Nosferatu Review!

Robert Eggers’ vision of Nosferatu is perfectly Gothic, almost in filming like the 1922 silent Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, but very dramatic and modern with a formidable cast! The films of Robert Eggers are brilliant pieces of cinema. He is also the writer and director of The Northman (2022). It is of course based on the F.W. Murnau movie written by Henrik Galeen that took from Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897). Nosferatu begins with studio logos that are shown like silent films. It seems like a music box if playing, the music is by Robin Carolan, and he also scored The Northman. Crying is heard and then we hear the grim voice of Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård) say, “Come to me.” Skarsgård was previously in John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023). Then, we see Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp) calling for her guardian angel, she prays and then there is darkness. 

Depp was also in the comedy, Silent Night (2021). This part is a highlight for Depp taking her from loving wife to raving, vampire pawn and also a woman ultimately facing the Nosferatu. At the window, the night wind cause the drapes to flow with Orlok’s shadow, incredible photography by Jarin Blaschke. The Lighthouse (2019) also had Blaschke colloborate with Eggers. The lighting is mixed with washed out blues to make it almost look like black and white photography in some scenes. The cityscapes and outdoors are rendered with an epic sweep. Ellen is in the moonlit garden in front of a mansion. Orlok is heard wanting Ellen to swear herself to him. The best part is that his dialogue is seen in subtitles so it is very like a silent film. His long nailed hand grabs her throat and in on the grass, Ellen’s body is twisted in what looks like a seizure. “She’s Nosferatu”, “She’s Italian?”, seriously Eggers noted that Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995) showed him what tropes to avoid. 

“Years later”, Ellen wakes to see her husband, Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Holt). Dracula was faced by Holt in the title role of the horror comedy, Renfield (2023). They have just finished their honeymoon and Thomas heads to work for Knock & Associates. He heads into the streets of Wisborg that are filled with vendors, citizens, which really showcases Eggers’ attention to historical details. It is “Germany, 1838.” Thomas walks in to find Herr Knock (Simon McBurney). The dark fantasy series, Carnival Row, featured McBurney as Runyan Millworthy. His hand hovers above maps that lead to the a castle in the Carpathian Alps. This is an important task for Thomas that will earn him the money for a new home. He will be sent there to arrange for a ruined castle in Wisborg to be transferred to Count Orlok. Rain starts to fall when Thomas returns to tell Ellen about the six week journey to see the count. She says, “I must tell you my dream.”  

They have just finished their honeymoon and Thomas heads to work for Knock & Associates. He heads into the streets of Wisborg that are filled with vendors, citizens, which really showcases Eggers’ attention to historical details. It is “Germany, 1838.” Thomas walks in to find Herr Knock (Simon McBurney). The dark fantasy series, Carnival Row, featured McBurney as Runyan Millworthy. His hand hovers above maps that lead to the a castle in the Carpathian Alps. This is an important task for Thomas that will earn him the money for a new home. He will be sent there to arrange for a ruined castle in Wisborg to be transferred to Count Orlok. Rain starts to fall when Thomas returns to tell Ellen about the six week journey to see the count. She says, “I must tell you my dream.” 

Ellen’s dream is of a wedding where everyone has died and “standing before me, all in black - Death.” She tells Thomas that she was never so happy. At a dinner, Ellen will be staying with friends, Friedrich Harding (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), who is wealthy from shipping. Taylor-Johnson was in this year’s action movie, The Fall Guy. Also is Ellen’s close friend, Anna (Emma Corrin), Thomas’ wife who is pregnant. Corrin played Cassandra Nova in Deadpool & Wolverine. Their young daughters, Clara (Adéla Hesová) and Louise (Milena Konstantinova) are screaming in their room afraid of a monster. Later, Ellen cuts her hair to put in a locket for Thomas. Orlok is on the floor of his castle surrounded by candles. Ellen stays behind as Thomas rides away on his horse. He reaches a snowy village and then sees the villagers head to the forest. They reach a coffin and impale what is inside with a stake. Nice set up to Thomas learning how to defeat a vampire. 

Thomas is taken by a carriage to the Count Orlok’s castle. Orlok’s presence is really through the shadow of his clawed hand that shows his dread powers to influence people and also his gravelly voice. When he is seen in person, it is as a tall creature in a large cape. Thomas meets with the count at a dinner table next to a fireplace. He puts his seal on papers for the abandoned castle in Wisborg. The ficitional setting makes more sense than Dracula’s Carfax Abbey. Thomas is cutting bread with a knife, but accidentally cuts his thumb. We see a closeup of Orlok’s eyes at the blood. 

This shifts to Ellen walking with Anna worried about Thomas. They are next to a bay with a ship sailing by and Anna discusses her concern for Ellen with Frederich. They turn to find Ellen twitching in a seizure on the beach.   

He sees Thomas’ locket that has a picture of Ellen whom he had seen in the past! Count Orlok insists that Thomas stays in the castle. We hear the pounding of a heartbeat. Orlok’s face is seen with a moustache that has the look of Vlad Dracul, but made me think more of the guard in Wizard of Oz (1939). The rest of his head is bald, almost scarred. The 1922 bald makeup on Max Schreck was more demonic and iconic in that it made the vampire inhuman. His footsteps are loud thumps. The sound design by Mike Fentum and his team is impressive. When Thomas wakens he tries to escape, but finds the castle empty and the gate is locked. Thomas finds a door that leads him down to a sunlight in a crypt. He finds a sarcophagus with a pentagram on its top. Thomas opens it and then finds a pickaxe, but is stopped by Orlok’s hand that reaches to grab him by the throat! 

Orlok tells him, “Your world is lost to you.” His shadow falls on Thomas and he gestures for him to open the door. We see the look of horror on his face, just sweating, ghastly horror for Hoult. He falls unconscious to Orlok’s power and the creature crawls on him naked to suck his blood from his chest! Ellen is in her bed moaning as Doctor Wilhelm Sievers (Ralph Ineson) checks on her. Ineson played the father, William, in Eggers' film, The Witch (2015). He gives Ellen opiates to calm her. Thomas tries to escape once he is awake, Orlok's hounds chase him to a ledge outside of a window, and he falls into the river below the castle! At Sievers' sanitarium, he is told about Herr Knock who has found trying to eat a live sheep. Knock is heard laughing behind a door. He fills the Renfield role from Dracula. It is opened and there is splatters of rats killed by Knock. He tells Sievers, "I am his servant." 

Five Lockets out of Five! 

#Nosferatu, #RobertEggers, #LilyRoseDepp, #NicholasHoult, #BilSkaarsgaard, #WillemDafoe, #RalphIneson, #AaronTaylorJohnson, #EmmaCorrin, #SimonMcBurney 

Top Expected Movies of 2025!

The year is wrapping up, but the new year has promising films! Now, it is early with a few trailers and promotions for a handful of movies, so this may all change when we get full trailers. There may be also the unexpected films that burst onto the scene! So let’s look at some of the upcoming films. First, for me, is From the World of John Wick: Ballerina. Storywise, it is sandwiched between John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019) and John Wick 4 (2023). Filming had begun in 2022, post production in 2023, and additional scenes were filmed this year. It has also been some time since Ana de Armas had a film out since she has been working on Ballerina. The last was the Marilyn Monroe bio drama, Blonde (2022). 

It has been some time since director, Len Wiseman’s last movie, Total Recall (2012) which had mixed results as a sci fi remake. The big factor was that if this spin-off looked like the John Wick films and the teaser trailer answered that it did have the look and the tone of the films. It is written by Shay Hatten who co-wrote John Wick 3 and 4. I like the return of Angelica Huston as the Director whom we saw in John Wick 3 and the last appearance of Lance Reddick as Charon! It opens in theaters on June 6th. I can’t wait for this one! Next up, Wolf Man, one reason, Leigh Whannell. His Invisible Man (2020) was sci fi horror, but given the real life threat of stalking. It seems like Wolf Man takes the supernatural horror and puts it in a domestic violence setting. 

The Universal horror movies is just given a fresh angle with the terrors of real life. I’m fascinated with werewolf movies going back to the 1931 original which I think is fantastic early body horror, https://geektruth.blogspot.com/search?q=wolf+man. I’m eager to see the transformation, I hope with make-up effects more than CGi, and how or even if the Wolf Man is defeated. It is produced by Jason Blum, I had interviewed Whannell and Blum, and he has a great track record for sensibly budgeted horror films. Christopher Abbott plays the father, Blake, he is coming from Poor Things (2022). I hope he will turn in one of the best performances as a werewolf and wonder when iconic horror actors will earn nominations. 

The movie will be released soon, January 17th, and may be my first new film of 2025! Number three is the live action How to Train Your Dragon. At this point, I’m really looking for a good fantasy film and I already noted that I had passed up the 2010 original. I think the animated trilogy is one of the first cartoon movies to show a character age up. Unlike other remakes, this is the original director and writer, Dean Deblois who guided the franchise. I think Deblois will really develop the story beyond the crowd pleasing comedy and I hope gives Hiccup a formal name. The trailer put this one high for expected movies. Mason Thames looks perfect as Hiccup. He was in the horror film, The Black Phone (2021). The dragons soar on June 13th. 

I hope with How to Train Your Dragon and The Wolf Man that they will have some special events, premieres, or something at the Universal Epic Universe that is set to open on May 22nd. Fourth, Wicked: For Good, I really need to see the movie again after seeing the musical to pick up on what missed, and director, Jon M Chu, craft more of the world of Oz. I will probably go after New Year’s Day to see it at City Walk with the costumes. Likely go to Universal Studios and see some of the props. I really like Wicked, even more so as a musical, and I thought Cynthia Erivo put in an amazing performance as Elphaba. I hope she gets award recognition. Also, Ariana Grande, I felt the stage Galinda shifted more into a sister than the sudden change in the movie. 

Again, I have to see it on screen to pick up on the character moments. I also thought that the stage production of “Defying Gravity” was more impressive, even though I knew it was Elphaba on a raised platform and it was just stage lights, but it was more stunning. I know the entire story now and look forward to part 2 out on November 21st. Number five, Zootopia 2, the first Zootopia (2016) floored me in the sophisticated topics about fear of others just because of their identity, bullying, and the difficulty of Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) succeeding in a world of tough, towering authorities. Jared Bush and Byron Howard are back as directors and writers. I think the nine years were spent to really develop an original story. 

The Marsh Market photo op from Zootopia 2 at the UDFE, author’s photo. 

I liked wandering around the photo ops of Marsh Market  with the walrus plumber at the Ultimate Disney Fan Experience. The buddy cop team up with Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) also has the return of Gazelle (Shakira)! Zootopia 2 competes with Wicked 2 on November 21st. The next two films have little information and no trailers, but it is really the directors. The first is Predator: Badlands, out on November 7th, directed by Dan Trachtenberg. Prey (2022) was incredible, Trachtenberg revitalized a fading franchise, like Fede Alvarez with Alien: Romulus. The change of setting and characters is interesting, he is really building a Predator world, and with a twist as the Predator is being hunted. 

Elle Fanning is in the lead role, hopefully, a strong a part as Naru (Amber Midthunder). Brave is another film upcoming for Midthunder that also stars Wes Studi and Graham Greene! Also sharing the November 7th release date is the remake, The Running Man, directed by Edgar Wright. I see any movie directed by Wright, Last Night in Soho (2021) was the best, but his films always seem to get sidelined at the box office. Wright has to bring his cinematic sensiblities to the film, possibly more from the Stephen King story, and he has the box office gold of Glen Powell as Ben Richards. Plus, Michael Cera returns after playing the lead in one of my favorite movies, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)! 

Another director whose work I admire, Gareth Edwards, is at the helm of Jurassic World: Rebirth. His original film, The Creator (2023) was one of the most beautiful sci fi movies. He is able to work with long running franchises with Rogue One (2016) and starting one with Godzilla (2014). The screenwriter of the first Jurassic Park (1993), David Koepp, returns. The cast has Scarlett Johansson and also Jonathan Bailey from Wicked. The dinos are loose on June 2nd at the start of the summer season. Number nine, Michael, in theaters October 3rd. I have lately been watching videos of Michael Jackson on stage. It is directed by Antoine Fuqua who just makes the most compelling films from different genres. 

I thought his Western remake, The Magnificent Seven (2016),  was the best. Jaafar Jackson, Michael Jackson’s nephew, is stunning in resemblence and ability! For number ten, I will go with a superhero comic book film, Captain America: Brave New World. It seems troubled, the director, Julius Onah, he directed The Cloverfield Paradox (2018), may have problems working with the studio. Still, I really like Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) becoming Captain America in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021). The show’s creator, Marcus Spellman, contributed the story. Will his vision be kept in all of the studio troubles for the film? He has Dalan Musson from the series and Rob Edwards working on the story. 

We’ve seen Danny Ramirez’s Joaquin Torres become the new Falcon. Shira Haas is working as an operative, but hasn't been seen yet as the hero, Sabra. Also, no sign of Rosa Salazar as Diamondback. I just worry about the connection to Eternals (2021). Promising is Snow White out on March 21st. There is so much backlash against it, I don’t know if it will be successful domestically, but I was interested from the new trailer. I really like the early film of Marc Webb, 500 Days of Summer (2009). I like Rachel Zegler’s work, her comments might be controversial, but I’m hopeful for her. I’m also ready for Gal Gadot’s Evil Queen. Superman hits theaters on July 11th. James Gunn really brings in the fans. I think there is potential for David Corenswet’s Superman and Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane. It could be great, it could be terrible, I will need to see more. There are films that are exciting for 2025, what movies are on your must-see list?  

#FromTheWorldOfJohnWickBallerina, #LenWiseman, #ShayHatten, #AnaDeArmas, #AngelicaHuston, #LanceReddick, #Wolfman, #LeighWhannell, 

#ChristopherAbbott, #HowToTrainYourDragon, #DeanDeblois, #MasonThames

#WickedForGood, #JohnMChu, #CynthiaErivo, #ArianaGrande, #Zootopia2, #JaredBush, #ByronHoward, #GinniferGoodwin, #JasonBateman, #PredatorBadlands, #DanTrachtenberg, #ElleFanning, #TheRunningMan, #EdgarWright, #GlenPowell, #MichaelCera, #JurassicWorldRebirth, #GarethEdwards, #DavidKoepp, #ScarlettJohansson

#JonathanBailey, #Michael, #AntoneFuqua, #JaafarJackson, #CaptainAmericaBraveNewWorld, #JuliusOnah, #AnthonyMackie, #DannyRamirez, #ShiraHaas, #RosaSalazar, #MarcusSpellman, #DalanMusson, #RobEdwards, #SnowWhite, #MarcWebb, #RachelZegler, #GalGadot, #Superman, #JamesGunn, #DavidCorenswet, #RachelBrosnahan  

Defiant: The Story of Robert Smalls #2 Review!

The story of Robert Smalls is rendered in comic book form and now finds him at a pivotal point of his adult life! Defiant: The Story of Robert Smalls #2 continues his life story that had followed him as a boy last issue. The cover by Caanan White is a collage of Robert Small’s grim face as we glimpse scenes of the Civil War and his wedding! The story is Rob Edwards with the art team of layout artist, Darrell May, and Sean Damien Hill and Alex Paterson. We pick up with the older Robert Smalls and his grandson fishing on a lake. The grandson struggles with reeling in the fish and his grandfather encourages him into the fish is in his hands. 

His grandson wants the story to continue, Robert corrects him that is “our story”, and he is reminded that it was left with two policemen about to punish him for staying out late. The young Robert Small is taken as what his older self says is the fish! He was trying to earn a hundred dollars to buy his freedom. The policemen free him for his fifth job, climbing a ladder as a lamplighter! Still, his efforts are collected by Mr. McKee who takes his money to give him a single coin! Robert explains that it took him ten years. McKee holds up the coin n his fingers. He is working at a hotel and sees an open door. This leads him as a young man to meeting his wife. 

We see Hannah Jones, looking at him calmly while lit by the setting sun, great color by Mauro Salgado. Robert notes, “I felt like I’d been hit by lightning.” We see them together while his mother quietly is knitting. Then, a stroll in a sunset field. Hannah waits on a hilltop with a blanket. Robert walks up with a picnic box. He says he dreamed when they would be free in the North. A closeup of their faces. Then adds there is “one more thing in our way…” Robert asks to marry Hannah from her owner, Samuel Kingman. He is busy with a meal at his desk, their faces are solemn, and he says eight hundred dollars. Robert tries to argue with Kingman who counters that McKee owns nine hundred people. 

He holds up a piece of meat on his fork and says that the price is out of his reach, but not so much that he won’t try to make it. Then, we see the happy couple on Christmas Eve, 1856, the result of both of their efforts. The look of the wedding, the happiness of the occasion at McKee’s backyard, including falling flowers that might be yellow jasmine glowing, is stunning work by May and Hill! It is three years later, Hannah has a new baby in her arms, and her daughter is folding clothes by the bed. Robert is also working with bundles and gets the news about Abraham Lincoln. There is a long panel spread across two pages with the battlefield of April 12, 1861, called the Picnic Battle.

Some ladies are dressed up for a picnic, horse and carriage, a line of Union soldiers waving the flag and then the Confederate soldiers on the far hill in shadow. Two gentlemen discuss the reason for the war to “gently encourage” the South to give up their economy. They toast to that notion with cheers of wine glasses. Then, one mentions sending the slaves back on boats. A woman greets her son, Junior, marching to war, he is shot in an explosion! His father sees the real cost of this war. I always think of the beautiful, soft song, “Two Brothers” that is in Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at Disneyland. I remember going to the Gettysburg National Military Park in 2004. A soccer field was at the edge of a battle field. 

The battle turns with the civilains fleeing and the Confederates overrunning the Army of the Potomac. The narration notes that there were four more years of war and hundred and thousands of lost lives. It is an interesting shift in point of view from Robert to the Civil War. At the Smalls family home, a banging is heard at the door, Hannah tells doesn’t want Robert Junior taken. He tells them to hide from Kingman. We see Robert’s reluctant face at the door. His narration points out the prie of boys especially when Kingman plays poker and gets into debt. Kingman is at the door and kicks it in for his money. The money is exchanged in an envelope. We see the sleeping face of Robert Junior and then Robert gets his sixth job. A contrast since we saw a Junior die in the battle. We see in another long, two page panel, there is the ship, the Planter, Robert’s job is “Sailor for the Confederate Navy”! He will take McKee’s place to get his freedom. Freedom is running through the narrative of Defiant: The Story of Robert Smalls #2,  also love with his marriage and family, connecting to the grandson, and his act of bravery in the Civil War!  

Five Telescopes out of Five! 

#DefiantTheStoryOfRobertSmalls, #RobEdwards, #DarrellMay, #SeanDamienHill, #AlexPaterson, #MauroSalgado, #CaananWhite, #RobertSmalls, #HannahJones, #RobertJunior, #AbrahamLincoln, #SamuelKingman, #HenryMcKee, #StrangerComics, #LegionM     

Mufasa: The Lion King Review!

Mufasa The Lion King is a film of beauty and an incredible voice cast with a mythical journey of Mufasa and his brother to teach the cub, Kiara! The film is directed by Barry Jenkins who directed Moonlight (2016) which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. It is written by Jeff Nathanson and he also wrote The Lion King (2019). This of course was based on the 1994 animated classic. He is collaborating with cinematographer, James Laxton, who worked on Moonlight. It begins with “Look at the stars. The great kings of the past look down at us from those stars.” This is the archival voice recording of James Earl Jones and the text, “In Remembrance of James Earl Jones.” We had lost the acting legend on September 9th and this film is a tribute to his performance.

It is dawn at Pride Rock, we hear Lebo sing, “Ngomso”, Xhoso for “tomorrow.” Fantastic that Lebo M’s voice begins the film with his voice beginning “Circle of Life”; “Nants ingonyama bagithi baba” (There is a lion, they said, father). Lebo M worked with some of the score with Nicholas Britell, who also worked with Jenkins as composer on If Beale Street Could Talk (2018). The score is by Dave Metzger who is also the composer for the animated movie, Wish (2023). The animals including the water buffalo race across it, the birds take flight, and it made me think that I needed to see this film again in 3D, this has not happened before to me, to appreciate its beauty. Simba (Donald Glover) is walking to the edge of Pride Rock.   

Nala (Beyonce) is some distance away next to a den of rocks. Then, Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumbaa (Seth Rogan) arrive, and Timon announces, “The security detail has arrived!”  He jokes about a three legged zebra, by the way, it is pronounced “zeh-bra.” Simba tells them not to scare Kiara and tell her a story. This is his daughter whom Rafiki held at the end of Lion King. She made her debut in the direct-to-video sequel, The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride (1998). Kiara is voiced by Blue Ivy Carter, Beyonce’s daughter, who gives a good performance, no songs for this group though. Simba tells his daughter, “Be brave Kiara when I’m gone.” Timon and Pumbaa tells her the story of their battle defeating Scar. I good recap of the earlier movie and a funny twist with the duo taking on the villain. 

A storm rolls in and this disturbs Kiara. She goes to Rafiki, this shows the cave layout of the Pride Rock interior with a waterfall, he tells Kiara about another cub, her grandfather, Mufasa. She tells him, “I can never be brave like Mufasa.” Rafiki blows dirt from his palm. The story telling device reminds me of The Princess Bride (1987). His story takes place on the savannah with a passing herd of elephants. Mufasa is a cub (Braelyn Rankins), the actor was in the live action remake of Lady and the Tramp (2019). His mother is Afia voiced by Anika Noni Rose who of course is the voice of Tiana in The Princess and the Frog (2009). Mufasa’s father is Masego who is voiced by Keith David, also from The Princess and the Frog, voicing Dr. Facilier. She sings “Melele” joined by Masego, a place, “beyond the horizon”, a paradise. I really wanted to run out of the theater and get the soundtrack, but of course I would have missed the rest of the movie and songs! 

A river flows, there are purple flowers, and butterflies burst from them, the visuals are stunning! A drop of water falls from the sky, Mufasa is refleccted in it, the first rain after a long drought. They head to the watering hole, which all of the animals have gathered around, Mufasa is placed on a rock. It suddenly changes to a flood, Mufasa is separated from his family trying to scramble up rocks. Masego throws his son onto some rocks. He says to find his mother’s voice. An elephant struggles in the flood and then shatters a dam!Mufasa is spinning in the water’s depths and then finds a log for safety as the flood takes him away. Mufasa is stranded, losing his family, and drifts down the river. It may be familiar about a prince who is lost in a river as a child in mythological and religion. He is found by another cub, Taka, Theo Somolu provides his voice. Somolu voiced Max in the animated series, Mighty Express. 

Five+ Stars out of Five! 

#MufasaTheLionKing, #BarryJenkins, #JeffNathanson, #LinManuelMiranda, #JamesLaxton, #AaronPierre, #KelvinHarrisonJr, #TiffanyBoone, #PrestonNyman, #JohnKani, #BlueIvyCarter, #BillyEichner, #SethRogan, #DonaldGlover, #Beyonce, #ThandiweNewton, #LennieJames, #BraelynRankins, #TheoSomolu 

The Godfather, Cyberpunk films, and more at the Academy Museum!

 The Academy Museum is the place for movie lovers exhibiting classic movies like Casablanca (1942), Cyberpunk cinema including Tron (1982), and powerful films like The Godfather (1972)! The second floor had a central room that was not open for Cyberpunk: Envisioning Possible Futures Through Cinema. It did continue on the third floor, but this exhibition runs to April 12, 2026 so there is enough time to return. The promise of the exhibition is exploring the sci fi subgenre of cyberpunk through 25 films. At the far right hall was the Significant Movies and Filmmakers section which began with Casablanca! To the left is Sam’s green piano from La Belle Aurore, the text noted that Dooley Wilson (Sam) was a drummer and he mimed playing the piano! 

Original desk and chair from The Godfather and the recreated set from The Offer, Academy Museum, author’s photo. 

Across the way is Sam’s piano from Cafe Americain and then doors that were the entrance to the cafe. Against a wall was Ingrid Bergman’s diary, My Interest in Theater. Some pages show the translation form Bergman’s Swedish. Next to it is the prop passport of Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid). The Main Title musical score by Max Steiner, who did not like “As Time Goes By”, is shown. This exhibit will close on January 4, 2026. I went a little further to the section on Boyz  N The Hood: Increase the Peace. The 1991 drama, written and directed by John Singleton, was powerful. There were polaroids, I really like the nameplate and stress balls of Furious Styles (Laurence Fishburne), and the hat of Doughboy (Ice Cube). The exhibition will also close on January 4, 2026, you still have time! 

This all leads to Academy Awards History. A sort of reversal from my earlier visit. This has the circular room filled with Academy Awards from many movies. The next room has Academy Award programs and other material from the ceremony. I took note of Naomie Harris’ gown since there was a note about sustainale design, “inspired by volcanic lava flow”, and one of the materials was “recycled candy wrappers”! This leads to the room on Story with a sequence from Rebecca (1940) directed by Alfred Hitchcock. This includes the original novel, outline, and shooting script. The highlight though was walking through The Art of Moviemaking: The Godfather. There was a page from the script and then seven costumes from film plus Fredo’s fedora. 

Costumes from The Godfather movies, photo by the author. 

Some of them were the orange dress of Kay Adams (Diane Keaton), her colors become more subdued during the film, then the tan suit of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), the suit of Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro) from The Godfather Part II (1974). A section shows the Corleone office with the original desk and chair with the recreated set from The Offer (2022). It really feels like walking into the office of Don Corleone. On the other side is Hair and Makeup showing the work of Dick Smith. This shows two casts of Marlon Brando’s head and the teeth appliance. There was a display of director, Francis Ford Coppola, I was also stunned by the cast list which shows Peter Falk as Moe Green! In a case was the horse’s head! Against the far wall was the neon sign of Louis Italian-American Restaurant. 

Next was a section on music with pages by Nino Rota and the mandolin used to play music for the film. There is editing equipment and a camera. Publicity posters including one exclusive to the Academy Museum store. It is one of the most comprehensive exhibits on a movie. The Godfather exhibit closes soon on January 5, 2025. A must for anyone who like The Godfather. The following section has film costumes. Some of the standouts was the suit of Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) from Coming to America (1988), the pink suit from Elvis (2023) worn by Austin Butler, and the costumes from Titanic (1997) of Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet). On the third floor, the room at the end had Hollywoodland: Jewish Founders and the Making of a Movie Capital. This had a map that pointed out Hollywood through the years and panels that focused on studios like RKO, Universal, and Warner Bros. 

The Tron costume of Ram (Dan Shor), the former actuarial program, author’s photo. 

The middle room continued with the Cyberpunk exhibit. Around the corner was the full costume of Ram (Dan Shor) fron Tron (1982). Also, two pieces of artwork from the movie. On display from Strange Days (1995) was the headset,, Super-conducting Quantum Interference Device (S.Q.U.I.D.), face and props from Ex Machina (2015), and a matte painting of Los Angeles from The Running Man (1987). These are all interesting, but I keep wondering about the second floor displays with the rest of the films. On the far left is the door to Inventing Worlds and Characters: Animation. This had the Trash Tower maquette in a display case, maquette of Eve and Wall-E 3D model from the Pixar film, Wall-E (2008). On the opposte wall was drawings of the setting and characters. Along the left wall is the large set of Geppetto’s workshop from Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022).  

#AcademyMuseum, #Cyberpunk, #Casablanca, #DooleyWilson, #IngridBergman, #PaulHenreid, #MaxSteiner, #BoyzNTheHood, #JohnSingleton, #AcademyAwards, #NaomieHarris, #Rebecca, #AlfredHitchcock, #TheGodfather, #FrancisFordCoppola, #DianeKeaton, #AlPacino, #RobertDeNiro, #MarlonBrando, #GodfatherPartII, #TheOffer

#DickSmith, #NinoRota, #ComingToAmerica, #EddieMurphy, #Elvis, #AustinButler, #Titanic, #LeonardoDiCaprio, #KateWinslet, #Hollywoodland, #Tron, #DanShor, #StrangeDays, #ExMachina, #TheRunningMan, #WallE, #GuillermodelTorosPinocchio 

Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim Review!

A Lord of the Rings prequel told in anime form that introduces Héra, the daughter of Rohan ruler, Helm Hammerhand! The Two Towers (2002) focused on Rohan, the land of the horse lords, and Eowyn, daughter of Theoden. This film mines the appendix of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Return of the King (1955), specifically Appendix A, Part II, The House of Eorl. “To one of these councils Freca rode witrh many men, and he asked the hand of Helm’s daughter for his son Wulf.” This is similar to the approach of the Amazon Prime show, Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, taking material from the appendixes, in their case, from the Second Age. It is Helm’s daughter, but she is not given a name. 

Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim is directed by Kenji Kamiyama who directed and wrote the short, “The Ninth Jedi” (2021) for Star Wars: Visions. It has a story by Phillipa Boyens who also co-wrote the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films. The other story writers are Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews who created and wrote for the show, The Dark Crystal Age of Resistance (2019). Matthews and Addis co-wrote the screenplay that also includes Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou, who co-directed and co-wrote The Sorrows (2013).  The animation is by Sola Entertainment which also worked on the Blade Runner: Black Lotus series, directed by Kamiyama, that spun out of Blade Runner 2049 (2017). 

The movie is 2 hours, 14 minutes long! The last anime released was The Colors Within with a run time of 1 hr, 40 min. so 34 minutes. shorter! It really feels like a six episode OVA and should have been released with three episodes and the rest put on streaming. The film opens with the LoTR theme by Howard Shore who also provided the theme for Rings of Power. The music is by Stephen Gallagher who composed the music for The Sorrows. We see a Middle-Earth map meld into the animation of Rohan, interesting. Two of the Great Eagles flying over the White Mountains. One has brown feathers and the other is white, I assume the female of the pair. There is narration that is by Eowyn (Miranda Otto) who tells of Rohan 200 before the War of the Ring. Two other voices from LoTR are Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan! Eowyn adds that there are other tales that were forgotten. 

This moves to Héra (Gaia Wise) riding her horse. Wise starred in the bio pic, A Walk in the Woods (2015). Héra has red hair and rides in like Merida in Brave (2012). The character is interesting since there are few women protagonists in LoTR, but her character is wildly inconsistent. Warrior princess hacking down warriors left and right and then helpless at other times. She reaches the top of a cliff and the animation is strange the horse’s hooves look seperate from the rocks, no shadows, it looks odd. Héra takes out a large drumstick and then swings it in a throw that is caught by the white Great Eagle. The drumstick makes me think of the giant chicken, a prehistoric Phorusrhacos, from Mysterious Island (1961). She glides before Héra who reaches out to touch her beak, then flies away. Héra has an unusual way of riding with her hands at the side, not before the saddle, and she says she is the fastest rider. 

There is “The King of the Golden Hall” theme as Héra reaches Edoras, capital of Rohan, and rides to the stable. At the stable is her young brother, Hama (Yazdan Qafouri), playing a harp and singing “Hama’s Song.” Qafouri was in the thriller, I Came By (2022). At the other side are black horses with marks on their foreheads. These are the horses of the Dunlendings, this is the tribes that had later allied with Saraman to raid the villages of the Westmark. They are met by Olwyn (Lorraine Ashbourne), Héra’s guardian. Ashbourne had a cameo as a theatre actor in King Kong (2005). We find out later that Olwyn was a former shield maiden and it would have been interesting to see her train Héra. Instead, she has her charge dress for the meeting of the lords. Héra appears in a green dress with gold embroidery. 

At the Golden Hall, she also sees her older brother, Haleth (Benjamin Wainwright). Frederick Trenchard was played by Wainwright in the Victorian era drama, Belgravia: The Next Chapter. Héra also meets with her cousin, Fréaláf (Laurence Ubong Williams), who discusses with her about the shield maidens with their banner that still hangs in the hall. Williams starred in the horror film, Gateway (2021). He is the voice of reason who should be on Helm’s council. Lord Thorne (Jude Akuwudike) is also attending the meeting. Akuwudike was in The Little Mermaid (2023). Nervous about announcing the lords is the herald, Lief (Bilal Hasna), he takes part of the adventures, but doesn’t prove himself. Hasna was in the sci fi show, 3 Body Problem. 

King Helm (Brian Cox) enters the hall and takes his throne joined by Haleth, Hama, and Héra at this side. Cox is of course known for playing Logan Roy in Succession, but I think he was also memorable for his Agamemnon in Troy (2004). Perfectly cast, Helm, is a powerful, veteran warrior who becomes superhuman in strength. The hall’s doors open and the Dunlending Lord Freca (Shaun Dooley) enters with his son, Wulf (Luke Pasqualino). Dooley starred in the British sitcom, Changing Ends. Freca’s size is mocked by Helm something that was in the Return of the King appendix. Pasqualino starred as D’Artagnan in the British series, The Musketeers. Wulf is a dark prince with a scar on his left eye. Also with them is General Targg (Michael Wildman). The actor made a cameo as a centaur in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007). Targg is more of an advisor than a ruthless military leader. 

Freca mentions the rumor of a Gondorian princeling looking to marry Héra. Wulf kneels to propose to Héra, his childhood friend. Helm sees this as a ploy for Freca to take the throne and refuses the proposal. Freca is insulted, but Helm says that they cannot fight within the hall. Then, he mentions that they can take it outside. Fréaláf asks, “Is this wise uncle?”, but his caution is ignored. Everyone heads out to watch the fight while Wulf is left alone with Héra. Like Merida, she is not interested in marriage. In the courtyard, everyone has gathered around the two lords, and Freca taunts Helm saying, “Your daughter is no lady.” He starts to pummel Helm who ends up with a bloody lip. Helm then gives a roundhouse punch that gives him his nickname, One-Punch Man!, no, it’s Hammerhand. Wulf checks on his father. Helm tells Freca to get up and fight, but he has died! Wulf draws his sword and vows revenge. Helm takes him by the throat and Héra wants him spared. Instead, Helm banishes Wulf! 

It is seasons later, Héra walks to the outside of Edoras and thinks back to her childhood. In their youth, Héra (Bea Dooley) is dueling with Wulf (Elijah Tamati). They are using swords and Héra accidentally slices Wulf’s eye! Fréaláf, Olwyn, and Lief for some reason, are with Héra when they discover the corpse of a Haradrim, the people seen in Two Towers. A wounded and berserk Mumakil, the giant elephants ridden by the Haradrim, crashes through a forest. Fréaláf trying to attack it and Héra sounds her horn to get its attention. The out of the control beast is like the Boar God in Princess Mononoke (1997). Héra manages to escape it, but General Targg captures her by putting a bag on her head. She is suddenly helpless, doesn’t struggle with the soldiers holding her, this made me think of a blanket put over a bird to calm it. Later, there is a battle with Helm, a siege of Edoras, Héra orders a retreat to the Hornburg, later called Helm’s Deep. This is enough for one movie. Then, the Long Winter, which has some fantastic effects, and another long siege, Orcs, and surprises at the end. War of the Rohirrim is a lengthy anime with some impressive scenes and Héra struggling to save her people! 

Four Horns of Helm Hammerhand out of Five! 

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