What-cha-what-cha-what-cha Watched?

[Salomé]

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World-- soooo good!
Safety Not Guaranteed-- also very good!
Hunger Games-- LOVED IT! Now must read book.
Skyfall-- I really liked it. I don't know who these people are who thought it wasn't good.

Thought the last 2 were pants.
The first, oh so depressing for something billed as a rom-com. God, it was dire.
It did make me think about who I would choose to spend those final two weeks of existence with... I nearly started a thread about it and forgot. It's a very revealing thing to think about...

 

[Nicodemus]

For those Americans who aren't allergic to subtitles, some kindly soul has uploaded the current (and final) series of Forbrydelsen III (The Killing) which is awesome. (Not great quality though)

Have you seen the American version - 'The Killing'? If so, what do you think of it, also compared to the original?

 

[Salomé]

Have you seen the American version - 'The Killing'? If so, what do you think of it, also compared to the original?

Heinous.
No comparison is possible. The American remake is unwatchable.

(Ditto the appallingly bad Sherlock remake. What do they have against non-US content anyway? Bigots!)

 

[Lexicon]

Been watching this long movie/"TV miniseries," again. Watched it w/my ESFP friend lifetimes ago.
It's goofy as hell but, at the same time, I would've had a blast acting in it.



Besides, can't go wrong when you've got Ed O'Neill as The Troll King, right?

 

[1487610420]

Big Bang Theory [minus laughtrack]

 

[disregard]

Dark knight rises

So good I was crying hot tears of sad happy ecstasy at the end.

 

[1487610420]

random youtube trailers.

 

[Jaguar]

The Specialist.

 

[EJCC]

Dexter season finale.

I'm conflicted. On the one hand, I don't really like where it's going now. I don't like that they got so sloppy at the end. I had hoped that if/when Dexter went down, it would be elegant. More like what happened when Doakes almost got him. But I hate that it's all coming from impulsive decisions that should be beneath him... And I don't like what happened with Deb.

Besides the clever flashback scenes with Doakes (which made me miss seasons 1 and 2), the thing I liked most about the episode was the absolutely beautiful parallel they drew between Deb and LaGuerta talking about killing Dexter, and Dexter and Brian talking about killing Deb in season 1. It was almost exactly the same conversation. And it was the first time that I was stunned by the gravity of a Dexter scene, since he decided to make love to Hannah instead of killing her. Those two scenes, plus the scenes where Dexter and Isaac became friends, were the best of the entire season. I wish there had been more scenes like that.

I'll keep watching, next season, out of loyalty. All I ask is that the series end with the beauty and poetry with which it began.

Thoughts?
[MENTION=7254]Wind-Up Rex[/MENTION] [MENTION=13260]Rasofy[/MENTION]

 

[Lexicon]

nightmare fuel

"An independent team of 22 animators across the world collaborate to produce AniJam, with no knowledge of what the previous animator did except for the last frame."





& this [thx [MENTION=1592]Gish[/MENTION], for sharing this one right before I nap, hah]

 

[violet_crown]

Thoughts?

I really liked your assessment, EJCC.

I read an article somewhere not too long ago about the fascination with entertainment that is "dark" or "gritty" that’s become more for its own sake than it is for a larger narrative purpose. The author made the point that a show being dark has more to do with "moral complexity" than it is to do with "plot complexity". The distinction being that moral complexity is about more than just complicated storylines, it's about weaving questions into the narrative that have no easy answer. The skill with which this is done creates the ambiguities that give rise to material that's genuinely challenging.

For the first few seasons of the series (probably right up until the Trinity season), Dexter accomplished this fairly admirably. Each season has brought a different situation into Dexter's life which somehow magnified some aspect of the original idea of a killer who only kills other killers. The assumption being that if you accept what Dexter is, at which variation upon this idea will you as a viewer draw the line. The whole experiment only functions if the viewer can be made to maintain that uneasy position of sympathizing with a serial killer.

This season effectively stamped that out, and with it a lot of the series' central dramatic tension. You can actually pinpoint the moment that it happened--the instant he opted to fuck rather than kill Hannah McKay on his table. A lot of shit happened this season, and each successive incident just made me hate Dexter more. He's self-absorbed, destructive, and yeah, evil. It's hard to care about a monster.

So, looking forward to next season, the writers have limited their options in terms of the series finale. The show is likely to limp along to the finish line with overstuffed plots featuring a protagonist we no longer care. In other words, they've written themselves into a corner where plot complexity will necessarily be a surrogate for moral complexity. Their only choice at this point to restore any of that is to somehow redeem Dexter before ultimately destroying him. Maybe they'll put Harrison or Deb in danger so he can rescue them. I dunno. I don't care.

I was beyond disappointed when Deb didn't kill him last night.

 

[Aquarelle]

started watching Torchwood on Netflix. It's okay, not great. It had the potential to be great, but so far there is little consistency underlying character motivation. But perhaps it will finally motivate me to give Dr Who another chance.

 

[typologywhore]

SPN 8 (temporarily given up on). Breaking Bad <3

> Watched the first couple of episodes of SPN S8 a bit ago, but then got kinda put off by that random woman Sam appeared to have shacked up with; but, WAAY MORE than that, was mad at the way the writing totally takes Dean's side and is effectively going "BOO SAM YOU TRAITOR HOW DARE U TRY &HAVE THE QUIET FAMILY LIFE YOUVE ALWAYS WANTED" and just no

...Also: as (a)Sam's my fave character and i like him to have screen-time, and (b)i liked the focus on Sam & Dean's sibling bond &their loyalty to each other as brothers a la the earlier series, i have little patience for the whole "~Destiel~" deal (..that is, the [predominantly teenage, female] fan focus on the [imagined] romantic relationship between Dean & Castiel); aaaand it was kinda seeming like the writers were rather trying to cash in on this interest, to be honest. I'm sorry, but can you say QUEERBAITING? and that is seriously not an ok way to get an audience so i really hope they dont go any further with it

....Then again, there is Crowley, and Crowley is so utterly excellent. i will probably catch up on S8 at some point, for him, and for the fact that, even if some aspects of the show are pretty irritating, i've followed the boys this far, and dont wanna give up on them now..


> Marathoned Breaking Bad on Netflix a couple of weeks back. i started out like "...hmm...this is okaayyy..." and kinda worried the central premise was a bit of a gimmick
but
as it went on
OHMYACTUALGOD.

andjust. it got so intense oh my i got to just love the characters so fucking much, like there were certainly so many times where i was freaking out at choices Walt made and just like under-my-breath yelling at the screen ("NO WHAT ARE YOU ACTUALLY DOING WALT NO STOPITTTT WALTER WHITE YOU STOP THAT NOW") but i just grew to love him so much, like after a certain point it didn't matter how morally compromised he was i was just like "i don't care, i actually don't care, just don't get yourself killed ok Walt please ; A;"

^...and the same sentiment for Jesse except like times about a thousand because he's so fucking good-hearted and his parents never really thought he was worth much, and he was never much good at anything til he learnt to cook the blue stuff and now he can do something that other people are impressed with, that they respect him for...and then because of Jane...and then...all the other things toooo and justohmyGod poor poor Jesse <3 ; n;,~
soyeah basically i just love Jesse so much ok
and Aaron Paul is such a fucking breathtaking actor and he made me cry numerous times and i am not ashamed

....Yuh. you can probably tell i get quite into the shows i like.

 

[EJCC]

I really liked your assessment, EJCC.

I read an article somewhere not too long ago about the fascination with entertainment that is "dark" or "gritty" that’s become more for its own sake than it is for a larger narrative purpose. The author made the point that a show being dark has more to do with "moral complexity" than it is to do with "plot complexity". The distinction being that moral complexity is about more than just complicated storylines, it's about weaving questions into the narrative that have no easy answer. The skill with which this is done creates the ambiguities that give rise to material that's genuinely challenging.

For the first few seasons of the series (probably right up until the Trinity season), Dexter accomplished this fairly admirably. Each season has brought a different situation into Dexter's life which somehow magnified some aspect of the original idea of a killer who only kills other killers. The assumption being that if you accept what Dexter is, at which variation upon this idea will you as a viewer draw the line. The whole experiment only functions if the viewer can be made to maintain that uneasy position of sympathizing with a serial killer.

This season effectively stamped that out, and with it a lot of the series' central dramatic tension. You can actually pinpoint the moment that it happened--the instant he opted to fuck rather than kill Hannah McKay on his table. A lot of shit happened this season, and each successive incident just made me hate Dexter more. He's self-absorbed, destructive, and yeah, evil. It's hard to care about a monster.

So, looking forward to next season, the writers have limited their options in terms of the series finale. The show is likely to limp along to the finish line with overstuffed plots featuring a protagonist we no longer care. In other words, they've written themselves into a corner where plot complexity will necessarily be a surrogate for moral complexity. Their only choice at this point to restore any of that is to somehow redeem Dexter before ultimately destroying him. Maybe they'll put Harrison or Deb in danger so he can rescue them. I dunno. I don't care.

I was beyond disappointed when Deb didn't kill him last night.

I think they tried to include that moral complexity, this season (even if it was halfhearted and not all that successful). Mostly in the finale, with Hannah pointing out Deb's hypocrisy, and Dexter's tense conversation with Harry. It's kind of interesting, that Dexter is sacrificing his humanity in order to gain humanity -- but it's not as provocative or insightful as previous seasons. Might have been interesting on a different show, but my standards for Dexter were set so high, from the very beginning. What I find more interesting is that even though a lot of viewers have kept watching to see his moral progression, he somehow gets less likable and less interesting, the more human he gets. I had been hoping that he could settle down and live a normal life, but I was so goddamn bored when he had those domestic scenes with Hannah.

I knew he couldn't die, because there has to be one final season -- but I do wish that he'd been shot and arrested. Dexter on trial would have made for a very interesting final season. My hope is not that he has to rescue Deb or Harrison -- because he's done that a billion times already -- but that he goes out with a bang. Something huge and cathartic. Like how the season 6 ending should have gone: almost Biblical in proportion. If it's anything less...

...Also: as (a)Sam's my fave character and i like him to have screen-time, and (b)i liked the focus on Sam & Dean's sibling bond &their loyalty to each other as brothers a la the earlier series, i have little patience for the whole "~Destiel~" deal (..that is, the [predominantly teenage, female] fan focus on the [imagined] romantic relationship between Dean & Castiel); aaaand it was kinda seeming like the writers were rather trying to cash in on this interest, to be honest. I'm sorry, but can you say QUEERBAITING? and that is seriously not an ok way to get an audience so i really hope they dont go any further with it

They do that a lot, it seems like, and it pisses me off; I know that the creators didn't want to include it, but they've been far too receptive to, and hyperaware of, their own fanbase -- and that's one of the reasons why I find Supernatural so conflicting*. "The French Mistake", anyone? When a show descends that far into self-parody, you know it should have ended a long time ago.

*Well, that plus the fact that they seem to get a sick enjoyment out of torturing Sam, Dean, and Cas... especially Dean. Poor guy. I'm not enough of a sadist to enjoy seeing him suffer so much.

 

[violet_crown]

I think they tried to include that moral complexity, this season (even if it was halfhearted and not all that successful). Mostly in the finale, with Hannah pointing out Deb's hypocrisy, and Dexter's tense conversation with Harry. It's kind of interesting, that Dexter is sacrificing his humanity in order to gain humanity -- but it's not as provocative or insightful as previous seasons. Might have been interesting on a different show, but my standards for Dexter were set so high, from the very beginning. What I find more interesting is that even though a lot of viewers have kept watching to see his moral progression, he somehow gets less likable and less interesting, the more human he gets. I had been hoping that he could settle down and live a normal life, but I was so goddamn bored when he had those domestic scenes with Hannah.

I knew he couldn't die, because there has to be one final season -- but I do wish that he'd been shot and arrested. Dexter on trial would have made for a very interesting final season. My hope is not that he has to rescue Deb or Harrison -- because he's done that a billion times already -- but that he goes out with a bang. Something huge and cathartic. Like how the season 6 ending should have gone: almost Biblical in proportion. If it's anything less...

I think that's a really fascinating point that you've made, and it's one that hadn't occurred to me. But I'm gonna have to challenge that idea somewhat. I'm tempted to say that for all that Dexter has become increasingly attached to the trappings of his "normal" life, there's not much evidence to indicate that he's become all that much more "human". I mean, it begs the more philosophical question of "What makes us human?", and I'm not quite willing to get bogged down in that. But there's a fundamental quality that Dexter seems to lack no matter how "normal" his life becomes. Some empathetic or ethical sense or something that Harry's Code was a surrogate for, and now that he's lost that I feel he's lost a crucial connection to the rest of us that actually makes him less human than when the show started. It's counterintuitive, but that growing revulsion one feels about him as the viewer is certainly indicative of it.

I'm starting to feel like redemption for Dexter will only come if he turns himself in.

 

[Rasofy]

Well, I wasn't expecting Lawful Good ladies to approve of that ending.

Dexter season finale.

I'm conflicted. On the one hand, I don't really like where it's going now. I don't like that they got so sloppy at the end. I had hoped that if/when Dexter went down, it would be elegant. More like what happened when Doakes almost got him. But I hate that it's all coming from impulsive decisions that should be beneath him... And I don't like what happened with Deb.

Besides the clever flashback scenes with Doakes (which made me miss seasons 1 and 2), the thing I liked most about the episode was the absolutely beautiful parallel they drew between Deb and LaGuerta talking about killing Dexter, and Dexter and Brian talking about killing Deb in season 1. It was almost exactly the same conversation. And it was the first time that I was stunned by the gravity of a Dexter scene, since he decided to make love to Hannah instead of killing her. Those two scenes, plus the scenes where Dexter and Isaac became friends, were the best of the entire season. I wish there had been more scenes like that.

I'll keep watching, next season, out of loyalty. All I ask is that the series end with the beauty and poetry with which it began.

(Very) Random thoughts:

- My theory that Debra had set up Hannah is quite likely wrong, but she's still starting to develop a dark side... "and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you".

- Loved the scenes with Doakes. ''Surprise motherfucker!"

- Dexter was doing what he had to do to protect Deb. I don't think he would have done that if it was him or Laguerta. He's more ethical than Hannah on that aspect. However, I don't think killing a person after he served 40 years is quite right. Maybe he changed, who knows. Hell, 40 years is a lot of time.

- The event will sound very suspect. Perhaps Mathews is gonna detect the pattern involving Dexter x Doakes and Dexter x Laguerta. Or maybe FatistaD), but considering he's no longer a cop that's less likely.

- I actually like when the main characters show some dark side. That's what have made Breaking Bad Death Note remarkable tv shows. And that's why I hate Batman, the motherfucker is too predictable. Spider Man is much more interesting.

- I wonder what Hannah is planning to do (considering she ever gets back). I initially thought she was trying to kill herself.

 

[1487610420]

Looper, was cool.

 

[Ism]

Watched Aladdin for the first time in years, mostly because I wanted to hear 'A Whole New World.'

The plan is to walk behind someone having a bad day, gently caress them from behind and slowly lift their arms a la Titanic, as I melodiously sing 'A Whole New World' to soothe their soul. I'm so excite.

 

[ByMySword]

I watched Nude Nuns with Big Guns the other night. Hilarious. lol

 

[Ism]

Officially on Season 3 of Merlin - two more to go!