Is it just me, or has small-screen animation been deteriorating lately? I happened to see this clip of the Star Wars: Rebels TV show and...my goodness, this animation is pretty darn bad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJo169NVMTw The characters not only look like they're made of sculpted rubber, but their movements are very, very awkward. There's a kind of … Continue reading Comparing Animation, Or What Happened to CG?
Star Wars
Friday Flotsam: Being Sick, Pope, and More Thrawn
1. I caught a bad cold last weekend which knocked me out entirely for two days and now is settling into a general, lingering annoyance. This led me into some very bad days for depression as well, partly because I tried to use the time to write only to find that, one way or another, … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Being Sick, Pope, and More Thrawn
Sympathy for George Lucas
There are a lot of mixed feelings towards George Lucas these days after three poor prequels and the ill-judged efforts at a ‘special edition’, among other things. It’s trendy to hate him. Personally, I don’t. I feel sorry for him. This is all speculation, but the way I see it, Lucas created something great, the … Continue reading Sympathy for George Lucas
Friday Flotsam: Depression, Thrawn, and Lady (and the Tramp)
1. This week was overall pretty miserable: I was strangely exhausted most of the time and my depression flared up badly. I want to say it’s some form of burnout, but you know what they say about self-diagnosis. In any case, I was able to get through by severely curtailing my activity and schedule to … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Depression, Thrawn, and Lady (and the Tramp)
Friday Flotsam: More Thrawn and Robin Hood
1. My neck of the woods was supposed to receive a snow storm, so I took some time off this week to avoid the hassle (I'm also currently in a borrowed car that doesn't do snow very well). Turned out to be not nearly as bad as advertised, but I got some time to think … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: More Thrawn and Robin Hood
Flotsam: Heir to the Empire and New Filmmaking
1. I'm dipping my toes into the 'Star Wars' expanded universe with Heir to the Empire. I'm about half-way through, and my impression so far is that it's a lot of fun and a genuinely pretty good extension of the story. There's a good sense that, yes, this is a logical scenario for 'what happens … Continue reading Flotsam: Heir to the Empire and New Filmmaking
Mauler Rages against ‘Skywalker’
My favorite YouTube critic presents his eagerly-anticipated rage against The Rise of Skywalker, the final pathetic, dying wheeze of what was once a great franchise. He does not disappoint. As always with Mauler's rages, language advisory. Many of his trademark "What the F?"s are in store. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0528-TlRODI Money Line: "That's the point to which Disney has … Continue reading Mauler Rages against ‘Skywalker’
Talking Dying Franchises at ‘The Federalist’
First article in a while is up on The Federalist, talking about why dying franchises matter: The imaginative power of Star Wars’s IP has been systematically stripped away into a confused and contradictory mess loaded down with contemporary politics. The simple, yet rich story of the originals (and even of the prequels, for all their faults) … Continue reading Talking Dying Franchises at ‘The Federalist’
Reaction to the Episode IX Teaser
Just got back from retreat to find the teaser (and title) for the next 'Star Wars' movie waiting for me. Here is my entire response:
Larry Correia Reviews “The Last Jedi”
Human grizzly bear and pulp author extraordinaire Larry Correia unloads upon The Last Jedi and Rian Johnson. That's worth a share! For those who don't know, Mr. Correia is a very good writer. Granted, some of his earlier stuff is pretty clunky, but he improves with every book, and at this point he's pretty much a master … Continue reading Larry Correia Reviews “The Last Jedi”
Serpent's Den 