laurashapiro

Vid Recs: Doctor Who, Sarah Connor Chronicles, The Prisoner

Sun, 19 May 2013 18:05:43 GMT

What with tightpresent and vidukon_cardiff happening in the same week, there have been some great vids coming out. I wanna talk about five of them.

Three Sarah Connor Chronicles Vids
We got a ton of new brilliant and amazing new TSCC vids out of tightpresent, but these were my favorites:

We Used to Wait - a dual character study of Sarah and Jesse with an captivating lyrical beauty and great musicality. Made my heart ache.

Small Words, Bigger Lessons - an exploration of John Henry as a child, learning, and all the teachers he learns from. Outstanding song choice (I will be buying this album!), terrific paralleling of all the children and parents, all the lessons the young learn about how to be who they are and how to be in the world.

Seamstress - a flawless multi-faceted portrait of Jesse.

For the Whovians
England by such_heights - a showcase of all the NewWho companions: what they love, what they learn, what they lose, what they become. Moving and inspiring.

If you like The Prisoner, drop whatever you're doing and watch this
Blow by jetpack_monkey - Stunning song choice. The lyric-clip matching is exquisite, the structure is tight and well-considered, and the way the vidder exploits the limitations of the footage to keep it rocking is seriously impressive.

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I would watch the hell out of this show.

Sat, 09 Mar 2013 18:42:18 GMT

Mulder and Scully and Sherlock and John and alien invasions and science and shit blowing up, FTW.

via seedling, with many thanks!

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Vid Rec: The Future (Doctor Who)

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 00:49:33 GMT

bradcpu has made a wonderful vid about Daleks, the companions who struggle against them, and one Oswin Oswald, who is and does both.

The Future tears apart "Asylum of the Daleks" to showcase not just Oswin's glory and tragedy, but those of the companions before her: all inside the eye of a Dalek, the eye of Oswin.

The visuals and momentum are everything you'd expect from Brad's work. The concept is thinky but it never slows things down. It's one hell of a ride.

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I love this more than pie.

Sun, 26 Aug 2012 17:28:53 GMT

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Tropes vs. Women: the video games edition

Thu, 17 May 2012 19:12:35 GMT

Some of you are familiar with the video stylings of Anita Sarkeesian. As Feminist Frequency, she creates pithy, often hilarious video commentaries on the sexism (and, sometimes, racism and homophobia) in popular culture. Her popular series, Tropes vs. Women, took on the Manic Pixie Dream Girl, The Evil Demon Seductress, and Women in Refrigerators, among others.

She's creating a new series of videos about sexist tropes in video games, and she's put up a Kickstarter to make it happen. Here's the pitch.

If you love video games but hate the damsels in distress and the fighting fucktoys, and you've got a few bucks to spare, please share what you can.

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The thing about being sick is it gives you time to see amazing things like this

Mon, 14 May 2012 22:39:30 GMT

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Media for girls!

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 23:34:41 GMT

I want to post about approximately 37 things, but at the moment, this is what I have time for: A Mighty Girl: The world's largest collection of books and movies for smart, confident, and courageous girls.

I've only scratched the surface of the collection, but they list works featuring girls of color, not just white kids. They also have a sub-category of books called "Social Issues", with several hundred books on topics like prejudice and discrimination, war and conflict, and environmental issues. Plus tons of fun fiction. (:

Mothers of daughters, writers, readers, YA enthusiasts: this looks like a great resource and a fun project to get involved with.

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I have found my new favorite blog. Ever.

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 20:31:06 GMT

Fashion It So, a Star Trek fashion blog. No, really.

An excerpt:

"The Tamarian captain is also on the planet’s surface, looking like Nathan Lane at survivalist camp."

This thing is pure joy, I'm tellin' ya.

via the commentariat at Ta-Nehisi Coates, dawg bless 'em.

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48 years of Doctor Who in 10 minutes

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:49:43 GMT

All the Doctor Who ever! This is a load of fun, though I admit I would've preferred fewer monsters and more companions.

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You guys, I got the best Festivids!

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:26:50 GMT

My Festividder(s) love me and want me to be happy! And the cool part is, you get to enjoy their largesse, too!

I asked for the epic love story of Londo and G'Kar (Babylon 5), and I got Binary Orbit, a gorgeous instrumental that highlights the tragedy, humor, respect, and regret that make up their complex relationship. It moves beautifully and looks gorgeous and I have little hearts in my eyes right now. ♥ ♥

I asked for a Red Dwarf vid, and I got two! Better Smeg Than Dead, a brilliant use of the theme song from "Friends" to highlight the show's humor and relationships; and Given, Not Won, a bittersweet and funny take on Lister/Rimmer. I love them both!

THANK YOU, FESTIVIDDERS!

::ded from squee::

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Unpacking the Bad Boy Woobie

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 16:01:17 GMT

12_12_12 is eloquent:

Mentioning Logan leads me to the distinction between bad boys, and Bad Boy Woobies. Because there is a difference. I hate BBWs: I do not hate bad boys. I love watching effed-up, morally ambiguous and/or assholish characters as long as the show and the other characters recognize them for what they are, and they're dealt with properly. It's all in the writing. The problem with BBWs as characters/constructs is not that they are assholes, or even that they are misogynistic assholes: the problem is that they get written in incredibly problematic and offensive, rage-inducing ways, and the need to warp the show around them ends up damaging the other characters and the show itself (this is what I refer to as the BBW Cycle of Doom.)

I recommend reading the whole thing.

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Vid Rec: Doctor Who

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 19:16:48 GMT

If you're feeling glutted with Yuletide fic and would like a bit of vid joy before Festivids go live, you couldn't do better than kass's Stranger Into Starman. This vid is a minute and a half long, but it packs so much meaning into that time, it's just plain amazing.

The Doctor has a transformative impact on his companions. Sometimes that transformation extends beyond the individual, distorting time, rebuilding universes, and of course reshaping the Doctor himself in the process. Stranger Into Starman plunges deeply into this process with slow, subtle poetry and clips heavily freighted with meaning. It's both thinky and emotionally resonant, and a joy to watch and rewatch.

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Two good things

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 20:17:09 GMT

Dance vs. PowerPoint, possibly the coolest thing I've seen all year.

The She's, a garage-band with attitude and great lyrics, composed of four young women in high school who really know how to play. Their new album is out, and it's awesome.

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Vid Rec: Never Let Me Go

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:38:39 GMT

chaila has made a gorgeous vid, Keepsake, of the film Never Let Me Go. Well, to my mind it's really a vid of the book, which makes it that much more striking; it exemplifies the book's sense of fragile, futile hope and the intensity of despair -- but it also preserves the book's restraint. This vid is an intensely satisfying experience: aesthetically delectable, emotionally powerful, great musicality. Subtle and heartbreaking.

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Vid Rec: Doctor Who

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 14:11:25 GMT

china_shop has made such a wonderful Rory vid. If you love Rory Williams, you will love Not Perfect. If you're not convinced about Rory Williams, it may in fact convince you.

Surprisingly epic in scope but with the right modest and ironic tone, this vid captures all of Rory's facets and weaves them together into a solidly structured, funny, poignant experience that will make you smile -- and possibly cry.

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Vid Rec: The Price

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:13:51 GMT

In case it's not already all over your reading list, thingswithwings has just released The Price, the ultimate multi-fandom exploration of epic manpain. It is hilarious and thought-provoking and OTT in glorious ways. Mostly, though? Hilarious.

Her essay on the subject is not to be missed, either. A brilliant analysis of the manpain trope: why we love it, why we hate it. Don't miss.

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Vid Rec: Multi-Fandom

Mon, 30 May 2011 16:30:45 GMT

charmax has given us a vid we badly needed: Space Girl. This vid is a heartfelt celebration of women in science fiction going back to the 1950s, but it's also a wickedly critical piece of work, showing the problematic roles (and problematic outfits!) women have historically had in sci fi. The song choice is inspired, allowing all sorts of deliciously ironic juxtapositions.

Funny, sad, exuberant, saucy. Space Girl. Check it out.

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Rec: for all Gene Kelly fans

Sun, 03 Apr 2011 20:07:42 GMT

...and anybody who loves dance, music, and creativity. This is so much fun!

Many thanks to troyswann for turning me on to it.

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Vid Rec: Angel

Sat, 02 Apr 2011 19:24:07 GMT

obsessive24 is always one to watch, and she delivers big with Falling Down, an Angel vid of epic proportions.

I have seen a LOT of vids for this show, but this vid feels so fresh that every clip felt new, and newly freighted with context. The vid encompasses Angel's entire history and emphasizes the chain of consequences connecting each plot point to the next, seamlessly and with all the annoying bits taken out. Go see.

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At long last, Festivids recs

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 19:14:02 GMT

So, since some jerk decided there are only 60 minutes in an hour, I am not able to feature all of these in my Vidukon vidshow as they deserve. Breaks my freakin' heart, because they're all amazing and I love them.

But I can showcase them here! And since I had this list put together before the reveal, I've decided to post them as if it hadn't happened yet. Because I'm odd like that.

So, alphabetically by fandom, which is the order I watched them in, I give you: ( My Favorite Festivids. Of which there are...rather a lot. )

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Trailer: Miss Representation

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 19:11:33 GMT

I have finished watching all the Festivids (whew!) and have my shortlist selected for the vidshow. I am hoping to post a recs list this week -- we'll see how out-of-control my schedule becomes.

Meanwhile, P. shared this trailer with me. It's a film premiering at Sundance, about media representation of women and how it affects women and girls' self-esteem, and shapes opinions generally. Though the focus definitely seems to be American, I was pleased to see racial and age diversity in the trailer.

I suspect anyone reading this will not learn much from the film, which seems to be operating at the 101 level. But I am glad somebody made this movie.

( Watch the trailer. )

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I think I'm in love

Sun, 09 Jan 2011 16:18:02 GMT

Uncomfortable Plot Summaries

Examples:

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: Peasant girl develops Stockholm Syndrome.

BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA: Redneck trucker kills Chinese immigrants.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: Teenage serial killer destroys town in fit of semi-religious fervor.

Thanks to jae for the link.

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Rec: LeGuin's Hainish Cycle

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 04:16:16 GMT

I've found it: my favorite piece of fanfiction ever. A Piece of the Continent, in which Genly Ai travels to a new world after leaving Winter forever.

I have no words to describe the utter perfection of this, but if you like LeGuin's work at all, you will be heartily pleased. And if you love The Left Hand of Darkness, you might even cry.

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Vid Rec: Doctor Who

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 05:49:17 GMT

Doctor Who fans who like Big Emotion vids(^TM luminosity) should check out missbreese's Astair, an intense look at the S5 episode "Amy's Choice". Great musicality, interesting color work, will rip your heart out. Yay.

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Vid Rec: Whedonverse

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 23:33:09 GMT

I love me some obsessive24. Today she knocked it out of the park (again!) with This is the Picture, a multi-Whedonverse vid exploring shared themes, plot elements, and character arcs amongst his shows in her trademark dynamic visual style.

Mmm, I love the smell of meta in the morning. Smells like victory.

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