Donomark

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  1. The Doctor Who thread

    in Horror, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy

    Posted

    1 minute ago, The Master said:

    Father's Day: Everybody, save for Peter, is objectively awful in this one. Rose selfishly rewrites her own history and plays it off like it's nothing; The Doctor is an absolute ass about everything, going so far as calling rose a "stupid ape"; Jackie downright hates her husband, but it might be justified; even the groom's father is telling his son to ditch the bride at the alter. It has some solid elements, but overall this one did not hold up for me.

    Wow

  6. Round 1: Iron Man 2 v Thor: Ragnarok

    in Versus

    Posted

    On 7/31/2020 at 11:01 PM, Davedevil said:

    I still can't decide if Ragnarok's humor gets in the way of the critique of imperialism, or if it enhances the piss-take. Like that bit from Korg at the end saying that Asgard will be rebuilt then saying never mind as it gets wrecked to nothingness, it didn't feel like an accident it came from the director himself. But it still feels so much like the typical Marvel humor.

    Either way, it's still Ragnarok that's superior, even if I did enjoy IM2 in the cinema.

    I don't buy into much of the pats on the back people give Ragnarok for critiquing imperialism as much as it does, on the basis that it doesn't really seem to change much. T'Challa got a scene where he confronted his father for his past sins which lead to turmoil in the present. Odin gets to have both the shady background and the heavenly spirit image while Thor seemed to not give a shit about learning anything he learned of his dad. Like, yeah, Odin was a shit, with Hella conquered and killed untold billions of people and from those crimes created Asgard, but it's still awesome that he encourages Thor at the end. Like, how sincere is Waititi's inclusion of that thread, really?

  10. Round 1: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. v Ant-Man

    in Versus

    Posted

    Guardians 2 has irritating, forced humor and the Mantis abuse is inexcusable, buuut it has a clear and coherent thematic and emotional core to it. It’s a beating heart of a film and continues its story in its own terms. May not always be my thing, but I recognize what it’s going for.

    Ant Man is okay. Fun but anything but special.

  19. Round 1: The Avengers v Captain America: Civil War

    in Versus

    Posted

    Civil War is peak MCU potential (which itself was crested with Black Panther). It's humor isn't off-putting or jarring, the fight scenes are top notch, it has genuine suspense, grim in parts but not gritty when it doesn't need to be. The characters are rendered believably, it's arguably the most sympathetic Tony movie ever (maybe Infinity War too), and its utilization of the characters is the most successful in its intent.

    What I held back on during the podcast is that, despite what Ian said, the film isn't cynically Avengers 2.5. Like Mike said, the inclusion of Spider-Man adheres thematically to both Tony and Steve's conflict of using power responsibly, and how that is both interpreted and affects the rest of the heroes. Every hero in the film gets their say on how to best operate for the sake of others, and Cap's dilemma is taking that idea of relying on oneself as the final line of doing the right thing despite all opposition. Tony, to the best of his ability, tries to do the right thing but becomes morally compromised in the end when he tries to kill Bucky, which in essence justifies the need (or at least idea) of some kind of superhero registration. In the end, neither Tony nor Cap can come together, and it destroys the Avengers as a result. But it tracks with Cap's character in the development of someone who never had any problem doing the right thing even if it cost him his life. In Civil War, it's not so simple. It costs him his reputation, his (admittedly murky) legal status as a superhero, and his friends. But the film ends with him assuring Tony that despite all they've lost, he can still be counted on to do what's right by everyone else, no matter what - which is the heart of the story's question, being what's the right thing for heroes to do.

    Also, I didn't see no Hawkeye family or nothing, so the idea of it being an Avengers spotlight story never really entered by brain.