376 Reply by Zarban

(199 replies, posted in Off Topic)

My only problem is that, for a show that promised right from the beginning to be about occult rituals, it didn't deliver much of that specific thing. I didn't expect it to end with Rust and Marty crashing a spring clean for the May queen, but I expected more than an old VHS tape of some unnamed unspeakable act. Imagine a mini-series about a "basketball killer" that ends up only including a few seconds of basketball on tape and a climax in an empty basketball court. ("OMG there are vague hints that his daughter might once have played basketball!")

The whole setup of the show was that this crime from 1995 wasn't completely solved by killing Ledoux; it was a conspiracy continuing to the present day, and it was big and went high up, and Rust and Marty would have to overcome their animosity to uncover the full extent of it. But in the end, they really just redid what they did in 1995: got a low-life who did the dirty work.

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377 Reply by Zarban

(1,649 replies, posted in Off Topic)

fcw wrote:

Happy Get Lucky, with free in-camera effects demo, sort-of, pardon my camera shadows...

I saw this posted on Slate, and it's my new favorite thing, both visually and musically. Are you saying you did the camera work?

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378 Reply by Zarban

(431 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Cool! It's interesting how many forum regulars are UK VFX artists.

I'm Ace. This is Janko. You met Tink and Woz when you came in. Rachet here is our resident grease monkey. And Butch... well, let's just say ol' Butch here keeps us all from goin' space crazy.

*pets imaginary dog*

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379 Reply by Zarban

(199 replies, posted in Off Topic)

I do hope that season 2 features other characters following up on the same case. As much as I liked it, there's a lot left unanswered and unfinished. If this really is it for the Yellow King case, then I feel like Rust and Marty should have been more definitive than the TV saying the Tuttle rumors were denied and Marty shrugging his shoulders.

Buttering and tucking Show
Marty could have found a cache of evidence that identifies the elder (dead) Tuttle as the Yellow King, describes the extent and purpose of the secret society, explains Errol's apparent dual or triple personality, etc. That cache of evidence could easily have burned up as a result of Errol's attempt to get away with his crimes (and provided cinematic lighting for the climax).

Instead, it wrapped up the murders Rust and Marty were investigating without getting to the bottom of the whole conspiracy or even Marty's daughter's possible involvement as a victim.

I'd love to see two female detectives carry on next season, uncovering the secret society, interviewing girls who may have been victims, and stumbling across Marty's daughter; then Marty returns to wreak vengeance.

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380 Reply by Zarban

(199 replies, posted in Off Topic)

You're all a bunch of suckers. This whole show is just a commercial.

Yellow King Show

http://www.zarban.com/pics/9836-burger-king.jpg

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381 Reply by Zarban

(199 replies, posted in Off Topic)

The episode still could have been more economical and needed to end with more of a bang. The whole first scene in the bar was unnecessary. They could have gone from the side of the road to the storage locker. Then the ending is the suspect(s) discussing the fact that they know our boys have drawn a bead on them and they need to do something about it.

As is, this would have worked better if there was one more episode between it and the finale, I think. We've got our protagonists back together and on the right track. We reveal the suspect. Next up is tension moving to action. Then the finale is a raid or something; all action and a strong resolution of our characters. We need 10 minutes just for Marty to unspool Rust.

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382 Reply by Zarban

(199 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Rob wrote:

http://cdn.someecards.com/someecards/filestorage/Avi7OHmatthew-mcconaughey-dallas-buyers-club-rust-cohle-movies-ecards-someecards.png

I wouldn't put it past this show if that acceptance speech somehow had clues built into it that tie back to the narrative.

RUST is watching the Oscars. Matthew McConaughey is giving his acceptance speech. MARTY enters.

    RUST
That guy's in on it.

   MARTY
You're crazy!

   RUST
I'm TELLIN' YOU, Marty! Don't listen to the words.
Listen to the back side of the words.

   MARTY
That's nuts. You KNOW that sounds nuts.

   RUST
You know who else?

TV cuts to Kevin Spacey.

   RUST (CONT.)
That dude.

   MARTY
What?!

   RUST
It's all a house of cards, Marty. And it's all
comin' down.

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383 Reply by Zarban

(199 replies, posted in Off Topic)

I'm still fully on board, but this didn't feel like a second act break that powers us into the third act. We just got our protagonists back together, after all, and they don't have much to go on.

But based on what we've seen before, this show has got the goods.

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384 Reply by Zarban

(97 replies, posted in Off Topic)

So much for cynicism. *buries self in slanket*

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385 Reply by Zarban

(97 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Ooh. Very good points. I might have to rethink that.

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386 Reply by Zarban

(97 replies, posted in Off Topic)

My cynical picks:

Picture
Captain Phillips
- feel good
- love Hanks
- rich old white men (ROWM) identify with Hanks' character

Actor
Leo DiCaprio
- always good
- needs more awards
- ROWM don't like slavery guilt from Ejiofor in 12 Years
- ROWM identify with DiCaprio's character

Actress
Judi Dench
- always good
- needs more awards
- Bullock still isn't good enough to live down Miss Congeniality and Speed movies

S Actor
Barkhad Abdi
- ROWM like to feel good about voting for minorities in some way; see Slumdog Millionaire
- ROWM can't deal with slavery guilt of Fassbender in 12 Years

S Actress
Jennifer Lawrence
- seems good
- she's hot
- ROWM's daughters love her

Animated
Frozen
- seems popular
- ROWM's daughters and granddaughters love it

Cinematography
Inside Llewyn Davis
- Gravity was cobbled together by effects and editing
- Coens deserve more awards

Production Design
Gravity
- ROWM heard those spaceships looked just like real spaceships

Costume
Great Gatsby
- looked great
- ROWM remember dressing that way

Director
Marty Scorsese
- deserves more awards
- AMPAS still trying to make the last 30 yrs up to him
- ROWM identify with DiCaprio's character

Doc
20 Feet From Stardom
- feel good
- ROWM can't take guilt of not knowing/doing anything about acts depicted in Act of Killing

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387 Reply by Zarban

(23 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Collateral? Good grief. The ending is preposterous.

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388 Reply by Zarban

(23 replies, posted in Off Topic)

There's no such thing as a perfect movie, but Moon is a good candidate for nearly perfect.

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389 Reply by Zarban

(100 replies, posted in Off Topic)

I'm interested in this (hell, if Bryan Cranston can't sell it, who can?), but I'm wary. What could this do that Pacific Rim and World War Z didn't do, other than be better crafted?

Also, it occurs to me that World War G would be a good title for a Godzilla movie.

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390 Reply by Zarban

(199 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Yes! If we're lucky, we can get the same all-male team who wrote and directed The Hours. They understand women!

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391 Reply by Zarban

(199 replies, posted in Off Topic)

I'd like to see an HBO remake of Cagney & Lacey. It could explore the difficulties of balancing a stressful work life and family and the peculiar demands and expectations society puts on women, particularly professional women.

Plus, double the opportunity for titty scenes.

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392 Reply by Zarban

(29 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Nice. Hard facts. Good-looking graphics. Great audio. The right length, too: not a commercial but not an infomercial either.

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393 Reply by Zarban

(199 replies, posted in Off Topic)

I enjoyed that ep a good bit, altho I agree with the assessments that it's a "table setting" ep and Maggie's scene was weakly structured. I like the development of her character and the shifting that has happened to Rust and Marty, as Rob pointed out.

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394 Reply by Zarban

(314 replies, posted in Creations)

drewjmore wrote:

I'm a beleaguer.

You mean a "tealiever"? A "Chrystian"? A "figment"?

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395 Reply by Zarban

(314 replies, posted in Creations)

Justin doesn't make excuses. Justin delivers.

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396 Reply by Zarban

(314 replies, posted in Creations)

paulou wrote:

HE OWES Y'ALL NOTHlNG

Bieber owes us nothing. He's filled our lives with song and gentle Canadian choreography.

Teague literally promised with all his heart that he would leak something immediately after he got a few faves in 24 hours. It was a BLOOD OATH.

/belieber foreber

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397 Reply by Zarban

(2,068 replies, posted in Off Topic)

I enjoyed Jack the Giant Slayer with kids. It was a bit by-the-numbers and full of anachronisms, but it had some good humor and characters (not Jack, unfortunately) and kept up a good pace.

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398 Reply by Zarban

(25 replies, posted in Off Topic)

AshDigital wrote:

Zarban: How's Film Pigs? I'm assuming it's good since it's in your regular rotation but how's the production level?

Production level is terrific. They have the right mix of music and sound effects and even play games (that is to say: they don't simply cut in a whole random song, like some podcasts I could name). It used to be an immediate must-listen, but lately Falk has been busy and when he IS around he and Skelton bait Anderson until he gets genuinely angry, which is not as entertaining as they seem to think it is.

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399 Reply by Zarban

(314 replies, posted in Creations)

Teague wrote:

I don't have the thing I wanna leak to you just yet,

http://cdn.grumpycats.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Grumpy-Cat-01.jpg

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400 Reply by Zarban

(100 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Well, it began to fill up with spam, and there didn't seem to be a way for regular users to delete it. It's not like we filled it with adoring pictures of Teague.

EDIT: Oh, and I couldn't figure out how to add adoring pictures of Teague.

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