The Fantasy Hall of Fame

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You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
But how about the video game?

I never played the E.T. video game, but I've heard that it's terrible. I bought it, but it's still sealed. I played games like Arkanoid and Tetris instead.

But this is one of my newest additions to my Funko Pops collection:

__________________
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If I answer a game thread correctly, just skip my turn and continue with the game.
OPEN FLOOR.



The trick is not minding
Dragon Heart
(Or oops, I forgot to write this review last night and watched a Spanish musical film called Holy Camp!)

Dragons are usually portrayed as terrifying Creatures of legend. So it was somewhat refreshing when we had one that was not only noble, but down right polite. Throw in the fact that he was voiced by Sean Connery and you would think it’s a winner.
One would think anyways......
The problem here, aside from the dialogue, which I’ll get into shortly, but the nonsensical scenes and the whole dynamic behind what is essentially a buddy movie.
Dennis Quaid plays Bowen, a man who once trained the prince, now King, who hunts down dragons and kills them. After a battle with Draco, the aforementioned dragon, they come to an agreement on a partnership. Suddenly, Draco doesn’t mind that Bowen has single handedly hunted down his kind and has left him the last of his kind. How convenient for the plot.
The dialogue is sketchy at times. Lines like “I merely chewed in self defense! But I never swallowed!”
And scenes like the one on a village where the villages, who were previously fearful of the dragon, are suddenly emboldened by the sight of an obviously faked death by Draco and decide they want to eat him. After he escapes, they then turn to Bowen and his friends and decide to I guess eat them as well? As they all in unison chant “Meat! Meat! Meat!” It’s a silly scene.
The acting is ok, for what the film is. David Thewlis as the corrupted King shows some of what we come to expect from the decent actor we know today.
Altogether, it’s much like most of the films here. Not really bad, per se, but not that good either. Hovering somewhere along the lines of mediocrity.
Sorry, I don’t mean that to be so harsh as it sounds.





@ahwell @Citizen Rules @edarsenal @gbgoodies @MovieGal
@pahaK @rauldc14 @Siddon @Wyldesyde19

Greetings, fellow travellers! With just 7 days left until our journey comes to an end, this is the last weekly update I'll summon you all to. The quest logs you completed along the way must be turned in by end of day on Saturday, September 19th. You have until dawn's first light touches the eastern seaboard Sunday morning to get those lists into my possession, or we will have failed in our task.

The results of our adventure will be posted in the town square Sunday afternoon. The exact time has yet to be determined, but the Guild Headmaster is open to suggestions from anyone who wishes to be present for the ceremony. Thanks for your time, and I hope to see you all here (and in one piece) next weekend!

ahwell - 10/10
Citizen Rules - 10/10
CosmicRunaway - 10/10
edarsenal - 8/10
gbgoodies - 10/10
MovieGal - 10/10
pahaK - 10/10
rauldc14 - 9/10
Siddon - 9/10
Wyldesyde19 - 9/10




Women will be your undoing, Pépé
finished the last two films today and will try to get reviews up tomorrow (Sunday) and my vote sent out along with them.
__________________
What I actually said to win MovieGal's heart:
- I might not be a real King of Kinkiness, but I make good pancakes
~Mr Minio







I figured I would save the best for last, Jim Hensen's The Dark Crystal is a film I didn't grow up with but decided I was going to "save" it for later in my life. And for those of you who saw Wizards know that I have an open mind for fantasy films....so I figured this would be in the running for my #1 vote.


I was let down. First the good part visually the film has incredible production values, Jim Hensen's world is fully realized and several of the puppets look amazing. But while the puppets looked great the movement was when the film fell apart to me. Normally I can disassociate the puppet from the character but for whatever reason I couldn't with this one.



I'd describe the plot but that was another issue I had with it. The movie felt like 90% world building and set up and then everything was just slapped together at the end. Almost like they couldn't film a 2nd act so they just extended a prologue for hour...it was a good pick but it just wasn't for me.



2022 Mofo Fantasy Football Champ
Kiki's Delivery Service

I like how easy and laid back this film is to watch. I like the world that this film is centered in. Kiki is a pretty good lead character, and without a doubt the cat steals the show. I love his sarcasm. I wouldn't put this among Miyazakis greats but it is a good film in it's own right. The animation is really vivid to me too, it's one of Miyazakis sharpest looking films.




Women will be your undoing, Pépé



Tideland

Jeliza-Rose: Squirrel butts don't glow.

I'm not sure if I would necessarily place this as Gilliam's darkest film, it was, for me, his most unsettling. And yet, much like many of his films, I still remained, very much, fascinated by it.
There has always been a kind of fanciful barrier between us and the Grimm Fairy Tale-like stories that are the blood flow of his films. Not here. It was stripped away, Placing us in the barren lands besides our "Alice" instead of at a safe, fantastical distance. What would be metaphorical symbolism are, instead, stark realities. Madness is not amusing eccentricities but dangerous mental illnesses. Creating an uneasiness, and at quite a few times, very palpable trepidation at what may occur next.
The safety net as been snatched away and the high wire - cut.

This is, in very equal proportions, the film's Achille's Heel and it's brightest, shining light.

I have continually enjoyed Terry Gilliam's films throughout his career post-Monty Python as he delved into his own, beginning withTime Bandits when it premiered at the movies when I was a Junior in High School. I would continually view his films as they came out from then on. Rewatching many of them. Gilliam has a deep love for both the fantastical but also for the darker imaginings of the splintered mind adorned in the fanciful.

Should he have continued with the formula; specifically the fanciful with this film?
I don't think so.
And even though I was continually uneasy throughout my viewing, I must applaud the means to the end of this dark adventure set in modern times.

I saw a review on IMDb that spoke of an opening, in B&W, much like the one in the 1930's Frankenstein, featuring Terry Gilliam informing us that "we may find the movie shocking, but that it should be seen as through the eyes of a child -- innocent."
An excellent note on how to view the film.
The version I watched did not have that and there is a part of me that was glad to be flung down the "rabbit hole" without any safety. It does give me an added appreciation after the fact.



The trick is not minding
Started LoTR last night and will finish the second half tonight after work.
Write up to follow tomorrow. Ballot probably before it.
I could probably review it now, but I prefer to watch the film before hand, even if I’ve seen it often



2022 Mofo Fantasy Football Champ
Started LoTR last night and will finish the second half tonight after work.
Write up to follow tomorrow. Ballot probably before it.
I could probably review it now, but I prefer to watch the film before hand, even if I’ve seen it often
Often feel the same way. But I have literally rewatched every film I've seen before in a Hall to get the freshest perspective



The trick is not minding
Often feel the same way. But I have literally rewatched every film I've seen before in a Hall to get the freshest perspective
Same. And sometimes it helps quite a bit.



The trick is not minding
The Lords The Ring: The Fellowship

“Is it secret?! Is it safe?!”

This film is the film that when discussing Pure fantasy films, it starts and ends with LotR.

And with good reason. This has it all. Adventure, a quest, heroes, elves, dwarves, goblins, orcs, trolls, wizards. And of course the most impressive of them all, the Balrog.*
All brought to life by Peter Jackson.
Watching it again, I pay more attention to the way he captures the mountains, the streams, the meadows and the forests. Iirc, he filmed mostly in New Zealand? I’m sure someone can chime in here.
But above all, the acting. McKellan and Gandalf got the Oscar nomination, but Viggo was also instrumental in bringing Aragorn to life. Torn by inner turmoil of a fate he feels he can’t escape.
There are a few minor quibbles here. The rivalry between Gimli and a Legolas felt forced at times, And at times certain scenes felt too long. But overall, a great film!



Watching it again, I pay more attention to the way he captures the mountains, the streams, the meadows and the forests. Iirc, he filmed mostly in New Zealand? I’m sure someone can chime in here.
Yes, it was filmed entirely in New Zealand. There was well over 100 different locations, but all of them were on the islands.



I'm heading off for the night now, but with all the ballots in, we might be able to move the reveal ahead to tomorrow afternoon instead of Sunday! No pressure ed, but it depends on when you get your Kwaidan review up.

So anyone who wants to be around for the live results should let me know what times they're available this weekend.



Women will be your undoing, Pépé
The Lords The Ring: The Fellowship

“Is it secret?! Is it safe?!”

This film is the film that when discussing Pure fantasy films, it starts and ends with LotR.

And with good reason. This has it all. Adventure, a quest, heroes, elves, dwarves, goblins, orcs, trolls, wizards. And of course the most impressive of them all, the Balrog.*
All brought to life by Peter Jackson.
Watching it again, I pay more attention to the way he captures the mountains, the streams, the meadows and the forests. Iirc, he filmed mostly in New Zealand? I’m sure someone can chime in here.
But above all, the acting. McKellan and Gandalf got the Oscar nomination, but Viggo was also instrumental in bringing Aragorn to life. Torn by inner turmoil of a fate he feels he can’t escape.
There are a few minor quibbles here. The rivalry between Gimli and a Legolas felt forced at times, And at times certain scenes felt too long. But overall, a great film!
I found myself doing the exact same thing.



Women will be your undoing, Pépé



Kwaidan

With four ghost stories taken from a book from 1904, there is definitely a serene, poetic nuance to these stories and their presentation. Even, for me, the intense moments of each of them still retained that relaxed tone. Creating a more profound parable-like story telling.

Each story, from my understanding, represents each season of the year. With a variety in connent they connect to one another through the aforementioned nuance. Told in a kind of romanticism, we are more enchanted by the atmosphere and stories, not haunted or terrified by them. And this is in no way a critique, having enjoyed that enchantment throughout.

I am quite hard put to breakdown a list of favorite to least. Each story is told very well and has a value and beauty of their very own. But, in the end, while enjoyed them all, there was something a little more special in the third, "Hoichi the Earless" with the ghosts of a great battle wishing to hear of the saga in song that I liked ever so slightly above the others.



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
I'm heading off for the night now, but with all the ballots in, we might be able to move the reveal ahead to tomorrow afternoon instead of Sunday! No pressure ed, but it depends on when you get your Kwaidan review up.

So anyone who wants to be around for the live results should let me know what times they're available this weekend.

I'm rarely home during the day on the weekends, so I won't be online until late Saturday night, (probably after 10 or 11 PM, New York time). I'll have to catch up on the results when I get home.