Infinity War Review, Comic Nerd & Kip 2 Progress - 010 Brainstorm Podcast

In episode 10, we discuss my thoughts on Marvel's Infinity War, and why it had a major story flaw. I was invested as a kid in the Marvel universe, by collecting multiple comic book series that still sit in boxes stored away growing dust to this day. I also lament the slow progression of Kip the Quick book 2.

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Thor Ragnarok Geek Out! Best of Movie Moments - #003 Brainstorm Podcast

The Brainstorm Podcast with fantasy author Clifton Hill is about writing, genre fiction and moral quandries.

 

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In Episode 3, it's time to geek out over Thor Ragnarok. Yes, I know, not new, but I watched it again recently, and this podcast was originally recorded in 2018. You know you love the movie, relive the fun and adventure with me.

MAJOR SPOILERS!!! But hey, we're well past the statue of limitations here.

If Thor is the God of Thunder, is Hella the Goddess of Blades?

Has anyone noticed that I called this the "Clifton Journal" at first? Just winging it, shooting from the hip, what can I say.

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MOVIE REVIEW: Fantastics Beasts and Where to Find Them

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We watched Fantastic Beasts recently and while it was full of strong performances, took the Potter world into a darker, different direction, I felt as if the narrative lost its direction and veered into something more epic than I really wanted. Now, that’s said from a guy that loves epic fantasy, that writes epic fantasy, that pushed on reading through 14, 900+ page novels of the Wheel of Time, despite 100’s of pages where nothing happened of note. The simple reason I say this is because the derailing change in tone for Fantastic Beasts wasn’t needed.


*MINOR SPOILER ALERT* — Though really, it's pretty obvious in the movie.

Newt’s story of visiting New York, losing some of his animals and having to find them, felt a lot more interesting to me than the eventual Grindelwald reveal with his desires to out wizard society and stop hiding behind the scenes; bringing about the eventual no-maj and wizard war that would result. While I wanted to see all of those underhanded dealings, and Farrell’s character was a beautiful mix of conflicted power and passion, I was annoyed as the retrieval of the beasts took a back seat.

One of the brilliant parts of Harry Potter is it started small. Yes, it was evident that Potter was akin to a chosen one, but for the most part it seemed that his time in the spotlight had already come and passed. His celebration was for what he had done, not for what he would do. Fantastic Beasts misses that beat for me, by trying to start too big right out of the gate. I loved the budding relationship with the baker, as Newt's strangely willing sidekick, and while we got some vignette scenes of them in the suitcase displaying Newt’s passion for the odd and magical, the release and recapture of the beasts was thoroughly trumped by building Story B.

I’m not Rowling, but my inner writer was screaming to want to rewrite the script and push Story B into hints and foreshadowing that could lay the path to explode prominently on the scene in the sequel to Fantastic Beasts. There was enough drama and fun to let the retrieval of the beasts stand on its own as THE story.

I also have to say the climactic conclusion was just a back and forth mess where direction was lacking and it seemed the characters weren't even sure what they were supposed to be doing. Eventually it came together, and yes: it was big, it was tense, but the excitement and edge of your seat anticipation just felt forced.

Nevertheless, it was a solid movie, stronger than some of the Potter movies, even if it missed some of the pacing of the Harry Potter books.

As a fan of the Potterverse, one of the most exciting parts of the movie was imagining what may come with Rowling (maybe) delving into other side stories and building the world still greater and larger. Potter's story may be done, but there is so much more to tell.

The Good Dinosaur - It Didn't Wow

We watched the new Pixar flick over the weekend and were left a bit confused. First off, my wife and I discussed about screening the movie before sharing it with the kids (4 and 8).

"But it's Pixar," I proclaim.

Pixar is awesome. They do no wrong. But fine. The wife is strangely often right.

Intuition? Maybe.

So off to IMDB to check the ratings detail and prove her wrong, and then came the below tweets:

@CliftonHill Feb 25
The Good Dinosaur rating detail on IMDB: mother yells "Honey, it's almost time!" ..dinosaurs inside hut .. over 3 eggs. Sex is implied —Wha?

(Come on. Serious?)

And this part is under "Sex and Nudity": 1 of the main characters is seen throughout wearing only a breechcloth. —Uh, yeah, we saw the preview

(I'm so right, kids should totally watch it with us. Screening-schmeening.)

At least the ratings board is thorough. Information is power, right? #TheGoodDinosaur And hey, we were all concerned about sex and nudity.

(Neener, neener, neener.)

Never know what kind of shenanigans those Pixar guys are going to try and pull.

(There were some other mentioned scenes that seemed to warrant concern, but seriously, look at all the rest that was called out that was ridiculous. I figured it was time to kick back, watch the movie and bask in my rightness.)

But...blast it all. The screening turned out to be a good thing. (Point to wifey.) There is a moment where a furry critter is eaten (quite explicitly) right on screen. Then another where a big bug's head was ripped right off. Maybe a slight creep factor for a small bug (and a small detail on screen), but one that was bigger than a dog and prominently showed?

For this kind of movie, those two scenes missed the point. I had other issues with the movie, but in general it just didn't have the feel of a Pixar flick. It lacked the humor and the heart. I think this would have made a better adult film. In fact I almost wonder if that's what they were going for, then pulled back, hobbling themselves in the process and making a weaker film. Even the dinosaur design for the main character and his family seemed off, in comparison to the others and to the beautiful terrain.

Movie had potential. But for me, this Good Dinosaur, was just *meh*.

Guardians of the Galaxy - A Smashing...Success?

I heard good things about Marvel's latest. Heard it thrummed with the energy of the original Star Wars back when Luke Skywalker was first whispered upon the lips of the converted. I heard it was a fine bit of space opera.


Guess I'm just picky.

Guardians of the Galaxy has aliens, 80's goofiness, a super-baddy with a giant war hammer and a mining colony in the severed head of a god. Not too shabby, should work out, and as Starlord dances it up, we grin, sit back and wait for the story to unfold.

Captain America: Winter Soldier - As Slick as Ice

I was a comic book collector as a kid, I enjoyed the Avengers, among others. And, yes, I still have six boxes hidden away, expecting to sell them for a mint one day. So, when I go to the theater, as in: my living room—

(What, we have kids.)

I bring some experience to the mix. I’m pretty picky when it comes to a good show, so when I saw the first Captain America and practically yawned through it, I was skeptical of what Winter Soldier would bring.

Previews looked good, hope was we were past all the standard origin story rehash and there would be a good story. And yes, yes there was.

Thank you!

Like going down the Hollywood Blockbuster grocery list we had the big struggle, the heart string moments (pluck), questions of trust, and a great mixture of conflict.

I don’t typically get all hung up on how true to the comics they are, I rather pay more attention to if they got the feel of the movie and character right. First movie, Cap was half a character with moments of greatness. Inconsistent, but he had some. This movie he is a real boy.

“Secure the engine room, then find me a date.”

Granted, perhaps the director of the first was trying to show Cap finding his fledgling way through a new world. But it was either overdone, or for me, missed the point.

Winter Soldier is solid. Go see it... Er, little late for that, I mean: watch it.

(And if for some reason you didn't watch the first, don't bother. If you know anything about Captain America, you don't need to spend your money/time to see more about Red Skull, Hydra, World War I, Super Soldier Serum or the Iceberg.)

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• Guardians of the Galaxy - A Smashing...Success? •

Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, Part 1

Good review of the new movie on SF Signal, by Derek Johnson.

Here are my notes regarding his review and my take on the movie:

A fair and accurate review and I say this as one that has read the series twice over by now, though the last time I touched the books was a good year ago.

This note of yours is particualrly telling for my take on the film: "...they dramatize it poorly..."

Yes. The film is constantly pushing us from scene to scene so rapidly there is no pause for impact. Or by comparison it limps along slowly, trying to impart a feeling of desperation. For me it all comes back to a constant miss on the setup and execution to make moments that should be telling.

Like the scene where Mad-eye Moody dies. Didn't do a thing for me. The moment came, it left, and I was like, "So?" When I read the book, however, I was shocked.

Yes, the book is long, and yes a lot happens, so of course it will be hard to condense the book into a motion-length picture; but Lord of the Rings pulled it off, so why not Harry Potter? The only way I feel like I know what is going on in the frenzied blur is because I've read the books, and the only reason I care to sit through the duller moments is...because I've read the books.

The movie is not bad, in terms of film, it is pretty decent and features our favorite boy-turned-man-wizard, but it has a lot to live up to. (Yep. Sorry Rowling. It's all your fault)

The movie plays out more as a visual accompaniment to the books than a complete piece. Though many have read the books, a movie can't take that excuse, it needs to stand on its own.

*****
Did you see the movie? What did you think? My wife and I went with a friend to the midnight showing last night. We waited 4+ hours and we still had fun.