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Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Outcast (1992)
An ambitious episode, but flaws diminish its overall impact
In my opinion, science fiction/fantasy is at its best when it offers an insight into the human condition. For Star Trek, this is no different as many of my favorite episodes and movies embody this to their core...by focusing on the characters and the aspects that made me as a viewer interested in their stories/arcs. This especially holds true when episodes focused more heavily on societal topics of interest. Next Generation's Season 5 episode "The Outcast" definitely aims to fit that mold, touching on the subject of LGBT relations. However, while the episode holds moments of note given the subject, it also presents the parameters of its premise in ways which detract from being truly memorable.
A significant part of this comes from the setting focus itself. Much of the interaction regarding the conflict concerning the character of Soren and their/her attraction to First Officer Will Riker takes place among the crew of the Enterprise-D rather than the J'naii, the species of non-gender expressive individuals which the episode focuses on (which is a..weird choice considering that a species that has moved beyond focusing on gender shouldn't care about such categories, but maybe I'm missing something here). As a result, we are given more attention to what crew members like Riker and Beverly have to say about gender relations rather than the J'naii themselves. Cue the traditional comments of women being "pretty, looking for protection" while men are looking for "strong or demur woman"...which provides the image of a Federation that doesn't consider the presence of LGBT individuals among their ranks. Such a thing is truly off-putting given where the episode is clearly aiming to go with its allegory. Such a thing might have been helped more with a focus directed on the J'naii, offering more of a critique of their discriminatory view of gender expression (again, a strange set-up given what I stated previously). That was more effectively put forth in "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" in the Original Series of Star Trek, which focused on the subject of racial discrimination, and put more of a focus on the characters of Lokai and Bele and their intolerance for each other's differences as a center. As a result, when the time for the scene of moral attention arrives, put forth through a speech by Soren at their/her trial, it comes across more as an attempt rather than an embrace of its logic....which shouldn't be the case if a show decides to go with a more preachy, heavy-handed approach like this (which is opposite of the more subtle approach, like DS9's "Rejoined", which works out much better as a result) It doesn't help that the J'naii are overall soulless in their appearance or dictations, which compounds any measure of connecting to how they operate as a culture....to say nothing of how the ending makes no sense, as no longer identifying as female due to "re-education" by the J'naii doesn't mean Soren couldn't still love Riker (and of course the touchy subject of "conversion therapy"). Yet another aspect that works against the allegory of the episode.
I could get into other issues, such as the mischaracterization of Worf or how Soren is cast (I see no reason why they couldn't have just presented her as still genderless, yet falling for Riker...which could have allowed for more of a focus on the J'naii's ideas concerning gender expression), but I feel such a focus would be at risk of becoming nitpicky. For its flaws, the fact that Riker is cast as the crew member involved was a true boon...not just for the attempt of broadening the stakes of the episode, but also what it meant for me as a bisexual man. For someone like Riker, an individual that was portrayed on the show typically as a ladies man and a man of men, to be willing to enter into a relationship with an individual of a genderless culture and be willing to stake his entire career over it was truly impactful...not just by showing another dimension of Riker's character that the show didn't further explore (the typical result of single episodes) but also for how impressionable it was to a young man who had heard many cultural stereotypes over how LGBT men were not truly such. I definitely give the show's development team credit for embracing such a set-up, even if the focus of the episode diminished it...especially with the relationship between Riker and Soren itself lacking in chemistry.
Overall, I give "Outcast" credit due to it being a part of Star Trek working to embrace a prosperous future that embraces peaceful differences of expression. If only it did that more clearly.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
A truly sobering, uneven film
You would think a film involving two of the most iconic superheroes of all time, Superman and Batman, would encompass the very best of the genre. Alas, the film ultimately finds a way to upend any such outcome. Where to begin?
Things I liked:
Despite their characters being horribly mishandled, Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck manage to hold their own mostly. Henry, despite having to play an overly stoic and low-temperament hero, manages to come across looking well as the Last Son of Krypton. Ben carries a certain suave look as Bruce Wayne, definitely giving previous actors of the role a run for their money. His Batman isn't too shabby either, looking the part pretty well. If only that were enough.
Jeremy Irons holds his own as Alfred Pennyworth, though he is horribly underused. Gal Godot also falls into the same category as Wonder Woman, if for the fact that we don't really get much insight as to why a photograph is so important to her. Also, despite the death of Bruce Wayne's parents being very overdone and stale, the film does serve to bring emotion into such a depiction through the use of visuals and frame shots in a way that I have to say was very well done.
Things I didn't like:
The script of this film was poorly written. Many scenes bog down the narrative, to the point where it can be difficult to follow the main plot of the story as well as break down the connections between events of the film. Those not well-versed in comic-book lore will find it harder to follow along (even then, didn't make it all that more enjoyable). From numerous dream sequences to irrelevant references (hey guys, there is going to be a Justice League movie!), this movie has it all...and suffers as a result.
The titular characters are also terribly handled. Batman kills people, as well as branding people with Bat-marks. He dreams of using guns to solve problems. He aims to kill Superman simply due to there possibly being "a 1% chance" of him doing bad things (with that logic, why not lock up/kill everyone, Brucie?). He shows little to no amount of deductive reasoning befitting of the nickname "The World's Greatest Detective", falling for one of the most pathetic attempts at blackmail conceived.
Superman is overly dull, brooding, and stoic to the point of being soulless. He gives up protecting humanity at the drop of a hat...only to return to it a few seconds later. He puts heavy emphasis on saving Lois Lane, to the exclusion of all else (sorry, Jimmy). He also shows little to no care for anything other than brute strength and force to solve his problems...from flying a terrorist through a brick wall at high speed without a second thought, no doubt killing him, to initially contemplate burning Lex Luthor to a crisp with his heat vision when hearing that he kidnapped his mother. And despite showing a scene where he was somehow able to contemplate Lois falling off a building from a huge distance...and could have possibly used similar skills to find his mother, Superman instead sits by while Lex monologues his questionable plot involving blackmail...showcasing that Superman will be helpless when the plot requires him to be rather than any internal consistency.
Speaking of Lex Luthor, this has to be without a doubt the worst version of this character yet. Lex Luthor is supposed to be a cunning, charismatic, and intelligent businessman. Instead, Jesse Eisenberg (whether through himself or possibly Mr. Synder's direction) gave an impression that almost seemed like a cross between Mark Zuckerberg and the Joker...which is totally the opposite of what the character is. His motivations are inadequately developed, and also come across as having little basis in logic. Having the two superheroes fight for...reasons? Create a super-powered beastie (Doomsday) of which you can't be certain as to it's capabilities and limitations as backup? Sounds like the plans of a madman like the Joker, not a smart businessman.
The titular fight, while decent, takes a while to actually take place...and in the end, it has nothing to do with their so-called "different philosophies" (which might have meant something if they were given weight beyond mere mentions in passing) but rather simply being duped through blackmail....how deep. And all in the end to finish with the two becoming fast buddies due to quite possibly the biggest cop-out reason in recent memory. Who knew that having the same name for parents could be so important? The final fight might be slightly better (Wonder Woman appears!), but besides the botched use of Doomsday...all it serves is to lead to one of the most pointless deaths in recent cinema history. Perhaps the death of Superman proves to be a fitting metaphor for this film in it's treatment of the characters, but otherwise it is a moment without much meaning.
Couple all this without much in the way of levity, and you have a truly sobering and uneven film that attempts to have more importance than it really does. Superman and Batman are big icons, and will no doubt survive a mess like this like they have in the past...but this definitely is a low-point in the DC library of media. Truly unfortunate.
Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey: When Knowledge Conquered Fear (2014)
A comet of good proportions
*For those reading this review, be advised that spoilers will be within. If you have not watched the 3rd episode of "Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey", please go and watch it before reading this review. You have been warned.*
Here, Tyson recollects the first steps that we as a species took toward casting away the shackles of superstition and fear and opened the door to the bountiful understanding of science. For this, the episode delves into the partnership between Issac Newton and Edmund Halley and how their research into planetary/celestial motion built the path on which would ultimately be our first steps to the stars.
Once again, the science for the most part is handled well by the writers and Tyson. The episode mostly handles the concept of comets and the Oort Cloud, though historical recollection is really the top of the order here. At first, that might seem a tall order, since the last time the series dealt in depth with a historical sequence, it was less than stellar. Fortunately, this episode vastly improves from the Bruno sequence in the first episode, as the sequence dealing with Newton and Halley is well done and for the most part is handled with historical accuracy (though Robert Hooke's physical portrayal is over the top), even down to the moments with dialogue, and is actually relevant to the endeavor of science. Hopefully, future sequences will be handled like this one.
This episode presents the best writing of the series so far. Topics and scenes flow better and follow a consistent narrative throughout. Yes there are hiccups, but they are thankfully kept to minimum here. Tyson does make some quips and ramblings about religion and science at points that are a little over the top, but fortunately that's kept to minimum as well.
At this point, it is clear that the soundtrack is not much to write about, but it is handled better than in the previous two episodes. For a couple of moments, either during the animation sequences or towards the end of the episode, there is a sense of the majesty of the science and understanding like in the original series.
Overall, this is the best effort that Cosmos has brought forth. There are still 10 episodes left to witness, but the series is definitely looking up. And now to wait for next week
Rating: 9/10
Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey: Some of the Things That Molecules Do (2014)
A great step on the direction of life
*For those reading this review, be advised that spoilers will be within. If you have not watched the 2nd episode of "Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey", please go and watch it before reading this review. You have been warned.*
In the second episode, Neil DeGrasse Tyson takes us on a journey through the harmony of life on Earth, looking at our recent skill of artificial selection (with dogs) and then broadening it to the topic of natural selection, the mechanism upon which the entire fabric of biology is based. Bit by bit, Tyson shows us increasingly how nature operates toward selecting traits that ultimately make up, essentially, everything here on Earth and also provide the basis by which living organisms survive the ever-changing environment. It is truly a testament to the power by which science has offered us a bridge toward understanding our place in the universe.
Saturn's moon Titan is also visited here, and offers a possible venue upon which extraterrestrial life could be found. The point brought here is how, though the tree of life on Earth could be full of such variety, there might be yet more strange trees of existence yet to be found. There are also other wonderful applications that such a world offers us, but I'll leave the reader to imagine them.
Despite Tyson's obvious omission of Alfred Russell Wallace, co-discoverer of the theory of evolution by natural selection, and the oversimplification of the topic of evolution (eye and tree of life to name a couple), the presentation is well done.
The writing is improved here over the previous episode. There is a more apparent theme working through the entirety of the episode that works well, though some pacing issues do still exist, which is especially shown at the ending of the episode by the abrupt cut off for example.
The evolution animation sequence at the end, which was taken straight from the original series, is a nice touch to be sure. However, the sequence would have been better if the series tried to create its own version of it from the new graphics that are now available, perhaps with Tyson recapping the information of the episode over it as a satisfying conclusion. It is that type of missed opportunity of carving out a new niche past the shadow of the 1980 series that ends up hurting the new one. Don't get me wrong, the sequence is great to see for nostalgic reasons, but the potential was there for something even grander.
The music doesn't particularly improve here, sometimes being completely absent in certain scenes. However, the information presented makes up for it mostly.
Not surprising, Tyson makes a couple of hints toward a topic that will be obviously touched upon later in the series, anthropogenic global warming. His first hint is done after discussing the origin of polar bears through genetic mutation sequencing. The next is done toward the "nameless" corridor amongst the labyrinth of the "Halls of Extinction", where Tyson discusses the Permian Extinction, the worst mass extinction to befall the Earth and one of five to have occurred (He does oversimplify the explanation of this event, as the extinction is thought to have multiple levels and could have involved other catastrophes outside of just volcanic eruptions and such, but overall not too bad). This is a problem yet to come, since Tyson states that he will get back to it. In that spirit, I will do the same; though I will mention that recent reports have suggested that ice levels within the polar areas, particularly the Arctic, have been mysteriously recovering of late and polar bear numbers have been increasing as well. Take of that what you will.
Despite all these points, Cosmos is definitely moving in the right direction. It remains to be seen what other topics will be discussed and how they will be handled, but if future episodes follow the fabric mostly laid down here, then the series could be quite the treat indeed.
Rating: 9/10
Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey: Standing Up in the Milky Way (2014)
A good intro to the series, but not without it's flaws
*For those reading this review, be advised that spoilers will be within. If you have not watched the 1st episode of "Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey", please go and watch it before reading this review. You have been warned.*
This episode introduces us to the narration of Neil DeGrasse Tyson, an accomplished astrophysicist and an individual tasked with taking us on a journey through the universe and helping us to know how we came to understand our origins and our place in the cosmos, much in the same vibe as the late astrophysicist Carl Sagan did when he took television audiences on a similar journey in the original Cosmos mini-series back in late 1980.
Overall, when focused on the ever bountiful knowledge of scientific establishment, the episode is mostly successful. Tyson takes the viewer on a new incarnation of the "Spaceship of the Imagination" through an overview of our "cosmic address", the Observable Universe. Later on, he also goes through a re-collection of the cosmic calendar, an aspect from the original series but more thoroughly explored here. Between various quips, and cool responses to events like the Cretaceous asteroid reveal, Tyson shows some depth of charisma and personality that fits the tone of the show and is a good followup to Sagan's presentation. I leave the comparison of both to the reader, but personally I feel such a thing would be a disservice to both. They are interesting in their own ways.
Unfortunately though, the episode isn't without it's flaws. The writing seems disjointed or paced awkwardly at times, which could be because the general sense of a connected narrative isn't present like in the original series. The music, composed by Alan Silvestri, is decent but definitely lacks the impact that Vangelis had for the original. This is a shame, since Silvestri is an accomplished composer with great work under his belt.
However, where the episode really falls flat is in it's historical recounting of a scientific individual, something that the original series was known for. Here, the Italian theologian and philosopher Giordano Bruno is discussed. However, such a recounting works against the scientific vibe of the show, as Bruno's ideas and eventual persecution and execution were mostly as a result of religious dogma and expression, something the episode doesn't make clear to the viewer. Tyson himself blatantly mentions that Bruno didn't have any scientific basis for his ideas, in fact just "guessing right". Once again, this is counter to the goal that the series sets out to accomplish, which is popularizing science and it's various steps. That isn't brought forth through discussing Bruno's life. Galileo Galilei or Thomas Digges, both of whom lived at around the same time as Bruno, would have been a more suitable individual to discuss. With such a missed opportunity, it leaves a question as to how the rest of the series will handle such historical sequences, but it remains to be seen. The idea to go with cartoon sequences isn't bad, as in fact the parts are well-animated, although overdone dialogue and potentially inflammatory snubs at religious symbols hinted in the animation could be nixed.
Despite these points, Cosmos is intent on focusing on scientific topics, and here it sets off on a good note. There is material here to intrigue viewers, and it will be interesting to see what the rest of the series holds regarding them. The final scene where Tyson recollects his meeting with Sagan in his earlier years, as well as the homage given to Carl, was poignant and touching and definitely serves to connect the series, and the host, with their predecessors. Despite the flaws, Cosmos looks like good potential to be beheld. We'll see what comes next.
Rating: 8/10
Justice League Unlimited: Epilogue (2005)
Not a JL episode, good moments for Batman, but not for Batman Beyond
This episode marks the finale of the second season of the Justice League Unlimited series...however, it really has nothing to do with the circumstances of the actual series. Rather, it serves as a finale of sorts to Batman Beyond, since the series was never picked up for another season and therefore didn't have a sense of closure. That tying up of loose ends is offered here, but the result ends up being less than decent.
The episode does pay a nice homage to Bruce Wayne/Batman in showing him perform a heroic deed regarding one of the members of the Royal Flush Gang: Ace. It is also nice to return to the Batman Beyond world after a long hiatus. However, how the story serves to end the adventure of Terry McGinnis is nothing short of underwhelming and even insulting. In a nutshell, Terry is revealed to be a genetic son of Bruce Wayne himself because of a genetic project undertaken by Amanda Waller, the individual Terry confronts about his past.
This serves to erase the individual toughness and mental fortitude that Terry displayed throughout the Batman Beyond series as being nothing less than mere genetics. Oh yes, Amanda tries to off-highhandedly mention that he isn't "completely" like Bruce, and that she didn't pull the trigger on his parents, but the road was basically set so that when the time came, he would have the chance of being Batman. Who can tell whether the decisions he made were a product of himself or his genetics? What a load.
DCAU, you couldn't have dragged the carpet out from under an excellent series more than with this episode. Definitely not your best effort.