Movie/TV recommendations

[ThunderPeel2001]

Rare Exports was a bit of a let-down after the surprising praise from foreign sources. Nice to see Finns doing something a bit different, but the script didn't make much sense at all, especially towards the end.

There wasn't really any story... but what was there did make sense, I think. What didn't make sense?

[brkl]

Santanomicon at the start (where did that come from), the adults' behaviour and treatment of the first 'Santa' (the elf) and their readiness to accept him as supernatural before there was a reason to, the whole climax at the end seemed out of character. There was no reason for the adults to put the kid's suicidal plan into action.

It's the flat characters and their inconsistency that annoyed me most.

[Ben X]

Is it still in theaters somewhere? Was it a special Christmas screening or something like that? After all that is from 1988.

Went to see it at the Prince Charles cinema (which we talked about earlier on this thread). Brillo on the big screen! We took some vodka and imported Tab to drink along with Frank Cross.

[Orv]

So I just finished season 1 of The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

I don't know if I've said this before, but I really, really hate FOX Entertainment.

First Firefly, now this show which is actually not bad at all, despite some of the things I heard.

I mean really, this gets cut and Dollhouse gets a third season? :(:(:(:(:(:(:(

Fah.

(That is a recommendation, yes.)

[Kolzig]

Dollhouse actually was cancelled in the middle of the second season, which is a shame because that show had potential, not as much as the amazing Firefly, but still...

Can't say anything about Sarah Connor Chronicles as I've never watched it.

[ThunderPeel2001]

I mean really, this gets cut and Dollhouse gets a third season?

No, it got cancelled in its second. It actually got really good after episode 5 of the first season, too. Still, Joss Whedon actually said if he was in control of Fox he would have kept the SC Chronicles going, even if it meant losing Dollhouse -- apparently he was a fan, too.

[Orv]

No, it got cancelled in its second. It actually got really good after episode 5 of the first season, too. Still, Joss Whedon actually said if he was in control of Fox he would have kept the SC Chronicles going, even if it meant losing Dollhouse -- apparently he was a fan, too.

I was unaware!

I might give it a chance, because there were elements I really enjoyed. (Topher, Alpha [mainly the actor ], whoever the bodyguard for Eliza Dushku was) But it was just. . .gods, it was so bad for the first few episodes.

So very. . .very bad. . .

[ThunderPeel2001]

But it was just. . .gods, it was so bad for the first few episodes.

So very. . .very bad. . .

Yeah, I found it really average for the first five episodes... Oddly enough, the original pilot that's included on the DVD set, I LOVED from the get go. (I actually watched it first by accident, before I'd seen any episodes.)

[Kolzig]

"Echo" was the first episode written and shot, but it was pushed back by Whedon to become the second episode because of "a few clarity issues for some viewers" and "also some slight issues with tone". By October 2008, "Echo" disappeared from official episode listings, since it was used for parts in other episodes of Season 1.

But I seem to remember that it wasn't all Whedon's idea to film a new pilot, I think there were rumors that he was forced by Fox to do a pilot re-shoot.

[ThunderPeel2001]

But I seem to remember that it wasn't all Whedon's idea to film a new pilot, I think there were rumors that he was forced by Fox to do a pilot re-shoot.

Yeah, there were definitely some changes that seemed like they were more Fox than Whedon... for example Eliza Dushku's clothes are suddenly more revealing. The main difference is that it sets up a formula from the get go, whereas the original pilot was a really interesting and gripping drama -- and you couldn't really figure out what episode 2 was going to be like... But you REALLY wanted to watch it, whatever it was.

Plus, there WERE some clarity issues... I think by the time it's doing its third or fourth flashback in a row you begin to wonder what the hell is going on. It definitely pushed the boundaries of confusion, at least during one bit.

[Gwardinen]

So I just watched Wristcutters and wanted to add my recommendation of it, and more importantly the excellent "Trap" or whatever it's called song. I'm just rolling the credits over and over and jamming to it at the moment.

When there is trap... set up for you...

[DanJW]

Through the Roof and Underground, by Gogol Bordello. The film made me a fan too.

[circadianwolf]

So I just finished season 1 of The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

(That is a recommendation, yes.)

Season two is even better. It was a show that just kept growing and maturing, and the finale is bloody amazing. I really love how it manages to both be a loving homage to the Terminator film series and constantly push the science fiction aspects much farther than the films--what does the time travel do to the continuum? How did the terminators work? etc.

It helps that Summer Glau is goddamned amazing.

Dollhouse was quite good in season 2, though, once the show actually had a persistent main character and it started focusing more on all the other horrible potentialities of the doll technology. Still pretty rough as a whole, though.

[Gwardinen]

Through the Roof and Underground, by Gogol Bordello. The film made me a fan too.

Aha, thanks for giving me the title. It's also cool that the frontman of the band is actually called Eugene.

[JonCole]

Season two is even better. It was a show that just kept growing and maturing, and the finale is bloody amazing. I really love how it manages to both be a loving homage to the Terminator film series and constantly push the science fiction aspects much farther than the films--what does the time travel do to the continuum? How did the terminators work? etc.

It helps that Summer Glau is goddamned amazing.

Dollhouse was quite good in season 2, though, once the show actually had a persistent main character and it started focusing more on all the other horrible potentialities of the doll technology. Still pretty rough as a whole, though.

Totally agreed on Terminator S2. Disagree on Dollhouse being rough as a whole... I actually thought that Dollhouse was the most cohesive thing Whedon has done (keep in mind that I'm not very deep into Angel). While there were a couple missteps on the more peripheral episodes, I think the characters were quite well fleshed out and the plot was held together fairly well given the amount of different ideas being explored in the last half of the second season. Also, love the post-apocalyptic episodes.

[Orv]

Half way into S2 of the SCC I despise FOX with every fibre of my being. Imbeciles.

Still debating whether to give Dollhouse another try, since Netflix has Psych, Monk and a bunch of other excellent shows that I know I like just sitting there.

Ah well, I didn't love all of Angel, and there's even an episode of Firefly I don't like, so I guess I'll give it three episodes to win me over. (3 episodes after the first 5, mind you.)

[pabosher]

Have you tried The Mentalist? Looking at the other shows you mentioned, I reckon you might like it.

[Lu]

I disliked the Mentalist. It soon became apparent that the person whodunnit was always the character that made a small appearance and seemed like an insignificant side-character. Whodunnits ain't fun if you already know whodunnit!

I probably recommended this already, but one more time can't hurt; everyone should watch the Wire.

[pabosher]

I disliked the Mentalist. It soon became apparent that the person whodunnit was always the character that made a small appearance and seemed like an insignificant side-character. Whodunnits ain't fun if you already know whodunnit!

I probably recommended this already, but one more time can't hurt; everyone should watch the Wire.

Yeah, that is a problem with that show. I guess I got hooked early on by the lure of an American attempt at a Sherlock Holmes style character, but it's still enjoyable for me. And they've tried fleshing out the cop team that he's a part of, which I appreciate.

[ThunderPeel2001]

There's even an episode of Firefly I don't like, so I guess I'll give it three episodes to win me over. (3 episodes after the first 5, mind you.)

If it was "Heart of Gold" then let me give you a virtual high-five!

[Orv]

If it was "Heart of Gold" then let me give you a virtual high-five!

While I did not overly enjoy "Heart of Gold" I didn't hate it. I did hate the way it sort of seemed Joss went "Well. . .we're in the Space Wild West. . .WHERE ARE MY PROSTITUTES AND WHY DON'T THEY LOVE MALCOM?!"

So yeah, not my favorite, by any means. In fact, probably my least favorite I still moderately enjoy.

I was referring to, I believe "Air" is the name, in which he has a bunch of flashbacks whilst trying to fix the ship. Something about the episode just. . .eugh.

Edit: I am stupid and have a poor memory. The episode is called "Out of Gas". And upon further examination, maybe I like the character of Mal so much I just don't like watching him slowly die. I don't know, but I hate the episode. (Which would be odd, since I'm normally not overly squemish.)

Have you tried The Mentalist? Looking at the other shows you mentioned, I reckon you might like it.

I like The Mentalist! I also like it's sort-of-competitor, Lie To Me, though not nearly as much.

You sort of sort of zoned in on why I like(/d) Monk and Psych though, that being the sort of mind/matter aspects.

Still hating FOX.

Oh. Also. With the new season very close, I recommend you all go catch up on White Collar. Do it.

[pabosher]

While I did not overly enjoy "Heart of Gold" I didn't hate it. I did hate the way it sort of seemed Joss went "Well. . .we're in the Space Wild West. . .WHERE ARE MY PROSTITUTES AND WHY DON'T THEY LOVE MALCOM?!"

So yeah, not my favorite, by any means. In fact, probably my least favorite I still moderately enjoy.

I was referring to, I believe "Air" is the name, in which he has a bunch of flashbacks whilst trying to fix the ship. Something about the episode just. . .eugh.

Edit: I am stupid and have a poor memory. The episode is called "Out of Gas". And upon further examination, maybe I like the character of Mal so much I just don't like watching him slowly die. I don't know, but I hate the episode. (Which would be odd, since I'm normally not overly squemish.)

I like The Mentalist! I also really like it's sort-of-competitor, Lie To Me, though not nearly as much.

You sort of sort of zoned in on why I like(/d) Monk and Psych though, that being the sort of mind/matter aspects.

Still hating FOX.

Oh. Also. With the new season very close, I recommend you all go catch up on White Collar. Do it.

Oh God I LOVED Lie to Me. I'm not one for watching much TV online though, and I could never find out when Sky were showing the first episode of Series 2 so that I could record it.

Series 1 was great though -- it never was quite as strong as the first few minutes of the first episode suggested, but it was great fun nonetheless.

[Orv]

Oh God I LOVED Lie to Me. I'm not one for watching much TV online though, and I could never find out when Sky were showing the first episode of Series 2 so that I could record it.

Series 1 was great though -- it never was quite as strong as the first few minutes of the first episode suggested, but it was great fun nonetheless.

Somewhere in the comparison between Jane and Cal, Jane tricks Cal out a window where he falls to his death.

I prefer The Mentalist, but I might have to give Lie to Me another try. It just. . .dunno. Really don't like Cal. The character is very much a perfect bastard.

[brkl]

Lie to Me was pretty good for quite a while, but I've stopped watching. I think quality dropped dramatically as the main character has been turned into a caricature. The Mentalist is still nice. It's witty and the characters have great chemistry. They are both House clones after a fashion (or all are Holmes clones if you will). Like House, you're not really watching because you need to know the mystery of the week, are you? Well, I guess people do that, but I don't think any of those shows really work if you're in it for the mystery.

Dollhouse ended up being so disappointing, especially when the second season totally failed to fill the space left by SCC. Why does Whedon have prostitutes in every series? Firefly's happy proud space prostitutes are the worst offenders in teen boy wish fulfilment, but Dollhouse was pretty dubious as well.

[pabosher]

House has always been my favourite -- the series were all strong until 4, and then they've dipped though. Still, it keeps my attention for the 42 minutes it's on, so meh.