jkerr216
Joined Aug 2004
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jkerr216's rating
Buffy is definitely my favorite television show, and I watched it every Tuesday for its full seven years. That said, I must say that the last season was a major disappointment. Here's why:
After the dark, uneven sixth season, the producers said that Buffy would return to its roots, as in lighter episodes. They lied. The first episode of season 7 was very good, setting up what seemed like a new way to go about high school being hell, this time with Buffy on the opposite end as well as an intriguing big bad. It seemed that they would breathe some life into the character of Dawn and make some lighter one-shot episodes like in the first three seasons. (IMO, I though Buffy should have been the librarian.) Instead, they put an insane Spike in the basement and Buffy inexplicably gets a job as a guidance counselor (which, after one semi-decent episode, they later abandoned).
Spike - the "romance" was completely mishandled, boring, and wrong. They never made a convincing argument why Buffy would love Spike; they forced it on the viewers. If they were to bring Buffy back to its roots, they would have focused on Buffy and the Scoobies rekindling their friendship like in the awesome season 4 finale. Instead, it becomes Buffy versus them. The best episode from season seven, "Selfless" made a great point when Anya said that Buffy is all ready to kill her but not Spike. It's a shame that the writers decided to bow to the pressure of the rabid "Spike is hot" group of fans; killing him off a few seasons ago would have been much more realistic.
Kennedy and the Slayerettes - okay, they could be slayers, but don't have any power because the slayer is not dead. Great, what to they do? It added way to many sub-supporting characters with bland, annoying personalities. Kennedy was obnoxious, but out of the blue she a Willow get together? Why? I don't know. Just because she was a lesbian with Tara doesn't mean that she would automatically fall for another woman. Willow and Tara's relationship was very special and well crafted, even if Tara's character was only half baked until season 6, you could see that Willow and Tara really had a connect. The connection wasn't there with Kennedy and that plot fell flat.
The First - This villain didn't have any punch. You couldn't fight it. They needed someone like Caleb much earlier in the season to have made it more entertaining. Instead, the plot moved at a snails pace and the writers chose then to focus more on the uneven Spike/Buffy relationship. Plus, if anyone remembered the first episode with the First, in the third season, I think Angel should have been more in the plot. Yes, he had his spin-off, but it would have added more closure to the series to bring back such an integral character.
Plus, Faith returned for five episodes and is treated like garbage. The writers should have seen her on Angel earlier, a phenomenal plot. Instead, she shows up and then leads the slayerettes in a failed coup. All complexity of her character gone. There could have been a better way to use Faith, especially a reformed Faith. It made Buffy, the main character seem unlikable and annoying, which is not what you want to do in the final episodes of a show.
Yes, character's change, but in the last season they changed too much to be the likable characters that made Buffy so great in the first place. The uneven, slow moving seventh season was a terrible way to end such a great show.
After the dark, uneven sixth season, the producers said that Buffy would return to its roots, as in lighter episodes. They lied. The first episode of season 7 was very good, setting up what seemed like a new way to go about high school being hell, this time with Buffy on the opposite end as well as an intriguing big bad. It seemed that they would breathe some life into the character of Dawn and make some lighter one-shot episodes like in the first three seasons. (IMO, I though Buffy should have been the librarian.) Instead, they put an insane Spike in the basement and Buffy inexplicably gets a job as a guidance counselor (which, after one semi-decent episode, they later abandoned).
Spike - the "romance" was completely mishandled, boring, and wrong. They never made a convincing argument why Buffy would love Spike; they forced it on the viewers. If they were to bring Buffy back to its roots, they would have focused on Buffy and the Scoobies rekindling their friendship like in the awesome season 4 finale. Instead, it becomes Buffy versus them. The best episode from season seven, "Selfless" made a great point when Anya said that Buffy is all ready to kill her but not Spike. It's a shame that the writers decided to bow to the pressure of the rabid "Spike is hot" group of fans; killing him off a few seasons ago would have been much more realistic.
Kennedy and the Slayerettes - okay, they could be slayers, but don't have any power because the slayer is not dead. Great, what to they do? It added way to many sub-supporting characters with bland, annoying personalities. Kennedy was obnoxious, but out of the blue she a Willow get together? Why? I don't know. Just because she was a lesbian with Tara doesn't mean that she would automatically fall for another woman. Willow and Tara's relationship was very special and well crafted, even if Tara's character was only half baked until season 6, you could see that Willow and Tara really had a connect. The connection wasn't there with Kennedy and that plot fell flat.
The First - This villain didn't have any punch. You couldn't fight it. They needed someone like Caleb much earlier in the season to have made it more entertaining. Instead, the plot moved at a snails pace and the writers chose then to focus more on the uneven Spike/Buffy relationship. Plus, if anyone remembered the first episode with the First, in the third season, I think Angel should have been more in the plot. Yes, he had his spin-off, but it would have added more closure to the series to bring back such an integral character.
Plus, Faith returned for five episodes and is treated like garbage. The writers should have seen her on Angel earlier, a phenomenal plot. Instead, she shows up and then leads the slayerettes in a failed coup. All complexity of her character gone. There could have been a better way to use Faith, especially a reformed Faith. It made Buffy, the main character seem unlikable and annoying, which is not what you want to do in the final episodes of a show.
Yes, character's change, but in the last season they changed too much to be the likable characters that made Buffy so great in the first place. The uneven, slow moving seventh season was a terrible way to end such a great show.
Just Add Pepper is a great first film from an emerging talent. The movie is well produced and directed, with good dialogue and acting.
The movie is a testament to true independent movie making, with one writer and director working with unknown actors who are also trying to make it, using his own money. This shows that an "independent" film does not need a million dollars plus budget to achieve quality work. Filmed on location in central Jersey, Basler's film also is ahead of the current set-in-New Jersey trend of independent cinema.
Be on the lookout for other Peter Paul Basler projects: Reality and Stuff and As Cool as Jennifer.
The movie is a testament to true independent movie making, with one writer and director working with unknown actors who are also trying to make it, using his own money. This shows that an "independent" film does not need a million dollars plus budget to achieve quality work. Filmed on location in central Jersey, Basler's film also is ahead of the current set-in-New Jersey trend of independent cinema.
Be on the lookout for other Peter Paul Basler projects: Reality and Stuff and As Cool as Jennifer.
Okay, the chemistry between Welles and Hayworth was not great, and, to put an end to the "even though they were married" lines, they divorced two weeks after the release of the film. However, as a film-noir and a piece of Orson Welles' body of work, this film is top notch.
Its biggest flaw, besides Welles accent, is that the beginning of the movie is very slow. However, it is necessary for the ending to payoff. It's unfortunate that the current world is moving at light speed, and that movies are chastised for taking ample time to develop their world. A modern example of length being put to good use is The Count of Monte Cristo. Still, that film doesn't compare to "Shanghai".
Once the trial, which is often hilarious, begins, the movie reaches the heights of greatness. It all climaxes with a visually stunning ending in the mirror room of a fun house and a fantastic performance by Hayworth.
The film sticks with you.
Also recommended: The Third Man
Its biggest flaw, besides Welles accent, is that the beginning of the movie is very slow. However, it is necessary for the ending to payoff. It's unfortunate that the current world is moving at light speed, and that movies are chastised for taking ample time to develop their world. A modern example of length being put to good use is The Count of Monte Cristo. Still, that film doesn't compare to "Shanghai".
Once the trial, which is often hilarious, begins, the movie reaches the heights of greatness. It all climaxes with a visually stunning ending in the mirror room of a fun house and a fantastic performance by Hayworth.
The film sticks with you.
Also recommended: The Third Man