In 2015, a little film from Lionsgate came out during that time between the summer blockbuster and the awards seasons. It’s sort of the time of the cinematic year when a film is not good enough to be a blockbuster and not enough pedigree to be seen as awards-worthy.
This film was John Wick and it starred Keanu Reeves. It was also directed by two filmmakers more well-known for choreographing fights and action scenes than a full feature film.
John Wick had the last laugh as it surpassed everyone’s expectations to become one of the best action films of recent memory. It helped resurrect Keanu Reeves as a bonafide action star once again.
At this year’s New York Comic-Con the first teaser trailer for the second chapter of the John Wick story dropped to the howling delights of all attending.
We still have to wait until 2017 for John Wick: Chapter 2, but until then let’s stare in awe at John Wick doing what he does best.
It’s that time of the year when all things dark, terrifying and horrific invades the halls and corridors of Through the Shattered Lens.
While many who hear the term magical girl and colorful-costumed girls fighting evil won’t think dark and disturbing well they’d be dead wrong. The magical girl genre of Japanese animation have always had that undercurrent of darkness which makes these so-called kiddie anime series more adult than that many people realize.
In 2011, the magical girl anime series Puella Magi Madoka Magica (aka Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica) came out and it finally explored that very undercurrent of darkness in the magical girl genre that people discussed about. The series was still cute, but also disturbing in how it explored the cost these teenage girls would incur in gaining magical abilities to fight evil.
The latest AMV of the Day takes Madoka Magica (especially the three films which followed the series) and it’s two lead character in Homura Akemi (girl with the dark hair) and Madoka Kaname (girl with the pink-hair) and their very complicated relationship that transcends not just their friendship, but time and divinity itself.
What better song to pair up with Madoka Magica but none other than “Seven Devils” by Florence + The Machine.
Today’s mini-trifecta of Sharon den Adel ends with her as the latest “Hottie of the Day.”
We started this trifecta with the latest “AMV of the Day” (Moonlight Requiem) with an anime music video using the Within Temptation song “See Who I Am” which she sings. Then followed up with the song itself as the latest “Song of the Day” (already profiled has been two past Within Temptation songs: “Faster” and “A Demon’s Fate”).
Now we have Sharon den Adel herself. She joins the other two metal songstress featured before with Simone Simons of Epica and Doris Yeh of Cthonic.
Sharon is not just a beauty, but a classically-trained mezzo-soprano which lends Within Temptation it’s overall melodic sound. She’s more than able to hold her own in the male-dominated heavy metal scene. She’s also one of the band’s main songwriters (her longtime partner Robert Westerholt being another) and an accomplished fashion designer. Her fashions lean toward the gothic and one can see her wearing any one of said designs onstage during their global tours.
Sharon den Adel is another example of the gems one can find in the raw and brutal world of metal.
Symphonic metal stalwarts Within Temptation was first introduced to me not by resident metal expert necromoonyeti, but through an anime music video first witnessed at Anime Expo 2010. The video was “Alchanum” and while the anime used, Fullmetal Alchemist, was entertaining enough it was the song used that hooked me in. That song and the latest “Song of the Day” is “See Who I Am” from Within Temptation’s full-length album The Silent Force.
From that moment forward I’ve been an ardent follower of Within Temptation. There’s just something about the melding of metal and that of an orchestral symphony that just makes perfect sense. I’m more than satisfied with the raw, brutal, speed and guttural melodies of what many outsiders consider heavy metal (how wrong they can be), but symphonic metal just does it for me.
And for those who think heavy metal (and all it’s many subgenres) are all about angry dues with long, unwashed hair or tatted up to no end should be surprised to see that Within Temptation’s singer is a classically-trained mezzo-soprano by the name of Sharon den Adel.
See Who I Am
Is it true what they say? Are we too blind to find a way? Fear of the unknown Clouds our hearts today.
Come into my world, See through my eyes. Try to understand, Don’t want to lose what we have.
We’ve been dreaming But who can deny? It’s the best way of living Between the truth and the lies.
See who I am, Break through the surface. Reach for my hand, Let’s show them that we can Free our minds and find a way. The world is in our hands, This is not the end.
Fear is withering the soul At the point of no return. We must be the change we wish to see.
I’ll come into your world, See through your eyes. I’ll try to understand, Before we lose what we have. See who I am, Break through the surface. Reach for my hand, And show them that we can Free our minds and find a way. The world is in our hands This is not the end.
We just can’t stop believing Because we have to try. We can rise above their truth and their lies.
See who I am, Break through the surface. Reach for my hand, Let’s show them that we can Free our minds and find a way. The world is in our hands. See who I am, Break through the surface. Reach for my hand, And show them that we can Free our minds and find a way. The world is in our hands.
This is not the end.
I hear their silence Preaching my blame. Will our strength remain If their power reigns?
See who I am, Break through the surface. Reach for my hand, And show them that we can Free our minds and find a way. The world is in our hands. See who I am, Break through the surface. Reach for my hand, And show them that we can Free our minds and find a way. The world is in our hands.
It’s almost that time of the years when Through the Shattered Lens switches gears and goes into full dark fantasy and horror. While there will be the smattering posts that doesn’t dabble in all things dark and scary, it’s a month that’s become a yearly tradition and one that several writers on-site seem to enjoy. Though no one enjoys October at Through the Shattered Lens more than co-founder Lisa Marie Bowman. She’s the dark mother to all the writers at the site.
While it’s still not that month of darkness here’s a small taste of the sort of dark themes many of the posts will end up having during October.
The latest AMV of the Day comes courtesy of video creator Chiisus. The video manages to take the dark aspect of what too many outsiders to the anime scene as a light and kiddy cartoon: Sailor Moon Crystal.
This particular amv (anime music video) is titled Moonlight Requiem and combines the more dark fantasy side of Sailor Moon Crystal with the symphonic metal band’s Within Temptation and the melodic vocalizing of it’s frontman Sharon den Adel. The song chosen by Chiisus is one that many other amv creators have used in the past: “See Who I Am.” In fact, it’s the song to one of my all-time favorite anime music video: “Alchanum” by Rider4Z.
This time the song is used for Sailor Moon Crystal and, boy, if the song doesn’t fit in well with the scenes chosen for the video.
This weekend saw the release of season 2 of Netflix’s Narcos series. Why is this relevant to the series called “Hottie of the Day.” Well, I’m glad someone asked.
It has no bearing in this series other than the show continued to highlight one of Colombia’s finest export to the rest of the world. No, I am not talking about that product made from coca leaves. I’m talking about some of the most beautiful women in the world that seems to thrive in this South American state (in addition to it’s neighbors of Venezuela and Brazil).
Lina Posada is the latest to grace the site (past profiles include the Davalos twins, Daniela Tamayo and Sandra Valencia) and just like her predecessors she also has her claim to fame being the face of Colombian lingerie brand Besame. She has grown her talents beyond the modeling world and has appeared in music videos such as Don Omar’s “Taboo” which played near the end of the action film Fast Five. She has also dabbled in designing a line of fashion ranging from evening dresses to the aforementioned lingerie.
Ms. Posada has since moved from her native Colombia to the United States (Los Angeles to be specific) to help branch out her brand to the rest of the world.
For the past decade or so, Marvel Studios has had a major presence in Hall H of San Diego Comic-Con. They’ve made it a point to hype up their upcoming films. From their very first one with Iron Man all the way back in 2007 to this year’s upcoming Doctor Strange and next year’s Spider-Man: Homecoming and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. One film coming out next year that only got a sizzle reel of concept art was Thor: Ragnarok. By the time of San Diego Comic-Con the film had only been filming for a couple weeks so any usable footage wasn’t ready to be shown.
Taika Waititi, the film’s director, decided that a sizzle reel of concept art for the film wouldn’t do and ended up filming a short 3-minute mockumentary detailing the whereabouts of one Thor Odinson during this past summer’s Civil War event. People who attended the Hall H presentation were raving about this short film and now the rest of the world gets a chance to see it as Marvel Studios have released the footage for all to experience.
One cannot reminisce about the 80’s music scene without including the biggest (and most dangerous) band of that decade. Well, the band and it’s handlers sure thought of them that way. The band I speak of is Guns N’ Roses. this was the band that dared to put the word hard back into hard rock after the glam metal scene began to turn it into a joke.
Nothing against glam metal. Mötley Crüe was and is a favorite rock band of the 80’s for me. Yet, even they succumbed to the hairspray overload that glam metal would turn into. These bands became more about their look (especially in their music videos) than actually playing good music.
Guns N’ Roses still had the teased hair, but their music when they released their Appetite for Destruction album was a breath of fresh air in the hard rock scene and would grab glam metal fans from the vapors of hairnet spray into the dark, dingy bluesy lounges and then the overwhelming open air arenas.
I’ve already featured two of the bands most famous tracks from their first album, “Welcome to the Jungle” and “Sweet Child o’ Mine”, so it’s time to give their third biggest hit from this album time to shine.
“Paradise City” is a place we all should aspire to visit.
Paradise City
Take me down to the paradise city Where the grass is green and the girls are pretty Take me home (Oh, won’t you please take me home?)
Take me down to the paradise city Where the grass is green and the girls are pretty Take me home (Oh, won’t you please take me home?)
Just an urchin livin’ under the street I’m a hard case that’s tough to beat I’m your charity case so buy me somethin’ to eat I’ll pay you at another time Take it to the end of the line
Rags to riches or so they say You gotta keep pushin’ for the fortune and fame You know it’s, it’s all a gamble when it’s just a game You treat it like a capital crime Everybody’s doin’ their time
Take me down to the paradise city Where the grass is green and the girls are pretty Oh, won’t you please take me home, yeah, yeah?
Take me down to the paradise city Where the grass is green and the girls are pretty Take me home
Strapped in the chair of the city’s gas chamber Why I’m here, I can’t quite remember The surgeon general says it’s hazardous to breathe I’d have another cigarette but I can’t see Tell me who ya gonna believe
Take me down to the paradise city Where the grass is green and the girls are pretty Take me home, yeah, yeah Take me down to the paradise city Where the grass is green and the girls are pretty Oh, won’t you please take me home, yeah?
So far away So far away So far away So far away
Captain America’s been torn apart Now he’s a court jester with a broken heart He said “Turn me around and take me back to the start” I must be losin’ my mind, are you blind? I’ve seen it all a million times
Take me down to the paradise city Where the grass is green and the girls are pretty Take me home, yeah, yeah
Take me down to the paradise city Where the grass is green and the girls are pretty Oh, won’t you please take me home?
Take me down to the paradise city Where the grass is green and the girls are pretty Take me home, yeah, yeah
Take me down to the paradise city Where the grass is green and the girls are pretty Oh, won’t you please take me home, home
Oh, I want to go, I want to know Oh, won’t you please take me home? I want to see how good it can be Oh, won’t you please take me home?
Take me down to the paradise city Where the grass is green and the girls are pretty Take me home
Take me down to the paradise city Where the grass is green and the girls are pretty Oh, won’t you please take me home?
Take me down, take me down Oh, won’t you please take me home? I want to see how good it can be Oh, won’t you please take me home?
I want to see how good it can be Oh, oh take me home
Take me down to the paradise city Where the grass is green and the girls are pretty Oh, won’t you please take me home?
I want to know, I want to know Oh, won’t you please take me home? Yeah, baby
The Rogue One official trailer finally came out after weeks of fans waiting for it since last month’s Star Wars celebration over in London.
At first, people thought the trailer would be released during the celebration, but that didn’t come to pass. Then San Diego Comic-Con came and went and still no official trailer. We already seen the teaser, the sizzle reel from London celebration and even a tv spot that aired in the last week or so. Yet, there was still no full trailer. Fans were waiting with extreme patience.
Once news came down that the first official trailer will show during the Olympics the guessing game began on which day it will be. When it was confirmed that it was to be tonight people worldwide began to wait for the trailer to premiere. And waited during each Olympic event. And waited some more. I, myself, decided I needed a nap and left orders to be awoken when it finally did show.
Well, it did show just an hour into my nap and despite being groggy from being woken up that first image of the desert planet with Forest Whitaker and Felicity Jones conversing got my full attention. The wait was long, but it was well worth it and now the wait for the film’s premiere begins.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is set for a December 16, 2016 release date.
After a week hiatus we’re back to reminiscing about and traveling the 80’s nostalgia track with another “Song of the Day” from my youth during the 1980’s.
This time it’s a power ballad from the British-American hard rock band, Foreigner. Yes, that band whose songs have become a staple of Pop 40’s and soft rock radio stations for a couple decades now were originally a hard rock band. While their popularity was never in doubt with the hard rock crowd of the late 70’s and as the decade rolled into the 80’s, it would take a power ballad to find them worldwide appeal from an audience that one wouldn’t associate with hard rock aficionados.
That song would be “Waiting For A Girl Like You” and this power ballad would be one of the band’s biggest hits and a constant requests on soft rock stations. While hard rock bands were never averse to composing power ballads for albums, they usually weren’t the major hits like their harder edged songs. With Foreigner, once the popularity of this song reached global proportions it would dramatically change the band’s future work.
They would become a band more known for their power ballads than their hard rock roots. Some fans of the early version of Foreigner probably didn’t like the change much, but the millions of new fans who did discover the band due to the never-ending radio airplay of their power ballads probably didn’t know what they were missing.
Now a new generation of music lovers will be discovering this band and this song due to the critically-acclaimed and surprise hit series Stranger Things on Netflix.
Waiting For A Girl Like You
So long I’ve been looking too hard, I’ve been waiting too long Sometimes I don’t know what I will find I only know it’s a matter of time When you love someone When you love someone
It feels so right, so warm and true I need to know if you feel it too
Maybe I’m wrong Won’t you tell me if I’m coming on too strong? This heart of mine has been hurt before This time I wanna be sure
I’ve been waiting for a girl like you To come into my life I’ve been waiting for a girl like you (waiting for a love) And a love that will survive I’ve been waiting (I’ve been waiting) for someone new To make me feel alive Yeah, waiting for a girl like you (waiting for a girl) To come into my life
You’re so good When we make love, it’s understood It’s more than a touch or a word we say Only in dreams could it be this way When you love someone Yeah, really love someone
Now, I know it’s right From the moment I wake up till deep in the night There’s nowhere on earth that I’d rather be Than holding you tenderly
I’ve been waiting for a girl like you To come into my life I’ve been waiting for a girl like you (waiting for a love) For a love that will survive
I’ve been waiting (I’ve been waiting) for someone new To make me feel alive Yeah, waiting (waiting) for a girl like you (waiting for a girl) To come into my life
(Ah)
(Ah) I’ve been waiting (Ah) Waiting for you (Ah) Ooh, I’ve been waiting (Waiting) I’ve been waiting, yeah
(I’ve been waiting for a girl like you)
(I’ve been waiting) Won’t you come into my life? My life So long (Waiting for a girl like you)
In 2015, a little film from Lionsgate came out during that time between the summer blockbuster and the awards seasons. It’s sort of the time of the cinematic year when a film is not good enough to be a blockbuster and not enough pedigree to be seen as awards-worthy.
Through the Shattered Lens 