Three Small Reviews.

[gridlore]

In the past couple of days kshandra and I have taken the lack of our usual television schedule to finish off a few Netflix shows and watch a movie that neither of us expected to enjoy so much.

First off, we finally finished season 2 of Jessica Jones. By far the best of Marvel's Netflix shows, season picked right up with the story of the alcoholic private eye who can also lift trucks and survive multi-story falls. Still a hot mess from when she was mind-controlled by Killgrave, who shows up this season as a hallucination needling Jessica when she's down, this season finds her following leads that might reveal how she came to be this way. Meanwhile, the astounding supporting cast gets their own stories, all of which tie into an ending that's both inevitable and heartbreaking. Dynamics change, possibly for good, but with that one ray of hope right at the end.

Five penguins out of five. This is what the Marvel "street" universe should look like. Hear that Iron Fist writers? Sheesh.

Next, we finished off the reboot of Lost in Space. I know that this series has deeply divided fans, but we loved it. The mission had more backstory and made more sense. The actors, especially Maxwell Jenkins as Will Robinson and Parker Posey as "Dr. Smith", are exceptional. We get tension, secrets and lies, and some legitimately tense moments. Having the Robot be an alien device simply added to the plot. I believe in these people, and that's what keeps me watching. The season ends on a cliffhanger, so I'm waiting for the second series to be announced.

Four penguins out of five. Good, but some of the science flubs made my eyes roll.

Finally, Speed Racer. A flop when released, this release from the Wachowski Brothers has started getting some traction as an overlooked classic. This isn't a great movie, it's a cartoon turning into a film. This is a thing you throw your suspension of disbelief into a locked trunk for because it is fun! The heroes are heroic, the villains are sneeringly evil, and the race sequences are jaw-dropping. Physics has nothing to do with this movie and good riddance. Make some popcorn, turn down the lights, and you'll be shouting "Go, Speed Racer, Go!" Even the little kid and the monkey were used in just the right amounts.

Four penguins out of five. A ton of fun and we all need movies like that, but just shy of perfection.

So, what do y'all have to recommend?

Comments

[nodrog]

I am not surprised that the Democratic Socialist People's Republic of Hollywood, where new ideas are simply not safe, has come out with a remake of Get Smart Ghostbusters Lost in Space.  Nor am I surprised that a square peg has been hammered into a round hole to make Dr Quota er, Smith female-by-fiat (while ignoring the tensions and side-effects that would actually cause, of course:  Thoughtcrime!)  But how do they explain, if they even bother to try, why Judy Robinson is black?  With whom was Maureen running around, that nine months later obstetric grins would appear?  (Again, they may not even bother; numb & dumb, people tune out the relentless PC propaganda automatically now and no one really cares any more.)

[gridlore]

I am not surprised that the Democratic Socialist People's Republic of Hollywood

And that's where I stopped reading for a while so I could calm down. To call an industry that exists only to make money a Democratic Socialist Republic is pretty dense.

where new ideas are simply not safe

Because they rarely make money.

Nor am I surprised that a square peg has been hammered into a round hole to make Dr Quota er, Smith female-by-fiat

Two reasons have been given. First, Jonathon Harris so owned the role of Dr. Smith in the series that the creators, already knowing they were changing that character's motivations for the reboot, decided to change the gender to reduce comparisons with the iconic Harris take. Also, since much of "Dr. Smith"'s plan involves cozying up to and manipulating a 10-year-old boy, it was considered less creepy to have a woman in that role.

Mild spoiler. The woman claiming to be Dr. Smith is actually named June Harris, a sociopath who murdered her twin sister to get on the mission and then stole the ID card of a dying Zachary Smith (cameo by Bill Mumy) to escape the Resolute on one of the Jupiter landing craft. Throughout the first season, she manipulates others to secure her position.

But how do they explain, if they even bother to try, why Judy Robinson is black?

One line. Maureen had a previous relationship that resulted in Judy. John is her stepfather. Gosh, that was hard.

You really live in a tower of arrogance and assumption. And the fact that your user pic is from Watchmen only makes me giggle.

[nodrog]

Yah, I was feeling dyspeptic, and belched. Apologies for my bad rudeness.