Happy Birthday Dame Agatha Christie!

Happy Birthday Dame Agatha Christie!  The brilliant mystery writer of the adventures of Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple!  The first story of Poirot was in  The Mystery Affair of Styles (1920) and Christie wrote a total of thirty three novels featuring the detective!  The earliest Poirot film was Alibi (1931). In 1974, there as Sidney Lumet's adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express. Albert Finney played Poirot.  David Suchet played the character in Agatha Christie's Poirot that began in 1989 to 2013.  Kenneth Branagh then played Poirot and directed his adaptation in 2017.  The first story of Miss Marple, about 52 years before Angela Lansbury in "Murder, She Wrote, was The Thirteen Problems (1932).  

Miss Marple was adapted to television in "Miss Marple: The Body in the Library" (1984) and there was a long running series in Agatha Christie's Marple starting in 2004.  Christie is also known for her play writing, The Mousetrap, begun in 1954 and finished its run in 2018, 64 years!  She has the distinction of having the world's longest running play!  Christie also has the honor of the Guinnness World Record's best fiction writer of all time!  She was made Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1971.  Dame Agatha Christie died in 1976, Agatha Christie: An Autobiography was published posthumously, but her work continues to appear with Death on the Nile, directed by Branagh set to be released on October 23rd!  Happy Birthday Dame Agatha Christie!  

#AgathaChristie, #MurderontheOrientExpress, #DeathontheNile, #Miss Marple 

The Boys, “The Big Ride”, review!

The Boys season 2 has started streaming with an episode that is a jumble, but brings us up to speed at the end!  Season 1 offered an adult take on superheroes based on the comic book by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson.  If you need to catch up to season 2, you can click here: http://geektruth.blogspot.com/2020/08/catching-up-with-boys.html.  Spoilers for that season so we can get to season 2!  The Boys were captured, Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) went to take revenge on Homelanderm, and Hughie (Jack Quaid), the innocent man who joined them over the death of his girlfriend, dared to rescue The Boys.  Compound-V, the formula used to create superheroes, was discovered by The Boys to be planned by Vought to used on countless infants.  One of those children happens to be Starlight otherwise known as Annie January (Erin Moriarty), the new hero of The Seven, idealistic like Hughie, she becomes his girlfriend until she finds out the truth.  One of the best moments of the series is Annie confronting her stage mother, Donna (Ann Cusack) and stands up to her!  Butcher discovers that he can’t get help from Susan Raynor (Jennifer Esposito), deputy director of the CIA.  

It was also found that there is a super terrorist to force the government to give authorization for The Seven to act as a multi-national military group.  The aquatic hero, The Deep (Chace Crawford), was moved to Sandusky, Ohio for his actions.  Hughie has himself captured and is able to free Mother’s Milk (Laz Alonso) and Frenchie (Tomer Capon)!  Frenchie is wounded in the escape attempt, Mother’s Milk frees The Female, Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara), while Hughie provides covering fire!  They are all saved by Starlight, but face A-Train (Jessie T. Usher)!  Madelyn Stillwell (Elizabeth Shue) returns home and finds Billy Butcher who realizes she’s the only weakness of Homelander who has some bizarre reliance on her running The Seven.  We found just an episode before that she was being promoted by Stan Edgar (Giancarlo Esposito), the CEO of Vought International.  Then, we find Homelander (Anthony Starr), Butcher has explosives on Stillwell, but Butcher has the infant, Teddy.  This was in issue #19 of the comic book.  Homelander lasers Stillwell and then Butcher finds himself at the house of his missing wife, Becca (Shantel VanSanten) and her son, Ryan, (Parker Corno) whose eyes flare like his father!  The son of Superman is in the comics with Jonathan Kent, I imagine that Ryan could be the one to destroy his father!  This is all summed up at the beginning. 

The episode begins with construction repairs for The Seven’s headquarters, The Tower.  The lawyer, Doug Friedman (Bruce Novakowski), brings in lunch for the Vought executives and the military officials in The Seven’s room including CEO Stan Edgar and Secretary of Defense Robert Singer (Jim Beaver).  They are working out the chain of command during combat with The Seven and Edgar says the ultimate authority is himself.  This shifts to night at “Al’ Zabadani, Syria”, a compound has a woman killed with her blood filling a cup.  A violent contrast with the food handed out by Friedman.  Edgar wants a secret codename for Compound-V since he says “half the heroes” don’t know they have it.  Syrian gunmen are killed, including one whose face is torn apart by Black Noir (Nathan Mitchell).  The super terrorist, Naqib (Samer Salem) is working out a catch phrase when Black Noir confronts him.  He unleashes his explosive power, but Black Noir stands there healing the wounds.  Then, we find Naqib’s head carried by Black Noir to a child’s room, he plays with a toy bunny before leaving.  

Homelander is giving a speech about Black Noir’s mission to applause.  He notes that Transluscent’s funeral with of course an empty coffin.  Homelander places the blame on the super terrorist El Diablo.  Then, he relates a fake story to go after the super terrorists for Transluscent’s son, Maverick (Charles Altow). The pictures of Transluscent in clothes with invisible body parts is almost a parody.  After, we have Starlight singing “Never Truly Vanish”!   This goes from a television screen, to The Deep watching it at a bar in Sandusky.  He is upset when he sees that only his shoulder is shown in a group photo.  The bartender threatens to call TMZ if he doesn’t leave.  Outside of the church, a t-shirt hawker is trying to sell shirts “Out of Sight, Never Out of Mind”, silly.  The fans clap at the appearance of Homelander and Starlight, she is in her skimpy outfit.  They are interviewed by a reporter, Starlight says some fake words about Transluscent,  Watching the interview is Hughie and he pauses the report to hear hip hop music in the next room.  Meanwhile, we get Starlight taking off her uniform, wig, and make-up.  Hughie gets dressed and we see Annie visiting A-Train still in a coma.  

Meanwhile, we get Starlight taking off her uniform, wig, and make-up.  Hughie gets dressed and we see Annie visiting A-Train still in a coma after his Compound-V agitated heart attack.  Hughie walks past the other Boys, Mother’s Milk is removing a bullet from a new group member, Hughie nervously says he is going out for supplies.  He walks out of a store that had some comic books out to the street.  Annie tries to anonymous with hoodie and sunglasses and she sees the advertisement for the new movie, Citizen Starlight.   She ends up in a subway car sitting next to Hughie.  He is worried that Annie’s SIM card in her phone that could be used to track her.  Hughie gives Annie a prinout and she recognizes the Super from her Capes for Christ days.  At the subway stop, Hughie says he won’t sleep until she is safe, very nice, and we see the state of their relationship.  At a Splash Zone, we have The Deep angry at the kids.  He is put in jail, but bailed out by Eagle the Archer (Langston Kerman), a superhero like Green Arrow or Hawkeye.  The Boys except Kimiko are all profiled on the news.  There is also the return of Ashley (Colby Minife).  The new hero of The Seven is Stormfront (Aya Cash).  They have to find a way to safety and maybe help will eventually show up with Billy Butcher.  Hughie is faced with taking a leadership role, but he is busy trying to contact Starlight about a mission on a Supe.  The episode has the blood splattering violence, but is a confusing start from last season!    

Three Compound-Vs out of Five!  

#TheBoys, #TheBigRide, #ColbyMinife, #AyaCash  

A VR Princess Bride Reunion Review!

The VR Princess Bride Reunion was streamed tonight.  Patton Oswalt introduces the production and says it was “the suburban Mall Rats of Monty Python surrealism.”  Ben Wickler, the representative, noted that Cary Elwes is the producer, actor, and ringleader for the actors.  Oswalt then introduced Jason Reitman who is reading stage directions.  Reitman is currently directing Ghostbusters Afterlife.  He brought on Rob Reiner, the director of Princess Bride, now voicing the Grandfather.  Reitman joked that he was about to have Oswalt play the Man in Black, Oswalt joked no one would want Bilbo Baggins to play Aragorn.  The mother is played by Whoopi Goldberg, some technical problems, and the Grandson is voiced by Finn Wolfhard from Stranger Things.  Reiner greets his grandson.  The older and still beautiful Robin Wright starts with her dialogue with Wesley, the always dashing Cary Elwes.  Wright’s accent is even better than the movie.  

This of course shifts to Prince Humperdinck played with perfection by Chris Sarandon.  His grey hair and beard makes him look like a distinguished noble.  The prince introduces Buttercup.  Then, we get the trio; I started laughing at Wallace Shawn as Vizini, there was Fezzick, now played by Josh Gad, and Mandy Patinkin, slightly older, but still swashbuckling as Inigo Montoya.  The audio was not working for Gad so there wasn’t any dialogue for Fezzick, gasp!  Patinkin added, “You have a gift for rhyme my friend even though I can’t hear you.”  Gad’s audio is restored with “I only dog paddle.”  I love the missing dialogue between Inigo and Fezzick’s rhyme game before the Cliffs of Insanity climb.  I like the defense of Inigo for Fezzick on the climb and the additional dialogue for the film.  A little mumbled audio and loss of video for Elwes for a bit with his Inigo conversation.  Patinkin holds up the sword prop from the movie!  I like Elwes smiling at Patinkin standing up in a sword stance.  I really like Elwes putting on a mask during the Fezzick fight and saying “they’re terribly comfortable”, very funny.  

Elwes had a glass in the Vizini contest, but Shawn mimics an invisible goblet.  Shawn’s laugh before his death is still hilarious. Then, we get Humperdinck tracking our heroes with Christopher Guest as Count Rugen, and there was some audio problems with Guest.  The description of the Fire Swamp as “an international convention for insects” is funny.  The audio was out for Sean Ross as The Albino, but Elwes took over the lost dialogue.  Whoopi Goldberg boos as the Ancient Woman at Buttercup’s ceremony, she should have been in the movie.  The captain of the castle guard, Yellin, is played by Wolfhard told by Humperdinck to empty the Thieves’ Forest.  The Brute Squad has Yellin, another guard played by Oswalt, we have Patinkin, and of course Gad.  I love these cast members together.  Patinkin mimiced getting dunked by Fezzick, Reitman laughed at this gesture that Patinkin kept going.  Inigo saying who he as been with Patinkin holding the sword is awesome!  I like Wolfhard’s outrage at Wesley’s death.  Buttercup’s hope for Wesley at her room is something that is so needed. 

Then, we get Billy Crystal in cap as Miracle Max (his costume from the film), too funny!, and Carol Kane as his wife Valerie are perfect!  We need more Billy Crystal!  Crystal adding “the Hex Appendix” made Gad laugh.  Patinkin says, “I’m no clergyman” and there is some video of characters until he finally goes to Eric Idle as the Clergyman!  Eric Idle from Python!  He should have been the Clergyman!  This is a Dream Cast except of course we need Andre the Giant.  Some of Sarandon and Idle’s dialogue had technical problems.  The video shifted to Wright and Wolfhard before it moves to Reitman.  Some problems with Elwes’ dialogue with his Buttercup reunion.  Patinkin goes full anger with his last duel with Rugen.  Some of Reitman’s description was lost in the Wesley and Humperdink duel.  Another great description with “Buttercup floating in the air.”  We lost the final description by Reitman.  Oswalt noted that Wolfhard filled in for Yellin.  Elwes put the reunion together and had agreement from all of the cast starting with Reiner.  

Reiner noted that they had a Princess Bride reading with his father before he passed, Carl Reiner, reading the Grandfather and he played the Grandson.  Oswalt then goes to Norman Lear!, he said that “the script just knocked me out.”  Reiner noted that Lear helped with Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, and Princess Bride.  Reiner told the story of how William Goldman gave the movie to his father to make the movie and then his father gave to him at 20.  Lear said of director's cuts and sequels, “This is the director’s cut.” Reiner brought up a musical of the movie.  Wright brought up that she overheard that Reiner said, “We have our Buttercup” which surprised the director.  Sean Ross’ audio finally worked and talked about the visibility of albinism in the movies.  Oswalt had a question about which one was the fake finger in the glove and Guest joked that there was no fake finger which got laughs.  Oswalt asked what Miracle Max did to get fired and Crystal joked “he wrote a book.”  Shawn said of Vizzini, “I don’t find him that lovable.”  Elwes talked about sword coordinators, Bob Anderson and Peter Diamond, “They were the fastest people with a weapon.”  Reiner said that every single frame of the fencing was done by Patinkin and Elwes.  Patinkin said of Gad’s performance for Fezzick, “He’s smiling up there.” A VR Princess Bride Reunion was a magical night of old friends, telling a memorable story with laughs and action, with some technical problems, but unforgettable all the same.       

Five Masks out of Five! 

#VRPrincessBrideReunion, #PattonOswalt, #RobReiner, #CaryElwes, #RobinWright, #JasonReitman, #FinnWolfhard, #MandyPatinkin, #WallaceShawn, #JoshGad, #ChrisSarandon, #ChristopherGuest, #BillyCrystal, #CarolKane 

 

Creative Coalition Presents the Superman Radio Show Review!

At DC FanDome, yesterday, was the world premiere of the Creative Coalition production of the original Superman radio program!  It was located in the WatchVerse section of the FanDome.  Note that the radio show established many of the concepts that were integrated into the comic books and character!  I heard the original and it was thrilling!  This is from the destruction of Krypton with Giancarlo Esposito as Jor-El!  It features old time foley effects not a digital sound board.  There is the Fleischer Superman animation and some comic book panels, unfortunately, not the classic Joe Shuster or Curt Swan illustrations!  

It is unusual to see the actors on Zoom reacting, radio is imagining reactions, the acting is like pure voice acting. The foley artist, Rene Ruiz, of course does sound effects by himself, usually it's several members using equipment. The commercial breaks for the Creative Coalition are fun. The best part is the actors describe everything as part of the story. Then, we have Terry Crews as narrator, ha! Sean Giambrone as Jimmy Olsen, perfect casting! Also Henry Winkler as the professor. Um, Tim Daly (from the animated series) voices Superman! Alfre Woodward as Perry White, Alfre Woodward! They have to face the villainy of The Wolf, Tony Shaloub, who plans to sabotage the trains! This is a treat! The actors have fun with their parts.

Episode 3 has Jason Alexander as the narrator. Wilson Cruz from Rent and Star Trek: Discovery as Superman/Clark Kent! Superman faces the sabotage of the train, the Silver Clipper. Episode 4 features CCH Pounder as the narrator. Now the incredibly evil of The Wolf is voiced by Jason Isaacs, voicing the Inquisitor from Star Wars: Rebels, also from Star Trek: Discovery! His henchman, Keno, now voiced by Anthony Rapp, from Rent and also Star Trek: Discovery! Episode 5 has Anthony Carrigan as the Superintendent, I sense a Barry connection with Henry Winkler, plus Daniel Dae Kim as Superman, yes! Superman has to defeat Keno and The Wolf! Great work, Creative Coalition, you can check them out at: https://thecreativecoalition.org/ This has some great voice acting, some great fun, and the classic adventure of Superman!

#SupermanRadioShow, #CreativeCoalition, #DCFanDome, #GiancarloEsposito, #TimDaly, #TerryCrews, #SeanGiambrone, #HenryWinkler, #AlfreWoodward, #TonyShaloub, #WilsonCruz, #CCHPounder, #JasonIsaacs, #AnthonyRapp, #DanielDaeKim 

Superman: An Enduring Symbol of Hope Panel!

One of the panels in today's DC FanDome, in the Watchverse section, was Superman: An Enduring Symbol of Hope. This featured comic book writers starting with host Brian Michael Bendis. He was well known for his Marvel Comics work, with the Ultimate Spider-Man, creating Alias, and also defining the Avengers first with Avengers: Disassembled. Bendis moved to DC with Action Comics #1000 (2018), and begun his run on The Man of Steel limited series. The post-Crisis universe was re-ignited with John Byrne’s Man of Steel series. Interestingly, there were several panels from Byrne’s run on Superman so he should have been a guest. There is also Dan Jurgens who is well known for his Superman work. Relatively new is Gene Luen Yang, he is one of the best graphic novelists with his American Born Chinese (2006) and writing Superman starting with issue #41 (2015) with the “Before the Truth” storyline.

The subject of the panel is understanding the character and appeal of Superman. He is of course one of the first superheroes with Action Comics #1 (1938). There is a radio show, films, animated series, and television series that cover the character. Superman’s long lasting publishing history is sometimes confused as the “Big blue boy scout” mentioned by Jurgens. My understanding of the character is that he is really ordinary Clark Kent who just happens to be Superman. We can see the overpowered Superman in the DCEU is misunderstood by the filmmakers, but it really needs to be from the very human character that centers Superman. Every character is reflective of their times.  The term “hero” is really someone reflective of who we want to be, possessing admirable qualities, and the best hero is fictional. Real life heroes are capable of very human flaws and thus disappointment. Yang noted that Superman is about hope and added “We need what Superman represents more than ever.” 

Dan Jurgens mentioned one of the inspirational Superman stories was written by Elliot S. Maggin.  This story is “Must There Be A Superman?” in Superman #247 (1972). Jurgens says about Superman in the comic book, “he lets man make his own decisions and he serves as an inspirational character by doing that so he’s sort of a guiding light without controlling things.” This gets to the heart of the character. Superman is inspirational, he doesn’t defeat every supervillain or stop every crime and disaster, he shows the way so others like first responders and you can help in whatever way you are capable. I find this in stark contrast to Batman who is the one man vigilante working on his own apart from the police. The appeal there is the loss of hope in authorities and fighting for your own justice. This is of course a dangerous path for ordinary people.  

Bendis asked Jurgens about his Death of Superman work. Jurgens said about the creative team, “What we really wanted to do was address Superman’s importance by removing him from the books.” He found that the long queues at the comic stores, fan reaction, and media attention were all shocked by the loss in the real world. This was a phenomenon even though “deaths” of even main title superheroes is relative. Superman #75 (1993) had a black cover with the bloody Superman symbol, it was polybagged with a black memorial armband, a Daily Planet obituary, postage stamps, and poster. This was the time of variant covers and promotions, but this one issue was very special. It made everyone reflective of the loss of a hero in real life. The story was adapted in the Superman: Doomsday (2007) animated movie.  

The shocking part was the four persons who replaced Superman after his funeral. The one hero most symbolic of Superman was Steel, John Henry Irons, an ordinary man who fashions armor, jet boots, and wields a kinetic hammer to take inspiration from his fallen hero. Let’s not mention the 1997 Shaquille O’Neal movie which made Steel into a hero defending the streets (I kinda like it). Yang worked on the story that gave Superman a “solar flare” power that rendered him human. He said about the story, “There is a core of Superman that will never change.” This is why Superman doesn’t become dated. There are always new avenues to explore with the character even eighty-two years old. His roots are Kal-El, Kryptonian, unique in the universe even though there is Supergirl and other Kryptonians.  

It is the sci fi background of a dying planet and being sent from there by his scientist parents that gives him the powers. The Superman powers went from leaping far distances like John Carter of Mars to flying and then a catalog of other abilities. I recommend the book, The Science of Superman (2002) by Mark Wolverton who shows how a being with all of the comic book powers (using the John Byrne-era Superman) can be scientifically possible! One of my favorite issues of Superman is Adventures of Superman #505 (1993) when he returns. Superman detects people who have survived the destruction, rushes to save them, and the mother wearily says “Knew you’d save us, wouldn’t let us die.”  Superman replies, “I’d rather die myself.” The statement wraps up everything about Superman, his selflessness, and sacrifice. When you help any one even in the smallest ways, by helping with a flat tire or saying just the right words to cheer someone up, you are Superman! You don’t even need a cape. 

#SupermanAnEnduringSymbolofHope, #DCFanDome, #BrianMichaelBendis, #DanJurgens, #GeneLuenYang 

Mulan Review!

The live action Mulan offers some spectacular visuals, but is weak character and story!  Mulan has moved from a theatrical release to streaming on Disney+.  Of course, there is the 1998 animated film which I like, but had some criticism from the Chinese audiences for its cultural faults.  It had a number of screenwriters; Rita Hsiao, Chris Sanders, Philip Lazebnik, Raymond Singer, and Eugenia Bostwick-Singer.  I saw the Chinese produced Mulan: Rise of a Warrior (2009), co-directed by Jingle Ma, and starring Wei Zhao.  I was interested in a film that hedged closer in historical accuracy, but the movie was just slow paced even in the fighting scenes!  This film is directed by Niki Caro, I liked her dramatic movie based on a true story, The Zookeeper’s Wife (2017).  

The screenplay features a number of writers, Rick Jaffa, who co-wrote the Jurassic World (2015) screenplay, along with Amanda Silver who also worked with him on Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), also Elizabeth Martin and Lauren Hynek, they both worked on the tv movie, Christmas Perfection (2018). The story began with the Ballad of Mulan written in the 6th century.  It starts with a studio logo that has Chinese rice fields and the castle from Shanghai Disneyland.  There is a charm to Jerry Goldsmith’s music that has some of the Chinese sounds and instruments, but it also has an epic sweep.  This is missing in the score by Harry Gregson-Williams which is too subtle.  He has previously worked on The Zookeeper’s Wife with director Caro.  

What is stunning is the cinematography by Mandy Walker and she was also the cinematographer of Hidden Figures (2016).  There is shadowy hills with a setting sun as we get the narration of Zhou (Tzi Ma) speaking about the story of Mulan, his daughter, to his ancestors.  Ma is a brilliant actor.  He was Haiyan in The Farewell (2019).  This moves to the young Mulan (Crystal Rao) practicing with a staff.  Zhou says she is strong in chi, “the boundless energy”, in martial arts movies this is allows the fighter to be capable of gravity-defying feats.  This resoles to two circular buildings, tulou, that house many people in mountainous, rural areas found in southern China, though Mulan was traditionally in the north.  We peek into the open roof of a tulou with two upper stories for housing and the lower floor for food and a gathering place.  The historical accuracy in the film offers some interesting visuals and development for the story.   

Mulan tries to guide a chicken into the pen held by her father.  The chicken escapes, Mulan chases after it causing chaos in the tulou, and she leaps off a phoenix statue breaking its wing.  Mulan’s mother, Li (Rosalind Chao) tells her worry to her other daughter Xiu (Elena Askin).  Chao is recognizable from The Joy Luck Club (1993).  The chicken flies up to the roof so Mulan climbs up to it.  The chicken flies down to the coop and then Mulan slips, she slides down like Daredevil and poses with her staff.  The staff training, we get that her father helped with her skills, and this scene show that Mulan is a superhero from an early age, but this takes away from her character arc.  This act has the disapproval of the villagers and turns into disappointment for Zhou.  At night, Xiu asks Mulan if she was scared, her sister teases her by bringing up her fear of spiders.  They overhear the conversation of their parents, Li is adjusting the leg brace for her husband, and worries over Mulan being called a witch.  Zhou finds Mulan trying to attach the wing to the statue.  

He wants Mulan to hide her gift and bring honor to her family.  This shifts to a desert on “The Silk Road, Northwest China”, a merchant leading a camel caravan sees the shimmering image of a woman.  This resolves to a strange woman, Xianiang (Gong Li), the actress known for Memoirs of a Geisha (2005).  Her shadow merges with the merchant and he enters a city.  She has falcon claws in her human form.  The witch is a Western idea.  Later in the film, Xianiang turns into a cloud of birds that attacks the army, but this is an overused and unconvincing effect.  Out in the road, a dark rider splits into an invading force, the castle guards identify them as Rourans.  These are the more historically accurate warriors than the Huns in the 1998 movie. The black hood of their leader is torn off by the wind revealing Böri Khan (Jason Scott Lee).  I recognize Lee from Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993) and he was Mowgli in the live action The Jungle Book (1994).  An arrow is loosed at Bori Khan, he catches it, nearly impossible to even see the arrow at those speeds!  By the way, several times in the movie is the inaccurate term “fire”, there is no chemical reaction in bow and arrows.  

He looses an arrow back that serves as a signal for Xianiang to transform back and hurl weapons at the castle guards.  The film is incredibly violent, but this is bloodless violence, not for younger viewers.  The Rourans run up the castle walls, which might be ok for Böri Khan as the leader, but if every one of the villains has magical powers it becomes absurd.  The musical score sounds like it is out of Gregson-Williams’ Prince of Persia: The Sand of Time (2010) music.  Xianiang singles out a castle guard and we get the tilting of the camera as she possesses him.  This shifts to the "Imperial City, Central China", with some beautiful city scenes.  On the golden throne is the Emperor played by Jet Li.  He has been in countless martial arts films including The Forbidden Kingdom (2008) where he played the monk.  The Emperor is informed by The Chancellor (Nelson Lee) that Bori Khan has united the tribes and the Emperor had defeated his father. The Emperor as a capable warrior lessens the threat of Bori Khan.  The Chancellor is the role that was played by James Hong, Chi-Fu, in the animated movie.  The soldier tells the emperor about the witch and his response is to raise an army.  

The soldier shapeshifts back into Xianiang and then into a falcon.  The falcon was the vicious companion of the villain in the animated movie.  In the Khan’s tent, she explains the Emperor’s plans and Böri Khan says that the witch wants a place where she is not exiled. Then, we get Mulan now played by Yifei Liu riding her horse, Black Wind, in a field.  Liu was also in The Forbidden Kingdom.  She tells about her ride to her family including her sister (Xana Tang), now grown up.  Li tells Mulan that a match has been made for her.  Mulan is dressed in an uncomfortable purple robe and make-up to be taken to the Matchmaker (Pei-Pei Cheng).  The costumes are elaborate and stunning, kudos to Bina Daigeler who also worked with Caro on The Zookeeper's Wife.  I think when Mulan is revealed with her red robes that is the point when the film begins.  Mulan pours tea for her and sees a spider crawl by her terrified sister.  So she places a teapot over it.  This causes more chaos when Xiu screams at the spider.  Then, they get the announcement from The Chancellor that one man from every family must enlist in the army.  Zhou collapses, but gets the conscription scroll. 

At night, Mulan takes out her father’s sword and sees on the blade, “Loyal Brave and True.”  She takes his armor, sword, and conscription scroll and leaves her magnolia comb.  Zhou prays to the ancestors to watch over Mulan with their ancestral guardian, the phoenix, which we see as Mulan crosses snowy and mountainous terrain.  Finally, in a canyon, the phoenix that looks like a kite with trailing tail feathers leads her to the military camp. The phoenix is good if you need to take a selfie.  In the enlistment line, a shy Cricket (Jun Yu) introduces himself, he seems to be a replacement for the animated cricket, Cri-Kee.  Cricket is bullied and Mulan gets thrown down.  Chen Honghui (Yoson An) offers to help her up.  An is in the historical drama mini-series The Luminaries.  It seems a fellow soldier having a sort of romance with Mulan is more appropriate than a commander like Captain Shang.  Mulan is offended so they draw swords to each other.  This is broken up by Commander Tung (Donnie Yen).  He is of course well known for martial arts movies like Ip Man 4: The Finale (2019) and also playing Chirrut Imwe in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016).  Mulan says her name is Hua Jun.  

She meets with other soldiers; Ling (Jimmy Wong), Chien-Po (Doua Moua), Yao (Chen Tang), but they are loosely identified so it was difficult to recognize them as the trio that bullies and then befriends Mulan in the 1998 movie.  This brings up the songs.  I get that they may be out of place if characters burst into song.  I think it would be better if there was a singer in the village that touches Mulan with “Reflection.”  Also, a marching song with the soldiers sounding off as they go through their drills.  Instead, it is the worst variation, putting words of the songs into dialogue, “I’ll make a man out of you”, ugh.  What was the function of Mushu was to remind Mulan of her family and especially her father, the obligation that she has to them.  The dragon is mostly comedic, but probably disrespectful to the culture.  The phoenix really has no function in this movie, but to fly around.  I think the phoenix could speak psychically to her, not “talk” to her, or speak in dreams.  

Mulan’s reflection could speak to her or she could see her young self in a dream.  What is really lost is the connection to the father throughout the film except the narration.  He is lost about mid-way into the movie.  There could be memories of him that speaks to her as Mulan struggles.  The movie shifts to her training as a soldier, but of course she is simply better than the others.  In the animated film, we had Mulan failing in the training, until she is able to think her way through obstacles.  She doesn’t go the path of strength, but using her mind, which we don’t see in this story.  This Mulan is already a warrior, it reminds me of Captain Marvel (2019), she’s powerful so there is nothing stopping her except the plot.  The same here, it really is confidence that unleashes her woman warrior.  Her cleverness is abandoned in the live action movie except one scene.  The film is around thirty dollars with Premier Access on Disney+.  I would recommend waiting until it streams for free if you are interested in it.  Mulan is beautiful visually, but needs stronger character development and story!     

Three Conscription Scrolls out of Five!

#Mulan, #NikiCaro, #YifeiLiu, #GongLi, #YosonAn, #DonnieYen, #JasonScottLee 

Re-Imagining Tomorrowland!

Tomorrowland is a jumble of the past and strange, confusing concepts.  As a cast member, I was working when they had small gardens of tomatoes and other vegetables and guests were eating them to the dismay of maintenance!  The Rocket Rods destroyed the People Mover and of course we no longer have the Skyway in any of the parks.  They do have the Skyliner at Walt Disney World which transports guest to parks and resorts.  Disneyland has strange rocks at the entrance of the land, unusual theming, the future will have rocks?  Then, they moved the Rocket Jets to the front, which is a let down from the elevator like a gantry at NASA leading up to the attraction.  Disney land design has a centerpiece, a “weenie”, Sleeping Beauty’s Castle at Disneyland, there is the EPCOT ball at WDW, but rocks and a ride up front that snares foot traffic?  There’s a weird antenna to replace Rocket Jets, who came up with that idea?  This part of Disneyland is tired, outdated, and confusing.  

                           Tomorrowland entrance, 2015, photo by the author. 

What is the future?  Let’s look at the film, Tomorrowland (2015), it isn’t about a place, the movie is about an ideal.  I think Disneyland needs a Tomorrowland.  The other standout park theming for a land is Discoveryland for Disneyland Paris which is steampunk themed!  What is needed is to bring some of the concepts from the Tomorrowland movie, the stunning part of the film (if you have seen it) is the wheat fields that open up to the majesty of the spires of Tomorrowland.  I would have those tall stalks of wheat surrounding the entrance, maybe thin wires to stop guests from touching or trying to walk in them, possibly it is Imagineered wheat stalks.  In the distance which is at the end of the park is the spires, which may be constructed around the railroad track. So what would be the discontinued attractions and areas?  I like many of these rides, but I think Star Tours should close, remember that it is also at Disney's Hollywood Studios, just like Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.  Which also brings Star Wars Launch Bay, I love it, but if there is a large attraction like Tron, there will need to be space to place it.  Tomorrowland should have a single theme not different IPs.   

I would also bring back in the Mary Blair murals, "The Spirit of Creative Energies Among Children", that were alongside both sides and taken down for standard spacey murals.  I would keep Astro Blasters, it is a fun ride, perfect for kids which is needed for Tomorrowland.  There is a sequence in Tomorrowland where Casey Newton (Britt Robertson) walks through the city, just stunned by teenagers in jetpacks.  The Bell Rocket Belt was shown at Disneyland in 1966 and they have a Jet Packs ride (like Rocket Jets) at Shanghai Disneyland.  It should be individual harnesses connected together on an arm that moves you like Rocket Jets if this is ported to Disneyland.  The point is that the area should be vibrant, figures in jet packs fly through a tube or section apart from guests, rockets take off, similar to the sounds you hear at Galaxy’s Edge.  In the movie, there are circular structures of gardens, trains hover in the air, Monorail!, and Casey Newton sees a woman working on a digital computer screen (no physical object).  At the Tesla Station, there is the Levitating Elevated Vehicle, the train.  I would like to see the Monorail re-themed like the LEV and the track should be kept intact.    

                   Display props from the Remember the Future movie exhibit, 2015, photo by the author. 

Casey travels on it seeing swimming pools in the air, hover vehicles, and finally rockets landing right out of SpaceX’s Falcon 9!  For me, rocket launches are exciting, not as ordinary as the space shuttle launches.  The goal of course is to return to the Moon and establish a place to live on Mars! Of course, this could be a port of Mission Space or something like it at Tomorrowland.  So this would occupy the Star Tours building.  In the movie, Casey passes a cart of exotic metals observed by scientists.  There is like Beaker and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew with the Muppet Mobile Lab at EPCOT, how about something also mobile, but showing science experiments (which of course you can buy at the gift shop).  Possibly, there are screens to show the latest space launch, and video of the International Space Station.  This would not be a simple adaptation of the film to the park, but bringing the energy and the wow of the sequence.

It should be interactive, this is the next gen of theme parks, play areas where there also could be learning.  There was Innoventions at Disneyland and ImageWorks at EPCOT, but there is not a strong theme in them.  Hall of Invention would feature some inventors; Archimedes, Leonardo da Vinci, Nikola Tesla (the Tesla Coil is fun to see), Hedy Lamarr (her frequency-hopping system), Katherine Johnson (her calculations that made the space program work! plus Hidden Figures is currently streaming on Disney+), and Heidi Cullen (displays of the environment and her contribution to climate science).  I would put the scene in Tomorrowland where teachers are trying to drone on about the despair and Casey says, "Can we fix it?"  Also, the end scene where Casey says, "Dreamers.  We are looking for dreamers."  Frank Walker adds, "Find the ones who haven't given up.  They are the future."  Sell those Tomorrowland pins!  They were sold for years after the movie, a symbol of hope for the future, the whole point of the film!  There could also be fictional inventions like those seen at Journey Into Imagination With Figment at EPCOT.  I've seen the interaction at the California Science Center.  Informative and interactive exhibits.  Maybe this could work hand in hand with the STEM program, the displays could be like Spaceship Earth at EPCOT with audio-animatronic figures.  

           Inventions at Journey Into Imagination With Figment, 2010, photo by the author.            

Speaking of which, there should be an area on the opposite side for robots, maybe called Audio-Animatronics.  Robotics are now part of school programs, its hands on, and gets young people interested in engineering and science.  I haven't been to Droid Depot at Galaxy's Edge, but I think this should be getting into the science and how robots work.  It can be tied to Audio-Animatronics with looks at some of the park robots so kids can be inspired to build the next robots.  Build-A-Bear, it should be Build a Robot, also with robots for sale.  This can be tied to WALL-E (2008) and maybe he can host the area.  Central to the park is the People Mover, it really says to me Tomorrowland, seeing it pass overhead.  A new track can be laid down, it was shaky in places, I think the old track is worn down by Rocket Rods.  It is important because it is the one ride where you can just sit, look around the park, and relax in the open air.  I think that Space Mountain should be intact, it is part of the Tomorrowland film, and it is just great with the Hyperspace Mountain upgrade.  I’m not certain about Submarine Voyage, it takes up space and is high maintenance.  It may be replaced by Tron Lightcycle Power Run, but if a modified Mission Space is brought over, then with Space Mountain there will be enough thrill rides.  

If the submarines are replaced, I would make the lagoon into a half-circle, add some waterfalls like what was at Disneyland Hotel, and put the Nautilus from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954), or part of it.  There is a walk through attraction, Les Mystères du Nautilus, at Disneyland Paris and of course displays from the film lasted for eleven years!  If Tron Lightcycle Power Run is built in Tomorrowland, most likely it will need the lagoon and Autopia area.  The latter could be upgraded to be kept as an opening day attraction, but it should be EVs with autonomous driving feature so no bumps.  Lastly, the food, pizza is not the food of the future, neither should there be standard fast food.  Look at Avatar Land at Animal Kingdom or Galaxy’s Edge.  Tomorrowland should have healthy, fresh items possibly in a new restaurant area apart from Alien Pizza Planet and Tomorrowland Terrace.  Empanadas, bao buns, and falafels (dang!, I’m getting hungry writing this part up).  I think Disney has Impossible Foods at parks, under contract, but I don’t think genetically modified food is the future.  There should be sensible, vegan food offerings.  The point is to be innovative, timeless, and hopeful.  Oh yeah, and I would like George Clooney, Britt Robertson, Raffey Cassidy, Hugh Laurie, Keegan-Michal Key (he hosts Brain Games which can also be brought to Tomorrowland!), and director Brad Bird (if they are available) to attend the opening of the new Tomorrowland!  

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