After seven years of acting as the show runner for Doctor Who, Steven Moffat will be stepping down. He has not gone into detail about the reason for his departure only commenting “the fact is my timey-wimey is running out.” No word on if this is somehow related to some kind of medical or personal trouble has been given.
What does this mean for everyone’s favorite Time Lord? It appears he won’t be seeing much action this year as the production team plans to air only a Christmas special in 2016 and push the next full season back to 2017. This is probably to give new show runner, Chris Chibnail (Broadchurch) the time necessary to work on the scripts for his first season as the person in charge.
As a long time fan of the show who came in just as Moffat took over as show runner this news is disheartening. Doctor Who and his companions went on many fantastic and entertaining adventures under his tenure. Whatever the future holds for you Mr. Moffat, know you have earned the respect of many sci-fi fans around the world who wish you luck on the journey which lies ahead. Now run you clever boy and remember.
This season I did something that I normally never do. I watched every show that is available for legal streaming. Normally I just watch what I’m interested in and wait and see if there is buzz around a show I neglected. Not this time around. I sweated, I cringed and toiled and even gave a few shows a second chance just to be nice. Considering I rarely ever do this sort of thing, it’s no surprise I haven’t really thought about the topic I’m going to talk about. The different between a good and bad 1st Anime episode.
Now most people don’t really go into Anime with high expectations anymore. That’s just the way it is. The markets been to over saturated with mediocre material that we tend to be more forgiving. And the fact that everything is so accessible we end up using the “okay” shows to take up our free time. I know what I just said kinda relates to anime as a whole, but it’s still something that affects how we ultimately go into a show to begin with. So lets delve into my continuing high expectations of anime and see what makes a good, bad, and even mediocre 1st anime episode.
Mediocrity Is Bad, But For Different Reasons
So at first I was only going to talk about the distinct differences between good and bad 1st anime episodes. Then I realized that a lot of the shows I watched weren’t necessarily bad, but they didn’t grab me like I feel a good how should, neither does it push me away like an inherently bad episode. It leaves me floating in some sort of anime limbo where I don’t feel anything. Sure there was nothing really wrong about the show but it didn’t keep me engaged enough to warrant another episode. I’ll spare you my long laundry list of dropped shows on this justification alone, but believe me when I say there are many.
Honestly I wouldn’t really remember these shows if it wasn’t for MyAnimeList keeping a log of my dropped shows. I don’t really want to spend much time on this because mediocrity is almost the worst thing to talk about and has more of a grey zone than when talking about good and bad shows. Mostly I wanted to bring this up because I was feeling this a lot this season and had to acknowledge that, anyway moving on.
What A Good 1st Anime Episode Can Do
So keep in mind that “good 1st episode” doesn’t necessarily mean “good show”. Sometimes a show will pour everything it has into the 1st episode of a series and that’s all it will have. This is a topic for a whole other time. Now we’re only focusing on why and when a 1st anime episode is good.
“Amount of context” is probably the biggest factor when determining whether you want to continue watching something. A first episode needs to know that it’s the first episode. That means it needs to know that there are other episodes that will follow. And that means that it needs to know what information the viewer needs to get them through this episode and what they can save for later. All you really need for the first episode is to focus on the main hook of your series and why we should care. This comes first even before characters. Characters can grow and change through a show as they experience the events unfold. Now if your hook is something special about the characters then its a given that you would focus on that. If not leave them aside and make sure that your characters have enough footing to start moving and its stable enough to where the viewer can follow them. Of course I’m not contrasting this yet but everything will make sense when you relate it to having a bad 1st anime episode.
A Bad 1st Anime Episode Could Spell Disaster
This is where you take all the things I’ve said in the previous paragraphs and call me out on talking about a subject that is mostly subjective. Well what isn’t? So before you form too much of an opinion hear me out. I’m trying my best to keep this as far from a “I just don’t like what the show is” argument as possible.
Oddly enough the “amount of context” is the catalyst for both good and bad 1st episodes. Shouldn’t have been much of a shocker that doing something good would make a show good and doing something bad would make it bad. The reasoning why it’s so detrimental for a bad 1st episode will be similar as to why it’s so important for a good 1st episode. If you have a show that feels like it needs to throw every cool idea at you at once, you’re going to feel some overload. Shows that don’t take their time building things don’t show confidence in their work. If anything they put too much stock into one aspect and hand-fist it in because its their catch. Or conversely they hold back whats really important and special about the show too much and doesn’t make you want to get invested. It’s definitely a tight rope to walk.
Having first episodes that focus a lot on context generally means that the story is going to be too complicated to begin with, or that they couldn’t think of a creative way to weave it into the story naturally. Bad 1st anime episodes love to use the “exposition robot”, which basically is just a character (sometimes many) divulging into a back cover description of how the world works. Often unprompted and not having any significance with whats going on at hand. Its downright lazy. Some people may forgive this but I’m too “worn” to take it anymore. So for those shows, I’ll just put aside and wait to hear how the rest of the show turns out.
Is There Anything To Take Away Here?
Ultimately a first anime episode can either be a big divergence or right on the nose of what the rest of the series will be. The downside is that if you see a bad first episode and you’re inclined to drop the show, you might miss out on something special, and no one wants that. In a perfect world we wouldn’t have to worry about this and the only thing we would consider when watching something would be taste. But the anime world isn’t perfect yet. So for now try your best to judge for yourself if a show is worth giving a second chance, and I will too. Just don’t come crying to me when I call a show shitty after only seeing the first episode. You don’t eat a bite out of a shit sandwich and keep eating to see how the rest tastes. Because shit tastes bad, and so does bad 1st anime episodes.
Lions Winter Ale is named after the peaks in the distance
Established in 1984, Granville Island Brewing in Vancouver, BC became a big name in Canadian craft brewing. Sadly, Granville Island Brewing was bought in 2009 by a subsidiary of Molson Coors and so no longer qualifies as a craft beer. That being said, Granville Island Brewing still makes excellent beer. Also, though I live in Canada I haven’t yet reviewed a seasonal brew, and living in Canada I’m pretty sure I’m legally obliged to do just that, so here’s my review of Granville Island Brewing’s Lions Winter Ale, named for the lions that overlook Canada’s Pacific coast.
First Sip:
The tastes of chocolate and vanilla that flood my mouth on my first sip quickly give way to an only slightly bitter aftertaste, which is softened by the sweetness of this Winter Ale’s heavy malt flavour. Lions Winter Ale’s rich flavour fools me into thinking that it’ll have a thick, creamy mouth-feel. Instead, it doesn’t have the creaminess of a stout or a porter. It’s an ale through and through with its transparent deep amber colour and fizzy drinkability.
Last Sip:
Another excellent seasonal beer completed. I generally warn against letting beers go to room temperature but this is one that, though it should never be drunk warm or flat, could be drunk at room temperature and not automatically trigger one’s gag reflex.
Other Comments:
As advertised, Lions Winter Ale goes well with sweet and creamy foods but this beer’s rich flavour can also taste great alongside a savoury dish like a steak or some grilled vegetables.
IMDb has just confirmed that the gorgeous star of The Walking Dead, Lauren Cohan, will appear in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice as the mother of young Bruce Wayne. We already know we will see the night that created The Dark Knight in a flashbacks from previous trailers, but we don’t know if we will see any more flashbacks that include scenes with Bruce’s parents. Considering the fact that there are already so many characters and plots there probably won’t be too many scenes featuring Martha and Thomas Wayne, who is played by Watchmen’sJeffrey Dean Morgan.
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice releases March 25th, 2016 and will star Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Gal Gadot, Jessie Eisenberg, Laurence Fishburne and will be directed by Zack Snyder. The film will lead up to the Justice League movie on November 17th, 2017.
Jessica Jones! Episode 3! ‘AKA It’s Called Whiskey’ picks up what was left the last episode, both in plot, tone, and quality.
Review of Jessica Jones Episode 3 ‘AKA It’s Called Whiskey’
After a break which took way too long (holidays, tournaments, and laziness all contributing factors), here we are! Back to reviewing Jessica Jones! These episodes will be reviewed weekly as if it were airing now, and normally. Episode three, or ‘AKA It’s Called Whiskey’ continues where the previous episode left off, with Hope freaking out, Kilgrave looming ever more, and the search for Sufentanil.
Let’s start with the very middle of this episode, the flashback Jessica has when she first sees Kilgrave again. Not only is this a great moment, but it reveals a lot. It first confirms that Jessica had killed Luke’s wife, something strongly hinted at in earlier flashbacks, but it also shows us the last time Jessica saw Kilgrave. Even with very little context, and before we have truly gotten to know Kilgrave as a character, David Tenant did a great job conveying the subtle fear coming from Kilgrave as he called once again for Jessica to come back. As she was walking away we can hear Kilgrave call again and again, “Jessica!” Perfectly reminiscent of the creepy whispers heard throughout the trailers and early episodes while also highlighting the desperation that begins to inflict his voice. Kilgrave has never lost control of someone, he both cannot believe she isn’t listening and is fearing the consequences. This is all apparent solely through this scene, no back story required.
As for how Jessica managed to free herself from Kilgrave’s control well… its still unclear at this point. In the comic there was this whole big operation, including certain telepathic mutants to get Jessica free. According to what we’ve seen so far she just… is. Jessica doesn’t do anything special or realize a key truth, she just resists. Of course, it’s harsh to judge based solely on the first flashback to explain it, but that better not be the sole explanation.
Trisha is a key component of this episode, not only pissing Kilgrave off, which she will regret soon, but also showing off her training and security, neither do much good. A key line that really caught my attention from Trish was, “No one touches me unless I want them too.” Of course, it’s a little too early to speculate, and perhaps the fight between her and police guy is the payoff (which would be rather weak), but I’m inclined to believe that at some point later Kilgrave will contradict this claim by miss Patsy.
Jeri uses Trish’s interview to kickstart her delusion defense, claiming that mind control is hard to believe. Which boggles the mind, as Trish said, this city was attacked by aliens not long ago. Not to mention the existence of Thor and Vision, and oh yeah, Loki had mind control. It’s hard to believe that it’s hard to believe that Kilgrave is real.
HOW CAN YOU NOT BELIEVE???
Trish’s fight scene with police guy is deliciously brutal, the kind that with each thud you wince. This kind of fight perfectly blends with the dark, realistic tone of the show, while delivering something Luke and Jessica’s fights lack, consequences.
Jessica was quite resourceful this episode, using her quick wit to fake Trish’s death, put a tracker on Police guy, and trick him into believing that he jumped off. Even using Malcolm to gain access to the Sufentanil, quick comment there, while I don’t want to spoil anything, I do find it fascinating that Jessica would use Malcolm like that, considering his future character arc.
Luke had a really interesting line, “Being a hero just puts a target on your back.” I really like this line because it both quickly introduces us to Luke’s philosophy, while hinting at the upcoming Luke Cage series. Why does he believe this? Has his target been shot at before? Has he tried to be a hero? A close friend/relative?
Another great line is from Trish, being “Graduating from alcoholism?” Not for any particular reason, it doesn’t reveal anything about the characters, but it’s a nice, witty line.
David Tenant’s belated introduction, as in we actually see him, was fantastic as well, continuing to show off that creepy yet suave tone used before, the moment we see his face intercut with the flashback well. And of course, the room of Jessica. I don’t think any elaboration is needed here, it’s just a great moment, and many are to come.
Before we end I’d also like to make a special mention to the music. While I discussed the theme last episode, the OST, in general, has been pretty great too. In fact, this was written while listening to the soundtrack, highly recommend.
Nine days after the nominations for the 88th Academy Awards were announced and the ‘Oscars So White’ backlash grew, the Academy responded with change to diversify its membership.
The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Friday; they approved a sweeping series of substantive changes designed to make the Academy’s membership, its governing bodies, and its voting members significantly more diverse in a unanimous vote Thursday night. The Board’s goal is to commit to doubling the number of women and diverse members of the Academy by 2020.
“The Academy is going to lead and not wait for the industry to catch up,” said Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs. “These new measures regarding governance and voting will have an immediate impact and begin the process of significantly changing our membership composition.”
Oscar Diversity Effort Breakdown
Beginning later this year, each new member’s voting status will last 10 years, and will be renewed if that new member has been active in motion pictures during that decade. In addition, members will receive lifetime voting rights after three ten-year terms; or if they have won or been nominated for an Academy Award. We will apply these same standards retroactively to current members. In other words, if a current member has not been active in the last 10 years they can still qualify by meeting the other criteria. Those who do not qualify for active status will be moved to emeritus status. Emeritus members do not pay dues but enjoy all the privileges of membership, except voting. This will not affect voting for this year’s Oscars.
At the same time, the Academy will supplement the traditional process in which current members sponsor new members by launching an ambitious, global campaign to identify and recruit qualified new members who represent greater diversity.
In order to immediately increase diversity on the Board of Governors, the Academy will establish three new governor seats that will be nominated by the President for three-year terms and confirmed by the Board.
The Academy will also take immediate action to increase diversity by adding new members who are not Governors to its executive and board committees where key decisions about membership and governance are made. This will allow new members an opportunity to become more active in Academy decision-making and help the organization identify and nurture future leaders.
The 88th Academy Awards will be held February 28 live from the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, hosted by Chris Rock.
DC Comics relaunched their universe in 2011 with 52 titles starting over at issue one. This concept was met with mixed reaction to put it mildly as it turned the Universe on its head, reinventing classic characters and eliminating others.
Now it appears a reboot is coming this summer to align with the DC Comics Cinematic Universe.
Bleeding Cool is reporting that the relaunch will happen in June and the new line of books will be dominated with Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and Harley Quinn/Suicide Squad-related titles. All books tied to film and/or TV show like Flash and Green Arrow will survive the relaunch, other might not fair so well.
DC Comics is not calling this a reboot or relaunch, it’s a rebirth according to Dan Didio, DC Comics Co-Publisher.
Alan Tudyk and Diamond Comics Distributors released a video promoting Tudyk’s involvement in Free Comic Book Day on May 7.
Tudyk, perhaps best known for his role as Hoban ‘Wash’ Washburne in the cult sci-fi Western series Firefly, has teamed up with co-star Nathan Fillion to present the first Spectrum comic from their highly successful web series, Con Man! Tudyk will pen with comic with novelist/producer PJ Haarsma (The Softwire Series) and artist Sarah Stone (Transformers).
Con Man’s Spectrum FCBD 2016 Edition will be available for free at select comic shops nationwide only on May 7. For the copmplete list of FCBD books and participating stores vist freecomicbookday.com.
Milos Forman isn’t concerned with history in Amadeus. Accuracy is here in a primal sense, aesthetically. But beyond certain elements, a lecture on period accuracy was never the director’s plan. No, Forman is concerned primarily with mood, atmosphere, and most of all, an unbridled energy. That energy is at the core of what makes Amadeus so completely brilliant. This is a period drama about a legendary classical composer, painted with a punk-rock sensibility and attention to all the right things which make it universal. It explodes from the screen like the insanely falsetto rattle of Mozart’s laugh, the hedonism not only shaping the character, but classifying the entire picture. Despite the seething jealousy driving our antagonist, Amadeus and his film will live on forever. This jealousy we speak of, it will die. It will wither away in a madhouse, inside the black heart of a bitter old man.
That bitter old man, the driving force of the narrative, is Antonio Salieri, played by F. Murray Abraham in his Oscar-winning performance. Salieri’s tale of how he eventually killed Mozart is the framing device for the film. We meet him in his last days, confined to an insane asylum and consumed by guilt, bitterness, and spite toward God for never giving him the gifts he sought. Salieri poured his heart and soul into becoming a composer, a great composer, even vowing celibacy if it would allow him the success he desires. He tells his story to a young priest (an extension of God, that’s important) who is concerned for his “lost soul.” Salieri, now convinced there is no God, smirks at the earnestness of this young priest, and begins his tale in a subconscious effort to prove this man of the cloth has devoted his life to nothing in the end.
Salieri’s first glimpse of Mozart as a young man sets the table. In this stuffy world of Viennese Classicism, full of powdered wigs and stodgy clothing, constricted by formality, a world in which Salieri is devoutly invested, comes Mozart, a debauched young man who is everything Salieri is not and can never be in many ways. Introduced into the film chasing his future bride across the floor, speaking backwards, using words like “fart” and “shitwit,” Amadeus is a man from a modern world, trapped in a time where his sensibilities don’t belong. He is anti-authoritarian, slanted by a punk-rock mentality. His powdered wigs enhance this angle, spiked at times, a hint of pink at others. His clothes are purple, or blue, with a bit more shine than everyone else. And his laugh, created using the historical claims of women who knew him, has a rat-a-tat insanity, breaking apart the stuffy sitting rooms and formality.
This effortlessly brilliant composer is bucking the system because he can, and it almost immediately consumes Salieri.
Mozart insults Salieri from the beginning, changing one of his concerto’s and in the process elevating it beyond anything Salieri could have created within his own limitations. “How could this,” Salieri asks, “be the voice of God?” It is God with whom Salieri battles more openly; his desire to ruin Mozart is a secret mission which consumes him and, ultimately, ruins him. It’s not God who works through Mozart, it is Mozart himself who creates these masterpieces one after another, effortlessly. The picture is very much placed in this mindset. And Antonio Salieri’s devotion to his spiritual leader is a fallacy, a God who tortured him with the ear for perfection, but the creativity of a bargain-basement hack.
In the third act, darkness consumes the gleeful madness of the film and ultimately destroys both men. Salieri’s desire to ruin his adversary manifests itself beyond his mind, the gloom personifying in the film’s physical representation of Mozart’s father’s ghost. It is a chilling final act, almost belonging in a horror. And it is most certainly is horror – of the mind and the soul, and Salieri has now officially given up on his God.
Amadeus breezes through its three-hour run time because of Forman’s dedication to the energy and madness at the core of the story, his willingness to permeate the entire structure with this punk-rock persona, a perfect fit for 1984. This is a period drama about a classical composer, but it is a most modern film. Part of its universal modernity comes in Forman’s conscious decision to have the actors use their regular accents so as not to distract them or the picture. It remains relevant, wily and painted with a modern brush of mad genius. It is full of universal truths which transcend any historical era. This brilliant madman, gleefully anti-establishment, destroys another madman, poisoned by jealousy and, eventually, left without his God. The music is an important element, of course, and it’s well-documented accuracy creates a wonderful world of unforgettable sound. Everything here is entirely gorgeous and brimming with creative wonder. The film won a staggering eight Academy Awards from 11 nominations, and each is entirely earned. Like Mozart’s music, his film will live beyond us all.
Momentum Pictures released the trailer for the western Forsaken, starring Donald and Kiefer Sutherland.
In 1872, JOHN HENRY CLAYTON (Kiefer Sutherland) retires as a gunfighter and returns to his hometown of Fowler, Wyoming in hope of repairing his relationship with his estranged father, REVEREND CLAYTON (Donald Sutherland). However, he soon learns that the town is in turmoil, as the railroad will be coming through the area and a criminal gang is terrorizing ranchers who refuse to sell their land. John Henry is the only one who can stop them, but his father does not want his son to return to a life of violence.
With Michael Wincott and Brian Cox as the main villains, take my money, please.
Forsaken is directed by Jon Cassar of 24 fame, for a script by Brad Mirman. Miran worked on the script for Highlander: The Final Dimension, with Mario Van Peebles as Kane (unwanted movie trivia).
Forsaken also stars Demi Moore Landon Liboiron, Siobhan Williams, and has a release date of February 19.
