Literature Review | The Dark Tower VII (The Dark Tower)

Song of Turtle and Cry of the Bear…the Tower is at hand.

Published in 2004, The Dark Tower is the concluding volume of Stephen King’s long-running magnum opus.  Picking up where Song of Susannah left off, the Ka’tet continue their attempts to thwart the Crimson King’s plan to bring the Tower down.  This entails finding a way to prevent the final two beams from snapping and preventing Stephen King from dying.  If either occurs, Discordia rules.  Mia’s chap adds further tension to the tet’s precarious situation.  While young, he possesses powers similar to that of the Crimson King, and is at hand to interfere.  Bullets will fly, and blood will shed before the tower is reached, and not all will end happily.  All that matters is that the Tower stands.

                King’s prose is consistent with the prior two entries.  Not my favorite as a whole, but there are moments that could easily make a favorite’s list, one of which I’ll address later.  While there are several passages that might drag for certain constant readers—I admit I had this issue several years ago during my first read through—this didn’t bother me the second time.  My mind has grown in the seven years since I first read the series, increasing my patience and eye for detail.  However, this still doesn’t temper my one criticism when it comes to length.  While I do concede that Song of Susannah’s ending made for an excellent cliffhanger, the first section of this entry could easily have been the climax.  The Mia thread would have been tied up and Book Seven could have begun with the Breakers.  Other than that, the novel’s length isn’t an issue.

                King introduces several new high speech phrases as the plot progresses, mainly location names.  While he felt that doing so would bog things down—and probably because King is not a linguistics expert like Tolkien was—this introduction adds weight to the High Speech.  Having it automatically translated was nice for clarity, but directly hearing the words builds upon Roland’s world.  It also makes me wonder what a conversation in the language would sound like.   

                Introduced in the previous entry, King further elaborates on the Breakers, specifically their culture.  Constant Readers knew Breakers were kidnapped from different levels of the Tower by the Can-toi, but Ted Brautigan gives us a firsthand account of the process.  While not exactly the same, the initiation is akin to joining the mob.  Once you’re in, you’re in for good.  Readers also learn that despite being unable to leave, Breakers are treated like VIP’s.  Because of this, many don’t have the desire to leave.  When their world is turned upside down, most of them are unsure what to do.  It seems using their minds to break the Tower has robbed them of other mental faculties.  Originally introduced in King’s work Hearts in Atlantis, Ted is a likable character, even though his past contains its fair share of sins.  Breaking the beams is his latest one, although he has tried his best to postpone the fall.  Aiding the Ka-tet is how he’ll set things right. 

                Ted is not the only older character to impact the plot dramatically.  Patrick Danville, an artist introduced as a child in Insomnia, returns as the third act begins.  Found in the clutches of a vampire, Patrick is emaciated and his tongue has been ripped out.  While an odd return at first, as the plot draws to a close the audience learns that Patrick possesses an important power.  With his art, Patrick can manipulate the universe.  Foreshadowed by the horizontal shifting of a bison herd, the power is revealed when Susannah asks Patrick to edit one of his drawings.  In addition to shifting the location of people or things, Patrick can create and destroy.  The Crimson King fears this power, which is why Patrick has been locked away.  While some might question why Patrick remains alive, but considering how usefully the power is—and how greedy his keeper’s hunger can be—it is more sensible to keep the artist alive.

                King’s Meta insertion continues.  While it reaches its logical conclusion, it could further turn off those who didn’t appreciate or agree with this narrative choice.  As Song’s epilogue hinted, King inserts his late 90’s van accident into the plot, interpreting it as an attempt on his life by the Crimson King.  If left alone, this attempt will succeed, King will die with the series unfinished, leaving the path to Discordia unobstructed.  The Ka-tet move to prevent this.  While they succeed in saving King’s life, it comes at the cost of Jake’s own.  This devastates Roland, as the gunslinger had promised Jake he wouldn’t let him die again.  While this wasn’t a repeat of the fall, the gunslinger still blames himself considering it was for the Tower.  He curses King for laziness, but leaves it at berating.  Ka punishes the wordslinger enough with pain, curing Roland of his own hip ailment in the process.  One could argue this is a plot convenience, but given their physical similarities I’d say he was holding it for King.  Jake’s burial is respectful, allowing Roland and Oy the appropriate level of mourning before they must march on.  Jake is gone, but the Tower calls. 

                This leads into my next point:  the breaking of the Tet.  Foreshadowed constantly throughout the previous four books, it was only a matter of time before tragedy shattered the group.  That tragedy takes place slowly as the characters fall one by one.  While not an official member, Callahan is the first to fall, his death occurring inside the Dixie Pig.  For fans of ‘Salem’s Lot, this moment is bitter sweet.  While it is sad that the character dies, readers can find solace in Callahan’s redemption.  Ruined no more, he puts up a decent spiritual fight against Barlow’s fellow vampire elders, his own strength amplified by Maturin  In the end, elders are too strong for Callahan and he takes his own life, his last middle finger at the beings who have plagued him for years.  Before doing so, he leaves Roland with some parting words, ones that will encourage the gunslinger during this endgame.

                Eddie Dean falls next.  The first member that Roland drew on the shore of the Western Sea, it is fitting that he is also the first member to die.  Victory was in sight, and an oversight cost the jester his life.  Although he holds on for a while, even a gunslinger cannot hold back death.  His loss devastates Susannah, as Eddie was her motivation for moving forward to the tower.  With him gone, her only reason to continue is loyally to Roland and Eddie’s memory.  Eddie’s death also spiritually breaks the Ka’tet.  While the remaining four are still a group, their link has been severed.

                While not as obvious as in novels like IT, King’s Lovecraftian influence does surface.  The creature encountered in the novels later half reminds me of the beings from The Shadow Out of Time.  Both inhabit subterranean lairs, waiting for unsuspecting prey to enter their domains.  To use a video game analogy, it comes across as a dungeon boss, there to test the players before they move onto the next area. 

                A McGuffin for the previous novel, Mia’s chap has been promoted to secondary antagonist.  Named after King Arthur’s bastard son, Mordred serves the same purpose as his classical namesake, with King’s stylistic twist.  The chap has two fathers:  Roland and the Crimson King, each representing Mordred’s Mortal and Cosmic halves.  While Mordred’s wishes echo those of the Crimson King, there are moments that make one wonder what could have happened if he had chosen to follow Roland.  Given the thematic nature of his namesake it wouldn’t surprise me if this road would have led to Roland’s death.   Despite his placement in the hierarchy, Mordred’s inner monologues betray how naïve the wereling is.  He blindly follows his cosmic father like any child who’s been indoctrinated, echoing sentiments without thought.  While his powers enable him to see behind Randall Flagg, he is unable to see beyond what lays in front of him, which leads to his undoing. 

King’s most obvious callback is the series main antagonists, Randall Flagg and the Crimson King.  While originally created as a demon, Flagg’s backstory has been fleshed out by this series.  While still evil, he has become well-rounded as the audience learns details of his early life.  While not all is spelled out, enough is written for the Constant Reader to connect dots.  Flagg is definitely an emissary in the Nyarlthotep mold.  Both are the right hands of their respective masters, and shapeshift to suit their needs.  Both also seemingly undermine their master’s schemes, although for Howard’s creation it’s harder to say if this is intentional or an afterthought.  No such ambiguity exists with Flagg, as his thoughts betray his desire to climb the tower.  These thoughts eventually lead to his demise, one fitting for a character readers have hated for decades.  Suffering madness for madness’s right hand. 

Hinted at in the previous three novels, constant readers finally see the Crimson King.  While he had appeared in Insomnia, having not read that novel yet I cannot comment or contrast.  Here, readers find the King trapped on one of the Tower’s balconies, driven mad by his circumstances; forever at the Tower, but unable to summit.  Like King’s accident, this plot development did turn off some readers.  The Crimson King was built up as the Multiverses main antagonist, and yet he’s an insane elderly man in red robes.  While I can understand this disappointment to an extent, the King’s predicament never bothered me.  It seemed logical given his circumstances.  Having read some of Lovecraft’s work since then, I’ve grown to appreciate this development further, as I’ve found Stephen King’s inspiration within the text.  If Flagg is our Nyarlethotep, then the Crimson King is Azathoth.  While he didn’t directly create the universe, he is a cosmic being whose existence threatens humanities own.  While Azathoth is kept sleeping by his otherworldly court, the King is trapped by a force—hinted to be Gan—beyond his control.  While I’m not declaring that one should drop any criticism of this development, this knowledge should factor into one’s view.  Just don’t go mad. 

                Like Flagg, the Crimson King’s end is fitting.  While Roland does engage the King in a firefight, it is posturing.  The King is expressing his anger while Roland is defending himself.  This impasse forces the gunslinger to attempt another way around, thinking around a corner to use his own terminology.  While not his best area, Roland does manage to scrape together the perfect plan.  Patrick draws the Crimson King, erasing him from existence as he erases the art.  Patrick only leaves the King’s eyes, cursing him to an eternity of voyeurism.

                While it is hard to begin, sometimes it is equally hard to end.  This is especially true for a series.  King is well aware of this, which is why The Dark Tower’s ending comes with a Dante warning once Roland crosses the threshold.  After said warning, Roland ascends the Tower slowly, each level representing a moment from his past.  This is the reader’s first hint of what is to come, but for the gunslinger it allows him to confront the ghosts of days gone by.  Regret has always hung over his head, and in the tower it is given form.  Roland endures until he reaches the top, where he is greeted by a single door.  A callback to his conversation with The Man in Black, this is the moment Roland has spent years perusing.  Without hesitation, Roland opens the door.  While not a door to some cosmic macroverse, Roland is terrified by what lays beyond the threshold and understands its meaning.  Not only has he reached the Tower before, but it has cast him back to an earlier point upon reaching the top.  While he attempts to fight, the hands of Gan are cruel and his effort is in vain.  While this development won’t please every reader—I’ve read several reviews where the individual has made their disappointment and distain clear—given the nature of Roland’s character and his arc throughout the series, it works.  A truly happy ending for him might not have worked as well.

Back in the desert at his moment of epiphany, Roland is left with no memories of his previous journey prior to that point, although his hands and gear are restored.  While cruel, the Tower has left the Gunslinger with one symbol of hope:  the Horn of Eld.  While he lost it at the Battle of Jericho Hill and lamented not taking the time to retrieve it in the main story, here Roland managed to do so.  While small, this infers to the reader that while Roland’s quest is damnation for now, eventually he will succeed and find peace.  How and when are left to the reader.  With that, the story ends as it began:  “The Man in Black fled across the desert, and the Gunslinger followed.” 

My Major Problem with Digimon Tri

Movie Review | Deadpool

All great love stories begin the same way:  boy meets girl, they bond emotionally, and boy is subjected to dangerous medical experiments.  Okay, not all love stories begin that way, but this one does. 

Deadpool is a 2016 action-comedy film based on the titular Marvel character.  Detailing his origin story, the audience is introduced to Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) in the months leading up to his transformation.  We see him work, fall in love, propose, and develop terminal cancer.  Desperate for a cure, Wade volunteers for a program designed to create mutants; the catch is he’ll be subjected to extreme pain.  Run by the dastardly Ajax (aka Francis, Ed Skrein), the program gives Wade Logan-level healing, but disfigures his skin.  Angered and driven by unyielding desire, Wade is out to kill Francis, and find a cure for his disfigurement.

This was a film I dreaded re-watching.  While I enjoyed it in theaters, as time progressed I feared subsequent viewings would temper my enjoyment and kill the film.  While not that extreme, I didn’t laugh as much this time around.  Some jokes drew simple chuckles, while others a head-tilt.  That said, there are several moments where the humor works perfectly, and I genuinely laughed; Wade’s bridge fight with Colossus and the Minion offing montage are great examples.

The action scenes were executed competently, and at times complement the comedy.  Other than a handful of rubbery moments the special effects look great, especially Colossus.  While I still prefer the use of practical suits when possible, his superb rendering receives my stamp of approval.  What makes this feat more impressive is that Deadpool was produced for approximately $58 million, which is tiny compared to other comic book films; most Marvel Cinematic Universe films cost over $150 million.

Like with the X-men films, the acting is decent all around.  Ed Skrein is fine as Francis; he doesn’t stand-out when compared to other comic book film villains, but he serves the film's purpose.  He’s evil enough without being overblown or underdone.   Morena Baccarin works well in her scenes, and she has an interesting chemistry with Reynolds; makes their characters relationship stand-out.  TJ Miller is ok as Wade’s friend Weasel, serving as the subdued half of the friendship.  While not a deep performance, Brianna Hildebrand is perfect as Negasonic, striking the correct balance of teenage smug and joy; she also has a decent back-and-forth with Reynolds. 

Speaking of which, Ryan Reynolds gives the films best performance.  His passion for the character and film are evident every second he’s on screen.  While not the best actor—a fact the film pokes fun at—Reynolds has great comedic timing and his vocal inflections were spot on, especially once he’s put on the mask.  He also has great chemistry with his co-stars, to varying degrees.  While another actor could have played Wade, the film wouldn’t have been the same; heck, it might not have even been made if it weren’t for Reynolds passion and connection with the fans.  For that, he deserves a 21-chimichanga salute.

Tom Holkenborg’s score was decent.  No pieces instantly pop into my head, but they served the scenes.  What dazzled me auditorily was the use of popular music.  While not worked in as perfectly as Starlord’s mixed tape, the songs serve the film well, although the only tune that jumps into my head is “Careless Whisper.”  Thank you Seether for the cover.

While its luster has somewhat faded, Deadpool is still an entertaining film, carried by a lead whose heart is in the project.  While the sequel was better overall, it was a decent first step forward; once two hits home video I see a double feature in my future.  3.5 out of 5 chimichangas.

First Impressions | Reunited (Steven Universe)

I’ve heard of Diamond’s setting one in motion, but this is the first time I’ve seen Diamond’s end a wedding.

                “Reunited” is the concluding episode of the latest Steven Bomb.  Picking up where “Made of honor “left off, the wedding day has arrived.  Everything is set and the guests are gathered.  While a cloud hangs over, Steven does his best to push it away through song.  The wedding goes off without a hitch, but things turn dark during the reception as Yellow and Blue have finally come for the cluster.  Now it’s a battle for survival; Crystal Gems vs Diamond authority, No Holds Barred.  Curse you leaks for spoiling the ending.

                Having Steven begin the episode with a song felt right.  Zach’s vocal delivery was spot-on, carrying the right balance of emotion, tone and diction.  With everything that’s come to light this season, a cloud hangs over the Crystal Gems, as each deal with her own issues (Pearl with her secret, Peridot with Lapis, etc.).  As planner and friend, Steven focuses their attention back on the wedding.  While the issues are pressing, they will still be there after the wedding; why let them drag down the day? As the title states, today lets only think about love. 

                Ruby and Sapphire’s wedding was executed beautifully.  Peridot was an excellent flower girl, tossing them as only she can; I’m surprised there wasn’t a gag related her dress, but given how long she’s been with the Crystal Gems now it might have been viewed as redundant.  I applaud Rebecca Sugar and her team for switching things up and putting Ruby in the wedding gown.    Given how certain parts of the world censor aspects of the show for being too “gay,” this will make said censorship harder to execute.  While that was nice, what made this episode groundbreaking was the kiss.  While the couple have been affectionate before, this is the first full-on kiss depicted between the two; what better moment to show.  All the Gem’s human friends were in attendance, including Uncle Andy.  Episode pacing might be the answer, but I’m surprised he didn’t receive a single line.

                The episode turns serious once the Diamonds appear, having come for the Cluster.  While the gemstrocity hasn’t been a threat since Steven helped bubble them, the Homeworld Matriarchs destabilize this harmony.  Thankfully the Cluster retains enough sentience to know friend from foe.  While the Cluster Battles Yellow, the Crystal Gems fight Blue.  Even Lapis returns to help.  While she had feared the Diamond’s before, her reasoning is sensible:  if she’s going to be punished for being a Crystal Gem, she might as well stand with her friends.  Steven attempts to talk the situation out, but the grief-stricken diamond refuses to listen.  The fight is well choreographed and animated, feeling like a video-game boss battle at times.  Blue tanks everything, including Lapis dropping the barn on her.  The Diamonds had been talked up prior to this episode, but now we finally see the extent of their powers and durability.  On the Gem side, Steven shows how strong his shield has become, although he still has room for improvement.  Blue even shatters Rose’s sword.  While a simple action, given the episode’s ending it can be interpreted as the ending of one stage of Steven’s journey and the beginning of another.

                The climax reveals Steven’s mind-touch power has one further step.  After Yellow knocks him out, Steven enters a strange, ethereal dimension.  He can interact with Connie and the Gems, but only when engaging in physical contact.  He uses this dimension to boost his allies’ moral and attempt to reason with Blue and Yellow.  This reasoning leads to the Diamond’s attacking Steven together, and Steven finally revealing his latent Diamond abilities.  These abilities get through to the matriarchs, which leads to one of my favorite moments of both the Bomb and the series:  Blue and Yellow showing concern for Steven.  It’s a tossup between which Diamond has the cuter reaction.

                Like all good things, the Bomb’s ending means another brief hiatus is upon Steven Universe fans.  While past hiatuses have been during questionable points in the season—especially if only one episode contained vital story information— “Reunited” ends in a manner befitting a cliffhanger.   This episode could have been a season finale if Rebecca had wanted.  Like past hiatuses, there is a teaser.  While the previously leaked clip is not included, it shows Blue and Yellow are curious about how Pink survived.  While unsaid, they will probably inquire as to why Pink is in her current form.  Yellow’s reaction to her sister loving organic life—including having a child with one—should be interesting.  Like many of you, I also wonder how the pair will react to corrupted gems.  Will they be shocked at the results of their previous attack, or that corrupted gems can survive that long?

                It goes without saying that “Reunited” is one of my favorite episodes of Season 5.  While I haven’t gone back and watched every episode of the series yet—seeing early clips out of sequence will do that to you—I am confident in proclaiming this one of my top five favorites of the series.

First Impressions | Made of Honor (Steven Universe)

                Proposal's accepted, wedding planning has begun.  What could go wrong now?  Oh right, the guest list…

                “Made of Honor” is the penultimate episode of the latest Steven Bomb.  Taking place right after Ruby’s proposal, the Crystal Gems are filled with wedding bliss, preparing the temple  for the nuptials.  While everyone is excited, one small cloud hangs over Sapphire:  most of her old friends are unable to attend because they are Corrupted.  Steven takes it upon himself to free Bismuth from her bubble to invite the smith gem.  This leads to the two sharing a moment and reconciling.  The band is now back together.

                Given how Bismuth’s debut episode ended, her return was bound to happen.  The only questions were when and why.  When this bomb was announced I knew the when was approaching; the leaked footage with her in the background played a part, but the episode titles were another clue.  This one has a duel meaning.  The surface meaning is Steven wants Bismuth to be part of the wedding party, Garnet’s maid of honor.  The other involves Bismuth’s character development.  From the moment she reforms, Steven must fill the smith in on everything that’s occurred since they last met.  From corruption to Rose’s true nature, Bismuth is told everything.  Given the amount of knowledge Bismuth takes it well—what is lava to a Gem—but still has a chip on her shoulder.  If the Crystal Gems wanted her around, why didn’t one of them free her?  This viewpoint is logical given that Bismuth tried to shatter Steven last time.  If an old friend tried to kill a newer friend you’d be conflicted too.  This leads to a bonding moment between Bismuth and Steven where the pair make-up.  They had a tiff in the past, but have move past that.

                Bismuth raises an interesting point during their conversation:  why do the other gems stick around if everything was a lie?  While obviously the group care for one another, Bismuth raises another possibility:  they believe in Steven.  The gems view Steven as their best hope for the future, whatever it might entail.  While they rightfully question Rose when it involves the war, they trust the Diamond when it comes to her son.

                While it’s a small moment, a line Steven said early on made me smile.  He presents Ruby and Sapphire with a wedding planning book, one he claims to have assembled over his short life.  While on the surface played for laughs, there is depth too.  Steven has been thinking about marriage for years, even if only as a hobby.  This raises the question why?  Most likely we won’t get an answer, but it’s fun to theorize.  Hopefully Connie knows what she’s getting involved with.

                “Made of Honor” is another great episode.  Bismuth returns and gets some finality to her introduction arc, and the endgame is set.  Now, onward to wedding bells and war horns. 

First Impressions | What's Your Problem & The Question (Steven Universe)

I’m sorry for the delay; work following the first episode was hectic, and it was quickly followed by Anime Expo, which as an aside was fun; finally managed to hit up a Steven Universe Cosplay meetup, where I was one of two Gregs.  Sadly, still searching for pictures.  Now, with that out of the way, onto the episodes.

                “What’s Your Problem” and “The Question” are the second and third respective episodes of the latest Steven Bomb.  Picking up where the first part left off, Ruby is missing following Sapphire’s outburst.  Steven and Amethyst leave to find the Enteral Flame, but she is nowhere in Beach City.  This search leads to another bonding moment between the two.  A pizza stop leads them to Ruby, who has been calmed down by Greg but desires alone time.  This time alone leads to Ruby experiencing life as a cowboy and reflecting on her life. 

                While Amethyst blew off the Pink-Rose revelation initially, her guard slowly lowers as Problem progresses.  This lowering takes the form of frustration; at first it appears to be because of Ruby’s elusiveness, but it soon becomes apparent Amethyst is frustrated at the revelation and its implications for the Crystal Gems.  Amethyst feels that they shouldn’t have to deal with the mistakes Pink made.  While naïve when it comes to future encounters with Homeworld Gems, Amethyst has a point when it comes to their inner circle.  Pink lied to everyone, but that shouldn’t change how they feel about each other and Steven; the mother’s sins should not damn the son. 

                Ruby enjoy her alone time.  While she has been unfused before, the Eternal Flame has never had time away from Sapphire since that day in Blue Diamond’s court.  Even partners in the best relationships need me time, so this is long overdue.  As said before, Ruby masquerades as a cowboy, complete with hat, chaps and trail song; it’s always nice when Rebecca Sugar include a musical number, and hearing Charlyne Yi’s vocals is a bonus.  While Ruby enjoys herself, she misses Sapphire.  As the episode title foreshadows, this leads to Ruby asking Sapphire to marry her, a moment where every SU fan shrieked with glee.  While not a custom gems normally practice considering relationships between different casts are unheard of on Homeworld, it is romantic nevertheless.  Some might question the why, but Ruby’s reasoning is logical:  once married, even when the pair are unfused they will always be together.

                While only mentioned in passing, Greg talking Ruby down is an excellent touch.  Being the Crystal Gems longtime human friend, he knows their personalities and quirks well.  While he might not engage with Ruby as often, he knows her well enough to engage in deep conversation.  His reaction to Pink-Rose is what I expected; he’s fine with the truth, although I feel part of him wonders why Pink never told him the truth.  His spoken reasoning is logical, even if slightly humorous.  After this, Greg remains in the background as Ruby plays rider, but his dedication to friendship shines nonetheless.

                While not as packed as the two episodes that preceded them, “What’s Your Problem” and “The Question” both provided moments of character development and bonding that build beautifully off what came before.  The latter shows why this Bomb is called “The Heart of the Crystal Gems,” and hooks the audience for the final two.

First Impressions | Now We're Only Falling Apart (Steven Universe)

                “Rose Quartz was actually Pink Diamond!”  That revelation shattered everything SU fans thought they knew about the original leader of the Crystal Gems.  The fandom was split.  Some defended her while others lambasted her choices.  While I see the wisdom in both sides, I chose to wait for the Summer episodes before casting stones either way; information and proper context.  The latest Steven Bomb is upon us, and with the first episode SU fans have their answers, although I’m sure some corners of the fandom will still be annoyed.

                “Now We’re Only Falling Apart” picks up where the last episode left off, with the Crystal Gems digesting Pearl’s revelation.  Amethyst seemingly takes the revelation in stride—which is logical considering she was born after the war—but it literally destroys Garnet, undoing her fusion faster than Pearl’s previous lie.  This time it is Sapphire who is hurt, lambasting Pink for lying to them and cursing herself for not having seen this with her Future Vision.  She then storms off, with Steven and Pearl following to help calm the stormy gem down.  This calming involves another flashback, where more information is divulged about Pink Diamond’s past, including why she created Rose Quartz.

                Considering where the previous cliffhanger left this, character reactions and interactions were logical.  Amethyst has only known Pink as Rose and not having lived through the war she doesn’t have that painful baggage.  When combined with her laid-back demeanor, its logical she’d quickly forgive the lie.  Steven still seems to be digesting the information, which will most likely be his character arc through this Bomb.  Pearl is relieved, as a weight she’s been carrying for thousands of years is gone and she can finally speak freely, which she admits during the episode’s opening.  Garnet is the one I feel for.  Not only is her fusion undone, but everything she’s ever known since that day in Blue Diamond’s court is questionable.  Sapphire voices as much before she leaves, although she does take things too far.  Even if she’s upset, telling Ruby their relationship is based on a lie—among other things—is crossing the line.  Even when Ruby was mad before the Eternal Flame never spoke that harshly to her icy flame.  Given how much words can hurt it’s no wonder Ruby’s gone by the end.

                Pink Diamond’s backstory is the episode’s meat.  While the audience has heard stories about her before, the Rose revelation put everything into question, necessitating further exposition from Pearl.  We get that here.  While Pearl doesn’t reveal how Pink managed to get a colony—my guess is Yellow finally gave in—she goes into detail about how excited Pink was once her Quartz soldiers began to hatch.  This is where Rose was created.  Pink wanted to move among them, but couldn’t in her true form without hearing about it from her sisters.  One suggestion from Pearl and Rose is born.  As Pink explores her colony she slowly realizes how destructive Gem creation is to organic life.  As she puts it, “We’re not creating life from nothing.  We’re taking life and leaving nothing behind.”  She does attempt to undo the colony, but is overruled.  This is where her ultimate choice comes into play.  The Diamonds won’t listen to Pink, but they will pay attention to Rose Quartz. 

While some might still find this selfish—a viewpoint I respectfully disagree with—the Garnet situation makes it harder to throw that term.  While Pink originally was fighting to save organic life on Earth, Garnet’s creation added to her motivation.  She was not only fighting for Earth.  She was fighting for free Gems.  While the logic behind her ultimate decision can still be questioned—it is naïve on her part to assume Yellow and Blue wouldn’t do anything if their little sister was shattered—the why she made that choice is easy to see.  Pink did it for Earth and for Garnet.  Even if her specific actions were flawed, her heart was in the right place.

                In addition to Pink’s backstory, Pearl’s exposition also provides more information about her unrequited love.  While all Pearl’s adore their owners to a certain degree, as the story unfolds it becomes clear that Pearl was attracted to Pink’s boldness and dedication to her beliefs.  At first, this was awkward since it went against Pearl’s purpose, but over time this lessened; not everything is shown, but enough is divulged for the audience to fill in the blanks.  While brief, it was cute that Steven pointed out that Pearl’s feelings helped shaped Pink’s resolve, which garnered an appropriate subtle response from the gem

Some members of the fandom—hopefully a minority—are still calling Pink selfish when it comes to Pearl’s feelings.  While everything is entitled to his or her opinion, this is a view I’ll never understand.  One is not entitled to return another’s romantic feelings, even if they’ve been friends for millennia.  Feelings must develop naturally.  Despite their closeness—and the existence of Rainbow Quartz—Pink was under no obligation to love Pearl.  If she’s guilty of anything it’s being oblivious of the affections or ignoring and exploiting them.  It’s hard to say which one right now.

As a whole, “Now We’re Only Falling Apart” was a great episode.  It filled in backstory gaps, delivered moments of past and present character development and sets up the next several episodes nicely.  Boy, Sapphire’s going to need more than balloons and cake.  

First Impressions | Incredibles 2

                While I haven’t discussed the film at all, I am a fan of Pixar’s The Incredibles.  It is not only one of my favorite films of 2004, but one of my favorite Disney films in general.  The animation, voice acting and story are all top tier, and its good-natured satire of superhero culture still holds up today.  While it didn’t need a sequel, I was excited when director Brad Bird announced once was in production.  If Cars can get two unnecessary sequels and a spinoff, then a superior film with a fanbase is entitled to one.

                                Picking up where the original left off, the Parr family attempt to thwart the Underminer’s plan.  Things don’t go smoothly, the villain escapes—never to be seen again—and the family is arrested.  While they are not charged with any crimes related to their illegal activity, it does result in the Superhero Relocation Program being shut down and the Parr’s being placed in a precarious financial situation.  This situation immediately is rectified by Winston Deavor, an eccentric superhero fanboy who runs a telecommunications company.  Winston longs to see supers made legal once more and has the perfect plan to bring about his vision:  shift public perception of super activity; show the moments, not simply the ending.  For this, he enlists the help of Elastigirl.  While she patrols the streets, Bob cares for the kids, leading to many comedic moments.  All is not as it seems, a villain appears, and once again it’s up to the entire family to save the day. 

                Although I enjoyed the trailer, I tried to control my hype level.  While Disney’s animated films haven’t disappointed me lately, there is a first time for everything.  Thankfully Incredibles 2 wasn’t that first time. 

                Like all Pixar films, the animation is beautiful.  One can see the budget was well spent.  While I was paying more attention to the story, I didn’t notice any frames or backgrounds that were half-rendered or sloppy.  Brad Bird and his team outdid themselves in this department. Michael Giacchino once again composed the score.  His effort was good and it was nice that he reused motifs from the previous film.  That said, it didn’t stand out to me as much, but this is an aspect multiple viewings could change.  The voice acting is still top tier, although at times you can tell it has been fourteen-years (mainly with Nelson).  It was also nice to hear a callback to the super suit scene.

While the original had comedy—monologuing, no capes, etc.—the sequel pushed this element to eleven.  This might turn some viewers off—especially considering Marvel and Star Wars going overboard in that department—but none of the jokes felt forced.  The humor arises from the characters and their interactions with one another.  Bob’s character arc is the best example of this.  With Helen now on patrol, he’s the primary caregiver.  This inverses the spousal roles from the first film, placing Bob in an unfamiliar position.  He knows his children, but he’s never nurtured them in the manner he must now.  From boy troubles to math homework, it’s all learning on the job for Bob, which lends itself to comedy.  Humor is subjective, so aspects of this arc might not be everyone’s cup of tea; I admit I’m not an enthusiastic fan of the diner scene, although it does serve the story.

                Speaking of boy troubles, Tony Rydinger is upgraded from minor character connected to a Dash’s teasing to supporting character connected to Dash’s teasing.  The first film ended with Tony asking Violet out, completing her blooming arc.  While Brad could have continued this plot development in a straightforward fashion—which would have allowed for typical adolescent comedy—Mr. Bird swerved left.  Tony ends up having his memories of Violet erased after accidentally seeing his date without her mask.  This leads to awkward adolescent moments that even Stevie Wonder could see coming a mile away, but luckily, they complement Bob’s arc.  One of Dash’s line’s sums things up.  “Is she having adolescence?”

                One aspect of the plot that caught me off guard at first was the legality of supers.  One would think after Syndrome’s attack they would be free and clear again since the government didn’t come after the Parr’s or FRO zone.  Maybe they got a one-time free pass for extenuating circumstances.  If so, that goes against the opening scene, but considering The Underminer escaped after causing millions in property damage it’s easy to connect the bureaucratical dots.  Every tragedy needs a scapegoat if the true culprit escapes justice.

                It is hard to discuss the film’s villain Screen-slaver without giving away major spoilers, but I believe I can do so.  As the name implies, Screen-slaver controls people’s minds through screens (TV, computer, etc.), controlling their actions like puppets.  As the plot progresses, Slaver’s manifesto is spelled out with each subsequent attack, but then the twist happens.  For those who are getting tired of the surprise villain angle this realization will make you groan, especially since Slaver is following in Syndrome’s wake.   That said, I thought it was alright.  I saw the twist coming twenty minutes before the film confirmed it, but its build was decent.  Slaver’s true manifesto is where things get interesting.  Without saying anything that would spoil who he or she is, Slaver hates supers and strives to make sure they remain illegal forever.  What better way to turn people against their heroes by making them the villains.  As an aside, this is why Hogan’s heel turn worked perfectly.  While Syndrome’s motivation satirized superhero culture and the trophy for everyone mentality, Slaver’s appears relatively straightforward.  Note, I said appears.  Now, it could just be me, but a handful of Slaver’s lines before and during the twist came off as a satire on modern comic book films, mainly the MCU and DCEU.  If intentionally placed, I applaud Brad Bird for going there.  If not, it’s just my personal reading of the character.

                While not as fresh or groundbreaking as its predecessor, Incredibles 2 is a worthy follow-up and not a simple retread.  While there are several potential bumps, the monorail doesn’t crash.

4.5/5 Stars

First Impressions | Deadpool 2

I have a confession to make:  I had never heard of Deadpool until I saw X-men Origins Wolverine in theaters.  As such, I was outside the outrage bubble when the plot twist first played out.  Since then I’ve done proper research and  completely understand the backlash.  That said, like many of my fellow film and comic fans, I was giddy when Fox gave the greenlight for a Deadpool film.  Not only would it give the character’s fans what they’ve been clamoring for, but it would redeem Origin’s misfire.  While I haven’t revisited the first film as of this writing, I remember enjoying it in the theater.  The action was decent and the humor had me rolling at times, but part of the end didn’t fully click with me.  I’ll go more into this when I revisit part one. 

            Third act criticism aside, I enthusiastically awaited the sequel.  My enthusiasm was rewarded.  Deadpool 2 is not only an excellent comic book film sequel, it is one of those rare sequels that surpasses its predecessor in every way. 

Picking up where the first film left off, Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) continues to work as a freelance mercenary while enjoying his relationship with Vanessa (Morena Baccarin).  Things take a dark turn when their home is invaded and Vanessa ends up dead.  Deadpool kills the assassin, but the action does nothing to abate his morose mindset.  He joins the X-men to see if fellow heroes can help, but ends up in a mutant detention center after killing am abusive orphanage worker.  This is where Cable, a mutant from the future, enters the story.  His family was killed by Russell Collins—Deadpool’s cellmate and the orphan he was attempting to aid—so Cable travels through time to kill Collins and prevent his family’s fate.  While a mercenary, Deadpool is not cool with the slaughter of children and puts himself between the two.  It is now up to Deadpool—with the aid of his team, X-force—to save Collins from Cable’s wrath while attempting to prevent the child’s dark future from flaming.

Every aspect of the film was on-point.  The humor is what one would expect from a Deadpool film, but the timing and nuance is improved from the first film; I can see more of the jokes aging well.  From what I’ve gathered Deadpool 2 had double the budget of the originally, allowing the crew to step up the action and special effects.  Both deliver and compliment the film’s story; one draws the audience in and the other wows them with spectacle.  There were a few moments where the CGI was shaky, but not distractingly so. 

            The cast was wonderful.  Reynolds—the heart of this series—amazed once again as the Merc with the Mouth.  It’s evident from his body language and vocal inflections he enjoys playing Wade, and his enthusiasm helps the audience investment in the film.  His dramatic timing is better this go-around, which helps that aspect of the plot.  Josh Brolin was the perfect choice to play Cable.  While I’m mainly familiar with him from the Deadpool game, the film gives enough information for one to understand who he is and what drives him.  While the antagonist, the audience understands why Cable is attempting to murder a child, even if they don’t condone the action.  His character arc truly begins during act 3, where he must work with Deadpool to reach a compromise.  Without giving spoilers, he makes a character defining choice. There was a Thanos joke, but it’s blink and you’ll miss it and Cable no-sells the quip. 

Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller, Brianna Hildebrand, and Leslie Uggams reprise their supporting roles, each using his or her time well.  Outside the obvious, the only major subplot here is the revelation that Negasonic is gay, and it’s handled respectfully; who doesn’t love Yukio.  Zazie Beetz is great as lucky merc Domino, handling herself well in the action scenes and having a fun back-and-forth with Reynolds at times.  While the weakest of the supporting cast, Julian Dennison gives a decent performance, getting his character’s plight across and helping carry the plot forward.  It’s hard to say from one viewing if he’s better angry or sympathetic.  Bill Skarsgard plays the acid-spitting member of X-force, a cameo I didn’t notice at first.  He’s ok here, but I didn’t realize how lanky he was until now.  Brad Pitt also has a cameo, one I won’t spoil for those who haven’t seen the film.

            The film’s first post-credit sequence might turn some fans off.  Without giving much away with spoilers, it involves Deadpool using time travel.  While it doesn’t take much imagination to guess what Wade plans on doing, it will impact Deadpool 3, and from a certain point of view makes aspects of this film pointless.   While it does not bother me personally—especially since it falls in line with Wade’s character—I can see why others might not feel the same.

           Like or hate the first film, this is a Marvel film everyone should watch.  The humor and action are spot on, and enough drama and conflict is sprinkled within to keep one invested.  While I enjoyed Infinity War, this one I liked better, as it’s balanced perfectly. 4 out of 5 swords.  

Reader Response | Significance of Poe's "The Raven"

Published in 1844, “The Raven” is one of Edgar Allen Poe’s most well-known poems.  When examining the prose’s wording, the first thing that stands out is Poe’s use of alliteration and rhyme.  Line one gives the reader a perfect example of both.  “Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary” (675).  Weak and weary both begin with W, and their close placement is alliteration.  Weary also rhymes with dreary, causing the literary devices to be linked from the work’s beginning.  This doubling of alliteration and rhyme continues throughout the prose (Ex: Deep and darkness for alliteration, peering and fearing for rhyme, Line 25). Combined, the pair allows the poem’s words to flow melodically; a reader cannot help but read “The Raven” in a musical fashion. 

            The title bird is worthy of deep discussion.  From the moment he flies into the poem, the narrator’s curiosity is peaked by the Raven.  The narrator describes the bird as stately from “the saintly days of yore” (676, Line 38).  This description informs the reader that the Raven is dignified and most likely supernatural.  To add to this, the bird perches on a bust Athena, daughter of Zeus and Greek goddess of Wisdom.  To use stage terminology, this an interesting blocking choice on Poe’s part, and it serves as foreshadowing for the poem’s later stanzas.  As the poem continues, the narrator becomes frustrated by the Raven’s inability or refusal to answer his questions, simply cawing the iconic phrase “Nevermore” repeatedly.  This changes the narrator’s impression of the bird, referring to the avian creature as a “grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore” (677, Line 71).  While bogged down with descriptors, this passage informs the reader that the narrator is now displeased and frightened by the Raven’s presence, seeing the bird as an omen of disastrous repute.  The Raven is still supernatural, but of Hell, not Heaven.

            The Narrator’s impression aside, what does the Raven stand for?  After rereading the text, the answer becomes obvious.  The Raven is the personification of the narrator’s grief.  Sometime before the work began, Lenore—implied to be the narrator’s wife or fiancé—passed away.  The narrator now begins to read old literary works, hoping to find “surcease of sorrow” (675, Line 10).  Surcease translates as cessation, so the narrator is attempting to cast out his sorrow.  Once the Raven appears, his presence torments the narrator, pecking at his sanity as only grief can.  “Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door” (678, Line 101).  With these words, the narrator is attempting to permanently drive the bird away, and in doing so end his internal suffering.  This attempt fails.  The Raven remains perched, and thus grief remains.

            This is a deep sentiment.  Everyone has encountered grief in their lives at one point, usually from the death of a loved one.  While we mourn the loss, a part of that loss never goes away; how much depends on the circumstances.  An untimely death would be towards the top of the list.  While the narrator is unnamed, one can see a lot of Poe in him.  Poe his young wife to tuberculous, and certain accounts state he never fully recovered from her death before meeting his own.  While she still lived when Poe composed “The Raven,” she had contracted the illness.  In that regard, “The Raven” is Poe’s statement about what he was about to experience.  While it might appear he moved on, like the ebony bird, his grief would remain evermore.

First Impressions | Avengers Infinity War

While it has its highs and lows, I consider myself a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  Like many of my fellow fans, my anticipation grew as Phase One’s end grew closer, watching each film in theaters.  This anticipation grew further when The Avengers premiered.  While not perfect, it was a satisfying end to Phase One, and its mid-credits scene perfectly set up future story arcs.  That scene gave us the first film appearance of the mad Titan, Thanos.  While I had no idea who he was at first, a quick google search was enlightening.  This peaked my interest, which continued to grow as Phase Two and Phase Three moved forward.  While his on-screen appearances were brief, Thanos (Josh Brolin) hung over the MCU like a rain cloud, waiting for the precise moment to burst.  That moment has come with Avengers Infinity Wars.  

As the title suggests, the film’s plot focuses on the Infinity Stones, McGuffin’s introduced during Phase One and elaborated on during Phase Two.  Thanos’ goal is to collect all six stones and place them in his Infinity Gauntlet, which would give him the power to balance the universe.  It is up to both the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy to thwart Thanos, but not everything goes as planned.  Battles are fought, stones are collected, and a smile grows.

            How did I enjoy the film overall?  While it might be too early to say for certain, I enjoyed it and Age of Ultron roughly equally, and it was a step up from Civil War.  Of those two, the latter makes a better comparison, as both films were directed by the Russo’s and are “Cross-overs.”  While enjoyable, Civil War felt off at times both dramatically and thematically.  I get what Marvel and the Russo’s intended, but their execution needed improvement; I still question the logic of putting General Ross on the presidential cabinet, to the point where it has become a personal joke.  With Infinity War, not only do I understand what the filmmakers intended, but I agree with the execution.  I personally would have made the film darker at points, I’ve long since made my peace with Disney and Darkness.

            Like Civil War, one worry I had was how Infinity War would handle its large cast of characters.  While the MCU has handled it well to varying degrees, even previous Avenger’s films hadn’t contained a main cast this large.  That said, the film balances its ensemble cast well; not one feels short-changed.  While some are more important to the plot than others and thus have more screen time, it didn’t bother me.  I expected this to be the case; my only question was who would be shortchanged.  Sadly, Hawkeye and Antman were nowhere to be seen.  While the latter’s sequel is probably taking place parallel to Infinity Wars, Hawkeye’s absence is odd.  He has a family, so one would assume he’d be in to take down an antagonist who threatens their existence.  Perhaps the Russo’s couldn’t figure out how to squeeze him in without seeming forced or wasteful.  Either way, hopefully he’ll be in the sequel, especially if the ending personally impacted him.  Loki was also presented well.  I feared Marvel would make his recent development pointless, but thankfully that worry was moot.  Without spoilers, Loki was handled respectfully.

            Like most of the post-Disney films, there is plenty of humor.  While this has turned off some to recent entries—as an aside Thor Ragnarok had several funny moments that could have been cut to help the drama—here it isn’t intrusive.  While Thanos does hang over the cast, the humor is derived from character interaction:  friendly bickering, planning and the occasional one-liner.  The cast’s great acting helps sell these moments; if anyone fell flat, a moment would fail.  The interactions provide plenty of drama, which is a foil to the humor and helps the main plot progress.  Of the new interactions if I had to choose a favorite it’d be Thor, Rocket and Groot.  While an odd pairing, the two had me smiling wide during their scenes, especially since Thor can understand Groot.

            How does the film treat Thanos?  While it can be said one of the MCU’s shortcomings is its villains, Thanos does not fall victim to that “curse.”  From the opening scene, the audience is made aware of just how threatening the mad Titan is.  While before he’d simply been talked up, when one can take out both Thor and the Hulk in single combat one’s high threat level is assured.  This threat level continues to rise as Thanos collects the Infinity Stones, this goal putting him into direct combat with our heroes.  While he only directly takes part in two battles, both effectively show off his strength and cunning.  While it will sadden some comic fans, Lady Death is nowhere to be seen, as is her part in Thanos’ motivation.  Despite this, the Titan’s reason to collect the Stones is logical:  he wishes to balance the universe by instantaneously cutting its population in half.  This is where the film becomes allegorical, as overpopulation is problem humanity will have to address over the next several centuries.  Thanos foresaw it would become a problem on Titan, but no one listened to him and the civilization eventually collapsed from lack of resources.  Thanos does not want this to happen on a universal scale, enter the Infinity Gauntlet.  While the plan is grandiose and mad, one can understand Thanos.  While he is killing millions of beings, the Titan believes he’s doing so for the greater good.  As Star Trek worded it, “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”

            In addition to his plan, the audience sees another side of Thanos, brought about thru his interactions with Gamora.  While he called her his “Favorite daughter” in Guardians of the Galaxy, until now the line had no context.  Here, we see Thanos interact with grown Gamora after he acquires the Reality Stone and child Gamora via a flashback.  The Titan might be harsh and his universal plan dark, but he lives his daughter like any father would; there’s even a “boyfriend meets father” moment, which is our first insight into this side of Thanos.  While touching, this love causes internal conflict for Thanos during his search for the Soul Stone, the only Infinity Stone with no recorded history.  To acquire the stone, Thanos must sacrifice someone he loves, and he only loves his favorite daughter.  Begrudgingly Thanos sacrifices Gamora for the stone, a soul for a soul.  The Titan gains power, but internally he hurts, the act having torn his heart asunder.  While the word doesn’t describe Thanos one-hundred percent, this is the closest the Titan comes to being a sympathetic figure, one worthy of a Shakespearean tragedy.  It also makes Starlord’s actions when he discovers this information understandable, even if undermines the grand plan.

            The action scenes are shot competently.  While there were some moments of shaky-cam, the Russo’s dialed it back when compared to their Captain America films, saving it battlefield tracking shots.  The special effects are amazing, as always with the MCU; with how much each entry costs to produce they have no excuse not to be. The only personal complaint I have is that two of Thanos’ new children could have been brought to life with make-up rather than motion capture; it’s simply my preference when possible.    

            The hardest element to address without major spoilers is the ending.  It should be no surprise that Thanos ends up winning, even if one has not read the source comic (raises hand).  To that end, many of the main cast end up vanishing into dust, the scene feeding off the audience’s emotional ties to the characters.  We feel a sense of loss as they crumble, spurred on by the reactions of those around them.  While I knew it was coming, two parts of the scene still moved me deeply:  the deaths of Groot and Peter.  The former I didn’t expect to die again so quickly.  The latter arises from how the scene was blocked, acted and edited; for those who have seen the film, you know what I mean.  The film ends with a cliffhanger, fading to black before the credits.  At least one member of the audience I was with was shocked by this, as he yelled “What the fuck” as the credits began rolling.  While I smirked, it shows not everyone had the same expectations for the denouement.  Speaking of which, I know not everyone will feel the ending—I know one of my contemporaries falls into this category—but I understand why.  Marvel Studios ruined part of the impact with a handful of its announced future films.  While knowledge of the comics could have caused this same feeling, it wouldn’t be to the same degree.  Future viewings could have also tempered the impact, but I’d prefer retroactive tempering to in the moment tempering; at least retroactively one can still feel in the moment, especially when marathoning a series.
           While it hadn’t crossed my mind originally, one theory I’ve seen floating online involves Iron Man’s survival.  As his life is traded for the Time Stone, Thanos spares him.  At first glance, this appears odd, but since Dr. Strange had looked at possible outcomes with the stone and found only one where they prevailed, it’s not a stretch to presume Tony had to survive the encounter for this to occur.  This raises a question of why fight on Titan at all?  Well, the good doctor never stated they won there, only that they won overall.  After handing the stone over, he even admitted they were now in the endgame.  Filmgoers will have to wait for the next Avengers film to discover if this element was a red herring; if not, I wonder how it’ll play out.  

            Overall, Infinity Wars is a great film.  While it throws dozens of characters at the audience, none feel lost in the shuffle.  While Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 is still my favorite entry of Phase 3, this is easily number two, as it balances its humor and drama well, even if one theme was slightly neutered (Thanks Kevin).

First Impressions | Ready Player One

While I’m not familiar with the source novel, I’ve been looking forward to Ready Player One ever since the teaser trailer dropped.  The visuals and narration intrigued me, although I kept my expectations low, to avoid disappointment.  After watching the film, I can honestly report my fears were misplaced, as Ready Player One was an entertaining film.

                Directed by Steven Spielberg, the film is set in Ohio in the year 2045.  Modern problems such as pollution and overpopulation have continued to worsen.  To cope, humans escape into the OASIS, a Virtual Reality Online Game where one can literally be anything or anyone (allowing for a cavalcade of pop culture references that’d overload Seth McFarlane’s CPU).  Many also attempt to complete Anorak’s Quest, a contest the game’s creator James Halliday (Mark Rylance) set up following his death.  Whoever completes the quest gains control of the OASIS.  Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) is one such individual, playing under the name Parzival.  One day following an unsuccessful race, Wade manages to figure out how to pass the first trial.  He does so, becoming an OASIS celebrity overnight.  This fame comes with a price, as he becomes a target of IOI, a gaming company that wishes to control and exploit the OASIS (think a dystopian version of World of Warcraft’s subscription policy).  With the aid of his friends Art3mis (Olivia Cooke), Aech (Lena Waithe), Sho (Philip Zhao) and Daito (Win Morisaki) Wade must complete the Quest and gain control of the OASIS first, while avoiding IOI in both the real and virtual worlds.

                Being an avid video gamer and LARPer, I can’t help but love the film’s concept, as it combines the virtual nature of the former with the character creation and immersion of the latter.  Its take on the hero’s quest is also engaging.  While it begins humbly, real world stakes soon emerge.  If IOI wins, Halliday’s dream fails and the OASIS becomes a pay-to-play VRRPG.  IOI also engage in shady real-world tactics, which I will address later. 

                While not Spielberg’s best effort—I still prefer Jaws, Last Crusade and his Jurassic Park duology—the Oscar winner brings his A-game to this film.  While Spielberg has made some questionable personal choices—research the making of Poltergeist—his choice to direct this film is not one of them.  His directing choices were sensible, allowing the film’s individual pieces to blend seamlessly. 

                Having worked with Spielberg on many of his previous films, Januz Kaminski was the obvious choice for cinematographer, and he did an excellent job.  His work is beautiful, and he gave both worlds their own distinct feel.  While not muted, the real world doesn’t feel as vibrant as the OASIS, which considering its escapist purpose is the point.  While I am not an enthusiastic fan of CGI spam (Even though Motion Capture has been wearing me down somewhat) here it was rendered properly.  While the characters don’t appear as real as Ceaser or Gollum, they’re rendered the correct amount for online Avatars. 

                Alan Silvestri composed the score.  Considering the film’s pop culture spam, who better to hire than the man who composed the scores for Predator, Back to the Future and Who Framed Roger Rabbit.  While I don’t find myself humming the cues quite yet, Silvestri’s notes served their auditory storytelling purpose.  In addition to Silvestri’s score, the film makes perfect use of 70’s and 80’s music, although I personally recognized two songs; of the two, Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It” was timed perfectly.

                I’m of two minds when it comes to the characters.  On one hand, I sympathized with the protagonists and hated IOI and its CEO.  On the other hand, there was not much character development, and what little exists comes from Wade and Art3mis.  Wade is an orphan who lives with his Aunt, and suffers loss once IOI figures out his real identity.  Art3mis’s backstory is tied in with IOI and their illegal activities, which gives her a personal stake in the OASIS from Act 1.  The two also fall in love.  While a predictable plot point, the two actors have a subtle chemistry, and I identify with Wade’s side of the romance.  Halliday does have some development as the characters progress through the Quest, but I classify it under backstory.  Other than that, there’s nothing.  While lack of development does not bother me if the story is engaging and entraining, it’s wrong not to note it, and based on other reviews I’m not the only one to notice.

                For the story, IOI are decent enough villains.  While the evil corporation has been done to death to the point of becoming an archetype, I’m of the opinion that archetypes themselves are not bad; it all depends on the execution.  While no Shinra or Umbrella, IOI works for the portrayed world.  This comes down to two factors:  Ben Mendelsohn’s performance and IOI’s illegal activities.  Ben is one of those actors that’s always great to see on screen, and he plays his parts with conviction.  Like Rogue One, the audience can’t help but hate his smugness, and once he gets his comeuppance in the third act, we grin. 

As for the company’s activities, they buy out an individual’s debt, forcing them to work until it’s either paid off or they die; without giving spoilers, this is where the Art3mis connection comes into play.  While bad form, this part had me slightly raising an eyebrow.  The film didn’t give any indication that any major legal changes have arisen in the United States, so IOI would be violating the 13^th Amendment; even if one’s debt is purchased, the purchaser cannot compel you to work for them.  While a head-scratcher, considering IOI’s other shady actions (espionage and murder) I don’t think they’ll let an Amendment get in their way.   It wouldn’t be the first time someone ignored thirteen. 

                While it would be fun to list off every single pop culture reference the film makes, that would drag this review out.  Instead, I’ll briefly list off a few:  Star Wars, King Kong, Godzilla, Gundam, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Back to the Future, Overwatch, Halo, Stephen King, and 80’s Slasher Flicks.  It’s a nerd’s paradise.

                While flawed when it comes to character development, Ready Player One is an entertaining film with its heart in the right place.  Definitely worth one watch, especially if one is a fan of 80’s and video game pop culture.  

DVD Review | Robocop (20th Anniversary Collector's Edition)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hJfPGGIHhk

A Rose For Emily (Plot and Plot Devices)

William Faulkner’s short story “A Rose for Emily” is an excellent example of a non-linear narrative.  Beginning with the passing of Emily, the narrator recounts events that have transpired during the course of her adult life.  Emily’s father passed away when she was around thirty-years-old, and the event caused her to have a minor mental breakdown.  She recovered and soon became interested in a man named Homer Barron, a day laborer from the North (the story is set in the post-Civil War south).  Everyone in town is soon gossiping about this courtship, with many speculating that their relationship has become physically intimate, which for a lady of Miss Emily’s station would be dishonorable.  Several of Emily’s relations soon visit, supposedly to aid her in tying Homer in matrimonial bonds.   While mostly implied by the narrator, the audience infers that Emily and Homer had a protagonist-antagonist relationship with this subject, with most of the arguing occurring behind closed doors.  This causes Homer to leave town, but he returns shortly thereafter, only to disappear again for good.  This second vanishing sends Emily into a self-imposed seclusion, with the townsfolk rarely catching sight of her.  It is only after her funeral that the shocking yet satisfying truth is revealed:  Emily had killed Homer, keeping his body in her upstairs bedroom, where Emily would occasionally lay beside him.  This reveals the extent of Emily’s internal crisis.  The breakdown she suffered following the death of her father revealed that she had trouble letting go.  Homer’s brief desertion magnified this problem, and when he returned Emily made sure he’d never leave her again.  This action is foreshadowed near the end of Part III, when the narrator recounts how Emily purchased arsenic, intimidating the druggist in the process.  When I read the story for the first time in sixth-grade I overlooked this detail but re-reading with foreknowledge of the twist ending it was easy to spot.  Based on Faulkner’s wording, it’s clear the narrator is familiar with Emily, although he never knew her personally; likely he heard the recounted stories from older relatives.  I find it interesting that he remains anonymous despite his familiarity, as none of the prose betrays a specific connection.  In that light, the narrator is the town’s personification, recounting its history in a semi-omnipotent manner.  He knows much, but like everyone else, he didn’t see the truth behind the window.