Adventure

Ready Player One (2018)

Published

5 years ago

July 20, 2018

James Halliday saw the future.
And then he built it.
He gave us a place to go.A place called … THE OASIS.

Recently I got a Playstation VR set for my birthday and since then I’ve spent a lot of hours in different virtual worlds. So I understand very well that in films such as “Ready Player One” the population spends more time in this artificial environment than in the actual world. As one already suggested at the beginning, this virtual fantasy world is so alluring because there’s so much to experience. But also because you can be so much. Just like in “2047: Virtual Revolution“, it seems as if all of humanity has lost its contact with reality and is wasting their entire fortune on digital upgrades and gadgets and walk around their entire free time with such futuristic-looking VR glasses. Unfortunately, the moral is the same as in this last film. Namely, that one has to cut the virtual bonds and live back in reality. Perhaps there’s an element of truth here. In today’s society, the art of communicating and socializing is going to waste because we do this only in a digital way.

Lets find the Easter egg …

The story itself was a bit straightforward and simple. The day one of the designers (James Halliday) of the virtual playground OASIS drew his last breath (in reality), he reveals that he has hidden a so-called “Easter egg” in OASIS. Who finds it wins a mega top prize that gives the honest finder total control over OASIS and inherits Halliday’s fortune. We, of course, get a race between two camps. On the one hand, young Wade (Tye “Joe” Sheridan) who, along with some of his online friends, eagerly starts looking for the hidden keys. Not only for the fame and fortune but also to get back at IOI (Innovative Online Industries). This company wants to win the main prize at any cost so it becomes the largest company in the world. So, Wade gets the CEO Nolan Sorrento (Ben “Mississippi Grind” Mendelsohn) as a formidable opponent whose inexhaustible source of income gives him an advantage. Needless to say who will finally get the virtual short stick.

The number of references to the 80’s? I lost count ….

No, the story itself is not really epic. The images and the overall atmosphere, however, are. The first assignment with the extremely difficult road race packed with obstacles was something to drool over. The fact that a T-Rex and a frantic King Kong appeared in it, was perhaps slightly exaggerated. But for the rest, this part did look exquisitely and flashy. I would also like to participate in that race. Ditto for the Doom location. To experience a death match on that planet, must also be extremely energetic and exciting. But mainly “Ready player one” is a huge wink and nostalgic look back on the 80s. And this in all sorts of areas. The music, the film and the game world from this era, are extensively praised. So the whole film is stuffed with references to it. The DeLorean from “Back to the future“. A floating dance floor with the soundtrack of the Bee Gees. The Atari games and a t-shirt from Joy Division. And a multitude of famous characters who come to act as an avatar in the VR world. You can be sure that every scene contains a reference. It’s as if Steven Spielberg not only sends the heroes in search of the Easter Egg but also assigns the audience the same task. Find as many hidden references as possible.

It’s one, big, vivid video game.

If you are an avid gamer, you’ll be thrilled about this film, since most of it is purely a graphic spectacle. The opening scene where the world of OASIS is presented in is a breathtaking and impressive spectacle. For others, it may be a bit too much. It’s as if you’re at a friend’s house looking at the tube, while he’s playing a super fantastic game. A little frustrating. But, I’ve amused myself with this movie. Apart from a few issues (I don’t understand how Wade could get his installation working in the back of a van in the middle of a junkyard), for me, this film was really quite wonderful. And it was pretty self-explanatory that the girl behind the avatar Art3mis (Olivia “Me and Earl and the dying girl” Cooke) also be a natural beauty in RL. I’m not really a big fan of Steven Spielberg and think some of his films really weak, but here he succeeds again in making my film heart beat faster. And not only because I’m actually a bit hooked to the VR phenomenon (even though it doesn’t yet have the sharpness as shown here). “Ready Player One” is a bit like “The Goonies” meets “Tron“. But with more technological wizardry and a different kind of treasure as a reward.

My rating 8/10
Links: IMDB

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Adventure

Why ‘Return to Oz’ is one of my favorite films now

Published

1 month ago

February 19, 2023

Richard Schertzer

I have said it once and I’ll say it again. Nothing could match the sheer brilliance of the 1939 Judy Garland-led film The Wizard of Oz, but there is another film that was flown under the radar that was forgotten by many Oz fans after its release. That film was Return to Oz.

The movie is the unofficial sequel to the 1939 classic film. It follows a young Dorothy Gale six months after she came back from the Land of Oz. She is sent a key by the scarecrow via a shooting star and gets back to the magical land of Oz using a raft on a floating river. She is accompanied by a talking chicken, a metalhead named Tik-Tok, a Gump and Jack Pumpkinhead.

The gang battles the evil Princess Mombi and her boss the Nome King. They must find the Scarecrow and unfreeze all of the inhabitants of the Emerald City.

The film bombed at the box-office and only received mixed reviews, but, over the years, it has gained popularity, thanks to the internet and other Oz fans.

As a child, I have always been fascinated with the idea of a person or a group of people traveling to a distant and fantastical land of wonder and amazement. That’s why I love movies like Alice In Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz and The Chronicles of Narnia but this Walter Murch film from 1985 seems to capture my attention whenever I’m on Disney+ trying to kill some time.

The story is so simple that it takes the journey of the hero and breathes new life into the marvelous land of Oz and the films that inspired it. It has a certain kinship to the nostalgic movies that I previously watched as a child in the 2000s.

Another reason that I love this film so much is because of the magnificent score by David Shire. His music is so beautifully crafted that it makes one weak in the knees and the heart. Each note is a transformative thrill into Murch’s vision of what L. Frank Baum’s Oz was. The film uses every single strand of filmmaking techniques that the 1939 film originally hosted.

Since its release, it has been acclaimed as a cult classic and its nostalgic charm is what makes it so likable and watchworthy.

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Action

Five Reasons To Love ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’

Published

2 months ago

January 22, 2023

Richard Schertzer

Back in 2014, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 opened into theaters with a mixed reception from critics and audiences and has been deemed as the least desirable of the Spidey movies. In the film, Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) must face off against another villain who has been given the name Electro. Moreover, our brave hero uncovers some bizarre mysteries surrounding his parents.

Many fans of the series view the film as an overcrowded mess, but I think it might be the most entertaining of all the Spidey films, until No Way Home arrived, and here are five reasons why that remains true.

Andrew Garfield

First and foremost, Garfield is always a delight to have in the Spidey outfit. His charisma and witty banter is almost what makes the film truly great. I have always said that he was the best Spider-Man and this movie proves it with his ability to elevate any scene from dull slog to a comedic venture.

Spidey, in this particular movie, embodies the hero in the original comics with his incessant need to make a fast-talking quip to one of his enemies. There is nothing better than a comic-book character sticking true to his essence and spirit of its source material.

Electro

Despite what many people say about the villains, Jamie Foxx as the supercharged baddie Electro proves to be a formidable opponent for the web-head, with his omnipotent powers and overly-powered nature. More than that, Max Dillon is depicted as a quiet, shy loner who is invisible to other people. He is essentially a nobody, until he falls into a vat of electrically-charged eels and becomes the sinister villain Electro.

To better understand a villain, you must understand their plight and Electro’s plight is that of a rags-to-riches success story and the visual effects are certainly something to marvel at.

Action Sequences

This article wouldn’t be complete if I decided not to talk about the exhilarating action that embodied the film. Whether we see Spidey chasing down a truck with Oscorp’s product or a massive fight inside a grid that seems like a colossal feat for any Marvel film, the film can take a lot of pride in its action sequences.

One can also never forget the massive and iconic battle sequence between Electro and Spidey in Time Square that seems impossible to be made.

Green Goblin

While he remains a secondary villain, Dane Dehaan’s Green Goblin is still noteworthy. Dehaan portrays Harry Osborne who is left with his dead father Norman’s life work and stumbles upon a Goblin serum that enhances his speed, strength, and intelligence.

His little spat with Spider-Man is certainly befitting for the dark, moody tone of the film and entertaining for plenty of comic fans with zippy action and certified intensity. In the end, he is also responsible for the death of Spidey’s girlfriend Gwen Stacy.

Gwen Stacy Death

Speaking of Gwen Stacy, this is the only Spidey film that features his love interest dying. As he battles the Green Goblin, Spidey attempts to hold on to Stacy, literally, by a thread in the clocktower. However, when the thread snaps, Spidey is able to snag her in mid-air but the whiplash of the fall snaps her neck, killing her.

What might be the saddest moment in any Spider-Man film, was brought to life in this extraordinary scene that silenced an entire generation of Spider-Man fans.

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Adventure

‘1883’ Spinoff Series ‘Bass Reeves’ Adds Dennis Quaid to Cast

Published

2 months ago

January 20, 2023

Darian Scalamoni

Dennis Quaid (Far from Heaven, The Day After Tomorrow) is the latest star to join the cast of Bass Reeves, a new drama series coming from Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone, Tulsa King) and Paramount+, according to Deadline. Bass Reeves was announced as a spinoff to the Yellowstone prequel, 1883 back in May 2022 with David Oyelowo (Selma, A Wrinkle in Time) attached to star as the legendary lawman.

Bass Reeves will follow Oyelowo as someone who is known to many as “the greatest frontier hero” in American history in his own series on Paramount+. The streamer already houses so many Sheridan-fronted programs, most recently, Mayor of Kingstown starring Jeremy Renner returned for its second season while CIA drama, Lioness added to its cast with Nicole Kidman and Morgan Freeman. Some believe that Reeves served inspiration to “The Lone Ranger” having worked as a peace officer for Indian territory capturing over 3,000 criminals on that land. Quaid will play Sherrill Lynn, a Deputy U.S. Marshall within the show.

Quaid most recently voiced the character Jaeger Clade in Disney’s animated feature Strange World which is currently available to stream on Disney+. He’ll also star in Steven Soderbergh’s upcoming HBO Max series Full Circle alongside Zazie Beetz, Claire Danes and Emmy-winner Jharrel Jerome.

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