RIP Akira Toriyama

It was announced over the weekend, that manga icon Akira Toriyama passed away recently on March 1st. Fans of his work (myself included) mourn the loss of one of the most iconic manga/anime artists of the past 40 years. His style is so distinctive that I think only Studio Ghibli can rival it in terms of being as easily identifiable.

I first encountered his work upon seeing Dragon Ball Z figurines featured for sale in the back of the videogame magazines I used to buy as a kid. But it wasn’t until 1995 that I picked up the game Chrono Trigger at my local Blockbuster Video that I gained an appreciation for his work.

This game right here?! Defined my childhood easily. Solely responsible for my JRPG addiction.

I would come across his work in subsequent years, especially during the late 90’s/early 2000’s when Dragon Ball Z was all the rage. I would even improve my drawing skills practicing on my favorite Dragon Ball Z characters. I can’t tell you how many times I drew Goku in high school. Fast forward all the way to 2020 and I would once again be charmed by Toriyama’s work, this time in the videogame Dragon Quest XI. A game full of so much charm and character, it’s become one of my favorite games of all time. I even went down a rabbit hole learning about the history of Dragon Quest, a series I knew about as a kid, but never got into. Dragon Quest XI got me started down the path and I’ve found nirvana.

This game hits me right in the feels every time I play it. It’s my happy place.

It was nice to discover how Toriyama was recruited to work on Dragon Quest alongside creator Yuji Horii and composer Koichi Sugiyama. They would go on to create one of the most iconic(there’s that word again) game franchises in history, collaborating on each subsequent release in the years to come. So from Dragon Ball to Dragon Quest Toriyama had already created or worked on two historical franchises. He would go on to continue to cement his legacy working on videogames, manga, and various short stories. Tragically composer Sugiyama would pass away in 2021 and now with Toriyama’s recent passing, only Yuji Horii remains from the original Dragon Quest trio. He’s currently working on Dragon Quest XII which will probably be the final project Toriyama’s work is featured in. It breaks my heart just to type that.

An absolute legend of a character. I always hated how Toriyama treated him, but glad he made him so dang cool.

As a fan, I think my personal favorite character design (and character) is Vegeta from Dragon Ball Z and a close second would be Veronica from Dragon Quest XI. She’s a major inspiration for the fantasy novel I’m working on.

It’s sad to write about the death of your heroes. Fixtures of your childhood that we wish could always be around. The youth of tomorrow may never understand the impact of people who came well before their time, but if you were someone into manga, anime, or Japanese videogames, undoubtedly you knew and respected the work of Akira Toriyama. Thank you for all the wonderful memories, amazing characters, captivating stories, and fresh ideas. May you continue to create and inspire from the heavens.

Rest in peace.

Oscarheimer

I especially loved the part when Oppenheimer said, “I have become death, destroyer of award shows.”

The 96th Academy Awards came and went and in my opinion, it was probably the best one in years. A return to form if you will. I liked how they paid homage to the history of Hollywood with previous winners presenting the nominees, music from famous scores playing to underscore the events of the night, and just homage after homage to the storied history of Hollywood.

As for the winners, it went how I predicted and how it should have gone.

Oppenheimer took home Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey, Jr.), Best Actor (Cillian Murphy), Best Director (Christopher Nolan), Best Editing(Jennifer Lame), Best Cinematography (Hoyte van Hoytema), Best Score (Ludwid Göransson), and the coveted Best Picture.

I maintain, Oppenheimer was the best film of the year and it’s not even close. Barbie fans were mad the film didn’t pick up any key nominations or awards, but honestly, it didn’t deserve it. To me, an Oscar film elevates the genre, the craft, and/or shows us performances from brilliant actors that we’ve never seen before (Joaquian Phoenix as Joker, Hilary Swank as Margaret Fitzgerald, Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump, Forrest Whitaker as Idi Amin, Denzel Washington as Alonzo Harris). If it’s a middle of the road, run of the mill film that we’ve seen before, it’s probably not Oscar worthy. Oppenheimer was an event and a challenge to take such a complex topic, with complex individuals, simplify it without killing the soul of the story, and turn it into a film worth watching. It’s Nolan’s best. A culmination of all his brilliant years as filmmaker.

Well deserved. I’ll watch it again this week.

Poor Things and “Stylish Cinematography”

Wide angle lens = cinematography. Apparently.

Emma Stone got a well deserved Best Actress win for Poor Things. A film that was visually impressive, but didn’t win the nod for Best Cinematography. I’ve heard people rave about the cinematography of the film, but I found it indulgent.

There is a difference between stylish and effective cinematography. I haven’t heard this talked about at length, but in short, Poor Things falls into the trap of what I call “stylish” cinematography. Lots of visual flair and flourishes that don’t necessarily improve or support the narrative. It’s just chosen because it looks cool. I could film a scene of two actors arguing and put the camera on the ceiling and shoot at a downward angle, but doesn’t mean it’s “effective”. In comparison, Oppenheimer utilizes “effective” cinematography. No fluff, just beautiful imagery that supports and improves the narrative. Shallow depth of field, wide angles, etc. are all chosen with purpose and don’t distract from the action on screen. Poor Things is riddled with moments where the camera goes to a random place for no reason other than to be like “look at this cool shot we did”.

This sort of preference for “stylish” cinematography is something you see YouTube filmmakers praise and gush over, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good. Yeah it’s cool you can do rotating camera shots, but is it necessary? There are many great films with little to no camera movement. Think about the script, the scene, and plane your shots around that. Not because you have a cool new camera and want to show off.

Some film study for you is the brilliant, No Country for Old Men. Simple and effective cinematography that supports the narrative, not the cinematographer’s ego.

Emma Stone and Poor Things

Emma Stone(aka Best Emma) got another Academy Award for her brilliant performance in Poor Things. What I especially liked is the physicality she brought to the role. It wasn’t just how she delivered dialogue, but her childlike, stilted movements that were part robot, part toddler. While I loved Stone’s performance, I didn’t like Poor Things. I think it was regretably feminist in all the worst ways the movement has been depicted in modern cinema. No accountability, her character is just great at everything, no consequences for her actions, all the men are bumbling idiots except the minority, etc.

And the overall concept doesn’t hold up to scrutiny soon as you turn your brain on. Spoiler, her character is the result of a scientific experiment. Her “father” found her pregnant mother dying after a botched suicide attempt. Desperate to save the baby, he removed her infant brain and put it in the place of her mother’s brain. So now she’s a baby within an adult body and all the gross implications that has when you think about a child that looks like a grown woman having promiscuous sex with countless men. Brave huh. Okay, then the fact that at the end of the movie, her father is dying and instead of, I don’t know, taking his brain out of his head and putting it in another body (which the film has already established can be done), no, she just lets him die. It’s a dumb film that tries to be smart. 6/10. But the actors are great. Emma Stone and Willem Dafoe being the standouts.

Bradley Cooper and Maestro

Bradley Cooper failed to win anything for Maestro. A try-hard, Oscar-bait film that did nothing to humanize Leonard Bernstein. It was pretentious in every sense of the word. The biggest crime this film commits is we learn NOTHING about Bernstein’s music, his process, or his creative inspirations. It’s just his sexcapades, in spades. I’m sure there was more to the man that what he did with his penis. But we never learn any of that.

Cooper’s performance wasn’t one of passion, but desperation. And it shows. Carrey Mulligan is a delight in the film. Beautiful, poised, nuanced, and she captivates in every scene. If Emma Stone didn’t win, Mulligan would have been my other pick. Don’t get me wrong, I like Bradley Cooper, but I think he has to take a less obvious approach for the Oscar. Just go do a film you’re passionate about, not one because you think it will get you the Oscar. You’re better than that.

Robert Downey Jr.

A well deserved win for perhaps the best performance of Downey, Jr.’s career. It was nice to see him distance himself from the creative black hole that Marvel/Disney has become and start doing roles with depth. Roles that will add to his legacy as an actor. No more fluff for children. And he was rewarded for it. His performance of Lewis Strauss was so good, I started to despise him. Everytime his smarmy mug would come on screen, I found myself agitated. He nailed it. Congrats sir.

Cillian Murphy

The role of a lifetime and Murphy’s best performance. This was a Daniel Day-Lewis-esque performance. Nuanced, quiet, measured, but gripping and captivating. This wasn’t a loud performance with lots of yelling and screaming to be considered “acting”. It was sophisticated and mature akin to Chadwick Boseman’s performance as T’Challa in Black Panther. You don’t have to scream or cry to win an Oscar. Just glue us to our seats by your presence on screen. I’m very happy for him because this was a film Murphy carried. He’s featured predominantly throughout the film and doesn’t miss a beat. No powerful co-star to bounce off of throughout, he has to carry us through this story. The weight of carrying a film can get to an actor, especially one used to lower-profile roles, but Murphy rose to the occasion and gave a virtuoso performance.

My Only Gripe

No one thanks the audience. They didn’t thank the fans for seeing their film and supporting their projects. Just “I’d like to thank the Academy and all my fellow actors blah blah blah”. Thank your audience you ungrateful snobs! It’s a small thing, but it would be good to feel like the general public matters. I mean they are watching the Oscars at home and bought tickets to all the films being honored.

Overall a great show that I hope is followed up with an even better one next year. Bravo to the Academy. 7/10.

Art and Entitlement

Artists are an interesting bunch. Creative, imaginative, clever, funny, enthusiastic, passionate, driven, and determined. But one characteristic that I find amongst many artists (myself included earlier in my career) is an often strong sense of entitlement. Expecting validation, praise, and success just because “you’re working hard”, “you put everything into this”, or simply because you made something and think it deserves attention and acclaim.

Of course, there’s a commercial component where you hope people like the thing you create enough to purchase it so you can earn a living. That’s fine and healthy. Entitlement is not.

I hate to break it to you. No one gives a shit about your art. The sooner you accept this, the better off you’ll be.

Ooooo you made this thing? And spent hours on it? Days even?

So what? Who fu*kin cares?!

Not me.

Not your mom.

Not your dad.

Not your boyfriend.

Not your girlfriend.

Not your Tinder date.

Not your Amazon delivery person.

Not your teacher.

Not your personal trainer.

Not your accountant.

Not your sister.

Not your brother.

Not your nephew.

Not your offspring.

Not your dead relative.

Not the barista at Starbucks.

Not the models.

Not the actors.

Not the producers.

Not the flight attendant.

Not the Uber driver.

Not the waiter.

Not the hostess.

Not your followers.

Not their followers.

Not your dog.

Not your cat.

Not your plant.

Not the subway riders.

Not the person next to you in traffic.

Not the person next to you in line.

Not your agent.

Not Taylor Swift.

Not Beyonce.

Not Elton John.

Not Zendaya.

Not DiCaprio.

Not that influencer you worship.

Not the universe.

Not your God.

No…one…cares.

Now, with this knowledge that no one gives a shit, will you still paint, draw, sing, photograph, film, produce, dance, sculpt, animate, invent, design, program, write, perform, act, play…create?

Will you do the thing you do everyday even if a marching band and cheerleaders aren’t following you around 24/7 telling you how amazing you are? Will you create even when your IG post only gets a handful of likes?

If so, you’re on your way.

If you need validation or praise to do your work, you should probably call it a day. You don’t need that sort of stress right?!

This probably isn’t for you.

It’s not important that others care. It’s most important, that YOU care.

I hope this helps give you some perspective.

Favorite and Least Favorite Films of the Year

Now that the year’s coming to a close I wanted to reflect on some of my favorites, starting with the some films I loved as well as a few that disappointed.

FAVORITES

1. Oppenheimer

Christopher Nolan’s magnum opus. A utter tour de force in filmmaking. I loved Oppenheimer so much I saw it 5 times. The visuals, the soundtrack, the story, and the superb acting by the stellar cast makes it the standout picture of the year for me. In 70mm IMAX, it was truly a visual and auditory movie-going experience that only the original Avatar could rival for me. I think Cillian Murphy is a shoe-in for Best Actor this year as his portrayal of Oppenheimer is both nuanced and alluring. Great performances by veterans such as Matt Damon and Robert Downey Jr. add to the tension and urgency of the film’s plot. Florence Pugh’s performance deserves a mention too as she commanded attention in every scene she was in. This is a biopic at its best. It often feels like we’re not watching our favorite actors but real people in the actual time period. From the sets to the wardrobe and the cinematography, it’s like peering through a time portal.

I’d be remiss it I didn’t mention the soundtrack. Ludwig Göransson’s haunting and powerful compositions underline the drama on screen perfectly. The booming and goosebump inducing synths of songs like “Can You Hear the Music” call on mental pictures of atomic explosions, fitting for the subject matter of the film. When I first heard it, I assumed it was Hans Zimmer, but Göransson has made a name for himself off the stellar pieces on the soundtrack. Best Original Score hands down.

I can’t praise the film enough. I sort of credit Oppenheimer with make serious, grounded films popular again and I think the industry is starting to follow suit. After years of superhero drudgery, I think we’re getting back to simpler stories set in real, more natural settings. I welcome it as it’s time for a shift in storytelling for a while. Kudos to all involved with this wonderful film.

2. Godzilla Minus One

This film caught me and apparently Hollywood completely off guard. Godzilla Minus One is not simply your typical giant monster film. Sure Godzilla does wreck shit when he shows up, but the story focuses predominantly on the life of a military deserter as he deals with the shame of bailing on his duty during World War II. Taken place during Japan’s reconstruction after the damage of WWII, the film presents a side of Japan rarely seen in film, at least in the mainstream. The soldier’s story goes from one of survivor’s guilt, shame, and cowardice to honor, repentance, and courage. There’s also a touching love story thrown in the mix. It’s both scary, feel good, and emotional which was not what I was expecting from a Godzilla film.

It also should be praised for showing the big studios how to make a successful mid-budget film. With a budget of only $15 Million, the film has grossed over $78 Million worldwide. Don’t let the low budget put you off, the film looks beautiful and has a very unique visual style. No “zoomer” jump cuts all over the place, just balanced compositions, smooth edits, and steady camera work serving to tell a great story. I can’t praise the film enough. I think many people made the mistake as I did and just assumed it was another Godzilla film. This completely trounces the America Godzilla releases and shows you can tell a big monster film with a human story at its core. Go see it in theaters while you can.

3. The Iron Claw

If Oppenheimer was Christopher Nolan’s best work, The Iron Claw is Zac Efron’s hands down. I know some probably still see him as a Disney kid, but Efron really comes into his own in this touching and tragic story about a wrestling family. Just simple folks in the state of Texas trying to do something great but it all falls apart the closer they get to the goal. Efron’s character takes an emotional pummeling in the film and his depiction of these moments is perfect. Strong yet vulnerable. You root for him, feel terrible for him, hell you wish you could give the guy a hug by the end of it. Holt McCallany’s performance as Fritz Von Erich was great as well reminding me of Allison’s Janney stellar performance in I, Tonya. He may be a sleeper in the race for Best Supporting Actor. The overall cast is just fantastic and I can’t lob a criticism at anyone, top marks all.

Due to the emotional subject matter of the film, I can see it not being everyone’s cup of tea, but Efron and company can be proud of this one. If he doesn’t get an Oscar nom, it will be a tragedy.

4. Bone Tomahawk

An older film releasing in 2015, Bone Tomahawk is a brutal low-budget western starring Kurt Russell alongside one of my favorite actors Patrick Wilson(who I believe is a vampire as the man does not age). Wilson’s character’s wife is kidnapped by a mysterious Native American tribe and Russell, playing the sheriff of the small town, assembles a group of willing and disgruntled men to go on a rescue mission. Apparently this tribe are cannibals so they’re working desperately against the clock to pull of this improbable rescue. Think Predator but set in the Wild West.

Performances are all-great. Matthew Fox deserves a lot of praise here and he plays an absolute badass a la Doc Holliday in Tombstone. Loved seeing him in a more high-profile project. The film is obviously shot in the mountains of Los Angeles and you can tell the budget was pretty tight, but if you can overlook that ,what you find is a film full of brilliant acting, intense moments that will have you on the edge of your seat, and a brutality akin to your favorite horror films. It’s raw and real and I loved every minute of it. I look at it as more of a play with simple sets where the actors can just perform. And they bring it. The Native Americans in the story are BRUTAL. Their deadly and cunning tactics make them a formidable foe for the unsuspecting group. They almost remind me of the Mayan’s depicted in Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto. And they’re ability to hunt is very reminiscent of The Predator. They give way more than they take and make you realize you should never underestimate a tribe even if they’re not using advanced weaponry.

A great film and one of my all-time favorite Westerns.

5. In Cold Blood

Another oldie but goodie. I’d read Truman Capote’s excellent novel years ago and always wanted to see the film. Popping up in my Amazon recommendations I decided to give it a watch and found myself glued to the screen. For a film made in 1967, it feels very modern at times in terms of cinematography and acting. Yet on the other hand, it can often feel like an Alfred Hitchcock film with loads of tension, misdirection, and small details that make you smile when you catch them. Even the order in which the story is told is smart. How does one tell a story about the brutal murder of a family but humanize the suspects? Or give the family the proper respect? In Cold Blood walks this tightrope perfectly depicting a loving, caring family in the path of a murderous couple of lowlifes with troubled pasts. By the end of it, you want them to get their comeuppance, but you also can’t help but wonder what everyone’s life would have been like had they taken a different path.

I loved the film so much I bought it on Blu-Ray. It’s my first film I’ve purchased that’s part of the Criterion Collection and I plan to collect more. Recommended.

Not all was rosey this year with films. I saw several duds, but these two stand out most.

Disappointments

1. Maestro

*sigh* Maestro is my most disliked film this year. Bradly Cooper is…fine in it. Carey Mulligan is fantastic and should get a Best Supporting nom, but the film is just bleh. Self-indulgent and sparse are two words I would use to describe. If I had to sum it up in one word, it would be pretentious. It utterly fails as a biopic. Given the title is “Maestro” and depicts the life of conductor Leonard Bernstein, (You know the composer of such beautiful pieces such as Maria from West Side Story, Candide Overture, and Psalm 148?) the film is pretty light on the actual music. Nor does it bother itself with delving into Bernstein’s connection with music. His passion for the art form. Why did he choose to be a conductor? A composer of music? What is his process? What type of music does he enjoy? The audience is given little in regards to his music in favor of telling his story of being a closeted gay man and the many affairs he had while married to his wife Felicia Montealegre.

Not to say that his secret life isn’t interesting or worthy of study, I don’t think that alone gives us an idea of the man himself. All we get is that he’s smitten with his wife(at least publicly), sneaks around with men, conducts the occasional symphony, and bemoans living this hidden life. Additionally given that Bradley Cooper is on the poster, all in the trailers, he’s not as present in the movie as he should be in my opinion. Compare that to Oppenheimer where the majority of scenes feature Oppenheimer. There are so many scenes where Bernstein is absent and we’re given a glimpse into the other characters lives and thoughts on events, but that precious screen time could have been reserved for more character development or backstory on Bernstein. It almost feels more about his wife than him. If you’re not familiar with the man, you won’t leave this film feeling like you know him or his work. And that to me is why it fails.

To end on a positive note, it’s beautifully shot. The costumes are great. Carey Mulligan is magnificent. I love her hair throughout the film.

2. The Boy and The Heron

I am a Studio Ghibli fan. Like, before it was cool. Don’t be coming around talmbout, my favorite film is “Spirited Away” you casual! Kidding.

But as a fan, it pains me to say that The Boy and The Heron is Miyazaki’s worst film. Full stop. It’s beautifully animated, but the story is an incoherent mess. Events just happen, people appear/disappear and nothing’s explained. The main character’s mother tragically passes away in a fire and he blames himself for not being able to help her. Okay, I’m with you. His father remarries, her sister, who is the splitting image of the boy’s mom and it’s completely glossed over. Then a bird, the titular Heron, starts stalking him eventually leading him to some magical world where he meets his mom as a teenager with magical fire powers. Does he stop to tell her “Hey, you’re my mom. You passed away and I feel all alone. I miss you so much.” Nope, just glossed over and not explored. He spends time in the company of this random old lady, who’s now younger in the alternate world, than he does with the young version of his mom. He has literally no emotional connection to this woman but they chose her to be his main ally on the adventure. Imagine all the possibilities if it was his mom instead. To learn more about her. To tell her what happened. To deal with his grief. We get none of that. It’s just dumb. And critics are applauding it like it’s some though-provoking art piece. It’s dreck and dreadful. Ghibli films are also known for their stellar soundtracks. This one has less music than Maestro. No memorable theme. No memorable characters. It’s just confusing scene after confusing scene. I know it’s Miyazaki’s last film, but I refuse to remember him for this one. Don’t waste your time. Now, time to watch Princess Mononoke for the 1000th time. That’s a movie.

3. Killers of the Flower Moon

I love Martin Scorcese’s films. The Aviator starring Leonardo DiCaprio is both my favorite DiCaprio film and Scorcese film. His films have a unique format, wit, solid acting, and good to great cinematography. From the initial trailer, I admittedly wasn’t all that interested in Killers of the Flower Moon. Which was surprising as I read the book during Covid and enjoyed it. The trailer just looked boring and somewhat typical to me. It was trying to hard to be edgy. And I felt like I’d seen this film before.

Upon finally viewing it, I found it self-indulgent, exploitative, and very insensitive with the ending. I’m usually very cool headed about my response to a film touching on social issues or tragedy, but this one left me miffed. I wanted to see more scenes with Lily Gladstone, who in my opinion should have been the lead. I think choosing to tell the film from the perspective of her conniving husband was the wrong choice. Additionally the film is way too long and starts to feel like a slog after the 2 hour mark. The plight of the Osage people is one that should be told, respected, and prevented from happening again at all costs. But Scorcese’s film isn’t the one to portray the ordeal in the most efficient, insightful, and sensitive manner. A beautiful, but bad film.

Inspite of there being some duds here and there, I think this year was a great year overall for films. Everyone seems so glued to some series or another on streaming platforms, but I still enjoy a great movie. The movie going experience is still fun for me and we’ve been fortunate to get some very inspired films this year. I’m not sure if we’ll have to wait a bit in 2024 due to the strikes earlier this year, but I’m hoping next year is even better.

Can One Be Both Critic and Artist?

Do you think this industry has a thick enough skin where you can criticize someone’s work while also trying to work in the same industry?

Probably not.

I mean, you could criticize, but probably not publicly. They’ll destroy you and “make sure you never work in this town again”.

But screw it, I’m not a fan of Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. I found it self-indulgent, too long, inconsiderate, and captured entirely from the wrong perspective. I almost walked out of the theater when I saw the ending. I love Scorsese’s films (The Aviator being my favorite. It’s also my favorite DiCaprio film.), but this was not his best work.

I know the critics will applaud it because they don’t want to critique a movie about the calculated and heinous murder of indigenous people. Of course the subject matter is important. The format used to tell their story? Abysmal.

This should have been better. The Osage people deserved better.

Welp, guess I’ll never work in Hollywood.

C'est la vie.