GeekCatnip

The Eleventh Hour, and Three Doctors Later

April 11th, 2010 in Reviews, TV
Tags: awesome, doctor who, review

I have to be honest, I did not care for the original Doctor Who series. I used to watch the reruns on PBS with my grandfather out of sheer boredom, who coincidentally was a HUGE fan. When I was 8 years old, I would have rather cleaned my bedroom than watch that horrible Doctor Who show.

Fast forward 15 years later. I’m hanging out in terminal B at Houston Hobby waiting for a flight back to Dallas, and it just so happens the TV in the gate area is tuned to BBC America. More specifically, The Girl in the Fireplace is airing. Nearly an hour later, I’m completely enamored with the new Doctor Who series, thanks to both Steven Moffat and David Tennant. Ever since that Sunday in October, I have been a tool for Doctor Who.

David Tennant has been my favorite “new series” Doctor to date, and coming to terms with his departure earlier this year has been tough. Along with Tennant’s departure, series reviver Russell T. Davies also left the show as long time new series writer Steven Moffat took over the reigns as executive producer. This past Saturday the latest series debuted, along with Matt Smith filling in the role as The Doctor, and it left me with quite a bit to touch upon.

I’ll try to be as spoiler-free as possible, however, I can’t promise that I won’t elaborate too much on something you won’t want to know ahead of time.

New Logo & Opening Sequence

A new logo debuted several months ago to coincide with the changes of the series. Instead of the new series gold oval logo, the branding team switched to a darker logo, with a larger DW in the center to represent the Tardis. The theme song was also remixed with riffs of the previous 4 series themes, mixed with an entirely new score. The look of the new series credits and logo are definitely darker, and not really that surprising considering the new executive production team. I suppose what really put me off is that 1) it reminded me WAY too much of the original series that I HATED as a kid, 2) was a big enough change that it almost felt like I was watching a spin-off show, and 3) felt very much like I was watching the opening credits to a low budget, cheesey ScyFy Channel show.

I know I’ve rambled on and on for a paragraph about the opening sequence, and really, that’s not why you watch a show. However, for me, it set a tone for the episode that I was unsure about. It lowered my expectations, as I prepared myself to say goodbye to one of my favorite shows for fear of too many changes.

Steven Moffat

Moffat is best known for his dark story lines, creepy enemies and suspenseful story telling, and this episode was no exception. While The Eleventh Hour didn’t have me on the edge of my seat like his previous stories Blink or The Empty Child, it was well written and held my attention for the full hour or so. Needless to say, after the premiere episode, I found myself pretty stoked for this season, and expect nothing but awesome stories.

This episode was pretty solid for a season opener with a brand new cast. I was also pleased that Moffat chose to carry over elements from the previous series, including the return of the psychic paper, mentions of the Shadow Proclamation, regeneration dust, “timey wimey…” With the lack of a carryover companion for this regeneration to serve as a constant, I was worried that adjusting to this new face would be more difficult. However, bringing over elements from Doctors past certainly helped make that transition less awkward.

Amy Pond

Despite the fact I’ve only known her for one episode, I love Amy. Rose will probably always will be my favorite companion (don’t hate me, I know a lot of older fans hate her, but let’s just say I identify with her need to run away, have adventures and fall in love), but Amy’s spunk won me over instantly. Maybe it’s the red hair, but there was something about her that I liked instantly. She reminds me of a likable Gwen Cooper (again, don’t hate me, but I found Gwen’s character to be highly annoying). Regardless, I think she’s going to be a fantastic character, and I’m really excited to see how she develops. She’s smart, yet is very personable, especially when her friends make fun of her and her obsession with the “raggedy Doctor.”

The New Tardis/Sonic Screwdriver

My first thought to this was, “why?” What was wrong with the old Tardis and screwdriver? I’m sure it’s hard to take over a program that was essentially someone else’s baby for 4 years, but to me, making over the two things that are the only constants in the Doctor’s world, well, seemed a bit unnecessary. Granted, this is something relatively minor, and really wouldn’t impact whether I’d watch the show or not. I rather like the new Tardis setup, but can’t help but feel like it’s somewhat foreign, and that I’m not at all watching the adventures of the same Doctor I’ve dedicated the past 4 years of my life to.

Matt Smith

The promo stills released of Matt Smith dressed was what can only be described as a very weak impersonation of Eccleston’s 9th Doctor left me with a bad taste in my mouth. When I first saw Smith at the end of The End of Time Part 2, I was not impressed. He looked too young, was incredibly awkward, and most importantly, I did not want to sleep with him. Ok, so while that last part isn’t really important, I really didn’t have high hopes for him filling Tennant’s shoes.

I was wrong. So very, very, wrong.

I don’t know what it is about Matt Smith. He’s charming, in his own awkward way, yet retains the fun and quirkyness of Tennant’s Doctor. He’s young. He kind of looks like a hipster with his suspenders, bow tie and skinny pants. So what? After one episode, he’s won me over faster than Tennant did. I’m incredibly excited for this season, and I know Smith is going to be an excellent Doctor. At times it does feel like he’s mimicking to a degree Tennant’s portrayal; however I can’t seem to make up my mind if this is a bad thing, as it really works for Smith’s Doctor.

In the end…

Overall this episode was stronger, better acted and better written than both Tennant’s and Eccleston’s debut episodes. We’ll see how the rest of the season shapes up, but if this first episode is any indication as to the caliber of writing and acting for the rest of the season, then we’re in for a fun ride. The series so far is reminiscent of the care-free innocence of the beginning of the second (and my favorite) season of the series. Here’s to the next 12 episodes!

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Curiouser and Curiouser – Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland

March 6th, 2010 in Movies, Reviews
Tags: alice in wonderland, movie, review, tim burton

Once upon a time, there was a director named Tim Burton. Everything he touched turned to gold. And then he made Charlie and the Chocolate Factory…

Alright, we’ll skip the dramatic introduction for now. I’m generally a fan of Burton’s work, but lately have felt like it’s almost getting stale. We know we’re going to get some sort of gothic inspired feel to any film he has a hand in; therefore, I was highly skeptical going into Alice in Wonderland. I’ve seen a gothic take on the story before, a la Rogue Entertainment’s 2000 video game, American McGee’s Alice. For me, American McGee was spot on, as Alice was perfection – the story didn’t need another creepy or gothic inspired remake. However, the diehard Alice in Wonderland fan in me had me seeing Tim Burton’s latest remake, in 3D no less, on opening night.

Before we delve into this further, I should mention that I’m a HUGE Alice in Wonderland fan. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is one of my favorite books, so much so that my college application essays were based on it. However, I do enjoy seeing adaptations of the series, and this 2010 remake was no exception.

Burton’s Alice, like most films carrying the name, doesn’t follow the original tale penned by Lewis Carroll, but mixes elements from the books Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel, Through the Looking Glass. The film is obviously made for people who have a loose understanding of the story from watching Disney’s animated take from 1951, as several references are made to events that happened in that film. This updated remake almost feels more as if it’s a loose sequel to the Disney predecessor instead of its own separate story, as Alice is now 19, and is haunted by strange images of a reoccurring nightmare from her youth. Her journey begins at what is to be her engagement party, except she ends up falling down a rabbit hole instead. I wonder how often THAT excuse works…

What I Did Like:

The Queen of Hearts: The characters of the Queen of Hearts (from the first book) and the Red Queen (from the second book) have been combined to form Helena Bonham Carter. For me, she stole the show, as I was particularly impressed with her ability to fuse the personalities of both characters so well. Her abrasive, yet almost engaging personality made her an interesting character that you almost want to like.

The Setting: As I mentioned, I was skeptical of Burton’s vision of Wonderland. I half expected the setting to resemble something closer to The Nightmare Before Christmas or Beetlejuice, and was pleasantly surprised. Burton was able to mold a gothic inspired world without sacrificing the vibrant colors or the innocence which made the book so great. I particularly enjoyed his vision of the Queen of Hearts’s castle – imaginative and exactly what I’d expect someone with such a large…ego to call home.

The Nod to Victorian Society: Without turning this into a book versus movie literary analysis, I was pleased that mention was made to social standards in Victorian society. The main reason I love Lewis Carroll’s tale is because of its satirical look on Victorian society, told through the eyes of a little girl. Bravo to the writing team for keeping part of what I love of the story intact, and for giving Alice’s character the “muchness” to rise above it.

Incorporation of the Book: Even if the screenplay didn’t follow the book’s story, I do give credit to the writers for incorporating some of Lewis Carroll’s rhymes and riddles. Carroll’s seemingly nonsensical ramblings are a hallmark of the book, and it was nice to see the Mad Hatter, Alice, and the Queen of Hearts stay true to form by uttering some of their most famous lines.

What I Wasn’t So Keen On:

The Story: The movie sort of felt as if the writers were trying to include every possible character that the general public would recognize – Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the March Hare, the Doormouse – all of which are important figures in the original story, however, none of them really played much of an important role in the film other than being familiar faces. The story in itself is more reminiscent of elements presented in Through the Looking Glass; however, at times it felt as if the writers were in a hurry to get through the adventure. Certain scenes, such as the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, almost felt mandatory and didn’t necessarily evoke any sort of emotion from me other than, “ok, it’s time for this to happen now.”

The CGI: Perhaps I’ve seen Star Wars one too many times and George Lucas has clouded my judgment, but there were a few spots in the film where the CGI felt rushed and just looked awkward. Specifically anytime the Knave rode away on his horse, and when the Mad Hatter was freeing Alice from the teapot.

The Mad Hatter’s “Jig”: Mention was made to this earlier in the film, and I sort of brushed it off thinking it was the one “mark” that Tim Burton was going to leave on the Alice franchise. Near the end of the movie, the Mad Hatter breaks out into this celebratory dance, which, for me, was embarrassing to watch. It was so awful that I wanted to avert my eyes, and pretend that I wasn’t watching Johnny Depp make a fool of himself. While Depp’s portrayal of the Mad Hatter was good, this one scene killed his entire performance for me.

Final Verdict:

Overall, the film was good for what it was. As someone else put it, a movie like this is virtually critic proof, and will draw people to the box office regardless of the general critical perception of the film. I wouldn’t say this is something you’d have to see in theaters, unless the 3D aspect of the film draws you in. An aside about the 3D experience – I’ve seen plenty of recent films in 3D, since this whole craze caught on again. Personally, I don’t find it really adds much to the film, other than a gimmick to get you to fork over four extra dollars for a movie ticket. Sure, 3D is neat and all, but I’m of the opinion that one can get the same satisfying movie experience without having to shell out the extra cash.

If you’re a diehard Alice fan like me, go ahead and settle your curiosity by seeing this film in theaters. However, everyone else? You could probably wait to catch it at the dollar theater and feel like you haven’t really missed much.

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Flying Into a New Era of Blogging

March 1st, 2010 in Ramblings
Tags: life, Ramblings

I used to be an avid blogger. I’d update at least a couple of times a week, if not once a day. Blogging was one of those outlets where I could recount my day from start to finish, leave it in the past, and be done with it – therapeutic, for those that need a label.

And then one day, I stopped.

To say I miss it is an understatement. Aside from being my personal sanctuary from my day to day routine, it kept my writing skills nicely polished and my creative spark….sparking. So why did I stop blogging? I started thinking about what had changed in my life around the time my knack for telling the void of the internet exactly what I did for lunch started to wan. Then it hit me – I started getting out of my apartment. Meeting new people. Socializing. Before I knew it, I had a boyfriend, and the days of nightly blogging came to a crashing halt.

Wow, that makes me sound like I spent the last 24 years of my life as a total loser.

So, I started thinking about it more. I think the reason I really kept up blogging, even after the majority of my blogger friends grew tired and jumped ship to something far easier and less time consuming, ala Twitter, is because I was lonely. I mean, exactly what else was I doing with my nights? I’d work my 12 hour day, come home, eat a Lean Cuisine, blog, go to bed, and start it all over again the next day. I fell into a habit. And my entries, well, they more or less reflected that too. I wasn’t blogging about anything interesting. I was blogging about my life. The same day over and over and over…

So here I am starting over with a fancy-pants self hosted blog. My goal is to talk about things and events that I’m passionate about, and not fall back into the habit of, “Woke up. Went to work. Came home. Going to bed now.”

Most importantly, this is my own little creative space, where I can be me. Try new things. I’ve got a few projects I’m eager to get started on that I’m pretty excited about. Hopefully you’ll stick around to see where things go. And I promise I’ll worker harder on being interesting.

Oh yeah, and this awesome layout? Totally coded for me by UnholyKnight. <3 Tell him he did a good job. And visit his blog. It’s more interesting than mine.

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