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majingojira · 3 years

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Brief Review of Every Dinosaur/Prehistoric Documentary/Educational Short I’ve ever seen (1923-1996).

And thanks to a certain project, I’ve seen a LOT!

Evolution (1923) - This is the oldest of the bunch, a silent film. Mostly it uses modern animals to represent ancient forms, with a few statues and brief animated bits to fill things out. The only real highlight? Seeing where some of the “film real” segment from Gigantis the Fire Monster comes from!

Monsters from the Past (1923) - A short documentary with original stop motion (this was pre-The Lost World, so that’s to be expected). Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus, and Brontosaurus are the key creatures. Included as an extra on the second DVD release of The Lost World.

Prehistoric Animals (1938) - Reuses footage from The Lost World (1925) for its prehistoric segments. This will not be the last time it happens.

Prehistoric Times: The World Before Man (1952) - This thing is so quintessentially 1950s, it’s highly riff-able. It uses a mix of paintings, sculptures and some live animals to represent prehistoric life.

A World Is Born (1955) - Ya know what Fantasia needed? Overbearing Narration! That’s it. That’s what this documentary is. I saw this thing rebroadcast in the 90s on the Disney Channel, believe it or not.

The Animal World (1956) - Ray Harryhausen. Willis O’Brian. Their stop motion segment is the ONLY notable part of this documentary. This is also the only part that has seen some release in modern times, as a bonus feature on the DVD of The Black Scorpion.

Prehistoric Animals of the Tar Pits (1956) - Black and white, but also quintessentially 50s and riff-able. Aside from the bones, it shows some wooden models to represent the animals.

Journey into Time (1960) - Fantasia this is not, but it TRIES to be. Lord it tries. Or, rather, there’s a Fantasia-adjacent thing elsewhere which does the same thing. Has some unique choices for animals to represent, including showing Permian forms like Scutusaurus and Inostrancevia.

Dem Dry Bones: Archaeology, Paleontology, Identification, and Preservation (1966) - This was a lucky find, it was on Youtube for half a second. And not worth digging out, really. Stuffy, dry, and mildly condescending. It was still interesting looking at the dinosaur hall of the Smithsonian back in the 1950s.

Dinosaurs - The Terrible Lizard (1970) - The stop motion here is pretty neat, if slow and plodding, it’s refreshing after all this crap. The puppets for many of these would later be re-used for The Land of the Lost. Including Grumpy, Alice, and Spot.

NOVA: The Hot-Blooded Dinosaurs (1977) - Robert Bakker’s first appearance in a documentary. HE HAS SUCH LONG HAIR! Not bad, a little dry, with National Geographic titles. It reminds me of 1990s documentaries, just so show how long it’s taken for various ideas to filter down. Currently, it’s available on Archive.org.

Dinosaurs: A First Film (1978) - The art style for this half-animated 70s abomination makes identifying various prehistoric animals almost impossible. Almost painful to sit through. Stops with the Dinosaurs.

Dinosaurs: The Age of the Terrible Lizards (1978) - Similar to the above, but available from Rifftrax, so much more watchable. Also, it’s actually animated!

Dinosaur (1980) - Wil Vinton Claymation with Dinosaurs. A few edits of this exist, the latter works a bit better, but the original is interesting to track down. Most of the edits are audio only, so you aren’t missing anything. The dinosaur sin this are top notch for color and design. They even have Corythosaurus and Tyrannosaurus not dragging their tails!

Cosmos (1980) - the animated segment covering Evolution is still wonderful if only for the narration from Carl Sagan.

The Age of Mammals (1981) - A follow up of sorts to Dinosaurs: The Age of Reptiles. Decent stop motion if a little slow. Decent variety for the time.

64,000,000 Years Ago (1981) - A solid stop motion short film. Still worth checking out for stop motion fans. Available on Youtube legally!

Dinosaurs: Fun, Facts, and Fantasy (1981) - Nostalgic for some, but aimed at a rather young audience. Some interesting stop motion bits in here too... if awkward in that way British stop motion can be outside Aardman Studios.

Reading Rainbow “Digging up Dinosaurs” (1983) - Definitely nostalgic for me. Besides, it’s Reading Rainbow! And opens with a clip from One Million Years B.C.! What’s not to love?

Prehistoric Beast (1984) - One of the best stop motion shorts on this list. Included because it INSPIRED a documentary from it. Phil Tippett firing on all cylinders. Well worth watching. And he uploaded it on Youtube himself!

Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs (1985), More Dinosaurs (1985), Son of Dinosaur (1988), Prehistoric World (1993) - Gary Owens and Eric Boardman have a series of documentaries on dinosaurs and prehistoric life. The presenters are what really make these work. Colorful, fun, and yes, silly, these still hold a nostalgic gleam for people like me. The last one has Dougal Dixon talk about his After Man speculations. Fun times.

Dinosaur! (1985) - Hosted by Christopher Reeve, this is one of the best documentaries of its time. Reeves loved dinosaurs and was happy to work on this project with Phil Tippet behind the animation. Covers a lot in its hour long format, and well worth watching. Do you know how good this special was? When Reeve died in 2004, the Discovery Channel (or similar station) re-aired this thing as a tribute. It holds up that well!

Tell Me Why: Pre-Historic Animals, Reptiles and Amphibians (1986) - This is something I had when I was a little kid. Dry, straight forward, a “Video Babysitter” at it’s best. It consists of a narrator while looking at pictures of the Invicta Dinosaur Toys that were also on the poster.

Dinosaurs! A Fun-Filled Trip Back in Time (1987) - Wil Vinton’s Dinosaurs! tied with a short setup/framing device with the kid from the Wonder Years involving a low-animation music video (this was the MTV age) and a guide through art from various dinosaur books from the 1950s through the 1980s. Rather meh, but Wil Vinton is why we are here. This was the only way to get Wil Vinton’s short back in the day, and is the version of the short shown in Museums like The Academy of Natural Sciences.

Digging Dinosaurs (PBS-WHYY) (1988) - Something I managed to record of TV back in the day, though not much of it, about the uncovering and preparation of Avaceratops. Bone Dry.

Maia: A Dinosaur Grows Up (1988) - A VHS version of the picture book, with narration and the whole spiel. Actually not to bad for what it is, but it is what it is. The art for that book is rather wonderful.

Lost Worlds, Vanished Lives (1988) - David. Attenburrough. Need I say more? Not one of his best, but still wonderful. Hard to track down.

Dinosaurs (1989) - From the Smithsonian Institute, one of the video followups sold in various museums (I have one from the Royal Tyrell, but haven’t been able to track it down). Not great, but I’ve seen worse.

Infinite Voyage: The Great Dinosaur Hunt (1989) - A rather dry documentary, but one I find extremely relaxing and calming. Very nostalgic for me. But still dry.

Vestie Video Sitter: Dinosaurs (1989) - This is for babies. It hurt to watch.

In November, 1990, Jurassic Park (novel) was released, and thus began the great shift.

In Search of the Dragon: The Great Dinosaur Hunt of the Century (1991) - a.k.a. The Dinosaur Project, The Great Dinosaur Hunt, The Hunt for China’s Dinosaurs. Edited into a 1 hour NOVA special from a nearly two hour documentary, all about the joint Canadian/Chinese Gobi Desert Expedition in the 1980s that gave us Mamenchisaurus among many other species. With another stop in the Arctic for good measure. Some good stop motion and pencil animation for Troodon round this one out.

A&E’s Dinosuar! (1991) - There’s so many things named “Dinosaur” that I have to specify. Hosted by Walter Cronkite, this is rather dry, but still entertaining documentary series has some nightmare-fuel puppet-work. The ‘sad’ music gets caught in my head sometimes when I think about it. It is 4 episodes long. “The Tale of a Tooth”, “The Tale of a Bone”, “The Tale of an Egg”, and “The Tale of a Feather”

T. Rex: Exposed (1991) - a Nova Documentary on T. Rex. Not too bad overall, focusing on the Wrankle Rex unearthing. Parts of it are available on Youtube, but not all of it.

The Case of the Flying Dinosaur (1991) - the third in the “NOVA” 91 trilogy, this covers the bird-dinosaur connection as it was still contentious at the time.

PBS’ The Dinosaurs! (1992) - A gold standard for documentaries on dinosaurs. The hand drawn animation with colored pencil style still hold up today. The narrator has a bit of an accent and pronounces “Dinosaur” oddly, but that is the only complaint I can really give. It has 4 episodes: “The Monsters Emerge”, “Flesh on the Bones”, “The Nature of the Beast”, “Death of the Dinosaurs.”

Muttaburrasaurus: Life in Gondwana (1993) - A half-hour short about dinosuars and mesozoic life in Australia. Solid stop motion animation. Australian Accents makes it fun to listen too.

NOVA: The Real Jurassic Park (1993) - Jeff Goldblum narrates this bit of scientists going on about “But what if we really did it?” Quite fun, lotta fun details the movies and even the books didn’t get into. My favorite bit had Robert Bakker talking to a game keeper at the Rockefeller Refuge in a Louisiana Cypress Swamp about what could happen if they kept a few dinosaur there (Edmontosaurus, Triceratops, and T. Rex). Namely, he talks about housing ‘about a thousand” Edmontosaurs on the 86K acre facility, with 2 or 3 mated pairs of Rexes. It’s fun getting numbers like that.

Bill Nye the Science Guy “Dinosaurs” (1993) - BILL! BILL! BILL! BILL! BILL! Not a bad kids entry for documentaries. Available from Netflix.

Paleoworld (1994-1997) - Running originally for 4 years, and being revamps once along the way, this rather dry, “Zoom in on paleoart” style of documentary was a good holdover for bigger things, and covered some pretty niche topics. Much of the later version has been uploaded to youtube.

Dinosaur Digs: A Fossil Finders Tour (1994), Dinosaurs: Next Exit (1994) - These films hurt me. They hurt me so much. I’ve seen some painful things, but these are hour long tour advertisements for road trips with annoyingly earworms. Available on youtube, but I ain’t linking anything!

Eyewitness: Dinosaur (1994) - Not a bad documentary, but I still hold a grudge on it for replacing Wil Vinton’s work at my local museum! Still, it is narrated by Martin Sheen. The clip selection is wide and varied, but we’re still getting The Lost World (1925) footage.

Planet of Life (1995) - This documentary series is rather dry, but boasts some interesting coverage of topics. Though some of it’s conclusions regarding dinosaurs are... not great. Still, the episode “Ancient Oceans” is a favorite of mine.

Once Upon Australia (1995) - The bests stop motion documentary on Australia’s prehistory. Has some humor to is, and Australian fauna that it does cover is solid. Though finding out how one of the animals is spelled, ( Ngapakaldia) drove me nuts for literally decades.

Dinosaurs: Myths and Reality (1995) - Like a little more polished episode of Paleoworld, with a lighter-voiced narration, this covers common myths about dinosaurs. Overall, a Meh. But it has a LOT of movie clips. Which makes sense given it was funded by the Disney Channel!

The Ultimate Guide: T. Rex (1995) - The Ultimate Guide series of docs were overall rather solid, as was the Tyrannosaurus one. Stop Motion animation along with puppets and some minor CG help round out the normal talking heads and skeleton mounts. Along with a solid narrator, it has a real mood to it.

The Magic School Bus “The Busasaurus” (1995) - The original Magic School Bus was a solid series, and their episode on Dinosaurs bucks trends even the reboot didn’t cover. The core thrust here wasn’t just dinosaur information, but the idea that Dinosaurs were not Monsters, but animals. And they conveyed it in a unique way.

I may do more of these mini-reviews, but there are a LOT of documentaries post The Lost World: Jurassic Park that don’t have as much easy access. Like, I’ve seen them, but digging out links/citing places to watch them is a lot harder.

#Dinosaurs #Documentaries #Documentary #Review #Dinosaur #Prehistoric

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forwhycas · 4 years

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Oh, What a World (part 1)

Hello all, obviously my roger fic never got completed but i’ve been working on a Joe fic that has been finished and edited, with the help of my very good friend! No warning’s for this chapter, although maybe some swearing?

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You met Joe at a café you used to go to almost every day after your 4 pm class. It took you a few weeks to introduce yourself to him. You first noticed his laugh; you were listening to your study playlist which consisted nothing but classical music and you heard this loud. You rolled your eyes as you looked up to see who it was; you were going to shoot whoever it was a glare, but he was gorgeous. He had this wide smile, and golden hair. You smiled to yourself, turned up your music and got back to work. After that day you started to notice him more and more. The day you introduced yourself he was reading Poe, one of your favorites.

“Hi, sorry to interrupt but I see you here a lot and wanted to introduce myself, I’m Charlie.” He was sitting down and he got up to shake your hand and motioned for you to sit down with him.

“I’m Joe, nice to meet you.” You sat down and placed your bag on the floor. He smiled at you and put his book down, the wrong way in your opinion, pages down, damaging the spine.

“I admire your taste in authors…” You pulled the same book out of your bag and put it on the table.

“I’m currently on A Dream Within A Dream.”

“I’m on The Sleeper.” He grinned at you and you too got to talking about basic stuff, he asked if you went to school, or if you were a local. You told him it was your first few months here and that you were a transfer NYU grad student.

“Where do you go to school?” He chuckled a little.

“I’m flattered you think I look young enough to be in school, but I finished school a while ago, I’ve just lived in the city most of my life.”

“So what school did you go to?”

“University of Southern California, I graduated in 2005, loooong time ago.”

“God in 2005 I was in middle school…”

“Way to make a man feel even older, Charlie.” He smirked at you, picked up his book and folded the corner of the page he was on. You inwardly cringed. Your phone started to vibrate reminding you about your second class of the night; astrology.

“Well Joe, it was nice meeting you, I’m here almost all the time after my 4 o’clock class, so feel free to join me anytime, I have to get back to campus.”

“Will do, enjoy the rest of your day!” You threw him a peace sign over your shoulder, suddenly feeling more energized for astronomy.

A few days later you were sitting in your usual spot and felt someone staring at you, so you looked up and Joe was sitting at his usual spot as well. You motioned for him to come and sit with you.

“Hey, hope I’m not interrupting anything…” He motioned to the cluttered table in front of you, flash cards and notes taking over the small table you sat beside. You shook your head no and ended up taking an hour long break before he headed out to go home. You started to sit with Joe almost every time you went to the café and started to get to know him a little better. He was nice and had a great sense of humor; super sarcastic and a little bit dark, but always playful. He always had the warmest smile displayed, and after a long 2 hour lecture, being with him for just a few minutes your mood would instantly spike.

“Hey did you maybe want to join my friends and I for a movie tomorrow night?” You asked Joe as he was putting his book away. He looked shocked and stopped what he was doing.

“Um yea, what movie?”

“Oh it’s just Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, it’s re-playing at The Paris tomorrow night at 6.”

“The Paris! Love that place, I’ll definitely be there!” You had just gotten done packing up and wrote down your number on a crumbled up receipt before you wished him a good rest of his night.

You were just getting out of the shower when your phone pinged, it was a new number.

“Hi it’s Joe, I forgot what time you said to meet you at The Paris for?”

“Hey J! 6 o’clock!”

You decided to dress comfortably since the movie was 2 and a half hours long, you pulled on your most worn in pair of jeans and a hoodie, grabbed your wallet and left for the 4 block journey. You found Joe waiting in the lobby for you.

“Joe!” He took his hands out of his pockets and gave you a small wave and of course his signature smile.

“Hey, how was your day?”

“Boring. I had to sit through a bunch of presentations this afternoon, one of them about black holes, and if I’m being honest, if it wasn’t for the painfully attractive person presenting it I would have fallen asleep.”

You felt someone’s arm drape over your shoulder.

“You think I’m painfully attractive?”

Dean kissed your cheek and shook hands with Joe, you blushed and when you saw Joe lift an eyebrow at you. You explained to Joe how Dean was a good friend and the smartest in your astrology class. Just then the rest of your friends walked in together being loud per usual. Dean from astrology, Laura from stats of psych, and Adam and Dylan from creative writing. All of you were different majors and that’s probably the reason why all of you got on so well. After introducing your small group of friends to Joe while waiting in line for your tickets, everyone dispersed to go get different food. Joe followed closely behind you.

“I like your friends, they’re all so…”

“Loud? Childish?”

“I was going to say different, also you guys are all children to me, but I can tell all of you are polar opposites.”

“Well I’m the oldest of the group, everyone else are just super smart juniors taking grad courses.” You grabbed a bag of skittles while Joe grabbed some gummy bears, and when he automatically paid for your skittles, you gave him a pouty look.

“I’m gonna slide money into your pocket while you’re not looking during the movie.” He matched your look and leaned down to your level. You two stared at each other like that for a few seconds before you burst out laughing. You found your friends and all took your seats.

“If I fall asleep, just wake me up for the sad ending please.”

“How the hell can you fall asleep in a movie theater?”

“I can honestly fall asleep anywhere.” You shrugged but he agreed. You didn’t end up falling asleep but you did cry at the ending like you always did, when everyone raised their wands you audibly sobbed. You felt Joe looking over at you but you didn’t care. After everything was over and the lights came on, Dean was the first person to say something.

“Well I need a fucking drink after that, anyone care to join?” You laughed and shook your head.

“I have an exam first thing in the morning, I’m gonna head home.” He shook his head and gave you a disapproving look.

“Oh Boo! Charlie when are you gonna finally get trashed with us?”

“I did enough drinking my first two years, thank you very much.” You said shuddering at the memory.

“But Charlie, how are you ever going to find out how amazing drunk sex is with me…” Dean teased.

“Right on that note I’m gonna leave, Joe be a gem and walk me home?” He nodded and said goodbye to everyone.

“So your friends are cool…”

“No my friends are fucking weird, I’m so sorry about Dean by the way, he’s too much sometimes.” Joe snickered. He commented on how you sobbed like a little bitch when Dumbledore died, and you gave him a hurt look and called him a psycho for not crying.

“Anyways this is me, thanks for joining us, also thanks for paying for my candy, much appreciated.” You smiled up at him, and reached up on your tippy toes to hug him.

“Hey anytime, I had fun, definitely have to do it again soon.” He smiled and went on his way. A few hours later your phone pinged.

Joey: I don’t know how I didn’t notice you putting three dollars into my sweatshirt pocket.

Charlie: What can I say, I’m sly as fuck!

You chuckled and plugged in your phone and continued studying for your exam.

A few weeks later you were studying for yet another exam when your phone started to vibrate, it was Joe.

“Hey Joe, what’s up?”

“Just hanging out, wondering if you wanted to come by and watch a movie?”

“Can I bring all my stuff with me? I promise I’ll watch the movie but I’m still going over my lecture notes…”

“Yea of course, I’ll text you my address.” He hung up and you started to pack up your stuff. 20 minutes later you were at his place. You texted him and he came down to get you.

“Jesus Joe! Where the hell do you work to have such a nice place and are they hiring?” He chuckled nervously.

“Have you ever seen Jurassic Park?”

“Dumb question, but yes, classic film.”

“Look up the cast…”

“I only remember Jeff Goldblum, what a daddy.” You did though and sure enough, Joe’s name popped up.

“No way! You played cute little Tim!”

“I did.”

“That’s cool! Well this explains the nice place, what else have you been in?” He started naming a few, and your eyes widened when he said that he even directed a few short films and a whole movie. “Well, guess I’m friends with an actor slash director now.” You shrugged and he smiled at you, he led you to the living room and you set up your stuff and started to make flash cards as he found a movie. A few minutes later he was slowly grabbing away all the stuff in front of you, your computer, flash cards, pens, books.

“After this I’ll go over the flashcards with you if you want?”

“Yes please.”

Alice in Wonderland started and you smiled, it was one of your favorites.

“Joe this is one of my favorites, have you been stalking me? Or do you just have really good taste?” He smirked as he sat down next to you.

“Definitely have not been stalking you, I just haven’t watched it in a while, and you can’t go wrong with a Disney movie!” Just as Alice fell down the rabbit hole, Joe jumped up scaring the shit out of you.

“Sorry I forgot about the skittles! I’ll be right back…” You ended up laying down on your back, head facing the tv, and when he came back he gave you the warmest smile. You sighed as you started to shuffle to get up.

“No, don’t get up I’ll just scoot myself next to you, if that’s ok?” You nodded and he handed you the bag as he positioned himself laying next to you on the large sectional, you ended up just laying on top of him a few minutes later, his hands playing with your hair, causing your eyes to flutter close.

“As relaxing as your hands running through my hair feels, I’ll fall asleep on you at any given moment…”

“So sleep, I’m not going anywhere, I’m just here to make sure you get a study break.”

“If I fall asleep, which I probably will, make sure to wake me up when Alice is done with her acid trip so I can study…” Joe lost it, and you couldn’t help but laugh with him.

“Will do.” He continued to play with your hair and you couldn’t fight it, between studying basically all day and really not sleeping much, your eyes closed.

“Charlie…Charlie?”

“Hmmmm, yes?”

“Do you want some coffee?” You smiled and nodded up at him with your eyes still closed. You got off of him and stretched then followed him into his kitchen, you hopped up on his counter as he started a pot of coffee.

“Please tell me I didn’t snore.”

“No you were pretty silent, you passed out super quick. When was the last time you got some solid sleep?” Your eyebrows raised, as you thought about it. “It’s sad you have to think about that answer.” You shushed him and put your hand over his mouth as you thought about it. He swatted your hand away when you started to yawn.

“Well today’s Friday? So Wednesday night I slept for probably 4 hours, ever since then I’ve been wired for my exam next week.”

“What are you doing tomorrow?”

“Studying…maybe a nap. Who knows, I’m very nocturnal these days.”

“How about you take a break from studying and we can do something?” You instantly knew your answer. The word yes was just echoing in your subconscious.

“I would love to take a study break and hang out with you, what do you have in mind?”

“I can take you on a typical tour of the city?”

“So like times square? Central Park? The museums?”

“Yea! I love taking new people for a tour.”

“That actually sounds really nice…I’m all yours tomorrow, also please tell me you have almond milk or something other than cream to put in that coffee, I’m lactose intolerant and don’t feel like going through the stomach pain.”

“Me too actually, I have half and half and some vanilla almond milk, which do you prefer?”

“Vanilla please.”

“Sugar?” You nodded your head. He handed you your coffee, and off you guys went to the couch again. You sat opposite of him and he started to read off the flash cards to you. First round was rough, the second round was much better and by the third you knew all the answers. You got up to stretch, and started to gather your stuff.

“Alright I could use a shower, where and when do you wanna meet up tomorrow?”

“Well, if you're up for getting up semi-early, I can make you breakfast in the morning? I make a pretty damn good omelette.” You looked up at him from gathering your stuff.

“How early?”

“How about 9?”

“Yea 9 sounds good!” He helped you gather the rest of your stuff and walked you to the lobby, he gave you a small lecture on how sleep was important all the way down in the elevator.

“Ok, bye dad!”

“OK, ew, please never call me dad again! But seriously get some sleep.” You gave him a quick side hug and started off for your apartment. When you arrived there was a note on your door from your neighbor asking you to feed her cat. You walked next door and got her spare key from under her door mat she always left for you to use. You saw Garry as you walked in and he purred at you as you bent down to scratch his ears. You picked him up and decided to facetime Joe. After a few seconds he picked up.

“Did you miss me that much?”

“Don’t flatter yourself, I just wanted to show you my neighbors overweight cat Garry! Look at this fucker!” You moved your phone farther away and Garry was rubbing his face into your curly mess of hair.

“Well fuck, that is a large cat, also Garry? That’s such a human name for a cat!” He smiled warmly as you put Garry down.

“I know right! Ugh alright I’m gonna go shower to get all of this Garry hair off of me!”

“You do that, I’ll see you at 9, bring your appetite!”

“Will do, night Joe.”

He hung up, and you did your nightly routine. In the morning your alarm went off for 8, and you awoke to a text from Joe.

Joey: I just realized I don’t have any eggs left, could you grab some on your way over?

Charlie: Yea of course, anything else?

Joey: Wear comfortable shoes, a lot of walking today, see you soon.

Charlie: Got it, comfy shoes, I’ll be there soon.

You nodded to yourself as you went to your shoe tray to get your running shoes on.

After a filling breakfast with Joe, you automatically started to clean up.

“What are you doing?”

“Force of habit…you have a dishwasher, lucky bitch.”

He laughed and helped you put everything away.

“Right, so kid, let me show you the city!”

“Kid? Joe, how old do you think I am?”

“23?”

“I’m flattered, but I’m 25.”

“How old do you think I am?”

“You have to at least be 30.”

“33, I’m old.”

“I mean you’re older than me, but not old. Old is 70 and up.” He laughed while shaking his head.

“Right, so when I’m 70 and you're still in your 60’s you're gonna shame me for being old?”

“Exactly!” He shook his head back and forth while tying up his nikes, and when he rose he put his hands on his hips and looked at you. You slyly snapped a picture.

“Why are you laughing at me?”

“I’m sorry but stay just like that….look at this!” He looked at your phone and he raised his eyebrows in confusion while you still laughed. You steadied yourself by putting a hand on his chest. “You look like, I’m sorry let me catch my breath…” You looked up at him and started to laugh again. “Ok I think I’m good! You look like a soccer dad…it’s the Nikes!” He looked at the picture again and then at you, his face dropped giving you a grumpy look. “I’m sorry, I just, FUCK!” You started to laugh again, putting your other hand on his chest now, his head fell backwards and he rolled his eyes.

“Are you done?” He grabbed your hands away from him and you fell forward a bit, your head hitting his chest now, still laughing. Joe couldn’t help but inwardly melt when he heard your laugh, his heart racing, a blush spreading across his face. He grabbed you by the shoulders and shook you a bit. “You are completely overtired aren’t you?” He looked into your pale green eyes.

“Yes, ok I think I’m good now, I’m saving this picture forever. Atually I’m gonna set it as your contact picture.” He looked over your shoulder as you did so and his face scrunched up when he saw what his name is in your phone.

“Joey? Really?”

“Hey it was either that or Mojo Jojo but Joey made me laugh more!”

“I can’t even think of anything funny for your name, it’ll come to me though.”

You guys went outside and it got windy real quick, you were miserably cold, Joe noticed this and he wrapped his scarf around you. You smiled up at him and thanked him. “Hate to be that person but can you show me a cool store that has heat so I can regain the feeling in my fingertips?” You reached one of your hands out of your jacket pocket and placed it on the side of his face, he was so warm. “How the hell are you so warm right now!” He moved his face away, and grabbed your free hand, pulling you into the nearest place, which happened to be Five Below. He let go of your hand, and you pouted and grabbed it again.

“If you keep touching me with your frigidly cold hands then I won’t be warm anymore!” You gave him a sweet smile and he rolled his eyes at you. “Fine, but we’re buying you gloves.” You found the winter section and chose a nice pair of purple gloves with a scarf that matched, you took Joe’s scarf off and wrapped it back around his neck.

“Thanks for letting me borrow this Joey, but I think I look more badass in this shade of purple.” Joes nose scrunched up, something that made your heart pound. “I should get snacks while we’re here!” You turned on your heel and started to search, you found some kind bars and got 6 different boxes. Joe raised his eyebrows at you. “I know what you’re thinking, but I lack fiber in my diet so these help, also yes I’m slightly obsessed with them.” You shrugged and then walked around to look at other things. You ended up losing Joe for a good 10 minutes just because you were bouncing around from aisle to aisle. When you found him you had a pile of stuff in your arms. “Look at all the cool stuff I found!” Joe grabbed some stuff from your arms to help out. “I got all these kind bars, a cool clock in the shape of an avocado to put in my kitchen, matching hand towels, I got Garry the fat cat this cool toy, got a 2 pack of purple knee high socks, then a pair of grey sweatpants, you can never have too many pairs of sweatpants!” You were speaking so quickly because you were so excited with all the cool stuff you were getting for such a good price. “I like this store, definitely going to have to come back!”

“I’m gonna have to help you carry this stuff, aren’t I?” You gave him a wide smile and batted your eyelashes. “That’s what I thought, well thank god you didn’t find the toy section!” Your eyes darted to the floor, and you took a plastic t-rex out of your pocket, you held it up to him.

“I laughed when I saw it because I thought of you in Jurassic Park, so I’m getting this for you as a token of my appreciation for not only lending your scarf for most of the day, but for helping me with my bags.” You finally were called up to the register and you plopped all of your stuff down. After 5 Below Joe guided you to Times Square, your eyes lit up when you got into the center, it was just starting to get dark and all the colors were so pretty, he stared at you with the cutest smile on his face, biting his lip. You got some pretzels from a nearby truck and sat down and people watched for a little.

“So what do you think?” Joe asked with a mouthful of food.

“There’s something comforting about being one person out of millions, also theirs so much to see, we haven’t hit everything yet which is fine because I’m exhausted and I can’t really feel my thighs if I’m being honest. But I like it here, I still miss home and being close to the beach but this busy fast pace lifestyle is great to keep my mind of off shit.” You took a bite of your pretzel.

“Hate to pry into your life, but what made you transfer to NYU your second year of grad school?” You put down your pretzel and took a sip of Joe’s soda, which he grabbed away from you shortly after.

“I don’t mind sharing, it’s just a long story, I’ll try to condense for you. Basically I was engaged to my high school sweet heart, we were together since sophomore year and then he popped the question when we graduated college right before we started grad school, then he cheated on me 4 months in, I found out through a mutual friend. He’s now engaged to that woman. I live in a small town and was looking to escape and I was like fuck it I’m applying to NYU, when I got in I packed my car up with as much shit as I could and voila! I’ve been here for 4 months, and now I’m friends with some pretty cool people.” You took a deep breath and took Joe’s soda out of his hand and took a big gulp, then placed it back in his hand. “I left out the dark parts, but that’s the gist of it.”

“Wow, that’s a lot. Engaged!” His eyes were wide and he was not expecting that, and you loved how you made him speechless. “The dark parts?” His head cocked to the side and gave you a puzzling look.

“I’ve never really told anyone about the dark parts, still kind of healing from all of that.” You took a deep breath and rested your head on your arm, and yawned.

“Do you wanna head back? I have left over pasta in my fridge that I’m willing to share with you, but your buying me some beer.” You nodded and chugged the rest of his soda which he was not happy about. He wanted to take the subway back to his, but you convinced him to walk since it was so pretty outside and the wind had died down. You walked arm in arm, pushing through the busy sidewalks, when you made it back to Joe’s you immediately went to his bathroom and put on your thigh high purple socks, the sweatshirt you were wearing under your jacket came down to just above your knees.

“Joe would it bother you if I didn’t wear pants?” You heard him clear his throat.

“Do what you want!” he yelled back. So you came out of the bathroom in just your oversized UMASS sweatshirt and purple thigh highs. Joe couldn’t help but look at you from head to toe, which you noticed, but decided to ignore it. “So you’re from Massachusetts? Does this mean you’re a Red Sox fan?” He went back to focusing on stirring the sauce, he was trying not to look at you, specifically the tattoo’s that were peeking out of the tops of the socks.

“Yup, I could of sworn I told you that? Also I’m more of a fan of football than baseball.” You hopped up onto his counter and crossed your legs. He dropped what he was doing to turn around to look at you.

“I’m sorry did you just say you like football better than baseball?” He had a crazed look in his eyes, and the water started to boil over, you hopped off the counter and turned the burner down.

“Yes, I did. Did I hit a nerve in you? Are you a die hard Yankees fan?” He turned to look down at you, still having that crazy look in his eyes, you poked his cheek to see if you broke him. He snapped out of it.

“Yes, Charlie, look I don’t think this friendship is going to work out if you don’t enjoy baseball, because if I can’t drag you to a Yankees game in the spring then your rarely going to see me.” He added some fresh noodles to the boiling water.

“Well Joe, looks like I’ll have to start enjoying baseball.” You shrugged and opened a beer to hand it to him, then opened one for yourself. You assumed your position perched up on his counter. Joe smiled to himself while he stirred the sauce again. You guys inhaled the pasta and then sprawled out on the couch. Joe manspreading and you laying down on your back, your legs on his lap. “That was some great sauce, did you make that?”

“No, my mom was over last weekend and she always brings her homemade sauce for me. I’ll let her know you enjoyed it!” You yawned and closed your eyes for a second. “I know it’s only 8 o’clock but I could knock out right now.” You propped yourself up on your elbows to look at Joe. He responded with his eyes closed as well. “My arms hurt from carrying your bags.”

“Bullshit!” He chuckled as he stretched his arms out, you watched as his muscles flexed, you bit your lip and let your body fall back again. “I need to get up and go home but I’m honestly way to comfortable to do that at the moment.” Joe through a blanket on you, and you gave him an angry look. “No, take this back!” You flung it on the floor with your foot. “I need to get home and put up this avocado clock in my kitchen ASAP!”

“That’s what you’ve been thinking about all day! Your fucking weird!”

“Your right I am weird, but you hang out with me, so what does that say about you?”

“Get off my couch and put some pants on, go put your avocado clock up!” He patted your thighs that were resting on his lap, then slowly pushed them off.

“I think your jealous of it!” You said as you got up.

“I’m not.” You groaned and made your way back to his bathroom to put your jeans back on.

“I’m gonna leave the other pair of socks here, just promise not to wear them! Where should I put them?” Joe grabbed them and put them in his linen cabinet in an empty spot. “Can I leave these sweatpants here as well?” Joe put his hand out and you handed them to him.

“Anything else? You wanna leave some kind bars here too?” You flipped him off.

“I mean your fridge looks pretty bare, maybe I should leave a box here so you don’t starve!” You placed a box of breakfast bars, banana chocolate chunk, next to his coffee machine. “Thanks for being a gracious tour guide, and walking a little slower since I have little legs.”

“I don’t know about little, I just saw them in those socks, they look pretty long to me.”

“Joe Mazzello, were you checking me out?” You raised an eye brow at him and smirked. He blushed.

“In my defense you weren’t wearing pants! But your welcome for going at a slower pace for them. Now go put your avocado clock up!” You reached up on your tippy toes and hugged him, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before you were back on your heels again.

“Hopefully no one tries to take it from me on my long journey home.” Joe smiled and watched you make your way to the elevator. He took the plastic t-rex out of his pocket and put it on a shelf in his living room. He took his phone out of his pocket and looked through the many pictures he took of you throughout the day, you called him ‘your personal photographer’. There were a few on his phone of the two of you standing on the red steps in times square that a stranger took for you guys. He smiled then layed back down on his couch thinking about the day he spent with you and how it quite frankly was one of the best days he’s had in a while.

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Let me know how you liked this fluffy chapter!

#joe mazzelo x reader #imagine #fanfic

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jmgiovine · 4 years

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My Path with the Force

: A Star Wars-fan Chronicle.

by. J.M.Giovine.

A long time ago, back in the 90s, I was 5 and the remastered edition of the Original Trilogy was released on VHS format. Star Wars entered in my life. I remeber those good old days. Since I’m the child of a failed marriage, my father used to pick me up every single weekend to take me for a ride for some father-and-son time, just the two of us, sometimes with my dad’s family as well. Like I said, good old days. Before that, my whole world turned around Batman and Jurassic Park, as well as pretty much every single Disney-animated flick I got my hands into. One of those weekeds, my dad took me to a Toy Store, and my wonder solidified the moment I saw a giant box-set of MicroMachines figures that immediately draw my attention... and eventually became my first merchandise (purchased by my dad as a gift) of the soon-to-be-my favorite franchise, ever.

Fun thing was, I never saw any of the original films, nor played any of the LucasArts videogames released back then. I entered into this fandom as an innocent five-year-old poser, but obviously, my curiosity and wanderlust won’t stop there. Eventually, I’ll turn to acknowledge the franchise from a movie perspective, ironically, almost immediatelly after acquire my most precious set of ships (which I still possess, for the most part). That very same year, my grandmother came one afternoon with several copies of VHS tapes on her bag that she proudly showed to us; the rents of the week. Little I knew, that would be it, the moment I’ll be acquainted with the Original Trilogy for the first time. Fun thing was, my grandmother is a considerably devoted catholic, and an awfully religious person (she’s nuts), but if I ever have to feel grateful about something she did for me, was introducing me to two different worlds I love: Indiana Jones, and Star Wars. She knew the films (at a certain degree), and basically spoiled me Vader was Luke’s father the very moment I pop A New Hope’s into the VHS. But I didn’t care back then, because I was hooked. Somehow, I realized, this was it; “this is the universe I love”.

I still think about it. What was it at first? I mean, I can answer that almost right away with a 6-hour-long explanation why I love this universe, but to be fair, I really wonder what was back in the day in my earliest childhood years, the very essential element that made me fell for it. The space ships? Maybe, that’s probably a reliable esthetic trait that’ll captivate any small child. Perhaps the whole Jedi mythos presented lightly between the three episodes, later explored with a larger detail in further entries and titles from both, the Expanded and New Canon. Which 5-year-old child wouldn’t want to be a Jedi Knight just as Obi Wan, or Luke by the time he showed up in Return of the Jedi (1983), weilding his brand-new green lightsaber in order to defeat Jabba’s band of criminals and guards. We’re getting closer. But I suspect there was more to it. Of course, being a grade-school kid my thoughts never went anywhere further than my visual and spectating admiration for the trilogy. That lasted 2 more years, 2 years of me asking like crazy the whole action figures and vehicles I was so desperate to possess and play with. Hardly I was gifted with some of the merchandise, aside my beloved MicroMachines set, and then, it came 1999...

I can just imagine, for the elder people, what this meant back at the release of The Phantom Menace (1999), although, it kindda happened the same way in 2015; people went nuts and fans all over the world realised it returned. Star Wars was back, but not in the shape of a horrible remasterization in a re-release of a classic film(s), but as a brand new episode. Something that’ll continue the story left behind more almost 20 years ago. Young version of characters we all loved from the first ones, as well as new introductions of characters that, from the distance, looked like they had certain potential. I mean, I just remember Darth Maul being literaly everywhere at stores, promos, banners. The guy everyone thought would be the new face of these new installments, just as Vader was years ago. The rest, well, what can I say? But this ain’t a review. To be completely honest... I liked it. Never watch it at the theater (until the 3D re-release back in 2012), but I immediately bought the VHS. My grandma and aunt actually went to the movies to see it, they hated it.

But obviously, I had my reservations in regards of the newest Star Wars flick, and my hopes to see an actual connection between this “new” vision, and the episodes I’ve learn to love these past couple years. So, you could say, I decided to give it a pass and accept what I was experiencing. Back then, having already 7 years, my judgement towards films wasn’t-let’s say- well defined.To me, if something belongs to what I already know, it was alright, but deep down, I knew something wasn’t right with this newest film, it didn’t feel the same. Was I set to become one of those folks that’ll limit themselves to what was already stablished rather than to accept new ideas and concepts inside a franchise set to expand? Well, thankfully, few years later I’ll understand it was all due to how poorly the film was crafted. Also... yeah, Jar Jar...

But not everything was that bittersweet. I fell in love with the franchise right before seeing Phantom... so by the time, all toy lines (Kenner, particularly) were everywhere from both, this newest episode and the original trilogy line, which endured several years afterwards, before the newest 2004 line. I acquire several other figures, and I was enjoying myself pretty much alright. I couldn’t wait for more, and only two episodes left, my childhood excitement grew exponentially by the realization that, soon, I’ll possess 6 VHS of my favorite saga ever (ha!). Like that, and continously buying as much merchandise as my parents were capable of, 2002 came along. The so-much-expected episode two came, and this was officially my first Star Wars film ever experienced on the big screen. Save your pity, please, I don’t need it.

I was aware, probably for the first time, of the quality decaying this franchise was suffering, probably the moment I saw Hayden Christensen portraying the long-expected-hero Anakin Skywalker. If I ever check a top 10 list of the worst casting choices ever made, this guy would probably be in the first 5 spots, easily. Even the toy-brand seemed... I don’t know, uninspired? Yeah, not much of a big change, but somehow I felt way attracted for the lines of episode 1 than this one. The starships never took my breath away (except for a fully renderized Slave I, the very first Original Trilogy starship brought back for these films), nor the aliens or the newest incursions of Jedi felt innovative or interesting enough. Probably the Clones, but I have to admit, my interest for this army came years later, when Genndy Tartakovsky’s The Clone Wars, as well as the Expanded Universe’s stories were release, in order to fill the gap left by Episode’s 2 need of ending at the very beginning of the long-awaited wars.

Another spark of honesty, I never watched the show on it’s innitial release, in 2003, since I never had cable, ergo, never saw Cartoon Network, even though I really wish I could’ve. My initiation with the short cartoon came a year later, and a year before the heavily anticipated release of Episode 3. The first time I did came around the show was at my highschool tutor’s house. Every day, after my school schedule, my mom sended me every afternoon to my tutor’s place, literaly, on the street behing mine’s. Why here? Easy, after finishing my whole homework (for the next day) we got some spare time before our moms (we were several other kids at the house), and that’s when, located at the livingroom basically identical to my place’s, my tutor’s son was watching some tv. He looked nerdy af, and what was he watching? No more and no less than the show’s second season, episode 19: Anakin VS Asajj Ventress.

After that, my next step was some of the best I’ve had in regards of the franchise: the Original Trilogy DVD release in 2004. Just as my dad did, back in 1997, in 2004 I spend my first Christmas with my dad’s family, and one of my presents (one of my all time favorites) was my very first DVD player, also, packed along the remasterization (one of many, Christ...) for the same format that launched also a brand new toy series better known as the Original Trilogy Collection from Hasbro. I was one step closer to fulfillment, and for the first time I had the Original Trilogy in my power. At the same time, my highschool’s best friend lend me the DVD of Tartakovsky’s series from 2003, recently launched in a compilation of the entire 20 episodes. That’s when I saw the whole show for the first time. Again, aside of my bitterweet experience with Episodes 1 & 2, I felt great passion towards Star Wars, once again.

My first Star Wars game also came in 2004, the same year I first acquire my Game Cube console, that meant I was finally able to buy Rebel Strike: Rogue Squadron 3 and I was pretty much at candy land. I played Rogue Squadron 1, for the Nintendo 64, a while ago, and I was pretty much addicted to the epic arcade game, located at a Peter Piper Pizza near my house. On the videogame background, this was the only thing I needed so far, until I realize of the existance of other games such as Battlefront, Jedi Academy-Outcast, and countless other elder games I never had the chance to play. Probably my official first Star Wars game was the PC exclusive, Dark Forces 2, but I never managed to finish it (I still hadn’t have the chance to, since I’m no longer able to play it), but overall, Roque Squadron 3 was everything I needed, surely I wouldn’t mind experience other stuff, specially when first realizing about the existance of the memorable Knights of the Old Republic, a game I considered for superior gamers back then.

2005 came, the first trailers for Revenge of the Sith were everywhere and dropped every 5 seconds. But that wasn’t just it. I was able to follow the weekly release of the Clone Wars Season 3, that was supposed to end the series right at the very beginning of Episode 3, which it did. My best friend and I saw the series finally together, at his place; pizza, soda and chips, the two of us excited for the finale and, oh boy, we were. With Revenge... it came my first official midnight release, something that’ll take a while to return to my life, mostly after highschool. My entire family and I went to the movie-theater, and it became one of my most beloved experiences in a movie, from my entire life. Back in the day, that movie gave me everything I wanted out of a franchise I followed. Every single plot-detail, every single arc, fanservice (which I didn’t know it was back then), and full circles leading to Episode 4 were there, in all their glory. And, the less I know, it hit me: this was my last Star Wars. Only two episodes at the movie theater, the rest experienced at home-video. Not that I regret anything, but its never easy to let go something so attached to our lives. If I only knew...

Not much to say about the next years. A new decade arrived. I was way past buying and collecting figures or vehicles, and in regards of the films, for some reason, I never acquired the prequels on DVD. Somehow I felt as if I was already complete with my Original Trilogy. I really wanted The Clone Wars series on DVD, but never managed to buy them, either for the lack of money, or I never found them at local stores (even nowadays its extremely difficult and expensive to get). In 2008, The Clone Wars came out... which was already extremely weird, considering some of the characters from the original animated series came back, like Asajj Ventress, and naturaly, since I ended my journey with the saga, I lost my entire interest for Star Wars material furthermore, I ignored it. Therefore, I never saw nor the movie or the newest 3D Animated show, created by Dave Filoni, a name I’ll learn to admire and respect almost a decade after. We’re talking a complete absence of interest for the franchise during a 4 year period until the impossible happened...

George Lucas, after a personal professional defeat, sold his epic and extremely profitable (still) franchise to Disney, now belonging executively speaking to Kathleen Kennedy, who immediately confirmed to the world what we all thought would never come: a brand new episodic installment in the franchise will eventually be made... continuing the events concluded on Episode 6 and completely throwing away everything that happened before the sale, that is, everything considered aside of the films, the former Expanded Universe, being the Clone Wars the only property still considered important and canon inside the newest Disney reign. Suddenly my love came back, just as it is when you’re in a marriage that is merely a dry relationship between to irrelevant individuals and then, out of nowhere, you remember how lucky you are of having that person by your side. But it wasn’t just me, the whole world went bananas, and everyone needed 2015 to arrive, as of now.

And so it did. The Force Awakens came on December of 2015. It quickly became one of the highest grossing films of all time. One of the most succesfull releases ever, Hollywood-speaking. Fans were excited, hopeful and, let’s be honest, fearfull for the upcoming results. We were still harmed for the prequels and we needed Star Wars to be what we loved in the first place. To me, it was, I felt like experiencing Star Wars for the first time in a long while. I felt that excitement, the struggle, the emotion and power I felt when watching my old VHS, back in the 90s. This was the worthy succesor I was expecting. Star Wars was everywhere and, once again, I felt like a five year old. Of course, my curiosity and dissappointment appear once I saw people felt... conflicted by this new episode. Somehow people really didn’t feel like enjoying something so reminiscent of the old-school franchise we all grow up loving, instead, they criticized the fact that “we didn’t got anything new” and the film relay so much on nostalgia and similarities to the original episodes. Of course I never felt that way, at least, not in a negative way.

But that didn’t matter! Hope was still foreseen and Disney also anounced their next installment as a prequel that’ll take place right before A New Hope (1977), and so, the first “A Star Wars Story” was meant to be released on December 2016. Rogue One was a blast, and unlike Force Awakens, it seemed this was what every single fan was expecting. Classic Star Wars, a brand new take on this world that’ll fill a gap left on episode 4 and, what we all agree was the best aspect of the film; a complete tone of war and battles worthy of any great moment in the franchise. People started to believe Disney was actually caring about the franchise future, and the horizon offered a bright looking for the next installments. We had Star Wars literally everywhere, and new films (both, episodic and spin offs) were already scheduled, also, bringin important names in the director’s chair for each one. Me, personally, I liked fine. I understood why people loved it, and I understood why this could easily foreshadow episode 7. Overall, I thought it was an excuse to showcase a pop-corn spectacle, but yeah, a pretty entertaining one, but non of the complexity and creativity from the originals were there, making it a little disposable for my taste. Regardless, I didn’t mind, and I felt as excited and hopeful as I was a year before it.

I guess I wasn’t entirely prepared for what came on 2017; the whole The Last Jedi controversy. Rian Johnson wasn’t that known, except for directing one of the favorite sci-fi flicks from 2012 and two of the best episodes of Breaking Bad. People either hated it, or just liked the film. Me? It’s hard to say but I enjoyed it pretty hard. The next episode got me hooked, invested and intrigued all the way through. At the midnight release, on December, I watched the film with my cousin and my best friend (who just finished watching the whole film-saga, and she became instantly a fan), and the three of us were dazzled all the way through. My realization came when I arrived home that night and found out, all my contacts on Facebook were ranting the hell out of it, specially the elder ones. I was confused and, downright, alone when it came to my joy towards Episode 8. The fandom lost their minds, and the hatred rised considerably againts the new direction given by Disney and Kennedy. Star Wars quickly stopped being what it was before; the saga we all had tons of fun discussing and talk about. Suddenly it became hard to talk about the saga, and the passion seemed to have been drained from it, something that I confirmed when Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) was released.

The second spin-off in the saga became the biggest box office flop for the franchise on that very same year and critics partially seemed to like it. For audiences it was as harmless and inconsequential, pretty much unlike the overall received of Rogue One. But, one thing was for sure; the franchise hype was starting to fade. From my own perspective, I started to lose interesting, but not for the same reason not-pleased fans were, but because I felt the polarization all over the place. Again, Star Wars wasn’t fun anymore.

However, and after the anouncement of Abrams returning to the franchise in order to conclude it, somehow I felt the excitement once again. Slowly, and once 2019 arrived, I slowly started acquiring new Star Wars merchandise, from the LucasArts videogames I wasn’t able to play back in the day, like Republic Commando, Battlefront 2 and Jedi Starfighter. Also, I got my 5 Black Series figures, from 2016 to date, being Ahsoka Tano my first, then Thrawn, General Kenobi, Darth Maul and the Second Sister. The trailers for The Rise of Skywalker were dropped and my hype was real. Also, Disney + would release the very first live action tv series on the saga, with The Mandalorian.

So, somehow, 2019 exploded in Star Wars, and I wasn’t the only one. On November, only a month-away for Episode 9, The Mandalorian made all of us fell in love with the franchise, making us feeling like we were discovering something that we needed and wanted at the same time. Also, people played Jedi Fallen Order, and everyone loved it, unfortunately for me, I haven’t got the chance to do it as well. Nevertheless, my amazement belonged completely to Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian, with 8 episodes of aproximately 40 minutes each, and providing wonderful connection between Clone Wars and Rebels, this time, with the whole esthetic scenarios and props from the Original Trilogy, all this before watching the last Episode.

And so, the saga came to a supposed ending, at least, in regards of the Skywalker installments. That was it; no more title cards in the middle of the open space, no more drama between the Skywalker family, no more John Williams. Sigh. Well, for my eyes, I was partially pleased, but I had my issues. Call it an overall excess of expectations, call it non-blinded judgement, but there was something missing, something worthy of the franchise I have loved most of my life. It could’ve been better, for sure, and the commitment from the previous two was lacking. Abrams had the opportunity to go all the way with something memorable (something accomplished by Endgame, for example), but for what it was, it was just good enough. That’s it. My inner child never died, but wasn’t completely baffled or amazed. Serviceable, and that was it.

But that’s not the end, for me. I’m still acquiring the novels and comic books (which I started buying back in 2015), and my collection of figures and merchindise is still growing, slowly. Also, several tv-shows are scheduled to be release in the next years, so, Star Wars isn’t over. I’m still excited to see this franchise expanding, and my devotion hasn’t change a bit. I’m still a fan, despite the ups and downs. I guess when it comes to the Disney domain, I’m glad, considering Lucas didn’t wanted to direct or make any more sequels or spin-offs so, without the company’s purchase, Star Wars might still be a franchise entirely for the geeks, and being pretty much resting nowadays. I’m glad it is back, and I’m glad there’s more to explore, perhaps not as people wished, but there’s no denying, the saga may have concluded, but it is far from being over, or dead, and I’ll be there, experiencing it, consuming it, and being in love with it, pretty much, until I become one with the Force.

#starwars #fan #chronicle #starwarsfan

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roguesavior · 5 years

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Rare question tag game I stole

I’ll tag @j-erseyboy and @gayperrymason and if anyone else wants to do then go for it!

1. What is your favorite childhood story of yourself?

When I lead a small gang of kids to steal some supplies from a building site and we built a fort in the woods. I was like 7 or 8 and didn’t realise how disruptive it was to do that sfjsdf

2. What is the stupidest way you have ever gotten hurt?

Zipped up my hoodie then pulled it on over my head to see what would happen and what happened was I got the zip stuck on my eyelid. Was also around 7-8 years old then too

3. What was the first PG-13 movie you watched?

Not a clue!

4. What was the first R rated movie you watched?

Scream. I was 4, horror movies were just always on in my house

5. When was the moment you felt most badass?

A rapper (Hyro Da Hero) was supporting a band I was going to a few tour dates of and I’d talked to him a few times and he was cool as hell. One morning we just walked past each other on the street and without speaking or signalling each other we high fived and it felt so damn good, just the timing...perfection

6. What is a band you can reliably always love?

Green Day, I guess. I’ve been burnt thinking that shit before tho (I’m goin’ with band-bands and not solo babes)

7. What is your favorite form of self expression?

Music/songwriting but basically whatever makes the person show their feelings the best

8. What is something from your childhood you wish you still had?

A collection of original Jurassic Park toys, I had all the jeeps and dinosaurs and characters and stuff and played them to death but my dad sold them. I re-brought a few from ebay last year but it’s not the same

9. Where is your favorite place on earth?

I haven’t found it yet

10. What is the longest friendship you have ever had?

18 years so far

11. Is there anyone is your life you wish you had met sooner than you did?

12. Do you believe in ghosts?

13. What is the coldest water you have ever swam in?

A beach in Cornwall during the winter, I ran from the road to the water and my mom got mad because my teeth chattered for like an hour afterwards

14. How old were you when you learned how to swim?

Around 4, ish?

15. What song do you listen to when you’re sad?

I don’t really listen to music when I’m sad cos I usually end up feeling worse even if it’s good stuff and I’m trying to actively avoid wanting to die

16. Are you an adrenaline junkie?

Noooo I’m a huge wimp. I was 22 before I rode a rollercoaster

17. What is a song that takes you back to childhood?

So many but the first I thought of was Livin Da Vida Loca by Ricky Martin

18. What is your favorite word?

Fuck

19. What is your least favorite word?

Genitals. It’s just sounds so fuckin gross

20. What scent reminds you of childhood?

Gingerbread men

21. Were you sad when you found out clouds weren’t like pillows, or did you never think that?

Nah, I never thought that

22. When in life did you laugh the hardest?

Definitely with Jay, I don’t have a clue what we were talking about but it was some time in like 2014 and I laughed so hard I was crying and couldn’t see, and I bent my head into my lap and just smashed my head straight on the desk

23. What makes you laugh when you don’t feel like laughing?

Also probably Jay, we’ll just talk about something ridiculous. And that vine of the girl saying “hello?” when a whole bottle of water is tipped on her face

24. Do you come from a big family?

General family yes cos I have like 30+ cousins but my immediate family is small

25. What is your favorite part of yourself?

Weird flex but I like my forearms

26. What is the worst pain you have ever felt?

When I broke a couple ribs, but that’s probably pretty tame tbf

27. Do you swear often?

All the time

28. Do you get confused for being older or younger than you are?

Younger. I brought a bike the other day and the dude was like “you’re between frame sizes but you’ve got loads of time to grow into the bigger one” but I’m 27 :/

29. What is your favorite way to eat a potato?

Chip shop chips (british chips, not like crisp-chips)

30. What is the best compliment you have ever received?

Just when people say I made them feel better when they really needed it, that shits important

31. Describe yourself in 6 words?

Small man yearns for cat cabin

32. What is the worst insult you have ever received?

When someone mistook me for someone else who I super hated

33. Have you ever taken in any media that changed your life?

I kinda take in a bit of everything worthwhile so that’s a hard thing to answer

34. Have you ever collected anything?

^^ JP toys mentioned above and I’ve got a lot of Game of Thrones and Alien merch and figures too

35. Strangest thing you have ever broken?

Nothing that strange, other than my ribs it’s just been fingers and toes

36. Weirdest food you have ever eaten?

I used to put gummy cola bottles in a sandwich with crisps. English people will put anything in a sandwich but I don’t think cola bottles are the go-to anywhere

37. Childhood nickname?

Theebo, which my mom still calls me

38. Most people you have shared a bed with in a non sexual manner?

Three others I think, so four of us in a king size

39. What is something that makes you fall asleep?

god i wish i knew please tell me

40. Did your parents ever accidentally lose or forget you?

They lost me in the Magic Kingdom in Disneyworld and I thought they were going to fly home without me, it was about 4 hours til I found them. scary shit

41. If you were a superhero what would your weakness be?

Kittens. If you made me pick between a basket of kittens and bus full of people...sorry folks, you’re dead.

42. What food reminds you of home?

Bread and butter pudding. I rarely even ate any but it was something that got made on Sundays when I was growing up

43. What is your comfort food?

Pizza

44. Cold room with lots of blankets or hot room with no blankets?

Cold every single time

45. No shoes without socks or no shoes with socks?

First one, I’m usually barefoot

46. Do you run hot your cold?

So, so fucking hot

47. Favorite condiment?

Ketchup is king

48. What utensil do you use the most?

Knives I guess, while cooking

49. When are you most comfortable?

Like 2am when I have nothing to do and am just playing a video game and chatting shit with Jay and it feels like the rest of the world is in bed

50. If you could be really good at one thing, what would it be?

Carpentry. I’d love to just have the skills and $$$ and lack of fear around giant saws half an inch from my hand to go for it and fix shit up/build whatever I could think up

#tag games #long post

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man-creates-dinosaurs · 6 years

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I was swamped with various obligations all throughout #JurassicJune. So while I did celebrate by re-reading both Michael Crichton novels and re-watching all the previous Jurassic films and attending the premier of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom - I wasn’t able to blog about it. Now #JurassicJune has come and gone and we are in #Kaijuly. But I have one post that I really wanted to make that I think appropriately touches on both month’s themes...

Jurassic Park as Monster Movie

“Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park is nothing more – and nothing less – than the world’s most extravagant Godzilla movie.”

So said film critic David Ansen in his 1993 Newsweek review of the first Jurassic movie. Today this may sound like a rather dismissive assessment of a film which has come to be regarded as one of greatest sci-fi movies ever made. But rather than the snarky opinion of a single critic I find Ansen’s appraisal to be a rather frank and refreshing summation of what Jurassic Park actually is. A high tech monster movie.

Today everyone who was of the right age in 1993 agrees that Jurassic Park is a great movie. But curiously when you ask them “Why?” many have trouble explaining exactly what it is that made the film so great. This goes for professional film critics as well as self-proclaimed fans. Usually people put in this corner tend to fall back on vague adjectives claiming that Jurassic Park was great because it invoked a sense of “awe and wonderment,” a somewhat ironic claim since back in ‘93 legendary film critic Roger Ebert argued that it was exactly these qualities which Jurassic Park lacked... along with decently realized human characters and an interesting story. Both of which further adds to the amusement since in recent years a number of videos have started to pop-up on YouTube (see: here, here & here) made by people attempting to elucidate Jurassic Park’s greatness by examining its themes and characters. Much of the content of these videos is simply a rehash of observations made about Jurassic Park by academics over the last 25-years and deals with how the movie touches upon ideas regarding the perils of scientific advancement while advocating an agenda of reproductive futurism via its characters. See paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould’s essay “Dinomania” and sociologist John O’Neill’s essay “Dinosaurs-R-Us” as well as W.J.T. Mitchell’s The Last Dinosaur Book (U. of Chicago Press, 1998) and Joshua Bellin’s Framing Monsters (S. IL U. Press, 2005) for an example of some of this scholarship. Furthermore, what these YouTube commentators seem to have missed, which the actual scholars did not, is that these elements – the themes of technophobia and the importance of marriage and children – are among the most hackneyed and clichéd aspects of Jurassic Park, not to mention utterly retrograde in their outlook. These elements are certainly not what made Jurassic Park great or what has allowed it to endure for 25-years.

So what does make Jurassic Park great? For critics like Ansen and Ebert the answer, back in 1993, was obvious. The special-effects of course! “You want great dinosaurs, you got great dinosaurs,” wrote Ebert, “[and] because the movie delivers on the bottom line, I'm giving it three stars.” Jurassic Park spent nearly three years in special-effects research and development and combined the artistic might of stop-motion maven Phil Tippett, animatronics maestro Stan Winston and the cutting edge CGI work of Dennis Murren and ILM studios to usher in nothing less than a revolution in special-effects technology. Back in 1993 everyone who saw Jurassic Park left the theater believing – despite their better judgment – that they had seen real dinosaurs. And because of its special-effects after Jurassic Park the world of cinema has, quite literally, never been the same.

Yet as sci-fi author John Scalzi notes in his surprisingly provocative book The Rough Guide to Sci-Fi Movies (Rough Guides, 2005), the fact that Jurassic Park – which Scalzi counts as being among the then 50 most important sci-fi films ever made – is great precisely because of its groundbreaking special-effects work has often led to the film being severely underappreciated. Again this may sound odd in 2018 when everyone is celebrating the 25th-Anniversary of Jurassic Park and the fifth film in the franchise – Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – just finished its second week as the Number 1 movie in America, but it’s important to remember that Scalzi was writing this in 2005 when the Jurassic Park brand was effectively dead in the water and Universal was seriously considering rebooting the franchise as something approaching a live-action adaptation of the cheesy 90s cartoon Extreme Dinosaurs.

Today Jurassic Park has regained its cultural capital in large part due to the phenomenal box office success of 2015’s Jurassic World - which as horror author and film critic Kim Newman observed succeeded in being the first film in the series to bring a definite “kaiju feel” to the franchise - but also because of the wave of 80s and 90s nostalgia currently surging through American popular-culture. But this same nostalgia has now caused Jurassic Park to be put on a pedestal, elevated far above its station to such an extent that many people now become nervous when you point out that they are venerating what is essentially a glitzy Godzilla flick. And make no mistake this is exactly what Jurassic Park is. In Don Shay and Jody Duncan’s highly recommended book The Making of Jurassic Park (Ballantine Books, 1993), Spielberg talks about what his seminal cinematic influences were when filming Jurassic Park. Among the foremost were a number of films which I have blogged about here including the original KING KONG (1933), THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS (1954), GORGO (1961) and of course GODZILLA (1954) which Spielberg singles out as “the most masterful of all dinosaur movies because it made you believe it was really happening.” Other obvious influences, as noted by author Mark Berry in his The Dinosaur Filmography (McFarland, 2005), are the movies DINOSAURUS! (1960) and THE VALLEY OF GWANGI (1969). Jurassic Park – depending on your point of view – may have better special-effects than all of these films, but it is certainly not any better or more sophisticated than any of these films. In many ways, what Jurassic Park really is is a culmination of these films. The ultimate pop-culture dinosaur potpourri.

Currently there seems to be a great deal of monster-movie-denial going around with regards to Jurassic Park for a variety of different reasons. In fact, the only time people seem to want to mention the phrase “monster movie” in conjunction with Jurassic Park is when talking about the sequels and here the association is always negative. As in: ‘Jurassic Park was a great movie, but the sequels are just a bunch of dumb monster movies.’ I happen to like all of the Jurassic sequels to a greater or lesser extent, even the most recent film – Fallen Kingdom – which I nevertheless do acknowledge as being the most seriously flawed movie in the franchise to date. (If you want to hear my opinion of each film I suggest popping over to The Film Find podcast where I recently recorded an episode with regular host Adam Portrais on the entire Jurassic franchise.)

And while I would never insist that everyone who likes Jurassic Park also has to like the sequels I do expect that when someone is going to say a film is bad that they at least lay out a series of well thought out arguments about why they feel that way. And in this case saying that the Jurassic Park sequels are bad because they are “monster movies” when the original film wasn’t simply doesn’t count as a valid argument. I’m not sure how you prove to someone that Jurassic Park is a monster movie - really seems self-evident to me - but in the following series of posts I’m going to endeavor to demonstrate some of the ways that Spielberg used Jurassic Park to pay homage to the dino-monster movies of yesteryear and by doing so firmly seated his film as existing within that same tradition of fantastic film-making.

#jurassic park #jurassic world #jurassic park 3 #the lost world: jurassic park #jurassic world fallen kingdom #jurassicjune #kaijuly #kaiju #dinosaur movies #dinosaurs #godzilla #gorgo #the beast from 20000 fathoms #the valley of gwangi #dinosaurus!#steven spielberg #monster movie

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helloworlddemo1122-yahoopar-blog · 6 years

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Summer Film Preview: 27 of the Most Anticipated Movies of the Season!

Among ET's 90 top picks for summer are our 27 most anticipated films of the season.

Every summer, there is no shortage of new films to blow audiences away at theaters -- and blow away records at the box office. This summer, things are looking especially massive. Blockbuster season kicks off in a huge way with the highly anticipated back-to-back releases of Deadpool 2and Solo: A Star Wars Story, ushering in an onslaught of franchise films with new installments of Jurassic World, Marvel's Ant-Man, Mission: Impossible and The Purge.

Not everything is a sequel, though. Of the originals is the eagerly awaited adaptation of Crazy Rich Asians, marking the first time a major studio has produced an all-Asian-led film since The Joy Luck Club; Spike Lee's latest, BlacKkKlansman; and -- because it wouldn't be summer without one -- a shark attack flick, The Meg, starring Jason Statham.

But no matter what you’re looking forward to, there's plenty to choose from among these 27 sure-to-be hit films.

Deadpool 2 (Out Now)

The Deadpool sequel is bigger, louder and packed with more violence and superpeople, dick jokes and fourth wall-breaking meta-ness than the original X-Men-adjacent movie. And while that all sounds like a recipe for a bloated case of sequelitis, Ryan Reynolds and co. not only pull it off, but top the first.

Directed by: David Leitch | Written by: Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick and Ryan Reynolds Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Julian Dennison, Zazie Beetz, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams

Solo: A Star Wars Story (May 25)

Forget everything you think you know about the legendary smuggler and prepare for the unexpected. That's the best advice we can give you about Star Wars' latest anthology installment, which, sure, features the Kessel Run and Han Solo and Chewbacca's origin story, then blasts off for so much more.

Directed by: Ron Howard | Written by: Jonathan Kasdan and Lawrence Kasdan Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Donald Glover, Woody Harrelson, Thandie Newton, Emilia Clarke

American Animals (June 1)

The Orchard / MoviePass Ventures

According to the minds behind American Animals, while most movies are based on a true story, this one is a true story, about four college students who plan "one of the most audacious art heists in U.S. history." It also marks the first appearance on this list by the true star of the summer movie season: Ann Dowd.

Directed by: Bart Layton | Written by: Bart Layton Starring: Evan Peters, Barry Keoghan, Blake Jenner, Jared Abrahamson, Ann Dowd

Hereditary (June 8)

A24

Following its screening at Sundance earlier this year, Hereditary was hailed as the scariest horror movie in years -- if not of all time. As for what actually transpires in the film, well, that is best left vague. Brace yourself for hypnotically unnerving tongue pops and flashbacks to Toni Collette's iconic turn in The Sixth Sense.

Directed by: Ari Aster | Written by: Ari Aster Starring: Toni Collette, Gabriel Byrne, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro, Ann Dowd

Ocean's 8 (June 8)

This year's Met Gala might as well have been early promo for Ocean's 8, which centers on another heist-happy Ocean, Debbie, who assembles a team of women to help rob a fictional Met Gala. (If you do some simple math, it seems Anne Hathaway's mark is one of the eight, too.) Unfortunately, Rihanna will likely not be dressed as a sexy pope.

Directed by: Gary Ross | Written by: Gary Ross and Olivia Milch Starring: Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Helena Bonham Carter, Rihanna

Won't You Be My Neighbor? (June 8)

Focus Features

If you were a child in the '60s -- or '70s, '80s, '90s, the aughts, really, if you were a child ever -- then Won't You Be My Neighbor? will be a nostalgic return to your younger years, a look at the long-running and formative TV series Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and the man behind it, the late Fred Rogers.

Directed by: Morgan Neville

Hearts Beat Loud (June 8)

Gunpowder & Sky

This gem of an indie is for anyone who has ever wished Nick Offerman could be your best friend, your dad or both: Kiersey Clemons plays Offerman's daughter and reluctant bandmate as they navigate fame and family in Hearts Beat Louder. Sprinkle in a queer romance and an earworm-y soundtrack, and what more could you ask for?

Directed by: Brett Haley | Written by: Brett Haley and Marc Basch Starring: Nick Offerman, Kiersey Clemons, Ted Danson, Toni Collette, Sasha Lane, Blythe Danner

Hotel Artemis (June 8)

Global Road Entertainment

Read this logline: "Set in riot-torn, near-future Los Angeles, Hotel Artemis is a high-octane action-thriller starring Jodie Foster as The Nurse, who runs a secret, members-only hospital for criminals." Now re-read that sentence over and over and over until you go insane and this becomes your most anticipated movie of the year.

Directed by: Drew Pearce | Written by: Drew Pearce Starring: Jodie Foster, Dave Bautista, Sofia Boutella, Zachary Quinto, Sterling K. Brown, Jeff Goldblum

Incredibles 2 (June 15)

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

It has been well over a decade since the original Incredibles arrived in theaters and, even now, under the looming threat of superhero saturation, that first film remains one of the best superhero movies period. Finally, Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, Violet, Dash and Jack-Jack are back, with Frozone and, of course, Edna.

Directed by: Brad Bird | Written by: Brad Bird Starring: Holly Hunter, Craig T. Nelson, Samuel L. Jackson, Catherine Keener, Sophia Bush

Tag (June 15)

Warner Bros. Pictures

This is a movie about tag -- as in, the game in which you tag someone and they are then "it." Specifically, Tag is about a group of childhood buddies who have been playing tag one month out of the year, every year, for 30 years. If you are wondering, Where do they come up with this?!, it was a Wall Street Journal article.

Directed by: Jeff Tomsic | Written by: Rob McKittrick and Mark Steilen Starring: Jeremy Renner, Ed Helms, Jake Johnson, Jon Hamm, Hannibal Buress, Isla Fisher, Leslie Bibb

Damsel (June 22)

Magnolia Pictures

If you hear that Robert Pattinson is starring in a Western, you probably have a notion of what that film is. Damsel is not the movie you're imagining, guaranteed -- unless, of course, you pictured a screwball comedy about a pioneer who voyages west with a drunkard and a miniature horse named Butterscotch.

Directed by: David Zellner and Nathan Zellner | Written by: David Zellner and Nathan Zellner Starring: Robert Pattinson, Mia Wasikowska, David Zellner

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (June 22)

In the colossally successful Jurassic World, the dinosaurs destroyed the park, as dinosaurs are wont to do, and now Isla Nublar is threatening to destroy the dinosaurs. Thus, Claire and Owen are enlisted to help save the dinosaurs from a second extinction -- and that's only the beginning of this adventure.

Directed by: J.A. Bayona | Written by: Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jeff Goldblum, James Cromwell, Justice Smith

Under the Silver Lake (June 22)

A24

Something about those hot summer nights must make us itch for a mystery, because this is yet another noir-y flick arriving in cineplexes, albeit a very modern take on the genre. Andrew Garfield plays a stoner Angelino who begins sleuthing when his dream girl disappears in the middle of the night without a trace.

Directed by: David Robert Mitchell | Written by: David Robert Mitchell Starring: Andrew Garfield, Riley Keough, Topher Grace, Jimmi Simpson

The First Purge (July 4)

Universal Pictures

There's something almost comforting about knowing that every (sometimes every other) Independence Day brings a new installment in the ongoing Purge franchise. Who knew a nutty little murder flick could have so much steam? This one goes back to the beginning and the invention of a government-sponsored killing spree.

Directed by: Gerard McMurray | Written by: James DeMonaco Starring: Lex Scott Davis, Y'lan Noel, Luna Lauren Velez, Joivan Wade, Marisa Tomei

Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 6)

Consider the Ant-Man sequel a respite for those still reeling over the ending of Infinity War, a plucky comedic romp about heroes who shrink, supersize and now fly, too, which probably won't leave you frantically wiping away tears as the theater lights come on. Also, Michelle Pfeiffer plays a superhero!

Directed by: Peyton Reed | Written by: Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari and Paul Rudd Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, Hannah John-Kamen, Michael Peña

Sorry to Bother You (July 6)

Annapurna Pictures

There is original, and then there is Sorry to Bother You. If a stranger, more out-there film has ever been made, I haven't seen it. I've never seen anything like this, a satiric tale about a telemarketer who uses his "white voice" to get ahead that feels at once painstakingly plotted and completely free-associated.

Directed by: Boots Riley | Written by: Boots Riley Starring: Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler, Steven Yeun, Armie Hammer

Whitney (July 6)

Whitney is not the first documentary to turn the lens on Whitney Houston in the years since her 2012 death, but it is the first to be endorsed by her estate, featuring interviews with loved ones of Houston who had never spoken publicly before and bombshell revelations that made news ahead of Whitney's official release.

Directed by: Kevin Macdonald

Eighth Grade (July 13)

A24

You know how adults always say, "I'm so happy I didn't grow up when there was social media." Watch this Sundance drama, comedian Bo Burnham's directorial debut, and feel that tenfold, alternately a cringey and heartwarming look at what it means to be coming into your own -- yes, with YouTube and Twitter.

Directed by: Bo Burnham | Written by: Bo Burnham Starring: Elsie Fisher, Josh Hamilton

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (July 20)

Is Meryl Streep's character still alive for the Mamma Mia! sequel? Supposedly. We do know that we will see a younger version of Donna (played by Lily James) as the ABBA singalong jumps back in time to show the Dynamos' origin story, while in the present, Donna's daughter is pregnant with a baby of her own.

Directed by: Ol Parker | Written by: Ol Parker Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Lily James, Colin Firth, Cher

Mission: Impossible - Fallout (July 27)

Paramount Pictures

After successfully completing five other supposedly impossible missions, whatever Ethan Hunt is tasked with in Fallout should be considered mission: pretty difficult but manageable. Still, Tom Cruise continues to up the ante in insane and preposterous ways, like jumping out of a plane at 25,000 feet, for one.

Directed by: Christopher McQuarrie | Written by: Christopher McQuarrie Starring: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Alec Baldwin, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Henry Cavill, Angela Bassett

Christopher Robin (Aug. 3)

If you enjoyed last year's period drama Goodbye Christopher Robin, about the real boy who inspired the creation of Winnie the Pooh, then you are sure to enjoy this, too, Disney's less historical, more fantastical tale about grown-up Christopher Robin and how Pooh and the rest of the Hundred Acre Wood gang help him rediscover his imagination.

Directed by: Marc Forster | Written by: Alex Ross Perry Starring: Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell, Jim Cummings, Chris O'Dowd, Brad Garrett, Toby Jones

The Spy Who Dumped Me (Aug. 3)

I would pay money to watch Kate McKinnon read the phone book. Thankfully, she gets much more to do in this action-comedy, in which Mila Kunis plays the unwitting woman dumped by a spy. McKinnon plays her bestie, and the two quickly find themselves in over their heads trying to stop a terrorist group and save the world.

Directed by: Susanna Fogel | Written by: David Iserson and Susanna Fogel Starring: Mila Kunis, Kate McKinnon, Sam Heughan, Gillian Anderson, Justin Theroux

BlacKkKlansman (Aug. 10)

Focus Features

Spike Lee is back with his latest joint, the so-crazy-it-must-be-true saga of Ron Stallworth, the first black police officer in Colorado Springs, and his undercover operation to infiltrate a local Ku Klux Klan chapter, which was so successful that he eventually became its head.

Directed by: Spike Lee | Written by: Spike Lee, David Rabinowitz, Charlie Wachtel, Kevin Willmott Starring: John David Washington, Adam Driver, Topher Grace, Laura Harrier

The Meg (Aug. 10)

Warner Bros. Pictures

No summer is complete without a silly shark attack movie, and for the summer of 2018, The Meg fits that bill and then some. First of all, the shark in question is a megalodon, which basically just means a REALLY BIG F**KING SHARK, and hopefully Jason Statham will punch it at some point, right?

Directed by: Jon Turteltaub | Written by: Dean Georgaris, Jon Hoeber and Erich Hoeber Starring: Jason Statham, Ruby Rose, Rainn Wilson, Bingbing Li, Cliff Curtis, Masi Oka

Crazy Rich Asians (Aug. 17)

Based on the bestselling novel by Kevin Kwan, Crazy Rich Asians is about a Chinese American professor who travels to Singapore to meet her boyfriend's family and discovers they are -- you guessed it -- crazy rich! Hijinks ensue. This is also the first Hollywood movie with a majority Asian cast in 25 years, i.e., crazy overdue.

Directed by: Jon M. Chu | Written by: Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Awkwafina, Gemma Chan, Michelle Yeoh, Ken Jeong

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (Aug. 17)

Netflix

Here's one YA fans have been waiting for. Based on the bestselling novel by Jenny Han, the title refers to letters our heroine, Lara Jean Covey, writes to her past crushes, love letters they are never meant to see -- but do, after they're accidentally mailed out. You don't need to head to the cinema to swoon over this one; it's streaming on Netflix.

Directed by: Susan Johnson | Written by: Sofia Alvarez Starring: Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Janel Parrish, Emilija Baranac, Israel Broussard, John Corbett

The Happytime Murders (Aug. 17)

Nothing says summertime like puppets snorting ecstasy and soliciting sex. The Happytime Murders -- no lie, from the same director as The Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island -- is about police partners, one felt and one Melissa McCarthy, investigating who is shooting the stuffing out of puppets.

Directed by: Brian Henson | Written by: Todd Berger Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Elizabeth Banks, Maya Rudolph, Joel McHale

MORE SUMMER PREVIEW:

Summer TV Preview: 26 of the Best New and Returning Series to Watch!

Summer Music Preview: 17 Albums We Can’t Wait to Hear

Summer Theater Preview: 11 Must-See Broadway and Off-Broadway Shows

Summer Book Preview: 9 Beach Reads by Bill Clinton, Emily Giffin, Lauren Weisberger and More!

#_uuid:f0508f89-4289-323f-92f6-941e821681f7 #_revsp:new_provider_with_logo_342 #_lmsid:a0VK0000001yfWcMAI

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atthevogue · 6 years

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“Tony de Peltrie” (1985)

The basics: Wikipedia

Opened: A landmark piece of computer animation, the Canadian short was part of the 19th Annual Tournee of Animation anthology that showed at the Vogue Theater in March and April of 1986.

Also on the bill: At least one Saturday in April, it was programmed in the 9:00 slot after Chris Marker’s Akira Kurosawa documentary A.K. and Woody Allen’s Sleeper, and before a midnight showing of Night of the Living Dead, which sounds to me like a very good eight-hour day at the movies. Otherwise, you could have had a less perfect day seeing it play after Haskell Wexler’s forgotten Nicaragua war movie Latino and the equally forgotten Gene Hackman/Ann-Margaret romantic drama Twice in a Lifetime.

What did the paper say? ★★★1/2 from the Courier-Journal film critic Dudley Saunders. Saunders described the Tournee as “a specialized event that shows signs of moving into the movie mainstream,” correctly presaging the renaissance in feature-length animation in the 1990s generally and Pixar specifically, whose Luxo, Jr. short was released that same year. Of Tony, Saunders singles it out as “one of the most technologically advanced,” and that it featured “some delightful music from Marie Bastien.” He then throws his hands up: "Computers were used in this Canadian entry. Don’t ask how.” Saunders was long-time film critic for the C-J’s afternoon counterpart, the Louisville Times, throughout the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s. In the late 1980s, he would co-found Louisville’s free alternative weekly, the Louisville Eccentric Observer.

What was I doing? I was six and hypothetically could have seen an unrated animation festival, though I'd have been a little bit too young to have fully appreciated it. Although, who knows, I’m sure I was watching four hours of cartoons a day at the time, so maybe my taste was really catholic.

How do I see it in 2018? It’s on YouTube.

youtube

A four-hour-a-day diet of cartoons was probably on the lower end for most of my peers. I grew up during what I believe is commonly known as the Garbage Age of Animation, which you can trace roughly from The Aristocrats in 1970 to The Little Mermaid (or The Simpsons) in 1989. The quantity of animation was high, and the quality was low. Those twenty years were a wasteland for Disney, and even though I have fond memories of a lot of those movies, like The Black Cauldron, they’re a pretty bleak bunch compared to what was sitting in those legendary Disney vaults, waiting patiently to be released on home video.

Other than low-quality Disney releases, the 1980s were highlighted mostly by the post-’70s crap was being churned out of the Hanna-Barbera laboratories. Either that, or nutrition-free Saturday morning toy commercials like The Smurfs and G.I. Joe. Of course there’s also Don Bluth, whose work is kind of brilliant, but whose odd feature-length movies seem very out-of-step with the times. Don Bluth movies seem now like baroque Disney alternatives for weird, dispossessed kids who didn’t yet realize they were weird and dispossessed. (Something like The Secret of NIMH is like Jodorowsky compared to, say, 101 Dalmatians.) Most of the bright spots of those years were produced under the patronage of the saint of 1980s suburbia, Steven Spielberg. An American Tale or Tiny Toon Adventures aren’t regarded today as auteurist masterpieces of animation (or are they?), but they were really smart and imaginative if you were nine years old. Still, the idea that cartoons might be sophisticated enough to be enjoyed by non-stoned adults was probably very alien concept in 1985.

In the midst of all of this, though, scattered throughout the world were a bunch of programmers and animators working out the next regime. Within ten years of Tony de Peltrie, Pixar’s Toy Story would be the first feature-length CGI animated movie, and within another ten years, traditional hand-drawn animation, at least for blockbuster commercial purposes, would be effectively dead. That went for both kids and their parents. Animation, like comic books, would take on a new sophistication and levels of respectability in the coming decades.

I love it when you read an old newspaper review with the benefit of hindsight, and find that the critic has gotten it right in predicting how things may play out in years to come. That’s why I was excited to read in Saunders’ review of the Tournee that he suspected animation as an artform was showing “signs of moving into the movie mainstream.” His sense of confusion (or wonder, or some combination) at the computer-generated aspects is charming in retrospect, too.

Tony de Peltrie is a landmark in computer-generated animation, but its lineage doesn’t really travel through the Pixar line at all (even though John Lassetter himself served on the award panel for the film festival where it was first shown, and predicted it’d be regarded as a landmark piece of animation). The children of the 1970s and ‘80s grew up to revere the golden era of Pixar movies as adults, and the general consensus is that not only are they great technical accomplishments, but works of great emotional resonance.

As much of an outlier as it makes me: I just don’t know. I haven’t really thought so. I think most Pixar movies are really, really sappy in the most obvious way possible. The oldest ones look to me as creaky as all those rotoscoped Ralph Bakshi cartoons of the ‘70s. Which is fine, technology is one thing -- most silent movies look pretty creaky, too -- but the underlying of armature of refined Disney sap that supports the whole structure strains to the point of collapse after a time or two.

Film critic Emily Yoshida said it best on Twitter: she noted, when Incredibles 2 came out, she’d recently re-watched the first Incredibles and was shocked at how crude it looked. "The technoligization of animation will not do individual works favors over time,” she wrote. “The wet hair effect in INCREDIBLES, which I remember everyone being so excited about, felt like holding a first generation iPod. Which is how these movies have trained people to watch them on a visual level...as technology.” There’s something here that I think Yoshida is alluding to about Pixar movies that is very Silicon Valley-ish in the way they’re consumed, almost as status symbols, or as luxury products. This is true nearly across all sectors of the tech industry now, but it’s particularly evident with animation.

One of my favorite movie events of the year is when the Landmark theaters here in Minneapolis play the Oscar-nominated animated shorts at the beginning of the year. Every year, it’s the same: you’ll get a collection of fascinating experiments from all over the world, some digitally rendered, some hand-drawn. They don’t always work, and some of them are really bad, but there’s always such a breadth of styles, emotions and narratives that I’m always engaged and delighted. They remind you that, in animation, you can do anything you want. You can go anywhere, try everything, show anything a person can imagine. Seeing the animated shorts every year, more than anything else, gets me so excited about what movies can be.

And then, in the middle of the program, there’s invariably some big gooey, sentimental mush from Pixar. Not all of them are bad, and some are quite nicely done, but for the most part, it’s cute anthropomorphized animals or objects or kids placed in cute, emotionally manipulative situations. I usually go refill my Diet Coke or take a bathroom break during the Pixar sequence.

Yeah, yeah, I know. What kind of monster hates Pixar?

I don’t hate Pixar, and I like most of the pre-Cars 2 features just fine. The best parts of Toy Story and Up and Wall-E are as good as people say they are. But when you take the reputation that Pixar has had for innovation and developing exciting new filmmaking technology in the past 25 years, and compare it to the reality, there’s an enormous gap. And it drives me nuts, because if this is supposed to be the best American animation has to offer in terms of innovation and emotional engagement, it's not very inspiring. Especially placed alongside the sorts of animated shorts that come out of independent studios elsewhere in the U.S., or Japan, or France, or Canada.

Which brings us to Tony de Peltrie, created in Montreal by four French-Canadian animators, and supported in part by the National Film Board of Canada, who would continue to nurture and support animation projects in Canada through the twenty-first century. A huge part of the enjoyment -- and for me, there was an enormous amount of enjoyment in watching Tony de Peltrie -- is seeing this entirely new way of telling stories and conveying images appear in front of you for the first time. Maybe it’s because I have clear memories of a world without contemporary CGI, but I still find this enormous sense of wonder in what’s happening as Tony is onscreen. I still remember very clearly seeing the early landmarks of computer-aided graphics, and being almost overwhelmed with a sense of awe -- Tron, Star Trek IV, Jurassic Park. Tony feels a bit like that, even after so many superior technical accomplishments that followed.

Tony de Peltrie doesn’t have much of a plot. A washed-up French-Canadian entertainer recounts his past glories as he sits at the piano and plays, and then slowly dissolves over a few minutes into an amorphous, impressionistic void. (Part of the joke, I think, is using such cutting-edge technology to tell the story of a white leather shoe-clad artist whose work has become very unfashionable by the 1980s.) It’s really just a monologue. The content could be conveyed using a live actor, or traditional hand-drawn animation.

But Tony looks so odd, just sitting on the edge of the Uncanny Valley, dangling those white leather shoes into the void. Part of the appeal is that, while Tony’s monologue is so human and delivered in such an off-the-cuff way, you’re appreciating the challenge of having the technology match the humanity. Tony’s chin and eyes and fingers are exaggerated, like a caricature, but there’s such a sense of warmth underneath the chilliness of the computer-rendered surfaces. Though it’s wistful and charming, you wouldn’t necessarily call it a landmark in storytelling -- again, it’s just a monologue, and not an unfamiliar one -- but it is a technological landmark in showing that the computer animation could be used to humane ends. It’d be just as easy to make Tony fly through space or kill robots or whatever else. But instead, you get an old, well-worn story that slowly eases out of the ordinary into the surreal, and happens so gradually you lose yourself in a sort of trance.

As Yoshida wrote, technoligization of animation doesn’t do individual works favors over time. To that end, something like Tony can’t be de-coupled from its impressive but outdated graphics. These landmarks tend to be more admired than watched -- to the extent that it’s remembered at all, it’s as a piece of technology, and not as a piece of craft or storytelling.

Still, Tony is the ancestor of every badly rendered straight-to-Netflix animated talking-animals feature cluttering up your queue, but he’s also the ancestor of any experiment that tries to apply computer-generated imagery to ways of storytelling. In that sense, he has as much in common with Emily in World of Tomorrow as he does with Boss Baby, a common ancestor to any computer-generated human-like figure with a story. When Tony dissolves into silver fragments at the end of the short, it’s as if those pieces flew out into the world, through the copper wires that connect the world’s animation studios and personal computers, and are now present everywhere. He’s like a ghost that haunts the present. I feel that watching it now, and I imagine audiences sitting at the Vogue in 1986 might have felt a stirring of something similar.

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daleisgreat · 4 years

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Last Action Hero

Today’s entry will result in one of the quickest turnaround times of an older movie in my backlog box yet. A couple weeks ago I noticed Uproxx posted an article on how 1993’s Last Action Hero (trailer) was way ahead of its time (click or press here for the Uproxx piece). Once I noticed this story I tracked down a BluRay copy of it off Amazon and promptly watched it within 24 hours of its delivery. I did not read the Uproxx entry yet, but I will after I finish proofing this entry to prevent it from altering my current thoughts I am about to deliver and will post a little addendum at the end of this look back at Last Action Hero for some extra insight on how my take compares with Uproxx’s. I cannot remember how many times I watched Last Action Hero as a kid, but my gut tells me it may be near the double digits. Our family had the HBO and Starz movie channels as part of our cable package back then, and the way those channels primarily were programmed back then was a specific amount of newer and older movies were highlighted each month, and they would play each movie once every day or two to the best of my recollection. I remember being stoked for Last Action Hero. The turnaround time on movies from the theater back then in the early 90s was it would take about five to six months after the cinema release for a film to hit Pay-Per-View and home video. Several months later, or roughly a year after release it would hit the premium cable movie channels like HBO, Starz and Cinemax in their original form. Another year or two after that it would be available for local and basic cable channels, but usually in an edited and censored/FCC friendly format. Our family could only afford trips to the theater and video rentals so many times a year, so if we missed a movie in either of those formats and it wound up on HBO/Starz it was kind of a guilty pleasure in my childhood boredom days to pick an anticipated movie like Last Action Hero and watch it as many times as possible the first month it was available.

I have not seen it since then however when I was 11 and have not thought much about it since LAH is not as highly regarded as other Arnold Schwarzenegger classics even though it hit at the tail end of Arnold’s prime (which I consider to be from 1984’s original Terminator through 1994’s True Lies). When it hit theaters in 1993 I remember a ton of hype for it getting ubiquitous advertising and the requisite hot-summer-movie-licensed videogame and pinball table. The pinball table is part of the many licensed tables included in Pinball Arcade on PS4 which I also played a few rounds of before diving into the movie. In 1993 Arnold was the big name action star fresh off his Terminator 2 success. He also dabbled in the occasional comedy like Kindergarten Cop and Jingle All the Way. LAH marked Arnold’s first action comedy however. Schwarzenegger portrays big name action movie star ‘Jack Slater.’ Danny (Austin O’Brien) is Slater’s #1 fan on top of being a middle school film guru where he routinely cuts class to catch flicks at the local cinema where he is best friends with the old-timer projectionist there, Nick (Robert Prosky). Daniel is promised by Nick an after-hours exclusive showing of the wildly anticipated Jack Slater IV. To celebrate the special showing, Nick gives Danny a special ‘magical’ movie ticket that Nick states he got from legendary magician Houdini himself as a kid, but was too afraid to use it. Through cinema magic, the ticket activates and Danny is warped into the movie world of Jack Slater IV as his new reality when he winds up magically transported into the backseat of Slater’s ride in the middle of a cliché action movie car chase.

Danny is thrilled being immersed in an action movie world filled with the clichés and tropes of the genre that he gleefully points out and references past film lore to help Jack track down his latest bad guy. Slater has none of it and takes in Danny in for questioning. Slater’s over-the-top-gruffy captain, Dekker (Frank McRae) is impressed with Danny’s knowledge and makes him Slater’s new partner. Slater begrudgingly works together with Danny to track down Slater’s current most wanted baddie, Benedict (Charles Dance). The film unravels from there in a world jam-packed with the aforementioned clichés that Danny constantly breaks the fourth wall by showing off his action movie fandom by pointing out how all the women in this universe are hyper-sexualized, indulging Slater’s gratuitous one-liners, how Slater instantly pops up from battles unscathed and how the bad guy stereotypically monologues too long to give Slater a chance to make the heroic comeback. 11 year-old-Dale was the perfect target age for LAH when I first saw it in 1994. I experienced the filmed vicariously through Danny and I was right there with Danny for how wicked it would be to magically transport alongside your movie hero in his latest summer blockbuster and helping him bust bad guys and be in the middle of an extravagant chase scenes overstuffed with special effects. I think a big part of me held off forever re-watching this again because I dismissed LAH as a satire film over the years that I loved as a kid, but thought I thought I would outgrow over the years. After my recent re-watch however, I emerged surprised how wrong I was. Seeing it with a grown-up’s set of eyes significantly helped with a new understanding of filmmaking references and other off-color jokes that went right over my childhood head. I also got a whole new appreciation of the scene where Danny takes Slater to a video store in his universe to show him how awesome he is in Terminator 2 only to instead see in that world Sylvester Stallone landed the role.

Speaking of guest stars, the cameos are through the roof in LAH. There are some blink and you miss it surprise cameos, and then there are exponentially more in the final act where Danny takes Slater back into the ‘real’ world in time for the red carpet movie premiere of Jack Slater IV. The premiere sees the likes of Little Richard, MC Hammer, Jean Claude Van Damme and a few other recognizable celebrities of that era. Back in 1994 I was probably only lucky enough to recognize Van Damme from his role as Guile in the underappreciated Street Fighter, but reliving it again with a new set of eyes made that scene pop in a whole new way. Needless to say, Last Action Hero was a surprise delight to experience in 2020. If I had any nitpicks it is that it was not as brisk a watch as I recalled as it clocks in a little over two hours and I came out of it feeling they could have trimmed at least a good 10 minutes or so off. For as big a deal LAH was when it hit in 1993 it was a bit of a buzzkill to see the no-frills BluRay have a complete lack of extras. I would have loved all-star action movie director John McTiernan (Predator, the good Die Hard films) do a commentary track with Arnold and a few other bonus extras, but it regrettably was not meant to be. At least I have this Uproxx take I can now peruse that will have to suffice for a bonus of some degree…..

Alrighty, I just finished the Uproxx 27 years later take on LAH and we share a lot of similarities. Uproxx’s Mike Ryan thesis is that LAH was too meta and ahead of its time in 1993, but perfect for a 2020 viewing experience. I could not agree with him more, and he grinds out the little references and meta-details more eloquently than I can here, so I highly urge you all to give his editorial a perusal. One key takeaway from Ryan’s article on why Last Action Hero came and went back then was because it made the big time mistake of releasing one week after Jurassic Park. No wonder it is not brought up with other classic Arnold films over the years. I am right there with Ryan on how LAH is an absolute marvel of a film, and if it has slipped by you all these years later then now is the perfect time to watch it in these pandemic times with zero movies hitting theaters nowadays. 1993’s Last Action Hero is the ideal 2020 summer blockbuster! BONUS EXTRAS TO COMPENSATE FOR BLURAY’S ABSENCE OF ANY Click or press here to check out this awesomely through ‘Did You Know’ style breakdown of facts and backstage filming secrects from Mental Floss Here is an incredibly thorough two part oral history of LAH complete with interview excerpts from the cast and crew And I will leave you with Cinemassacre’s ‘Rental Review’ roundtable of Last Action Hero….

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Other Random Backlog Movie Blogs 3 12 Angry Men (1957) 12 Rounds 3: Lockdown 21 Jump Street The Accountant Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie Atari: Game Over The Avengers: Age of Ultron The Avengers: Infinity War Batman: The Dark Knight Rises Batman: The Killing Joke Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice Bounty Hunters Cabin in the Woods Captain America: Civil War Captain America: The First Avenger Captain America: The Winter Soldier Christmas Eve Clash of the Titans (1981) Clint Eastwood 11-pack Special The Condemned 2 Countdown Creed I & II Deck the Halls Detroit Rock City Die Hard Dredd The Eliminators The Equalizer Dirty Work Faster Fast and Furious I-VIII Field of Dreams Fight Club The Fighter For Love of the Game Good Will Hunting Gravity Grunt: The Wrestling Movie Guardians of the Galaxy Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 Hell Comes to Frogtown Hercules: Reborn Hitman I Like to Hurt People Indiana Jones 1-4 Ink The Interrogation Interstellar Jay and Silent Bob Reboot Jobs Joy Ride 1-3 Major League Man of Steel Man on the Moon Man vs Snake Marine 3-6 Merry Friggin Christmas Metallica: Some Kind of Monster Mortal Kombat Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpions Revenge National Treasure National Treasure: Book of Secrets Not for Resale Pulp Fiction The Replacements Reservoir Dogs Rocky I-VIII Running Films Part 1 Running Films Part 2 San Andreas ScoobyDoo Wrestlemania Mystery The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Shoot em Up Slacker Skyscraper Small Town Santa Steve Jobs Source Code Star Trek I-XIII Sully Take Me Home Tonight TMNT The Tooth Fairy 1 & 2 UHF Veronica Mars Vision Quest The War Wild Wonder Woman The Wrestler (2008) X-Men: Apocalypse X-Men: Days of Future Past

#random movie #last action hero #arnold schwarzenegger #austin o'brien #robert prosky #john mctiernan

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scruffyplayssonic · 6 years

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And the best movies of all the years I’ve been alive are... (updated for 2017!)

Hey folks, I’ve got of a bit of a tradition that I’ve started. It wasn’t a New Year’s tradition previously, but this feels like the best time to be updating

Back in August 2015, I watched a Youtube video by Jeremy of @cinema-sins, where he was answering fan questions. One question that he addressed was, “What is the best movie of every year that you’ve been alive?” While Jeremy thought this was a great question, he didn’t think one video would be long enough to explore it fully, and he wanted to find another way to answer it. This eventually was done through the Cinema Sins podcast, SinCast. Each week, the cast would discuss the movies of a certain year and then vote on which one they thought was the best, starting with 1975 in episode 14, and then working their way through another year each episode right up until episode 54, where they voted on the best movie for 2015. They then took a break for a few weeks to get caught up on some of last year’s movies that they hadn’t seen yet before finally tackling 2016 in this week’s podcast, episode 58.

I did my own picks for my favourite movie of each year back in August 2015, when I first saw Jeremy’s Q and A video. I really liked that question and was inspired to try and name my own favourites from each year. I reuploaded the updated version of this when the SinCast finished going through it last year, and I’ve been waiting for New Year’s Eve to update it again for this year. I hope you enjoy it. Feel free to comment and/or argue about my choices. And thanks again to @cinema-sins, for providing me with laughs every week in the podcasts and videos they release. :)

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1982: E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial This might be a bit of a cheat, since the film came out in June and I wasn’t born until October, but oh well. It’s still the same year.

1983: Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi The first Star Wars movie I was around to see the cinematic release of, although I wouldn’t see it in cinemas (or at all, shamefully) for another 14 years.

1984: The Terminator The original was pretty chilling. This still gets me every time. “Listen, and understand! That Terminator is out there! It can’t be bargained with! It can’t be reasoned with! It doesn’t feel pity, or remorse, or fear! And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead!”

1985: Back to the Future The beginning of what I still believe is the greatest movie trilogy of all time.

1986: Aliens More awesome from James Cameron.

1987: Spaceballs Well, it’s pretty funny. Plus I haven’t seen much else from this year, other than Lethal Weapon.

1988: Die Hard The original and quite possibly the best. More on that later.

1989: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade This was a tough one to pick, as Michael Keaton’s first Batman film, Licence to Kill, AND Back to the Future: Part II all came out this year. But it really has to be the onscreen chemistry of Harrison Ford and Sean Connery!

1990: Back to the Future: Part III At the time, I probably would have picked DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp. Ahhh, nostalgia.

1991: Terminator 2: Judgement Day I’m sure most of you who know me and know my favourite movies saw this one coming. This was my very favourite movie of all time for almost twenty years, but recently something has surpassed it. Silence of the Lambs would probably get second place for this year.

1992: Batman Returns It was a hard choice between this and Aladdin, which was my favourite Disney cartoon for a very long time. But since it’s not in my dvd collection and Batman is… Honourable mention goes to A Muppet Christmas Carol, my favourite of the Muppet movies.

1993: The Fugitive Another tough choice, considering that Jurassic Park also came out in 1993. But I just love the battle of wits between Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones.

1994: The Lion King Another of Disney’s finest. No contest, although True Lies, Speed, and The Mask were all excellent films too.

1995: Goldeneye (007) This was another tough choice, and Die Hard with a Vengeance came very, VERY close. It’s hard to live up to the awesomeness of that first film, but the partnership with Samuel L. Jackson definitely pays off here. But Goldeneye was the first Bond film I saw in the cinema, and I remember that experience vividly. Pierce Brosnan remains my favourite Bond, even though the next three films he starred in didn’t quite live up to this one.

1996: Scream The Rock and Independence Day were my other main picks from this year, but Wes Craven made an instant classic with Scream, which inspired so many other movies and spoofs. If only they’d stopped after the first Scary Movie…

1997: Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (Special Edition) It’s a bit of a cheat, but technically the original Star Wars trilogy was re-released in cinemas that year with new “special edition” footage, which is when I first fell in love with the series. From original movies that came out in ‘97, it’s a toss up between Men in Black, Air Force One, and The Fifth Element.

1998: Rush Hour Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker were hilarious in this one. The Mask of Zorro was another great movie, and Deep Impact, which was waaaaaay better than Armageddon. Of course, a Michael Bay film will be obsessed with making things go ka-boom. :P Yes, yes, I know The Rock was a Bay film too. So sue me.

1999: The Matrix Another of my very favourite movies. The effects, the plot, the action… it was just sensational. The Sixth Sense was another very clever movie, and Austin Powers: The Spy who Shagged Me was hilarious! But… c'mon, The Matrix, man!

2000: The Whole Nine Yards I was still a big Friends fan at the time, so I loved Matthew Perry starring alongside Bruce Willis. There was also Gone in 60 Seconds, which is one of my favourite Nick Cage films, The Emperor’s New Groove, and of course, X-Men. And then there’s Mission: Impossible 2… hey, be nice. I watched this a lot when I was in Virginia and homesick for Australia :P

2001: Ocean’s Eleven Such a clever film with a great cast!

2002: The Bourne Identity Spider-Man came pretty close, but Matt Damon was amazing as Jason Bourne. …well, that most recent movie was kind of hit or miss…

2003: Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl Who would have ever guessed that a movie based on a Disneyland ride could be so good?

2004: The Incredibles It was a good year for animation - there was this one, Shrek 2, and Team America: World Police. National Treasure came out too, which I quite like.

2005: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire There was also The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (a huge improvement on the previous two movies), Batman Begins, and of course, Serenity; the movie that had Firefly fans screaming, “NOOOOOOOOO!!!” near the climax. :P

2006: V for Vendetta I just LOVE this film. Top performances from Hugo Weaving, Natalie Portman and John Hurt. The Da Vinci Code was my second choice. Controversial it may be, and people tend to poo-poo Dan Brown a lot, but I loved this movie too. Tom Hanks was the perfect choice for Robert Langdon, and Ian McKellan was brilliant as always. Casino Royale also came out this year, which brought the 007 franchise back from oblivion.

2007: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix I had to find a cinema playing this in English in Nanjing - no easy feat! But at least they didn’t butcher it like they did with Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (my second pick, after I saw the uncut movie on DVD). Ocean’s Thirteen was pretty good too, if not as good as the original. And of course, The Bourne Ultimatum. I was on the edge of my seat for that one.

2008: The Dark Knight A no-brainer. One of the best films of the decade, let alone the year. Iron Man was a surprise hit too. Little did we know of what was to follow - and in fact, you’ll be seeing a few MCU movies coming up on the list. Taken was great. Oh, and I quite liked Steve Carrell’s take on Get Smart, even if he didn’t quite capture the original magic of Don Adams.

2009: Up One of my very favourite Pixar movies. Angels & Demons was pretty good too, although not as good as the first movie. Plus Tom Hanks cut his hair - I thought his shaggy do in the first movie suited Robert Langdon better. :P Strange that I liked Angels & Demons better of the books but The Da Vinci Code better of the movies. Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes was great too.

2010: Kick-Ass This one was a surprise, but I loved the deconstruction of the traditional superhero movie they did here. And when I read the original comic, I loved the film even more for the improvements they made. Nicolas Cage was hilariously hammy, but the major star of this one was undoubtedly Chloe Grace Moretz as the tiny killing machine, Hit-Girl. After that, there was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, and Toy Story 3.

2011: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 A fantastic end to a fantastic series. There was also Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which really surprised me. Excellent stuff there. The Adventures of Tintin - an amazing film that tricked me into forgetting it was animated and not live-action several times. Finally, The Muppets, which was such a fantastic return for some of my favourite childhood icons.

2012: The Avengers No surprise there. Honourable mentions go to The Cabin in the Woods, which is a delightfully insane deconstruction of horror movies, Looper, a film I still occasionally stay up late at night scratching my head in confusion over, and Skyfall, which is probably Daniel Craig’s best Bond film so far. I also loved Wreck-It Ralph.

2013: White House Down This one was definitely the film I liked best from 2013What can I say? I love Die Hard, and this was basically Die Hard in the White House, yet it felt original enough to not just be a knock-off. The other ones I liked best would be the Marvels (Iron Man 3, the Wolverine and Thor: The Dark World), Kick-Ass 2, and Gravity, which was absolutely terrifying.

2014: Guardians of the Galaxy Marvel sure knows how to get my bum into the cinema - X-Men: Days of Future Past and Captain America: The Winter Soldier are up there, but Guardians wins out for pure fun (and the delightful company I had in the cinema <3). There was also The LEGO Movie, which I thought was very clever, and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.

2015: The Martian When I first made this list in August 2015, my prediction was that Jurassic World would be my favourite of the year. Nope, not by a long shot. The Martian was absolutely amazing - Matt Damon’s ability to keep the audience on the edge of their seats when he’s completely alone on the screen (and on the planet) is a major credit to him as an actor. In fact, I think this film has now actually surpassed Terminator 2 to become my favourite movie of all time. Then of course we have Avengers: Age of Ultron, Mission: Impossible: Rogue Nation, and Terminator: Genisys. …no, really. Stop laughing, I really enjoyed it. :P And then there was Ex Machina, which was a really intriguing film that kept me guessing the entire time.

2016: Captain America: Civil War It’s no secret that I love my comic book movies, and this was definitely my favourite of last year. Civil War (the comic) was the first instance that got me intrigued enough to actually pick up and read a Marvel comic. It really raised an interesting question for me - just how accountable should superheroes be for what they do when fighting crime? Granted, the comic really went too far and made both Cap AND Iron Man look like total dicks, and I was relieved when the film managed to not use some of the more ridiculous ideas, such as a homocidal Robo-Thor-clone or a prison for superheroes in an alternate dimension that literally saps your will to live. On top of that, the film also introduced a fantastic Black Panther, and Tom Holland really nailed what Spider-Man should be. And that airport scene was worth the price of admission all by itself.

2017: Wonder Woman Ohhhhh man, it has been a really good year for superhero movies. We’ve had Tom Holland really prove he is Spider-Man in Homecoming, and the most ridiculous-and-yet-accurate portrayal of Batman ever in the LEGO Batman Movie. Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart’s swansongs in Logan were heartwrenching. Ragnarok and Justice League were a lot of fun (yes, I liked Justice League. Fight me). The Guardians managed to surpass their first movie in Volume 2 with really great character development and humour, and that would probably have been my pick for the year if there wasn’t one other superhero movie I loved even more. But I found Wonder Woman to be truly inspirational. Patty Jenkins,Gal Gadot, Chris Pine and everyone else involved with this movie created something that took my breath away. I cheer every time I see her walk out onto no man’s land, and I scream, “FUCK YEAH!!!” every time that iconic butt-kicking theme music plays. In non-superhero movies... Coco was simply amazing, and is another of Pixar’s very best movies. Star Wars Episode VII: The Last Jedi was fantastic, and I can’t wait to go see it again. And I went into Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle with pretty low expectations, but I really enjoyed it and laughed a lot.

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I challenge any of my friends out there who are avid movie lovers to give this challenge a try - it’s not as easy as you’d think. Wikipedia is your friend though - just browse by “(insert year here) in film.” Comments telling me, “Yes, I love that film!” or, “Are you nuts? How could you forget THIS film?” are quite welcome. :)

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immedtech · 7 years

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Dear Hollywood, we don’t need classics like 'Terminator 2' in 3D

Terminator 2: Judgement Day is one of the greatest films ever made. So what's the point of adding a 3D veneer to bring it back to theaters? Not much, it turns out. In exchange for a slight touch of artificial depth, I found the remaster darker and occasionally blurrier than normal. But really, this isn't anything new. I had a similar experience a few years ago with the re-release of Jurassic Park -- another classic film that was brought back to theaters just for the novelty of seeing it in 3D. As I sat in the mostly empty Alamo Drafthouse theater this week, I couldn't help but wonder: When will Hollywood realize these 3D re-releases are a huge waste of time?

I'm not against bringing back older films in theaters, especially when they've been cleaned up with a spiffy digital restoration. It's a great way to let audiences experience classics on the big screen -- the way they're meant to be seen. But the 3D experience typically adds little to those movies. Since they're not shot with 3D in mind, the additional depth is usually subtle. And in cases where it's more pronounced, it tends to feel forced. These remasters are also stuck with the usual caveats for 3D presentation (more on that below). Ultimately, retrofitting 3D on older films simply feels like a naked grab for higher ticket prices.

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I won't say 3D is entirely useless in theaters. Some films like Avatar, Hugo and Gravity used the technology to deliver truly unique and immersive experiences that wouldn't be possible with 2D alone. But most 3D films aren't worth the effort of slipping on a pair of glasses. And you pay dearly in terms of quality too. The 3D shades block out light, just like sunglasses, which leads to a duller and less vibrant image. Many theaters also don't run their projectors at the proper brightness (I'm looking at you, UA Court Street), which makes things even darker. All in all, with 3D you often end up paying more for something that looks significantly worse than a standard 2D screening.

And there are other issues with 3D, too. If you wear glasses, you have to balance another pair of specs on your nose. You can make a film look blurry or out of focus just by resting your head the wrong way. And there are some people who can't even see 3D images properly, and instead see a blurrier overall image. While Hollywood isn't exactly slowing down with 3D films, some big companies like IMAX (which ironically helped to kick off the whole 3D trend), are ready to move past it. You can still enjoy an immersive cinematic experience, like I did with Dunkirk on IMAX, without going 3D. All you need is a bright and sharp image, along with great sound design.

When it comes to Terminator 2, the 3D was most pronounced in the big action set-pieces, and in scenes involving its iconic villain, the liquid metal T-1000. But, this being a film I've seen dozens of times, some of the uses of 3D simply felt distracting instead of immersive. Sometimes objects in the foreground were blurred out to shift the focus to the main characters deeper in the frame, but it just felt like there was something blocking my view of the characters. And, as usual, the overall image was darker than I would have liked. That was particularly surprising because the Alamo Drafthouse is dedicated to delivering the best movie presentation possible. It's not their fault the image was dark -- it was the fact I was watching it in 3D.

The best aspects of the T2 remaster didn't involve 3D at all. The film looked cleaner than my current Blu-ray, and night scenes looked sharper with less grain. But of course, those are improvements we could have had with a standard remaster job. Instead of wasting time and resources on a T2 3D tune-up, I would have rather seen a remaster of The Abyss and True Lies, two other James Cameron classics that aren't even available on Blu-ray today. (Cameron assures us they're coming eventually.)

Studio Canal/Carolco

Terminator 2: 3D has made just over $1 million in theaters since it debuted on August 25th, according to Box Office Mojo. In Hollywood terms, that's a disappointing showing, especially since T2 ended up being the highest grossing movie ever in its time, taking in over $520 million globally. Jurassic Park 3D, meanwhile, earned $65 million during its theatrical run in 2014, helping to bring the film's overall take since its original release to more than $1 billion. While that was undoubtedly a success, you could attribute much of those sales to an audience who just really wanted to see more Jurassic Park. (2015's so-so Jurassic World also had a solid global run, earning over $1.6 billion.)

Instead of paying for an expensive 3D conversion, Hollywood studios would be better off investing in standard 4K remasters of classic films. Sure, that's not as high a resolution as 35mm film, but it still looks great when projected in modern theaters. It also gives them new versions of films that they can easily resell on 4K Blu-ray, standard Blu-ray and VOD easily. Ultimately, the path forward is simple: Just let us see classic films in the best quality, without wearing shades.

- Repost from: engadget Post

#ITlive #engadget #Dear Hollywood #we don’t need classics like 'Terminator 2' in 3D

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tastefullyinspiredblog · 7 years

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Travel Tuesday: Hawaii I am Ready If You Are

After watching a Brady Bunch re-run when I was about 10, (you know the one where Peter found the tiki doll that put a curse on the family) I wanted to go to Hawaii so badly that I wrote a play for my sister and I to act out to try and convince our granny to take us there. Dressed in our bathing suits and toilet paper grass skirts, let’s just say our acting skills and homemade Hawaiian attire were no match for Gran’s thriftiness. Despite the failure of my theatrical efforts, my fascination for the beautiful Hawaiian Islands and Hawaii beach homes has lived on.

While I didn’t make it to Hawaii back then, I’m sure I’d be better off paying a visit nowadays. The Brady family only had a few hotels to choose from in the 70’s, but today, with the amount of stunning beach homes and villas available to rent, it’s a vacationer’s paradise. You’d be hard pressed to find a better place than a beachfront vacation home to kick back, put your feet up and listen to the waves.

There are 6 major islands to explore: Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Hawaii, Lanai, and Molokai and about 750 miles of coastline, so beach lovers and sun worshipers will find true bliss here. From exhilarating helicopter tours and the latest in exotic spa treatments, this isn’t the Brady Bunch Hawaii anymore. A true paradise for both outdoorsy types and those who want a polished experience, you can’t go wrong putting Hawaii on your vacation agenda.

Puako Hylton property, Puako, Big Island

Renting a villa can provide you with an experience you can’t get from a hotel or resort. While there are many impressive places to stay, there’s something special about staying in a vacation home. When I travel, I like to see my destination like a local and when renting a private residence, you’ll likely be living in a residential area, off the tourist strip which is the best way to do just that. And while you may not feel like cooking every day in your home away from home, you won’t find a hotel suite with as much space as a luxurious oceanfront condo or house. Finding the perfect place to stay in Hawaii can’t get any easier than with a company like Luxury Retreats. Let them guide you to your ideal abode: one with gorgeous views, spacious accommodations and fine details. Of course, here at Tastefully Inspired, interior design and home décor are very important to us and you’ll not see a property on their site without exquisite design and luxurious features.

Adventurer or not, you’ll want to experience the natural beauty of Hawaii by taking in some of the famous waterfalls and hiking trails. And of course, everyone needs to experience a luau at some point in their lives. Snorkel, surf, paddle board, sail or go horseback riding to take advantage of the fresh air and balmy temperatures found year-round in Hawaii. With each island having its own unique microclimate and geography, there is no shortage of things to do and see.

Waikiki Beach

Oahu is an international destination, boasting everything from world-class shopping to exciting nightlife and famous beaches. Home to two of the most highly rated tourist spots, the famous Waikiki Beach and the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor, you can experience the best that Hawaii has to offer without ever leaving Honolulu. Get a Lomi Lomi massage, or spend the day golfing at one of Oahu’s finest golf courses.

Or, would you rather see the real, unspoiled Hawaii? Just a short plane ride away is the beautiful island of Molokai where you’ll feel like you took a step back in time. Full of deserted beaches and lush rain forests, it’s a great place to see true island paradise, the way Mother Nature intended.

No visit to Hawaii would be complete without seeing the Big Island. Best known for Volcanoes National Park, the Big Island is unlike the other more developed islands in the chain. It is the perfect place for health-conscious travelers and adventure lovers. With activities like hiking, kayaking, diving and snorkeling, the Big Island is the place for a stimulating and lively vacation.

Makena Surt Resort, Makena, Maui

Ready to dive in and get your luau on? Then, a visit to Maui is a must. A luau spins together a rich cultural encounter with a delicious meal, the best way to experience true Hawaii. And you can’t miss the miles of intimate beaches with crystal clear water that can be found dotted along the shoreline, perfect for swimming and sunbathing. Maui is also home to the famous Road to Hana, a must-see drive along the stunning coastline.

Kauai, known for Wailua Falls and the dramatic cliffs and pinnacles of Na Pali Coast State Park where movies such as Jurassic Park and Raiders of the Lost Ark were filmed, is yet another spectacle of nature that can be found in the island chain. With tropical rainforest covering most of the island, it’s been nicknamed the “Garden Island”. Kauai actually has more miles of sandy coastline than any other of the islands.

dramatic waterfall

Sweet little Lanai. The island without even 1 traffic light is yet another spectacular island paradise to see. With 5 star golfing and misty mountains to hike, Lanai is full of surprises that you’ll have to put on your bucket list.

From a condo in the heart of the glitz and glam of Honolulu, to a beach cottage on the pristine, remote beaches of the outer islands, renting a vacation villa as your home base in Hawaii is the best way to experience it. So, let’s say farewell to the Hawaii of the Brady Bunch days and hello to the new Hawaii, a magical place to create memories that will last a lifetime.

Your own paradise awaits

Travel Tuesday: Hawaii I am Ready If You Are was originally published on Tastefully Inspired | Interior Design | Hospitality Design | Home Decor Blog

#lifestyle #travel #interiordesign #designer #interiordesigner #AD100 #designtip #housebeautiful #architecturaldigest #elledecor #homedecor #furniture

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scruffyplayssonic · 7 years

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My favourite movies of all the years I’ve been alive.

I did my own picks for my favourite movie of each year back in August 2015, when I first saw Jeremy’s Q and A video. I really liked that question and was inspired to try and name my own favourites from each year. So to celebrate the SinCast crew finally completing this task, I thought that I’d re-post my list, which is now updated to include 2015 and 2016. I hope you enjoy it. Feel free to comment and/or argue about my choices. And thanks again to @cinema-sins, for providing me with laughs every week in the podcasts and videos they release. :)

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1982: E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial This might be a bit of a cheat, since the film came out in June and I wasn’t born until October, but oh well. It’s still the same year.

1985: Back to the Future The beginning of what I still believe is the greatest movie trilogy of all time.

1986: Aliens More awesome from James Cameron.

1987: Spaceballs Well, it’s pretty funny. Plus I haven’t seen much else from this year, other than Lethal Weapon.

1988: Die Hard The original and quite possibly the best. More on that later.

1990: Back to the Future: Part III At the time, I probably would have picked DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp. Ahhh, nostalgia.

1991: Terminator 2: Judgement Day I’m sure most of you who know me saw this one coming. To this day it’s still my favourite movie of all time. Silence of the Lambs would probably get second place for this year.

1993: The Fugitive Another tough choice, considering that Jurassic Park also came out in 1993. But I just love the battle of wits between Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones.

1994: The Lion King Another of Disney’s finest. No contest, although True Lies, Speed, and The Mask were all excellent films too.

2001: Ocean’s Eleven Such a clever film with a great cast!

2002: The Bourne Identity Spider-Man came pretty close, but Matt Damon was amazing as Jason Bourne. ...well, that most recent movie was kind of hit or miss...

2003: Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl Who would have ever guessed that a movie based on a Disneyland ride could be so good?

2004: The Incredibles It was a good year for animation - there was this one, Shrek 2, and Team America: World Police. National Treasure came out too, which I quite like.

2008: The Dark Knight A no-brainer. One of the best films of the decade, let alone the year. Iron Man was a surprise hit too. Taken was great. Oh, and I quite liked Steve Carrell’s take on Get Smart, even if he didn’t quite capture the original magic of Don Adams.

2009: Up My favourite of all the Pixars. Angels & Demons was pretty good too, although not as good as the first movie. Plus Tom Hanks cut his hair - I thought his shaggy do in the first movie suited Robert Langdon better. :P Strange that I liked Angels & Demons better of the books but The Da Vinci Code better of the movies. Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes was great too.

2012: The Avengers No surprise there. Honourable mentions go to The Cabin in the Woods, which is a delightfully insane deconstruction of horror movies, Looper, a film I still occasionally stay up late at night scratching my head in confusion over, and Skyfall, which is possibly Daniel Craig’s best Bond film so far. I also loved Wreck-It Ralph.

2013: White House Down This one was definitely the film I liked best from 2013 - and yes, that includes Frozen. You may charge with your flaming torches and pitchforks when ready. But what can I say? I love Die Hard, and this was basically Die Hard in the White House, yet it felt original enough to not just be a knock-off. The other ones I liked best would be the Marvels (Iron Man 3, the Wolverine and Thor: The Dark World), Kick-Ass 2, and Gravity, which was absolutely terrifying.

2015: The Martian When I first made this list in August 2015, my prediction was that Jurassic World would be my favourite of the year. Nope, not by a long shot. The Martian was absolutely amazing - Matt Damon’s ability to keep the audience on the edge of their seats when he’s completely alone on the screen (and on the planet) is a major credit to him as an actor. Then of course we have Avengers: Age of Ultron, Mission: Impossible: Rogue Nation, and Terminator: Genisys. …no, really. Stop laughing, I really enjoyed it. :P And then there was Ex Machina, which was a really intriguing film that kept me guessing the entire time.

2017 (so far - I’ll update this at the end of the year): Passengers I’ve only seen two films so far this year, and Resident Evil: The Final Chapter was okay, but not great. I really enjoyed Passengers though, despite all the controversy it has surrounding it. It’s definitely not the same movie the trailers made it look like it was going to be though.

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