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agentnico · 4 years

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Top 20 Best Movies of the Decade (2010′s)

Now that we have entered the 2020s, it’s time to look back on a decade of movie magic. To emphasise the importance of each year, I’ll balance things out by including two films from each year for my Top 20 list. I’ve tried to pick films that both defined this decade as well as appealed to me personally, so my list will of course, as always, be different from yours, but hopefully, I won’t totally irritate you with my humble choice, which I deem worthy to post online for the public eye to witness.

2010:

INCEPTION - “You’re waiting for a train...” Christopher Nolan unarguably is the most exciting and original directors working today. Each time he releases a movie, its an event. A literal must-see at the cinema. Which is why this isn’t the only film of his you will find on this list. With Inception, Nolan gives us a movie that is both enjoyable and imaginative, rewarding the audience for the attention that it demands. Filled with so much detail that if you miss certain shots, you will completely get lost in confusion of the narrative (as confusing as it already is). It’s intense and complex, with great performances from the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy, this movie will leave you lingering for more even after that mysterious ending.

SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD - “You cocky cock! You'll pay for your crimes against humanity!” Once again, another exciting director on this list (oh there are so so many!). Ever since Edgar Wright emerged from the British isles, he’s given us some of the funniest films of the past decade and onwards. His Cornetto Trilogy is a blast, Baby Driver is a blast, Ant-Man was going to be even more of a blast if Marvel allowed Wright to do his magical shenanigans his way, and the upcoming Last Night in Soho will surely be a blast also. With Scott Pilgrim vs. The World Wright creates a meta-clever universe taking inspiration from comic books and video games and filled to the brink with wink-wink-nudge-nudge humour, this is an exciting and very sarcastic over the top endeavor. Also, Brie Larson in this movie.....phew!! And unsurprisingly, its all a blast!

2011:

DRIVE - “I just wanted you to know, just getting to be around you, that was the best thing that ever happened to me.” Drive is more of an elegant exercise in style, and its emotions may be hidden but they run deep. A shamelessly disreputable, stylish, stoic, ultra-violent thriller with amazing stunt work, one of the best opening sequences of any movie this decade and a neon-pumped soundtrack that’s a must-own for all vinyl users, if you still haven’t seen Drive, there’s only one thing you can do. Clue: it’s to go watch Drive.

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL - “Your mission, should you choose to accept it...” Tom Cruise’s deal with the devil allows him to do some literally impossible stuff, and though I don’t condone his Scientology ways, the man’s stunt work and efforts in his area of expertise are worth all the praise and respect. To be honest, I’m commemorating all three of the Mission Impossible flicks that graced our screen this year (Ghost Protocol, Rogue Nation and Fallout). This franchise is like a game of dodgeball, except that Tom Cruise is the dodgeBALL, being thrown and thrust left and right like nobody cares. Also, with me being Russian, the fact that a movie manages to destroy the Kremlin and then have me not hate the film in the aftermath shows that this film is way too fun to hate.

2012:

DJANGO UNCHAINED - “Gentlemen, you had my curiosity, but now you have my attention.” Quentin Tarantino is one of my favourite directors working today. And Django Unchained happens to be my favourite film of his. The writing for this film is orgasmic (I went there!). The way the actors deliver the lines and the lines of dialogue themselves sound almost poetic to my ears. I can quote so many lines from this darn thing. The cinematography is immaculate. The soundtrack choice is great. The performances, my goodness, the PERFORMANCES!! Jamie Foxx does arguably his career-best work here, but also we have Christoph Waltz and Leonardo DiCaprio both chewing up the scenery, and I’m sure everyone has heard the story involving DiCaprio and the broken glass. Django Unchained is an easy choice on this list for me, and possibly in my Top 10 of all time.

LES MISERABLES - “Do you hear the people sing?” The film that is based on a musical that is based on a book that is based on certain true events. Tom Hooper did an interesting choice of having actors sing live in front of the camera during filming rather than pre-record their voices, and it works to grand effect, though Russell Crowe should have probably been given more singing lessons. The movie is one hell of a way to adapt such a popular stage musical. With an opening shot that emphasises the scale of this picture with a zoom-in towards this big ship during a storm being pulled by these poor prisoners, we are plunged into the despair and conflicts of various characters with adroit narrative thrust so that not a moment feels wasted or redundant. You’d think that a film with hardly any dialogue and an overall reliance on singing wouldn’t be so emotional. Yet, somehow, it works. Also props to Anne Hathaway for winning an Academy Award for being in a film for only 5 MINUTES!!

2013:

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET - “Sell me this pen.” Martin Scorsese’s mad look into Wall Street life is a bombastic caper and running at nearly 3 hours, Scorsese and his editing team manage to keep an astoundingly intoxicating pace that keeps you enthralled and engaged throughout. This one is definitely not for the families, as this R-rated fest is filled with drugs, money, sex and everything you can possibly imagine and paints quite the picture of the rich folks of Wall Street. And the middle of it all a bravura performance from Leonardo DiCaprio. Someone needs to give DiCaprio’s agent a raise, this is Leo’s third appearance on this list and we’re only in 2013!

THE WAY WAY BACK - “I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave. You're having way too much fun, it's making everyone uncomfortable.” Sometimes a little indie flick is enough to lift a human spirit. Real, fun, uplifting and innocent, The Way Way Back dedicated to anyone who felt awkward or out of place at some point in their life, which, let’s be honest, counts all of us. I’m not afraid to admit that. So stop being a b*** and reveal your sensitive side too! Yes, you, the person reading this. Who else could I possibly be talking to? Myself? Maybe. The Way Way Back though is one of the best feel-good indie films of this decade, with the loveable Steve Carell acting very unloveable and Sam Rockwell Rockwelling himself to charm city! If you’ve missed this one, treat yo’self and check it out.

2014:

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL - “And?? Where is it? What's it all about dammit don't keep us in suspense this has been a complete f***ing nightmare! Just tell us what the f*** is going on!!!” Easily Wes Anderson’s best in my opinion (I have a friend who would argue Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums has the better hand but I think my opinion is more valid because it's me), this movie is a glossy, colorful, whimsical deadpan affair with an energetic turn from Ralph Fiennes as the hotel concierge M. Gustave H. as he and his lobby boy run into various Wes Anderson regulars and deal with murderers, stolen paintings, love affairs, prison breaks, and all kinds of crazy shindigs, but all shown in such a casual Wes Anderson way. This movie is like a slice of cherry pie - damn fine!

INTERSTELLAR - “Murphy’s Law doesn’t mean that something bad will happen. It means that whatever can happen, will happen.” As promised, Christopher Nolan makes another appearance on this list, now with his space time-traveling epic Interstellar, where he takes inspiration from the likes of Kubrick and Tarkovsky to give us, as always, a tad bit confusing adventure with great visuals and an interesting narrative (though it does sometimes get lost in its own way), however, the key thing holding this piece together is the father-daughter relationship with Matthew McConaughey and Mackenzie Foy (and Jessica Chastain) managing to bring so much raw emotion to their respective roles that you can’t help but want to shed a tear. I mean, I haven’t cried for over 14 years, but I remember when I first watched this film, the audience around me was sobbing quite a few times during the duration of this movie. Give it to Nolan to give us the emotional moments!

2015:

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD - “Oh what a day! What a lovely day!!” Easily the best action movie of this decade. Sorry John Wick, neither you or Tom Cruise could defeat this beast. The sheer, limitless invention behind this movie's exhilarating, preposterous chase scenes highlights action filmmaking at its finest. With big monster trucks and a random guitarist rocking-it in the middle of all the action, it’s like a nihilistic version of a Cirque du Soleil show! And it makes Tom Hardy the calmest person on-screen; no idea how it managed that.

STEVE JOBS - “I sat in a garage and invented the future because artists lead and hacks ask for show of hands.” If there is anyone who can make formulaic, mathematical or technological sound fun and exciting, its Aaron Sorkin. The man has a talent for writing screenplays about difficult and complicated topics yet turning them approachable for the casual moviegoer. Pair him with director Danny Boyle, and the result is Steve Jobs, a look at the man behind the phone. Narratively set during three important product launches of Jobs’, we get to see the behind-the-scenes of his relationships with his colleagues and family members, and this character study is one that could have easily fallen into generic biopic tropes, but it holds it’s own right till the credits roll. Also props for showing that Seth Rogen can actually do a serious role. Who would’ve thought that pot-smoking fella had dramatic chops in him?

2016:

NOCTURNAL ANIMALS - “Susan, enjoy the absurdity of our world. It’s a lot less painful. Believe me, our world is a lot less painful than the real world.” Fashion designer Tom Ford does sew his suits well. Apparently, he can also make great films too, with 2009′s A Single Man and with said Nocturnal Animals. This movie is truly incredible and I remember it taking me and my friend by surprise when we first watched it at the cinema. It’s shocking. Horrifying. Depressing. Upsetting. Altogether exhilarating. Being of a fashion background, Tom Ford directs the hell out of this movie, with gorgeous shots and great use of colour as well as managing to masterfully create tension and suspense when necessary. Honestly, I know Tom Ford is probably busy at a department store somewhere, but the guy needs to make another movie. The man has a talent.

LA LA LAND - “Here’s to the ones who dream, foolish as they may seem. Here’s to the hearts that ache; here’s to the mess we make.” Oh, La La Land. Damien Chazelle’s follow-up to the also excellent Whiplash. People who know me well know how much I love this movie. An old-school tour-de-force musical that’s a love letter to jazz and the golden age of Hollywood. The city of stars never looked so good. Featuring catchy original songs, excellent dance choreography (the sequence to the song “Lovely Night” is especially memorable) and a romance tale ten times better than the forsaken The Notebook, La La Land is one special movie. I know many are put off by the film’s not so happy ending, however for me it was the only way this narrative could have ended.

2017:

BLADE RUNNER 2049 - “We’re all just looking out for something real.” Similarly to Nolan, Denis Villeneuve is proving to be one of the most exciting directors working today. He’s the man behind such films as *deep breath* Prisoners, Enemy, Sicario, Arrival and Blade Runner 2049. And those have all been done within the last decade. The man constantly makes quality movies of various genres, though lately, he has been leaning more towards science fiction, which is a-okay in my books, since as Blade Runner 2049 proves, he can turn science into fiction like butter on bread. A sequel made 30 years after Ridley Scott’s classic, this visually breathtaking piece is arguably even better than its predecessor with many moments giving you the “wow wow wow wow wow WOW!” factor, and when Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford are both on-screen they are dynamite. Forget the new Star Wars film (that’s right, I'm throwing shade there), Blade Runner is where it’s at!

PHANTOM THREAD - “The tea is going out. The interruption is staying right here with me.” The supposed last Daniel Day-Lewis film, as he has now apparently retired from acting, but let’s be honest, nothing stops him from simply unretiring at any point. Exhibit A - Joe Pesci. However, like Pesci, if he comes back I’ll only be happy. He’s one of acting greats of our time, and his collaborations will director Paul Thomas Anderson bring out some of his best roles. Phantom Thread is a marvel of a movie. No, I don’t mean that’s its part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I mean as in it can fill one with wonder and astonishment. Phantom Thread is PTA’s Gothic dark fairy-tale romance film, which expertly planned shots and scenes where every word of the dialogue counts. There is no wasted moment. And as the film transpires to its dark and unsettling climax, one begins to realize that this, THIS, is what filmmaking is about. Telling an engrossing story in an interesting way with crisp-clear shots and off-the-chart acting at play, with great costume design on display, although the latter is unsurprising due to a major aspect of the movie revolving around fashion.

2018:

MANDY - “You ripped ma shirt!! You ripped maaa shiirrt!!” An acquired taste for sure, however, Mandy is indeed something truly special. From first glance, this film might seem like nothing out of the ordinary, especially from the point of view of the plot. Its the usual revenge flick. However director Panos Cosmatos’ vision and how he presents it is so much more unique. And what’s not love in this film? There’s something for everyone! It’s artsy and slow enough for the critics, hip and metal for the nonchalant, gory and violent for the hardcore genre fanatics and of course the Nic-Cage-rage factor is present for the fans of the actor. Alright, it may not be a family film, but this one is worth a watch. The whole thing is bound together by this psychedelic otherworldly environment, with the whole movie conceived in this dark, unsettlingly beautiful yet horror-filled aura that might stray people away, as it might be just too different for them, however, if you are looking for something different to watch, take mandy. I mean, watch Mandy!

A STAR IS BORN - “Music is essentially 12 notes between any octave. Twelve notes and the octave repeats. It’s the same story told over and over. All the artist can offer the world is how they see those 12 notes.” The film that began all the rumours surrounding Bradley Cooper’s and Lady Gaga’s affair. People, heads up, they are actors! They were putting on a performance! Jeez. That being said, I totally ship them. Nuff’ said. The film though? Yes, it’s good. Some country-style music, romance blooming, Gaga can apparently act, people sing about shallows for some reason...all together works for a pretty decent motion picture. Also, the fact that Bradley Cooper wrote, directed, produced and starred in this gives me so much respect for the guy. He poured his heart and soul into this. And Lady Gaga absolutely shines!

2019:

PAIN & GLORY - “Writing is like drawing but with letters.” Director Pedro Almodovar semi-autobiographical film takes a close look at how one deals with acceptance, being forgotten, symptoms of depression and generally all fairly negative attributes, but delivered in such an honest and profound way that there is a strange lightness that emerges from it all. Antonio Banderas is uncannily vulnerable in the lead role, delivering such an earnest performance that shows a man that is filled with melancholic regret who seeks his own form of redemption. This movie is a thing of beauty.

PARASITE - “You know what kind of plan never fails? No plan at all. If you make a plan, life never works out that way.” Parasite is easily the most original and surprising films of 2019, and possibly the decade, managing to subvert expectations and blend together so many different genres so naturally. To spoil any narrative element of this movie would be a sin, like this one in particular works best when not knowing anything about it. This movie comes to us from Bong Joon-Ho, a South Korean director behind such films as The Host, Memories of Murder, Okja, and Snowpiercer. It’s nice to see the awards ceremonies giving him the proper recognition finally. He deserves it.

That sums up my Top 20 Best Movies of the Decade list. Of course, there are so many other great films that came out in these 10 years, such as Whiplash, When Marnie Was There, Paterson, Silence, Kubo and the Two Strings, The Nice Guys...I can go on forever. Cinema is a constant ever-growing medium, and it is fascinating to see how it changes through the years, in some ways improving and in some parts not so much. In any case, I look forward towards a new decade of, hopefully, great movies, however, let’s be honest, for all these great films there’s always a Norm of the North, a Scout’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse or frickin’ Cats. But let’s hope those will be kept to a minimum. In any case, bring on the 2020s!

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curriebelle · 4 years

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Did you notice Knives Out playing one of the greatest marketing tricks Hollywood has ever seen?

All the trailers put Daniel Craig and his ridiculous accent front and center, with Chris Evans and Christopher Plummer as featured credits — and then the central character of Knives Out, surprise, is actually an immigrant woman of colour played by an all-but-unknown actress from Cuba*. I don’t think the film would have sold as well had it been honest about its central character. It sold itself based on its recognizable white male stars. And that was fuhking genius. Knives Out has a lot to say about race, gender, care work and immigration, but movies ABOUT those things don’t get popular unless they are brilliant. So Knives Out told us it was a campy detective film starring James Bond and Captain America, and it made a 700% return on its budget. People who never would have sat down for a movie about class discrimination sat through Knives Out.

I think it’s really fascinating to compare Knives Out with Parasite in particular, which came out the same year and is generally considered to be not only the best film of 2019, but possibly the best film of the entire decade**. I absolutely love both of these movies for what they are, and I think they’re both masterful and would happily watch them both again. The thing is that to me, Parasite is like...a medium-defining masterpiece, like an utterly perfect piece of cinema, and so it’s “better” than Knives Out in the sense that a 15/10 is better than a 10/10. They were both nominated for Best Original Screenplay and I’d have been delighted if Knives Out had won, except, you know... Parasite.

Both these movies are actually dealing with a very similar topic, which is the ever-growing class divide. Knives Out settles for a more classic yet still nuanced and pertinent depiction of the money-grubbing, backstabbing rich, while Parasite prefers to show the myopia and ignorance of the 1% and how that blindness sets the poor at each other’s throats. Unlike Knives Out, which can hide behind Kentucky fried Daniel Craig, Parasite can’t hide what it’s about: the actors are all people of colour, speaking a non-English language, and the mysterious blurbs for the film usually just say it’s about “a rich family and a poor family” to avoid spoiling the insanely brilliant plot.

Okay, so Parasite is a universally-lauded complete masterpiece while Knives Out is just an uncommonly good movie — but Knives Out’s box office gains still outstrip Parasite’s by about $40 million. Even more damningly, Knives Out made $165 million in North America while Parasite has grossed about $53 million in the same territory, with about $5 million of that coming from a post-Oscar Best Picture bump. $75 million of Parasite’s gross comes from within South Korea.

So, my point here isn’t that “North America is racist more people should see Parasite.” (Well, it’s not *just* that, because everyone should see Parasite.) My point is more complicated. So, we have two movies here with messages about class struggle. One of them was a very good movie that hid its messages through sneaky trailers, obfuscated its own diversity, sold itself as a detective romp, and made bank. The other movie is one of the best movies ever made, and even after it proved that by breaking Oscar records, by being so good that even the Academy couldn’t deny it Best Picture despite the notorious old boys’ club running the place, it still made considerably less money.

I’m not saying Parasite failed to reach its audience, because it IS a very culturally-specific movie — there’s a lot in there about language (who speaks Korean vs who speaks English and the power that reflects), history (North Korea comes into it) and even some jokes about the actors in the film that audiences outside South Korea wouldn’t get at first blush. And apparently like a fifth of South Korea saw it, so....yeah, that worked. But in order to reach beyond that, it had to be one of the best movies anyone had ever seen. Knives Out, meanwhile, was a genre movie that wasn’t afraid to lie in marketing to attract people who wouldn’t necessarily be receptive to its message. It reached the James Bond demographic despite carrying a much more socially critical message than Casino Royale. Parasite’s brilliance is something we can all learn from just by its utterly virtuosic filmmaking technique; but Knives Out’s trick is something we can all exploit just by thinking about our back-of-the-box blurbs, about how we pitch our stories, and how we hook people in. You could make a brilliant movie with diversity and social commentary — you could make Parasite (or Moonlight, or Carol). Or you could slip your diversity in, cover it with someone from the Famous White Chris Club, and reach people you wouldn’t otherwise. I really do think we need both strategies, and because I like genre fiction so much, I lean toward the latter. Going to Knives Out and seeing Ana de Armas at the middle of it was such a stunningly wonderful surprise,*** and I want that to happen to me again and again, until it’s not a surprise anymore.

Also, if you’re one of those people looking at famous people-on Twitter and just @‘ing every actor who liked Parasite with “mneh fneh you made a million on your last movie, you didn’t GET Parasite”, I hate to break it to you, but you didn’t ‘get’ Parasite either.

*okay Ana de Armas wasn’t completely unknown, she’d been in like four movies at that point — Blade Runner 2049 most notably — but tell me you would have recognized the name “Ana de Armas” in mid-2019 on sight.

** there are other contenders for this and it tends to depend on what you like in a movie. Mad Max: Fury Road, The Social Network, Moonlight — I think at that point the “best movie of the decade” comes down to what type of incredibly good movie you like best. I happen to like modern-Hitchcock black-comedy con-capers, so Parasite is my favourite... haven’t seen Mad Max yet though.

*** I went to see this film with my family, but we had to sit in different sections because the theatre was crowded. Apparently as soon as Marta showed up on screen, my mum leaned over to my sister and said “wow, she’s exactly [curriebelle’s] type....she’s gonna have such a crush on her”. She was right.

#parasite #knives out #ana de armas this is a secret marriage proposal in essay form i love u......

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dreamsofthescreen · 3 years

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The Abstract Point Of A Clockwork Orange - Review

Released for streaming on Netflix two years ago, is this a so called ‘masterwork’ of a film, or just cinematic satire?

Malcolm McDowell in 'A Clockwork Orange'

Based on the book by Anthony Burgess, Stanley Kubrick’s 1971 adaptation of ‘A Clockwork Orange’, proved greatly controversial, yet influential. The dreamy, edgy swinging 60s sets up the scene for ultra violent home invasions and tortuously explicit murders performed by ‘The Droogs’. Released for streaming on Netflix two years ago, is this a so called ‘masterwork’ of a film, or just cinematic satire? Surrounding the idea of free will, this can be tossed around endlessly and reviewed in philosophy as something problematic. But is this film’s talk of freedom and suppression all really necessary? It’s upfront commentary on humanity that can be deemed as abstract, yet is this label of abstract just an excuse to glamorise the utter violence? Or does ‘A Clockwork Orange’ stand strongly with a point in hand? We can say both. The retro aesthetics, in terms of costume & production design that Kubrick can be recognised for, do play into the significance and absurdity of this work.

Set in a dystopian England where the governed rules are anything but at liberty for citizens, morals aren’t only tested, but are completely rejected. In this world, the government find order in good behaviour, something that the main character, Alex, (Malcolm McDowell) completely detests. Alex has no moral limits and gains pleasure from violence with no concern for the consequences. Within the first half an hour of the film, we see him and his gang of ‘droogs’ beat up a homeless man and mercilessly invade an old mans home, robbing it as well as raping and murdering his wife. Though labelled as a lesson in testing how far freedom of choice can go, A Clockwork Orange’s meaning can seem scattered.

Seen to represent someone so outwardly alive in his lack of concern for society, Alex’s mad challenging of human morals tests the meaning of freedom. But given themes, are they just barren and only strive to portray substance? It can just be seen as senseless violence for many. The intensely rebellious attitude is a reflection of the oppression faced in this film’s universe, and ultimately is an exaggerated comment on society today. Yet, you could say this about a film like Dirty Harry or Pulp Fiction, given their brutality. This theme, focusing on order vs chaos in society, is no doubt relevant, but however meaningful is it? The meaning left in it could be that, through it’s distressing realism, it so rawly opens ones eyes to today’s illicit society. Commenting on the confusion surrounding the film’s meaning, Kubrick stated that, “It is a story of the dubious redemption of a teenage delinquent by condition-reflex therapy. It is, at the same time, a running lecture on free-will.” Furthermore, author Anthony Burgess writes in ‘A Clockwork Orange Resucked’, that the meaning is in the title, ‘A Clockwork Orange’ referring to one who “has the appearance of an organism lovely with colour and juice, but is in fact only a clockwork toy to be wound up by God or the Devil or the Almighty State”. In saying this, Burgess does confirm that from his perspective, this is a comment on human nature being sucked away by a totalitarian government. Yet, even given the comment from the author, our perspective as an audience is truly subjective.

In the author’s word, commenting that ‘A Clockwork Orange’ reflects someone who “has the appearance of an organism lovely with colour…but is only a clockwork toy to be wound up by the Almighty State”, refers to our potential for evil, and the importance of it in human nature. This is certainly a thought provoking theme, as most of the film is. The extreme capabilities of human beings can be an incredibly positive light or looming darkness, given which we choose to act on. Yet when this potential is squashed by a higher state, we can question whether one has free will, if it is still controlled. In a scene where Alex’s rebellion in lessened by Ludovico’s Technique, a process in which he is brutally forced to watch films of atrociously violent acts, with treatment in order to make him physically sick at even the thought of committing any crime. In hope to make him less of a threat to present society, he is less of himself. Again, we can think about the fact that is is of course necessary to change such wicked behaviour, but we can also think about how it could be, had we not chosen to create any governed rules.

After seeing state officials confirm that Alex has been cured of his homicidal behaviours, a prison chaplain states, “Choice! The boy has not a real choice, has he? Self-interest, the fear of physical pain drove him to that grotesque act of self-abasement. The insincerity was clear to be seen. He ceases to be a wrongdoer. He ceases also to be a creature capable of moral choice.” In total, Alex’s behaviour is ceased to be wrong, but he is also ‘ceased to be capable of choosing for himself, since he had been rewired to believe what the state had wanted him to believe - that acts of violence simply are wrong. To the normal mind, this isn’t a hard concept to grasp, as we are surrounded by basic morals that tie in with our empathy. Yet to someone with more sociopathic or psychopathic tendencies, this concern isn’t there. So, again, Kubrick leaves us questioning whether or not people in this state of mind should have the choice there in the first place, as they are unable to distinguish that morals are important in humanity.

Furthermore, in 1973, Kubrick decided to ban A Clockwork Orange in the United Kingdom, due to continuous upheaval. Renowned film critic Roger Ebert gave it two out of four stars, stating that it was an “ideological mess”. Comments on it’s explicit sexuality, dehumanisation and violence were made, with some thinking that the point of the film in itself was missed. As some claimed it’s content was to create a raw piece of art, others claimed it an offensive excuse to pointlessly portray horrific scenes. And horrific the scenes are, though with fashionable features, the torturously disturbing scenes of ‘The Droogs’ murders’ are certainly crude, and have no backstory whatsoever. These brutal scenes can be seen as damaging to on audiences, or even dangerous. What kind of insight are audiences given when shown such destructiveness?

If we talk about the stylistic features of Kubrick’s adaptation, they have certainly played into it’s iconic status, having audiences sometimes classify it as a performance art piece, rather than a film. The renowned costumes of ‘the droogs’ have been used repetitively as Halloween costumes, as well as the storyline being referenced in The Simpsons. The production design is, without a doubt, gorgeous, kooky and as abstract as the film’s meaning. The interiors stun with colour blocking wallpapers, framed pictures of 1960s models and record players spinning in one room. The sense of 1960s jazz certainly is there, with a slanted, modern design, that Kubrick is known for in other works like ‘The Shining’. Whilst Alex and his gang members commit crime, they dance along to Gene Kelly’s ‘Singin’ In The Rain’, and as Alex is tested through Ludovico’s Technique, a recognisable symphony by Beethoven is played. The 1960s wardrobe bursts with colour, an exaggerated view of the Britain in the swinging sixties. Audiences are attracted to these joyful features like music and fashion, the stylistic features making it such a cult classic. A cult classic needs to be fashionable, but is this fashion in the film pretentious? Especially when surrounded by such violence, as though to say that it’s chaos can be softened by pretty interiors or a recognisable score. Or does it make it all the more disturbing through adding joyful song or colourful designs, as they so oppose the distressing acts that Alex and his droogs perform. Had it not had Kubrick’s touch, would we view it the same way? Though Academy Award winner Milena Canonero’s costumes and John Barry’s production design remaining outstanding, does their glamorisation gloss over the underlying trauma of the plot? This type of questioning is something we can participate in throughout watching Kubrick’s production, as both it’s ideas and meaning are not black and white.

Kubrick’s adaptation of ‘A Clockwork Orange’ is clever in that it has us wondering whether or not it has a point, yet regardless, audiences are still left thinking about the impact of immoral behaviour and how our society responds to it. However consequential it attempts to be, it really can also be seen as blank, leaving audiences to decide on which to focus on. The pop-art aesthetics of the film can overrun the meaning or either try to stir us away from the barren landscape that it can be seen as. However strongly critiqued and analysed it may be, it’s meaning is all the more subjective, both creating interest and successfully winding up audiences.

Stars Out Of Five: 3.5/5

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medea10 · 4 years

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Medea Plays Animal Crossing New Horizons: Part III

Man dude, how you gonna wreck my perfect record with the ATM?!

Hey look, Mabel’s in town.

After you spend a certain amount of money or times you see her, she’s going to set up shop in your town.

In the meantime...

I’m getting along with my cheerful neighbors. This is my first time with many of them and they’re the most thoughtful...

Goddammit Maddie, why’d you have to get me a freaky-ass garden gnome?

Yeah, I’m not a fan of gnomes.

Get on with it Nook-boi. You know what I want.

That’s right, you do. BRING HER OUT!

THERE WE GO! Now island life is complete.

The gift that keeps on giving.

Seeing Isabelle first thing in the morning is just so...blissful.

With the addition of Isabelle and the new building, Tom Nook is making it his mission to make this island absolute perfection.

As soon as you get this feature, you’re able to build bridges, make inclines/stairs, and make your own town theme and town flag.

You know, I think it’s best I dig deep and do something different.

OR I can just do what I did in New Leaf and have The Simpson’s theme.

Yeah, this is The Simpsons theme. Have fun with it.

Although, I almost leaned into using Old Town Road, Careless Whisper, or Funkytown. You can find a bunch of youtube videos with samples.

Anyways, Tom’s biggest goal is to...

Yeah, that would be nice.

Speaking of K.K., my first night on the island, WHAT DID YOU PUT IN MY ORANGE JUICE, YOU RACOON BAST...

I want to stay mad at you for possibly drugging my drink on the first night, but now I’m just imagining Tom Nook in a karaoke bar with a drink in hand and a necktie around his head.

So let’s christen this new building and...

*sighs*

No originality to be found with me.

Oh well, I still love my Homer flag.

Damn Isabelle, sleeping on the job already.

And now Part IV of Medea vs. Evil Fucking Tarantulas.

Hey, I’m getting better at this!

Ah, feels like old times.

Wow, that was fast! Like...2 days?

Thankfully, you don’t have to fetch materials again since there’s enough material left from building Timmy and Tommy’s store. It’s just gonna take another two days.

OH, IT’S SUNDAY!

Oh, she’s so adorable. Especially when she was trying to remember everything her gram-gram told her to say.

And yes, I was right. Daisy Mae was trending on Twitter.

Rightfully so.

Just look at her! She’s the perfect hybrid of a Swinub and a Cubchoo.

Hey, I found Mr. Resetti.

Forgot to mention, with the new building comes a bunch of new crap you can buy using Nook Miles.

The next morning came with a few surprise visitors.

First, we’ve got C.J.

With my first interaction with this social media’d fella, if you give him three of the same fish, the next morning you’ll get a stand of that fish (in my case I gave him 3 sea bass). Second, he’ll ask you to do a challenge. Today’s case was catch three fish in a row that are smaller than a Surgeonfish.

After that, he’ll just buy any fish you give him at premium prices.

Oh, Imma get some moolah to pay for them inclines.

And my next visitor was a camper.

In order to get K.K. to come to town, we have to have more villagers. And in order to get more villagers, we need to have a campground so random passerbyers can come and maybe consider moving to your Podunk island.

My first camper is...

OH. MY...

HOLY...

Okay, calm down. I know you’ve been waiting for Olivia and/or Papi, but this is kind of a golden ticket.

Plus it’s a kitty. And I love kitties.

In case you haven’t seen Twitter recently, Raymond has kinda been...

That. He’s been that.

I don’t know if I’ll jump on the maid uniform bandwagon or not.

For now, I’ll let him be.

But he’s staying in Pallet.

YAY!

Sable and Mable are in my town. No word on Labelle...I think she might be much later in the game’s progression.

Don’t let that familiar line fool you.

Sable actually speaks more than Red from Pokemon.

I am loving their dressing room.

Yeah, this is exactly how I look in real life now. Except work doesn’t allow face masks yet.

I wonder if I keep talking to Sable day after day, she’ll acknowledge me like in the other games.

Back in the center of town, a new system is set in place for reviews of the town.

Yelpers.

Because of course fucking Yelpers.

On a positive note, I am now allowed to invite campers through the amiibo cards. I’m glad I held onto the amiibo cards I gained when I purchased Happy Home Academy five years ago.

Let’s have some fun with this system.

I know she’s literally right in front of me, but I have to see what happens.

That’s fine. You’ve got enough on your plate working under Tom.

Let’s see if I can add Isabelle’s brother Digby.

Worth a shot.

Okay, let’s be serious. Who can I invite? OH! I’ve got a kitty. It’s not Olivia, but he’ll do just fine.

So in order for an amiibo to stay as a resident, you have to invite him to the campground for three days in a row. AND you have to speak to him and build a DIY whatever he wants for all three days.

I’m sure Bob and Raymond will get along just fine...

Okay, got an idea. Give Bob a tuxedo and Raymond a wedding dress and have ourselves a good old-fashioned gay cat wedding.

Who’s with me? Yay or FUCK YAY?

As I head towards the final day of the month, I reflect on all the fish I’ve caught and those I haven’t caught. All the balloons that popped and flopped in the water. What to dress Raymond in. Lament on not catching a stringfish before the end of the 31st and now having to wait until December...because me fucking dumbass.

Time to say goodbye to March and say hello to April.

Yeah, it’s that special time where my island is going to have a visit from...

GOOD FUCK, NO!

I meant Zipper.

Zipper made sure to work out extra hard to dance a jig and make sure no one’s taking a peak at his backside.

There’s a fucking zipper there. What are you hiding, rabbit?

So we have to find eggs. Eggs are everywhere. They’re in the ground. They’re in the trees. They’re ON the trees.

They’re in the sky!

And even in the sea!

Collect eggs. LOTS OF EGGS. And recipes. LOTS OF RECIPES. So we can have an egg-tastic Easter...Bunny Day.

And when you’re out of sight, Zipper stops dancing and takes a smoke break.

I tried sneaking up on him, but he’s a fast fucker.

Back in the neighborhood...

I want Maddie’s donut.

Diva is still stylish, even on her evening walk.

I built a Sakura watching lunchbox.

I take pictures of cat butt.

Hey, that’s tame compared to the rest of the internet. So many bad and lewd things happened to Raymond’s asshole in the last week.

Look at him studying his flowers.

He’s a keeper.

Okay, I’m done for now.

To be continued.

#animal crosing new horizons #isabelle #sable #Mable #raymond #bob #tom nook #zipper t bunny

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dreamofyouandi · 5 years

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It's been a hot minute since I wrote more headcanons so here

In the city, if someone escapes/is terminated and has children, the children will be given to a suitable, artificial parental unit (think Grace from umbrella academy)

The Girl never named her cat but the ultra Vs started calling her The Cat because it makes sense

There are almost never crows in the zones, but if there is, it's seen as a sign that something either very very good or very very bad is about to happen

If you see party poison and he's crying you'd better fucking run in the other direction because you are DEAD. MEAT. The only people he cries around is kobra and occasionally ghoul, though the latter is usually accidental (pois cries a lot more than he'd like to admit.)

Fun Ghoul's way of showing affection is usually through non-serious insults. If he likes you, he'll assign you a stupid insult right off the bat. Pois's is pissbaby.

Halloween in the zones is not dissimilar to Día de los Muertos/Day of the Dead. The phoenix witch lets zone ghosts wander for 24 hours, though no one can see them, and it's a tradition to leave a bit of food or a special item in the Mailbox so the ghosts can retrieve them.

That being said, in Battery City Halloween is banned entirely due to creativity being involved, although candy still goes on sale for the whole month of October, meaning they're much more easily accessible for angel cakes

Show Pony keeps candy somewhere in the diner and the fab four KNOW it's in there somewhere but they have turned the place upside down so many times looking for it and yet it never shows itself. Show Pony will never tell anyone.

There's a wedding ring glued to the front of the Mailbox. Nobody knows whose it is or why it's there, but it's pretty iconic. If you mention The Wedding Ring in a conversation, most killjoys will know what you're talking about.

The only time the rest of the fab four have seen fun ghoul cry hard was when kobra kid accidentally broke his first ever Mad Gear and Missile Kid record. (Their relationship has been a little rocky ever since, although Ghoul did eventually get it replaced.)

Another thing on the mailbox that is a complete mystery is a vinyl record glued to the underside. Multiple people have taken it off and tried playing it, but all it plays is a single piano note and nothing else.

One of the most popular memes in the zones is the case of an anonymous killjoy who interrupted a Mad Gear and Missile Kid concert by climbing on the stage and eating a whole bath bomb on stage while everyone watched. It was incredible. The identity of the killjoy is still unknown but most know him as Bath Bomb Kid.

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fezblr · 2 years

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like mother like daughter

#olivia rodrigo #taylor swift #grammys 2022 #mads vs the recording academy

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take2intotheshower · 5 years

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Blindspot Fandom “Meet and Greet” #4

1. Name/Nickname: Heather

2. Age* (don’t be shy, we’re a fandom of grandmas): Old enough to remember when we had to record our favorite shows on VHS tapes if we were unable to watch live

3. Where are you from*: England

4. When did you jump aboard the Blindspot madness: Early 2015, before the Pilot aired (I’d heard Sully was to star in it, so I was avidly following all the news in the media)

5. Other fandoms you’re in/TV shows you watch: Strike Back (the Scott & Stonebridge years), although it’s not really a fandom any more. Shows currently watched: Lost (still making my way through - now on the final Season), Ransom, Lucifer, The Librarians (S1 - not sure yet if it’s fun or just childishly silly), Killing Eve, The Code (only a few more eps to go as it’s been cancelled), Hawaii 5-0, Strike Back (the new incarnation), Berlin Station, Billions. Really enjoyed The Umbrella Academy and Good Omens.

6. Favorite Blindspot characters (main): Kurt Weller, Remi, Patterson, Rich Dotcom, Roman

7. Favorite Blindspot characters (guest or recurring): Matthew Weitz, Boston Arliss Crab, Jake Keaton, Allie Knight

8. Favorite ship(s): Jeller and Patterson-David

9. Favorite episode(s): 1-01, 1-02, 1-05, 1-09, 1-21, 2-01, 2-10, 2-14, 2-15, 2-19, 2-21, 3-01, 4-05, 4-07

10. Favorite season(s): S1 (it was S2 last time but, with our re-watch, S1 has edged ahead again)

11. Favorite tattoo(s)/case(s): Still the bird on the neck, plus the way it linked to the box and new tattoos in 2-22

12. Favorite whatever you want: Favorite outfits - Kurt’s unbuttoned shirts in S1, Jane’s tank tops, Zapata in just about anything (but especially her S1 look), Patterson’s dress sense in S4 (but the makeup is too heavy now), Rich wearing anything

13. If you were a Blindspot character, who would you be: I’m probably more of a Reade-Patterson mix, but I’d like to be Kurt for his leadership but with Jane’s skills

14. One scene that left you with your jaw on the floor: Because we just re-watched it, that moment in 1-10 when Remi tells Jane it was her idea and that she did it to herself

15. One dead character you would bring back: Roman - I miss him

16. One guest star (who has appeared in less than three to five episodes) you want to bring back: Ana Montes

17. One recurring character you’d love to have promoted to regular: Jake Keaton (fascinating how he’s gone from despised villain to a reliable ally of the team)

18. One actor/actress you would love to have guest star on the show (and who would they play): I’d had high hopes of Kurt’s Mom, played by someone like Cheryl Ladd. Now it would have to be Ennis Esmer’s real-life Dad, Demir Esmer, playing himself

19. One forgotten storyline you wish they’d bring back or answer: What really happened the night Taylor Shaw was killed

20. One country you want the show to visit next season: Canada (or Australia)

21. What’s your craziest/favorite theory about the upcoming season: An unlikely set of allies made up of Weitz, Keaton and Allie Knight will join together to support our team on the run and help them clear their names (I’m deliberately not including Brianna, as she has 3 failures vs 1 success to her career so far). Then all the team except Reade and Zapata will leave the FBI and everyone will live happily ever after, while leaving a smidgeon of an opening to bring them back if a streaming service shows interest in picking up the show. But please, MG - don’t let’s have Jane discovering she’s pregnant at the end. Too corny, and Jeller are owed some uninterrupted time together

22. Share a little bit about yourself (don’t be shy)*: I am deeply into medieval history, worked in the City of London for many years, and I like furry animals, sports cars and chocolate

#Blindspot #BSHiatusProject #BSMeetandGreet

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thecollegefootballguy · 4 years

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2019 Top Games of the Week: Week 10

Friends, I won’t lie to you. This week is pretty bad. Aside from the obvious games, there are a few gems here and there if you’re willing to dig for them, but really, it’s not good.

The Top Ten Games of the Week

10. Miami FL 4-4 (2-3) at Florida State 4-4 (3-3)

That a game so irrelevant is on the top ten is a bad sign. I’m a big fan of this rivalry game, but sheesh, the rivalry is the only slightly interesting part of this matchup.

9. Georgia Southern 4-3 (2-1) at #20 Appalachian State 7-0 (4-0)

Perhaps the best rivalry in the Sun Belt. Georgia Southern’s triple option is likely the only thing coming remotely close to challenging Appalachian State as the Mountaineers sprint to an undefeated record in conference play.

8. Virginia Tech 5-2 (2-2) at #16 Notre Dame 5-2

After a horrific start, Virginia Tech is back in the ACC Coastal race. They probably won’t beat a mad Notre Dame squad, but the Hokies have started to patch things together.

7. NC State 4-3 (1-2) at #23 Wake Forest 6-1 (2-1)

Wake Forest is attempting to win 9 or even 10 games this year, a major feat for the smallest P5 school. NC State has disappointed so far this season, but probably has something in store for their in-state rival.

6. TCU 4-3 (2-2) at Oklahoma State 5-3 (2-3)

TCU and Oklahoma State are fumbling to keep in the Big 12 race, which has opened up a little bit now that Oklahoma has lost.

5. Virginia 5-3 (3-2) at North Carolina 4-4 (3-2)

I’d have to check the archives to make sure but I think the South’s Oldest Rivalry makes the Top Ten for the first time ever. Virginia and North Carolina currently find themselves at the top of the Coastal Division standings and the winner will have pole position in the race for the ACC Championship Game.

4. #15 SMU 8-0 (4-0) at #24 Memphis 7-1 (3-1)

I am so happy that this game will host Gameday. Is it nationally relevant? Sure, and we should celebrate it. Will it impact the Playoff race? I’m afraid that it won’t. At this point I don’t see the Committee even considering the AAC Champion. Still, I’m personally more interested in this game than most of the top 5.

3. #9 Utah 7-1 (4-1) at Washington 5-3 (2-3)

Washington is the biggest hurdle Utah has to face in the regular season. The Utes are making a push for the Playoff as the darkest of dark horses (outside of a 2-loss SEC team I guess). I don’t know what to make of the Huskies right now. They’re still clearly a talented team, and very capable of this upset, but can they pull it off?

2. #7 Oregon 7-1 (5-0) at USC 5-3 (4-1)

Yest the PAC-12 is back in the Playoff discussion. It feels a bit strange. Oregon is making a bit louder of a push than Utah and the Ducks are attempting to win out and crash the party. They’d be the second team ever to go 9-0 in PAC-12 play after the 2010 UO team. USC still controls the South, and needs to lose twice to give Utah the division.

1. #8 Georgia 6-1 (3-1) vs #6 Florida 7-1 (4-1)

Well duh. This is clearly the biggest game in the country this weekend. The biggest stakes, the SEC East, the Sugar Bowl, the Playoff even. It’s all on the table for the winner, and the loser might even make a NY6 bowl if they play their cards right. The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party commands the attention of the nation.

5 G5 Games of the Week

This list is pretty pathetic. I’ll be the first to admit it. I like to only use games featuring teams that don’t have losing records, and I can’t even do that here. There literally weren’t enough. Yuck.

5. Buffalo 4-4 (2-2) at Eastern Michigan 4-4 (1-3)

Essentially a placeholder unless you really care about extremely hard-luck programs struggling to bowl.

4. UAB 6-1 (3-1) at Tennessee 3-5 (2-3)

The team with a losing record that would usually preclude it from the G5 list is Tennessee lmao. The Vols are lucky it’s such a desolate week. I won’t even pretend to be evenhanded here. Go Blazers! Drive the stake in!

3. Army 3-5 at Air Force 6-2 (4-1)

Suddenly Army seems to once again be the weakest of the Service Academies. The plucky Black Knights will be underdogs against a salty Air Force who have been playing some very good ball lately.

2. Florida Atlantic 5-3 (3-1) at Western Kentucky 5-3 (4-1)

The C-USA East race is pretty tight, if you care about C-USA. Lane Kiffin is involved at least, so you might want to keep one eye on this game at least.

1. #21 Boise State 6-1 (3-0) at San Jose State 4-4 (1-3)

San Jose State is having their best season since David Fales was QB. But here comes Boise State to grind up the Spartans.

...unless

FCS Games of the Week

3. #16 North Carolina A&T 5-2 (3-1) at South Carolina State 5-2 (3-1)

We’ve got our first HBCU showdown to make the FCS Games of the Week list. NC A&T has been the class of the HBCU’s for the last several years, but are looking a bit vulnerable. Meanwhile, South Carolina State is off to their hottest start in years and looking to knock off their rivals.

2. #9 Northern Iowa 5-3 (3-1) at #7 Illinois State 6-2 (3-1)

The MVFC race is down to four realistic contenders, with NIU and ISU deciding who will remain in the top 3.

1. #3 Weber State 6-2 (4-0) at #6 Sacramento State 6-2 (4-0)

Chaos reigns in the Big Sky as two traditionally noncompetitive teams are vying for the league title. Neither team has yet lost to an FCS opponent.

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ryouverua · 5 years

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Trial 6 - Post-Execution (End)

And from the rubble....

Trial: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8

Pre-Execution

The crowd in the theater has dispersed, the lights are off, the cleaning crew has come and gone, and now that everything is quiet and all eyes are looking elsewhere, here they are.

K1-b0 smiled because he knew, damn it. How was he able to avoid hitting them? Or was it that he was shooting blindly (as guided by the outside world) and just had to ‘hope’ for their survival? And when he saw that they had somehow made it, he had the peace of heart and strength to open the dome for them?

Comic relief to the end, huh. Well, it’s probably nice to have someone to keep the mood a bit lighter! It’s interesting seeing them lined up like this, actually. A trio of introverts, and a red/black colour palette. Even if Shuichi’s hair does lean on the blue side, it’s still incredibly muted. There is no way that wasn’t a deliberate choice, but I wonder why....

Ah, and for that matter, Tsumugi and K1-b0 really did trend toward blue themselves. Red vs blue is a pretty classic colour clash in fiction, right? .... Ah, and Kaito’s shirt even had the red kabuki print/make-up representing the ‘hero’ character, right? While ‘blue’ was always the villainous make-up? Maybe I’m reaching a bit, but it wouldn’t surprise me if that was deliberate. if I really want to continue down this rabbit hole, Kaede/Kaito/Kokichi being purple because they straddled the line between hero/villain in the game would therefore be the next logical leap hmm

don’t sound so upset about it sweetcheeks

In the wreckage, I suppose. So... what can we see? What is there to see?

It’s a bright light.... and very obviously not the ruined world from the escape tunnel. .... Right?

Closing ceremonies, complete with the original sprite for Shuichi....

So they can see.... something. But not enough. Nothing clear enough for them to know what they’re getting into.

And look at that... the starry sky, both morning and night. I think I mentioned previous how important ‘nighttime’ was in this game; how all the murders seemed happen chronologically (except Tenko’s, of course, but even that took place in complete darkness). From Kaede’s murder at nighttime, to Kokichi’s death near the end of the night - and then, of course, to the final trial, which took place at the crack of dawn, only for them to be brought down into an artificial darkness again - it just seems so fitting that after all of that, the false sky is both day and night. Dawn and dusk.

It’s a place full of promise, and also so, so much danger.

wouldn’t it technically be 52 if it finished on this one you know what I’m getting ahead of myself

The point is, Sweetcheeks is having a moment of reflection.

he’s a detective not a statistician damn it

The fact that you guys didn’t get crushed by rubble is, frankly, incredible. I’m not mad about it at all, but I’m just saying.

Did they have a way of getting food/water here? I guess if the show ends, there’s not going to be any of that anymore... whatever pathway they had would be entirely shut down.

K1-b0.... was supposed to be a survivor too damn it fhsdflk -

I get that he was acting as the eyes for the audience so him surviving would have been dangerous for their safety! And that his self-destruct button probably had the power they needed to get them out, even more than his lasers apparently!

But still - !

the impossible is possible

I want to hope that there was a little bit of K1-b0 let to save them, but... the idea of them wanting them to live, despite outliving their ‘usefulness’, is a nice thought too. It certainly means they’ll be in better shape to handle what comes at them when they cross over to the other side.

That is pretty awfully brave for someone with an uberfan like Sweetchi97 wanting to break your fingers, but yes! Right! With confidence!

That would probably be a nice change from what they had to go through, at this point... but god, how bitter would that make them, to know that they were created for that. I mean, we obviously saw it in the trial, but getting to live in that peaceful world after going through this would be a totally different experience.

YEAH! YEAH WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ABOUT?! WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN -

I mean it implies that she was copying, potentially, maybe the real Junko - I mean, I’m pretty sure that’s the immediate thought we’re supposed to have, right?

Damn bootleg ronpas -

DON’T YOU LAUGH AT THAT SHUICHI

........ I’m listening.

Which... could work. But we need to account for the audience. There was clearly an audience that was able to affect K1-b0 in real time, and also react to the trial in real time, right? And that same audience was able to turn on Tsumugi, too...

we need to go deeper

THE WHOLE FICTION BIT WAS A SURPRISE ANYWAY HOW CAN YOU GO EVEN FARTHER AT THIS POINT

mother of god -

.... Oooooh, I see.

Yeah, because there are definitely.... weird things that I remember. The original opening versus what we saw here. There is probably a lot to unpack in that original game-opening chapter. The kidnapping they all remembered, for one thing...

They were definitely a lot more scared, right? And there wasn’t a weird gap between what we saw and the flashback light that followed, right? I mean, we did get an unreliable narrator in Kaede ala Chapter 1 - but it was there between the lines of the text. This would be a complete omission.

So only the players will ever have access to that memory - none of the survivors will ever ‘remember’ that. That’s quite the luxury we have, to be able to rewind and look over ‘forgotten scenes’ like that.

because that would be absolutely mind-boggling to throw yourself into a torture/killing game and erase your entire self so you don’t even get the side-benefit of enjoying it, even if you are so obsessively into it?

every time I see Kaito’s name, a single manly tear is shed

There may be records, though. But to us outside the game - they may as well not exist so, fair. unless the gopher project list was actually the repurposed academy list just sayin’

Fiction inside fiction? A world where this was a knock-off of the real Danganronpa? Something else entirely? The possibility for lies and fantasy are limitless. Until they see the truth themselves, there’s no way to know.

It’s pretty strange - they’ve been trapped in this bubble the entire time, with their reality being projected to everyone outside the walls. Normally the catbox would be inside of the sealed space - but this time, it’s everything outside.

.... If it’s anything like our world, then... yeah. It probably is.

This does sound a bit like the writing team’s way of saying, ‘Look, we actually care a lot for you guys playing, promise! Even if the idea of the previous two games being fictional within a fictional world was heart-breaking, just remember that it’s the feelings that they drew from you at the time and even now that really matter in the end!’

I think... to borrow from the vernacular of the game, the proper way to read this is to see lies as ‘stories’. Beautiful stories told to make the world a better place - or to even inspire the real world to become better. There are inventions and leaps in technology that only came about because they were inspired by fiction! Lies becoming truths... honestly, our current era is proof of that, for good or for ill.

And hell, stories are often a vehicle of delivering a message or certain truth to the audience, right?

Moving bravely forward. Good damn luck, kids. You’re going to need it... but you can handle it. I believe in you.

This... really is like the ending scene from the first game, complete with the ambiguity. We just have to hope that things will work out for them. I think... we can believe that things will turn out okay.

Aaah Himiko, I do like how you were able to slip one more quirk in for the road.

And then they... cross... the threshold.... from their side.... to ‘ours’. Is that it?

Oh, wow! Okay, we’re zooming out -

Farther than I thought -

Oh???? The logo, all over this sphere? An entirely sealed in sphere, where no one can get in, and no one can see in outside of the cameras? With their logo plastered on everything, because they weren’t afraid of it being seen or - ?

(Was this story able to change something?)

(Was this story able to change someone?)

(Was this story... able to change the world?)

.......... Hey, to everyone who made it this far? Thanks for sticking with me. <3

#Ryou plays drv3 #Shuichi Saihara #Maki Harukawa #Himiko Yumeno #spoilers #drv3 spoilers #THE STORY ISN'T OVER.... BECAUSE THERE'S POST-GAME BABY!

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thecavavoice · 3 years

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The Post-Pandemic Return to Theaters

by Ella P.

A movie poster for In the Heights hangs outside of the Regal Edwards movie theater in Cerritos, California, Thursday, May 13, 2021. (R. Peng/The Voice)

We all had to put off plans due to the pandemic, and Hollywood was no exception. Many movies and TV shows had to pause production, and if they were already filmed, had to move their release dates. A lot of movies that were originally going to be released in theaters moved to be exclusively watched on streaming services. However, with theaters starting to open up again, people will finally be able to enjoy new releases on the silver screen!

Streaming services thrived in 2020, with many movies and TV shows premiering exclusively on Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+, among others. The best picture winner at the 2021 Oscars, Nomadland, was streaming on Hulu at the time of its release. Netflix released such films as Over the Moon and the Academy Award winning documentary My Octopus Teacher. Disney amassed an audience on its streaming platform by releasing its movies such as Soul, Mulan, and a recording of the Broadway musical Hamilton exclusively on Disney+ rather than in theaters.

Several students were asked in a survey which movies they have seen since the beginning of the pandemic. Though there were a few live-action films, a majority of the movies seen were animated. The Netflix original The Mitchells vs. the Machines was answered a few times, as well as Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon. Disney also had to postpone the upcoming Black Widow movie, which caused a domino effect that delayed the rest of Marvel’s Phase 4 films, including Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Eternals.

Students answer what newly released movies they have watched since the start of the pandemic. (R. Peng/The Voice)

One genre of film that has had a rise in popularity over the past few years is musicals, particularly stage musicals being adapted for the screen. In the Heights, West Side Story, and Dear Evan Hansen were all impacted one way or another by the pandemic. Dear Evan Hansen started and finished filming during the pandemic, with its trailer being released just in time to hit theaters. In the Heights and West Side Story, however, were less fortunate. Both films had their release dates delayed by a year, but are now going to be released in movie theaters.

The students surveyed were asked if they were planning on seeing movies in theaters in the future, with the answer being an overwhelming “yes.” When asked which movies they planned on seeing, most students mentioned Disney in their answer. One student was sure to mention that they were interested in seeing movies from brands under the Disney label as well, “including Marvel and Pixar.”

Students answered what movie(s) they planned on seeing in theaters in the future. (R. Peng/The Voice)

Movie theaters were challenged during the pandemic. According to Hollywoodreporter.com, the entire Arclight Cinemas chain has closed down. The lack of visitors and increase of streaming service users may be something many theaters may never bounce back from. However, the very existence of movie theaters isn’t going away anytime soon. And after this difficult break, going to the movies again is going to be more exciting than ever!

#arts and entertainment #archive #by Ella P.

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sonyclasica · 3 years

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TOM HOLKENBORG

BANDA SONORA ORIGINAL DE LA PELÍCULA DE NETFLIX ARMY OF THE DEAD

Milan Records anuncia el lanzamiento el 21 de mayo de ARMY OF THE DEAD (MUSIC FROM THE NETFLIX FILM) del productor multiplatino, músico, compositor y educador TOM HOLKENBORG aka JUNKIE XL.

Consíguelo AQUÍ

El álbum, que ya se puede conseguir, contiene música escrita por Holkenborg para la próxima película de zombis del director Zack Snyder. El proyecto es el último de una larga asociación creativa entre Snyder y Holkenborg, que recientemente colaboraron en la Liga de la Justicia de Zack Snyder, pero que iniciaron su relación en 2014 con la película 300: Rise Of An Empire, escrita y producida por Snyder. El dúo también ha trabajado junto en Man of Steel y Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. 2021 ya ha sido un año importante para Holkenborg, cuya épica partitura para la Liga de la Justicia de Zack Snyder fue una de las más largas jamás grabadas, y a la que siguió rápidamente la partitura de la superproducción Godzilla vs Kong, que batió el récord.

Army of the Dead se podrá ver en algunos cines el viernes 14 de mayo y en Netflix a partir del viernes 21 de mayo.

Sobre la banda sonora, el compositor TOM HOLKENBORG dice: "Una película de atracos de zombis en Las Vegas con Zack y Netflix, ¿cómo iba a decir que no? Army of the Dead fue una oportunidad para empezar algo muy nuevo y fresco, lo que es ciertamente irónico para una película sobre muertos vivientes. Fue un proyecto muy divertido, ya que pudimos romper el libro de reglas y reexaminar realmente cómo podría sonar una película de zombis. Es muy divertido".

Del cineasta Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen, La Liga de la Justicia de Zack Snyder), El ejército de los muertos tiene lugar tras un brote zombi que ha dejado Las Vegas en ruinas y amurallada del resto del mundo. Cuando Scott Ward (Dave Bautista), un antiguo héroe de la guerra contra los zombis que ahora se dedica a hacer hamburguesas en las afueras de la ciudad a la que ahora llama hogar, es abordado por el jefe de un casino, Bly Tanaka (Hiroyuki Sanada), con la propuesta definitiva: entrar en la zona de cuarentena infestada de zombis para recuperar 200 millones de dólares que se encuentran en una cámara acorazada bajo el Strip antes de que la ciudad sea bombardeada por el gobierno en 32 horas. Con poco que perder, Ward acepta el reto y reúne a un equipo de expertos para el atraco. Con el reloj en marcha, una bóveda notoriamente impenetrable, y una horda más inteligente y rápida de zombis Alfa acercándose, sólo una cosa es segura en el mayor atraco jamás intentado: los sobrevivientes se llevan todo.

Protagonizada por Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera, Theo Rossi, Matthias Schweighöfer, Nora Arnezeder, Hiroyuki Sanada, Tig Notaro, Raúl Castillo, Huma Qureshi, Samantha Win, Michael Cassidy, Richard Cetrone y Garret Dillahunt.

CONECTA CON ARMY OF THE DEAD

WEBSITE | TRAILER

ARMY OF THE DEAD (MÚSICA DE LA PELÍCULA DE NETFLIX)

TRACKLISTING –

1. Viva Las Vegas

2. Scott and Kate Part 1

3. Scott and Kate Part 2

4. Scott and Kate Part 3

5. Toten Hosen

6. Swimming Pool

7. Not Here

8. 3 Flares

9. Battle Hallway Part 1

10. Battle Hallway Part 2

11. Zeus and Athena Part 1

12. Zeus and Athena Part 2

SOBRE TOM HOLKENBORG

Tom Holkenborg, alias Junkie XL, es un productor, músico, compositor y educador nominado al Grammy, cuya versatilidad le sitúa en la vanguardia de la música contemporánea y cuya sed de innovación está ayudando a reimaginar el mundo de la composición.

Compositor de contacto total, Holkenborg participa en todas las fases del proceso de composición, es un multiinstrumentista que combina el dominio de la ingeniería de estudio, la formación musical clásica y un sentido innato de la curiosidad. Es tan hábil trabajando con una orquesta filarmónica de 50 músicos como con una pared de sintetizadores modulares, tocando un bajo o construyendo sus propios instrumentos físicos y digitales. Su afán por reimaginar lo que es posible y compartir ese conocimiento con la siguiente generación de compositores es lo que convierte a Holkenborg en una fuerza única y en uno de los compositores cinematográficos más solicitados del mundo.

Los créditos de Tom como compositor de películas han recaudado más de 2.000 millones de dólares en taquilla e incluyen Mad Max: Fury Road, Deadpool, Black Mass, Alita Battle Angel, Divergent, Brimstone, The Dark Tower, Tomb Raider, Terminator: Dark Fate, el récord de Sonic the Hedgehog, los recientes éxitos de monstruos Liga de la Justicia de Zack Snyder y Godzilla contra Kong y los próximos proyectos The 355 y Army Of The Dead. Ha trabajado con directores como Peter Jackson, Robert Rodríguez, James Cameron, George Miller, Christopher Nolan, Zack Snyder y Tim Miller, entre muchos otros.

Educador además de creador, Tom se ha comprometido a derribar las barreras de entrada en el mundo de la composición cinematográfica, creando el programa gratuito SCORE Academy en Los Ángeles y un programa de composición musical en el conservatorio ArtEZ de su país natal, Holanda. En YouTube, Tom presenta su serie educativa StudioTime, que está disponible de forma gratuita y ha sido vista millones de veces.

Tom es capaz de aprovechar sus amplios conocimientos de las formas y estructuras clásicas y, al mismo tiempo, mantener el pulso de la música popular. Cuando su ecléctica formación se combina con su habilidad como multiinstrumentista (toca el teclado, la guitarra, la batería, el violín y el bajo) y su dominio de la tecnología de estudio, surge el retrato de un artista para el que todo es posible. Fuera de su propio arte, el deseo de Tom de unir la tecnología y la composición clásica para iniciar el cambio y la evolución le llevó a asociarse con Orchestral Tools en 2019 para crear Junkie XL Brass, su primera biblioteca de muestras, poniendo sonidos de clase mundial a disposición de los compositores de todo el mundo.

La base del trabajo de Tom en el cine comenzó en su Holanda natal, donde creó múltiples partituras de películas, antes de emprender tutorías con los célebres compositores Harry Gregson Williams y Hans Zimmer, con los que trabajó en proyectos como Inception, Batman vs Superman y Dark Knight Rises. La colaboración de Tom con Hans fue formativa, ya que le permitió perfeccionar su propia voz y estilo mientras aprendía de uno de los compositores más influyentes de Hollywood. El propio viaje de Tom en Hollywood comenzó a tomar vuelo en 2014 con su primer gran proyecto en solitario, 300: Rise Of An Empire, que fue también la primera de sus muchas colaboraciones con Zack Snyder, que escribió y produjo la película. Fue el comienzo de una agenda de puntuaciones que ha supuesto miles de millones de dólares de taquilla, ha incluido éxitos de taquilla y proyectos independientes, ha visto a Tom trabajar con algunos de los directores más alabados de Hollywood y le ha mantenido atascado desde entonces.

La carrera musical de Holkenborg comenzó en 1993, cuando creó el grupo de rock industrial Nerv y también produjo a grupos de hardcore y metal como Sepultura y Fear Factory. Atraído por los breakbeats electrónicos, fundó Junkie XL en 1997, debutando con el álbum Saturday Teenage Kick. Holkenborg siguió produciendo cinco álbumes más bajo el nombre de Junkie XL, al tiempo que actuaba como cabeza de cartel en todo el mundo. En 2002, el productor remezclador consiguió un número 1 en las listas de éxitos de 24 países con su reelaboración de "A Little Less Conversation". Tras su éxito, Holkenborg colaboró con célebres artistas como Dave Gahan, Robert Smith y Chuck D, y remezcló a artistas como Coldplay, Depeche Mode, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake y muchos más. Además, Holkenborg creó la música de videojuegos como FIFA, Need For Speed, Los Sims y SSX y anuncios para campañas mundiales como Nike, Heineken, Adidas, Cadillac y VIS.

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#bso #army of the dead #tom holkenborg

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