Seasonal activities
Did the traditional Saturday-before-Christmas visit to Wrexham Crematorium yesterday to leave flowers for my parents and brother, and sundry uncles and aunts who've ended up there - my goodness it was cold there yesterday, I was glad to get the bus back into town after 45 minutes, so I could do a little shopping to warm up and get the train home!
Up unusually early for a Sunday today, as I've seen all the hype for Avatar and looking at the online booking site for the Reel Cinema in Crewe, the later showings for the 3D version were quite heavily pre-booked. So up betimes, to deliver Christmas cards to my neighbours and then head off for the 11.00 a.m. show at the cinema. We had a dusting of snow overnight, which made the pavements a bit treacherous (though typically for Crewe it had all gone by the time the movie finished!).
So, what did I think of Avatar? Well, it is undoubtedly technically a fine piece of moviemaking. Personally, I'm not particularly bothered about 3D - if I feel like seeing it again over Christmas I'll probably save myself £1.50 and go and see the 2D version, though I'm more likely to go and see the new Sherlock Holmes which seems to be getting good reviews. Storywise, it's OK - I don't think there's anything there that hasn't been seen in SF before, but it's a decently told story (if very long) - the final three-quarters of an hour fairly zipped past. The floating mountains (presumably levitating through the effects of unobtainium (seriously!)) and the mystic all-life-is-connected ethos put the movie firmly in the fantasy genre rather than SF as far as I'm concerned, despite the presence of space marines. You would have thought that in 150 years' time the marines' attack craft wouldn't look very like Apache attack helicopters with side-mounted contra-rotating rotors! Some of the mining and forestry clearance machinery reminded me of the Crablogger from Thunderbirds more than 40 years ago. Oh yes, and there's an "impression" scene which would do Anne McCaffrey proud! I suppose an all-out battle between the evil corporate marines and the "noble savage" Na'vi makes for better cinema, but what the Na'vi really need to do is engage a good set of lawyers to assert their mineral rights. Overall, I'll give it a 4/5.
Back to the office tomorrow for what may be my last day at work until the 4th - I was due to work Monday and Tuesday this week, but at our annual awards bash on Friday night my team got the "Team of the Year" award which I'm told carries an extra days' leave. The only problem is that I think they add it to this years' allowance rather than next years, which I'd prefer; I'd already planned my leave so that I take the 23rd and 24th off, as well as all next week, so I may have to take Tuesday off even though I've really got enough in my intray to keep me going.
Anyway, in case I don't post again, I wish a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my readers...
Up unusually early for a Sunday today, as I've seen all the hype for Avatar and looking at the online booking site for the Reel Cinema in Crewe, the later showings for the 3D version were quite heavily pre-booked. So up betimes, to deliver Christmas cards to my neighbours and then head off for the 11.00 a.m. show at the cinema. We had a dusting of snow overnight, which made the pavements a bit treacherous (though typically for Crewe it had all gone by the time the movie finished!).
So, what did I think of Avatar? Well, it is undoubtedly technically a fine piece of moviemaking. Personally, I'm not particularly bothered about 3D - if I feel like seeing it again over Christmas I'll probably save myself £1.50 and go and see the 2D version, though I'm more likely to go and see the new Sherlock Holmes which seems to be getting good reviews. Storywise, it's OK - I don't think there's anything there that hasn't been seen in SF before, but it's a decently told story (if very long) - the final three-quarters of an hour fairly zipped past. The floating mountains (presumably levitating through the effects of unobtainium (seriously!)) and the mystic all-life-is-connected ethos put the movie firmly in the fantasy genre rather than SF as far as I'm concerned, despite the presence of space marines. You would have thought that in 150 years' time the marines' attack craft wouldn't look very like Apache attack helicopters with side-mounted contra-rotating rotors! Some of the mining and forestry clearance machinery reminded me of the Crablogger from Thunderbirds more than 40 years ago. Oh yes, and there's an "impression" scene which would do Anne McCaffrey proud! I suppose an all-out battle between the evil corporate marines and the "noble savage" Na'vi makes for better cinema, but what the Na'vi really need to do is engage a good set of lawyers to assert their mineral rights. Overall, I'll give it a 4/5.
Back to the office tomorrow for what may be my last day at work until the 4th - I was due to work Monday and Tuesday this week, but at our annual awards bash on Friday night my team got the "Team of the Year" award which I'm told carries an extra days' leave. The only problem is that I think they add it to this years' allowance rather than next years, which I'd prefer; I'd already planned my leave so that I take the 23rd and 24th off, as well as all next week, so I may have to take Tuesday off even though I've really got enough in my intray to keep me going.
Anyway, in case I don't post again, I wish a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my readers...