Wednesday, August 29, 2012

To Boldly Flee, Part 3



An alien soldier decides to turn on his own people when they threaten to invade earth! ‎

47 comments:

DaveWire said...

Is that Marvel's Captain Marvel?

Jarkes said...

So, which scene was the one that made this part your favorite?

Also, CR's a brony, so he really shouldn't have reacted to Mickey watching My Little Pony in that fashion. Just saying.

Lewis Lovhaug said...

"So, which scene was the one that made this part your favorite?"

The one between Brad and Luke on the Bridge. It's great character development and speaks a lot to internet culture, in my humble opinion.

Silens Cursor said...

Okay, plenty of thoughts here. Generally liked it better than the second episode, and right now I'm sort of split on whether it's better than the first. Part of it is personal opinion - I would honestly prefer if you guys had just stuck with a regular space opera and kept the comedy subtle. But I will admit that most of your jokes here are halfway decent (highlight for me was Paw's indignation when Phelous called him 'Wesley' - that was just awesome).

I honestly don't have many negative criticisms of this round, other than a few jokes that just didn't quite click. I wasn't the biggest fan of the Paw camera (namely because you did something similar with Kickassia, and I'm not sure how well it worked the second time around). Furthermore, I'm not sure how much I liked the whole fighting between Zod and Terl - it just struck me a little blandly executed, and some of the dubbing wasn't great here either. I'm also not the biggest fan of JewWario cribbing silliness from George Takei's book - to me, it's a little lazy. And I will join the chorus of people who think that the love triangle is tired, albeit decently acted.

That being said, a lot of this episode worked really well. The special effects remain surprisingly good, the costumes are solid, and the plot and script is actually pretty sharp, better than expected.

But I'm going to save my commentary for the few bits that really caught me by surprise. The first were the scenes between JesuOtaku and CR - they're both very solid actors, and it's alarming how well JesuOtaku makes the 'Manic Pixie Anime Girl' attitude work. Seriously, I facepalmed when I initially saw that, but I think she pulled it off.

The conversation between Luke and Brad was well-acted and well-executed, and given that I wasn't the biggest fan of the plotline initially, I was impressed how well things came together here, and how well Brad nails the bitter mentor role.

I think one of the unsung stars of this show so far has been Bennett. He's normally not that much of a presence in these stories, but I was surprised how decent his comic timing is when he's got good material.

But - and I've got to be honest here - the real highlight for me was the 'assimilation' scene. Acting was top-notch there, the menace was palpable, and the sound-effects (coupled with the quick shots of the drill) were CREEPY AS ALL FUCK. Not criticizing this at all, you and Lindsey nailed it (no pun intended), and it added a real layer of 'HOLY SHIT' to the Mechakara plot that was much appreciated.

Nice work, definitely looking forward to Part 4.

pablo said...

i dont know, any part with Brad is great. but the rest seems to filler for me

LucasChad said...

I hope that one day DC comes around to bring Martian Man to the screen in either a solo movie or in the proposed Justice League movie. He sounds like an interesting character judging from your reviews of JLA: Act of God and Identity Crisis.

Lewis Lovhaug said...

"I hope that one day DC comes around to bring Martian Man to the screen in either a solo movie or in the proposed Justice League movie. He sounds like an interesting character judging from your reviews of JLA: Act of God and Identity Crisis."

That would be Martian Manhunter, who I was not referencing in this one, but that would've been a good one. XD

LucasChad said...

"That would be Martian Manhunter, who I was not referencing in this one, but that would've been a good one. XD"

Ahhh CRAP!!! Well anyway, that was my guess. Again, NOT a comic book nerd, but I was trying to remember from some of your past episodes. Many of them I only saw once, so my memory can be pretty hazy.

I have an idea, how about putting in hints for the non-comic book nerds who watch your show, or anyone who couldn't guess this or the previous description correctly?

CaptainCalvinCat said...

Like I already wrote in the topic on TGWTG.com - boy are the crewmates stupid. When in a movie someone talks in that very distorted voice, the chance, that he is not from this earth, is relatively high...

But good acting, although... poor NCHick... ^^

So, what does happen next?

Greets

Cal

Aldo512 said...

You mentioned that this part had your least favorite scene. Which one was that?

CaptainCalvinCat said...

Aldo512

I would guess, it is the "assimilation of Lindsay"-scene...
reason: The assimilation of Lindsay... she is the damsel in distress, this takes away something from her character...

but I am just guessing here.

Lewis Lovhaug said...

"I would guess, it is the "assimilation of Lindsay"-scene...
reason: The assimilation of Lindsay... she is the damsel in distress, this takes away something from her character...

but I am just guessing here."

It's a good guess... but that's not the right reason. I don't want to get into it now and spoil you guy's enjoyment of the film, but I don't like the scene and I especially don't like how it was originally written.

CaptainCalvinCat said...

Okay, now I am really curious...

and - when the movie is completed, would it be possible to actually post the original written scene? That would be pretty interesting.

And while we are on topic, I have another question: In the credits it is written, that Doug and Robert are the writers, but do you actually have something to say, about how your character is portrayed?

I am especially thinking about FilmBrain, now, because he had the most ungrateful roles in the three movies - the creepy guy, the sycophant and now the guy, that obviously is too stupid to tell "noises made by sex" and "Noises made by torture" from another...

So, does everyone of you have the possibility to say "Wait - I am not too happy with this or that"?

Greets

Cal

Jason said...

Who else is thinking, the space-guy wearing the helmet, sending the dreams is James Rolfe!?

Jarkes said...

Sad Panda: "He's dead to me."

...Y'know, maybe you SHOULD have changed a few lines or scenes regarding Spoony, or at least that particular one. Some of the scenes with Spoony are REALLY uncomfortable, given you-know-what. It's really distracting.

Also... interesting... this part had both your favorite scene and your least favorite scene... How ironic...

Also, was Mickey's line to Todd about "keeping your love triangle somewhere else" in anticipation of some of the fan's reactions to that?

Lewis Lovhaug said...

"...Y'know, maybe you SHOULD have changed a few lines or scenes regarding Spoony, or at least that particular one. Some of the scenes with Spoony are REALLY uncomfortable, given you-know-what. It's really distracting."

They actually HAVE already. XD When Film Brain is on the phone with the Nostalgia Critic, he also had a line where he said "I promise I won't do another crossover with Spoony!" It was supposed to reference the fact that Spoony's fans didn't like the crossover the two did about the Tekken movie, buuuut that was cut for obvious reasons. XD

Laughing Hyena said...

At the rate Cartoon Network re-run'ed Cowboy Bebop to death on Adult Swim: I'm amused at all the people on other sites/forums commenting on "TBF Part 3" just not getting the reference at all.
Even non-anime fans watched that show.

Is Keanu Reeves still working on that Cowboy Bebop live action movie he wanted to do? Where he wanted to play the part of Spike Spiegel? Ha..ha HAHAHA! Oh god, I can't stop laughing at that and the mental picture it gives!
The ideas for the movie I remember hearing from Keanu long ago somehow tell me it won't ever get off the ground, and if it does: It's going to be a flop.

I mean Keanu, I know you think CB is super cool and all, but it's a show that heavily favors style over substance, I don't think it's going to translate well to the big screen unless you go all out like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. And I don't think you are the guy to do it or be near it.

Now Outlaw Star or Trigun? Make more sense than CB to adapt into live action Space Western movies. One's a gritty McGuffin/destination adventure chase and the other is about a comic relief mysterious gunslinger who's being hunted while not remembering his own past for the time being.

I also really liked the scene between Brad and Luke. And I'll admit, while dumb, the "7 of 11" joke was still funny.

Phantom Roxas said...

I assume that you don't like the assimilation scene because considering what Mechakara is doing and what the others assume happened, the scene has subtle implications of rape. It makes me worried how the scene was originally written.

In spite of that bit, I really enjoyed this part. I love how JesuOtaku is in this, as well as a more evenly spread showcase of the characters. While some characterizations are inconsistent across the anniversaries, JewWario's is hands down my favorite in that regard.

The Imperator said...

This one was really good, and I liked the character development with Brad and Luke. The scene with NChick also made me laugh, cause all I could see in my head was that scene from First Contact, only with the roles reversed.

Anonymous said...

I don't know how they managed it but Mechakara comes across as much creepier than usual in this.

Fiery Little One

Anonymous said...

If it hasn't been said enough times, this part was really solid in terms of acting: Chad and Hope, Brad and Luke, Todd and Allison. Everyone was just great.

Even Hope's Edward impression had me in stitches considering I've never seen Cowboy Bebop.

Non-TBF related question: Do you have any thoughts on Big Hero 6 or Guardians of the Galaxy, since Disney and Marvel are putting together film adaptations (animated in BH6's case)?

Nick Michalak said...

Again, great villainous work. Athough, I do agree that perhaps the assimilation scene could've been reworked somewhat. It just didn't have any dramatic impact, and frankly, it doesn't make much sense either. Mechakara's never been able to transform people into machines, or do a Borg style assimilation. Is this her transformed, assimilated, or simply replaced with a cybernetic duplicate? The dialogue sort of implies that it's a cross between the Borg and what happened to Ilia in "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," but that just clouds the issue more. Perhaps it will be explained later on, but right now, it's rather baffling. The scene, as it unfolded, really lacked any clairty to me. Maybe I'm just not projecting much thought towards the film, but it could've been handled better.

And I agree, the scene with Brad and Luke is very poignant, and Brad is a hell of a great actor. He continually impresses me with his acting talent in everything he does.

Master Control Cynic said...

Damn right the world will always need critics!

Keep fighting the good fight good sirs! And... Madams!

Ratin8tor said...

You know, the scene between Luke and Brad does actually raise an interesting question: What are you gonna do when the bubble bursts?

Comic books were a huge boom in the 90s until it crashed under its own weight. Same with video games. Does anyone have any long-term ideas when either legislation against reviewing is passed, or when the audience simply grows disinterested?

It's actually kinda impressive how a small little scene reflects the dangers of internet fame and careers in just a space of a few lines.

And how it shows how much the internet has changed the world. Without it, you wouldn't have My Little Pony being as big as it is now (which, btw, shows just how awesomer 8-Bit Mickey is :P)

boooratt said...

This one was an ok part not as much of the comedy I like.
JO as Edward is cool but she needs more cocaine to get the right levels of hyper!
I'm digging the person in the Gort mask with the deep voice!
I'm still surprised no Nuetro since ya'll bringing in all the Scifi things!
I just wonder how much Mechakara and Nostalgia Chick fan-fic will spawn...
CR is "blind" crew member?
And that plant does really tie the room together!
I gotta Question! Why does Zod not have superpower!? Is he still suppose to be depowered from Superman 2 because if so shouldn't he also be dead from falling into a frozen chasm!?

libraryguy said...

Each special has been better than the one before, and this is no exception. The effects are very well done for the budget you have, the costumes are good (though not up to SK standards yet) and both the acting and writing have matured. Everyone responsible should be very proud of themselves.

That said...

The assimilation scene, as originally written, was even worse? Holy shit!

Kaibaman41 said...

"They actually HAVE already. XD When Film Brain is on the phone with the Nostalgia Critic, he also had a line where he said "I promise I won't do another crossover with Spoony!" It was supposed to reference the fact that Spoony's fans didn't like the crossover the two did about the Tekken movie, buuuut that was cut for obvious reasons. XD"

That's actually good to know, but I do like the original line a little better even though it's understandable...Film Brain's new line felt abit Fourth Wall breaking foreshadowing but in a comedic way.

My favorite scene in this part(besides Mechakara assimilating Nostalgia Chick...his creepy bad ass factor skyrocketed) was the Luke and Brad scene, like others said(and yourself included Linkara) it was great character development and DAMN RIGHT the world will always have critics even if none of us achieve Immortality.

Also one last thing I would like to share, not that long ago I made a blog post and posted the video of the game of D&D you were involved in on ScrewAttack's website. It had actually gotten promoted to the front page and for those that did comment on the blog enjoyed the game. Don't worry I did put your blog link as the source were I found it, if you gained some new viewers at least with some of them, this is where they came from. This is the link to my own blog post in case you want to see.
http://www.screwattack.com/news/conbravo-2012-hosted-live-dd-game-internet-celebrities

Anonymous said...

So if Mechakara transformed Lindsay into a Seven of Nine expy, does that make him a closet Trekkie?

Jonathan M said...

Let me guess, you love this Part for the scene between Brad and Luke, right?

Lewis Lovhaug said...

"Let me guess, you love this Part for the scene between Brad and Luke, right?"

Pretty much. Quiet, thoughtful moments like that are awesome.

PopCultureOtaku said...

Brad and Luke moment was really good. I thought it was just showing how much they were getting close as mentor/student and friend.
I love also tie in with love triangle between Lupa, NChick, Todd. Great that was not ignored. Funny mickey reaction and yeah that was bad timing when people are trying to sleep. Mickey mustache is awesome by the way. You know after the end of 2 he really meant he would do to them.
Zod and BE guy interactions in this part are just really funny.
JO as Ed is crazy but funny too.
I'm looking forward to part 4 saturday.

Anonymous said...

seeing the way you write the plot-summaries for the episodes

do you happen to be a "12 Oz. Mouse" fan?

Adam Sherman said...

Loved Part 3, but I have a few questions.

1. How come Mechakara managed to curb-stomp you so easily? Did the Executor and Turrell manage to give him enough upgrades to overwhelm your abilities (maybe a bit of Kryptonian technology as well on account of Zod)? Did the plothole cause your magic to weaken?

2. Any chance of Vyce cameoing?


Also, unless it's definitely dead for good, I've just thought of a horrifying way for the Entity to return...
it gets its answer about what happens when an Elder God dies, and also finally comes up with what would happen after its goal is achieved: it'll wipe its mind, and start the process over and over again, so that the experience will forever be just as incredible as the first time.
An eternity of falling back, then consuming creation again and again, and done in the manner that it will always feel fulfilled by doing so.

David page said...

I got some awful Stephanie brownesque war games vibes from that Mechakara Lindsey scene...

It was genuinly creepy

rdfox said...

Yeah, I was thinking the exact same thing as David Page, the instant I saw the drill. In fact (and Lewis, if this hits too close to the mark, feel free to delay approving this until after it's all done), I'd guess that Lewis's problem with the Lindsay/Mechakara scene is that it's just too much like the Steph/Black Mask torture porn from "War Games," and was probably even closer in the original script...

Jarkes said...

"

Yeah, I was thinking the exact same thing as David Page, the instant I saw the drill. In fact (and Lewis, if this hits too close to the mark, feel free to delay approving this until after it's all done), I'd guess that Lewis's problem with the Lindsay/Mechakara scene is that it's just too much like the Steph/Black Mask torture porn from "War Games," and was probably even closer in the original script..."

...Wait, what? Do I want to know what you're talking about?

Jarkes said...

I have a question relating to Part 1: When Mechakara was reaching through your apartment door as you were trying to close it... whose hand was it really? It couldn't have been you, since you were still in the shot at that point...

CaptainCalvinCat said...

Erm... I know Stephanie Brown only as Batgirl, not as spoiler, so... what? Black Masks tortues Steph with a drill? *shudders*

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I liked this part, but the whole "implied rape" thing with Lindsey completely ruined the video for me.

And don't say that it techniquly wasn't rape, I still felt dirty while watching it.

Lewis Lovhaug said...

"I have a question relating to Part 1: When Mechakara was reaching through your apartment door as you were trying to close it... whose hand was it really? It couldn't have been you, since you were still in the shot at that point..."

It was Will's. He also was the camermaman zooming in on me when we first see Linkara in the movie.

Lewis Lovhaug said...

"Yeah, I liked this part, but the whole "implied rape" thing with Lindsey completely ruined the video for me.

And don't say that it techniquly wasn't rape, I still felt dirty while watching it."

Aaaaand boom, THAT is why it is my least favorite part. Assimilation is already kind of a metaphor for rape or violation and it was rather uncomfortable for us as a result. And, indeed, it was a lot worse when originally scripted.

Unknown said...

"Aaaaand boom, THAT is why it is my least favorite part. Assimilation is already kind of a metaphor for rape or violation and it was rather uncomfortable for us as a result. And, indeed, it was a lot worse when originally scripted"

I totally agree with you about the overuse of the "damsel in distress" and objectification of women. However, it is not that exact thing what is scary about the borg, or in this case, Mechakara? The violation of the will?

Being this the case you can add, and I quote: "There may be a correlation between humor and sex" - Data. And you have that scene in particular.

I apologise for my english, it's not my native language. Any gramma or spelling error is not becasue poor literacy is kwell :P

rdfox said...

Jarkes, probably not. Cap, it was, ironically, probably what slingshotted Steph to being Batgirl in the end.

Short version of War Games: Batman makes Steph into Robin to try and guilt Tim into coming back (after Tim's father forbids him from being Robin any more). Steph violates a direct order to save Batman's life; the Bat-Dick then proceeds to fire her for doing so (and demand that everyone else shun her).

Steph then proceeds to act completely out of character due to editorial mandate, and initiates one of Batman's contingency plans for ending all crime in Gotham by triggering a gang war, because that way she could prove to him that she should still be Robin, not knowing that the "Matches Malone" it all hinges on is actually Bats and he'd need to know about it from the start for the plan to work.

During the gang war, she tries to do some damage control and gets captured by Black Mask, who proceeds to torture her to death with a power drill, allegedly trying to interrogate her for information on Batman.

It was badly-written, terribly out of character for everyone involved, a gratuitous fridging, and done in the most exploitative and hypersexualized manner possible.

Oh, and then, for good measure, DC editorial tried to claim she was never "really" Robin, and use that to justify not putting a memorial case up in the Batcave and trying to pretend she never existed until the protests got to the point where even Dan Didio couldn't ignore them, resulting in her death being retconned to "almost dead and recovering in Africa for a year," followed by her return and becoming the new Batgirl.

(And now, I'm going to go find something to vent the anger I found myself feeling again as I typed up this summary...)

Lewis Lovhaug said...

"I totally agree with you about the overuse of the "damsel in distress" and objectification of women. However, it is not that exact thing what is scary about the borg, or in this case, Mechakara? The violation of the will?"

It's not a "damsel in distress" kind of issue, but rather the fact that it's really kind of a rape scene, and then played for laughs right afterwards. Again, it was actually WORSE in written form and I will not elucidate more on it other than we weren't particularly about it.

And for the record, that is not my hand with the drill. They filmed that later.

libraryguy said...

The thing that irritates me most about the assimilation scene is the aftermath. Sex jokes? Really? It's rather gross given the subtext involved with the assimilation process.

The staging didn't help, though. It really drove the rape subtext home. A man corners a woman in a room and assaults her with a phallic object? Really?

A better way to do it would have been to cut FB out altogether, and have EdOtaku tell NChick about "Linkara." She would go in, the scene would play out until she revealed her presence, and Mechakara would whirl around. "You know too much, but your absence would be noticed. I know what to do..." Cut to the meeting scene, cut out the jokes, and then Mechakara and 7/11 make their entrance at the suitable time. Somebody would make a comment about NChick's change, but somebody else points out (or maybe at) EdOtaku.

Of course, this is all my opinion. I admit that I'm perversely curious about the original scene, but you're not going to elaborate, and that's probably just as well.

Unknown said...

"It's not a "damsel in distress" kind of issue, but rather the fact that it's really kind of a rape scene, and then played for laughs right afterwards. Again, it was actually WORSE in written form and I will not elucidate more on it other than we weren't particularly about it."

I'm sorry Lewis, will not bother you again with is. All is clear now, thanks for your answer.

Joshua Lozano said...

Hey Lewis, is Doug gonna release a digital copy of the script with the dvd? That way the movie buff in me can rejoice and add it to my screenplay collection.