I know I missed last week, but it was kind of lean release week and I was kind of busy with work and school. Now that I have some free time though, I can put in the entries for this week.
Hugo- This was one of the major contenders in this year’s Academy Awards. I should have seen this when it came out, and once I learned what this was really about, I’m kicking myself for not seeing it in theaters or 3D. It’s based on the works of Georges Melies, who was an early trailblazer in the works of special effects in motion pictures. Everyone has probably seen scenes of his most famous work, A Trip to the Moon, but he made many other movies. Some of them, like Trip to the Moon, were loose adaptations of Jules Verne’s stories. But he did others like Faust in Hell and Conquest of the Poles. Really cool stuff given the era it was made in, even if most of it was simple camera tricks. But it was Melies’ background as a stage magician that let him realize the potential of the movie camera and laid the foundation for special effects technology.
Also I didn’t think Martin Scorsese had it in him to make a Fantasy movie. Usually I’m used to him making things like Taxi Driver. So this was a real departure for him. But from all accounts, he did very well.
Justice League: Doom- The latest release from Warners/DC feature animation. This one has the Justice League going up against an iteration of the Legion of Doom. The lineup isn’t quite as cool though as what they had in the Challenge of the Superfriends show, but still kind of impressive (this one consists of Vandal Savage, Cheetah, Star Sapphire, Ma’alefa’ak, Metallo, Mirror Master and Bane). And the movie also has a very good voice cast, with some of the actors from the old Justice League show reprising their roles here. Some of the bigger names include Kevin Conroy of course as Batman, along with Tim Daly (Superman), Susan Eisenberg (Wonder Woman), Nathan Fillion (Green Lantern), Carl Lumbly (Martian Manhunter), Michael Rosenbaum (The Flash), Bumper Robinson (Cyborg), Claudia Black (Cheetah), Alexis Denisof (Mirror Master), Olivia D’abo (Star Sapphire) and even Thundercats’ own Robin Atkin Downes playing Alfred! This sounds like one that shouldn’t be missed.
The Buccaneer- This was a Cecil B. DeMille epic based on the exploits of noted pirate Jean LaFitte as he worked under orders from President Andrew Jackson to defend New Orleans from British attack in 1815. Yul Brynner plays LaFitte here. Required viewing for anyone who likes pirates.
My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: The Friendship Express- I don’t know why companies won’t release certain shows in complete season-long volumes. Warners is also guilty of this. But if you need your MYP fix and can’t wait till a season box set, here you go.
Underdog: The Complete Series- Okay, this actually came out last week. But it’s still a classic cartoon show and the first time the entire series is available on DVD (we got piecemeal releases last time). I know what I’m getting for Ocelli for her anniversary present!
I recently purchased by AMAZON the WALKIND DEAD Season 2 in Blu Ray, i like the comic Series a lot by Robert Kirkman and the Show has taken on an even better course.
Wait. Season 2 is out Blu-Ray? I didn’t even think it was finished yet. Are you sure it’s not season 1?
TWD is one of my favorite shows on TV right now. I think I’ve said before in talkback threads that this, along with the new Thundercats, is one of my top 3 favorite shows (Sons of Anarchy is the other one if you must know). I was a bit worried when I heard Frank Darabont was no longer running the show, but you’re right, the show has picked up the pace in recent episodes, especially last week with “18 Miles Out.” I understand that’s due to new showrunner Glen Mazarra. Darabont I read was more fond of the slow-burn style of storytelling, which was what a lot of fans complained about in the first half of this season.
I only had a few problems myself this season. One was that we didn’t really get to know a lot about Hershel’s family, other than Maggie and Hershel himself. When Beth fainted and went comatose all of a sudden, it was hard to care because until then we didn’t know who she was.
I’m also having a hard time figuring out the timeline from when Sophia disappeared to when she became a zombie to when Otis found her and put her in the barn. We last saw her running off into the woods with no indication she had been bitten. Daryl found an abandoned house where she had supposedly taken shelter, but that was the only clue they had. I think they had been looking for her at least two days. Then Carl got accidentally shot by Otis and that’s when they got to the farm.
I’m guessing Sophia was fine for at least a day, then had the misfortune of running into a zombie and got bitten. It takes within 24 hours for the infection to take hold, then Otis must have found her shortly thereafter and put her in the barn. And he probably shot Carl just after he did that.
But I’m really looking forward to next season, as it’s been confirmed that The Governor will be appearing! I understand that’s pretty much one of the biggest storylines in the comic. So it’ll be cool to see how it plays out.
TWD brings a breath of fresh air in a dying genre, the comic does a wonderful job as far as the storyline and the suspense is concerned but the TV Show has really upped the ante, when they had announced it a couple of years ago i kept my fingers crossed, i thought it would be impossible to turn a long run Zombie story into a Series, let alone coming from comics,But the show is phenomenal. Along with Romero’s old Night of the Leaving Dead ,these are the best example of Zombie movies ever produced. Game of Thrones is my second best show, i am a big fan of Martins and have read all his books, for me he is the modem Tolkien in the fantasy genre
Hugo and MLP:FIM are on my wish list. I’m kicking myself for not seeing Hugo when I had the chance. But concerning The Friendship Express volume, Shout! Factory is just under Hasbro’s orders. The way I see it though, if it sells alot; we’ll be getting season sets.
I saw Hugo in Theatres(and 3D) and I really enjoyed it. The 3D effects were actually well used and ehanced the movie unlike most other films that used it. It has a good story and aslo Chloe Moretz, who is one of the few really good actresses of the current generation. I rellay want to get this one on Blue-ray.
I have already gotten MLP dvd
I also would love to get Underdog
I will eventually get the Justice league but I am really getting sick of Batman and Superman. I am also mad we never got the Teen Titans one they promised us a long time ago. Also I would love to have had a stand alone supergirl one based on the version they did with Superman/Batman and with the same artstyle and a Wonderwoman sequal.
