#Hidden Empire Film Group

[darkmovies]

Fear (2023) Date de sortie : 27 janvier 2023 Réalisateur : Deon Taylor Scénario : John Ferry, Deon Taylor Avec : Joseph Sikora, Ruby Modine, Iddo Goldberg

#Deon Taylor #Fear (2023) #film d'horreur #Hidden Empire Film Group #Iddo Goldberg #Joseph Sikora #Ruby Modine #Surnaturel #survival #film poster #cinéma #news #actualité #affiche de film #acteurs

[theshampyon]

Holy shit, more Glass Onion thoughts that I have to purge from my brain. Some of these are things I saw others commenting on on other sites. Some are Shower Thoughts. (Can't believe I didn't notice the first one.) Possible SPOILERS ahead...

When we first see Miles Bron he's playing Blackbird on a white guitar. He says it's the guitar Paul McCartney wrote the song on. The guitar is right-handed. Paul McCartney plays left handed.

I think this is one of a bunch of things in the film Bron paid big money for, never knowing he was being ripped off. Blanc solves Gillian Flynn's Murder Mystery before it even begins because it's not hidden very well, but Bron isn't smart enough to realise it. The Puzzle Box features, in Blanc's words, "Children's puzzles", because the puzzle maker knew Bron wouldn't recognise a proper adult puzzle if he saw one. (So who knows, maybe that wasn't really the Mona Lisa after all.)

Everyone calls the chess puzzle an "endgame." It's not an endgame. It's a move called "The Fool's Mate," so called because it can only be achieved if the White player royally fucks up. Basically, it's the dumbest way to achieve mate. It's also not strictly speaking an endgame. But people who don't actually know chess (like myself, I confess) wouldn't know that.

The Fool's Mate is solved by... the fool's mates.

Back to Benoit calling the puzzles "children's games". They really are. None of require analytical thinking or deductive reasoning. Just recognising patterns that are familiar to their friend group and social class. Not riddles, just references.

The first being the most obvious - a Magic Eye, which some people are physically incapable of seeing and thus could never solve. And even those who can see them do not need wit or reasoning to solve it, just the ability to kinda cross their eyes a bit. In the 1990s, when these characters were teens, Magic Eye puzzles were literally sold as a child's puzzle.

And even then, they needed help. Without Duke's mother, none of them would have solved the boxes. Not even head Bron's main technology department head Lionel, who sure as shit should be able to recognise a Fibonacci sequence when he sees one. It's the kind of thing taught in High School. Yet none of these Special People, these brilliant Disruptors, saw an answer that a very pointedly normal older lady did. Because the movie is telling us right from the beginning that they're not special. All of then are in their positions due to Bron's money and influence, not their actual intellect and skill.

But Benoit didn't necessarily know that about the boxes at the time. He'd never seen the box intact, and he didn't realise Bron is actually an idiot until much later. Which makes me think Benoit said it purely to get Bron off balance. (Also, he may not have been able to solve the box if he had one intact, precisely because it's stupid. Benoit admits such simple puzzles are his Achilles' Heel, which is why he loses the Among Us game in the bathtub!)

This is all also why working class Helen can't solve them. She's smart - a better lateral thinker and riddle solver than any of the Shitheads - but she's not part of their social class. She doesn't know their rote cultural signifiers. (But I bet she would have solved the Fibonacci one.)

So she, in keeping with the Greek theme, cuts the Gordian Knot. Presented with the puzzle as barrier to a prize, most assume the solution is to solve it. Like Alexander the Great, she thinks outside the assumed constraints and simply removes the barrier.

The Greek theme, of course, including the naming of the characters. Andy a.k.a. Cassandra, who foresaw great peril but was not believed. Her sister Helen, whose coming brought about the end of an empire - "the face launched a thousand ships" (or in this case, a fleet of police boats).

I gotta rewatch this. There's bound to be a thousand more little details that I didn't catch the first time around.

#glass onion

[takadasaiko]

There's something very off about the Coruscant scenes in Mando

When I watched 3.03 with Dr Pershing on Coruscant, it felt like an entirely different show was dropped in the middle of a Mando episode. Even when Din showed up in BoBF, it didn't feel as jarring as our visit to Coruscant that included a five-year-in New Republic (presumably finding Mon Mothma and Leia with high ranking positions in the government) that was really nothing more than the Empire Lite. This new government is already bogged down by a severe lack of imagination that doesn't fit the scrappy rebellion that won the war, but instead acts as if they just usurped everyone left over from the Empire that was willing to fake it and keep on like nothing had happen. Can you see Leia Organa standing for that? I can't, and I certainly don't think that as involved as she and other high-level Rebels would be at this point we'd see the depths of bureaucracy that look like it's piled up over decades and suffocating the innovation of a relatively small group of people willing to face off against the the dreaded Empire. We have the lights and the buildings of Coruscant, but the people that fill them don't make sense.

Then there was the acting... or the writing or the direction. I never could pin it down, but Elia Kane was clearly setting Pershing up the whole way with no subtly to be found. With the exception of the bookended scenes with Din, Grogu, and Bo, the episode felt misplaced in the Mandalorian.

I watched 3.04 the following week and things were back to normal. Okay. Even excellent shows have fluke episodes. It wasn't until 3.05 dropped that I started thinking it was intentional.

The production design for Mando has been fantastic. The planets, the aliens, the costumes… all very well done. When they’re sneaking into Imperial locations, it’s sharp and cold, but in the caves of Mandalor it’s dark and broken, shadows leaving all the dangers hidden until the last second. The design teams use the sets and the costumes and the lighting to elicit the appropriate emotions out of the scene. We’re there with Din. We believe, if only for that time, that we’re in a galaxy a long time ago and far, far away. It’s lived in and it fits the world that so many of us have loved since childhood.

Then we get back to Coruscant. It's not like we haven't seen it before. The Clone Wars did an excellent job of showing the contrast of a planet we only skimmed the surface of in Episodes 1-3. We saw grand chambers in the Prequels, and there are plenty of those, but in that series we were introduced to the lower levels. The citizens that often didn’t work directly for the government. It felt gritty and real, but it fit the world, even when introducing something new.

Then we had Andor which also had a high production quality. While TCW showed us the governing class and the lower levels of the city-planet, in Andor we were introduced to what is likely the middle class - the lower level bureaucrats, the everyday people on the surface that filled the endless positions of paper-pushing - lived and worked. The colour was sucked out of their world, but it still fit the galaxy far, far away.

But then we have Coruscant in Mando and it just feels wrong. From the cubicles (much close to what you'd see in a real, modern office space than what you see above from Andor)

to the colonel's cheap costume with noticeably poor quality rank badge

to the way they speak and the utter lack of subtly in their dialogue that anyone on Coruscant with half a braincell should be able to pick up on, yet only Teva did. Only someone outside of the Coruscant bog.

It’s so jarring and so fake that it drags you out of the story entirely. You’re no longer in the galaxy of heroes and villains, Jedi and Sith, Rebels (or even the New Republic) and Empire…. You might as well be watching a low budget scifi film of some different story.

So is that done on purpose? The more I see it, the more I question that. Having been spoiled on the slow build by storytellers like Timothy Zahn post-RotJ, I'll admit to having an extreme bias against this Coruscant and especially this New Republic that they're painting here, but we'll see... Is there something else at play? I suppose only time will tell.

#the mandalorian spoilers #mando spoilers #Coruscant #star wars #it really just feels like an entirely different writer is in charge of the NR scenes than the rest of Mando #Leia Organa #she gets her own tag because I'm pissed on her behalf #she'd never let this happen

[wallcrawld]

MUSE'S INVENTORY. [ original meme from @treasurechestrpmemes​. ]

rules: list what your muse carries in their pockets or bags in their everyday life. ( optional: explain their significance .) repost, don’t reblog.

POCKETS.

mets keychain — having grown up going to baseball games every year with his uncle ben, pete is a lifelong mets fan. he keeps all of his keys on a mets keychain which may or may not have a spider-man charm on it as well

earbuds — peter still has the earbuds with a cord attached, he likes the security of having them actually be attached to something as he struggles to trust bluetooth ones to stay in his big ears

gum wrappers/straw wrappers/assorted trash - as an official member of the online group 'new yorkers against littering', peter usually has some kind of small piece of trash stuffed into his pockets that he told himself he'd throw away when he saw a trash can and then promptly forgot about

student i.d. — for empire state university ( ESU ). it's used to get into labs/buildings after hours

wallet — thin leather brown wallet. he keeps an old photo of him, may, and ben in it. never enough cash in it. he has an "official spider-man fan club member" card hidden deep within it

daily bugle key fob — programmed it himself. after getting tired of having to get someone let him into the upstairs offices of the building every single time he wanted to drop photos off ( because jonah refused to give him one as he "wasn't a full-time employee" ), peter made one. he got some grief for it but it became pretty evident real quick that it was saving everyone a lot of hassle

bobby pins — with great power comes great responsibility and sometimes, a great need to get through a locked door without breaking it down. he's picked up the skill of how to lock pick after years of watching thieves and with a little bit of advice from none other than black cat. these have been a point of contention in his romantic relationships when discovered as, traditionally, there doesn't appear to be a reason for him to need them. he's used the explanation that they work great to unscrew the panels of his camera when he's without any real tools, which is true, just not the full truth

spider-tracers — a must-have for patrol. small electronic tracers in the shape of a spider that peter can use to track objects, people, or anything else

BAG.

peter has a backpack problem and by that i mean that he can not hold onto a backpack for very long. he goes through them frequently as they often get dropped and left in various places around the city, nowhere to be found when he goes back for them. he does, however, tend to go for the same style. it's almost always a medium-sized dusty red backpack and every time, without fail, it ends up scratched and a little busted. he keeps little pins and stickers on it, some pertaining to his interests ( science puns + star wars references ) while others are for causes that he supports. if he's on patrol and not wearing his backpack, he'll usually make himself one out of webbing.

camera — originally this is a canon ftb which is a 35mm film camera ! peter loves the look of film and the amount of control that comes with it but while it's great for photography in a slow, controlled environment, it doesn't quite get the job done when it comes to selling action shots of spidey. after saving up for months, he ends up splurging on a used nikon d500 which he cleans up so that it's in perfect condition. it sets his bank account back enough that he's pretty much on a "rice and beans only" diet for a hot minute but it's totally worth it

backup web shooters — if there's anything he's learned in his time hero-ing, it's that gear fails and breaks, usually when you need it most. he keeps an older, spare set of web shooters in his backpack at all times

spidey suit — if he's not wearing it, he's still got it with him. it's rare that peter goes anywhere without the spider-man suit as it's always when he least expects it that he needs it most

change of clothes — this one is only if he's actively on patrol. he'll stuff a change of clothes into his bag in the event that he needs to de-spidey quickly for any reason, usually this is just the clothes he was wearing over the suit before he changed

physics textbook + science journals — reading material ! peter's been subscribed to the american science journal for as long as he can remember, he's always got the latest issue on him. he keeps a textbook or two on him for uni work, forever trying to find the time to cram his homework into his schedule

steam deck — yet another item in the line of purchases that put him on a rice and beans only diet, peter eventually upgrades his psp to a steam deck which he'll play on patrol, in between crimes

handheld police scanner — can't fight crime if you don't know where the crime's at ! his phone is also programmed with an app that works in the same way, but it's always good to have a backup

snacks — a constantly rotating supply of chips, treats, and goodies for on the go. his diet is relatively terrible but if he wants to feel healthy he'll reach for the trail mix. sometimes he carries around canned food to donate or give away to displaced people in need of it.

tagged: @cybersbyte THANK YOU !! tagging: @proditeur, @vicioushope, @lapinecide, @aercnaut, @masteredlegacy, @magizat, @kryptonfuture, @crowshoots, @jadeslayed, and you !!

#🕸️ ･ﾟ* headcanon #🕸️ ･ﾟ* dash games #OH THIS WAS SOO GOOD SO FUN #if there's mistakes in this pls ignore them i kept coming back to this at random different times <3 #also made me realize that wow yeah !!! being spidey is actually so consuming to him

[tubbietommo]

what's your favorite kdramas?

FINALLY! SOMEONE'S ASKING THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS. I've been waiting for someone to ask me this, cause no one ever wants to listen to my kdrama rants lmao.

My ultimate forever number one kdrama is: Crash Landing On You I swear this is my Roman Empire. I'm not joking. I think I've watched this one like 6 times already. I can't get enough of the two main character (especially now that they are married in real life), but even the whole group dynamic I'm just in love with. I can't imagine someone watching this and not liking this serie, I just can't.

My Name Is also a kdrama I've watched like 3 times. Personally I find this one a bit underrated. It's really good but it also makes me depressed at the end so yeah. Usually when I rewatch it, I watch it till en certain scene and stop there.

Uncontrollably Fond Is THE Kdrama that made me want to watch more Kdrama (also.. Kim Woo Bin if you know what I mean, love that man to pieces and will watch anything that has him in it. So Black Knight was also pretty good but felt rushed in the end.) But this serie is definitely a rollercoaster of emotions. Also the relationship between the two.. idk it's cute at times but it's also toxic at times so yeah. But this one has a special place in my heart.

Our Beloved Summer Vincenzo Extraordinary Attorney Woo Twenty-Five Twenty-One (was so good until the end though. The end ruined it for me, but it still made the list so I guess...) Suspicious Partner (this one made the list just for the chemistry alone. That was insane. Like the whole behind the scenes of this serie is a whole ass kdrama as well. Also the compilation of that laugh and angry Chang-Wook is gold. Honestly I don't remember much of the story itself though... But I would watch this one again just for the chemistry.) I'm currently (and finally) watching Something in the Rain, and oh my god. I'm at episode 6 (I started yesterday evening... idk how this happened), and if the vibes stay like this, then it's gonna be an easy top 3 for me with this one. This genuinely makes me want to fall in love with someone. I suddenly have the NEED to fall in love with someone. And every time that damn song starts with "Sometimes it's hard to be a woman....-" it tickles my brain in the best kinda way, I just get butterflies from watching this serie. I hope it's not getting ruined, PLEASEEE.

Not Kdrama, but if you love Kdrama's, you have to watch Hidden Love, which is a Cdrama. Oh it's so adorable, and I'm glad they didn't make it weird about the age gap. It's a bit slow in the first few episodes but so worth it in my opinion.

I also have enough Korean movies and Japanese movies if you're interested in them too (currently mostly watching them for a school project, but hey.) Most of them are a bit of a different vibe from the kdrama series I watch (at least in my opinion.) Ryusuke Hamaguchi has to be my favorite film director, without a doubt. So I can make a part 2 but just for Japanese and Korean movies. I will gladly do it.

#I love talking kdrama's #you can always ask my anything about kdrama's cause irl everyone tries to avoid this topic with me (they never give kdrama's a chance smh.. #kdrama #I feel like I miss two on the list but I don't know which ones

[chaoticgeminate]

Some silliness Solecita would be sending Javi throughout the day on Valentines, and also me to you ❤️🧡🩷

HAYLEY THANK YOU SO MUCH I LOVE THEM!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY MY BELOVED!

Solecita would absolutely send these to Javi! In fact...

"I hate this."

"It's not much longer, mi amor."

Javi whined through the receiver and you giggled gently at the sound as you sat at your desk, the document open on your screen currently being ignored in favor of the phone call. He'd been traveling to and from the set for his film ever since you'd gotten back from holiday, it had been a suggestion for you to minimize traveling only because you'd developed gestational diabetes and the team of physicians Javi employed to your care wanted you to be close in case of any other complications.

"I want to be home with you, it is almost Valentines Day and I am here when I should be home."

Hearing his tone shift to something harsher, angrier, was more than enough proof that the distance was starting to get to him. Your free hand came to rest on your bump gently, typically hidden by baggy hoodies and sweaters whenever you had to go anywhere, and you thought about the white gown hidden in a garment bag in your closet that was just waiting for the day to come.

Javi had no idea you'd arranged for a small backyard style wedding, that you'd used Murch and Dieter's extensive list of contacts to help you arrange the set-up and break down of the decor and Lorna had been delighted when you called her up to see if she'd like to come cater the small ceremony. You'd gone with an empire cut gown to make it easier on your changing body, the skirt was just barely long enough to pass your ankles and you had every intention of going barefoot down the carpeted aisle.

Shoes had become the devil as of late.

"You'll be home almost right after, it's okay. We knew this was happening weeks ago."

"You are allowed to be selfish and demand I stay home."

"I know, Javi, but I want you to get things handled so you don't have to fly back sooner. You're almost done, soon the team and the director will have everything they need and you can just stay home, and you know that you have three people on that set who will call you the second anything isn't exactly to your specifications."

Javi had pulled Murch into multitudes of meetings with the script team, the costume team, and basically everything so that she knew exactly what it was he wanted. He wanted her on editing still, wanted her to do what she was best at, but trusted her to make sure that nobody changed his vision without at least running it by him first.

You hummed and began tabbing through Tumblr while Javi groaned softly, nodding at the logic of what you reminded him, and paused seeing the Valentines cards in your inbox. Your best friends online were amazing, you'd confessed to a handful of your most trusted exactly who you were and their reactions had been to squeal and scream and ask you about what Javi was like in bed before calling you "God's Favorite" and blasting you with memes from press shots of you and Javi.

Basically nothing had changed.

Now they just sent you Nic Cage memes to send to Javi.

You loved them so much and they'd all agreed to come to the wedding -with you paying for everything, no way in hell were you going to let them go broke for it- so you had been more than excited about the event to come.

"I have to go, my break is over, if you need me for anything please call me Solecita."

"Don't worry, I absolutely will call you if there's any issues."

Paolo was here with you, along with a small group of security guards that were all ex-military special forces, and so was Gabriella; basically there was nothing you could do that he wouldn't know about if anyone thought you'd be at risk.

"I love you, mi prometida."

"I love you, mi prometido."

As you ended the call your stomach grumbled, making you roll your eyes, and as you got up to raid the fridge you couldn't help but giggle and look down at your round belly.

"Let's wait until Papa comes home to tell him the surprise."

You didn't get an answer but you also hadn't expected one.

Valentines Day came with flowers delivered, as well as chocolate covered strawberries, and a spa day voucher that you could cash in on whenever you wanted. The chocolate was dark and rich but with your new food restrictions you had to be careful over how many you ate, though you did talk to your physicians first to make sure they wouldn't lose their minds over you indulging in a few treats, and you had done a lot more writing than you'd thought yourself capable of.

Editing was an entirely different beast, you had gotten a few paragraphs in and given up, now you were currently just scrolling through Tumblr and reading the plethora of new Valentines Day themed fanfictions that had cropped up on your dash. A soft chime and an ask notification had your cheeks aching from how wide you smiled, saving the Nic Cage Valentines with a shrill giggle and immediately sending them to Javi after you filled out the final one.

You half expected a text back with his favorite emoji, the good ol' rofl emoji, but instead you heard his boisterous laugh from downstairs.

"Javi?!"

"Surprise! I was able to hammer out the details early and come home."

(You would later learn that Dieter and Nic had banded together and outright refused to work, as they had their own Valentines plans they wanted to disappear for, while Murch strong-armed Javi into demanding to come home sooner.)

Tears of joy made your lower lip quiver and Javi's panicked squeak as he dropped the flowers onto your desk to cradle you in his arms only made you sniffle louder.

"Stupid pregnancy hormones, I'm happy, sorry I'm just-"

"No, not stupid anything. You are doing an amazing thing, Solecita, carrying our baby. You may cry, yell, pout, and do whatever you need to in order to express whatever it is you're feeling."

How you'd landed the literal perfect man you'd never know, God's Favorite indeed, and Javi's sweet grace over your constantly changing emotions had you swooning and crying all in one weird choked off sound. He pulled back enough to rest his hand on your belly, on the swell of skin that had become his favorite place to just rest his hand, and you wiped your face of tears as you carded your hand through his curls with your other hand.

"Javi?"

"Hmmm?"

He was just basking in being home, being close to you again, his touch gentle as he swayed with you to the music of your heartbeats and soft breaths.

"You like the name Iris still?"

His eyes shot to your face, maybe it was cruel to do the reveal standing up but you just couldn't wait. His eyes began to glisten and his hands covered his mouth as he let out the softest little sound of delight.

"We are having a girl?"

"Yes, you'll have a little princesa to have tea parties with."

"Mi reina y mi princesa, I am truly blessed."

He meant it, too, not one of those men who had to have the firstborn son or whatever archaic thing that was about; he truly, wholly, was happy to have a little girl to welcome to the world when the time came. His mystified expression as he dropped to his knees to just press his forehead to your abdomen, to whisper promises of whatever kind of toys and hobbies his little girl wanted, all of it made you fall even more in love with this man.

"Good, the wedding is in three days. I've already got your suit."

Javi's eyes shot up to yours before he laughed, grinning wide and kissing your bump.

"Do you hear that, my little Iris? Your mama is the one who runs this house."

"You're damn right I do."

"Then allow me to pay tribute to mi reina, I have a lot of time away to make up for."

"Happy Valentines Day, Javi."

"Happy Valentines Day, Solecita."

It was absolutely a wonderful Valentines Day with Javi making you see stars with his mouth, making you drench the sheets with the skillful use of his fingers, and whispering praise as he told you how beautiful you were while he made you watch the way you took his cock in front of the mirror in the bedroom.

He was insatiable for the taste of you, the feel of your body against his, the sound of you crying his name into the room with each orgasm he pulled from you until you were leaking with him and shaking from a mix of hunger and exhaustion. Javi fed you small bites in bed, not bothering to clean you up yet as you leaked him on the sheets, and drew a bath for you while you showered only to end up pressing your back into the tile and soak the floor of the shower.

You didn't remember falling asleep in the rub as he rubbed your shoulders and hands, as he whispered promises of taking care of you and Iris, but you did remember him getting you up and drying you off and tucking you into bed after changing out the sheets. You woke up to him curled around you with an arm held protectively over your lower belly and his smile against your shoulder.

#kinktober 2022 #javi g x reader #javi g x f!reader #javi x solecita

[sepublic]

One thing I wish the Star Wars comics would do better is actually fleshing out the individual Knights of Ren as their own characters, rather than as a formless parts of a larger whole. I was a bit dismayed when The Rise of Kylo Ren didn’t do that, and so far this continues to persist as an issue for me with the Crimson Reign storyline. And it sucks because it feels like other characters from other groups are given better treatment, whereas the Knights of Ren just feel largely interchangeable for the most part; And they were actually in the movies, with a visual dictionary explaining their personalities for writers who need something to work with!

This lack of focus and characterization also means their deaths don’t exactly hit as hard as they could and should; I did mourn Bazzra and liked her, but Fyodor is mostly just the dude who spat in Vader’s bacta to me, we weren’t really given anything to grieve over for these characters. Most of the time, it feels like you could switch out one Knight of Ren for another, and I hope future issues fix that; Especially in regards to Vicrul and Cardo, who have a lot of staying power as the longest-running Knights of Ren throughout the saga... Likewise, Marinda and Massif could really benefit from being fleshed out, esp since the writers now have to balance less Knights of Ren with Fyodor and Bazzra’s deaths, so it shouldn’t be as hard. It’s all but stated that Marinda and Massif will die in Hidden Empire, and while I can glean some personality from each, I’d like a bit more while their presence in the story still lasts.

On another note, I gotta say; I feel for the Knights of Ren a lot in these recent series, because they have the opposite of plot armor; Most of them HAVE to die by the end of this storyline, so it really makes it feel like they’re the ones who sacrificed and gave the most for Qi’ra’s plan. And given their underdog status as relatively weak compared to other force-sensitives, and I’m just really rooting for these scrappy characters who struggle to get by in a narrative that doesn’t care for them, and is far more callous as a result. They really do feel like poor pawns and victims most of all, between Crimson Dawn and the Sith, tossed aside for Kylo’s redemption; They’re the little guy, the forgotten ones who aren’t chosen, and it’s hard not to relate as a result.

They’re like the meek who should inherit the earth but don’t; Characters with so much potential and reputation who deserve better, deserve to be done justice for that and given the credit they’re owed. Especially with supplementary material going out of its way to downplay the Knights of Ren as untrained and Inquisitor-level at best, presumably to explain their lack of performance in the film; Yet, you don’t see this limitation placed on characters like Agen Kolar or Saesee Tiin, who died even more ridiculously yet weren’t retconned as in-universe chumps! So you can’t even rely on outside sources to depict the Knights of Ren as true badasses because they can’t be too badass, now.

#Star Wars #knights of ren #vicrul #cardo #Fyodor #Bazzra #marinda #massif #Ren #Ushar #ap’lek #trudgen #kuruk

[cinema-hallucinations]

Prompt: develop a concept for a crime movie about a man who sells food with fake provenance (i.e. protected designations) or false/tainted ingredients and who gets embroiled into something much more complicated when it turns out his shipments are being used to smuggle drugs.

Title: Rancid

Tagline: Soured to the core

Logline: Michael "Mikey Mozzarella" Marino, a smooth-talking purveyor of gourmet fakes, sells overpriced "artisanal" cheese with phony labels. His world crumbles when a routine delivery reveals a hidden compartment filled with narcotics, turning him into a target for a ruthless drug cartel and forcing him to team up with a jaded food inspector to expose the whole rotten operation.

Characters:

Michael "Mikey Mozzarella" Marino: A charming but greedy con artist specializing in selling overpriced, fake gourmet food. He has a knack for creating elaborate backstories for his dubious products, but lacks any real knowledge of the culinary world.

Brenda "The Bloodhound" Chen: A tough and by-the-book food inspector with a nose for sniffing out fraudulent ingredients and hidden dangers. Despite her gruff exterior, she has a deep passion for food safety and consumer protection.

Frankie "The Don" Donatelli: A ruthless and flamboyant head of a drug cartel who uses Mikey's "gourmet" food deliveries as a front for smuggling cocaine.

Enzo "The Enforcer" Moretti: Frankie's right-hand man, a hulking thug with a short temper. He becomes increasingly suspicious of Mikey's involvement in the smuggling operation.

Plot:

Michael "Mikey Mozzarella" Marino, known for his slick salesmanship and dubious gourmet products, runs a thriving business built on deception. He sells overpriced "artisanal" cheese and other delicacies, fabricating elaborate backstories of Italian heritage and exotic origins.

His carefully constructed world falls apart when a routine delivery to a high-end restaurant goes awry. Mikey witnesses a violent exchange involving his cheese supplier and a group of menacing men. When the police arrive, they uncover a hidden compartment in Mikey's cheese wheel, revealing a stash of cocaine.

Panicked and desperate, Mikey seeks help from Brenda "The Bloodhound" Chen, the food inspector who has been thorn in his side for years. He reveals his predicament, unaware that Brenda is on the verge of uncovering the truth about his fake gourmet empire.

Despite their animosity, Brenda recognizes the opportunity to shut down a significant drug operation. Mikey, fearing for his life, agrees to cooperate. An unlikely alliance forms as Mikey, with his knowledge of the "gourmet" food distribution network, and Brenda, with her investigative skills, work together to expose the cartel.

Their investigation takes them from high-end restaurants to seedy warehouses, uncovering a complex web of corruption and deceit. They must be cautious, as Frankie "The Don" Donatelli and his enforcer, Enzo "The Enforcer" Moretti, are closing in, determined to eliminate anyone who threatens their operation.

The climax involves a high-stakes sting operation where Mikey, with Brenda by his side, attempts to expose the drug smuggling at a major food expo. It's a race against time as they must outsmart the cartel and ensure their own safety.

Themes:

Greed and its consequences.

The importance of consumer protection and food safety.

Finding strength and unlikely allies in unexpected places.

The illusion of luxury and the hidden costs associated with gourmet culture.

Gritty Crime Element:

The film explores the brutal world of drug cartels and their ruthless methods.

Mikey's forced involvement in the smuggling operation exposes him to violence and danger.

Brenda's past experience of undercover operations adds an element of tension and suspense.

Humor (Dark & Dry):

Mikey's increasingly desperate attempts to maintain his fake "gourmet" persona while entangled with the cartel.

Brenda's sardonic commentary on the absurdity of Mikey's phony products and the pretensions of the high-end food world.

The clash between Mikey's flamboyant personality and Brenda's no-nonsense attitude creates moments of comedic friction.

#ai generated #stupid ideas #shitpost #imaginary movie #google gemini #movie poster #poster #genre: crime #genre: thriller #government agencies #bureaucracy #food #food fraud #fraud #conspiracy

[nsfwhiphop]

For Ben Affleck & Matt Damon - Read this - 17 thrilling action film ideas - I encourage you to add your own ideas too and I'm sure you'll make these 17 ideas a million times better. Cheers!

Let’s create an exciting list of action film scenes that blend comedy, suspense, fights, and plot twists. Buckle up for a thrilling ride:

Skyline Raiders: In a world where cities float above the clouds, a band of rebels fights to overthrow a tyrannical sky lord controlling the floating metropolises. Imagine epic aerial battles, daring heists, and gravity-defying stunts as they challenge the status quo1.

Neon Samurai: Set in a futuristic Tokyo, a rogue AI resurrects ancient samurai to enforce its rule. A group of hackers must ally with the last true samurai to stop this digital menace. Picture neon-lit sword fights, cybernetic enhancements, and a clash of ancient honor and modern technology1.

Arctic Inferno: An elite team of firefighters faces their greatest challenge when a series of volcanic eruptions threaten to melt the polar ice caps. Think intense rescue missions, lava-filled landscapes, and frosty suspense as they battle nature’s fury1.

Gravity Runners: In a city where gravity can be manipulated, a group of parkour artists becomes involved in a heist to steal a device that controls this power. Expect jaw-dropping chase sequences, rooftop acrobatics, and unexpected double-crosses1.

Ghosts of the Sahara: A team of archaeologists unearths an ancient curse in the Sahara, unleashing spirits that they must now contain. Imagine desert shootouts, ancient artifacts, and a race against time to prevent catastrophe1.

Ocean’s Fury: After a rogue wave cripples their submarine, a crew must navigate underwater dangers to prevent a nuclear reactor meltdown. Picture claustrophobic tension, deep-sea battles, and high-stakes decision-making1.

The Last Library: In a future where books are banned, a band of rebels fights to protect the last remaining library from destruction by a totalitarian regime. Expect covert operations, hidden knowledge, and a battle for intellectual freedom1.

Cyber Gladiator: In a digital realm, a skilled gamer is thrust into a real-life battle when his online enemies materialize in the real world. Think virtual combat, glitchy landscapes, and a quest for survival across dimensions1.

The Maze of Minos: Modern adventurers discover the legendary Labyrinth of Crete, battling a monstrous new Minotaur with ancient secrets. Imagine deadly traps, mythical creatures, and a maze where every turn holds danger1.

Echoes of Atlantis: A deep-sea diver discovers the lost city of Atlantis, only to find it’s a high-tech civilization at war with surface nations. Picture underwater battles, advanced weaponry, and a hidden society on the brink of collapse1.

Ironclad: In medieval Europe, a band of warriors wearing experimental armor must defend their kingdom against an overwhelming enemy. Expect gritty battles, innovative weaponry, and personal sacrifices for the greater good1.

Chrono Clash: Time travelers from various eras are pitted against each other in a deadly game controlled by a mysterious force. Think historical clashes, paradoxes, and unexpected alliances across time1.

Shadow Boxer: A boxer gains the ability to become invisible and must use his powers to dismantle an underground fight club empire. Picture intense boxing matches, cloak-and-dagger tactics, and a quest for justice1.

The Sandstorm: A team of scientists and soldiers must survive a massive sandstorm that reveals an ancient predator stalking them. Imagine desert survival, shifting landscapes, and a creature straight out of nightmares1.

Neon Knights: In a neon-lit, dystopian city, a group of motorbike-riding knights protect the innocent from gangs and corrupt officials. Expect high-speed chases, neon-soaked visuals, and a fight for justice on two wheels1.

Blackout: An EMP blast leaves New York in darkness, and a group of survivors must navigate the chaos to restore power. Think urban survival, rival factions, and a race against time before society collapses1.

Vortex: A team of storm chasers gets trapped in a series of artificially created superstorms, uncovering a plot to weaponize weather. Picture tornadoes, lightning strikes, and a conspiracy that shakes the world1.

And there you have it—17 thrilling action film ideas! Feel free to mix and match, add your own twists, and create an adrenaline-pumping cinematic experience for your audience. Lights, camera, action! 🎬🔥

[influencermagazineuk]

March Movie Madness: Must-See Films Captivating Audiences in 2024

As winter bids farewell and spring approaches, movie theaters are blooming with diverse and highly anticipated films. March 2024 promises a thrilling cinematic experience for every taste, from adrenaline-pumping action to heartwarming dramas and captivating fantasies. Here are some of the most awaited releases that are sure to set the box office ablaze: For the Sci-Fi Enthusiasts: - Dune: Part Two (March 15th): After the phenomenal success of the first installment, fans eagerly await the conclusion of Paul Atreides' journey in this epic space opera. Expect stunning visuals, political intrigue, and even more sandworms as the battle for Arrakis intensifies. - Spaceman (March 22nd): This captivating sci-fi drama starring Adam Driver follows an astronaut who embarks on a dangerous mission to a distant star system, grappling with isolation, loss, and the complexities of human connection in the vastness of space. For the Action Seekers: - John Wick: Chapter 5 - Excommunicado (Teaser Expected in March): Keanu Reeves returns as the legendary assassin in another action-packed chapter. This time, John Wick faces new enemies and deadly challenges as he seeks vengeance and redemption within the ever-dangerous world of assassins. - Ghostbusters Frozen Empire (March 29th): The iconic Ghostbusters are back, facing a chilling new threat as they battle a monstrous entity connected to a long-forgotten chapter of New York City's history. Expect a blend of nostalgia, humor, and thrilling ghost-busting action. Image: IMDb For the Animation Aficionados: - Kung Fu Panda 4: The Paws of Destiny (March 8th): Po and the Furious Five return in this highly anticipated animated sequel. This time, they face a formidable new villain who threatens the peace of the Valley of Peace, forcing Po to discover a hidden reserve of strength and wisdom. - Imaginary (March 30th): This heartwarming animated adventure tells the story of a young girl who discovers a magical pencil that allows her drawings to come to life. As her imaginary creations become entangled with the real world, she learns valuable lessons about friendship, acceptance, and the power of imagination. For the Thrill Seekers: - Love Lies Bleeding (March 8th): This neo-noir thriller starring Kristen Stewart and Katie O'Brian follows a reclusive gym manager who becomes entangled in a dangerous relationship with an ambitious bodybuilder. As their bond deepens, dark secrets and hidden motivations come to light, leading to a suspenseful and shocking climax. - The Animal Kingdom (March 15th): This psychological thriller explores the dark side of human nature. Set in a dystopian future where humans are hunted for sport, a group of survivors must fight for their lives while questioning the morality of their actions in a world gone mad. Beyond the Blockbusters: - Frida (Amazon Prime Release - March 14th): This biographical drama delves into the life of the iconic Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, exploring her tumultuous personal life, passionate artistic journey, and unwavering spirit in the face of immense challenges. - 1992 (March 15th): This powerful drama explores the events surrounding the 1992 Los Angeles riots following the Rodney King verdict. Through diverse perspectives, the film sheds light on the social and racial tensions that erupted in the city, sparking important conversations about justice, equality, and the path towards healing. This is just a glimpse into the exciting cinematic landscape of March 2024. With such a diverse range of films catering to various interests, there's something for everyone to enjoy. So, grab your popcorn, dim the lights, and prepare to be transported to new worlds, captivated by compelling stories, and thrilled by the magic of cinema. Read the full article

[thehylianbatman]

Some Notes on the Style of Star Wars Intros

This post has nothing to do with Disney or their movies.

Hello. I've been intaking a lot of Star Wars content recently. I've been seeing a lot of things done that irk me, so I want to share with you all the style I've noticed from watching Episodes I-VI.

I. The Title

So watching the films, stylistically, the full title of, we'll say Episode I as an example, is: STAR WARS: Episode I - THE PHANTOM MENACE. In the intro, the title should be in all caps. If it's part of a series, that part comes first, and should be in uh. I forget the name of it now but the thing where they're all capital letters, but the first letter is capitalized and the others are the size of normal letters, but they're all capital letters. Of course, the logo is all caps, but you know that by now. It's UNIVERSE TITLE: Series Title - WORK TITLE. STAR WARS: Rogue Squadron III - REBEL STRIKE. STAR WARS: Jedi Knight II - JEDI OUTCAST. STAR WARS: The Force Unleashed II. STAR WARS: BOUNTY HUNTER. STAR WARS: The Clone Wars - RISE OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS. This is the way these titles should be formatted, though I can't speak as to whether they are or not.

II. Punctuation

Avoid exclamation points, questions marks, quotation marks, and anything else odd. Periods and commas are what make it. I did not keep an eye out for colons and semicolons, but I'd bet they're okay, too.

A single exclamation point appears in Episode III after the first word: War! This is acceptable because it's like a newsreel. Read it out loud in an old-timey voice and it'll sound right. Avoid overuse, however; there's only one exclamation point in six movies' worth of intros.

At the end of your crawl, have a four-point ellipsis. It's like this.... I don't know why.

III. Capitalization

Of course, capitalize your proper nouns, but don't put anything in all caps unless it is of galactic importance. All-caps words appear in three crawls, half of the films. The all-caps words are ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC in Attack of the Clones, DEATH STAR in Episode IV, and GALACTIC EMPIRE in Episode VI. Character names, group names, none of those are capitalized, with the sole exception of Army of the Republic; this is acceptable not because it is a group, but because before it is created, there is no army; you can't create an army if you already have one, can you? The ramifications of the creation of an army are galactic: the discord that leads to the Clone Wars, the fall of the Republic, the rise of the Empire, and the Galactic Civil War. The army itself is not galactic, but the ramifications are. Same with the Death Star, a culmination of three films' worth of build-up; we see the plans in Episode II and construction started in Episode III, and then it's complete and ready to destroy in Episode IV. Galactic Empire needs no explanation, I trust.

Do not capitalize character names, group names, or anything that's not of GALACTIC IMPORTANCE.

Yeah, that's it. Lucasfilm is not above making mistakes; I watched the crawls from all the LucasArts-developed Star Wars video games (13 crawls in total), and ten of them had words in all-caps. While two of those were in alignment with the films (DEATH STAR in STAR WARS: DARK FORCES and GALACTIC EMPIRE in STAR WARS REBEL ASSAULT: Episode II - THE HIDDEN EMPIRE), six of those were character names. STAR WARS: OBI-WAN goes to the insane lengths of all-caps'ing every character mentioned in their opening crawl, plus the term JEDI KNIGHTS. The point here is, if LucasArts can make mistakes and still answer to The Big Man, it's okay for you to make mistakes. I probably have myself. But now I'm putting this out here so maybe we can all do it differently.

Here's every ALL-CAPS words from the films and the video games, plus the sole exclamation point:

Episode II - Attack of the Clones: ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC Episode III - Revenge of the Sith: War! Episode IV - A New Hope: DEATH STAR Episode VI - Return of the Jedi: GALACTIC EMPIRE

Dark Forces: DEATH STAR REBEL ASSAULT: Episode II - The Hidden Empire: GALACTIC EMPIRE Dark Forces II - Jedi Knight: DEATH STAR, DARK JEDI, JEREC, VALLEY OF THE JEDI Episode I Racer: GALACTIC PODRACING CIRCUIT, BOONTA CLASSIC Obi-Wan: JEDI KNIGHTS, OBI-WAN KENOBI, JEDI KNIGHT, QUI-GON JINN, OBI-WAN, MACE WINDU Starfighter: RHYS DALLOWS, VANA SAGE, NYM Jedi Starfighter: ADI GALLIA, CAVIK TOTH Bounty Hunter: BANDO GORA The Force Unleashed: GALACTIC EMPIRE, DARTH VADER The Force Unleashed II: DARTH VADER, GALACTIC EMPIRE, RAHM KOTA

#Star Wars #Lucasfilm #LucasArts

[thisfunktional]

#IFTTT #Blogger #entertainment news #recommended

[lockejoy]

Unraveling the Order of the Ancients: Guardians of History and Power

In the annals of history, there exist enigmatic organizations that have shaped the course of civilizations, leaving behind a legacy that intrigues and mystifies modern scholars and enthusiasts alike. Among these secretive orders, few have captured the imagination as vividly as the "Order of the Ancients." This clandestine group, often shrouded in shadow, wielded immense influence throughout various epochs, orchestrating events from the shadows and influencing the rise and fall of empires. In this exploration, we delve into the history and significance of the Order of the Ancients, seeking to shed light on their mysterious role in the tapestry of time. Origins and Purpose: Guardians of Control The origins of the Order of the Ancients are shrouded in ambiguity, with their presence traceable to ancient civilizations scattered across the globe. Historians believe that the order emerged as a response to the human desire for control and power. At its core, the Order of the Ancients sought to manipulate events to fulfill their own agendas, often transcending political and cultural boundaries. Their influence was not bound by the limitations of time or geography; they operated with a long-term perspective, guiding the course of events through successive generations. Hierarchical Structure: Threads of Power Central to the mystique of the Order of the Ancients was its hierarchical structure. The organization comprised members of varying societal roles, from politicians and military leaders to scholars and artists. Each member was given a title, often associated with an aspect of power, which revealed their role within the order's intricate web. At the pinnacle of the organization stood the "Grand Ancients" or "Elders," a group of elite individuals who were believed to possess unparalleled knowledge and longevity. These enigmatic figures held sway over the entire order, pulling the strings of power from behind the curtain of history. Symbols and Influence: Threads of Intrigue To communicate their presence and influence, the Order of the Ancients often employed intricate symbols and cryptic messages. These symbols, etched into artifacts, architecture, and artworks, acted as a silent declaration of the order's reach. From ancient scrolls to majestic monuments, the order's insignia can be found imprinted on the timeline of numerous civilizations. Their influence extended far beyond mere symbols. Members of the order were known to manipulate political dynamics, foment wars, and shape cultural ideologies. By weaving their influence into the fabric of society, they ensured that the course of events followed their predetermined paths. Legacy and Modern Speculation: Echoes of the Past Despite the passage of centuries, the legacy of the Order of the Ancients continues to reverberate in contemporary discussions. Their methods of control, intrigue, and secrecy remain a source of fascination for historians, conspiracy theorists, and storytellers. The order's presence has been speculated upon in literature, film, and video games, with each iteration adding layers of mythos to their existence. From the shadows of history, the Order of the Ancients emerges as a testament to the lengths to which power-hungry individuals have gone to shape the course of civilizations. Their influence, though shrouded in secrecy, is a stark reminder that history's pages are not always turned by the hands of those in the spotlight. As modern society grapples with questions of power, control, and hidden agendas, the enigmatic order stands as a cautionary tale and a reminder that the threads of influence can stretch across time itself. In a world where the echoes of the past are ever-present, the Order of the Ancients beckons us to unravel the hidden narratives and motivations that have guided humanity's journey. Their story serves as a reminder that history is not merely a linear progression of events but a complex tapestry woven from the actions of those who lurk in the shadows.

[dan6085]

The Battle of Yavin was a major event in the Star Wars universe that occurred in the original 1977 film, "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope." The battle took place above the planet Yavin and was a pivotal moment in the Galactic Civil War between the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire.

The battle began when the Empire discovered the location of the Rebel Alliance's secret base on Yavin 4 and launched an attack with the Death Star, a massive space station capable of destroying entire planets. The Rebels were able to launch a desperate attack on the Death Star, with a small group of starfighters led by Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles attempting to fly into a narrow exhaust port on the station's surface and destroy it from the inside.

Despite overwhelming odds, the Rebel attack was successful and the Death Star was destroyed, dealing a major blow to the Empire and giving hope to the Rebel Alliance. The Battle of Yavin is significant in the Star Wars universe because it marks the first major victory for the Rebels and sets the stage for the events of the rest of the original trilogy.

Yavin is a fictional planet in the Star Wars universe, located in the Outer Rim of the galaxy. In the films, the planet is portrayed as a lush jungle world with ancient ruins and temples, and is the site of the Rebel Alliance's secret base. In real life, Yavin is not a real planet and exists only within the Star Wars universe.

The Battle of Yavin:

- The Battle of Yavin was a major victory for the Rebel Alliance, as it allowed them to strike a significant blow against the Empire and gave them a new hope in their struggle against the Empire.

- The Rebel attack on the Death Star was a daring and risky maneuver, as the station was heavily defended and the exhaust port was only two meters wide.

- The pivotal moment of the battle occurred when Luke Skywalker, using the Force, was able to fire a proton torpedo into the exhaust port and trigger a chain reaction that destroyed the Death Star.

Yavin:

- Yavin is a fictional planet in the Star Wars universe located in the Outer Rim, a remote and sparsely populated region of the galaxy.

- The planet is known for its dense jungles, ancient ruins, and temples built by an extinct civilization.

- In the Star Wars films, Yavin is the site of the Rebel Alliance's secret base, which is hidden deep within the planet's dense forests.

- The Rebel base on Yavin is shown to be a sprawling complex of underground bunkers and command centers, with the Rebels using the planet's natural cover to hide from the Empire.

- In addition to its appearance in the original Star Wars film, Yavin also appears in several other Star Wars media, including video games, novels, and comic books.

- The planet has become a popular location for Star Wars fans to visit and explore in various Star Wars-themed attractions and experiences.

[paulskies]

Star wars the last jedi

The Last Jedi is part of a new trilogy of films announced after Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm in October 2012. It was produced by Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman and executive produced by The Force Awakens director J. J. Abrams. John Williams, composer for the previous episodic films, returned to compose the score.

Yoda

Yoda was a legendary member of the Jedi Council as a Grand Master of the Jedi Order and member of a mysterious species capable of living for centuries. He was stronger than most in a connection to the Force and though he was small in size, he'd been so powerful and wise having had trained Jedi for several centuries.He is a small, green humanoid alien who is powerful with the Force and is a leading member of the Jedi Order until its near annihilation.

Darth vader

Darth Vader is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise. The character is the central antagonist of the original trilogy and, as Anakin Skywalker, is one of the main protagonists in the prequel trilogy. Star Wars creator George Lucas has collectively referred to the first six episodic films of the franchise as "the tragedy of Darth Vader,has become one of the most iconic villains in popular culture, and has been listed among the greatest villains and fictional characters ever. His masked face and helmet, in particular, is one of the most iconic character designs of all time.

Boba fett

With his customized Mandalorian armor, deadly weaponry, Boba Fett was once regarded as one of the most fearsome and capable bounty hunters in the galaxy. An unaltered genetic clone of his father, bounty hunter Jango Fett, Boba learned combat and martial skills from a young age,the armor that he wears was passed down by his father, and he considers it his birthright, but not something he has necessarily earned in the eyes of the Mandalorian.

Chew baca

Known as Chewie to his closest friends, he was part of a core group of rebels who restored freedom to the galaxy during the reign of the Galactic Empire. Known for his short temper and accuracy with a bowcaster, Chewie also has a big heart and unwavering loyalty to his friends.Chewbacca, known affectionately to his friends as Chewie, was a Wookiee male warrior, smuggler, mechanic, pilot, and resistance fighter who fought in the Clone Wars, the Galactic Civil War, the Cold War, and the subsequent First Order-Resistance War.

BB 8

BB-8 accompanied Poe Dameron on many missions for the Resistance, helping to keep his X-wing in working order. When Poe's mission to Jakku ended with his capture by the First Order, BB-8 fled into the desert with a vital clue to the location of Luke Skywalker.The Resistance's ranks had been thinned to almost nothing, but the fight for galactic freedom would continue. BB-8 continued serving the Resistance as Poe helped General Organa rebuild the organization after Crait. He also kept Rey company during her Jedi training on Ajan Kloss.

C-3PO

Built by Anakin Skywalker, C-3PO was designed as a protocol droid intended to assist in etiquette, customs, and translation, boasting that it is fluent in over six million forms of communication.Along with its astromech droid counterpart and friend R2-D2, C-3PO provides comic relief within the narrative structure of the films, and serves as a foil. Anthony Daniels has portrayed the character in eleven of the twelve theatrical Star Wars films released to date, with the exception of Solo: A Star Wars Story, where the character does not appear.

Luke Skywalker

Luke Skywalker was an Human male born a child of the Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and a Senator of Naboo, Padmé Amidala, Luke Skywalker was raised by the farmer aunt and a uncle Lars on the desert planet of Tatooine where he was kept hidden away from the Emperor and Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Sidious and his father Anakin, who fell to the Dark Side and became Darth Vader.

[allyear-lff]

Empire of light

Summary: back in the 80s we see the trials and tribulations of the employees of a film theatre, but especially those of a couple of marginalised people, as a mirror of wider societal issues. Nicely done but some things feel implausible.

Musings without plot spoilers:

The film takes us to a coastal resort at a time when going to the cinema mattered, the characters are all misfits or marginalised for a variety of reasons and even within that small group there is one character even more marginalised and even abused.

The topics are far ranging: mental illness, racism and xenophobia, parent-children relationships, sexual abuse and some others only glimpsed. The cast, lead by Olivia Colman, Toby Jones and Colin Firth is a who is who of British acting and they deliver their characters with the credibility and professionalism we have got used to expect, this is complemented by the powerful dignified presence of Micheal (no mistake, it is Micheal) Ward who is somebody to watch in the future, hopefully this well delivered role will open new doors for him.

Colman plays a troubled woman doing all kind of odd jobs in the theatre, her character suffers of mental illness and this colours her interactions with everybody else and makes her own life very challenging, Firth plays her boss, trying to make ends meet in the business, who strikes luck when the premiere of "Chariots of Fire" is scheduled on his theater, he plays an anodyne man who has very shameful skeletons on his closet which will eventually lead to trouble, Toby Jones plays the projectionist of the theatre, a lonely man that loves film but has regrets of his own and Ward plays a handsome young man of Black descent who is stuck working in the cinema while hoping to enter university.

All these characters are well developed and their relationships feel meaningful (not necessarily positive) but the relationship at the core of the film seems contrived and highly implausible, and the more implausible thing is that nobody notices that it is going on, although the characters know of other things intended to remain hidden but, shamefully, don't talk about it.

The film is dripping with nostalgia about the 80s: old fashioned grand cinemas, film attendance as a special occasion and a lazy relaxed atmosphere that hides social issues boiling under the pleasant sun.

Spoilerstatisc plot:

The film starts on Christmas Eve, we see an old fashioned cinema where Hilary (Colman) is busy doing a bit bit of everything while it snows outside, the cinema closes, colleagues leave.

Next day Hilary wakes up alone, has breakfast with wine on the side, she seems lonely, later on she gets a doctor visit about matters that will become later in the film and later on we see her dancing alone in a quite sorry lonely fashion.

It seems that work at the cinema is a better place for her to be until this perception is put into question when her boss, Ellis, calls a meeting, they stay alone and she starts to masturbate him, but this isn't a torrid romance, later on during a chance encounter at a restaurant we see Ellis with his wife and HIlary evading them like the plague and going back home in a deep state of depression.

Later on back at the cinema Hilary shows the ropes to a newcomer, Stephen, he is a young black man taking the job while he waits if he is accepted in university, Hilary shows him parts of the cinema that are dilapidated and Stephen shows his caren human side by nursing some pigeon chicks which he hands to Hilary, a gestures that starts their friendship.

There are several incidents that show the difficulties of the crew dealing with clients but how they soldier on regardless and how they bond as a team, specially HIlary, Stephen and Jeannine, a goth girl slaos a bit of an outsider.

Their luck seems to change when it is announced that they will premiere Chariots of FIre and Ellis is hoping such event may help turn the decline of the cinema.

Hilary and Stephen receive the new year in the roof of the cinema amongst optimism and fireworks and she kisses him and runs away, after that and some talking, they start to go out together a but this is abruptly punctuated by a nasty racist attack suffered by Stephen witnessed by Hilary in the distance.

Back in the cinema Ellis asks Hilary on his office but she refuses, everybody knows what is going on and are silently on her side (the situation is worse than the abuse of power as such, this is fully brought to light later).

Stephen notices she is down and suggests to go up to the derelict part of the cinema to free the pigeon they have been nurturing, once there now he kisses her and they make love (I found this part little credible given the age difference and how this contradicts the caring nature of Stephen that surely would have notice that not everything was fine with Hilary).

There are several developments that make their lives a misery, first of all is the premier of Chariots of Fire, it goes according to plan but somehow Hilary ends having to give a speech where she exposes Ennis for his exploitative behaviour, made all the worse because Hillary was placed in the cinema after recovering from severe mental illness, also a mob of skinheads in a motorbike cavalcade notices Stephen inside the cinema and give him a beating that sends him to hospital, while there Hilary visits without knowing that the nurse caring for Stephen is his own mother, who is puzzled by Hilary's visit, also Stephen reconnects with a girlfriend and start to go out together,

After Hilary's speech she stops going to the cinema, Stephen goes looking for her and after much begging he is left out in the flat just to be interrupted by a police backed social services ride since Hilary has relapsed and is forced to go into mental health care, Stephen sees all this while hiding in the flat unable to do anything and unwilling (fearful?) to intervene.

The film jumps to the summer and in a beautiful day Stephen and Hilary meet by chance in the park, he has been accepted in university and is getting ready to leave the area, she is better and back to the cinema (Ellis now gone, transferred somewhere else) and she can work again.

I found the film very interesting but the central relationship is contrived, this somehow distracts from everything else, I found implausible that a woman so severely mentally ill and a black man in such a racist environment would hook up together with the connivance of their colleagues, I don't know how this could have been improved, at the end perhaps there was too much material to go through but the relationship that supports the whole film fails to convince.

Rating: 3.5/5

72 of 168

Date: 7 December 2022

Venue: Battersea Powerhouse CInema

The list of films in the LFF 2022

#lff2022 #lff