December 10, 2020

Black Panther and the Legacy of Chadwick Boseman

December 10, 2020/ Alannah Link

On August 28 of this year, it was announced to the world that the ever-talented actor, Chadwick Boseman, had died of cancer at the age of 43. He passed away at his home in Los Angeles in the company of his wife and family. Boseman was diagnosed with colon cancer four years prior but never went public with his illness.

This shocking news ricocheted around the world. Everyone was caught off guard. No one, not even the directors, producers, and actors he had worked within that course of time had any idea that he’d been ill. When my friend told me that morning, I thought they were making a sick joke to match the tragedies of 2020. I was wrong.

“A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much,” his family said in a heartfelt statement. “From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and several more - all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy.”

Boseman was best known for his roles as James Brown, Jackie Robinson, and most famously as the ruler of Wakanda in Marvel’s Black Panther. Black Panther was a record-breaking blockbuster success. It was clear that he was destined to embody that hero, and it’s a tragedy that he won’t be able to step in that role again.

“It was the honor of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther.”

Grieving the death of celebrities has always felt quite weird to me. Despite them being a perfect stranger, I’ve cried and mourned for artists I have admired and died too soon.

We mourn them because they can represent our past or our youth; because their art has been a consistent comfort in our lives. Because they will never create anything new again.

The movies Boseman created have essentially become a vessel of time, transporting us back to when he still walked this Earth.

On Boseman’s birthday in November, a few months after he passed, I decided to watch Black Panther for the umpteenth time. I wanted to re-examine the experience it gave me back in 2018 as an audience member as well as an audience to its impact on black people around the world. Re-examining it reminded me, once again, why it was such a cultural touchstone.

Yes, it definitely is another installment of Marvel’s billion-dollar Cinematic Universe. However, all other superhero movies have been a Western-Man’s wet dream. Iron Man, Captain America, Ant-Man – all of them have been a fictional attempt to rewrite 9/11, to save ‘Merica.

In the MCU, the rest of the world knows Wakanda was a third world country located in sub-Saharan Africa. Under the cloak of a rainforest is actually a technologically advanced African nation, untouched by the horrors of Western colonialism.

Ryan Coogler and his team of experts, set and costume designers, and screenwriters, had to ask what does liberation looks like in the hands of Black people?

Coogler can’t be credited for defining black liberation, but this move let us glimpse into one version of it. Wakanda offered an Afrofutrist reimagining of a future filled with arts, religion, science, and technology from a Black perspective. It unapologetically celebrated the uniqueness and innovation of Afro culture. We see a futuristic nation that is also steeped in ancient African traditions, social systems, and Black identity.

And the leader of this visionary world? T’Challa. The King of Wakanda and protector of his people. The character has been seen as an inspiration for kids around the world – especially young black children, who rarely get to see themselves reflected in the heroes they watch on screen.

It wasn’t just children who Boseman inspired. This film came at a time where the importance of diversity and representation on screen was in demand. Cosplayers and adult fans were super keen to commemorate T’Challa and their favourite Black Panther characters.

Alternatively, Boseman’s death came after a summer of protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd. His death added a layer of grief for black folks in America and around the world.

After revisiting Black Panther, I’m confident in saying that the film did representation right with one of the greatest black ensembles in pop culture. But in 2020 we’ve moved beyond just representation. Black Panther created a hero, it created a world, it reimagined history without the violence of colonialism. Black Panther was a bubble in space in time where a Black nation is free of global anti-blackness, and they are flourishing.

What an honour to have watched Boseman exist in such a beautiful world.

Alannah Link

Alannah is a writer whose vivid self-awareness often veers into self-consciousness. She can be found either watching the latest A24 flick, spending too much money at the local bookstore, or curating a thematic Spotify playlist.

Blog: TheCrookedFriend

December 09, 2020

SPLIT Badly Represents Dissociative Identity Disorder

December 09, 2020/ Cassie Purcell

Split [2016] / Universal Pictures AND BLUMHOUSE PRODUCTIONS

About Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is when someone has more than one existence of identity. The body is the host or system, while the identities are known as alters. DID can be identified by the changes in behaviour, memory, and thinking, as well as clothing, how they speak, and body language. Most people diagnosed with DID suffered some trauma when they were little. Some of the most common alter identities that someone can have are: the host, protector, child (littles), opposite gender, persecutor, and internal self-helper.

I’m not an expert on DID, but I’ve been trying to learn more and more about the disorder and how it works. One of the best examples of this would be DissociaDID on YouTube; they are a channel that gives explanations on what DID is and introduces the different alters in the system.

About Split

Split is about Kevin (played by James McAvoy), who has been diagnosed with DID—since a childhood trauma—and has 23 different alters. The alters that show up more are Barry, Dennis, Patricia, and Hedwig. One of the identities, Dennis, kidnaps three teenage girls and holds them hostage. The three young girls (played by Anya Taylor-Joy, Haley Lu Richardson, and Jessica Sula) must try to find a way out before Kevin’s violently powerful 24th alter, known as “the Beast”, comes to life.

Why Split is a bad representation of DID

Split has villainized those who happen to live with multiple personalities. It portrays people with DID to be harmful and violent to others, which is not the case at all. People with DID are the victims of trauma and abuse; they are not abusers. They are more likely to harm themselves rather than others around them. While Split briefly addresses childhood trauma and how the alters help the system cope, it has failed to represent DID correctly.

On the website Business Insider, there is an article called Dissociative identity disorder is nothing like how it’s portrayed in ‘Split’, according to people who have it. The article mentions four people who have multiple personalities and how their system works. Each person talks about how all the alters have a purpose in keeping the system healthy and safe, and they all have a different job within the system.

On the Business Insider website, the same people talk about what they want the readers to know about DID. Split shows that someone diagnosed with DID has one or more evil alters, but the majority of people with DID don’t have identities that have those evil desires.

“…alters who were considered ‘evil’ or ‘bad’ by the rest of the system, only to come to understand that these individuals are actually very badly hurt children who have been tasked with carrying the bulk of the sadness, rage, and pain associated with abuse.”

— https://www.businessinsider.com/living-with-split-personality-disorder-2017-2

Besides Split representing people with DID as evil and dangerous, the movie also portrays the switches all wrong too. The shifts from alter to alter are over the top and apparent, and real switches are not as obvious. In the film, each alter had a full wardrobe, and you can easily distinguish when a switch between identities happens. In real life, people with DID try to blend in with other people and not have a whole wardrobe for every identity. And their switches are smaller than what the movie shows, so you wouldn’t be able to distinguish what identity took over the system.

I also want to point out that after the movie came out, James McAvoy tried to talk to somebody with DID. But because the movie badly represented the disorder, nobody wanted to talk to him. That should speak for itself.

My Thoughts

People with DID are just that, people. They’re not evil, dangerous, or ‘beasts’. Movies like this hurt them because they’re being shown as monsters. I read some stories told by people with DID, and it made my heart hurt that they have to go through life and witness uneducated people make a movie about their disorder. It’s not right.

Educate Yourselves.

Cassandra Purcell

Cassandra is a second-year student in the Professional Writing program at Algonquin College. She loves writing real-life horror stories, being anti-social, and watching American Horror Story.

December 06, 2020

Civil War: The Comics vs The Movie. Choose Your Side!

December 06, 2020/ Aidan Conners

‘CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR’ [2016] / MARVEL STUDIOS AND WALT DISNEY studios MOTION PICTURES

Two Different Versions, One Awesome Story

In 2006, comic book writer Mark Miller shattered the world with a concept that changed how we see superheroes. Marvel released the comic series titled Civil War, which divided the Marvel universe into two sides, one which supported the new government-issued Superhuman Registration Act led by Iron Man, and another that opposed it led by Captain America.

Initially, the event was not well received, but over time earned its praise as a revolutionary piece in comics, even scoring IGN’s title as one of the greatest comic book events ever. With such an awesome and successful concept, it’s no surprise Marvel would want to make an adaptation for the big screen, which they ended up doing in 2016 as a conclusion to Cap's MCU trilogy called Captain America: Civil War. However, does the film live up to the legacy of the fabled comic? We will analyze plot, character arcs, and impact of both the comics and the movie to decide which is better. This goes without saying, but a spoiler warning for both adaptations is heavily advised.

The Plot

Essentially, the whole point of the Avengers fighting each other in the film is to see who gets custody over the rogue Winter Soldier (a.k.a. Bucky Barnes). Yes, there are aspects that pay homage to the source material, but they pass by so quickly and are barely touched upon that it’s easily overlooked. In the comics, after a reckless act from inexperienced superheroes kills hundreds of people, the government takes action by announcing the Superhuman Registration Act, a law in which all superheroes become agents of the government, meaning only the government can deploy heroes in extreme circumstances, leaving low-income areas without their heroes to protect the neighbourhood. For many of us who read the comics before seeing the movie, it’s safe to say that many of us were disappointed over the absence of Millar’s amazing plot.

Character Arcs

For the most part, both the comics and the movie provide excellent character arcs for all characters on both sides. Iron Man and Captain America each have understandable reasoning for their sides; however, because of the downgraded magnitude of the film compared to the comic, Cap’s reasoning falls a little short in the film instead of both sides being right. Where the film falls short is with the introduction of Spider-Man. In the comics, as a show of support for the registration act, Spider-Man reveals his identity to the world, making the moment not only shocking but nerve-wracking for what else was to come. While it’s good to see Spidey in the MCU, introducing him in that particular movie not only destroys the chance to create a defining moment for the character, but it also destroys some of the stories Spider-Man had after Civil War.

Impact

Comparing the comics and film adaptations of the Civil War story arc is automatically an unfair battle. As much as Marvel wanted to bring Millar’s concept to the big screen, the harsh reality may be that a faithful adaptation would be next to impossible. To the film’s credit, it used the current characters in the best way it could; however, the scope and the scale for what the comics did far exceeds the film adaptation. Unlike the film, Millar’s comic is not an Avengers story; it’s a Marvel universe story. The list of characters includes Wolverine, The Punisher, Daredevil, The X-Men, The Fantastic Four, The Thunderbolts, The New Warriors, and a good majority of the Marvel heroes. Because of the huge selection of heroes and villains, the story felt important. Every major character was in play—all fighting to protect the people of their world, but just like both The Punisher and Daredevil, each side wants the same thing, but they have different ways of achieving their goals. It’s a story that respects why Stan Lee created Marvel: to show heroes are human and make the same mistakes we do.

Final Thoughts

In the end, while Marvel tried their best to recreate Mark Millar’s classic comic book on the big screen, they only created a story loosely based on the source material, but sometimes that’s be expected. Sometimes classic stories like Civil War just aren’t meant for the big screen.

Aidan Conners

Aidan Conners is a short story writer, currently taking the Professional Writing course at Algonquin College. He is also a fan of comics, animals, video games, 90’s rock, horror movies, riddles, and reading.

December 03, 2020

My Favourite Movies of the Past Decade

December 03, 2020/ Linda Deslauriers

Ah…evolution.

The years pass, the years come. Each day bringing us closer to death. What joy. All this time spent living, as humans do, is boring. We need something to pass the time. Something like movies.

And in the wake of this new decade, an old one lingers by. Let us dwell on all the movies that I loved most each year. (This is list is being conducted only on the movies that I actually saw that year. So, as much as I want to sound cool and pretend I have the best taste in movies, that’s not always the case.)

Shall we?

2010: How to Train your Dragon

Can you believe it was that long ago? I was nine when I saw this in theatres. NINE! Whatever, it still holds up. Since 2010, I’ve seen it so many times I swear I know it by heart. I sold my nine-year-old soul to Astrid, and I’ve yet to get it back. I like this movie a lot.

2011: Super 8

I still don’t know if everyone saw this movie in 2011 but I did and I did not like it. But I’m biased

I saw this at least six times in one summer when I was ten. I hated going to summer camp, so after grovelling to my parents to let me stay, I quickly realized my downfall: boredom. I had nothing to do, nowhere to go. I was stuck. Until my dad rented Super 8 on demand, and I watched it. I watched it over and over during the three days that I still had it, and it gave me something to do. I never liked it, but I’m indebted to it. That’s why it’s my favourite.

2012: Pitch Perfect

I meant it then, and I mean it now. Yes, I am a little ashamed, but not enough to make myself forget that I love this movie. When it first came out, I would not shut up about it. I knew all the songs, I worshipped Anna Kendrick (still do), and I used my personal Instagram account to scream at people who haven’t seen it. I violently loved Jesse, and I quoted lines back to my parents even though I didn’t know what they really meant. (Upon rewatching, I am horrified). I loved it. Plain and simple.

[20th century studios / regency enterprises]

2013: The Internship

This one’s embarrassing. Let me preface: I like this movie just fine by itself. I think Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson play off each other well. I enjoyed the conflicts. But, if I’m being honest, this movie is my favourite of 2013 simply because Dylan O’Brien was in it. And he’s wearing square glasses and a beanie, and he has a snarky attitude. I was twelve, and I was enchanted.

2014: Kingsman: The Secret Service

I’m not ashamed of this one! I love this movie. I love the wit and the twists and the challenges these people have to go through. It’s so well thought out. Yes, the villain is actually kind of cliché, but that’s part of the allure. A villain who vomits at the sight of blood! Brilliant! I love this movie.

2015: Spy

Don’t ask me cuz I don’t know. It’s just a feel-good spy movie. It had comedy, it had action, and it had Jude Law. I’m very okay with this movie. And besides, while making this list, I realized that 2015 was not the best movie year for me. Oh, well.

[marvel entertainment / 20th century studios]

2016: Deadpool

I watched this in theatres with my mom and her friend. It had swear words, it had sex scenes, and it had some nasty mutilations happening. It is not family-friendly, and I loved it. Mostly, I loved the humour, the banter, the satire all culminated to make a pretty solid film.

2017: Spider-Man: Homecoming

I am faithful to Tobey Maguire, but I also adored this movie. It’s Spider-Man. It’s a classic superhero character, and I think Tom Holland did a good job.

2018: Love, Simon

What a heartwarming movie. What sweetness, what joy. This movie is so pure and warm that it hits right where I needed it. I praise it.

2019: Hustlers

And finally, the most recent movie that stole my heart; Hustlers. I watched this late last year and died. I love it so much, it’s dear to me. There’s no overly fascinating reason other than I enjoyed myself. I had such a good time watching these characters on a screen, it was music to my eyes.

That’s my list! Thanks for reading!

Linda Deslauriers

Linda is the most “fangirly” person you will likely ever meet. She’s a second-year student in Algonquin College’s Professional Writing program. She enjoys hot chocolate, rainy evenings, literature, and cinema. If looking for her, you will find her on her bed; enthralled in whatever new addiction she’s developed since.

December 01, 2020

It's Okay to Have Cinematic Universe Fatigue

December 01, 2020/ Richard Renaud

‘AVENGERS: ENDGAME’ [2019], the twenty-second film in THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE [2008-] / MARVEL studios AND WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURES

Ever since the first Iron Man movie kicked off a universe that finally gave the world the Avengers on the big screen, fans have been on the ball for every continuing story in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where characters like Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and others can tag along with each other to help save the world. Years after this, many other studios begin to form their own versions, with Warner Bros. making cinematic universes such as the Conjuring Universe, the MonsterVerse and their most popular, the DC Extended Universe. With all of these cinematic universes going on and on, at any point, you’d think there will be no end; one must think to themselves, “Is it okay to have fatigue with cinematic universes?”.

What is a “Cinematic Universe”?

THE FIRST CINEMATIC UNIVERSE, THE UNIVERSAL classic monsters [1925-1956] / UNIVERSAL PICTURES

A cinematic universe (also known as a shared universe) is much different than a franchise. Where a franchise is based on one property extending itself to being more than just three movies or so, a cinematic universe is a type of multimedia franchise consisting of many properties joining together. It all dates back from 1925 all the way to 1956 when Universal Pictures first made up a franchise based on monsters such as The Phantom of the Opera (not the musical version), the Wolfman, the Invisible Man, Frankenstein, and Count Dracula called Universal Classic Monsters.

As the term “shared universe” died out that time, it would emerge back in 2008 when the world was first introduced to Iron Man and the post-credit scene that made many Marvel fans be very prepared for what’s to come. And behold, a cinematic universe—based on Marvel’s property of superheroes—was born. So after a few solos outings, each starring Thor and Captain America, Disney made a deal with Paramount and Marvel Studios to start making extra cash, and just like that, the cinematic universe has so far made 23 films (with more coming soon).

‘WONDER WOMAN 1984’ [2020], THE NINTH film IN THE DC EXTENDED UNIVERSE [2013-] / WARNER BROS. AND DC ENTERTAINMENT

And with other movie companies listening, they took pursuit. We now also have cinematic universes featuring the monsters from Godzilla’s world, a universe consisting of demonic evils that Lorraine and Ed Warren faced from The Conjuring series, and a universe all around the superheroes of DC Comics. With a few being cancelled (Universal’s Dark Universe and Sony’s Amazing Spider-Man Universe) and new ones coming in (Sony’s Universe of Marvel Characters and a soon-to-be universe centered around 2019’s Brightburn), it comes to my sense that Hollywood has offered the world too many cinematic universes that it feels like [to me] a buzzkill.

My former enjoyment with the Marvel Cinematic Universe

While I wasn’t big on almost every cinematic universe, one that use to stand out to me was the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While I had a blast with every MCU movie [especially the intense adrenaline of last year’s Endgame], as time went by during COVID and Black Widow and Eternals being pushed to next year, I began to wonder to myself if I want to keep going with these movies. Almost everyone has made a struck change during quarantine with some thinking on changing themselves for the better once this COVID thing is done and over with while some are slowly shifting to insanity as they freak out at any Costco worker that advises them to wear a mask while shopping. In that moment of still being in quarantine, it occurred to me to realize at this time that I feel completely done with the Marvel Cinematic Universe as I felt bored thinking about them.

I began to do some overthinking during the fall, and it helped me to understand that it’s okay to slip-slide away from this universe and every other cinematic universe in general. Most of the movies in the MCU, in my opinion, have been the exact same: fight some baddies, meet new recruits, be comedic, get their ass handed to them by the film’s villain, motivate themselves, come back into battle, fight more baddies and kick the villain’s ass; then later at the end of the movie, mid and post-credit scenes! It’s déjà vu! I also felt the same with every other cinematic universe handling the same things they do with their movies over and over and I’ve just had enough of it.

I feel much more relieved of not watching cinematic universes than ever before. Although I won’t be seeing anymore of Marvel’s upcoming projects in their cinematic universe from next year to beyond, I wish the people in charge of them the best of luck and to always keep entertaining their fans.

Should it be okay to have fatigue with cinematic universes?

It should not be my way on how I should control people. I’m 100% okay if you enjoy a cinematic universe; I ain’t stopping you. But to those who needed the advice, if they feel—in their heart—they aren’t fond of them anymore, it’s okay to move forward. Live the way you want to live life, and enjoy whatever movie series or franchise you want, even a cinematic universe.

Richard Renaud

Richard Renaud is a student currently on his second and last year of Professional Writing at Algonquin College. His activities are walking, watching TV and movies, as well as hanging out with family and friends. If you do see him, don’t be afraid to say “Hi”. Unlike the picture, he has [sadly] never been to space.

November 28, 2020

Whitewashing: Because White People Are Sooooo Underrepresented

November 28, 2020/ Shireen Agharazi-Dormani

Left: Ghost In The Shell (2017) [DreamWorks Pictures, Reliance Entertainment, Arad Productions, Paramount Pictures], Right: Ghost In The Shell (1995) [Bandai Visual, Manga Entertainment, Production I.G]

Throughout my life, I rarely saw any brown people in the media, much less Iranian girls. When I did see brown people on T.V., they were either minor characters, stereotypes, or both.

Recently, I discovered a film called Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. All I saw was the word Persia and immediately got excited. I did some research on the movie, and lo and behold, Jake fucking Gyllenhaal is playing the lead role. A white man portraying a Persian prince. Disappointment replaced my joy.

Thanks, Hollywood.

Whitewashing: You Should Really Stop

Whitewashing is when the film industry casts a white actor in a non-white role.

The Last Airbender (2010) [Nickelodeon Movies, Paramount Pictures]

A classic example of whitewashing is Hollywood’s adaptation of Ghost In The Shell, as they have Scarlett Johansson play the role of Motoko Kusanagi, a Japanese character. Another movie guilty of this practice is Breakfast At Tiffany’s, with Mickey Rooney doing a racist portrayal of another Japanese character, Mr. Yunioyushi. There’s Aloha, where we have Emma Stone playing the half-Chinese, half-native Hawaiian Allison Ng. The Last Airbender’s cast is mainly white, despite the show it’s based on having no white characters whatsoever. Netflix even adapted a Death Note film based on the manga, Americanised it and had Nat Wolff play Light Turner (whose actual name is Light Yagami, but they changed that, too). These are only some examples.

The issues are that not only are non-white actors not given the same opportunities as white actors, but non-white people watching these films don’t get to see themselves represented. The latter is already a problem, so to have white people play roles made for minorities makes things worse. It’s a subtle way of telling us we don’t matter.

Reverse Racism isn’t Real, Karen

On the rare occasions that we get to see a non-white actor play a white character, those actors have to deal with immense hate (cough racism cough).

Let’s take the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, for example. In the animated 1989 film, Ariel is a mermaid with white skin and red hair. In the live-action remake, however, we have our protagonist played by Halle Bailey, a black woman. While there were fans who were supportive of the casting choice, there were others who were anything but that. From crying out about Ariel being white to telling Bailey she should’ve played Tiana instead, the young actress received a lot of negativity.

Left: Halle Bailey, Right: The Little Mermaid (1989) [Walt Disney Feature Animation, Walt Disney Pictures]

Let’s discuss why this specific change isn’t a problem:

Ariel’s skin colour has nothing to do with the plot. Having her be black won’t change anything in the story. Besides, you do know that mermaids aren’t exclusively white, yeah?
The people telling Bailey to play Tiana instead are only further admitting that black people have little-to-no representation. White people have more than just Ariel; they have Aurora, Cinderella, Belle, Snow White, Rapunzel, Merida, Elsa, Anna, etc. People of colour only have a few princesses that look like them. Black people only have Tiana. A black actress playing Ariel won’t change the fact that white people always have representation and will never need to fight for it.
“If the roles were reversed, and a white actress played Tiana, you would say it’s racist!” That’s because it is racist, Karen. Tiana being black is significant to her story. The Princess and the Frog is about her having to work hard to reach her goals given her circumstances (which is her being a black woman in the late 1920s in New Orleans). Besides, the roles are reversed; THAT’S THE PROBLEM.

Simply put, whitewashing is erasure; the other way around is minorities’ way of giving themselves the representation they don’t have.

Parting Words From an Angry Brown Woman

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time [Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Studios]

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: It’s not forced diversity; people just exist. I can assure you; it’s not hard to find a good non-white actor. There are plenty of them waiting for opportunities you don’t give them because diversity makes you uncomfortable. Give us proper representation so that no more children of colour have to look for it themselves.

Shireen Agharazi-Dormani

An artist with strong opinions, a fear of social interactions, and one hell of a sweet tooth. Needs at least 10 hours of sleep and lots of hugs. Handle with care: very sensitive.

November 27, 2020

Sharknado is so Bad it's Good

November 27, 2020/ Cassie Purcell

“Sharks in a tornado. Sharknado. Simply stunning.” - Sharknado.

What do you need to survive a sharknado? Well, you need to be Fin Shepard, but chainsaws and explosives will do just fine.

Sharknado (directed by Anthony C. Ferrante) is a comedic horror sci-fi movie about a tornado that carries around sharks and kills people along the way. That’s it, that’s the plot. This plot carried on for six movies because the director had nothing better to do. The film follows Fin Shepard (Ian Ziering), April Wexler (Tara Reid), Nova Clarke (Cassandra Scerbo), and many others who are kind of irrelevant.

The series of movies follow Shepard and friends/family as he tries to chainsaw his way out of multiple sharks. Along with the insanely weird plot, there have been lots of cheesy lines, which make the movies more enjoyable to watch. Without those cheesy lines, there wouldn’t be much rooting for these movies. The only other reason I watch it is because I have an obsession with sharks. And I love watching my least favourite character, Wexler, almost die multiple times. Also, there is a soft spot in my heart for Shepard giving motivational speeches in front of huge crowds.

The first Sharknado movie takes place in Los Angeles, California. We meet Shepard, his family, Clarke, and some side characters. That’s also when we get introduced to the first “sharknado” they have to face. The plot isn’t half bad, but it could go a long way if some main characters died. My favourite cheesy line from the first movie would be from a store clerk.

“Apocalypse my ass! This isn’t the end of the world! Gods, they’re not angry with us, the aliens aren’t coming down! It’s the government! With a big capital ‘G’! They’re behind EVERYTHING! They know what we buy, they know what we eat, where we go to the bathroom. They know what kind of CHEESE I like…Pepper Jack. They control it all! And the weather too! I gotta hand it to em though, SHARKS? I never saw THAT coming. ”

— https://www.quotes.net/mquote/1063365

In the second movie, Shepard and Wexler travel to New York City after terminating the “sharknado” that trashed Los Angeles. They planned to hang out with some family and watch some baseball, but that doesn’t go according to plan. Sadly, “sharknados” have followed them and have put another place under their destruction belt. This movie couldn’t have made it without Shepard’s motivational speech, and it was the highlight of my life.

“I know you’re scared. I’m scared too. They’re sharks. They’re scary. No one wants to get eaten. But I’ve been eaten. And I’m here to tell you it takes a lot more than that to bring a good man down. A lot more than that to bring a New Yorker down. Let’s go show them what it means to be a hero. Let’s go show them what it means to be a New Yorker! Let’s go kill some sharks!”

— https://www.quotes.net/mquote/1063383

In the third movie, Shepard and Wexler go to Washington, DC and Orlando, Florida. Wexler is with her daughter in Universal Studios, and she is carrying her third child. Shepard travels from Washington to Orlando to gather his family and keep them safe from yet another “sharknado” with the help of Clarke and her friend. The plot is the same for the entire movie, until the ending when something exciting happens. Wexler gets swallowed up by a shark, and soon after, she comes crawling out with a baby in her hands. She gave birth in a shark. It’s unrealistic, but that’s one thing that surprised me during this movie.

The fourth movie takes place in Chicago and Las Vegas. It wasn’t just a sharknado this time; there was a lightningado, oilnado, firenado, cownado, a sandnado with rocks, and a nuclearnado. I wish I thought of this; I have never seen anything this creative before.

The fifth movie takes Shepard, his family, and friends around the world to stop a global sharknado, and there’s not much to say about that. And the final movie takes the Shepards to different time zones to put a stop to the very first sharknado from ever existing, which will bring all the family together again.

Even though many people wrote terrible reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, it will always be that movie you watch when you’re bored out of your mind. Sharknado isn’t for everybody, but you will never know what you will think of it until you have seen at least one.

Check out the first Sharknado movie trailer.

Cassandra Purcell

Cassandra is a second-year student in the Professional Writing program at Algonquin College. She loves writing real-life horror stories, being anti-social, and watching American Horror Story.

November 24, 2020

The Flashpoint Paradox: The Masterpiece of the Superhero Genre!

November 24, 2020/ Aidan Conners

‘JUSTICE LEAGUE: THE FLASHPOINT PARADOX’ [2013] / WARNER HOME VIDEO

A Competitive Genre

It’s no surprise that whenever we think about popular superhero films, we immediately think of Marvel and their blockbuster hits of the Avengers, but what about DC? Surely with an incredible roster that includes the likes of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and of course, The Flash, you would think that their movies would be tough competition for Marvel, but that’s not the case. For years, DC has struggled to keep up with Marvel for live-action adaptations of our favourite heroes.

Let’s face the facts; Marvel is the true dominant force when it comes to the box office. However, that doesn’t mean they are superior when it comes to storytelling. That title belongs to DC for their animated films. Particularly their film Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox. Yes, you heard me right; Flashpoint Paradox, in my opinion, outshines all Marvel films with a masterfully crafted story and a unique concept that leaves everyone wishing for more as well as a lesson that will resonate and affect anyone.

A Quick Peek Into the Story

After another fierce battle with his rival Reverse-Flash, Barry Allen (A.K.A The Flash) wakes up to find himself in a world much like his own but very different. His once dead mother is alive and well in the new world; however, some things have been mysteriously altered for the worst. Wonder Woman and Aquaman fight in a brutal war, leaving half of the world in ruin. With the war showing no signs of stopping, humanity grimly waits for the end of the world. Stranded in this new reality, The Flash must stop the brutal war and figure out what caused this change. But Barry will soon discover that nothing he once knew is the same.

A Superhero Movie Unlike Any Other

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge Marvel fan but not really of their cinematic universe. Aside from Logan, there were never any Marvel movies that stood out as my favourites. While they are fun movies to sit down and watch with friends, their stories never hooked me. Flashpoint Paradox is everything a superhero movie should be: suspenseful, tense, heartbreaking, inspiring, and simply wondrous.

To start, the film features an amazing animation style that makes it feel like a movie fit for comics. However, that doesn’t even scratch the surface of the film. As the film picks up, you instantly realize that the heroes that you grew to love are not the same. Some are warlords, some have given up the fight, and some don’t even exist. This is what DC does better than Marvel: they know we love these characters, and yet they are presented to us in their worst state, but that’s the magic of this film. All these heroes, all these larger than life beings who possess extraordinary abilities reduced to the likeness of normal soldiers in war. Every battle feels intense to the point that the superheroes are no longer super but just some guy fighting against something that’s bigger than themselves. Now you could say the same of the Avengers movies, but actually, you can’t. When people die in Flashpoint, you feel it. Even though most of the characters are products of an altered reality, the film handles death with respect and finality, making each death impactful and devastating. All of this leads up to a shocking plot twist that is even more heartbreaking, which brings the film to a close with a necessary lesson and many tears on the living room floor.

Final Thoughts

And there you have it, and I’m sure I have offended many Marvel fans. While most of Marvel’s movies aren’t my favourite, they still put a smile on my face because they are part of a genre I have loved my whole life. Flashpoint Paradox is just the superhero movie I have long dreamed of, where my heroes are still mighty yet normal in the face of overwhelming odds. Flashpoint was my superhero movie, the movie that broke my heart and built it up again. The Flashpoint Paradox, to put it simply, is the masterpiece of the superhero genre. So? What are you waiting for? Go out and watch it!

Aidan Conners

November 22, 2020

The Best Movies to Watch in the Wee Hours of the Morning

November 22, 2020/ Linda Deslauriers

You know exactly what I’m talking about. Those movies that aren’t exactly horror, not exactly romance. Those movies that live in the sweet spot between “I don’t wanna watch this” and “I should watch this someday”. The kind of movies that you watch bundled up in your bed, under the blankets. Those movies that you watch beyond your better judgment at 3:00 am and regret it immediately, but by then, it’s too late. That’s what this is. They give you bad dreams (if you sleep at all). They make you question every little thing. They’re the movies that make you say; “What the hell did I just watch?”.

These are the movies that I hate the most…

Here are some of my favourites.

Fight Club: Drama/Thriller (1999)

This movie is about two friends, Tyler Durden and the Narrator, as we watch them come up with their idea of a Fight Club. A place where men can escape to let out their sorrows by consensually beating the shit out of other men. This idea takes off for our two friends, and it forms into something more and more sinister as it blooms in popularity. And we’re seeing all this for the first time through our Narrator’s eyes as he grows increasingly suspicious of the world he’s created and the man he’s become.

When I watched this, it was already 2:00 am and by the end, I had forfeited sleep for the night. I wasn’t scared, I wasn’t sad. I was simply… astonished.

Parasite: Thriller/Comedy (2019)

This movie starts out rather tame and unassuming. But that’s just what pulls you in. This young man who struggles with his family and their consuming financial problems is finally offered a way out. A golden ticket, if you will, and is all at once thrust into this world of luxury. A world he and his family members find a way to invade. One by one, they trick the family that they are working for into hiring each and every one of them. The plot really starts unravelling when they manage to ostracize the long-time caretaker out of the house, and together, they discover that the house hides a few secrets too.

I watched this movie in the middle of the night with my friend. She had already seen it, so she was watching me eagerly for my reactions. I couldn’t even tell you what was happening half the time, but I loved it. I mean, I hated it; but I loved it.

The Truman Show: Drama/Comedy (1998)

The truman show [1998] [paramount pictures]

This movie hits hard. Especially at 4:00 am.

Imagine being trapped your whole life without even knowing it. And everyone you meet and everyone you love was just pretending. Imagine being so out of the loop that your whole life exists in a different reality.

That’s messed up. That’s The Truman Show.

What words can I use to express myself? This movie is more than just an existential crisis in the CD packaging. It has depth, it carries meaning, it carries hope. It wraps together love and betrayal and hurt so preciously and delicately that it’s heartbreaking. But it’s beautiful.

You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and if you haven’t seen it, you’ll thank me for it later.

The Matrix: Action/ Sci-Fi (1999)

Now I can’t make this list and not include this movie. This is the big daddy of all “make you question your existence” films. And this is one of the best. This movie commences when our protagonist, a young Keanu Reeves, hacks his way to the truth, and therefore to the very heart of a rebellion.

This whole movie has a vibe you can’t shake. It’s an uneasy, crawling feeling. The music and the acting and the tempo make you know something’s wrong; it’s there and staring you in the face. You know something’s about to erupt, and you just sit there and wrack your brain. It’s magical in its intensity.

In simple terms: I love this weird-ass science-fiction. Regardless of how much leather they wear.

That’s it for my picks! I hope you’ll enjoy them and have a good sleep afterwards. Remember, these movies are exclusively for after midnight. And I have no say in this. It’s the law.

Linda Deslauriers

November 19, 2020

Be Kind Rewind: An underrated Jack Black film worth everyone's radar

November 19, 2020/ Richard Renaud

‘BE KIND REWIND’ [2008] / NEW LINE CINEMA

Throughout the 2000s, actor Jack Black was dominating the world of cinema. Whether he was playing the role of a musician substituting a classroom of students and teaching them the basics of rock n’ roll or becoming a Mexican wrestler, heck, even a panda wanting to learn Kung Fu, there was no way you’d find a year without a Jack Black film. But back in 2008, Jack Black would go on to star in a movie that, if you told someone today, they would hardly know what it even is. That movie is the underappreciated flick, Be Kind Rewind.

What is Be Kind Rewind?

The film centers on the roles of Jack Black and rapper Mos Def as two clerks who run a VHS rental store called Be Kind Rewind. Mike (Def) is relied on to take care of the business while his foster dad (Danny Glover) goes on a trip where Mike is informed to keep his friend Jerry (Black) out of the store. Jerry is a bizarre oddball who believes in conspiracy theories and even lives in a trailer.

One night while trying to sabotage a power facility because Jerry believes “the power is frying people’s minds”, he electrocutes himself. The following day, he mistakenly erases all the tapes with magnetism from the electrocution he suffered. In distress, Mike pitches the perfect idea to Jerry: recreate the films themselves as possible; their first plan is to recreate the beloved 80s classic Ghostbusters. And as the two find themselves doing more movies, they quickly find themselves becoming town celebrities and even getting the chance to expand their business.

MIKE AND JERRY HILARIOUSLY RECREATE GHOSTBUSTERS. ‘BE KIND REWIND’ [2008] / NEW LINE CINEMA

The works and the return of the term “Sweded”

What makes the film work is its cast. Black and Def play their roles as the two leads, and their bickering and admirable chemistry help make the film work. Glover plays Mike’s foster dad, and we begin to see his rise from an old hermit who mostly prefers VHSs over DVDs to a man who must adjust to the fact things are changing. Mia Farrow plays the role of the sweet Miss Falewicz, while Melonie Diaz is later brought to the film as the duo’s new member, Alma (after Mike and Jerry realize that they need girls to help fill in for scenes that involve females). She helps bring in chemistry with both lead characters as she admires her new work.

Another thing that works is its comedy. When Mike and Jerry first work on their first movie, it becomes totally funny seeing them recreate as much as they can with such a tiny budget. And it even comes more forward as they take on recreating other movies such as Rush Hour 2 and even Driving Miss Daisy.

What makes the film genius is how the movie may have brought back the term “Sweded”. According to research, the term was used by people for tapes that were erased and then recreated, then being sold in Sweden as an excuse for higher rental fees and longer wait times. The term is brought up as an excuse by Mike and the crew to express on why they are charging more time and money per movie. As the term has been brought back to life, Director Michel Gondry took to life his own “sweded” version of the film’s trailer to promote the movie. The term has helped make an impact for YouTubers too, with some making low-budget versions of trailers for blockbuster films. It even helped celebrities in quarantine back in the summer to make the Quibi remake of The Princess Bride.

Why it deserves the recognition

It’s come to my attention that many people aren’t very familiar with the film. People are so used to Black’s work in films such as the recent Jumanji movies, Nacho Libre, School of Rock and the Kung Fu Panda franchise or his involvement as both a bandmate of the band Tenacious D and a YouTube gamer (Jablinski Games). But it’s surprising to know that not a lot of people aren’t aware of this movie’s existence. Why I believe it deserves the recognition (and not just because it’s a Jack Black movie) is because the film leaves an impact on viewers, including me. The film brings to light the thing that all of us enjoy in our life: movies. The two leads don’t just do it for the money they need to save their store from being closed; deep down, they enjoy doing it because it helps bring everyone together. Even when things go from bad to worse at the film’s third act, a solution is brought to life involving the film’s townspeople of Passaic, New Jersey. It teaches me, a lot of people, and my fellow crew of On the Reel that movies will forever be the thing that fascinates us because they have changed us.

If you want to know as much of the film now as possible, here’s the trailer:

Richard Renaud

November 16, 2020

Queer Coding and Queerbaiting: No Homo! Unless…

November 16, 2020/ Shireen Agharazi-Dormani

When people like to remind me that our society is so much better than it was about 50 years ago in terms of acceptance, I remind them in return that “better” doesn’t always mean “good”. It merely implies it could’ve been worse. When it comes to the LGBTQ+ community, they can get married now (in some places), they can adopt children (in some places), and they get to see themselves represented in the media.

Sort of.

Queer Coding: For a Little Bit of Backstory

For those who don’t know, queer coding is when creators give a character typically queer traits, all the while never explicitly labelling them as queer. This trope, for the most part, is neutral. It’s the historical context that’s the issue.

In the early days of filmmaking, the U.S. government discouraged any form of overt sexuality, fearing the influence the media had on the public. While LGBTQ+ depictions weren’t outright banned, shining a negative light on them was fine. This is where the problem with queer coding came into play. Male villains were effeminate; female villains, devious.

We can see plenty of examples of the bad guys being portrayed this way in Disney movies. There’s Ratcliffe from Pocahontas, with his concern for fashion. Scar from The Lion King is another gay stereotype, from the limp wrist to the sway of his hips as he struts. We also have Ursula, who was inspired by the late drag queen Divine. Maleficient, with her features drawn sharp to give her a more masculine appearance to juxtapose Aurora’s femininity. Etc. Etc.

Again, queer coding is technically neutral, and plenty of queer people still like these characters (including me). The problem lies in the villainization of queerness. Although we can now have LGBTQ+ onscreen, the harmful tropes haven’t gone away. Plus, another problem arose in the process.

Queerbaiting: Progress (Except I Lied About the Progress Part)

Queerbaiting is a marketing technique where creators hint at their fictional characters being part of the LGBTQ+ community but never depict them as such. It’s similar to queer coding, only the issue is they’re trying to lure in an LGBTQ+ audience by convincing them they’re going to get the representation they’ve wanted for so long. “Fake woke shit,” as I like to call it.

An example would be J.K. Rowling. With her only announcing that Dumbledore was gay after finishing the books and never showing his sexual orientation in the Harry Potter films, Rowling’s fans were rightfully skeptical. Even when the opportunity arose to show some proper representation in the Fantastic Beasts films, they got nothing.

We also have the live-action of The Beauty and the Beast, with LeFou and his little crush on Gaston. This comic-relief of a side character was already queer-coded in the animated film, but in the live-action, he’s just a little bit gayer. Staring at Gaston longingly and… yeah, that’s it. It’s enough that the producers can lure in an LGBTQ+ audience but not too much that they’ll lose their homophobic audience.

Fake. Woke. Shit.

Queer Words from a Queer Person:

I’m not saying queer villains shouldn’t exist. What I am saying is that you should do more research when it comes to creating queer characters. When coming up with characters who are from marginalized groups, you must always take into consideration historical context. Even if you didn’t mean to write a gay character that plays into negative stereotypes, it’s the impact that counts at the end of the day. When creating a straight character, no one associates their flaws with their sexual orientation because people see being straight as the default; they see it as normal, human. Queer people don’t have that luxury.

The LGBTQ+ community has claimed some of these characters as queer; we don’t hate them. However, we shouldn’t have to decide their sexuality to see ourselves onscreen. Being LGBTQ+ isn’t taboo; we deserve to exist without being viewed as inappropriate. Even if accidental, creating a queer character that plays into harmful stereotypes can negatively affect the queer audience that is already so starved of seeing themselves accurately portrayed in the media.

If you don’t see the importance of representation, it’s because you’ve always been represented.

Shireen Agharazi-Dormani

An artist with strong opinions, a fear of social interactions, and one hell of a sweet tooth. Needs at least 10 hours of sleep and lots of hugs. Handle with care: very sensitive.

November 14, 2020

5 Reasons Why 'When Harry Met Sally' is the Perfect Romantic Comedy

November 14, 2020/ Alannah Link

‘When Harry Met Sally’ was released in July 1989 and just over 30 years later, we can still see its impact on pop culture and the world of romance. I, for one, would argue that it’s the blueprint for all romantic comedies that came after it.

From it’s quotable one-liners, the autumnal NYC scenery, to the iconic Carrie Fisher – here are 5 reasons why ‘When Harry Met Sally’ is the perfect Romantic Comedy.

5. The main characters are nut-jobs, but in the most endearing way possible

‘When Harry Met Sally’ opens in 1977 when the title characters are forced to take an 18-hour road trip from Chicago to New York City. Almost instantly, their characters clash.

Harry is the over-sexed pessimist who uses humour to guise his sadness. And Sally is the romantically naïve optimist who’s in the dictionary next to the phrase “high maintenance”.

Billy Crystal isn’t an impossibly dashing romantic lead. He looks like a guy you’d walk past on a street. If you had given that script to the wrong person, Harry would’ve been absolutely miserable. But Crystal was able to soften the character’s cynicism with charm.

Sally’s anal retentiveness isn’t a quirky quality likened by manic pixie dream girls. When she carefully analyzes every vegetable she pulls from the salad bar, and demands the ice-cream be beside the pie, not on top – it’s just who she is, and while easily maddening, Meg Ryan makes it endearing.

4. The film feels like a warm cup of Autumn

When I think of autumn, I think of the famous scene where Harry and Sally are strolling through a golden brown Central Park, with Sally wearing a grey bowler hat and tweed pants, and Harry in a brown leather jacket.

Some of my favourite parts are the ones where the two characters are wrapped in blankets in their own separate beds, talking on the phone while watching the same show. While the film itself is aesthetically cozy, their conversations bring another sense of comfort, like the kind you feel when you talk to that person who is always willing to listen to your endless problems and musings.

Autumn is also the season of transition, and it just so happens to be the point in the film where the title characters feelings for one another change. I mean, who wouldn’t want to fall in love to Harry Connick Jr’s big-band/jazz soundtrack?

At the end of the day, ‘When Harry Met Sally’ is the quintessential autumn movie. It tastes like a warm cup of apple cider, feels like a thick, knit sweater, and sounds like crisp leaves crunching under our feet. It’s as bittersweet as unrequited love.

3. Carrie Fisher… need I say more?

When someone says Carrie Fisher, most people think of Princess Leia, and I mean… I do too. But what quickly follows is her role as Marie, Sally’s best friend in ‘When Harry Met Sally’.

Rom Coms just couldn’t get the best friend and B-romance right after Carrie Fisher perfected it in this film. She just set the bar too high.

Marie is a one-liner machine. Her romance with Harry’s best friend juxtaposes the title characters’ 12-year long stint of unrequited love as they almost immediately tie the knot. Marie and her partner coach their friends through romantic crises and turn to one another, grateful that they found a stable partnership while their peers are suffering in singledom.

It takes an incredible actor to steal the show as a side character, and Carrie Fisher does just that.

2. The story and script are timeless

Nora Ephron’s ability to write believable women and believable relationships with such sincerity is exactly what got her the Oscar nod for ‘When Harry Met Sally’.

The dialogue is witty and realistically depicts life and dating in 1980s New York City. The amount of iconic scenes and quotes the movie contains is remarkable, including the infamous fake-orgasm scene famously followed by “I’ll have what she’s having.”

While each character is fully developed, Harry and Sally are stripped of most things except for their relationships with one another. Their personalities are revealed through conversation, and in contrast with one another. Their love story is grounded by interspersed interviews of actors retelling heart-warming love stories of real-life couples, and ends, fittingly, with Harry and Sally telling theirs.

Despite its curly wired landline phones and shoulder pads, these are the things that make it feel timeless.

1. The romance is a perfect slow-burn

So many romantic comedies condense the romance into one night or a week. The thing about romance is that the longer it swells up, the sweeter the release is (if you know what I mean.)

‘When Harry Met Sally’ spans over 12 years. We get to see them grow up, mature and make mistakes. The story unfolds through low-stakes hangouts and well-written conversations that take place during walks against the backdrop of autumnal Central Park. They spend a day at the MET, banter in silly voices, and eat sandwiches at Jewish Delis.

When Harry and Sally start realizing they have feelings for one another, it feels so organic and real. You feel like their friends who so obviously know that the two are meant for each other but just can’t get over their own reservations. It tugs at the heartstrings, the only way a perfect romantic comedy can.

Alannah Link

Check out Alannah’s ‘When Harry Met Sally’ Spotify playlist here: jewish deli dates & witty banter

Blog: TheCrookedFriend

November 12, 2020

Doctor Sleep Made Me Sleep

November 12, 2020/ Cassie Purcell

As a lover of the movie adaptation of Stephen King’s The Shining, which was directed by Stanley Kubrick, I was excited to watch the sequel Doctor Sleep. I remember watching The Shining when I was 12 with my dad. It wasn’t scary to me; I laughed at the parts that people would normally be afraid of. The wrinkly ghost lady in the bathtub was always one of the funniest parts for me. So, I thought Doctor Sleep would have humorous bits with dark and chilling scenes. But all I got was a giant snooze fest. I’m a true horror fan, so watching this movie that claims to be horrific and scary truly let me down.

The movie follows actor Ewan McGregor as Dan Torrance, an alcoholic, who is still traumatized by the events of his childhood at the Overlook Hotel. He tries to live a very peaceful life, but that all seems to shatter when he meets Abra (played by Kyleigh Curran). Abra is a teen who shares his gift of the “shine”. She seeks his help to take down a cult —called The True Knot— that is led by Rose The Hat (played by Rebecca Ferguson) who feeds off of those who “shine” to become immortal. In order to help take down Rose and her cult, Danny helps Abra unleash her special abilities as he faces his fears of the past.

This storyline would be more engaging if the director made the cult leaders more intimidating and horrifying. This movie is rated R for being ‘disturbing’ and ‘violent,’ but all I got was PG-13 for its lack of horror. If something is going to be rated R, it should be one of the most skin-crawling movies ever to see the light or at least scare me a little. The Wrap website wrote an article on the 5 Reasons Doctor Sleep Snoozed at the Box Office. The main points of the article state that there was a much older horror audience, too much time between sequels, the release date, a short marketing campaign, and that not all Stephen King adaptations are equal. I agree with what The Wrap wrote (especially about the film’s release date). Doctor Sleep was released in November, but the movie might have done better if it came out before Halloween, which is the spooky season.

The scare factor isn’t the only thing that disappointed me. Close to the end of the movie when Danny and Abra went back to the Overlook Hotel, Dan has to “wake up the hotel and all the monsters in it”. Dan goes to the same bar at the hotel his dad use to go to and gets served by a man who calls himself “Lloyd” that resembles his father. At this scene, I was hoping that Jack Nicholson would randomly cameo, but my prayers were denied. Maybe Nicholson was busy or they couldn’t get him to show up for that part, but it would’ve been exciting to see him in it for that small amount of time.

Overall, the movie had a terrible downfall. Doctor Sleep could have succeeded a bit better if it had the spookiness that a rated R movie has, a smaller gap between the original and the sequel, and a bigger marketing campaign to help people get excited and hyped for the movie. A Jack Nicholson cameo would have made the movie come a long way too, but I understand if the director just couldn’t get Jack to show up for five minutes of the movie.

It was one of the only horror movies that made me sleep. I don’t usually sleep that well so I guess that’s a plus side to the movie.

If you’re interested in the movie at all, check out the trailer!

Cassandra Purcell

Cassandra is a second-year student in the Professional Writing program at Algonquin College. She loves writing real-life horror stories, being anti-social, and watching American Horror Story.

November 10, 2020

Rob Zombie’s Halloween: Unique, Yet Hated.

November 10, 2020/ Aidan Conners

A Film that Redefined a Genre

As a huge fan of the slasher genre, John Carpenter’s 1978 classic Halloween stands as one of my favourites in all of horror. Halloween was a ground-breaking, low budget film that horrified audiences and gave us a character that would haunt our dreams for years: Michael Myers. Because of its success, Halloween inspired some of my other favourite horror films like Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Scream, and other famous horror movies. To try and recreate the same magic that made the originals great is a difficult challenge to overcome, which is why a lot of remakes nowadays suck. But sometimes directors can surprise us with something different from the original. In 2007, famous rock star and filmmaker Rob Zombie directed a remake of the classic. Many hated it, but many also praised it for doing something different. There is no denying that the film is far from perfect, but does it deserve the amount of hate it gets? We will analyze both sides of the argument to help you answer that question.

Rob Zombie’s Halloween [2007] [Dimension Films]

Why it’s Hated

The biggest reason for most of the fans’ hate is Zombie’s take on Michael Myers. In the original, Michael was simply the bogeyman, a force of unstoppable evil. It would be easy to understand why many fans would not be pleased with introducing a backstory for the character. Most complained that it ruined the mysterious aura that made Michael interesting. Another big complaint was the excessive use of over the top brutality and swearing. However, this being a Rob Zombie film, it’s almost a given that such mature content would be featured; plus, it’s a movie about a psychopathic murderer, you know? Michael Myers? The guy Dr. Loomis described to be pure evil, so I was already expecting the film to be gut-wrenching. A lot of what angered fans were the choices Zombie made and how they were executed, but with the film being a remake, risks and changes are almost needed for it to stand out.

Why it’s Praised

Setting aside the die-hard fans of the original, the remake achieved popularity by some for doing what any successful remake does: taking risks in changes. Fans praised the performances of Tyler Mane, Malcolm McDowell, and Scout Taylor-Compton as Michael Myers, Dr. Loomis, and Laurie Strode. While many were upset with the backstory of Michael Myers, others were intrigued (myself included) by the insight on what Michael’s life had been like before he went psycho. Zombie also shifted the focus to Michael and Dr. Loomis for most of the film rather than Laurie Strode, which again received praise for doing something different and received hate from other fans for “tarnishing” the name of the original.

I’m sure by now you’re starting to see a pattern. Whatever the die-hard fans hate, the casual fans love. This is why it’s no surprise that the final major point for the film’s praise is Rob Zombie’s dark and disturbing tone. In my opinion, the approach that Zombie took somehow made the actions of Michael Myers much darker, which may actually be more fitting and realistic for a story about a ruthless killer in the modern-day.

Simply Controversial, but that’s Okay

Overall, Rob Zombie’s Halloween is not for everyone. It’s overly dark, disturbing, intense, and just a film that can mess someone up if they aren’t mentally prepared. But Zombie’s adaptation undoubtedly stands as a perfect example of how to divide a fanbase. Regardless of what anyone else thinks of the film, Halloween 2007 deserves a watch, not just for the risks it takes with the prestigious name, but also to form your own opinion on a widely and hotly debated remake.

Rob Zombie’s Halloween may not have been the remake many fans wanted, but it was certainly impactful. To this day, it currently stands as one of my favourite remakes of all time and one of the only cases where I believe the remake is better than the original.

Aidan Conners

November 07, 2020

Does The King Of Staten Island Deserve Its Crown?

November 07, 2020/ Linda Deslauriers

The King Of staten island [2020] [Universal Pictures]

The King of Staten Island, a new addition to the long line of Judd Apatow movies, came out in June of 2020. According to Rotten Tomatoes, the audience gave The King of Staten Island a score of 85 percent, and critics have said an assortment of encouraging, if not great, things about it.

Summary

The King of Staten Island begins by introducing us to Scott (Pete Davidson), a 24 wannabe tattoo artist living with his widowed mother, Margie (Marisa Tomei) and his sister. He spends his days smoking pot and hanging out with his somewhat deadbeat friends. After the surmounting grief of his father’s passing in a fireman accident when he was seven, Scott has a very hard time with his mental illnesses, which affects his relationships. After a string of dead-end conversations and morally questionable actions, he’s surprised by the announcement of his mother being in a serious relationship, even more surprised when he finds out that the man who’s seeing his mother is Ray (Bill Burr), the rude father of the nine-year-old boy he tattooed.

Thus being where the movie kicks into high gear. At the start, Scott tried to be somewhat supportive of Margie’s new relationship, but as the movie progresses, the more he dislikes Ray and the more he tries to sabotage it. And so, naturally, he decides to dig up dirt on Ray, reveal it all to his mother, get kicked out of his childhood home, become homeless…and run right back to Ray. Little did they know it was the beginning of a wonderful friendship or at least less of a hatred.

Mental Health Representation

The King of Staten Island is a uniquely genuine and relatable film. Accompanied by questionable characters, surprising growth and quite a few laughs. Something that spoke to me while watching this was the mental health representation; since you don’t always see that in drama-comedies. I liked that Scott was flawed in that way because of his father’s death as well as how that’s a prominent part of his character. However, I noticed that Scott’s mental health issues were pushed to the backseat once the movie started picking up. It’s something that I find quite unfortunate because once it was mentioned, it was practically never brought up again. Regardless, I appreciate that the movie chose to include mental illnesses, and I found that how it was represented via Scott felt very authentic to me and how I view mental health.

The Unexpected Friendship

Later in the film, when Scott gets kicked out by his mother after a series of bad decisions and drifts from place to place; he finally ends up at the one spot and the one person he knows he would have a shot at staying in. The firehouse where Ray works. He convinces Ray by bargaining his mother’s love and is lent a sofa, with the agreement of helping Scott for this one night. However, when Scott is about to get kicked out once again, Papa (Steve Buscemi) agrees to let him stay in exchange for work. This is where we see Scott finally come into himself as a character. It’s where he learns to honour his father’s memory but also move on from it. We watch him learn to grow in an array of hilarious and surprisingly tender moments.

All in all, I do think this is a good film. With hardships and flaws and love delicately interwoven between them. It’s a movie that depicts how people are not often perfect and are hard to love sometimes. Yet, it’s also about how love isn’t easy like that; it requires understanding and patience. But if you’re willing to try, it can be incredibly rewarding. Even people from Staten Island deserve love.

Linda Deslauriers

November 04, 2020

Top 10 Best Films of 2020 (So Far)

November 04, 2020/ Richard Renaud

The year 2020 was meant to be the year we get much blockbusters and movies to see. We got through January and February, but around March, COVID-19 took affect on our world. Many movies were pushed for later dates or got pushed to next year, while some made their way to streaming services and even on video-on-demand. Today, we take a look at the best films released this year that we indeed think college students of Algonquin College declared the best of the year so far to them. Here are our picks:

#10: SONIC THE HEDGEHOG

Back in April 2019, Paramount released their teaser for Sonic’s first-ever theatrical movie, but the poor design on Sonic to make him “human-like” disappointed many fans and gamers that Paramount pushed its 2019 holiday release for February to fix his design. Believe it, it was worth it. Fans garnered this one of the best family comedy films of the year all thanks to the talents of Ben Schwartz as the voice of the titular character and James Marsden as a cop whose reliant to help this alien hedgehog find his rings to head back home. But the film’s ultimate scene-stealer is Jim Carrey’s hilarious role as the villain Dr. Robotnik, who the FBI is forced to have work alongside with them to locate this “thing”. We look forward to the sequel as it speeds its way to 2022.

#9: TENET

Although filmmaker Christopher Nolan was given complaints about releasing the film during the pandemic, for those who went to see it in theatres, it was worth the experience (especially in IMAX). The new film tells the story of an unnamed agent (John David Washington) nicknamed—in the film—“the Protagonist” who finds himself in an espionage to prevent World War III. Our hero, along with a recruit (Robert Pattinson), are forced to convert through time to stop a global Russian terrorist (Kenneth Branagh) from unleashing his plans to dominate the world. Nolan fans were not disappointed as the filmmaker still makes his standing ovation for today’s audiences.

#8: BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM

As the world was in need of much laughter during this pandemic, Sacha Baron Cohen decided to return to his iconic role as the world’s favorite Kazakhstan reporter. In Subsequent Moviefilm, Borat finds himself back in the US to help bribe his daughter Tutar to—whom he believes—Mike Pence. While there, he must interrogate incognito (due to his extreme fame) as he once again interviews the real people of America while Tutar goes on her own path on what it means to be a woman. Viewers who have seen this film exclusively on Amazon Prime Video admit this film was “Great Success”.

WARNING: This movie does contain jokes that viewers may find highly offensive, but is all done for the sake of satire.

#7: BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC

After acing their history test with the help of old historical figures in Excellent Adventure and having to outrun the afterlife (alongside the help of the Grim Reaper) to fight off their evil robotic counterparts in Bogus Journey, Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter are back as the two titular characters in this long-awaited third instalment. Now middle-aged fathers, they are told by The Great Leader that they have 78 minutes to write the one song that will help save the universe. The two rock stars decide to go back into the time booth and head straight to the future to “take it from themselves”. Meanwhile, their daughters (Samara Weaving and Brigette Lundy-Paine) go on their own mission to help their dads. Viewers were thrilled to see the two actors return to their old roots and it was worth an excellent ride.

#6: ONWARD

After delighting fans last year with the fourth instalment of the Toy Story franchise, Pixar continues to shine with this film built on magic and mystics. When he is given a wizard’s staff, a letter, and a phoenix gem by their late dad for his 16th birthday, Ian and his big brother, Barley, go on a road trip to see if they can find this second gem they need. By retrieving this gem, it could help the two boys see their father for one last time after a spell—at home—goes wrong when they only get the bottom half of their dad. Moviegoers and viewers who watched the film through Disney+ (a month after its theatrical release) were emotional at the film’s premise, which leads to its heartfelt finale. Someone pass the tissues, please!

#5: THE INVISIBLE MAN

After making his breakout work on the 2018 action thriller Upgrade, director Leigh Whannell decided to give the mysterious H.G. Wells classic about a mad scientist who can turn invisible a modern upgrade. In this film, Elizabeth Moss plays the role of a woman who believes her abusive presumed-dead boyfriend is using a way to turn himself invisible to drive her mad, but no one believes her. Moviegoers and on-demand viewers were astonished at this new format of the tale and praised Moss’s role as being a strong symbol for fellow women who have gone through abusive relationships in their life to remain strong and fight their way out of one. We look forward to seeing more strong female characters like her in the near future.

#4: BAD EDUCATION

Despite coming out for TIFF back in 2019, this movie had viewers at home hooked to this tale, based on a true story, about a school district superintendent Dr. Frank Tassone (Hugh Jackman) and assistant superintendent Pam Gluckin (Allison Janney), who steal millions of dollars from the same public school district that they seek to make the best for their country of America. Meanwhile, a young student (Geraldine Viswanathan)—taking the role of being a school reporter—finds herself trapped in the scandal. Viewers and critics were pleased watching this during the pandemic and have praised the performances of both Jackman and Alisson Janney as well as the direction of director Cory Finley (Thoroughbreds).

#3: BLACK IS KING

While a divisive amount of people called last year’s live-action Lion King a terrible remake, the same couldn’t be said about this remake based on the tie-in album The Lion King: The Album by the star/singer of the 2019 version, Beyoncé. The R&B singer combines a cast of black people and historical African culture in a tale of a boy who makes his rise to a man to fight his evil uncle away from the throne after he killed the boy’s father. The film helped blew the minds of many Disney+ viewers [as well as fans of the singer] and were surprised at many faces who turned by: her husband Jay-Z, Lupita Nyong’o, Wizkid, and even her daughter Blue Ivy makes an appearance. Who runs the world? Beyoncé!

#2: HOST

After making its debut on the horror/thriller streaming service Shudder, this film has managed status as the best horror film of 2020. The film tells the story of a young group of friends on Zoom, whom bored during the pandemic, decide to craft the idea of doing a séance through their screens. What could possibly go wrong? Despite being only 57 minutes long, it has become the second-best viral film of the year.

And speaking of viral, our number one pick is……

#1: HAMILTON

Originally planned for an October 2021 release for theatres, Disney decided to pull the plug on that deal and instead send the film, based on the live recording of Broadway’s hit musical, to their streaming service during the summer of 2020 for fans and newcomers to enjoy. Set around the life of America’s Founding Father Alexander Hamilton and presented by a diverse cast of today, lead star and creator Lin-Manuel Miranda did the one thing no one could ever do: he saved 2020. For those that haven’t seen it yet, be sure to watch it in the room where it happens, in your living room or bedroom that is.

Richard Renaud

November 01, 2020

Blindspotting: What Do You See?

November 01, 2020/ Shireen Agharazi-Dormani

Rubin’s Vase: The image is fundamentally ambiguous. People perceive a vase or faces, but not both at the same time.

This idea is where we get the title for this movie: Blindspotting.

“‘Cause it’s all about how you can look at something, and there can be another thing there that you aren’t seeing. So you got a blind spot.” - Valerie, Blindspotting.

This movie is one of, if not, my absolute favourite. Here’s what I see.

Taking place in Oakland, Cal., Blindspotting begins with our protagonist Collin (played by Daveed Diggs) on his last three days of probation. With his childhood friend Miles (played by Rafael Casal) by his side, we watch as our protagonist tries to start anew. However, when Collin witnesses a police officer shoot a black man in the back during a chase, he realizes he needs to prioritize his safety. In doing so, he must challenge his friendship with Miles.

Let’s begin with the culture. Blindspotting starts by showing us a quick peek at everything that is Oakland, from street art to sports to the community. You get a sense of what it’s like there. Plus, we get to watch our protagonists experience the way their home has changed over the years. They’d poke fun at/complain about the hipsters as well as how everything and everyone is now vegan. As comedic as their reactions may be to the change, it’s also, in a way, a little blue. Especially for Collin— he may be more willing to embrace the new Bay Area, but it adds more to his plate. Drinking a strange, “healthy” green juice may be a start, but he’s now a convicted felon. It’s going to take a lot more than that.

Next, we have the rapping. Throughout the film, we get to listen to our protagonists’ freestyle verses while they go on about their day. Whether they’re walking back home or on the job, Collin and Miles create art. Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal, who are also the writers of this film, have said it themselves: people won’t listen unless it sounds good. Using rap to grab our attention was brilliant, adding a nice sprinkle of black culture into the mix. The ending (which I will not spoil— don’t worry) does a splendid job with its use of rap to convey a powerful message about police brutality. With recent events involving the Black Lives Matter movement, Blindspotting can also be informative. We can all learn a thing or two.

Now, for our main characters. Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal did a fantastic job playing Collin and Miles, respectively. Don’t get me wrong: Jasmine Cephas-Jones and Janina Gavankar did incredible jobs portraying Ashley and Valerie (again, respectively). However, I want to focus on our protagonists. These two didn’t fail to make me laugh at the sheer chaos they’d create along with their banters. Watching Miles lose his mind over how the hipsters have taken over Oakland and everything changing from their childhood is plenty entertaining. Collin, while he may be the more grounded one of the duo, is just as comedic as he witnesses Miles’s wildness unfold.

“But, if somebody points out the other picture to you, doesn’t that make it not a blind spot anymore?” - Collin, Blindspotting.

The comedy is what I mostly saw in the first half of the movie. Then you begin to recognize Miles’s spontaneity as recklessness. He alone is the chaos. You no longer snicker when you watch Collin try to calm his best friend down because you know Miles won’t get in trouble. The exhaustion in Collin’s eyes becomes apparent as you notice how others hold him responsible for both Miles’s actions and his own. One second, you’re chuckling as Miles waves around his gun; the next, you hold your breath when you see someone could’ve gotten hurt.

Blindspotting’s wildness made me laugh until tears formed in my eyes, and the dark realities silenced me while it kept the tears flowing. I saw culture, love and truth. Now, watch this film and tell me what you see.

Warning: contains explicit language, sexuality and violence

Shireen Agharazi-Dormani

An artist with strong opinions, a fear of social interactions, and one hell of a sweet tooth. Needs at least 10 hours of sleep and lots of hugs. Handle with care: very sensitive.

October 29, 2020

Introducing the 'Good for Her' Cinematic Universe

October 29, 2020/ Alannah Link

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The Strong Female Lead

I’m exhausted by the strong female lead.

You know, this fairly new genre, usually inspired by a YA series, led by a kick-ass, witty, and emotionally stunted young woman who exists solely to save the world.

I didn’t always hate them. I was nine years old when I first saw Ellen Ripley annihilate the Alien Queen with a blow torch in one hand and a child in the other, all the while famously screaming, “Get away from her, you Bitch!”

What I felt then, watching wide-eyed as a young girl, was admiration, awe, and euphoria.

Now, whenever I see a bow-toting, gun-fisted female lead, I click, “Do not recommend.”

In the 80s and 90s, women being portrayed as anything other than a “sexy lamp” or sidekick was ground-breaking. Ellen Ripley and Sara Conner were catalysts for empowerment. They were mothers and caretakers but also emboldened with rage and a gun.

They are characters who ignited a long list of movies that Hollywood producers keep excavating probably until it squeezes out the last cent.

I think what they’re missing here is an opportunity to tell stories about women who are interesting. Complicated. Multi-faceted… Psychotic.

We deserve our version of a male power fantasy. Characters who can embody our fantasies of revenge, who aggressively take back their agency. Whose rage can burn down a whole village.

So, that being said, let me introduce you to the “Good for Her” Cinematic Universe.

The Good For Her Cinematic Universe

Deep in the belly of Film Twitter, I was introduced to the “Good for her Cinematic Universe” by @cinematogrxphy

I immediately thought of this meme of Lucille Bluth from Arrested Development listening to an anchorman describe a woman driving her and her children into a lake (probably due to postpartum depression), and she ironically responds with praise.

“Good for her!”

It made me think of some of my favourite films that were all, in some way, horrifying and monstrous. But somehow, Lucille’s morally-questionable voice rang in the back of my mind.

“Good for her!”

Female Rage has been coded as dangerous and destabilizing. The Shrill, Nagging wife. The Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Feminazis. Racialized women are coded as dangerous even more vigorously.

Our social order is based on this precedent that women must file away their discontent, like putting a lid over a lit candle so that the fire cannot spread.

As William Congreve wrote in The Mourning Bride “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” While originally about women wronged in love, I think this can be more effectively applied to just about anything else. How society, relationships, religion, and systems can push women to take drastic and unpleasant measures as a means of re-asserting their agency.

Some of my favourite movies of all time fall under The “Good for Her” Cinematic Universe. I didn’t like these movies because they were feminist or politically correct. They definitely shouldn’t be praised for their morale. I just think there is something satisfying about watching a scorned woman get what they want. Kind of like being entranced by a flame that emblazes everything around it.

So many films do this so well: Midsommar, The Witch, Us, Suspiria, but the movie that embodies this genre perfectly is Gone Girl.

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“Being the Cool Girl means I am a hot, brilliant, funny woman who adores football, poker, dirty jokes, and burping, who plays video games, drinks cheap beer, loves threesomes and anal sex, and jams hot dogs and hamburgers into her mouth like she’s hosting the world’s biggest culinary gang bang while somehow maintaining a size 2, because Cool Girls are above all hot. Hot and understanding. Cool Girls never get angry; they only smile in a chagrined, loving manner and let their men do whatever they want. Go ahead, shit on me, I don’t mind, I’m the Cool Girl.”

— Gone Girl (2014)

In Gone Girl, Amy is compelled to follow her jobless husband, Nick, from the Big City to suburbia. When he fails to be the man she married and she strives to be beautiful, thin, perfect, and appeasing – only for him to find “A younger, bouncier Cool Girl” – her tirade begins.

Amy is a perfect concoction of villainy and female rage. She is a terrifying antagonist fueled by spite, rage and contempt as she meticulously fakes her own violent disappearance to seek revenge on her “lazy, lying, cheating, oblivious husband.” She marvelously pulls off one of the most successful missing person gags in the history of fiction. And she speaks some earth-splitting truths while doing it.

‘The Cool Girl’ Monologue is one of the most iconic monologues of the last decade, mainly due to how relatable it is. The monologue contains many truisms, like how women pretend to be someone they’re not in order to keep the peace in the relationship and to remain desirable to our male counterparts. How women swallow their truth in order to maintain a façade of being unbothered - or cool, so to speak. Like when Nick ditches Amy for a game of poker and doesn’t call or text for hours, and then when he comes home, Amy embraces him and says it’s okay.

Of course, it wasn’t okay. But she lied to keep up with the charade. And this is something we’re all taught to do from a young age. It can file itself under a hefty list of the times we have all made ourselves smaller in order for men to feel more comfortable.

But, her story isn’t supposed to feel good. Amy does a lot of horrible things to get what she wants, and at some point, Amy becomes the “girl who cried rape,” and that certainly doesn’t help the Me Too Movement. She’s not a feminist hero - I mean, she’s literally a psychopath.

When Amy gets everything she wants – her truth just lingers there. And it’s absolutely haunting, horrifying, and holds itself tight to your stomach. She has obliterated the cool girl and turned the strong female lead on its head, and all we can do is stare at the flames.

That’s when that small voice in the back of your mind chimes in.

Alannah Link

Blog: TheCrookedFriend

October 23, 2020

Don't Mess with The Original

October 23, 2020/ Cassie Purcell

Psycho and The Lion King. What do these two movies have in common? Well, definitely not the genre. You see, each of these movies has a remake. Pretty exciting, right? Sadly not, considering the remakes tanked. Sucked. Bombed. Huge disappointments.

Since all movies were made in the ’90s, you would think that the remakes that were made in the mid-2000s would be up to standards and expectations. Of course, movie industries want to make it apply to this day and age, making the movies better than what they once were. In the end, the films didn’t meet people’s expectations.

Have you had your favourite movie(s) ruined by terrible remakes? A couple of mines have, and if I’m being honest, it hurts my non-existent soul when I see a mockery being made of my favourite film.

When I was little, I fell in love with the 1995 Jumanji movie. I loved the whole concept of a board game being magical, and how every turn they took, something bad would happen, and how every threat was real. In 2017 when the Jumanji remake came out, I was excited, and I wanted to see how they would recreate the classic movie. After watching it, I felt upset that they turned it into a videogame. I know it’s just me; Rotten Tomatoes says people liked it more than the classic.

Enough about me and my unpopular opinion, let’s talk more about what the directors did wrong with these films.

Psycho (1960) is the classic black-and-white movie that Alfred Hitchcock gave the universe. It’s known for the iconic shower scene where Norman Bates stabs Marion Crane when she’s showering. The whole movie is truly a work of art, but I wish I could say the same about Gus Van Sant’s revamp version. In the remake, Vince Vaughn didn’t quite capture the same creepy and mysterious factor of Norman Bates as Anthony Perkins did in the original.

The Lion King has been a Disney fan favourite since it came out in 1994. The animated classic is hands down the best childhood movie there is. When the live-action remake of The Lion King came out in 2019, fans hated it. Mainly because of the emotion, or lack thereof. With the animated version, if a sad scene happened, the viewers felt the raw emotion and cried at those real sad times. All the remake gave the audience was live-action animals. Nothing else.

There are a handful of terrible remakes that put the original movie to shame. I could ramble on and on about others’ opinions as well as my own, but then, I would bore you, and all your attention would be lost. My final note is to the entire movie industry. Try harder and stop disappointing movie lovers.

Cassandra Purcell

Cassandra is a second-year student in the Professional Writing program at Algonquin College. She loves writing real-life horror stories, being anti-social, and watching American Horror Story.

October 19, 2020

Dune is Back! Will it get the Adaptation it Deserves?

October 19, 2020/ Aidan Conners

2020, What a Mess

With all the damage 2020 has done to us, many have taken to streaming services to fill their need for cinematic entertainment, but is it really just the same as going to a movie theatre with your friends? Because of the pandemic, many upcoming movies have been delayed, and the overall excitement for them has been slowly dwindling. But on September 9, sci-fi fans’ excitement was reignited with a trailer of the newest adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic novel Dune. Unfortunately, recently it was confirmed that the film had been pushed back to October of next year. While that may be a long wait, the excitement for diehard fans is still strong for the long-awaited adaptation.

Who’s Involved?

Denis Villeneuve, who had received praise for the 2015 action-thriller film Sicario, the 2016 alien film Arrival, and the long-awaited 2017 neo-noir film Blade Runner 2049 (which many fans considered to be a faithful sequel to the 1982 original), announced that on February 2017, he was hired to direct a new adaptation of Dune. Many fans were pleased with the choice due to his contribution to sci-fi films. The film has gathered an all-star cast that includes Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Stellan Skarsgård, Jason Momoa, and Dave Bautista. However, having big names don’t always mean success.

A Dream Project

Photo by Chiabella James, Warner Bros. Pictures

So far, Dune is building up to be possibly the best Sci-Fi movie of this generation, but now, that may be a heavy burden to bear; Villeneuve has repeatedly shown in interviews that Dune is his dream project. Being a huge fan of Hubert’s work, Villeneuve has stated that there is no possible way to fit the imaginative world of Arrakis and its history all in one movie and has teased that there will be two movies to take up the entirety of the first book. Even though Dune already had an adaption in 1984, as well as a 2000 mini-series (that had six hours of time to bring Arrakis to life), fans are still waiting for a truly faithful adaption to the classic sci-fi story. So, what makes the new 2021 adaption different? While we won’t know the answer until we actually see the movie, our hopes reside in the passion and dedication Denis Villeneuve has put into the upcoming film. It’s confirmed that Villeneuve spent a full year trying to settle in on a design for the famous sandworm, and from seeing the trailer, it’s safe to say he perfectly captured the terrifying-yet-wondrous presence of the creature.

A Sci-Fi Classic on the Horizon

Overall, hopes are high for the film; as for the past 25 years, it feels like the modern-day audience is finally getting ready for Dune to enter the world of cinema. Projects like The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones have shown that stories with an imaginative world can stick in the minds of movie lovers forever. Dune's universe has everything to be successful: politics, unique geography, fascinating wildlife, interesting characters, and an awesome story. Dune 2021 may be a long ways away, but it is safe to say many of us are looking forward to the journey to Arrakis once again, and it will possibly be one we will never forget.