DC stuff (links and Smallville season 5)
May. 25th, 2017 06:30 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shallownessOn Tuesday, in the middle of all the horrible news, it was announced that Joss Whedon will be taking over directing duties on Justice League from Zach Snyder for tragic reasons. Obviously, one hopes that this helps a grieving family heal.
Wonder Woman (please be good! Not that I saw the show or read the comics, but as a woman who goes to see comic book movies, we're due one about a superheroine that's good) is occupying my brain more. But apparently the news about the merchandise isn't great.
Anyway, I’m watching Smallville season 5 for the first time on DVD. (I’ve been spoiled for a few big things on the show over the years. And the next DVD boxset I will go through will be a better show, but I’m watching it with much nostalgia for my experiences of the fandom for the first year or two. Quick recap: CHLOE.)
The colour palate is very striking, coming off the greys of metal, glass, stone and shadows of Person of Interest. I’m also rewatching the Pirates of the Caribbean movies right now, which has the blues and greys of the sea and brown and black of the ships, so the warm, bright, sun-kissed hues of Smallville, where everyone’s outfits are colour-coded, jumped out at me.
I rewatched the season 4 finale (Quick recap: makes no sense, ends on a cliffhanger) in preparation, and that was much more helpful than the show’s quick-cut quick recap.
‘Arrival’ was big on spectacle and SFX, but not so much the logic. While we had the big reveal of the Fortress of Solitude, unlike the show, I remembered that Jason’s dead body was somewhere in the rubble of the Kent farm.
Allison Mack was brilliant in the scene where Clark realised Chloe knew about his powers and opened up to her. I think I have grown up a little, because I was making helpful suggestions for Lana’s survival while watching (e.g. get away from toxic Lex), and only sighed long-sufferingly as a now powerless Clark finally got somewhere with Lana.
‘Mortal’ tested Clark’s belief that normal life with his new girlfriend wouldn’t have any problems at all. It was delightful to watch Chloe settle into the sidekick role (Mack conveying her glee at the whole thing) as they had to use smarts (mainly hers) to save the day against the kryptofreaks threatening his parents and Lana. I own I hadn’t made the connection that Lex had deliberately broken them out of Belle Reve as a sort of test, so well done, Clark, and the bust-up between them was a decent enough pay-off. (Except it doesn’t seem to have precluded Clark marching into Lex’s house repeatedly in future episodes.)
‘Hidden’ is the best of these four, and bits of it were legitimately good and will probably be pivotal. The rest is typically not good, as Smallville is under threat of being destroyed…again. (I was entertained by how casual the whole town was about the missile silos dotted around the county.)
Not only was Clark powerless to do anything about the imminent missile, but he got shot!!! The three exclamation marks represent my immediate response adequately.
While it didn’t make any sense, really, Jor-El taking over Lionel’s body was GENIUS. So, apart from John Glover channelling Terrence Stamp to enjoy, we had the visual of Lionel paternally hugging Clark. Because of course Clark was brought back to life – but it would be at the cost of someone else’s life (dun, dun, dun etc – except there’s surely zero tension if you know your Superman mythology).
Chloe should by rights have been annoying having barged in on the Kents trying to deal with Clana sexing, but Mack plays her with such infectious vim and heart – she earned all her close-ups as it looked as if the town was going to get it – and was an excellent friend.
‘Aqua’ was poorly written – James Marsters had to spout a lot of anvils as Professor Zod, and I spent a lot of time being unimpressed at the casting of toothsome AC, the metahuman ecoterrorist. Lois was back in town for unclear reasons and what had happened to Chloe going to university in Metropolis? There were further anvils about the justice league and future Clois. They didn’t do much with Clark worrying whose life force he’d taken – I know he probably doesn’t count Lois as dear as others right now, but they could have had a bit more panic while she wasn’t breathing. I’m wondering if there was some messing with the order of episodes.
Rosenbaum was embracing the direction Lex is going in (weapons manufacturer!) with gusto. How he pitched Lex’s rage at AC and even brought in a maniacal gleam to his eye made me look forward to seeing him share scenes with Marsters.
Wonder Woman (please be good! Not that I saw the show or read the comics, but as a woman who goes to see comic book movies, we're due one about a superheroine that's good) is occupying my brain more. But apparently the news about the merchandise isn't great.
Anyway, I’m watching Smallville season 5 for the first time on DVD. (I’ve been spoiled for a few big things on the show over the years. And the next DVD boxset I will go through will be a better show, but I’m watching it with much nostalgia for my experiences of the fandom for the first year or two. Quick recap: CHLOE.)
The colour palate is very striking, coming off the greys of metal, glass, stone and shadows of Person of Interest. I’m also rewatching the Pirates of the Caribbean movies right now, which has the blues and greys of the sea and brown and black of the ships, so the warm, bright, sun-kissed hues of Smallville, where everyone’s outfits are colour-coded, jumped out at me.
I rewatched the season 4 finale (Quick recap: makes no sense, ends on a cliffhanger) in preparation, and that was much more helpful than the show’s quick-cut quick recap.
‘Arrival’ was big on spectacle and SFX, but not so much the logic. While we had the big reveal of the Fortress of Solitude, unlike the show, I remembered that Jason’s dead body was somewhere in the rubble of the Kent farm.
Allison Mack was brilliant in the scene where Clark realised Chloe knew about his powers and opened up to her. I think I have grown up a little, because I was making helpful suggestions for Lana’s survival while watching (e.g. get away from toxic Lex), and only sighed long-sufferingly as a now powerless Clark finally got somewhere with Lana.
‘Mortal’ tested Clark’s belief that normal life with his new girlfriend wouldn’t have any problems at all. It was delightful to watch Chloe settle into the sidekick role (Mack conveying her glee at the whole thing) as they had to use smarts (mainly hers) to save the day against the kryptofreaks threatening his parents and Lana. I own I hadn’t made the connection that Lex had deliberately broken them out of Belle Reve as a sort of test, so well done, Clark, and the bust-up between them was a decent enough pay-off. (Except it doesn’t seem to have precluded Clark marching into Lex’s house repeatedly in future episodes.)
‘Hidden’ is the best of these four, and bits of it were legitimately good and will probably be pivotal. The rest is typically not good, as Smallville is under threat of being destroyed…again. (I was entertained by how casual the whole town was about the missile silos dotted around the county.)
Not only was Clark powerless to do anything about the imminent missile, but he got shot!!! The three exclamation marks represent my immediate response adequately.
While it didn’t make any sense, really, Jor-El taking over Lionel’s body was GENIUS. So, apart from John Glover channelling Terrence Stamp to enjoy, we had the visual of Lionel paternally hugging Clark. Because of course Clark was brought back to life – but it would be at the cost of someone else’s life (dun, dun, dun etc – except there’s surely zero tension if you know your Superman mythology).
Chloe should by rights have been annoying having barged in on the Kents trying to deal with Clana sexing, but Mack plays her with such infectious vim and heart – she earned all her close-ups as it looked as if the town was going to get it – and was an excellent friend.
‘Aqua’ was poorly written – James Marsters had to spout a lot of anvils as Professor Zod, and I spent a lot of time being unimpressed at the casting of toothsome AC, the metahuman ecoterrorist. Lois was back in town for unclear reasons and what had happened to Chloe going to university in Metropolis? There were further anvils about the justice league and future Clois. They didn’t do much with Clark worrying whose life force he’d taken – I know he probably doesn’t count Lois as dear as others right now, but they could have had a bit more panic while she wasn’t breathing. I’m wondering if there was some messing with the order of episodes.
Rosenbaum was embracing the direction Lex is going in (weapons manufacturer!) with gusto. How he pitched Lex’s rage at AC and even brought in a maniacal gleam to his eye made me look forward to seeing him share scenes with Marsters.
