Feel Like I've Been Watching a Lot Lately
Also, finally got some books read. It's always nice to read and feel accomplished at the end of it. Got through Korda's 700 page biography on T E Lawrence, Hero. It was excellently done, especially considering how very conterversial Lawrence often is. Got through 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea as well. It was interesting for being such a male book, and very much a linking of fantastic adventures rather than dealing with any real character development or relationships. (Though Ned kept calling Conseil "Little cabbage" which cracked me up while confusing the crap out of me. Where the hell did that come from?)
Went to see the new Muppets Movie with my parents last night as an "end to Thanksgiving" sort of deal. Is it just me or are kid's movies getting more bizarre? I mean, the Muppets always sorta were, but the Muppets plus Puss in Boots has me wondering...
Also watched Sarah's Key this break. ... When I told dad I didn't think I could handle Downfall I sorta meant I didn't want to watch a French film about WWII either that night. >.> It was a stunning movie but holy hell. I almost wish Sarah's story hadn't ended that way, and I noticed once she grew up the agency of the story was taken away from her as the rest of the story was told by people around her whereas when she was trying to find her brother the entire story was told with her voice. Another thing I enjoyed about it was that it dealt with actual French guilt. So many times when dealing with WWII you hear it was all the Germans, and only the Germans. However, as soon as you get closer to a lot of the events and the countries, you start to notice how often it's not just the Germans deporting people or acting as guards are any other number of horrible events (Romania for instance has some of the most horrifying, mind boggling events of the entire war... done by Romanians not German soldiers). This movie actually brought that up by pointing out one awful event was not done by the Germans but by the French themselves. Of course it then gives a name and sympathetic story to a French soldier it does not to the Germans but we'll leave that alone for now.
And now to completely switch gears also watched the first two High School Musicals. Well, sorta rewatched. I watched the first one ages ago and fast forwarded through most of the songs and actually had only seen clips/read fics of the second one. I have to say... I actually enjoyed them. The first one is actually a decent (though rather rosy, pastel colored view of high school) film, if you take out the majority of the songs and most of the choreography. I'm sorry, no high school boy would do most of those dance moves. But, despite the lack of most darker social clicks (Even the "grunge"/skateboard kids were pastel colored) and a distinct lack of sympathy for the Evans, it was a nice story about being who you wanted to be, damn what other's say, and liking who you want to like. It's not a /bad/ message to send kids, even though there was the whole deal with them not kissing until the end of the second movie that feels off actually having seen high school relationships. They are not quite that cutesy.
I really did enjoy the second one. I actually only ever watched /any/ of these films because I shipped Ryan and Chad and that only got so much worse after seeing the entirety of the movie. They're the two characters I actually like in all the films so pairing them is sorta wonderful. I really enjoy Chad's character though, and he seems to grow in more subtle ways than Troy's mood swings.
In really happy news: New Once tonight! Finally! Two weeks felt like too long >.> I want this show out on DVD.
Went to see the new Muppets Movie with my parents last night as an "end to Thanksgiving" sort of deal. Is it just me or are kid's movies getting more bizarre? I mean, the Muppets always sorta were, but the Muppets plus Puss in Boots has me wondering...
Also watched Sarah's Key this break. ... When I told dad I didn't think I could handle Downfall I sorta meant I didn't want to watch a French film about WWII either that night. >.> It was a stunning movie but holy hell. I almost wish Sarah's story hadn't ended that way, and I noticed once she grew up the agency of the story was taken away from her as the rest of the story was told by people around her whereas when she was trying to find her brother the entire story was told with her voice. Another thing I enjoyed about it was that it dealt with actual French guilt. So many times when dealing with WWII you hear it was all the Germans, and only the Germans. However, as soon as you get closer to a lot of the events and the countries, you start to notice how often it's not just the Germans deporting people or acting as guards are any other number of horrible events (Romania for instance has some of the most horrifying, mind boggling events of the entire war... done by Romanians not German soldiers). This movie actually brought that up by pointing out one awful event was not done by the Germans but by the French themselves. Of course it then gives a name and sympathetic story to a French soldier it does not to the Germans but we'll leave that alone for now.
And now to completely switch gears also watched the first two High School Musicals. Well, sorta rewatched. I watched the first one ages ago and fast forwarded through most of the songs and actually had only seen clips/read fics of the second one. I have to say... I actually enjoyed them. The first one is actually a decent (though rather rosy, pastel colored view of high school) film, if you take out the majority of the songs and most of the choreography. I'm sorry, no high school boy would do most of those dance moves. But, despite the lack of most darker social clicks (Even the "grunge"/skateboard kids were pastel colored) and a distinct lack of sympathy for the Evans, it was a nice story about being who you wanted to be, damn what other's say, and liking who you want to like. It's not a /bad/ message to send kids, even though there was the whole deal with them not kissing until the end of the second movie that feels off actually having seen high school relationships. They are not quite that cutesy.
I really did enjoy the second one. I actually only ever watched /any/ of these films because I shipped Ryan and Chad and that only got so much worse after seeing the entirety of the movie. They're the two characters I actually like in all the films so pairing them is sorta wonderful. I really enjoy Chad's character though, and he seems to grow in more subtle ways than Troy's mood swings.
In really happy news: New Once tonight! Finally! Two weeks felt like too long >.> I want this show out on DVD.