It is a truth universally acknowledged that MK will see all films concerning Jane Austen
I don't think I can acurately express to you how little I want to go to work today...
On a related note (i.e. never wanting to go to my craptacular job) I checked up on that Merchandising job at B&N Corporate that I applied for. Apparently, they resubmitted the position to HotJobs on the 8th, so I resubmitted my resume. I'm hoping they just want more employment options and didn't just immediately put my resume in the circular file.
Speaking of the trials and tribulations ever-present in the world of bookselling: booksellers. Despite the fact I know I'm not an island in my exasperation, it's reassuring to actually read it.
Yesterday, despite the terrible (and lingering) nasty weather, was quite delightful. Rebecca was in town after seeing Beckham and the L.A. Galaxy take on the NY Red Bulls (still the worst name change ever). So, we went to Zoe's (this breakfast place in town), home of the orgasmic gingerbread pancakes. Then, a few hours later, I get a call from Terri. She and Ed were on the NJ Turnpike heading back from the City after seeing Rent. So, they took the short detour, and the three of us went to dinner. Two fabulously wonderful surprises getting to see some of the Balto people. And, Denise came over later and we watched The Sea Hawk, because Errol Flynn is awesome, she'd never seen it, and she's been on a classic movie kick.
Speaking of Denise (who was visiting randomly this weekend, too, but I had known she was going to be here ahead of time), she and I went to see Becoming Jane the other night.
I must admit, I was disappointed with this film. I think that, essentially, it's not really a film made for Jane Austen fans. It wanted to be the Austenite version of Shakespeare in Love, but it wasn't witty or playful enough by far (which is very odd, considering Austen's best works are filled to the brim with wit and playfulness). Also, as much as I like Anne Hathaway and James McAvoy, I didn't believe they were really in love with one another. I more had the impression that they were like brother and sister, sharing little secrets about life in the country that they both found hilarious. There just wasn't that passionate love between them that the story needed.
The other thing I didn't like was how they basically said this romance inspired Jane Austen to write Pride & Prejudice. The two storylines really have little to nothing to do with one another. If anything, I could have understood Sense & Sensibility, with Jane as Marianne Dashwood (sans the life threatening illness and Colonel Brandon at the end), Tom Lefroy as Mr. Willoughby, Cassandra Austen as Elinor Dashwood and her fiance (who, sadly, dies of yellow fever) as Mr. Ferrars. Many of the character-types in P&P are present in the film (overbearing mother, meddling and pompous dowager aunt, awkward austere young man in line to inherit money with an eye for the heroine, bemused father), but all of that was really just written in by screenwriters.
There was also something else missing in the film which I can't quite put my finger on. It was a nice movie, but it didn't have that sparkle that the books (or the book adaptations) do. And it really has nothing to do with the fact that Jane and Tom don't end up together! Will and Viola don't in Shakespeare in Love either, and nor do Holden and Alyssa in Chasing Amy (another movie about an extraordinary relationship inspiring maturity and new creative heights), and I love both of those movies. I don't know...it was just emotionally unstatifying for me. Granted, my expectations were high (I wanted to love this movie), but it kind of fell flat for me.
Anyway, waiting for laundry to dry. Then, alas - work. :P
On a related note (i.e. never wanting to go to my craptacular job) I checked up on that Merchandising job at B&N Corporate that I applied for. Apparently, they resubmitted the position to HotJobs on the 8th, so I resubmitted my resume. I'm hoping they just want more employment options and didn't just immediately put my resume in the circular file.
Speaking of the trials and tribulations ever-present in the world of bookselling: booksellers. Despite the fact I know I'm not an island in my exasperation, it's reassuring to actually read it.
Yesterday, despite the terrible (and lingering) nasty weather, was quite delightful. Rebecca was in town after seeing Beckham and the L.A. Galaxy take on the NY Red Bulls (still the worst name change ever). So, we went to Zoe's (this breakfast place in town), home of the orgasmic gingerbread pancakes. Then, a few hours later, I get a call from Terri. She and Ed were on the NJ Turnpike heading back from the City after seeing Rent. So, they took the short detour, and the three of us went to dinner. Two fabulously wonderful surprises getting to see some of the Balto people. And, Denise came over later and we watched The Sea Hawk, because Errol Flynn is awesome, she'd never seen it, and she's been on a classic movie kick.
Speaking of Denise (who was visiting randomly this weekend, too, but I had known she was going to be here ahead of time), she and I went to see Becoming Jane the other night.
I must admit, I was disappointed with this film. I think that, essentially, it's not really a film made for Jane Austen fans. It wanted to be the Austenite version of Shakespeare in Love, but it wasn't witty or playful enough by far (which is very odd, considering Austen's best works are filled to the brim with wit and playfulness). Also, as much as I like Anne Hathaway and James McAvoy, I didn't believe they were really in love with one another. I more had the impression that they were like brother and sister, sharing little secrets about life in the country that they both found hilarious. There just wasn't that passionate love between them that the story needed.
The other thing I didn't like was how they basically said this romance inspired Jane Austen to write Pride & Prejudice. The two storylines really have little to nothing to do with one another. If anything, I could have understood Sense & Sensibility, with Jane as Marianne Dashwood (sans the life threatening illness and Colonel Brandon at the end), Tom Lefroy as Mr. Willoughby, Cassandra Austen as Elinor Dashwood and her fiance (who, sadly, dies of yellow fever) as Mr. Ferrars. Many of the character-types in P&P are present in the film (overbearing mother, meddling and pompous dowager aunt, awkward austere young man in line to inherit money with an eye for the heroine, bemused father), but all of that was really just written in by screenwriters.
There was also something else missing in the film which I can't quite put my finger on. It was a nice movie, but it didn't have that sparkle that the books (or the book adaptations) do. And it really has nothing to do with the fact that Jane and Tom don't end up together! Will and Viola don't in Shakespeare in Love either, and nor do Holden and Alyssa in Chasing Amy (another movie about an extraordinary relationship inspiring maturity and new creative heights), and I love both of those movies. I don't know...it was just emotionally unstatifying for me. Granted, my expectations were high (I wanted to love this movie), but it kind of fell flat for me.
Anyway, waiting for laundry to dry. Then, alas - work. :P