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I was prepared for this movie to be disappointing, but I'm afraid it's worse than even my low expectations have imagined. I haven't seen it yet, but my friends who are interested in the French Revolution and Napoleonic periods (many who are authors and historians themselves) have seen it, and they've hated it. They've told me it's not only inaccurate, sexist and reactionary, but it's boring. Also, who the hell is this movie for? Nobody knows.

Sarah Hammell, author of… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 12:36 AM on November 28, 2023

So I finally saw Napoleon (2023).

This is possibly the most soporifically boring, relentlessly mediocre so-called "epic" I have had the misfortune to see.

Plotless, pointless, and devoid of anything approaching characterization, the movie can be best described as reenacted scenes from a wikipedia article about Napoleon as written by the Anti-Jacobin.

The whole thing is suffused with British reactionary… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 3:22 PM on December 29, 2023

@Dirtyoldtown, that's very cool! BTW, no one's ever made a Fanfare post about Gravity. Is anyone game to do it? It came out ten years ago, whoa!
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 4:23 AM on June 30, 2023

I really enjoyed this movie! I went into it for William Atherton-- I think he's a phenomenal and sadly underrated actor-- but for the most part I was expecting "Smokey and the Bandit" with Goldie Hawn. But it was delightful. Two hours just flew by. Smartly paced, beautifully acted, it had the Spielberg sentimentality but it wasn't cloying. It's charming, funny, and yet bittersweet, with (what seems to me) some actual Texan authenticity on account of the locations.… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 11:00 PM on February 8, 2023

Thanks for the link to Lindy West's post, skycrashesdown-- it was great and very funny. It sums up many of my feelings about the movie. I tried watching it on network TV around 1990, and I could barely watch 10 minutes of it. I found it absolutely repellent. The fact that the grandparents molesting their granddaughter was played for laughs grossed me out to no end.
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 2:23 AM on November 10, 2022

Well, that happened. The finale had some exciting bits, some perplexing bits, and I am assured this is all just backstory for the real story starting next season, which... eh?

So I was talking to my co-workers about this first season of HOTD, and while they were all extremely hyped at the beginning of the season, their enthusiasm has waned. We discussed how we were less than thrilled with the time jumps, the constant recasting (with… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 3:31 PM on October 24, 2022

This episode was much less terrible than the last one. It was... fine? I didn't hate it.

But JFC the time jumps are ridiculous. I'm a book reader, and I can barely follow what's happening to whom. Who are all these new actors? Why does Aemond look so much older than his mother? Aemond looks 30 now and his nephews look like they're still in high school? While Daemon, Criston Cole and Otto Hightower still look like they haven't aged a day. And new Aegon looks completely… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 3:17 PM on October 10, 2022

The servant girl was dead as soon as Alicent said "I know you won't."

Later when another servant girl asked after her, in response she got a hug that looked like an "oh dearie, haven't you heard?" kind of hug.

I would not be surprised to discover she is dead, but it's kept ambiguous. Unfortunately, this is another plot thread the show will probably end up dropping.
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 11:31 AM on October 11, 2022

God, I hated this episode SO MUCH. What a lot of cartoonish telenovela nonsense. And the "put on the bus" change to Laenor's story (as opposed to F&B where he's just murdered) just opens up a whole new slew of plot holes which I guarantee the show is never, ever going to address. Because they're dedicated to this bullshit GOT S8 style speedrun though all the plot points. UGH.

Let's not forget the terrible day-for-night that took up half the episode and made… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 2:28 PM on October 10, 2022

I 100% agree, Saxon Kane.

This was the first episode of HOTD I actually hated. The show has so much going for it, but they're shooting themselves in the foot with the ridiculous pacing and the time jumps. Also, I have a lot of issues with the new cast. They're giving it their all, but they are sooooo different from the previous cast. I also dislike how, by and large, the women characters are being replaced with slightly older actors, but the men (except for Laenor) have… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 6:29 PM on September 26, 2022

I'm still processing this episode, but I would love to hear what everyone thinks! TBH one of my favorite parts of HOTD is all the water-cooler discussion that comes around afterwards.
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 3:23 PM on September 19, 2022

I was on the meh side after the first two episodes, but "Second of His Name" won me over. You've got a lavish royal hunt with amazing production design, lots of political intrigue, great character beats, fantastic acting by Paddy Considine, Milly Alcock and Matt Smith, and nice dollops of the darkest humor imaginable. Including, but not limited to:

--"My prince! Save me!!" *squelch*

--"Perhaps may I suggest a solution...… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 9:45 PM on September 5, 2022

My fellow fantasy nerd co-workers were raving about this episode, so I went into it with... shall I say... heightened expectations. Which I can't say were entirely met. It was fine. Paddy Considine was outstanding-- I actually found myself tearing up during the part of the birthing scene where he made the decision to get Aemma cut open. But other actors, as it's been noted by others, I found awfully wooden (like Sonoya Mizuno). It really is like one of those Starz period dramas like Becoming… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 7:00 PM on August 25, 2022

So, count me as someone who did not love this season. Though I think it was pretty great until the ending, which, for me, completely fell flat. It went from delightful timey-wimey weirdness to... a psychedelic therapy session. The "moral of the story" at the end felt so pat. "You can't change anything! You just have to accept what happened. You need to move on and grieve, etc." Which... eh. Is that it? If I wanted trite truisms I could just read a self-help book.… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 5:57 PM on April 28, 2022

Once again, here's me with an unpopular opinion, but holy shit I HATED THIS MOVIE.

Here's some necessary background. To begin: a few years ago, I asked the fine people of Fanfare if I should see Coco, because "TBH I actually hate watching movies about large, loving families because that is so far from my experience, and I resent it." I was reassured I would love it anyway, but I was skeptical; I decided to pass on it. Well, for much the same reasons I wanted to… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 1:17 AM on January 26, 2020

This all sounds very intriguing. I love Brian Froud's artwork. As a kid, I really wanted to see the movie when it came out, but my mom refused because she thought it was too dark for me...? Or satanic? It's hard to say.

Anyway, I saw the movie in my thirties, and I was underwhelmed. It seemed okay, but there's nothing I remember about it, other than it had a cool look. Should I watch the series if there's no nostalgia in it for me, or am I best off watching other things?
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 8:46 PM on September 2, 2019

Rather be jorting, I just watched the trailer, and wow! I'm a sucker for high fantasy with glowing jewels and chaotic dark forces and Adventure, plus I LOVE practical effects, so I think I should resubscribe to Netflix and watch this.

One more question. Will it make sense to me if I don't remember the original movie at all?
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 10:42 PM on September 2, 2019

Hey, it's my old buddy Steve! Steve Martell, the new prince of Dorne!
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 2:37 AM on May 20, 2019

I LOVED IT! So much! Little hearts from my eyes! I had no expectations but it met all of them. That was some heavy metal Shakespearean epic pulp, and OMG I stan it so much.

So, therefore, as soon as it was over, I knew everyone would hate it and bitch about it endlessly. Which is what I saw as soon as I checked into the Fanfare thread. I truly have #unpopularopinions

So while I do have mixed feelings about this season, I thought this episode was… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 11:46 PM on May 12, 2019

Justinian, I thought it was interesting the two AV Club reviews had such wildly different grades. I understand many of the points made in the experts review; but I would say that my feelings are generally in line with the Newbies review.
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 12:15 AM on May 13, 2019

Torticat, you're not the only one to still enjoy the show. I cried like a baby when Sansa pinned the dire wolf on Theon. I fanned myself during Jaime and Brienne's scene, as awkward as it was. I was very sad when Jaime left her. I thought Varys and Tyrion's conversation was fascinating. Let's see what happens! I'm still on board.

So, I still enjoy it, and it still grips me, even though I roll my eyes at certain parts. Sometimes I feel like it's nudging closer to… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 12:03 AM on May 7, 2019

In the "Relationships over and/or doomed, or never got off the ground" category, you forgot to mention Sansa/Theon.

*sobs*
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 8:21 PM on May 7, 2019

So last week people were complaining that there weren't enough character moments.

Now this week people are complaining that there are too MANY character moments!?

Seriously WTF... Metafilter is NEVER pleased.

Anyway, I thought this episode was amazing-- a return to 2nd/3rd season brilliance. I loved it. I actually teared up when Theon reunited with Sansa, and Brienne got knighted! It felt so rewarding to a long-term… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 8:51 PM on April 21, 2019

I saw it. Eh. I didn't hate it. But I didn't love it either. Why am I so unimpressed with critical darlings the older I get?

The good news: there were great character moments (especially earlier in the film) that had me on the edge of my seat.

The bad news: However, I felt my attention dissolving over the course of the movie and I fought the urge to turn on my phone to check the time.

The good news: the costumes were… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 11:26 PM on November 30, 2018

BCS driven?
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 5:35 PM on October 28, 2018

Oh my God... this movie was so racist. Ugh, ugh, ugh.
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 9:31 PM on March 16, 2018

So, I'm white, and my family's tiny, and I'm not very close to them. Many of them are dead, but to be honest, most of them were awful people that I don't particularly miss. Is Coco a movie I can still enjoy? (TBH I actually hate watching movies about large, loving families because that is so far from my experience, and I resent it.)
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 4:41 AM on November 26, 2017

You know, I've tried to get into Dan Carlin before, through his ancient Persian history series. I love ancient Iranian history, and I believe I managed to get about two hours in on King of Kings I before my eyes crossed and I gave up. A three or four or God help me, six hour podcast is just way. way. WAY. too long for my attention span. I wish he would issue shorter podcasts and issue them in a longer series. People keep recommending him to me ("You love history!? Hey, you should try Dan… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 5:07 AM on August 12, 2017

Yeah, but I'm actually fairly well versed with ancient middle eastern history (I've read a lot about the Assyrians, for example). My interest in listening to hours about WWI or the Cold War is pretty nugatory. I really liked Carlin's super, super early podcasts that were under an hour, like his Alexander the Great one, but I can't deal with any podcasts (and I mean it) once they get over the two hour mark.
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 8:30 PM on August 13, 2017

I tried to do that with the Persian podcast, but I found it almost impossible to get back into the story again after not listening to it for a week or so. I think smaller podcasts would be ideal for someone like me, but chapter marks like in an audiobook-- as suggested upthread-- would help too.

BTW, I just listened to the two-part Pocahontas historical episodes on the otherwise folk-tale-centric "Myths and Legends" podcast, and it was AMAZING. The guy knows… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 4:41 PM on August 14, 2017

This is kind of a YMMV moment, isn't it, Torticat? Neither of you guys are wrong, it's just perception, isn't it?

Here's my two cents. I can kind of buy the attraction between Jon and Daenerys. It's not as good as the chemistry between Jon and Ygritte (or even Jon and Sansa), but it's there, I think. Sort of. I felt it percolating a little in the cave scene, but it's more than nugatory at least (as compared to a couple like Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Ann Moss). I liked… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 8:23 PM on August 7, 2017

I don't think the writing is that bad. I really enjoyed the first episode of this season. This one? I felt more "eh" about it, especially compared to last week, but I'll watch it again to see if I feel differently on the second viewing.

One of my co-workers (a fan of the books, of course) complained about the writing, comparing it unfavorably to GLOW. So yeah, by all accounts that's a great show (I haven't seen it yet), but it's a weird comparison. GLOW is a… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 1:48 AM on July 24, 2017

Ah, The Devils. Oh boy. I watched the theatrical release of this movie back in 2004 (I think on VHS, oh my word) and I wrote this review for IMDB.

Yes, Oliver Reed delivers a tour-de-force performance (not to mention he looks great). Vanessa Redgrave is both radiant and convincingly insane, and, on the whole, the movie is interesting, but hard for me to take very seriously. Evidently Ken Russell took many of the historical facts in Aldous Huxley's "The… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 10:24 PM on March 20, 2017

This was deliberate.

I figured it was, but it seemed lame and half-assed to me.
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 10:43 PM on March 22, 2017

This looks very interesting. Unfortunately there's no direct link to the podcasts, and it looks like you have to subscribe to some outfit's Patreon to get any access to the content. There's not even any introductory free episode to get you hooked. It's just advertisements and links to Amazon book pages all the way down.

FABULOUS.
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 12:29 AM on March 12, 2017

OK, mea culpa here-- I confused the future "Age of Napoleon" podcast (which has no page yet, except for this guy's Twitter and Amazon recs) with the "Chapo Trap podcast." Is this particular podcast supposed to be a dry-run for the future historical podcast? I found the one minute teaser on Soundcloud, and just listened to it... and man, that was not impressive. There's an extended joke about pissing the bed, and that's it.
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 1:04 AM on March 12, 2017

Thanks, grobstein. I wish I could listen and comment intelligently on it, but there's that paywall.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 12:14 PM on March 12, 2017

Well, the two timelines thing happened. You guys were right! I was wrong! I was also wrong about who would win the election, so that means I should never predict anything again.

Anyway, the culmination of the two-timeline plot was just as underwhelming as I was afraid it would be. BLAH BLAH INFODUMP! I AM OZ THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE. THE TRUTH WAS IN YOU ALL ALONG! FORD WAS PULLING THE STRINGS! AND HERE NOW IS MY MASTER PLAN! And so on and so forth. It was all perfectly… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 12:08 AM on December 6, 2016

Oh lord, the two timeline theory. *groans* Are you guys still going on about that? There's no evidence. The robots that William has run into are NOT the jerky models of the past, and now we get Felix's line that hosts get reassigned frequently, so it's highly doubtful that Clementine has been a hooker for 30+ years. No. Just... no.

I'm so tired of hearing about this theory. Having all of this happening in the present makes it exciting storytelling for me. Having… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 12:51 AM on November 7, 2016

The latest Chrys Reviews Westworld has just been posted!
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 2:18 AM on October 18, 2016

So I'm not the only one who picked up on the Groundhog Day vibe of the pilot!
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 11:50 PM on October 5, 2016

My, my, my, my... apartment
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 12:39 PM on June 28, 2016

Jeez, the crowd in here is hard to please. I thought the episode was GREAT. In fact I feel that this episode was a return to form. Season 5 was really uneven, but this was fast, exciting and not a second dragged. TOWER OF JOY! Arya becomes Nobody! Holy shit, there's Rickon! *Pours out a 40 for Shaggydog*

I fangirled through the entire thing, and I'm not sorry.
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 6:39 AM on May 9, 2016

Okay, I actually liked it.

The season finale ended much the way I thought it would-- thoroughly downbeat, but gripping nonetheless. Cersei's march through the streets was grueling and horrible, and I found myself near tears. I quite liked the Stannis/Brienne/Sansa scenes. The Meereen scenes were okay, and I disliked the Dorne scenes as usual. "Meanwhile, back in Dorne..." It was so silly. I knew as soon as Myrcella declared her love for her uncle-daddy that… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 2:16 AM on June 15, 2015

I leave you alone for two seconds and you join a gang
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 5:17 AM on June 16, 2015

For all you Mace Tyrell fans, here's the latest, hottest album to skyrocket to the tops of the Westerosi charts!
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 12:07 AM on June 9, 2015

I listened to the podcast the other day. Um... ugh.

To echo something Sparklemotion said in another thread, I realize I'm in a minority in that I'm okay with how Ramsay's rape of Sansa was handled. I think (so far) it works narratively and it's in line with what's been established. I've enjoyed previous Cast of Kings podcasts, but I really disliked Joanna's implication (whether it was intended or not) that if you're defending what happened to Sansa, then you're… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 5:39 PM on May 26, 2015

Game of Thrones as told by Buzzfeed!
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 5:24 AM on May 12, 2015

David Icke was right!!
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 1:26 AM on April 16, 2015

I've been on a Scientology research kick lately because of the documentary, and man there's a lot of horrifying stuff about them. The documentary feels pretty neutered compared to what I know of the book (I haven't read it yet, but I need to now); but it still has quite a bit of power because of all the personal testimony. Like the mom discussing how she found her baby covered with urine and FLIES? Wow.

Seriously, Miscavige creeps me out SO MUCH. He seems like a slick… [more]
posted to FanFare by suburbanbeatnik at 4:00 PM on March 31, 2015