Movie/TV recommendations

[brkl]

Oh lord.

[miffy495]

Agreed. If they do it like Futurama, awesome. If they do it like Family Guy, shit.

[Roderick]

Wow, expectations are going to be impossible to meet, I'd say. But who knows, there was such smart writing that I can't imagine it suddenly being dumb or anything. You still have a stellar cast and there is no way that Jeffrey Tambor will ever not make me smile whenever he's on screen.

[Orv]

Speaking of The Sopranos, I've recently jumped feet first into Boardwalk Empire. I'm not entirely sure I have a full opinion on it yet, but that, GoT and The Borgias are making me consider an HBO subscription.

[Kolzig]

I liked the new premiere of Dexter.

Edward James Olmos seems have an intriguing character as does Tom Hanks' son.

[Scrobbs]

P.s. Anyone watched Homeland yet? Seems pretty interesting.

[Orv]

P.s. Anyone watched Homeland yet? Seems pretty interesting.

It's nice to see Damian Lewis get more work, since I love Band of Brothers, but uh. I don't know. I'll have to see more, but it didn't grab my interest like I was hoping.

[Roderick]

Johnny English Reborn: an unassuming, fun sequel with a plot that slightly less interesting/over the top in comparison to the first but with highly enjoyable scenes. Rowan Atkinson's comedic timing is sharp as ever.

[Gwardinen]

Since the Wire was brought up again recently, has anyone watched David Simon's new show, Treme?

I'm curious about it primarily because of that connection but I don't know if I want to jump right in based solely on his involvement, so I'd love to hear opinions.

[Sal Limones]

Since the Wire was brought up again recently, has anyone watched David Simon's new show, Treme?

I'm curious about it primarily because of that connection but I don't know if I want to jump right in based solely on his involvement, so I'd love to hear opinions.

It's certainly very different. Less hectic, easier to get into. Less nerve-wracking on the whole. Super incredible music. Also John Goodman is in it!

[Scrobbs]

Treme is excellent too. Music is great - although I thought 2nd series much improved on 1st. Wife thought as good as each other.

Just watched Homeland - both enjoyed it, looking forward to more!

Terra Nova still to watch. Could be cheesy.

[Nappi]

I have now watched five episodes of the fifth season of Doctor Who as well as four of the episodes from seasons two, three and four that Kroms recommended. Two thoughts:

(one) I'm not sure what to think of Karen Gillan's acting. It's weird.

(two) Steven Moffat has got to be the king of spine-chilling scenes. Jesus Christ.

[Orv]

I have now watched five episodes of the fifth season of Doctor Who as well as four of the episodes from seasons two, three and four that Kroms recommended. Two thoughts:

(one) I'm not sure what to think of Karen Gillan's acting. It's weird.

(two) Steven Moffat has got to be the king of spine-chilling scenes. Jesus Christ.

Both sentiments are correct. Gillan grew on me though. As did Smith. I went from Eccleston, hating Tennant, to loving Tennant and hating Smith. I'm weird.

[Thyroid]

It took me a while to get used to Gillan as well, but I re-watched series five last January and I realized that I really liked her. Amy Pond's an interesting character, all said.

Matt Smith is second to none. I know I have an unfortunate tendency to succumb to hyperbole (I'm working on it), but this isn't part of that. I can not think of any person who fits the role of the Doctor so perfectly. He doesn't play The Doctor, he is The Doctor. That sounds like exaggeration, I know, but I do think it's true. He has an old/young quality to him, with something alien, that makes him a great casting choice.

[Nachimir]

Yes, first thought on seeing him in the trailer: "Oh great. Hipster Doctor". He's pretty much perfect for it though.

[Roderick]

Inspired by Comics Aliance's Remedial Batmanology series (thank you Subbes!) I rewatched Batman & Robin. Ho-ly shit this movie is so much fun!

When I first saw it I hated it. I was a teen and I took Batman VERY seriously. Even Batman Forever was something I saw as really good and dark and Batman-y. Then came Batman & Robin. It was super camp, acted over the top and at no point did it take itself seriously. This isn't Batman! I thought. How dare they do this.

Now I understand how insane these Joel Schumacher movies actually are. I've embraced the campness of Batman (even though I can take the character totally serious still when watching the Nolan movies or playing Arkham Asylum) and Batman & Robin excels in this. From the first, fantastic shot of Batman and Robin in the batcave (,,I want a car! Chicks dig the car." says Robin, and Batman throws him THE PERFECT quizzical 'did I just hear that?' look imaginable) to the subsequent scene in the museum where I can't stop wondering: WHO is up there in the rafters making sure there is a constant spotlight on Mr. Freeze as he walks through the exhibition? It's great.

It's a half hour too long though, and there are boring parts. I never liked Poison Ivy and still don't like her here. Freeze, for all his insane oneliners (,,Tonight's forecast: a freeze is coming!"), is a character with actually a lot of potential and his demise at the hands of Batman at the end is genuinely touching. I wish they'd have scrapped Ivy and Bane (ugh) and explored Freeze a lot more. I've always loved Mr. Freeze as a villain and Arnold, campness and all, is fantastic in the role.

There's also a superfluous motorcycle scene with Coolio that is, kind of baffling, and Schumacher at one point puts glow in the dark makeup on a bunch of squatters to the point that it becomes ridiculous.

George Clooney gets a lot of guff for his Batman, but he's actually so good.

Finally, there's a terrific swirly thingy in the Batmobile.

[Roderick]

Sorry, I have to add this.

I think this movie suffered a lot from the 90s Batman Animated Series. Batman & Robin tried so hard to be 'a cartoon' and I wonder if they realized that the actual Batman cartoon running at the time wasn't cheesy or campy at all, but rather really dark, well-written, cliché-avoiding and serious. As such the movie didn't really reflect what Batman 'was' in that era.

I think perhaps, ironically, right now, with the Batman The Brave And The Bold cartoon on, which embraces the funny again, it might have been more in tune with the lore.

[Twig]

I recently tried to watch Batman: TAS and had to stop because the first few episodes were awful. Not TMNT awful, but still bad enough that I didn't want to continue.

I'd also submit that they were pretty cheesy.

[Roderick]

You're joking. The first episode with Man-Bat is a noir classic.

[Twig]

You're joking. The first episode with Man-Bat is a noir classic.

It was mildly interesting. A classic? Uhh, I wouldn't say so.

Actually, I just checked, and the second episode is where I quit. That Joker Christmas thing was dumb.

But hey everyone likes different things. I think most superheroes are rather silly to begin with. People running around in their underwear! Batman is one of the few I tend to like more than others, but I still thought what I watched was subpar. Maybe some day I'll give it a better chance and watch more than two episodes, hah.

[ThunderPeel2001]

Interesting Batman and Robin reassessment. I've never seen it, but I definitely think that Batman has turned dark to the point of silliness. (Although I love the Nolan movies.) So it'd be interesting to see it through a playful prism, now we've finally got the ultra-serious Batman that we apparently all wanted.

[Brannigan]

It was mildly interesting. A classic? Uhh, I wouldn't say so.

Actually, I just checked, and the second episode is where I quit. That Joker Christmas thing was dumb.

But hey everyone likes different things. I think most superheroes are rather silly to begin with. People running around in their underwear! Batman is one of the few I tend to like more than others, but I still thought what I watched was subpar. Maybe some day I'll give it a better chance and watch more than two episodes, hah.

Watch Feat of Clay, or Heart of Ice. Another great episode is Beware the Grey Ghost, which definitely has Adam west playing a washed up actor who's career is in the dumps because everyone remembers him as the superhero he used to play on tv. I might be a massive Batman: TAS nerd...

[Noyb]

If you want something more curated, the AV Club has been going through Batman: TAS: http://www.avclub.com/tvclub/tvshow/batman-the-animated-series,149/

[Orv]

Just finished Dark of the Moon. I was on-board until Sentinel quoted Spock, and that soured the rest of the movie for me. Looking back over it, it was generally enjoyable (while playing), a good popcorn deal. A bit long, maybe.

But as previously discussed, the needless, ever bewildered eye-candy was stupid. It also seems like Bay tried to cram every action movie trope/cliche in there at once. Fat retired military guy, little guys save the day, betrayal by old friend, fragile alliances. I enjoyed watching it while actively doing so, but that's where it ends.

And now this fuck is doing TMNT, wonderful.

This really kinds of sums up the trilogy, for me.

[Nappi]

Drive was interesting experience and sort of good. The soundtrack was pretty bizarre, and I ended up really liking it for that. It had a certain "director's slightly talented friend" vibe to it (especially the songs with lyrics), although the soundtrack was clearly composed and compiled by professionals and was very much intentionally retro.