing for major plot holes and unresolved conflicts. Because the show is so visually striking, they can get away with giving us poorly structured content. They are literally feeding us crumbs to keep us hungry.

The week-by-week approach is, as far as I know, absolutely hated by audiences. It prevents binging, the favorite method of consumption. But truth is, it’s the best marketing strategy out there. Without fault, week after week, Euphoria owns every social media platform. Starting Sunday morning, everyone is hungry with anticipation, to at least Tuesday night with comments, memes and reactions to the episode.

The show is also clearly designed as a social media bait. Every episode features one or two scenes that are ambiguos enough as to be interpreted in many ways, inviting in theories and conspiracies. Each, with one or two lines of dialogue ready to become a meme (”B*tch, you better be joking” and “Just take it one day at a time”, I’m looking at you).

The strong storylines fade because of these moments, and the weak ones are exploited, examined to the point of destruction because they are not grounded or well developed. The best constructed characters, the ones that have most to say and the plots that hold the most potential, are cast aside for meme-worthy moments.

The visual quality of Euphoria, however, is one of the best in television. Not only is it polished, but it’s creative and smart and incredibly difficult to achieve. Even so, I can’t help but look at it as another device to distract me from the poor writing. Young audiences equate great cinematography with content quality, and so they keep attributing the show with a greatness that it does not posses.

Personally, quality writing defines a show, at least, seventy-percent. TV is the writer’s medium, it’s the space to create arcs and profound characters, with twists and exciting development. In that sense, Euphoria is pretty bland. They’ve buried Rue’s intimate and powerful arc in between stories that do not move the plot forward, and that is something I can’t forgive.

I’m going to keep watching because I want to participate in any Young Adult conversation of the present day, and because some of the plots still have things to say. I’m going to root for Zendaya’s Emmy and the de-stigmatization of drug addiction, but I’m also going to keep asking for better.

#euphoria #journal #2022 #critic

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smokeybrandreviews · 4 years

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Smokey brand Movie Reviews: Open Wide

A few weeks back, i saw an advertisement for a flick called Run coming to Netflix. I thought it looked interesting but i really paid it no mind because it’s on Hulu. Cats can always watch it whenever s i out it on the back burner. It dropped last Friday, i think. I had planned to check it out in a week or two, but the reviews for this thing started dropping and they were glowing. This was enough to pique my interest. What really caught my attention was the fact that the co-lead, Kiera Allen was announced as Barbara Gordon for that Titans show on HBOMax. Considering both the actress and the character use a wheel chair, that means we're getting a proper Oracle and i cannot be more hype! Admittedly, I've never been a huge fan of Babs as Batgirl, my favorite is definitely Casandra Cain, but Babs a Oracle? That sh*t felt real right! This casting feels right, just from what I've inferred Allen’s performance through those reviews i watched. So, instead of waiting. I've decided to check this thing out now and see for myself if it stands up as one of the best this year.

The Exceptional

Before we get into anything, i just need to commend the adroit direction exhibited by Aneesh Chaganty with this movie. It’s crafted SO goddamn well, for so many reasons. I can gush about this dude’s technique for the entire review but that would be a disservice to literally everything else that makes this experience so brilliant. There is definitely a Hitchcockian edge to Run that Chaganty captures effortlessly, but it’s never an imitation or plagerisim. That sense of unease comes naturally with the story being told and the clarity of Chaganty’s vision for these characters.

As if to drive the point about Chaganty’s ability home, aside from the fact that he’s only twenty-nine and delivering sh*t like this onscreen, dude also has a writing credit on this. He f*cking wrote this movie, too. That level of auteur creativity bodes incredibly well when navigated with aplomb. It;s hard to do for lesser director, Zack Snyder comes to mind, but when it’s executed to it’s full potential, you get brilliance like this.

Off the top, Sarah Paulson is absolutely excellent. She usually is. Paulson is one of those rare talents that uplifts straight up schlock with her raw talent and it’s always a pleasure watching her do it. She did it with the absurd Bird Box. She did it with the over-the-top Ratched. She did it every season she was on AHS. She does it naturally and, when there is actually something to dig into, when the part has some bite, Paulson can work miracles. Her antagonistic turn as Diane Sherman stands next to Kathy Bates and Amy Dunham as one of the most vicious, calculating, and cruel femme fatales to ever be captured in modern cinema.

Kiera Allen is f*cking amazing as our heroine, Chloe Sherman. I literally just gushed about Sarah Paulson but Kiera is JUST as incredible in this movie. She had to be. It’s her movie. Paulson gets top billing, of course, she’s Sarah Paulson, but this movie is not a film without Allen. She is more than capable to match Paulson’s energy, more than capable of elevated this script. You feel her panic and desperation, every second of that struggle. It’s both exhausting and captivating, testament to the raw ability Allen displays. Considering this is just her second credit, i look forward with great anticipation for what comes next in her career.

There is a distinct authenticity to Allen’s performance as she, herself, is really wheel chair reliant in life. I commend the production for actually casting a properly disabled actress for the lead in this flick but, more than that, when Chole is struggling with her mobility, that sh*t is true to reality. It’s grueling to see, stressful to witness, and raises the sheer theatricality of this entire ninety minute run time

The tension in this movie is f*cking insane! It starts fast, grabs your throat, and never let’s go. You’re right there with Chloe, every step of the way, being inundated with the quiet viciousness of her mother, the things she’d do to keep her daughter locked away, to feed her delusion, and its f*cking horrifying. There is a deliberate, escalating, pace to the unnerving violence presented on film. It’s rare that a movie can hit me as hard as this one. It’s no Uncut Gems but it’s still one of the stressful times I've ever experienced on film.

Run is f*cking beautiful. The camerawork displayed is exceptional. Every shot with Chloe as she grapples with her plight, feels brutally intimate, almost intrusive in nature. Every close up of Paulson as she spins her wed of deceit feels detached and inhuman. The cinematography is just that powerful. Every pan, fade, transition; All of it is expertly crafted and visually striking. This is one of the best looking movies released so far this year. i kn ow that’s slim pickings but, truly, this flick is a gem for the eye.

The sound design in this thing is an actual character, itself, and deserves a proper mention. All that tension i spoke of earlier? None of that is possible without that inflicting, stressful, score. It compliments the increasing sinister tone to this film perfectly, another feather in the cap of Aneesh Chaganty.

There is a lot, like the most, show-don’t-tell in this thing and i respect the f*ck out of it. The narrative isn’t difficult to flow or anything but it doesn’t hold our hand with a sh*t ton of verbal exposition. It trusts the audience enough to allow them to engage, use their intellect in an effort to tell a far more compelling, far more engaging story. That sh*t is rare, especially in this age of Hollywood Bayhem. It’s incredibly refreshing to see such a well crafted film like this one, especially when you consider how difficult it is to craft such a purely visual experience.

The Ugh

There are some things that happen in service to the plot, some “movie” things that need to occur in order to properly tell the story. They’re aren’t many but everything else about this flick is so tight, so well thought out and put together that, when these things pope up, they are very, VERY, pronounced and, for a split second, kind of pull you out of the experience. I don’t think the majority of the movie going audience would have such an averse reaction to them as i did, most cats don’t pick apart movies like i do, but I'd be lying if i said that stuff didn’t get under my skin a little.

This thing should have been released in theaters, man. Seriously, the way this film is shot, the way the sound design hits, the way it’s lingering shots rest; All of this would have been far more impactful on the big screen with a proper sound system. This is definitely not a knock n the film, itself, this thing is f*cking amazing, it’s just, as i watch this, i can see it impacting as strong as Hereditary, Suspiria, or The VVitch, if it had an opportunity for a proper theatrical run.

This thing is only ninety minutes and it’s a brisk ninety to boot. You’re in it, it’s in you, then it’s over and you’re left wanting so much more. I wanted so much more anyway. That’s testament to the inspired crafting of this movie, man. Again, not a knock, just something that irked me.

The Verdict

Yo, i f*cking loved this movie. It’s one of the best crafted, well written, and tension filled film experiences I've had in years. These characters are that compelling, the direction is that dazzling, and this narrative is that gripping. Run is a pure thriller but it feels like the best Slasher I've seen in decades, minus all of the gore. It’s all atmosphere and inference and i adore every second of it. The strength of this film is easily carried in the shoulders of two performances that, if this were a regular year in film, should definitely be considered for all of the awards. Sarah Paulson is her requite brilliant but newcomer Kiera Allen is just as shiny, just as great, and its her manically desperate energy that carries this bundle of stress across to it’s finish. F*ck, that last scene in the hospital? Are you kidding me?? Run is one of the best films released this year and deserves all of the clout it can get, all of the eyes on it. It’s an exceptionally crafted film with great performances and a level of atmosphere that rivals f*cking Alien. I can’t say it’s my favorite movie of the year, Palm Springs still holds that title, but it only has the slightest of edges over Run. Both are excellent. Both are on Hulu. Go watch them right now.

#Smokey brand Movie Reviews #Run

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mugen-monogatari · 5 years

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5 Quality Yet Accessible Tragic Anime You Should Watch

Let’s talk about tragedy in anime. Ain’t nothin’ like watching some sad anime boys experiencing sad things while I sit there and cry. I love tragedy in anime, there’s just a certain satisfaction in ‘dissatisfaction’. Sometimes, it’s far more meaningful for someone to lose a fight, to make a hard decision or sacrifice something. Maybe the hero never saves the girl, or a loved one just doesn’t make it. Yes, in a perfect world everyone ends up happy, but this isn’t a perfect world. People suffer, and sometimes it ends on a good note, sometimes everything goes to hell and the world burns. That gritty realism and human error adds a level of empathy and depth to many shows that would otherwise lack it. I personally think it’s worth talking about that, since I don’t think tragic anime get enough love.

So I thought I’d make a quick list of 5 accessible yet Quality tragedy series, ranging from pretty popular and accessible, to slightly more niche. Many of you have seen these series I’m sure, but with the continuous stream of shows being released every single season, it can be hard to either go back and watch older shows, or stay on top of newer ones. These are just a few picks that I would urge anyone and everyone to go and at least try.

I should also preface this by saying, when I say tragedy, it doesn’t mean the show has a depressing ending. By tragedy I’m referring to tragic events happening in a show regularly, be it at the end, the beginning or throughout. Simply putting something on this list, doesn’t mean it has a tragic ending, so you can rest assured there are still surprises to come when watching these.

Also, these are all my opinions, everyone is entitled to them. You can disagree or agree, it’s up to you, we can even discuss my peeps. Just don’t brutalize me for shows you don’t like or if one of your favorites isn’t on this list.

All of that being said, Here are 5 tragic series I think everyone should at least try:

1. Code Geass

Starting off simple we have Code Geass. What a show this was back in the day. Death Note, mixed with Mechs and sci-fi and chess and a whole lot of edge. For many people, they have already seen it, it’s almost guaranteed if you watched anime in the early 2000s. However, as time goes on, this series slowly falls into obscurity, many people being less attracted by its flamboyant art style and the ever growing age. It seems like Code Geass is slowly fading away with time, people online aren’t forgetting about it, but moving on, and many new fans are understandably detracted from a show like this.

But they’re all wrong. This series is incredible. It’s a fundamental “must-watch” show. Sure, it shows it’s age now, but that doesn’t detract from it’s plot and characters. With a very likeable cast, a constantly expanding story, high stakes, insane powers and mind games, politics and action, all of these make an insanely good series, one that warrants repeated viewing to this day. What starts as a boy being in the wrong place at the wrong time, blows up into a worldwide conflict. This is one of those series that sticks with you, there are scenes and moments in this you just never forget moving forward.

Some of the things I love is Sunrise’s mech designs, Lancelot as well as many of the Knightmare frame designs in the movies and show are still fun and vibrant to this day. Many old Mecha shows become redundant years later as the designs don’t hold up. This one though, certainly does.

I also really love the voice acting. Yes the sub is good, but the dub (fight me) is just mwah. Johnny Yong Bosch as Lelouch is nut worthy. Just watch the first episode where he gives his first command. Insta nut. I’m telling you.

I also love the endings of both seasons. I think the first is a really good climax, while the second season closes about as well as this could, while still coming out of left field.

Some things that I think detract people, definitely start with the art style. Sunrise’s designs for the machines and backgrounds and such is fine, it looks good, however Clamp’s character designs are definitely an acquired taste. They’re not for everyone. Everyone looks super slender, almost cartoon like in their clothes and proportions. Yes you get used to it, but they still look very “different” to the standard, even back when it first came out.

Another is sometimes, the show just goes to very strange places, for example having an episode to do with drug addiction that just came out of left-field. In the same vein, some people have very mixed opinions on season two, not entirely liking the direction it goes and some of the character developments. However, a lot of these things are subjective and I’ll leave them up to you to decide.

Spanning two, 25 episode seasons (you can definitely just pretend the movie never happened) as well as several spin off OVAs and Shorts (Those you actually can watch though), the series is a pretty long watch by today’s standards, but it’s definitely worth it.

2. Zankyou No Terror

Next up, we have Terror in Resonance. This one for sure is worth the watch even without the tragedy. This is one of those shows, which is so visually appealing to watch. It’s one of the most aesthetically pleasing shows I’ve ever seen. I guarantee anyone who’s interested in aesthetic gifs and images of weeb stuff, has seen shots from this show without even realizing it. It’s not exactly a niche show, but it’s a little less accessible than something like “Angel Beats”, with a much more serious and gritty tone. It’s not criminally underrated, but I just really wish more people had seen this, since it genuinely is a beautiful series.

Some of the things I really love about this show, is (as I’ve mentioned a thousand times) the aesthetic sense. Every shot in this series is screenshot worthy, with plenty scenes making for ‘straight-out-the-box’ gifs and icons and whatever it is you kids use screenshots for. Even the food, just like papa Gigguk mentioned, is just mwah, spicy stuff. I attribute this to the very well considered color palette, realistic lighting and designs, as well as just overall good cinematography.

On the less visible side of things, the story hold ups really well too, with some very genuinely emotional moments and scenes. Just like Code Geass above, this series has a very well considered ending, with a “Wholesome”(?) message at the end.

The only negatives I can really give for the series, is some pacing issues if you’re an impatient brat like me, as well as almost a complete lack of lightheartedness. The series can be sweet and touching, but it’s almost always dark and serious at the same time, with no time to relax or breathe throughout.

I think there isn’t as much to say about ZnT as there is about Code geass, as it’s not as subjective. It is an objectively high quality show, your own enjoyment of it is what varies. Unlike Code Geass, there isn’t many flaws, but it doesn’t take as many risks. To me, this show is a very safe bet. It looks gorgeous, is only 11 episodes (you big boys and girls can binge that) and tells a satisfying, self-contained story. A little bonus is that it’s directed by Shinichiro Watanabe, famous for Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo, so hey- It has that going for it too.

3. Parasyte: The Maxim

Following on, we have one of the series that introduced me to tragedy, Parasyte: The Maxim. Let me tell you, this series is dark. And violent. Very violent at times.

When it first aired in 2014, the response was pretty good, it didn’t reach critical Acclaim, but had its own cult following, with the manga having been published from the late 80s to the mid 90s. For me, this was one of my first truly “darker” and more violent anime, having really only watched shounen and some seinen before that. This to me isn’t one of the best stories ever, the characters are fine, and the show looks acceptable. But while it doesn’t excel in anything, it does everything really well. To me, it’s the perfect bridge from Casual fan, to serious- or even as a primer for more dark and violent stories, such as Berserk or dare I say it Tokyo Ghoul (Read the manga, please don’t support the anime adaptation).

For me personally, I really Liked the main character, he drove the show on for me. Watching him develop into someone completely different from the beginning of the show, was a real draw to me. He’s likeable, relatable to an extent, and he had a complete character arc. Shinichi in the beginning is not the same character as in the end.

This character is also used to convey a deeper meaning about what humanity is and how we define the term. It’s a really interesting series about us as a race, with some genuine things to discuss and think about, which leaves a longer lasting impression than most shows. It’s the sort of series that makes you want to share it with other people just so you can talk to them about it. Ah- and it’ll hit you in the feels. This show is genuinely tragic through out, but still stays personal to the small cast, which to me, is the sign of a really good tragedy. Despite things going on in the entire world, they make you care about these few people specifically.

However, it has it’s own problems too. Art wise, it’s very faithful to the original source material, capturing the feel of it, the low key oppressive vibes. However, this also means, it can look a little… ‘Bland’? At times. The earthy colors can be a little drab, especially in an age were Studio Trigger, for example, can make an eye-gasm worthy scene using colours you didn’t even know existed.

The other problem, is some of the characters are very one dimensional. Take the love interest, she doesn’t really develop or change at all throughout the series, but I personally give this a pass as she’s not super relevant to the story anyway.

A fair warning though, this series has some strong violence, plenty of gore and mutilation, if that’s a problem for you, I suggest either giving this one a skip, or just trying to sit through it. It’ll be a good learning experience.

Spanning a fair 24 episodes, having aired in 2014, this series is both bingeable, and holds-up very well in the modern ecosystem of anime. To me, this is a pretty top tier show, a solid 8/10, it’s very good, a really well made show, It makes for the perfect bridge into far more serious and dark stories, such as maybe Berserk and Devilman, hence why I put it on this list.

4. Fate/Zero

For my second to last show, perhaps one of the most well known franchises, that is lowkey kinda niche. Fate is a series everyone knows the existence of, but not as many people have actually watched, especially not casual fans. To be frank, it’s intimidating. The series has no real easy entry point, and all the timelines are relatively interwoven, you can’t just bounce around. Everything spoils everything and it’s scary to even look at a list of fate entries.

That’s why I picked Fate Zero. To me, it’s the best entry point into the Type/Moon genre. For those of you who don’t know, it’s basically a battle royal between seven summoners who each have a servant of different classes. They all have to fight for the Holy Grail, an artifact that will grant them a single wish. Sounds simple right?

Well it’s not. The entire series is full of not only badass action, but plenty of mind games and ‘cat-and-mouse’ between the characters. It’s brutal, it’s tragic, violent and uplifting. Ufotable delivers some of the highest quality animation you’ll see in your life (they’re renowned for it), but it doesn’t just look good. The story is compelling, the characters are genuinely likeable and by the end, I wanted everyone to live and survive. Everyone has believable and compelling motivation, and even the objectively evil characters, like Caster, are still likeable, because you begin to love to hate them. The entire season honestly plays out more like a compressed microcosmic version of Game of Thrones, than a battle royal anime.

There are plenty of things I like about this series, the plot is really fun, the fights are pretty damn cool and it can be a very emotional show at times. I could talk about these aspects endlessly. However, the thing that really makes Fate for me, is the characters. Each individual characters gets some time and attention, and with the exception of a few, you really genuinely like and care about everyone. You want everyone to win, or at least survive, since all of them are either genuinely lovable, or have very compelling motivation.

The other part to it is, this is the best starting point for the rest of Fate, and I would actually argue that it enhances many scenes found in the subsequent (story wise) series, even if they aired prior to Zero. This series both introduced me to Fate, and got me attached and invested in the world, which is the sign of a good (technically) first series.

On the other hand, it has problems. First of all, it’s pretty interwoven with the later series. Those came before it and set up a lot of mysteries and ideas that Zero goes out of it’s way to explain, from character identities to events in the timeline, watching Zero will spoil a lot of those things, which may lessen the later experiences for some people.

The other flaw is despite being maybe the best starting point for Fate, it still isn’t entirely accessible. The show can be straight up confusing at times, at least for someone who hasn’t seen Fate. Many elements of the world aren’t explained and you’re just expected to go along with it, since it’s either just a part of this world, or explained in other series. Which is fine, but often lead to some rather “But wait… What just happened?” moments.

Ultimately, Fate/Zero is fantastic series for anyone looking for a really good character drama, full of magic and badass historical references. It’s not the best introduction but it’s the best you’ll get from Fate. Similarly to Code Geass and ZnT, the series has a really good conclusion in my opinion, with plenty of tragic moments sprinkled throughout.

For Fate, Zero specifically consists of two seasons of 12 episodes each, for a bingeable 24 episode series. For ideas where to go next from this, look for my upcoming Tumblr Post explaining the fate continuity.

5. Mobile Suit Gundam : Iron-Blooded Orphans

And Finally, we come to our last pick of the day. This is a series, I would urge anyone to watch. If I could make you watch one Single series from this list, this would be it. Throw away any views you have on the franchise or the genre, don’t be afraid of the name, just give this series a try.

Iron Blooded Orphans follows a small mercenary band of boys who just want to make a home for themselves in a galaxy strained by political unrest. The premise is simple, just people trying to survive and make a life for themselves.

Well what if I told you it was directed and written by the same Duo that made AnoHana, one of the most commonly acknowledged tragic shows out there. This duo write and direct stories about innocent children being put through immense hardship and this series is no different. This show is tragic, painful even. I sobbed as many times as I laughed and smiled in this show. We spend a season watching them come up in the world, only to watch everything get torn apart in the second season, and it is genuinely emotional and heart wrenching.

Something I love about this series, is the characters and how attached you become to them. Death is a genuine threat in this show, even if you don’t feel it in the beginning. When people die, it hurts, and that applies to IBO, where each death leaves resounding ripples on the people around them. It handles familial relationships really well, making you believe in these people and their emotions. When they suffer, you cry for them, and when they get brief moments of respite, you do too. I love how invested you become in this ragtag team of boys, making some of the later scenes all the more devastating when they happen.

Another thing I love is the stakes. Within the second season, the pressure to perform is on, the first season, while having threats and such, was never even close to season two. To be vague, one of my favorite moments is when a character has to land a decisive shot in the midst of a battle, and everyone’s lives are on the line. That entire confrontation is one of my favorite scenes in anime of all time. It is truly suspenseful and will take you on an emotional journey.

To top it all off, it’s made by Sunrise. If you like Mechs, well oh boy do they have you covered, and if you don’t- well oh boy, you will when you’re done. This show makes the mech Genre, and Gundam entirely accessible, you need no prior knowledge, you don’t need to be a fan to enjoy it. The fights are really fun and have genuinely cool moments, as cool as it can get for a mech anyway. The characters and story are well written and everything just comes together to make a very well produced show- Good job Sunrise.

It doesn’t go without it’s own problems though. The first 20 ish episodes, until they get to earth, are not pointless, but have some pacing issues, as well as low stakes. There are threats and people die, but you never feel that scared or intense. Then towards the end of season one, the show kicks into high gear. To counteract this slow start, the series has a phenomenal season two that I genuinely believe everyone should watch, as it’s a perfect example of character drama done exceptionally well.

The series is comprised of two seasons of 25 episodes each, totaling a measly (if you’re a big boy or girl) 50 episodes. There is several related forms of media, nothing worth mentioning though, for more Gundam, you’re better off watching other series from the franchise.

If I can only force you to watch one, please go out and watch Iron Blooded Orphans. To me, it’s 9- pushing a 10/10 series, with a undeniably slow start, but a fantastic heart felt, emotional ending.

So that’s it from me guys. Thanks for taking the time to read the ramblings of a mad man like me, but I hope this gives some people some ideas on where to go next or what they can watch now. If you enjoyed, make sure to follow me for more discussions and lists and whatever else anime related. If you have any advice, or want to discuss something with me, go ahead let me know, other than that- Leave, go outside, get some fresh air after reading all that.

#anime #discussion #Iron Blooded Orphans #Fate #code geass #Parasyte #terror in resonance #IBO #Gundam

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moviechats · 6 years

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Way Too Early Predictions: Oscars 2020

Hello. It’s me, again.

I know we’re still digesting Hollywood’s Biggest Night and reminiscing about the past few months of Awards and Honors (just me....?). But it’s time to put that behind us. We’re looking towards the future now.

I always enjoy award season, even if it is disappointing and I’m left bitter and defeated. But guess what? We always have next year to look forward to. And now we’re going to take a sneak peak at what may be on the horizon for 2020.

It’s time...for my Way Too Early Oscar Predictions

During the Oscars this year we were treated to a nice little teaser for Martin Scorsese’s latest film, the Irishman which will most likely be competing next year. I’ve been following this film since it was announced, ready for the Oscar potential that comes with any Scorsese film. Right now, all that’s listed for a synopsis on IMDB is, “A mob hitman recalls his possible involvement with the slaying of Jimmy Hoffa.“ I mean...sign me up right there. The cast also features Oscar veterans, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, as well as Joe Pesci and Harvey Keitel. It’s been a hot minute since Scorsese’s last Best Director win and even his last nomination. The only thing that slows this train down for me is the fact it’s been scooped up by Netflix. I still don’t think Netflix movies should be considered for Oscars and I absolutely hate watching movies at home that should be seen in the theater. Unless Netflix releases this into theaters and acts as a distributor, I may not be as hyped about this when it’s actually released as I am now. But...I’m still super into this and wouldn’t be at all surprised if it becomes an award show darling.

Potential nominations: Picture, Director, Acting, Screenplay

Speaking of another film starting it’s campaign early...

The first full trailer for the Elton John biopic, Rocket Man just dropped this past week and you know after the success of Bohemian Rhapsody they’ll be setting their sights on awards. Taron Egerton seems a high prospect for a Best Actor nomination and I’d love to see this nominated for costumes (the same way I wanted Bohemian to be nominated...iconic looks!). I’m super excited about this one since I just caught Elton on his last tour and, to be honest, I love any movie about musicians (but don’t classify them as musicals!). Several articles have already claimed Taron has started his campaign for award seasons (after he showed up to sing at Elton’s annual Oscar party), and honestly why shouldn’t he? The only foreseeable problem (besides the possibility it could always be terrible...we’ve only seen the trailer) is that it comes out in May. In entertainment terms, it’s practically an eternity between May and true Oscar season. I mean, A Star is Born came out in October (although it premiered in August at the Venice Film Festival) and lost steam so fast, by the time January rolled around it seemed like a distant memory. I’m not sure this could pull off a Best Picture nomination. It will probably depend on what else is nominated and how many films they decide.

Potential nominations: Picture, Acting, Screenplay, Costumes, Cinematography

It’s not a biopic, but another film based on a true story coming in hot is A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, a film featuring Tom Hanks as the iconic Mr. Rogers. It’s not a biopic about Rogers’ life, but rather a true story revolving around his friendship with journalist Tom Junod. I’m personally glad it’s not a biopic or biography-type movie, since we already had the phenomenal documentary released this past year. Tom Hanks has already started generating Oscar buzz even though all we’ve been granted is a single photo of him in character. That’s all we need, though! Tom is the perfect choice to play the kind and gentle Rogers and a Best Actor nomination is probably on the horizon. It’s also directed by Marielle Heller who helmed one of my favorite films of 2018, Can You Ever Forgive Me. I sincerely hope the Academy fixes their screw up of 2018 and nominates her next year. I’d like to say it’s a lock, but since she’s a woman, who knows (yes I’m throwing shade at the Academy. I’ll do it all day)? With a November release date, they definitely have awards on the brain.

Potential nominations: Actor, Director, Screenplay

The film that I’m personally the most excited for is Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. I love Tarantino films and really just Tarantino in general. When the announcement about this film was initially made, it mentioned the Manson murders and, despite my love for Tarantino, I will admit I rolled my eyes and thought “not another one.” But the synopsis has shifted, now listed on IMDB as “A faded TV actor and his stunt double strive to achieve fame and success in the film industry during the final years of Hollywood's Golden Age in 1969 Los Angeles” with Wikipedia mentioning all of this taking place during the same time as the Manson murder. So now I’m more intrigued. Where does Sharon Tate fit in? How do they Manson murders come in to play? Oh my goodness I already can’t wait for this film. As if that wasn’t enough, our main leads are two former Hollywood “It” men, Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio. As far as I can remember, the two have never starred in a film together which is insane. The film also boats a cast that includes Margot Robbie, Dakota Fanning, Al Pacino, and Kurt Russell. With all those names, it seems likely that someone will land an acting nomination. There’s probably going to be stiff competition, but I’d love if Leonardo snagged another Best Actor (or even Supporting Actor) nomination and it’d be great to see Brad Pitt maybe even win. Hollywood loves Hollywood and they seem pretty fond of Tarantino, so I wouldn’t be surprised with a Best Picture nod and maybe even a Golden Globe win. Tarantino has also won the Original Screenplay Oscar twice, so a nomination seems almost given. This also marks his ninth movie, which if he sticks with the plan, will be his second to last before his retirement (or long hiatus. I have a hard time believing he’d be gone for long). If he starts playing that up again, it could help boost him to a nomination, if not a win.

Predicted nominations: Director, Acting, Screenplay,

Some other titles being tossed around...

Harriet, about the life of Harriet Tubman, has started gaining steam. I haven’t read too much about it yet, but given the powerful figure it’s about, it seems ripe for Award Season. Predicted nominations: Best Picture and Best Actress.

The Report made quite the splash at Sundance. I have mixed feelings, since I usually find any films about our government not directed by Adam McKay to be boring and dry. Listen, we live with the government, we don’t need to be reminded of what’s going on. But this one does have two of my favorite people, Adam Driver and Annette Bening, and started generating Oscar buzz as soon as its premier was over. I’d die if Adam Driver makes another trip to the Academy Awards and I don’t know what I’d do if he wins. Annette Bening may be our Glenn Close of next season, as she has also never won an Oscar and it could be her time. Predicted nominations: Picture, Actress, (supporting) Actor, Screenplay

Little Women will be Greta Gerwig’s next feature film, following on the success of Lady Bird, which saw it’s own Oscar acknowledgement (although it left empty handed). I’ve never been a fan of the story, but to be honest I’ve never read all of it. I’m giving this a chance since I love Greta and the cast includes her darling Saoirse Ronan and everybody’s boyfriend Timothée Chalamet, as well as Emma Watson, Florence Pugh (my favorite fresh face) and Meryl Streep (an Oscar staple). Could this be incredibly boring? Yes. But it could also be an award season favorite since it is a period piece. The Academy loves those.. Predicted nominations: Picture, Director, Screenplay, Costumes.

These are just some of the titles that have been thrown around so far. After my least favorite year for film in a long time, I’m looking forward to this new crop. Tarantino, Scorsese, Gerwig, a film with Adam Driver, and biopics abound! I’m so ready for 2019. Here we go.

#Oscars #Oscars 2020 #the Irishman #Quentin Tarantino #Leonardo DiCaprio #Brad Pitt #Tom Hanks #Greta Gerwig #the Report #Adam Driver #Way Too Early 2020

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seraphdreams · 2 years

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It really is, I also didn’t make it into the Japanese program I applied for sooo… but Christian mainly stuck to just cinematography after the kpop group he was in disbanded and the company refused to let him go. Once he got away from them he started his own label with his friends Dabin (DPR Live) and Scott (DPR Rem) instead of looking to join another label because he wanted creative freedom and to do things his way and from experience he knew how stifling the industry is but he didn’t start making music again until like 2018/2019 and then he dropped Moodswings In This Order featured on a CL track, had CL feature on a track, and then dropped Moodswings In To Order. He looks like the typical bad boy but he’s such a cinnamon roll, the entire team is insanely talented and non problematic.

I hope Newjeans doesn’t have a garam scandal, I’ve been holding off on hybe new projects cause it’s always something lately. Ateez…it’s a love/hate relationship for me given that in the earlies they weren’t problematic and then shit just started happening left and right

-cb anon 🤍

I’m considering applying for a job in the U.S so 🤞🏽🤞🏽

i love that for him, his career is still kicking and that’s good because usually after most groups disband, some members literally fade away. may i ask what dpr stands for? also hybe is already starting with a scandal bc one of the managers that works with newjeans was outed as a p*do and i’m just ???? they need to stop debuting these young ass girls (they’re too young for all that extensive training n media attention) and check their management team as well i don’t get it

#no baby :(((( i’m so sorry about that #personally working in the u.s of a is a terrible idea #working here is fucking horrid but you should try! because you deserve it #i’ve been thinking about applying for a work or travel visa in japan #the process is just so tedious #seraph.replies!#cb anon🤍

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smokeybrand · 4 years

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Smokey brand Movie Reviews: Open Wide

The Exceptional

The Ugh

The Verdict

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dial-m-for-movies · 7 years

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Lipstick Under My Burkha – Film Appreciation

Cast – Ratna Pathak Shah, Konkona Sen Sharma, Aahana Kumra, Plabita Borthakur, Sushant Singh, Shashank Arora, Vaibhav Tatwawaadi and Vikrant Massey.

Produced by – Prakash Jha Productions

Music – Zebunnisa Bangash and Mangesh Dhakde

Direction of Photography – Akshay Singh

Edited by – Charu Shree Roy

Story by – Alankrita Srivastava

Written & Directed by – Alankrita Srivastava

“Lipstick Under My Burkha is a bold and ballsy female oriented flick that subcutaneously gets under the skin of four women, only to weave an intimate story of their humanely desires.”

It was an exhaustive, prolonged and equally inquisitive wait of almost over nine months to witness this cinema, after a surprise release of its beguiling teaser on October 14, 2016, which galvanized the cinephiles and the parallel cinema-lovers, only as much as it inadvertently titillated the voracious voyeurs across the nation. The trailer promised that it would hit the big screen “soon”, but was sadly and quite expectedly destined to be squeezed between the regressive pair of palms of a rather misunderstood organization called CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification), which made sure that the film would pulverize under the juggernaut of its baseless, lame and more often than not, sarcastically tagged as “sanskari” ideologies. But the film that already bragged of bountiful of well deserved accolades and its triumph at twelve different film festivals; and which is also quite heretical in its subject matter, characteristically didn’t give up and managed to hit the Indian big screens on July 21, 2017, only to spread a word that really matters.

The film has four female protagonists of very different moulds living in the city of lakes, Bhopal; and their stories of social struggles running in tandem are wonderfully enlaced with a narrative of an erotic book called “Lipstic Wale Sapne”, which happens to be the motif throughout the film. Before getting into the narrative structure and appreciation of this cinema it would be better to get introduced to the main characters.

Ushaji / Buaji / Rosy played by Ratna Pathak Shah – She is an old widow in her mid 50’s, who has garnered a unanimous reverence in the society owing to her religious beliefs and spiritual knowledge; who in the progression of the story develops a penchant for swimming; and inspired by an erotica, reinvents her sexual desires in the realms of a palpable seduction imbued by a physically fit and reasonably handsome training instructor, Jaspal played by Jagat Singh Solanki.

Shireen Aslam played by Konkona Sen Sharma – A talented saleswoman Muslim lady who is a responsible mother to three school going children in the absence of their father, Rahim Aslam played by the renowned actor Sushant Singh, who stereotypically travels to middle east to earn money, and who, in the progression of the story chauvinistically suppresses his wife’s ambitious desires of a good career.

Leela played by Aahana Kumra – A tall, strapping and spunky girl who feels claustrophobic in the clamour of a rather hidebound Bhopal, and tries to find succour in a lusciously weaved, boldly portrayed yet sensitively dealt relationship with an amorous philander know as Arshad played by the new sensation, Vikrant Massey. Leela is also supposed to marry a formidably boring guy, Manoj, which adds an insult to her injury. For her, her bike is a symbol of her freedom, which she loses for monetary needs, later on.

Rhehana Abidi played by Plabita Borthakur – A rock music, who love Led Zeppelin, a dance enthusiast who doesn’t mind to tap her feet anytime, and an enigmatic kleptomaniac Muslim girl in her nearing twenty, who is stridently repressed by her family, and discovers her innocuous love interest in a college band member and a stud known as Dhruv, played by Shashank Arora, who disowns her in the end. She also fulfils her materialistic desires by some spasmodic pilferage and thievery that she cleverly carries out during the progression of the film.

As mentioned before, the narratives of the story are, linearly though, interwoven with the narratives of an erotic novella called “Lipstick Wale Sapne” (formerly which happens to be the title of the film, but latterly the makers chose the rhetoric one). Buaji narrates the story of the film through her voice over, while she reads the anecdotes of the protagonist of the novel who is named Rosy, and those tales of lechery, societal suppression and dying desires delineates the sequences and happenstance in the lives of four protagonist wonderfully edited in such a coherent way that it becomes impossible to find any incongruity. From the fade in, when the Kleptomaniac Rhehana pilferages a pair of shoes from a seemingly Shopper’s Stop arrangement to the fade out when the four protagonists meet for pacifying cigarette session in a room, the film keeps one at the edge of the seat and interested in unleashing of Rosy’s desires.

Instead of a sloppy narration of the plot of the film, it would be rather interesting to appreciate some inventive & metaphorical narratives, backed by Alankrita Srivastava’s sensitive direction, who happens to be the helmsman of an ensemble of some proven actors and some novice yet propitious talents.

Act 1 –

There is a sequence in which Rhehana gets frustrated after listening to her abhorrent father’s stringent monologue in which he tells her to start behaving like a girl who would look indigenous to their community; she gets in the room and insanely starts humming rock song and dances on the beats of it. There is no background music or song used in this and the images are as uninflected as it can get. It was quite an innovative piece of filmmaking.

Act 2 –

There is this scene in the film, when Rhehana is being unjustly scolded by her lambasting father for having desires of wearing jeans. While her father shouts her lessons to edify her behavioural limits, she has been shown weaving Burkhas (which happens to be her father’s business), and the cameraman increases depth of field and manifests the mannequins that are kept behind Rhehana, probably to metaphorically address the life of women, which are handled as dummies and are encumbered to the shackles of purist societal dogmas. One of the dummies also makes an appearance in the last scene of the film, which kind of approves the above interpretation.

Act 3 –

In a scene shot in the college campus where Rhehana is studying, the students are carrying out a rebellious protest march to get the approbation for the girls to be allowed to wear jeans, and when the media pays the visit, Rhehana speaks her mind addressing all the stereotypes and injustice that are part and parcel of a typical Indian girl or woman. The mere appearance of media makes the scene a little less preachy, which would have been too rhetoric and clichéd in its form otherwise.

Act 4 –

The vulnerability of Leela has been very sensitively handled by the lady director. Had it not been for the dialogue when she accuses her mother of “forcefully getting her married to an unsuitable guy against her wish”, instead of giving her liberty to chose the guy of her own choice; her character would have been stereotyped as a lecherous woman who just liberally two times and hypocritically hides her lust by portraying herself as a confused girl.

Act 5 –

There is this narrative in which Shireen Aslam’s colleague quips to her, “Do you want to achieve something in your career or just want to get busy making more kids”; and in a very parallel sequence, an audience learns that her husband avoids using any contraceptive sheath during a rather forced intercourse with Shireen. There is an ambiguity in the narrative. When it also depicts Rahim’s dominance and objectifying his wife as nothing but an infant producing machine; but on the same way an audience observe an element of suspicion of adultery involved, when one thinks of the fact that he travels to middle-east for work. Even though, it may or may not be true, but not far to be believed that it is subtly told.

Act 6 –

In the final sequence, when Jaspal finds out that “The Rosy Woman” he enjoys bouts of phone intercourses with, and with whom he wants to fulfil his carnal desires, happens to be no one but Ushaji / Buaji, he retorts the very fact that this fifty plus woman wants to live the rediscovered fantasies of flesh with a young guy like him, who was expecting someone younger to be his Rosy. After that, everyone ill-treats her in unison including the ladies of the house. There is a palpable air of impartiality in the scene when the makers have shown even the female counterparts of Buaji reproaching her character, which offends them too. It was a sensible thing to show in a rather female oriented film, which doesn’t have single good man. The scene that follows in which Buaji succumbs to the societal force and cries again doesn’t have any fervid background score to force an evocation of strong emotions in the audience, and rather instils empathy by exploiting Ratna Pathak Shah’s invincible acting forte.

Lipstick Under My Burkha has a very simple cinematography, when it shows Bhopal the way it is without glamorizing it, that keeps the film absolved of carrying out the technical drudgery. It is also backed by some really sensitive photography to capture facial expressions of the actors, especially Ratna Pathak Shah, who makes a tremendous and triumphant appearance. The editing has been very precise as the narratives that are interwoven with erotic literature are always in inclination with the voice over and anecdotes and the sequences are juxtaposed in such a way that it brings contrast in the storyline and at the same time indulges sporadic appearance of surprise elements, like how in an introductory scene, Sheerin takes out a pistol that was in a bag that was cradled by her. Casting looks to be appropriate, as every actor has done justice to the corresponding character, in terms of the way they look and of course performance that becomes the highlight of the film as Alankrita Srivastava directs all the actors wonderfully with an enormous knowledge of body language and human psychology. The costumes selected for the characters, especially the protagonists totally looks intrinsic and culture specific. When it comes to character screen time, it’s unfortunately Konkona Sen Sharma’s screen time that looks a little less than that of others. The former title of the film “Lipstick Wale Sapne” was also appropriate and that also goes with the voice over book that Ratna Pathak Shah narrates, but maybe the current title has its roots in an ambition to infuse heresy.

All in all, Lipstick Under My Burkha is an excellent piece of cinema that tells the story of woman of different age, mould, social responsibilities, families, entangled in a different kind of masculine and patriarchal dominance; but having similar yet humanely desires portrayed as social stigmas. Ultimately and realistically, they suffer in the same way for different reasons. It also covers every facet of a woman’s desires – individuality, love, physical need, emotional need and even monetary ambitions. Sadly, the film doesn’t show a single male character that is progressive in nature and liberal in thoughts, and that’s the only major pitfall. The film is definitely bold and honest in its conviction, as it doesn’t offer any remedy to these social challenges faced by woman. Without being too feminist in its form, it rather raises the quintessential question, which reads, “How are humanely desires of a woman considered to be a taboo?”

In the final cut, when the four protagonists are talking about their problems and smoking cigarettes to sublimate their frustration, the audiences exit the auditorium questioning their own conscience about such matters. And that’s what Lipstick Under My Burkha achieves…

If you still haven’t watched, go and watch it, for this Lipstick is, for sure, not going to disappoint.

#lipstick under my burkha #review #lipstick under my burkha review

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thedesperatehousehusband · 8 years

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Academy Awards For Everyone!!!

It’s a wonderful night for Oscar. Oscar. Oscar. Who will win?? I can’t take credit for that line. It’s a Billy Crystal line from his 140,000 times of hosting the Oscars. Also known as the Academy Awards. It’s time, Lord.

We started the show with Justin Timberlake doing his thing. It was fine. He needs to learn to lip sync better. And what was Jessica Biel wearing? Was that thing around her neck jewelry or part of the dress? She actually looked like an Oscar statue.

Jimmy Kimmel. He’s not for the Oscars. He doesn’t care. But he’s funny as fuck. His monologue was great. I loved when he made fun of Matt Damon. The fake feud between Matt Damon and Jimmy Kimmel has been going on for like 11 years or some shit. That’s hilarious. And that recent movie that Matt Damon is in does actually like a steaming pile of horse dung. I thank Jimmy Kimmel for saying so.

Thanks GAWD Mahershala Ali won for Moonlight. That movie is remarkable and, let’s face it, the Oscars can’t deal with another racial controversy. #oscarssowhite no more. I’m joking a lot, a lot, a lot. Mahershala Ali 100% was my choice. His portrayal of “Juan” was wonderful , inspiring, raw, real and his presence was felt long after his character wasn’t on screen anymore.

Halle Berry’s hair is uncalled for. What is wrong with her?

You can’t go wrong with either Kate McKinnon or Jason Bateman. I gotta tell you. If I had a “list”, Jason Bateman would be on it. Good for Suicide Squad for winning an Oscar for Make Up. It’s all you’re gonna get. And Colleen Atwood seemed really surprised. Bless her heart. Bitch, you get nominated errrrrry year for your costumes. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them had some good ass costumes.

That girl from Moana did a fine job. She got through it. She worked it out.

God bless the French man from Arrival who won for Sound Editing. That movie was terrific. We really loved it. Hacksaw Ridge won for Sound Mixing. I’ve probably said this before but I can’t fucking remember year to year what I talk about in this posts. But I don’t have a clue what the difference is between Sound Mixing and Sound Editing. In one do the fart noises sound better? We can’t see Hacksaw Ridge. Mel Gibson is the demon spawn of Satan and we cannot support him. Regardless of whether or not the movie is amazing.

Mark Rylance, that hat is ridiculous. You’re better than that. What is wrong with him?

VIOLA DAVIS! Girl came dressed to win. That dress is insane. The shoes. THE SHOES. But let’s just talk about her role in Fences. She completely owned that role. You could feel every bit of the pain she felt and the ordinary struggle of being a black housewife in the 1950s. Love, love, love that she won.

The movie from Iran won best Foreign Film. The director couldn’t/wouldn’t come (I’m truly not sure which) due to the travel ban and the continued foolishness of the Orange One. Making a statement by not showing up. That’s a good statement. Plus then your Oscar got accepted by Shirley MacLaine. Because that doesn’t happen every day.

This song by Sting is a real sleeper. I suppose it’s an important message but the song is bland. Trudie Styler has been nipped and tucked to an extreme degree.

I don’t know what to think of Hailee Steinfeld’s dress. It sort of looks cool but it sort of looks like Saran Wrap. I think she’s too young to wear that dress. Zootopia just won for Best Animated Feature. Good for Disney. It was such a great movie. Funny, touching, poignant and includes voiceover work from Jason Bateman. That’s why it won.

OK. I literally cannot with Dakota Johnson’s dress. So because you’re in a movie about bondage and sexy shit you decide to wear a dress that looks like you’re one of the mole people on Kimmy Schmidt? Jesus Christ. That fabric. Is it from Dollar General? Who is this kookie couple from La La Land who is giving a boring ass speech about production design and set decoration? The conductor is right to play them off. Potentially the most lifeless speech ever.

So Jimmy Kimmel is good for a good prank or a gag. This business with the Hollywood tour bus that then showed up randomly at the Oscars was brilliant. I love good comedy bits. It’s good fun.

Halle Berry. You look ridiculous.

Michael J. Fox. Things don’t seem great. Ugh. I don’t like to see it. Heartbreaking beyond belief. I have a fair amount of continued surprise over the lack of wins for La La Land. With the Editing award just went to Hacksaw Ridge. Which at this point has one more awards than La La Land. I just do not care about this movie one iota. I’d sooner have explosive diarrhea than watch this movie.

Well, I guess Meryl Streep is not interested in making an impassioned speech tonight. That’s fine. The Prez doesn’t have anything better to do than to Tweet about actresses who are critical of him. What a narcissistic asshat. La La Land deserves to win for Cinematography.

Mean Tweets! Yes. This bit is so smart and hilarious on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Robert DeNiro….and soon I’ll be playing great-grandfather roles. Fuck you. Totes brillz.

Color me surprised. La La Land won for Score. Stop it. An original movie musical won an award for MUSIC at the Oscars?

What is on Scarlett Johansson’s head? Because it can’t be hair. That dress is too much. I don’t care for it. Woo hoo! La La Land gets the Original Song award too. It’s taken a few hours bur La La Land is finally picking up steam.

Jennifer Anniston wears that dress every time. But I don’t care. She knows what works for her and it looks outstanding. Love her to pieces. She’s America’s sweetheart. Sara Bareilles did a lovely job with the In Memoriam segment.

OMG. Jimmy Kimmel is relentless with Matt Damon. Talking about how We Bought a Zoo was his favorite movie then trying to play him off while he and Ben presented Original Screenplay. I have to tell you I’m stunned that Kenneth Lonergan won for Manchester By the Sea. It was such a hard movie. Hard to watch. Hard to enjoy. But remarkably well done.

Amy Adams looks like Jessica Rabbit. And that’s a good thing. Moonlight wins for Adapted Screenplay. I think there’s been some hullabaloo about this film being in this category but who cares? It was a great movie and a moving script. Great speeches. “For the the next four years, we got you.” Yes. Yes. Yes. This shit……it’s too much.

Oh, Lord. Her she is. Halle Berry and that hair. It seems to be growing and morphing through the course of the night. I think it might be alive. I’m elated that Damien Chazelle won. He’s a creative force. He should be honored for this film and will likely be honored for other films in the future.

Uh oh. Brie Larson has lost some weight. She’s fading way into the background. I really want Casey Affleck to win Best Actor. I just don’t know that he will. We shall see. In about 45 seconds. YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!! I’m over the moon. Manchester By the Sea is a terribly difficult film to get through but Casey Affleck is the roots. The heart of the film. I know there’s other shit going down. I’m OK keeping that separate. Was it just me or did Denzel not look pleased? I think he thought he was gon win.

Leo looks like he bathed. Bless his heart. He often looks unclean. Yay!!!!!!!!! Emma Stone is a talent and completely adorable. I love her in anything.

And Best Picture is………….La La Land. Of course it is! I don’t care what anyone says about the ending. I simply loved this movie. CORRECTION! CORRECTION! Apparently if you go to bed in less than 45 seconds after the announcement of Best Picture, there might be a kerfuffle. HOLY COW! What a mess up. I can’t even believe it. Moonlight won. Evidently, Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway had the Best Actress envelope and that’s why Warren Beatty was confused. I’ll tell you I’m perfectly fine with Moonlight. It was the movie that most moved me and stayed with me. What a clusterfuck.

And good night. It’s time for bed. It’s really fucking late.

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mrmichaelchadler · 6 years

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The Ten Best Films of 2018

As one of our greatest poets once sang, the times they are a-changin'. While certain film institutions seem intent on defying the incurrence of streaming cinema, Netflix had their best year to date, releasing three of what we consider the greatest movies of 2018, and landing the top two spots. How this will impact moviemaking going forward isn’t clear yet, but it almost certainly will. Once again, our list is a wonderful blend of new voices like those of Boots Riley and Sandi Tan, alongside that of established veterans like Spike Lee and Alfonso Cuarón. We chose films from around the world this year, including entries from Korea, Poland, Mexico, and an anthology about the Old West. From documentary to comedy, drama to Western, Paul Schrader to James Baldwin—this may be our most diverse list to date, indicating the breadth of great art we saw in 2018.

About the rankings: We asked our regular film critics and assistant editors to submit top ten lists from this great year, and then consolidated them with a traditional points system—10 points for #1, 9 points for #2, etc.—resulting in the list below, with a new entry for each awarded film. We’ll publish each critic’s individual list as the week goes on. Come back for more.

10. “Cold War”

Inside the Iron Curtain of the 1950s, a rising composer named Wiktor (Tomasz Kot) and his producer, Irena (Agata Kulesza), scour the Polish countrysides and mountaintops for folk songs to bring back to Soviet bloc cities. While auditioning peasant singers to perform these folk numbers on tour, Wiktor’s eyes meet those of a confident and mysterious blond, Zula (Joanna Kulig). He’s quickly taken with her bold presence, and she soon follows his lead into a tempestuous relationship that will stretch years, borders and other partners.

There may only be a handful of times in life you lock eyes with someone like Wiktor and Zula do in Pawel Pawlikowski’s “Cold War.” You remember where you two met in that moment, what that person wore, who else was there and how you hung on their every word as you tried to hide how intensely you both looked at each other. Some details of the day fade, others grow sharper as you replay the scene over and over—even if that person is no longer in your life.

Beyond its lovestruck appeal, the gorgeous black-and-white cinematography of “Cold War” enchants viewers with dazzling compositions, bringing intimate moments to an epic scale. Almost every note of the movie’s eclectic soundtrack—which ranges from forlorn Polish folk tunes to sultry French jazz—aches as much as the lovers’ wistful stares. They are echoes of the way Humphrey Bogart looked at Ingrid Bergman in “Casablanca,” how Omar Sharif looked at Julie Christie in “Doctor Zhivago” and the glances Maggie Cheung gave Tony Leung during “In the Mood for Love.”

Under the lens of an unromantic reality, it’s possible to view these two lovers as mere hopeless mismatches. But in Pawlikowski’s film, there is a tragic beauty in Wiktor and Zula’s doomed-to-fail love. "Cold War" sympathizes with those who know it is a blessing and a curse to have feelings outlive an affair. (Monica Castillo)

9. “Burning”

Cats. Wells. Borders. Victims. Killers. There is a lot that’s indistinct and even invisible in the discomforting thriller “Burning” from South Korean director Lee Chang-dong. Loosely based on Barn Burning, a short story by Haruki Murakami, “Burning” rises from the ashes of unspoken battles and deeply held grudges between friends, genders and those that dwell on the opposite sides of the socio-economic tracks so casually that you wonder for a while where this devious suspense, co-written by Lee and Jungmi Oh, might take you. Trust me when I say, it will neither escort you somewhere commonplace nor answer your burning questions like an ordinary movie would—this elegantly calibrated chiller led by a pitch-perfect ensemble is more about the search amid blurring boundaries than reaching an orderly conclusion.

It all begins by a chance encounter that unfolds as uneventfully as any pivotal occurrence that would follow it. Working as a promo rep handing out raffle tickets, the young, bouncy Hae-mi (Jong-seo Jeon) spots and greets the aspiring writer Jong-su (Ah-In Yoo), a guy she knew from childhood. He doesn’t remember her, so she randomly mentions she’s had plastic surgery for beauty. Boyish to an extreme, awkward and clearly taken by Hae-mi, Jong-su follows her into her tiny rental room where the two have sex after Hae-mi (again, abruptly) reminds him he once called her ugly. Taking care of his burdened father’s farm close to the North Korea border, Jong-su finds his bliss cut short when Hae-mi leaves for an overseas trip, asks him to feed her cat Boil in her absence and comes back with the handsome, wealthy and enigmatic Ben (Steven Yeun) who seems to be everything Jong-su is not. Ben lives in an expensive apartment, drives a Porsche and (to Jong-su’s intense distaste) listens to music while cooking pasta.

A virtuoso of slow-burns (“Secret Sunshine” and “Poetry” among them), Lee Chang-dong patiently folds in mysteries as well as themes around gender and social class into “Burning,” while occasionally playing up a comedic tone that strengthens the unclassifiable nature of the film. Is the arsonist womanizer Ben a version of Patrick Bateman driven to insanity by capitalism? Does Hae-mi really have a cat or is she settling scores with the boy who was once cruel to her? Does Jong-su suffer from an overambitious writer’s imagination or is Ben’s uncanny smile really as condescending as it looks? When Jong-su acts upon his justified instincts on a bitterly cold, snow-covered day, you will inhale the frosty air with shivers down your spine, feeling only certain that “Burning” is one of those all-timers that begs to be re-watched repeatedly; a true one-of-a-kind with a lot on its mind. And Steven Yeun? His dismissive yawning is the stuff of (alleged) villains for the ages. (Tomris Laffly)

8. “BlacKkKlansman”

Every scene in “BlacKkKlansman” is practically watermarked with “A Spike Lee Joint” in the bottom right corner. This true story is the perfect vehicle for Lee's penchant for hilariously pitch black humor and it also allows him to settle an old score. Taking Godard’s advice about using a new movie to criticize another movie, Lee aims squarely at D.W. Griffith’s “Birth of a Nation,” ridiculing it relentlessly wherever appropriate. Not only does the film appear as a snarky punchline during a Klan rally, Lee also uses Griffith’s own devices against him by structuring Ron Stallworth’s last reel race against time as a thrilling, Klan-centric montage that serves as a corrective to Griffith’s racist imagery. This sequence deviates from the real-life story Lee is telling, so it was deemed controversial. Surely Lee relished the thought of this perception. Because when Griffith dabbled in propaganda, it was “history written with lightning.” When Lee mocked that dabbling, it was heresy written with politics. And it was just as effective!

John David Washington and Adam Driver give stellar performances, though the latter is surprisingly the film’s biggest proponent of identity introspection. While Washington hides his identity behind a telephone and a voice, Driver hides his in plain sight, thereby incurring more collateral damage. And though the plot comments on racism and anti-Semitism, Lee builds a reality-based trap door into his cinematic contraption, one that opens as soon as he invokes his trademark people mover shot. Suddenly, we’re thrust into the terrifying, present day fate that befell Heather Heyer, whose appearance at the Charlottesville protest ended with her death. This real-life footage is a provocation, but it’s one bursting with truth about the state of racism in America and is therefore not exploitative. Lee dedicated “BlacKkKlansman” to Heyer, and the film’s rise in the award season coincides with the recent guilty verdict delivered to the man who killed her. This is one of Lee's most urgent and timely films. It's also one of his best. (Odie Henderson)

7. “Annihilation”

In 2018, Stanley Kubrick’s landmark science fiction film “2001: A Space Odyssey” turned 50. That same year, writer-director Alex Garland released “Annihilation,” a rare film that lives up to the totality of what made “2001” so revered and valuable, rather than merely imitating certain aspects of its design, structure, or tone. It’s one of the great science fiction films of recent years, easily the equal of “Ex Machina,” “Arrival,” “Under the Skin” and “Blade Runner 2049,” and superior to all of them (except “Under the Skin”) in one respect: it encourages multiple interpretations and deeply personal responses, while waving off any attempt to simplistically “explain” what the audience has seen. Adapted from the first of Jeff VanderMeer’s Southern Reach novels, the movie structured as a series of discrete set pieces, complete with Kubrickian chapter titles (a la “The Shining” as well as “2001”). If you watch it more than once—as you should; it deepens with every viewing—you start to see it as a set of thought prompts rather than a traditional narrative, though one that’s anchored to strong, simple characterizations and full performances.

The heroine is Army soldier turned biologist Lena (Natalie Portman), whose husband Kane (Oscar Isaac) went missing for a year during a top secret mission, then briefly, miraculously returned to her shortly before puking up blood and being rushed to the intensive care unit at a top secret research facility in a swamp near the Florida coastline. The area was impacted by a meteor that created a “Shimmer”—a demarcated zone where the rules of evolution seem to have gone haywire, integrating the DNA of plants, mammals and reptiles that were thought incompatible, and killing off all the members of expeditions sent to explore the place (Kane is the only survivor, though we immediately sense that the person returned from the Shimmer isn’t actually Kane). Lena joins up with four other women—Ventress (Jennifer Jason Leigh), Thorensen (Gina Rodriguez), Radek (Tessa Thompson), and Sheppard (Tuva Novotny)—to journey into the Shimmer and attempt to understand it.

But there are limits to understanding, and the key to the excellence of Garland’s film is its determination to pose questions without supplying answers. I hosted a screening of the film back in March—my third viewing—and discussed it with the audience afterward, and together we came up with at least nine different answers to the question, “What is this movie about?”

It’s possible to piece together what happened, event-wise, to everyone in the expedition, and how one event might’ve led to another, culminating in the finale, an audacious two-character confrontation that feels like a cross between a modern dance performance and a spectral assault. But once you’ve done that, you’re still left with the question of what it all meant, and you’re on your own. Which is as it should be, because in life, you’re on your own, too. (Matt Zoller Seitz)

6. “Shirkers”

One indication of why this is a near-great film: although it is a relatively straightforward and coherent narrative account—albeit one so surprising as to be, weirdly, equally exhilarating as it is upsetting—almost everyone who watches it has a different idea of its theme. Is it about toxic males holding women down? The challenges facing a female artist? The difficulty of making art in Singapore?

Sandi Tan’s documentary memoir/detective story cannily maintains a core pose of modesty while insinuatingly exploring a series of big ideas. Serving as her own narrator, Tan tells of her 1990s time as an artistically ambitious teen in Singapore, under the spell of maverick filmmakers like David Lynch and believing she had found a cinematic partner in crime with an older man from the States, a teacher and self-styled would-be auteur named Georges Cardona. Sandi forges alliances with the smaller-than-a-handful number of like-minded conspirators on her not-yet-economically-booming island to make her film. A film that Cardona absconds with, leaving behind no explanation or apology.

The rediscovery of the footage in 2010 made this movie possible. But it didn’t determine this movie’s power. Even if it took Tan several decades to realize it, “Shirkers” proves her a born moviemaker. (Glenn Kenny)

5. “If Beale Street Could Talk”

When I interviewed writer/director Barry Jenkins about “Moonlight,” we talked about the movie’s haunting score, composed by Nicholas Britell. “Many directors would use songs of the era to place the audience in the film’s three time periods,” I said. “Two things,” he replied. “First, we could not afford the rights to those songs. But more important, I believe these characters deserve a full orchestral score.”

I thought of those words as I watched Jenkins’ latest film, “If Beale Street Could Talk,” based on the 1974 novel by James Baldwin. Or, I should say, it did not feel like I was watching the film. It was more like I was immersed in it. The entire theme of the movie could be, “These characters deserve a full orchestral score” along with the highest level of every other creative and aesthetic element available to a filmmaker, from Baldwin’s lyrical words to the luscious cinematography of “Moonlight’s” James Laxton, another gorgeous score by Britell, and performances of infinite sensitivity and humanity.

“If Beale Street Could Talk” succeeds brilliantly at one of cinema’s most central functions: a love story with sizzling chemistry between two impossibly beautiful people. Stephan James (“Race”) and newcomer KiKi Layne are 2018’s most compelling romantic couple. Their relationship is in every way the heart of this story, the reason we feel so sharply about the injustice that befalls James' Fonny, the film's most undeniable signifier of generations of institutional racism. We see that most powerfully when Regina King, as the girl’s mother, looks in the mirror as she prepares like a matador entering the bullring for a meeting that could make all the difference for the couple. She cannot expect much, but she has to try. Throughout the movie, there is resignation and there are diminished hopes but there is also resilience. And “Beale Street” reminds us that there is also undiminished and imperishable love: romantic love, the love of parents and siblings, even an unexpected encounter with a warmhearted landlord. There is the love Baldwin and Jenkins have for these characters. And, most of all, it reminds us that this is a story that deserves to be told with the best that movies have to offer, including a full orchestral score. (Nell Minow)

4. “First Reformed”

Ethan Hawke just gets better with age, as he casts aside the boyish good looks and swaggering sense of rebellion that made him both a superstar and an indie darling in the 1990s for more mature, fascinatingly flawed characters. He's well into his 40s now and letting the passage of time show on his face, in his demeanor and in the complicated men he's choosing to play on screen. In Paul Schrader, Hawke is ideally matched with a filmmaker whose own work has only grown deeper and more resonant over the past several decades. "First Reformed" feels like a culmination of sorts for both the writer/director and his star. It has echoes of past efforts from both while it also wrestles with bracingly contemporary themes of personal responsibility, stewardship and activism.

Hawke stars as Reverend Ernst Toller, a country priest in upstate New York whose involvement in the lives of a married couple in his congregation steadily causes him to lose his grip. With heavy shades of the iconic character he created in Travis Bickle, Schrader vividly presents a man who's grappling with reality and his perceived role within it. He says so much within the film's quiet stillness and precise austerity as well as with masterful narration that offers a glaring contrast between Toller's journals and the truth. "First Reformed" represents the best work of Hawke's lengthy and eclectic career, and it's a welcome return to form for the veteran Schrader. But it also allows Amanda Seyfried to show a dramatic depth we haven't seen from her before as the woman who could be Toller's salvation or his undoing. That sense of ambiguity only becomes more gripping as the film progresses, leading to an ending that's boldly open for interpretation but is undeniably daring and haunting. (Christy Lemire)

3. “Sorry to Bother You”

Like many good dark comedies (ex: "Office Space," "Bamboozled") the hysterically caustic "Sorry to Bother You" feels like a full-blown panic attack. The film's class conscious anxiety (and mordant sense of optimism) is also contagious, as it is in movies like "Starship Troopers" and "Putney Swope."

With "Sorry to Bother You," writer/director Boots Riley takes credible, if pointedly exaggerated sources of social, racial, and economic tension and exaggerates them beyond the realm of our known experiences. At the same time: Riley's thrillingly inventive conception of the rise-fall-rise-fall-and-rise-again character arc of call center worker drone Cassius "Cash" Green (an incredible Lakeith Stanfield) always feels real enough, even when it takes a hard turn into (what is currently) the realm of science-fiction.

In that sense: "Sorry to Bother You" is also a great American social critique (ex: "A Face in the Crowd," "Idiocracy") since it teaches viewers how to watch it. Riley handily realizes Francois Truffaut's goal of introducing four ideas per minute—and they're each fully-realized and easily understood. That's a major talent when your film essentially weaponizes audience surrogate Cash's relatability. We grow more and more aware of the unbearable heaviness of Cash's existence as a young, black, and talented man. First he stops thinking of himself as a barnacle on an unfathomable ship of industry and starts to see himself as a major player. Then he stops letting himself be seduced by the trappings of his newfound financial success and starts to focus on the application of his talents. Finally, Cash stops fooling himself into thinking that he's just a messenger of utilitarian progress and becomes a victim of his own self-deluded progress. But by then it's too late.

Or not. It's late, but it ain't never. (Simon Abrams)

2. “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs”

Like so much of the best work of Joel & Ethan Coen, their latest film is a tough one to describe. On the surface, it’s an old-fashioned anthology piece, a reworking of what was once an idea for a TV series into a collection of Old West vignettes, playing out like a storybook. But that sells it short. It sells short how each narrative feels like it flows into the next. It sells the short the mastery of tone both within each individual story and tying together the overall piece. It sells short the way the Coens intertwine their vision of the Old West with a dissection on the very practice of storytelling and their roles as beloved storytellers themselves. And it sells short the incredible individual pleasures within each of the six short films, all of them bursting with gorgeous cinematography, memorable performances, and fascinating subtext. It’s the best western in years because it’s both completely knowledgeable about the tropes of the genre and able to subvert them at the same time.

Take the opening short, the one that gives the film its name. A singing cowboy plods through the desert, warbling a tune to the rhythm of his horse’s footsteps. He speaks directly to the camera, showing us that he’s been labeled a misanthrope—a title that has been incorrectly applied to the Coens’ dark sense of humor on more than one occasion. This leads one to presume that what follows is designed to defy or subvert that label. But that’s not really what happens. “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” is constantly going left when you expect it to go right—and then making you feel dumb for thinking it would ever go right.

It’s also a fascinating dissection of death—from enemies, former friends, and even by one’s own hand. Death comes for everyone. It’s a theme woven through all six vignettes, and it’s telling that the final piece is about a pair of men who distract their targets with stories. If filmmakers have ever put themselves on screen more bluntly, I can’t think of when. While the story is unfolding, there’s something else happening underneath or off to the side. Joel and Ethan Coen are two of our most impressive cinematic magicians. You’re so carefully enjoying what one hand does that you don’t realize how much they’re doing with the other one until it's over. And then you just want to watch it all over again. (Brian Tallerico)

1. “Roma”

Alfonso Cuarón's "Roma" takes place in the Mexico City neighborhood where he grew up in the 1970s. Filmed in vivid black-and-white (Cuarón shot it himself), "Roma" features long long takes, the camera moving horizontally through a house, across fields, into the sea, down city streets, creating a sense of reality so intense it almost tips over into dream. The film's central figure is Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), a Mixtec woman working for an upper-class family as a nanny and a maid (she is based on the woman who raised Cuarón). Surrounding Cleo is a world of political upheaval, seething student protests, marital strife, economic stresses, and cops in riot gear. In another film, these events would be center stage, but in "Roma," they drift in the background, seen through windows, heard through open doors, as Cleo strolls by, or around, trying to manage her own life, enduring stress and doing her best. "Roma" is pierced with issues of class, privilege, ethnicity, and resurrects a time and place, a whole era, with details that sometimes overwhelm, like a wave roaring into shore. Swarms of extras live out their lives in complicated vignettes unfurling behind the action, seen briefly as the camera moves by, gone in a flash. The city, the house, the village, all bristle with life. This is a very personal film for Cuarón, and "Roma" is both a determined act of memory and a work of powerful tribute. (Sheila O’Malley)

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