Bill Bodden's Blog - Posts Tagged "recommendation"
What's Wrong With Marvel's Agents Of Shield?
There's been a lot of talk on social media over the last few weeks about the ABC Network's television series,
"Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D."
. Some comments about the show have been negative, some positive, but mostly, people are still talking about it, which is a good sign.
Many of the comments state opinions that the show started off too slowly, and that people are giving up on it. Fair point; it did take a while to really get going, but the script writing has been pretty solid in my humble opinion. Mostly, what I'm getting from people is that they expected to see lots of superheroes involved in this show; I get it, but I have to admit that frankly, this isn't a realistic expectation.
When you add superheroes into the mix, the budget skyrockets. You have to generate tons of special effects; when you're talking feature films with budgets in the hundreds of millions of dollars for two hours worth of movie, yeah, sure, go crazy with that CGI stuff. On the other hand, when your budget is, let say for example, one million dollars an episode -- which has to cover everything from cast and crew salaries, to wardrobe, to set design and building (and location scouting/ procurement), and even paying for lunch for everybody, there just isn't a lot left for dazzling special effects. It totally makes sense. If you've ever read the original Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. comic books from back in the mid-1960s, you already know that the supers only showed up once in a while; it was about espionage and fighting the bad guys.
Personally, I agree that the show started off a bit slowly. I like that it's a primarily an espionage/thriller series and has links to comic book superheroes, and the recent inclusion of Marvel character Deathlok (Sorry! No more spoilers, I promise!) has -- or should have -- amped up interest considerably. Having stuck with the show since it premiered last fall, I feel invested in the characters, and want to see what happens next.
Guest appearances by the non-superpowered heroes -- like Black Widow, Hawkeye, or even Nick Fury -- would be awesome, but I suspect that getting the stars who portrayed these characters in the films would be a budget-buster right off the bat. I would definitely settle for other, low-powered heroes like Nighthawk, Luke Cage, Iron Fist; some of the small-time villains like Shocker, Constrictor, or Baron Zemo, would add a little oomph to the show.
We've been DVR-ing Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. so far, but this week we watched the show live, and I can see it developing into an actual EVENT in our household, where we actually plan to watch it while it's being broadcast instead of waiting for later. That impatience on our part tells me one thing, and it's the only thing I need to know about this show: they're doing it right, and it's working. It's a good show, even if it can't showcase superheroes every week. I hope you'll consider giving the show a chance; it's worth your time.
Many of the comments state opinions that the show started off too slowly, and that people are giving up on it. Fair point; it did take a while to really get going, but the script writing has been pretty solid in my humble opinion. Mostly, what I'm getting from people is that they expected to see lots of superheroes involved in this show; I get it, but I have to admit that frankly, this isn't a realistic expectation.
When you add superheroes into the mix, the budget skyrockets. You have to generate tons of special effects; when you're talking feature films with budgets in the hundreds of millions of dollars for two hours worth of movie, yeah, sure, go crazy with that CGI stuff. On the other hand, when your budget is, let say for example, one million dollars an episode -- which has to cover everything from cast and crew salaries, to wardrobe, to set design and building (and location scouting/ procurement), and even paying for lunch for everybody, there just isn't a lot left for dazzling special effects. It totally makes sense. If you've ever read the original Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. comic books from back in the mid-1960s, you already know that the supers only showed up once in a while; it was about espionage and fighting the bad guys.
Personally, I agree that the show started off a bit slowly. I like that it's a primarily an espionage/thriller series and has links to comic book superheroes, and the recent inclusion of Marvel character Deathlok (Sorry! No more spoilers, I promise!) has -- or should have -- amped up interest considerably. Having stuck with the show since it premiered last fall, I feel invested in the characters, and want to see what happens next.
Guest appearances by the non-superpowered heroes -- like Black Widow, Hawkeye, or even Nick Fury -- would be awesome, but I suspect that getting the stars who portrayed these characters in the films would be a budget-buster right off the bat. I would definitely settle for other, low-powered heroes like Nighthawk, Luke Cage, Iron Fist; some of the small-time villains like Shocker, Constrictor, or Baron Zemo, would add a little oomph to the show.
We've been DVR-ing Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. so far, but this week we watched the show live, and I can see it developing into an actual EVENT in our household, where we actually plan to watch it while it's being broadcast instead of waiting for later. That impatience on our part tells me one thing, and it's the only thing I need to know about this show: they're doing it right, and it's working. It's a good show, even if it can't showcase superheroes every week. I hope you'll consider giving the show a chance; it's worth your time.
One of My Favorite FIlms: Buckaroo Banzai
Warning: This appreciation contains a few modest spoilers.
The first time I saw The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai: Across the 8th Dimension, was at Wiscon in February or March of 1986. I sat down with a friend to watch it in the film room, and was instantly hooked by its quirkiness, the fun dialogue, and the imaginative story. I came out of the film room only to find someone had stolen my coat and hat from the easily accessible coat rack; walking home in subfreezing weather was decidedly less fun.
Directed by W.D. Richter and written by Earl Mac Rauch, the story concerns the exploits of a scientist/musician/genius/celebrity, Buckaroo Banzai, and his band of associates. He and his crack team of scientists discover a way to travel between dimensions, and this attracts the attention of the world. A group of aliens, the Red Lectroids, stranded on earth since the 1930s and masquerading as high-tech defense contractors for the US Government, find Buckaroo's inter-dimensional travel inspiring; they've been trying to develop similar technology themselves in order to return to their home planet (Planet 10) and seize control, having been deposed by the more numerous Black Lectroids.
The cast is a pretty stellar list today, though back then most of them were relatively unknown actors: Peter Weller in the title role; Jeff Goldblum, who had already appeared in The Big Chill and would have a subsequent role in Silverado; Ellen Barkin co-stars as Buckaroo's love interest, but her role seemed forced, as if the writers felt they needed a female lead but weren't exactly sure what to do about it; John Lithgow, in perhaps his most over the top performance ever, plays the chief villain of the piece, whose backstory is possibly more complicated that the script itself.
Also appearing in this film is a veritable who's who of character actors: The late Vincent Schiavelli (Batman Returns, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest); Clancy Brown (Highlander, The Shawshank Redemption, Starship Troopers) in an all-too short role but with a dramatic death scene; Christopher Lloyd (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Back to the Future, Addams Family) does his usual great turn as an alien; veteran voice actor Carl Lumbly (perhaps best know as the voice of Martian Manhunter in the Justice League Animated Series) also as an alien; Dan Hedaya (The Addams Family, Alien Resurrection) as another alien; even comedian Yakov Smirnoff gets into the act, playing a vaguely Kissinger-like Secretary of State.
Despite an obviously low budget, the film is put together well. The pacing is near perfect, the various performances are entrancing, funny, weird, and delightful, and the premise itself was highly creative. Buckaroo relies heavily on his cohorts for support and even rescue, making this far more of an ensemble cast than it would appear to be at first. The sets are low-budget as well, but they work, and are believable and not distracting. The production design for the alien technology was fascinating and highly inventive, delivering a view of beings that are totally alien to humans quite successfully.
One thing this film was full of is background activity. When in the lair of the Red Lecrtroids, one hears recorded, inspirational messages over the loudspeakers, exhorting the workers to work hard and be loyal to their leader. There is even the classic "Watermelon" scene, a reference to a bizarre bit of set decoration, that is quoted endlessly by fans far and wide. These factors give the film strong rewatch value, as there are constantly new things to discover.
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai: Across the 8th Dimension had an interesting array of cross-marketing ideas attempted, including comics books and a variety of tchotchkies and knick-knacks, none of which seemed to catch on. Today graphic novels expanding the exploits of Buckaroo and his band, the Hong Kong Cavaliers, are readily available and reasonably popular - especially for a thirty year-old film franchise with no new films or TV series to help drive sales. The only thing I wish had been produced but wasn't is a soundtrack album. Several original pieces of music from the film are catchy and quite danceable, though I suspect there just wasn't enough material for a full album.
I was unable to find figures for the film's production budget, but it only grossed $6.25 million domestically in theaters; not an auspicious figure, to be sure, even for thirty years ago. It has continued to earn revenue since then however, being a staple of sci-fi and adventure-based programming on a variety of television channels.
Buckaroo Banzai, despite its 80s fashions and obvious cheesiness, remains relevant to this day in terms of its exploration of sci-fi themes. Well worth the time to track down, it's a fun film to watch and has developed into a cult classic. Even today Buckaroo Banzai: Across the 8th Dimension is frequently part of the film offerings at sci-fi conventions, and attracts both veteran and novice viewers. This year marks the 30th anniversary of its release, which makes it even more timely to find a copy for viewing.
***
On an unrelated note, I wanted to mention that I've been invited back to Geek-Kon again this year as a special guest. My schedule isn't finalized yet, but I know for sure I'll be involved in the "Game With the Guests" charity event on Friday night. Check out the Convention/Event Appearances tab on my home page for updates and further details.
The first time I saw The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai: Across the 8th Dimension, was at Wiscon in February or March of 1986. I sat down with a friend to watch it in the film room, and was instantly hooked by its quirkiness, the fun dialogue, and the imaginative story. I came out of the film room only to find someone had stolen my coat and hat from the easily accessible coat rack; walking home in subfreezing weather was decidedly less fun.
Directed by W.D. Richter and written by Earl Mac Rauch, the story concerns the exploits of a scientist/musician/genius/celebrity, Buckaroo Banzai, and his band of associates. He and his crack team of scientists discover a way to travel between dimensions, and this attracts the attention of the world. A group of aliens, the Red Lectroids, stranded on earth since the 1930s and masquerading as high-tech defense contractors for the US Government, find Buckaroo's inter-dimensional travel inspiring; they've been trying to develop similar technology themselves in order to return to their home planet (Planet 10) and seize control, having been deposed by the more numerous Black Lectroids.
The cast is a pretty stellar list today, though back then most of them were relatively unknown actors: Peter Weller in the title role; Jeff Goldblum, who had already appeared in The Big Chill and would have a subsequent role in Silverado; Ellen Barkin co-stars as Buckaroo's love interest, but her role seemed forced, as if the writers felt they needed a female lead but weren't exactly sure what to do about it; John Lithgow, in perhaps his most over the top performance ever, plays the chief villain of the piece, whose backstory is possibly more complicated that the script itself.
Also appearing in this film is a veritable who's who of character actors: The late Vincent Schiavelli (Batman Returns, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest); Clancy Brown (Highlander, The Shawshank Redemption, Starship Troopers) in an all-too short role but with a dramatic death scene; Christopher Lloyd (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Back to the Future, Addams Family) does his usual great turn as an alien; veteran voice actor Carl Lumbly (perhaps best know as the voice of Martian Manhunter in the Justice League Animated Series) also as an alien; Dan Hedaya (The Addams Family, Alien Resurrection) as another alien; even comedian Yakov Smirnoff gets into the act, playing a vaguely Kissinger-like Secretary of State.
Despite an obviously low budget, the film is put together well. The pacing is near perfect, the various performances are entrancing, funny, weird, and delightful, and the premise itself was highly creative. Buckaroo relies heavily on his cohorts for support and even rescue, making this far more of an ensemble cast than it would appear to be at first. The sets are low-budget as well, but they work, and are believable and not distracting. The production design for the alien technology was fascinating and highly inventive, delivering a view of beings that are totally alien to humans quite successfully.
One thing this film was full of is background activity. When in the lair of the Red Lecrtroids, one hears recorded, inspirational messages over the loudspeakers, exhorting the workers to work hard and be loyal to their leader. There is even the classic "Watermelon" scene, a reference to a bizarre bit of set decoration, that is quoted endlessly by fans far and wide. These factors give the film strong rewatch value, as there are constantly new things to discover.
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai: Across the 8th Dimension had an interesting array of cross-marketing ideas attempted, including comics books and a variety of tchotchkies and knick-knacks, none of which seemed to catch on. Today graphic novels expanding the exploits of Buckaroo and his band, the Hong Kong Cavaliers, are readily available and reasonably popular - especially for a thirty year-old film franchise with no new films or TV series to help drive sales. The only thing I wish had been produced but wasn't is a soundtrack album. Several original pieces of music from the film are catchy and quite danceable, though I suspect there just wasn't enough material for a full album.
I was unable to find figures for the film's production budget, but it only grossed $6.25 million domestically in theaters; not an auspicious figure, to be sure, even for thirty years ago. It has continued to earn revenue since then however, being a staple of sci-fi and adventure-based programming on a variety of television channels.
Buckaroo Banzai, despite its 80s fashions and obvious cheesiness, remains relevant to this day in terms of its exploration of sci-fi themes. Well worth the time to track down, it's a fun film to watch and has developed into a cult classic. Even today Buckaroo Banzai: Across the 8th Dimension is frequently part of the film offerings at sci-fi conventions, and attracts both veteran and novice viewers. This year marks the 30th anniversary of its release, which makes it even more timely to find a copy for viewing.
***
On an unrelated note, I wanted to mention that I've been invited back to Geek-Kon again this year as a special guest. My schedule isn't finalized yet, but I know for sure I'll be involved in the "Game With the Guests" charity event on Friday night. Check out the Convention/Event Appearances tab on my home page for updates and further details.
Grand Masquerade Inspiration
As you read this, I will be wending my way home from the
Grand Masquerade
in New Orleans. It's been an interesting trip, full of companionship and chaos, and was my first-ever visit to the Crescent City.
The Grand Masquerade is not held every year, and I can see why; the logistics involved in running a convention that moves around can be daunting to say the least. The last Grand Masquerade was also held in New Orleans, but five years ago. New Orleans has a spiritual connection to vampires thanks to the primary setting of Anne Rice's novel Interview With A Vampire.
A conversation I had with my buddy Matt McElroy and a new friend, Shannon C. from the UK, leads me to post about some of my favorite vampires of cinema. Our discussion was much more basic, but as it progressed, I realized...
To read the rest of this post, please visit BillBodden.com
The Grand Masquerade is not held every year, and I can see why; the logistics involved in running a convention that moves around can be daunting to say the least. The last Grand Masquerade was also held in New Orleans, but five years ago. New Orleans has a spiritual connection to vampires thanks to the primary setting of Anne Rice's novel Interview With A Vampire.
A conversation I had with my buddy Matt McElroy and a new friend, Shannon C. from the UK, leads me to post about some of my favorite vampires of cinema. Our discussion was much more basic, but as it progressed, I realized...
To read the rest of this post, please visit BillBodden.com
Getting Animated!
I've been hooked by several animated TV shows recently, and I find them just the right mix of goofy, immature humor, clever plotting, interesting character development, and sly, understated humor.
The first one is Steven Universe, which I've written about before . The second is Gravity Falls, and the third is my most recent discovery, Star vs. the Forces of Evil...
To read the rest of this post, please visit http://billbodden.com/2017/02/20/gett...
The first one is Steven Universe, which I've written about before . The second is Gravity Falls, and the third is my most recent discovery, Star vs. the Forces of Evil...
To read the rest of this post, please visit http://billbodden.com/2017/02/20/gett...
Oh, For the Love of Zardoz!
We as a culture love bad movies. Seriously: look how many have been lionized far beyond their relative level of quality. The best example I can come up with is the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Let's be honest: it's a lousy movie. However, it has an enduring life as an audience participation film, plus hordes of horny teens (mentally, if not physically) flocking to see it thinking they're participating in a truly edgy sexual experience, and getting to say the word "virgin" over and over. Yeah.
Anyway, where Rocky Horror really took off was when the audience started to shout lines back at the screen in answer to lines of dialogue. People started dressing up as their favorite characters from the film (arguably also starting the Cosplay movement in the US) and act out scenes from the film in pantomime.
In the late 1980s/early 1990s, I was in Minneapolis staying with some friends when I was introduced to Mystery Science Theater 3000...
To read the rest of this post, please visit: http://billbodden.com/2019/04/15/oh-f...
Disappointing Zombies
I went to see the latest Jim Jarmusch film, "The Dead Don't Die" recently. To be honest, zombies aren't really my thing. However, I was highly impressed with Jarmusch's moody, dream-like vampire film, "Only Lovers Left Alive," and wanted to see what he could do with the mindless undead. I had been thoroughly captivated by the previews, which made the film look like it was as much a comedy as a horror show. Here's a link to the official trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs5ZOcU6Bnw
I have to admit I was disappointed in this film. It seemed to have a bunch of great ideas and more than a few good lines, but...
To read the rest of this post, please visit:
http://billbodden.com/2019/07/01/disa...
I have to admit I was disappointed in this film. It seemed to have a bunch of great ideas and more than a few good lines, but...
To read the rest of this post, please visit:
http://billbodden.com/2019/07/01/disa...
My Favorite Vampires
'Tis the season, and all that.
A great deal of my published writing has involved vampires in one way or another so it seems only fitting that I share a few of my favorite vampire films during this most festive of seasons.
I realize there are TONS of vampire films out there, and nearly as many "best of" lists pertaining to them, but hear me out, please: not all vampires are created equal, and some are downright ludicrous. This list will be, I hope, a few new films for you to check out, plus some favorites and a few classics. A couple of them I've recommended before, but all of them are quality films for your viewing pleasure. So without further ado...
To read the rest of this post, please visit: http://billbodden.com/2019/10/14/my-f...
A great deal of my published writing has involved vampires in one way or another so it seems only fitting that I share a few of my favorite vampire films during this most festive of seasons.
I realize there are TONS of vampire films out there, and nearly as many "best of" lists pertaining to them, but hear me out, please: not all vampires are created equal, and some are downright ludicrous. This list will be, I hope, a few new films for you to check out, plus some favorites and a few classics. A couple of them I've recommended before, but all of them are quality films for your viewing pleasure. So without further ado...
To read the rest of this post, please visit: http://billbodden.com/2019/10/14/my-f...
