The Hunchblog of Notre Dame

16Feb 2017

Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episodes 7 & 8 Review

by jess

Episode 7: Child of the Moon

Meghan Ory as Ruby and Josh Dallas as Charming

Oh, King George, you suck. This episode centers around Red/Ruby. In Storybrooke King George a.k.a Spencer, frames Ruby for murder. David doesn’t buy it and calls him out of him but Spencer burns Jefferson’s hat which was to get Mary Margaret/Snow White and Emma back.

Also we learn the truth behind Henry and Aurora’s dream. It’s really their soul being set to a netherworld. Mr Gold gives Henry a necklace to control his presence there and speaks a little with Aurora.

In the character’s past, Red meets more of her kind and learns how control herself in the wolf form. However Red’s mother tries and makes her choose between her wolf side and human side, Red picks both facets of her being.

The CGs are still bad and I will still bring it up otherwise the episode was great. Red/Ruby is great character as she both strong yet very vulnerable in a believable way.

Episode 8: Into the Deep

Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White & Josh Dallas as Charming

I really liked how this episode blended the two narratives of the Enchanted Forest and Storybrooke. So everyone figures out that since Henry and Aurora were under the sleeping curse and their souls go to that red room when they sleep, Henry can give info to Aurora to get Snow and Emma home, or rather how to deal with Cora. However as Aurora and Henry try and converse the Enchanted forest crew is attacked. Aurora is then kidnapped and Cora gives them a deadline to turn over the compass or it’s bye-bye Aurora. Snow gets the idea that if she can go into a deep enough sleep she can enter the red room to speak to Henry. So they go Poppy hunting.

However in Storybrooke, Regina and Charming see burns on Henry’s arm and Charming decides that HE should get cursed too since he KNOWs Snow will find a way there. The two soul mates reunite in a hellish prison. Anyway the way to stop Cora is the way they stopped Rumpelstiltskin way back in the Cinderella episode with squid ink. Rumpelstiltskin says there is some in his old prison cell.

Back in the forest, Hook frees Aurora but Hook is a no good double traitor and takes Aurora’s heart and gives it to Cora. This means Cora can control Aurora’s words and actions.
I enjoyed this episode but there is a lot going on. I mean it’s better than that Frankenstein filler episode. It also had a good cliff-hanger. Not too much I can say about this episode.

15Feb 2017

Why there NEEDS to be a new Hunchback movie adaptation!!!

by jess

Esmeralda singing God Help the Outcast Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

I’m not strictly speaking in the interest of my own personal enjoyment or in the sense that it would give me more context but with the political and social climate in America, Hollywood or Disney really should get a new version into production.

Esmeralda (Maureen O’Hara)

America right now is politically divided on many, many issues and a big one is the issue of immigration and refugees. In some ways it’s a complex issue mainly on the bureaucracy end but on the side of basic human decency and the fact that America is an immigrant nation it’s pretty simple. So how does this tie into making a Hunchback movie and the necessity of one?

19th century Illustration of Esmeralda

I truly can not speak to the historical aspect of the Romani in Paris in the 15th century but the book makes it sound like Paris was a Sanctuary city. This means in a sense you could look at Esmeralda as a refugee or at the very least she is an immigrant of sorts. This is only case in versions where she is a Romani and not following the book, which is fine. I suppose they could split the different and make her half French and half Romani or Spanish since Esmeralda’s father is a complete unknown. The only hint the book offers, that I can find, is Esmeralda’s father could have been a thief that left her mother before she learned she was pregnant. Then again this information is narrated by a secondary character, so it unknown how reliable this account is.

Esmeralda and Quasimodo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda defying Frollo by helping Quasimodo Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

In any case the two major American versions that have Esmeralda as a Romani depicts her as an advocate for both her people and the “downtrodden” which aside from being her a good female role-model in these two versions, her being an advocate great aspect to showcase to a film going population.

Salma Hayek as Esmeralda,

Also unlike some other movies that cast people regardless of their race, Hunchback should be a little more set in character’s cultural backgrounds. I heard when Rogue One was coming out there was a call to boycott the movie because of the diversity the cast, same for Star Wars The Force Awakens, which is dumb. With Hunchback their cultural backgrounds inform the characters so aside from Esmeralda and in many cases Clopin, the rest of the cast are white Europeans which could help ease some people into the movie, especially people who wanted to boycott an iconic Space Fantasy movie series.

Gigi Radics

This means the casting of Esmeralda become extremely important. I should preface that in a perfect world, anyone could play Esmeralda but we don’t and if a movie is going to characterized Esmeralda a very specific ethnic group even though the book did not, then the movie needs to cast accordingly. This is why the casting of Gigi Radics, a Hungarian singer of Romani descent would be a masterstroke of casting. Whether or not she is available or willing to play the role is a different question. They could always cast an unknown Romani actress to take the part. Casting an Indian or Pakistani, or Arab actress is not quite as authentic but it a step in the right direction.

Esmeralda singing God Help the Outcast Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

A new Hunchback movie today who help shed some light on the current situation in America and recontextualize to people who may not think it about as much and ignore the news. It might even help people who have little exposure to immigrants and refugees put a human face on the issue instead of short sound bite.

14Feb 2017

Becoming Jane Review

by jess

Becoming Jane

Groans, just so many groans on this movie. When I first saw Becoming Jane I didn’t have any strong opinions of it in fact I hardly remember it aside from it being about Jane Austen and her unrequited love. Apparently this movie exists to showcase where Jane Austen got her inspiration from but she isn’t Frida Kahlo, her movie narrative is much like her books sans the interest.

Anne Hathaway as Jane Austen & James McAvoy as Tom Lefroy

This movie is shot in typical lovely manner. It’s pretty in the strict conventional way a period drama is shot especially for this time period. It’s pretty and boring. It does tries it’s hand at interesting shots and edits which just look overindulgent. It looks as though a young director is trying to be artsy but in fact the director, Julien Jarrold, is quite experienced as a director.

Anne Hathaway as Jane Austen & James McAvoy as Tom Lefroy

Then there is the love story. Again it follows the pretty people who are pretty and passionate. Jane Austen and Tom Lefroy start off in typically Disney-esque snarky relationship turned forbidden love. Again the idea is in love is forbidden than an audience HAS to care the lovers. Alas no. There is no real pivot from animosity to love. The just keep bumping into other Tom makes criticisms about Jane’s writings, telling her she needs experience.

Anne Hathaway as Jane Austen & James McAvoy as Tom Lefroy

Speaking on the scene where they first meet, Jane is reading something she wrote at her sister’s engagement and Lefroy is there. After she is done, Jane overhears him criticizing it and she runs upstair and tears it up and in the very next time they meet she is defending its worth and how ladies should write because they have feelings. It just seems odd that she is at one time vulnerable to a vague criticism of a guy she doesn’t know and then is all girl power. It’s confusing on her character since she mostly about female empowerment as she won’t marry for position. Go her? Did she even try to get to know the rich guy? I guess she needed to feel passion that started with a guy saying she sucked at writing? Even though that is not what he said. Or was it all his sexual talks with her through vague English politeness?

Anne Hathaway as Jane Austen

What is really unfortunate is the casting. Anne Hathaway isn’t convincing. Aside from the English accent, which did sound like an affectation, she didn’t give Jane anything that was interesting as a character. What was Jane Austen’s personality? Smart? Nice? Independent? Those traits are presence in the film and darn if they aren’t in the dialogue of the movie to convey it, so no acting required.

Anne Hathaway as Jane Austen & James McAvoy as Tom Lefroy

If you want to ogle James McAvoy for a long two hours then this is a movie for you. If you want a pretty movie with a less than compelling romantic narrative, again a movie for you. However if you want a good romantic movie set in the regency period than watch any other movie that is based on a Jane Austen book.

09Feb 2017

Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 6 Review

by jess

Tallahassee

Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan and Michael Raymond-James as Neal Cassidy

Of all the magic dreamy places in the world, they pick Tallahassee as place for Emma and her boyfriend/baby daddy Neal to dream about, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

In this episode we learn about Emma’s relationship with a thief named Neal. They meet in that oh so cliche ways of Emma stealing the car he stole and thus they start a Bonnie and Clyde duo and fall in love. They decide to go straight and move to the randomly selected city of Tallahassee. However August shows up and convinces Neal to walk away from Emma because of the curse. Emma gets put in jail for aiding in one of Neal’s crimes involving stolen watches, however Neal makes sure Emma gets the money from the stolen watches and the car that brought them together. Emma also learns she is pregnant.

The other story at play in this episode involve Emma, Snow/Mary, Mulan, Aurora and Hook get the compass from the last Giant. Only Emma and Hook scale the beanstalk while Aurora deal with her nightmares which you learn at the end Henry is sharing with her.

Overall, this episode was really engaging. Emma’s backstory was compelling especially when you factor in the lie she told Henry about his father in season 1. Not a lot comment on in this episode, so far it’s been the best one so far that adds more to the overall narrative. Well one this is that the Cgs still look bad.

08Feb 2017

January 2017 performance Ces Diamants- la

by jess

Sorry for yet another video, personal life and stuff.

Just a few reactions of this video;
– I really do want to analyze Fleur-de-Lys’ costume. I haven’t sat down and REALLY thought about but I’m not sure how to feel about. Of course the costume I REALLY want to discuss is Frollo’s, I have some words for that one.

– I really like this Fleur-de-Lys, she has a lovely clear voice that is the perfect tonal foil to Tawaji’s voice, AlyzÃ©e Lalande gets a solid A from me.

– Not sold on Martin Giroux as Phoebus. Granted I haven’t gone through this cast with a fine tooth comb to really assess their performances but he just seems from this vid to be on the generic side. To be fair few Phoebus performer stand out so it could be the role.

07Feb 2017

Anna Karenina Review

by jess

For the month of February we’re going to look at romantic period movies.

Keira Knightley as Anna Karenina

For those of you who live under a rock, Anna Karenina was written by Leo Tolstoy in 1877, though it’s fine if you didn’t know the date. Anna Karenina has had lots of movie and tv versions. This one by Joe Wright from 2012 has to be the worse version of Anna Karenina ever made. Even if we separate this movie from the book it’s still terrible on every level.

Aaron Johnson as Count Vronsky & Keira Knightley Anna Karenina

First the love story. Now I won’t go full of comparing the book with the movie, but I will say that Anna Karenina isn’t so much about love or romance it’s more about society and marriage. However to make an audience feel for the characters they need to be likable, we have to care about the love story in a movie so we can feel emotions. This version takes the Star Wars Episode II approach to love. Anna and Vronsky are two attractive people who are in a forbidden romance. They literally meet, think each other is hot, Vronsky stalks her and boom! They are in love or lust, honestly there isn’t much of a different. The only emotion I felt during their own story arc was when Vronsky horse Frou-Frou dies and like any bad script we are TOLD Vronsky loves his horse, we don’t see it visually in a visual median.

Domhnall Gleeson as Levin & Alicia Vikander as Kitty

Anna and Vronsky are shown in parallel with Levin and Kitty who are in love, not lust. Levin pines for Kitty while Kitty pines for Vronsky till Vronsky throws her over for Anna. Now in the book the story of Kitty and Levin is super dull and boring while and Anna and Vronsky were more interesting. In the movie however it’s the opposite. This could be because they are likable people or that Alicia Vikander played the role of Kitty from better that Keira Knightley who was beyond unconvincing. She was so ill-cast especially when a far better actress for Anna is already in the movie, Michelle Dockery. As well as Aaron Johnson was unbelievable as Vronsky. He looked like he came out of the 1970’s trying to be a Sergeant Pepper knock-off.

Aaron Johnson as Count Vronsky

Speaking of style, oh dear lord this movie. So the idea is that Russian Society is like a performance, so the idea is that the characters are on stage. This is such a misguide direction that gets in the way so there is no room for the viewer to feel anything because you’re trying to figure out where the fuck everyone is in relation to their own meta performance. Plus there is literally no reason for why some things are on stage, or backstage or not on stage at all.

Keira Knightley as Anna Karenina

Here are some examples;

When Anna sees her son in his room, it’s on stage but having relations with her husband is not. Why? It should be the other way around. Anna loves her son but not her husband. The idea of her love for her son being on display on a stage is contrary to her character while he time with her husband is not on display at all not even backstage.

When Levin goes to see his poor addict brother it’s “backstage”? This makes sense but it’s dumb since more of Levin scenes aren’t on stage except the ones in the beginning of the movie and after a point they just don’t even bother. I’m willing to say that this was intentional but it really makes it feel like the movie either ran out steam with the concept who figured it was stupid since it’s in your face at the start and just goes alway till the last scene. Hey movie, if your going to a sophomoric artistic direction be consistent so the viewer can understand your creative intent.

Aaron Johnson as Count Vronsky & Keira Knightley

Also there are the costumes, which again fall into a half-baked style concept. The idea of the look is combining Victorian bustles with 1950’s silhouettes and accessories. When the movie first came out, I hated this, now I just don’t care. Really this look only applies sometimes to some characters AND again you see it more in spade at the start and it’s only pertains to the main characters which either means the movie couldn’t go full on with their vision or the style of Imperial Russian society is all other the place with regards to style. In any case it takes you right out the movie and since with the stage direction obvious metaphor and lack of emotion you were never invested in the movie to start. Did anyone actually finish the movie or cared about the characters? Because there that maintains intertest. I mean when Anna dies it’s like “Thank god now the movie is over.”

Keira Knightley

If you want to watch an Anna Karenina version, there 14 other better versions to watch. If you want a movie that is style of substance, I mean you could watch loads of of the movies like Star Wars Episode II since it’s pretty much the same love story with no substance and style (sorry, I know people now like the prequels). However if you want an Anna Karenina movie with no substance, a vague attempt at style and to be bored for over two hours, yeah, then you should totally watch it but that is a weird list of wants for a movie.

This movie has one of the most annoying dance scene ever. The dance moves are some the stupidest moves ever seen in a movie. And there is also has a fart joke in it. A fart joke for really no reason, it’s not even funny.

02Feb 2017

Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 5 Review

by jess

The Doctor

David Anders as Dr. Frankenstien,

Full-Disclosure, the reveal in this episode was semi-spoiled for me when I watched a blooper vid on youtube. I regret it because there is no freaking way I would have ever though that is who Dr.Whale was. In some ways it doesn’t make anysense.

Ok, so we’re back to the three plot episode structure. Let’s start with our crew in the Enchanted Forest. Emma, Mary Margaret, Mulan and Aurora go back to base camp and everyone is dead. Everyone except for one, a blacksmith who is really Hook. Hook’s real name in this show is Killian Jones which is funny since Hook’s name is actually James Hook from the source material but whatever just going to call him Hook because between Mary Margaret and Rumpelstiltskin the monopoly on long names is taken.

Emma’s lie detecting power return as she knows Hook is lying. He comes clean after they threaten him with death by orge. Hook and Cora are working together to try and get Storybrooke basically for revenge, the purest motivation. Hook then teams up with them to get a compass so they can gather the necessary magic to go to Storybrooke. The next step is up a beanstalk.

In the character’s past Sith Lord Rumpelstiltskin is training his new padawan Regina. I’m sorry I really have been watching too much Star Wars, I regret nothing! But seriously, Sith Lord Rumpelstiltskin is training his new padawan Regina and she isn’t too willing to go full on dark side by taking a unicorn’s heart and crushing it. Regina is really only learning the dark arts to bring Daniel back from the dead. Rumpelstiltskin doesn’t have this power but Jefferson knows a guy who has powers beyond magic that could help.

Jefferson introduces Regina to Dr.Frankenstein, yes this true, this happen, it’s not a coke dream. All Frankenstein needs is a heart. Regina gives him one from her mother’s collection but the process doesn’t work and Regina goes full on Dark Side. Turns out that Frankenstein failed on purpose to get the heart and so that Rumpelstiltskin could get his apprentice back, oh the intrigue.

And in Storybrooke, Dr Whale brings back Daniel from the dead but he is a monster and Regina is forced to kill him. Also Rumpelstiltskin makes Dr. Whale admit that magic is way better than science.

This episode aired on October 28th 2012 so it seems like the decision to make Whale Frankenstein hinged on Halloween but it seems like a weird mix to include Frankenstein. Especially since I thought the premise of this show was Fairy Tales/Disney movies but now they can literally throw in whatever they want to the story. Ultimately it adds more questions about the transportation, Jefferson’s hat can go to Frankenstein’s setting easily BUT somehow Jefferson never offers to send Rumpelstiltskin there? I mean Rumpelstiltskin must know that Frankenstein comes for a world without magic since they have snide remarks to each other about science vs magic. OR is Frankenstien’s world a different place? Because that makes it weirder since the book takes place in the real world. I shouldn’t have this many questions about this show.
Not my favorite episode. I did like Rumpelstiltskin and Regina’s interactions and David Anders’ performance as Frankenstein was pretty good but this episode was way too all over that place. Plus towards the end there were so many points where the episode could have ended and didn’t. Too many false ending.

01Feb 2017

Notre Dame de Paris in Poland

by jess

You may not believe this but I didn’t want to post another youtube video today as it’s a content crutch. However this is technically news. As you can see by the video there will be a Notre Dame de Paris concert in Poland. At first I wondered if this meant the songs would be translated to Polish but according to this site http://www.icekrakow.pl/aktualnosci/koncert-notre-dame-de-paris-w-ice-krakow,26756,3 the song will be in French.

HOWEVER turns out there is a Polish version of Notre Dame de Paris.

It seems to be very fairly new. It also looks like they took their visually style from the Italian version. First time I have seen that.

Esmeralda – Maja GadziÅ„ska/Ewa KÅ‚osowicz
Quasimodo – MichaÅ‚ Grobelny/Janusz KruciÅ„ski
Frollo – Artur Guza/Piotr PÅ‚uska
Phoebus – PrzemysÅ‚aw Zubowicz/Maciej PodgÃ³rzak
Fleur de Lys – Weronika Walenciak/Kaja Mianowana
Gringoire – Jan Traczyk/Maciej PodgÃ³rzak
Clopin – Åukasz Zagrobelny/Krzysztof Wojciechowski

here is more info

Now sure who of the performers are in the concert though.

31Jan 2017

Hunchback in Kingdom Heart 2.8

by jess

I won’t pretend that I keep up with Kingdom Hearts but Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue recently came out and here some cut scenes from the Hunchback world. I’m not sure what 2.8 means, why is it not three? I’m sure there is a reason some weird Kingdom Hearts logic, I mean how can final chapter have a prologue, it’s nonsense, NONSENSE! Whatever Kingdom Hearts logic. Actually Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue is a remastered version of Kingdom Hearts; Dream Drop Distance with some new content. This would explain why IMBD listed some of the voices with “voice achieve.”

The voice actors for the Hunchback character are
Ari Ruben as Quasimodo
Corey Burton as Frollo
Renee Faia as Esmeralda
Phil LaMarr as Phoebus
Jason Alexander as Hugo
Charles Kimbrough as Victor
Patricia Lentz as Laverne
and there is no Clopin, Shame game Shame!

I would say that the voices are weird. They did try to get voices with a similar tone and pattern as the originals, so if feels a little off. It’s good voice acting off wise.

You know what is funny? Hayley Joel Osmond voices Sora but he also played Zephyr in the Hunchback sequel. Ergo Sora is Esmeralda’s son! Ok, no not really but that thought pattern was fun for like two seconds.

26Jan 2017

Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 4 Review

by jess

The Crocodile

Colin O’Donoghue as Captain Killian “Hook” Jones,

Correct me if I’m wrong but this seems to be the first episode without Emma, Mary Margaret and Henry. Their absence doesn’t detract from the episode.

This is another Rumpelstiltskin backstory episode. Basically hiss wife was unhappy in their marriage and ran off with an attractive pirate captain. After Rumpelstiltskin becomes the Dark-one he runs into the captain agian. At first Rumpelstiltskin plays that he is a weak beggar and the captain calls him crocodile. Rumpelstiltskin then reveals his all-powerful self and challenges him to a duel but his former wife stops him and tries to get him to spar their lives in exchange for a magic bean. The bean that can take him to where his son got transported to. However Rumpelstiltskin’s wife, Mila, confesses that she never loved Rumpelstiltskin and he kills her. He also cuts off the Pirate’s hand and the pirate vows revenge. However Rumpelstiltskin doesn’t get the bean and instead the captain takes on a hook for a hand and uses the bean to go to a place where no one ever ages. You see where this is all going. Also Smee is there.

The Storybrooke plot involves Belle and Rumpelstiltskin. Belle is tired of Rumpelstiltskin not being emotionally honest with her so she leaves. She meets up with Ruby who tells her she should work at the libray, because it’s super easy to become a librarian, you don’t need an expensive master degree. Belle is promptly kidnapped by her father who wants her to give up her feelings for Rumpelstiltskin. When she says no he rigs it so Belle will forcibly be taken over the town lines to forget everything. Rumpelstiltskin saves her. He arranges for her to live and work at the library and is finally truly honest with her.

Rumpelstiltskin sure does wear a lot of hats in this show, and by that I mean he plays a lot of roles. He’s Rumpelstiltskin, a trickster, the Beast, a dark lord of the Sith erm Dark one and now he’s the crocodile from Peter Pan. He’s a real swiss army knife character. One question that I have now is Baelfire Peter Pan? Or can the bean transport people to multiple places pending on where the sender wants to go?
For the most part I liked this episode but that is mainly because Rumpelstiltskin is one of more favorite characters. I just wish the reveal of Captain Hook wasn’t so obvious. Like when the hook fell in background it wasn’t subtle. Whatever it’s fine. Good episode.

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