I have long held that video games indeed are an art form and, of all the titles I've played, few games demonstrate this better than a new favorite called Gris. It has been praised for its beauty, but the game's considerable value goes far beyond its impressive aesthetic.
Gris, created by Nomada Studio and published by Devolver Digital, is a video game that is at once ethereal and tremendously intimate. A poignant journey, it traces the path of the title character, a young girl, as she attempts to overcome a trauma that has shattered her life. Presented as a side-scrolling adventure, this platformer allows players to control her fate as they navigate a faded, shifting reality and environmental puzzles that obstruct her path toward becoming whole again. Overcoming each obstacle allows Gris to grow emotionally and see her world in different ways. As she progresses through her grief, new paths are revealed and her dress is imbued with new abilities to aid in navigation. Her dress can weigh her down, allow a double-jump and enable underwater swimming, sometimes using combinations, for gameplay that is fluid and entertaining. Clever level design means Gris can take advantage of the environment to initiate leaps, leapfrog shifting platforms like tree tops, operate weights or moving platforms, and even use frozen settings to optimum effect. Gameplay variety is thoughtful, though this is not a hard core challenge. Indeed the game is described as "an experience free of danger, frustration or death." While the stakes are high for the title character, the journey is meant to be positive and life-affirming. In fact it is an altogether sublime gaming experience that rewards the player with an emotional and powerful journey. Part of this equation is the superior presentation that inspires with its minimalist but gorgeous design, lithe animation and lyrical score. A highly stylized look with graceful lines and a striking color palette is accompanied by cinematic cut scenes and spare but melodic music to create a unique and transcendent display of rare artistry. Gris actually reminds me of another classic game, though the comparison might not be readily apparent. But in its simplicity of design, emotional journey, engaging gameplay and stark but appealing aesthetic I'm reminded of Shadow of the Colossus. That game likewise begins with a desperate quest and conveys the tumult of its journey with action rather than words, as the protagonist follows a similar solitary path in a vast world of changing settings and personal challenges in an effort to save a life. While the obstacles in Shadow of the Colossus are more physical they still take an emotional toll -- on the player and on the main character Wander -- not unlike the significant impediments confronting Gris as she struggles through the trauma she's experienced. And both characters are changed as a consequence. Gris is a game that begs to be played. To describe its inner workings in greater detail is to spoil what makes the experience of playing the game so rewarding. And yet there are elements worth noting, which I will allude to below though I encourage gamers to explore on their own what the game has to offer. I'll try to avoid giving too much away but did want to emphasize certain features that I appreciated. First is the gameplay that reveals itself over the course of the game, either in ways that Gris can use her dress, the environment or a combination of both to proceed. For instance, her dress can form a heavy block, allow more lift in the air or enable her to glide underwater and, depending on the setting, can interact with the environment in multiple ways. The settings themselves are dramatic, with traversal across land, air and water in sometimes shifting environments and perspectives. Creatures, too, might aid or obstruct during the journey and at times in profound ways both in gameplay and in cutscenes. The interaction between Gris and them can be inspired, especially with one "forest friend" in particular and, later, with a denizen of the deep. There are breakthroughs and setbacks throughout, and the immersive presentation and gameplay ensured I shared, to an extent, the elation and heartbreak that Gris experienced during her journey. That is creative and effective game design at its best. It should be noted that there are optional skill-based challenges in the game and, to judge by a tally that the game keeps, I still have several to unlock/achieve even after completing the game. So in that regard there is added replayability, besides just wanting to revisit a remarkable journey. To the extent there are any negatives, I did have trouble on a few occasions (playing the Switch version in portable mode) detecting telltale environmental clues for triggering certain actions, namely due to the relatively small imagery and similar shades of color to the surroundings. But this didn't have an appreciable impact on gameplay or on my enjoyment of Gris. For all the reasons described above, Gris easily stands as one of my all-time favorite games and, in my humble opinion, as a landmark of video game design and interactive art. I look forward to seeing what Nomada Studio has in store in the future.
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Marvel's Spider-Man might remind gamers of the combat in the Batman: Arkham series, but it reminds me of the Spider-Man game released in 2000, a quality superhero title by Neversoft late in the PlayStation's life cycle that showed off what the console was capable of.
This webslinger version, by Insomniac Games, does the same. And while it is reminiscent of those titles and others, it forges its own superior path instead of just being derivative. Navigation, combat, story, crime-fighting, puzzles and even photo mode combine for an entertaining superhero game. Characters to begin with have depth and relatively complicated motivations. (SPOILERS:) Otto Octavius and Peter Parker don't stray far from convention early on (I'm only 23% into the campaign), but Aunt May volunteers at a shelter, Mary Jane Watson's intrepid reporter risks her life, shelter director Martin Li dissuades her investigation, and Shocker appears vulnerable and compromised. The layers of characterization are complemented by gameplay depth. Navigation (a highlight) is fluid, intuitive and satisfying, whether swinging from webs, using web zips, climbing or otherwise scaling buildings, including to unscramble surveillance towers that reveal districts/crimes (similar to Far Cry) or finding backpacks for tokens to upgrade suits (like orbs in Crackdown). Combat in general is likewise entertaining, using various acrobatic melee and stealth (as well as web) attacks and evasive moves that flow easily from one to another and, in fact, are reminiscent of the Batman Arkham games. Though this title helpfully adds web attacks to bind ranged foes, and different suits (with unique powers) and respective mods to add or improve offensive/defensive capabilities. Suits can be crafted or modded with tokens earned completing various tasks including fighting crime, completing challenges, defeating enemy strongholds, solving minigames (i.e. involving circuitry, spectrographs), etc., all of which can be entertaining in their own right and help break up gameplay, including within each category of task. For instance, crimes can involve such activity as kidnapping, robbery, burglary and chases. The first entails tracking down the victim, the second and third include taking on gangs of thugs, and the fourth involves catching up to getaway cars. All are fun and even the robbery/burglary can result in chases that can be exhilarating when webslinging through the city. My only issue thus far, however, has been with repetitive gameplay, and I'm supposedly only one-fifth through the story. Of course the game is much more expansive than just the story missions, and I have yet to really undertake challenges or unlock higher level combos and suit powers. But in the meantime, I find myself craving more task, crime and minigame variety. That said, my level 11 Spidey has unlocked all districts, is using the Stark suit with Spider Bot suit power and ballistic inserts, gel padding and combat analyzer suit mods. Spidey skills are 66% Innovator (besides Defender, Webslinger), using weapon yanks, takedowns and throwing. The depth of abilities/combos and suit powers/mods/gadgets are impressive and should add tremendously to the gameplay. Last but not least is the photo mode, one of my fave modes in any title. In this game, it's taken to a new level with a variety of quality filters, stickers, frames, etc. that elevate the already impressive presentation with customization options for improved dramatic or even comedic effect. I've sunk a large amount of my game time into that mode alone. All told, the sheer variety of options, the fluid and intuitive gameplay, the terrific production values and quality storytelling add up to an entertaining title that is one of the best superhero games. The one caveat are some gameplay elements that verge on being repetitive, but hopefully the deep skillset, mods and gadgets will offset any such concerns. I loved my time with Red Dead Redemption (RDR), which is saying a lot. I tried Red Dead Revolver, Call of Juarez and Gun, to name a few, but no Western game could capture what makes the genre so appealing to me until I played RDR. Its version of the Wild West, with an enormous sandbox, abundant wildlife, rough-hewn characters and fun, varied gameplay is a classic.
So why is its sequel so difficult for me to fully embrace? Red Dead Redemption 2 shares the same bedrock foundation, shows the same impressive polish and travels the same hard scrabble path, but there are elements -- early on at least -- that undermine the freedom and fun that its predecessor so carefully cultivated in its enviable open world. It's worth noting that I'm 7% through the story (Chapter 2). Of course it's not far, but my enjoyment of other games I likewise have just begun (i.e. Assassin's Creed: Odyssey and Marvel's Spider-Man) does not bode well for a quick return to RDR2 despite its positive elements. Indeed the game starts off strong with compelling characters in dire circumstance. But during the opening segments my enjoyment and anticipation began to wane. While I do prefer games like RDR2 that not only allow the story to unfold but also incorporate training into the story in an organic way (like Witcher 3, vs. Witcher 2), this game takes so long to do both that I yearned to veer off at a hard gallop despite the world not being open for exploration just yet. Players are certainly rewarded for their patience with fascinating characters that are well-written and -voiced, a story of survival and competition that is harrowing and believable, and a world that is impressively rendered. But long exposition and horseback riding plus sometimes contrived training exercises grow a little tedious. Once free of this introduction I eagerly set out for the nearest town, though once there I couldn't help but yearn for the relative comfort of a linear path. And in some ways, this free roam world is linear, too, as your behavior is shoe-horned by game design. It's difficult to not run afoul of townsfolk or lawmen, or even the game's efforts to simulate settler life. It didn't take long for someone to take issue with me, though all I think I did to offend was stand too close. In full view of others, he began assaulting me, so of course I fought back. Unintentionally I killed him. But instead of self-defense, townspeople turned on me for killing him and started shooting. I think I eventually turned myself in to avoid killing the entire town. The next time someone insisted on fighting me, I fought back sparingly, hoping that eventually they would abandon the fight. Instead they persisted and nearly killed me so again I was forced to end their life. Thankfully there were no witnesses. It doesn't help that everyone has a bad opinion of me and any transgression seems likely to provoke a response. I don't recall this kind of reaction to the (former) outlaw protagonist of RDR. And besides, this reaction is counter-intuitive to me. As a known outlaw, people should steer clear instead of provoke confrontation at every turn. One writer encouraged players to greet EVERY passerby to improve one's standing, and I assume over time player actions might moderate these initial reactions. But as with other design choices, this seems heavy handed. Having to eat and sleep to maintain health and stamina is not unusual, but here it (as well as shaving, bathing, etc.) feels like busywork, especially when practically the same care has to be taken with one's horse. Speaking of, a horseback spill over a relatively small and low boulder cost both my avatar and horse most of our health. Riding at a gallop such an obstacle can be difficult to spot in time, especially when your horse will ride or leap over it in most other games. Likewise, I accidentally rode across the path of a wagon and killed my horse, and turned my ride too close to a passing train and killed it. Admittedly, I'm accident-prone, but these early incidents were made worse by the other design choices. Thankfully there are welcome gameplay elements like random encounters when outside town (a writer even suggested players should steer clear of population centers to fully enjoy what the game has to offer). Protecting people from assault or rescuing them from kidnappers at full gallop with guns blazing, far from wary spectators, proves fun especially when there are no consequences. In fact core gameplay elements like shooting, hunting and horseback riding are as solid as they were in the prior game. Targeting, whether with gun or bow and arrow, works well and sneaking or taking cover provide solid assists. Riding, too, is intuitive (except for sometimes unforeseen obstacles). Third person provides a good perspective; whereas first person can be limiting in a gallop or firefight. Out in the countryside one can engage in such gameplay with abandon and relive the unbridled joy of RDR while riding across verdant landscape, hunting game on foot or engaging ne'er-do-wells in tests of gunslinging skill. In these moments, the game shines. Again, the foundation is solid, it's just the upgrades that are questionable. I don't want to walk/ride around towns on egg shells, which is what it feels like at least in the early going. Perhaps it improves with time and some townsfolk TLC, but I don't really want to spend the time nursing myself, my horse and bitter townspeople. I know many are fine with this gameplay and even enjoy it, but I'd just as soon get back to the rollicking Wild West I know and love. Of the recent blockbuster games I've tried (including Marvel's Spider-Man and Red Dead Redemption 2), Assassin's Creed: Odyssey is my favorite. Granted, I've only played for 7 hours and made 2.67% progress, and it's difficult for me to put my finger on why I enjoy it most, but it's the one I look forward to returning to more than the others.
Part of the explanation might involve my having played for 7 hours despite only completing less than 3% of the game. I love open world, free roam games, and Ubisoft has crafted an inspired playground from the Classical World. Of course, I might tire of repetitive quests the further I progress, if that's the case, but for now the lure of exploration and adventure is tough to beat. Point of fact, I think I've completed the missions/quests So it Begins, Debt Collector, Spear of Leonidas and Shark the Vagrant and mostly finished the Hungry Gods quest. I've also slain one mercenary (Talos the Stone Fist). In 7 hours, that's it. Mostly I ride around the countryside or swim the ocean, exploring and fighting soldiers, cougars, wolves, sharks, etc. It doesn't hurt that the worlds above and below the waterline are beautifully detailed. I'm only on the Kephallonia Islands but the hills and ocean depths are believably rendered, colorfully realized, and fun to explore. This includes the terrain but also fauna, foliage and sea life, all detailed and well animated. Buildings and ruins, too, are impressive to behold, given their classical style and painting. Traversal is fairly intuitive and well-implemented, allowing Kasandra (in my case) to scale most cliffs or buildings with relative ease, and to swim without impediment. In many ways, she's the natural world's Spider-Man, without the gadgets, that is. Truly, moving through this world feels fluid and exhilarating. Even on horseback or in boat, controls are well-implemented. Of course, this series has featured quality traversal since the beginning, but has steadily improved that feature since then. There is almost an arcade feel to how one can get around, though animations and movement are still grounded enough, so to speak, that navigation doesn't feel artificial or too over the top. Combat in this sense likewise flows in a way that is entertaining but not outrageous. Much has been made of how combat was more streamlined with the prior entry Origins, and this outing likewise makes good use of that with fluid heavy or light attacks and defensive movements including rolls. Switching between targets is a snap, assassinations are quick and easily triggered, and fighting on horseback or underwater is nearly just as intuitive (save for minor adjustments given the context). Weapons also handle well whether swords, daggers, staffs, spears or bow and arrow. Item consumption is helpful though I have to remind myself/figure out how to efficiently make use of an item whether mapping to a button or otherwise accessing. (Hadn't really needed to until I ran into Talos.) Though regardless of title I often neglect boosts, fortifiers, etc. At least they're there and, in the meantime, I can rely on my attributes. At level 5, I've spread my points among each class to include the Sixth Sense hunter ability (hold LT to snap aim), Charged Heavy Attack warrior ability, Revelation assassin ability (hold up to reveal secrets) and the Weapons Master skill. The option to select from each class so gamers can play how they want is always appreciated. In my 7 hours I'm not sure what exactly grips me about Odyssey compared with the other titles, though the well-realized Classical setting, interesting characters, variety of side quests to this point, fluid and intuitive exploration/combat, general polish and plain fun gameplay (plus awesome camera mode) combine for an entertaining and alluring title that I look forward to spending more time with. Few dreams can rival the ones where we're flying, probably because it's always been our dream to fly. Now the freedom that it entails is at our fingertips with the virtual reality game Rush VR. Newly available on PSVR, is this wingsuit racing game worth taking the leap?
The Binary Mill's game sends players soaring down four mountains in three different modes. Verdant Valley, Frozen Alps, Sunburst Canyon and Misty Mountain feature 20 runs apiece for a total of 80 paths that range from basic downhill trails to expert-level daredevil runs through narrow spaces. As of this writing, I played offline and sampled the different game modes and several runs on two different maps. Limited time and comfort level (more on that later) prevented a deeper dive though I hope to play more and will update as the opportunity allows. Note online play supports up to 11 friends or random gamers. In Time Attack, players challenge their ghost time after an initial run. Score Challenge tasks participants with hitting big-point rings and taking big-point risks to maximize their score. And Race mode encourages competitors to race through every ring in order to avoid time penalties on their way to the winner's circle. Time Attack of course forces players to take even more risks to shave off seconds from their best times. Score Challenge adds an extra layer of strategy by using concentric rings, themselves with rotating high-score targets. Race mode is standard but I found the AI to be competent and fair, i.e. not rubber-band prone at least in the early going. How players experience the game depends in part on the setup they select. I played both standing and sitting, and used the Move motion controllers (with arms outstretched) and regular controller, respectively. Other options appear to involve turning hands or the analog stick. Two headset sliders adjust steering sensitivity from low to high and a comfort vignette from off to full. I kept the former on high and the latter on full. There are also typical audio settings plus the opportunity to replay flight or boost tutorials, which have helpful walk-throughs (fly-throughs?) of gameplay mechanics. To begin, the first run on the Verdant Valley map is unlocked by default. Each subsequent run is unlocked after completing the prior one. The other maps are unlocked with points scored by progressing through each challenge. Wingsuits are also unlocked during gameplay and can be swapped in between runs. Playing with the Move controllers involves keeping arms outstretched as you soar down the mountain. With the non-inverted setting, raising them lifts players and lowering them dives, while leaning to the right or left turns players. Using the regular controller follows the same basic principles. Rush VR benefits from strong, responsive controls whether using Move or standard controllers. Standing with outstretched arms helps immerse gamers in the windsuit fantasy but can be tiring over time when adjusting position constantly to hit every ring. Sitting with the regular controller is more comfortable and actually more precise. The game's runs are well designed to judge by the beginning tracks, and that's testament to the way that either control option syncs well with the action but also to thoughtful design choices. Checkpoints in the form of rings are well placed to allow maneuvering between obstacles and course correction without cheap deaths. Variables increase as players progress, with gamers threading obstacles like trees, outcroppings, tunnels, buildings and narrow gaps in between cliffs or hillsides, or hugging rock, grass, ski lifts or train tracks, for instance. Also present are elements like planes, hot air balloons, real-time weather like mist or lightning storms, and day or night runs. Besides allowing easy maneuverability, Rush VR is exceptionally good at producing the sensation of speed. Landscape and obstacles zip past, blades of grass fly up when skirting valley slopes, sheets of water spread out as one flies through waterfalls, and droplets streak across one's vision during a rainstorm. Red streaks show how close players are to a surface -- and therefore to gaining boost. When the bar is full, pulling the controllers' triggers initiates boost, illustrated as a circular ripple in the air like you might picture a sonic boom. Whether at normal speed or during boost, there is little lag to slow things down. Part of that can be attributed to a presentation that is limited when judged against today's standards, with low-detail textures, landscape pop-in at a distance, and relatively simplistic design. However, VR games are not renowned for their presentation, and the aesthetic is more stylized than realistic. The game's audio adds to the experience (though at times it can be repetitive), whether the air rushing past, thunder, birds or planes, etc.; status updates or words of encouragement from your announcer/handler; and audio cues when hitting checkpoint rings or the finish. The upbeat score is suitable accompaniment. When in between challenges, there are still fun activities to pursue. Players can summon objects to shoot hoops with balls or cans (for a confetti reward), knock down stacked cans, and fire sticky Nerf type projectiles from a toy gun onto any surface including opponents It's all addictive, if mindless, entertainment. An important consideration I've saved till last depends on individual gamers' physical tolerance for navigation in virtual reality. Unlike some games that have a variety of locomotion options to address every comfort level, games for which speed is a central component have limited alternatives for in-game movement. For instance, I can play Skyrim VR or Farpoint indefinitely with snap turning and otherwise smooth locomotion. But I can't last more than 60 seconds in Driveclub. Thankfully, I was able to tolerate sampling each challenge, two maps and several runs in Rush VR, though with some discomfort. Races interestingly had the least discomfort, likely because I was focused on the checkpoints ahead. Time Attack caused the most discomfort due to trying to fly fast, skimming surfaces and making sharper turns. Score Challenge fell in between on the comfort spectrum. So take your physical tolerance for VR into consideration. Rush VR so far has proved to be a thrilling virtual reality game. It's responsive controls, sensation of speed and arcade like elements make playing fun, though with a few caveats such as tolerance for VR locomotion and a limited presentation by today' standards. All told, it does a good job of making the fantasy of flight a reality for gamers. Rush VR is priced at $24.99 (U.S.), £19.99 (U.K.) and €24.99 (Europe). There is a 20% discount for PlayStation Plus subscribers the first two weeks of release. The game releases in Asia on December 13. (Note that my impressions are based on a review code for the game.) I've begun playing NAIRI: Tower of Shirin on Nintendo Switch and, despite all the AAA titles recently released, this is the game that I'm anxious to return to. Others have more bells/whistles/production values, but NAIRI is a charming, beautiful title that is engrossing and fun to get lost in and, as such, is somewhat of a rarity these days.
Developer Home Bear Studio, a small independent Dutch company, has crafted a gem to judge by the opening portion of the game. A kind of storybook hand-drawn art style (including endearing facial expressions), spare melodic score, effective ambient sounds, compelling characters, amusing banter and classic point-and-click adventure gameplay combine for an addictive experience. The game begins with a young girl named Nairi being whisked away from her privileged upbringing by family friends after her parents have been abducted by the Royal Guard. That act sets in motion events that force her to confront an unfamiliar world of gangs set in the poor district of her city of Shirin. She will then have to team with a former gang member to unravel the mystery of the city's tower. I'm reminded of the story of Aladdin, but that might have more to do with the setting. Shirin is an oasis city whose desert location, architecture of domes and minaret-like towers, and names like Nur, Asim, Omar, Riyad and Zakat all reflect a Middle Eastern influence. This element of the design helps to establish an exotic feel for this fantasy populated by human and animal characters. Character design itself is truly alluring whether Nairi or the cat bandits or duck gang members she comes into contact with in the beginning. All benefit from a children's book art style in every frame, but especially pronounced in beautiful storyboard-like cut scenes. They look adorable, but can appear tough or vulnerable when the story calls for it. Expressions are emotive in an impressive, almost exaggerated cartoon style. Each character's lines of dialog (which are text only) are well written and likewise help establish their distinct personalities. The exchanges and/or banter help to set each apart from the others, while demonstrating their attachment to one another. Humor is a big part of the exchanges, as gang members trade barbs and city residents offer sarcasm. My favorite example so far: "You might not be a duck, but at least you're a gangster bird!" Without spoken dialog, other sounds become more prominent. It's a good thing, then, that the score, sound effects and ambient noises are so well executed. Music can range from a kind of music box sound suggestive of childhood, to simple melodic arrangements that include string instruments like guitar or harp and possibly wind instruments like clarinets. All are perfect accompaniment for every scene. Sound effects include opening a metal gate, the clash of metal in sword or knife fights, the pressing of buttons, etc. Ambient noises include strong desert winds, soft city breezes rustling leaves in the trees, birds like doves or crows, and crickets at night. All are well-implemented and help establish scenes and action. The one drawback for me is the tapping of a keyboard whenever dialog appears on screen, which is often. If the well-designed game world establishes an interesting setting and compelling characters, the controls themselves offer classic point-and-click gameplay that is well-executed. Playing on the Switch allows added options of motion control or touchscreen functionality. All are viable alternatives though I did find some to be better than others. Joy-Con motion controls proved to be the most floaty and therefore imprecise of the control options. The hand symbol cursor had a little too much movement when using motion controls, compared with a more steady adjustment using the analog sticks despite sometimes overshooting a target. Touchscreen likely offered the most control, but sacrificed being able to clearly see the object being moved and its placement. Still, all options are serviceable and don't interfere with gameplay. The principal element of gameplay to begin with is hidden objects exploration. This is aided by detailed screens of the areas being explored, and a change in the icon to a magnifying glass or pointing finger when hovering over a noteworthy item. Nairi will collect special items such as knives, keys, crowbars, glue, screws, etc. These can be used, combined or given to further the story/action. Many of these items can be found in the environment though some and others (like candy or lock picks) can be purchased from a street vendor. Helpfully, coins can be found in the streets of Shirin so lucky collectors can use them in turn to purchase necessities. That said, I found it odd that I could steal from one vendor's coin bag beside him to buy lollipops from his inventory. Whether collecting loose change or other found objects, or purchasing items from a vendor, certain objects will come in handy when characters ask or demand something from you. At times, these fetch quests offer no obvious quid pro quo, but finding and crafting something cool for one character, or getting snacks for thugs, might prompt them to move on, opening a new path and/or area for Nairi to explore. Puzzles also are supposed to play a prominent role in the game. One early puzzle included clues in a note attached to a wall, though for some reason I didn't follow through and wasted time looking for other options to progress. Once I returned to it, studied the note and surrounding walls for interactive objects, I figured out the process to follow and was able to progress. I enjoyed it and it wasn't difficult, though I made it harder on myself. To judge by the beginning of the game, NAIRI: Tower of Shirin recreates the charm of a well-crafted children's story for all ages. It promises to enthrall with its beautifully rendered hand-drawn world and characters, their well-conceived personalities and relationships, humorous and thoughtful dialog, a score and sound effects that perfectly accompany the impressive visuals, and an interactive setting that complements its traditional point-and-click gameplay. NAIRI: Tower of Shirin is available beginning today for $9.99 on Nintendo Switch and Steam. (Note: My impressions are based on a Nintendo Switch review code of NAIRI: Tower of Shirin.) The sci-fi Western film Prospect is also described as a coming of age movie. However, filmmakers Chris Caldwell and Zeek Earl turn that approach on its head. The central character, a girl named Cee, in many ways has skipped childhood. What that means for her and others is at the root of this indie film, the first feature film distributed by Gunpowder & Sky's sci-fi label DUST.
The movie in general is an impressive accomplishment. Wearing its inspirations on its sleeve (original Star Wars trilogy, Alien and Blade Runner) and inspired in part by its limited budget, the film conjures a galactic frontier that is hardscrabble, shoestring and, above all, risky. Equipment is old, spacesuits are bare bones, nerves are frayed and trigger fingers itchy. We view this inhospitable world through the eyes of a teenage girl, played with steely reserve by Sophie Thatcher, who has been forced to grow up fast as she and her father explore the fringes of the galaxy for rare resources. The central story of what happens to the pair on a toxic moon and beset by dangers all around them is a vehicle for Cee's growth despite being resourceful beyond her years. In fact, I initially found her character to be problematic. She comes across as being cold and detached when the opposite would be expected, whether experiencing trauma or inflicting it. But there are moments, sometimes subtle, that reveal why. Indeed, the challenges she is faced with on this moon demonstrate how life on this razor's edge demands a certain quality, and sacrifice. The potential spoils attract all manner of people despite the risks, all desperate, tough, brutal and selfish. The characters share these traits but on a spectrum. Her father, Damon (Jay Duplass), is seemingly single-minded in his greed and self-indulgence. Ezra (Pedro Pascal) is a swaggering bandit that crosses their path. Throw in peculiar settlers like Oruf (Andre Royo) or wary mercs like Inumon (Sheila Vand) and the stage is set. What's especially interesting is that Cee becomes a resource, in some cases the resource, as the story plays out. The rare gems they all seek might be the vehicle for the action in general, but her place is always central to how every scenario unfolds. And in each predicament she is forced to act in ways that are uncharacteristic for someone her age, but not necessarily for a teen in this world. To Thatcher's credit, and the filmmakers (who also penned the script), we do see glimpses of the girl she used to be and, in some ways, still is. There is an innocence that can be gleaned from things she says or her behavior at times that suggests a childhood lost -- and potentially found. Cee's interaction with Ezra chips at her facade enough to reveal the girl inside. And in this way her character grows but in complicated ways. Yes Cee is stronger, more confident and assertive as she faces her challenges, but she also lets her guard down at times and gets in touch with the inner child that in many ways she'd been forced to abandon. It's a deft portrayal -- and narrative -- that can manage such an evolution. In some ways, then, I have come to the conclusion that Cee is more badass than Aliens' Ripley. What she is forced to do by circumstance, at such a tender age, demonstrates the brutal demands of this celestial Wild West. All of which would not be possible without the world crafted by the filmmakers and inhabited so well by the ensemble cast. Prospect in this regard is an indie film that rises above its ambitions. I've tried to avoid spoilers so viewers can experience the story without having it ruined. It deserves to be seen without any preconceived notions about the genres represented or the tropes one might expect to find. That I focused on Cee's journey surprised even me as the narrative (and world) is much richer than just that arc, but in retrospect this blog could not have been about anything else. Prospect released last Friday at Regal theaters nationwide. My impressions are based on an advance screener of the movie. For more on the film, please see the following blog (includes SPOILERS): L.A. Comic Con 2018: Prospect Panel Q&A: A discussion with select cast and crew on the production of this new independent sci-fi Western. I attended L.A. Comic Con for my sixth straight year and witnessed first hand how it's grown almost exponentially during that time. In 2013, Stan Lee's Comikaze (as it was known) was in its third year and attracted over 50,000 attendees. This year, organizers expected 100,000. If crowds are any indication, this con easily hit that mark.
The attraction always has been its more accessible show floor (though managing growth is going to be a big issue moving forward), the variety of vendors especially comic book/graphic novel exhibitors, and the opportunity to meet creators, in particular indie artists trying to carve or expand their niche. In that regard I'm reminded of shows like E3 or IndieCade, where attendees and creators can inspire each other. This con was no exception as the show floor once again had a large area devoted to the Artist Alley; a sizable section for comic books, graphic novels and publishers; a significant area for toys, games and collectibles; and a few aisles each for anime, cosplay, fantasy, steampunk and sci-fi, in addition to a horror section sponsored by Fangoria. Among the artists whose booths I visited was Wizyakuza (Ceasar Ian Muyuela) of the Philippines. His work is based on a lifelong love of pop culture characters and references. The specific art that caught my eye were 3D transition lenticular prints, the kind that change appearance as you pass in front of them. My favorite was his Fire Vs. Ice print of Game of Throne's Daenerys Targaryen and Drogon/The Night King and Viserion. Wangjie Li is another impressive artist. His digital images have the appearance of detailed portraits in some instances or Impressionist canvases in others. A self-described concept artist/illustrator, he also is an instructor. His online class IE-Art Studio forms the basis for the book The Art of Wangjie Li, which collects materials from the class in the form of demos that show his steps in creating digital art. It is beautifully illustrated and thoughtfully explained. A creation that likewise attracted my attention was the comic Angela and the Dark. With colorful artwork on display that depicted a confident child amid a neon-lit steampunk future, I was drawn to the booth and writer Umbrus Syn (A. Diallo Jackson). He explained that Angela is a kind of Pippi Longstocking -- an adventurous, strong-willed, independent and self-sufficient girl. The story is set in a mega city of the future, Metron City, that is beset by the opposing interests of the Federal Police, the seven crime families that run the metropolis, and a group of cat-burglaring techno-thieves known as The Dark. It follows Angela's adventures as she navigates this treacherous landscape while discovering more about her past and the person she is becoming. Published by Forge Creation, with artwork by Russell Fox. Brielle and the Horror is a graphic novel whose genre and artful, deep red cover piqued my curiosity. The story of a Catholic high school girl possessed by a demon and pursued by a secret agency and fanatical priests is lavishly illustrated in a volume that the creators call a live-action comic book. Jarel Barel explained to me that they staged photo shoots of the action, then illustrated them, resulting in the unique, cinematic quality of the book by Loaded Barrel Studios. Finally, while a variety of collectibles caught my eye like a Pip-Boy pin at the Wasteland Exports booth, a Leeloo Dallas Multipass at the World-8 booth, and a Fallout mystery box from another exhibitor, I ended up at the booth for Collector's Edge where I marveled at the variety of statues/action figures on display representing Japanese pop culture icons like Godzilla, Gamera, Ultraman and Giant Robot, and their villains. They even had The War of the Gargantuas figures! No comic con would be complete without a multitude of booths selling a wide array of comic books, graphic novels, books, prints, posters, action figures, plushies, models, pins, T-shirts, cosplay accessories, hats, jewelry and all manner of pop culture merchandise. Plus cosplayers were out in force representing characters from DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Star Wars, video games, etc. See accompanying photos for some of the impressive costumes on display. For more on the 2018 L.A. Comic Con experience, please see the following blogs: L.A. Comic Con 2018: Prospect Panel Q&A: A discussion with select cast and crew on the production of this new independent sci-fi Western, which opens this Friday, November 2. L.A. Comic Con 2018: Neon Future Interview: A discussion with co-creator and co-writer (and Impact Theory founder) Tom Bilyeu on the futuristic comic book's concept and story. Neon Future is a new comic book series created by DJ Steve Aoki, Eisner Award winner Jim Krueger and Impact Theory founder Tom Bilyeu (CEO and co-writer, along with Krueger, Dana Brawer and Samantha Levenshus). The story is set in a near-future civil war between the Augmented, who are persecuted for integrating technology into their bodies, and the Authentic, who reject augmentation.
The Neon Future resistance movement is led by Kita Sovee (a charactered modeled after Aoki), whose goal is a peaceful future in harmony with technology. When Clay Campbell, a leading Authentic, is resurrected with the help of technology, he learns from the resistance about his true past and his role in the burgeoning civil war. This sets the stage for the conflict to come. The comic book trailer features musical elements from Aoki's upcoming Neon Future III album. I briefly stopped by the Impact Theory booth at L.A. Comic Con for a quick discussion with Tom Bilyeu about the comic book: Q: Augmented humans are becoming a common theme in pop culture such as video games, film, etc. What were the principal inspirations for this story? And what makes it different from the stories being told right now? Bilyeu: Part of why we're seeing this theme more and more is that this is an inevitable reality of where human evolution and technology are going. So when you look at what Elon Musk and Brian Johnson are doing with actual computer-brain interfaces, people are really trying to make this a reality. The reason that we wanted to tell this story and what makes it different is that we're coming at it from a techno-optimistic perspective. Normally it's like the humans vs. robots or AI, and our thing is, what makes the world dystopian is that they've made technology illegal. So how can we use technology to get out from under that to show people a more beautiful future that's in harmony between humanity and technology. Q: Is the character that's based on Steve Aoki kind of a prophet for that, or is part of his inspiration or motivation to find balance? Bilyeu: Balance might not be the right word, but certainly harmony -- finding ways to integrate them. In the story that character is basically our Morpheus. He's trying to paint that picture for people. Since the character is inspired by Steve and his real-life beliefs on technology, the sort of arc of the character is modeled on Nelson Mandela. What Mandela realized in apartheid South Africa -- and you're going to see a lot of those themes play out in the book -- is that there are three options for anyone being oppressed: You can continue to be oppressed; you can become the oppressor; or you can find a third way to do things that are in harmony. That's what the story's about. That character, the question that they're going to be asked in the story is, how far would you go to give the world hope? Would you kill? Would you die? It will be interesting to see him -- the secondary character -- struggle with that. The main character is someone who was the world's most famous anti-technology person. They die and are resurrected with illegal technology. So he wakes up into the world where he's the catalyst for civil war between the Augmented and the Authentic (who don't have augmentations), and he has to decide, which side of this war do I fight on? I hate technology and have railed against it my entire life, and have profited tremendously from that hate, and so now that I am one of them and have empathy for them, but all of my cultural momentum is pushing me the other way, who am I and whom do I fight for? There are a lot of themes that I think are really relevant right now for better or worse. And people will be struggling with some real things. Q: I'm guessing that there are some gray areas and that he may be trying to find a different path, not necessarily one or the other? Bilyeu: If you've read Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela, he's in prison 27 years and at, like, year 19 he starts realizing that these very radicalized militant young South Africans are coming in to the prison system and are criticizing him because he won't resort to violence. So he realizes these guys have so much energy and passion but he saw that they could become the new oppressor. And he just fundamentally believed you sell your humanity when you oppress somebody else. That's the tension in the story. It's viable to say I refuse to be oppressed and I'm going to rise up by any means necessary. We're very familiar with that in America with our own narrative between Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. The nonviolent approach vs. the violent approach. You'll see that in the story. There are two different characters. Both refuse to be oppressed, but they go about it in different ways. Ultimately who's right? That's going to be the intriguing answer in the story that people are going to have to judge for themselves. Q: How long has this story been in development? Bilyeu: About 10 months. Q: So has the current political climate in the country had anything to do with the story? Bilyeu: Definitely. You're not going to feel a lot of politics in the book. The book takes very much a human emotional approach. But for sure, any story is a product of its time to some degree in order to be relevant. We don't deal with any of that directly, but people will know exactly where some of the ideas come from. Prospect is described as a sci-fi Western. The story follows a father-daughter team searching a moon for a rare substance and finding a dangerous world and deadly foes. This is the first feature film distributed by Gunpowder & Sky's sci-fi label DUST. It opens this Friday, November 2, in New York and Los Angeles, followed by a wider distribution thereafter.
The panel at L.A. Comic Con was moderated by Scott Mantz and featured Sophie Thatcher (Cee), Jay Duplass (Damon) and writers/directors Chris Caldwell and Zeek Earl. The discussion included insights into making the film, including the creators' sci-fi inspirations and goals, the prep work and background development, the rigors of filming in costume on cramped sets and on location, and how it all came together to produce a unique experience. Watch the official trailer here. See the exclusive L.A. Comic Con clip (SPOILERS) here. PANEL DISCUSSION Mantz: What was your inspiration behind this? Earl: The starting point was the forest where we shot the movie up in Washington state. Chris and I growing up went hiking, backpacking and camping there, and it always felt this could be the backdrop for an alien world so we starting discussing what sort of characters and scenarios could exist in this location? Caldwell: There's a whole stew of ideas when it came to what we wanted to see in science fiction. One of the things that was most important to us was original universe science fiction. This goes back to that experience of immersion that you get when you're a kid and a lot of the films that we grew up on like the original Star Wars trilogy, Alien and Blade Runner. We wanted the world to feel like it was alive and densely detailed. And at the same time, both a factor of working with limited resources as well as a kind of Western blend, we focused on kind of a smaller, more intimate story. This isn't about heroes battling over the fate of the universe, these are blue collar people that are just trying to scrape by. Mantz: You've got the sci-fi element, the Western element, and you also have a coming of age story. How did you blend those fusions, and balance them out? Caldwell: Starting from the conception of the short film, which centered very much around this father/daughter relationship and the daughter being put into a situation where she has to grow up really fast, and then the other layer of that was the world-building development that we did, one of the surprising things for us over the experience of taking this film from the short to the feature film was that it took a long time. We spent a long time trying to get the financing together to get to the green light. But what ultimately happened over the course of those years was we were always going back to the script and to the world. We were working with key collaborators that were constantly pumping out ideas that just deepened the world in terms of coming up with new angles on the culture and the histories and that kind of thing. Mantz: In terms of casting, it's an intimate film, there are a lot of quiet moments. What were you looking for when you were casting these three main roles? Earl: One of the things that immediately stood out about Sophie's tape was that not only was she a very competent actor but that she kind of had a sense of timelessness. Prospect doesn't take place in a contemporary world; you don't want Cee to feel like a normal American teenager, you want her to feel like she's from somewhere else and Sophie had this kind of quality that she could be in a period piece, which is often how we talked about prospect. Mantz: Sophie, how did this come about for you and how did you connect with the directors of the movie to nail down the character? Thatcher: I was sent the audition from my agents, and a lot of the auditions I do are self-taped. I got a callback, I did the self-tape for that and they flew me out to Seattle, and I read through the script and I was really drawn to Cee's character. Her character trajectory as she grows into this really powerful young woman -- that's what struck me. When we met, I trusted them, and I feel like this is going to be a special project. Mantz: Jay, how did you connect with these guys and their approach to making this movie, since you've done so much behind the camera as well? And when you first met Sophie, how did you formulate the father/daughter relationship? Duplass: I read the script, and I saw their first film, a short film that basically contained the seeds of this world. The way that they hand make everything felt very familiar to me. I really just love that they have great vision and it's original. When I Skyped with them, they're super smart, super conscientious and good communicators. One of the things that I needed in order to do the movie was to see the tape of the girl that was going to play Cee because that's pretty much everything. And they showed me the tape and in the first 10 seconds I was, like, she's amazing, I'll do it. Mantz: When you first started working together, Sophie and Jay, how did you expand on the relationship that was originally established in the script? Duplass: We just hung out a lot at first. There was a lot of getting up to speed on the universe that these guys built, so we were just making each other laugh and getting used to it. We both understood from them that what they wanted was a very realistic rendition of a father/daughter relationship. They wanted it to be kind of hard because these guys are going through hard times. Thatcher: We would improvise, and that helped with the mindset of the character, getting to that natural sense of the relationship. Caldwell: The first week of shooting you guys spent it in that pod, which was a 360-degree set and it was very cramped and there were all the camera guys in there. You couldn't stand up, you were always hunched over. Aesthetically that was something we were really going for, we wanted space travel to feel tedious and arduous, it's a grind. At the same time I think that helped expedite the formation of that relationship. Because of the grind of space travel, obviously one of the movies that I really thought about was Alien, which was such a huge inspiration on this movie. Another film I thought about was Outland, just in terms of how unpleasant looking space can be. And also some of the early films of John Carpenter. Earl: Jay, I forgot that you kind of had to go to school for this movie. We don't let the characters just push buttons and fly up into space. There's like a 10-minute long sequence of you doing all the flight stuff. Duplass: Yeah we went through the sequence of what it means to undock your pod from a space station, to launch toward a planet, to land it in an atmosphere, to go through atmosphere, to pull a parachute. It was a sequence of no less than 25 directives that I had to memorize. It started to seem really freaking intimidating. What we ended up doing is we did it live, you guys filmed it for me, ordered me through all the buttons to push and then I basically spent the next two weeks memorizing this sequence. I spent way more time on that sequence than I did on the script! It's kind of like a Toyota Corolla, this pod, it's an old piece of equipment in this world, so it had to be as if it's what I do on a regular basis. It had to be very seamless. Earl: So they're going to this toxic alien moon in essentially a Gold Rush scenario to harvest this valuable substance out of the ground. And you had to learn how many steps for that? Duplass: That was probably another 25. Earl: And the other thing I want to point out is that there are several original languages that we developed for the film and you see in the first few minutes of the movie Sophie writes it fluently. It's super impressive that she had to learn an entirely new way of writing. How long did that take? Thatcher: It took like three weeks, because you sent me it before filming. Earl: It's like a four-second shot and I think that's the only time you see it. Mantz: How did you make it all feel so easy-looking? Thatcher: I called you guys and we discussed her backstory, and this was months before filming, so I had an idea of who she was. Caldwell: A lot of this conversation we're having now about all this tedious detail goes back to it being a stylized space Western adventure but at the same time we wanted it to feel really grounded within its own world. We get off on those little details. Apollo 13 was one of my favorite movies growing up. We were big NASA fanboys and we wanted to capture some of that. We wanted to go through that experience with the characters. Not only that, part of the premise of the film is that these people don't have a lot of money, and spacecraft and good equipment are expensive, so they're in the space equivalent of a U-Haul, something that's rented, that a bunch of people have abused, and they're risking their lives. So a lot of the tedium that these guys had to go through was to give the world that grounded feel. Mantz: Sophie, because you're in every scene, do you ever get to the point where you're, like, whoa!? Thatcher: The scariest part for me was being able to portray her character arc gracefully. It helped that we were filming it in order. I remember leaving the set feeling more confident as Cee feels more confident, as she starts standing up for herself. The feeling stayed with me. Mantz: So you filmed this chronologically, which is a luxury in this field. How rewarding was that for you to direct a film just as you wrote it? Caldwell: I think it was really important because the entire film is through Cee's eyes and we wanted to preserve that trajectory. At its heart it is a coming of age story, and we wanted to preserve that. Mantz: Both of you, you're in a spacesuit the whole time. What was that like? Thatcher: The first week was really difficult because it wasn't easy to breathe but then they worked through that. It kind of served as an acting tool: Once I put on the helmet, I became that character. Earl: You know like in Prometheus, and a lot of sci-fi movies, about five minutes in they come up with an excuse to take their helmets off. We didn't in Prospect. Our characters don't get to escape this environment. It's a survival story: They're stuck on this toxic moon, they're stuck in their environmental suits, and I think we must have set some sort of record for amount of scenes in the suits. I had to ask Jay before this if he had permanent neck damage and thankfully he does not. But we really didn't realize what we were signing out cast up for because this was a physically rigorous process. We were out on location in an actual rain forest hiking in these suits. Thank you, guys. Thatcher: They gave me a helmet just a couple months before so I could get used to it. Earl: Yeah we shipped Sophie a motorcycle helmet to strengthen her neck. Thatcher: And I took some martial arts classes ... Earl: That's part of it. You're trained astronauts. Miners, really. You've got to be like, "Yeah I wear this thing all the time." Duplass: Like Sophie said, the whole first day she and I were freaking out. We were like, we can't breathe! We were doing these walking scenes and I couldn't say the lines because I was hyperventilating. And I was like, it feels like I'm nervous but I don't feel nervous; I think we don't have air! It's so disorienting. You're trapped in this thing, these guys are talking to us on headphones, other people are talking but you can't hear them, you're in a rain forest where it's beautiful for the first 24 hours then it's just stuff to trip over. The next day we would cut holes here. The first week we were just adjusting the helmets. And the suits, like we need a pee hole in the suit otherwise it takes 25 minutes off set to go urinate somewhere. There was a lot of strategy involved. Mantz: Sophie what was it like to spend the majority of your screen time with Pedro Pascal (Ezra)? It's a battle of wits but it's also an uneasy alliance. Thatcher: Their connection is really interesting. At first she doesn't trust him but then she opens up to him and tells him things that she probably never told her father because they spend so much time together they have to trust each other if they're going to make it out alive. And Pedro is just an amazing guy. He brought this energy and this lightheartedness to the set that really helped. Mantz: Tell us about casting Pedro for this movie. Caldwell: We were big fans of Oberyn, from his work on Game of Thrones. We just asked him to be in the movie. For Ezra we always knew he was going to be a challenge. He's kind of modeled after that classic Western hyper loquacious archetype. I can't imagine anyone executing that better. It's the type of guy that's always wavering on the line between being super charming and being super menacing and you never know where he's going to land in any situation. Pedro just has that magnetism. All credit goes to him. Mantz: What were some of the ways you were able to improvise? Caldwell: A lot was put in to the language, the way that the characters speak. Like Zeek mentioned early, it almost has the feeling of a period piece. We wanted the tenor of the language to feel like it was from another time, which is a hard thing to improvise. I think Jay brought some of that into the set, where you were suggesting playing with the lines and improvising a lot more, which was a really fun, we ended up using quite a bit of it. Duplass: I've always used improvisation in my movies. It's about humanizing language in interaction and I just feel like when improvisation is on the table and the other actors in the room know that anything could happen it creates a feeling in the room. I feel like audiences understand when all bets are off and when a moment is potentially dangerous. Once you and I started improvising we were in a place where anything could happen or be said so you get off the pattern of memorizing lines and waiting for your time to talk. It's more about listening and tuning in to what is being said. What these guys are looking for is a very human, very vulnerable and tense interaction. Caldwell: It's interesting because on the flip side of that you have a character like Ezra and he's often the one who's driving the conversation. His language is steeped in all of this kind of fictional vernacular. The way Pedro talked about it, he compared it almost to performing in a Shakespeare piece because you have to internalize the meaning. We were throwing all kinds of lingo into his lines. Mantz: For Sophie, there's not a ton of dialog. A lot of it is a nonverbal performance which is more challenging because you don't have the words to fall back on. What was that like? Thatcher: The thought of keeping the audience engaged with just my eyes was really scary to me. Like I said the helmet helped. Once I put it on, I was in the mindset of Cee. Caldwell: So much credit goes to Sophie for realizing this character and that there is a shape to her journey. So much of that is not on the page in dialog. So much had to be done non-verbally. We didn't fully comprehend how risky that was, for the entire emotional journey of the film to be in that space. We were incredibly lucky that Sophie was able to do it so well. Mantz: You guys set up your own facility to work on the movie, come up with the production design, edit the film; there's a whole backstory to that, so tell us about it. Earl: We couldn't just call up a Hollywood production design house. We had to completely start from scratch so we rented an old boat building warehouse in Seattle. Chris and I had been sort of acquiring friends who could make things. These people had never worked on a film before. We had a bike builder who designed the spaceship you were just watching. We had a friend who remodeled houses. We had a friend who was just laid off from Boeing who was an electrical engineer. Our production designer's background is in medical insurance. All these people were watching YouTube videos on how to make stuff. We assembled an entire shop. Our core group got to 16 to 20 people. We fought for seven months of pre-production which is a really long time for an indie film. Indie films usually sometimes only get like five weeks. And we told our financiers, look, if you give us all this time, with this small group of people in a warehouse, we can make this whole sci-fi world. And that's what we did. Caldwell: We always knew, and this is due to our influences from classic science fiction films before green screens and CG were so prevalent, we wanted to channel some of that texture into this film. We wanted this world to be rendered in real physical artifacts -- the props, the sets, the costumes -- and we also wanted to see how far we could push an indie film budget in terms of rendering a scope of detail that was hugely important in making it feel real. So that practical approach was very much a part of the DNA of this film. Earl: We had a producer come down from Canada to oversee the film and he laughed because of how much more production design there was than on the average film that he was involved in. Honestly, half of it doesn't even show up on screen. We developed advertisements, brands, all the tags on the clothing. There's a whole set of cartoon characters that appear throughout the film as part of this fictional childhood TV show. For me that's the really fun stuff. There's another layer of stuff behind the movie that you're watching. Mantz: Let's talk about the wardrobe design for the spacesuits. Earl: Our approach is to start gathering so many inspirations and so many little pieces that you eventually end up in sort of original territory. So the suits that Sophie and Jay wear are a little more inspired by the '60s and '70s space race. Again, we wanted Prospect not to feel contemporary, we wanted it to feel like it was from another time and place, so we used a lot of older inspirations. It feels strangely in the past. There are a whole variety of designs. This guy, Zed [actor Chris Morson, in costume and seated to Earl's left], is from another planet and culture, and you don't really get his backstory, but we actually wrote it out. We created, at the beginning, a kind of Prospect Wikipedia with everyone's backstories, their economic situations, why they all land together on this planet. So even though you don't get Zed's full story on screen, you sense that there is a bigger world and bigger history behind the smaller story that you're watching. Caldwell: In a lot of science fiction you see a homogenous aesthetic being applied where it's all under the umbrella of some giant corporation or military organization. Given the Western fusion we were trying to channel these are all freelancers, independent people who bought their gear from an outfitters or like an REI equivalent, so every costume has manufacturer's labels and branding on it, they all came from different places. We wanted to feel that diversity of sources, that everything from pop culture to the gear that they're using was coming from all different places across the universe. POST DISCUSSION I caught up with Zeek Earl after the panel to discuss inspirations, and he acknowledged that the reference to early John Carpenter films was related to his cult classic Dark Star. (Dark Star was Carpenter's first film and has been an influential sci-fi movie renowned for its independent quality, resourcefulness, vision and humor.) While the influential sci-fi films they mentioned all shared a theme of corporate exploitation, Earl suggested that Prospect's more intimate story means that such larger scope issues might form part of the backdrop but aren't at the forefront of the main narrative being told. |
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