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Messages - pictsy

#1081
Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...
03 December, 2013, 08:41:15 PM
52 more minutes!  That is certainly worth a watch.  I might see if I can get my hands on a copy for the weekend perhaps (although watching Dune, even a different cut, in close succession might be a bit much).

When was it released.  I've read it's a television cut and I'm wondering if it's one I saw as a teenager.  I have always thought it seems shorter but have always put that down to watching it late at night in bed (which could still be a perfectly reasonable explanation).
#1082
Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...
03 December, 2013, 06:48:07 PM
There are different versions?  I did not know this (although it doesn't surprise me).  I have the Lynch version, how much more is in the Smithee version?

The bit that does surprise is that the version Lynch puts his name to cuts away footage given what I said about a longer running time.
#1083
Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...
03 December, 2013, 06:08:45 PM
Dune

Why do I enjoy Dune?  I think it's the set designs and costumes.  They are very lush.  There is a certain amount of nostalgia.  I watched this tucked up in bed when I was a lot younger than my current youthful self and I thoroughly enjoyed it mainly because I had not seen quite it's like before.  It also got me interested in reading the book, which is a great read.  I can see problems with the film and the second half doesn't incorporate nearly enough from the book for a satisfactory adaptation.  I don't know the background in the production but the film clearly needs a longer run time (which isn't something often said about a film).  I do enjoy watching it, though.
#1084
Prog / Re: Prog 1861 - Warning! Risk of Meltdown
03 December, 2013, 06:02:19 PM
Quote from: IronGraham on 03 December, 2013, 12:22:40 PM
Well as a fairly new 2000 AD reader with no nostalgia glasses for Mr. Mills I can say of what strips I've read (that being ABC WArriors return to earth, Invasion rise like lions, Defoe the damned and this Flesh) I'd say the ones I enjoyed was Defoe and Savage I think the artists on it helped alot and they had more of an adventure strip feel, ABC was ok I appreciate what Clint Langley does with his photo and CGI but it's not for me and Flesh I just had a hard time telling who was who. Hope that made sense

I agree.  Defoe and Savage are probably the best that Mills is churning out for the prog.  I haven't really enjoyed ABC Warriors as much since they returned to Mars.  To paraphrase another member, it just hasn't been as fun.  The Shadow Warriors was OK, but only because Henry Flint was involved.  Flesh hasn't interested me, but I have liked the artwork.  Clearly it's not for everyone.

Nevertheless, I wouldn't have missed this current run.  I am thoroughly enjoying Brass Sun and I am looking forward to seeing where it is going.  The idea of visiting multiple worlds and cultures has the potential to keep the story fresh and it looks like we're at the beginning of an epic adventure, which would be fantastic.  The artwork seems apt and I love the deceptively simple style.  It was the real highlight.

Damnation Station, I think, deserves a re-read from the beginning.  It suffered for me because the original run didn't make a big enough impression on me (I am a little put of by Simon Davis' artwork and I'm never entirely sure why).  I totally forgot Boo Cook was involved as well which has me even more curious as to why I don't remember much about it.

It's certainly a good mix of stuff and it's been a safe bet these last 11 progs that there is going to be something for (nearly) everyone.  I've enjoyed it and I hope the new line up is just as good at the least.
#1085
Prog / Re: Prog 1861 - Warning! Risk of Meltdown
03 December, 2013, 11:46:00 AM
Quote from: GordonR on 03 December, 2013, 10:31:45 AM
Marshal Law's girlfriend (Lynn?) existed purely to be raped and killed by the villain of the very first Marshal Law series.

It's a lazy and kinda nasty trope we really need to stop using.

I've never read Marshal Law so I didn't know about that one.  I agree that it is a lazy and trope.

Made me think further about the two examples of Mills written rape I mentioned above.  As it shows in the quote from Cyber-Matt posted by Dark Jimbo, the rape of Niamh was used to drive Slaine.  So it wasn't so much a focus on Niamh getting raped but more a focus on Slaine's lover being raped.  That is to say, something that happened to Slaine.  The same parallels can be made of its use in Savage.  It becomes a driving force for the male characters and we don't really see how the niece deals with it.



#1086
Prog / Re: Prog 1861 - Warning! Risk of Meltdown
03 December, 2013, 10:19:08 AM
Quote from: Dark Jimbo on 03 December, 2013, 12:20:52 AM
Are you referring to Niamh's demise? In fairness to Pat the scene was originally a straight fight/kill, and the 'assault' was added at the behest of Tharg...

I am not referring solely to Niamh's death scene.  In my recent reading memory other examples include the rape of Bill Savage's niece in Book Two of Savage and the misogynistic murderer Pastor Sunday in Flesh. 

I mentioned Slaine: The Book of Invasion because that's when I started to think less of Mills' writing.  Those stories were tiresome before it even got to Niamh being raped (which is something as it happened near the beginning).  I don't think the rape added anything and I am not surprised that Mills was told to amp up the death scene because it just came across as a forced attempt to shock.  That whole series of Slaine stories were awful and I really came to despise Clint Langley's.... contribution.  It's around that time I felt ABC Warriors started going down the toilet as well.  Maybe how I feel about these two strips is how many people feel about the new Flesh stories.



#1087
Prog / Re: Prog 1861 - Warning! Risk of Meltdown
02 December, 2013, 11:59:23 PM
I used to be a big admirer of Mills' work until I read Slaine:  The Book of Invasion.  I think the last good Slaine story was Treasure's of Britain and that owed a lot to the truly beautiful artwork.  Maybe it is Clint Langley's 'artwork'.  Anyway, after that I began having doubts.

Flesh never wowed me.  I have looked over it for years.  I figured this was standard for a Flesh story as the recent stories are the only ones I know. 

Mills' politics doesn't bother me, but what does is his frequency to use violence against women as plot devices.  I'm not making any accusations (at the moment).  I just find it disturbing the amount of times he does it.
#1088
Quote from: TordelBack on 02 December, 2013, 06:32:01 PM
Shouting and wailing and noise and a D&D plot made up on the fly by an under-prepared GM.

lol, love the reference. 
#1089
Quote from: TordelBack on 02 December, 2013, 04:53:33 PM
Getting back to Hide, it also represents the most comprehensive failure of the Bechdel Test that you could imagine in¯an episode where more than half the characters were women: they never talk about anything else but their menfolk , and I'm left confused.

Even though the episode is written by Neil Cross, this is a criticism I have seen several times of Moffat's writing and Moffat lead work.  His woman characters are defined by their men.  Moffat is notoriously bad at writing women.  There are a couple of websites dedicated to it. :D

I agree with all your criticisms and praises of the episode.  It was certainly better than Neil Cross' other script for that series.  The absolutely terrible and god-awful Rings of Akhaten, which had the potential of having a great Doctor Who monster and then flushed all that potential down the toilet in exchange for shouty-shite.  I really didn't like that episodes ;)
#1090
None of that surprises me CFM.

I really disliked series 7.  I thought it was consistently awful and the best episodes are mediocre compared to the quality in previous series'.  I have never thought DW was a very high quality programme to begin with but since it's revival it had managed to be very entertaining.  I'm not finding it anywhere near as entertaining as I used to and I predominantly blame Moffat's control over the show for this.

I am going to give Capaldi a chance because he's Malcolm Tucker and the Angel Inslington, but there's a chance I'll just ditch DW until Moffat goes.
#1091
Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...
02 December, 2013, 01:45:45 PM
I wasn't actually too bothered by the gun martial arts thing.  I can easily get passed it.  It's still a mess of a film if you do.  An entertaining mess.  Plus it's got Sean Bean.
#1092
Links don't work properly:

The 10 Doctors

The 23 Doctors
#1093
Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...
02 December, 2013, 11:34:07 AM
It was certainly well choreographed for a small production. 

John Carter

The trailer really made me disinterested in this film, but it's no where near as what the trailer makes it appear to be.  It was entertaining but predictable and obvious.  Still, I can live with the latter because of the former.  I do wonder how many liberties the film makers took in regards to the source material.
#1094
Film & TV / Re: Current TV Boxset Addiction
01 December, 2013, 04:35:10 PM
Not really as I was aware those two featured in the series.  I had no idea about Dr Pulaski and she looks quite different in ToS than TNG.  That haircut in TNG did her no favours whatsoever.
#1095
Film & TV / Re: Current TV Boxset Addiction
01 December, 2013, 01:41:58 PM
Already into the third series.  I'm on "Spectre of the Gun" which is proving so far to be a bit silly.  The previous episode wasn't too bad either, although seeing Dr Pulaski appear in ToS a second time was distracting.

I remember watching an episode of Star Trek many years ago that I enjoyed to a degree.  I haven't seen that one this time around yet.