Member Interviews: Stardroid

[Dreggit]

Welcome one and all to the first half of the April interviews. Today's interview is brought to you a week early by @Stardroid's speedy response! Exciting, no? Please welcome Stardroid and let us be underway!

Stardroid

 

Standard Questions

How did you come up with your PSN name?

Originally, my name was Starlove. The house I used to live in is located in a more countryside like setting. One of the things I loved to do after a day of work was taking a bath in the evening when it was completely dark. I would let the lights off and work with the orange traffic light outside the bathroom window. One day, I got up out of the bath, opened the window and a cool breeze hit my body and I looked up. I experienced an intense moment of happiness and clarity as I was watching the stars which were very visible. That's how Starlove was conceived. The transition to Stardroid is just a preference.

 

What games convinced you get your PlayStation 3, Playstation Vita, PlayStation 4 and Playstation 5?

• Playstation 3: Resistance: Fall of Man
• Playstation Vita: Sine Mora / Ninja Gaiden Sigma
• Playstation 4: Destiny
• Playstation 5: The Returnal / Kena

 

What are your top 5 game series and why?

• Metal Gear Solid: I played my first MGS game on a very old computer and it was MGS1. The first game to ever introduce me to the stealth style gameplay and I was immediately hooked. It also was my first experience with a heavy narrative driven video game and has shaped my preferences until this day.
• Prince of Persia: Warrior Within is my favourite game in the series. As a young boy I would make it my life's mission to find all upgrades and beat the Dahaka on  hard mode. I loved just having the time to search for these and taking it easy. Me and my brother had a bet that there was no way I could do it. I loved how gritty the game was. Two Thrones was incredible to me. The first game in the series, even though I did not like it as much as the other two was still very respectable.
• Final Fantasy: FF9 was the first FF game I played and Vivi is my all time favourite gaming character. It's the type of series that makes me want to be a kid again. When these experiences just hit you differently, you know? The lengthy story, the amount of weapons, the magic, the fantasy, emphasis on character development and much more has always kept me captivated. FFX-2, funnily enough is one of my favourite Final Fantasy games. I could deeply empathise with Yuna and I just loved the music. The 1000 Words piano version is incredible. To this day I am active in the MMO FF14.
• Outlast: The only horror games to date that made me actually feel afraid. When getting chased in the flooded basement in Outlast 1 ... Both these games have brought me amazing experiences when it comes to playing games. Especially since the horror was expanded upon the fact that I completed both permadeath challenges on the hardest difficulty. I love tensing up as I progress through a video game and trying to keep my nerves in check.
• Soulslike Games: Even though I think the difficulty in the Soulsborne games are overstated, I believe they are genuinely good games. The high fantasy setting, interesting NPCs and just the fact you wander the worlds almost completely unguided is right up my alley. The music and boss design is the best I have seen in any game I have played (both of them combined, not separately). Out of all the Soulslike games, Bloodborne is my favourite. It just edges closer to my own preferred playstyle. Which is highly aggressive.

 

What are your top 5 games and why?

• Inside by Playdead Studios: This is the perfect game for me. You can play through it in one evening and the puzzles are satisfying and not overly difficult. Inside as a game made me feel incredibly sad, hopeful and weirded out. It's honestly been the weirdest three hours of gaming I have done in a session. I was incredibly immersed in the game and the music was something else. Below I will put a video linking to my favourite level. I think the music used as a cue in here is just breathtaking.

Spoiler

 

• Bound: When I first saw the introduction to Bound, the environmental design struck me immediately. The bright colours, the shapes in the background in huge quantities. It seemed like a world I wanted to be in. But what made Bound special to me is how it portrayed the the effects of divorce on a child and coming to terms with it. The woman sitting on a tranquil beach conquering her fears as a child. I absorbed all of it and found it a very well crafted experience. It is also one of my favourite lists trophy wise.
• Metal Gear Solid 3: I first played this game on the Playstation 2. Having been formerly introduced to MGS1 which I played on a dusty PC, I couldn't help but notice how good the game looked at the time. Even though as a young man I did not completely understand the story, I will always remember my first experience versus The Boss in the white flower field. When the Snake Eater song kicks in and it's just you and her. It is my all time favourite boss fight. It's also the first game I played that made me shed a tear at the end.
• ICO: Having been a fan of Shadow of the Colossus on PS2, I decided to buy the HD remaster on PS3 when it came out. I never expected for ICO to become a favourite over SotC. The game is very basic where you as the main character serve as a guide / protector of a girl you meet. Many of the areas in the game are so beautiful I would just sit there and listen. I felt like I actually created the bond with the girl myself and for me a game is only really good when I get immersed. Games for me, are experiences. ICO has been one of the greatest experiences I've had.
• FF14: Final Fantasy 14 is the first and only MMO that I have ever played. Even though I think it's a good game, it's not up there with the best games I have played. What makes it a special game to me is that I have met quite a few great people along the way. I have cleared all Ultimate tier fights (most difficult fights) and obtained The Necromancer title (considered the hardest solo achievement in the game). I love to fish in the game, to raid, to collect mounts ... But it's only when enhanced by the good company I have gotten to know over the years. I am looking forward to Endwalker.

 

Which unreleased game(s) are you looking forward to the most and why?

• Nier Replicant Remake: Never played the original version, but looking forward to experience it with revamped combat.
• The Returnal:  I am a big fan of Housemarque games and I am sure they will deliver a fair, fast paced and punishing experience.
• Deathloop: Looks to be a very stylistic shooter with a good dash of humour in there. Sign me up.
• Biomutant, Kena: Bridge of Spirits, Little Devil Inside and Forspoken.

 

Do you have any other hobbies outside of gaming?

• Taking long walks is one of my favourite activities. I try and get 10000 steps in five days a week. It's a bit of me-time where I collect my own thoughts and reflect on where I am in life. These inner monologues I have are good for me and staying in shape is for sure helping that as well.
• Reading books: Even though I have not been reading much at all lately, I do enjoy reading a good book. Not much to elaborate on although if I can give one tip for current times it would be to read The Plague by Albert Camus. It's my favourite book.
• Working out: I love taking part in the social activity that is working out. Going to the gym, you know each other and it makes it fun. Seeing yourself progress and get stronger is a great feeling.

 

Top 5 TV shows, Movies, and/or anime, why, and would you recommend them to people?

TV shows:

• Mr Robot
• Dark
• Breaking Bad
• Chernobyl
• The End of the Fxcking World

 

Movies

• Gattaca
• Under the Skin
• Her
• One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest
• A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night

 

Anime:

• Spirited Away
• Attack on Titan
• Welcome to the NHK
• Hunter x Hunter
• Mushishi series

 

Gattaca and Spirited Away are films everyone should have seen at least once.

 

Top 5 favorite music bands/group/artists/composers/ost?

• Mitch Murder - Shores of Orion
• Hiroyuki Sawano - Wing of Freedom
• Concrete Blonde - Joey
• The 5th Galaxy Orchestra - S.U.M.M.E.R
• Admiral Freebee - Rags 'n' Run

 

Your favorite platinum and why?

Shadow of the Colossus on PS4. This game has always been dear to me, but I was disappointed that the PS4 list was easier than its predecessor on PS3. So I decided to add a challenge of my own and aim for the number one completion time on PSNprofiles. I did some small preparations before my attempts such as boss practice and route planning. I had such a great time with this platinum. It was basically a 12 hour rush.

 

Your least favorite platinum and why?

Tales of Symphonia. After being a bit burnt out from playing challenging games in succession, I decided it was time to "unwind" and play a comfy and lengthy JRPG game. The trophy list is heavily centered around titles. Titles you obtain through meeting the requirements for them in game. One of the titles requires you to open every single chest, everywhere. I followed a video guide for this as this is my preferred media for guides. However, as I would soon come to learn, the narrator of these videos was just unbearable for me. But I could not mute the videos as the commentary was something I needed to pay attention to unless I wanted to stare at my screen the whole time.

Then, as luck would have it, I missed one single chest. This chest was part of an area no longer accessible which meant I had spent so much time suffering through these videos to have to do it all over again. Even more infuriating is that the game has an in game service enabling you to retrieve missed chests. Not for me it seemed as destroyed areas do not count. So after having finished my first playthrough I needed to use a text  document for the chests paired with the video guide and it was a logistical nightmare. It almost made me quit trophy hunting. In the end though, I learnt to love the video narrator as I found him to have his charm.

 

Have you ever been tempted to switch over to the Xbox/Nintendo/PC gaming ecosystems?

Yes and I still do for some games. I started playing FF14 on a Playstation 3. It was so bad that I had to get out of the mechanics before they even happened or there would simply not be enough time to get out of them. When I learnt about the wonders of 60FPS, most of the games I have interest in that are on PC or PS4, I will play on PC unless they have an interesting trophy list. Games like Dark Souls, Nier Automata, Bioshock ...All games I played on PC. I also own a Nintendo Switch, but for now I only played the disappointing Pokemon Sword.

 

If you could have one game from any gaming generation be remade or re-released, which one would it be and why?

Resistance: Fall of Man dating from release Playstation 3. There are rumours going around of a new RFoM game in the making or a remake and I hope it's true. This game was my first experience on PS3 and my best when it comes to online gaming. I was quite successful on it too. Winning tournaments on consolegaming.eu, placing third in the carbine weapon tournament and getting to know a lot of good people in my favourite clan of all time, BloodPack. It would be a dream to play this game again on a PS5 with all the original maps and modes there.

 

How far are you willing to go for a platinum?

I am going all the way, each time on my current profile as I want full completion on 100 games. However, if there does come a game I play on my profile that I am unable to complete, I would never resort to cheating and rather have an incomplete profile. I also won't resort to scrips unless they are just to combat a really boring grind. Stuff like the Jump Rope script in FF9 isn't for me. I want the achievement to be mine. 

 

If you could give Sony direct feedback of business decisions in the last year, and the latest console generation, what would you tell them?

I think I wouldn't because I don't consider myself to be adequately informed or knowledgeable on the business part of Sony to feel as if I'd have something useful to say. But as a customer, I can express how I feel about things. I ordered a PS5 in September of last year. I am looking to maybe get one in June. That's a long time and scalpers are a big part of the issue next to of course the global pandemic. I don't feel as if Sony did enough to make it seem like they are properly combating the scalping of PS5 units. I would also like to see Sony return to E3 rather than come out with State of Plays every once in a while. I am just not that excited for a State of Play. Meanwhile E3 for me usually is a feast and so have Sony fill in a slot too would be great.

The recent news on the closure of the stores for PS3 and VITA was something they should have announced sooner. But I can't say much more on it. Better to stay level headed as I'm sure if pushes, Sony will reverse this decision.

 

What is your favorite thing about PSNP?

The volunteers that make this place tick. Cheater Removal Team, Guide teams, Discord moderators, forum moderators, the people who come up with events, who take care of the upkeep of trophy lists ... I think it all works well and I am happy it - on the surface at least - comes together in a functioning, aesthetically pleasing whole that I use almost every day.

 

What is your least favorite thing about PSNP?

A seeming lack of leadership. I have seen it plenty of times on this website where people come up with great suggestions and it just goes nowhere. Or the pace in which changes happen is incredibly slow. People not being acknowledged ever. On certain occasions I felt just replacing shame for some of these people. But I do refrain from judging the whole thing as I do not have all the information. But on the surface, the lack of input by the big man, the apparent apathy and absence is not a good look.

 

Is there anyone in the PSNP Community you would like to give a shout out too and if so why?

Miles for popularizing Splasher | @Arcesius for being an all round great guy
@SlimSanta94 for being understanding | @madbuk for being cute
zajac for probably thinking I'm cute | @Dzware for being level headed
@Froopy the Temmie for her courage | @Stand_User3 for being supportive to people behind the scenes, being selfless.
Abby and @Baphamet_ for being a voice of reason on this forum.
The Hunter's Haven Discord for helping me through what was the most difficult time in my life
The volunteers of PSNprofiles. You make this place great and I don't take it for granted.

 

PSNP Community Questions

I noticed the hidden message you have in your trophy cabinet, ever thought about doing other ones? Any ideas you've thought about doing?

The general theme of my trophy cabinet will remain the same. Once I am finished with my profile it's going to be:

 

• YOU WANT ME TO  WHAT? (BattleFantasia)
• UNLOCK ALL TROPHIES (Badland)
• Every Last one of Them (The Last of Us 2)

 

I'm unsure about TLoU2 because it's unclear right now if I want it to be part of my profile.

 

If you were at a karaoke bar (possibly inebriated), what song (if any) would get you to jump up on stage and start belching out those lyrics?

Dancing Queen by ABBA. There is something about this song that always gets me going. When I hear it I think of summer, romance, happiness, the good stuff... I could see myself become a performer in that moment.

 

Have any wacky or funny stories about teaching secondary education?

As an intern, I was teaching an ethics class to 11-12 year old pupils. It was a lesson about philosophy in the broad sense. I brought a jar with me and pebbles. I would present this empty jar to my pupils and ask them "what is this jar?" and most would say "empty". Then I would fill this jar with pebbles to the top and ask again once more "what is this jar?" and most pupils would answer with "full". Then I would put more pebbles on top that it would overflow and ask the same question. "Fullest" they would say. Then I would take the jar filled with pebbles to the water tab and fill it with water adding even more substance to the jar. This was to introduce the pupils to philosophy as thinking about something further and further and exploring phenomena deeper and deeper.

 

One of the pupils in that class made the remark that I was way too young to be this wise. So I took it upon myself for the next cluster of hours on philosophy to dress up as an old man. I would bring a cane to class and I would talk as if I were 70. The pupils appreciated this and it was the best lesson I have ever given.

 

What is one interesting thing you'd like share (doesn't have to be about yourself) that wasn't asked in this interview or addressed in the introduction?

I once dreamed the solution to beating a video game boss. When I was around 12-13 years old I played Final Fantasy X. On the road to Zanarkand there would be this boss upon exiting the cave. This boss would heal itself for more than I could do damage to it. I spent about one hour failing trying to brute force my way through it before going to sleep. That night, I had a dream of playing FFX and using Reflect on the boss so its Cure spells would reflect on me. I beat it first thing as I woke up.

 

What type of food do you cook?

I am not a chef in the sense that I had training for it. The help I offer in the kitchen often boils down to helping the dressing, dealing with the bread or ice cream (the making of the base). But when I do get to cook, it is often many things. The restaurant I work at operates primarily rotating with the seasons and the menu consists out of multiple courses. Appetizers, two dishes usually one with fish, the main dish usually with meat and dessert. The restaurant also makes its champagne and wine fit with what is being eaten. One of the perks of the job is that I sometimes get to eat with my boss tasting the combinations before approval.

 

What’s your favourite cuisine to eat?

I would have to go with Italian cuisine. I like game meat and I love to eat dishes that involve pasta. Bread, Finocchiona salami and some good wine ...

Italian cuisine in general also isn't that annoying to prepare as the ingredients used aren't usually that many with a heavier focus on quality and freshness. 

 

Are you spiritual?

Spirituality is a broad concept and your other questions may tie into this so I will answer all three of your questions in this section. I would not describe myself as a spiritual man as it's often seen as man finding meaning in something bigger them himself. That isn't to say I think there is nothing bigger than me, there is. But I do not find meaning in these things. My spirituality, if you can call it as such, would be a more self reflective kind. I also have a keen appreciation of nature and can deeply connect to the simplest of things. To give you an example:

On a summer night at sunset I was watching the train tracks. Next to these track tracks was long grass, waving in the wind. On this grass the vermilion light fell. As I was watching this, I felt an intense moment of happiness, something I have rarely felt since then. To be here on this world, perceiving these things and finding beauty in them, that in itself is a miracle to me. I feel small, but not insignificant.

 

What’s your zodiac sign? Do you believe in their character traits?

But heading into the world of Zodiac signs, ghosts or the paranormal in general, that isn't for me. I am a Sagittarius. I do not believe in ghosts as I have yet to see one myself. Maybe the ghosts are afraid of me

 

Knack when?

It's been a while since I have eaten knack sausage. But in your honor, at the time of this interview's release, I will eat them.

Spoiler

 

Name three things that you hate about Belgium and three things you love about Belgium.

Things I love:

1. The women
2. The football
3. Chocolate
4. Stella Artois

Things I hate:

1. The weather
2. The circus that is our political system
3. The apparent lack of common sense of the people, which seems to be more prevalent in Belgium

 

If you had to, where would you rather travel to and stay for a year?

1. 1000 years back in time?
2. 1000 years into the future?
3. Next multiverse but 1000 years?

 

I am just too curious to see if we are even still there in 1000 years. Burning questions such as: are they still selling PS Vitas, do scalpers still dominate the PS5 market and did Elon Musk make it to Mars are things I need to know. On a more serious note, though, I think I could learn more from the future than I would from the past. I'd bring back technology, if available, to us and attempt to have it land in the hands of good people. Yeah, if for some reason I could travel to the future, it would be to make things better in the present and maybe not screw it up even more. 

 

What form of activity helped you lose so much weight? And do you still do it/enjoy it?

So I lost 50 kilograms in a little less than a year. For the first six months I only biked on the hometrainer. This I did in combination with calorie counting. That's all it takes. I went online and calculated my suggested intake and worked from there. Day by day, week by week and month by month. The first two weeks were the hardest as I needed to get rid of my sugar addiction. After that I got into a routine which was easy to hold onto. I weighed myself every day. It is important to understand your body and the scale. Just because the scale does not indicate weight loss, does not mean you didn't lose fat. I hit plenty of plateaus during my weight loss journey and I kept myself motivated because I knew my calorie was in a deficit the day prior. What I did not do and wish I did, was work out and build muscle. Muscle is heavier than fat, so I was kind of worried that by weighing myself every day, and gaining muscle weight it would be too demotivating and confusing to keep track of my progress.
In retrospect, this was stupid of me. If one wants to lose weight, build muscle. Muscle requires more calories to maintain. So that means you will burn more when doing nothing! When I weighed about 90KG I went into power training and lost weight even faster than at the start while building muscle.

 

Due to the pandemic I can not work out at the gym and I do not have the tools at home. So I take long walks instead and I enjoy it. I would still be going to the gym otherwise. It is satisfying to be strong and being able to eat lots while you are at it! Here is a before and after: 

Spoiler

 

Do you think that after you’ve 100% your 100th game will the completionist in you will still try and 100% each game you begin?

Absolutely not. In a sense this feat that I have been trying to achieve has kind of ruined video games for me. It's become more of a checklist but I have come so close I am not willing to quit. So I will see it through and once I am done I will just play games for the sake of it. A couple of prestigious trophy lists may pop up and I'll have a go at them, but I will only do it when I really want it.

 

I’ve always admired your collection of rare trophies and completion rate. What pushes you to keep trying, are you just a very patient person?

I am a patient person, but not when it comes to video games. I am just not keen on giving up and being defeated. Truth be told though, if it wasn't for this 100% profile I am after, I would have forsaken a lot of challenges and annoying grinds. I never would have platted Tales of Symphonia, MGSV ... Most of the games I would quit are because of grinds. When it comes to games that are legitimately challenging, I would keep going just for the sake of it and defeating the game rather than being defeated.

 

Linking to that last one, is there anything about a tough game that would make you give up on it?

I would give up on a tough game if it really felt beyond my reach. If I know that my reaction times or decision making isn't sharp enough anymore to pull of a challenge, there is little point for me in continuing. But there is also no fun in playing safe, and I do like to think I have continuously sought out games that I was unsure if I could ever do. The last game I will put on my profile will likely be Super Meat Boy Forever. Which is where, for me, the inspiration came for this profile.

 

As you’re Belgian, I have to ask you one of the hardest choices I’ve come across in a video game: Bacon omelette or Belgian waffles?

I would say Belgian waffle because it fits my profile. Fluffy and sweet, haha. I'm just joking (or am I?). I love both choices, although my decision would likely depends on the season. Cold outside? Bacon omelette and waffles during the summer.

 

What was the worst customer you’ve ever had in your restaurant?

The worst customers we have are the ones that do not show up. The restaurant I work at is targeted at middle to upper class families. We don't really get people here that cause trouble, are loud, obnoxious or rude. The restaurant serves multiple courses and customers pay for the whole thing. The service itself lasts 6 hours. Concretely, we set up the menu for the month and reservations come in. Based on these reservations we buy product. When a customer does not show up, that product often goes to waste as the menu also changes. This means we are in a loss for these customers. Luckily this does not happen frequently, but for our restaurant in particular, that would be the worst customer.

 

Any reason behind your tagline “the people look like flowers at last”?

When I was younger, I had a bleak outlook on life. I was overweight, self isolated and as a result did not have many friends. Suffice to say, I did not like people very much. I was in Spain at the time and reading Ham on Rye by Charles Bukowski. I was active on Goodreads at the time and looked up some of his quotes. One of them was:

 

“We're all going to die, all of us, what a circus! That alone should make us love each other but it doesn't. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities, we are eaten up by nothing.”

 

Something resonated with me and I looked into more of his books. He has written a book called The People Look like Flowers at Last. it's a poetry book. I didn't think much of it at the time until during that holiday in Spain we drove past a huge field filled with sunflowers. It was a stunning view and I thought about Bukowski's book. It was then, in combination with the quote earlier that I found meaning in it. That people looked like flowers at last and that my disdain for them was based on nothing. The name of that book is very meaningful to me as it changed my outlook on life. Since I am sharing quotes I like, I'll share one of my other favourites:

 

Do not walk behind me, I may not lead
Do not walk in front of me, I may not follow
Just walk beside me and be my friend
- Unknown

 

When will you touch 100% 0 unearned?

Can't say for sure, but hopefully this year. I will start on my backlog once I get a PS5.

 

Whats your easiest UR platinum?

The Last Guardian. Loved the game and was initially excited when I saw the trophy list. However, the time on the speedrun is way too lenient if you ask me and it's just overall an easy game. Transformers Devastation contents with this one, though.

 

Which is your favorite star (astronomically & famous person)?

I'll have to simply say the Sun. Even though it's not all sunshine, there is no denying its monumental impact on our lives for the better.

Famous person would be local and not universally known. Recently passed Etienne Vermeersch. A moral philosopher and someone who fought for abortion and euthanasia laws in Belgium. A remarkable man who was not only a moral man in his words, but in his actions. I look up to him like no other.

 

Do you like cyberpunk genre (in movies, games or other media)?

I can't say I actively look for the Cyberpunk genre in film or games but I do enjoy the overall aesthetic of it and the accompanied music. In particular I'm talking about Synthwave and New Retro Wave. Altered Carbon (S1), Ghost in the Shell and Bladerunner are more recent media I watched and enjoyed within that genre. 

 

Which continent would you like to visit?

I've visited each continent except for Australia and Antarctica. And I'm sorry to say that It think I never will. So to give at least somewhat of an interesting answer, I will take the liberty is changing is to a place I would like to visit. That would be Oia, Santorini in Greece. It's a picturesque site that has primarily white buildings, some of which have an ocean blue rooftop. It harbors stunning sunsets and sunrises by the sea. The romantic in me just wants to be there at least once. It seems like a nice place to retire. 

 

If you could create your very own video game (complete with a several million dollar budget, talented game developers, etc)...

If I had a large budget, I would not focus on making big, blockbuster AAA games. Instead, if I had the talent I would make it my life's mission to parody the upcoming and ever present cash-grabs for easy trophies. The first game I would create is My Name is Ketchup. Unlike its silly cousin Mayo, Ketchup will be a difficult game. It does not focus solely on pressing one button to victory. No, Mister Ketchup is having none of that. It's a rhythm game where you have to carefully, and at an incredibly fast pace, time your inputs to make the hotdogs happy! And I would sell them cheap. 

Oh yes, I would parody a multitude of these games by altering their name, taking the genre of that game and ramping up the difficulty. The difficulty junkies out there don't get much love and I would give it to them. 

 

_______________________________________________________________

 

Secret Twist of the Month

Chosen in two parts by @LoveInHell and @DoctorDrPepper

Quote

Something Drawn to the Theme of Summer Jams

 

Summer Jams

by @Stardroid

 

Please look forward to next months surprise twist activity that will be privately chosen by April's interviewee's

 

_______________________________________________________________

 

Let us give thanks to all that participated in asking questions to our interviewee

Spoiler

@Beyondthegrave07 @LoveInHell @PanBuk69 @Stand_User3 @Rally-Vincent--- @Eqill5 @Charizarzar @Lapin2paq @Xenoblast91 @MossyOakRcn42

 

[Beyondthegrave07]

Thanks for the interview! @Stardroid

 

I can definitely tell you put a ton of time in your answers, especially the ones I asked which blew me away. My mind is still blown about the FFX dream... I didn't know what to expect when I asked that question (it's actually a question I love to ask in interviews), but you definitely killed my expectations! Cheers!

[DrBloodmoney]

Great interview @Stardroid - and may I commend you on your excellent movie and TV tastes ?

 

I’ll forgive anything (even trepidation about TLoU2? ?) as long as the person saying it loves The End of the Fucking World, and Under The Skin!

 

That movie is an utter masterpiece (and I don’t say that purely because it was all filmed around my home  )

Edited April 23, 2021 by DrBloodmoney

[Shrooba]

Wonderful interview @Stardroid ! I definitely agree that the Chernobyl television series is an amazing work of art. It definitely makes you think about the many sacrifices people made to secure the wreckage. The 90 seconds on the roof scene especially really put you in the shoes of those who were exposed to the radiation, knowing that each second that ticked away would drain their lives. The usage of diegetic sound of the radiation ticking was so nerve-wracking and really hits hard that people in the world have dealt with so many issues and pushed through as best as they can. Seeing the firefighters arrive at the scene unbeknownst to how it severely shortened their lives is truly telling of the dangers people have been subjected to, but dealt with nonetheless. Chernobyl had a purpose and message it wanted to tell, and it's something I cherish.

And in terms of movies, seeing you place Gattaca also made me smile. It's also one of my most beloved films of all time. Seriously, Gattaca is such an amazing film and like Chernobyl, is a work of art. I vividly remember watching it during my English class when I was in high school and it's left an impact on me ever since. Seeing Vincent overcome the odds despite being automatically judged as a waste by society and cast aside for who he is at birth was very inspirational. The scene where Vincent swims against Anton is one of the best scenes in any film I think; as Vincent saves nothing for the swim back. It succinctly describes his sheer passion to give it all he's got with the body he was born with. It's a pure testament to the unrelenting nature and courage of never giving up and having faith in your ability. While Anton conserves his energy in the swim, Vincent doesn't let his genetics get in the way. It's a great reflection to the end of the film as well, with the whole idea of using all your energy to the end; Vincent's heart problems were likely to make him die soon, but he used what life he had left to live his dream of going to the stars.
Even Jerome, who deemed himself a failure for not living up to his "perfect genes" was willing to give Vincent the shot that he threw away, and the scene where he cast himself into the flames was so poetic since the silver medal that he deemed a failure appeared to turn golden.

You've got a fantastic taste in film and television that I support, cheers.

[DoctorDisinfect]

I loved reading this interview. Slightly disappointing that Stella Artois isn't first.?  Thanks for doing this @Stardroid!!!

Edited April 23, 2021 by Stand_User3

[Shua_J]

Nice job on the questions @Dreggitand also on the answers too, @Stardroid. This made for an interesting read this afternoon. Good stuff.

[visighost]

Great read - you certainly are very articulate and level-headed!

 

And thanks for reminding me of how great Inside was/is. I wish they'd release the soundtrack...