2019.06.25
Started watching last night. This is the best dubbing job I've ever seen in my life (or are German and English just that similar?).
* spoilers *
First impressions are True Detective (creepy and possibly supernatural overtones, especially in the titles), Stranger Things (kids getting together to solve a mystery, kids can get lost and hurt), Lost (something behind a metal door, mysterious engine driving everything, time travel shenanigans).
I got as far as kid goes back to the past, and its a nice twist on time travel, as this kid is not old enough to have seen a lot of time travel stories (which essentially teach you what to do and not to do when you find yourself suddenly time travelling).
I can't tell yet if this story wants to be sci-fi or fantasy, but its heading for fantasy. There are way too many characters introduced way too quickly but I'm getting over it.
So far so good, will continue.
2019.06.26
According to Netflix I watched more episodes, but I think I was drifting in and out of sleep. Go back to 1986 episode. At least this show is not precious about the time travel, they have a very convenient montage of actors past and present playing the same characters. Its still not enough help to keep track of all these characters and subplots. It kind of feels like Lost with way too big a cast, but at least there they gave the stories some space to breathe, and always let you know who the main focus characters are.
I read the wiki summaries for the first 3 episodes, and every 4 words introduces a new character and relationship. I'd love to see the crazy 4D string and pin corkboard for this matrix. There probably is one, but I will avoid spoilers.
Giving it more time.
2019.07.12
Just finished watching Season 2.
* all the spoilers *
I should have seen it coming. Of course by the end you finally know who all the characters are, you know all the time loops, you've finally figure it out - and at the last minute they throw in a new dimension, with an all new character and technology. Of course that's how you end a story like this.
Is there going to be a third season? Not sure if its needed, but it could work. Two years between seasons, that's quite a wait. But what is time anyway.
2020.06.24
Almost one year later...
and I have rewatched.
And season three comes out exactly as was easter-egged in the show... on Juni 27. This Saturday.
I am so hopeful. We'll see.
Tuesday, June 25, 2019
Tuesday, June 11, 2019
Good Omens (2019)
2019.06.12
Tried episode one last night, I just can't get into it.
I like the premise a lot (an angel and demon have spent so long on Earth that they have gone native and work together to thwart the end times) and the characters seem OK, and the acting and production is decent. Maybe I need to give it more time.
Tried episode one last night, I just can't get into it.
I like the premise a lot (an angel and demon have spent so long on Earth that they have gone native and work together to thwart the end times) and the characters seem OK, and the acting and production is decent. Maybe I need to give it more time.
Black Mirror season 5 (2019)
2019.06.12
Saw first episode of 5 last night. They are doubling down on the whole thinking they are smarter than you, and you need your baby food mashed extra fine and served with a tiny spoon. A 15 minute story (at best) is stretched out to an hour. And its not even a good story. I remember reading sci-fi in the 80s (which was written well before that) about redefining gender and relationship roles - this is really old (not cutting edge) territory for sci-fi.
Far worse, and there should be a name for this error, Black Mirror is mostly guilty of the sin of assuming A, then B, so let's jump right to W! as far as how technology works. If you assume something vaguely like the present, you can't start dropping in tech from decades from now (if ever) and still hold the present constant. If you allow for the episode's premise, that we have shared SimStim online and in real time, you're living in a different world than shown in the show. It would take years to develop that tech, and it would have long since permeated into the culture, instead of just showing up all of a sudden.
Black Mirror is written by people who don't understand technology and have no place trying to tell us Aesop's about it.
Saw first episode of 5 last night. They are doubling down on the whole thinking they are smarter than you, and you need your baby food mashed extra fine and served with a tiny spoon. A 15 minute story (at best) is stretched out to an hour. And its not even a good story. I remember reading sci-fi in the 80s (which was written well before that) about redefining gender and relationship roles - this is really old (not cutting edge) territory for sci-fi.
Far worse, and there should be a name for this error, Black Mirror is mostly guilty of the sin of assuming A, then B, so let's jump right to W! as far as how technology works. If you assume something vaguely like the present, you can't start dropping in tech from decades from now (if ever) and still hold the present constant. If you allow for the episode's premise, that we have shared SimStim online and in real time, you're living in a different world than shown in the show. It would take years to develop that tech, and it would have long since permeated into the culture, instead of just showing up all of a sudden.
Black Mirror is written by people who don't understand technology and have no place trying to tell us Aesop's about it.
Friday, June 7, 2019
I Am Mother (2019)
It's like a 15 minute episode of Black Mirror (i.e. Twilight Zone), but stretched out to 2 hours.
One of my definitions of disappointment is when the credits roll and I am thinking a dozen different more interesting story forks and endings I could have taken the story on. And they chose this one.
One of my definitions of disappointment is when the credits roll and I am thinking a dozen different more interesting story forks and endings I could have taken the story on. And they chose this one.
Tuesday, June 4, 2019
Rim of the World (2019)
I read an article that the mainstream movie market is focusing on blockbusters mostly and not really making low budget light fun movies anymore, and that Netflix has identified this niche and is trying to cater to it. One of the examples was this movie, so I tried it.
It was exactly what was written on the tin: coming of age, fantasy, light comedy and romance, monsters, personal challenges, etc. It wasn't trying to be great, just good, and that's respectable. I made it all the way through without even reaching for the remote (on first offense I reach for the remote, on second offense I'll start pressing buttons).
If movie theater tickets and concessions weren't so over-priced, this would be a great summer movie, so it makes a fine at-home movie. It's quite forgettable, but its got enough personality to carry you through some couch time.
My only take-away was questioning if this was set in an alternate timeline, which was evinced from two data points: cell phone technology was from the late 90s/early 00s, and a character mentions the event 7-11 (instead of 9-11). Maybe the movie time was supposed to be set at the turn of the millennium, but why bother doing so, it never plays into the story. And the different 9-11 date might have been just a joke at a silly character's expense, not an actual world difference. That and they go to great lengths to show one of the characters is a (Girl) Scout but it doesn't become part of the story in any way (unless there's merit badge for driving stick).
I really enjoyed the ending montage (getting knighted, in concert, etc); nice way to say we're all in on the joke together.
It was exactly what was written on the tin: coming of age, fantasy, light comedy and romance, monsters, personal challenges, etc. It wasn't trying to be great, just good, and that's respectable. I made it all the way through without even reaching for the remote (on first offense I reach for the remote, on second offense I'll start pressing buttons).
If movie theater tickets and concessions weren't so over-priced, this would be a great summer movie, so it makes a fine at-home movie. It's quite forgettable, but its got enough personality to carry you through some couch time.
My only take-away was questioning if this was set in an alternate timeline, which was evinced from two data points: cell phone technology was from the late 90s/early 00s, and a character mentions the event 7-11 (instead of 9-11). Maybe the movie time was supposed to be set at the turn of the millennium, but why bother doing so, it never plays into the story. And the different 9-11 date might have been just a joke at a silly character's expense, not an actual world difference. That and they go to great lengths to show one of the characters is a (Girl) Scout but it doesn't become part of the story in any way (unless there's merit badge for driving stick).
I really enjoyed the ending montage (getting knighted, in concert, etc); nice way to say we're all in on the joke together.
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