'Black & White': Fun take on the hardboiled genre

Black & White (2018)
Starring: Emily Inserra, Nick D'Ambrosia, Amber Walker, Tommy Barbara, Jaime Plitnick, Dave Cifelli, and Alex Luckenbaugh
Director: "Collective Brain"
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

After getting black-out drunk at a party, college girl Rose (Inserra) wakes up to find that everything around her now appears in shades of gray. She sets out to reconstruct what happened the night before and to hopefully get some color back into her life!

"Black & White" is a well-crafted spoof of the hardboiled detective thrillers where the main character is trying to piece together a mystery that has deep and personal ramifications for his or her future, but which consists of clues and mysteries within mysteries that defy meaning until they are all uncovered and put together. In this case, the detective role is a party girl who has a bad habit of getting drunk and breaking up with her boyfriend, but her narration is hilariously hardboiled, as is a couple of the actions she takes while seeking out witnesses and gathering clues to solve the mystery.

Over its 9-minute running time, "Black & White" pokes fun at college campus stereotypes (especially as they manifest in romance fiction and dramas), detective fiction, the film noir movie genre, and perhaps even one or two other subjects that escaped my notice. The script is hilarious, with Rose's internal monologue causing me to have a near-constant smile on my face as the film unfolded, and the "what are going to do?" scene had me laughing out loud. I also loved the splashes of color that entered into the film as it reached its conclusion, effectively driving home the point that Rose has reached the end of her journey of discovery and that maybe better days are ahead. 

I also thought the film was nicely photographed, the soundtrack music was perfect, and the sound was always clear and well-balanced. That's actually a bigger deal than someone who doesn't watch a lot of these sorts of YouTube videos might realize. There have been many, many shorts that I've not bothered featuring here or at the "Terror Titans" blog, because the sound was so badly done that dialogue couldn't be heard clearly due to background noise or was drowned out by the soundtrack music due to bad mixing, or because the sound effects so badly integrated so as to be distracting. There are even some otherwise good films that are weakened by bad choice of soundtrack stock music.

I really only have one real complaint about "Black & White", and I don't know if I should be grateful for the filmmakers for giving me the opportunity to make it. There's a scene where Rose barges in on a guy sitting on the toilet, but he has his long-johns fully pulled up. Why? How? What could he have been doing there, dressed like that? It was such a weird moment that it pulled me out of the film. (There are some nitpicks, but I'm not going to call them out, because I understood and appreciated and was amused by what the filmmakers were going for, even if they didn't quite manage to pull it off.)

All in all, if you like film noir or college-based dramas or romantic comedies, I think you'll get a kick out of "Black & White". 

--

"Black & White" was made by a group of then-students at Ramapo College in New Jersey. They created films under the name Collective Brain, because, according, to the person monitoring their Facebook page, their films were true group efforts and there was no clear delineation between who wrote what and who directed it. Unfortunately, if the views, likes, and subscriptions visible on the Collective Brain YouTube Channel are any indication, their efforts have not gotten a whole lot of traction or attention. That's too bad, because, if "Black & White" is any indication, they were creating good stuff. (It's not all bad news, though; I found a smattering of credits at IMDB for several of the members of the Collective, and at least one has been performing with a Shakespearean theatre company in Massachusetts. It appears they on their way to success in the Real World, YouTube be damned!)

Musical Monday with Paloma Sridhar

We present a very appropriate song for the final Monday of 2021--"My Way".

 

We've had a soft spot for this song here at Shades of Gray since we were kids (which may mean were morbid kids...) and we rank this version from Mumbai-based singer Paloma Sridhar's version of it right up there with the great Frank Sinatra rendition.

Will there be Musical Mondays in 2022? Time will tell. (If you've enjoyed any of the music posts that have showed up here, feel free to let us know in the comments section.)

Seattle's Best House Blend

Once upon a time, I was a self-employed writer/editor/game designer, working out of my home. When I got tired of  the scenery outside my office window, I would grab my laptop computer, drive down to a nearby Seattle's Best shop, get a large cup of coffee, and sit there and write. And when I was at home, I would also drink Seattle's Best Coffee, because I bought bags of their medium roast in the store and made my own coffee blends. With this latest coffee review, I return to those days... sort of.

 

SEATTLE'S BEST COFFEE: HOUSE BLEND

The subject of today's review came to me via the grocery store when I caught sight of it. I used to go to Seattle's Best all the time, pay table rent (in the form of a Large Coffee or Large White Black-and-White Mocha), and sit their and write all afternoon and into the evening. The staff knew me and would chat, some of the other regulars knew me and would chat... it was an oasis of friendliness in the otherwise stand-offish Northwest. But then Starbucks purchased Seattle's Best and over the space of a year, things changed and the store was closed (to eventually reopen, remodeled and rebranded as a Starbucks location). This was the fate of all the Seattle's Best locations. Except in airports.

But the Seattle's Best brand name lives on in the grocery store. The other day, I noticed bags of Seattle Best's House Blend. This was, basically, the coffee I always got there, either with a bunch of creamer and sugar added, or as part of the aforementioned Black-and-White Mocha. I decided to take a trip down memory lane and bought a bag.

Given the negative experience I had not long ago when I tried the Starbuck's Pike Place Roast for the first time in several years, I did not have high hopes for this, but, as will all media items or coffee I review, I start from a place of expected to enjoy myself; I'm never going to waste my time on something I am certain will be disappointing.

As it turned out, I was not disappointed. The House Blend was every bit as smooth and tasty as I remembered it. As I expected, it's not a coffee that I am happy drinking straight, but a couple Stevia packets fixed it right up... and when I added some Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk, it was great!

The House Blend works for me on the level that it works for the many blends from Bones Coffee that I've been reviewing. It's got a strong coffee flavor, but it doesn't have the bitter edge that darker roasts have, so it mixes perfectly with a range of creamers (like my favorites--sugar free Vanilla Creamer and sugar free Italian Sweet Cream creamer) and serves as a great foundation for my home-made chocolate coffee (which is a mix of dark unsweetened cocoa powder and coffee). It also works nicely iced with just unsweetened Vanilla Almond milk added... or as part of my own half-assed spin on a "Black Russian"... which is iced coffee, chocolate almond milk, and vodka.

The House Blend was every bit as good as I remember it, and I enjoyed blending my own flavors as much now as I did back then. I was particularly happy with the chocolate/cinnamon/coffee concoction I came up with and drinking a "Black Russian ala Steve" for the first time in years was a real walk down memory lane.

The House Blend also mixed nicely with some of the Bones Coffee blends that I found too intense for my liking. I brewed pots of coffee made from House Blend and half Peaches and Scream, and half House Blend and half Strawberry Cheesecake, and I ended up with some very tasty flavored brews that were nearly perfect when I added some sugar free Italian Sweet Cream creamer or Unsweetened Almond Milk. I liked the results whether I drank they hot or iced, with a slight preference toward drinking them iced.

I liked the flavor of the House Blend so much that I can't help but wonder if the horribly burnt-tasting cup of Starbuck's Pike Place Roast I got during Free Coffee Day was more the fault of the barista who made it than the coffee that was used? I also loved the great results I had mixing it with other coffees and beverages, and I wonder if I would find the same level of fun and enjoyment through the Pike Place Roast?

I always preferred Seattle's Best over Starbucks Back in the Day, so experiments with the Pike Place Roast might not be as successful, but I won't know until I try.

Watch the space for updates!

She's watching for Steve to arrive with bags of coffee for experimental brews!

Christmas is here!

 Christmas is here, and Santa and his helpers are criss-crossing the globe, leaving toys for all the good boys and girls out here! (If they don't show up at your place... well, then you know you're on the same list as we are!)

It's the Night Before Christmas...

 ... and Martha Sleeper is taking it easy, reading a holiday classic while lounging in front of the fire.

We here at Shades of Gray hope your Christmas Eve is as relaxed and enjoyable, whether you are spending it with family or alone. And we hope Santa Claus (or one of his diligent assistants) fills your stockings with just want you wanted!

Christmas Lunch with the Cat

Here's a merry little Christmas cartoon that all cat-owners can relate to. (And if you're a new cat-owner, you can view this as an instructional video.)

Under the Mistletoe with the Avengers

 It's almost Christmas, and we wish all of the visitors to Shades of Gray could join us and the Avengers for a hug and a kiss, because we love you all!

We here at Shades of Gray hope all our visitors are having a happy holiday season... and we thank everyone who's been stopping by during 2021 to share The Year of the Avengers with us.

Find some Christmas Cheer with the Little King

Pals (aka "Christmas Night") (1933)
Starring: Anonymous Voice Actor (speaking two lines as Santa Claus)
Director: Jim Tyer

Rating: Six of Ten Stars

The Little King invites a pair of bums back to his palace to share an otherwise lonely Christmas Eve with him. His generosity is rewarded with a magical Christmas Morning brought by Santa himself.

Reportedly, "Pals" is the best-remembered of all the Van Beuren Little King cartoons--perhaps even the only one that's remembered by anyone other than folks who frequent blogs like this one. This is because it used to be aired frequently on American television at Christmas time, under the title "Christmas Night". (Personally, I'd never seen it until I began my project of watching and reviewing the entries in this series.)

As a Christmas Special, it strikes all the right warm-hearted Holiday notes and it's full of cuteness. It's particularly sweet the way the Letter to Santa is read by the Real Thing instead of just a guy in a suit--one of the benefits of living in a cartoon universe, I suppose! I personally would have preferred more of a plotline running through the thing, but the almost random collection of events and scenes are amusing and cute enough that I can look past that.

Two interesting details that stood out to me is the fact that the Little King's queen is such a nasty piece of work that she doesn't even spend Christmas with him. Secondly, it continues to be remarkable to me the way the cartoon's character designs create a distinction and gulfs between the Little King, his servants and ministers, and the common folk of his realm; each group has a distinct look. While I might be prone to chalk that up to the general slipshod approach that was a hallmark of the Van Beuren approach to continuity and quality control, I think it's purposeful in this cartoon and the series in general. The level of details in the backgrounds and the statement by some film historians that Jim Tyer was highly invested in translating "The Little King" newspaper strip to the amination medium with as much respect to the original source material as possible says to me that not only effort but thought was put into every frame. 

But don't just take my word for it. Take a few minutes to check out this classic Christmas celebration; it's bound to bring some cheer! 

(Trivia: "Pals" was released into theaters on December 22, 1933, exactly 88 years prior to this post being made.)

Christmas is coming...

... and June Lang has stopped by to let us know how long we still have to wait!

Musical Monday with Bryan Adams

With Christmas just around the corner, here's Bryan Adams with a straight-forward video and a pretty Christmas song... even if things seem to take a somewhat disturbing turn at the end. (Or so it seems to us. It's also a little funny, but still... What do you think?)