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“Ad Astra” A Return to Dangerous Filmmaking

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5 years ago

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Now this was an interesting film! I say that not because of spectacular special effects, or “sexy” actors, but rather because there was a genuine throwback to an era where films weren’t afraid to take a chance.

This film harkens back to films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey or Silent Running. There is a real effort to take the viewer through the psychological ins-and-outs of Roy McBride (the character played by Brad Pitt) as she tries to fight his way through years of psychological damage done by his father, the world renowned astronaut H. Clifford McBride played by the amazingly subtle Tommy Lee Jones.

Roy is an on point astronaut with a career that stands on its own merits. He has the respect of his peers as well as his superiors. However, we do see really on that he struggles with his own life, his personal life. He is detached, distant, unable to unlock his own emotions, and we are shown how this effects things around him.
The thing is, is that he is a dutiful soldier with his attention solely on his mission, his career.
It is because of this that he is selected for this top secret mission, it, at least, that is what he is thinking. It turns out that his father, whom her thought has long passed might still be alive and might be wreaking havoc with Earth.
It’s because of this that it becomes necessary to send Roy up to see if, 1) how father is alive, and 2) if he is alive, to stop him. One of the elements of this movie that stuff out the most was use of sounds and music. There was a real throwback to, what sounded to me like, the experimental time of the 70’s. There seemed to be a real freedom to explore silence, abandonment, and loneliness. I loved the fact that this film had the courage to NOT go the typical route. I loved this because it allowed one to connect on another level with the character of Roy. It allowed us to, in a way, to, perhaps, enter that hidden fortress of emotions that was just starting to crack.
Now don’t get me wrong, this is not just a film about a psychological journey there were plenty of elements, and situations that come up that will satisfy the need for action, however I will say this that these scenes are far from gratuitous. These scenes come as not just physical attacks, by also as attacks on his linear introspection.
I also appreciated, going back to the music, that they choose not to go the typical Hollywood route and incorporate hard Rock, or ridiculous “soaring” classical music. They stuck with eclectic sounds and tones that not only enhanced these moments, but made one feel uncomfortable and alone, because you knew that that there was real danger here and with the lack of intense Hollywood music one could feel the if one dies out here in space you would truly be alone, abandoned.
Now, of course, the journey to find his father is fraught with it’s own troubles. There are mechanical issues, arguments amongst the different crews, the government not telling the whole truth, but the biggest obstacle for Roy is, of course, meeting his father for the first time in decades. This is where you can see how the writers and actors were able to work together to create an intense yet tender moment. A moment that has Roy having to settle accounts with his father, and vice versa.
I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this film especially it’s melding of many different elements that helped us really connect with Roy and his specific journey.
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Paramount+ Reveals Official Main Title Sequence for the Upcoming Series TALES OF THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES

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12 hours ago

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July 26, 2024

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During the TALES OF THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES panel earlier today at San Diego Comic Con, Paramount+ revealed the official main title sequence for the series. The sequence is composed by EMMY® nominee, Matt Mahaffey, known for his work on Sanjay and Craig, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie and much more. 

From the studios of the Mutant Mayhem film, the all-new Paramount+ original series TALES OF THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES explores the adventures of everyone’s favorite pizza-loving heroes as they emerge from the sewers onto the streets of NYC. Leo, Raph, Donnie and Mikey are faced with new threats and team up with old allies to survive both teenage life and villains lurking in the shadows of the Big Apple. The series is produced by Nickelodeon Animation and Point Grey Pictures.

TALES OF THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES is executive produced by Chris Yost (The Mandalorian, Thor: Ragnarok) and Alan Wan (Blue Eye Samurai, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles [2012 Series]). Production is overseen for Nickelodeon by Claudia Spinelli, Senior Vice President, TV Series Animation, Nickelodeon, and Nikki Price, Director of Development and Executive in Charge of Production.

In addition to the upcoming new series, stream all things Turtles on Paramount+.

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Comic-Con 2024: Those About to Die Activation

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15 hours ago

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July 26, 2024

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DISNEY+ CASTS DANIEL DIEMER AS FAN-FAVORITE ‘TYSON’IN SEASON TWO OF “PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS”

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16 hours ago

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July 26, 2024

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 in Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con, Rick Riordan and Disney+ revealed that Daniel Diemer (“Under the Bridge”) will star as fan-favorite cyclops “Tyson” in the epic adventure series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians.” Diemer joins Walker Scobell (Percy Jackson), Leah Sava Jeffries (Annabeth Chase) and Aryan Simhadri (Grover Underwood) as a series regular. The Disney+ Original series from Disney Branded Television and 20th Television will start filming its second season next week in Vancouver.

Season two of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” is based on the second installment of Disney Hyperion’s best-selling book series titled “The Sea of Monsters” by award-winning author Rick Riordan. In the new season, Percy Jackson returns to Camp Half-Blood one year later to find his world turned upside down. His friendship with Annabeth is changing, he learns he has a cyclops for a brother, Grover has gone missing, and camp is under siege from the forces of Kronos. Percy’s journey to set things right will take him off the map and into the deadly Sea of Monsters, where a secret fate awaits the son of Poseidon.

Diemer stars as Tyson – a young Cyclops who grew up all alone on the streets, and finds it difficult to survive in the human world.  Shy and awkward, with a heart almost as big as he is, Tyson soon discovers that Poseidon is his father, which means Percy Jackson is his half-brother… and that Tyson may have finally found a home. 

Diemer recently starred in the Hulu limited series “Under the Bridge” based off the critically acclaimed book of the same name and a tragic true story of a missing teen girl in Vancouver in 1997. He will next star in the indie “Thug” opposite Liam Neeson and Ron Perlman for director Hans Petter Moland. Daniel was recently seen as the lead in the indie “Supercell” opposite Alec Baldwin and Skeet Ulrich and the lead in the film “Little Brother” opposite Phil Ettinger and JK Simmons. Daniel can also be seen in the Netflix series “The Midnight Club” and recently starred as the male lead in the breakout hit Netflix feature “The Half Of It” from producer Anthony Bregman and director Alice Wu. He is a graduate of Victoria Academy of Dramatic Arts in Vancouver.

Created by Rick Riordan and Jonathan E. Steinberg, season two of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” is executive produced by Steinberg and Dan Shotz alongside Rick Riordan, Rebecca Riordan, Craig Silverstein, The Gotham Group’s Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Bert Salke, The Gotham Group’s Jeremy Bell and D.J. Goldberg, James Bobin, Jim Rowe, Albert Kim, Jason Ensler and Sarah Watson.

The first season of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” is available on Disney+

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