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Friday, July 29, 2016
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Stephen King bibliography: 'The Green Mile' part 3: 'Coffey's Hands'
It's very strange seeing the blurb on the back of these paperbacks that try to paint this as a horror story. I know, it's Stephen King, so people jump to that conclusion, but it just doesn't fit here.
Even in this section, where we get something of a genre shift courtesy of the reveal of John Coffey's supernatural powers, it doesn't play out like a spine tingling horror story. Of course, it's not supposed to, but that just makes you wonder why they bothered with that kind of blurb in the first place.
On the contrary, Coffey's ability to heal others by laying on hands seems to have the opposite effect in universe. Sure, what Coffey can do is bizarre and defies explanation, but at no point does Edgecomb recoil or feel haunted by seeing his infection instantly cured. Instead, it actually makes him question the man's guilt.
You can't blame him. From what they gather, Coffey had no prior offenses, his demeanor is unlike the other inmates, and now with this ability, it just raises questions about what happened.
It's not enough to prove Coffey's innocence, but now the situation doesn't seem so cut and dry. One of Paul's friends does provide an interesting counter-point, telling him about their dog who was largely friendly, but bit their child, forcing them to put him down.
It was nice to see Coffey take center stage. Though, even here, he's discussed more than he is present. Considering he's largely a silent character, it's hard to give him things to do, but he does play a more prominent role here than he has in the two other parts.
Sadly, this forces Mr. Jingles to the background. It is unreasonable to expect a mouse to carry the whole novel, though. There's enough going on and the characters are fleshed out enough to this point that he isn't as necessary as he was. This is especially indicated by what happens to him at the end, but we'll get to that.
With only 80 or so pages, there isn't a lot of room for progression on other fronts. I was actually surprised that the first chunk of this section focuses more on Edgecomb's life in the old folks' home. It's OK. It helps cement that we're reading his memoirs, but it seems like the space could have been used for something else.
I think part of it was to hold off on the resolution to the cliffhanger, where a crazed inmate had taken a guard hostage. It's a frequently used narrative tactic, so I can't really begrudge that.
Speaking of, the resolution was kind of weak. One of the other guards just comes up behind said inmate and whacks him with his nightstick. With more page time, the stand off could have felt more tense, but alas, it ends rather abruptly.
While this section doesn't end with a "cliffhanger" in the traditional sense, it does end on something of a wham moment as Percy stomps on Mr. Jingles, killing him.
You'd think that this would fall flat. Even if I hadn't seen the movie, I know that a healer is within arm's reach. Then again, even that could have its limits. Either way, it's a pretty gruesome affair. The fact that the critter had been nothing but charming and adorable (though Edgecomb does note that the mouse's welcome was starting to wear thin even with him) just adds to the cringe factor.
This was another fairly strong outing. It was eventful and things moved along smoothly. I'm glad to hit the halfway point. I expect that things will pick up and make the already fast reads that much faster.
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Even in this section, where we get something of a genre shift courtesy of the reveal of John Coffey's supernatural powers, it doesn't play out like a spine tingling horror story. Of course, it's not supposed to, but that just makes you wonder why they bothered with that kind of blurb in the first place.
On the contrary, Coffey's ability to heal others by laying on hands seems to have the opposite effect in universe. Sure, what Coffey can do is bizarre and defies explanation, but at no point does Edgecomb recoil or feel haunted by seeing his infection instantly cured. Instead, it actually makes him question the man's guilt.
You can't blame him. From what they gather, Coffey had no prior offenses, his demeanor is unlike the other inmates, and now with this ability, it just raises questions about what happened.
It's not enough to prove Coffey's innocence, but now the situation doesn't seem so cut and dry. One of Paul's friends does provide an interesting counter-point, telling him about their dog who was largely friendly, but bit their child, forcing them to put him down.
It was nice to see Coffey take center stage. Though, even here, he's discussed more than he is present. Considering he's largely a silent character, it's hard to give him things to do, but he does play a more prominent role here than he has in the two other parts.
Sadly, this forces Mr. Jingles to the background. It is unreasonable to expect a mouse to carry the whole novel, though. There's enough going on and the characters are fleshed out enough to this point that he isn't as necessary as he was. This is especially indicated by what happens to him at the end, but we'll get to that.
With only 80 or so pages, there isn't a lot of room for progression on other fronts. I was actually surprised that the first chunk of this section focuses more on Edgecomb's life in the old folks' home. It's OK. It helps cement that we're reading his memoirs, but it seems like the space could have been used for something else.
I think part of it was to hold off on the resolution to the cliffhanger, where a crazed inmate had taken a guard hostage. It's a frequently used narrative tactic, so I can't really begrudge that.
Speaking of, the resolution was kind of weak. One of the other guards just comes up behind said inmate and whacks him with his nightstick. With more page time, the stand off could have felt more tense, but alas, it ends rather abruptly.
While this section doesn't end with a "cliffhanger" in the traditional sense, it does end on something of a wham moment as Percy stomps on Mr. Jingles, killing him.
You'd think that this would fall flat. Even if I hadn't seen the movie, I know that a healer is within arm's reach. Then again, even that could have its limits. Either way, it's a pretty gruesome affair. The fact that the critter had been nothing but charming and adorable (though Edgecomb does note that the mouse's welcome was starting to wear thin even with him) just adds to the cringe factor.
This was another fairly strong outing. It was eventful and things moved along smoothly. I'm glad to hit the halfway point. I expect that things will pick up and make the already fast reads that much faster.
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Sunday, July 24, 2016
'Attack on Titan' episode 2: 'That Day: The Fall of Shiganshina part 2'
It seems like hope is lost, as the titans have broken through the wall and are now wreaking havoc with impunity. On the plus side, it's explained that the area was meant to draw the titans' attention, though that comes as little comfort to those who are now getting eaten.
I'd say that the region's defenses should have been stronger if that were the case, but it is shown that even artillery fire has no effect on the monsters. It does make you wonder what sort of force would need to be assembled to take these things down.
On the plus side, there are other walls, giving the remnants of humanity a fall back position. No one brings up the fact that if the titans can bring down one wall, they can bring down others, but that's an issue for another day.
It does bring up an array of problems. The government has no idea what to do and the inner cities are now being flooded with refugees. Considering their already strained resources, the newcomers aren't exactly welcomed with open arms.
While character development is put on the back burner for the first half of the episode, we do eventually pick back up with Eren. He's not faring too well. He spends a good chunk of the episode in what the tropers call a "heroic bsod". While he does eventually snap out of it and continue with the shrieking, you can't say it isn't justified. Given what happened last episode, he's grief stricken, in shock, suffering from survivor's guilt, and filled with a thirst for vengeance. Basically, he's got a lot on his plate, emotionally speaking.
His vows would be impressive, except the episode goes out of its way to undercut him. Again, the titans are nigh-invulnerable. On top of that, every physical confrontation Eren gets into ends with him getting swatted aside or easily knocked down. I'm guessing that's going to be his character arc, a more positive spin on the "from nobody to nightmare" trope, where we see him turn from whiny snit to titan slaying bamf. As it stands, though, I'm not exactly filled with confidence.
We do see him, Mikasa, and their friend Armin join the cadets in order to more effectively fight the titans and win back the planet. While training is great, don't they need weapons that can kill the things first? I'm guessing those rope devices we saw last episode are going to be the primary means of victory, though I'm not sure how.
I'm also not sure how the cadet leader is so certain of his "three year" time table. If the threat is as urgent as it seems, three years seems like it's way too lenient. Of course, even this episode has a time skip, so maybe it's not that far fetched.
The episode has its moments, but it didn't quite have the kick that the last episode had. The opening sequence was probably the major highlight. It did a great job of displaying the horror and scope of the threat. Considering there isn't much else of note, you could argue that it ate up too much time and took away from developing other things, but it was the stronger portion, so you could make arguments for either case. I expect the next couple of episodes will be montage heavy, as Eren tries to acquire the eye of the tiger, but we'll see how it plays out when we get there.
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I'd say that the region's defenses should have been stronger if that were the case, but it is shown that even artillery fire has no effect on the monsters. It does make you wonder what sort of force would need to be assembled to take these things down.
On the plus side, there are other walls, giving the remnants of humanity a fall back position. No one brings up the fact that if the titans can bring down one wall, they can bring down others, but that's an issue for another day.
It does bring up an array of problems. The government has no idea what to do and the inner cities are now being flooded with refugees. Considering their already strained resources, the newcomers aren't exactly welcomed with open arms.
While character development is put on the back burner for the first half of the episode, we do eventually pick back up with Eren. He's not faring too well. He spends a good chunk of the episode in what the tropers call a "heroic bsod". While he does eventually snap out of it and continue with the shrieking, you can't say it isn't justified. Given what happened last episode, he's grief stricken, in shock, suffering from survivor's guilt, and filled with a thirst for vengeance. Basically, he's got a lot on his plate, emotionally speaking.
His vows would be impressive, except the episode goes out of its way to undercut him. Again, the titans are nigh-invulnerable. On top of that, every physical confrontation Eren gets into ends with him getting swatted aside or easily knocked down. I'm guessing that's going to be his character arc, a more positive spin on the "from nobody to nightmare" trope, where we see him turn from whiny snit to titan slaying bamf. As it stands, though, I'm not exactly filled with confidence.
We do see him, Mikasa, and their friend Armin join the cadets in order to more effectively fight the titans and win back the planet. While training is great, don't they need weapons that can kill the things first? I'm guessing those rope devices we saw last episode are going to be the primary means of victory, though I'm not sure how.
I'm also not sure how the cadet leader is so certain of his "three year" time table. If the threat is as urgent as it seems, three years seems like it's way too lenient. Of course, even this episode has a time skip, so maybe it's not that far fetched.
The episode has its moments, but it didn't quite have the kick that the last episode had. The opening sequence was probably the major highlight. It did a great job of displaying the horror and scope of the threat. Considering there isn't much else of note, you could argue that it ate up too much time and took away from developing other things, but it was the stronger portion, so you could make arguments for either case. I expect the next couple of episodes will be montage heavy, as Eren tries to acquire the eye of the tiger, but we'll see how it plays out when we get there.
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Thursday, July 21, 2016
Stephen King bibliography: 'The Green Mile' part 2: 'The Mouse on the Mile'
Much like "Daredevil", this was something that got pushed to the back burner for a long time as a result of the Examiner shut down. It's a shame as it, more or less, negated the positive note that the last part ended on. Whatever momentum that generated was more or less gone when I did finally start reading it again.
While there was a little of the old, "Wait, who are these people, again?" It really wasn't that hard to get back into it. In fact, this did a much better job of keeping me invested than the part that preceded it. It does a great job of fleshing out the cast and keeping things moving.
The prisoners themselves are interesting, but the book does remind you that they are guilty of horrid crimes. It's for the best, really. Someone like Delacroix is oddly charming, especially when he forms a bond with Mr. Jingles. It would be easy to forget that these are violent criminals. While the book doesn't paint the death penalty in a positive light, exactly, it would be a stretch to call these people victims in the traditional sense. Giving them just enough humanity to connect, but still showing that they're deplorable is rather effective as it embraces the moral ambiguity of the issue. Unlike "Insomnia", the politics don't get in the way of the story as it does a much better job of showing both sides.
As was the case with the last part, the mouse steals the show. He pretty much does the same stuff, but it's still cute and his presence does bring the best out of the characters, Percy notwithstanding.
Considering the title, the mouse doesn't get as much time as you'd think he would. I'd say he has the same presence that he did in part 1. You could argue that he's just a mouse and that there isn't much else for him to do. At the same time, you could counter by saying that a different title might have worked better. The title does get dropped at one point, so there's that.
It was a little weird that they do "rehearsals" for the executions. If there was a rookie on the staff, I could see it, but it seems like even Percy has been around for a while. You'd think that there's no reason for it. I suppose it helps keep them on the ball. At the very least, it does set up some Chekhov's Guns, but that's knowledge gleaned from watching the movie and having a decent idea of what comes next.
It is, oddly, one of the part's highlights. The newly introduced character with the dumb name Toot-toot really shines, adding some dark comedy to the proceedings. Given the morbid plot premise, it's good that the work can still inject some levity into it. It's especially impressive as King doesn't really do comedic banter, but it's working well in this case.
In true serial fashion, this one ends in a cliffhanger. You'd think that I would have expected it, but it kind of caught me off guard. I figured that each part would be self contained, but this works well as it keeps you engaged in the story and makes you eager to keep going.
I was also surprised by the size of each part. Looking at them on the Kindle, they seem fairly sizable. Looking at the paperback versions of each part, though, you see that the book really isn't that daunting when you break it down. Each part is shorter than your average "Goosebumps" book. Here, I thought this was a door stopper, but it really isn't. That's a good thing, though, as it removes the psychological daunting that can occasionally come with reading a really thick book.
Overall, this part was a big improvement. The story is gaining momentum and it's working to the book's favor. It's a shame that Coffey more or less sits it out, but the next few parts should make up for that. I'm looking forward to tackling the remaining sections.
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While there was a little of the old, "Wait, who are these people, again?" It really wasn't that hard to get back into it. In fact, this did a much better job of keeping me invested than the part that preceded it. It does a great job of fleshing out the cast and keeping things moving.
The prisoners themselves are interesting, but the book does remind you that they are guilty of horrid crimes. It's for the best, really. Someone like Delacroix is oddly charming, especially when he forms a bond with Mr. Jingles. It would be easy to forget that these are violent criminals. While the book doesn't paint the death penalty in a positive light, exactly, it would be a stretch to call these people victims in the traditional sense. Giving them just enough humanity to connect, but still showing that they're deplorable is rather effective as it embraces the moral ambiguity of the issue. Unlike "Insomnia", the politics don't get in the way of the story as it does a much better job of showing both sides.
As was the case with the last part, the mouse steals the show. He pretty much does the same stuff, but it's still cute and his presence does bring the best out of the characters, Percy notwithstanding.
Considering the title, the mouse doesn't get as much time as you'd think he would. I'd say he has the same presence that he did in part 1. You could argue that he's just a mouse and that there isn't much else for him to do. At the same time, you could counter by saying that a different title might have worked better. The title does get dropped at one point, so there's that.
It was a little weird that they do "rehearsals" for the executions. If there was a rookie on the staff, I could see it, but it seems like even Percy has been around for a while. You'd think that there's no reason for it. I suppose it helps keep them on the ball. At the very least, it does set up some Chekhov's Guns, but that's knowledge gleaned from watching the movie and having a decent idea of what comes next.
It is, oddly, one of the part's highlights. The newly introduced character with the dumb name Toot-toot really shines, adding some dark comedy to the proceedings. Given the morbid plot premise, it's good that the work can still inject some levity into it. It's especially impressive as King doesn't really do comedic banter, but it's working well in this case.
In true serial fashion, this one ends in a cliffhanger. You'd think that I would have expected it, but it kind of caught me off guard. I figured that each part would be self contained, but this works well as it keeps you engaged in the story and makes you eager to keep going.
I was also surprised by the size of each part. Looking at them on the Kindle, they seem fairly sizable. Looking at the paperback versions of each part, though, you see that the book really isn't that daunting when you break it down. Each part is shorter than your average "Goosebumps" book. Here, I thought this was a door stopper, but it really isn't. That's a good thing, though, as it removes the psychological daunting that can occasionally come with reading a really thick book.
Overall, this part was a big improvement. The story is gaining momentum and it's working to the book's favor. It's a shame that Coffey more or less sits it out, but the next few parts should make up for that. I'm looking forward to tackling the remaining sections.
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Wednesday, July 20, 2016
'Attack on Titan' episode 1: 'To You, After 2,000 Years: The Fall of Shiganshina Part 1'
I considered covering this series on Examiner back when it first hit. I held off, though, as I had a tendency to cover multiple series at the time and I didn't want to get too bogged down. Considering what happened to the site, it's probably for the best. It might have drawn more traffic when it was new, but with the second season coming at some point, discussing it now will allow me to be up to speed when that finally comes out.
The plot thus far, is fairly simple. The world has been overrun by creatures called Titans, gigantic humanoid abominations that roam the land and eat people. We don't know their origins, as of yet, but even the main characters don't, so at least everyone is on equal footing. They don't seem particularly menacing, being rather pudgy and goofy looking, but we see that all attempts to defeat them have been met with failure.
As such, humanity decides to enclose itself in a village surrounded by a series of large walls. Yeah, yeah, insert Trump comment here. As was the case in "Pacific Rim", the wall ultimately proves futile as the Titans reach a point where they can just smash through it. It is said that the walls had allowed the people to live in peace for a century before though, so there is that.
It does create a sort of philosophical debate. The main character, Eren, wants to venture out, defeat the monsters, and break free of the "cage". Others, however, insist that doing so is suicide and that they should be happy to live as they are.
Both sides have their points. Eren is right in saying that becoming complacent will end badly. They do need to remain vigilant about what's out there. On the other hand, they are able to live fairly comfortably. Eren tries to compare their lives to being cattle, but I don't really see it. The village is certainly big enough and they seem to have a working economy going. I'm not sure what more he expects.
I'm rather torn on Eren. He's noble enough, and compared to the kid from "The Babadook", he's a walk in the park, but I don't know.
He's a rather shrieking lad, isn't he? He's not "whining", exactly. I know, anime protagonists often fall into that trap, but that's not really what he's doing. Eren isn't wallowing in angst, though he does open the episode by waking up in tears for no explicable reason; he just gets worked up and his voice hits this high pitch that can be rather unpleasant from an audible standpoint.
Some of it is justified. I had no problem with it when his mother was buried under rubble and he was struggling to get her out before one of the Titans made its way to them. Given the circumstances, that makes perfect sense. There are other times where he's just bickering with someone and it didn't seem necessary. Hopefully that's a trait that gets phased out as the series progresses because I could see that becoming a problem if it doesn't get addressed.
As this is the first episode (and the first of a 2 parter, no less) this episode is largely set up. It gives you the basic plot premise and introduces you to the characters. I was never bored while I was watching this and I am interested to see where it goes. I can't say that I'm blown away, just yet, but it's still early.
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The plot thus far, is fairly simple. The world has been overrun by creatures called Titans, gigantic humanoid abominations that roam the land and eat people. We don't know their origins, as of yet, but even the main characters don't, so at least everyone is on equal footing. They don't seem particularly menacing, being rather pudgy and goofy looking, but we see that all attempts to defeat them have been met with failure.
As such, humanity decides to enclose itself in a village surrounded by a series of large walls. Yeah, yeah, insert Trump comment here. As was the case in "Pacific Rim", the wall ultimately proves futile as the Titans reach a point where they can just smash through it. It is said that the walls had allowed the people to live in peace for a century before though, so there is that.
It does create a sort of philosophical debate. The main character, Eren, wants to venture out, defeat the monsters, and break free of the "cage". Others, however, insist that doing so is suicide and that they should be happy to live as they are.
Both sides have their points. Eren is right in saying that becoming complacent will end badly. They do need to remain vigilant about what's out there. On the other hand, they are able to live fairly comfortably. Eren tries to compare their lives to being cattle, but I don't really see it. The village is certainly big enough and they seem to have a working economy going. I'm not sure what more he expects.
I'm rather torn on Eren. He's noble enough, and compared to the kid from "The Babadook", he's a walk in the park, but I don't know.
He's a rather shrieking lad, isn't he? He's not "whining", exactly. I know, anime protagonists often fall into that trap, but that's not really what he's doing. Eren isn't wallowing in angst, though he does open the episode by waking up in tears for no explicable reason; he just gets worked up and his voice hits this high pitch that can be rather unpleasant from an audible standpoint.
Some of it is justified. I had no problem with it when his mother was buried under rubble and he was struggling to get her out before one of the Titans made its way to them. Given the circumstances, that makes perfect sense. There are other times where he's just bickering with someone and it didn't seem necessary. Hopefully that's a trait that gets phased out as the series progresses because I could see that becoming a problem if it doesn't get addressed.
As this is the first episode (and the first of a 2 parter, no less) this episode is largely set up. It gives you the basic plot premise and introduces you to the characters. I was never bored while I was watching this and I am interested to see where it goes. I can't say that I'm blown away, just yet, but it's still early.
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Monday, July 18, 2016
Daredevil Season 2, Episode 13: 'A Cold Day in Hell's Kitchen'
With only one episode left, this should have been taken care of much quicker. Alas, with everything going on, it kept getting pushed to the back burner. Now, though, it's time to put this to bed as we bring the show's second season to a close.
It's largely action-centric, as Daredevil and Elektra make a final push to stop the Hand from utilizing her as a weapon. I said before that Elektra could use her status as idol to reform the Hand, but from what she says, that doesn't seem like an option. She notes that they'd keep doing what they're doing in her name, and she's not OK with that.
While the two vigilantes have different stances on how to proceed, their hand (ha) is forced when the group of ninjas make their boldest move yet. They assault cops and kidnap over a dozen people who Daredevil had been reported to save as a way to draw him out.
Considering he was gunning for them anyway, this seems like a lot of needless trouble, but it does give him someone (Karen, among others) to rescue. TvTropes also points out how it was only through dumb luck that Daredevil stumbled upon them anyway. Usually, stealth and guile work to their advantage, but when you're trying to lure somebody into a trap, they need a trail of bread crumbs to follow.
In any event, the circumstances also put him at odds with Elektra again. She wants to focus on taking out Nobu and ignoring the small fish, where Matt wants to make them the first priority. To her credit, Elektra notes it's callous, but you can at least see where she's coming from as far as dealing with the bigger threat.
The whole thing culminates in a rooftop battle with Nobu and his mooks. While the latter don't just sit back and watch, they do, at points, back off so that both Elektra and Daredevil can take their cracks at their leader.
As I am a noted sucker for 2 on 1 fights, I rather enjoyed this sequence. While Matt getting his clock cleaned last season showed you what Nobu was capable of, this fight possibly paints him in an even more impressive light. True, it's not as brutal, but he is fending off two very capable fighters, even getting the upper hand (ha) at certain points.
Much like both the comics and the movie, Elektra gets killed. This actually works much better for a variety of reasons. I actually buy Nobu being capable of besting her much more than I did Bullseye in the flick. The fact that we saw a 2 on 1 fight also helped; where the movie had her fight Bullseye on her own, with Daredevil jumping in later to avenge her. The way she died was also executed much better. It wasn't so much Nobu being ruthless and a better fighter, as it was Elektra jumping in to save Matt. That alone was noble enough, but the fact that her dying is stopping them from using her just adds a cherry to the heroic sacrifice sundae. Granted, the end of the episode undercuts that part a bit, but still, points for trying.
Don't worry, the Punisher throws in his two cents on the ordeal. Not only does he don his suit for the first time (much like Matt did last season,) but we see him help turn the tide by taking potshots at Hand members who were attempting to attack Matt.
Given his skills in hand to hand, a part of me thinks that it would have been cool to see him throw down in melee. At the same time, though, this is kind of really outside his wheelhouse. He is also a trained sniper, so it makes sense. It was awesome either way.
That being said, his timing suuucks. Where was he three minutes ago? It seems like he could have started picking off members much sooner than he did. As it is, he doesn't fire a shot until after Elektra falls. Maybe that could have been avoided? I don't know.
Stick, too, gets a moment to shine. He spends most of the episode tied to a chair, but he is ultimately the one to finish Nobu off for good. While the old man doesn't have a lot of screen time, it was nice that the episode gave him that particular highlight.
While action is the episode's focus, the episode does have some nice character moments. The scene between Matt and Elektra before they make their final charge was rather sweet. That's a hard moment to write, too. Often times, it comes off as really cheesy, but the performers made it work and the script itself was pretty solid.
It was also nice to see Foggy get a job with Hogarth. It made for a nice cameo from Carrie-Anne Moss, but it also helps tie all the shows together. I like how all the friends and associates of the vigilantes are bumping into each other and forming a sort of network. It might be what helps bring the team together, but we'll see.
The scene at the bar between Foggy and Karen also had a nice bitter-sweetness to it. While the fellowship is more or less broken (as evidenced by the fact that Foggy is closing the Nelson/Murdock tab at the bar), both he and Karen do reaffirm their friendship. I thought it was nice.
On a somewhat random note, Matt's dismissive attitude towards mysticism was rather amusing. Not only is Iron Fist an upcoming series, but we also have Dr. Strange making his cinematic debut. Then again, Thor and the magic of Asgard was rationalized as just being "advanced science" so they could be taking a similar route there, I suppose we'll have to wait and see.
All in all, this was a strong finale. It had plenty of crowning moments and it planted a couple of seeds for future plot lines.
It's too bad that Luke Cage doesn't hit Netflix until, what? September? That's not too bad of a wait, I suppose. I'll watch it and we can talk about that too when it hits.
From what I've read, they "aren't sure" if Daredevil is getting a third season. Quite frankly, I don't see why it wouldn't. There are still plot elements to explore and the show is very well received. It obviously won't happen until after "The Defenders", much like the second season of "Jessica Jones" but that's fine. Frankly, I'm surprised they got a second season of this show out before the big team up.
It certainly worked to the franchise's favor, however. This had a lot of great build up and it brought more potential players into the mix. There's quite a bit to look forward to as the universe continues to expand.
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It's largely action-centric, as Daredevil and Elektra make a final push to stop the Hand from utilizing her as a weapon. I said before that Elektra could use her status as idol to reform the Hand, but from what she says, that doesn't seem like an option. She notes that they'd keep doing what they're doing in her name, and she's not OK with that.
While the two vigilantes have different stances on how to proceed, their hand (ha) is forced when the group of ninjas make their boldest move yet. They assault cops and kidnap over a dozen people who Daredevil had been reported to save as a way to draw him out.
Considering he was gunning for them anyway, this seems like a lot of needless trouble, but it does give him someone (Karen, among others) to rescue. TvTropes also points out how it was only through dumb luck that Daredevil stumbled upon them anyway. Usually, stealth and guile work to their advantage, but when you're trying to lure somebody into a trap, they need a trail of bread crumbs to follow.
In any event, the circumstances also put him at odds with Elektra again. She wants to focus on taking out Nobu and ignoring the small fish, where Matt wants to make them the first priority. To her credit, Elektra notes it's callous, but you can at least see where she's coming from as far as dealing with the bigger threat.
The whole thing culminates in a rooftop battle with Nobu and his mooks. While the latter don't just sit back and watch, they do, at points, back off so that both Elektra and Daredevil can take their cracks at their leader.
As I am a noted sucker for 2 on 1 fights, I rather enjoyed this sequence. While Matt getting his clock cleaned last season showed you what Nobu was capable of, this fight possibly paints him in an even more impressive light. True, it's not as brutal, but he is fending off two very capable fighters, even getting the upper hand (ha) at certain points.
Much like both the comics and the movie, Elektra gets killed. This actually works much better for a variety of reasons. I actually buy Nobu being capable of besting her much more than I did Bullseye in the flick. The fact that we saw a 2 on 1 fight also helped; where the movie had her fight Bullseye on her own, with Daredevil jumping in later to avenge her. The way she died was also executed much better. It wasn't so much Nobu being ruthless and a better fighter, as it was Elektra jumping in to save Matt. That alone was noble enough, but the fact that her dying is stopping them from using her just adds a cherry to the heroic sacrifice sundae. Granted, the end of the episode undercuts that part a bit, but still, points for trying.
Don't worry, the Punisher throws in his two cents on the ordeal. Not only does he don his suit for the first time (much like Matt did last season,) but we see him help turn the tide by taking potshots at Hand members who were attempting to attack Matt.
Given his skills in hand to hand, a part of me thinks that it would have been cool to see him throw down in melee. At the same time, though, this is kind of really outside his wheelhouse. He is also a trained sniper, so it makes sense. It was awesome either way.
That being said, his timing suuucks. Where was he three minutes ago? It seems like he could have started picking off members much sooner than he did. As it is, he doesn't fire a shot until after Elektra falls. Maybe that could have been avoided? I don't know.
Stick, too, gets a moment to shine. He spends most of the episode tied to a chair, but he is ultimately the one to finish Nobu off for good. While the old man doesn't have a lot of screen time, it was nice that the episode gave him that particular highlight.
While action is the episode's focus, the episode does have some nice character moments. The scene between Matt and Elektra before they make their final charge was rather sweet. That's a hard moment to write, too. Often times, it comes off as really cheesy, but the performers made it work and the script itself was pretty solid.
It was also nice to see Foggy get a job with Hogarth. It made for a nice cameo from Carrie-Anne Moss, but it also helps tie all the shows together. I like how all the friends and associates of the vigilantes are bumping into each other and forming a sort of network. It might be what helps bring the team together, but we'll see.
The scene at the bar between Foggy and Karen also had a nice bitter-sweetness to it. While the fellowship is more or less broken (as evidenced by the fact that Foggy is closing the Nelson/Murdock tab at the bar), both he and Karen do reaffirm their friendship. I thought it was nice.
On a somewhat random note, Matt's dismissive attitude towards mysticism was rather amusing. Not only is Iron Fist an upcoming series, but we also have Dr. Strange making his cinematic debut. Then again, Thor and the magic of Asgard was rationalized as just being "advanced science" so they could be taking a similar route there, I suppose we'll have to wait and see.
All in all, this was a strong finale. It had plenty of crowning moments and it planted a couple of seeds for future plot lines.
It's too bad that Luke Cage doesn't hit Netflix until, what? September? That's not too bad of a wait, I suppose. I'll watch it and we can talk about that too when it hits.
From what I've read, they "aren't sure" if Daredevil is getting a third season. Quite frankly, I don't see why it wouldn't. There are still plot elements to explore and the show is very well received. It obviously won't happen until after "The Defenders", much like the second season of "Jessica Jones" but that's fine. Frankly, I'm surprised they got a second season of this show out before the big team up.
It certainly worked to the franchise's favor, however. This had a lot of great build up and it brought more potential players into the mix. There's quite a bit to look forward to as the universe continues to expand.
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Sunday, July 17, 2016
'Dragon Ball Super' episode 52: 'Master and Student Reunion - Son Gohan and Future Trunks'
What this episode lacks in plot progression, it makes up for in charm and heart. Once again, we have an episode where the characters are in a holding pattern, as the time machine is still being reconstructed, but this managed to make the episode worth the watch to a much greater degree than its predecessor.
It seems that while Mai has developed a crush on Future Trunks, the present Trunks is starting to develop a crush on her. It has to be one of the weirder love triangles out there, but it is kind of endearing seeing young Trunks try to catch Mai's attention. He even goes so far as to pick up a hand saw and sling it over his shoulder like Future Trunks' sheathed sword. While you kind of wish the two Trunks' had more time on screen together, it is nice to see that Future Trunks' presence is sparking some evolution of the main timeline's Trunks and growing his character.
For Future Trunks' part, he goes to Gohan's. His intent is to thank his mentor for the influence he had, but things take a turn. The episode does give us a flashback to when Trunks turned Super Saiyan, reminding us of the impact that Gohan had. It marks the first flashback where Trunks' hair was altered. Up until now, they stuck with the original purple, but it seems that, rather than just use footage from the movie, they decided to reanimate the sequence for the purpose of this show in order to give him blue hair. It's simultaneously more consistent and less. Not a big deal, but still notable and a little on the odd side.
The last time Trunks saw Gohan, it was during the fight with Cell, where the young Gohan had just hit a new height in terms of power. As such, he's rather thrown to see the dorky dad that Gohan has become.
Once again, Pan steals the show just by being adorable. She gets a chance to play with everyone with varying degrees of success. It's all endearing as all get out, though. Whether Trunks' inability to control Pan was a dig at GT or not is left up to the viewer. On the one hand, you could see it as a stretch, but I suppose you could see it that way. At the very least, it sets things up for a potential time skip where the two (or at least Present Day Trunks and Pan) can bond more effectively than they did here.
The dinner, pleasant as it is, wasn't what Trunks was expecting, but it does actually work to his benefit. As he notes, it's a reminder of what he's fighting for. It didn't seem like determination was a problem for him; but between the androids and Black, you can't blame him for forgetting what a peaceful life looks like. Judging by the dreams we see, Trunks needed the positive boost. He still seems to be suffering from some PTSD regarding what Black has done.
On a similar note, we see why Vegeta was so ticked last episode. In hindsight, it was kind of obvious (or should have been anyway,) but it still makes perfect sense. Black killed Bulma, hence the fury. The episode doesn't put too much focus on it. We just see one scene where Vegeta is training in the gravity room, but it was a nice touch.
If you were looking for more clues about Black's identity, this episode offers next to nothing. He doesn't even really appear, barring Future Trunks' nightmares. Normally, I'd cite this as a bad thing, as I think Black has been a fantastic villain; but given how light and fluffy this episode is, it's for the best that he sits this one out. His presence really wouldn't have fit.
The only thing we do get on that front comes from Beerus and Whis, who conclude that Black's energy feels like it comes from Universe 10, thus they (along with Goku) set out to investigate. We do see that green Kai, who has appeared in the credits, make an appearance. Said Kai has no lines of dialogue so we can't draw any conclusions. It also has both earrings, so the seemingly obvious connection seems like it can be dismissed for now. Seeing as all we see the Kai doing is push a cart, we can't even tell if it's good or bad. I suppose that's what the next episode is for.
Judging by the title of said episode, it looks like next week's episode is going to be a whammy. Questions will be answered and the nature of Black will be revealed. It should be a good one.
Truth be told, I was hoping for more of that this week, but I enjoyed what we got here. The characters are all so nice and have such pleasant dispositions that it's hard to hate. Technically, this probably does fall under the category of "filler", but this was the good kind of filler.
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It seems that while Mai has developed a crush on Future Trunks, the present Trunks is starting to develop a crush on her. It has to be one of the weirder love triangles out there, but it is kind of endearing seeing young Trunks try to catch Mai's attention. He even goes so far as to pick up a hand saw and sling it over his shoulder like Future Trunks' sheathed sword. While you kind of wish the two Trunks' had more time on screen together, it is nice to see that Future Trunks' presence is sparking some evolution of the main timeline's Trunks and growing his character.
For Future Trunks' part, he goes to Gohan's. His intent is to thank his mentor for the influence he had, but things take a turn. The episode does give us a flashback to when Trunks turned Super Saiyan, reminding us of the impact that Gohan had. It marks the first flashback where Trunks' hair was altered. Up until now, they stuck with the original purple, but it seems that, rather than just use footage from the movie, they decided to reanimate the sequence for the purpose of this show in order to give him blue hair. It's simultaneously more consistent and less. Not a big deal, but still notable and a little on the odd side.
The last time Trunks saw Gohan, it was during the fight with Cell, where the young Gohan had just hit a new height in terms of power. As such, he's rather thrown to see the dorky dad that Gohan has become.
Once again, Pan steals the show just by being adorable. She gets a chance to play with everyone with varying degrees of success. It's all endearing as all get out, though. Whether Trunks' inability to control Pan was a dig at GT or not is left up to the viewer. On the one hand, you could see it as a stretch, but I suppose you could see it that way. At the very least, it sets things up for a potential time skip where the two (or at least Present Day Trunks and Pan) can bond more effectively than they did here.
The dinner, pleasant as it is, wasn't what Trunks was expecting, but it does actually work to his benefit. As he notes, it's a reminder of what he's fighting for. It didn't seem like determination was a problem for him; but between the androids and Black, you can't blame him for forgetting what a peaceful life looks like. Judging by the dreams we see, Trunks needed the positive boost. He still seems to be suffering from some PTSD regarding what Black has done.
On a similar note, we see why Vegeta was so ticked last episode. In hindsight, it was kind of obvious (or should have been anyway,) but it still makes perfect sense. Black killed Bulma, hence the fury. The episode doesn't put too much focus on it. We just see one scene where Vegeta is training in the gravity room, but it was a nice touch.
If you were looking for more clues about Black's identity, this episode offers next to nothing. He doesn't even really appear, barring Future Trunks' nightmares. Normally, I'd cite this as a bad thing, as I think Black has been a fantastic villain; but given how light and fluffy this episode is, it's for the best that he sits this one out. His presence really wouldn't have fit.
The only thing we do get on that front comes from Beerus and Whis, who conclude that Black's energy feels like it comes from Universe 10, thus they (along with Goku) set out to investigate. We do see that green Kai, who has appeared in the credits, make an appearance. Said Kai has no lines of dialogue so we can't draw any conclusions. It also has both earrings, so the seemingly obvious connection seems like it can be dismissed for now. Seeing as all we see the Kai doing is push a cart, we can't even tell if it's good or bad. I suppose that's what the next episode is for.
Judging by the title of said episode, it looks like next week's episode is going to be a whammy. Questions will be answered and the nature of Black will be revealed. It should be a good one.
Truth be told, I was hoping for more of that this week, but I enjoyed what we got here. The characters are all so nice and have such pleasant dispositions that it's hard to hate. Technically, this probably does fall under the category of "filler", but this was the good kind of filler.
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Saturday, July 16, 2016
Site Update 7/16/16: Moving Forward
On June 30, Examiner sent out an e-mail informing writers that they were closing up shop. Since then, I've been working pretty much around the clock, trying to move as much content here as possible. Alas, between the amount of content published, the fact that Examiner's site was a perpetually lagging and unresponsive nightmare (a likely reason it went out of business), and the short time frame (though to be fair, I got more time than I thought I was going to get) I wasn't able to get everything transferred.
Now, this shake up changes some things, but not so much. The Stephen King and anime write-ups will continue, only the content will be posted here directly. Sadly, the 'Rurouni Kenshin' write ups are pretty much dead in the water (for now anyway, I'll get to that later.) I wasn't able to get everything moved and I'd rather not have that huge gap. I'll likely watch it on my own time so that I can make room on the Netflix queue, but that's it. The 'Dragon Ball Super' write ups will continue and I will also start up on other series. I'd also like to use this as a chance to branch out into other things. Reviewstream does allow me to do that to some capacity, but having everything here actually makes it a bit easier to accomplish, in all honesty.
How does the site shut down affect the business model, you ask? Not going to lie, losing a revenue stream sucks. However, Reviewstream is still viable and this site offers streams that have yet to be tapped (Patreon and Amazon affiliate links for example, both of which will be pressed harder.) I've monetized my Youtube channel, though that's not going to mean anything until I actually start posting content there. It's probably just going to be vlog stuff, but it'll (hopefully) help a bit and should add some variety to the page. For those who are looking to redistribute their wealth, either for the sake of income equality or because being rich is too much of a burden for you; or those who have qualms about using Patreon, I've also added a Paypal button to the page. It's way down at the bottom for the sake of quasi-subtlety, but it's there if you go looking for it.
Another question that may arise is whether or not I'm going to go back and "re-do" the content that was lost in the shut down. At this point, the answer is no. I know, it sucks having an archive full of dead links. As of now, though, I'd rather look forward to new things. I have, however, added a new Patreon milestone where I would go back to re-watch, re-read, and re-review everything that wasn't able to get transferred. It's a bit steep ($7,000/month) but I think it's justified. For one thing, that's A LOT of time and work on it's own. I would also want to keep putting out new content consistently for the site and there is also the monthly short story and novella that comes with some of the lower milestones. In short, I'd be earning it. If that isn't enough, there's also the charity milestone which precedes this one to take into consideration.
I suppose one could also use the $30 request reward level to help fill in the gaps. I don't know why you'd want to waste your request on something that was already discussed and would be buried in the archive, never to be seen on the front page, but it is an option.
This was a bit of a curveball, but I think it's endurable. In some ways, this could work out better. This site runs a lot smoother than Examiner did, so readers will likely be more willing to come here rather than see their computer freeze up for 20 minutes at a time. I also have more flexibility here in terms of content fodder than I did there. Admittedly, the business cards I ordered a few years back are now useless, but I never really ended up using them anyway. Beyond that, I'm going to keep making content and I've come up with contingencies to make up for the financial loss of the site's shut down. If all goes well, this could end up leading to some growth in the future.
Now, this shake up changes some things, but not so much. The Stephen King and anime write-ups will continue, only the content will be posted here directly. Sadly, the 'Rurouni Kenshin' write ups are pretty much dead in the water (for now anyway, I'll get to that later.) I wasn't able to get everything moved and I'd rather not have that huge gap. I'll likely watch it on my own time so that I can make room on the Netflix queue, but that's it. The 'Dragon Ball Super' write ups will continue and I will also start up on other series. I'd also like to use this as a chance to branch out into other things. Reviewstream does allow me to do that to some capacity, but having everything here actually makes it a bit easier to accomplish, in all honesty.
How does the site shut down affect the business model, you ask? Not going to lie, losing a revenue stream sucks. However, Reviewstream is still viable and this site offers streams that have yet to be tapped (Patreon and Amazon affiliate links for example, both of which will be pressed harder.) I've monetized my Youtube channel, though that's not going to mean anything until I actually start posting content there. It's probably just going to be vlog stuff, but it'll (hopefully) help a bit and should add some variety to the page. For those who are looking to redistribute their wealth, either for the sake of income equality or because being rich is too much of a burden for you; or those who have qualms about using Patreon, I've also added a Paypal button to the page. It's way down at the bottom for the sake of quasi-subtlety, but it's there if you go looking for it.
Another question that may arise is whether or not I'm going to go back and "re-do" the content that was lost in the shut down. At this point, the answer is no. I know, it sucks having an archive full of dead links. As of now, though, I'd rather look forward to new things. I have, however, added a new Patreon milestone where I would go back to re-watch, re-read, and re-review everything that wasn't able to get transferred. It's a bit steep ($7,000/month) but I think it's justified. For one thing, that's A LOT of time and work on it's own. I would also want to keep putting out new content consistently for the site and there is also the monthly short story and novella that comes with some of the lower milestones. In short, I'd be earning it. If that isn't enough, there's also the charity milestone which precedes this one to take into consideration.
I suppose one could also use the $30 request reward level to help fill in the gaps. I don't know why you'd want to waste your request on something that was already discussed and would be buried in the archive, never to be seen on the front page, but it is an option.
This was a bit of a curveball, but I think it's endurable. In some ways, this could work out better. This site runs a lot smoother than Examiner did, so readers will likely be more willing to come here rather than see their computer freeze up for 20 minutes at a time. I also have more flexibility here in terms of content fodder than I did there. Admittedly, the business cards I ordered a few years back are now useless, but I never really ended up using them anyway. Beyond that, I'm going to keep making content and I've come up with contingencies to make up for the financial loss of the site's shut down. If all goes well, this could end up leading to some growth in the future.
Monday, July 11, 2016
'Dragon Ball Super' episode 51: 'Feelings that Transcend Time - Trunks and Mai'
You'd think that the fact that Bulma kept the second time machine wouldn't require a lot of explanation. Oddly, the episode devotes a lot of time to detailing the circumstances. It was nice to see the flashbacks to the Cell saga, though. I do wonder why the others were so surprised that Cell came from the future. Didn't they know that already? I'm pretty sure that at least Krillin was there when they went to go blow up the "present day" Cell in Dr. Gero's basement. Maybe it just never came up? It's not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things, but it was odd.
I also wonder if we're going into a "Terminator" situation where the technology from the future is what allows that technology to be developed in the first place. It seems like Bulma is getting a lot of her knowledge from "future Bulma's" notes. I suppose a stable time loop is better than an unstable one, but it is one of those time travel scenarios that makes you go cross-eyed.
Said notes are actually vital, as the damage to the vessel extends to more than just the window. While you'd think that the heroes wouldn't have time to waste, it seems they can do nothing but wait, as it's going to take time to get the ship in working order.
With that, Goku and Vegeta go to train. As Whis isn't in the mood to mentor the pair, Vegeta goes to the gravity room and Goku goes to King Kai's planet. King Kai's sour mood makes perfect sense, but I'm confused as to what Vegeta's deal is. He seems to harbor some sort of grudge that comes out of nowhere and doesn't even fit with his "I need to surpass Kakkarot" schtick. It'll probably get addressed in some future episode, but it was strange, regardless.
As there's really nothing else for people to do, the others just sort of hang around. Future Trunks becomes fixated on Chibi-Mai, which is a little strange to watch, in all honesty. I know those two were close in his time, but the looks he was giving the small child set off some mental alarms.
Once he snaps out of it, he does tell her how they knew each other. This leads to the episode's highlight, as he details how the remnants of humanity mounted a resistance against Black's attack. Said resistance is led by Mai herself.
We get to see them try and fend off the foe, only to come up woefully short. Of course, even Trunks' aid doesn't do much to help turn the tables either. Black Goku is just that formidable a foe.
It seems that the writers are fans of "The Flash", as Black mimics Zoom's bullet catch rather well when her squad tries to pump him full of lead. The scene comes complete with Black Goku dropping the shells to really rub in the futility. Black's instance is arguably more impressive, as Mai's squad was wielding machine guns compared to handguns, meaning more shells to catch.
Even heavy explosives prove futile against the foe, though that was expected. Even Black himself remarks that they shouldn't have thought that it would work. It's good to see that humanity is still fighting back, but it just goes to show how hopelessly and hilariously outgunned we really are. Then again, it seems like Black is something much more than anything of this realm.
Once again, we get some hints as to his nature. He says that he comes from someplace beyond the universe and he's deemed humanity the biggest failure of God's creation, hence his determination to wipe them out.
We see that Black has somehow absorbed Goku's fighting ability. The villain also goes on to say that he's hoping to fight Goku again in order to get even more powerful.
Where the last episode had Beerus and Whis confused as to what Black was, this one suggests that they may have some idea. Neither one seems to remember, but both note that they feel like they've met Black before. Whis is tasked with looking into it, but that's all they really offer. It did make for a nice, cryptic way to end the episode. It isn't the biggest wham moment, but it piques the viewer's interest none the less.
Alas, overall, this episode isn't much to write home about. The flashback....to the future was what really made this episode work. The music featured in that sequence was fantastic and it was a great confrontation overall. Black Goku continues to shine as a villain. He got some great taunts in and the voice acting on his front remains top notch. The mystery surrounding him remains intact, but once again, we got some hints that help form a better picture of the villain. Sadly, the rest of the episode just seemed like wheel spinning. Even the earlier reveal that Future-Mai is still alive never gets followed up on in any capacity. Hopefully next week's episode will be able to move things along in a much more effective capacity.
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I also wonder if we're going into a "Terminator" situation where the technology from the future is what allows that technology to be developed in the first place. It seems like Bulma is getting a lot of her knowledge from "future Bulma's" notes. I suppose a stable time loop is better than an unstable one, but it is one of those time travel scenarios that makes you go cross-eyed.
Said notes are actually vital, as the damage to the vessel extends to more than just the window. While you'd think that the heroes wouldn't have time to waste, it seems they can do nothing but wait, as it's going to take time to get the ship in working order.
With that, Goku and Vegeta go to train. As Whis isn't in the mood to mentor the pair, Vegeta goes to the gravity room and Goku goes to King Kai's planet. King Kai's sour mood makes perfect sense, but I'm confused as to what Vegeta's deal is. He seems to harbor some sort of grudge that comes out of nowhere and doesn't even fit with his "I need to surpass Kakkarot" schtick. It'll probably get addressed in some future episode, but it was strange, regardless.
As there's really nothing else for people to do, the others just sort of hang around. Future Trunks becomes fixated on Chibi-Mai, which is a little strange to watch, in all honesty. I know those two were close in his time, but the looks he was giving the small child set off some mental alarms.
Once he snaps out of it, he does tell her how they knew each other. This leads to the episode's highlight, as he details how the remnants of humanity mounted a resistance against Black's attack. Said resistance is led by Mai herself.
We get to see them try and fend off the foe, only to come up woefully short. Of course, even Trunks' aid doesn't do much to help turn the tables either. Black Goku is just that formidable a foe.
It seems that the writers are fans of "The Flash", as Black mimics Zoom's bullet catch rather well when her squad tries to pump him full of lead. The scene comes complete with Black Goku dropping the shells to really rub in the futility. Black's instance is arguably more impressive, as Mai's squad was wielding machine guns compared to handguns, meaning more shells to catch.
Even heavy explosives prove futile against the foe, though that was expected. Even Black himself remarks that they shouldn't have thought that it would work. It's good to see that humanity is still fighting back, but it just goes to show how hopelessly and hilariously outgunned we really are. Then again, it seems like Black is something much more than anything of this realm.
Once again, we get some hints as to his nature. He says that he comes from someplace beyond the universe and he's deemed humanity the biggest failure of God's creation, hence his determination to wipe them out.
We see that Black has somehow absorbed Goku's fighting ability. The villain also goes on to say that he's hoping to fight Goku again in order to get even more powerful.
Where the last episode had Beerus and Whis confused as to what Black was, this one suggests that they may have some idea. Neither one seems to remember, but both note that they feel like they've met Black before. Whis is tasked with looking into it, but that's all they really offer. It did make for a nice, cryptic way to end the episode. It isn't the biggest wham moment, but it piques the viewer's interest none the less.
Alas, overall, this episode isn't much to write home about. The flashback....to the future was what really made this episode work. The music featured in that sequence was fantastic and it was a great confrontation overall. Black Goku continues to shine as a villain. He got some great taunts in and the voice acting on his front remains top notch. The mystery surrounding him remains intact, but once again, we got some hints that help form a better picture of the villain. Sadly, the rest of the episode just seemed like wheel spinning. Even the earlier reveal that Future-Mai is still alive never gets followed up on in any capacity. Hopefully next week's episode will be able to move things along in a much more effective capacity.
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Saturday, July 9, 2016
Stephen King bibliography: 'The Green Mile' part 1
Thus, we come to another one of Stephen King's door stoppers. On the plus side, he decided to serialize this and release it in six smaller parts, though you can now buy the whole work in one collection. As such, I can review it in a similar fashion. It will make for a faster read through, allow for more in depth analysis, and it will help curb lapses in memory. So, with that, let's start walking down the green mile.
Truth be told, this work doesn't get off to a very strong start. It isn't all that eventful and a lot of the characters are just relegated to being names. John Coffey and Percy Whitmore are the only two who make any sort of lasting impression. The latter is especially impressive as he really doesn't get a whole lot of page time. However, the character is frequently discussed, so you still get a feel for the guy.
Even the narrator feels a bit flat at points. As this is told through first person flashbacks, it's a long time before we even get his name. It's Paul Edgecomb, for those curious. Eventually, a character does name drop the narrator, but only gives the first name. Had it not been for a quick check on Wikipedia, I honestly wouldn't have been able to give you his last name. If it was mentioned, it was only once at the beginning, but clearly it didn't resonate enough to stick.
The plot centers around a newly arrived inmate at a prison in 1932, the aforementioned John Coffey. While Michael Clarke Duncan was rightly praised for his performance in the film, reading this proves that he perfectly captured the character and pretty much lifted him off the page. While Coffey is charged with a truly brutal crime, his demeanor doesn't seem like it fits. Even the guards (of whom Paul is one) are caught off....guard by his disposition.
Actually, one of this section's highlights was the flashback detailing Coffey's arrest. It was one of the more gripping parts of the book. It's one of the few parts where it seems like things are progressing and you feel like there are stakes involved.
Another highlight was the appearance of Mr. Jingles: a small, intelligent mouse that finds its way into the prison. It was something of a show-stealer in the film, but the book manages to make the small critter just as cute and charming.
On top of that, the mouse's appearance allows the guards to actually show some personality. One jokingly writes down the "visit" in the prison log book, while another protests that it would get them in trouble. The prior bit was rather amusing, but you get a much better sense of the comaraderie between the guards as they react to the rodent and watch it scurry about. That scene, which takes place near the end of the section, gives you a greater glimpse into all of their characters than pretty much everything that had preceded it.
As this was largely set up, it can get a bit dry as we're given a lot of background information. Luckily, the section ends on a high enough note that I am interested to read what's to come. Hopefully, the next section will be able to take the momentum that Mr. Jingles provided and allow for more character interaction and plot progression.
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Sunday, July 3, 2016
'Dragon Ball Super' episode 50: 'Goku vs. Black! The Road Towards the Sealed Future!'
Last week's episode ended with a hole in the sky being torn open and a hostile, quasi-alien enemy coming through. This episode picks up from there, as everyone stares in awe at the arrival of the mysterious "Black".
Not surprisingly, Beerus and Whis sit this out and act as spectators, yet it is their reaction that carries the most weight. Both immediately notice Black's ring of time and also make cryptic statements about Black's power, saying that it feels strange to them.
Of course, it's ultimately Goku who goes to face his doppelganger. It seems like all of the team members present are about to get into it, but he beats them to the punch. The showdown manages to successfully showcase the differences between the two, but also the similarities. More often than not, Goku's traits are presented in a completely different light, making for a great "dark mirror" character.
Take for example, Goku's love of a good fight. With him, it's more about sportsmanship and skill, where Black's love of it stems from the violence itself. Even getting hit seems to give Black some amount of pleasure, and in fact, characters note that his power level spikes after Goku lands attacks. Whether it's a clue as to Black's true identity has yet to be determined, but it is quite possible.
While it is a fairly good fight, neither one really gets to hit their height. Goku goes super saiyan 2, and does manage to fare better than Trunks, but the battle is interrupted as Black is pulled back into the time portal. In true villain fashion, Black does destroy Trunks' time machine just before he vanishes, ensuring that the time traveling hero won't be able to return.
It is here where Beerus and Whis drop some major exposition points. They explain that Black's ring is only used by kais. This actually makes some bit of sense given the earring that Black wears. Not to mention that it also hints at that kai-like character that appears in the opening credits. More than that, the ring is used to travel temporarily to the future. As noted, going backward in time is strictly forbidden, even by the gods. It seems that Black was only able to do it this time due to Trunks' time travel. As such, it isn't possible for Black to return to continue the fight.
I knocked on the ring before, but it is nice to see that it helps establish the character and also has very specific applications and limits. The way it just appeared when Black needed it was suspicious, to say the least, but at least the writers are going somewhere with it.
The downside, however, is that the episode hits a point where it seems like things have wrapped themselves up. Black is in the future, unable to return; and there's no way for the heroes to go there. Even Beerus and Whis note that they don't have the capability to bring Trunks back. Beerus has no ring and Whis' abilities at time manipulation are limited to what we saw back during the Frieza fight.
Trunks is distraught, but being stuck in this timeline wouldn't necessarily be so bad. His family's alive, and he can keep fighting to protect this Earth from whatever threats may arise. It also works from the viewer's standpoint as he was a popular character and we wouldn't be averse to having him stick around.
It does lead to a heartwarming moment where Vegeta assures his son not to give up and that they'll figure something out.
Sure enough, Bulma does. It seems that she still had the time machine that Cell used tucked away in a capsule. The thing is in clear need of repair, but it's certainly in much better condition than the one that Trunks used.
I said before that the writers missed an opportunity to have the heroes visit Trunks' time and it looks like that's where the arc will be going after all. It was a decent fake-out, but seeing this should be interesting.
I still have no idea how everyone is going to fit in there. The time machine is clearly built for one person. Unless people can be put into those capsules, there's no way they're all going to fit. I'm pretty sure that people can't go in, but if they can, that seems somewhat horrifying. It could make for another weird, horrifying, alien setting, but we'll see.
All in all, the real strength of this episode was the new information about Black. They didn't reveal everything, which is a plus. It did, however, give you enough to start putting together more likely theories, as opposed to things like saying that it's Goten or Turles. I still think it would be hilarious and awesome if it was the latter, but I don't see that being the case.
Having it be Goten would have been an interesting angle, in all honesty. Given that Goku died long before, it obviously couldn't work, but had this been a different iteration of Trunks than the one who came back to warn the team about the androids, there could have been some weight there given Trunks and Goten being such close friends.
The episode's end suggests that the future iteration of Mai survived. Well, she either survived or she was reanimated. The way Black was clutching his chest, it's quite possible that Goku's corpse is possessed, meaning other deceased characters could succumb to the same thing. We'll have to wait until next week to find out, though, as all we get from Mai is a twitching hand.
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Not surprisingly, Beerus and Whis sit this out and act as spectators, yet it is their reaction that carries the most weight. Both immediately notice Black's ring of time and also make cryptic statements about Black's power, saying that it feels strange to them.
Of course, it's ultimately Goku who goes to face his doppelganger. It seems like all of the team members present are about to get into it, but he beats them to the punch. The showdown manages to successfully showcase the differences between the two, but also the similarities. More often than not, Goku's traits are presented in a completely different light, making for a great "dark mirror" character.
Take for example, Goku's love of a good fight. With him, it's more about sportsmanship and skill, where Black's love of it stems from the violence itself. Even getting hit seems to give Black some amount of pleasure, and in fact, characters note that his power level spikes after Goku lands attacks. Whether it's a clue as to Black's true identity has yet to be determined, but it is quite possible.
While it is a fairly good fight, neither one really gets to hit their height. Goku goes super saiyan 2, and does manage to fare better than Trunks, but the battle is interrupted as Black is pulled back into the time portal. In true villain fashion, Black does destroy Trunks' time machine just before he vanishes, ensuring that the time traveling hero won't be able to return.
It is here where Beerus and Whis drop some major exposition points. They explain that Black's ring is only used by kais. This actually makes some bit of sense given the earring that Black wears. Not to mention that it also hints at that kai-like character that appears in the opening credits. More than that, the ring is used to travel temporarily to the future. As noted, going backward in time is strictly forbidden, even by the gods. It seems that Black was only able to do it this time due to Trunks' time travel. As such, it isn't possible for Black to return to continue the fight.
I knocked on the ring before, but it is nice to see that it helps establish the character and also has very specific applications and limits. The way it just appeared when Black needed it was suspicious, to say the least, but at least the writers are going somewhere with it.
The downside, however, is that the episode hits a point where it seems like things have wrapped themselves up. Black is in the future, unable to return; and there's no way for the heroes to go there. Even Beerus and Whis note that they don't have the capability to bring Trunks back. Beerus has no ring and Whis' abilities at time manipulation are limited to what we saw back during the Frieza fight.
Trunks is distraught, but being stuck in this timeline wouldn't necessarily be so bad. His family's alive, and he can keep fighting to protect this Earth from whatever threats may arise. It also works from the viewer's standpoint as he was a popular character and we wouldn't be averse to having him stick around.
It does lead to a heartwarming moment where Vegeta assures his son not to give up and that they'll figure something out.
Sure enough, Bulma does. It seems that she still had the time machine that Cell used tucked away in a capsule. The thing is in clear need of repair, but it's certainly in much better condition than the one that Trunks used.
I said before that the writers missed an opportunity to have the heroes visit Trunks' time and it looks like that's where the arc will be going after all. It was a decent fake-out, but seeing this should be interesting.
I still have no idea how everyone is going to fit in there. The time machine is clearly built for one person. Unless people can be put into those capsules, there's no way they're all going to fit. I'm pretty sure that people can't go in, but if they can, that seems somewhat horrifying. It could make for another weird, horrifying, alien setting, but we'll see.
All in all, the real strength of this episode was the new information about Black. They didn't reveal everything, which is a plus. It did, however, give you enough to start putting together more likely theories, as opposed to things like saying that it's Goten or Turles. I still think it would be hilarious and awesome if it was the latter, but I don't see that being the case.
Having it be Goten would have been an interesting angle, in all honesty. Given that Goku died long before, it obviously couldn't work, but had this been a different iteration of Trunks than the one who came back to warn the team about the androids, there could have been some weight there given Trunks and Goten being such close friends.
The episode's end suggests that the future iteration of Mai survived. Well, she either survived or she was reanimated. The way Black was clutching his chest, it's quite possible that Goku's corpse is possessed, meaning other deceased characters could succumb to the same thing. We'll have to wait until next week to find out, though, as all we get from Mai is a twitching hand.
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'Dragon Ball Super' episode 49: 'A Message from the Future! Goku Black Invades!'
After two rather strong episodes, this one decides to hit the brakes a little. That's not to say that it's a total dud, but compared to its predecessors, it is a bit lacking.
Right off the bat, the cliffhanger where Trunks attacks Goku is abruptly resolved. Admittedly, seeing Bulma literally slap some sense into the future iteration of her son was fun to see, but it still seems like a missed opportunity.
I said before that his attacking made no sense, but he does somewhat justify it, explaining that last he knew, Goku was still dead from the Cell games. He also later says that he wasn't sure if he had successfully made it back to the past. I suppose it's possible, but considering that Vegeta and Bulma were standing right there, it's a little bit harder to believe.
Upon discovering the nature of Trunks, Whis and Beerus reveal that time travel is a very serious crime that even the gods are not permitted to violate.
Considering Trunks' noble intentions, I suppose this is supposed to be a bad thing, but truth be told, I am very much in favor of this "law". Whis is right; time should only go one way. I could point out that, technically, Trunks didn't time travel as he went to a separate timeline, but I suppose that's splitting hairs. Actually, is Trunks' Earth one of the 12? I suppose it would have to be, but again, that could be splitting hairs.
Fortunately, the two agree to look the other way after being given some fish sausages.
After a fair bit of comedic filler, the episode gets more serious as Trunks reveals what happened to his Earth. The good news is that he was able to avert the release of Majin Buu by defeating Babidi and Dabura, but the arrival of Goku Black made it somewhat moot.
We do get a few tidbits of information, such as the fact that Black has apparently traveled to several worlds and wiped them out. We also learn that he literally appeared from nowhere and just started wrecking stuff.
Unlike the androids, where Trunks came to offer a warning ahead of time so that the team could prepare, we learn that the plan is to bring the team back to his time.
Given how small the time machine is, it would have been a tight fit, but it becomes moot as Black arrives. Again, it's a missed opportunity. Seeing them go to the future and see what had become of Earth would have been really cool, but oh well.
You might wonder how Black was able to track Trunks when he clearly had no idea what happened before. Well, his time ring is able to detect the rift and reopen it so that Black can pursue. Yes, he has a ring that magically appears and can do that because shut up.
The writers totally pulled that one from an area where the sun doesn't shine. I'd say that it was plot necessity for the team of good guys to fight the big bad, but given that the heroes were on the verge of going back anyway, it's kind of moot.
Credit where it's due, Black's arrival in the present is appropriately dramatic. It makes for a great way to end the episode as Goku meets face to face with his nefarious doppelganger.
The episode does have a few highlights peppered throughout. The look on Future Trunks' face when he sees the still living Bulma speaks emotional volumes.
The bit where Future Trunks assumes that Whis is the god that the group speaks of was pretty funny, largely due to the look on Beerus' face as Trunks begs.
I also got a kick out of seeing young Trunks cheer on his older self when the latter spars Goku. Given the smirk, it seems like Vegeta got a kick out of that too.
Speaking of the sparring match, it was a little pointless, though I suppose it gives the episode an action beat. It was nice to see that Future Trunks can go super saiyan 2. Granted, it's completely moot given what Goku can do, but still.
Overall, this episode is a mixed bag. The second half is definitely much stronger, but plot progression is minimal. I really could do without Pilaf and his gang. They don't really add anything and are often a detriment. It doesn't seem like they're going anywhere, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. The next episode looks like it's going to be intense, though, so that is something to look forward to.
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'Dragon Ball Super' episode 48: 'Hope Again! Trunks Wakes up in the Present!'
2 episodes in and I'm already loving this saga. This episode was a blast and the story line is just getting started. It's really building up well and I'm looking forward to seeing what turns it takes next.
The episode opens with a rather tense stand off as Trunks, now alone, ponders his options as he is face to face with this new enemy who looks exactly like Goku. While retreating to the still intact time machine is the ultimate objective, Trunks decides to buy himself some time with a brief skirmish with Black.
It was kind of sad to see that after all this time, Trunks is still only capable of hitting the first level of super saiyan. I kind of figured that he'd hit 2, or even 3 by this point. Credit to him, though, he puts up a surprisingly valiant effort against the villain. True, Trunks ends up losing, but he does manage to escape.
I love how even Black doesn't know exactly what happened when the time machine disappeared. Whatever entity the thing is, and for all of its power, there are some things that seem to be beyond its comprehension. In any event, he's intent on finding out what happened and where Trunks went. It'll be interesting to see the story unfold in two time periods. You'd think that once Trunks made it back, that would be the last we'd see of the dark future, but that might not be the case. Who knows? Maybe future Black goes back in time to face the present day heroes.
He's already making for a great villain. He's very intense and revels in malice. The resemblance to Goku isn't explained, though it seems clear based on his dialogue that it's a different entity. Trunks seems to forget this, but we'll get to that.
When Future Trunks does arrive in the present, he's seriously wounded and unconscious. Luckily, present day Trunks is there when his machine appears.
There's a great "race against the clock" feel as he calls Bulma, who proceeds to contact Vegeta on Beerus' planet. The group teleports to Earth, where Goku has to go to Karin's tower to get more senzu beans. All the while, present day Trunks is learning more about this stranger. He notes the resemblance, and Pilaf suggests it's a long lost older brother. When Trunks' name is revealed, it just hammers in the fact that something is amiss. Of course, no one really has time to explain things to the poor kid, so all he can do is look on in shock.
Yet, for all of the tension that's built up, this episode gets rather silly at points. This was true in the last episode, but I think that this episode handles it better. The two elements just seem to blend better, though I can't put my finger on as to why. You'd think that the comedy would undermine said tension, but it doesn't. It's good, though. It helps add to the fun of the episode The humorous moments actually do generate laughs, so it's a welcome addition.
I'm torn on the ending scene. As Future Trunks wakes up, he sees Goku and immediately attacks. At face value, this is a logical reaction, given Black's resemblance. However, if you give it even a few seconds worth of thought, Trunks' hostility makes no sense. As noted, that being obviously wasn't Goku. His speech patterns made it clear, but that future's Goku had died long ago of a heart attack.
More than that, didn't Trunks go back specifically to seek their aid? Vegeta was standing right there, so he knows that he's back in the past. It might make more sense if he were still wounded and delirious, but the senzu beans generally bring people back up to full capacity. Also, Trunks doesn't seem too out of it when he starts throwing punches.
For all of the logical inconsistency, it was still a great way to end the episode. It was genuinely surprising, especially considering he had previously looked up to Goku. While he may be the same Trunks we saw back in the Cell saga, it's clear that Trunks isn't the same. It also makes for a great cliffhanger ending. True, Trunks isn't even close to a match for Goku, but the fact that he doesn't view them as allies anymore will likely pose a problem.
This episode started off on a high note and it just got better from there. Pretty much everything about this episode worked. I was never bored, in fact, I was pulled in for the entirety of the episode. It makes you wish that the episode had a longer run time because this was great. I'm really looking forward to next week.
'Dragon Ball Super' episode 47: 'SOS From the Future! A New Black Enemy Appears!'
The new story arc begins and, as teased in the last episode, this one kicks off with a glimpse at a dark future where the world lays in ruins. If you thought the future with the androids was bleak, this puts that to shame. It is both figuratively and literally a much darker future than what we had seen before.
I figured that this would be an alternate version of "Future Trunks". Between the darker world, the hair color change, and the villain (whose identity I knew going in ahead of time) it seemed like the more logical approach. I was surprised to see them directly state that this is the same Trunks who appeared back in the Android/Cell saga. It's nice that they made that clear, but it was still unexpected.
The villain this time around is a being named "Black Goku". No, he's not black. He does spend a majority of the episode manifesting as a sort of shadow being and he wears black, but really, I think that "dark Goku" would be the more appropriate name. The aforementioned reveal about Trunks also makes it clear that this isn't actually Goku, as he had died long before in this timeline. Could this mark the return of Turles? We'll see, I suppose.
The episode spends about half of its run time in this future and the other half in the present. This leads to a bit of mood whiplash as Trunks' dark future is contrasted with the brighter, more humor based scenes depicted in the present. The contrast was likely intentional, but it can still be a bit jarring.
Truth be told, I thought the future material worked better. There was more emotional weight and it did a much better job pulling you in to what was happening. Seeing Goku and Piccolo "train" by racing to see who could pull the most crops was amusing, but I don't know if I'd call it essential to the plot.
The nod to Goku's roots (ha) training under Roshi was nice. You'd think that at this point, this style of training would be bush (ha) league, but Piccolo notes that the activity does still yield results. Whether this was a way to encourage kids to get out there and exercise is unclear, but it is certainly possible. It goes well with the scene where Beerus is seen to be enjoying lettuce (of all things) later on in the episode.
It isn't a total bust, however, as we get some more information on the Omni-king. While he doesn't fight directly, his ability to destroy entire universes is confirmed. Beerus and Whis explain that there used to be 18 universes, but the Omni-king had 6 of them destroyed. It's jarring given his characterization, but it's certainly important information to know for future plot lines.
All in all, this was a solid start to the story line. The stakes are established right off the bat, we're given an intriguing villain, and (not surprisingly) it was nice to see Future Trunks again. I'm looking forward to this arc; I have a feeling it's going to be an exciting one.
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