I finally caught Monday's Heroes. While I enjoyed it and thought it was pretty exciting, it was also rather cumbersome and unsatisfying. If next week's episode - the season finale - wraps up even a little bit of everything that's been going down, it'll have to be three hours long. Of course, it might not settle anything at all and instead just leave us hanging.
Anyway, this ep served up a little bit of everything, but not enough of anything. A couple minutes of Bennet strapped to a gurney, miraculously alive and swearing at Mohinder-the-dull, was nothing but a tease. At least he was naked under that sheet.
Sylar might not have his abilities, but it's comforting to know he's still creepy as fuck and undeniably bad. I hope Alejandro stays dead, and I hope Maya doesn't find out about it for a good long time. Also, I wonder if Molly will recognize Sylar if she wakes up to find him at her bedside.
Micah and his cousin certainly got themselves in a jam, though I suspect one of his mom's whacked alter egos is going to take care of the problem with some craziness and some gang banger ass-kicking. What I don't get is why any time is being spent on that story at all, since the really interesting stuff is all about the Shanti virus and the fate of 93% of the human population.
Which brings us around to Odessa, Texas, where it all started, and an apparent showdown between Peter and Hiro. If that's not a wild ride, I'm going to feel pretty damn cheated.
Well, Monday should bring the answers to at least some questions, but given all that's been happening this season, I'm keeping my expectations low.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Wraith in the Milky Way!
Man, what a good Stargate Atlantis! Not only was this a Rodney episode, not only did we get our usual heroes working with the SGC as well as the NID, not only was this the occasion of the first Wraith ever in the Milky Way galaxy (!), but on top of all that, we got Kate Hewlett guest starring! *sigh* She's dreamy. In addition to playing Rodney's sister on the show, she's David Hewlett's sister in the real world, which adds a level of cuteness to their characters' interactions that I really like.
Mostly a really satisfying episode, with just a few minor complaints. Even with Rodney emotionally distraught enough to rush into an unknown situation, I think Barrett the NID guy would have insisted they wait for backup before charging in to rescue Jeannie. That would have made Rodney's ridiculously easy capture at least a little bit more of a challenge. And, while I guess I appreciate Sheppard's apparent guilt about serving up Rodney & Jeannie's kidnapper as a Wraith meal, the situation kind of made that choice a no-brainer. Other than those really pretty minor issues, what a great ep.
Next week brings us the last episode before the mid-season break and looks to be a serious cliffhanger (go figure). Wonderfully, earlier this month Gateworld reported that all of season four has been shot and is in post-production, so it will be largely unaffected by the WGA strike. However, it might not escape entirely unscathed, as the strike could mean a longer than usual mid-season break. If that's the worst of it, that's not so bad.
Mostly a really satisfying episode, with just a few minor complaints. Even with Rodney emotionally distraught enough to rush into an unknown situation, I think Barrett the NID guy would have insisted they wait for backup before charging in to rescue Jeannie. That would have made Rodney's ridiculously easy capture at least a little bit more of a challenge. And, while I guess I appreciate Sheppard's apparent guilt about serving up Rodney & Jeannie's kidnapper as a Wraith meal, the situation kind of made that choice a no-brainer. Other than those really pretty minor issues, what a great ep.
Next week brings us the last episode before the mid-season break and looks to be a serious cliffhanger (go figure). Wonderfully, earlier this month Gateworld reported that all of season four has been shot and is in post-production, so it will be largely unaffected by the WGA strike. However, it might not escape entirely unscathed, as the strike could mean a longer than usual mid-season break. If that's the worst of it, that's not so bad.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Harbinger of death, you say?!
Finally, I can talk about Battlestar Galactica: Razor, which utterly rocked!
So, Starbuck is the herald of the apocalypse, hunh? Sweet! It sounds as though the oft-referenced special destiny that Kara Thrace (Katee Sackhoff) has to look forward to is to bring about the destruction of mankind. That is, if you trust the words of an old guy in a vat who claims to be God and knows he's about to get nuked. And that was a nice touch, I might add - it's not every day a repentent sinner gets to ask forgiveness from the same sack of deific bones she's about to kamikaze out of existence.
As cool as that was, I'm left confused about why "God" told Shaw (Stephanie Jacobsen) all that he did, then didn't allow her to send a warning back to the Pegasus. Sure, it's a tasty morsel for the audience to chew on, but I have to wonder about how it serves the story. Of course, the whole "God" issue raises numerous other questions as well. Is this guy-in-a-vat the God that Number Six keeps talking about? Do the first seven cylons know he was killed? Uh, was he killed? I mean, if he's really God, it doesn't seem that a piddly little nuke is going to have much impact on his day.
The revelation that Adm. Cain (the absolutely rockin' Michelle Forbes) and Gina (Tricia Helfer) were involved was a nice touch. Aside from that fact being thrown in as smoothly as a het relationship might have been, with no particular emphasis on them being two women, I thought it added some gravity to what we already knew happened (Gina being imprisoned, raped & tortured, then finally killing Cain). Finding out they were knocking boots, then seeing Cain actually issue the order to have Gina raped as part of her interrogation, did more to illustrate Cain's emotional state than any call for revenge could have. Ahh, young love.
I liked Kendra Shaw and I didn't have a problem with the introduction of a completely new character. Of course, it helped that she's terrifically hot and has that tasty Aussie accent. Her attitude and disposition could have made her a repeat of the Starbuck character, but I liked that her personality was distinct enough to keep that from being the case. Though she shared Starbuck's disdain for weak leaders, Shaw had a clear respect for those she felt were deserving, a trait I'm not sure Starbuck exhibits very often.
I really liked finding out that Shaw was not only complicit in the execution of civilians, but actually fired the first shot. She quickly learned from Cain that there was no room to fuck around and that being at war meant making some awful choices.
I definitely got a kick out of the old school centurions and I liked the fact that they were worked into the show as more than just museum pieces. The few episodes in which we gleaned any information about the hybrids gave us no indication that they were created by crossing captured humans with cylon circuitry (as I recall), so that was pretty exciting.
I was pleased to see Steve Bacic's name in the credits, then a little bummed when we found out he was Cain's original XO. However, knowing his fate didn't lessen the impact of seeing his death played out. In fact, I found that scene to be even more intense in light of their established relationship. When they were discussing shore leave, he invited her to visit his family, and even addressed Cain more than once by her first name, a liberty I doubt she encouraged in any but those she most trusted and respected. Well, it was a shame to see him offed so brutally, but Col. Fisk's reaction and his subsequent adherence to Cain's orders were priceless. Fisk was a character I actually kind of liked, dirty & weak though he was.
On a side note, I have a crush on Sgt. Mathias, so it was nice to see her in Razor, kicking ass as usual. If you're not sure who Mathias was, she was the one trying to get the nuke's detonator working on the cylon ship at the end.
Finally, the commercial toward the end of tonight's broadcast, for the March debut of season 4, is promising. Though the WGA strike shut down shooting earlier this month, it appears that they've got at least enough material to start the season. My guess is that the rumours of SciFi splitting the season between '08 and '09 will be confirmed, out of necessity. Well, Razor certainly set the stage for exciting things to come and March can't arrive too soon!
So, Starbuck is the herald of the apocalypse, hunh? Sweet! It sounds as though the oft-referenced special destiny that Kara Thrace (Katee Sackhoff) has to look forward to is to bring about the destruction of mankind. That is, if you trust the words of an old guy in a vat who claims to be God and knows he's about to get nuked. And that was a nice touch, I might add - it's not every day a repentent sinner gets to ask forgiveness from the same sack of deific bones she's about to kamikaze out of existence.
As cool as that was, I'm left confused about why "God" told Shaw (Stephanie Jacobsen) all that he did, then didn't allow her to send a warning back to the Pegasus. Sure, it's a tasty morsel for the audience to chew on, but I have to wonder about how it serves the story. Of course, the whole "God" issue raises numerous other questions as well. Is this guy-in-a-vat the God that Number Six keeps talking about? Do the first seven cylons know he was killed? Uh, was he killed? I mean, if he's really God, it doesn't seem that a piddly little nuke is going to have much impact on his day.
The revelation that Adm. Cain (the absolutely rockin' Michelle Forbes) and Gina (Tricia Helfer) were involved was a nice touch. Aside from that fact being thrown in as smoothly as a het relationship might have been, with no particular emphasis on them being two women, I thought it added some gravity to what we already knew happened (Gina being imprisoned, raped & tortured, then finally killing Cain). Finding out they were knocking boots, then seeing Cain actually issue the order to have Gina raped as part of her interrogation, did more to illustrate Cain's emotional state than any call for revenge could have. Ahh, young love.
I liked Kendra Shaw and I didn't have a problem with the introduction of a completely new character. Of course, it helped that she's terrifically hot and has that tasty Aussie accent. Her attitude and disposition could have made her a repeat of the Starbuck character, but I liked that her personality was distinct enough to keep that from being the case. Though she shared Starbuck's disdain for weak leaders, Shaw had a clear respect for those she felt were deserving, a trait I'm not sure Starbuck exhibits very often.
I really liked finding out that Shaw was not only complicit in the execution of civilians, but actually fired the first shot. She quickly learned from Cain that there was no room to fuck around and that being at war meant making some awful choices.
I definitely got a kick out of the old school centurions and I liked the fact that they were worked into the show as more than just museum pieces. The few episodes in which we gleaned any information about the hybrids gave us no indication that they were created by crossing captured humans with cylon circuitry (as I recall), so that was pretty exciting.
I was pleased to see Steve Bacic's name in the credits, then a little bummed when we found out he was Cain's original XO. However, knowing his fate didn't lessen the impact of seeing his death played out. In fact, I found that scene to be even more intense in light of their established relationship. When they were discussing shore leave, he invited her to visit his family, and even addressed Cain more than once by her first name, a liberty I doubt she encouraged in any but those she most trusted and respected. Well, it was a shame to see him offed so brutally, but Col. Fisk's reaction and his subsequent adherence to Cain's orders were priceless. Fisk was a character I actually kind of liked, dirty & weak though he was.
On a side note, I have a crush on Sgt. Mathias, so it was nice to see her in Razor, kicking ass as usual. If you're not sure who Mathias was, she was the one trying to get the nuke's detonator working on the cylon ship at the end.
Finally, the commercial toward the end of tonight's broadcast, for the March debut of season 4, is promising. Though the WGA strike shut down shooting earlier this month, it appears that they've got at least enough material to start the season. My guess is that the rumours of SciFi splitting the season between '08 and '09 will be confirmed, out of necessity. Well, Razor certainly set the stage for exciting things to come and March can't arrive too soon!
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Classic scifi cheese
A friend pointed me to this great piece on Wired, "Star Trek's 10 Cheesiest Classic Creatures."
The list includes descriptions of the creatures, along with their strengths and weaknesses, and are at least as entertaining as the episodes themselves. I'm not sure tribbles really belong on the list, but then, I'm just dumb enough that I'd want one, so there ya are.
The list includes descriptions of the creatures, along with their strengths and weaknesses, and are at least as entertaining as the episodes themselves. I'm not sure tribbles really belong on the list, but then, I'm just dumb enough that I'd want one, so there ya are.
A very satisfying Heroes
An awesome new Heroes, in which West redeems himself, Elle learns the truth about her daddy's experiments on her, Claire remembers too late that her father has only ever tried to protect her, and Mohinder proves that he's no more interesting as Bob's lapdog than he was before turning to the dark side.
I'd say Mohinder is as dumb as a box of rocks, but that's insulting to boxes of rocks everywhere. At this point, his loyalty to Bob and the Company just doesn't make sense, and his decision to kill Bennet is entirely whack. It's as though he's forgotten everything he's experienced since starting on this crazy rollercoaster ride. At least Bennet's death wasn't a permanent condition.
Bennet, incidentally, rocks my world. He shone through this entire episode, reminding me over & over again how awesome he is. Now I wonder how he's going to handle being on the receiving end of Company practices in which he is so well versed.
Touchy-feely though it was, I enjoyed Hiro's attempted rescue of his father and his decision to accede to Kaito's wishes. Given last week's ep, it wasn't a great surprise that Kaito Nakamura's killer was Adam; what remains to be seen is how Hiro chooses to use that knowledge. Of all the characters on the show, Hiro is the only one I think really embraces and understands being a hero.
After last week's waste-of-time episode, this week's ep made me think Heroes is well on track. It also made me think that the necessity to truncate the season is not a bad thing at all. If it results in episodes as content-laden as this one, maybe short seasons are the way to go.
I'd say Mohinder is as dumb as a box of rocks, but that's insulting to boxes of rocks everywhere. At this point, his loyalty to Bob and the Company just doesn't make sense, and his decision to kill Bennet is entirely whack. It's as though he's forgotten everything he's experienced since starting on this crazy rollercoaster ride. At least Bennet's death wasn't a permanent condition.
Bennet, incidentally, rocks my world. He shone through this entire episode, reminding me over & over again how awesome he is. Now I wonder how he's going to handle being on the receiving end of Company practices in which he is so well versed.
Touchy-feely though it was, I enjoyed Hiro's attempted rescue of his father and his decision to accede to Kaito's wishes. Given last week's ep, it wasn't a great surprise that Kaito Nakamura's killer was Adam; what remains to be seen is how Hiro chooses to use that knowledge. Of all the characters on the show, Hiro is the only one I think really embraces and understands being a hero.
After last week's waste-of-time episode, this week's ep made me think Heroes is well on track. It also made me think that the necessity to truncate the season is not a bad thing at all. If it results in episodes as content-laden as this one, maybe short seasons are the way to go.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Poppies!Poppies!Poppies!
December 2 brings part one of SciFi Channel's three-part miniseries "Tin Man." Think of it as a Wizard of Oz redux, a concept that totally won me over the first time I read Gregory Maguire's Wicked. Not that "Tin Man" and Wicked have anything in common other than the source material (as far as I can tell), but I rather like the idea of a reworking of the story with which most of us are so familiar.
Anyway, "Tin Man" stars Zooey Deschanel as storm-tossed protagonist DG, trading in gingham for leather. Deschanel has made me happy in the things I've seen her in, most notably as Trillian in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and Andy's charmingly wacky girlfriend on Weeds. Her costars include Richard Dreyfuss as The Mystic Man, Alan Cumming as scarecrow figure Glitch, Neal McDonough as a wonderfully and radically altered Tin Man, and Kathleen Robertson (looking hotter than she ever did on Beverly Hills, 90210...and I so should not know that!) as the supremely wicked Azkadellia.
A short "making-of" special that I caught on SciFi certainly made it look pretty amazing, visually spectacular & all that. The way the cast and crew talked about it was encouraging, as well. The root of L. Frank Baum's story seems to be there, but "Tin Man" will be unmistakeably something completely different.
As much as I'm looking forward to it, I am remembering that expectations only lead to disappointment, so I'm trying not to be too excited or to hope for too much. Well, even if it sucks, it's sure to be pretty and that's something. Oh, and the flying monkeys have turned into monkey-bats, which has got to be cool!
Anyway, "Tin Man" stars Zooey Deschanel as storm-tossed protagonist DG, trading in gingham for leather. Deschanel has made me happy in the things I've seen her in, most notably as Trillian in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and Andy's charmingly wacky girlfriend on Weeds. Her costars include Richard Dreyfuss as The Mystic Man, Alan Cumming as scarecrow figure Glitch, Neal McDonough as a wonderfully and radically altered Tin Man, and Kathleen Robertson (looking hotter than she ever did on Beverly Hills, 90210...and I so should not know that!) as the supremely wicked Azkadellia.
A short "making-of" special that I caught on SciFi certainly made it look pretty amazing, visually spectacular & all that. The way the cast and crew talked about it was encouraging, as well. The root of L. Frank Baum's story seems to be there, but "Tin Man" will be unmistakeably something completely different.
As much as I'm looking forward to it, I am remembering that expectations only lead to disappointment, so I'm trying not to be too excited or to hope for too much. Well, even if it sucks, it's sure to be pretty and that's something. Oh, and the flying monkeys have turned into monkey-bats, which has got to be cool!
Sunday, November 18, 2007
My take on Big Apple Con
I don't think I'm going out on a limb here by saying this was my first and last corporate convention. It took place this weekend in a small part of the Pennsylvania Hotel in midtown Manhattan, running for seven hours on Friday and nine hours each yesterday & today. That in itself was kind of a novelty to me; I've been spoiled by cons that take over entire hotels and feature a plethora of con- and fan-run activities pretty much around the clock.
Unfortunately, less than ten seconds after walking in the door, I got a pretty negative impression. The staff with whom I interacted was an even mix of bored & rude, and merely bored. Thankfully, the exhibitors, dealers and artists I spoke with were pleasant, but then I think most of them do this kind of thing for more than just a paycheck.
One of my favourite parts of a con, the costumes, was limited almost entirely to a handful of vendors and some folks with a New York Star Wars fan group. I hope that if I'd stuck around for the costume contest I would have seen more, but I just wasn't motivated enough. I don't feel justified in bitching about that much, though, as I didn't dress for the occasion either. Nonetheless, I was sad not to see fans running around done up in wonderful, interesting creations. I'd guess that attendees who would otherwise costume for such an event (like myself) were dissuaded from doing so for a con with such short hours.
The "big name" stars in attendance (Hayden Panettiere and Kristen Bell, Claire and Elle on Heroes) were the biggest disappointment. Not the actors themselves, who are probably dandy people, but the con policy that disallowed even being in the room where they were holding court (segregated from the rest of the celebrity guests) unless you were shelling out dollars for a photo op and/or autograph. Just walking through and saying hello was verboten. Weak! Oh, and distastefully corporate.
However, it was not a total wash. I got to speak to Gigi Edgley (Chiana on Farscape) and she was very nice. She commented on one of my tattoos, which tickled me. I also saw (though didn't talk to) Suzie Plakson, who played Worf's hottie girlfriend K'Ehleyr on ST:TNG, and Melody Anderson, who was Dale Arden in Flash Gordon (1980). Unfortunately, Walter Koenig (Bester on Babylon 5 & Chekov on ST:TOS) was not about when I passed through, but that was okay, since I spoke to him when I was at DragonCon in '03 and I wouldn't have anything to say anyway.
The dealers' room was pretty much what one would expect at a con. There were about a bajillion comics for sale, as well as autographed photos and posters of stars from just about every movie & tv show ever made. This con emphasized art, so there were oodles of artists present hawking some pretty cool stuff. The art was focused more on comics than on general scifi/fantasy, so there were blessedly few unicorns and fairies, though still an abundance of dragons. Also, I got a couple of really cool t-shirts.
Though I'm glad I went just to see what it was like, from now on, I'm sticking to fan cons.
Unfortunately, less than ten seconds after walking in the door, I got a pretty negative impression. The staff with whom I interacted was an even mix of bored & rude, and merely bored. Thankfully, the exhibitors, dealers and artists I spoke with were pleasant, but then I think most of them do this kind of thing for more than just a paycheck.
One of my favourite parts of a con, the costumes, was limited almost entirely to a handful of vendors and some folks with a New York Star Wars fan group. I hope that if I'd stuck around for the costume contest I would have seen more, but I just wasn't motivated enough. I don't feel justified in bitching about that much, though, as I didn't dress for the occasion either. Nonetheless, I was sad not to see fans running around done up in wonderful, interesting creations. I'd guess that attendees who would otherwise costume for such an event (like myself) were dissuaded from doing so for a con with such short hours.
The "big name" stars in attendance (Hayden Panettiere and Kristen Bell, Claire and Elle on Heroes) were the biggest disappointment. Not the actors themselves, who are probably dandy people, but the con policy that disallowed even being in the room where they were holding court (segregated from the rest of the celebrity guests) unless you were shelling out dollars for a photo op and/or autograph. Just walking through and saying hello was verboten. Weak! Oh, and distastefully corporate.
However, it was not a total wash. I got to speak to Gigi Edgley (Chiana on Farscape) and she was very nice. She commented on one of my tattoos, which tickled me. I also saw (though didn't talk to) Suzie Plakson, who played Worf's hottie girlfriend K'Ehleyr on ST:TNG, and Melody Anderson, who was Dale Arden in Flash Gordon (1980). Unfortunately, Walter Koenig (Bester on Babylon 5 & Chekov on ST:TOS) was not about when I passed through, but that was okay, since I spoke to him when I was at DragonCon in '03 and I wouldn't have anything to say anyway.
The dealers' room was pretty much what one would expect at a con. There were about a bajillion comics for sale, as well as autographed photos and posters of stars from just about every movie & tv show ever made. This con emphasized art, so there were oodles of artists present hawking some pretty cool stuff. The art was focused more on comics than on general scifi/fantasy, so there were blessedly few unicorns and fairies, though still an abundance of dragons. Also, I got a couple of really cool t-shirts.
Though I'm glad I went just to see what it was like, from now on, I'm sticking to fan cons.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Did I mention, what the fuck?
I found out why my blog is read with any regularity by only about three people, one of whom is my significantly awesome other, who is practically obligated to indulge my ridiculous hobbies:
The bastards!
The Blog Readability Test (click on the above image to get your blog's rating) will tell you what level of education is required to understand your blog, as determined by, aw hell, I don't know who, or how, or why for that matter.
I am both perplexed and amused by my blog's rating. Perplexed because, shit, as a high school and a college dropout, how do I manage to spew out posts that some random blog-rater thinks you'd need a postgrad reading level to understand? And really, I write most often about television shows. In what universe does anyone need any education at all to understand most of what's on tv? Amused because the US education system makes me laugh (if only so I don't cry). Oh, and I think I'm a little insulted for the same reason.
Clearly, if I want my blog to appeal to the unwashed masses, I need to swear more often and get a little more active in seeking out juvenile scifi things to post about*. I'll start with the former, because it's easier:
FUCK FUCK FUCKITY FUCK!!
In all seriousness - and geekiness - I like this readability test better, if only because I am able to read about how the results were achieved. There's nothing like actually providing information!
Now back to our irregularly scheduled geekery.
*Note the bad grammar, which has to count for something
The bastards!The Blog Readability Test (click on the above image to get your blog's rating) will tell you what level of education is required to understand your blog, as determined by, aw hell, I don't know who, or how, or why for that matter.
I am both perplexed and amused by my blog's rating. Perplexed because, shit, as a high school and a college dropout, how do I manage to spew out posts that some random blog-rater thinks you'd need a postgrad reading level to understand? And really, I write most often about television shows. In what universe does anyone need any education at all to understand most of what's on tv? Amused because the US education system makes me laugh (if only so I don't cry). Oh, and I think I'm a little insulted for the same reason.
Clearly, if I want my blog to appeal to the unwashed masses, I need to swear more often and get a little more active in seeking out juvenile scifi things to post about*. I'll start with the former, because it's easier:
FUCK FUCK FUCKITY FUCK!!
In all seriousness - and geekiness - I like this readability test better, if only because I am able to read about how the results were achieved. There's nothing like actually providing information!
Now back to our irregularly scheduled geekery.
*Note the bad grammar, which has to count for something
Friday, November 16, 2007
Some tasty television
Mmmm, that was some good Stargate Atlantis! It served up a fine level of tension combined with the usual amount of cracking wise and plotting clever from our intrepid heroes. The return of Sheppard's Wraith buddy from last season's "Common Ground" was a pleasant surprise. Also, given said intrepid heroes' history of being suckered, it was a relief that they were so very cautious about making any deals with him and that they anticipated a double cross. Of course, it was also pretty damn convenient that another hive ship showed up to unwittingly remove their concern, but I won't take issue with that kind of a fix.
Unfortunately, it's time for me to accept that I'm just not thrilled with Carter commanding Atlantis. I can't put my finger on what about her bothers me, but it's especially puzzling considering I enjoyed her quite a bit through ten seasons of SG-1. But, since the beginning of the season I've been nagged by a change in her character that I find doesn't work for me. Through the last two seasons of SG-1, I was a little ticked that Mitchell had command of the team instead of Carter, but now I'm thinking that she might well be a better follower than leader after all. Part of it could be that, next to Sheppard, she just doesn't seem to be entirely confident in her command, a feeling I never got from Weir.
I couldn't help thinking Teyla's words at the end were meant more to comfort herself than the seer's daughter. Her pregnancy definitely introduces a big unknown into her path and she would be justified in being pretty fuckin' trepidatious about the situation.
Well, the next ep (in two weeks) also looks promising, as it features the return of a character I thoroughly enjoyed and not just because I think the actor is a hottie.
Finally, the mid-season break is right around the corner and I have no knowledge yet of whether or not the WGA strike will impact the second half of the season. Until I seek out that info, I will cling to the hope that the remainder of this season is finished shooting and will not be affected by the strike.
Unfortunately, it's time for me to accept that I'm just not thrilled with Carter commanding Atlantis. I can't put my finger on what about her bothers me, but it's especially puzzling considering I enjoyed her quite a bit through ten seasons of SG-1. But, since the beginning of the season I've been nagged by a change in her character that I find doesn't work for me. Through the last two seasons of SG-1, I was a little ticked that Mitchell had command of the team instead of Carter, but now I'm thinking that she might well be a better follower than leader after all. Part of it could be that, next to Sheppard, she just doesn't seem to be entirely confident in her command, a feeling I never got from Weir.
I couldn't help thinking Teyla's words at the end were meant more to comfort herself than the seer's daughter. Her pregnancy definitely introduces a big unknown into her path and she would be justified in being pretty fuckin' trepidatious about the situation.
Well, the next ep (in two weeks) also looks promising, as it features the return of a character I thoroughly enjoyed and not just because I think the actor is a hottie.
Finally, the mid-season break is right around the corner and I have no knowledge yet of whether or not the WGA strike will impact the second half of the season. Until I seek out that info, I will cling to the hope that the remainder of this season is finished shooting and will not be affected by the strike.
All about the Benjamins
This WGA strike has me pretty conflicted. At the same time that I support the writers' desire to get paid when studios make money off their work, I really don't want my shows to go away. Unfortunately, Battlestar Galactica and Bionic Woman have both stopped production because of the strike. If this means BW goes away, well, that's just not enough of a loss to have me very upset. BSG is another matter, though. At least some of BSG's fourth & final season has been shot, but production was due to continue until March, so it seems there's still much to be done. SciFi has not yet released any information about how this will affect things when (if...?) BSG starts back up, but at this point things don't look good.
Also, it appears that Heroes is indeed ending its second season early, three episodes from now.
As much as I don't want the real world interfering with my entertainment, I gotta side with the writers on this one.
Also, it appears that Heroes is indeed ending its second season early, three episodes from now.
As much as I don't want the real world interfering with my entertainment, I gotta side with the writers on this one.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Make it BIG!
Tonight was the ST:TOS episode "The Menagerie" on the big screen and I'm plenty happy with it. Nothing about the ep was changed (that I noticed, or we were told about), though it was remastered and looked very pretty. Before the show, we got a short feature about what went into remastering it, and Gene Roddenberry's kid talked briefly about the making of the original ep.
Something odd that I noticed was that Majel Barrett, who played Capt. Pike's second-in-command, was not listed in the credits. Barrett, also known as Gene Roddenberry's wife, was Nurse Chapel on TOS and in some of the movies, as well as Lwaxana Troi on TNG, and the voice of the computer on TOS, TNG, DS9, Voyager, a couple eps of Enterprise & in some of the movies.
Not much else to say, except that I'm happy I went.
Something odd that I noticed was that Majel Barrett, who played Capt. Pike's second-in-command, was not listed in the credits. Barrett, also known as Gene Roddenberry's wife, was Nurse Chapel on TOS and in some of the movies, as well as Lwaxana Troi on TNG, and the voice of the computer on TOS, TNG, DS9, Voyager, a couple eps of Enterprise & in some of the movies.
Not much else to say, except that I'm happy I went.
Bionically braindead
I'm not sure how much more of Bionic Woman I can take.
To paraphrase a Heather, did Jaime have a brain tumor for breakfast? She chats with her boyfriend while on the job, losing (albeit briefly) the package she was trailing in the process, then makes a huge spectacle of her bionic self by racing down the street and stopping her suspect by leaping on his car and causing an accident. Then later, her boss tells her that intel she has sounds fishy (Antonio knowing the guy they're guarding changed his plans before the boss knew)...and she hangs up on him. She might have had SAT scores that got her into Harvard, but I'm guessing it had more to do with her test-taking abilities than smarts, because she sure is acting stupid. Also, the Berkut Group is as dumb as she is for not giving her adequate training before putting her in the field. Her neurons finally started firing at the end of the episode, when she said she's not cut out for that kind of work.
Aside from the main character proving over & over again that she should go back to bartending, I'm also disappointed with her relationship with Tom the CIA douche. For just a moment there, it looked like we might find out he's a mole. At least then he'd have a reason for existing.
Ruth and her plant, though, made me very happy.
To paraphrase a Heather, did Jaime have a brain tumor for breakfast? She chats with her boyfriend while on the job, losing (albeit briefly) the package she was trailing in the process, then makes a huge spectacle of her bionic self by racing down the street and stopping her suspect by leaping on his car and causing an accident. Then later, her boss tells her that intel she has sounds fishy (Antonio knowing the guy they're guarding changed his plans before the boss knew)...and she hangs up on him. She might have had SAT scores that got her into Harvard, but I'm guessing it had more to do with her test-taking abilities than smarts, because she sure is acting stupid. Also, the Berkut Group is as dumb as she is for not giving her adequate training before putting her in the field. Her neurons finally started firing at the end of the episode, when she said she's not cut out for that kind of work.
Aside from the main character proving over & over again that she should go back to bartending, I'm also disappointed with her relationship with Tom the CIA douche. For just a moment there, it looked like we might find out he's a mole. At least then he'd have a reason for existing.
Ruth and her plant, though, made me very happy.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Wasted episode?
Not sure how I feel about this past Heroes. We found out all sorts of things, few of which did anything more than fill in unnecessary details that added little to the arc. While it was nice to find out how DL died, too much time was spent setting up that bit of info. And introducing a new, superfluous personality for Niki didn't seem to add anything to her story.
The Maya/Alejandro bits were a complete waste of time. We already knew she has this dangerous & confusing ability, we already knew he somehow helps her control it, we already knew they were on the run after her ability got out of hand at least once; the backstory we got gave us nothing new or even interesting. That time would have been better spent on something that actually progresses the story. For instance, what the hell happened to Sylar four months ago, where did his powers go, and how'd he end up in a shack in a Central American jungle with Candace?
I did enjoy the time spent on Peter & Adam, and more could have been better. However, I found it really implausible that the Company doesn't have cameras in the cells. It's pretty damn convenient that Peter was able to pull off the old spitting-out-his-pills trick long enough to get his powers back. I'm more curious about Adam's deal and what he's actually up to. If he's not on the Company's side, he might be a genuine ally, but that remains a big unknown. I still like him, even if he turns out not to be a bad guy.
All we got about Elle is that she's a spoiled brat, which wasn't hard to guess at from previous appearances. She's a twisted piece of work and her little sob story just made her more unlikeable. I do wonder, though, if Bob is scared of her and that's why he's so permissive with her.
Well, the Haitian was a bright spot at least. I like him so much, and as soon as Elle sent him after Peter instead of going after him herself (which seemed a bit out of character), I knew he'd be helping Peter rather than bringing him back to the Company.
I wonder how this ep works into the rewrites and possibly shortened season due to the writers' strike.
The Maya/Alejandro bits were a complete waste of time. We already knew she has this dangerous & confusing ability, we already knew he somehow helps her control it, we already knew they were on the run after her ability got out of hand at least once; the backstory we got gave us nothing new or even interesting. That time would have been better spent on something that actually progresses the story. For instance, what the hell happened to Sylar four months ago, where did his powers go, and how'd he end up in a shack in a Central American jungle with Candace?
I did enjoy the time spent on Peter & Adam, and more could have been better. However, I found it really implausible that the Company doesn't have cameras in the cells. It's pretty damn convenient that Peter was able to pull off the old spitting-out-his-pills trick long enough to get his powers back. I'm more curious about Adam's deal and what he's actually up to. If he's not on the Company's side, he might be a genuine ally, but that remains a big unknown. I still like him, even if he turns out not to be a bad guy.
All we got about Elle is that she's a spoiled brat, which wasn't hard to guess at from previous appearances. She's a twisted piece of work and her little sob story just made her more unlikeable. I do wonder, though, if Bob is scared of her and that's why he's so permissive with her.
Well, the Haitian was a bright spot at least. I like him so much, and as soon as Elle sent him after Peter instead of going after him herself (which seemed a bit out of character), I knew he'd be helping Peter rather than bringing him back to the Company.
I wonder how this ep works into the rewrites and possibly shortened season due to the writers' strike.
Monday, November 12, 2007
BSG:Razor event
Holy shit.
Tonight was BSG:Razor in the theater and I am so glad I was able to catch it. I really want to talk about all the things I thought were awesome about it, but I am going to save anything spoilerish 'til after it airs November 24. However, I have to gush just a bit right now.
Admiral Cain is my new hero. When I found out this special would be about the Pegasus, one of my concerns was that Cain's story and the unpleasant things she did, would be made "nice." Not to worry. We do find out the details of incidents that were only talked about previously, and those details are not clean. She is as badass as we thought she was.
There's some jumping around in time, so even though much happens with a crew we don't know much about from the series, there are old faces aplenty. Also, the introduction of a totally new character works surprisingly well.
As for the viewing itself, of course it was awesome to see it on the big screen, all huge and loud and pretty. The quality was decent, but not great. Surprisingly, the house was not full, though I'm still glad I got there about two hours early. My friend pointed out I was the first female in line, and chicks made up only a small portion of the audience, which is a bit of a shame. I'd just like to see more chicks in geekdom.
Well, I've much more to say, but I'll sit on it for a couple weeks. For now, I'll just reiterate: holy shit.
Tonight was BSG:Razor in the theater and I am so glad I was able to catch it. I really want to talk about all the things I thought were awesome about it, but I am going to save anything spoilerish 'til after it airs November 24. However, I have to gush just a bit right now.
Admiral Cain is my new hero. When I found out this special would be about the Pegasus, one of my concerns was that Cain's story and the unpleasant things she did, would be made "nice." Not to worry. We do find out the details of incidents that were only talked about previously, and those details are not clean. She is as badass as we thought she was.
There's some jumping around in time, so even though much happens with a crew we don't know much about from the series, there are old faces aplenty. Also, the introduction of a totally new character works surprisingly well.
As for the viewing itself, of course it was awesome to see it on the big screen, all huge and loud and pretty. The quality was decent, but not great. Surprisingly, the house was not full, though I'm still glad I got there about two hours early. My friend pointed out I was the first female in line, and chicks made up only a small portion of the audience, which is a bit of a shame. I'd just like to see more chicks in geekdom.
Well, I've much more to say, but I'll sit on it for a couple weeks. For now, I'll just reiterate: holy shit.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Rule #23: try catching a clue instead of a man
I'm starting to lose patience with Bionic Woman. After this past episode, I know I'm only one of many complaining about what a spectacularly tired cliche Jaime was. For a woman with some hardcore 21st century upgrades, someone oughta smack her "Rules" spewing ass outta the 19th. Man, talk about a shitty rolemodel for her young sibling. Aside from that, I don't think this ep was all bad, but it definitely wasn't all good.
And yet, I will stick with Bionic Woman a little while longer, because it does have a handful of redeeming qualities. For instance, there's Ruth, who is a seriously badass dame who Jaime could do well to take a cue from. I also like the severely-limited-lifespan aspect of the story and I think that could generate some good tv, as Jaime, Sarah Corvus and the rest of Burket try to work out that big kink. Then there's my favourite part of any show, the hotties. Wednesday's ep featured guest star Callum Keith Rennie, who BSG fans will recognize as Starbuck-obsessed cylon Leoben. We didn't get enough of him in this ep, but what we got sure was nice to watch. I also believe the show has the potential to be really good and to explore themes that challenge the characters, if only the writers would step up*.
I want to like Bionic Woman, I want to like Jaime Sommers, and I really hope upcoming episodes don't turn me off completely.
*Of course, that's assuming this or any other show sees new eps anytime in the near future, given the WGA strike.
And yet, I will stick with Bionic Woman a little while longer, because it does have a handful of redeeming qualities. For instance, there's Ruth, who is a seriously badass dame who Jaime could do well to take a cue from. I also like the severely-limited-lifespan aspect of the story and I think that could generate some good tv, as Jaime, Sarah Corvus and the rest of Burket try to work out that big kink. Then there's my favourite part of any show, the hotties. Wednesday's ep featured guest star Callum Keith Rennie, who BSG fans will recognize as Starbuck-obsessed cylon Leoben. We didn't get enough of him in this ep, but what we got sure was nice to watch. I also believe the show has the potential to be really good and to explore themes that challenge the characters, if only the writers would step up*.
I want to like Bionic Woman, I want to like Jaime Sommers, and I really hope upcoming episodes don't turn me off completely.
*Of course, that's assuming this or any other show sees new eps anytime in the near future, given the WGA strike.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Birthday resistance is futile
Man, what a geektacular birthday! It started with a tasty Thai lunch with some friends in Manhattan. Not geeky, but really great. Then came an experience that could have been riddled with anxiety and discomfort, but was actually suprisingly fun. So, a good friend of mine has a bizarre, really sucky seizure disorder and I accompanied her to the neurology department of a local hospital to watch her get a score of electrodes attached to her head. While I thought it was totally awesome to get to watch her turn into a borg, she's more likely to say she's grateful I could be there for her. We both totally won :) Just to be clear, in no way will I downplay how much it sucks that she has to go through this and I definitely wouldn't be so gleeful about it if she had a less positive attitude about it herself. As it was, she was happy to get some good geeky entertainment out of the experience for both of us.
Then that same friend indulged me while we watched the SciFi channel's Friday night line-up. She liked watching the beautiful people on Flash Gordon, and we had a good time mocking Ming. She saw her first episode of Atlantis and agreed that it is a show rich with hotties. As a Firefly fan, she was happy to see Jewel Staite, though we did have some disgruntled discussion about how not badass her character is. We were pleased and gratified when Keller proved to be both braver & tougher than we all thought she was. My friend also really liked how awesome a warrior Teyla is. And did I mention the hotties? Yeah, she definitely liked that about the show.
I don't tend to be very big on celebrating my birthday. It's not that I don't enjoy it, I just don't generally make much of a deal out of it. To get to share it with good friends, being entertained by an unusual real world experience as well as some fun scifi tv, really made it a nice day. And, my birthday fortnight continues on Monday with BSG: Razor in a theater, then "The Menagerie" later in the week.
Hey, happy my birthday!
Then that same friend indulged me while we watched the SciFi channel's Friday night line-up. She liked watching the beautiful people on Flash Gordon, and we had a good time mocking Ming. She saw her first episode of Atlantis and agreed that it is a show rich with hotties. As a Firefly fan, she was happy to see Jewel Staite, though we did have some disgruntled discussion about how not badass her character is. We were pleased and gratified when Keller proved to be both braver & tougher than we all thought she was. My friend also really liked how awesome a warrior Teyla is. And did I mention the hotties? Yeah, she definitely liked that about the show.
I don't tend to be very big on celebrating my birthday. It's not that I don't enjoy it, I just don't generally make much of a deal out of it. To get to share it with good friends, being entertained by an unusual real world experience as well as some fun scifi tv, really made it a nice day. And, my birthday fortnight continues on Monday with BSG: Razor in a theater, then "The Menagerie" later in the week.
Hey, happy my birthday!
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
A week of douchebaggery on Heroes
I think I'm okay with how the Kensei storyline went down. Hiro was Kensei, essentially, but did not actually assume the role and that's just fine. The hopeless romantic in me thinks it's too bad he didn't really get the girl, though. Of course, it's not a stretch to expect Hiro & "Kensei" to meet again a few centuries after their last encounter, and won't that be an explosive reunion.
So, all other developments and questions pale in comparison to what the hell is up with Kensei/Adam. Whatever the case, it sure is nice to have David Anders around for awhile longer. As much as I like Sylar, I'm not sure he's my favourite badguy anymore.
I was a little disappointed with how easily Parkman dealt with his old man. In the midst of so many convoluted stories and twisted connections, Parkman's sudden skill with his newly discovered abilities was pretty anticlimactic.
Mohinder's douchebaggery has got to catch up with him soon. He was wrong to bring Molly to the Company, he's wrong to tell Bob who he's working with, he's so very wrong to trust anything Bob tells him. I hope the painting is wrong and that it isn't he who shoots anyone, but rather he's the one who gets shot. Please, Heroes, put him out of my misery.
Speaking of douchebaggery, Claire's friend West doesn't seem to be the sharpest stick in the ol' pile of sticks. If his relationship with Claire was an elaborate ruse to get him back in the clutches of HRG, it was so amazingly well planned that HRG didn't even have to go after him, but actually got West to tenaciously pursue his daughter. Now that's clever. Oy.
On a production note, rumours of Tim Kring's departure from NBC over WGA issues are greatly exaggerated. According to him, he hasn't quit, NBC hasn't fired him, and he's picketing outside the studio as a show of solidarity to his fellow writers. Rumours about a shortened season, however, do seem to be true, and the last season two ep could be coming up real soon here.
So, all other developments and questions pale in comparison to what the hell is up with Kensei/Adam. Whatever the case, it sure is nice to have David Anders around for awhile longer. As much as I like Sylar, I'm not sure he's my favourite badguy anymore.
I was a little disappointed with how easily Parkman dealt with his old man. In the midst of so many convoluted stories and twisted connections, Parkman's sudden skill with his newly discovered abilities was pretty anticlimactic.
Mohinder's douchebaggery has got to catch up with him soon. He was wrong to bring Molly to the Company, he's wrong to tell Bob who he's working with, he's so very wrong to trust anything Bob tells him. I hope the painting is wrong and that it isn't he who shoots anyone, but rather he's the one who gets shot. Please, Heroes, put him out of my misery.
Speaking of douchebaggery, Claire's friend West doesn't seem to be the sharpest stick in the ol' pile of sticks. If his relationship with Claire was an elaborate ruse to get him back in the clutches of HRG, it was so amazingly well planned that HRG didn't even have to go after him, but actually got West to tenaciously pursue his daughter. Now that's clever. Oy.
On a production note, rumours of Tim Kring's departure from NBC over WGA issues are greatly exaggerated. According to him, he hasn't quit, NBC hasn't fired him, and he's picketing outside the studio as a show of solidarity to his fellow writers. Rumours about a shortened season, however, do seem to be true, and the last season two ep could be coming up real soon here.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Why Peter Jackson is on my shitlist
For all the ones
Who bum me out
(Shitlist)
For all the ones
Who fill my head with doubt
(Shitlist)
For all the squares who get me pissed
(Shitlist)
You've made my shitlist
--"Shitlist" by L7
Awhile ago I made a crack about an upcoming post entitled "Why Peter Jackson is on my shitlist." I was joking at the time, figuring I wouldn't actually write any such post, but here I am realizing that I do indeed have that very post in me, just itchin' to get out. To clarify, being on my shitlist doesn't mean much. I created it for the only two people who are on it - George Lucas & Peter Jackson - and it's unlikely to ever expand.
So, on with my rant. We're a month away from the opening of The Golden Compass and while watching the trailers, I realized my expectations were skyrocketing as each scene looked more exactly as I thought it should. I suddenly had a depressing flashback to another time, a time when I easily got what I wanted out of most movie experiences, and if I didn't, at least my only injuries were the loss of a couple hours and a few bucks. Then, several years ago, I learned of the crushing disappointment that accompanies uncritical expectations. *sigh* In hindsight, it seems so obvious.
When The Fellowship of the Ring was released in 2001, I had just finished my first reading of Lord of the Rings and I thrilled at knowing it would be a series of movies. I was beyond excited, desperately eager to see these characters and this amazing story brought to life. And, based on the expansive trailers, I believed Peter Jackson's interpretation of the book was not too dissimilar from my own. I knew there would be differences that might throw me, but I didn't expect anything really significant. I did, however, expect to love it, because I gullibly believed the really important things would be "right."
Seeing the movie, being faced with the reality of how very wrong I was, was a distinctly sour experience. Oh, it looked beautiful, a truly stunning recreation of Middle Earth. The roles were, on the whole, very well cast, the few moments of blatant CG were only minimally irritating, and the Balrog absolutely blew me away with how awesome it was. And yet, such points only served to underscore the aspects I saw as sorrowfully lacking.
I'll start with the least virulent of my gripes, and address some of the CG. At one point, Jackson said he was excited that the tech finally existed to do Tolkien's work justice, but I can't agree that he really succeeded on that count. As genuinely cool as Gollum looked, he still looked undeniably not right. Though it's not my thing, I have a vague understanding of the work and skill that goes into creating really good CG, so I definitely don't want to dis the labour or talent of any of the artists. However, all that labour & talent resulted in a creature that was just short of looking "real." Unfortunately, I had the same feeling about Shelob when she finally showed up in Return of the King.
My second issue with the CG has more to do with the choice to use it at all than with how it was executed. Two scenes in Fellowship stand out as particularly bad: Gandalf looming in Bilbo's house, and Galadriel's refusal at the mirror when Frodo offers her the ring. The latter scene was dubbed "Radioactive Galadriel" on messageboards. In both instances, the effects careened the scenes out of context for me. I'll compare these scenes to the one on Caradhras when the ring flies off Frodo's neck and Boromir picks it up. Without any cheesy f/x, in an atmosphere of strained quiet, it's clear that Boromir is deeply affected by the ring and is not sure at that moment that he can resist it. The impact of that scene rests on the acting, as it should. I'm pretty sure Ian McKellan & Cate Blanchett could have pulled off the gravity of their scenes through their talents, without the sledgehammer effect the CG delivered. I gripe on this in particular because in so many ways, the movies were overblown enough. By throwing in ridiculous and out-of-place effects, I think Jackson made Gandalf and Galadriel look silly and diminished their presence.
Speaking of diminishing characters, Arwen's rescue of Frodo at the ford disappointed me intensely. I think that scene in the book - Frodo's mad dash to safety, as he's terrified, falling more ill by the minute and pointedly alone - helps introduce readers to what exactly makes this diminutive creature capable of undertaking a task that has broken the strongest of men. Surprising even to himself, Frodo is a Hobbit of extraordinary strength, endurance and commitment. Arwen's rescue in the movie undermines his strength and in the process raises a question that I don't think was ever adequately answered through three movies: why is Frodo, of all people, tasked with this journey? I also had some issues with how the role of Arwen was expanded. I understand Jackson's choice to make the female roles more prominent, what with Tolkien's story being a total sausagefest. However, I wish he'd used what Tolkien wrote about Arwen & Aragorn's romance (see Appendix A in the book), instead of using hacked apart and hokified snippets of dialogue from the book.
What I see as Jackson's greatest sin, however, has to do with his utter butchering of a sub-plot within Lord of the Rings that I think went to the very heart of the story. While all the good races of Middle Earth are coming together to fight Sauron, the friendship forged between Legolas & Gimli parallels that growing alliance. Instead of watching them gradually let go of their racial animosity and develop a relationship founded on mutual respect and love, as in the book, the movie gave us the quick & dirty cliche of a "buddyship" with all the depth of a pint of ale. Also, I'm so disappointed that Gimli was turned into comic relief. The movie version was a mocking caricature of the proud, noble Dwarf of the book.
Finally, I'll leave off with a little bit of backpedalling. I actually liked these movies. After getting over my initial shock at how wrong I thought Fellowship was, I went back & saw it a few more times, because it was a really fun, definitely beautiful movie to watch. The Two Towers and Return of the King were both more palatable when they came out because I had adjusted my expectations accordingly, and like the first movie, they were also exciting and gorgeous. And there were even things that were different than how I'd envisioned them, but were great nonetheless. I already mentioned how awesome the Balrog was. Geekdom has long raged with the debate over the Balrog: winged, or sans wings? For myself, the text gave me the image of a beast with wings not of flesh & bone, but of dense, acrid smoke. Then when I saw Jackson's Balrog, I easily accepted the corporeal wings, they fit so perfectly. And as much as I liked Tom Bombadil, I didn't think it was a horrible sin to keep him out of the movie. In fact, given the overall atmosphere of the film, such a bright & colourful character could easily have been jarringly incongruous.
I am all in favour of people creating what they want to create. These are Peter Jackson's works and I wholly appreciate that they are all about his interpretation of Tolkien's writings. However, I am sincerely disappointed that these will be the definitive Lord of the Rings movies for the next few generations, at least. *sigh*
So, that's it, that's why Peter Jackson is on my shitlist. Maybe someday I'll muster what it takes to explain George Lucas' presence on that list, but perhaps if you've seen Episodes I, II or III, or know in your heart that Han shot first, no explanation is necessary.
Who bum me out
(Shitlist)
For all the ones
Who fill my head with doubt
(Shitlist)
For all the squares who get me pissed
(Shitlist)
You've made my shitlist
--"Shitlist" by L7
Awhile ago I made a crack about an upcoming post entitled "Why Peter Jackson is on my shitlist." I was joking at the time, figuring I wouldn't actually write any such post, but here I am realizing that I do indeed have that very post in me, just itchin' to get out. To clarify, being on my shitlist doesn't mean much. I created it for the only two people who are on it - George Lucas & Peter Jackson - and it's unlikely to ever expand.
So, on with my rant. We're a month away from the opening of The Golden Compass and while watching the trailers, I realized my expectations were skyrocketing as each scene looked more exactly as I thought it should. I suddenly had a depressing flashback to another time, a time when I easily got what I wanted out of most movie experiences, and if I didn't, at least my only injuries were the loss of a couple hours and a few bucks. Then, several years ago, I learned of the crushing disappointment that accompanies uncritical expectations. *sigh* In hindsight, it seems so obvious.
When The Fellowship of the Ring was released in 2001, I had just finished my first reading of Lord of the Rings and I thrilled at knowing it would be a series of movies. I was beyond excited, desperately eager to see these characters and this amazing story brought to life. And, based on the expansive trailers, I believed Peter Jackson's interpretation of the book was not too dissimilar from my own. I knew there would be differences that might throw me, but I didn't expect anything really significant. I did, however, expect to love it, because I gullibly believed the really important things would be "right."
Seeing the movie, being faced with the reality of how very wrong I was, was a distinctly sour experience. Oh, it looked beautiful, a truly stunning recreation of Middle Earth. The roles were, on the whole, very well cast, the few moments of blatant CG were only minimally irritating, and the Balrog absolutely blew me away with how awesome it was. And yet, such points only served to underscore the aspects I saw as sorrowfully lacking.
I'll start with the least virulent of my gripes, and address some of the CG. At one point, Jackson said he was excited that the tech finally existed to do Tolkien's work justice, but I can't agree that he really succeeded on that count. As genuinely cool as Gollum looked, he still looked undeniably not right. Though it's not my thing, I have a vague understanding of the work and skill that goes into creating really good CG, so I definitely don't want to dis the labour or talent of any of the artists. However, all that labour & talent resulted in a creature that was just short of looking "real." Unfortunately, I had the same feeling about Shelob when she finally showed up in Return of the King.
My second issue with the CG has more to do with the choice to use it at all than with how it was executed. Two scenes in Fellowship stand out as particularly bad: Gandalf looming in Bilbo's house, and Galadriel's refusal at the mirror when Frodo offers her the ring. The latter scene was dubbed "Radioactive Galadriel" on messageboards. In both instances, the effects careened the scenes out of context for me. I'll compare these scenes to the one on Caradhras when the ring flies off Frodo's neck and Boromir picks it up. Without any cheesy f/x, in an atmosphere of strained quiet, it's clear that Boromir is deeply affected by the ring and is not sure at that moment that he can resist it. The impact of that scene rests on the acting, as it should. I'm pretty sure Ian McKellan & Cate Blanchett could have pulled off the gravity of their scenes through their talents, without the sledgehammer effect the CG delivered. I gripe on this in particular because in so many ways, the movies were overblown enough. By throwing in ridiculous and out-of-place effects, I think Jackson made Gandalf and Galadriel look silly and diminished their presence.
Speaking of diminishing characters, Arwen's rescue of Frodo at the ford disappointed me intensely. I think that scene in the book - Frodo's mad dash to safety, as he's terrified, falling more ill by the minute and pointedly alone - helps introduce readers to what exactly makes this diminutive creature capable of undertaking a task that has broken the strongest of men. Surprising even to himself, Frodo is a Hobbit of extraordinary strength, endurance and commitment. Arwen's rescue in the movie undermines his strength and in the process raises a question that I don't think was ever adequately answered through three movies: why is Frodo, of all people, tasked with this journey? I also had some issues with how the role of Arwen was expanded. I understand Jackson's choice to make the female roles more prominent, what with Tolkien's story being a total sausagefest. However, I wish he'd used what Tolkien wrote about Arwen & Aragorn's romance (see Appendix A in the book), instead of using hacked apart and hokified snippets of dialogue from the book.
What I see as Jackson's greatest sin, however, has to do with his utter butchering of a sub-plot within Lord of the Rings that I think went to the very heart of the story. While all the good races of Middle Earth are coming together to fight Sauron, the friendship forged between Legolas & Gimli parallels that growing alliance. Instead of watching them gradually let go of their racial animosity and develop a relationship founded on mutual respect and love, as in the book, the movie gave us the quick & dirty cliche of a "buddyship" with all the depth of a pint of ale. Also, I'm so disappointed that Gimli was turned into comic relief. The movie version was a mocking caricature of the proud, noble Dwarf of the book.
Finally, I'll leave off with a little bit of backpedalling. I actually liked these movies. After getting over my initial shock at how wrong I thought Fellowship was, I went back & saw it a few more times, because it was a really fun, definitely beautiful movie to watch. The Two Towers and Return of the King were both more palatable when they came out because I had adjusted my expectations accordingly, and like the first movie, they were also exciting and gorgeous. And there were even things that were different than how I'd envisioned them, but were great nonetheless. I already mentioned how awesome the Balrog was. Geekdom has long raged with the debate over the Balrog: winged, or sans wings? For myself, the text gave me the image of a beast with wings not of flesh & bone, but of dense, acrid smoke. Then when I saw Jackson's Balrog, I easily accepted the corporeal wings, they fit so perfectly. And as much as I liked Tom Bombadil, I didn't think it was a horrible sin to keep him out of the movie. In fact, given the overall atmosphere of the film, such a bright & colourful character could easily have been jarringly incongruous.
I am all in favour of people creating what they want to create. These are Peter Jackson's works and I wholly appreciate that they are all about his interpretation of Tolkien's writings. However, I am sincerely disappointed that these will be the definitive Lord of the Rings movies for the next few generations, at least. *sigh*
So, that's it, that's why Peter Jackson is on my shitlist. Maybe someday I'll muster what it takes to explain George Lucas' presence on that list, but perhaps if you've seen Episodes I, II or III, or know in your heart that Han shot first, no explanation is necessary.
Big Apple Con
If you're in the New York area (or plan on being here the weekend of November 16), take a gander at Big Apple Con. Since I don't actually know anything more about it than what's on their website, I can't exactly recommend it, but heck, it's a local convention so it caught my attention. Expected guests include Hayden Panettiere (Claire on Heroes), scifi legend Walter Koenig (Bester on B5 & Chekov from the Star Trek franchise), Gigi Edgley (Farscape's Chiana), Katey Sagal (Futurama's Leela), as well as a bunch of other folks.
I don't know yet whether or not I'll make it there myself, but if I do, I'm sure I'll have lots to say about it.
I don't know yet whether or not I'll make it there myself, but if I do, I'm sure I'll have lots to say about it.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Rumours, lies & fairytales
I don't know how accurate this is, as Universal has not released an official statement as far as I've been able to find, but the rumour is that the BSG season 3 DVD set will finally be released next April (some of us have been impatiently waiting months for any word, let alone the actual product). This will apparently coincide with the start of BSG's fourth & final season. That same rumour mill says SciFi has still not decided whether to air the entire season in 2008, or hold over the final ten episodes 'til '09.
I'd start the rumour that the execs at SciFi/Universal suck, but I think that's already been confirmed as true.
I'd start the rumour that the execs at SciFi/Universal suck, but I think that's already been confirmed as true.
Is it that time already?
As a little bit of an early birthday present to myself, I registered for next year's DragonCon. Pre-reg is $50 until November 15, then increases to an as yet undisclosed amount. Given the massive number of attendees this year, I suspect the pre-reg scale is not yet available because it'll be a bit higher than previous years. So, get on it now, while you can still register on the "cheap"!
DragonCon registration
DragonCon registration
Thursday, November 1, 2007
They were just teasing us
If you were looking forward to the Heroes short-term spinoff Heroes: Origins, go ahead & stop holding your breath. NBC has shelved the project indefinitely, given current uncertainty caused by the anticipated writers strike.
Origins was intended to be a six-ep show that introduced a new hero each ep, with the idea of bringing one of those heroes onto the regular show when all was said & done. It might be picked up again in the future, but as of now it will not be happening.
Origins was intended to be a six-ep show that introduced a new hero each ep, with the idea of bringing one of those heroes onto the regular show when all was said & done. It might be picked up again in the future, but as of now it will not be happening.
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