Chronicles of Second Cold War. 03/26/2019.

Dragged Across Concrete.

I knew about screenwriter S. Craig Zahler before he got a name in industry by some his works. Nothing attractive were in it. Same mood I had when he became also a director and made Bone Tomahawk, which after scrutiny of materials didn’t forward me for watching. Wasn’t sure about Dragged Across Concrete, but I decided to look on it, because I like Mel Gibson as an actor and as a person (except when he said about Jews.) and Lionsgate Studios usually distributes good films.

Dragged Across Concrete is a representor of American subgenre about weekdays of simple policemen or detectives. These movies occupy dark atmosphere with try to be a realistic and law workers are usually antiheroic characters, which can act near to criminals. Behind dangerous job they’re living in financial surviving. Absent of personal happiness pushes to a crime way, which lies in robberies. Too strange that these subgenre still haven’t a name. Maybe, dark cop film – first what came from my fantasy. Routed to this kind Dragged Across Concrete made from a stone. Typical for category movie got stereotyped in everything due of both specialties of Zahler. He miscarry tries to create unfriendly world with often tensing carved rock faces. In dialogs appeares out-of-body phrases or strange comparisons, which shows green shade of an author. Zahler also demonstrates it in directing with his fails in long shots and inability work with actors as shows Jennifer Carpenter with her instantly mood changing. The film not only about a couple of cops and band of robberies with a bank goal. Sometimes it’s a critique of modern society, but only about what know everybody and without risks. You will never hear “nigga” from a white character.

I wasn’t suffer until cut of fingers of Carpenter’s heroine and no reaction on it. Her line had a strange start and differs from others in absence of patterns as Mel Gibson’s sick wife and daughter is a subject of mockery or Vince Vaughn with typical short of relatives too wants money for own wedding. It looked watchable until this scene with Carpenter, which transformed movie in trash. I had a long laugh from guns killing men by air when was empty effect in shooting to chips. Conclusion act from a scene with a key became a bad theater of funny disguises (my sympathy goes to Michael Jackson’s faces.), stone talks and empty weapons. I relaxed only on Vince Vaughn’s hero unrealistic death, because he couldn’t cope with this role and I didn’t see implementation of his character. Almost all actors frequently were well in performance (except Latin girl in beginning, but it’s Zahler’s fail.) and Mel Gibson stayed in personage even with arriving of totally worst.     

                       

Films of this subgenre usually finishes with death of antihero cops. Dragged Across Concrete isn’t surprising and, despite of logic, was following to it. Zahler made an obvious film, mentioned a few sicknesses of modern society, but didn’t look for solutions and he wondered only when nothing and standard action went to trash.                           

                                                                              

Commonsense observe of couple projects.

Everyday news of the gaming industry about announcement of a game where I will wish to play turned to years of vapidity here. It explains in facts that great studios were gone and PC-gaming on the backstage. Kickstarter allowed to many magnificent developers to return in industry, but from all projects was only one successful – Satellite Reign. Brilliant isometric real-time tactic game, which preferred origin predecessors (first of all, in absence of flaws.). Some of them still not get a release date. A classic adventure SpaceVenture from creators of Space Quest, which definitely must appear in this year. On the way to be the most expensive game Squadron 42 gives a possibility on release in 2020 due to planned beta-test on the second quarter of that year. Several projects staying in unknown for a long time. John Romero promised to make a classic FPS game (Blackroom) and the last words about it were heard three years ago. I can only sure, that he got a publisher and this’s why on question on game status he can’t give any details yet. Not every developers need in crowdfunding. A year ago, Jordan Mechner started to work on an unknown project. Wouldn’t be with Prince of Persia. However, he didn’t write that he’s working on game. Nothing new on Project IGI: We’re Going In since 2017. On the last week were announced two games. Every of them differs from other. In the first one, about how past nineties were really great with insertion of new. The second project returns of lost and can be a further for the industry. The common of both is attachment to the personal computer.

Mystery covered Quake engine game disclosed a name WRATH: Aeon of Ruin. 2019 can become a year of remind of splendor of previous decades. One of these games is aforementioned SpaceVenture, but all others are first-person shooters. I’m not enthusiastic on fifth episode of Doom (called Sigil.) from John Romero, because I don’t see a need in the story and, the most important, I never get a pleasure from a game. Whole popularity was got by existence of marketing campaign, when Wolfenstein 3D, which is really meaningful for forming of genre, didn’t. Revived 3D Realms didn’t totally glad in Bombshell, but it doesn’t change plan to play in prequel Ion Maiden pointed on the second quarter. Company had intrigued Shadow Stalkers, which had only announcement. After three years, status confirms one of the saddest – 3D Realms out from publishing. In 2017, on own website, they published a story of Raptor: Call of the Shadows on it 24th Birthday. In the end of article, they noted anniversary date on the next year and left in riddle about celebration. I don’t think that will something special, but who knows? I’m definitely know that is going to play again in this classic on 1st April. Trailer of WRATH: Aeon of Ruin didn’t hype at first watching due to very bright colors of graphics. However, I had a wish to play. I revised gameplay of other games on Quake engine and after this pretense disappeared. Synopsis of the game is match to these times and description gives needful (my favorite: capped in 666 fps.). How sweet was reading that first appearance will on PC. After this I had acquaintance with almost eleven minutes of gameplay. Graphics was too bright again for me, but on the second watching this uncomfortable feeling disappeared. Just need a time to habit or I’m thinking will be a possibility to change gamma. I didn’t immerged in satisfaction due to animation, when shoot or blade swing to the head or any part is too usually cut a hand of living dead and it hurt perception. I’ve got a pleasure from shotgun which can hit group of monsters and possibility of ricochet kill after re-watch. It wasn’t a passion from a first sight, but I never change mind to play, what I’ll do in this summer. I hope KillPixel team under excellent and experienced administration of Scott Miller will sure me that WRATH: Aeon of Ruin will a genuine fantastic game.  

Unknown for what platforms and “Is it PC exclusive?”, but VOID Interactive’s Ready or Not gives a chance to see a return of the tactical shooter. Ubisoft series rid from their hard basics and chose safety commercial methods. Bohemia Interactive never be great, but when Operation Flashpoint left to Codemasters – they buried all elements in the second game. SWAT series has only wonderful in SWAT 3: Close Quarters Battle. Sierra was developing a promising continuity SWAT: Urban Justice, but Vivendi killed their project for preference of SWAT 4 by Irrational Games, which incomparable to meaning of tactical shooters and had a lot of ridiculous flows. Christian Allen had weak tries in resurrection. Perhaps, never disappointed Project IGI will be an excellent one again. Presented trailer of Ready or Not is example how to introduce a game (yes, Electronic Arts – it’s about you.). Almost eight minutes was holding me in happiness. It was long time ago when I was full emerged in watching. I didn’t like only blood screen, which is strange for genre, but despite of this, Ready or Not is evolution. The game dated on 2020. In one year with Squadron 42. Maybe that’s a same revival? Of course, it’s an assumption and one more question in what kind it will, but days of vapidity come to the end.      

The Mule.

I hadn’t attraction to most Clint Eastwood’s films on a time of release in the last decade. It lies in my relation to movies based on real events and watching of J.Edgar pushed me more far away. It didn’t look that main hero is the director of FBI. Seen working materials of American Sniper had no connection to a book. My choice to watch in the cinema The Mule was in inspiration of true events, which are very curious and in art can be a good source, and screenwriter Nick Schenk who is author of spectacular Gran Torino – the last Clint Eastwood’s excellent film.

It’s a rarity to see in modern cinematography a film of everyday life, where isn’t happening extraordinary and not all story lines find an end. Behind main tale, The Mule shows a modern world and represents different generations. It’s about a man of old times surrounded of useless people which stared in their multifunctional telephone. Clint Eastwood perfectly demonstrates one of the most living character in his Earl Stone. Same I saw it in personages of his generation. The film filled only interesting heroes and everyone can be reason for a well discussion. The Mule about a lot. I saw America here, which is different and can’t be described in common definitions.

I’d make some little corrects in script on getting of large quantity of money and which is always gets in one spend enough for every goal. Jokes from main hero are great and it also shows America, but take whole comedian moments, I’d made so also little correct.  

To acting and directing of Clint Eastwood, I came to get pleasure from it. He collected a magnificent cast of known and unknown. Lawrence Fishburne and Andy Garcia played small parts, but as experienced performers enriched their characters. Taissa Farmiga did great too; however, she needs skills for hard parts. I didn’t sure in the end of scene in hospital. To unknown performers, I have only pretense to an actor who played a stopped on a road driver. Before watching, I had a tension to Bradley Cooper and Michael Pena. In the film, only Cooper’s FBI agent Colin Bates had a very little defiance for acting. I didn’t see a life of their characters. Cooper was only good in brilliant scene in café.  

For almost two hours, I was excited of the story. The Mule demonstrates an individuality, surprises in directing and I was in enjoyment from tracks of songs of 50s was imagining those times and performing them jukebox. In the year 2018 is there a breathtaking feature film yet.