I might be jumping the gun on this just a tad but it doesn't take long before Dutton Ranch starts to feel very familiar. So far, although the cast of characters are much smaller, it seems a great deal like Yellowstone but without as large a cast of characters and the big price tag of Kevin Costner.

Will it be good? Well that's tough to say after one episode because although I do like the formula of the Duttons being ass-kickers that have their own unique way of dealing with bad people without using the law, it does feel like a candy bar that I really like repackaged with a different name on it. It kind of feels like cheating.

[src](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/ys-513-070924-sc24-25-26-em-00030-r2-1-6759b57db836c.jpg?crop=0.460xw:0.690xh;0.256xw,0.255xh&resize=1200:*)

They seem to just be picking through the most popular characters from the Yellowstone series and running with all of them. I have enjoyed all of the prequels but I have to give the thumbs down to Marshals which I think simply isn't very good and that the main actor and his actor child are just awful.

But at least in the case of Dutton Ranch basically everyone thought that Rip and Beth were excellent characters. The problem now is, how do we build a story around them? At the conclusion of Yellowstone everyone knows and respects them, and there really isn't much else for them to go with that since so much of the story revolved around Costner's character.

I do like how they didn't really feel as though a long and drawn out explanation was necessary though and they just get right to it in the first 10 minutes when a fire starts and completely wipes out their ranch in Montana or wherever it was meant to take place and instead of rebuilding they just move to Texas.

[src](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/RP_108_EM_1202_00494_RT2.jpg?w=2000&h=1126&crop=1)

Through great wealth, or so it is presumed, they quickly establish a large ranch and it is immediately successful but that brings about the jealousy of a rival family that has been in that part of Texas for a very long time and wants to protect what they have by any means necessary. This seems awfully familiar, it's almost like Yellowstone but the shoe is on the other foot this time.

The Dutton's as far as I have watched do not get rattled and are kind, fair, but also stern with everyone that they meet and they have a unique way of intimidating those that get in their way that is very familiar because it is exactly the sort of things we saw in the original series

Whether or not a person can enjoy this I think depends a great deal on whether or not you are really tired of this entire process that was done so many times in Yellowstone. I don't really know exactly where the story is going but it does seem to directly mirror the original series and for the most part, I am ok with that.

However, I can't treat this series as if it was a priority because even though it is a putting one of my favorite albums on repeat, it is still something I have seen before.

[src](https://fwtx.com/downloads/54488/download/DuttonRanch.jpeg?cb=6314f823819c674d3954b0a1155d0fe8)

One thing that the showrunners have always done really well is to make the scenery the star of the show and they aren't as able to do this with Texas being the location because Texas is flat and simply isn't going to have the awe-inspiring shots that they were able to pull off in the far north of the USA. It's still lovely though. Instead of having the American Indians be the marginalized group that they are friends with they now have Mexican Americans and I can see that becoming more and more of a focus here as well.

I don't really know what to expect but I can tell after a single episode that Paramount knows they have a good product here and just had to figure out a way to repackage it and get people to buy it again.

I don't believe this one will go over as well as the previous show or the 2 prequels, but it is still better than most anything else that is on TV right now.

Should I watch it

I think if you enjoyed the original you will like this too if you can push past the fact that there really isn't but so much rivalry that you can put into a ranch sort of situation and yes, the stuff from Yellowstone will be repeated. If you haven't seen Yellowstone this will appeal to you as well because it isn't necessary to know the backstory from that show (for the most part) in order to enjoy this.

I probably wont watch it as adamantly as I did the original but it is still great story-telling, even if it is re-used.

Released in 1987 and directed by Mel Brooks, Spaceballs is both a parody of Star Wars and a giant comedy celebration of science fiction in general. Brooks takes the biggest sci-fi tropes imaginable and turns them into nonstop absurdity, but the movie succeeds because it understands the material it is making fun of. Good parody usually comes from genuine affection, and you can feel that throughout the film.

Bill Pullman stars as Lone Starr, the Han Solo inspired space hero who gets dragged into a mission to rescue Princess Vespa and save the planet Druidia from the evil Spaceballs. Pullman plays the role straight enough that the ridiculous comedy happening around him becomes even funnier.

John Candy is excellent as Barf, the half man half dog sidekick. Candy brings warmth and charm to every scene he is in, and honestly a lot of the movie’s heart comes from him. Even when the jokes get completely ridiculous, Candy somehow keeps the character lovable.

Rick Moranis steals the movie as Dark Helmet, one of the funniest parody villains ever created. Instead of trying to make the character threatening, Moranis leans fully into insecurity and childish frustration. Every scene with him feels hilarious because he treats nonsense with total seriousness.

Mel Brooks himself plays both President Skroob and Yogurt, clearly parodying both political leadership and the wise mentor archetype from Star Wars. Brooks knows exactly how silly the movie is and never hesitates to push the joke further than most filmmakers would dare.

The plot itself is intentionally ridiculous. Planet Spaceball has literally run out of air, so Dark Helmet and President Skroob decide the solution is stealing the atmosphere from Druidia. That setup tells you immediately the movie is operating entirely on comedy logic rather than realism.

What makes Spaceballs work is the nonstop commitment to the joke. The movie constantly breaks the fourth wall, mocks merchandising, pokes fun at sequels, and even jokes about watching the movie while the movie itself is happening. That self awareness was ahead of its time in many ways.

The famous “Spaceballs the Flamethrower” scene alone perfectly captures the movie’s humor. It is dumb in the best possible way because it commits fully to the absurdity without trying to be clever or subtle about it.

Visually, the movie also does a surprisingly good job recreating the look of big budget sci-fi despite being a comedy. The costumes, ships, and sets are intentionally goofy versions of iconic science fiction imagery, but they are still detailed enough to make the parody work.

Now yes, parts of the movie are definitely corny. Some jokes are pure slapstick, some puns are incredibly cheesy, and not every gag lands perfectly. But honestly, that corniness is part of the charm. Mel Brooks comedies were never about sophistication. They were about energy and fearless ridiculousness.

The cast chemistry is another reason the film still holds up. Everyone understands the tone completely. Nobody is trying to make the movie cooler or smarter than it is. They fully embrace the silliness, which makes the comedy feel genuine instead of forced.

The movie also works because it came out during a time when Star Wars had become such a massive cultural phenomenon that audiences instantly understood every joke. Even today, most of those references still land because the original source material remained so iconic.

Over time, Spaceballs became one of the most beloved cult comedies of the eighties because people realized it was endlessly rewatchable. You catch different jokes every time, especially all the background gags and quick throwaway lines.

In the end, Spaceballs remains a classic to me because it understands that comedy does not always need to be sophisticated to be effective. Sometimes being loud, goofy, and unapologetically stupid is enough.

It may be a little corny around the edges, but the movie’s energy, cast, and pure commitment to absurd comedy are exactly why it still works decades later.

Posted Using INLEO

Posted Using INLEO

Out of Town (S3x01)

Airdate: 16 August 2009

Written by: Matthew Weiner Directed by: Phil Abraham

Running Time: 48 minutes

The second season of Mad Men concluded with a narrative gambit that frustrated a not-insignificant portion of its audience: it left its characters, and the viewers, suspended in the palpable dread of the unresolved Cuban Missile Crisis. This choice created a disappointing cliffhanger where the manufactured suspense was undercut by historical inevitability. When the series returned for its third season with Out of Town, the world hadn’t ended, but the episode immediately situates its characters in a more intimate, though no less consequential, state of emergency. Written by Matthew Weiner and directed by Phil Abraham, the premiere is a workmanlike exercise in re-establishing the show’s themes and dynamics. It is competently crafted and offers key character developments, yet it ultimately feels like a table-setting episode—solid in its execution but lacking the profound spark that distinguishes the series’ finest hours.

The episode’s most striking formal choice is its unconventional delve into Don Draper’s origin story. Abandoning the straightforward flashbacks of previous seasons, Weiner opts for a series of dreamlike, almost feverish visions that assail Don as he mechanically prepares breakfast. We see his stepmother, Abigail, enduring another stillbirth; his father, Archie, with the prostitute Evangeline (Kelly Huddleston), who delivers the grimly pragmatic warning that she’ll “cut his penis off” if he gets her pregnant; and finally, Evangeline’s death in childbirth, with the midwife handing the newborn boy—named “Dick”—to Abigail to raise as her own. This vignette is brutal and economically poetic, efficiently cementing the foundational trauma of Don’s identity: birth intertwined with death, and motherhood as a transaction. The device is later revealed to be triggered by Betty’s advanced pregnancy, a neat psychological explanation that also firmly anchors the narrative in March of 1963. This temporal setting is crucial, as the season at large is preoccupied with the last gasp of the pre-assassination ‘Camelot’ era, in 1963. the year American baby boomers retroactively identify as the beginning of the end.

If Don’s domestic life is defined by cyclical trauma, his professional world is in the throes of a corporate shake-up. The new British owners, PPL, have installed the impeccably mannered yet steely Lane Pryce (Jared Harris) as financial director, heralding a regime of austerity. A third of the staff have been made redundant, and the episode introduces the head of accounts, Burt Peterson (Michael Galston), seemingly for the sole purpose of having him fired in a spectacularly bitter scene. As a narrative device, it’s a blunt instrument. The audience has no prior investment in Peterson, so his meltdown registers as workplace spectacle rather than emotional tragedy, a flaw the episode doesn’t attempt to mitigate. His function is purely catalytic: to vacate a position that is then offered to Pete Campbell. Pete’s fleeting triumph, however, is immediately diluted when he learns he must share the title and workload—though not the salary—with his rival Ken Cosgrove. It’s a suitably cynical corporate manoeuvre, but as a plot twist, it feels somewhat predictable, reinforcing the episode’s tendency to favour schematic plot mechanics over genuine surprise.

The episode’s core, and its most significant narrative development, occurs when Lane sends Don and art director Salvatore Romano to Baltimore to court the raincoat manufacturer London Fog. Liberated from the constraints of their New York lives, both men indulge in extramarital affairs. Don’s dalliance with a stewardess named Shelly (Sunny Mabry) is standard Draper fare, but Sal’s encounter with a male bellhop (Orestes Arcuni) is transformative. For the first time in the series, Sal acts on his homosexual desires. The execution, however, is remarkably prudish by modern—or even 2009—standards. The encounter is discreetly framed, and the revelation to Don occurs farcically during a hotel fire evacuation, with Sal caught in a dressing gown beside the bellhop. Don’s subsequent, quietly delivered advice to “limit your exposure” is a masterclass in subtext. Is it homophobia? A pragmatic warning from one secret-keeper to another? Or a ruthless calculation to protect a valuable asset? The scene works precisely because it refuses to clarify, resting on Jon Hamm’s inscrutable delivery and the show’s understanding that Don’s own precarious identity is the ultimate guarantor of Sal’s secret.

This theme of secrets and manufactured identities culminates in the episode’s closing moments. Returning home, Don tells his daughter Sally the story of her birth, specifically how he drove her mother to the hospital through a storm. It’s a tender, paternal moment, yet it’s undercut by the viewer’s knowledge of the sordid affairs and traumatic birth narratives that haunt the episode. Don is crafting a palatable family myth, a sanitised origin story starkly opposed to the brutal truth of his own. The episode thus comes full circle, contrasting the stories we tell with the realities we endure.

Out of Town is peppered with the series’ trademark subtle details, but one stands out for its audacious subtext. In Bert Cooper’s office, Lane Pryce admires a framed print: Hokusai’s The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife, a famous example of Japanese shunga and, more specifically, tentacle erotica. For a series that largely eschewed the explicit sexuality of its cable contemporaries, this is a wonderfully eccentric and risqué visual gag. It perfectly encapsulates Bert’s esoteric interests and the show’s willingness to flirt with taboo in the most refined manner possible. It’s a detail that rewards the attentive viewer, suggesting a world of deviance lurking beneath the polished surface of Madison Avenue.

Out of Town is a proficient but unspectacular season premiere. Its primary function is transitional: to navigate the audience from the unresolved tension of Season 2 into the new corporate and personal landscapes of 1963. While Salvatore Romano’s storyline provides the instalment with its most meaningful character progression, other elements—the disposable conflict with Burt Peterson, the predictable manoeuvring between Pete and Ken—feel like routine pieces being moved on the board. The episode lacks the conceptual boldness of the season two finale, even as it avoids that finale’s structural pitfalls. It is, in essence, a well-made piece of television machinery, reliable and insightful in moments, yet never quite reaching for the profound melancholy or savage irony that defines Mad Men at its best. It assures the audience that the world of Sterling Cooper persists, but one is left hoping the ensuing season will provide more compelling calamities than those offered here.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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Hello fellow cinephile friends from Hive! It had been days since I last shared anything with the movies and series community, where I enjoy reading so much and showcasing all those films or series that I like or that catch my attention. Due to university matters and how busy I’ve been with homework and assignments that I've been given to bring to class, I hadn't been able to sit down and watch a movie. My mom told me about the story of Big World, an Asian film that carried a great message about people with disabilities, and the story of the actor who portrays a young disabled man and how he immersed himself in the role of someone who suffers in different ways, doing it in the best possible way. That is why I want to share my review of Big World, or in Spanish, Mi pequeño yo. 🥹

The plot tells us the story of a young man named Liu Chunhe, who suffers from a motor disability that makes it very difficult for him to lead a life like a normal young person. He is in his twenties and requires the help of his family, most of which he receives from his maternal grandmother, who is the person always by his side and who pushes him to do the things that either he or his mother are afraid of. I think this is very important for someone suffering from a condition, since feeling valued and knowing they can perform different activities—even if at a different pace than a healthy person—allows Liu Chunhe to open up and learn different things about life. Above all, it helps him learn about the world around him, about the things a normal adult usually does like working, studying, meeting people his age, and also learning what it feels like to experience love, happiness, and pride in his own abilities, which are many, even if it seems like he doesn't have them or if he himself believes he cannot achieve certain challenges in life.

Big World is a story of drama but also of overcoming obstacles. Liu Chunhe lives in a world where physical limitations prevent him from doing so many things that he, as a young person, would want to do. He has fears just like any human being and also suffers when seeing the contempt or discouragement of others towards him. He is someone with a lot of potential but was labeled as a non-functional person—something he heard throughout his life, especially from his mother. This made him more withdrawn, more afraid of the world, and made him feel a bit useless and also guilty for being born with a condition that affects not only him but his family as well, by not being able to fully fend for himself.

This story was directed by filmmaker Yang Lina, who captured the attention of actor Jackson Yee, a promising young talent who decided to take on this challenge of playing a quite complicated character. This is especially true because the actor, being a healthy person, had to learn how to walk, talk, express himself, and move like someone with a severe motor disability. Well, I heard that he won several awards for his excellent performance of the character, and it is no wonder; it was incredible the way he stepped into Liu Chunhe's shoes and how he developed a young man with a disability in a respectful way, yet deeply tied to the reality of people with this type of disability. He truly is a prodigy actor who is worth keeping an eye on in more movies or series, because he has so much to offer regarding his love for the characters he has been given.

In the story, which belongs to the drama genre—a genre I tend to watch quite often because I like to see different realities than the ones I perhaps perceive in my day-to-day life, but which always leave me with some reflection for my own life—you can see that it portrays a story that can be very common. People with disabilities are often hidden, brushed aside, marginalized, and even forgotten by the people who should care for them, such as their family. In Liu Chunhe's case, his mother was a woman who always carried the weight of the label of having a disabled son, and how this had changed her life forever. The mother's character is shown in many ways as very lacking in empathy, but as we approach the end, a scene provides more of an explanation about what she truly feels and the reasons why she behaves that way, which are often deeply rooted in her own fears.

As for the movie, it is a story that can help many people see that these types of realities exist, that there are people with different disabilities, but this does not mean they are completely limited from doing things. In fact, as the movie progresses, with his grandmother's help, Liu Chunhe starts setting aside his fears and prejudices a bit, and tries to do things that can change his life, such as looking for a job, meeting new people, and not always staying inside his own world. I think this helps people with a disability a lot; having the support of someone who believes in you and pushes you forward is extremely important for anyone, with or without a disability.

It is a tough story to watch, but it really is something that motivates you to find reasons to keep going, to take into account those people who may have difficulties and yet still have the will to want to get ahead, to want to improve their lives, and not to think that because they have a disability they are limited or won't be able to have a life like any other human being. Often, the strongest disability is the one in our minds, when we place limitations on ourselves and believe we won't be able to achieve our goals despite having all our senses and our motor skills in perfect condition. This story leaves you with a lot to reflect on, and if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it; you will definitely not walk away with the same mindset after finishing it. 🫶🏼

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Who would have guessed that my first post in so many months would be review, and a movie review, no less? But I just had to get my thoughts down because this series?? Had me in a chokehold. Since I know I have the tendency to yap, and haven’t formulated a structure whatsoever as to how this review will go, I will just say things as I’m led. Bear with me...

Quick disclaimer, there might be spoilers, so if you haven’t seen the series yet, or you’re not done, this is your last chance to turn back, and wait till you’re done (except, of course, you’re into spoilers, to which I have nothing nice to say to you, respectfully, lol)

Moving on...

Perfect Crown (2026)

This 12-episode mini series is a contemporary drama that deliciously mixes historical themes in a modern-day setting. I’ve seen quite a few series like these, but they always found a way to incorporate some form of time travel. This was the first I’ve seen that incorporated both themes into a plot we’ve never witnessed in K-drama history.

Straight onto the plot. I do not have words to describe how full I was. For one, I love that the scriptwriters decided to break from the conventional. Instead of the usual overly meek, annoyingly cutesy, goody two-shoes female lead who’s such a helpless victim at every turn, there was the strong, vain, haughty, bossy, self-obsessed female lead.

I don’t know for others, but it certainly added a lot of spice to the series, because this meant I wouldn’t have to roll my eyes every three seconds at a spineless female lead who can’t stand for herself. The same with the male lead. Instead of just nursing resentment in your heart cause you’re jealous that a man is making advances at your woman, you go straight to him and give him a stern warning. These are the things we like to see!

The plot was strong. Started strong and stayed strong till the end. I love that it visited themes of love, dysfunctional families, sacrifice, betrayal, power, greed, and every other compelling theme you would find in a cinematic masterpiece. I love that I stayed hooked from start to finish because they made each episode worth waiting for.

Impatiently moving to the cast, permit me to take a deep breath before I start. Because what was that?? Perfect Crown? More like Perfect Cast. Whoever did the casting would never lack any good thing in life because they delivered actors who embodied their roles like they were born for it. 10/10 across boards, I didn’t find a single character lacking or unable to interpret their roles. Kudos to them, for real.

I don’t want to make this long, so I’ll move straight to ships, and notable characters. Starting strong with my favourite character. Yi Yun. The Crown Prince. I love that little boy with all my heart, guys. Such a perfect actor, who puts the A in Adorable. His role embodiment would make you want to give your life for him, I promise. I loved everything he stood for so much. The way his face would light up while calling “Supu-nim” (Uncleee) oh, my heart. Hands down, my best actor.

Then, onto my very unproblematic chaebol couple. Taeju and Dayeong lifted my spirit, guys. I love me a man who idolizes his wife above all things, and the way they stood by each other, and mitigated each other’s excesses, was adorable to see. Imagine taking paternity leave cause your wife is pregnant. What a cutesy! I love that they didn’t villainize them.

Hmmm, start rolling your eyes cause this one will get you all agitated, but who cares? My perfect, perfect prime minister. I don’t know if anyone shares this sentiment with me but I’m almost always rooting for the second male leads. The guys who don’t get the girl. The ones whose love may never be reciprocated.

I wanted my man to win just as much as I wanted the male lead to win. I hate that he had a communication issue, and all the villain arc he sojourned into could have easily been avoided if he had only done the right thing from the onset. But it’s fine, guys. We can only have one winner, and while I’m sad that my darling boy is currently cooling his head in prison, he can at least use that time to think of me. (Inserts evil laugh)

My lovely Huiju (IU). You absolutely perfect actress. Everything you touch turns to gold, for real. IU has such easy chemistry with everyone. I love that she could pull off hot without being aggravating, and pull off cute, without being annoying. She was and has always been a breath of fresh air in the K-drama industry. Super glad to watch another production of hers where she wows the audience with impeccable acting.

My lovely Grand Prince. I’m just so glad you didn’t die in this movie. I love the chemistry he had with his woman and how easily his long frame could perform cuteness when he wanted. Seamlessly, too. I hope he gets other roles where he gets to showcase how natural acting can be. What a lovely man.

Honourable mentions are the Aides of our leads. Special people in my heart, for real. Their love was unnecessary, in my opinion, but I didn’t cherish it any less. By the way, in another life, Secretary Do. In another life, you exquisitely ethereal being. Your fashion sense is sublime, and so are you.

Also, the Queen Mother. You were wronged so much, and a pawn in your father’s evil schemes and machinations. You sacrificed more than was let on, and you really deserved a happy ending. I’m glad you got that in your own way.

I think I’m beginning to write a love letter, of sorts, and while I'm aware that this isn't a thorough review, I’ll be rambling forever if I continue. If you’ve read without skipping till this point, you’re a special person, and I appreciate you. Thank you for staying till the end of my long, albeit entertaining yap session.

Thank you “Perfect Crown” for pulling me from my two-year-long K-drama slump. I’ve not found anything so beautiful since Mr. Queen, and I’m glad I got to experience once more how it feels watching a pristine drama, in every sense of the word. Till another time, my people. For now, it’s a happy 9/10 from me.

Jhymi🖤

_{Images from IMDB and device screenshots.}

Rating: 90/100

Originally posted through scrobble.life/movies.

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It is a commonplace among horror film aficionados that the main tropes and clichés of the genre, at least in its supernatural guise, were cemented in the 1930s by Hollywood’s Universal Studios. The iconic images of Bela Lugosi’s Dracula, Boris Karloff’s Frankenstein’s Monster, and Claude Rains’s Invisible Man seem to define the cinematic language of terror for the popular audience. Yet, this prevailing narrative overlooks a crucial debt: the recognisable form of horror cinema was arguably established elsewhere, in the shadow-drenched studios of Weimar Germany. The Expressionist classics—The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), Nosferatu (1922), Waxworks (1924)—forged a visual and psychological template from which Hollywood would liberally borrow. This fertile period, however, came to an abrupt end with the arrival of synchronised sound, a technological revolution that presented immense creative and financial challenges. While Hollywood, with its robust studio system, adapted and ultimately thrived, European cinema faltered, struggling to reconcile its artistic heritage with the new demands for dialogue and auditory realism. The scope and consequence of these challenges are perhaps nowhere more starkly visible than in Vampyr, the 1932 Franco-German production directed by the grand Danish filmmaker Carl Theodor Dreyer. Hailed by later generations as a classic of mood and atmosphere, the film nevertheless pales in comparison to the more robust genre works of its era, fundamentally hampered by the very technological transition it sought to go through. It stands as a fascinating, deeply flawed artefact of a cinema in crisis—a work whose immense ambition is constantly undermined by its confused execution.

The film’s narrative foundations are intriguing yet immediately signal a dilution of potent source material. The script, co-written by Dreyer and Christen Jul, represents a loose adaptation of Carmilla (1872), Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s foundational novella of vampire fiction which preceded Bram Stoker’s Dracula by a quarter of a century. Le Fanu’s work is notable not only for its atmospheric power but for establishing the enduring and provocative trope of the “lesbian vampire,” a theme of seductive corruption and homoerotic desire. Dreyer and Jul systematically excise this element, replacing it with a more generic, albeit eerie, Gothic mystery. This decision, perhaps motivated by contemporary censorship or a desire for broader appeal, drains the story of a specific psychosexual charge, leaving a plot that feels both archaic and oddly vacant.

The resulting story follows Allan Gray (played by French socialite and the film’s producer, Nicolas de Gunzburg, credited under the pseudonym “Julian West”), a young man who travels the countryside studying occult phenomena. Arriving at the village of Courtempierre, he is given a mysterious package by an old man (Maurice Schutz) with instructions to open it after the donor’s death. Following phantom shadows, Gray arrives at a manor house just as the old man—revealed to be the lord of the manor—is shot. The estate’s servant (Albert Bras) invites Gray to stay until the police arrive, as the lord’s daughter, Léone (Sybille Schmitz), is gravely ill, and her younger sister, Giséle (Rena Mandel), tends to her. The village doctor (Jan Hieronimko) persuades a weakened Gray to provide a blood transfusion for Léone. While Gray recuperates, the servant reads an occult treatise, a section on vampirism mirroring Léone’s plight: she is preyed upon by a vampire, the ancient Marguerite Chopin (Henriette Gérard), who enthralls local helpers. The doctor is revealed to be one such acolyte, ultimately kidnapping Giséle. The plot, while serviceable as a skeleton for set-pieces, is rendered confusing and emotionally remote. Character motivations are opaque, relationships undefined, and the logic of the vampire’s curse feels arbitrary, leaving the audience more perplexed than terrified.

This narrative muddle is inextricably linked to the film’s fraught production history, a direct consequence of the sound revolution. Dreyer, fresh from the monumental success of The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)—one of the last great masterpieces of silent cinema—originally conceived Vampyr as a silent film. It was shot as such on authentic locations in 1930, with cinematographer Rudolph Maté conjuring a world of palpable unease. However, by the time post-production began, the audience’s appetite for “talkies” was insatiable. Reluctant but pragmatic, Dreyer was forced to retrofit sound onto his creation in the Berlin UFA studios. The film’s final form bears the scars of this compromise: dialogue is sparse and functional, with extensive intertitles carrying the expository weight, creating a jarring hybrid that belongs wholly to neither era. Like many early sound films, including Universal’s Dracula (1931), the language barrier was addressed by shooting multiple versions—reportedly French, German, and English—though only the French and German cuts survive as the basis for modern restorations. This practice further fragmented the film’s artistic unity, making it a product of commercial calculation as much as creative vision.

The casting choices further reflect Dreyer’s uncertain footing in the new cinematic landscape. He employed a largely non-professional cast, with de Gunzburg’s performance as Gray being particularly stiff and inexpressive, his aristocratic demeanour failing to convey the required sense of dread or curiosity. The notable exceptions are Maurice Schutz, who brings a genuine pathos to his brief role, and especially Sybille Schmitz as the afflicted Léone. Schmitz, who would later become a tragic star of mid-century German cinema, delivers the film’s most compelling performance. Her face, hauntingly used in promotional posters, conveys a profound, soul-sick languor and a terrifying, blank-eyed possession that speaks volumes where the script falls silent.

Where Vampyr unquestionably succeeds, and why it retains its stature among cinephiles, is in its visual and atmospheric construction. Dreyer, aided immeasurably by Maté’s virtuoso cinematography, creates a film that is less a narrative and more a waking nightmare. Heavily influenced by German Expressionism, the film employs shadows not merely as absence of light but as active, malevolent entities. They move independently, stretch unnaturally, and form shapes that guide and entrap the characters. This creates an overpowering, eerie atmosphere of pervasive unease, a world where the very laws of physics are subordinate to supernatural malice. Two sequences stand out as masterful. The first is Gray’s nightmare, a bravura piece of subjective filmmaking where he envisions his own death, watching his corpse being sealed in a coffin through a glass window in the lid, the camera adopting his buried-alive perspective. It is a chilling evocation of primal fear. The second is the climax, in which the villainous doctor meets his end, trapped and slowly crushed by the cascading grain of a mill—a poetic, visually striking comeuppance that lingers in the memory.

However, this strong visual storytelling ultimately cannot compensate for the foundational weaknesses in the script and Dreyer’s then-unadapted directorial approach to sound. The film’s pacing is often funereal, and the lack of clear narrative cause-and-effect leaves audiences adrift. Dreyer, still thinking like a silent filmmaker, relies on imagery to carry meaning, but in the sound era, audiences expected a more integrated and coherent narrative drive. Furthermore, some of the special effects, such as the notoriously limp vanquishing of the vampire with an iron stake, appear dated and unconvincing, breaking the carefully built spell of dread.

The contemporary reception of Vampyr was disastrous, particularly when measured against its Hollywood counterpart. Universal’s Dracula, itself adapted from a popular stage play, proved vastly superior in engaging a mass audience. While Dracula “has at least two major displays of extraordinary talent”—the Expressionist-inspired cinematography of Karl Freund and the iconic, genre-defining performance of Bela Lugosi—it also suffered from static shots and uninspired direction by Tod Browning. Yet, it possessed a narrative clarity and a charismatic central performance that Vampyr sorely lacked. UFA, the German distributor, deliberately postponed Vampyr’s release, hoping to capitalise on the publicity surrounding Dracula. The strategy backfired spectacularly; inevitable comparisons only highlighted Vampyr’s obscurity and narrative deficiencies. The film was rejected by critics and audiences alike, with reports of cinema patrons rioting to demand their money back. The failure was so profound it sent Dreyer into a nervous breakdown, requiring a period of hospitalisation. For years, Vampyr was considered the nadir of his illustrious career.

Yet, as with many films ahead of their time, Vampyr’s reputation underwent a gradual rehabilitation. Among arthouse and auteurist cinephiles, its virtues—the hypnotic imagery, the oppressive atmosphere, its status as a doomed artefact of cinematic transition—began to outweigh its flaws. It gained a cult status, recognised not as a successful horror film in the conventional sense, but as an important and deeply personal work of European Gothic. It is a film that speaks in a whisper where others shout, a haunting and often frustrating experience that reflects the anxieties of an art form losing its silent voice and struggling to find a new one. Vampyr is less a classic of horror and more a classic of cinematic melancholy—a beautiful, bewildering ghost of a film, forever caught between two worlds.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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When Paul Verhoeven was tasked with adapting Robert A. Heinlein’s beloved literary classic of military science fiction, he seized the opportunity to craft a savage satire of US chauvinism and militarism. He could scarcely have imagined how prophetic his 1997 film Starship Troopers would become within mere years, as the Global War on Terror saw his most exaggerated satirical strokes play out in sobering reality. That satirical edge was all but lost in the 2002 direct-to-video sequel Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation, a low-budget affair which utterly fails as fan service by abandoning social commentary for generic horror. However, it is not entirely absent from Starship Troopers 3: Marauder. Here, the brutal satire returns with a vengeance, resulting in a film which is deeply flawed, predictably inferior to Verhoeven’s masterpiece, but nevertheless very entertaining, frequently funny, and, once appreciated on its own modest terms, can be thoroughly enjoyed as a “guilty pleasure”.

The film is written and directed by Ed Neumeier, the screenwriter of the 1997 original, who thus attempts to steer the franchise back towards its satirical roots. The plot unfolds eleven years after the events of the first film. The protagonist, Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien, the only original cast member to return), has advanced through the ranks of the Mobile Infantry to Colonel. As an experienced veteran, he and his unit are dispatched to the agricultural planet Roku San, where United Citizen Federation forces are successfully holding the Arachnids at bay. There he reunites with an old friend, Intelligence officer Dix Hauser (Boris Kodjoe), just as the immensely popular and charismatic Sky Marshall Omar Anoke (Stephen Hogan) arrives for a morale-boosting visit. Catastrophe strikes when the base’s defences inexplicably fail and the planet is overwhelmed by bugs. Rico manages to fight a desperate rearguard action, buying just enough time for a successful evacuation.

Anoke is evacuated aboard a spaceship commanded by Fleet Captain Lola Beck (Jolene Blalock), who is both Dix’s fiancée and Rico’s former girlfriend. En route, the ship is apparently attacked by Arachnids, forcing Beck to abandon it. Anoke, Beck, and a handful of survivors end up stranded on the surface of the remote planet OM-1. Meanwhile, Rico is made the scapegoat for the disaster on Roku San. Admiral Enolo Phid (Amanda Donohue), worried about public morale after years of an unpopular war, suppresses the news of Anoke’s disappearance. Dix begins a clandestine investigation, while Rico, sentenced to death for dereliction of duty, is offered a chance to redeem himself—and save his life—by leading a top-secret mission. This mission involves piloting experimental exoskeleton power armour suits known as Marauders.

Made in South Africa with a decent budget for a direct-to-video sequel, Marauder is obviously inferior to the first film’s lavish production values. Yet, it plays as a more honest and decidedly better follow-up to Verhoeven’s vision than the second film. Where Phil Tippett used Heinlein’s universe merely as a backdrop for a generic action-horror story, as noted in a review of Hero of the Federation, Neumeier consciously tries to continue painting the Federation’s dystopian future as a funhouse mirror reflection of the post-9/11 and Iraq War era. Verhoeven had already constructed this world with brilliant efficiency, so Neumeier can concentrate on introducing new satirical innovations. The most notable of these is Christianity, represented by Beck’s fanatically devout flight attendant, Holly Little (Marnette Patterson). Initially frowned upon by the totalitarian Federation, this faith is later cynically co-opted for war propaganda, much as certain religious sentiments were harnessed for political purposes during the Bush years. This adds a layer of contemporary relevance that was sorely missing from the second instalment.

However, Ed Neumeier obviously lacks Verhoeven’s directorial panache and visual audacity. The film often feels rough around the edges, with pacing that sags in the middle and action sequences that lack the visceral punch of the original. At times, the satire becomes too broad and obvious, losing the delicious subtlety that made Verhoeven’s film so insidious. A prime example is the character of Elmo Gonif (John Vaz), a wheelchair-bound war veteran turned militant peace activist, who is so transparently modelled on real-life figure Ron Kovic that he feels less like a satirical creation and more like a clumsy caricature.

The cast, however, is more than solid. Casper Van Dien slips back into the role of Johnny Rico with ease, portraying a weary, disillusioned commander who has seen too much. Jolene Blalock, best known as T’Pol in Star Trek: Enterprise, brings a steely, no-nonsense authority to Captain Beck. Amanda Donohue is splendid as the ruthlessly pragmatic Admiral Phid, a military leader with a hidden—and probably very dark—agenda. Yet the show is utterly stolen by Irish actor Stephen Hogan as Sky Marshall Anoke. Hogan delivers a marvel of a performance, portraying a leader visibly slipping into messianic insanity while never losing an iota of his magnetic charisma. His rendition of the film’s propaganda song is a highlight, making Anoke the most memorable character in the entire film.

The special effects are decent for a mid-2000s direct-to-video production, but they inevitably give away the film’s inferiority to the 1997 work. The CGI bugs are serviceable but lack the tangible, repulsive physicality of the original’s blend of practical and digital effects. The Marauder suits themselves, while a welcome addition, have a slightly clunky, video-game aesthetic.

Klaus Badelt’s score is relatively unremarkable, but the film’s greatest auditory asset is undoubtedly “It’s a Good Day to Die”, the ultra-patriotic hymn performed diegetically by Sky Marshall Anoke. With lyrics that are deeply ironic in context, the song has taken on a life of its own. Through various YouTube tributes, it has been stripped of its satirical context and applied unironically to real-world militaries and conflicts—a bizarre and perfect example of life imitating art imitating life, and perhaps the ultimate testament to the film’s satirical point about the power of propaganda.

Marauder also pays direct homage to Verhoeven’s film with a scene where Johnny Rico and his soldiers, including female troopers, appear nude as they undergo neural linking procedures for their exoskeletons—a clear nod to the earlier film’s infamous co-ed shower scene. More significantly for fans of the source material, the film introduces the Mobile Infantry’s powered exoskeleton suits, which were conspicuously absent from the 1997 adaptation. These “Marauders” represent Neumeier’s attempt to make amends and offer an olive branch to purist fans of Heinlein’s novel, who had long lamented their omission.

Released straight to DVD in 2008, Starship Troopers 3: Marauder received generally mixed reviews from critics, who acknowledged its ambitions but bemoaned its execution. However, this did not prevent it from attaining a certain cult status among fans of the franchise who appreciated its return to political satire. Its relative success even paved the way for two further sequels, albeit in a different format: the 2012 CGI animated film Starship Troopers: Invasion and the 2017 follow-up Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars.

Starship Troopers 3: Marauder is a fascinating, flawed curio. It lacks the budget, directorial genius, and cultural impact of Verhoeven’s original, and its satire is often less scalpel and more bludgeon. Yet, by earnestly trying to resurrect the franchise’s critical spirit and by engaging directly with the geopolitics of its time—the cynical use of faith, the cult of personality around leaders, the endless war for dubious reasons—it stands as a far more worthy successor than the forgettable Hero of the Federation. Bolstered by a game cast, a few genuinely clever ideas, and the undeniable pleasure of seeing Rico back in action, it achieves its primary goal: it is entertaining. For those willing to meet it on its own B-movie terms, it offers a hearty, if slightly cheap, dose of satirical sci-fi action. It is, in every sense, a guilty pleasure—but one with just enough brains behind its brawn to make you feel slightly less guilty about enjoying it.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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Saint Seiya AMV / Reasons to fight

Good morning to all the anime lovers in the @theanimerealm community! When I heard this song (Defences - Might And Main) inspired me to create an AMV. The reason is the song’s lyrics, “since they fit a narrative of believing in a god, being faithful, and following his words, but one day you open your eyes and see that he isn’t a good deity; they try to bring you down by belittling you, but you resist and rise up to stay on your feet. Now you question your own deity, shake off the noise in your head, and keep fighting against the system of your cult, which is now false.

Buenos días a todos los amantes del anime de la comunidad @theanimerealm, pues al oir este tema musical(Defences - Might And Main) me inspire para elaborar un AMV, el motivo es el contenido de la letra "ya que encaja con una narrativa de creer en un dios, ser fiel y seguir sus palabras, pero un dia abres los ojos y vez que no es una deidad buena, te tratan de abatir menospreciándote, pero te resistes y te levantas para mantenerte en pie. Cuestionas ahora a tu propia deidad, sacudes el ruido en tu cabeza y sigues luchando contra el sistema de tu culto que ahora es falso.

In this story, I began with Athena being attacked by Saga; she is sent to another dimension, and during her journey she can see the different variations of the cosmos’ realities, with the Knights fighting battles in parallel dimensions.

Until finally, after she assimilates all the realities and gets lost in the infinite void of the technique from Saga of Gemini’s other dimension, the Knight of Pisces rescues her and takes her back to the beginning of her own reality, where Saga has just arrived in the room to attack her, creating a loop of events.

This is the narrative explained in the video; if I don’t describe it, it’s likely that anyone watching the video clip won’t understand that there’s a deeper meaning, but anyway, it doesn’t hurt to clarify my perspective on what happened in the video.

Para esta historia empecé con una Athena que es atacada por Saga, ella es mandada a otra dimension y en su travesía ella puede ver las diferentes variantes de las realidades del cosmos con los caballeros teniendo batallas en dimensiones paralelas.

Hasta que al final, luego de ella asimilar todas las realidades y perderse en el infinito vacio de la tecnica de la otra dimension de Saga de Gemenis, el caballero de Piscis la rescata y la lleva al inicio de su propia realidad, donde precisamente saga acaba de llegar a la habitación para atacarla, creando un bucle de un acontecimiento.

Esta es la Narrativa explicada del video, puede que si no la describo lo mas provable es que quien vea el video clip no entienda que hay un trasfondo, pero bueno, no esta demas aclarar mi enfoque para describir lo ocurrido en el video.

On that note, you might be wondering where the images in the video come from if you haven't seen them in the TV series.

Well, the truth is that they're TV series from the same Saint Seiya franchise. Although they aren't necessarily a linear continuation of the story you've seen in the classic series, they are official productions—meaning they aren't fan-made—so, in context, they're spin-offs of the same series.

USED SERIES:

Saint Seiya: Saintia Shō Saint Seiya: Heaven Chapter - Overture Saint Seiya Ω saint seiya gold soul

So I apologize for that, but it’s not exactly a series people are eager to collect, so I doubt anyone will re-upload it in good quality without those weird site logos.

En el orden de ideas te cuestionaras de donde salen estas imágenes en el video si no las has visto en la serie de television.

Pues la realidad es que son series de television de la misma franquicia de saint seiya, que aunque no necesariamente son una aventura lineal con la historia que has visto de la serie clásica, si son reales, ósea no es hecha por fans, así que en contexto son spin off de la misma serie.

SERIES USADAS:

Saint Seiya: Saintia Shō Saint Seiya: obertura del cielo Saint Seiya omega saint seiya alma de oro

asi que ofrezco disculpas por ello, pero no es una serie muy coleccionable que la resuban en buena calidad y sin logos de sitios extraños

I open my eyes, filled up with hope I’m seeking all the answers, but it’s never enough I’m facing the mountain, yeah I’m climbing up Away from the path you thought you put me on

I will rise above the ashes of doubt And stand up to be counted

[Chorus 1] The smoke cleared and I’m still standing This is a world where anything could happen but Were you waiting for my defeat? Brush it off, I landed on my feet

[Verse 2] You were my deity, a lifetime ago Took your words for gospel, all I needed to know Protected by innocence, I couldn’t see The depth of the ignorance surrounding me

And now I rise above the ashes of doubt I’ll stand up to be counted

[Chorus 2] The smoke cleared and I’m still standing This is a world where anything could happen but Were you waiting for my defeat? Brush it off, I landed on my feet Now your words don’t mean anything Move along, I landed on my feet Dust has settled, now I can breathe

Dust has settled, now I can breathe

[Chorus 1]

[Chorus 2 - Extended] Move along, I landed on my feet Despite the falls you expected of me The dust has settled and I can finally breathe Now your words don’t mean anything Move along, I landed on my feet Despite the falls you expected of me I’ll lie in glory while you stare in disbelief Now your words don’t mean anything

[Outro] Are you waiting? Are you waiting? Brush it off, I landed on my feet Are you waiting? Are you waiting? Dust is settling, now I can breathe Are you waiting? Are you waiting? Now your words don’t mean anything Are you waiting? Are you waiting? Dust is settling now I can breathe Are you waiting? Are you waiting? Are you waiting? Are you waiting? Dust is settling, now I can breathe?

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