Netflix streaming is goooooooooooooood!
I had a little time this past weekend, so I decided to test out the Netflix's movie streaming service. Yes, in this day of ginormous HDTV and Bluray DVD's, I am perfectly willing to stream in 480p (standard def) to my 15" laptop screen. First up, was Justice League: The New Frontier.
Bruce Timm, the genius behind Justice League and Justice League: Unlimited decided to dish up a period piece set in the 1950's. As an avid comic superhero fan, I've got to say that it was too cool to see the Silver Age versions of Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman. But, as sci-fi and fantasy often does, it focused much more on social relevancy than on the wonders of having super powers. In fact, the story opens with Hal Jordan (the Green Lantern) flying a combat mission over North Korea. Conscious of the pro-propaganda nature of that decade, it presented traditionally pro-American themes in a very different light. For example, Wonder Woman is in Cambodia freeing enslaved women, arming them, and allowing them to torture and slaughter their captors. Yup. And when Superman confronts her, she basically tells him that she's brought freedom to these women and it's the "American way", something that he should surely be familiar with. That's when I knew that this flick was different. It deals head-on with how incredible American ideals are, but how often it falls short of these ideals presenting stories of intolerance, sexism, and prejudice as evidence. And in the end, it is up to us as individuals to decide what kind of America we want to live in. It is up to us to hold our country accountable. Very sobering stuff. And it's a frickin CARTOON! And here's the fanboy stuff:
Man, who knew that Superman would get whacked in the first battle and that Green Lantern would bring home the gold!!! And the Flash was a rare frickin form! Doubting himself and his ability, but literally giving it 120% to save humanity. I felt like I was a kid again watching it. I give JL: The New Frontier AND Netflix streaming a BIG "thumbs up". Now, if only they supported Linux....
Bruce Timm, the genius behind Justice League and Justice League: Unlimited decided to dish up a period piece set in the 1950's. As an avid comic superhero fan, I've got to say that it was too cool to see the Silver Age versions of Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman. But, as sci-fi and fantasy often does, it focused much more on social relevancy than on the wonders of having super powers. In fact, the story opens with Hal Jordan (the Green Lantern) flying a combat mission over North Korea. Conscious of the pro-propaganda nature of that decade, it presented traditionally pro-American themes in a very different light. For example, Wonder Woman is in Cambodia freeing enslaved women, arming them, and allowing them to torture and slaughter their captors. Yup. And when Superman confronts her, she basically tells him that she's brought freedom to these women and it's the "American way", something that he should surely be familiar with. That's when I knew that this flick was different. It deals head-on with how incredible American ideals are, but how often it falls short of these ideals presenting stories of intolerance, sexism, and prejudice as evidence. And in the end, it is up to us as individuals to decide what kind of America we want to live in. It is up to us to hold our country accountable. Very sobering stuff. And it's a frickin CARTOON! And here's the fanboy stuff:
Man, who knew that Superman would get whacked in the first battle and that Green Lantern would bring home the gold!!! And the Flash was a rare frickin form! Doubting himself and his ability, but literally giving it 120% to save humanity. I felt like I was a kid again watching it. I give JL: The New Frontier AND Netflix streaming a BIG "thumbs up". Now, if only they supported Linux....
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