Characters in Movies/TV Shows

Annnnnnd we're coming in after midnight again. What else is new?

This is the final post of Character Week, and I'm ending it with some of my favorites from movies and TV.

Last post, I struggled to fill the spots with appropriate characters. This week, I'm struggling to cut my list down to five! Due to the mass amount of characters I love, I'm going to add a focus on variety for this list.

Yada yada yada, only the last spot as any significance, yada yada yada.

Here we go!

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Tristan Thorn

(Stardust)
I tried, for the most part, to keep characters from film-based movies off this list. The film Stardust, however, is different enough that I don't feel bad including it (that, and this is my blog, so bite me). Also, it's one of the very few movies that I enjoy more than the written story.

Tristan starts out as a boy who thinks he is in love. We follow him on his journey when he grows into a man that knows he is in love. This journey just happens to take him to the mystical land of Stormhold, where all sorts of magical crap happens.

I like Tristan because his transformation from shop boy to swashbuckler was done so well and, despite the universe it is set in, feels plausible. He has his whiny moments and his badass moments and the latter far outweighs the former. He's a character you love to love, and his history, while not the biggest twist, is still fun to see revealed.

Shop boy...

...Swashbuckler.

Donnie Darko

(Donnie Darko)

I did say disturbed, right?

Donnie is a disturbed young man. He's on medication (when he feels like it), but it doesn't stop his friend Frank, the giant bunny-thing, from visiting him. Donnie does what Frank says and ends up causing a lot of well-deserved ruckus in his small town. Frank being a product of time travel or a damaged psyche is debatable but, whatever the truth, makes for a very interesting dynamic in Donnie's development.

Donnie feels like that slightly odd friend you know. When we see him interact with other characters, we see a good guy that doesn't always know how to express himself, or at least express himself appropriately.

He decides to try and unravel the mystery Frank presents him with while making or building on connections with friends, and it is a rare movie that has a hazy plot even at the end but, due to the character, is still worthwhile.

This is one of my favorite movies, and I've watched it many times. I never get tired of the character of Donnie.

Rory Gilmore

(Gilmore Girls)
Rory was a character I pretty much wanted to be growing up. She was smart, polite, and driven. She was also female, but that's not part of it.

Rory is on this list because I connected with her having an unusual family dynamic and being in a generally different head space than the rest of her family, yet still maintaining strong relationships. She also interacts
with a host of different characters that were all interesting and dynamic, and all of which made Rory more interesting and more dynamic by being around.

Best mother/daughter relationship ever?

Also, Rory is a reader. I don't read quite as much as I used to, but that was a big connection I made to the character when watching the show as a younger person. This is now one of the few shows I own physical copies of every season, and it is completely worth it.

Nicholas D. Wolfwood

(Trigun)
I've spoken about Trigun before, so I won't go too long into this.

I love Wolfwood because he is a walking, talking, contradiction. He's a good guy on a bad guy's mission, he's an immoral priest, he seems to hate everyone yet runs an orphanage, he loves Milly but stays aloof, and respects Vash yet disagrees with him most of all.

Physically, Wolfwood fills the "badass" role for me. Dark glasses, a preacher's suit, and a giant cross that is really an armory/weapon, finished off with a crushed up, lit cigarette.

I'm half tempted to make Trigun my first mange read, simply because it deals with the character so much differently than the anime. That being said, the only flaw with the anime is that it takes so long for Wolfwood to be introduced.

Agent Dale Cooper

(Twin peaks)
Like Trigun, I've spoken about Twin Peaks before.

Agent Cooper is, in a word, eccentric. In three words, he's really friggin' eccentric. He mixes intuition, mysticism, and a youthful optimism that really should be fitting on an FBI agent, but it works. When his dreams say something, even garbled nonsense, he listens. And then tells Diane via recorder.

The first season of Twin Peaks introduced us to Agent Cooper and his unusual ways, and it is a masterpiece. The second season becomes mired in a convoluted series of plot twists and shunts that really killed the series. That being said, even the second season is worth watching, if only so you can spend more time with Agent Dale Cooper and the sleepy town of Twin Peaks.

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As a member of many fandoms, including Supernatural, Sherlock, Doctor Who and more, NOT including any characters from those shows feels wrong. In all of those series, however, there are too many awesome characters to settle on just one. I think I'll work on a fandom series soon enough, so stay tuned for that.

Other than that, who are some of your favorite characters in movies and television? Let me know in the comments!

Friday at the Movies: Best of Netflix

Hi all,

Just posting this as a place holder. I spent far too long beating my first campaign of XCOM tonight and didn't set aside time for... well, anything else.

Sorry again for being late! Now, I'm going to list my Netflix Streaming suggestions, give a brief line as to why, and then move on with my weekend!

TV Series

Supernatural - Click the link to see the blog post I wrote about Supernatural previously!

Doctor Who - I did a couple blog posts about this, too. There will be more, when I eventually re-watch the remaining seasons...

The Firefly's Crew

Firefly - Follow Malcom Reynolds and his crew about their spaceship, Firefly. The cast is fantastic, the storyline amazing, and the universe feels unique. And remember, Captain Reynolds aims to misbehave...

Lost - One of the first TV series I watched completely on Netflix, Lost is a rollercoaster ride of a show. It all starts when an commercial airplane crashes on an apparently deserted island. There are survivors from the crash, and they have to adjust to their current living situation, as well as each other. Oh, and to the island, which isn't exactly uninhabited. Or in any way normal. Show is amazing for those who like suspense and twisting storylines. I will warn you, the first few seasons are the best, then it is downhill. Worth it, but downhill. And the ending is crap. But worth it!

Heroes - I really enjoyed watching the first season of Heroes. I felt it was an interesting view on what would happen if normal people randomly got super powers. Unfortunately, the later seasons decided that premise wasn't enough (I think they watched too much Lost), but it's at least interesting.

Breaking Bad - I'm only a couple seasons in, but this show is fantastic. Walter White, a suburban dad and high school teacher, finds out he has cancer. He turns to cooking and selling Meth to support his family.

That's the premise, anyway. It gets all sorts of nutty and awesome after that. If you're not hooked by the first 2-3 episodes, you're nuts. Another rollercoaster, but it ossilates between suspense, action, and "WTF?" moments.

Twin Peaks - This show's premise isn't exciting. A girl gets killed in a small, secluded town and an FBI agent arrives to try and find out who. What is interesting, however, is the FBI agent, Agent Cooper, and his really, really strange approach to... well, everything. Seriously, this show is 100% worth watching, simply because of him.

It IS another example of a show that starts good but doesn't maintain it. I loved the first season. It hits the suspense just right, it introduces phenomenally interesting characters, and focuses mostly on Cooper. The second season pulls a bit away from Cooper to include additional side stories, and, once the main suspense elements are cut in the second season, the show falters. In fact, it goes a touch too crazy, which is when I stopped.

Still, the first season alone makes it one of my favorite television shows, ever.

Movies

The Fifth Element - My favorite Bruce Willis movie (well, tied with 12 Monkeys, which is also on Netflix...), The Fifth Element takes place on Earth in an advanced future. The end of the world is approaching (literally), and it's up to an unusual group to put a stop to it.

Really, really interesting characters, and I especially love the main antagonist. Additionally, it has one of the best shoot-out scenes ever, especially since it is set during a Space Opera.

Blade Runner - Another futuristic movie, though Blade Runner features a much darker, grittier Earth. Harrison Ford plays Rick Deckard, a retired private detective type character who specializes in hunting down artificial humans, also known as Replicants. He gets called out of retirement when a gang of Replicants get loose on Earth.

Amazing dystopian setting, mind bending questions, and a not too clear ending make this one of my favorite films of all time.

Kick-Ass - This is a movie that is based on one of Mark Millar's graphic novels which mocks super hero comics. The "super heroes" in this movie are simply regular folks who dress up and try to fight crime.

Sounds a little lame, but it is awesome. And, despite the premise, it quickly picks up the pace and turns into an action packed comic book movie with a main character that you can't help to sympathize with.

Bunraku - This one... is hard to explain. It stars Josh Hartnett, Woody Harrelson, and someone named Gackt as protagonists set in a dystopian world where guns are outlawed and the only fighting that occurs is with melee weapons. It is a super-stylized film and has a very different art style, but the fight scenes are awesome and it reminds me of a good anime, only with real people.

Highlander - An immortal guy has to cut off other immortal guys' heads to take their power. It's set in a relatively contemporary world for when it was made.

A Knight's Tale - Heath Ledger masquerades as a knight to win fame and honor on the tournament field.

Also features a kickass soundtrack the most interesting depiction of Chaucer I've ever seen.

Serenity - This movie is the sequel/ending to the tragically short Firefly show. It's decent in its own right as well, though you'll appreciate it more if you watch Firefly first.

Tomorrow, When the War Began - I actually just watched this last night. It's basically Breaking Dawn set in Australia, which is pretty awesome. The characters are mildly archetypal,  though that doesn't stop them from being enjoyable and interesting to watch as they react to their homeland being invaded.

Apparently it's based off of a book series, which I will now how to hunt down and read.

Daybreakers - In this movie, vampires rule the world while humanity is a natural resource that is running out. It's really this premise that makes it interesting, but that's enough if you want to try a different take on vampires.

If I remember correctly, it's a touch gory at times, but I enjoyed it from start to finish.

Anime 

High School of the Dead - Watched this recently and enjoyed it. There isn't too much plot until the end, but the setting of a zombie outbreak and a group of high school students having to fight their way to find friends and family was done much, much better than I would have expected. Being only one season, there are a lot of loose ends -- I'm hoping a second season eventually sees daylight.

Trigun - Check out the recent blog post if you missed it!

Other

The Guild - These "episodes" are done in the style of a video blog. They are very short, though interesting none-the-less. The cast are a group of MMO players that, at the start of the show, end up setting into motion plans to meet in real life for the first time. It is very, very funny.


Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog - I've already blogged about this because I love it so damn much. Go watch it NOW!


This post was more difficult than I thought! I didn't realize how many shows rotated OFF of Netflix Instant Streaming after I'd watched them -- this list is more of suggestions as of today, I really could post all my actual favorites, because they're disc only now.

Either way, this list will get you started. Maybe I'll do a different list on another Friday for my top five movies of all time... That'd be interesting. And Difficult.

My Three Favorite Anime (Part III)

Alrighty folks, here is the moment you've all been waiting for!

My favorite anime of all time is:

Trigun! I hope this isn't a let down for anyone, though I can't really imagine how anyone who's seen the whole show can NOT like it.

----------------------Some spoilers live here!--------------------------

First, in comparison to my last two:

The Stampede

DBZ keeps the mood very light; even fight scenes can consist of characters being turned into cookies. Throughout Trigun, the main character, Vash, acts as a one man comedy act. He is goofy, strange, and apparently bat-shit insane. It's plied on a little thick at the beginning, but, as we get to see more of him, we understand why.

Side note: Vash is referred to as "Vash the Stampede." In my book, and character that has a title automatically starts with awesome credit. Vash doesn't disappoint.

Cowboy Bebop features a concise and interest cast that tends to deal with darker and more serious themes. Trigun only has four really steady protagonists, and only two of them really matter (more on that in a second). As the season progresses, we are shown that the world of Trigun is a VERY bleak place and Vash, as well as other characters, have their own dark, gritty pasts they encounter and have to deal with.

The four main protagonists of Trigun are:
Meryl Stryfe and Milly Thompson - they are both insurance agents sent to determine if the notorious outlaw, Vash the Stampede, should actually be covered as a literal human disaster. We usually see events with Meryl as our medium. Milly is some light comic relief, being a complete air-head, though there is eventually romantic undertones between her and my personal favorite character.

Vash - Not only is he known as "The Stampede," he's also known as the "Humanoid Typhoon." TWO TITLES!! At the series start, Vash is a doughnut-loving freak devoted to the notion of "LOVE AND PEACE" (he shouts it quite often). He's also a creep in general, and can be pretty annoying (in the show AND for the viewer). Eventually, however, we learn about his past, why he acts insane, and what he has to deal with. He's the most dangerous man alive, both because of the $$ (stands for "double-dollar") 60 billion bounty on his head and the fact that he is supernatural gunslinger.

The most interesting part of the series have to deal with his past, to be honest. It paints a MUCH different picture of the world we're exposed to (more on that in a bit!).

Lastly, we have my favorite anime character of all time, Nicholas D. Wolfwood. He is introduced as a travelling priest, though we quickly see he's much more than that - he carries around a giant cross that is actually a case for a small armory and a cannon itself. His skills seem to rival those of Vash, without most of the comedic affectations. He oozes cool from every pore and I can't get enough of him. Too bad he also turns out to be a bad guy... Kind of.

Wolfood. Likes: cigarettes, big guns, and Milly

The villains of Trigun are varied and interesting, though only a few have any depth. Chief among them would be the hard to comprehend Legato and his master Knives, who just happens to be Vash's twin brother...

Most of the episode plots are fairly straight forward. They can come down to an emotional level or be all out warfare -- it's split pretty well, and the fast and slow episodes are equally interesting. They do build up to a final confrontation with Knives, but the 26 episodes are absolutely worth it.

The Wasteland

Beyond the characters, my favorite thing about Trigun is the setting. At first, we are introduced to a world NOT like out own -- it is a Wild West setting on planet far removed from Earth. The entire globe seems to be covered in badlands, desert, and the rough people willing to survive. Thematically, it's Wild West with a bit of Steam Punk and a touch of Sci-Fi (... so all my favorites). The world isn't exactly post-apocalyptic, but that's only because it began as too much of an inhospitable waste.

Then we learn some of Vash's back story, and our knowledge is widened. Humanity came to this planet after an odyssey among the starts, looking for a new home. The SEEDs ships don't make it to their chosen destination -- instead, they are forced to crash land on the planet where Trigun takes place, about 130 years later... I'm being a touch vague so as to NOT completely spoil the story, but it is interesting (even if it doesn't make 100% sense) and adds some more depth to the wastelands we encounter during the show.

The blend of genres, worlds, characters, and themes makes this (far too short) anime perfect for me. If I was ever to hunt down and read a manga (which I don't normally enjoy), it would be Trigun without a doubt.

Ok, enough of that! You now know my three top anime. Let me know what you think, and/or how I've offended you by leaving out your most cherished show. As I've said before, I'm always looking for suggestions.

Tomorrow I go back to my regular weekly posts, I hope you've enjoyed this strange weekend adventure!