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XanderTigerclaw
Reviews
Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet: Please Sign Here (2021)
Twists and turns
I ~had~ to write this while my thoughts are still fresh in my mind having just seen this episode: a skilful mix of crazy, goofy, nonsensical, whimsical comedy - and then throws a complete sucker punch in the last couple of minutes easily strong enough to leave me open-mouthed in shock and welling up with tears. Talented writing and solidly acted as always from the fantastic ensemble principal cast, and a brilliant mechanism to have Carol tying it all together. I'll be thinking about this episode long after the credits have rolled, and it's episodes like this that make this series worth watching.
Andor: One Way Out (2022)
Insanely brilliant from start to finish
I don't normally review a single episode of a show, but I'm making an exception here for the sheer brilliance "One Way Out" delivered. Simply put, the quality here is TOO RIDICULOUSLY AMAZING. πππππ
I mean seriously,
Genevieve O'Reilly's controlled fury and terror?
Imperial guards cowering together to avoid detection?
Andy Serkis' moment of wistful realisation that - for the most innocuously ridiculous of reasons - he of all inmates won't be escaping?
And then, Stellan SkarsgΓ₯rd's impassioned monologue, just come ON ππΌππΌππΌππΌππΌ
Every moment brought to life in this episode was astonishing and impactful, right to the final frame.
Absolutely loving this series.
Cowboy Bebop (2021)
Original was better, but still damn annoyed this got cancelled
Not the Bebop you knew (or maybe grew up with), and not the arc of self-actualisation, but a good enough romp that was itself cut short before its time (and much of its character development too).
Much has changed between then and now, and the live-action reinventing - less "remake" and more a "reimagining" due to some /really/ big plot, character, and motivation changes - has absolutely lost some of the "soul" and brightness that made the original actually click, but I'm still frustrated with the volume of cliffhangers and loose ends we were left with here at the point Netflix pulled the plug - not just in its plot arcs but the wasted potential to develop its key characters far beyond the tidbits we were exposed to in this mere 10 episodes (the 1998 anime's 26-story run, though individually shorter episodes, seemed to have much more room to breathe somehow).
Farewell to the "new" Faye, Jet, and Spike... and even the conflicted Julia and obsessed Vicious; we hardly knew you.
Dune (2021)
Of all the movies ever made, this was one of them
I can say without doubt this was a movie. It had opening and closing credits, many actors of various backgrounds and gender expressions moving around on the screen (and occasionally sitting or standing still), several different costumes, a number of scenes and locations, moments of thought and moments of action, sounds both loud and soft, and quite a variety of music throughout.
It... also... had... the... semblance... of... a... story... presented... within... it. Albeit... revealed... somewhat... slowly.
I enjoyed all of the above aspects, but just wonder if it could have used a little more editing. Regardless, it's definitely safe to say that this joins the ranks of movies both made and released.
Tenet (2020)
Loved it. Will watch again just because I want to.
This movie clicked well with me to be honest, so I don't quite get either the "this is unintelligible pointless drivel" reviews - or the "you have to see it twice to understand it" ones either. I'll absolutely watch it again to pick up on the (myriad I'm sure) details I missed; on first viewing, though, I found it intriguing, puzzling, fascinating, and entertaining - but by no means out of reach, shallow, or lacking motivation. I still preferred Inception (one of my forever-favourite movies) but that isn't to say I didn't really enjoy the mind-bender that is Tenet.
(A note on sound: I watched at home in 4K with headphones and subtitles, however didn't find the mix as appalling as some reviewers have.)
Tales from the Loop (2020)
Truly sci-fi, truly art
"True sci-fi" to me is exploring the most human of themes - love, loss, time, passion, meaning - with a backdrop (or lens) of fantastical technology. I've seen few shows or movies lately that meet that brief, and achieve it with an incredibly high level of artistry in both sound and vision, the way Tales from the Loop has. To those reading the "it's slow and boring" reviews: Settle in, suspend your belief, open yourself up, and let this series touch you. You won't be disappointed. Special nod to Rebecca Hall, and to Jodie Foster for directing the final episode - no spoilers, but suffice to say I finished this first series with tears streaming down my cheeks at how beautiful, and how well completed, it was.
Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth (2020)
Everyone young and old should watch this.
Beautifully illustrated, voiced, and composed, this short film is a stunning look at our place in the world and beyond - how huge and how tiny we are, and how time and nature are so precious. Take just 40 minutes of your day to stop, watch this, and wonder... and then take the rest of your hours, minutes, and seconds to simply be kind and respectful to each other and the world we live in, because... here we are, together.
Mirror's Edge: Catalyst (2016)
Ultra precise jumps and awful combat disappoint
I wish I could rate this higher, but it suffers from the same issues as its predecessor. The biggest two: Mis-time a jump by a pixel or two and you're falling to your death faster than you can say Glass; and any kind of "combat" level (read: button mash) swings the difficulty level so far away from the "runner" aspect of this game it brings the player to a screeching halt. Areas that combine the two-precision moves plus a swarm of guards to take down and/or avoid-will find any average player dying and retrying over and over until the technique is "just right".
Story and cutscenes (new and improved third person!) are engaging and enjoyable, and Faith as a character is a fantastic protagonist, but the hurdles in playing are just too frustrating when taken as the sum of its parts. Maybe we just need a Mirror's Edge movie instead.
The Haunting of Hill House: Two Storms (2018)
Best piece of television in YEARS.
The depth, the flow, the emotion, the acting from adults and children alike, and that brilliant, brilliant cinematography. Like watching a perfectly choreographed dance or stage play. Literally cannot fault this masterwork. Easily the most stunning episode of television, of any genre, that I've seen in years.