Today's Triple News: Heroes and villains

My increasing lack of spare time continues to wreak havoc on my regular, timely updating of this blog. So here's another bit of triple news, some of it days old by now. Expect this sort of thing to occur more often in the future.

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/154042/nieuwe_posters_game_of_thrones_seizoen_4

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/154006/nieuwe_trailer_the_amazing_spider-man_2

http://www.moviescene.nl/p/153971/heroes_terug_op_televisie

Of all the cancelled shows they just had to resurrect the series that least deserved it in my opinion. I disliked Heroes from the pilot on, and couldn't be bothered to
watch beyond the first season. It was severely overhyped
and dreadfully uninspired. Anyone who knows his superhero comics had an easy time recognizing just where they stole the various characters, powers and plot lines from. The show also exceeded its fair share of hommages to similar works, so it was hard to consider it paying tribute to (better) thematic forebears as it blatantly appropriated such names for its own uses. I had a hard time swallowing this show's popularity, but fortunately I got to enjoy a surprisingly similar but superior show called The 4400, which debuted only a year or so prior to the release of Heroes, but also was copied by that show abundantly. That series hardly got any audience love at all, and also ended up prematurely cancelled. I would much rather have seen that series return, as it's highly frustrating to know it left us with so many unanswered questions. Not the first show where that happened though. Enterprise, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Caprica, V and the notorious Firefly... all terrific shows that deserved more episodes but were denied. But apparently Heroes was just popular enough for the network to try again five years later, same people beind the scenes involved. At least it's for only 13 episodes. God forbid it catches on well enough to end up getting more. The shameless intellectual theft that characterized the previous show already seems to continue unabashed, as the title Heroes Reborn is suspiciously similar to the line of comics from the same name that witnessed alternate versions of the Marvel Universe superheroes, after they supposedly died in their regular universe. Won't be the last time Heroes takes a note from Marvel. Again.

Game of Thrones, now there's a fabulously well crafted show not likely to get cancelled anytime soon! Both its general popularity and anticipation for the upcoming fourth season are ever stronger on the rise. To tease us a bit more, HBO released a bunch of moody character posters of the most beloved established characters that are yet alive. But will they be for much longer? Their grim faces aren't accompanied by the ominous exclamation 'Valar Morghulis' for nothing... some of these (or all of them, mayhaps!) are bound to die in the near future. Most likely excruciatingly, knowing this show's nature and HBO's delightfully sick, depraved mind. Of course I spoiled myself big time by reading the books so I know just who are the goners here, but I like the suggestive way HBO handles this marketing campaign, knowing just what buttons to press to ensure its spectators keep on spectating. It's like the contemporary equivalent of a high profile Roman gladiatorial match, and these are the contestans. Who will kick the bucket? Place your bets! But never bet against a lady with three pet dragons.

And Spider-Man got himself another trailer. This time it's a full three minutes and it basically shows you the events of the movie in a nutshell. You know a promotional campaign is nearing its end when they resort to giving so mcuh plot away, even though half of it is old news by now. I doubt we'll be getting any more trailers for The Amazing Spider-Man 2. We've got several of those, various behind-the-scenes videos, many a poster and banner: it should suffice to get people's attention. Best thing Sony can do now is sit back and watch the money flow its way. And prep the third movie of course, since this one is bound to break a few more of those annually smashed box office records. Whether the moniker 'amazing' is warranted still remains to be seen, considering the previous installment didn't exactly fit that description. That said, this one does look more appealing in my mind, though with a severe risk of overdoing it in terms of the number of present characters.