The New Musings of a Quiet Geek

Because both Netflix and Twitter are down, some thoughts on the Netflix series Luke Cage 1. I would say it was only about 90% as dark and broody as Daredevil and Jessica Jones . Whether it's a coincidence hardcore DC fans on Twitter didn't gush about it as they did the previous two series is hard to say. Also, were there more scenes set during the day or was that just me? 2. Also hard to say is just who the Big Bad of the show was. There are really 3 possibilities: Cottonmouth Stokes who you could easily argue was just forced into the family business; Willis "Diamondback" Striker, the disgruntled half-brother of Luke Cage; or the villain left standing, Councilwoman Mariah Dillard?  The obvious choice is the last one but remember, Darth Vader is much more recognizable than Emperor Palpatine... Anyway, the fact it isn't in your face also adds to the ways the show was able to differentiate itself just as much as the change in setting and definitely the music... ...

DC's shared universe has gotten off to a rough start. Man of Steel and Batman v. Superman  presented movies that were mixed bags for even comic nerds such as myself. True, I haven't serious fed my comic addiction in about a dozen years but I still watch the movies, TV shows and animated offerings but that really should be beside the point. Studios do not shell out money for movies only a select group will watch any more than TV networks do... With each successive film, they've improved but they have a long way to go. Their third movie, Suicide Squad, continues the upward trend but still isn't a film that'll win over discerning viewers.  You'll hear stories on how studio interference meddled in the scriptwriting and how writer/director David Ayer had only six weeks to throw together a script. I'm sure it's true to at least some level.  Sony notoriously interfered with Spider-Man 3 and Amazing Spider-man 2. The need to rush the "world-building...

Regular readers of this blog know my love of Terry Brooks and his Shannara books. Some readers may have caught my rant on the Rizzoli and Isles TV series being irritatingly different than the books. Why change Maura's serial killer mom to a gangster dad? Why change Warren Hoyt's name to Charles? (I do appreciate now the series is definitely it's own thing now in it's final season.) I had caught most episodes of the new Shannara Chronicles series when it originally aired and was pretty intrigued. Yes, most of the characters were not how I visualized them when I read Elfstones of Shannara back in high school (Reading the World of Shannara reference tome, I discovered my mind's eye was always wrong on that score anyway...) but the characterizations were spot on which is definitely more important. Yes, people who haven't read any of the books published recently may complain about the "cameos" made by remnants of our 21st century world but since it was ...

 X-Men: Apocalypse is the third of the "prequel movies" and today is my second favorite after First Class.  Don't get me wrong: the last one,  Days of Future Past , was far from terrible but you could easily argue it was an excuse to feature Hugh Jackman. The other two do just fine with cameos (which are both awesome and unnecessary but I digress...) The two biggest complaints I've had about the franchise are the lack of even internal continuity and lack of effort. This movie clearly had the attitude they know continuity is messed up and they don't give a shit. Havok and Cyclops are brothers but inexplicably 20 years apart in age but certainly don't look it. In '83, Prof. Xavier sees CIA Moira McTaggart for the first time since the Cuban Missile Crisis and comments, "You haven't aged a day!" Not even James Bond is a field agent in his late '50's but whatever... (Speaking of Moira,  Rose Byrne is Tasmanian while the character is Sco...

As I was recently discussing with someone on Twitter, I'm not a big fan of "Good Guys Manipulated Fight Each Other" films so it's sad that Captain America: Civil War came out so close on the heels of Batman v. Superman . As maybe I've confessed before I am more of a Marvel fan but that is not why this one was better.  DC fans frequently point out this was the 13th Marvel film while BvS   is only the second of their new cinematic universe. To me, that's why it worked better. The tension was building out of the last Avengers  movie and the characters have interacted for several movies worth of time (One must assume interactions happen off screen as well) so they know each other pretty well. Two friends having a disagreement carries so much more weight than two strangers going at it.  In my critique of  Batman v. Superman ,  I noted that the end of the featured fight hinged on the fact both characters' mothers were named Martha. Here, the big fight ended wh...

Saw Batman v. Superman this weekend. Overall, I really enjoyed it. Seeing Superman, Batman AND Wonder Woman on screen made me squee with as much delight as seeing Avengers the first time, as it should. Man of Steel for me was both the best Superman movie and worst Superman movie. Director  Zack Snyder still admits he finds the character boring.  In that movie, Superman is inexperienced as superhero and consequently, there's more death and destruction  then we're used to. Batman's mistrust of the Kryptonian in Batman v. Superman comes from this. Also, the film reminds you, Bruce seemingly hasn't let go of the anger over failing to stop the death of his parents as a child. (The movie hints that the events happen sometime after the death of Robin #2  Jason Todd at the hands of the Joker. No Robins are specifically mentioned so we have no idea how many this version of Batman had. Those readers who don't know anything about Batman after the '66 TV series are p...

As many of you know, for the past 5 or 6 years, I have been actively pursuing Social Security Disability.  It has not been an easy road. It was hard for even my lawyer to wrap his head around the fact I have a Masters degree in Library Science.  Never mind that there was little wrong with the left side of my brain. I, like many with disabilities, have been able to beat the odds and overcome adversity. My parents were told I was blind and would never walk. Sure, both are issues for me but I can still do them!  And then my dream job at the seminary happened. How can I prove I can't work when I in fact am and am now reasonably able to pay most of my expenses? Should I have turned down? Maybe. Have I ever pondered saying "No?" Hell, no. Two months later, the seizures happened and simultaneously, I experienced the darkness months of my life (Much of that time I don't actually have memory of...) but my case, morbidly gained new life. Recently, I've been mentally, ps...

Star Wars is pretty much in my blood. I went to the first one A New Hope while still in the womb. The third film, Return of The Jedi , happened to be one of the first movies I saw in the theater. If you do a search of this blog, you will find the phrase "Star Wars" mentioned in 19 previous posts. When it was announced that JJ Abrams was kicking the new trilogy off with The Force Awakens, I had no doubt he'd do a great job. Putting aside the references made on Alias and his other shows, when Abrams was tapped to reboot the other space series Star Trek for the big screen, he made no bones about how he was really more a fan of the George Lucas-created world. It showed with that film and it shows here. Regular readers of my blog know a few relevant facts that you might want to keep in mind reading this review/discussion: 1. Nostalgia and plot points that trigger creative thoughts or my vast storehouse of trivial knowledge will have me squee with delight. 2. I truly b...

I was on a blogging break when Netflix dropped the awesome Daredevil TV series but I will briefly say that was 1000 times better than the movie version of the character starring Ben Affleck and his future, and now past, wife, Jennifer Garner. Recently, Marvel Comics and Netflix released another series: Jessica Jones.  Unlike the former and upcoming series based on the characters of Luke Cage and Iron Fist, Jessica debuted in a comic, coincidentally called Alias which is the name of her detective agency, in my lifetime. Like Luke Cage, X-Men Jean Grey and Kitty Pryde and others, she has superpowers but doesn't have a super identity. In the comic, she has super strength and can fly. In the TV series, the second ability is greatly downplayed but could easily appear in future appearances. Krysten Ritter pulls off the darkly comic role spectacularly. (Watching her on The Talk this afternoon I also realize she's incredibly tall...) David Tennant is deliciously creepy as the vill...

Looking back at old review posts, I at one time apparently considered Casino Royale "the best Bond movie ever" because it didn't focus on gadgets. I even commented it wasn't slow moving.  Interestingly, all I really said about the next film, Quantum of Solace , was that I loved how they let M, played at the time by Judy Dench, actually do something. I didn't actually do an official review of Skyfall but that surpassed Casino Royale  as the best Bond film ever.  Casino was a needed reset after Die Another Day (Has any "final" Bond film ever been the actor's best? Diamonds Are Forever isn't my favorite Connery, View to a Kill isn't in my top 2 my favorite Moore, etc...) but Skyfall  made me realize "Lactose Intolerant Bond" just doesn't work long term.  You need a mix. The Serious And The Cheese. It also made me realize that letting M, Q and Moneypenny actually leave the damn office is awesome! In SPECTRE , M, and to a certain e...

After a decade of doing this blog, people have finally requested movie reviews so without further dithering here we go! Movies I've watched recently in approximate order: 1. Thanks For S haring- Mark Ruffalo, Tim Robbins and Josh Gadd play sex addicts on various stages of recovery.  After 5 years of recovery,  Robbins feels it's time for Rufffalo to start dating again. Enter Gweneth Paltrow.  The other two have their own issues. For me, the different storylines rotate around as far as my interest in them which definitely keeps my interest in the movie as a whole.  The only complaint really is that it wraps up a little too easily at the end but that's a problem with many movies,  isn't it? 2. Silver Lining Playbook- When I first heard about a movie  about two mentally ill people finding each other,  I feared it would be much too painful to watch but I was pleasantly surprised.  This was a fantastic film.  I'd be lying if  I said the na...

Last time I focused on the race for Governor here in Maine. Today, my thoughts on the Race for Senate. First up, an ad from incumbent Susan Collins' opponent, Shenna Bellows: She doesn't come right and say in this ad we need to raise the minimum wage but she does imply that, just as veterans and the elderly, and I would include all people below the poverty line, should not have to choose between eating and paying for their meds, people in the lower middle class bracket should not have to work 55+ hour weeks  just to provide for their family and in consequence never actually SEE their family... Let me tell you right out, I hate Out of State ads on both sides of the aisle so this one doesn't exactly excite me but I can't say everything said here is 100% wrong. Collins' people will tell you she is one of the most bi-partisan senators in Washington. At some point,I think even I have noted her votes are less than the 85% party line she used to vote during...

It's that time of year again where politics are making my head explode so let me unload here. Today, I want to give my opinion on a few ads. First Up: An ad by the Republican Governor's Association (headed up by Chris Christie who is just as crooked as Rick Perry and that dude from Virginia. Will Michaud (Notice how these morons mispronounce his name; which seriously hurts their defense against the Mainer's disdain of "People From Away;" if at least 50% of that group don't also vote GOP, I'd be rather shocked...)  The crux of the argument that Michaud gives a shit about immigrants is true. Also, I'm tired of the word "taxpayer." Before my seizure issue of last year and was working, I never exceeded the cap of people who have to file income taxes and those didn't. (Yes, I did have taxes taken from paychecks...) Are you implying I don't contribute to society? Also, this isn't the 18th Century and the poor are allowed to vo...

The controversy blowing up the internets right now is which is better: DC or Marvel comic movies.  This was exacerbated the other day when WB made the apparent announcement that the DC movies won't be action comedies (Like the more popular of the Marvel movies) but stay with a more dramatic tone.  (Case in point hardcore DC fans like the Green Lantern movie even less than the average movie goer...) Then there's a third group (Seemingly headed up by DC groupies) that wonder why we can't get along. I personally am a fan of both but let's face it, liking two sides of anything literally equally isn't likely or even likely possible.  To that end I've been pro-Marvel since I was like 6 years old. I watched both SuperFriends  and Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends but liked the latter more. Truthfully, with my admitted bias, it holds up just a bit better to this day. On the other hand, Marvel has not put out a cartoon of Justice League 's quality since. (Yeah...

Since I last posted, I've seen 2 movies (Well, in the theater anyway...) 1. Lucy with Scarlett Johansson was an interesting and entertaining movie. So what if people technically already use 100% of their brain and nothing interesting happens? In a recent post, I profesed my enjoyment of the new summer TV series  Taxi Brooklyn  which is based another Luc Besson film. I'd imagine that that movie is very similar to Lucy . This movie is an odd combo of serious and silly. While the aforementioned NBC series seems to balance this well enough, Lucy can't seem to. Oddly, my brain didn't feel like mush as it does after pretty much every Michael Bay movie.  (The Transformers series can't decide what maturity level to target. Does that mean maturity and tonality are different things? ::shrugs::) 2. The second film of the summer from Marvel Studios, Guardians of the Galaxy , had a tonal mix as well but did a spectacular job in the balance department...and soundtrack depart...

1. Spent the 4th at my parents' house. Their cat, who I guess is new though has lived in their yard for about three years, Black Beauty immediately became smitten with me. (Anyone who knows me or my mother's side of the family in particular should not be surprised.) I guess he looked around the house for me after I left.  While there I went to the wedding of a young woman from my father's church. Judging by who was in attendance, her mother, who has removed some of my stitches in the past, did the guest list... 2.  Finally saw X-Men: Days of Future Past . Though the last two X-Men movies ( First Class and The Wolverine) were my favorites of the series, I wasn't really looking forward to seeing the original cast and director Bryan Singer return. As director of the first 2, he's to blame for setting the franchise tone. (You would think it'd would be writers but no...)  The boring black costumes and the massive continuity errors still make me shutter. Anyway, I ...

This entire post is commentary on the following article: "10 DC Superhero Team-Ups We’d Like to See After Batman V Superman & Green Lantern/The Flash" You've been warned. 10. "Fish Out of Water" jokes aside, awesome idea. In fact, the similarity of Ben Affleck to Jason Mamoa's Stargate: Atlantis co-star Joe Flanigan (Or vice versa? Whatever...) makes this an even more interesting proposition.  Hell, they could make a live action movie of the Batman: Brave and the Bold with Black Manta using Aquaman's jealous brother to destroy Atlantis. I'd watch... 9.  I'm not feeling this one. If there are more variations on any characters in the DC Universe than these two, I'm unaware of them.  The most well-known versions, are mob daughter Helena Bertinelli and Power Girl isn't an alternate universe Supergirl but her clone. "Batman and Catwoman had a daughter?" Well, yes, and no... A live action version of this would make as much s...

1. Took the cat to the vets for nail trim. Paid $20! For 5 minutes of work! (Those against raising the minimum wage, don't comment. The tech won't see much if any of that money so the argument is beyond moronic.) Officially, I have a roommate who's never here and has a severe cat allergy anyway. Also, it takes my aunt coming over just to get him the carrier so doing it at home isn't an option. Plus, he's at least 11 years old and isn't as cooperative as he was when he arrived at age 8; which was hardly at all anyway. The point is, if I ever could do it at home I certainly can't now.  This is the second issue I've had with this local clinic. A few years ago, they stopped stocking the cat's medicine in a form he'd actually take due to lack of popularity. (Those who know me know how I hate this explanation...) To their credit, the first time (first 2 times actually) I brought Amos in after my medical issues of last year, they actually asked how I wa...

I have been eligible to vote for about 17 and half years. This is the first year I can remember, living and in two states where a lot of stuff actually happened during the primary elections.  This is the current state of affairs in this country of ours.  Sure, incumbents moving on to other things or retiring leaving seats open has always happened and are one thing but this year, people are turning on the incumbents. Oddly, in offices as in innocuous as county sheriff. Here in Cumberland County, Maine, the democrat Kevin Joyce had two incidents at the jail where where prisoners sneaked into the other part to "get to know" another prisoner better. This seemed to be challenger Mark Edes entire reason for running. (The fact, to me, that security is a Republican issue yet there isn't one running speaks a volume or two about my county.) I admit I voted for Edes since if he felt he could do a better job might as well give him a shot. To be clear, I have no problem with Joyce a...

As you've probably heard if you follow such things, British director Edgar Wright is out as helmer of next year's Marvel movie Antman. If rumors are to be believed, Marvel had a problem with some aspect of the script and Wright wouldn't change it. Supposedly the production is still on schedule. We'll see.  This production was doomed from the start but not for reasons you'll probably catch around the 'net. First Wright wanted to go with Antman #2 Scott Lang instead of Hank Pym. Say what? To me, and I know I'm probably in the minority, he's way more interesting than Lang. (At least for the first movie...) Lang stole Pym's suit to save his daughter from criminals. (Did I mention she's also dying?) To me, it's like going with Guy Gardiner instead of Hal Jordan for Green Lantern... Anyway, Pym is an arrogant scientist (basically an alcoholic version of Big Bang Theory' s Sheldon)  who figured out how to make things shrink and grow.  His lov...