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quirrelli · 1 year

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Marvel Rewatch Thread

Originally posted: 25.02.22-14.03.22

Haven't seen most of the Marvel movies since they came out but I have a sudden urge to rewatch them like a TV show, with Endgame as the season finale. And to tweet about it. (Feel free to mute this thread if you're only here for the art.)

Iron Man still fucking rules. It has so much of what I like to call buzz porn. I will never get tired of the suiting up sequences.

Evil Jeff Bridges with a cigar on a Segway. A king.

We've all gotten used to it by now but the way they show Tony's face in the 3D-void with the digital interface over it is actually pretty ingenious.

Speaking of Tony, RDJ may always play himself, but the man oozes charisma from the points of his funky goatee to the bell bottoms of his suit pants.

And Jarvis too! I've never not loved a Paul Bettany performance. I predict I may say this several more times, but the casting carried this franchise from the start.

That final battle is like, what if Transformers but good?

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Ah, the famously maligned Iron Man 2. It's true, it's not as good as the first but nevertheless, the War Machine suit FUCKS. (And so does the song).

I like Whiplash, it's Hammer that's the problem. Everyone, but especially he talks so much that the quippy bickering that is 90% of the dialogue stops being amusing like it was in 1 and becomes draggy.

Also, the narrative structure is much less clean. Iron Man 1's plot is a tight piece of ass, where 2 needs to do some more squats.

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The Incredible Hulk certainly is an odd little duckling in the lineup. Its connection to the rest of the MCU is so tenuous as to almost not be felt at all, especially with Norton's recasting. It's also the only one without a post-credits stinger.

I will say I like Norton!Banner, but there is something off about this Hulk's face. Maybe the technology just wasn't quite there yet in 2008.

Certainly appropriately green color palette throughout though. I'm also noticing a certain grimy, tactile nature to these early entries that's gradually lost as more and more of the sets and even costumes get replaced by pure CGI. Some jumpy editing here and there too.

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Again, the casting in these movies is stellar across the board but man, Chris Evans is such a perfect Captain America in every way. Certainly the best bod in the biz, come at me, rival Chris stans.

That replacement effect they did with pre-serum Steve's body is surprisingly good, especially remembering much more recent travesties like the Super-stache.

The first Cap suit is still lowkey my favorite one. That functional military aesthetic is just my vibe.

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Thor is better than I remember. Everyone, but especially Jane is super likeable actually. Also, I would trust Heimdall with my life savings, my first born, my soul and my browser history.

Besides Tony, Loki arguably carried this franchise more than any other character and he proves yet again that family makes the best villains.

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The Avengers takes me back. It might be old news now, but this is the movie that invented the concept of the "cinematic universe". Like, that wasn't a word before. It was thrilling.

I remember when I got into Marvel after the first Iron Man came out, reading rumors about a potential Avengers movie and thinking that it was never going to happen. It would be too big, too expensive, too much to set up, just unfeasable on every level. And then it... happened.

That first arc of the MCU might have also been the best execution of a cinematic universe to date, bc it was at that point still Tony's story at its core and his arc finishes here. But we'll see as we go along.

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Thor 2 is the first of these that really feels like it only exists to be part of the larger franchise. That is not a good thing. It's what sank the DCU before it even left the shallows.

There's a very noticeable lack of verve compared to the first one, the cinematography and editing is so unexciting, the plot so basic. I mean they whipped out the ol' "when the planets align" chestnut. The only fun idea is the wacky gravity but they don't do enough with it.

Jane, despite being more directly involved in the conflict feels much less like an active agent than the first one and what did they do to rapier-man's hair?

I don't mean to pretend like these movies are high art or anything but this is well below the standards set, like b-tier fantasy at best.

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I have to admit IM3 is better the second time around. The big twist obviously loses its impact but there's some good moments and it's thematically more coherent than I originally gave it credit for.

Having said that, that theme and its resolution requires that this be the end of Iron Man as a character, which it obviously won't be. It's sort of the opposite problem from the last one: Where Thor2 can't exist outside the MCU, IM3 can't exist within it.

What made me absolutely livid when I first saw this movie is that Tony gets the reactor removed. It still doesn't sit right with me, though the reasons have shifted. Then, it was bc Tony and the suit are a unit, if it's not part of him he becomes exactly what cap says he is in A1

Now, contrary to what IM3 posits, the reactor to me symbolizes accepting the wounds of the past as a permanent part of yourself and growing from them, which breaks down as a metaphor if Tony could always get rid of the shrapnel and just didn't, for some reason.

Also, the mark 42 is still fugly.

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CA: winter soldier has some really good hand-to-hand combat and I really like the bromance with Natasha. They make a good team. Same goes for Wilson.

Because the themes of mass surveillance and corruption are more relevant than ever I'm not a huge fan of the conspiratorial bent this movie takes. It's a bit too real a subject to go full wacky Hydra long-con, you know.

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Guardians 1 does a remarkable job being good, considering all the new stuff it has to fit in. I'm not particularly attached to any of the characters but yeah, it works, it's just a solid flick all around.

I'm having flashbacks to baby groot mania

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Guardians 2's opening slaps. Also, de-aged Kurt Russell looks surprisingly convincing.

It's the sequel that's just better in every way. G1 laid a solid foundation that this one builds on a lot. It really digs into the characters' hearts (and makes me mix my metaphors apparently). They even manage to make the goofy tone thematic in that it's Peter's coping mechanism

Ego is the rare antagonist who isn't a foil but a natural evolution of the protagonist. Definitely in the upper echelons of Marvel villains.

I really like the ship with the little movable laser balls. Creative.

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Avengers 2 time! Vision: Awesome! Hulkbuster: Awesome! That shot of Cap ripping a log in two: Awesome! Natasha calling herself a monster bc she can't have children... a choice.

I'm glad they acknowledge from the start how OP Wanda is. I'm less glad her powers are basically reduced to telekinesis when they're so much funkier than that.

Why did they give Ultron so much... face? Especially combined with Spader's expressive performance it would have been much more unsettling to have a motionless mask.

This movie really takes IM3 from a mixed bag to utterly pointless.

It could be on my end but the audio mixing is off. Some of the sfx are weirdly quiet in places.

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Ant-Man is definitely a breath of fresh air after all relentless power escalation of the previous batch of movies. Slows down a little, brings down the scale (hah), you know

Although I do remain a touch salty that they didn't go with original ant-man/yellowjacket, especially since they already transplanted the Ultron storyline to Tony. I would have liked to have seen mad scientist Pym and his merry circus of fucked up alter-egos.

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Movie civil war is better than comic book civil war bc it ties into the characters way more and bc the inciting incident actually directly involves an avenger, and one who is famously volatile to boot. Still perhaps a touch contrived though.

Black Panther!!! The only hero who may out-cool Tony. RIP, king.

Why are the police in Bucharest speaking German? That really threw me, to the point I was unsure where that part was taking place. Pretty serious oversight honestly.

And why did steve kiss this random side character who doesn't matter? In a movie as long as this you can't really afford to keep dead end plot lines like that around.

My aesthetic is steve rogers' biceps.

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Listen, Toby Maguire will always have a special place in my heart, but Holland is the best package as far as spider-men go. Even though obviously no-one here looks their age I do buy Holland as conceptual teenager. Like, the energy is correct, in a way it never was before.

I really enjoy dad!Tony's ineptitude too. There was a touch of that IM3 (keep coming back to that one, huh) but it works better here.

Did they cast Michael Keaton as the Vulture bc of Birdman? I'm gonna choose to believe they did.

If I may nitpick for a second here: The new Avengers HQ was introduced after Ultron, two years before Homecoming takes place, so why would they just now have a "moving day"?

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I really like the tech in Black Panther. The beads, the sand, the cloaks. Really adds to Wakanda's identity separate from the rest of the universe.

Who gave Michael B. Jordan the right to be this attractive and compelling and generally a highlight of the franchise?

WAR RHINOS!!!

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Do I have lingering trauma from being on tumblr in the years 2012-17? Yes. But I still have to admit Cumberbatch is a decent actor. My favorite thing about his casting is that there's probs no one else whose name is as evenly matched in joke potential to their character as him.

The trippy shit is great. Like Inception on LSD. Just fun to watch even if, like me, you're not super invested in the story.

Rachel McAdams is so pretty <3

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Thor Ragnarok summary The aesthetic: impeccable The cast: hideously attractive The humor: so good The tonal shift compared to previous entries: lurching

I guess it only makes sense that the most unique, mould-breaking, complete stories have the most trouble fitting into such a behemoth of a franchise. Ragnarok might be the best MCU movie outside of the context of the MCU.

When Thor lands on the rainbow bridge all electrified, a lightning arch connects between his eye and his chest circle thingy and I love that particular frame so much.

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The size fuckery in Ant-man 2 is even better.

I don't like the ghost's acting. Nothing wrong with the character, but her body language is stiff and awkward. Now scott's daughter, there's a real mvp.

Watching the first after credits stinger before having seen infinity war makes it super ominous actually.

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Captain Marvel aka I'm gaaaaaay, the movie. And not just me. Carol and Maria will get married eventually and finish raising their daughter together, you cannot convince me otherwise.

Aww, I forgot about the Stanley montage. That's sweet.

I do love the mohawk.

Larson leans into the cocky badass persona a bit too far but what I like about Carol is how much joy she finds in her powers. Like so many heroes they get foisted on her but she doesn't get caught up in any "but what if I'm a monster" or "I didn't ask for this" angst.

She discovers she can fly and is like "fuck yeah I can fly! Watch me gooooo!" You know, the correct response. One of my favorite moments in the movie is when she starfishes straight through a spaceship just for shits and giggles.

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The remarkable thing about Infinity War is that while not everyone gets an arc, everyoen at least gets a beat or two and it all makes sense and hits. That's the pinnacle of what can be achieved with a well-designed cinematic universe.

The only thing that feels a touch underdeveloped is Wanda and Vision's relationship. It's a shame bc Wandavision is such a good ship with so much history. At least they have a TV show now. Also, I notice Wanda lost her accent.

Do Strange and Tony have... chemistry? Not to get all shippy for the finale but like, I might have to check AO3 and see if there's anything good.

Why is it that all of my faves specifically have to die :(

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Is Infinity War/Endgame the best two parter finale? A case might be made, I think.

This movie really makes me cognizant of how well structured the power escalation in this franchise is (leaving aside the fact that the sorcers are supremely OP).

Time travel and universe rearrangement is game-breaking and about as far as you can reasonably go in scale. The stakes just lose touch with what's humanly imaginable/ empathizable after that, which is why it's good that they saved it for the very end.

Endgame has a touch of the ol' "too many endings" disease but I'd say it's earned them at this point.

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Wrap up time! First, the perhaps obvious: there's a difference between watching 22 movies and 22 TV eps. They flow different and the movie marathon does get exhausting in a way the equivalent of ~2 TV seasons wouldn't have done.

They are, for the most part, fun flicks in their own right but I'm left wondering if the individual heroes wouldn't have been better served in a semi-canon CU, where weirder titles like Dr. Strange and Ant-Man would have had more freedom to experiment.

Then again, the existence of the MCU doesn't preclude future iterations that do push the envelope a little more. In fact, Wandavision, the only one of the TV shows I've cared to watch, does go in that direction, to the point that it ends up straining against its MCU obligations.

Anyway, I'm not gonna do a ranking of the movies. Instead I'm gonna do sth much more fun and at least 5% less overdone and rank each movie's main villain! It's possible they might correlate more strongly with overall enjoyment than the heroes even. Let's see here:

1. Loki 2. Killmonger 3. Vulture 4. Hela 5. Ego 6. Winter Soldier 7. Obadiah Stane 8. Ultron 9. Thanos 10. Yon-Rogg 11. Kaecilius 12. Yellowjacket 13. Ghost 14. Red Skull 15. Aldrich Kilian 16. Whiplash 17. Zemo 18. Colonel Ross 19. Ronan the Accuser 20. Malekith

#marvel #mcu #text post #my stuff

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themosleyreview · 2 years

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The Mosley Review: Best Films of 2021

Well we've made it through 2021! Man did 2020 screw up everything in the realm of Hollywood and all of our viewing habits have evolved. I didn't do a best films of 2020 list because the world shutdown and so did the theaters. Most of the films were pushed to this past year so we all had to adapt. But just for the hell of it, my choice for best film of 2020 is Da 5 Bloods. Watch that film on Netflix. Now, I know why you’re here and I won't delay any longer! Here's my list of the best films of 2021! Click the title of each film if you want my full review of each film.

Malignant: What can I say? This film was wild! James Wan is a master of delivering something fresh and insanely original to everything he does. He made his mark on the horror film genre and then took a brake to do more blockbuster films and now he's back. This film took a concept that is mostly saved for heart wrenching dramas, but he takes it into a new violent, interesting and retro style that gore fans will love and action fans will drool over. This film was the best of both worlds and shows that James Wan can do no wrong.

America: The Motion Picture: I love alternate takes on American history. We all know the bloodshed, twists and betrayals, but that doesn't mean you can't take the true history and have a little fun with it. Much like the creators of this, the dark, zanny and incredibly obnoxious humor sometimes writes itself with history. I loved every bit of this film and the outrageous revisionist comedy that ensues over some of the most violent moments in American history. If you love the team behind the 21 Jump Street films, then you will love this stupid action comedy. I'll never look at Paul Revere and his horse the same way and Benedict Arnold was the first American Werewolf! Fight me on that if you will!

Fear Street Trilogy (1994, 1978,1666): 2021 was such a great year for horror! All 3 of these films had their own unique charm and I loved that the entire cast had a part to play in each film in an American Horror Story style of reusing the actors. Each entry was an homage to the great horror films of each time period and the darker stories of the past. From the Salem Witch trials to late 70's and 80's classic teen slashers to iconic 90’s hit Scream, this was so compelling across the entire scope of the central plot. I read a number of Goosebumps books from R.L. Stine, but I never knew about the books these films are based on. I may have to read more.

A Quiet Place Part 2: In this day and age, the art of the sequel is almost gone. Very few can actually get it right in not going so far away from what made the original so great. This film is that rare occasion where not only does it stay consistent with the original, but it gives you the experience of seeing the invasion begin. It is done in such a vast, but small and personal way that didn't require insane explosions, news reports or anything like that. The core of these films are the characters and that continues in this generously expansive masterpiece. I can't wait to see where the family goes next.

No Time To Die: The Bond franchise has gone through many changes, but the one thing that has been consistent is that each era takes our favorite British spy on new and engaging adventures regardless of the quality of film. Just like Sean Connery, Daniel Craig's era of James Bond has does something ground breaking for the character. For the first time, James Bond has gotten a full story arc from the first film that has come to an emotional and jaw dropping finale. Daniel Craig has redefined the character and given such a growth that was so unexpected and beautiful. The Daniel Craig era of Bond, is the best Bond I've ever seen and I couldn't have asked for a more perfect ending.

The Harder They Fall: It has been so long since I have had fun in the Western genre. Not since Young Guns have I had so much fun with the characters on screen and the action they find themselves in. The vengeance story arc is a classic and if you can infuse some flavor into the mix, you may have something special. The fact that this is the first all Black action western where none of the characters are currently or formerly owned slaves was something truly amazing. This film was full of style, blood, comedy and I even loved the villains more than the heroes and that's rare! The soundtrack was the chef's kiss that complimented the visual feast this film was. This is a must see to believe!

The Suicide Squad: Well if this isn't the ultimate definition of a dramatic turn around. The first film was a travesty to say the least and didn't really live up to the scope it deserved. Enter James Gunn! He single handedly revitalized a franchise with his freshly dark, violent and joyfully creative mind. His style of comedy and his Troma film background truly came in handy with this group of villains and he delivered some of the best action the DCEU has ever seen. Every character had their moments to shine whether it be taking out a camp of sleeping commandos or explaining who a character sees when they're killing. This film had so much heart to its wonderful story and visually this film was gorgeous. Now give me a King Shark and Ratcatcher 2 film with Milton making a cameo please?!

The Mitchells vs the Machines: We have seen the family road trip film a dozen times, but what makes them interesting is the driving force of the bond between the children and their parents. Knowing what has disconnected the bond and then seeing the parent striving to reconnect with their child is always compelling but when you add a threat to the world, it creates a moment for everyone to take in account of what's really important. That's what I loved about this film and it worked so well. The animation was astounding, beautiful and compelling. The villain I empathized with as the A.I. showed that we have become so content on focusing on the newest thing and not be happy with what we have. I thoroughly loved the many subplots and themes of this film and it shouldn't be missed. It was a sleeper hit in my opinion and I'm glad I didn't sleep on it. Monchi is King!

Spider-Man: No Way Home: If you truly haven't seen this film already then what the hell are you waiting for?! There was so much riding on this film to be great with all the characters that it was juggling and it worked. Every character had a complete story and I loved that every villain had a form of redemption in the most heartwarming and heartbreaking ways. As a Spider-Man fan, I have always hoped to see the perfect big screen version of the character and it finally happened. Tobey Maguire did great and I really liked Andrew Garfield, but this is the most complete character growth of Peter Parker / Spider-Man I've ever seen. Tom Holland has taken the character on a journey and it all comes together. The action in this film was amazing and the moments where we get to see all 3 live action Spider-Men interact and so organically was truly the best fan service anyone could ask for. This was the greatest live action Spider-Man film and the most fulfilling ending to a spectacular trilogy.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife: I will say it to till the day I die! This film will always be Ghostbusters 4 to me. For decades Ghost Heads and casual movie goers alike have been waiting for the longest time for a proper live action sequel and it has finally arrived. This film saved the franchise from abysmal lie of a remake and decided to scale it back to a small and personal story about the genius Egon Spengler and his granddaughter. The legacy of the Ghostbusters was entrusted to the son of the original director Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman did right by what was established years ago. This was a true love letter to the fans and the swan song to not only Egon, but to the great Harold Ramis. This film was beautiful and I felt like a child again on an adventure to trap ghosts and stop a paranormal entity from destroying the world. This was everything I hoped it would be. I want a actual podcast interview with Podcast and Ray Stanz to be officially made! MAKE IT HAPPEN GHOST CORPS!

And now we've come to that magical moment you've reading along to get to. There were alot of great films of 2021, but I had to choose the one that I loved the most. The best film of 2021 is.....

The Green Knight: The legends of Arthur are famous across all mediums, but one that stuck to me like glue was the story of the Green Knight. It was an epic story of inner strength and self discovery that I truly loved from beginning to end. The slow burn of this film is not for everyone, but I loved its ethereal atmosphere and haunting visuals. The score to this film is so magical, haunting and yet soothing. Dev Patel was excellent as Sir Gawain, but Ralph Ineson's powerful voice rattles the sound scape and carries such weight with every word spoken as the Green Knight. The practical make-up used to bring the Knight to life was out of this world and felt right in the world. He looks exactly like something you would summon and I was blown away by his sound design. This was one of my most anticipated films of the year and it did not disappoint. This is a must see if you have an itch for a great grounded and haunting medieval film.

And that's it ladies and gentlemen! That is my list for the absolute best films of 2021! Here's to 2022 and the next list of great films to come out of the year! Tell me your list of best films or what you thought of my list in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

#malignant #America the motion picture #fear street 1994 #fear street 1978 #fear street 1666 #a quiet place part two #no time to die #the harder they fall #the suicide squad #the mitchells vs the machines #spiderman now way home spoilers #ghostbusters afterlife #the green knight

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smokeybrand · 3 years

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Smokey brand Select: Cut My Life Into Pieces

Whelp, Halloween is upon soon and the horror flicks are dropping right into place. I’ve seen a few Nightmare and Jason retrospectives and Malignant is bamboozling people into thinking it’s great. All this bloody fan fare has been waxing nostalgic about the Eighties hey day of the Slasher and the brief Nineties resurgence. I love horror flicks and the Slasher sub-genre is one of my favorites so i figured, concerning it’s Spooky Season, maybe drop a lit of my favorites. I made one about my favorite Supernatural Horror films, too, so that one might pop up soon, too. This thing might be real Wes Craven heavy. He’s like the Dude of this genre. Also, you’ll notice a distinct lack of Friday the 13th films. Those movies suck balls. I’ve never really liked any of them.

10. Scream

Scream sneaks into this list as a distant ten. I enjoy the subversion in this film and, overall, it’s quite good. As a kid who came of age during the Nineties, this flick was a big deal. This as the triumphant return of the Slasher genre as a whole but also of Wes Craven, himself. Scream is great and I'd love it more if i hadn’t seen New Nightmare a few years before this came out. That movie did everything Scream does, but much better. Also, Freddy Kreuger was in that one. Ghostface is dope and Sydney Prescott is a top five Final Girl, but Scream will always be New Nightmare’s little brother to me.

9a. The Strangers

This movie bugged me the f*ck out. Admittedly, i leans much more toward Home Invasion horror but they get sloppy in the end. Everything up to that pint is an exercise in sheer tension. This movie ramps you up with an unrelenting dread and never let’s you relax. I was thoroughly surprised by how f*cking terrified i was of this film. that never happens for me. Movies don’t scare me. It takes a lot, and i mean that, to get a rise out of me but The Strangers was able to do so almost effortlessly. Just the thought of people coming and going, in and out of my house as they please, while I'm completely oblivious to it, makes me cringe on a guttural level. F*cking fantastic film.

9b. Hush

Hush does what The Strangers does, but amps it up to another level. Instead of being a young couple in the middle of nowhere, it’s a single, deaf, woman out in the muddle of nowhere. That premise, alone, is enough to catch my attention but the execution of this idea in cinematic form, was brilliant. I loved this movie. It as everything i thought it would be. This one is a Mike Flannagan outing and, as far as i am concerned, he’s golden. He wrote it with his wife, Kate Siegel, who happens to be the lead. It sucks they couldn’t get an actual hearing impaired person for the lead but i get it. Hush put Flannagan on the map and without it, we wouldn’t have his growing catalog of pure, horror, excellence.

8. Fear Street trilogy

I referenced this in the Scream entry, but I'm an Eighties kid who grew up in the Nineties. A huge part of my childhood was those R.L. Stine Goosebump books. I grew up with those and, when i got to Junior high, he had a more mature series ready for me: Fear Street. I read that first book and thought it was dope but never revisited the franchise. Imagine my surprise when Netflix adapted that story to film and make it super f*cking bloody! We got three, solid, modern, Slasher flicks and i loved very bloody minute of it. For me, these films eclipse some of the more, better known, classics of the genre. Literally did the summer camp massacre thing better than Friday the 13th, with 1978 and I'll take that sh*t to the grave! Plus, any time i get to see Sadie Sink and Gillian Jacobs do their thing, I'm pretty happy.

7. Halloween

This is a little bit of a cheat because i mean to of the three Halloweens: 1978 and 2018. The first Halloween doesn’t rewrite the Slasher formula and it’s not even the first, i think Black Christmas or Psycho takes that honor, but it does have Michael f*cking Myers. I saw Halloween for the first time after seeing Nightmare 3 and MTV Freddy so, going from that to the malevolent force that is Michael Myers was jarring as f*ck. Dude cut a bloody swath through his movie and then did even more in it’s 2018 sequel. Like, sh*t, man, Myers is a f*cking monster! But his sister, Laurie, is every bit his match. I love Jamie Lee Curtis in this role, almost anytime she plays it. Laurie is top-two Final Girl for me and gives other brilliant female characters like Ellen Ripley and Sarah Connor a run for their money.

6. Candyman

Listen, Candyman is arguably the worst film on this list. as a Slasher, it’s top tier but as a film? It’s adequate at best. Candyman isn’t terrible but it does nothing new. A lot of what it has going for it lies in the themes for me. I grew up Black and in the ghetto during the Nineties and this film deals with a lot of that. The backdrop of poverty and racial strife really hit home back then. Thy tried to do that with the new one released this year and it mostly works but not as well as the original. Plus, Candyman is Daniel Robitaille, portrayed with such roiling menace by Tony Todd. I’ll never forget how his voice thundered when he asked Helen to “Be my Victim?” That sh*t was dope. all the imagery as dope. The whole aesthetic was dope. The actual plot? Not so dope. Still, it left one hell of an impression and became one of my favorites.

5b. The Babysitter

Yo, i love this movie. It’s so f*cking ridiculous an makes next to no sense but it’s fun as f*ck. All these characters make the movie for me. More than that, it introduced me to Samara Weaving and I've been a fan of this chick eve since. She’s been in some interesting fare; Guns Akimbo, Bill and Ted Face the Music, Ready or Not (which one could argue deserves to be on this list), Mayhem, and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, are all f*cking amazing films but it was The Babysitter that made me really start paying attention to her career. This movie is morbidly fun, darkly hilarious, and disturbingly wholesome. Like, i had the warm-and-fuzzes by the time those credits rolled and there was a substantial body count by then.

5a. Happy Death Day

I love this movie for almost all the same reasons that i love The Babysitter. It’s Groundhog’s Day meets Prom Night. It’s Palm Springs meets Urban Legend. The concept, in of itself, seems too simple to be interesting but the film in execution is surprisingly excellent. It has strong performances all around but this thing lives and dies by it’s lead, Tree Gelbman, portrayed by Jessica Roth. Believe me when i say, this move lives a life! Roth is exceptional in this role ans really makes the film. Her reaction to the absurdist nature of her bloody predicament is exactly how i would react to it, too. Just the idea of constantly repeating the day because some asshat keeps murdering you is enough to make me groan and Tree really groans a lot throughout this movie. By, like, her third death, she’s just so done with everything and proceeds to solve her own murder, eventually breaking the cycle, with so much f*ck apathy, it was like looking into a mirror.

4. Child’s Play

I love Chucky. This is some top tier murder movie, man. That first Child’s Play from the Eighties really did something special. Obviously, it’s problematic as f*ck nowadays because everyone is so soft but back then? This sh*t was rife for controversy. More than that, i love the technical aspect of this flick. As the movie progresses, Chucky becomes more and more human, which lends to his urgency in attaining a new, human, body. By the time the film ends, his little Good Guy body is actual flesh and blood. He missed his window to transfer and just wants to murder everything. Now, later entries lean heavy into the camp. Bride and Seed are not favorites but the two newer films, Curse and Cult, strike a good balance between the two tones. For my money, though, the first two Child’s Play films are peak Chucky. We’ll see which version we get in this new series.

3. A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors

And we have finally gotten to the Nightmare films. Freddy Kreuger is one of my favorite film antagonists of all times. Just the concept of an intangible, immortal, child-molesting, murderer, leaving bodies behind after slaying kids in their dreams, is a lot. Dream Warriors was my first Slasher, ever, and i was immediately enthralled. There was so much going on this movie and i loved every second of it. Each Dream Warrior and their personal abilities, the way Freddy responded in kind, and all of the imaginative kills: This movie made for one hell of a watch for wee lil’ Smokey. This movie made me an instant fan pf Wes Craven and sent me down the Nightmare on Elm Street rabbit hole. Imagine my surprise when there were only, like, two films better than this one in the entire f*cking franchise and, technically, one wouldn’t come out for years after i saw this one.

2. Wes Craven’s New Nightmare

New Nightmare f*cked me up when i saw it as a kid. Like, it legit scared me for some reason. That, alone, gets it on this list but, after watching it again as an adult, it would make this list based strictly on the brilliance of the writing. Wes wrote arguably the greatest meta script in film history with this one and ti have it come together so seamlessly on film the way it did was a real feat. Now, this thing has its problems, that climax is a little rough, but everything up to the final clash was pure brilliance. I love how confused reality became as the film played out, how the characters these actors played blended into their real life counterparts in the film. I love the strong performances from Heather Langenkamp as both herself and Nancy Thompson. But, the coup de grace is definitely Robert Englund as The Entity or “Freddy Kreuger”. See, the Freddy in New Nightmare is not the Freddy we know. It’s a demon that’s taken it’s form and he is every but the monster Freddy was in his first film. For me, that’s peak Fred Kreuger. While i will always respect this movie for it’s narrative discipline and excellent portrayal of my favorite Slasher antagonist, it’s not number one because the first Nightmare is the best Nightmare.

1. A Nightmare on Elm Street

A Nightmare on Elm Street is the perfect Slasher film. absolutely amazing watch. Brilliant idea to build around. Fertile ground for imaginative and gory kills. And a f*cking Antagonist who is a relentless force of violence incarnate. Just the idea of Freddy Kreuger is terrifying. Like i aid before, my first foray into the Nightmare was Dream Warriors. That version of the character was kind of campy, way more marketable than i think he should be. Then i saw Halloween. Michael Myers is f*cking terrifying. Then i saw the first Nightmare and was surprised by how effortless that version of Freddy split the difference. This first version of Freddy Kreuger is every bit the nightmare Wes Craven wanted him to be and more. This thing is a classic for a reason. The visuals, alone, get it to the top of this list but the performances send it over the top. Plus, this is the first time we get to see the very best Final Girl in Slasher history, Nancy Thompson. Now, i prefer her character more in New Nightmare but I'd be lying if i said i didn’t completely fall in love with her in the first Nightmare. Heather Langenkamp was every bit the equal to Robert Englund and that energy carried forward through the entire franchise. No one ever really pressed Kreuger like Nancy and it shows.

Honorable Mentions: The Final Girls, Sleepaway Camp, My Bloody Valentine, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Maniac, Black Christmas, You’re Next, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, Trick or Treat, Child’s Play 2, High Tension, May, Scream

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jeremys-blogs · 4 years

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My 10 Comfort Films

Movies have been a big part of my life for as far back as I can remember. And like any movie-lover, there are some I'll be more inclined to watch than others. Not my absolute favourites or the ones I think of as "the best movies ever" necessarily, but ones I'll always come back to when I have a free afternoon to watch them. And those are the ones I want to list out here. Films that might not be the objective best of their respective fields and franchises, but ones that I just always enjoy watching whenever they're on my screen.

The Isle of Dogs (2018) - Now, I realise that the visual style championed by Wes Anderson (lots of symmetrical shots, characters looking directly into the camera, and so on) can be a bit of an acquired taste, but it definitely works for an animated outing like this one. A story of a bunch of dogs living and trying to survive on an island covered in trash doesn't admittedly sound like the most appealing of movies, but let it never be said that Wes can't make film look good. Voice talent like Brian Cranston and Bill Murray help provide a deadpan style of humour that, while certainly not to everyone's liking, had me hooked from moment one. And of course, as someone who grew up with stop-motion animation, it's always nice to see someone try to keep that style alive, and yes kudos also has to be given to Laika for that. Anderson has only done one other animated work, Fantastic Mr Fox, and between them this is definitely my favourite. I have no idea if he'll ever return to animation, but I have a good feeling it'll be great when he does, because as unpolished as this might sometimes appear, it's nevertheless a great watch.

Porco Rosso (1992) - I may have watched a good number of other anime films in my day, but few have ever managed to match the enjoyment given to me by the movies of Studio Ghibli, and especially not against those of Hayao Miyazaki himself. In fact, I'll even go on record now and say that he might be my all-time favourite filmmaker, since he's never made a movie I didn't like, which I've never been able to say about anyone else. Porco Rosso might not have the kind of deep characters and story of Princess Mononoke, and it might not be anywhere near the sheer visual brilliance of Spirited Away, but it nevertheless engages me deeply whenever I watch it. Of all Miyazaki's films, this might have the fewest fantastical elements to it, with the only real bit of other-worldliness being that the main character is under a curse that turns him into a pig, but never let that lead you to think this doesn't have Miyazaki's signature whimsy all over it. Porco is often an overlooked and under-appreciated movie when compared to Miyazaki's other films, but as far as I'm concerned it deserves to stand alongside even the best of them.

Hercules (1997) - The Disney Renaissance is often lauded for its critically and commercially successful films, and rightfully so. From classics like Little Mermaid to Aladdin, this ten-year stretch of Disney's history has a lot to be pleased about. So it might seem odd that my personal pick from this era is the film often regarded as one of its lesser entries. And I'll grant you, compared to revolutionary films like Little Mermaid, this might not seem particularly special. But it still has a lot to enjoy, especially by me. Yes, the mythology buff in me does indeed wince whenever I see some inaccuracy, but the sheer joy I feel at watching Hercules always negates that. And of course, who could forget one of the most enjoyable villains ever to grace a Disney production, courtesy of the great James Woods. But don't think the movie is carried by him alone, as plenty of the other cast, including Susan Egan and Danny DeVito in particular, do great and making this a fun ride. Between the animation, the voice work, the often-catchy musical numbers and the simple pleasure this film offers, Disney's Hercules proves that it is indeed a hero, and not a zero.

Toy Story 4 (2019) - Toy Story was a groundbreaking movie that kicked down the door for the success of all future computer-animated films. Toy Story 2 was a more-than-worthy addition to the ultra-exclusive club of sequels that were better than the original. Toy Story 3 was a poignant and heartfelt goodbye to a franchise and cast of characters that we had come to know and love over the years. Let's not mince words here, people. Being tasked with creating another sequel in a franchise that had been capped off almost a decade earlier in a way that led many to calling it one of the greatest trilogies of all time must have been an exceptionally daunting prospect. But let it never be said that Pixar can't rise to the challenge when one is presented to them, as Toy Story 4 is a hugely engaging and entertaining flick. Is it as good as those that came before? Well, it's certainly not pushing any boundaries like they did, with the exception of the clear advances in animation that have been made, but even wit that taken into account, it's just a nice film to watch. The farewell given to us here might not have brought a tear to my eye the way the third movie did, but I'd still be happy to have this be the final word on the Toy Story theatrical releases.

The Avengers (2012) - Like everyone, I had been watching and enjoying many of the MCU movies that had been coming up in the years leading up to this big crossover, and like those other people I too had been learning about the eventual team-up through all the various end-credits scenes Marvel had become so famous for. But whether the eventual film would be good was still up in the air. I certainly hoped it'd be entertaining, but I also didn't want to get too hopeful, just in case. Thankfully, Marvel met my expectations and smashed through them, delivering what is, quite possibly, my all-time favourite superhero film. The idea of comic book continuity and crossovers working in a live-action movie had been thought of as almost a laughable notion, but Marvel proved those naysayers wrong in the biggest way possible, showing that not only were these movies capable of being good when all these disparate characters got together, but that they thrived while doing so. Avengers was the first of these big team-ups, and in my eyes it has remained the gold standard. Other entries like Age of Ultron or Infinity War all had their value, but to me nothing will ever quite measure up to this first meeting of such iconic and wonderful characters.

Star Trek Beyond (2016) - I'll be upfront, I wasn't a big fan of the 2009 reboot of the Star Trek franchise, nor was I particularly fond of its 2013 sequel, Into Darkness. For me the movies were just trying too hard to be serious and heavy, and while I fully acknowledge that the Trek fandom has a lot of people who enjoy the more gritty directions the franchise has gone in, I cannot count myself among them. Beyond, by contrast, actually seems like it wants to just be a fun ride, which is something I appreciate a great deal. This is not, in any way, a deep or complicated movie. In fact, when you get right down to it, what we have here is just an episode of the original Trek show just blown up to feature length with some modern-day visuals and cast. But you know, that's okay by me, as the end result was hugely enjoyable. Pine and the rest of the cast, in terms of their acting, seem far more comfortable here than they were with the other films of the trilogy, and special mention has to go to Zachary Quinto as Spock, who was able to perfectly balance not only the character's famous stoicism, but also the moments of drama and humour the role called for. This is not the greatest Star Trek movie ever made, but it's one I enjoy more than anything else in the franchise.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) - A common trend with me as far as Star Wars trilogies are concerned is that the first movie in that grouping will always be the one I enjoy watching most, and it seems that pattern continued with the release of Disney's foray into the franchise. Force Awakens is often maligned as being too similar to the original 1977 film, and while I can certainly see those similarities, that isn't anywhere near enough of a reason for me to dislike it. New characters like Rey, Finn and BB-8 were instantly endearing to me and I always enjoyed seeing the three of them together and working off one another. Harrison Ford's return was welcome and he definitely gave it his all, though Carrie Fisher was no slouch either. There's nothing especially revolutionary about this movie, and really the only thing that gets it on this list is just pure likeability. But as far as I'm concerned, that's all a movie needs. Abrams has a noted talent when it comes to recreating the look of sci-fi movies of past decades, and that talent is on full display here, as the movie looks right at home with every other Star Wars story out there. Disney's other films in this trilogy might not have brought me as much joy, but I'll always have this one to pick me up again.

Shin Godzilla (2016) - Okay, given that this is a list of movies I like to just watch while chilling, Shin Godzilla probably seems like an odd pick. I've talked about it before and mentioned repeatedly how it's probably the most serious and unhappy Godzilla film to date. So why go for this instead of something more exciting like King of the Monsters? Well, it's hard to put into words, but there's just something about this movie that draws me to it. It's one I respect certainly, owing largely to its goal of recreating everything that made the original Gojira movie great but putting it in a modern setting, but besides that there's just a quality that I can't put my finger on. Maybe it's the fact that, despite my previously-mentioned dislike of movies trying to be serious, this is one of the rare examples of that seriousness actually fitting the kind of film I'm watching. It's a movie of Godzilla at his most dangerous, horrific and nightmarish, and whose great terror is thwarted only by the collective efforts of a group of political, scientific and military misfits, yet I'm on the edge of my seat unable to look away throughout the whole thing. No idea if that rumoured sequel will ever come to pass, but I can only hope it's as engrossing as this one was.

Legend (1985) - By far the oldest movie you'll find on this list, this gem of a story by famed director Ridley Scott is a fairy tale of a young woodland boy hoping to rescue his fair love from a wicked demon. Now that sounds about as generic a fantasy story as you can make, and in truth the movie is more interested in creating as unique visual portrayal of that classic setup than it is in revolutionizing or pushing it in any way. But what a visual spectacle it is. It's really hard to put into words just what it's like to watch this movie, and most of the time it feel like you're watching some feature-length dream sequence. That certainly makes it an oddity among other fantasy flicks of its era, but "classic fairy tale executed perfectly" is a pretty good reason to love it. Thankfully, it also has some great performances to help bring that whole thing to life, with the star-making turn of course being that of the great Tim Curry as the movie's central antagonist. If there's a list of great movie fantasy villains out there, Curry's character absolutely deserves to be on it, and chances are he'll be the thing you end up remembering most if you ever decide to watch this yourselves.

Demolition Man (1993) - I'm admittedly not a big watcher of the big, muscly action flicks that dominated the 80s and 90s, but this one actually caught my interest a few years back. A film that, while certainly showing off some pretty intense fight scenes, also had a lot of smart things to say. Ideas that you didn't normally see in beefcake action titles, like the importance of the balance between personal freedom and the collective good. A society where murder has been eradicated, but at the cost of many of the things we know and love today. It might not be the best at that particular discussion, but it's certainly something to note given that I don't normally consider this particular genre to be the place to think about it. But of course the big draw is the two leads, Stallone and Snipes, and yeah they are definitely having fun in their roles. Stallone is a far better actor than most people give him credit for, and this is definitely a role I enjoyed watching him in, especially since they actually allow him to be occasionally funny. Any action movie that remembers that you need to tell a joke every once in a while has my respect, and it's just one more thing about this fine move to like.

So yeah, those are my regular comfort movies. Some odd choices maybe, but hey, I like what I like 🥰

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pigballoon · 4 years

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Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker

(J.J. Abrams, 2019)

If you are one of those switch your brain off and enjoy it people then there is a lot to love in this movie. Big space battles, nostalgic callbacks, chase scenes, shooting, more nostalgia, lightsabering, amusing droids, death, two unnamed lesbian extras starring in their own Where's Waldo page, and more nostalgia.

If those things don't do much for you, or are not alone enough for you to enjoy a movie, and as someone who grew up watching Star Wars movies, they certainly were not for me, then this is the sort of movie that caps off a trilogy defined more than anything else by how much of a pastiche it was of Star Wars' of days gone by with the ultimate act of pastiche that in slapping itself together from bits of old Star Wars movies forgot to be particularly coherent (The conclusion for our beloved Leia Organa’s part in all this is particularly damning in this regard. Nice moments, obviously hamstrung by Carrie Fisher’s passing, but why do something some way if you don’t have the ability/material to pull it off?) in an overall way.

When George Lucas began releasing his much maligned prequel trilogy 20 years ago they were savaged by fans and critics alike from beginning to end, but Star Wars Episode IX, the for now last Star Wars movie makes me for one appreciate those admittedly badly made movies all the more. Overdosing on CGI they may have been, bad acting and occasional overwriting they may have been polluted by, but they were original (as original as any of these movies get anyway) stories taking the story of a galaxy far, far away in new directions. They were a clear counter part to their predecessors, where that was the tale of light, of saviours, new hope, and redemption, the prequels were a tale of darkness, of fear and frailty, falling empires and despair. This new trilogy, Abrams entries anyway, just appear to be tributes to the original movies. That Disney could have embarked on this undertaking without a clear thought through arc is bewildering beyond belief, and after getting away with it for 2 movies, with The Rise of Skywalker the chickens have well and truly come home to roost.

JJ Abrams, and Chris Terrio, the academy award winning genius who reduced Argo to what it was, couldn't writing a satisfying Batman and Superman movie in spite of trying twice, is now given the keys to the kingdom in taking home a 42 year saga, but more importantly, retconning as much of Rian Johnson's Last Jedi as possible. In the process it becomes a mess of a movie that can barely even seem to stay logically straight within its own confines, and in its desire to be an act of worship to Star Wars movies of the past manages to triumphantly undo even the socially agreed upon good ones. *spoilers* the end of Return of the Jedi now literally means nothing. *end spoilers* That’s the other great crime of this movie. Kylo Ren putting his helmet back on, key details left out of the film but included in tie-in books, like last years Solo it ties these movies in far too much with the extended universe beyond, it ties it all in with the merchandise, the toys, its testament to modern blockbuster filmmaking at its worst. A corporation trying to drain every cent from you that they can.

I mentioned before how it is all an act of worship to the original movies, but the one thing you can say for this film is that it is so more in the way it cashes in on Star Wars iconography of days gone by more than how it narratively treads as much already tread water as both The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi did.

The trouble is that in trying to do that it reveals what a lot of creative bankruptcy there is in the brains of the people making it. So many scenes come off like the creation of some preteen more interested in crafting new cool moments around characters and ideas long established than trying to tell a coherent story. The opening minutes in particular are particularly bewildering from a writing, editing, directing point of view, and is almost certainly the worst introduction to a Star Wars movie ever. I guess now we know why they stuck to the old formulas so closely... Even when they do come up with a good moment (”but there are more of us”) if you happened to be one of the number of people that a few months ago watched the now highest grossing movie of all time then you may have seen a scene that did almost the exact same thing. Further still as more testament to the storytelling incompetence of its creators it manages to immediately undo that moment in order to give us one more moment of nostalgia driven fan service.

So yes, comfortably the worst Star Wars movie I’ve ever laid eyes on. Takes Solo’s issues with trying to transform itself from major movie event into one small part in the larger Disney cog innumerable steps further, makes me pine for the savaged prequel trilogy that had an actual new story to tell rather than just coasting entirely on nostalgia and iconography, completely dismantles the half built arc of its own trilogy, and commits again and again that crime of final chapters where instead of riding your two acts already told story to the finish line, it spends too much time introducing new ideas, new characters, again, we can assume as slaves to the corporation that created them to have new content to shuffle into its other products. It’s a heinous piece of work on so many levels that makes certainly this lifelong Star Wars fan more fully appreciate the franchises weaknesses in days gone by.

Still, the one genuinely good thing here is the conclusion to the central arc of Daisy Ridley’s Rey. Granted, in going the way that they go with it they are annihilating a large part of The Last Jedi’s subtextual brilliance (they try bringing that back to some degree with the aforementioned rare good moment, but then undo it with their pandering stupidity) but her internal struggle over the course of the movie is really well written, and brilliantly played by Ridley herself, and the conclusion basically satisfactory, even if in its wrapping up it still can’t avoid the wallowing in nostalgia. Storytelling wise they could have surely picked a more appropriate location for that character, and the two characters she’s honouring.

I could go on and on with the issues that just keep overriding even the good stuff, but anyway, I’m sad to say I’m just sort of relieved it’s all over. I remember the feeling of sadness when Revenge of the Sith ended, going to see it over and over again, feeling this was really the end, not wanting it to be over. In the 15 years since the cinematic landscape has changed so much that not only do I have not even the slightest doubt that this will all be back (and that in spite of it selling itself as the conclusion of the Skywalker saga, Skywalker’s even if in name only, will feature.) but after two promising previous entries it’s whimpered out so spectacularly that I’m just happy it’s been put out of its misery. 42 years on from the emergence of a new hope... I’ve lost all hope.

#star wars #the rise of skywalker #episode ix #episode 9 #rise of skywalker #star wars episode ix: the rise of skywalker #jj abrams #j.j. abrams #j.j abrams #daisy ridley

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medakakurokami · 5 years

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top 5 jrpgs

these aren’t necessarily in order its hard to rank games just whichever come to my head. also try to stick to 1 per franchise. Things like .hack and Chrono Trigger and Xenogears would probably make the list if i’d ever fuckin beat em! also avoiding SRPG’s or action-focused ARPG’s like Nier Automata, y’know shit that video game journalists think are JRPG’s.

5. Dragon Quest III

I usually give all the love to Dragon Quest 5, and after 11 I’d be tempted to say 11, but let me give love to 3. Dragon Quest 3 has been so embedded in JRPG design and culture seeping into anime as well, even when not complex, playing it feels like experiencing something truly classic, an early mastered blueprint for a genre. Specifically though, the SNES version’s added intro shows that the simple story lends itself to something greater than the tropes it created, which is something every JRPG after it would have to accomplish as well.

4. Persona 4 Golden

Persona 4 has garnered a lot of distaste from people in the last few years, and not without good reason. Many of the social and personal commentary it tried to make was poorly handled by people who were clearly not writing from personal experience, and you also have Yosuke Hanamura the biggest shitlord this side of the Samegawa River. There’s also flaws that were present at launch, such as the tedious recapping of the story after every dungeon, the drab dungeons that played like a cautionary tale against corridors in video games, and a maligned start to the third act where strict dialogue options would cost many players the true ending and a limited window to forming a relationship with Naoto Shirogane, one of the game’s best characters. While fortunately the Golden release could fix those latter issues, the former will perhaps rightly be the source of discourse for as long as this game lingers in people’s minds. However, I don’t think Persona 4 gets its due credit this far out. Nowadays we have much more representation in video games, from excellent games that have lesbian fish knights to mediocre corporate produced pandering games it’s just everywhere. But the discussion of sexual and LGBT issues in mainstream gaming was much harder to find before Persona 4. And despite the aspects that were mishandled, messages about toxic masculinity (that greatly resonated with me as a teenager) and the pressures of women coming into male dominated professions can still be well derived. And beyond that the cast is (mostly) as charming as Persona casts get with each of them having strong personal arcs.

3. Undertale

Does Undertale count as a JRPG? Made in America with non-traditional RPG mechanics? Undertale will be the placeholder here until I finally get around to playing Earthbound. Anyway Undertale’s great. Constantly funny and charming, heartwarming story, addictive gameplay, beautiful and awesome music, stellar deconstructive game design. You know why it’s great.

2. Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana

I only got into Ys recently and have only beaten 4 of the games but it’s good to know a lot of Ys fans also agree this was a quick high-tier entry in the franchise. A game that’s almost inherently fun to zip around in and master on the highest levels of difficulty. It carries with it Falcom’s now-signature style of constant NPC characterization in a way that attaches you to everyone in the game and makes it increasingly satisfying to watch your village grow. The story isn’t mind blowing but glimpses of greatness are there, and the entire premise feels like it’s one that is perfect for a video game so much that its inconceivable that it hasn’t been done this well before if at all.

1. Trails of Cold Steel II

But the experience of Ys 8 is insular (LOL i’m funny) and Falcom’s constant worldbuilding and dense lore, deep NPC characterization, and excellent RPG mechanics are at their most rewarding when 7 games deep into an inspired saga. People were complaining to me the other day about the Trails games being too much of a slog early on and that games need some sort of instant gratification. But instant gratification is a hot pocket in the microwave for 90 seconds, and Trails is a four course meal at a Brazilian steak house. At 3 hours in, I was regretting my purchase of Trails Of Cold Steel 1. By three hours into the sequel, Trails of Cold Steel had elevated my expectations and standards for JRPG’s and RPG’s in general. Full of anime cliche’s and PS2 graphics, Cold Steel never wasted its time being ashamed of the genre and the series has picked up and improved on the best elements of other series’ character building, exploitation based combat, life sim integration into gameplay in story, and beat them all out in terms of building the world through side quests and extra material. Top it all off with great music, great designs and artwork, and one of the best English localizations you’ll ever hear or read. If you aren’t playing this saga you’re missing out, and I can’t wait for the next game in November.

#mrmelons

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smokeybrandreviews · 3 years

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Smokey brand Select: Cut My Life Into Pieces

10. Scream

9a. The Strangers

9b. Hush

8. Fear Street trilogy

7. Halloween

6. Candyman

5b. The Babysitter

5a. Happy Death Day

4. Child’s Play

3. A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors

2. Wes Craven’s New Nightmare

1. A Nightmare on Elm Street

#Smokey brand Select #Slasher Horror

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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James Bond Movies Streaming Guide: Where to Watch 007 Online

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

In times of great stress it’s natural for us to all find some sort of escapism – and movies are the perfect way to forget about your problems (or the world’s) for a couple of hours. Personally, we’ve found the James Bond franchise to be among the best forms of such entertainment: the movies are pure adventure and fantasy, they have a comforting template that they mostly follow, and you can dive into the series — or even an individual film — without having to catch up on anything that came before.

That’s why it’s so heartening that — even though the new film, No Time to Die, has been delayed due to the COVID-19 crisis — most of the Bond catalog is available to watch via the major streaming platforms. Amazon has many of them streaming for free for Prime members, with almost all available to rent or buy. A number of titles are free to stream on Hulu or Netflix. Of course, you can also watch a lot of them (with commercials) on Pluto TV’s dedicated Bond channel, or on demand there as well.

Wherever you get your Bond, the exploits of 007 remain a sure bet to whisk you away for a while; it’s only a shame that we couldn’t send Bond to defeat the coronavirus as easily as he takes out his enemies. And with the recent passing of original James Bond Sean Connery at the age of 90, you might want to revisit his work, as well.

Here’s how and where you can watch…

Dr. No (1962)

The first Bond movie and still one of the best, Dr. No introduced so many elements of what became the series template for decades to come. Unsettling megalomaniac villain, world-spanning evil plan, drop-dead beautiful women, pulse-pounding chases and cold-blooded killings…they’re all here. And then of course there was the late, great Sean Connery, rugged, smoldering and deadly as the definitive screen Bond.

Available to rent or buy on Amazon and Amazon UK

From Russia with Love (1963)

Connery’s second outing as 007 is probably the closest to Fleming’s books in terms of overall tone and style. This is a lean, thrilling adventure that puts Bond up against one of his most fearsome enemies: the cold-blooded assassin Red Grant (Robert Shaw). Their train fight is one of the best scenes in the franchise.

Available on Amazon and Hulu, to rent or buy on Amazon UK

Goldfinger (1964)

Bond’s third outing was the Avengers: Endgame of its time, a cultural event not to be missed. Director Guy Hamilton introduced more humor into the proceedings, while Connery tweaked the character accordingly. Add to that more action, a larger than life villain and an epic scope, and you have the movie that many still consider the best of the series.

Available to rent or buy on Amazon and Amazon UK

Thunderball (1965)

After three straight winners, Thunderball is where the 007 series first started to wobble. Although it features one of the best Bond villains and some of the most beautiful Bond women, the movie is overlong and bogged down with too many underwater sequences. Thunderball is still fun in many ways — the first 40 minutes or so are marvelous — but it spends way too much time in the water.

Available on Amazon, Hulu and Pluto TV, available to rent or buy on Amazon UK

You Only Live Twice (1967)

The final entry of Connery’s initial run as 007 proves that bigger isn’t always better. Although the movie finally introduces long-lurking nemesis Blofeld and takes Bond to a massive secret lair disguised as a volcano in Japan, the series started to feel flabby and the star seemed visibly bored. It was also the first Bond movie to stray wildly from the source novel, a decision that in this case didn’t work.

Available on Amazon, Hulu and Pluto TV, available to rent or buy on Amazon UK

Casino Royale (1967)

Producer Charles K. Feldman acquired the rights to the first Bond novel before the official series from Eon Productions was launched. He subsequently produced this spoof of the 007 series, which bears only the title of the book and the name of the Bond character (who is played by David Niven). Six credited directors, a bevy of screenwriters and a boatload of international stars couldn’t salvage this infamous mess of a movie.

Available to rent or buy on Amazon and Amazon UK

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)

Australian model-turned-actor George Lazenby made his sole appearance as Bond in this sixth film, an exceptionally faithful adaptation of the emotionally devastating Fleming book it’s based on. Lazenby manages to acquit himself nicely despite being the first actor to follow Connery, while Diana Rigg and Telly Savalas are outstanding as, respectively, the love of Bond’s life and the instrument of her death. Once considered a misfire, OHMSS ranks among the very best of the series.

Available on Amazon, Hulu and Pluto TV, available to rent or buy on Amazon UK

Diamonds are Forever (1971)

A pale echo of the earlier Goldfinger (from the same director, Guy Hamilton), Diamonds are Forever is remembered as the movie that lured Sean Connery back for one more turn in the tuxedo (until 12 years later, that is). The sober, character-driven style of OHMSS is jettisoned for a cartoonish romp that has its fun moments but is largely disposable.

Available on Amazon, Hulu and Pluto TV, available to rent or buy on Amazon UK

Live and Let Die (1973)

Roger Moore’s debut in the role — after Connery exited for a second time — is, sadly, a largely cringeworthy affair. Based on Fleming’s second 007 novel, the movie’s attempt to fuse blaxploitation with Bond is awkward and, nowadays, borderline racist. Moore doesn’t quite find his footing either. The upside? The title song by Paul McCartney and Wings is a stone cold classic.

Available on Amazon, Hulu and Pluto TV, available to rent or buy on Amazon UK

The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)

Based on Fleming’s final Bond novel and considered one of the worst of the Roger Moore era, The Man with the Golden Gun has two things going for it: a relatively tough Moore performance and one of the best Bond villains of all time in Christopher Lee’s title baddie, Scaramanga. Lee’s presence literally saves whole stretches of the film, which is often undone by juvenile humor and lame supporting characters.

Available on Amazon, Hulu and Pluto TV, available to rent or buy on Amazon UK

The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

Third time was the charm for Roger Moore, as The Spy Who Loved Me gambles on going for all-out spectacle and delivers handsomely. Moore strikes the right balance of grit and humor, the action is thrilling throughout and the villain’s henchman, Jaws (Richard Kiel), is a slam dunk. This is rightly considered the high point of Moore’s run as well as one of the series’ finest entries.

Available to rent or buy on Amazon and Amazon UK

Moonraker (1979)

Although remembered with some derision as “Bond in space,” Moonraker really only takes 007 to the stars in the final act for a wacked-out battle that looks too much like a cheap grab at some of that then-lucrative Star Wars money. Until then, however — and barring some bad comedy starring the encoring Jaws — Moonraker is a fairly straightforward thriller with a deliciously droll villain (Michael Lonsdale).

Available on Amazon, Hulu and Pluto TV, available to rent or buy on Amazon UK

For Your Eyes Only (1981)

Moore gives perhaps the best performance of his seven Bond films in a taut thriller that scales back the gimmickry and comes closer to the feel of the original Fleming than any other film in the Moore era. There are some cringeworthy elements (such as an awful Lynn Holly Johnson as a 007-infatuated pro ice skater), but this also features Moore at his most cold-blooded and cynical.

Available on Amazon and Hulu, available to rent or buy on Amazon UK

Octopussy (1983)

An aging Moore and director John Glen (back for the second of five films — the most of any 007 director) keep the For Your Eyes Only vibe going with less spectacle and more practical spy film action. Maud Adams is good as the title femme fatale, but the film gets snarled in a convoluted, uninteresting plot that features some especially flat humor and one of the weakest Bond villains.

Available on Amazon, Hulu and Pluto TV, available to rent or buy on Amazon UK

Never Say Never Again (1983)

Sean Connery was coaxed back to play an appropriately aged Bond in this non-canon 007 adventure. A remake of Thunderball that was legally made possible due to certain rights owned by a solitary producer, Never Say Never Again benefits from the Connery charisma, a distinctive villain and some stylish sequences. But it can’t help feeling like a strange mirror universe cash grab at the same time.

Available on Pluto TV, to rent or buy on Amazon and Amazon UK

A View to a Kill (1985)

Moore bows out with a rather silly Silicon Valley adventure in which the actor’s 57 years (at the time) are clearly visible throughout. Christopher Walken is an excellent, quirky villain and henchwoman Grace Jones is also an impressive presence, but it was clear that the Moore formula of suave bonhomie and locker room humor was long worn out.

Available on Amazon and Hulu, available to rent or buy on Amazon UK

The Living Daylights (1987)

Timothy Dalton’s debut as 007 was billed as a return to the feel and texture of the Fleming stories, and it even borrows elements from the short story it’s based on. Dalton is a much harder-edged Bond than his predecessor Moore, but the movie is overplotted and its action mostly unremarkable.

Available on Amazon, Hulu and Pluto TV, available to rent or buy on Amazon UK

License to Kill (1989)

Dalton settles into the role in his second (and as it turns out, final) appearance as Bond, this time in a tale that puts Bond on a personal mission of revenge against a powerful South American drug lord. Somewhat maligned for its rather sadistic violence, License to Kill is an underrated entry in the series that occasionally pushes the envelope for 007 in ways that hadn’t been done for a while.

Available on Amazon, Hulu and Pluto TV, available to rent or buy on Amazon UK

GoldenEye (1995)

After nearly winning the role years earlier, Pierce Brosnan makes his long-expected debut as 007 in a rather thoughtful thriller that questions both Bond’s relationships and his place in a post-Cold War world. Brosnan is assured in the role, if a little bland, but GoldenEye still manages to feel a little like both the earlier Connery classics and some of the better Moore romps.

Available on Netflix, available to rent or buy on Amazon and Amazon UK

Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

Jonathan Pryce is excellent as the movie’s Rupert Murdoch-like media mogul villain — who intends to start a major war to bolster his news network’s ratings — and Michelle Yeoh makes a solid foil to Bond as a tough Chinese agent named Wai Lin. Brosnan’s sophomore Bond outing has a subtle satirical edge to it and some exciting scenes, but stretches of it seem more impersonal and functional than stylish.

Available on Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, available to rent or buy on Amazon UK

The World is Not Enough (1999)

Despite strong work from Sophie Marceau as a 007 first — a principal villain who’s also a woman — and Robert Carlyle as her damaged terrorist henchman, Brosnan’s third film is marred by another incomprehensible story and Denise Richards as one of the most embarrassing Bond women ever. The humor and serious moments clash awkwardly, harming what could have been a much better entry.

Available on Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, available to rent or buy on Amazon UK

Die Another Day (2002)

Just like Connery and Moore, Brosnan goes out on a low note with this ridiculously overstuffed mess that features both an invisible car and a high-tech lair made out of ice. The plot is even more incomprehensible than usual for the lesser outings, and the presence of Halle Berry as a sort of female version of Bond doesn’t generate much excitement either.

Available to rent or buy on Amazon and Amazon UK

Casino Royale (2006)

Four years after Pierce Brosnan exited in one of the silliest Bond films, Daniel Craig took up the mantle in an instant classic that returned the series literally to its roots. This largely faithful version of Fleming’s first book features Craig as a relatively new but deeply haunted 007, who gets one last chance to turn back before becoming the ruthless assassin of legend.

Available on Amazon, Hulu and Netflix, available to rent or buy on Amazon UK

Quantum of Solace (2008)

Widely derided at the time, and deservedly so, for Marc Forster’s nearly unwatchable direction — the movie’s editing is absolutely atrocious — Quantum of Solace was also hurt by a writer’s strike that left the script somewhat undercooked. But Craig is excellent again, and the movie works a little better if you watch it right after Casino Royale, as an extended epilogue.

Available on Amazon, Netflix and Hulu, available to rent or buy on Amazon UK

Skyfall (2012)

Craig’s second finest outing as Bond has impressively stylish direction by Sam Mendes and is one of the most beautiful-looking 007 films of all time thanks to DP Roger Deakins. Javier Bardem is marvelously ghoulish as the villain, and Judi Dench gets an emotional send-off in her seventh and final appearance as Bond’s boss M. Skyfall finds the right, gripping mix of characterization and epic action.

Available to rent or buy on Amazon, Amazon UK

Spectre (2015)

Bond arch-nemesis Blofeld (Christoph Waltz) and the title crime organization appear for the first time since 1971’s Diamonds are Forever in one of 007’s most polarizing entries. The action is great and some of the series callbacks are fun, but Craig seems bored and tying everything from the last four films back to Bond’s childhood is a contrived, unnecessary mistake. Spectre is better than you might have heard, but not as good as it could be.

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Available to rent or buy on Amazon, Amazon UK

The post James Bond Movies Streaming Guide: Where to Watch 007 Online appeared first on Den of Geek.

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wonderfulworldofmichaelford · 7 years

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Shit I Hate #2: Aspects of the DCEU (And the Psychopathic Portion of Its Fandom)

So, I’m sure a lot of you think I outright hate the DCEU. I haven’t been shy from giving harsh criticisms of it in the past, though the whole hardcore anti-DCEU thing from a while back was only to get rid of a particularly annoying mutual (and she and people like her will be brought up later in this post, don’t worry). So now, here, I will give my honest-to-god opinions on the DCEU, and talk about what it is I hate about it. Because I certainly don’t hate everything about it; there’s plenty of value to be found in it. But it has some glaring flaws I want to address.

So, as I said, I don’t hate the DCEU. In fact, I really, really want it to succeed. Anyone with a brain wants it to get better; if there’s only one company making good superhero movies, well, people are gonna get fatigued. Good competition is better for business than steamrolling the competition. But sadly, the DCEU has been, from an objective standpoint, incredibly disappointing.

It’s totally okay to like and enjoy these movies; like I said, there is plenty to enjoy and admire. But from an objective standpoint, I can’t say any of these films are very good as superhero movies. Let me go into what I mean: the superhero movie genre is obviously not set in stone, and it can encompass a lot of things: it can be dark and gritty, lighthearted and comic, a mixture of the two… But DC has tended to veer towards dark and gritty when it comes to adaptations, especially when it comes to Batman. Out of the seven Batman films from the 80s to today, five of them have been darker and grittier than your standard comic book fare (Tum Burton’s and Nolan’s Batman films to be precise). The other two are much-maligned for their campy tone and silliness. Now, Nolan’s films, while being dark and gritty, are very well regarded for the most part, particularly the middle entry of the franchise, The Dark Knight. This film is one of my all-time favorite films, and is probably the film that has held DC back the most as they try and start up their shared cinematic universe.

The reason Nolan’s Batman films work despite their dark and gritty nature is because they are much more grounded in reality than your standard superhero fare as well as featuring a hero that tends to deal with darker fare in general. DC, in their rush to join the cinematic universe bandwagon Marvel kickstarted, decided that Nolan’s successful Batman films would be the best films to emulate when going for their reboots; the problem is, their first film in the DCEU was a Superman film, and Zach Snyder was directing.

Zach Snyder is not a bad director; in fact, he has directed some truly amazing comic book adaptations (Watchmen and 300). The thing is, though, that Snyder was always best at faithfully translating someone else’s work to live action. He managed to deliver a faithful adaptation of Alan Moore’s infamously unfilmable graphic novel hat honestly improves on it in some areas, and the same goes for his adaptation of Frank Miller’s tale of the 300 Spartans. Original material is not his strong suit; look at Sucker Punch, one of the most awful, brainless action films ever shat out, and the point where you can see his career starting to spiral into Shymalanian failure. Man of Steel is not an adaptation of any one Superman story, and the questionable elements of it are not easy to ignore with Snyder’s style. The incredible destruction during the final battle, the weak characterization of Zod, the more violent Superman, Superman killing Zod, it’s not as easy tos wallow with the pretentious pseudo-Nolan style Snyder is going for. While he’s great at adapting other people’s work, Snyder is not good at emulating other director’s styles, and it really makes the film one hard to recommend. It’s a dark, gritty, and dour Superman movie, and Superman is not a hero people wanted to see get dark and brooding. Still, Man of Steel is not a film I’d say is objectively good or bad; it’s a very mixed movie, and I’d say it’s on the fence. At the very least, as the first movie in a franchise, it had great room to improve with a sequel. A sequel would address the flaws, fix plotholes, just work everything into something more enjoyable. I mean, all the actors did a good job with what they were given, and Cavill is easily my favorite live action Superman, so a sequel would easily improve on this, right?

That’s sadly not what we got. Not entirely anyway.

I once said the DCEU was like if Marvel had released their films like this: Iron Man → The Avengers → Guardians of the Galaxy → Avengers: Age of Ultron → Thor. Some asshat responded with some smug, sarcastic condescension saying “Oh why not have an origin story for every character in Lord of the Rings before Lord of the Rings actually came out? :)” This analogy is incredibly stupid, as Tolkien likely would have LOVED that, and superhero movies REQUIRE character setup. Do you know why The Avengers was as enjoyable as it was? Because all of these characters had already been set up in other films, so the movie didn’t need to feed us all these backstories for all these characters, just giving “need to know” characterization for any newcomers. A big crossover like this only can work if there’s proper setup; if Freddy vs. Jason happened after the first Friday the 13th and before a single Nightmare on Elm Street movie it probably wouldn’t be a very good film. It had plenty of films to build up what a threat Freddy and Jason were. Batman v Superman does not do that. It is the followup to Man of Steel, and it expects us to just go with two brand new, never-before-seen characters, one who has little to no backstory given and one whose backstory and characterization takes up a good chunk of the first third of the film. There really should have been a new Batman film, a Superman sequel, and Wonder Woman’s movie prior to this. They didn’t have to be origin stories, a brief origin like Batman’s at the start of Batman v Superman would have been fine, but audiences needed SOMETHING so we wouldn’t just be thrown in and forced to accept shit. The lack of buildup even seeps into the cameos; we are thrown the Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg origins one after the other in a three minute span of time. It’s like they’re trying to cram as many origins in at once instead of bothering to take time establishing these characters. Imagine if in the comics there was one panel of Batman’s parents getting show, and then Batman is just an accepted part of the universe from there on out. What the filmmakers don’t seem to get is, even though most of us know the general story, not everyone is a comic fan with years of experience in background and lore. The reason buildup is needed is for newcomers, people unfamiliar with the characters. Just throwing characters in alienates people.

Of course, this is the least of that film’s problems. The tone and even the scenes are extremely dark and bleak until the very end. There’s very little levity, unless you can bring yourself to laugh at Eisenberg’s cringeworthy performance. Now, obviously, I’m not saying there needs to be tons and tons of jokes; The Dark Knight had rather sparse humor, and movies like the Iron Man sequels, Thor: The Dark World, and a good chunk of Age of Ultron are very weak due to the oversaturation of comedic elements. But having this level of darkness and crushing gloom and moodiness can wear on audiences; it can be hard for people to give a shit about a story and characters in a miserable setting. And this is a common criticism; aside from Wonder Woman, people have found it hard to care about the heroes in this film. Their characterization can come across as unlikable, bitter, and mean. While this works for Batman, for Superman this is even more alien than he is.

And again, it’s not like this movie has nothing going for it; the fight scenes are all fantastic, Bruce’s origin is well done, seeing the Big Three together is cool and all the actors save Eisenberg do well… but it’s not enough. This movie is, quite frankly, a hot mess, a film that apes the Nolan style with no idea what made it work, much as all the awful Shrek clones that came out in the 2000s that tried to be Shrek without understanding why it was such a good film in the first place. It’s just dark, bleak, and edgy because that’s what they think audiences want! And that is most definitely not the case, to a certain extent.

Audiences DO like having more mature superhero stories; The Dark Knight and The Winter Soldier certainly prove that, what with their more serious tones. But, especially in the sort of culture we have these days, people don’t want to see darkness and bleakness in their superhero films anymore. Superheros are supposed to be escapism and excitement, something enjoyable to see when you want to escape the darkness of the world. In an America that has experienced years of riots, protests, and terrible news, is it any surprise that audiences are rejecting DC’s dark and brooding hero stories for Marvel’s more lighthearted-with-serious-elements movies?

This brings me to the biggest thing I hate: the insane, miserable anti-MCU pro-DCEU apologists. Now, like I said, there’s nothing wrong with being a fan of these movies. Hell, despite my criticisms, I have a great deal of admiration for elements of the franchise, and I enjoyed Suicide Squad a great deal. But the levels some people go to is disgusting and disturbing.

The perfect example is a mutual I used to have. She was really nice and cool for a while, and liked both Marvel and DC. Then Age of Ultron came out. After that, her intelligence went downhill, and she became a rabid hater of the MCU. She would constantly post about how she hated it, while praising the DCEU. She’d reblog tons of posts with asinine criticisms of the MCU and had a sort of smug sense of superiority about her love of the DC films. It came to the point she was outright bashing MCU fans and calling anyone who defended the films, including me, a ‘stan,’ while ignoring and deflecting any criticisms of DC’s movies. She was one of the people who believed Marvel was paying off critics, even pointing to the great reviews Doctor Strange got as evidence (she was convinced the movie was some evil racist mess that whitewashed for the sake of profit, which is so far from the truth it’s laughable). This is ignoring the fact that paying critics off like that would be incredibly counterproductive and would be a waste of money, but at this point critical thinking was not her forte.

And this wasn’t unique to her; the incredibly rabid fans are ALL like that. They all believe the lies about Disney and Marvel bribing critics, they all hop up and down and accuse the MCU of racism, they all screech about how bad Marvel is and how they cram jokes into everything (even though there are only about five movies where this is a big problem). They are all the some kind of person who is smug and condescending and acts like they’re mentally superior for enjoying certain types of people fighting in colorful underwear. They are in the same league of stupid shittiness as anti-bronies and anti-Frozen, and they may honestly be less intelligent than either of those groups. Now, obviously, there are plenty of normal, reasonable people who enjoy or even prefer the DCEU to the MCU. This isn’t something that affects the entire fandom, it’s just the kind of people I’ve had to experience in large numbers.

So, let’s sum up what exactly I hate about the DCEU:

1. Snyder’s piss-poor direction and influence

2. The decision to constantly ape Nolan’s style, despite the fact they don’t seem to get why people liked films like The Dark Knight

3. Rushing in to a cinematic universe with no buildup

4. Questionable casting choices, such as Eisenberg as Luthor and Amber Heard

5. The lack of levity in their first two movies to help offset the crushing darkness

6. The constant pushing of extended cuts better than the theatrical release; they need to just release the full cuts to theaters and stop fucking with director’s visions

7. Speaking of which, the disastrous mangling of Suicide Squad

8. The rabid uber-fans who have a superiority complex and are just childish shitheads

That about sums up the shit I hate about the DCEU. I don’t hate the actual DCEU itself, though I have to admit it’s hard to enjoy aside from Suicide Squad so far (would it have killed them to keep more Leto in and not have the fucking trailer company submit a cut they mashed with the director’s?). What I hate is a lot of artistic choices they’ve put into it, the direction it has gone, and how fucking awful some of the fans can get. I’m hyped as hell for Wonder Woman and cautiously optimistic about Justice League, and I cannot wait to see Affleck’s Batman film and Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam. I just really want the filmmakers to take the criticisms of their works to heart and help make the DCEU a worthy rival for the MCU instead of looking like a cheap bandwagoner like it does now.

We can only hope.

#Shit I Hate

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swipestream · 5 years

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Sensor Sweep: Windy City Pulp Show, King Arthur, Star Wars Target Audience, Model T in Combat

Conventions (DMR Books): The 19th annual Windy City Pulp and Paper Convention took place this past weekend in Lombard, IL. It was a three-day affair, but unfortunately I was only able to attend for part of the day on Saturday. Five hours may seem like a good amount of time, but it wasn’t nearly enough to take in all the event had to offer.

Doug Ellis and Deb Fulton were gracious enough to share some of their table space with me so I could peddle DMR releases.

Anthologies (Tip the Wink): This nineteen story anthology is edited by one of Baen’s best, Hank Davis. Though the book is pretty new, the stories range from as early as the Thirties all the way to now. So I think it qualifies as a Friday Forgotten Book for it’s contents. For the most part, this is the kind of science fiction I grew up on and still love.

Fiction (Old Style Tales): Doyle’s final great horror story is truly a worthy swan song – a tale who’s science fiction maintains a level of effective awe in spite of having been categorically disproven by aviators a mere decade after being written. And indeed the tale is science fiction, fitting snuggly on a shelf between the speculative horror of H. G. Wells which preceded it and the cosmic terror of H. P. Lovecraft which succeeded it.e cosmic terror of H. P. Lovecraft which succeeded it.

Myth (Men of the West): Of all these Latin chroniclers by far the most important was Geoffrey of Monmouth, Bishop of St. Asaph, who finished his “History of the Britons” about 1147. Geoffrey, as has been said, is not a real historian, but something much more interesting. He introduced to the world the story of King Arthur, which at once became the source and centre of hundreds of French romances, in verse or prose, and of poetry down to Tennyson and William Morris. To Geoffrey, or to later English chroniclers who had read Geoffrey, Shakespeare owed the stories of his plays, “Cymbeline” and “King Lear”.

Authors (DMR Books): James Branch Cabell, who was born on April 14, 1879–just over one hundred forty years ago–has slipped into genteel literary obscurity. An author once praised and befriended by the likes of Mark Twain, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Sinclair Lewis, JBC had his entire fantasy epic, known as “The Biography of the Life of Manuel,” printed in a uniform hardcover eighteen-volume set at the height of his popularity in the 1920s and early ’30s. He was, by far, the preeminent American literary fantasist of that era. And yet, he is barely known outside hardcore literary fantasy circles now.

Cinema (Rough Edges): I didn’t mean to write about two Raoul Walsh movies in a row, but that’s the way it’s worked out after last week’s post on DESPERATE JOURNEY. COLORADO TERRITORY is a Western remake from 1949 of the Humphrey Bogart classic HIGH SIERRA, also directed by Walsh eight years earlier in 1941. Both are based on the novel HIGH SIERRA by W.R. Burnett. In COLORADO TERRITORY, Joel McCrea plays outlaw Wes McQueen, in prison for robbing banks and trains, who is broken out so he can take part in a payroll heist from a train in Colorado.

Popular Culture (Jon Mollison): Long time genre fans expect to see the usual Boomer perspectives. Naturally, his version of the story of science fiction begins and ends with the era of the Boomers. To be fair, he is a film guy making a film about film people, so it’s no surprise that his documentary would ignore the foundational stories of the genre. It does start with HG Wells, but then skips straight past four decades of science fiction to land on rubber monster B-movies. The usual Big Pub diversity hires get trotted out to offer Narrative Approved talking points about how the genre has matured under the careful guidance of perverts like Arthur C. Clarke without a mention of giants like Howard and Burroughs and Lovecraft and Merritt and the rest of the True Golden Age writers.

Star Wars (Kairos): Two cultural observations that have repeatedly been made on this blog are that Star Wars has been weaponized against its original fans and that decadent Westerners are perverting normal pious sentiment by investing it in corporate pop culture products. Now a viral video has surfaced that documents the unholy confluence of both phenomena. Watch only if you haven’t eaten recently.

Cinema (Mystery File): I’ve spoken often and highly of Fredric Brown;s classic mystery novel of strip-clubs and theology, The Screaming Mimi (Dutton, 1949) and recently betook myself to watching both film versions of it, side-by-side and back-to-back, through the miracle of VCRm watching a chunk of one, then the other, than back again…

Pulps (John C. Wright): So what, exactly, makes the weird tales and fantastic stories of that day and age so “problematic”?

The use of lazy racial stereotypes, did you say? This generation has just as many or worse ones, merely with the polarities reversed. See the last decade of Star Wars, Star Trek, Doctor Who and Marvel comics franchises, for examples.

The portrayal of women as weak damsels in distress? I will happily compare any number of Martian princesses or pirate queens from the pulp era to the teen bimbos routinely chopped up in the torture porn flicks of this generation, and let the matter of malign portrayals of women speak for itself.

Fiction (Nerds on Earth): Howard Andrew Jones (who we’ve interviewed not once, but twice!) strikes that balance masterfully in For the Killing of Kings, the first book of an expected series. The book drops the reader right at the moment when a scandal in the Allied Realms begins. This controversy involves the legendary weapon of the most famous commander of the vaunted Altenerai Corps, N’lahr. Jones doesn’t even let two pages pass before the reader is invited into the discovery that something is wrong with this magic-infused sword, and it is that problem that carries the book’s action from start to finish.

History (Black Gate): Enter the Western Frontier Force, a hastily assembled group of men from all parts of the empire that included two of the war’s many innovations. The first was the Light Car Patrol, made up of Model T Fords that had been stripped of all excess weight (even the hood and doors) so they could run over soft sand. Many came equipped with a machine gun. Heavier and slower were the armored cars, built on the large Rolls Royce chassis and sporting a turret and machine gun.

Westerns (Tainted Archive): Geographically and historically the concept of “The West” is very loosely defined, when associated with the literary and film genre of the western. With the possible exception of the Eastern Seaboard almost every part of the USA had been called “The West” at some stage in the country’s history.

Authors (John C. Wright): Gene Wolfe passed at his Peoria home from cardiovascular disease on April 14, 2019 at the age of 87.

This man is one of two authors who I was able to read with undiminished pleasure as a child, youth, man and master.

I met him only briefly at science fiction conventions, and was truly impressed by his courtesy and kindness. We shared a love of GK Chesterton. I never told him how I cherished his work, and how important his writings were to me.

Authors (Rich Horton): Gene Wolfe died yesterday, April 14, 2019 (Palm Sunday!) His loss strikes me hard, as hard as the death last year of Ursula K. Le Guin. Some while I ago I wrote that Gene Wolfe was the best writer the SF field has ever produced. Keeping in mind that comparisons of the very best writers are pointless — each is brilliant in their own way — I’d say that now I’d add Le Guin and John Crowley and make a trinity of great SF writers, but the point stands — Wolfe’s work was tremendous, deep, moving, intellectually and emotionally involving, ambiguous in the best of ways, such that rereading him is ever rewarding, always resolving previous questions while opening up new ones.

Cartoons (Wasteland and Sky): One small loss of the modern age I’ve always been interested in is the death of the Saturday morning cartoon.

For over half a century they have lingered in the memories of just about everyone alive in the western world as part of some long ago age that will never return. But nobody talks about them beyond nostalgic musings. The problem with that is they require a deeper look than that. I don’t think it’s clear exactly why they do not exist anymore, and it is important why they do not.

Fiction (Tip the Wink): It’s the stories, not the book, that are forgotten here. From the publisher’s website:

“Known best for his work on Popular Publications’ The Spider, pulp scribe Norvell Page proved he was no slouch when it came to penning gangster and G-man epics! This book collects all eleven stories Page wrote for “Ace G-Man Stories” between 1936 and 1939, which are reprinted here for the first time!”

RPG (Modiphius): Horrors of the Hyborian Age is the definitive guide to the monstrous creatures inhabiting the dark tombs, ruined cities, forgotten grottos, dense jungles, and sinister forests of Conan’s world. This collection of beasts, monsters, undead, weird races, and mutants are ready to pit their savagery against the swords and bravery of the heroes of the Hyborian Age.

Drawn from the pages of Robert E. Howard’s Conan stories, this roster also includes creatures and alien horrors from H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos, to which Howard inextricably bound his Hyborian Age. Other entries are original, chosen carefully to reflect the tone and dangers of Conan’s world.

Sensor Sweep: Windy City Pulp Show, King Arthur, Star Wars Target Audience, Model T in Combat published first on https://medium.com/@ReloadedPCGames

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aion-rsa · 4 years

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Upcoming Horror Movies in October 2020: Theaters, Streaming, and VOD

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October is here, which means it’s the time of the season for getting scared. With Halloween gradually becoming a month-long celebration over the past few years — even if the coronavirus has put a damper on many activities such as trick-or-treating — one thing we can always look forward to during these 31 days is a deluge of horror movies old and new, whether via streaming, cable network marathons or even fleeting theatrical releases.

Horror is already a reliable genre both at the box office (under normal circumstances) and in the digital space, so it’s no surprise that even in these compromised times, scary movies are coming at us hard and fast in October. Below is a round-up of fresh horror releases arriving either at your local multiplex (and we urge you to keep the risks of going to the theater in mind) or right in your living room. Ironically, even in decidedly unnerving times, scary movies can still be a hell of a lot of fun.

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Shudder

Scare Me

Available on Shudder on October 1

The October genre onslaught gets underway right at the sound of the starting gun with this Shudder original. Josh Ruben writes, directs and stars as Fred, a frustrated copywriter who retreats to an isolated cabin to write a novel and meets a successful horror author named Fanny (Aya Cash) while out jogging. She challenges him to a scary storytelling contest, and the spooky games begin. Ruben makes his feature directorial debut on what is billed as a “metafictional horror comedy” with social underpinnings.

Magnet Releasing

12 Hour Shift

Out on VOD and in theaters on October 2 (US only, UK TBA)

We reviewed this dark-as-pitch comedy at September’s Fantasia Festival and enjoyed its macabre humor immensely. Angela Bettis (May) stars as a night nurse in a Texas hospital running a side business in organ harvesting with her supervisor and her dumb-as-rocks cousin. Grisly mayhem and gooey twists ensue, with Bettis delivering a fantastic deadpan performance at the center of it. Writer/director Brea Grant allows herself a few self-indulgent moments, but overall this is a lot of fun.

Neon

Possessor

Out in theaters on October 2 (US only, UK TBA)

Eight years after his debut, 2012’s Antiviral, Brandon Cronenberg again proves why he could be a natural heir apparent to his father David’s body horror crown. Andrea Riseborough (Mandy) stars as Tasya Vos, an assassin who is employed to take out high-level corporate clients by implanting her mind in the brain of someone close to the target. But Tasya’s increasing instability might threaten her latest mission. Jennifer Jason Leigh and Christopher Abbott co-star in this grisly tale of murder, vengeance and violation that does not pull any punches.

Saban Films

Death of Me

Out in theaters, on VOD and digital October 2 (US), VOD November 23 (UK)

Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II – IV) directs Maggie Q (Fantasy Island) and Luke Hemsworth (Westworld) as Christine and Neil, a couple who awaken hungover during an island vacation with no memory of the previous night. But things take a turn for the bizarre when footage on Neil’s camera apparently shows him murdering Christine. Bousman’s stint with the Saw franchise makes him perfect to helm this sort of horror mystery — which will no doubt take some mind-bending twists and turns before it’s over.

Epic Pictures

The Curse of Audrey Earnshaw

Out in theaters October 2, on VOD and digital October 6 (US), VOD November 16 (UK)

Folk horror is one of our favorite subgenres, which is why The Curse of Audrey Earnshaw immediately caught our eye. Writer/director Thomas Robert Lee has apparently set out to capture that sweet spot of religious paranoia, occult folklore and supernatural terror as a young woman and her mother are suspected of witchcraft when an unknown pestilence descends on their remote Protestant town. The film world premiered to strong reviews earlier this month at Fantasia Fest 2020.

Amazon Prime

Welcome to the Blumhouse

Available on Amazon Prime on October 6/October 13

Leave it to terror factory Blumhouse to give you more horror than you can handle. The mini-studio is developing a slate of genre entries that it will premiere on Amazon Prime, with four of them making their debut this month. Black Box and The Lie launch on October 6, while Nocturne and Evil Eye turn up on October 13. All four look promising, so we’ll see if this is the start of a whole new anthology franchise for producer Jason Blum and his team.

Hulu

Books of Blood

Available on Hulu on October 7 (US Only, UK TBA)

Inspired by author Clive Barker’s groundbreaking 1984 collection of short stories, this anthology film from writer/director Brannon Braga (FlashForward) features three mostly original stories (one is loosely based on the tale that kicked off Barker’s collection, “Book of Blood”). All three tales weave in and out of each other, incorporating both human depravity and supernatural malignancy even if they’re not right out of Barker’s text. Britt Robertson (Tomorrowland) and Anna Friel (Pushing Daisies) lead the cast.

Saint Maud

Out in theaters on October 9 (UK only, US TBA)

This feature debut from Brit director Rose Glass is an absolute tour de force which ran the festival circuit in 2019 and was initially planned for release in the Spring. Morfydd Clark plays Maud, a pious young nurse who believes she talks directly to God and who thinks her mission is to save the soul of former dancer Amanda (Jennifer Elhe) who is dying. Body, mind and soul are in conflict in this haunting and terrifying elevated horror which boasts terrific performances and has picked up many plaudits on its long road to release. We’ve seen it and we loved it, check out our five star review.

Orion Classics

The Wolf of Snow Hollow

Out on VOD and in theaters on October 9 (US only, UK TBA)

Like Scare Me, this is mostly another one-man-band type of movie, this time from writer, director and star Jim Cummings (Thunder Road). He plays John Marshall, a small-town sheriff and recovering alcoholic who faces a series of gruesome murders that keep occurring on the full moon and seem to be the work of a werewolf. But werewolves don’t exist — or do they? The film is also notable for being the final screen appearance of the late, legendary Robert Forster (Jackie Brown).

Carmilla

Out in theaters on October 16 and VOD from October 19 (UK only)

This reimagining of the Sheridan de Fanu classic vampire story is a coming of age tale which sees a young girl (Hannah Rae) brought up in isolation and beginning to explore her sexuality become enchanted by the mysterious stranger (Devrim Lingnau) who enters her life after a carriage crash. From writer-director Emily Harris, this adaption strips back the supernatural elements and focuses more on a forbidden love made harder by Lara’s strict governess (Jessica Raine).

The Other Lamb

In theaters and on MUBI on October 16 (UK only)

An all female cult headed up by a solitary male leader is the setting for this horror starring Raffey Cassidy as a young woman raised from birth in this strange sect. All of the women in the group are either ‘wives’ or ‘daughters’ of Michiel Huisman’s Shepard and Selah (Cassidy) is about to transition between the two. A coming of age story set against a rural backdrop, this is the English language debut of Polish director Małgorzata Szumowska – released in America in the Spring it’s now coming to the UK via MUBI.

Paramount

Love and Monsters

Available on digital and VOD on October 16 (US only, UK TBA)

Originally titled Monster Problems, this project has been in development since freakin’ 2012, with Shawn Levy (Stranger Things) producing it all along. Dylan O’Brien (The Maze Runner) stars as Joel, who has been living underground with the rest of humanity for seven years after an event called the Monsterpocalypse. With giant creatures roaming the land, Joel starts out on an 80-mile quest to reunite with his high school girlfriend (Iron Fist’s Jessica Henwick). The movie bounced around several release dates this year before Paramount Pictures settled on a VOD arrival.

Netflix

Rebecca

Available on Netflix on October 21

Alfred Hitchcock’s 1940 version of the classic Daphne du Maurier novel won Best Picture. Can iconoclastic British filmmaker Ben Wheatley’s new vision of the material do the same? Um…maybe not, but we applaud Wheatley for putting his own stamp on this intensely Gothic story of jealousy and obsession. The cast is aces too, with Armie Hammer as Maxim de Winter, Lily James as the second Mrs. De Winter and, best of all, Kristin Scott Thomas as Mrs. Danvers.

Well Go USA

Synchronic

Out in theaters and on VOD on October 23 (US only, UK TBA)

The indie horror writing, directing and acting team of Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, creators of the striking Spring and The Endless, have come up with perhaps their most ambitious film yet in Synchronic. More sci-fi than horror, the movie still has plenty of unnerving touches as it unspools the story of new drug that causes its users to disappear — and sometimes come back dead or mutilated. Anthony Mackie is superb as a paramedic who literally races against time to stop the spread of the drug and save someone close to him. This one comes strongly recommended.

Hulu

Bad Hair

Available on Hulu on October 23 (US), in cinemas on November 27 2020 (UK)

Dear White People writer/director Justin Simien takes a wide left turn into the genre space with his second feature, a horror satire set in 1989. Elle Lorraine plays an ambitious young woman who learns that the hair weave she gets to succeed in the image-obsessed world of music television may have a mind of its own. This looks like bizarre fun, with a sparkling cast that includes Vanessa Williams, Lena Waithe, Laverne Cox, Jay Pharoah, Kelly Rowland, Blair Underwood, James Van Der Beek and Usher.

Blumhouse

The Craft: Legacy

Available on premium VOD on October 28 (US) and in cinemas October 28 (UK)

You can read more here about this long-awaited sequel to/remake of the formative 1996 teen witch movie, but the basics are that this is set in the universe of the first film while essentially retelling and expanding upon its original premise. Cailee Spaeny, Gideon Adlon, Lovie Simone and Zoey Luna star as the quartet of young women who find a book of spells and begin wielding its power. Originally slated for theatrical release, it’s premiering as a PVOD offering just in time for Halloween.

Netflix

His House

Available on Netflix on October 30

Remi Weekes directs this unsettling tale about two South Sudan refugees (Wunmi Mosaku and Sope Dirisu) who escape their war-torn nation but unwittingly bring a supernatural presence with them as they try to resettle in London. Matt Smith (Doctor Who) also stars in the film, which combines real-life and unreal horrors while tackling the continuing geopolitical and social plights of people unwittingly displaced from their homes.

Focus Features

Come Play

Out in theaters on October 30 (US only, UK TBA)

Gillian Jacobs (Community) and John Gallagher Jr. (Westworld) play the parents of a lonely young boy (Azhy Robertson) whose tablet and smartphone are the means by which a mysterious creature attempts to break into our world — unless the boy’s parents can stop it. Will writer/director Jacob Chase go for simple thrills or use the horror genre as a way to comment on young people’s ever-increasing addiction to their screens? And by the way, we’re done here, so get off your screen and go get some fresh air.

Relic

Out in theaters October 30 (UK only)

Dementia is at the heart of this very eerie chiller where three generations of women convene in an old family home which seems to be rotting from the inside. Robyn Nevin, Emily Mortimer and Bella Heathcote star in a slow build drama which delves into the horror of losing your sense of self, as Nevin’s matriarch goes missing for days and can’t remember what happened while her house is filled with odd notes, black mold and snippets of a life slipping away from her grasp. This is the feature debut of Australian-Japanese director Natalie Erika James and it’s a stylish, chilling and confident first feature with a final act that veers into full blown horror. Out already in the States on VOD it has a UK theatrical release in the UK.

The post Upcoming Horror Movies in October 2020: Theaters, Streaming, and VOD appeared first on Den of Geek.

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