Top Fandoms of 2013: Who had the most epic year?

Fandoms fought to reign in 2013. From "The Hobbit" to the ongoing Marvel/DC saga, each sought to outdo the other in making their respective cinematic universe greater and grander than before.

A lot of epic things happened in 2013, so who came out on top? I've rounded out the top five fandoms of 2013:

5. Disney
After a seemingly mediocre run in recent years, the Disney fandom has experienced a revamp of sorts with the success of "Frozen." Their return to "classic Disney"-style music and storytelling earned them a Golden Globe nod and millions of fans belting "Let It Go" in their showers.

4. Sherlock
Sherlockians thought it was never going to happen. After 750 years (actually it was only two) since the airing of the last episode as well as countless speculations regarding Sherlock Holmes's fateful fall, BBC's "Sherlock" is officially back from the dead with both a trailer and a mini-episode entitled "Many Happy Returns." "Sherlock" officially returns to both British and American television in January. 

 3. DC
The DC fandom also had its time to shine at San Diego Comic Con 2013 with the announcement of the Superman/Batman pair-up in the "Man of Steel" sequel. Will it be the "World's Finest" movie fans had always dreamed of? The recent addition of Wonder Woman to the mix may have created a few doubts, but DC hopes to provide a competent (and perhaps better?) answer to Marvel's Avengers phenomenon.

 2. Marvel
In 2013, however, the Marvel fandom takes reign over DC. First, there was "Iron Man 3" and its ridiculous twist on the villain that stirred controversy amongst fans. Later that summer, Tom Hiddleston brought Hall H to its knees in his surprise appearance as Loki at Marvel's 2013 Comic Con panel. And if that wasn't enough, Joss Whedon had to walk in to announce "Avengers: Age of Ultron" at the end of the panel. Marvel's "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D" also premiered this year and got renewed for a full season, despite mixed reaction from critics and fans. "Thor: The Dark World" also received success, earning itself a new attraction at Disneyland. Yeah, it's been a big year for Marvel in the movies.
 

1. Doctor Who
So which fandom outdid them all? The answer was in the headline all along. "Doctor Who" had the most epic year and all because of the 50th Anniversary. And it's pretty genius how it all worked out, too. Celebrating all 11 Doctors, BBC dedicated each month to each Doctor. The celebration ended with the Eleventh Doctor in November--the month that just so happened to be the month the first "Doctor Who" episode aired. The 50th Anniversary special aired on the same day the first "Doctor Who" episode aired 50 years ago and was simulcast worldwide. The following month--that is, the twelfth month--the Twelfth Doctor made his debut, setting off another epic season for Whovians across the universe. 

Here's to another great year for nerd fandoms everywhere!

Capaldi Christmas List: What I hope to see from the Twelfth Doctor

A "Doctor Who" regeneration is the only time you can go from being dejectedly sad to ridiculously happy in less than 30 seconds.

After the gleaming yellow dust explodes from Matt Smith's head and hands, we will finally get to see Peter Capaldi as the old time traveler. There's no telling what kind of Doctor he will be, whether he will be the potty-mouthed Doctor inspired by one of Capaldi's previous roles or the redemptive Doctor who has found closure after the 50th anniversary. Jenna Coleman (that is, your Impossible Girl, Clara Oswald) said the show will have a different feel when Capaldi begins his run. Speculations abound, so here is one more for your trouble.

These are the traits I hope to see from the Twelfth Doctor:
1. A polar opposite of Matt Smith. If Eleven was playful and childlike, Twelve must be sophisticated and mature. Twelve is an older doctor, so I expect a greater level of maturity.
2. Sarcastically funny. Eleven's style of funny was a silly-funny. I don't expect Twelve to jump in front of his enemies yelling "Look at me! I'm a target!" He better not twirl and spin around his TARDIS console. Twelve should go for witty, sarcastic humor--similar to Nine and Ten, with a little more edge.
3. Edgier, but not darker. Eleven was becoming "Dark Eleven" following the death of the Ponds. Come on, guys. The "dark and conflicted" persona has been far overdone. I doubt Capaldi will take that route following the result of the 50th anniversary. I do hope, however, Capaldi will bring a sharper edge to the role. He must be unconventional, in-your-face and passionate, without the proverbial angst.
5. Romantic and charming (just for you, Sweetie!). River Song needs to come back for Twelve. Now that the Doctor is older, River Song has a more suitable partner. Imagine the chemistry between the two. They need to experience the "dating" stage River Song used to describe in Seasons 5-7.

Obviously, Capaldi might not satisfy all of those when his time comes. What I want to see is a tougher, edgier, wiser character--someone who is a drastically far cry from Eleven. But that's just me. Hope those are some good ideas for you, Moffat.

Here is the extended trailer for "The Time of the Doctor," airing Christmas Day (that's on Wednesday, guys!).
 

Film Rant: 'Saving Mr. Banks' charms your heart and hurts your feelings

You could say this portrayal of the making of "Mary Poppins" is "as sweet as a spoonful of sugar," but not without the bitter reality of emotional pain and regret.

"Saving Mr. Banks" is a Disney movie for grown-ups. There are no princesses nor musical numbers (although there is singing, fair warning). There is joy and whimsy, but also hurt. Like death. And alcoholism. And suicide. But "Saving Mr. Banks" is in no way dark. It succeeds in being both heart-wrenching and heartwarming, in classic Disney fashion.

Despite tendencies of being long and "talky," "Saving Mr. Banks" is as charming as Mary Poppins herself and looms toward Oscar potential.

What it's about:
"Saving Mr. Banks" focuses on the creative clashes between Walt Disney and "Mary Poppins" author P.L. Travers, who staunchly refuses to include musical numbers and animation in her book's film adaptation. We all know how that will end, but it is how Walt breaks Mrs. Travers that pierces the heart and brings out the child in all of us.

What was done right:
1. On-point performances. Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson make a believable Walt Disney and P.L. Travers, respectively. Walt Disney is jolly, imaginative and childlike. Travers is stone-faced, pessimistic and high maintenance. The character friction makes for great comedy, and Hanks and Thompson deliver wonderfully. If only it weren't so awkward that Walt Disney speaks with the voice of Woody.
2. Witty writing. The film has many quotable moments. Dialogue is rich and snappy throughout, with quiet character moments only amplified by the actors' performances.

What could have been done:
1. More visual artistry. Unfortunately, "Saving Mr. Banks" lost on its potential to be both emotionally and visually beautiful. There were some moments with creative shots and artistic framing, but cinematography remained mostly generic. The movie also featured numerous flashbacks which could have benefited from smoother transitions to avoid confusing the audience. This may seem a bit nit-picky, but movies are meant for the eyes. So give us something nice to see, or write a book.
2. Shorten it.  A movie with a story as simple as this could be much shorter. Two hours and five minutes can drag unless you have an explosive action sequence in between, or something. 

What’s the verdict? "Saving Mr. Banks" is worth watching, especially if you are an avid "Mary Poppins" fan. If "Saving Mr. Banks" has Oscar potential, it is with the actors and the screenplay. It may snag a Best Film nomination, but certainly not a win.

It was…

Oscar-worthy.

Amazing.

Good.

Okay.

Awful.

Two hours of life wasted.

News Rant: Three reasons why 'The Sinister Six' is a genius move for Spider-Man

Hints and speculations about the Sinister Six appearing in "The Amazing Spider-Man" series have been spinning around cyberspace for quite some time now.

Finally, we have some concrete evidence that the rumors are true, after Sony announced Thursday that both Venom and Sinister Six movies are in our future. (If you don't know much about the Sinister Six, think of it like an "Avengers" for Spider-Man villains. Read up here.)

So it looks like Sony wants to hop onto the superheroic bandwagon--the so-called "Avengers effect" in which cinematic universes intertwine and big bucks abound. They might as well rename the movie "The Avengers Rip-Off: Spider-Man Villains Edition," but let's face it--it's a pretty smart move, for three reasons:

Reason #1: It brings Spider-Man to the next level.
We're getting pretty tired of seeing Spider-Man pose the same way, swinging above New York and doing the same things over and over again. He shoots webs and crawls on the walls...what more can he do? Sony has been trying hard to pick Spider-Man off its feet with its reboot, "The Amazing Spider-Man," in an attempt to level up its Spider-Man franchise with the Marvel Studios franchise and "The Dark Knight" trilogy. While "The Amazing Spider-Man" may not have been as successfully explosive as "The Avengers" or "The Dark Knight," the new Spidey became a decent springboard to something more. If you can't get any more creative with Spider-Man (even though you can and will see what I mean at the end of this post), "The Sinister Six" might just be the ticket to bringing Spider-Man to the next level.

Reason #2: It puts a new spin on the "Avengers effect."
Everyone's doing the whole "Avengers" thing. On DC's side of the universe, Batman is joining Superman for the "Man of Steel" sequel (oh wait, Wonder Woman is too...). And don't forget "Justice League" is also on its way. What makes "The Sinister Six" unique, however, is the team is an army of villains. It's easy to want to see Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, etc. team up to fight even greater battles. This time, it's Electro, Doctor Octopus, Vulture, etc. teaming up to battle just one--Spider-Man. And what's Spider-Man going to do? Shoot webs? This not only gives Spider-Man more of a challenge--it makes him even more vulnerable than he already is.   

Reason #3: It tests Spider-Man's abilities.
We all know Spider-Man is going to defeat the Sinister Six. What we want to see is how. Like this blog has been reiterating--he shoots webs. He shoots webs. Webs. Thin, measly webs that can disintegrate with a blast from Iron Man's repulsor ray. Spidey will have to use his wits here when battling six formidable villains. "The Sinister Six" could give Spider-Man a new set of respect.

But all of this working out successfully is dependent on one thing: "The Amazing Spider-Man 2."

"The Amazing Spider-Man 2" will have to lay the groundwork for the expansive Spider-Man universe Sony wants to create. If "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" stinks--or worse, if no one even bothers watching it--"The Sinister Six" will have no reason to be made.

But here's another spin: Andrew Garfield said a fourth Spider-Man movie has "not anything to do with me." Could "The Sinister Six" be a film solely on villains? Is there a possibility Spider-Man will not even make an appearance?

Let that sink in for a moment: a movie about Spider-Man villains without Spider-Man. It seems absolutely ridiculous...but it could be genius.

Then again, they could have also done this:
1. Spider-Man meets Venom.
2. Venom becomes Anti-Venom and Carnage.
3. Spider-Man and Anti-Venom work together to defeat Carnage.
4. Because everyone would rather just see Carnage.

Or this:
1. Sony and Marvel Studios break their dividing lines just this one time and put Spider-Man in the Avengers.
2. Because give the people what they want.

Nerd Rant. Done.

Trailer Rant: 'Doctor Who' trailer promises the epic end of Eleven

Fresh off the joyous "Doctor Who" 50th Anniversary Special, Whovians are now prepping for emotional meltdown when Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith reaches his final hour in "The Time of the Doctor." 

In a 30-second trailer that masks the feels with explosive action, "The Time of the Doctor" could be the Doctor's biggest adventure yet, as his greatest and most memorable foes--the Cybermen, the Silence, Weeping Angels, Daleks and more--come together on that fateful moment at Trenzalore. 

Check out the trailer here if you haven't already:



We all know how it will end: the climatic regeneration from Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith to Twelfth Doctor Peter Capaldi. It's going to be sad, no doubt, but the explosions and high drama are good at covering up the emotions.

What was done right:
-Celebrating Eleven's finest moments. Pooling together Eleven's most popular villains was a wise choice for Matt Smith's final episode. “I think it’s good for the Doctor to go out with a bang, a crash and a wallop," Smith said in an article by Mirror. It's not just an episode that puts the Doctor in a final epic battle--it relives Eleven's finest moments and celebrates his legacy.
-Matt Smith lets it all go. Eleven's final line in the trailer ("If you want my life, come and get it!") is reminiscent of Matt Smith's many dramatic "speech scenes," such as the speech from "The Pandorica Opens" (Season 5). Eleven's speeches got old by Season 7, but one more in the final episode would top off Eleven's run perfectly. Look forward to a brilliant, unhindered performance by Matt Smith.
-Hidden emotion. Smith's leaving of the show is obviously going to be sad, but keeping emotion away from the trailer was a smart move. The focus was on the adventure and suspense.That keeps it exciting and makes the emotion hit even harder when the episode airs.

What could have been done:
-Chill out, Clara. The trailer played out with some pretty generic conventions. Clara's poem at the beginning as well as her plea to "change the future" seem a bit like forced drama. It's a climactic episode, but hopefully Jenna Coleman will not overact this one.

What "The Time of the Doctor" needs to do:
-Give each villain equal treatment. These villains must be juggled well in order to be effective, or Eleven's final hour will be a messy one.
-Make us cry. Let's face it--it's awful, but somewhere deep down inside, we like it. Tenth Doctor David Tennant's regeneration was arguably one of the saddest "deaths" in "Doctor Who," so Matt Smith has some shoes to fill.
-Give us Capaldi, clear and straight! After Smith regenerates, Capaldi will undoubtedly say at least one line to introduce himself as the new Doctor. He needs to be unique from the start and have a sharply contrasting personality from Smith.

"The Time of the Doctor" airs Christmas Day, Dec. 25 on BBC One.

Trailer Rant: New 'Spider-Man' trailer doesn't hold back, but have we seen it all?

The new "Amazing Spider-Man" trailer has finally swung into the World Wide Web.

And it really pushes the envelope.

This time, Spider-Man faces foes both external and internal: a furious Electro, a massive destruction-bent Rhino, a pretty slick-looking Green Goblin, as well as Peter Parker's ongoing struggle to find the truth about his parents' death.

Yes, the "wow" factor is there. "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" has the potential to join the ranks of the "Iron Man" and "Dark Knight" movies--that is, if the trailer hasn't already given us all there is to see.
 
What was done right:
-"3-D friendly" cinematography. The cinematographers (perhaps with the help of the editors) really know how to bring it. One of the most effective elements from the first film was allowing the audience to feel like they were in a motion thrill ride, seeing the city through Spider-Man's perspective. The final clip with Spider-Man eluding Electro's shocks looks like it will play fantastically in 3-D.
-Emotion. Angst is Andrew Garfield's specialty. Count on him for another heart-stabbing performance. The trailer captured that emotion well.
-The "what's going to happen?" factor. For one thing, Rhino is an enormous metal powerhouse. Electro spews lighting nearly to the level of Thor. Then there's Goblin.  Then there's a series of panels opening up in Oscorp, and who-knows-what could be inside. All of that is up against a guy who shoots spider webs from his wrists. It really looks like Spidey can't handle this. Hence, we want to watch it.
-No holding back. This can be a good thing or a bad thing. With Rhino, Electro, Goblin, Gwen and the world pretty much exploding all around, the filmmakers gave us plenty to be excited about.
 
What could have been done:
-Hold back. Showing us too much was the trap the first film fell into. "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" has potential, as long as this trailer isn't the whole movie.
 
What Part 2 needs to do:
-Give us more. That last clip with Spidey and Electro--give us 10 of those, please.
-Don't cut out the good parts of the trailer from the movie. All the nerds remember the controversy of the missing scenes from Part 1. Hopefully they've learned from that mistake this time around.
-Tighten the storyline. Three villains, internal conflict and a strained relationship with the love interest. There's a lot going on here (and certainly loads more than "Spider-Man 3"). But if the writing is tight, and everything comes full circle, minds shall be blown.

Rant: 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' slings out its week of teases

The filmmakers promised us a trailer on Thursday. Until then, we have some fun teases to enjoy via the movie's Facebook page, including a new poster and trailer-for-a-trailer. I have to say, it looks exciting. But my mind hasn't been blown...yet.

First, let's talk about the new poster revealed Saturday. It looks like Spidey is up against...

 

...not one, not two, but THREE villains? (Be sure to click the image for a larger view.)

"What is this? 'Spider-Man 3' all over again?'" so says everyone's initial thought.

I'm not surprised to see the giant robot over on the left (Paul Giamatti as Rhino?) and, of course, Jamie Foxx as Electro on the right. But the biggest bombshell is the pumpkin bomb-thrower himself--Green Goblin, up at the top.

So is our favorite web-slinger up to facing an overcrowded sequel once again?

I honestly think we should give "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" the benefit of the doubt here, for three reasons:

First of all... We haven't seen the movie. 

Second of all... Andrew Garfield believes in the script. In an interview with Access Hollywood, Garfield said the script has both beauty and depth. And Garfield has had his experience with the "artsy fartsy" movies like "Never Let Me Go" and the Oscar-nominated "The Social Network." Of course he would promote his own movie. But lest we forget, he has expressed doubts about the creative decisions from the first film. With new writers, perhaps the sequel will be better.

Third of all... We haven't seen the movie.

All in all... While Spider-Man facing three popular villains from the comic books is exciting on the onset, the poster looks more like a video game cover than a feature film. I do, however, prefer the bright colors to the dark, gritty look of the first film.

Next up is the trailer-for-the-trailer, whose full version is to be released Thursday. Okay, fine. The text is in Spanish, but you get the idea. There are three mini-clips in total:

So it's Spider-Man swinging through the city. How many times have we seen Spider-Man swinging through the city? So far, the mini clips are hanging on to the idea that it's exciting just because it's Spider-Man.

But there is one reason to be excited.

The suit.

Finally we see 360 degrees of the new design. It's sleek. It moves well. At the beginning of the trailer, you see the back of the suit fluttering in the wind. Pause at 0:24, and you get a better view of those big, comic-style eyes. I honestly think this is the best Spidey's suit has ever looked in the cinema.

I just don't understand why everything, from the poster to the trailer-for-the-trailer, looks so video game-ish.

But still, I'm left waiting to be wowed by a, hopefully, more exciting full trailer on Thursday. Stay tuned for the rant.

Rant: Why 'Sleeping Beauty' has NO passive women

Click the link to see my rant about "Sleeping Beauty" on Tumblr:
http://tmblr.co/Zioqgq101mEKd

Note: This blog was written for a college class entitled "Race, Gender and Mass Media," which discusses the roles and depictions of different races and genders in mass media.

Review: 'Frozen' glistens in the midst of mediocre animated films

Disney animation isn’t what it used to be.

Since Disney launched its own computer-animated movie line (not driven by Pixar), we’d been awe-gazing at the animation but longing for deeper storylines and better music similar to the likes of “The Lion King” and “Mulan.” Disney tried to tie the ends between classic Disney and slapstick Dreamworks-style with “Tangled” in 2010, but something just seemed missing.

Disney doesn’t come anywhere near “The Lion King” with “Frozen,” but it does come close enough to, ahem, melt the heart of any fan, young or old.

What it’s about:

“Frozen” tells the tale of two orphaned sisters: Elsa, the graceful queen of Arendelle gifted with powers to create ice and snow; and Anna, the fun-loving yet dorky little sister desperate to find the proverbial “true love.” Elsa’s powers eventually become too difficult to control; hence, she freezes all of Arendelle in snow and, in fear, runs away to isolation in her own ice castle in the mountains. Anna goes on a mission to bring her sister back to restore the summer, but must also face the consequences of Elsa’s uncontrollable power.

What was done right:

-          A soundtrack that brings the chills. If you’re going to see “Frozen” for any one reason, let it be the music. Idina Menzel’s Broadway belt is as powerful as Elsa’s snowstorm and pairs well with Kristen Bell’s clear, “classic princess” voice. Their vocal trade-offs are beautifully written, especially in the rousing number, “For the First Time in Forever.” “Do You Want to Build a Snowman” is a certain tear-jerker, but Elsa’s empowering “Let It Go” stands as the solid favorite.

-          Depth. “Frozen” has what most other children’s animated films do not—an emotional story. It throws in a whirlwind of action, music and laughs. But in the end, it takes you home. That’s what a good movie is all about.

-          Breathtaking animation. “Frozen” is aesthetically gorgeous. The filmmakers undoubtedly capitalized on Elsa’s ice powers, creating intricately designed snowflakes against magnificent Scandinavian-inspired landscapes.

What could’ve been done:

-          Don’t kill the emotion. Disney has been trying to emulate the brash, punchy attitude of movies like “Shrek,” but sometimes the throwback to modern day ruins the emotional moment. When you’ve locked us in the emotion, keep us there. A little comic relief doesn’t hurt once in a while, but not every time.

-          Less cartoony characters. With all that breathtaking animation, you’d think the characters would be no less, right? Unfortunately, Elsa and Anna bare uncanny resemblances to previous female characters like Rapunzel or Violet from “The Incredibles.” The “big eyes, little mouth” caricature is getting a bit overdone now, and sometimes it just looks silly with the actors’ strong performances.

-          Cut and condense. The movie runs 108 minutes. Do you think the average four year old will be able to sit through 108 minutes? You’d be glad if they sat through ten.

What’s the verdict? “Frozen” is overall refreshing in the midst of mediocre animated films and quite possibly the best animated film of the year.

It was…

Oscar-worthy.

Amazing.

Good.

Okay.

Awful.

Two hours of life wasted.