I would encourage you to not speak so assuredly about how successful an adaptation can or cannot be based solely on source material.

Filmmaking is hard work, made even more difficult by executive producers who think their opinion should be weighted over that of the creative team. I’ve seen this first-hand, and I’ve watched projects I’ve been excited to take on turn sour.

It happens all the time.

I don’t hate it. Sin City had a great look. We need more hard noir.

As someone who has seen it all—especially the infinity saga several times over, but generally not impressed by what has come since—this was pretty fun.

It felt like lower stakes, even though technically the threat was essentially world-ending, and in a nightmarish way. And there’s something to be said for a movie that makes you empathize with the least-liked character in the bunch.

You can be cynical about the acknowledgement of mental health concerns in modern life, or you can maybe see it as a progressive move that might open the MCU up to more kinds of stories. The kind of stuff we get a bit of in the TV shows, actually.

I will say, however, that the campaign billing this as the “A24 of MCU movies” was a bit of an over-sell.

Where’s Balboni

I couldn’t get past the first episode. I tried twice.

She’s a badass.

I haven’t read the books so my Foundation experience is exclusively from the show, which I really enjoy. Here are some I’m unhappy with.

Big Door Prize: Interesting premise, strung along and did NOT get enough from the S01 finale, and I refuse to watch the second season.

Changeling: GREAT vibes but the end of the season did not deliver, and people who read the book said the season showed most of the book but omitted the last bit. That made me pretty angry and I will not bother with another season.

Constellation: Interesting premise kind of ruined by a stretched-out plot, bad writing, and a poor performance from some of the cast. Could not be motivated to watch another season.

Invasion: I fucking hate this show. It’s written by people with teenage brain logic, it’s acted by people who are giving student film effort at best, but it’s shot beautifully, which, for Apple, always covers a multitude of sins.

What I love: Silo is so fun. I ended up reading all the books before the second season premiered. For all Mankind is entertaining if not a bit soapy. Alt history is interesting, although sometimes bittersweet when it comes to the subject of the space race. Monarch is also fun if you just want some Godzilla/monster action content. Also it has Anna Sawai, who killed it in Shōgun (FX).

Is everyone ready and willing to taste it?

I’m glad. I loved the style of this show, especially the editing. And the twist was quite intriguing.

Spoiler alert: All of the big ones.

No increase for the bundles this time. Also this is how I learn you can bundle with Max??

If you haven’t watched Scavengers Reign yet, do yourself a goddamned favor and remedy that. HBO and Netflix.

And they used Tim Robinson for that scene!

They made a ridiculously expensive Amazon show that turned out kinda shitty. I’m sure they’re happy to change their tune and get back to the slam-dunk shit they know well.

My eyepatch has been in a shoebox for the better part of a decade, but I’m beginning to feel restless. I crave the salty air.

Can’t have anything nice. Greedy fucks.

Is it basic of me to hope some classic Penguin traits arise in this show? Like I want him to have some crazy murder umbrella.

First of all… This is the most bloated, ChatGPT article ever.

Second. Godzilla Minus One just looks OKAY. Let’s not kid ourselves here. When half your story takes place in very simple, small sets, and another 40% can be shot in a water sound stage or on the open water with little set design needed, no shit it’s gonna save you a lot of money.

Do people think these Star Wars sets just exist already or something? They take huge teams to conceive of and dress them. And then you’ve got the volume stages where not only are you spending a fuckload to rent out for the day, but your CG artists have to generate those environments ahead of time.

Articles like these are fucking idiotic.

Yeah not impressed with those credits.

My Amex BCE frequently gives offers on streaming services. I basically get caught up in Paramount/Showtime a few months out of every year because they just give me the whole cost back. And I can justify $20/mo for Hulu/Disney with no ads because a staple feature of the card is $7/mo back for that service.

And the card is FREE.