[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Pacing of For All Mankind improved through episode 5, and it got a bit more interesting---particularly with its (extremely shallow) foray into astronaut training, space travel, etc. Still, the adjectives that come to mind are 'schmaltzy' and 'ham fisted'... I also dislike the camera work---perhaps it's imitating some old-timey 70's style? It's blocky, stiff, rigid, and (to me at least) unappealing (though some may enjoy it for the nostalgia / familiarity factor I guess). The plots try very blatant cheap (and frequently unrealistic) attempts at emotional manipulation over and over but (for me) only evoked real pathos once---and only because I mixed up the names of two characters. The visuals are generally mediocre. Decided to bail after episode 5 (I have minimal desire to try to slog through 3 seasons of that show, but maybe I'll come back to it before my free trial ends on July 20th if I have time).

Watched first episode of Foundation. Great visuals... except when applied to human bodies (had to lol...). Worth watching for the visuals alone IMO. Excellent cinematography, though there are a few very noticeable continuity errors.

Acting is okay, some of it could be better. I've liked Lee Pace in some other things (particularly his leading role in Halt and Catch Fire), but he manages to botch some pretty good lines by sounding like he has no idea what he's saying....

A few stretched-out moments were obviously reaching for pathos, but lacked sufficient set-up or context to evoke it---pacing of the build-up was too fast (or almost nonexistent), pacing of the moment too long (... who are these characters again? oh, I guess that's her...). Would have been nice if they'd included some extra scenes, or a longer version with more build-up and worldbuilding.

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 27 June 2022 - 05:40 PM

[Malankazooie]

Finished up the last season of Better Call Saul to the midseason finale. Wanted to pace it and not have a large gap to when episodes for this final season start up again (starting in about 2 weeks).

Good googly-moogly!

Spoiler

The midseason finale ending was straight up horror movie tension and payoff. Fucking hell!

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Azath Vitr (D, on 27 June 2022 - 05:39 PM, said:

Watched first episode of Foundation. Great visuals... except when applied to human bodies (had to lol...). Worth watching for the visuals alone IMO. Excellent cinematography, though there are a few very noticeable continuity errors.

Acting is okay, some of it could be better. I've liked Lee Pace in some other things (particularly his leading role in Halt and Catch Fire), but he manages to botch some pretty good lines by sounding like he has no idea what he's saying....

A few stretched-out moments were obviously reaching for pathos, but lacked sufficient set-up or context to evoke it---pacing of the build-up was too fast (or almost nonexistent), pacing of the moment too long (... who are these characters again? oh, I guess that's her...). Would have been nice if they'd included some extra scenes, or a longer version with more build-up and worldbuilding.

Most of the actors continue to mar pretty good dialogue... though Terrence Mann is very good as Brother Dusk, Lou Llobell is good as (and has an interesting accent for) Gaal Dornick, and Jared Harris is a bit above subpar as Hari Seldon.

Lee Pace's body language is okay, but his line delivery is only occasionally good. Kind of phoning it in and hamming it up, as if science fiction can't be as 'serious' or 'deep' as that fundamentally silly Halt and Catch Fire show....

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 29 June 2022 - 11:18 PM

[Abyss]

Malankazooie, on 17 June 2022 - 07:31 PM, said:

Thanks Daniel Green's Fantasy News for bringing this to my attention.

worry, on 17 June 2022 - 11:23 PM, said:

That looks rad.

Tsundoku, on 18 June 2022 - 02:33 AM, said:

Reminds me of Akira for some reason. Maybe the art style?

trrrrippppyyyyyyy

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 30 June 2022 - 02:56 AM, said:

Malankazooie, on 17 June 2022 - 07:31 PM, said:

Thanks Daniel Green's Fantasy News for bringing this to my attention.

worry, on 17 June 2022 - 11:23 PM, said:

That looks rad.

Tsundoku, on 18 June 2022 - 02:33 AM, said:

Reminds me of Akira for some reason. Maybe the art style?

trrrrippppyyyyyyy

Reminds me of Heavy Metal, the original, not the 2000 remake.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Despite Asimov's reputation for 'hard sci-fi', Foundation is veering closer to 'science fantasy' with loads of mysticism (and religions). No swordfights but there's a bow and arrow. While I do think there are interesting connections between mathematics and mysticism, the show at least (IDK about the books) is pretty dumb, despite having some well-written dialogue---don't think I ever bothered with Asimov much before, was thinking 'this could be so much better if he were like Mark Lawrence and actually knew advanced math/physics'... bit surprised to see that Asimov was a professor of biochemistry who also wrote (scholarly?) essays on mathematics. Wonder if they dumbed it down for the show or if his success as a science fiction author let him publish whatever drivel he wanted to.

Seems worth watching if you have Apple TV, though overall it's not their best... not sure what Apple TV I'll do after this. Maybe Little Voice, Pachinko, Lisey's Story, Afterparty, or Mythic Quest.

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 30 June 2022 - 02:29 PM

[QuickTidal]

Azath Vitr (D, on 30 June 2022 - 02:28 PM, said:

Despite Asimov's reputation for 'hard sci-fi', Foundation is veering closer to 'science fantasy' with loads of mysticism (and religions). No swordfights but there's a bow and arrow. While I do think there are interesting connections between mathematics and mysticism, the show at least (IDK about the books) is pretty dumb, despite having some well-written dialogue---don't think I ever bothered with Asimov much before, was thinking 'this could be so much better if he were like Mark Lawrence and actually knew advanced math/physics'... bit surprised to see that Asimov was a professor of biochemistry who also wrote (scholarly?) essays on mathematics. Wonder if they dumbed it down for the show or if his success as a science fiction author let him publish whatever drivel he wanted to.

Seems worth watching if you have Apple TV, though overall it's not their best... not sure what Apple TV I'll do after this. Maybe Little Voice, Pachinko, Lisey's Story, Afterparty, or Mythic Quest.

FWIW the books are not really filmable as they are. They take place over generations and are much more of a sort of dry-ish historical record being recited than a book with many overt actions or anything you'd normally see in the visual media intended to entertain on the weekly as a TV show, so heavy liberties were taken to get a TV series out of it....the books are really nothing like the show, which only takes the broader strokes of the books to use as a backbone for the rest of it.

If that makes sense?

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 30 June 2022 - 03:23 PM

[Chance]

Azath Vitr (D, on 30 June 2022 - 02:28 PM, said:

Despite Asimov's reputation for 'hard sci-fi', Foundation is veering closer to 'science fantasy' with loads of mysticism (and religions).

Don't think you could entirely call Asimov "hard sci-fi", but what you get in the series is nothing like the books, they share a few concepts and names thats about it.

This post has been edited by Chance: 01 July 2022 - 04:40 AM

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Chance, on 01 July 2022 - 04:38 AM, said:

Azath Vitr (D, on 30 June 2022 - 02:28 PM, said:

Despite Asimov's reputation for 'hard sci-fi', Foundation is veering closer to 'science fantasy' with loads of mysticism (and religions).

Don't think you could entirely call Asimov "hard sci-fi", but what you get in the series is nothing like the books, they share a few concepts and names thats about it.

Was going by Wikipedia:

'Best known for his hard science fiction, Asimov also wrote mysteries and fantasy, as well as much nonfiction.

Asimov's most famous work is the Foundation series'

Isaac Asimov - Wikipedia

Does indicate it's not his entire oeuvre... IDK if it should be revised.

[amphibian]

Asimov was 1) a dickhead and 2) basically churned writing stuff out as fast as he could for as long as he could get away with the low quality of it. Look at the publication dates of his books.

He was not particularly interested in the high quality of science in his writing.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Finished Shining Girls. Based on Apple TV's brief text description I was expecting a realistic depiction of the aftermath of trauma combined with a whodunit---mix of 'hard to watch, but perhaps I have an ethical duty to' and 'not really my cup of my meat'. Should've watched the trailers (or watched them more carefully): they indicate that it's at least sci-fi/fantasy adjacent (insofar as they raise the question of whether the shifts in reality experienced by the protagonist (and the audience) are symptoms of mental illness or whether objective reality is actually shifting). Ended up enjoying it much more than I expected to.

Yet another Apple TV series based on a best-selling and critically acclaimed novel, though I made the mistake of glancing at the novel's Wikipedia page and having one of the biggest twists spoiled in the first paragraph. Would have enjoyed it more without that.

The serial killer could be a better role model---more charismatic, etc., especially in the early episodes (where he provides good examples of how progressively invading someone's personal space can be discomfiting). Though the way he successfully gains rapport with people is perhaps slightly instructional (... with the obvious caveats). I do find myself spontaneously imitating the positive aspects of his voice in its more appealing moments---aspects largely shared with the protagonist's voice in her most empowered moments....

Some good poetic dialogue, largely engaging plot with lots of twists. Lagged in a couple of places, maybe not generally quite as captivating as some other Apple TV series, but still good. Doesn't aim for ultimate coherence or explanation (and I get the impression that the book's explanations were at least a little more explicit...).

Would definitely put it in the 'worth watching' category for Apple TV, though maybe not the topmost tier.

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 04 July 2022 - 04:11 PM

[Malankazooie]

What we need right now; the genius, awkward weirdness that is Nathan Fielder.



If you haven't seen Nathan For You (which ran on CC from 2013 to 2017), you should really give it a try. Not sure what service would be streaming it though so will require some effort to find it I think.

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

Malankazooie, on 06 July 2022 - 08:41 PM, said:

What we need right now; the genius, awkward weirdness that is Nathan Fielder.



If you haven't seen Nathan For You (which ran on CC from 2013 to 2017), you should really give it a try. Not sure what service would be streaming it though so will require some effort to find it I think.

Yes, agreed. One of my top shows.

[worry]

Nathan For You is currently streaming on both HBO Max and HULU in the U.S.

[Malankazooie]

H - O - L - Y . S - H - I - T !

I knew season 2 was going to be this year, but I thought it wouldn't be until September (or fall/autumn time frame). July 21 baby! Hell yes!

[Abyss]

Malankazooie, on 07 July 2022 - 04:41 PM, said:

H - O - L - Y . S - H - I - T !

I knew season 2 was going to be this year, but I thought it wouldn't be until September (or fall/autumn time frame). July 21 baby! Hell yes!

YES

[Malankazooie]

So over the Independence Day long weekend I started the Ken Burns docu treatment of Benjamin Franklin (called "Benjamin Franklin" obvi). I finished it up this weekend. It's broken into two episodes, each running at 2 1/2 hours. There were a couple breaks during each episode for fund raising because PBS does those pledge drives deals during programming sometimes. So the total hours of content probably comes in around at least 4 hours. As you can tell, and it being a Ken Burns documentary, it is a lot of Ben Franklin. I really enjoyed it. Benjamin Franklin was a polymath of the highest quality. The voice actors are excellent - Ben Franklin (Mandy Patinkin), John Adams (Paul Giamatti) reprising the role he played from an HBO series, and I guess Liam Neeson did a voice, although I'm not sure which. Anyway, really excellent documentary about Benjamin Franklin.

[Malankazooie]

What We Do In The Shadows new season started last night. They are released on a weekly schedule, so I think I'm going to let them stack up some before watching. Same for the final (and second half) season of Better Call Saul, which begun on Monday night.

In the mean time I'm going to start the recent seasons of Atlanta and Barry (both on season 3). I watched the first episode of Atlanta s3 and oh my it doesn't disappoint. Donald Glover has his finger on the pulse. You know what I mean?

[Slow Ben]

Started watching Succession on HBO. I'm into season 3 and honestly, I still dont know if i like it or not. But i just keep watching it.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Last few days of my Apple TV trial, aim to binge as much as I (reasonably) can. Got through most of what seemed interesting or critically acclaimed. In brief:

Good + enjoyed much more than I expected to:

Little America
Pachinko

Some good broad-strokes concepts, mostly bad execution:

Little Voice

Whittled down my bingeing options to Mythic Quest (meh), Lisey's Story (nice visuals, but I'm not into the premise + it got some convincing bad reviews and I don't recall Stephen King being particularly good at dialogue), or back to For All Mankind.

Gave episode 1 of Mythic Quest a chance... interesting concept, mediocre execution. Isn't as 'edgy' or as dark as the creators' previous show (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia). Don't particularly want to train myself (through binge immersion) to imitate a caricature of geek pseudo-hyper-masculinity... moved to back of queue.

Tried finishing off season 1 of For All Mankind last night but it was so boring (as if they wanted to emphasize just how boring it is up in space most of the time?... a little of that went way too far, especially during an attempted binge) I found myself compulsively doing tedious math homework instead (and enjoying it considerably more).

Apparently critics liked seasons 2 and 3 of For All Mankind much more than season 1, so I decided to skip the rest of season 1. Recap of important/relevant events at beginning of season 2 suggests I didn't miss much.

Season 2 starts promisingly with some interesting alternate history ripple effects.

Season 2 visuals and camerawork are also a major improvement (was season 1 trying to imitate 70's-era TV or something? I really disliked it), and the pace seems faster---lingers just long enough to savor the visuals.

My main 'role model' for voice/body language/banter from season 1 seems to have become an irritating smug domineering cranky old conservative asshole. Bleh.

Going to try a few more episodes of season 2. If I'm diligent in bingeing I should have time for two of: season 2, season 3, Mythic Quest, Lisey's Story. For immersion modeling best option would be season 2 + 3 (if there's anything there worth modeling for me...).

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 18 July 2022 - 04:47 PM