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The Rise of Online Film Events: Will They Replace Physical Ones?

September 15, 2020

You have MCM London Comic Con twice a year, New York Comic-Con, and San Diego Comic-Con. Sadly, in 2020 we won’t have any of them due to the current climate. However, that doesn’t mean that Comic fans and international film companies can’t come together to enjoy the likes of Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, and Black Widow. Like any other industry, the entertainment industry had to adapt the last few months and did that with a bang. Let’s discover what new ideas were created to bring fans, movies, and comics closer to each other.

10 Reasons to Look Forward to SDCC

Comic Cons in different online forms

The most significant change was, without a doubt, moving comic cons online. Ok, the usual meet and greets, autograph and photograph sessions weren’t possible, but thanks to Comic-Con@Home and DC FanDome, fans could still enjoy the newest trailers, exclusive footage, and panels. It might be less exclusive because everyone can access it, but that’s also the strength of online comic cons. We all know how expensive entry tickets can be, and so the fact that audiences can now access the content for free makes it so much easier for everyone around to world to see things they might never have seen otherwise. Still, we certainly can’t wait to see all the colourful, stunning, and one-of-a-kind cosplays, be in awe with other comic fans about upcoming releases and just feel that uplifting and exciting vibe.

Alongside those newfound events, a few platforms gained more fame because of the changing landscape. One of those was Twitch. For those of you who haven’t heard about Twitch, it’s a video live streaming service from Twitch Interactive, part of Amazon. At first, it focussed mostly on the live streaming of video games but also focused on music, film, and entertainment. Because of the cancellation of comic cons, organizers decided to this platform as their Q&A platform. Instead of hosting a panel in a packed room, they’re now just setting up a live-stream via Twitch. They get to interview the cast and crew of a film or television series from a distance, and fans worldwide can watch it wherever they’re from and submit their questions. To get that ‘exclusivity’ vibe, the live-stream isn’t available after the Q&A.

DC FanDome

Meet and greets with a twist

Standing in a long queue, waiting for hours, and then when you can finally meet the stars in person, it was worth it. Getting that euphoric feeling again won’t happen anytime soon (what a shame though), but there’s still a way with which fans and their favourite actors, directors, and producers can have a tête-à-tête. Just as back in the days, fans can buy meet and greet tickets, but instead of seeing the stars in real life, you get a Skype or Zoom invitation.

While the intimacy might get a little bit lost because of the virtual meet up instead of an in-person one, there’s also a positive thing regarding the online meet and greets. If you want to meet film cast during the comic cons, you wouldn’t only have to pay for the tickets, but if you come from outside the country, you also have to pay for the flight, accommodation, etc. Therefore it can become expensive and also not affordable for everyone. The online meet and greets, on the contrary, are much cheaper and can be bought all over the world. Although the intimacy level decreases slightly, there’s definitely still that feeling of excitement, anticipation, and wonder when that Zoom call in loading.

Modern reunions

Because we weren’t able to come together, we reunited via Zoom meetings and Skype calls and so did the cast and crew of films and television series. There’s only one small difference. Their reunions could be attended by all the fans all over the world. One of the most entertaining ones was The Lord of the Rings one in which the likes of Peter Jackson, Elijah Wood, Orlando Bloom, Andy Serkis, Viggo Mortensen, and Sean Bean participated. The fans didn’t only get insights on what happened when the cameras stopped rolling, but some scenes were acted out again.

One Zoom to Rule Them All (Reunited Apart)

Will online events replace the physical ones?

Right after the FanDome, it was announced that the event got 22 million views across 220 countries and territories. The fans aren’t only standing behind comic cons, but they make sure that the meet and greets sell out and that the online reunions get millions of views. Will online events keep on rising throughout the following years, and will they replace the physical ones or just go side-by-side? To be continued for sure.

Also Read: DC FanDome Recap

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Editorials

Underrated Movies: Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002)

September 13, 2020

This film was released in 2002 and in my opinion, is an underrated classic, a film that covers a dozen genres and never settles on one, ranging from romantic comedy to spy thriller to existential exploration. Despite a decent rating of 7 of IMDb it seems to have slipped from cinematic consciousness. Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind was the directorial debut of George Clooney and was the start of an up and down career as a director, in my view, this is his best film. The screenplay was written by Charlie Kaufman, a writer and director behind such weird gems as Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

“I am responsible for polluting the airwaves with mind-numbing, puerile entertainment. In addition, I have murdered thirty-three human beings.”

Okay, there’s a bit to explain about the background of this film. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind is based on the book of the same name by Chuck Barris, not a household name in the UK but he is very famous in America as the inventor of hit TV shows like The Dating Game (Blind Date to us Brits), The Newlywed Game, The Gong Show and others. That already might be enough for an interesting film but in the book Barris claims that as well as being a TV producer he was a hitman for the CIA. The film explores both aspects of this bizarre life.

“Rather than killing ourselves trying to find good acts… we just put on bad ones and kill them!”

Sam Rockwell plays Barris in what was a string of roles of Rockwell playing oddballs, Clooney is his CIA handler, and Drew Barrymore is Barris’ on again off again girlfriend – the two have an exceedingly modern relationship. Julia Roberts and Rutger Hauer pop up to round out the spy team and there are great cameos for the contestants of The Dating Game.

Rockwell is brilliant as Barris. He plays a distinctly unlikable character – manipulative, violent, cruel while at the same time having genuine charisma. Barris’ impact on television was huge and Rockwell pitching The Dating Game is a surreal moment of someone suggesting something that is in many ways obvious but nobody had done it. Barris is never content and always coming up with new games – including the incredibly titled The Game Game – and just his desperate and at times ingenious climb to the top of television is riveting. Then comes the CIA. Barris kills people, personally, with his own hands and the CIA is hardly particularly scrupulous about who ends up dead. Rockwell manages to hold the idea that these two very different careers can be successfully combined in one man.

Clooney is a typical 1950s Cold War American establishment type, constantly tempting Chuck with the more interesting and more perhaps more fulfilling life of a hitman. Drew Barrymore is charming as always as the hippy free-spirit woman who will just about put up with all of Barris’ nonsense (bear in mind she knows nothing of his CIA double-life).

“When you are young, your potential is infinite. You might do anything, really.

The film really is about Chuck Barris and his idea of success. He takes up the CIA hitman job when he thinks his life is going nowhere and as soon as he becomes successful regrets this rather extreme side of his life. Barris is extremely driven, starting in the NBC page programme (the same programme as Kenneth in 30 Rock is part of) and determined to work his way up. Barris is also quite odd – he regularly starts fights in bars despite being no good at fighting, his dating life is somewhat unusual and is also comfortable killing people. It may be noticed that what Barris makes are game shows, exceedingly low rent gameshows as well, The Gong Show was a talent contest and in the film Barris is credited with having the idea that a talent show doesn’t need people with talent – in fact, it’s more entertaining to watch talentless people fail. Throughout the film people confront Barris about making “garbage” television, with him putting on a veneer that success is all that matters but there is the lingering feeling that that is not the truth. After all, this is a man who legitimately wonders what’s a better life – making gameshows or killing people?

“I’m not killing people… my future’s in television”

Not long after the book was published Barris admitted that he had never worked for the CIA, he had simply made that up. Apparently, in his youth, he had applied for the CIA but had been unsuccessful and this book was partly imagining what that life might have been like. This is never really addressed in the film although the audience is prodded to question just how a reliable narrator Barris is.

For me this film is all about Barris trying to work out if his life was well-spent, was he successful, whatever views he really had on his television shows, whether he saw them as successful light entertainment that made people happy or he thought them brain-dead garbage we don’t know, but it is perhaps telling he had to invent a whole other life for himself as a CIA hitman so perhaps he wasn’t entirely satisfied.

Also Read: Underrated Movies: Power Rangers (2017)

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Editorials

Flashpoint: The Defining Film of DCEU?

September 11, 2020

Originally announced way back in 2014, The Flash movie has had a troubled development. Various writers and directors have signed on then left the project, with the film ironically being delayed several times. Now though it seems as if things are finally moving. Things have changed a lot since it was announced, with DC opting to tell more standalone tales rather than fast-tracking a marvel style universe. The films have done a tonal 180 and the landscape is very different. But could all of this have worked in its favour? Could Flashpoint set the standard for DCEU going forward?

Flash of two worlds

Ezra Miller's Flash meets Grant Gustin's Flash in "Crisis on Infinite Earths" — Ezra Miller’s Flash meets Grant Gustin’s Flash in “Crisis on Infinite Earths” (WB/DC 2019)

Ironically, The Flash is having a very slow journey to the big screen. The film was announced in 2014, with Ezra Miller in the title role, along with several other DC comic films. Many were disappointed that Grant Gustin, who plays the character in the CW/Arrowverse series, wasn’t going to be involved. Instead, this version was going to feature in Zack Synder’s Justice League, but that’s a whole other story. The character had a cameo in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and another in Suicide Squad.

Seth Grahame-Smith, author of Pride & Prejudice & Zombies, was announced to make his directorial debut with The Flash, as well as writing the script. He left the project in April 2016 and was later replaced by Rick Famuyiwa. This seemed promising, as we got news that Iris West and Henry Allen were cast, but Famuyiwa left the project later that year over “creative differences”. A new writer and several other directors are considered, notably Robert Zemeckis, with Back to the Future cited as an influence.

Flashpoint

The film is currently due to be directed by It‘s Andy Muschietti. Miller and comic scribe Grant Morrisson wrote a draft of the script, but this was apparently dismissed by the studio. It seems as though the movie will be inspired by the “Flashpoint” storyline. In the comics, Flash accidentally altered the timeline, causing the world to look very different. After regaining his powers with the help of Batman, Bruce died in the alley instead of his parents, and stopping a war between Aquaman and Wonder Woman, Flash cancels out the timeline and returns to his own, with some small changes.

The original Flashpoint story was a mini-series that served to relaunch the DC Comic universe, by simplifying continuity and bringing in characters from other universes, such as Vertigo. The series was designed as the end of the old, convoluted continuity and the launch of the “New 52”. It has also been adapted into a direct to video animated film, as well as a (very different) plotline in season 3 of the show.

The film following this approach could mean that DC is embracing it’s now disjointed continuity, with its films being set across multiple worlds, unburdened by the continuity of individual films. This would allow them to do more experimental and different films, without having to worry about how it affects any other films. Another interesting thing is that these worlds could still crossover with each other, and themselves, like Into the Spider-Verse but with Batman.

Batman Returns

Speaking of Batman, it was recently announced that Micheal Keaton, who played Batman in the Tim Burton films, is set to be reprising his role for the film. A short time later, it was also revealed that Ben Affleck would be reprising his role as Batman. That’s two Batmen in one film (three if Robert Pattinson has a cameo). The film could retroactively make the original Batman films canon, similar to how the Arrowverse’s “Crisis on Infinite Earth’s crossover made various old shows part of its canon.

Ben Affleck’s return is surprising, after the uncertainty with “The Batman” (now going forward with Robert Pattinson). Affleck’s return, along with the Snyder Cut finally being released, suggests that DC may not want to move entirely away from their “shared universe” quite yet. Perhaps the original plan of a Justice League trilogy could go ahead, but with “Elseworlds” films as well? The Flash could open up worlds of possibilities.

Also Read: DC FanDome Recap

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Editorials, How Film Changed Me

How Film Changed Me: On Sofia Coppola

September 6, 2020

During the brief period in which I studied film at university, we didn’t talk about Sofia Coppola. There was a module on ‘auteur filmmaking’, a somewhat archaic and potentially moot theory around style and aesthetic, that covered, well, a lot of men. Woody Allen, Quentin Tarantino, Wes Anderson, Federico Fellini, and Dario Argento, amongst others, were touted as ‘auteurs’ and, as such, they were a specific type of filmmaker that my, mostly male & straight, lecturers admired. There was one woman on the syllabus; Kathryn Bigalow, a great director who deals into predominantly masculine stories of violence and war.

For our end of year examination, we had to sit an exam on auteur filmmaking (I mean, why?) and we were told to familiarise ourselves with two different directors to make sure we had a suitable range of examples to answer whatever essay questions came up. Choose one from the syllabus, my lecturer told us, and then, if you like, you can choose one of your own. From the syllabus, I chose Tarantino, for my sins, and then I decided on Sofia Coppola. No one told me she was an auteur, but I’d recently watched Lost in Translation, and The Virgin Suicides in quick succession and her pastel pinks and blues, her muted silence, and the stiltedness of both films stood out me. Her devotion to the female experience, though notably middle-class and white, felt different from the hypermasculine bloodbaths I’d been watching in class. There was a slowness to her work, a reflective quality that allowed room for interpretation and thought.

*Lost in Translation / Credit: Focus Features*

At the risk of sounding basic, Coppola’s films deeply affected my twenties. The motionless malaise that she perfected felt akin to my wandering, unsettled, life. I shifted myself from city to city, watched them all pass by in a haze of cigarette smoke. I often had trouble connecting, finding my purpose or identity, and so, someone like Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) in Lost in Translation felt deeply personal to me. She was a woman out of place, both literally and mentally, in a relatively new marriage in which her husband is thriving. ‘I just don’t know what I’m supposed to be,’ she tells Bob (Bill Murray) as they lie next to each other in a Tokyo hotel room. I didn’t either. For the longest time I bounced from possible profession to possible profession; actor, writer, teacher, filmmaker, and many others. Sometimes, I regret the aimlessness of those years, especially when I see people my age or younger thriving (Justin Bieber is my age, for example. As is four-time Oscar nominee Saorise Ronan…) Still, there is something artistic in that aimlessness, in that lack of direction, something in that space that is charged, and that’s what Coppola digs into as a filmmaker.

So many of Coppola’s characters, especially her women, feel stuck. The Lisbon Sisters are stuck within an existence they want to leave in any way possible, Marie Antoinette is stuck within the social entrapments of Versailles, and girls at Martha Farnworth’s Civil War-era school feel trapped in place (a few miles from the fighting) and stuck with their repressed sexual desires. But, let’s be honest, if a sweaty and half-naked Colin Farrell were sitting in your drawing room, you’d be just as flustered. You would do anything to bathe him with a wet rag and don’t even try to tell me you wouldn’t. Still, lust aside (and because if I keep talking about Colin Farrell I won’t stop), Coppola captures a millennial longing for a particular life, one that always seems out of reach, always taunting you.

Recently, the trailer for her latest feature, On the Rocks, was released online. The film reunites Coppola with Murray for the third time and also adds Rashida Jones, Marlon Wayans, and Jenny Slate (she isn’t in the trailer but IMDB lists her fourth and, honestly, I’m very excited about it). The story follows another stuck woman, Laura (Jones), this time in her late 30s, as she reconnects with her philandering father and also suspects her husband is having an affair. ‘I’m in a rut,’ Laura says, she’s ‘the buzzkill who’s waiting to schedule things’ and feels separate from the life she’s living.

It’s hard not to feel, as I enter my late twenties, and find myself with a flat, writing jobs, teaching jobs, and more responsibility than before, that the fun is slowly stopping. The rut Laura is in doesn’t feel a million miles away from my own. I’ve been waiting for my life to change for a while and yet, it’s not happening no matter what I do. I often feel monotonous, controlling, or a fun killer when I note the time, the early morning we all have the next day, or the expense we’d incur. All things which, at one time, we bore next to no concern for – at least, until afterward.

*Sofia Coppola / Credit: Mark Borthwick*

It’s been just over three years since Coppola released her last film, The Beguiled, and On the Rocks feels like a small, but significant, shift. Coppola usually explores the aspirations and issues of younger women, in their teens or late twenties, but with Laura, she’s exploring the late-30s. ‘A woman is at her most beautiful between the ages of 35 and 39,’ her father (Murray) tells her over dinner. ‘Great. So I have many… months left,’ she retorts.

Coppola is a filmmaker whose films I’m going to see. In 2017, I went with two friends to a packed Curzon in Aldgate for a preview screening of The Beguiled and I followed the news of her, now abandoned, Little Mermaid remake with great interest. So, whether I watch On The Rocks in cinemas or if I restart my AppleTV+ account (I mean you know I cancelled that the second I finished The Morning Show…) I’ll be super excited to see what this new (okay, slightly new) direction has in store. After all the madness of the past summer and almost nothing tangible to look forward to film-wise, this finally feels like salvation.

Sofia Coppola’s ON THE ROCKS will be released in Select Theaters around the world October 2 and on Apple TV+ October 23.⁣⁣⁣⁣

Also Read: How Film Changed Me: On Trailers

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Editorials

Underrated Movies: Power Rangers (2017)

September 2, 2020

If there’s one genre that has dominated the last decade, it’s been superheroes. The Avengers ushered in a new wave of superhero films, and soon every studio was trying to kickstart their own cinematic universe. Combined with the effect of the Transformers franchise, and every toy you had as a child was getting a feature film release – enter the 2017 version of the Power Rangers.

Teenagers with Attitude

Power Rangers Cast — The 5 five rangers have since gone to have exciting roles in other franchises, like Stranger Things, Aladdin and Black Mirror (Image Source: https://geekandsundry.com/why-representation-matters-in-the-new-power-rangers-movie/)

Designed as a franchise starter (like everything else) this reboot takes the original Mighty Morphin lineup, Jason (Red), Kimberly (Pink), Billy (Blue), Trini (Yellow) and Zack (Black) and plants them firmly in the modern-day. These aren’t the carefree teenagers with attitude from the ’90s, they’re much more like your everyday teenagers, that just so happen to be able to summon robot dinosaurs.

The original series follows the kids as they become the Power Rangers under the guidance of Zordon, with them balancing their lives as teenagers with saving the world as the Power Rangers. The film tips the balance of this somewhat, with the kids having eleven days to master their new powers. Unlike in the original series, the rangers cannot morph at will, instead of having to achieve the correct emotional state and trust in each other. This results in the rangers all having a solid character arc for them to overcome, rather than just use a device.

It’s Morphin’ Time!

Power Rangers (2017) — The costumes are a mix of the traditional with a modern-day, armour aesthetic (Photo Credit: Lionsgate)

While the film does suffer from the “dark, gritty reboot” trend, it does have some rather heartfelt moments to it. For one, the film is actually very diverse, especially for a Hollywood blockbuster. While some of the races are switched around, the filmmakers were very focused on diversity. This extends to the characters’ backstories as well. Not all of these kids are aspirational, Jason has a criminal record and Kimberly is a cyberbully. All of the rangers have their own stories, Billy, who is also on the autism spectrum, has never gotten over the death of his father. Zack cares for his sick mother and fears that he will one day return home to find she has died alone. Trini struggles to fit in at her new school and fights with her parents as she questions her sexuality.

Like a lot of superhero movies, this is an origin story for the rangers and shows them overcoming their individual challenges by opening up to and trusting each other. They start out as strangers and become a team, by believing in themselves they unlock the ability to morph and achieve their full potential. Although they had some abilities, like the strength and agility, the armour symbolises their progress.

Go Go Power Rangers!

Megazord - Power Rangers — Even the Megazord got an upgrade (Photo Credit: Lionsgate)

Once they’ve morphed, the finale plays out like a big-budget version of a typical episode. The rangers use their newfound powers to defeat the monsters, then form the Megazord to fight a giant one. It’s exactly as awesome as you remember, except this time you’ve seen them grow from a group of troubled teens into a team of superheroes. Even the classic theme tune starts to play. The design of the suits and the Zords are faithful enough to be recognisable, but also being distinct as their own interpretation, something that even Marvel and DC have struggled with at times.

The film ends with a tease of a new classmate- Tommy Oliver, who in the show becomes the Green ranger, after initially being an antagonist. Although we will never actually get to see a sequel, as a reboot is in development, the film does have some good ideas and is a solid foundation for future instalments. Putting the rangers in a modern-day setting and borrowing from superhero films is an excellent idea, and it is a shame that it never quite manages a consistent tone, or make the most of its premise, with the only real big action scene coming at the end.

It suffers from the “gritty reboot” problem because it also wants to be based on a children’s show, and can never quite decide between the two. It does, however, give the kids some excellent character development, and balances it’s ensemble well. It’s a shame it never quite comes together in the way it wants to, but it does have some genuinely great ideas behind it, as well as good performances and effects.

Also Read: Underrated Actors: Malcolm McDowell

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Editorials

DC FanDome Shows Us many Exciting Films We Can Look Forward To!

August 30, 2020

Sadly, there are no Comic Cons these days but there are still many ways in which comic fans can connect with each other and with directors, actors, and film crews. One of those was DC FanDome, a 24-hour event during we’ve got a glimpse of what the future will bring when it comes to the DC Superheroes. Now that we’ve all woken up from our comic coma, it’s time for us to share some new teasers and exciting releases.

Batman is more alive than ever

Due to the ongoing situation, the filming of The Batman had to come to a halt but that didn’t stop director Matthew Reeves from sharing the first look of his upcoming movie. We didn’t only get to see the first official poster but also a glimpse of Robert Pattinson in the Batsuit. While there was only 25% of the movie filmed before lockdown, the team also already provided us with a trailer. After looking at this action-packed, black-red, and compelling footage, we can hardly wait to see what’s up next! The filming of The Batman is expected to be resumed very soon and the movie itself is set to be released in the UK on the 1st of October 2021.

Ok, yes technically this news was announced right before the start of the online event but hey, it’s Batman news that no one saw coming. After portraying Bruce Wayne in movies such as Justice League and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Ben Affleck is putting on the Batsuit again. No, it’s not about his performance in Justice League: The Snyder Cut. No, we’re talking about Affleck’s appearance in The Flash from director Andy Muschietti. Apart from Affleck, only two other members of the cast are confirmed so far. One of them is Ezra Miller as Barry Allen/The Flash and Michael Keaton as… Batman/Bruce Wayne. Yes, both Affleck and Keaton are starring as Batman in one movie. Pretty sure that George Clooney and Christian Bale are eagerly waiting by their phone. There’s no confirmed release date yet, apart from 2022.

Wonder Woman is ready to light up our screens again!

It was in June 2017 that we say Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman in Patty Jenkins’ same-named movie and now the wait is (normally) almost over as we can expect the sequel, Wonder Woman 1984, on the 2^nd of October. We’ve already seen thrilling footage, don’t get us started on that trailer feature the OMD remix, and during the DC FanDome, another trailer was released.

One in which we see Kristen Wiig’s villain Cheetah for the very first time. After starting as Barbara Minerva, Wiggs appears to transform into a human-cheetah hybrid when battling it out against Gadot’s character. Their battle dominates the new trailer which also suggests that the Wonder Woman: Year One graphic novel was the inspiration for this movie. Just as in the previous trailers, we see Steve Trevor having to deal with the ’80s fashion and technology. Check it out for yourself!

Justice League: The Snyder Cut is living up to its expectations

We’ve already mentioned the Justice League: The Snyder Cut and saying that people are expecting a lot of this movie is a massive understatement. Director Zack Snyder confirmed in May that his version of Justice League will see the light of day (Hallelujah!) and later on it was announced that the 4-hour long film will be released on HBO Max next year. Apart from making sure that every character gets more screen time, Snyder will probably also go for a score by Tom Holkenborg, who was replaced by Danny Elfman for the theatrical cut. There will also be some changes in the colours that are used and the aspect ratio as they will use the “1.66:1 aspect ratio”, known as the European Widescreen.

Welcome to the Squad!

We also got a first look of James Gunn his The Suicide Squad and based on the extended behind-the-scenes look that Gunn revealed himself, we’re up for a star-studded superhero movie! Many of the 2016 Suicide Squad film castmembers will return such as Margot Robbie (Harley Quinn), Viola Davis (Amanda Waller), Joel Kinnaman (Rick Flag), and Jai Courtney (Captain Boomerang) but there is also a bunch load of new names added to the impressive bill. Those include the likes of Idris Elba (Bloodsport), Alice Braga (Sul Soria), Nathan Fillion (T.D.K.), John Cena (Peacemaker), and Peter Capaldi (Thinker). Gunn’s brother Sean will also appear as Weasel. If everything goes according to plan, the movie will be released on the 6^th of August 2021.

What’s next for DC FanDome?

When announcing the DC FanDome, it was nail-biting time for everyone involved because it was and is still a one-of-a-kind event. It seems that the gamble paid off for Warnes Bros. According to Variety, the DC FanDome event generated 22 million views across 220 countries, and because of that organisers are thinking about creating similar online events, alongside physical ones of course. It seems that filmmakers, comic books, and movie lovers will be united in more ways than before!

Also Read: Marvel VS DC: The Bitter Divide

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Editorials

How The Grinch Was Made To Steal Christmas?

August 28, 2020

Making The Grinch [Source: adventuresofkap.wordpress.com]

How was Dr. Seuss’ cartoony Christmas classic translated into a realistic world? Today we’ll look at how the world of How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) was created. Focusing on the realisation of Whoville’s snowflake world; the costumes/makeup of the Whos and the Grinch. But first, let’s look at the film’s inspiration.

The Original Designs

Dr. Seuss’ book drawings are very much aimed at children. Much of his scenery and objects are warped and lack straight lines. The people have weirdly long bodies, round chests, and stomachs; their faces being more prominent above their top lip. And the Grinch looks oddest. With fur covering his body. A figure-eight shaped head, large around his mouth and smaller near his eyes. And animalistic facial features such as whisker holes and an upper lip parting. How can you make something so cartoony work in live-action?

See Dr. Seuss’ original illustrations in this video [Source: Brightly Storytime YouTube]

Creating the Snowflake World

Director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer wanted the film to feel true to Seuss’ world, so the crew set to work accomplishing this goal.

Production designer Michael Corenblith and his team broke down some of Seuss’ reference points and worked them into the sets. Whoville was structured like a medieval village, the Christmas tree being the central hub. The town hall was modeled on Greek architecture, Farfingles department store on Parisian art nouveau and Moroccan and Islamic architecture elements were also included. Resulting in a world that looks timeless and very Seussian.

Props also needed to be considered. Prop master Emily Ferry and her team sourced items from antique shops and retrofitted them into new designs reminiscent of Seuss’ wavey retro style.

Then the film was given some finishing visual effects touches. This included filling out shots with computer-generated Whos and adding digital backgrounds and skies to fill in the world. But arguably the most important creation is the opening. Inspired by Horton Hears a Who the opening places the story within a single snowflake. We track through the snowflake until we see a full view of Mount Crumpit and Whoville. All of this was created digitally. This effort makes the Grinch’s world feel truly fantastical.

A Whoville shot with all of the special effects put in [Source: annotatedgilmoregirls.com]

Every Who down in Whoville

Producer Brian Grazer wanted the Whos to look otherworldly but predominantly human and “cute” to contrast the Grinch’s monstrosity. According to special makeup effects designer Rick Baker, the designs were difficult to perfect as some Seussian elements, particularly the focus on the nose, looked frightening. Eventually, they found the right design. Then they had to work on outfitting all the actors to look like Whos.

The production team made foam rubber pieces to apply to the actors which gave them prominent noses and a big gap between their lips and noses, with a faint edge that blended into their skin. Several Whos also received fake ears and brows to complete the otherworldly effect. Costume designer Rita Ryack also made creative costumes that allowed each Who to stand out. Lastly, the Whos were given dentures and inventive wig/hair designs that suited Seuss’ illustrations.

Applying the Who makeup [Source: Universal]

Giving the Grinch Life

For Rick Baker, the biggest challenges when creating the Grinch were finding a design that looked recognisably Grinchian and wouldn’t limit Jim Carrey’s facial expressions. To achieve the design, he made the makeup as thin as possible in certain areas to allow Carrey to move his face. The makeup took approximately two and a half hours to apply and one hour to remove.

Carrey also wore a spandex suit covered in green-dyed yak hair (the green colouring was inspired by the 1966 Chuck Jones cartoon) to give him that iconic look. Which must have been boiling under all those set lights. According to Carrey, Brian Grazer hired someone responsible for training CIA operatives on how to endure torture to get Jim to stay, the process was that taxing.

Jim Carrey having his Grinch makeup applied [Source: Universal]

Conclusion

Fortunately, the work paid off. The film was the sixth highest-grossing movie of 2000. It won Rick Baker and Gail Rowell-Ryan an Oscar for Best Makeup and received nominations for Best Costume Design and Art Direction-Set Decoration. The film also made Jim Carrey’s Grinch and the live-action Whos iconic pop culture figures and has captured many imaginations for the past two decades.

Also Read: Who Did It Better?: How The Grinch Stole Christmas

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Editorials

The Brilliance Of The Truman Show

August 25, 2020

Spoiler Warning – Massive spoilers ahead for The Truman Show

The Truman Show is a brilliant film. A short review but it gets to the point. In our difficult to socialise times, I have watched a number of old movies and decided to rewatch this film, which I hadn’t watched in years, and loved it as much as I ever did.

The Film

Jim Carrey plays Truman Burbank – a man who was adopted by a television company as a baby and has been filmed and broadcast to the world for just about every moment of his life. Everyone around him is an actor and the world as he knows it is completely controlled by the show’s director, Christof. Truman knows none of this and thinks he has a perfectly normal life. At the start of the film, events take a turn that lead Truman to suspect that there is something wrong with the world and he begins to pick at some of the loose threads of this reality.

Jim Carrey’s Performance

When I saw The Truman Show, Jim Carrey was the guy from The Mask and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, a super over the top turned up to eleven comic actor and, at the time, I really liked that Jim Carrey. I daresay Jim Carrey’s involvement was what first made me want to see The Truman Show. Carrey’s performance was not only brilliant, it was surprising, I simply did not know this was something he could do. At times Carrey’s performance is genuinely heartbreaking. Memorable scenes are those of his young romance with one of the extras who tried to tell him the truth, to the conquering his phobia of the water to sail away from his fake home, to his final confrontation with Christof. There are a few moments of Carrey breaking out his wilder side, when Truman is realising something is wrong, and as we can probably assume this is him in the middle of a nervous breakdown it makes perfect sense. The fact that Jim Carrey was not even nominated for an Oscar has gone down in history as a famous “Oscar snub”.

After this film, Carrey would be considered a very talented actor – adept with comedy and drama, giving equally sensational performances in Man On The Moon and Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, whilst remaining a regular comedic actor.

And Laura Linney’s For That Matter…

While we’re talking about acting a quick note on Laura Linney, who played Truman’s wife (or rather the actor playing Truman’s wife). I had never picked up before just how sinister a character she is, more than any of the other actors she is tasked with keeping Truman in the dark – with the possible exception of the actors who played his parents. She undermines his confidence, she plays on his fears and while many of the actors and those making the show are lying to Truman many seem to have some kind of affection for him – not so much with Linney’s character.

The Audience

The show is hugely popular around the world and the film has a great deal of fun dealing with this and how the set works. There are legions of actors who simply exist to make it seem like a real town or the “adverts” that exist in the show – Laura Linney is fantastic at talking to Truman about new products like she’s in a commercial. We do see a number of people watching the show; there is a Truman bar that screens it non-stop, and the final third of the film has a lot of shots of people simply reacting to Truman’s escape attempt. Those watching are shown to be ecstatic when he does escape – one viewer is watching in the bath and as Truman’s boat is nearly capsized his frantic clinging to his shower curtain is amazing. Of course, there is the massive problem of the show’s audience – we are meant to see Truman as a prisoner, someone who has suffered, those watching the show have kept him in that prison.

Relevant Today

The Truman Show came out in 1998, just around the time reality television was really taking off. Obviously The Truman Show’s premise is a lot darker than actual reality television (well, most of it) the question of what an audience will watch for entertainment and ignore any associated moral problems is more relevant now than ever. The show’s director, Christof, passionately defends what he has done to Truman but even in the most benevolent light he has done terrible things to him – manufacturing phobias, killing Truman’s family members, regularly placing Truman in stressful situations. In the film, the show is a huge worldwide success, more than justifying the huge cost of making it, and it is a genuinely interesting question – would this show be popular in real-life?

Relevance To Me

I saw this film as a child when it first came out and it is very important to me. Before The Truman Show most of my favourite films were silly comedies and action/scifi blockbusters – this was one of the very first films I loved that could be called a “drama”. Now, there’s nothing wrong with silly comedies and blockbusters but that’s not all there is. The film, in an odd way, taught me something about myself. I saw the film at the cinema on the weekend, on Monday morning I was back in school and we were discussing what we did over the weekend. I said I watched The Truman Show and was asked if it was any good. I responded by praising the film in the most eloquent way my teenage self could. What I learned was that it’s not a good thing to like things too much, you’re not meant to love films or be passionate about them, they’re meant to be “okay”. And that could be applied to much of life – it’s just meant to be okay. To be passionate about something is to reveal part of yourself and to make yourself vulnerable – and that is something you should never ever do. Of course, not long after I realised this was nonsense and I embraced my love of films (and more) and my life is infinitely better for it.

And In Case I don’t See Ya, Good Afternoon, Good Evening and Goodnight

This really is an amazing film and would highly recommend it to just about anyone. It has just about everything – great acting across the board, an interesting and original idea, it’s funny, moving and meaningful. It is a film that will actually leave you happy and uplifted after being put through an arduous experience.

Also Read: 1994: The Year of Jim Carrey

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Editorials

What Does The Termination of Paramount Consent Decrees Mean For The Film Industry?

August 22, 2020

Two weeks ago, the film industry was shaken up again. The Paramount Consent Decrees were lifted by a U.S federal judge and this was a slap in the face of the film exhibitors. 2020 hasn’t been the best year for cinemas, to say the least. They needed to close for a long time because of COVID-19 and the (indefinite) postponement of the newest releases. Thanks to the Paramount Consent Decrees, there was still some hope. The decrees were put into place to stop film studios from block-booking and getting full ownership of theatre chains. It also prevented big distribution companies from turning the film industry into monopolistic trade practices. Now that those decrees are coming to an end, there might be much more intervention from major film companies. The question is: Will this be the beginning of the end for the film industry as we know it?

What are the Paramount Consent Decrees?

Before finding out which impact the halt of these decrees has, let’s go back in time and get to know more about it. The Paramount Consent Decrees saw the light of day in 1948 and cut off big production companies from only showing their films in the cinemas that they purchased. They focussed particularly on the Big Five Studio, such as Paramount Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, and RKO Pictures. While there was still some space for block-booking, it was very restricted as the block size was limited to only five films. The blind buying, buying films before seeing the movies beforehand, wasn’t allowed anymore and an administration board was founded to make sure that these requirements were enforced.

While the Paramount Consent Decrees was institutionalized in 1948, a lot of discussions happened before that. Right after the first draft was drawn up in 1942, the studios disagreed with it and didn’t fully comply with the decree. Therefore they proposed another plan called the “Unity Plan” with which companies could buy theatres and cinemas could still reject the films. This was obviously to the dislike of the Society of Independent Motion Picture Producers and they came up with a lawsuit. Eventually, the United States Supreme Court chose in favour of the theatres in 1948.

After more than 72 years, this hard-won case is now coming to an end. It’s no surprise that when this news was announced the market value of major American players in the movie industry rose. AMC went up by 14.7%, Cinemark with +5.3%, Marcus with +6.57%, Imax by +3.3% and National CineMedia by +2.4%.

The Paramount Case

What does the termination of Paramount Consent Decrees mean for the film industry?

Lately, we’ve seen that delaying one movie has a massive impact on many different parties. The toppling of the Paramount Consent Decrees is no different. The biggest impact is without a doubt the one felt by the film exhibitors. While at first, they were still, to some degree, able to choose what they wanted to screen and on how many screens but now those terms can be fully dictated by the big production companies. This also impacts the kind of movies that will be shown in cinemas. The blockbusters will gain even more attention, theatre slots, and ‘screen time’ while independent films or films with a lower budget aren’t getting the possibilities they deserve.

It probably will also affect the diversity we see on screen. It might not be the biggest impact because we already see the A-list actors in most of the films but that percentage of big stars will rise even more. This will give upcoming talent almost no chance due to which the diversity of nominees for award ceremonies will decrease.

Other players in the film industry that feel the aftermath of this decision are the production and distribution companies. They now have the chance to buy cinema chains that will only screen their own produced movie. This results in companies trying to monopolize the movie landscape. One of the biggest examples is without a doubt that Amazon could be the possible buyer AMC Theatres, which also includes the Odeon chain in the UK. It’s just the question of whether or not they will go for it.

They probably won’t take that chance and we’ve seen the reason for that during the last few months without even noticing it. It’s because of the rise of streaming services such their Amazon Prime but also Diney+ and Netflix. Those services, which also are production and distribution companies at the same time, saw that people wanted to see their content on their platforms so why should they invest in theatres when they can use the money to improve their platforms and content.

What will the future hold for the cinema and theatre chains?

The future of cinema and theatre chains is so unpredictable. We’re just going to have to wait what impact COVID-19, the upcoming of new streaming services and the ending of the Paramount Decree have. To be continued that’s for sure.

Also Read: BAFTA: Steering Towards Greater Inclusion

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Editorials

Locations From Popular Movies You Can Visit

August 20, 2020

There are many iconic locations from movies. Like the Emerald City, Hill Valley or the Mos Eisely Cantina. Some of them are just as important as the characters, while others offer us insight into their psyche. While often they exist purely in a studio, sometimes a real-world landmark will be used, although you might not always notice. Here are a selection of real-world buildings used in famous films, so you too can visit these famous places.

Hatley Castle – Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters (X-Men)

Hatley Castle - X-Men — As well as the exterior, some of the rooms and corridors feature in the films (Photo Credit: thevintagenews.com)

Hatley Castle in British Columbia has a rich real-world history of its own. Originally a mansion it has been a naval training facility, a military college, and a university. The location is probably most well known as Xavier’s Mansion in the X-Men films, where Professor X provides safety and teaches mutants to control their powers. Some of the interiors are used across the series, although no one has reported a hidden, futuristic basement or high tech jet plane leaving the grounds. The castle has featured in several other projects, such as Arrow, Smallville, and The Changeling.

Skellig Michael – Ahch-To (Star Wars)

When The Force Awakens opens, the opening crawl reveals that Luke Skywalker has vanished. At the end of the film, Rey travels to the planet of Ahch-To, to find Skywalker living in exile atop a small island. That island is actually Skellig Michael, one of the Skellig Islands just off the coast of Ireland. On the summit is a 6th Century Monastic settlement, which is where the Caretakers lived in The Last Jedi. It is also home to a variety of birds, most notably puffins, which, because of their protected status, couldn’t be moved out of the way. Rather than digitally remove them, the filmmakers decided to work with them and they became the adorable porgs.

Waikato – The Shire (Lord of the Rings/ The Hobbit)

While this list could easily be filled exclusively with New Zealand and locations that double for Middle Earth, the Shire is arguably the most iconic. Home of the titular hobbits, both Middle Earth trilogies begin in this beautiful, peaceful land. When Jackson and crew returned to film The Hobbit trilogy, they rebuilt Hobbiton with more permanent materials, meaning that it will stay as it appears in the film for years to come. As well as building Hobbit holes, the Green Dragon Inn has also been recreated, as well as themed celebrations taking place.

Timberline Lodge – Overlook Hotel (The Shining)

Timberline Lodge - The Shining — It only looks slightly less creepy in the daytime (Photo Credit: OregonLive.com)

While one may expect a hotel with a reputation like the Overlook Hotel to not have many visitors, in reality it’s appearance in the film has only made it more popular. While the exterior shots were filmed here, most of the interior shots were shot in a studio, and ironically based off another hotel entirely. The hotel managers requested that the filmmakers change the room number, fearing it would deter guests. This has actually had the opposite effect, with room 237 now the hotels most requested room. The hotel that inspired the original book is a whole separate hotel, which could actually be haunted.

Edgartown – Amity Island (Jaws)

You can even go in the sea if you’re feeling brave enough (photo credit: The Telegraph)

Despite being a fictional setting, Amity Island exists almost in it’s entirety in Martha’s Vineyard. Spielberg elected to shoot in the sea rather than in a studio, and consequently saved several small buisnesses in the area. The town hall remains in use today, while the beach itself is more popular than ever. Even the ravaged remains of the “Orca” the boat our heroes sail in, are displayed proudly. Perhaps the most unexpected star is the “Jaws bridge”, where tourists throw themselves into the sea and climb back to land just like in the film.

Also Read: Big Screen To Small Screen: Films That Would Make A Great TV Series

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Editorials

Underrated Actors: Malcolm McDowell

August 18, 2020

Malcolm McDowell, one of the worlds most underrated actors [Source: ITV]

Today I want to spotlight one of the world’s most underappreciated actors, Malcolm McDowell. In this article, I’ll give a brief biography of McDowell before stating why I feel he is underrated. Lastly, I will recommend five great performances of his for you to watch.

Who Is Malcolm McDowell?

Born Malcolm John Taylor in Leeds, England in 1943, McDowell caught the acting bug in his school years. Later he joined a touring repertory theatre company before moving to London. There he landed work with the Royal Shakespeare Company, several television bit parts, and was meant to make his big-screen debut in Ken Loach’s Poor Cow but his scenes were deleted. Regardless, he received an impressive debut as the lead in Lindsay Anderson’s If…. a year later. Across his career, he has worked with many notable creatives in many different genres; over film, TV, videogames and theatre.

Why Is He Underrated?

McDowell is underrated because despite having a career spanning over five decades, with a vast catalogue of credits, most people only mention A Clockwork Orange when talking about him. And McDowell deserves appreciation for the great work he’s done outside of Kubrick’s masterpiece.

McDowell belongs to the old crowd of British screen actors like Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, who kept working even if the projects weren’t the best quality. And, like Cushing and Lee, McDowell never sleepwalks through a performance. Often being the lone bright spot in many films he appears in.

McDowell said he doesn’t think of himself as an artist, he just loves acting. In the age of prima donna actors, actors concerned about image over craft and method acting to a fault, it’s refreshing to see someone simply acting because he likes it. And the fact that someone so talented is willing to do so many different types of projects is honestly exciting. You never know what film you’ll get with McDowell, but you know he’ll be great.

Five Great Malcolm McDowell Performances

1. Alex DeLarge – A Clockwork Orange

The story of a psychotic teenage thug who loses his free will after a government experiment, A Clockwork Orange works so well because of McDowell’s performance. Not only does he make the Burgessian dialogue sound natural, but McDowell allows us to alternately feel frightened of and sympathetic for a truly despicable character, thanks to his charm and superb physical performance. There’s a reason this is considered McDowell’s best role.

Alex enjoying a nice cold glass in the Korova Milk Bar in A Clockwork Orange [Source: Looper]

2. Mick Travis – If…, O Lucky Man! and Britannia Hospital:

The only constant in Lindsay Anderson’s thematic trilogy was everyman Mick Travis. Travis helped audiences navigate Anderson’s surreal worlds. Whether he was a revolutionary, being chewed up, and spat out by arms dealers only to become a film star or being transformed into a Frankenstein’s monster, McDowell made you feel for him every step of the way.

Mick Travis looking ready to start a revolution in If…. [Source: Pinterest]

3. Caligula – Caligula

As Caligula, McDowell looks right at home, committing horrendous acts and losing himself in hedonistic abandon with childlike glee. But beneath the tyranny is an affection for those close to him that gives him a layer of depth rather than simply being a madman. McDowell is brilliant at giving even his most monstrous characters in humanity.

Malcolm McDowell as the third Roman Emperor *Caligula* [Source: Los Angeles Times]

4. Dr Samuel Loomis – Rob Zombie’s Halloween Duology:

Love or hate Rob Zombie’s Halloween films, McDowell is the perfect replacement for Donald Pleasence as Dr. Loomis. Through both films, McDowell makes the role his own. Bringing class and gravitas while offering a more emotional and flawed interpretation of the character. Even if the scripts don’t work, McDowell gives the role dignity and dimension.

McDowell would have made Donald Pleasence proud in *Halloween (2007)* [Source: Bloody Disgusting]

5. Thomas Pembridge – Mozart in the Jungle

In this series, McDowell plays the New York Symphony Orchestra’s stuffy ex-conductor. Initially antagonistic towards those around him, we soon realise his attitude comes from not accomplishing everything he wanted to in the spotlight. So, he tries to amend himself. McDowell’s perfect comedic timing, curmudgeonly attitude, and ability to weave between comedic and heartfelt make him an enjoyable presence in the Jungle.

Thomas may be cruel sometimes but he is one hell of a maestro in *Mozart in the Jungle* [Source: IMDb]

Even this barely scratches the surface of McDowell’s great roles. But hopefully, this article has encouraged you to check out and appreciate more of McDowell’s work. Be sure to tell me your favourite Malcolm McDowell roles below.

Also Read: The Anatomy of a Christopher Nolan Film

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Editorials, How Film Changed Me

How Film Changed Me: On Trailers

August 16, 2020

Sometimes I wonder if I love trailers even more than I love the movies themselves. As a kid (and, hell, even now) I never wanted to miss the trailers, the two-minute mini-movies that reek of possibility. Sure, I’ve seen most of them before, at previous screenings or on YouTube, but that doesn’t quell my excitement. Last year, for example, I felt the same wide-eyed wonder every time a saw the trailer for Hustlers, which was exceptional and set to Cardi B’s ‘Money’, and every time Jennifer Lopez delivered her lines, it felt like the first time. It was the same the year before with the trailer for A Star is Born, when Lady Gaga belted gibberish over images of private jets and motorcycle rides, I felt a giddy, childlike glee.

It’s not just me who is excited by them either; there is a whole industry built around trailers. Now, studios rely on YouTubers and internet sites to deconstruct them frame-by-frame, to search for clues, and talk about them on Twitter. They hope that the internet erupts with discussion and excitement. Remember last summer? Was there anything more discussed than the Cats trailer? From the horrified to the morbidly curious, digital fur technology and a-sort-of-sexy-but-I-don’t-really-want-to-think-about-it-because-he’s-meant-to-be-a-cat Jason Derulo captured the hearts and minds of the internet. It became instantly meme-worthy, and you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who hadn’t seen it. Cats is an example of how a trailer can become a cultural event in the same way music videos like ‘WAP’ and shows like Tiger King were this year. Even if the movie itself bombed, it cemented itself within our cultural consciousness in just two-minutes-and-thirty-three-seconds, and that’s exactly what the studios want.

Jason Derulo - Cats — *Cats / CREDIT: Universal Pictures*

These days, you have to have a keen eye when it comes to trailers. I can generally tell a studio is trying to promote a stinker from the trailer they release. After all, millions of dollars go into these films, and then, when they’re presented with a naff final product they have no choice but to try and sell it. However, if you look closely, you can tell. When I saw the trailer for The Goldfinch, I knew. Jojo Rabbit, I knew. Downhill, I knew. How to Build a Girl, I… well, actually I had no idea about that one (lol jk, I knew). Advertising teams try to hide bad films by editing bombastic trailers for them; they use quick cuts and let it all build to climax. Still, even if trailers act as smoke and mirrors for bad movies, there is nothing better than seeing a great trailer; one that gets your blood racing and has you on your knees asking your God (in my case, Stevie Nicks) not to let you die before that film comes out.

At the end of August, the cinema’s will finally have new releases to screen and the trailers for those are already out there. Tenet, the Bill & Ted sequel, and The Kingsmen prequel are all slated to open in September. October holds Wonder Woman 1984 and Candyman (which had a stellar trailer set to a creepified version of ‘Say My Name’ by Destiny’s Child) while November offers Black Widow and No Time To Die. The trailers for these all came out months ago, and the studios are hoping that audiences remember them.

As for me, the most exciting trailers released recently are both for Netflix. I’m Thinking of Ending Things Charlie Kaufman’s latest endeavour starring a cast of people I adore – Jessie Buckley (who deserves all the world), Jesse Plemons (who is one of my favourite actors working today and is also married to Kirsten Dunst which is a huge bonus), and Toni Collete (who is literally incomparable to everyone else) to be precise. The trailer is a weird mix of spooky and challenging which, if you look at Kaufman’s oeuvre, fits perfectly. It’s the first time, since lockdown began, that I’ve felt excited about a film release and I’ve watched the trailer about fifteen times since it dropped last week.

Then, they also have the star-studded and much anticipated The Devil All the Time which brings together everyone’s internet crushes: Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Sebastian Stan, and Riley Keough into a bizarre-looking gothic tale of the American South. This one could go either way, quality-wise, but it also has Robert Pattinson pouring spiders onto his own face so… well, do with that what you will.

Soon, we will be able to sit in dark spaces and revel in the coming attractions. Hopefully, those films will keep coming and, after a nearly six-month break, the back end of 2020 could be pretty crowded. To stand out, they’ll need some killer trailers and I, for one, am ready for them.

Also Read: How Film Changed Me: On Moving House

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