Geek Culture
What We Love About Mamoru Hosada’s Belle Movie
Mamoru Hosoda’s new film, Belle, had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on July 15th, 2021. It was a last-minute rush addition and was announced less than two weeks before its debut. At the festival, Hosoda received a 14-minute standing ovation due to its excellence.
When we first saw Belle, we were moved to tears. It was easy to see why the Film Festival audience was so impressed with it. The question is, what makes Belle so special?
A Film Set in the Present Internet Age
The story follows the heroine Suzu, who starts as a shy high school student. She becomes a participant in the online social media platform called “U” with billions of users. When Suzu becomes one of the most popular avatars on “U,” she meets a violent dragon avatar.
The film straddles with the imaginary and backdrop of the Internet to explore the process of overcoming one’s own demons. Through the story, Suzu finds inner strength and makes the best out of the scary real world, and comes to grips with how the Internet fits in her life.
Her Incredible Flowered Idol Dress
To everyone’s surprise, including hers, Suzu’s avatar becomes a sensation practically overnight with millions of followers. In one of her most beautiful sequences, she’s shown in a floor-length, red gown that’s adorned in red roses, lotuses, and gerbera daisies that float off of her.
As the dress morphs as she sings, the experience can only be described as “magical.” It’s hard to resist the urge to run out of the house and buy flowers just to mimic this part of the movie. If you’re interested in doing so yourself, purchase some from Bouqs discount flower selection.
A Remix on the Beauty and the Beast
The 18th-century French novel La Belle et la Bete (Beauty and the Beast) is effortlessly retold in a modern setting. It’s easy to see the parallels between the character literally named Belle as a stand-in for Belle and the dragon avatar shunned by online society as the Beast.
Mamoru Hosada himself stated that the Disney film “Beauty and the Beast” actually revitalized him and gave him the encouragement he needed to get back into animation. It’s likely that if he hadn’t seen that film, we wouldn’t have Belle, Digimon: The Movie, and Summer Wars.
Stunning Detail Found All Over
The world of “U” is a total feast for the eyes. There are so many screenshots that feature Belle staring across the Internet scape filled with chat balloons and technicolor. Viewers are immediately taken aback by the animation and the quality of the music and voice actors.
Music plays a significant part in Belle, who’s voiced by singer-songwriter Kaho Nakamura. The main theme, “Millenium Parade,” is so incredibly catchy it garnered 2.1 million views 3 days after its official release. The entire voice cast is stellar and brings their A-game throughout.
Technique From a Creative Veteran
Mamoru Hosada has an animation technique that’s immediately recognizable by fans. His 2D design uses cel-shading, which has an absence of shadows. What it does lack in shading, it makes up for bright colors. Over the years, Hosada has added CGI to his repertoire.
Hosada doesn’t follow trends and tries to break the mold where he can. In Belle, he marries hand-drawn 2D with CGI, motion capture, and a bunch of other techniques to create this unique, creative style. The final effect elicits warm, nostalgic feelings no longer found in western films.
Gaming
Recruited Since Last Month: More Than Eight Million Helldivers 2 Players
The relentless force of Helldivers 2 shows no signs of slowing down, as recent reports indicate that Arrowhead Games Studios, the Swedish developer behind the game, has sold over eight million copies since its release on both PS5 and PC just last month.
According to TD Cowen analyst Doug Creutz (thanks, VGC), who spoke to Bloomberg, it is believed that the game has exceeded expectations in terms of performance. It’s amazing how word-of-mouth buzz and the unconventional guerilla marketing strategy keep driving up recruitment numbers week after week. Arrowhead’s studio motto, “A game for everyone is a game for no one,” reflects their unwavering commitment to their unique internal design philosophy.
It appears that the PC community has recently surpassed the PlayStation fanbase in terms of player numbers and platform preference. However, thanks to crossplay, both groups continue to benefit from the growing popularity of gaming. Although it’s not particularly thrilling to see yet another service game achieve rapid success, the hardcore nature of Helldivers 2 fills us with optimism for Sony’s ongoing live gaming endeavors. We anticipate dedicating ourselves to the defense of Super Earth for many years to come.
What are your thoughts on Creutz’s sales estimate? Does it come as a surprise to you? Does it exceed or fall short of your expectations? Have you noticed any changes in your level of enthusiasm for the Democratic Party? Has it waned or grown stronger? We would greatly appreciate your feedback in the comments section below.
Gaming
Exciting news for gamers! A wide selection of PS5 and PS4 games are now available at discounted prices, but only for this weekend
Don’t miss out on this limited-time opportunity to grab some amazing titles at a fraction of their original cost. Sony clearly understands the potential of the PS Store, as it consistently adds a plethora of new titles every week. This allows for future opportunities to offer discounts and promotions on these games. It’s evident that sales are consistently growing each month, with the introduction of time-limited weekend offers in addition to the usual sale events.
This weekend brings another round of exciting deals, with significant discounts on several popular PS5 and PS4 games. For instance, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is now available for £35.99/$35.99, while DiRT 5 Year One Edition can be purchased for just £14.79/$15.99.
Here are a few other standout moments we noticed:
- Back 4 Blood Deluxe Edition: £8.99/$8.99
- BioShock 2 Remastered: £3.99/$4.99
- Borderlands 3 Next Level Bundle: £9.74/$10.49
- EA Sports PGA Tour Deluxe Edition: £16.99/$16.99
- LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Deluxe Edition: £17.99/$20.99
Hurry up and make your decision before the offers expire on March 19th. Don’t miss out on your chance to snag some great deals. For a comprehensive list of all the latest offers, make sure to visit this page. And don’t forget to share your purchases with us in the comments section below!
Gaming
Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest on 7th June keeps the spirit of E3 alive
E3 is long gone, but that doesn’t mean we won’t have any exciting video game events this summer. Geoff Keighley, the host, has just revealed that the highly anticipated Summer Game Fest event is making a comeback on Friday, June 7th, at 5 PT/5 p.m. ET/10 p.m. BST. The event will be streamed live from the YouTube Theatre in glamorous Los Angeles.
We have a date!@SummerGameFest streams live on Friday, June 7 from @youtubetheater in Los Angeles, with thousands of in persons fans and millions watching online.
A cross-platform LIVE showcase of what's next for video games.
Public tickets on sale May 7th. pic.twitter.com/krQada8uuS
— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) March 13, 2024
In a recent tweet, Keighley assured his followers that a large number of fans will be present at the event, both in person and online. He expressed excitement about the upcoming cross-platform showcase, where the future of video games will be unveiled. Presumably, PlayStation and other gaming companies will have their own separate livestreams. However, Sony has a tendency to support Summer Game Fest, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for any announcements from them.
If you’re thinking of going, tickets will be available for purchase starting on Tuesday, May 7th. It’s definitely an event worth noting on your calendar. So, what are your expectations for this year’s Summer Game Fest? Feel free to share your dream announcements in the comments section below.
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