My AMD PC Build (Obsidian)

Hello all!

Apologies for the lack of posting on this blog. No excuses; I just have not had any new ideas or content to share with you in the months since my last post. Recently, I have deconstructed my first gaming PC build and made the switch to AMD. The only components that survived were the RAM, the GPU and a couple of my M.2 NVMe SSDs. As this is my second foray into PC building, I thought it would be like riding a bicycle.

Sadly, it was not that simple.

I want to document my build for my YouTube channel but I got frustrated during the filming process, which resulted in a damaged 4K, 50 inch LED TV (a story for another time). After the devastation of that unfortunate accident, I collected myself and finally finished the build. I have included the full specifications of the build and the components down below, if you are interested.

CPU – AMD Ryzen 5 5600X (6 Cores, 12 Threads)

Motherboard – ASUS ROG STRIX B550-F Gaming

RAM – Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro SL 32GB (2 X 16GB @ 3600MHz)

AIO/Cooling – Lian Li Galahad AIO 360 RGB

Storage – Sabrent 512GB Rocket NVMe PCIe M.2 2280 SSD (for operating system and major programs)

Silicon Power 1TB NVMe M.2 Gen 3X4 2280 SSD (Games)

1TB 2.5 inch HDD for Steam/Epic/EA games and other media

GPU – ASUS ROG STRIX GeForce RTX 3050 OC Edition

PSU – Corsair RM750 (750W, 80 Plus Gold Certified, Fully Modular)

Case Fans – Lian Li UNI Fan SL120 3 Pack (Black) & 1 single pack

Case – Corsair 5000D Airflow Tempered Glass Mid-Tower ATX Case (Black)

Operating System – Windows 11 Pro, 64 bit

https://kit.co/dbrandonthomas/amd-pc-build

I am also including some videos of the PC running on its first boot with some RGB goodness. Also, there is some ASMR for fans of pulling the cellophane off of a tempered glass case.

A closer look inside the PC with some RGB goodness!🔥👌🏾💯

That peel tho…chef’s kiss 💯🔥

Movie Scenes That Made Me Cry

500 Days Of Summer is one of the most original and at times, realistic romance films in the last nineteen years. The performances of JGL and Zooey DeSchanel really make the film an instant classic, but the scene that audiences constantly analyze and discuss is the Expectations versus Reality sequence. Truly relatable and brutally honest, watching our male lead navigate the scenario that played out in front of us made the significance of the little things so very important in any relationship.

Interstellar is a film that has divided moviegoers since its release in 2014. Many applaud Nolan’s commitment to accuracy in depicting the effects of interstellar space travel and the performances, but were a bit put off by the concept of love transcending space and time. Regardless of what you may think of the film, the sequence that evokes the strongest emotional response is the scene in which Cooper views his messages from his family whom he left behind on Earth. We watch as Cooper’s emotions change from elation, sadness and guilt as the realization dawns on him that his children who have now aged from teenagers to adults resent him for abandoning them. It all comes to a head when his daughter Murphy (who was the most vocal about him leaving) is now the same age as he was when he left. Despite hating him, she still wishes for his return. The reaction from Cooper is truly heartbreaking and expounds upon the weight of Cooper’s decision to leave his family behind to save mankind. 

Schindler’s List is a haunting reminder of the atrocities that occurred during WWII and the tyrannical reign of Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich. The film’s protagonist Oskar Schindler was a businessman who thrived under the rule of Nazi Germany. Even though he had no political ties to Hitler, he seemingly had no issue with operating his factories under the stifling regime. Over the course of the film, we see his calculating personality evolve and become more invested in the lives of the men and women that worked in his factories. Once the tide of war changed and it became more difficult for him and his wife to stay, it culminates in a heartbreaking scene where Oskar feels as though he failed. He saved generations, as Sir Ben Kingsley’s character stated, but Oskar is wracked with guilt, hoping that he sell more of his worldly possessions to save more. 

UP tells a greater love story than Twilight and I dare even say Titanic. We meet our protagonist Carl as he meets the love of his life Ellie, as we observe them as young children, growing up and getting married, hopeful for a family and experiencing the heartbreak of not making that wish come true. Both Carl and Ellie had dreams of traveling but something always stood in the way of that. Their dreams were simple, but fulfilling to them and to see how the couple’s hopes and dreams were was dashed in the first eight minutes of the film truly paints a bittersweet picture as we progress through the film. 

12 Years A Slave is a difficult film to sit through, and intentionally so, as it tells the true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate NY kidnapped and sold into slavery in the South. Solomon faces extreme hardship and ridicule, despite proclaiming his freedom to his captors. Solomon finally obtains the means to leave slavery and returns home to his family, with grown children and a grandson who bears his namesake. What follows is a heartbreaking and tragic scene as Solomon apologizes for his long absence as his family comforts him. 

Mufasa’s death is the first instance in which I was confronted with mortality in fiction and life in general. When I watched The Lion King on VHS during a fall day in 1996, I was expecting a fun children’s film dealing with talking animals; what I received was a moment that truly stuck with me well after my adolescent years. I mean, who doesn’t get teary-eyed when Simba nudges the lifeless body of his father Mufasa? The real notion of death and those we leave behind is something I don’t reflect on often because it would mean I’m living in fear of it, but it becomes prevalent when a classmate/friend/acquaintance or family member dies.

In The Mood For Love is a better film and one I recommend for those interested in HK cinema, but 2046 is a worthy and beautifully haunting followup. ITMFL’s protagonist Chow Mo-wan has become a womanizing and brusque individual who doesn’t believe in love anymore, as the love of his life left him during the events of the first film. He has encounters with other women that may thaw the ice that has formed around his heart, but he can’t let go of the one who got away. Despite the obvious chemistry and attraction to Bai Ling, a nightclub girl who carries herself in a more aggressive manner than his lost love Su Li-zhen, he realizes he has grown tired of the life he has led since his emotional affair ended with Su. Chow’s realization of his pain comes near the end of the film, but at the expense of Ling, who wishes to barter for his affections.

Hugh Jackman’s last outing (pre-Deadpool 3 announcement) as Wolverine in the 2017 film LOGAN was truly memorable, visceral and haunting in terms of the typical comic book film. It was essentially a road trip film with an ailing and destitute Professor Xavier, a world weary Logan and a mysterious young girl. Set in a world that has faced a state of collapse, LOGAN was filled with your typical moments of brevity and heartwarming moments. Yet, they were soon followed by intense and shocking acts of violence that really laid bare the fractured state of our world in 2029. Interlaced with this is a heartbreaking story of a hardened and nihilistic man who has cheated death throughout his long life. His regenerative powers that helped him achieve this feat is waning due to the adamantium that has permeated his bones. During his journey, he discovers that there is a young lady who, even though she shares no relation to him, carries the promise of who he aspired to be…and much more. This frightens him, as he tries to resist the notion of being a ‘father’, with his cold and standoffish nature driving a wedge between him and the girl that shares his DNA. Logan has always strived to do the right thing when he was part of the X-Men, but there are always consequences in his willingness to act. Sadly, despite his valiant efforts to save X-23 and her friends, he loses his life, but not before sharing one vital piece of advice to his ‘daughter’: ‘Don’t become what they made you to be.’

The State of Halo

Halo.

The franchise synonymous with the Xbox brand and is arguably responsible for the global success of Xbox Live when the first game in the franchise, Halo: Combat Evolved launched on the OG Xbox on November 15th, 2001. For myself, I used my money from first part time job to purchase an Xbox, the media remote and 2 games: Star Wars Jedi Starfighter and Halo: Combat Evolved a few months after the Xbox launch.

My experience with Halo stemmed from booting up that campaign and hearing the iconic choral theme composed by Martin O’Donnell. Living in the southern part of the US (GA), I didn’t have access to broadband internet until 2010, but I was able to experience LAN parties at a friend’s house at least every 4 months, playing Halo 3, split-screen co-op, having 3 different setups in his house. Guzzling down Mountain Dew and eating pizza from our favorite local pizzeria are memories that are irreplaceable and have helped forged bonds that are still strong to this day.

Then came September 14, 2010, the final Halo game that would be developed by Bungie: Halo: Reach. When midnight releases were still a thing, I went to my GameStop (I was an employee at the time) with my core group of friends to pick up the collector’s edition of the game, which included a bulky and well made statue of Noble Team Six atop a rocky structure with weapons in hand, heading into the breach to face an unknown enemy. Once their obligations were fulfilled, Bungie handed the reins to their successor in 343 Industries to be the shepherd of the franchise going forward.

343 Industries have been in charge of the Halo franchise for over 10 years but it seems that they have more losses than wins. Let’s take a look at 343 Industries track record with their entries in the Halo franchise.

Halo 4: Decent campaign with very forgettable antagonists, multiplayer felt too much like an attempt at beating COD at its own game.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection: Abysmal launch, many players at beginning could not join a lobby to play multiplayer. PC/Steam launch was lackluster as well.

Halo 5: Guardians: A campaign built off hype, deceptive marketing and false promises (Hunt The Truth). The amount of enemy variety is lackluster (You will face off with one boss a total of 6-7 times). Multiplayer littered with egregious micro transactions (REQ Packs). Added controversial mechanics (Spartan Jump, Sprint).

Halo Infinite: Best campaign released by studio thus far. The gameplay loop is fun and allows for inventive ways to traverse the quasi-open world. Multiplayer is FTP but is devoid of meaningful content. Terrible DeSync with hit markers; no Couch Co-Op (a niche but integral part of the Halo franchise), Constant delays of features and seasonal updates. Broken progression system and egregious micro transactions.

With Infinite launching with less content than its predecessor in Guardians, casual and hardcore fans alike were left wondering why the rollout of content was so sparse despite Infinite’s alleged production budget was north of $500 million dollars. The challenges during each multiplayer match felt more like chores and often felt pointless due to the little amount of experience (XP) was given for completing each one. The battle royale like game mode ‘Last Spartan Standing’ was implemented earlier this year but was removed from the playlist less than a month later due to low player engagement. As of today, there are only 12 maps across all available game modes.



Roadmap detailing all ‘new’ features and quality of life improvements, all subject to change.

As you can see above, the most recent roadmap for the ‘Winter Update’ and season three promises some very big and highly requested features. Features that should have been available since day one or relatively close to the game launch, but I digress. Forge will launch during the update but will not have a custom game browser, with that feature not making its debut until season three when it launches March 7, 2023. In game reporting won’t be available until then, as well as a new weapon, new equipment and 4 maps over the course of SEVEN MONTHS (November 8th to June 27th). With this roadmap came the unfortunate news that a staple feature of Halo would be canceled: Campaign split-screen Co-Op. After Halo 5: Guardians failed to launch with this feature, former studio head Bonnie Ross promised gamers that every Halo game going forward would have the feature. That promise, among many others, was broken and confidence in 343 is at a all-time low.

With the recent news of Ross’ departure (family medical issue) and the restructuring of leadership, is 343 and Microsoft making an attempt to right the ship? Will they go all hands on deck in improving Infinite or will they muster a team similar in size that is overseeing Halo: MCC to make content whilst the majority make the seventh mainline Halo game? Whatever happens next, the changes would not be seen overnight and will take considerable time before they bear fruit.

My Mid-Range Gaming PC; Codename: Paragon

Apologies for the lack of posting on this blog. Life and work has me a bit overwhelmed at the moment so this post today will be short. For any of my fellow gamers out there (whether on PC or console), this post details the current components in my gaming PC. This will probably be the last iteration of this build as I may be looking to build a new PC that can handle streaming, video editing and gaming. That may happen by the end of this year or early 2023.

My PC Specs

Case – Phanteks Eclipse P350X Compact EATX Mid-Tower Case

Motherboard – MSI MPG Z390 Gaming Plus (Intel 8th and 9th Gen) ATX Motherboard

CPU – Intel Core i5-9400

AIO – Cooler Master MasterLiquid LC240E RGB All-in-one CPU Liquid Cooler

PSU – EVGA 650 BQ, 80+ Bronze 650 Power Supply (Semi-Modular)

Memory – Crucial Ballistix DDR4 Ram at 3200 MHz (4X8GB)

Storage – Sillicon Power 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD; Sabrent 512GB Rocket NVMe M.2 SSD;1TB 2.5” HDD (2); Boot Drive – Toshiba OCZ TL100 Series 2.5” 120GB SSD

GPU – ASUS ROG STRIX RTX 3050 OC 8GB GDDR6 Graphics Card

Sins of Our Forefathers (Notes and Concepts)

Sins of Our Forefathers is a new concept for a film I’ve wanted to write for years. Horror is not my most sought after genre in terms of watching but it is a genre that is often used for up and coming filmmakers. I have pitched this idea to friends and acquaintances and they have responded quite positively.

The story so far: During the outbreak of the American Civil War, a brigand of Confederate soldiers ambush a village of Shawnee natives, killing the men, women and children and laying waste to their homes. The lone survivor is the village shaman. Devastated and enraged by the heinous attack, the shaman places a curse on the land. Whosoever decides to build on this land will meet misfortune.

Months after the attack, a group of settlers lay claim to the land and begin to build the town of Nazarene, Texas. Over the years of the town’s existence, the townsfolk are met with tragic incidents, ultimately leading to the town being razed to the ground during a catastrophic fire. At the turn of the 20th century, Nazarene is practically a ghost town until 1949, with the construction of a maximum security prison, which has a housing capacity of 1200 inmates. As expected, accidents and deaths between inmates and correctional officers began to rise.

Our story takes place in 1980, a FBI agent, who is of mixed heritage (part Shawnee, Caucasian) arriving at the prison to collect his estranged father’s remains.His father was a correctional officer for the prisoner and died under mysterious circumstances. Looking to make sense of this, our protagonist investigates and looks to find a connection to the prison and the peculiar rise in accidents and deaths.

IDEAS AND CONCEPTS

Protagonist will be of mixed heritage (Native American and Caucasian). Father (Caucasian) is a correctional officer at a prison and a veteran of WWII. Mother (Native American) was a waitress at a diner the protagonist’s father frequented. During this time in America, interracial couples were highly frowned upon, which meant that they would have to hide the fact they were together, even though they were very much in love.

The protagonist’s mother eventually moved to the state of Washington. Protagonist would spend his school years (elementary through college) there, ultimately majoring in Criminal Justice. He entered the FBI as a special agent after successfully completing the training at the FBI academy. His father would continue his work at a maximum security prison in the area. He would remain there until his death. Due to the strange circumstances surrounding his death, there are no concrete answers as to why this happened.

Visually, the look of the Native Americans that will appear at crucial moments in the story will have pale faces with black eyes (achieved through contact lenses or paint around their eyes). They will appear somber, lamenting over something. They will be wearing the clothing indicative of their tribe. No blood will be shown on their bodies but we will see the wounds that mortally injured them, whether they are by gun or other means of violence.

Overall tone of the film will be reminiscent of 1980’s The Shining and 2008’s The Happening. The violence will be visceral but will serve the story, not just for the sake of violence.

Regarding The Flash (2023)

The ongoing legal troubles facing The Flash star Ezra Miller are leaving a dark cloud over the Scarlet Speedster’s first solo film outing. My expectations were at sea level (to put it mildly), with the supposed plot leaks and bringing back a 70 year old Michael Keaton to replace Ben Affleck in a fractured DCEU. With this film being DC’s first foray into the Multiverse, it all feels like a jumbled mess that will alienate even more of the fan base.

As Barry Allen, they (Miller) have been receiving mixed responses which only began to improve after their performance in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. With the ongoing legal disputes that are surrounding the actor and their strange and concerning response to the allegations, Warner Brothers Discovery is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Pundits and critics alike have offered their suggestions on what WBD should do regarding The Flash. What is the best course of action in dealing with the alleged misconduct from one of the marquee actors leading a potential blockbuster franchise?

The rumored budget for the film, which is now scheduled to release on June 23rd, 2023 is $100 million plus. With actors such as Michael Keaton, Ben Affleck, Michael Shannon, Sasha Calle and Ron Livingston, this is an impressive ensemble cast. The film was originally going to hit theaters in November of 2022, but it was delayed. The film is, by all accounts, finished, as it has been test screened over the last few months. The most recent of which has garnered glowing reviews but no details are available in terms of positive or negative feedback. The current head of DC Films, Walter Hamada, is the lead producer of this film but due to the shock and awe tactics being implemented by WBD head David Zaslav, Hamada’s tenure is near its end (Earlier this month, WB President Toby Emmerich stepped down to focus on producing).

We have seen how allegations can drastically change one person’s career and life in a matter of seconds. While some of these high profile individuals are guilty of doing heinous things, allowing our judicial system (while very flawed) to do their due diligence seems to be a lost art. Rumors and allegations have taken the place of truth and concrete evidence. If Ezra is guilty of committing these deplorable acts, then they should be prosecuted to full extent of the law. If not, the evidence should and must serve as their shield.

I’m no legal expert but speaking as a concerned fan of Miller’s, I hope that they show themselves and face these allegations head on. I hope that they seek professional help and support while being cooperative in the legal process. Remember, it is innocent until proven guilty, not the other way around. In terms of their role as Barry Allen/The Flash, the best course of action is to allow the movie to stay intact as is, with a few reshoots to allow the film to make sense thematically. Unless Miller is absolved of any wrongdoing, I don’t think this film will have a conventional, wide release. Allow the film to be purchased on demand and release it on HBO Max after the 30-45 day theatrical window. It could potentially lessen the inevitable financial loss this movie will experience as the situation unfolds.

I genuinely feel bad for the creatives that have worked incredibly hard on this film, especially Andy Muschietti, Ben Affleck, Michael Keaton and Sasha Calle. This film had been announced back in 2014, when the first season of the CW television series premiered. Constant rewrites, director exits, COVID-19 and other issues have marred this production. I have no immediate plans to see this movie if it releases, yet as an aspiring filmmaker, I can’t help but feel a bit sad about how one actor’s legal troubles are having an adverse effect on their hard work.

The Batman, Part Two (Possible Villains and Story Elements)

Matt Reeves’ The Batman was a critical and financial success and anticipation is high for the follow up in Reeves’ planned trilogy of the Caped Crusader. The villain of the first film, The Riddler, was inspired by the Zodiac Killer, a serial killer who terrorized San Francisco in the late 60s through the early 70s. The Penguin, played brilliantly by Colin Farrell, starts as a second in command to John Turturro’s Carmine Falcone before he becomes a crime kingpin. Selina Kyle/Catwoman, played by Zoe Kravitz is portrayed as the confident, brash and sensual femme fatale that we have been well acquainted with in earlier iterations, but her chemistry with Robert Pattinson is what sells it in this film. The Joker, Batman’s greatest nemesis was also introduced in the film but shown in greater, more grotesque detail in a deleted scene. Played by Barry Keoghan, the Clown Prince of Crime is severely disfigured, with numerous welts and growing sores across his face. The signature Cheshire smile is a result of his disfigurement, akin to The Elephant Man or David Cronenberg’s The Fly.

The Joker is a potential main antagonist for the sequel, but I feel that there has been an over-reliance on the character when other members of The Dark Knight’s rogues gallery exist. With the state of Joker’s visage, I would be hard pressed to believe that Doctor Harleen Quinzel (Harley Quinn) would fall in love with him. Who (or what) could face Pattinson in the sequel?

Victor Fries/Mister Freeze – Unlikely. It would be hard to explain why a man would need to be in a cryogenic suit in order to survive within the confines of the Gotham City Matt Reeves and his team crafted. I wholeheartedly believe that a jail cell in Arkham Asylum being engineered by Hugo Strange to accommodate Fries would exist.

Doctor Hugo Strange – Likely. The revelation of Martha Wayne’s history of mental illness could case a domino effect in Bruce. The fear that he could be afflicted by a mental illness could weigh heavily on him and he would seek guidance from a reputable psychiatrist. It would be interesting to see how Bruce would interact with Strange, who has an unhealthy fascination of Batman. Could the bad doctor piece together the mystery of Batman’s identity?

Gotham District Attorney Harvey Dent – Highly Likely. With the sudden death of the previous DA Gil Colson during The Riddler’s killing spree, Mayor Real will need someone to fill the seat, someone who will take a hard stance on crime. Enter Harvey Dent, a newly married prosecutor and former Internal Affairs officer who has gone toe to toe with the GCPD in battling corruption within the precinct. Dent is a public favorite and has the conviction rate to back it up. Seeing as most, if not all of the characters in the series have some issue or exposure to trauma and mental illness, it would great to see him grapple with his alter ego, ‘Big Bad Harv’ from Batman: The Animated Series.

Thomas Elliot/Hush – Highly Likely. One of the best Batman story arcs is Batman: Hush. It centers around an old friend of Bruce’s who returns to Gotham after Bruce (as Batman) suffers a critical injury that requires brain surgery. Successful, the two of them reconnect until a tragic accident takes Elliot’s life…or so we are led to believe. Thomas Elliot bears hatred towards Thomas Wayne for the death of his father, as his mother was an alcoholic and abusive towards him. In the film, Thomas Wayne asked Falcone to intimidate the journalist in an attempt to silence him for running an article that exposed the tragic history of Martha Wayne’s family (The Arkhams). Falcone is said to have killed the journalist so if Thomas Elliot is introduced, this will still serve as ample reason for Elliot to don the Hush persona and terrorize Bruce.

Andrea Beaumont/Phantasm – Unlikely. With Selina Kyle leaving Gotham for a change of scenery, Bruce will have to be bit more sociable and in the public eye when crosses paths with the beautiful and mysterious Andrea Beaumont. The love that Beaumont and Wayne have for each other was very strong that Bruce was willing to stop his crusade to be with her.

POSSIBLE STORYLINES

The Court of Owls – This could really explore how deep the corruption within Gotham and how engrossed the Wayne and Arkham families are. A seedy, cult like organization that is pulling the strings of those in charge. It would be a massive blow to The Riddler’s confidence when he discovers that he barely scratched the surface.

The Long Halloween – The first film is somewhat inspired by the classic Batman story in regards to Selina’s parentage, but there are other threads that can be addressed and it hinges on the introduction of Harvey Dent and his wife Gilda. The subplot revolving around the Falcone and Maroni crime families as well as a new serial killer that goes by the name of ‘Holiday’ (killer only commits murder on major holidays).

The Mask of The Phantasm – A sequel based on one of the best Batman films of all time could be interesting, if handled correctly. A revenge story that tinged with romance and prospect of a family legacy that exists beyond Batman’s crusade of saving Gotham.

Heartbreaking Moments in Cinema (My Objective Opinion)

500 Days of Summer – Expectations vs Reality

Interstellar – Joseph Cooper watching his video messages

Schindler’s List – I could’ve saved more…

UP – The first 10 minutes…

12 Years A Slave – I’m sorry…

The Lion King – Mufasa’s death

2046 – ‘Let Me Borrow You’

Logan – ‘Don’t become what they made you to be.’

500 Days Of Summer is one of the most original and at times, realistic romance films in the last nineteen years. The performances of JGL and Zooey DeSchanel really make the film an instant classic, but the scene that audiences constantly analyze and discuss is the Expectations versus Reality sequence. Truly relatable and brutally honest, watching our male lead navigate the scenario that played out in front of us made the significance of the little things so very important in any relationship.

Interstellar is a film that has divided moviegoers since its release in 2014. Many applaud Nolan’s commitment to accuracy in depicting the effects of interstellar space travel and the performances, but were a bit put off by the concept of love transcending space and time. Regardless of what you may think of the film, the sequence that evokes the strongest emotional response is the scene in which Cooper views his messages from his family whom he left behind on Earth. We watch as Cooper’s emotions change from elation, sadness and guilt as the realization dawns on him that his children who have now aged from teenagers to adults resent him for abandoning them. It all comes to a head when his daughter Murphy (who was the most vocal about him leaving) is now the same age as he was when he left. Despite hating him, she still wishes for his return. The reaction from Cooper is truly heartbreaking and expounds upon the weight of Cooper’s decision to leave his family behind to save mankind.

Schindler’s List is a haunting reminder of the atrocities that occurred during WWII and the tyrannical reign of Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich. The film’s protagonist Oskar Schindler was a businessman who thrived under the rule of Nazi Germany. Even though he had no political ties to Hitler, he seemingly had no issue with operating his factories under the stifling regime. Over the course of the film, we see his calculating personality evolve and become more invested in the lives of the men and women that worked in his factories. Once the tide of war changed and it became more difficult for him and his wife to stay, it culminates in a heartbreaking scene where Oskar feels as though he failed. He saved generations, as Sir Ben Kingsley’s character stated, but Oskar is wracked with guilt, hoping that he sell more of his worldly possessions to save more.

UP tells a greater love story than Twilight and I dare even say Titanic. We meet our protagonist Carl as he meets the love of his life Ellie, as we observe them as young children, growing up and getting married, hopeful for a family and experiencing the heartbreak of not making that wish come true. Both Carl and Ellie had dreams of traveling but something always stood in the way of that. Their dreams were simple, but fulfilling to them and to see how the couple’s hopes and dreams were was dashed in the first eight minutes of the film truly paints a bittersweet picture as we progress through the film.

12 Years A Slave is a difficult film to sit through, and intentionally so, as it tells the true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate NY kidnapped and sold into slavery in the South. Solomon faces extreme hardship and ridicule, despite proclaiming his freedom to his captors. Solomon finally obtains the means to leave slavery and returns home to his family, with grown children and a grandson who bears his namesake. What follows is a heartbreaking and tragic scene as Solomon apologizes for his long absence as his family comforts him.

Mufasa’s death is the first instance in which I was confronted with mortality in fiction and life in general. When I watched The Lion King on VHS during a fall day in 1996, I was expecting a fun children’s film dealing with talking animals; what I received was a moment that truly stuck with me well after my adolescent years. Who doesn’t get teary eyed when Simba uses his head to nudge his father’s lifeless body?

In The Mood For Love is a better film and one I recommend for those interested in HK cinema, but 2046 is a worthy and beautifully haunting followup. ITMFL’s protagonist Chow Mo-wan has become a womanizing and brusque individual who doesn’t believe in love anymore, as the love of his life left him during the events of the first film. He has encounters with other women that may thaw the ice that has formed around his heart, but he can’t let go of the one who got away. Despite the obvious chemistry and attraction to Bai Ling, a nightclub girl who carries herself in a more aggressive manner than his lost love Su Li-zhen, he realizes he has grown tired of the life he has led since his emotional affair ended with Su. Chow’s realization of his pain comes near the end of the film, but at the expense of Ling, who wishes to barter for his affections.

Hugh Jackman’s last outing as Wolverine was truly memorable, visceral and haunting in terms of the typical comic book film. Moments of brevity were soon followed by intense and shocking acts of violence. Interlaced with this is a heartbreaking story of a hardened and nihilistic man, who is slowly dying and has no hope, discovering that there is a young lady who, even though she was not born from his loins, carries the legacy of who he aspired to be. This frightens him, as he tries to resist the notion of being a father, with his cold and standoffish nature driving a wedge between him and the girl that shares his DNA. Logan has strived to do the right thing, but there are always consequences in his willingness to act. Sadly, despite his valiant efforts to save X-23 and her friends, he loses his life, but not before sharing one vital piece of advice to his ‘daughter’: ‘Don’t become what they made you to be.’

Musings for April 22, 2022

Hello all! I am hoping to be more consistent in posting and updating this blog, so I decided to share some of my more recent (and SFW) thoughts that have been running around my mind for the last few days or so.

Rewatching Entourage, a comedy-drama that ran for eight seasons on HBO, made me really appreciate the show’s themes: friendship and loyalty. When one person fucks up, it really serves as a loyalty litmus test as it shows who are your real friends and who are just acquaintances. These past few months really opened my eyes to this and how I interact with others. The most important thing is to not make the same mistake again and be a better person, but also to really observe people and take note of how they react when the shit hits the proverbial fan.

I’ve been looking over some old notes I took down in notebooks over the years and they really contained some off the wall concepts and ideas. Some were related to remakes of crappy movies where I had the irrational confidence that I could do a movie better than more experienced and frankly, more talented people. I would come up with these elaborate and nonsensical ideas that sounded great in theory but would not add anything of merit to a story or a character’s arc/motivation. In the future, I may post some of those ideas so that you will see how oft-kilter I was with some of these ideas.

I want to make a short film but there are several factors that are keeping me from making it. 1.) Money – The screenplay is written but I may go back and do some rewrites to make it more cost effective. It is not a groundbreaking breaking idea and can be made for next to nothing but I want to offer my actors some compensation for their time and talents. 2.) Willing participation – Before the first draft was written, me and a group of friends were talking about energy drinks and wondered what would happen if one of these products caused people to snap into a psychotic, murderous rage. Inspired by this ridiculous idea, I went home and wrote a 7-8 (?) script that day after work. I printed out a few copies for my friends to read the next day and the consensus was that we had to shoot this project. I was galvanized by this response so I began to plan the shoot, even doing crude storyboards for shots. However, due to time and lack of interest from friends, ‘M.D.K.’ was left sitting in my file cabinet, collecting dust. I will post the first draft along with a pitch for it in the coming weeks.