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sneakydraws · 10 months

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Ok so! As per the wishes of @chernychnyi and others and also myself, here's a little analysis/rant about the boreo front bottoms lyricstuck thing I did. Because of tumblrs 30 image limit I had to fuse some of the frames and also couldn't fit in the unused frames I really wanted to mention - so those will get plonked down in a separate post I think. Ok let's roll

To begin with, the pov - I didn't exactly plan ahead on this regard, I kind of just listened to the song and experienced visions of tgf scenes to go along with the lyrics, but once I picked this project back up after half a year of letting it sit in my procreate files I definitely saw a sort of narrative form around it. Most of what I had was very much from Boris's pov and about Theo. The tone was sort of protective, sort of desperate, sort of penitent, sort of possessive? I'll elaborate on it later but I basically ended up exploring a lot of the ambiguous or unhealthy elements of the boreo dynamic, and realising that when I was maybe 70% done made me lean more purposefully into that angle in the remaining frames. So for example in this frame, even though they're both indisputably wiry and broke down, I choose to make this about Theo because Boris is the worldly, knowledgeable survivor to Theo's harrowed newcomer. There's a fragility to Theo that's less visible, and maybe less present, in Boris.

Like in this line, which has a great air of warning or instruction to it, like the singer is trying to brace their friend for what's to come. I actually struggled hardcore with this frame! Because I knew I wanted this image of Theo reaching toward the surface of the pool, but it arguably made more sense in the "jaws theme song on repeat" lyric (since it's Boris pulling Theo down)... I ended up sticking it here because I wasn't sure what else to replace it with but I think it's kind of a happy mistake because it right off the start showcases the dichotomy in Boris and Theo's relationship and its more toxic aspects - Boris pulling Theo down visually in one frame, but promising to help him swim in the lyrics in the next.

I don't think it came through so well but I wanted the previous panel to have a bright sun streaming light through Theo's fingers, and the blazing desert sun in this frame to echo that - the sun as the element of danger, Boris's opposite. The positioning of light as danger and shade as safety is a trope I sometimes drift towards in queer narratives and it definitely goes back to that heartbeat short film I didn't even like that much...

Maybe my all time favourite scene to depict with teenage boreo - Boris dragging a dead drunk Theo off the street... I love it because it's so rarely we see Boris be the responsible one, the one doing what's Supposed to be done

I really wish I'd had the time and the motivation to spruce this up really well because in some points I envisioned really clearly the kind of transition I'd want to have... I would have loved for the camera to swoosh down and do a little overshoot into this frame, so some of the dynamic of the punch is carried into the visuals. Oh well! Apparently this line (like the song itself) is actually about heroine usage, but here it's Larry and Theo - I feel like a snakebite is an apt metaphor for this punch, with its sheer unexpectedness

The nightmare comfort is a must have of course... I was kind of afraid I was repeating myself with how often I use this kind of scene with this exact framing ahahaha

Massively difficult shot to pull off because I wanted the distortion to be prominent and for Boris and Theo to be really small in the frame but for it to still be mostly readable!! Anyway this is their weird drunken hookups, which I think fit this line not because secret teenage hookups are inherently evil or anything but like. I do think the way they're never ever addressed and the shame associated with them in Theo's narration give them a definite air of unhealthiness. A red flag... A warning sign, if you will

I actually think at one point the drunken teenage sex went here, with the undertone being that Boris realises there's something wrong about it but doesn't stop anyway? But that's kind of muddled, and the much more obvious choice is the theft of the painting. And the "amount to take/reasons to take more" plays well with Boris's habit of stealing random shit from Theo already before moving on to the big fish

The reunion! I play Boris as catching on well to the inauthenticity and comphetness (as well as comp-normie-ness) of Theo's little life - and reminiscing, I suppose, on how unsurprising it is that he'd end up pulled in this direction, trying to run away from the trauma and shame of his real self. There's also a little guilt here on Boris's part, a little bit of a feeling of culpability - carried over from the theft of the painting and the never-addressed sex, and echoed in a second in the guilt or regret of letting Theo leave like he did, betrayed and deceived.

This line maybe doesn't ring one hundred percent true because neither of Theo's Vegas guardians really gave enough of a shit about him to "pray he would change", but they do judge and shame him occasionally for his weakness, his trauma and so on, so I think it works. And (although I had to push this line onto Boris's frame simply to have an excuse to show his face) they "close their eyes" to Theo's real self and the sheer horror of his experiences... Hm

Of course Theo cuts his own hair and sends himself away before anyone else can but you know. Too perfect of a fit

Definitely my favourite and cleverest moment - theo "stops by Boris's house", i.e.by their common home, the night he escapes... Boris begs him to stay (another day so he can get the painting)... And the omitting of "I love you but" from Theo's written dialogue, with the massive conspicuous gap in the word bubble, was something I thought of early on. The unsaid "I love you"? Too fucking good not to exploit. And NGL it feels good to be like ooohoho I'm not just matching visuals to existing lyrics, I'm manipulating them to fit my own narrative and engaging in a dialogue with the lyrics or whatever... Hehe

This is the scene where Boris announces he'll run away and Theo immediately says he'll come with. But the important thing to note is that I found out about different shoelacing techniques and made Boris ladder lace his jungle boots

This and the previous lyric, although the visuals show two different scenes, both relate to Theo's apprehension about how following Boris around will surely lead to no good, especially without a plan. Boris through the lyrics is saying don't worry about it, we'll figure something out!

Umm so I drew this with lighting speed as I was editing the whole thing lollll I totally forgot about the instrumental parts and just how LONG they were... I needed something to fill up the space ahahaha. But it's vaguely supposed to hark back to the scene after Mr pavlikovsky beats up Boris, what with the bottle of vodka and the bloody nose and the unconcerned laughter

The pool frolic! Very appropriate. We've got the obligatory moon cameo, and I made sure the pool and the sky were the same stark shade of black so it feels like boris and Theo are hanging between two equally real worlds, plunging into the starry night...

I just remembered that Boris's bracelets pop in and out of existence a lot ahahaha oops! But this is of course essentially the same scene as the "it's gonna look like mud" lyric, only more literal this time. Admittedly this lyric is moreso from Theo's pov, which is a bit out of place here although I do play around with the pov a little later

One of the first frames I'd envisioned I think! I mean come on. And a great example of how the singer really emphasises certain words, so I punch them up a bit by capitalising them

This was actually a struggle because Boris is such an action oriented character - the stupid shit he says doesn't actually have that many consequences! But eventually I thought it would be fitting to show one of the scenes where a semi malicious joke or a mostly innocuous remark activates Theo's internalised homophobia - i ended up going with his comment about Hobies letter.

More timeskip normieness! The spark and look of Theo's I consider artificial, like the flash of the cameras poised to capture the kiss between the engaged couple's, and the look hidden behind the anime shine of Theo's glasses... I could have spent more time showing that but I'll be honest this was one of the last lines I had to illustrate and I was getting impatient. The "I will not be brave" was a tricky one - I kind of wanted it to relate to Boris's selfishness maybe, in taking Theo away from his fiancée? Like, he will not do the noble thing by stepping away and instead Will try to drag Theo back into his life... Though that itself is motivated by a sort of penitent guilt

Again, Boris trying to find a space for Theo in his life - maybe Theo can work for him! Or with him! Anything, god, just forgive me!

I'm a little annoyed because I remember having a good idea for these lines and then I forgot it!! But with this I ended up gesturing vaguely to some reasons why Boris acts like he does - taking control of the life seemingly subject to his dad's whims and work travel, rebelling by imitating his father's worst habits - something something the paradoxical repulsion towards his father and need to imitate or one-up or outdo him...

For a while these lines were both on Boris's back as he stands in front of Hobie's shop. Then I ended up splitting them in two, but they're the same theme - Boris taking responsibility for his actions and trying to atone for his betrayal of Theo. First by tracking the painting down and coming, drenched, to inform Theo of his progress (that scene is one of my favourites between theo and Boris actually) and then by desperately running after the boy when it seems he might carry it off and destroy it forever (another favourite because it showcases Boris's desperation to earn back Theo's trust).

Also, didn't fit it here but the second instrumental section has Theo's face on it - to make a set with the earlier Boris drawing, and they're opposites because Boris's eyes aren't visible while Theo's are the only part of his face visible, and Theo's worried frown suggests that he sees through Boris's jolliness somewhat, and also! It signals a switch to Theo's pov for the final few lines!

Another line that leapt out at me from the beginning - xandra's ominous yet oddly romantic prediction that Theo will follow Boris wherever, even to a prison cell. This is actually kind of funny because initially I thought a twin sized mattress was a mattress for two - and I connected this to xandra's belief that Boris and Theo will always be a set of two, connected at the hip. It wasn't until I googled the lyrics and read the genius annotations that i realized it was the exact opposite - but luckily for me, the connection still kind of works? Maybe not so well for this panel but for the next two for sure:

Like, my initial thought was that they were both cursed to sleep on a two-person mattress alone, with an empty space next to them - but the literal half-empty double bed can also work as a metaphorical single bed, so... Win? And of course there's complicated messaging going on because, like, their sharing a bed is simultaneously something too adult for their teenaged friendship and something from their childhood to haunt them into adulthood, causing them to never "graduate" into a typical adult relationship no matter how hard Theo tries... And the "somebody's attic or basement" fits in with Theo settling in to weltys bedroom... And of course Boris sleeping in Theo's bed after xabdra takes pity on him, an idea I'd touched on before... Not to mention the "let's go home" "home?" "My place. Whatever" exchange that I loooooooooooveeeeeee

And the final frames! I had to consult @frozenladybug for some storyboarding help because while I knew what theme I wanted I couldn't think of a scene... The idea is that Theo will forever be haunted by his past - hence the nightmares - but that now Boris is there to support him, happy end. Flb came up with the "standing by the window" idea which I love because!!! First of all, dawn is breaking, which signals the end of the troubled night but also brings forth the antagonistic sun - almost as a symbol of the night of Boris and Theo's early relationship, dark and dangerous but full of an odd camaraderie and haunted by the Boriscoded moon, ending. But what comes after that night is a different relationship, with its own challenges but maybe changed for the better... And in this scene Boris comforts Theo by physical contact and a cup of tea (hehe) instead of the desperate clutch of their early years - less intense and physical but maybe healthier and less codependent? I'm kind of freestyling but there's something there. I had thoughts during this project about how Boris calming Theo after his nightmares is almost more parental than romantic and how it allows Theo to cling to boris one-sidedly and how it might change with time... Idk, some personal musings played a part as well and it's definitely a reach but that's what was on my mind. Either way, happy bittersweet boreo ending and lemme go and make that rejected drawings post real quick now

#the goldfinch #boreo #theodore decker #boris pavlikovsky #abuse tw

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mellowfilmmaker · 2 years

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Thor Love and Thunder Trailer Thoughts

Holy Crap! They just uploaded another trailer for Thor: Love and Thunder. I definitely have thoughts, especially since it’s the sequel to my favorite MCU film.

The trailer is narrated by Korg. I wonder if this is just for the trailer or maybe the legit framing device. I’m guessing it’s not the actual framing device.

They seem to be fighting some kind of insect monster. Maybe they’re minions of the villain.

Thor and Jane are reunited. They almost look like twins. Jane got jacked.

Jane says “what’s it been? 3 Years? 4 Years” to which Thor corrected by saying it’s been 8 years, 7 months and 6 days. First of all Thor is definitely not over the break up. Secondly, the disparity has about a five year difference. Guessing Jane got dusted in the snap.

Ooh more good visuals! Anyone who tells you Visual Effects are not cinematography is just being some kind of weird purist. (Also they’re objectively wrong).

Valkyrie asks Thor “Am I sensing feelings?” It cuts to Thor and Jane

Then it cuts do Thor making a sound that is pretty much No.

Notice how the response is from a completely different location. Now the trailer might want us to think that Valkyrie is talking about Thor and Jane, but maybe it’s actually Thor and her. Could it be a sort of love triangle, or even better: polyamorous relationship! What would be a Thor - Valkyrie- Lady Thor ship name be called. Thorskyrie? Thorkyriethor?

Gorr the God Butcher looks cool! It’s a great idea that they went with skinny Bale (well Skinny-ish. This is not buff Bale from Batman, but he isn’t freakishly thin like in the Machinist) since he looks a bit creepier this way. I also love how he’s almost exclusively in black and white, contrasting the bright colors of the rest of the film. His deal seems to be that gods only think of themselves. Maybe he hates gods because they’re apathetic to the suffering of mortals.

Here’s a look in color. There’s a bit of dead behind the eyes look in this shot which probably makes him seem otherworldly. There’s a coldness to his stare.

The ship’s being pulled by goats!

Jane taking out a bunch of enemies at once. Almost more impressively than Thor.

The trailer implies that Gorr can bust a planet by stabbing it. I don’t know if it’s actually him, but if it is: he’s pretty OP and a legit threat. Didn’t even need an infinity gauntlet.

Valkyrie is fighting Gorr. I hope she’s not a sacrificial lamb! She’s one of my favorite MCU characters! I notice she seems to have a thunderbolt from Zeus.

Here are some shots of the Guardians of the Galaxy. I notice that most of their shots are on the same planet. I think they might not have a big role in this film.

Gorr is saying “You are not like the other gods that I killed. You have something worth fighting for” This is leaning more into his possible motive of hating Gods for their selfishness. We also get a shot of what seems like Thor and Jane holding pinkies.

Here we have Russel Crowe as Zeus. He’s going to flick off Thor’s “disguise”

That’s might not be pixelated in the actual film. Also does Thor have back scars? Are those new?

I love that both the Female and Male gods faint at naked Hemsworth. I mean, on one hand they’re Greek so they shouldn't freak out at this. On the other hand, it’s Chris Hemsworth.

Jane is like “should we help him”, to which Valkyrie is like “eventually... Grape?”. I like how it seems Valkyrie’s personality is back (she came off a little bland in her short time in Endgame)! I also don’t think this is a reaction to the nudity, but instead it’s probably a reaction to Thor fighting someone in the arena.

It ends on another beautiful shot! I’m hyped for this film!

#thor love and thunder #thor #mcu #marvel #valkyrie #Jane foster #gorr the god butcher #chris hemsworth #tessa thompson #natalie portman #christian bale #russell crowe #trailer #disney

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regalstudies · 10 months

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Japanese Movie Recommendations!

こんにちは皆さん！今日、特別な順序ではなく５本の好きな映画を紹介したいです。

Hi everyone! Today I’d like to introduce you to 5 of my favourite Japanese movies! My personal tastes lean more towards the horror and anime side of things, but I hope there are some here that you guys haven’t seen! Cinema can be a great avenue to delve deeper social commentaries about the country we’re interested in learning about, so I’ve tried to pick some recommendations with that in mind! :]

I’ve attempted to add all relevant content warnings, but there may be something I have missed so please take caution! I’d recommend having a look at what people say on DoesTheDogDie.com if you have specific concerns

Without further ado, let’s get started!

1. Confessions (告白) directed by Tetsuya Nakashima (中島哲也)

Confessions is a 2010 psychological thriller based off of the mystery novel of the same name. It follows the aftermath of the murder of a school teacher’s daughter by her pupils, who utilise Japan’s laws on age of criminal responsibility to “get away with it” and focuses on the differing perspectives of those involved. This film explores themes of revenge, familial values and expectations, and the normalization of violence in youth. This film is unmistakably heavy, but it is powerful.

This was introduced to me by my professor when I was doing a Japanese Film course in Uni, and it has stuck with me for YEARS. Not only is the story itself poignant, it’s brilliantly acted, beautifully shot, and has so many striking visuals with artistically composed scenes. As this was a fairly successful film, there are a fair few articles analysing its themes - if anyone is interested, I can try and dig up the resources we used when we studied this in class! :]

Content warnings: depictions and mentions of mental and physical abuse, violence towards children, violence committed by children, bullying mentions of animal death, attempted suicide, murder, mentions of chronic illness (AIDs and cancer in particular)

2. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (かぐや姫の物語) directed by Isao Takahata (高畑勲)

A retelling of famous folktale Taketori Monogatari (竹取物語) for modern Japanese audiences, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya brings new life to the classic story without sacrificing any of its heart. Takahata cited his own inability to connect to the original tale as inspiration for the retelling, aiming for something which the audience could connect to emotionally and really understand the titular princess.

The film deals with feminist concerns about the restrictions of womanhood (especially in the ambiguously Heian-era Japan), familial obligation, love, and the beauty of life. It’s a cultural adventure which I would recommend to anyone regardless of their familiarity with the tale it is adapting! Honestly, I’ve written essays about Taketori Monogatari and this film still managed to move me to tears with how beautifully and painstakingly rendered it is! I’d need a whole other post to detail just how much I appreciate the /art/ of this piece.

Content warnings: animal death, suggestion of sexual assault, arranged marriage, memory loss

3. Dark Water (仄暗い水の底から) directed by Hideo Nakata (��田秀夫)

This 2002 horror movie is a sad ghost story! It follows the story of a single mother trying to get through her life while dealing with her divorce proceedings, new slightly-run-down apartment, and the paranormal occurrences haunting herself and her daughter. This movie deals with familial issues, parental sacrifice and confronting trauma.

Dark Water deals with aspects of Japanese horror which fans of Ringu (coincidentally, also directed by Nakata) may recognize, so I’d definitely recommend fans of Ringu and people wanting to explore the way that different cultures portray horror to give this one a shot. I found this one so fun to analyse recurring themes and imagery in Japanese horror, and I’m more than happy to encourage others to fall down this rabbit hole too!

Content warnings: missing children, death (including that of a child), threat of death, drowning, abandonment, divorce

4. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (時をかける少女) directed by Makoto Shinkai (新海誠)

This 2006 sci-fi romance tells the story of a high-school girl who discovered that she has the ability to travel through time! Dealing with friendship, the pressures of growing up and romance, this movie integrates slice-of-life and coming of age themes into its sci-fi setting! Its your classic tale of fairly innocent time-travel shenanigans and trying to right some wrongs, and makes the the ultimate heartwarming story!

This one used to be pretty popular amongst anime fans a gooood few years back, but I haven’t seen people talk about it in a while and I wanted to mention it just in case it had fallen off the radar! With simple yet fluid character designs and beautiful scenery, this piece manages to portray grounded teenage characters and capture that warm summer feeling throughout.

Content warnings: threat of death, train accidents, minor violence and name calling

5. Tokyo Sonata (トウキョウソナタ) directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa (黒沢清)

This 2008 drama follows the disintegration of a middle-class family after the patriarch loses his comfortable salaryman job unexpectedly. This film tackles issues faced by many modern families as the sense of traditionalism and societal normalcy becomes strained under the pressures of expectation, unemployment, and inability to communicate your authentic self to your family.

This film is an incredibly grounded drama, depicting real issues faced by so many families. Take a look at the date on this film, and you’ll realise how true-to-home this story of societal and economic uncertainty is for so many. Despite it all, what seems on the surface to be a depressing story of a family at their worst, actually displays a message of hope throughout. I find it to be a very realistic and poignant film.

Content warnings: unemployment, financial struggle, communication issues, war, military, abuse, domestic violence, crime, robbery, kidnapping, themes of suicide and depression, sexual assault, car accidents, police presence

Bonus! Gohatto (御法度) directed by Nagisa Ōshima (大島渚)

This one was recommended by my flatmate for this list, as a quick shoutout because “its very good” so I don’t personally have much to say about it - but I’m never going to complain about a recommendation for a gay samurai film. :]

それで、おすすめを終わります！

Thank you all for reading through this list! If you have any recommendations of your own, please feel free to add them on!

#leo speaks #japanese #japanese movie #japanese movies #langblr #japanese langblr #movies #film #japanese cinema #japanese study blog #japanese studyblr #film recommendations

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philhoffman · 10 months

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Gave into the hype and decided to rewatch Mission: Impossible III (2006) for this week's Monday Philm. Listened to the commentary track by director JJ Abrams and Tom Cruise for fun. A lot of technical stuff ("This was L.A., this was Rome, this was L.A., this was Rome!") but they're both—Tom especially—soooo excited about the movie magic that it's contagious.

I was mostly interested in what they had to say about PSH, who of course they discussed at length during his couple of scenes. Mostly just both of them saying "oh my Gd, he's good" in various ways. They both fawned over the way Phil embodied Tom Cruise-as-Ethan Hunt when he's disguised as Davian—his mannerisms talking to Luther, the way he moves his body in the rafters (Cruise goes "He was a wrestler in high school. A very good athlete." lmao :')).

Phil did many (most?) of his own stunts—there are a few rougher moves where his stunt double took the brunt, but he was really hanging out of the plane upside down, several meters above the ground with just the camera below him, getting tossed into the desks and shoved up against the cabinets. Tom sounded very impressed with his willingness and commitment to doing so much practical stuff, it was very cute! At one point he and JJ both said "I love Phil!" at the same time 🥰

JJ mentioned at least three scenes which were cut or trimmed in the film's final version—an alternate, longer introduction of Davian arriving at the Vatican party, a version of Davian being moved from the plane to the truck with dialogue, and an extended final fight between Ethan and Davian. I think it's cruel and unusual punishment for JJ to even mention those scenes and put their existence into my head if I will never see them!!!

Really did not get much more about the film/story itself this time because they talked nonstop, but obviously Owen Davian still hot and evil. One thing I did realize is that I have probably been overlooking just how strange it was for Owen to suddenly find himself on the floor of a Vatican bathroom being straddled and held at gunpoint by his doppelganger. Like that's such a great bit but imagine how confusing that would be! He handled it relatively well, considering.

It's funny—I'm not sure Phil played two characters more different than Davian and Truman Capote, but there are two very specific moves he makes in MI3 that are soooo reminiscent of Truman. They're just the slightest movements—a lean, a wave of his hand—but it's like he hasn't completely worked Capote out of his system yet lol.

Watched in 4K which is sooooo gorgeous. I'm gonna have to remake my whole MI3 scene pack because the quality of this version is stunning. The sweat pouring down Davian's neck, the spilled wine dripping from his chin, the spit flying out of his mouth when he's screaming at Ethan... Many people hate JJ's visual style but I don't mind all the movement too much, and it looked incredible in such high definition. Plus, as I said, hot and evil PSH—of course he will look so sexy in 4K as he does in any resolution.

#for the third time he is so hot and evil. there better be some pshredacted messages for me to publish when I wake up tomorrow.#monday philm #mission: impossible iii #philip seymour hoffman #psh #*#it's fun to reconcile how scary and intense and shout-y davian is vs. how much fun everyone says they had on set #like phil was goin crazyyyy when cameras were rolling but the rest of the time he was. just happy goofy phil :)#probably talkin about the yankees and his next kid on the way and shootin the shit with the crew. just a guy! I love him!!!#and tom really is the president of movies. he loves them so much you can't not smile hearing him fanboy over them. even his own!

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agentnico · 6 months

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Loki - Season 2 (2023) Review

Ke Huy Quan is literally jumping from multiverse to multiverse. At this rate he should only be allowed to appear in projects about the multiverse, as one can never get enough of hearing him fast-talk sci-fi mumbo jumbo exposition. Ke Huy Quan - never change your wonderful weird self.

Plot: Season 2 of Loki follows the death of He Who Remains, with Loki desperately trying to figure out how to keep the multiverse from unraveling into another war and hold the TVA together.

I hear that the new The Marvels film is a turd. In fact, as of late all that Marvel has been doing is turd after turd, as if the entire studio had suffered a collective food poisoning and is now regurgitating and also releasing crap out of their bowels. Since Endgame they have really struggled, with of course some exceptions such as WandaVision, No Way Home, and Guardians Vol. 3 sticking the landing, but those are far few amongst a plethora of oversaturated dull superhero content. In this day it's all about quantity over quality, and the cracks are finally beginning to show with the negative critical response and diminishing box office returns.

So I am more than surprised to reveal that the new season of Loki that has just completed its run on Disney+ is actually really good. Great characters, solid storytelling, exciting twists and turns, well-done visual effects (another aspect lacking in other recent MCU projects), an exhilarating music score, and great production design - it's all there. I read somewhere that season 2 of Loki is the first MCU project to not undergo any reshoots, and it shows. The writers evidently had a solid plan from the beginning and stuck to it, and thus the results show. What a plan it must have been. I can only imagine what kind of Charlie Day-level board of post-it notes and interwoven lines they would have had to organize the time-dealing narrative. The writers really manage to deal with a big-scale multiversal time-traveling scope, yet at the same time succeed at keeping things grounded by focusing on the character development of its central cast.

I had mixed feelings about the first season of Loki. I enjoyed some ideas, the Tom Hiddleston/Owen Wilson pairing was enjoyable and the visual palette stood out. But there was plenty of useless filler, the character of Sylvie annoyed me to no end, and it only truly found its footing in the last couple of episodes. Oh, and Richard E. Grant's cameo was great, but when has Withnail not been good?? In comparison though Season 2 feels like a full-fledged pay-off to the events of the first season. So much so that it never really felt like any episodes had unnecessary junk in them. Each episode was filled with lots of stuff going on, with the show moving at a very fast pace. I'd say the first half of the season takes some time getting into, so the showrunners could have patched it up more, but the second half definitely balances it out. The production design also seems to have improved this season. The set pieces were all very well designed, and the detail put into the look of the TVA felt like this show had the budget of an HBO Max Game of Thrones-type series.

The cast are all great. Luckily there is less of Sylvie (no offense to the actress) and that weird Loki-to-Loki romance subplot is largely ignored thank the heavens. Also the writers must have taken on the feedback from the previous season and have now given us more buddy time between Hiddleston's Loki and Owen Wilson's Mobius. Those two together are hilarious, and share some of the best moments this season. Tara Strong gets more chance to lean into the creepy element as the eerily cheerful voice of Miss Minutes. Ke Huy Quan and Eugene Cordero manage to deliver the scientific exposition in an entertaining and breezy way, even if what they re saying doesn't always make sense, but like who's looking for logic in the MCU? Gugu Mbatha-Raw returns as Renslayer, and honestly, the season could have done without her. The writers seem to desperately want to include her, but her character has hardly anything to do. Rafael Casal as a rogue TVA agent also didn't work for me. The chap's acting was way too over the top and silly.

Naturally one must touch upon the Majors problem that Marvel is facing. They are really leaning into Kang as the Big Bad with more set-up than Thanos has ever had, yet the actor playing him is in some serious legal trouble. So will be interesting to see how Marvel gets out of that one should the court find Jonathan Majors guilty of the accusations, but nevertheless let's talk about Kang in this show. The essence of Kang is felt throughout the entire season, and naturally, some variants are involved. Primarily the character of Victor Timely, and look, I'm hearing many rave about Majors' performance as Kang but I'm not buying it. As Timely he's this blubbering awkward scientist who comes off way too over-the-top. At the end of the season Timely does find his groove and I actually began liking him, but as a Kang variant, he's not threatening at all. In Ant-Man as the Conqueror, he is just this macho man with a big mouth but not much else to him. And then all those variants in the Quantumania credits scene where they're all dressed up as if they are part of the circus, and then many of them screaming like apes.....like c'mon. He's supposed to be the Big Bad, but whatever Majors and the writers are doing, I don't get it. Except when it comes to the Loki season 2 finale...

So the finale of Loki season 2 is easily some of the best television work Marvel has done, at least in regards to the Disney+ shows. It brings not only the events of the entire Loki show to a satisfying close with a sense of finality that hasn't been felt since Avengers: Endgame, but also gives Tom Hiddleston's character such an incredible arc, from seeing how he started out back in the first Thor film, and how his intentions and persona have changed, yet the irony of life still plays its part and where his character ends up at the end of season 2 of Loki was really awesome. In fact, it's such perfect closure to his character that I don't believe we need to see him again. I get that the Marvel machine would naturally want to bring him back down the line, however… I don’t think it should happen. As much as I do love Tom Hiddleston as Loki, I think sometimes things need actual endings. And it was such a fitting yet tragic arc for Loki that I think adding anything else to the character, whether a multiversal variant or what have you, would only cheapen what they accomplished last night. As for the aforementioned comment about Kang, in this finale episode was the first time where we actually witnessed a Kang variant have some real power that could have big ramifications. Not the kind of cheap physical macho stuff they had in Quantumania - nope. In the Loki season 2 finale his power was more of knowledge and skill, which depending on how they take it from here could be really interesting.

Loki season 2 is a visual and narrative treat for any sci-fi time-travel pop culture fan and is very much a reminder that when the time and creative effort are put into a project, Marvel still has the potential to deliver. It is a shame then that these occurrences are happening less and less, but nonetheless, this show is worth celebrating. Also, we finally got to see Owen Wilson's Mobius on a jet-ski! That is what I call fan service done well!

Overall score: 7/10

Season finale score: 8/10

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transxfiles · 11 months

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gonna go on a little mini tangent about nimona movie adaptation. it's gonna include lots of spoilers for the graphic novel so if you haven't read it yet (and you should!!) you can just scroll past spoiler free <3 anyways,

first off i am SO fucking pumped up about the nimona movie this is doing things to my middle school heart you have no idea <3 <3 <3 they're definitely branding it in the area of that kind of edgy but family friendly movie vibe that's been popular with certain projects lately (low key some parts of the trailer were giving me mitchells versus the machines while others were giving me the same energy as the bad guys, which is an interesting mix imo they're both good animated movies from the recent past but at the same time they're both tonally different in many ways not to mention very different tonally from the original nimona comic imo) and basically where i'm going with this is i hope they keep the original tone of the comic. the graphic novel does a really great job of shifting between lighthearted comedy and the complex emotions of the characters really well, especially with the twist at the end where we find out that nimona has been lying about her past the entire time (OGH that ending is SO GOOD it gives me chills just remembering the panel where we find out the story about the dragonslayer going after the shapeshifter and the rumors that the shapeshifter TOOK THE DRAGONSLAYERS PLACE??? AUGH those panels are burned into my mind forever). basically i am a little worried because of the marketing that they might soften the darkness associated with nimona's past/backstory or even change it entirely, but of course that's all speculation bc they could literally just be doing what the comic did which was market itself as really upbeat and silly modern fairytale twist and then turn around and make everything really fucking dark as the novel approaches the end of the second act and the beginning of the first act.

also when it comes to the character designs i am OBSESSED with blackheart and goldenloin the designs are SO!!!! not to mention the setting itself, they're definitely leaning into the futuristic aspect but i hope they keep a lot of the down to earth fantasy elements from the comic as well, i feel like nate did a really great job creating a world that is such a unique blend of ren fair fantasy tropes (for lack of a better term) and magical high tech inventions and it's something that i really hope doesn't get lost in the translation to the screen. obviously i can imagine that the show-y-ness of a cyberpunk-esque world is very visually appealing and also probably pretty fun to animate but i'm hoping they're teasing a lot of those dystopian sci fi visuals for the trailer because they get ppls attention and then they bring in a similar mix of the ren fair fantasy elements from the comic.

i hope they maintain nimona's whole gender vibe as the same sort of fluid energy that i got from her in the book, idk if it was just me but nimona reads as not only gnc but as a very nonbinary/genderfluid character and i always thought it was really cool how ready she was to shapeshift to different gender presentations in the comic.

this is more just on the curious musings side but i also wonder if they'll do the little bit where she dyes her hair purple?? its such a weird little moment in the comic i could see them deciding not to put it on screen but i think it'd be a cute nod to the book. or maybe they do a little bit of dialogue where she mentions to blackheart that she's thinking about changing her hair color and mentions purple, it'd just be cute i think <3

uhhh yeah i guess my biggest wonder about the movie rn is just how dark they're willing to take it, tonally? because the book gets DARK and ofc it's also aimed kinda at middle grade, just like the movie is, but what's allowed in middle grade books is very different from what's marketable in a middle grade family friend film. i really do hope they do the whole dark underbelly of the kingdom reveal, though, and the second act arc where nimona's true violent and chaotic nature starts to spiral out of ballister's control, and of course the unethical experimentation and the legend of the shapeshifter and nimona's entire story to ballister being a lie.....

AUGH i am going to get so emotional about this movie but yeah <3

basically. NIMONA MOVIE AT LAST!!!!!!!!!!

#cricket.chatterbox #nimona movie

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shuuji-thoughts · 3 months

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on No Regrets for our Youth - Akira Kurosawa (1946)

Initial Reactions

To get it out of the way, I honestly didn't really enjoy this film. Most of it felt immensely dragged out and the characters, themes, and even the direction felt somewhat confused and inconsistent. The pacing had some moments lasting 30 minutes of run-time, and then years would pass by in the span of one cut at what felt like pretty random intervals. That being said, this film is definitely far from uninteresting, as there's a wide variety of shots and cut techniques and the use of music and sound does a fairly good job of keeping the viewer engaged (although I did nearly fall asleep during those longggg farming montages).

Further Critique

I'm actually kind of at a loss with this one I'm gonna be honest. There were certainly a number of potential overarching themes here, but because of how confusing the film and its characters felt, it's really hard for me to commit to one reading without doing a little more in-depth analysis (which I shall not be doing lol). I'm still not entirely sure whether the whole "life with no regrets" thing was meant to be taken directly or ironically given the way things turned out for the main lady, like is her suffering just an acceptable byproduct of living without regrets with the takeaway being that you should live with full confidence in your decisions no matter the results, or are we supposed to view it as a sort of tragedy that someone putting this much effort into merely trying to get what they want out of life still ends up getting fucked by life at every corner? I definitely was personally leaning toward the latter (especially considering the one line by whoever that said something to the effect of "it's as if you were born to suffer"), but I feel like the former was more of the intended reading, so I'm a bit conflicted with how to feel about this film.

That aside, there were a number of shots and cut techniques I found pretty interesting. I noticed a lottt of straight-on tracking shots, namely when Yukie is pacing back and forth in front of Noge's office. There were also maaaany different styles of montages, some obvious and some more discreet. One particular scene I really liked visually was the one where Yukie and Noge are talking in his office and the camera is positioned with Yukie's back facing Noge, of whom we only see a shadow cast onto the wall. I have absolutely no idea what the idea was behind this, but I thought it was a pretty fun visual at least.

Overall, pretty boring and hard to grasp from a casual viewing. Would probably be interested in reading further a little further analysis though.

#japanese film

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seeyounexttime · 1 year

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As you probably know, Black Clover is getting a movie! It's set to release worldwide on Netflix on March 31, 2023 June 16 (and at Roadshow in Japan). And of course, to promote the movie, a website has opened up:

https://bclover-movie.jp/

The site has some information about the movie that may interest you, and that's why I created this "guide" so that you can have a better idea of what it says.

A few disclaimers: I did pass these through google translate, but I have also taken four semesters of Japanese so I have an idea of why and where the online translation is messing up. I double-checked the words and sentence structure, and tried cleaning up the translations into something that is hopefully more coherent... 😅 But if you know more and can provide some insight, then that'd be cool 🤙

Note0:

Japanese doesn't use pronouns nearly as often as English (this includes "I" and "you"). A lot of "I, you, he, she, they, it" that you see in something that was translated from Japanese was added so that the sentence would make sense.

Japanese doesn't have words for definite articles ("the") or indefinite articles ("a"/"an"). That's added in when translating because otherwise the sentence starts sounding off. So don't get caught up on that.

When you go the site, the first thing you see is the poster. The words at the top of the poster say "Not giving up is our magic"

The smaller words above the movie title:

Original Work - General Supervisor - Character Drafts

Yūki Tabata (serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump)

Under the poster is two rectangles

I'm sure that you can guess that the one that says TWITTER goes to Twitter (it does), but what about the first rectangle? Well go ahead and tap it...

Comment from Yūki Tabata-sensei

It seems that the visuals and the special report for the Black Clover movie has finally been revealed!!

I was worried about whether to do this movie based on the original work; I had a story depicting the "Wizard King" transformed into film!

Said story is "this wasn't done in the original work" but I think it's going to be a movie where you can enjoy a large-scale flashy battle between Asta's group and a group of tough enemies!

Right now, Studio Pierrot, including Director Tanemura, are putting all efforts into creating this...!!

Thank you soooo much!!! Look forward to March next year!!! I'm looking forward to it too!!

*This comment was made in December 2022, so "March next year" means March 2023 (this year)

Note1:

For the record, the second paragraph doesn't actually use the word "I" but one would figure that the worried one would be Tabata – or maybe it's "they"? "They" who? The studio? Idk

There was no full stop after that clause, just a comma, but the verb wasn't in te-form, it's in past tense so... it could function as a complete statement on its own, couldn't it? But I guess the clauses are related, right? I put a semi-colon as compromise 😅

The next clause ends in the past tense form of morau もらう which means "to receive" but can also mean "had (someone) do (something)" if it follows a verb in te-form... And it does here 化してもらいました kashite moraimashita. Which I guess leans towards it being something Tabata would like to be done?

I think ~temorau is more of a "soft" had-someone-do, not something made to be done by twisting your arm or anything (there's probably a different verb for that kind of had-someone-do).

Note2:

「原作でやらないんだコレ」という物語 confused me somewhat... The words within 「these」 is the "this wasn't in the original work" bit (and those corner brackets are the equivalent of quote marks). Then after that is という物語 where 物語 is "story"

という [to iu] is something used when calling something a name, like in the Black Clover episode "A man named Fanzell" = ファンゼルという男 Fanzell to iu otoko (otoko means "man")

"A story named 'this wasn't in the original work'."?? That sounds...odd...and idk why, maybe because of his afterwards, but I kinda get a "sorry that I never included this before" vibe?

Idk idk but apparently there are *somewhat* alternate uses of という? link one, link two, link three

Idk bro 助けて読めない

Now continuing onto the next parts... 🚶

There should be a CLOSE button on the upper right-hand corner. Tap that and go back to the home page. Under the Twitter button is the release date and a video.

The part titled UPDATE is pieces of news (like voice actor updates) concerning the movie, and the rectangle that says ARCHIVE is an archive of those newsflashes. Then it's another link to their Twitter.

INTRODUCTION • STORY

Weekly Shonen Jump's heart-shaking magic battle action serialization — a story of the "wizard king", that was not revealed in the original work, is made into film!

Black Clover is a world where magic is everything. Asta, a boy who was born unable to use magic, has an eye on the pinnacle of mages, "Wizard King". The white hot noble path, magic battle action!

"Never giving up is my magic!" — With that conviction in mind, Asta faces a formidable enemy; that aspect of his fires up the hearts of those who see him. Serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump, and later adapted into a TV anime, this work has charmed not only Japan but also the world. And then 2023, it's at last decided to make it into a movie.

Produced by Studio Pierrot, that has handled many hit anime works such as "Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War", "Naruto", and "Yu Yu Hakusho" from Weekly Shonen Jump. The staff who handled the TV series and opened up the world of Black Clover are taking part in the long-awaited production of the movie version. The vast world of "Black Clover" drawn by the original author, Yūki Tabata, will finally manifest on the big screen…!!

What is depicted in the movie is a story of the Wizard King that was not revealed in the original work. The four most sinister Wizard Kings who were resurrected and the 「帝剣」 "King Sword"; their objective is the destruction of the kingdom. Asta during Clover Kingdom's biggest crisis... And what of Asta's Wizard King dream–?

All magic knights total war! Magic battle action that surpasses limits will begin!

To push forward with his dream, that aspect of never giving up, the hearts of those who watch will quiver! Everything that is Black Clover will be here!

Note3:

"King Sword" is what I chose to translate that word as. Maybe that's the name of the sword since it was in quotes?

The movie title, "Sword of the Wizard King", is written as 魔法帝の剣 <- so it contains the kanji used for the quoted word. We'll see what the official translation is and what the "king sword" even is later on…

Note4:

Also that's not me filling in the pronoun – there was finally a pronoun used in the Introduction section! Karera 彼ら is "they" so all four of them are bad huehuehue

STORY

Standing in the way of Asta's dream of being Wizard King are successive generations of Wizard Kings—

Asta is a boy who was born unable to use magic in a world where magic is everything. In order to overcome adversity and prove his power, Asta, together with Yuno, aim to become the pinnacle of mages, the "Wizard King", and have fought many tough opponents.

Asta has been accumulating results and walking the path to becoming Wizard King. Before him appears the former Wizard King Conrad and three successive Wizard Kings who were feared as the worst and sealed. The "King Sword" and they who were resurrected aim to destroy the Clover Kingdom.

"The boy who dreams of becoming Wizard King" VS "Past Wizard Kings"

A fierce battle involving all the Magic Knights has begun around the Wizard King!

PART 2 HERE

#black clover #black clover movie #black clover asta #black clover sword of the wizard king #conrad leto #asta #long post

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romanceyourdemons · 1 year

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it’s difficult to make a film about vaudeville without the film at least partially becoming a vaudeville show, and the great gabbo (1929) really leans into this. created just two years after the introduction of sound film, this film takes advantage of film becoming functionally identical to live performance to record many acts of a high-end broadway revue. luckily, none of those acts are minstrel shows, as was the case in the jazz singer (1927); many of the performances are very fun to watch, with the camera generally positioned within the theatre’s audience and allowing us to take in the show, and frankly i would recommend it purely on merit of its non-narrative portions. the narrative of the film is very intriguing, though, as erich von stroheim’s typecast of the genteel and obsessive, old-fashioned aristocrat is refitted to showbusiness in the form of a renowned broadway performer who is simultaneously obsessed with his ex-girlfriend and former co-star marie while also being in an. uncomfortably close relationship with his dummy. von stroheim’s intensity of performance, and the script’s deft interweaving of his acts of love and his acts of violence, make the character and his arc of abortive and undeserved redemption something like a hammier, more vaudevillian version of zampanò from la strada (1954). it is because of the hamminess and vaudevillian foundation of the film that the performances are not burdened with the stiffness and awkwardness frequently seen in the transition from silent to sound—although it is interesting to see some scenes retained in the final cut where the actors made mistakes with their lines—and the contrast of the old style of performance with the complex in-camera visual effects at the end of the film makes for an interesting effect. the great gabbo (1929) is effective both as a piece of film and entertainment history and simply as a piece of entertainment, and i would definitely recommend it

#ryddles

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thecleverqueer · 7 months

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imma bombard you with questions for scientific research (don’t feel pressured to answer though)

what are your thoughts on ahsoka so far? how would you rate the show out of 10? what’s your favorite episode so far? what’s your least favorite? who’s your favorite character? what is your favorite scene? what are your thoughts on episode 6?

please tag me if you answer so i get the notification! <3

bonus: what’s your favorite star wars movie and character?

Hi @byler-is-endgame7 !

I’ll gladly answer your questions for scientific research.

First, what do I think of Ahsoka so far?

So far, I’ve been quite pleased with the story… it feels like a spiritual continuation of Rebels which I though was a lovely series. Once more, it primarily focuses on three of my favorite characters in all of Star Wars media (Ahsoka, Hera and Sabine)… with that being said, I may be bias.

I have really enjoyed the lightsaber battles. I have enjoyed the world building aspect of the show. I think, visually, they’ve done a great job. I like the fact that they brought back Huyang. He was an underutilized character in The Clone Wars, and it’s cool to see him in live action. A lot of folks have complained endlessly about the actors, but I think they’ve done a great job translating the characters into live action. If I had one complaint, it would be that the dialogue has come off as sort of clunky and awkward at times. It’s not terrible. It’s something that I can look over mostly.

How would I rate the show?

Eh. I kind of hate to do that. My friends often ask me to do this, and my answer has always been, “so far, I’ve really enjoyed it, but I’m going to hold off my final judgement because Filoni still has plenty of time to blow the whole story for me.” So, I’m going to hold off on rating it overall.

Favorite and least favorite episodes?

Tell you what, I’ll rank the episodes out of 10 for you:

Episode 1: 9.0.

Episode 2: 9.0.

Episode 3: 8.0.

Episode 4: 10.

Episode 5: 10.

Episode 6: 8.5.

With that being said, four or five are probably my favorites thus far (I would probably lean towards five). The action sequences were fantastic, and I love that Ahsoka has turned a corner emotionally. Three was probably my least favorite. It wasn’t bad. The space battle was awesome.

My favorite character?

Ahsoka. Absolutely Ahsoka. I’m a self-proclaimed simp.

Favorite scene?

I honestly liked the entire sequence post-pulling Ahsoka out of the water in episode five. If I could chose only one scene though, it would be the moment Ahsoka hugs Jacen, and has the conversation with Hera about where she thinks Sabine has gone. Ahsoka’s really soft with both of them, and I think it’s sweet. I also like that Ahsoka is wearing those ragged jammies with that white shawl.

Thoughts on Episode 6?

It was okay, but not my favorite. I didn’t like that there wasn’t much Ahsoka in it. I do get why. I did think it was cute that Ahsoka had Huyang tell her a children’s story to try and get her mind off of everything. I’m honestly also sort of mad at Sabine. I wanted them to find Ezra too, but not like this. Once worse, I’m anxious because I’m starting to think that the heroes may end up getting stranded out there because how TF are they going to get home without the whales and without the hyperspace coordinates to jump back? I did like the fact that we got a little more character development surrounding Shin and Baylan. I think that they’re fascinating characters, and I want to know more. I liked the Noti. And, ultimately, I was happy to see Ezra again. It’s been a while.

Bonus:

Favorite Star Wars move?

Definitely the Empire Strikes Back. That’s actually my comfort film (despite it ending badly for the good guys which I don’t typically like).

Favorite Star Wars character?

My most favorite is Ahsoka Tano, but Obi-Wan Kenobi is a very, VERY close second.

#star wars #ahsoka tano #ahsoka series #ahsoka spoilers

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canmom · 2 years

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Animation Night 109: Short Film Night!

Hey friends! It’s the time of week where we watch animation!

Tonight is something of a successor to Animation Night 9: web animators and 48: independent/web animators 2, as well as 99: Love Death and Robots.

For there has indeed been a new chapter of Blur Studio and friends’ animation festival, and I’ve been holding off watching the new entries to enjoy them with you~ There’s also been a new crop of CalArts student films, and I thought it would be fun to dig into those as well, plus show a few more gems of the web. And if that’s not enough of a runtime, I still need to show you Belle after we didn’t have time two weeks ago...

So, Love Death and Robots! Honestly, as much as I have found many entries in this series underwhelming compared to classic package films like Robot Carnival, Memories and Short Peace, and the approach to sexuality and violence frequently unimaginative despite the effort to be shocking, I am glad the series exists. There are very few ways for shortform animation to reach a wide audience, and it is good to see these studios get to make something under their own direction rather than to promote a franchise.

No Robert Valley this time, alas. Hopefully that’s a sign he’s doing some more exciting things elsewhere. We do have some enemies that suggest some fascinating imagery, like Alberto Mielgo’s film Jibaro about a deaf conquistador fighting a siren:

Mielgo directed one of the ‘artier’ entries in the first season, The Witness, in which a man pursues the witness to a murder he committed through a city streets and a sex club, trying very forcefully to explain his innocence. I’m not sure if we knew what to make of it back then; it fell rather awkwardly in the running after Blur Studio’s very goofy and heavy-handed Sonnie’s Edge and the polarising Three Robots, so ‘benefit of the doubt’ was in short supply. Nevertheless, it definitely established that Mielgo has quite the visual library and approach to expression and colour, so I’m looking forward to seeing what he does this time around.

For traditional animation fans, the main attraction this year seems to be Jennifer Yuh Nelson’s film Kill Team Kill, which seems to follow in the footsteps of Studio La Cachette’s film Sucker of Souls in season 1 in seeing (stop me if you’ve heard this one before) a bunch of soldierly types fighting a scary monster. Visually it’s going for a very 80s vibe...

For all that it’s a familiar story, it absolutely is the case that Titmouse have some seriously talented animators, so I’m sure it will have quite a lot of appeal visually. As for Nelson, she’s had quite a career; she’s probably best known for directing the Kung Fu Panda movies at Dreamworks, but the one that jumps out at me is that she was story director for Ralph Bakshi’s bizarre horny sci-fi series Spicy City. Her entry in Season 2 was a dystopian noir film leaning heavily on Blade Runner, about a world of immortals in which a cop shoots anyone found to have kids but has a last-minute change of heart upon finding a nice little family, which was... ok, I can’t really defend that premise on a thematic and metaphorical level, but a fascinating window into some sort of anxiety.

Another promising entry is the cel-shaded CG adaptation of a Swanwick story, The Very Pulse of the Machine, directed by newcomer Emily Dean with Japanese CG studio Polygon Pictures - known for their work with Mamoru Oshii on films like The Sky Crawlers (Animation Night 38) and GitS 2: Innocence (Animation Night 39). As a CG studio, they have a bit of a mixed legacy: I can’t say I love their work on Knights of Sidonia or Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter, but a lot of that might be the pressures of TV animation production so it would be good to see what they can do with more time to work on their animation. The clips of this one definitely look cool, at least!

Also returning is Jerome Chen, who in season 1 directed Sony’s very reserved mil-sf film Lucky 13, which invited you to feel sad about the tragic death of an aeroplane - something which honestly worked a lot better than you’d expect, if only because it was one of the few films that didn’t rely on squick factor to sell its beats. This time around it seems that he’s once again returning to that territory, with a bunch of space marines fighting some kind of eldritch abomination. We’ll see.

Oh and, if you’re one of the side who liked Three Robots last time (and, I’ll admit, I feel like I was too harsh on it), there’s a sequel to that! And, of course, Blur themselves have a lot of entries. In all honesty, I think it will be like the last two seasons: one or two absolutely standout entries and a lot of others that are just so-so, but that’s always the risk you run with original short films, and I’d rather try and fail than not!

For our second block, we’ll be making use of this helpful playlist of every CalArts Character Animation student film this year.

To briefly introduce for those unfamiliar, CalArts in California is one of the most prestigious three international animation schools, alongside Gobelins in France and Sheridan in Canada. All of these schools are ridiculously selective and demanding, but they are also one of the surest routes to a job in the animation industry (typically these days in work like storyboarding and character design). In the past we’ve watched a lot of Gobelins films, but this time let’s take a look at what’s going on in @mogsk‘s neck of the woods~ <3

Like Gobelins, the students make a short film each year; unlike the Gobelins approach where the students generally divide into small teams, at CalArts the rule seems to be that each student makes their own film, typically around 1-2 minutes long, for which they do all the animation (typically not music or voice acting). So the animation may not be as ridiculously polished, but also that means more possibilities for people to try out novel things.

I haven’t yet watched more than a few of them and won’t have time before tonight, but here are a few I’ve enjoyed so far...

youtube

Operago by Rayna Buxton: two girls whose design resembles a medieval tapestry battle a gigantic opera singer. Extremely cool visual style and the action choreography is very well handled; not surprisingly this one has been blowing up on Youtube.

youtube

After the Rain by Chelsea Yijia Li; a sweet atmospheric animesque film about a migrant returning to see her friend in China. Strong voice acting and direction; I like the bilingual dialogue.

youtube

Mahou Shouject. This one’s cute. An egg (or maybe a boymoder...) sees a magic butterfly and does a magical girl transformation sequence.

youtube

The Pretty Duckling - fun little musical one, you can see the twist coming but it’s nicely executed. Also technically another entry for ‘hard vore night’.

youtube

Opera by Janelle Feng - this one fully feels like a Gobelins film, and not just because they also made one about performers preparing for a show. Anyway, the dialogue is really strong, and the character animation has a lot of subtlety; those simple eye movements do a lot to expressing the main character’s performance, and it does a great job showing the many different feelings of a group of Chinese opera performers performing for a foreign audience without really knowing on what level their performance is received.

...and with that I’ve reached the video limit for my post, RIP. But do also check out NOHARM_INTRO by Wesley Joseph for some very fun stylised dance animation - not sure if rotoscoped or just closely referenced.

That’s barely scratching the surface, and I’m looking forward to digging into the whole list. Since I would like to continue posting Youtube videos, let’s put this out now and continue in a reblog~

#animation night

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sylwanin-was-right · 1 year

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I pretty much only care about the negative reviews right now because a lot of the positive reviews are prioritising the action and visual quality of the film, which are important sure, especially for a scifi movie almost entirely made from CGI (and for the franchise itself). But its 2023 and we've seen many examples (including Avatar lbr) how spectacular CGI isnt enough to make a well rounded film, let alone one that reverberates.

So far there are confirmations to what I somewhat feared, but pretty much expected: Poor characterization and oversimplistic plot that the visial spectacle of the film doesnt give grace to.

But the only way I'll truly be disappointed is if I see the movie myself!

I'm going to go in seeing it with a neutral, positive leaning optimism thought so definitely not giving up on Pandora! I anticipate that I'll be satisfied again by the world building and Na'vi enough to still await the sequels. Those two elements are most important to me about this franchise, tho I still expect the stories that come out about it to be worthwhile, too.

Im reading more reviews and posting about them so again my spoilers tag is #avatar spoilers and #avatar 2 spoilers!

#oel.mine #avatar 2 #avatar film #james cameron avatar #avatar spoilers #avatar way of water #avatar the way of water #avatar 2 spoilers

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talkingbl · 1 year

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My Most Attractive BL Pairings of All Time (According to Me)

A list of couples that look the best together rather than only separately (though that is taken into account here). Only counting official couples in a series (no ghost ships but not limited to lead couples). This isn't a ranking.

PondPhuwin.

At first, I had no real thoughts about Phuwin (since I became aware of him when he was a minor) but always thought Pond had a scientifically perfect face. His face is ethereal and is seriously one of my top 2 male faces of all time. Most of the time he's #1 lol. Phuwin is aging as a dapper young man in his own right. I love what he's doing with his hair and he's also shed his overly youthful look. Nowadays he's angles, sharp eyes, and slick, long, hair. I also think Phuwin has the perfect vibe. I know this is a looks rating, but I think vibes play into that. Phuwin seems so down to earth and funny that it adds to his overall aura. Pond, I can't quite get a read on. Overall, while their looks aren't perfectly complementary, they still bring the best out of each other, I think. Hands down, most facially attractive pairing to me.

TayNew.

Individually, both have handsome faces, with New being one of the most physically attractive actors I've seen, ever. Both have nice bodies to me, but Tay has two very specific things about him I really like: his hands and the way he stands. Tay's hands are scientifically perfect and he stands so attractively lmao. Like, I can't explain it but when he folds his arms and leans slightly to the side it's so nice to look at. I also love how he sits and takes up so much space it's just- ...anyway, the vibes these two give off are so attractive. Tay seems like an extroverted introvert (and he looks/sounds hot when he's irritated), and New seems like a free-thinker. Together, their auras just match so perfectly for me. Overall, these two are perfect complements, which just maximizes their hotness.

MileApo.

Mile is not exactly what I'm into but his body is my type. Still, Mile benefits from the cheerleader effect. Apo is about as much of a total package as one can get. He's got my ideal face and body, and is a decent height to boot (all things considered). Apo has what is known as "no bad angles." He could look good from anywhere to me. The only thing that throws me off is I actually prefer Mile's vibe to Apo's. Mile seems so genuine and kind-hearted (not that Apo doesn't). He also seems approachable. I think that where Mile lacks in being my ideal physical type, Apo makes up for it and where Apo lacks in vibes for me, Mile makes up for it. Nice complements, they look good together. Hands down the best pairing body-wise for me.

BossNoeul.

You know what's funny? I actually decided not to watch LITA at first because, among other things, the teaser picture had me out here struggling to find a visual. But then, I saw episode 4 teaser pics and decided I would marry Boss. This man has successfully won me over with his looks. He is gorgeous face-wise and has quite my #1 ideal body type. The only thing that would make it perfect overall is if he had Tay Tawan's gait. And vibes-wise, I get great vibes from Boss. In fact, the only Thai BL actors with better vibes are First Kanaphan and Max Nattapol. Now to Noeul. Noeul, much like Off, has nice angles and can definitely have moments where I'm into his look. Whispy black hair also does wonders for Noeul. But I do think he films better than he photographs. Together, these two are perfect complements (one of the two best on the list for me).

OffGun.

Gun is beautiful IMO. I want to make a distinction here before I go further into it, though. Gun is one of those people who is probably in my Top 10 or so most attractive men but I'm not drawn to him in the same way I am, say, Boss. I think I've said this before on this blog, but Gun is a look but don't touch for me while Boss is a look, touch, and if he wants, do something more lol. Off, on the other hand has moments of almost crippling beauty in between what would otherwise not be my type. Particularly when he played Khai, I could not get over how good he looked. Big, carefully styled hair does wonders for Off. Together, they enhance each other in my eyes, but it's not because they're facially-complementary. I honestly think it's like 50% vibes and 50% height difference for these two lol. They're probably have the highest beauty per inch height difference ratio in the game.

SuamChan.

Neither Jaechan nor Seoham match my ideal type overall. I can recognize that both are jointly and severally attractive in a very general sense. But for my taste, it's all in the makeup, styling, and angles for them. Jaechan particularly benefits from showing that forehead, and wearing makeup that accentuates his eyes and cheekbones. On the other hand, Seoham benefits from covering his forehead and accentuating his jawline. The one thing that I will never be able to take away from this man is his height. He is the perfect height to me and that in itself elevates him on the attractiveness scale. Together, they are probably the couple where one best complements the other. On their own, they look good, but together they feel good.

Honorable Mention: FirstKhao.

I want to start off by saying that First has consistently been one of my most attractive guys period. There is something about his vibe, his attractive face, his SNATCHED waste, his perfect hands, and his graceful (??) movements that really appeal to me. He feels so delicate and sweet I just love it so much. For Khao, The Eclipse has me seeing that with certain styling he could fit my aesthetic, but I still see him in a different light from First. Part of the reason why they didn't make it to the main list (despite my love for First) is because, together, they don't really elevate each other in the same way as the other pairings I mentioned. Don't get me wrong, the chemistry is off the charts and they're both good-looking men. But this list is really about the package deal rather than the individuals.

#thai bl boys love #pondphuwin taynew #mileapo bossnoeul #offgun suamchan #korean bl #I've watched less than 60 BLs in my time. So #while I have a good base to pull from #it's not like I'm basing my list off of having watched a lot of them.

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popcornforone · 1 year

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The Innocent Boyfriends Fics:- A Prize Worth Winning

Not so mini anymore, the typing is getting longer but I’m having fun writing them.

Todays fic is once again just based on the photo, it can be any man you want it to be. A small amount of swearing & alcohol & some semi public PDA. Lots of fluff & some Smutt but nothing to much, again we stop before it goes further, but stuff is definitely implied. Also the reader is self conscious about herself.

If I’ve left any warnings out please let me know.

You used to love awards season, you really did. You made it your mission every year to watch every film in the main categories of each show. & it was one night when you were at a screening of a body horror film that was up for visual effects, that you threw your snacks in the air as you jumped, so much that it hit the guy two rows behind. You were lucky the cinema only has a couple dozen people in it. At the end of the film you got up, found him & started to apologise before you realised who he was. A coffee 5mins down the road has now lead to you, being here at this awards show. It’s your first time as his plus one to anything but because he always takes random people with him, everyone just assumes your just friends.

You’re nervous walking past all these camera & people shouting. No amount of highly polished make up is covering your embarrassment & shyness. You feel so self conscious too. The dress is your favourite colour but your hairs up in a bun with slight curls coming down which makes you shift a little. He grabs your hand knowing your not coping, in a gap between one set of photographers & another & kisses your rings “youre doing amazing sweetie, I know this is a lot” he reassures you. “It’s crazier than it looks on tv & that always looks batshit” he laughs at your comment & raises his eyebrows in agreement. When he does that it’s your kryptonite & you always feel weak. “but it’s also hard because the world is looking at you” you take his arm & link it around yours. He sighs at you with his big brown eyes “trust me darling, the world has tons of photos of me, everyone’s watching you rock that dress. Why would they want to bother with me” he leans in ready to take your lips & your eyes flutter shut & then you hear the press person walk up to the both of you for the next line of photographers. “Ahhh” he say “we will continue this later, don’t want those lips all smudged on there debuts in every paper in the world” you smirk & your confidence is now fuller , & you know you can get through this with him. The two of you strut arm in arm to the next line of press. Lights blinding you but you can still see that smile.

“So this is why you stay at home for awards shows” you mutter & he clocks this coment “because at home you can fast forward some of the insanely boring bits” “you could have stayed at home..”he starts but you cut him off “& miss out on getting dressed up, fancy dinner & wine & you in a tux? No way babes” you’ve still got some of your lemon posset left to eat & you dig in to take a mouthful. “Actually…” he continues as a whisper & you look up while licking the spoon “I was gonna say you could have stayed home with me & we could have awards showd & chilled” you’ve only just noticed his hand is on your thigh. If the cameras move to your table right now your secretive game is up, not that it would bother either of you. You practically choke on the spoon at those words & your eyes fill with lust. “I’m joking babes” he says as you catch your breath & he pours you more wine “but I think that’s something to explore… later” he clinks his glass to yours you do your bashful sweet look which drives him insane. He raises that eyebrow again & the smoulder works it’s way to your core. “There’s nowhere I’d rather be than right here with you, waiting for your glorious moment” both of your breathing has now become heavy.

“And the winner is…” it’s been another hour until they get to his award. You do clock yourself on the screen sitting next to him like any other of his friends have done in the last year, ever eager & keen to show your support. You wonder with that 5 second glimpse how many people will msg you tomorrow going say what girl, but right now you’re waiting for his name to be called. When it’s not, you feel heartbroken. He had spent all of that first coffee that you had together, telling you how much he’d liked this job & it was so right for him & that he only had a few days left of filming. & as much as he always says he’s not in it for the awards & glory, you can see from his shoulders slumping that he is gutted. Once the red camera light is off & it moves away from his face, you put your arms on his shoulders & rub them. He instantly relaxes, he loves it when you do this. From behind your head goes into the crook of his neck “it’s okay baby, you know you did a good job & I still think it was amazing” you whisper this into his left ear, making him shiver & his breath hitch, & his hand reaches yours before he turns. “Nah they are amazing in that show they deserve it” he leans in for the kiss but then the speech starts & you see the camera start to come back. He sits there & looks happy for them while the occasional glimpse is caught on camera, but he’s not let go of your hand, it’s intertwined with his. A promise of to keep as he’s got all he needs right here.

The speech is done & everyone stands up to applaud. As much as you wanted your man to win, you can’t deny the other guy was good. Everyone’s taking picture of him on the stage with his award while the award show is on adverts & you get your own phone out. “Really?” He says “why would you…” you turn & snap him pulling that face & pouting. The entire world just watched this moment happen & the entire room is in the other guys afterglow, but no your world is gutted & you want to remind him of this moment one day as to how hard he tried when he feels down. “What did you do that for?” He asks eyebrow still raised, face still pouting & eye’s glistening in all the flashes happening.

“You’re the only winner in my books baby, & this is your reward” phone back in your bag your hand cups his face & caress his jaw. “So…” he looks at you like the room isn’t full of the most important people in the world to him, a smirk comes to his face as your foreheads meet in a silent embrace “we can sneak out” he says & you looked shocked. “Unless you want to see all the awards & go to the after party & the after after party, but they aren’t worth it if I’m honest, too many hangers on” he downs his wine in 3 gulps & you follow suit, but only after seductively holding your glass enough to make him go oooh. “ are you saying now you’ve lost we can award showd & chill?” “Watch that mouth”he says teasingly raising the eyebrow again, as he stands up & makes an excuse for the two of your to sneak away. “No you can watch it later, if you can keep your eyes open while I use it” you smirk & grab your bag. He is loving your new confidence you suddenly have, is it the wine or the dress or just being near him? Neither of you are sure but you are both feeling it. Taking his large hand you follow him out of the auditorium. He’s feeling very boyish by your response.

Once in the foyer, he’s all over you. There no press or anyone else in sight & he finally has you all to his own. His lips finally clash to yours straight away (something he’s waited all night but feels like forever to do) & his tongue enters to join yours easily. He’s hungry & your ravished too, despite the food. Your lipstick is now definitely smudged & he lifts your leg up so that your start to entwine. You both start humming with the occasion giggle from a wondering hand, from the both of you. That’s when you hear the crash of someone bringing something out from the kitchen. You both pull away from the embrace & snigger. Apart from when your eyes were shut, your eyes haven’t left each others at all, both so transfixed & ready to get back to where you are staying. You decide to get in one of the hired cars for guest & being the gent he is, he opens the door for you to slide in.

“Oooh are we heading to an after party sir” The driver asks as he shuts the door. “Kind of “ he lists the hotel you are both staying at while his hand trails up the inside of your dress. “You guys do complete disgression yes?” He asks & raises his eyebrow sternly. It’s not your eyebrow but it still makes you go weak, it’s just the way it brings his always beautiful eyes out. The question is to make sure that before his lips find your & his hand goes even further up the dress, that this isn’t going to end up on tmz at 5am tomorrow . “Up to a certain point sir” “good I know I don’t have the time to get as far as I want here, so you should be fine with that?” His other hand is now undoing your bun in your hair & watching if cascade out. He moves your now free waves out the way & nips at your neck. Your sign is very deep & your eyes close. “say no more sir” & the driver pulls up the darkened window divider. It’s only a 10min drive but because of the attention you are giving each other & they way you feel in this dress & the way his suit leaves nothing left to the imagination, it feels so much longer in a good way.

You finally remove your hands from each other & he gives the driver a large tip, before hurrying your inside. The passion continues in the lift, as you feel the cold metal across your back & you are pushed against it. Neither of you denying the other, the attention is divine. The doors opens & he picks you up & carry’s you to the room & drops you onto the lounge sofa. He goes back & locks the door before taking off is jacket shoes & tie, but he keeps the tie in his hands. “So awards showd & chilled?” He asks. That eyebrow is working over time tonight, but it makes him smoulder & it always makes you bite your lip, which then drives him even crazier. He mounts the sofa and you. You go to start undoing his buttons but he stops you at 2 & ties your hands together with his tie. “Am I your prize baby?” You ask & your hips roll as he shifts his weight ready to start undressing the two of you. “Oh baby with you I’ve always got gold & diamonds, I don’t need any validation other than this” he’s undoing his buttons but stop & then pushes your hand above your head & your lips collide once more, inviting into one & other. “I want to take this slow” he hums & you moan into his mouth before he brings his lips back down. “You’re my award every night but when you look like that, how can you not deny me my prize” his eyes are now full of lust, the caramel now dark & dilated. You smile & whisper “baby I need you, take your prize”. You know that when you do pick up your phone to look at it in the morning, you will be tired for lots of reasons, not just a glamorous awards show. But that can wait, it’s all about this sofa right now.

#minifics #boyfriend fics #fluff #innocentboyfriend #date night #Smutt #impliedsmutt

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smokeybrandreviews · 2 years

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Hell Here

Netflix has finally released a trailer for the long awaited Wednesday and i have to say, i love it! Listen, I've been a fan of the Addams Family for years. Long before those two excellent films (I'll get to those in am minute) i used to watch the old Fifties show religiously. It came on during the afternoon, right before Fox Kids Club. I watched The Munsters, The Addams Family, The Andy Griffith Show, and The Beverly Hillbillies. The standout for me was, of course, The Addams Family. When the Nineties films released, i was all over them. Already accustomed to the macabre shenanigans of these gothic good-fellows, i absolutely gravitated toward these more campy, eccentric, takes on the characters. I loved these films and my favorite character in them was, Wednesday. I literally fell in love with Wednesday Addams and developed an actual crush of Christina Ricci, one that I've held to this day. Suffice it to say, i am looking forward to what Netflix had planned but, more than that, it was cosigned by Tim Burton.

I really have to get around to that list of my favorite directors because there are plenty but Burton is up there. I love this dude’s style. I love the approach he takes to making his films. Burton basically makes live action cartoons. That’s it. That’s the draw. It makes sense as he got started as an animator at Disney but got canned because of his WAY too gothic sensibilities. The man crafts amazingly visual fairy tales and you absolutely have to respect the f*ck out of that. His films, however morbid, macabre, or weird, never disappoint. Even his stop motion work puts others to shame. Beetlejuice, James and the Giant Peach, A Nightmare Before Christmas, his two Bat-flicks, Corpse Bride, Edward Scissorhands, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Mars Attacks are all favorites. I trust in this man’s ability to craft a wonderful cinematic experience and look forward to what he contributes to Wednesday as a producer. I enjoy Tim Burton and, as a black dude, some cats might find that odd. Others, problematic.

Tim Burton doesn’t cast black people in his films. Hell, he doesn’t cast anyone of color, really. Like, Billy Dee Williams got to be Harvey Dent in the first Batman but, of the top of my head, that’s it. Everyone else is either Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, or Helena Bonham Carter. For me, i get it. The aesthetic Burton uses does not lend itself to those with melanin. In this man’s entire filmography, four films have had people of color in them. Cats are piling on the dude for being literally anti-black, which can be a thing. When asked about this lack of diversity in his films, Burton did himself no favors with his ridiculous answer but i get it. Dude leans heavy into German Expressionism. Striking whites to contrast exaggerated sets and costumes. Colors are as much a character as the actors and the palette Burton chooses to use does not allot for a lot of wiggle room in the melanin department. I get it. I don’t like it but i get it.

Burton is an artist. He is, by definition, an auteur director. If he doesn’t want to cast colored folk in his lily white films, that’s fine. I can’t be mad at a guy for following his creative inspiration, even if that inspiration is devoid of anything resembling representation. Does this mean Tim Burton is racist? I don’t think so. I don’t think Burton hates black people. I think he’s just comfortable with his deathly pale white folks. Do i think his films are problematic for their lack of diversity? Personally? No. If you get mad at Burton, you have to get mad at Peele because it’s kind of the same thing. More than that, Burton is really f*cking good at his goddamn job, man. I never once questioned why there weren’t any black folks in his movies because they were, very obviously, cartoons to me. Everything was surreal and exaggerated, so it was easy to accept that no one who looked like me, lived in those worlds. Besides, what black person is going to live in a place like Sleepy Hollow? What person of color is about to hire f*cking Beetlejuice to exorcise some ghosts or whatever?

Ultimately, i don’t think Time Burton has malice in his heart when he excludes people of color from his films. I think he just doesn’t believe they fit the look of the narrative he’s trying to tell. For me, it’s as simple as that. But I'm not a Zoomer and i did grow up on this man’s stuff. I have a much thicker skin for things like that because i grew up during a time when i needed one. I do love the fact that the youth are questioning the sh*t i took for granted, though. I love that they are challenging the status quo. Burton should be called out on this bullsh*t. He deserve to answer these hard questions but does his lack of diversity tarnish his filmography for me? Not at all. He’s still one of my favorite directors and i thank him every day of my life for vacuum sealing Michelle Pfeiffer into that catsuit.

#Wednesday #Netflix #Wednesday Addams #The Addams Family #Tim Burton

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