TheAngryMob’s 2002 in Review
Well, here we are at year’s end. Another 365 days gone and what have we to
show for it? Well some good, some bad. And here’s my take:
Best New Genre Television Show
While Firefly is indeed a close second, John Doe gets
my praise. Fresh and alternately freaky and funny, this show reminds of my high
school days when I was a read Sherlock Holmes with a voracious appetite. We
tune in every week for just the tiniest clue as to John’s past. Let’s hope it
lasts!
Worst New Genre Television Show
Without a doubt, pause or hesitation: Birds of Prey. Horribly
written, terribly acted, this show demonstrates the worst in comic book transitions.
Best and Worst Returning Television Show
Say it with me now kids: Enterprise. Few shows are as inconsistent
as the latest entry into Trek lore. Horribly managed, this show, while promising,
has squandered much of its potential. Is there hope? Well, I’m willing to stay
along for the ride, even if it’s out of morbid curiosity.
Best Genre Film
While I’m sure The Two Towers probably deserves this award, it’s A)
Really just a continuation of a larger film, and B) I haven’t seen it yet, so
I’m giving top praise to Spider-Man. Few comic-to-film transitions
have captured the complete feel of the original material. And certainly none
have done it better than Sam Raimi’s masterpiece. The writing is smart, the
acting is spot-on (anyone else think a special Oscar for Willem Dafoe’s performance
is in order?), and the special effects were awesome.
Worst Genre Film
I secretly think that if George Lucas could replace humans on film altogether,
he would. Because Attack of the Clones shows nothing but contempt
for actors. The entire middle third of the film is so utterly boring and the
dialogue so painfully banal, is it any wonder why we’re not all aquiver with
anticipation for Episode III?
Smartest Industry Move
Goes to the WB for mercy killing Birds of Prey. Why they greenlit
this thing in the first place is beyond me.
Dumbest Industry Move
Fox‘s shortsighted move to, first, not air the original pilot of Firefly,
and second, for canceling it altogether. Hey morons, wonder why people had a
hard time warming up to the show? It couldn’t have been your fault. Heavens
no. Maybe UPN could get next years’ Smartest award by snagging the show. Or
WB could get two in a row by using Firefly to fill in that newfound gap
in their Wednesday lineup.
Best Marketing
While the movie lacked punch, the marketers for the DVD of Attack of
the Clones knew what did work in that film. Who da man? Yo da man!
Worst Marketing
Nothing’s more embarrassing to the industry than a Sci-Fi film that pretends
it isn’t. But such was the case for the early trailers of Solaris.
Unless you knew about the film from other sources, you could’ve walked into
the theaters and gotten a big surprise, expecting some strange love story. But
by god you knew who starred in it and produced it.
Here’s a hint to the uneducated: When a trailer says little about the film,
and a lot about the stars, director, producer, etc., avoid it like the plague.
Big hint: If the phrase “from the {$person-name} who brought you {$someother-film-name},”
is used; run like the wind.
What I’m Looking Forward to in 2003
- Better episodes of Enterprise. I’ve got to hang on to hope.
- Ang Lee’s The Hulk. Just love the green guy.
- Nightcrawler in X-Men 2.
- The Return of the King. ‘Nuff said.
- Someone picking up Firefly. Yeah, more hope.
Well, that’s it for me. I hope everyone has an awesome new year! See you on
the other side!
A few missing categories
Most surprising animated show: The new He-Man! It’s well-drawn, well-animated, and makes the best of the source material. A far cry from the one from the 80s.
Most Annoying Industry Move: Complete lack of Justice League episodes. I have seen every episode like 3 times. When will they make new ones?
And there has to have been a worse genre movie than Episode II. What about such forgettable movies as “Ghost Ship”, or “Reign of Fire”?
Re: A few missing categories
I didn’t see either of those, I just based on what I got to see this year. Something tells me that “Solaris” would’ve ranked even lower than the two you mentioned. Perhaps the category should have been “Biggest Disappointment” and then Episode II would have been the clear winner.
Re: A few missing categories
You want to talk forgettable? I saw Reign of Fire
on a Saturday, and could barely remember its name the following
Monday. TOTAL fluff and nonsense.
Re: A few missing categories
What’s your beef with Ghost Ship?
I liked it. The people in it seemed to have a survival instinct, wich is
very rare in horror flicks, lots of gore, a nice mass murder, a ship,
ghosts…fun for all! : )
Reign Of Fire was very disapointing though…
Re: A few missing categories
Man, those are some good drugs you’re on. What are they, and where can I avoid them?
I’ll be one of the first to admit that the ’80s He-Man was cheesy, silly, and (yes, I daresay) lame. Crap animation, even by the standards of the time, storylines thinner than newsprint, and the heavy-handed moral at the end of every story. (Not even the Great Maker’s writing could save that poor show — yes, it’s a little-known fact that JMS, the “Babylon 5” guy, wrote a few episodes in his youth.)
So, let’s look at the ’00s remake. Crap animation? check. This new version looks like Pokemon. Thin plotlines? check. Every episode I’ve seen (though I admit I only watched a few before the gag reflex kicked in) had its storyline more-or-less recycled wholesale from the original. The “moral at the end of the story” is gone, but that’s only because they’ve managed to reduce every story so completely to a goofy action-parody that there isn’t one anymore.
At least the original version now has some nostalgia going for it — this sorry excuse of a show doesn’t even have that.
John Doe, bleh
Although I’ve occasionally enjoyed John Doe, the dippy plot twists, and huge plot holes frequently make me thoroughly annoyed with the show. Like the one episode, when this huge elaborate conspiracy to fool John Doe is ruined because someone used store bought muffins. Come on!
It was things like this that really made me disgusted. I’ll admit that it’s fun to watch this super-knowledgeable (notice that he’s not super-intelligent, mostly he regurgitates facts) guy run around figuring things out, but with that basis I kind of expect a fairly rigorous adherence to some sort of plot logic.
Farscape?
No mention of farscape? Talk about bone headed executives. That and the scifi channel’s desire move away from ‘space’ programming (yet they have a new planet with a ring logo, how ironic) I think this even tops Firefly, I mean we knew were dealing with FOX. This one actually calls it self ‘sci-fi’
In additional news it appears as if Odyssey 5 is also getting canned. This is the year sci-fi died.
Dumbest Move.
While Firefly was new, and refreshing, the cancellation of Farscape has got to be the single most stupidest move of all time.
I can’t believe that wasn’t even mentioned.
Matrix
You aren’t looking forward to Matrix 2 and 3 in 2003? I am!
it’s a good list….
Enterprise I think wasn’t a bomb to the extent you say, but it was a bomb and they DEFINITELY blew their good incredible chance at take Trek back into the cool. leave it to B&B.
I thought Reign of Fire was average but not all that bad, maybe a 6 out of 10.
Solaris IMHO was without a doubt the worst movie I’ve ever seen. I felt raped when I left the theater knowing I had just blown $15 on 2 tickets and popcorn. I’m still walkin funny.