1 Reply by Fadhmir

(30 replies, posted in Episodes)

I saw Dogma at an indie theater in Providence, RI during it's original run. I don't recall having seen any Kevin Smith films before that, and never felt an urge to see this one again.  I was a lapsed Catholic at this point in my life, so I at least appreciated the attempts to poke fun at the church.

I do remember being hung up on the fact that  the character called "Silent Bob" spoke several times.  To a person unfamiliar with his schtick, this made no sense to me.  A single monologue from the character would have worked much better, I think.

I'm curious to watch the film again 15 years later and see if it has improved for me at all. Which I'll do, right after I grab a slice of hot & delicious cheese pizza.

Oh, and I actually enjoyed Cop Out when I saw it, which was immediately after seeing Avatar (as in, I snuck into the adjoining theater).  I think coming from a film that had left me bored and glancing at my watch during its final hour, I was predisposed to like anything that had a little more life to it. I did laugh during the film, and thought it came off fairly well as a parody of the over the top Tango and Cash-esque action films I saw on VHS as a kid.

I even remember enjoying it enough to argue for the film in the comments of its negative AV Club review, and that my lonely post defending it was deleted, apparently for disagreeing with the reviewer. This was my first and last time commenting there . . .

Go to forum: Episodes

2 Reply by Fadhmir

(46 replies, posted in Episodes)

I heard Trey mention the term "Arcology" and how they don't exist yet, or something like that.  I happened to live and work at a community that is being built as a model/pilot arcology in central Arizona:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcosanti

It was designed by Paolo Soleri, who also coined the term arcology.  Paolo was a student of Frank Lloyd Wright until he was kicked out of Taliesen West in Phoenix, for reasons that remain unclear. He's still alive in his mid nineties, and construction is still ongoing, though it's slowed considerably since it's height in the early seventies.

Larry Niven visited several times during it's heyday, and another story I heard is that Lucas and Co visited some of his earlier constructions in Scottsdale, AZ as a possible shooting location for the Owen & Beru homestead in Star Wars.

I lived there for about a year total between 2004-2006, running the small organic farm on the site, and later volunteering in their archives.

There's also a pretty cool book called City in the Image of Man that has schematics for arcologies for different climates & landscapes:  http://www.amazon.com/Arcology-The-City … 1883340012

Okay, back to lurking smile

Go to forum: Episodes

3 Reply by Fadhmir

(208 replies, posted in Episodes)

I read the Alan Dean Foster novelization of the film a few months back, there were one or two scenes that made it clear that Kirk's stepfather was a pain in the ass, and that Sam decided to leave the house.

Kirk decides, eff this I'm leaving too, takes the stepfather's car and passes his brother on the road.

I assumed McCoy, having already completed medical school, had less to do at the academy.  Maybe Starfleet 101, learning how to treat non-humans,  and some specifics about how to serve as a medical officer on a ship or starbase, as opposed to a downtown clinic in Jackson, MS.

Go to forum: Episodes

4 Reply by Fadhmir

(9 replies, posted in Episodes)

I think Kevin is a talented, funny, and incredibly insecure fellow with no self-censor. He doesn't have a publicist, or anyone else around to take his mike away when he starts in on another obsession. He wants everyone to love him, and takes every criticism personally.

I enjoy his movies, more or less. Cop Out might be my favorite of those he's directed.  I thought it was a brilliant, tongue in cheek send up of the uneven buddy cop films of the 80's and 90's. I keep coming back to Tango and Cash for some reason.

Granted, I snuck into it immediately after seeing the technically perfect but tedious Avatar, so maybe I was in the perfect mood for some shoddily put together laughs.

The film brings to mind a Zappa quote about "putting the eyebrows" on certain songs or compositions, there's scenes in Cop Out that may as well have big groucho brows at the top of the screen, waggling at you.

Go to forum: Episodes

5 Reply by Fadhmir

(68 replies, posted in Episodes)

Chiming in . . . I would certainly appreciate the perspective of a one or even two grunt-level technicians who worked on the film, with maybe a couple of you guys available to direct discussion and to keep it consistent the mores of DIF.  As another member said, Trey's Abyss commentary was great for the perspective he brought, I'd love to have the level of information for the Serenity film.

Then perhaps a less technically focused geek-out commentary.  Also, there's always the 90 minute Firefly pilot.  Might that also serve as commentary fodder?

Go to forum: Episodes

6 Reply by Fadhmir

(5 replies, posted in Off Topic)

I figured it was an intelligence test.  You don't want just anyone posting here, right?

Go to forum: Off Topic

7 Reply by Fadhmir

(122 replies, posted in Episodes)

Oh, and I appreciate the love for Brian Daley's Han Solo adventures. They are some of my favorite fun reads. I had gotten so far as to plotting a sequel to the series, but then all these star wars books started coming out and somebody else wrote one.  Oh well.

He also wrote the radio drama of the trilogy; A New Hope runs almost six hours.  They provide more of a back story for Luke and Leia, and fill in a few other storytelling gaps, such as the one Trey mentioned.

Go to forum: Episodes

8 Reply by Fadhmir

(122 replies, posted in Episodes)

I cracked up when I saw the title:  Star Wars.  Dammit. 

        I’ve listened to your Star Wars’ (plural) commentaries and have noticed one or two instances of Lucas bashing in there.  I agree with it.  Mostly because of what ended up on screen when he had full control of the process, and a document titled “The Secret History of Star Wars” that examines the saga using early interviews and scripts that contradict the more published and official history of Lucas writing the saga.  There’s a pdf of the book around, and it was eventually published.

    That text lays the successes of the first two films (I haven’t seen ROTJ in many years, and don’t think much of it) at the feet of the few capable people that happened to be around and told George to stuff it.  Any thoughts? Agree/Disagree?  Is the Secret History just a better written version of Supershadow (well worth googling if you’re not familiar with the name)?  Does Lucas have any talents/strengths or was he just lucky to have some competent friends?

Discuss.

Go to forum: Episodes