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Flatmates and I watched Tin Man, a sort of updated take on the Wizard of Oz (i.e. no silver makeup to be seen) I wouldn't call it a great work of art, but it cute and if you’re in the mood for a fantasy story, it's good way to spend a four and half hours.
Basically, some of the same stuff if there: tornado that sweeps the heroine away and she gains friends along her travels, in the form of former genius government advisor who has had his brain removed, a former cop seeking vengeance for his murdered family a psychic lion-esq creature that's in need of a spine. There's also an evil witch, a mystic man. And, most importantly, flying monkeys! (Cos it's just not the Wizard of Oz without flying monkeys).
The series wins at coming up with interesting and PG-rated ways of torturing people (the tin suit was particularly ingenious, I thought) And it manages to avoid your usual redemptive arc and goes for something else instead (redemptive arcs are something I've come to have a real distaste for lately unless it's done really, really well. I mean, why take a perfectly good villain and make them deep down just a woobie in need of hug? A incident in your childhood does not justify a violent coup). Cain – the Tin Man – is very crush-worthy. And there is Alan Cumming, who is predictably wonderful.
The SFX are at about Doctor Who level, so sometimes they're not all that effective. Furthermore, I really am starting to really hate the adopted parents raise the special child and then the child goes a rejoins his or her special parents thing. What about the adopted parent, who, you know, raised and educated and loved the kid to bits? Most of the time they're discarded. Raging against this trope is one of the reasons why Series One of Heroes is made of win. But those are really just minor quibbles.
Basically, some of the same stuff if there: tornado that sweeps the heroine away and she gains friends along her travels, in the form of former genius government advisor who has had his brain removed, a former cop seeking vengeance for his murdered family a psychic lion-esq creature that's in need of a spine. There's also an evil witch, a mystic man. And, most importantly, flying monkeys! (Cos it's just not the Wizard of Oz without flying monkeys).
The series wins at coming up with interesting and PG-rated ways of torturing people (the tin suit was particularly ingenious, I thought) And it manages to avoid your usual redemptive arc and goes for something else instead (redemptive arcs are something I've come to have a real distaste for lately unless it's done really, really well. I mean, why take a perfectly good villain and make them deep down just a woobie in need of hug? A incident in your childhood does not justify a violent coup). Cain – the Tin Man – is very crush-worthy. And there is Alan Cumming, who is predictably wonderful.
The SFX are at about Doctor Who level, so sometimes they're not all that effective. Furthermore, I really am starting to really hate the adopted parents raise the special child and then the child goes a rejoins his or her special parents thing. What about the adopted parent, who, you know, raised and educated and loved the kid to bits? Most of the time they're discarded. Raging against this trope is one of the reasons why Series One of Heroes is made of win. But those are really just minor quibbles.
