Day 18 - Favorite title sequence.
I love opening credits. To me, they're an integral part of the viewing experience; when we're watching TV together off DVD, Laura gets frustrated because she wants to fast-forward through them and I'm always like, "No! Credits! Love!" I don't think it's a huge surprise to say that my favorite title sequence is BSG's - besides the fact that aside from a handful of episodes at the beginning of S2, they were always different, with that little sneak-peak of the episode to come, I also loved that technically, there were two sequences - the credits proper and the Cylon Background Info that came before the previouslies; my favorite of that was S3's, because "They rebelled...they evolved" is in the right order and I love that shot of Six from Downloaded.
Unfortunately, there isn't a YouTube video of the actual credits, at least that I can find in a normal search - they're all fanmade or set to different songs or whatever, which I don't really get. You know what they are though.
Some other faves:
Great music and lovely images:
My childhood:
I love these because they're so elegant, so simple and yet there's so much packed into them (hidden clues!), and, again, the music:
And because I'm obsessed with it right now:
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Who's got two thumbs and figured out today that you can watch full episodes of Babylon 5 on IMDB?
THIS GUY.
...I've watchedeight ten episodes today.
THIS GUY.
...I've watched
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Day 17 - Favorite mini-series.
Here's the thing about The Stand mini-series...it's not actually all that good. I know that it was actually really expensive to produce at the time, but it just looks...cheap. And very flat and uninspired. And while some of the casting is very good - Gary Sinise as Stu, Ruby Dee as Mother Abigail, Miguel Ferrer as Lloyd, and Matt Frewer as Trashcan Man - and some serviceable, there's some duds - I like Molly Ringwald, but she's completely wrong as Fran, Jamey Sheridan is so over-the-top as Flagg that he's not scary, again, love Laura San Giacomo, but either she or the director had the wrong approach for Nadine and it just didn't work (Nadine's a tortured idealist who basically goes mad! she's not a vamp!), and ugh forever to Rob Lowe. UGH. And the writing is okay but just doesn't capture some of my favorite parts from the book all that well, and the music is WRETCHED, and so on.
Why is it my favorite then? A lot of it's nostalgia - this is among the first "grown-up" TV I watched, although I'd already read the book at that point which is kinda wrong. I remember getting the big Stand preview issue of TV Guide and being super-excited about it. Honestly, though, a lot of my affection is less for the mini-series as it stands and more about the book upon which it's based - The Stand is my favorite King novel, and so much of it does come across, even if it's not the best.
That's not to say that I don't laugh at some of the really bad parts, though. I didn't feel like getting the DVD out and making caps, so I just Googled, and found someone's online review that was really quite scathing and mostly spot-on. The thing about King is that yeah, he sometimes paints himself into a corner ending-wise, and while the ending to The Stand in the book really works, I think, because it reads more archetypal and epic, in the mini it's, well, I'll let the online reviewer explain it:
Then ... okay, pay attention, this is where it gets good. You know the cloud of electricity or whatever that’s covering Bernard and Bitchface? Well, said cloud raises off of their dead bodies, floats over the crowd, then MORPHS INTO A GIANT CGI HAND. Suddenly, Mother Abigail’s voice says, “The promise has been kept, as God has willed it. Amen.” Ralph asks, “do you see it?” And Larry exclaims, “the hand of God!” THERE IS CURRENTLY A CGI HAND OF GOD ON THE SCREEN. THE DEUS EX MACHINA IN THIS MOVIE IS ACTUALLY GOD. Lloyd wins the entire fucking movie by pathetically screaming, “get away!!” at THE HAND OF GOD. Trash says with finality, “the fire for you,” then spreads his arms and looks to the sky. As the GIANT CGI HAND OF GOD embraces the bomb Mother Abigail’s voice says, “you done good, boys. Come on home.” Larry triumphantly sighs, “take us home,” and a pudding-faced Flagg morphs into a crow and flies away about two seconds before everything goes kablooey. No more Vegas.
Here's the thing about The Stand mini-series...it's not actually all that good. I know that it was actually really expensive to produce at the time, but it just looks...cheap. And very flat and uninspired. And while some of the casting is very good - Gary Sinise as Stu, Ruby Dee as Mother Abigail, Miguel Ferrer as Lloyd, and Matt Frewer as Trashcan Man - and some serviceable, there's some duds - I like Molly Ringwald, but she's completely wrong as Fran, Jamey Sheridan is so over-the-top as Flagg that he's not scary, again, love Laura San Giacomo, but either she or the director had the wrong approach for Nadine and it just didn't work (Nadine's a tortured idealist who basically goes mad! she's not a vamp!), and ugh forever to Rob Lowe. UGH. And the writing is okay but just doesn't capture some of my favorite parts from the book all that well, and the music is WRETCHED, and so on.
Why is it my favorite then? A lot of it's nostalgia - this is among the first "grown-up" TV I watched, although I'd already read the book at that point which is kinda wrong. I remember getting the big Stand preview issue of TV Guide and being super-excited about it. Honestly, though, a lot of my affection is less for the mini-series as it stands and more about the book upon which it's based - The Stand is my favorite King novel, and so much of it does come across, even if it's not the best.
That's not to say that I don't laugh at some of the really bad parts, though. I didn't feel like getting the DVD out and making caps, so I just Googled, and found someone's online review that was really quite scathing and mostly spot-on. The thing about King is that yeah, he sometimes paints himself into a corner ending-wise, and while the ending to The Stand in the book really works, I think, because it reads more archetypal and epic, in the mini it's, well, I'll let the online reviewer explain it:
Then ... okay, pay attention, this is where it gets good. You know the cloud of electricity or whatever that’s covering Bernard and Bitchface? Well, said cloud raises off of their dead bodies, floats over the crowd, then MORPHS INTO A GIANT CGI HAND. Suddenly, Mother Abigail’s voice says, “The promise has been kept, as God has willed it. Amen.” Ralph asks, “do you see it?” And Larry exclaims, “the hand of God!” THERE IS CURRENTLY A CGI HAND OF GOD ON THE SCREEN. THE DEUS EX MACHINA IN THIS MOVIE IS ACTUALLY GOD. Lloyd wins the entire fucking movie by pathetically screaming, “get away!!” at THE HAND OF GOD. Trash says with finality, “the fire for you,” then spreads his arms and looks to the sky. As the GIANT CGI HAND OF GOD embraces the bomb Mother Abigail’s voice says, “you done good, boys. Come on home.” Larry triumphantly sighs, “take us home,” and a pudding-faced Flagg morphs into a crow and flies away about two seconds before everything goes kablooey. No more Vegas.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
May New Media.
Books
22. Nazi Germany and the Jews: Volume 1: The Years of Persecution 1933-1939, Saul Friedländer. 5-7.
23. How to Write a Movie in 21 Days, Viki King. 5-9.
24. First Year Latin, Charles Jenney. 5-12.
25. These Three Remain, Pamela Aiden. 5-20.
26. From Dead to Worse, Charlaine Harris. 5-22.
27. The Evil That Men Do, Stephen G. Michaud and Roy Hazelwood. 5-29.
28. Nazi Germany and the Jews: Volume 2: The Years of Extermination 1939-1945, Saul Friedländer. 5-31.
Movies
18. Julie and Julia (2009). 5-2.
19. An Education (2009). 5-7.
20. The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). 5-14.
21. [Rec] (2007). 5-14.
22. The Vikings (1958). 5-15.
23. Shrek Forever After (2010). 5-25.
24. The Young Victoria (2009). 5-27.
25. Paranormal Activity (2007). 5-28.
26. Where the Wild Things Are (2009). 5-30.
Television Episodes
161. Fringe - 2x12 - “Johari Window.” 5-1.
162. Fringe - 2x12 - “What Lies Below.” 5-1.
163. Babylon 5 - 2x06 - “A Spider in the Web.” 5-2.
164. Babylon 5 - 2x07 - “Soul Mates.” 5-2.
165. Babylon 5 - 2x08 - “A Race Through Dark Places.” 5-3.
166. Fringe - 2x13 - “The Bishop Revival.” 5-3.
167. Glee - 1x17 - “Bad Reputation.” 5-4.
168. Fringe - 2x14 - “Jacksonville.” 5-4.
169. Fringe - 2x15 - “Peter.” 5-4.
170. Modern Family - 1x22- “Airport 2010.” 5-5.
171. Fringe - 2x16 - “Olivia. In the Lab. With the Revolver.” 5-5.
172. The Office - 6x22 - “The Cover-Up.” 5-6.
173. 30 Rock - 4x20 - “The Moms.” 5-6.
174. Fringe - 2x17 - “White Tulip.” 5-6.
175. Fringe - 2x18 - “The Man From the Other Side.” 5-7.
176. Fringe - 2x19 - “Brown Betty.” 5-7.
177. Supernatural - 2x03 - “Bloodlust.” 5-8.
178. Babylon 5 - 2x09 - “The Coming of Shadows.” 5-8.
179. Babylon 5 - 2x10 - “GROPOS.” 5-9.
180. Babylon 5 - 2x11 - “All Alone in the Night.” 5-9.
181. How I Met Your Mother - 5x01 - “Definitions.” 5-9.
182. Babylon 5 - 2x12 - “Acts of Sacrifice.” 5-10.
183. Fringe - 2x20 - “Northwest Passage.” 5-10.
184. Glee - 1x18 - “Laryngitis.” 5-11.
185. Deadwood - 3x01 - “Tell Your God to Ready for Blood.” 5-11.
186. Modern Family - 1x23 - “Hawaii.” 5-12.
187. How I Met Your Mother - 5x02 - “Double Date.” 5-12.
188. The Office - 6x23 - “The Chump.” 5-13.
189. 30 Rock - 4x21 - “Emmanuelle Goes to Dinosaur Land.” 5-13.
190. Babylon 5 - 2x13 - “Hunter, Prey.” 5-15.
191. Babylon 5 - 2x14 - “There All the Honor Lies.” 5-15.
192. Fringe - 2x21 - “Over There Part 1.” 5-16.
193. How I Met Your Mother - 5x03 - “Robin 101.” 5-16.
194. How I Met Your Mother - 5x04 - “The Sexless Innkeeper.” 5-17.
195. How I Met Your Mother - 5x05 - “Bagpipes.” 5-17.
196. Glee - 1x19 - “Dream On.” 5-18.
197. How I Met Your Mother - 5x06 - “The Rough Patch.” 5-18.
198. Modern Family - 1x24 - “Family Portrait.” 5-19.
199. How I Met Your Mother - 5x07 - “The Playbook.” 5-19.
200. The Office - 6x24 - “Whistleblower.” 5-20.
201. 30 Rock - 4x22 - “I Do Do.” 5-20.
202. How I Met Your Mother - 5x08 - “Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of the Slap.” 5-21.
203. How I Met Your Mother - 5x09 - “The Window.” 5-21.
204. Fringe - 2x22 - “Over There Part 2.” 5-22.
205. How I Met Your Mother - 5x10 - “Last Cigarette Ever.” 5-22.
206. Star Trek: The Next Generation - 5x24 - “The Next Phase.” 5-23.
207. Babylon 5 - 2x15 - “And Now For a Word.” 5-24.
208. Babylon 5 - 2x16 - “In the Shadow of Z’Ha’Dum.” 5-24.
209. Glee - 1x20 - “Theatricality.” 5-25.
210. How I Met Your Mother - 5x12 - “Girls Versus Suits.” 5-26.
So, I was reading a Fringe thread at TWOP, and someone posted a Babylon 5 spoiler right in the middle of a comment. Which, yeah, it's been off the air for ten years, okay. Still, that kind of thing usually has me bitching for days. In this case, however...see, I've kinda had a ship interest on B5. You know how mine usually go; something weird and unlikely to ever happen and if I'm lucky they're in the same scene together and maybe I'll get some dream/hallucination/spell thing at some point and that'll be it. I mean, hell, one of the characters is an alien. Turns out that my ship ends up being the main relationship of the whole show! Hot damn, you guys! I may have spent some time on YouTube watching shippy fanvids with this look on my face.
Books
22. Nazi Germany and the Jews: Volume 1: The Years of Persecution 1933-1939, Saul Friedländer. 5-7.
23. How to Write a Movie in 21 Days, Viki King. 5-9.
24. First Year Latin, Charles Jenney. 5-12.
25. These Three Remain, Pamela Aiden. 5-20.
26. From Dead to Worse, Charlaine Harris. 5-22.
27. The Evil That Men Do, Stephen G. Michaud and Roy Hazelwood. 5-29.
28. Nazi Germany and the Jews: Volume 2: The Years of Extermination 1939-1945, Saul Friedländer. 5-31.
Movies
18. Julie and Julia (2009). 5-2.
19. An Education (2009). 5-7.
20. The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). 5-14.
21. [Rec] (2007). 5-14.
22. The Vikings (1958). 5-15.
23. Shrek Forever After (2010). 5-25.
24. The Young Victoria (2009). 5-27.
25. Paranormal Activity (2007). 5-28.
26. Where the Wild Things Are (2009). 5-30.
Television Episodes
161. Fringe - 2x12 - “Johari Window.” 5-1.
162. Fringe - 2x12 - “What Lies Below.” 5-1.
163. Babylon 5 - 2x06 - “A Spider in the Web.” 5-2.
164. Babylon 5 - 2x07 - “Soul Mates.” 5-2.
165. Babylon 5 - 2x08 - “A Race Through Dark Places.” 5-3.
166. Fringe - 2x13 - “The Bishop Revival.” 5-3.
167. Glee - 1x17 - “Bad Reputation.” 5-4.
168. Fringe - 2x14 - “Jacksonville.” 5-4.
169. Fringe - 2x15 - “Peter.” 5-4.
170. Modern Family - 1x22- “Airport 2010.” 5-5.
171. Fringe - 2x16 - “Olivia. In the Lab. With the Revolver.” 5-5.
172. The Office - 6x22 - “The Cover-Up.” 5-6.
173. 30 Rock - 4x20 - “The Moms.” 5-6.
174. Fringe - 2x17 - “White Tulip.” 5-6.
175. Fringe - 2x18 - “The Man From the Other Side.” 5-7.
176. Fringe - 2x19 - “Brown Betty.” 5-7.
177. Supernatural - 2x03 - “Bloodlust.” 5-8.
178. Babylon 5 - 2x09 - “The Coming of Shadows.” 5-8.
179. Babylon 5 - 2x10 - “GROPOS.” 5-9.
180. Babylon 5 - 2x11 - “All Alone in the Night.” 5-9.
181. How I Met Your Mother - 5x01 - “Definitions.” 5-9.
182. Babylon 5 - 2x12 - “Acts of Sacrifice.” 5-10.
183. Fringe - 2x20 - “Northwest Passage.” 5-10.
184. Glee - 1x18 - “Laryngitis.” 5-11.
185. Deadwood - 3x01 - “Tell Your God to Ready for Blood.” 5-11.
186. Modern Family - 1x23 - “Hawaii.” 5-12.
187. How I Met Your Mother - 5x02 - “Double Date.” 5-12.
188. The Office - 6x23 - “The Chump.” 5-13.
189. 30 Rock - 4x21 - “Emmanuelle Goes to Dinosaur Land.” 5-13.
190. Babylon 5 - 2x13 - “Hunter, Prey.” 5-15.
191. Babylon 5 - 2x14 - “There All the Honor Lies.” 5-15.
192. Fringe - 2x21 - “Over There Part 1.” 5-16.
193. How I Met Your Mother - 5x03 - “Robin 101.” 5-16.
194. How I Met Your Mother - 5x04 - “The Sexless Innkeeper.” 5-17.
195. How I Met Your Mother - 5x05 - “Bagpipes.” 5-17.
196. Glee - 1x19 - “Dream On.” 5-18.
197. How I Met Your Mother - 5x06 - “The Rough Patch.” 5-18.
198. Modern Family - 1x24 - “Family Portrait.” 5-19.
199. How I Met Your Mother - 5x07 - “The Playbook.” 5-19.
200. The Office - 6x24 - “Whistleblower.” 5-20.
201. 30 Rock - 4x22 - “I Do Do.” 5-20.
202. How I Met Your Mother - 5x08 - “Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of the Slap.” 5-21.
203. How I Met Your Mother - 5x09 - “The Window.” 5-21.
204. Fringe - 2x22 - “Over There Part 2.” 5-22.
205. How I Met Your Mother - 5x10 - “Last Cigarette Ever.” 5-22.
206. Star Trek: The Next Generation - 5x24 - “The Next Phase.” 5-23.
207. Babylon 5 - 2x15 - “And Now For a Word.” 5-24.
208. Babylon 5 - 2x16 - “In the Shadow of Z’Ha’Dum.” 5-24.
209. Glee - 1x20 - “Theatricality.” 5-25.
210. How I Met Your Mother - 5x12 - “Girls Versus Suits.” 5-26.
So, I was reading a Fringe thread at TWOP, and someone posted a Babylon 5 spoiler right in the middle of a comment. Which, yeah, it's been off the air for ten years, okay. Still, that kind of thing usually has me bitching for days. In this case, however...see, I've kinda had a ship interest on B5. You know how mine usually go; something weird and unlikely to ever happen and if I'm lucky they're in the same scene together and maybe I'll get some dream/hallucination/spell thing at some point and that'll be it. I mean, hell, one of the characters is an alien. Turns out that my ship ends up being the main relationship of the whole show! Hot damn, you guys! I may have spent some time on YouTube watching shippy fanvids with this look on my face.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Day 16 - Your guilty pleasure show.
I've been thinking of this one off and on since I first started this meme, and have finally come to the conclusion that I will refrain from answering, based on principle. I hate the term "guilty pleasure" whether it refers to TV, movies, books, or any other kind of entertainment. There's a connotation that something should be "worthy" of having attention bestowed upon it, that, for instance, a TV show should be "good," however one defines that, and if it's not, then one should feel guilty for enjoying it.
I think I first had an aversion to the term when I started seeing it in conjunction with genre shows; SF shows with small followings referred to as "guilty pleasures," as though we were all hiding in our homes, curtains securely drawn, hoping the neighbors wouldn't come by and see us watching a show about aliens or robots or monsters. Worse than just watching, enjoying. "Guilty pleasure" is just another way of expressing genre bias most of the time, whatever that genre may be - no one ever refers to a straight-forward drama as a guilty pleasure. It's always SF or fantasy or reality or silly comedy.
I figure that if something entertains you, then you shouldn't feel guilty about it. There are lots of different reasons for watching a TV show - the genre, the writing, the stories, characters, actors, mise-en-scène, the music, some combination thereof, the whole package - and whatever those reasons may be, they're legitimate enough to spend your time on. Why feel guilty about that? Why apologize for liking something? I don't watch any TV shows out of a sense of obligation - once I feel that way, I stop watching - I watch because I enjoy them. Even if one show isn't as objectively "good" as something else - which can be hard to determine - that doesn't mean it still can't be entertaining. I don't have any guilty pleasures. I'm happy to admit to everything I watch, and don't care what anyone else feels about it.
I've been thinking of this one off and on since I first started this meme, and have finally come to the conclusion that I will refrain from answering, based on principle. I hate the term "guilty pleasure" whether it refers to TV, movies, books, or any other kind of entertainment. There's a connotation that something should be "worthy" of having attention bestowed upon it, that, for instance, a TV show should be "good," however one defines that, and if it's not, then one should feel guilty for enjoying it.
I think I first had an aversion to the term when I started seeing it in conjunction with genre shows; SF shows with small followings referred to as "guilty pleasures," as though we were all hiding in our homes, curtains securely drawn, hoping the neighbors wouldn't come by and see us watching a show about aliens or robots or monsters. Worse than just watching, enjoying. "Guilty pleasure" is just another way of expressing genre bias most of the time, whatever that genre may be - no one ever refers to a straight-forward drama as a guilty pleasure. It's always SF or fantasy or reality or silly comedy.
I figure that if something entertains you, then you shouldn't feel guilty about it. There are lots of different reasons for watching a TV show - the genre, the writing, the stories, characters, actors, mise-en-scène, the music, some combination thereof, the whole package - and whatever those reasons may be, they're legitimate enough to spend your time on. Why feel guilty about that? Why apologize for liking something? I don't watch any TV shows out of a sense of obligation - once I feel that way, I stop watching - I watch because I enjoy them. Even if one show isn't as objectively "good" as something else - which can be hard to determine - that doesn't mean it still can't be entertaining. I don't have any guilty pleasures. I'm happy to admit to everything I watch, and don't care what anyone else feels about it.