Adnan Bey

Writing is my life, my love, my passion, my hobby. I was born in rural Kentucky, USA and now live abroad in Lebanon where I majored in English Language and Literature.

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Otaku
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Articles
17
Featured
16
Comments
354

Ext. Comments
115
Processed
124
Revisions
108

Topics
36
Topics Taken
5
Notes
79

Topics Proc.
106
Topics Rev.
19

Points
4714
Rank
14
Score
3585

Latest Articles

Animation 54	Five Animated Musicals That Are Not Disney Disney is not the only company to make showy musicals with the usual seven-standard formula. This formula consists of seven... Adnan Bey Jul 16, 2015
Film 60	The Lost Path of the Jedi Anakin Skywalker, fabled Chosen One destined to bring balance to the Force, has betrayed the Jedi Order and slaughtered them... Adnan Bey Jul 14, 2015
Film 44	Fantastic Beasts and How to Film Them A little over a year ago, the Harry Potter fandom received enough news to send it into a frenzy, the... Adnan Bey Jun 21, 2015
Animation 53	The Lion King: The Seven Standards of Disney In 1995, Walt Disney achieved what is to this day considered its crowning achievement. A new movie took hold of... Adnan Bey Dec 24, 2014
Animation 97	Tangled: The Seven Standards of Disney In 2010, Walt Disney Animated Studios released their fiftieth animated feature within the animated canon and the tenth Disney princess.... Adnan Bey Oct 28, 2014
Animation 52	Frozen: The Seven Standards of Disney In 2013, Disney released a new musical Princess film to capture the hearts of millions and leading a sing-along of... Adnan Bey Aug 27, 2014
Animation 38	The Black Cauldron and the Seven Standards of Disney The Black Cauldron is one of the few Disney Animated films that is highly criticized and widely disliked by a... Adnan Bey Jul 28, 2014
Literature 35	Harry Potter: Faith and Superstition Fair warning: If you are reading this article, it will be assumed that you have read the series or at... Adnan Bey Jul 9, 2014

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Latest Topics

film

Pirates of the Caribbean

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Pirates of the Caribbean- Should it Continue?

Since The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean has been a major franchise for Disney. However, ever since the end of the original trilogy, it's sort of lost its original flair. Should it continue? What should Disney do to revive interest when the fifth one does come out? Why make more?

Maybe detail a few of the major flaws from On Stranger Tides, and how the series has gotten worse from it's premier to it's latest flop. – luminousgloom 9 years ago
1
I was surprised at how... flat and lifeless, and even copycat-ish "On Stranger Tides" both looked and felt in comparison to the Gore Verbinsky trilogy. Nothing about the production looked or acted authentic, and it seemed as if everyone was simply going through the motions in an attempt to recapture the same magic. Almost like the film could have better served as a TV special rather than a theatrical production. However, I think the two key flaws here are the director and the writer(s), as is quite often the case. A more imaginative writer and a more stylistic director would greatly improve the chances of Pirates of the Caribbean regaining its former footing again. I absolutely adore the first three films, almost all equally, because when it comes to movie magic, and great movie-going experiences, I just can't think of anything more perfect and indicative of the concept than Pirates. Pirate stories in general are pretty damn awesome. So I'd love to see them do more if they can make it work. Though, it might actually be nice if they moved away entirely from Jack Sparrow, and created a new lead character who's also a Pirate of some unique background, and gave him a new crew of misfits. That might allow the franchise to revive itself. I love Jack, I really do. But Johnny isn't going to be young and fit for much longer, and I really don't want another Indiana Jones 4, where we keep the same actor around just because they were the coolest part of a franchise. Yes, you will never be able to truly replace them, but you can at least try, or create a brand new character who can be played by someone with a bit more youthful energy. And for Pete's sake, can we please go back to the grimy, greasy green color grading? "On Stranger Tides" felt like the whole movie was lit with flourescents, and it was just too darn pale. Like... that's not what a "Pirate" movie should look like. – Jonathan Leiter 9 years ago
1
Agreed, completely. Changes in directors made the Pirates movies feel more like a removed special, something far removed from canon into something else, something foreign to the Pirates magic. – SpectreWriter 9 years ago
1
I hated the opening scene too. It was too slow, too bizarre, confusing, and shoehorning Jacks dad in again was unnecessary. The opening to Pirates 2 was much more quirky and entertaining. I also never fully understood why Barbosa looked so bad by Pirates 4. Was it all like... a side-effect of his ressurection, where he's hyper-aging and decaying right before our eyes? I don't get it. – Jonathan Leiter 9 years ago
1
What about its original flair is missing? Maybe clarify on that. I can see how they are sort of going a different direction with the series now, but I did notice that Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley will be back, which is actually really confusing. Try adding your thoughts on how they remove and bring back characters. – kendalld 9 years ago
1

film

Pirates of the Caribbean

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Pirates of the Caribbean: Glory of Piracy

From the first film, Pirates of the Caribbean has basically focused on the inherent code of piracy. But there's a moral dilemma here. Does it defend piracy? Does it deplore it? What message does it send to kids who watch the movie? In the end, are the British Royal Navy really the bad guys?

Swashbuckling and looting on the high seas have always captivated readers. Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island told tales of seafaring outlaws that filled their days by having endless adventures. Their missions included visiting islands seeking riches, battling vicious savages and fighting the oppressive British Navy. The lifestyle of piracy was not entirely anarchistic because loyalty was carefully measured using laws; these supported by an honorable self-governed system. The pirate code of conduct was a way to punished captured enemies as well as providing a necessary social contract between the captain and his crew, an accord that if broken, resulted a stroll off the plank regardless of their rank. More importantly, why was this society revered or even respected by audiences? Is it the little guy taking on the big bad government? These were killers, rapists, etc. It seems odd that we vilify modern day Ethiopian pirates with machine guns yet Europeans are romanticized? Is only white piracy glorious? – Jason052714 9 years ago
2
I believe in one sense the film also shows people's perception of what piracy was during the colonial era. For those who approach to write this particular topic, it would be essential to understand what were some of the circumstances that gave rise to piracy in this time period, and why people misunderstood pirates. – aferozan 9 years ago
2
I don't think the film, in any way, actually condones the act of piracy. Because at no point do we ever see the "hero" pirates, actually steal anything of value (in large quantities anyway) from any innocent bystanders, towns, villages, or rich people. Barbosa's crew ransacks Port Royal because he's desparate to get back all of the gold pieces that belonged to the chest of Cortez, which had cursed them all. But after that point, not a single pirate is seen actually doing what Mr. Gibbs referred to as "a spec of honest piratin'. We DO, however, see them go on adventures, duke it out with a few ships through cannon fire, find ancient treasures and maps to yet more treasures, and involve themselves with curses and magic. All of which are perfectly acceptable things within a fictional story and universe. Yes, they are pirates. Yes, pirating is entirely and morally wrong. Yes, the British Navy and Lord Beckett are actually in the right (for the most part) but are portrayed as the antagonists, simply because we are meant to side with the pirates because our protagonists are with them, and we do not wish to see them die at the hands of this manipulative, egocentric, and pompous businessman. – Jonathan Leiter 9 years ago
1
Also, I completely disagree with Jason052714's suggestion that only white piracy is glorious, or can be glorified in media. Clearly there were numerous ethnicities involved in the Pirates films, and who were part of many different crews. I took to liking each and every pirate in those films because of how entertaining they were. Their race never changed my perception of them. In fact, the films never once gave the impression that race mattered at all when it came to Pirate comradery or the Pirate laws. Everybody on each crew seemed pretty swell with each other. So in this way, I don't think race is the reason we don't glorify modern piracy: it's the fact that older piracy has been heavily romanticized by 19th century literature, and 20th century media. The pirate is an explorer: an anti-heroic figure with no rules and no life obligations. They simply go where the wind takes them. And much like Jason and the Argonauts or Sinbad the Sailor, Pirates have been known to encounter legendary mythical beasts and hazards which made their search for "burried treasure" all the more magnificent to read or learn about. Modern pirates have no such romanticising of their exploits, except perhaps among themselves, and maybe certain people who appreciate what they do for whatever reason. But this would have likely been the same back when Pirates really existed. You would have had a majority of people completely against their actions and existence, but a select few who thought they were a magnificent bunch: mostly likely because the pirates themselves were spinning tales about their travels just like any sailor worth his salt might have done once they reached port after each trip. In modern time, and modern society, however, we have much less room for appreciating people like them, ironically or romantically, and no reason to even romanticize the waters of our world, because we know so much more about them now. Ultimately, there is simply too big of a difference between the image of Captain Hook, Black Beard, or Jack Sparrow, and some angry guy on a rusty metal barge holding an automatic weapon in 2016. The time periods aren't the same, the circumstances and worldly awareness of society isn't the same, the costumes and vessels aren't as imaginative or majestic, and their choices of weapon don't leave the same visual or fanciful impression. – Jonathan Leiter 9 years ago
1
I don't think the films so much defend piracy as much as it romanticizes it. It creates this opposition between Barbosa's crew and Sparrow's, and adds in the British Royal Navy as additional pressure for the protagonists, but if they weren't defending themselves from these two groups of people, they certainly would not be volunteering at homeless shelters and reading to the blind. Because the films romanticize Sparrow's group, it keeps the film from actually having to deal with the moral dilemma, especially since Barbosa's group is dehumanized when they are exposed as being living-dead. As for the message it sends to kids, the films were rated pg-13, or at least the first one was. The fact that it is a sort of period piece displaces it from modern times to the point that the kids in the audience of the series might not recognize any content in the film that could be applied to current-day life. The only thing, that occurs to me at the moment, that might affect kids watching these films is gender roles. Although the main male characters do not seem as violent as the enemy, Will is often driven by this need to keep Elizabeth safe, which is stereotypical for male roles. But Elizabeth does not play the role of the typical damsel in distress, and throughout the film, and the entire series, she finds clever, sometimes cunning ways to save herself. I'm not sure how that ties into the theme of piracy, but it does sort of perpetuate the stereotypes of males as the protectors, or seeking revenge, or being violent and courageous by nature, when, obviously, men vary a little more beyond that. – Jenn 9 years ago
1

games

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Link: Young or Old

The Legend of Zelda has always been about Link. Link is generally a young boy/man setting out to save Hyrule from the forces of evil, most of the time that being Ganondorf. However, the identity of Link is sometimes called into question. Is Link a young boy or a man? Ocarina of Time used both, but the Toon games like Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass, and Spirit Tracks use a young boy. Originally, it is well known Link is a boy. What changed for the creators to make him a man in Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess? And what changed to make them change him back again? What does this do for the franchise? Does it help or ruin it?

It might be helpful to refer to the timeline given by the game creators in the Hyrule Historia: which also brings up the question, are they all the same character at different times, or different characters united by striking similarities? – Luthien 9 years ago
2
They're different. Wind Waker practically confirms this. – SpectreWriter 9 years ago
2
This could be really interesting if the article takes a slightly different direction and discusses the perception of Link's masculinity and how that changes based on his age. In some of the games where he is depicted as younger, his relationship to the female characters in the game is different than when he is older. When he is depicted as a young man, there seems to be somewhat of a bachelor's complex going on: most of the female characters are in love with him, or make comments about how he is "cute" and whatnot (examples: TP, OOT). This is a conscious decision made by the creators of the game. How does it play into perceptions of heroic men? How does Link's performance of masculinity change based on his age? How does his relationship to women change? Ocarina of Time would be a particularly good study because it shows his growth from a child to a young man. – Emilie Medland-Marchen 9 years ago
1
For anyone writing this, research into the timelines is really important as well. It's sort of been made official by Nintendo in Hyrule Historia, but before that was released there were many theories about the different Links and their relationships to one another floating around online (check Zelda Universe). You'd have to decide whether to use the official Nintendo timeline (which is not accepted by some game theorists) or explore the other in-depth theories. – Emilie Medland-Marchen 9 years ago
1

film

DC Cinema

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Marvel vs. DC Cinematic Universe

A lot of time has been spent looking at the continuity in the Marvel cinematic universe, very few look at the DC cinematic Universe. What I hope for a writer to do is explore, compare and contrast the two cinematic universes. One is owned by Disney and another by its competitor Time Warner, so there will be similarities but there will also be differences. How does the competition between Dsney and Time Warner reflect in the competition between Marvel and DC? With a New Batman appearing in Dawn of Justice, and a Captain Marvel movie due out starring Dwayne Johnson, what can we hope to see in regards to the main continuity climax in the upcoming cinematic film, Justice League? How do reboots effect this continuity in terms of Spiderman and Batman?

The DC Universe, unfortunately, is very poorly conceived. Only recently, with the initial release of "Man of Steel" was it even intended to start making all of the movies take place in one consistent universe, rather than have each film be a unique and stand-alone interpretation. So at the moment, there ISN'T a cinematic universe, it's just barely started. All of the four original Superman films, all of the four original Batman films, the Daredevil Movie, Elektra, Green Lantern, and the Nolan Batman Trilogy, have absolutely nothing to do with each other outside of being based on comics from the same company. But there was never any intention to make all of these films related to each other, have consistent character or casting, or to allude to any plot details or information between different films. Only NOW is this sort of singular universe beginning to take shape, and it's honestly not off to a good start. So I don't consider this topic something that can be explored quite yet. Maybe in another 5 years, when more DC properties get their own films, and we get the first Justice League film. – Jonathan Leiter 9 years ago
0
I definitely agree with Jonathan above. Marvel has grown exponentially over the past couple years and they show no sign of stopping. People will always still keep watching their movies, even if it becomes ridiculous. Like he said before, the Marvel movies are all connected. DC started this off with the "Man of Steel" movie. Now, we are also going to see the new Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot). These next couple years are key for DC. They have to produce great movies that draw in the fans or I don't think they will ever compete with Marvel. – diehlsam 9 years ago
0
Then perhaps a good way to adapt this article suggestion is to examine what DA must do, and what differences Man of Steel has with the first Marvel movie, and what to expect from the DA continuity based on that. – SpectreWriter 9 years ago
0

film

Robin

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Absence of Robin

Robin has become a very popular character in the comic book medium, but for some reason, directors and script writers stay away from him. We have a older man literally named Robin in the final Batman movie but he never became the young sidekick we know and love. Why do directors stay away from him? Would the DC cinematic Universe be well advised to add him as Batman's sidekick? Is he best left in the comics? Why or why not?

I feel as though one of the reasons being how delicately the right choice must be made. Even if they went with the first Robin, Dick Grayson, some people may argue in wanting a different of the various Robin incarnations. No matter what they may get pummeled with complaints. But I do agree that it is strange that they haven't included Robin in any of the recent Batman live-action films. – Kevin Mohammed 9 years ago
0
Perhaps movie studios are wary about film quality/box office totals. – JDJankowski 9 years ago
0
This is an interesting idea for an article. As I'm pondering this, I realize that I can't really recall any sidekick characters appearing in any superhero movie as of late--perhaps there's a reason for that? Perhaps including a sidekick character would shift some of the focus from the lead superhero, causing him/her to be less developed. – ericg 9 years ago
0
I wonder if it doesn't have something to do with the campy image most people conjurer when thinking of Robin. Clearly, the latest Batman films have tried to play up the darker aspects of the character, and including any sort of sidekick may distract from Batman's "lone-wolf hero" image. – dtrott 9 years ago
0

animation

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Traditional Animation vs. CGI

Is 2D animation going down? What are some traditionally animated shows and films that are recent? Did Disney start CGI because of Dreamworks' success of Shrek? If 2D is going down, is it a bad thing? Why or why not?

This is a very interesting topic. As we are noticing a lot of 3D and CGI because of Dreamworks, Pixar and other companies producing a lot of films and shows. However, we should probably ask: Could 2D animation have evolved into 3D and CGI? Or did 2D animation "moved" from films and shows to games and other forms of entertainment? I think a lot of this stems from the audience's interests (for example: what's popular) versus the production companies, artists, and creators's interests (for example: making money). – Quill 9 years ago
5
I think the most recent 2D animated movie I can think of is Song of the Sea which came out last year. It might also be interesting to discuss the animation Pixar used for Paper Man and will use for Moana. I can't remember what its called specifically but it looks like a combination of 2D and CGI at least in my opinion. – Cagney 9 years ago
6

anime

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Anime Females

Independent or Anti-feminist? Many criticize Anime for not having enough independent female characters and when a potential comes along, it is almost always reduced to a more dependent girl. Shonen especially is guilty of this but since Shonen is aimed specifically towards boys of a preteen or adolescent age, is this a fair judgment to make? What about non-Shonen titles? What sort of girls do we get there? And does it mean anything when we know Shonen dominates Japan’s Anime industry? Look at a few major Anime titles, split evenly between Shonen and not-Shonen (for lack of better term) and look at the role of girls. What do they all have in common? What makes them different?

I think the easiest genres to compare are shounen and shoujo. Shoujo is manga geared towards female readership. It's important to look at the difference in genres between shounen and shoujo, because shoujo focuses more on romance, whereas shounen focuses on action. In shoujo, romance moves the plot, so it's hard to create a female character that is completely independent that doesn't need a man, because then it wouldn't match the genre. In shounen, since action moves the plot, there is little or no need for romance, and is usually used a subplot. I suppose independent female characters (like Erza from Fairy Tail) usually get love plots to give them a more feminine side to demonstrate that females don't always have to act masculine to become cool and awesome. I hope this note helps! – YsabelGo 9 years ago
4
Because Anime is from a different country, they may have more different views on how to write female characters than America does. Just look at how there is so much more fan service there is in Anime, when compared fan service in American shows. With that said, Japan has also made a lot of progression in there animes. Sailor Moon had a lesbian couple, and that show is for little kids. For America, we just recently had the first lesbian couple in the finale of The Legend of Korra. Comparing the two countries, and how they write female characters would be an interesting way to go with this topic. – Aaron Hatch 9 years ago
4

comics

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Was Giving Damien Wayne Superpowers a good thing or a bad thing

Damien Wayne is the first and only Robin to have superpowers like flight and invincibility. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? He has since lost these powers but for the time he had them, did it hurt his demeanor as an assassin, did it hurt his accessibility and how kids relate to him? Comparison to other superpowered kids might be prudent.

On one hand, giving Damien superpowers remove the Batman's family's biggest characteristic that they are the superheroes without superpower(that was the whole point of the Batman when he was first created. The creator wanted someone like Super-Man, but with gadgets instead of super powers). But at the same time, this gives interesting twist to the character. What happens when a superhero without superpower suddenly gains that privilege? Will it corrupt him? Will it drive him to the extreme measure? In the end it all boils down to whether the writer can handle this or not. – idleric 9 years ago
1
I think that it is important to note that him having superpowers was a temporary side effect from his contact with the Chaos Shard. Damian lost the superpowers after Batman tricked him into exhausting the powers in a staged event by the Justice League in Batman and Robin #40. By the end of the issues, Damian's powers were completely gone. – jnicklo 9 years ago
1
Yes and I acknowledged him losing them but I'm asking how he affected the Robin image with them, before audiences knew he would lose them. – SpectreWriter 9 years ago
1

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Latest Comments

Apr 9, 2016 Adnan Bey Well, they didn’t really know they were aliens until later, in the heat of more intense parts. No time to show alarm.	Lilo and Stitch: The Seven Standards of Disney
Apr 9, 2016 Adnan Bey And Nani is a major pain for Lilo 😀	Lilo and Stitch: The Seven Standards of Disney
Apr 9, 2016 Adnan Bey Oh, I loved Treasure Planet. Such a good movie. Good pick going off Treasure Island.	Lilo and Stitch: The Seven Standards of Disney
Apr 9, 2016 Adnan Bey That’s why I like it. It does lack an intriguing villain though.	Lilo and Stitch: The Seven Standards of Disney
Apr 9, 2016 Adnan Bey I sort of agree. I like the following prologue better, captures the setting much better.	Lilo and Stitch: The Seven Standards of Disney
Apr 8, 2016 Adnan Bey Not to mention its stylistic visuals.	Lilo and Stitch: The Seven Standards of Disney
Apr 8, 2016 Adnan Bey For me, it made me wish I was Cobra Bubbles. However weird that sounds. In fact, I have to give a shout out to the Grand Councilwoman.	Lilo and Stitch: The Seven Standards of Disney
Apr 8, 2016 Adnan Bey True, but still good.	Lilo and Stitch: The Seven Standards of Disney

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Adnan Bey

Latest Articles

Five Animated Musicals That Are Not Disney

The Lost Path of the Jedi

Fantastic Beasts and How to Film Them

The Lion King: The Seven Standards of Disney

Tangled: The Seven Standards of Disney

Frozen: The Seven Standards of Disney

The Black Cauldron and the Seven Standards of Disney

Harry Potter: Faith and Superstition

Latest Topics

Pirates of the Caribbean- Should it Continue?

Pirates of the Caribbean: Glory of Piracy

Link: Young or Old

Marvel vs. DC Cinematic Universe

Absence of Robin

Traditional Animation vs. CGI

Anime Females

Was Giving Damien Wayne Superpowers a good thing or a bad thing

Latest Comments