Trying Something a Little Different
I have been remiss in updating this blog, and for that, I do apologize. I could say that life has gotten in the way, or that I've been extremely busy, or that I've been ill over the past month and needed time to rest. All of these excuses would be true, to some extent. However, what it really comes down to is this:
I'm honestly feeling a bit tapped out, like I haven't had much to say. Dealing with the stuff of everyday living, plus the cold that I had for, like, a month, plus the death of one of my family’s pets, plus upgrading my phone and my mother’s phone and setting up a new laptop for the family to use, plus the craziness at work… Well, ain't much time for blogging after all that.
Given all that, and the fact that I have a week-long (more or less) break from my job coming up in a few days, as well as the zany video game fun that is E3 (aka the Electronic Entertainment Expo) happening next week as well, I figured it’d be a good time to start updating. Still, rather than stay focused on one topic, I want to play with the format. So here is a semi-coherent, more stream-of-consciousness-y blog post. Hope you guys enjoy the read.
I saw the Wonder Woman movie on opening night at the nearby cineplex, and it was exactly the movie the DCEU needed, and a helluva fun ride. It's not a perfect movie by any means, but it has kickass action sequences, a great cast, a far more cohesive vision than any of the previous DCEU movies, awe-inspiring special effects, and a main character and lead actress that anyone and everyone can cheer on and support. When Wonder Woman joined Batman and Superman in the epic battle against Doomsday during BvS’ climax, I thought she stole the film. Once again, her first cinematic solo outing proves that Diana of Themyscira is a force to be reckoned with, and Gal Gadot is absolutely perfect in the role. She's tough as nails, beautiful, graceful, naive, and innocently hilarious when she needs to be. I seriously love this film and highly recommend it.
ITEM 2: Logan Breaks the (Master) Mold
While we're on the subject of movies, let's talk about the X-Men franchise, which has gone from being one of my favorite comics-based cinematic universes to one of the most tiresome and is now, once again, one of my favorites. Since Days of Future Past, the X-Men films have been pretty damn great, but the thing I like most about them is that they each occupy a different corner of the franchise as a whole. DoFP was a bonkers science fiction/time travel story, with some liberties taken from the source material, but a stunningly-realized future world and the vastly superior “Rogue Cut” make up for any shortcomings the film has.
Meanwhile, X-Men: Apocalypse was an entertaining action flick that contained some decent fanservice (the Weapon X sequence, for example) and some solid action. I thoroughly enjoyed it, despite its flaws, and the critical drubbing it received was a bit unwarranted, in my opinion. If anything, it was great to see Jubilee get some screen time, and setting up the Phoenix… Man, that was icing on the proverbial cake. I love how comic book-y things have gotten in these movies, too, with Apocalypse being the over-the-top, Orson Welles-ian baddie I was hoping he’d be.
Finally, let's talk about the two outliers here: Deadpool and Logan (with a hat tip to The Wolverine, which was about as good an adaptation of the Japan storyline as we're ever likely to get from Hollywood). Deadpool was an absolute joy, and my favorite movie of 2016 not named La La Land. Ryan Reynolds was born to play Wade Wilson, and while the villains weren't much to write home about, the fact that Deadpool had so much fun with them and wisely kept the story relatively self-contained, it worked out swimmingly. The cast was spot-on. The humor was glorious, eviscerating the X-films (and their confusing timeline) as a whole while also poking fun at the superhero genre and its own very existence. Deadpool was a stroke of genius. Let's hope the sequel will turn out to be, as well. The vignette/short teaser that played before Logan in theaters seems to indicate that it's heading in the right direction.
Speaking of which, let's talk about a little film called Logan. This movie was brilliant, and I'm not gonna lie, it did take me a couple of viewings to see it. From the subtle sociopolitical commentary to its Western influences and character-driven story, Logan is a treatise on comic book films as a whole, and a deconstruction of its lead hero. I don't want to get into spoilers, but I thought it was a fitting end to Hugh Jackman’s incredible 17-year run portraying the character, and a wonderful opportunity to pass the torch on to the next generation of actors and on screen heroes. It'll be interesting to see where the next films go, and if they follow any of the plot threads laid out in this film. Hopefully so.
ITEM 3: Catching Up With Old Friends
So I've been rewatching some old shows on Hulu. Smallville, the 1990s X-Men animated series, and the like. While I appreciate the former for its role as the pioneering superhero TV show of the new millennium, I can also see its flaws. There were some pretty blatant inconsistencies in terms of character motivations, writing and dialogue, as well as some wonky special effects and some baffling freaks of the week. Still, the show was a success, had a very long lifespan, and its cast was surprisingly decent and their efforts proved to be endearing. Smallville was not perfect in the slightest, but it was entertaining, and it paved the way for our modern DC TV universe, which is populated by characters like Green Arrow, the Flash, and Supergirl.
As for the ‘90s X-Men cartoon, what can I say? I like a little cheese on my pizza, to borrow a phrase. Besides, that voice cast is still the one I hear in my head whenever I read an X-book. I have no idea who they were to this day, but they were all excellent (or should I say, “x-cellent”? Okay, I'll stop).
ITEM 4: Ex-Box
My family and I were both strapped for cash this week, so I did the one thing I've been thinking of doing for a while now… I sold my Xbox One. After the disappointment I felt with Halo 5, as well as the fact that video games don't really thrill me like they used to, I decided it was time to let go. However, with Microsoft’s Project Scorpio surely getting the detailed unveiling next week at E3, I'll probably save up and get one of those consoles in the future. Believe me, I don't hate the Xbox One at all; I think it's a very good machine, but I haven't played it in months and I ended up paying for about three months of Xbox Live that I didn't fully utilize, so something had to give. I still have my Playstation 4, so I haven't given up on games. It's just that, until MS decides which direction they want their big ol’ black box to go in, I'm happy with Sony’s console. We shall see what both companies have up their sleeve at E3 this year.
ITEM 5: Deep Thoughts of the Week
During my exploration of the internet over the past month, I've come across some intriguing articles, some of which were political (the world’s going to shit, folks, so be extra cool to each other), while others were introspective and made me think about my life and where things are headed. One of them made me consider what my secret fear is, and I think the answer is clear. I'm afraid of not being loved, of being abandoned by everyone I've ever loved, and of being alone. I'm afraid that people will see past the facade I put up in my love in order to get along with others, or to seem like a “fun guy.” In some ways, I've always cared what people think of me, which is both good and bad, I think. It's good because I think it shows that I'm trying to take into account how others feel around me, but it's bad because I'm not sure if I'm actually being the person I truly am, or if it's all a front I put up. Am I fake? There are some days when I can't honestly tell.
Will I ever find that love, that relationship, that I'm truly looking for? And if I do, will it last, or will it fade out, leaving me scrambling around in the darkness, feeling helpless and isolated?
I don't know. That's the only answer I can come up with. I just don't know.
Well, talk about a downer ending. Sorry, folks. I promise I'll be more fun with the E3 articles I'm planning on writing up. If you've read this far, know that I appreciate it and hope you stick around to read more on this blog. Let me know what you think of this format in the comments or on FB and Twitter. Thank you, and go see Wonder Woman! Seriously.
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