[Review] Felt
This review for Felt is being re-posted to coincide with the film's VOD release.
In an age where rape culture is more visible than ever thanks to film, television, and the Internet using the aggressive act as a plot device, it's apparent now more than ever we need narratives that help break down the emotional and tragic consequences of sexual aggression. Felt is the next, necessary step in the conversation and should help bring about a change.
Felt is a revolutionary piece of art that transcends all modern convention. A mesmerizing and dark story of loss, identity, and power that never loses track of its humanity. Don't miss this one.
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Felt
Director: Jason Banker
Rating: NR
Release Date: June 26th, 2015, July 21st, 2015 (VOD)
Felt exists in a tumultuous state. A tantalizing fog of fact and fiction, Felt is the creation of director Jason Banker and experimental artist Amy Everson whose experiences and art the film is based on. Everson's "character" Amy is dealing with a traumatic event in her past which has left her a shell of her former self. As a way to cope with an overtly male world, she creates these suits in order to dress herself in a grotesquely male dominant form. Although there definitely is a bigger theme at play, Felt is wonderfully subdued in its narrative. While its fast and loose nature might turn some off, Director Banker makes sure every scene is highlighting something special. With a concise run time, not a single second is wasted.
At this point in the review, I'd usually try and focus on a few bullet points on why I liked or didn't like a film, but I'm struggling to narrow Felt down to a core. Even though it's been a few days since I've seen the film, I still don't feel like I've processed it as much as I needed to do it justice. After my initial viewing, I sat their stunned. Unfeeling, unmoving, I had no idea what to do with myself next. A cold chill just ran over my body, and it's just the tip of the iceberg. I've seen and read about dozens of sexual violence incidents, and while they've always struck a chord with me, no narrative has ever encapsulated the pure tragedy of the acts so well. For the first time, we finally have a proper window to the experience that's utterly real.
As Amy has trouble rediscovering her sense of self, Felt also follows suit. At times, scenes feel aimless and longing. The ambiguous cinematography will no doubt be a turn off for most, but that's where the film's genius truly lies. Tackling such a huge theme like the after effects of rape can be a sticky situation, and that awkwardness is blown out of proportion to wonderful effect. You see, there's a constant battle of agency at play. As Amy struggles to accept her new, identity-less self, you struggle to accept her as well. If you divert your gaze away from the film, or diverge from the intensity of the emotions at large, then, as a viewer, you're succumbing to the power of the male gaze and taking away Amy's agency. The second you refuse to accept Amy and her suit as she trapses through the forest, the second the aggressor wins. Felt is all about introspection and the expression of personal issues through new avenues of art. Regardless of how different or off putting it is, just take the time to absorb it whole.
None of this would've worked, however, without Amy Everson. Everson is a performing dynamo. Seemingly lethargic, charming, manic, humorous, and attention grabbing all rolled up into an innocuous package. She's so enigmatic on screen, it's hard to look away. You can feel bits of her soul in each performance as it cries out to the world, and it makes her character work seem even more palpable. There's just something so intrinsically human about her performance which makes the film that more effective. Coupled with the striking imagery of her false skins and penises, her performance blurs the lines between the ludicrously tragic and the tragically ludicrous. There's something special here, and it's sad that I can't find enough words to explain it.
This is most likely the least "critical" sounding review I've ever written. The more I ramble on, the less effective this'll be, but at the end of the day nothing I say will even matter. This isn't a story about me. Felt is a small window into the experience that encapsulates all of the intensity of the situation herein, and if this is what a peek looks like, I'm not sure I can handle the whole thing.
I've cried, I've laughed, and I'm completely at loss for words. There just isn't a word in our language to perfectly capture how powerful Felt is.
The Flash's Season 2 Costume is Comic Book Friendly
I was a big fan of The Flash's first season. Since CW worked out all of the DC superhero kinks with Arrow, The Flash got off to a great start and never let up. A show not afraid to shy from how wacky its comic book origins (as the show featured two speedsters, a psychic gorilla, and time travel shenanigans), season two is already shaping up to be wonderful. We've got a bit more info on the series since San Diego Comic Con, and now we've got a look at Barry Allen's fresh new costume featuring a comic book accurate insignia (with white like the future Flash revealed in the finale instead of just red and gold like he had last season).
Also, according to an interview with Collider, season two will also taking the show more into its comic book roots. The Flash is going to be more known to the public (like his comic book counterpart, Flash won't hide in the shadows like Batman), Barry's getting a new love interest, the show's going to introduce a multiverse aspect (which means dead characters have a chance of coming back) and Flash will develop a new lightning based power. It's all very exciting and I can't wait to hear more. If the show can maintain its quality even when all of this goofier stuff hits, we're in for a good time.
The Flash season 2 premieres on The CW October 6th.
[Review] MTV's Scream: Wanna Play a Game?
In my review of the last episode, I said I was a fan of Scream's willingness to be awful. There's always an inherent fun with shows that are written, acted, and directed terribly if there's a commitment to the bit. With episode three, the commitment is in full force and we've gotten some pretty cheesy murder television. Either I've been subject to this for too long that I've become numb to it, or it's making its way around to being interesting again, but episode three is definitely a highlight.
Then again, it's a highlight of a show that increasingly aims low so I'm not sure what to think.
One of the bigger tidbits floating around during this year's San Diego Comic Con was that the showrunners weren't planning to kill someone every episode. Well, three episodes in and we've gotten a new victim for each one. But there's still the same problem of not giving a damn every time one of these kids dies because we don't know them well enough beyond stereotypical horror movie tropes. This week's victim was Riley, the nerdy girl who liked the nerdy boy Noah (who's the Jamie Kennedy stand in, and is way more annoying than that character ever was). It was a heavily telegraphed murder since we actually got some development of her character. Although it was only that she wanted to pursue a relationship with Noah (and that she cares about others, something the rest of the cast doesn't seem to share), the fact that she got any attention at all meant she was marked for death. If there's one thing the show can learn from other horror shows' mistakes, is that you could totally develop folks without killing them minutes later.
But I guess that's the point. The only interesting plot development of note this episode was that Emma's (main girl) mother revealed she was the main girl victim during Brandon James' streak years ago. Because of this new information, awesomely revealed by the killer's voice a la Scream films, Emma's beginning to trust the killer's voice more than her friends and family. As the show's Ghostface begins to show his prowess with phone technology, he's got access to everyone's voices and phone numbers, we're beginning to enter familiar yet unknown territory. It's an homage to the films, yet Emma is getting more and more involved with the deaths. There was some honest to God tension as Emma had to choose which of her friends would die. It also highlighted something the Scream films used to love, that the killer felt like he could be everywhere at once. Too bad the show's writing is still the woooooooooorst.
If things can stay in this direction, we'll get the terrible greatness we deserve soon enough.
Assorted Musings:
- I don't know much about video games, but it's hard to believe they have some of the most "dramatic scenes of all time."
- The whole teacher/student sex thing is starting to bother me. One of both involved need off the show soon.
- The show is clearly setting up the two jock dudes as part of some hidden camera website ring, but I just don't care. Either make one the killer or go home.
- #RunRileyRun? Really MTV?
[Review] MTV's Scream: Hello, Emma
After watching the first episode of MTV's Scream TV adaptation, I had no idea how to feel. It wasn't good enough to be considered legitimately entertaining, and it wasn't bad enough to be illegitimately entertaining. The worst part of it all was the poorly written dialogue. And considering the pilot episode was written by film series' writer Kevin Williamson, I had no idea who or what to blame. But a show is never as wonky as its series premiere, so I had a little bit of hope going into episode two.
From the looks of "Hello, Emma," we're heading into "so bad, it's good" territory with this show and I want to see where it leads.
Episode two essentially follows the same formula as the pilot as it leads off with a teen death that somewhat spurs the plot along. As a fallout from being outed by an internet video filmed by main girl Emma and previous victim Nina, shy Christian girl Rachel cuts herself (with razor blades sitting in a heart container, go figure) and eventually is hung by the killer. As everyone continues to not care (and I had a hard time myself since we've only seen people killed in the episode they were introduced), main girl Emma continues to prove she's just the worst. Not only did she passively bully her former best friend, she also is torn between a terribly conceived love triangle between her jerk jock boyfriend and the mysterious new transfer student with the Skeet Ulrich mustache (who's probably also the killer). We end up at a random basketball game, the nerd guy Noah paints "Doosh" on some jerk guy's truck and goes on a date with the cute nerdy girl, and the killer reveals his masked face to the populace.
Importantly, we got an explanation for the new mask. It's apparently the face of the Lakewood's first killer Brandon James, but it still doesn't save it from looking wonky. And although Scream 4 already dealt with current technology in a cool, interesting way, I'm surprised it took until a TV show to send a mass .gif image. We also got more screen time with the killer's voice and, like in Scream 3, he's got a voice changing device. Hopefully the newly introduced Courtney Cox stand in, Piper Shaw (a podcaster, since news is so old fashioned now), can do something about that. But I'm still having a hard time connecting with any of the characters I keep getting told I'm supposed to care about.
I don't think we're supposed to. When you get moments like a random extra speaking super loudly in the bathroom "They've got blood on their hands" to absolutely no one but Emma sitting in the stall, we're just supposed to enjoy how hyper aware and terrible this is. The fun's starting to poke out of the seams, and "Hello, Emma" is actually filled with a few entertaining sequences. Still not perfect, but not as bad as before. Emma is nowhere as badass as Sidney Prescott yet.
Assorted Musings:
- Hey I remembered names now! Not that it does anything for character development...
- I can't get over how terrible Skeet Ulrich mustache guy's hair is.
- Got to admit, the "Doosh" gag got a good laugh out of me since no one bothered to point out it was spelled badly.
- Did Emma and her mom really share a moment over her friend's dead and open body?
- This episode featured a sloppy hanging death (where the killer actually moved the death scene and showed inexperience not found in the films), but it's a neat way to get around the show's gore-less situation.
- More Piper Shaw please.
America and Japan Are Going to Have a Giant Robot Duel
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When I was a kid, I used to love the Gundam anime series (G Gundam, for life). Giant robots punching each with laser light fists just spoke to me. Humanity's been chasing that impossible dream for years, but now it's just a wee bit closer. Last week, American company Megabot showed off footage of a real working mecha (that shot paintballs of course) with the intention of fitting someone inside for giant robot battles a la Pacific Rim or Robot Jox. Footage of their robot came with a challenge to Japanese robotics company Suidobashi Heavy Industry for their robots to fight in 2016.
This week, Suidobashi replied with their own video. Draped in a Japanese flag, CEO Korgoro Kugata had some awesome trash talk claiming the American machine could have been cooler (and has too many guns because America). All the while accepting the challenge to fight their robot, Kuratas, against the American Megabot. Unfortunately we don't have any details of the big "fight," and the whole thing screams publicity stunt. Perhaps it's to draw attention to Megabot's once failed Kickstarter campaign to start an entire league of mecha fights. Whether or not it's a coordinated stunt, why has it taken this long for us to get to this point? Something like this should've happened a long time ago. When will our lives go full anime?
Hilariously enough, this was all around the time of a notable World Cup match between America and Japan where Japan was decimated as USA scored four goals in under sixteen minutes (three of those belonging to superwoman Carli Lloyd). To top if off, Independence Day was last weekend so everyone's far more patriotic than usual. I'm sure the American robot will win just because I don't see any other outcome being possible. It's running on bald eagle power right now.
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[via Popular Science]
Rihanna's "Bitch Better Have My Money" Video is Bananas
I think I've hit the point where I'm officially tired of Rihanna's career trajectory. Seemingly more and more, her sound is dictated by her record company. Her evolution into this faux "trap princess" is definitely a far cry from the Rihanna that cried out for help in "SOS" all those years ago or the one that claimed she was "so hard" in "Hard." Her last album wasn't as bad - it had the slick production her latest album clearly will not have.
I guess I'll wait to pass further judgment until we see release of her eighth album in full, until then here's the crazy video for her second single "Bitch Better Have My Money." Directed by Megaforce (who also once directed Madonna's weird video for "Gimme All Your Lovin") and Rihanna herself, the video sees a criminally angry Rihanna torture her accountant, kidnap a naked woman, and show off her boobs while covered in money and blood. It's absolutely bonkers. Mads Mikkelson even makes an appearance for some reason. I'd kill to have that money gun he uses.
As for the track itself, it's fine. I prefer "American Oxygen's" sound, however. Check out the video for "Bitch Better Have My Money" below.
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[Review] MTV's Scream: Pilot
I've been very interested in MTV's TV adaptation of the Scream films since it was announced. I was mainly concerned about how any of it would work. Taking the core essentials of the horror genre like tension, gore, and very little characterization and stretching it out over an entire season is a big task. After seeing the first eight minutes of the premiere the other day, I just had to see the rest of the episode. But how does it hold up? Does the TV series hold any of the charm of the original films, or is it just so different that it's good in its own right?
Well a little of column A, a little of column B, and a little of neither.
It looks like the TV series has adapted the feel of the original films more than anything. There's a completely new cast, completely new story, and a completely new "Ghostface." But at the same time, there's a lot of the same goofy meta narrative and bad writing. I should explain. The first episode begins with a Scream staple, killing off an actress with the biggest draw in the cast. Bella Thorne was touted as a cast member throughout most of the advertising, and her sequence, while entertaining, is hilarious in a different light. In terms of opening scenes, it doesn't quite rank up to the films but there's definitely enough to tantalizing things in there to draw for the rest of the episode. Then we get into the actual story.
The show takes place in Lakewood as Bella Thorne's death spurs talk of a similar chain of murders that took place 20 years ago where a man named Brandon James killed a bunch of students. There's this plot where he eventually gets captured thanks to his crush on a girl named Daisy, who happens to be the main girl's mother, and we'll eventually see how that all ties in. It's too early to say whether or not this new killer has a connection with that story, but since there's so much time devoted to fleshing that out I'm sure it's a big deal. As for the teenagers so far, I don't know what to think. I can't remember any of their names. They're all essentially horror archetypes: the girl who's forced out of the closest, the overbearing douchebag duo, the promiscuous one in a relationship with her teacher, the nerdy guy who spouts the stuff about the rules, the guy with the porn star mustache who just transferred in from another school, and the main girl.
While the script pulls a Scream and points out its flaws, it also delivers a meaty mission statement - That it's hoping we'll care about these characters as the show rolls on before any of the murders take place. And if it can accomplish that, it'll definitely separate itself from other slasher fiction. Basically, if it can make us care about these terrible people, then the game is won. Nothing else of note really happens,as the plot of the pilot is just mainly to establish these archetypes. There's a party to mourn Bella Thorne's character, there's a bit of tension to remind folks there's a killer running around, but there's a lack of immediacy and that's sure to be the show's downfall.
Assorted Musings:
- Everyone has weird, weird hair. It's kind of nice since it reminds me so much of the early 00s. Maybe that's intentional.
- I'm already annoyed with the show since it uses fake social media sites (like "Chirpster" and "Cliplicious") yet mentions the real ones by name.
- I don't know if this can hold up as an hourly show week by week, but that's why I'm here.
- This recap doesn't have much summary or plot because there wasn't really any. None of these characters matter, and none of them are memorable.
- Wow, these actors are not great. Is this how it is with all MTV shows?
- I'll be here every week to give you a rundown of the show, so stay tuned! Maybe future episodes will be more substantial than this.
Donald Trump is Suing Univision for $500 Million
Never one to quietly fade away, Donald Trump has neither apologized for his comments nor let any of it go. When Univision publicly reprimanded him after his bid for the presidency led to tirade of awful comments (most directed toward Mexican immigrants and how they're terrible people), it led to a landslide of consequences as I predicted earlier in the week. Univision refused to air Trump's co-owned Miss Universe pageant, most of the program's hosts and co-hosts left the show, and all of that led to NBC Universal cutting all their ties with him and his programs like The Celebrity Apprentice. Trump has essentially marred his brand even further...if that was even possible.
But, now he's choosing to fire back. Claiming breach of contract and suppression of free speech, Trump is suing the Spanish language company for $500 million:
Under the contract, Univision is required to broadcast the pageant live on television in Spanish. While Univision claims its decision came solely in response to comments by Mr. Trump during a June 16 campaign speech announcing his candidacy for President of the United States, the decision was, in reality, a politically motivated attempt to suppress Mr. Trump's freedom of speech under the First Amendment as he begins to campaign for the nation's presidency.
Speaking with Politico, Univision is fighting the suit:
We just reviewed Mr. Trump’s complaint for the first time, and it is both factually false and legally ridiculous. We will not only vigorously defend the case, but will continue to fight against Mr. Trump’s ongoing efforts to run away from the derogatory comments he made on June 16th about Mexican immigrants. Our decision to end our business relationship with Mr. Trump was influenced solely by our responsibility to speak up for the community we serve.
This looks like it's getting uglier as it rolls on. But at least it means Trump's candidacy is losing any semblance of legitimacy it might've had. We'll keep an eye on this as it rolls on.
[via BBC]