Catching Ducks

Doctor Who "Dreamland" is a CGI-animated Doctor Who adventure starring the tenth doctor, David Tennant.

The story is good (The Doctor visits Area 51), and Tennant is his usual charming self, but the animation is dreadful.


Spoilers:

Gur ebznapr orgjrra gur jnvgerff naq gur Angvir Nzrevpna qhqr frrzrq gnpxrq ba ng gur raq -- ernyyl enaqbz.

Nyfb, V gubhtug gung, sbe n fubeg srngher, gurer jrer gbb znal tebhcf ehaavat nebhaq: gur ZVO, gur tvnag oht nyvraf, gur yvggyr terl nyvraf, gur ebobgf... vg sryg njshyyl ohfl.

Labels: Doctor Who, review: TV

There is a sub-genre of sci-fi called "alternate history". It's usually stories based on ideas like "What if the Roman Empire never fell?" or "What if the south didn't lose the Civil War?". I've seen many alternate history books, but I don't know that I've ever seen a movie or TV show.

"The Great Martian War" is a TV-movie that aired on BBC-America. (It aired on the History channel in the UK & Canada.) It re-imagined the World War I as a war of humans against invading aliens.

It was done in the style of a documentary. It appeared as if they used a mixture of archival footage from the real war, archival footage with aliens CGI-ed in, and CGI footage. They also has "interviews" with "survivors" that were processed to look like they were shot in 50's, 70's, or 90's, depending on the age of the survivor.

All in all, it was quite well done, and much more entertaining than the scifi movies that SyFy airs. Which reinforces my opinion that the best channel for scifi/fantasy is BBC-America.

Labels: history, review: TV, scifi/fantasy

Small Island is a two-part mini-series about Jamaican immigrants in post-WWII Britain. The two main characters are Queenie, a white British woman, and Hortense, a black Jamaican woman. The series has some good moments, but I had three major problems with it.

The first is the time jumps. The story jumped back in forth in time, but only sometimes had title cards to tell you when you were. This led to me being confused about when things were happening. They either needed to tell the story in a more coherent way (so that the title cards weren't necessary) or use them every time they jumped to a different time period.

Secondly: the narration. In general, I understand why narration might be necessary, especially for an adaptation of a novel. But this was one of the strangest and most frustrating uses I have ever encountered. For example: Character-A would say to Character-B, "Tell me about Character-C" and B would speak just a couple words before the narrator would take over and say, "And so, B told A all about C, how C would blah-blah, and how they met at that-place, and how they dreamed of whatever". Basically, the narration took just as long as the actual conversation would have. The narration sucks the personality out of the interaction and was almost completely unnecessary.

My final problem was one of the lead characters, Queenie. Queenie was more of a caricature than a person. The only time she seemed like a real person was in her scenes with her father-in-law. The rest of the time she seemed like some idealized version of what a modern white person would want to be if they were living in that time period. It's very annoying. (And, considering person who wrote the book the series is based on is black, it's very strange. But, to be fair, it's possible the book-version of Queenie wasn't so jarringly martyr-like.)

The other lead, Hortense, is much better. Her character seems more real and more interesting. I think one of the big differences might be that she's much more specific, where as Queenie is vague and ill-defined. I never quite understood why Queenie did the things she did. Hortense's motives, on the other hand, were very clear. Even when she did things that were petty, or made bad choices, I understood why she did them.


Spoilers:

Gur zbzrag jura gur gvzr-whzcf ernyyl pbashfrq zr jnf jura vg jnf erirnyrq gung Dhrravr jnf certanag. Vg jnf boivbhf gung Zvpunry jnf gur sngure, ohg fur unqa'g frra uvz fvapr gur jne, naq V gubhtug vg jnf fhccbfrq gb or 1948. Fb gura V gubhtug V jnf pbashfrq nobhg jung lrne vg jnf, jura npghnyyl Zvpunry unq ivfvgrq ure cbfg-jne. Juvpu jnf rkgen pbashfvat orpnhfr Ubegrafr unq orra gbyq gung ur qvrq va gur jne. Vg jnf riraghnyyl rkcynvarq (fbeg bs), ohg vg ernyyl gbbx zr bhg bs gur zbzrag. Vs gur gvzrf unq orra zber pyrneyl ynoryrq, gura V jbhyq unir gehfgrq gung vg jbhyq or rkcynvarq.

Fcrnxvat bs gur zrasbyx: Tvyoreg terj ba zr. (N ybg.) Oreaneq jnf hayvxrnoyr ohg vagrerfgvat. Zvpunry... jung ba rnegu jnf uvf nccrny? Obgu Dhrravr & Ubegrafr jrer tntn sbe uvz, ohg V pbhyqa'g haqrefgnaq vg ng nyy.

Bar bs gur guvatf V ernyyl qvq yvxr nobhg guvf jnf vg fubjrq ubj yvzvgrq jbzra'f bcgvbaf jrer ng gung gvzr. Obgu Dhrravr naq Ubegrafr zneel zra gurl qba'g xabj (naq qba'g cnegvphyneyl yvxr) orpnhfr vg jnf tbvat gb trg gurz fbzrjurer gurl jnagrq gb or. Ubegrafr rira fnlf gung fur, nf n fvatyr jbzna, pbhyq arire geniry sebz Wnznvpn gb Ratynaq. Ohg vs fur jrer zneevrq, naq jrer geniryvat gb zrrg hc jvgu ure uhfonaq va Ratynaq, gung jbhyq or nyybjrq. Penml gb guvax nobhg!

Labels: review: TV

In its second season, Being Human attempted more ambitious plots. Unfortunately, they aren't particularly successful. The one that works best is the the group of humans trying to "cure" werewolves. (V fnl "pher" orpnhfr gurl frrz zber vagrerfgrq va xvyyvat jbyirf guna phevat gurz.) Gurl'er fpnel, gurl unir n ybtvpny ernfba sbe jung gurl'er qbvat, naq gur eriryngvba nobhg Yhpl vf trahvaryl fubpxvat.

Annie's plot is also pretty good. Her ups-and-downs of ghost life are always compelling, and the idea that the Other Side is angry that she hasn't crossed over leads to some interesting stories. (Vg nyfb yrnqf gb gur snagnfgvp pyvssunatre.)

George's plot is so dull that when I recently re-watched, I had no recollection of having seen it before. And he takes a page out of Mitchell's book and makes some truly horrific decisions. (V zrna, zbivat va jvgu n jbzna ur'f bayl xabja sbe n pbhcyr jrrxf? Naq gura nfxvat ure gb zneel uvz? Naq V jnag gb fznpx Fnz hcfvqr gur urnq: Lbh unir n qnhtugre, jul jbhyq lbh trg vaibyirq jvgu Trbetr fb dhvpxyl???)

Nina's journey dealing with the aftermath of the events of the season 1 finale would have been more captivating if she hadn't disappeared for several episodes. (Since there's only eight episodes in the season, she was gone for a significant percentage of the season.)

Mitchell, big shock, continues to make bad decisions. At least this season he starts out with good intentions.

I feel like I'm saying I didn't enjoy this season, when I actually did. Just like with the first season, this show is saved by the little moments and stories: Annie and Nina's growing friendship. (V ybir gung Naavr fgnlf jvgu Avan sbe ure svefg shyy zbba.) The episode where Annie helps a psychic. The scene where Annie tells George & Mitchell that she's applying for a job. Mitchell (figuratively) turning into George when he tries to talk to Lucy. George correcting the grammar of a graffiti insult someone wrote about him. Etc.

Those moments are why I love this show.

Labels: Being Human, review: TV

Possibly the greatest wunza plot in the history of television:

"A vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost are roommates."

That's the basic description of the show, and it's also the strength of the show. The main characters are amazing, and their interactions and friendships are why I originally got hooked on it.

It certainly wasn't for the plot. The first season's grand, over-arching story is a big bowl of meh. Something about vampires trying to take over the world? I think? I just re-watched it, and I'm still fuzzy on the details. It doesn't make sense and it's not interesting.

The smaller-scale plots are much better. George dealing with his curse, and his awkward and tentative relationship with Nina. Annie's struggles with why she's still here, and her feelings for her still-living fiance. Mitchell... Well, Mitchell sure is pretty. Unfortunately, he spends a lot of time being angsty and making poor decisions. But pretty!

The main characters really are fantastic, and the moments highlighting their friendships are an absolute joy.


Spoilers:

Jura V svefg jngpurq vg, V qvqa'g arprffnevyl pner sbe Avan be Naavr, ohg obgu vzcebir hcba er-jngpuvat. Avan frrzrq pbyq naq obffl, ohg abj V rawbl ure gnxr-ab-fuvg nggvghqr. Naavr vavgvnyyl fhssrerq sebz orvat fb fgrerbglcvpnyyl tveyl: jrnx, zrrx, bofrffrq jvgu ure svnapr... Ohg jura lbh xabj zber bs ure fgbel, fur znxrf n ybg zber frafr, naq frrvat ure wbhearl vf jbaqreshy.

Vg'f vagrerfgvat gb zr gung -- ba jung vf bfgrafvoyl n ubeebe fubj -- gur fpnevrfg punenpgre vf n uhzna. Gung fprar jura Bjra pbzsbegf uvf arj tveysevraq, gryyvat ure gung gur Naavr-tubfg vfa'g erny, juvyr ur'f ybbxvat evtug ng Naavr, vf nofbyhgryl puvyyvat.

V ernyyl yvxrq Trbetr gur svefg gvzr V jngpurq, ohg ur fhssref n yvggyr sebz ercrng ivrjvatf. Ur fgnegf gb frrz juvarl.

Naq Zvgpuryy, lbh ner n zrff. V ybir uvf sevraqfuvcf jvgu Trbetr naq Naavr, ohg bgurejvfr ur vf n gbgny qvfnfgre.

Labels: Being Human, review: TV

When I originally saw the commercials for Orphan Black, I was intrigued and set my DVR to record the premiere. Unfortunately, it premiered on March 30, 2013, and I was very distracted by the UConn women advancing through the tournament on route to their eighth championship. I watched the first few minutes of the pilot, and decided I didn't want to spend time with the main character. She seemed to be a thief and a grifter and a drug dealer and a bad mother, and I lost interest. I'm pretty sure I deleted the episode without even finishing it. (I needed the room on my DVR for basketball!)

A few months later, I started hearing about how great it was, so I decided to give it another try. I got season 1 DVDs from the library, and tried again. By the end of the second episode, I loved it. But it really did take me until then to get hooked.

By the end of the second episode, you've met the other two main characters, and gotten to know one of them a little bit. In addition, you've learned a little more about the first main character. She still makes bad life choices and can be difficult to like, but she's not the loathsome person she first appeared to be.

Season one is fantastic. It's got drama and action and romance, and a twisty-turny plot. And lots and lots of female characters. So many shows throw in a female character and call it a day (ahem... Elementary), but Orphan Black is fairly bursting with women. And a they each have a distinctive personality. (It's almost as if women can be individuals, and not generalized into one representative!)


Spoilers:

Snibevgr zbzragf...

Jura Fnenu & Nyvfba svefg zrrg. Obgu Orgu naq Xngwn ner bayl bafperra sbe n srj zbzragf orsber qlvat, fb Nyvfba vf gur svefg arj pybar jr ernyyl trg gb xabj. Gur qvssreraprf orgjrra Fnenu naq Nyvfba ner fgevxvat.

Jura Fnenu zrrgf Pbfvzn. Gung jubyr frdhrapr bs Fnenu qenttvat Sryvk gb gur fhoheof, naq Nyvfba guerngravat Sryvk jvgu ure tha, gura Pbfvzn cbccvat bhg naq qbvat ure pnfhny yvggyr "uryyb" jnir.

Fnenu qevaxvat gur fbnc va onguebbz gb trg bhg bs grfgvslvat. Pyrire naq onqnff. (Naq tebff.)

Sryvk grnpuvat Nyvfba ubj gb cergraq gb or Fnenu.

Nalgvzr Fnenu-nf-Orgu vf fgnegyrq, naq gnxrf n srj frpbaqf gb svaq ure Pnanqvna npprag.

Uryran gnyxvat gb Cnhy'f cvpgher, cergraqvat fur vf Fnenu.

Gur fprar va gur svanyr jvgu Fnenu, Nyvfba, naq Pbfvzn ng Sryvk'f ncnegzrag.

Sryvk. Whfg va trareny, Sryvk.

Labels: Orphan Black, review: TV

I first watched season one of In the Flesh when it originally aired on BBC-America last year. Season 2 recently aired, so I re-watched season 1 on DVD before I started watching season 2. Season 1 is short, even for a British show: just three one-hour episodes.

In the Flesh is a zombie show, but only sort of. Before the series begins, there was an uprising, and the dead rose from their graves and terrorized the living. Eventually someone figured out what was making them rabid, and created a medicine to make them normal again. Now the government is re-integrating the zombies back into society.

As you can see from the trailer above, the show is beautifully shot, with lots of wide open spaces and grey skies that give it a haunting feel that matches the story. In a lot of ways, season one is about grief. Everyone is grieving -- zombies grieve for the things they did when they were rabid and the life that they can't get back; the living grieve for their dead loved ones that are lost forever and their undead loved ones that are changed forever. Everyone is trying to adjust the new reality.

Despite the zombies, I would not describe it as a horror show. It's really just a drama with a scifi/supernatural element. It's sad, but it has some sweet moments and quietly funny moments.

When I first watched it, I wished there was more because I loved it so much. This time, I almost wanted that to be all there was, because the story makes such lovely arc over those three hours.


Spoilers below... (Use rot13.com to read them.)

Fb yrg'f gnyx nobhg bhe qbhoyl-pybfrgrq lbhat zra. Xvrera inthryl frrzf gb or bhg gb uvf snzvyl (ng gur irel yrnfg gurl xabj ubj vzcbegnag Evpx vf gb uvz), naq lbh trg gur srryvat gung bguref va gbja fhfcrpg gung ur'f tnl, ohg ur qbrfa'g frrz gb or bcrayl tnl. Ur'f gur fnzr nf na haqrnq -- ur jrnef gur znxr-hc naq gur pbagnpgf gb oyraq va, ohg rirelbar vf jryy njner gung ur'f haqrnq. Evpx, ba gur bgure unaq, vf qrrcyl va gur pybfrg. Naq guvf rkgraqf gb uvf yvsr (ree... "yvsr") nf na haqrnq. Rirelbar (ng gur hetvat bs uvf sngure) whfg cergraqf gung ur'f fgvyy nyvir. (Uvf sngure frrzrq gb or va qravny nobhg Evpx orvat tnl, gbb, ohg onfrq ba uvf ungerq bs Xvrera, ur pyrneyl xarj fbzrguvat jnf hc.) Qrfcvgr gur snpg gung Xvrera jnf gur fyvtug-senzrq negvfg naq Evpx jnf gur fgbpxl fbyqvre, Xvrera jnf pyrneyl oenire bs gur gjb bs gurz. Ur jnagrq gb oyraq va (obgu nf n tnl crefba naq na haqrnq), ohg jura chfu pnzr gb fubir, ur jbhyq fgnaq hc sbe uvzfrys naq bguref.

Punatvat gbcvpf: jura V svefg jngpurq vg, V qvqa'g cnegvphyneyl yvxr Xvrera'f sevraq Nzl. Ohg ba frpbaq ivrjvat fur ernyyl terj ba zr. V nccerpvngrq ure pbhentr naq fcvevg.

Naq svanyyl: Sbe zr, gur zbfg vagrerfgvat nfcrpg bs gur frnfba vf Xvrera'f fhvpvqr. Jura lbh svaq bhg gung ur xvyyrq uvzfrys, n ybg bs bgure guvatf snyy vagb cynpr. Uvf cneragf nera'g whfg jbeevrq nobhg uvz svggvat va be tbvat enovq, gurl'er jbeevrq ur'yy xvyy uvzfrys ntnva. Naq vg znxrf uvf erfheerpgvba cnegvphyneyl vagrerfgvat. Sbe fbzrbar yvxr Nzl (jub qvrq bs pnapre), n frpbaq punapr vf n tvsg. Ohg sbe Xvrera, vg'f (vavgvnyyl, ng yrnfg) zber bs n oheqra.

Labels: In the Flesh, review: TV