Movies and TV

[Psychotime]

Funny you bring up the pacing, because I've heard that the cartoon is paced much better than the original comic.

...And is drawn better. I like the author's sense of humor and he made up an interesting series despite it's flaws, but his drawings are barely passable if you ask me. But it IS a monthly series; he's probably better now than when he started, but I'm not going to read ahead to find out.

[Triggerpigking]

I actually do love the artstyle of the show, and some of the titan designs are really good,
but it seems alot of them are doing they're best to make the dumbest face they can.
I mean seriously not even two minutes after a really dramatic and important scene and suddenly.....

then we got moe titan.


and there's a ton more i can't remember, 1 or 2 would've been funny but I can't take the show seriously when my damn chest is hurting from laughing so hard.

Spoilers for episode 9:
I actually think if the show was to of gone a different route with it's characters then it could've been something really different and interesting, for one they should'nt of had that big twist in episode 9, Erin to me has so far been a pretty regular protagonist, only unique thing about him is that he pretty much hulk smashes in anger whenever someone says the word titan, having him suddenly die and move the focus over to the other characters would have hammered in the hopelessness the show seems to have been going for, and the affect of his death on the other characters would have been much more interesting to watch imo.
I dunno maybe that idea would have fallen flat on it's face but as it is I like the show, it's fun but it's nothing special like it seems like it's pretending to be.

[Psychotime]

it's fun but it's nothing special like it seems like it's pretending to be.

From the type of things the creator likes to do to make fun of his comic, I doubt he has any pretensions about his work. It seems to me that he's simply making something he wanted to make.

[Triggerpigking]

true, I do love his sense of humour potato girl is hilarious I just think the funny titan's could be better placed, I am enjoying the show regardless so i'm not complaining.

[Psychotime]

Going through my long list of movies again, so I finally watched Usual Suspects. Not bad. But like all movies with Gabriel Byrne, I have to turn on subtitles to understand most of his dialogue.

[Psychotime]

I finally gave the first episode of Boardwalk Empire a watch. I can take it or leave it. I'll give it maybe one more episode to see if I care to continue or not.

Goddammit Steve Buscemi! You're a 55 year old pasty raisin who looks like he's 65! I don't EVER want to see you having sex! And with women that are half your age, too. That's just gross.

EDIT: Ok, I finished episode 2. It's not interesting to me, so unless I get a good incentive, I don't feel like watching any more.

[Vandall]

Never been a big fan of Anime much, enjoyed Death Note, Eva was... not my thing. Studio Ghibli always makes awesome stuff.

Waiting intently for the new Venture Brothers, dear god that needs to come out.

And my brother brought me the box set of Buffy, havent watched it in years, still holds up funnily enough.

[Psychotime]

Later I watched The French Connection. It was ok. Nothing I'll ever watch again. I was expecting something better.

[Psychotime]

Took me a couple years, but I finally started watching The Killing. Two episodes in and I like it so far, and it's been a while since I've watched a cop show.

I've heard that the way the show deviates from the original Danish series has pissed off alot of people, but not having seen the original, I'm just gonna see how the American version goes.

It's got a really nice angle to go by, being about a single case played out very realistically, and also focusing on the friends and family of the victim, as well as suspects. I have no problem with typical episodic police procedural shows (I love them), but The Killing is a nice change of pace.

I find the constant "just one more day, there's no one as good as you, we need you here to solve this" from the chief to the lead detective amusing. Last day before retirement, and suddenly she's gotta spend a week on a new case, probably even more depending on how it goes.

I know I'm only two episodes in, but I say the intern did it, haha. I don't like him. Honestly, each (named) male character I've seen from this show between the ages of 14 and 29 have been serious shit stains so far. And to contrast, anyone out of that age range seems like a swell guy. It's pretty funny. I know I'm just exaggerating, but it's been a while since I've seen a show where I want to see multiple teenage boys and twenty-something men get their faces smashed with a rock.

Side note, I felt nauseous near the end of episode 2, seeing the partner use his undercover acting skills to find out about the hidden area under the school. It was horrifying to see a once likeable character suddenly act the way he did for the sake of finding clues. Yes, the character was just acting, he's done Vice and Narcotics for years and has alot of experience playing undercover, it's how he contributes. But I think there's a line you don't cross.

[Triggerpigking]

Been watching a ton of doctor who in preperation for the 50th anniversary(got tickets for it at the cinema gonna be awesome :D).
Just finished watching midnight one of Davies episodes.
I don't like most of Davies episodes feel they're more flash and style then substance and he just crams in as many daleks as possible to the point where they became the least threatening creature in doctor who by the end of his run on the show. Buuut Midnight is an exception, the setting is a broken down vehicle with the doctor and a few passengers and a creature we know nothing about and it legitimately scares the doctor as he can't reason with it or figure out it's motives or what it is, it never actually does much though except freak out the other passengers and the whole episode is played on the paranoia of the other passengers as they turn against eachother and the doctor, it's become one of my favorite episodes when I actually groaned at the opening credits when I saw RTD's name come up XD.

[Psychotime]

After watching Castle in the Sky, I officially like (as opposed to appreciate) a Ghibli film. It was alot of fun.

Whenever I get to Princess Mononoke (which I haven't seen since high school) I expect to like it, as well. But outside of that, I'm not a Ghibli fan. I'm just an appreciator.

[Rognoll]

Been watching a ton of doctor who in preperation for the 50th anniversary(got tickets for it at the cinema gonna be awesome :D).
Just finished watching midnight one of Davies episodes.
I don't like most of Davies episodes feel they're more flash and style then substance and he just crams in as many daleks as possible to the point where they became the least threatening creature in doctor who by the end of his run on the show. Buuut Midnight is an exception, the setting is a broken down vehicle with the doctor and a few passengers and a creature we know nothing about and it legitimately scares the doctor as he can't reason with it or figure out it's motives or what it is, it never actually does much though except freak out the other passengers and the whole episode is played on the paranoia of the other passengers as they turn against eachother and the doctor, it's become one of my favorite episodes when I actually groaned at the opening credits when I saw RTD's name come up XD.

God, it was awesome. Hey! I like RTD! He's got some excellent episodes, like The end of times, or Waters of mars. He loves to put the doctor's sanity in question, I love that. Plus he uses the weeping angels way better than Moffat.
Anyway, yeah, best episode ever.

[Triggerpigking]

Hey I don't dislike RTD, he's made some very good episodes (waters of mars is indeed awesome)and he did bring back the series(the angels was made by moffat btw), I just think he works better when his budget's restrained, for example the season finales and dalek eps, after the first dalek episode(which was amazing) the rest of them felt like they'd had a ton crammed into them to the point where he had to use deus ex machinas, like whenhe had to have the meta doctor kill them with a convenient dalek kill switch left with davros who decided it was best to bring his mortal enemy into the same room with said button rather then vaporizing him on the spot. When you keep continuously raising the stakes to ridiculous levels to the point when you have to think up a quick deus ex it tends to ruin the episode and for me anyway, stopped the daleks being threatening for a while (until asylum of the daleks).

I tend to go on a bit of a rant with doctor who so I put this into the spoiler tag

Spoiler

The end of times felt cheesy and rushed to me especially the doctors melodramatic death when he's been through this so many times, it felt sad in a meta way because were losing a doctor who actor, but the overdramatic and gloomin death scene lasting for 5 minutes just spoils it, plus the master while awesome gets severly underused and somewhat annoying in them last two eps, I would love to see moffats take on Simms master though, he did bring us andrew scotts amazing moriarty, I will say I did love Wilf though he was awesome, probbly my second fav companion out off all 4 of rtd's behind Donna.
My main problem with RTD was that it felt like there was no complexity to most of his plots and alot of the characters annoyed me alot, lol I could rant on why Rose is an awful human being for a while actually, and Martha is a piece of cardboard dressed up as a human and is a complete tool, Donna and Wilf are the only ones who get any development(oh and jack is awesome).

The doctor as well feels like a massive hypocrite he kills the Racnoss race but when it comes to the daleks in Journeys end"no leave them alone meta-doctor theyre just about to blow up earth! that's all".
Considering he was still feeling the effects of the time war I have no problem with him being a pacifist but he openly flaunts it around even to the people who need to protect the earth like unit(if it was'nt for places like torchwood the earth would be destroyed while the doctors gone), that and he treats Martha like shit for the whole season pretty much. These would all be good flaws but I don't think Russell ever really went into them barring (waters of mars), infact he seemed to give alot of messianic overtones for the doctor like he's always in the right.

I think Moffat deals with 11's darker side much better then RTD did with tennant myself, plus I feel 11 felt more alien and more like the doctors of the past then 10.
Don't take this as me hating 10 though I like him(dont think there has been a bad doctor), just have some very big problems with the writing for him.

Oh and let me just say 11,10 and Hurt in the 50th special...were freakin amazing! I loved the hell out of that special, plus all dem cameos were just awesome.

[ApolOllipop]

Has anyone heard about 'Mama'? I'm pretty sure it was the same guy who made Pan's Labyrinth.


'The Internship' was cool. Two guys who were businessmen were looking for a job after their company closed down. They become interns in, guess what? Google! It's so awesome xD

I've wanted to find a copy of 'Pop Redemption' also cuz my sis wants it. The trailer seems interesting though it's in French.

On another hand, the last movie of evangelion... I saw a clip that Shinji was masturbating in a hospital bed. I was like, 'wut? Is this true or fake?'
I've forgotten about the plot in the anime so I don't think I can relate all that much.
(But I've played a hentai dating sim that is based on evangelion characters >:D)

I've been meaning to know what the plot is of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure.
And the most fucked up and has annoying characters in an anime is 'Gantz'. I VERY hate the main characters...

Movie I've watch also is : Total Recall: EXTENDED . Awesome action movie.

[Doolio]

Well, I must say that I am a huge Evangelion fan:)

And I feel the need to elaborate on that a bit, as my fascination with the series is perhaps a bit more rational and non-standard:)

I have been a big fan of psychology and philosophy and, for something like 15 years I've been studying them (as an amateur and hobbyist, though) and I've read hundreds of books, publications, I've gone as far as talking and befriending a lot of psychotherapists and even made them open up and tell me all the dirty stuff from practice and I've read my share of actual testimonies and therapies. Even at some times, some therapists were discussing therapies with me and sometimes I was able to give legit advice etc.
Please don't see this as some "I am awesome" speech, because I am not awesome:) For every field I am interested or (semi)proficient in, there are thousands in which I suck, so it's a simple matter of distribution of one's interests. I am saying this because I want to present my approach to the series and why I feel the way I do about it.

When I saw Evangelion, I was literally shocked by the quality of characterization and level and execution of psychoanalysis. And, I really mean shocked, to the point of disbelief. To the point that I've decided to surgically analyze it just for the sake of discovering what was that all about. Because, I thought that maybe I was misled somehow or that my perception was clouded due to some emotional trigger or something like that. And I saw it as some kind of hobby challenge, so it was really fun to me:) Anyway, I have watched it, and read about it, and watched it, and wrote about it, and googled, and consulted books and watched it and write and read and watch etc etc etc.

And, after all of that, I've formed my opinion - Evangelion is a masterpiece on several levels. It's characterization is, for me, surpassed only by Dostoyevsky's (later) novels. It's psychoanalysis is frighteningly authentically presented. It sounds strange, even silly, it IS still strange to me. But that is my conclusion after a very long and "cold" dissection of the series.
And that goes for the infamous last two episodes as well and for EoE too. Everything in Evangelion that LOOKS like the low level cinema teenage psychology, it really is quality stuff. I might sound cheesy here, but there really are a lot of levels to be analyzed and perceived, and even checked for in Evangelion and it really is not empty talk, surprisingly, even in moments when it might look like it - I mainly blame the classic shounen way of presenting things for that.

Of course, I might be wrong and of course, many will disagree (the world would be quite a boring place if everybody agreed on everything:) ), but I really spent a lot of time on this and I really tried very hard to be objective and to utilize all the resources I have and to make that analysis as solid as it could be. And that's why I had the need to share my "findings" here, seeing that Evangelion was mentioned:)
Considering psychoanalysis of his characters and playing with them, Anno did his homework. And he REALLY did his homework. Though he insisted on Freud too much and sometimes he throws some terms and setups a (tiny) bit naively - still, I am amazed at his level of understanding and application of aspects he tries to convey being a nonprofessional in the field.

Also, I don't want to look like some angsty fanboy or something - which might be a mission impossible, since I am aware of Evangelion's reputation and actually, that is the main reason why I dislike "fanboism" - it can make good things look bad and mis-aimed fandom can ruin honest positive critiques. So I must also say that I watched Evangelion when I was something like 28 or 29 years old, so it's not about emotional teenage catharsis for me:) Also, I've been unaware of the franchise until I watched the series (I watched it kinda by accident).

I think that one of the problems in perception of the series is that it keeps getting pushed in the mecha genre. Which is, from one aspect, justified, as that's the setting, and also, the show plays with mecha tropes quite a bit. But then, the value, point and ALL other relevant aspects of the series would remain virtually unchanged and untouched if the series was set in, I don't know, 17th century family bakery in France:) Or in a single room, for that matter.
So, I think it affects the viewer even before he actually sees the show, which is kinda bad, as it can create specific expectations in various aspects.


So, that would be, in short, my perception of the infamous Evangelion:) Unfortunatelly, I can't paste parts of my analysis here (like someone would be masochistic enough to read through it), there are like literally hundred pages of that stuff and they are in tens of places AND it's not in english lol:)


Phew, that was some wall of text:) It might be a bit unnecessary, since this is not a topic about Evangelion, but I felt like I should write it. Maybe some of you might give it another chance some day:)

The one thing I wouldn't wish to happen is for this to start some debate or some "edgy" tedious discussion - I simply wanted to write my take on the show and I certainly respect different opinions. The reason why this post is so long and it might give away the impression of something "serious" is because I wanted to elaborate my view of Evangelion, as without that elaboration, I might seem like some 15 year old emo kid that "nobody understands":)

As for the Rebuild movies, well, while I do find them enjoyable, they are like all the blockbusters - expensive, epic, shallow and masterfully directed. Their intention and presentation is very clear and their aim is also very clear. Which doesn't make them bad per se (it just makes them different), but that in itself is practically a bad thing, since it means they are stripped off of almost every aspect that was relevant to the original series. The psychoanalysis is very blunt and basic, characters are dumbed down A LOT and the show goes a bit in the story driven direction, which takes away from the characterization and puts it in the plot. Which would all be fine if that wasn't Evangelion. Not because I have some "omg don't touch the franchise I love" kind of view (I never do that), but simply because Evangelion is not about that (I don't talk about quality, I talk about direction). So I don't see the point of recycling the old franchise to do that - I mean, it's like you take "One flew over the cuckoo nest" and remake it as a comedy, why not making some new comedy instead? Well, we all know why the Rebuild is being made, but still:)

The one aspect I really think is jaw dropping in the Rebuild is how it's directed. I find the action scenes amazing, especially the cuts and individual shots and camera movement and positioning. The start of the third part blew me away.

[smrr]

Whoa.

So here I am, about to stab me some hay, when - I see your post, Doolio. All I can say is...

Damn youuuuuu!! xD

I am so curious to try and find out what you mean in your post-!
You see, I've only watched it once and it was with a friend of mine (so we basically talked during the whole movie :( )

I'm very much into dissecting movies, games and whatnot - simply because, it's enjoyable. I also feel this kind of study can only enhance a movie or game, as we're seeing past the texts face value!

Thanks for the enjoyable read :)

[Doolio]

Well, the problem with Evangelion - and I do see it as a objective legitimate shortcoming - is that it's very condensed. And, while that might be something a lot of fans are "proud of", I simply see it as technical fault.
The show is pretty slow paced, but even like that, it's too condensed and it's virtually impossible to get everything in the first (or fourth, for that matter:) ) viewing. Every line has it's place and meaning, there are no insignificant coffee talks, important plot and setting info is often either omitted or leisurely mentioned once etc. And I don't even include psychology or leitmotifs when I say that, we could stay at the plot only.

Which can easily lead to people dissing the show or abandoning it halfway through, and rightfully so, because you can't expect someone to watch the show with 100% focus for like ten times. Yes, they ran out of money and stuff like that but, regardless of that, it's a fact that the show can be tedious and seem like a load of pretentious crap if you are watching it like a regular show - and why would you watch it differently?

I mean, after the first viewing, I have approached it quite surgically and watched it with full focus and I had "ahaaaa" moments even through my tenth viewing or something. Which is ridiculous.

That said, I still think the show is objectively a masterpiece, but if we omit the hordes of angsty teenagers that adore the show because they think it caters to their feeling of being misunderstood and alone and special (not because they shouldn't count but because I don't see that kind of popularity as some pivotal argument), we are basically left with a relatively narrow niche of people that look for certain parameters in the literature and cinematography and also have interests which correspond to the tools which are used throughout the series.

I don't know, from the top of my head, for example, the unfamiliar ceeling is somewhat typical impression that a socially autistic schizoid person might have when left with their thoughts in a new environment. It also could be "cold wall" or "bland room" or stuff like that. And, in the show, it's well placed, it's timing is correct etc. And that's one line.
Or, for example, Misato's display of Elektra complex. And yes, that syndrome is a common knowledge and it has been exploited in right about every movie on this planet. But, Misato's authenticity in conveying it is something that's masterfully done. In addition to knowledge, you have to have excellent perception to present something like that.
Or the, (purposefully) over the top, but still brilliantly conveyed, interaction between two neurotic love interests, Shinji and Asuka and all the mechanics of one such social apparatus. I have seen it and even researched it numerous times in theory and practice and I would vouch for the quality and authenticity of the presentation. While, if you are not interested in that field, you would only receive the top of the iceberg and some really basic, probably plot-based info.

So, those points are real, they are not product of over-analysis or something. But you need to "work for them", so to speak, or to have some kind of specific prior knowledge, which is something that the show should basically do for you, but when there are so many aspects and much depth, it becomes impossible and you basically get a niche piece. On the other hand, that means the show is somewhat unapproachable, but the stuff that makes it a masterpiece is - there.
That doesn't mean that there is no massively over-analyzed content done by fans .The best example of fan made over-analytic aspect regarding Evangelion would be analysis of the religious aspects, symbols and allegories, which have been analyzed to death and beyond, when in most cases, it's a simple matter of flavor and nothing more. Which makes it harder for the quality analysis to come up to the surface and not be dismissed in advance as another angsty over the board Evangelion diarrhea:)

And, also, there is the matter of usage of some leitmotifs both with depth and as flavor only, depending on the specific scenes. Which doesn't help either. For example, the usage of phallic symbols throughout the show. Sometimes they are used simply as freudian puns for the sake of freudian puns and yet sometimes they are placed intentionally and cleverly.

Argh, I've evangelioned myself again, I'll diminish and go to the west... err, go to draw now:D


edit: if you want to rewatch the series, I would advise to watch it slowly but consistently, for example, three episodes a day, but in one sitting:) And to not be shy from actually reaching out to secondary resources, such as eva wiki or something when you feel you missed something. Of course, if you don't find something like that tedious.

[EduardoGaray]

Damn, that was a good read Doolio, i greatly disliked the original EVA and the old Movies for much of the reasons you mentioned. Maybe the show wasnt for me, maybe it was too complex and condensed for me. :P But i have to say, i'm a big fan of Rebuild of evangelion 1.1 and 2.2 (especially this last one, the last scene was AWESOME probably the only time in history i liked shinji) but 3.3 was an enormous slap in the face for me, which makes me believe that 4.4 will be some trippy trascendental stuff my poor brain wont be able to understand. xD

The only story similar to Evangelion i can think of and i actually love is Xenogears.

Talking about mechs (even if the evas arent really robots) Dont you guys have some love for Gundam or Macross? :)

I just finished Macross Frontier, i loved it. But i still prefer Gundam, going to rewatch all of Gundam Z again.

[Doolio]

Well, yes, the rebuild movies are easy to digest, expensive, beautiful, succesfully epic when they want to be etc. I don't shy away from "guilty pleasures" like that, I did enjoy them:)

For example, expanding on Rei's character was entirely done for the moneyz, as she is arguably the most popular character from the series. Also, they are nice and epic together and you go awww when he goes to save her and all that stuff:)
BUT, arguably the main purpose of Rei's character in the original series was to present the non-valid love interest to Shinji, which he would pursuit in an oedipal frenzy (which is heavily punned throughout the show, with Rei actually being the clone of his mother), which would, poetically result in fruitless disappointment, as it should be. As the whole point of the show is basically a coming of age modern myth, where one can't develop mature love while being infantile. So, Rei is basically more of a tool than the actual character and she has the clear purpose of underlining some vital aspects of the show.
So, the movie intervention was going in the wrong direction, imho - at least when it comes to what the Evangelion is all about. BUT, Anno did brutally punish Shinji, and really, all of the cast (well, he does love to do it:) ) for going after Rei, which shows that maybe Rei's role wasn't changed, as Shinji goes two steps back on his journey of psychological maturity when he does that. Allegorically, the message seems to stay the same.

About the trippy transcendental stuff - surprisingly there is not much of that in the original series. The philosophy is pretty much basic and pushed aside in favor of psychology - which I feel is the opposite in the Rebuild. The psychology is very much toned down (the characters are effectively reduced to tropes), but we got more trippy stuff that are plot based (much like Memento or something like that). Whereas in the original series, there weren't that much "plot delicacies" as there were pure psychological treatments of the cast. So, now we have stuff like this:

Spoiler

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii14/kaanVI/1268641510897.jpg

Whether it's just for the sake of puns or there's something behind it, we may see in the fourth movie:)

[EduardoGaray]

i dont feel guilty at all for liking that stuff haha

Your explanation made me understand a lot of things i really never payed attention, thanks!
I knew that Rei's purpose was something like that, and now that i think about it its really cool.
But still, both in End of Evangelion and 3.3 were a lot of things i really couldnt understand, i guess because i never understood the series as a whole to begin with.
Still your three posts were a really interesting reading, made me want to rewatch eva sometime soon.