The recent arrival of Chapter 7 of Fortnite, which was expected to be a moment of celebration for the community, has been overshadowed by a growing controversy. Fans have accused Epic Games of using generative artificial intelligence to create some of the images presented in the video game, which has sparked protests within the gaming ecosystem. An artist accused of not doing their job The trigger for this controversy was the presentation of an anime-style spray depicting Marty McFly, the iconic character from Back to the Future. Several players noticed similarities with the imitations […]
The recent arrival of Chapter 7 of Fortnite, which was anticipated as a moment of celebration for the community, has been overshadowed by a growing controversy. Fans have accused Epic Games of using generative artificial intelligence to create some of the images featured in the video game, leading to protests within the gaming ecosystem.
An artist accused of not doing their job
The trigger for this controversy was the presentation of an anime-style spray depicting Marty McFly, the iconic character from Back to the Future. Several players noticed similarities with AI-generated imitations of Studio Ghibli and pointed out inconsistencies in the representation of certain objects, such as watches with a blurred finish. These findings have fueled suspicion that some of the images may have been generated by algorithms rather than crafted by human artists.
Under community pressure, Sean Dove, the artist behind the illustration of Marty McFly, publicly defended himself. He shared a video showing his work process, presenting the image in layers to demonstrate that the work is original and not the result of AI. However, Dove admitted that he might have used AI-generated images for some elements, which, according to him, contributed to the confusion about the quality of certain details, such as the watches.
Additionally, players have pointed out other images within the game that seem to have the ‘blurry finish’ typically associated with generative AI. One of the most notable examples is the representation of a yeti that, according to players, exhibits anatomical anomalies, which has increased suspicion of misuse of automatic generation technology in the creation of the game’s art.
The cinema of the 80s is remembered with a lot of affection, and it’s no wonder. Some of the most iconic adventure and action movies in film history are from that era. The level of creativity that was present at the time and the directors and screenwriters involved were enviable, leading to unique gems that are still remembered today. And in many cases, they were overwhelming box office successes. That was the success of one of the most remembered trilogies in history, which is still celebrated today: Back to the Future. Conceived by Robert Zemeckis […]
The cinema of the 80s is remembered with great affection, and for good reason. Some of the most iconic adventure and action movies in film history are from that era. The level of creativity that was present at the time, along with the directors and screenwriters involved, was enviable, leading to unique gems that are still remembered today. And in many cases, they were overwhelming box office successes. That was the success of one of the most memorable trilogies in history, which is still celebrated today: Back to the Future.
Conceived by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale and produced by Steven Spielberg, this is a franchise that started from a very simple premise. What would happen if a young person traveled to the past and met their parents at the moment they met and fell in love? What kind of disasters could it cause if they made the slightest mistake?
A movie that invented what is now a cliché
While today this story is a cliché for all kinds of series, books, and movies, it is so because of the first installment of this film franchise. Marty McFly was the original rebellious and impulsive teenager who travels through time in a retrofuturistic car driven by the eccentric ideas of a mad scientist friend of his, leading him to a wildly crazy adventure. That will only become more and more outrageous with each new installment of the franchise. But now we will get to that.
The first of the movies, Back to the Future, kept it simple. Set in 1985, the protagonist Marty McFly travels 30 years into the past, to 1955, testing the time machine that his friend and somewhat eccentric scientist Doc has built in a DeLorean. The result disrupts his parents’ relationship, almost causing him to never be born, and ultimately, he manages to return to his time without compromising either his relationship or that of his parents or the space-time continuum.
Tremendously clever and wacky for its time, heavily inspired by the television series The Twilight Zone and Superman’s time travel comics, the film was a tremendous success among critics and audiences. With a budget of 20 million dollars, it managed to make almost 390 million at the box office, not counting everything it has made on television and home formats, being surprisingly praised by most critics of the time as a clever, intelligent youth film that represents a very smart twist on science fiction stories thanks to its humor and narrative, even if its beginning is too slow and overly expository.
Winning numerous awards and being nominated for five Oscars, although it wouldn’t win any, it was the big surprise of 1985. And to no one’s surprise, the sequels arrived.
The Aftermath of the Great Success
It took four years to make their second installment, but they did it. Bringing back all the people involved in the original movie except Crispin Glover, who played Marty McFly’s father but was considered too problematic to work with, the movie promised the same, but with a different twist. This time they wouldn’t travel to the past, but to the future. But Marty, who apparently learned nothing from the first movie, gets into trouble and brings back an object from the future that completely changes the future. Because, what is the present if not the past of the future?
With trips to the future, to the past, and a direct confrontation against his great nemesis since the first movie, the bully Biff, the film is built on the premise of its predecessor, making it bigger, with more consequences, and in a way, visionary. After all, it’s about a millionaire seizing power in the US and ruining everything. But his vision is only half-true: in 1989, the year the movie was released, Donald Trump was already a very important figure in American society and had declared his intention to run for president of the US. And if this movie serves as president, the idea was not exciting even then.
On the other hand, the movie was a success again. With a budget of 40 million, it grossed just over 332 million dollars and the critics expressed a healthy enthusiasm once more. Although some critics saw the film as entertaining escapism that lacked the imagination of the previous one and the awards did not shine in the same way as in the previous one.
A beloved third movie
Just a year later and following the final scene of this second film, the third and final movie of the franchise was released: Back to the Future III. With Doc self-exiling to the past, specifically to the year 1885, Marty will have to go to his rescue when he receives a message that something is very wrong and his old friend needs his help. This is resolved in a film with all the tropes of the western, tremendously clever, and which serves as a perfect conclusion to the emotional core of this outstanding trilogy of films.
Costing another 40 million dollars, this time they raised only 245 million, if we can say only when talking about those figures. And the criticism was, surprisingly, much more positive than regarding the second one. Although the ambition of the second installment was much greater, with a more convoluted plot and trying to embellish everything with many superficially deep themes, the much purer and more direct intentions of this sequel to make a fun movie, focusing on the characters and their relationships and how it uses western tropes, captivated the critics. And not without very good reasons.
After the trilogy, the franchise was closed without any further attempts to revive it. Not in the cinema. It has had television series, video games, pinball, biographies of its actors, and everything imaginable in terms of merchandising, but no one has ever proposed a fourth movie. And it’s better this way. Because now you can watch this excellent trilogy on Netflix that, moreover, doesn’t need to become a tetralogy for us to remember how good it is.
Michael J. Fox, known for his iconic role as Marty McFly in the Back to the Future trilogy, recently revealed in an interview that one of his biggest regrets in his acting career was turning down the lead role in the iconic movie Ghost: The Afterlife. This film, released in 1990 and starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore, has become a benchmark of 90s cinema, grossing an astonishing $505.7 million worldwide. He could have been the star of the most important romantic movie of the 90s In a […]
Michael J. Fox, known for his iconic role as Marty McFly in the Back to the Future trilogy, recently revealed in an interview that one of his biggest regrets in his acting career was turning down the lead role in the iconic film Ghost: The Other Side of Love. This film, released in 1990 and starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore, has become a benchmark of 90s cinema, grossing an astonishing $505.7 million worldwide.
He could have been the star of the most important romantic movie of the 90s
In a revealing conversation with Whoopi Goldberg on The View, Fox admitted that the decision not to participate in Ghost has been a thorn that has accompanied him throughout his life. Although his legacy is cemented in memorable roles like Marty McFly, the actor felt that bringing Sam Wheat, the character from Ghost, to life could have further expanded his impact in Hollywood. This opportunity was one of many that were considered at the time; other stars like Harrison Ford, Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, and Bruce Willis were considered for the role, which adds a layer of complexity to the story.
Ghost tells the love story between Sam and Molly, which is cut short by Sam’s violent death, who remains in the world of the living as a spirit, trying to protect his beloved. This plot resonated with the audience, solidifying its status as a classic of cinema.
Undoubtedly, Fox’s career is filled with successes, from Teen Wolf to Mars Attacks, but his confession about Ghost highlights the decisions that can shape an actor’s trajectory. With every artistic choice, Fox’s cinematic life reminds us that even great talents can have their moments of doubt and regret.
The Back to the Future trilogy has left a lasting mark on pop culture, largely thanks to the casting of Michael J. Fox as the lead. Initially, Eric Stoltz was selected to play Marty McFly, but his performance did not meet the expectations of the creators, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, which led to his dismissal. From the beginning, Fox proved to be the perfect choice, and he not only embodied Marty; throughout the sequels, he also played three other characters from the McFly family, including his children and […]
The Back to the Future trilogy has left a lasting mark on pop culture, largely thanks to the casting of Michael J. Fox as the lead. Initially, Eric Stoltz was selected to play Marty McFly, but his performance did not meet the expectations of the creators, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, which led to his dismissal. From the very beginning, Fox proved to be the perfect choice, and he not only embodied Marty; throughout the sequels, he also portrayed three other characters from the McFly family, including his children and his great-great-grandfather.
A script hole with a very particular justification
In Back to the Future II, Fox brought to life Marty Jr. and Marlene, his children, while in Back to the Future III he stepped into the shoes of Seamus McFly, his great-great-grandfather. This versatility was not solely exclusive to Fox; Thomas F. Wilson, who portrayed the antagonist Biff Tannen, also showcased his acting skills by bringing to life three other members of the Tannen family. However, the choice of Lea Thompson to portray Lorraine McFly and her great-great-grandmother, Maggie McFly, has raised certain questions among fans due to the lack of logic in the timeline.
Although Lorraine Baines did not become a McFly until she married George McFly, Zemeckis and Gale justified this decision by citing a popular saying that suggests “men are attracted to women who remind them of their mothers.” This peculiar justification, although puzzling, has been part of the controversy surrounding the narrative of the trilogy, providing fans with a new topic of conversation when revisiting these film classics.
