When I started this blog in November of 2005, I promised myself that I’d stick to a schedule and try to publish something twice a week. Until mid-March of 2014, I was able to stick to a schedule of twice a week postings. Since then, my postings have been sporadic at best and most of the time non-existent. While I could make excuses for this failure (changing website hosts, poor health, etc.), excuses don’t excuse the failure.
I hope against hope to get back to a regular posting schedule in mid-January 2017. In the meantime, as I did in 2014, I want to make one of the last post I’ll write for 2016 be about a couple of things I didn’t write about:
Steven Universe, The Flash, Supergirl
– Steven Universe is one of those programs that you have to watch from the very first episode in order to get a sense of what story is actually being told. Unfortunately, I came into this story in the middle of the second season and it took me another season to figure out the story line and the individual character motivations. That said, Steven Universe is excellent storytelling about a boy trying to find out who he is. He’s half alien, half human and there are people trying to kill him and our planet. That’s a lot of pressure on a 14 year old. This show is one of the few mainstream programs for children which features LGBTQ themes. It’s creator, Rebecca Sugar, writes the stories and songs and some of the songs will break your heart. Cartoon Network has not renewed the series for a fourth season, so this show very soon will only be found on Hulu or Netflix. This is very sad because this is/was good television. If you can find it, watch it. You won’t be disappointed.
– Of all of the CW shows being broadcast today, their best is The Flash. The story of the speedster, Barry Allen, is compelling. The tales are well told and well acted. Even if you’re not familiar with the comics, trust me when I say, that won’t diminish your enjoyment of the program. Currently, the series is ambling through the Flashpoint Paradox. The only thing I find disconcerting about this series is that in three seasons, we’ve had three different versions of the character Harrison Wells. That said, it’s a program to put on your calendar. The first two seasons are on Netflix.
– I wrote about Supergirl in early 2015. I thought then that the CBS show was on the wrong network. I’m pleased that the show was moved to the CW with all the other DC Comics properties. Supergirl gets to use the Superman rogue’s gallery which isn’t as extensive as Batman’s, but is very respectable. We also get the Martian Manhunter, J’onn J’onzz and Miss Martian, M’gann M’orzz and Mon-El (a future member of the 30th century, Legion of Super Heroes) in the current series. This is the second best CW show and well worth watching.
The Movies: Kubo and the Two Strings and Moana
– Kubo and the Two Strings is a fantastic stop-motion piece of animation that is certainly going to be on the Academy Awards short-list. It is a dark hero’s quest about finding family that immediately grabs you and doesn’t let go. It has a smart script and the pay-off at the end of the movie makes it all worth while. It’s a fine addition to any video library.
Moana follows in the footsteps of Frozen in that the hero is a teenage girl who is or will be the leader of her people and doesn’t embrace the responsibility she is born onto. And like sisters, Anna and Elsa in Frozen, Moana is a woman of her own mind. Moana is a “Disney Princess” who knows what she must do and needs the help of the demi-god, Maui (Dwayne Johnson) to make it happen. The storytelling is enhanced by a fantastic soundtrack by Hamilton composer, Lin-Manuel Miranda. This movie is my pick to win the Academy Award for best animated picture. It hits all the right notes proving that Disney still has the touch.
