The second episode picks right after the first where Wednesday is nearly killed b yfellow class mate Rowan but saved by the CGI Burton monster. However all the grown-ups are gaslighting her into thinking that Rowan wasn’t murdered by the goofy-looking monster and instead Rowan ran away/ got expelled and that’s there is no monster except for the universal-style monsters who pay tuition.
Well, Well, Well, looks like Netflix is up to it again, they announced another Hunchback movie. For those of you who don’t know or don’t remember, this is the second time that Netflix has announced Hunchback adaptation, the first being in 2018 with Idris Elba as the lead with a modern setting.
This time we have Vincent Cassel taking the title role as Quasimodo. However instead of a by the book retelling they are according to Deadline they are doing a “retelling of the life of Quasimodo, the man said to have inspired Victor Hugo’s bell-ringer in The Hunchback of Notre-Dame” and the log line is “Set in Paris on the eve of the July Revolution (1830), this film reimagines the life of the man said to have inspired Victor Hugo’s iconic character, Quasimodo. As the cholera epidemic spreads through the city, he’s caught between political turmoil and an impossible love.”
Back in 2010 it was reported that the inspiration for Quasimodo was a stone craver whose nickname was “le bossu.” So is Cassel going to play a dual role as the Quasimodo the bell-ringer of Hugo’s novel and the historical stone craver? We shall see.
Also another just nitpick is the presence of cholera. It’s true that cholera was pandemic of the time but they are rushing the timeline of it in Paris to coincide with Hugo working on the novel. It’s could be forgiven if there is a compelling reason. But what thematic basis is for the inclusion of a pandemic with the themes of novel? Again we shall see.
Then there is Cassel himself. While he is a competent actor, it’s disappointing to see cast him as Quasimodo. He has the right look and presence to play Frollo. While I do concede that traditionally 58 isn’t exactly “too old” to play the role Quasimodo as Quasimodo’s actors average age is 43, with the inclusion Steve Lemme from “Quasi!” which I’m loathed to include in the data points and 41 without, Cassel is defiantly at the older range of the actors who have played the role. Also I concede that it doesn’t really matter whether his looks matter since he will most likely be in prosthetics so moot point. Still it’s a little disappointing of casting choice since Quasimodo is seldom ever played by a younger performer. In the book he is around 20 years old. And if you want to get even more exact, he’s most likely 19 years old. During his trial (Book Six, Chapter One) Quasimodo says that believes he will be 20 on Saint Martins’ Day which is November 11th and the events of novel are roughly between January to July of 1482.
So it looks this version is going to take a lot of liberties with the story both figuratively and historically in effort to differentiate itself from the other versions. Even though it’s following the trend of naming the movie after Quasimodo much like two other odd takes that have come before it, 1999’s “Quasimodo d’El Paris” and 2023’s “Quasi!”
Since 2010 there have been eight Hunchback movie productions to get announced. Only one got made and released and that was only nominally a version and technically shouldn’t even count. This is the ninth Hunchback version to be announced so again we shall see if is THE version that gets released and is marginally good. So far my expectations are quite low. But on the plus side, Content!
Any thoughts or feeling on this news? Are you Happy with the casting of Vincent Cassel as Quasimodo?
The Wednesday’s premier episode has a lot of heavy lifting to do as it has to re-re-re introduce us to the characters and set up new rules for the world that Addams inhabit.
So this was another old request which was to review Netflix’s 2022 Wednesday series. However the reason I’ve decided to review season one now is because the second season is coming out early August (at least part one) so it seems like a very good time to rewatch the show.
I have a very bad habit of not rewatching shows prior to the release of a new season because I’m under a false impression that I remember the show well enough from my intentional only watch through and I don’t. Example of my false sense of a of great memory would be Arcane and Andor.
So anyway Wednesday Season One review is a go and I think I’m going to aim for an episode a week but we shall could change that. Also of course these posts will be on Wednesdays.
Now for background preamble. I wouldn’t exactly say I’m big fan of the Addams’ Family but I do enjoy their kooky macabre antics. I love the Addams Family Values movie, I quote that movie a lot, and I have seen a few episodes of the 60s show and enjoyed it. I also had a pet named after one of the characters, I shall remain mysterious on which one character. So I do enjoy The Addams Family and their spooky antics, just not a massive major super fan.
I will FULLY admit at first I did not have high expectations for a Wednesday lead show as part of Addams Family’s core identity is that they are a weird eccentric family playing off “normal” society and a satirical reflection of American values. Also they are that they are not some kind of supernatural/cryptid in origin. They could be but that’s not the overall point of the characters or the humor. Separating the family is antithesis of the origin concept and the plots of the 90s movies. So the concept for a Wednesday Addams centric show that had shades of Harry Potter didn’t sound appealing, so I was going to pass on it.
BUT when it came out the word of mouth was positive so I did watch it and enjoying it at the time. I did and still do have criticism of it but we’ll get to those later and I will try to have an open mind.
Will it be better than the first watch or will the mystique be gone?
This suggestion was given back in March 2024, I’m just a forgetful procrastinator.
Calahan Skogman’s name does pops up for Phoebus fan-casts, and does seems that people are spilt on him but then again Leo Tolstoy has two votes for Phoebus so I don’t think mycast is the best metric or maybe Tolstoy would have been a great Phoebus, we will never know.
Also this suggestion is more skewed towards the Disney version of Phoebus which is a blond romanesque aesthetic, owning to his name rather than the novel. The novel is rather vague on Phoebus’ looks other than he’s handsome and has Burgundian mustache (Book 2 Chapter 4.) However it’s worth pointing out that most, if not all, Phoebus actors prior to the Disney version had darker hair and Phoebus actors post Disney are blond even though there are all but two them (1997 and 1999). So Skogman’s fan-cast is Disney live action version minded which most of the fan-casts seem to be anyway.
So would Calahan Skogman make a good opinion for Phoebus – Disney version or otherwise? As of right now Skogman is only really known for his role of Matthias Helvar in Netflix’s Shadow and Bone. Oddly Skogman is one of the only actors in that cast who is American though he using a “Scandinavian-like” accent. Side note still salty about the show and the spin-off getting canceled. Also side note, the first time I watched Shadow and Bone, I loved Matthias and Nina’s (Danielle Gilligan) storyline.
Matthias is not at all like Phoebus, he starts off a by-the-book prudish guy who falls in love with the enemy. He also quite religious and is falsely imprisoned – seems a bit more like Esmeralda the Phoebus. However one shouldn’t judge an actor based on one role. Is Skogman convincing a Matthias? Yes. Does he seem like he can act? Yes, he has MFA in acting so I should hope he can. So he more than likely could play a version of Phoebus.
However as previously mentioned the suggestion for Skogman as Phoebus seems to be for a Disney version Phoebus which is quite different from the novel as Disney Phoebus is nobler/heroic and has moral compass. Given his role as Matthias and Skogman’s build and looks he defiantly has a good overall look for a “Disney-like” version of Phoebus. I hesitate to say the Disney live-action version since that version has been shelved but some versions of Phoebus are depicted more favorably than the novel so he could work well in the role and he deserve another high-profile role.
So yes, Calahan Skogman would be an great pick for Phoebus. But what do you think?
I did consider doing a post on fan-casting using the Shadow and Bone cast, much like the one I did for the Bridgerton cast. Still might but as was previously stated I’m a procrastinator.
Also you can leave suggestions for a fan-casting in the comments.
A while ago well I did a post on Vincent Cassel for Frollo, and someone suggested in the comments that Deva Cassel, his daughter, would make a good Esmeralda, though with a different person playing as Frollo obviously.
Flash forward till now, recently Netflix released a mini series version of The Leopard (Il Gattopardo) based on the 1958 novel by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa. The novel was made in a highly-acclaimed movie in 1963. Now I have never read the book or seen the movie but the costumes are lauded very highly so it’s been on my radar. So when I learned there was a new version on Netflix I watched it and Deva Cassel’s involvement was bonus for the purposes of a fan-cast.
Deva Cassel herself is the daughter of Vincent Cassel and Monica Bellucci, so she defiantly luck out in the genetic pool department.
I’m starting to get a little hesitant with fan-casting Esmeralda because how depictions of her character and back-story have shifted over time and representation. If she is to be a member of a specific group of people than casting should be more reflective of that choice made by a production. If and it’s a BIG if a version were to go for more by-the-book approach to Esmeralda’s backstory OR if the production wanted to emulate Gina Lollobrigida’s Esmeralda in some kind of subterfuge then I could see Deva Cassel fitting the role. I think she works in a very narrow specific chaprarization of Esmeralda.
As far as acting goes, she is still rather inexperienced. Prior to The Leopard she has three other credits with one being released later this year and the other being the voice of Ennui in the Italian dub of Inside Out 2. So it’s hard to gauge how she would play Esmeralda. But given her role in The Leopard as a sultry ambitious young lady, Angelica Sedara she seems to have only one look which is sultry and alluring. She either needs more experience acting, more direction or more acting classes. It’s hard to judge since Angelica comes off as sexy yet cool and Esmeralda should be effortless and warm.
Though I guess she did fine voicing Ennui but again Ennui lacks warmth, that just the role.
Deva Cassel is no doubt very striking and beautiful and given the type of Esmeralda, she could be a good fit for the role. I just would hope she could pull off Esmeralda’s personality, or maybe the production would just curtail the role for her style.
Though if you do watch The Leopard, there is a love triangle that is similar, not exact, to the Esmeralda, Phoebus and Fleur de Lys dynamic. It’’s definitely a classic love triangle trope to be sure.
I was so sad when I got the email back in April that Netflix was discontinuing the red envelopes. I still had the service for many reasons. So it’s bittersweet now that it’s over.
Around the time of Netflix’s announcement, I was getting DVDs of a show. I had to get the discs from Netflix because the show was removed from HBO’s (Max) online catalogue. Oddly I had an impulse to to watch it back in 2020 but due to very personal issues I didn’t feel like mentally I could handle watching the show then because I saw one weird/violent clip from season 2 and deemed it too much for me then but not in December 2022 when I was ready but it was taken off the site. Not sure why I’m being cagey about which show, it’s obvious. And to make it more obvious I only watched the first two seasons……
So basically around early summer I tried to rent the backlog of DVDs that had on my queue that had been sitting there for years. There wasn’t that many but I’m sad to say I didn’t get to all them I missed out on four movies but two are easy enough for me to stream, at least for now.
So here are my very brief thoughts on the last 6 DVDs (roughly) I got from Netflix. I’m not including one that is for another post, or the final DVD since I got that as one intended to keep or the single bonus disc I got which oddly I added super last minute. I am grateful that I even got a bonus disc since I saw on reddit that many people didn’t but I was hoping for more.
Let me know if you have seen any of these titles…
The Sea is Watching – The was screenplay was based one written by Akira Kurosawa before he died. It’s a Japanese romance drama about two prostitutes who work at a brothel by the sea. Both ladies have very different attitudes and hopes about men and relationships. I did not love this movie but the ending did have some gorgeous and nearly poetic imagery so that is a plus.
Persepolis – A friend of mine recommended this one to me. It the movie is based on graphic novel. I really could beat myself up for not watching this one sooner because I loved this movie. The animation is stunning and the story is poignant and bittersweet.
Cleopatra (1934) – I watched this for costume reasons since Cleopatra’s costume in movie are so fabulously Art Deco. The story is pretty simplistic but the production is over-the-top and very theatrical.
The Well-Digger’s Daughter – This one was recommended via a comment I received in 2022. This movie shocked me. I have seen quite a few French movies set during WWI and I have never seen one that has a happy ending. I enjoyed this movie but I was ready for this movie to be depressing or at best have a bittersweet ending and it did not.
Princess Raccoon – Also known as Operetta Tanuki Goten. I can’t even recall how this movie got on my list. It was a type of movie that would have added randomly like decade ago though. But how did current me like it? This movie is beyond weird but very delightfully weird. It’s a very surreal musical with very symbolic approach to its visual style. It’s like an inscrutable dream. I throughly enjoyed it. I might just have a soft spot for overly theatrical stylized movies….. screw verisimilitude. I kid, verisimilitude has its place in cinema.
Ram-Leela – I used to enjoy Bollywood movies but the last few I tried to watch I quit mid-way through and Ram-Leela was no exception. I vastly disliked it. Listen, we all have a finite amount of time on this blue marble hurtling through space, so do not waste that time on movies that you do not even slightly enjoy. And owing to that one truth I turned off this movie and got it away from me. It was empowering!
Farewell sweet red envelopes. I will miss getting them and then ignoring them for months.
Reem Kherici as Juliette and Nicolas Duvauchelle as Mathias
Basically this is a French Wedding Planner. You know how it goes, the wedding planner falls in love with the groom but instead of a meet-cute where they have some sexual tension here they have a one-night stand at a costume party. Sure, whatever. Also to add more conflict in the mix the wedding planner/mistress (movie’s word), Juliette and the bride-to-be, Alexia were childhood class mates and by that I mean Alexia was a pretty rich blond mean child and Juliette was fat and poor.
So there is the dynamic of the characters, unfortunately it’s all presented as very shallow and artificial, like this movie needed another round of rewrites and editing to the screenplay. Aside from Juliette’s connection to her childhood/inner child and her alcoholic mother nothing about that seems to impact her life or personality, she seems pretty together and confident.
There is nothing to really suggest that Mathias, the groom, is at all unhappy being with Alexia except that he has been with her for five years but didn’t think of marriage until Alexia found Juliette’s professional card in his pocket and assumed they were getting married. Alexia is a sort of bitchy and shallow but not deserving of Mathias’ wishy-washy/lukewarm attitude. Really it’s just bad character development.
For instance the movie tells us that Mathias doesn’t have a family, ok fine but what happened to them? Are the dead or was there a falling out? I he going to reveal the truth to Juliette there by strengthening their connection? Nope, it’s a taboo subject never brought up again. He might has well have a family if it’s not important to the plot otherwise why bring it up? The movie isn’t at all that interested in flushing out the characters and their interactions beyond smiling, drinking and the wacky antics they get into.
Which bring us to the humor. Now French humor is a little different, they like misfortune to happen to other people, other people’s pain is funny and BOY does this movie take that and run with it, with train and throws it over a cliff and then breaks its teeth just for good measure. And here are some that occur in the move; Mathias is forced into kissing a man to keep his trite with Juliette a secret, a Bride’s gets her mouth smashed during her wedding after a cross falls on her, Alexia is hit in the face with a tennis ball and breaks for front teeth, Alexia’s father’s prized wine collection is broken by Juliette as she tries to hide after her Mathias are nearly caught having sex again in Alexia’s father’s house, and many more with one being so awful I nearly stopped the movie. This is a style humor that I don’t find very funny but maybe if the characters were better it could have worked. Like I didn’t care that Alexia got her teeth smashed in. There was no feeling it, it was supposed to be funny but that joke land on it’s face much like that random bride whose face was literally smashed which was also not funny.
While I did finish this movie it wasn’t good or enjoyable. Perhaps if you want just a mindless movie to fill the void for a little over and hour then if’s a fine but you could want anything else and get the result with your time.
Site Note– While I ‘m happy I at least did the four reviews I set out to do this month but it came down to the wire. While like the idea of reviewing random movie streaming on Netflix I don’t think I will continue. I had mentioned reviewing French Musical in during the month of August, as I have wanted to do that for a while, the truth is my August is looking busy so I’m going to hold off on that for now. In the meantime I want to at least try to do more Hunchback content even if it’s stupid, like 100 layers of Esmeralda. So no more random movie reviews for a while. Not sure how frequently I will post but I will try and post something once a week at the very least and something related to Hunchback.
Karla Souza as Maru and Ricardo Abarca as Renato ¿Qué Culpa Tiene el Niño?
I’m going to blame the fanfic I read right before I picked a movie to watch for my choice on this one. That’s right, I read something about a one night turing into something more meaningful and then I watch a 2016 Mexican movie about a one night stand turning into something meaning. Also I wanted something that was a different and not Asian/Indian Media.
And like a one night stand turning into something meaningful this movie starts as some nothing and the gets a little more complex at end when there a twist that actually makes it rather sweet.
As you might have guessed this movie is about a young professional upper class woman, Maru, who has a drunken one night stand and gets pregnant. The guy is a very young unemployed loser named Renato and he is all in on being a dad and marriage and love. Maru doesn’t want to get married to him but does due to family and societal pressures but in they end up in love and have their baby.
I haven’t’ seen many examples of Mexican movies so I can’t really rate the style of acting but it seemed fine. Maybe coming off a Bollywood where sometimes in the more mainstream movies, they tend to over-act without much subtlety, so in they were over-the-top in this movie it didn’t come across, aside from the weird musical moments but even then it didn’t seem like too much. Here the characters seemed like slight over-exaggerations of real people. They were fairly shades of gray, as in the characters had their ups and down. Were they amazing characters? No. Were they serviceable for the tone and story being told? Yes.
Was this a great movie? No. Was this a serviceable movie? Yes, I mean I finished it, that seems to be an accomplishment for me right now.
Shah Rukh Khan as Raj and Kajol as Meera, Dilwale (2015)
Sorry, this posting series has gotten away from me, much like reviewing Hunchback versions. Anyway let’s see if I can somehow watch/review two more movies before then end of July. On a better note I did at least decide on the next Hunchback version.
Anyway I hadn’t planned on reviewing another Bollywood movie since I just did one but I watched this with a friend of mine so I figured why not?
Before we get to this movie, a brief history. As a semi-casual Bollywood fan I enjoy the pairing of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. Prior to Dilwale I had seen every movie they have been toegther, which is not major accomplishment. But as a person who enjoys this pairing I was very excited to hear that in 2015 they were going to be a new movie and I had wanted to see it in theaters but then another movie came out around the same time and distracted me. That movie was Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Then I heard Dilwale sucked and I forgot all about it. That is until I saw it streaming on Netflix and I knew I should watch it. So was everyone right? Was this the worst movie with this actor pairing?
The answer is yes. I didn’t finish the movie, I’m such a pro at the whole reviewing movie thing. (I know am not.)
I was so confused by this movie. Most of the characters are terrible. Shah Rukh Khan plays Raj, I think he repairs cars or something but he used to be a gangster. He has an idiot brother who likes a boring yet conventionally attractive girl. Raj is okay with the pairing until he meets the girl’s sister, Meera. Meera and Raj had an affair 15 years ago in Bulgaria but she was in a rival gang and both their father killed each other or something. And then she shot him.
Was there anything good about the movie? I mean maybe we should just focus on the positives.
Oddly I liked that the film said they were in Bulgaria, as random as that sounds. But there is a movie called Hum Dil de Chuke Sanam, which a way better movie, but in that movie they tried, and failed, to convince the viewer that Hungry was Italy. It was clearly Budapest they went to and not Rome. So I guess kudos Dilwale for saying you filmed in a place and putting that in the story?
What else? The Shah Rukh/Kajol part of the story was better than anything with the younger couple. That should have been the movie. Their chemistry wasn’t as good as any of their other movies.
Some of the lighting was okay. It was OVERDONE in cluttering the frame but it was a nice distraction in parts.
Everything was bad. This movie was bad. If you like the pairing of these actors and want to be a completionist sure you could watch it but I would recommend the other movies they have been in. Sometimes it’s not worth being a completionist.
