J.J. Abrams vs. Joss Whedon

October 24, 2016
Sterba (Red Photos: Balancing Art and Truth in Contemporary Film), a film professor at College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University, compares the careers of J.J. Abrams and Joss Whedon to muted effect. The goal of the comparison is supposedly to determine who will be the next Spielberg, but Sterba admits almost immediately that this competition is simply meant to be a fun way to experience both men’s oeuvres. As a collection of anecdotes about the directors’ early careers, the book works, offering insights into Whedon and Abrams’s early experiences on, respectively, the sitcom Roseanne and the film Regarding Henry. However, Sterba’s analysis hints at a bias towards Whedon. Her criticisms of his work are never quite as sharp, and with both men she ignores certain failings and highlights accomplishments of a similar strain. Her highlighting of Abrams’s casting work in Star Wars: The Force Awakens draws attention to the omission of casting discussion from her section on his previous film, Star Trek: Into Darkness. Sterba says her work is equally for fans, haters, and newbies, but the first group will clearly feel the most strongly about it—and may take exception to any hint of partiality.

January 1, 2017

By comparing business acumen, creativity, popularity, and other metrics, Sterba (Reel Photos: Balancing Art and Truth in Contemporary Film) pits TV and film directors J.J. Abrams and Joss Whedon against each other. "Media master" isn't the only title at stake; Sterba is determining which of them will be the next Steven Spielberg. The author admits it's a conceit, but it's useful for analyzing the parallel rise of these two creators. Comparing TV shows (Abrams's Alias and Whedon's Dollhouse), who handles female characters better? What does Abrams's hands-off approach to Lost mean when contrasted to Whedon's deep involvement with the Buffyverse? Who handles billion-dollar franchises better, Abrams (Star Trek, Star Wars) or Whedon (The Avengers)? The author provides a helpful and approachable discussion of scripts and describes camerawork, composition, and lighting with fannish enthusiasm. This title is most successful as an overview of both men's careers to date. The scoring system used feels forced, but Sterba supports her analysis with solid research. Plus, there are nitpicky details, which movie geeks love. VERDICT Recommended for readers looking for a brainy take on pop culture.--Terry Bosky, Madison, WI

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2016
Film professor Sterba pits two of the biggest entertainment auteurs working today against each other in this critical examination of their work. While Sterba acknowledges at the outset that the competition for Most Royal Geek Leader is really just a conceit to compare their work, she grades them in each chapter on merits such as creativity, profitability, and popularity. Sterba sets her book up chronologically, so she compares their early careers in script doctoring before moving on to the feminist shows that put them on the map, Buffy the Vampire Slayer for Whedon, Felicity and Alias for Abrams. The depth and sophistication of Buffy puts Whedon ahead, but things even out a little more as they move into later TV projects, including Angel, Firefly, and Dollhouse for Whedon and Lost and Fringe for Abrams, and their respective blockbuster movie franchise contributions, notably Whedon's The Avengers for Marvel and Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Sterba even provides a chapter that contemplates which is Spielberg's heir apparent. A smart, fun analysis for film fans.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)