#wuxia — Public Fediverse posts

What To Watch On YouTube Right Now – Part 142

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching.

Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Retrospective Videos Of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – Back in 2000, I was fortunate enough to have seen Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in the local cinema here in the Philippines. Directed by Ang Lee, the film was a dramatic martial arts film set in ancient China. Apart from having established Asian actors Michelle Yeoh, Pei-Pei Cheng and Chow-Yun Fat, the movie’s huge success made Zhang Zhiyi an instant star as she carried a very important role. Its importance in the history of global movies was realized when it earned ten Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. To this day, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a highly admired film and it is not surprising to see it being featured in many YouTube videos. What I posted below are for your enjoyment and enlightenment. Observe how the film impacts YouTubers in their reaction videos.

https://youtu.be/5dR34L1Kj7M?si=24LYnvQ9rVyDdrd1

https://youtu.be/6KlLH3uTDCM?si=Qc_pJ-Mn6jJYzEAo

https://youtu.be/kkjN4Pu9aOw?si=WoJxFI32-Wt9veQB

https://youtu.be/G7mrjFdFLXw?si=fVIGc5Lg4UZizF_8

#2 EOM Reacts’ Minority Report Video – If you love Tom Cruise and if you want his best collaboration with Steven Spielberg, you cannot go wrong with Minority Report. By today’s standards, Minority Report is still very engaging to watch and it also has Spielberg’s clever approach on storytelling as elements of science fiction, suspense and film noir were blended nicely on-screen. That said, you must see how the movie impacts EOM Reacts’ in his reaction video posted below. Go watch it!

https://youtu.be/Hyn0AhXqP38?si=l8vbX9PzEWtiOjFY

#3 The Resident Evil Trilogy On PlayStation Revisited – When I was very young, I was fortunate enough to play Resident Evil, Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis on the PlayStation. The survival horror genre Capcom started with the first RE game really grew not only in popularity and commercial sales, but also in clever game design that included cinema-like storytelling strongly focused on the zombie apocalypse. By the end of 1999, the RE trilogy on PlayStation positively impacted video gaming as a whole and the characters Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield, Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield became wildly popular with gamers. Considering how old the first three Resident Evil games are, do you think they have aged well and are they playable enough for gamers who born after those games were released? Watch and learn from the retrospective video below.

https://youtu.be/IZb54l7ZIwo?si=qtGsUYIczlOblvIl

#4 Ranting For Vengeance Slams Insomniac’s Wolverine Video Game – Anyone who closely followed the life and times of the iconic Wolverine in comics should be concerned about how he is presented in the upcoming Insomniac-developed Marvel’s Wolverine video game. This early, there are clearly signs of wokeness in the said video game and those are signs that show that Insomniac does not give a damn about the literary legacy of Wolverine. You can learn more by watching Ranting for Vengeance’s video and each time he slammed Marvel’s Wolverine, he backs it up with facts and details. Watch his video now!

https://youtu.be/TnIyE5x251g?si=sFqzbRVB7WdDkk2q

#5 You, Me and the Movies React To Showdown In Little Tokyo – I was a teenager when Showdown In Little Tokyo was released in local cinemas here in the Philippines way back in 1991. I never saw it on the big screen back then but I do remember the aggressive pre-release promotions that include previews and an in-depth behind-the-scenes making on TV. The local buzz in 1991 was this…the film was entertaining and the team-up between Dolph Lundgren and the late Brandon Lee (son of Bruce Lee) was well-received. Considering how old the action movie is, one has to wonder if it has aged well. You can find out by watching the reaction video by You, Me and the Movies now.

https://youtu.be/RI0ygeLC3vk?si=8lqbRG7O9izN4BV5

#6 Tokyo-style Pizza Attracts Many – Have you ever heard of the Tokyo-style pizza? One food joint in Japan started it and already it has attracted a lot of foreigners as customers. Pizza has its Italian origins but in Tokyo, the ways to customize it, cook it and make it truly distinct from the rest of the world have been realized. Watch and learn from the Nippon TV video below.

https://youtu.be/_Qu2oKPkwMA?si=dbm_Y-eRp8xWimz1

#7 Japan’s Military – Under the leadership of Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, Japan has emerged as a military powerhouse and it will soon export military hardware to nations that need them. Japan is still operating with its pacifist constitution but that will not stop it from becoming a valuable partner to nations that need their military expertise and technologies. The Self-Defense Force (SDF) of Japan is highly trained and very efficient with military operations as seen in the Nippon TV video below. Watch and learn.

https://youtu.be/VpYvX-eFRNM?si=hbgcU__IrTiwfJV_

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Because gripping her naked wrist would have been scandalous! _Scandalous_ I say!

(No, Su is not gripping for straws here, there _is_ a difference - just not as dramatic as it looks. It may be two days' worth of travelling speaking, but I'm still giggling like a 5yr old.)

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #CDrama #wuxia #CDramaCrime

Getting back from Valhalla has made me a bit tired so...

...two colour palette. Looks good despite crime of sepia filter. Nice angles, and well balanced - production has really stepped up their game in s2! And that pattern is printed for production, but could as well be woven...

*glances at rigid heddle loom*

...Not tonight, Arachne, not tonight!

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #CDrama #wuxia #CDramaCrime

A++ for this camera angle and blocking! We don't need the subtitle, we already know he's saying
'You have my sword!'

(For some reason I want to add
"And my bow!"
"And my weirdly shaped knitting loom!"

There are way too few knitted scarves in fantasy - and even less in wuxia!)

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #blocking #CDrama #wuxia #CDramaCrime

Yes, it's cool that Ma tumbles into the baldachin, but that fabric is definitely cooler! The sections are at least 120cm wide, and the blue ones have their pattern woven into the fabric. Well, it's either the latter or props' printed two sets of sheets and stitched them together to make them look like jaquard - a feat in itself. A+ for effort and execution!

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #MarthaGetsDistractedAgain #CDrama #wuxia #CDramaCrime

This is ab-so-lu-te-ly a kind farmer selling his ginger, not an undercover cop - what gives you _that_ impression?

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #CDrama #wuxia #CDramaCrime

No, they didn't accidentally set off the doomsday device - they just closed a deal on a short-term rental. Apparently Tang had AirBnB* long before the rest of the world. Knowing Chinese history it kinda' checks out.

(*As in short-term rentals with inflated prices)

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #CDramaCrime #wuxia #CDrama

I like that in almost all cases the actual villain is corruption.

(Eye contact in pic.)

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #CDrama #wuxia #CDramaCrime

This waiter at the inn is rapidly becoming my favourite.

(Abridged)
NahWeDon'tHaveAnyWine.
...WeHaveSoupNoodlesIfYouDon'tWantAnyI'llPutOutTheFire"

I should probably meditate over why I'm so fond of characters with no fucks to give, but I'm not sure I can be ars... bothered.

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #CDrama #wuxia #CDramaCrime

The sheriff is literally walking into the setting sun. It's indulgencies like these that makes me watch C-drama!

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #CDramaCrime #wuxia #CDramaCrime

After a genuinely good fight we'll waste time on a second session with two men and their long pointy things.

Edit: I'm obliged to tell you the session was short and sweet. Thankfully.

#MarthaGetsSnarky #StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #CDramaCrime #wuxia #CDrama

Chicken Fed is here to remind you to raise your prices when the demand grows for your services.

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #ArtBusiness #CDrama #wuxia #CDramaCrime

Look at that! I love the light! It both illuminates Su Wuming and gives him a proper contrast. There's also a clear line from his eyes via magistrate Dugu (sitting at the desk) to the dark figure to the right. We even get the bottom of a triangle through the outer edge of the desk. Your eyes will start at Su, follow the top line to see the other characters, and then return to him.

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #blocking #CDrama #wuxia #CDramaCrime

I've been waiting for a better shot of the princess' dress, and I'm not sure I get one. It's not just that it's glorious, it's one of many magnificent outfits she wears this season. I love the colours! I adore the gradient! And..

...it's late so I have to do this quietly...

woohoooo! embroideries!

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #costuming #CDrama #wuxia #CDramaCrime

Season 2 has better costuming over all, and while there are some glorious embroideries I want to point out the genious of this painter's clothes. He's wearing gigantic ink splotches that both look hyper realistic and like they are stylisations. A+

(To avoid confusion; the line is spoken by Xijun who's been brought in to add the last details. She sides with her collegue.)

(Eye contact in pic)

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #costuming #CDrama #wuxia #CDramaCrime

I'm starting to think about Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty as 'the potted plant C-drama'. It's not that I haven't seen indoor plants in other dramas, nor are unfamiliar with their background - it's that there are so many of them, and several are gigantic* gardens.

(*for the format)

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #IndoorPlants #CDrama #wuxia #CDramaCrime

At this point of the intro to season two my only thought is
"Please have colour, _please_ have colour!"

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #Colours #CDrama #wuxia #CDramaCrime

That floor is gorgeous! The entire set for the tower gets high ratings in my book, and the floor is definitely the piéce de résistance! A++

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #CDrama #wuxia #CDramaCrime

That three-double collar is a thing of beauty! Note the slight curves that - while hardly vidible - gives an extra ornamental vibe. And they were sensible enough to add gold embroideries on it! A Western clothes designer would have gone "less is more", put two pearls on each flap, and called it a day.

(Eye contact in pic.)

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #costuming #CDramaCrime #wuxia #CDrama

891 recluses (elsewhere), 4 potted plants, and 2 vases with flowers.

#MarthaGetsDistractedAgain #StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #CDrama #wuxia #CDramaCrime

If I ever stumble across this one I'd immediately lose myself among the shelves, build a small nest between two units, and never leave again. You know it has all the good stuff, but you only find it _once_.

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #bookstore #CDrama #wuxia #CDramaCrime

Hm

Daphne, Fred, ...er... Shaggy, ...and... hm... Vilma.

The hyperbole gets less accurate the further left you get, but am I the only one who gets Scooby Doo vibes?

(Also, note their positions; Xijin in blue stands in front of a bluish-grey pillar foundation, whereas Yintao in red stands in front of a yellow & red house. Those two brings balance to the pic. Lu and Su are placed against contrasting values, and thus attract attention.)

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #CDrama #wuxia #CDramaCrime

This, oth, is awesome! I don't care how unrealistic it is, _it's awesome!_

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #CDrama #wuxia #CDramaCrime

It's a good fight, but after all that pompous "for the good of Tang" and "there's only people of Tang here" I root for the villain on principle. I have little patience for Dubya level of propaganda inserts*.

(*see toot below)

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #CDrama #wuxia #CDramaCrime

I haven't said much about the costumes in this drama, mostly because there isn't much to say about them. They're often toned down to blandness. So the dress here is a rare treat! I love her glass prism embroidery, and how different shades of blue are working together - especially the gradients on her sleeves! Florish the costumes, you cowards! Colours and embroideries won't bite you!

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #costuming #CDrama #wuxia #CDramaCrime

If you try to save money by using rented costumes, check if the nylon has been worn fuzzy, and shave it if it has - lest close-ups will betray you.

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #costuming #CDrama #CDramaCrime #wuxia

CNC routers - the happy cousins of machine embroidery.

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #CDrama #CDramaCrime #PropMaking #wuxia

For the record: if that were me all that stuff in the hair would've been brush pens I'd forgotten about three hours ago.

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #HairPins #CDramaCrime #CDrama #wuxia

The man sniffing the gourd is the leader of the Tuo followers, and set up to be an Eeeevil Villain. But so far he's spent his time lecturing people sneaking away with wine bottles, or lecturing people who doesn't want to attend the Very Special Event, or being stressed out by the demands of the god. If he gets a "But mooom!" or suddenly exclaims
"If you don't behave, so help me I'm turning this blood sacrifice around!"
I won't be surprised

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #CDramaCrime #CDrama #wuxia

I feel for the storyboarder(s). They have planned really good angles and lightning to enhance the scenes, and then someone slapped _heavy_ filters on everything, flattening the mood*. It's probably the big reason I find this show a bit boring, despite its strong script. But I managed to save one shot where the scenography shines through for you! Look at this! Awesome!

#StrangeTalesOfTangDynasty #CDramaCrime #CDrama #wuxia #BlueFilter

(*I'll explain in detail later. Enjoy this pic 'til then.)