ASHLEY HODGES BAZER
  • Home
  • Star Sailors
    • The Commodore >
      • Characters
    • The Princess >
      • Characters
    • The Skyjacker >
      • Characters
    • The Stowaway >
      • Characters
    • The Operative >
      • Characters
  • Crown's Call
    • Heralds of the Crown >
      • Poison >
        • Characters
        • Deleted Scenes
      • Fusion >
        • Characters
        • Deleted Scene
      • Reconciled >
        • Characters
    • Rise of the Crown
    • Touch of the Crown >
      • Outlaw >
        • Characters
    • Champions of the Crown >
      • Asylum >
        • Characters
    • Fun Stuff >
      • The Timeline
      • The System
      • The Inhabitants >
        • Logia/Lumen/Ghosts
        • Strages/Crepusculum/Legacy
  • Time Spinners
    • In the Beginning >
      • Characters
  • Other Novels
    • Tinsel Pines Tales
    • Checkmate >
      • Characters
    • Once Upon a Heist >
      • Characters
      • Map of Paladia
      • Venefica's Curse
  • Bio
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Promo
  • Onstage
    • Mamma Mia
    • Addams Family
    • Other Performances
  • Buy
  • Blog

Highlighting Horribleness

10/12/2015

1 Comment

 
This weekend, I watched a couple movies where the audience is made to sympathize...or even empathize...with the villain. I am a traditionalist. I like rooting for good and booing evil. Melodrama at its finest, right? But we're told in writing to give the villain facets to make him interesting...and perhaps even likable. It's a challenge, to be sure.

The movies, you ask? Maleficent and Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.

This was my first viewing of Maleficent. I'm a fan to Disney's Sleeping Beauty (best Disney prince, hands-down), so I've been wanting to see this new version. When I found the DVD on sale, I snagged it. I wasn't 100% taken with it. I'm sure I'll watch it again, but I'd rather go back to the light, happy cartoon where good is good and evil is green and turns into a dragon. Besides, Phillip saves the day, and he can cut a rug on the ballroom floor. Maleficent's Phillip barely showed up.

Onto the real reason for this post...the brilliance of Dr. Horrible's.

I've been familiar with this short film since it came out...and I loved it that very first moment. (The YouTube link is posted below.) Oh, my goodness, Joss Whedon can do no wrong! He packed an emotionally-charged, gut-wrenching roller coaster into a short 45 minutes. And it's perfect. Sure, we could go more in depth to get to know the characters better, but the taste we have tells us everything we need to know. As I watched this for the sixty-seventh time, I picked up a little of Penny's backstory...and I'd like to know more. But overall, I am satisfied with what's presented.

The writing is tight. It had to be. The lyrics pack a punch. And of course, Neil Patrick Harris delivers a flawless performance. Told primarily from his perspective, we end up cheering for the bad guy. And in the end, we feel disjointed, pained, and helpless...but in the best way!

Seriously...watch this movie.

If it helps any, Nathan Fillion is also in it. Hilarious!
1 Comment
Bonnie Hagan
10/12/2015 02:13:20 pm

Haven't seen Maleficent... sort of for the very reasons you indicated. I don't want to empathize with her - or even worse despise the heroes. But I'll probably watch it eventually.
As for DHSB - I loved it! Can't universally recommend due to a touch of crassness, but this short three-part film had good story, strong characters, and so much funny! (I loved the side-kick "Moist" and the quotes have been herded into our stable of every day speak - "What a crazy, random happenstance!") Thumbs up!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Duchess Writer

    Award-winning sci-fi author * Christ follower, wife, and mom * broadcast content producer. And yes, I am a real duchess. http://amzn.to/2eLTlH3  

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Tweets by @DuchessWriter

    Archives

    March 2023
    July 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    June 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    July 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    September 2018
    April 2018
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    October 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Star Sailors
    • The Commodore >
      • Characters
    • The Princess >
      • Characters
    • The Skyjacker >
      • Characters
    • The Stowaway >
      • Characters
    • The Operative >
      • Characters
  • Crown's Call
    • Heralds of the Crown >
      • Poison >
        • Characters
        • Deleted Scenes
      • Fusion >
        • Characters
        • Deleted Scene
      • Reconciled >
        • Characters
    • Rise of the Crown
    • Touch of the Crown >
      • Outlaw >
        • Characters
    • Champions of the Crown >
      • Asylum >
        • Characters
    • Fun Stuff >
      • The Timeline
      • The System
      • The Inhabitants >
        • Logia/Lumen/Ghosts
        • Strages/Crepusculum/Legacy
  • Time Spinners
    • In the Beginning >
      • Characters
  • Other Novels
    • Tinsel Pines Tales
    • Checkmate >
      • Characters
    • Once Upon a Heist >
      • Characters
      • Map of Paladia
      • Venefica's Curse
  • Bio
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Promo
  • Onstage
    • Mamma Mia
    • Addams Family
    • Other Performances
  • Buy
  • Blog