Author: BRWC

The Importance Of Integrating Foreign Language In Film. By Frankie Wallace. This year saw the Korean tragicomedy, Parasite (2019) become the first foreign-language movie to take the Academy Award for Best Picture. That it has taken so long for a foreign feature to receive this industry accolade is somewhat indicative of the negative Western attitudes toward movies that are not in our local tongue.  

Yet, to limit ourselves to movies in our native language is to deny the opportunity for a richer, rewarding cultural and entertainment experience. The minimal effort it takes to read subtitles opens up new worlds and experiences. As Parasite’s director, Bong Joon-ho so aptly put it after winning Best Foreign Language Film at 2020’s Golden Globes: “Once you overcome the 1-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.”

So why are we currently struggling to embrace foreign language in movies? How deep an effect does our ignorance of movies in other tongues have upon our society? What do we stand to gain if we just, for 90 minutes at a time, step outside of our comfort zone? 

Genuine Representation Matters

A lack of diversity isn’t the sole domain of our film landscape; it’s a problem throughout our society. However, film is perhaps the arena in which it is most visible to us. Popular culture is a reflection of our lives, so the fact that we aren’t empowering a wider range of voices — well, that speaks volumes about our society today. This is part of why the #OscarsSoWhite campaign has been so fervent; by only recognizing a very narrow range of filmmakers, we are devaluing the experiences of entire cultures. 

Though Disney’s Pocahontas (1995) attempted to present an accessible image of Native American culture, it largely only succeeded in creating a sterilized version of a cultural figure it has appropriated. It doesn’t try to portray the real-life, profound struggles experienced by indigenous communities. As this resource notes, popular American and Western society throughout history has used its influence to depreciate Native culture, which has far-reaching consequences for the 5.2 million people who identify as Natives today.

Our film industry needs to be making more holistic efforts to provide genuine representation in movies. Even our cable operators exemplify a very limited world view in the choices of production they support, with many Video on Demand (VOD) services’ foreign language offerings limited to safe, older titles that have been proven successes — such as Amelie (2001) — rather than recent titles that present more relevant voices. It’s not enough to include a character of non-caucasian extraction in a movie, it is imperative to also include diverse voices throughout the production. We need foreign language leaders — directors, writers, producers — who can build narratives that present an accurate and honest portrayal of what it is to have experiences of their culture. Representation isn’t just the on-screen image, it means contributing to the soul of the production. 

Individual Development

Storytelling of all kinds helps to shape us as people — it always has. Today, films are our most accessible medium, and therefore have the power to influence us greatly. By not placing enough emphasis on diverse voices in our cinema, we are also denying ourselves the opportunity for a richer personal development. 

Multilinguistic ability will always be a valuable skill. Genuine foreign voices in movies help us understand the context of the languages we’re learning, the use of local dialects and slang, and can add to our vocabulary. Parents can help their children by including a wide range of foreign language films in their movie queue, encouraging their familiarity with the tongue. The simple fact of reading subtitles is also beneficial, improving a child’s reading skills, and even highlighting areas of potential concern, such as early signs of vision problems.   

But we also need to look beyond the practical educational aspects. Foreign languages in film have a vital role to play in the development of empathy. When watching a movie, we often connect best with the characters through our ability to imagine ourselves in their position. We must encourage deeper connections with diverse stories, such as Roma(2018) — which presents themes of class difference, political struggle, and family life in Mexico. By featuring honest portrayals of human experiences in the characters’ own language (in Roma’s case both Spanish and indigenous Mixtec), we can traverse geographical and cultural barriers, and connect on a meaningful level. 

Building a Global Community

The U.S doesn’t currently feel like the most international-thinking country. Which is odd to say about a place that was developed from a multicultural melting pot. Yet politically and culturally, America has become somewhat insular. We have placed a premium on our own interests and achievements. We all need to gain a greater global awareness.  

Will foreign language in film solve this problem? No, but it can certainly help in the fight against growing xenophobia and build bridges between cultures. Foreign language movies have the ability to introduce and unwrap issues that deeply affect other cultures. Naša Svakodnevna Priča (Our Everyday Life, 2015) presents families attempting to cope and readjust in the aftermath of the war in Bosnia. Sin Muertos No Hay Carnaval (Such Is Life in the Tropics, 2016) portrays the problems of poverty and inequality in Ecuador, and the land disputes that disrupt communities. Though perhaps most powerful is not just how these films can show us problems of those living abroad, but how closely they reflect the very human struggles we all go through — they have the power to bring us together, rather than emphasize our differences.    

Our current lack of global awareness and unwillingness to embrace foreign movies speak to our deeper biases. These are the same prejudices that we often see in our unwillingness to embrace diversity in our workforces and communities. Business studies show that employing teams with a greater variety of backgrounds results in increased productivity and creativity, helping to keep companies competitive and agile. Yet, to our detriment, there is a deep, systemic unwillingness to look outward. Despite paying lip service to diversity, it is clear that our movie industry continues to fail at embracing it, and all of its benefits. Much like other areas of our society, failure to rectify our propensity toward systemic racism may well prove to be our downfall.   

Conclusion

While the U.S. movie industry has recently started to celebrate foreign language in film, we are still a long way from fully embracing it. Inclusion of different dialects and viewpoints is essential to inclusive film culture and the honest presentation of richer storytelling. We must make strides toward the incorporation of diverse voices; by failing to address the systemic prejudices reflected by our choice of entertainment, we are on a destructive path. Movies can be a beautiful, inclusive art form, and we all stand to benefit from discovering diverse stories.

Over the years Marvel and DC comic book characters have had a big influence on many different industries such as retail, video games, and slot games from top online casinos around the world.

Many shops now sell merchandise relating to recent releases including posters, t-shirts, rucksacks, and more. If you are a comic book fan or a comic book film fan, there is always the ongoing debate of which is better: Marvel or DC. So, which is it?

Over the years there have been many fabulous movies set in the DC and Marvel cinematic universes such as Batman and Iron Man. Recently, it is clear to see that the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is taking big leaps in the industry, having just finished phase three of The Infinity Saga.

However, DC films have been released frequently throughout the years too with the Batman trilogy by Christopher Nolan and more recent releases like Aquaman (2018) and Wonder Woman (2017).

Not All Marvel Films Have Been Great

Although the Marvel Cinematic Universe has included it’s fair share of amazing comic book films so far, there are still some movies and some storyline choices that haven’t been well received by fans. While films like Thor (2011) were well-received at release, its sequel Thor: The Dark World (2013) not so much. Same happened with the Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), where its sequel didn’t quite match up to the expectations set from the first installment. However, some spot-on casting choices have also been applauded by fans such as Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America and Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man.

DC Isn’t Actually All Bad

Compared to the MCU, DC films do get a bad reputation. However, there have actually been some great films and standout performances. While films like Justice League (2017) and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) were quite bad (rating 6.4 and 6.5 on IMDb), films such as The Dark Knight (2008) and Wonder Woman (2017) have been adored by fans. Both Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix, who have portrayed The Joker in separate films, both received a Best Actor Academy Award for their performances as the DC villain.

So, Which One Has The Best Film Collection?

Much like the comics themselves, this is largely going to be a matter of personal preference. As there have been good and bad films in both Marvel and DC, it can be hard to say which one has the better collection of films. Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB, based on average review scores, both put DC’s The Dark Knight and Marvel’s Logan as two of the top three superhero movies – Rotten Tomatoes also has DC’s Wonder Woman as number one, while IMDB has Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War as number three. DC’s highest entry is Aquaman at number nine, behind three more Marvel films and the Incredibles 2. In monetary terms, the top four highest-grossing superhero films are the four Avengers movies, with Endgame at the top of the list.

What About The Trilogies?

In the MCU, it could be argued that there are no great trilogies given that the Thor trilogy had a terrible second movie, and the Iron Man trilogy had a terrible third movie. Historically, the X-Men trilogy started out great but then went a little downhill too. As for DC, they have never had a perfect trilogy either. All the Batman trilogies have at least one lower rated film, and the same goes for the Superman movies. In almost every case, the problem could seem to lie with the production company itself. Whenever they see a trilogy take off, more and more is done to try and beat the previous installment. However, in their attempts sometimes this causes films to go over the top or actually bring nothing new to the mix. This can ring true for most trilogies outside of the comic book universe with films such as Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and The Godfather: Part III.

DC and Marvel Each Have Their Time to Shine

In conclusion, both Marvel and DC have each had their time to shine in the film industry.

DC came out strong in the early years, and only faltered when they tried to build a connected universe, a strategy which they are strongly correcting now with movies like Joker and Birds of Prey, as they continue on with the successful Wonder Woman franchise and Aquaman. DC is seriously coming into their own in the modern movie landscape, and it surely may not be long before they catch up with Marvel.

Marvel only has the upper hand now, because of their hard work with the MCU. And they have many years of movies planned out, making it difficult for anyone to catch up. While Marvel seems like the clear winner for comic book movies, DC has a chance to rise up and win sometime in the near future.

Best Animation Films Of 2020. By Claudia Jeffrey.

The Popularity of Animated Films 

It goes without saying that with progress in technology and the tremendous breakthroughs over the years that have revolutionized how animation in movies work, audiences are enthralled to see a new movie hit the big screen every year.

According to Statista.com, the global animation market hit 259 billion US dollars in 2018 and is expected to reach $270 billion by 2020. No wonder movies like the Lion King’s 2019 remake, the Frozen films, as well as the Incredibles sequel and the Minions movie all made over $1.15 billion each worldwide. The masses genuinely enjoy watching a fascinating animated film, and this year in 2020, big hits are coming your way!  

Must Watch Animated Films for 2020 

Sonic The Hedgehog 

IMDB Popularity Score: 21 (- 2)

Release Date: February 14, 2019 (Spain)

While the initial trailer got everybody scared and talking about Sonic’s human teeth and how ugly they looked, the new trailer made some quick changes to get people’s votes back for this upcoming thrilling ride of a movie. While popular opinion is low but we are sure many would love to buy the movie jacket once it hit stores after the feature film’s big release on the silver screen this year. Plus, you’ve got Jim Carrey playing as the main antagonist for the film! What else can you ask for?

Superman: Red Son 

IMDB Popularity Score: N/A

Release Date: February 25, 2020

An alternate take on how Superman would have been if his space ship landed in the USSR. The plot revolves around Superman being raised and trained as the ultimate weapon for the Soviet Union, helping them win wars on the battlefield. The premise of this DC reiteration with a big twist has enough grit in it to make Kal-El’s fans running to the cinema to get tickets. Watch Superman, and his story unfolds like never seen before. All we can do is hope for is a great ending for this one!

Onward 

IMDB Popularity Score: 359 (+ 254)

Release Date: March 4, 2020 (France)

Set in a fantasy and fictional world where magical beings live in communities and go about their everyday lives as we do, Onward shares a heartwarming story of two teenage elf brothers and their journey of self-discovery. The boys go on an adventure to meet their father one last time, who passed away into the afterlife when the kids were too young to remember him. We bet you will be more impressed with this one than the Missing Link, which came out in 2019. 

Scoob! 

IMDB Popularity Score: 492 (+158)

Release Date: May 13, 2020 (France)

With the plot to unleash Cerberus, the ghost dog upon the world underway, members of the Mystery Machine learn of Scooby’s epic destiny and secret legacy never been revealed to audiences before. Get your tickets and Scooby snacks early before times run out. Watch the world’s favorite Great Dane get back into action and adventure with his best pall Norville “Shaggy” Rogers as they try to solve another mystery and escape the mayhem that follows. Animation and graphics for this one are spot-on fantastic to say the least! Scooby dooby dooo!!! 

Minions The Rise of Guru 

IMDB Popularity Score: 115 (+ 1,434)

Release Date: July 3, 2020 (United States)

Coming off as a direct sequel to the super smash hit of 2015, Minions The Movie, this latest installment in the franchise will delve into the untold story of how Felonious Gru came to be known as the world’s greatest supervillain. The movie will be primarily based on his exploits during the pre-teen years that he intentionally committed to impress the council of supervillains known as Vicious 6 so that he too can become a member himself.  

The One and Only Ivan 

IMDB Popularity Score: N/A

Release Date: August 12, 2020 (France)

Based on the children’s novel of the same name, the movie is set to follow the same plot as the book with Mike White taking the duty of writing the screenplay for the feature-length film. Since the movie is scheduled to release after the summer break, we recommend you hire a coursework service UK for your academic work. At the same time, you hit the local cinema with family and friends to watch this epic story unfold on the big screen with a big bag of popcorns on your lap. 

Raya and the Last Dragon 

IMDB Popularity Score: 1,466 (+95)

Release Date: November 25, 2020 (India)

This upcoming American animated fantasy film by Walt Disney Studios shares the story of a warrior named Raya, who embarks on a journey determined to find the last dragon in the fictional realm of Lumandra. Centering on themes such as a re-imagined Earth that is inhabited by an ancient civilization plus with Awkwafina and Cassie Steele in leading roles, be sure to experience a gripping storyline with fantastic visuals that will make you glued to your seats the entire length of the feature.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bKMUHQ98As

The Croods 2 

IMDB Popularity Score: 1,558 (+122)

Release Date: December 23, 2020 (India)

Making a splash on the big screen with its first part The Croods in 2013 and earning more than half a billion US dollars to make it rank as the 38^th highest-grossing animated movie of all time, get ready for the exciting sequel set to hit theaters this year. Ryan Reynolds, Nicolas Cage, and Emma Stone will be reprising their roles set in the previous movie. This time around, the story moves further where our family of headstrong people meets up with a new clan called the Betterman.

Justice League Dark: Apokolips War 

IMDB Popularity Score: N/A

Release Date: Sometime in 2020

A direct sequel to the 2017 DC animated feature Justice League Dark. This time around as the name suggests, we are bound to encounter the New Gods such as Darkseid, Orion, Highfather, and the rest. But all is still in speculation. All we have right now for you is a fan-made trailer that is bound to give you some idea of what the storyline might follow. Be sure to stay tuned for more updates regarding this action-packed animated adventure for all comic book fans.

Soul 

IMDB Popularity Score: 1,639 (-949)

Release Date: June 17, 2020 (Netherlands)

With none other than Jamie Foxx in the lead role, this animated movie tells the story of a musician who has somehow lost the passion for creating music. Due to some bizarre and inexplicable event, he is transported out of his body. It is then that he meets an infant soul who is just beginning to learn about herself. Now he must find his way back or wait for the worse to happen. The story, along with the visuals are more than enough to keep us excited and simply cannot wait to watch it on the big screen this summer.

Stay Tuned for More This Year 

Well, that is it for now, stay tuned to BRWC for more exciting news about upcoming movies this year. Get all your info and latest updates regarding the most eagerly awaited feature films here.

Animated movies are here to stay, and as time progresses, technology in animation seems to have no limits as to what it can accomplish virtually. We are sure that you have your very own list of favorite animated movies that you would like to share with your family, friends, and even your offspring. To talk more about animated movies or anything related to the topic, do lets us know by posting your comments in the section below.   

Author Bio: Claudia Jeffrey currently works as a Content Strategist at McEssay.  During her free time, she likes to indulge herself in all forms of popular media, including music, video games, animation, and movies, to name a few.