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hafitalThis is not a full on roundup because I have not gotten around to watching any of the recent Agents of Shield episodes.
I don't know about this fandom, man, it officially has too many moving parts, and isn't going to be comprehensible for years and years (or ever, really.)
Agent Carter:
Of the television shows so far this one is my favorite. Daredevil was probably better overall, but I am quite happy watching Agent Carter outwit all the men, even within all the social constraints. It's been a while since I saw it so not sure I remember what all I had to say.
~ I'm so so on Howard Stark being so careless with his dangerous inventions as a plot device but whatever -- it seems to be the major plot device for like every Avengers-related story line (AoU, I'm looking at you). I have a thing for the Starks, I might as well admit it. They overplay the playboy thing to death too, with both father and son (yawn) -- that is the least interesting thing about them. But Howard wasn't really around for most of the episodes so I can't be too fussed.
~ But I do love that he went to Peggy for help! I have no romantic feelings about them but I kind of love them as allies and friends, and since they apparently go on to form SHIELD together, that's a good thing, I guess!
~ Also loved how they bond over the loss of Steve, although I wish we had gotten a better read on Howard and Steve's friendship to support that.
~ Contrary to most other's reactions (I think) I was a little so so on Jarvis actually, but I warmed up to him. Considering how much I love the AI Jarvis, that was a little weird, or maybe that's exactly why it took me a while to respond to real Jarvis.
~ The story arc for the season was okay, I liked it. Liked Angie and their friendship, liked the other agents too for the most part.
~One thing though, I don't quite understand how she doesn't have more actual authority, given her record -- I know they're playing up the sexual discrimination of the time, but even given that, I would think with her experience and war record she would have a rank higher then what they seem to have her at, which is like entry position practically. And clearly she does have more experience then any of them as shown in that episode when they go overseas. And again, I do realize that's largely the thesis of this series, but I feel like they still could have gotten all of the sexual discrimination and kept it logical with what her rank should be. Whatever.
~I do hope it sticks around for more seasons! I may nit pick, but I kind of adore Haley Atwell so I am always happy to have more of Peggy Carter.
Daredevil:
~ So, I knew it got a bad reaction from some fans due in part because of the violence, and it really is violent. There are many shows that are honestly more disturbing than this one, which on the scale of disturbing is not really high in my opinion, when all is said and done, but there is a heck of a lot like aggressive anger punchy punch kick kick punch violence, the height of which was decapitation by car door.
~ The violence was right on the edge of too much for me. But, I was curious enough to watch the whole thing.
~ Aside from Claire, Matt, and Ben, I didn't really love anyone else all that much. Claire was my favorite and we didn't get enough of her.
~ I did like Matt though, and while I find the whole Daredevil thing too similar in dynamic to Batman, I appreciated where it was different. Namely of course the blindness and not being rich. His blindness is my favorite thing about him.
~ I have to wonder at TV shows and movies that make Hell's Kitchen out like it's a separate borough or something.
~ I've seen a lot of praise for D'Onofrio, but I had a hard time being at all interested in the Fisk scenes. Or interested in his creepy girlfriend, who gave me the willies. I was a tad upset that his friend died, though. He was evil, sure, but I'd rather the proxy than the real deal.
It was a good series! Well written, well acted, well-ploted. A plus all around
Avengers: Age of Ultron
I have mostly warm feelings about the MCU in general. The films and TV shows are imperfect, but hey, they usually get something right, if not a whole lot of things right. I got a little more invested after CA TWS, mostly with Natasha and Cap and Falcon (and yes Bucky), but I also always loved Tony and Bruce and the whole science bros thing although I could never actually figure out where the good fic is for that. What drew me in is the found family aspect but I don't see that being kept up much, and I don't like the revolving door of comic book characters. It's a bit exhausting, imo. And you can't trust that what you see is gonna last longer than the 2 hour movie before the next 2 hour movie comes and changes it all over again.
Anyway, I'll start with what I liked:
~ I loved all the parts where the team worked together, which, to be fair, was more of the movie then one might think given that they totally fall apart in the middle. But, specifically, the whole first part of the movie before Tony decided to leave reason behind. Loved them all coming together to find the "last" Hydra base and the troublesome sceptor. Loved the Avengers Towers party. It was all a little glib, but that's Whedon for you (not a fan! Never have been!)
~ FALCON. Hello. Yes, I'll take all the annoying bits given that we seem to be able to keep Falcon at least through to the next Avengers film. Every second of him is GOLD. Every second of Steve & Sam is awesome. There wasn't much, but it was good.
~ I'm actually 100% okay with Natasha/Bruce. Much like Natasha, I ADORE Bruce. And Natasha is my favorite Avenger, but... well the fact that there is Natasha/Bruce is about all I really loved about the Natasha/Bruce in the film. More on that later.
~ Despite the fact that their science bro-ing nearly caused the destruction of the planet earth, I love Tony and Bruce being sciencey together. I wish Bruce was less angst about everything, but, well, more on that later.
~ I didn't think I would like the Ironman/Hulk battle, but I kind of totally did.
~ I loved that Barton was the only one that escaped the mind voodoo.
~ I'm selfishly pleased that Natasha, Cap, and Falcon continue on in the new Avengers team.
~ I wanted more Natasha, but I did like her back story/dream thing. I liked all their Witch influenced-dreams, actually. Thor's though was like orgy central, whut? He obviously was a very naughty prince before he decided to grow up.
~ I did love Steve Rogers in the film, but I always love Cap, and I agree with the criticisms I've seen about Whedon's way of writing him, but I didn't find it that bad, when all was said and done. The problem is of course that with NO TIME for any character development, and all this plot to get through, and this giant ensemble to balance, almost everyone gets reduced to gimmicky traits and punchy one-liners.
~ I was okay with the Vision (and kind of always loved PB), but I'm with the folks that think Cap could probably pick up that hammer. The fact that it wiggled a little is enough to say he is worthy but human and that's FANTASTIC, if he wasn't already faking and could probably twirl that thing if he wanted to.
And on to what I didn't like....
~ To be fair, there was no way this film could work. It tried to do too much. Middle films tend to suck. And it was mostly set-up while trying to set-up, and then set-up some more. You just have to kind of take the good and hand waive the rest, imo.
~ My first bit of peevish annoyance is that, at the end of the first Avengers film, we finally have a team, right, but then instead of this film giving us, finally, the team fic we all wanted, it basically went, oh whoops, no, sorry, you get like 10 minutes of that before we destroy the team and give you a different team. If this is what being a comics book fan is like, I do not have the stomach for it.
~ My second bit of peevish annoyance is having Tony actively bring about the destruction of the human race with the aid of the scepter. He couldn't have created Ultron without it. I am A-OKAY with Ultron being an indirect result of Tony's creation and his need to protect, but not really okay with it being a direct result of his supposed trauma. I don't know. Maybe I just have a soft spot for him, but somehow I have to buy that Tony thinks it's okay to make an AI with the scepter's influence, that will be smarter than he is, which, I actually don't buy... If Ultron was the indirect result of Tony's own hubris, his being too smart for his own good, and not his direct need to handle his trauma and fix things all on his own I think I would have been if not better with it, at least felt that it was more in character. Which was actually what I thought Ultron was going into the film, and that made perfect sense to me, but instead Ultron is the result of Tony actively, knowingly, making a really bad decision, which I guess is also in character but I resent it because it's circular characterization. Of course the scepter's involvement resulted in the Vision, so it had to be involved for the story, but I think they could have gotten there without taking a monumental step backward for the character. Or, gosh, at least then address it in the film at one point, but there was no time for that. I expect that probably all got cut.
~ My third bit of peevish annoyance was having weird Natasha/Bruce. Outside of the lullaby bit, which was great. I was actually looking forward to Natasha/Bruce! But we didn't get to see any falling in like/love at all. Basically, I didn't get any dynamic between them, and I'm not willing to buy that the actors don't have chemistry, because they have tons of chemistry, it was the writing which sucked. Classic telling instead of showing. And it was mostly shoved into corners around the main plot but given enough screen time to make it A Thing. I didn't need a whole lot, but instead of making it a thing, they should have just had them be themselves, like with the lullaby and that she's the one that tames the Hulk, and let the relationship show by their actions. All the rest of it could be the same, including the kiss and his running away, all of it but with less of a "hey, this is A Thing! Look at the Thing". Also, one person commenting (Cap) on the romance was fine, but more then that was TELLING. Oy.
~ My fourth bit of peevish annoyance was Bruce. :( I get that he will always be angsty, but I would want him to be more of the foil for Tony that he was in the other film. I take meager comfort that his story isn't done yet, so maybe we can get some resolution in another film sometime and that it will be a real story and character arc and development. I love Bruce, but we got nothing comforting or even interesting in this film. We got him cowering, giving in to Tony's really bad idea because why I'm not sure, and then him wanting to get away, which places him back to where he was pre-avengers. His part in the first Avengers was my favorite part.
~ My fifth bit of peevish annoyance is how little we get of the Avengers Tower before it's replaced by that new facility in upstate NY. I don't actually mind that SHIELD has more or less come back, I was expecting that, but why set the tower only to take it away so fast! Why? I kind of get that Tony's taking more of a back seat I guess or I don't really know what I'm supposed to take away from Tony at the end, but again, we got like no time with the first incarnation of the Avengers team.
~ While I actually loved all the Barton stuff we got, I think a lighter hand on the surprise family would have been better.They were laying it on thick there. Again, less anvil, more subtly, but that wasn't really on order.
I didn't mind the plot, aside from the parts I already complained about. Tony makes a bad thing, all goes to hell while they try to contain it, they accidentally/on-purpose make a new creature person out of JARVIS, which was always going to happen, team fall apart oh no but then come back together again to finish the bad thing. Bruce has a crisis. And leaves. Tony has a crisis. And, what? goes to his tower? I'm actually not sure with Tony because we didn't get a reasonable resolution at all but I'll stop complaining about that. Cap realizes he's home (read: has a purpose) (WITH SAM AND NATASHA YES) and continues on the good fight with a new team. Okay. Lots to love and complain about.
I don't know about this fandom, man, it officially has too many moving parts, and isn't going to be comprehensible for years and years (or ever, really.)
Agent Carter:
Of the television shows so far this one is my favorite. Daredevil was probably better overall, but I am quite happy watching Agent Carter outwit all the men, even within all the social constraints. It's been a while since I saw it so not sure I remember what all I had to say.
~ I'm so so on Howard Stark being so careless with his dangerous inventions as a plot device but whatever -- it seems to be the major plot device for like every Avengers-related story line (AoU, I'm looking at you). I have a thing for the Starks, I might as well admit it. They overplay the playboy thing to death too, with both father and son (yawn) -- that is the least interesting thing about them. But Howard wasn't really around for most of the episodes so I can't be too fussed.
~ But I do love that he went to Peggy for help! I have no romantic feelings about them but I kind of love them as allies and friends, and since they apparently go on to form SHIELD together, that's a good thing, I guess!
~ Also loved how they bond over the loss of Steve, although I wish we had gotten a better read on Howard and Steve's friendship to support that.
~ Contrary to most other's reactions (I think) I was a little so so on Jarvis actually, but I warmed up to him. Considering how much I love the AI Jarvis, that was a little weird, or maybe that's exactly why it took me a while to respond to real Jarvis.
~ The story arc for the season was okay, I liked it. Liked Angie and their friendship, liked the other agents too for the most part.
~One thing though, I don't quite understand how she doesn't have more actual authority, given her record -- I know they're playing up the sexual discrimination of the time, but even given that, I would think with her experience and war record she would have a rank higher then what they seem to have her at, which is like entry position practically. And clearly she does have more experience then any of them as shown in that episode when they go overseas. And again, I do realize that's largely the thesis of this series, but I feel like they still could have gotten all of the sexual discrimination and kept it logical with what her rank should be. Whatever.
~I do hope it sticks around for more seasons! I may nit pick, but I kind of adore Haley Atwell so I am always happy to have more of Peggy Carter.
Daredevil:
~ So, I knew it got a bad reaction from some fans due in part because of the violence, and it really is violent. There are many shows that are honestly more disturbing than this one, which on the scale of disturbing is not really high in my opinion, when all is said and done, but there is a heck of a lot like aggressive anger punchy punch kick kick punch violence, the height of which was decapitation by car door.
~ The violence was right on the edge of too much for me. But, I was curious enough to watch the whole thing.
~ Aside from Claire, Matt, and Ben, I didn't really love anyone else all that much. Claire was my favorite and we didn't get enough of her.
~ I did like Matt though, and while I find the whole Daredevil thing too similar in dynamic to Batman, I appreciated where it was different. Namely of course the blindness and not being rich. His blindness is my favorite thing about him.
~ I have to wonder at TV shows and movies that make Hell's Kitchen out like it's a separate borough or something.
~ I've seen a lot of praise for D'Onofrio, but I had a hard time being at all interested in the Fisk scenes. Or interested in his creepy girlfriend, who gave me the willies. I was a tad upset that his friend died, though. He was evil, sure, but I'd rather the proxy than the real deal.
It was a good series! Well written, well acted, well-ploted. A plus all around
Avengers: Age of Ultron
I have mostly warm feelings about the MCU in general. The films and TV shows are imperfect, but hey, they usually get something right, if not a whole lot of things right. I got a little more invested after CA TWS, mostly with Natasha and Cap and Falcon (and yes Bucky), but I also always loved Tony and Bruce and the whole science bros thing although I could never actually figure out where the good fic is for that. What drew me in is the found family aspect but I don't see that being kept up much, and I don't like the revolving door of comic book characters. It's a bit exhausting, imo. And you can't trust that what you see is gonna last longer than the 2 hour movie before the next 2 hour movie comes and changes it all over again.
Anyway, I'll start with what I liked:
~ I loved all the parts where the team worked together, which, to be fair, was more of the movie then one might think given that they totally fall apart in the middle. But, specifically, the whole first part of the movie before Tony decided to leave reason behind. Loved them all coming together to find the "last" Hydra base and the troublesome sceptor. Loved the Avengers Towers party. It was all a little glib, but that's Whedon for you (not a fan! Never have been!)
~ FALCON. Hello. Yes, I'll take all the annoying bits given that we seem to be able to keep Falcon at least through to the next Avengers film. Every second of him is GOLD. Every second of Steve & Sam is awesome. There wasn't much, but it was good.
~ I'm actually 100% okay with Natasha/Bruce. Much like Natasha, I ADORE Bruce. And Natasha is my favorite Avenger, but... well the fact that there is Natasha/Bruce is about all I really loved about the Natasha/Bruce in the film. More on that later.
~ Despite the fact that their science bro-ing nearly caused the destruction of the planet earth, I love Tony and Bruce being sciencey together. I wish Bruce was less angst about everything, but, well, more on that later.
~ I didn't think I would like the Ironman/Hulk battle, but I kind of totally did.
~ I loved that Barton was the only one that escaped the mind voodoo.
~ I'm selfishly pleased that Natasha, Cap, and Falcon continue on in the new Avengers team.
~ I wanted more Natasha, but I did like her back story/dream thing. I liked all their Witch influenced-dreams, actually. Thor's though was like orgy central, whut? He obviously was a very naughty prince before he decided to grow up.
~ I did love Steve Rogers in the film, but I always love Cap, and I agree with the criticisms I've seen about Whedon's way of writing him, but I didn't find it that bad, when all was said and done. The problem is of course that with NO TIME for any character development, and all this plot to get through, and this giant ensemble to balance, almost everyone gets reduced to gimmicky traits and punchy one-liners.
~ I was okay with the Vision (and kind of always loved PB), but I'm with the folks that think Cap could probably pick up that hammer. The fact that it wiggled a little is enough to say he is worthy but human and that's FANTASTIC, if he wasn't already faking and could probably twirl that thing if he wanted to.
And on to what I didn't like....
~ To be fair, there was no way this film could work. It tried to do too much. Middle films tend to suck. And it was mostly set-up while trying to set-up, and then set-up some more. You just have to kind of take the good and hand waive the rest, imo.
~ My first bit of peevish annoyance is that, at the end of the first Avengers film, we finally have a team, right, but then instead of this film giving us, finally, the team fic we all wanted, it basically went, oh whoops, no, sorry, you get like 10 minutes of that before we destroy the team and give you a different team. If this is what being a comics book fan is like, I do not have the stomach for it.
~ My second bit of peevish annoyance is having Tony actively bring about the destruction of the human race with the aid of the scepter. He couldn't have created Ultron without it. I am A-OKAY with Ultron being an indirect result of Tony's creation and his need to protect, but not really okay with it being a direct result of his supposed trauma. I don't know. Maybe I just have a soft spot for him, but somehow I have to buy that Tony thinks it's okay to make an AI with the scepter's influence, that will be smarter than he is, which, I actually don't buy... If Ultron was the indirect result of Tony's own hubris, his being too smart for his own good, and not his direct need to handle his trauma and fix things all on his own I think I would have been if not better with it, at least felt that it was more in character. Which was actually what I thought Ultron was going into the film, and that made perfect sense to me, but instead Ultron is the result of Tony actively, knowingly, making a really bad decision, which I guess is also in character but I resent it because it's circular characterization. Of course the scepter's involvement resulted in the Vision, so it had to be involved for the story, but I think they could have gotten there without taking a monumental step backward for the character. Or, gosh, at least then address it in the film at one point, but there was no time for that. I expect that probably all got cut.
~ My third bit of peevish annoyance was having weird Natasha/Bruce. Outside of the lullaby bit, which was great. I was actually looking forward to Natasha/Bruce! But we didn't get to see any falling in like/love at all. Basically, I didn't get any dynamic between them, and I'm not willing to buy that the actors don't have chemistry, because they have tons of chemistry, it was the writing which sucked. Classic telling instead of showing. And it was mostly shoved into corners around the main plot but given enough screen time to make it A Thing. I didn't need a whole lot, but instead of making it a thing, they should have just had them be themselves, like with the lullaby and that she's the one that tames the Hulk, and let the relationship show by their actions. All the rest of it could be the same, including the kiss and his running away, all of it but with less of a "hey, this is A Thing! Look at the Thing". Also, one person commenting (Cap) on the romance was fine, but more then that was TELLING. Oy.
~ My fourth bit of peevish annoyance was Bruce. :( I get that he will always be angsty, but I would want him to be more of the foil for Tony that he was in the other film. I take meager comfort that his story isn't done yet, so maybe we can get some resolution in another film sometime and that it will be a real story and character arc and development. I love Bruce, but we got nothing comforting or even interesting in this film. We got him cowering, giving in to Tony's really bad idea because why I'm not sure, and then him wanting to get away, which places him back to where he was pre-avengers. His part in the first Avengers was my favorite part.
~ My fifth bit of peevish annoyance is how little we get of the Avengers Tower before it's replaced by that new facility in upstate NY. I don't actually mind that SHIELD has more or less come back, I was expecting that, but why set the tower only to take it away so fast! Why? I kind of get that Tony's taking more of a back seat I guess or I don't really know what I'm supposed to take away from Tony at the end, but again, we got like no time with the first incarnation of the Avengers team.
~ While I actually loved all the Barton stuff we got, I think a lighter hand on the surprise family would have been better.They were laying it on thick there. Again, less anvil, more subtly, but that wasn't really on order.
I didn't mind the plot, aside from the parts I already complained about. Tony makes a bad thing, all goes to hell while they try to contain it, they accidentally/on-purpose make a new creature person out of JARVIS, which was always going to happen, team fall apart oh no but then come back together again to finish the bad thing. Bruce has a crisis. And leaves. Tony has a crisis. And, what? goes to his tower? I'm actually not sure with Tony because we didn't get a reasonable resolution at all but I'll stop complaining about that. Cap realizes he's home (read: has a purpose) (WITH SAM AND NATASHA YES) and continues on the good fight with a new team. Okay. Lots to love and complain about.
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no subject
Date: 2015-05-03 03:03 am (UTC)Tony has a crisis. And, what? goes to his tower? I'm actually not sure with Tony because we didn't get a reasonable resolution at all
This. Was actually my only real issue with the movie. The rest, I was fully prepared to handwave/fanwank.
Cap realizes he's home (read: has a purpose) (WITH SAM AND NATASHA YES)
YUP x 1000!!!! I spoiled myself to hell and back for this movie, and this was the happy outcome for me.
no subject
Date: 2015-05-03 05:55 am (UTC)Sigh. That was pretty sloppy story telling. Everything else at least hung together well enough if not exactly how we might have wanted it, but the Tony arc in the movie doesn't carry through. I'm pretty sure a lot was sacrificed for time.
YUP x 1000!!!!
Whenever I see this film again, and I'm sure I will, I'm just going to concentrate on Cap since he was the part that worked the best for me!
no subject
Date: 2015-05-04 02:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-05-03 05:26 pm (UTC)There's also the aspect of her being a Brit. I'm pretty sure from growing up and speaking at length with a whole gaggle of WWII vets both male and female that having someone who wasn't a citizen (which she might have been by this point - we just don't know) taking one of the few very valuable and fought over jobs away from a citizen wouldn't have gone over well at all.
As for AoU, it's Joss and like you not a fan - never have been - doubt I ever will be and that sums it all up right there. He's said repeatedly that he hasn't watched the other movies, that he doesn't believe Bucky or Coulson is alive and that even his own creation has nothing whatsoever to do with the MCU proper. (I'm calling horn swag on that last one especially.) So really why take him or anything he does seriously?
Ultimately the fans will make it right and then the Russo's can take over and hopefully ignore/explain/retcon all the nonsensical bad stuff in AoU.
None of the above means I wasn't on the edge of my seat for the last thirty minutes of the movie or that it is a heck of a ride. Yes I'm massively conflicted, as a Tony fan can you blame me? *g*
no subject
Date: 2015-05-04 02:46 am (UTC)huh! Well that's both depressing and cool that they got that right lol.
He's said repeatedly that he hasn't watched the other movies, that he doesn't believe Bucky or Coulson is alive and that even his own creation has nothing whatsoever to do with the MCU proper.
Double huh! Well, that's weird since I thought I read that he was one of the consultants on the MCU for Marvel, but I could have totally misread that. ETA: also didn't he like bring Coulson back to life himself though?? for AOS which I thought he created?? Now I'm confused.
But ultimately I don't think it matters whether he cares or doesn't care about the character continuity of the MCU because he's clearly not going to change either way. And you know, that's fine, he's got a lot of strong points as a writer and director. His style never works for me, but I don't mean to say he's always horrible. I place him in the Moffat box of "writers who are too clever for their own good."
None of the above means I wasn't on the edge of my seat for the last thirty minutes of the movie or that it is a heck of a ride. Yes I'm massively conflicted, as a Tony fan can you blame me? *g*
Yes! Well, and as more meta is being posted with more people having seen the film now, I realize there are layers there that I didn't see. It's a dense film, actually, and, again with being too clever for his own good, I think a lot of it is lost because Whedon likes to layer fluff over his serious stuff, and for me, that makes a movie or tv show muddy, but you know, it can make it chewy I guess, and it's still fun!
I should probably get a MCU icon.... wow that's like real i'm in this fandom commitment for me haha.
no subject
Date: 2015-05-05 12:26 am (UTC)As I said on my LJ today the more I contemplate AoU the more I'm looking forward to Civil War. Which is just sad.
I'm seriously hoping that there will be lots of cut scenes on the Bluray that will help make things more sensible?
I'm glad we'll be sharing another fandom. *g*
no subject
Date: 2015-05-05 02:51 am (UTC)I get what he was saying, and why, for Ultron, he can't or won't, service the other moving parts of the greater MCU universe. Don't agree with it, but I get it. He wasn't saying Coulson is dead to him, but just that Coulson (and I guess Bucky, too) can't be real things for Ultron.
And the article touched on how the other MCU folks were a bit miffed at him for even bringing Coulson back and having AoS at all, since it's contradictory, which it is and why even though I like Coulson hated that whole idea of him being brought back from the dead. But, I can't lay the blame all at Whedon's feet, since someone or many someones at Marvel had to approve the tv show to begin with.
tbh, I was a fan of the shared universe thing, but the more crowded it gets, the less I like it. In that respect, I would agree with Whedon in his decision to keep the Avengers, which is already the nexus of the Ironman, Cap, and Thor movies, as manageable as possible.
no subject
Date: 2015-05-05 09:39 pm (UTC)I think there is a possibility that the shared universe will crack under it's own weight. On the other hand maybe the Russo brothers will surprise us big time and somehow weave it all back together again.