[Weekly Update] March 14, 2021

Daylight saving wrecks my body. I feel old.

Did you know the 1990 was 30 years ago?

Yeah...

ABOUT THE CHANNEL

• I messed up! I thought Godzilla vs. Kong is coming to HBO Max on March 25. But no, it's only in theatres internationally in March 24. It'll come to HBO Max on the 31st.
• Due to contractual obligation, I have to make one more video this month. So instead of a movie about Godzilla vs. Kong... I'll make one about King Kong vs. Godzilla. Yes, it'll essentially be a two-part series featuring a giant ape and a fire-breathing lizard.
• We also have something very special and different for April Fool's. Lots of effort have been put into this one. Hope you look forward to it!
• One more video is planned for April. It'll either be a somewhat personal one, or a highly demanded one. I'll keep you updated on this.

ABOUT MEDIA

• Who's your favourite living director? Mine is Edgar Wright.
• There is something very magical about Edgar Wright movies. They usually aren't the most solidly constructed piece that you can watch and remember. Instead, you remember the feel more than the story itself. It's like a dream. You don't always remember what you dreamt, but you remember how you felt.
• So, let's talk about his movies.
• A Fistful of Fingers: Never actually watched this one... I know.
• Shaun of the Dead: Probably his most famous movie, Shaun of the Dead is the movie that shows Wright at his best. The editing slaps. The soundtrack slaps. The humour slaps. The concept, while nothing new, feels new. It's not as flashy as his later films, which makes it a great watch for both casual and hardcore filmgoers.
• Hot Fuzz: Hot Fuzz remains my personal favourite Wrights movie. With the amount of ways it plays with film tropes and conventions, this movie is an absolute joyride for film students and cinephiles. That unfortunately means the casual filmgoers may feel a bit less engaged. But if you have a friend who doesn't mind you talking over the movie, show them this, and explain some of the jokes for them. It's a surprisingly fun activity for a night.
• Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: Edgar Wright's most mainstream movie is also one of his most stylistic yet. While I personally didn't feel much for the story, it's the visual that pushes this movie into film study material. I can't tell you how many film students I know tried to copy this crazy color and snappy editing. And pretty much all of them fails, including me!
• The World's End: My least favourite Edgar Wright movie doesn't really mean much, because I like all of them. I just like this one the least. It's the rather lopsided story and the crazy for crazy sake ending that throws me off. In terms of humour and style, it's also in a weird position where it's not crazy enough to match Scott Pilgrim, nor new enough to differentiate itself from Shaun or Hot Fuzz. It's a nice encore of the trilogy.
• Baby Driver: This movie may be a bit too Edgar Wright. For me, it is perfect. But for someone who's unfamiliar with his style, it's a lot to take it. The dancing camera. The unstoppable momentum of the story. The color, the sound, the fantasy of it are all a lot to take in. But with so much stuff going on, it demands a lot of attention. The car chases are cool and spectacular, but not bombastic. If you are too used to watching movies that uses slow-motion to catch your attention, this movie will flew by too quick for you to enjoy. I love it, but your milage may vary.
• The Sparks Brothers: It's a documentary! You can tell it's directed by Edgar Wright... actually you can't. But you'll recognize it after I tell you that. His film style is so eccentric, it's a rather perfect fit for the subject matter.

And that is it for this week!

Lots of work ahead of me. Making two videos at once isn't easy. But I'll see you hopefully next week. In the mean time, stay safe!