'The Mist' Episode 1: 'Pilot'

Spike TV's adaptation of Stephen King's 'The Mist' premiered on Thursday and the results are...mixed.

I try to be more lenient on pilots, and first seasons of TV shows in general.  It usually takes some time for the writers to get into their grooves and for the characters to find their place.  Given that this is likely a mini-series (though 'Under the Dome' started off that way only to get two more seasons) I don't know if we can grant it that same consideration.

In any event, there are parts of this that worked and other parts that didn't.  A lot of the episode is spent establishing the characters and showing us what life is like before the titular mist arrives to screw everything up.

That's actually not a bad thing as, by and large, this episode does a good job of showing us a town full of generally good people.  It makes the eventual turn that much more noticeable, in contrast to "Needful Things" where the characters were already unlikable and only got worse.

The number of characters does become a bit of a problem.  The bigger cast has its benefits.  You can tell a bigger story and present a diverse cast of new, original characters.  However, with only so much screen time, only a few are fully established.  Honestly, even naming most of them would prove difficult without looking it up.  I'm pretty sure that, as the story goes on, they will leave more of a lasting impression, so that kink should work itself out over time.

The thing that really hurts the pilot is the script itself.  Some of the dialogue is pretty cringe inducing.  You can tell the writer has a Tumblr account, as the episode often times bends over backwards to throw in some reference to that particular world view.  When readers and viewers express the desire for writers to keep their politics out of their work, this stands as a prime example as to why.  

Sadly, even the scares are hit or miss.  There's a general foreboding atmosphere that works, but other "horrifying" elements didn't.  Mrs. Carmody's face as she charged at the door after venturing into the mist is more likely to elicit chuckles than revulsion.  The fact that everybody stood around watching as if they were anticipating something bad happening also made the scene feel a bit staged.

Is it weird that one of the highlights for me was the scene where the cop goes out to start taking selfies when the mist first hits?  It's so random and comes out of nowhere.  The rest of the episode takes itself so seriously that such a moment of silliness really stood out.

One of the things that I (and many others) noted when watching the trailers was the lack of monsters.  It got to the point where I was convinced that there weren't going to be any monsters and the mist was just going to drive people crazy.

At this point, we still don't know and I'm guessing it's intentional as to let the mystery linger.  Some characters do appear to have gone insane, but others are able to walk around with no problem (maybe prolonged exposure is what does it?)  We don't see any monsters, but one guy does get attacked by insects, suggesting that nature itself will be the external threat.  That could prove to be incorrect too in the long run, at this point it's too soon to tell.

Speaking of too soon, the characters act as if they know that the fog is evil when there is little evidence of it.  I get why Brian is ranting about it, but to most of the people, it's just fog.  We the viewer know that it brings evil and death, but they shouldn't yet.

All in all, this episode had some notable flaws.  Thankfully, it didn't get to the point where I was ready to write off the show just yet.  It has potential, but it's up to the show to work out the kinks and focus on what did work in order to tap into it.

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'Dragon Ball Super' Episode 96: 'The Time is Here! To the World of Void for the Fate of the Universe!'

As we saw last episode, the ring for the tournament of power is finally completed.  Before everyone can assemble, the gods of destruction from universes 1, 5, and 8 decide to have a sparring match to see if the ring can hold up to the punishment which it is about to have to endure.

It's clearly meant to give the episode an action beat.  You'd think a 3 way fight between several gods of destruction would be more impressive, but it was a tad underwhelming all things considered.  They had some unique attacks, but the fact that nobody really landed a hit means it ended in a stalemate.  It was a brief skirmish too, which also hurt it.

They do end up doing significant damage to the ring, though.  Considering that the ring is made out of a super-strong material, it shows you what these gods are capable of.  You'd think that the grand priest would be upset at having the ring wrecked after all that time and effort was used to construct it, but he's surprisingly upbeat.  He notes that the battle exposed weak spots that could use reinforcement and tasks the three gods with fixing it while he tends to other matters.

Back on Earth, the team assembles and doesn't exactly get off to an auspicious start.  Frieza's presence angers and unnerves a lot of the other fighters.  It's something he's more than happy to exacerbate.

Even when they try to shift the focus to "team strategy" the group can't seem to come to an agreement.  Gohan tries to stress teamwork, creating partnerships, and outnumbering opponents to get them out of the ring; but neither Goku or Vegeta really think that way.  Their saiyan pride won't allow for such tactics.  Oddly enough, the fact that trusting or relying Frieza is a bad idea never really comes up.  

The fact that this is less of a team and more of a time bomb exacerbates Beerus to no end.  While the stakes are high, it is largely played for laughs and does give the episode a surprising amount of levity. Not only is it entertaining in its own right, but it's a nice breather after the more intense previous episode.

Whis does make a brief attempt to team build, making them believe that they all had to hold hands in a circle to teleport to the ring when it was completely unnecessary.  It too is played more for humor, but it was at least something of an effort to bring this disparate group together.

From here, the episode's focus is on other fighters as they enter.  We get some nice reunion scenes with Cabba, Hit, and Toppo.  We also have some new dynamics as Goku meets Caulifla and Kale; and, of course, Frieza and Frost meeting.

While I commend Goku's chipper and friendly disposition, I can't fault Caulifla's terse attitude when she rebukes him.  A lot does hinge on this tournament.  Even if you were to sidestep the "their victory means our destruction" thing, there's also the fact that it would likely be a bad idea to form friendships with people who will likely die in the immediate future.

Frieza and Frost take a surprising liking to one another.  You'd think Frieza would view him as a cheap imitation, but that's not the case.  The two even agree to work together.  I'd argue that there's no point to them doing this, as they are from separate universes, but the odds of them actually adhering to this so called alliance is so slim that it's likely a moot point.  It will make those two interesting to watch.

While the tournament doesn't begin this episode, the sense of anticipation about it is still quite palpable.  You can feel the excitement as more and more fighters show up.  It's been a bit of a wait, but we're finally reaching the main attraction of this arc.  We need wait only one more week; because next episode...it's on.

This episode may not be as memorable as the one that came before it, but I was entertained for the entire duration.  It also did the job it was supposed to in getting us hyped for the tournament.  There was a healthy dose of humor, which is always a plus; and a lot of great character moments peppered throughout.  

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'End of Watch' by Stephen King novel review

This book was a victim of bad timing.  I got around to it just as it seemed like 15,000 other things came about.  It forced me to constantly put it on the back burner.

It's a shame, because when I did pick it up, I enjoyed it.  I went in skeptical about this one too.  The third part of any trilogy is usually cited as being the weakest (though I think "Return of the Jedi" deserves more credit than it gets.)  On top of that, I wasn't too keen on Brady once again taking the role of lead antagonist.  He was OK in the first book, but even "Finders Keepers" gave us a stronger villain.  It just seemed like a step backwards.

Here, though, he gets a much better showing.  His oft talked about cunning is put on better display and his modus operandi is much more unsettling.  It's true, trying to coax people into suicide was something he did back in the first book. It makes the book consistent with what we had seen before, but now that he has the ability to get into people's heads (courtesy of experimental drugs and some outdated electronic gadgets) and directly manipulate them into doing it, he comes off as much creepier.  You see why the book was originally called "The Suicide Prince".  Not only does it fit his M.O. but characters actually do refer to him by that title more than once.

His status gives him a nice alibi as he is, for all intents and purposes, comatose and in a hospital room under constant surveillance.  The heroes still figure it out pretty easily, but it still makes for a more subtle villain.

He also has a more concrete objective this time around.  Sure, revenge for what happened to him in the first book is simple, but it works.  It gives him more drive than he had before.

From a meta-perspective, having him return made for a nice bookend to the whole franchise.  The events of "Finders Keepers" are alluded to, but have no real bearing on the plot, barring Brady's new abilities.  As such, this is more of a true sequel to "Mr. Mercedes" than its predecessor.  In any event, it does tie up the loose ends and brings the overall story to a conclusion.  "Satisfying" might not be the right word given what happens, but this does fit and it does do the job of effectively closing the book on the series.

Much like "Finders Keepers", the plot is kicked off due to an incident related to one of the victims of Brady's initial attack at that job expo.  It was a small detail, but I thought it was a nice touch.

Where the second book relegated Hodges and crew to secondary character status, this brings them back to the forefront.  Even with the diminished role before, you're still connected enough to these characters at this point that the emotional moments still resonate.  It's kind of important given what some of the characters go through.  I think the book is strong enough where it could work as a stand alone, there were lengthy gaps between my reading of each book, but reading it as the intended conclusion to the trilogy gives it more of a punch.

I could have done without the whole "Dr. Z" "Z-Boy" schtick.  It's used to indicate that Brady has taken over two specific characters (his doctor and a janitor respectively,) but it seems like the prose could have just said that.  Having the narration refer to characters as such comes off clunky, as does having other characters refer to them in that manner.  Even when identities are revealed, people still refer to them by these pointless nicknames, it's a little bizarre.

All in all, though, this was a solid yarn.  It's well paced and appropriately tense.  It also has some emotional weight behind it and manages to wrap up a series about as well as one could hope.  I'd recommend giving it a read.

               













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'Dragon Ball Super' episode 95: 'The Worst! The Most Evil! Frieza's Rampage!'

As the title suggests, this episode puts Frieza in the center stage and showcases what an evil and treacherous bastard he really is.  The end result is nothing short of amazing.

I was expecting to see the two enemies (Goku and Frieza) fighting side by side against the army of assassins, but the tyrant ends up doing most of the fighting.  Goku only gets involved when the assassins try to target Baba for leverage.  It showcases the fact that Frieza has not only gotten stronger, but has also used mental exercises to overcome the stamina issues that plagued him back in the 'Resurrection F' arc.  With Frieza so powerful, you'd think Goku would be giddy, but the look on his face is one bordering on horror.

You can't blame him either, the whole episode is basically "this was a terrible idea and things are only going to get worse from here".

Now, part of Goku's horror could just be the rampant murder (and the subsequent sadistic glee that Frieza takes in it) but I'd venture to guess that it's a little bit of both.  The fact that Frieza makes a valid point about the assassins' lives being moot since their universe will be wiped out anyway only adds salt to the wound.

Yes, the two do manage to deduce not only that the assassins are from another universe, but from which specific one.  It does lead to an odd hiccup where the assassins boast about how they are under no obligation to talk....and then proceed to basically spell it out for them.  The only attempt at deceit comes from their talk about being a universe of brutes, which would suggest universe 10, though that's not information that Goku or Frieza are privy to; thus it was a bit on the pointless side.

Now, the gods of universe 9 aren't stupid, they do give the assassins a fighting chance in the form of a sample of Sidra's energy.  Hit any living thing with it, and they'll be erased from existence completely.

Sadly (though not surprisingly) it doesn't work.  It shows what highs the villain has hit when not only can he push back power from a god of destruction, but he even jokes about it; pretending it's killing him for a few seconds before dropping the facade.

Not only that, but Frieza doesn't hesitate to trap Goku in the energy.  The back stab isn't surprising, though initially confusing.  You'd think that Frieza's desire for self preservation would trump even his desire to kill Goku.

He does address this by trying to bargain with the gods of universe 9 to become a member of their team.  It allows him to kill Goku, gives those gods their desired downfall of universe 7, and assures his resurrection.

It's a solid, though clearly sinister, pitch.  The gods of universe 9 do give it serious consideration.  First, they have to make sure that it is allowed; which, oddly enough, it is.  Or, to be more specific, it isn't against the rules.  It kind of defeats the purpose of the whole thing if this is the case in my opinion, but at least they checked that before making their decision.

Roh is actually against this.  He's an asshole, but he's not 100% a dick.  Frieza, on the other hand, clearly is.  Roh is appalled at the fact that Frieza is selling out his own universe and cites that even evil people have things that they want or want to protect.  Frieza says that is not the case.  In Sidra's opinion, that just makes him a perfect candidate for their team.

It becomes a moot point as Frieza's offer is rendered null and void by circumstances back on Earth.

Remember that destruction god energy that Goku was trapped in?  Goku is unable to get out.  It's surprising considering that he and Frieza are generally on an even keel.  The fact that Frieza could do it and Goku couldn't shows where the two are now.  More than that, overcoming and enduring situations like this is usually Goku's strong suit.  It was surprising to see him lose this one.  It's only because Beerus and Whis show up to bail him out that Goku is able to live to see another day.

Beerus isn't too pleased with the development, but Goku tries to take the blame, if only to keep Frieza on the team.

The two decide to settle the matter with a sort of duel.  First one to land a punch wins.  If Goku wins, Frieza plays nice; if Frieza wins, he can do whatever.  Shock of all shocks, it ends in a tie, with both landing a punch simultaneously.

The thing that threw me about this scene was the telepathic conversation the two seem to have.  Neither one of their mouths move, but they are able to respond to the other's thoughts.  You could argue that the two know each other so well that they can do this, but even that seems like a stretch.  If the two were just thinking on their own, that would be one thing.  It plays out like dialogue, though.  Maybe they were muttering it between their teeth?  It doesn't seem like it.  The whole thing was rather strange, regardless.

Oh, also, the tournament ring is finally done.  Not only is it an indicator that the tournament is finally coming, but we can finally put those construction animation sequences to bed.

As I stated at the article's opening, I loved this episode.  It was simple and straight forward in terms of plot, but there were so many great "oh crap" moments and the episode had such a high HSQ that it was a blast to watch.

I remember back in the latter half of "Z" and throughout "GT", I scoffed when they tried to bring Frieza back.  The fighters left him in the dust, he was just a relic of a bygone era.  I thought the 'Resurrection F' gave him a good showing (at least in terms of sadistic malevolence,) but this is the episode that truly blows that idea out of the water.  The way he's depicted here reminds you why he's one of the franchise's definitive big bads.  He's just so evil that it's both creepy and kind of awesome.  His display of power is simply jaw dropping and it's going to be really interesting to see how he fares as universe 7's tenth member going forward.

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'Yoga Hosers' movie review

You can read my review of the film here.

Pros


- The movie does hearken back to Kevin Smith's earlier work in many respects.

- Harley-Quinn Smith and Lily-Rose Depp play off each other well.  It makes for a great comedy dynamic, but also sells the idea that the two are close friends.


Cons


- Exaggerated Canadian accents and repeated use of the "social media profile introduction" become grating after a while.

- The silly tone undercuts any sense of tension.  Fine for comedy, but a detriment to the "horror" aspect of a film billed as a "horror comedy"


Overall


This movie is silly and stupid.  That said, I still found it entertaining.  The jokes rely on goofiness and puns, but it worked for me.  The movie knows what it is and never tries to pretend otherwise.  This isn't a movie for everybody, but there is a niche viewership who will likely get a kick out of this.















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'Attack on Titan' episode 23: 'Smile: Assault on Stohess part 1'

With the first season reaching its final stretch, one would expect things to kick into high gear and really end things with a bang.

Sadly, for the first half, it doesn't really seem like the episode is doing that.  We are once again introduced to a new team of characters who are members of the military police.  Annie is there, so we at least have some anchor, but it is frustrating constantly having to start from scratch.

It's made worse by the fact that nothing really comes of it, not yet anyway.  The organization is corrupt, but one of the new recruits has sworn to try and fix things.  The others scoff, but Annie does at least commend him for his resolve, even comparing him to Eren.

While the spirit is willing, his flesh is weak; as his attempt to stop two officers from selling government issued goods is met with him essentially getting curb stomped.  Were it not for Annie, who knows how severe his injuries might have been.

There is talk about how the group is on some secret escort mission.  Considering there are two episodes left, it's possible that it will be followed on there, but really that whole plot point drops off the map.

It's to the episode's benefit, however, as Armin's recruitment of Annie to sneak Eren out of prison is where the episode really starts to make good on the stake raising.

The fact that we're following the characters we know helps a good deal, but the clear objective is also a definite plus.  There's purpose there.  Even if the characters are just walking and talking, there's more momentum behind it.

It all culminates with a big reveal that is appropriately dramatic.  It starts off rather subtle, as Annie is suddenly reluctant to use a tunnel.  It becomes clear that things aren't as they seem, as Annie notices scouts hiding and watching all around them.

It is soon revealed that Annie herself is the titan.  Armin deduced it when he noticed that she was using Marco's 3D maneuvering device.  Armin recognized it by the scratches.

I do wish there was more in way of clues and hints.  I know you don't want to go too heavy handed with stuff like that, but it still seems like their case was a flimsy one.  Having more than one morsel to work with would have also made for a better build up before Annie cracked.

I'm not sure what going in a tunnel has to do with anything.  The way they talk it is some make or break fact that going in will help prove her innocence, but I'm not seeing the connection.  I suppose the whole thing was a trap and it didn't matter either way, but still.

In true villain fashion, Annie reveals herself by cackling madly.  It doesn't quite hit the highs of Light Yagami's reveal, but it is dramatic enough to achieve the desired effect.

The episode ends on quite the cliffhanger, as Annie triggers a transformation.  Unlike other instances, where scouts would just sit back and watch things happen, we see them make a valiant effort to keep this from happening.  It's good to see that they're learning.  It's for naught, but still, at least they tried.

The episode was a mixed bag.  The first half was slow and uneventful, but once things refocused on the main cast, it really managed to elevate itself into a more memorable episode.

Up to that point, the most memorable thing about the episode was the crazy guy ranting about how the walls were gods and how it was blasphemy for humans to lay hands upon them.  It's only a brief bit, but it stands out just due to how little sense it makes.  I get the "wall as protector" bit, but humans were the ones who built the walls in the first place.  Also, with the titans having torn through them, sealing them up is necessary if they are going to be any good in terms of keeping people safe from the titans.  Thus the "humans aren't allowed to touch it" mindset really doesn't hold up.

In any event, we're down to the final two episodes of the season.  It should be some interesting watching.




















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'Doctor Strange' (2016 Movie) Review

You can read my review here.

Pro

- Strong cast

- Great balance of action, drama, and humor

- Does a great job of expanding the scope of the marvel cinematic universe

-Great visual effects



Cons


- While well done, it does fall into a lot of the "origin story" traps

- Does further cut the wind from Thanos' sails by establishing even bigger threats


Overall


After so many superhero movies, it's not surprising that they start to feel somewhat similar.  This is especially true when it comes to origin stories.  Still, this movie provides a solid foundation by giving us well developed characters who all have their own individual motivations and story arcs.  There are similarities to "Iron Man" but it does enough to stand on its own.







                                  

















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'Dragon Ball Super' episode 94: 'The Emperor of Evil Returns! A Reception of Mysterious Assassins?!'

With the clock ticking down to the final moments before the tournament begins, the first half of the episode stops to dawdle a bit.  It's spent mostly getting everybody up to speed and getting everyone where they need to be.  It isn't the most eventful or engaging, but it is necessary ground to cover.

It does lead to some nice "reunion" moments.  The cyborg siblings finally get to see each other face to face again after all these years and 17 gets to meet his niece.  It was a rather sweet moment on its own, but it is further bolstered by Krillin's awkward attempts to make small talk with two laconic no-nonsense androids.  It doesn't tug on the heart strings, exactly, but it does add a bit of levity to the episode.

The Piccolo/17 meetup was also something of a small highlight.  It seems like the two are going to spar as a way to see how much the other has improved, but Piccolo just offers a handshake and thanks 17 for the assist.  Even 17 himself seems taken aback by the gesture.

The most interesting aspect of the episode is a plot by Quitela, universe 4's god of destruction to sabotage universe 7.  He concocts a story that Goku and the others are going to try and target universe 9.  This manages to convince both Sidra and Roh to send assassins to take out the tyrant before the tournament starts.  This will disqualify universe 7 right off the bat and ensure their destruction.

It's a tactic that likely wouldn't be condoned by Zen-O, but as long as Zen-O doesn't know and there's no kind of trail, they can't be blamed if something bad were to happen to Frieza.  As they themselves note, Frieza does have a lot of enemies.

Sadly, with all of the other more mundane matters, this plot point doesn't really take center stage until the episode's final moments.  As Goku and Frieza are approached not by one assassin, but a whole army of them (a league of assassins if you will.)

In some ways, the pay off is worth it and it does allow the episode to end on a rather high note, but one does wish that the episode had delivered more of that.

When Goku and Frieza do get together, their dynamic continues to be a highlight.  The reunion isn't nearly as amiable as Piccolo and 17.  Rather than shake hands, they punch each other in the gut.  There's clearly some malice, but the two also seem to enjoy it.

Strangely enough, Frieza isn't even too put off by the army of assassins.  Given his background, it does make sense.  People coming to kill him was likely a common occurrence.  He doesn't even really care who they are or why they're after him.  Goku is the one who presses for information, not that it gets them anywhere.  On the contrary, Frieza's pretty eager to fight and kill them.  Not only does he kill one assassin right off the bat, but he transforms into his golden form in order to combat the others.

It was a pretty impressive sequence.  It was well animated and the accompanying music had the appropriate "godly" atmosphere.

I can't help but wonder how well this is going to work.  Frieza's golden form had a pretty obvious flaw and it wasn't like Frieza is in a position to train to remedy it.  On the plus side, his dead body should be able to harness that form better than his body did back when he was alive. I base that entirely on the fact that that's what happened with Goku and the super saiyan 3 form back in the Buu saga, but godly energy might work differently.

Surprisingly, Goku isn't interested in fighting.  I know.  He's not wrong in citing that they don't have time for this, but Frieza doesn't care; he sees it as a warm up and a chance to kill a bunch of people.  It makes for a nice cliffhanger as the two now have to fend off a horde of assassins.

On the one hand, I doubt they'll pose much of a threat, but just seeing Frieza and Goku fighting along side one another seems like it's going to make for a fun watch.  I'm looking forward to it.

Sadly, this episode's pacing issues hurt it significantly.  There was quite a bit to like.  There were great moments peppered throughout, but unfortunately, the episode decided to shift its focus on other things that weren't nearly as compelling.

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'Attack on Titan' episode 22: 'Defeated: The 57th Exterior Scouting Mission part 6'

With Eren in the female titan's grasp, Mikasa vows to get him back.  She is joined by Levi, who eventually agrees to help in the effort.

What's really striking about this scene is the way that physics seem to go out the window.  The two are able to glide along for extended periods of time without having to worry about gravity or running out of line.  Normally, they latch on to something, propel themselves forward, and repeat the process.  Here they make no such effort.  The fact that they don't appear to be going very fast makes it even more notable, as that's not how they should be moving.

I guess it was just foreshadowing for the fight, as Levi is able to do some kind of rapid spin move that's akin to Sonic the Hedgehog.  It looks cool, I won't argue that, but it did seem out of place.

The attack sequence does give both Levi and Mikasa moments to shine.  True, they don't end up killing the female titan, but it does appear severely maimed as a result of their efforts.  Even better, Mikasa was able to retrieve Eren as the female titan didn't swallow, but simply stashed Eren between her cheek and gum like a piece of chewing tobacco.  While nothing is made of it as of yet, the titan does appear sad that Eren is gone.

From there, the episode shifts its focus to another group as they try to tackle the question of what to do with the bodies of the dead.  A majority of them are brought back, but a handful were left behind due to titan presence.

While Commander Erwin is presented as cold and callous for leaving a handful of bodies behind, I can't fault his logic.  It was dangerous to go get them and the bodies were in such a condition that it would disturb the families to see them like that.  The scouts wanting to bring their friends home is noble, but I kind of have to side with Erwin on this one.

I don't understand his insistence that they be categorized as "missing in action", though.  Just tell them that the people died.  It's sad, sure, but they'll be able to grieve and will eventually come to terms with the loss.  This is just giving them hope for something that will never happen.  It's actually crueler if you think about it.  It's possible that people are able to read between the lines and know what "missing in action" really means, but if that's the case, then the facade is even more pointless.

Nevertheless, a few of the scouts go rogue and try to bring the bodies back.  Not surprisingly, this results in them being chased by titans.  The troops even race back to the main group so that the titans have more people to feast on.  It was a very well thought out operation.

As the titans are gaining, it is eventually decided to chuck the bodies in hopes of distracting the titans long enough for them to get away.  From what we see, the titans are unfazed.  In fact, the way the music swells up, you'd think that this was supposed to be a big dramatic moment, as the titans are smart enough to avoid the obvious decoys and keep pursuing them.

Despite the fact that we see none of the titans stopping, one of the characters declares that the plan is working and they are able to get away.  It's very much like how all those scouts died "slowing down" the female titan during her pursuit, even though she wasn't hindered in the slightest by their efforts.  It would be nice if the script matched up with what we saw on screen.  It's very strange that this is a repeated problem as of late.

You'd think that the characters would be chided for their rash decision costing even more lives, but you'd be wrong.  One character points out that hundreds have been left behind over the years, but that's about as close as it gets.

When the scouts do return home, the welcome is less than glowing.  People's morale is low and it seems like they are frustrated that so much effort and resources are being wasted on these missions.

Even the positive talk ends up being something of a bitter pill to swallow.  At one point, Levi is approached by Petra's dad, who talks about how proud he is of her and how he can't wait to see her again.  Levi remains silent all the while, but it's still not an easy thing to endure.  It's a small scene, but it's quite heart-wrenching and oddly becomes one of the episode's highlights just due to sheer emotional poignancy.

This episode had great moments peppered throughout, but it wasn't able to come together as well as one would hope.  It didn't seem like the plot had enough momentum to carry a full episode, yet a full episode was used anyway.

You'd think that with only a couple of episodes left this season that the pace would pick up a bit, but that didn't seem to happen.  It did, at the very least, wrap up this mini-arc.  Maybe the final three parter will make for faster pacing and a more impressive resolution.

















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'The Dark Tower' Movie Triple Trailer Reaction

*I'm not sure why the screen capture keeps showing up for "Earth". The embed code should work, but if for some reason, it plays the first video again you can follow the link and watch the "Knight" video here

In addition to a new trailer for 'The Mist', we were treated to not one, not two, but three new trailers for the 'Dark Tower' movie.

Now, it should be noted that these are not full trailers.  "Teaser" is the more accurate term.   Still, dropping three in one go is still a pretty big deal.  Each one only lasts about 30 seconds, so it amounts to a full trailer, sort of.

Sadly, there's not a whole lot of new material here.  In fact, some of the teasers use the same sequences as the others.  This wouldn't be a problem if the teasers were spread out over several weeks, but having them all come out on the same day makes it more noticeable.

I'm still digging McConaughey's take on Flagg/Walter/The Man in Black.  He should make for a great villain.

Similarly, Idris Elba's voice over for the other two trailers is definitely an asset.  It's put to better use in the first teaser, in my opinion, but hearing him recite the gunslinger oath is certainly a treat.

The first trailer is also probably the strongest in terms of laying out what the general plot hook is.  If you're unfamiliar with the series or didn't catch the original trailer, this lays out what the deal is in pretty succinct fashion.

I do kind of wish that we had just gotten one entire trailer.  I can see what they were trying to do, but it didn't work as well.  It is a bit strange to say that these 30 second tidbits didn't bring a whole lot when that's the average length for a commercial.  I guess when it comes to movie ads, we've been spoiled by two minute teasers.  The fact that it redoes what the first trailer did also works against it.

On the plus side, I don't think there's anything here that will push potential viewers away.  On the flip side, I don't know if this really did anything to up the hype.




























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'The Mist' TV Series Third Trailer Reaction

Yesterday, a new trailer for Spike's upcoming TV adaptation of 'The Mist' hit.  It makes sense, as the release date draws ever closer to give us some new material to entice viewers.

Of the three, I think that this is the most well put together trailer.  It does a better job of establishing what the viewers are in for without walking them through the plot point by point.  While it does show various locales, it doesn't just jump around randomly.  It allows us to become more engaged and it also makes certain scenes more tense.

This trailer also does the best job of establishing characters.  Even though only a handful are named, we can see how they relate to and interact with one another.  It's a big step up on that front.

Considering the fact that one of the biggest criticisms of the other trailers was the lack of monsters, I was hoping to see more on that front.  There is talk of things in the mist, and we get a couple of shots that could suggest such creatures.  A lot of time is dedicated to showing people wanting to arm themselves in order to prepare for what's coming, so it does seem like the producers were listening to some extent.

However, they still seem to put more emphasis on the idea that the mist is just driving people crazy.  The trailer does make a point to say that this is a "re-imagining" so, really, it is looking like that's how they're going to play it.

That's not necessarily a bad thing.  Viewers can still get hallucination "monsters" while providing a more grounded context for what's happening.  Whether that ends up being more or less frightening depends on individual viewer sensibilities as well as how the show ends up executing the concept.

At face value, it seems like a step backward, but the original story does also put emphasis on the whole "humans are the real monsters" trope, so it could choose to put its weight behind that.

Where the first trailer suggested that "Arrowhead" was going to play a larger role in the narrative, this suggests more of a "Gaia's revenge" style plot, where nature turns against us.  You could see it as a nod to "Pet Sematary" but with what we see here, it's too vague to determine whether that was intentional or pure coincidence.

It's quite possible that, much like the source material, the cause is left vague and this is merely another means of explaining what's happening.  Really, we'll have to watch to see how it unfolds.

Of the three, I think this does the best job of piquing interest.  It does try to address the criticisms of the other trailers as best as it can and feels the most connected to the source material.  There's still room for the show to fall flat, but it is good to see the promos are getting stronger with each release.  I remain cautiously optimistic about this.







Read my reaction to the first trailer here.


Read my reaction to the second trailer here.

















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'Dragon Ball Super' episode 93: 'You're the Tenth Warrior! Goku Goes to see Frieza!'

With Buu in hibernation, Goku suggests bringing Frieza in as a replacement.  Suffice it to say, the others are skeptical.  To Goku's credit, he has put some thought into his plan: bring Frieza back for a day the way that he and Vegeta had been before.  It minimizes the risk of Frieza doing too much damage and both Goku and Vegeta will be there to keep him in check.

Even with this, the others are sure that this is a bad idea, but Whis brings up the fact that one universe has a fighter that was capable of defeating their god of destruction, said god of destruction happens to be stronger than Beerus, so Frieza really is their best bet.

Strangely enough, Frieza is oddly agreeable to this.  Sure, he's disappointed that he won't be able to kill anyone, but really, he doesn't put up too much of a fuss.  His only caveat is that he wants to be resurrected when it's all said and done.  Goku offers to let him use the wish on the super dragon balls if he's the last one standing, but Frieza says that won't cut it.  After all, all they need is the Earth dragon balls to get the job done, so it works for him either way.

The logical approach would be to lie, tell Frieza that you'll do it and then renege after the fact.  Knowing Goku, though, he's going to stay true to his word.  Lying doesn't really fall in his wheelhouse.  Although, he did lie about the money, sort of, he did say he'd pay out of his own pocket.  It's hard to say how that'll play out.

In any event, Goku is convinced to these terms, not so much because they need a tenth fighter to ensure the continued existence of the universe, but because Frieza notes that he is (and can get) stronger and Goku wants to know how much.  Even Goku acknowledges that Frieza is playing to his psychological weakness.  It's very much an "I know you're playin' me, but you're right" moment for him.

It's possible that this bites Goku, and Frieza once again ascends to big bad, but I'm not sure.  Fans don't look too fondly on the "Resurrection F" arc and I'm not sure what else you could really do with him at this point.  I suppose that's a bridge we'll have to cross when we get there.

To Frieza's credit, he still has the gravitas to carry the scene.  When he starts talking and that ominous chanting starts, you're pulled in and engaged.  The exchange between him and Goku is definitely a highlight, even if you are of the opinion that Frieza needs to stay down.

On other fronts, there's progression in universe 6.  Hot on the heels of Caulifla's transformation into super saiyan, we get to see Kale finally bring about the legendary super saiyan form.  It was a more impressive transformation than Caulifla's, but they seemed to build up to this one a bit more, which I think helped significantly.  Sadly, no, a Pantera song did not accompany the scene (yet?)

Never the less, the similarities to Broly are certainly there.  Her beam attacks very much resemble his and the way she transforms mirrors his as well.  In fact, she may have surpassed him as we clearly see lightning in her aura.  Is legendary super saiyan 2 a thing now?

What really strikes me is how Caulifla comes off during these scenes.  When she and Cabba are trying to teach Kale to transform, her motivational technique is very positive and encouraging.  You'd think she'd be more abrasive and have an attitude, but she very much believes that Kale has what it takes to become a great warrior, even if Kale is generally more demure.

Even when the two try a different tact and use insults to get Kale to channel her anger in order to power up, Caulifla gets angry when Cabba pushes it too far and actually attacks him verbally and physically.  It made Caulifla a much more layered and developed character. She's not even mad that her protege hit such a powerful level.  On the contrary, she's quite proud of her student for achieving what she did.

The fight was brief, but still well done.  The fact that Kale is out of control gave it more tension than the Goku/Gohan fight and it was fast paced and kinetic enough, but time limitations forced the fight to end rather anticlimactically.

Before the fight ends, Caulifla does apparently hit super saiyan 2.  Again, we do clearly see lightning.  It may have taken a long time to get female super saiyans, but they are catching up quick.  Who knows? Caulifla could hit super saiyan 3...or 4 by the time the tournament comes around.  There's only ninety minutes left, but at the rate she's going, anything is possible.

All in all, this was a strong episode, both halves carried their screen time well.  While it was nice to see multiple universes, narrowing the focus down to two did have its benefits as it gave the episode more focus.  If anything dragged this episode down, it was the animation.  It had some obvious weak points, especially during Kale's transformation.  It's a shame as that should have been a stand out scene where extra effort was placed.

Still, the stuff that worked, worked really well.  I was never bored and it'll be interesting to see how things play out from here.  We are getting closer to the big event, so hopefully the payoff will be worth it.

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'Iron Fist' episode 13: 'Dragon Plays With Fire'

Thus, the first season comes to its conclusion.  It's been an uneven ride, with highs and lows, so really it's fitting that the episode falls very much into that category.

There's quite a bit to like here.  Gao's scene was, not surprisingly, a major highlight.  Her absence was felt, and Bakuto couldn't quite fill those shoes, though it made her return that much more satisfying.  The fact that she manages to drop some bomb shells on Danny that alter his perspective on matters regarding his own life make the scene that much more powerful.

It turns out that Harold had arranged to have the Rands killed.  While it was nice to see David Wenham finally get to go full heel, it does still seem like a drastic turn.  Even Danny is perplexed as to why Harold stabbed him in the back when he helped Harold deal with the Hand and allow him to go back to living a normal life.

Granted, Danny doesn't have a whole lot of time to ponder this, as he has to clear his name after Harold had him set up with the DEA.  This doesn't turn out to be the inconvenience that you'd think it would be.  Much like Cap, all Danny has to do is wear a hoodie and he's pretty much able to move around freely.

Even more convenient, Harold Meachum, the man Danny now wants to kill, has the "true" documents that prove his innocence.  Why would Harold even keep those?  Isn't it standard protocol when doctoring documents to burn the originals in your trash can?  Shred them up, do something besides keep them in a hidden safe.  You could chalk it up to Harold's resurrections affecting his mental state, but he says that he had 13 years to plan this, so you'd think that hole would occur to him at some point.

I'm torn on the moral dilemma.  On the one hand, the Iron Fist is a weapon, thus you'd think that he'd fall into the category of super hero who can and will kill if necessary.  Sure, Danny's the sunniest of the defenders, but those two things aren't mutually exclusive.  Wonder Woman is a kind and compassionate hero, but being an amazon, she's a warrior who will still kill when the situation calls for it.  Oddly, the fact that Harold is already dead doesn't come up on either side of the discussion.

The fact that he's driven by vengeance more than justice is a fair point.  I'm not sure if killing him would have affected his chi.  You could make arguments for both sides.  Gao insists the closure will be good where Claire says that it'll taint his chi.  Considering what his anger and guilt did before, it makes sense though.

Even if the moral quandary is rushed and ultimately side stepped, it does at least show effort to bring some weight to the final showdown.

It was disappointing to see said showdown end up being in the dark again.  You can somewhat justify it, as Danny is trying to level the playing field seeing as his enemies have guns, but it still makes it hard to watch.  Him getting one of his hands shot is meant to level the playing field, though I wonder why Danny couldn't just channel his chi into his other hand.  He might not be able to charge up both hands at the same time yet, but using just one should still be doable.  You could say it's like being right handed or left handed, but if it's just directing energy, you'd think it would still be an asset.  Either way, you can see why Danny puts such emphasis on Luke being bullet proof when they get together in "The Defenders".

Speaking of, Claire does make mention that she knows other powered people, but the idea of coming together doesn't come up in any capacity.

Instead, the show's final scene shows Danny returning to K'un L'un, only to find that the Hand had attacked and that it is now gone.

I had read about this ahead of time, and figured that it would be yet another instance of the show doing something awesome and not letting us see it.  I mean, seeing a swarm of ninjas battle a stronghold of warrior monks would have been really cool.  As it is meant to be a surprise, I can let it slide this time.

It does make you wonder what the Hand's endgame is.  We've seen them deal heroine, raise an army of undead ninas, do something with "Black Skies", dig a hole in the ground, and make a city in another dimension vanish.

You could argue that they're mysterious and that the true motives won't be revealed until the big team up, but considering how prominent they've been, it seems like we should know more than we do at this point.

Still, though, I am very much looking forward to "Defenders".  It looks like it's going to be big and satisfying.

As to this series as a whole, it had problems, though I don't think it warrants the hate that its getting.  There were pacing issues, but that's a kink that can be worked out later.  I'd still like to see "Iron Fist" get a second season.  I've seen a lot of people talk about combining Luke Cage and Iron Fist into one series.  Considering how close they are, it makes sense, though I think that should come later.  Let Luke and Danny each get a second individual season, then to cut costs make their third season the combo and have the two partner up on a more long term basis.

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