Change Your Image
wiyosaya
Reviews
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013)
The uparalled best in the Marvel universe right now: A great series willing to plumb the depths of humanity
For me, the best drama is willing to explore human nature in all its depth. In such a series, the characters, no matter how powerful they are, will have the same flaws that are exhibited day-to-day in real life by everyone. As I see it, everyone is towing baggage, some more so than others. When drama is willing to explore humanity with realistic characters, I find that compelling because it gives me a chance to reflect on who I am, what I have become, where I have come from, how I treat others, and where I choose to go.
If, on top of that, there is a story that weaves together elements of itself over long story arcs, I find that even more compelling.
In the current Marvel universe, though I have not yet seen Black Panther and Infinity War is yet to come to the big screen, my favorites so far have been all of the Captain America movies and Doctor Strange (with an honorable mention to the first Guardians of the Galaxy) because they have been willing to explore the depths of humanity in a manner that few other movies or TV series have.
I was mildly interested in SHIELD when it first started, however, I did not watch it. After a year or two, I watched what there was of it on Netflix to catch up. I was hooked. From the start, there has been what I think is a depth to it that few other series have ever shown. I found the stories very compelling with multiple episode story arcs that were, in my eyes, interesting enough to keep watching.
I have seen every episode of SHIELD so far, and to me, it just keeps getting better. Season 5 started out in a fashion that I thought was significantly different than all the other seasons of SHIELD. I like variety, and I was willing to go with it - much as I have gone with every Doctor in both classic and modern Doctor Who. Season 5 of SHIELD intrigued me with its differences from the previous seasons, and though it was, to me anyway, very different, I kept watching. I found myself liking what I was watching and then at one point early in the season, I found myself saying, "SHIELD has really outdone itself with this season."
And then came season five's episode 14: The Devil Complex
As I see it, few, if any TV series have ever had an episode willing to explore humanity in such depth as this episode and weave together elements from several prior seasons. For me, this may be the best episode of a TV series ever. The Devil Complex is a masterpiece right up there with the rare other episodic TV series masterpieces like Star Trek's The City on the Edge of Forever.
As I see it, this series is the best of all of the Marvel universe that I have seen at this time, and may be one of the best TV series of all time. If you like Marvel and how it is willing to explore the human experience this series is the unparalleled best of Marvel right now, and I think you will like this series.
Iron Fist (2017)
Excellent!
There have been a lot of reviews that I have seen of this show where the reviewers state that they did not like is at all. I enjoyed this show immensely. In fact, I have to say that it is my favorite out of the Netflix Marvel series so far.
Here are my thoughts as to why many reviewers do not like this show. As I see it, any show that gets to a deeper level or explores the mystical is automatically rated by many reviewers as horrible or something less than great. I saw this with Doctor Strange to mention one instance where I felt this happened. To me, TV shows and movies that explore the mystical are something that I look forward to.
In Iron Fist, I see some of this exploration of the mystical (the Iron Fist ability is what seems to be a mystical gift), and the wisdom presented reminds me of the series Kung Fu. I enjoyed Kung Fu, and in some respects, Iron Fist plays like a new version of that series - only better. So, it is slow, however, I personally do not see anything wrong with that. There is plenty that is going on.
To me, the show plays like a detective series. It takes the time to introduce the story and the characters and the back stories of the characters - in other words, the show engages in character development.
The martial arts scenes in this series are not bloody messes. Is this another reason that reviewers do not like this show? I cannot answer that question, however, as I see it, the martial arts scenes seem much more realistic than the martial arts scenes in most modern martial arts fare. In fact, some of the martial arts remind me of Wing Chun. I have heard it said that most martial arts scenes in movies are nowhere near realistic. However, I felt that some of the martial arts scenes in Iron Fist were much more realistic than most contemporary portrayals of martial arts.
I have only focused on a few areas, however, Iron Fist is a deeper show than most. Suspension of disbelief is necessary, but how many other movies and/or TV shows also require that? As I see it, it is worth your time to view this series especially if you are open to the mystical. I hope that Netflix gives this at least one more season because the first season does a good job setting up some of the characters and leaving great cliff-hangers to be explored in the future.
North America (2013)
Yet another spectacularly filmed dumbed down Discovery Channel production
I am not going to say much about this except that since the show was filmed by the same company that filmed such great shows like Planet Earth, Life, and Blue Planet. Anyone who watches this miniseries should expect spectacular visuals that include some amazing, never before filmed animal behavior.
However, unlike the aforementioned Planet Earth, Life, and Blue Planet miniseries, it seems like there will not be a version of this that assumes the viewers have an intelligence beyond that of a simple watermelon. Unfortunately, it seems like The Discovery Channel thinks its American viewers are a lot that has a very low level of intelligence. If you have seen the BBC edition of any of the other series I mentioned and have contrasted them against the Discovery Channel's Americanized versions, then you will understand what I am saying as this series' narration once again falls into the very dumbed-down category.
As an example, and possible spoiler, I was left wondering why does the tide in the Bay of Fundy behave as it does? If there were a "smart" version of this series, my bet is that that question would have been covered.
Nevertheless, the visuals are spectacular. Next time, Discovery Channel, how about giving your American audience the respect they deserve and giving them something that is on par with BBC versions of these shows. Americans are not just watermelons.
Green Lantern (2011)
A beautiful movie not afraid to show the humanity of men and has fun while doing it
I have never read the comic that this movie is based on, yet after seeing the movie, I am strongly tempted to read the comic.
Personally, I think this movie was far better than any of the professional reviewers thought it was. Perhaps the bad reviews are because our society is still indoctrinated to think that men must have no fears, men cannot doubt themselves, men cannot admit to their own weaknesses, and men cannot say "I'm sorry" without, somehow, losing the essence of what it is to be a man. In my opinion, this movie portrays at least part of what modern men should aspire to. I think this is why many reviewers do not like this movie as it presents a foreign concept that is currently out of the reach of many.
Reading at least one famous reviewer's review of this movie, I have to wonder whether he even watched this movie because the movie he saw does not sound like the one I saw and that review gets lost in pseudo religiosity - in my opinion.
This movie is about Hal, the main character, discovering and recovering himself, and in the process, finding his true strength - his inner strength - something the ring saw all along even when Hal was unable to see it himself.
As I see it, this movie has fun with the superhero concept, and does not take itself too seriously. It lets the softer sides of humanity and men show through - something which many superhero movies seem like they deliberately shy away from for fear of being unmanly.
The scenes between Hal and Carol were wonderfully played, and played without pretentious male domination. In fact, Carol helps Hal better understand himself; to me, this represents a true partnership between Hal and Carol - the type of relationship that propels a couple to their greatest heights.
And just as touching is the scene with Jason Jordon, Hal's nephew.
If you are the type of man who is not afraid to cry and be emotional because you understand that doing so is part of being a healthy man, then you just might like this movie as much as I did.
I cannot, however, guarantee that you will like this movie as much as I did. I thought that this movie is one of the best superhero movies ever made - a masterpiece. I can only hope for a sequel.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010)
This movie is what the books are all about.
This movie is what the Narnia books are about. It depicts the inner battles that all of us face and lets us know that those inner battles will transform us into better human beings - if we let them. It is about the journey to true wisdom.
While not entirely true to the events in the book, IMHO, this movie is entirely true to the spirit of the book. There are no epic battle scenes through which we can glorify our heroes. Rather the battles depicted are the battles that our heroes face within themselves. It brings to mind the following quote from Chogyam Trungpa - "The only true battles warriors ever fight are those they fight with themselves." If you are familiar with Joseph Campbell, my bet is he would have liked this movie.
If further Narnia movies are made, I hope they retain this approach.