#Joaquim the Bear
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January 28 🙏🏻 thank you!
You share a birthday with Joaquim the Bear!
Joaquim was exclusively released in Singapore
#Joaquim the Bear#January 28th#upcoming birthday#beanie babies#beanie baby#ty beanie babies#stuffed animals#kidcore#toywave#nostalgia#90s toys#stuffies#y2k
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The Book of Parental issues or how each characters legacy influences their live(pt 1)
Yes,it’s a psychoanalysis of cartoon characters from 2014 film,but please bear with me.
It is no secret to all of us that although this film puts it on the background, the topic of parenthood plays one of the key roles to the main characters - Manolo, Joaquim and even Maria. Let's consider how and why this topic is so important and how (in my humble opinion) it could be presented better in the case of certain characters (cough-cough-Maria-cough-cough).This one would be divided into 3 parts, each about one of the tres leches.
So let’s start with easiest one:Manolo.Through all the movie we see Carlos Sanchez(the father) trying to instill in his only son a love of bullfighting, something that all his ancestors did and is the pride of this family. But Manolo, despite his great talent for it, realizes that killing for fun is a bad thing, and that he wants to become a guitarist instead.
Over the years, Manolo increasingly rebels against this idea(telling his dad that it’s his dream to be matador,not Manolo’s)but Carlos's words about his mother's disappointment (even though, as we later learn, she was against such a career for her son) and betrayal of his own family keep him in place. So what we can see is a centuries-old tradition that all Sanchez's ancestors performed, and which Manolo must fulfill, otherwise he won’t have the right to be considered a part of this family.
Later on,he ultimately decides not to kill a bull during a corrida, stating that he does not want to participate in this action despite the pressure from the family. In response to this,the guitar was thrown at the main character (most likely by Carlos), Manolo is called a disappointment to the family and that he shouldn't think of himself as Sanchez.We see that in case of an open rejection of tradition, regardless of how bloody it is, it is considered an insult to the family, for which one must be punished. This unhealthy ideology about continuing the matador career despite one's own desire is present in more than one generation, as shown with his two-swords-instead-of-limbs-predecessor Jorge Sanchez (his desire to be an opera singer was overshadowed by the need to continue bullfighting ).
During the final act,when Manolo makes peace with the souls of killed bulls trough the song,he ultimately shows his family,and especially Carlos,that what they thought was his weakness is actually his strength,and that is showing kindness and being true to yourself.Seing this,his father apologizes for pressuring him into something he didn’t want to,and realizes that the title of Sanchez shouldn’t be earned.
So in the end we got full-closed arc about breaking the toxic traditions and carving your own path.Which is sweet,but Maria and Joaquin didn’t have enough screen time to do the same.
(Next part will be posted under the first)
#the whole matador thing could also be read as breaking from toxic masculinity#cus it’s heavily connected with family values#write your thoughts down in the comments#maybe I missed something#book of life#manolo sanchez#carlos sanchez#carmen sanchez#jorge sanchez#maria posada#joaquin mondragon
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UFC 301 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Jose Aldo nets $21k for potential final UFC fight
RIO DE JANEIRO – Warriors from Saturday’s UFC 301 occasion took domestic UFC Limited time Rules Compliance pay totaling $280,000.
The program, a comprehensive arrange that incorporates outfitting prerequisites, media commitments and other things beneath the warrior code of conduct, replaces the past installments made beneath the UFC Competitor Outfitting Policy.
UFC 301 took put at Rio Field. The fundamental card publicized on pay-per-view taking after prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+.
The full UFC 301 UFC Limited time Rules Compliance payouts included:
* * * *
Alexandre Pantoja: $42,000
def. Steve Erceg: $32,000
Jose Aldo: $21,000
def. Jonathan Martinez: $11,000
Anthony Smith: $21,000
def. Vitor Petrino: $4,500
Michel Pereira: $11,000
def. Ihor Potieria: $6,000
Caio Borralho: $6,000
def. Paul Craig: $16,000
Joanderson Brito: $6,000
def. Jack Shore: $6,000
Iasmin Lucindo: $4,500
def. Karolina Kowalkiewicz: $16,000
Myktybek Orolbai: $4,000
def. Mythical people Brener: $4,500
Drakkar Klose: $11,000
def. Joaquim Silva: $11,000
Mauricio Ruffy: $4,000
def. Jamie Mullarkey: $11,000
Dione Barbosa: $4,000
def. Ernesta Kareckaite: $4,000
Ismael Bonfim: $4,000
def. Vinc Pichel: $11,000
Alessandro Costa: $4,500
def. Kevin Borjas: $4,000
Under the UFC Special Rules Compliance program’s payout levels, which suitable the cash produced by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, warriors are paid based on their add up to number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC battles (January 2007 and afterward) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and afterward). Warriors with 1-3 bouts get $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,500; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts gain $11,000; 16-20 bouts take $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Also, champions gain $42,000 whereas title challengers get $32,000.
In expansion to experience-based pay, UFC warriors will get in unendingness eminence installments measuring to 20-30 percent of any UFC stock sold that bears their resemblance, agreeing to officials.
Full 2024 UFC Limited time Rules Compliance payouts:
“UFC 301: Pantoja vs. Erceg” – $280,000
“UFC on ESPN 55: Nicolau vs. Perez” – $175,000
“UFC 300: Pereira vs. Hill” – $460,000
“UFC Battle Night 240: Allen vs. Curtis 2” – $162,500
“UFC on ESPN 54: Blanchfield vs. Fiorot” – $173,000
“UFC on ESPN 53: Ribas vs. Namajunas” – $148,000
“UFC Battle Night 239: Tuivasa vs. Tybura” – $189,500
“UFC 299: O’Malley vs. Vera 2” – $359,000
“UFC Battle Night 238: Rozenstruik vs. Gaziev” – $133,500
“UFC Battle Night 237: Moreno vs. Royval 2” – $135,500
“UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria” – $243,000
“UFC Battle Night 236: Hermansson vs. Pyfer” – $236,500
“UFC Battle Night 235: Dolidze vs. Imavov” – $170,500
“UFC 297: Strickland vs. Du Plessis” – $285,500
“UFC Battle Night 234: Ankalaev vs. Walker 2” – $159,500
Year-to-date add up to: $2,920,000
2023 add up to: $8,188,000
2022 add up to: $8,351,500
2021 add up to: $6,167,500
Program-to-date add up to: $25,657,000
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James Brown
Yesterday I watched the movie about James Brown called "Get On Up" which starred Chadwick Boseman. Chadwick did a great job as James Brown. I did not know much about Brown until I watched the movie. Brown truly was one of kind and influenced so many other singers! Chadwick, I heard, learned to sing like Brown and learned how to dance like him, too! It was unbelievable! I wish Boseman was still alive! He died too young! Cancer sucks!
I also watched a Disney Movie I had not watched in along time. That was Brother Bear. Joaquim Phoenix is awesome as the voice of Kanai! One of my favorite Disney movies!!
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Best movies of 2023 so far
In the cinematic realm of 2023, a rich array of treasures has unfurled, beckoning audiences on a captivating odyssey through diverse landscapes and immersing their hearts in the allure of compelling tales. This extraordinary year has been characterized by a spectrum of emotions, spanning from the spine-tingling depths of thrillers to the heartwarming peaks of comedies, ensuring resonant experiences for every discerning viewer. As we contemplate the best movies of 2023 so far, let's explore a curated selection of the finest films that have indelibly marked the collective imagination.
Tar
IMDb: 7.4 Synopsis: Lydia Tár, a globally acclaimed conductor at the zenith of her career, teeters on the edge of a monumental achievement. As she readies herself to record the symphony that will carve her legacy into history, the mounting pressure and escalating spotlight unearth dark secrets from her past, jeopardizing everything she has diligently constructed. Cast: Cate Blanchett, Noémie Merlant, Nina Hoss, Sophie Kauer, Julian Glover Director: Todd Field
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
IMDb: 8.2 Synopsis: Miles Morales swings back into action in the highly anticipated sequel to the Academy Award-winning “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” This time, the web-slinging hero is propelled across the expansive multiverse, encountering a team of Spider-People tasked with safeguarding its very existence. Cast: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Brian Tyree Henry, Lauren Vélez, Jake Johnson Directors: Joaquim Dos Santos, Justin K. Thompson
Oppenheimer (2023)
IMDb: 8.4 Synopsis: Amidst World War II, brilliant physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer spearheads the Manhattan Project, a covert initiative to construct the world's first atomic bomb. As the weight of responsibility and the moral implications of his creation bear down on him, Oppenheimer grapples with the consequences of unleashing such destructive power. Cast: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh Director: Christopher Nolan
John Wick: Chapter 4
IMDb: 7.4 Synopsis: John Wick pursues his freedom in this action-packed sequel. Confronting a new adversary with formidable alliances, the legendary assassin discovers a path to defeating the High Table. Brace yourself for breathtaking visuals, exhilarating action sequences, and Keanu Reeves at his most relentless. Cast: Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane Director: Chad Stahelski
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
IMDb: 8.2 Synopsis: In the 1920s, the discovery of oil beneath Osage Nation land in Oklahoma triggers a wave of violence and corruption. Wealthy Osage members become targets in a series of mysterious murders, leading the fledgling FBI to launch a complex investigation. Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemons, Tantoo Cardinal Director: Martin Scorsese
Return to Seoul (2023)
IMDb: 7 Synopsis: In "Return to Seoul," 25-year-old Freddie, an adoptee from France, embarks on an unexpected journey to her birth country. Seeking her roots, she uncovers unforeseen connections, buried secrets, and a redefined sense of belonging, exploring themes of adoption, self-discovery, and the enduring power of human connection. Cast: Park Ji-Min, Oh Kwang-Rok, Guka Han, Cho Soo-Hyang, Kim Sun-Young Director: Davy Chou
Anatomy of a Fall (2023)
IMDb: 7.9 Synopsis: Sandra, a celebrated writer, confronts murder accusations after her husband's shocking death. Their blind son, torn between truth and loyalty, holds the key. In a courtroom clash, lies unravel, love is tested, and facades crumble, delving into themes of betrayal, justice, and the blurred lines of truth in those we trust most. Cast: Sandra Hüller, Swann Arlaud, Milo Machado-Graner, Antoine Reinartz, Samuel Theis Director: Baltasar Kormákur
Past Lives (2023)
IMDb: 7.9 Synopsis: Nora and Hae Sung, childhood flames in Seoul, are separated by an ocean when Nora's family emigrates. Years later, fate reunites them in a different world, rekindling lost love. "Past Lives" explores second chances, choices made, and destinies forged, questioning whether one can truly escape the past. A poignant journey of memory, longing, and enduring bonds. Cast: Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, John Magaro, Christopher Abbott, Sung-Hee Lee, David Chen Director: Celine Song
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Belem de para
Belem de para free#
In accordance with the French "Computing and freedoms" Law n ° 78-17 of 6th January 1978, amended by the European regulation of 679/2016, you can at any time request access to information concerning you for the purpose of correcting, changing, or deleting, opposing or limiting its use by EVANEOS, or transferring it, by writing to You can also define the terms of use, storage, and communication of your personal data in case of death. This information may be subject to an automated decision-making process to assess your preferences or areas of personal interest. Your information will be kept as long as necessary to achieve the purpose for which it is processed. Your information is sent to EVANEOS, located at 27 rue de Mogador, 75009 Paris, France, in order provide you with its services, personalized information relevant to you, and practical advice regarding your travel plans. The risk-factor is one of the things to bear in mind when visiting the old town. I advise you to visit these places during the day and to avoid staying once night has fallen. In the heart of the city, the Sé cathedral also brings to mind its European similarities like the sanctuary basilica of Nazaré based on the model of Saint Peter in Rome. In the remains of the old town, informed visitors find architecture similar to those of Portuguese batiments from the beginning of the century. A colonial cityįirst town colonised by the Portuguese on the Amazon, in 1616, the city of Belem do Para still holds beautiful traces of its past. I advise you to visit the city outside of the rainy season. Situated in 180km from the equator, Belem do Para enjoy the equatorial climate. This place is ideal for those who can't reach Belem. 14 km of walks through the natural flora with a magnificent view onto the canal Sao Joaquim. The famous fruit of the forest, tried in all of Brazil in sorbet or juice, it has been one of my favourite culinary discoveries.Īt 15 kilometres from Belem, if you don't have the possibility to plunge into the Amazonia, the Belem ecological park "Gunnar Vingren" giving at first glance, the wild flora and fauna. If you have not had the chance yet, the Belem market is the ideal place to discover the Açai. Situated close to the old port, this market is of an area of 26000 square metres and allows visitors to discover spices and fruits of the region. Exotic fruit amateurs will be particularly keen to go to the biggest market of the city, the Ver or Peso. The exuberant nature associated with urban life is found in almost all the towns of the city and gives it a charm which I have never found in any other Brazilian town. Book now and stay at the only 5 start in the area.Mango trees border the avenues, palm trees along the estuary, no doubts in Belem, the Amazonian forest is integrated into the city. And Estação das Docas, a beautiful cultural complex, 6 minutes by car from the hotel.Ī sophisticated hotel in Belém do Pará, The Grand Mercure Belém offers comfort and refinement for an authentic experience. Take a tour of the Castle and Presépio Forts, both an 11-minute drive from the hotel. For a more cultural tour, visit Teatro da Paz, a 5-minute drive from the hotel. Visit the traditional Ver-o-Peso Market, an 8-minute drive from the hotel, and the Basilica of Our Lady of Nazareth, a 4-minute drive from the hotel, and the Emilio Goldi Museum. Take the opportunity to learn more about Cidade das Mangueiras. Enjoy the gym and a stunning view by the pool. Our event rooms are ideal for your social or corporate gatherings. With private area and playroom, the restaurant serves local and international cuisines.
Belem de para free#
Our spacious rooms have A/C and free WIFI. Located on the Nazareth Procession route, the Grand Mercure Belém do Pará has a complete infrastructure for a memorable stay. Welcome to Grand Mercure Belém do Pará! A truly Brazilian-style experience in a modernly designed hotel, with exclusive services, and an ideal location for guests looking to enjoy the city to the fullest.
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Pass the happy! 💜 When you get this, reply with 5 things that make you happy and send this to the last 10 people in your notifications!
Hello! ^^
You know what makes me happy? The face of those 5 men:
#the first one who says i have a type for big bear men does have a point#the fact that i wondered to put jai courtney and joaquim phoenix here#and they all look alike more or less#the first to say that Mark pellegrino stands out of that type has a point too#they are beautiful#mine#tag game
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Y’all remember Paulo, the childhood teddy bear i made a Jason mask for?
Well, he was given to me by my great uncle, who i just called uncle tbh
I just realise,d that’s the SAME uncle who would sneak me horror dvds to watch on the ps2, so i guess we’ve gone full circle
#me making a Jason Voorhees mask for a big teddy bear ''this one's for you uncle Joaquim''#rita's originals
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﹒﹒ male names masterlist !
in honor of my third milestone on here ( thank you sm ) , i’ve decided to release a master list of 400+male names i personally love and think could be used more in the community . this was also requested by a few anons and names will be added to the list frequently . the names are sorted by first letter but not alphabetically within each letter category . if you found this useful , feel free to like or reblog to spread this !
A : alston, ander, adamo, alex, austen, ace, arian, adrian, atlas, augustus, axel, archer, angel, archie, aaron, abel, asher, amir, adriel, andrew, ace, alejandro, arlo, adonis, atticus, abram, ambrose.
B : bryce, bryson, benji, bellamy, banks, bear, beau, bentley, barrett, brody, brayden, bennett, braxton, bowen, briggs, baker, bruce, benson, bristol, boston, brycen, bryant, brock, brendan, bruno, byron, braden, bronson, braeson.
C : colton, cartier, cyrus, caleb, carter, cedric, carson, cohen, calvin, callum, casper, caspius, chase, cole, connor, camden, colt, caden, cash, crew, chance, clayton, cruz, cairo, corbin, colson, cesar, clark.
D : damon, damien, darren, dylan, dominic, declan, dean, dario, drew, dimitri, dakota, dawson, daxton, dante, desmond, denver, dax, deacon, drake, derrick, darius, duke, deandre, dash, dilan, dayton, duncan, dior.
E : eduardo, edward, elias, emilien, evan, easton, everett, emmett, enzo, ezra, elliot, emmanuel, ezekial, elias, emerson, eric, emory, edwin, elian, esteban, edison, emir, everest, eliseo, everley.
F : florencio, flynn, fabio, forester, francis, flynn, fallon, finn, finnick, felix, fernando, finnegan, fabian, ford, forbes, fletcher, fisher, fox, fitz, flint, fulton.
G : giovanni, gage, gomez, grayson, griffin, grant, graham, gavin, grant, gianni, gunner, gideon, gregory, grey, gustavo, guillermo, gentry, gadiel, gabriel.
H : halton, herman, holden, hayes, hudson, hayden, harrison, harlow, harvey, hugo, hank, henley, holland, hamza, hugh, houston, hakeem.
I : isaac, icarius, idris, ian, ivan, isaiah, ismael, ilan, irvin, iain.
J : julian, juniper, joao, joaquim, jordan, jaxton, joshua, josiah, javier, jayden, justin, jonah, jace, jasper, jay, jj, jackson, jeremiah, judah, joel, jensen, jaylen, jonas, jamal.
K : kai, kolton, kaleb, klaus, kyrie, kingston, kayden, king, kobe, knox, kyler, kaden, khalil, kane, killian, keegan, kian, kamden, kieran, keanu, kyland, kareem, kasen,
L : liam, lukas, logan, lucien, lawrence, leo, leighton, leon, lindell, lamar, latrell, larson, lance, levi, luke, landon, luca, lincoln, landon, lorenzo, london, lennox, leonel, lawson, luciano, layton, lux, leroy, lamar.
M : micaiah, mateo, marcell, manny, mac, malcolm, mckay, meechie, matias, mason, maverick, mitch, murphy, miles, malachi, maddox, marshall, malik, moses, marvin, milo.
N : noah, nicolai, nasir, nico, nash, neymar, naveen, nehemiah, nixon, nelson, nigel, niles, nolyn, namir.
O : orlando, ozzy, oliver, omar, orion, otto, odin, otis, oskar, osvaldo, owen.
P : peyton, parker, pearce, prince, preston, porter, pierre, penn, patton, paxton, paolo, pope, percy.
Q : quentin, quinn, quint, quang.
R : roman, rowan, reid, riggs, reece, rafael, ryland, roland, ronan, rhett, rhys, rory, rainer, roscoe, rocco, ryder, ryker, remington, russell, romeo, raiden, ruben, ridge, rex, rudy, remy.
S : sawyer, spencer, salem, salvatore, stefan, samson, sebastian, samuel, santiago, silas, sutton, sterling, sully, sergio, seth, santino, santibel, soren, saint, samir, saul, sal, santos, slater, santino.
T : tyson, tyrin, taylor, teagan, tobias, troye, tristan, tucker, theo, torrento, tanner, travis, tripp, trenton, trey, tomas, talon, thad, terrance, teddy.
U : uriel, ulysesses, umar, urbane, uri, ursel, usher.
V : valencio, victor, valence, valentino, vance, victor, vaughn, vincent, virgil, vernon, vander, vito, vero, villard.
W : wick, walker, weston, wyatt, wolfgang, wells, wilder, wesley, walter, warren, wade, winston, watson, wiley, waylen.
X : xavier, xander, xane, xavion, xavi, xiomar, xackery, xan.
Y : yosef, yosan, york, yasir, yoel, yuri, yannis.
Z : zane, zakhar, zavier, zion, zahir, zev, zeus, zacharias.
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January 25 is the Feast Day of the Conversion of St. Paul
Source of picture: https://paula-of-christ.tumblr.com
Butterflies of Charity, 1930s by Joaquim Pla Janini
"You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you." John 15:16
#St. Paul#Who do people say the Son of Man is?#Conversion of St. Paul#bible quotes#Bible#saints#John 15:16#You did not choose Me#God#Jesus#Christ#Jesus Christ#Father#Son#Holy Spirit#Holy Trinity#christian religion#faith#hope#love#stress reliever
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Joaquim the Bear
Alcott Japan exclusive re-release
500 made
#Joaquim the Bear#Beaniestory#beanie babies#beanie baby#ty beanie babies#kidcore#toywave#nostalgia#stuffed animals#90s toys#stuffies#y2k
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for: @noravidal
location: lil mom and pop diner!
“Hey, kid. Long time no see, huh?” The ramifications of the brawl weeks prior, their long standing distance, his waning interest in either of hid duties, had led to this reunion in a small diner - as always, Nora is luminous, all warmth and smiles. Joaquim is sure he’s a rather grey, muted version of himself (whatever that looks like), but he’s happy to see her, all the same. “Sorry I haven’t called - but you’ve been busy, haven’t you? With all the shrapnel flying around this city; and whatever you’ve gotten yourself into, lately.” He didn’t mean to admonish Nora; he thought more so of her propensity for goodness, and how it often led her further into bear trap they both longed to escape. “I hope you weren’t there, the other week - or at the least, you weren’t injured. Our politicians are patting themselves on the back, and they don’t have a clue what they’ve done.”
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Summer 2021′s Movies - My Top Ten Favourite Films (Part 2)
The Top Ten:
10. WEREWOLVES WITHIN – definitely one of the year’s biggest cinematic surprises so far, this darkly comic supernatural murder mystery from indie horror director Josh Ruben (Scare Me) is based on a video game, but you’d never know it – this bears so little resemblance to the original Ubisoft title that it’s a wonder anyone even bothered to make the connection, but even so, this is now notable for officially being the highest rated video game adaptation in Rotten Tomatoes history, with a Certified Fresh rating of 86%. Certainly it deserves that distinction, but there’s so much more to the film – this is an absolute blood-splattered joy, the title telling you everything you need to know about the story but belying the film’s pure, quirky genius. Veep’s Sam Richardson is forest ranger Finn Wheeler, a gentle and socially awkward soul who arrives at his new post in the remote small town of Beaverton to discover the few, uniformly weird residents are divided over the oil pipeline proposition of forceful and abrasive businessman Sam Parker (The Hunt’s Wayne Duvall). As he tries to fit in and find his feet, investigating the disappearance of a local dog while bonding with local mail carrier Cecily Moore (Other Space and This Is Us’ Milana Vayntrub), the discovery of a horribly mutilated human body leads to a standoff between the townsfolk and an enforced lockdown in the town’s ramshackle hotel as they try to work out who amongst them is the “werewolf” they suspect is responsible. This is frequently hilarious, the offbeat script from appropriately named Mishna Wolff (I’m Down) dropping some absolutely zingers and crafting some enjoyably weird encounters and unexpected twists, while the uniformly excellent cast do much of the heavy-lifting to bring their rich, thoroughly oddball characters to vivid life – Richardson is thoroughly cuddly throughout, while Duvall is pleasingly loathsome, Casual’s Michaela Watkins is pleasingly grating as Trisha, flaky housewife to unrepentant local horn-dog Pete Anderton (Orange is the New Black’s Michael Chernus), and Cheyenne Jackson (American Horror Story) and Harry Guillen (best known, OF COURSE, as Guillermo in the TV version of What We Do In the Shadows) make an enjoyably spiky double-act as liberal gay couple Devon and Joaquim Wolfson; in the end, though, the film is roundly stolen by Vayntrub, who invests Cecily with a bubbly sweetness and snarky sass that makes it absolutely impossible to not fall completely in love with her (gods know I did). This is a deeply funny film, packed with proper belly-laughs from start to finish, but like all the best horror comedies it takes its horror elements seriously, delivering some enjoyably effective scares and juicy gore, while the werewolf itself, when finally revealed, is realised through some top-notch prosthetics. Altogether this was a most welcome under-the-radar surprise for the summer, and SO MUCH MORE than just an unusually great video game adaptation …
9. THE TOMORROW WAR – although cinemas finally reopened in the UK in early summer, the bite of the COVID lockdown backlog was still very much in effect this blockbuster season, with several studios preferring to hedge their bets and wait for later release dates. Others turned to streaming services, including Paramount, who happily lined up a few heavyweight titles to open on major platforms in lieu of the big screen. One of the biggest was this intended sci-fi action horror tentpole, meant to give Chris Pratt another potential franchise on top of Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World, which instead dropped in early July on Amazon Prime. So, was it worth staying in on a Saturday night instead of heading out for something on the BIG screen? Mostly yes, although it’s mainly a trashy, guilty pleasure big budget B-picture charm that makes this such a worthwhile experience – the film’s biggest influences are clearly Independence Day and Starship Troopers, two admirably clunky blockbusters that DEFINED prioritising big spectacle and overblown theatrics over intelligent writing and realistic storytelling. It doesn’t help that the premise is pure bunk – in 2022, a wormhole opens from thirty years in the future, and a plea for help is sent back with a bunch of very young future soldiers. Seems Earth will become overrun by an unstoppable swarm of nasty alien critters called Whitespikes in 25 years, and the desperate human counteroffensive have no choice but to bring soldiers from our present into the future to help them fight back and save the humanity from imminent extinction. Less than a year later, the world’s standing armies have been decimated and a worldwide draft has been implemented, with normal everyday adults being sent through for a seven day tour from which very few return. Pratt plays biology teacher and former Green Beret Dan Forrester, one of the latest batch of draftees to be sent into the future along with a selection of chefs, soccer moms and other average joes – his own training and experience serves him better than most when the shit hits the fan, but it soon becomes clear that he’s just as out of his depth as everyone else as the sheer enormity of the threat is revealed. But when he becomes entangled with a desperate research outfit led by Muri (Chuck’s Yvonne Strahovski) who seem to be on the verge of a potential world-changing scientific breakthrough, Dan realises there just might be a slender hope for humanity after all … this is every bit as over-the-top gung-ho bonkers as it sounds, and just as much fun. Director Chris McKay may still be pretty fresh (with only The Lego Batman Movie under his belt to date), but he shows a lot of talent and potential for big budget blockbuster filmmaking here, delivering with guts and bravado on some major action sequences (a fraught ticking-clock SAR operation through a war-torn Miami is the film’s undeniable highlight, but a desperate battle to escape a blazing oil rig also really impresses), as well as handling some impressively complex visual effects work and wrangling some quality performances from his cast (altogether it bodes well for his future, which includes Nightwing and Johnny Quest as future projects). Chris Pratt can do this kind of stuff in his sleep – Dan is his classic fallible and self-deprecating but ultimately solid and kind-hearted action hero fare, effortlessly likeable and easy to root for – and his supporting cast are equally solid, Strahovsky going toe-to-toe with him in the action sequences while also creating a rewardingly complex smart-woman/badass combo in Muri, while the other real standouts include Sam Richardson (Veep, Werewolves Within) and Edwin Hodge (The Purge movies) as fellow draftees Charlie and Dorian, the former a scared-out-of-his-mind tech geek while the latter is a seriously hardcore veteran serving his THIRD TOUR, and the ever brilliant J.K. Simmonds as Dan’s emotionally scarred estranged Vietnam-vet father, Jim. Sure, it’s derivative as hell and thoroughly predictable (with more than one big twist you can see coming a mile away), but the pace is brisk, the atmosphere pregnant with a palpable doomed urgency, and the creatures themselves are a genuinely convincing world-ending threat, the design team and visual effects wizards creating genuine nightmare fuel in the feral and unrelenting Whitespikes. Altogether this WAS an ideal way to spend a comfy Saturday night in, but I think it could have been JUST AS GOOD for a Saturday night OUT at the Pictures …
8. ARMY OF THE DEAD – another high profile release that went straight to streaming was this genuine monster hit for Netflix from one of this century’s undeniable heavyweight action cinema masters, the indomitable Zack Snyder, who kicked off his career with an audience-dividing (but, as far as I’m concerned, ultimately MASSIVELY successful) remake of George Romero’s immortal Dawn of the Dead, and has finally returned to zombie horror after close to two decades away. The end result is, undeniably, the biggest cinematic guilty pleasure of the entire summer, a bona fide outbreak horror EPIC in spite of its tightly focused story – Dave Bautista plays mercenary Scott Ward, leader a badass squad of soldiers of fortune who were among the few to escape a deadly outbreak of a zombie virus in the city of Las Vegas, enlisted to break into the vault of one of the Strip’s casinos by owner Bly Tanaka (a fantastically game turn from Hiroyuki Sanada) and rescue $200 million still locked away inside. So what’s the catch? Vegas remains ground zero for the outbreak, walled off from the outside world but still heavily infested within, and in less than three days the US military intends to sterilise the site with a tactical nuke. Simple premise, down and dirty, trashy flick, right? Wrong – Snyder has never believed in doing things small, having brought us unapologetically BIG cinema with the likes of 300, Watchmen, Man of Steel and, most notably, his version of Justice League, so this is another MASSIVE undertaking, every scene shot for maximum thrills or emotional impact, each set-piece executed with his characteristic militaristic precision and explosive predilection (a harrowing fight for survival against a freshly-awakened zombie horde in tightly packed casino corridors is the film’s undeniable highlight), and the gauzy, dreamlike cinematography gives even simple scenes an intriguing and evocative edge that really does make you feel like you’re watching something BIG. The characters all feel larger-than-life too – Bautista can seem somewhat cartoonish at times, and this role definitely plays that as a strength, making Scott a rock-hard alpha male in the classic Hollywood mould, but he’s such a great actor that of course he’s able to invest the character with real rewarding complexity beneath the surface; Ana de la Reguera (Eastbound & Down) and Nora Arnezeder (Zoo, Mozart in the Jungle), meanwhile, both bring a healthy dose of oestrogen-fuelled badassery to proceedings as, respectively, Scott’s regular second-in-command, Maria Cruz, and Lilly the Coyote, Power’s Omari Hardwick and Matthias Schweighofer (You Are Wanted) make for a fun odd-couple double act as circular-saw-wielding merc Vanderohe and Dieter, the nervous, nerdy German safecracker brought in to crack the vault, and Fear the Walking Dead’s Garrett Dillahunt channels spectacular scumbag energy as Tanaka’s sleazy former casino boss Martin, while latecomer Tig Notaro (Star Trek Discovery) effortlessly rises above her last-minute-casting controversy to deliver brilliantly as sassy and acerbic chopper pilot Peters. I think it goes without saying that Snyder can do this in his sleep, but he definitely wasn’t napping here – he pulled out all the stops on this one, delivering a thrilling, darkly comic and endearingly CRACKERS zombie flick that not only compares favourably to his own Dawn but is, undeniably, his best film for AGES. Netflix certainly seem to be pleased with the results – a spinoff prequel, Army of Thieves, starring Dieter in another heist thriller, is set to drop in October, with an animated series following in the Spring, and there’s already rumours of a sequel in development. I’m certainly up for more …
7. BLACK WIDOW – no major blockbuster property was hit harder by COVID than the MCU, which saw its ENTIRE SLATE for 2020 delayed for over a year in the face of Marvel Studios bowing to the inevitability of the Pandemic and unwilling to sacrifice those all-important box-office receipts by just sending their films straight to streaming. The most frustrating part for hardcore fans of the series was the delay of a standalone film that was already criminally overdue – the solo headlining vehicle of founding Avenger and bona fide female superhero ICON Natasha Romanoff, aka the Black Widow. Equally frustratingly, then, this film seems set to be overshadowed by real life controversy as star and producer Scarlett Johansson goes head-to-head with Disney in civil court over their breach-of-contract after they hedged their bets by releasing the film simultaneously in cinemas and on their own streaming platform, which has led to poor box office as many of the film’s potential audience chose to watch it at home instead of risk movie theatres with the virus still very much remaining a threat (and Disney have clearly reacted AGAIN, now backtracking on their release policy by instigating a new 45-day cinematic exclusivity window on all their big releases for the immediate future). But what of the film itself? Well Black Widow is an interesting piece of work, director Cate Shortland (Berlin Syndrome) and screenwriter Eric Pearson (Thor: Ragnarok) delivering a decidedly stripped-back, lean and intellectual beast that bears greater resemblance to the more cerebral work of the Russo Brothers on their Captain America films than the more classically bombastic likes of Iron Man, Thor or the Avengers flicks, concentrating on story and characters over action and spectacle as we wind back the clock to before the events of Infinity War and Endgame, when Romanoff was on the run after Civil War, hunted by the government-appointed forces of US Secretary of State “Thunderbolt” Ross (William Hurt) after violating the Sokovia Accords. Then a mysterious delivery throws her back into the fray as she finds herself targeted by a mysterious assassin, forcing her to team up with her estranged “sister” Yelena Belova (Midsommar’s Florence Pugh), another Black Widow who’s just gone rogue from the same Red Room Natasha escaped years ago, armed with a McGuffin capable of foiling a dastardly plot for world domination. The reluctant duo need help in this endeavour though, enlisting the aid of their former “parents”, veteran Widow and scientist Melina Vostokoff (Rachel Weisz) and Alexie Shostakov (Stranger Things’ David Harbour), aka the Red Guardian, a Russian super-soldier intended to be their counterpart to Captain America, who’s been languishing in a Siberian gulag for the last twenty years. After the Earth-shaking, universe-changing events of recent MCU events, this film certainly feels like a much more self-contained, modest affair, playing for much smaller stakes, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less worthy of our attention – this is as precision-crafted as anything we’ve seen from Marvel so far, but it also feels like a refreshing change of pace after all those enormous cosmic shenanigans, while the script is as tight as a drum, propelling a taut, suspense-filled thriller that certainly doesn’t scrimp on the action front. Sure, the set-pieces are very much in service of the story here, but they’re still the pre-requisite MCU rollercoaster rides, a selection of breathless chases and bone-crunching fights that really do play to the strengths of one of our favourite Avengers, but this is definitely one of those films where the real fireworks come when the film focuses on the characters – Johansson is so comfortable with her character she’s basically BECOME Natasha Romanoff, kickass and ruthless and complex and sassy and still just desperate for a family (though she hides it well throughout the film), while Weisz delivers one of her best performances in years as a peerless professional who keeps her emotions tightly reigned in but slowly comes to realise that she was never more happy than when she was pretending to be a simple mother, and Ray Winstone does a genuinely fantastic job of taking a character who could have been one of the MCU’s most disappointingly bland villains, General Dreykov, master of the Red Room, and investing him with enough oily charisma and intense presence to craft something truly memorable (frustratingly, the same cannot be said for the film’s supposed main physical threat, Taskmaster, who performs well in their frustratingly brief appearances but ultimately gets Darth Maul levels of short service). The true scene-stealers in the film, however, are Alexie and Yelena – Harbour’s clearly having the time of his life hamming it up as a self-important, puffed-up peacock of a superhero who never got his shot and is clearly (rightly) decidedly bitter about it, preferring to relive the life he SHOULD have had instead of remembering the good in the one he got; Pugh, meanwhile, is THE BEST THING IN THE WHOLE MOVIE, easily matching Johanssen scene-for-scene in the action stakes but frequently out-performing her when it comes to acting, investing Yelena with a sweet naivety and innocence and a certain amount of quirky geekiness that makes for one of the year’s most endearing female protagonists (certainly one who, if the character goes the way I think she will, is thoroughly capable of carrying the torch for the foreseeable future). In the end this is definitely one of the LEAST typical, by-the-numbers MCU films to date, and by delivering something a little different I think they’ve given us just the kind of leftfield swerve the series needs right now. It’s certainly one of their most fascinating and rewarding films so far, and since it seems to be Johansson’s final tour of duty as the Black Widow, it’s also a most fitting farewell indeed.
6. WRATH OF MAN – Guy Ritchie’s latest (regarded by many as a triumphant return to form, which I consider unfair since I don’t think he ever went away, especially after 2020’s spectacular The Gentlemen) is BY FAR his darkest film – let’s get this clear from the start. Anyone who knows his work knows that Ritchie consistently maintains a near flawless balance and humour and seriousness in his films that gives them a welcome quirkiness that is one of his most distinctive trademarks, so for him to suddenly deliver a film which takes itself SO SERIOUSLY is one hell of a departure. This is a film which almost REVELS in its darkness – Ritchie’s always loved bathing in man’s baser instincts, but Wrath of Man almost makes a kind of twisted VIRTUE out of wallowing in the genuine evils that men are capable of inflicting on each other. The film certainly kicks off as it means to go on – In a tour-de-force single-shot opening, we watch a daring armoured car robbery on the streets of Los Angeles that goes horrifically wrong, an event which will have devastating consequences in the future. Five months later, Fortico Security hires taciturn Brit Patrick Hill (Jason Statham) to work as a guard in one of their trucks, and on his first run he single-handedly foils another attempted robbery with genuinely uncanny combat skills. The company is thrilled, amazed by the sheer ability of their new hire, but Hill’s new colleagues are more concerned, wondering exactly what they’ve let themselves in for. After a second foiled robbery, it becomes clear that Hill’s reputation has grown, but fellow guard Haiden (Holt McCallany), aka “Bullet”, begins to suspect there might be something darker going on … Ritchie is firing on all cylinders here, delivering a PERFECT slow-burn suspense thriller which plays its cards close to its chest and cranks up its piano wire tension with artful skill as it builds to a devastating, knuckle-whitening explosive heist that acts as a cathartic release for everything that’s built up over the past hour and a half. In typical Ritchie style the narrative is non-linear, the story unfolding in four distinct parts told from clearly differentiated points of view, allowing the clues to be revealed at a trickle that effortlessly draws the viewer in as they fall deeper down the rabbit hole, leading to a harrowing but strangely poignant denouement which is perfectly in tune with everything that’s come before. It’s an immense pleasure finally getting to see Statham working with Ritchie again, and I don’t think he’s ever been better than he is here – he's always been a brilliantly understated actor, but there’s SO MUCH going on under Hill’s supposedly impenetrable calm that every little peek beneath the armour is a REVELATION; McCallany, meanwhile, has landed his best role since his short but VERY sweet supporting turn in Fight Club, seemingly likeable and fallible as the kind of easy-going co-worker anyone in the service industry would be THRILLED to have, but giving Bullet far more going on under the surface, while there are uniformly excellent performances from a top-shelf ensemble supporting cast which includes Josh Hartnett, Jeffrey Donovan (Burn Notice, Sicario), Andy Garcia, Laz Alonso (The Boys), Eddie Marsan, Niamh Algar (Raised By Wolves) and Darrell D’Silva (Informer, Domina), and a particularly edgy and intense turn from Scott Eastwood. This is one of THE BEST thrillers of the year, by far, a masterpiece of mood, pace and plot that ensnares the viewer from its gripping opening and hooks them right up to the close, a triumph of the genre and EASILY Guy Ritchie’s best film since Snatch. Regardless of whether or not it’s a RETURN to form, we can only hope he continues to deliver fare THIS GOOD in the future …
5. FEAR STREET (PARTS 1-3) – Netflix have gotten increasingly ambitious with their original filmmaking over the years, and some of this years’ offerings have reached new heights of epic intention. Their most exciting release of the summer was this adaptation of popular children’s horror author R.L. Stine’s popular book series, a truly gargantuan undertaking as the filmmakers set out to create an entire TRILOGY of films which were then released over three consecutive weekends. Interestingly, these films are most definitely NOT for kids – this is proper, no-holds-barred supernatural slasher horror, delivering highly calibrated shocks and precision jump scares, a pervading atmosphere of insidious dread and a series of inventively gruesome kills. The story revolves around two neighbouring small towns which have had vastly different fortunes over more than three centuries of existence – while the residents of Sunnyvale are unusually successful, living idyllic lives in peace and prosperity, luck has always been against the people of Shadyside, who languish in impoverishment, crime and misfortune, while the town has become known as the Murder Capital of the USA due to frequent spree killings. Some attribute this to the supposed curse of a local urban legend, Sarah Fier, who became known as the Fier Witch after her execution for witchcraft in 1668, but others dismiss this as simple superstition. Part 1 is set in 1994, as the latest outbreak of serial mayhem begins in Shadyside, dragging a small group of local teens – Deena Johnson (She Never Died’s Kiana Madeira) and Samantha Fraser (Olivia Scott Welch), a young lesbian couple going through a difficult breakup, Deena’s little brother Josh (The Haunted Hathaways’ Benjamin Flores Jr.), a nerdy history geek who spends most of his time playing video games or frequenting violent crime-buff online chatrooms, and their delinquent friends Simon (Eight Grade’s Fred Hechinger) and Kate (Julia Rehwald) – into the age-old ghostly conspiracy as they find themselves besieged by indestructible undead serial killers from the town’s past, reasoning that the only way they can escape with their lives is to solve the mystery and bring the Fier Witch some much needed closure. Part 2, meanwhile, flashes back to a previous outbreak in 1977, in which local sisters Ziggy (Stranger Things’ Sadie Sink) and Cindy Berman (Emily Rudd), together with future Sunnyvale sheriff Nick Goode (Ted Sutherland) were among the kids hunted by said killers during a summer camp “colour war”. As for Part 3, that goes all the way back to 1668 to tell the story of what REALLY happened to Sarah Fier, before wrapping up events in 1994, culminating in a terrifying, adrenaline-fuelled showdown in the Shadyside Mall. Throughout, the youthful cast are EXCEPTIONAL, Madeira, Welch, Flores Jr., Sink and Rudd particularly impressing, while there are equally strong turns from Ashley Zuckerman (The Code, Designated Survivor) and Community’s Gillian Jacobs as the grown-up versions of two key ’77 kids, and a fun cameo from Maya Hawke in Part 1. This is most definitely retro horror in the Stranger Things mould, perfectly executed period detail bringing fun nostalgic flavour to all three of the timelines while the peerless direction from Leigh Janiak (Honeymoon) and wire-tight, sharp-witted screenplays from Janiak, Kyle Killen (Lone Star, The Beaver), Phil Graziadel, Zak Olkewicz and Kate Trefry strike a perfect balance between knowing dark humour and knife-edged terror, as well as weaving an intriguingly complex narrative web that pulls the viewer in but never loses them to overcomplication. The design, meanwhile, is evocative, the cinematography (from Stanger Things’ Caleb Heymann) is daring and magnificently moody, and the killers and other supernatural elements of the film are handled with skill through largely physical effects. This is definitely not a standard, by-the-numbers slasher property, paying strong homage to the sub-genre’s rules but frequently subverting them with expert skill, and it’s as much fun as it is frightening. Give us some more like this please, Netflix!
4. THE SPARKS BROTHERS – those who’ve been following my reviews for a while will known that while I do sometimes shout about documentary films, they tend to show up in my runners-up lists – it’s a great rarity for one to land in one of my top tens. This lovingly crafted deep-dive homage to cult band Sparks, from self-confessed rabid fanboy Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim), is something VERY SPECIAL INDEED, then … there’s a vague possibility some of you may have heard the name before, and many of you will know at least one or two of their biggest hits without knowing it was them (their greatest hit of all time, This Town Ain’t Big Enough for the Both of Us, immediately springs to mind), but unless you’re REALLY serious about music it’s quite likely you have no idea who they are, namely two brothers from California, Russell and Ronald Mael, who formed a very sophisticated pop-rock band in the late 60s and then never really went away, having moments of fame but mostly working away in the background and influencing some of the greatest bands and musical artists that followed them, even if many never even knew where that influence originally came from. Wright’s film is an engrossing joy from start to finish (despite clocking in at two hours and twenty minutes), following their eclectic career from obscure inception as Halfnelson, through their first real big break with third album Kimono My Place, subsequent success and then fall from popularity in the mid-70s, through several subsequent revitalisations, all the way up to the present day with their long-awaited cinematic breakthrough, revolutionary musical feature Annette – throughout Wright keeps the tone light and the pace breezy, allowing a strong and endearing sense of irreverence to rule the day as fans, friends and the brothers themselves offer up fun anecdotes and wax lyrical about what is frequently a larger-than-life tragicomic soap opera, utilising fun, crappy animation and idiosyncratic stock footage inserts alongside talking-head interviews that were made with a decidedly tongue-in-cheek style – Mike Myers good-naturedly rants about how we can see his “damned mole” while 80s New Romantic icons Nick Rhodes and John Taylor, while shot together, are each individually labelled as “Duran”. Ron and Russ themselves, meanwhile, are clearly having huge fun, gently ribbing each other and dropping some fun deadpan zingers throughout proceedings, easily playing to the band’s strong, idiosyncratic sense of hyper-intelligent humour, while the aforementioned celebrity talking-heads are just three amongst a whole wealth of famous faces that may surprise you – there’s even an appearance by Neil Gaiman, guys! Altogether this is 2+ hours of bright and breezy fun chock full of great music and fascinating information, and even hardcore Sparks fans are likely to learn more than a little over the course of the film, while for those who have never heard of Sparks before it’s a FANTASTIC introduction to one of the greatest ever bands that you’ve never heard of. With luck there might even be more than a few new fans before the year is out …
3. GUNPOWDER MILKSHAKE – Netflix’ BEST offering of the summer was this surprise hit from Israeli writer-director Navot Papushado (Rabies, Big Bad Wolves), a heavily stylised black comedy action thriller that passes the Bechdel Test with FLYING COLOURS. Playing like a female-centric John Wick, it follows ice-cold, on-top-of-her-game assassin Sam (Karen Gillan) as her latest assignment has some unfortunate side effects, leading her to take on a reparation job to retrieve some missing cash for the local branch of the Irish Mob. The only catch is that a group of thugs have kidnapped the original thief’s little girl, 12 year-old Emily (My Spy’s Chloe Coleman), and Sam, in an uncharacteristic moment of sympathy, decides to intervene, only for the money to be accidentally destroyed in the process. Now she’s got the Mob and her own employers coming after her, and she not only has to save her own skin but also Emily’s, leading her to seek help from the one person she thought she might never see again – her mother, Scarlet (Lena Headey), a master assassin in her own right who’s been hiding from the Mob herself for years. The plot may be simple but at times also a little over-the-top, but the film is never anything less than a pure, unadulterated pleasure, populated with fascinating, living and breathing characters of real complexity and nuance, while the script (co-written by relative newcomer Ehud Lavski) is tightly-reined and bursting with zingers. Most importantly, though, Papushado really delivers on the action front – these are some of the best set-pieces I’ve seen this year, Gillan, her co-stars and the various stunt-performers acquitting themselves admirably in a series of spectacular fights, gun battles and a particularly imaginative car chase that would be the envy of many larger, more expensive productions. Gillan and Coleman have a sweet, awkward chemistry, the MCU star particularly impressing in a subtly nuanced performance that also plays beautifully against Headey’s own tightly controlled turn, while there is awesome support from Angela Bassett, Michelle Yeoh and Carla Gugino as Sam’s adoptive aunts Anna May, Florence and Madeleine, a trio of “librarians” who run a fine side-line in illicit weaponry and are capable of unleashing some spectacular violence of their own; the film’s antagonists, on the other hand, are exclusively masculine – the mighty Ralph Inneson is quietly ruthless as Irish boss Jim McAlester, while The Terror’s Adam Nagaitis is considerably more mercurial as his mad dog nephew Virgil, and Paul Giamatti is the stately calm at the centre of the storm as Sam’s employer Nathan, the closest thing she has to a father. ��There’s so much to enjoy in this movie, not just the wonderful characters and amazing action but also the singularly engrossing and idiosyncratic style, deeply affecting themes of the bonds of found family and the healing power of forgiveness, and a rewarding through-line of strong women triumphing against the brutalities of toxic masculinity. I love this film, and I invite you to try it out, cuz I’m sure you will too.
2. THE SUICIDE SQUAD – the most fun I’ve had at the cinema so far this year is the long-awaited (thanks a bunch, COVID) redress of another frustrating imbalance from the decidedly hit and miss DCEU superhero franchise, in which Guardians of the Galaxy writer-director James Gunn has finally delivered a PROPER Suicide Squad movie after David Ayer’s painfully compromised first stab at the property back in 2016. That movie was enjoyable enough and had some great moments, but ultimately it was a clunky mess, and while some of the characters were done (quite) well, others were painfully botched, even ruined entirely. Thankfully Warner Bros. clearly learned their lesson, giving Gunn free reign to do whatever he wanted, and the end result is about as close to perfect as the DCEU has come to date. Once again the peerless Viola Davis plays US government official Amanda Waller, head of ARGUS and the undisputable most evil bitch in all the DC Universe, who presides over the metahuman prisoners of the notorious supermax Belle Reve Prison, cherry-picking inmates for her pet project Taskforce X, the titular Suicide Squad sent out to handle the kind of jobs nobody else wants, in exchange for years off their sentences but controlled by explosive implants injected into the base of their skulls. Their latest mission sees another motley crew of D-bags dispatched to the fictional South African island nation of Corto Maltese to infiltrate Jotunheim, a former Nazi facility in which a dangerous extra-terrestrial entity that’s being developed into a fearful bioweapon, with orders to destroy the project in order to keep it out of the hands of a hostile anti-American regime which has taken control of the island through a violent coup. Where the first Squad felt like a clumsily-arranged selection of stereotypes with a few genuinely promising characters unsuccessfully moulded into a decidedly forced found family, this new batch are convincingly organic – they may be dysfunctional and they’re all almost universally definitely BAD GUYS, but they WORK, the relationship dynamics that form between them feeling genuinely earned. Gunn has already proven himself a master of putting a bunch of A-holes together and forging them into band of “heroes”, and he’s certainly pulled the job off again here, dredging the bottom of the DC Rogues Gallery for its most ridiculous Z-listers and somehow managing to make them compelling. Sure, returning Squad-member Harley Quinn (the incomparable Margot Robbie, magnificent as ever) has already become a fully-realised character thanks to Birds of Prey, so there wasn’t much heavy-lifting to be done here, but Gunn genuinely seems to GET the character, so our favourite pixie-esque Agent of Chaos is an unbridled and thoroughly unpredictable joy here, while fellow veteran Colonel Rick Flagg (a particularly muscular and thoroughly game Joel Kinnaman) has this time received a much needed makeover, Gunn promoting him from being the first film’s sketchily-drawn “Captain Exposition” and turning him into a fully-ledged, well-thought-out human being with all the requisite baggage, including a newfound sense of humour; the newcomers, meanwhile, are a thoroughly fascinating bunch – reluctant “leader” Bloodsport/Robert DuBois (a typically robust and playful Idris Elba), unapologetic douchebag Peacemaker/Christopher Smith (probably the best performance I’ve EVER seen John Cena deliver), and socially awkward and seriously hard-done-by nerd (and by far the most idiotic DC villain of all time) the Polka-Dot Man/Abner Krill (a genuinely heart-breaking hangdog performance from Ant-Man’s David Dastmalchian); meanwhile there’s a fine trio of villainous turns from the film’s resident Big Bads, with Juan Diego Botta (Good Behaviour) and Joaquin Cosio (Quantum of Solace, Narcos: Mexico) making strong impressions as newly-installed dictator Silvio Luna and his corrupt right hand-man General Suarez, although both are EASILY eclipsed by the typically brilliant Peter Capaldi as louche and quietly deranged supervillain The Thinker/Gaius Greives (although the film’s ULTIMATE threat turns out to be something a whole lot bigger and more exotic). The film is ROUNDLY STOLEN, however, by a truly adorable double act (or TRIPLE act, if you want to get technical) – Daniella Melchior makes her breakthrough here in fine style as sweet, principled and kind-hearted narcoleptic second-generation supervillain Ratcatcher II/Cleo Cazo, who has the weird ability to control rats (and who has a pet rat named Sebastian who frequently steals scenes all on his own), while a particular fan-favourite B-lister makes his big screen debut here in the form of King Shark/Nanaue, a barely sentient anthropomorphic Great White “shark god” with an insatiable appetite for flesh and a naturally quizzical nature who was brilliantly mo-capped by Steve Agee (The Sarah Silverman Project, who also plays Waller’s hyperactive assistant John Economos) but then artfully completed with an ingenious vocal turn from Sylvester Stallone. James Gunn has crafted an absolute MASTERPIECE here, EASILY the best film he’s made to date, a riotous cavalcade of exquisitely observed and perfectly delivered dark humour and expertly wrangled narrative chaos that has great fun playing with the narrative flow, injects countless spot-on in-jokes and irreverent but utterly essential throwaway sight-gags, and totally endears us to this glorious gang of utter morons right from the start (in which Gunn delivers what has to be one of the most skilful deep-fakes in cinematic history). Sure, there’s also plenty of action, and it’s executed with the kind of consummate skill we’ve now come to expect from Gunn (the absolute highlight is a wonderfully bonkers sequence in which Harley expertly rescues herself from captivity), but like everything else it’s predominantly played for laughs, and there’s no getting away from the fact that this film is an absolute RIOT. By far the funniest thing I’ve seen so far this year, and if I’m honest this is the best of the DCEU offerings to date, too (for me, only the exceptional Birds of Prey can compare) – if Warner Bros. have any sense they’ll give Gunn more to do VERY SOON …
1. A QUIET PLACE, PART II – while UK cinemas finally reopened in early May, I was determined that my first trip back to the Big Screen for 2021 was gonna be something SPECIAL, and indeed I already knew what that was going to be. Thankfully I was not disappointed by my choice – 2018’s A Quiet Place was MY VERY FAVOURITE horror movie of the 2010s, an undeniable masterclass in suspense and sustained screen terror wrapped around a refreshingly original killer concept, and I was among the many fans hoping we’d see more in the future, especially after the film’s teasingly open ending. Against the odds (or perhaps not), writer-director/co-star John Krasinski has pulled off the seemingly impossible task of not only following up that high-wire act, but genuinely EQUALLING it in levels of quality – picking up RIGHT where the first film left off (at least after an AMAZING scene-setting opening in which we’re treated to the events of Day 1 of the downfall of humanity), rejoining the remnants of the Abbott family as they’re forced by circumstances to up-sticks from their idyllic farmhouse home and strike out into the outside world once more, painfully aware at all times that they must maintain perfect silence to avoid the ravenous attentions of the lethal blind alien beasties that now sit at the top of the food chain. Circumstances quickly become dire, however, and embattled mother Evelyn (Emily Blunt) is forced to ally herself with estranged family friend Emmett (Cillian Murphy), now a haunted, desperate vagrant eking out a perilous existence in an abandoned factory, in order to safeguard the future of her children Regan (Millicent Simmonds), Marcus (Noah Jupe) and their newborn baby brother. Regan, however, discovers evidence of more survivors, and with her newfound weapon against the aliens she recklessly decides to set off on her own in the hopes of aiding them before it’s too late … it may only be his second major blockbuster as a director, but Krasinski has once again proven he’s a true heavyweight talent, effortlessly carving out fresh ground in this already magnificently well-realised dystopian universe while also playing magnificently to the established strengths of what came before, delivering another peerless thrill-ride of unbearable tension and knuckle-whitening terror. The central principle of utilising sound at a very strict premium is once again strictly adhered to here, available sources of dialogue once again exploited with consummate skill while sound design and score (another moody triumph from Marco Beltrami) again become THE MOST IMPORTANT aspects of the whole production. The ruined world is once again realised beautifully throughout, most notably in the nightmarish environment of a wrecked commuter train, and Krasinski cranks up the tension before unleashing it in merciless explosions in a selection of harrowing encounters which guaranteed to leave viewers in a puddle of sweat. The director mostly stays behind the camera this time round, but he does (obviously) put in an appearance in the opening flashback as the late Lee Abbott, making a potent impression which leaves a haunting absence that’s keenly felt throughout the remainder of the film, while Blunt continues to display mother lion ferocity as she fights to keep her children safe and Jupe plays crippling fear magnificently but is now starting to show a hidden spine of steel as Marcus finally starts to find his courage; the film once again belongs, however, to Simmonds, the young deaf actress once and for all proving she’s a genuine star in the making as she invests Regan with fierce wilfulness and stubborn determination that remains unshakeable even in the face of unspeakable horrors, and the relationship she develops with Emmett, reluctant as it may be, provides a strong new emotional focus for the story, Murphy bringing an attractive wounded humanity to his role as a man who’s lost anything and is being forced to learn to care for something again. This is another triumph of the genre AND the artform in general, a masterpiece of atmosphere, performance and storytelling which builds magnificently on the skilful foundations laid by the first film, as well as setting things up perfectly for a third instalment which is all but certain to follow. I definitely can’t wait.
#movies 2021#werewolves within#werewolves within movie#the tomorrow war#army of the dead#Black Widow#black widow movie#black widow mcu#wrath of man#fear street#fear street trilogy#fear street movies#The Sparks Brothers#gunpowder milkshake#the suicide squad#a quiet place part ii#a quiet place part 2#awesome sauce
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im halfway through the second part of the taz finale and im crying squirtle
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10 Interesting Brazilian Fiction Novels
1.) “I Didn’t Talk” By: Beatriz Bracher
A professor prepares to retire—Gustavo is set to move from Sao Paulo to the countryside, but it isn’t the urban violence he’s fleeing: what he fears most is the violence of his memory. But as he sorts out his papers, the ghosts arrive in full force. He was arrested in 1970 with his brother-in-law Armando: both were vicariously tortured. He was eventually released; Armando was killed. No one is certain that he didn’t turn traitor: I didn’t talk, he tells himself, yet guilt is his lifelong harvest. I Didn’t Talk pits everyone against the protagonist—especially his own brother. The torture never ends, despite his bones having healed and his teeth having been replaced. And to make matters worse, certain details from his shattered memory don’t quite add up... Beatriz Bracher depicts a life where the temperature is lower, there is no music, and much is out of view. I Didn't Talk's pariah’s-eye-view of the forgotten “small” victims powerfully bears witness to their “internal exile.” I didn’t talk, Gustavo tells himself; and as Bracher honors his endless pain, what burns this tour de force so indelibly in the reader’s mind is her intensely controlled voice.
2.) “The Brothers” By: Milton Hatoum
Set among a Lebanese immigrant community in the Brazilian port of Manaus, The Brothers is the story of identical twins, Yaqub and Omar, whose mutual jealousy is offset only by their love for their mother. But it is Omar who is the object of Zana's Jocasta-like passion, while her husband, Halim, feels her slipping away from him, as their beautiful daughter, RGnia, makes a tragic claim on her brothers' affection.
3.) “Crow Blue” By: Adriana Lisboa
I was thirteen. Being thirteen is like being in the middle of nowhere. Which was accentuated by the fact that I was in the middle of nowhere. In a house that wasn't mine. in a city that wasn't mine, in a country that wasn't mine, with a one-man family that, in spite of the intersections and intentions (all very good), wasn't mine.When her mother dies, thirteen-year-old Vanja is left with no family and no sense of who she is, where she belongs, and what she should do. Determined to find her biological father to fill the void that has so suddenly appeared in her life, Vanja decides to leave Rio de Janeiro to live in Colorado with her stepfather, a former guerrilla notorious for his violent past. From there she goes in search of her biological father, tracing her mother's footsteps and gradually discovering the truth about herself. Rendered in lyrical and passionate prose, Crow Blue is a literary road trip through Brazil and America, and through dark decades of family and political history.
4.) “Child of The Dark” By: The Diary of Carolina Maria de Jesus
A first-hand account of life in the streets of Sao Paulo from 1955 to 1960, details the plight of an artist, writer and single mother of three children who, while living in a hovel, supported her family by digging through the garbage for paper and scraps to sell.
5.) “The Sad End of Policarpo Quaresma” By: Lima Barreto
Policarpo Quaresma - fastidious civil servant, dedicated patriot, self-styled visionary - is a defender of all things Brazilian, full of schemes to improve his beloved homeland. Yet somehow each of his ventures, whether it is petitioning for Brazil's national language to be changed, buying a farm to prove the richness and fertility of the land, or offering support to government forces as they suppress a military revolt - results in ridicule and disaster. Quixotic and hapless, Quaresma's dreams will eventually be his undoing.
6.) “Adultery” By: Paulo Coelho
A woman in her thirties begins to question her seemingly perfect life: she is married to a rich and loving husband, has well-behaved children and a successful newspaper career. Her apathy changes when she interviews a former boyfriend, now a successful politician.
7.) “The Posthumous Memoirs of Bras Cubas” By: Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis
The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas builds on a macabre conceit—Brás Cubas, already dead, is recounting his adventures from beyond the grave. This vantage point allows Brás Cubas to talk about his life with the kind of blithe irony and callousness only accessible to those who have nothing to lose or gain.Jun 17, 2020
8.) “Lord” By: João Gilberto Noll
As Lord begins, a Brazilian author is arriving at London's Heathrow airport for reasons he doesn't fully understand. Only aware that he has been invited to take part in a mysterious mission, the Brazilian starts to churn with anxiety. Torn between returning home and continuing boldly forward, he becomes absorbed by fears: What if the Englishman who invited him here proves malign? Maybe he won't show up? Or maybe he'll leave the Brazilian lost and adrift in London, with no money or place to stay? Ever more confused and enmeshed in a reality of his own making, the Brazilian wanders more and more through London's immigrant Hackney neighborhood, losing his memory, adopting strange behaviors, experiencing surreal sexual encounters, and developing a powerful fear of ever seeing himself reflected in a mirror.
9.) “Perfect Days’ By: Ralphael Montes
Teo Avelar is a loner. He lives with his paraplegic mother and her dog in Rio de Janeiro, he doesn't have many friends, and the only time he feels honest human emotion is in the presence of his medical school cadaver--that is, until he meets Clarice. She's almost his exact opposite: exotic, spontaneous, unafraid to speak her mind. She's working on a screenplay called Perfect Days about three friends who go on a road trip across Brazil in search of romance. Teo begins to stalk her, first following to her university, then to her home, and when she ultimately rejects him, Teo kidnaps her, and they embark upon their very own twisted odyssey across Brazil, tracing the same route outlined in her screenplay. Through it all, Teo is certain that time is all he needs to prove to Clarice that they are made for each other, that time is all he needs to make her fall in love with him. But as the journey progresses, he keeps digging himself deeper, stopping at nothing to ensure that no one gets in the way of their life together.
10.) “A Cup of Rage” By: Raduan Nassar
A pair of lovers—a young female journalist and an older man who owns an isolated farm in Brazil—spend the night together. The next day they proceed to destroy each other. Amid vitriolic insults and scorching cruelty, their sexual adventure turns into a savage power game between two warring egos. This intense, erotic masterpiece—written by one of Brazil’s most highly regarded modernists—explores alienation, arrogance, machismo meltdown, the desire to dominate, and the wish to be dominated.
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Joker and the symptomatic laugh
Never before, in the history of cinema, has a laugh been such a source of uneasiness and discomfort
Contrary to previous portrayals of the emblematic villain of the DC comics, Batman, as a malicious, crazy and evil character, Todd Philipps chose, in this version, to make him a human first; a tormented human being struggling with life in Gotham City.
By digging through the psyche of the soon-to-be villain, to get to the roots of the Joker’s mythology, the director manages to subvert the conventions of the superhero film sub-genre. Though subverted, the well-known manichean approach assumed in such films reveals itself here in the manner in which the main character strives to combine his ingenuous nature and the chaotic outside world. Todd Philipps relies on the evocative power of the voice to build his psychological thriller. Indeed, the character’s mental distress is expressed by a nervous laugh that works as a kind of leitmotiv throughout the film.
In Joker, Joaquim Phoenix plays the role of Arthur Fleck, a pitiful professional clown and aspiring stand-up comedian who lives with her mother in a dingy apartment. Simple-minded and excessively naive, Arthur keeps being bullied and ridiculed wherever he goes. Wantonly beaten by strangers, mocked by his colleagues, laughed at on TV, abandoned by social welfare services, and coming from a dysfunctional family, Arthur progressively goes mad and violent, just like Gotham city; a city plagued by political corruption, vice, poverty, filth, unemployment, extreme violence and delinquency.
The inevitable psychological distress, that emerges from so strong a contrast and so many repeated physical assaults, does find not only its physical expression into a nervous laugh but also its symbolic expression into the joker’s vocation as a clown. As such, it comes as no surprise that the film opens with these two central and closely intertwined themes.
The opening scene shows Arthur putting clown makeup on his face while listening to the news on the radio. Instead of showing a colorful and enchanting depiction of the circus scene and its stages, Todd Philipps immerses his public into a dimly lit and rather gloomy room that looks like an old and insalubrious lock room. The environment is plagued by outer and inner noises due to traffic congestion and the radio which keeps airing unfortunate news about the state of the city. Filth, garbage, typhoid fever, bad smell, rats, increase in heating oil prices… those are the news which help to create the stuffy atmosphere in which Arthur grows in professionally. From the start, one has the feeling to suffocate and witness something pathetic at work; a feeling amplified by Arthur making faces in front of the mirror of his dressing table.
Arthur seems unable to smile naturally and spontaneously to such an extent that he needs to stretch his mouth with his fingers to mimic a smile; a smile made pathetic by the tears running down his face. Arthur’s factitious smile and look of despair present, at first sight, a contradiction with the character he is supposed to embody but if one takes a closer look at the symbolic of the clown in pop culture, this attitude reveals the drama that exists behind such a figure. Behind the extravagant make up and exaggerated facial mimics generally lies a darkness which can go from deep sadness to monstrosity.
In the last decades, the clown has become an ambiguous, ambivalent and subversive figure due to the visual dichotomy between the surface (the make up, the facial mimics, the caricatures and the bright colors) and what is under the surface (the identity, the life story, the feelings). What is under the surface is, by definition, hidden from view, therefore open to imagination, and synonymous with concealment, hence the disturbing strangeness that emerges from the potential dangerousness of such a concealment. In addition to this, the mirror is also used to underline Arthur’s dual nature. By duplicating one’s image, the mirror signifies conflicting personalities and can mark a need for introspection.
Pennywise, the evil clown in It by André Muschietti (Stephen King)
Twisty, the clown inspired by John Wayne Gacy, known as the Killer Clown, in American Horror Story by Ryan Murphy
In Joker, Arthur successively fits the different representations involved by the idea of duality, from the caring, harmless and cheerful clown to the sad, neurotic and eventually violent clown. In that respect, it is worth mentioning the direct reference between Joker and The King of Comedy by Martin Scorsese (1983), in which Robert De Niro, playing a delusional and aspiring stand-up comedian, is so desperate for recognition that he goes as far as to abduct the famous talk-show host, Jerry Langford, to appear on his television show.
Arthur’s gradual transformation is foreboded by the way he exercises his mouth in a happy and sad smile in the opening scene. By doing so, Arthur reveals a myriad of emotions. He must, as any self-respecting clown, put a smile on his face but this one bears no warmth, no spontaneity. Its rigidity and exaggeration alternatively give way to alarming, threatening and desperate grins.
The duality expressed by the greek masks of comedy and drama displayed by Arthur is to be associated to his ever-present laugh. Right after his first assault on the street, Arthur is found sitting opposite a psychologist. The scene opens with Arthur laughing uncontrollably for a very long time. His laugh is anything but infectious and hearty. On the contrary, Arthur seems in pain while doing it. His facial features are distorted and uptight, his face tense as if he was about to cry. One can easily describe his laugh as bloodcurdling and disturbing; a laugh which is on the verge to choking him, even.
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Just like the perverted clown figure which instills more pity and fright than buffoonery, Arthur’s bursts of laughter give away a real medical condition. Whenever Arthur is ill-at-ease, confused or bullied, he starts laughing madly and does seem unable to stop it. This condition is called pseudobulbar affect (PBA), which is a type of emotional disturbance condition, due to neurological disorder or brain injury, characterized by uncontrollable and often inappropriate episodes of crying, laughing, anger or other emotional displays. The scene that most exemplifies his mental disorder and extreme vulnerability is when Arthur entertains a little boy in the bus and his mother, misjudging the situation, asks him to stop. Taken aback, Arthur explodes in laughing, unable to control himself, and shows his medical card in an effort to explain what is happening. Combined with the beautiful but tragic film score, Arthur appears utterly powerless and crushed by inner and outer misery; a mental and physical misery materializing in a nervous laugh which makes everyone uncomfortable, including him.
The therapy session provides a glimpse of the aggravating factors of the neurological disorder by capturing Arthur’s current psychological state. He is depicted as a deeply depressed and troubled man who takes many medications with no result. His persona as a sad clown is reinforced by a certain dark humour which he overuses in his notebook : « I just hope my death makes more cents than my life ».
As if Arthur’s traumatic life experiences were not enough, one finds out later that his PBA and awful thinness (see his protruding bones) are actually due to serious physical abuses inflicted, when he was a child, by his unstable mother.
In the end, one can conclude that the voice, as a narrative tool, is used in this film to anticipate, announce, hint at and explain Arthur’s journey to madness.
Contrary to traditional superhero films in which the villain’s tragic past is quickly mentioned, Joker builds its storyline precisely upon the villain’s progressive journey as a victim. And who is more likely to become a time bomb than someone who has been a victim all his life? The origin of the joker’s malevolence is to be found precisely in his traumatic experience of life.
The contrast between a kind and optimistic nature and the ruthlessness of a city and its inhabitants, reinforced by regular humiliations and family dramas, is enough for anyone to blow a fuse and turn to the dark side. But the Joker, considering who he is, puts a smile upon his face, finally embraces chaos - « Isn’t it beautiful? » he asks the policeman in a thrilling voice while on his way to prison» - and laughs at the irony of life, hence the ending. The piece of music, hummed by Arthur in front of the psychologist, concludes the film on a bitter note, its title underlining how unfair and unpredictable life can be: That’s life. But Frank Sinatra’s song is much more than an appropriate conclusion. By using the soundtrack as a diegetic and extra-diegetic music, Todd Philipps evokes both Arthur’s understanding of what he has been through all along and his ensuing thirst for revenge, fueled by injustice, the lack of meaning and the lack of a sense of belonging. Arthur’s smile, while humming, forebodes the joker’s rise of terror in Gotham city. Psychotherapy is over. It’s time for action! It’s time for his destiny to unfold…
That’s life… And as funny as it may seem, some people get their kicks, stompin' on a dream. But I don’t let it get me down cause this fine old world, it keeps spinning around…
#joker#joaquin phoenix#laugh#*nervous laughter*#mental illness#comics#todd phillips#frances conroy#robert de niro#clown#terror#villain#batman#good and evil#film#cinema#super hero#psychological thriller#makeup#mask#the grinning man#gotham city#chaos#filth#political corruption#violence#delinquency#dirt city#irony#desillusion
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