Author Archives: Arleigh

AMV of the Day: Cherry – Chronicles of PHOTOpanic

Posted on by Arleigh

It’s early in the morning and insomnia has hit me quite hard so might as well pick the latest “AMV of the Day”.

The latest pick is a fan-service lover’s wet dream as it highlights the more pervy side of anime. This is all in fun and another reason why anime has continued to rise in popularity. All the anime chosen by the multiple editors in this video are not what you call hentai, but all of them typical teen-focused series that just happens to have an over-abundance of panty shots and over-reliance on boobs.

There’s no other way to describe this video other than it will either sell the entertainment that is anime or swear people off of them for good. In my past experiences I’d bet on the former than the latter.

Anime: Isekai no Seikishi Monogatari, Sora no Otoshimono, Bakemonogatari, Kamen no Maid Guy,  Working!!, Hyakko,  Futurama, Rosario + Vampire,  Needless, Maria+Holic, B Gata H Kei, Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu

Song: “Cherry Pie” by Warrant

Creators: ManoD, Zevs1993, Rebellion, S.A Robert, LukW, J.Fry, Deidara94, Screenshot

Past AMVs of the Day

Song of the Day: Escape from New York – Main Theme (by John Carpenter)

Posted on by Arleigh

Just got back from watching what one would call a revisionist historical film (though I would also call it a speculative fiction) called Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Such fiction have always caught my interest. Maybe it’s the use of historical fact as the backdrop for fantastical fiction (horror, sci-fi, fantasy, etc…) that makes them fun to read and/or watch. Most tend to be average to awful, but once in awhile something great happens to come along. My latest “Song of the Day” comes from one of the great speculative fiction there is and also one of my favorite films ever: John Carpenter’s Escape from New York.

The “Main Theme” to this cult-classic is considered one of the most iconic piece of film score for a sci-fi/action film there is. The moment the synthesizer-based notes begin to play into the thumping bass line intro people know exactly what film it belongs to. It’s a testament to the creative genius that is John Carpenter that we have such a great piece of music. He didn’t just write and direct the film. He also composed the film’s score (with help from Alan Howarth) which contains the trademark synthesizer-heavy music Carpenter has made his trademark style for most of the films he’s worked on.

Trailer: Taken 2 (Official)

Posted on by Arleigh

Taken was the surprise hit of 2009 as audiences bought into Liam Neeson as the baddest of badasses. One would rarely think of him as an action-thriller hero. He’s done tough guy, man of action roles in the past but they tended to be of the mentor types. It was the Luc Besson-produced Taken that first made Neeson as a believable action hero.

The film was a simple enough revenge fare. One would thnk that the film’s ending was closure enough that a sequel wasn’t needed, but Hollywood won’t have none of that. It took a year or so, but soon enough 20th Century Fox purchased the rights to the sequel to Taken and quickly greenlit the project.

It’s now 2012 and Neeson’s former CIA black ops character, Bryan Mills, is back to do what he does best and that’s kill, torture and main (not in that particular order every time) every gangster and criminal who gets in his way as he tries to save not just his daughter (again), but his ex-wife as well as they vacation in that hotbed of spying and intrigue,

Istanbul. Luc Leterrier is not helming the sequel but another Besson protege in Olivier Megaton. Now with a name such as Megaton one should expect some explosive action and the trailer hints at such. Here’s to hoping that the film doesn’t go too overboard with the killing and maiming and torturing (again not in that order when they occur each and everytime).

Taken 2 is set for an October 5, 2012 release date.

Trailer: Wreck-It Ralph (Official)

Posted on by Arleigh

I had heard about this upcoming CG animated film from the Disney Animation Studio but since it wasn’t being done by Pixar I paid no mind to it. This changed today after site co-founder Lisa Marie Bowman linked me to the first official trailer to Wreck-It Ralph.

After watching the trailer to this upcoming animated film that looks to have been created by people who understands the nostalgia gamers of my generation have for the older games of our youth. It seems like the film was made for gamers of my generation. I definitely had a huge grin on my face as well-known video game characters from days past appeared in the trailer. It’s going to be interesting to find out how Disney was able to pull off putting into one film so many characters from so many different video game publishers like Nintendo, Capcom, Atari, etc…

Wreck-It Ralph is set for a November 2, 2012 release date.

Trailer: Dredd 3D (Official)

Posted on by Arleigh

In 1995 Sylvester Stallone put up on the big-screen a film adaptation of a sci-fi property that has a fan following as rabid as any sci-fi franchise there is. I am talking about the character of Judge Dredd which calls the British comic book anthology series 2000 A.D. it’s home for the past 35 years and counting. The Stallone production was just awful from start to finish.

It’s now 2012 and we have what one can only call a reboot of the Judge Dredd film from 1995 but with screenwriter Alex Garland (28 Days Later, The Beach) writer the script and Pete Travis behind the director’s chair. Instead of Stallone reprising the role of the iconic Judge Dredd the job goes to genre vet Karl Urban (Lord of the Rings trilogy, Bourne Supremacy, Star Trek). We even get Lena Headey as the film’s main antagonist in drug crimelord of Mega-City One called simply by the moniker of Ma-Ma.

The first trailer shows some interesting design choices that veers away from the neogothic dystopian look of the comics and the overly comic book feel of the Stallone production. The look of Mega-City One and the film in general seems to be more akin to District 9. Another good thing the trailer shows and hopefully the film will follow through on is Urban never once taking off the Judge helmet his character wears in the film. Never once has Judge Dredd removed his helmet in the comics and if there was ever one heresy fans of the property would cry foul over it’s the character being seen helmet-less.

Here’s to hoping that this grittier take on the Judge Dredd property goes a long way in erasing the abomination that was the Stallone production.

Dredd 3D is set for a September 21, 2012 release in the UK and soon after everywhere else.

Trailer: The Dark Knight Rises (Nokia Exclusive)

Posted on by Arleigh

Marvel Studios’ The Avengers has been the runaway, blockbuster hit of 2012’s summer film season. The film has also become the film which detractors of Christopher Nolan’s third and final entry in his Dark Knight trilogy put up as the film to beat this summer. I like the fanboy enthusiasm that always comes out of the shadows whenever comic book films battle it out during the summer blockbuster season year in and year out, but I will say that instead of pitting the two mega-hits against each other fans of the comic book genre should embrace both because just around the corner will be the average to awful comic book films.

With just a month to go before the film’s release we get a new trailer (this one a Nokia Exclusive) for The Dark Knight Rises which looks to emphasis the action of the film where the previous trailers and teasers concentrated more on keeping the film’s story a secret. I’ve looked at these series’ of trailers and ads for the film like another of Nolan’s previous films with The Prestige. The first trailers and ads I see as the “The Pledge” from the film’s creators that hints at the grandiose event we’re going to be witness to. This latest trailer acts like “The Turn” as we see the magician performing the trick of this latest film giving the audience a bit more flash and pizzazz (maybe some misdirection as well to keep the story secret until the film’s release). For The Dark Knight Rises it will be on opening weekend when we finally see “The Prestige” that closes out (hopefully with critical-acclaim) Nolan’s turn as the caretaker of the Batman film franchise.

The Dark Knight Rises is set for a July 20, 2012 release date.

AMV of the Day: Remember My Name

Posted on by Arleigh

I’ve been looking for a new AMV that was very recently made (usually means in the last 3-4 months). Finding a good AMV is looking looking for anything creative. One must go through the dreck and dross before finding that diamond in the rough. One of the more recent ones that definitely qualifies as a gem makes it as my latest “AMV of the Day”.

“Remember My Name” is a Sheryl Nome-centric anime music video. Sheryl Nome is one of the main characters in the Macross Frontier series of anime (both tv series and OVA) and who also happens to be one of the most popular female characters in anime of the last couple years. At first I wasn’t too keen on the music used when I heard the first few moments then I realized the song used by the video’s creator (VivifxAMV) wasn’t just titled fame, but was actually a cover of the classic theme song from the film and tv series of the same name. This time around the song was covered by Naturi Naughton (have no idea, but she definitely killed it) and as I watched the video more to its conclusion the more I ended up really loving it.

The song really fits the character of Sheryl Nome very well. Sheryl is what one would call an idol in Japanese pop culture. Meaning she sings, dances, models and does everything else entertainment-wise while being managed by a powerful figure behind-the-scenes. Idols are huge is Japan and the only Western comparison I can make will be someone like Britney Spears and her ilk but ten times bigger in popularity in their home region.

“Remember My Name” is a great AMV of 2012 and my choosing of it for this on-going feature means I’ve also discovered a new AMV artist who I plan to follow closely with each new video made.

Song: “Fame” by Naturi Naughton

Creator: VivifxAMV

Past AMVs of the Day

Song of the Day: Wicked Game (by Chris Isaak)

Posted on by Arleigh

With the return of True Blood with a new season on HBO over the weekend meant the return of Jace Barrett’s theme song for the show. “Bad Things” is the theme song that almost everyone knows now whether they like the show or not. It’s a sexually suggestive and charged country song that also doesn’t rely on vulgar lyrics. The fact that it’s a country song is quite a surprise. But that’s not the song I picked for latest “Song of the Day”. Nope, the song I’ve chosen is what I’d call the precursor to the True Blood theme song: Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game”.

This song was originally released in 1989 as part of Isaak’s Heart Shaped World album, but didn’t reach pop hit status until it was chosen to become part of David Lynch’s Wild at Heart film in 1990. Constant request and radio airplay put the song into top ten hit status in early 1991 and it’s become one of those so-called “sexiest songs list” people tend to create. It’s a label that’s well-earned especially with the accompanying Herb Ritt’s directed black-and-white video starring Chris Isaak and supermodel Helena Christensen rolling around topless on the sand and surf of the beach setting.

I’ve always thought of this song as one of those everyone man should have in their playlist at their place. It’s a song that’s definitely earned the title of “song to close the deal”.

Wicked Game

The world was on fire and no one could save me but you.
It’s strange what desire will make foolish people do.
I never dreamed that I’d meet somebody like you.
And I never dreamed that I’d lose somebody like you.

No, I don’t want to fall in love (This world is only gonna break your heart)
No, I don’t want to fall in love (This world is only gonna break your heart)
With you (This world is only gonna break your heart)

What a wicked game to play, to make me feel this way.
What a wicked thing to do, to let me dream of you.
What a wicked thing to say, you never felt this way.
What a wicked thing to do, to make me dream of you and,

I want to fall in love (This world is only gonna break your heart)
No, I want to fall in love (This world is only gonna break your heart)
With you.

The world was on fire and no one could save me but you.
It’s strange what desire will make foolish people do.
I never dreamed that I’d love somebody like you.
And I never dreamed that I’d lose somebody like you,

No, I want to fall in love (This world is only gonna break your heart)
No, I want to fall in love (This world is only gonna break your heart)
With you (This world is only gonna break your heart)
No, I… (This world is only gonna break your heart)
(This world is only gonna break your heart)

Nobody loves no one.

AMV of the Day: Futuristic Lover (Bakemonogatari)

Posted on by Arleigh

It’s been almost a week since my last “AMV of the Day” entry and it’s time for a new one. My latest pick is short but it’s a really good one. To better tie it with pantsukudasai56 and his last post about how everyone should be watching the anime series Bakemonogatari this video is all about that anime.

It’s interesting how songs from singers and bands I usually wouldn’t be listening to would end up being ideal for making anime music videos (AMV). One such singer is Katy Perry whose songs remain quite popular with AMV creators. I’ve already profiled two AMV’s that uses Katy Perry songs with I Heart Tsundere and Fairy Tail Teenage Dream. This time around it’s a less pop sugary Katy Perry song with “E.T.” being used by creator OkamiRvS for the video “Futuristic Lover”.

The video is barely over an minute in a half and only uses part of the song used, but the overall effect of the video doesn’t suffer from it’s short length. In fact, I have a feeling extending the video to the length of the song’s full playtime would’ve made the AMV not as awesome. I like how even in the video’s short runtime OkamiRvS was still able to convey the supernatural theme of Bakemonogatari not to mention the weird harem-like relationship the series’ protagonist, Araragi, have with the different girls he encounters under some weird circumstances.

Definitely one of my favorite videos of 2011 (even though I only discovered it recently).

Anime: Bakemonogatari

Song: “E.T.” by Katy Perry

Creator: OkamiRvS

Past AMVs of the Day

Trailer: Django Unchained (Official)

Posted on by Arleigh

If there’s a film arriving this year that’s bound to be hyped up by both fanboys and critics alike it would be the latest from Quentin Tarantino. Django Unchained will be his ode to the spaghetti westerns of the 60’s and 70’s. The title of the film alone owes much to Sergio Corbucci’s own spaghetti western, Django.

The trailer first premiered simultaneously over at Fandango and Movies.com and the amount of times the trailer has been reposted over the blogosphere just shows how much people have been waiting for anything about Tarantino’s western when it was first announced. I know that pretty much most everyone here at Through the Shattered Lens have been anticipating this film especially co-founder Lisa Marie Bowman.

I’d describe the trailer itself, but it’s better just to watch it. I’m sure Lisa Marie squealed a bit when two Django’s met near the end.

Source: Movies.com