Top 8 PMVs ~ May

Hello everypony, yes I am still alive! With all my abrupt school-work and a certain Indie-Game sale on, I've been fairly busy and unfortunately not posting as often as I should. It should all be good now, after watching this month's PMVs I was reminded that I'd forgotten how fun and exciting it can be seeing all those awesome videos. So with a revitalized vigour, lets jump into the Top 8 PMVs for May!

#8 Love is in Bloom (Archie Remix) [PMV] ~ Brony Collab

It took me a few seconds to realise this was a collaboration PMV. After being perked up at the thought I read who participated: Rsmv2you, MyLittleBr0ny, EpicDarkWizard12 and QueztalDash. Bucking awesome line-up! Of course I should probably talk about the video itself instead of raving about the artists for half an hour! A PMV to match Archie V's remix of Love is in Bloom. The pace and flashy effects match the fast paced beat of the song, a dangerous combination. Top-notch layering run in parallel to certain lyrics, images of Cadance moving across the screen with "A beautiful bride" and so-forth. I can really see some of the individual styles here as well, prominently: Quetzal and Epic Wizard. Bronies working together may well just be the best thing!

#7-7 Somepony that I used to know ~ Shimmlight and pspchief

Ooooo, another special case, exciting month this is! First off, you may notice that Shimmlight's PMV was in fact on youtube a month ago, but EQD posted it on the 15th and I still get a lot of PMVs from them alongside subscriptions. I try my best everypony!

Anywho, I watched these both at the same time and saw that pspchief mocked about a PMV battle. Contemplating who had the better PMV; I decided that I'd showcase them both 'cause they're both awesome. PSP's approach to the song was centered around Twilight's relationship with Shining Armor and Princess Cadance. The use of grainy sketch filters to present Twilight's memories is brilliant, differentiating them from the 'present' while giving them a unique appearance. Whilst the song itself is about a harsh, really harsh, breakup, I can totally see this working in this situation. Right before Cadance sends Twilight into the caves, these thoughts would make perfect sense. Attacking Cadance and then suffering fallout with Shining Armor synergises oddly well with the song. Implementing perfect timing with Twilight's expressions and over-effects to distinguish Evil and Good Cadance just reinforces the greatness!

Shimmlight displayed a much different approach to the PMV. Rather than one couple, there are several and it's done in a way that they need not be couples relationship. We see sad ponies/spike, moping around or harsh arguments between friends, Luna and Tia are there too, it's obvious how they'd suit this song. An interesting mix of colour and not is used here, rather than just full greyscale, it makes me picture the 'once was beautiful' theme portrayed in the song, whilst the lyrics themselves speak of the past... niceness of the relationship/s. On a specific point, when the line "but I'll admit that I saw glad it was over", the use of Twilight here is a supurb heart-ache. During the chorus we get some more tear-inducing clips of fighting ponies, so sad! Then we see the other perspective... poor Luna! The final chorus doesn't provide any relief from the grief, and then it just ends. The style of this PMV somewhat brutally strengthens the song's innate depression, a very powerful representation.

#6 Young Forever ~ Lyepol

A very energetic PMV to a dancy song. I didn't think I'd see the day when the creator thinks they used too many effects and I didn't, I'm usually picky in that respect. I don't think there's too much clutter, at least not proportional to the song. Lots of colours flying about but not to the point of distraction, more focused on the background, framing or in small amounts. (It's bad when Pinkie Pie is green!) The Mane 6 is featured heavily here, just a lot of clips of them running about, acting crazy, as they do. Most of the shots do match the lyrics nicely as a good Music Video should. The more notable transitions are in fact the backgrounds and framing moving and locking together, almost making you watch anything but the ponies sometimes, but a second later it's replaced by Luna shouting at you or Pinkie firing cannons! The sporadic, unpredictable just adds to the dynamism, eyes never focused in one spot. It kinda makes me wanna go out partying, right now! I'd certainly regret that though...

#5 Designer Skyline ~ epicdarkwizard12

Every epicdarkwizard PMV I see seems to be better than the last. It's always heartening to see PMVs evolve over time, even in a very broad and general sense, not too long ago you'd just get videos of Rainbow Dash flying around every where, rain-booms every few seconds. Arg, the layering in this video is simply picturesque, reminiscent of the best memories a pony could ever have. Here see the purest form of Rarity's imaginative, creative designer mind and it fits perfectly to the song, except she doesn't build buildings. I bet she could though! The effects used are easy on the eyes and just let your mind slip into a dreamy trace listening to the soft music, all the while we see Rarity's inspirations come to life in the form of beautiful dresses.
Ahem, starting to get a tad sappy...
Seriously though, this is some mighty fine vector use and masking here. Very nicely done.

#4 Up in the Sky ~ MLP7the99

Oh horsefeathers, what was that I said about RD flying around? You guys planned this, didn't you?!? A fantastic hoof-tapping, head swinging, face beaming PMV here, comprised mainly of Rainbow flying across the screen. Ah well, it's damn good! A song about how good the sky is, it's pretty neat I guess, and one affections for it. Suits well enough, with Rainbow Dash taking the spotlight and other ponies playing a support role. While constructed with basic techniques the feel and energy to this video is amazing, so bubbly and fun, bouncing up and down, dropping headphones once or twice. We get the familiar Mane 6 = Elements show during the bridge but the way it ends. I'm surprised I haven't seen it before, but the simultaneous rain-booms was breathtaking and almost a shock, I figured out what was going to happen just a second beforehoof!

#3 Good ol' Days [PMV] ~ NoPonyZone

I must have a soft spot for Typographies, or maybe they're all just amazing. I remember when I first saw I was alternating between having a huge smirk on my face or flailing my arms around when a particularly funny or special moment appeared. I guess It's a promising change from having X-90 typo's on all the time! While lacking an extra dimension, this Typography is still brilliant. I just love the quick switching between words or lines, the clever shaping, twisting and morphing of the words and the sweet little choral pony animation. Also, I want to play Skippy-Do-Bop, it's the best game!

#2 Take Me Home ~ ThrashChrist

NARRATIVES ARE THE BEST! Right, yes, well... they are! This PMV centers around Applejack leaving home, feeling home-sick and finally realising that Home is where she belongs. A super effective theme. The execution here matches the atmosphere of the song perfectly, and one can imagine Applejack singing this herself! The clever mixture of canon footage and fan art merge beautifully. The eloquent layering and masking for different sections, like Applejack reminiscing for example are flawless and stunning. It's funny how PMVs are one of the larger contributors to my pony rankings, and now Applejack is second best Mane! (Luna and Twilight are fixed!)

#1 Dash's Determination ~ GlitzerAMVs

Ssssssss "That's a very nice Sanity you've got there..."
My mind is blown, melting away as I desparatly keep it from seeping into the carpet.

This is nothing short of astonishing. It's hard to find good enough words to do this PMV justice. Oh and again, another flying RD video. That's the last time a fall for that!
It stars off with Rainbow flying up into the sky, with a pulsing glow to match the song's notes. Try to count how Pinkie's there are! My initial thoughts were 'Oh yeah, pretty good so far and I like the song', all too soon! Then everything goes down.
The TIMING! Arg, I could die after watching this timing in action, perfect down to every beat, half beat and even a few times when Rainbow moves to match even inflections of tone (notably at 0:35). Everything also appears so colourful, as if the creator has some secret super-chromatic version of MLP! There's so many striking techniques used here the like I've never seen before with crystal-clear deliverance. If Luna was a PMV, this would be her! This song is just fantastic for this too, the piano is to die for and it's used well.
2 Seconds, two seconds to force me into a lesser state of stability, 0:41 to 0:43, with all those RD vectors matching each and every key hit, there's noticeable effort apparent in every second! If you look really hard, scrutinize every motion, you see constant detail, every time she moves, matches a note or back-beat. Infinitely inspirational, nothing could know me down from this eternal elation...
and then BUCK!

NOTHING SCARES ME EXCEPT

FAILURE

Everything changes now, the music sounds like it's bending to the video, not the other way 'round! Everything starts to fall apart for Rainbow, the once vibrant, magical colours begin to distort and soon disappear altogether. Every time she crashes, that's another beat, it's just so natural. We see Rainbow messing up over and over, each failure a body blow to her once infallible ego. Her friends mock her, leave her and soon she's left in isolation, nothing but her bad experiences to brood upon. The despair is overwhelming until even Rainbow Dash herself loses her colour!

But wait, the piano will save her! She remembers her idols, her dreams and aspirations, a blinding sense of colour in her otherwise mono-chromatic state. Layering and positioning, unlike some PMVs, where your eyes move about with each new thing (not a bad trait), this video moves you along while objects move, and the alignment is such that new frames and elements are in exactly the same position, like and endless fall into a world more magical than our own. A curious blend of grey-scale and full colour while Rainbow slowly recovers her past glory, strives toward perfection!
And of course, the Sonic-Rainboom, Rainbow's Crowning achievement and a recurring symbol of hope EXPLODES to bring full pastel greatness to RD's world again. The Mane 6 experience this, to their delight. All their bad feelings wash away with the grey scourge! Now we get to see these split second perfected transitions in full swing for the last part, perhaps my favourite! Rainbow, to Wonderbolts, to pony-spolsion, to Spectral-splosion, to rainbow cannon, to piercing Cloudsdale, to Dragons-eye view of Cloudsdale (really nice frame btw), to the best montage ever. So many pictures, my eyes are resisting existence. The backwards panning through all the amazing Brony art is breath-taking, I actually was holding my breath.
And now the whole world will know one pony, RAINBOW DASH!


And now I question why I'd let a few PMVs sit in my inbox for so long! They're all so good! Another Top 8 wrapped up. I wonder if it's as long as my last one, I really prefer the new system I've got goin', that last one could be a fully-fledged review! I was most upset when I realised I hadn't had Nightmare Moon up before, she never get enough love!

As always I leave you with the 'OMG it's so diffucult to separate you guys's and again, strongly urge y'all to check out all these Apple-Tastic artists!

♫Flutterdash♫ Just the way you are
2112 Seriously check out this one, 20 minutes long and awesome all the way!
Amazing | Pinkie Pie
EPIC PMV
Magic - [PMV]
On My Way
You Are the Moon
TMZ 【My little pony Pmv】

A very sleepy:

Soggy Out!