Are flat characters bad?

Are flat characters bad? 

 

Do I really have to explain why I'm asking this question? For those of you who don't know a flat or static character is it's a character who don't change from the beginning to the end of the story. Characters like this get a bad rap for not being interesting, unrelatable, they're for kids and they would work better as supporting characters. It's understandable why people feel this way about these characters, cynicism is viewed as wisdom and optimism is viewed as naive. Being optimistic is not bad as long as it's based on something, if you have hope to the point where you don't avoid trouble when you see it that's not hope. Just because you expect the best out of people and they don't live up to that, that's not naive. Being cynical is not a bad thing either however you don't want to alienate everyone around you. That's what Batman does I mean he has a plan for everyone he meets if they betray him. He violated their trust by doing that in an underhanded way, so Batman doesn't get the moral high ground here. Yes! People you know or don't know will let you down however is it reasonable to expect that not to happen? If the answer is no, then you shouldn't be surprised with it does happen when you didn't set boundaries. My point is this there needs to be a balance between the two. 

Another reason why these characters are not popular with the general public is our culture. I mean we live in a time where we feed off of negativity. Don't believe me then why do people bad-mouth each other online and on Twitter? Why are there so many reality shows? When you're at a stand-up comedy show and the comedian is not funny do you boo him or her instead of leaving? If the answer is yes, then that's the problem we kick people when they're down. We also let the news manipulate us by having it prey on our fears. Why do you think the news talk about all the bad things that's happening in the world? You don't hear about the good things unless you're watching the local news, I could be wrong about that. This is why I don't watch the news because what's going on in the world has nothing to do with me and I can't do anything about it even if I wanted to. So, what's the point of me knowing about it? I just watch the weather channel. I don't get it how can you say you don't like how the world is when you encourage the world to be this way by being complicit or enabling the world to be this way?     

 

With all that said this is why we need noble characters to set the example of what we should strive to be. How is striving to do better a bad thing? Yes! The stander is unrealistically high however it has no value if everyone can live up to those exceptions. Couples don't stay married until death do them apart these days does that mean we should change the foundation of marriage? Three-point shots are hard to make in Basketball does that mean we should get rid of them? This is why it bugs me that Hollywood would change characters like Superman, I understand why they do that to make them marketable however if you can't sell these characters as they are then don't use them. What's the point of asking for diversity if you don't apply it in storytelling? Flat characters are not the problem this problem is how they are written. Doing the right thing can be an uphill battle if no one is on your side or willing to do the right thing. Also, we have characters that strive to do the right thing that are likable such as Spider-Man, Luke Skywalker and Malcome Reynolds from Firefly. 

Also, the writers are not coming up with stories to challenge or reinforce their points of view. This was done in Captain American the Winter Solider, Superman vs the Elites, Speed Racer and The Incredibles. The thing I like about Superman killing Zod in Man of Steel is that he won't sacrifice lives because of his principle that's what heroes do make sacrifices, a person who sacrifices lives because of principle isn't noble. Also, no one said that these characters don't have flaws. You can have that character be aware of those flaws but be comfortable with them too so that others can do the same. The writers can also have the characters overcome those flaws without compromising his or her integrity. You can also make a static character an underdog story as far as having him doing things to better the world and no one recognize it.      

That's what static characters do they change the world they don't let the world change them. Joker in the dark knight is a prime example of this, in that movie he expose that everyone has a dark side. (Speaking of the Joker why didn't he get any crap for being a flat character?) Another thing I'm not fond of how they're treated as a joke by other character types, look at the Arrow and the Flash team-ups for example. My point is characters like this should be reconstructed not deconstructed. Judging how things are getting worse in the world we need flat characters now more than ever.

My Agent Carter series review

My Agent Carter series review

Intro: You know for a so called strong female character she has a thing for men that most women don't want.  

Agent Carter: This series takes place one year after the events of the first Captain America movie and Agent Carter is now working for the SSR. One day she learns that Howard Stark is accused of treason and the SSR are after him. So, Agent Carter decides to help clear his name before the SSR finds out. 

This series is OK to be fair I wasn't expecting a lot for it. I'm impressed with how it captured the time period of the 40's from the set, clothes and music. This show doesn't have a lot of episodes that helps the writers focus on the story. The series also has entertainment value and I like some of the far fetch inventions in this time period. We also get an in-depth look into Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow's upbringing.        

There is much to say about Agent Carter because we don't know much about her. She seems to be a noble character, but we don't know if she was like that before or after she met Steve Rogers. I'm fond that she has to earn her stripes with her co-workers because that's what you have to do if you want men to change how they see you. We do get her backstory in one episode however I wasn't impressed with it because first of all it needs more context to how she when from point A to Point B. Second the episode that aired her backstory doesn't connect to the episode. The only gripe I have with her is the love triangle because it wasn't done well. 

Edwin Jarvis is Howard Stark's butler, he's the comic relief character. 

Daniel Sousa is one of Agent Carter's co-workers who's honorable and sticks up for her. What bugs me about him is that he didn't try hard enough to win her over. 
  

Of course, I'm annoyed with the feminist vibes in this show, is it really that hard to make a series with a main female character without making the men look stupid? Also, why didn't her male co workers have the same training as her? I'm also letdown that we didn't see how S.H.I.E.L.D. is formed in this series well to be fair we only got two seasons. Due to that I'm not crazy about how the last episode ended. Overall, this is a solid series I would recommend this if you enjoy female-led shows.         

My rant about pranksters

My rant about pranksters

Is it me or are these prank videos going too far? I'm surprised at how popular they are on the internet because some of them are getting out of hand. For example, there is a prank channel where a guy is asking girls for a kiss if he wins a challenge. You can tell it's fake because none of them turn him down. Heck, all of the pranks are fake as far as I know. Not knowing if a prank is real or not is going to be a problem because their impressionable people on the internet. Then again, it's the parent's job to make sure they know what is or isn't OK. 

Another reason why it's hard to tell if these pranks are fake is because I saw this at my Walmart. 

The purpose of a prank is to make people laugh not break the law or provoke people. There are pranks where the Pranksters assault people, steal from them, tell the public there's a bomb in the building and waste law enforcement time. I'm glad that got arrested for doing that I don't care if the arrest is fake or not what they are doing isn't OK. Whenever someone is about to knock them off for harassing them, they hide behind it's a prank. That's what really bugs me about these prank videos is how it makes Black people look. Whenever a prankster step on a Black man's shoes fart on him or say something offensive they want to fight them. Really you mean to tell me that no other racist would be offended by the things I mentioned. 

I saw one of the pranksters on the news and he said he was looking for a violent reaction with that said we shouldn't feel sorry for whatever outcome that comes from them provoking people. How is antagonizing people funny? My point is if you're going to prank someone do it to someone you know, when you do, don't be crazy about it. Don't prank the general public because you don't know how they will react.       

My thoughts on Batman V Superman Dawn of Justice

My thoughts on Batman V Superman Dawn of Justice 

 

Why is there a v in between Batman and Superman it's not like they're fighting a court battle.

I would have been excited for this movie if Batman wasn't in this movie. Judging from the trailers it looks like this movie is going to deal with the destruction from Man of Steel. The people blame Superman for it to the point where they either want him gone or dead. That would be an interesting direction to go with Superman because this is a situation he can't fix with his powers. The writers can use Lex Luthor to fuel the people's hate for Superman and damage Superman's credibility.

That's what I like about Lex Luthor he's the type of villain you can't touch but he can troll you. Speaking of Lex Luthor, I don't like how he's portrayed in the trailers because he seems like a comic relief character. If the writers can build a story around the collateral damage, Superman winning people over and Lex Luthor making him look bad then this would be a good sequel. Heck, this story can get people to relate to Superman's situation. But no WB have to pull an Iron Man 2 on us to remind us that they're making a Justice League movie. Before I talk about Batman, I want to address the elephant in the room and that's Ben Affleck.

When it was announced that he was going to play Bruce Wayne/Batman people were giving him a hard time about this, they even bring up how bad he was in the Daredevil movie. Really, you're going to blame Mr. Affleck for how bad that movie was instead of the writer, director or the person who cast Mr. Affleck? It's been over ten years since that movie came out, we don't know if Mr. Affleck's acting has improved since then, if it hasn't then it's not completely his fault.

I don't know what role Batman will play in this movie heck I don't know why he wants to fight Superman. I'm sorry he said he could wipe out the human race. Why is he worried about that, I mean Superman did nothing that justify you wanting to fight him.

I didn't read a lot of Batman and Superman crossover comics because I'm sick of writers overcompensating Batman to the point where everyone else is useless.

                                                        

In the cartoons and animated movies Batman and Superman have an interesting dynamic, they work well together but they don't see eye to eye on everything. Batman sees Superman as a Dumb Jock who don't look before he leaps. Superman sees Batman as a ends justify the means Vigilante, who has no compassion for the people he saves and uses his no-kill rule to justify doing every terrible thing but kill. Despite their differences, they both have the same goal and that is to inspire people to be better. I'm not crazy about the fight between these two because A we all know who's going to win this fight or who we want to win this fight. B There's no build-up to this fight this feels like fan service. Also, this wouldn't be a fair fight because Superman hasn't fully mastered his powers and Batman has been around for 20 years. That's another thing how can he keep up with the other Justice League members if he's past his prime, heck he couldn't do that when he was in his prime.

I don't like how this movie drops Batman into the movie. I understand why the creators did it because batman is marketable, however, were not familiar with this Batman. If it was up to me I would make another Superman movie, a Batman movie and then have these two meet. Overall, I have no interest in watching this movie.

My thoughts on the Star Wars special editions

My thoughts on the Star Wars special edition

 

Since Mr. Lucas doesn't have the rights to Star Wars anymore, I think this is a good time to talk about the special editions. 

I'm not going to rant and rave and how the changes hurt the original trilogy because A there's nothing new I can say about them that's already been said, and B these are Mr. Lucas's movies. He has the right to do whatever he wants with them if he isn't happy with the finished product; however, when you present your movies to the general public and they're not happy with them, it's not your problem anymore. Instead, I will talk about some of the changes I like. I can't do that without talking about the man himself.  

I wouldn't mind that he did his own thing with this trilogy if he releases both the original and special editions on Blu-Ray and DVD. (I know they released the original alongside the special editions in 2006, but they were not the best quality.) By Mr. Lucas not giving the fans or people who want to see the original trilogy a chance to buy them, he's betraying the fan's memory of these films and the impact they had on pop culture. I can understand why people accuse him of ruining their childhood to a point. Side note, this is what annoyed me about Disney editing MMPR at the time when they had rights to Power Rangers. They add new effects to the show, which makes it look even goofier than it already is. By Mr. Lucas not releasing the original trilogy and changing them it makes him look worse as a director and insecure about his work. He shouldn't be embarrassed by his work because it was well-received and the franchise continues to grow and gain a large fan base. I can understand him not being happy with what he had to work with at the time, but what happened to less is more?   

I understand that he's upset that studios don't let directors have their way with their movies; however, they don't always have the best vision for the film or know how to put it on paper. He showed that when he had his way with the prequels, and look at how they turned out. Heck, he was behind schedule releasing the first Star Wars movie. Another reason why Mr. Lucas is doing his own thing with the original trilogy bugs me is that he's being a hypocrite. How can he tell people you shouldn't alter films or history when he's doing it? Mr. Lucas is a polarizing figure to me. It's hard for me to respect someone who acts like a victim, carries himself as if he worked on Star Wars by himself, and doesn't admit to the fans that he made mistakes. What's messed up about that is some of the people who helped him bring Star Wars to the big screen are dead. 

Here's an example of what I'm talking about. Start this video at 3:33 and end it at 3:56. 

 

Do you see what I mean about him playing the victim? Did he forget how popular Star Wars was at the time? Whenever fans ask him about releasing the original trilogy, his response was Grow up, these are my movies. WOW! I guess he never heard of the saying Don't bite the hand that feeds you. Well, he did listen to the fans when it came to Jar Jar Binks by limiting his screen time in the last two films. As far as him signing his rights to this IP, I don't have enough information to comment on that. It would be interesting to see how this franchise is handled in different hands. I hope he didn't do it because fans gave him a hard time with the prequels. That's all I have to say about Mr. Lucas now. Let's get back to the subject at hand. 

If there was anything in the original trilogy that need to be altered is the picture quality; this change helps me see the details in the movies. Well, they drop the ball with the colors in the movie. I also like the additions to the Death Star X-wing attack because we get to see more X-wings. The same thing goes for Cloud City; the additions made the city look better. Look, I don't mind Yob Nub as the victory celebration score, but I think John Williams score is better because it makes the ending feel like an ending to this franchise. The Emperor looks better now than he did the first time around in episode 5. My favorite change in the special editions is Han running into an army of stormtroopers because his reaction to running into five of them is over the top when you look at it in hindsight. Including one of Luke's friends in the last act of Star Wars was a good idea because it reinforces what he said about them going off doing their thing. I kind of wish we saw him sooner, and Luke have a reaction to his death.  

Those are the special edition changes. I like what do you think?        

   

My Serenity review

 My Serenity review

Intro: Man! This series can’t catch a break.  

Serenity: This movie takes place sometime after the events of the series, and the crew of Serenity have gone their separate ways. They’re reunited when an assassin of the alliances is after them, and the crew learns a dark secret about them. So, they have to decide if they will continue running or will they stand their ground?  

This movie is a good addition to this series! The fact that this movie exists is a milestone, I mean, how often do canceled TV shows get a movie? This movie made this series look a lot better. It answers some of the unanswered questions about this series, like why is the alliances are after River, we get backstory on the reavers, we have a reason to despise the alliances, and two crew members finally get together. Freedom vs control is still a theme in this movie; however, the movie handles it in a way that’s not black and white. There is also an underlying theme of faith. What the Alliances did made them look like they have a GOD complex. The movie proved high stakes for our characters. I can’t elaborate on that without spoiling the movie. I have nothing new to say about the characters because the movie hasn’t done anything thing new with them. I like the Operative (The Assassin) because he knows what he's doing is wrong, but he believes it’s for the greater good.   

The problem I have with this movie is that it doesn’t give us all the answers we are looking for in this series. I don’t like what happened to one of the characters. I’m going to leave it at that. I notice some editing issues. Overall, this is one of the rare movies that is just as good as the series itself, and fans will not be disappointed with this movie.  

Rating = Worth Seeing 

My fant4stic review

My fant4stic review 

 

Intro: Is anyone else tired of directors trying to outdo Christopher Nolan?

Fant4stic: This movie is about Reed Richards trying to invent a teleportation device. He gets his chance when he gets the attention of Dr. Franklin Strom, who offers him a scholarship. With the help of other people, he was able to build it, so they decided to take it for a test ride. That didn't go well because their bodies are altered from the experience, so they have to figure out how to get back to normal?   

The third time is not the charm for this franchise. I'm holding 20th Century Fox feet to the fire on this because they didn't pick the right director to work on this movie. I say that because Josh Trank (the Director) didn't work on a lot of movies, and he was out of control during production, allegedly. If the rumors of how he behaved are true, then I'm disappointed in him. I mean, he should have known that studios would undermine him; this is not new. Despite this movie being loosely based on the Ultimate comics of the same name, the director didn't want this to be a Fantastic Four movie. Do you see what I mean about trying to outdo Christopher Nolan?  

This movie feels like three different movies spliced together, not in a good way. Unlike the 05 movie, this is latterly an origin film. I say that because the characters are in their late teens and early twenties in this movie, why!?! I wouldn't mind this if the creators were setting them up to become a family, but that didn't happen due to them not sharing a lot of screen time together. The movie tried to give us a scientific explanation of how they got their powers, but it doesn't work because their powers are connected to their personality flaws. When they do get their powers, the movie doesn't explore how it affects them. 

Going back to flaws, these characters don't have them because they're not like their comic book counterparts, what the fudge!?! I wouldn't mind the serious direction this movie takes if it had humor to light up the mood, but it doesn't. We could've had a different bad guy if the writers didn't written him or her out of the movie at the last minute. The way this movie ended is unbelievable. It's going to be hard to talk about the characters because they don't stand out. The climax was contrived. 

Reed Richard may be brilliant, but he's a dull character. I don't buy his friendship with Ben Grimm because we don't have scenes with these two reminiscing about their friendship or hanging out. He also did something to Ben that was messed up. I can't blame Ben for being mad at him for that. I was hoping that this movie would set up the romance between Sue and Reed, but that didn't happen either. 

Ben Grimm is suppose to be the tough guy of the group, but he doesn't carry himself like one. Also, his rough upbringing seems to have no effect on him, so why does the movie show us that? I don't like how this movie incorporates his catchphrase. I'm having a hard time believing that he's smart enough to help Reed because he doesn't show his intellect. When he turns into the Thing, he doesn't have any pants, which makes me ask questions about his body that I shouldn't be asking. 

Susan Storm is an outcast because she thinks everyone is predictable; she sees nothing but patterns. She's right to a point, but I would like to see someone challenge her worldview. Also, if she truly feels this way about people, why is she happy to see her brother Johnny? 

Speaking of Johnny Storm, he's the rebellious one of the pack, but he doesn't have the personality. I can understand why I mean, if he did, he would outshine everyone else. He's the only one who's fine with his powers, but he's not excited about them. As far as Johnny being Black goes, I can understand why that bothers people; you can't change a character for no rhyme or reason without a response. Also, what's the point of Susan being adopted if it doesn't add anything to the story?  

Victor Von Doom is an outcast by choice because he doesn't trust authority. He's a smart man with an ego and only sees the worst in humanity. We learn things about him, but the movie doesn't explore them, like he used to work for Baxter (The place where Dr. Storms works) and he has feelings for Susan. The reason why he's called Doom is that he's all Doom and gloom, you can't be serious! He shouldn't have been in the movie, not because I'm tired of him, it's because the movie doesn't know what to do with him. Also, is it me, or does he look like a burned crash dummy? 

Dr. Storm is a mentor to the group. He believes that everyone is good and has the potential to do better. This plays a role in why their tension between him and Johnny. It's a shame that the movie didn't give him more screen time.               

 

I like that the origin story is different. If you're going to retell the origin story, change it up. I understand why the creators changed the title to separate it from the other films; however, it's a joke. I don't mind this movie being dark and a cautionary tale. Not every Fantastic Four story is a family adventure. The group, being outcasts and coming together, could have worked if it was done well. 

All in all, this is the worst Fantastic Four movie I've seen so far. Don't take my word for it, ask Stan Lee why he didn't make a cameo? You can say what you want about the other films, they got certain aspects of the comics. One more thing, if this or any other studio makes a Fantastic Four movie, don't let it be an origin story, and do have Dr. Doom as the villain. 

Rating = Trash      

My Waterworld review

My Waterworld review

Intro: I can see the budget for this movie wasn't spent on the writing. 

Waterworld: The movie takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where Earth is mostly covered in water. The survivors are looking for dry land. That becomes difficult when a group called the smokers is after a girl who may know the location of dry land. The girl and her guardian escape with a drifter called the Mariner, and the three of them have to find dry land before the smokers.   

This movie was a huge disappointment to Universal and me. I say that because more could have been done with the concept of the Earth mostly covered in water. Instead, we get a generic action movie. This movie makes me want to give a backhanded compliment to Titan AE; that movie was better than this movie. (That's saying a lot.) 

Heck, there are video games that handle this concept better. 

 

 

Really, this movie should have been animated if the budget was such an issue. One of the problems with this movie is that the conflict over finding dry land makes no sense. It could've made sense if the land could only hold a hundred people, or the Smokers want to secure it so that they could make money off of it. Also, more could have been done with the world-building. For example, I kind of understand why dirty is a currency, but why kill off anyone who can get you more of it? Also, how many people have died because they can't swim? Do they teach people how to swim? Where do mutants come from? 

The Mariner, the main character, is another issue I have with the movie. First of all, he doesn't have a name. Second, he's a mean-spirited loner. I get that he's suppose to be the reluctant hero, but the movie handled that archetype in one of, if not the worst possible. The director must be high if he thinks anyone will root for a character who has no problem pumping out a woman for resources and tormenting a child. ( He should get a Razzies for that alone, but I digress.) 

There isn't much to say about the rest of the characters. Enola, the girl, is spunky and an enigma. The Deacon leader of the Smokers is the comic relief. I do like seeing how humanity adapts to this environment and the look of it. How people react to seeing things from the past and the action set pieces. If the main character was tolerable and there was a reason for the race to find dry land, I wouldn't have minded this movie. 

Sadly, this movie was messy. With that said, I would recommend it to fans of this kind of film. 

Rating = Trash               

My review of The Incredibles

My review of The Incredibles 

 

Intro: Pixar should consider doing more superhero movies. 

The Incredibles: This movie is centered on two superheroes called Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl getting married. After that the Government banned superheroes do to there actions, they manege to live normal lives for 15 years despite being unhappy. One day, Bob Parr/ Mr. Incredible gets the chance to be a hero again when someone offers him a mission. Later on he learns that someone from his past wants him dead as a part of his plan, so Bob's family has to save him before it's too late. 

This is the best Fantastic Four movie I've seen so far! I like how this movie borrows from different comic book characters, stories and movies. I love the movie's joke about capes, I'm surprise no one thought of it before. The villain's plan is brilliant, it doesn't involve world domination or destruction. There are times where this movie feel like a Bond movie and there are intense moments. (Don't worry they won't scare the kids.) 

I appreciate the social commentary on mediocrity because this is a issue that's getting out of hand. Well it hasn't affected sports or the Olympics. There's no simple solution to this problem however people need to have a better attitude about it but I digress. My favorite scene in the movie is where Helen Parr tells her kids about how serious the situation is. I favor this scene because I wish parents would have this conversation with there kids when it comes to what they watch.      

Bod Parr/Mr. Incredible is a stoic character with a temper. He tries he's best to help people even if it gets him and his family into trouble. 

Helen Parr/Elastigirl is a typical housewife.  

Dash Parr ( HA! HA! Very funny.) has the same character traits as the human Torch. Just like his father he wants to us his powers. 

Violet Parr is the oldest child, she's shy and keep to herself. She not crazy about her powers because she wants to be normal girl.  

Lucius Best/Frozone is Bod's best friend and the comic relief. 

Edna Mode is the fashion designer for the heroes, she also hilarious.  

Buddy pine/ Syndrome ( the main villain.) will remind you of Edward Nigma from Batman Forever. My gripe with him is that he didn't need to be a villain and there is a part of his plan that I don't buy. Also he could have killed Mr. Incredible sooner if he didn't let his ego get in the way.  

Overall this is one of the best superhero movies I've seen. I would recommend this if you want to see one that isn't DC or Marvel.  

Rating = Treasure Chest 

My Fantastic Four review

My Fantastic Four review 

  

Intro: How can you screw up a simple premise? 

Fantastic Four: This movie is about five people going into space to study a cosmic cloud that's close to Earth. That trip was short-lived when the group got hit by a cosmic cloud a learn that they have superpowers. So, they have to figure out how they can become normal again. 

Despite this movie not being well-received, I enjoyed it. What really hurts this movie is that it lacks a good story. The movie bounces back a fourth about the group dealing with their powers and their personal problems. Showing their origin story serves no purpose in this movie; the director should've told it in the opening credits, the way it was done in Spider-Man 2. One would think that after learning that you can turn invisible or turn into fire, you would freak out, but no, they react like it's no big deal. Why!?! The dynamic between the Fantastic Four would have been better if they had talked to each other and hadn't acted impulsively. The characters do have arcs, but the movie doesn't have enough time to flesh them out. 

Johnny Storm/ The Human Torch is an immature hothead who doesn't think before he acts. His antics may be amusing at times, but they also give him a punchable face.  

Dr Reed Richards / Mr Fantastic reminds me of myself, as far as he thinks, but never acts. ( However, I think before I do anything, for the most part.) He's so caught up in his work that he doesn't notice anything around him or in front of his face. 

Susan Storm/ Invisible Woman is the voice of reason in the group. My gripe with her is that she doesn't tell Reed that she wants him. Word to the wise, ladies; if you like someone, tell him don't drop hits, give him a lap dance (My editor had me in a headlock.) I mean, be direct with him. 

The writers made Ben Grimm/ The Thing sympathetic by default. I say that because of how his wife reacts to how the cosmic cloud affects him, to be fair, a lot of people would react that way because looks do matter.    

Julian McMahon/ Doctor Doom (the main villain) is not a good adversary for the Fantastic Four. I say that because the movie doesn't do much with him. Plus, he reminds me of the Green Goblin; he would have been a better villain if he was more manipulative towards the Fantastic Four.       

The movie has funny moments, it embraces the source material, and the group plays off each other well. This movie could have been better if it had been rewritten and if things weren't so simple. Overall, this is not the worst superhero movie I've seen because of its entertainment value. I would recommend this if you like Batman 1989. 

Rating = Rental 

The Flash season one review

The Flash season one review 

 

Intro: So we have another Superhero with a tragic backstory but he isn't a brute, what are the odds of someone going through a traumatic event and still being perky? Did I just say Perky? Darn it! Now everyone is going to think I grew up watching Teletubbies. When I first learned that the CW was going to make a Flash TV show I had mixed feeling about it. On one hand, I was excited because they have a chance to make The Flash relevant outside the comics. Even though this character had a live-action TV show over twenty years ago and the general public is not familiar with him. I mean they don't know this character like they do Batman and Superman.  

Part of the reason why is because four characters took the Flash mental. With the Justice League movie coming out WB has a chance to expose these characters on the small screen instead of us having to wait three or four years for the movies to come out. On the other hand, I was worried about this series because the creators of Arrow are also working on this show, doing a show like Arrow is hard enough and I'm worried that they're taking on too much too soon. After seeing how season three of Arrow turned out my fears were justified. With that said let's get into what I think of this series.   

The Flash: This show is centered on Barry Allen/The Flash who is a forensic scientist at the Central City Police Department. One day he gets Super-Speed after being struck by lighting from an explosion at S.T.A.R lads, that explosion also created metahumans who misuse their powers. With the help of S.T.A.R. lads, Barry decides to stop the metahumans and get closure for what happened in his past.  

I'm surprised that this show was well received because I didn't think people want to see a light-hearted series, considering the lack of love Superman is getting these days. You can tell that the creators of Arrow are behind this show, I mean both shows have similar intros, same number of episodes per season, flashbacks and the public gave the Flash nicknames. OK, it wasn't as bad as Arrow they only gave him two nicknames they are the streak and the blur. Wait! The blur? Is that a Smallville reference? The pilot episode was OK, I wish the creators would make jokes about Barry learning how to control his power in the pilot but that would have been too cliche. I only like one of the crossover episodes. No! It's not the Flash vs Arrow episode. The fight between the Flash and Arrow was contrived. The mystery in this series was handled well even though we know who did what because we don't know the whole story behind his or her actions. The way this season ends will get you hooked for season two.   

Barry Allen/the flash is basically DC's version Of Peter Parker, as far as being smart, awkward and having a strong moral compass. I would like him more if he had a backbone when it comes to women or people in general but I digress. I'm I the only one who thinks it's sad that Barry can still be late even with Super-Speed?  

Cisco Ramon (one of the members of Star lad.) is the comic relief and inventor. He reminds me of one of the guys from the Big bang theory.  

Caitlin Snow ( another member of Star lads.) is cute I mean a doctor and a good supporting character due to her compassionate nature. We learn that she was affected by the explosion in an emotional way. What bugs me about her is that there is one episode that gave us the idea that she's into Barry but that went nowhere.  

Dr. Wells ( the head of star lads.) is Barry/the flash's mentor. He's also the most interesting character on the show, I say that because he's an enigma at first but we learn more about him later on. 

Iris West ( the love interest) is dead weight, besides being a Lois Lane clone I mean a reporter she's a damsel in distress. Also, her attitude rubs me the wrong way. I don't get why Barry is into her, considering that she plays with his emotions. I wouldn't touch her with a ten-foot pole.  

Joe West is a Central City Detective and Iris Father/ Barry's Guardian. He didn't make the best impression at first but later on, you see that he care about Barry. He's Barry's voice of reason and he can be funny at times.  

I don't have much to say about Eddie Thawne ( Joe's Partner/Iris boyfriend.) because we don't know much about him. The only thing we learn about him is that he has a connection with one of the villains. He seems to be a stand-up guy. I feel sorry for him because of how he's treated in this season. I'm fond of how the love triangle between him, Iris and Barry was handled for the most part.   

Leonard Snart/ Captain Cold is the only villain that stood out to me, he's a jewel thief who's crafty, ruthless and patient. Whenever Captain Cold and the Flash face each other Captain Cold outsmarts him. He should have been the main baddie, heck he should have been the villain to stop in the Arrow and Flash crossover episodes. 

The Reverse-Flash (the main Villain) is scary and threatening. I'm impressed with the way he manipulates everyone, well almost everyone. It's hard for me to consider him a baddie because he doesn't want what villains want like power, revenge, world domination and destruction. He does want to kill someone however that's not his main objective. My gripe with him is his plan has flaws and we don't know what motivates him to do certain things. 

The problems I have with this show are the plot holes, episodes can be repetitive and the show's theme. the theme of this season is moving on, some characters in this series have lost someone or something and they have to learn how to move forward, the way this show handles that theme was hit or miss. Episode 15 made me mad, when you watch the episode you'll understand why. 

Overall this is a good first season and I'm glad that it's getting another season. I would recommend this if you like mysteries and science. You'll have fun figuring out if the science in this show is legit.     

Arrow Season Three review

Arrow Season Three review 

Intro: Mr. Guggenheim ( One of the creators of this series), what made you think catering to the Olicity fans was a good idea? If it were up to me, I would tell them to go watch Twilight if they want to see two people talk about how much they love each other. Just because this show is on a network that caters to women doesn't mean it should be like every other series on that network.  

Arrow Season Three: This season takes place five months after Team Arrow stopped Slade Wilson/ Deathstroke and his army from destroying Starling City, and things have gotten better since then. I mean, crime has dropped to the point where Oliver is considering having a life outside of being the Arrow. Well, that fantasy turns into a nightmare when an ally of Team Arrow is murdered. So Team Arrow has to figure out who did it, plus deal with the aftermath of this character's death. 

Man O man, this season was a mess. I'm not that angry about it because two of the three creators left this series to work on The Flash. Now that's not a good reason for how this season turned out; however, I knew they were biting off more than they could chew. The problem with this season is the writing. I mean, for this season to justify itself, the writers have to make the characters stupid. For example, the killer and the main villain's plan makes no sense. Sorry, I can't elaborate on that. Team Arrow trying to figure out who killed their friend wasn't a good mystery because A there weren't a lot of suspects, and B the mystery only had red herrings. The Mystery in the Flash was better than this, but I digress. 

Another issue with this season is the plot holes. For example, at the end of season two, Oliver is broke, and he's still broke, but we see him travel in some episodes. What is he doing for money? Here are four other things about this season that bothered me. First of all, episode 9 plays with my emotions and insults my intelligence. Second, we lost two more characters this season we might lose another one next season. Third, episode 20 set up a plot point that could continue in the next season, but this season rushed it. Finally, the writers are playing the hokey pokey with the world this show sets up. This series is part of a world that has superpowers and supernatural elements in it, but they still want to keep the realistic tone. Are you kidding me? Also, the way this season ends feels like a series finale.     

I want to talk about the romance between Oliver and Felicity. This bugs me. No! It's not because I'm anti-romantic, which I'm not; it's because this romance came out of nowhere with no build-up. WOW! Just like Bruce and Natasha in Avengers: Age of Ultron. I know last season teased the idea of these two having feelings for each other; however, teasing a romance is not the same as setting one up. The reason why the creators did this is because they're wimps, I mean, they saw pictures and videos from Olicity fans wanting them to be together. Plus, they don't like Laurel, the love interest Oliver was suppose to be with, don't worry, I'll talk about her later. Look I don't mind the idea of Oliver and Felicity dating, however, I don't like that the writers are dragging out this romance by making it a will they won't they situation. Whenever these two are together, this is what I hear.  

Oliver: I love you! 

Felicity: Me too!

Oliver: But we can't be together. 

Felicity: You promise me forever!  

Oliver: I can't live without you. 

Felicity: I want your Bod. 

As far as the flashbacks goes I was outraged that Oliver didn't spend the whole five years on the island. I know the series drops hints that he wasn't always on the island; however, doing this undermines how dangerous Lian Yu is or suppose to be.  

I was hoping this show would borrow elements from the show Lost. People were already comparing this to Lost, plus this show borrows Batman stories and villains. The Flashbacks focus on how Oliver knows Amanda Waller, and they're trying to find a terrorist in Hong Kong. My grievances with the flashbacks (Besides the story being contrived) are the way most of them connected to what's going on in the present; it feels convenient. Also, the lessons he learned in those flashbacks contradict what he had learned before. 

Let's talk about the characters. 

Oliver Queen/The Arrow is an idiot this season; he does things to put people in danger. Also, this season would have ended sooner if ( My editor censored me for spoiling anything.) offer and ( Censor.) is down. I don't like the way he treats Laurel. For the most part, I understand why he acts this way towards her, but it makes him look like a hypocrite. The writers did something interesting with Oliver towards the end of the season; however, they didn't pull it off well. As far as Oliver being conflicted about being the Arrow and wanting a life is problematic because this makes him look disingenuous about fighting crime. I mean, why is he doing this if his heart is not in it?      

Speaking of Laurel, I have good news and bad news about her. The good news is that she's useful this season; the bad news is that she does things that make her unlikable. Come on, guys, this is the third season, and you still can't make Laurel likable? 

I don't like the idea of Diggle having a child because it turns him into a Mr. Mom. This also creates tension between Oliver and him about whether or not he should still be a part of his crusade now that he's a father? Plus, his subplot wasn't resolved or continued in this season. 

I was annoyed with what the creators have done with Thea. I mean, what's the point of her learning how to fight if she ends up being a damsel in distress? Also, Thea looks better with long hair.  

Malcolm Merlyn/ The Dark Archer is conniving. What bugs me about him, besides the fact that he's still alive, is that his focus episode ruined his backstory.  

Roy/Arsenal is now Oliver's/The Arrow's partner in crime; they have a big brother-little brother relationship. His subplot didn't have much of a payoff.   

Quentin Lance is this show's version of James Gordon now that he's captain of the Police department. Wait! How did that happen? I mean, how did he go from detective to captain in a few months? I'm not saying it's not possible; however, that's a big leap.  

Felicity is annoying this season, besides doing what she does best, all she does is cry, complain, and second-guess Oliver. Her focus episode was pointless; however, it made us question how she go from what she was to who she is now?  

Ray Palmer/The Atom is Mr. Sunshine. My gripe with him is that he doesn't add anything to the story, besides being in this series for world-building; he's just here to give Oliver and Felicity more drama. (To be fair, them arguing over Ray is justified; however, it's not for the right reason.) Also, I think it's funny that he wants to be a hero, but he does things that are not heroic. Also, I don't buy his motivation to become the Atom because it feels lame. What can I say about his Atom suit that's already been said?     

Amanda Waller is an ice queen who is the head of A.R.G.U.S. (Argus is DC's version of Shield.)

I'm not happy with how this series handled Ra's al Ghul because the writers turned him into Dr. Seuss. I'm not kidding about that; all he does is stand around and tell stories. One would think that a man who is known as the demon's head and has an army of assassins would be a bigger threat than he was in this season, but that's not the case. To be fair, there are two moments where Ra's is intimidating; one is a scene where he kills eight assassins by himself. I would have been impressed if he did it unarmed, but I digress. I'm also fond of how Ra's manipulates Oliver. It's hard for me to consider him the main villain because the Killer manipulated the conflict between Ra's and Oliver.  

OK, here are the things I liked about this season. I like that it starts off with a mystery because doing that gives us something different. I enjoy some of the episodes, especially the team-up episode. This episode is about The Arrow and The Flash trying to stop a renegade A.R.G.U.S. agent. This show continues the theme of family. The writers tried to make identity and responsibility themes, but that didn't work. The way this season ended left some things unresolved, doing that gives us something to look forward to next season.   

The bottom line is this is a bad season; hopefully, season four will bounce back.