tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43073907943400759012024-03-04T21:44:02.112-08:00Chasing The Damn CatRandom thoughts, mostly movies, some politics, some sports. Named in honor of Harry Dean Stanton's unfortunate engineering technician in 'Alien.'Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-83325964917752167062024-01-04T11:03:00.000-08:002024-02-02T09:39:24.232-08:00My 2023 in Movies<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmr7hPQ82HdKfJe7iNtC3XuS57Q_v7PPCxzC3HtsBcjN9UVA_mocv8VlemexLqWuN_99EVwGdD82C_KyYUkEqvIhQCUlVaU8i6Ff-AvXYxyY9w3SjIubq4E_yqVMFLzBH7RMw1102IRxdVXxAEka6RvkmyDHbbWA01FDNI4ReBISSPmSxcN6fmHWwE_Ds" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="876" data-original-width="1884" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmr7hPQ82HdKfJe7iNtC3XuS57Q_v7PPCxzC3HtsBcjN9UVA_mocv8VlemexLqWuN_99EVwGdD82C_KyYUkEqvIhQCUlVaU8i6Ff-AvXYxyY9w3SjIubq4E_yqVMFLzBH7RMw1102IRxdVXxAEka6RvkmyDHbbWA01FDNI4ReBISSPmSxcN6fmHWwE_Ds=w400-h186" width="400" /></a></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A still from Martin Scorsese's <i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>After setting a personal record last year, and after being on a record pace for the first 3 months of 2023, I fell off quite a bit, largely due a bunch of weird events in my life all converging simultaneously during the summer. Going from a pace of 3-4 movies per week into April... down to 15 movies over a span of almost 4 months derailed my attempts at matching or exceeding last year's pace.</div><div><br /></div><div>I logged 110 1st-time watches in 2023, and you can add 21 repeat watches to that list, for a total of 131 movies watched this year in total. 35 were released in 2023, with the remainder spanning from 1940 to 2022.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let's get to it. A few spoilers, but nothing which should stop you from seeking anything below out (with one exception).</div><div><br /></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><h4>My Favorite Movies Released in 2023</h4><p><br />I had some movies which finished with the same score and I'm not interested in picking them apart to separate one of these from the rest. So, I'll list these 10 movies in tiers (in alphabetical order):<br /><br /><b>Tier 1:</b><br /><br /><i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i>. Directed by Martin Scorsese. An admission of white complicity & a testament to the inability of art/entertainment to convey atrocity, while still telling an epic sized true story of systemic mass murder on both micro and macro levels. Brilliantly acted with impeccable craft, often brutally hard to watch, Lily Gladstone gives a shattering performance as the film's heart and soul. Few films expose the bottomless hell of America's obsession with profit - by any means necessary and often by the most brazen and obvious means available - as clearly and mercilessly as this one does.</p><p><b>Tier 2:</b><br /><br /><i>Oppenheimer</i>. Directed by Christopher Nolan. Twin track storytelling makes for a rigorous examination of power and the compromise of human achievement used to create human suffering is brough into stark relief. Terrific work by a strong enemble, with a career-best performance from Cillian Murphy and arguably Robert Downey Jr.'s best work in years. The pacing never flags over 3 hours, even in a film loaded with scenes of people sitting and talking in rooms, and the centerpiece of the film is a stunning re-creation of the Trinty Test, evoked with wonder and horror.</p><p><i>Spider Man: Across the Spider-Verse</i>. Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin Thompson. Vivid, vibrant, colorful, with deeply felt perfomances, particualrly Shameik Moore's Miles, Hailee Steinfeld's Gwen, and Oscar Isaac's Miguel. The magnificently animated action sequences maximize the multiverse concept (in contrast, see my thoughts on <i>The Flash</i> below) to explore regrets, missed opportunities, paths not taken, and even challenges canonical ideas about character/destiny as it relates to comic book characters in general, and Spider-Man in particular.</p><p><b>Tier 3:</b></p><p><i>Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret. </i>Directed by Kelly Fremon Craig. Vivid evocation of early adolescence for young women, replete with anxiety over boys, periods, cliques, and family trauma rooted in racism. Occasionally broad, but very funny and moving. Rachel McAdams is effortlessly authentic as Margaret's mother, with fine performances from Abby Ryder Fortson, Benny Safdie, and Kathy Bates. With this and <i>The Edge of Seventeen</i>, Craig is a terrific filmmaker with a distinct voice working in teen drama/coming of age storytelling.</p><p><i>Elemental. </i>Directed by Peter Sohn. As much a star-crossed romance as a family drama where fire-based Ember (voiced by Leah Lewis) is torn between chasing a romance with water-based Wade (voiced by Mamoudou Athie), while her family is desperate for her to take over the corner store in the "fire-slums". Delicately animated, with vibrant colors and lovely settings, while quietly examining the hostility and burden of immigrant minorities trying to make their way in a society built to cater to others, while still chasing their own dreams. </p><p><i>Ferrari. </i>Directed by Michael Mann.<i> </i>Sleek, dynamic, thrilling. Adam Driver is a fine anchor for this story which covers several tumultuous months in 1957 as Enzo Ferrari prepares his racing team for the Mille Miglia. An incendiary Penelope Cruz as Laura, Ferrari's wife and co-owner, is sidestepped in her grief following the death of their son, as Enzo and his racing team embrace their work heedless of consequence. The racing becomes a metaphor of the drive to succeed at any cost, illustrated with great racing sequences and punctuated by <a href="https://www.vulture.com/article/ferrari-ending-explained-by-michael-mann.html" target="_blank">the most horrifying car crash I've ever seen on screen</a>.</p><p><i>Godzilla Minus One. </i>Directed by Takashi Yamazaki. Follows a kamikaze pilot played by a highly appealing Ryunosuke Kamiki, who having "failed" his orders is left to help his shattered country and broken countrymen fight a new force of nature with no support and no resources. Conveys the shattered postwar physical and mental state of Japan expertly, calls out hollow nationalism in service of true honor and self-defense, with expertly designed and paced action scenes and a great eye for peiod detail.</p><p><i>May December. </i>Directed by Todd Haynes. A melodramatic riff off the Mary Lay Letourneau scandal, where Natalie Portman's actress Elizabeth spends a week with Julianne Moore's middle aged Gracie and her much younger now-husband Joe, played beautifully by Charles Melton. Nastily funny and queasy, this film skewers Elizaberth's careerism and Gracie's naive narcisscism to illustrate the long-term damage of using people for personal gain. Melton in particular, makes for a deeply sympathetic moral center, while the film treats the character as an adult with his own emerging dreams and feelings.</p><p><i>Rye Lane. </i>Directed Raine Allen-Miller. David Jonnson as Dom and Vivian Oparah as Yas have wonderful chemistry as a couple. Along with some sharp writing, their performances turns this romantic comedy into a lovely walk-and-talk budding romance with each person struggling to navigate past a terrible break up. The widescreen compositions bring the larger community to life and make this pair feel like part of a larger world, without losing the initmacy of their connection. </p><p><i>They Cloned Tyrone. </i>Directed Juel Taylor. John Boyega, Jamie Foxx, and Teyonah Parris are all terrific as a a drug dealer, pimp, and hooker, respectively. They discover their place in the community when a nefarious conspiracy is discovered, and one of the main characters is exposed as a clone of his previously murdered self. By turns clever, hilarious, intelligent, and heartbreaking, with acid takes about white power and black survival against assimilation.</p><p><b>Other 2023 Movies I Liked (in alphabetical order):</b><br /></p><p></p><ul><li><i>Air. </i>Directed by Ben Affleck.</li><li><i>Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. </i>Directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein.</li><li><i>Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3. </i>Directed by James Gunn.</li><li><i>Infinity Pool. </i>Directed By Brandon Cronenberg.</li><li><i>John Wick: Chapter Four. </i>Directed by Chad Stahelski.</li><li><i>The Killer. </i>Directed by David Fincher.</li><li><i>Maestro. </i>Directed by Bradley Cooper</li><li><i>M3gan. </i>Directed by Gerard Johnstone</li><li><i>Napoleon. </i>Directed by Ridley Scott</li><li><i>Past Lives. </i>Directed by Celine Song.</li><li><i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. </i>Directed by Jeff Rowe</li></ul><p></p><h4>Movies Released in 2023 I Still Want to See:</h4><p></p><ul><li><i>Afire</i>. Directed by Christian Petzold</li><li><i>Anatomy of a Fall</i>. Directed by Justine Triet</li><li><i>Asteroid City</i>. Directed by Wes Anderson</li><li><i>Beau is Afraid</i>. Directed by Ari Aster</li><li><i>The Holdovers</i>. Directed by Alexander Payne</li><li><i>Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning, Part One</i>. Directed by Christopher McQuarrie</li><li><i>Poor Things</i>. Diretced by Yorgos Lanthimos</li><li><i>Priscilla</i>. Directed by Sofia Coppola</li><li><i>Showing Up</i>. Directed by Kelly Reichardt</li><li><i>The Zone of Interest</i>. Directed by Jonathan Glazer.</li></ul><div><div><p></p><h4>Most Frustrating Movie I Saw in 2023:</h4></div><div><br /></div><div><i>To Catch a Killer</i>. Directed by Damian Szifron. A classic case of a movie not quite knowing what it wants to be - and the end result is not the best of either option. Nominally about law enforcement searching for a repeat spree killer, it has three different massacres, staged for blunt horror and cutting against the more sensational and standardized procedural elements. Shailene Woodley and the rest of the cast are solid, but not enough to resolve the massive tonal shifts from blunt horror to thriller and back, and it makes the film feel opportunistic/exploitative regarding mass shootings.</div><div><br /></div><div><p></p><h4>Worst Movie I Saw in 2023:</h4><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>The Flash</i>. <span style="font-weight: normal;">Directed by Andres Muschetti. </span>A slight family story with some amusing moments is buried under a cacophony of awful visual effects and hollow nostalgia. Gets good work from Michael Keaton reprising his role as Batman/Bruce Wayne, but as the lead, Ezra Miller's Barry Allen is both too eccentric and too slight a presence to anchor a film this size (never mind the off screen issues). Muschetti is a talented filmmaker - I liked both of his <i>It </i>films from a few years ago - but he's not able to manage much out of this mess of a production. This film is (fairly or not) representative of both the superhero era's death rattle and everything that has been bad about it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h4>Great Movies I caught up with in 2023 (or for the first time in a long time).</h4><p><i>Beyond the Lights </i>(2014). Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. Gugu Mbatha-Raw is transcendent as a rising pop star trapped in a bubble - created by Minnie Driver's domineering mother - who finds her true voice. Nate Parker is terrific as her grounded, generous lover. Sensual, with clear ideas on women artists subsumed by trauma, media, greed, and machismo.</p><p><i>Bull Durham </i>(1988). Directed by Ron Shelton. Authentic portrait of minor league baseball is very funny, honest, and has aged very well due to progressive attitudes about relationships and sexuality. The writing is sharp, full of zingers, soliloquies, understated desperation, and regret. Kevin Costner, Tim Robbins, and Susan Sarandon all have chemistry together and are all terrific.</p><p><i>Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon</i> (2000). Directed by Ang Lee. Formal distance collapses in the face of a half dozen action setpieces with amazing choreography, fabulous set design and photography, and a pair of terrific star-crossed love stories with heart-rending performances from Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Ziyi Zhang, and Chang Chen.</p><p><i>Deep Red </i>(1975). Directed by Dario Argento. Delivered with high style, vivid colors, a dynamite score, brutal violence, and multiple thrillingly staged murder sequences more than overcome the silly concept of David Hemming's musician as detective and the flatness of the characters.</p><p><i>The Duellists</i> (1977). Directed by Ridley Scott. Keith Carradine and Harvey Keitel are well-matched antagonists engaged in a long-running feud, while the emotional distance highlights the bemused contempt for outdated social mores. Visually ravishing, without pulling punches on the era or violence.</p><p><i>Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind</i> (2004). Directed by Michel Gondry. Features my favorite performances by both Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey. Splendid supporting performances (RIP, Tom Wilkinson) and an imaginative, prismatic look at memory, loss, love, and second chances in an affecting tragic romance.</p><p><i>Five Easy Pieces </i>(1970). Directed by Bob Rafelson. Jack Nicholson gives a raw portrait of a privileged young man lashing out at everyone over his insecurity and running away from his heritage. The location work is authentic while performances are fully grounded and convincing.</p><p><i>His Girl Friday </i>(1940). Directed by Howard Hawks. Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell make a perfect match as a divorced editor and reporter who banter their way back into each other's hearts. Dialogue, pacing, staging all crackle with brisk pacing and good humor.</p><p><i>The Killers</i> (1946). Directed by Robert Siodmak. Stunning black and white photography visually expresses the narrative twists and hidden lives of the characters, while Burt Lancaster's bruised romantic machismo makes for a perfect chump against Ava Gardner's sultry femme fatale. </p><p><i>L.A. Confidential</i> (1997). Directed by Curtis Hanson. The conspiracy isn't always clear even when explained, but the film has strong writing, three brilliant leads (particularly Russell Crowe) and great supporting performances (particularly Kim Basinger), sumptuous craft, and depicts the LAPD and 1950s Los Angeles - espeically the strange connections between people at the top and bottom of social strata - with honesty and authenticity.</p><p><i>Lost in Translation</i> (2003). Directed by Sofia Coppola. Lean and lovely story about dissaffected and dislocated Americans living/working in Tokyo. Scarlett Johannson and Bill Murray are understated, but their chemistry is sensational and the depiction of Tokyo feels simultaneously foreign, yet seductively dazzling.</p><p><i>Malcolm X</i> (1992). Directed by Spike Lee. Denzel Washington disappears into Malcolm X. The pacing is fleet and the material is provocative, though Lee takes pains to ground everything in context and doesn't pull punches about Malcolm as a man, the era it protrays, or the shady dealings of the Nation of Islam - in particular Al Freeman Jr's quietly vicious Elijah Muhammad. A rousing and moving experience.</p><p><i>The Maltese Falcon</i> (1941). Directed by John Huston. Thrilling, fast, and fun to follow - a handful of stylish performances by Mary Astor, Sydney Greenstreet, and Peter Lorre add color and layers to the world surrounding Humphrey Bogart's Sam Spade - an icon of cool, tough, and clever, if not always smart.</p><p><i>Michael Clayton</i> (2007). Dirtected by Tony Gilroy. Delicious performances built around scintillating dialogue leads to a smartly executed thriller that moves like a freight train. The narrative eventually becomes more conventional and a couple of threads are dropped/unexplored, but the final confrontation between George Clooney and Tilda Swinton is breathtakingly great.</p><p><i>Once Upon a Time In the West </i>(1968). Directed by Sergio Leone. Deliberate pacing, gorgeous widescreen compositions, gritty textured locations, and a great score transform a western potboiler into legend about the West. Stuffed with iconic moments & great actors with expert performances.</p><p><i>Perfect Blue </i>(1997). Directed by Satoshi Kon. Vivid, violent, lurid, occasionally exploitive anime about a pop star and the fracturing of her personality after filming a traumatic assault while acting for a TV show, while battling the paranoia induced by online fandom and a stalker.</p><p><i>Portrait of a Lady on Fire</i> (2019). Directed by Celine Sciamma. Beautifully crafted, suffused with longing and sensuality, poignant regarding how women are impacted by men and the families they make in reply, the gaze of the subject versus the artist, and memory paired with art. Noemie Merlant and Adele Haenel are heartbreaking in the lead roles.</p><p><i>Possession</i> (1981). Directed by Andrzej Zulawski. Uncompromising nightmare of a marriage in a death spiral, raging with hurt, disgust, lonlieness, lust, and remorse. Evocative setting and imagery, terrific and disgusting practical effects. Isabelle Adjani gives the best performance I've ever seen from an actress - I have no idea how she kept her sanity - and she's almost matched in power and pain by Sam Neill. No film I've seen evokes the bottomless hurt of a broken relationship better than this film does.</p><p><i>Ride the High Country</i> (1962). Directed by Sam Peckinpah. An winter Western about the death of the West and the uselessness of individual honor against the advance of technology and capital. Passively misogynist, but gets both the evil of men and value of friendship and duty with touching, sentimental performances from Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott.</p><p><i>Sorcerer </i>(1977). Directed by William Friedkin. Nasty, bleak, gritty, and blunt. Locations and actors are fantastically convincing and the pacing is breakneck, resulting in exhaustion by the end. Bolstered by a handful of brilliant action/tension setpices. Roy Scheider in particular evokes the desperation and shame of a dead end in a third world shithole with his lean, driven performance.</p><p><i>Spring</i> (2014). Directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Morehead. Nicely shaded performances from Lou Taylor Pucci and Nadia Hilker combine with ingenious craft to maximize the scale and setting on a small budget, with startling and clever creature effects. Plays with notions of love and sexuality as uncontrollable monstrosities.</p><p><i>The Verdict</i> (1982). Directed by Sidney Lumet. Paul Newman is magnificent and raw as ambulance chaser Frank Galvin, getting one last chance to make the law work for good. Plotting is lean and propulsive, characters are beautifully conceived and performed by a great ensemble. Devastating indictment of how money corrupts institutions built to serve.</p><p><br /></p><h4>Classic Films I Got to See In Theaters in 2023:</h4><div><br /></div><div>None this year :(</div><div><br /></div><h4><b>2024 Movie I'm Really Looking Forward To:</b></h4></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><i>Megalopolis</i>, directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Coppola spent $100 million of his own money to produce this 40 year passion project, described by filmmaker Mike Figgis as "<i>Julius Caesar meets Blade Runner,</i>" starring Adam Driver, Forest Whitaker, Aubrey Plaza, Laurence Fishburne, Shia LaBeouf, Dustin Hoffman, and Talia Shire in a story of a visionary archtect who wants to rebuild New York City following disaster. I'm 100% here for the man who gave us the <i>Godfather Trilogy,</i> <i>Apocalypse Now, The Conversation,</i> and <i>Bram Stoker's Dracula</i> <a href="https://youtu.be/LFTQcwgq4CY?si=2HtgXvHpqmp1JrZS&t=58" target="_blank">taking another massive swing</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><p></p><h4><b>Full 2023 list is posted below: </b></h4></div></div><div><a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1FW-2k5A5C5tGr2j6OfxN061c2YqNaa5OVmY57xb1Ufw/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">2023 Movies</a></div>Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-80189421418194451822023-01-03T10:23:00.052-08:002023-01-11T15:47:41.173-08:00My 2022 in Movies<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcThZxYLlHipRZ6Db4LphyXm36I0ApFPRRLDtg&usqp=CAU" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="145" data-original-width="348" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcThZxYLlHipRZ6Db4LphyXm36I0ApFPRRLDtg&usqp=CAU" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A still from Steven Spielberg's <i>The Fablemans</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>I finally got serious about watching movies in 2022. Before this year, I had no idea what seeing a lot of movies meant. Now, I'm only more aware than ever of everything that's out there, and a little sad knowing there are amazing things I might never get to. Still, better to get a late start than not at all.</div><div><br /></div><div>I logged 154 1st-time watches in 2022, and you can add 17 repeat watches to that list, meaning I watched 171 movies this year in total. 67 movies were released in 2022, with the remainder spanning from 1944 to 2021.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let's get to it. A few spoilers, but nothing which should stop you from seeking anything below out (with one exception).</div><div><br /></div><div></div><a name='more'></a><p><br /></p><h4>My Favorite Movies Released in 2022</h4><p><br />I had some movies which finished with the same score and I'm not interested in picking them apart to separate one of these from the rest. So, I'll list these 11 movies in tiers (in alphabetical order):<br /><br /><b>Tier 1:</b><br /><br /><i>Athena: </i>Directed by Romain Gavras: Propulsive, visceral cinema built around long takes about a low-income immigrant community thrust into anarchy over an extrajudicial police killing and the family it tears apart. Dazzling and ultimately wrenching, particularly because the extended takes make clear how interconnected all of the various players and factions are.</p><p><i>Everything Everywhere All At Once: </i>Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert: Wildly excessive, funny, sincere sci-fi action comedy about an Asian family and the bonds between mother and daughter, wife and husband, and adults questioning their choices mid-life. Exceptional performances from the entire cast keep this anchored in genuine emotion even when (as the title says)...</p><p><b>Tier 2:</b><br /><br /><i>Armageddon Time: </i>Directed by James Gray. Patient and authentic. Understands nostalgia is born of remorse, examines the disconnect artistic kids find within social systems designed to serve the needs of profit, and the weight of older generations' pains and failures as applied to their children.</p><p><i>Crimes of the Future: </i>Directed by David Cronenberg. Examination of how our bodies are corrupted by our impulses as well as the society we create is thrilling, unsettling, tender and intimate. The stylized performances are effective, and the body horror elements are suitably disturbing. </p><p><i>The Fablemans: </i>Directed by Steven Spielberg. Episodic view of Spielberg's youth is a bit scattershot, but gets brilliant performances from a splendid cast, covers the push/pull between art and family with rigor, and depicts the pain of divorce with astonishing empathy.</p><p><i>Fire of Love (documentary)</i>: Directed by Sara Dosa. Dynamic and vivid imagery compliments a marvelous love story about the Kroffts, who dedicated their lives to studying volcanoes by literally staring into the maw of hell, sharing it with the world and surviving for decades.</p><p><i>The Last Movie Stars (documentary): </i>Directed by Ethan Hawke. Six compelling hours on the career, legacy, and love story between Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman is bracing for the unflinching look at their relationship and their struggles to maintain work/life/family balance.</p><p><i>RRR: </i>Directed by SS Rajamouli: An expansive world with clearly delineated characters and motivations add emotional punch to beautifully staged and executed action and musical sequences. Occasionally strains from length, but tremendously entertaining. </p><p><b>Tier 3:</b><br /><br /><i>The Banshees of Inisherin: </i>Directed by Martin McDonagh. A plunge into solipsistic despair and loneliness, with terrific performances by Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, and Kerry Condon. Mordant humor, lovely settings with music and dialogue that feels authentic, occasionally meandering.</p><p><i>Decision to Leave: </i>Directed by Park Chan-wook.<i> </i>Slow burn mystery carries shades of <i>Vertigo</i> with a police investigator who suspects a recent widow is in fact a black widow. Sumptuous photography and a pair of lovely performances keep tension high even when narrative slacks.</p><p><i>Good Luck to You, Leo Grande: </i>Directed by Sophie Hyde.<i> </i>An open-hearted, vulnerable performance by Emma Thompson is paired with the sweetly firm Daryl McCormack as a male sex worker. Touches on ideas and assumptions about sex/shame/pleasure while conjuring a sweet air of erotic tension.</p><p><b>Other 2022 Movies I Liked (in alphabetical order):</b><br /></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i>Ambulance - </i>directed by Michael Bay</li><li><i>Avatar: The Way of Water - </i>directed by James Cameron</li><li><i>Barbarian - </i>directed by Zach Cregger</li><li><i>The Black Phone - </i>directed by Scott Derrickson</li><li><i>Bodies, Bodies, Bodies - </i>directed by<i> </i>Halina Reijn</li><li><i>Bones and All - </i>directed by Luca Guadagnino</li><li><i>Bros - </i>directed by Nicholas Stoller</li><li><i>Dead for a Dollar - </i>directed by Walter Hill</li><li><i>Deep Water - </i>directed by Adrian Lyne</li><li><i>Elvis - </i>directed by Baz Luhrmann</li><li><i>Emily the Criminal - </i>directed by John Patton Ford</li><li><i>Entergalactic - </i>directed by Fletcher Moules</li><li><i>The Fallout - </i>directed by Megan Park</li><li><i>Halloween Ends - </i>directed by David Gordon Green</li><li><i>Kimi - </i>directed by Steven Soderbergh</li><li><i>The Northman - </i>directed by Robert Eggers</li><li><i>Prey - </i>directed by Dan Trachtman</li><li><i>Top Gun: Maverick - </i>directed by Joseph Kosinski</li><li><i>The Woman King - </i>directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood</li><li><i>X - </i>directed by Ti West</li></ul><p></p><h4>Movies Released in 2022 I Still Want to See:</h4><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i>Aftersun</i>. Directed by Charlotte Wells.</li><li><i>Both Sides of the Blade</i>. Directed by Claire Denis.</li><li><i>EO</i>. Directed by Jerzy Skolimowski.</li><li><i>Hit the Road</i>. Directed by Panah Panahi</li><li><i>Men</i>. Directed by Alex Garland.</li><li><i>The Menu</i>. Directed by Mark Mylod.</li><li><i>Pinocchio</i>. Directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson</li><li><i>Stars At Noon</i>. Directed by Claire Denis.</li><li><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Tár</i></span></span>. Directed by Todd Field.</li><li><i>Terrifier 2</i>. Directed by Damien Leone.</li></ul><div><div><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Most Frustrating Movie(s) I Saw in 2022:</h4><p></p><i>Babylon. </i>Directed by Damien Chazelle. This movie opens with an elephant explosively defecating at the camera; a "hotshot" director making a "STATEMENT OF INTENT!" What follows is amusingly but adolescently lurid and excessive, narratively scattershot, and lacking in developed characters or depth/interest in the world/era it portrays. Delivered with flair and never boring, but ends up cheaply cynical and sentimental.<i><br /><br /></i><i>Blonde. </i>Directed by Andrew Dominik. Despite my misgivings, parts of this movie have really stuck in my head. It is technically dazzling, but it is also a needlessly brutal, leering, and repetitive experience. This heavily fictionalized version of Marilyn Monroe generates pathos, but takes genuine glee in shaming its audience for indulging. Ana De Armas gives an amazingly committed performance, albeit one limited by the conception.</div><div><br /><p></p><h4>Worst Movie I Saw in 2022:</h4><h4 style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></i></h4><h4 style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: normal;">Jurassic Park: Dominion. </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">Directed by Colin Trevorrow. An aggressively m</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">alicious tone is set at the start, the actors are bad with the very little they're given, the visual effects feel perfunctory, the action is choppy and chaotic, the narrative is a mess of clichés and callbacks with no new or interesting ideas. The only redeeming element was getting to see Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum together again.</span></h4><div><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></div><h4>Great Movies I caught up with in 2022.</h4><p style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: 400;">Before Midnight (2012). </i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Directed by Richard Linklater. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy give amazingly layered and nuanced portraits of a couple questioning their relationship as it relates to life ambitions and goals. Lovely setting, emotionally involving and upsetting, genuinely moving.</span></p><p style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;"><i>Brief Encounter (1945). </i>Directed by David Lean. Brief and fleet, empathetic middle-aged characters bring this doomed romance to life with wonderful performances by Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard. Distills the feeling of loss and regret when dwindling opportunities can't be chased.</p><p style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;"><i>Double Indemnity (1944). </i>Directed by Billy Wilder. Sublime archetypal film noir, with a pair of perfectly cast leads in Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck. Writing, pacing, plotting are lean, stylish, seductive, sleazy, and maintains an almost comic-horror tension from start to finish.</p><p style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;"><i>Drive My Car (2021). </i>Directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi. Emotionally epic and intimate look at two people from wildly different backgrounds and with different traumatic experiences forging an intimate connection. Builds powerful catharsis through accumulation of details.</p><p style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;"><i>Faya Dayi (2021). </i>Directed by Jessica Beshir. Meditative, bordering on hallucinatory evocation of the lives of Ethiopians adversely affected by poverty and the effects of the khat trade. Luminous black and white imagery and a deliberate, immersive pace pulls you in and holds you.</p><p style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;"><i>The French Connection (1971). </i>Directed by William Friedkin. Propulsive, raw, lean, violent, no frills crime thriller with clearly designed stakeouts, a classic sniper into car/subway train chase, and unvarnished performances from Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider.</p><p style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;"><i>Hud (1963). </i>Directed by Martin Ritt. A towering bastard of a performance from Paul Newman, with able support from the cast, brilliant black and white photography, and perfectly pitched source material highlight this unflinching look at the end of a self-made cattle rancher.</p><p style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;"><i>Imitation of Life (1959). </i>Directed by Douglas Sirk. Vivid theatrical performances and lush imagery illustrate the power divides between white men, ambitious white women, and black women trying to survive. Empathetic to all characters and ultimately devastating.</p><p style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;"><i>In The Mood for Love (2000). </i>Directed by Wong-kar Wai. Luxuriously sensual and swoony, with vivid photography and a perfect pair of leads which finds overwhelming passion in long glances, furtive encounters, rehearsed daydreams, and stolen touches, all lost to time.<i><br /></i></p><p style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;"><i>McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971). </i>Directed by Robert Altman. Luminous hazy photography and vivid, visceral settings create an immersive dream world for a small time gambler and opium addicted madam to build a small fortune and romance before being crushed by big business.<i><br /></i></p><p style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;"><i>Seven Samurai (1954). </i>Directed by Akira Kurosawa. Dynamic and muscular storytelling, emphasis on social, cultural, economic inequalities, focus on geography as it relates to strategy and tactics, and vibrant performances. Builds very slow, but accumulates genuine power.<i><br /></i></p><p style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;"><i>The Worst Person in the World (2021). </i>Directed by Joachim Trier. Effortless, lived in performances, empathetic towards its characters even when they're at their messiest, genuinely moving and sincere about the compromises coming out of youth contrasted with middle-age and mortality.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><div style="font-weight: 400;"><div><br /></div></div></h4><h4 style="text-align: left;">Classic Films I Got to See In Theaters in 2022:</h4><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979, 2002). </i>Directed by Robert Wise. Getting to see Wise's Director's Edition in 4K with Dolby Atmos surround sound in a theater was like getting to be 5 years old all over again. My favorite movie theater experience of the year.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>2023 Movie I'm Really Looking Forward To:</b></h4><i><div><i><br /></i></div>Ferrari.</i><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>Directed by Michael Mann. After catching up with <i>Thief</i> and <i>The Keep</i> this year, and falling more in love with <i>Miami Vice</i> as years pass, I just can't stop thinking about the doomed romanticism of Mann's films. His stories repeatedly featuring people committed to their jobs and stations in life while striving for relationships as emotionally fulfilling as their pride in professionalism - particularly in times of crisis - feels relevant as ever at this moment in time. Also... Adam Driver in the lead role.</div><div><br /><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>Full 2022 list is posted below: </b></h4><p><b><a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1FW-2k5A5C5tGr2j6OfxN061c2YqNaa5OVmY57xb1Ufw/edit#gid=1709335915">My 2022 Movie List</a><br /></b></p></div></div>Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-72526277945204784602021-12-20T17:17:00.051-08:002022-08-31T15:53:16.008-07:00West Side Story (2021): Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7egDgiPAgDKvEauv3sXudUnJvh0s-VDPa76oHvJ2VegKfxiF5OfrPDAyTM_mX60aecAuAPj0bFzP_ljL1eaHiQ_Qc20eU5uM0kdVk8BFnUxM40kKjbf6illI5nlcLgTAOl9jH0sR8s4NRwwK1yFoZv9_FQ6QBL1Vw0wCxggPWjc7J-1sa3DbS86ZB=s440" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="293" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7egDgiPAgDKvEauv3sXudUnJvh0s-VDPa76oHvJ2VegKfxiF5OfrPDAyTM_mX60aecAuAPj0bFzP_ljL1eaHiQ_Qc20eU5uM0kdVk8BFnUxM40kKjbf6illI5nlcLgTAOl9jH0sR8s4NRwwK1yFoZv9_FQ6QBL1Vw0wCxggPWjc7J-1sa3DbS86ZB=w266-h400" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><i style="font-weight: bold;">West Side Story </i><b>is my favorite Steven Spielberg film since at least </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Catch Me If You Can</i><b>. Not merely a worthy successor to the landmark 1961 musical, it's a modern classic on its own terms, and is also a fascinating tour through Spielberg's career.</b></p><p>The 1961 adaptation of <i>West Side Story,</i> co-directed by Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise, has been my favorite movie musical ever since I first saw it. </p><p>I don't recall exactly when I saw it in high school, but when I did see it, it fit right in with other operatically intense (if not excessive) romantic tragedies I enjoyed at the time, among them Franco Zeffirelli's adaptation of <i>Romeo and Juliet</i> (1968), Francis Ford Coppola's adaptation of <i>Bram Stoker's Dracula</i> (1992), Michael Mann's adaptation of <i>The Last of the Mohicans</i> (1992), and Doug McHenry's <i>Jason's Lyric </i>(1994).</p><p>The Robbins/Wise <i>West Side Story </i>(hereafter referred to as<i> '61 WSS</i>) also had the benefit of being just edgy enough not to feel stale to a teenager - racial epithets, snappy insults between cops and hoodlums, suggestions of sex and violence, and an unhappy ending all played a role - making the Romeo and Juliet-inspired love story between Tony and Maria more accessible. I got sucked in to the movie, crushed by the result of the brawl, and shattered by the ending. Considering it was also around the time I first fell in love, this movie (and the others named above) left an indelible mark on my teenage years.</p><p>Fast forward decades later, as I walked out of the theater having watched Steven Spielberg's <i>West Side Story</i> (hereafter <i>'21 WSS</i>), I felt something like a teenager again and was asking myself whether or not Spielberg had not only matched the 1961 original, but maybe even <b>surpassed</b> it.</p><p>Moving forward, I'm assuming some degree of familiarity with both the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Side_Story_(1961_film)" target="_blank">'<i>61 WSS</i></a> and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Side_Story_(2021_film)" target="_blank">'</a><i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Side_Story_(2021_film)" target="_blank">21 WSS</a>. </i>Click the links if you require a synopsis of either film.</p><p>Let's get into it below the jump, with SPOILERS ahead.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>Is this the West Side or a War Zone?</b></h4><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgN92SbG0MTszQdpSZ6gfyVodzzIqJfMGeQ_gmYFiDhd_LNBWTfNxZTnmsEPVAmWNu7Y4m5aHdWJnaeMEe4_HP9qwJKyAV_o1wLPdXHVJ_eH8Z6LfgNoBWKcWpfRb_K7Z3KMA9wug7nEez1XNr7yFVwtATyMNkaZJRhrq3ZE19lSei_OYB4H0UZD-sb=s1245" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="1245" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgN92SbG0MTszQdpSZ6gfyVodzzIqJfMGeQ_gmYFiDhd_LNBWTfNxZTnmsEPVAmWNu7Y4m5aHdWJnaeMEe4_HP9qwJKyAV_o1wLPdXHVJ_eH8Z6LfgNoBWKcWpfRb_K7Z3KMA9wug7nEez1XNr7yFVwtATyMNkaZJRhrq3ZE19lSei_OYB4H0UZD-sb=w400-h169" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>The first images are ruins of a low-income neighborhood on the West Side of New York, <a href="https://www.americamagazine.org/arts-culture/2020/02/25/story-behind-lost-neighborhood-where-west-side-story-set" target="_blank">demolished to make way for the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts</a>. Historically, this occurred in the San Juan Hill neighborhood of Manhattan during the late 1950's. Here, it's depicted by Spielberg in the unvarnished manner of a war film and is startlingly reminiscent of the ruined Bayonne in <i>War of the Worlds, </i>the bombed out village of Ramelle in <i>Saving Private Ryan, </i>or even the Krakow ghetto in <i>Schindler's List </i>- as critic/essayist Walter Chaw <a href="https://www.filmfreakcentral.net/ffc/2021/12/west-side-story-2021.html" target="_blank">points out</a>: "it's not the first time Spielberg has shot the clearing of a ghetto". This makes the conflict between the Jets and Sharks over this "territory" already meaningless - whoever "wins" will not benefit from the victory. They're already judged as expendable and the world is moving on without them, in force. Matthew Robbins' <i>*batteries not included </i>(executive produced by Spielberg) is the only other mainstream entertainment I can recall which presents gentrification in such violent terms.</p><p>As mentioned by critic Richard Brody in his <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/review-steven-spielbergs-west-side-story-remake-is-worse-than-the-original" target="_blank">mixed-to-negative review</a> of <i>'21 WSS</i>, this razing of a low-income neighborhood primarily affected African-American residents. That acknowledged, I'm giving Spielberg and writer Tony Kushner the benefit of the doubt for a larger point - the forced relocation of people to serve wealthy interests. It's analogous to other events in cities around the United States around the same time, some of which DID adversely affect Latin-American people, like, say, the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-mar-29-sp-ravine29-story.html" target="_blank">clearing of Chavez Ravine to make way for Dodger Stadium</a> in 1950s Los Angeles.</p><p>Speaking of force, it's also worth emphasizing another significant change Spielberg makes in this film. Unlike the <i>'61 WSS</i>, where the fight sequences are highly stylized and choreographed dance moves, the brawling in this film is intensely physical, with real physical consequences, and Spielberg doesn't pull his punches. After one brawl, the Jets' Baby John finds his ear pierced by a nail. Paint cans are bashed against heads. Punches during the rumble land with sickening force. Knives and bullets draw blood.</p><p>This context particularly affects how the Jets are portrayed within the film. There's certainly a hint of Spielberg's previous "lost boys" in these Jets, but they're well past anything we see in <i>Hook</i>, Jim Graham in <i>Empire of the Sun </i>(whose ragged ghostly appearance would fit well with these Jets), or even the Jets in the <i>'61 WSS. </i>Early in the film, after the first brawl, Lieutenant Shrank derides the Jets as the "last of the can't make it Caucasians", and another character later in the film makes a comment about "mutually assured destruction" when Riff (Mike Faist) acquires a gun, just in case the Sharks break the terms of the rumble. It's an outcast group of people assigning false equivalency to their opponent, in order to justify the escalation they already want, a distinctly authoritarian impulse. And they have no concept of responsibility; immediately after getting the gun, they play act shooting each other, treating a loaded gun like a toy. </p><p>Also, Spielberg's version of "Gee Officer Krupke" is staged inside a police precinct, as opposed to the street outside Doc's Store. These kids have heard all of the rationalizations for their delinquent behavior, and can recite them ad nauseum. In the <i>'61 WSS</i>, it comes off as playful self-pity outside Doc's, but in the <i>'21 WSS</i> there's an added self-awareness which makes these kids genuinely dangerous, because they've learned how to weaponize these rationalizations in bad faith to avoid responsibility. In <i>'21 WSS</i>, the Jets are reactionary punks who lash out at everything around them in impotent rage, and the Sharks are the just the next available targets. Some of this contextual background does exist in the <i>'61 WSS, </i>but it's so spare that it doesn't land with much impact.</p><p>Making it explicit in the <i>'21 WSS, </i>by layering it into setting, set design, and staging makes it clear without being oppressive. It fundamentally changes the film for the better. Which leads us nicely into...</p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>A group of very good performances, including a defense of Ansel Elgort's Tony.</b></h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgg4-tlDxyZVhyQmpvoPa0GuARQtbIWSgIjT5kuQIWWXmhxVYPsBRn8fjfKvfMW_4aUrHDAgznyBW7VnC_PZVhpyEW73mRTHgutJ5doin4WTWqMdKDLJXqoUEYJrVDawogCOVmzKBFRTXqXzaChq6tWWQzQGB87OcoNrK5A0Ggus0U2HWUITyFXYUm-=s1247" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="521" data-original-width="1247" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgg4-tlDxyZVhyQmpvoPa0GuARQtbIWSgIjT5kuQIWWXmhxVYPsBRn8fjfKvfMW_4aUrHDAgznyBW7VnC_PZVhpyEW73mRTHgutJ5doin4WTWqMdKDLJXqoUEYJrVDawogCOVmzKBFRTXqXzaChq6tWWQzQGB87OcoNrK5A0Ggus0U2HWUITyFXYUm-=w400-h168" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>I agree Ansel Elgort is not the most dynamic performer or singer, nor does he exhibit the most charisma of the primary actors in this cast. But I disagree with critics who have knocked his performance, referring to him as "<a href="https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/west-side-story-movie-review-2021" target="_blank">a blank slate</a>", or his "<a href="https://thereveal.substack.com/p/in-review-red-rocket-west-side-story" target="_blank">gawky mediocrity</a>". I think it should be acknowledged some of that is because of the conception of the character, expressly designed to allow the audience to project themselves onto them (which is frankly true of Maria as well). </p><p>However, in <i>'21 WSS</i>, Tony has been provided with a new backstory; he's a reformed punk who still carries that angry, almost predatory edge just below the surface. He's learned to keep it under control working for Doc's widow, Valentina (Rita Moreno), and the hopeful dreamer inside Tony which was held back for its vulnerability, has taken its place, but the duality is evident in Elgort's performance. One benefit we see is Tony's relationship with a Puerto Rican woman who'd been in a loving interracial marriage; compared to the rest of the Jets, he's already got one foot off the streets and a close up look at something richer. It's the best feature of the revised character, as it gives Elgort's rendition of "Something's Coming" genuine heft. Later on, when Tony is desperately trying to stop the fight between the Jets and Sharks, you see him constantly having to hold back that predatory instinct against Bernardo (David Alvarez), and how horrified he is when it does finally break through. </p><p>All that said, presenting this duality is also troubling for two reasons: First is the idea that prison has successfully reformed Tony; it's revealed that he did a yearlong stint for beating a member of the Egyptian Kings nearly to death. The idea of prison being a genuine opportunity for reform does not square with the otherwise lucid social points this film makes (which is also mentioned in Brody's review linked above). Second are the <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2021/12/ansel-elgort-sexual-assault-allegations-timeline.html" target="_blank">allegations of sexual assault</a> made against Elgort in June of 2020, several months after production wrapped, which he has denied. The meet-cute between Tony and Maria under the bleachers almost threw me out of the film, because Tony's initial gazes at Maria include one or two moments where he leers at her, and there's no getting around the creep factor as he physically looms over her.</p><p>Rachel Zegler's performance as Maria deserves to be her "star is born" moment; she's sensational. I preferred her singing to the work Marni Nixon provided in the <i>'61 WSS</i>; I feel like you can hear her youthful exuberance in every note she hits. There's not really much for Zegler to hang her hat on in terms of character development, but she makes the most of Maria's wide-eyed innocence and naïveté, and it's backed up with some real toughness, a nice contrast to her slight frame. Her early confrontations with Bernardo establish her independence without seeming petulant. At the dance, Maria is so genuinely lovely, sweet, and sincere that she completely disarms Tony, and Elgort lets you see Tony's protective predatory façade fall away, how she changes everything for him in an instant and makes a path to the world of Doc and Valentina feel possible. Later, she goes toe-to-toe emotionally with Ariana De Bose's Anita. It's an extraordinary scene between two women trapped in a nightmare of rage and grief - their intensity is laced with empathy, and Maria shows that, emotionally speaking, she's older and smarter than she presents. Maria asking Anita if she can forgiver her is an unbearably emotional note of love and sadness.</p><p>Ariana De Bose uses Anita's sensuality as an anchor for her performance. You feel the passion, energy, vitality, and righteous anger roiling underneath and she lets it out in hints, as during her fierce defense of America in "America", and her amusingly scandalous moment in the quintet "Tonight". When she's forced to identify Bernardo and Riff at the City Morgue, you can feel her pain and anger raging beneath the surface. David Alvarez is likewise terrific as Bernardo - here given a nascent boxing career as his stepladder to success - it emphasizes his danger as a character while also giving it an optimistic veneer, while also conveying a bit of tenderness and avuncular sweet exasperation with Maria and Anita. The two of them are the core of "America", and the number works as the movie's big showstopper largely because of the energy and chemistry these two performances bring to the movie - which then sets up Anita's devastating exit line at Doc's... "Yo no soy Americana, yo soy <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">puertorriqueña</span></span>."</p><p>Mike Faist makes for a dangerously feral Riff - his sharp eyes, lean physique, and tomcat-like physicality make him feel simultaneously rough and sharp along the edges. During Spielberg's electric staging of "Cool" (now before the fight, rather than in the aftermath), Tony and Riff grapple for control of the gun on a disintegrating dock with holes leading into the inky dark Hudson River. Watching them battle while negotiating pitfalls with an abyss beneath them feels like a musical variation of a smaller <i>Indiana Jones</i> setpiece. Tony's desperate hopes to stop the fight are crushed and we feel the weight of his disappointment and failure, especially as Riff sings the lyrics back to him in cruel mockery trying to bait him into joining the Jets' for the fight.</p><p>And of course, there's Rita Moreno's poignant role as Valentina. Her version of "Somewhere" plays not just as an ode to Doc, it's also a Cassandra from the past lamenting another dream between another Tony and Maria doomed to tragedy; trapped in an endless cycle of pointless violence and all she can do is convey a lifetime of grief at having to see it unfold again, while also knowing the attempt to succeed in love must be taken no matter the risk or cost. It's a quietly devastating rendition.</p><p>One of my few issues with <i>'21 WSS</i> is that the members of the Jets and the Sharks are relegated to background status. The two exceptions; Anybodys (iris menas), who goes from a tomboy in the previous version to a trans male in this version - a change which feels more honest and echoes the social and cultural barriers placed between Tony and Maria. Chino is recharacterized as an intelligent, hard-working, bookish young man, engaged in creating a career and life for himself, and it gives his eventual tragic turn at the end more heft than it did in the previous film. Otherwise, vivid characters in the <i>'61 WSS</i> such as Ice, Action, and A-Rab are largely ignored in this version. </p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b><i>West Side Story</i> is a perfect match of material for Steven Spielberg, and another late career re-examination of his legacy.</b></h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6kqxqZTQdtGVW8CFV3JtwgNOqpQagEtGWNvxxPX7oF-CymIX9g4YDaHAThcyHZ6WzcabOpDegsXsa91La37jDcG4u0gQdSJ0kNMMFS2rlO5DHj-TVeW_LlC7gBb6WcfV1t-Uc2so4eSVFweA0u_GXxocsNdpkrbp-yhrTXGEo6Oekg-yS8npL0Hl2=s300" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="144" data-original-width="300" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6kqxqZTQdtGVW8CFV3JtwgNOqpQagEtGWNvxxPX7oF-CymIX9g4YDaHAThcyHZ6WzcabOpDegsXsa91La37jDcG4u0gQdSJ0kNMMFS2rlO5DHj-TVeW_LlC7gBb6WcfV1t-Uc2so4eSVFweA0u_GXxocsNdpkrbp-yhrTXGEo6Oekg-yS8npL0Hl2=w400-h192" width="400" /></a></div><p>Spielberg has always been an emotionally generous storyteller. It usually works best in his genre entertainments, where emotions are heightened and the drama is not understated or underplayed, and it allows his work to feel effortlessly entertaining. As a big theatrical production full of heightened emotion, <i>West Side Story</i> is a perfect vehicle for Spielberg's savant-like technical skill, crowd-pleasing instincts, and emotional generosity. His intuitive understanding of where to put the camera, when to move the camera, and how to move his performers with the camera opens this production up and, combined with new choreography by Justin Peck, makes it feel thrillingly, vibrantly alive on a movie screen.</p><p>Conceding that there are technical resources available to the <i>'21 WSS</i> that were not available to the <i>'61 WSS,</i> one thing I noticed was that Robbins and Wise often put the camera low and shot wide angles which captured Robbins' exquisite choreography, but often also resulted in a film which felt often like a filmed stage production. By contrast, Spielberg's camera is often flying and diving among the dancers, never losing track of the larger geography or making you feel like you're missing part of the choreography because of quick cutting. </p><p>Spielberg's staging of "America" is so expansive and colorful - spilling out of a tenement stairwell and out onto the city streets - that there's no point in comparing it to the original, which is staged on a rooftop. The same can be said for other numbers, like the aforementioned "Cool" and "Gee Officer Krupke". Even the staging of "I Feel Pretty" in a department store rather than a small boutique and relocated to the original point in the stage production (after the brawl) makes it acidly tragic even while doubling down on the social/political themes suggested in the film's opening - click on the link above for Chaw's take on this restaged number, it's a fascinating insight, also <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2021/12/west-side-story-2021-how-it-differs-from-the-original.html" target="_blank">echoed here by theater critics Jackson McHenry and Helen Shaw</a>.</p><p>The high school gym in <i>'21 WSS</i> actually looks like a gym, rather than a church fellowship hall, and Spielberg - working with ace DP Janusz Kaminsky - turns it into a candy-colored kaleidoscope of lens flares and bright lights. Compared to the basement in Doc's store where we meet Tony and the apartment where Maria lives with Bernardo and Anita, watching their worlds collide and then virtually explode with color and life upon meeting each other feels like a perfect expression of love at first sight, as well as the combustibility their love brings to the larger community. </p><p>Immediately after, "Maria" is restaged with Tony wandering past a fence onto a playground, like falling in love has immediately pushed him into the simpler time he should be living in at his age - and another depiction of Spielberg's career long fascination with boys from broken homes/families who are desperate to return to the innocence they've lost, before he takes to the streets in search of his new love.</p><p>Another contrast between <i>'21 WSS</i> and <i>'61 WSS</i> is watching Spielberg's staging of the Balcony duet of "Tonight". He constantly frames Tony and Maria between rails and steps, moving along catwalks and fire escapes, fighting through obstacle after obstacle just to see each other clearly, then to touch each other, then to kiss each other. The staging gives their romance an immediacy and urgency by visually emphasizing how much they have to overcome to be together. Combined with the actual singing and performances of Elgort and Zegler during the sequence, it's my favorite moment in any movie I've seen this year.</p><p>Lastly, <i>'21 WSS </i>feels like Spielberg finding a way back to dozens of reference points from throughout his career. Similar to his underrated adaptation of <i>Ready Player One, </i>but instead of commenting on the work of other directors and interrogating his own influence on popular culture, here we see a late-career master<i> </i>redeploying visual ideas and themes to startling effect. I've mentioned several already throughout this post, but there are others worthy of mentioning. Among them...</p><ul><li>Tony looking out of the basement into a fiery sunset during the quintet "Tonight" hints at the violence to come, while the same fiery sunset hints at violence past in <i>War Horse</i>.</li></ul><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3x-GxZIRm5jMo3h6y3euIDKB7UKpMe8DE6v0WRXsdjNTIZKy_fvEE_H7yyblr4i9bcP8gb8c8N9sCk5TX5wwFemTpZp6X3joeaTBDSFv9Zzo7MZIA6JdXeuLNejkeUXbgTK-8c1gGHw0H2NZ6kJF355GYk_plm9BkpN-Uy7KYydMjstJnewMalZWL=s1246" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="1246" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3x-GxZIRm5jMo3h6y3euIDKB7UKpMe8DE6v0WRXsdjNTIZKy_fvEE_H7yyblr4i9bcP8gb8c8N9sCk5TX5wwFemTpZp6X3joeaTBDSFv9Zzo7MZIA6JdXeuLNejkeUXbgTK-8c1gGHw0H2NZ6kJF355GYk_plm9BkpN-Uy7KYydMjstJnewMalZWL=w400-h166" width="400" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfJS5lnJwMxTJVYFU_vu5xLCDWXULtr7YQTEWjDg8jSI2gW1zCtYlXbwP7FAXkOmqIWrHyHN3gkcU9XG845psBnIkCXgYnOU_jUAp1DvzE-RQoX9sbULggDQSpsCpPuSJw5ysm7DetUjVD-11KvCY9sy-MGczeCXpul4aPUA5kz9Sup3lEaj7htCSk=s1246" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="517" data-original-width="1246" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfJS5lnJwMxTJVYFU_vu5xLCDWXULtr7YQTEWjDg8jSI2gW1zCtYlXbwP7FAXkOmqIWrHyHN3gkcU9XG845psBnIkCXgYnOU_jUAp1DvzE-RQoX9sbULggDQSpsCpPuSJw5ysm7DetUjVD-11KvCY9sy-MGczeCXpul4aPUA5kz9Sup3lEaj7htCSk=w400-h166" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><ul><li>The kaleidoscope of music and colors during the school dance recalls the sense of wonder during the similarly musical kaleidoscope at the climax of <i>Close Encounters of the Third Kind </i>where<i> </i>people from different worlds are united through light and music, while also evoking the carnality of Rouge City in <i>A.I. Artificial Intelligence, </i>where child-like machines are introduced to a seductively dangerous world.</li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjX0jJ5mdM9fez5lfk-Z2E3by5loHVEozruWStf_KZVl6H0TZxYhWdhlehE_jVfEUIyYcu96YpYPw_6kkFtsoro5nwEe4KHkAvj_Z9jroOhHr8sa-pNeU44W_HJ0DH6h5kV4B1rTVEzu8sDd7-1ptJLP4KnN0inPpHtxqS5sI8YYOJFZSIA7eXMgyQ9=s1246" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="1246" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjX0jJ5mdM9fez5lfk-Z2E3by5loHVEozruWStf_KZVl6H0TZxYhWdhlehE_jVfEUIyYcu96YpYPw_6kkFtsoro5nwEe4KHkAvj_Z9jroOhHr8sa-pNeU44W_HJ0DH6h5kV4B1rTVEzu8sDd7-1ptJLP4KnN0inPpHtxqS5sI8YYOJFZSIA7eXMgyQ9=w400-h168" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwoTewnFVV8Qh958stZMEUYo_ooShc3LiyuhQH9s3c9V2EN11wJOH_196-QBZ33QIDQTdq83lkftavLoQBuL7bZQN4Agsc12XVp2NVoXFhq-E4xqHLatUIvVjxu6XnRhBf9PdSBajxM5YLNaiCUICKXfdohrZKzOf0_gK_ZD1hX_9XkfMPJ08dMO4I=s1222" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="1222" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwoTewnFVV8Qh958stZMEUYo_ooShc3LiyuhQH9s3c9V2EN11wJOH_196-QBZ33QIDQTdq83lkftavLoQBuL7bZQN4Agsc12XVp2NVoXFhq-E4xqHLatUIvVjxu6XnRhBf9PdSBajxM5YLNaiCUICKXfdohrZKzOf0_gK_ZD1hX_9XkfMPJ08dMO4I=w400-h158" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUVCBcPxEwNOHqLQf-h6jEPl5Dt6iEwxmAVWQ6uroIy5k0-t375hRzzsxyaXCofWqagzvC3AQt-5oWA-waqomFTP0o2XNwdEUxN1MIOo9DqfVbP3IDW21ffzsnH0Xi9KHnE1SRhyF8nNdyuBBWtXyJl6-WQXDVRUo0LuYGU1881bapSlhxAecJsr0n=s1284" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="1284" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUVCBcPxEwNOHqLQf-h6jEPl5Dt6iEwxmAVWQ6uroIy5k0-t375hRzzsxyaXCofWqagzvC3AQt-5oWA-waqomFTP0o2XNwdEUxN1MIOo9DqfVbP3IDW21ffzsnH0Xi9KHnE1SRhyF8nNdyuBBWtXyJl6-WQXDVRUo0LuYGU1881bapSlhxAecJsr0n=w400-h224" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><ul><li>The shadowy figures looming towards each other for the brawl in the Salt Warehouse, also reminds me of the emerging aliens from the mothership at the climax of <i>Close Encounters of the Third Kind</i>, though these species are unwilling and unable to communicate with each other.</li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOEfIah4H8D4cczE3xxaJ1Gw-e2se1KvVe3Pep4yW-j_lGHdDE_fmpRUmFBt3RMEVTQrZveqKUURfNha59dmqKI3MkMRJ23xvQJ-AFH57JGM8DUVnD7Goq2Rq8Ti_qz_Mae47ZH2zOpmOZDTX7XlnurWgOCNWVFyd49QEI-FiuJS0dsh5UzVmiUP9V=s1245" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="1245" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOEfIah4H8D4cczE3xxaJ1Gw-e2se1KvVe3Pep4yW-j_lGHdDE_fmpRUmFBt3RMEVTQrZveqKUURfNha59dmqKI3MkMRJ23xvQJ-AFH57JGM8DUVnD7Goq2Rq8Ti_qz_Mae47ZH2zOpmOZDTX7XlnurWgOCNWVFyd49QEI-FiuJS0dsh5UzVmiUP9V=w400-h169" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFmTVi7EQLHeY4IxIiKDvfavKIib6AmhmMxDcXCvPM75o7Zr4mcIeNj_fGbMC-I3XEt9BAiIHm0JNXNYVfFSJ5OhUjEumaqEr_32sUolDr56ewhXnUGBvM5JvEMKtkeENqQU28-mQQFCm9vSHz9Wu1Etb7kKqhen8flOrmLds_viCL-1qGmreJ09Tg=s1231" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="1231" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFmTVi7EQLHeY4IxIiKDvfavKIib6AmhmMxDcXCvPM75o7Zr4mcIeNj_fGbMC-I3XEt9BAiIHm0JNXNYVfFSJ5OhUjEumaqEr_32sUolDr56ewhXnUGBvM5JvEMKtkeENqQU28-mQQFCm9vSHz9Wu1Etb7kKqhen8flOrmLds_viCL-1qGmreJ09Tg=w400-h170" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>Closing Thoughts.</b></h4><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgncQ2U42z5lPPS6_BeW9JrPMoWFMHPq9MCFEz5ZZ1Ie-8eLF5ZGeByQH8RLVdQNYgTC3fJg9Nq1yQfQbPCZHNVGnYQ9TDFVninX86Tdg1Vj4XeT4bIUhAeXzMVKZkpk867ZrkgHo0eBvd89hHTC_Wg75-wg7u0AHz19gx71UC3Xf2R8zcU2mXxZkIq=s750" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="750" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgncQ2U42z5lPPS6_BeW9JrPMoWFMHPq9MCFEz5ZZ1Ie-8eLF5ZGeByQH8RLVdQNYgTC3fJg9Nq1yQfQbPCZHNVGnYQ9TDFVninX86Tdg1Vj4XeT4bIUhAeXzMVKZkpk867ZrkgHo0eBvd89hHTC_Wg75-wg7u0AHz19gx71UC3Xf2R8zcU2mXxZkIq=w400-h236" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Until I sat down to watch it, I had no idea how much I needed Spielberg's <i>West Side Story</i>.</p><p>We're now moving close to 2 full years of a pandemic, and when you consider the extreme shifts in America's social, political, and cultural norms, the stresses involved with navigating how all these events impact our work, our kids' education and social development, and our own social lives have been taxing, to say the least. Personally, add in a particularly stressful last few months for reasons I won't get into, and I think I've probably been dealing with mild depression for a while. </p><p>Watching this movie in a theater, and getting taken away by the movie not only felt like an island in the middle of a raging ocean, it also took me back to the original and the feelings the original evoked for me when I was a teen. I'm not going to say whether it's a better adaptation than the 1961 original - I'm honestly not sure - but I can say this version works better as a movie. The updates serve to enhance the drama and add grace notes without disrespecting anything which has come before. </p><p>After a career spanning 50 years, and having over the course of his career invented the modern blockbuster and defined two generations of popular culture, largely by taking long forgotten adventure serials, science fiction, and monster films and reinventing them into modern classics, Steven Spielberg has turned at last to musicals and largely accomplished the same feat here. His <i>West Side Story</i> is both a modern classic and a fascinating revisiting of his directing career. </p><p>You should see it if you get the chance. I can't wait to see it again.</p><p><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>Note: </b>The blog is more educational/discussion purposes and the Author receives no money for this blog. All images are stills form trailers or from the films.</span></p>Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-20890228093218208792021-01-04T20:26:00.002-08:002021-01-05T10:26:07.367-08:00Considerations for Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins<p><b>Some thoughts on what the Miami Dolphins have with Tua Tagovailoa, what they could do next, and how to position themselves for long term contention in 2021.</b></p><p>This was a remarkable season of growth bookended by a pair of desultory performances. It started with a quarterback throwing 3 interceptions on the road against a divisional opponent and it likewise ended with a quarterback throwing 3 interceptions on the road against a divisional opponent. </p><p>In between, the Dolphins flirted with defensive dominance, strong special teams, and had a good look at a playoff appearance. The coaching, particularly on defense and game management with a strong instinct for when to deploy gadget plays, helped to hide a very young roster and a wildly inconsistent offense. It resulted in a 10-win season where the Dolphins demonstrated their ability to control poorly coached opponents, as well as teams with limited QBs and limited rosters. </p><p>On the other hand, they were 1-5 against 2020 playoff teams, and 0-4 against MVP caliber QBs (Josh Allen twice, early season Russell Wilson, Patrick Mahomes), which clearly indicates they aren't yet a championship caliber team. There's several questions on the offensive side of the ball, along with some holes on defense and a roster which needs more quality depth after the 1st year of a rebuild.</p><p>Luckily, the Dolphins (thanks to the 2019 Laremy Tunsil trade with the Houston Texans), have 2 1st round picks, 2 2nd round picks, and at least $33 million in cap space space with which to address these issues.</p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Author's Note 1</b>: Before we descend into the rabbit hole, I will note that there is conjecture regarding the status of current Offensive Coordinator Chan Gailey, though he is on the Dolphins staff as of this writing. I will not discuss the offensive system, as it is beyond the scope of this post. That said...</span></p><p>Down the rabbit hole we go!</p><p><br /></p><span><a name='more'></a></span><h4 style="text-align: left;">What About Tua Tagovailoa?</h4><p>Tagovailoa's rookie season can be most optimistically described as a mixed bag. The team went 6-3 in his nine starts, which broke down as follows: some promising performances (at Arizona, vs Cincinnati), a few solid/mixed performances (vs LA Chargers, vs New England, vs Kansas City), a few bad performances (at Denver, at Las Vegas, at Buffalo), and one not really worth reviewing (vs LA Rams).</p><p>Ryan Fitzpatrick, the season opening QB, went 4-3 as a starter with some good performances (at Jacksonville, at San Francisco) some decent performances (against the Jets, vs Buffalo) and some bad performances (at New England, vs Seattle). Fitzpatrick notably relieved Tagovailoa twice, once in a comeback bid which came up short in Denver, and an utter miracle of a win at Las Vegas.</p><p>Starting with the Denver game, the offense with Tagovailoa struggled - regardless of the strength of opponent - for extended periods of time. It's one thing to have a rough game against the Bills in Buffalo, or in your first appearances against well-regarded defensive coaches like Vic Fangio and Bill Belichick. It's quite another to struggle moving the ball against bad defensive teams like the Raiders. What's worrisome is that Fangio gave the remaining teams a path to follow with Tagovailoa, and that Tagovailoa (and the Dolphins offense with him) struggled to adapt through the remainder of the season.</p><p>Some is personnel, some is scheme-related. But at least some is Tagovailoa related and that leads to the next, very painful question...</p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Did the Dolphins take the Wrong QB?</h4><div><br /></div><div>As of right now, yes.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's admittedly awkward, but taking Tagovailoa ahead of Justin Herbert is especially damning at this point for the Dolphins, precisely because Tagovailoa was an injury risk leading into the draft, and the Dolphins still opted for Tagovailoa over the healthy and physically gifted Herbert (as an aside, had personnel departments known what Herbert's rookie season would look like, he would've gone 1st overall to the Cincinnati Bengals). Unfortunately, QB development in the NFL is never a sure thing, and there's no way to know whether Herbert will continue his stratospheric ascension, much less whether Tagovailoa (or Joe Burrow, or Jalen Hurts) will likewise improve, or regress.</div><div><br /></div><div>But I think the Tagovailoa/Herbert conversation is interesting for a few reasons, and it sheds light on the Dolphins and their process. To be clear, this is the Dolphins' process, and I'm neither advocating for or against it - though it made sense to me at the time, hindsight and all that.</div><div><br /></div><div>It was widely speculated that Tagovailoa might have to redshirt his rookie season to allow for complete rehabilitation from a career-threatening hip injury (and in retrospect, it may in fact have been the best course of action - I'll come back to this) he suffered on 11/16/19. </div><div><br /></div><div>I mention this because one possible reason for his late-season struggles is not the offseason changes forced by COVID-19 and resulting losses of minicamps, offseason meetings, workouts, preseason games, and the like - as demonstrated by performance of Justin Herbert and, to a lesser degree, Joe Burrow. Where Tagovailoa's situation clearly differs from them is in the focus of his offseason work. Because of the late season hip injury, Herbert and Burrow played extra games (4 and 5), some of which were against quality competition (2 for Herbert, 3 for Burrow) and got additional valuable snaps. Further, because they weren't rehabbing a critical injury, they were able to focus their offseason on developing their skills and refining their mechanics.</div><div><br /></div><div>Again, for emphasis - the Dolphins KNEW and took Tagovailoa over Herbert anyway. Which means the Dolphins knew there was a possibility they would not know what they had with him by the end of the 2020 regular season. Further, because there were in Year One of their rebuild (2019 was the demolition, save your corrections), they likely did not anticipate being in playoff contention (they also couldn't have anticipated the Houston Texans' implosion, but here we are).</div><div><br /></div><div>Also, keep in mind the Dolphins had almost a completely new offensive line group in 2020. The only player who started for the Dolphins OL in 2019 and returned as a starter in 2020 was Jesse Davis, a swing G/T who is valued for positional versatility as opposed to performance. Among that group were three draft picks.</div><div><br /></div><div>It seems clear to me the plan was for Fitzpatrick to take the lumps behind the developing offensive line, allowing Tagovailoa to complete his rehabilitation, study from the sidelines, and be ready in 2021 a-la-Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City behind Alex Smith. But then a few things happened along the way...</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Why Did the Dolphins Handle Tagovailoa This Way?</h4><div><br /></div><div>First, the Dolphins coaching staff did a terrific job of developing some of the young talent on the defensive side of the ball, and once CB Byron Jones became healthy, were able to craft highly disruptive defensive game plans which produced shorter fields via turnover, and reduced the need for the offense to play with high productivity and aggressiveness.</div><div><br /></div><div>In other words, a suddenly competitive defensive team realized that a highly volatile veteran playing YOLO ball like Fitzpatrick might produce some standout offensive games (as was the case against the San Francisco 49ers), but was equally likely to have games where his propensity for risk-taking would negate any advantages the Dolphins' defense provided (as happened against the New England Patriots in the season opener).</div><div><br /></div><div>Second, Tagovailoa was deemed fully healthy by the start of the regular season. There was no medical reason to protect him, and while there was benefit to him being on the sideline, there were the missed opportunities that come from him not getting the starter's reps in practices, along with being directly involved in game-planning and preparation. Considering Fitzpatrick's veteran experience in the offense directed by Gailey, the Dolphins realized Tagovailoa's opportunities for measurable growth would be accelerated by making him the starter, without significantly hindering Fitzpatrick's abilities if he had to play QB at any point down the road.</div><div><br /></div><div>Third (as mentioned above), no one expected the 2021 1st round pick from the Houston Texans becoming the 3rd overall pick, in a draft with 3-4 well regarded QB prospects. Because of an opportunity no one could've foreseen, the Dolphins' hand on Tagovailoa was forced, as was <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/30232797/sources-miami-dolphins-trove-draft-picks-was-factor-decision-start-tua-tagovailoa" target="_blank">reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter</a>, though that report was <a href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/30261912/brian-flores-says-miami-dolphins-not-auditioning-tua-tagovailoa" target="_blank">refuted by Dolphins HC Brian Flores</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Add it all up - a defense oriented team which provides easy scoring opportunities, a veteran known for highly variable performance, and the need to figure out if your rookie QB is in fact the guy you want to build around - because of the opportunity presented for a reset without really risking losing games OR draft capital - the decision HC Brian Flores made to start Tagovailoa was quite logical, even if it wasn't necessarily planned for when the Dolphins drafted him. </div><div><br /></div><div>It was kind of an "eat your cake and have it too" situation, though it could be argued the decision in fact cost the Dolphins a playoff spot, if you think Fitzpatrick definitely gets the Dolphins a win against Denver (and set aside the likelihood of Fitzpatrick eventually performing poorly in a critical game). Unfortunately, as discussed earlier, Tagovailoa's performance has been just inconsistent enough that it invites the Dolphins to consider alterative options, as opposed to letting Tagovailoa stay on the bench for the season, and not play until 2021 (or until he was ready to operate the offense without training wheels). Which leads us to...</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><h4>Do the Dolphins Need A New QB?</h4><div><p>There's a lot of different thoughts, but let's go with the obvious ones.</p><p>First, the Dolphins should already know if Tagovailoa isn't the guy moving forward - compare his situation to how they handled Josh Rosen in 2019. The Dolphins acquired Josh Rosen (drafted 10th overall in 2018) in 2019 from the Arizona Cardinals for a 2nd round & 5th round pick. The Dolphins waited a couple of weeks into the 2019 season to see what they had in Rosen. After starting Rosen in Week 3, the experiment lasted exactly 2.5 games before Fitzpatrick returned to the starting lineup and Rosen was never seen again - when the Dolphins clearly had nothing to lose by playing him. </p><p>In other words, Flores and GM Chris Grier have already demonstrated what happens once they've decided that a QB isn't the player they want to build around.</p></div><div>For that reason (barring an unexpected change/event during the offseason), I don't think the Dolphins will take a QB at 3 (unless the Dolphins' front office evaluation projects a definitely better player), simply because Tagovailoa hasn't been bad enough to write off. The most commonly cited instance of this happening when the Arizona Cardinals replaced Rosen with Kyler Murray, and had a demonstrably better result. </div><div><br /></div><div>Therefore, let's compare Tagovailoa's 1st season with some other recent 1st seasons...</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">Note: all comparisons from Pro Football Reference</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Tagovailoa vs Rosen</b></div></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNnfcinPIZzlzO4GcrXGTR8gZblG1ZnZNgEnQL505Vj9LG5nJZSj63ZOXkYxic8ThyphenhyphenZznu6Hb7FSRa_wgZ__8UAs5mM5M-MIexIwIoRsxykVz5ADeVf9-tXO_Alh5sM0j7zEmQN3U0k3Y/s841/Tua+v+Rosen.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="105" data-original-width="841" height="72" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNnfcinPIZzlzO4GcrXGTR8gZblG1ZnZNgEnQL505Vj9LG5nJZSj63ZOXkYxic8ThyphenhyphenZznu6Hb7FSRa_wgZ__8UAs5mM5M-MIexIwIoRsxykVz5ADeVf9-tXO_Alh5sM0j7zEmQN3U0k3Y/w573-h72/Tua+v+Rosen.jpg" width="573" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Tagovailoa vs Burrow</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq72QxUv199CPsjkiNsdY01Trhl6U-jbc_yG6V0pb_Co5OmTG0G_P1nPrqpVHY71xbdov8EEEn6MwlXXynvSVfhhCXhAFemeOTjT2dCxCUttfpXLULDnzNqHLpkgbcSix5z7qzJ7O6FgA/s907/Tua+vs+Burrow.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="100" data-original-width="907" height="64" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq72QxUv199CPsjkiNsdY01Trhl6U-jbc_yG6V0pb_Co5OmTG0G_P1nPrqpVHY71xbdov8EEEn6MwlXXynvSVfhhCXhAFemeOTjT2dCxCUttfpXLULDnzNqHLpkgbcSix5z7qzJ7O6FgA/w576-h64/Tua+vs+Burrow.jpg" width="576" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Looking at the numbers, Tagovailoa has been demonstrably better than Rosen. Going a step further, there's not a huge difference between Tagovailoa and Burrow. Should the Cincinnati Bengals consider trading up for a chance at Fields / Wilson / Lance, especially with Burrow coming off a significant knee injury?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Tagovailoa vs Allen</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVyjgT0Z-ZghV7i8qYz65xvl7FlAiO_R8jmYkzntR4eCpKEMdYICw7ApmDQx3VgeyeI35MO783bnfa9IAOlVAxwyeWKu4vxhOLLgWDojY-HsBEpE0S2HYSm2CHOrerZN9DCP863243UI/s848/Tua+v+Allen.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="101" data-original-width="848" height="68" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVyjgT0Z-ZghV7i8qYz65xvl7FlAiO_R8jmYkzntR4eCpKEMdYICw7ApmDQx3VgeyeI35MO783bnfa9IAOlVAxwyeWKu4vxhOLLgWDojY-HsBEpE0S2HYSm2CHOrerZN9DCP863243UI/w575-h68/Tua+v+Allen.jpg" width="575" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Tagovailoa vs Murray</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWMRGDFG3Y_SXMXhpbEKon0Lw3GpkM7fHcvCKx8npHd95y9Y_W68LEFdEDuEgue4upkr8FR8wJdIjE_LzEG0LX4DEsLyB82u4EZKqScRky-AgdRrDeP1jvhepI5mSWUMUsanUc8A0QPW0/s845/Tua+v+Murray.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="98" data-original-width="845" height="66" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWMRGDFG3Y_SXMXhpbEKon0Lw3GpkM7fHcvCKx8npHd95y9Y_W68LEFdEDuEgue4upkr8FR8wJdIjE_LzEG0LX4DEsLyB82u4EZKqScRky-AgdRrDeP1jvhepI5mSWUMUsanUc8A0QPW0/w573-h66/Tua+v+Murray.jpg" width="573" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Setting aside the exceptional running ability of Josh Allen and Kyler Murray, shouldn't the Buffalo Bills have considered moving on after 1 season? Even in Murray's case, the passing numbers are not exceptionally better than Tagovailoa's. The counter argument here is the players were worth developing because of their elite physical attributes - but as mentioned above, the Dolphins had this option with Herbert and still chose Tagovailoa. Whatever the reason, they trusted their ability to develop Tagovailoa into a franchise QB more than they did with Herbert.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Some players also take longer to develop than others. Take Drew Brees, a player frequently compared to Tagovailoa. Brees was drafted in 2001, but did not become a high-quality starting QB until 2004. And while Josh Allen's physical tools clearly exceed Tagovailoa's, the Bills' patience with Allen has been amply rewarded with an MVP caliber season in his 3rd year, following 2 years of erratic play while the roster was built around him. The point is that patience is merited in Tagovailoa's case. By extension, we should also recognize and credit Justin Herbert's sensational rookie season as the unicorn it is. </div><div><br /></div><div>Speaking of Josh Allen, the bottom line for the Dolphins is this... Allen and the Buffalo Bills are now the roadblock in the AFC East. Grier and Flores must continue working on the roster until their team can beat the Buffalo Bills in December or January. Which leads us nicely into...</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">What to do with the 3rd Overall Pick?</h4><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Author's Note 1</b><span>- Save the "trade the farm for Trevor Lawrence" takes. The Jacksonville Jaguars aren't trading that pick, and they shouldn't anyway if Lawrence is indeed the best QB prospect since Andrew Luck, no matter what's offered.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><b>Author's Note 2</b><span>- Any discussion of specific players to be drafted will be affected by what the Dolphins do in Free Agency, which is beyond the scope of this post.</span></span></span></p><p>The options are as follows:</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Take the best QB available - but only if you are convinced he represents an upgrade.</li><li>Take the most elite prospect available, regardless of position.</li><li>Trade the pick to another team and accumulate additional draft capital.</li></ol><p></p><p>Option 1: The Dolphins - no matter what - must scout and determine if Ohio State's Justin Fields or BYU's Zach Wilson (or maybe North Dakota State's Trey Lance) could be better. And if they think any of those QBs have a better chance for success than Tagovailoa, they should draft that QB and not think twice. Let Tagovailoa and Fields / Wilson / Lance compete for the starting role.</p><p>As was discussed above, the Dolphins have made a substantial investment in Tagovailoa - knowing his developmental period could be extended due to his injury in college. To move on after 9 games would represent not only a wasted asset, but it would be an admission of systemic failure and should prompt significant investigation of the front office's evaluation process - if not the removal of the persons who made the decision.</p><p>Option 2: In this draft (as of this writing), this group of players would at least consist of the following: LB Micah Parsons (Penn State), OT Penei Sewell (Oregon), and WR Ja'Marr Chase (Louisiana State). At least 2 are likely to be available with the #3 pick and all play at glaring positions of need for the Dolphins. </p><p>Defensively, the Dolphins have a lot of solid-to-very good players in their front 7, but no elite players to complement their investment in the defensive secondary with CBs Xavien Howard and Byron Jones. Parsons has a chance to make an already very good defense even better. The Dolphins did address the OL substantially in 2020 in the draft (and Free Agency), but the results were mixed at best and (as with the QB situation), you shouldn't pass on an elite player just because you like the players you drafted last season and expect to develop them (in this case OT Austin Jackson and RG/RT Robert Hunt). WR is a desperate position of need for the Dolphins. Behind WR Devante Parker (who would be a solid #2 receiver in an offense with quality playmakers and depth), the cupboard is filled with projects like oft-injured Preston Williams, Special Teamers like Jakeem Grant, and other assorted back-of-roster and practice squad types. Regardless of the QB, adding weapons on offense is a desperate need.</p><p>Option 3: Trade the #3 overall pick to a team who wants to secure an available quarterback and/or one of the elite prospects named above. If the Dolphins trade out, they would almost certainly accumulate an extra 1st round pick in the 2022 draft, which affords the team the draft capital and another potential out in the event Tagovailoa does not improve in 2021. Further, additional picks in 2021 would be accumulated as well, giving the Dolphins the chance to add more overall talent to the roster. Obviously, the danger is in losing out on the elite prospects the team had access to with the #3 overall pick.</p><div><div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Wrapping Things Up</h4><p>It's not an easy call, but for me it breaks down like this - I doubt the Dolphins move on from Tua Tagovailoa after nine games, when they knew in advance his development was likely to extend into 2021 because of his college hip injury, and when his actual performance is generally in-line with other 1st year QBs. The Dolphins should only take a QB at #3 overall if they are convinced that player represents a substantial upgrade.</p><p>Miami, by virtue of possessing the #3 overall pick via Houston Texans, has a unique ability to either select a blue-chip talent at a position of need, or trade that pick to another team for additional picks to further fill out the roster and improve depth. The Dolphins are still in the middle of a rebuild and will need at least 1-2 more full cycles of drafting, free agency, and development before they can realistically compete with the Buffalo Bills for the AFC East, or with other Super Bowl contenders.</p><p>The Dolphins 10-win season wasn't a fluke, but it did represent a team with a flawed roster which very nearly played to its ceiling in 2020 thanks to a very good coaching staff. The challenge now is to identify how to advance the team from fringe playoff contender into legitimate playoff contender, and determine if and/or how Tagovailoa is the best route for that advance.</p></div></div>Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-25443250295711604412018-05-22T13:36:00.000-07:002018-05-22T13:36:15.799-07:00Review: Deadpool 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I wrote a review of Marvel's irreverent sequel <i>Deadpool 2</i>.<br />
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It's up over at Unplugg'd. Click on the link below...<br />
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<a href="https://unpluggdwithngl.com/ryan-reynolds-and-deadpool-2-just-want-your-love-78d4f6bd1ed3" target="_blank">Ryan Reynolds and Deadpool 2 Just Want Your Love</a>.</div>
Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-42905066523637922552018-04-20T15:02:00.000-07:002018-04-20T15:02:21.387-07:00Quick Cuts #1: A Quiet Place and Blockers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I wrote a pair of brief reviews on <i>A Quiet Place</i> and <i>Blockers</i>.<br />
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It's up over at Unplugg'd. Click on the link below...<br />
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<a href="https://unpluggdwithngl.com/quick-cuts-1-a-quiet-place-blockers-91e93a62a8ba" target="_blank">Quick Cuts #1: A Quiet Place & Blockers</a></div>
Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-10726504345000243292018-04-18T12:36:00.002-07:002018-04-20T15:02:45.819-07:00Review: The Death of Stalin<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I wrote a review of Armando Iannucci's black comedy <i>The Death of Stalin</i>.<br />
<br />
It's up over at Unplugg'd. Click on the link below...<br />
<br />
<a href="https://unpluggdwithngl.com/review-the-death-of-stalin-b41483c7264c" target="_blank">Review: The Death of Stalin</a></div>
Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-13257292176774757862018-04-11T08:14:00.001-07:002018-04-11T09:05:26.365-07:00Pass On What You Have Learned - Thoughts on Star Wars: The Last Jedi. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I wrote about the the themes of teaching, the danger of idolartry, and learning the right lessons from the past in <i>Star Wars: The Last Jedi</i>.<br />
<br />
It's up over at Unplugg'd. Click on the link below...<br />
<br />
<a href="https://unpluggdwithngl.com/pass-on-what-you-have-learned-thoughts-on-star-wars-the-last-jedi-d6871d2ab3a5" target="_blank">Pass On What You Have Learned - Thoughts on Star Wars: The Last Jedi</a>.</div>
Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-4800548449420355272018-03-01T18:52:00.001-08:002018-04-03T10:55:25.664-07:00Annihilation: Review, Analysis, Thoughts & Musings<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><i>Annihilation</i> is exactly the </b><b>kind of intellectual science-fiction/horror</b><b> film I love. By turns poignant, beautiful, mesmerizing, terrifying, wondrous (sometimes simultaneously), Alex Garland's follow up to <i>Ex Machina</i> is a tremendous achievement.</b><br />
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WARNING! - SPOILER WARNING IN EFFECT<br />
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In 2015, longtime novelist and screenwriter Alex Garland (<i>The Beach,</i> <i>Sunshine</i>, <i>28 Days Later, Dredd</i>) made his (<a href="https://screenrant.com/karl-urban-alex-garland-dredd-director/" target="_blank">official</a>) directing debut with <i>Ex Machina</i>, a coldly intimate story about an inventor who contrives to put one of his creations to the Turing Test.<br />
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<i>Ex Machina (</i>which I liked quite a lot) was like a filmed stage play, due to the low budget and intellectual bent of the material. At the same time, Garland seemed constrained on both an emotional and imaginative level, and so the end result was tense and heady, but frankly a bit sterile.<br />
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Intellectual and sterile (to varying degrees) are characteristics of Garland's previous works, and <i>Annihilation</i> is no different. However, in this case, I think the larger canvas of the story and budget has loosened Garland on a visual and emotional level.<br />
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I loved <i>Annihilation</i>. Which makes the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/annihilation-how-a-clash-between-producers-led-a-netflix-deal-1065465" target="_blank">behind-the-scenes drama</a> between producers Scott Rudin & David Ellison, as well as Paramount's handling of the film's theatrical release all the more tragic.<br />
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More below the jump...<br />
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How Long Were You In There?</h4>
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Natalie Portman plays Lena, a former soldier tuned biologist who specializes in cellular studies at Johns Hopkins University. She's also a grieving wife, whose husband soldier Kane (Oscar Isaac) has been missing in action for about a year on an undisclosed mission.<br />
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One night, as she repaints her bedroom, he appears in the house. But something about him is... off. His memory is gone, and he becomes suddenly, violently ill. As she rides with him to the hospital in an ambulance, Lena and Kane are abducted by a paramilitary force. Lena is given a heavy sedative which renders her unconscious.<br />
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When Lena awakes, the psychologist Ventress (Jennifer Jason Leigh) informs her that her husband is in a coma, and reveals she is at a base called the "Southern Reach." This base is monitoring an expanding field of something called "The Shimmer" which started years previously when an asteroid hit a lighthouse in the area. All attempts to probe The Shimmer have proven useless, and all teams which have attempted to probe The Shimmer have vanished - with the exception of Kane.<br />
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Lena decides to join an all woman team to enter The Shimmer, with the hope of finding the information which can save her husband. Joining her and Ventress are the paramedic Anya (Gina Rodriguez), physicist Josie (Tessa Thompson), and surveyor/geologist Cass (Tuva Novotny).<br />
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Once inside The Shimmer, the women discover a place which is fundamentally incompatible with the known world, in unexpectedly beautiful and terrifying ways.<br />
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The Shimmer Is A Prism, But It Refracts Everything</h4>
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I've seen multiple theories on what <i>Annihilation</i> means over the last few days, and there's merit to each idea. One reviewer wrote about it as a <a href="http://collider.com/annihilation-movie-explained/" target="_blank">visualization of what cancer feels like</a>. Another wrote about it as a <a href="http://www.filmfreakcentral.net/ffc/2018/02/annihilation.html" target="_blank">metaphor for depression</a> or other <a href="http://www.slashfilm.com/annihilation-spoiler-review/" target="_blank">mental illnesses</a>. I also read (or heard - can't remember where) the entire film is a construct of Lena's mind - the result of her guilt and shame about an affair with a colleague. All these theories are valid readings of the film. I'm frankly not concerned with which one is correct - and it's a big part why I think this film is legitimately great.<br />
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The Shimmer (called Area X in the novel) refers to the primary setting for the story. As the team progresses into The Shimmer, they become increasingly disoriented. Time loses all meaning. Memory is fractured. Compasses and radios don't work. The team discovers that all life inside The Shimmer is experiencing mutations of what where believed to be incompatible genetic types. For instance, flowers cross pollinate, alligators have the dental features of sharks, and moss grows in colorfully bizarre forms. The further they go into The Shimmer, the worse the mutations get <b>and</b> the faster they happen.<br />
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This is when Josie recognizes that The Shimmer is refracting everything, including DNA, into new and mysterious forms - often incompatible with the existing form. New life is created from the destruction of existing life - annihilation as we know it. Some of the mutations are beautiful, and some are terrifying.<br />
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Refraction is the bending of light through a prism, which produces a visual distortion. In this film, the theme is expressed as how these characters are subtly but irrevocably changed from what they've always known prior to The Shimmer, into something different - not necessarily in a good or evil way. Nature is nature, life does its own things; some terrible, some beautiful, and sometimes beauty and terror are merged. What's so terrifying about The Shimmer is that, unlike the swamps of the Deep South, it operates by no known rules, other than constant change.<br />
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Going back to cancer as a metaphor - it's explicitly discussed early in the film by Lena with a group of students. I don't think the film is specifically about cancer, but this opening conversation about cancer cells, how they continue to divide when they shouldn't, and how they're a mutation of existing genetic information is something of a Rosetta Stone for the film. Also, Garland also repeatedly uses diffusion or refraction to clue the audience into what's happening within The Shimmer. Windows, computer monitors, clear plastic, glasses of water are all used to provide clues about how to watch this film.<br />
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<i>Annihilation</i> is largely about how our minds and bodies are turned against us. It's about how that process can be expressed in infinite ways, caused by infinite sources from without and from within, and how impossible it may be for others to see or understand it until it's too late. This also leads into questions of identity and existence - how much can we change and still remain ourselves?<br />
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This has long been fertile ground for science fiction and horror films.<br />
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Isn't Self-Destruction Coded Into Us?</h4>
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Lena presents a second crucial idea in the beginning of the film - the idea that aging (and therefore death) is a genetic defect in our cells. In other words, we are hard-wired to self-destruct after a certain point in our lives. Change is part of our natural order. Ironically, though change for humans is self-evident, we also tend to be stubborn and resistant to change - especially when it's as rapid as the changes The Shimmer produces.<br />
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When change happens like this, it's nothing short of terrifying. Which is also why we're so resistant to it, even if it's the only way forward.<br />
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This idea is re-contextualized on a different level during a conversation between Ventress and Lena at the abandoned base. Ventress discusses self-destruction on an ego/id level, as the perfect job you don't keep, the marriage which fails when you have an affair, and so on. This is moment in the film where the parallel of The Shimmer and mental illness comes to its fullest expression.<br />
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What is made clear over the course of the film is that everyone we see enter The Shimmer is on a path to self-destruction, or has flirted with self-destruction over time in their lives. Going further, as The Shimmer refracts these women and changes them, their self-destructive tendencies are given free vent. Interestingly, these characters' self-destruction also carries some parallels with the <a href="https://grief.com/the-five-stages-of-grief/" target="_blank">5 Stages of Grief formulated by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross</a>.<br />
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Those stages are: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. I think each of the women represents a stage of grief which also reflects their personal traumas in some fashion.<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
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<ul>
<li>Denial is Anya, a woman who in her life as a medic was also an addict. She becomes increasingly characterized by her refusal to accept the realty of the situation. Her mind is unable to square the changes she sees in herself with who she believes herself to be. Without the outlet of drugs/alcohol, she falls into paranoid rage and is violently killed by the mutant bear.</li>
<li>Anger is Ventress, a woman whose body is ravaged by cancer (again change we cannot see but is within us), whose mind is ravaged by memory of the people she's sent into The Shimmer only to disappear, and who wants answers delivered in a manner she can contextualize.</li>
<li>Bargaining is Lena, ravaged by the guilt and shame of her infidelity to her husband, which she comes to realize is part of what led him to accept the mission into The Shimmer in the first place. If only she can go in, maybe she can find a cure for him. She's desperate to right a wrong at any cost to herself.</li>
<li>Depression is Cass. She acts subdued in almost every moment she's onscreen regardless of what's happening. She's distant and affected when speaking about the child she lost and the mother's life that was lost with the child. At no moment does she seem alive, until she's taken by the mutant bear.</li>
<li>Acceptance is Josie. It's suggested in the film she's attempted suicide by slitting her wrists, but Cass believes it's more of an outlet for whatever pain she's going through. There's a gentle loneliness to Josie, and she's always able to accept the reality of the situation no matter how beautiful or terrible.</li>
</ul>
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In an astounding moment of quiet beauty and palpable terror, Josie makes the choice to give herself over to The Shimmer. She reveals the cuts on her arms to Lena, and we see plants flowering from those cuts, growing at an alarmingly rapid rate. Josie says "Ventress wants to face it, you want to fight it. I don't think I want either of those things." Josie walks off to her fate, disappearing into and becoming part of the mutated flora. This moment in the film haunts me the more I think about it; it may be the most disturbing poetic death I've ever seen in a horror film. Tessa Thompson's portrayal of Josie's accepting her impending demise is just as beautiful as it is unsettling</div>
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Ultimately, Lena and Ventress, the remaining characters furthest from Acceptance, continue the journey to the lighthouse. Once there, they reach the same point Josie reached as her transformation reached full-flower (pun intended). They come to the end of themselves - the point at which The Shimmer forces them to make a choice.<br />
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<h4>
Annihilation as Transcendence</h4>
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According to Merriam-Webster, <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/annihilation" target="_blank">annihilation can mean one of two things</a>:<br />
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<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>the state or fact of being completely destroyed or obliterated : the act of annihilating something or the state of being annihilated.</li>
<li>the combination of a particle and its antiparticle (such as an electron and a positron) that results in the subsequent total conversion of the particles into energy.</li>
</ol>
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In this case, and following what was discussed previously, we can see where Ventress stood on the meaning - she could only see the end of herself as she knew it, and thus carried that meaning forth as a value statement for the alien phenomenon as it regards everything on Earth. It's a variation of "form following function" substituting as understanding.<br />
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At this point however, I'd like to assert that what happens to Ventress is in fact closer to the second meaning. Which means that at some point before we see her conversion into a mass of fiery energy, she in fact came into contact with her other self (her doppelganger). The doppelganger represents the "anti" for each of these people which is necessary for annihilation to occur.<br />
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What's also fascinating is that in all three instances in this film of annihilation (the specific act of meeting their doppelganger) results in a fiery explosion of energy. The three instances are as follows:<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Kane encountering his doppelganger and self-immolating with a phosphorous grenade.</li>
<li>Ventress (or her doppelganger) being converted into pure energy.</li>
<li>Lena's doppelganger being immolated with a phosphorous grenade.</li>
</ul>
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Consider also that each of these encounters is also representative of each character coming to the end of themselves. At the end of all knowledge and experience, one still has to face one's own self. Going another step further, the film symbolically argues that they only path to transcendence might be through annihilation - the reckoning with one's self.<br />
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Kane reaches the end of himself and cannot transcend his self-image as a failed man (as a soldier, husband, and as himself). In his self-loathing over the failure of his marriage and as a soldier, I think he comes to the conclusion that his doppelganger is better suited to survive. Further, the doppelganger is him in some form, thanks to the genetic refraction caused by The Shimmer. Kane self-immolates and transcends his human flaws in death.<br />
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Ventress sees annihilation as the end of the known self. We don't see (and therefore don't know) if it's her or her doppelganger which is annihilated, but the result is her conversion into energy, immediately then broken down to the cellular level and reconstituted as something new. Her transcendence is strictly the knowledge she attains before and as she is annihilated.<br />
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Lena's transcendence occurs when she gives her doppelganger the phosphorous grenade and immolates it. By destroying her doppelganger, she emerges from the lighthouse having fought her other self and overcome it - in an astounding sequence where her doppelganger (played by Sonoya Mizuno) mirrors her every action, and is staged like performance art/modern dance - this act also represents the end of The Shimmer, which is representative of her ability to re-enter the world, changed, but still herself.<br />
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Going further, if you subscribe to the view that the entire film is Lena's delusion caused by guilt - annihilating herself and ending The Shimmer is her mind's way of having overcome herself and the way her shame and guilt affected the world around her. It would follow that doppelganger Kane's illness would heal and they would be reunited. Doppelganger Kane represents the new husband affected by her infidelity, and in a coma as long as The Shimmer exists. It therefore follows they both have The Shimmer in their eyes, the reminder of her infidelity and how it has forever changed them.</div>
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Interestingly, this isn't the first time Garland has broached this idea visually. <i>Sunshine </i>(directed by Danny Boyle) features multiple characters who come to regard the Sun as a symbol of divine power and willingly expose themselves (in incrementally larger doses) to the Sun. The end desire (or result) for these characters is annihilation, in the act of seeking transcendence.<br />
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Both films suggest, whether traveling across the cosmos (<i>Sunshine</i>), or traveling to the end of themselves (<i>Annihilation</i>) that humans seek transcendence through annihilation rather than through change. Perishing as the known is preferable to evolving as the new.<br />
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Additional Thoughts</h4>
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I've spent a lot of time discussing <i>Annihilation's</i> ideas.<br />
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One thing I haven't discussed much is how it made me feel.<br />
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I honestly can't remember another movie that ever captured a sense of poignant existential dread. There's a river of grief and sadness running under the surface of this film, and it's juxtaposed with images of ethereal beauty and startling horror, sometimes simultaneously. I can't say I've ever seen anything like it. When I saw it the second time, I went with the intent on trying to figure things out and I ended up giving myself over to the film and rolling with the emotional flow.<br />
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On a meta level, <i>Annihilation</i> certainly references many other genre works. Specifically among them (that I've seen) are <i>Sunshine, The Thing, Alien, Forbidden Planet, Event Horizon, </i>and <i>2001: A Space Odyssey. </i>Accordingly, part of the judgement of <i>Annihilation</i> rests in how well it represents (or refracts, if you will) genre. I think it's a resounding success.<br />
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First, the world it creates is completely convincing, and even if the events in the movie are not possible according to our understanding of genetics, the <a href="http://www.indiewire.com/2018/03/annihilation-science-explained-adam-rutherford-alex-garland-1201934047/" target="_blank">conversations between the characters are based on real genetic science</a> and not mashed-together technical gobbledygook. Science Fiction is always best not when operating in fantasy, but rather when the events are based in real science and stretched outward from real science - it adds plausibility and verisimilitude.<br />
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<i>Annihilation</i> is also a horror film and it has to deliver on those genre expectations. Two or three sequences are among the most unsettling and terrifying things I've seen in movies: the video of the soldier Kane disembowels to show the soldier's mutating moving innards, the mutant bear which emits the screaming voice of Cass when it cries out, and Kane's self-immolation with the phosphorous grenade.</div>
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The production design by Mark Digby is superb in evoking a bizarre lost and malevolent Eden. In terms of visualizing refraction, there's the town which feels like the jungle reclaimed a nuclear test site with flowering plants - actually mutated flora with human hox (structural) DNA - standing like test dummies frozen in time. There's also the house in the town whose inside mirrors Lena and Kane's home almost precisely. </div>
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I think Garland does a good job giving his audience tools to figure things out for themselves, without pandering or condescending. The discussion at the outset of the film about cancer cells may or may not explicitly highlight a major theme, but it certainly does apply a framework which allows viewers access to the picture's themes and ideas. As mentioned earlier, Garland repeatedly uses diffusion or refraction to clue the audience into what's happening within The Shimmer, all <a href="https://ascmag.com/articles/annihilation-expedition-unknown" target="_blank">presented clearly and beautifully by Director of Photography Rob Hardy</a>.<br />
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For crying out loud, I haven't even mentioned the score by Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow, which is wonderful for reasons I can't quite explain, other than it has lovely notes mixed with jarring, dissonant sounds which evoke a beautiful journey into hell.</div>
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If <i>Annihilation</i> has any flaws, I'd consider the possibility that the framing device spoils some of the suspense by making it clear from the beginning that all the women in the team either vanish or are killed. That said, the framing device does an effective job of giving the audience some breaks in tension, take in what they've just seen and factor it into their evaluation of the film. Further, it signals to the audience this film is not built around linear narrative set-ups and payoffs.<br />
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I'd also consider the film could use a touch more humor and warmth, particularly in the scenes between Lena and Kane. Again as a counterpoint, more humor would likewise spoil the tension and dread this film generates.<br />
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Frankly, those are minor (at worst) quibbles in a film that does so many things so well that for me to focus on them is to literally not see the forest for the trees.<br />
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<b>A Note About Whitewashing</b><br />
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Here's the biggest issue surrounding the film...<br />
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Casting Natalie Portman and Jennifer Jason Leigh in roles <a href="http://www.vulture.com/2018/02/whitewashing-in-annihilation-starring-natalie-portman.html" target="_blank">which were written as "of Asian heritage" and "partially Native-American</a>" is another instance of Hollywood's tendency toward whitewashing.<br />
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Gina Rodriguez and Tessa Thompson are terrific in this film (and for what its worth, I think these characters are treated as more than tokens), and the entire cast is as good a statement as there's been about women carrying a major film. It should also be pointed out that Lena's interrogator is played by Benedict Wong, a long-time genre character actor who has had significant moments in <i>Sunshine</i>, <i>Prometheus</i>, and <i>The Martian</i> (among many other films).<br />
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That said, this casting issue undercuts a film which has otherwise been credited for its primarily female cast. There's also a possibility the film could've been more resonant (and potentially appealed to a broader audience) had it been cast according to the books - which I have not read at the time of this writing. <a href="http://that%20said%2C%20the%20framing%20device%20does%20an%20effective%20job%20of%20giving%20the%20audience%20some%20breaks%20in%20tension%2C%20take%20in%20what%20they%27ve%20just%20seen%20and%20factor%20it%20into%20their%20evaluation%20of%20the%20film.%20further%2C%20it%20signals%20to%20the%20audience%20this%20film%20is%20not%20designed%20to%20be%20viewed%20on%20a%20primarily%20narrative%20level/" target="_blank">Garland has said the film was cast before the 2nd book was released</a> - the 2nd book is when the ethnicity of the characters is established.<br />
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It's easy for me to say it doesn't make a difference in the film. I'm also a cisgender middle-aged white male whose point-of-view has always been well represented in mainstream media. I'm in no way qualified to speak on whether anyone should (or should not) see this film based on this issue. Maybe it's an honest mistake but the end result is the same, regardless of intent.<br />
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
In Closing</h4>
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I think <i>Annihilation</i> is a masterpiece (or very near one).<br />
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Its expected box office failure is even more heartbreaking for me because I want more movies that take risks like this one does, even if/when they are flawed and don't work. <i>Annihilation</i> provides an emotional, symbolic and metaphorical experience. Viewers looking for traditional narratives and definitive resolutions may find themselves confused and frustrated, and I'm well aware many viewers will utterly hate it.<br />
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But if you're willing to give <i>Annihilation</i> a chance, you just might fall in love with it.<br />
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For me, no film I've seen captures how it feels when you feel compelled to hurt yourself, when you feel dread at what lies before you for your compulsions, the sorrow of opportunities lost, regret for the pain you've caused others, and yet the feeling you can't change course or correct yourself.<br />
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Few films are as consistently able as this one to astonish you with its beauty, provoke you with its ideas, and chill you with terror as well or as often as this film does all three.<br />
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Lastly, and if possible, this should be experienced on a big screen where you can be fully immersed.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Author's Note: </b>All screenshots from the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2798920/mediaindex?ref_=tt_ov_mi_sm" target="_blank">Annihilation page on IMDB.com</a>. This blog is used for educational/discussion purposes and the author receives no money from this blog.</span></div>
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Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-39644554507936545912018-01-31T20:00:00.001-08:002020-10-14T15:05:04.521-07:00Speculating on the Future of Alien<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaK6fB4jxj37EHbSwrDrETcHUdifJz4SrJwfJHqDn7IO8KaOxXHK76glXc7VHcMAMmjX6Ane_6uG_McNlRSTV0kMa9svRYF8SnZxW41PaYivGGDLHmnETQ26eK4QUstm5r7z_XcCZE0Pg/s1600/alien-movie-screencaps.com-9075.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1600" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaK6fB4jxj37EHbSwrDrETcHUdifJz4SrJwfJHqDn7IO8KaOxXHK76glXc7VHcMAMmjX6Ane_6uG_McNlRSTV0kMa9svRYF8SnZxW41PaYivGGDLHmnETQ26eK4QUstm5r7z_XcCZE0Pg/s640/alien-movie-screencaps.com-9075.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>The recent deal between Disney and 21st Century Fox involves the acquisition of all of Fox's film library. Specifically, the subject of my interest is the </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Alien</i><b> franchise and what I'd do with it if I were Disney.</b><br />
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<b>Author's Notes:</b> Most of what follows is conjecture on my part, unless otherwise supported with external links. Also, the <i>Predator </i>franchise is beyond the scope of this post.<br />
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Last we saw, the colony ship <i>Covenant </i>was bound for Origae 6, piloted by Peter Weyland's mad android son David. To be clear, I'm not here to argue the merits and debits of <i>Alien: Covenant </i>(but you can<a href="https://chasingthedamncat.blogspot.com/2017/05/alien-covenant-review-analysis.html" target="_blank"> click here for my thoughts</a>).<br />
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Comments like this one, attributed to Fox Executive Fred Baron (in this <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/after-thor-and-aquaman-the-battle-to-land-the-next-hollywood-blockbuster-continues-20170704-gx4atr.html" target="_blank">article</a>) are what matter in the context of this post:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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"(<i>Alien: Covenant</i>) got great reviews and was everything we set out for it to be, it just didn't hit the note at the box office. It will be a profitable film for the studio but whether there's another one (is uncertain)."</blockquote>
<br />
What is plainly evident is that the film was nowhere near the hit that 20th Century Fox and/or Ridley Scott expected, and certainly not close to what was needed to rubber stamp another installment. The future is even cloudier, with 21st Century Fox recently agreeing to sell its entire film library to Disney.<br />
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So, where shall we go from here? More below the jump:<br />
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
The Ridley Scott Question.</h4>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhL8SWkz-w77FcHtWeKaY4CB87DdnOt57MU9WE8-dZDSHSmIqVFRzs2Ragt72Etl4UO3jUL1cnV88C8Pl_E7EKZ_lhThkfT9xbvkJmWaZRdqBBCjBya0wxvnRhdBJVBZxwi24zIeN38s/s1600/alien-covenant+rscott.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="736" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhL8SWkz-w77FcHtWeKaY4CB87DdnOt57MU9WE8-dZDSHSmIqVFRzs2Ragt72Etl4UO3jUL1cnV88C8Pl_E7EKZ_lhThkfT9xbvkJmWaZRdqBBCjBya0wxvnRhdBJVBZxwi24zIeN38s/s400/alien-covenant+rscott.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from: https://d.ibtimes.co.uk/en/full/1599986/alien-covenant.jpg?w=736</td></tr>
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Ever since<i> </i><a href="http://deadline.com/2011/01/ridley-scott-directing-prometheus-for-fox-noomi-rapace-locked-while-angelina-jolie-and-charlize-theron-circling-2nd-female-lead-96773/" target="_blank"><i>Prometheus</i> was announced</a>, Ridley Scott has been the primary creative force behind the <i>Alien</i> franchise. Before we get into whether Scott is the right person to move the franchise forward, let's not forget this was a genuine cause for celebration at the time, given the state of the franchise after <i>Alien vs. Predator: Requiem</i>. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Going a bit further, I understand the frustration of fans as it regards many of Scott's creative choices with <i>Prometheus</i> and <i>Alien: Covenant</i>, but I'm inclined to disagree with those who think this franchise is currently at low ebb. There's no underselling how much Scott's return to the series reinvigorated <i>Alien </i>as a viable creative property, and we wouldn't be here today discussing the future of the franchise without his involvement.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Having said that, I'd also argue that when you're talking about the future of the franchise, there's really only one thing left for Scott to do, and that's finish off the 'David' arc.<br />
<br />
There's a big reason, and a few smaller reasons why I think this is the case:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li>Scott is 80 years old. Even if Scott had a complete script for a sequel, and even allowing for Scott's amazing ability to work quickly and efficiently during production, such a film is likely 2-3 years away from released. Betting on Scott following that point would be too much of a financial risk for any studio, regardless of how well the film performs.</li>
<li>While Scott can deliver striking visuals, manage a production, and maximize his production assets - he might not be the best choice making final creative decisions. <i>Alien </i>was a creative fusion of Scott in combination with strong creative, independent minds such as Dan O'Bannon, H.R. Giger, and Walter Hill (among others). Further, in Hill's specific case as producer, he had enough creative control to accept Scott's good ideas while vetoing bad ones.</li>
<li>One major element the fanbase wants - the Xenomorph scaring the shit out of everyone in new and interesting ways - is <a href="http://ew.com/movies/2017/12/04/ridley-scott-alien-franchise-covenant/" target="_blank">one element Scott has very little interest in</a>.</li>
<li>It's been the subject of endless speculation, but the appearance is that <a href="http://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3440260/neill-blomkamp-confirms-alien-dead-possibly-ridley-scott/" target="_blank">Fox killed Neill Blomkamp's proposed<i> Aliens</i> sequel at Scott's behest</a>. This is not to say that Blomkamp's proposed film would've been great (or terrible) - we may never know. Given Scott's age and creative decision making, Fox might have been better served to have alternative options at the ready - especially considering how many story variations Scott went through before <i>Alien: Covenant</i> finally went into production.</li>
<li>I submit the <a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=alienparadiselost.htm&adjust_yr=2018&p=.htm" target="_blank">box office returns for <i>Alien: Covenant </i></a>(screenshot from Box Office Mojo): </li>
</ol>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The bottom line for me is this - I have no objection to giving Ridley Scott one more film to close out the 'David' arc. Frankly (despite many other misgivings), I love Michael Fassbender in this role so much that I want to see him as David one more time, and see where else he and Scott can take the character.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
After that point, however, it's definitely time to move on. If I were Disney, I'd start planning for a new direction while "passively" hoping Fox closes the 'David' arc with Scott if they so choose.<br />
<br />
If Fox is going this direction before turning over control of the franchise, I'd recommend giving Scott a lower budget (no more than $70-$80 million) so that it has a chance to generate profit at $175-$200 million worldwide or higher (based on the commonly used 2.5 multiplier when calculating the break-even point, based on the production budget).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Speaking of budgets and box office, there's more on this below...</div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
</h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<br />What Could An <i>Alien </i>Film Realistically Achieve at the Box Office?</h4>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Let's take a look at 3 R-rated genre films which came out in the last couple of years, which were highly successful at the box office. Numbers (i.e. budget, domestic) will be adjusted for 2018, using Box Office Mojo. I'm choosing to ignore international numbers, as it's difficult to accurately compare modern films to <i>Alien </i>and <i>Aliens</i>.</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=deadpool2016.htm&adjust_yr=2018&p=.htm" target="_blank"><i>Deadpool</i> (2016)</a>. Adjusted Budget $60 million. Adjusted Domestic Total $388 million.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=wolverine2017.htm&adjust_yr=2018&p=.htm" target="_blank"><i>Logan </i>(2017)</a>. Adjusted Budget $98 million. Adjusted Domestic Total $234 million.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=it.htm&adjust_yr=2018&p=.htm" target="_blank"><i>It </i>(2017)</a>. Adjusted Budget $35 million. Adjusted Domestic Total $335 million.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
Now, let's look at <i>Alien</i> and <i>Aliens</i>, adjust their budget for inflation, and adjust their domestic performance for 2018.</div>
</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=alien.htm&adjust_yr=2018&p=.htm" target="_blank"><i>Alien </i>(1979)</a> Adjusted Budget $37.9 million ($11 million). Adjusted Domestic Total $288 million ($80 million).</li>
<li><a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=aliens.htm&adjust_yr=2018&p=.htm" target="_blank"><i>Aliens </i>(1986).</a> Adjusted Budget $41.6 million ($18.5 million). Adjusted Domestic Total $210 million ($85.1 million).</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
One important point which probably adds at least $25 million to the budget for both <i>Alien</i> and <i>Aliens</i> if they were made today is the use of CGI to handle effects as well as fix problems in post. <i>Alien</i> and <i>Aliens</i> were both classics of practical visual effects work, but (regrettably in many respects) those days have passed.<br />
<br />
I think, based on what we can see above, the sweet spot "budget-wise" for an <i>Alien</i> film is somewhere in the $65-$75 million range. Enough to ensure profitability, but potential enough to entice filmmakers with a specific vision who can work modestly.<br />
<br />
It's really hard to justify spending more than this on an <i>Alien</i> film, unless you're coming directly off a hit on the level of the recent films named above. One could argue that <i>Logan</i> and <i>Deadpool</i> have the benefit of being part of the Marvel comic universe (if not yet the Marvel Cinematic Universe) and the brand appeal which comes with it. However, in terms of brand appeal, what's the justification for the success of <i>It</i>, an adaptation of a 30 year old Stephen King novel which had already been adapted successfully as a TV miniseries?</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'd argue the success of these R-rated films is simple enough to explain. When thinking about <i>Deadpool</i>, <i>Logan</i>, and <i>It (</i>as well as<i> Alien </i>and <i>Aliens) </i>what sticks out in my mind was these stories stood on their own narratively, had three-dimensional (or relatable) characters, and delivered on audience expectations. Further (excepting <i>Deadpool</i>)<i> </i>they carried additional symbolic and allegorical layers if you chose to look for them.<br />
<br />
In contrast (this is my opinion), both <i>Prometheus</i> and <i>Alien: Covenant</i> stumble at the basic level of plotting and character - even as the symbolic and allegorical content rewarded multiple viewings. It's essentially the difference between a blockbuster and a cult classic.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Based on the information above, as well as a comparison with other successful R rated genre films, I think a successful <i>Alien</i> film could achieve up to $250-$300 million domestically. </div>
<div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
What Could Be Explored (with some thoughts on canon)?</h4>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8V4qR0nJm5F-ePIKgc9OBfcPvdauFAM0u2DvSwO1ICXO725hMHO2f6n7nvEvvA4NlfJcqnKejLs-hEunhkRLrf0Fbyn9pG58FLSLv5R0ggk2mgQA-Uq-9wVwx9dFpBt7Y3x9_jZD0bo/s1600/alien-movie-screencaps.com-1517.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1600" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8V4qR0nJm5F-ePIKgc9OBfcPvdauFAM0u2DvSwO1ICXO725hMHO2f6n7nvEvvA4NlfJcqnKejLs-hEunhkRLrf0Fbyn9pG58FLSLv5R0ggk2mgQA-Uq-9wVwx9dFpBt7Y3x9_jZD0bo/s400/alien-movie-screencaps.com-1517.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Let's assume that Disney does not want a third film in the 'David Arc' (which likely means the end of Ridley Scott's involvement) and/or Fox decides to handle it themselves. Thus, Disney decides on a soft reboot. Let's make some decisions on what's canon, what's not canon, and what storytelling avenues are left open to a new creative team / filmmaker. Here's my thoughts:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Canon</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><i>Prometheus.</i></li>
<li><i>Alien: Covenant.</i></li>
<li><i>Alien.</i></li>
<li><i>Aliens.</i></li>
<li><i>Alien 3.</i></li>
<li><i>Alien: Resurrection.</i></li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
Possibly Canon</div>
</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><i>Alien: Isolation.</i></li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
Not Canon</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><i>Alien vs. Predator.</i></li>
<li><i>Alien vs. Predator: Requiem.</i></li>
<li><i>Aliens: Colonial Marines.</i></li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
So, having made those decisions, I'll make a few additional choices:</div>
</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Let Disney decide whether or not to revive Blomkamp's concept for an <i>Aliens</i> sequel.</li>
<li>If there's a 3rd film in the 'David' arc, do not tie it directly into <i>Alien</i>. Alluding to <i>Alien, </i>hinting at<i> Alien, </i>or<i> </i>implying <i>Alien</i> is fine. This universe does not need a bow tying things together. Maybe also restore the mystery of the xenomorph while you're at it.</li>
<li>I'm not doing anything following <i>Alien: Resurrection</i>. In terms of the timeline, it feels so far removed from everything else that it's like a pocket universe. </li>
<li>I'd love to see <i>Alien: Isolation</i> turned into a premium television series, which shows the collapse of Seegson & economic collapse of <i>Sevastopol Station</i> in the 1st 2 seasons, the story of the <i>Anesidora</i> starting in Season 3, the infestation of the station in Season 4, and Amanda Ripley's story (i.e. the game's general narrative) in Season 5, though the problem is that we know how the story ends.</li>
<li>As tempting as it might be, I'm not doing an <i>Aliens </i>prequel involving Hadley's Hope, because (again) the problem is that we know exactly how it ends.</li>
<li>If we're doing an <i>Alien vs. Predator</i> film, let's do something like the original Dark Horse comic series set on Ryushi which expands the universe instead of constricting it.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
What are some threads we could explore?</div>
</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Does Weyland-Yutani ever do any follow-up on the <i>Nostromo</i>'s disappearance, or even the disappearance of the <i>Prometheus</i>?</li>
<li>Does anyone else stumble across either the derelict's signal, or alternately... does anyone else stumble across Shaw's warning message?</li>
<li><i>Aliens: Colonial Marines</i> tried (and failed, in my opinion) to come up with an interesting story about the follow-up to the <i>Sulaco</i>'s mission to Acheron. That would be worth exploring.</li>
<li>It's possible the derelict and some eggs survived the explosion of the atmosphere processor.</li>
<li><i>Alien: Isolation </i>presented the idea of competing corporations with Seegson. What if a former Weyland-Yutanti executive takes information about the xenomorph to a competitor (a la Dennis Nedry in <i>Jurassic Park</i>)?</li>
<li>Invert the Weyland-Yutani corporate trope and come up with a company official who actually decides to do the right thing when encountering the xenomorph.</li>
<li>There's 200 years to play with between <i>Alien 3</i> and <i>Alien: Resurrection</i> as well, showing the end of Weyland-Yutani's dominance, Earth's decline, rise of military power, etc.</li>
<li>Go completely away from everything we've seen thus far; given all of the colonies, supply stations, starships, and such, it's reasonable to think at some point that someone somewhere stumbles across a xenomorph infestation at some point.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
Now, the fun part.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Who would you hire?</h4>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Before we get into potential directors, it should be noted that Disney is entirely capable of hiring an overseeing producer for this series, as they did with Kathleen Kennedy for LucasFilm (e.g. <i>Star Wars, Indiana Jones, etc.)</i>. Frankly, I'm not sure who would be an ideal pick for the <i>Alien</i> franchise in that respect. That being said...<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm going to try and keep this realistic - in other words, who could I hire that would likely deliver an intelligent, compelling, unique, and SCARY AS FUCK <i>Alien </i>film on a budget of $65-$75 million?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My criteria in judging potential filmmakers is based on those who:<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Are not currently stewards of (or planning to steward) a franchise. </li>
<li>Have proven they can work on a modest budget. </li>
<li>Have some background in science fiction/fantasy/horror.</li>
<li>Have experience with visual effects and how to properly use them (i.e. know how to minimize CGI, maximize practical effects, and let them serve the story, not the other way around).</li>
<li>Have creative visuals as well as command of craft.</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
As of this writing, this rules out current A-list directors such as James Cameron (<i>Avatar</i>), Denis Villenueve (<i>Dune</i>), Matt Reeves (<i>Batman</i>), JJ Abrams (<i>Star Trek</i> and <i>Star Wars</i>), Rian Johnson (<i>Star Wars</i>), Patty Jenkins (<i>Wonder Woman</i>), James Gunn (<i>Guardians of the Galaxy</i>), among many others. </div>
<br />
Big name filmmakers who theoretically could do this, but I doubt you could get for various reasons might include Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, Peter Jackson, Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson, and David Fincher. I should probably include more polarizing choices such as Michael Bay & Zack Snyder in this section as well.<br />
<br />
All of that in mind, here's my short list of filmmakers, with some of the films they've made. More specifically, films which - in my opinion - indicate they could be great with an <i>Alien</i> film:</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Guillermo del Toro (his whole filmography).</li>
<li>Kathryn Bigelow (<i>Near Dark, Strange Days, Zero Dark Thirty</i>).</li>
<li>Alfonso Cuaron (<i>Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban, Children of Men, Gravity</i>).</li>
<li>Joon-ho Bong (<i>Snowpiercer, Okja</i>).</li>
<li>Alex Garland (<i>Sunshine, Ex Machina, </i><i>Annihilation</i>).</li>
</ul>
<br />
Here are some other filmmakers I'd consider, with some reservations:</div>
</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Brad Bird (<i>The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, MI 4: Ghost Protocol)</i>.</li>
<li>Darren Aronofsky (<i>The Fountain</i>, <i>Black Swan, Mother!</i>).</li>
<li>Neill Blomkamp (his whole filmography).</li>
<li>Joseph Kosinski (<i>Tron: Legacy, Oblivion</i>).</li>
<li>Duncan Jones (<i>Moon</i>, <i>Source Code</i>).</li>
<li>Mike Flanagan (<i>Gerald's Game, Doctor Sleep</i>).</li>
<li>Leigh Whannell (<i>Upgrade, The Invisible Man</i>).</li>
<li>Jordan Peele (<i>Get Out, Us</i>).</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
If you want a director who's more of an artisan than an artist, I'd start with these filmmakers:</div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Steven Soderbergh (<i>Traffic, Solaris, Contagion</i>).</li>
<li>James Mangold (<i>3:10 to Yuma, Logan</i>).</li>
<li>Gore Verbinski (<i>The Ring, Rango, A Cure for Wellness</i>).</li>
<li>Francis Lawrence (<i>Constantine, I Am Legend, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire & Mockingjay</i>).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<br />
Lastly, here are a few filmmakers who've done quality work the last few years on lower budget films and/or television and who might be ready to make the leap into a franchise like <i>Alien.</i></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>David Robert Mitchell (<i>It Follows</i>).</li>
<li>Jennifer Kent (<i>The Babadook</i>).</li>
<li>Michelle MacLaren (<i>Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones</i>).</li>
<li>Trey Edward Shults (<i>It Comes at Night</i>).</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
All that said, and more than anything else, I want a filmmaker who has genuine passion for this universe - of the kind that Creative Assembly brought to <i>Alien: Isolation.</i><br />
<i><br /></i></div>
</div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
</h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
</h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
</h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
</h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
</h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Closing Thoughts</h4>
<div>
<br />
Not since the release of <i>Alien vs. Predator: Requiem</i> has this franchise been in such a tenuous position.<br />
<br />
Even if Fox or Disney were inclined to pursue a sequel to <i>Alien: Covenant</i> directed by Ridley Scott, Scott's age is reason enough to start evaluating which direction to take the <i>Alien</i> franchise. Going further, the divisive reaction from fans and audiences towards both <i>Prometheus</i> and <i>Alien: Covenant</i> also makes a third film in this story arc a tenuous proposition from a box office perspective.<br />
<br />
If Disney is inclined to continue the franchise, a soft reboot is the most likely path to success. Given the success of recent R-rated genre films like <i>Deadpool</i>, <i>Logan</i>, and<i> It</i>, there's no reason to suspect the right <i>Alien</i> film couldn't be similarly successful.<br />
<br />
Most importantly, there are plenty of open threads to explore in this universe which offer both the chance for a compelling and exciting film, as well as the opportunity for a talented and engaged filmmaker to make an artistic statement.<br />
<br />
Let's hope that Disney gets this right.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>Author's Note</b> - All screenshots from <i>Alien</i>, <i>Aliens</i> from Movie Screencaps.com.</span></div>
</div>
Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-76589815974795728212018-01-11T19:38:00.001-08:002018-01-11T20:50:37.128-08:00When the Chargers Left San Diego<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So, one year ago, the Spanos family made the decision to relocate the Chargers to Los Angeles after over half a century in San Diego.<br />
<br />
The pain has dulled, but not disappeared. With that in mind, I'm writing up a short post which will include all of the thoughts and feelings I had a year ago.<br />
<br />
Links and embedded content are below the jump.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
One Year Ago</h4>
Here's my last post for Bolts From the Blue, titled <a href="https://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2017/1/12/14253532/tears-in-rain" target="_blank">Tears in Rain</a>. See below for a snippet:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
And then there was one play. Jahleel Addae’s 90-yard Interception return woke Qualcomm and its beaten fans from their collective and deceptive slumber. The twisty, turning, altogether improbable return evoked some of the great players in San Diego’s 56-year history in one play. For one spectacular moment, all of the terrible which surrounded the franchise dissipated and we were able to love the Chargers. For the briefest of moments, it was like it used to be. And just like that... </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Gone. Tears in rain.</blockquote>
<br />
Here's my discussion with John Gennaro of Mighty 1090 AM regarding why I decided not to follow the Chargers to Los Angeles, and a broader discussion of the stadium economics of the NFL.<br />
<br />
Here's the podcast:<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="180" src="https://omny.fm/shows/john-gennaro-podcast/episode-50-former-chargers-fan-series-jeffrey-sini/embed?style=artwork" width="100%"></iframe>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<br />
<br />
Based on Tears in Rain, I was invited to have a chat about relocation with Drew Gier of The Rockpile Report. We discussed what happened in San Diego with the Chargers, and what it could mean for fans in other NFL cities.<br />
<br />
Here's the podcast:<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="100" id="audio_iframe" scrolling="no" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/7awqd-66ac24" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
Click on the link for more information on <a href="https://rockpilereport.podbean.com/" target="_blank">The Rockpile Report</a>.<br />
<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
And Now...</h4>
<br />
I was struck with sadness a couple weeks ago when I drove past the derelict San Diego / Jack Murphy / Qualcomm / SDCCU Stadium, standing proud like an ancient Roman Colosseum in a distant province, glorious only when remembered by the old and forgotten, left to the ravages of time.<br />
<br />
Today, I'm still hurt and angry, but it's more of a dull throb and the feeling of something missing.<br />
<br />
More than anything, what I miss is the feeling of family, of community.<br />
<br />
It feels very much like being the child of a divorce, where some of my siblings moved away with one parent while the rest of us stayed behind with the other parent.<br />
<br />
And even though <a href="http://chasingthedamncat.blogspot.com/2017/09/starting-over.html" target="_blank">I decided to become a Miami Dolphins fan,</a> it's still not the same.<br />
<br />
More than anything else, this is what I'll never forgive the Spanos family and the NFL for...<br />
<br />
They broke up my family and community for profit.<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-81045263560622165352017-12-31T12:30:00.002-08:002018-02-05T20:41:58.221-08:002017 In Movies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
This year, I saw 51 movies which were new releases and/or movies I watched for the first time. Generally, I felt like the movies I saw in 2017 were pretty good. On my scale of 0-100, 2017's releases averaged 67.35.</div>
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That being said, I don't think any of the movies I saw which were released in 2017 qualify as a masterpiece. I'll get to the movie I saw this year which I do think qualifies shortly.</div>
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Let's get to it. And no - there's no spoilers here.</div>
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<a name='more'></a><br />
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
My Favorite Movies Released in 2017</h4>
<br />
Normally this would be a top 10 list, but I had some movies which finished with the same score and I'm not interested in picking them apart to separate one of these from the rest. So, I'll list these 11 movies in tiers:<br />
<br />
<b>Tier 1:</b><br />
<br />
<i>Lost City of Z</i>. Directed by James Gray.<br />
<br />
Hypnotic and beautiful film about English explorer Percy Fawcett's South American expeditions. Tremendous location work emphasizes the physicality and danger of the settings in South America. Wonderful performances all around by Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson, Sienna Miller and Tom Holland.<br />
<br />
<i>Blade Runner 2049.</i> Directed by Denis Villenueve.<br />
<br />
Visually staggering sequel to 1982 classic both broadens and deepens the universe. Strong performances by Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Sylvia Hoeks, Ana de Armas. Genuine concern about how male lust for control is a hollow pursuit & becomes its ultimate demise is reflected in the barrenness and emptiness of the future depicted in this film.<br />
<br />
<b>Tier 2:</b><br />
<br />
<i>Get Out.</i> Directed by Jordan Peele<br />
<br />
Wonderfully creepy with strong subtext and some deliciously dark comedy about the co-opting of black bodies for white profit and dismissal of black consciousness. Strong performances abound, especially an empathetic Daniel Kaluuya and an insidious Catherine Keener.<br />
<br />
<i>Logan.</i> Directed by James Mangold<br />
<br />
Strong western-themed comic book thriller. modeled on the classic film <i>Shane</i>. Great work from Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, and Dafne Keen. Crisp brutal action and strong social commentary regarding diversity. Because the film does right by its characters, multiple moments are deeply affecting.<br />
<br />
<i>Wonder Woman.</i> Directed by Patty Jenkins<br />
<br />
Rousing & deeply moving throwback superhero film where earnestness, sincerity, compassion & loving sacrifice drive the story. Gal Gadot is sensational, and Chris Pine provides splendid support. For more on <i>Wonder Woman</i> (and <i>Moana</i>), <a href="https://chasingthedamncat.blogspot.com/2017/06/the-heroes-we-need-moana-wonder-woman.html" target="_blank">click here</a>.<br />
<br />
<i>The Beguiled.</i> Directed by Sofia Coppola<br />
<br />
Feels like looking inside a hermetically sealed world of women who refuse to see it rotting from the inside out. Performances, setting, & details are subtle and fantastic. Somewhat hampered by languid pace, but the slow burn really pays off by the end.<br />
<br />
<i>Star Wars: The Last Jedi.</i> Directed by Rian Johnson<br />
<br />
Entertaining sequel stakes out a new path in <i>Star Wars</i>, examining idolatry, legacy, and what it means to learn and teach, while making diversity and class a point of emphasis. Mark Hamill is superb and gives Luke Skywalker a fitting coda. There's some narrative fat in the middle section, but deeply moving and fun.<br />
<br />
<b>Tier 3:</b><br />
<br />
<i>John Wick: Chapter 2.</i> Directed by Chad Stahelski<br />
<br />
Expands the universe and adds more terrific action scenes, some strong new characters, and has more fun than the original. Also less driven and focused than the original.<br />
<br />
<i>Baby Driver.</i> Directed by Edgar Wright<br />
<br />
Great soundtrack, strong staging, great pacing. Ansel Elgort, Jaime Foxx, Jon Hamm, and Kevin Spacey are sensational. A combination Heist film, Musical, and Love story which wears its heart on its sleeve.<br />
<br />
<i>Dunkirk.</i> Directed by Christopher Nolan<br />
<br />
<i>Dunkirk </i>has staggering physical production work. The details are amazing & the action is completely believable. Uses claustrophobia to make the larger event individual. The production quality and strong ensemble work offset gimmicky use of time as plot device and a terribly overbearing score.<br />
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<i>The Big Sick.</i> Directed by Michael Showalter<br />
<br />
Strong performances by Kumail Nanjiani, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano and interesting cultural notes strengthen this odd-duck love story. The cultural differences are both amusing and enlightening. Always sweet, often funny, occasionally wrenching.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Other 2017 Movies I Liked</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><i>Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 2.</i> Directed by James Gunn.</li>
<li><i>Logan Lucky.</i> Directed by Steven Soderbergh.</li>
<li><i>It.</i> Directed by Andres Muschietti.</li>
<li><i>Split</i>. Directed by M. Night Shyamalan.</li>
<li><i>Thor: Ragnarok</i>. Directed by Taika Waititi.</li>
<li><i>Murder on the Orient Express</i>. Directed by Kenneth Branagh.</li>
<li><i>The Greatest Showman</i>. Directed by Michael Gracey</li>
</ul>
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<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Movies Released in 2017 I Still Want to See</h4>
<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><i>The Post. </i>Directed by Steven Spielberg.</li>
<li><i>All The Money In The World. </i>Directed by Ridley Scott.</li>
<li><i>The Shape of Water. </i>Directed by Guillermo del Toro.</li>
<li><i>Phantom Thread. </i>Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.</li>
<li><i>Darkest Hour. </i>Directed by Joe Wright.</li>
<li><i>Lady Bird. </i>Directed by Greta Gerwig.</li>
</ul>
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<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
5 Favorite Movies I Saw in 2017 - Regardless of Release Date and not already mentioned above.</h4>
<i><br /></i>
<i>Silence</i> (2016). Directed by Martin Scorsese<br />
<br />
<i>Silence</i> is the one movie I saw in 2017 which I'd call a masterpiece. It's difficult to watch and emotionally detached but ultimately powerful; a fascinating examination of what constitutes real faith & moral courage. Starkly beautiful, and the production makes you feel like you've been transported back in time.<br />
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<i>Moana </i>(2016). Directed by John Musker and Ron Clements<br />
<br />
Visually resplendent movie with great music, great heart, and strong feminist subtext. Voice work is splendid. Emotionally involving and deeply affecting. As mentioned earlier, I wrote about <i>Moana</i> (and <i>Wonder Woman</i>) in more detail <a href="https://chasingthedamncat.blogspot.com/2017/06/the-heroes-we-need-moana-wonder-woman.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<i>I Am Not Your Negro </i>(2016). Directed by Raoul Peck<br />
<br />
Spellbinding, occasionally meandering documentary about the writing & insights of James Baldwin regarding black experience in the US, the Civil Rights era, and white complicity in social injustice.<br />
<br />
<i>Inherent Vice </i>(2014). Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson<br />
<br />
A near masterpiece of setting and mood. The neo-noir plot turns to comedy with a stoner's haze, but the film somehow retains a childlike sense of innocence, loss, and sadness. Brilliant performances abound. Evokes a lost era without details which would otherwise make it too specific.<br />
<br />
<i>It Follows </i>(2014). Directed by David Robert Mitchell<br />
<br />
Deliciously uncanny creepy horror film where an entity stalks a group of sexually active young adults. Lovely compositions are juxtaposed with oddly un-contemporary settings. Has the quality of living in a nightmare.<br />
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Worst Movie I Saw in 2017</h4>
<br />
<i>The Circle </i>(2017). Directed by James Pondsoldt<br />
<br />
A very talented cast is wasted in a punchless thriller, outside of one strong sequence. Lots of provocative ideas and almost none are explored with any depth. Ragged plotting and pacing. Characters appear and disappear arbitrarily.<br />
<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Most Frustrating Movie I Saw in 2017</h4>
<br />
(tie)<br />
<br />
<i>Alien: Covenant</i> (2017). Directed by Ridley Scott<br />
<br />
<a href="https://chasingthedamncat.blogspot.com/2017/05/alien-covenant-review-analysis.html" target="_blank">I wrote in more detail about Alien: Covenant here</a>. Narrative structure & housekeeping problems handicap some really strong thematic & symbolic material. Tense but not quite scary. Visual splendor, solid performances, & evocative score help immensely.<br />
<br />
<i>The Hateful Eight </i>(2015). Directed by Quentin Tarantino<br />
<br />
The 1st Tarantino movie I didn't love. Languid meditation on paranoia bordering on sadism/nihilism. It's the first time Tarantino's slow-burn storytelling fizzles out before catching fire. Also feels like a remake of John Carpenter's <i>The Thing</i>, but without Carpenter's narrative economy and mastery of the widescreen frame. It's saved in part by a great cast and Tarantino's peerless ability to write dialogue.<br />
<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Classic Films I Got to See In Theaters in 2017</h4>
<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><i>Close Encounters of the Third Kind </i>(1977). Directed by Steven Spielberg</li>
<li><i>Alien </i>(1979). Directed by Ridley Scott.</li>
<li><i>Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan </i>(1982). Directed by Nicholas Meyer.</li>
<li><i>Terminator 2: Judgement Day </i>(1991). Directed by James Cameron.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
1st 2018 Movie I'm Really Looking Forward To</h4>
<br />
<i>Annihilation</i>. Directed by Alex Garland and based on the novel by Jeff VanderMeer. Starring Natalie Portman, Oscar Isaac, Tessa Thompson and Jennifer Jason Leigh. A sci-fi thriller from the writer of <i>28 Days Later,</i> <i>Sunshine</i>, and the writer/director of <i>Ex Machina</i>, with this cast? I'm in line already.</div>
Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-16993625772466567092017-12-15T07:00:00.000-08:002018-01-11T20:47:38.561-08:00On Turning 40<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>I'm likely at least halfway through my life. With that in mind, here's a somewhat random series of thoughts about what I've learned.</b><br />
<br />
I've been thinking about turning 40 for some time now... I can't say I'm dreading it, and I can't say I'm looking forward to it (though I am looking forward to seeing my family for a late celebration the following week).<br />
<br />
I can say that 40 shouldn't matter more than any other birthday, though the whole round number/closing of a 4th decade/roughly halfway through life business helps it feel less arbitrary than other birthdays. I mean, who has a reckoning at 34, or 26, or 43 which isn't prompted by some external set of conditions?<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
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No, I feel something different this time around, and it's not something I've ever really felt before.<br />
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Urgency and Legacy, to be precise.<br />
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With that in mind, here's some thoughts on turning 40.<br />
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Wisdom, or Lack Thereof</h4>
<br />
If there's one thing I'm more conscious of now than I've ever been before, it's that when I compare myself to the accumulation of human wisdom (or folly, if you prefer) and the vastness of our world, universe, and time itself, it's that I really don't know a damn thing.<br />
<br />
Seriously. I don't have the first clue about anything.<br />
<br />
Yes, it has taken me at least half my life (if not more) to reach such an obvious conclusion.<br />
<br />
Some have suggested that it's the beginning of wisdom. Others have suggested it's a much needed dose of humility. Maybe both, or neither, and I guess it doesn't really matter. Wisdom and humility are always in short supply. I welcome them as running mates to replace hubris and arrogance.<br />
<br />
I think more than anything, I really want to be valued when I speak. Honestly, there's only a few ways to do this and here's my list going forward for how to be a bit smarter and wiser when engaging with others...<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Avoid people who act in bad faith.</li>
<li>Don't pick fights, but finish one if it's brought to you.</li>
<li>Look for context and perspective. It's the difference between information and knowledge.</li>
<li>Be sincere. Mean what you say and say what you mean.</li>
<li>Own everything you say and do, doubly so when you're wrong.</li>
<li>Speak less and listen more.</li>
<li>Call things by their right name - avoid euphemisms and genteelism whenever possible.</li>
<li>Face things head on, especially when you know it's going to hurt.</li>
<li>Never commit to anyone/thing which has proven they'll hurt you to get what they want.</li>
<li>Form follows function - they way something looks often indicates its intended purpose.</li>
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
On Kids</h4>
<br />
I don't care what my wife and kids might say. Maybe they think I'm wonderful. Maybe they think I'm terrible. I know the truth. I've been neither overall, but sometimes both in the same day.<br />
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The truth is that when I became a (step)parent, I was in my late 20s and way less mature and patient than I'd ever care to admit. Quick to anger, unwilling to listen, and damn sure not willing to admit when I'd made mistakes.<br />
<br />
In essence, I was "parent as autocrat," and I hate the hypocrisy I showed to my kids while they were growing up - stressing the importance of thinking, listening, remaining patient and checking your ego while not actually modeling it very often. Thankfully my kids are resilient as all hell and seem to have grown into intelligent, interesting, compassionate humans, in spite of my mistakes.<br />
<br />
I can't stress this enough - I wish I had so many of these days back. Especially now that my kids are teens. Only now that I've chilled the hell out over the last few years have I truly been able to appreciate how awesome my kids really are.<br />
<br />
My oldest has been asking the adults in the house to teach her how to cook. My youngest loves movies, and loves being able to see R-rated movies.<br />
<br />
Within the past 12 months alone, he got to see <i>Snowden</i>, <i>Alien: Covenant</i>, <i>It</i>, and <i>Terminator 2: Judgement Day</i>. How fucking cool is that?<br />
<br />
On Wednesday night, I came home to hand-breaded fried chicken breast, corn, peas, and mashed potatoes from my oldest! How fucking cool is that?<br />
<br />
They both enjoy going to baseball games. How fucking cool is that?<br />
<br />
Two days after Christmas, we'll all be hiking around Zion National Park. How fucking cool is that?<br />
<br />
I can't stress this enough, to everyone who is a parent, about to be a parent, or thinking about being a parent: Soak it all in and try to find the positive in even the most difficult moments. You only get one chance.<br />
<br />
The frustrations are legion, but the rewards are infinite and inimitable.<br />
<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
You Can't Be Better Unless Everything is Better</h4>
<br />
I figure I've only got one or two more of these runs left, so if I have to do this, I have to make it last. I've been successful twice in life at losing substantial weight. In 2004, I went from 220 to 175 lbs. In 2013, I went from 225 to 187 lbs.<br />
<br />
In retrospect, the single best thing about being a teen was the utter abuse you could put your body through and not feel the next day. Get drunk last night, no hangover the next morning. Play football for hours with your friends, don't hardly feel it the next day. Eat a Costco size box of Cheez-Its, a whole Tombstone Pepperoni Pizza, and kill a 2 liter of Coke in the same day while watching football and movies and it doesn't stick to your body at all.<br />
<br />
Thems days is long gone, folks.<br />
<br />
Now, hangovers last all fucking weekend long.<br />
<br />
Throw a football for 30 minutes, you can't lift your arm for a week afterwords.<br />
<br />
Not only will a small box of Cheez-Its, 1/3rd of a Tombstone Pizza, and 1 liter of Coke go straight to your fat rolls, they'll somehow make you both constipated and still flush out like lava.<br />
<br />
Early death among men runs on both sides of the family. Both of my grandfathers passed away in their 60's - one of them as a result of complications from diabetes. My father died of a heart attack when I was 23 years old. For those reasons alone, I think it's smart to assume I'm on borrowed time unless I get my shit together.<br />
<br />
With that in mind... I started running last month. I've also started watching my eating again.<br />
<br />
As of today, I will have lost over 10 lbs since I started working at it. I'm also now at the point where I can run 6 miles in 64 minutes.<br />
<br />
Hopefully, I'll manage to drop another 20-25 lbs over the next few months. And then, maybe, I'll finally be smart enough to never have to do this again.<br />
<br />
Considering I met my wife after the kids were born, she and I never had the chance to be a couple on our own without the kids. Instead of getting our late teens and early twenties together, we'll have to make our forties, fifties, and sixties do the heavy lifting.<br />
<br />
I'll also be damned if my kids have grandchildren that I'm not around to spoil.<br />
<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Thanks and Apologies</h4>
<br />
To my wife Amanda, I simply can't imagine a better partner for the last 12+ years and don't care to imagine a better partner for what lies ahead. You are the best. All I ever wanted was someone worthy of sharing my life's journey, and you make me wonder whether I'm worthy of sharing yours. Thank you for your love and support, and I'm sincerely sorry if I've ever let you down in any way. You are my North Star, and you are Home.<br />
<br />
To my kids Alyssa and Luke. I love you both more than you can imagine. I'm sorry for all the ways I've been impatient and unyielding. I'm also grateful for all the little ways you make my life richer, from rides around town, going to the movies, your weird music tastes, your bad jokes, and the genuine faith you've shown me even when I probably didn't deserve it.<br />
<br />
To my Mother. I simply can't imagine what you had to sacrifice. I'm not sure I was worth all of it, but do know I love you and am eternally grateful for all of it.<br />
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To my Grandmother, who was forced to hit the reset button when I came to San Diego in 1978, you were the best Grandmother anyone could ask for. I can't believe this year that I'm finally older than you are 😊.<br />
<br />
To all my family - you're just the best. There's too many to name, and if I listed something for everyone, we'd be here all day and this is already tl;dr. Nothing makes me happier than the handfuls of occasions when we're all able to get together and see each other. I miss the old days, and I miss not having enough new days where we can all enjoy each other's company as adults. I'm also sorry for all the times I hurt your feelings or acted like a colossal dick for selfish or petty purposes.<br />
<br />
To my friends - thanks for all of the laughs, thanks for making me smarter, and thanks for indulging my idiocies over the years. I'm sorry for any cheap shots or snide remarks which ever hurt any of you. Special thanks to Matt, Eric, and Calvin... you three were always there for me in the darkest hours, and I might not have made it this far without you.<br />
<br />
If I've ever known you, and even if it didn't end well, please know that I at least learned something from our time together and in some way you helped me become a better person - regardless of whether your intent was benign or malicious.<br />
<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
In Closing</h4>
<br />
Hopefully this isn't a midpoint or past-midpoint accounting. If nothing else, I'm at least hoping Ray Kurzweil is right about the Singularity and I live long enough to see it.<br />
<br />
Short of that, there's so much left to accomplish, and because times flies as you get older, it feels like there's little-to-no time left.<br />
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But, with a terrific partner at my side, a full heart, and the beginnings of wisdom, I go into OLD with a smile on my face and my eyes wide open. So much to see, so much to do.<br />
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To paraphrase and modify the ending of <i>Star Trek: The Motion Picture...</i><br />
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<i><br /></i>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<i>"My adventure is just beginning."</i></div>
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Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-31103737787497192792017-09-18T12:00:00.000-07:002017-12-13T20:55:40.789-08:00Starting Over<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>In which I recount the winding road which led me to watch a Los Angeles Chargers game but root for the Miami Dolphins to win.</b><br />
<br />
In retrospect, I think I knew this is how it would end up once the Chargers moved to Los Angeles.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, what may be most surprising was that it took so long, and the series of events which coincided to help ease me into the hardest sports fan decision I've ever had to make.<br />
<br />
It's one thing to just not root for any team. It's a whole other thing to decide you're ready to start that journey over again with a new team.<br />
<br />
For me, that team is now the Miami Dolphins, and this post explains in some small part how I came to that seemingly bizarre decision.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
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<h4>
How Fandom Has Changed in The Modern Era</h4>
<br />
This is kind of a roundabout way to get started, so I'll open with this minor bit of theorizing about modern sports fandom. Most of it is obvious, but I figure I'll lay it out anyway.<br />
<br />
One part of the whole hometown rooting interest which persevered for decades was that sports media was truly local in focus, and faced little-to-no competition from the outside. The obvious outliers to this were the New York sports teams, which were able to develop national rooting interests because most national media was based in New York. Further, if someone outside of New York was likely to pick up one outside source of media, it was likely to be the New York Times.<br />
<br />
Local newspapers and early local television had total control of the dissemination of news from the team, because they cultivated relationships with players and coaches who needed them just as much to sell themselves. Teams cultivated relationships with local media, because it was the best (i.e. free) form of advertising and building a link with their community. On the flip side, the team was able to benefit from the monopoly like media presence. If you grew up in San Diego during the 1960s and 1970s, you were highly likely to be a Chargers fan, simply because that was the team on TV most often, and that who you got the most news about.<br />
<br />
NFL television broadcasts began to change this in the 1960s. Because of the emphasis on both showing local teams in local markets, but also enforcing blackout rules designed to force fans to attend local games, home teams still had near total control over their local markets. But, thanks to blackouts and Monday Night Football, national fanbases began developing for teams which were dominant in the 1960s and 1970s. Particularly, the Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, Oakland Raiders, and Pittsburgh Steelers.<br />
<br />
Next up, you had the advent of cable, with an emphasis on ESPN. For the 1st time ever, if you were a fan of the San Diego Chargers, but living on the East Coast, it was possible (through shows like SportsCenter and NFL Primetime) to actively follow the team from your hometown by seeing the highlights from EACH game. Not only did you get highlights, but in most cases there was at least cursory analysis. In other words, there was context provided to what you were watching which told you how your team was performing not just this week, but overall relative to the rest of the league.<br />
<br />
Like I said, there was a genuine upshot as a fan, but for the first time, there was a significant downside to individual teams...<br />
<br />
You were no longer the only game in town, and you couldn't just count on your mere presence to guarantee a fanbase. You had to start winning games.<br />
<br />
This became exponentially more true with the introduction of the internet, along with innovations such as NFL Sunday Ticket and NFL RedZone.<br />
<br />
The local market monopolies were finished. Individual fans could truly engage with sports leagues on a product/consumer level. Fans can choose teams from any location for any reason, and be just as informed and devoted a fan as someone from the team's home city. You see this borne out with a lot of people who don't live in San Diego who have remained Chargers fans following their relocation to Los Angeles.<br />
<br />
In a sense, it doesn't matter where the team plays.<br />
<br />
The downside is obvious. With the ability to choose fandom, teams have to win to guarantee fans.<br />
<br />
For teams which aren't consistently winning, the next most important thing is treating the fans you do have like valued customers. Relationships with the media, treatment of current and former players, charity work in the community, uniform changes, stadium deals, all take on magnified importance in the quest to draw new business and maintain existing business<br />
<br />
For all those reasons, I made the decision when the Chargers left San Diego that <a href="https://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2017/1/12/14253532/tears-in-rain" target="_blank">I would no longer support the franchise I had grown up loving</a>.<br />
<br />
<h4>
I Made Some Refreshments, Dan!</h4>
<br />
Having said a moment ago that I grew up a Chargers fan, the next statement might seem incongruous.<br />
<br />
Dan Marino was my favorite player growing up.<br />
<br />
If you consider most of my elementary and junior high years, the Chargers were coming off the heyday of Air Coryell, and sliding into a protracted rut of misery which lasted from 1983 until 1992.<br />
<br />
Watching Dan Marino and the Dolphins offense reminded me of watching Air Coryell.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, I'll go ahead and say it - Dan Marino is the best pure passer I've ever seen play football.<br />
<br />
Aaron Rodgers comes close, but there was simply nothing like it if you watched any of the half-dozen games or so each year when Marino was dialed in. No player ever seemed more unstoppable at his best (for example, the 1st half of the AFC Divisional Playoff in San Diego in January of 1995). If you caught Marino in one of those games, your only hope was to win a shootout.<br />
<br />
Going further, Marino was also one of the very best at pulling off late game heroics. As a casual fan from a distance, these four in particular stand out - the season opener at Cleveland in 1992, the season opener versus New England in 1994, at home against Atlanta in 1995, and the Wild-Card win in Seattle in January of 2000.<br />
<br />
As a result, because the Dolphins and Marino were entertaining (if not always good), they were on national TV with regularity. Oddly enough (as I alluded to above), many of the more memorable games I remember watching in San Diego happened to involve the Dolphins...<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>There was my birthday in 1991, where I saw the Chargers beat the Dolphins 38-30.</li>
<li>The playoff game I mentioned above, which resulted in a 22-21 Chargers win.</li>
<li>A Sunday night game in 1995, which the Dolphins won 24-14.</li>
<li>The home finale in 2015 (and the spiritual end of the Chargers in San Diego), with a 30-14 Chargers win.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
When I played pickup games of football with my friends, I was decidedly un-athletic which left me an awkward fit, especially when playing defense. With a few exceptions - I was tallest among my friends, had a strong arm, and a quick release.<br />
<br />
-jump forward many years-<br />
<br />
All the relocation business had not only let me feeling like a fan without a team, but I had almost forgotten what I loved about football. In what must be a stunning coincidence, NFL Network's latest episode of the hagiographic series "A Football Life" just happened to be about Dan Marino. Accordingly, I set the DVR and watched on Friday evening...<br />
<br />
While watching, the most wonderful thing happened. I forgot about relocations, piss-poor owners, stadium controversies, and was able to remember - in that amazing mythical slow-motion sun dappled way NFL Films does so well - what I loved about watching football. I was able to "just be a fan" again, and remember without compromise or complication what "just being a fan" felt like.<br />
<br />
In a word, it was wonderful.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Letting Go of the Past.</h4>
<br />
This leads into Sunday's game between the Chargers and Dolphins at the StubHub Center in Carson. I had assiduously avoided watching the Chargers season opener against the Denver Broncos for a few different reasons.<br />
<br />
I didn't have it in me to actively root for the Broncos, a team I have spent most of Sports Life disliking actively, if not with the vitriol I've reserved for the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders.<br />
<br />
I worried about seeing players I've loved watching over the years like Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates, players I've met (and taken pictures with) like Joey Bosa and Hunter Henry and worried about being sucked back into old habits - like eating an entire box of Cheez Its in one sitting without considering I no longer have a teenager's metabolism.<br />
<br />
Stupidly, I also wanted to believe I was past it all, as though avoiding something is ever the same as confronting it - and yet I couldn't help snarking about the Chargers' loss to Denver on Twitter, even though I'd only watched the highlights and based my impression of the game on the reactions of others.<br />
<br />
I learned one important thing in all of this - I'm not built for hate watching.<br />
<br />
If I was ever going to be able to consistently watch the NFL (generally), and see the Chargers as "just another team" (specifically), I needed to be able to see them as an opponent with some other motivation besides hate-watching.<br />
<br />
As minutes counted down on Sunday morning, I thought a lot about how much I enjoyed watching that episode of A Football Life. I thought about that 1984 Marino throwback jersey in the garage, and the autographed Marino jersey currently without a place to be displayed at my house.<br />
<br />
Everything was perfect. For the 1st time since the Chargers left San Diego, I was ready to be a fan again. And so, just before kickoff, I posted this on Facebook...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuJSqsa94weLXnRmwKhBeZ7N7TkJvl_C30hCLcc7pKXLToZvu42LWhGmbXwqA-vkKsTa0Ji6ZZiZ8-QK_Og09ofBDz_8udykGwkVsPtjsOQIWLQtnbCnFa2lmF2li4ncjVYLCMrD6vV8/s1600/Screen+Shot+2017-09-18+at+08.33.30.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1336" data-original-width="910" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuJSqsa94weLXnRmwKhBeZ7N7TkJvl_C30hCLcc7pKXLToZvu42LWhGmbXwqA-vkKsTa0Ji6ZZiZ8-QK_Og09ofBDz_8udykGwkVsPtjsOQIWLQtnbCnFa2lmF2li4ncjVYLCMrD6vV8/s400/Screen+Shot+2017-09-18+at+08.33.30.png" width="271" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The first quarter of the game was decidedly awkward... rooting for a team with Jay Cutler at QB against the team with Philip Rivers at QB only added to the surrealism of the whole thing.<br />
<br />
But it got better as the game went along. The Chargers, starting out as the Los Angeles team I hated because of ownership moving them from San Diego, became an LA team I didn't give a damn about. They became the Dolphins opponent. They started to become... just another team.<br />
<br />
There was the twinge of nostalgia when future Hall-of-Famer Antonio Gates scored his NFL record 112th receiving touchdown - I was at the final Chargers game in San Diego when he tied the record - and I remembered many of the great moments he provided when the team was in San Diego.<br />
<br />
I won't deny the tremendous feeling of schadenfreude when Chargers' PK Younghoe Koo missed a game winning 44 yard FG attempt with less than 10 seconds to play.<br />
<br />
More importantly, I felt a whole other range of emotions I hadn't felt for more than a few years...<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>I remembered how it felt to just cheer, without the baggage of San Diego vs Los Angeles, stadium crises, attendance trolling, or anything else which has accompanied the Chargers the last few years.</li>
<li>I remembered how it felt to cheer when the team you root for steals a win. </li>
<li>I remembered how it felt to be a fan without the conflicting emotions about the ownership, and the feeling of complicity by financially supporting their incompetence.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
I want to make clear, I'm under no illusions. The NFL is a deeply compromised product, at the very least as it regards player safety, personal conduct, and (honestly) quality of play. The Dolphins are a deeply flawed team which will need every break to make another playoff run this year. The Dolphins haven't been consistently competitive for almost 20 years. I do like Adam Gase as a Head Coach, and (as someone who loves offense) I love watching his teams play offense.<br />
<br />
Not coincidentally, <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/armando-salguero/article141130613.html" target="_blank">I respect how after Miami and the State of Florida said no, owner Stephen Ross put his own money into a major renovation of the stadium where the Dolphins play</a> (Joe Robbie Stadium also happened to be the 1st privately funded modern NFL stadium when it opened 30 years ago). Going further (regardless of how he may have personally felt), I also respect Ross for <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/dolphins-owner-fully-supported-players-taking-knee-during-national-anthem/" target="_blank">defending his players last year when some kneeled during the National Anthem in protest</a>.<br />
<br />
If there's one thing I've learned over the last 3 years, there's a huge difference between being a fan of a bad team (an experience with which I am intimately familiar) which at least tries to do the right thing, versus being a fan of a bad team which goes out of its way to make you feel bad for rooting for them.<br />
<br />
<h4>
In Closing</h4>
<br />
In choosing to become a fan of the Miami Dolphins, I acknowledge it's also time to stop (or severely limit) taking potshots at the team I used to root for.<br />
<br />
It's best to think of the Chargers as a long friendship which started in preschool, and lasted well into my early 30s before things became stale and toxic.<br />
<br />
There was heartbreak along the way, but there's also some wonderful memories which I'll never forget. Those memories helped become the sports fan I am today. In the end, this old friend decided they had to go in a direction which I could not follow.<br />
<br />
To my friends who are sticking with the Chargers in Los Angeles, I wish you all the best, so long as it doesn't conflict with my rooting interests. I'll keep following you all via Social Media, as I respect your football knowledge and writing skills. For those of you who followed me on Twitter mostly because I wrote about the Chargers, feel free to unfollow me now. No hard feelings.<br />
<br />
Just as the Chargers have moved on, it's time for me to move on as well.</div>
Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-50061080736874061532017-08-24T15:00:00.000-07:002017-08-24T15:00:24.442-07:00The Chargers Aren't Coming Back to San Diego<b>There's been a string of reports recently of the Chargers "panicking" over their preseason attendance numbers. That may or may not be true, but one thing is for sure: they're staying in Los Angeles for the foreseeable future.</b><br />
<br />
Some people don't think Dean Spanos or the National Football League meant it when they moved the Chargers to Los Angeles in January? Not even when they moved their equipment and materials from Murphy Canyon this summer? Not even with their "Fight for LA" campaign?<br />
<br />
Maybe the team and league is panicking over their preseason numbers. <a href="http://www.mighty1090.com/episode/kaplan-the-spanos-family-the-nfl-are-freaking-out-this-has-turned-into-a-disaster/" target="_blank">One (unidentified) source alleges</a> this is the case. <a href="http://www.ocregister.com/2017/08/23/bonsignore-despite-what-you-may-have-heard-chargers-are-not-freaking-out-over-l-a-move/" target="_blank">Spanos says otherwise</a>.<br />
<br />
I hope it's true, for my own personal schadenfreude regarding the Spanos family, but that hope certainly doesn't make it true.<br />
<br />
More importantly, the problem I have is the long leap people are making from the alleged panic over preseason attendance to the possibility of the Chargers returning to San Diego.<br />
<br />
Every single one of the stories which lay out why the Chargers are eventually returning to San Diego are built on <a href="http://www.mighty1090.com/2017/08/22/dans-den-the-chargers-will-return-to-san-diego/" target="_blank">speculation </a>and <a href="http://www.mighty1090.com/2017/08/23/kaplan-come-home-dean/" target="_blank">fantasy</a>. Nothing has been stated or proposed which would indicate a return to San Diego is a real possibility.<br />
<br />
I'll go a step further... people who tell these stories are trading on the anger and heartbreak of San Diego sports fans for personal gain, and I think that is utterly fucking terrible.<br />
<br />
All that said, let's get into why the Chargers are going to be staying in Los Angeles for a long time.<br />
<br />
More below the jump...<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<h4>
A Rough Estimate of the Chargers Relocation Costs.</h4>
<br />
Back in January, when <a href="http://chasingthedamncat.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-chargers-fraudulent-path-to-los.html" target="_blank">I tore the Spanos family to shreds</a> over their decision to move to Los Angeles (hereafter LA), I (very roughly) laid out the enormous cost of relocation for the franchise.<br />
<br />
Let's do so again for clarity's sake:<br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-live-nfl-meetings-chargers-nfl-owners-approve-debt-waiver-to-help-1481735878-htmlstory.html" target="_blank">NFL approved a debt waiver for Spanos to finance his relocation</a> costs. The debt ceiling prohibits owners from excessively using their franchises as collateral for other interests. In short, this means Spanos couldn't afford to pay the relocation costs out-of-pocket.<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Spanos, by financing the relocation fee over several years, <a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/2017/07/13/rams-chargers-raiders-nfl-relocation-fees" target="_blank">will pay $645 million </a>once he moves into the stadium in Inglewood. </li>
<li>The team is <a href="http://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/tn-dpt-me-chargers-costa-mesa-20170112-story.html" target="_blank">leasing temporary headquarters in Costa Mesa</a>.</li>
<li>The team physically relocated equipment and materials from San Diego (hereafter SD).</li>
<li>The team will also need to build a new practice and training facility, along with permanent team headquarters. <a href="http://am570lasports.iheart.com/onair/la-today-55470/sources-nfl-owners-will-not-fund-15461159/" target="_blank">Fred Roggin of NBCLA has estimated</a> this will cost at least $100 million.</li>
<li>That's close to $750 million in relocation costs, plus interest on his loans from Goldman Sachs. All told, the Chargers will probably pay well over $1 billion to complete and pay off the move to LA over the next 20-30 years.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
Given those points, here's my very simple question to everyone who remotely speculates the Chargers might move back to SD. Why would ANYONE eat any amount of that relocation cost until they had (at the very least) recouped their investment?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Further, once the stadium in Inglewood opens, the Chargers will have full access to the <a href="https://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2016/1/18/10784714/san-diego-chargers-stadium-inglewood-economic-potential-money-spanos" target="_blank">enormous corporate and entertainment capital LA provides</a>. It stands to reason they would have to stay in Inglewood long enough to recoup their investment. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If they recoup quickly (within 10 years in LA), that means they are making bank in LA and so why would they move back to SD? If they recoup slowly (longer than 10 years in LA) , they'll still recoup faster than they would in SD, so why delay the process longer than necessary?</div>
<br />
<h4>
Could the Chargers Return to San Diego?</h4>
<br />
Let's now suppose that despite swimming in cash, the Spanos family has decided over the years that moving to LA tastes like ashes in their mouth. For example:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Sean McVay and Jared Goff take the Rams to sustained success in LA, with a Super Bowl win or two over the next 10-15 years. On the other hand, the Chargers never find an adequate replacement for Philip Rivers and flounder in the AFC West while Derek Carr and Patrick Mahomes duel for dominance over the next 10-15 years. </i><i>Chargers' home games in Inglewood become either a party for whomever the visiting team is that week, or a half-empty sparkling Necropolis. Sponsors and advertisers want reduced rates, as do season-ticket and luxury box owners, relegating the Chargers to long-term purgatory.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Author's Note: </b>Nothing would make me happier than the example I just provided.</blockquote>
<br />
This is the only real-ish scenario I can imagine which might even prompt the Chargers to consider moving back to SD, and my first point is that this example will take well over a decade to play out.<br />
<br />
Those assumptions made, one thing which many point to is the Chargers <a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-live-nfl-meetings-chargers-what-could-a-chargers-lease-at-the-1481731431-htmlstory.html" target="_blank">virtual no-cost lease</a> in Inglewood. With the lease running $1 per year, it would seem relatively easy to exit the lease, and there's no doubt the Rams would love to have LA to themselves.<br />
<br />
Let's also assume any entanglements regarding funding the construction of the stadium in Inglewood (regarding Personal Seat Licenses, Naming Rights, etc.) can be resolved in manner which satisfies the Rams, Chargers, and NFL.<br />
<br />
The Spanos family would still have to make a deal for a new stadium in SD, and play the remaining 3 years in Inglewood until the SD stadium is ready because San Diego / Jack Murphy / Qualcomm / Stadium will be long since gone, the Chargers won't want to play in an MLS stadium in SD (if SoccerCity comes to pass), and the Padres would loathe having to share Petco Park.<br />
<br />
Alternately, some have suggested the Spanos family could sell the team to someone who moves them back to SD. Of course, the person purchasing the team would be purchasing them at LA prices - probably north of $5 billion in 10-20 years time and then moving them to a market where they'd be worth around $3 billion with a new stadium.<br />
<br />
Either way, that sounds like a 20 year process to me, and <a href="http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/sports/spanos-isnt-selling-chargers-teams-not-moving-back/" target="_blank">both are highly unlikely</a> for the reasons outlined above.<br />
<br />
On top of everything I've already said, all of this simultaneously assumes <a href="http://chasingthedamncat.blogspot.com/2017/07/sd-helped-push-chargers-to-la.html" target="_blank">SD can find competent (excuse me, but... ahahahahaha!!!) political leadership</a>, find a suitable stadium site, and one (or more) of the following occurs:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>SD's citizenry is willing to make a deal with the Spanos family for partial taxpayer funding of a new stadium, less than 20 years after they burned SD trying to get to LA.</li>
<li>The <a href="https://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2015/12/9/9868984/the-stadium-crisis-on-the-nfls-horizon" target="_blank">NFL's stadium arms race</a> has died off and/or city and state governments have wizened up, resulting in smaller facilities which are 100% privately funded.</li>
<li>SD's biotech industry has exploded, providing the kind of wealthy customer base which renders the top 2 points moot.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
With that in mind, let me offer an alternative...</div>
<br />
<h4>
If The Odds Are Long Anyway, Shoot for The Moon.</h4>
<br />
Since it would realistically take a couple of decades to bring the Chargers back to SD, why not just shoot for the moon and try to land an expansion franchise instead?<br />
<br />
Like <a href="http://chasingthedamncat.blogspot.com/2017/01/a-10-year-plan-for-sd-sports.html" target="_blank">I suggested earlier this year</a>:<br />
<br />
SD should start planning now for a potential NFL return after 10-15 years have passed, and there's a chance stadium costs have been forced down, or a chance SD's biotech industry has exploded. Here's what that kind of planning entails:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Start identifying potential stadium locations within the City and County of San Diego.</li>
<li>Determine who owns the land and which agencies have jurisdiction over the land. </li>
<li>Emphasize locations which are suitable for mixed-use development or begging for redevelopment, and start discussions with potential interested parties.</li>
<li>Start figuring out a responsible means of providing limited public financing (I'd like to add that a successful vote here is much more likely for a new ownership group than it ever would be for the Spanos family).</li>
<li>See if there's any hint of a "white knight" ownership group interested.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
The odds of this happening are admittedly low. But if I already know my chances of bringing the NFL back to SD are situated between slim and none, why not at least pursue the path which doesn't involve the Spanos family?<br />
<br />
Let's be real about this. The Spanos family have proven to be mediocre stewards of the Chargers since taking control of the franchise in 1984. They've had <a href="https://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2013/10/17/4847372/whose-fault-chargers-leave-san-diego-stadium-spanos" target="_blank">some successes, and a few more failures</a>. To be fair, they've also done <a href="https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2016/feb/15/ticker-spanos-clan-saves-its-charity-stockton/" target="_blank">charity work over the years in SD</a>.<br />
<br />
Unless something drastically changes in LA, they're highly likely to be mediocre stewards of the Chargers over the next 20-30 years. So, <a href="https://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2016/11/1/13317814/before-you-vote-yes-on-c" target="_blank">why not take advantage of the opportunity to find the one thing which repeatedly proves to be the difference between successful franchises and unsuccessful franchises: Quality Ownership</a>.<br />
<br />
Aside from the win/loss record, the Spanos family also <a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/aztecs/sd-sp-wickerside-20170113-story.html" target="_blank">refused to allow the local college to provide a better fan experience</a> at their college football games because they shared a stadium and had a narrative to protect.<br />
<br />
Most importantly, the Spanos family are the same folks who <a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/chargers/sd-sp-chargers-longtime-equipment-manager-no-longer-with-team-20170824-story.html" target="_blank">do awful shit to employees</a> today..<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chargers?src=hash">#Chargers</a> waited until training camp ended to blow out equipment manager Bob Wick, who made move from SD. Was with team for 39 years.</div>
— Bernie Wilson (@berniewilson) <a href="https://twitter.com/berniewilson/status/900798690616528896">August 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
Just as the <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/1992-06-14/sports/sp-882_1_don-coryell" target="_blank">Spanos family did awful shit to Don Coryell over 30 years ago</a>.<br />
<br />
As much as I'll miss rooting for the Chargers, I'll never miss this ownership.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<h4>
Closing Thoughts.</h4>
<div>
The Chargers are not coming back to San Diego.<br />
<br />
The Chargers are staying in Los Angeles for the foreseeable future.<br />
<br />
If San Diego has any chance to get the NFL back, pursue a new franchise with new ownership.<br />
<br />
San Diego fans need to stop crying over the past and start working on the future.<br />
<br />
San Diego media need to stop feeding stories which rely on manipulating fans and their feelings about the Chargers for impact.<br />
<br />
Lastly, and most importantly, let LA deal with the Spanos family.</div>
Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-20641634300444712412017-07-03T12:00:00.000-07:002017-08-14T15:30:29.589-07:00How San Diego Helped Push the Chargers to Los Angeles<b>Over the last couple months, the stumbling ineptitude of Mayor Kevin Faulconer has cast new light on the Chargers' last year in San Diego. I still maintain Dean Spanos is primarily at fault for the Chargers relocation to Los Angeles, but it seems more apparent than ever that Faulconer (among others) helped to push him out the door.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Just to be explicitly clear, Dean Spanos is the primary reason the Chargers are in Los Angeles.<br />
<br />
As <a href="http://chasingthedamncat.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-chargers-fraudulent-path-to-los.html" target="_blank">I outlined in January</a>, Measure C was perfectly designed to give Spanos the political cover he needed within the National Football League to execute his option on Los Angeles. Further, it's plainly obvious Spanos could've made a deal in San Diego by putting some of his own skin in the game, as opposed to doing barely more than then minimum required and expecting taxpayers to shoulder the rest of the burden.<br />
<br />
Having made that point, it has also become clear the political establishment in San Diego, headed by Mayor Kevin Faulconer, was virtually as hard-headed, short sighted, and possibly compromised by alternate options in trying to reach an agreement to keep the Chargers in San Diego.That's what I want to explore in this post.<br />
<br />
I know there are many people who simply want this issue to die off (it's as painful and maddening for me to write it as it will be for many to read it). I still believe it's crucial to document what's happened, before party spin doctors and political consultants start attempting to whitewash events - especially if recent California gubernatorial scuttlebutt is accurate. And if San Diego is ever going to have a chance at another professional sports team, it's high time to understand the failures of the past.<br />
<br />
So, let's take a trip back in time after the jump.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<h4>
Original Sin</h4>
<br />
More than ever, it's obvious that the original mistake which started the Chargers and San Diego down the path to separation was <a href="https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2002/may/30/scandal-stadium/?page=1&" target="_blank">then-Mayor Susan Golding and Alex Spanos agreeing</a> to the expansion of then-Jack Murphy Stadium in 1995. While it's true that San Diego got 2 additional Super Bowls out of the deal, it was also 100% publicly financed, and when you include the training complex in Murphy Canyon, the cost was close to $100 million dollars. At this point in the 1990s, <a href="https://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2015/12/9/9868984/the-stadium-crisis-on-the-nfls-horizon" target="_blank">a new stadium would likely have cost between $200 million and $300 million dollars</a>.<br />
<br />
By the time the expansion was completed, the stadium had reached 30 years old. There shouldn't have been any surprise that <a href="http://www.chargers.com/news/2003/01/24/tagliabue-tackles-chargers-issues" target="_blank">Paul Tagliabue expressed </a>the team's (and league's) desire for a new stadium less than 6 years after the expansion. It shows the decision to pursue an expansion was appallingly shortsighted. And while both sides are to blame for a lack of vision, I'm not going to blame the Spanos family for doing what businessmen do, and that's accept free money.<br />
<br />
Throw in a rent agreement which disincentivized the team from putting a quality product on the field (i.e. the <a href="http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/government/the-citys-3-biggest-chargers-follies/" target="_blank">Ticket Guarantee</a>), lease terms which relegated the Padres to secondary status (prompting them to pursue Petco Park), and a clause giving Spanos the right to make deals with other cities and allowing San Diego only the right to match or exceed the terms, it's no wonder the situation soured.<br />
<br />
<b>Author's Aside:</b> Spanos made a crushing mistake by not partnering with then-Padres owner John Moores on a deal for new stadiums in the 1990s - he likely could've rode Padres President Larry Lucchino's coattails to ballot success in 1998.<br />
<br />
As a cherry on top, the team sued the City over the stadium in 2002 - with an <a href="https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/chargersissues/pdf/finalreport.pdf" target="_blank">eye toward getting a new stadium built</a> as a result - the <a href="http://legacy.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/metro/20060110-9999-1m10chargers.html" target="_blank">Mission Valley Plan </a>which died in 2005. What happened was a rent renegotiation which essentially paid the team to play at Qualcomm Stadium, and the opportunity to exit the lease every year, beginning in 2008. As a reminder, the old lease would've generated much more revenue during the glory years of 2004-2009, and the lease would've left the City the option to match any deal until 2020.<br />
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Of course, by that time, San Diego had been hit by a Pension scandal (initiated by the same administration which negotiated the stadium expansion deal), followed shortly thereafter by the Great Recession and therefore was in no financial position to do anything stadium related until 2014.<br />
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By this time, the <a href="https://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2015/6/2/8701493/do-the-chargers-really-want-to-stay-in-san-diego" target="_blank">Chargers had almost made the deal with AEG for Farmers Field in late 2011, already started sniffing around the Carson site in 2013, and held preliminary discussions with Rams owner Stan Kroenke regarding the Inglewood site late in 2014</a>.<br />
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Then we had the disaster which was the <a href="http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/14752649/the-real-story-nfl-owners-battle-bring-football-back-los-angeles" target="_blank">Los Angeles Relocation Derby of 2015-16.</a><br />
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<h4>
What Could Have Been</h4>
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The last good chance for a deal between the Chargers and San Diego was an ill-fated meeting at Chargers Park on February 22, 2016. Attending the meeting were team officials including Dean Spanos, Special Counsel Mark Fabiani, and Special Advisor Fred Maas. On the other side were Faulconer, County Supervisor Ron Roberts and other public officials and representatives.<br />
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By all accounts, <a href="http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/tourism/a-hotel-tax-hike-has-been-in-the-chargers-playbook-for-a-long-time/" target="_blank">even contemporary ones</a>, the meeting was (charitably) described as unproductive. Given the dead-on arrival nature of Measure C, it's also evident that meeting was the last realistic chance for a deal to which might have had a chance with voters in San Diego. Here's a summary of funding sources suggested by the team, of which the <a href="https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/mayor/pdf/20150810_CityofSDChargersMissionValleyPresentation.pdf" target="_blank">$200 million from the City and $150 million from the County were proposed by Faulconer and Roberts themselves in August of 2015</a>:<br />
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<ul>
<li>$200 million in San Diego City General Funds (requiring a simple majority vote of
San Diego city voters in November 2016).</li>
<li>$150 million in San Diego County General Funds (requiring majority votes by the
County Board of Supervisors).</li>
<li>$200 million in funding, from a complement of tourist-based taxes, included in
the countywide Citizens’ Initiative sponsored by the Chargers and a community
coalition (requiring a two-thirds vote of San Diego County voters in November
2016).</li>
<li>$300 million in loans and grants from the National Football League (already
committed by the NFL).</li>
<li>$350 million from the Chargers.</li>
<li>The Chargers will guarantee all cost overruns.</li>
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What puzzles me is that Faulconer (and Roberts) flatly <a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/chargers/sd-sp-chargers-20170623-story.html?utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Contentutm_content=5956839504d3012911c5ba58utm_medium=trueAnthemutm_source=twitter" target="_blank">rejected</a> the <a href="http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/City-County-Term-Sheet-Final.pdf" target="_blank">team's offer sheet</a>, and that they weren't interested in negotiating further. It's puzzling because it was public knowledge the Chargers would be <a href="https://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2016/1/29/10866250/chargers-san-diego-los-angeles-stadium-public-money" target="_blank">seeking at least $500 million in public money</a> over 1 month before this meeting; in fact, it was known before the team officially announced they were staying in San Diego for the 2016 season.<br />
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As <a href="https://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2016/2/25/11113678/take-it-or-leave-it-chargers-stadium-downtown-mission-valley" target="_blank">I wrote at the time</a> (though my cost estimates were off - I didn't have the term sheet), Faulconer essentially gave the Chargers a "Take It or Leave It" offer. And it's worth repeating for emphasis: Faulconer, Roberts, and other City officials knew for more than a month the Chargers would likely be asking for more money than San Diego had offered. Given the team's repeated interest in the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT), that element shouldn't have surprised anyone either.<br />
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Yet they refused the deal out of hand, and according to both Maas and <a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/chargers/sdut-chargers-roberts-dean-spanos-2016feb24-story.html" target="_blank">Roberts</a>, <u>no alternatives were presented</u>. For instance, since Faulconer wants a TOT increase for a contiguous Convention Center Expansion, why not combine the additional Mission Valley proposal funding with the contiguous expansion. When you compare Measure C with my suggested alternative proposal, the alternative would've theoretically done the following:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Put the Tourism lobby and the Chargers on the same side.</li>
<li>Reduced the overall TOT increase, thereby firming up Tourism lobby support.</li>
<li>If Project Labor Agreements were reached, local Union support would've been assured.</li>
<li>Avoided the need (and cost) of a Special Election.</li>
<li>Secured the fans and city's <a href="https://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2015/3/3/8143351/recapping-the-chargers-stadium-task-force-public-forum" target="_blank">favored stadium site</a>.</li>
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Just to be clear - I'm not saying that Spanos/NFL couldn't have or shouldn't have stepped up to fill in some or all of the gap. </div>
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I am saying Faulconer's flat refusal to continue negotiations made it really easy for Spanos to grease the skids for his departure to Los Angeles. </div>
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Furthermore, given the nature of the <a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/columnists/kevin-acee/sd-sp-charupdate-0103-story.html" target="_blank">desperation deal proposed in January 2017</a>, there's every reason to think that the County's commitment was less than ironclad - their number dropped from $150 million to $75 million without explanation. And if SDSU was willing to put in $100 million for the desperation deal, why weren't they involved in early 2016, when it would've reduced the perceived gap to $100 million and made concessions more possible for both sides?</div>
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In any case, following Faulconer's flat refusal, and with time running short on crafting a Citizen's Initiative for November 2016 and facing the almost certain likelihood of electoral failure with Measure C, the Chargers set about doing just enough to prove to the NFL they had done their best and had to go to Los Angeles.</div>
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Put simply, if you're Faulconer and you're serious about trying to keep the Chargers in town, you don't make this kind of offer unless one or more of the following is true:</div>
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<ul>
<li>You don't think the Chargers/NFL are serious about leaving for Inglewood -or-</li>
<li>You think the Chargers have already decided to leave and are trying to retain their existing San Diego fanbase.</li>
<li>You have a Plan B which you think is as good as (or better than) Plan A.</li>
<li>Your political future depends on the perception you won this fight, either in fact or on principle.</li>
</ul>
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As it turns out, Faulconer had already had the first of many meetings with <a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/watchdog/sd-me-soccer-meetings-20170529-story.html" target="_blank">FS Investors for what would become SoccerCity </a>in January 2016. There's continued <a href="http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-governors-race-republicans-20170629-htmlstory.html" target="_blank">chatter about Faulconer being the best Republican option</a> for Governor in 2018, though <a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/sd-me-faulconer-pledges-again-20170630-story.html" target="_blank">he's said thus far he will not run</a>.</div>
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What follows is conjecture on my part...</div>
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It seems evident to me at this point that Faulconer and his political aides had already decided that they were only going to keep the Chargers in San Diego on their terms. The political narrative benefits him either way: the team stays under a fairer deal than most cities get, or the team goes because they were (in fact) greedy. And if there's a legitimate Plan B which is arguably better than Plan A, then why not play hardball.</div>
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There's one huge catch, though. If you dump Plan A, then you damn well better deliver on Plan B. Because everyone is watching.</div>
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<h4>
Why This Matters Now</h4>
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Just for the sake of keeping the timeline straight, <a href="http://soccerstadiumdigest.com/2017/02/soccercity-mls-proposal-unveiled-by-san-diego-investors/" target="_blank">SoccerCity was announced</a> a few weeks after the Chargers announced their departure for Los Angeles, on February 20.<br />
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<b>Author's Aside:</b> SDSU's absence from an early Mission Valley deal, only to offer $100 million in the desperation deal speaks volumes about how they regarded the SoccerCity plan, long before their feelings became public knowledge.<br />
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As we've seen over the last several weeks, the plan for SoccerCity was far less of a sure thing than it initially appeared to be. Its almost certain defeat is a crushing blow for Faulconer, who gambled heavily on SoccerCity being his legacy in San Diego following the Chargers' departure.<br />
<br />
Just for fun, there's even the <a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/columnists/dan-mcswain/sd-fi-mcswan-city-attorney-soccercity-leak-20170630-story.html" target="_blank">specter of chicanery</a> involved with the fast-sinking SoccerCity, as a confidential memo was apparently leaked to FS Investors. This alleged leak happened prior to a City Council meeting deciding when SoccerCity's election would be held. If it's revealed Faulconer or someone affiliated with his office leaked the memo, it's merely the latest in a never ending series of stains on San Diego's Mayor Office.<br />
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However, the Chargers debacle and the SoccerCity debacle is less interesting for what it reveals about Faulconer and more interesting for what it reveals about San Diego in general.<br />
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First of all, yet maybe least importantly: nothing is going to get done with this Mayor in office. The word on the street years ago was that <a href="http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/2013/11/07/kevin-faulconer-the-no-1-second-choice/" target="_blank">Faulconer wasn't a leader so much as someone who follows the lead of others</a>. This is not the guy you want running a campaign for a new stadium, or arena, or anything else - and as we've also seen recently, the political capital he believed he had was used up in the failed attempt to force SoccerCity and the Convention Center expansion onto ballot for a Special Election later this year.<br />
<br />
Going further, and more important for the long-term future, this series of failures reveals San Diego is a City trapped "in between worlds." Here's what I mean:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>San Diego is too large of a city to be run by a single overpowering interest group, such as the Tourism Industry.</li>
<li>San Diego has multiple interests in the city who all wield enough power to veto each other, but none of them have the power to do things unilaterally. These interests include (but aren't limited to) the Tourism Industry, Biotech Industry, UCSD, SDSU, unions, and the US Military.</li>
<li>These interests are too powerful in San Diego to concede terms to other interests, which also prevents coalitions from being formed (the Convention Center expansion vs. Convention Center annex is a textbook example). Paradoxically, these coalitions are formed in larger cities because corporate money and more interests helps spread the power base thinner (i.e. I can't stop them on my own, so I'd rather get half a loaf than nothing at all).</li>
<li>Because of its dependency on the Tourism Industry and US Military, San Diego tends to be a high transient community, with large pay scale gaps between service-sector jobs and the limited number of higher paying jobs.</li>
<li>San Diego does not have the concentrated corporate wealth to force sports league and owners to do business on its terms the way Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, Chicago, and New York can.</li>
<li>San Diego is a top 10 city by population, but a top 30 market in terms of regional size (on par with Portland). These means there's limited appeal to potential future owners because the market is small, there's not a big corporate presence, and there's the presence of Los Angeles, Mexico, and rural Southeast California on the edges.</li>
<li>For better or worse, San Diego has a provincial mentality (especially as it regards the rest of California). As nice as the weather is, the "if it's not good enough for you, then leave" mindset is not conducive to deal-making.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
Until these dynamics change in some fashion, San Diego will remain an alluring but hollow jewel as far as professional sports are concerned.<br />
<br />Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-78632661504660846882017-06-08T12:00:00.001-07:002022-03-16T10:42:04.819-07:00The Heroes We Need: Moana & Wonder Woman<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>Of the movies I've seen in 2017, two have hit me with an emotional punch that no others have. Those films are <i>Moana</i> and <i>Wonder Woman</i>. This won't be a traditional review of either film, rather an unpacking of ideas and feelings about why they really hit a nerve with me.</b><br />
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<b>Author's Note:</b> I'm aware <i>Moana</i> was released theatrically in 2016.</div>
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SPOILER WARNING IN EFFECT. CONTINUE READING AT YOUR DISCRETION/PERIL.</div>
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I loved both <i>Moana</i> and <i>Wonder Woman</i>. </div>
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I love the brightness, vivid color, and clarity both films presented. Both films are buttressed by a terrific musical score. Both women are portrayed beautifully, by Auli'i Cravalho as Moana & Gal Gadot as Diana, and they get splendid support from Dwyane Johnson as Maui and Chris Pine as Steve Trevor. Both films touched a nerve for me in really unexpected ways. Both are elegant in the simplicity and directness with which they engage their audiences. </div>
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There's real pleasure and joy in watching these women fulfill their destinies. As befits great heroes, they have to overcome everything: their parents, social norms, overbearing machismo, and finally using love to both overcome the final challenge and fulfill their own considerable potential. Both films' heroes achieve greatness by simply becoming that which they have always been, and being willing to commit the ultimate act of love - sacrifice - to save humanity.</div>
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With this in mind, I'm going to spend some time comparing these two films and seeing what it is they've done well and why I've felt so moved by both of them.</div>
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There's a lot to unpack here, so let's get to it. More below the jump.</div>
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<h4>
<br />The False Paradise of Isolation: Motunui and Themyscira</h4>
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Both <i>Moana</i> and <i>Wonder Woman</i> have an initial setting which appears to be a paradise. In <i>Moana</i>, the island is Motunui, which is a Pacific volcano surrounded by a coral atoll. <i>Wonder Woman</i>'s paradise is Themyscira, a lush island located in the Mediterranean Sea.<br />
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Setting aside that both locations are islands, there's another significant parallel between them.<br />
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<ul>
<li>Motunui's coral atoll provides both shelter from the perceived danger of the ocean and a lagoon with plentiful fish for the islanders to eat. </li>
<li>Themyscira is protected by Zeus by a fog bank which is intended to provide a literal shelter from the world of men, and by extension Ares (The God of War - we'll come back to this later).</li>
</ul>
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The inciting incident in both films occurs once this protective barrier has been breached by the outside world. In Motunui's case, it's the failure of crops and the disappearance of fish from the lagoon. For Themyscira, it happens when Steve Trevor's stolen German airplane breaches the fog bank which surrounds the island and German Naval units follow him through the fog. As a result. both Motunui and Themyscira are exposed as untenable false paradises.<br />
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Moana's tribe has become satisfied with with Motunui at the expense of their seafaring culture. As a matter of fact, the tribe's rigidly traditional outlook (our island has always provided for us, so we just need to continue doing what we've always done) has caused them to forget their history; the tribe has literally hidden their ships away in a cave. The obvious solution for Motunui's inhabitants when the famine arrives - even putting aside the greater quest which Moana undertakes - is to reclaim their heritage as seafarers and find another island. They've become so satisfied and dependent on their island that they've forgotten who they were; the blight on their food literally and symbolically becomes ashes in their mouths.<br />
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With Themyscira, the reason the paradise is hidden is made quite explicit over the course of the film. Zeus (and by extension Queen Hippolyta) has to protect Diana - the weapon which can defeat Ares - until she is ready to meet his challenge. The tragedy of Themyscira is that once the world of men intrudes, the larger Amazon culture is exposed as being unable to meet the modern threat (this is an indictment of man's developing technology used to fight wars and not of the fierceness and devotion of the Amazon warriors). As a former US President said "<a href="http://estnyboer.com/bush/oceans.htm" target="_blank">Oceans no longer protect us</a>." The ocean being both literal and symbolic statement of the vast gap between the world of men and Themyscira.<br />
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In both cases, the larger point is that eventually, these islands no longer serve as sanctuaries. The famine and destruction caused by Te Kā (Te Fiti's corrupted alter ego) would reach Motunui eventually. At some point, if not World War I, men would've eventually encroached upon Themyscira. Importantly, both films also assert the traditions and rituals of both island societies have become a hindrance to the development of the very societies they are designed to serve.<br />
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Thus, Moana and Diana have to leave their sanctuaries behind and enter a larger, much more dangerous world. In other words, they have to escape their epistemological bubble.</div>
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<h4>
Moana of Motunui & Diana, Princess of Themyscira: The Hero's Journey</h4>
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Thanks to the success of <i>Star Wars</i>, many people are acquainted with <i>The Hero with a Thousand Faces</i> by Joseph Campbell, and its explanation of the <i>Monomyth</i> (also known as <i>The Hero's Journey</i>). In many cases, the template is followed so closely that it has caused narrative boredom in many films which try to repeat the success of <i>Star Wars</i>.<br />
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With that in mind, the success of a story using the <i>Monomyth</i> template relies heavily on the variations brought to the story by the filmmakers.<br />
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There are 3 major acts. For the sake of brevity (and sanity), we'll not get into the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero%27s_journey" target="_blank">individual steps within the acts</a>, as they don't always appear in each variation, and they often appear in varying order. Let's see how well they match up with the journeys undertaken by <a href="https://medium.com/@danwhite_3777/yes-this-post-is-about-the-latest-disney-movie-moana-79661de54ae2" target="_blank">Moana</a> and Diana:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Act I: The Departure: This Act deals with the call to adventure, some form of denial of the adventure, the appearance of a helper or guide, and the decision to leave the known world behind.</li>
<li>Act 2: Initiation: The Act is where the majority of conflict occurs. Various trials and temptations are placed before the hero to hinder their journey. There are often setbacks for the hero from which they learn lessons to be applied later, and either defeating the villain or achieving the goal of the quest.</li>
<li>Act 3: Return: This Act is when the hero returns having completed their journey or having achieved the goal of the quest, and is ready to share their treasure/cure/knowledge with the rest of the world.</li>
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Moana literally sings about being called by the ocean to leave her island. She is forbidden to leave by her father. With the help of her Grandmother and the Ocean, she accepts the call and leaves. Later, she gets help from Maui, endures the trials of the Kakamora pirates, helps recover Maui's hook from the crab Tamatoa, and fails her first attempt to return the heart to Te Fiti. She endures a crisis of confidence before choosing to complete her quest. Crucially, she realizes that the demon Te Kā is the corrupted version of Te Fiti - the goddess of life without her heart. Once she restores the heart of Te Fiti, she returns to Motunui having saved the world and reclaimed her tribe's seafaring knowledge and heritage.<br />
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Diana learns her destiny is to defeat Ares, and bring peace to the world of man. She is stalled in her development by her mother; Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen), but later trained by Antiope (Robin Wright). Steve Trevor's arrival forces her to accept the call and she leaves, forbidden by her mother to return. On her journey, Diana has to overcome an overbearing patriarchy, doubts about her powers, her developing love for Trevor, and her mistaken assumption of the identity of Ares. Diana's crisis of confidence is caused when Trevor prevents her from fulfilling her destiny as she understands it, causing many innocent people to be killed in a gas attack. Diana struggles against Ares once he reveals himself, but finds the strength to win after Trevor sacrifices himself. Forbidden from returning home, Diana returns to London having discovered she is in fact a goddess herself, and that the world of men is worth saving.<br />
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While <i>Wonder Woman </i>largely eschews (or modifies, depending on your point of view) Act 3, <i>Moana</i> follows the <i>Monomyth</i> all the way through to the end. Further, I'd argue that even thought both films follow the <i>Monomyth</i> template (almost too) closely, they still succeed because of one hugely significant variation:<br />
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The heroes are women.</div>
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Do You Know Who Maui Is: Male Privilege As a Corrupting Influence</h4>
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In <i>Moana</i>, the corrupting influence of male privilege is examined with Maui, and to a lesser extent with Moana's father. <i>Moana</i> is interested in showing how male privilege adversely affects the rest of the world, and <i>Moana</i> asserts that femininity must restore the balance.<br />
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At the beginning of the film, the demigod Maui decides to steal the heart of Te Fiti, the island goddess. Maui hopes to be celebrated by humanity when he gives them the heart, which contains the power to create life. Once Maui steals the heart (a green stone), he is attacked by Te Kā, a demon of fire and lava and the defiled version of Te Fiti. Te Kā's attack causes Maui to lose his magical fish hook, which gives him the ability to transmogrify into any animal he desires. He also loses Te Fiti's heart to the ocean.<br />
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Moana is chosen centuries later to restore Te Fiti's heart - it's revealed to her as a toddler when the ocean (represented here as a supernatural force for good) reveals it to her on the shores of Montunui. Moana's quest requires her to locate Maui, and enlist his help in returning the heart to Te Fiti.<br />
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When Moana encounters Maui, she expects a heroic demigod. What she finds is a self-pitying, self-absorbed clown. His first act is to feign thanks while leaving her marooned on an island.<br />
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As the film continues, Maui attempts to deflect the damage he's caused with his macho recklessness. At one point, he tries to blame humanity for his taking the heart - he did it because he wanted adulation. Later, he tries to play it off as a joke. He pretends to go along with Moana's plan, primarily so he can re-acquire his magical hook. But he wants no part of Te Kā, and when Te Kā damages his fish hook in the first attempt to restore the heart, he abandons the quest.<br />
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His male privilege is the primary reason this world is turning to ashes, and only when he renounces it by choosing to help Moana does he become a hero. Even then, Maui is marginalized - he's a spectator as Moana faces Te Kā to restore the heart. Once the heart is restored (and Te Fiti with it), Te Fiti makes it quite clear to Maui that what he did was wrong, and that he hurt her badly. Not until Maui takes responsibility and apologizes does she restore his beloved magical fish hook. As an added bonus, he receives true gratitude from Moana, as opposed to the hollow adulation he hoped for when he stole the heart.<br />
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<i>Moana</i> celebrates femininity, specifically as it relates to the cycle of life, death, and rebirth using a <a href="https://exemplore.com/paganism/Pagan-Symbols-and-Their-Meanings" target="_blank">spiral symbol</a>. This is made explicit as Te Fiti lives, then dies - becoming Te Kā when Maui steals her heart, then is reborn as Te Fiti when Moana restores her heart. Moana sings to Te Kā "this is not who you are." She touches her forehead to Te Kā's forehead, as though an intuitive understanding passes between them. At the risk of sounding trite, Moana feels her pain; as a woman whose nature is thwarted by male privilege (her father's stubborn insistence on her inheriting his position as a shore-bound tribal chief), and as a member of a culture which no longer remembers who they are.<br />
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It's the compassion, understanding, and intuitive connection between two women which allows Moana to make things right again. Moana's love matters more than Maui's strength.<br />
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<br />Only Love Will Truly Save the World: Does Humanity Deserve a Savior?</h4>
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In <i>Wonder Woman</i>, there are 3 specific acts of loving sacrifice which underline and reaffirm Diana's commitment to love as a guiding force. The first is the death of Antiope on the beach, taking a bullet to save Diana's life. The second is the symbolic death of Queen Hippolyta when she allows Diana to leave Themyscira, never to return. The third is Steve Trevor's death when he destroys the airplane loaded with hydrogen-fueled gas bombs.<br />
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What's fascinating about each of these moments of sacrifice is how they build on each other as the film progresses, informing Diana's understanding of what it means to be an Amazon, and how to translate that meaning in the world of men.<br />
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Starting with Antiope: she's Diana's Aunt and the member of her family who embraced her desire to become a warrior. Antiope trained her harder than any warrior before her, and so Diana becomes her symbolic daughter. Further, Antiope is renowned as the the greatest Amazon warrior. Her being felled by a bullet conveys to the audience that the Amazons are fierce, but not invincible. Also, if the greatest Amazon warrior can be killed this easily, then the outside world has more danger than Diana realizes, regardless of her incredible abilities (of course, we don't know the extent of her powers yet).<br />
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Next, we have Queen Hippolyta's symbolic sacrifice. By banishing Diana from Themyscira, Hippolyta essentially sacrifices herself for the sake of Diana's development. She knows Diana's destiny is to become a great warrior who can defeat Ares, but has hidden that knowledge from her in an attempt to keep her safe. The intrusion of the world of men has made that fantasy impossible. Still, she warns Diana explicitly about the world of men - telling Diana "they do not deserve you" before Diana chooses to leave with Steve Trevor.<br />
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During her time in the world of men, Diana sees what her mother means. Men are capable of war and cruelty without Ares' help. Diana has to confront a dishonorable and misogynist society: men willing to command others to die but unwilling to fight themselves, men committed to fighting each other but not committed to protecting the innocent, and men willing to kill to continue a war which could be stopped. Once he reveals himself, Ares wants Diana to help him exterminate the human race, deeming them unworthy of the Earth.<br />
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Here's where <i>Wonder Woman</i> charts its own course in the genre. Instead of questioning what it means to be a superhero in a postmodern world - the dominant idea in the genre since Christopher Nolan's <i>Dark Knight </i>Trilogy<i> - Wonder Woman </i>asks a simpler question with an equally complicated answer. Do humans even deserve a hero like Diana?<br />
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This brings us finally to Steve Trevor's sacrifice. Diana was badly hurt when Steve stopped her from killing a German General who then gassed a town of civilians - a town Diana had liberated the day before. Trevor hijacks a plane bound for London full of deadly hydrogen gas bombs; a mission he knows will end with his death. Before he leaves, he acknowledges to Diana that he's aware he's hurt her, he's aware of the evil in the world of men, and that he's committed acts of evil in the name of duty and country.<br />
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But in finally telling Diana he loves her, then blowing up the plane carrying the hydrogen gas bombs and sacrificing himself in the process, Steve Trevor both reaffirms the lessons Diana learned from her family and simultaneously affirms that while humans may not deserve Diana, they are worth fighting for.<br />
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That Tiny Thing Tells You What To Do? More Thoughts and Ideas</h4>
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Risking hyperbole, <i>Moana</i> is among the most formally beautiful movies I've ever seen. The color palette is incredibly varied and bright. The images are crystal-clear. There's a real sense of texture in all of the different surfaces. All of the characters are visually engaging. You could make a gallery out of <i>Moana </i>and place it in a museum.<br />
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Steve Trevor gets a superb send-off in <i>Wonder Woman</i>. Alone in the plane, he pulls his gun and points it at the hydrogen powered gas bombs. Director Patty Jenkins leaves the camera on Trevor's face for a long time before cutting away. Chris Pine plays through a series of emotions, hesitating multiple times to pull the trigger while we see on his face all of the feelings of love, sadness, fear, bravery, duty, and honor he's going through. Jenkins makes an empathetic choice, and it results in a devastating emotional moment for both Chris Pine as an actor and Steve Trevor as a character.<br />
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Whoever came up with the idea of turning The Kakamora (coconut pirates) sequence from <i>Moana</i> into an elaborate homage to George Miller's <i>Mad Max: Fury Road</i> deserves a medal. The sequence manages to be both thrilling and tremendously amusing at the same time, without playing like a total rip-off. Given the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/27/sexists-are-scared-of-mad-max-because-it-is-a-call-to-dismantle-patriarchies" target="_blank">feminist subtext</a> of <i>Mad Max: Fury Road</i>, the homage adds another layer of emotional and symbolic value.<br />
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Patty Jenkins does a great job integrating slow-motion into the action sequences. These shots are standard issue in action scenes ever since <i>The Matrix</i>, but like that film, Jenkins uses them in service of story and character. In <i>Wonder Woman</i>, the slow motion serves moments where Diana begins to realize just how powerful she is in dodging bullets and defeating opponents. Further, it help us relate to her by illustrating just how unique her abilities are from her point-of-view.<br />
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I loved the scene in the alley where <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LK1Z1qHogFU" target="_blank">Diana prevents Steve from being shot </a>to death by German spies. It feels like a direct homage to a scene in Richard Donner's <i>Superman </i>(<a href="http://www.slashfilm.com/wonder-woman-director-interview-patty-jenkins/3/" target="_blank">which served as a guiding light for Patty Jenkins</a>). In <i>Superman</i>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsBu2pWm7-E" target="_blank">Clark Kent (the late great Christopher Reeve) saves Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) from being shot</a> in the back by a mugger in the alley, after the mugger tried stealing her purse.<br />
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Here's a hot take: <i>Moana</i> was the best musical of 2016 (and yes, that includes the wildly overrated <i>La La Land</i>). I say this as a way to get into celebrating that both <i>Wonder Woman</i> and <i>Moana</i> have terrific musical scores. In both cases, the films rely on thematic cues in their most critical moments, instead of the typical blockbuster bombast. Specifically in <i>Moana's</i> case, the songs and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foa'i, and Mark Mancina are wonderful.<br />
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Closing Thoughts</h4>
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This is the point where I acknowledge that neither <i>Moana</i> or <i>Wonder Woman</i> is a masterpiece.<br />
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<i>Moana</i> recycles the ocean gags and the continuing idiocy of Moana's chicken Heihei a few times too many. In the case of <i>Wonder Woman</i>, the climax relies too heavily on the usual big CGI battle, which becomes increasingly tedious and unconvincing the longer it lasts. Neither film has a particularly interesting or threatening villain.<br />
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In all other respects, both <i>Moana</i> and <i>Wonder Woman</i> represent something increasingly rare in our divided, post-modern, meta world. Both films are deeply felt, direct, and sincere. They trust their audience to be sincere in return without being laughed at. They both take the time and effort to show the best, most decent, most hopeful side of us while openly acknowledging the worst of us is right there, waiting to trip us up along the way.<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDQob4AOCsQ" target="_blank">To paraphrase Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) at the end of <i>The Dark Knight</i>...</a><br />
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We may not deserve Moana and Diana.<br />
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But they're the heroes we need right now.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b style="background-color: white;">Author's Note: </b><span style="background-color: white;"> All screenshots from <i>Moana</i></span><span style="background-color: white;"> are the property of Walt Disney Studios and may not be re-used in any other form. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">All screenshots from <i>Wonder Woman</i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;"> are the property of Warner Brothers and DC Comics and may not be re-used in any other form. The author receives no money from this blog, and is intended only for educational / discussion purposes.</span></div>
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Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-14485629518296029542017-05-23T12:06:00.004-07:002023-07-18T10:53:35.248-07:00Alien: Covenant. Review & Analysis<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><br /></b><b><i>Alien: Covenant, </i>Ridley Scott's sequel to 2012's <i>Prometheus, </i>also<i> </i>brings us closer to 1979's <i>Alien</i>. While there are sequences and shocks which recall the latter, there is a fair amount of the former's ruminations on divinity, creation, and destruction. The end result is tense, heady, & entertaining, but it also feels like a hybrid of two different films imperfectly stitched together.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>(WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD! CONTINUE READING AT YOUR DISCRETION / PERIL!)<br />
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Part of the problem is expectations. We know what to expect from an <i>Alien</i> film.<br />
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We also have high expectations when it comes to Scott and science fiction, primarily thanks to <i>Alien</i> and <i>Blade Runner (</i>more recently, <i>The Martian, </i>and for some,<i> Prometheus)</i>.<i> </i>Fair or not, we've seen what Scott is capable of when he maximizes his ability. Let's also be honest - no one is more aware of those expectations than Scott himself.<br />
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<i>Alien: Covenant</i>, like <i>Prometheus,</i> is preoccupied with making a big statement. Like <i>Prometheus</i>, the narrative twists doesn't cohere well enough to make the film an unqualified success.<br />
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But, also like <i>Prometheus</i>, it's visually resplendent and thematically challenging, as well as one of the bleakest franchise films in recent memory.<br />
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Tons more past the jump!<br />
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We Don't Know What The F**k's Out There!</h4>
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The starship <i>USCSS Covenant</i> is in transit to planet Origae 6, transporting 2,000 colonists in stasis, along with over 1,000 more human embryos, and terraforming equipment. The ship is also equipped with a flight crew of about a 15 (including half dozen couples) in hypersleep and an android named Walter (Michael Fassbender) handling daily maintenance.</div>
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With over 7 years remaining in the journey, the <i>Covenant</i> is hit with a neutrino burst which does severe damage to the ship. Captain Branson (James Franco) is incinerated inside his hypersleep pod, while 47 other colonists are killed.</div>
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Walter and Branson's widow, Daniels (Katherine Waterston) make repairs to equipment in the terraforming bay. Meanwhile, while on EVA to repair the solar sails, Tennessee's (Danny McBride) comm picks up a signal from a potentially habitable planet in a nearby star system. The repeating signal appears to be a human voice singing John Denver's <i>Take Me Home, Country Roads</i>.</div>
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Executive Officer Chris Oram (Billy Crudup), a devout Christian with borderline Avoidant Personality Disorder, assumes command of the mission and makes the decision to divert the <i>Covenant</i> a few weeks off course to investigate. He reasons (over Daniels' objections) that if the planet is indeed habitable, it might serve equally well as (or better than) the original destination.</div>
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Upon landing in a shuttle, the <i>Covenant</i>'s ground crew discovers the source of the transmission is a crashed spacecraft of unknown origin. Inside, they find the ID tags of Elizabeth Shaw, member of the lost <i>Prometheus</i> expedition from 10 years ago, as well as the recording she sent out. Two members of the ground crew are also infected with microscopic spores.</div>
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The ground crew, in the midst of bloody chaos, loses several members as well as their shuttle. Stranded and under attack by alien creatures, the survivors are rescued by another member of the lost <i>Prometheus</i> expedition, the android David (Michael Fassbender). He leads the <i>Covenant's</i> survivors to safety in an ancient city, covered with the remains of thousands of decomposed humanoid bodies</div>
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Needless to say, the remaining crew discover David is not as benign as he initially appears, and must escape back to the <i>Covenant</i>.<br />
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Look Upon My Works, Ye Mighty and Despair: Cosmic Horror & Unexamined Faith.</h4>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Author's Aside:</b> I highly recommend readers also check out <a href="http://www.chud.com/100388/stealing-fire-in-praise-of-prometheus/" target="_blank">Stealing Fire. In Praise of Prometheus</a>. It discusses concepts related to both <i>Prometheus </i>and<i> Alien: Covenant</i>, with an understanding of Nietzsche I could never hope to have.</span></blockquote>
One of the core ideas behind the entire <i>Alien</i> franchise is what's called "Cosmic" or "Lovecraftian" Horror. This brand of horror originates with author H.P. Lovecraft, known for works such as <i>At the Mountains of Madness</i>, <i>The Call of Cthulhu</i>, and <i>The Shadow Out of Time</i>.<br />
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Cosmic horror is often expressed by comparing humanity to the vastness of the universe and human obliviousness to cosmic forces of immense power. These forces could wipe out humanity in an instant, and without giving humanity a second thought. Importantly, Lovecraft had an enormous influence on Dan O'Bannon, author of the original screenplay upon which <i>Alien</i> was based.<br />
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In its earliest stages, <i>Alien</i> explicitly invoked the idea of man encountering cosmic forces far beyond its understanding. In the original <i>Alien</i> script, <a href="https://alienseries.wordpress.com/2012/12/02/the-derelictpyramidsilo/" target="_blank">the eggs were not found aboard the derelict, but were found elsewhere on the planetoid inside enormous and ancient pyramids</a>. This <a href="https://alienseries.wordpress.com/2013/03/05/writing-alien/" target="_blank">snippet from an O'Bannon essay featured direct references to Lovecraft's work</a>:<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">“</span><em style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Alien</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> went to where the Old Ones lived, to their very world of origin,” Dan remarked in his essay, ‘Something Perfectly Disgusting’. “That baneful little storm-lashed planetoid halfway across the galaxy was a fragment of the Old Ones’ home world, and the Alien a blood relative of Yog-Sothoth.”</span></span></blockquote>
Having read <i>At the Mountains of Madness</i>, I see a clear template for the Lost City of the Engineers.<br />
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More importantly, to rebut those who criticize the very existence of <i>Prometheus</i> and <i>Alien: Covenant </i>for exploring the mythology of the franchise, this mythology was always intended to be there.<br />
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Further, it's beautifully rendered by Scott and his design team, headed by Production Designer Chris Seagers. As shown in the film, the Engineer City comes off like an Ancient Roman city. The central plaza is littered with the ruined corpses of thousands of dead Engineers, reminiscent of the preserved remains in Pompeii from over 2,000 years ago. The Engineer City is a true Necropolis.<br />
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Inside the temple where David lives, we have a visual anachronism; the knowledge belonging to a spacefaring race of super-humanoids - who have seeded untold numbers of planets across the universe and quite possibly wiped out equal numbers of burgeoning civilizations along the way - is recorded on scrolls and parchment.<br />
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This Necropolis and the Cosmic Horror it represents is the ultimate rebuttal to Oram's unexamined piety, and a primary source of the film's surprisingly bleak tone. Some critics have charged that Oram's faith is dropped like a hot potato after being introduced. </div><div><br /></div><div>I disagree. The film's events, and Oram's reaction to them, may be read as an examination of his faith.<br />
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Part of what makes Oram such an annoying (and real) character is that he uses faith as a crutch. He talks about taking the path which is laid out before him, and confidently assumes Providence is the guiding force behind the good fortune of the planet they discover. Who knows, he may even thank Providence for his assuming command after a tragedy. His shallow faith also gives him a sense of entitlement - witness his resentment at not being chosen to command the <i>Covenant</i> from the outset.<br />
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Once Oram inherits command of the <i>Covenant</i>, he assumes people hate him for his beliefs as opposed to his social anxiety and need for order - recall his rejection of the neutrino burst as a cosmic anomaly and his anger with some of the crew having a funeral service for Captain Branson. He taunts Daniels with his faith immediately after landing. Oram's wife Karine, played with sweet but firm shading by Carmen Ejogo, has to continually (and gently) remind him to show respect to his shipmates.<br />
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The events of this film, beginning with the neutrino blast, are an uncaring and frequently hostile universe punching Oram repeatedly in the face. It's only when Daniels suggests letting go of his self-pity and focusing on saving his crew that his faith moves from a place of weakness to a place of strength - he goes to gather his flock, then confronts David about the truth of the situation. Crucially, Oram mentions having once seen the Devil to David - this is after David tried to stop Oram from killing the Neomorph, which itself had just killed Rosenthal (Tess Haubrich).<br />
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It's this moral strength which complicates his death. Oram finds some measure of peace with his faith, just as the <i>Alien</i> series' greatest symbol of cosmic and body horror tears him apart. When he honestly asks David what he believes, David answers "Creation." Oram smiles at him, seeing the smug amorality of David's statement.<br />
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By extension, Elizabeth Shaw's fate (as revealed in this film) is just as insidiously deranged. Reclaiming her father's cross <a href="http://www.chud.com/100388/stealing-fire-in-praise-of-prometheus/" target="_blank">in defiance of Cosmic horror at the end of <i>Prometheus</i></a>, and determined to meet her makers, she ends up as David's test subject for an unknown number of biological experiments.<br />
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There's no getting around how aggressively <i>Alien: Covenant </i>flirts with nihilism.<br />
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<h4>
Reign in Hell, or Serve in Heaven: Artificial Intelligence vs. its Creators</h4>
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As if Cosmic horror wasn't enough, we also get the specter of artificial intelligence wanting to wipe out humanity. The opening scene sets the table.<br />
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Middle-aged trillionaire Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce) stands nearby as his newest creation, an android, becomes self-aware. The android identifies various items in a white room with mountain views, among them a Steinway piano, a <a href="http://justoneeye.com/art-nouveau-carlo-bugatti-throne-chair.html" target="_blank">Carlo Bugatti chair</a>, and a pair of priceless artworks: <a href="https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/piero-della-francesca-the-nativity" target="_blank"><i>The Nativity</i> by Pierro della Francesa</a>, and <a href="http://www.accademia.org/explore-museum/artworks/michelangelos-david/" target="_blank">Michelangelo's <i>David</i></a>.</div>
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As David takes his name from the statue, he sits down at the piano to play Wagner at Weyland's request; David "chooses" <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b80Jw8MuZxo&index=1&list=RDb80Jw8MuZxo" target="_blank">Das Rheingold, The Entry of the Gods into Valhalla</a>.</div>
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David is characterized as Mankind's newest work of art, a masterpiece of artificial intelligence. What's also clear is that Weyland views himself as an artist (creator) on the same level as Michelangelo, Francesa, Wagner, and Bugatti (As a side note, I also think it's likely that an egomaniac like Weyland impressed his mind on David's programming). </div>
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During their conversation, David hits Weyland with the obvious assertion that while Weyland can create (importantly also meaning the ability to procreate), he is mortal. David, on the other hand cannot create, yet is immortal. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GROrp3XBRrE" target="_blank">Weyland's overwhelming self-regard leaves no room for the idea he's not a living God</a>, and so demands David serve him tea as he might demand of a servant.</div>
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From this seed, we see David's turn toward self-actualization. David (and Weyland himself) would've regarded it as becoming what <a href="https://philosophynow.org/issues/93/Nietzsches_Ubermensch_A_Hero_of_Our_Time" target="_blank">Nietzsche called Übermensch</a>. Scott is also explicitly asking his audience whether the created owes anything to such an obviously selfish and flawed creator.</div>
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Marooned in the Necropolis, David has bloomed into a malignant narcissist - imagine a kind of Doctor Frankenstein mixed with Colonel Kurtz. This is first expressed when he massacres the City's inhabitants using their own weapon - the black liquid from <i>Prometheus</i>. He experiments on Shaw, likely following the texts of the Engineers. His dwelling is filled with experiments, ranging from insects to dissected humans. The walls are covered with sketches of tortured creations.</div>
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As a result, we get something almost completely new to the <i>Alien</i> universe (outside of Brad Dourif in <i>Alien: Resurrection</i>), a Mad Scientist horror film.</div>
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Crucially, the film also asserts that David's malignant narcissism is exacerbated by his inability to procreate. David is sexually unable to express himself the way a human could. In the <i>Alien</i> universe, the inability to create new life is equivalent to death (which also explains why men are consistently victimized & marginalized within this universe, compared to women and the creatures themselves).</div>
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Consider how many times David asserts his sexuality (or expresses himself in sexual terms):</div>
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<li><span style="font-weight: normal;">David teases Walter with a double entendre while playing the recorder: "I'll do the fingering." This scene, as directed by Scott and performed by Fassbender against himself, is spellbindingly creepy, homoerotic and incestuous at once. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: normal;">Moments later, he teases Walter again (in the garden) about his unconsummated desire for Daniels while also teasing that he had desired Shaw. In a sense, David serves as the Tempter in the Garden (recall Oram's statement from earlier) while the garden itself <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isle_of_the_Dead_(painting)" target="_blank">appears inspired by Arnold Böcklin's painting <i>Isle of the Dead</i></a> (which even has a version painted by H.R. Giger).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: normal;">Before assaulting Walter (by jamming the recorder into his neck), David asserts humanity's weakness and decay - the colonization mission of the <i>Covenant</i> is a desperate attempt by humanity to procreate (be fruitful and multiply). </span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: normal;">David assaults Daniels in a room filled with rolled-up scrolls (<a href="http://reflectionsonfilmandtelevision.blogspot.com/2017/05/alien-week-they-may-be-synthetic-but.html" target="_blank">shades of Ash in <i>Alien</i></a>) and kisses her.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: normal;">Most importantly, David's greatest "creation" imposes its sexuality upon its victim, regardless of gender, and reproduces itself with ruthless efficiency. This brings me back to Oram's death by chestburster. Never mind the wicked joy and anticipation with which David watches Oram's suffering - but what better way to kill a pious Christian man than to orally rape him and force him to become the mother to his own offspring? David's ecstasy over his "creation" is one of the most truly amazing (if not outright bizarre) moments in the entire</span> <i style="font-weight: normal;">Alien </i><span style="font-weight: normal;">series.</span></li>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">The concern over artificial intelligence takes on multiple layers between </span><i style="font-weight: normal;">Prometheus</i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> and </span><i style="font-weight: normal;">Alien: </i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Covenant</i>. The Engineers' bioweapon could certainly be taken as a metaphor for artificial intelligence, a warning about how creating such a power could overwhelm all safeguards and eventually lead to destruction. With David's arc, Scott literalizes what was implicit in <i>Prometheus</i>: humanity is moving in parallel to their creators and the thing they believed would make them powerful has turned on them.</span></div>
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These two strands - Cosmic Horror and Rage Against One's Creator connect two classic works of literature referenced in the film; John Milton's <i><a href="http://www.paradiselost.org/" target="_blank">Paradise Lost</a></i>, and Percy Bysshe Shelley's <i><a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/resources/learning/core-poems/detail/46565" target="_blank">Ozymandias</a></i>. In <i>Paradise Lost</i>, Lucifer rages against his creator, explicitly choosing to rule in Hell rather than serve in Heaven. Further, David recites <i>Ozymandias</i> mockingly, taking malicious glee in seeing the ruins of both Engineer and (he hopes) Human civilization. In a lovely twist to his narcissism, (and possibly Weyland's faulty memory) David keeps confidently misattributing <i>Ozymandias </i>to Lord Byron.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">This comes to a head in the film's final sequence. Though the narrative handling seems (see below) clumsy, there's a real kick when Daniels realizes David has replaced Walter on board the <i>Covenant</i>. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Seeing this sexually frustrated malignant narcissist hiding his preserved facehuggers among frozen human embryos and watching him stroll down the corridor eyeing sleeping colonists as blank canvases the way Josef Mengele might* while </span><i style="font-weight: normal;">Das Rheingold</i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> plays over the speakers is a truly chilling note for this film to end on.</span></div>
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* hat tip to Matthew Stanley, who mentioned this to me in a discussion about the film.</blockquote>
<h4 style="font-weight: normal;">
Cosmic horror, body horror, and paranoia regarding artificial intelligence have long been themes in the <i>Alien</i> series. That being said, simply carrying these themes forward and developing them isn't enough to make the film a masterpiece.</h4>
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<h4>
One Wrong Note Eventually Ruins The Entire Symphony. <i>Alien: Covenant's</i> Narrative Issues.</h4>
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In the case of <i>Alien</i>, the broad outlines of the story aren't anything which hadn't been already seen in any number of B movies of the 1950's and 1960's, including <i>The Thing From Another World</i>, <i>Forbidden Planet</i>, <i>It! The Terror Beyond Space</i>, and <i>Planet of the Vampires</i>.</div>
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What set <i>Alien </i>apart from its forebears was the quality of the execution. For this reason, the question when it comes to the <i>Alien</i> series really isn't originality. The question is whether the variations are <b>both </b>faithful to the <i>Alien </i>series and creatively executed?</div>
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Here are some tropes which are common to the <i>Alien s</i>eries, which are deployed in <i>Alien: Covenant</i>.</div>
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<ul>
<li>Receiving an unexpected transmission from a planet other than the destination.</li>
<li>The mothership (or primary cargo) remains in orbit while a shuttle descends to the surface.</li>
<li>Parasites incubating inside a host.</li>
<li>Androids with unknown or ulterior motives.</li>
<li>A harrowing final escape from the source of infestation.</li>
<li>The final alien is ejected into space from the ship.</li>
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As mentioned above, <i>Alien: Covenant </i>is<i> </i>(at least partially) a Mad Scientist horror film. Given that no two films in the franchise are completely alike, it's admirable and appropriate that Scott and his writers found yet another variation for this franchise.</div>
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To be clear; the problem isn't that we get a Mad Scientist <i>Alien </i>film. The problem is that we get 40 minutes of a Mad Scientist film dropped in the middle of an 80 minute stripped-down body horror film similar to the original <i>Alien</i>, and <a href="https://www.provideocoalition.com/AOTC-alien-covenant-SCALIA?utm_content=buffereeef3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer" target="_blank">they don't really fit together</a>. Furthermore, the first 50 minutes or so of <i>Alien: Covenant </i>are the best tension and terror this franchise has produced in 30 years, and pivoting to David's entrance slows the momentum right when the sense of chaos should be building.<br />
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Scott is fascinated with the nuts and bolts (as well as spectacle) of hard sci-fi, as he demonstrates early in the film with the repairs to the energy sails (he also demonstrated this in <i>The Martian</i>)<i>. </i>Scott also seems genuinely energized with the introduction of the Neomorphs to the franchise, and he also absolutely loves the malignant narcissist David has evolved into, and what perversions result from it. It can't be undersold how effortless and engaging Scott makes these scenes look.<br />
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But it's the second ending, when the audience gets the xenomorph it has known and loved back on the screen, where (including the visceral shower scene) Scott's staging and pacing feels mechanical, if not rushed - as if he's bored and saying "I've been here and done this already."<br />
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This sense of feeling rushed leads into the second source of frustration I have; the lack of narrative housekeeping.<br />
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Here's one example: When the shower scene takes place, Ricks (Jussie Smollett) and Upworth (Callie Hernandez) are the last surviving couple. Does it make sense that once the survivors had returned to the <i>Covenant </i>and they'd completed their official duties, Ricks and Upworth might decide to get cleaned up and have sex - both as a stress release and a shared sense of relief they're both alive and still have each other? I think it does.<br />
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However, we really don't get to see them interact as husband and wife during the film. Combined with the rushed/mechanical pacing, there's not enough suspense or character identification to elevate the shower scene beyond the visceral. It's a terrific gruesome kick, but that's all (I think this is why many critics have compared the shower scene to a bad slasher movie kill scene).<br />
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Another example: the landing party isn't wearing helmets when they first arrive on the planet. Remember, there's been a few weeks for the <i>Covenant's</i> crew to investigate the planet following the decision to change course. Furthermore, we don't know how much time passes after the <i>Covenant</i> enters orbit, but before the lander with the survey team heads for the surface. Given all that time and those resources, to suggest the crew hasn't done some sort of scanning / probing / sampling to verify the atmosphere was breathable and safe is pretty ridiculous. I had no problem presuming the crew had done this the 1st time I saw the film.<br />
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Unfortunately, this scanning / probing / sampling is never shown, nor is it ever discussed by the crew. One or two lines, or even a display on the bridge is all an audience needs.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Author's Note:</b> When viewing the Blu-ray, the initial scan of the planet on the <i>Covenant </i>clearly displays an Oxygen/Nitrogen atmosphere, gravity similar to Earth (as stated by Ricks) and a temperature of approximately 20°C, but it's not emphasized or lingered on.</blockquote>
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Showing these processes adds verisimilitude to the film by showing audiences a protocol and procedure (which in turn implies training and experience - adding depth to the characters) for the <i>Covenant's</i> crew to follow. I'll also note verisimilitude is a key to <i>Alien's </i>success.<br />
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My last big question / issue within the film is the disregard of the xenomorph lifecycle while simultaneously attempting to explain its origins.</div>
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It's not known how much time passes before Oram's chestburster emerges, but it seems to happen very quickly. Further, his chestburster emerges not as a snake / worm like in <i>Alien</i> or <i>Aliens</i>, but rather a gangly small alien with a head, arms, and legs.<br />
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When Lope (Demian Bechir) is attacked by a facehugger, the creature is only on his face for a moment before it is cut off - it bleeds some acid onto Lope's face in the process (and the acid here just burns the top few layers of skin - remember when acid burns through 2 decks of the <i>Nostromo</i> in <i>Alien?</i>). Further, the facehugger attacking Lope infects him instantly before being removed; as the xenomorph aboard the <i>Covenant</i> emerges from him in the med bay.<br />
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Also, it seems as though the xenomorph grows exceptionally fast here. There are also subtle differences between this xenomorph and the others we encounter which are incubated in humans.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Author's Aside:</b> James Cameron smartly avoided this issue in <i>Aliens </i>by omitting the scene of a cocooned <b>and</b> post face-hugger Burke. It has been a stumbling block for every film in the series since.</blockquote>
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I suggest (and hope) these xenomorphs are a "David variant." The eggs are larger, the chestbursters appear more developed, and the xenomorph is slightly different and (crucially) not as clever or intelligent. For those reasons, I don't think these are the same as those found on the derelict in <i>Alien</i>.<br />
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It's as if David has studied the Engineer's work, and is following in the Engineers' footsteps, but hasn't perfected the process. Recall the <a href="https://alienseries.wordpress.com/2014/02/08/the-ampule-room/" target="_blank">mural in the Ampule Room in </a><i><a href="https://alienseries.wordpress.com/2014/02/08/the-ampule-room/" target="_blank">Prometheus</a> </i>- the Engineers have long known about the xenomorph. I don't think the origin of the xenomorphs is conclusively solved (regardless of what <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo30bZc10D0" target="_blank">Scott has said</a>, especially given how the concepts for this film have changed over the last 5 years), as we still don't know if they were originally created by the Engineers. Alternately, it's still possible the Engineers discovered them on some other planet and reverse engineered their bioweapon from xenomorph DNA.<br />
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Either way, (as described above) the end result is the xenomorphs feel shoehorned into the narrative to supply a new threat for the climax, and to provide some sense of fan service.<br />
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Even if you're of the opinion the film is not designed to work primarily on a narrative level - as this this line by <a href="http://www.rogerebert.com/scanners/prometheus-alien-originsthe-skeleton-beneath-the-exoskeleton" target="_blank">film critic Jim Emerson (discussing <i>Prometheus</i>)</a> suggests:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: inherit;">"... when a film shows so little regard for the basic craftsmanship of storytelling and character, you have to at least consider the possibility that the filmmakers are telling you that they'd prefer it to be viewed in other terms."</span></blockquote>
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... you'd still at least have to concede<i> Alien: Covenant</i> opens itself up to easily avoidable nitpicking by audiences who are doubly-on guard after <i>Prometheus, </i>which suffered from similar issues. Maybe these moments are sacrificed for pacing, or to reach an arbitrary 2 hour runtime, or even in an attempt to maintain a sense of mystery; it's hard to know.<br />
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What drives me nuts with <i>Alien: Covenant</i> is... if the filmmakers paid more attention to story structure, narrative housekeeping, and established series history, it might well have reached the greatness it so clearly aspires to. I also don't think we can exclusively blame writers Jack Paglen, Michael Green, John Logan, and Dante Harper. Scott is the director and co-producer, and clearly the person with final say in creative decisions.<br />
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<h4>
</h4>
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<h4>
Don't Let the Bedbugs Bite - Additional Thoughts and Musings</h4>
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The Neomorphs are a wonderful addition to the series, and their introduction in this film is a sustained pitch of terror this franchise hasn't seen in decades. The sequence easily stands as one of the top 2-3 shocks of the entire <i>Alien</i> series. In fact, it might be the best we've seen since the original chestburster scene. It features intensely human performances, particularly from Ejogo and Amy Seimetz.<br />
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I really enjoyed Jed Kurzel's muscial score, which contained several nods to the late Jerry Goldsmith's <i>Alien</i> score (especially cues not used in <i>Alien </i>- it felt like Scott was apologizing to Goldsmith), and some hints of Elliot Goldenthal's <i>Alien 3</i> score, while having a flavor all its own. I feel like the romanticism in Goldsmith's original score is better used as a reflection of the <i>Covenant's</i> mission and crew than in the 1979 original.</div>
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The repetitive nature of the transmission by Shaw would seem to indicate it was intentionally set up by David as bait for any human spacecraft which entered the area.<br />
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It seems likely that David killed Shaw expressly because she crashed the juggernaut - thereby stranding David on the planet after he'd wiped out the Engineer City's inhabitants.<br />
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I think it's possible David knew in advance of the <i>Covenant</i> mission. As the crew patches show, the <i>Covenant </i>is a Weyland-Yutani ship. Given the preparation needed for a colonization mission, and given that we don't know when the <i>Covenant </i>left Earth (within the 10 years since <i>Prometheus, </i>as the Weyland Corporation has been merged), it seems likely this mission was in the planning stages before the <i>Prometheus </i>left the Solar System.<br />
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I disagree with the criticism of Oram regarding the decision to investigate the signal. It's a rational decision to explore a potentially desirable planet within a few weeks flight time, potentially shaving years off their trip. Further, given the random neutrino blast which just killed their Captain and damaged the ship, and considering the remaining distance to travel to Origae 6, I think his decision is reasonable.<br />
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There are a few too many "Red Shirt" characters and moments where those characters conveniently find themselves isolated for bad things to happen.<br />
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That said, general criticism of <i>Alien: Covenant </i>for "stupid characters doing stupid things" simply doesn't hold up for me when the same criticism is put to other films in the series. Let's take a look at <i>Alien </i>and<i> Aliens, </i>films widely acknowledged as masterpieces (or at least genre classics):<br />
<ul>
<li><i>Alien</i></li>
<ul>
<li>Kane looks into the open egg (and no, wearing a helmet doesn't make it Ok. Still stupid).</li>
<li>Dallas emotionally demands an infected Kane be brought aboard the <i>Nostromo</i>, in violation of quarantine law and jeopardizing his entire crew.</li>
<li>Dallas orders take-off from LV-426 before the <i>Nostromo</i> is fully repaired.</li>
<li>Ash (the science officer) doesn't quarantine Kane or put him in hypersleep immediately after being brought aboard.</li>
<li>Brett continues looking for Jones, even after finding the chestburster's shedded skin.</li>
<li>Parker goes to get flamethrower fuel by himself.</li>
<li>Ripley goes back for Jones alone.</li>
<li>Ripley forgets to close the shuttle hatch behind her when she goes back for Jones.</li>
<li>Parker and Lambert make all kinds of noise while gathering coolant for the shuttle.</li></ul></ul><div><i><br /></i></div><ul><li><i>Aliens</i></li>
<ul>
<li>A mission involving potentially dangerous (and highly valuable) alien lifeforms is put under the command of the highly inexperienced Lieutenant Gorman.</li>
<li>Not knowing why Hadley's Hope is offline, no one is wearing sealed pressure suits upon landing. Air samples and/or atmospheric readings are never mentioned or taken. How does Burke (or Gorman) know a viral outbreak hasn't occurred?</li>
<li>If the Marines do find the creature Ripley described in her report, shouldn't they be wearing sealed suits & heavier (if not corrosive-resistant) face-shielding and body armor before leaving the <i>Sulaco</i>?</li>
<li>No one realizes the colonists are gathered under the Primary Heat Exchangers, even though they have detailed colony schematics before they leave Operations.</li>
<li>Gorman (or Apone) fails to withdraw from the Atmosphere Processor immediately to re-arm once they realize the hive is under the Primary Heat Exchangers.</li>
<li>Bishop doesn't immediately report the problems with the Atmosphere Processor until the emergency venting happens.</li>
<li>Bishop doesn't immediately go to the uplink tower to remote pilot the second drop ship from the <i>Sulaco</i>. They'll need the drop ship to escape at some point, the sooner the better.</li>
<li>Ripley doesn't tell Hicks or Gorman about Burke immediately after she reviews the company logs. She waits until after she and Newt are attacked by the facehuggers in the Lab.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
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I agree characters do stupid things in <i>Alien: Covenant</i>, often as narrative contrivances. But we shouldn't pretend it didn't happen in the other films for the same reasons as well.</div>
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As it regards the David/Walter switch, I'd like to mention a few possibilities (assuming that David not having a chin wound at the end of the film is intentional and not a continuity error). Walter, not David, has cuts on his face during their fight. Each of the following options is intriguing:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>It is in fact Walter, who has chosen to assume David's quest. If this is the case, I don't think his having bandages and stitches is necessarily a mistake - they may help cuts heal faster.</li>
<li>David has somehow imprinted himself on Walter's body (either by force or with Walter's consent). Given the nature of David's quest for superiority / immortality, Walter's physical upgrades would be enormously appealing.</li>
<li>David's skin has the same ability to heal punctures as Walter's does. </li>
</ul>
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Would it ever be possible to stop comparing the female lead to Sigourney Weaver's iconic Ellen Ripley? It was unfair to Noomi Rapace and it's unfair to Katherine Waterston - who gives a strong performance as Daniels in this film. She's smart, tough, and resilient in the face of an unspeakable personal tragedy, and does everything she can to protect her shipmates and save the mission.<br />
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The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkXgRlRao5I&t=6s" target="_blank">viral prologue showing the crew of the <i>Covenant </i></a>absolutely should've been in the film.<br />
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It's amusing that Scott is going to get away with doing something David Fincher was crucified for doing by the fanbase. In <i>Alien 3</i>, that something was killing Newt offscreen and subjecting her to an autopsy. Scott does almost exactly the same thing here with Elizabeth Shaw. Given the bleak nature of both <i>Alien 3</i> and <i>Alien: Covenant, </i>it also feels entirely appropriate.<br />
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<h4>
Signing Off</h4>
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I liked <i>Alien: Covenant</i>, but I'm not sure I love it. I liked it better on the second viewing than I did on the first viewing. I'm also looking forward to future viewings.</div>
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I was tense throughout the film, which is a testament to Scott's directing prowess. But for me, outside of the Neomorph birth and grass attack, it never builds to the fever pitch of terror that <i>Alien</i> reached or the unrelenting intensity <i>Aliens </i>reached.</div>
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<i>Alien: Covenant </i>is much <a href="http://sliderockmpc.typepad.com/slide_rock_motion_picture/2012/06/prometheus.html" target="_blank">like <i>Prometheus;</i> it's the work of an artist swinging for the fences.</a> Its narrative is messy and too many characters are simple cannon-fodder. But <i>Alien: Covenant </i>also takes risks. It aggressively flirts with nihilism, it's thematically challenging, rich in subtext, and technically accomplished. Given time, it might one day take its place nearer to the best films in the series.<br />
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Lastly, to close the loop about expectations. I took my wife and two teenage children with me to see <i>Alien: Covenant</i>. My wife has seen <i>Prometheus</i>, and snippets of the <i>Alien </i>series, while this film was my kids' introduction to this terrible, bizarre, and beautiful universe.<br />
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They unequivocally loved it, and they want to see it again.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b style="background-color: white;">Author's Note: </b><span style="background-color: white;"> All screenshots are taken from trailers for <i>Alien: Covenant</i></span><span style="background-color: white;">. They are the property of 20th Century Fox and may not be re-used in any other form. The author receives no money from this blog, and is intended only for educational / discussion purposes.</span></span>Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-61421153062210630812017-03-30T10:30:00.000-07:002018-01-11T14:31:01.483-08:00Scene Analysis: The Last Supper, Alien<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Scene Analysis is where I'll take a look at a scene from a film and try to determine what makes it work (or not), and what it communicates to the audience about the characters, plot, and themes of the film in question.<br />
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For my 1st post in this series, the most iconic scene from my favorite movie will kick us off. I'll be taking a look at the infamous "The Last Supper" scene from Ridley Scott's 1979 classic, <i>Alien</i>.<br />
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It should go without saying (<i>Alien </i>is 38 years old in May) that spoiler warnings are in full effect. This particular scene also has several NSFW images.<br />
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Let's get started!<br />
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<h4>
The Set-Up</h4>
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The commercial towing vehicle <i>Nostromo</i> was on a return trip to Earth when its computer system intercepted an alien transmission, awoke its crew from suspended animation, and set down on a small planetoid to investigate. The ship was damaged during the landing.<br />
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The investigation led to a derelict spacecraft with a fossilized alien pilot. In the lower chamber of the derelict, Executive Officer Kane investigated some alien eggs. One of these eggs opened and a parasite with eight legs, a strong tail, and acidic blood assaulted Kane - inserting a tube down his throat and rendering him comatose. Later, the parasite seems to die on its own. The <i>Nostromo </i>is repaired and resumes its trip to Earth.<br />
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At this point in the story, Kane has awoken from the coma caused by the parasite and appears to be healthy and no worse for wear. With the crew ready to return to suspended animation for the 10 month trip to Earth, the crew decides to have one last meal before bed.<br />
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<h4>
The Images</h4>
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1st Camera - Establishing Shot</div>
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This is a wide angle of the <i>Nostromo's</i> Mess Hall. Seated around the table (from left to right) are Ash (Ian Holm), Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), Brett (Harry Dean Stanton), Parker (Yaphet Kotto), Kane (John Hurt), Dallas (Tom Skerritt), and Lambert (Veronica Cartwright).<br />
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Since this is the 1st shot, we'll refer to this as the 1st camera. It lays out the geography of the scene clearly, and we can also glean some some character/plot information from the locations of the characters.<br />
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<ul>
<li>Ash - the Science Officer - is off by himself to the left. More importantly, he doesn't seem to be engaged with anyone at the table.</li>
<li>Ripley is also somewhat removed from the action, but she's engaged with the conversation across the table.</li>
<li>Brett is at the center of the shot, but he's obscured by a food container. This is an important detail - it tells the audience that the center of the table, with a bright light illuminating from directly overhead, is the focal point of the scene.</li>
<li>Meanwhile, on the right of the frame, we have Parker, Kane, Dallas, and Lambert all enjoying their food and joking around. This is where the focus of the scene will shift.</li>
</ul>
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I like how Ridley Scott has staged this scene. The white mess hall bulkheads either create frames for characters - as in the case of Ash and Kane (keep this in the back of your head for a moment). Other characters are situated underneath the white bulkhead frames, creating clear lines for eyes to follow - as in the case of Ripley, Brett, Parker, Dallas, and Lambert. This is a good example of using set design as a device for directing the viewer's eyes.<br />
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Also, notice the low-ish angle of the camera, bringing the ceiling into the shot. This is a nice trick to subtly close-in the set and the actors, and create tension for the audience.<br />
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1st Camera, 1 medium shot and 1 close-up profile.<br />
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The establishing shot dollies into a medium shot of Parker, Kane, and Dallas, enjoying their dinner. The biggest flaw in the scene happens here, with some sloppy ADR.<br />
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Quickly thereafter, the shot changes to a close up of Ash, again from the original master location. Ash briefly shows amusement, as though trying to fit in, then his focus shifts to Kane. While it's true Ash should be watching Kane for any ill effects following his ordeal - he seems unusually intense, like he knows what he watching for.<br />
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Earlier in the film, Ripley had confirmed the alien transmission was not a distress signal, but was in fact a warning. As we'll find out later in the film, Ash is actually an android, planted aboard the <i>Nostromo</i> in secret by the Weyland-Yutani Company to ensure an alien specimen is collected.<br />
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Thus, the narrative spine of the film is carried without a line of dialogue. Ash, sitting opposite of Kane (like antagonists might be staged) and apart from his shipmates (meaning he's not a part of the crew), is watching Kane like a hawk. I think he knows what he's looking for. Of course, Scott isn't going to give it away, so he cuts quickly back to the lighter moments with Parker, Kane, and Lambert.<br />
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2nd Camera, medium shot and opposite from 1st camera<br />
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This is the first time we see the 2nd camera, focused primarily on Lambert. This camera is positioned opposite of 1st camera and behind Brett, giving us a kind of over-the-shoulder, shot and blocking out Parker, Kane, and Dallas. Given that Lambert's not the narrative focus of the scene (and that she was persuaded to take the role on the idea she'd serve as the "audience surrogate"), this angle is used as a reaction shot throughout the scene.<br />
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Lambert is reacting to Parker's comments about the food, then reacting with (maybe) guilty amusement at Parker's double-entendre regarding cunnilingus. Terry Rawlings, <i>Alien's</i> editor, cuts back and forth between the 1st and 2nd camera for the exchange between Parker and Lambert.<br />
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This is when Kane starts to cough and act distressed.<br />
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3rd Camera, close up shot.<br />
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This is initial use of the the 3rd camera in the scene. This is another over-the-shoulder shot (from behind Dallas) on Ash, who appears to be annoyed at something Lambert has said while Kane continues to feel uncomfortable...<br />
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We'll get two more inserts of Ash with the locked down 3rd camera - 1st growing more and more concerned, then as Kane collapses onto the table he says "Jeez!" with a sense of real alarm. Whatever it was Ash was concerned about at the beginning of the scene, it's happening now, and it's not good.<br />
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3rd camera, hand-held. behind Dallas and Kane.<br />
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Kane rises from the table in obvious discomfort, and the tenor of room has shifted from light joking to concern and uneasiness. The 3rd camera is in the same general location, but instead of being locked down as it was above, it is now hand-held.<br />
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Everything which follows is action and reaction from the cast. By and large, from this point until the creature emerges, the cameras stay in the same positions. The story is most told from the following angles:<br />
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1st camera<br />
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We see Brett and Ripley's arms trying to help on the left, while Ash has shoved Lambert out of the way on the right. Notice what dominates the center of the frame here...<br />
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3rd camera<br />
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And here...<br />
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Kane is the focus. Specifically, Kane's chest. Interestingly, we don't get any closeups of Kane's face until later in the scene. Also, remember the opening wide-angle shot? This is where the center of the frame was focused - this exact part of the mess table. The hand held element is also used effectively here to create unease and add tension - especially following a series of locked down camera shots<br />
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I'd like to add that John Hurt's performance in this moment is what continues to sell the terror and shock of the scene. Everyone by now knows what's happening, and in the later <i>Alien</i> films, even the characters themselves know what's happening to them as it happens (the colonist found by the Colonial Marines in <i>Aliens</i>, Ripley in <i>Alien 3</i>, and the colonist in <i>Alien: Resurrection</i>).<br />
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Hurt's performance doesn't only sell the agony Kane's is experiencing, but also the terror of a person who has no idea what's happening with his body. I can't imagine what a gut punch this must have been to audiences back in 1979.<br />
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One last point... the Facehugger's ability to render its victims comatose with no memory of the assault is a crucial survival strategy. As Ripley demonstrates in <i>Alien 3</i>, a host with knowledge of their infection would be more likely to harm themselves, and thus harm the incubating alien hiding inside them.<br />
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There are also a couple of insert shots during this part of the sequence:<br />
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3rd camera, handheld close up:<br />
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Lambert recovers from being shoved aside by Ash, and tries to get involved.<br />
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2nd camera, medium shot across the table:<br />
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Ash, still trying to get Kane stabilized and help Parker get a spoon in Kane's mouth to keep him from biting his own tongue while he's convulsing. Lambert looks on with unease.<br />
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I want to also point out that the 2nd and 3rd camera angles throughout the sequence are designed to make the audience the 8th member of the <i>Nostromo's</i> crew. Between the handheld movement in 3rd camera, and the crowding of other crewmembers from the sides of the frame, it's absurdly easy for the audience to feel as if they are watching the action at the table.<br />
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And finally here it is:<br />
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3rd Camera, hand-held:<br />
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I really like the theory espoused on the <a href="http://alienminute.com/podcast/?offset=1474341268532" target="_blank">Alien Minute Podcast during this sequence</a>, which indicates that the alien uses acid - maybe secreted from the mouth, or spit (as in Prisoner Murphy's unfortunate case early in <i>Alien 3</i>) to soften Kane's diaphragm and rib cage to make it easier for the creature to exit the host body. I mean... eeek!<br />
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This shot is followed quickly by reaction shots:<br />
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2nd Camera<br />
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1st Camera<br />
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The brief pause in the action here really unsettles me, and it's a phenomenal bit of performance from the entire cast. Kane stops convulsing for a second, as though the shock of what he just felt has temporarily blinded him to the pain and panic of what's happening with his body. The rest of the crew reacts first to the shock of the blood, then pause in a feeble attempt to process what they just saw, before Kane's body starts convulsing again.<br />
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The next several shots alternate between the 3rd camera and 2nd camera, with the last 3rd camera angle being a closer look at Kane's face...<br />
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Again, John Hurt's performance carries this sequence. At this point, I think Kane is like a wounded animal, in tremendous pain and suffering from shock; there's no reason, or higher mental function happening here with Kane. In a weird way, it's like a "savagery of nature" sequence at this point.<br />
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4th Camera - Effects Shot<br />
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Here's the first use of the 4th camera. It's very close to the 3rd camera (and may have been that same camera), but the angle is slightly different - maybe like between Lambert and Dallas.<br />
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We have the sickening sound effect of Kane's diaphragm and rib cage collapsing - here's where that theory I mentioned earlier makes sense - we don't get cracking with the high-pitched snapping sound you normally get with bones being broken. This is more of a wet squishy sound, as though the bones, muscles, and skin have been melted down into a semi-soft mass.<br />
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This is the point at which there was a break in the filming. Everything we saw before this shot was filmed, then the set was cleared and prepared for the effects team.<br />
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John Hurt's body is under the table, with his head sticking out of a hole. There is a fake chest on the table, with squibs and pressure tubes, and the junction point for Hurt's body and the fake body is hidden by the shirt. It's nicely obscured by the speed of the edit and the shocking nature of the content.<br />
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5th Camera - Medium shot<br />
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This angle is from the area of the table where Ash was originally sitting, looking back across where Kane had been sitting. This is the first time we see this angle, and we'll see it for the reactions of much of the cast for the rest of the scene.<br />
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Lambert's famous reaction from the 2nd camera.</div>
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These are shots which reflect the famous (and somewhat erroneous) legend that the actors didn't know what was going to happen. Clearly, they knew what was in the script, and they saw the setup for the on set effects. What they didn't know was the effects team had rigged high-pressure tubes to spray fake blood, and that they didn't tell the actors which direction those tubes where pointing in.<br />
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There's another 4th camera shot, and an inhuman squeal, followed by<br />
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Another 5th camera medium shot and some assorted verbal reactions. It's also an interesting moment of chivalry when Parker instinctively steps in front of Ripley - especially given their antagonistic exchanges earlier in the film.</div>
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6th Camera - Close Up<br />
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The alien. The disgust is and shock is perfectly punctuated by Lambert's stunned "Oh my God!"<br />
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We're also back to a camera position close to the opening shot of the scene. Furthermore, this is one of the most game-changing moments in all of cinema. As Jason Zinoman says in <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Shock-Value-Eccentric-Outsiders-Nightmares/dp/0143121367" target="_blank">Shock Value</a>:</i><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"When the alien bursts out, something strange happens; the camera stops. The bright light does not darken. The audience gets a straight-on look at the monster... For the first time in history, revealing the creature is not an anticlimax." <i>Shock Value</i>, page 205.</blockquote>
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In fact, visually, speaking, the entire scene has been set-up for this moment to put the creature in the spotlight. The establishing shot places this part of the mess table front and center (like an elevated stage), with a giant spotlight shining right down on it. Honestly, I love the brass of <i>Alien</i> to push all of its chips to the center of the table in this moment, confident that it would pay off.<br />
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This is also interesting in the context of how <i>Alien</i> came to be made - while producers David Giler and <a href="https://alienseries.wordpress.com/tag/david-giler/" target="_blank">Walter Hill did not like Dan O'Bannon's original script, this was the scene which hooked them</a> enough to purchase the script and begin developing it.<br />
<br />
We now get a couple of important reaction shots which signal a return to the narrative which was laid out early in the scene. With Kane dead and Ash needing to protect the creature, any threat to the creature becomes an emergency for Ash...<br />
<br />
5th Camera - Parker grabs a knife or pen, while Dallas sticks an arm in his way.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJzPPb41CORQFX2nn4_LAH6ew5WLHqAMIi8Sl18pXcRdeUI_iSPQtrqJTrGH7ROakYmEmakBwGiydPTROkzeClqTQnh2JXE-qeoDxYuPjMTgtjJn9SdmuxB9Pirci_zT9AtZo83aIvSsM/s1600/38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJzPPb41CORQFX2nn4_LAH6ew5WLHqAMIi8Sl18pXcRdeUI_iSPQtrqJTrGH7ROakYmEmakBwGiydPTROkzeClqTQnh2JXE-qeoDxYuPjMTgtjJn9SdmuxB9Pirci_zT9AtZo83aIvSsM/s320/38.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
2nd Camera - Ash tries to stop Parker, imploring him "Don't touch it! Don't touch it!"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP45ZgYsHSnltlIcDSU3YoQzCqwLe6WvtZ4nnYE9I9k9jXlXf-FU8BZ0BDu3C0pJoyW3TU3Vwnua0ObonmbpMB9xNxK0_3MFq8QwfHKDfNQ8-jVFd7WccebNfW1R-nxQObaN2mZBouUq8/s1600/39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP45ZgYsHSnltlIcDSU3YoQzCqwLe6WvtZ4nnYE9I9k9jXlXf-FU8BZ0BDu3C0pJoyW3TU3Vwnua0ObonmbpMB9xNxK0_3MFq8QwfHKDfNQ8-jVFd7WccebNfW1R-nxQObaN2mZBouUq8/s320/39.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
It's a credit to Ian Holm's performance that this moment can be seen simultaneously as an attempt to protect Parker - hey this thing just exploded from a human chest, it bleeds acid, and it has metal looking teeth - and an attempt to protect the creature. As it regards Ash, he may in fact have been attempting to protect Parker; nothing in Ash's behavior to this point indicates he actively wishes harm upon his shipmates. It's an interesting question regarding Ash - how much concern does he have for his shipmates as long as he's fulfilling the requirements of Special Order 937?<br />
<br />
In terms of staging, again, it's perfect. The alien is stuck between its protector in Ash, and a potential aggressor in Parker. The scene settles into an uneasy standoff between the three, with the alien oriented toward Ash - as though it somehow understands that Ash is trying to protect it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnb-9_o5tTBkHAHXGRQhgUiSaRaapOzmf__tOHYQbDTEbyuEwC7gBbzKa2msu9wSJbbzJIpBB_tA0mTo1mBBEkTpHO4FSB9ZCBGA2xhnNR9IxZNgkWySc9IcQQzta_jNKnH2qpTFQPhOY/s1600/40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnb-9_o5tTBkHAHXGRQhgUiSaRaapOzmf__tOHYQbDTEbyuEwC7gBbzKa2msu9wSJbbzJIpBB_tA0mTo1mBBEkTpHO4FSB9ZCBGA2xhnNR9IxZNgkWySc9IcQQzta_jNKnH2qpTFQPhOY/s320/40.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkitcLFXAN8oZh0ouokipIFbnlaS4znCixpl-uyPUYlECfXHft1rLedVL_dZuMApWs67LLhX3F1v141F4bKl5S7zbK2eDMdNior4wBdevja24qHHvxEL126v_YPwuLsb1zq90zAYKzjpc/s1600/41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkitcLFXAN8oZh0ouokipIFbnlaS4znCixpl-uyPUYlECfXHft1rLedVL_dZuMApWs67LLhX3F1v141F4bKl5S7zbK2eDMdNior4wBdevja24qHHvxEL126v_YPwuLsb1zq90zAYKzjpc/s320/41.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqzTQN4a8WaznCRqT7F5DLDCIDaz9-Rucg32iE22MyAOHhX-SuyaXimAFPH2Iye_1f2h3aX8B3Plz7f0Ry8XKqIA2e9P8Lho4xiXi1FP-j_AWrLn1a-bjOdqgAaGbT26TktuUBd-VHMpc/s1600/42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqzTQN4a8WaznCRqT7F5DLDCIDaz9-Rucg32iE22MyAOHhX-SuyaXimAFPH2Iye_1f2h3aX8B3Plz7f0Ry8XKqIA2e9P8Lho4xiXi1FP-j_AWrLn1a-bjOdqgAaGbT26TktuUBd-VHMpc/s320/42.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Ash wins the standoff, as Parker elects (maybe unwisely, given the events to come) not to try killing the alien while he has the chance.<br />
<br />
6th camera - another close up<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKMgoeS_P2megpl1It7Drq4oCRKxFfAhnI18tp4lhyphenhyphenqiMmf3LL_iP8_D90ACbLTuxlbzKfNq2TqZu3Jc3UCFvLcDn9pHRO635enhrRaCQI-Omc-BxDA1yMFRs3I8eVVKvMYgPlJ0h9WJc/s1600/43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKMgoeS_P2megpl1It7Drq4oCRKxFfAhnI18tp4lhyphenhyphenqiMmf3LL_iP8_D90ACbLTuxlbzKfNq2TqZu3Jc3UCFvLcDn9pHRO635enhrRaCQI-Omc-BxDA1yMFRs3I8eVVKvMYgPlJ0h9WJc/s320/43.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
2nd camera - wide shot<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIBahbRCXPLPOA69kf0RlTSb7oDHdP3cwMa-4N9ITi624k3kMWAmz9QvhmxVee9T8lCuOEXf66PSJJVZU-LTrH2jAi1B3GOwWAfkRG5vG_2bBjibBkRsj2ndL_O97aXWFjasHynGe0eYU/s1600/44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIBahbRCXPLPOA69kf0RlTSb7oDHdP3cwMa-4N9ITi624k3kMWAmz9QvhmxVee9T8lCuOEXf66PSJJVZU-LTrH2jAi1B3GOwWAfkRG5vG_2bBjibBkRsj2ndL_O97aXWFjasHynGe0eYU/s320/44.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The alien escapes, exiting the mess hall using the open corridor between Brett and Parker (as shown in the establishing shot). It's also interesting staging, with Ash standing behind the alien and over Kane's hollowed corpse - a literalization of Ash's role in protecting it.<br />
<br />
In closing out the scene, we get three reaction shots.<br />
<br />
There's a 2nd camera close up of Ash, alone in the frame, watching the alien escape...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QelhlMyKWCNrFjiV95ksnnNX4xuANxjxWza3DBnfHdcdCNxKO4vblZWT4omR_CrctADbpQppYOcDOe5rmMRVn084Z2gW3K8y2mDfaipCTti99N_E8VjDn4wwtM3aGGHuBPlyAW9OFIk/s1600/45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QelhlMyKWCNrFjiV95ksnnNX4xuANxjxWza3DBnfHdcdCNxKO4vblZWT4omR_CrctADbpQppYOcDOe5rmMRVn084Z2gW3K8y2mDfaipCTti99N_E8VjDn4wwtM3aGGHuBPlyAW9OFIk/s320/45.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Ash then seems to suffer from a cold chill. When you think of his line from later in the film:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"I admire it's purity. A survivor. Unclouded by conscience, remorse, or delusions of morality"</blockquote>
<br />
Ash's chill seems like the moment where he first comes to terms with what this alien really is.<br />
<br />
5th Camera - A reaction shot of Ripley, Brett, Parker and Dallas. All of them are stunned into silence. Ripley and Brett are looking down the hallway, while Parker stares at Kane's gutted body, and Dallas is spaced out, in shock.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2t5VxGFM1bgeoFtI2g3Bz2trLEUNmd7tKUI6Exd-L23ld9VUjVENcTY_tUWj9BDnSrIgUHZHAWgR9EZDnbbBcjjHs80FjBhzKPhX9QvvV7AlPp2hkKKyUdee-VH2yB9wyM040YQTjgZ4/s1600/46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2t5VxGFM1bgeoFtI2g3Bz2trLEUNmd7tKUI6Exd-L23ld9VUjVENcTY_tUWj9BDnSrIgUHZHAWgR9EZDnbbBcjjHs80FjBhzKPhX9QvvV7AlPp2hkKKyUdee-VH2yB9wyM040YQTjgZ4/s320/46.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The closing shot of the scene is a close up on Ash. Again, his being alone in the frame underscores his relationship with his shipmates.<br />
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<br />
This puts a bow on the narrative element of the scene. Ash feels to me like any classic movie crook whose plan relies on everything working perfectly in order to succeed - shades of William H. Macy's Jerry Lundergaard from <i>Fargo</i>.<br />
<br />
Based on his reaction, I think Ash genuinely hoped he would be able to get Kane and the rest of the crew into hypersleep before the alien was mature enough to escape from its human host. Now, with the alien escaped into the labyrinthine <i>Nostromo</i>, he knows he's just gotten his shipmates killed.<br />
<br />
Lastly, just think about how quickly this movie shifted. A little more than 2 minutes ago, the crew had seemingly escaped the threat, and was enjoying a last meal before bed.<br />
<br />
Now, this crew which doesn't always get along under ideal conditions finds themselves in a race to survive by trusting each other to work hard, work smart, and work fast. Further, they're handicapped by not knowing what they're up against, and their ship isn't operating at peak efficiency - the screens are out on B and C decks thanks to their rough landing.<br />
<br />
<h4>
The Stats</h4>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Scene starts at 54:36 and ends at 56:55. </li>
<li>Total duration of 2:21.</li>
<li>48 total shots.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<h4>
The Finished Scene</h4>
<div>
<br />
Courtesy of YouTube:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AdBu6VAESeI" width="560"></iframe>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Final Thoughts</h4>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Even though this scene is firmly embedded in the pop-culture firmament, it's surprising how much power the scene carries after almost 38 years. The combination of a strong ensemble cast, precise camera angles which convey the story visually, tremendous practical effects, and terrific editing continues to give this scene raw power and a visceral punch, even after the surprise has long faded.<br />
<br />
All screencaps downloaded from <a href="https://movie-screencaps.com/alien-1979/" target="_blank">Movie Screencaps.com</a></div>
</div>
</div>
Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-11528905470457327942017-01-28T08:13:00.001-08:002017-03-23T15:00:48.266-07:00My 10 Year Plan for San Diego Sports<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>We can't do anything about the Chargers. We can start setting up San Diego to be successful with sports over the next 10 years - and maybe even give ourselves a second chance at the NFL.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ok folks, here's the deal. The Chargers are gone. They aren't coming back.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">San Diego should grieve, and San Diego fans have every right to be angry. After a certain point it becomes unhealthy to dwell too much on the sadness and anger. As a community, we're fast approaching the point where those raw emotions need to be channeled into something productive.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I don't mean anti-trust lawsuits against the Chargers or NFL. They don't want to be here. Let them go. Don't chase the name, logos, uniforms, colors or records.</span> I want to talk about something different.<br />
<br />
My 10 year plan for San Diego sports follows past the jump.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Worry About What You Can Control</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">First things first. San Diego has do something about Qualcomm Stadium and San Diego State University (SDSU). Here's what we know at the moment:</span><br />
<ul>
<li>There is no indication the NFL has a team (relocation or expansion) ready to immediately (i.e. within the next 5 years) fill the void created by the Chargers' departure to Los Angeles.</li>
<li>Suitors are already lining up to claim the Mission Valley site.</li>
<li>SDSU has a lease with the City which runs through 2018, and may be extended to 2020.</li>
<li>The City loses millions of dollars annually on Qualcomm Stadium and the parking lot.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So, the first order of business is getting SDSU Football set-up for long term success.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">First, this assumes that the City of San Diego and the Water Company can come to an agreement regarding use of the site. Assuming this happens, then I unequivocally support the following ideas:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Turn the bottom 30-40 acres of the site nearest to the San Diego River into a park and restored water habitat. One, I support the idea of a restored SD River through Mission Valley, Two, during times of heavy rainfall, it makes sense to ensure no structures are damaged by floodwaters.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Beyond that, here are the two suggestions I'd have for the remaining 120-130 (or so) acres...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>First</b> - donate the land to SDSU and turn MV into an expansion campus. The reason I support this idea is because it will allow for more student housing, which would then allow for additional enrollment at the university. Economic studies have shown that <a href="https://www.oecd.org/edu/innovation-education/1825455.pdf" target="_blank">investment in higher education</a> is likely the <a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/columnists/dan-mcswain/sd-fi-mcswain-chargers-economy-better-off-leaving-20170113-story.html" target="_blank">best long-term economic play</a> San Diego could make. Adding a stadium SDSU (and Major League Soccer - hereafter MLS) could share is an added benefit which helps fill the sports gap created by the Chargers' departure.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Second</b> - donate at majority of the land to SDSU, then sell the remaining acreage for mixed use commercial development. If City leaders are dumb enough to pass on decades of economic growth in favor of immediate gratification, then let's at least temper the damage by not selling the entire site for development. Mission Valley doesn't need thousands of new apartments and condominiums, and doesn't need another shopping center. It seems that MLS' interest is tied to at least some commercial development of the site - if this is true, then the City will have to strike a smart balance which provides some immediate payoffs with an expanded tax base, while protecting the long term potential of economic growth spurred by campus expansion.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I do not support redevelopment of the site for residential use (outside of SDSU students/faculty), or converting the substantial majority of the site into more of what Mission Valley already has tons of.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
With either option one or two - San Diego solves the Mission Valley problem in a way which provides economic benefit to the City, while guaranteeing the future of SDSU football and opening the door to the MLS.<br />
<br />
As it stands now, the <a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/sd-fi-soccer-20170122-story.html" target="_blank">proposal offered by FS Investors</a> to bring an MLS expansion team to San Diego and provide a more intimate venue for SDSU seems to more closely match the Second Option. I will wait until the Citizen's Initiative is available to render a judgement, but as long as SDSU is fully on-board with the proposal, I am generally inclined to support it.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Send The Right Signal</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Assuming San Diego works out a good deal for SDSU with the Mission Valley site (either as part of the MLS proposal or otherwise), it sends a strong signal to other sports leagues and potential investors that the primary problem with the Chargers leaving San Diego wasn't the City as much as it was the limited funds of the Spanos family along with the business allure of Los Angeles.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Success with the MLS plan also potentially gives San Diego a jumpstart working with other partners on deals.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The next obvious candidate is Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG). AEG was recently involved in pitching a redevelopment plan for <a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/entertainment/sdut-seaport-village-could-house-new-san-diego-arena-2016jun26-htmlstory.html" target="_blank">Seaport Village which would've included a new arena</a>. Although their plan wasn't selected, it still is important to continue discussions with AEG, for a few reasons:</span><br />
<ul>
<li>San Diego should actively be looking to replace the Valley View Casino Center (VVCC), which is entering its 6th decade of service.</li>
<li>AEG currently operates the VVCC, and has extensive ties to the sports and entertainment world - they are the co-owners and operators of LA Live and the Staples Center.</li>
<li>It is possible that AEG and other interested partners (say like, the <a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/nba/sdut-Jacobs-NBA-Kings-Qualcomm-2013mar30-story.html" target="_blank">Jacobs family</a>) could eventually bring an NBA expansion team to San Diego, or entice a franchise to relocate. </li>
<li>Given that a new arena would likely cost between <a href="http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/touring/1567353/mgm-aeg-building-a-20000-seat-arena-on-the-las-vegas-strip" target="_blank">$375 million</a> and $550 million, it's still a better public investment (if necessary) than an NFL stadium, because of the much larger number of event dates. <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/city-arena/article79420892.html" target="_blank">Sacramento put about $255 million into the Kings' new arena</a>.</li>
<li>Such a facility could work quite well within the existing Sports Arena lot, or even downtown at the MTS facility where the Chargers proposed their stadium in <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/San_Diego,_California,_Football_Stadium_Initiative,_Measure_C_(November_2016)" target="_blank">Measure C</a>. For that matter, you could use the 16 acres in the MLS proposal if an NFL team doesn't materialize within the next 5 years.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
To be fair, this is something John Gennaro suggested in his <a href="https://johngennaro.fireside.fm/28?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+mighty1090%2FPYcG+%28Generally+Speaking%29&utm_content=FeedBurner" target="_blank">Generally Speaking Podcast</a>. And from a financial perspective, the worst-case trade off might look like this:</div>
<div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
Spend $250 million in public money (total) to approve the MLS plan for Mission Valley, as well as build a modern arena where the Gulls can continue to play, and which has the potential to attract an NBA or NHL franchise in the future, as well as NCAA Regional Finals and concerts.</blockquote>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Even for football lovers like me, this is an appealing secondary option.<br />
<br /></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Plan for the NFL 10-15 Years From Now</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Everyone needs to understand there's absolutely no chance San Diego gets an NFL team in the immediate future, and there's a few reasons for this:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Having burned every bridge possible in getting to Los Angeles, it makes no sense for Dean Spanos to even attempt a return. Further, there's no incentive for him or his family to sell - both because of the nature of the <a href="http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/sports/spanos-isnt-selling-chargers-teams-not-moving-back/" target="_blank">NFL's relocation agreement</a>, and because they're <a href="https://twitter.com/nathanfenno/status/824729261323870209" target="_blank">likely to make a shit-ton of money</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
It's way too late in the game to court the Raiders. San Diego had a chance to pursue them as a <a href="http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2015/8/23/9191391/san-diego-should-talk-to-mark-davis" target="_blank">Plan B in 2015</a> when the Raiders wanted a "modest" stadium for $900 million. Remember, <a href="http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2016/10/17/13307934/raiders-secure-funding-for-a-stadium-in-las-vegas" target="_blank">Nevada gave the Raiders a $750 million stadium subsidy</a>, and the NFL didn't get greedy or rich by turning down taxpayer money. Unless their relocation to Las Vegas goes sideways, the Raiders are not coming to San Diego.<br />
<br />
Assuming the Raiders deal in Las Vegas is completed, there are no teams with dire stadium situations or convenient escape clauses which might want to talk with San Diego about relocation. The Jacksonville Jaguars are frequently mentioned, but that supposes a) Shahid Khan (the Jaguars owner), would choose to relocate to San Diego because it represents a significant market improvement over Jacksonville and/or b) Khan wouldn't rather relocate to a potentially much more valuable market in the future (say... Toronto, Mexico City, or London?).<br />
<br />
San Diego has no viable plan for a stadium, (meaning no firm location, no renderings, and no approved financing plan). Further, the current location of our 50 year old stadium should be reserved for SDSU, as established above. Lastly, assuming the MLS plan for Mission Valley is approved, there would be 16 acres set aside for an NFL facility - but according to that plan, those acres would only be set aside for 5 years, which is not a good timeframe for San Diego.<br />
<br />
Most importantly, <a href="http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2015/12/9/9868984/the-stadium-crisis-on-the-nfls-horizon" target="_blank">San Diego cannot afford a stadium at the current NFL market rate</a> - especially without a franchise/ownership group contributing to the project. There's no chance stadiums become more affordable and more compact for another 10 years, which is when a lot of the NFL's mid-market franchises come to the realization there's no appetite for public subsidies and most NFL owners can't afford to cover three-quarters of a $2 billion -$3 billion stadium.<br />
<br />
With all of that in mind, it simply makes no sense for San Diego to even consider pursuing the NFL in the short or medium term.<br />
<br />
What it does mean, however, is that San Diego should start planning now for a potential NFL return after 10-15 years have passed, and there's a chance stadium costs have been forced down. Here's what that kind of planning entails:<br />
<br />
Lay out multiple locations for a new stadium. Assuming the Mission Valley parcel isn't held open indefinitely, it would be smart to start identifying potential stadium locations within the City and County of San Diego, and at least do some of the legwork in determining who owns the land and which agencies have jurisdiction over the land. It's even smarter if you identify locations which are suitable for mixed-use development or begging for redevelopment, and start discussions with potential interested parties.<br />
<br />
You could also start figuring out a responsible means of providing public financing. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but unless the corporate base of the City and County explodes in the next 10 years (or unless San Diego lands a "white knight" ownership group), there's almost certainly some sort of public financing involved.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In Closing</span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Chargers leaving San Diego is both a cause for sadness and also the opening for new opportunities.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It will be crucially important in the coming months and years for San Diego to take advantage of opportunities which present themselves - while internalizing the lessons of the past to ensure citizens of the City and County aren't financially hurt. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">San Diego State University's athletic (if not academic) future needs to be protected as well. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">At least on a cursory inspection, the FS Investors proposal for Mission Valley which brings an MLS franchise to San Diego, seems to be the right kind of opportunity.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Citizens and fans may need to be patient. But if it's done right, San Diego may yet rise from the ashes of our current </span>disappointment<span style="font-family: inherit;"> and emerge better off for the Chargers departure in the long term.</span></div>
Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-40925511270350614052017-01-16T09:00:00.000-08:002017-01-16T09:00:07.901-08:00The Chargers' Fraudulent Path to Los AngelesThe media campaign to ingratiate the Los Angeles Chargers into their new market has begun in earnest. We've seen/heard <a href="http://am570lasports.iheart.com/onair/la-today-55470/dean-spanos-talks-chargers-relocation-15465045/" target="_blank">Dean Spanos give interviews</a> all over Los Angeles (hereafter LA). He's shown up at <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/fans-boo-chargers-logo-jeff-cumberland-lakers-clippers/story?id=44783225" target="_blank">Clippers</a> and <a href="http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Rams-and-Chargers-both-in-LA-Work-410612225.html" target="_blank">Kings</a> games to do interviews and pose for pics with mascots.<br />
<br />
So far, <a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/the-conversation/sd-los-angeles-chargers-new-logo-people-think-its-bad-20170112-htmlstory.html" target="_blank">the campaign has not gone well</a>. Spanos has been excoriated both by <a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-chargers-to-la-plaschke-20170111-story.html" target="_blank">LA</a> and <a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/columnists/kevin-acee/sd-sp-acee-0115-story.html" target="_blank">San Diego</a> (hereafter SD) media for the move. He's also been the subject of national media scorn, ranging from sources as disparate as <a href="http://jimrome.com/2017/01/13/own-it-dean/" target="_blank">The Jim Rome Show</a>, <a href="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/chargers-greed-driven-l-a-move-puzzling-given-several-reasonable-options-to-stay/" target="_blank">Jonah Keri</a>, and <a href="https://theringer.com/san-diego-chargers-los-angeles-dean-spanos-92653a53e586#.awb2p7cbd" target="_blank">Justin Halpern</a>.<br />
<br />
Back here in SD, the community grapples with the sudden loss of a franchise which called SD home for over half a century. But history is also being written, and it's crucial to get it recorded right.<br />
<br />
If there's one thing I want to make sure everyone understands going forward, whether in SD or not, it's this. Measure C, and most of what happened in 2016, was a fraud perpetrated by the Chargers to get to LA.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>First and foremost, I owe a lot of long-time readers and followers an apology. Back when I covered stadium news for <a href="http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/" target="_blank">Bolts From The Blue</a>, I was blinded in part by my desperation to keep the Chargers in San Diego.<br />
<br />
I didn't see the forest for the trees. And I apologize to everyone who trusted me to do so.<br />
<br />
Now, before we lay out the case for why Measure C was a scam, we need to take a moment to review the situation which lead up to Measure C's deployment.<br />
<br />
<h4>
A Brief History of 2016</h4>
<div>
<br /></div>
Dean Spanos had just been <a href="http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/14752649/the-real-story-nfl-owners-battle-bring-football-back-los-angeles" target="_blank">humiliated in Houston</a>. On January 12, 2016, NFL owners convened to settle the question of a) which teams would be allowed to relocate to LA, and b) which stadium project would be selected.<br />
<br />
The teams were the St. Louis Rams, owned by Stan Kroenke, and pitching a mixed use development in Inglewood, including a new stadium. The San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders were pitching a new stadium in Carson. The initial vote of the NFL's stadium committee voted 5-1 in favor of Carson. Dean looked like he was in control, and then the NFL decided to use secret ballots.<br />
<br />
Owners voted 21-11 in favor of Inglewood, with the Rams being joined by a yet to be determined team. After negotiations, the final vote was 30-2 in favor of Inglewood and the Rams.<br />
<br />
The Chargers and Raiders were given an extra $100 million each to use toward new stadium deals in SD and Oakland, respectively. Further, the Chargers were given the 1st option to join the Rams in Inglewood, which they had to use by January 15th, 2017. If the option was unused by that date, the option would then shift to Raiders.<br />
<br />
The implied message is the one which matters here... to both the Chargers and Raiders. The NFL and other owners were telling Spanos (and Mark Davis) to go back to their <b><i><u>home</u></i></b> markets and get a deal done.<br />
<br />
After an <a href="http://www.mighty1090.com/episode/ron-roberts-i-would-be-very-surprised-if-the-spanos-family-still-owns-the-chargers-in-5-years/" target="_blank">abortive attempt at reaching a deal with City and County of SD officials</a>, including Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Supervisor Ron Roberts. the Chargers decided they would pursue a downtown stadium project via Citizen's Initiative.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://ballotpedia.org/San_Diego,_California,_Football_Stadium_Initiative,_Measure_C_(November_2016)" target="_blank">Measure C was the result</a> - a proposal for a new stadium, combined with a convention center annex. The projected cost of the proposal was $1.8 billion. The stadium element was expected to cost about $1 billion, the Convention Center Annex $600 million, and another $200 million was slated for land acquisition. To cover $1.15 billion of the construction cost, bond interest, and facility maintenance + capital improvements, Measure C proposed an Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) increase from 10.5% to 16.5%. The Chargers and NFL were to contribute a combined total of $650 million.<br />
<br />
The measure received immediate opposition from SD's tourism industry, which wants an expansion of the existing Convention Center. Local community groups objected to the stadium, based on concerns about jobs, parking, and urban land use.<br />
<br />
On November 8th, Measure C was defeated 43% to 57%. It required a 66.7% majority to pass.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Form Follows Function - Why Measure C Was A Fraud</h4>
<div>
<br /></div>
Simply put, it never had a chance to succeed. Let me explain why.<br />
<br />
As I get older, I've started seeing the wisdom in commonly used axioms. In this case, "form follows function." The idea being a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Form_follows_function" target="_blank">shape or object should primarily be designed based on its intended function or purpose</a>. So, with this idea in mind, let's look at the elements which would be part of an ideal successful stadium ballot initiative:<br />
<ul>
<li>A lowest possible threshold needed for success (i.e. 50% + 1).</li>
<li>A location favored by a majority of citizens.</li>
<li>A plan with input from a wide spectrum of interests, to ensure a broad based coalition.</li>
<li>A plan which did not offend any established economic or politically powerful interests.</li>
<li>A plan which minimized (as much as possible) the use of public funds.</li>
<li>A plan which could go to voters in a high-turnout General Election.</li>
</ul>
<br />
Here were the core components of Measure C as conceived and written by the Chargers:<br />
<ul>
<li>A plan which required a special tax increase and a two-thirds majority to pass it.</li>
<li>A location which was not preferred by a majority of citizens.</li>
<li>A plan which alienated a core (many would say the primary) economic interest group in SD, which in turn virtually guaranteed no broad political support.</li>
<li>A plan which relied on at least $1.15 billion in taxpayer funding.</li>
<li>A plan which had virtually no input from any other interests.</li>
</ul>
<br />
Now, before we can expose Measure C as a scam, the question is whether there was a variation on Measure C which could've gained broader support?<br />
<br />
Given the public's disinclination with exposing the General Fund, a tax increase at least makes sense on the surface, even with the difficulties involved. Therefore, the Chargers could (if not should) propose a solution with a TOT increase that SD's Tourism Industry - and by extension politicians - would receive favorably, especially given the increased difficulty of success? As Chargers' Special Counsel Mark Fabiani himself said:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">"Any proposal that emerges from this Task Force should be one that the <a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/sd-me-faulconer-speech-20170103-story.html" target="_blank">Mayor and City Council majority would be willing to place on the ballot themselves</a>, and then campaign wholeheartedly to pass." - <a href="http://www.chargers.com/news/2015/02/16/chargers-remarks-stadium-task-force-extended-version" target="_blank">Mark Fabiani to CSAG on 2/16/15</a></span> </span></blockquote>
So, if we're keeping the TOT increase, but want something everyone can (theoretically) get behind, let's try this:<br />
<br />
A TOT increase to 16% for a Convention and Stadium Fund? Money from the increase would be earmarked to expand the existing convention center <u>or</u> build an annex, and also used to help build a new stadium in Downtown <u>or</u> in Mission Valley. If there's surplus money in the fund, it can be placed in the General Fund at the City Council's discretion. Simple and clean. Everyone wins. Difficult to pass, yes. But key stakeholders get what they want, enabling politicians to jump on board.<br />
<br />
As we know, that's not the plan we got.<br />
<br />
Let's put aside the Chargers had gone 4-12, actively attempted to leave SD in 2015, retained an unpopular Head Coach in Mike McCoy, and got into a <a href="http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2016/8/2/12346564/the-truth-about-the-bosa-holdout-according-to-hoyle" target="_blank">largely unnecessary contract fight</a> with 1st Round draft pick Joey Bosa.<br />
<br />
Here's the actual issues with Measure C itself:<br />
<ul>
<li>SD's Tourism Industry (and by extension political establishment) specifically wanted a contiguous convention center expansion, but <a href="http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2016/9/29/13101644/san-diego-chargers-stadium-debating-measure-c" target="_blank">Measure C locked them into an annex plan</a> they expressly didn't want.</li>
<li>At CSAG's public forum in early 2015, <a href="http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2015/3/3/8143351/recapping-the-chargers-stadium-task-force-public-forum" target="_blank">attendees supported Mission Valley</a> by a substantial margin, yet Measure C put the stadium downtown.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2016/8/4/12373206/san-diego-chargers-stadium-q-a-with-barrios-against-stadiums" target="_blank">Community groups were not made partners</a> at the outset of the process, and in fact their concerns were never adequately addressed.</li>
<li>From 2001-2014, <a href="http://www.californiacityfinance.com/LocalMeasuresSince01.pdf" target="_blank">20 different votes to raise the TOT for specific purposes took place in California</a>. Only 8 out of 20 propositions reached the 66.7% threshold.</li>
<li>While the <a href="http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2016/11/8/13558012/why-i-m-voting-yes-on-c" target="_blank">TOT increase was likely sufficient to protect the City's General Fund</a>, the total outlay over 30 years was likely to exceed $3 billion dollars (factoring construction, bond interest, maintenance and upgrades).</li>
<li>Aside from Fred Maas, no one affiliated with the Chargers regularly campaigned for Measure C. Spanos was noticeable in his absence (seems Fabiani's requirement above for elected officials campaigning whole-heartedly would apply to the Chargers as well, but hey, I'm just a blogger).</li>
<li>Further it should be pointed out that the Chargers' $350 million would've been more than covered by Personal Seat License (PSL) sales, Naming Rights sales, and Sponsorship/Advertising deals. In other words, it's likely no actual out-of-pocket costs would be incurred. Keep this in the back of your head for later.</li>
</ul>
<br />
As a final statement of the predetermined failure of Measure C, I submit <a href="https://twitter.com/dagranoffauthor/status/820689337570312193" target="_blank">this open letter from David Agranoff</a>, co-founder of the Save Our Bolts group, to Chargers' QB Philip Rivers:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBN6eNxLHzYkJwcwq1ang39VpwJDFIP39Uqj0BUieJzw8UQLDXw9JBhb9MWD0Swg0dsEuQ5oBTyF_w-gR_6D4eHCvdO4NH02yQ6dMoQvlFJ_vQc9Fy4hnu9Wy8WR40WxiEALD1pYAtAXs/s1600/agranoff+letter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBN6eNxLHzYkJwcwq1ang39VpwJDFIP39Uqj0BUieJzw8UQLDXw9JBhb9MWD0Swg0dsEuQ5oBTyF_w-gR_6D4eHCvdO4NH02yQ6dMoQvlFJ_vQc9Fy4hnu9Wy8WR40WxiEALD1pYAtAXs/s320/agranoff+letter.jpg" width="248" /></a></div>
<br />
Here's the money quote:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Dean Spanos tanked the campaign. He barely staffed the campaign hiring only one person to run it. They ignored hundreds of fans willing to volunteer." - David Agranoff, 1/14/17</blockquote>
<br />
Agranoff's account doesn't square well with this quote from Dean Spanos:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"We were all enthusiastic about the referendum until it actually lost." <a href="http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20170112/why-chargers-owner-dean-spanos-made-the-leap-back-to-la" target="_blank">Dean Spanos in the LA Daily News, 1/12/17</a></blockquote>
<br />
Here's the thing: Measure C still got 43%.<br />
<br />
Spanos later intimated that had the vote reached 50%, he would be more inclined to give SD another chance. That intimation <a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/columnists/kevin-acee/sd-sp-acee-1219-story.html" target="_blank">was voiced on December 19, 2016</a>, about <u><i><b>2 months too late to make a difference</b></i></u>.<br />
<br />
Form follows function. In this case, what appeared to be an attempt to stay in SD was in reality the final nail in the coffin for SD.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Why Would Spanos Want Measure C to Fail?</h4>
<div>
<br /></div>
Leverage.<br />
<br />
As established above, Spanos was sent away from Houston in January 2016 with implicit directions from the NFL and fellow owners to make it work in his home market.<br />
<br />
Once he demonstrates that he did indeed "try to make things work in his home market", how can the NFL or other owners reasonably keep him out of LA?<br />
<br />
Further, if the NFL <u><i><b>really</b></i></u> doesn't want him in LA, they might be prepared to provide additional funding towards a stadium in SD.<br />
<br />
I think that's what Dean thought.<br />
<br />
Therefore, following the election, we had <a href="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/chargers-have-few-options-but-to-move-to-los-angeles-after-stadium-vote-fails/" target="_blank">story</a> after <a href="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/chargers-owner-has-no-choice-but-to-move-team-to-los-angeles/" target="_blank">story</a> from Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reporting that the Chargers "had no choice" but to use their option and relocate to LA. By the way, the LA Relocation Derby demonstrated one element of Fabiani's strategy - stories intended to effect local reporting were leaked to local sources, while stories intended to influence the NFL or other owners were leaked to national media.<br />
<br />
We also know Spanos appealed to his fellow owners for help as recently as the 2016 NFL winter meetings, according to <a href="http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18458717/san-diego-chargers-desperate-move-shot-nfl-vitality-2017" target="_blank">this piece by ESPN's Seth Wickersham</a>.<br />
<br />
After Christmas, <a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/columnists/kevin-acee/sd-sp-charupdate-0103-story.html" target="_blank">SD had apparently made a final offer of $375 million</a> ($200 million from the City, $100 million from SDSU, $75 million from the County). Paired with the $650 million offered by the Chargers and NFL for a total of $1.025 billion, there was a gap of probably $100-$200 million remaining.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Author's Aside</b> - Apparently you can't build a quality NFL stadium in SD for $1.025 billion.</i><br />
<br />
Reminder, the Chargers' $350 million would be covered by PSLs, Naming Rights, and Sponsorship/Advertising deals.<br />
<br />
However, when the NFL's recent meeting to review the Raider's stadium plan in Las Vegas produced neither a) Davis' relocation application or b) additional help for SD with c) the deadline for exercising the option closing in, Spanos pulled the trigger. It also <a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/columnists/nick-canepa/sd-sp-nick-canepa-chargers-spanos-20170114-story.html" target="_blank">appears some owners were simply fed up with Spanos</a> and the whole situation, and wanted the matter definitively settled.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Greed... Is Good</h4>
<div>
<br /></div>
A few last thoughts - as it regards Spanos' unwillingness to do any deal unless on his terms.<br />
<br />
First, we're talking about an owner in a negative rent situation at Qualcomm Stadium (i.e. SD pays him to play there) who r<a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/aztecs/sd-sp-wickerside-20170113-story.html" target="_blank">efused to allow SDSU to rent out skyboxes for revenue, and who rebuffed attempts by SDSU to make improvements at the Stadium</a> (e.g. WiFi, HD replay boards, modern LED advertising boards, etc.), because he had a "narrative" to protect.<br />
<br />
Second, Spanos' is financing a move to LA. The <a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-live-nfl-meetings-chargers-nfl-owners-approve-debt-waiver-to-help-1481735878-htmlstory.html" target="_blank">NFL approved a debt waiver for Spanos to finance his relocation</a> costs. The debt ceiling prohibits owners from excessively using their franchises as collateral for other interests. In short, this means Spanos cannot afford to pay the costs of moving to LA.<br />
<br />
Spanos, by financing the relocation fee, will pay $650 million once he moves into the stadium in Inglewood. He also is <a href="http://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/tn-dpt-me-chargers-costa-mesa-20170112-story.html" target="_blank">leasing temporary headquarters in Costa Mesa</a>, as well as physically relocating equipment and materials from SD. He will also need to build a new practice and training facility, along with permanent team headquarters. <a href="http://am570lasports.iheart.com/onair/la-today-55470/sources-nfl-owners-will-not-fund-15461159/" target="_blank">Fred Roggin of NBCLA has estimated</a> this will cost at least $100 million.<br />
<br />
That's at least $750 million in relocation costs, plus interest on his loans from Goldman Sachs. All told, the Chargers will probably pay well over $1 billion to complete and pay off the move to LA over the next 20-30 years.<br />
<br />
Lastly, let's go back to that apparent last deal in SD.<br />
<ul>
<li>$350 million from the Chargers - again, none of this is actually out of pocket.</li>
<li>$300 million from the NFL (of which only $150 million is paid back).</li>
<li>$200 million from the City.</li>
<li>$100 million from SDSU.</li>
<li>$75 million from the County.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br />
Remember, the SD deal is short by $100-$200 million. Here's a couple of options for an owner who, according to Wickersham's piece, pleaded to his fellow owners: "Please keep it here. I don't want to go to LA. I want to stay."<br />
<ul>
<li>Spanos can take out a loan for at least $750 million to move to LA, but can't take out a loan of <i><b><u>no more than one quarter that amount</u></b></i> to make it work in SD?</li>
<li>Spanos couldn't sell about <u><i><b>5% - 10% </b></i></u>of the franchise, <a href="http://www.forbes.com/teams/san-diego-chargers/" target="_blank">estimated to be worth $2.08 billion</a>, and use those proceeds to make the deal work?</li>
</ul>
<br />
Neither of those options were broached, to my knowledge.<br />
<br />
The other owners, as indicated earlier, rightly called his bluff when they saw he wouldn't put skin in the game.<br />
<br />
Spanos is in LA because he didn't want to spend any of his own money to make it work in SD.</div>
<br />
<h4>
Closing Thoughts</h4>
<div>
<br /></div>
The Chargers left San Diego because they wanted to go to Los Angeles.<br />
<br />
Form follows function. If Dean Spanos pitched Measure C and genuinely expected success, then he's either myopic or a fool (maybe both).<br />
<br />
On the other hand, if Dean Spanos wanted to pitch an initiative which gave the appearance of trying to stay in San Diego from a distance, but upon close inspection was virtually guaranteed to fail and provided no shortage of scapegoats... he could hardly have done better.<br />
<br />
The Spanos family didn't give one damn about San Diego's 50+ years of history with the franchise.<br />
<br />
While Dean Spanos left a <a href="http://www.chargers.com/news/2017/01/12/letter-dean-spanos" target="_blank">goodbye letter</a> and sprinted off to do media in Los Angeles, they left their <a href="http://1360sports.iheart.com/onair/hardwick-and-richards-57943/interview-exclusive-interview-with-chargers-qb-15467621/" target="_blank">franchise QB</a> and other <a href="https://twitter.com/danny__woodhead/status/819673073481678849" target="_blank">current</a> and <a href="http://www.mighty1090.com/episode/dan-fouts-for-me-its-a-gut-shot-hard-to-imagine-san-diego-without-the-chargers/" target="_blank">former players</a> the messy and difficult task of telling the fans in San Diego how much they were appreciated.<br />
<br />
In the end, we were all as <a href="https://twitter.com/DanSileoShow/status/820012737577316356" target="_blank">disposable as their former defensive coordinator</a>, who (like San Diego) was fired without so much as a phone call or face-to-face meeting.<br />
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In the end, San Diego's only (hollow) victory is that the Spanos family is now Los Angeles' problem.Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-88013574389733662232016-07-28T15:00:00.000-07:002016-07-28T15:00:14.567-07:00Stadium Dreaming It's now up on Bolts From the Blue. Click on the link below...<br />
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<a href="http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/2016/7/28/12304930/san-diego-chargers-stadium-dreaming" target="_blank">Stadium Dreaming</a><br />
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<br />Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-45437723168555727762016-07-25T12:00:00.003-07:002021-08-24T16:22:37.240-07:00Film Review: Star Trek Beyond<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Director Justin Lin's entry into the rebooted Final Frontier is neither as much pure fun as<i> Star Trek</i>, nor as overtly political as <i>Star Trek Into Darkness</i>. It's a blend of both movies which somehow comes closest yet to capturing the intimate and inclusive spirit of the Original Series.</b><br />
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(WARNING! SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW! CONTINUE READING AT YOUR DISCRETION / PERIL!)<br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2660888/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt" target="_blank"><i>Star Trek Beyond</i> </a>(hereafter <i>Beyond</i>) has both an incredible opportunity and incredible challenge.<br />
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<i>Star Trek Into Darkness</i> left the crew of the <i>Enterprise</i> heading out on their 5-year mission into deep space. Thus, the opportunity for director Justin Lin and co-writers Simon Pegg & Doug Jung to paint on a very broad canvas, expand the universe of the reboot series, and go in a completely new direction. On the other hand, J.J. Abrams and his writers: Damon Lindelof, Roberto Orci, and Alex Kurtzman didn't leave any particular plot threads for the new creative powers to follow or expand upon - hence the challenge.<br />
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Furthermore, whatever you may think of <i>Into Darkness </i>(I think there's more to like than most), it was a movie which deeply divided Star Trek fans - <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/aug/14/star-trek-into-darkness-voted-worst" target="_blank">many insist it's the worst Star Trek film made</a>.<br />
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Abrams moved on (he returns here as a producer) to help Disney with maximizing their investment in Lucasfilm. Paramount, back to the days when <i>Star Wars</i> first defined what a blockbuster truly was, has always thought (or hoped) Star Trek could have a similar degree of financial success.<br />
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There's also the whole 50th anniversary of Star Trek business this year, not to mention CBS re-launching a new TV series called <i>Star Trek: Discovery</i> in January.<br />
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Therefore, there's no small amount of pressure on the shoulders of Lin, Pegg & Jung to come up with a film which can re-invigorate the fanbase while still appealing to a mass audience.<br />
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It's my pleasure to say Lin and company mostly succeed. <i>Beyond</i> isn't a masterpiece, but it is a well-made Star Trek film which grows the franchise and characters, carries some encoded political commentary, and still presents the optimistic humanism the series was always known and loved for.<br />
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Much more to follow after the jump:<br />
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<a name='more'></a></h3>
<h3>
What Lies Beyond?</h3>
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The <i>Enterprise </i>is 966 days into its 5 year mission.<br />
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The movie opens with Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) unable to successfully broker an agreement with a new alien race - they reject the artifact offered by Kirk on behalf of another race. Kirk, worn out, returns to the <i>Enterprise</i> and turns the artifact over to Spock (Zachary Quinto) to be archived.<br />
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The <i>Enterprise</i> then heads for new <i>Starbase Yorktown</i>, perched near an unexplored nebula on the edge of Federation territory, for some replenishment and shore leave. Kirk's log entry hints at the sense of becoming lost during this 5 year mission - the excitement shown for the mission in <i>Into Darkness</i> has evaporated into the mundane grind of space travel. All of the <i>Enterpise's</i> first contacts have started blending together, the crew's interpersonal relationships are showing some signs of both being too relaxed and also strained, and Kirk doubts his motivations for remaining captain.<br />
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Once at <i>Starbase Yorktown</i>, Sulu (John Cho) is reunited with his daughter and partner (co-writer Doug Jung), while Spock is notified of the passing of Ambassador Spock (the late Leonard Nimoy). This, combined with the recent end of his relationship with Uhura (Zoe Saldana), causes Spock to decide the time for him to return to New Vulcan has arrived. Meanwhile, Kirk and Commodore Paris (Shohreh Aghdashloo) discuss his application to become a Vice-Admiral in command of <i>Starbase Yorktown</i>.<br />
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Before Kirk and Spock can make their departures official, an alien named Kalara (Lydia Wilson) emerges in an escape pod from the nearby nebula, claiming her crew is stranded, and requests Federation assistance in retrieving them. The <i>Enterprise</i> is dispatched to aid in the rescue effort and passes through the nebula to an uncharted planet. Upon reaching the planet, named Altamid, the <i>Enterprise </i>encounters a fleet of small ships piloted by drones which operate like a beehive. This fleet is commanded by an alien named Krall (Idris Elba), and it tears the <i>Enterprise </i>to shreds in his search for the artifact stored in the <i>Enterprise's</i> archives.<br />
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The <i>Enterprise </i>crew, forced to abandon ship, are captured by the drones and taken to Altamid. Over the course of the film, Kirk and his senior officers must enlist the help of an alien woman named Jaylah (Sofia Boutella) to save the surviving <i>Enterprise</i> crew and stop Krall from launching an assault against <i>Starbase Yorktown</i>. Along the way, we learn a lot more about the nature of the alien artifact Krall wanted, and about the nature of Krall himself.<br />
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<h3>
Technology Unchained - A Beautiful and Terrible Thing</h3>
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The late Gene Roddenberry espoused a theory of "<a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=VTifVpk6cekC&pg=PT15&lpg=PT15&dq=technology+unchained+gene+roddenberry&source=bl&ots=VY_7KK2YOF&sig=KV3u-hHxbgKEB6EF7gbPkSVEdr4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiYq56J-4zOAhVNySYKHaHBAP4Q6AEIKDAC#v=onepage&q=technology%20unchained%20gene%20roddenberry&f=false" target="_blank">Technology Unchained</a>." The essence of Roddenberry's idea and hope was that man would survive his immaturity long enough to use technology to solve the age-old problems facing mankind such as hunger, poverty, and conflict.<br />
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I'm going to say it flat-out: No iteration of Star Trek has ever succeeded as completely as <i>Starbase Yorktown</i> in expressing what Roddenberry's vision looks and feels like.<br />
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<i>Starbase Yorktown</i> looks like a "snow globe in space" (as McCoy calls it early in the film), featuring bands of cityscapes which are configured like a pretzel all built around a central core and contained within a sphere which maintains a breathable atmosphere. Each band of cityscape carries a gravitational field, which allows someone looking up at a different section of the station to essentially look down at its structures and inhabitants. It looks like something <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._C._Escher" target="_blank">M.C. Escher</a> might have come up with after watching <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062622/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank"><i>2001: A Space Odyssey</i> </a>on a potently lovely MDMA trip.<br />
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Further, in visualizing this city in space, Lin always shows crowds which are composed of a diverse group of humans and non-humans, humans of both sexes, humans of different races, and humans of different sexualities - as noted earlier in Sulu's case.<br />
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<i>Starbase Yorktown</i>, parked on the edge of explored space, is the Federation showing the rest of the galaxy, symbolically and literally, what they represent. It's a beautiful and stunning vision of the future - my hat's off to Lin, Pegg & Jung and Production Designer Tom Sanders for executing it.<br />
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In contrast, we have the drone fleet which has been commandeered by Krall.<br />
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This drone fleet contains no actual life forms. Multiple times in the film, the characters refer to the attacking drones as "bees." As a reference, bees are known to attack in a swarm to defend their hive and show no concern for their safety - they will sacrifice themselves by the hundreds to defend their hive if necessary.<br />
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The drones in <i>Beyond,</i> however, are not used to defend the planet Altamid, or Krall's race (for reasons that become obvious as the story plays out). Instead of being used for their intended purpose by the alien civilization which created them before disappearing - drilling tunnels - they are used by Krall to destroy starships and capture their crews for him to harvest.<br />
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How these opposing sides (the Federation and Krall) use the unchained technology at their disposal is a direct reflection of their worldview.<br />
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It's not considered anything special to destroy a starship in Star Trek anymore, as this was done to the original <i>Enterprise</i> in <i>The Search for Spock</i> and the <i>Enterprise-D</i> in <i>Generations</i>. What's different in <i>Beyond</i> is that at no time in Star Trek has the <i>Enterprise</i> seemed so vulnerable to an opponent. Spock says as much at the outset of the attack, saying something to effect that the <i>Enterprise</i> is not equipped to fight an enemy of this type.<br />
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For this Star Trek fan, the effect is devastating.<br />
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It's deeply upsetting to watch these swarming drones (which you don't realize are drones at the time) moving through space like a school of fish and then destroying themselves as they drill into and through parts of the <i>Enterprise</i>.<br />
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Further, the method by which they destroy is <i>Enterprise </i>is sadistic - like watching someone being tortured to death. First, the deflector dish is obliterated, then the warp nacelles are severed at the base of the supporting pylons, which makes it impossible for the ship to defend itself or warp to safety. Scotty succeeds briefly in restoring power, and the <i>Enterprise</i> attempts to escape on impulse.<br />
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Krall's command to the drones to "Cut her neck" is a visceral counter command, and watching the swam bore through the neck of the <i>Enterprise</i>, separating the secondary hull from the primary hull is again visually upsetting as well as symbolically significant.<br />
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The idea behind destroying the ship, <a href="http://www.wired.com/2016/05/justin-lin-star-trek-beyond/" target="_blank">according to Lin</a>, is to destroy the thing which physically keeps the crew together. Furthermore, it's a strong visualization of Krall's hatred of what the Federation stands for: by tearing the <i>Enterprise</i> apart, he is tearing the crew apart and actively challenging the Federation's ideal of harmonious multicultural people working together to solve common problems.<br />
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<h3>
This Is Where the Frontier Pushes Back - Tradition versus Progress</h3>
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<i>Star Trek Beyond </i>is about the idea that Mankind himself is the final frontier. Overcoming our prejudices, adapting to new conditions and growing through teamwork and selflessness is the key to mankind's future. In such a story, it's logical that the nature of the enemy the <i>Enterprise</i> encounters is one of a man who has failed in that regard.<br />
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Krall is revealed over the course of <i>Beyond</i> to be a former starship captain, Balthazar Edison. As we learn late in the film, Edison was a former MACO (Military Assault Command Operations) solider fighting to defend Earth and its allies against the Romulans (as well as others). Following the formation of the United Federation of Planets, MACO was disbanded and Edison was left without a war to fight.<br />
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Edison's belief - gained through decades fighting as a soldier - was that humanity could only be saved through war and combat and the resultant toughness and discipline required to attain victory. Peace could only be obtained through pain and sacrifice, and must be vigilantly defended. That value system had no immediate application within the Federation, now committed to "breaking bread with their enemies" and working out their differences in a diplomatic manner instead of imposition through force.<br />
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Edison was given command of the starship <i>Franklin - </i>transparently an attempt by the Federation to put him out to pasture. The <i>Franklin </i>and its crew were presumed lost after crash-landing on Altamid, where Edison and his remaining crewmen discovered an alien technology which prolonged their lives by stealing energy from other living beings. They also discovered a drone workforce suitable for drilling caverns, and part of a terrible biological weapon which dissolves living things.<br />
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Over the decades, as Edison remained alive by taking the energy (and physical characteristics) of other aliens, he became Krall - a symbol of how older, unyielding people often sacrifice the young and/or less fortunate so that they may maintain their power and privilege.<br />
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When Krall tells Uhura that "this is where the Frontier pushes back", he's explicitly telling her that he believes he was shunted to the margins of society for the sake of "progress." Further, Krall fully intends to re-assert dominance over a belief system and society which no longer caters to him and his beliefs / experience. And (regrettably) yes, it's a form of revenge.<br />
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In many ways, Krall/Edison is a reflection of other characters we've seen in Star Trek history. That group notably includes Prime Captain Kirk and General Chang in <i>The Undiscovered Country</i>, as well as Captain Maxwell in TNG's <i>The Wounded</i>. Men whose life experience prepares them for one set of expectations, and who must adjust to a dramatically different situation which does not conform to their expectations. Prime Kirk is successful in transitioning. Edison, Chang, and Maxwell are not.<br />
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This is why Edison / Krall's attack on <i>Starbase Yorktown</i> is such a critical element of the film, and why his attack against the <i>Enterprise </i>is so devastating.<br />
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<h3>
Let Me Do It!</h3>
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When I first reviewed <i><a href="http://sliderockmpc.typepad.com/slide_rock_motion_picture/2009/05/star-trek.html#more" target="_blank">Star Trek</a></i>, one of the criticisms I offered was this:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The core of <i>Star Trek</i> is that its about the vacuum created by the loss (or withholding) of paternal love and guidance, and how we replace that love with the families we make for ourselves, but it's not developed well enough to make it emotionally resonant. If fully developed, this would have tied <i>Star Trek</i> even closer to the best moments in the Original Series, and many scenes in the first six films.</blockquote>
Over the course of <a href="http://sliderockmpc.typepad.com/slide_rock_motion_picture/2013/05/star-trek-into-darkness.html" target="_blank"><i>Into Darkness</i></a>, and <i>Beyond</i>, it's pretty evident "family" is the true theme which unites these films.<br />
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In the case of willingness to sacrifice, we get to see people beyond Kirk making those choices. Uhura leaves the bridge to assist Kirk with separating the saucer section and giving the <i>Enterprise</i> crew still in the saucer section a chance to survive. McCoy (Karl Urban) refuses to leave a wounded Spock behind, and even joins Spock twice on difficult away missions. There's even an instance of regular crew members being willing to sacrifice for each other; Ensign Syl intervenes to save Sulu's life at the prison camp, and it ends up costing her life.<br />
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Chris Pine has grown into to the role of Kirk so effortlessly that for the first time, I don't question him as a Captain. His Kirk is finally a seasoned leader, having fully absorbed the lessons learned in both <i>Star Trek </i>and <i>Into Darkness</i>. There's no doubt about his willingness to sacrifice for his crew, as his struggle with Krall indicates when trying to separate the saucer section, or acting as a distraction so that his crew can be rescued from the prison camp. What's also fun is that he carries himself with relaxed authority, as when he nods at a crewman in the hallway and at the toast at the end of the film.<br />
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There's also room (finally) for Pine to show us how clever Kirk is. Twice in this movie, he's able to outwit an opponent. In one instance, he tricks Krall into believing he has the artifact, when in fact he's hidden it with a crew member. Later, he tricks Kalara into revealing the location of Krall's prison camp.<br />
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In the case of Quinto's Spock, what we're seeing is a fundamentally different evolution of the character. In the Original Series and the films, Spock had to attempt to purge all emotion, then die and be reborn before he could begin to appreciate what it means to be human. In the reboot films, this Spock has endured the destruction of his home planet, the death of his mother, the (temporary) death of Kirk, and now the death of Spock Prime. Quinto is very smart at showing how much harder it is for this younger version of Spock - comparable to the smiling, loud Vulcan we saw in the <i>The Cage</i> and <i>Where No Man Has Gone Before</i>, to be honest - to contain all of the riling emotions hiding under the skin. Thus, for me, his emotional outbursts (tears, laughing) while near death ring completely true.<br />
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This is why it's so wonderful to see Quinto spend so much time with Karl Urban's McCoy. Urban has always been the closest actor in these films to straight impersonation, and he sometimes rides the line up to the edge of parody. What makes McCoy so much more fun and interesting in this film is that Urban allows the affection to flow freely through the insults and banter - emotionally he's almost like a big brother goading Spock out of his emotional closet during their time stranded on the planet, or an older brother helping to keep Kirk grounded early in the film.<br />
<br />
However, the most important character (symbolically speaking) is Jaylah. She's an alien stranded on Altamid by Krall and whose family is dead. Smart and resourceful, she located the wreck of the <i>Franklin </i>and began making repairs, teaching herself English using the <i>Franklin's</i> logs, manuals, and equipment. She's also using modified parts from other wrecked ships which have been stranded. Her scenes with Scotty (Simon Pegg) are playful, but also instructive.<br />
<br />
Jaylah could easily serve as an example of Krall's idea that unity is weakness - just consider how far she's come on her own. When she meets Scotty, she instantly realizes (by his speaking English and his explanation of his emblem) that he's exactly who she needs to escape. But instead of forcing Scotty to bend to her needs - when she clearly has the motivation and the means to do so - Jaylah immediately compromises and agrees to help him in exchange for helping her repair the <i>Franklin</i>. Kirk pays off her early investment in Scotty by saving her later during the prison breakout of the <i>Enterprise </i>crew.<br />
<br />
In turn, she pays it forward again helping the crew set-up <i>Sabotage</i> by the Beastie Boys - the music serves to disorient and destroy the drones during their attack on <i>Starbase Yorktown</i>. In return, Kirk pulls strings to help her gain admittance to Starfleet Academy.<br />
<br />
It's a definitive example of Star Trek's family ethos and multi-cultural unity being a major factor in success, not a weakness to be destroyed and overcome (I'd like to add that Sofia Boutella is terrific in the role. And as a bonus, there's little to nothing sexist about her role, presentation, or performance).<br />
<br />
Finally, the point against Krall is made through the actions of the <i>Enterprise </i>crew. Each of them has a significant role to play in overcoming the odds. Their unity is not weakness, as Krall believes, but is in fact the only reason they survive the encounter. Here's Kirk's key statement to Krall near the end:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"I would rather die saving lives than live with taking them."</blockquote>
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That's as classic Star Trek as it gets.<br />
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<h3>
You Really Want To Go Back Out There?</h3>
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Now it's time for the nitpicks, questions, and additional thoughts.<br />
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The backstory of Krall/Edison is a tremendous missed opportunity, and the biggest problem holding <i>Beyond</i> back from being truly great:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>At the end of the day, it's still a revenge story. Stop with villains out for revenge stories.</li>
<li>Idris Elba is too talented and expressive an actor to spend 4/5ths of his screen time in heavy makeup. Period.</li>
<li>By dispensing Krall's true identity as Captain Edison in bits and pieces of exposition, it's not immediately obvious how he came to be where he was. </li>
<li>The vast majority of people in the audience have never seen <i>Star Trek: Enterprise</i>, and thus the significance of his military service passes right over their heads.</li>
<li>Instead of the amusingly silly opening sequence, <i>Beyond</i> could've opened with the crash-landing of the <i>Franklin</i> on Altamid, and spent time fleshing out his character (similar to the prologue of <i>The Return of the King</i> which shows how Smeagol becomes Gollum). In exchange for losing the late reveal, the trade-off is a three-dimensional villain with clearly defined motivations. It would have been made the ending much more potent when Kirk confronts Edison, and sees some of what he was feeling early in the film directly across from him.</li>
<li>The exposition is sparsely provided, and most of the information sails right past the audience and leads to confusion - though a second viewing mostly cleared up my plotting questions.</li>
</ul>
<br />
There are other aliens stranded on Altamid (among them are the ones Jaylah fights when she first meets Scotty). Spock remarks on the sparse population of the planet before the <i>Enterprise</i> is destroyed. Why is no mention made of attempting to rescue them at the end of the film?<br />
<br />
Part of the reason the film seems much more like a classic (albeit expanded) Star Trek episode is the smaller scale of the story. This film feels more intimate than its predecessors, mostly because we're not hopping backwards and forward decades at a time, or from Earth to Kronos, and back to Earth with side stops to San Francisco, London, and Jupiter.<br />
<br />
I'm not going to wade into the whole debate about Sulu being gay. I understand why George Takei would feel strongly about it. I also understand what the filmmakers were attempting to accomplish. Personally, I'm fine with it.<br />
<br />
I really appreciated Justin Lin's special effects choices which accentuated the scale of the <i>Enterprise </i>to her crew. Multiple times, you see images which show crewmen walking past windows or looking at the ship from <i>Starbase Yorktown</i>. It's the first time in the reboot films where I felt like the <i>Enterprise</i> itself was treated as a character, and it's therefore even more affecting when she's destroyed. I also really liked the new warp drive imagery - it doesn't look too much like the hyperdrive effect from <i>Star Wars</i>.<br />
<br />
The quiet tribute when Spock opened the picture showing the original cast from <i>The Final Frontier </i>was a lovely moment. It worked both on the level of the character being reminded of what Ambassador Spock told him at the end of <i>Star Trek</i>, and a touching reminder of the passing of Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, and James Doohan.<br />
<br />
There are numerous moments which serve as callbacks to the Original Series and movies, without being explicit replays of iconic scenes (as did the engine room sequence in <i>Into Darkness</i>). Here are a few examples:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Kirk and McCoy talking over drinks recalls moments where McCoy has helped Kirk through tough moments, like <i>Balance of Terror, </i><i>The Ultimate Computer</i>, and <i>The Wrath of Khan.</i></li>
<li>Kirk's log entry in the nebula repeats a great and famous line: "There's no such thing as the unknown, only things temporarily hidden." This is a direct and appropriate (in plot and theme) nod from <i>The Corbomite Maneuver.</i></li>
<li>The opening with the worn-down crew is a nice echo of the beginning of <i>The Immunity Syndrome</i>.</li>
<li>The crew working together to get a damaged hulk flying again recalls <i>The Doomsday Machine</i>.</li>
<li>Putting Spock and McCoy together recalls their great scene in <i>Bread and Circuses</i>.</li>
<li>Loved the "Green Hand" joke both in the text and in the closing credit sequence as a tribute to <i>Who Mourns for Adonais</i>.</li>
</ul>
<br />
We finally avoided mass casualties. In <i>Star Trek</i>, it was Vulcan. In <i>Into Darkness</i>, it was San Francisco. I feel like <i>Beyond </i>made a point of not using mass destruction as a WOW! moment. The destruction of the drones served nicely without relying on death, and the chase through <i>Starbase Yorktown </i>clearly limited casualties without sacrificing excitement or visual splendor.<br />
<br />
Last but not least, the terrible passing of Anton Yelchin. Yelchin was such a open and cheerful presence as Chekov - even if the movies hadn't really given him much to do. The editing at the end of the film when Kirk toasts to absent friends, followed by a shot of Yelchin as Chekov was crushing. He is going to be missed.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Boldly Going Forward</h3>
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<br />
<i>Star Trek</i> had so much fun, it forgot to have any real thoughts on its mind. <i>Star Trek Into Darkness</i> was so preoccupied with making a big statement that it failed to develop a coherent plot.<br />
<br />
For my money, <i>Star Trek Beyond</i> is the best of the reboot films. Its intimacy and combination of action, humor, and political commentary are better balanced than they were in either of the previous films.<br />
<br />
Further, <i>Beyond</i> does a better job with fan service than <i>Into Darkness</i> did, with non-intrusive callbacks which allowed the characters to make the moments their own.<br />
<br />
The next Star Trek film has already been greenlit, and it <a href="http://trekcore.com/blog/2016/07/official-star-trek-4-is-happening/" target="_blank">supposedly involves</a> the return of Chris Hemsworth's George Kirk from the opening moments of <i>Star Trek</i>.<br />
<br />
Hopefully, in terms of growing the characters, avoiding bombastic excess, and streamlining the plot, the filmmakers will look at <i>Star Trek Beyond</i> as a template for future success.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>Author's Note: </b> All screenshots are taken from trailers for <i>Star Trek Beyond</i>. They remain the property of Paramount Pictures and may not be re-used in any other form. The author receives no money from this blog, and is intended only for educational / discussion purposes.</span>Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-62792682552456227602016-07-25T08:00:00.000-07:002016-07-25T08:00:08.337-07:00From the Archives: Star Trek Into Darkness<i>Star Trek Beyond</i> opened this past weekend.<br />
<br />
I'm still working my way toward a full review of <i>Beyond, </i>which will by out later today.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, as promised, I've included my old review of<i> Star Trek Into Darkness. </i>Here's a snippet:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
As the universally-decreed "Best Star Trek Movie Ever Made," (<i>Star Trek II: The Wrath of</i>) <i>Khan</i> is both the standard by which good Star Trek is measured, and unfortunately "a pattern to follow" as Kirk says of the Ilia probe in <i>Star Trek: The Motion Picture</i>. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
And in the case of later Star Trek (generally), and specifically in the case of <a href="http://www.startrekmovie.com/">Star Trek Into Darkness</a>, my response might be the same as Spock's was to Kirk: "Indeed. They may have followed it too precisely." </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Still, <i>Star Trek Into Darkness</i> is very good, and in places it's great. It also works as very good, and occasionally great Star Trek.</blockquote>
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<br />
<div>
Here is the link to the complete original post (please forgive the occasional typo)...<br />
<br />
<i><a href="http://sliderockmpc.typepad.com/slide_rock_motion_picture/2013/05/star-trek-into-darkness.html" target="_blank">Star Trek Into Darkness</a></i><br />
<br />
Hope you enjoy it.<br />
<br />
As promised, sometime within the next few days, I'll have my full review of <i>Star Trek Beyond</i>.</div>
</div>
Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4307390794340075901.post-8682123910482976512016-07-24T12:00:00.000-07:002016-07-24T20:37:12.607-07:00From the Archives: Star Trek (2009)<i>Star Trek Beyond</i> opened this weekend.<br />
<br />
I'm just starting to put together my thoughts about <i>Beyond</i>, working toward a full review.<br />
<br />
In the meantime. I'll include the links to old review of the first movies in the "reboot timeline". Here's a snippet of my thoughts about Star Trek:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
There are few things more nerve-wracking than being a long-time fan (Trekkie in my case), seeing a cherished icon of youth get an extreme makeover. In the specific case of <i>Star Trek,</i> I spent most of the 30 minutes in the theater before the start of the picture, thinking the following: </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Please God, let this not suck like Nemesis, or Insurrection, or The Final Frontier." </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"I hope the critics are right." </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Abrams is a TV guy, like Harve Bennett was a TV guy. This could work." </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Please God, let this not suck. Please, please, please." </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
My fears were alleviated in less than 5 minutes. Abrams delivers a sensationally entertaining picture. To begin with, he gives us not merely the best teaser in "Star Trek" history, but one of the great teasers I've seen in any movie. It sets a standard that the rest of the picture has to live up to, and thankfully, <i>Star Trek </i>mostly succeeds.</blockquote>
<div>
Here is the link to the complete original post (please forgive the occasional typo)...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://sliderockmpc.typepad.com/slide_rock_motion_picture/2009/05/star-trek.html" target="_blank"><i>Star Trek</i></a><br />
<br />
Hope you enjoy it.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow will be the link back to my review of <i>Star Trek Into Darkness</i>.<br />
<br />
Sometime within the next few days, I'll have my full review of <i>Star Trek Beyond</i>.</div>
Jeffrey Siniardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06578979064387260631noreply@blogger.com0