Veltigar

As to the spoilered comment, I just wrote a comment in response to Isis that acknowledged that as well. You were just a bit quicker I wrote my initial comment after I was in the midst of that episode. Having finished it now, I do indeed think it's quite a good set up from the writers in that episode. They do however also hype up Ellie in the episode before that

Not to mention that most characters who describe her as such have spent like 5 minutes in her company, although I have to admit that at least in You're right by the way, I did mean palpable. Corrected that in the original post. I do disagree with your take on TWD however. Admittedly, I dropped out after season 4 or 5 so perhaps it got better afterwards but to me in the seasons I watched, TWD never really broached the subject with any sort of complexity. The performances were almost uniformly terrible, the villains were idiotic and it was rather too focussed on shock value and action instead of giving the world and the characters time to breath and develop. I also hated the slow ambling zombies. It's ridiculous that they would be a problem, so at least in The Last of Us the fungus has created several types of antagonists.

I decided to start watching The Last of Us finally. I think I'm about to start episode 7. I am enjoying it so far, but I have to say that I do kind of get the few critical comments I saw about it up thread. It's nothing new and I expect a lot of the hype about the series comes from people who haven't seen 28 days later yet or who are over nostalgic about the game on which it was based. That being said, we might have had a lot of zombies in our pop culture over the last 20 years, but at least this series so far executes the tired tropes excellently. The difference with something like The Walking Dead is palatable palpable EDIT: One thing I don't get is how they keep on fussing about how special Ellie is. There really is no indication in my mind that she's more clever or better able to lead than any other rando in this series, but they just keep on obsessing about how special she is...

I was stuck with having to travel with an airline that quite frankly had a terribly inadequate selection of films, but it did lead me to watch DC League of Super-pets. If I hadn't been stuck on that plane, I wouldn't have touched it with a ten-foot pole, but I gave it a chance out of sheer boredom and it was actually rather good. Perhaps it's my weird fascination with Kevin Hart - Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson collaborations (I didn't realize they were in it before starting the film), but I genuinely had a good time. I thought the humour worked surprisingly well and I'm quite surprised that it was a box-office bomb. I also watched season 8 of Endeavor when I got back home. Like always, each season has three episodes. I thought the first was okay, the second one was quite good, and the third one was awful. It's such a frustrating show. I still think its pilot episode was probably the greatest British murder mystery (I use that very specific description since it's basically a genre on its own) ever, but this show definitely went on way beyond its best-before-date. The performances are still great, but the quality of the mysteries are usually terrifyingly awful. I read that there is one more season left (9 which has been released in the UK already), but I'm not betting on getting any resolution to the personal dramas of Endeavor, which is a shame.

I actually quite liked the Amsterdam episode. It's a bit annoying that it's treated like some mystical land (first by Atlanta and now this), but with the exception of the Rebecca storyline which I'll admit was cringe, I liked the various adventures. What is more, I think we actually see the plot move forward. I really want to see this series end with them winning the premier league. Probably impossible at this point, but at least West ham deserves to get a drubbing. With Ted's discovery of total football, I hope we'll finally see some action.

According to IMDB, for the American release some of the more overtly pedo lines were edited out and these were restored in the later international cut. I hope that you watched the American version back in the day and I watched the international one, because the interaction between the two characters was anything but paternal in my book.

Watched the latest episode of The Mandalorian. It wasn't great, as per the usual, but I did think it was one of the better episodes of the season. I still don't understand a lot of the writing choices, but at least they had some cool set pieces. After that I let myself be convinced to watch Leon The Professional. I had never seen it before, knowing of the film's (and Besson's) problematic reputation, but my friend who had never seen it either really wanted to watch it as it is apparently 35 on IMDB's top 250 greatest movies' list. He had no clue about the content of the film however, so at least it was interesting to observe his shocked reactions as the film progressed. In my opinion, Leon is profoundly troubling and I really hope that a film like that will never be made again. It could have been even worse I suppose, because when you read the IMDB trivia section it turns out that the original screenplay was even more criminally deranged. I also hated the camera work, although I cannot really put a finger on what rubbed me the wrong way there. I do have to admit that the performances were top notch. They elevate the film considerably. It still doesn't warrant such a high score on IMDb however.

There was a tiny bit of build up, though not on the level off other shows

For me, that's really the best thing about the episode. I appreciate this show because of the dialogue, but it will never be one of the greats for me since I cannot latch on to any of the characters. This episode was light on the jokes, but the way it progressed was eerily realistic. If this had happened in a show where I felt emotionally connected to the characters, it would have fucked me up royally. I wouldn't mind seeing more fiction incorporating this type of story telling. I also want to return to Logan's best quote of this season so far and give my two cents: I think the fundamental conclusion of this show, which Logan finally openly gave voice to, is that he's flush with heirs but has no successor. Not even in a hidden Claudius I way. That's his curse, and he cannot escape it, because I do believe that Logan genuinely loves his children despite the fact that he's been a dreadful father. The NYT had an interesting take on none of the children being a serious person. According to the commentator, it wasn't purely Logan's bad parenting that did the siblings in. They argued that the overwhelming wealth and growing up in an environment surrounded by sycophantic courtiers would have probably corrupted them even if Logan had been a decent father. It's a rather bleak conclusion, but I do think it fits this show. I'm also pretty sure that the writers will land on an equally bleak end for this show. All the siblings except for maybe Connor emotionally broken, while they devolve into wealthy irrelevance (because of course none of these people will end up poor, that would be a happy end for the audience, which we will not get).

Watched a couple of things this weekend. First, the latest episode of the Mandalorian. After an unexpectedly decent turn last week, it's back to shit level again. I feel like they are turning Mando into a side character in his own show, which is quite annoying as he and Grogy are one of the few things that works about this series. My friends were saying it basically felt like a chore sitting through this series now and I agree. We'll probably finish the season and if it doesn't improve, we'll drop it. After that, one of my friends made the shameful confession of never having seen the original Highlander film. I was dog tired, but I couldn't skip this. It's such a great B-film. Christopher Lambert's film output in the 1980s and 1990s is such a weird thing, it's almost a genre on its own. After that I got caught up on Succession's new season. I have never been as big of a fan of this series as others, since I find it hard to relate to anyone on this show and it's hard for me to get back into it. I do still like the dialogue, that's really the star of this show for me, but I feel like the events in the first three episodes haven't lent themselves to the kind of great insults that I like the most from this show.

I went to see Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves as well this weekend. Very enjoyable film in my book. Not a stone cold classic by any means, but just a good, uncomplicated piece of fun. I haven't read any interviews with the creators, but I'm going to assume that these are people who are at least somewhat familiar with the source material and have had some fun memories playing D&D because they were very respectful towards the material. I wouldn't mind more content in this universe from this creative team. For the rest I watched The Mandalorian's latest episode and I kind of dug it. Still not what it could be (the tactics were awful), but it's the first episode of this season were I felt really engrossed in the setting. I hope they'll continue on this path. Also rewatched Zoolander. It's never been a favourite of mine, but I have to admit that it is better than what I remembered. Rather funny, although my friends and I were shocked to find that certain lines we quoted from the film actually weren't really said in that way during the film.

As to John Wick IV's ending Jared Leto in this film is amazing. I'd watch a spin-off of just that guy overacting and putting on his exaggerated fake accent. He just cracked me up.

Ask someone to point a gun at you and shoot if you do not finish an episode. Works wonders

It's been awhile since I last saw ATLA, but apart from some exceptions in the first book, I do think the average level of world building and plotting was much higher than what we see in The Mandalorian. The frustrating thing about The Mandalorian is that I see glimmers of something better in there on occasion. I have said it before and will say it again, but The Mandalorian has pretty cool character design and his relationship with Grogu works exceedingly well as the emotional centre of the show. But the writers insist on breaking their own windows by not thinking this shit through.

Got caught up on The Mandalorian. I think it has improved somewhat from the bumpy start of the season, but it's still a show that exudes wasted potential. The last episode included a Roc like flying creature that provided some nice action set pieces, but the way the story contrives to make the problem solvable for the (not terribly bright) protagonists in this show is really a drag.

I went to see John Wick Chapter IV yesterday with some friends and had a great time. One of them had never seen any John Wick films before and was hesitant to give it a try seeing how it was the fourth film in a franchise, but afterwards he came to me and said it was exactly the relaxation he needed after a very busy week at work I feel like this film really shows the evolution of the director's abilities. It's a step up on almost every level, bar one. It succeeds into creating a more interesting narrative and it introduces interesting characters at a faster pace than prior instalments. Visually it's also stunning, with beautiful use of colours and neon (I'd say that Refn is a major influence) and a lot of locations that flash just how lavish the budget must have been. The one thing that wasn't a step up, strangely enough, was the action. This franchise has the best action violence of the last years. I love how brutal it remains and there were plenty of creative kills. What I was missing however, was something new. A lot of action scenes reminded me of things they did in the first and third film especially. That's not a bad thing per se, because those films are awesome. I did however feel like a lot of it was just a parade of greatest hits (here is Keanu killing people in a nightclub, here in a muscle car, here is a dog, etc.) and that perhaps the creative team needs time to germinate some new ideas for fight scenes. I read on the internet that John Wick is taking a break for now (although there are spin-offs in the work), but I do suspect he'll eventually return. It wouldn't surprise me if a longer hiatus would be good for the franchise and lead to a truly spectacular 5th film.

Been catching up on South Park. I watched the three episodes of this season and the Streaming Wars specials that I missed last year. The specials have never really done it for me and the Streaming Wars is not much of a step up from the previous specials. That being said, the new season of South Park has been pretty good so far. It has returned to a more episodic format and I feel like it is a return to form. I hope they keep experimenting with other formats (like a seasonal arc), but that they are also confident enough to only do this when they have a clear idea/desire to do so.

I went to see Creed III in IMAX earlier today. I still have trouble believing this franchise is real. If you would have told me before the release of the first one that these films would not only be good, but actually surpass the Rocky franchise from which it spawned (and of which I am a tremendous fan), I would not have believed you. And yet they do. Pound-for-pound or even in a direct line up (Creed 1 v. Rocky; Creed II v. Rocky II, etc.) the Creed franchise takes home the gold. This third instalment is no exception. In fact it is a magnificent film and it might even be my favourite film in the entire franchise. It contains all the classic elements I have come to adore about a Rocky film, but it manages to make the story feel even more personal by daring to delve into darker territory. The story of two friends/brothers struggling with past trauma and not being able to manage it in a constructive way is heart-wrenching. The excellent story is furthered by complex performances from all the main cast members. Michael B. Jordan has always been terrific as Creed, but this film actually manages to flesh out Tessa Thompson's character. The same goes for Phylicia Rashad's Mary-Anne Creed, who gets some beautiful scenes with her son. Stealing the show however is Jonathan Majors. i have said before that the man is a star in the making and I stick to that. So far, he's been good in all the atrocious stuff I have seen him in, but here, in this film I feel we finally get to see what the man can accomplish when he's not fighting against a mediocre story. He might be the best antagonist this franchise ever had. More intimidating than Clubber Lang, more openly hostile than Apollo in the beginning and much more of an active player than Drago was. On top of the performances and the story, I also have to shower praise on the director. This film has some superbly interesting shots in it and I know I now really want to see Michael B. Jordan helm more films. It's such an accomplished feature that it really pops out visually. He's done an excellent job. The fights also hit hard and if you watch it in IMAX, it feels like you are right there with the actors in the ring. Great experience in sort of the same way that Top Gun: Maverick was. I might even go again if it plays in IMAX long enough. One final thing I really liked was the score. Great musical scores throughout and the only thing I was really missing was

Dude... If I'm Rothfuss I'm calling that guy and ask him to ghostwrite A Door of Stone for me

I watched a bunch of stuff yesterday, including: The Harley Quinn Valentine Day special. I love the fact that this series is now popular enough to warrant specials. That being said, it was very forgettable as far as Harley Quinn episodes go. Would recommend it if you are really into the series, but otherwise perfectly okay to skip. The new episode from The Mandalorian. I was real glad that it only lasted for twenty minutes. That felt like mercy to me, so not a great sign for the series as a whole. If I didn't see this with friends, I think I would quit. Hopefully that feeling changes over the course of the season. Then I watched Logan Lucky, one of those films from the last couple of years that I never got around to. It wasn't a great night of entertainment for me and I think this was probably the worst thing I saw that evening. Everyone aside from Riley Keogh was really poor in it, the humour was non-existent (apart from one extended hilarious joke about TWOW) and even by the low, low standards of heist movies I thought the plot was convoluted. I'm also pretty sure that this film was the first that tried to give us Daniel Craig's take on a good ol' boy and I believe we all concur that it needs to stop. We finished off with a pallet cleanser of Rick & Morty. Specifically the episode in which they make fun of heist movies. We followed it up with the dragon episode which is not really seen as a good episode, but I still loved tremendously with it.

I was in the same headspace as your wife concerning goodwill for the franchise and I also found the beginning quite difficult. I guess we're so conditioned to expect a certain thing from SW now that it is hard to adjust to a different take. I did restart it eventually however, after more than a month of break due to travel at the recommendation of @Corvinus85 and others, which was very fortunate for me as it picks up considerable speed from episode 4 onwards to become one of the best TV-show of last year. There is a famous actor from LOTR who is included in later episodes whose arc in particular floored me. In fact, his last scene in the first season was probably my favourite moment of television in 2022. So there is something to look forward to definitely

A friend talked me into watching another season of The Mandalorian. In preparation for watching the episode together tomorrow, I finally watched the three Mandalorian episodes embedded in The Book of Boba Fett. I have to say that I'm not entirely looking forward to season three of The Mandalorian based on these episodes. I'm not saying anything shocking when I state that this is clearly no Andor. What I find striking however, is that whenever I watch The Mandalorian, I come away with a feeling of wasted potential. The Mandalorian is a pretty cool character (visually) and the emotional connection at the core of the story works well. It's just so unfortunate that the emotional storyline of Grogu and Mando is played out on such an idiotic canvas. The world just feels fake. There is no depth to anything. There are also no stakes and most of what works is just reminiscent of better properties outside of Disney Star Wars So yeah, The Mandalorian season 3 is facing an uphill battle to convince me. It's just maddening to know that they can produce an Andor if they set their mind to it and then just choose not to do so. Plus est en vous Disney.

No. Nothing whatsoever 5c5ad7259e42b911d3055365.jpg (1000×669) (ghostwhalelondon.com)

I went to see Cocaine Bear over the weekend. It was way better than a movie with that title should be (A friend of mine described it as "it's like Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter except for the fact that it's also a good movie). It's definitely not a cinematic master piece, but it was a great time at the movies for me. The actors are all solid, which is not that surprising when you look at the cast. Keri Russel, Ray Liotta, Kristofer Hivju, Margo Martindale, Matthew Rhys, Isiah Whitlock Jr. and Ice Cube's kid. That's an impressive line up for a film with such a jokey concept. I'm assuming Elizabeth Banks pulled a lot of strings to get this many veteran actors together for this type of a crazy concept film. The action is pretty good, the bear CGI is well done and aside from the fact that it has some really funny moments, it also has some pretty good dramatic beats (in particular, the cop's storyline was quite touching imo). So yeah, definitely would recommend seeing it.

Oh, nice, that is sooner than I anticipated Although it will be difficult to decide whether to binge this or watch it on a weekly basis. So far I have done the binging strategy and I feel like the series is wonderful for that.