Things I have absorbed last couple of months...
Finished reading "The Princess Bride". Excellent book, very much like the movie, though perhaps a little sadder. I'd love to talk about many of the things I liked about it, but most of them are to do with where it differs from/expands on the film, and I don't want to spoiler it for a few people. The ending left me a little melancholy, as it ends quite beautifully. I also have that "end of a novel I have immersed myself in" sadness, which hasn't cropped up for a novel in a while.
Watched "30 Days of Night" - it was ok. I was a little disappointed, as it started off with the very atmospheric, European horror feel, but quite quickly just went in for gouts of blood. Shame really, though to call it Schlock as I did on twitter wasn't really fair, as it is still better than a "boo, gotcha" horror movie.
Watched "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" - good action, Johnny Depp a lot of fun, plot...almost worked for me but didn't QUITE. Shame. Still good.
Watched "Doomsday" - Meh, good premise, went a bit silly, then turned into a car ad. Lead character never QUITE became interesting, despite the cool electronic eye.
Read "Seeker" by Jack McDevvit - Really good, sucked me in and I chewed through it very quickly. Despite not finding any of the main characters hugely identifiable, it manages to be archaeological intrigue set in the future. 10,000 years in the future some antique recoverers try to track a 9000 year old ship based on a antique cup found from it. Manages to make fictional research and investigation very gripping.
Watched "Shoot 'em up" - ...interesting. Reminded me of Crank somewhat, in that the initial suspension of disbelief (ie, believing that this guy is THAT much better than everyone else), after accepted, the rest of the movie is pretty enjoyable. However, they also seem to subtly build the level of err, bullshit ability of the lead, until the final scenes are almost hilarious. Still a very enjoyable film if you enjoy action (you'd want to have a reasonable violence tolerance.
Watched the recent "Importance of Being Earnest" - Seen it before, but love the play. Enjoy the "Lady come down" song, like the tatt, dislike the ending with the name tweaking (I think, unless the name is somewhat unrevealed in the actual play...). Also...I must confess, I dislike that they made Lady Bracknell a sympathetic character in the end. I like her better as the representative of the rigid strictures of society who finds herself out maneuvered by circumstance. You stole my villain and I want her back! Seemed to take away Wilde social bite, and replace it with Wodehouse fluff.
Listening to the Lord of the Rings. Finding my tolerance for the characters lessening with age. They are all so...2D. Frodo's sacrifice is so meaningless, and he goes from frivolous existence to ultimate self sacrifice with little more than a "oh well, I guess I have to". Sure, it is a journey/quest book, and genre defining, but eh. Aragon - mysterious for no reason, Gandalf - stuck up know it all for no reason, Frodo - self sacrificing for no reason, Sam - subservient for no reason, Merry and Pippin - there for no reason OTHER than providing middle names to cool people.../bitchy rant. That said, I quite like the book :P
Watched "30 Days of Night" - it was ok. I was a little disappointed, as it started off with the very atmospheric, European horror feel, but quite quickly just went in for gouts of blood. Shame really, though to call it Schlock as I did on twitter wasn't really fair, as it is still better than a "boo, gotcha" horror movie.
Watched "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" - good action, Johnny Depp a lot of fun, plot...almost worked for me but didn't QUITE. Shame. Still good.
Watched "Doomsday" - Meh, good premise, went a bit silly, then turned into a car ad. Lead character never QUITE became interesting, despite the cool electronic eye.
Read "Seeker" by Jack McDevvit - Really good, sucked me in and I chewed through it very quickly. Despite not finding any of the main characters hugely identifiable, it manages to be archaeological intrigue set in the future. 10,000 years in the future some antique recoverers try to track a 9000 year old ship based on a antique cup found from it. Manages to make fictional research and investigation very gripping.
Watched "Shoot 'em up" - ...interesting. Reminded me of Crank somewhat, in that the initial suspension of disbelief (ie, believing that this guy is THAT much better than everyone else), after accepted, the rest of the movie is pretty enjoyable. However, they also seem to subtly build the level of err, bullshit ability of the lead, until the final scenes are almost hilarious. Still a very enjoyable film if you enjoy action (you'd want to have a reasonable violence tolerance.
Watched the recent "Importance of Being Earnest" - Seen it before, but love the play. Enjoy the "Lady come down" song, like the tatt, dislike the ending with the name tweaking (I think, unless the name is somewhat unrevealed in the actual play...). Also...I must confess, I dislike that they made Lady Bracknell a sympathetic character in the end. I like her better as the representative of the rigid strictures of society who finds herself out maneuvered by circumstance. You stole my villain and I want her back! Seemed to take away Wilde social bite, and replace it with Wodehouse fluff.
Listening to the Lord of the Rings. Finding my tolerance for the characters lessening with age. They are all so...2D. Frodo's sacrifice is so meaningless, and he goes from frivolous existence to ultimate self sacrifice with little more than a "oh well, I guess I have to". Sure, it is a journey/quest book, and genre defining, but eh. Aragon - mysterious for no reason, Gandalf - stuck up know it all for no reason, Frodo - self sacrificing for no reason, Sam - subservient for no reason, Merry and Pippin - there for no reason OTHER than providing middle names to cool people.../bitchy rant. That said, I quite like the book :P