The Dark Crystal

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Puppets get a pass only when they are muppets I’m going to be honest, I tried once to watch this movie a few years ago. Didn’t make it half an hour in, but I can’t remember if it was because I was bored or got busy. But that was before the new tv version on Netflix came out. So I watched it this time on youtube in parts because I didn’t want to pay to rent it. So the movie was split in like 5 minute segments with partial director commentary at the end of each video. So while it didn’t exactly flow great, it did give me some interesting insight to the movie’s making. Overview: In ancient times an ancient crystal broke into two parts, creating two groups of people and plunging the world into terror and darkness. Now it is up to a young Gelfling, last of his kind, to unite the crystal again so that peace may reign.

The puppets were really cool to watch. I mean it should be, it was made by Jim Henson after all. He did an amazing job with this movie. I loved just watching the sets and the background creatures burst into life. The Gelflings were just…a little creepy in the face. The Gilfling’s smooth faces sort of threw me off, but I loved the other creatures. The Skeksis and Elder Turtle guys, they were really cool to look at. And I literally have no idea at all how the hell they were able to do any of that! Were they hand puppets? Stop motion puppets? Puppets on strings? That shit is amazing to try and figure it out.

The plot had this grand epic scale to it. Old ancient beings both good and evil reaching the ends of their long lives. The commentary actually pointed out that there were a few similarities to Star Wars and I can see why. Just this feeling of big purpose that was put on the weight of one’s shoulders. I especially liked how connected the Skeksis and Urru (humming turtle elder guys) are to each other. The other half of the same coin. The Urru elder dying peacefully and disappearing into the universe. The Skeksis Emperor fighting and clinging to his power until his last breath where he dissolved into nothing. It was just, nice to see their relationship to each other throughout the film.

Aughra is like the best character here. She is so energetic and literally didn’t give a shit no matter who she was talking to. She just started yelling at the Ancient Millennia Evil Beings like she’s lodging a complaint at the housing committee in her neighborhood. Like, that is a life goal right there. So I liked the puppetry, and I liked the plot. I wasn’t actually too keep on them being together for some reason. I don’t know why exactly, maybe because I’m not use to an all puppet story (muppets had some human characters in there too). It’s probably just a medium thing where some people don’t like a particular art style. Some people aren’t a fan of black and white, some don’t like anime, so I guess I’m not too into puppets. So I was sort of watching the movie as two distinct parts and not as a whole, but it still was enjoyable to see.

Overall: Yeah this was a fun watch. Maybe not my absolute favorite film or something I would rewatch, but it was still cool to see. I’d say give the puppet movie a chance. It’s weird and fun, and even if there aren’t some parts you like, there’s still enough to enjoy.

Blade Runner: The Final Cut

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So am I supposed to be rooting for Harrison Ford here? Overview: In the future (of 2019) people have discovered a way to biocreate life, including humans who are called “Replicants.” Blade Runners track and “retire” replicants via death. Former Blade Runner Rick Deckard is brought back on the force to find and eliminate 4 replicants who arrived illegally on Earth. Watching this movie makes some references so much more sense. It’s one of those things where you know if comes from something, but you don’t know where exactly it came from. I didn’t realize the “do they know they’re a [BLANK]” moment came from this movie. So context is a nice thing.

Have to love Cyberpunk films. With how technologically advance their science is while showing how gritty and dark the setting is around it. Seeing smoke and fire billow out of towers. The possible technological advancements of just creating animals that you can buy for cheep on any corner. How different parts require different manufactorers. The sets are creative and gorgeous, and the film just let’s it breathe before you need to move on. Apparently wikipedia says that Blade Runner was one of the earliest movies in the genre. A good way to start out.

Listen I like Harrison Ford. He’s a good actor and was in a couple of my favorite movies like Indiana Jones and Air Force One. He’s a good actor. Can’t say I completely in favor of Deckard here. There just wasn’t anything in particular that I liked about him. He’s a good detective, does the job well, does the “brooding loner noir cop” trope nicely. But he doesn’t exactly jump out at me. The only two moments that really stood out was when he was zooming in on the picture, and him kissing Victoria. The former was because I was so baffled at what the hell he was trying to do. The later because he did…sort of….forced-ish a kiss on her…but you can argue that she was conflicted over her own humanity and he was giving her autonomy over the make-out session after the initial break through. But these moments don’t really have any negative points against the character so, like I said, he was there.

The Replicants on the other hand, I was a lot more invested in their story. I don’t know if that was the point of the movie, but it sure does cast them in a sympathetic light. How Leon just looked so devastated when he sees Zhora dead. How instead of immediately chasing Deckard, Roy uses that time to just morn the loss of Pris. How technical Tyrell was when talking about his own assistant Victoria being a replicant, just to see if they could make one like her. It was just so hard to view them as bad guys. Sure they were antagonists in context of the movie, but they were fighting for their own survival so I couldn’t really blame them for it. This movie actually reminds me a lot of Ghost in the Shell. Yes Ghost in the Shell is also a cyberpunk movie, but they both also focus on what it means to be human, and can artificial humans still be considered human. And that there are no real answers to these questions. Sure they both have a decent conclusions, but it leaves enough room for the viewer to really think of the answer themselves. Overall: This was a good movie. It felt a little weird to root more for the antagonists, but that is sort of a welcomed change. The setting is fun to look at with their future sci-fi, and I really like figuring out their technology. And there is a lot to even take in with theme and designs here, I only just glossed over like one of the main ones. So yeah, good movie to check out.