Mass Effect is coming to Netflix

 

    Back in 2015, when I was making video reviews on YouTube, I released a video discussing my favorite video game series of all time, Mass Effect, and shared my thoughts and ideas as to how it could be turned into a movie. One of the things I mentioned in the aforementioned video was that I felt this series would be best created as a Netflix series. Little did I know that just over six years later, the folks at Netflix would actually take on the challenge of breathing new life into one of the greatest achievements in video games. 

    For those who don't know or would like a quick refresher, Mass Effect is a video game series that can best be described as, "what if Star Trek was created by Gary Gygax (the co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons)?" You play as Commander Shepard, a decorated soldier in the Alliance Navy tasked with preventing the total destruction of the Galaxy at the hands of an ancient & powerful force known as The Reapers. With the help of your multi-species and multi-cultural crew, you and your special space ship, The Normandy, will travel the Galaxy, solve mysteries, resolve conflicts, and make allies or enemies along the way. 

    Aside from completely customizing your hero down to your choice of gender, the game's main attraction is the amount of freedom you are given to handle any situation thrown your way. Depending on your preferences, you can resolve a situation with diplomacy or with violence. In addition, you can make allies by offering help or ignore them for your own gains. Also, the gameplay is tons of fun! While you are still expected to be the hero of the hour, the way you become said hero rests entirely in your hands. 

    I should clarify that while I am incredibly interested in the prospect of new Mass Effect-related material, I am still ever so weary of such an outing. Mass Effect is not only my favorite video game series (as I'm sure I have stated countless times already), it is also an epic space opera with tons of rich mythology, textured three-dimensional characters (with a few exceptions), and a grand storyline that bring to mind the exceptional works of Gene Roddenberry and Isaac Asimov, with a little bit of Taylor Sheridon thrown in for some clever action. Mass Effect offers so much to explore that it is practically impossible to simplify and condense into a single feature film, let alone a thirteen-episode series, which is the going rate for most Netflix original shows. 

    Don't get me wrong! I'm not saying that it can't be done. In fact, what little information there is regarding the show's development seems to be more-or-less on the right track. 

    According to one article on thathashtagshow.com, the series will not follow the exact story or protagonist (Commander Shepard) of the game. Instead, the series is apparently intended to follow a completely different and original character whose story runs parallel to Commander Shepards. I like this idea because it doesn't require the whole audience to be familiar with the game's original story, nor does it require the story to conform to any particular expectation of direction. It makes little sense to make a film or series about the adventures of Commander Shepard when there can never be any one-particular universally accepted iteration, no matter what the Mass Effect wiki may claim. 

    To go over all of the countless ways a show like this can be developed would take far too long to summarize in a single blog entry. So, here is a shortlist of things I hope to see in the upcoming Mass Effect series. 

I hope it will be animated.

    Regular readers of my blog may remember my comments on the misguided western perception of animation as a medium strictly for children. The closest we got in recent years (arguably) to an animated series intended for adults that aimed to showcase the versatility of animation as a narrative medium was Tom Hanks' Electric City. With the mature-oriented themes and tone of the story, Mass Effect would be a perfect candidate to showcase how animation can be a more versatile medium. Also, it would allow for the show's budget to focus on proper voice casting and talented writing. 

Stay within the realm of the first game.

    The Mass Effect series includes three main games, one spinoff title, a few fan films, and one Anime style OVA. While the three main games are technically the primary storyline, each game still retains a single story on its own. Relegating the new show to the world as established in the first game is the best way to introduce new fans to the series. If you get too excited and bring in too much material for the audience to digest, they won't want to return for seconds. Ease this new promising audience into the story with only enough material from the first game to get them hooked. If they like what they see (which they likely will), they'll take the rest from there. 

Include Tali Zorah! 

    Tali Zorah is, hands down, the best supporting character of the entire original trilogy and my favorite of the whole roster. She is smart, capable, funny, cute, compassionate, takes no crap from nobody, and kicks ass when needed! I don't care how you have to do it; just make it happen! 

    And that's about it. Whether or not this upcoming new show turns out to be of any notable quality may be up in the air at the moment. Even so, at the very least, it's still a Mass Effect project, and that's all I need to know right now. I hope you will be as excited to see this series as I will be when the first trailer hits. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

In The Heights - Energetic and Fun

 

If you can do so safely, see it in theaters. 

or

Stream it on HBO Max (through July 11).

    On January 20th, 2015, Lin-Manuel Miranda's Broadway sensation, Hamilton, hit the scene. It won eleven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and oversells tickets worldwide to this day. However, before his success with Hamilton, Lin-Manuel first hit the Broadway scene with a similar-in-style musical show titled In The Heights, which debuted in 2008. An upbeat and rhythmically well-worded show about the plight and aspirations of the underrepresented Puto Rican population in America, specifically New York City. Now, the Broadway debut of Hamilton's creator has been treated to a sensational feature-film adaptation, courtesy of the only working director in Hollywood who could pull it off (arguably), Jon M. Chu (more on him in a minute). 

    The story takes place in New York a few days before an infamous blackout during one of the most brutal heat waves. The story follows a few characters who each have their own aspirations: one wants to reopen his father's bar in the Caribian, one wants to become a fashion designer, one wants to leave college, and one just wants to earn his citizenship to find his dream on his own terms. 

    While these storylines are engaging and center around generally likable characters, they are not the main attraction to the show. Rather, the show's meat resides in its overall themes of pride in one's heritage, happiness in simplicity, and courage to make your voice be heard. And, of course, the ever-reliable, tongue-twisting, finger-snapping, foot-tapping, fun time feeling of Lin-Manuel's music and rhymes. His style of fusing rap with traditional musical presentation is always a joy to listen to and often more fun when accompanied by striking visuals. 

    As you might expect from a show penned by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the songs are upbeat, witty, and overall fun to listen to. They all have a heartbeat of their own that succeeds in sounding uniform without being too similar. My favorite song of the show is "96,000", both for its musicality and the clever bits of visual effects featured in the film. 

    Director Jon M. Chu, whose previous ventures include Step Up 2: The Streets, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, and Crazy Rich Asians (a film I sadly did not write a review for but absolutely loved, minus some questionable editing choices), brings his signature flair and style to the show. Mr. Chu seems to specialize in shows with a great deal of musicality (both in the actual music and in the visuals). He especially seems to enjoy projects with the opportunity to include dance numbers. I can recall watching Step Up 2, not expecting anything spectacular due to low expectations set by the first film (which Mr. Chu did not direct), and finding myself enjoying the sequel substantially more. There were a few reasons why, but the prominent one was for the dance sequences, which all contained enthusiastic energy missing from the first film. That same enthusiasm and passion shine through in this rather awesome film. 

    The vast majority of the cast is spectacular, both as singers and as dancers. Most of the cast is incredibly talented and delivers spectacular professionalism and energy that makes you want to get up and join them. I say "most" because at least one singer appears to have fallen victim to the "Pop Star Training" style of singing. By that, I mean this one singer (who shall go nameless) has a terrible habit of over-emphasizing a specific style and tone of singing often found in many modern female pop singers: a breathy and childish high-pitched tone intended to sound more, for want of a better word, erotic for no sound reason, other than to try and sell records through subtle sex appeal. At the very least, this particular singer does not have too much screentime, nor does she utilize this overdone and horrible-sounding style too often, but it's still there. 

    My only real nitpick with the film, aside from the aforementioned singer, is some of the films editing choices. Unfortunately, this also seems to be a running theme with Jon M. Chu's work. Sometimes the editing is fluid and maintains a sense of flow, but other times it feels too sporadic and nonsensical, especially when it gets to some bigger musical numbers. Sometimes, the editing matches the beat of the songs perfectly; other times, it does whatever it wants. I'm sure this is a fine style that works in most music videos, but it just bothers me personally. 

    In The Heights is a fun and energetic experience that feels like the perfect way to celebrate our continued triumph over the pandemic. Not to say that we are totally clear, but we are much better now than we were six months ago. That, to me, is something worth celebrating, and this is the perfect film to set that mood. 

    Check it out. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

Dream Horse - Inspiring and Hilarious

 

Rent it on Apple TV, YouTube, Google Play, and Amazon. 

    Back in 2003, audiences were swept away by a little underdog story titled Seabiscuit, the true story of a racehorse who became the people's champion during the great depression. It was nominated for seven Acadamy Awards, including Best Picture. Since then, there have been many other films either trying to cash in on the movie's success or use the opportune timing to tell a similar story with a different racehorse. Films like Flik-A and Disney's Secretariat were charming in their own way but still tried to ride off of the success of Seabiscuit. While today's subject, Dream Horse, is clearly inspired by Seabiscuit, it's not trying to one-up or imitate that classic underdog story. Rather, it's telling its own, and it does so incredibly well. 

    The story follows a middle-aged working woman named Jan Vokes (Toni Collette), who works two jobs and raises animals like ducks, pigeons, and dogs. One night, while tending bar at her second job, she strikes a conversation with a former racehorse manager named Howard Davies (Damian Lewis). Their conversation inspires Jan to take a risk and learn the ins and outs of raising a racehorse. The only obstacle is the financial burden, but she has a plan. Jan encourages at least twenty different people in her town to join the adventure as co-owners with an equal share of the investment. From there, they become a new community and family through the spectacular achievements of their own racehorse named Dream Alliance. 

    As I have stated a few times before, films like these are mostly reliant upon their cast. This ensemble piece has many textured and entertaining side characters who all get their moments to shine. Every character is likable and brings something relevant to the table. 

    Toni Collette and Damian Lewis are particularly entertaining to watch. Both of them are talented actors with impressive resumes, and their chemistry is genuinely heartfelt. They both clearly had lots of fun with this story, and it shows. 

    I should mention that if you decide to rent this film for yourself on any digital platform (specifically on Apple TV as I cannot vouch for any of the other platforms), for some reason beyond my comprehension (and much to my annoyance), the movie has been panned & scanned. 

    For those who don't know, panning & scanning is a technique used by television broadcasters and early home video companies. It is taking a feature film originally presented in a theatrical aspect ratio and zooming into the image to encompass the full size of a television screen.  

    This practice made sense back when television screens were square-shaped rather than the modern rectangular-shaped HD screens, which can now better present feature films in their original aspect ratio. In the case of Dream Horse, panning & scanning the film is a great disservice. Because the film was clearly intended to be presented in its original wide aspect ratio, there are scenes where characters are out of frame when they shouldn't be. Bits of text are rendered illegible because they are cut off at the edge of the frame. The only reasoning behind this choice that I can speculate is because the distributors didn't want letterboxing on the film. Which, if they didn't want that for its television presentation, why didn't they demand that the filmmakers utilize a more television-friendly aspect ratio? Bottom line: panning & scanning is an outdated practice that needs to stop! 

    Aside from this unnecessary technical hindrance that doesn't negatively affect the whole film, Dream Horse is a delightful and light-hearted movie that deserves to be enjoyed. Especially for fans of horses. Check this one out. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

Luca - Pretty, Pleasant, Predictable (but still enjoyable)

 

Stream it on Disney+ (No Premium Access Required) 

    PIXAR is, in many ways, similar to Disney's other successful property, Marvel Studios. In that, they both don't seem capable of releasing terrible or lackluster films. However, they are still susceptible to the occasional release of entertaining movies lacking the appropriate amount of that secret special sauce that distinguishes them from other creators. 

    For example: compare PIXAR's magnum opus, Ratatouille, to Marvel Studios' surprise hit, Guardians of the Galaxy. Both films are incredibly creative with narrative and thematic elements that no one would otherwise play with. One film has a Rat who loves to cook, and the other has a wise-cracking Racoon wielding a machine gun. Both films take massive risks, treat their material with respect and maturity, and triumphantly cross the finish line. In contrast, compare PIXAR's less-than-stellar series, Cars, to Marvel Studios' underwhelming work, Avengers: Age of Ultron. Both films are still entertaining in some areas and retain pieces of their signature charm, but neither film is totally memorable nor as emotionally resonating as their previous works. One film is a dramatic departure from the usual geek-culture inspiration, and the other is more interested in building up future events instead of telling a compelling story. 

    Today's subject, PIXAR's Luca, is arguably most similar to Marvel Studios' Spider-Man: Homecoming. Both films feature striking visuals, lovable characters and follow a classic coming-of-age story. However, what prevents them from being on par with their greater successes is their overreliance on fast-paced comedy, underutilized supporting characters, and narrative & character beats that you can see coming from a mile away. And yet, both films retain a kind of charm and playfulness that only their respective studios can deliver. Even if you feel as though you've seen this story many times before, it still feels fresh because of the love and enthusiasm that went into telling it. 

    The story follows a young sea monster named Luca (Jacob Tremblay), who lives with a loving family under the water near a small Italian fishing village. Despite having a decent stable life, Luca occasionally dreams of visiting the surface and exploring the human world. One day, while tending to his family's farm, he meets a fellow sea monster named Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer), who has been living on the surface for a while. It turns out that sea monsters can change into human form when out of water and dry. Despite his reservations, Luca decides to venture with Alberto to his home to discover a mutual interest in Italy's signature vehicle, the Vespa. The two of them decide to seek one of these awesome scooters for a journey across the world. To get one, they make friends with a local girl named Giulia (Emma Berman), who plans to participate in a triathlon race with prize money. Together, they just might help each other achieve their dreams. The only question being how long can Luca and Alberto keep their true selves a secret? 

    Visually, the film is absolutely gorgeous! In addition to the high-quality animation you would expect from a PIXAR film, it succeeds in bringing a charming Italian coastal village to life with bright & vibrant colors, familiar sights and sounds, and more than a few reminders of how superior Gelatto is over any other ice cream. Also, Pasta! 

    The characters are likable and succeed in being literal fish-out-of-water without coming off as overly annoying. Most of the time, these kinds of stories where a character is experiencing a whole new world for the very first time can be repetitive and annoying with how often they tend to misunderstand social norms and cultural aspects. While this film still has some of these moments, it never dwells on them for longer than necessary. 

    Unfortunately, as much as it pains me to admit, it's not one of PIXAR's best films. As I alluded to earlier, this story has been told many times before. Most of the character arcs, plot twists, and story beats are predictable and don't leave as much of an impact as they otherwise could have. Also, much like most of the Marvel Films (Spider-Man: Homecoming notwithstanding), the villain is unnecessary and too one-dimensional. While even some of PIXAR's greatest films still had one-dimensional villains, such as Sid from Toy Story, at least they still served a purpose in the narrative. Unlike the villain in Luca, who doesn't have many purposes outside of making the heroes look better by comparison. Which, in this particular case, is highly unnecessary. At least in my opinion. 

    While Luca isn't on par with some of PIXAR's greatest achievements, it is still a worthy feather in their cap. It's a pleasant and heartwarming distraction that reminds us of what we can all look forward to when we're able to safely travel again. In that respect, I appreciate this film a little bit more than I otherwise might have. Also, it loves Pasta as much as I do. How can I not be just a little bit biased? 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading.  

The Courier - More Than An Ordinary Spy

 

Rent it on RedBox, Amazon, Google Play, and YouTube. 

    Cold War thrillers can often blend into each other because the vast majority of them tend to follow a similar pattern: an intelligence officer from one of the allied nations is trying to obtain information about Russia's nuclear arms program before the reckless powers that be get an itchy trigger finger. But what if the person who was just as responsible for preventing a nuclear holocaust wasn't an agent for any government but rather a simple civilian? That is the premise behind today's film, The Courier, the story of how one ordinary man played a significant role in The Cold War that you might not have known about before. 

    Set in the 1960s, the story follows Greville Winne (Benedict Cumberbatch), a British salesman approached by a friend from MI6 and a representative of the CIA with an unusual proposal. They reveal that a high-ranking Russian officer, Colonel Oleg Penkovski (Merag Ninidze), has contacted the CIA, offering information about Russia's nuclear arsenal and their "relationship" with Cuba. However, due to Russia's air-tight security, neither the CIA nor MI6 can risk sending any official agents for fear of capture and potential provocation for all-out war. They ask Greville to act as their middle-man by establishing a working business relationship with Russia working closely with the Colonel. In that way, he would serve as a courier of information without knowing what it actually is. From there, the two men form a friendship out of a mutual desire to ensure a better future for their families. Assuming they don't get caught. 

    Films like these are reliant upon their cast, and this one boasts a brilliant assembly of talented actors. Benedict Cumberbatch, as you might expect, delivers his usual professionalism and conviction to his role. While his physicality and vocal range often make him best suited for villainous or larger-than-life heroic roles, he seems most capable of conveying human vulnerability. When he's hurt on screen, you genuinely feel it! His engaging performance is further enhanced by his remarkable chemistry with his co-star Merag Ninidze. Their on-screen friendship feels believable and authentic. 

    The cinematography deserves special mention because it succeeds in filming dark scenes properly. Photographed by Sean Bobbitt, late of 12 Years a Slave, and the 2013 remake of Oldboy, the lighting and color style succeeds in providing a much-needed sense of contrast. Even when a scene is intended to be in a dark room with little to no light, rarely are you left searching for the intended subject in the scene. Most cinematographers nowadays tend to ignore or forget the need for proper contrast when filming a dark scene and simply rely upon the dynamic range of the camera's sensor to retrieve the information within the shadows. At least, that's the impression I often get. 

    The Courier may not be the most pleasant film to watch at times, but it is a well-crafted piece of work with powerhouse performances all around and beats of visual storytelling that almost feels extinct. Highly recommended. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

The Twenty-Four 6 Movement (Updated)

    

    A few years ago, I introduced a filmmaking challenge called The Twenty-Four 6 Movement. Modeled after the Dogme 95 challenge, the goal was to remind filmmakers of all ages that high-quality cinema can be achieved with less-than-ideal equipment. In an age where cameras like the RED, Sony's CineAlta line, and especially the Arri Alexa dominate both mainstream Hollywood and the independent market, it's easy to forget that you can still create visually striking and narratively resounding works of cinema using nothing more than the mobile phone in your pocket.

    At the time of the initial conception of The Twenty-Four 6 Movement, the rules were based on technological options that many lower-end cameras do not possess, such as 10-bit color depth and high recording bitrates. 

    In recent years, I am happy to report that many of the higher-end options found in prestigious and powerful cameras like the RED are now available in many other cameras and video applications for mobile devices. Even so, there are still some levels of technological advancement offered by the more pricy and bulky high-end cinema cameras that may potentially cause many indie filmmakers to continue feeling inadequate (wrongfully so, I might add). 

    Therefore, in the interest of maintaining maximum creative potential while offering a worthy challenge, I have taken it upon myself to modify the rules of The Twenty-Four 6 Movement to better accommodate the technological capabilities of modern consumer * prosumer cameras alike. 

This is The Twenty-Four 6 Movement (Ver 2.0) 

1. The film's capture resolution may be anywhere between 1080p and 4K but no higher. 

2. The capture bitrate must not exceed 200 Mbps.

3. LOG is forbidden. However, using a picture profile allowing ample room for color correction such as Cinelike D is acceptable. Also, if able, you are encouraged to create your desired color and exposure style in-camera. 

4. The capture color space may be up to 10-bit 422 but no higher. 

5. The exact make & model of the camera(s) utilized, including video applications on any mobile phone devices, must be credited—both in the film's credits and in any and all publicity for the film. 

6. External video recorders are forbidden. Instead, all footage must be captured using the camera's internal codec. External audio devices are acceptable. 

Triple Threat Review

 

    My wonderful readers! 

    Allow me to apologize for my extended absence. Quite a lot has happened over the past few weeks that have prevented me from updating my blog, including filming a wedding, editing a series of musical theater performances, painting a room, and generally getting back into the swing of things (or a variation thereof) as they were before the pandemic. All of which has been incredibly exciting so far. I look forward to seeing what else awaits me. 

    In the meantime, I've got a few movies to discuss. To make up for the lost time, I'm making a triple threat: reviewing three films in one blog entry. Once things calm down a bit, you can expect things to return to a more or less normal pace. Speaking of pacing, let's start things off with a movie with more pacing issues than a Michael Bay action scene. 

Stream it on Paramount+. 

    It's often annoying when a movie with a clever and engaging idea is bogged down with boring and wrong-headed execution. Infinite is, in a nutshell, Highlander meets Buddhism but without any proper emotional hook or narrative texture. It's a story about reincarnation and secret societies at odds with each other peppered with flashy action scenes, sexy & sleek future technology, and action scenes ripped right of your typical bland summer blockbuster not produced by Marvel. As entertaining as it was in some areas, especially with Chiwetel Ejidfor's performance, this movie is too hollow and overly flashy to keep your attention for more than twenty minutes. Even with the explosions, car chases, and decent sword fights, it's ultimately dull from the lack of an emotionally resonating narrative reason to care. If you have a Paramount+ subscription, maybe give it a fifteen-minute test drive on a lazy Sunday and see where it goes. Other than that, I'd say skip it. 

Rent it on Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, and Amazon. 

    Guy Ritchie is one of those directors who appears to improve with age but without necessarily growing up. Wrath of Man is exactly the kind of gangster flick you would expect of Guy Ritchie but presented in a more calm and fluid style. It's a standard revenge story with gruff & tough guys showing off their testosterone levels, graphic violence, and a few plot twists that keep the story engaging enough to pique your curiosity. Jason Statham retains his usual charm and charisma along with his genuine acting chops. The biggest issue I have with the film is the music. It sounds fine and uses a lot of deep strings, which I like, but they seem capable of only playing four notes in a repetitive sequence over and over again. It was a bit distracting but not enough to make the film unwatchable. If you need a current gangster heist flick and you don't mind occasional graphic violence, this might be worth a look. 

    The first film releases back in 2018 remains a hallmark of excellent, suspenseful cinema. A fantastic and brilliant original film that took full advantage of cinema's visual power and cemented director, co-writer & star John Krasinski as a force to be reckoned with. His follow-up, A Quiet Place Part II, is an excellent continuation of the story and a wonderful opportunity for Krasinski to further hone his talents behind the camera. The steaks are higher, the world is getting bigger, and all the characters, including the new ones, are growing. The MVP award for this series remains with the young and talented Millicent Simmonds as the family's deaf daughter with a bad-ass streak. Also, it's the first time in a long while since I've seen another one of my favorite actors, Cillian Murphy, on the scene, and he's still got it!

    This movie is significant because it is officially the first movie I have seen in a real theater since the pandemic. Yes, it is also available on Paramount+ (which I didn't realize until recently), but only for a few weeks. Besides, if we're going to start getting back to the bigger things we love about our civilization, it might as well be with something worth the time and money. 

    Wherever you choose to see A Quiet Place Part II, be it at home or in the controlled, well-maintained environment of your local movie theater, I highly recommend you see this movie. It may not be better than the first one, but it is just as awesome! 

    Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading.