#always been a problem with things that get too many sequels/seasons unfortunately

[paradoxspaceheater]

The way modern movie franchises work isn’t loyal to the original idea of a Cinematic Universe either. If you watch the first few marvel movies, they are all self-contained stories with little easter eggs hinting that they have a place in a larger narrative. The point of Iron Man is not to set up the plot of The Avengers; indeed there is only one short post-credits teaser (something casual viewers would not have seen at all) hinting at a sequel.

The massive popularity the early MCU achieved led producers to think that what viewers wanted was to constantly be reminded that Another Thing Exists, while the element that made viewers so invested in the “shared universe” concept was the promise of a real narrative payoff to these little easter eggs.

…And then the narrative payoff didn’t work, because the writers of the MCU never had a real plan, and the producers told them they needed to drag it on forever and keep coming up with new forced plots and MORE AND MORE post credits scenes and easter eggs because audiences love those! And don’t forget to reference every character ever made because people liked when they made little illusions to other movies and hyped up stuff to come!

It’s the classic issue with corporate products (which is what art made by large studios is and has always been). Something works once, and the company decides to repeat that to death and then get surprised when it falls out of favor. It’s sad to see stories I like (or at least, ideas that have potential) get this kind of treatment and get pounded into a pathetic death by flanderization and corporate greed.

Part of why I continue to come back to the original three Lord of the Rings films, despite their many faults, is that they’re not trying to be part of a “cinematic universe?” They are great because they are complete, and self-contained. They have a beginning, middle, and end. They have a clarity of purpose: they know exactly what they want to say and they say it, all within the movies themselves. They have a clear focused narrative with a clear focused message. They build things up and pay them off, and only pay off things they’ve actually built up.

You don’t need to have consumed any of the extended media to understand what’s happening. You don’t need to watch the writers flounder around struggling to find a central theme to their story after it’s already 8 seasons and hundreds of millions of dollars into production, rather than figuring out what they wanted to say at the very beginning of the process. And you don’t need to wait for a spinoff to follow up on the ideas the LOTR movies bring up—- because the movies themselves follow up on their own ideas. Because they are a complete, clear, tight, focused, streamlined, thematically cohesive narrative written by people who knew what they wanted to write and what message they wanted to send, and then Did That.

I’ve got to admit: I’m very tired of “stories” that aren’t actually stories, but a collection of empty commercials for their own spin-offs. I’m tired of tv shows/movies that bring up ideas they never intended to explore, because the projects weren’t planned in advance and the writers were haphazardly making things up as they went along and abandoning significant thematic ideas the moment they got bored of them. I’m tired of endless empty hollow Lore without meaning.

I love it when fantasy stories are streamlined narratives that have beginnings, and endings, and a clarity of purpose! But I guess that’s just life sometimes.

[shihalyfie]

@sage-striaton replied to your post:

Idk how people can say Frontier has characters that lack depth. Imo it’s a very psychological season. The whole adventure thing is aimed to making them grown in their behaviours and feelings, it’s a big metaphor of their development

I’m sorry for hijacking your response to my post to segue this into another rant of mine, but I want to emphasize that one of my goals with this blog (if I can be said to have any) is that I really, really, really want people to re-examine whether they actually believe in the rhetoric that’s been dominating this fanbase for two decades, or whether there’s more to it. This is especially in regards to the fact that we’re talking a series deliberately written in such a way that it’ll change meaning and nuance as you get older, so it can “grow up” with you in a sense, and yet it seems like -- especially in regards to Adventure through Frontier, due to their position as the oldest series that the majority of the fanbase was elementary or preteen age during -- people are still regurgitating the same rehashed twenty-year-old ideas like they’re undeniable law. It’s one thing if they’re saying it because the series didn’t sit well with them the first time and they don’t want to watch it again, but we’re reaching a recurring problem where it’s sort of “brainwashing” even people who don’t actually believe it but feel compelled to go along with it, or wouldn’t feel that way if it weren’t for peer pressure. Obviously, there are dissenting opinions, and ones that are even very loud about that, but that pressure remains.

The mainstream opinion in the fanbase is that Adventure is untouchable and impervious to any criticism, 02 is its inferior sequel with half-baked characters, Tamers is an auteur work that’s the “deepest” of the original tetralogy due to being dark, and Frontier is devoid of much substance at all. Even those who don’t really believe in this will still be pressured to go alongside it, those who like 02 or Frontier will be pressured to consider it a “guilty pleasure”, and it’s only very recently when certain events revealed that the idea of 02 actually having quite its own fervent and passionate fanbase that likes it on its own merits became properly recognized. (I have actually noticed a huge uptick in 02 fans, especially casual ones, being more shameless in talking about liking it in the last two years; you’re still going to get the obnoxious person “reminding” you how bad it apparently is if you bring it up, but it’s not nearly as prevalent as it used to be.) I’m not talking about whether something is a “good” or “bad” series -- that concept doesn’t really exist to me as much as whether it’s “to one’s tastes” or not, and I think one of the joys of this franchise is that it has things that cater to people with vastly different preferences -- as much as a lot of potential for analysis and intimate thought about these very fascinating series. Even if 02 and Frontier were as shallow or half-baked as they were accused of, I wouldn’t think it’d be shameful to like them for one’s own reasons anyway, but what frustrates me is that I just don’t think that’s true in the first place!!

Not helping is that there’s still a refusal among the fanbase to admit that there were substantial differences in American English dubbing (especially in regards to Adventure and 02), which I don’t mean as a bad thing in the sense that some people prefer to stick only with that dub and consider that version what they want to work with, but in the sense that the treatment of them as “the same thing” has been horribly detrimental when two people, one coming from that dub and one coming from the Japanese version (or a dub more closely based on it), will end up often having an argument doomed to go nowhere because they were never talking about the same thing to begin with. Recently, a friend admitted to me that although they’d switched to the Japanese version a long time ago, they still couldn’t get the image of Daisuke and Takeru having an inherently hostile relationship (they don’t) out of their head due to the influence of that dub, and although they consciously knew better -- at least enough to admit this to me -- it wasn’t helped by the fact that the fanbase itself continues to reinforce this image because of how normalized it is to treat the dub version and the Japanese version as “virtually the same” and for Western fanbase discourse to assume you should be projecting those takes into the Japanese version. If you’re hanging out in English-speaking circles but are working from the Japanese version or a dub directly based off of it, you do actually have to filter out a lot of takes you’re hearing because they won’t actually apply to the version you’re watching, but not a lot of people realize this.

All four of Adventure through Frontier share tons of key staff, especially Seki, known for her focus on wanting the kids in the audience to be able to empathize with and relate to the characters on screen. All four share some of the best character work I’ve seen not only in this franchise, but also in kids’ media in general, and I also stress that a lot of this has a ton of nuance that isn’t always apparent unless you read between the lines. I do understand that a lot of this probably went over our heads as kids, and I won’t say that the choice to execute it this way should be impervious to criticism, but nevertheless, I think it’s important to call attention to the fact it is there, and much of it becomes recognizable once you see it that way; for instance, so much of "it's contradictory character writing!" comes from the fact that the series tries to represent humans in their inconsistent, messy ways, and while it'll feel "messy" from a writing trope perspective, when you think about it as "since this person has this mentality, does it make sense to approach this with this mindset?", suddenly it becomes very consistent. The supposedly “shallow” 02 and Frontier characters will act in ways that match existing psychological profiles meant for actual humans to terrifying degrees, in ways that you might actually recognize even better once you’ve hit adulthood and start intimately understanding things like depression or anxiety in ways you might not have before. Shockingly, “having heart, important themes, and kindness towards the human condition” are completely valid reasons to uplift a creative work in ways distinct from technical writing or cerebrality or how many tropes they subvert or whatever.

On the flip side, people praise Adventure and Tamers for being the naturally “superior” works with better writing, but when it comes to talking about why the writing is supposedly better, a good chunk of the reasons stated don’t actually explain anything substantial, or go back to actually being passive-aggressive dunks on the other series in some form -- it’s because 02 and Frontier’s character writing sucks that badly, or because Adventure had the “best plot” (which may be true if by “best” you mean “easiest to understand”, but that doesn’t mean much to someone who might not be very happy about how its story progression is just a boss rush), or because Tamers is the “deepest” when by “deep” they actually mean “cerebral, dark, and unsubtle about it” without any further meaning (as if Adventure and 02 were idealistic series that never went into anything nuanced and not, say, the fact they went very viciously deep into societal issues between parents and children, psychological horror, and intimate takes on the human condition). I’m personally saying this as someone who does think Adventure and Tamers have a lot to praise in terms of their approaches to realism and the unique aspects each bring to the table, and I feel that people like this are doing them more of a disservice by not bothering to uplift them for any reason that isn’t actually just inherently condescending. I mean, even taking this outside of the original tetralogy for a bit, when I was plugging Appmon earlier, there’s a reason I focused more on its theme and character writing and the use of “dark” writing to convey its sheer range, rather than trying to boil it down to a shallow “it looks cheery but gets really messed up later!”, which is unfortunately an argument I’ve been seeing about it lately.

In the end, when I write my meta, I write it "making a case" for my point of view, and I welcome others to disagree, but if you disagree, I really hope it'll be because you personally disagree, and not because the entire fanbase has been saying otherwise for twenty years and I sound like a radical. I’m not saying that everyone’s consensus takes are completely unfounded, but frankly speaking, this fanbase has some really bad takes, and in the past few years I’ve found it freeing to not only “say what you feel without worrying what others think”, but actually go out of my way to outright try and purge all the preconceived notions and pick only the ones I agree with because I actually agree with them. I encourage you to do it too! And if you do, you might find things about something you like that you didn’t realize before.

[transmalewife]

💻 📥 🍰??

💻 Do you do research for your fics? What’s the deepest dive you’ve done?

I do, but at the wrong moments. I've gone down many a wookiepedia rabbit holes to find out what a tatooinian rabbit would be called for an offhand line, but when it comes to writing mechanics or fighting i tend to just wing it. although, fun fact, I wrote sabine having an idea on how to make a spaceship work once, and I thought it was utterly ridiculous and unbelievable, until i found out months later the actual space shuttles used something very similar

last year when i was deeply depressed and writing constantly to escape my problems i was just constantly watching and rewatching the movies and relevant clone wars episodes as research, so that was a deep deep dive into a kiddie pool i suppose.

Oh also for the as yet unfinished sequel to my gomens fic I really really tried to learn more about slavic prechristian religion and witchcraft but unfortunately that culture has been thoughroughly erased by a thousand years of christianity and n*zis appropriating whatever was left. I'm being a touch dramatic there are books that have the information I want, but I just don't care enough about a two year old good omens wip to read them.

📥 What is your fave fic to receive comments/messages on?

How to build a friend from scratch, hands down. That fic hovers around a 1:1 comment to kudos ratio whenever I actually update it which is incredible. Nearly no one has read it but the few people who did have started the most interesting discussions in the comments and it's always really entertaining to see how delighted people are with seeing a fic centered on sabine and vader. And I truly feel like i've stumbled on something really good with the premise and its definitely an untapped niche. theres still only 3 vader & sabine fics on ao3, just like when i started it, and two of them are mine. Getting comments on that feels like a private little thing, compared to other fics. Like we're all in on the joke.

🍰 Name one of your fave comfort fics (doesn’t have to be your all time fave).

I don't read much fanfic these days, but anything black sails by vovelinthug is always guaranteed to captivate and destroy me emotionally. Idk if i mentioned that before but I have absolutely no wish to write bs fic, because I feel like the story is too good, too well rounded for anything I have to say to be worth addding. And the power that a writer has, who is able to perfectly slot their work into that kind of story, without it seeming disjointed, is incredible. before the last season came out, and even after, every time I rewatch the show, i immediately follow it with st. augustine is that way In my mind they are just one story.

I just remembered hands of clay by mhalachai being something very comforting, that I read over a period of years as it was posted. I lost interest in marvel at some point, or the fic just got too long for my patience, so I never finished it, but i definitely want to one of these days. one of the few modern, domestic aus of anything that i actually enjoyed.

If you're looking for star wars, then tano and kenobi by fireflyfish is very important to me, and has been for years. it definitely influenced my own writing a lot and i even have an unposted wip directly inspired by it in premise. although that's another one I just sort of drifted away from at some point. I'm mostly caught up, I think, but I apparently just don't have the attention span to stay loyal to a fic beyond 200k.

as always my ask game reading comprehension sucks, I was supposed to name one. but the thing is, most of what I read is not very comforting, and usually oneshots, so they don't really stick in my mind well enough to point to one specific one and say this one, this is my favorite, even though i like oneshots much more than multichapter fics.

[ordinaryschmuck]

My Stories Ranked from Worst to Best (According to you guys).

Oh my gosh, it's been a whole year since I have been writing The Owl House fan fiction! ... Oh my gosh, it's been a whole year since I've been writing The Owl House fan fiction...what I am I doing with my life. But regardless, it still has been a year. And within that time, I wrote ten different stories, each with its own varying degrees of success. So today, in celebration(?), I have ordered all that I have written from worst to best. Or, more accurately, you guys have ranked them. Because this list is based on the amount of kudos each story got, and take a shot at why some might be more popular than others. I'll also leave links to each one so you can form your own opinion. With that out of the way, here's the list:

10th place-The Nurse House (181 kudos): This is a story based off of someone else's AU where instead of Luz being a human trapped in the Boiling Isles, she's a witch trapped in the human world. And, instead of Eda being Luz's caretaker, it's Camila. I haven't continued this story since August. And because of that, it hasn't gotten as much attention recently. I do have plans to continue The Nurse House. But it's gonna have to wait until I finish my other projects. As for why it's not doing so good, it's probably either my writing ability or the fact that this fandom rejects anything that doesn't have Lumity in it (which is dumb, I know). Whatever it is, I'll find out when I eventually do work on this story again.

9th place-Baby Talk (187 kudos): This is my most recent story and is also the first one where I had others beta read it. I wanted the conclusion between Luz and Amity about having a kid to feel genuine. And how while neither is in the wrong, they're both not in the right either. But, I guess I didn't do as good of a job as I had hoped.

8th place-The Truth Comes Out (190 kudos): This story might have a similar problem with The Nurse House. It's a story about Luz coming out to her mom, and as far as I can tell, there's not much that's wrong with it. Again, maybe because there's no Lumity, or it's because of my writing ability. I don't know, and I doubt I ever will.

7th place-Same Day, Different Perspectives (230 kudos): With how popular It All Started with a Jacket was doing, I felt weird that I gave no proper introduction to these versions of Luz and Amity. So that's what I did, and, yeah, reading back, it does seem like there's a pacing issue. Still, it has parts of what I assume people like about It All Started with a Jacket, so maybe it's not too bad to check out, right? Right?

6th place-Cupid's Army (339 kudos): I won't lie. This entire story is being written just for the sake of me writing some dumb joke I have planned in the epilogue. And it might not be as worth it as I thought it was. Still, I tried my hardest to write a solid story with a few jokes and interactions between characters that haven't interacted much within canon. So while that ending joke may not be worth it, this story might be.

5th place-Get This Right (Baby) (339 kudos): This story is about Luz proposing to Amity. It has a few cute moments of domestic fluff, some jokes, and the usual jitters one has when popping a question so big. But, rereading it, there is a pacing issue as I jump through different dates almost at random, and it might be a story better off if I split it into separate chapters instead of writing it all at once.

4th place-Help from the Helpless (468 kudos): This is actually the story I'm most proud of. I wrote it for Luz Appreciation Week, and I really wanted to dive into what makes Luz such an incredible character. By exploring her seven most crucial relationships, I wanted to prove that Luz is the light of everyone's life while also giving a perspective into why acts so nice to begin with. It may not be perfect, but while it takes fourth place for everyone else, it's always going to be number one in my heart.

3rd place-Texts to Home (751 kudos): Here it is. The very first story I wrote for this fandom. Even before tons of people joined and continuously obsessed over Lumity, I felt weird that there weren't many stories focusing on Luz and her mother, which is a shame. Because to me, their relationship is really interesting. So I decided to take matters into my own hands and dived deep into Luz and Camila's bond as mother and daughter by having Luz talk about her day at "summer camp." It's the easiest thing in the world for me to write, not because I'm basically recapping episodes, but because Luz and Camila's relationship is a lot like me and my mom's. So writing their interactions is simple as thinking about how my mom and I would talk in these specific situations. I'm proud of how it turned out, and here's hoping season two will allow me the chance to continue this story in the future...whenever the hell that will be.

2nd place-Holy Matrimony (958 kudos): For a time, this was my top-rated story. It's Luz and Amity's wedding, and it is most likely everything that comes to mind when you think of it. And trust me when I say that my ego increased by tenfold after all the sweet and wonderful comments I got from this one. It did so well that I thought that I might as well add more to this story...unfortunately, I Star Wars'd it by writing an unsuccessful prequel and somehow an even worse sequel. But, hey, at least the original is still fluffy and fun!

1st place-It All Started with a Jacket (1730 kudos): Let's be real: You all knew that this was going to be number one. It is my most successful story yet, and you've all made it pretty clear why. It has chemistry between beta Luz and Amity, it's quick and easy to read, and the snark is some of my best snark yet. And the crazy thing is, I initially didn't want to make more of it. It was meant to be a one-shot as a gift for @drabbles-of-writing, but because people asked for more, I just went, "Eh, why not." And holy s**t did I not see the popularity coming! I have no idea how I still keep you all interested enough to read more, but no matter what, I'm glad that you all take the time to read each chapter. Here's hoping I don't do anything to screw it up in the future.

And that's my list. Would you rank things a little differently? Well, give them each a read (if you want) to see for yourself how you rank them. Thank you all so much for reading and loving my work, and I'll see you next time for whatever I write next.

[twdmusicboxmystery]

Insights From the Talk Dead to Me Podcast

Okay, I teased everyone over the weekend that I’d have a lot to talk about today, and here it is. There was SO much interesting information in this podcast. 

New Mexico Symbolism

TD isn’t by far the only ones to connect the New Mexico symbolism. On the podcast, they talked extensively about that and about how it will probably play into the sequel. One theory they had (and I hope they’re wrong) is that they think Aaron will get Rick’s comic book death. They think it would mess with Daryl’s head so bad, it would “run him out of town.”

Personally, I don’t think Daryl would leave JUST because Aaron died. For all the reasons many of us have already talked about (him taking care of Judith and RJ, etc). If anything, I think it would make him want to stay more and look after Gracie as well. I really don’t want Aaron to die, though. Unfortunately, it would make sense for him to die, what with him being such a heavy Beth proxy so often, but I’d really like him and Beth to meet first. Just my head canon, but I can’t help it. And they may have a point about Rick’s CB death, given that Aaron has already lost his arm. 

Why Extended Seasons Instead of Just Doing S12?

You know how I keep saying it’s weird that they’re doing this massively extended S11 rather than just breaking it into S11 and S12? Yeah, this podcast told me why, and it makes perfect sense. In a nutshell: many of the actors’ contracts expire after S11. AMC doesn’t want to renegotiate everyone’s contract for only one season.

And that’s something I’m positive has changed. If they were going to season 15, they would have just renegotiated the contracts, no problem. But since they’ve decided to end it now, it would have been WAY more inconvenient. And the people on the podcast made a good point, saying that if the actors’ agents find out the show REALLY NEEDS them for one final season, they’re gonna come back with astronomical demands. And given the state of the world, covid, etc., those kinds of monetary demands really could tank the final season. So, I’m glad to know that. It makes tons of sense.

Let’s Talk AMC’s Social Media Practices

So, several of these people who do the podcast correspond with AMC regularly for social media reasons. They talked about how they’ll often press the AMC representatives they talk to for more information. For the most part, they get the same, vague promises we all get from Gimple. “We’re working on a script.”  Or the classic, “I don’t know any more than you,” crap. But these podcasters said things might have changed logistically with the Rick Grimes films as well. You know how back when Rick left, Gimple said they’d be doing a 3-film trilogy? Well, apparently, people have begun to notice that ever since then, and especially since CoVid, any time anyone close to the shows references the Rick Grimes films, they talk about them in the singular, not the plural. The Rick Grimes FILM, not the Rick Grimes films. And the podcasters think it’s because the show is playing it by ear. Due, again, to financial concerns, maybe they’ll just make one film and see how well it’s received before deciding to make another. Obviously, I disagree with that idea. I do think things might have changed, the same as them ending the series after S11, in that they might use something other than films to continue Rick’s story. But I think they have a specific story to tell and they’re going to tell it, one way or the other.

I also think they got a bigger backlash about the films than they were expecting. People really threw tantrums about the idea of having to pay money to see it in the theaters. People are just used to getting it free on TV, and I think the reaction took tptb by surprise. Anyway, now with CoVid, and theater attendance WAY down, and heaven only knows where we’ll be in a year, it wouldn’t surprise me if AMC and Gimple are rethinking that tactic. Maybe they’ll only do one film and then segue Rick into another series. Either his own, or the Daryl/Carol one. Kirkman ended the comics in the summer of 2019. That was AFTER Rick’s last episode. So I’m willing to bet that all the changes and shuffling started as soon as the comics ended. However it happens, it does show that more than one thing is being shuffled behind the scenes due to CoVid. But listening to this gave me a huge epiphany that I became illogically excited about, lol. It was nothing they said, but just me thinking through the implications of all of this. I’ve always believed Rick would return in some way. And even though I’d be totally cool with him having a reunion with his kids in one of the Rick Grimes films or whatever, I’ve always had a sense that he would return to the series, despite them telling us he wouldn’t. Well, as I said yesterday, the idea of him returning seems much less likely now that we know they’re ending after S11. But…something occurred to me. Gimple has adamantly said Rick won’t return to the TWD series. He’s never said anything about him not moving to any spinoffs. *mic drop*

Thoughts About the Daryl/Carol Spinoff

Nothing too groundbreaking here, but they did say that the Donnie shippers are super frustrated, which I’m sure is true. They said the Caryl shippers are happy, but not too over-the-top happy about it. (Their words. I really couldn’t say whether that’s true or not.)

They also said that, given how much the show has told us there won’t be romance between them, it will either be the ultimate reward for the Carylers (if they get together romantically) or the ultimate tease (if they don’t).

So, my point is that, outside the hardcore shippers at least, most of the fandom isn’t really thinking this is going to be a romance thing with Carol and Daryl. And because of that, they’re wondering where the show could possibly go with Daryl and Carol. Like, they’ve explored their relationship as far as they can and they’re questioning whether this series revolving around them will be worth watching.

Now, if we didn’t know what we know or hadn’t theorized what we have, I would agree whole-heartedly with that. There has to be more to this spinoff than just Daryl and Carol running around killing zombies together. Even the GA is a little confused about this and thinks there must be more to the story. And, you know, there will be.

Coda Replay (And We Didn’t Even Realize It!)

This came together for me from multiple sources. I have an Ask in my inbox that I haven’t answered yet. It’s from a Nonny who obviously wrote in when the big news broke. He/she says that AMC announced the end of the series and the spin off…and then deleted the post. I wasn’t sure what to make of that, because it doesn’t seem to me like anything’s been deleted. At least on Twitter, the post with the press release and the announcement is still pinned to the top of the account. And probably different click bait sites have reported on it. So they don’t seem to be trying to hide it. I didn’t really know what to make of that, except maybe one of the posts was deleted for logistical reasons (typo or something) and then reposted, and the Nonny just thought it was suspicious when really, it wasn’t. Then I listened to this podcast. And guess what? One of the clickbait sites that was slated to give the announcement, IGN, posted it like two hours early…and then deleted their post.

One of the women they talked to used to be a social media manager for AMC. She isn’t anymore, but she worked for AMC for several years. And they asked her about the “leak.” She said that she felt badly for the company that leaked it early. She said when there’s a big announcement like this, there are dozens, maybe hundreds, of moving pieces behind the scenes. Basically, AMC has a whole network that they coordinate to release the news all at the same time. So, it didn’t surprise her that someone, every so often, messes it up and releases it early. It’s just a lot people and moving parts to keep track of. So like maybe, if they were supposed to post the announcement at 8am central time, maybe they posted it at 8 their time, which was too early. That sort of thing. And okay, I guess that makes sense. But there’s just one problem with that explanation. The EXACT same thing happened with this announcement as happened with Beth’s fate in Coda. One of the companies released it too early.

(I’m sure this is the post Nonny means that was deleted: because it was released too early.)

That’s why, the day the news of the show ending broke, people were talking about “rumors” of TWD ending before the official announcement was made. Between that, and all the references we’ve seen (‘bringing characters back from the dead,’ and ‘the six episode coda,’) I just don’t think I can believe in good faith that this was a coincidence.

A little more about AMC social media accounts.

This just confirms what we’ve suspected for years. This woman said she was one of many social media managers. But all that means is that she “managed” several of AMC’s social media accounts. As in, she posted on them and interacts with fans and comments.

She in no way, shape, or form had any say about what was posted or when. She specifically said that such things were WAY above her paygrade. She suspects that such decisions went all the way up to Gimple and Kang. Like there’s someone who follows them around, and when one of them says something needs to be posted, that person texts all the social media managers and they post it. Boom. The writers 100% control what goes out on social media. What it is, what graphics to use, how it’s worded. Everything. #TDforthewin!

She also said that if someone leaks the news early, everything is reconfigured and they quickly shore up to protect the narrative and make sure everything is correct and appropriate. Very interesting.

He also asked her if she thought IGN did it intentionally or on accident. She was obviously being careful not to throw too much shade, but you could tell she definitely thought it might have been done intentionally. Oh, and also? The podcast guy said he knew about the leak because he had to wait until a certain time (I want to say 8:30 am, but I don’t know which time zone) before he posted about it. AMC told him what time and he made sure not to sleep in so he wouldn’t miss it, but he logged on and people already knew because of the leak.

So once again, even this podcast, who claims not to be directly affiliated with AMC (even though they totally are) is getting posts, directions, etc. from AMC. And that’s important with what I’m about to tell you, because the people on this podcast have definitely mentioned Beth in suspicious contexts more than once. And this podcast was the farthest thing from an exception.

Talking About Beth Randomly

That leads me to my final and the biggest thing that stuck out to me about this podcast. Let me first say that I generally like the podcasters and their attitudes toward the show. For one thing, none of them are pro-Caryl. Most of them like Carol all right, but don’t want her and Daryl together romantically. Obviously, I like that.

Unfortunately, they were kinda being punks about Beth in this episode. They went on a little TD-bashing session. As I said the other day, they didn’t mention TD by name or anything, but it was more of a “did you know there are people out there who think Beth is alive?” kind of thing. And they were being really sarcastic about what they thought about that. But the entire discussion still felt SUPER suspicious to me. They were talking about the OTHER spinoff. Not the Daryl/Carol one, but the “Tales of the Walking Dead” one where they’ll tell the back story of deceased characters. One of them asked who the others would like to see back stories of. Out of nowhere, one of them yelled, “Beth!” Seriously. Out. Of. Freakin. Nowhere. And then they basically started making fun of TDers. They talked about how there really are people out there who think she’s still alive. Then one of them said “those people” think that Beth had a twin sister we never knew about and she’s the one who got shot and Beth is still secretly alive. I had to chuckle and shake my head at that. Maybe there’s someone, somewhere in the fandom who thinks that, but I’ve never even heard anyone argue that before. Have you? He then called people who believe that a great big pile of stupid. So yeah, obviously they were being punks. But the conversation about Beth went on and on. One of them said they hoped AMC did a Beth back story in that spin off series, just to mess with the heads of the people who think she’s still alive. And then someone else replied that she doesn’t have a back story to tell because we know it all already: farm, prison, Grady. (I’m sorry; who’s one big pile of stupid to NOT notice the missing 17 days in S5?) Even though they were basically laughing at us, it just felt really deliberate and contrived. And then, one of the women says, “I hope she shows up in The World Beyond.” Seriously? After that, they finally kind of went, “Anyway…” and moved on. But they didn’t even mention any other names in answer to the question about who else they wanted to see back stories for in that second spin off. They ONLY talked about Beth. I siriusly sat there with my jaw hanging open because again, it just came out of nowhere, and they mentioned her—extensively—in conjunction with BOTH spinoffs AND threw in TWB. Just saying.

You know how I said earlier that they claim  not to be affiliated with AMC, though they totally are? Well, technically these people are part of Skybound. (Upper left corner of the picture below.) So in that way, they aren’t directly AMC. But we all know Skybound has posted MANY suspicious things about Beth over the years. And as I established above, they’re definitely being fed what to post by AMC. 

So I feel like that applies here as well. It’s almost like AMC told them to mention Beth in some way, even if it was by way of making fun of people who think she’s alive. So they found a way to bring her up in conversation. And hey, maybe these podcasters really don’t know about Beth’s return. Maybe they think AMC wants them to make fun of or dismiss the idea of her return. But either way, they contrived a way to talk about her, and they would only have done that if AMC told them to.  Okay, I’ll shut up, now. That podcast just totally rocked my world. Thoughts?

[talesofafangirlwithadvr]

February Picks

And just like that another month is coming to a close. I can’t believe how fast it has gone by. I’ve continued watching some favorites from last month and am sad some have come to an end. Meanwhile a bunch of shows came back from their winter hiatus, so it was a lot of fun getting back into their story-lines again.

Be prepared for spoilers once again...

SANDITON

Masterpiece’s Sanditon ended this past Sunday, here in the states, and I am jumping on the campaign that we need a season 2! It can’t end like that with so many open ended story-lines (okay maybe just one or two, but still we deserve more). 

Who would have guessed that Esther would become one of my favorite characters in this series and that’s mainly thanks to her well written character development. From the “villain” in episode 1 she grew into so much more and was such a complex character. I really enjoyed watching her story unfold. I am SO HAPPY she married Babington and his speech to her about living side by side, knowing he loves her more and just wants to see her happy. Wow....Goals. I want to see this relationship progress even more (if that’s possible) with a season 2. Speaking of things I want to see: Will Sanditon be rebuilt and how long will it take? Will there be an alternative allowing Sidney to be with Charlotte? Major twist there as their relationship doesn’t end with a happily ever after (very un-Austen like for the main protagonists). When he returned at the end stopping Charlotte’s carriage, I seriously thought he would have said he broke up his engagement, but alas. The previous episode I really wanted them together (thanks to Sidney’s speech to Charlotte when he told her his ex-fiance left and how Charlotte makes him a better person *melts* and of course their dancing scene the episode prior was amazing). In the early parts of the season, while I knew Charlotte and Sidney would be a thing-eventually, I couldn’t help but have a soft spot for Young Stringer’s character and my appreciation never truly left. I felt he was paired well with Charlotte. Such a tragic ending for him. He wanted to better himself (much like the Parker brothers) but after his father’s death he no longer will. Throughout the series, I enjoyed Miss Lambe’s character, but I agree with many reviews that I was reading that her character was kind of dropped at the end. I’m curious what her reaction will be when she finds out about SIdney’s engagement...

Thank you again, Andrew Davies. I was not expecting to like this adaptation so much.    

ZOEY’S EXTRAORDINARY PLAYLIST

The best way to describe one of NBC’s latest shows is that I feel happy and in a good mood whenever I finish an episode. (And then I’m immediately upset that I have to wait a week for the next one. I watch them too fast.) I’ve heard many people compare it to Glee and while I could definitely understand that I keep getting drawn back to Abc’s short lived Eli Stone. There Eli (played by Jonny Lee Miller) could hear people around him sing and dance, which helped him solve upcoming law cases. In this show he was experiencing a brain tumor, but so far Zoey seems all clear. Instead, a freak accident while she is getting an MRI scan and listening to music, allows for her to hear people sing (and perform) their innermost feelings. There’s still some logistics to discover like what Zoey looks like when she watches these performances (does she move around or look like she’s just staring into the air. I might be thinking into this too much...I know). We just recently found out that sometimes she can speak to others as they are happening. Each time she hears someone sing she is meant to help them with something in their life. It could be a family member, co worker, friend, or like this past week her boss. While there’s one major problem (that she has to fix), there are often multiple songs in one episode which I really enjoy. The cast is also very strong, both musically and as actors. I can’t wait to see where the rest of the season is headed!

TO ALL THE BOYS P.S. I STILL LOVE YOU

When the first film was released on Netflix about 2 years ago, I was instantly a fan. I was unfamiliar with the book, but quickly added to my TBR list. (My to read list is extremely long, so I still haven’t gotten to it. Story of my life.) I really enjoyed watching Lara Jean experience the results of having her secretive love letters distributed to her past crushes. I was definitely Team Peter and Lara by the end of the film. They were adorable. The sequel was released earlier this month and I kind of forgot about it. It felt like we had been preparing for the sequel for a bit and then I must have been watching too much Disney Plus to miss the trailer. Watching P.S. I still love you, I just missed the original film. There were parts I liked and I was a big fan of John Ambrose (and of course Jordan Fisher because he’s great), but overall I felt like much didn’t happen. Also, Lara and Peter’s relationship kind of bothered me in parts. I understand that for both of them this was the first time they were in this kind of relationship and could feel awkward about certain things (like the Valentine’s singing-gram or writing an original poem). The main part I did like about them was towards the end when he arrived at the retirement home. I don’t say this often, but I have no want to re-watch it any time soon.   

VIOLETTA SEASON 1

Speaking of Disney Plus....

In a quick month and a half I have successfully watched ALL 80 episodes of season 1 of Violetta. I feel so accomplished and know the withdrawal will happen very soon. (I just finished last night and I’ve been listening to the music a lot recently). I’m so upset that season 2 has not be released on Disney Plus yet. I thought it would be by now because the streaming service has been up for a good amount of months and this show was so popular around the world. Unfortunately, I have not been lucky with my Google searches for when they’ll release it and no luck with YouTube either (no English caption options). I’ve been hearing that season 2 is really great because season 1 did a nice job of establishing these characters and now we get to see more story-lines. I will miss the students and teachers at the Studio as well the home-life at the Castillo’s house. Throughout 80 episodes it’s understandable to love and hate several characters as you’re with them for a good amount of time. For some people it was a roller coaster, but there were a good amount that I liked pretty consistently. I am a fan of Violetta and Leon and they had some super cute moments. I think it was about episode 35 where I truly felt like connection. When Tomas left the love triangle for a bit I actually grew to like him and would often joke how he never smiled and had a Tomas face. I really liked You Mix and the introduction of Frederico. Some great songs came out of that section like Ven y Canta and Tienes el Talento, but my favorite is definitely Ser Mejor. And of course, I will always have love for Pablo. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m going to miss reading subtitles (I really do feel like I know more Spanish now). Definitely check out this show if you want something drama filled and funny at the same time. 

LEGACIES

I know I dedicated a whole post to Chris Wood’s return as Kai Parker on Legacies. (See the article here:https://talesofafangirlwithadvr.tumblr.com/post/190761328673/omg-legacies-2x12) But I still had to include it in this wrap up because once again Legacies is doing a great job this season. I was so excited to see it when it came back from the mid-season hiatus. Since the return of Wood it has gotten more of a TVD vibe than usual, which is great. I haven’t watched the last episode, but have seen a clip of Kai masquerading at the school. I am going to be very interested to see for how long he hangs around and how long it takes for them to discover him AND how Josie handles the evil inside of her. 

BROOKLYN NINE NINE

Thank goodness this show got renewed (and picked up from NBC). When it started a couple of weeks ago, I was reminded how much I missed it. I can’t get over that this is already the second season on NBC. As usual the hi-jinks of the Nine Nine have been entertaining to watch. The Jimmy Jab games were great. I loved how Hitchcock was so desperate to win that he was taking Scully’s array of pills. What an ending with Debbie! Did not think she could be capable of that. I can’t wait to see the outcome next episode. I’m so excited for a Santiago-Peralta baby. It was a great episode when they were hiding it from Charles and Adrian returned. I’ve seen the movie Memento and it is great! It was hilarious each time he was like, ‘I don’t know what that is’ and then saying ‘Finding Dory’ solved everything. I am so happy that this show was suggested for me to watch and fill my Office and Parks and Rec void. Whenever a new episode’s on the DVR I can’t wait to watch it.      

LEGENDS OF TOMORROW

And last, but certainly not least, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow has once again not disappointed me this season (I know it’s still early, but I’m optimistic). It started at the end of January following the events of Crisis and I liked how this season transitioned with all the changes (the major one being the introduction of Zari’s brother). I am really happy to see her again though and how she is having these flashes of her old life on board the Wave-rider. I can’t wait to see that reveal happen (especially because as of right now only Nate knows the ‘truth’). I love seeing Ava as a permanent part of the Legends crew and as stepping in as Captain when Sara was away. She is a great addition and I like how quirky she is since we first met her. Her and Sara are perfect. I also love Ray and Nora. Nora as a fairy godmother is fantastic. One of my favorite episodes was the one with the 80s dance. Her role in all of that was great and her realization with what she can provide for these kids. I feel like this is going to be the reason Ray leaves the Legends. I remember seeing Brandon Routh’s Instagram Post about leaving the show and this feels like the reason he will. I hope that isn’t for a while though because I am going to miss him a lot. 

Until March!   

[venus-says]

Futari wa Precure Episodes 01-26

Am I rewatching precure? I can't believe this!

Yes, this is not a fever dream, I'm really rewatching precure, and not just Futari wa but THE WHOLE FRANCHISE. Am I crazy? Yes, because I'm already watching too much stuff at the same time and I barely have time for that as of right now, but I love screwing myself over so here we are!

I can't really remember the exact thing that sprung this desire of rewatching precure on me, but I've been thinking about it for quite some time now, at least since I wrapped up on the Aikatsu marathon before On Parade started, in fact, one of the reasons I started doing the old Kamen Rider reviews was because of this. I just didn't start it earlier because I'm the kind of crazy that picked a calendar, looked at the dates, and made the calcs, and realized I could watch pretty much everything in one year so I decided to keep this "project" for 2020 and start the new decade with a bang.

So this is how it'll go: I'll be dividing each season into quarters and pretty much covering one season per month with posts coming out weekly every Wednesday, the only exceptions for this rule are Futari wa and Yes! since these are the only seasons with sequels so instead of dividing into quarters I'll divide them in half and watch two seasons in a month rather than just one. Also, different from Kamen Rider's case, since I'm more familiar with the franchise and I know how the movies go I'll also be watching the movies and posting about them as I go along (All stars movies will come out usually in between the first and the second week, while solo movies will be in between the third and the forth). I really hope I don't go nuts and that this can go as smoothly as possible. XD In any case, it's precure time!

I promised myself I'd keep nostalgia out of these rewatches and do them like if it was my first time watching the series so that I can be less biased on certain aspects, but when it comes to the OGs is really difficult to not have my thoughts clouded by it. I may not have been around since Precure first aired, but Futari wa was effectively my first precure season too, I joined this bandwagon when Heartcatch was airing and I was so in love that I wanted to watch the past seasons and Futari was was my first choice and it holds a very special place in my heart because of that. I tried my best to keep those feelings out of this review and in some cases I was able to it effectively while on others not so much so, I apologize for that. XD

I usually try to separate these reviews on blocks of Plot, Characters, Designs, and commentary on specific episodes and I'm gonna try to apply this structure here more or less.

Talking about the plot... there's not a lot of it. XD

Like yeah, there's the whole Dark Kingdom attacking the Garden of Light thing, and the sort of scavenger hunt for the Prism Stones (not the Pretty Rhythm ones, just to be clear) and all of that, but there's not a whole lot going on beside it, is just Nagisa and Honoka goofing around while their friendship solidifies, they sometimes bump heads but that's pretty much it. And honestly, that's not bad, as while isn't a story about Nagisa and Fujipi the more slice-of-life portions are amazing.

The cure portion that is the problem, to start the action in these 26 episodes isn't the greatest, most of the time is just the cures being thrown away until they get fed up, say "I'll never forgive you!", hold hands, and they throw either a Marble Screw or, in rare occasions, a Rainbow Therapy. Of course, special fights with generals sometimes get a little more flare, but in general, they're pretty lackluster. Also, it feels like things weren't paced properly with the beginning and the end happening very fast and the middle being overly long in comparison. And of course, there's the element of defeating a villain or a set villains while there's still half a season ahead which means change of villains for people who we never knew existed before and apparently were a big deal, and if you read my Kamen Rider review you know how I feel about huge changes affecting the antagonists...

But oh well, I have lots of things to get through so I won't hammer on this for too long. MOVING ON.

Futari wa's biggest strength, at least for this first half, is CHARACTERS. The side cast has many hits or misses, but the protagonists Nagisa and Honoka more than compensate for it. One fun thing of this whole experience was kinda re-discovering them? Because I never watched the OG precure and Max Heart again after my first time watching like 10 years ago and I also don't have the best memory so I forgot a lot of minor things, like how Nagisa is such a downer in regards to their mission, and how positive and bright Honoka is and these are traits that are kinda opposites to their personalities with Nagisa being more outgoing and energetic and Honoka being more calm and polite, and this is so perfect and so much fun, I love it to that. Speaking of surprises I forgot how much of a savage Honoka was, like, the girl put a group of thieves on the line by just yelling at them. THAT'S THE DEFINITION OF POWER.

Unfortunately, they don't come alone. Their fairy partners, Mepple and Mipple, are... annoying. Mipple not so much, she has moments where I go "Really queen?" but for the most part she doesn't bother me, in fact, I'm sympathetic towards her who has to be partnered romantically with such a piece of crap of a male that Mepple is. I don't know why but I completely forgot the jerk that Mepple actually is and let me tell you, it wasn't fun seeing him being misogynist, selfish, and just plain rude, not just to Nagisa regularly but also with Mepple, it's actually very sad. I don't remember if he gets any better in the future, but for now, I'm hating him.

The side characters aren't very special, the girls in the Lacrosse Team and the Science Club are more or less just extensions and supporters or Nagisa and Honoka but I overall like them. The major highlights in terms of side characters are Akane and Fujipi. Akane is a huge positive because she has great energy, she's very fun, and he not only provides a meeting point for the girls but also has a mentor role, though its a very little one, that is great to see. Fujimura on the other hand... I admit, the dude is okay, he never really did anything relevant so there's nothing to hate on him per se, but he's a love interest and his situation with Nagisa never develops on any sort of way is just a very flat experience which makes his relevance even smaller so I can't help but think "what is he still doing here, just disappear with him already" every time he's up on the screen.

There's no other way to put this, the villains are plane as hell. Some of them have good designs but overall, they're very band. Pissard seems like it could've been a cool dude but we spent only 5 episodes with him, that's not enough time with him to make him interesting. Gekidrago is the boring and stereotypical "dumb villain", I think I don't need to write anything else after that. Irukubo is the stoic powerful villain, but much like in Pissard's case, we barely see him in action so it's not enough to make me care for him, and the Dark King is just a horrible CGI blob of darkness. The best villains of this first half are the siblings Poisony and Kiriya, Poisony is actually the best one of the generals seeing that she's a strategist and most of her plans were all pretty good so she was always able to get the cures corned in some way, she may have flunked her cover in that episode where she disguises as Honoka for not doing her research well before assuming the role, but overall she's amazing. Kiriya is the villain that never attacked the cures directly, as far as I remember he never summoned a Zakkenna, and putting it like this may sound like a bad thing, but trust me, it's not. He's the first precure villain to get a "redemption" and as rushed as it was his presence in the story and his arc as a character was also pretty well done so he deserves to share the podium with his sister as best villains.

Since we're talking about villains let's talk about the cures now. Black and White have a very simple design and that's not a bad thing, they're simple but they're still pretty different from each other and it's not a difference that screams to the eyes like id there was something wrong, they complement each other perfectly which only helps in making them this iconic duo that they are. The transformation items, as well as the Prism Hopeish and that notepad thingy, are very 2000's but they have their charm. I think the thing that didn't age very well were the effects for the transformations and the attacks, don't get me wrong I love their original transformation, there's a frame on it that is just marvelous, but watching with 2020's eyes there are parts that feel very wonky. Following the theme, the attacks have a very simple animation but in this case, it works because they can make some very interesting stuff with it, like launching a Marble Screw through Poisony's Umbra Witch hair.

Going into more detail on the episodes, these 26 ones feel like a normal seasonal anime, despite the pacing problems if these 26 episodes were a single season it would've worked well because there was no loose end lost in the mix, maybe the Fujipi stuff would be the only thing that would end with no proper closure, but then again that's not important so it would be a satisfying end. There were four major arcs inside this mini-season so I'll comment on them separately.

The first and shortest arc is the introductory arc that goes from Episodes 1 to 5. And there's not a lot to say here, they introduce the characters, the mission, and the character relations on a good way, there was nothing stellar but it's a good introduction to the series, the only let down is the fighting portion that is very lackluster, in special the final fight against Pissard that was supposed to be a big important moment but that in the end was just very not impressive at all.

The second arc goes from Episode 6 to 11. This is probably the most boring arc of all despite some interesting happening here, we have the introduction to the Prism Stones and the Prism Hopeish, they first use the Rainbow Therapy here, and we also have the famous arc where Nagisa and Honoka fight for the first time and tighten their bonds. These are all interesting points but the set-up for these things to happen weren't the best, like for example Nagisa and Honoka's fight, I always remembered this as a very important moment, AND IT IS, the lesson learned at the end is pretty good and it results on them calling each other for their first name which is a key moment, but all of that happened because of Nagisa's feelings for Fujipi and all that misunderstanding and ughhh that's such a boring reason to make them fight, it was really a letdown. I think after everything the thing that stroke me the most was Honoka's birthday episode and how badass she was for putting some sense into the head of three adult men, which was really magnificent. Also, the first proper fight happened in this arc in the final battle against Gekidrago, it was short but it was good nonetheless.

The biggest arc is the third one that goes from Episodes 12 to 21. This is my favorite arc and a big part of it is because Poisony and Kiriya start to get active here. I don't know how to explain but their addition to the cast made things more dynamic and interesting to watch. Poisony's plans always led to interesting situations like when she hypnotized their classmates that were playing dress-up as the cures, or when she trapped them inside that mirror dimension, or even her last moments in the show where she used that old trick of impersonating someone and making the protagonist having to choose who's the real and who's the fake one, you know even if the precure portions weren't the best, they were put in the most interesting situations in this arc. Together with that, we have Kiriya that goes through a very interesting arc, until now I don't really know why he infiltrated in the school since, as I mentioned, he never acted directly as a villain against the precure (not as far as I can remember) but his interactions with the crew and especially his relationship with Honoka was quite interesting to see it develop. My high points from this arc were episode 18, the one where a girl confesses her feelings for Kiriya - there's a lot of interesting stuff happening here, and episode 20, Poisony's defeat and one of the best fights of this portion of the season. My low point would be episode 19 more because Mepple is being a jerk here than anything else, but I didn't enjoy this episode as much as I did to the other in this arc.

The final arc of this portion is another small one, it covers episodes 22 to 26, and this one is very odd. We start with a filler centered around Honoka's dog of all things that are followed by two two-parters that wrap-up this first half. I'm gonna be honest I don't like this arc, one because it introduces Pollun and two because the "final" fight is very unimpressive, yeah Shining Star debuts here and is a big moment but overall isn't the best, which is understandable after all are two girls launching a beam at a giant dark blob of CGI and there's not a whole lot there, but its fun to see a preview of what will become the Extreme Luminario in the next season. I also don't like how they didn't let the episode finish on a downer note with both of the girls missing their partners and such. But oh well, at least we had Episodes 23 and 24 here there were very interesting, they had this mystery/horror film vibe to it and I loved it.

And that's pretty much all I had to say! Thank you for reading all of this mess, I really appreciate it, I'm very excited to be doing this and I hope I can count with your support through this year. What are your thoughts on Futari wa? Let me know in the comments. I'll see you, folks, on a next time, and don't forget, if you ever see a shooting star be careful with what you wish for, a cellphone thing may fall from the sky right on your head and unless if you're an anime girl you will be in risk of having a concussion. XD In any case, see you around. o/

[faneliacosplay]

Top 10 of 2018

C2018 was a year is this nicest way I can sum it up. My precious fur-baby passed away after fighting a horrible illness and is in a happier place, my health went crazy (still is as of writing), and I finally broke free from an abusive toxic person who had been controlling me for a huge chunk of my life. Despite the bad things that happened, I want to focus on the good things of 2018. One of things I began doing in January of 2018 was at the end of every week, I would write down all of the good things that happened to me, be it sewing, watched a good movie, spending time with a friend, etc. So without further ado, here’s my Top 10 of 2018! (I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S ALREADY MARCH!!)

1. The Ancient Magus’ Bride

-      I’ve been a lifelong fan of Beauty and the Beast-like stories ever since I watched the classic Disney film. The manga kept popping up in my recommendations for the majority of 2017 and I remember seeing a poster at my local theater for a premiere showing of the first 3 episodes of the then-upcoming anime (I have since regretted not going to this showing). I finally caved and bought the first two volumes of the manga and literally went back to the store two days later and bought the next 2 volumes. I’ve always been a very picky person with my romance be it movie, novel, anime, manga, etc., but this quickly became one of my favorites with it’s excellent world-building, relationships, and don’t even get me started on how gorgeous the animation is! If you want an excellent Beauty & the Beast adaptation, you won’t be disappointed. (I am unashamed of crying happy tears in public while watching the final episode)

2. Satoshi Kon’s Filmography

-      My New Year’s resolution was to watch all of the late Satoshi Kon’s works, starting with his debut film Perfect Blue. I had wanted to watch this film for several years, and it did not disappoint. (I kept spamming for people to go and see it when it got a theatrical re-release in Fall 2018) Next was Kon’s final project Paprika, which I watched about 3 times in May and many times over 2018 and still notice something new every time I watch it. Finally, I watched *the* film that I have wanted to watch for many, many years (since 2004 to be exact): Millennium Actress. I was not prepared for how moving this film would be with its themes of the past vs. present, how an ordinary encounter can lead to something so much more, and lastly: love transcends time. If you could only watch one of Satoshi Kon’s works, please choose to watch Millennium Actress. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to watch Kon’s other two works, but I aim to in 2019 (along with reading his works)

3. Slayers

-      I watched some of Slayers back in middle school and in summer 2016, but never took off with it until in 2018. I knew I would like this funny series about the adventures of a fiery sorceress, dumb as a stump swordsman, optimistic hero-in-training, and an overly-serious chimera, but I had no idea it would become one of my top 10 favorite anime series! I haven’t laughed so much with an anime in a while, and I greatly appreciated it since my fur-baby passed away and this was one of the last anime we watched together. There’s just something about 90s fantasy anime that’s just so appealing. I will throw in that while I love the tv series, the films are worth watching too, with The Motion Picture being my favorite. If you need something to cheer you up, I highly recommend Slayers!

4. Venom

-      Confession: I did not have high hopes for this movie. I was the only one among my friends who was uninterested in this film whenever we would watch the trailers/promos/etc. Eventually after this movie came out, my friends and best friend convinced me to see it. My sociology buddy told me “This movie wasn’t marketed right! Go see it!!” and another told me “This is the best action rom-com of 2018.” The next day my family asked me if I wanted to see it and Bohemian Rhapsody (also an excellent film) and I said “Sure!” This film has since spawned never-ending jokes between me and my best friend. (I ended up making her a Venom scarf for Christmas!) If you’re trying to get someone to see this film, don’t show them the trailers depicting it as a dark, gritty, action thriller, show them the home video trailer depicting it as a rom-com because that’s exactly what it is. I still can’t believe that a movie about a human falling in love with a man-eating gooey alien is real.

5. The Shape of Water

-      “2017 will be remembered as the year men screwed up so badly, women started dating fish.”- Jimmy Kimmel, 2018 Oscars. I’m beginning to see a pattern for stories of humans falling in love with monsters. My mom and I wanted to see this film after the trailer dropped in summer 2017 and were disappointed when the film didn’t play here. However, sometime in February 2018, this film played in our town for one weekend, so we dashed to the theater. I don’t even know where to start with how beautiful this film is and since several people I know still haven’t watched it I’ll just state this: Please watch this film. It earned the 4 Oscars it won. (It earned all 10 it was nominated for!)

6. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse

-      I almost didn’t see this film. 2018 was a pretty hectic year for me and I didn’t really keep up with films/entertainment news, so I saw no trailers for this film (except for a really short tv ad). All I knew was what my best friend had said: “Brianna, let’s go see Spider-verse. In 3D.” (y’all, 2018 was the year of listening to my best friend) It was so nice not only to see a different Spider-Man, a diverse cast, a well-curated soundtrack, and a completely new style of animation that makes you feel as though you’re reading/watching a comic book??? Sign me up! I’m so happy this film won the Oscar!!

7. Macross Frontier Movies

-      I’ve fallen deep into the Macross hole in the past year or two and have no plans of crawling out. The 2008 series Macross Frontier was my first and favorite entry in the series so far. I knew that there were two recap/alternate retelling films made, so when I was free one day I watched them and I was really surprised that I enjoyed them more than the tv series!? I haven’t really mentioned this, but my big problem with the tv series of Frontier was it’s ending being not too good. I don’t want to ruin it since Macross (particularly made after 2001) is a bit unknown in the USA, but I will say that if you want to get into this franchise, start with the Frontier movies or with the iconic Macross: Do you remember love? film. The music is just as good as the tv series, same with the costumes, and the writing is much better! The performance of Northern Cross at the climax of The Wings of Goodbye was really moving. Not “Do you remember love?” moving, but pretty close.

8. Sailor Moon Theatrical Double-Feature

-      Everyone who knows me knows that I’ve loved Sailor Moon for pretty much all of my life (ever since the 3rd & 4th seasons aired on Toonami back in the day!) A holiday tradition for me was to watch the 2nd theatrical every Christmas Eve, unfortunately my two VHS tapes finally gave out in 2016. Thanks to Viz Media, this past summer saw theatrical re-releases of all 3 Sailor Moon films. Shockingly, my local theater was showing the films subbed so my mom and I bought our tickets right away. It was so surreal seeing these films that I grew up with on the big screen, and I know non-Sailor Moon fans won’t get this, but hearing/watching the whole “Moon Revenge” sequence in the theater was so intense. This part never got to me as a kid for some weird reason and I had no idea I was crying until my mom pointed it out at the end of the film. With the 2nd film, seeing Luna transform into a human was emotionally moving as always, just 10 times more since it was on the big screen with that nice surround sound system. That night when I got home, I didn’t get any sleep since I still couldn’t believe that this happened. The now 20+ years old Sailor Moon movies got released for the first time in USA theaters. This is an experience I’m going to remember for the rest of my life.

9. Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card Arc

-      I was so excited when a sequel to Cardcaptor Sakura was announced. Like Sailor Moon, I watched this series as the heavily-edited Cardcaptors on Toonami. When I got older and learned that there was more anime out there besides the ones I saw on TV, I went back and watched Cardcaptor Sakura to get the whole, magical story and even read the manga, which I believe is the greatest children’s manga ever made. I loved every single moment of the new series and felt as though I were watching another episode of the classic series. The only thing that felt different was that the animation is no longer hand-drawn. (it’s still good) When you reboot or make a sequel to a series be it tv, film, or book, sometimes it’ll miss the charm that made it so enjoyable in the first place. Clear Card thankfully still carries the charm its predecessor had.

10. Little Witch Academia

-      I had started this anime around holiday 2017 but didn’t finish it until early 2018. This was one of the most optimistic series I’d ever had the pleasure of watching. I don’t want to compare the two, but the inspirational message that Kiki’s Delivery Service gave me when I was 10, was the exact inspirational message you will find in Little Witch Academia. (and that I needed to hear as a 20-year-old) I was starting to get a bit depressed and losing confidence in myself with my science grades getting lower no matter what I tried, as well as other things in my personal life. After dropping Science, I had a long wait between classes, so I decided to start watching Little Witch Academia again. Seeing our protagonist Akko trying her best at flying a broom and failing was me with my science grades, but her determination to get her broom just a few centimeters off the ground was so inspiring to watch. After this I watched the other Studio Trigger works I had yet to see, and while they’re all good in their own way, none of them have left the imprint LWA left on me. Sometimes when I get frustrated or lack confidence in myself, I tell myself Shiny Chariot’s words of wisdom that motivated Akko throughout the series: “Never forget your beautiful dreams. Believing is your magic!!”

[gamersonthego]

Chase Koeneke’s Top 10 Handheld Games of 2019

With the Switch in full gear and the debut of Apple Arcade, 2019 was another solid year for handheld games. Sequels to many of my favorite games were plentiful, but very few absolutely blew me away. And a few games I really loved (Slay The Spire, Return Of The Obra Dinn, Super Mega Baseball 2) were handheld ports of previous games I didn’t feel super great about adding to my list. So instead, I left this final year of the decade feeling content, and that’s perfectly OK too. So here are 10 games I liked this year, even if I didn’t love them.

10. Tetris 99 (Switch)

I love pretty much all iterations of Tetris. From the iconic Game Boy release I would play in the car, to the Facebook-based Tetris Friends that kept me company through many boring lectures in college, to last year’s gorgeous and powerful Tetris Effect, Tetris is A-OK with me.

Battle royale games on the other hand? Not so much. Despite enjoying shooters in general, I’ve yet to play a single match of PUBG, Fortnite or Apex Legends, and I’m not itching to change that anytime soon. But I found the mechanics of the battle royale genre to translate rather brilliantly to Tetris. It’s a thin experience (even with the expansions made to the game), but it’s an addictive one. And the fact I never quite crested the mountaintop – even if I did get a second place finish to video game Santa himself, Wario64 – is one of my biggest 2019 gaming regrets.

9. Mini Motorways (Apple Arcade)

Dinosaur Polo Club’s previous game, Mini Metro, made my top games of 2016 list, so it’s not surprising to see their latest game show up on this year’s list. What is a little surprising is how much of what could be said about Mini Metro can be echoed here on Mini Motorways. From my 2016 write-up:

Mini Metro wins my heart for its amazing ability to be serenely relaxing and nail-bitingly stressful simultaneously. Watching the train cars move back and forth around the sharp, minimalistic map brings a calming sense of satisfaction, but when the ever-growing amount of train stations hits critical mass, there were few experiences more harrowing this year. The basic strategy is smart and layered, preferring to let you experiment rather than tutorializing you to death up front.

You could remove the word “train” and get yourself a pretty accurate Mini Motorways review. But unfortunately, it’s not quite that simple. While I love a lot of what’s new in Mini Motorways – being able to create partial roads to better plan out cities from the start, colorful and sprightly graphics – the strategy and variety on display here actually pales to the previous game. One Mini Motorways upgrade, the traffic light, doesn’t even seem to function correctly. And the fun modifiers in Mini Metro’s different locations like Tokyo’s shinkasen are nowhere to be found here. Every city has a body of water to deal with, it’s just that some are slightly more of a pain than others. That’s not variety.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Mini Motorways and have put a lot of time into it. It’s my #9 after all. But if I had to pick just one to take up space on my phone, Mini Metro is getting that spot every time.

8. Risk Of Rain 2 (Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC)

The first Risk of Rain also appeared on my games of 2016 list, and like Mini Motorways, the sequel is good, just not quite as good…and also feels a bit unfinished. But unlike Mini Motorways, Risk of Rain 2 made a bold change, ditching the two-dimensional world and sprite-based graphics for 3D polygons.

Bringing the z-axis to the tried and true roguelike mechanics of the original Risk of Rain makes for a new experience, for better and worse.

The worlds of RoR2 are bigger and more awe-inspiring. The 3D nature makes some classes and items feel more viable (like the melee Mercenary class) and it’s much easier to dodge incoming enemy attacks.

But the shift in perspective is anything but perfect. Just as enemies miss you more, so too will you often miss your own targets. The camera is both too close and yet also too far away, depending on the situation. The levels, after your inspired awe has left you, are barren, and the main objective of hunting for a teleporter to take you to the next area can be a frustrating venture as they are much more easily camouflaged in the polygonal zones.

It’s also just…not done. As of this writing, there’s no final boss fight, just a shrine that lets you sacrifice yourself to say you’ve “won.” There are missing classes on the menu and the artifact modifiers tab says “coming soon.” Last time I checked, the Switch was not an early access machine, and the fact that this version also gets a “Switch tax” makes it go down even more bitterly.

So why would a deeply flawed game like this make my list? Because the core loop of Risk of Rain is still better than most experiences out there. Stacking power-ups to near omnipotence is a blast, and running around with a friend or three in co-op is more fun than ever. Risk of Rain 2 may eventually become a great game someday, but for now, it’s a good game. And despite its issues, it’s still good enough for me.

7. Baba Is You (Switch, PC)

Sokoban meets coding logic; Baba Is You layers these puzzling elements to create something that feels familiar, yet fresh. It’s a simple concept: You push physical words around the self-contained areas to manipulate the level’s rules and collect a flag…or a different win condition if you’re clever enough.

Take the screenshot above for instance. “Baba is You” means you control Baba. “Flag is Win” means you need to touch the flag to win. But say you push the words “is Win” to vertically align with “Baba.” Now Baba is both you, the player and also the win condition, so you can forget the flag. You win automatically!

The puzzles continue in that fashion, ramping up the challenge very quickly (or maybe I’m just not very good at it.) I’m nowhere near mastering it, but for its highly inventive mix of environmental and logic problems, I’ve got an incredible amount of respect for it.

6. Assemble With Care (Apple Arcade)

I’m kind of down on Apple Arcade as a concept (I’d rather just pay for the few games I want and be done with it), but if games like Assemble With Care keep coming out, I might have to soften my stance. Assemble sees you repairing broken objects like rotary phones, cassette players and watches by using the touchscreen to pull objects apart, replace their busted components and piece them back together. It’s wonderfully serene: There’s no time limit, no logic-defying puzzle box qualities, no Operation-style buzzer if and when you make a mistake. It’s just nice.

A lesser game would leave it at that, but Assemble goes a step further, wrapping the repair mechanics with a short, satisfying story with solid writing and voice acting. It’s this year’s Florence, and while it may not be as impactful as that game, it’s a must play for anyone with an Apple Arcade subscription (or a good reason to burn your free trial if you’re not a subscriber).

5. Untitled Goose Game (Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC)

Like Assemble With Care, Untitled Goose Game does not hang its hat so much on its mechanics as what it chooses to do with them. There are no fail conditions to Goose Game and what challenge it holds is relatively minimal. But it’s a true sandbox game in that it’s loaded the small town you inhabit with lots of little things to play with and discover. It’s Grand Theft Auto, except they’ve replaced carjacking and shooting with taking an old man’s stool or honking at a kid until he hides inside a phone booth. You’re an asshole, you’re just not a malicious asshole.

A list of tasks helps to keep you focused, but it’s more of a nudge in the right direction so you can discover something else to mess with or people to bother. And once the game is “over,” you get a new, more inventive list of tasks, all with the benefit of the entire sandbox available to you. It might not be the most complex game, but when it comes to the enjoyment of play, it’s one of the best this year.

4. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Switch)

I’m well known for my aversion to finishing Zelda games. I’ve played almost all of them and have finished exactly two of them (Oracle of Seasons and A Link Between Worlds, probably not the two you’d expect). And despite enjoying it, even the original Link’s Awakening eluded me, so seeing it get an overhaul in the form of a Switch version excited me. Not only was this a second chance for me to play a classic, but it was also another opportunity for the world to see how great handheld games have always been.

Outside of the really well done tilt-shifted graphics, the remake is mostly made up of small quality of life improvements. The overworld isn’t as rigidly screen-based anymore, allowing the player a little more finesse in dealing with enemies. Some equipment, that on the original Game Boy version must be switched in and out ad nauseam, now has dedicated buttons on the controller (never again must you be without your sword). All these decisions allow for the charm of the design to shine through even easier than its original version.

Would it be nice if the frame rate were more consistent? Sure. Is the Chamber Dungeon a completely extraneous and half-baked idea? Totally. Does it tarnish the fun that’s there to be had here? Not in the slightest.

I’m proud to say Link’s Awakening has joined the pantheon of Zelda games I’ve actually finished. Now maybe someday I’ll finish that “Link to the Past” that everyone keeps talking about…

3. Super Robot Wars T (Switch, PS4)

Super Robot Wars X made my list last year despite me having only played the PS4 version. So it feels a little more legitimate to have played the Switch version of Super Robot Wars T this year. It’s still not available in the US (you have to import a copy of the Asia version that comes with English subtitles,) and it’s still an extremely flawed game with its repetitive and uninspired level design and overly complicated systems, but man, I love this bad game so much.

I love tinkering in T’s dense mechanics, upgrading my anime mechs for perfect turn-based strategy synergy. I love jumping through hoops to find the right way to recruit new units. And I still love the over the top battle animations – seriously, if you’re bitching about Pokemon’s weak animations, the video above will show you Super Robot Wars has your back.

Plus they’ve added Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop this time around, so there’s at least one recognizable character from a non-Gundam anime you’ve probably seen in here. That’s…progress.

Look, this game probably isn’t for you, but it is totally for me. And Christmas came early this year in that Super Robot Wars V (which came before last year’s X – the naming conventions are not here to make sense) got ported to the Switch, and last year’s Super Robot Wars X will get ported soon too. That’s a lot of anime turn-based strategy to play, and I couldn’t be happier.

2. Pokemon Sword/Shield (Switch)

After much Internet handwringing from an extremely vocal minority, the new Pokemon games came out. And, what do you know, they’re good. Really good. They continue the slow evolution (I’m so sorry) of the franchise with small quality of life enhancements, a few new features and a little trimming of the vestiges. I appreciate the renewed focus on gyms and gym leaders and the single connected world, even if it basically two circles with a straight bit in the middle.

The new Pokemon are…fine. Very few that I detest, but also very few that I’d be willing to write home about. The new Max Raid Battles are generally pretty cool, but they all take advantage of the gimmick I’m least thrilled about: Dynamaxing. Making a Pokemon bigger for three turns is not all that compelling to me. And the Gigantamax variants with their special appearances are neat, but it’s basically just a worse form of Mega Evolution.  

So yeah, it’s a good entry in the series. And a good Pokemon game is pretty hard to top in my book.

1. Fire Emblem Three Houses (Switch)

Hard to top, that is, unless you’re Fire Emblem. But despite being a new game in my favorite franchise, I was actually dreading Three Houses. The pre-release coverage did not leave me optimistic. Old features I hated were making a comeback (cough, weapon durability, cough). The art style couldn’t hold a candle to the jaw-droppingly gorgeous previous entry, Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia. And whether Intelligent Systems was admitting it or not, there was a strong Persona-fication at play here (don’t get me wrong, I love Persona, but if you’re going to get your Persona chocolate in my Fire Emblem peanut butter, I’d rather you just make a sequel to Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE.)

So the hopes, they were not high. But Three Houses exceeded my expectations with a cast of characters I really grew to love. My loveable loser Golden Deer crew went from zeroes to heroes, and the ability to recruit students from other classes meant I got to make my dream team (Hilda, Petra, and Lysithea were my undisputed MVPs) when saving the world.

The story was deep and complex, and hearing how it changes based on which house you align with is pretty cool. I enjoyed the control I had in molding my students, and appreciated seeing them have a breakthrough in something they used to struggle with, and it becoming one of their best qualities. Turning a lazy, valley girl like Hilda into a front line tank and hearing her bitching about it every step of the way was especially enjoyable.

It’s not my favorite in the series, but I’m glad it’s seen pretty universal appeal and sales from the community at large, cementing its status as one of Nintendo’s premier franchises. Someday I will play through all four of its routes, but for now, I’m content with it comfortably sitting as my favorite handheld game of 2019.

[dream-beyond-the-fantasy]

Saturday at GalaxyCon Raleigh

I was too exhausted to post on Saturday, so I will try to recount everything now.

My cousin Alexis and I left out at a little after 7 am, making a few stops (atm, gas, Starbucks).  We took back roads instead of taking the interstate.  Still a roughly two hour drive, but it was scenic and low traffic.  We talked about favorite Tim Curry movies and horror movies (good vs. bad, remakes) and listened to some of her favorite podcasts during the long drive.  Parking wasn’t a problem and we ended up arriving like fifteen minutes before the doors were meant to open.  There was a huge line that we had to wait in because there were so many attending on Saturday and they weren’t opening doors for anyone unless you were con staff or a vendor.  The waiting in line wasn’t too bad; it was mostly the people with VIP or 4 Day badges who were whining that they couldn’t get in yet.  As our line got closer to the building, I spotted @boxofficequeen2416 and said hello.  Thankfully, it wasn’t too hard to find the pre-registration desk or a bathroom.

Our first stop was the Exhibition Room.  We decided to walk the outside first and work our way in before trying to find the celebrities and Tim Curry photo op line.  God, it was so fucking crowded and suffocating.  We saw how long Curry’s line was and decided to wait a few hours, checking out out other celebrities.

Our first stop was Chris Sarandon, as he was on the end and was a main draw for my cousin.  She had planned to do just an autograph, but decided to do the combo.  Alexis got her Jack Skellington Funko Pop figure signed.  When he asked her name,  Chris mentioned that he has a daughter named Alexis.  He also asked if he could put his arm around her in the table photo.

My first stop was Barry Bostwick, as he had hardly anyone in his line.  I did the autograph/table photo combo.  I brought something to be signed by him.  It was an oversized movie postcard that came with my Cult Films textbook from college.  Barry hadn’t seen anything like it and had to take a picture of it with his phone.  He signed it “Dammit Kristi, I llove you!”  He took two selfies with me.  He was super sweet.  He had asked me what I went to college for (Media Studies).  When I told him that I didn’t get a job in that field mostly because I didn’t know what I wanted to do, he was very kind and told me that it was okay and that I would find something that I was suited for.

My next stop was Daphne Zuniga.  Out of all the photos for her to sign, there was only one for Melrose Place.  Can you believe that?  One of the two roles she is most famous for and only one photo for it!  Naturally, I had to get that autographed.  I also told her that I was currently watching the show and had just watched an episode that morning.  She asked what season I was on.  I told her that it was the third season and I think it was maybe the nineteenth episode of the season.  Daphne couldn’t even remember what had happened in that season.  That struck me as a bit odd, since she was only in the first four seasons.  I told her that Jo was pregnant that season.

Next up was selfies with Kristy Swanson.  She was really sweet and patient while I tried to get my phone ready.  She took four pictures with me.  I told her that we shared the same name, but one letter different.

After the panel was over, I met boxofficequeen2416 again.  I really wanted to join her for the Anthony Michael Hall Q&A.  But I knew my cousin was waiting for me.  We were going to try and get into the Tim Curry line.  No go, the staffer said try again at 2:45.  So, I got in line to get an autograph from Jonathan Frakes.  It didn’t look so bad, compared to how it was earlier in the day.  OMG, I was in line for a fucking hour!  My cousin tried calling me three times and texted twice while I was in line and I was worried that con staff would freak out because I had a phone out.  It honestly wouldn’t have been so bad if it wasn’t for VIPs and their “fast lane”.  Damn line jumpers, ugh.  But Frakes is such a sweetie who loves to talk to everyone getting an autograph and/or selfie.  Sadly, that also makes things take longer.  I got my DVD cover of Star Trek: First Contact signed by Frakes.  He starred in and directed that film.  He told me that it was is favorite movie.

I went over to Anthony Michael Hall’s booth, as there was hardly anyone there.  I had my DVD cover for The Breakfast Club signed.  He was really nice.  He shook my hand and thanked me for coming. When he was about to sign, he asked how I spell my name, as there are about twenty different ways.  I got compliments on my shirt, which I told him I wore just because I found out he was coming and that it has been my favorite movie for years.

We walked around a little more.  Alexis bought some things for herself and a Bucky print for a friend.  I found the Bard’s Tower booth and immediately spotted Timothy Zahn.  They did free signings!  I had Heir to the Empire signed by him.  I also had a promotional Decipher card depicting him as Talon Karrde, Michael A. Stackpole as Corran Horn, and Shannon McRandle as Mara Jade signed.  I received that card eight years ago at StellarCon 36 after I told Mike Stackpole that Tim Zahn was my favorite author.  Stackpole signed it and hand it to me, telling me to hold onto it until I had the chance to get Tim to sign it.  About 11:45 or so, we headed over to buy food.  I got a pepperoni pizza from Papa John’s.  She got some macaroni and pork, as well as a bottle of tea.  The food was so good, but she felt hers wasn’t worth the $14 she paid.

Nearly four o’clock, we decided we were exhausted and ready to start our two hour journey home.  There were several people that I missed out on seeing, but we had a great time.  I hope to be back next year.

Then we decided to take a break from the Exhibition Room.  I unfortunately missed out on Catherine Tate’s Q&A.  But I knew Jason David Frank’s would start soon.  Alexis went out to the video gaming section and watched a few games being played.  JDF was nearly twenty minutes late to his own panel.  When he finally showed up, he apologized.  That man looked damn good in a suit.  I wish I could have gotten a clearer picture of him.  He is such a nice, down-to-earth guy.  He even stated that it is perfectly okay for fans to try and take a picture of him, despite the con rules.  He told us how he got into acting, how he received his role on Power Rangers, his cameo in the 2017 movie, and showed us the trailer for The Legend of the White Dragon, a Power Rangers fan film that he and Johnny Yong Bosch are trying to film with other ranger actors for the fans.  OMG!  We need this so badly!  I’ve never donated money online or done anything with Kickstarter, but I am so tempted to do it for this.

After that, I think I went to see Christopher Daniel Barnes.  I was originally just going to get an autograph, but his handler talked me into the combo since his prices were so cheap ($40 for both).  Poor guy barely had anyone at his table, compared to his costar (Barnes voiced Prince Eric in The Little Mermaid and the mermaid herself Jodi Benson was always swarmed by fans).  Of the potential photos to be signed were mostly Prince Eric, at least four different 1994 Spider-Man: The Animated Series prints, one which I didn’t recognize but also had Robert Hays (which I have since learned is Starman), and only one Greg Brady from The Brady Bunch Movie/A Very Brady Sequel.  Naturally, I chose Greg Brady.  Barnes is definitely a nice guy.

I believe our final venture was the Tim Curry photo op.  The line was considerably shorter, thankfully.  I knew that Curry had a stroke a while back and was in a wheelchair.  But as soon as we went behind the curtain, I wanted to cry when I laid eyes on him.  I am aware that he is in his 70s, but it appears that his stroke has definitely taken a toll.  And the hours of exhausting photo ops probably hadn’t helped (he started at 11 am and was supposed to go until 5 pm).

[thewickedmerman]

My Top 10 Favorite Fictional Couples

It’s been a really long time since I posted something here on Tumblr. I spend most of my time on the internet on Fanpop, Youtube, and Deviantart. Maybe I should try to get back into the swing of things here on Tumblr. I mainly come here to chat with my friend @keeloves rather than to post anything here. I mainly post my stuff on other websites. I hope you guys like this and let me know what you think but don’t be rude. Enjoy!

10.Odette and Derek (The Swan Princess)

With Odette and Derek, yes, they didn't get along at first and fought over the years, but there were subtle hints to them secretly liking each other. I mean, Odette, as a preteen was constantly following Derek and Bromley, like most girls at that age, did when it came to boys they secretly liked. Unfortunately, boys at that age thought that girls had cooties. Along with that, Derek as a teenager was shown to have some interest in her, though he wouldn't show it. When Bromley said that he thought Derek kind of, sort of like her, Derek didn't deny it, he simply said that he'd like her better if she'd lose at cards. He didn't deny he didn’t like her! Whenever a guy doesn't like someone and someone says they do, they'll instantly deny it, which he didn't do. Plus, if you noticed, when Odette and her father were leaving on their boat, at first Derek was just pouting, but then his face softened up, and he slowly turned to look at Odette leaving when he thought no one was looking (Right until she sling-shotted a tomato at him lol). Then we have them when they're grown up and I've said in the past, that Derek just wasn't good at expressing himself, which was why he said, "What else is there?" and not because he was superficial. Odette loved him but refused to marry him until he could express what he loved about her besides her looks. Derek obviously loved her for more than just her looks, if he didn't than he would've just gave up on her when it got difficult. Would you hunt down a dangerous animal, try to break a spell, and risk your life to defeat an evil wizard just for someone you loved only for their looks and nothing more? I don't think so! Derek learned how to grow and his love for Odette was what helped with it. He thought he'd be able to express his feelings for Odette but was so blinded by his love for Odette that he mistook the fake Odette for the real one. He was even suspicious of the fake Odette because he felt something was different about her, it was only when she presented to him the swan locket that he returned to the real Odette when he found her that he thought she had to be the real Odette. He even ran after Odette in her swan form, knowing she was dying, to find some way of saving her and to at least say some final word about his love for her and how he was sorry. Odette didn't say, "Derek... how could you?" because she knew that he meant the vow to be for her, he even says that the vow was for her, and she simply replied, "I know... I love you Derek..." before she died. But he refused to let her die and was willing to risk his life to save hers. He didn't care if he died, as long as she would live. He fought with every fiber of his being to save her, even though he was close to death himself, since Rothbart as the Great Animal was too powerful. But in the end, Derek did defeat Rothbart and his love for Odette was part of what helped bring her back and break the spell. The vow said he had to make a vow of everlasting love and prove it to the world. However, the spell didn't specify what it meant by “the world.” From how I see it, having a room full of people isn't the world but rather was just one person who was Derek's entire world to him, Odette herself. He finally said what else he loved about her, her kindness and courage, which was what broke the spell. Even after he killed Rothbart, Odette didn’t come back to life instantly. It wasn’t until he made his vow of everlasting love to the lifeless body of Odette that she came back to life. He learned how to express his feelings and appreciate the ones he loves while they're in his life because you might not always have them, so you should always cherish every moment with them while you can. They vowed to love each other far longer than forever.

9.Cory and Topanga (Boy Meets World and Girl Meets World)

These two remind me of a modern-day version of Odette and Derek for many reasons. First being they’ve known each other since childhood, they couldn’t stand each other, they became attracted to each other because of hormones, Cory seemed to like her for just her looks at first and Topanga wanted to be loved for more than her looks, he proved he loved her for more than her looks, they had their problems, and would go on about how grand and enchanting their love for each other is. They are Odette and Derek to a T! I love them more because of how we do see more of them acting like a real couple with problems. We did get that with Odette and Derek in the two traditionally animated sequels but not to the same level as Cory and Topanga. They are one of the most iconic on-again, off-again relationships in TV history. However, unlike something like Ross and Rachel from Friends, who I do love as a couple, they aren’t dysfunctional or ever questionably unhealthy as a couple. They had problems where they would react like real people would, though Cory would overreact in some instances (Especially in the last few seasons), they’d stay apart for a realistic amount of time, and they’d work it out like two mature adults that love each other. They would do anything for each other and balanced each other out really well. He’s more of the living in the moment and having fun type that gets into a lot of trouble because of his reckless and naive nature while she’s the smart and responsible one that sometimes doesn’t know how to loosen up because of how controlling and perfectionist nature. They balanced each other's weaknesses with their strengths. They even stayed an amazing couple when they had kids in Girl Meets World, where they worked just as well as a team as they did as a couple and were great parents because of it.

8.Snow White and David (Once Upon a Time)

These two have incredible chemistry and part of the reason is that the actors, Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas, are actually married in real life with kids. It was because of this show that they met and their love blossomed. Ginnifer actually said she never planned to get involved in that way with a co-star but love changed her plans. This couple is so well-done and passionate. These two developed their relationship and didn’t just instantly fall in love. Hell, when they first met, she was robbing him and hit him in the face with a rock. When he caught up with her, he trapped her in a net. Not exactly a traditional fairy-tale romance meeting. These two are adorable with how dedicated they are to one another and how they will always find each other no matter what. While they didn’t have as many conflicts as the other couples on the show, they still had their conflicts and would work through them. They are willing to do anything for each other but would also sacrifice their own happiness for the sake of others. They even share the same heart! I just absolutely ADORE these two and the fact that the actors are married with kids in real life makes me love them even more. Their chemistry is just so enchanting that I can’t help but gush about them so much!

7.Regina and Robin Hood (Once Upon a Time)

These two are my absolute favorite couple on Once Upon a Time and they're just absolutely amazing. I love how even though they didn't get along at first that it's clear that they had a strong chemistry. Regina was afraid of falling in love because she was afraid that she'd lose her happiness because it's happened before. Being the Evil Queen, she was used to losing things she loved. However, she felt such a strong connection between her and Robin Hood that she even allowed him to keep her heart (literally) and even kissed him. She was even able to feel such a strong passion for him without her heart, that should tell you something. Even with the whole Marian thing, it's clear that the two still adored one another and just want to be together but things keep on happening. Finally, the two of them were together once again because it's clear that they're simply meant to be, the pixie dust even said so. Plus I just love couples where a woman is evil (or rather was) and the man is a good guy. That probably explains why the next couple is on this list. Unfortunately, these this romance would be torn apart because of how Robin was killed trying to save her life. Their love was so amazing that he was still with her and in a sense, he was with her to help her be able to move on with her life and be happy. Their love was so incredibly strong that even their clones fell for each other. Plus, this is an interracial romance, which is something we need more of in media. 6.Batman/Bruce Wayne and Catwoman/Selina Kyle

This is ironic because my least favorite comic book couple (and one of my least favorite couples in general) is The Joker and Harley Quinn. Anyway, if The Joker is Batman's villainous opposite, Catwoman is Batman's villainous similarity. Yes, I got that from the Nostalgia Critic video! Anyway, both of them are very similar because both of them have tragic backstories, dress up in skintight outfits, have style to them, and operate outside of the law. However, Batman fights crime and is a good guy, while Catwoman will both fight crime and commit crimes. Batman has more of a moral code than Catwoman and tries to influence her. He tries to deny that there is an attraction and strong chemistry between the two, but of course, there is no hiding his true feelings for her. Catwoman is obviously very flirtatious with Batman and uses his attraction to her to her advantage. However, it's clear that even when she has nothing to gain from it, she'll save him from danger because she loves him. There have been many different interpretations of these two that are pretty interesting. In the comics, Selina came from a tragic life but was middle-class and later lived off the streets, as opposed to the animated series where she's a wealthy upper-class woman like Bruce. In Batman Returns, she's more of a psychotic... well, more than usual. Bruce thinks that he can save her but realizes that he's insane too and that they both could use some saving. These two probably have the most complicated relationship EVER! Sometimes they know each others identities and other times they don't. But either way, they're still amazing. 5.Shrek and Fiona (The Shrek Franchise)

Talk about the opposite version of Belle and Beast. Instead of the ugly monster turning into someone beautiful, it's someone beautiful turning into the ugly monster. But you know what? That's part of what makes it so unique. Fiona no longer cared what she looked like because she had finally found the one she loved and he loved her for who she is on the inside, not the outside. The two of them have a really strong chemistry and it's clear throughout all of the Shrek movies. I love how Shrek was even willing to give up his species to make Fiona happy but it turned out that wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted to live happily ever after with the ogre she married because that's the one who helped her change and become the person she was. The two of them are incredibly dedicated to each other but they also act like a real married couple. They’d have their fights and arguments but in the end, would do whatever they can to make it up to each other. They even had kids together, which is always a great symbol of love, unless it ends in divorce. However, in this case, it just makes their love for each other stronger because it just means there's more of their love to go around and their love created three little miracles. 4.Danielle and Henry (Ever After)

This is definitely the best version of the couple of Cinderella and Prince Charming because we actually see them talk about their dreams/interests and get to know each other. They have a clear instant chemistry from the very moment that they met each other. The two of them are very dedicated to each other but they actually do start off being friends and it wasn’t just, "I wanna marry you." The two of them were friends that clearly had a thing for each other and would later admit that it's love. Unfortunately, Danielle didn't want to admit it because she was pretending to be a high-class lady when she was really a servant girl. She was afraid of being rejected by Henry, which he did because she lied to him. However, not too long after, he went after Danielle and begged for her forgiveness because he realizes how stupid he was for almost losing the most important thing in his life that he loved more than anything, her. I love how we do get to see them get to know each other with such amazing scenes. Neither one of them is shown as the weaker one but instead as an equal team. They can both take care of themselves and do save each other. They're a great couple and clearly deserve all the love that they get. 3.Quasimodo and Madellaine (The Hunchback of Notre Dame 2)

Such a tragically underrated couple that deserves a lot more love, despite coming from a bad movie. These two just have instant chemistry from the very beginning. Madellaine acts silly and feels self-conscious, but Quasimodo finds her charming and he even gets in on the silliness. At first, she was frightened by his deformed appearance but later sees what a kind-hearted and sweet soul that he was, so she gave him a chance. He showed her so many new things that happen every day that she never noticed were so amazing. I love how both have been abused and have their insecurities and helped each other work through them. Madellaine was very insecure and didn't feel particularly pretty, smart, or capable of anything great. However, Quasimodo thought that she was beautiful, clever, funny, and amazing and helped her to see all of this. Madellaine managed to look beyond Quasimodo's appearance and see the true beauty inside of him. To her, on the inside anyway, he was the most beautiful person in the world. I think they're an even better message of beauty lying within than Belle and Beast or Shrek and Fiona because neither had to change their appearance to be with the other. They loved each other for what was on the inside and the only thing that changed was how they viewed themselves because of their love for the other. Madellaine loved Quasimodo so much that she would rather have him hate her than for the villain to hurt or kill him. That's true dedication and absolute true love. Their love is a beauty that can't be denied. 2.Jack and Rose (Titanic) & Noah and Allie (The Notebook)

It's hard to decide between these two because both couples are really similar but do have different outcomes. I mean, both are about poor guys who fall in love with rich girls that are having their lives decided for them and are about to be in a loveless marriage until their true loves come along. However, Jack and Rose end in tragedy because Jack dies saving Rose's life. Noah and Allie, on the other hand, actually do get married and live a long and happy life together. However, both of them end in a very similar way. Rose dies as an old woman and is reunited with Jack and both Noah and Allie die at the same time when they're old. The Notebook is actually based off Nicholas Spark's wife's grandparents love story, so that's very romantic. I love how both couples try to keep their love alive. Jack is dead but Rose keeps him alive by taking his last name and never forgetting him because he helped make her the person she always wanted to be. Someone who wasn't afraid to define her own destiny. But his love also gave her the strength to be able to move on, marry someone else, and start a family. Allie in her elderly age had dementia, so she was having a problem remembering things, so Noah would try to keep the memory of their love for each other alive. Both couples are very well-written and romantic as can be. Both couples make people ball their eyes out and it's clear to see why. However, there is one couple that is better than them. 1.Carl and Ellie (Up)

There is absolutely no doubt about it that Carl and Ellie are the best fictional couple to ever come into existence! We don't get to see the story of how they fell in love but we did get to see their married life together. They were friends as kids, so of course, they knew a lot about each other and were really close. They grew up, fall in love, got married, and just lived their lives together. It gets to the point of what all of us looking for love want. To be with someone to have a life with, be your best friend, make memories with, grow old with, and spend the rest of your life with. You can see how much these two just loved each other and how whenever they had a problem they managed to get through it because they worked as a team like a real married couple would. Carl felt bad that Ellie never lived to have the adventure she dreamed of but it turned out that he gave her an even greater adventure, their life together. His love for her and the life they built together was what made her die a happy woman. If you look through the scenes she’s in from the movie, there was hardly any moments when she wasn’t smiling because she was just so happy to be with the man she loved, same with him. I love how both of them brought out the best in each other, despite being both different and similar. He's shy and awkward while she's energetic and talkative. But both of them have such an amazing sense of adventure. Seeing their life together is always the best part of the movie and are clearly, in my opinion, the best couple with the best love story of all time. While I think the movie itself is overrated, if it wasn’t for this couple, it never would’ve won the Oscar for Best Animated Picture (Which I felt should’ve gone to The Princess and the Frog). This couple is relationship goals, especially for me, except I want to have kids and will adopt children if I need to.

[ghostsapphic]

Top five TV shows you'd recommend to others? Top five books? :)

Thank you for the ask! This is definitely a tricky one since I don’t watch many TV shows, and I don’t really read as much as I did back in elementary school.

Top 5 TV Shows I’d Recommend To Others:

Buffy The Vampire Slayer, predictably. I’d actually say that it’s probably the “best” TV show that I’ve ever seen, at least in terms of the technical aspects. It has great foreshadowing, a cast of loveable characters, good cinematography, and amazing dialogue. It’s one of those shows where it doesn’t really matter to me if the plotlines aren’t any good, since the characters are able to carry the show better than a good plot ever could. I would also include the spinoff Angel, but definitely not if you haven’t watched Buffy first.

Xena Warrior Princess. I actually still haven’t finished watching it (I have around half a season left) since it’s not really one of those shows that I feel obligated to finish; the episodes don’t all connect to each other and story arcs usually only last a few episodes. It’s great for casually watching since the show is just as often goofy as it is intense. Plus Xena and Gabriella are both such amazing main characters that work so well in any situation. Their relationship is amazing and I just feel very happy whenever they interact (which, thankfully, happens all the time).

Merlin. It was a very influencial show to me when I was younger. I got into it through my mom, who got the boxset for the first season from a birthday or something, and it was one of the first tv shows I watched that wasn’t meant for young kids. I was also always interested in the myth of King Arthur, so there was a lot of interesting content in the show for me.

Hannibal. My recent rewatch of the show has reignited my love for it. I was kinda nervous when I started watching it since I thought it would be super gory and scary, but once I started tuning that part that out I really started enjoying it. The dialogue was always super pretentious but I loved it anyway. The main detractor from the show is the third season. It’s very boring, which sucks since there are so many good things about it too (like lesbians!!!). I’ve just been struggling to get through it. Other than that it’s still pretty good.

Wizards Of Waverly Place. This is kind of a weird one since it’s one that I really enjoyed as kid, but tbh it still holds up pretty well. One thing that I’ve always loved it the worldbuilding. For a disney channel show they shoved in so many interestings plotlines into the show while still putting the characters ahead of the plot. The show was also genuinely funny, which probably can’t be said for a lot of the shows I watched as a kid (ex. as much as I loved Hannah Montana, the humour could be predictable and dry a lot of the time). The Russo family is just so sweet I love them.

Top 5 Books/Book Series:

Maximum Ride. I’m slightly ashamed of this, mostly because the series it just genuinely not good, but I love it anyway! There’s a lot of nostalgia in the series for me since it influenced my imagination a lot when I was 10, and gave me a lot of story ideas. The series may have an infinite amount of plot holes, forgotten character arcs, nonsensical apocalypse plotlines, but there is still a lot of aspects of it that I like. The first 3 books are definitely the best ones, but I still do enjoy all the others (even though they piss me off).

Percy Jackson & The Olympians. This is the only other series that I’ve read completely more than once. The series made me fall in love with Greek Mythology, and was one of the series’s that made me start to enjoy reading. Also The Titan’s Curse is the best book in the series you can fight me on that.

Among The Ghosts. This was one that I randomly picked up but ended up loving anyway. I kept on waiting for there to be a sequel, but unfortunately that time never came. It’s also written by Amber Benson, so that’s a plus.

Witch & Wizard. This was the first James Patterson series I read, and it definitely has a lot of the same problems that MR also had. I loved the series anyway, since I had a huge obsession with fire related powers, so Wisty was kinda my childhood idol.

That’s kinda it. I really need to get back into reading.

[aion-rsa]

What Star Wars Games Can Learn From The Mandalorian

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The Mandalorian isn’t just one of the best TV shows in recent years and the best reason to subscribe to Disney+ this side of The Simpsons. For many fans, it’s a show that has reinvigorated their love of Star Wars.

As someone who has previously lamented the decline of Star Wars video games over the years, it’s that aspect of the show that fascinates me most. What has The Mandalorian figured out that recent Star Wars games still haven’t? What is it about The Mandalorian that turns even jaded fans into believers?

While The Mandalorian may not hold all of the answers, Star Wars video games could still learn a few things from the live-action TV series when it comes to how to tell exciting modern stories in the galaxy far, far away.

Please Use Jedi Responsibly

Early into The Mandalorian‘s run, there were heated discussions regarding whether or not the show should feature Jedi. A similar debate has been going on in the gaming world for years following the cancellation of titles like Star Wars 1313 and Project Ragtag, which promised large-scale Star Wars adventures with hardly a Jedi in sight.

As The Mandalorian‘s latest episode (the appropriately titled “The Jedi”) showed us, the debate on the use of Jedi in Star Wars stories isn’t always an “all or nothing” proposition. That episode featured a notable Jedi in a prominent role but used the character in a way that took full advantage of both their individual motivations and the greater role of a Jedi in this universe.

Too many Star Wars games have treated Jedi as convenient video game protagonists in a medium often obsessed with action. The Mandalorian shows how you can feature Jedi that feel impactful without needing to always be the focus.

Tell Intimate Stories That Don’t Depend on Easter Eggs

The Star Wars universe really is a blessing and a curse. It’s both one of the most complete and fascinating mythological creations in Western pop culture and an albatross that burdens storytellers with unreasonable expectations.

The Mandalorian has (so far) found a way around this issue by telling stories that could honestly often work even if they didn’t take place in the Star Wars universe. When the show does dive deeper into Star War mythos, it often uses them to spice up a story you’re inherently invested in rather than trying to stretch those flavors into an entire meal.

There may not be a universal solution to the Star Wars universe problem, but if there is, it lies in telling stories that benefit from being in the Star Wars universe but don’t always depend on it. The story of a father and son on a journey of self-discovery is universal, whether it be in samurai adventures like Lone Wolf and Cub or seminal video games like God of War. That emotional core is the show’s true strength, not the fact that it’s full of easter eggs and references to the old movies we love.

Keep the Tone Grounded (But Not Necessarily Dark)

There’s an increasingly popular belief (at least among the most vocal online fans) that the only “mature” storytelling is “dark” storytelling. For them, anything not packed with violence, adult language, and perhaps even a dash of nudity is handling us with kid’s gloves.

Yet, The Mandalorian tells what feels like one of the most “mature” Star Wars stories in years while sticking within the confines of a TV-14 rating. How? It’s all about the way the show keeps its tone grounded. Fantastical things do happen in The Mandalorian, but all within the confines of the show’s own logic.

Mando isn’t a larger-than-life hero like Luke Skywalker, or one who is even completely all-good. He’s still a bounty hunter and a mercenary and showed at the start of the series that he’d work for the Empire if the job paid a good deal of beskar. Mando’s world isn’t governed by the good vs. evil conflict that ties the film saga together. There’s a lot more gray area in the Outer Rim, and that’s what makes this story feel unique.

1313, which starred Boba Fett, and Ragtag, a game about a band of thieves, seemed poised to explore this grayness before they were cancelled. Maybe this is a direction Electronic Arts could revive now that it’s told several stories about good vs. evil?

Give Us a Protagonist Who’s Easy to Love

This may sound simple enough, but it’s a concept that’s eluded so many modern Star Wars games that it feels like someone should just spell it out. I really liked Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, but it’s the prime example of a Star Wars game that featured a protagonist whose most interesting quality was being a Jedi. You could replace him with a mannequin and lose very little of what makes that game work.

The Mandalorian‘s two main protagonists remained nameless for much of the series’ run, yet were complex, well-developed, and, above all else, fundamentally likable. There’s no guidebook for creating a likable character, but it’s time to stop settling for Star Wars game protagonists that are little more than functional. Being a Jedi doesn’t immediately make you interesting.

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Look Towards Star Wars’ Real Roots

You don’t have to know much about Star Wars‘ history to know that the original film was heavily influenced by serial sci-fi adventures, Westerns, and the films of Akira Kurosawa. Unfortunately, too many modern Star Wars stories have spent more time being self-referential, with endless callbacks to classic Star Wars movie moments and characters, to bother saying anything new about the universe.

The Mandalorian goes back to Star Wars‘ real roots by telling a tale that is paced and presented more like a Western or samurai movie than a sci-fi epic. That approach stands in stark contrast to recent Star Wars games like Battlefront 2, Jedi: Fallen Order, and Squadrons, which do vary in quality but generally rely more on the inherent appeal of the Star Wars universe rather than cool new uses of classic genres. We need a modern Star Wars game that feels less like a virtual tour through Galaxy’s Edge and more like the visual embodiment of those backyard Star Wars adventures we constructed as kids that went hand in hand with being a cowboy or samurai.

Explore the Non-Traditional Parts of the Star Wars Mythology

You can’t call the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy an outright failure. After all, it made billions of dollars at the box office. But if you do consider it to be one, you can’t blame all of its shortcomings on any one element, although many fans tend to agree that the most recent Star Wars trilogy relied too much on the Skywalker story.

Maybe that was the trilogy’s responsibility to a degree as a continuation of the Original Trilogy, but as recent episodes of The Mandalorian have proven, there are so many well-established corners of the Star Wars universe that are unfairly overlooked due to a misguided belief that most people just want stories that remind of them of the original movies. Nostalgia is inherently part of the Star Wars experience but it shouldn’t be the whole experience.

While there are Star Wars games that have explored other areas of the mythology, few of them stray far from the imagery, characters, and plot points that made the franchise popular in the first place.

Hire the Right People Behind the Scenes

I can’t vouch for the filmography of every key creative member of The Mandalorian‘s team, but I can tell you this: most of them were perfectly positioned to make a great Star Wars show. New directors like Bryce Dallas Howard and Carl Weathers, for example, not only bring new voices but talented eyes behind the camera, and they clearly understand what makes this franchise tick.

The fact of the matter is that the right talent makes all the difference. For too long, Star Wars video games have been dictated by market research and what will potentially sell instead of exciting creative voices behind the scenes. Jedi: Fallen Order and Squadrons offered a taste of what’s possible when the right studios get to make a modern Star Wars games, but Respawn shouldn’t be the only team out there being given the privilege.

You could boil this point down to another rant about EA killing Star Wars video games, but the real takeaway should be that great Star Wars stories have typically come from passionate creators put in a position to succeed.

Keep up with all of The Mandalorian season 2 news here.

The post What Star Wars Games Can Learn From The Mandalorian appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[sonic-nyoom]

My Definitive Opinion on Sonic Boom

I noticed that most of my Sonic Boom opinions were spread out amongst multiple posts, so I thought it would be best to have one big post to direct everyone to for all my thoughts. I’ve had plenty of time for all of them to sink in and, while they’re mostly negative (precautionary warning there), it’s not likely to change anytime soon. If you disagree, that’s fine, but this is just how I feel.

To keep things nice and organized, I’ve separated everything into very broad categories so I can go into each one without getting sidetracked and lingering on multiple topics forever.

Starting with...

The Plots

An obvious place to start, the plots in Sonic Boom are very basic. That’s not a bad thing, but it becomes a problem when the show goes on for, say, more than one season, because it means either sticking to very cliche plots, or trying to be creative and failing due to having to force it.

Even sadder is when the plots are predictable. In all the times I’ve talked about Sonic Boom episodes that I haven’t liked or have downright hated, the word ‘’predictable’’ came up a lot, because it’s a killer of storytelling for me unless I’m excitedly anticipating that thing happening, which was very rare in this show.

As an example for killing any and all expectations I had for an episode, Designated Heroes. The very second that Sonic laughs at his friends (whether he has a reason to or not), I could anticipate the entire rest of the episode. Obviously Eggman isn’t going to show up, obviously Sonic is going to fall asleep, and obviously the rest of the disloyal crew are going to come by and rub it in his face despite the fact that they were so sure they could beat Eggman before too. Even if I had believed with 100% certainty that Sonic deserved punishment for what he did, that is ruined when such an obvious plot point is thrown my way. To make a simpler comparison, I go on rollercoasters for the excitement of the twists and turns, not to ride for eleven minutes in a straight line because the person who made it got lazy and decided that it was passable enough to be called a rollercoaster. Sure, it functions, but it’s not stimulating in any way.

On another note, while I would like to say that the best plots to come out of Sonic Boom were the interesting ones, honestly, it was almost completely random which ones I found fun. I even tried to calculate if it was the writers or maybe the characters used by the writers, but it really just came down to the episode itself. The only consistent thing I noticed was that episodes that tried to inject some heart (The Sidekick and New Year’s Retribution) while still being funny had the best chance of sticking with me. Unfortunately, Sonic Boom has very few of these. Most episodes center around the comedy alone, and while that’s enough for some people, it’s not enough for me because it just leaves the show as very one note. The only episodes I can think of that I find very memorable while still being one note are Battle of the Boy Bands, The Meteor, and Eggheads, but all of those did fairly crazy things and had a fun time with it.

And if you just want to talk about canon? Look, I get that the show shouldn’t have to explain everything. I understand that. But, when I see Sticks suddenly having a crossbow or Sonic riding in his fancy new vehicle with no introduction and no explanation, I just have to roll my eyes. If the writers don’t care about what they introduce into their world and if it makes sense or not, then why should I?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; Sonic Boom is not meant for someone like me. While I do indeed watch comedies, I prefer to have at least some substance there, and doing anything less than that makes me turn away because it means that the show is doing the bare minimum. Essentially, I’m saying that Sonic Boom only does what it has to, sometimes goes the extra mile, but mostly just sticks to the one thing. And, if that one thing fails in my eyes, then there’s no reason for me to keep watching the episode because I know there won’t be anything else to look forward to. To give an example, even if The Sidekick had failed completely at making me laugh, I would at least still watch it for the dynamic between Sonic and Tails. There’s something else there even if one element failed.

The Comedy

Probably the most divisive thing I’ve noticed being talked about when referring to specific episodes, the comedy in Sonic Boom is extremely hit-or-miss for me, and part of the reason is that most of the characters cover a very short range of comedic angles. Because most of them are widely stereotypes with few new things, it often means that they only cover one type of joke. That’s not always bad, but after a while, it can start feeling boring.

The characters who avert the trope of being one note for me are Sonic, Eggman, and Amy. Though, on the flip side of only covering one kind of joke, I think Amy covers too many, and it becomes cluttered.

Eggman is a mixed bag, either making me laugh a lot or not making me laugh at all. I’ll talk more on it later, but sometimes, he was just too much and it ruined the jokes for me.

Sonic is the only one in the show who could make me laugh consistently, and it only partly has to do with how much I enjoy his character. He just covers a range of comedy without being too much (typically the straight man, pun boy, and general fun guy) while also playing off the other characters in varying ways depending on the situation.

The Characters

What you see is what you get. The characters in Sonic Boom are basically all stereotypes, barring a few exceptions.

The characters I enjoy watching in Sonic Boom out of the main cast are Sonic, Eggman (sometimes), Orbot, and Cubot. Orbot and Cubot mix up their personalities enough to keep me invested in their characters. They occasionally seem to care about Eggman, but aren’t against making fun of him, which makes sense because he orders them around like they’re nothing. And, when he’s doing that, I can’t really get invested in his character. The moments where he’s relatable/awkward are more my thing.

I’d talk about the rest of Sonic’s crew here individually, but there’s really no point, because they all cater to one stereotype, as opposed to Amy who caters to multiple (doesn’t help, by the way, in my opinion).

Let me make it clear; there were moments where I liked these characters. There were times where I laughed at one of their jokes or gave them some slack for something they did. On a few occasions, they actually stepped out of their boundaries and did something slightly different.

The problem, however, is that these characters are still stereotypes. They exist to follow their small range of humor and fit into exactly what you expect them to. It is not to pleasant degrees.

To delve into just one of them, I’ll pick Knuckles, because he’s my least favorite out of the entire bunch.

I have no problem with Knuckles being stupid. It was a sensible leap from the original character. My problem is when he’s forgetful, because that is not stupidity. Even stupid people can remember things that are important to them. If Knuckles was commonly forgetful - as in, that was one of his character traits - I wouldn’t complain, but it makes him very irritating. Why should I care when he’s trying to be good friends with Sonic if I know that he could turn at any time and forget Sonic’s name or even who Sonic is?

No matter how the characters change - no matter how they try to be developed - it will not carry over into other episodes unless the episode is a sequel to the episode where the development took place. Now, that’s not entirely a bad thing, but only if the characters are interesting from the get-go. Unfortunately, these four are not.

Now for the big question: what makes Sonic so different from the other characters that I actually like him?

Firstly, keep in mind that while, yes, I’ve typically favored Sonic in the past, there have also been Sonic that I don’t like. Satam!Sonic and Adventures!Sonic have both been Sonic I haven’t enjoyed watching.

And, there have been things with Boom!Sonic that I haven’t been 100% okay with. However, I could only count these moments on one hand and I don’t expect Sonic to be perfect.

One reason I enjoy Boom!Sonic is that he doesn’t completely follow a stereotype. The closest stereotype for him is the ego stereotype, but he mixes it up with his love of puns, his straight man routine, and his rare silly antics. Also, he’s not a jerk, as most ego characters are. He’s usually a pretty good guy.

Now, what about the times where he isn’t, however rare they are? Well, that brings me into my next reason.

Depending on how a character is treated by the other characters, I tend to give them slack on things they do. If Sonic is being treated poorly by everyone around him, I’ll naturally be more understanding if he’s acting in a way that isn’t perfect, because he’s not being treated fairly anyway. Or, if the writing is being unfair to him or shifting things against his favor, I’ll be more forgiving if he does anything ‘’wrong’’. Using Late Fees this time as my example, I don’t care that Sonic is procrastinating on getting Amy’s book back to the library because one, obstacles are put in his way before he’s even done anything wrong, and two, Amy has forced this task upon him without warning instead of returning the book herself like she should.

And, I also can excuse Sonic because he clearly isn’t used to friendship. He’s been a loner and not open to having friends; of course he’s not going to have social interaction with them correctly. He also doesn’t know the cores of friendship (though he has many good traits of being a great friend), so if he’s being treated wrongly, he doesn’t really know that he is and, during the few times he does something wrong, he might not even know that it’s wrong in the first place (I’m sure sometimes he does, but on occasion, he’ll give a look or response that seems to suggest that he doesn’t understand), because he was alone before. He hasn’t had any experience and obviously can’t improve if no one tells him what he’s doing wrong.

Which brings me to my final point...

The Treatment

Throughout most of my time watching Sonic Boom, regardless of how much of a fan I could say I was, there was a lingering feeling that started at around Episode 15 (Aim Low) and then continued as I kept watching the series.

A feeling of unpleasantness.

Looking at it purely from Sonic’s perspective, this is not a group of friends that I want to have. This is not a friendship that I want. They change sides on him without warning, simply to follow the narrative. He deserves better.

I’d like to shrug my shoulders and just pass episodes off when they do such things, but I can’t. I can’t settle with the knowledge that Sonic could have a good relationship with his ‘’friends’’ in one episode, but have it change with no warning in another.

Characters should not have to work around the story. The story should have to work around the characters. If that can’t be accomplished, then the story means nothing and is only a fruitless attempt to make a plot with characters who don’t fit.

And I know that there are episodes that are not meant to be taken seriously. Technically speaking, none of the episodes are meant to be taken seriously.

What does that really mean? From that standpoint, all of the characters mean nothing. They’re there only to serve the comedy, and I’m sorry, but I think that’s a really lousy way to treat characters. It’s also a huge factor on why I tend to laugh less than the average person does at this show. If I’m not attached to a character, I’m a lot less likely to find them funny, and most of the characters in this show change whims in the blink of an eye.

See, I can’t let go of these episodes because they are canon. Unless stated otherwise, every episode is canon to the character’s personality and story.

Take ‘’Alone Again, Unnaturally’’ as an example. In this episode, Sonic’s crew are trying to help him go faster and come up with crazy schemes that Sonic is understandably unsure about. They don’t put his safety first, opting for their own and blatantly ignoring him when he tells them to wait.

Now, obviously, this was done for comedy. You’re supposed to laugh at Sonic’s screaming and pain.

I don’t, so let’s take that into consideration. What changes in this story if I did find it funny?

Nothing. Whether I laughed or not, the plot remains the same. What the characters do to each other remains the same. These pieces of the story are incapable of magically disappearing. They happened, no matter how much you laughed or didn’t laugh and regardless of if it was intended for comedy or not.

And moments like that impact my view of the characters as a whole. Even if they acted like saints in a future episode, that doesn’t change the fact that they did what they did and weren’t even sorry.

When they made Sonic feel so bad that he went to Eggman for help? Not sorry.

When he nearly drowned because they forced him to go into the water? Not one apology.

When he finally got so upset at everyone’s lack of respect for him that he quit, only returning because of a twisted strategy concocted by someone who was supposed to be his friend, meaning they knew he’d be too nice to not help? Not. One. Bit.

Of course it bothers me when the villagers are rude and saying bad things towards Sonic when he does nothing wrong, but I can usually pass it off because the villagers are supposed to be a mob. They’re meant to be wild cards, capable of doing whatever the writer needs at that moment.

The actual main characters should not be that. They should never be that, at least for me.

Whenever there’s a hint of sympathy between the characters, it can all be thrown to the wayside immediately for another scene or another piece of dialogue that really makes it seem like no one cares what happens to Sonic. Any potential with these characters that I would legitimately love to see get developed is left and forgotten just to revel in how stupid one is or how crazy another is, or even to have a subjectively tasteless Sonamy joke that honestly means nothing and only exists to pander to fans and bring in more viewers. The double standard that one character can do something without judgment but Sonic cannot do the same without someone judging him will never go away. Nothing matters.

The villagers, and even Sonic’s crew, don’t want him because they like his personality or enjoy having him around. It’s because he’s useful, and anything that he does that goes against that is either irrelevant or annoying to them.

There is a way to give a character an ego and not make it seem like everyone constantly wants to strangle them. In fact, the Archie comic series already did it.

But the stuff going on in Boom? It won’t change. It’ll never change. It’s honestly not even limited to just Sonic, but he is the prime example. If anything ever happens down the line that changes that, I will gladly take my words back, but I just don’t see it happening.

Unless you’re not supposed to feel anything for the characters (as in, they’re all meant to be complete jerks with no redeeming value), I don’t think any show should ever have to stoop to singling a character out and neglecting them when they don’t deserve it. In my opinion, doing so is a disservice to both the characters and the world created around them.

And that is how I feel about Sonic Boom.

[maczazind]

Film Diary 2017: May, June, and July AKA "The Combined Post Because I Got Lazy"

For the first time this year, I unfortunately missed my window in terms of keeping up with these monthly entries. A huge handful of birthdays, stress and even an ankle injury all seem to be the contributing factors that ultimately led to me combining both the May, June and July posts. So now, you’re getting three for the price of one! The summer movie season is coming to a close soon and with it has come some clear winners and disappointments. Additionally, the summer season has led to many movie marathons popping up in deep cable as the holidays come and go. Which have I seen, and what did I think? Read on to find out…

As always, the following reflects MY OWN OPINION. If you’d like to see these entries in full as the year progresses, each installment is given the tag “Film Diary 2017” so feel free to follow along!

Each entry includes how every feature was primarily seen and an asterisk which denotes that viewing was the first time I’ve seen that movie in its entirety, despite possibly having seen pieces of the film previously or having a general knowledge of it. Numbering reflects the year’s overall total, not the monthly total.

55) May 5th: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2* - Theater; Kicking off the blockbuster season, I have to admit there was a piece of myself deep down that was worried about the Guardians sequel. The trailers presented plenty of music, chemistry and wit that I loved from the first film while a lack of a clear antagonist left much to be desired. And this concerned me because while the original is one of my top three features of the entire MCU thus far, it did have some problems with Ronan & it’s closing climax that I still take I stride due to everything else it does damn well. Without getting into spoilers, Guardians 2 thankfully doesn’t go the route of Iron Man 2 or Thor: The Dark World and recaptures the magic by expanding upon the elements of the first. That’s not to say it’s perfect; the first act while fun feels a bit lost in its direction. There’s certainly a tug & pull between the one-liners and the emotion it tries to dish out, sometimes struggling to keep that balance, but finds a solid grip for sure. It was to my delight that a decent-sized bulk of previously released scenes arrive in the first half hour, allowing you to really enter into the true meat of the film. The main villain that is presented is perhaps the most memorable in years for the MCU; the emotional beats that are hit, especially in the second half, may be the most heartstring pulling of the entire cinematic universe in recent memory. Director James Gunn very much goes for a more personal story in regards to Star-Lord and in doing so seeks a similar story for the entire team, playing on the theme of family between Gamora/Nebula, briefly tackling Drax’s underlying origins once more, and even the dynamic within the team itself most notably between Rocket/Quill. And it’s there I feel the sequel reaches the same placement of its predecessor. It takes the elements I loved from the first and explores certain aspects as well to beautifully compliment it and present a memorable outing I can still think back to weeks after leaving the theater.

56) May 12th: The Powerpuff Girls Movie - TV (On Demand); Released circa 2002 and commentary regarding the recent reboot aside, this animated feature has interesting placement in my book. The original series holds a special nostalgic place for myself as it was easily a cartoon that took its bubbly exterior and appealed to everyone through its action, comedy, characters and exceptional visual direction. The film is a bit of a different story, as I really only remember seeing it once after renting it from the video store. Now on its 15th anniversary, bumbling through on demand I came across its availability and decided to dive head first into the mystery of why it never left a lasting impression. In many respects, there are ways the movie works well. The amped up visuals and entire final third act battle with Mojo Jojo are among the highlights, including the girls’ fish out of water story that is absolutely a different side to the main trio given their overwhelming acceptance by the people of Townsville in the series. But the film in many ways I think serves better as an expansion of the series rather than a standalone outing. This is very much an origins tale of The Girls’ unique creation and integration into Townsville; but there are certain pieces of the film, especially Mojo Jojo’s own origin story, that resonate more if you’ve seen the show’s expansion of these elements. Furthermore, the movie somewhat struggles with some identity: the first act is the perspective of The Professor to the entire creation of the title characters, before changing to The Girls’ POV as Professor is thrown into jail for the second act and taking a sharp left turn alongside it. With the origins skeleton in mind, its acceptable that The Girls aren’t the hero team viewers knew and loved just yet either; though to see them unknowingly destroy the city they’ve protected so many times before can be a bit jarring. They don’t quite accept their role of heroes until well into the third act and that’s when things start to click into familiar territory. Finally, the film is a lot darker than I remembered compared to the balance the series conveyed. It sets aside the status quo of the small screen for something uncharted and there are times it does feel like a mixed bag of trying to tell a more serious side of The Girls’ history with the fun elements they’ve presented before. And that’s exactly how I walked away from this: mixed. I think if you’re a fan of the original series you can tackle this no problem with the mindset of it simply growing on what you already know. But this format may not leave the best first impression for those too young or too old to experience the wonder that is this franchise.

57) May 17th: The Founder* - DVD (Rental - Library); After it had gained some awards season buzz only to seemingly be snubbed out of the year’s annual ceremonies, I sincerely wondered if The Founder failed to live up to the hype it built in its early marketing. And though it does have problems, the biopic about McDonald’s transformation to a small California eatery to the global dominator it is today surprised me by how strong of an immensely intriguing tale it is. Michael Keaton’s Ray Croc plays a central protagonist that is flawed yet engrossing in his ruthless business spirit. Though this is very much Croc’s tale on how he went from a struggling salesman to the man responsible for expanding the golden arches into a worldwide phenom, his story doesn’t come without some chapters that drag. His life at home, what little we see of it, is introduced with a clear road of what’s to come and in turn says not to get too invested. Because of this, it becomes a bit of a hassle when the minor subplot is dragged out for a decent portion of the movie. But the intrigue of the plot and where the film really shines is the focus on the McDonald brothers and their relationship with Croc as time goes on. The brothers had me hooked the second they laid out their small business origins story to Ray and from there it just becomes a clash of morals, standards, quality and money all at the same time as we see two different types of men fight over their ideals. And it’s that piece of the film that really drives it from beginning to end, even throughout various meetings with potential new employees and lawyers. If you’re interested in seeing a different side to the largest fast food company in the world prior to the common status of the restaurants in modern times, this is definitely one to give a watch to.

58) May 18th: Hidden Figures* - DVD (Rental - Library); Moving on to another highly buzzed about awards contender, Hidden Figures hit a very similar sweet spot for me. It tells a very unrecognized and important story regarding three highly influential woman to NASA in the midst of the space race. Taraji P. Henson’s central role of Katherine Goble Johnson is easily the one that shines the brightest and I can now see why many were upset over her snub at the Academy Awards. Likewise, Octavia Spencer’s Dorothy Vaughan and Janelle Monáe’s Mary Jackson showcase their incredible individual stories of intelligence as well, while driving home a strong tale about both race and gender equality that transcends its setting. It absolutely lives up to the hype and deserves to be seen if you haven’t already.

59) May 20th: Ghostbusters: Answer The Call* - DVD (Rental - Library); There are a handful of reasons why I decided to check out this reboot months after it’s release. For one, the original wasn’t quite the icon of my childhood that everyone else tended to hold up on a pedestal, though I do still regard the film as an incredibly well done and fun classic. For another note, I’m not as won over on director Paul Feig as others have been. Following the highly hyped Bridesmaids, I’d finally seen it on Blu-Ray and thought it was only okay but went on to enjoy follow-up efforts such as The Heat and Spy. Combining these two elements and the atmosphere surrounding the perception of Ghostbusters ultimately led myself towards a timid response. But now that I’ve finally seen it, I can say my reaction is still dishesrtening. The first act, in my eyes, is where the film holds most of its problems. It’s very much a Feig film in its dialogue and therein lies an issue in not deciding what kind of film it wants to be - the script in the beginning paints a more joke-filled affair that is a stark contrast to the paranormal adventure elements it’s attempting to set up. So for the first act, it’s a movie that through its comedy almost doesn’t want to take itself seriously with extremely forced comedic dialogue despite the fact that it needs you to consider it serious for the premise to really work. As the film goes on, the more over the top comedic elements settle down to embrace the growing action and at times finally find a decent balance between the two. It’s there that the film can actually be fun and leave a better impression. But it’s the fact that it takes so long to get to that balance that can be the troubling part. The villain doesn’t quite live up to measure either, trading in mythology of a single supernatural heavy hitter for a wave of various CGI beings that create chaos. That chaos does lead to an entertaining climax, but perhaps could have been more impactful with a stronger antagonist at the center of the action. In the end, I didn’t necessarily hate the reboot as it decides it wants to warm up the longer it continues. However, it’s far from the optimistic fresh start I was hoping it could’ve been. I now understand the divided response and why any plans of a direct sequel have been incredibly quiet.

60) Interstellar* - On Demand (Epix); Another one I put off for personal reasons. Five years ago, The Dark Knight Rises arrived and my best friends can tell you how frustrated I was toward the third act in which a number of extremely questionable choices are made. When I had seen in 2014 that Interstellar seemed to also divide opinions, I decided to put it off until now. However, this one ends on a more positive note for me as I enjoyed it for the most part. Granted it didn’t reach a transcendent level in its plot nor approach to the ideas it outs forth, but there were still a handful of concepts I found intriguing. Cooper’s devotion to his family is certainly a driving force throughout the film and the introduction of a massive difference in how time passes by in the other galaxy developed a type of running clock in my head. I was hopeful for a reunion because it was in many ways Cooper’s singular ideal beneath his responsibility to the expedition that helped flesh him out and give the sci-fi adventure some personal stakes. It doesn’t necessarily excuse some of the more heavy handed stuff nor the nearly three hour runtime that does feel quite a bit taxing and gives no excuse for an ending that feels rushed. And perhaps I benefited from various details being out there online for myself so that I wasn’t so taken aback by their presentation. Still, the film remained on good standing for myself. For all the homages to Kubrick’s 2001 and the various interesting concepts presented that the film’s sci-fi premise hinge on, Interstellar was a solid watch though one that I’m not exactly clamoring to run out and add to my Blu-Ray shelf.

61) May 25th: Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them* - DVD (Rental - Library); Upon the release of the first expanded story for The Wizarding World, many Harry Potter fans were able to experience a film set in the universe that was not a direct adaptation of its source material. However for myself, I managed to fall onto the traditional route and read the book before the movie as I received the official scripted book release for Christmas. So suffice to say this reaction to the film won’t be too detailed because I don’t have much of a response - there were no major surprises as I knew what was exactly in store. All that was really left was to see how it translated into a performance setting and it went well. Everyone served their roles well; I really think the audience vehicle that is Jacob, a non-magical human introduced to everything, is the scene stealer and it becomes apparent towards a truly emotional conclusion for him. It’s a solid foundation to build upon to really delve into some of the mythology from the other books, especially Grindelwald, Dumbledore and earlier years of Hogwarts, along with this new unexplored section of the universe. I can’t help but wonder if I would have been more enthusiastic towards the film if I had experienced it prior to the book. Still, I’m still very interested in how the rest of this expansion unfolds as future installments arrive.

62) May 27th: Bleed For This* - DVD (Rental - Library); Last month, after giving a sour response to Hands of Stone, I was very hesitant to dive into another boxing biopic despite this outing being centered in an area I originated from. Bleed for This is yet another film of the genre that failed to make waves last year and seemed to disappear without a trace despite yet again having some notable names attached to it, such as Miles Teller, Aaron Eckhart and Katey Segal. Thankfully, though, this outing worked out much better than the aforementioned as it turns out Bleed For This is a solid entry. The ego and eccentric personality displayed by Teller here keeps things always entertaining, while the central story never falls into an overwhelming pit of cliché. Teller and Eckhart have great chemistry, both giving impressive performances, while the addition of Vinny’s family into his career adds some intrigue as profession and blood clash. Definitely a movie worth checking out.

63) Brooklyn* - DVD (Rental - Library); A sweet, endearing love story that at times is as comical as it is dramatic. Exploring not just immigration but the universal feelings of coming of age, friendship, love, torn between family & your own individual life and so very much more, I found myself falling deeper into the film’s undeniable charm the longer it went on. Saoirse Ronan’s performance is a strong one, while Emory Cohen shines as one of her two love interests. I’m not typically one to embrace stories that are more romantic in nature, yet director John Crowley and writer Nick Hornby find ways in order to balance that out by focusing on Eilis’ struggles that her move to America brings both socially and emotionally. One of the more fondly remembered entries of the year for me.

64) May 29th: Rise of The Planet of the Apes - Blu-Ray; In preparation for the upcoming sequel War For The Planet Of The Apes, I figured it was time to rewatch the two previous Cesar entries in the franchise which I hadn’t seen in a good while. First up is 2011’s surprise Summer smash Rise and boy oh boy did I forget how much I love this prequel. I always tend to hold its successor Dawn to a higher stander for various reasons (see below), but somewhere along the way I forgot what Dawn does so damn right. The core relationship between Will & Caesar, Will’s motivation behind the central drug, the nods to the original story that this entry is building towards, the visual storytelling that director Rupert Wyatt conveys for most of the apes’ storyline, the third act that sucks you in the second Caesar’s intelligence reaches a new level from the perspective of the human characters; I could go on and on. Though there is more of an emphasis on the human element in this film, it’s both necessary and understandable in a handful of ways. The humans are the dominant ones at this point and time so its natural they play a larger role, especially in the creation of the Apes’ advanced evolution. At the same time, it allows Caesar to shine that much brighter as a scene stealer with Andy Serkis just knocking it out of the park while the story portrays this wonderful balance of origin story and establishing Caesar as a complex protagonist, very much a subject of both sides of the primary man vs. ape conflict. Again, I feel since Matt Reeves has done a beautiful job in taking over the franchise from Wyatt, the first installment tends to be remembered more as a pleasant surprise with the promise of more to come. Rewatching it though, it is a damn good foundation that allowed Reeves to certainly elevate the material in the sequel and yet still stands strong on its own right as the film to revive the series in a spectacular fashion.

65) Dawn of The Planet of the Apes - Blu-Ray; To continue the conversation, Dawn from Reeves successfully elevates the predecessor by not only going bigger in terms of the central conflict with Apes and humans but also more personal by delving into the differences of the characters as well. Koba, introduced in the last movie, comes from a different side of the humans than Caesar did and both operate separately in terms of their empathy for the humans who are slowly dwindling out. So while the humans are very much in survival mode and not ready to face the apes, whom they blame for the massive outbreak that led to the deaths of many, we see the unified Apes having a civil war of sorts as loyalties are torn between the two leaders. And it’s that three sided conflict that finds a handful of ways to be complex, introspective & thrilling. I’m willing to admit that upon rewatching, Dawn did not hit me as strong as it did the first time; perhaps because most of the shock or unpredictability I found in that first viewing was more cemented now. However, it still does not rob the awe and power from the film as both an incredible sequel and one of the best of the entire franchise.

66) June 3rd: She’s All That - TV (Freeform - DVR); Listen, I was in the mood for a nostalgic teen movie flashback. A classic for many, admittedly She’s All That was never my favorite. And now I still see why. For all the clichés it still has, it’s not to say it isn’t enjoyable. But perhaps I’ve just seen its parody Not Another Teen Movie far too many times to take this seriously. Freddie Prinze Jr. and Rachel Leigh Cook still standout portraying strong characters. I couldn’t help but feel that the climax of the entire film was extremely rushed and quickly resolved. There are some teen genre films I turn to in fleeting moments of comfort seeking and again this has never been one of them. After rewatching, let’s just say it didn’t win a spot.

67) June 4th: Die Hard With A Vengeance* - TV (IFC - DVR); The ONLY installment in the Die Hard franchise I had not seen in full. Though I feel as if Die Hard 2 helped recapture the “confined to one place” mentality of the original, Vengeance took the series in an entirely different direction by expanding that scope. And while I don’t necessarily admire the change up, it does lead to a more compelling villain than the second installment. Furthermore, Zeus is a perfect partner to McClane and both characters play off each other well. The third act climax is just okay and I do in fact prefer the darker yet more personal alternate ending, which you can find with just a quick Youtube search. Vengeance, though, is a solid entry in a series that holds strong when compared to the latest release a few years ago.

68) June 7th: Wonder Woman* - Theater; Gosh. What can I say about Wonder Woman that hasn’t been said already? Among the three high profiles entries in the genre this season, easily my favorite superhero film of the summer. It’s a weird comparison, but I walked out of the latest DCEU entry feeling as if Diana is now the Superman of this cinematic universe. What I mean by that is at the conclusion of her first ever solo feature, the title hero comes off as such a wonderful beacon of strength, power, hope and resilience that firmly cements her as a major force moving forward in this cinematic universe. From the intriguing origin story packed with badass characters, to the climactic final battle, Wonder Woman not only presents a superhero film that is entertaining, funny when it needs to be, heartbreaking when it calls for it and so many other things, but it takes the time to both explore and enforce what it means to be a hero. Not only do we get to connect with nearly every supporting character along the way of Diana’s journey, we see what they mean to her and her heroic philosophy the more the story goes on. And it’s that infectious passion & care about all of the elements around Diana that easily leaps off the screen and in turn makes you care about them; Ares’ downfall is important to her, so you care about her quest to stop him; protecting humans at various turns, especially including No Man’s Land, means something to her and in turn we care about the missions at hand. Take this tale, put it in the hands of director Patty Jenkins who infuses the film with a wonderful eye even down to a differential in color treatment in key scenes to distinguish the mood, and you get easily the best entry in the DCEU by a long shot. One of my favorites of the year thus far for sure.

69) June 14th: The Simpsons Movie - Blu-Ray; Up until about a year ago, I had never owned the theatrical adventure of the long-running iconic television family. I saw the film upon its theatrical release and really remember loving it for multiple reasons. As someone who fell in love with The Simpsons through a Season 2 box set and the wide variety of reruns that would air every weeknight after homework but before dinner, the movie struck a chord as I saw a slight elevation of the classic formula with better animation, a few less censorship restrictions and even some momentous payoff (looking at you, Springfield Gorge jump). My little step-sister has finally reached Simpsons-mania age and I finally bought the film on Blu-Ray so that she could watch it. Rewatching it nearly a decade later from my aforementioned first viewing, it’s still entertaining and even easier to see the raunchier jokes that easily went over my sister’s head. Filled with wit, heart and enough deviation from the typical formula to keep it a memorable stand-out adventure for the franchise, it definitely tends to hold up in my eyes.

70) June 18th: The Magnificent Seven (2016)* - TV (On Demand - Epix); I am by no means your average fan of the western genre, but that’s not to say I don’t like westerns. Having never seen the original outing, I thought that perhaps this remake may fare better with me without a template to expect anything from. Furthermore, the star-studded cast that included Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'onofrio and more intrigued as to how exactly they would come across. The movie starts off strong enough with a gripping introduction to our villain that really sets up the main conflict ahead. However, it’s the long process of assembling the team, giving them all their own introduction and seeing how they gel within the growing number of men that led to a dragging period that I simply could not recover from. Furthermore, the main villain who is responsible for the issue at hand simply disappears during this stretch, never to be seen until the third act climax. That climactic battle is certainly something to behold, but it’s the journey to get to it that just takes too damn long as loses momentum. And it’s there that the film ultimately lost me, leaving me with a sour taste. If there was one silver lining, though, it’s that had the remake been a larger hit I would’ve loved to see a spinoff starring the scene stealing duo of Ethan Hawke and Byung-hun Lee.

71) June 19th: The Edge of Seventeen* - DVD (Rental - Library); This new spin on the classic teen movie format has been on my radar since the first trailer was released last summer. Then, it seemingly arrived, received its buzz, and then vanished. Now months later I’ve finally watched the latest member of the genre and I have to say I found it entertaining. That’s not to say there isn’t some major predictability to it, especially concerning the main love interest, but elements introduced are used to ground the entire story in a comical way that ultimately works. The key feat is making sure this is pulled off is through casting and Hailee Steinfeld absolutely shines in the lead role of Nadine. She’s able to pull off the complex mix of awkward, funny, self-loathing, analytical, heartbroken and more at various points throughout that it makes for a wildly unpredictable ride as she volleys between opening up & emotionally deflecting. The supporting cast works around her as they all click well with Steinfeld, especially Woody Harrelson’s eccentric teacher, but perhaps the breakout is the endearing, dorky, hopelessly romantic performance by Hayden Szeto as Erwin. Time will tell if this stands next to other teen classics, but thankfully it stands strong as writer/director Kelly Fremon Craig presents a quirky, grounded and relatable coming-of-age tale.

72) June 23rd: The Purge* - TV (DVR - FX); A franchise that’s been around for a little bit now, I’ve never experienced an entry in its entirety. Some shots from cable here, a commercial there, youtube videos showcasing the series’ place at Universal Studios during Halloween over here. So, I finally decided to give the premiere chapter a try. And it was just okay. The setting and rules regarding it are the most interesting part. The rest is a somewhat bland thriller filled with jump scares, most of which includes a small vendetta elevated that you can see coming from awhile away thanks to the set up. Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey and Adelaide Kane do their best with what their given, but really the only one who steals the show is Rhys Wakefield as the Purge Leader who doesn’t get nearly enough screentime in all his creepy glory. But, yeah. It was fine enough. I’ve heard the sequels are better as it doesn’t confine us to one location, and they do in fact feature continuing characters unconnected to this one. I’m not exactly rushing out to see them after this, though.

73) June 27th: The Quick And The Dead (1995)* - TV (DVR - Sundance); Talk about hitting me out of nowhere. Just days after a sour modern western experience, I managed to come across this film in my cable guide, which I’d never heard of. My jaw dropped when I saw the cast included Sharon Stone, Russell Crowe, Gene Hackman, Leonardo Dicaprio and more, all directed under one of my favorites Sam Raimi. What resulted is an exciting film filled with plenty of build up, payoff and execution that is a hell of a lot of fun. The set-up of a shootout tournament among these participants, most of whom either have a gimmick to showcase or a past to be revealed, certainly tends to suck you in with how exactly it will ultimately pan out. In addition to this, the idea of these various characters and well known actors pitted against each other is as equally intriguing. In the end, this felt like a unique entry in the genre that though may not be as fleshed out as some would like, is still quite the entertaining hidden gem with fantastic performances from the aforementioned quartet. Seek it out if you have the chance.

74) June 28th: Okja* - Streaming (Netflix); From director Bong Joon-ho, the highly talked about Snowpierecer has been a film I have yet to see despite being on my list for the longest time. This means the newly released Okja is my first impression of Joon-ho and ultimately I walked away liking this unique adventure. It’s perhaps best that the less you know about Okja the better, though I had seen the previously released trailers and still found a story filled with unpredictability. The backdrop of the plot is certainly satirical against a corporate machine and towards the end melts away to emphasize a message which paints the film with an interestingly sharp edge as it contains a rather whimsical and heartfelt tale of friendship. The first act of Okja at times reminded me of a Studio Ghibli film brought to live action through its scope of wonder, while the central bond between Mija & the title creature does feel at times slightly reminiscent of Totoro, Hiccup & Toothless, Lilo & Stitch and others. But it’s that sharp lining that gives it a final punctuation mark that may not only divide some but certainly gives you something to think about long after it’s over.

75) July 5th: Spider-Man - Blu-Ray; In the days leading up to Spider-Man: Homecoming, I found it only fitting that I revisit the web slinger’s past to prepare for his future. First up was his original 2002 debut and the start of the Sam Raimi saga that would unfold for another five years. I’ve found myself firmly in the placement of adoring not only this film but the sequel to follow and rewatching the original resulted in an interesting perspective. I’ve always thought that Spider-Man was incredibly good and usually I’ve managed to find something different in it depending on the mood I’m in. This rewatch, I found myself not drawn to the action (which, through the head bobbing behind masks, kind of struck me with a Power Rangers vibe) but to the well developed characters. Mary Jane is treated far better in this outing than the sequel as a rough home life and headspace of following her dreams blossoms into an arc that continues its logical journey in the next installment. So while she may not be treated well in the sequel, it’s the establishment of her accomplishments that give her an additional silver lining due to the set up here. Harry is both a rich kid and outcast, thus he bonds with Peter over their social status while at the same time leaving you to not believe 100% in the relationship as there is in fact a harder edged lining to it all that does inevitably unfold. Uncle Ben, who is given a bit less screen time than I remember, still packs a punch in the scenes he’s in due to his emotional impact; origin story be damned, Uncle Ben’s death is still at a core of Spider-Man and important. And then there’s Tobey Maguire’s Peter. Memes aside, you have to take into consideration WHY his scenes look that way in context; Tobey plays a Peter that IS believably awkward, nerdy, down on his luck but still with an endearing heart of gold that inspires that heroic nature in a generation of moviegoers. I’m not saying nor excusing all of his scenes over the three films (lord knows there are plenty I can’t defend - Emo Peter dancing, some blank stares, etc.) but its that awkwardness that works to drive home his nerdier qualities, only for his Spider-Man to offer a kind of confidence that comes with a few quips and plenty of excitement-yelling while web slinging. And though the action and special effects may not hold up as well today as they did back then, what made them great still does: the dynamic between our hero & villain, Willem Dafoe’s performance, Danny Elfman’s incredible score, and Sam Raimi’s direction. The relationship between Peter and Norman has always been a highlight of the saga, with Dafoe’s Jekyll/Hyde turn driving home the more despicable aspects that not only work but the complex circumstances surrounding them escalating the entire feud. Elfman’s score equally elevates various moments throughout, creating a memorable musical outing for a superhero film that for the last 15 years has only ever truly been challenged by Hans Zimmer’s The Dark Knight score. When you wrap it all up, Spider-Man struck me much better than I usually tend to think about it. It has its good share of faults; however, for most it should still hold a special place not just because it convinced Hollywood to invest in the comics-to-film boom but because it’s a great template of how to balance the fun, the dramatic and the emotional while exploring the characters on a three dimensional level.

76) July 6th: Spider-Man 2 - Blu-Ray; Now, we move on to the sequel. There’s no question about it, I still love this movie. It’s been one of my favorites since its release and it remains that way to this day. But, it is in no way infallible. Let’s start with the good, and for there I’ll begin with how the film looks. Now I’m not sure if it was the change over of cinematographers from Don Burgess to Bill Pope but on a visual level this has always been important to me. Where Spider-Man at times feels like it’s stylized to seem like a comic come to life, it can clearly feel like actors on a stage or set because of it. Spider-Man 2, though, drastically dials that back and nearly everything feels blended into a more realistic looking New York, especially including the action. The action is much more CGI in nature compared to the first, but ditches that “Power Ranger” problem I had mentioned because of it. Storywise, Spider-Man 2 hits so many high notes in my opinion. We get to see Peter truly struggle with his responsibility and what he desires. It’s a well crafted balancing act that not only makes our main character sympathetic but drives most of Peter’s plot in the film to an incredible degree. Nearly every relationship he shares with a character benefits from this focus and it really strengthens even the smallest interaction between our hero and supporting players. You feel for him; you hurt for him; and when it comes down to it, you understand and connect with him. Further adding to the character count that transcends the screen, Alfred Molina as Otto Octavius aka Doc Ock. On some level, there is no possible way that Doc Ock was going to top the personal heights set by Green Goblin in the last film but damn does it find a way to bring it close. They follow a similar template for sure; both men who connect with Peter and are seen as mentors before a freak accident causes them to become villains but shown they’re more so being controlled by their creations. But dammit if it doesn’t work. And with Ock, Raimi crafts some of the most memorable scenes of his saga (besides the upside down kiss, of course): the horror-like hospital scene and the train rescue, the latter of which still stands strong as perhaps the best action scene in any Spider-Man movie. As I said though, the film is not perfect. It’s biggest fault has to be Mary Jane. While an argument could be made that watching the Raimi films back to back brings her to a logical next step, Mary Jane is nothing more than simply a goal to get in this sequel. Most of the romantic back and forth between Peter, Mary Jane and her new fiancée comes across as unnecessary, though Raimi admirably never portrays her fiancée as an antagonist as he really is not a cliché. And while this may light a fire under Peter’s ass, motivating him and some decisions going forward, it doesn’t help flesh out Mary Jane other than making her mostly dependent on Peter. It runs its course, and the emotion between the two does reach a high point, but it’s still a blemish. Besides that, though, Spider-Man 2 is still one of the most fun, action packed, entertaining, emotional and complex films Marvel has made and still stands tall against the MCU-era.

77) July 7th: Spider-Man: Homecoming* - Theater; So now that I tackled two of my favorite superhero films of all time, what about the most recent installment in the franchise? This one is a bit trickier. Homecoming, in many ways, had a variety of expectations set about it. Not only is it the title character’s first true adventure in the MCU in a non-supporting capacity, but it’s also Sony’s admission that after 10 years of trying they needed help to get the hero on the right path again. Headed into the movie, my expectations were actually a little low. Despite the glowing consensus that manifested via reviews, I’ve felt like the MCU has reached somewhat of a tonal formula lately and hasn’t knocked me on my ass in amazement since Guardians of the Galaxy. Furthermore, the over reliance on Iron Man in marketing materials soured my hype as I felt it was less Spidey’s movie and more aggressively a team up that would not allow him to stand strong enough on his own. Plus the hinting of an artificial intelligence in his suit only made me a tad bit bitter out of concern they were taking an Iron Man like approach to Spidey as well. However, after seeing the film I can say that it does wind up in the upper-half of my MCU ranking thus far. Homecoming was a fun, largely entertaining coming of age superhero movie that works on a variety of different levels but also has its fair share of problems. Homecoming feels, more or less, like an adaptation similar in line to the television series’ of the past 15 years or so but never brought fully to life on the big screen. Both prior sagas attempted to explore this path but were wildly cut short with graduations occurring and school setting ultimately ditched. With the highs, Tom Holland does come off very likable as Peter Parker attempting to make sense of what his inclusion and path of a superhero ultimately means. With the younger Peter, I do feel there was a lack of emotional maturity and complexity that the Raimi films pulled off so well, opting more for the comedic approach than a tortured one. But at the same time, it’s completely understandable as maturity is definitely lacking in early teenage development. A part of me feels for that emotional edge there should have been an emphasis on Uncle Ben, in any capacity. I know many feel retreading the origins story is tiresome, and I agree - but neglecting the repercussions of Uncle Ben’s death is not. As at least three men call out Aunt May’s attractive looks and even her obliviousness to one of them, it would’ve worked to add some depth to her by showing she’s still not over the death of her husband and how Peter reacts to that. Similarly, Peter and Tony come to odds late in the film where Tony makes a remark about trying to be a father figure, where it could have been absolutely opportune for Peter to outburst how he had one and it didn’t end well. There is an infusion of “great power/great responsibility”, though, as we do openly get to see Peter struggle between what he wants & what he must do on a few different occasions, and it’s absolutely a nice touch. On the opposite to Peter, Michael Keaton is strong as The Vulture and when the two finally share some extended screentime together it’s absolutely electric. The rest of the cast falls into roles of exactly what the comedy calls for. Laura Harrier is certainly your female lead, despite the promotional push making you think that it’s Zendaya. And her Liz is fine; connecting with Peter in certain ways but never amounting to one of Peter’s greatest love interests by any means. Zendaya’s Michelle is one of two puzzle pieces (the other being the post credits scene) that definitely felt like “classic Sony” to me; she shows up what felt like in one minute intervals to quip out a line and then disappear. Admittedly, one of her moments early in the Washington Monument scene is one of the more memorable; but I simply felt she was nothing more than sequel-set-up fodder for now. The action failed to wow me, mostly because literally every major sequence was more-or-less detailed in trailers & tv spots. That’s not to say there weren’t some surprises in tow; just not in the action department. In fact, what I wanted more of is best exampled in a simple moment in the later half that may be my favorite of the entire film: a quieter yet still edge-of-your-seat scene shared between Peter and Adrian that shows brilliantly through visual acting/storytelling a key piece falling into place. It was absolutely incredible to watch. Overall, this was a good foundation to reestablish the Spider-Man universe and gain some new wind in the sails after six solo outings. There needs to be a little bit of tinkering moving forward, but the future looks promising if they can build upon this new take.

78) July 12th: Loving* - DVD (Rental - Library); Another important real-life story brought to the big screen, Loving tells the struggle for the titular couple whose lives are upheaved when law enforcement in their hometown disapproves of their interracial marriage. Though an incredibly slow burn movie, it’s the matter at the center of the film, the couple’s strength despite massive targeting and personal loss that drives the story. I didn’t find it nearly as attention grabbing as various other true-story entries in my journal this year; Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton are solid as the leads; it’s certainly one to discover, though don’t expect this artistic film to strike every note.

79) July 13th: Assassin’s Creed* - DVD (Rental - Library); “You were the chosen one! It was said you would destroy the bad videogame movies, not join them! Bring balance to the genre, not leave it in darkness!” That paraphrased Star Wars quote is pretty much how I felt in 2016. Warcraft and Assassin’s Creed looked to be films that may have finally been what the videogame adaptation genre needed to kickstart a new wave of movies to be adapted. Projects such as Uncharted, The Last Of Us, Bioshock, Halo and countless others could have been finally taken out of film development hell upon a successful streak. Alas, the two tentpoles eyed by hopefuls such as myself failed. And though I haven’t seen nor played the fantasy entry of the duo, I have played & now seen Assassin’s Creed. Despite a promising first act, which attempts not only to intrigue in both the Animus storyline and our main character’s past, everything seems to slam to a halt directly afterwards. The Animus storyline is the only source of action, used as a break from the dull, utilized thrice and does not amount to very much screentime. The film does an admirable job of setting up the key components of the universe so that those unfamiliar with the franchise get the necessary information, but fails to really translate what makes it so popular through a script that’s just alright. In one of the more embarrassing fan service moments mid-Animus action sequence, one of our leads name drops a move from the games with a delivery of awe and I ultimately wound up bursting out with laughter. An attempted good vs. evil conflict brews, all led by a macguffin used previously in the games, though the assisted supporting characters under our lead Cal barely get anything more than a quick introduction and sly line. This all amounts to a climax that not only bleeds into an incredibly quick final scene but a laughably abrupt ending that feels just insulting as a simple set up for a potential sequel. It’s with these feelings of frustration another feature is added to the growing pile of video game movie flops, and now rest our hopes on the Tomb Raider reboot with Alicia Vikander.

80) Power Rangers* - Streaming (Rental - Amazon); This one I owe to Twitter, as one afternoon I decided to crowdsource what movie I was going to rent that evening in an online poll. The winner wound up being Power Rangers, a reboot I initially had no interest in seeing until it gained positive word of mouth from friends when it was in theaters. Having seen it myself, I can definitely say I enjoyed it with some reservations. Easily the strongest aspect of the film is the script’s exploration of the five main characters, making sure they have at least some depth and chemistry with one another. It can be argued that Jason, Kimberly and Billy get more development than Trini or Zack, but certainly each of the five at least get their own moments to shine. If this exploration had been absent, the necessary team aspect wouldn’t have held up nearly as strong as the later half of the movie demands it to be. That being said, there are some impressive moments in deleted scenes that could have also worked wonders in strengthening various bonds and character elements that I’m sad to have seen on the cutting room floor. Beyond the team is where some of the more drastic changes happen that I didn’t quite mind. Elizabeth Banks actually pulls off a solid Rita, with a backstory trait that definitely adds intrigue to her. Zordon definitely comes across as much more than an omnipotent head on a wall; I just wish that there was more detail into what exactly caused the rift in the old Ranger guard, which is established but kept pretty vague in dialogue. As for the action, which is mostly contained into the third act of the film…it was ok but I felt that the computer effects could have used some more time. The best example of my special effects problem is a scene very late in the movie in which there is a tight close up of a traveling Rita that is a mix of practical and green screen but comes off laughably bad. And though this is the worst of the worst, there are other sequences where I simply felt the CGI was floating as opposed to blending into the world - especially the suits, which I felt easily could have been more practical effect than the CGI ones we receive. Then again, I didn’t walk away from this movie thinking about the final zord fight; I walked away thinking about the characters. Power Rangers, though far from perfect, is a movie at its best when establishing characters to care about. While this origins story is a solid foundation that needs a little bit more construction, it’s the hopeful thought of seeing these characters again, their bonds tested not only by something new but by an addition of Tommy, that excites me.

81) July 14th: War For The Planet Of The Apes* - Theater; Continuing my takes on the new Planet of the Apes saga, War arrived as perhaps my most anticipated film of the Summer. With Matt Reeves now slated to step into the directorial chair for the first solo Batman entry in the DCEU, it felt as if there was a growing focus on how exactly this installment of the Caesar story would go. After glowing reviews, I still managed to temper my expectations and go in cold. What I found was a wildly satisfying, exceptional and yet different change of pace adventure in the leader’s story so far. By change, I’m more so referring to a decent portion of the film that sees Caesar and our two most established supporting roles Rocket & Maurice accompanying him on a quest that not only opens up a new side to Caesar but also focuses more on his motivations rather than that of the larger group. It’s here we get to see Caesar struggle not only with his compassion for the humans that has stayed with him for most of his life, but if the absence of that aligns him more with Koba’s mentality. Furthermore, this is ultimately Caesar’s biggest test as a leader of his group not just emotionally but mentally. Woody Harrelson is terrifying as The Colonel, more so than any other primary antagonist opposite of Caesar thus far and easily the greatest of the trio. It’s the extended time together, mostly in the second half, that gives the film it’s true power, heart, and signature moments. On top of all these dynamics, we even receive an interesting subplot that continues to connect these prequel entries to the original films. The special effects this time around are stunning, perhaps the most realistic of the trilogy. The ending wasn’t completely unexpected but fitting. Much like Dawn, I think placement in this entry will ultimately depend on rewatches and after the surprises have ultimately settled in. My gut is that Dawn edges this one out due to the solo diversion of this one being a drastic change; but there’s so much that feels right as a boiling point for Caesar, between being pushed to his limits and facing off with his most menacing villain yet. Reeves delivers another well crafted epic that cements one of the more surprising successes in recent blockbuster history.

82) July 15th: Tomorrowland* - DVD (Rental - Library); Tomorrowland is a film that for the better part of a couple years now I’ve avoided. Gearing up towards the release, I was extremely on board for the Brad Bird directed sci-fi adventure. So much so that I even purchased the official prequel novel that partially detailed the origins of the background organization Plus Ultra. Why I avoided the film, however, was due not only to its mixed reviews & my fear that it would disappoint, but because the road to the theatrical release mostly felt like an empty mystery box approach that left me rather sour on the entire ordeal. Now, I can say that I have seen it and yes I do in fact have some mixed reactions. The first act of Tomorrowland may be the piece I enjoyed quite the most. It’s easily the most focused act of the entire journey, blending the overwhelming theme of optimism in a world of harsh reality with some entertaining introductions to our core cast. The concepts presented offer plenty of mystery to explore as things start to build. The second act, though, is where I felt the film was dragged down. There is a lot of explanation to be had about exactly what is going on, what happened to Frank (which is made more clear but definitely not crystal clear the more that exposition is piled on), and the path to the title location all feel like a very forced prickly road trip with more questions than answers. The third act, pretty much set solely in Tomorrowland, finally weaves our central antagonist back into the fold after an hour and twenty minutes off screen…even though when we were last introduced to him, exactly who he was, where his morality lied, and his exact purpose all remained fuzzy. Still, it at least punctuates the story with an active force instead of ever changing robotic minions. But it’s just not enough. Especially when David Nix’s reasoning behind his motives aren’t truly your traditional evil, as he gives an impassioned and actually quite impressive speech about why he’s simply given up. This all culminates in a final thematic underlining that may feel a bit too much like The Lorax to some to be forgiven. At the same time, it is that message that kind of shined through for me. Sitting through the first act, I was almost convinced this could have been a cheer up movie to watch on the downer days because it has such an infectious spirit. The nods to classic Disney Parks material is equally admirable and certainly adds to the overall atmosphere. It’s just the structure problems that weaken the entire experience despite me coming away from the movie more favorably. I just wish it could have stepped over the pitfalls on the way there.

83) July 18th: Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping* - Streaming (HBO Go); In the mood for something funny, I decided to turn towards last year’s The Lonely Island feature film. A heavy satire towards celebrity pop culture and the current method in which musical artists have to market themselves for popularity, I found it entertaining with a few pleasant surprises throughout the mockumentary. It doesn’t quite measure up to the cult heights of the team’s prior outing Hot Rod as the narrative isn’t quite as strong; it nails its core trio well but at the same time you get an idea exactly where the arc of the movie is heading extremely early on. Still, it’s worth a watch when the time is right and if you’re a fan of the group’s previous work.

84) July 21st: Dunkirk* - Theater; As previously stated in this post, it’s been some time since director Christopher Nolan is won me over completely. And if I’m being honest, I had very little enthusiasm towards actively going to see Dunkirk, despite the glowing reviews in the days prior. Alas, the decision to go see the war movie was made on a whim combined with the overwhelming temperatures. However, I’m extremely happy to say that Dunkirk was an amazing film in my eyes that quickly catapulted towards the top of my yearly ranking. What I say fro here on out will be rather bare bones because I truly believe the less you know going in, the better. Nolan presents a real life story but done in a unique narrative style that easily separates Dunkirk from the rest of the genre. A decent deal of the film is presented through visual storytelling as opposed to dialogue spelling things completely out and it’s truly a sight to see as you still connect with these various characters through their quest to survive by whatever means necessary. Furthermore, the inner Hitchcock suspense fan in me is absolutely giddy as Dunkirk has a great amount of edge-of-your-seat tense moments that are elevated even more so by Hans Zimmer’s score that works so complimentary to what you’re witnessing. It’s this tension that really sucked me in and would not let go until the final scene. It’s this blend that makes the film more so an experience than anything else that is perhaps best seen first in theaters right now rather than when it hits home video.

85) July 25th: Jumanji - Streaming (Starz); Prior to the sequel-reboot’s release later this Winter, I figured it was time to rewatch this fondly remembered childhood classic to many. It has been plenty of years since I’ve seen the adventure feature and it was never an overwhelming favorite of mine when I was younger. Seeing it again after all these years, however, it’s clear why it’s a staple for many. It isn’t overly cutesy as some family adventure films tend to come off; the drama & emotions are high, the premise can get dark rather quickly and it’s all very intriguing to watch unfold. Robin Williams is easily the highlight in terms of acting, playing one of his more complex characters that appeals to all-ages. The computer effects, though astounding at the time, don’t hold up overly well as you have to remember upon release this was the age when even Pixar was just starting out. That being said, if they could find a way to remaster the special effects much in a similar way Star Wars has done with its home video re-releases, Jumanji could be mistaken for a recent release. The blend between practical and CGI certainly helps, while at the foundation is still a strong story that young adults and older will probably appreciate more. And with the set-up for next installment allowing us to see inside of the game for a change, I’m interested in how exactly it holds up - especially with what seems to be a far more comedic approach than this original go.

86) July 27th: The Jetsons & WWE: Robo-Wrestlemania!* - DVD (Rental - Library); For three years now, WWE and WB animation have partnered up for a variety of direct-to-video films featuring WWE’s current roster of wrestling talent. Two Scooby Doo films are certainly one thing, as the franchise of spooktacular mysteries have not stopped since their resurgence in the late 90s. The more…let’s go with “interesting”, entries in this planned partnership are members from classic animation that have not seen a modern day take in an extended period. The Flintstones arrived first in 2015 with their first new film in 14 years that, in my opinion, just felt kind of lazy and rushed. The voices seemed off, the shoehorned WWE angle just led to more puns than anything else and to think that this could be a generation’s first exposure to the franchise disheartened me as well. It’s been many years since Cartoon Network or even Boomerang (yes, there is at least the paid service app now) aired the Hanna Barbera classics regularly on television and I often wonder whether or not the current generation growing up are even aware of their existence. Now this year, WWE and WB attempted the same with The Jetsons, a franchise with an even longer streak of nearly 30 years since it’s last piece of media. When the trailers first arrived, I was kind of angry because I saw this long dormant series was only being exhumed as a cash grab. Not to mention I didn’t know exactly who this was for - kids who are fans of WWE wouldn’t necessarily know who The Jetsons are, and those old enough to care might dodge it because they saw it simply as a quick buck. But, funny enough, after actually having seen the film I can say that oddly this is the best of the WWE/WB partnership thus far. I do have to give it credit where credit is due. Despite yet another heavy handed focus on the wrestling side of the story, there is a genuinely good Jetsons movie buried inside here. The first act, which mostly deals with Big Show waking up in the future and ultimately serves as a light reintroduction for the franchise, is actually a fun albeit kind of cliché plot that works as a concept and I would have loved to seen explored more before taking a sharp left turn. The comedic dialogue dealt actually got me to laugh out loud in some parts; the voice actors really sound like a close portrayal of the original show; the animation is solidly well done (better than The Flintstones partnership’s style anyways). Furthermore, it actually has a storyline that tries to infuse a moral within and creates a sturdy-enough arc to separate it from the pack of previous entries. That’s not to say there aren’t problems though. That same moral infusement of technology-driven laziness isn’t brought to its full potential what so ever, which I believe is due more to the wrestling focus; Big Show’s characterization is all over the place; the time travel subplot feels more like a cheap knockoff of the story device used in their 80s crossover with The Flintstones; at 81 minutes it still finds time to drag, especially in the second act which is full of wrestling glorification, a montage, nabbing stars and then making their way back. And yet despite those moments that left me bored and rolling my eyes, I still walked away feeling they did something truly right here. It can be incredibly entertaining, the joke writing stands strong enough, and there’s just something that really nails the family at the heart of this all that manages to rise above everything else. Dare I say it, I actually would look forward to a follow-up…without the wrestling. For now if this is the best we get then it could’ve been far far FAR worse off. For the best example of that just look at Tom & Jerry’s recent adventure with a certain chocolate factory and confectionary maker.

87) July 30th: Miss Sloane* - DVD (Rental - Library); We live in a year heavily focused on politics. Due to this, sometimes the entertainment we want to escape from it all may also be politically focused and it can add up to an exhausted feeling (one of the reasons I couldn’t quite pick up House Of Cards again earlier this summer). In this whirlwind, there seems to have been a political thriller overlooked in the middle of Oscar season that certainly deserves that attention now: Miss Sloane. Once you get settled into the world past a crash course introduction in the first twenty minutes and the film’s primary conflict is set up, the D.C.-set feature focusing on lobbying can both impress and shock you. Jessica Chastain is incredible as the strong, cutthroat, sharp yet not invulnerable title character. Elevating it even more is a script from Jonathan Perera that at times feels reminiscent to that of an Aaron Sorkin execution with how focused and sly the dialogue hits. Sam Waterston and John Lithgow are quite notable as antagonists to Chastain’s role, but Michael Stuhlbarg tends to knock it out of the park as his character’s relationship with Sloane drives his performance. Admittedly the story’s flow seems to take a sharp halt in the second half, though it’s intentional and even spelled out by Sloane herself. But for me it hits that spot that similar politicially-driven media, such as Scandal, has in the past in which my interest is driven by the fact this fiction I’m watching could easily be happening in real life. Filled with twists and if you enjoy the aforementioned Netflix series, Miss Sloane is one to check out.

88) The Girl On The Train* - DVD (Rental - Library); Ending on a low note shall be an adaptation that I can’t even attempt to accurately voice my substantial disappointment towards. Having read and enjoyed the original novel prior to any announcement of a film version, when ill-fated reviews emerged last Fall I ultimately avoided this movie. But as curiosity finally got the better of me, I decided to sit down and watch The Girl On The Train. And ouch. Despite a voiceover plot element utilized, most of the internal dialogue of the core three characters is left to the page causing some moments to come off almost creepy (to a laugh out loud degree in spots) and reasoning behind others aren’t really delivered upon. Additionally, this adds to an unlikeability problem as Rachel’s novel turn as unreliable narrator coping with personal life setbacks & struggling to venture beyond that traumatic past comes across as raging alcoholic with weird stalker tendencies. Likewise, Anna and Tom seems to suffer from development as they seem to share a lack of a spotlight beyond what’s shown, as does Riley who seems to be popping in more as someone who states the logically obvious as opposed to deconstructing the tangled web. Furthermore, most of the reveals that on paper drive the mystery by adding intrigue somewhat lost their impact here, as twists seems stated so matter-of-fact - especially the largest one at play. Now that could in fact be more of a problem on my end, much like Fantastic Beasts, because I knew all of the material. But when out of six main characters a majority is ruled out in a single line of dialogue, it doesn’t take much of an imagination to come to a revelation as an audience goer even if the lead has yet to realize it herself. It’s all of these elements that ultimately come across as trying too hard to chase the Gone Girl hype and falling like a knockoff, with less than two hours coming across as a slow one to get through.

WHEW! Well that took a long time. Three months away can really add up, eh? Now as the summer dies down, weirdly my journal is starting to heat up with some widely notable films from the past year. But, more on that after Labor Day…

What movies did you see this Summer? Are there any movies you’d highly recommend that I should add to my watchlist? Feel free to drop me an ask or a reply!

[theclacks]

Buffy Thoughts - Season 6

I’m splitting up my Angel Season 3 thoughts into a different post because I have too many feelings this time to cram them both together. In summary though...

Me at the beginning of season 6:

Me at the end of season 6:

Previous Seasonal Recaps: BtVS S1+S2, BtVS S3, BtVS S4 + AtS S1, BtVS S5 + AtS S2

Previous Episodic Recaps: S6E1-3, S6E15, S6E16, S6E18, S619, S6E20-E21

On Overall Thoughts

The was by far the weirdest season of any show I've ever watched, and that includes season 4 of Battlestar Galactica. A couple people have commented on my smaller, episode recaps that apparently there was disagreement in the writer’s room? And boy does that explain a lot because yeah. Tonal dissonance out the wazoo.

I liked the juxtaposition of smaller villains in contrast with the huge internal problems the characters were going through. And ultimately, had it been executed with a more solid vision, I think this might have been one of my favorite seasons because at the end of the day I kind of love soap operas in the vein of Downton Abbey and Gossip Girl, and season six was a soap opera but with punching. And vampires. And death.

And regardless of me simultaneously hating episodes and loving episodes, it was definitely the most INVOLVED I've been with the show thus far. I mean, I wrote six or seven "per episode" recaps? I POSTED A GIF OF “EVERYTHING IS AWESOME” SAYING “SEASON SIX DO YOUR WORST” AND THEN IN THE VERY FUCKING NEXT EPISODE TARA DIES AND SPIKE TRIES TO RAPE BUFFY. I ASSUME ALL YOUR GUYS’ “LIKES” ON THAT POST WERE MADE IN SAD, CRUEL IRONY.

I think a lot of Buffy’s depression was solid because it really hit close to home, “Going Through the Motions” in particular.

There was a good comment in one of the AV Club reviews in that the season itself is super meta because Buffy died and the show itself was supposed to be cancelled. Her resurrection was the show’s resurrection, so in a lot of ways this season was more like a sequel to Buffy than the next season? And it was a kind of “what now?” sequel, where there weren’t any good answers and life just kind of sucks sometimes.

Well, a lot of times.

But because a lot of it hits painfully close to home, like The Body, it's something that I’m not entirely sure how many time I want to rewatch.

So yeah. I’m going to go through character by character thoughts, then do a thing on general inconsistencies and plot holes that bugged me, and then do predictions for Season 7, and I’ll be done.

On the Trio

I loved them as villains. Their bumbling methods give a perfect excuse for why they're in some episodes and why in others they're not. (Contrast this to Adam in season 4 who just sort of “took a break” a lot of times.)

Plus, there can't always be escalating threats. After Glory, they were going to do... what? An even more powerful God? Going with a more down to earth threat gives room for other emotional arcs to breathe, and at the end of the day they ended up being more deadly than the villains of Season 4 and Season 5 (RIP Tara).

Also, I loved how they maintained their separate personalities. I loved that Jonathan was the most sympathetic, but that also he wasn't "good" either.

On Giles

I get actor contracts and needing to write him out, and the writers tried to smooth it over with him and Buffy sharing a hysterical laugh in the finale, but I still think Giles should've been chewed out

I mean, a watcher’s job is to take care of his slayer. Yes, Buffy’s an adult now, but she’s just come back from heaven. She showed suicidal impulses in Once More With Feeling, she would’ve committed suicide in OMWF if Spike hadn’t stopped her so WHY would Giles be all "i should go so that she can stand on her own feet." Like HOLY SHIT, there is a middle ground between enabling her out and FUCKING ABANDONING HER.

Also, he said he left so that Buffy took better care of Dawn, but guess WHAT? DAWN STILL GOT FUCKING IGNORED.

On Dawn

Dawn is the best. I love Dawn. I don't care if other people think she's "whiny,” I love her. Steal all the shit you want girl, it's not like people will notice until they've been magically stuck in a house with you for 48+ hours.

Which is ironic because I went into season 5 thinking I was going to hate her and now she’s in my top three faves with Spike and Anya.

I love her continued bro-ness with Spike. I think the very first episode of Season 6 was my favorite (more on that later) just because her friendship and brotherly bond with Spike just BLED through the screen... even though their screentime took a major hit when Buffy and Spike started their affair.

Also I like that her character arc was basically "please notice me, i'm still a character even though i'm no longer a plot point.” Because that’s a common flaw in ensemble shows when plot point character no longer become plot points. Also like, yeah, maybe it's annoying but being ignored and feeling inadequate is also a huge part of what being a little sister is like.

And the episode where they all got stuck in the house together was a FUN episode in a sea of NOT FUN episodes, so four for you, Dawn Summers, you go Dawn Summers.

On Anya

My fave, my love.

I like that everyone was banking on her to ditch Xander, for her to have cold feet at their wedding, but it ended up being the other way around.

However my thoughts on Anya’s character arc this season are mixed because although I loved her becoming a vengeance demon again, that pretty much WAS her character arc. Everyone episode leading up to Hell’s Bells was filler for her. Like emotionally she didn’t change from Bargaining: Part One until the altar.

BUT, Anya and Spike drinking together and being bros in Entropy was by far... well, my second favorite part of the latter half of season six. (My favorite being the wedding conversation Spike and Buffy have.) And I still stand by what I said in my episodic reviews that Xander left HER at the altar, so she owned him nothing and deserved NONE of his "how could you do this?!!?" chewouts whatsoever.

Which, speaking of Xander…

On Xander

I appreciate what the writers tried to do with him this season, but I didn't like the execution.

Like yes, he's the guy normal and had RIDICULOUS pressure on him in the sense that he's the ONLY one in the group who never has, had, or eventually received super powers, and there's definitely something to be said for the decision to keep him that way. Also, I liked how he was used in the finale, how he was the one who calmed willow down with their mutual friendship…. HOWEVER

That friendship bond was built on past seasons of interaction, not this one. Willow and Xander didn’t interact at all this season. (Or it was so minor I already forgot.) And, sure, you can argue that that’s the point, that the strength and tragedy of their bond is how old it is despite how neglected it’s become, but it’s my personal view that seasons should be somewhat self-contained? Or at least they should be given the way Buffy handles its seasons.

Because yeah. This season, Xander’s only scenes were worries with Anya, snippiness at Spike, and occasional worries with Buffy. He didn’t interact with Dawn or Willow or Tara or even Giles when Giles was still in the picture. Xander was just flat and rather unlikeable this season.

On Tara

I talked about Tara's death in my Seeing Red recap, so I'll leave this one note here.

I don’t think Tara was ever a fully developed character. She was a really good love interest, but the writers never let her blossom and play off the other characters.

And THAT was the most annoying thing about her death because SHE WAS JUST STARTING TO BLOSSOM.

Through the Spuffy affair, she got her own relationship with Buffy as level-headed confidant. She got her own relationship with Dawn as motherly aunt. And I wish they would've kept going that direction because Tara without Willow was really cool.

On Willow

I loved Willow's arc this season. It was my favorite arc because it was consistent, well-executed (ignoring the brief “drugs are bad, m’kay” episode), had a clear beginning, turning point, dive off a cliff, struggle back to calm floating, and then dive off a EVEN BIGGER APOCALYPTIC cliff.

Like, if all of the other plots lines had been as strong as Willow’s, I think this could've been my favorite season.

Unfortunately Xander/Anya and Dawn's were a little too shallow, so they had a lot of "filler" episodes for their characters. And Spike and Buffy’s were all over the place, bouncing back and forth thematically.

That said, I looking forward to seeing Willow's recovery in season 7.

On Buffy's situation and how it could've been avoided

I really don't know how to talk about Buffy herself, so instead I’m going to talk about her situation and how I think a significant portion of Buffy’s stress and angst this season was on her friends TOTALLY dropping the ball.

Let’s start with finances.

Willow and Tara can start paying some fucking rent, thank you. I don't care if they don’t have jobs, they were obviously paying for their dorm rooms somehow, they can pay for part of buffy's mortgage.

AND IF THEY CAN'T PAY RENT, THEY SHOULD GET PART TIME JOBS ALONGSIDE BUFFY. Lots of college kids have them. Just because they’re going to class and Buffy’s not isn’t an excuse. It's like "SORRY BUFFY, WE’RE TOO BUSY TO HAVE JOBS BECAUSE OUR TIME IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOURS EVEN THOUGH YOU TECHNICALLY ALREADY HAVE A FULL TIME JOB AS THE SLAYER" like jesus christ, Willow and Tara.

But even that, I could chalk up as Willow and Tara not thinking/being immature if it hadn’t been for Giles backing up their mindset. Like Giles gets a stipend for being a watcher. Why doesn't Buffy get a stipend for being a slayer? Have other slayers in history needed to support themselves with minimum wage jobs? WHY DIDN'T GILES GET WILLOW AND TARA TO PAY THEIR PART OF THE RENT?

Also Buffy’s dad and child support. GILES, SHE’S TAKING CARE OF A MINOR. AT LEAST HELP HER GO TO COURT AND CLAIM CHILD SUPPORT.

Like, just, fucking support group some of this stuff people.

Season 6 acted like it was just Buffy's mental state that made everything so shitty, and yes, it was, but everyone else continuously dropping the ball until Buffy got buried in a sea of dropped balls didn’t exactly help things either.

So yeah, on behalf of Buffy, "fuck you, all the other scoobies of season six". 

Except Anya. Anya did nothing wrong.

On Spike

Because I've talked loads about him in other recaps, I’m going to move straight past his season six stuff and talk about his arc going forward.

Because OH MY GOD that ending.

HIS SOUL.

I thought I’d gotten spoiled for season 6′s ending. Turns out I got spoiled for season 7′s re: the hellmouth opening. Because yeah, I kept waiting for evil!Willow to open the hellmouth and then she pulled up the temple instead and I started getting SO confused, and then Spike was in Africa and asking to go back the way he was and I'd ALSO gotten spoilered for Spike getting his chip out and I thought THAT'D be the big thing, which didn’t seem like it was big enough for giant Africa sidequest and then boom

SOUL.

But at the same time, I can't see Spike acting much different with it. Like my favorite parallel/difference with Spike and Angel is that Angel does a complete personality flip with or without his soul. Like total good vs total evil. But Spike is already grey. And I really like the idea of his causing him to flip... to more grey.

Like when Spike comes back to Sunnydale, will the other characters even know the difference? I'm predicting they won't. Im predicting he's going to hide it from them and then it's going to be a WHAM moment or something around episode 5… or 6… or 7? IDK, one of those. The show likes its WHAM moments between episodes 5 and 7.

Also, I have no idea if Spike’s going to get back together with Buffy? I'm thinking not based on the tone of posts i've seen, and also because season 6 is THE talked about season, so season 7 will be mellower? IDK.

But then, I've also seen spoiler screencaps of them just chillin' and honestly Buffy and Spike just chillin' and being at peace/trust with each other means WAY more to me than angsty sex and being physically together. Like, I just want them supporting each other and joking and making each other smile and groan and all that fluffy shit… and then occasionally fist fighting themselves into the dirt because Spike and Buffy.

I will though end on one very annoyed Spike rant, which is the writers insisting that Spike’s evil because he only ever did good things because he loved Buffy/wanted to get into her pants, to which I say BULLSHIT.

Go back to Bargaining: Part One. Buffy was DEAD. Stone cold DEAD. And she had been for five months. Spike was still taking care of Dawn for her. He was following her wishes. He knew she wasn’t coming back. He knew he no longer had a “shot” with her. And yet he did the things she would’ve wanted him to do because it was selfless fucking LOVE, and I think that more than anything else was what frustrated me the most about this whole season. Because although I’m looking forward to what souled!Spike entails, I don’t think he needed it.

Anyways.

Results of Predictions for Season 6 Finale

- Willow gets de-evil!Willow-fied (CHECK)

- Clem lives (CHECK)

- Anya lives (CHECK)

- Spike comes back to Sunnydale because otherwise wtf is the point of his mystical quest thing (NO CHECK)

- Jonathan lives  (CHECK)

- Giles gets chewed out for leaving ONE EPISODE AFTER BUFFY REVEALED SHE WAS SUICIDAL like come on wtf  (HE APOLOGIES, BUT STILL... NO CHECK)

- Dawn and Spike have one more moment of being bros. I don’t even care about Spike and Buffy anymore. Just let me have Dawn and Spike being bros (I COUNT DAWN BAITING XANDER, SAYING “SPIKE WOULD’VE DONE IT” AS A BRO MOMENT. CHECK)

Predictions for Season 7

- Spike comes back to Sunnydale and becomes tentative friendship bros with Buffy with continual underlying UST that's never resolved again because of the attempted rape and also because none of my ships can ever be happy

- Dawn and Spike eventually work through his attempted rape and become bros again

- Dawn takes a level in badassery, will fight things

- Buffy's perma-death/rebirth will be addressed re: slayer chain of dead slayers leading to new slayer

- Anya stays a vengeance demon because fuck Xander

- Willow finds a happy place between using no magic whatsoever and trying to fry the earth

- Giles hangs out in Sunnydale again because Giles

- Anya stays in command of the magic shop because it's her magic shop… even though Willow kind of destroyed it

- Clem continues to have cameos because he's Clem and he's awesome