The Problem with The Witcher (TV)

Posted in Posts, Reviews by Rachael C Marek

When news that Henry Cavill would be leaving The Witcher by season 4, I had to wonder what had happened to make an actor, who had fought hard for the role of Geralt, quit?

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt video game is still among the best I’ve played. I wrote a review about it a while back, so you can imagine my skepticism when I initially heard a show was in the works. I’ve read all the books too, but that’s a story for another day. Who could possibly fill Geralt’s shoes? Henry Cavill? That pretty boy? Eh…and then I heard his passion for the character and the story.

Okay. I’ll give him a shot.

And he is by far the best part of the show, because there is quite a bit wrong about it.

So forewarning, I had a lot more to say on this subject than I originally thought I would, so this is a doozy, and I think I could have said more, so…settle in.

When the show was in development, creator Lauren Schmidt Hissrich was making the rounds and I remember hearing her say that the writers’ room would be a mix of people who were fans of the games and/or books, and those who may not be familiar in order to add a different perspective.

With Cavill’s departure, tales of what was actually happening behind the scenes started to come to light. The gossip – none of the writers are any level of fan of the original works. Whether it’s true or not is beside the point because watching the show, as a fan, makes it clear that things were amiss.

Season 1 was hard to follow. The time jumps were confusing, as was the whole set up. I liked Season 2 more, but after I wrote about it, which was literally a line about how it was better than the first season, I became more bothered by some of the ideas presented.

For those of you unfamiliar with The Witcher, the story revolves around the relationship between Geralt, a monster slayer from an old order that serves to protect, and Ciri, a princess who is bound to him by destiny through a quirky old world payment system. I was trying to think of a nice way to say this without spoiling too much for those of you still wanting to read, play, or watch. Yennefer, Triss, and Dandelion aka Jaskier are all integral to the story because of their relationships with the other two, and they all have to traverse a land fraught with war, witch hunts, exiled elves hoping to reclaim their lost territory, monsters, and more.

With so much material to draw from in order to create a lush world full of interesting characters and stories, how did the show go wrong?

So, if the writers room is truly filled with people unfamiliar with the world, that would be square one. Not having an understanding of the large stage that The Witcher moves about is a big problem, and it shows. Game of Thrones is still one of the best shows I ever watched, I just ignore that dreadful final season, but those are BIG books, with tons of history and loads of characters to follow but the introduction to that world, the politics, the looming threat, and so much more were presented pretty spectacularly in the first episode.

This is the template The Witcher tv writers should have followed, to some degree. Geralt is at the center of a great deal, or so he should have been presented.

Not understanding the relationships that develop with all these characters is square two. We learn that Ciri is powerful, but that’s not why Geralt is protecting her. In time, they develop a father-daughter relationship, and that detail is Geralt’s primary motivator. Yennefer, who is barren, takes on the maternal role and loves Ciri like her own. Triss becomes her sister. It is these bonds that drive them to action. Yennefer, for all her bluster, wouldn’t do anything to put Ciri in danger, or do anything that would purposefully hurt Geralt, and actions taken in Season 2 of the show go against this basic premise.

In GoT we follow the Stark family as they move about and this is how we learn about relationships, history, and the plot. While we need context for some of The Witcher’s setup, starting so far back, before any of these characters know one another, divides attention away from everything else.

Let’s round the problems to three. Square number three would be in regards to not highlighting the threats, of which there are many, earlier on. There are the immediate threats, like war and witch hunting, but the greater threat is the Wild Hunt. Like the White Walkers, they are coming, and it should have always been on the peripheral because they are a ticking time bomb.

The reason I chose Game of Thrones for the comparison is because it was a massive success. I am not asking The Witcher to be that, but to emulate the delivery of so much information in a better way. Besides, we’re all looking for the next big thing to be addicted to, and unfortunately, given the circumstances, it’s not going to be this. The fantasy trope is widely established, so much of that setup can be sidestepped, but utilizing the characters differently, to impart the happenings of the world at large, should have been better executed.

Some ideas could have been told in flashback, or just mentioned in conversation to lose all that back and forth in Season 1. In the books, there are repeated references to events unseen, and that could have happened for a number of scenes in the show. We don’t need to see everything to understand what happened and how it affected the characters or the world.

I had high hopes for The Witcher. I think a lot of us did. As I’ve learned, it takes so many lucky breaks to get something made, and it’s disappointing when it just doesn’t work. And if it ends up being true that the writers didn’t care for the material, then not only will that upset fans, like me, it makes me question why they bothered. Writers in Hollywood have a tough enough gig, but with so many opportunities now, I would hope that they would at least want to work on something they like. I know that sounds a bit naive, but I write in certain genres, and would not take a job on a show I wouldn’t watch.

I do not watch procedurals, and even something like Lucifer bored me at times. I actually stopped watching it for a while. I don’t like the solve the case by the end of the show setup, so I would despise working on something like that. Personally. It wouldn’t be satisfying, and while I may need the work, need the credit, etc. I don’t want to find myself unhappy doing the thing that brings me joy. I guess we’ll find out if that holds true.

So what do you think of The Witcher? Do you agree or disagree with how it was presented? Do you have any ideas of how you would have done it differently? Share your thoughts below!

1Mar2022

Escapism or Research

Posted in Posts, Reviews by Rachael C Marek

We all remember during lockdown and the US presidential election, how so many of us struggled, while others flourished. There was an outpouring of creativity and community and I was in awe of what could be done when given the chance. I was not one of those people. I was in the first group.

I was not creative. I barely wrote. I couldn’t watch anything “heavy”; there were a lot of bad movies viewed. I developed anxiety.

It was a strange time.

It was the year that will go down in infamy – 2020.

We couldn’t wait for it to go away. So many of us looked to 2021 as a magic reset button.

It was not.

I was determined to make 2022 different. With the new year and new goals, I decided to stop wasting my TV viewing time on things I’ve watched a dozen times over. I would watch those “must see” movies and shows in my genre. I would read the books I “should have” read. I would read more screenplays because you know, that’s what I want to do in life.

I had a new perspective and I wanted to make an impact.

Then, when things felt like they might be getting better, ever so slightly, a megalomaniac chose that moment to make things that much worse.

It’s easy to use TV, movies, and video games as a means of escapism in a world turned on its side. It’s easy to rationalize it all as research when you’re a creative.

It’s a little column A, a little column B.

So, despite the current situation, I thought I’d share the 3 shows I’ve watched so far that I’ve enjoyed if you’re in need of a little escape (or research 😉 ). They’re all available on Netflix.

Arcane – By far the best show I’ve watched in some time. The animation is beautiful, the characters are all intriguing, and the world is unique. Considering it took 6 years to make the first season, I’m guessing it will be a long wait for season 2, but it will be worth it.
The Witcher Season 2 – I am a big fan of the third installment in the video game series – I even wrote a review about it – so I was always going to watch the show. While season 1 was a little convoluted and hard to follow if you weren’t familiar with the material, they did a great job with the second season.
Shadow and Bone – This series kept being suggested to me, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had not read the books, or even heard of them beforehand. I have since read the first novel. Don’t waste your time, just watch the show. It’s a magical land, actually, they don’t call it magic, and there are some fun characters, and it was better than I thought it would be.

I’ve started a few other shows and if anything else resonates, I’ll be sure to pass it along.

Do you have any shows or movies to recommend? What shouldn’t be missed?

Happy Watching!

9Jan2021

The 2020 “One Movie a Week” Challenge (Nearly) Completed

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

I nearly made it.

But at what cost?

I watched quite a few subpar movies throughout the year, at least that’s how I found many of them, and as you may recall from Part I, I was rather behind in my viewing schedule, by about 3 months = 13 movies. I made up a little bit of the difference by finishing out the year with a string of holiday themed movies…some were better than expected.

I’m sticking to the ABC rating system. And as you’ll see, I fell short by 4 films. Surprising, I know, given it was 2020.

34. Pleasantville – B+
35. Emma (2019) – C
36. Logan Lucky – C
37. The Dead Don’t Die – D
38. Pride (2014) – A
39. Happiest Season – B+
40. Lego Star Wars Holiday Special – B-
41. The Christmas Chronicles – B
42. The Christmas Chronicles 2 – C
43. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey – A
44. A Bad Moms Christmas – B-
45. Wonder Woman 1984 – C-
46. Holidate – B
47. Last Christmas – B
48. Wonder Woman (2009 Animated) – C

I think my favorite movie of 2020 was Jojo Rabbit by Taika Waititi. It was one of those movies that stuck with me for a few days.

For 2021’s challenge, I plan on being a bit more discerning in my viewing choices. Some of these were just filler, something to put on, but there are so many wonderful movies waiting to be watched, and I shouldn’t waste my limited time on frivolous, add-nothing-to-my-education-of-filmmaking-and-screenwriting type of movies. Well, maybe just one or two, just because.

What was your favorite movie you watched this year? Have any recommendations for my 2021 watch list?

25Oct2020

The 2020 “One Movie a Week” Challenge Part I

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

I’m a little behind this year. By nearly 3 months = 12 movies. Eek! We’ve been watching more television and a lot of home renovation/home buying shows because we’re ready to settle down and call a place home.

Sometimes I’ve thrown on something mindless…because it’s 2020. Don’t judge me. We didn’t start out avoiding drama and the like, but too much seriousness left us feeling emotional in an already emotionally strung out existence, so we tried to find more casual, fun type fare on occasion, but that means we’ve watched a lot of subpar movies.

I’m going to use a simple ABC rating system and not review them individually this time. The letter grade should offer enough insight as to my feelings.

Alita: Battle Angel – A
Moana – A
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before – B
Kissing Booth – D
Falling Inn Love – C
Toy Story 4 – B
Inside Out – A
Frozen II – C
Into the Spiderverse – A
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before 2 – C
Hobbs and Shaw – C
Anna – B
Prospect – B
Mission: Impossible – Fallout – C
Tron: Legacy – C–
Bird Box – D
Midnight Special – B–
The Platform – C
Aniara – D
The Old Guard – B
Bumblebee – C
The Big Sick – C
The Half of It – B
Knives Out – B
Jojo Rabbit – A
Venom – C
Enola Holmes – B
Us – C
Men in Black: International – C
The Amazing Spiderman – C
Lovebirds – B
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies – C–
Hocus Pocus – C (This one is sort of a cheat as I have seen it before but not since its release. I barely remembered any of it, and it does not hold up.)

As it’s now the end of October, and the last few months have felt like an eternity, some of these viewings are a little blurry at this point but I’m fairly secure in these ratings.

I would love some suggestions for the remainder of the year. What movies have you enjoyed?

16Jan2020

The 2019 “One Movie A Week” Challenge Completed

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

MovieReel I did it! I accomplished my goal of one new movie a week! I actually slightly exceeded it with 53 movies, the last just narrowly sneaking in on New Year’s Eve.

I’m sticking with the “ABC” grading scale and will give just a simple overview as many of my posts recently have been rather long and involved. Looking back on all I’ve watched this year, it’s rather sad to find how few of them were stellar endeavors.

31. What Happened to Monday: An interesting premise of septuplets born when overpopulation has mandated a one child per regulation. Noomi Rapace plays all the siblings who must discover what happened when one goes missing. My rating: B-

32. Ralph Breaks the Internet: When Vanellope’s vintage game is broken, she and Ralph must find the part to keep her racing. A cute follow-up to the original, with some clever references to keep all ages entertained; I just didn’t think it had as much heart as the first. My rating: B

33. Crazy Rich Asians: The clichéd story of a woman marrying a wealthy man and concerns about the family not accepting her is exactly that. While everyone was thrilled with the representation, that shouldn’t overshadow the lack of a well rounded story. It’s also a bit too long, and feels it. My rating: C

34. Aquaman: What can be said about the origin story of one of the least liked DC characters nobody asked for? The movie is too long, too convoluted, and an assault of CGI “magic”. The only reason anyone even bothered is Jason Momoa. My rating: D

35. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society: Every once in a while you just need a sweet movie without a lot of substance, which is surprising given its setting. Set after the German occupation of Guernsey, a Channel Island during WWII, a young writer befriends villagers who started a book club and of course, finds love. My rating: B

36. Bad Times at the El Royale: I didn’t know what to expect, but it certainly wasn’t what I got. Desperate to follow in Tarantino’s footsteps, this film about strangers converging at a strange motel that straddles state lines is a bit of mess that doesn’t tie up all its loose ends. My rating: C-

37. Bohemian Rhapsody: There is no dismissing Rami Malek’s performance as the charismatic lead of the band Queen, but it felt like the filmmakers played it safe. Not wanting to, possibly, turn people off from any negativity associated with Freddie’s life, they jump cut around instead, showcasing the music, without a lot of substance. My rating: B

38. Fighting with My Family: I grew up watching the WWF, now WWE, with my grandfather. I still tune in every now and then, and Paige, for whom the film is based on, is among one of my “newer” favorites. As the youngest wrestler to be signed, it was touching to see how it all began. My rating: B

39. John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum: Not my favorite in the franchise, but still a pretty entertaining shoot ’em up movie with a few new twists to keep it interesting. Since the films continue in sequence, it’s hard not to appreciate Wick’s skill as the formidable hit man on the run. My rating: B-

40. Tall Girl: I, myself, am a tall girl. I’m 6′ and have been since I was 16 years old. I’ve heard all the same jokes, and had to deal with feeling like the jolly Green Giant among pretty much everyone I know while wearing men’s jeans because they had an inseam measurement. While I appreciate the message of accepting who you are, because you really can’t do anything about your height, the movie is just…blah. My rating: C-

41. The Favourite: Courts are notorious for their backstabbing and conniving, but I was hoping for more from this film than just that. Women have a reputation where other women are concerned, and in a time when we need to be more supportive, on the whole, this film about taking advantage of an already fragile person, was uncomfortable to watch at times. Olivia Colman is an amazing actress, and fully deserving of the accolades. My rating: B

42. Spider-Man: Far From Home: First off, I want to put Tom Holland in my pocket. In the wake of Avengers: Endgame, poor Peter is struggling to find his place and just wants to spend some time with his friends, but where superheroes travel, chaos is soon to follow. An entertaining follow-up in the MCU and development for a beloved character as he comes into his own. My rating: B+

43. Mary Queen of Scots: If you’ve followed me for any amount of time, you know I’m fascinated with Queen Elizabeth I. This film takes a look at the relationship between the queen and one of her biggest rivals, Queen Mary of Scotland, played by two wonderful actresses, Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie. I’ll watch anything where the Queen is concerned, in spite of uneven storytelling. My rating: B-

44. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part: Another sequel that lacked the heart of the first. The Lego citizens face a new threat and must find a way of coexisting with their “enemy”. While still a cute movie with a sweet message, it was fun to watch, if not sort of forgettable. My rating: B

45. Glass: Having not seen the original in this strange trilogy, Unbreakable, I don’t have all the information to grade this film as part of a whole. I found some aspects entertaining, a film with a variation on the comic book figure, and I appreciate some of the risks taken, but overall there felt like there was something missing. My rating: B-

46. Fallen: I knew this was going to be a bad movie, and it was. I’ve always enjoyed the tale of the star crossed lovers, but this story, based on a YA series of novels was unmoving, the actors were dull, and just when it started to move in a slightly interesting direction, it was over. My rating: D

47. Shazam: I was unfamiliar with this superhero character prior to the film. My only reference was from the TV show Archer on a few occasions. The story of a young boy who gains powers which transform him into a fully grown, muscle bound man was more interesting than I would have guessed. There’s also a sweet message about family. My rating: B

48. It Chapter 2: The story of the child eating clown continues as the Losers, now grown up, must return to the beginning to finish what they started as a new cycle begins. Casting did a great job with the grown versions of the children, but this movie failed to recapture the fun of the first one. My rating: B-

49. Dumplin’: I love me a drag queen, and in the preview for this movie, a few help to inspire a teen girl overcome body image issues and compete in a beauty contest run by her once beauty queen mother. My rating: B+

50. Let it Snow: This teen holiday film about a group of friends finding love was a story that didn’t really do anything different and was actually fairly dull and forgettable. My rating: D

51. Knight Before Christmas: I followed one bad movie with another. A knight is sent forward in time on a quest and finds love with a modern day woman who’s been romance deprived. Meh. My rating: D

52. Star Wars Episode IX: Rise of the Skywalker: Oh, where to begin…if you’re not a fan, you’ve probably still seen some of the reviews, or heard the hubbub over how fans are disappointed. This fan included. The final episode in the latest trilogy initially seemed better than reviewed but as I continued to think on it, I realized how much was missing among so many other things. My rating: C

53. Love and Friendship: A Jane Austen story I wasn’t familiar with, Lady Susan – surprising, I know. Upon the viewing, I wish I did know more because the way it was filmed was a bit confusing. Lady Susan is conniving and manipulating. It appears as if she’s out for herself, which she is, but she also is looking out for her daughter, in a strange way. I’ll give it another watch after a read and see if it improves. My rating: B-

If you’d like to see what else I watched this year, here are parts One and Two of the series. Do you agree with my ratings? Would you like to offer any recommendations as I endeavor into the new year?

2Apr2018

Rambling Review: Valerian

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

Valerian

I have a soft spot for Luc Besson’s films. La Femme Nikita was my introduction to his work (thankfully, the intro was a good one), because there’s been the occasional let down, and yet I still get excited when I see his name attached. Which is why I had high hopes for his latest project, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, aka France’s most expensive movie ever made, by a lot.

There was a lot of press on this film surrounding its release, and I remember Luc being unhappy with the state of the film industry at the time. Other comic book stories translated to the screen had been dominating the scene, with some of them being overwhelmingly well received, while his comic book tale fell flat. He felt his movie didn’t get its rightful due, not taking into consideration that maybe his film just wasn’t that good.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s beautiful to watch, but that doesn’t (and shouldn’t) compensate for a lack of story and boring characters. I mean, when the lifeless portrayal of a shape shifting alien, played by Rihanna is one of the best performances, that’s saying something. Because the movie is based on a comic series, I’m sure there were other stories to choose from, so I have to wonder, why did he choose this one?

Valerian offered us a glimpse into an amazing world, but the lack of a compelling introduction and the lack of interesting lead characters had me contemplating turning it off within the first 15 minutes, but I believed, and hoped, that sticking it out would lead to a satisfying end. It did not.

Major Valerian played by Dane DeHaan and his partner Sergeant Laureline played by Cara Delevingne are basically special ops officers sent in to recover sensitive material in an illegal transaction. They later learn that their mission was part of a cover up of a shameful military commander’s actions from years earlier – the decimation of a planet and its inhabitants.

Pearls Known as Pearls, these beautiful, androgynous aliens, thought to be primitive because of their simple existence are nearly extinguished during a war they aren’t even a part of. I think they’re the best part of the entire film. We soon discover they’re basically geniuses, learning advanced math and science theories and practices in a matter of years not only to survive, but also because they wish to return to their way of life. But as clichéd villains go, the ol’ commander doesn’t want any reminders of the past.

That’s the plot in a nutshell.

The side story is the uninteresting love connection they’re trying to force on us between the Major and the Sergeant. There is absolutely no spark between the two leads. Their performances, for me, were flat and dull. Valerian, as we learn through a quick recap, is a womanizer, and most likely for sake of the film and in the hopes we’ll root for them, becomes fixated on his partner. There is absolutely no cause for this other than their close proximity to one another.

Suddenly, he’s proposing, and that dominates nearly every conversation between them the rest of the movie. Ugh. And this coming from a romantic.

I was bitter that such a beautiful, overachieving movie would fall so flat, especially in such capable hands – those same hands are responsible for The Professional. The advances in technology have allowed us unlimited potential in our imaginations in regards to translating that to the screen, and I think that Valerian relied too heavily upon this. Enamored with their visuals, they forgot that some of us were paying attention to why we were there in the first place – the story.

Ah well, not every time out can be a winner. Will I continue to support Luc and his visions? Of course. But whereas I was disappointed that I didn’t initially see this in theaters, I’ll probably weigh this endeavor against any future films and the feelings of immediacy at seeing it in theaters in way of support.

Twoandhalfstars

What I’ve learned recently is that when my expectations have been high, I’ve been disappointed, like 99% of the time. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by films I had low expectations of, and that’s a sad truth to face, especially in light of the fact that I want to be a part of said industry.

Do you agree or disagree with my take on Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets? Share your thoughts below.

17Apr2017

Rambling Review: Logan

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

Logan3 I haven’t done a review in ages! And instead of being overly late to the party (like I usually am), as this movie is still in theaters, I thought I’d give this one a shout out.

I try my best to only watch a trailer or two of any film I’m interested in seeing. I don’t read other reviews, I don’t seek out spoilery information, and I try to ignore social media posts (which is almost a permanent state at this point, as I’m always behind in everything), so I didn’t know too much about what to expect from this movie before viewing it.

I haven’t finished the Wolverine film series, or even the newer X-Men films, so I’m uncertain to any tie-ins, but this definitely felt like a stand alone film and didn’t require much explanation as to what had been happening up to this point.

Side note, I went to see this by myself. I like going to the movies once in a while on my own, but clearly this was a shock to the two men seated near me. “You’re here alone?” One of them asked. “Yes.” I responded. “You came to see Logan by yourself?” “Yep.” I heard him sort of huff in surprise. I didn’t pay enough attention to the accent to narrow down where they were from, but clearly this was a strange idea to them. I’m not sure if it was because I was lone woman, or because I was a lone woman at a superhero movie.

At the conclusion, he asked if I liked it. Yes. Yes, I did.

*I like to write reviews as if I were talking with a friend, so I try my best to keep them spoiler free. 🙂

Logan2

As I said, I didn’t know much about the film before entering the theater. The fantastic pairing of Johnny Cash on the trailer was enough to spark my interest, especially with Logan looking so weathered and forlorn. He looked like a man whose age had finally caught up with him; a man who has seen a great deal and lost just as much.

The film is set in the not too distant future, and we’re introduced to a Logan who is clearly unwell, whose claws are getting a little rusty, has a limp, and is drinking himself into oblivion. The strong warrior doesn’t appear to have much fight left in him, and becomes a reluctant protector of a young girl with similar powers. And I do mean reluctant.

Mutants have gone the way of the dinosaur, and Logan is looking out for himself and the Professor, who is now in his 90s and unable to control his powers due to seizures. Apparently there was an incident that killed a number of people and mutants in the recent past, and Logan is doing his best to keep him safe and protected. He just wants to earn enough money to buy a boat and escape to a quiet life – enter the bad guys who think they’re good guys.

There’s been a secret project going on for years, because there’s always a secret project, and when the lab rats get loose, the big guns come out in force to clean up their mistake. And do they ever come out in force. There are loads of great fight sequences – Logan’s claws are still as sharp as ever, and we discover, so are the little girl’s, and she’s a dangerous little thing.

The movie is about both a literal and figurative “journey”. Logan has lost everyone he’s ever cared about, save Charles, and he doesn’t want to care about anyone else, no matter how she might tug at the ol’ heart strings. He’s not who he once was, and he’s not who everyone wants him to be, he’s just…tired, of it all.

The film took some unexpected turns, but honestly, they felt right. It wasn’t a traditional spandex-clad superhero film, and I think that’s what I liked best. It was a more “reality” based look at an old hero and what they, or any of us, are willing to fight for.

There was one aspect of the storyline that I felt was a little forced in, and a cliche of sorts – the whole white hats vs black hats kind of thing, facing yourself, and your past, but as parallels go, it wasn’t too bad. *This one is hard to go into too much explanation without being spoilery.

This is my second favorite X-Men film, after the first one back in 2000, and probably number 6 on my top 10 of superhero movies. It wasn’t what I was expecting, and that was a good thing. All the X-Men movies of late have not inspired me to care about any of these characters I once liked. Remember the X-Men cartoon? The writers, directors, etc. really should have taken a note from their predecessors.

You don’t have to be a superhero fan to enjoy this film. It’s a tale we’re all familiar with, it just happens to be “enhanced”. 😉

4.5 stars.jpg

If you’ve seen Logan, what did you think?

23Sep2016

4 New (to me) Favorite Shows + 1

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

TVblue It’s hard enough to keep up with the shows I’ve been watching for years (because I haven’t paid for television in nearly 5 years and generally have to wait to stream), let alone stay current with the torrent of new shows available on the numerous outlets nowadays, but since I want to be a part of it all, I had to make a concerted effort to watch some new things.

I decided to go through my various lists and watch the first episode of a number of shows, and see what struck me. Here are the “new to me” stand outs:

4. The Last Kingdom – A wonderful show I discovered via Netflix is the BBC import The Last Kingdom. Set before England is a united nation, the story follows the life of a young Saxon prince who is captured by an invading Dane army and becomes their earl’s slave. As the years pass, he becomes more Dane than Saxon and eventually becomes the earl’s adopted son. His journey is a strange one as he discovers that despite his true heritage, he is a man that doesn’t really belong in either world, and yet finds himself at the center of the great changes that are to come.

It’s a period piece set in England. For me, that’s all it really takes, 😉 but there is something unique and captivating about this show, and I definitely recommend watching the first episode like I did – I’m sure you’ll be hooked too.

3. Galavant – A comedy musical set in Medieval times starring Timothy Omundson?! I was in from the moment I saw the first preview, but because of the not-having-tv-thing, it was just another show that got pushed to the wayside…until Netflix. The first two seasons popped up and I was hooked from first song – Thank you, Alan Menken! (of Disney movie fame: The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Tangled to name a few).

The series follows Galavant, a knight on a mission to reclaim his lost love, but as you can expect in a comedy, things don’t always go as planned. The show is more adult oriented despite the light hearted presentation, special guests make regular appearances, and without commercials, the 18 episodes are only about 20 mins long, so it’s an easy binge watch. And then I discovered the horrible truth – Galavant had been canceled. I think the show is really wonderful, and cleverly done. I’m sad to learn that there won’t be any more of it. If you’re looking for something different and just plain fun, I highly recommend Galavant.

vikings 2. Vikings – This was a show I longed to watch, but again, did not have access to, and then I got access to Hulu and voila! Even if I hadn’t been entranced by the first episode, which I totally was, this show was one I was willing to put a little effort into. Thankfully, it didn’t come to that. It’s fantastic! Vikings are often portrayed as this brute invading force, but this show takes us inside their world and, in particular, the life of Ragnar Lothbrok.

Tired of the routine set by his earl of sailing east to lands they have repeatedly pillaged, Ragnar makes a daring-rogue decision and builds a boat of his own to travel to new destinations. Ragnar, besides being easy on the eyes, is a compelling character to watch. He’s a clever man played by a subtle actor who says a great deal with his eyes. (I’m a sucker for that, hello, Mads Mikkelsen.) And then there’s his wife, Lagertha, a famous warrior known as a shield maiden. She is an amazing character and my eyes are drawn to her whenever she’s on screen. She’s a force to be reckoned with, and it’s satisfying to find a character like her.

I’m only on season 2, and there’s already been betrayal and sacrifice (literally) and loss. I can’t wait to see what else is in store for these characters.

strangerthings 1. Stranger Things – Everyone was talking about Stranger Things so I decided to watch the first episode to see what all the hype was about. If you’ve been on the fence, get off of it already and watch this hit from Netflix Originals.

Set in the 80s in a small town, this sci-fi series follows a group of friends, four 12 year old boys who are sort of the geeky outcasts. (In hindsight, they’re the boys I wish I would’ve befriended when I was 12 to learn how to play D&D.) When one of their friends mysteriously disappears, a new friend mysteriously appears, and a “strange” series of events follow as this tale unfolds.

There was a lot of information about this show on every social media outlet (there still is as season 2 is close at hand), and it was hard to stay ignorant to the premise, so if you’re like I was, I won’t give too much away because it is really well done and a lot of fun to watch. I have to say I was surprised how much I enjoyed this, because I didn’t know what to expect, so maybe that’s a good thing…I’ve been disappointed more often than not recently when I’m looking forward to something…and despite the fact that Winona Ryder is one of the leads, she is still not a good actor, the show is worthy of your time.

And the +1 is currently in the “undecided” section:

blackbutler Black Butler – The Sis has already watched all the available episodes and is a fan, but I’ve only watched a few, and am still on the fence. I really like the premise which is about a young boy, the heir to a vast fortune in Victorian England, who makes a deal with a demon to avenge his family. The demon then becomes his constant companion in the way of his butler, and he is “one hell of a butler”. 😉

Japanime seems to be a cross between a couple of animation types, a beautiful, stylistic art, and this odd, campy, almost childish variant. Black Butler has both, which sometimes pulls me out of the story because the two styles are drastically different, but this is a mainstay in their animation, I’ve discovered, so it’s just something you have to get used to.

Black Butler is available on both Netflix and Hulu and the Hulu version has both the dubbed and subtitled versions, I believe. I would recommend the subtitled versions, because Sebastian, the butler, has a wonderful, soothing voice.

Have you watched any of these shows? What do you think? Wanna talk about any of them? Let’s chat!

6Sep2016

A Discrepant Writer Reviews: Suicide Squad

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

I’m breaking from routine this week. It’s time to mix up the schedule, so for today, I thought I would do a review…I’m really, really behind in those. I mean, I never even talked about Star Wars. Who am I?

As always, I will do my best to keep my review “spoiler free”.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels that DC is trying to play catch up with Marvel. Marvel has been interweaving their stories since day one and while not all the movies they put out are stellar, they’ve put out a few great ones and their story telling only continues to get better. From what I’ve seen so far of the DC cinematic world, the same cannot be said.

Suicide Squad, on initial inspection, sounded like an interesting premise: gather together some of the comic world’s worst and let them do something good knowing that if it all goes wrong they’re the perfect scapegoats.

First of all, there are so. many. characters, and for some reason, we needed the backstory of each one. Actually, no, we didn’t. As a writer, I’ve learned that when introducing a group, you should find an interesting way to do it, so it sets them all up with their individual character traits and personalities, and doesn’t waste too much time. This did not happen in Suicide Squad.

I wish I would have timed it, but I felt the set up for all these characters was somewhere in the 45 mins range. Way too long. And a lot of their backgrounds could have easily been summed up in a line of dialogue. With stories of this genre, and with a lot of side characters, I don’t feel that full histories are necessary because we don’t need to emotionally connect with each person on screen. Besides, the movie is only two hours long.

Then there was the plot, or lack there of. What a convoluted mess. Honestly, I felt that the director was having so much fun showing off his cast and special effects that he forgot they were supposed to be doing something – the mission – which, again, was all over the place. With a comic book history that spans 75 years, there are a number of topics to choose from, and yet this is where they really fell flat.

harley The one redeeming thing in the whole movie: Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn. Besides being absolutely gorgeous, her sweet-crazy performance was the highlight of the film, in addition to the very few interactions we got with Jared Leto’s Joker. Long time comic book fans are well aware of the twisted relationship they share, and considering the information of how much footage was shot of the two, I think most movie goers were surprised/disappointed with the less than 10 mins that actually appeared in the film.

This is probably because they were trying to make leads of all their characters, and now this is why so many fans are calling for a Harley/Joker film with these two actors reprising the roles. They were fun to watch.

Sadly, this film was an overall disappointment. It had its moments of comedy, but they were few and far between. Comic books are fun, and yes, they often deal with real world problems, but the characters that are coming to save the day wear tights and capes. Regardless of wanting these stories to feel “real” with a darker side, they should maintain their levity and fun.

Well, that’s my take any way. If you saw the film, what did you think?

8Jul2016

A Rambling Review: Les Revenants (aka The Returned)

Posted in Reviews by Rachael C Marek

LesRevenants

I love any show or film that keeps you guessing after it’s over. Days later, you find yourself still wondering what some things meant and still have some pretty big questions. The French supernatural drama, Les Revenants aka The Returned is just this type of show.

Currently contained within two seasons of just 16 episodes, with no talks of a third season, you will find partial closure and yet be left with that open ended feeling knowing there are no answers to be found. At least not yet, if ever. It’s one of those rare gems that lets you ponder its meaning – something I consider very French.

I’m not sure how I discovered the show initially, I think it was recommended by someone I follow somewhere, and I’m glad to have found it, although the wait between seasons was unbearable at over two years. Both seasons are now available on Netflix.

The story is based on the 2004 film They Came Back, and is about the return of a small town’s deceased residents for no apparent reason. They don’t all return at the same time, and many of them died at different times throughout the years, leaving the townspeople and their loved ones confused and frightened.

JulieVictor

They don’t look like zombies. They don’t even look dead. They don’t bear any marks of how they died and many of them have memory issues depending on how long they’ve been gone, so they’re just as confused. It makes for an interesting story to see how some of them are welcomed back to their lives while some are not.

Then there is the trouble with the town’s dam. The entire first season I remember looking at the water and thinking, “What’s really going on in there?”

It’s hard not to go into too much detail with only 16 episodes and four “families” primarily to follow. This review could easily be much longer, but I want to keep all the mystery alive (pun intended?). 🙂

With so much to watch nowadays, I’ve become rather picky with which shows I stick with and which I give up. If a show doesn’t grab me within the first few episodes, I don’t want to waste my time. I know I’ll get flack for this, but I couldn’t get into Breaking Bad or, more recently, Daredevil – two shows loved by nearly everyone I know. You may find the pacing of The Returned a bit slow initially, but that is part of the magic of this series in particular. You get to see quiet moments in these people’s lives, and because of that, you feel you understand some of the characters better.

The Returned has an American spinoff that was airing nearly simultaneously and I don’t understand why. This is one aspect of the Hollywood system that baffles me. Why was creating a new show based on a current show necessary? Are subtitles too difficult or cumbersome for the American audience? Besides, the American version was cancelled after one season. So no closure for you guys.

I hope for a third season because I would love to see a bit more of this story and its people, and get some answers to those questions still rattling around, but if that doesn’t happen, we can feel some of that unsettling closure that comes with foreign film.

Have you seen the show? Or its American counterpart? What are your thoughts? I’d really love to discuss some of my theories, so join me in the comments!