SubJeff on 8/11/2020 at 10:18
Discovery - which is really good at the moment. The last episode wasn't quite as good as the rest of the season (it had a great first 2 episodes). It was also an extremely woke episode, but that's not why it wasn't as good - it just dragged on a bit. It did make me think though - in TNG when Beverley is in love with the Trill dude then the symbiant moves to a woman it was all a bit oooh-err missus, and actually I'd expect that by then all this stuff would be completely done with.
Mandalorian - another less good episode, especially compared to the last (which was ace), but still great stuff.
Kolya on 9/11/2020 at 18:01
I was a huge fan of Star Trek Discovery's first season. It had action, it had a fight for justice by an underdog (who happened to be black) and it had interesting sci-fi concepts. In the second season the showrunner got fired and it all went mushy and woke. Just like in Dirk Gently's second season a gay relationship was put center stage in a series which had previously featured them as normal and not much to talk about. Actors started crying with joy in close-ups because how moving it all was and the good people prevailed of course. A reviewer described it as heavy handed politics. There was absolutely nothing I disagreed with, it was just very in-your-face and made the show lame. Like a bunch of rainbow-flag waving liberals wanted to scream it at the evil people out there: "Hey! We got Star Trek! Look! We got men kissing! Passionately!" Meanwhile I nearly dozed off. There were other aspects that sucked, like Michael's boring boyfriend, and things that didn't make much sense, like the way the female albino's taking power of the Klingons in the end. And Tilly is just the personification of everything mushy and feely in STD. I even kinda like her, but sometimes I can't help thinking that the whole show is secretly her Star Trek fanfic. That being said, Sonequa Martin-Green is an awesome actress and never let it slip once. Season 3 starts off interesting enough and finally gets some much needed character development. Michael is even more badass now. Cool, cool, cool, cool. But I'm only in ep. 3 and it still could go anywhere.
SubJeff on 9/11/2020 at 23:44
Yeah, Michaels bf was dull af. And the whole Klingon thing was lame af too.
But this season seems much better and I'm reminded of The Forever War with the "wokeness", though in TFW it's done much more hamfistedly. I think it makes sense that this stuff would all be chill by then so in a way it's more realistic and less just about being woke.
henke on 10/11/2020 at 10:06
The Mandalorian's first season - This waaas.... kinda underwhelming. The way everyone's been raving about this I was expecting something on the level of Game of Thrones, but it's really just... pretty good. It's enjoyable enough and moves along at a good pace, but I was never especially invested in Mando's journey. The last 2 episodes pick up a bit tho. My fave scene was the opening of the finale, with the 2 scout troopers chatting and reinforcing stereotypes about stormtrooper's shoot abilities. :D That episode was directed by Taika Waititi, and it makes me excited to hear he's directing an upcoming Star Wars movie.
Hamilton - One of the reasons Hamilton is my favourite musical-album is that they keep the storytelling contained within the songs, instead of forwarding the narrative in dialogue between the songs like lots of musicals do, so you can really just listen to the album and get the full story. Still, watching this recording of the stageshow, I was expecting find some story bits and wrinkles that might've been omitted from the album, so I was surprised that there really is none. I don't think there is a word spoken that's not set to music. In fact the only thing in the show that's not on the album is a song where Hamilton finds out John Laurens has died towards the end of act 1. Anyway, it was interesting seeing how they've staged all the numbers. I gained a whole new appreciation for Phillipa Soo as Eliza, amazing performance. I was seriously choked up by the end of act 2. Folks, watch this. Hamilton has been described by some as the greatest work of art of the 21st century, aaaaand, yeah, I might just agree with that. It's funny, captivating, and very moving. If you're the kinda person who likes storytelling in the form of song, listen to the album instead, where the performances are a bit tighter and the delivery clearer, but if you need visuals, this movie'll do.
Toy Story 3 (rewatch) / Toy Story 4 - Part 4 is perfectly serviceable really, but definitely a step down from Toy Story 3, which remains the series highpoint. That furnace scene, holy shit.
Frozen (rewatch) / Frozen 2 - The first movie is kinda uneven, but has some great musical numbers, and Josh Gad is great as Olaf. The sequel I'd say is a bit tighter from a storytelling perspective, but the songs are only so-so.
This number's great tho, and features Aurora as the literal call to adventure!
[video=youtube;gIOyB9ZXn8s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIOyB9ZXn8s[/video]
Yeah that's right, AURORA! Y'know, from the Mass Effect Andromeda end credits song!
Briareos H on 10/11/2020 at 11:50
Quote Posted by henke
The Mandalorian's first season - This waaas.... kinda underwhelming. The way everyone's been raving about this I was expecting something on the level of Game of Thrones, but it's really just... pretty good. It's enjoyable enough and moves along at a good pace, but I was never especially invested in Mando's journey. The last 2 episodes pick up a bit tho. My fave scene was the opening of the finale, with the 2 scout troopers chatting and reinforcing stereotypes about stormtrooper's shoot abilities. :D That episode was directed by Taika Waititi, and it makes me excited to hear he's directing an upcoming Star Wars movie.
In my opinion, The Mandalorian is guilty pleasure space adventure trash that barely rises above the level of Xena Warrior Princess, yet is the only Star Wars work since the OT that feels timeless and transcends fandom. For that, I see it as
truly Star Wars. I'm waiting for the entire season to be out to watch S2.
SubJeff on 10/11/2020 at 13:43
The Mandalorian is so good because, not in spite, of it being extremely pared down. It's a bit Lone Wolf and Cub, isn't it? More like a Western based on a Kurosawa original than the usual sci fi.
I think it's the best thing to come out of Star Wars since the original films.
Kolya on 10/11/2020 at 16:26
Agreed. Also because its use of Muppets.
rachel on 10/11/2020 at 21:05
The Right Stuff, episode six
How is it possible to take this kind of source material and end up with something so dull. It's shiny and vapid and uninspired and for crying out loud, the show's logo is just ugly and IT BOTHERS ME. Every characters, everything else for that matter, feels like cardboard. No depth. No tension. Nothing.
Ugh.
The Mandalorian
Slightly down from last season but still good stuff. Those freaky ice spider things can fuck right off though, who the hell imagines stuff like that. And I'm not even arachnophobic.
A bit disappointed by the canyon chase. Firefly is the only show I can think off that portrayed one accurately (As in, with these ships, you don't NEED to chase, just climb above and follow visually while they tire themselves trying crazy stunts).
SubJeff on 14/11/2020 at 22:41
Richard Jewel.
Jesus Christ. Great film. What aresholes.
Kolya on 17/11/2020 at 23:48
I watched Enola Holmes. It's family friendly entertainment with Stranger Things Millie Bobby Brown playing a younger sister of Sherlock Holmes as an amiable Duracell bunny with feminist fourth wall addresses á la Fleabag (same director: Harry Bradbeer).
While this may look look like a period piece at first glance, the film is more interested in telling a quick paced coming-of-age story. No one bats an eye at Enola's frequent visits by gentlemen and she loses her precious clothes without a care, mainly so we get to see her in different clothes. The mystery solving is largely relegated to obvious clues (like a sawed off branch that is shown multiple times in close-up so everyone gets it wasn't an accident) and some simple code deciphering. And yet it all comes together as a delightful romp, mainly due to Brown's effervescent temperament getting full display here and not least due to Henry Cavill's and Helena Bonham Carter's excellent supporting characters.
[video=youtube;1d0Zf9sXlHk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d0Zf9sXlHk[/video]