The Rings of Power were aimed straight at a significant gap in Tolkeins legendarium wherein I think serious hay could productively be made. Talking about themes of entire elven societies recovering from PTSD from the rape of Beleriand; the realization of the fading of elven pride in Middle earth; the desperate grasping for powers to preserve the same and Sauron taking advantage of that to make a play for ultimate dominion and corruption? That's good stuff. There was potential there, especially with the slow decline and corruption of Numenor as a backdrop and contrasting example of human corruption. Lost and wasted now.
I think the Noldor saga in Beleriand could hold potential for a couple of epic movies. Luthiens' mythos herself could be a whole film. But I agree that the larger mythos- the Valar, Arda's genesis etc, would not make good TV or film.
I haven't played them but I have read their synopsis and I found them quite clever. The idea that the player character wields the one ring against Sauron and is responsible for basically holding him at bay for centuries until he succumbs to the corruption is a clever one IIRC.
The acting was... eeeh... I mean everyone involved in the Galadriel main arc was working with absolute garbage scripts so they did what they could with the material at hand. The hobbit and dwarven side arcs did tolerably well acting wise because the material was respectively semi ok and almost solid for those two respective side arcs.
There was some very good elements. The world building wasn't bad. Bear Mccreary's music was fantastic. The portrayal of Khazad Dum as a living, breathing, dwarven city was hairs-on-the-arms-raising good and the portrayal of the barriers around Valinor (and the elven call and response that opened them) was flat out magical.
But for what Amazon paid for the show, the whole show needed to have that same magic from stem to stern and even then it might not have broken even but would have, at least, been an admirable and even laudable white elephant project. As it stands, RoP is a sick joke.
Silmarillion profoundly affected my own outlook on fantasy. I read it young and it kindled a white hot burning love of world building in my heart. So I was especially appalled as I watched Rings of Power. Like, Nazi's staring into the Arc of the Covenant levels of appalled.
The race of the various characters wouldn't have mattered a whit had the writing been any good, the plot been at all logical or it had actually focused on the forging of the titular Rings of Power. Instead they managed to find five minutes during the season finale to slap the rings out on the side.
I admit to being entirely shocked by Across the Spider-Verse; I had genuinely assumed that with expectations appropriately set high that AtSV would suffer compared to the original because the original was so, out-of-the-blue-sky amazing. I was still wrong. It was, again, astonishingly good and I even say that as a person who normally groans with a distinct sense of ennui at multiverse settings. Russell is spot on his placing it as the best film.
I don't disagree. Personally if a business wished to use their religious beliefs to refuse services to people I would want it only to be usable in court if they disclosed those restrictions on their signage and marketing material. Let the markets decide then.
Well Roberts' Court took their shot for religious liberty. With an imaginary business woman and an imaginary scary gay person trying to get an imaginary wedding website service. Best they could do is say that religious people are allowed to discriminate against people they don't like so long as they only do so in expressive service provision. Weak tea if you ask me, that's not much of a window for the fundies to try and wriggle through though, perhaps, the intention is to try and wiggle it wider over time?
I mean, it bears remembering, that AA actually is significant/relevant/material only if you're one of that incredibly tiny minority of elite educated people who're scrabbling for a slow in an elite university. Anywhere else and the universities will simply give everyone who applies and meets their minimal criteria a spot.
I think Freddie is pretty much spot on and cogent when it comes to AA.
https://freddiedeboer.substack.com/p/affirmative-action-thoughts-in-an
It's a bit symbol for the left but as a substantive policy it's rather ineffectual and as a principle it's on iffy spongey ground.
Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't most universities outside the top tier pretty much open admittance and are desperate for (any) students? Except for the selective admittance universities I don't see how this has much impact.
I just can't find it in my heart to get very upset by the axing of affirmative action.
A cogent and clear analysis and explanation. I learned a lot. The Ukrainian constitution seems to address this matter quite concretely and practically- to be honest I'm impressed.
Depends on the policy. Speaking personally I am a gay man; I have a black husband; I have many trans friends; I have a sister. So I have skin in the game on many hot button policies.
It takes a pretty cerebral person (or a person to whom the given issue has little to no impact) to focus on the process of any given policy rather than the outcome.
Abortion attitudes are shifting strongly in a pro-choice direction which doesn't surprise me in the least. The Pre-Roe world always had a HUGE contingent of people who were perfectly content to be verbally pro-life or non-committal so long as they were confident it wouldn't effect them in any way. The pre-Roe high water mark for pro-restriction attitude was clearly their highest water mark.
On “From Bloomberg: Amazon CEO Asks His Hollywood Studio to Explain Its Big Spending”
The Rings of Power were aimed straight at a significant gap in Tolkeins legendarium wherein I think serious hay could productively be made. Talking about themes of entire elven societies recovering from PTSD from the rape of Beleriand; the realization of the fading of elven pride in Middle earth; the desperate grasping for powers to preserve the same and Sauron taking advantage of that to make a play for ultimate dominion and corruption? That's good stuff. There was potential there, especially with the slow decline and corruption of Numenor as a backdrop and contrasting example of human corruption. Lost and wasted now.
"
I think the Noldor saga in Beleriand could hold potential for a couple of epic movies. Luthiens' mythos herself could be a whole film. But I agree that the larger mythos- the Valar, Arda's genesis etc, would not make good TV or film.
"
Aping what Martin did is pretty tough if you don't have what Martin did to ape off of though.
"
I haven't played them but I have read their synopsis and I found them quite clever. The idea that the player character wields the one ring against Sauron and is responsible for basically holding him at bay for centuries until he succumbs to the corruption is a clever one IIRC.
"
The acting was... eeeh... I mean everyone involved in the Galadriel main arc was working with absolute garbage scripts so they did what they could with the material at hand. The hobbit and dwarven side arcs did tolerably well acting wise because the material was respectively semi ok and almost solid for those two respective side arcs.
There was some very good elements. The world building wasn't bad. Bear Mccreary's music was fantastic. The portrayal of Khazad Dum as a living, breathing, dwarven city was hairs-on-the-arms-raising good and the portrayal of the barriers around Valinor (and the elven call and response that opened them) was flat out magical.
But for what Amazon paid for the show, the whole show needed to have that same magic from stem to stern and even then it might not have broken even but would have, at least, been an admirable and even laudable white elephant project. As it stands, RoP is a sick joke.
On “A Paucity Of Limits, By Stipulation: 303 Creative v Elenis”
They don't approve of it, but they sure as heck don't go after it the way they go after various things gay. Some sins simply are worse than others*.
*Specifically the sins a minority commits that we and our flock can focus and obsess on and feel good about ourselves.
On “From Bloomberg: Amazon CEO Asks His Hollywood Studio to Explain Its Big Spending”
Silmarillion profoundly affected my own outlook on fantasy. I read it young and it kindled a white hot burning love of world building in my heart. So I was especially appalled as I watched Rings of Power. Like, Nazi's staring into the Arc of the Covenant levels of appalled.
"
The race of the various characters wouldn't have mattered a whit had the writing been any good, the plot been at all logical or it had actually focused on the forging of the titular Rings of Power. Instead they managed to find five minutes during the season finale to slap the rings out on the side.
On “The Month in Theaters June 2023”
I admit to being entirely shocked by Across the Spider-Verse; I had genuinely assumed that with expectations appropriately set high that AtSV would suffer compared to the original because the original was so, out-of-the-blue-sky amazing. I was still wrong. It was, again, astonishingly good and I even say that as a person who normally groans with a distinct sense of ennui at multiverse settings. Russell is spot on his placing it as the best film.
On “Open Mic for the week of 6/26/2023”
Yeah, fancy that eh?
"
I don't disagree. Personally if a business wished to use their religious beliefs to refuse services to people I would want it only to be usable in court if they disclosed those restrictions on their signage and marketing material. Let the markets decide then.
"
Well Roberts' Court took their shot for religious liberty. With an imaginary business woman and an imaginary scary gay person trying to get an imaginary wedding website service. Best they could do is say that religious people are allowed to discriminate against people they don't like so long as they only do so in expressive service provision. Weak tea if you ask me, that's not much of a window for the fundies to try and wriggle through though, perhaps, the intention is to try and wiggle it wider over time?
On “SCOTUS Ruling on Affirmative Action & Admissions: Read It For Yourself”
Granted, but even if you include elite AND semi-elite, we're talking about an utterly miniscule number of people in total.
"
I mean, it bears remembering, that AA actually is significant/relevant/material only if you're one of that incredibly tiny minority of elite educated people who're scrabbling for a slow in an elite university. Anywhere else and the universities will simply give everyone who applies and meets their minimal criteria a spot.
On “The Clown Policeman in the Circus Parade”
I have to assume an Officer Lorette walked a regular beat in Skinnay's neighborhood.
On “SCOTUS Ruling on Affirmative Action & Admissions: Read It For Yourself”
I think Freddie is pretty much spot on and cogent when it comes to AA.
https://freddiedeboer.substack.com/p/affirmative-action-thoughts-in-an
It's a bit symbol for the left but as a substantive policy it's rather ineffectual and as a principle it's on iffy spongey ground.
On “Open Mic for the week of 6/26/2023”
That sounds more right than not.
"
Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't most universities outside the top tier pretty much open admittance and are desperate for (any) students? Except for the selective admittance universities I don't see how this has much impact.
I just can't find it in my heart to get very upset by the axing of affirmative action.
On “There’s A Lickin’ Coming”
Yup that's been my own limited experience as well (I don't have kids thank God[ess?]).
"
Ball caps were far from uncommon when I was a kid in the 80's and 90's but they were definitely a minority and seem even more uncommon now.
On “Is Zelenskyy Canceling Elections?”
A cogent and clear analysis and explanation. I learned a lot. The Ukrainian constitution seems to address this matter quite concretely and practically- to be honest I'm impressed.
On “Open Mic for the week of 6/26/2023”
Agreed.
"
Depends on the policy. Speaking personally I am a gay man; I have a black husband; I have many trans friends; I have a sister. So I have skin in the game on many hot button policies.
"
It takes a pretty cerebral person (or a person to whom the given issue has little to no impact) to focus on the process of any given policy rather than the outcome.
"
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/23/us/roe-v-wade-abortion-views.html
Abortion attitudes are shifting strongly in a pro-choice direction which doesn't surprise me in the least. The Pre-Roe world always had a HUGE contingent of people who were perfectly content to be verbally pro-life or non-committal so long as they were confident it wouldn't effect them in any way. The pre-Roe high water mark for pro-restriction attitude was clearly their highest water mark.