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She-Ra42
Reviews
Legion (2017)
Not for people who want a casual series or an episodic
I went into Legion with few expectations because I had not seen any advertisements for it. Sometimes I will put things on in the background to watch because I spend a lot of time on my computer.
This is not a show that can be watched casually, in the background, or without paying close attention. Although it starts off a bit slowly and reveals the plot line and details of the character very deliberately and episode by episode, there are rarely scenes where there is not a small detail, either in the dialogue or visually that does not have some cue or clue for the series. I would imagine that this is a difficult series for people who like one off episodics with instant payoff or who who have a shorter attention span.
Thankfully, I was drawn in quickly and imagine that most people would be drawn in at least by the first few episodes. However, even for those looking for massive action, there are huge payoffs if you stick the series out until the end - the final episodes are full of superhero goodness and are well worth the patience.
Everything feels surreal in the series, and I notice many people complaining about the portrayal of schizophrenia in the series.
I personally disagree, first of all because every person is different and is affected differently. But secondly, part of the point of the show and this is the major spoiler* a large point and theme of the series is about subjective reality, which is incredibly important with mental illness especially, as much of it surrounds the idea and parallel of, as the main character himself admits, one of the most dangerous times in the illness is the potential to give over to it and forget or believe that it does not exist.
In this series fully surrounding subjective reality, with a main superhero that is dubbed "world-breaker" because he can shape reality itself, it has perfect parallels and works really well both as a story of mental health and as a superhero story, especially since they do it in a way that is complex, never disrespectful, and self-aware.
We find ourselves in a story where one is constantly questioning reality and even up until the last episode, the main character is questioning both reality and his own sanity. However, it is part of what I think makes the story layered and interesting.
Visually it's extremely striking and creative, occasionally not relying on dialogue at all. Other times, the dialogue is incredibly important. The acting and casting choices made it beloved throughout.
It is definitely weird, and if you want something linear that you can easily follow without much thinking or without twists and turns, this is not the show for you. It is also definitely not the show for you if you're expecting it to stick perfectly to the X-Men (yes, I had to look it up, just to see afterward, and the characters do not really bare too much resemblance). But if you're up for a psychological thrill ride, and a very unique sort of "origin story" that will keep you wondering, this is not only a great series for the curious, but also has a great payoff.
So one more bigger spoiler* yes, I see many people criticizing episode 6 - going back into his mind - but again, and I sort of had the same impression at first until I started watching events unfold. It was another creative episode of what happens when all of the characters are put into a dream state. It not only reflects another power and way the main character can bend reality, but also the effects upon others, even those who are mutants. Very few people experience lucid dreaming. Things that don't make sense slip away quickly and easily. And most importantly, who is in control? It all becomes important to the growth and struggle of the character and the other characters around him and how they cope with it, and it's important to the plot development of understanding both his "powers" and the payoff of the final episodes.
Overall I give this one a 9/10. I found this to be my favorite weird gem of the Marvel series thus far, and I'm a fan of the Marvel series. Mentally very stimulating, does not spoon feed to fans, is very intelligent, and while it can be convoluted at times, generally most things tie together nicely if you give it a chance to unfold.
Judgement Day (1988)
Half a point for the music, half a point for the ending, and a full point for the smile it puts on my face
This movie is... horrible and wonderful at the same time. I first saw it when I was about 13 or 14 years old, so it has a great deal of nostalgic value for me. In this movie, Cesar Romero actually plays the character of Octavio, the man who "discovered" Santana. There are also two other actors, Monte Markham (plays Sam, who is trying to save his daughter) and Peter Mark Richman (plays the priest), who have large filmographies, and these are the only performances that are okay. The rest of the acting and the movie itself have all of the B-film qualities that some of us cherish.
I recently spent 2 years trying to acquire a copy of this movie, and it is almost nonexistent. I am assuming that it was discontinued very shortly after its release. But I did eventually find a copy and paid a pretty penny to acquire it. If you happen to come upon Judgement Day in a video store (unmistakeable with a cheesy green "satan" on the cover), count yourself among the blessed who live near one of the few video stores that still has a working copy. A must see for those of you who like to laugh at cheesy attempts at a scary movie.