Octopus Overlords

You're right. I'd happily watch a second season that is only half Crows but a season without the Ketterdam crew would be lacking.

Based on a DC comic I’ve never read. Looks interesting though.

Anyone dive into Yasuke yet? I are excited.

Hadn’t heard of that. I’ll have to check it out.

Polygon review.

Well, now I have to check it out. Thanks!

The Mitchells vs the Machines is a very good and funny family movie. I think teenagers are the target demo...I know mine found it hilarious.

I almost watched that one tonight. Instead, I went with Stowaway. It was OK. The technology was mostly believable and the fx were pretty good, but the script and soundtrack came up short. The drama never got out of low gear, the characters lacked personality, and two hours of ambient space music got tiresome (and I speak as someone who likes ambient music). There was a better movie in there struggling to get out. It didn't, so this is not one for the ages. In fact, Wife and I both thought that Marooned told more-or-less the same story better 50 years ago. It was an entertaining enough two hours though, worthwhile if you like realistic sf and go in with low expectations.

Pyperkub wrote: ↑Tue Apr 20, 2021 3:10 pm Shadow and Bone (excellent YA-ish series) starts Friday:

https://www.netflix.com/title/80236319

We binged the first four episodes of this tonight. I really like it! Great world-building and characters. I haven't read the books, but my wife has, and she much prefers the show.

I haven't read the Shadow & Bone books but I have read Six of Crows about the Ketterdam crew. The actors playing Jasper and Kaz are perfect.

Kraken wrote: ↑Fri Apr 30, 2021 10:00 pm I almost watched that one tonight.

I'd be surprised if you liked it, but I guess I don't know your movie preferences. I just imagine someone in their sixties without kids might find it fairly inane.

stessier wrote: ↑Sat May 01, 2021 8:04 am

Kraken wrote: ↑Fri Apr 30, 2021 10:00 pm I almost watched that one tonight.

I'd be surprised if you liked it, but I guess I don't know your movie preferences. I just imagine someone in their sixties without kids might find it fairly inane.

I like animation, and the Boston Globe gave it a good review yesterday.

stessier wrote: ↑Sat May 01, 2021 8:04 am

Kraken wrote: ↑Fri Apr 30, 2021 10:00 pm I almost watched that one tonight.

I'd be surprised if you liked it, but I guess I don't know your movie preferences. I just imagine someone in their sixties without kids might find it fairly inane.

Be surprised. Be very surprised. I thought that was right up there with Pixar's best. Funny, inventive, smart, and heartfelt. My only criticism is that they clobber you with The Moral of the Story multiple times, at length, but maybe the kids in the audience need it spelled out.

It didn't hurt that a couple of offhand references put the Mitchells from Kentwood, MI, which is my hometown.

Vivo

Lucifer - Season 5 Part 2 announced to hit Netflix on May 28th. I learned from their last trailer (full of spoilers) and not watching the new one. Linked below for those interested, though.

Zaxxon wrote: ↑Thu Apr 29, 2021 8:59 pm Anyone dive into Yasuke yet? I are excited.

Finished it tonight. I didn't love the central storyline--it was very out-there, and I think I'd have preferred a more reality-based take on Yasuke's story. But the whole production oozes style, and it's a pretty distinctive style.

Definitely glad I watched. For those who do, note that the final episode has a post-credits scene.

Kraken wrote: ↑Sat May 01, 2021 10:02 pm

stessier wrote: ↑Sat May 01, 2021 8:04 am

Kraken wrote: ↑Fri Apr 30, 2021 10:00 pm I almost watched that one tonight.

I'd be surprised if you liked it, but I guess I don't know your movie preferences. I just imagine someone in their sixties without kids might find it fairly inane.

Be surprised. Be very surprised. I thought that was right up there with Pixar's best. Funny, inventive, smart, and heartfelt. My only criticism is that they clobber you with The Moral of the Story multiple times, at length, but maybe the kids in the audience need it spelled out.

It didn't hurt that a couple of offhand references put the Mitchells from Kentwood, MI, which is my hometown.

Glad you liked it! I think Pixar has done it better, but it's no shame coming in second on that list.

Just finished Jupiter's Legacy. It is slow, but there is a payoff. I liked it. It had better get another season.

I liked it too, though the pacing definitely had some problems. Fun fact: the actor who plays George does the voice of Anakin Skywalker in Clone Wars.

I’m only 3 episodes in, but the special effects seem kind of cheesy. I think they dream bigger than their budget (or skills) can achieve.

Still, I’m enjoying it. But it’s not nearly as good as The Boys or Invincible.

Sexify is fun.

Anyone else watching StartUp? I love me some Martin Freeman. That guy can radiate menace by being friendly.

hepcat wrote: ↑Sun May 09, 2021 8:54 pm I’m only 3 episodes in, but the special effects seem kind of cheesy. I think they dream bigger than their budget (or skills) can achieve.

Still, I’m enjoying it. But it’s not nearly as good as The Boys or Invincible.

I'm also three episodes in, and agree it's not as good as The Boys - but... I thought the big fight in ep 2 was pretty awesome effects wise. I loved seeing all these different powers being thrown at the bad guy, reminded me of the Thanos fights but much more compacted and faster paced. It felt very "realistic" to how I'd envision a team fight visually, for whatever reason.

I like the show a lot but I feel like (at least so far) they are having trouble introducing too many different characters and subplots and backstory elements all at once. So, for example, if/when some characters die, there's very little emotional impact for the viewer. A lot of shows seem to be following this trend, they only give us a "season" of like 6-8 episodes, yet they insist on trying to build a huge world and throw a gazillion side characters at us at the same time. I don't understand the logic.

The fight scenes all look like they were copied from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Everyone sparkles or throws off halos when they punch/shoot death rays/emit sonic waves. In episode 3 I think it is, they punch someone straight up into the air and it was so silly looking I actually laughed out loud.

The closest thing I can compare it to right now in terms of cheap special effects and story style is Powers. The short lived super hero show on Sony Network from years ago that also tried the gritty thing.

They didn't bother me and I found the effects on par with The Boys.

The Boys takes a less sparkly approach to their special effects. Jupiter's Legacy really does look like a Scott Pilgrim/Power Puff girls knockoff at times whenever someone launches into the air and the backdrop is suddenly replaced with budget priced pyrotechnics.

The show is getting ravaged by critics unfortunately. So while I may enjoy it in spite of the aforementioned goofy special effects (I really like the flashback story and wish it was just that....although I love the little added touch of going from widescreen to full screen whenever they switch it up), I doubt it will get a season 2.

I read that the creator Mark Millar has a deal with Netflix for a whole bunch of adaptations on his comics. It will be interesting to see what happens.

edit: wow, there's a lot of his stuff in production/pre production.

hepcat wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 2:58 pm The Boys takes a less sparkly approach to their special effects. Jupiter's Legacy really does look like a Scott Pilgrim/Power Puff girls knockoff at times whenever someone launches into the air and the backdrop is suddenly replaced with budget priced pyrotechnics.

I really don't understand what you mean by sparkly. I thought it looked more like CW. They show air disturbance when something moves fast. Is that it?

The show is getting ravaged by critics unfortunately. So while I may enjoy it in spite of the aforementioned goofy special effects (I really like the flashback story and wish it was just that....although I love the little added touch of going from widescreen to full screen whenever they switch it up), I doubt it will get a season 2.

Critics don't mean a lot to Netflix. If people watch, it will get a second season.

That being said, I need to check out the reviews - I wonder if they finished the whole season.

stessier wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 3:33 pm

hepcat wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 2:58 pm The Boys takes a less sparkly approach to their special effects. Jupiter's Legacy really does look like a Scott Pilgrim/Power Puff girls knockoff at times whenever someone launches into the air and the backdrop is suddenly replaced with budget priced pyrotechnics.

I really don't understand what you mean by sparkly. I thought it looked more like CW. They show air disturbance when something moves fast. Is that it?

The show is getting ravaged by critics unfortunately. So while I may enjoy it in spite of the aforementioned goofy special effects (I really like the flashback story and wish it was just that....although I love the little added touch of going from widescreen to full screen whenever they switch it up), I doubt it will get a season 2.

Critics don't mean a lot to Netflix. If people watch, it will get a second season.

That being said, I need to check out the reviews - I wonder if they finished the whole season.

From what I've seen, the answer is a resounding no.
A majority of the reviews I read are based off the first episode.
I mean....who has time to watch them all?

stessier wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 3:33 pm

hepcat wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 2:58 pm The Boys takes a less sparkly approach to their special effects. Jupiter's Legacy really does look like a Scott Pilgrim/Power Puff girls knockoff at times whenever someone launches into the air and the backdrop is suddenly replaced with budget priced pyrotechnics.

I really don't understand what you mean by sparkly. I thought it looked more like CW. They show air disturbance when something moves fast. Is that it?

I mean literally sparkly. Go back and watch the big battle in episode one. When the one female superhero jumps into the air to strike the villain they suddenly replace her backdrop with what I can only assume is a panel from a Power Puff Girls cartoon. It also happens when another female superhero tries to strike Chloe in episode 3 (before being comically launched into space...seriously, I expected to see smoking shoes on the ground where she had been, it was that awful).

This is what the fight scenes often look like...but add more cheap pyrotechnics.



It feels like they want to be gritty like The Boys or Invincible, but they need to tone down the silly.

That sounds like shit. Now I must watch this.

It has J.K. Simmons playing an animated character in the midst of all the real life characters though.

hepcat wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 4:10 pm It has J.K. Simmons playing an animated character in the midst of all the real life characters though.

Is it Tenzin? Tell me it's Tenzin. I'm totally in if it's Tenzin.

He's actually reprising his Vernon Schillinger character from Oz.

...so ...yeah...you're close.

hepcat wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 4:13 pm He's actually reprising his Vernon Schillinger character from Oz.

...so ...yeah...you're close.

I mean, if they need to spice Tenzin up a bit, it's doable.



Just sayin'.

stimpy wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 3:37 pm

stessier wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 3:33 pm

hepcat wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 2:58 pm The Boys takes a less sparkly approach to their special effects. Jupiter's Legacy really does look like a Scott Pilgrim/Power Puff girls knockoff at times whenever someone launches into the air and the backdrop is suddenly replaced with budget priced pyrotechnics.

I really don't understand what you mean by sparkly. I thought it looked more like CW. They show air disturbance when something moves fast. Is that it?

The show is getting ravaged by critics unfortunately. So while I may enjoy it in spite of the aforementioned goofy special effects (I really like the flashback story and wish it was just that....although I love the little added touch of going from widescreen to full screen whenever they switch it up), I doubt it will get a season 2.

Critics don't mean a lot to Netflix. If people watch, it will get a second season.

That being said, I need to check out the reviews - I wonder if they finished the whole season.

From what I've seen, the answer is a resounding no.
A majority of the reviews I read are based off the first episode.
I mean....who has time to watch them all?

Yeah, the few I've read seemed to have stopped before the last episode. For anyone reading - you really need to see the last episode.

On the plus side, it has a 74% audience score on Rottentomatoes (compared to 38% for critics), so people are watching.

Zaxxon wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 4:18 pm

hepcat wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 4:13 pm He's actually reprising his Vernon Schillinger character from Oz.

...so ...yeah...you're close.

I mean, if they need to spice Tenzin up a bit, it's doable.



Just sayin'.

I watched the first episode of Jupiter's Legacy and it was just awful.

Bad cinematography - check
Heavy handed delivery - check
Cheesy special effects - check
Villain who keeps yelling "Raaahr!" - check

There isn't a chance in hell that I give it a second chance. That was pure shit.

I didn’t think it was that bad. It’s not great, but I’m nearing the end of the first season now and I can see what they’re trying to do. It’s not quite as dumb as I initially thought. It just takes time for the story to become clear.

Also, the original show runner apparently left soon after it started and I think it shows. The early episodes look and feel a bit different than the later ones.

stessier wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 3:33 pmCritics don't mean a lot to Netflix. If people watch, it will get a second season.

People watching doesn't mean a lot to Netflix either.
What determines if a show gets renewed on Netflix is, "Does it bring in new subscribers?"

That explains why Netflix will cancel otherwise acclaimed shows with good audience numbers.
If they're not pulling in new subscribers, the show gets axed.