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oscopelabs · 5 years

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3D, Part 1: James Cameron and the Broken Promise of the Third Wave by Vadim Rizov

[Note: This essay is the first in a two-part series on 3D. Part 2, coming soon, will discuss the unexpected peak of 3D as an artistic form. —ed.]

It’s not fair to say that James Cameron ruined projection standards by pushing for a digital changeover—the industry impetus was already under way—but Avatar left less of an impression as a movie than as technological advocacy, resulting in unintended, still-lingering side effects. Cameron dreamed of 3D cinema arriving, finally, at what he viewed as its overdue narrative fruition; he couldn’t have imagined compromising projection standards or undermining film archiving in the process. This is a two-part essay: The first is a grim recap of the Third Wave of 3D, which has unfolded over the last decade. The second will advocate for a secret classic of 3D cinema at its inadvertently experimental peak.

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The not-too-reductive standard narrative goes like this: 3D was popularized contemporaneously with widescreen in the ‘50s as half of a two-pronged initiative to lure audiences away from their TV screens by giving the theatrical experience something unavailable at home. By decade’s end, widescreen was normalized; ’60s and ‘70s one-offs excepted, 3D wasn’t. 1980’s Comin’ at Ya! kicked off its second wave, which had a similarly short lifespan. In both runs, 3D failed to transition from passing gimmick to standard filmmaking option, mostly due to the diminishing thrill of seeing things flying at you, but also due to technological flaws that made the results physically difficult to watch. This history’s a bit of an oversimplification: like sound, color, and widescreen (all of which were experimented with long before they became standard options), 3D had test-run incarnations well before its ‘50s boom. Still, this story is largely accurate. So what makes the third wave different?

Cameron’s ideal 3D would be to create totally immersive worlds, refusing to throw objects at viewers the way the first two 3D waves had done. These effects were presumably cheap grabs for attention, while Cameron was focused more on depth rather than breaking the proscenium. In a (troublesomely unattributed) quote from 2009, a collaborator summed up his approach: “There’s a scene early in [Avatar] where something jumps out of the screen. Jim said, `I just did that so that they would know I know how to do it. But then I stopped doing it because that’s not what 3D is; 3D is bringing the audience completely into the environment of the movie.’” Narrative disruption was not on the agenda; Cameron’s films have always followed conventional dramatic arcs, and Avatar has a particularly unchallenging (“archetypal”) story. This meant yoking 3D to digital projection, which would straighten out the format’s numerous problems once and for all by eliminating both the visual eyestrain and eyeline problems of watching 3D, either polarized (the default standard until digital) or in anaglyph (the infamous red-and-blue glasses format that became a stand-in image for the format, despite being relatively rare) and the double potential for error caused by an incompetent projectionist. Cameron had spent years preparing audiences—and, more importantly, the industry—for a digital conversion. In 2005, he, George Lucas, and Peter Jackson appeared at ShoWest, the trade theater convention to boost for 3D and, by association, digital projection. “I’m giving you guys plenty of warning,” Cameron said. “You’ve got two years to get ready.” His timeline was off, the larger idea was not: In 2009, 16,000 screens worldwide were digital-ready. The next year, that had shot up to 36,000.

It’s not clear digital projection is the optimal way to see Avatar; the late 3D advocate Ray Zone saw the film five times in multiple formats in its first run, concluding not only that film-based IMAX 3D (with two 70mm projectors running simultaneously) was the correct way to see the film, but that “One hint that IMAX 3-D 15/70mm was the native 3-D format for Avatar was that the new large platters would only hold two hours and forty minutes of 15/70mm film—the exact running time of the film.” Nonetheless, Avatar’s overwhelming success sped up a slow-moving push to digital conversion, which the industry had been inching towards for some time. George Lucas had some digital screenings of Phantom Menace, but locally, I remember digital first rearing its head at the arthouse—specifically Austin’s long-closed four-screen Dobie Theatre, an independent that had by then been bought by Landmark Theatres. The arthouse chain went in early for digital projectors, a bright future ushered in Windows Media Player 9. (From a press release at the time: “The film is a milestone in digital origination — a genuine work of art that takes full advantage of new technology. Windows Media 9 Series will show it in all its glory.”) “We can hear the techies in the crowd oohing and ahhing already,” The Austin Chronicle’s Marc Savlov wrote. “It'll only be a matter of time before the entire industry goes digital and the notion of scratched and blotchy film and frazzled frame adjustments will seem very quaint indeed. Progress, baby. We live for it.” My first screening in that format was Russian Ark, Alexander Sokruov’s one-take Hermitage film that would have been impossible to realize on celluloid, with its inherent time limits on how long each reel can be. That projection (the Dobie was only one of four US theaters to play it that way in the film’s initial run) made sense: digital in, digital out.

Still, the stakes of first digital conversion were relatively small; Avatar’s success upped digital’s presence significantly while coupling it to 3D. This is the part that’s different: where previous pushes for 3D worked with (extensively) modified versions of existing film hardware, this time the medium’s perfection accelerated the wholesale rethinking of film production and exhibition. Striking and shipping 35mm prints was expensive, as was paying qualified projectionists, and said prints would get beat up; the longer you waited to see a film, odds were the worse it would look. And “qualified” projectionists certainly weren’t the baseline standard by any means: I remember going to see Talk to Her improperly projected in 2002, the frame misaligned so that the bottom of the frame showed as a sliver at the top from start to finish. (Here’s a much more dramatic projection fail story from back in the day; probably everyone has at least one.) As with any new tech rollout, unforeseen problems followed: smaller theaters crowdsourced funds for new projectors or risked going out of business, digital files proved anything but foolproof in practice, a push for digital archiving placed the history of film at risk as new storage formats proved highly unstable relative to well-preserved film. (This last sentence is a heavily compressed version of what David Bordwell tracked at length in his highly recommended “Pandora’s Digital Box” series.) More succinctly, this is the first time 3D introduced a specific ghost in the machine: every time you go to a multiplex to see a movie that looks way too dark, the odds are good someone left the 3D lens on, and no one’s around who can fix it or who would even care to. What started as an attempt to perfect 3D had the inadvertent effect of undoing 2D digital projection standards.

Again, none of this is directly James Cameron’s fault. He’s just the one who helped push through a change faster than it might have been implemented otherwise. Avatar’s blockbuster breakthrough was followed the next year by Alice in Wonderland, which harvested a billion-plus dollars worldwide, making the case that it didn’t matter whether 3D was native or, as in Tim Burton’s film, post-converted. Not a year later, Jeffrey Katzenberg—another 3D booster—was already worried “the bloom was off the rose” because cynical types “thought they could just deliver a kind of low-end crappy version of it, and people wouldn't care, or wouldn't know the difference.” Five years later, Katzenberg was blunter, quoting (intentionally or not) Easy Rider to convey the extent of his disappointment: “we blew it.” 3D’s never had as big a year since 2010: its revenue has declined every year since, and production of 3D films has gone down. The technology stuck, but 3D’s potential as a normative storytelling tool remains once again questionable until further notice.

Setting aside the grim trajectory of 3D’s current wave, which has seen revenue (and audience demand) for the format decrease, it’s worth reflecting on Cameron’s original idea that 3D would add “depth” to the familiar, instead of a better brand of comin-at-ya effects. For years, whenever people would ask which 3D movies I liked, I’d say Yogi Bear. This is (not entirely) a smartass answer: obviously Goodbye to Language would be a better response, but Godard sought to dismantle all 3D’s rules one event shot at a time, and no one will (be able to) follow up on its visual inquiries. Pina made visual sense (the performers are dancing outside, depth is important), Hugo looked neat, and Tron: Legacy was a cool lightshow (though that had more to do with sheer color overload and Daft Punk’s super-loud score as rendered on the biggest speakers theatrically available, and a 3D expert friend swears it has some of the worst use of the medium he’s ever seen); otherwise, my 3D sampling has mostly been review assignments of bad-looking movies. The worst are the post-converted monstrosities. A real low here was the new Pete’s Dragon, which Disney screened in 3D: it looked extremely dark, which was predictable, but worse, a bunch of shots which were clearly shallow-focus, had all been rendered as three to four separate planes of depth, casting blurry background areas in semi-sharp relief, each shot an unintentional diorama. It was sort of possible to tell what the compositional intent was, but impossible to really envision it.

So Yogi Bear is peak 3D. Why not? At a cost of $80 million, Yogi Bear renders a depth-filled Jellystone Park entirely on par with Pandora, with all of the depth and none of the tacky colors. Both movies tell stories, both benefit from depth to spatially reconstruct a largely external environment: the differences are mostly details. In an interview Google will no longer let me find, but which I swear I remember, Cameron said only 19 shots (or thereabouts, let me hedge) in Avatar featured zero CG. These are, I presume, the shots of Jake Sully back on base; to me, they’re easily the most memorable parts of the movie, capturing the full depth of a set (and its metal walls) in a way that’s way more compelling than a fully rendered fake ecosystem . What if Cameron was wrong and 3D is, fundamentally, not just a way to enhance immersiveness but one which, when deployed in the non-CG constructed world, can recode the nuts and bolts of narrative filmmaking visual language itself? In Part II, I’ll look back at the much-derided second wave of ‘80s 3D to make the case that 1983’s Treasure of the Four Crowns, a little-regarded Raiders of the Lost Ark knock-off, is one of the format’s greatest, most progressive and inadvertently suggestive moments.

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dcbicki · 7 years

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Pirates of the Caribbean: DMTNT/Salazar’s Revenge - spoiler-packed review

Been back home from the cinema for a couple hours now, and it’s time to jot down all my thoughts concerning Dead Men Tell No Tales (or Salazar’s Revenge, according to my movie stub). I’m gonna be breaking this down into sections to make it all a little bit clearer, but I won’t delve too much into the actually plot of the film and - well, basically this isn’t going to be a summary. I’ll end it on a recap of those Will/Elizabeth scenes. Spoilers ahead though, mateys!

Acting: 6/10

First off, it’s safe to say that the new additions to the cast were much needed. I say this because Brenton Thwaites manages to portray Henry in such a way that you just know who his parents are, and Kaya Scodelario’s strong Carina manages to save the rest of the cast from me labeling them as half-arsed. Orlando Bloom tries a little too hard to sound gruff and haunted in his first scene, but he’s seemingly let the charade drop by his reemergence at the climax of the movie, wherein his chemistry with Thwaites is reminiscent of two old friends catching up. (I’ll bite. More on that later.)

Geoffrey Rush is in form, but you get the sense that his time with the franchise would be coming to an end even if his character’s fate wasn’t set in stone in this film. The crew of the freshly freed Black Pearl don’t seem to have much of a purpose, other than to feed lines off of Jack, or rather have him feed off of them. My sister probably said it best: Gibbs is wasted in this film, and there is no good reason as to why that is. I can’t speak much on Javier Bardem’s Armando Salazar because, for the most part, he’s underwhelming. I really don’t think they should have promoted him as the greatest villain to ever walk across the screen of a Pirates film; faced with Davy Jones’ downright frightfulness or Beckett’s cunning scheming, Salazar’s huskiness and slouching leaves little to no impression. Or maybe I was just too distracted by the fact that he was half floating, half standing.

The main problem though, is Depp’s Sparrow. It’s disappointing how a once iconic character has become such a caricature of himself, better suited for a low-rent pantomime than an adventure film of epic proportion. When he isn’t flailing around, swaying back and forth and talking to himself, drunker than usual, he’s spewing out innuendos and coming across as that one dirty uncle you never want to invite to those family get-togethers. The drunken scenes in which we first find him this time around are easier to swallow than later ones.

Writing: 5/10

Many of the jokes rely upon male-favouring misogynistic humour, and the level of unease I felt when Carina starts undressing and Jack urges her on would break the scales. He’s the creepy aging man in the corner, and his crew aren’t much better. The horologist jokes aren’t nearly as funny as they’re intended to be, but despite myself I did end up giggling once or twice at the sheer stupidity of some of what these pirates say. (This is mostly due to Stephen Graham’s stellar delivery though).

I would say a highlight for me were the callbacks to the earlier films, and the majority of my favourite snippets of dialogue come from Barbossa. Drawing his sword and pointing it at Jack, he once again points out that the Pearl can only have one captain.

If you read the novelization, then you will probably notice that plenty of dialogue made it into the film. And this I’m thankful for, because Barbossa’s final answer to Carina’s question cuts me deep and it damn near made me cry in the cinema. There’s heart in the tale, and you sense as much whenever Henry is gazing off into the distance, and you’re never quite sure if he’s just keeping an eye out, or keeping a weather eye on the horizon.

Thankfully, the chemistry between Scodelario and Thwaites works just fine, so their flirting flows quite nicely and it never feels too forced. They don’t try to mimic or copy Bloom and Knightley’s characters, and they work better together than On Strangers Tides’ forgetful missionary-mermaid lovers ever could have.

Effects: 7/10

I’ll admit I was a little skeptical at first, when the trailers first came out and everything seemed to … hollow. Ghost sharks and people with half of their bodies missing screamed Disaster! Abort! to me, but much to my surprise (and delight), the visual effects were actually pretty solid. The ocean parting ways was an epic sight to behold, and I thought I’d need some serious convincing to even consider watching a young Jack prance around, but it worked. And it worked well (if only the flashback hadn’t been such a bore…). The cinematography is beautiful, and the colour palette is hands down better than that of On Stranger Tides. Cyan blue has made its comeback to the franchise and I’m grateful.

3D experience: 7/10

I had the chance to see it for the first time in 3D (but not in IMAX), and I have to say it wasn’t half as bad as I imagined it was going to be. Usually, I avoid watching blockbusters in 3D because the effects never seem to pop and I always leave disappointed, ticked off I spent more money than I needed to. But the opportunity arose and, to my better judgment, I’m glad I went for the 3D viewing rather the original digital format.

Essentially, what stuck out to me, and made me feel as though I was truly there (which is what we want when we go for 3D), involved Salazar, his crew, or The Silent Mary. Their flaking skin constantly looked as though it was shedding, leaving embers floating in the air. (This did require me to lift my head a little big higher though, to basically crop out all those scalps from the audience below since I was sat at the very back, in the very center of the room.)

Score: 8/10

Rather than working solely on new compositions, Geoff Zanelli decided to integrate many of the older themes and suites into his scoring of the film, and I’m glad. I kept my ears attentive for any and all uses of the Love Theme from At World’s End (and there are many! But more on that later…), but I’d say the scores from Curse of the Black Pearl and At World’s End get the most use here. I was on the edge of my seat through that entire bank robbery scene, and only Hans Zimmer’s killer pieces of music can do that to a person. All those classic themes we recognize and love are there, and they help bring the audience back into the sometimes sketchy plot. But the new additions are nice too, and they add a touch of magic to some scenes. I think (if I’m not mistaken) that the music playing over Carina’s discovery of the island full of stars was new, and I’m definitely going to be on the look out for that one.

But my real love, my true love where the Pirates scores are concerned remains the Love Theme from AWE. Pieces of ‘One Day’ are played at several reprises, and the film wastes no time in letting its melody wash over the audience as it airs during the opening scene of a young Henry finding his father aboard the Dutchman. It’s become a recurring theme of sorts where the Turner family is concerned, and this isn’t a problem. It’s almost as though whenever Henry is on screen a segment of this piece has to play so we remember who he is and what his goals are. It works, though. But the best use of this theme comes at the end, and the much-awaited reunion scene between Will and Elizabeth would never have worked without it.

Will/Elizabeth:

I won’t lie, one of the main reasons I was so determined - excited - to go and see this was for my two favourite characters from the franchise. We’d been left hanging (in a way) for near a decade when it came to Will and Elizabeth’s endgame. The writers seemingly gave them an out, but canonically they were destined for a lifetime of waiting and longing. It sucked, but this latest installment tried its best to make up for their unfortunate ending. And, though their situation could have been dealt with a thousand different ways, I’m not unhappy with the way they chose to settle their love story for once and for all. How could I be? They’re two of my all-time my favourite characters, and they are the romantic ship I hold above all others.

Yes, it’s a little annoying that Elizabeth doesn’t even speak at all, but I’m honestly they convinced to Keira to film something rather than nothing at all. She was - I’m sure - a last minute addition to the film, but you would never have thought it. Her first scene works, and it’s well placed and perfectly ends their journey. Granted, one does wonder why their son is the one setting off on an adventure to free Will from his curse when Elizabeth is there, and alive, and healthy, and a former badass pirate herself. But she’s just that: a former pirate. Narratively, and structurally, it’s easier to make Elizabeth the love Will returns home to at the end of the movie than anyone else, because it’s either that or nothing (no Elizabeth) at all. So I will settle for her being the wife waiting ashore that day because otherwise we don’t get anything. And this something is better than nothing.

For those of you seeking a detailed description of their embrace, I’ll try my best. (It has been some hours since I saw it).

Henry is standing ashore with Carina, post-embrace, not too far from where a lighthouse towers over them in the background. This plot of land is where he grew up, and the lighthouse is seemingly the Turner home.

Now that the curse has been broken, he’s patiently waiting for his father’s reemergence from below the depths of the sea. He pulls his spyglass from his waist, holds it up to his eye to gaze out at the sea in search of the Flying Dutchman.

A freshly resurrected Dutchman - with white sails and a healthy glow about it - has already risen to surface. There’s focus on the crew off in the distance aboard the ship for a moment but, through Henry’s spyglass, Will comes into focus, walking towards them.

He stops before his son and Carina, and the two men make their way towards each other. They exchange a hug, pat each other on the back as father and son do, and Will doesn’t seem able to believe that Henry truly freed him. They both smile, and Will says he will have to tell him all about how he broke the curse he thought unbreakable.

Henry pulls the old necklace Will wore in earlier films from around his neck and hands it back over to his father, crunched up in his fist. He kept his promise, and he wishes to return it to his father.

But, as they begin to walk off, Will’s hand on his son’s shoulder tenderly, he finds himself peering off into the distance. From over a hill, we see Elizabeth cross a field of grass. She slowly makes her way towards them, skirts gathered in her hands.

Her face is a picture at the sight before her, and a smile slowly etches onto her face at the realisation of what has happened. Will is free, and her family is reunited.

Only a moment later, the two are hurrying over the bluff to meet each other. It somehow happens slowly yet much too quickly at one time, and the sound of my heart pounding against my chest at the sight of this reunion is no doubt how we can imagine they felt in that moment, too.

It’s hurried, the way they run to each other over the grass and dirt. It’s desperate, and those ten years of longing are felt through their on-screen presence, through their facial expressions. A foot away from each other, they stare, but only for an instant. They hug, embrace as though they’ve dreamt of this moment for years now - and doubtless they have. It’s testament to Orlando and Keira’s chemistry that they can still silence almost an entire room within but ten seconds of re-connecting. At this point, I feel my heart fucking caving in on itself. Their love theme is playing over the scene, and I focus entirely on their faces.

Their embrace is passionate, one of absolute despair turned to sheer glee, and the tightness with which he holds her fucking wrecks my soul. She’s basically clutching at him. I believe their eyes close, and their slowly begin to pull apart from each other, after both of their faces are focused on, all smiles - after they’ve breathed each other in. Though they never let go of each other, it takes a couple of seconds for the shot to pan out and focus on them as pair. He focuses on her lips, looks resolute on kissing her, but she focuses her gaze on his entire face, but mostly on his eyes.

His hands on her waist, it’s Elizabeth who makes that first fraction of an inch to kiss him. Her hands run over his shoulders until they reach his head, and they kiss as needy lovers who’ve been apart for a decade, his hands encasing her, cradling her. (I’m uncertain if the camera pans around them or not, that could just be wishful thinking on my part.) Moving away from them, the focus is then placed on the field beside the lighthouse, when they remain standing, loving.

It doesn’t end here though. Once the final scene has passed and the credits have stopped rolling, you’re in for a treat.

The post-credits is deliberately left ambiguous so we wonder if there’s more to come, and I’m honestly not that surprised by this fact. I would honestly prefer if this were the final installment in the saga. The scene could work as a reminder of Will’s suffering, and the finalization of his curse. To each their own speculation and interpretation though.

The shot starts off on Elizabeth’s face. She’s fast asleep in bed, in a white nightgown with her hair sprawled across the pillow. Next to her, as the cameras slides over, Will is sleeping also, white shirt open and now long hair free, and they’re back to back.

In the doorway to their bedroom, the shadow of Davy Jones haunting figure appears in the darkness as a harsh wind blows through an open window and the moon’s glow highlights his frame. He seemingly approaches the bed, and it’s only when the focus is placed on his claw of a hand that Will wakes up from his sleep and springs back to reality. He was having a nightmare, we’re to assume, and he’s shaken by the nightmare of his old nemesis.

Will sighs, takes a deep breath to calm himself, quickly scans the room. He turns to Elizabeth, places a hand on the far side of her waist, tucked beneath her body against the sheets. It’s a slow and soft move, when he gently pulls her into his side to rest. She lets out a quiet moan, and they fall back into a comfortable sleep, nestled together as man and wife, finally.

Headcanon: They had hot sex for five hours prior to this. (I’m writing the fanfic, don’t worry…)

#pirates of the caribbean #potc #dmtnt #willabeth #dead men tell no tales #disney #[i omitted so much because my stomach is crippling me rn so i'll probably add to this tomorrow or whatever]#[did i imagine half of those moments in the willabeth scenes? probably? i don't even fucking know it was all a dream istg]

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ges-sa · 6 years

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Star Wars: The Last Jedi Review

New Post has been published on https://ges-sa.com/star-wars-the-last-jedi-review/

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Review

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”28032,28043,28056,28055,28059,28060,28048,28047,28046,28050,28061,28062,28063,28064,28065,28066,28054,28053,28042,28040,28039″][vc_column_text]A long time ago…it seemed like a pipedream to expect any more Star Wars movies from George Lucas and Lucasfilm, despite longstanding ideas for Episodes VII, VIII & IX. That was however, until Disney purchased Lucasfilm and made it no secret that they would be continuing the cinematic adventures set in the “Galaxy Far, Far Away”. It’s almost hard to imagine now with three new Star Wars movies released in the last three years, that there was a time when this was nothing but a fantasy. The hype train for ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ has been rolling full force ever since audiences left cinemas at the end of ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ in 2015 and with speculation of Rey’s origins, full details about Supreme Leader Snoke and Porgs; all audiences want to know is whether this newest entry into the ‘Star Wars’ saga is good and worth all the hype invested into it. The short answer is……MOST DEFINITELY!!!

No spoilers here so fear not, you’re entering a safe space.

The Rian Johnson directed ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ continues where ‘The Force Awakens’ left off and ups the stakes significantly for our heroes in the Resistance. This film doesn’t waste any time dropping us right into the thick of it as the Resistance faces off with the villainous First Order while Rey’s story continues after having discovered Luke Skywalker on Ahch-To. There are many instances throughout the film of moments and nods to earlier films in the series like ‘Empire Strikes Back’ and ‘Return of the Jedi’ that will feel instantly familiar to anyone who’s seen those films but at the same time will be very different and altogether new given the context of the film and trajectory of where these moments lead. It’s as though ‘The Force Awakens’ was channeling as lot of familiar ground in a narrative and visual sense from ‘Star Wars: A New Hope’ in order to reintroduce fans new and old to the series, and while there are certainly seemingly still elements of that to be found in ‘The Last Jedi’ it seems a lot less outright deliberate here and more of a slight of hand before taking viewers in some very new and surprising directions which will challenge what we know already and hopefully leave the door wide open to go in bold new directions for the trilogy finale in ‘Episode IX’. Some might argue that the film drags somewhat in the middle of the second act, although I never got that impression personally. It almost seems as though this film not only have three acts, but quite possibly a fourth for as soon as you get the sense that things are wrapping up and the film might be coming to an end (assuming you aren’t the type of viewer who checks their watch during the movie) and then suddenly things pick again and we get a whole additional sequence which almost could have easily been in ‘Episode IX’ but comes across an extra gift from the film makers here and what a gift it is. This is truly one to see.

The film is beautifully directed and shot by Rian Johnson. The blend of live action sets and props with carefully placed and necessary CGI look great and make this one of the more visually enriching and eye pleasing Star Wars films in the series, more so than even ‘The Force Awakens’. The trend of great directors from Episode VII to Episode VIII continues. The visual and narrative callbacks to earlier films are very well done too and at one point there is even a scene that looks as though it was inspired by or directly lifted from an episode of ‘Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs’, anyone who has seen that series will recognize this moment when it unfolds on the screen.

Very little needs to be said about the cast as everyone brings their ‘A’ game. Every major featured character of note gets at least one moment to shine. While the bulk of the movie and the current trilogy so far center around Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), who both more than carry their share of scenes they appear in and fair even better in this movie than the last; every other actor like John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Laura Dern, Gwendoline Christie, Kelly Marie Tran and more both returning and new deserve credit for their performances. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher who arguably give their best performance to date as an older and wiser Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa respectively. It makes this all the more saddening that this will be the final time we ever see Carrie Fisher in this role. One almost has to wonder what her role and impact would have been in the next film in the saga two years from now.

Finally, no Star Wars review would be complete without mentioning the beautiful orchestral score from the legendary John Williams. A veteran of of this franchise, scoring every film in the series, as well enhancing plenty of other classic movies throughout the decades with his distinctive scoring, this film would not sound the same without him. The scoring throughout is so good that I’d strongly recommend anyone with an interest in such things to get themselves a copy of the soundtrack to appreciate it in all its glory.

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Any Star Wars fan worth his salt, new or old, owes it to themselves to see this movie, but if you are already a Star Wars fan you hardly need me to tell you that. While this is a strong self contained story within the overarching narrative of this trilogy and the series a s whole, anyone jumping on board for the first time with film might feel a little overwhelmed and out of their depth without some prior knowledge of character and events that have come before. Try to go into this movie avoiding spoilers as it will make the experience all the more richer and you don’t want to have to leave the room when others start inevitably talking about all the big developments from this movie. ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ and now ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ have both been a treat and cannot be recommended enough. For anyone too young to have been able to see the original trilogy in cinemas during first and 20th anniversary releases, or the prequel trilogy during its theatrical run, this is the closest feeling to capturing that excitement, particularly now for ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Additional Information

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Reviewed on: Cinema 2D Available on: Cinema 2D, Cinema 3D, 4DX, IMAX 3D, Cine Prestige Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi Age Rating: 10-12 PG V Estimated RRP: R50 – R175 Release Date: 15 December 2017[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Likes

The cast and characters, new & old

The story

The score

Dislikes

The development and fate of some characters *currently without knowing what is in store next*

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rob-blog1234 · 6 years

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WEEKEND TV HOT FILM PICKS!

Check out my guide to the top films on TV this weekend and the best of the rest. Enjoy!

LATE FRIDAY 15th DECEMBER

HOT PICK!

Syfy @ 2300 Serenity (2005) ****

Serenity is Joss Whedon’s feature length debut. His previous work was the very successful TV series Buffy, Angel and Firefly. In more recent times we know him for the impressive Avengers Assemble and he also wrote the fantastic Horror The Cabin in the Woods. From the very start of his career - he was a success and this shines through in Serenity.

Serenity is a film set 6 months after the series Firefly ended. It’s a futuristic space adventure focusing on the crew of the space ship Serenity captained by the charismatic Mal, played brilliantly by Nathan Fillion. It is a great adaptation of a TV series to feature length film. Mal and his renegade crew of smugglers get by from job to job constantly steering clear of the totalitarian regime of the Alliance. When they agree to transport a Doctor and his sister who are on the run from the Alliance they really didn’t know what they were getting themselves in for.

This film has a great sense of humour and there is a vein of comedy running throughout. Fillion is in his element with this sort of material. It has some great effects and the whole film has an incredible richness to the settings and story that breathes life and realism into a very entertaining and interesting plot. It has some great characters and this “space western” focuses as much on the relationships as it does the main story. Whether you are a fan of the original series or not this is a great space romp accessible to anyone and everyone.

Best of the rest:

GOLD @ 2100 Gremlins 2: the New Batch (1990) ***

E4 @ 2100 The Impossible (2012) ****

SATURDAY 16th DECEMBER

HOT PICKS!

Film4 @ 2100 Men in Black (1997) *****

There's no better way of celebrating the weekend than with an action packed Sci-Fi Comedy. Men in Black is exactly that. Unbeknownst to the general public a secret department of Men in Black police the goings on of aliens on earth. We are introduced to some great characters, particularly Tommy Lee Joneses Agents K who offers Will Smith a job in the agency as Agent J. The two agents get caught up in an intergalactic terrorist plot that could destroy the Earth. Its comic book beginnings show through the direction and camera work of Barry Sonnerfeld to great effect. It is full of some pretty good CGI and special effects that were state of the art in 1997 and still hold up really well today. The script is well put together, fast and snappy with some fabulous dialogue which further strengthens the relationships and chemistry between the two agents. It's short but sweet at around 90 mins, perfect for a film that's a bit of fun. It doesn't take itself too seriously and so shouldn't the audience. This is great action, comedy Sci-Fi escapism.

Horror @ 0045 Eden Lake (2008) ****

I was surprised how truly horrible this film was, I am surprised how uncomfortable it made me feel and I’m sure that’s exactly what the makers were hoping it to do. It is very unforgiving and deals with such difficult subject matter that I don’t think this film withstands any more than a single watch. It is a bleak, brutal, and more importantly, a very realistic horror that I truly never ever wanted to watch again after my first viewing. In fact all subsequent attempted re-watches have ended in only being able to half watch it as I know what horrible events are coming. The reason for its affectation is purely down to the realism and the ability of the viewer to relate to the characters - they are very realistic and believable. The situations that they find themselves in seem very close to home. If you have ever been witness to gangs of youths on buses or in town centres causing trouble - then this film will really strike a nerve.

A couple’s weekend in the woods turns into a living nightmare as a group of aggressive youths come on the scene. This Horror film contains no aliens, no fantastical beings, no CGI creatures lurking in the night - just pure evil… the evil of people… and we are far more evil than any made up beast that we see on screen. The pace picked up just when required and the story contains a few timely surprises. At the end of this film I was left sitting in stunned silence whilst the credits rolled. This film really isn’t very nice… but unfortunately it really is rather good.

Best of the rest:

ITV3 @ 0825 Ben-Hur (1959) *****

ITV1 @ 1830 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) ***

5* @ 2100 Dirty Dancing (1987) ***

Skyarts @ 0045 Chocolat (2000) ****

Film4 @ 0100 A Dark Song (2016) ****

SUNDAY 17th DECEMBER

HOT PICKS!

Gold @ 1530 It's a Wonderful Life (1946) *****

This is one of the greatest Christmas films ever made - it defines Christmas. It is a feel good film - plain and simple. A perfect Christmas film. No matter how you are feeling - It’s a Wonderful Life is sure to lift the spirits. Merry Christmas!

ITV2 @ 1915 Gravity (2013) *****

Back in 2013 our senses were overloaded with this new level of cinematic experience. It restored my faith in IMAX 3D proving it still had a place in cinemas and it also became one of my favourite films of the year. It felt like I had seen this many times but in fact all I have always done is watched the opening 20 mins over and again, showing its spectacle to friends and family as the destruction of Explorer booms through the surround sound. So surprisingly, this was my first full re-watch.

One thing is certain - this is still an amazing spectacle and the unbelievable amounts of tension remain very much alive on re-watch. I was still left holding my breath at many points during the film. I was still completely gripped throughout, I had actually forgotten how exciting some of the scenes were, my memory almost always just focuses on the opening scene. Admittedly this time I did roll my eyes at some of the script but instantly forgot and forgave them as the tension once again ratcheted up and the next explosive sequence battered my senses into submission.

I called this film a “cinematic success” and this still holds true. It still works wonders on a big & loud home cinema set ups but I doubt it would have the same impact on small screens and portable devices. This film needs to be accompanied by the large cinematic set ups it was obviously created for. A solid, visually ground-breaking film that still carries the tension and adrenalin on repeat viewing. Love it.

C4 @ 2200 Die Hard (1988) *****

John McClane comes home for Christmas but manages to bump into a load of terrorists lead by the amazing Alan Rickmann as the sinister Hans Gruber. Here begins John McClane’s bad luck stint getting mixed up with bad guys where ever he goes. Great story, classic 80’s Action. A must see Action Film. The greatest Christmas film.

C4 @ 0225 I Origins (2014) ****

I was really impressed with Mark Cahill's Another Earth so when I saw this pop up in the cinema I had to catch it before it's limited release pushed it into catch-it-late-on-Blu-ray territory. I'm so glad we caught the late showing on a Saturday night. The cinema was empty... Perfect.

Dealing with scepticism, spirituality, Science and Religion this film takes a few big leaps that you need to roll with but it is put together in such a beautiful way. A splendid cast with performances to be proud of, especially Michael Pitt's Dr. Ian Gray. He shines throughout and is almost always on screen. The beauty does not just end with the cast. Cahill is honing his skills and it looks absolutely stunning, each and every shot purposefully placed and combined with a soundtrack that is expectedly cool and quirky with great mood, it certainly is a lovely ride. The use of Radiohead's "Motion Picture Soundtrack" in the close is fantastic.

So much happens in the plot I'm not delving into it here as that will rush the detailed sequence of events that mould and manoeuvre our lead. The subject matter and the questions it raise are admittedly deep and I felt continually torn as certain events unfold. It touches on many issues and ideas, from reincarnation, belief systems, religion and spirituality all through a scientific platform of a desire and necessity to prove and disprove. It certainly throws up some chewy subject matter. I for one think it was handled well in the most part.

I'm sure this will be a bit chalk or cheese for some with some leaps too far, but I was won over by its overall feel. A great looking film. I am certainly impressed with Cahill's next step in film. I hope he can keep this momentum going.

Best of the rest:

Film4 @ 1100 The Book of Life (2014) ****

BBC1 @ 1450 Toy Story 2 (1999) *****

C4 @ 1505 Jingle all the Way (1996) ***

Syfy @ 1700 The Last Starfighter (1984) ****

ITV1 @ 2000 The Hobbit: the Desolation of Smaug (2013) ***

Comedy @ 2100 There's Something About Mary (1998) ****

TCM @ 2100 The Deer Hunter (1978) *****

ITV4 @ 2255 Gangs of New York (2002) ****

C5 @ 2300 Sleepy Hollow (2013) ****

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milimiki · 7 years

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5:02 PM

So... Titanic’s gonna be re-re-released (Jesus fucking Christ) in Dolby Vision. I got to watch it 5 years ago in 3D, before I discovered IMAX, and that the IMAX version had the frame opened to 1.78:1, supposedly. I wouldn’t mind watching it in theaters again, but the only AMC Dolby Cinema we have in New York City is in Times Square, and there have now been 2 reports of bed bug infestations 2 years apart. So, nah, I ain’t gonna watch in theaters again. I’ll just wait for the 4K Blu-ray.

I plan on watching Justice League on Tuesday. I really shouldn’t, ‘cause I’m kinda short on time to working on other things. But I have to go watch it. I HAVE TO. All those critics and general reviewers for Batman v Superman, who not only bashed the film, but Zack Snyder himself, left a very bad impression on me; I can’t trust these critics and their reviews anymore.

I couldn’t help but read some of the early reviews for Justice League. They’re starting to pop up everywhere now. Some of them still seem a little biased, especially when they compare it to The Avengers (2012). My initial thoughts on Batman v Superman was that it wasn’t supposed to be like Marvel movies, that it was trying to stray away from Marvel’s and Disney’s formula, which I now hate with every fiber of my being. I’m always hopeful that, whenever a new Marvel movie’s released, that they’d do something a tad different from the set formula, and yet I always end up disappointed. Spider-Man: Homecoming was the latest I saw, and that was just garbage. There’s no... depth to these movies anymore. Shallow, superficial, and artificial would be a few key words I’d use to describe Marvel movies after The Avengers. (Still looking forward to Black Panther, though.)

And that’s not what Batman v Superman is; there’s so many things going on in that movie. Hell, the only real complaint I have about BvS is that it still wasn’t enough, that it could’ve been another hour long, on top of the 3 hours of the Ultimate Edition. So there’s a common ground in these early reviews for Justice League; it’s bouncing around. It seems to me like they cut the film here and there, and so I have to ask, who the hell is telling the editors to cut these films? Why are they cutting it this way? ‘Cause I could tell when I went to go watch Batman v Superman in IMAX 70mm, it was cut by a huge margin. Same thing for Suicide Squad. That movie was so jittery, it was cut to oblivion. Even Wonder Woman. It felt like I was being withheld visual information, for some reason. If it turns out Justice League had the same thing happen, shit, I’m gonna have to hope there’s gonna be an extended cut for the Blu-rays.

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maudesthoughts-blog · 7 years

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Spiderman homecoming review **Spoiler Free** go see Spider-man homecoming 7.5/10 would recommend. Now if you wanna know why only 7.5 read on... Ok so first off this is 100% the best spider-man adaptation. Tom Holland bring the wittiness back in Peter Parker that we lost in The Amazing Spiderman and Spiderman 3. First off I am gonna state the obvious that the boy is fucking gorgeous. Multiple times I found myself falling in love with him. He is a phenomenal actor, I had previously seen him in How I Lived Now and Heart of The Sea. Those three roles are very different from one another but he still managed to portray the characters flawlessly. He brought the awkwardness and typical high school Peter Parker I know and loved. My favourite story arcs were always when he was younger and dealing with real world things like growing up. And for that fact I liked the fact that it was set in high school, it made it super relatable. It also brought a lot more charm to the movie. When watching superhero movies I find that it's sometimes difficult to relate the protagonist because they are this superhuman and let's be honest we won't suddenly find out we can fly or have the ability to control people's minds. On top of Parker I loved a lot of the other characters. This movie brings a lot more diversity into the MCU which I thought was necessary. Peter's best friend Ned is a standout. He is fanboy and awkward. He is so lovable. Everything he says and did was funny. I thought he definitely had some of the best lines. Another character I loved was Zendaya's Michelle or MJ. She doesn't wear makeup for the entire movie she is seen reading books and being sarcastic towards everyone. She also has a huge crush on Holland's character he just doesn't know it. One thing I didn't like was the fact that the love interest Liz was extremely bland and average. She was really smart which breaks the usual pretty girl stereotype and I enjoyed that aspect. But she was no Emma Stone (Gwen Stacy) or Kristen Dunst (Mary Jane Watson). She was very forgettable. I wish they would've gone in the direction of Michelle's character being the love interest. This is definitely what's gonna happen in the sequel though and I am here for it. Another one of Peter's peers I liked was Tony Revolori's "Flash". He is technically a bully but you can tell that it's because he is jealous of Parker. I think there was potential for him to have better dialogue. I also thoroughly enjoyed Micheal Keaton's vulture. Vulture is a marvel villain that has never been portrayed on screen. I like that they went for a more unknown to screen villain. Don't get me wrong the vulture has a rich comic book history. My favourite run with him as the villain is the original Spider-Gwen arc. Keaton really made you feel for him. He was also really fucking scary. He didn't look silly and they didn't overdo it *cough cough* Electro ;). The biggest plot twist came from him. I can honestly say I wasn't expecting it. This technically isn't a character but the suit was also surprisingly really fun and enjoyable. I was really worried at first because it seemed very over the top but when you watch it in action it's very impressive and cool. I also like the assistant Karen who is giving me JARVIS flashbacks. I also really liked Tony and Happy's roles in Peter truly becoming Spiderman. The movie also had one of the best Marvel Soundtrack to date. It was hilarious the whole theatre was laughing but lacked in emotional moments that make good superhero movie. I enter MCU and DCU movies expecting that I will shed a tear or two because that makes the stories just that much better. With this movie though I didn't once even feel flustered or teary. For some this must be a good thing but for me what makes a movie exceptional is the fact that it makes me laugh and cry. Since it was set in high school there are also very awkward parts but they fit nicely with the plot. They're very realistic. This wasn't an origine story which was very refreshing. We follow widowed May who is as clueless as ever. But she's hot! I thought it was unnecessary for every male character to hit on her and it made me very uncomfortable. I found that this adaptation was a coming of age story for Peter. He has his powers but he needs to figure out what that means not only for spiderman but Peter Parker. The movie does have many problems though. First off the advertising. The movie was advertised with Donald Glover being a part of it. Sure he was in the movie but for about six minutes. I was expecting them to do so much more with his character cos his character was good. I realize now that they put him in the movie because people wanted him to play Miles Morales AKA black spiderman (look him up he's fucking great). The whole internet was very keen for him to play Spidey but he's a little too old to play a 15 year old. The fact that Peter was a 15 year old 10th grader was also a problem for me, Tom Holland looks young but he doesn't look 15. I think if they would've made him even a year older it would've improved my experience. Another thing is that some times Peter sounds extremely whiny and I guess it makes sense cause he's a teenager. I also would've liked to see more of Michelle's and Aunt May's character. Aunt May is a huge part of Peter's life, being her guardian and all, but she's barely there and if she is some male character mentions how hot she is. I liked that they revamped the character and made her quirky and also she dressed like a teenage girl which was a little off putting at first. Definitely don't go see this movie because of it's ground breaking visuals but the fight scenes and action scenes are well done. I saw it in IMAX 3D but you definitely can skip that. The 3D isn't as well utilized as I would've hoped. The actual IMAX is worth it just because of it's larger screen and the amplified sound made the experience a lot better. This is way longer than I wanted it to be but I have a lot of thoughts on this so here is most of them. If you have seen it though plz hmu because I wanna talk spoilers.

#review #spiderman #spider man: homecoming #tom holland #non spoiler

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valerie · 7 years

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TWITL – week nineteen – new music, new tattoo, etc

it’s just a notion a supposition a fanciful feeling rooted in this imagination

it’s just speculation a break from reality a bit of wishful thinking wrapped in wistful musings

because it’s not real it can’t be true surely it’s merely chance something akin to coincidence

except– let’s ponder this–

give in to the notion for a moment speculate in delight this one thought–

what if it’s not

me with Jordan Davis on Tuesday night in San Jose

Confession– I know about Jordan Davis because of his brother Jacob Davis. And I know about Jacob because mutual Sam Hunt fans shone the light upon him. Since I’m in the Jacob Davis Squad, I am all in with him but I’ve also had Jordan in the periphery. I’ve enjoyed all the songs I’ve heard but for the longest time it was a less active regard. Until now.

When I found out Jordan was going to be in San Jose, my interest piqued and I wanted to see him. Was it because I hadn’t taken the chance to see his brother a couple of months ago? Maybe. But really I was just missing some live, acoustic country music and here was a chance to meet a new artist whose songs I knew. Got two tickets, took the day off, and headed to San Jose in the afternoon on Tuesday. The venue was the restaurant Original Joe’s, in the upstairs area. It was an intimate and casual setting and perfect for an introduction to a new artist.

Before the set, the drummer (Bryce) came over to chat and thank us for coming out. He asked how we knew about Jordan and I mentioned his brother Jacob. Bryce talked a little bit about how he’s from Virginia and how he’d never been out this way. He was very sweet and it was fun talking with him. I probably should have gotten a picture with him for posterity. Ah well! We didn’t meet the other band member. Alas!

Jordan and the boys did five songs, starting with “Take It From Me.” This was followed by “Leaving New Orleans,” “Goin’ Round,” “Detours,” and his upcoming single, “Singles You Up.” All were great! And I sang along to three of the songs! It was awesome! I think he added “Detours,” which I know as a Jacob song. I loved Jordan’s version and he was really into it too. Hearing him sing his songs live awakened that devoted part of me and now I know that he’s one of mine now.

The San Jose station KRTY hosted the event and among the guests were radio folks from Sacramento’s The Bull and Central Valley’s KAT Country. I hope they both bring Jordan back out this way because I would LOVE to see him again!

After the set, Jordan took pictures and chatted with the guests. I was first! I just had to tell him that I knew three of the songs and he said he saw me jammin’ to them; he seemed to appreciate it. I also mentioned his brother and how I’m in his squad and that I’m probably one of three or so who hasn’t met him yet. So Jordan got to meet me first. Well, I didn’t put it quite that way. We had our picture taken (thanks KRTY gal!) and then it was time to go home.

So my impression? Jordan is awesome and genuine and utterly talented. He was approachable and appreciative and all around lovely. I’m so glad I got to watch him this first time in such an intimate setting and I can totally see him going places. I will do my part to tell the world about him and support him by buying his music and going to his shows. He’s definitely one to watch…

finally, my honu and fern

Tattoo #5 was done by JR at Studio 71. After work on Wednesday, I headed home for a quick change of clothes then off to the tattoo shop for my biggest tattoo to date. Did it hurt? Well, of course it did! But within five minutes or less, the pain didn’t really bother me. There were a couple of times where I thought, “Yikes, that kinda burns!” Otherwise, I didn’t mind it at all and in the end, it was worth it. I’m so glad to finally have my honu! The fern gives me a little more pause only because it wasn’t quite what I imagined but I do like how the tattoo looks on the whole. I like that it calls for a second glance if you don’t know what it is. I feel as though I should name my honu but maybe just calling it my honu is enough… I’m already thinking of where I’d put my next tattoo and what I might want to have next. Isn’t that crazy?

MOVIES Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – Viewing number 2 was a solo trek to the local AMC for the 10:15 AM IMAX 3D showing. The movie was just as good in IMAX 3D as it was in standard definition. I enjoyed it as much as I did the first time and almost cried at all the same spots. I love the movie visually and emotionally and I can’t wait to watch it again! Not sure if I’ll do another movie theatre showing but we shall see…

FANGIRL MUSINGS Ever since seeing Jordan on Tuesday evening, I’ve been listening to him and his brother Jacob exclusively at work (except for my lunch breaks). It reminds me just a little of how I would only listen to Sam Hunt when I first discovered him. I cannot wait until Jacob and Jordan release their respective albums. I’m ready for some new music!

Tyler Rich had a few shows this week and I went to none of them. Alas. I’m so glad I follow fellow fans on the social networks and they share their photos and videos online. It’s exciting to know that he’s started recording and I’m hoping he releases a single soon. Something! Must have new music!!!

Congratulations to Simon Kassianides on his short film’s official selection to the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival! Trust No One will be screened during the festival. What a treat to be able to see it on the big screen! It’s really an amazing short. Everyone should watch it.

vimeo

TRUST NO ONE – A Simon Kassianides Film from Simon Kassianides on Vimeo.

LAST BABBLE After my latest tattoo, I of course shared a picture of it online at my usual places. A day later, someone I follow posted a short video of turtles swimming. No commentary or anything, just swimming turtles. As far as I know, the person I follow doesn’t follow me. So is it just a coincidence that I get a turtle tattoo and then this person posts a video a day later of turtles swimming? I’m sure it’s just one of those things. Right?…

from TWITL – week nineteen – new music, new tattoo, etc

#TWITL – week nineteen – new music #new tattoo #etc

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