X-Men: Apocalypse is set to hit theaters on May 27, 2016, and after that the X-Men cinematic universe will be in flux. While promoting the Good Dinosaur, Anna Paquin commented on the possibility of returning to the franchise.
“I would come back and do whatever. These are people I’ve known for half my life. I have a lot of love for my X-Men family. I realistically wouldn’t really care what it was if they were getting the whole gang back together kind of thing. On a side note personally, I would really like to fly because flying’s cool,” said Paquin to IGN.
Back in April Paquin broke the internet when she said she would return to the franchise if Rogue could fly.
@AnnaPaquinFans no I'm saying that comic book rogue gets to fly and I never did. I want to be badass rogue not shy teen rogue
This episode, ‘Limited Lines,’ is really good. Like really really good. And this article is mostly gushing about it. Don’t you love gushing about your favorite shows?
Review of Glass Mask Episode 5 ‘Limited Lines’
I have to outright say it now: This is probably my favorite episode in the entire series. A couple of important things happen here, plotlines are introduced, an epic battle takes place, and a rivalry is officially formed.
The episode starts with Maya’s inability to dance, followed by her being a bit of a smart-ass, “You never said it had to hurt.” “You didn’t explicitly say to laugh out loud.” Maya never actually said this, but it’s clear that’s what she implied, backed up by how Taiko and Tsukikage react to Maya’s reactions. “She’s scary.”
The big moment of this episode though was found in the second half with the limited lines exercise. I quite enjoy the montage towards the beginning showing two students fail.
Notice both actors broke character when a comment is made about their physical appearance. First the boy with ‘something on his jacket’, and the girl whose beauty was commented on. If you’ve ever been on stage than it’s pretty clear why this happened. When on stage with people watching, you feel nervous and self-conscious, no matter how long you’ve been on stage (Lack of stage fright is really just the ability to overcome this). These two students haven’t overcome this fully, so as soon as their physical appearance was referenced they broke character. Ultimately, both students are unprepared for the stage.
But big moment was definitely with Maya and Ayumi battling it out on stage! I have a bit of spoilery analysis found below, so this spot will be dedicated to raving about how amazing this scene is. I mean, come on! It’s so great! They go for an hour straight! That’s crazy! The last moment doesn’t translate super well, because the word ‘Hai’ is far more than just ‘Yes’ in Japanese, but Glass Mask did such an amazing job making picking out a CD feel epic.
At the end of the episode we see Ayumi finally accept her rivalry with Maya. We all knew it was coming, the narrator told us so. But Ayumi knew as well, the way she’s acted around Maya proves this. In episode three she defends Maya’s abilities, in this episode she helps Maya (spoilery explanation below), and she came specifically to see Maya here. Ayumi subconsciously knew of this rivalry, but only accepted it now.
That epic scene in the manga
Before moving on to the spoilers section I’d like to make note of the last line of this episode. “Surrounded by the searing flames of war.” Come on, this is theater acting Mr. Narrator, not war. Just a little over dramatic.
Spoilers
A huge development found in this episode is the introduction of the Purple Rose! Fans will know the importance of the Purple Rose, but this episode suggested another meaning as well.
The Purple Rose was described by the flower lady as basically the closest breeders got to a blue rose. The Purple Rose has an air of, “Good enough.” “Not what I wanted, but it’ll do.” Hayami mentions he knows what that’s like, because also is “Not what I wanted, but will do.” Hayami and his father have a distant relationship, Hayami isn’t his father’s ‘real’ son, but works hard to achieve ‘Good enough.’ Hayami sees himself in the Purple Rose.
This episode shows us another example of Ayumi helping out Maya. If Ayumi wasn’t involved I am 100% certain Maya would have taken a lot longer to get popular, if at all. Ayumi does this even now, before she truly accepted her rivalry with Maya. “So that means that you might one day play the Scarlet Angel too.” Ayumi clearly did this to boost Maya. She obviously raised her voice when saying that too. It may seem destructive now, Hayami had to save Maya, but it will be beneficial when Maya begins acting for real.
Speaking of Hayami saving Maya this episode he protects her by kicking her out. A classic example of the flawed hero Hayami will become. Protecting Maya by playing the bad guy.
Back on stage, I noticed something really interesting while Maya and Ayumi were ducking it out. Every time these two meet on stage and directly compete with each other, Maya is at a disadvantage. Here she only has four lines (or should I say… Limited Lines??!?! Get it?), in the competition her troupe is gone, on stage she got the wrong script, while on TV some one is trying to kill her. Yet the results are pretty close, probably proof that Maya is better.
The only time this isn’t the case is at the end when they are both practicing for the role of The Scarlet Angel. This is also when Ayumi becomes so distressed regarding Maya’s talent she contemplates killing her.
Conclusion
Glass Mask Episode 5 ‘Limited Lines’ is another fantastic entry in the Glass Mask series, it’s just perfect. There is a clear reason why it’s one of the standout episodes within the entire series. But what did YOU think about it? Do you love it as much as I do? Are you going to keep watching? Let me know in the comments below and don’t forget to watch the next episode on Crunchyroll.com
Wonder Woman started filming last week, and over the weekend the cast and crew shot a World War I scene on the banks of the Thames in Southend, Essex. The Daily Mail has tons of photos from the location.
If the Steve Trevor / Wonder Woman romance is set in World War I, does that mean it’s short lived?
Filming will continue to take place on location in the UK, France and Italy.
Wonder Woman is directed by Patty Jenkins from Jason Fuchs screenplay. The film stars Gal Gadot as Diane Prince/Wonder Woman, Chris Pine as Captain Steve Trevor, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Ewen Bremner, Saïd Taghmaoui, Elena Anaya, and Lucy Davis.
Set to open in 2017, the film is based on characters created by William Moulton Marston, appearing in comic books published by DC Entertainment.
It’s fair to say Bill Apter is the most recognisable Pro Wrestling reporter, journalist, photographer and interviewer in the world. Beginning in the 1970’s as an editor for renowned wrestling magazine Pro Wrestling Illustrated, he has continued with the same passion and energy for being the face of 1wrestling.com and now appearing on many WWE network shows and DVDs. After such a long and successful time in the business of Pro Wrestling, last month saw the release of his book Is Wrestling Fixed? I Didn’t Know It Was Broken! On his recent visit to the UK to promote the book, I had the opportunity to sit down with him and get his thoughts and feelings on Pro Wrestling past and present.
What is your book about and why should people read it?
The name of the book is, Is Wrestling Fixed? I Didn’t Know It Was Broken! And I don’t. People say to me, you’ve been doing this fifty years how do you watch today’s product? And I always say the window dressing is a bit different but what goes on in the ring is still athletes trying to do their best to entertain us. The book is basically a compendium of when I started back in the days of Bruno Sammartino and even further back to when I was a fan back in the days of Buddy Rogers all the way up to the attitude era and the current reality era, and I love it. The book is in no particular order, it’s just a fun book, there’s no dirt it’s just the relationship I had with the people in the business. People say you wrote terrific columns and shot great pictures and did great stories and I always say I appreciate that but I was a part of many great teams putting the magazines out, but I was the guy on TV handing out the plaques and being interviewed and as an interviewer. But it’s a good inside look to what a wrestling reporter, one of the few who’ve done it this long, has done through his life. And I’m going to keep doing it, I’m never going to quit.
So it gives a great hindsight to how the core values have stayed the same throughout?
Every one of the decades I’ve been involved with starting with the pure wrestling era to the Hogan era to the attitude era to the reality era and now the NXT era, yes. If what NXT is doing is the wave of the future I hope I’m around another fifty years to cover it.
Do you think that’s the way things are moving?
I’m not sure, but I love what they do, I love the passion they show and the realism they bring to their matches. It’s almost like they’re an independent organisation divorced from WWE and they’re just a great indie company. And I love it, I’m very impressed.
While we’re on the subject of the current scene and what’s going on at the moment, is there anybody you’d say to watch out for, that they’re going to be the next big star?
I want to see Neville go to another level. I want to see Kevin Owens get back to where he was when he was starring with John Cena. Tyler Breeze has impressed me a fair bit; now he’s coming up from NXT. Dolph Ziggler, I don’t think we’ve seen the best of where he can be placed at this point and I still look for great things from him.
Pro Wrestling Illustrated, the magazine where Apter made his name.
Do you think he’s been mostly directionless?
Yes, quite directionless but I think he’s a very exciting talent who looks like an old school type of wrestler, and he’s very exciting to watch. Paige here from the UK, I’m very impressed with where she’s gone from being a puppy here in England with parents being wrestlers. Roman Reigns I think when the fans figure out how they want to treat him and gets better direction. I think Dean Ambrose, I always tell people if Dick Slater and Terry Funk got married and had a kid that would be Dean Ambrose. There’s a lot of great things happening, you have to find the right people now to kind of replace the older generation that’s fading back a bit, and I think Triple H is an old school guy in a new school world and he’s trying to juggle what the fans want and what his father in law wants at the same time and I think he’s doing a really good job of that.
There’s always talk of Triple H being an NWA type guy.
It’s funny how he’s reaching out, he’s the guy who got Bruno Sammartino, after so many years of Bruno saying he’d have nothing to do with the WWE, he brought him into the fold again. He just did that with Superstar Billy Graham, who was very bitter about the WWE. During the magazine days our publishing company was banned for fifteen years, maybe longer, from shooting photos and reporting on them because they had their own magazine but last year Triple H, who was always a fan of the magazines, brought me down to Florida and had me shoot a pilot show for the WWE Network, and also I’m on the WWE Network as a talking head on some shows. So he’s opened a lot of boxes that were closed by the company, and I appreciate what he’s doing for keeping the tradition of the old school up.
Bill Apter conducting one of his many interviews with Triple H
So you think with the NXT style it’s as much about in-ring as everything else whereas in the past personality and talking maybe took over?
I think they’re finding more of an acceptable mix of the showbiz and the wrestling.
I know we’re getting toward the end of the year, so there’s a lot to choose from but is there a match you’ve seen that’s really stood out?
Sasha Banks and Bayley. It was incredible. John Cena and Cesaro I thought was brilliant. Talking about that, almost any John Cena match in the last few months has been a memorable match. He is such a hard worker in the ring. The fans don’t like him but yet when you go to the matches, and you see all the kids holding up Cena stuff, you think, they don’t like him, but they buy all his stuff. The ladies division is getting more respectable and not just T&A anymore, and they’re trying to be groomed to be Female Athletes and not just eye candy.
My final question, word is WWE has gone into relationship with Evolve and is getting more involved with independent wrestling, do you think that will affect things greatly, affect WWE’s style?
The WWE style is going to be more of a potpourri of the Indies and WWE. I think the powers of WWE see there is a market of people who like the indie style of wrestling, and they want to give them that as well as the showbiz type matches as well.
It’s come to light recently that WWE fed ECW in the 90’s so I guess they may be viewing it as another feeder league.
Absolutely, the WWE is trying to be a variety show of all wrestling genres at this point. A lot of people said NXT was going to be the big indie and put them out of business the way Vince and WWE put so many out in the territory days but when WWE does well, the Indies do well too. So I don’t think they have to fear. If people see wrestling on TV then see a Brian Dixon show or a 1PW show going on they associate wrestling with that, and they’ll go to the matches so I think it keeps everyone healthy when WWE does well.
Bill Apter’s book Is Wrestling Fixed? I Didn’t Know It Was Broken is available from ECW Press and all good book retailers.
With a modest $35 million budget, Warner Bros. is sure to greenlight a sequel.
The star of the film, Michael B. Jordan is eager to get back in the ring for CREED II. Jordan plays Apolo Creed’s son.
“A character so rich as this, and the world he’s in, I want to see what happens to him next and what he does. Especially the way it ends off, it’s pretty cool. I think with success and time and circumstances, it would be exciting to come back and work with (co-stars) Sly (Stallone) and Tessa (Thompson) again,” said Jordan to the Associated Press.
Sylvester Stallone or Coogler have yet to make a statement on their involvement in a sequel. CREED was a passion project for Coogler as he wrote and directed the film.
Jaume Balagueró, J. A. Bayona, Alejandro Amenábar… You might have heard of these names before. They have been some of the most prolific writter/directors in Spanish horror film history.
Here’s a list with the best horror movies entirely or partially filmed in Spain, produced at least by one Spanish production company and directed by a Spanish director (all except for one).
In chronological order:
TESIS [THESIS] (1996)
As Spanish horror movies go, Tesis is a very old-school psychological thriller, almost 20 years old. It’s probably the one to kickstart the horror genre in the country. A name you’ll read several times in this post is Eduardo Noriega. If there’s one actor who can say that he’s been in some of the most iconic Spanish horror movies of all time, it’s him.
While doing a thesis about violence, Ángela finds a snuff video where a girl is tortured until death. Soon she discovers that the girl was a former student in her faculty…
Tesis has been considered Amenábar’s masterpiece, but maybe that was before he did The Others. This is a slow-paced analysis about society’s fascination with violence.
Directed and written by Alejandro Amenábar. Starring Ana Torrent, Eduardo Noriega, Fele Martínez.
ABRE LOS OJOS [OPEN YOUR EYES] (1997)
Amenábar and Noriega collaborate again to make this thrilling and brilliantly written film. It’s been considered by some to be a great source of inspiration for The Matrix, so you can now imagine how unique it was in 1997 to see a film with a virtual reality theme.
A very handsome man finds the love of his life, but he suffers an accident and needs to have his face rebuilt by surgery after it is severely disfigured.
Sound familiar? Cameron Crowe directed the remake, Vanilla Sky, in 2001. Penélope Cruz repeats her performance, with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz – who received several major award nominations for it – completing the lead cast.
Directed by Alejandro Amenábar. Written by Alejandro Amenábar and Mateo Gil. Starring Penélope Cruz, Eduardo Noriega, Fele Martínez, Najwa Nimri.
https://youtu.be/M-DbxhqciLw
LOS SIN NOMBRE [THE NAMELESS] (1999)
In Spain, the vanished six years old daughter of the editor Claudia is found completely mutilated in a well by the police, being recognized by her husband only due to a bracelet and her shorter leg. Five years later, Claudia, divorced and addicted in tranquilizer, receives a phone call from her daughter.
Not everybody who sees this film will love it, but what everybody can agree on is the excellent atmosphere it creates. Being honest, this Spanish horror movie can disappoint because the acting is not exactly top notch, the plot has weaknesses and the ending is unsatisfying, but you won’t be able to shake off the eerie and creepy feeling The Nameless will give you.
Directed by and written by Jaume Balagueró, based on a Ramsey Campbell novel. Starring Karra Elejalde, Tristán Ulloa, Emma Vilasarau.
EL ESPINAZO DEL DIABLO [THE DEVIL’S BACKBONE] (2001)
After Carlos, a 12-year-old whose father has died in the Spanish Civil War, arrives at an ominous boy’s orphanage he discovers the school is haunted and has many dark secrets that he must uncover.
The Civil War was a Spanish horror in and of itself during the late 30s. And it’s no secret that Guillermo del Toro is very interested in telling stories set during that period, but why? “My country and my life were deeply affected by the emigration of Spanish refugees, who changed the culture and the arts for the better. Mexico and Spain have a strong link in the Civil War, but I was very interested in how, somehow, it also turned out to be the prelude and prologue (after the war) to World War II. I think, with all due respect, it can be used to create fables and parables that not only affect Spain but the world, through fantastic elements.”
And that’s exactly what he did in El Espinazo del Diablo. Again, there’s Noriega exercising one of his best performances in this dusty thriller, along with veterans Marisa Paredes and Federico Luppi.
Directed by Guillermo del Toro. Written by Guillermo del Toro, Antonio Trashorras and David Muñoz. Starring Marisa Paredes, Eduardo Noriega, Federico Luppi, Fernando Tielve, Irene Visedo.
LOS OTROS [THE OTHERS] (2001)
My favorite in this whole list and what I believe to really be Alejandro Amenábar’s masterpiece and one of Nicole Kidman’s greates performances.
It’s nearing the end of the Second World War and Grace Stewart lives with her photosensitive children in a large and silent house. After her previous servants went missing, Grace accepted the offers of work from three new servants. Since these three have entered the home, strange events occur, and Grace begins to wonder if it’s her sanity getting the better of her or if there is something else in the house with them.
This is the kind of film which ensures that you’ll be seeing again after the first time. And you’ll discover new things every time. It’s an example of the best constructed atmosphere and the story is just as gripping. Even the children’s performances are impressive.
Directed and written by Alejandro Amenábar. Starring Nicole Kidman, Fionnula Flanagan, Eric Sykes.
In a very lackluster midseason finale for the sixth season of The Walking Dead on AMC, the gotcha moment came with the release of the ‘Prologue to the Next Chapter of The Walking Dead.’
Your property belongs to Negan! – stated a new character, possibly Dwight.
Jeffery Dean Morgan was cast as Negan in early November. Morgan will make his first appearance as Negan in the season finale on April 3, 2016.
“This is the craziest thing ever. It’s the probably the most emotionally wrought and dark episode I’ve ever read. I’ve never read an episode that is so dark and compelling in my life (…) I had to stop reading this at three different times. It was just messing me up. It is so emotionally dark and twisted,” said Ross Marquand.
Marquand used the words ‘Usual Suspects’ to describe the last episode in an interview with ComicBook.com.
We love a hero, we love to watch them persevere, fail at first, but then succeed, but a story is only as good as its villain or villains. From Cobra Commander to Lex Luthor to Hans Gruber, great villains can make the hero look good and take a mundane story and make it great.
Arrow and The Flash have been hits for The CW, and while Oliver Queen and Barry Allen are the focal points, their adversaries are what keep them interesting and keep us watching.
The Trickster
The Trickster Photo: The CW
Reprising his role from the 1991 CBS series The Flash, Mark Hamill goes full on Lecter/Joker, complete with his own glass cage and isolated wing in Iron Heights. When a copycat, who would later be revealed as the son of James Jesse, begins attacking Central City, Barry and Joe (Jesse L. Martin) go to seek help from Trickster, which then leads into a double cross by father and son. Exploding gift boxes, poisoned champagne, and out-and-out maniacal laughter makes The Trickster a great foil for the Scarlet Speedster. Hamill will be reprising the role later on this season.
Malcolm Merlyn
Malcolm Merlyn (John Barrowman) Photo: The CW
First the Dark Archer and now the current Ra’s al Ghul, Merlyn (John Barrowman) has been 2 steps ahead of everyone since he appeared in the first season of Arrow. Trained by the League Of Assassins after the death of his wife, he took on the guise of the Dark Archer to make the Arrow look like the killer he had once been. Upon learning he was Thea Queens biological father, he sought to train her to be the warrior his son never could, and then used her to kill Sara Lance (Black Canary). Striking a deal with Oliver to become the new Ra’s al Ghul at the end of last season. Now leader of the League Of Assassins, Merlyn holds the lions’ share of the power in Arrow for the time being.
Deathstroke
Deathstroke Photo: The CW
Initially an ally of Oliver Queen when Queen was first stranded on the island, Slade Wilson (Manu Bennett) originally sought to help Oliver avenge the death of his mentor Yao Fe. Growing jealous of Oliver and his growing relationship with Yao Fes’ daughter Shado, Slade was pushed over the edge when after a battle, Oliver gave him a dose of mirakuru to save his life.
Making his first appearance in season 2 of Arrow, Wilson resurfaced with a plan and a grudge to end Oliver Queen and destroy all he holds dear. He developed an army of mirakuru powered foot soldiers, planted a mole in Queen Consolidated to manipulate Oliver to sign over the company, and he also murdered Moira Queen right in front of Thea and Oliver.
He is one of the worlds’ most dangerous assassins and fighters, can go toe to toe with almost anyone, and probably has the scariest costume going. Deathstroke was a standout character in the sophomore season of Arrow.
Captain Cold
Captain Cold (Wentworth Miller) Photo: The CW
Leonard Snart (Wentworth Miller) is a simple man who likes simple things. He likes to steal, and doesn’t have qualms about hurting people to get what he wants. Forced to adapt his approach when The Flash appeared in Central City, Snart came into possession of a cold gun stolen from S.T.A.R. Labs. Snarts’ new weapon has the ability to reach ‘absolute zero’ and stop The Flash in his tracks. The game changed and Snart changed with it. Calculating every angle and anticipating almost every outcome, Cold has come to a bit of an uneasy truce with The Flash after a recent encounter, agreeing to not kill anyone in the commission of his illegal activities. Captain Cold will be a part of Legends Of Tomorrow, which will be premiering Jan 2016 on the CW.
Damien Darhk
Damien Darhk (Neal McDonough) Photo: The CW
The primary antagonist in this current season of Arrow, Darhk is a chess master who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty when needed. Formerly the heir to take over the League Of Assassins and cast out by Ra’s Al Ghul because he wasn’t going to wait to assume power. Currently the leader of the mysterious HIVE, Darhk also presents the face of a legitimate businessman who wants to help Star City. Sharp suits, a killer smile, and supernatural powers from an unknown source, Darhks’ endgame has yet to be revealed this season and that makes him the Green Arrows’ most formidable foe yet.
Agree? Disagree? Let us know in the comments
The Flash airs Tuesday nights at 8pm EST, Arrow airs Wednesday nights at 8pm EST on The CW
“The you in you isn’t the you you think is in you.” –Satoshi Kon
Satoshi Konwas known for many things, subjective reality, mentally broken characters, and fluid visuals. He loved using skewed perspectives and messing with the continuity, Kon loved making his audience just as confused as his characters. Kon was also known for making a darn good movie, Millennium Actress, is the perfect example.
Review of Millennium Actress by Satoshi Kon
Millennium Actress is literally the best movie I have ever seen, well… in my opinion. The movie is drenched is subliminal meaning, thematic depth, and emotion. Having seen the movie 20+ times, I’d like to think that I’m pretty knowledgeable about this subject. And yet, when watching it for this review I still discovered new things. There is so much to cover for this movie that I was originally planning to write a 8,000 word article, minimum. I wanted to cover everything this movie has to offer. But that was a little too ambitious, so instead we’ll cover the meta-story and three major themes within the movie. But be warned, I might plan an entire series dedicated just to this movie.
The synopsis of Millennium Actress is as follows: “Two men interview an elderly woman about her extensive film career.” (Source) This might not seem like much, because it isn’t. Millennium Actress’s story far exceeds the boundaries of just a plot, Millennium Actress’s true genius lies in the meta-story.
Warning: The rest of this article contains SPOILERS
Yes, Millennium Actress’s bare plot is a little more involved that what was described above, but that isn’t the point. The point is that the surface plot isn’t important in Millennium Actress, it’s what lies underneath. The meta-story, which contains all themes, motifs, and symbolic meanings, is the true heart of the story. There is a lot to cover, I wasn’t kidding when I said I was planning on writing such a long article, it would be easy, this movie is flooded with… with… genius. There are tons I could cover, like the themes of cinema, fanboys, the hag’s place in the story, the rivalry between Chiyoko and Ako, running, and earthquakes, just to name a few. But I’ve limited myself to three major themes, and I’d like to go over them.
The first is Chiyoko’s Memories, this is the most important because it’s the lens through which the nearly the entire movie is viewed. As anyone who’s watched more than thirty minutes knows, Millennium Actress is not a literal movie. You cannot watch this movie and expect everything to make sense. One of my friends didn’t like Millennium Actress because “She did all those movies but they all had the same plot. It doesn’t make sense.”
But you can’t watch the movie with that mindset and fully enjoy it, unlike a majority of Kon’s other films (namely Magnetic Rose, Perfect Blue, and Paprika), this is not a film you can piece together, it’s not designed like that. Think of Millennium Actress as a grounded art film, The Holy Mountain this is not, it’s much closer to Synecdoche, N.Y in that regard.
However, that doesn’t mean you just have to accept the shifting realities. Millennium Actress gives us a wonder explanation to ties directly into the major theme mentioned both at the beginning of this article and in Magnetic Rose. The majority of Millennium Actress is shown through an individual (or dare I say… subjective) viewpoint. Chiyoko herself says it, “I’ve gotten old and my memory is not what it used to be.” This is further supported by the movie in various scenes (I’d play the clips right now but… you know… this isn’t a video).
Thus everything told by Chiyoko to Genya and Ida is inherently subjective, that’s why all the movies have the same plot, that’s why she’s constantly switching roles and movies. Even the lighting is affected by this, the relevant part is at 2:04, but I suggest watching the entire video.
Moving on to our second we have the final line of the movie, “After all, it’s the chase I really love.” A few people have stated that this line negatively affected their thoughts on the movie. These people take this line to believe that Chiyoko didn’t truly love the painter, but rather just objectified him and the chase. I, however, don’t believe this is fully the case.
The first reason is that Chiyoko didn’t truly know that it was “The chase I really love” until Genya, Ida, and we showed up on her doorstep. As she says in the movie “You’ve helped me unlock this, I feel like a little girl again.” It wasn’t until Chiyoko looks back on her life that she realizes that “It’s the chase I really love.”
The second being what the painter told Chiyoko in the warehouse. “I like this moon the best, because after the full moon everything starts to wane. But with the penultimate moon there is still time, and thus still hope.” In Chiyoko’s journey, as soon as she achieved her goal, finding the painter once more, her life is at it’s full moon, but after that everything starts to wane. But with her goal impossible, her life was always bathed in the light of the penultimate moon, which is the best, according to the painter, “I like this moon the best.”
Finally, I would like the address “The Key to The Most Important Thing There Is.” So, what is the most important thing there is? There are three major interpretations of what “The Most Important Thing There Is” is. Each interpretation is from a specific viewpoint, so all three are correct.
The first it from the perspective of the painter. This would be Creativity. The reason being is that Chiyoko glances at his painting supplies, which are obviously what the key lies to. I am 100% positive that this is what Chiyoko would have guessed “tomorrow” if the painter had not run off. Some would claim the answer is either paint, or art. However, paint is only useful because of how it’s used, because of art. And art is only one of many ways of demonstrating Creativity. Furthermore, the painter was an “anti-government rebel,” taking a stand for free speech, this would further support the Creativity theory.
The second interpretation would be from Chiyoko’s perspective. This would be her entire search. Without the key Chiyoko would have burned out within months. But the key is a constant reminder of the painter and her search. This is seen most evidently when Otaki tries to seduce Chiyoko but her attention is brought to the key, which causes her to run off. Furthermore, after Chiyoko loses the key her passion is lost with it. This is why Chiyoko says she, “feel[s] like a little girl again,” the key brings her the search and the passion for it. This is important because, as discussed above, Chiyoko quite enjoys this search.
Finally, the third interpretation would be our perspective, that of the audience. This would be the entire movie. If not for the key Genya would not have searched so hard for Chiyoko, and Chiyoko would have never told her story. If it wasn’t for the key, we would never have the chance to ‘unlock’ this story. And as someone who adores this film more than my siblings, I am sure grateful we have it.
Technically, the painter claimed it was “The Key to The Most Important Thing There is.” So in a literal sense the first interpretation is the most ‘true’ but as said before Millennium Actress is far more than any literal interpretation.
Conclusion
So, that was my brief analysis of my absolute favorite movie of all time, Millennium Actress. I could talk for hours and hours about how much I love this film and everything I’ve discovered within it. If you’d like to talk to me about it, feel free to comment below, tweet me, anything. I have some notes I took while watching posted on my personal site in case you’d like to see those. But if you want to talk, oh man I would love to, please don’t hesitate.
Back to the actual movie, I feel like it would be impossible to give this movie anything but 100%. This may seem crazy, but if you’d read my Glass Mask Episode one review, then you may know where I’m going with this. This movie has one of the deepest, yet tightest narratives I’ve ever seen. I’m sure it has mistakes too, but it has so much ‘Magic’ to it that I cannot find a single one.
Millennium Actress is basically a perfect movie, and every movie loving fan owes it to themselves to see it at least once.
Kon loved challenging his viewers to make sense of what’s happening, and consider their own perspectives, his movies may seem cynical and pessimistic, but underneath there lies a layer of vain hope. “With feelings of gratitude for all that is good in this world, I put down my pen. Now excuse me, I have to go.” –Satoshi Kon
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is rapidly expanding with 14 upcoming films and three new Netflix series, plus the additional seasons of Daredevil, Agents of SHIELD, and Agent Carter. With all this uncharted territory being forged by Marvel Studios, Monkeys Fighting Robots compiled a list of the top five characters that need to enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe now.
These characters don’t need solo films, but what they would do is make a good movie, great.
Honorable mentions for Ka-Zar, Eddie Brock, Beta Ray Bill, She-Hulk, Darkhawk, and Quasar.
Richard Rider (Nova)
Even though Nova is a complete ripoff of the Green Lantern, who doesn’t want to see a Star-Lord and Nova team up for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3? The Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning run at Marvel Comics that reinvented the cosmic characters are a must-read, and director James Gunn used it as the source material for Guardians of the Galaxy. Richard Rider was the primary catalyst of that time and deserves his big-screen moment.
Richard Rider was born in Hempstead, New York. As a teenager, he was chosen at random by the alien Rhomann Dey, last surviving Centurion of the planet Xandar’s elite Nova Corps, to inherit his power and succeed him in the rank of Nova Prime following the destruction of his world by the intergalactic pirate Zorr. Having been mortally wounded in the battle that tore Xandar apart, Dey succeeded in tracking Zorr to Earth but was unable to exact vengeance due to the extent of his injuries. At death’s door, Dey had little choice but to transfer his power to an unsuspecting human on the planet below, praying whoever he found will take up his cause and prove worthy of the powers he had given.
Silver Sable
The biggest issue with Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, the series is one-note, Hydra. The series introduces the Inhumans, but it still goes back to Hydra. Silver Sable is a great character that is not an Inhuman or part of Hydra. Silver Sable International would work well occasionally popping up in the series to work with or against SHIELD. Just imagine the rivalry with Agent May and the loss of words by Coulson.
Silver’s father was a Nazi hunter, considered to be the best in Europe, even working alongside James Howlett, known as the Canadian at the time. His wife was murdered when the home he shared with his wife and daughter was bombed. Silver begged her father to train her so that she could avenge her mother’s murder, and though he tried his best to discourage her, he soon realized her potential, and she soon began joining him on hunts. After his death, she assumed command of the Wild Pack and became founder and owner of Silver Sable International.
Taskmaster
Did you see his costume? The Avengers fighting Skeletor, OMG! Seriously, the Taskmaster’s origin would fit perfectly with Agents of SHIELD or if Marvel wanted to introduce the Thunderbolts on Netflix. Plus, his powers are brilliant; he can physically mimic anyone’s abilities. The Taskmaster can be Captain America, Daredevil, Hawkeye, and Black Widow all at the same time, and he has an over the top personality. The Taskmaster is the perfect heel.
Tony Masters gained an ability known as “photographic reflexes” during a mission as a S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent. This ability enabled him to watch another person’s physical movements and duplicate them without any practice, no matter how complex. He was previously a naturally gifted athlete who trained himself to superb physical condition. His power was only limited because of the memories he gained by watching others overwrote his personal memories. As a result, Tony forgot his wife and field agent partner, Mercedes Masters, as well as his own history with S.H.I.E.L.D. Mercedes crafted an elaborate set-up to help control and guide Tony in his new guise as Taskmaster. Using a series of muscle memory and reflexive tasks, she linked Taskmaster to “the Org” his “handler” between jobs and a constant to keep him on task despite his frequently over-written memory. The Org was actually Mercedes herself, gathering intelligence and feeding it back to S.H.I.E.L.D. thanks to Taskmaster’s reports. Tony, therefore, became the ultimate double agent in the super-villain underground — one who didn’t even know what he was.
Hercules
There is no personality like Hercules in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and with the number of jokes the MCU puts in their films, this Greek God writes is own.
“I would like to order one drunk hero to save New York City,” enter Hercules to throw kegs of beer at the invading aliens.
To where the Taskmaster makes a great heel, Hercules is the Babe Ruth of the Olympian gods. Just like the Babe showing up drunk and hitting home runs, Herc would roll out of bed at the Avenger’s mansion to fight monsters. Thor couldn’t handle his wit, and the Hulk would have to put Herc in his place every five seconds. At the very least, Hercules would be a great guest star on Agents of SHIELD.
Hercules is the son of Zeus, king of the Olympian gods, and Alcmena. Zeus seduced Alcmena in the guise of her husband, King Amphitryon of Troezen. Thanks to Zeus’s enchantment, Hercules was born with the potential for extraordinary superhuman strength, which he first displayed before he was even one-year-old by strangling two serpents that attacked him (sent by Hera). Hercules had many notable adventures in ancient times. He sailed with the Argonauts (with them he may have battled the Akaana), faced the Hydra, saw the death of Medusa, and defeated Antaeus.
J. Jonah Jameson and The Daily Bugle
Now that Sony and Marvel have worked out a deal to bring the Spider-Man franchise back to the MCU, J. Jonah Jameson and The Daily Bugle need to make their presence known.
J.K. Simmons is the absolute no-brainer as Jameson, and imagine adding his commentary to every film and television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Jonah is the Editor in Chief and owner of The Daily Bugle. He even becomes the mayor of New York City in the comics. The Daily Bugle is a mainstay of the books, and the MCU feels weird without the iconic building as part of the landscape.
Jameson’s involvement in Civil War:
Jameson pressured his staff into supporting the government’s Superhuman Registration Act, still directing the general tone of the paper, despite losing his more hands-on position. When Spider-Man unmasked to reveal himself to be Peter Parker, Jameson fainted dead away at the realization that the man he’d been calling a menace had been on his payroll for years.
That is why without a doubt J. Jonah Jameson needs to enter the MCU now!
Marvel Studios Schedule
2016
May 6: Captain America: Civil War
November 4: Doctor Strange
2017
May 5: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
July 2: Marvel Studios co-produced Spider-Man film (Sony)
November 3: Thor: Ragnarok
2018
February 16: Black Panther (new date)
May 4: Avengers: Infinity War, Part 1
July 6: Ant-Man and the Wasp (new addition)
2019
March 8: Captain Marvel (new date)
May 3: Avengers: Infinity War, Part 2
July 12: Inhumans
2020
May 1: Untitled Marvel Studios film (new addition)
July 10: Untitled Marvel Studios film (new addition)
November 6: Untitled Marvel Studios film (new addition)
