Media update - The Pride / Hail, Caesar / The Night Manager / The X-Files / The Bone Clocks

[daasgrrl]

Another academic year, another quasi-fandom hiatus. Doing another degree sounded like a good idea at the time, and it's been well worth it, but I'm just about ready to be done. Cross fingers *g*

However I am still apparently compelled to keep track of my media consumption online, so, in brief:

- Saw The Pride (Darlnghurst Theatre Company) last

Comments

[clevermanka]

Ugh, I was afraid of that happening with Hail, Ceasar. I am not a fan of Coen brothers films. I'm sure they're great, they're just not my thing. The only one I think I can say I truly enjoyed was The Big Lebowski and I made sure I was baked out of my mind for it.

Can you expand a bit on The Night Manager? I don't mind eye-rolling plots, so silliness isn't a problem for me but tedium is.

[daasgrrl]

The thing is, *checks* I think this is only the second Coen Brothers' movie I've ever seen. I'm pretty sure I did see Raising Arizona. In the 80s. So I have no real comparison, but it just felt clever-clever as opposed to just, um, 'clever' *g*

Oh, it's not boring (yet), if that's your concern - I have very little in the way of attention span, but I'm here for Hiddles and Laurie and there is so much pretty in all respects that it's more than enough to keep me watching, so far, anyway. The eye-rolling is mostly for the "plot". And the obigatory femme fatale. (Olivia Colman does have quite a good role, but I heard that was originally written as male, surprise.) Also, I have my usual reservations about Tom Hiddleston's acting, although I'd say 70-80% of this so far is right in his wheelhouse, so that's all been going quite well. And, did I mention pretty? *g*

[clevermanka]

Thanks! It doesn't sound too bad, then...yet. =)

[splix]

I haven't watched The Night Manager yet, but I plan to, because Hiddles. However, I'm not a fan of Le Carre at ALL so I'm not expecting to be entertained.

That's so disappointing about Hail Caesar. I am hit or miss with the Coen Brothers - O Brother Where Art Thou is a favorite, but so much other stuff just doesn't do it for me, so maybe it's good I missed it in the cinema [it's gone here already]. I'll catch it on the small screen.

Thanks for the book rec! He's the guy who wrote Cloud Atlas, yes? That's on my to-read pile. :)

I see you posted a new chapter, woo. :D :D

[daasgrrl]

Did you not like Tinker, Tailor? I enjoyed that, but then it was Oldman and BC *g*. This one's definitely a throwback to another era with a lovely glossy sheen to make it more palatable. IMO.

I was just saying above that I know they're legendary but I haven't seen one of their films since Raising Arizona and that was a long time ago! So I'll know in future, and even if you are keen to see it, yeah, no rush. There are a few moments I did really enjoy, but I'm still not about to become a big fan *g*

He is! I haven't see Cloud Atlas, and the person who I borrowed the book from was given it by someone else, so didn't have that one. But I always meant to see that movie, so it's now on my list. But even not having read or seen it, I can see this one has a bit of the same idea, anyway, with people or soul-like entities moving through different bodies and such. Love to know whether you enjoy CA when you get to it!

Hee - I hope to get there eventually. Hope all is ticking along nicely for you as well :)

[splix]

I thought TTSS was nice to look at and I enjoyed the performances, but the story dragged its ass all over and I was glad when it was done.

I think there are definitely affectations in Coen brothers movies - sometimes I enjoy them, and sometimes they make me roll my eyes. That's largely dependent on the actors, actually. I'll be curious to know what you think of another film of theirs if you watch it.

If I ever finish my goddamn story I'm keen to read CA!

[davesmusictank]

Once read i heartily recommend Mitchell's Cloud Atlas novel. Just awesome IMHO.

[daasgrrl]

I feel there are a lot of overlapping themes in both novels, or at least I get a similar general impression of them. I've got the movie to watch first, and then maybe the book *g*

[donutgirl]

Ah, I found Hail Caesar very enjoyable, but I love absolutely everything the Coen Bros have ever done, so I know I view their stuff more generously than most people would. I'm willing to cut them slack that I might not grant other directors.

otoh, I don't care for David Mitchell at all, lol. different strokes! I do agree that he knows his way around a sentence.

Incidentally, the original London/NY casts sound like they would have been amazing - JJ Feild and Bertie Carvel in London, Hugh Dancy/Ben Whishaw in NY. Guh. Anyway, it was worth seeing for the ideas, and some of the acting, but a bit hit-and-miss overall.

oh wow, yeah, that sounds like it would be fantastic. a shame your production was lackluster. it sounds like an interesting concept...

[daasgrrl]

It felt very self-indulgent to me, but I guess if you like them then you're on board that train with them and you're all friends and it's fine? That's what I'm kind of assuming, anyway *g*

(Just to add I did really enjoy the sailor dance number - surprise - and Ralph Fiennes attempting to school the cowpoke. Or basically, Ralph Fiennes in general *g*)

I admit I don't have a particular fondness for his characters or plots or emotional... whatever... but I do admire his writing immensely.

Yeah, I think despite some weaknesses I think it could have been amazing in the hands of a talented cast. I probably wouldn't go quite so far as 'lacklustre' in my idiosyncratic definitions, but it wasn't quite as shiny as I'd hoped for, certainly *g*

[donutgirl]

Just to add I did really enjoy the sailor dance number - surprise - and Ralph Fiennes attempting to school the cowpoke. Or basically, Ralph Fiennes in general *g*

those were definitely my favorite parts too. :)

[dioscureantwins]

Oh, that's too bad the Hail Ceasar trailer is so different from the actual film but I guess I will go anyway. There's but a few Coen films I really didn't like so I'll happily take the chance

[daasgrrl]

Well, here we are, back on familiar territory *g*. You'll probably lovely Hail, Caesar, and I hated Room. Probably hate is too strong a word, but I found it overly simplistic, not at all believable, and the "childlike" writing style drove me up the wall. It did however make it extremely easy to read, which is at least partly why I think it's so insanely popular. Needless to say, I won't be seeing the movie *g*

When is your academic year? Ours just started this week :)

[dioscureantwins]

So it seems. :) Did we read the same book, I wonder? Good heavens, we'll probably even disagree on what exactly turns the frumptious BC into such a glorious specimen. *LOL*

Our academic year starts in September. This weekend it's information weekend and the city is filled to bursting with enthusiastic youngsters accompanied by parents visiting the different faculties. The accompanied by parents part boggles me.