Mini-reviews: The Hobbit and Tanith Lee's A Bed of Earth
Just got back from The Hobbit. It's funny - I assumed I'd be first in line to see it, but actually it turned out I wasn't in any great rush. I think a little bit of the wonder has rubbed off the Peter Jackson take on the LOTR-verse for me, although perhaps I should watch the originals. Actually, the first LOTR movie blew my tiny socks off, but the boulder of excess went screaming down the hill and over the cliff (just like Denethor) and although there are moments I deeply love in all three movies, there are also parts I severely eyeroll at.
So anyway, I wasn't first in line and was only sort of mostly interested in going to see it until my sister reminded me that bitchy elves riding on elks are always good reasons to see a movie. And it was kind of exactly what I expected, both in the good ways and the bad ways. I still want to move to Bag End or Rivendell, the whole thing was really pretty, Martin Freeman is pretty much a better lead than Elijah Wood was (although it was nice to see Frodo for a little bit) and most of the actors are appealing, even when their job is mostly to fall in a heap every so often. The thing is a big over-the-top extravaganza with very few quiet moments that aren't heavily foreshadowed by swelling string instruments, but Riddles in the Dark was brilliant. Thorin clearly travels with his own lighting crew and wind machine. I kind of fell in love with the Troll King. Radagast was alternately baffling and wonderful. There were a lot more battles with swarming CGI orcs and goblins than there needed to be. I enjoyed myself, but didn't have any of those heartwrenching moments of pure joy that I had from the trilogy. I'm pretty sure I'll see the next two, but I probably won't be first in line for those, either.
In other news, I just read a new-to-me Tanith Lee, Bed of Earth, one of the four in her Venus series. I haven't read any of the others, but this was a gorgeous, gorgeous book set in an alt-Venice and it's lush and creepy and sad and beautiful in much the same way as her Flat Earth books. I can't reread her books too often because they're like eating boozy cherry cordial chocolates - too intense to make a big meal out of - but every time I do I fall a little bit more in love with her ability to evoke beauty.
Also, now I'm kind of terrified by flamingos. Thanks, Ms. Lee.
This entry was originally posted at http://sienamystic.dreamwidth.org/439719.html. Please comment here or there using OpenID.
So anyway, I wasn't first in line and was only sort of mostly interested in going to see it until my sister reminded me that bitchy elves riding on elks are always good reasons to see a movie. And it was kind of exactly what I expected, both in the good ways and the bad ways. I still want to move to Bag End or Rivendell, the whole thing was really pretty, Martin Freeman is pretty much a better lead than Elijah Wood was (although it was nice to see Frodo for a little bit) and most of the actors are appealing, even when their job is mostly to fall in a heap every so often. The thing is a big over-the-top extravaganza with very few quiet moments that aren't heavily foreshadowed by swelling string instruments, but Riddles in the Dark was brilliant. Thorin clearly travels with his own lighting crew and wind machine. I kind of fell in love with the Troll King. Radagast was alternately baffling and wonderful. There were a lot more battles with swarming CGI orcs and goblins than there needed to be. I enjoyed myself, but didn't have any of those heartwrenching moments of pure joy that I had from the trilogy. I'm pretty sure I'll see the next two, but I probably won't be first in line for those, either.
In other news, I just read a new-to-me Tanith Lee, Bed of Earth, one of the four in her Venus series. I haven't read any of the others, but this was a gorgeous, gorgeous book set in an alt-Venice and it's lush and creepy and sad and beautiful in much the same way as her Flat Earth books. I can't reread her books too often because they're like eating boozy cherry cordial chocolates - too intense to make a big meal out of - but every time I do I fall a little bit more in love with her ability to evoke beauty.
Also, now I'm kind of terrified by flamingos. Thanks, Ms. Lee.
This entry was originally posted at http://sienamystic.dreamwidth.org/439719.html. Please comment here or there using OpenID.