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Messages - pictsy

#1
Film & TV / Re: Current TV Boxset Addiction
27 March, 2024, 06:20:10 PM
Quote from: Hawkmumbler on 26 March, 2024, 09:24:52 PM
Quote from: pictsy on 25 March, 2024, 06:35:20 PMI always assumed other series had different characters, or different portrayals and perhaps explored different ideas and attitudes.

It's...belaboured and complicated.
Basically the Universal Century is the 'prime' timeline. MSG, Zeta, ZZ and Chars Counterattack are basically one long story spread across a decade in universe and the cast is in constant flux.
0080: War in the Pocket, Gundam F91, 0083: Stardust Memory, Victory Gundam, 08th MS Team, Gundam Unicorn, Gundam Narrative and Gundam Hathaway (as well as the IGLOO series of event films) are all within the UC also but with different casts, though overlap does occur. Some of these are better than other but 08TH MS Team is genuinely fantastic and entirely self contained so maybe give that a shot if you're really interested? It's only 14 episodes long too.

Outside of that, well it gets more complicated (ESPECIALLY with Turn A Gundam and Reconguista in G, both of which take place within their own time lines but reference events of the UC...it gets weird, I'll leave it there).

Of all the alternative timeline entries I'd absolutely recommend the most recent, Witch from Mercury. It's super short at only 24 episodes across 2 seasons, super fun and charming and just...a lovely time really.


Oh and ah, one more thing.

Avoid Gundam Wing like the fucking plague.

Thanks for the recommendations.  Next time I'm in the mood for some anime I'll give them a shot.
#2
Film & TV / Re: Current TV Boxset Addiction
25 March, 2024, 06:35:20 PM
Neon Genesis Evangelion was fun.  I like it a lot more after watching those two shows.  Made more sense.

I didn't get on with SDFM because I couldn't stand the characters.  I didn't get on with MSG because I couldn't stand the characters and the show was promoting some really shitty attitudes - I actually read about what goes on later in the series and it was definitely not going to get better in that regard.

I always assumed other series had different characters, or different portrayals and perhaps explored different ideas and attitudes.
#3
Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...
25 March, 2024, 02:19:06 PM
I think I need to both rewatch and reread Ghost World.

I remember enjoying the film more.
#4
Film & TV / Re: Current TV Boxset Addiction
25 March, 2024, 02:18:09 PM
I tried watching the first Gundam series after having a miserable time watching the first Macros series.  I did not enjoy it at all and just stopped.

I don't know what the other series are like, but I have certainly been put off for a while.
#5
Film & TV / Re: Current TV Boxset Addiction
16 March, 2024, 07:31:14 PM
I don't think I even got through season 2 of GoT.  It's a bit of a blob in my memory.  I might have got into season 3.  I don't know... it just couldn't hold my interest.

I did read the main five books of SoIaF.  I really wish I hadn't.
#6
Games / Re: Last game played...
12 March, 2024, 09:06:36 AM
The big take away I got from Bioshock Infinite was that it went on too long.  I was getting bored and aggravated well before the conclusion.  I also really liked the environment design, particularly right at the beginning.

iirc the game was initially intended to be a lot more ambitious with the rails playing a more prominent part in gameplay - but it had to be scaled back.

Interestingly it's the only one of the Bioshock games I completed.  I got bored of the others incredibly quickly.
#7
Games / Re: Last game played...
08 March, 2024, 11:28:06 AM
I played the Portal games again.  They are very cute games, among my favourites.
#8
Film & TV / Re: Current TV Boxset Addiction
21 February, 2024, 07:39:05 PM
I gave up on the X-Files.
The programme has problems, for sure.  It's also pretty dated.  The conspiracy stuff hits different today than it did in the 90's and not for the better.  It's conceits can be incredibly contrived.  Nevertheless I persevered.  Then I realised I was persevering rather than looking forward to watching the next episode, so I started watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine again and I've been having a more enjoyable.

#9
Film & TV / Re: Current TV Boxset Addiction
06 February, 2024, 12:24:53 PM
Quote from: rogue69 on 06 February, 2024, 10:59:06 AM...to save money decide to eat the monster they kill

Did this in my latest Runequest game.  Scorpion-person jerky is apparently the most delicious thing ever.
#10
Film & TV / Re: Current TV Boxset Addiction
06 February, 2024, 10:43:32 AM
I've been watching the X-Files.  I'm into season 3.
It's a real mixed bag and for the most part has aged incredibly badly.
That said I haven't got sick of watching it (yet) and there are a few good episodes sprinkled throughout.

What I find most fun is the over-arching storyline clearly had absolutely no direction or purpose.  I'm not sure if they thought that trying to be enigmatic would provide cover for them just winging it.

Another thing that is interesting is just how little agency the leads have in these stories - particularly the monster-of-the-week episodes.  Things just happen around them and they often don't actually achieve anything.  It was awful in the first season, especially.  They'd show up, Moulder would have all the answers, things happened around them, then they'd leave (Moulder is in arsehole as well).  I think the better episodes are the ones that have them being active and accomplishing things.

If I manage to get to the end of the show I'd probably find it an interesting experience, but not one I'd likely repeat.  I don't have strong nostalgia for the show and it's got a lot of problems I'm not sure I'd be willing to tolerate again.
#11
Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...
07 January, 2024, 11:47:47 AM
I remember Mystery Men being fun.  Haven't seen it in years.  Could have aged terribly.
#12
Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...
07 January, 2024, 09:45:43 AM
Far From Home was the last Marvel film I bothered watching.  After not enjoying the Avengers films that came before it I realised I just didn't have the energy for those films any more.

But I did have the energy to watch all the Trancers films that stared Tim Thomerson.  My favourite was Trancers 3 and Andrew Robinson's entertaining performance.  Good times.
#13
Film & TV / Re: Current TV Boxset Addiction
06 January, 2024, 03:50:04 PM
I watched all of the original Macross and started watching the original Gundam.

I see why Neon Genesis Evangelion exists the way it does a little better (not that I really needed context for those aspects).

I did not like Macross and Gundam.  They are both pretty toxic, frustrating and boring shows.  I gave up on Gundam when it looked like the show was going to be bold and explore the stress and trauma being inflicted on the child soldier main character.  But it didn't.  He gets slapped about by an adult and insulted by a friend and that fixes everything.  The concept of what is 'selfish' that is presented by the show is gross.  It was at that point I realised I was having a very unenjoyable time and I just gave up on it.

Nevertheless, I enjoy other media that has problems.  The kicker is I found them to both be very dull.  The only interesting things happening are the bad things and it just didn't make for a fun time.

It's a shame.  I'm still interested in exploring the franchises but I don't know what point in the series' to move to for something I have a better chance of getting into.  And I'm tired of watching stuff I haven't been enjoying to take the chance on something new again.

But I do like Neon Genesis Evangelion a little more, now.
#14
Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...
28 November, 2023, 01:53:23 PM
Quote from: Barrington Boots on 28 November, 2023, 10:12:19 AMBloodsport is an absolute Marvel. Its riddled with continuity errors - I think at one point a guy is seen cheering a fight he is actually in - and the acting in it is so abysmal it crosses the event horizon and becomes fun - JCVD is one of the better actors in it which says a lot. One of my favourites is the Filipino guy who is supposedly an arab. Or the OK USA guy. Or the kid that plays young Frank and can barely speak English.

The best thing about it though is 100% what an absolute bullshitter Frank Dux is and I'd urge anyone who doesn't know about him to read up on him because he is hilarious. From claiming he won underground fighting tournaments so secret nobody else in the world knows about them to saying he gave away all his prizes to pirates to secure the rescue of orphans, the bloke is a world class fantasist.

This is the film that kickstarted our JCVD marathon. Although objectively very bad it's got some charm that makes it better than a lot of his other films like Cyborg (boring) Sudden Death (cruel) or Hard Target (humourless and mainly boring). Kickboxer in places is superb, but (as with a lot of 80s films) there's a nasty sexual assualt bit that sours it. If you've seen Bloodsport and Universal Soldier you've done the best of his early ones ones I'd think although Lionheart / AWOL is good as is Double Impact.

I didn't mind Time Cop.  That one was fine.  Nothing especially remarkable or egregious - just okay.

I despise Kickboxer.  The way it handles rape is revolting.  Thinking about it makes me angry to this day. 

I moved on from JCVD films.  Watched The One.  It's fine, I guess.  A short film and it feels like it.  The only real fun to be had with it is Jason Statham's attempt at an accent.  What accent, I do not know.  It's not even consistent.

Maybe I'll watch Ghost's of Mars this coming movie night.  Haven't seen it in a while and it's been on my mind lately.
#15
Film & TV / Re: Current TV Boxset Addiction
23 November, 2023, 10:02:24 AM
Okay.  Neon Genesis Evangelion.  I thought the ending was fine.  Stuck to the core themes of the series and resolved them.  There is certainly plenty to appreciate with the series as a whole.  The animation is top tier stuff - it looks great.  It's interesting and ambitious.  Nevertheless, I found it hard work.  I was not entertained for the most part, I didn't connect with the characters and it hasn't left much of an impression on me.  Plus there were certain things that rubbed me up the wrong way.

I can see why it has critical acclaim, I can see why some people might not like the ending, I can see why someone would hate the show in it's entirety.  I'm pretty ambivalent towards it.  I don't regret watching it, but I don't think it's likely I'll give it a second viewing.

I've now started watching Dirty Pair.