As Art

Nick and John discuss His Dark Materials season 3. If you haven't watched up to Season 3 ep 8, or read book 3 -- spoilers ahead!

Studio Ghibli Porco Rosso is a great example of world-building done right. In the Analysis, we break down Miyazaki's story beats which you can find in most of his studio ghibli films.

Nick and Kyle talk about the newest Spider-man Movie no way home. They come to an agreement on how much they like the movie.

At the age of 44, Miyazaki made his manga Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind come to life through animation! The success of this movie will lead to the creation of the beloved Studio Ghibli. Join us on this epic adventure!

Nick and Kyle Found a New favorite Netflix Original Animated and Live-action Series! Simply put Arcane is Incredible! I know we are Late to this Party that's why we are calling this After the Hype!

The Matrix: Revolutions (2003) was the third and final installment in the Matrix trilogy -- and released only 6-months after Reloaded. Interestingly enough, though -- they were quite different films in subject and scope, with this third installment focusing much more on the 'real world', and with much less time spent in the matrix itself. This last installment, like the previous ones, did introduce some very high-end technology, including some ultra impressive slo-mo flight / fight sequences between Neo and Agent Smith. While not as received nearly as warmly as the first Matrix or the second Reloaded, Nick and John enjoy discussing how amazingly well the effects [as a whole] hold up this many years later.

The Matrix: Reloaded hit theaters in 2003, with a massive amount of hype and marketing behind it. Financially successful in every way, it also successfully expanded & built on the foundation the original film established -- yet a good portion of viewers had complaints. This time around, gone were the real-camera-captured "bullet time" sequences, replaced this time around with dynamic [but perhaps less convincing] digital double fight sequences -- and a generally higher reliance on CG as a whole. On the story and world-building fronts, setting went far beyond the "digital" Matrix...on into the human sanctuary of Zion...and eventually into "funky-town" with The Architect -- an area and conversation that many movie-goers found quite off-putting. Does the Matrix hold up in John and Nick's separate views...and how do the VFX hold up this many years later?!

It might be Nick's favorite Studio Ghibli Film -- and it's also John's first viewing of it! The guys talk Batman (Christian Bale), the Ever-Epic Billy Crystal...and oh-so-many other things in this episode. Steampunk Castle? Check! Anti-hero who gives no F's? Check. Girl who gives ALL kinds of kisses? Check?! Some things didn't make much sense to John, so Nick attempts to educate the poor lad.

Weta is one of the three or four LARGEST Visual Effects studios in the WORLD -- and they just got bought by game engine company Unity for 1.6 billion dollars! While the VFX studio will still exist & has a majority share under Peter Jackson, this does give Unity full access to all their technology, assets, and other technology. With Unreal Engine already established in the Virtual Production sector (Mandalorian, etc), is this a power-play to try and gain ground in this developing sector? Nick and John have fun guessing where this one will develop!

Nick and John talk about the movie that brought Miyazaki out of retirement and went on to win the academy award for the best-animated feature!

Movie vs the Book: Expert Kyle has read [multiple-times] the vast majority of Dune book material. John finished the Audible book of Dune a month before the movie release, and Nick is in-progress. With this, the guys dig into a fun-and-nerdy discussion on what they noted as significant differences between the Dune 2021 movie vs the original Dune book & how the two mediums needed to approach things differently. Were the changes for the better, and were omissions sorely missed? All in this episode!

Nick and Taylor go back to 1993 to review a nostalgic classic Hocus Pocus! We see if it hold up! Some amazing 90s moments, and awesome wirework!

Princess Mononoke is a film that everyone needs to see and it's John's first time! With its epic story and breathtaking visuals, Princess Mononoke is a landmark in the world of animation.

The idea blew everyone's mind, and the technology blew aside even Star Wars at the Academy Awards. John's world was changed, Nick's was marginally affected...and Taylor -- was she even born yet?! The crew goes back to watch a mind-blowing classic...but does The Matrix Hold Up? The three share some like-minded and different views. Nick talks Matrix story "Glitches" & a lot of crazy internet-theory nonsense!

We go back to re-watch a classic! How does it hold up? A Jack Black Classic!

Blade Runner is a pretty divisive film. Some view it as the ultimate cyberpunk film and a sci-fi noir masterpiece...that did horrible at the box office. Others think it's slow and boring. In the AsArt sphere -- John adores it, Nick likes it (and has an odd obsession with Harrison Ford's "Rubber Face") -- and Taylor has hardly seen it! Does that sound like grounds for an interesting episode? Sure does!

13 years since Twilight was released we react to it after all the Hype is gone. The added bonus is that this is Nick's first time watching it. we talk about heavy breathing, amazing cheesy VFX, and the classic one-liners like " Hold on spider monkey!"

Nick, John, and Taylor enter the world (er, park?) of Jurassic Park. Join Nick and John as they look back, and with Taylor -- it's her FIRST TIME WATCHING Jurassic Park! Does it hold up, and does it hold the same impact as it did back then: Is it a T-Rex of a movie, or a Dino-Doo-Doo?

Nick, John, and Kyle play "Love, Hate, Meh" with this not-to-known bit of Star Wars history. ILM's first made-for-TV endeavor, the Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure broke new ground in certain special effects, and further established Warwick Davis (Wicket the Ewok, Willow, etc) as a consistent collaborator of George Lucas. Hear the guy's fight over story points and delve into all kinds of hilarity in this unique episode -- and check out the movie on Disney+ and add to the discussion in the comments!

Is Jungle Cruise the Mummy remake? Is it worth watching? We talk about the good and the bad and funny. 

James Gunn has done it again! Beautifully embracing the weirdness of comic books to the silver screen! From a talking Shark humanoid to a King Kong sized starfish shooting little starfish out of its arm pits! The Suicide Squad 2 is a Beautifully Weird one of a kind DC movie!

3 Guys reviewing the 1984 movie. We talk story, VFX, and Inner dialogue. 

Hold on to your time and money this one is BAD!!! Space Jam: A New Legacy is basically a Lebron is Great show where he calls himself KING JAMES over and over. We are pretty all over the place just like this movie! this is a Spoiler Review!!!!!! Good luck because this movie sucks!!

We break down and review Army of the Dead from Netflix. Nick, John, and Chris talk about easter eggs and things you might have missed! We also discuss acting choices and the zombie's practical effects and makeup.

The AsArt crew breaks down the best and the worst of the Mortal Kombat 2021 movie. In this movie review, we come to the conclusion that it was exactly what we expected. Some topics are: characters look weak for Mortal Kombat fight, bad fighting choreography, terrible story, good and bad effects, and a lot of funny reactions!

HBO Max has done it again! The AsArt Crew gives their best theories and analysis of The Nevers mid-season finale. Who is Amalia True? We finally get some answers! We discuss what is the GALANTHI and what we can expect for part 2 of season 1.

In the Spoilers review of Hbo max show The Nevers, we go over crazy theories and do our best to answer the Unanswered Questions! We dive deep into the spaceship that released the particles which granted the powers to the touched. What are Maladie's powers? WHo is Amalia True? Is Amalia an alien? What is the mark on Penance Adair back? What is Lord Massen hiding in his basement? Are the Touched Aliens? What is the GALANTHI? AND MUCH MORE!!!!!

Oscars 2021 was it bad? was it good? are they dead? Nick, John, Taylor, and Kyle break it down podcast style! We recap some of our favorite 2021 Oscars moments. We Also discuss the best actor situation with Chadwick Boseman and Anthony Hopkins. Laugh about Daniel Kaluuya's innocent but hilarious speech. We then Argued over the new direction the Oscars took! We discuss the Shady history of the VFX Award in the Oscars (mostly Life of Pi). Nick Asked if the Oscars are still relevant. The AsArt crew then discusses if the 2020 movie schedule affected the 2021 Oscars. Then end it on if there will ever be a clean sweep like Lord of the Rings Return of the King again!

The guys strap in for the Mortal Kombat 2021 VFX reaction and review. Reacting mostly about the VFX and SFX, the two break down what they found to be amazing…and also not-so-much!

Russian Lord of the Rings Epic-ness, featuring: “Bitmap Fireworks” & 1956-quality blue/greenscreen. The Russian Gollum. Frodo gets stabbed by Russian-Gangster Ringwraiths on Weathertop (accompanied by odd accordion music?!). Tom Bombadill and Goldberry (aka “Goldenberry” by Nick) tuck in the Hobbits to go nighty-night. And finally…Galadriel has Ring-Fed visions of grander.

With Netflix in talks on making a new Narnia series, the AsArt crew goes back in time to revisit the original Epic [for many reasons] BBC classic! From human-sized beavers, over-the-top acting, and old-fashioned Special Effects -- this one is going to be fun! One of our longer episodes...so strap on in for the ride as Nick, John, Expert Kyle, and Ultra-Special guest Taylor dive on in! ;) WARNING: Spoilers and Flying Lions ahead. ;)

Nick, John, and Special Guest Taylor sit down to discuss their thoughts, comparisons, and overall feelings on Disney's new online release of Raya and the Last Dragon. While the "overall" consensus was "Good Not Great", there is a lot to enjoy in this new movie and may be very well worth your time to check out.

We compare the Joss Whedon cut to the Zack Snyder! The good, the bad, and ..... 

Warner Brother's, when annoucning their 2021 high-budget movie releases...surprised many. By far the most-surprised, however, were the movie theater owners themselves. Nick and John jump into the controversial move by WB, along with their thoughts on the move in regards to theaters, as well as their own viewing. Marvel, Star Wars, and Shows -- Oh My! Disney has outlined a LOT of new content -- including Marvel and Star Wars. To many this is extremely exciting, to others might be eye-roll-inducing, and to John -- well...watch as he is systematically overwhelmed! Nick and John discuss the pros, (potential) cons, and what they are excited about Disney's new announcements.

Nick John and expert Kyle talk about an advanced artificial intelligence neural network that generates images from text prompts. OpenAI chose the name DALL-E as a hat tip to the artist Salvador Dalí and Pixar’s WALL-E.

The time has finally come!!!!! theonering.net has posted the Amazon Lord of the Ring Show Synopsis!! Nick, John, and expert Kyle discuss analysis and breakdown of all things Lord of the Rings and Silmarillion. We talk about how Amazon Prime might try to make a game of thrones show out of LOTRs and how it might work and not work! -- spoilers ahead!

Nick and John, along with special guest Kyle, talk about what they thought of the first season of Raised by Wolves Season. Considering how differently the season developed over time, the guys talk about what they thought of that, how it fits into "Ridley Scott's way of things", how influential he actually is in the series, and all their theories and unanswered questions as the series moves forward in the future.

The guys (with special guest Kyle!) go deep down the Nerd Rabbit-Hole as they drop their theories and predictions for the already greenlit Season 3 of The Boys!

John and Nick are joined by special-guest Kyle, as "those boys" dig into Season 2 of THE Boys! How did Season 2 stack up to the first, was the pacing as good, what are they hoping for Season 3...and plenty of tangents!

VFX Artist React to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. We breakdown VFX shots and talk about the awesome face tracking on Voldemort! Crazy Dragon and mermaids shots.

VFX Artist React to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. We breakdown VFX shots and talk about the awesome transitions and why it is the best Harry Potter film!

VFX Artist React to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. We React to Bad & Great CGi and composting for the second Harry Potter film. Jurassic Park and the chamber of secrets have a lot of similar shots. We also do our best to breakdown how the shot was done. Then discuss if the shot stood the test of time!

VFX Artist React to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone | VFX breakdown We React to Bad & Great CGi and composting for the first Harry Potter film. Watch us compare Harry Potter to Lord of the Rings a lot! We also do our best to breakdown how the shot was done. Then discuss if the shot stood the test of time!

We talk about everything from the hardware, different specs, new games, and exclusives like Spiderman 2 - Miles Morales and Much More!

Space Jam Retrospective Does it hold up? Does it Suck? We are VFX Artists that like to go back to watch old movies! Remember Space Jam? That weird crossover between Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes?? We Break it down from VFX to Basic story plot this is truly a 90's movie!

The Last Dance is a 2020 American sports documentary miniseries about the career of Michael Jordan, with particular focus on the 1997–98 Chicago Bulls season. The series features film from a crew that had an all-access pass to the Bulls during the National Basketball Association season.

We Breakdown some of Ghostbuster's biggest VFX Mistakes and Amazing for its time Effects! We also Breakdown special effects from Slimmer, Zuul dogs to stay puft marshmallow man.

Top Film Scores and Composers of All Time with Brett Papa - Papastache102. Nick and John, with legendary guitarists Brett Papa talk about the Greatest film scores and composers of all time!