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Soooo, What'cha Watching?


Zapp Branniglenn
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You ever watch a movie or TV Show and just want to post some thoughts about it for randos online to see? Well yeah I suppose there's social media for that, but now you can do it here too! Personally I find most shows to be too slow paced to my liking. I've always been a bigger fan of the 90-120 minute artfully edited film. However, the Pandemmy has been notorious for changing much of our behaviors and preferences, which is to say that I've been bumming off of the family's various streaming services. I've got more login info than I know what to do with. 

Some of this new stuff is pretty good. Like the Shenmue anime. My friend and I are longtime fans of the original two video games, which this single season covers. and seeing it brought to life again has been a real treat. I generally pass on video game adaptations that are hyper-faithful to the source material, but this one handily trounces the original with better pacing than the games could allow. Currently with the latest episode we're smack dab in the middle of Shenmue 2 and it's pretty impressive how they weave mundane plot-pushing scenes into thematically cohesive storytelling. In Shenmue 2, learning the four Wude is just a chain of NPC chats leading to disconnected lessons about martial arts philosophy. You'd think they'd either skip this part of the game, or handle it in a brisk montage of vignettes, but here entire episodes are dedicated to each lesson so that Ryo's retention of the Wude is fleshed out and believable. The future of this show will be a big question mark once the thirteenth episode releases, but if it ends there I think it would still be an impressive project. I would also love if they could bring Yu Suzuki on to continue the story in this format. 

Another thing I watched over the weekend is that first episode of Marvel's Moon Knight. I've actually been watching all of these marvel shows with my brother, but I've been concerned none of them will top the bizarre metanarrative of Wandavision. It's too early to tell how good Moon Knight will end up being, but this first episode rocks. I love that they're leaning into the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde aspect of the character. I've heard the criticism online that too many of the show's big questions are answered so early on, but for a six episode series, I think the briskness of this pace is exactly right. Especially considering that our main character has been struggling with these mysteries since long before the events of this first episode, as evidenced by him already being at a point where he chains himself to the bed every night. We may know a lot about Steven, but he's just one of three personas that make up our protagonist. Still a lot of ground to cover.

I did go with many people to see The Batman. Boy does this not cater to my movie-going preferences, nor my own personal tastes regarding Batman media. The question of "Does Gotham need a Batman" is very interesting! - yet barely explored outside of one line of dialogue from the trailers and then the last five minutes of this three hour film. This is the sort of movie that convinces me that Editors are the real heroes. You could cut this movie's runtime in half, and it would feel more cohesive and satisfying when we reach the ending. I did like the ending. It's a more honest take on the theory that Batman "creates" his own worst enemies. And it's so refreshing to see a live action batman saving random people rather than running off to find more bad guys to punch. I just wish it didn't take so long to get to that point.

And finally, my brother and I discovered Knight Rider over the Winter. That's just a fun show. I'm genuinely impressed at the production values and clearly-unsafe practical effects for this era of television. Highly recommended, I can see why this is so beloved among people born a generation before me. 

Edited by Zapp Branniglenn
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I've been watching Daredevil ever since they put it on Disney+, and it's been pretty good so far. Just finished season 2 and I'm moving on to The Defenders to continue Matt's story. I'm not really interested in the other heroes (especially since I heard Iron Fist was meh), but I have a general understanding of who they are anyway.

I also went with a buddy of mine to go see Jujutsu Kaisen 0 last week. I'd say it was definitely worth the watch and a solid prequel; exactly the kind of stuff you'd expect from MAPPA. My only gripes are that it feels like it moves a little fast, and there are characters introduced that are only used a handful of times, but they'll probably show up in JJK Season 2. I'm not sure, though.

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I recently saw the 1993 animated Batman film: Batman: Mask of the Phantasm for the first time. I have not seen Batman: the Animated Series; I grew up with the cartoon that came after it: The Batman (no relation to the new film). Fortunately, I didn't have to have seen the animated series; the film stands on its own as a really good self-contained story.

It does something no other theatrical Batman film does: it actually presents a mystery that the audience is capable of solving with the information given, and it's a pretty good mystery with plenty of interesting twists.

Other than that, I've largely been watching anime, and I think there's already a topic for anime specifically.

Edited by vanguard333
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Well not having cable or streaming services I have been watching over the air tv.  The nice thing is with digital channels we have more channels then when I was a kid. Anyway I have been watching;

Assuie Gold hunters which was a rather fun watch that let me zone out which I really needed. It was nice seeing people working hard for what they earned.

I did find a place online to watch Saiyuki Reload Zeroin which I need to finish, since I wanted to watch it all in one go since it is only 13 episodes.  I have watched the first 2 and it is a heck of a lot better then Gunlock which was a terrible take on the manga.  Being a huge Saiyuki fan any new content is great so I am happy.

Avatar the Last Airbender there is a channel from Mexico that has SAP which lets me watch it in English, Spanish dub of American shows tend to not be all that good.  My friend loved this show and would tell all about it when it was originally on.  It is great to finally see it and I am enjoying it and I can see why my friend loved it so much.

 

Edited by EricaofRenais
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I keep The Simpsons on in the background if I'm not doing anything
 

I recently watched Inside Job on Netflix, it was a really fun show making fun of conspiracy theories

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15 hours ago, Captain Karnage said:

I keep The Simpsons on in the background if I'm not doing anything
 

I recently watched Inside Job on Netflix, it was a really fun show making fun of conspiracy theories

I half heartedly watched that show with a rather low opinion of it, until they unexpectedly referenced King K Rool getting in to Smash Bros. That made me smile a good deal.

Edited by Jotari
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  • 2 weeks later...

I recently saw Everything Everywhere All at Once in theaters, and it was worth the trip! It offered a surprisingly effective blend of comedy, action, and horror aspects, with an optimistic message about the importance of connecting with others, and resisting the gravitational pull of despair, at its core. Really impressive performances by Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan, and Jenny Slate filled a hilarious role, too. Wouldn't be surprised to see this one nominated for awards a year from now.

Otherwise, I've been gradually watching Monk via Peacock access. I actually started with Season 4 (by which point, Natalie was established), then went to the finale, went back to the pilot, and am now on Season 3. It's made me appreciate Sharona more, although I still prefer Natalie overall. Anyway, Tony Shalhoub fills the eponymous role masterfully, and while he refines it as the show progresses, there's surprisingly little "early installment weirdness". While it's definitely well-written, it feels much more like a "comfort program", than anything that challenges me morally or artistically. But hey, what's wrong with that?

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On 4/6/2022 at 11:56 PM, Captain Karnage said:

I keep The Simpsons on in the background if I'm not doing anything
 

I recently watched Inside Job on Netflix, it was a really fun show making fun of conspiracy theories

Inside Job was so good. 

 

I just finished Golden Kamuy and watched the available episodes of Spy x Family.

Edited by Fabulously Olivier
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24 minutes ago, Fabulously Olivier said:

I just finished Golden Kamuy and watched the available episodes of Spy x Family.

Cool! What did you think of them?

 

I finally watched the last three episodes of 86 EIGHTY-SIX. They were absolutely fantastic; the climactic fight, the finale where the characters we've been following reunite/meet face-to-face for the first time (I'm being vague to try to avoid spoilers); it's all extremely well-done. I really hope that the show is able to get a season 3, and that, this time, the studio doesn't go through whatever issues it was that caused the last two episodes to be delayed.

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9 hours ago, vanguard333 said:

Cool! What did you think of them?

 

I finally watched the last three episodes of 86 EIGHTY-SIX. They were absolutely fantastic; the climactic fight, the finale where the characters we've been following reunite/meet face-to-face for the first time (I'm being vague to try to avoid spoilers); it's all extremely well-done. I really hope that the show is able to get a season 3, and that, this time, the studio doesn't go through whatever issues it was that caused the last two episodes to be delayed.

Golden Kamuy gets uncomfortably close to yaoi in seasons 2 and 3, but at least it's funny about it. The main plot remains compelling, and I like most of the characters. It's a unique show.

 

I really look forward to more Spy x Family. The rave reviews weren't for nothing; the show is an adorable, hilarious family drama.

 

Think I'll try Love After World Domination next. Romcoms aren't usually my thing, but the high concept they're working with is irresistible.

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2 hours ago, Fabulously Olivier said:

Golden Kamuy gets uncomfortably close to yaoi in seasons 2 and 3, but at least it's funny about it. The main plot remains compelling, and I like most of the characters. It's a unique show.

 

I really look forward to more Spy x Family. The rave reviews weren't for nothing; the show is an adorable, hilarious family drama.

 

Think I'll try Love After World Domination next. Romcoms aren't usually my thing, but the high concept they're working with is irresistible.

I know what you mean; the standout example of that was definitely the, for lack of a better name for it, sea otter incident; I wonder why Kiroranke didn't know about the supposed effects of the sea otter meat; he's an Ainu who was knowledgeable in other stories like the cursed sword; how did he not know about sea otter meat's... effects? But yeah; at least those moments are funny.

Yeah; the plot's definitely compelling and the characters are interesting; Sugimoto and Asirpa's dynamic is one of my favourite parts of the show. And yeah; it is definitely unique. It's probably most comparable to a western given the treasure hunt and time period, but then it's set entirely in Hokkaido (apart from season 3), and season 4 is apparently going to introduce a character that's a pirate.

 

Same; these next episodes of Spy x Family should be great.

 

I heard about that show. I'm not really interested in it, but I definitely know what you mean by, "Romcoms aren't usually my thing, but the high concept they're working with is irresistible"; I don't normally like romcoms either, but I recently tried one called Love of Kill simply because its premise was too bizarre for me to resist watching.

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On 4/7/2022 at 9:41 PM, cavekeelson said:

I'm watching a show on Netflix "find that cake". It's a rest for my brain after a long working day:P:

I'm watching the same show as you. Today is a really horrible day for me. My refrigerator isn't operating properly. It irritates me greatly. As a result, I need to relax and cool our overheated minds.

Edited by samwell2022
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I recently started watching an anime romcom called Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie.

I'm normally not a fan of the romance genre; not in any sense of the word. One of the biggest reasons for this is that romance stories pretty much always use the same tired old annoying tropes & plotlines, the same toxic relationships that audiences are somehow expected to find appealing, the writers never knowing what to do with the couple that they've written once the characters are actually in a relationship, blatant use of toxic double-standards, etc., and I have never been interested in those stories.

However, a year ago, I did end up enjoying an anime romcom called TONIKAWA: Over the Moon for You, mainly because it took everything I dislike about the genre and threw it in a garbage bin; the main characters get married halfway through episode 1 and the whole show ends up a wholesome comedy about the two of them navigating their relationship. As a result, I realized that the genre does have a lot of potential for interesting storytelling; it's just so rarely utilized. As a result, I am more willing to watch romance shows, so long as something about their premise is actually unique and interesting, and Shikimori is definitely an example of that.

Like TONIKAWA, Shikimori has its story be about two people navigating an existing relationship; in this case, a boyfriend & girlfriend rather than a husband & wife, and with their dynamic being that the guy is extremely unlucky and accident-prone while the girl protects him. It's a fun lighthearted slice-of-life that's also rather funny.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Saw Chip n Dale Rescue Rangers. That's a really funny movie. It raises a lot of uncomfortable questions about how a world with Humans and Toons living together works, but its characters work and the jokes land. I think the only thing that bugged me was Chip's voice. In general, a lot of the voice performance in this film feels pretty subdued when matched with the literal cartoons we see on screen. But Chip's delivery just feels very lacking. And I know it must have been a long, arduous debate about whether they should do the Chipmunk voices of the original show, or regular sounding voices to make it more grounded. I think they made the right call, especially with how many digs they take at Alvin and the Chipmunks, specifically. These cameos and references man. Disney as an entertainment conglomerate can really do whatever they want. We're a long way from the days of celebrity cameos that venerate the person in question. Ugly Sonic isn't even among the edgiest things in this movie. Oh, I guess this is a perfect opportunity for a hot take. Yes, there are two films with live action Sonic in 2022, and this is the good one. There you go.

Hey I might as well write about Sonic 2 as well, having seen that last month. I am surprised at the positive reception this one got. I get that long time Sonic fans love seeing the franchise as they know it represented correctly in terms of aesthetics, but I wouldn't call it "faithful". The Tails characterization is a whirlwind of missed opportunities. In the first film, they painstakingly establish that Sonic has a habit of nicknaming people, so that when he nicknames Robotnik as "The Eggman" it feels natural. They put the work in to make this ridiculous, video gamey name feel natural in this universe. Tails' name in the game canon was given to him by Sonic to boost his confidence, so when Tails shows up in the movie and introduces himself as Tails, wow that's bad. That's not just an adaptation fail, it's a huge missed opportunity in terms of narrative. And a "we didn't watch the first film" moment. What's up with his "Only Sonic the Hedgehog would say that!" gag? It never sets up a fun punchline. When it's revealed that Tails knows everything about Sonic's life on Earth, that's not cute or funny, it's creepy. Why is the movie presenting this stalker behavior so uncritically?

There's so much in this film that desperately needs cutting in order to preserve what does work. And don't get me started on the ten minute, uninterrupted Bridezilla sequence. Sonic calling James Marsden 'Dad' at the end, I don't know about that one, chief. The subplot they were setting up before that was "Gosh I wish Sonic had some friends", and then we make a hard left turn into that after he successfully makes some friends. Plus the plot contrivances. I try not to nitpick plot holes in movies, but this script is so forgetful of Sonic's superspeed. You'd think an earlier draft might have established some limit on his powers. And when his friends are also capable of the same ability it begs the question why Sonic is so special in the first place. There are some things in this movie that do work. I expected Knuckles to be a disaster, but he's probably the best character. The Super Sonic sequence is 10 out of 10. And yeah, if you want to have a hot take, this film is the best Sonic media we've gotten outside of Sonic Mania in the last ten years. There you go. 

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1 hour ago, Zapp Branniglenn said:

And yeah, if you want to have a hot take, this film is the best Sonic media we've gotten outside of Sonic Mania in the last ten years. There you go. 

Better than the first one then?

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11 hours ago, Jotari said:

Better than the first one then?

Wasn't thinking of the previous film at the time, but I suppose so yeah. The first film leaves little of an impression, but there were no crucial errors from what I recall. Very safely constructed film. There's a better movie dormant within Sonic 2, but the parts that don't work are so distractingly bad. If the editors were a bit more bold, if the writers room didn't turn in such a rough draft. This isn't the first movie sequel that's gotten rushed out like this. Overall I'd say both films are at the same aggressively average standard for quality, but for vastly different reasons, it's hard to say one is better than the other. I don't think it's controversial at all to say the sonic films together are the best Sonic anything of the last ten years - excluding Sonic Mania. It's a statement of indictment of Sonic games more than it's a complement of the movies' quality.

Edited by Zapp Branniglenn
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  • 1 month later...
On 4/7/2022 at 9:41 PM, cavekeelson said:

I'm watching a show on Netflix "find that cake". It's a rest for my brain after a long working day:P:

You and I are watching the same show. I am having a really hectic day today. It's all about my project, bad bunny merch, throughout the day. I found it so difficult. Because of this, I need to relax and cool our overheated minds.

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  • 2 months later...

I just watched the anime movie Jujutsu Kaisen 0 with my brother. He's the one who actually watches the anime Jujutsu Kaisen; I just watched a couple of fight scenes that my brother wanted to show me. Still, I quite enjoyed the film overall. The animation was really good, and the story was interesting; I honestly think the movie's protagonist is a better protagonist than the anime's protagonist. I should probably point out that the movie is a direct adaptation of the pilot chapters of the manga, and, as such, it acts as a prequel to the anime.

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NINJAGO! Great show, but now this part's finished. A sequel series is coming in 2023, but technically Ninjago's finished.

My favorite seasons are 1,6,8,9,12,13, and 14. 

Do not ask about 15 abuse apologia

NEVER WATCH ROOTS

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On 4/6/2022 at 2:32 AM, Zapp Branniglenn said:

You ever watch a movie or TV Show and just want to post some thoughts about it for randos online to see? Well yeah I suppose there's social media for that, but now you can do it here too! Personally I find most shows to be too slow paced to my liking. I've always been a bigger fan of the 90-120 minute artfully edited film. However, the Pandemmy has been notorious for changing much of our behaviors and preferences, which is to say that I've been bumming off of the family's various streaming services. I've got more login info than I know what to do with. 

Some of this new stuff is pretty good. Like the Shenmue anime. My friend and I are longtime fans of the original two video games, which this single season covers. and seeing it brought to life again has been a real treat. I generally pass on video game adaptations that are hyper-faithful to the source material, but this one handily trounces the original with better pacing than the games could allow. Currently with the latest episode we're smack dab in the middle of Shenmue 2 and it's pretty impressive how they weave mundane plot-pushing scenes into thematically cohesive storytelling. In Shenmue 2, learning the four Wude is just a chain of NPC chats leading to disconnected lessons about martial arts philosophy. You'd think they'd either skip this part of the game, or handle it in a brisk montage of vignettes, but here entire episodes are dedicated to each lesson so that Ryo's retention of the Wude is fleshed out and believable. The future of this show will be a big question mark once the thirteenth episode releases, but if it ends there I think it would still be an impressive project. I would also love if they could bring Yu Suzuki on to continue the story in this format. 

Another thing I watched over the weekend is that first episode of Marvel's Moon Knight. I've actually been watching all of these marvel shows with my brother, but I've been concerned none of them will top the bizarre metanarrative of Wandavision. It's too early to tell how good Moon Knight will end up being, but this first episode rocks. I love that they're leaning into the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde aspect of the character. I've heard the criticism online that too many of the show's big questions are answered so early on, but for a six episode series, I think the briskness of this pace is exactly right. Especially considering that our main character has been struggling with these mysteries since long before the events of this first episode, as evidenced by him already being at a point where he chains himself to the bed every night. We may know a lot about Steven, but he's just one of three personas that make up our protagonist. Still a lot of ground to cover.

I did go with many people to see The Batman. Boy does this not cater to my movie-going preferences, nor my own personal tastes regarding Batman media. The question of "Does Gotham need a Batman" is very interesting! - yet barely explored outside of one line of dialogue from the trailers and then the last five minutes of this three hour film. This is the sort of movie that convinces me that Editors are the real heroes. You could cut this movie's runtime in half, and it would feel more cohesive and satisfying when we reach the ending. I did like the ending. It's a more honest take on the theory that Batman "creates" his own worst enemies. And it's so refreshing to see a live action batman saving random people rather than running off to find more bad guys to punch. I just wish it didn't take so long to get to that point.

And finally, my brother and I discovered Knight Rider over the Winter. That's just a fun show. I'm genuinely impressed at the production values and clearly-unsafe practical effects for this era of television. Highly recommended, I can see why this is so beloved among people born a generation before me. 

I loved Knight Rider and The Dukes of Hazzard back in the 80’s

Fast cars were a big deal for kids back then

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Just watched the newest episode of Spy x Family. The show picks up where it left off pretty much perfectly and continues to be absolutely brilliant, and while it's starting a more serious story arc, it still continues to be a comedy and it still continues to be adorable.

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