Film and Episodic Content Discussion Thread

Discussion in 'Random Thoughts' started by purr1n, Jan 8, 2020.

  1. Beefy

    Beefy Friend

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    I've been very much enjoying Strange New Worlds, easily the best of the new Star Trek series. But man, was this last episode ever a swing and a miss.

    The 'sentient energy field' trope made for the worst episodes way back when it was used in TOS, and it is still the worst now. But more critically, there were basically zero consequences - even by the usual standards of an episodic series. Nothing changed for any of the crew, no character development, no change in inter-character relationships. The exception was obviously the Doctor, but I was not invested in his story at all anyway. He should have been court martialed for how his actions almost killed the entire crew. And then the closing implication that he hadn't told anybody about the lost time, just so he could have a heart to heart with #1? Ludicrous. The only upside was the perfect amount of delicious ham than Anson Mount keeps bringing to the table.

    Yet, that's only one dud amongst seven wins, so I'm still optimistic for the series. Two more episodes in the season, let's hope they close it out with some good stuff!
     
  2. netforce

    netforce MOT: Headphones.com

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    Of the new shows, been very mid on Kenobi, but also most Star Wars shows minus Mandalorian I have been struggling to stay engaged so far. Think I am still like mid way on The Book of Boba Fett and one episode in on Kenobi, hoping it does pick up.

    On the flip side, been having a bunch of fun with The Boys Season 3. Season 2 I tried rewatching leading up to Season 3 and god there were so many forgettable plot lines there.

    Current season feels really much more in line with Season 1, more of what made the show fun to watch, can't wait for more episodes.
     
  3. Case

    Case Anxious Head (Formerly Wilson)

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    Re: The Boys - the graphic novels are bonkers, makes the show look like The Bridges of Madison County. It's actually too much...
     
  4. Pharmaboy

    Pharmaboy Friend

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    Easily my favorite moment of the first two seasons was when Homelander is standing on a stage, looking out over a huge crowd that's jeering him, and he's so pissed off. He imagines firing up his laser eyes and smoking the entire crowd, cutting all those fragile human beings into pieces with his eyes. What a wonderfully malevolent, psychotic character!

    I saw Anthony Starr before and he's a fine actor. Now he's fine actor doing the part of a lifetime.

    IMO this show serves as a welcome corrective to all the trashy "Look, Ma, I have superpowers!" content out there...
     
  5. Case

    Case Anxious Head (Formerly Wilson)

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    Takes The Watchmen overturn of that mythos even further down
     
  6. Beefy

    Beefy Friend

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    I didn't have a real problem with season 2, but hot damn if season 3 isn't going to some amazing places. The way Amazon was playing up the Herogasm episode that it would just be all debauchery, but then all the things that happened.... really setting it all up for a cracking finale.

    And yeah, Antony Starr is simply amazing. I remember him from 'Outrageous Fortune' where he deftly played a greasy lawyer and his stoner twin brother. But the two faces of Homelander are absolute leagues above that.
     
  7. Pharmaboy

    Pharmaboy Friend

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    Never saw THE WATCHMEN. Was it good?
     
  8. Case

    Case Anxious Head (Formerly Wilson)

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    I hated the movie, but thought the HBO series went to some amazing places. The movie amped up the violence for no good reason yet at the same time favored cartoonism over grit. The graphic novel still packs a punch. If you haven't read it, I'd check it out just for it's historical importance. I'm no scholar of this stuff, but I believe it and Dark Night Returns are considered the big opening salvo of superhero deconstruction.
     
  9. Beefy

    Beefy Friend

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    It's probably Zack Snyder's best film. Take from that what you will.

    But in all seriousness, I had no major issues with the movie. I thought the narrative changes versus the comic were well justified. It's biggest sin was that it made one of the anti-heroes a bit too sympathetic.

    The recent TV series was very good. It's a follow on from the comic, rather than the movie.

    All together, I think the comic, movie and TV series together are fairly essential for anyone who can enjoy/tolerate comic/superhero narratives. More interesting than the more recent Marvel stuff, which I find increasingly tiresome.
     
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  10. netforce

    netforce MOT: Headphones.com

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    Yeah The Watchmen tv show was one of my all time favorite shows. Would strongly recommend it if you haven't seen it.
     
  11. Pharmaboy

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    I'd love to watch it...great review #s on IMDB. But it's on a service I don't get.

    This is what @ColtMrFire talked about--fragmentation of availability in the streaming model. It's a very weird syndrome:
    1. There's a ton of content of all kinds/good, bad & indifferent/on Prime & Netflix, the two platforms I subscribe to
    2. But I also know there are so many great individual films and series scattered all over the other platforms--stuff I'd love to see, but am blocked by access issues
    To be clear, I could increase my access by paying big $$ for 3 or 4 other platforms. But that would simply double down on the uncontrollable cost of cable TV that I'm wrestling with--and I'd still miss out on any number of titles.

    It's maddening. A menu where you can only order from 20% of what you see...
     
  12. DigMe

    DigMe Friend

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    just enjoy what you have and don’t let the FOMO drive you mad.
     
  13. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    I don't think I've mentioned Everything Everywhere All At Once, and how unbelievably overrated I think this movie is... because people have been fawning over this pretentious drivel for weeks (too long, too sentimental, too confusing, too much random nonsense). I saw it a couple months ago and it was that weird situation where you see a movie with a bunch of people and they all love it but you didn't but don't want everyone attacking you for having bad taste or something so you stay quiet. That was this movie.

    The thing I hated most was the filmmakers trying to beat you over the head with this "message" about family and acceptance or something, instead of letting that message resonate in the proceedings. It's like explaining a joke... if you have to do that, it doesn't work. E.T. is about letting go and friendship, but Spielberg never allows that message to be spoken by the characters... it is buried in the narrative, and as a result becomes more powerful. I really hate movies that try to beat you over the head with the THEME. It's so amateurish.
     
  14. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    Christopher Nolan's cast for his new film Oppenheimer is insane.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  15. Biodegraded

    Biodegraded Friend

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    Stranger Things S4 eps 8 & 9: WTF, did I just watch a John Hughes teen romance with half a dozen Dr Who episodes spliced into it?
     
  16. Pharmaboy

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    I can't say I'm interested in a film about Robert Oppenheimer, a topic better left to written biographies & historical analyses.

    Then again, it's a bit scary how much Cillian Murphy looks like a young Robert Oppenheimer...
     
  17. rott

    rott Secretly hates other millenials - Friend

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    The whole of Season 4 was interesting, different feel than the previous ones. I initially felt that it lost its charm with the characters older and 3 plot threads carrying on simultaneously, but overall I was entertained and didn't regret watching.

    The soundtrack was pretty good, nice to get some Master of Puppets.
     
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  18. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    Wait so Vader force pulls a ship in Kenobi, but can't be bothered to do the same to the Falcon in Empire Strikes Back?



    Yup, Disney just making shit up as they go...
     
  19. bixby

    bixby Friend

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    Anyone up for helping me remember a series I streamed on TV a few years ago and completely cannot find the title or actor?

    It was either set in New Zealand or Australia, although the setting as I recall was in the woods. Probably a Netflix series or perhaps FX.

    Plot involved a female DR. or scientist that returned to New Zealand from England (?) to work but found a strange fog or smoke oriented "ghost" in the woods. She extended her stay. After a few episodes 4-6, it ended with the smoke or fog being her sister who was killed in a car crash.

    Actress was tall slim blonde woman not too dissimilar to Mackenzie Davis from Halt and Catch Fire.

    It was not Top of the Lake or Brokenwood Mysteries.

    Has anyone seen a series like this?
     
  20. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    There are something like 800 scripted shows on TV.

    Like a needle in a haystack unfortunately.

    What else was the actress in?
     

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