#bdwong

📣 It's August 31st and you know what that means? It's BD Wong Knits Day - I'm officially declaring it. Way back in 2016, I shared this fun photo of BD Wong knitting from an interview he did with James Cox Knits ... it blew up the internet and here we are. I love him, I love that he knits and I'm more than happy to shine a light on an awesome indie knitwear designer ...

First show to start my trek into NYC TV was Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Like many people who had cable growing up, I spent a lot of time watching this series with my family. We even got excited to watch whenever there was a marathon on the USA Network. However, I never watched the original Law & Order nor did I ever start this series from episode 1. So I figured it would be nice to try this one as a way to ease into my journey.

It obviously did not disappoint. SVU is a good procedural despite tackling topics that make the general public uncomfortable. As a New Yorker, it can feel like we are numb to the dangers of city life. But this show always puts it front and center and even if you’ve seen all the episodes, I feel like you can still be swayed to pick different sides of a case they are working on or even pick different sides of characters.

Early on Elliot Stabler seems very sure of his views on criminals and the law due to him being a father of 4, a practicing Catholic, and a marine/soldier prior to the series. I believe like many he goes through his career with a sense of black and white law views. On the other end we have Olivia Benson, a younger detective who is unfortunately aware of the large grey areas of the justice system. This comes strongly from being a woman in the police force and the child of TRIGGER WARNING rape TRIGGER WARNING. Many episodes focus on their views and conflicts toward their cases and how it affects them moving forward as people, detectives, and partners.

I’ve watched SVU up until Stabler left, so not a stranger to the format of the show and not a stranger to shipping Benson and Stabler. I’d say this show can be a good view into major parts of Manhattan and can be a good litmus test of things a viewer can be comfortable with in terms of sex conversations and in terms of morality.

While I do love the main detectives, John Munch and Odafin Tutuola are a greater source for comedy when the show needs it. Munch’s analytical stereotyping of society and Fin’s rational oblviousness make a nice pairing for viewings of the show who can easily understand their takes as simple watchers and not as anyone who’s had to experience such events in their life.

1998’s Mulan is a cut above most animated films. Wonderful art direction (particularly in the character designs), a rousing soundtrack, a great story, and memorable characters make it an instant favorite.

In ancient China, the Huns have traversed the Great Wall. The Emperor (Pat Morita) orders one man from every family join the army to defend the country. Fa Mulan (voiced by Ming-Na Wen) realizes her father will be killed if he enlists and disguises herself as a man to takes his place. Accompanying her on this journey is the disgraced family guardian, a pint-sized dragon named Mushu (voiced by Eddie Murphy).

Let's get the film’s weaknesses out of the way so we can focus on what makes it so good: the animal sidekicks. Eddie Murphy as Mushu brings plenty of laughs to balance out the intense sequences of combat and drama. He’s given a “buddy” - a lucky cricket named Cri-Kee. The insect is ultimately unnecessary and could’ve probably been merged with Mulan’s (non-anthropomorphic) horse.

Unlike most other female-led Disney animated films, the romance is downplayed, replaced with themes of duty and family honor. Mulan is a well-developed protagonist you instantly relate to. As a woman, she’s expected to look good, cook, and bear children. She wants more but doesn’t reject the expectations placed on her. She’s not a brat. There are moments of comedy when arrives at the boot camp but overall, this story plays out seriously. Mulan risks execution by taking her father’s place but when told to quit and return home, she chooses not to. She’s determined to prove herself, to bring honor to her family. Ultimately, she turns what others would perceive as her weaknesses into strengths - a recurring theme.

Mulan has visuals that stand out and they're working overtime. Few of the menacing Huns have any dialogue. Shan You (Miguel Ferrer) barely gets more than a dozen lines but one look and you know all you need to. We don't need to be told what makes him and Mulan different, why they're opposed. The real struggle is our heroine versus the expectations placed upon her.

The watercolor-like aesthetics make each scene pop, particularly when it uses blacks and whites. The best example comes in a massive battle set in the mountains. The scene is a microcosm of everything good about the film. Mulan gets to show off what makes her a hero, the humor and peril flow into each other seamlessly, and the score is terrific.

Mulan gets to be quite intense in several emotional scenes. These moments, along with its titular character make it a film that endures much more than the comedy, the visuals, or even the soundtrack - which is memorable but features surprisingly few songs. Although there are a couple of blemishes that could’ve been polished, it’s hard to imagine another crack at this story reaching the legendary status this one's earned. We’ll just have to wait and see. (On Blu-ray, March 15, 2020)

A Scene From  Gotham Season 3 Episode 20 “Pretty Hate Machine” Featuring: 

Sean Pertwee as Alfred Pennyworth 

BD Wong as  Hugo Strange 

Mulan II will entertain young children craving more of the 1998 film. Anyone else will find it interminable. The characters are flat, plots obvious, songs unmemorable, and stakes minuscule. It makes you appreciate the original so much more to see this polar opposite.

After the events of the first movie, Fa Mulan (voiced by Ming-Na Wen) and General Li Shang (BD Wong) become engaged. Suddenly, they receive an important mission from the Emperor (Pat Morita). They must escort his three daughters across the country to marry for political reasons. To ensure the mission’s success, Yao (Harvey Fierstein), Ling (Gedde Watanabe), and Chien-Po (Jerry Tondo) accompany them. Meanwhile, Mushu (now voiced by Mark Moseley) learns his position as Mulan’s guardian will end if she marries and decides to break up the happy couple.

This is nothing more than a series of subplots stitched together. I suppose you can give points to this follow-up for not simply regurgitating what we saw previously but this isn’t just a step-down, it’s a gigantic-precipice-down. Even before it gets started, you know exactly how it’s going to end. The princesses are upset about getting married to royals they’ve never met. As soon as Ling, Yao, and Chien-Po display even a single, shallow thing in common with them, it’s love at first sight. What if one of Qui Gong’s princes likes food or jokes? Only one of them ever shows up so even we don’t find out what they’re rejecting.

In 1998’s Mulan, a little Mushu went a long way. This is living proof. Or maybe it just feels like he gets way too much screen time because the historical anachronisms and other gags are never funny. The family ancestors hate him. You do too. At least Mark Moseley’s impression of Eddie Murphy is pretty good.

Like its predecessor, Mulan II is a musical. None of the songs are memorable. One is simply a reprise of A Girl Worth Fighting For but without the charm surrounding it. There are no laughs, no depth, and little to like in this entire film. You’ll be continuously checking your watch. How can 79 minutes feel so long?

Let’s be real, no one looks at the cover for Mulan II and expects greatness. At best, this would’ve been a bonus to compliment the wonderful original. Nothing about it is sophisticated, which means it’s just for little ones but why even bother? No one would ever prefer Mulan II over Mulan. No one could enjoy it independently either. No one would ever call this their favorite movie. The animation is fair - the crowd shots and dance numbers are impressive for a low-budget production - and the voice acting is fine. The story and screenplay, however, are no good. I could never recommend Mulan II to anyone, except for the smallest, most indiscriminate children whose parents are about to go mad from hearing Be a Man for the thousandth time, and even then… (On Blu-ray, September 13, 2020)