Sunday, December 29, 2024
Friday, December 27, 2024
Friday, December 20, 2024
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Superman | Official Teaser Trailer
I don't understand the need to keep rebooting Superman. It is hard to beat the 1978 Superman movie.
I liked the last two Superman films, and I would have been happy to continue those stories, but they keep going back to the same well. How many Superman origin stories do we need?
Monday, December 16, 2024
Saturday, December 7, 2024
Why everyone loves "Shared Universes" (And how one may be in trouble before it even starts)
The roughly 23 movies in the Marvel Universe weren't all great individually, but the way they all culminated in Avengers Infinity War and Avengers Endgame was impressive. Although Endgame made more money, I thought Infinity War was one of the best movies I had ever seen.
James Gunn, who made some good Marvel movies, is rebooting the DC Universe next year with a Superman remake. I just barely found out about this. However, there were already a couple of attempts to reboot Superman that didn't go anywhere.
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Star Trek Unification (Kirk's Journey to the afterlife)
With the help of the latest special effects, William Shatner along with Sam Witwer, who played in Battlestar Galactica and Star Wars animation, play James T. Kirk at different ages. It is about Kirk's journey to the afterlife.
Although it is good, I'm not as blown away by it. The special effects are a novelty. It is a lovely way to say goodbye to Kirk. Kirk seeing his younger self reminds me of 2001, A Space Odyssey.
Lenard Nimoy died almost ten years ago. All our old favorite actors are dying off, which makes this all the more touching.
The final scene looks like it could have been shot in "The Volume" which is a Lucasfilm spherical stage where all the walls are screens to create artificial scenery. The Mandalorian series was created primarily on this stage.
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Black Friday Deal: 99¢/month for a year | Hulu
https://www.hulu.com/gma
This was the deal I was waiting for. However, the fine print tells me that I am ineligible because I was a member within the last month. I click on "Get this deal" and it doesn't give it to me.
I don't like the ads, but I like saving money.
Disney+ has a ton of content, but I've seen most of it. I'm especially fond of the Star Wars shows, but there are also Marvel, Pixar, and National Geographic.
Monday, November 25, 2024
Thursday, November 21, 2024
A Disney Holiday Short: The Boy & The Octopus
This qualifies as the sweetest commercial I have ever seen. It is the usual Disney tripe but is sweet nevertheless.
This is pretty good PR from a mega-corporation.
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
The irony of loving Star Wars too much
@john2001plus
0 seconds ago
Hey Thor,
I have many thoughts, so sorry if this goes long.
The ideal sequel trilogy would have been one of Luke, Han, and Leia, but we needed that thirty years ago before the actors got too old. Disney was stuck where they couldn't continue the story right after Return of The Jedi, so they tried to go down a path of discarding the old characters and introducing new ones. The decision to discard the old characters seems like a bad one because the fans wanted the old characters. With current technology, it is not too late to have a story that takes place after Return of the Jedi.
No offense to anyone, but Star Wars fans appear to be very hard to please. If a new movie or show is not exactly what they want or expect, they will claim it is bad when it might be entertaining. We saw that with the prequel trilogy where right away people claimed that Episode 1 was terrible. However, I loved the entire prequel trilogy. George Lucas tried to make every movie different, but this turned off some people who claimed, "Not my Star Wars."
The Last Jedi is a dilemma for most people. It has some bad dialogue. It has a couple of bad scenes. It could have been a better film. However, I will swear to my dying breath that it is an entertaining movie because I found it entertaining. I enjoyed it quite a bit. Would I have preferred something a little different? Yes, but I don't see it as my story to tell. People are upset by how the movie handled Luke, but I was open to a story about Luke that was different from what I expected. Had the movie gone exactly the way we expected it could have been boring.
There is a difference between a movie or show being entertaining and great. We want Star Wars to be great. However, it isn't always great, but that doesn't necessarily make it bad. I like watching shows about Star Wars and I enjoyed most of the TV series even if they were far from the greatness that we wanted them to be. In particular, I liked Kenobi quite a bit.
I have a big problem with The Rise of Skywalker. Bringing back Palpatine undermines Darth Vader's sacrifice. The movie has other issues. It is a weaker film than The Last Jedi. It is a disappointing conclusion to the trilogy. However, I did enjoy watching it and I might enjoy watching it again. But I hold movies to a higher standard than I do TV shows. It could have been much better.
I have a concern that the Star Wars story is too limited in scope to keep making more movies and shows. According to George Lucas, Star Wars is a soap opera about the Skywalker family. That story has already been told. Anything that follows is either going be be repeating the same story, or too different for the fans to embrace. I think that we both would like to see a new set of characters set in a different period. The Acolyte tried to do this but was mediocre at best.
Best wishes,
John Coffey
Sunday, November 17, 2024
Monday, November 11, 2024
Sunday, November 10, 2024
Saturday, November 9, 2024
Wednesday, November 6, 2024
Tuesday, November 5, 2024
Monday, November 4, 2024
Sunday, November 3, 2024
Why critics kinda hated the Empire Strikes Back
I was turning 20 when the movie came out. The critics loved it. The Louisville movie critic called it an 11 on a scale of 1 to 10. The movie blew me away and it is still my favorite movie.
We spent 3 years wondering if Darth Vader was really Luke's father.
This was released just five months after Star Trek The Motion Picture which was a bit of a bore.
Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Sunday, October 20, 2024
Sunday, October 13, 2024
Tuesday, October 8, 2024
Sunday, October 6, 2024
Wednesday, October 2, 2024
15 Years Later, I Finally Understand Inglorious Basterds
According to the video, Inglorious Bastards symbolizes American national identity, and the decline of film as a form of storytelling.
Monday, September 30, 2024
Saturday, September 28, 2024
Thursday, September 26, 2024
Monday, September 23, 2024
Friday, September 20, 2024
The Jetsons - 1950s Super Panavision 70
What you can generate with AI these days, is just astonishing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZOnC8hdX8k
@frankpoperowitzmusic 2 days ago
I could watch two straight hours of Jane just strolling around the apartment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZOnC8hdX8k
@frankpoperowitzmusic 2 days ago
I could watch two straight hours of Jane just strolling around the apartment.
Wednesday, September 18, 2024
Disney Plus: You paying more for less is their brilliant business strategy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DppIlEH3GaU
Good video!
A Google search shows that Disney+ is offering three months for $1.99 per month. This is the version with ads.
Last year on Black Friday I got a combination of Disney+ and Hulu for a year for $3 per month.
There was a similar offer on HBO Max, now just called Max. It is my favorite streaming service.
Years ago, I got the Disney+ pre-start discount where I was paying around $4 per month by paying for three years in advance. The problem is that I didn't see a ton of new content that I wanted to watch. I had already seen most of the stuff worth watching.
Good video!
A Google search shows that Disney+ is offering three months for $1.99 per month. This is the version with ads.
Last year on Black Friday I got a combination of Disney+ and Hulu for a year for $3 per month.
There was a similar offer on HBO Max, now just called Max. It is my favorite streaming service.
Years ago, I got the Disney+ pre-start discount where I was paying around $4 per month by paying for three years in advance. The problem is that I didn't see a ton of new content that I wanted to watch. I had already seen most of the stuff worth watching.
Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Saturday, September 14, 2024
Tuesday, September 10, 2024
Monday, September 9, 2024
Why is "The Empire Strikes Back" considered the best Star Wars film? (Star Wars Discussion)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbUdTONl8MY
I had just barely graduated High School when I drove to Indianapolis to see TESB at a big theater with a large curved screen. I sat in the front row. At one point my head had to turn quite a ways to follow a ship flying across the big curved screen. It felt almost 3D.
I grew up in the 1970s. The country was in a state of malaise for the entire decade. We had suffered through the Vietnam War, Watergate, the oil crisis, stagnation, and inflation. China and Russia were evil empires trying to take over their neighbors.
Star Wars was a beacon of hope. It said that good could stand against evil. The Empire Strikes Back became my favorite movie and it still is.
I'm slowly turning into an old man but I am still a die-hard Star Wars fan.
@john2001plus
0 seconds agoI had just barely graduated High School when I drove to Indianapolis to see TESB at a big theater with a large curved screen. I sat in the front row. At one point my head had to turn quite a ways to follow a ship flying across the big curved screen. It felt almost 3D.
I grew up in the 1970s. The country was in a state of malaise for the entire decade. We had suffered through the Vietnam War, Watergate, the oil crisis, stagnation, and inflation. China and Russia were evil empires trying to take over their neighbors.
Star Wars was a beacon of hope. It said that good could stand against evil. The Empire Strikes Back became my favorite movie and it still is.
I'm slowly turning into an old man but I am still a die-hard Star Wars fan.
Saturday, September 7, 2024
Matt Walsh Ranks The Top 5 Most OVERRATED Films
Friday, September 6, 2024
Wednesday, August 28, 2024
Sunday, August 25, 2024
A is for Alien Read-Aloud
I saw this book advertised on Facebook and thought it was a joke. Let's take the scariest movie monster of all time and put it in a children's book.
Saturday, August 24, 2024
STAR WARS JUST CANCELLED ANOTHER MOVIE! (maybe)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCn_MhDQeCk
I liked the Acolyte better than most people, because most of the fans hated the show, but the finish failed to deliver and turned the series into a daytime soap opera. However, most YouTubers judged the show negatively before it even aired. The ratings were abysmal, and almost nobody watched this show.
Disney and Lucasfilm failed partly because their Star Wars shows pushed a woke agenda, which I can live with, but the shows mainly failed because the writing was weak.
However, Rogue One is a great movie, and Andor season one is a fantastic television spin-off of Rogue One and the best Star Wars Disney has made.
The Mandorian season 1 was pretty good and the second season was excellent. However, the third season was barely passable.
Monday, August 19, 2024
'The Acolyte' Canceled: Disney's Star Wars Spinoff Done After One Season
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/the-acolyte-canceled-star-wars-1235978593/
No surprise. Disney made a mediocre show that at best split the fans. I liked the first six episodes but the payoff wasn't great.
Best wishes,
John Coffey
No surprise. Disney made a mediocre show that at best split the fans. I liked the first six episodes but the payoff wasn't great.
Best wishes,
John Coffey
Sunday, August 18, 2024
Thursday, August 8, 2024
Shave and a Haircut
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/jUVWn3csvSw
I knew the name because it was mentioned in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" which I saw 35 years ago.
This other video is interesting...
Tuesday, July 30, 2024
Manny Jacinto on why some don't like "The Acolyte"
5 minutes ago
Hey Thor,
I don't interpret the message of The Acolyte in the same way you do. I don't think that it is saying that the bad guys are the good guys and are justified in murder, any more than Tony Soprano is portrayed as the good guy and is justified committing murder. You can have a show where a good character turns bad, a show where most of the characters make bad choices, and a show where the bad guys are the main characters.
I know that Leslye Headland made a bunch of statements way out in left field showing her own biases. However, in the show, these biases aren't so clear. Yes, the characters do bad things and make bad choices, but it is not clear that the show is defending those choices or saying that the Jedi are bad.
The pre-release comments by Leslye Headland convinced many YouTubers that this was what the show was going to be about, and there was a backlash before the show even started.
In my opinion, the first six episodes are not excellent, but just good enough to be entertaining. Unfortunately, the show failed to deliver and the payoff was disappointing.
I doubt that Disney would waste another 180 million dollars on a lackluster show, but I would like to see a second season that adds some clarity to the story. I want to see the bad guys get justice and maybe for Osha and the Jedi to get redemption. There is still enough mystery in the series for us to get a follow-up.
Best wishes,
John Coffey
P.S. I think that the series accomplished what it was supposed to; it got people like me to subscribe to Disney+.
Saturday, July 27, 2024
Sunday, July 14, 2024
Saturday, July 13, 2024
Friday, July 12, 2024
The Star Wars: Concept Trailer
I'm impressed. Before the original Star Wars movie was created, George Lucas commissioned artist Ralph McQuarrie to create some beautiful concept paintings of what the movie might look like. These paintings helped inspire the visual effects and the look of the film.
Now someone has taken those paintings and animated them with CGI. It is short but looks terrific.
George MacKay Reveals His Most Dramatic Scene in 1917 Was a Mistake
1917 is one of my favorite movies.
Friday, July 5, 2024
Thursday, July 4, 2024
Monday, July 1, 2024
How to Create your own Worst Enemies: A Disney Story
Good video:
Friday, June 28, 2024
Is the problem that some Star Wars fans don’t understand or care about the "story" of Star Wars?
7 minutes ago
Hey Thor,
First, I love your analysis; your channels are my favorite on YouTube.
But I wonder if you have taken the wrong approach toward this show. You seemed so concerned about preserving canon and the message, you appeared to be worried about this show before it started and formed a negative bias. You make assumptions about the show's message and what it will say about the Jedi.
I previously said that it was too early to come to this conclusion. I don't yet have reason to think that the show will say that the Sith aren't so bad and have some good points, or call into question if evil isn't really evil, or that the Jedi are responsible for evil.
But I can see why you think these things. If your assumptions prove correct, and the show breaks cannon and/or blames the Jedi for evil, I will be forced to admit that the show is poorly written in the context of the Star Wars universe. However, I don't yet know that this is where the show is going. You very well may be correct, but my impression is that it will go in a different direction.
The cast and director made comments about the series that many YouTubers possibly took out of context. They developed a negative bias before the show started. I could be wrong and they were right to be biased against this show, but I am willing to let it play out and see where it goes.
I make these comments because I have really enjoyed the series. If the show doesn't work for you, I respect that. We disagreed on the quality of the first four episodes. I felt that there was plenty there to hold my interest.
A show lives or dies on the quality of the characters. You stated that you had little reason to be interested in them. I became invested in the characters which is a big part of why I have enjoyed the show, despite any flaws it might have. My first impression left me a bit uncertain, but when I rewatched the episodes I got sucked into the story and the mysteries it presents.
You made comments about the vagueness of the series, but I expected the show to drag out its mysteries.
I hold TV series to an entirely different standard than I do movies. I realize The Acolyte has a high budget, but it is still not as high as the movies. It could be better, but not everything is going to be another Andor, and a halfway-decent TV show in the Star Wars universe is enough to be entertaining.
Best wishes,
John Coffey
Wednesday, June 26, 2024
"The Acolyte" Episode Five: A spectacle without substance
@john2001plus
In the end, the show will either make sense or it won't. If some of Thor's predictions are true and the show breaks cannon, then I will be forced to admit that the show is poorly written in the context of the Star Wars universe.
However, I think the reason why I have enjoyed the series is that I haven't tried to 2nd guess and overanalyze where it is going, what its motivations are, and how it is all going to make sense. I'm willing to wait and let it play out, especially since the show presents itself as a mystery.
I already agree that it could be better, but I wasn't expecting another Andor or a Game of Thrones. I didn't have high expectations. For me, the show is good enough as entertainment.
I am invested in these characters, especially, Mae, Osha, and Sol, which is a big part of why I have enjoyed the show.
If the show doesn't work for Thor (and all the other YouTubers) then I respect that. People have different tastes.
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
The Acolyte" would be better (or worse) if it wasn't Star Wars? And many more questions...
5:45 The difference between Thor and me is that I have enjoyed the series so far. The mystery has kept my interest.
I am dumbfounded about why so many YouTubers hate the show.
Sunday, June 23, 2024
Saturday, June 22, 2024
Tuesday, June 18, 2024
How other shows/franchises do it so much better than Star Wars?
@john2001plus
0 seconds agoI hear all the YouTubers claim that The Acolyte is bad and I am dumbfounded because I am enjoying what I have seen so far. I get the impression that people don't understand what the show is trying to do.
I acknowledge that there are better shows and that The Acolyte could be better, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying the show for what it is. Not everything will be another Andor, so is it good enough?
Maybe the series will redeem itself for most fans, or maybe it won't.
Sunday, June 16, 2024
Disney/Lucasfilm, maybe it's finally time to hear out the fans disappointed with Star Wars
Hey Thor,
If we are being honest, not all the hate toward The Acolyte is due to people thinking the show is poor quality although I am sure that is a major factor. So many people feel "burned" by previous Disney girl-boss Mary-Sue shows that the moment they heard that it has a female lead and a gay director who made some controversial comments that were taken out of context, they refused to watch the show. This is what my friends are telling me. And those who feel so slighted are hyper-critical of it for its wokeness. People have developed a knee-jerk reaction to anything that looks woke because they lump it all into the same basket as Captain Marvel and Rey. The fanbase has built up resentment, so maybe the practical thing Disney should do is give us some classical male heroes which is what most people like. There is still room for female heroes as there always has been.
This is what happened to "Lightyear" which I thought was a pretty good movie. Because it has a same-sex couple and a blink-and-you-will-miss-it lesbian kiss, there was a huge boycott campaign promoted by conservative talk show hosts. The movie bombed because nobody watched it. I tried to convince my friends to watch it, and they refused thinking it was too controversial. People are reacting to what they hear instead of watching it and deciding for themselves.
I don't think that The Acolyte is bad. I don't think that the third episode is bad for not revealing all of its cards. We were told that the show's point was to have a mystery told from different perspectives. I look forward to watching how the mystery plays out. However, the show makes story-telling choices that don't sit well with the general audience.
The Acolyte has enough of a budget that it could be better, but this leads to my second issue regarding Star Wars fans. They expect perfection. TV shows never have the same budget as major movies, and even The Acolyte has a lower budget than The Rise of Skywalker, so I am willing to give TV shows a bit more leeway. I am just grateful that the show is entertaining even if it is not perfect. Like you, I want it to be better, but that isn't always possible given the budget.
For example, there was an outstanding George Lucas movie that was effectively turned into a TV show and nobody complained about the show being inferior even though it was. The show was a huge hit. The movie was American Graffiti and the show was Happy Days.
I would feel honored if you would comment on this.
I would feel honored if you would comment on this.
Best wishes,
John Coffey
Saturday, June 15, 2024
Thursday, June 13, 2024
Tuesday, June 11, 2024
Tuesday, June 4, 2024
Friday, May 31, 2024
Wednesday, May 29, 2024
Saturday, May 25, 2024
Thursday, May 23, 2024
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
Wednesday, May 15, 2024
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
What CIVIL WAR Is Really About
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G_KY2kRbUQ
Dictators arise because of a crisis causing the public to support stability over democracy.
Dictators arise because of a crisis causing the public to support stability over democracy.
Saturday, May 4, 2024
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Darth Plagueis: The 'unseen' threat responsible for it all (Battle of the Heroes & Villains)
I'm finishing the Darth Plagueis audiobook. It is ranked on many lists as the best Star Wars book.
It is very much a prequel to the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy. I think that it ends shortly before Episode 1 begins. What is interesting is how it shows all the events that lead up to Episode 1. There might be too much politics for some people, but Plagueis is shown to be the behind-the-scenes mastermind who engineered the fall of The Republic.
Palpatine gets equal time as he progresses from a young apprentice to a Sith Lord. His interactions with Plagueis are interesting.
Saturday, April 27, 2024
Monday, April 22, 2024
Monday, April 15, 2024
"If" this plot leak is true, there's little hope for Episode IX
This is an interesting leak from 4.5 years ago for the upcoming The Rise of Skywalker (The Rise of Crapwalker.)
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
Shatner
I was absolutely wrong. The strongest feeling, that dominated everything else by far, was the deepest grief that I had ever experienced.
I understood, in the clearest possible way, that we were living on a tiny oasis of life, surrounded by an immensity of death. I didn't see infinite possibilities of worlds to explore, adventures to have, or living creatures to connect with. I saw the deepest darkness I could have ever imagined, contrasting so starkly with the welcoming warmth of our nurturing home planet.
This was an immensely powerful awakening for me. It filled me with sadness. I realized that we had spent decades, if not centuries, being obsessed with looking away, with looking outside. I did my share in popularizing the idea that space was the final frontier. But I had to get to space to understand that Earth is and will stay our only home. And that we have been ravaging it, relentlessly, making it uninhabitable."
~ William Shatner
Thursday, April 4, 2024
Star Wars - 1950's Super Panavision 70
Star Wars reimagined as a 1950s movie. I think that this is AI-generated. We are living in a new age.
https://youtu.be/cUm3oRYV7yM?si=SeR1gKPINBa_DBe7
Hypothetically, if Star Wars had been made in the 1950s, it would have been like Flash Gordon.
https://youtu.be/cUm3oRYV7yM?si=SeR1gKPINBa_DBe7
Hypothetically, if Star Wars had been made in the 1950s, it would have been like Flash Gordon.
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Post From 4 Years Ago About Video Resolution
When 4K TV's first came out, some people pointed out that your eyes can't see in 4K. (I know mine can't.) I bought a 4K TV anyway on a Walmart Black Friday sale at a great price.
The 4K designation is a bit deceptive because the 4K refers to the number of horizontal pixels. In the past, video resolutions were designated by the number of lines vertically. Therefore, just so we are clear, 4K is 2160P, and 1080P is 2K.
The most you can get out of broadcast TV right now is 1080i. The old TV shows that dominate broadcast TV were recorded on videotape, which is 480i, so that how they are broadcast today. Blu-ray disks are typically 1080P, and DVD's can be as low as 480p. There is a special Blu-ray format that is 4K, but you need a Blu-ray player that supports it.
When movie theaters started using digital projection, the format they used was 2K, and some later movies were shown in 4K. I am one who sits on the front row of a theater when everybody else sits 2/3 of the way back. (That's kind of nice for me actually.) Even with a giant screen in front of me, I can't notice any lack of resolution with a 2K or 4K projection.
My favorite computer resolution is 1440P, which is technically 2.5K, and this is what I use now. This is an ideal resolution for playing games. The Apple iMac that I own is capable of 5K, which is overkill on Apple's part because it doesn't make sense to have that much detail on a 27-inch monitor.
On my computer, I routinely watch videos that are 720P and I never notice any lack of clarity.
So now the industry is developing 8K TV's, which is insane. Your eyes will not see the difference, and there's not going to be any content available in 8K. The new videogame systems that are coming out this year are also going to support 8K, but likely just for content and not for games which will be in 4K instead. Right now you can buy a 98 inch Samsung 8K TV for $79,000. This is insane.
Star Wars Meme Monday with Thor & Naboo (Episode 107) and Special Treat
Star Wars has the bad habit of bringing back dead characters...
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Sunday, March 24, 2024
Dee Bradley Baker doing clone voices for five and a half minutes
I realize that not everyone likes animation, but animated Star Wars has some great characters and stories. The Batd Batch is exceptional.
Not everyone likes science fiction, but I am impressed at how many voices Dee Bradley Baker does. He voices most of the show.
I am surprised at how enthusiastic the audience is.
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Thursday, March 14, 2024
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Fact or Fiction: Poster shows Will Smith playing Popeye in new movie?
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
Was John Cena really naked during Oscars 2024 skit?
This seems very tasteless to me.
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@john2001plus
2 minutes ago