Entertainment Discussion Forum

[Veroe]

This is the last season they will film, Alton wants to move onto new projects.

Too bad. Good eats was my gateway drug to Food Network.

 

[Veroe]

A bit late, but I feel like anyone who has Starz needs to be watching Spartacus. Perhaps it's not as stylistically well done as HBO's Rome, but it's a cool show, and there really are some good actors there. Of course, John Hannah isn't there to steal the show anymore, but still.

Don't have Starz but I have the dvds of the 1st season and the prequel series...anxiously awaiting the release of Spartacus Vengeance on dvd now.

I was sad to hear about Andy Whitfield though.

 

[Noon_Shadow]

Don't have Starz but I have the dvds of the 1st season and the prequel series...anxiously awaiting the release of Spartacus Vengeance on dvd now.

I was sad to hear about Andy Whitfield though.

I'll confess, the first episode doesn't quite get the blood pumping the same way some of the better done episodes in season 1 do. But the trailer for the rest of the season looks freaking awesome.

I'm really excited about it. There's few stories in history that lend themselves to epic storytelling as well as the guy who began as a slave, but came to lead an army that had the world's greatest empire trembling in fear.

 

[Veroe]

I'll confess, the first episode doesn't quite get the blood pumping the same way some of the better done episodes in season 1 do. But the trailer for the rest of the season looks freaking awesome.

I'm really excited about it. There's few stories in history that lend themselves to epic storytelling as well as the guy who began as a slave, but came to lead an army that had the world's greatest empire trembling in fear.

Wouldn't you tremble in fear too after treating their slaves like that?
Spartacus became the Romans' biggest nightmare with Hannibal a close second.

 

[Noon_Shadow]

It seems I really need to get into "The Walking Dead." I keep hearing good things. Another thing I plan on checking out is "Boardwalk Empire," if I can get HBO back onto my service plan.

Spartacus: Vengeance continues to look good. Episodes 2 and 3 were really good entertainment-I was disappoint with the 4th one, though, it just felt like filler.

"House" continues to hold my interest, but I hope they manage to conclude the series well. Dr. Park doesn't annoy me as much as she used to-I can actually understand what she's saying now. It's Dr. Adams that annoys the hell out of me at this point. It's like she's playing the same role that Cameron, and then Thirteen did, just because she's another pretty face. I wish she felt more like a new character rather than, "same old generic pretty female doctor."

 

[Britwitch]

It seems I really need to get into "The Walking Dead." I keep hearing good things. Another thing I plan on checking out is "Boardwalk Empire," if I can get HBO back onto my service plan.

Spartacus: Vengeance continues to look good. Episodes 2 and 3 were really good entertainment-I was disappoint with the 4th one, though, it just felt like filler.

"House" continues to hold my interest, but I hope they manage to conclude the series well. Dr. Park doesn't annoy me as much as she used to-I can actually understand what she's saying now. It's Dr. Adams that annoys the hell out of me at this point. It's like she's playing the same role that Cameron, and then Thirteen did, just because she's another pretty face. I wish she felt more like a new character rather than, "same old generic pretty female doctor."

Am sure I heard that this is the last season of "House" so am hoping they do the show justice and finish it well. With a 'bang' not a 'whimper'!
BTW, thought Chase has been excellent in the last couple of episodes. Not sure this is a spoiler...but it might be...so better safe than sorry!

 

[absorb]

Love that show.

I finally got to see "Game of Thrones." Was excited to hear about the series since I was such a huge fan of the books. I feel the need to share my thoughts about the show here, somewhat.

1) I almost didn't recognize Peter Dinklage. His voice as Tyrion Lannister sounded almost regal, not like I'm used to hearing him. There's limited choices when casting little people, I suppose, but that was brilliant.

2) Wasn't sure about the casting decision for Cat Stark. In the books, I don't think an age is given, but the general sense is that she's in her 30s. The woman they cast for her, I don't know her well, but she's in her 40s, and looks it. Older than I expected for her. Catelyn Stark has 5 kids, yes, but she started young-in this historical period, women generally do start young.

3) I'm actually surprised at how good casting choices they made for several of the kids. There's a lot of difficulties in finding quality child actors-of course, a lot of kids you're used to seeing are too often producers' children, and really not actors. But it's amazing that they got everyone nailed down to generally the right age, and with the look-Sansa Stark is the one where they clearly went older, and it shows-she looks more like 16 than 13-but she has a young looking face and eyes.

4) Okay, I understand you had budget limitations, but you really peeved me off with the way you skipped one of those battle scenes. When Tyrion is leading his Hillmen into battle, it's a very favorite scene of mine in the book. Here he is, a person who was never supposed to see battle, and he's actually shoved into a position of leadership, and he does pretty well at it. It's kind of an awesome moment for him, responding to something he's not trained for simply because it's expected of his position. But on the show, they couldn't show the battle, so they had one of his own men accidentally kick him in the head, knocking him out, and then he's trampled by his own soldiers.

It's some of the same crap that bothered me from Lord of the Rings, but it bothers me even more here. Part of the point of Tyrion's character is that he can't be taken seriously because he's a dwarf, but Martin took him and made him one of the most complicated and interesting characters. The audience is supposed to take him QUITE seriously-since we're not actually apart of the world we're reading about, we CAN take him seriously, even more than his own family does. For some reason, though, it seems like it's necessary to play the short person for comedic value, because that's what we expect, or something. It honestly offends me-as I said, they did the same thing with Gimli from Lord of the Rings, a very serious character in the books who was often the designated comic relief in the films. It's like directors are telling us that we need to just put little people in a circus or something.

5) Feel like I should say something about Sean Bean. He's good in almost any role he plays, really, and getting him onto an HBO series as Ned Stark was a coup. Well played, HBO.

6) I'd like to object about how they over-sexed the story, but honestly, that's very much how the story plays out.

7) That said, as good as it is, I feel reading the book should still be a necessity, and I hope people who had never read the books were encouraged to after watching this series. There's a lot of what makes it a brilliantly written fantasy series that's just missing from the show because there's no real way to capture that like Martin did in his narrative. It must have been really hard for people who hadn't read anything before to identify who's who, for one. And there's a lot of backstory that's relayed thought character reminiscing, including some stuff that's clearly foreshadowing many different things (even things that still haven't happened, as of the fifth book) just by the way it's written. Don't think there was really a way to capture that, but I wish we had a few of Ned Stark's recollections about Robert's Rebellion making their way in.

8) One more serious problem-Cat Stark was a very different character on the show from the way she acted in the book. Two major problems: First, she tries to talk Ned out of leaving to become the King's hand on the show. In the book, she absolutely urged him into it. She's a woman who understand duty and obedience VERY well, and she knew that telling the sitting King, friend or not, "No," would have very serious ramifications. She accepts her role, having limited choices-her husband was chosen for her, she's subservient to her husband, and it's supposed to be a commentary on how things really were in the Middle Ages-women had very limited agency. Along the same lines, she criticizes Robb for leading his armies when she finds his encampment, instead of leaving a man to do it. in the book, she praises him for acting lordly, and being responsible. She actually swells up with pride as she watches him, and she's very careful in the way she gives him advice-not to chide him or make him feel like a child. She's not an overprotective mother, she's married to a Stark, and she knows that winter is coming. That was, again, a very defining moment for her, and they changed it. She's not going to coddle her children-except maybe Bran.

That's it, though. I'm very pleased I got to watch it during my extended break on the holiday weekend.

I loved that it came back for another season, enjoying it very much.

 

[jack80]

I loved that it came back for another season, enjoying it very much.

Read the books!!!

 

[absorb]

Thanks

Read the books!!!

I did not know it was based on a real story line of books, cool, thanks, I will check it out.

 

[Veroe]

Read the books!!!

It's strange I couldn't finish book 1 I couldn't stand how much the lannisters (Sersi, Joffrey, Jaime, Jaime, err did I mention Jaime) needed to be punched in the face and yet no one would or could punch them in the face so I rage quit on the book series on Game of Thrones, but I watched and loved the tv show.

Maybe its because I like the actors especially Lena Headley.

 

[The_Spectre]

Well this counts I suppose. It's pretty the only game I'm looking forward to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9WXUA4WIbg

 

[Veroe]

Well this counts I suppose. It's pretty the only game I'm looking forward to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9WXUA4WIbg

I dunno I'm still recovering from the epic fail of the ending of Mass Effect 3. Put playing video games back on the shelf after that bungling to an otherwise awesome game.

 

[The_Spectre]

I dunno I'm still recovering from the epic fail of the ending of Mass Effect 3. Put playing video games back on the shelf after that bungling to an otherwise awesome game.

I can find a bit wrong with Mass Effect 3 other than the ending. But fear not due to internet hate, Bioware will put "closure" to the end for all those whining about it. Not to say you are though.

 

[zydrate]

I would love to play MW3!!! Just have to finish my current games first!

 

[The_Spectre]

I would love to play MW3!!! Just have to finish my current games first!

Same here, I have a lot of games to get to in my backlog.

 

[Veroe]

I can find a bit wrong with Mass Effect 3 other than the ending. But fear not due to internet hate, Bioware will put "closure" to the end for all those whining about it. Not to say you are though.

I don't see how they can given the ending(s) they gave unless they redo the whole ending.

 

[Perplexia]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-7qgTf3xh5I

 

[The_Spectre]

I don't see how they can given the ending(s) they gave unless they redo the whole ending.

Part of me doesn't really care, I moved on. Bioware has been going downhill since Dragon Age 2. One could argue Mass Effect 2 was the beginning of the end.

 

[Veroe]

Okay I'm going to ask what you guys think in one corner is the up and coming challenger making a name for itself: Marvel's the Avengers and in the opposite corner is undisputed heavyweight champion of the world: DC's The Dark Knight...Which is the best comic book movie ever, (so far-discounting the Dark Knight Rises since it hasn't been released yet)?

 

[chronicle_tenko]

Okay I'm going to ask what you guys think in one corner is the up and coming challenger making a name for itself: Marvel's the Avengers and in the opposite corner is undisputed heavyweight champion of the world: DC's The Dark Knight...Which is the best comic book movie ever, (so far-discounting the Dark Knight Rises since it hasn't been released yet)?

Tough.

Dark Knight is a better film. Avengers is a better comic book movie. Still only number 2 in my book so far.

 

[The_Spectre]

I'd say Avengers but I've always liked Marvel over DC, though in some way it's hard to compare because Avenger isn't as serious as Dark Knight. Also Avenger has some many heroes, Dark Knight is just Batman. Doesn't seem like a fair bout.

 

[Veroe]

For me, I think its a matter of personal tastes...The Dark Knight is regarded as the better story, but the story is really nitty gritty, heavy, more serious, emotionally gripping, and above all dark dark dark.

The Avengers is lighter and funnier, and I'd say has better action, and is more fun.

For me its Avengers. I've already seen it six times in theaters, I saw The Dark Knight three times in theaters. Though my favorite superhero is Cap, and I like Marvel more than DC and While Batman is my favorite of DC's characters. I think TDK was the best Batman movie yet, but I think it gets overhyped, that's my personal opinion on it. Don't get me wrong its really really good, but not really really great.

It's personal tastes...I like light funny, with action I can follow (in fucking sunlight and in frame so I can see what's going on) kind of movies over the dark nitty-gritty film noirish thriller kind of movies.

But one thing is certain in this debate no matter who wins the title of best comic book movie the real winner is us the audience.

 

[Scuttle Buttin']

I dunno I'm still recovering from the epic fail of the ending of Mass Effect 3. Put playing video games back on the shelf after that bungling to an otherwise awesome game.

Yeah.. I had a lot of fun with it, right up until the end.


I want to throw Ashley off a cliff. I'm down there getting my ass handed to me and she runs away? Bitch!

 

[Britwitch]

Anyone here been watching 'Missing' with Ashley Judd? We starting watching it because of Sean Bean
Won't start rambling on about it if no one else is watching...but it's definitely gotten better once the first couple of episodes were out of the way. We're up to episode 5 (I think!) and definitely enjoying it more now than at the start!

 

[DarkWarrioress]

Grey's Anatomy. Don't judge me. I have a theory. Too bad I have to wait until this fall to find out if I'm right. Damnit.