Whatcha Been Watching?

[Scrustle]

I've been watching Korra Book 4 recently, and I've still got mixed feelings about it. The episodes about Korra trying to get her groove back were pretty good. That was a good story arc, and it was really interesting to see Korra herself in that kind of disempowered and isolated condition. But that arc is already over. Went by really fast, and now it's just business as usual.

And so far, that's all it really feels like right now. They all need to save the world from the evil person, because of course there's an evil person. That villain in particular seems pretty crap too. She wasn't built up well at all, and her motivation makes no sense. In her declaration speech of her plans to take over the world, she showed herself to be a complete hypocrite. I've noticed other characters acting out of character too, like Su and Varrick. And it just seems really... rote.

Kind of depressing that the whole show would end like this, on such a downer. The show has always had its flaws, but managed to make up for them in some way. But I think at this point it's eroded away all its right to exploit the benefit of the doubt, except instead of taking that as a call to step things up, it feels like they've just stopped bothering now. It seriously doesn't feel like all this was planned out before Book 2 like it supposedly was.

But it's still early on. Maybe it can still get better. Or maybe my lack of enthusiasm is down to how quickly this series started after the last one, and how it arrived with such little fanfare. It wasn't even "little" fanfare. It was literally nothing.

[Alex79]

Just watched a couple of episodes of Knowing Me Knowing You with Alan Partridge on Netflix. 20 years on and it hasn't aged a second, it's still a work of absolute genius. It never stops being hilarious.

[DomsBeard]

Watched The Hobbit 3 at the weekend and I feel the same about this trilogy as I do the Star Wars films. It's not a bad film it's just PJ seems to have gone done the Lucas route of far too much CGI and doing everything to excess. Evangeline Lily proved to be pointless as I fear she would and detracted a bit from

Spoiler: show

Kili and Fili's deaths as they died defending Thorin in the books

. Also Orlando Bloom has aged too much to pull off being younger here than he was in LOTR and again I didn't feel any benefit of him being in the trilogy either.

[ratsoalbion]

Tauriel may indeed be pointless to events but she's sooo pretty!
I'm going tomorrow. Not wildly excited but I enjoy the costumes and sets and I might as well complete the set!

[Scrustle]

I watched all of Halo Nightfall these past few days. It was quite awful. Wafer thin, cliched characters. Dull, pretentious, laughable writing with some unsavoury undertones. Not sure if they were actually intentional or not, since I wouldn't give the show the credit for actually trying to be deep, but it had some slight jingoistic and religious undertones which I found rather off-putting. And the character cast itself... Again, I don't think it's something that was supposed to be intentionally giving off the message I was somewhat getting from it but... Almost the characters in it are white, with mostly American and some English accents, with the exception of the main character who is black, but also happens to be one of the Americans. Then there are these two minor, quasi-antagonist characters. One is black, and the other is Middle-Eastern, and they both talk in very thick, and embarrassingly poor Middle-Eastern accents. And I say "quasi-antagonist" because they don't really do any antagonising. They're more just in the way of what the main cast wants to do, yet they capture them and make them prisoners. Make of that what you will. What makes it even more ridiculous is that the main cast are from two separate planets, with one of them being "two centuries behind" the other. Yet they seem to be culturally and vocally identical. But the characters we're not supposed to care about get the stupid, and... politically recognisable accents.

Also, in regards to the cliched characters. I don't want to get too spoilery here, but I don't think the show is really worth that privilege. Of the two characters who have English accents, one of them turns out to be exactly what you would expect from a lazy piece of American media that has a character with a English accent in, whose later actions are obvious right from the start.

Also, before a couple of the episodes, they run recruitment adverts for the US Navy. Trying to make it look flashy and exciting. Very obviously aimed at the kind of people they think would enjoy this show. It came off just as unpalatable as you would expect.

And on a similar note, every now and then through the episodes a little Halo Challen logo will pop up informing you that you've "unlocked [a] second story". Because when I'm trying to invest myself in a story I really love it when little logos show up reminding me that I'm watching a show and telling me to click on something and break the flow of the narrative I'm trying to get invested in. I didn't actually do that, but it was still annoying seeing that appear all the time.

This whole Halo Nightfall thing is kind of odd though. I actually enjoyed the other Halo TV show they did, even if it was also quite shallow and short-lived. Didn't try to pretend to be more than it was though, and actually had something resembling characterisation too. One similarity I noticed between both shows though was how the actors looked so obviously not athletic, or trained to do any soldiery-looking stuff. They all move rather clumsily and slowly.

I was thinking also about how odd it is that Microsoft are pushing Halo as this cross-media story universe thing too. The games were never really praised much for their story. The closest thing to that would be that they have an arguably robust lore. But mostly what Halo is praised for is gameplay, good visual design, and good music.

And speaking of the lore, it's rather ironic comparing that to Nightfall. If there is any overarching narrative theme to the Halo universe, it's the idea that organised religion and blind faith is a really bad thing. Nightfall seems to have just completely ignored that theme, despite the fact an Elite Zealot plays a very prominent role in the first episode. Also doing some very... politically recognisable actions.

I also really want to talk about an anime I've been watching lately. I don't think I've spoken about it here before, but I can't quite remember. Anyway, it's Akame Ga Kill. It really surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. But I've already gone on way too many tangents with Halo, so I'll leave that for another time.

[Todinho]

So I started watching Legend of the Galatic Heroes a 80's anime that a friend of mine has been telling me to watch,it's a mix of Valkyria chronicles plot and Star wars but with the main characters being admirals and other such higher ups already in the few episodes I watched this series does a better job in establishing the two sides of the conflict and the neutral party in a much more interesting way Valkyria Chronicles has ever done,it still is Germans in space versus the allies(all of them russians and all which is refreshing,also japanese for some reason) but it's well done,the series focus itself alot on the politics and battle strategies but Im liking the characters too even if they are a bit cliché(still way better then the ones in valkyria chronicles,and yes Im still pissed over how nothing that game story was and what great potential it had) the worst thing is that it's 110 episodes so get ready to commit if you're planning on watching I hope the series can remain interesting until the end but if doesnt well I watched series with worse beginnings for longer...

[Scrustle]

So, the Korra finale! Overall, I really liked it. Even though I think this last series was one of the weaker ones, they ended it really well. Great action scenes, some great character moments, and they rounded off things really well. In particular I liked...

Spoiler: show

...the scene with Korra and Kuvira talking in the Spirit World. I've always thought Kuvira was a pretty boring antagonist, but they did quite a good job of redeeming her a bit here. Gave her a bit of depth, as they showed what she was like once all her defenses were down and she had nowhere else to run. In that scene too, I think Korra showed some growth in her character, with her discussing how Kuvira and her are similar in some ways. She acknowledges her flaws and sees them in Kuvira too.

And while all the bits at the end wrapping up everyone's story was great, and quite moving, there was one bit that I didn't really like so much.

Spoiler: show

The very end where Korra and Asami decide to "take a vacation" with each other to the Spirit World. It seems to very heavily imply that the two are actually a couple now, but done in a way where it still can't be said for certain. I'd be all for those two being a couple, and even though I totally didn't expect it, it didn't feel wrong or like it came out of nowhere. Over this last series there have been several scenes of the two bonding. They arguably grew closer to each other than Korra was to Mako and Bolin by the end.

But at the same time, it feels too self-aware. Like this was an acknowledgement by the show's writers of all the shipping fans did to the characters, and they decided to just give them what they wanted. Yet they did it in a way that meant nothing could have been certain. You couldn't look at that scene and say they are 100% an item, but there's no way it was nothing but plutonic either. Obviously, part of that has to be down to what Nickelodeon would let them do, but at the same time it seems like a troll to the fans, to get people to argue about whose slash fiction fantasy is canon or not. And when TLA ended so perfectly, and rounded everything off so well, this feels kind of... wrong. Not to mention how there probably isn't going to be any more Avatar in any form from now on.

So yeah, I'm all for the two actually being together, but it feels like it was done for the wrong reasons, and in a frustratingly and intentionally ambiguous way.

Kind of sad that it's all over now. Although I gave this last series a rough time, it still had some really good bits, and that ending was better than I was expecting it to be.

EDIT: So it turns out what was heavily implied is canon after all. Spoilers, obviously:

Bryan Konietzko's Tumblr

So... that's good I guess. I suppose I would have liked it to be a bit more clear, and therefore less of a controversial point. But at least this means there's not a great big question mark hanging over the show forever, and it ended with something positive and interesting.

[Todinho]

So I watched the Hobbit 3....I hated the movie Im sorry but no matter how good your battle scenes are it cant save everything else.
I wont go into details because I'll be here all day if I do but instead off focusing on the dwarfs and Bilbo they decided to focus on the stupid and underdeveloped romance betewen Kate from Lost-Legolas and the dwarf(who was so forgetable I didnt even remeber his name),the lake town folk and their "hilarious" comic relief and of course shoving Sauron on our faces.
This to me is on the same level as the prequel trilogy of Star Wars,it was made only to make money and lost it's way and quality by trying to appeal to as many people as possible but at least it's over now.
Ps:Daín was awesome and the best thing in the movie by far

[The_Rooster]

Just watched The Imitation Game, one of the best films of the year. Cumberbatch is on top form and definitely worth at least an Oscar nomination.

It's certainly a history lesson that I can see being brought into schools. Alan Turing who only recently has been credited for what he did during the war needs to be remembered just as much as the great inventors of the last 100 years. A truly remarkable story for a remarkable man.

[Scrustle]

Usually I don't really watch much TV or films, let alone feel the need to actually say something about it, but recently there's been loads of stuff it seems. I didn't want to dump it all out in one post, so I thought I would stagger it out a bit.

So the other day I watched the final episode of Akame ga Kill. A really surprisingly good anime. I only started watching it on a whim. Heard someone mention it in a video, and for some reason decided to check it out from that. They didn't really do much to describe it, but I decided to see it for myself anyway.

It's not the type of show I usually watch. It's a shonen, and it starts looking like the most unimaginative example of the genre possible. A few short fight scenes that are dull and predictable, and character design that, while it's far from bad, also doesn't seem particularly original. And the intro theme. The music is pretty enjoyable, but overall it comes across as "shonen opening #30,682". The music is definitely a part of that too. Yet for some reason after watching the first episode I was curious to see more.

Even though I found myself getting invested pretty early, it does take some time to really show its colours. At first when all the characters are introduced they all seem pretty topey, and there's some eye-rolling fan service in a few spots too. But then the characters start showing some depth to them. They start fleshing them all out, and they become less cliched, and you start getting invested in them. Then people start dropping. They are absolutely not shy about killing off characters, and you're never quite sure when it's coming. It could be anyone at any time. It really gives a sense of danger to the fights, which also become a lot more interesting in their choreography and animation too.

On top of that, they actually do a good job of fleshing out the antagonist characters too. A lot of them aren't all bad, and they show that some even have lives outside of the conflict that the story is centred around. It actually makes you care about them, and when fights happen, you feel nervous for both characters. They also give a few of the antagonists interesting relationships with the protagonists too. One of them is a little far-fetched, but it suits their personality, and the other gives a really personal edge to the conflict between them.

There are still a few topey things throughout though. As I've said, character design is, well, see for yourself. That doesn't change throughout the show, as you would expect. Not bad by any means, but far from the best. Characters also have their own signature weapons, which makes fights interesting, but means character's spend a lot of time talking about them and shouting out names of attacks during fights. Similarly, there's a lot of characters standing around and explaining their cause and life story during fight scenes too. But none of this stuff is really a problem. I suppose it's stuff that goes along with the genre, but this show does a good job of not relying on this stuff, and sometimes using or even subverting it pretty well.

The finale is pretty great too, although I'd say the penultimate episode is probably better than the very last. More happens in it, and there's more characters involved. The last episode is still really good though. And as I've been watching this alongside Korra Book 4, I have to say there were several moments where I found myself enjoying this show significantly more.

[Alex79]

I watched Special When Lit the other night.

It's a documentary about pinball from the early days right up to the present. As a big fan of pinball when I was younger (still am, just don't see them about any more really) I was quite interested to watch this. It was alright, it's no Indie Game : The Movie or The King Of Kong, and it can be a little dry, but if you're a fan of the game it's probably worth checking out.

[Todinho]

So I've started watching Marvel's Daredevil the Netflix series about the hero ruined by Ben Affleck and to my surprise the series is actually pretty good it's hell of alot better than the 2003 movie that's for sure,the cast is solid and every actor is on point especially the guy who plays DareDevil I really like him on the role he can be both funny as the lawyer and way more intimidating than Cristian bale's Batman when he's DareDevil another thing that really surpised me was the fights scenes they are actually really good way better than most fights in Marvel movies to be honest,it's not martial arts movies level but still pretty solid and there's a grit to it that really adds to it. Im also really liking how they are doing the origin of the character I usually hate flashbacks but I think it's really well done here and I also have to say Im really liking this Kingpin he's way more interesting than he has any right to be speaking as someone who only knows him by the 90's spider-man cartoon. So yeah I really recommend it if you are into this type of drama the show is played very straight and can get really brutal at times but it also has plenty of humor to it without one detracting from the other so give it shot all of it is on Netflix already so there's no excuse for not trying also if the pilot doesnt sell you stick around at least until the second episode if the fight scene there doesnt do it for you then nothing will.

[Todinho]

So just finnished Daredevil and yeah it's fuckin awesome it's the best exploration of morality through a superhero since the Dark Knight it's really that good to the point I think this show is better written than all of Marvel phase 2,the second half of the show goes way more brutal and serious and it really started to remind me of Sha Po Lang(A Donnie Yen movie that I recently watched and loved ,it's a super brutal Hong Kong movie but also really good drama at it's core)in all the right ways.So yeah really glad I gave this a chance and that it got a second season,a little worried the showrunner wont be back but the writers will return so I think it will be fine.

[Todinho]

If you havent already go watch Mad Max:Fury Road best movie I've seen in theathers the whole year by a country mile!

[dezm0nd]

Saw it today! One of the best action films i've seen. The last time I was this engaged by balls out action was Children of Men of District 9. Loved it.

[JaySevenZero]

The last time I was this engaged by balls out action was Children of Men

Eh? Are you sure you're thinking of Children of Men? I've never thought of that film as having balls-out action.

[richie_in_japan]

Children of Men of District 9.

I think this might be one of Darren's slash fanfics.

[OneWingedSeahawk]

If you havent already go watch Mad Max:Fury Road best movie I've seen in theathers the whole year by a country mile!

Even though I did enjoy that film, I will forever love it for how much the annoying group behind us hated it. There's a dark satisfaction to be had when the people kicking your chair think they're seeing the worst film ever. Was good though, I have a soft spot for the old Women in Prison exploitation fics and this fitted in nicely. Music was boss too.


So! Right now i'm on a total Sherlock Holmes binge (i.e. read book then watch every adaptation possible of it), so i'll do just a summary of some quick thoughts least this be as tedious as sin.


Russian Sherlock Holmes is just the best. There's two versions really (plus a rather cool animated one), the 1980s Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson (starring Vasily Livanov and Vitaly Solomin who is possibly the best Watson) which is a very traditional take on the material and Sherlock Holmes (2013) starring Igor Petrenko and Andrei Panin which is the total opposite. With the latter the important scenes really are with Watson and his publisher where he argues the reality is fairly dull or unsavoury which prompts the mysteries we see on TV to change to the ones in the books. Really its like Sherlock in how it deconstructs stories and then reassembles them, except without the modern setting. Watson is very much like he is in the books minus some biographical differences and more of Holmes's traditional attributes actually being his (i.e. boxing, crack shot). Panin is pretty amazing actually, he gets the dead pan snarker down but with more of a reticence and insecurity than most Watsons. Petrenko is really good as well, its a very different Holmes. Really he's a bit of a shambles of a man compared to the say, Brett version who masks it all under a controlled stoicism, Petrenko also has that level of insecurity and social awkwardness. It's all on YT as well thanks to a fan translation <3

As for the older one, its pretty much up there with Brett's version if not a little bit more consistent.

Brett is still the best Holmes. Like, fo sho. It's just the awesome little things like the excitement on his face during the Dancing Men episode or his complete look of disgust whenever they're in the country.

Japanese Puppet Holmes is awesome, unintentional nightmare fuel. Which desperately needs subtitles *sigh* So is the 90s cartoon Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century actually - Holmes wakes up, his best friend long since dead but its okay as we've inputted his writing into a Robot with his face sooooo, no reason to grieve I guess. Holmes is really not bothered by the fact everyone he knows is dead.

Elementary vs Sherlock. Season 3 of Elementary just ended and while the first arc was good, the last part sort of just meandered along until a really strong and promising finale. Still hasn't reached the heights of season 1 but its endlessly watchable and Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu are marvelous. As for Sherlock.... Eh. I like Study in Pink, and even parts of Baskerville and The Great Game but its hard to shake off just how overrated it is. To some extent it could just be the writers, none of whom i've really enjoyed outside of Gatiss (and even then, I haven't really liked any of his fiction since Worst Journey in the World) but it just feels very shinny and rather hollow to me. A lot of the individual dialogue is very nice but Sherlock is too much of a superhero for my taste, Moriarty too non-descript 'crazy' and the whole thing has the air of thinking itself very clever without really having much behind the eyes. Like their treatment of Irene or pretty much the whole of S3. I like the acting though, obviously and I think they have one of the better Mycrofts and Lestrades (although they're rather thrown aside in S3) but 'eh' is about as much enthusiasm as I can get into it.

There's a lot of really good non-canon out there. Outside of TV and Film, Big Finish Audios do a wonderfully series starring Nicholas Briggs (he of that there Dalek fame), Michael Chabon has a wonderful book called 'The Final Solution' and Kim Newman has a collection on Moran/Moriarty which is quite spectacular. There's a few books as well following Irene which are worth a read.

Quick Loadown on all the adaptations ive done so far

The Good (no order)

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson
Elementary
Sherlock Holmes (Russian)
Sherlock Holmes (Downey JR)
Basil Rathbone films
Big Finish Sherlock Holmes
Clive Merrison radio series
Sherlock Holmes (Grenada)
Sherlock Hound - Epic Mrs Hudson is epic.
Peter Cushing Movies
Sherlock Holmes (65 series)
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes - Stephens is one of the best Holmes but the film is pretty so-so.
Frogware Games (Awakened, Crimes and Punishments Last Testament)

The Meh

Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street irregulars
Sherlock (S1) - Although its a pretty high one
Hound of the Baskervilles (2002)
Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century
A Study in Scarlet (1933)
The Seven-per-Cent Solution
Sherlock Holmes and the case of the Silk Stocking

And the Ugly

Sherlock: Case of Evil
Sherlock (S2-3) - I know, i'm a grouch
Matt Frewer TV films
Peter O'Toole cartoons
Without a Clue
Hound of the Baskervilles (Tom Baker)
The Hound of the Baskervilles (Peter Cook)
The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes's Smarter Brother

[Todinho]

Woah you're really into Sherlock Holmes,cool that I've got an expert talking about the russian series I've been wanting to watch them for awhile but I wasnt sure if they were gonna be good but after seeing you talk about it I have no fear XD

Also Im giving up on Game of Thrones I know was a mistake to watch this season and it has brought nothing but pain I havent seen a source material being this butchered since the Hobbit and this one is much worse so i cant watch anymore what damn shame,if you only watch the show I beg you to read the books because the true story is there.

[Alex79]

I've started watching Lost again as my girlfriend finally agreed to watch it with me after saying it was rubbish for ages. Now she loves it. It's the fourth time I'll have watched it all the way through It's still the best thing I have ever seen with my eyes. I'm such a Lost fanboy that its almost embarrassing...