We Will Fandom You

So yes we are back with the fangirl posts! Here we go with another four!

Alias

Alias  was a show that came out in the ’90s, produced by J.J. Abrams and starring Jennifer Garner. Jennifer Garner played Sydney Bristow, college student getting her masters in literature by day; incredible CIA operative by night.

My interest began not with the show but the prequel novels. I reserved a book in the library thinking it was a part of another series I was reading. Well one book got me hooked, and after reading all about Sydney’s adventures in SD-6, finding out that her dad has secretly been a spy as well, etc.; I decided to watch the TV show.

Now the thing that surprised me was that the novels are radically different than the TV show. So the show starts off with Sydney having just become engaged to her boyfriend Danny. When he starts talking about them having children, Sydney decides to tell him the truth. Danny of course freaks out, but later calls Sydney when she is out on a mission and leaves a message that they will make it work.

SD-6 does not want information out and kill Danny. When a heartbroken Sydney starts thinking about quitting, and is almost killed by SD-6; her father drops the true bomb. SD-6 is not the real CIA. The person in charge left the CIA and started SD-6 to undermine it and achieve their own means.

Sydney decides to become a double agent, working for the real CIA to take down SD-6.

So Sydney has a full plate between studies, being a best friend, and keeping all three (school, SD-6, CIA) lives separate from each other. Things get sticky when one of her best friends, played by Bradley Cooper, who is a journalist, starts investigating and is put on the SD-6 radar. She also has a partner that is growing a bit suspicious, and a man who doesn’t like her and wants to take her down.

Oh Sydney and Michael, I ship those two so hard!

But you spend so much of the series unsatisfied as they can’t date and work together sort of thing.  And then he’s with Laura, but eventually they get back together which makes me very happy.

For more on J.J. Abrams, go to I Feel A Great Disturbance in the Force: Star Wars, The Force Awakens

Gossip Girl

So this was something that I struggled with whether or not I should include on this list. I liked it, but at the same time I had quite a few problems with it.

So the show is about the upper East side in New York. The p0werful children of the powerful families, whether old or new money. We follow the lives if Serena Van der Woodson, one of the popular girls at the best prep school, She has been gone for a while, but back and finding it hard to get back into the groove of her old life.

Then there is Nate Vanderbilt, dating Queen Bee Blair Waldorf. He is good guy, who wants people to like him. Only problem is, he likes Serena and even though he is dating Blair he is trying to get with her.

Blair Waldorf is the Queen of the school and has huge goals in mind. She’s happy to have her best gal pal back, until the truth comes out about Nate and Serena, and their past indiscretions. She ends up turning to Chuck Bass and sleeping with him, him later being her partner in crime to secure her queendom and take down Serena.

Charles “Chuck” Bass is the son of Charles Bass, part of the new money group. He has grown up alone with a father that would sooner cry marble than ever show his son love. Chuck spends all his time with booze or girls; or being tall, dark, & brooding. Yep, he’s one of those guys who only needs the love of a good woman to make him want to be the best. He falls for Blair but when she dumps him for Nate again, he goes down a tailspin.

And then we have our wild card, Dan Humphrey. He’s from Brooklyn on scholarship. He has been in love with Serena, but always on the outside looking in. Serena and him start dating and he finds himself brought into the in crowd even though his best friend Vanessa wants him out and Serena’s mom, Lily, wants him away from her daughter.

Then we have Gossip Girl, no one knows her identity but she knows everything about everyone and posts it online.

So I really enjoyed the first season of this show until Georgina came, ugh hate that actress. Once she came in I didn’t like how the dynamics changed, how they seemed to find all kinds of reasons (and really stupid ones) to try to keep all the couples you wanted apart, and how everything was all about the drama (with some real outlandish plots). Like the screenwriters were the same people who wrote the spanish soap opera on Psych.

One of my biggest issues I had with the show was Nate dating 17 year-old Sage Spence. Even though in the state of New York that is legal, how could he do it? How could anyone see that as a good idea, especially someone trying to be a professional. I wouldn’t want to work for someone who is one year above rape. That was a horrible story plot.

Now the main reason I continued  watching sporadically because of four people. First I loved Serena’s mom Lily, and Dan’s dad Rufus having an old romance and trying to get back together. Rufus was so hot and adorable! I loved when they got married but hated that the writers broke them up. Really? Lily would go back to Charles Bass when he was a total jerk and horrible to her? Or in the end remarry her ex-husband William Van der Woodson who was trying to make her think she had cancer just so she would get back with him? After she discovered that lie how could she possibly trust him again? It makes no sense! And the fact that Rufus would side with Charlie AKA conwoman Ivy, rather than his own wife Lily?

And of course the real reason I put through the drama, was for one thing:

Chuck and Blair! I hated how they got them together and they were so awesome, and then the writers broke them apart. But at least they fixed them in the end married with a cute baby boy.

For more Gossip Girl, go to For a Pessimist, I’m Pretty Optimistic

One Tree Hill

I had the same problems with One Tree Hill that I did with Gossip Girl. I liked the first season, but after that my watching became sporadic. Too much drama, relationships that you want together breaking up for the worse reasons, on and on. You know what I’m saying.

So the show revolves around the town of Tree Hill, North Carolina. Nathan Scott is the son of the famous basketball player, Dan Scott. He rules the school with his girlfriend Peyton. Meanwhile on the other side of town, Lucas, Dan’s other son, lives with his mom Karen. Dan got Karen, head cheerleader and high school girlfriend, pregnant but left her for higher things. Shortly after, Dan got his rich college girlfriend pregnant and married her.

Lucas best friend is Haley James, a tutor and waitress at Lucas’ mother’s café. The other light in Lucas’ life is his uncle Keith, who takes care of him like his father should.

Everything changes in Lucas’ life when some ballplayers get suspended and Coach Whitey recruits him for the team. All of a sudden everyone is into him, including head cheerleader Brooke Davis.

Nathan starts attacking Lucas and pranking him to get him to quit. Peyton and Nathan break up when Peyton publishes a comic about Nathan in a bad light, it is under a pseudonym; but Nathan recognizes himself.

Nathan is starting to fail some of her classes, and looks to get Haley to help tutor him. It starts out as a way to get to Lucas, but soon Nathan falls for her and she for him. With the pressures from his dad continuing, Nathan leaves home and befriends his older brother, Lucas.

Things get intense as they have to deal with drugs, drunk driving, school shootings, etc.

So there were a few things I did not like about this series. Number one was Peyton Sawyer.

I thought her character never made sense, how could a punk artist ever desire to be a cheerleader; she isn’t the right type to be super popular, she’s written more as one of the outsiders. I thought her character wasn’t right for Lucas and never bought their relationship as they had no chemistry. I hated how she tried to get with Lucas while he was with Brooke, horrible friend, just horrible.

So who kept me watching? Well Brooke:

I  loved Brooke and how her character changes to be such a strong woman. I really wanted her with Lucas or Mouth, I thought they were better for each other.

Also Nathan and Haley:

I loved how  Haley valued him as a person rather than a ballplayer. I loved how Nathan worked hard to be her dream guy and was willing to wait to have sex with her. I loved how he encouraged and supported her every dream.

I hated when she left with that stupid Chris guy and threw her marriage away. Haley when you married you made a vow that your life wasn’t going to be just about what you wanted but what the both of you wanted. But in the end they stay together!

For more One Tree Hill, go to Move Along

Queen

Queen is a band that needs no introduction. They were created in the 1970s and had so many amazing songs. I just love them, maybe a little too much.

The music and lyrics were just amazing, these artists were true geniuses.

It would be hard to choose one song, all are amazing. My top favorites are: A Kind of Magic, Another One Bites the Dust, Bicycle Race, Bohemian Rhapsody, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Don’t Stop Me Now, Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy, I Want It All, Killer Queen, Radio Ga Ga, Somebody to Love, Under Pressure, We Are the Champions, and We Will Rock You

I haven’t reviewed a Queen song yet, but will.

For more on Queen, go to In Rhapsody Over Clint Eastwood

For the previous post, go to Fan-do or Fan-don’t. There is No Fan-try

And Stay tuned for part 23

In Their Proper Place: Metropolis (1927)

“It was their hands that built this city of ours, Father. But where do the hands belong in your scheme?

In their proper place, the depths.”

So back in July I did a post on trying to start a revolution and I mentioned this film. Now this film is not mainly a horror film but a mix of a Dystopian Drama, Sci-fi and Horror, a Dystfiror. This film also reminds me A LOT of Atlas Shrugged, so I chose this poster instead of the other one that has the robot on it. Robot, you may ask? But that’s getting ahead of ourselves.

So this film takes place in a future far away [2026]. In this land the people have been split into two groups, the workers and the rulers. High above is the city Metropolis with its pleasure garden, as the wealthy lounge about doing nothing and anything they want. Below the city lies the workers, who are constantly going to support the city and all of the upper-dwellers’ desires.

Sounds familiar? That’s because stupid Matt Damon ripped it off for his Elysium film. Go here to read why I don’t like Matt Damon (hint: you have to scroll down to #5).

Anyways, the ruler of Metropolis is Jon Frederson, who’s only compassion and love is aimed at his son, the rest of the world and people be d*****. His son Freder…Now I know what you’re thinking because I thought of it too. Really, Freder Frederson? Really now? That’s you’re name?

Why yes, yes I do think so.

Well I don’t care.

So anyways I’m like that’s really all you can come up with? With all the names there are that is the only one you can think of? Freder Frederson?

Spongebob would be disappointed in you.

When I watched it I renamed him Alan, as Alan Frederson was way better than Freder Frederson.

I like it!

Anyways, I digress so Freder is chillin’ in the pleasure garden (everytime I hear pleasure garden I think of Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights), just enjoying being rich and worry-free.

They got lots of pleasures, alright.

Maria brings some children to see the Garden, and Freder sees her and falls for her, completely taken with her.

Maria, leader of the Rebellion

He then follows her down to the workers’ realm.

Freder journeys down into the machine rooms and sees it explode, injuring and killing the workers.

AAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

He runs to report to his father:

Sorry had to do it

Frederson is upset at having gotten the news from Freder instead of his foreman. (Everytime I read that sentence all I can thik of Señor Senior Sr and Señor Senior Jr. from Kim Possible). Sorry! I’m moving on, I swear! So the assistant Josaphat is fired for his failure. Jo knows that now that he no longer holds such a high position, he will be sent to the worker’s underground and forced to be in the factories, getting the same harm inflicted on him that he did to others. He decides to kill himself, but is stopped by Freder. Frederson is confused by the way his son is starting to act and sends his henchman the Thin Man.

On a side note, evil, businessman and father Frederson, has some secret plans in the mix. They were found on the dead factory workers’ bodies, which angered him extremely, as he doesn’t want it revealed yet.

Upon Freder’s return, he finds a worker and takes his place as the worker is too old and sick to continue. They trade clothes, in which the worker, Georgy, is supposed to come back later for them. However, Georgy enjoys his taste of the high life and spends the night at a club, forgetting all about Freder. (You might recognize pieces of this film as parts were used in Queen‘s Music Video for “Radio Ga Ga“.)

Freder on the other hand finds a map in his pocket and hears about a secret meeting. (There is also this weird scene where he hallucinates from exhaustion, but let’s skip it).

Meanwhile up above evil dad Frederson has discovered copies of the map and decides he will do something about this little insurrection. He goes to see his minion, Rotwang, in order to figure out what to do about it. [Check out the name Rotwang. It just screams evil!]

Rotwang is an inventor and he had been in love with Frederson’s wife, who died in childbirth. Rotwang has been unable to let go of her memory and created his own version of the perfect woman Maschinenmensch. 

Its a pretty freaky scene, and totally creeps Frederson out.

Understandable, as it would freak me out too. It did. It still does.

Rotwang deciphers the map, and sees that it shows a system of catacombs that lie beneath Metropolis. They go down to investigate what’s going on.

Downstairs, there is a large gathering of the workers. Freder is there too, trying to find out what’s up. Maria is at the head of the group as she is the leader. She tries to rally the people to arms and to fight against their oppressors. She tells them that they must be patient until they can find a mediator between the two worlds.

Freder believes that he is the one to fill that role. He also realizes that he is in love with Maria and declares his love for her. She returns it.

The two make plans to meet up the next day, but unbeknowest to them they are being watched by Freder’s father and lackey. Freder’s father asks Rotwang to make the robot look like Maria so they can turn all the workers against her. Rotwang agrees, but has a secret agenda. He plans on killing Freder for causing the death of his mother.

Like what a jerk! He couldn’t do anything, he was just a baby. And Rotwang is a MAJOR creepo!!!

So Rotwang follows Maria and kidnaps her, hiding her away to complete his evil plan.

from The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

Georgy gets caught and sent back down to the worker’s area. They think that Freder’s friend Josaphat is involved, as that is where Georgy was supposed to spend the night, and Josaphat has to flee to the worker’s city. Freder goes to meet with Georgy, but can’t find him. He goes over to the Cathedral where the two were supposed to meet but can’t find Maria.He does overhear monks talking about the apocalypse, and the Whore of Babylon wrecking havoc through the world. He begs them not to harm Maria and goes searching for her.

Meanwhile Maria is trapped while the mad scientist Rotwang completes his robot’s likeness.

I’m sure you all knew I was going to make this connection.

Rotwang complete his robot and sends it off to Father Frederson. This version of Maria is wanton and lustful. Freder goes to see his father and finds the two in an embrace.

I mean seriously, what were you thinking?

Freder freaks out and drops into a delirious state of mind.

 

Poor guy!

False Maria begins to unleash chaos throughout the land as she causes men to murder and fight each other.

Freder recovers and finds his friend Josaphat. Meanwhile, Maria manages to escape their grasp. Freder and Josaphat try to stop the false Maria from urging the workers to destroy the city, but everyone tries to attack him as they recognize him as Frederson’s son. He is luckily saved by Josaphat. Upstairs, Frederson wants the workers to fight, allowing him to use his army against them.

The workers are extremely riled up and rush to the machine rooms destroying the Heart Machine that powers the city.

Grab your torches and sharpen your pitchforks!

The system’s below start to fail and the worker’s area began to flood. But the workers have forgotten one thing. They left their children behind!

Noooooooooo!!!!!!!

Maria has managed to escape and runs downstairs to help save the children. [Side Note: Unemployment and inflation were so bad in Germany at the time that the producers had no trouble finding 500 malnourished children to film these flooding sequences.] Maria and Josaphat work together to get them out okay. In the machine room, Grot begins to yell at the workers. He reprimends them for letting their emotions get the best of them and killing their children. The parents freak out and march after the false Maria.

Grab your torches and sharpen your pitchforks!

They take False Maria and burn her at the stake. Freder is heartbroken, thinking he lost her.

Noooooooooo!!!!!!!

But then when she burns away, she is revealed to be the robot.

Rotwang chases the real Maria to the roof pursued by Freder. Fredersen and the workers watch from the ground. Rotwang falls to his death and Freder is able to unite the two. He [heart] ends by linking the hands of Fredersen (head) and Grot (hands) to bring them together.

This movie was actually supposed to be against facism and Hitler, but unfortunately Adolph Hitler and Joseph Goebbels really liked this film. Fritz Lang, the director, was Jewish, but Hitler told him that in spite of his background they would make him a honorary Aryan. Lang left Germany immediately after that night.  

To start Horrorfest III from the beginning, go to Even a Man Pure of Heart

To go to the previous post, go to It’s Coming From Inside the House

For more on Metropolis (1927), go to Viva La Révolution

For more on dystopian futures, go to Na-Na-Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)

For more on mad scientists, go to A Halloween Hello From the Austen Men

For more on creating a monster, go to I Want Friend Like Me

For more on Harry Potter, go to Fashionably Postworthy

For more of my favorite quotes, go to Horrorfest III: The Revenge