I've recently gotten into a new show on Netflix, called Strange Empire. I don't normally care for the kind of 'cowboy vs. indian' style show, but this one is actually very good.
The basic premise of the show is that travelers are ambushed by 'indians', and all the men killed. This forces the women to accept help from a seedy man that had previous been burned by them. The acting is great, and the characters' personalities are both unique and perfect for the show.
I would recommend this for an adult audience though. The setting is Jamestown, where a whore house has been set up. While the plot doesn't revolve around this, it is one of the more base structures of it. The plot is more character based, which is what I enjoy.
Overall, it's a good show that does not rely on sketchy setting or nature problems, but rather on human problems. There's no fantasy or sci-fi, and is very much on the realistic side. Just a warning, there is adult scenes, including violence and partial nudity.
Read it Before you Steal it!
This work by Afyvarra is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Showing posts with label TV. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TV. Show all posts
Tuesday, 9 June 2015
Tuesday, 12 August 2014
Oncers
So I did something today that I've wanted to do for at least a year now. I went out to Steveston with a couple friends to watch the filming of Once Upon a Time. It was awesome.
Unfortunately, the scene they were filming when we got there was fairly small and uneventful. After watching it redone several times, we decided to go off and explore the town a bit. I was under the impression that Hook's ship was docked somewhere, but we were unable to find it, and near the end of the day we asked someone and they told us that it had been moved recently. So I was right, if we had only come sometime before March.
After our little trip around town, I'm really not sure what was going on with the filming. There were a lot of people standing around and some equipment moved, but otherwise we didn't see much. They must have been filming inside.
But Steveston is a beautiful little town! There are a ton of restaurants, coffee shops, fish places and souvenir shops. My favorite was the first coffee shop we went into, because it was also a book store. I found a couple books I've been looking for, and according to my friend, their coffee was really good.
So even though we didn't see much of the filming, and the only actors that we saw played Robin Hood, Marian and their son, it was a lot of fun. We barely got lost on the way there, and we were able to get ourselves unlost and the way back.
I also got myself a storm trooper PEZ dispenser, so I'm really happy.
Unfortunately, the scene they were filming when we got there was fairly small and uneventful. After watching it redone several times, we decided to go off and explore the town a bit. I was under the impression that Hook's ship was docked somewhere, but we were unable to find it, and near the end of the day we asked someone and they told us that it had been moved recently. So I was right, if we had only come sometime before March.
After our little trip around town, I'm really not sure what was going on with the filming. There were a lot of people standing around and some equipment moved, but otherwise we didn't see much. They must have been filming inside.
But Steveston is a beautiful little town! There are a ton of restaurants, coffee shops, fish places and souvenir shops. My favorite was the first coffee shop we went into, because it was also a book store. I found a couple books I've been looking for, and according to my friend, their coffee was really good.
So even though we didn't see much of the filming, and the only actors that we saw played Robin Hood, Marian and their son, it was a lot of fun. We barely got lost on the way there, and we were able to get ourselves unlost and the way back.
I also got myself a storm trooper PEZ dispenser, so I'm really happy.
Tuesday, 15 July 2014
Clone Wars review
So summer arrived this week. It's too hot. Too damn bloody hot. So I've been kind of avoiding my laptop. And by that, I mean I've been spending maybe an hour less on it than usual. I did manage to finish off the Clone Wars on Netflix though!
When I first started watching it, I was skeptical. I thought it would be some stupid spin off that was made simply to sate the need for more Star Wars. Actually, that's probably true. Still, it was done so well!
My favorite part, by far, are the clones. Unlike in the movies, they're given personalities, names and actual lives. Not to mention they can actually hit stuff with their blasters. It's almost heart rending to know what happens in the movies, and the clones are basically brain washed to join the dark side.
A near second for my favorite part is Asoka, the padawan of Anakin. She just so... Spunky. I hate to use such an archaic word, but it's all I can think of to describe her. *SPOILERS AHEAD* Of course, they had to get rid of her somehow before the end of the series, as she's not present in the movies. I thought she would be killed off, but near the end of the fifth series, she is caught up in a plot to bring down the Jedi order, and accused of planting a bomb that killed many. After being cast out of the Jedi Order, it's eventually revealed that it was someone else that planted the bomb. However, she could no longer trust the Jedi to trust her, so she just walks off into the sun set. I was hoping she would actually be promoted to a Jedi Knight, but I like this ending better. It means that she probably never died. Still leaves open the question as to why she never fought back, or never used her skills to fight the dark side during the times of the movies, but still, a good ending.
Even the graphics were pretty good. It's animated, so I expected it to be similar to cartoons of these days, the ones meant for little kids. These were somewhere between the old 2D style and the new overly 3D style, and it was perfect. It can be seen best during the fighting scenes, which are far better than anything the movies could have done.
All in all, I would definitely suggest it for anyone that enjoyed the movies, or even just likes science fiction type shows.
When I first started watching it, I was skeptical. I thought it would be some stupid spin off that was made simply to sate the need for more Star Wars. Actually, that's probably true. Still, it was done so well!
My favorite part, by far, are the clones. Unlike in the movies, they're given personalities, names and actual lives. Not to mention they can actually hit stuff with their blasters. It's almost heart rending to know what happens in the movies, and the clones are basically brain washed to join the dark side.
A near second for my favorite part is Asoka, the padawan of Anakin. She just so... Spunky. I hate to use such an archaic word, but it's all I can think of to describe her. *SPOILERS AHEAD* Of course, they had to get rid of her somehow before the end of the series, as she's not present in the movies. I thought she would be killed off, but near the end of the fifth series, she is caught up in a plot to bring down the Jedi order, and accused of planting a bomb that killed many. After being cast out of the Jedi Order, it's eventually revealed that it was someone else that planted the bomb. However, she could no longer trust the Jedi to trust her, so she just walks off into the sun set. I was hoping she would actually be promoted to a Jedi Knight, but I like this ending better. It means that she probably never died. Still leaves open the question as to why she never fought back, or never used her skills to fight the dark side during the times of the movies, but still, a good ending.
Even the graphics were pretty good. It's animated, so I expected it to be similar to cartoons of these days, the ones meant for little kids. These were somewhere between the old 2D style and the new overly 3D style, and it was perfect. It can be seen best during the fighting scenes, which are far better than anything the movies could have done.
All in all, I would definitely suggest it for anyone that enjoyed the movies, or even just likes science fiction type shows.
Thursday, 26 June 2014
The Guild review
I hit my elbow on my door handle and now there's a bump that definitely should not be there... Ow. Anyway, review time!
I watched this show a while ago, but it was just so great that I had to watch it again. It's called The Guild, and it's just perfect for a gamer nerd. It revolves around the life of a female gamer, who goes by her character name, Codex, and how she copes with real life. Each season is only one episode long, but each episode is about an hour long. It was originally created for Youtube, but gain so much popularity that now it's on Netflix, along with many other websites or devices.
The plot is sweet and simple. Take someone who spends most of their day on the computer and stick them in real life. It's sadly so similar to my own life, except I have a tad more social skills... Just a tad. It finished after the sixth season, which was rather disappointing, but also made sense. Like I said, the plot was simple, so there really wasn't much left to do. Better to end on a good note than to wither out.
The acting got progressively better as the season went on. The main actor was pretty good from the beginning, and the rest were fairly decent, but there are times you just wince. Still better than Twilight. In addition, there are some pretty famous and respected people that appear, including Will Wheaton, Neil Gaiman and Stan Lee.
The cinematography was surprisingly good, considering it started out as a Youtube series. They never did anything too special until the third or fourth episode, and then you see the work in special effects and costumes.
Not much else to say. It's a quick watch, maybe one full day or a couple nights. I would definitely suggest it to anyone who's even a remote nerd, or just into the socially awkward type of shows/movies.
I watched this show a while ago, but it was just so great that I had to watch it again. It's called The Guild, and it's just perfect for a gamer nerd. It revolves around the life of a female gamer, who goes by her character name, Codex, and how she copes with real life. Each season is only one episode long, but each episode is about an hour long. It was originally created for Youtube, but gain so much popularity that now it's on Netflix, along with many other websites or devices.
The plot is sweet and simple. Take someone who spends most of their day on the computer and stick them in real life. It's sadly so similar to my own life, except I have a tad more social skills... Just a tad. It finished after the sixth season, which was rather disappointing, but also made sense. Like I said, the plot was simple, so there really wasn't much left to do. Better to end on a good note than to wither out.
The acting got progressively better as the season went on. The main actor was pretty good from the beginning, and the rest were fairly decent, but there are times you just wince. Still better than Twilight. In addition, there are some pretty famous and respected people that appear, including Will Wheaton, Neil Gaiman and Stan Lee.
The cinematography was surprisingly good, considering it started out as a Youtube series. They never did anything too special until the third or fourth episode, and then you see the work in special effects and costumes.
Not much else to say. It's a quick watch, maybe one full day or a couple nights. I would definitely suggest it to anyone who's even a remote nerd, or just into the socially awkward type of shows/movies.
Friday, 2 May 2014
The Paradise Review
Time for some Netflix reviews! I recently started, and finished, watching a show called The Paradise. It's been compared to Downton Abbey, but judging by the comments, it's better. I've never seen Downton Abbey, so I can't say whether I think that's true or not.
Anyway, it's a British show, set in the Victorian times. It follows the life of a young woman working in the first department store, called The Paradise. What I loved most about it was the costumes and props. Everything was so beautiful. Even the work uniforms, which were probably the most boring outfit in the show, were so much better than any work uniform these days. Then of course there are the accents. They all range from Scottish, to Irish, to British, and from all regions of Britain. I don't think there were more than two that were alike.
I can't say much about historical accuracy. As I said, I don't watch Downton Abbey, and I don't think I've seen any other shows set around this time period, so I don't have any references. However, everything seemed pretty accurate. The mannerisms and social standards are what most people would consider of the Victorian age, to that point that you just want to punch them in the face and tell them to relax.
The show only has one season, with eleven episodes (I think), so it's very short. I read that there is another season, just not on Netflix, then it was cancelled. Although I loved the show so far, I can't see it getting far. The plot has a good beginning, but I can tell that it would quickly peter out. I think their problem is that they crammed too much into the first season, so all the plot twists and exciting parts are already done. But still, I would say it's worth a watch! It ends before it can get boring (Though there are a few slow parts...)
Anyway, it's a British show, set in the Victorian times. It follows the life of a young woman working in the first department store, called The Paradise. What I loved most about it was the costumes and props. Everything was so beautiful. Even the work uniforms, which were probably the most boring outfit in the show, were so much better than any work uniform these days. Then of course there are the accents. They all range from Scottish, to Irish, to British, and from all regions of Britain. I don't think there were more than two that were alike.
I can't say much about historical accuracy. As I said, I don't watch Downton Abbey, and I don't think I've seen any other shows set around this time period, so I don't have any references. However, everything seemed pretty accurate. The mannerisms and social standards are what most people would consider of the Victorian age, to that point that you just want to punch them in the face and tell them to relax.
The show only has one season, with eleven episodes (I think), so it's very short. I read that there is another season, just not on Netflix, then it was cancelled. Although I loved the show so far, I can't see it getting far. The plot has a good beginning, but I can tell that it would quickly peter out. I think their problem is that they crammed too much into the first season, so all the plot twists and exciting parts are already done. But still, I would say it's worth a watch! It ends before it can get boring (Though there are a few slow parts...)
Wednesday, 26 March 2014
Gracepoint
I did it again, I'm sorry. Actually, I only just got back Monday from visiting my aunt and uncle, so I actually have something to post!
While I was there, there was some filming going on in a small shopping district only a few blocks from my aunt's house. I didn't think much about it, because I had never heard of the show. My aunt had seen one of the actors in a pub, but I had never heard of him either. We watched a scene being filmed for a bit, but all we really saw were extras walking around or cars driving by. There was a police car, but other than that, nothing too interesting.
It was only when I was about ten minutes away from home that I was texting my friend and found out that the show, called Gracepoint, is a remake of the popular British mystery called Broadchurch. Not only that, but it has DAVID TENNANT in it. That means that I could have very possibly been on the same street, or at least within a kilometre of the Tenth Doctor. Had I known this on Monday before we left, I would have insisted that we stayed longer to try and find him.
From what I've read, all the filming is being done within the area, or within close by cities. I also have several family members living around there, so I might be able to get them to go out and see if they can find David Tennant. I just really want a picture...
While I was there, there was some filming going on in a small shopping district only a few blocks from my aunt's house. I didn't think much about it, because I had never heard of the show. My aunt had seen one of the actors in a pub, but I had never heard of him either. We watched a scene being filmed for a bit, but all we really saw were extras walking around or cars driving by. There was a police car, but other than that, nothing too interesting.
It was only when I was about ten minutes away from home that I was texting my friend and found out that the show, called Gracepoint, is a remake of the popular British mystery called Broadchurch. Not only that, but it has DAVID TENNANT in it. That means that I could have very possibly been on the same street, or at least within a kilometre of the Tenth Doctor. Had I known this on Monday before we left, I would have insisted that we stayed longer to try and find him.
From what I've read, all the filming is being done within the area, or within close by cities. I also have several family members living around there, so I might be able to get them to go out and see if they can find David Tennant. I just really want a picture...
Tuesday, 28 January 2014
Star Wars
So recently my addiction with Star Wars has been re-awakened. This normally happens about once a year, though mostly when they have the Star Wars movie marathons on TV. I've watched all the movies and moved onto the animated TV show, which is actually surprisingly good. Unfortunately, the site I was using only shows the first three episodes from each season, and I've gone through all of them...
So yeah, if anyone knows of a site I can watch the rest, without having to pay, download or risk infecting my computer, that would be great! I always have bad luck when it comes to streaming stuff.
Also on Thursday, or maybe Friday, I'll try to post some of my concrete poetry, if I can manage to either save it from school or take a picture when I get home. I'm actually fairly proud of what I've created so far.
So yeah, if anyone knows of a site I can watch the rest, without having to pay, download or risk infecting my computer, that would be great! I always have bad luck when it comes to streaming stuff.
Also on Thursday, or maybe Friday, I'll try to post some of my concrete poetry, if I can manage to either save it from school or take a picture when I get home. I'm actually fairly proud of what I've created so far.
Thursday, 19 December 2013
Doctor Who review Part Two
I posted a review on Doctor Who after watching the first season. Now that I've (almost) finished watching the series (starting with the ninth Doctor), I feel like my thoughts have changed on it.
First I have to say that I absolutely hate the idea of time travel. It messes with my head and there are so many things wrong with it. No fancy words or plausible scientific theories can fix this. Despite this, I love Doctor Who. I have to kind of ignore all the paradoxes that they just skip over and poorly explain. I just tell myself that it's only a show, and that I have to suspend my sense of disbelief. Which really shouldn't be too hard for me, but I like things to make sense and to have reason.
Something else that annoys me is the complete change between the Tenth and the Eleventh Doctors. I liked the transition between the Ninth and the Tenth because it kept the history and the characters from the Ninth, and even brought back old companions even when new ones were present. With the Eleventh Doctor, he seemed completely new, with not just a new body and personality, but with a whole new life. It's as if he doesn't remember anyone from his past lives. I don't understand why he had to say good bye to them all. I loved having the old companions and friends coming back every once in a while.
However, I still loved the Eleventh Doctor and his companions. It was refreshing to see someone who wasn't smitten with the Doctor, nor an annoying stubborn female who thinks that she can boss everyone around. I have to admit, I have not finished with the seventh season, because Netflix doesn't have it and I'm fed up with risking the life of my computer on some risky online site with a million popups and potential viruses. So I'm not sure if I like Claira as a companion, but from what I've seen she seems really good.
And on that topic, I've changed my mind about Rose. I think she's been the only companion that stuck with the Doctor because of the Doctor, not for the adventure and time travel. She still has the annoying overly clingy moments, but it's better than Donna Noble.
And it's getting late and I have to work tomorrow, so I'll leave it here. I will definitely keep watching Doctor Who, though like everything, it has its flaws.
First I have to say that I absolutely hate the idea of time travel. It messes with my head and there are so many things wrong with it. No fancy words or plausible scientific theories can fix this. Despite this, I love Doctor Who. I have to kind of ignore all the paradoxes that they just skip over and poorly explain. I just tell myself that it's only a show, and that I have to suspend my sense of disbelief. Which really shouldn't be too hard for me, but I like things to make sense and to have reason.
Something else that annoys me is the complete change between the Tenth and the Eleventh Doctors. I liked the transition between the Ninth and the Tenth because it kept the history and the characters from the Ninth, and even brought back old companions even when new ones were present. With the Eleventh Doctor, he seemed completely new, with not just a new body and personality, but with a whole new life. It's as if he doesn't remember anyone from his past lives. I don't understand why he had to say good bye to them all. I loved having the old companions and friends coming back every once in a while.
However, I still loved the Eleventh Doctor and his companions. It was refreshing to see someone who wasn't smitten with the Doctor, nor an annoying stubborn female who thinks that she can boss everyone around. I have to admit, I have not finished with the seventh season, because Netflix doesn't have it and I'm fed up with risking the life of my computer on some risky online site with a million popups and potential viruses. So I'm not sure if I like Claira as a companion, but from what I've seen she seems really good.
And on that topic, I've changed my mind about Rose. I think she's been the only companion that stuck with the Doctor because of the Doctor, not for the adventure and time travel. She still has the annoying overly clingy moments, but it's better than Donna Noble.
And it's getting late and I have to work tomorrow, so I'll leave it here. I will definitely keep watching Doctor Who, though like everything, it has its flaws.
Tuesday, 12 November 2013
Couch Potato
Sorry for the late post. I honestly have no excuse, just for the fact that I've been either watching Netflix or playing Zelda all day... Since 8am... I made the mistake of bringing the Wii U downstairs to the main TV, so even if I leave the TV to do something productive, my sister gets a hold of it and draws me back by putting a good show on. I'm a terrible person. But don't worry, I work tomorrow until Friday, so I'll get off my but those days. Until Thursday, I really have nothing to post. I also have an essay that I have to finish, so my Thursday post might be a little delayed too.
Tuesday, 5 November 2013
Doctor Who review *SPOILERS*
I finally succumbed to this show. I remember seeing an ad for it a long time ago on TV, and thinking that it looked interesting. Even back then, however, I was never able to start watching a series halfway through, and there was no Netflix. Now that I have Netflix, I gave it a shot.
Now I should warn all major Doctor Who fans out there that I'm still trying to piece things together. I didn't start with the very beginning, as I hate old TV shows, and I suspect that it would take me forever. I started with what I believe is the revival of the show after a long break, and I have only finish the first season. Netflix says it's the ninth doctor. So don't start mentioning any earlier doctors and getting angry at me for not having a clue who they are. As it is, I'll probably just call each doctor by some significant feature. Such as the ninth one I am deeming the bald one.
But onto the actual review. Like I said earlier, I hate old shows, especially sci-fi. This is because the special effects are terrible and often comical. Doctor Who is no exception, though it was better than expected. Then again, the one I've watched so far was made in 2005. It's hard to believe that was eight years ago now. I expect the graphics to get better over the years, so I'll stick it out.
As for the acting, I loved the Doctor. I love partly insane characters, they're always more fun. Some actors I think overacted sometimes, especially the temporary ones that only appeared in one or two shows. And I know it's stupid, but Rose wears too much make up. Honestly, in the last episode, you could see a line on her face where her tears wiped the make up off (at least that's what it looks like). She was cool, but I wouldn't mind someone new.
What I'm drawn to most is always the plot though. If you've read any of my other reviews, you know that I can totally bash the writing or acting of anything, and still love the book or show simply because of the plot. And Doctor Who certainly has a good plot. Every show is interesting, with just enough comic relief to keep it from being too serious. And my god, the one with the gas masks I swore must have been a Halloween special. That was the creepiest thing ever. I hate all horror movies, and the fact that I was able to (mostly) watch that episode says a lot. I used to not be able to watch even a Simpsons Treehouse of Horror.
All in all, I'll definitely keep watching. I feel like I was missing a spot on my Nerd Card without having any knowledge of Doctor Who, and I plan on filling that spot.
Now I should warn all major Doctor Who fans out there that I'm still trying to piece things together. I didn't start with the very beginning, as I hate old TV shows, and I suspect that it would take me forever. I started with what I believe is the revival of the show after a long break, and I have only finish the first season. Netflix says it's the ninth doctor. So don't start mentioning any earlier doctors and getting angry at me for not having a clue who they are. As it is, I'll probably just call each doctor by some significant feature. Such as the ninth one I am deeming the bald one.
But onto the actual review. Like I said earlier, I hate old shows, especially sci-fi. This is because the special effects are terrible and often comical. Doctor Who is no exception, though it was better than expected. Then again, the one I've watched so far was made in 2005. It's hard to believe that was eight years ago now. I expect the graphics to get better over the years, so I'll stick it out.
As for the acting, I loved the Doctor. I love partly insane characters, they're always more fun. Some actors I think overacted sometimes, especially the temporary ones that only appeared in one or two shows. And I know it's stupid, but Rose wears too much make up. Honestly, in the last episode, you could see a line on her face where her tears wiped the make up off (at least that's what it looks like). She was cool, but I wouldn't mind someone new.
What I'm drawn to most is always the plot though. If you've read any of my other reviews, you know that I can totally bash the writing or acting of anything, and still love the book or show simply because of the plot. And Doctor Who certainly has a good plot. Every show is interesting, with just enough comic relief to keep it from being too serious. And my god, the one with the gas masks I swore must have been a Halloween special. That was the creepiest thing ever. I hate all horror movies, and the fact that I was able to (mostly) watch that episode says a lot. I used to not be able to watch even a Simpsons Treehouse of Horror.
All in all, I'll definitely keep watching. I feel like I was missing a spot on my Nerd Card without having any knowledge of Doctor Who, and I plan on filling that spot.
Tuesday, 8 October 2013
Once Upon a Time Review
Over the past few days I've started watching Once Upon a Time. It's far past the time that I started watching it. In fact, the moment it came out, I wanted to start watching it, but I'm terrible at keeping up with TV shows on the actual TV. So I've been watching it on Netflix, where I can easily watch mass amounts in one sitting. (Yes, I am that lazy)
First off, I think I love this show. I now understand why so many people talk about it (especially girls). What I love most is the fairy tale element, obviously. It's the parts that go into the actual book though, in the fairy tale world that I love the most. Sure, I love seeing the modern representation of the characters, but I've always found reality and the modern world fairly boring. It's mostly why I don't watch much TV unless it's a comedy. Even dramas are boring, because they're all the same. This show may be a drama, but it's definitely unique.
It is a little slow, however. In the modern world, I just want to scream at the characters for not believing in the kid. It's so obvious to a watcher that it's almost painful. But of course, it is a TV show, and they have to stretch everything out as long as possible.
I'm very impressed with how well they can weave different fairy tales together though. How Snow White might appear in Cinderella's tale, and Belle appears with the dwarves, or Red Riding Hood appears with Snow White (Okay, Snow White is pretty much everywhere...) It's masterfully done, and gives much more depth to the old fairy tales. It really makes it seem like there is a world where all the fairy tales live, or at least a book that contains this world.
I'm still in the first season (Nearly done!) and I'm very excited to continue with this series.
First off, I think I love this show. I now understand why so many people talk about it (especially girls). What I love most is the fairy tale element, obviously. It's the parts that go into the actual book though, in the fairy tale world that I love the most. Sure, I love seeing the modern representation of the characters, but I've always found reality and the modern world fairly boring. It's mostly why I don't watch much TV unless it's a comedy. Even dramas are boring, because they're all the same. This show may be a drama, but it's definitely unique.
It is a little slow, however. In the modern world, I just want to scream at the characters for not believing in the kid. It's so obvious to a watcher that it's almost painful. But of course, it is a TV show, and they have to stretch everything out as long as possible.
I'm very impressed with how well they can weave different fairy tales together though. How Snow White might appear in Cinderella's tale, and Belle appears with the dwarves, or Red Riding Hood appears with Snow White (Okay, Snow White is pretty much everywhere...) It's masterfully done, and gives much more depth to the old fairy tales. It really makes it seem like there is a world where all the fairy tales live, or at least a book that contains this world.
I'm still in the first season (Nearly done!) and I'm very excited to continue with this series.
Wednesday, 30 January 2013
Robin Hood Review *SPOILERS*
Lately I have really gotten into a show called Robin Hood. As you can expect, it's based on the classic character of Robin Hood and the sheriff of Nottingham. The interesting thing is, I've read a Robin Hood book. I'm quite certain that it's not the original tale, since I enjoyed reading it and found it very easy to follow. (The original would likely be in middle English with all the thou's and thee's) Anyway, onto the review.
First off, I have to say that I love all the actors. They are amazing at playing their characters. The main actor, Jonas Armstrong, who plays Robin Hood is simply brilliant. He has the perfect amount of wit, charm and emotions to pull it off. Lucy Griffiths, who plays Maid Marian, is stunning in both looks and acting. Everyone else is great, each one very fluent and trained when it comes to the fighting scenes (Though they may have stunt doubles for that) and just plain amazing. My only complaint may be the over acting of the man who plays the Sheriff, though I'm sure that's just the script. He's an amazing actors, kind of like an older Jim Carrey, but I just feel like his humour and personality don't fit the time period that it's set in.
The show is three seasons long, and unfortunately is off the air now. But since it's impossible to make a show that long based off of one small book, they obviously had to add scene and character that were not from the original books. Normally that would annoy me, but I think they did a fine job with it. The first season is clearly a trial run. They don't stick to any story lines, and keep each episode as a stand alone. In other words, the fifth episode will have nothing to do with the sixth. In the second season and so far in the third, this isn't the case. Every episode relates back to another episode, so it's all tied up better. They even used from references back to the first season.
As I mentioned, they don't stick firmly to the original plot that I read in the book. However, they have the three main characters (Robin Hood, Maid Marian and the Sheriff) along with the smaller characters (Allen of Dale, Will Scarlet, Brother Tuck and Little John), then they add a few that were never mentioned in the book (Guy of Gisborn, Jack, Much, some random guy that died after a few episodes...) I can ever recognize some episodes in the show that happened in the book (The contest for the silver arrow, Little John getting captured)
All in all, it's one of my favourite shows. I'll be pretty bummed when I reach the end, since I know there won't be any more episodes. But that's when I find myself a new favourite show!
First off, I have to say that I love all the actors. They are amazing at playing their characters. The main actor, Jonas Armstrong, who plays Robin Hood is simply brilliant. He has the perfect amount of wit, charm and emotions to pull it off. Lucy Griffiths, who plays Maid Marian, is stunning in both looks and acting. Everyone else is great, each one very fluent and trained when it comes to the fighting scenes (Though they may have stunt doubles for that) and just plain amazing. My only complaint may be the over acting of the man who plays the Sheriff, though I'm sure that's just the script. He's an amazing actors, kind of like an older Jim Carrey, but I just feel like his humour and personality don't fit the time period that it's set in.
The show is three seasons long, and unfortunately is off the air now. But since it's impossible to make a show that long based off of one small book, they obviously had to add scene and character that were not from the original books. Normally that would annoy me, but I think they did a fine job with it. The first season is clearly a trial run. They don't stick to any story lines, and keep each episode as a stand alone. In other words, the fifth episode will have nothing to do with the sixth. In the second season and so far in the third, this isn't the case. Every episode relates back to another episode, so it's all tied up better. They even used from references back to the first season.
As I mentioned, they don't stick firmly to the original plot that I read in the book. However, they have the three main characters (Robin Hood, Maid Marian and the Sheriff) along with the smaller characters (Allen of Dale, Will Scarlet, Brother Tuck and Little John), then they add a few that were never mentioned in the book (Guy of Gisborn, Jack, Much, some random guy that died after a few episodes...) I can ever recognize some episodes in the show that happened in the book (The contest for the silver arrow, Little John getting captured)
All in all, it's one of my favourite shows. I'll be pretty bummed when I reach the end, since I know there won't be any more episodes. But that's when I find myself a new favourite show!
Monday, 29 October 2012
A Song of Ice and Fire Review *SPOILERS*
First of all, I have to say that this series is not called Game of Thrones. I hate it when people assume that the whole series is called this, just because it's the title of the first book, and the name of the show. No! Get it straight. It's A Song of Ice and Fire.
Anyway, I started reading this series some time in April. I admit that I only got half way through the third book by September, when I had to put it down to concentrate on school. I started reading it again recently because I've had fewer larger projects, and I'm now almost done the third book. However, I think this break has made me realize that this book is actually pretty poorly written.
Don't get me wrong, I love the book, and I have read far worse, but more often I come along parts when I could write better. I feel like I should be going along and editing the whole thing. I don't know why I only saw it now (I saw it before, just not as much). You would think after reading things such as Beowulf, Sir Gawain, Canterbury Tales and King Lear, that I would want someone easier to read, but maybe that's the problem now it's become too simple.
The thing is, I love the plot... Kind of. I love how it hooks me in, despite the fact that I want to scream and rip the book apart. After Robb died, and it seemed like Arya died, I was prepared to throw the book across the room. I applaud George R R Martin for going against the norm and killing off almost all the characters that anyone could love, but I suggest that he gets back into what the readers want, and at least keep a few of the good guys alive. (Although I was extremely happy when Theon and Joffrey died. I wished I had cut them to pieces myself) I must admit though, when I found out Arya was still alive, I nearly cried with joy... Which would have been awkward, because I was sitting in the middle of a very full cafeteria at school.
And it's the fact that a book nearly incited such emotions in me that I love it. It proves that, although it may not be the best written book ever, Martin knows how to play with the heart strings of the readers. Most readers will see no difference in writing between A Song of Ice and Fire and something such as Tolkien's or Robert Jordan's works. They will only know that they want to read more, even if they hate what is happening in the plot.
It's also the realism that captures me. Everyone wants to read a book about love, adventure and wars, where the good guys always win. But in real life, that rarely happens. You cannot depend on a supernatural force to prove who is guilty or not, and even that comes up in A Song of Ice and Fire. People die, whether natural or not, and Martin does not skirt around that with miraculous recoveries and perfectly planned rescues. Everything is what it seems, most of the time being the death of a character.
So I hate and love this book at the same time, but I think anyone who has read the book will have to agree that the show is pretty bad. The producers are playing to the wants of a younger male audience. There are far more nude and sex scenes than in the books, very few of which actually add to the plot. Then they take out important scenes, or even whole characters. I have no idea where they will go with Bran, Rickon, Hodor and Osha without the Reeds. It's impossible to work from what they have done, and I have a feeling that it will only get worse. They have to go in a straight line to keep the story making sense, but that straight line is at a different angle from the book, and it'll only get farther from the real plot.
Anyway, I started reading this series some time in April. I admit that I only got half way through the third book by September, when I had to put it down to concentrate on school. I started reading it again recently because I've had fewer larger projects, and I'm now almost done the third book. However, I think this break has made me realize that this book is actually pretty poorly written.
Don't get me wrong, I love the book, and I have read far worse, but more often I come along parts when I could write better. I feel like I should be going along and editing the whole thing. I don't know why I only saw it now (I saw it before, just not as much). You would think after reading things such as Beowulf, Sir Gawain, Canterbury Tales and King Lear, that I would want someone easier to read, but maybe that's the problem now it's become too simple.
The thing is, I love the plot... Kind of. I love how it hooks me in, despite the fact that I want to scream and rip the book apart. After Robb died, and it seemed like Arya died, I was prepared to throw the book across the room. I applaud George R R Martin for going against the norm and killing off almost all the characters that anyone could love, but I suggest that he gets back into what the readers want, and at least keep a few of the good guys alive. (Although I was extremely happy when Theon and Joffrey died. I wished I had cut them to pieces myself) I must admit though, when I found out Arya was still alive, I nearly cried with joy... Which would have been awkward, because I was sitting in the middle of a very full cafeteria at school.
And it's the fact that a book nearly incited such emotions in me that I love it. It proves that, although it may not be the best written book ever, Martin knows how to play with the heart strings of the readers. Most readers will see no difference in writing between A Song of Ice and Fire and something such as Tolkien's or Robert Jordan's works. They will only know that they want to read more, even if they hate what is happening in the plot.
It's also the realism that captures me. Everyone wants to read a book about love, adventure and wars, where the good guys always win. But in real life, that rarely happens. You cannot depend on a supernatural force to prove who is guilty or not, and even that comes up in A Song of Ice and Fire. People die, whether natural or not, and Martin does not skirt around that with miraculous recoveries and perfectly planned rescues. Everything is what it seems, most of the time being the death of a character.
So I hate and love this book at the same time, but I think anyone who has read the book will have to agree that the show is pretty bad. The producers are playing to the wants of a younger male audience. There are far more nude and sex scenes than in the books, very few of which actually add to the plot. Then they take out important scenes, or even whole characters. I have no idea where they will go with Bran, Rickon, Hodor and Osha without the Reeds. It's impossible to work from what they have done, and I have a feeling that it will only get worse. They have to go in a straight line to keep the story making sense, but that straight line is at a different angle from the book, and it'll only get farther from the real plot.
Wednesday, 12 September 2012
First Review: Sherlock
Yesterday before class, when I should have been doing homework or reading or something else productive, I instead went online to watch a few episodes from a really good TV show. It's a British TV show, but as far as I know they have about six episodes in Canada and the US. Maybe more, but they only have three on Netflix and six on the site I was one, so I'm just assuming.
The show is called Sherlock, and yes, it is based on the novel Sherlock Holmes. This show, however, is set in modern day London, so they have all the technology of today, and of course, a British accent, which makes me really love it.
When comparing it to the recent Sherlcok Holmes movies with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, I would most definitely go with the TV show version. The movie may be funnier, longer and in all honestly, Jude Law makes a much handsomer Watson, but the modern version is much more viewer friendly. Unlike in the movies, it makes it very clear what Sherlock is seeing, and describes his thoughts with much more detail. In fact, if the part is important, you will go into the mind of Sherlock. It's a little hard to describe if you have not seen it.
And of course, the actor who plays Sherlock is probably one of the cutest British actors you will ever see (as long as you see him only in his Sherlock costume...). His name is Benedict Cumberbatchn (pretty awesome, right?) and he also makes a brief appearance in The Hobbit as the Necromancer and Smaug's voice. At least, I'm going to assume it's brief, since the Necromancer is not supposed to be in the Hobbit at all except in mentions. Then again, neither is Legolas supposed to have any speaking roles in it, if he appears at all. Yeah, look forward to a rant when The Hobbit: Part one comes out.
Like I said earlier, Jude Law makes a better Watson, but Martin Freeman, who plays Watson in the TV show, is still pretty good, just kind of old... And guess what! He's Bildo! You new you heard that name somewhere, right? He was also in a few other well known movies, such as The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Shaun of the Dead (Along with many others). As always, in Sherlock he is the voice of reason, but he's also the comic relief, kind of opposite to the movie version.
Now, I have to quickly thank my sister for pointing this show out to me and my parents. I think they've lost interest, but whatever. They watch documentaries and home decorating shows, so their opinions don't matter. (I'm joking, of course)
So if you're interested, here is the link to the site I'm using: http://www.cokeandpopcorn.com/watch-sherlock-online.php
It's also where I watched Game of Thrones (Of which I need to do a rant about), and there are a ton of other shows, most of them pretty well known like The Simpson, Family Guy, Futurama and all those crappy teen drama things.
The show is called Sherlock, and yes, it is based on the novel Sherlock Holmes. This show, however, is set in modern day London, so they have all the technology of today, and of course, a British accent, which makes me really love it.
When comparing it to the recent Sherlcok Holmes movies with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, I would most definitely go with the TV show version. The movie may be funnier, longer and in all honestly, Jude Law makes a much handsomer Watson, but the modern version is much more viewer friendly. Unlike in the movies, it makes it very clear what Sherlock is seeing, and describes his thoughts with much more detail. In fact, if the part is important, you will go into the mind of Sherlock. It's a little hard to describe if you have not seen it.
And of course, the actor who plays Sherlock is probably one of the cutest British actors you will ever see (as long as you see him only in his Sherlock costume...). His name is Benedict Cumberbatchn (pretty awesome, right?) and he also makes a brief appearance in The Hobbit as the Necromancer and Smaug's voice. At least, I'm going to assume it's brief, since the Necromancer is not supposed to be in the Hobbit at all except in mentions. Then again, neither is Legolas supposed to have any speaking roles in it, if he appears at all. Yeah, look forward to a rant when The Hobbit: Part one comes out.
Like I said earlier, Jude Law makes a better Watson, but Martin Freeman, who plays Watson in the TV show, is still pretty good, just kind of old... And guess what! He's Bildo! You new you heard that name somewhere, right? He was also in a few other well known movies, such as The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Shaun of the Dead (Along with many others). As always, in Sherlock he is the voice of reason, but he's also the comic relief, kind of opposite to the movie version.
Now, I have to quickly thank my sister for pointing this show out to me and my parents. I think they've lost interest, but whatever. They watch documentaries and home decorating shows, so their opinions don't matter. (I'm joking, of course)
So if you're interested, here is the link to the site I'm using: http://www.cokeandpopcorn.com/watch-sherlock-online.php
It's also where I watched Game of Thrones (Of which I need to do a rant about), and there are a ton of other shows, most of them pretty well known like The Simpson, Family Guy, Futurama and all those crappy teen drama things.
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