Everything indeed: BWood, French films & books, Roswell, anime, Dr Who, Chinese Hamlet & Hayden
I am watching Hameshaa, the Bolly movie about reincarnated lovers that proves that bad hair, like love, lasts forever. Saif looks adorable despite the most mulleted mullet I've ever seen (the mullet should have had a separate billing). Kajol is fresh and gorgeous, and they have great chemistry. The story is a cheesy romantic melodrama that is equal parts DDLJ and Karan Arjun. (Love is dead? No problem, reincarnate). Perfect. The body count is high (not even the comic sidekick is safe), the choreography is done by a spastic, and the composer steals music from Phantom of the Opera. the phrase "Kal Ho Na Ho" is scarily eminent. The matter of fact attitude to 'oh, I am reincarnated' is a bit off: the villain does not pause in front of what seems to be a divine hint but merrily continues with the evilness. It does make me wonder how Saif would have been like as the lead for DDLJ, which Aditya was considering if he couldn't have gotten SRK, as the role is of a fun-loving college boy. Of course, Raja's character is a huge doofus.
Also, Saif and his evil friend seem a little too concerned with each other's love life :P
On the other end of the spectrum, there is Creezy, a seventies movie with the icy and gorgeous Alain Delon. It's the very opposite of Hameshaa. It's small and feels painstakingly and cooly real. It basically is a day in the life of a politician intercut with his memories of affair with a gorgeous model. It's quite romantic and I can't wait to watch more. It also makes me wonder if there has ever been a good adaptation of Stendhal's The Red and the Black? Because young Delon would have made a great protagonist.
Also watched more Chobits Chobits is beginning to annoy me with its cuteness. Also, Chi is mentally retarded equivalent which is annoying and why would Hideki want to hang around with her. Ick. But watching Fushigi Yuugi takes the badness away. That is totally my comfort anime. Miaka coming back and finding Tamahome in the woods? Awwwwww. Also, realized new volume of Genbu Kaiden is out and can't wait to read it.
In completely unrelated news (my brain jumps around like a magpie), the book rec for the week is something I have no idea how hard it is to find. It's Erve Bazen's And the flames consume (I have no idea what the name in English (or the original French) would be. I read it in Russian). It's a French novel and I read it in Russian translation, but I have no idea if an English translation exists. It's worth seeking out though. The novel deals with the immediate aftermath of the Pinochet coup. It actually is tightly focused on two people, Miguel and Maria who, if I ever was compiling a literary OTP list, would be very highly placed on it. The book is passionate: politically passionate (about what people do to each other and how it outrages one's conscience) and romantically passionate, as well. Miguel is a rising young politician in Allende's cabinet. He is a labor leader, a rabble-rouser, and someone on Pinochet's 'most wanted' list. Maria is someone who is socially conservative, and maybe politically a bit conservative too. Ordinarily, she would be someone watching the news on the TV and not getting involved. But Maria is Miguel's fiancee. And after Miguel survives the first 'net' only because he is attending a wedding of Maria's step-sister (the image of the wedding party gunned down by soldiers who mistake them for rebels is one that stayed with me for a long time), Maria and Miguel go on the run, and end up hiding in the flat of a sympathetic Scandinavian diplomat couple.
The rest of the book becomes almost stiflingly intimate, because they are stuck in a very small place, and the book basically follows the relationship deal with something entirely new: take two people who love each other but who don't know each other as well as they would have after years together and who've never lived together and put them in a very small, very contained, inescapable situation where a wrong move means death. The book is as much (if not more) about Miguel and Maria's discovery of each other as it is about the grim events outside. Because the author never forgets the politics. It's not just in the fact that the protagonists are trapped because of them, but the echoes of events come through the house and they are more ominous for being indirect.
As to the end of the novel? I won't spoil it, so I'll just say that it's 'Gift of the Magi' times a hundred and that I've rarely been able to look at a flock of pigeons flying up from a square without thinking of the novel's end.
And in other star-crossed romantics news, I was rewatching "Destiny," my fave ep of Roswell. I've forgotten how amazing Max/Liz were. Any good Dreamer fanfic recs? Please? keepaofthecheez, where is your stuff archived? And also, does anyone have caps of that scene of them hiding in the oveturned truck? For some reason what really gets me is the way she kisses his eyes, and the way her voice dies away on the word 'ended' when she says that his life ended when he saved her. And the way Max, half out of his head, utterly exhausted, fresh off the torture table, tells her that's when his life began and that what kept him alive during it all was the thought of her (and I love that he can't talk about what they did to him, it's too horrifying to him and he is indirect and he has to pause before he mentions it even in that fashion). If a man can say that to you after all that's happened, whoa. And in a way, being in such extremity, he has no control over his emotions much any more and you can feel love just pour off him. Max/Liz have never been more R&Jish than in that scene. Oh, and the bit where Max and Liz are surrounded and they are on the bridge and they look down at the water and you can tell they are terrified and they kiss each other and you can tell they think it might be their last, and then they jump, holding hands? OMG. My OTP. And that is why I ship Max/Liz (or John/Aeryn or Max/Logan from DA etc etc). Because TPTB keep showing me that they really really love each other. That is why I rarely ship UC couples or couples that are in the will-we-won't-we stage emotionally. If they aren't desperate about each other, neither am I. Basically, I need to see a lot of evidence that they adore each other before I get on the shipper train. Once I do, I can stay once hope is gone: Buffy/Angel was certainly a ship that outlived it being a mainstay of the show, but JW pulled out all the stops to show they were an OTP first. That is why I ship Helo/Boomer and not Kara/Lee on BSG. If Kara/Lee ever got together, there would be a lot of squeeing in my house and they could have a fascinating storyline. But unless they realize they are an OTP, I cannot OTP them. Whatever their potential, at the moment Kara is happy with Anders and Lee is (happily or not) together with Dee. They are not pining, so how can I? With Helo and Boomer, you might find the love story boring or improbable, but there is no doubt they love each other and they went through hell and high water for each other as lovers.
In related non-loverly news, I did see the finale of Doctor Who and forgot to post about it. So yeah, forgot to post that I saw the finale with Nine and the Daleks and Rose with vortex in her head and Jack being heroic and it was every bit as spectacular and wonderful as it was supposed to be and the Doctor sacrificed himself for Rose and Rose sacrificed herself for the Doctor and everyone sacrficed himself for everyone else (though why did Rose bring just Jack back to life and no one else?) and the God of the Daleks was freaky as hell and I loved Nine's choice between coward or killer "coward. Coward any day" because he can't do the seeing the world viped out thing again. And I felt horrible for him disappearing (to save Rose) even though of course he regenerates. His edge-of-insanity inspired babbling was apropos as always. He is Crichtonish that way. I loved the kiss, though I am afraid I am not a shipper. I see the OT3 between Doctor/Rose/Jack (OMG Jack kissing Nine AND Rose idenitically? Too cool) but the kiss between Nine and Rose really was to transfer energy, while of course pacifying fangirls. I do think Doctor loves her deeply and vice-versa, I just don't necessarily think it's a passionate romance type love. Just an excellent friend and someone who you think is attractive, but not necessarily the meshing of the two. Am I explaining myself. Which is just as well in light of the news going around the internets.
Also, David Tennant? Looks very British-stereotype. Please tell me he is more attractive in the new series because he kinda looks like a newt at the end of the last ep of season. I'll watch it anyway and hope I like, but I don't know. So much of my love was tied in with Christopher Eccleston's brilliant rendition of Nine, and with that whole character: fun and darkness and infectuous enthusiasm and a certain rough hard edge mixed in, that I don't know how I'll take to Ten.
Continuing this crazy, directionless ramble, the next item on the agenda is gorgeous pictures from The Banquet, a Chinese movie coming out in late 2006. The Banquet has been described as a loose adaptation of "Hamlet"; it is a tale of fate and revenge set in 10th century China. A new Emperor has usurped the throne through murder. Zhang Ziyi plays the widowed Empress, who marries the new Emperor (Ge You) only to protect herself, but also secretly plots his death with the help of the Crown Prince (Daniel Wu) and the Chief Minister (Ma Jingwu). Yet the Prince and Minister each have their own plans for the throne, and, of course, so does the Emperor. All these intrigues are brought to a climax when the Emperor calls for a lavish banquet, where the murderous plans are set in motion.
If you want to see more stills (there are over a hundred) and a trailer, go to: http://www.helloziyi.us/Movies/night-banquet.htm
And because it seems I cannot end a post without a Hayden Christensen picspam, here is the next batch:
katranna, this one's for you:
OK, I am all out of Hayden. Who should I picspam next? As long as they are reasonably attractive and someone I'd heard of, bring on the suggestions!
And thus ends the really long post. No wonder it took me days.
Also, Saif and his evil friend seem a little too concerned with each other's love life :P
On the other end of the spectrum, there is Creezy, a seventies movie with the icy and gorgeous Alain Delon. It's the very opposite of Hameshaa. It's small and feels painstakingly and cooly real. It basically is a day in the life of a politician intercut with his memories of affair with a gorgeous model. It's quite romantic and I can't wait to watch more. It also makes me wonder if there has ever been a good adaptation of Stendhal's The Red and the Black? Because young Delon would have made a great protagonist.
Also watched more Chobits Chobits is beginning to annoy me with its cuteness. Also, Chi is mentally retarded equivalent which is annoying and why would Hideki want to hang around with her. Ick. But watching Fushigi Yuugi takes the badness away. That is totally my comfort anime. Miaka coming back and finding Tamahome in the woods? Awwwwww. Also, realized new volume of Genbu Kaiden is out and can't wait to read it.
In completely unrelated news (my brain jumps around like a magpie), the book rec for the week is something I have no idea how hard it is to find. It's Erve Bazen's And the flames consume (I have no idea what the name in English (or the original French) would be. I read it in Russian). It's a French novel and I read it in Russian translation, but I have no idea if an English translation exists. It's worth seeking out though. The novel deals with the immediate aftermath of the Pinochet coup. It actually is tightly focused on two people, Miguel and Maria who, if I ever was compiling a literary OTP list, would be very highly placed on it. The book is passionate: politically passionate (about what people do to each other and how it outrages one's conscience) and romantically passionate, as well. Miguel is a rising young politician in Allende's cabinet. He is a labor leader, a rabble-rouser, and someone on Pinochet's 'most wanted' list. Maria is someone who is socially conservative, and maybe politically a bit conservative too. Ordinarily, she would be someone watching the news on the TV and not getting involved. But Maria is Miguel's fiancee. And after Miguel survives the first 'net' only because he is attending a wedding of Maria's step-sister (the image of the wedding party gunned down by soldiers who mistake them for rebels is one that stayed with me for a long time), Maria and Miguel go on the run, and end up hiding in the flat of a sympathetic Scandinavian diplomat couple.
The rest of the book becomes almost stiflingly intimate, because they are stuck in a very small place, and the book basically follows the relationship deal with something entirely new: take two people who love each other but who don't know each other as well as they would have after years together and who've never lived together and put them in a very small, very contained, inescapable situation where a wrong move means death. The book is as much (if not more) about Miguel and Maria's discovery of each other as it is about the grim events outside. Because the author never forgets the politics. It's not just in the fact that the protagonists are trapped because of them, but the echoes of events come through the house and they are more ominous for being indirect.
As to the end of the novel? I won't spoil it, so I'll just say that it's 'Gift of the Magi' times a hundred and that I've rarely been able to look at a flock of pigeons flying up from a square without thinking of the novel's end.
And in other star-crossed romantics news, I was rewatching "Destiny," my fave ep of Roswell. I've forgotten how amazing Max/Liz were. Any good Dreamer fanfic recs? Please? keepaofthecheez, where is your stuff archived? And also, does anyone have caps of that scene of them hiding in the oveturned truck? For some reason what really gets me is the way she kisses his eyes, and the way her voice dies away on the word 'ended' when she says that his life ended when he saved her. And the way Max, half out of his head, utterly exhausted, fresh off the torture table, tells her that's when his life began and that what kept him alive during it all was the thought of her (and I love that he can't talk about what they did to him, it's too horrifying to him and he is indirect and he has to pause before he mentions it even in that fashion). If a man can say that to you after all that's happened, whoa. And in a way, being in such extremity, he has no control over his emotions much any more and you can feel love just pour off him. Max/Liz have never been more R&Jish than in that scene. Oh, and the bit where Max and Liz are surrounded and they are on the bridge and they look down at the water and you can tell they are terrified and they kiss each other and you can tell they think it might be their last, and then they jump, holding hands? OMG. My OTP. And that is why I ship Max/Liz (or John/Aeryn or Max/Logan from DA etc etc). Because TPTB keep showing me that they really really love each other. That is why I rarely ship UC couples or couples that are in the will-we-won't-we stage emotionally. If they aren't desperate about each other, neither am I. Basically, I need to see a lot of evidence that they adore each other before I get on the shipper train. Once I do, I can stay once hope is gone: Buffy/Angel was certainly a ship that outlived it being a mainstay of the show, but JW pulled out all the stops to show they were an OTP first. That is why I ship Helo/Boomer and not Kara/Lee on BSG. If Kara/Lee ever got together, there would be a lot of squeeing in my house and they could have a fascinating storyline. But unless they realize they are an OTP, I cannot OTP them. Whatever their potential, at the moment Kara is happy with Anders and Lee is (happily or not) together with Dee. They are not pining, so how can I? With Helo and Boomer, you might find the love story boring or improbable, but there is no doubt they love each other and they went through hell and high water for each other as lovers.
In related non-loverly news, I did see the finale of Doctor Who and forgot to post about it. So yeah, forgot to post that I saw the finale with Nine and the Daleks and Rose with vortex in her head and Jack being heroic and it was every bit as spectacular and wonderful as it was supposed to be and the Doctor sacrificed himself for Rose and Rose sacrificed herself for the Doctor and everyone sacrficed himself for everyone else (though why did Rose bring just Jack back to life and no one else?) and the God of the Daleks was freaky as hell and I loved Nine's choice between coward or killer "coward. Coward any day" because he can't do the seeing the world viped out thing again. And I felt horrible for him disappearing (to save Rose) even though of course he regenerates. His edge-of-insanity inspired babbling was apropos as always. He is Crichtonish that way. I loved the kiss, though I am afraid I am not a shipper. I see the OT3 between Doctor/Rose/Jack (OMG Jack kissing Nine AND Rose idenitically? Too cool) but the kiss between Nine and Rose really was to transfer energy, while of course pacifying fangirls. I do think Doctor loves her deeply and vice-versa, I just don't necessarily think it's a passionate romance type love. Just an excellent friend and someone who you think is attractive, but not necessarily the meshing of the two. Am I explaining myself. Which is just as well in light of the news going around the internets.
Also, David Tennant? Looks very British-stereotype. Please tell me he is more attractive in the new series because he kinda looks like a newt at the end of the last ep of season. I'll watch it anyway and hope I like, but I don't know. So much of my love was tied in with Christopher Eccleston's brilliant rendition of Nine, and with that whole character: fun and darkness and infectuous enthusiasm and a certain rough hard edge mixed in, that I don't know how I'll take to Ten.
Continuing this crazy, directionless ramble, the next item on the agenda is gorgeous pictures from The Banquet, a Chinese movie coming out in late 2006. The Banquet has been described as a loose adaptation of "Hamlet"; it is a tale of fate and revenge set in 10th century China. A new Emperor has usurped the throne through murder. Zhang Ziyi plays the widowed Empress, who marries the new Emperor (Ge You) only to protect herself, but also secretly plots his death with the help of the Crown Prince (Daniel Wu) and the Chief Minister (Ma Jingwu). Yet the Prince and Minister each have their own plans for the throne, and, of course, so does the Emperor. All these intrigues are brought to a climax when the Emperor calls for a lavish banquet, where the murderous plans are set in motion.
If you want to see more stills (there are over a hundred) and a trailer, go to: http://www.helloziyi.us/Movies/night-banquet.htm
And because it seems I cannot end a post without a Hayden Christensen picspam, here is the next batch:
katranna, this one's for you:
OK, I am all out of Hayden. Who should I picspam next? As long as they are reasonably attractive and someone I'd heard of, bring on the suggestions!
And thus ends the really long post. No wonder it took me days.