Getting rid of Thanos
In case you don't know: Thanos is a Marvel villain and featured in the upcoming Avengers movies.
Well well, Marvel movies. So far I've been passively impressed by them - just as the DC films or even Star Wars; By which
I mean: I didn't have any better idea for how to make them. And in terms of the Godzilla movie with that guy from Breaking
Bad, ... thats also been the case, sortof. It was out already - got a negative first impression - and yet, I thought about
what I'd want from a Godzilla movie; Then saw it and I was quite positively impressed.
So - when to criticize something? Well, ... if there only were a ... ... that isn't the topic. Of course it so occurs to me,
especially since its supposed to be on my radar, that every now and then Criticism ... well ... appears to do more harm than
good. A recent Video Thumbnail quite wrapped it up for me. The thing there to me was: "Well, now they're reviewing Lego Toys!".
Though - Lego Toys, ... reviewing them ... thats like reviewing Minecraft by judging things that people built in Minecraft by
some arbitrary metric. I mean - to review one particular Lego Toy ... you got to look at it. Generally Lego Toys that have any
features are advertised that way. Anything else is just generic Lego. If you know how Legos work, you know what to expect. A
particular Toy only differs from the others in terms of how they look. And if you want to buy one, thats what you're looking
at. "Final Verdict: Its a Generic Lego Toy without any features. 'How dare you!' 1/10".
As for that, we might look at Stanley Kubrick films, or ... even worse, ... David Lynch. I'm sure that far and wide those movies
would fail! There's nothing about 2001 that would make it even just remotely interesting - except - the opposite is the case.
David Lynch, ... well - its not Mainstream. I'm not talking about Dune or that Nick Cage movie. Whats it. Wild at Heart. I'm
thinking of stuff like Mulholland Drive (???) ... err, ... Lost Highway. What I'm getting at is that movies can be good - but
that only for a very niche Audience. Like ... 'Antichrist' ... by ... whatshisname ... Lars von Trier (or van??? He's german
right? So ... von ... err ... No, he's danish. But von seems to be right ...).
My access film to that type of movies was Melancholia. Those are movies that once you think that there is just 'dreck' everywhere,
if you're sick of all the "Mainstream" type of nonsense, they excel. They picture stuff in a way that is I'd even say specifically
not mainstream - they don't look for that type of Audience and therefore ... well ... "have depth". Lets put it that way. More
objectively: Instead of spending time hooking the viewer into some weird story that has to end with a bang, ... the bang of those
movies is more like the collapse of meaning and sense. Well - not everyones taste. But suffice it to say: Mad Max Fury Road is
one of those movies ... and it works in a Mainstream environment. SORTOF. You can though really appreciate it from that angle.
And its just that more Epic that way.
ANd at that point Avengers movies ... well ... 'meh'. I mean, talking of Age of Ultron. There is 'nothing' in that movie that did
stand out to me other than that floating island. I don't think that island ever got shown in the way I have it on my mind - but
you have to forgive me. Its a good point though. The thing is that the movie makes clear whats going on - so we're put onto this
floating island where the final battle occurs. And thats how I therefore remember it. And ... its shit! A piece of rock with
rocket boosters attached to it. I'm a friggin' Stargate fan ... I know about Atlantis ... you can't impress me with that!
"Activate the Wormhole!"
And while others have an objective way of critiquing a film, mine is usually abstract. Like I just ... told you about.
But obviously I'm making a statement here - which simply enough is a 'this is better than that' type of thing. So, criticism.
Though I'm telling you how this stance comes together. Though there is nuance. So there is this 'meaning' of the word 'criticism'
which is like saying "wrong". But thats not what I'm saying ... per se. Kindof? Well - I'm sure that Age of Ultron had a lot more
going for itself. Though its tough to get it any better than that Hulk vs. Loki moment of the first one.
And so we inevitably have to see that we can't get on without any type of criticism here and there. I can't 'like' anything
otherwise. And sure, sometimes its a bit of a guilty pleasure to see/hear someone shred a movie to pieces - especially those
you didn't like yourself.
And also ... advertising. Or PR. Just saying "Look, this game exists!". There is the 'Nintendo' way of doing it - which is where
every game is good (because, "duh", ... that sells better - we might say (see ourselves say)) - some just get more coverage than
others (because ... reasons) and there is the independent way of doing it. There people look at stuff - which - would take them
to things they are interested in (like TB (Total Biscuit) makes the point often enough that he's got his own taste; And thats a
good standard. I know the stuff TB generally happens to be into ...) and then it happens. One game stands out. "Oh my Gooooo
... ooood!". What to do then? You "can't say its good" because that makes every other game pale in comparison. ANd why? "Why Oh
God, whyyyyyyyy!?!?!?!?".
And yea, so its a funny world we live in. I mean - the sheer amount of stuff that there is; That makes it so ... different ...
from times ... that must have been governed by boredom. Its like we're living in an infinity. I mean, I would argue that it would
take a considerable amount of time to get into the whole "Art Film" niche. FOr instance. But if that were what made you cool ...
err. Lets ... skip that.
"Stargate ruined movies for me. Art Films resurrected them".
However. Now. With the Godzilla movie ... I came to like it because it 'nailed it'. As I've written before - what in hindsight
truely made the classic Godzilla movies was the story round about. The perspective of the 'tiny human' - while these huge beasts
run amok. And ... the one big important thing to never neglect: Godzilla is our Hero!
Its ... procrastination in action. "Just cause" nowadays movies can be 100%ed in the computer - even real life actors - doesn't
mean that movies that do that are good. Well, 100% of screentime for Godzilla might make an interesting flick, representative of
the modern age, ... but thats woefully forgetting what movies can do/be. Its as Lust vs. Love. Lust being the "as much bang for
the buck as possible ... I don't care how" ... and Love is the "lets think about it and make it right". way.
So, I loved Godzilla - back in the days - and I wondered: What would a modern Godzilla movie have to be like. I can't say that
all Godzilla fans have to see it the same way. I guess in this case its ... simple/easy - as: All you have to do is to 'want' it
some way. Of course that doesn't do if you're not really seeing why. But if you can see my argument as reasonable - and look at
the movie through that filter - well, spoilers and hype aside, ... you can come to appreciate it that way.
And then, well, it might grow on you. Thats what 'Dredd' did. I never expected it could be that good. I watched it once, thought,
well ... "that was awesome!" ... and somehow I kept coming back to it - more than once. Once more at least.
As for Superhero movies - well - its a mess. Disney plays it safe by basically bullshitting the Heroes into invincibility. It works
for me in the frame of Guardians of the Galaxy, ... because ... its new - to me at least - and its just spoofy comic that doesn't
have to live up to anything serious. Here its the stories within that can come to matter a little more; So, ... well. Vol. 2 was
rather good there. DC is different ... in that they ended up focusing more on the Characters. Where there may be the one or the
other Marvel movie that did it while DC may be guilty of the other stuff too - its just my current state of impressions that DC did
the better ... thing. Which is just looking at BvS though. So - take it with a grain of salt.
Its however safe to say that with more and more of those Superhero movies we'll just get more and more of that established formula
that works. Its "the Format" ... nowadays, apparently ... for how to "moviefy" Comics. The heroes overcome all the odds. Sure.
"Perfect!". And lets just metaphorize this situation as Thanos with all the infinity stones. So ... there is something terribly
wrong but by any stretch of the imagination we can't argue against it. You can only hope beat him ... eventually - but - that isn't
our fight.
Here's how BvS would have worked for most people: Cut all from the beginning until that shot of Bruce Wayne in the collapsing
city ... uh, with the camera facing upward ... so, with the skyscrapers in the background ... and go on like, Bruce taking on some
reflective Shades: "My name is Bruce Wayne ... and yada yada so on and so forth" leading up to him detectivizing that Clark Kent
is a mad person that needs to be stopped. So, the whole Xenophobia thing playing out in favor of the Xenophobe. It sets an easy
and simple bottom tune ... it shows us "the Badass" going about his business ... and doesn't expect anything too challenging,
mentally, from us in the way it plays out.
And I would have hated it!
Possibly having found says such as "Looking at this buelch of a ... "movie"" ... and such.
And I'm sure that established DC fans that didn't like BvS are thinking that they are in a position of claiming that I'm thinking
too little of them! Now that they look stupid ... I'm sure! Well, sorry: "Establishment fans".
But seriously ... looking at Thanos and falling out of the sky in laughter ... I mean ... come on! If there is one 'face' to showcase
bad CG ... its that guy. Seems like they want to kill the franchise. "Its about time". Which to me has to say: Things will go
downhill from there. So "within an appropriate margin of budget". Got to keep the Level of Trust/Sympathy.
Speaking of Vultures ... .
But yea, thats just my ... paranoia. However. I'm not really here to criticize the Marvel Universe as of Disneys production -
though, interesting throw-in: Disney as an Entity is a corporation that doesn't exist with its founder. He's dead. So, all that the
name entails nowadays is basically a whole lot of money - ... period.
Anyway. I'm here to share a little insight about the Marvel Universe. One that is a legitimate answer to how 'my' take on it would
end up being. But it strongly revolves around the X-Men. My take on it is all about the 'Omega Level' of mutants - and what comes
beyond them. The general gist of it is to a) not really try to retell the stories of the Comics/Cartoons to so let it be something
of a worth the while 'literal extension' of the Comics. This would also give me the freedom to focus on things that generally end
up being the "End Game" - and have it rather be the beginning in some form. So b) iterate on the franchise by what personally
impresses me. In my mind the "first movie" (at least as whats coming together inside of me) would even begin by a voice-over that
introduces the Omega Level to the audience, ... moving on with it to set a sense of ... "totality". That some can change the fabric
of reality ... that kind of stuff. It could thereafter start subtle ... which is the situation wherein the actual stakes need to be
established. The whats going on. Who, where, what, why. Then "Spoiler" ... the Phoenix Force is the ultimate power. And there is a
reason to that: All these superpowerful entities that basically "break" the 'meaning' of reality in a very comic-esque fashion ...
even so that they can transcend reality and pay a visit to their creator ... are doing so within the confines of the reality they
exist within. Its like "they" all try to trump one another in the sheer magnitude of their power - there is nothing that could be
too big or too powerful. But something has to "hold it all together" - and thats the Story of the Phoenix Force.
And by the way: The way Wolverine fights, in movies, ... is laughable! If I once more see Wolverine jump-leap at a group of enemies
with his claws forward to stab them ... I'm gonna yell in agony! Maybe not. If Wolverine wanted to be fast, he'd focus more on
forward Leaps, staying agile on the ground ... 'slashing' by the way ... rather than stabbing.
Yea, such demands complicate things. And if money is all that matters - where's the point in trying if the other things work out
perfectly swell?
Yea, sad story. I mean - X-Men apocalypse ended up being a much better film than I expected. The "apex" of the movie to me sortof
is the moment where Apocalypse is standing there between the rubbles shouting for Xavier. I mean, if you follow "the Abstract" of
the movie and are immersed into what is at stakes ... all in all ... the scaling of everything in the movie just pops up as too
small. Too insignificant. Too much like TV. So the movie does a bad job at actually delivering those moments. Like in that moment,
... what is really going on for Apocalypse ... whats at stakes for him.
"The vulnerability (*puny-ness*) of a "God"".
Ah, you thought I'd be mentioning the moment where the Phoenix Force came out!? Well - it was really well done; Talking about bang
for the buck; And it also goes to say that you don't need to 'look' awesome to 'be' awesome. But if that were all the movie had
going for itself ... hm ... meh ... whats the point?
The opposite of that is StudioFOWs take on Jessica Rabbit.
Their take on the little red riding hood ... might ruin porn for you ... unless ... you're beyond that.
And the morale of the story? Well - I wouldn't feel confident if I were asked to do a Turtles movie. I liked the Franchise as a
Kid, ... but ... I'm not that familiar with it. I'm a very casual there. I'd say that the secret Main Character is April for
instance; Because she's the reporter - the "Lens" sotospeak through which we get a glimpse at their adventures. But thats is maybe
already overthinking it. Though ... thats kindof how the old movies worked? But I think it would help to actually try to make a
serious movie ... without throwing the cartoon out of the window. Trying to blend reality with fantasy in a way thats fun, awesome
to watch and not mind-numbingly stupid.
The point for me is that same as always: Inspiration. I so far only had inspirations on Dragonball and Indiana Jones to relate to;
Where all 'success' I can book for myself is that the counterparts basically failed as much as movies possibly could. And I don't
get it. Leading up to Dragonball there were images on the internet that ... allowed us Dragonball fans to ... get hyped. To me
the challenges would .... gshh ... so that .... gsshhh ... gshhht.
And I can't speak for you. This is however what I got ... like ... 'really/legitimately' - as for me to try and do "the right thing"
- a.k.a. ... "with great power comes great responsibility"-esque. And maybe it is asinine to think I could make a "better" movie than
"them" - which is of course subjective. And that because I'm rather 'anti establishment' - I mean - by establishment in this case -
'technicalities of the art' ... stuff like "Beginning-Main Part-End" ... so, painting by numbers; "Drawing Circles".
Which of course is a mistake. Somehow. But then, thinking about what to do with the shapes you got rather than coming up with shapes
that suit your vision - is a mistake to my ... shtick.
Maybe I should also ramble about Breath of the Wild. Because, now that I think of it, ... I also had inspirations on that, plus ...
Donkey Kong, F-Zero, Mega Man and Street Fighter. If not more. But yea, Zelda had to become open world eventually; And the rest ...
is also kindof an ode to naivity/ignorance. I mean - little did I know about Street Fighter. How it is played - getting more and more
competitive. But on the other hand I cannot assume (well, I can, ... and maybe I should, and therefore things played out the way
they did) that I would have gotten into any of those projects without also getting more information, ... learning more about the
substance I would be working with, getting other peoples insights. What here to me is essential to life would to others however be
easy prey to label it 'a fail'.
Its a difference between "Am I 'the' Guy?" and "Do I know Street Fighter well enough?". What is 'bigger' - in terms of relevance?
If the cards got played that way, it were the latter that would determine your perception of the first. The other way my "ignorance"
would probably just amount to something between a sigh and a facepalm, before moving on.
ANd so yea - the past was a blast of seeing 'them' fail ... although ... with the scary side-effect of the corresponding success.
But that should be my issue with Hollywood - sticking to "the Meta" of 'my Persona' in this mess. That I ... was the guy and "you"
now have to suffer the consequences of 'your own' ignorance.
The more they'll try the more they'll fail. While peanut butter sandwiches still rule. Circles are round ... thats what they "do".
So, yea ... bragging with nothing. How's that for a challenge?
I mean ... "I got nothing else"!
Bragging with Nothing
CNS.2017.12.15|17:02