Recently, Giga bore witness to the majesty that is Nintendo Quest, an excellent documentary detailing the story of one man seeking to collect every retail NES game. Rob McCallum and the gang will be working with the makers of another 80s pop-culture-fueled documentary, Turtle Power, a piece on the history and influence of the Ninja Turtles. Led by Randall Lobb, this influential team of film makers and fans seeks to bring the story behind He-Man, She-Ra and the rest of the Masters of the Universe in their newest project Power of Grayskull.
Power of Grayskull seeks to be the definitive source for the history of the iconic franchise including the vintage series, She-Ra, The New Adventures of He-Man, the 200x series and beyond. Not to mention everything that fans have created over the years, such as artwork, custom toys or viral internet sensations. He-Man and the Masters have been around since the 80s; there’s a ton of content out there to cover.
Wanting to find those behind the magic, the team seeks to learn from the top minds behind the franchise, those who brought the live action series to life and the former president of Mattel. An epic list of people set to help out in the film can be found on the project page on Kickstarter. Given the previous work in Nintendo Quest and Turtle Power, Power of Grayskull will dig deep into what makes He-Man special, with rare and exclusive content pulled into light whenever possible.
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As shown by the awesome teaser trailer, this is a documentary project filled to the brim with love for the Masters of the Universe. It’s filmed and produced by fans for the fans, and with the crowd funding model it can be a reality from fan support. Provided the film reaches it goals, which looks likely, release is anticipated for 2017.
There’s no doubt that Power of Grayskull will be the ultimate documentary for the Masters of the Universe. Now, the project is left in the hands of the fans. You have the power.
A few weeks ago, I wrote an article about the latest news from Toho— the studio that created everyone’s favorite kaiju Godzilla—on its upcoming monster epic, Godzilla: Resurgence. A teaser trailer and a poster were released. A mild controversy erupted among fans over Godzilla’s new design, which they described as “lacking personality.” I offered a brief defense, but it should be noted that the only hint at the new design is a close-up of Godzilla’s face on the poster.
Health ailments: Health conditions that are unica-web.com viagra samples online poor and really unnecessary. As humans give unica-web.com purchase generic cialis them out through perspiration, they are subconsciously detected by nose, brain and nervous system. Here, the cialis price in canada article contains some important information for this condition, causes and its prevention. In Brazil the World’s Strongest Acai is buy tadalafil mastercard becoming extremely popular. Co-director/screenwriter Hideaki Anno (Neon Genesis Evangelion) has promised this will be the “scariest Godzilla yet,” and the design certainly reflects that. Given that the film’s other co-director, Shinji Higuchi, recently helmed the two-part live-action film adaptation of the popular manga/anime Attack on Titan (which I seriously need to watch now), it’s no wonder Godzilla looks like one of the titular giants from that series. What I find most striking is that Godzilla’s appearance looks burned and scarred, his skin like that of Freddy Kruger from A Nightmare on Elm Street. Could this be an indication of the damage done to him by radiation?
Higuchi has said that Big G will be brought to life using what he calls “hybrid” technology, which is used in the Attack on Titan film. This involves using a combination of CGI and shots of live actors on sets. In other words, Toho aims to combine the best of both worlds from its “suitmation” history and Gareth Edwards’ reboot. I, being a fan of both, look forward to seeing what Toho produces. Although, there has yet to be a domestic release date announced for Godzilla: Resurgence.
One of the posters for the film, which was released June 12, 2015.
After being in “development hell” for over a decade, the fourth Jurassic Park film—the first since 2001—has finally been released. Does it tower over its predecessors like a mighty brontosaurus or fall prey to vicious mistakes like a pack of raptors?
A new theme park with cloned dinosaurs has opened on Isla Nublar, but the park’s latest attraction, a huge genetic hybrid called Indominus rex, has escaped and gone on a rampage.
From the start, Jurassic World has several challenges related to its premise. While the idea of the park opening and being successful is interesting, it still rehashes the original film by, once again, having these dangerous animals break free. Only this time there would be more people to eat. Creating a new breed of dinosaur seems like a lame gimmick to cover up the unoriginality. Think of how Terminator 3 is a retread of Terminator 2, except the villain is a female T-1000. Come to think of it, some would ask, “if the first park was a disastrous failure, why try it again?”
The film does manage to address these issues, for the most part. The new park was established by an entrepreneur to fulfill the dying wish of Dr. Hammond (the creator of the original park, played by the late Richard Attenborough). While it seemed Hammond had learned the hard way in previous films that the park was a bad idea, it could be argued that as he neared death he saw this as the best idea he had and wished to see it come to fruition. Seeing a chance to make a unique moneymaker, the entrepreneur seized upon the idea. In that way, it continues the series’ theme of man’s hubris in his attempt to control and/or manipulate nature. The creation of the Indominus rex (or “I-Rex,” as I like to call her) plays into this theme since she was created to reignite waning interest in the park. In fact, initially it’s only the I-Rex that escaped from its cage, creating a domino effect that freed several other species of dinosaur.
One of the film’s greatest strengths is its pacing and suspense. While Spielberg served only as an executive producer and not as director, Colin Trevorrow does an excellent job of channeling Spielberg’s style. At first the audience is shown only glimpses of the I-Rex as it hides among trees. Then a low shot of the legs. Only when it escapes from its cage and chases Chris Pratt is it fully seen. Not only that, but the scenes where the I-Rex stalks the humans—often coming within an inch of them—while they’re hiding is quite terrifying.
(SPOILERS AHEAD!)
Speaking of the I-Rex, it’s arguably the film’s primary villain. No, I think “supervillain” might be a better descriptor. Seriously, the creature could just as easily fit into an Avengers comic. While its primary genetic stock is that of a T-Rex, the rest is kept top secret, allowing filmmakers to unveil new abilities—or “superpowers,” if you will—as the film progresses. It’s intelligent enough to create misleading claw marks on its cage, it can cloak like a chameleon, it can hide from thermal scanners and it can communicate with raptors. Those are the ones I can remember off-hand. Couple that with being held in isolation all its life (though it did eat its sibling), and the heroes have a large, angry beast intent on putting itself on top of the food chain. However, unlike the original Jurassic Park, which presented the dinosaurs as animals and not monsters, the I-Rex is shown to kill for sport and not simply for food. Why it does this is never explained. Animals don’t do this. It would almost imply a human level of intelligence, but the I-Rex doesn’t display such behaviors. It seems like this was done simply to vilify the creature.
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(SPOILERS END)
I’ve spent all this time talking about the dinosaurs, but what about the humans? Only one character, Dr. Henry Wu (B.D. Wong), returns from the previous films, and his is a secondary role. While it takes about twenty minutes for him to show up, the star is Owen Grady (Chris Pratt), a raptor trainer. He proves to be resourceful, charming and smart, accusing the park owners of tampering with nature and unethical treatment of the animals. Now I understand why many in Hollywood think Pratt could play Indiana Jones. The rest of the characters, of which there are many with intertwining stories, end up in Pratt’s shadow, to an extent.
The most surprising is Vincent D’Onofrio, a powerhouse of an actor who is saddled with playing a cliché military man who wants to use the dinosaurs as weapons. He borders on caricature given the preposterousness of this notion. Not only have the creatures proven difficult to control, since they know nothing of tactics or weaponry, they could easily be defeated by enemy soldiers (heck, one of the raptors is killed by an RPG in the film!). The cast also includes two brothers (Nick Robinson and Ty Simpkins) who are sent to the park with their aunt (Bryce Dallas Howard), the park’s head of operations. While they give good performances, Howard comes across as a typical workaholic and the boys’ anxiety over their parents’ divorce isn’t quite resolved. The older brother promises to stick by the younger, but aside from reuniting with their parents at the end, the main issue isn’t addressed. Some might argue its better that way since divorce is a common experience for many kids, but I still felt it needed a bit more resolution.
Much like 2006’s Rocky Balboa, Jurassic World makes frequent allusions to the original film in the series and ignores the other sequels, but doesn’t retcon them away. Indeed, it does use nostalgia to bolster itself, sometimes in a borderline meta fashion, but not so much that the film can’t stand on its own merit.
The filmmakers wisely stuck to the Jurassic Park tradition of utilizing practical special effects and CGI, though this film has more of the latter than the previous entries (at least from what I can remember). The most obvious use of animatronics is seen when Pratt and Howard discover a dying brachiosaurus that was wounded by the I-Rex. However, practical effects weren’t used for scenes featuring muzzled raptors, where only their heads could be seen. The creature designs are all excellent, especially that of the I-Rex.
While it has plot and concept issues, Jurassic World still manages to be an entertaining summer blockbuster. It certainly rises above the other Jurassic sequels, but it can’t compare to the original classic.
Through my life, I’ve learned one universal fact. . .
Cosplayers often dedicated a lot of time and money to become closer to their favorite characters. Image from Santana Cosplay
Geeks are the most passionate people on the planet.
This passion often leads us to wield our various talents to try and become closer to the works we so enjoy. This has led to many creations: from terrible fan fiction that becomes a movie to amazing film projects highlighting technical skills and upcoming actors.
Yep, this concept was once a labor of love for Twilight. However, this becoming a top-selling book gives me hope as a writer.
Today’s list will be of the latter.
Dragon Ball Z: Light of Hope
The talented folks of Robot Underdog bring much shame to Hollywood’s attempt to bring the high flying action this legendary anime is known for. Light of Hope is an adaptation of the animated film The History of Trunks, one of the most emotional moments in DBZ‘s history. With this as its inspiration, Light of Hope has a lot to work with as far as scenarios and character development.
Even though there is only a pilot episode available, Robot Underdog delivered one of the most accurate live action visions of the Dragon Ball Universe. Every punch is highlighted. Energy ripples from the fighters. Malice drips from the Androids like hot oil. All of this is used as the paint that wets the canvas, displaying what DBZ fans have been wanting for a long time.
My only complaint is waiting for the series’ completion. Keep rockin’ the dragon, Robot Underdog!
Spawn: The Recall
Some of the most amazing art in comic books comes from Todd McFarlane, whose main man is none other than Al Simmons aka Spawn. While the Avengers were fighting a giant purple dude with bling, Spawn was dethroning Satan, destroying the world and recreating it in his own image. While Spawn has been kicking ass in comics, his live action experiences have been lack luster.
Michael Paris and his team sought to redeem the red-caped knight and did just that in their short film, The Recall. Spawn’s tales have always been oozing with darkness, which is why this project’s direction of being more of a horror film makes sense. There’s all sorts of disturbing imagery and suspense that leads up to some of the best effects I’ve seen in a movie period, let alone an indie project. I’d share more, but its just so good that after the eight minutes are over, you’ll be crawling to the feet of Malebolgia, begging for more.
Croft
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It’s this image of Lara that Can Cinema latched onto, creating a gripping short story of a hostage situation. What’s interesting in this piece is the desperation Lara shows, just as she did in the newest game. Each kill is done effectively for the huntress, but every time there’s a bit of regret in her eyes. The film is filled with action, but these tender moments with the character is what makes it worth while. Even fans of the original character will enjoy a few notable scenes, as a lot of inspiration was pulled from the Tomb Raider’s early years.
Welcome to Hoxford
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stnRvFzGWY8
IDW Publishing has been putting out comics such as Transformers and Ninja Turtles for several years. Yet, there is one mini series that they released that stands out, Welcome to Hoxford. The story centers on Ray Delgado, a murderous, insane man, believing himself to be Chronos, lord of the Titans. He is sentenced to death for all of his crimes and transferred to Hoxford. Unfortunately, the prison is being run by a group of werewolves that enjoy hunting down their inmates. Ray faces these monsters head on, knowing that he is destined to destroy them.
Like the comic series, the fan film highlights the dark nature of the story in its visual style. Reflections are bright, stark contrasts to the encompassing darkness of Hoxford. Coupling this with absolutely brutal action scenes, the film seems to have been done professionally on the same level as 300 or Sin City.
Personally, this fan project has sparked a deep interest in the comics. Hopefully this team will get a chance to expand Ray’s story into a full length film.
Joker Rising
D.C. Comics has inspired a flood of fan films. Whether it’s the overall need to put these characters onto the silver screen in ways closer to the comics or the general ease at which these scenes can be recreated, I’m not sure. Either way, there have been loads of amazing projects featuring characters from the D.C. Universe.
Joker Rising tells the origin story of the Clown Prince while paying homage to Heath Ledger’s Joker in The Dark Knight. The fan film was shot in just over a week and has a vibe similar to Blow. What’s amazing is the deliverance of the character, building on each scene that leads to a climax that is chilling, but also puts the Joker in a sympathetic light. In fact, this portrayal rivals Ledger’s in my opinion.
Smoking Alien will also be creating a sequel series called The City with Two Faces and a pilot episode is on the way. Keep a sharp eye on their Youtube page for more information, as well as other projects they have produced.
Over the course of researching for this list, I’ve discovered not only these amazing projects, but a multitude of worthy films. The D.C. Universe is a playground for these indie developers, for I stumbled upon an excellent Harlequinn story and a Nightwing Mini Series.
Fan films give producers, directors, writers, and actors a chance to make their mark in an industry that’s nigh impossible to get started in. Yet, even if they don’t have absurd budgets or A-list actors, their passion for films rings out louder than ever.
Even though its hard, log off Netflix, shy away from Hollywood and explore the world of indie film once in a while. There are amazing stories being told. Don’t forget to spread the word about these films; each of them deserves being viewed much more than they have.
Please share your favorite fan films in the comments below! They may even be mentioned in future articles.
I have this idea that if I read/listen to intellectual people speaking on behalf of, well, anything, then I myself will become an intelligent person as well. In theory, this is a good thing to believe. In reality, it’s not always the case. Still, I have my intellectual heroes, who I strive to become in some way or another, be it in how I dress or what opinions I have about things. One of those intellectuals is Gore Vidal.
I was first introduced to Vidal when reading his highly acclaimed novel The City and the Pillar, a bestseller that was the first of its kind to discuss homosexuality in fairly explicit detail (this was 1948, after all). I was completely mesmerized by every stitch of its existence: the characters, the denouement, the pacing and how it dealt with such themes that were quite taboo (again: the 1940s, WAY before Ellen and Will & Grace could even bring such topics to light). I was so impressed with Vidal’s work that I completely avoided all of his other stellar works, because I was afraid I might compare everything else to The City and the Pillar and be completely disappointed. However, just because I haven’t read any other works by Gore Vidal, doesn’t mean I haven’t read about Gore Vidal.
And what a life he led! Vidal was indeed an intellectual man: sharp, quick-witted and—above all else— egotistical. He was born into political privilege and rubbed elbows with the social elite. He was known for his harsh criticisms over just about everything, specifically American government. He was a gay pioneer (yet never fully acknowledged it), a brilliant essayist, and he relished any opportunity to speak his mind on camera. A grandiose figure in American culture, I hold on to his every word and firmly believe I become smarter because of it. Now, you can too.
The United States of Amnesia, the 2013 documentary chronicling Vidal’s career as an outspoken writer, is currently streaming on Netflix and is a must-watch simply for the film’s central subject. This documentary works because it allows Vidal to be the star. You get to hear his view of his life over what everyone else—biographers, family, close friends, etc—says on his behalf. The film weaves together archived interviews with newer segments of him recalling major moments of his career. Some of the more interesting tidbits featured include his on-air confrontations with such notorious commentators as William F. Buckley and Norman Mailer. Naturally, each confrontation seems instigated and won by Vidal. The sight of such stoic, respected writers coming close to blows that would equal any best-of montage from Jerry Springer is truly the highest low-brow form of entertainment.
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While Amnesia includes other commentators—Nina Straight, Vidal’s sister; actors Tim Robbins and Joanne Woodward, Vidal’s biographers—none of them hold a candle to Vidal himself. He once remarked that one should never miss the chance to have sex or be on television, and with the vast amount of stock footage of interviews Vidal has given, he makes each frame worth it. There’s a scene towards the end of the film with Vidal watching Barack Obama’s victory speech during the 2008 presidential election. For such a historic moment, the camera catches Vidal rolling his eyes at Obama’s inspirational speech. “I would like to think of him as completely virtuous—I suspect he’s not. Why do I suspect this? Because I know how politics works.” Always the wise braggart, his comments prove slightly prophetic six years later.
Like most documentaries, sometimes the more intriguing parts are the moments that unfold while the camera is still rolling. As the interviews with Vidal progress, his health appears to be failing. There are moments when Vidal appears clean-cut and full of vigor, and then moments where he appears frail and disheveled. Such health concerns are captured on film as Vidal must leave his Italian villa for the more accessible Los Angeles. These are the quieter moments of the documentary, when Vidal shuts up long enough for the camera to capture him alone, revealing how isolated and restrictive his old age has progressively closed in on him. Needless to say, one can only guess how the film will end.
Overall, The United States of Amnesia is an entertaining and informative documentary detailing the storied career of one of America’s most treasured intellects. While the factual tidbits of Vidal’s life are noteworthy, it is his own remarks that remain most quotable. The documentary in fact gets its title straight from Vidal’s mouth regarding the history of America: “It is the United States of Amnesia: We miraculously forget everything, so the lessons we should be learning we have forgotten in no time at all.” As I said prior to this review, I feel smarter after reading or listening to Gore Vidal, and if there is anything you take away from The United States of Amnesia, it should be the philosophy according to Vidal. Vidal wouldn’t have it any other way.
