Elaan of Troyius (S03E02)

Airdate: December 20th 1968

Written by: John Meredyth Lucas Directed by: John Meredyth Lucas

Running Time: 50 minutes

The Original Series of Star Trek (TOS) was born from a tension between two opposing forces: the idealistic vision of Gene Roddenberry, who sought to craft a cerebral, socially conscious science fiction narrative, and the commercial demands of network television, which prioritised broad appeal over philosophical depth. This struggle was ever-present, but it became most pronounced during the show’s notoriously troubled third season (1968–69). With declining ratings and looming cancellation, Star Trek increasingly leaned into formulaic plots, heightened action, and what might now be termed “diversity tokenism” to appease sponsors and networks. NBC, in particular, sought to broaden the show’s audience beyond its perceived male-dominated sci-fi demographic, urging the production team to incorporate elements that might attract female viewers. Elaan of Troyius, a Season 3 episode first aired in December 1968, exemplifies this pivot. Ostensibly designed to court female audiences through a romantic subplot and a leading lady in distress, the episode instead transcends its utilitarian origins to deliver a surprisingly engaging blend of diplomacy, drama, and interstellar politics—a modest triumph amid a season often derided for its creative compromises.

A unique distinction of Elaan of Troyius is that it is the only episode of TOS written and directed by the same individual: John Meredyth Lucas, a veteran screenwriter and producer who had previously contributed to the series’ early seasons. Lucas, a pragmatic craftsman with a background in episodic television, approached the project with a clear-eyed understanding of the medium’s limitations. While his script occasionally succumbs to melodrama, his directorial acumen ensures the episode remains taut and visually coherent, a rarity in Season 3. The production’s modest budget is cleverly dealt with, with a focus on dialogue-driven scenes and minimal reliance on costly special effects—a strategy that, paradoxically, allows the story’s interpersonal conflicts to take center stage.

The plot is rooted in the Federation’s efforts to mediate peace between two warring planets, Elas and Troyius. To cement this fragile alliance, Elaan, the Dohlman (ruler) of Elas, is to marry a Troyian nobleman. The USS Enterprise is tasked with transporting Elaan and her delegation to Troyius, accompanied by the Troyian diplomat Petri (Jay Robinson), whose role is to acclimatise the headstrong Elaan to her future husband’s customs. However, Elaan’s disdain for Petri—and by extension, Troyius—quickly becomes evident. Played with fiery intensity by France Nuyen, Elaan is a figure of calculated obstinacy, her haughtiness bordering on caricature in early scenes. Yet her dynamic with Captain Kirk shifts the narrative’s tone. When Kirk is exposed to the Elasian “love pheromones” contained in Elaan’s tears, he begins to fall under her spell. This romantic tension unfolds against a backdrop of geopolitical intrigue, as a Klingon warship lurks menacingly, determined to sabotage the Federation’s mission and seize control of the Tellun star system.

From a technical standpoint, Elaan of Troyius benefits from Lucas’s unpretentious direction. Unlike some Season 3 episodes that flounder under the weight of undercooked ideas or clunky pacing, this installment maintains a steady rhythm, interspersing diplomatic negotiations with moments of high-stakes action. The limitations of 1960s television production are evident, particularly in the staging of the Klingon threat. The enemy vessel, represented by a stock model shot, never convincingly menaces the Enterprise, and the climactic space battle feels perfunctory. Yet Lucas’s focus on character dynamics compensates for these deficiencies. The episode’s most striking visual flourish lies in costume designer William Ware Theiss’s creations for Elaan. Nuyen’s outfits imbue her character with an otherworldly allure, though they occasionally veer into camp. In contrast, the attire of Elaan’s male attendants—stiff tunics evocative of 1950s B-movie aliens—undermines the episode’s attempts at gravitas.

The cast rises admirably to the material’s uneven challenges. William Shatner, often criticised for his stylised delivery, delivers one of his more nuanced performances as Kirk. His portrayal of a man grappling with the destabilising effects of Elaan’s “love potion” is particularly compelling. Shatner balances Kirk’s professional resolve with raw vulnerability, his voice trembling with a mix of confusion and longing. This emotional complexity is heightened by the chemistry between Shatner and Nuyen, who had previously shared the stage in Broadway’s The World of Suzie Wong. Their scenes together crackle with a tension that transcends the script’s occasional triteness. Nuyen’s Elaan undergoes a credible transformation from imperious princess to a woman genuinely invested in peace—and in Kirk—though the speed of her redemption strains credibility.

Jay Robinson, best known for his campy turn as Caligula in the 1953 film The Robe, brings a wry wit and weary dignity to Petri. Clad in garish green makeup that evokes the Andorians but lacks their cultural specificity, Robinson’s character is regrettably sidelined as the plot progresses. His initial clashes with Elaan provide comic relief but do little to explore the deeper tensions between Elasian and Troyian cultures—a missed opportunity to critique the Federation’s role as an interventionist power.

Lucas’s script, while serviceable, reveals his weaker suit as a writer. The episode’s title nods to Greek mythology, blending the tragedy of Helen of Troy with Shakespearean motifs from The Taming of the Shrew. Yet the allegory feels underdeveloped, reduced to a simplistic “woman tamed by love” narrative that clashes with Elaan’s early agency. The Klingons, introduced here as one-dimensional antagonists, serve primarily as a narrative device to justify the episode’s space battle—a lazy trope. Moreover, the deus ex machina plot twist—stones Elasians and Troyians consider worthless are actually source of valuable dilithium crystals—strains credulity.

Perhaps the most enduring legacy of Elaan of Troyius lies in its contentious cultural subtext. Critics have long debated whether Elaan represents a proto-feminist figure—assertive, politically significant, yet vulnerable—or a regressive stereotype of the “temperamental Oriental woman,” a trope rooted in 1960s Western orientalism. Nuyen’s casting as a Vietnamese-French actor in a role written with little ethnic specificity complicates this analysis. Elaan’s portrayal avoids overt exoticism, yet her arc—a woman’s anger soothed by a white male hero—echoes colonialist narratives. These contradictions have ensured the episode’s place in academic discourse, even as its dramatic merits remain modest.

Elaan of Troyius is a flawed but fascinating artifact of Star Trek’s fraught third season. It exemplifies the show’s capacity to adapt to commercial pressures while retaining glimmers of its utopian ethos. For every cringe-worthy line, there is a moment of genuine emotional resonance—a testament to the enduring appeal of its characters and the performers who brought them to life. Though far from canonical greatness, the episode is as a curious hybrid of diplomacy and demography, a reminder that even in its darkest hours, Star Trek never entirely abandoned its higher ideals.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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I watched this movie I'm about to review, about three days ago and while watching it, I was filled with the urge to postpone what I wanted to write, and review this, since I just watched it but no, I remembered I don't give the best judgements on the same day and decided to follow my initial plan. Well, now let's review Sinners.

Sinners is a 2025 horror movie starring Michael B Jordan, Miles Caton, Hailee Steinfeld, and Jayme Lawson. The movie opens with a dishevelled Preacherboy, pulling up to a church, the voices of children singing, could be heard from inside the church. He opens up, and everyone pauses dramatically, at the sight of him at the entrance. The minister beckons him forward and on his way, he is tormented by flashbacks of what looks to be, past experiences with the devil.

Then, we're transported to a day before where Preacherboy, informs his parents of a show he and his uncles plan to hold that night, which he'll be performing at. Against his dad's warnings, he goes off with his cousins and together they work towards a night of fun. But sadly, the night has other plans that are nowhere near fun, for them.

Watching this film, the day I did, I had to do a rethink. I imagined the amount of amazing movies I've missed, thanks to my aversion to hype. I thought so because, I should have watched this movie earlier but because of it's hype, I just lost interest. Anyways, I watched the supernatural horror movie sinners, and now, I can confidently say I understand the reason for the hype. Now let me dissect every reason why I think it's worth the hype.

I knew this drama was something related to the horror genre but given that I had no prior knowledge of what went down in the movie, I delved into it with a very neutral mindset but boy, I was blown away. For horror fanatics like me, this was surely a fresh take on horror movies. It's not everyday we see horror come to people who didn't go knocking at its door, in movies. The overall plot was something that has me hooked. From music to lust to action, this drama gave the three in spades and I enjoyed watching it.

Don't be appalled when I say this but this is actually the first Michael B Jordan's movie I watched and he ticked all the boxes for me here. I enjoyed his acting dual roles and seeing him act roles that contrasted each other, was satisfying as well. It elicited conflicting emotions in me but I loved it. The casting of this movie was very well selected and each actor fit into their roles, anybody who didn't read the script would see them fit. I liked that.

The suspense and buildup also, was done very well. Because since I ventured into the movie clueless, I wanted to get down to the root of it quickly. I did, and it was everything I didn't expect and more. The ending was actually my most enjoyable part of the movie as there was a twist I never could have guessed coming, there. The last scene, left me more emotional than I already was and literally summarized everything about the movie.

There were scenes that had me squeezing my brows in confusion but the only way that would not happen for you is if you do not compare the happenings in this movie to every theory you had beforehand about vampires. Just take whatever is offered to you about vampires here and don't look for more. Their take is satisfying, only if you leave it at theirs. Otherwise, you'd end up with a few confusing scenes with no one to explain it to you, like me.

This is a movie I'd rate an 8/10. It explored a wide number of themes that didn't make it any less satisfying. If you've been eyeing this movie for a while, be my guest and watch it. It's absolutely worth the hype.

Thanks for reading.

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Hola hola, querida comunidad

¿Cómo están el día de hoy? Yo muy bien, y muy feliz de estar otra vez por aquí para contarles un poco sobre una película relativamente nueva que tuve la oportunidad de ver. Creo que casi todo el mundo tuvo la oportunidad de ver alguna vez en su vida películas tan clásicas como La Cenicienta, que son producciones míticas de Disney. En esta oportunidad, nos traen de la mano de excelentes productores una película desde la perspectiva de Elvira, la hermanastra fea de Cenicienta, pero con una historia un poco más fuerte que la original. Sin más, quiero hablarles de esta película, la cual me dejó muy impactada por lo dura y sangrienta que llega a ser.

How are you today? I am very well, and very happy to be here again to tell you a little bit about a relatively new movie that I had the opportunity to see. I think almost everyone has had the opportunity to see sometime in their lives such classic movies like Cinderella, which are mythical Disney productions. This time, the excellent producers bring us a film from the perspective of Elvira, Cinderella's ugly stepsister, but with a slightly stronger story than the original. Without further ado, I want to tell you about this movie, which left me very impressed by how hard and bloody it is.

La hermanastra fea: resumen

La hermanastra fea nos transporta a una interpretación distinta del famoso relato de Cenicienta, pero esta vez la narración se presenta desde el punto de vista de una de las hermanastras, Elvira. Alejada del estereotipo de la villana, Elvira es una joven brillante y ambiciosa, aunque su apariencia le genera inseguridad. Ella anhela convertirse en diseñadora de moda, pero su madrastra tiene otros objetivos, pretendiendo solo casar a sus hijas con hombres adinerados, sin considerar sus verdaderos anhelos.

The Ugly Stepsister takes us to a different interpretation of the famous Cinderella story, but this time the narrative is presented from the point of view of one of the stepsisters, Elvira. Far from the stereotype of the villain, Elvira is a bright and ambitious young woman, although her appearance generates insecurity. She longs to become a fashion designer, but her stepmother has other goals, pretending only to marry her daughters to wealthy men, without considering her true desires.

El filme manipula nuestras expectativas, presentándonos una relación familiar más intrincada y menos típica de lo que el relato original nos hizo pensar. El giro argumental real se produce cuando Elvira revela un sorprendente secreto: su hermana es la que está ayudando a la "Cenicienta" de la historia a alistarse para el baile real. Con la proximidad del gran acontecimiento, Elvira se encuentra inmersa en numerosas situaciones graciosas y obstáculos. Por medio de sus esfuerzos por colaborar, y en ocasiones por prevenir que las situaciones se descontrolen, ella comienza a revelar su auténtica personalidad, su creatividad y, lo más crucial, a construir confianza en sí misma. Sus amistades y su ingenio son desafiados a medida que se aproxima la noche del baile.

The film manipulates our expectations, presenting us with a family relationship that is more intricate and less typical than the original story led us to believe. The real plot twist comes when Elvira reveals a surprising secret: her sister is the one helping the "Cinderella" of the story get ready for the royal ball. With the big event approaching, Elvira finds herself immersed in numerous hilarious situations and obstacles. Through her efforts to collaborate, and sometimes to prevent situations from getting out of hand, she begins to reveal her authentic personality, her creativity and, most crucially, to build self-confidence. Her friendships and wit are challenged as prom night approaches.

Finalmente, el baile oficial se transforma en el momento en que todo se desvela. Elvira, gracias a su inteligencia y su buen corazón, sobresale de forma sorprendente, no por su apariencia, sino por su autenticidad y su astucia. El film transmite un mensaje claro y directo: la auténtica belleza trasciende lo que se percibe externamente, y lo fundamental es ser auténtico y seguir los propios sueños.

Finally, the official ball is transformed into the moment when all is revealed. Elvira, thanks to her intelligence and her good heart, stands out in a surprising way, not because of her appearance, but because of her authenticity and her cunning. The film conveys a clear and direct message: true beauty transcends what is externally perceived, and what is essential is to be authentic and to follow one's dreams.

Mi opinión

En lo que escuché el título, "La hermana es fea", mi mente fue automáticamente a los cuentos clásicos y a las típicas películas de Disney. Sin embargo, esta película logra desenmascararse y ofrecer una perspectiva un poco diferente sobre la belleza, la aceptación y algunos de los valores más comunes. La verdad es que fue nada adaptado a lo que yo esperaba, lo cual me gustó muchísimo, ya que desde un inicio entendemos que esta película se trata sobre las hermanastras o la hermanastra fea de Cenicienta y pensamos que sería una historia bastante apegada a lo que es la original, pero sin duda alguna vemos cosas horribles que no son aptas para todo público y que, sin duda, no cualquiera podría soportar. Algo que me gusta es que aquí nos llevan a ver por qué se dice que Cenicienta tiene una hermanastra fea, qué fue lo que las llevó hasta este punto tan fuerte.

As soon as I heard the title, "Sister is Ugly," my mind automatically went to classic fairy tales and typical Disney movies. However, this movie manages to unmask itself and offer a slightly different perspective on beauty, acceptance and some of the more common values. The truth is that it was nothing adapted to what I expected, which I really liked, since from the beginning we understand that this movie is about the stepsisters or the ugly stepsister of Cinderella and we thought it would be a story quite attached to what the original is, but without a doubt we see horrible things that are not suitable for all audiences and that, undoubtedly, not everyone could endure. One thing I like is that here we are taken to see why Cinderella is said to have an ugly stepsister, what brought them to this strong point.

Algo que me gustó bastante fue ver la evolución de la protagonista, ver cómo el personaje de la hermanastra comienza en un lugar de inseguridad y resentimiento para ir descubriendo sus propios valores y sus ideales, transformándose por dentro más que nada por fuera. Aquí nos quitan un poco la idea que veníamos conociendo en Cenicienta del hada madrina y todo ese tipo de cosas. Nos demuestran cómo la belleza a la que se quería llegar o a lo que se estilaba llegar en esta época no era nada fácil, sometiéndose a procesos súper dolorosos, todo para llegar a lo esperado por su familia y la sociedad. Algo que recalcó bastante es que esta película no es para todo público, ya que hay escenas muy fuertes donde vemos a la protagonista someterse a ciertos procesos como una rinoplastia, la cual en la época era hecha un poco rudimentaria, y al automutilamiento de sus propios dedos del pie, todo para lograr encajar y para lograr llegar a los estándares que requería, por lo menos, para que le calzara el zapato de su hermanastra, una locura total. Algo que también me pareció horrible fue que en la época para adelgazar se usaron mucho los huevos de tenias, que son básicamente un parásito, el cual come todo lo que tú comes y por eso te hace verte mucho más flaca y un poco desnutrida. Una de las cosas malas de este parásito es que, si no te alimentas lo suficiente, va a empezar a causar muchos problemas en tu estómago y va a empezar a comerse a él mismo, lo que le trae miles de problemas a Elvira.

Something I liked a lot was to see the evolution of the protagonist, to see how the character of the stepsister begins in a place of insecurity and resentment to discover her own values and ideals, transforming herself inside more than anything else on the outside. Here they take away a little bit of the idea that we came to know in Cinderella of the fairy godmother and all that kind of stuff. They show us how the beauty to which they wanted to reach or to which they were used to reach in this era was not easy at all, undergoing very painful processes, all to reach what was expected by her family and society. Something that stressed quite a lot is that this film is not for all audiences, as there are very strong scenes where we see the protagonist undergo certain processes such as a rhinoplasty, which at the time was made a little rudimentary, and self-mutilation of their own toes, all to fit in and to achieve the standards required, at least, to fit the shoe of her stepsister, total madness. Something that also seemed horrible to me was that at the time to lose weight they used a lot of tapeworm eggs, which are basically a parasite, which eats everything you eat and therefore makes you look much thinner and a little malnourished. One of the bad things about this parasite is that if you don't eat enough, it will start to cause a lot of problems in your stomach and it will start to eat itself, which brings Elvira thousands of problems.

Debo mencionar que uno de los aciertos de esta cinta es su amplio y macabro humor; debo confesar que me llevaba a risa y me reí un poco durante algunas partes de la proyección gracias a su humor tan limpio y muy bien cuidado, el cual sí llega a parecer un poco corto, pero en fin, todo es parte de la película. Sumándole esto, mejores detalles es que la película tiene una fotografía gótica muy específica que contrasta muy bien con las ensoñaciones de nuestra protagonista y va a la perfección con toda la estética, acompañado, obviamente, de vestidos sacados de un tapiz medieval, lo cual nos ayuda a meternos mucho más en los personajes.

I have to mention that one of the highlights of this film is its broad and macabre humor; I must confess that it made me laugh and I laughed a little during some parts of the screening thanks to its clean and very well cared humor, which does seem a little short, but anyway, it's all part of the film. Adding to this, better details is that the film has a very specific gothic photography that contrasts very well with the reverie of our protagonist and goes perfectly with all the aesthetics, accompanied, obviously, by dresses taken from a medieval tapestry, which helps us to get much more into the characters.

La película no es para nada mala; la verdad es que nos entregaron una muy buena producción, pero algo que no me gustó mucho es que tiende a repetir los mismos elementos una y otra vez, con la diferencia de que cada vez son más grotescos, hasta un final absolutamente delirante, el cual no tiene demasiado sentido. La verdad es que tiene muchos puntos a favor, los cuales lo hacen una película disfrutable, pero necesita una dirección más clara, la cual aporte mucho más en el guion. En ciertas partes me afectaba un poco ver una historia tan cruda y tan realista lo que puede llegar a ser la belleza y luego ver escenas un poco delirantes y sin mucho sentido, ya que esto lograba sacarte de la película y no darte demasiado sentido. Creo que debían enfocarse en un tema en específico y el cómo estaban demostrando la realidad de la belleza en esa época me pareció un tema muy bueno para tratarlo en una película.

The film is not bad at all; the truth is that we were given a very good production, but something that I did not like is that it tends to repeat the same elements over and over again, with the difference that each time they are more grotesque, until an absolutely delirious ending, which does not make much sense. The truth is that it has many points in its favor, which make it an enjoyable film, but it needs a clearer direction, which contributes much more to the script. In certain parts it affected me a little to see a story so raw and so realistic what beauty can be and then see scenes a little delirious and without much sense, as this managed to take you out of the film and not give you too much sense. I think they should focus on a specific topic and how they were showing the reality of beauty at that time seemed to me a very good topic to deal with in a movie.

Aún así, comentar que la película me gustó bastante; la verdad es que tiene mucha calidad y muchos puntos a favor, los cuales la hacen una película disfrutable. Tiene muchas otras cosas que pulir, pero para nada es una mala película y no me arrepiento de haberla visto, ya que me habían contado un poco de ella. Sigo diciendo que no es una película apta para todo público, pero si desean verla, la verdad es que no creo que se arrepientan, ya que tiene muchas cosas buenas y muchas moralejas que deja a lo largo de la misma película.

Even so, I liked the movie a lot; the truth is that it has a lot of quality and many points in its favor, which make it an enjoyable movie. It has many other things to polish, but it is not a bad movie at all and I don't regret having seen it, since I had been told a little about it. I still say that it is not a film suitable for all audiences, but if you want to see it, the truth is that I do not think you will regret it, because it has many good things and many morals that it leaves along the same film.

¡Gracias por leer!

¡Muchas, muchas gracias por pasarte y llegar hasta aquí! La verdad es que esa película es buena para disfrutarla ya sea solo o acompañado y sin duda podría recomendarla, en caso de que no tengan mucho que hacer. Sin más, ¡nos vemos!

Thank you very, very much for stopping by and making it this far! The truth is that movie is good to enjoy either alone or with company and I could certainly recommend it, in case you don't have much to do. Without further ado, see you!

I went to see Thunderbolts I had not had the opportunity to go to the movies, there were few shows left, there was a long queue at the box office for the premiere of Lilo and Stitch, I was almost late for the movie, everything was crazy but I made it and I sat down to enjoy, I can tell you that I loved the movie. I think Marvel closed this phase by giving us a surprise I didn't know I needed, especially after Captain America Brave New World which didn't convince me at all. I thought Thunderbolts was going to be yet another attempt by Marvel to do something different and in the end it was going to end up being the same old same old but I was completely wrong, because it's more like a group therapy movie disguised as a superhero movie and in my opinion it worked amazingly. Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova stole the movie from the first minute, her performance is very natural and the chemistry she has with all the actors is something I haven't seen from Marvel in a long time.

Fui a ver Thunderbolts no había tenido oportunidad de ir al cine, ya quedaban pocas funciones, había mucha cola en taquilla por el estreno de Lilo and Stitch casi llego tarde a la peli, todo fue una locura pero lo logré y me senté a disfrutar, de entrada te puedo decir que la peli me encantó. Creo que Marvel cerró esta fase dándonos una sorpresa que no sabía que necesitaba, especialmente después de que Captain America Brave New World que no me convenció para nada. Yo creía que Thunderbolts iba a ser otro intento más de Marvel por hacer algo diferente y que al final iba a terminar siendo lo mismo de siempre pero me equivoqué por completo, porque es más como una película de terapia grupal disfrazada de película de superhéroes y en mi opinión funcionó de manera increíble. Florence Pugh como Yelena Belova se robó la película desde el primer minuto, su actuación es muy natural y la química que tiene con todos los actores es algo que no había visto en Marvel desde hace mucho tiempo.

The movie starts with Yelena saying that something is wrong with her that maybe she's just bored and that line sets you up for something different than what Marvel has shown, because this isn't a movie about saving the world, it's a movie about saving yourself and I found that much more interesting than watching someone fighting a cosmic bad guy who wants to destroy the universe. That's why I liked Thunderbolts so much because it feels real and it's not like those Marvel productions that look like they were made on a computer from start to finish, here there's a lot of practical work and it shows, the fights feel brutal and real, people get really hurt and have to keep fighting despite the pain. The relationship between Red Guardian and Bucky Barnes is good, David Harbor does excellent as this retired superhero who still wants to be relevant and Sebastian Stan finally has something interesting to do after years of being kind of lost in the MCU, the chemistry between these two reminded me of those 90s cop movies but with superpowers. Bob is played by Lewis Pullman and is probably the most complex character Marvel has created in years, this guy has powers that even Superman wouldn't have but he also has inner demons that make him that much more dangerous, Pullman does an amazing job showing the vulnerability and power of this character at the same time. Julia Louis Dreyfus as Valentina is the typical Marvel baddie who is not bad but not great either, she just plays her role in the story although the real enemy of the movie is not her but something much more personal and psychological.

La película empieza con Yelena diciendo que algo está mal con ella que tal vez solo está aburrida y esa línea te prepara para algo diferente a lo que Marvel ha mostrado, porque esta no es una película sobre salvar el mundo, es una película sobre salvarse a uno mismo y eso me pareció mucho más interesante que ver a alguien peleando contra un malo cósmico que quiere destruir el universo. Por eso me gustó tanto Thunderbolts porque parece real y no es como esas producciones de Marvel que parecen hechas en una computadora de principio a fin, aquí hay mucho trabajo práctico y se nota, las peleas se sienten brutales y reales, la gente se lastima de verdad y tiene que seguir peleando a pesar del dolor. La relación entre Red Guardian y Bucky Barnes es buena, David Harbor lo hace excelente como este superhéroe retirado que todavía quiere ser relevante y Sebastian Stan finalmente tiene algo interesante que hacer después de años de estar como perdido en el MCU, la química entre estos dos me recordó a esas películas de policía de los noventa pero con superpoderes. Bob es interpretado por Lewis Pullman y probablemente es el personaje más complejo que Marvel ha creado en años, este tipo tiene unos poderes que ni Superman tendría pero también tiene unos demonios internos que lo convierten en algo mucho más peligroso, Pullman hace un trabajo increíble mostrando la vulnerabilidad y el poder de este personaje al mismo tiempo. Julia Louis Dreyfus como Valentina es la típica mala de Marvel que no está mal pero tampoco es nada del otro mundo solo cumple su función en la historia aunque el verdadero enemigo de la película no es ella sino algo mucho más personal y psicológico.

Near the end the movie gets into very deep territory about depression, loneliness and how to face your own inner demons, there is a scene where they literally hug this Bob to save him and in any other movie it would have been super cheesy, but here it works because all the character development that comes before justifies it. The director is Jake Schreier who did Netflix's Beef and he manages to make this movie feel more like an indie drama than a superhero movie and I don't mean that as a criticism rather I think that's exactly what it needed. One thing that surprised me is the way the movie takes all these characters that were shoehorned into Marvel's looser phases and turns them into something you actually care about, at least Yelena has an emotional weight that breaks your heart and the way she handles her grief over the death of her sister Natasha is very real. Ghost and Taskmaster if a bit underused, especially Ghost who I think had potential for so much more.

Casi finalizando la película se mete en territorio muy profundo sobre la depresión, la soledad y cómo enfrentar tus propios demonios internos, hay una escena donde literalmente abrazan a este Bob para salvarlo y en cualquier otra película es habría sido súper cursi, pero aquí funciona porque todo el desarrollo de personajes que viene antes lo justifica. El director es Jake Schreier que hizo Beef de Netflix y logra que esta peli parezca más un drama independiente que una película de superhéroes y no lo digo en forma de critica más bien pienso que eso es exactamente lo que necesitaba. Algo que me sorprendió es la forma como la película toma a todos estos personajes que fueron metidos en las fases más flojas de Marvel y los convierte en algo que realmente te importa, por lo menos Yelena tiene un peso emocional que te parte el corazón y la forma en que maneja el duelo por la muerte de su hermana Natasha es muy real. Ghost y Taskmaster si están un poco subutilizados, especialmente Ghost que creo que tenía potencial para mucho más.

The action scenes are very well done and visceral not like those Marvel fights where everything is CGI and you don't feel the impact, here when someone takes a hit you feel it and when someone is hurt it looks like they are in pain. The humor is also handled very well because it doesn't feel forced as each joke comes naturally from the characters and their situations. I liked the ending of the movie quite a bit, although it obviously leaves things set up for future movies, but it's not like the whole movie is just a stepping stone to what comes next but tells a complete story on its own. It has two post-credits scenes are very good, especially the second one which connects directly to Fantastic Four and opens up a lot of interesting questions about what's to come. My score for Thunderbolts is 8/10, what I liked the most is that it looks like the kind of movie Marvel did in their best moments when they focused on telling good stories about interesting characters instead of just trying to connect everything in a giant universe, although it has some problems like some characters are not as developed as others and there are moments where the pace feels a bit slow, but overall it's a movie that left me wanting to see more of these characters.

Las escenas de acción están muy bien hechas y son viscerales no como esas peleas de Marvel donde todo es CGI y no sientes el impacto, aquí cuando alguien recibe un golpe lo sientes y cuando alguien está herido parece que está sufriendo. El humor también se maneja muy bien porque no se siente forzado ya que cada chiste surge de forma natural de los personajes y sus situaciones. El final de la película me gustó bastante, aunque obviamente deja las cosas preparadas para futuras películas, pero no es como si toda la película fuera solo un paso para lo que viene después sino que cuenta una historia completa por sí misma. Tiene dos escenas postcréditos están muy buenas, sobretodo la segunda que conecta directamente con Fantastic Four y abre muchas preguntas interesantes sobre lo que viene. Mi puntuación para Thunderbolts es 8/10, lo que más me gustó es que se parece al tipo de película que Marvel hacía en sus mejores momentos cuando se enfocaban en contar buenas historias sobre personajes interesantes en lugar de solo tratar de conectar todo en un universo gigante, aunque tiene algunos problemas como que algunos personajes no están tan desarrollados como otros y hay momentos donde el ritmo se siente un poco lento, pero en general es una película que me dejó con ganas de ver más de estos personajes.

In my opinion Thunderbolts is something that Marvel needed to do let's say a smaller movie, more personal and more focused on the characters than the special effects, not afraid to get into deep themes like mental health and depression. I hope to see a lot more from Florence Pugh in the future, this is the kind of movie that made me remember why I fell in love with Marvel, I believe that the best superhero movies are not about the powers or the bad guys, they are about the people behind the masks and their internal struggles and Thunderbolts managed to show that. If Marvel keeps making movies like this the future of the MCU looks very promising, I definitely recommend going to see it, especially if you have been like me disappointed with Marvel lately.

En mi opinión Thunderbolts es algo que Marvel necesitaba hacer digamos una película más pequeña, más personal y más enfocada en los personajes que en los efectos especiales, sin miedo de meterse en temas profundos como la salud mental y la depresión. Espero ver mucho más de Florence Pugh en el futuro, esta es el tipo de película que me hizo recordar por qué me enamoré de Marvel, yo creo que las mejores películas de superhéroes no son sobre los poderes o los malos, sino que son sobre las personas detrás de las máscaras y sus luchas internas y Thunderbolts logró mostrarlo. Si Marvel sigue haciendo películas como esta el futuro del MCU se ve muy prometedor, definitivamente recomiendo ir a verla, especialmente si han estado como yo decepcionados con Marvel últimamente

"Translated to English with DeepL"

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Gracias por llegar hasta el final de este post, espero que les haya gustado y agradezco su apoyo y sus comentarios, les envío un fuerte abrazo 🤗

Thanks for making it to the end of this post, I hope you liked it and I appreciate your support and your comments, I send you a big hug 🤗

Todo el texto de esta publicación es de mi autoría - All the text in this publication is my own.

Los banners y el separador de texto fueron editados con la versión gratuita de Canva y PicsArt - The banners and the text separator were edited with the free version of Canva and PicsArt.

La traducción del texto fue realizada con la versión gratuita de Deepl - The translation of the text was made with the free version of Deepl

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The four characters meet at a mountain retreat owned by one, Souper. Each of the characters has an agenda for the meeting. Randall is the senior member, dean of the group and its acknowledged mentor He is facing a diagnosis of incurable cancer. This man of great power refuses to accept that he, that medicine, cannot defeat the cancer. He comes to the weekend seeking nothing less than immortality.

Venis is the richest of the four characters. He is an Elon Musk analog, a caricature that highlights the most outrageous traits of the tech mogul. He manifests Musk's recognized physical awkwardness and his tendency to be hyper-expressive. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/f42erXUIfaw Venis is the richest man in the world, and also controls its most powerful social media platform, Traam. Updates of Traam recently released were done without 'guardrails'. That is, information on the platform may be AI generated, is not censored, modified, or monitored. False 'news' spreads wildly. Chaos results. Governments teeter. Banks fail. Civil unrest spreads globally. Venis revels in it all. He wonders if any of it is real, and if it is real, does it matter. What he wants from the weekend is control of a program that would enhance his power. He needs to convince another character, Jeff, to become a partner so that the two programs can act cooperatively.

Jeff holds the keys to realization of Venis' ambition. His program, Bilter, has made him one of the richest men in the world.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SaZYenc38L4 Jeff's ambition for the weekend is to thwart Venis. Jeff is the one character who is appalled by the chaos, the loss of life and property, precipitated by release of Venis' update. He believes Venis is pathological. He attributes some of the erratic behavior to drug use.

Souper, the host of the retreat, is not only the poorest of the four, but also the weakest. He wants to get investors in his company so he can become a billionaire, as his 'friends' are. His cooperation becomes critical to realization of a plan that unfolds to kill Jeff. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EvJoER1l5h0

Why must Jeff be killed? Because Randall wants to beat cancer, to live forever. If Jeff binds his program to Venis' there is the chance that within five years Traam will have the ability to upload human consciousness...in effect bestow immortality, though digital, on all of humanity. But forget about humanity. It will bestow immortality on Randall.

If this sounds absurd, it is. The movie is a farce based on an interpretation of reality. It is what we know today, exaggerated to the grotesque.

Is the show political? Yes! One of the four tech moguls states that he has a direct line to the White House. The response from others is that everybody has a direct line to the White House. As chaos in the world grows, Venis gets a call from the president. He does not like the message he receives so he begins to plot a coup, not only of the U.S. government, but of world governments.

The four characters go into detail about how this might be accomplished, how they are hooked into power and military systems and can control them. In a comedic (darkly comedic) scene, Souper holds a virtual conference with leaders from Argentina as he prepares to take over that country.

One aspect of the movie that also parallels reality: the hypocritical justifications for the vile actions of the four. Randall above all, he who hatches the plot to kill Jeff, engages in faux philosophical justifications. He tells Souper he is all about Kant (remember Kant's Categorical Imperative? Behave as though your actions were to become universal law). He refers to Plato, and Marcus Aurelius. Venis justifies the plan to kill Jeff by appealing to Utilitarian philosophy.

The attempt to kill Jeff is one of the least persuasive episodes in the movie. However, it does offer the opportunity for a little slapstick humor, and it also helps to highlight the fact that the four geniuses are not as smart as they believe themselves to be. In fact, in the process of trying to kill Jeff they look like idiots.

Here is a YouTube video that explains the farcical nature of the attempted murder:

Do the four kill Jeff? Does Randall come close to achieving his goal of immortality? Does Jeff destroy Venis? Does anyone get a handle on the global social unrest? Does anyone care???

For the purpose of this review it is not necessary to answer any of these questions. The movie is not about what happens, but why it happens. It's about the world as it is and how it might be, if the present were taken to extremes.

The title of the movie, Mountainhead, gives a clue as to what will follow in the rest of the film. The title is a riff on one of Ayn Rand's most well-known books, The Fountainhead. In case we miss the reference, one of the characters brings it up. To recap Rand's philosophy (simplified): Pursue your own happiness as your highest moral aim.

The Jesse Armstrong/Frank Rich team came together once before, to make the hit HBO series, Succession. That series was more of a crowd pleaser than this film is, but if the film were turned into a series it might grow on the audience as well. There is a lot of potential in these characters and in this story.

Each of the four main characters is realized brilliantly by the respective actors. Carell is surprisingly sinister, showing none of the comedic inclination that won him notice in The Office. Jason Swartzman has a talent for self deprecation, which has been evident in other movies. Here it serves him well. Ramy Jossef is new to me, but is startlingly convincing in his inappropriate response to the attempts to kill him. Finally, Cory Michael Smith as Venis is convincingly obnoxious and even comes across as a sociopath in his portrayal of an analog Elon Musk.

The writing in the film is crisp and biting. While I found the so-called 'bro-talk' abrasive, my reaction might be exaggerated by my gender and experience. I am a woman who doesn't get the 'bro' thing at all. I recognize that it is exaggerated in this film, but their lingo seems to highlight the inability of these characters to articulate feelings, and to relate socially to one another (or anyone?). The men deal with codes and computers. The human experience is not their comfort zone.

I highly recommend the movie, unless you are looking for escape, for something to take you away from every day. I need that sometimes too.

Following stats are from IMDB:

• Run Time: 1h 48m

• Director Jesse Armstrong

• Writer Jesse Armstrong

• Steve Carell Randall

• Jason Schwartzman Souper…

• Cory Michael Smith Venis

• Ramy Youssef Jeff

  Currently the movie is streaming on MAX and HBO.

Thank you for reading my blog. Peace and health to all.

Antes de comenzar, lo primero que tengo que decir es que esta cinta es una oda a las animaciones de los Looney Tunes de antaño, esas que miraba de niño que no tenían miedo a nada, mostrando locuras y explosiones, básicamente la esencia de estos cortometrajes. Pero más allá de esto, consiguen que nos enamoremos nuevamente de los personajes, haciendo nuevamente al Pato Lucas como un demente, altanero y desquiciado, mientras que Porky, al no haber sufrido tantos cambios en su personalidad en los años recientes, se mantiene fiel a esa visión que tengo desde mi infancia.

Before we begin, the first thing I have to say is that this film is an ode to the Looney Tunes animations of yesteryear, the ones I watched as a kid that were fearless, showcasing madness and explosions—basically the essence of these short films. But beyond that, they manage to make us fall in love with the characters all over again, making Daffy Duck once again a demented, arrogant, and unhinged character, while Porky, having not undergone many personality changes in recent years, remains faithful to the vision I've had since my childhood.

Con tantos proyectos fallidos como la nueva versión de Space Jam con LeBron James como protagonista, esta cinta se siente como un aire fresco en la franquicia, pues como ya mencioné, volvieron a la esencia de estos personajes, utilizando muchas cosas clásicas, sumado a referencias de la cultura actual, manteniendo su irreverencia. Esto lo podemos ver muy bien al inicio de la cinta, donde en el desfile de empleos que ambos toman para intentar salvar su casa, Lucas intenta ser un influencer, inflando sus glúteos y haciendo twerking para abrirse un hueco en las redes sociales, fracasando en el proceso.

With so many failed projects like the Space Jam remake starring LeBron James, this film feels like a breath of fresh air for the franchise. As I mentioned, they returned to the essence of these characters, using many classic elements and adding references to current culture while maintaining their irreverence. We can clearly see this at the beginning of the film, where, in the parade of jobs the two take to try to save their home, Lucas tries to be an influencer, pumping up his buttocks and twerking to make a name for himself on social media, failing in the process.

Sinopsis según FilmAffinity / Synopsis according FilmAffinity:

"Porky y Lucas deberán salvar el mundo cuando descubran un plan alienígena secreto para controlar sus mentes."

Porky and Daffy must save the world when they discover a secret alien plan to control their minds.

Además de toda la comedia que podemos ver, donde muchas veces interrumpen escenas más profundas o románticas con algún chiste, el apartado emocional también está bien desarrollado, lo que logra una inmersión inicial en la historia. En el primer acto, nos cuentan la historia de Lucas y Porky de bebés y como fueron rescatados por el granjero Jim, o Juan si la ves en con audio español, desarrollando muy bien su relación, y su animación me pareció de lo mejor, pues estos lo ven prácticamente perfecto e inmaculado, haciendo guiño a como muchos vemos a nuestros padres.

In addition to all the comedy we see, which often interrupts deeper or romantic scenes with a joke, the emotional aspect is also well developed, which achieves an initial immersion in the story. In the first act, we are told the story of Daffy and Porky as babies and how they were rescued by Farmer Jim, or Juan if you watch it with Spanish audio, developing their relationship very well. I thought the animation was top-notch, as it looks practically perfect and immaculate, a nod to how many of us view our parents.

Tocando ahora el tema de la animación, de verdad me gustó mucho, hay muchas escenas y paisajes realmente bonitas, combinadas con las típicas gesticulaciones exageradas de los Looney Tunes, haciendo un buen contraste, aunque también hay uno que otro plano al que no se le dedicó ese cuidado. Algo que me parece que faltó, aunque no afecta en nada a la trama y al desarrollo de la historia, y que me hubiera gustado, es un cameo de alguno de los personajes clásicos, sobretodo pienso en Marvin el marciano, que hubiera quedado muy bien en esta historia de extraterrestres.

Now, turning to the animation, I really liked it. There are many really beautiful scenes and landscapes, combined with the typical exaggerated gestures of the Looney Tunes, creating a good contrast, although there are also some shots that were not given that much attention. Something I think was missing, although it doesn't affect the plot or the development of the story at all, and which I would have liked, is a cameo by some of the classic characters, especially Marvin the Martian, who would have fit very well in this alien story.

En cuánto al desarrollo de la historia, los dos protagonistas están muy basados en lo que ya conocíamos de ellos, por lo que es un puntazo a favor, mientras que Petunia es pura dulzura y rareza, por lo que pega muy bien con Porky, dándole sentido a su amorío. El villano tiene sus motivaciones muy bien infundadas, ya que después nos damos cuenta que es realmente un antiheroe, pues lo que buscaba era salvar al planeta, combinando con la locura general, y por último, el granjero Jim es todo lo bueno del mundo, siendo él quien le da el propósito a los protagonistas.

As for the story's development, the two protagonists are very based on what we already knew about them, which is a plus, while Petunia is pure sweetness and oddity, which is why she fits very well with Porky, giving meaning to their love affair. The villain's motivations are very unfounded, as we later realize he's really an antihero, since what he wanted was to save the planet, combining with the general madness. And finally, Farmer Jim is everything good in the world, being the one who gives the protagonists their purpose.

Otra cosa que me pareció acertada fue el ritmo de la cinta, haciendo que la historia progrese rápido, y sumado a la comedia, tanto de chiste como comedia física basada en gadgets locos y violencia medida, hicieron que me quedara en el sofá disfrutando un buen rato, así como soltando una que otra carcajada. La animación fue excelente en casi toda su duración, aunque si hubieron momentos donde no llega a estar a la altura, y aunque muchas veces esto no es algo para criticar muy efusivamente, si siento que tal vez el presupuesto les quede un poco corto.

Another thing I thought was a good fit was the film's pacing, which moved the story along quickly. Combined with the comedy—both the gags and the physical comedy based on crazy gadgets and measured violence—it kept me on the couch enjoying myself for a good while, as well as letting out a few laughs. The animation was excellent throughout most of its runtime, though there were moments where it fell short, and while this isn't often something to be criticized too emphatically, I do feel that perhaps the budget was a bit short.

En conclusión, la película de verdad me generó cierta nostalgia, me hubiera gustado ver a más Looney Tunes, pero en líneas generales, estuvo bien, hay muchas cosas que no tienen sentido, pero viniendo de estos personajes, no es algo para reclamar demasiado, jajaja. La recomendaría ciegamente a cualquier fan de la franquicia que quiera revivir su infancia, además de cuenta con un mensaje detrás muy necesario para esta edad en la que estoy, mi hogar, mi lugar feliz, algo por lo que luchan tanto Porky como Lucas para mantener.

In conclusion, the movie really made me feel a bit nostalgic. I would have liked to see more Looney Tunes, but overall, it was okay. There are a lot of things that don't make sense, but coming from these characters, it's not something to complain about too much, lol. I would blindly recommend it to any fan of the franchise who wants to relive their childhood. Plus, it has a message behind it that's very necessary for this age I'm at: my home, my happy place, something that both Porky and Daffy fight to maintain.

Mi calificación para esta película / My rating for this movie:

7.0 / 10.0

Portada diseñada por mi en el editor de Canva

Una bebé es dejada en un orfanato por una mujer que parece ser su madre, la niña crece allí y le encanta ese lugar, tanto que no desea ser adoptada, sin embargo una mujer llamada Bella Yaga y un hombre llamado Mandrágora deciden adoptarla en contra de su voluntad, al inicio la niña espera que Bella Yaga le enseñe algo de magia pero al darse cuenta que solo desea que la ayude en labores domesticas se llena de decepción, no obstante su curiosidad la lleva a descubrir sus verdaderos poderes mágicos y de lo que es capaz de hacer, así que luego de conseguir la receta perfecta en el libro de hechizos, con al ayuda del gato parlante de Bella Yaga finalmente logrará desquitarse, pero a su vez reafirmará su poder de persuasión y manipulación.

Por ejemplo, no sabemos nada acerca de esas supuestas brujas de las que huía la mujer de cabello rojo y rizado que suponemos es la madre de Earwig, por otra parte no sabemos nada más allá del flashback que demuestra que esa mujer formaba parte de una exitosa banda de rock junto con el Señor Mandrágora y Bella Yaga, y que la banda posteriormente se separó, no sabemos donde está esa mujer, solo nos queda suponer que Earwig es hija de ella y de Mandrágora pero nada más, la película carece de evolución de personajes, todo parece puesto al azar y el final es absurdamente apresurado, lo cuál te deja con muchas más preguntas que respuestas, es como si en lugar de una película completa estuvieses viendo solo el trailer o una antesala, una especie de prólogo porque ni siquiera una segunda parte de este film podría arreglar esta tremenda falta de información del primero.

En conclusión ver esta película para mi fue frustrante, me dejó con la terrible sensación de que perdí el tiempo, solo me dejó ganas de leer la novela, lo cual es normal después de ver cualquier adaptación cinematográfica, pero en cualquier caso lo que buscas es complementar información, sin embargo en este caso te dan ganas de leer la novela para obtener absolutamente TODAS las respuestas que esta adaptación te negó, la considero como una obra inconclusa de lo más absurda, sin una estructura argumental sólida. Esto podría hallar explicación en el hecho de que fue dirigida por Gorō Miyazaki (hijo del gran Hayao Miyazaki responsable de éxitos como El Castillo ambulante, que también es una adaptación de una novela) pero el caso es que Gorō Miyazaki no parece estar a la altura de su padre, y anteriormente ha tomado decisiones apresuradas como en Cuentos de Terramar, de hecho por aquí les dejaré mi review de esa película para que se den cuenta de lo que les digo.

Imagen diseñada por mi en el editor de Canva.