Especially when it's with something you once loved so much. Am I right, or am I right? It's messy at the very least. But if it's necessary, you have to do it. So, here goes.
Blog, I'm breaking up with you. It's not you. It's me. Specifically, I've outgrown you. Maybe it is you, then, but don't take it personally. After all, I'm not deleting you or erasing you from existence. And we'll always have those fond memories of 4 a.m. posts and 3000 word rants. And think of all the friends we made! I'll keep those. Oh, and I'm taking my BlogRoll with me.
To WordPress.
I understand if you feel betrayed, but let's face it: the passion has been missing for quite some time. My last post was literally 6 months ago. Please don't get upset. You'll always have a special place in my heart and I'll link back to you on the new blog. We had so much fun! The time to move on has come, though, and I'm ready for something new.
Phew. That wasn't so bad.... Does anyone have a tissue? Or several? Sorry, I'm a weepy person.
If anyone is curious, or still reading despite me taking another long break (sorry about that, too, kids), I've moved to here:
Beyond The Panels
It's still very much under construction, but the first post will be up very soon.
Much love and thanks,
Amanda
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Sunday, January 28, 2007
The Intro Theme Song to this Post is "Movies" Repeated to Beethoven's "Ode to Joy"
Seriously, I always loved that jingle. It was for like AMC or some other movie channel. It always gets stuck in your head no matter how hard you try not to let it stick there. Oops, is it sutck in your head now? My bad.
This post begins with some FANTASTIC news. Really, I cried with joy when I heard this the other day.
KATIE HOLMES WILL NOT BE IN THE DARK KNIGHT!
She was the worst part of Batman Begins, so now that she's gone, it can only get better. PLUS, it's rumored that Rachel McAdams will be the new female lead. I can't begin to guess who her part would actually be, but who cares. McAdams can act. (I admit it... I like both The Notebook and Red Eye!)
So, my outlook onlife has been bright today. Don't worry, though. It will have no affect on the following quickie movie reviews. As usual, I've seen alot of movies since I last posted and, actually, most of them were good.
To start, Children of Men rocked my world just like I knew it would. Not only is Clive Owen absolutely amazing, but so is Alfonso Cuaron. This director is an artist. This ain't no shiny version of the future. It is our present. The houses look the same, as do the coffee shops and the cars. The only differences are in the technology, such as the computer models, which would be expected. This is a future you can believe in because it's not outlandish or apocalyptically extreme. The end of the species isn't going to be sudden or biblical. It's coming gradually and no one can stop it and no one is trying to make it easier. The world is just falling apart a little more each day, all because there haven't been any babies born in about 18 years. So, yes, I'm a sucker for realism. I like how Theo wasn't perfect; he made plenty of mistakes and he forgot his shoes. People died, but I never felt cheated or that someone's murder was a cheap way to get me to sympathize. There was no clear right or wrong. The "good" guys were just as bad as the government, leaving Theo and Kee to get out on their own. And, sort of like Leo's character in Blood Diamond, both Theo and Kee go through a believable character transformation. Then you have the cinematography whic was just breathtaking (seriously, I don't remember breathing throughout the entire ghetto escape scene.) And the sets purposely recall movies made about the Holocaust which goes to show you that even the future, history has a way of rearing its ugly head. Most of all, I loved the open-ending, and the fact that you could interpret it any way that you wanted. There was hope within the madness. If you want to get your message across, you can't just ram depressing scenes down your audience's throats. Humans respond to hope and that chance for redemption. Lastly, the tracks picked for the background music were surprisingly perfect. This was one of the best movies I have ever seen and I can't wait for its DVD release.
Babel, on the other hand, was the most depressing movie I have ever seen. Which isn't to say it was bad. In fact, it was outstanding, but it's not something that I will probably ever watch again. It's a movie with an important message, one of the msot triking lines being the newscaster that reports "The Americans got their happy ending" (or something like that). In fact, and I don't know if this was the director's intent, but I found myself feeling way more sympathetic for the Moroccan and Mexican families than for the American one. The jumpy storytelling was slightly jarring, but I like dhow it came full circle in the end, with the phone conversation between the maid, Amelia, and the wealthy American, Richard, being shot from the hospital rather than the house. My favorite scene of all, though, was one when the sound was finally off for the deaf girl in the club, and we sort of got to experience what that was like for her. I was so excited to hear that Rinko Kikuchi and Adriana Barraza were nominated for Oscars because they were awesome. Oh, and the music, which won a Golden Globe, was fascinating- very different from most scores I've ever heard. I'd be more likely to buy the soundtrack than the movie, though.
Speaking of Oscar nominations, I finally got to see Little Miss Sunshine! And I laughed so hard and so loud that I was crying and my throat hurt. It's probably a good thing that I didn't see it in theatres, as I wold have been self-conscious about laughing and laughed less. At home, I could laugh as much as I wanted. Anyways, it was nice to see a dysfunctional family that still to0k care of each other. Abigail Breslin was absolutely adorable and Steve Carrell manages to bring the funny to even small parts. Greg Kinnear and Toni Collette sort of take the back seat to the other four principals, but they have their moments, as well. I didn't know what to expect from Paul Dano, but he was great. Alan Arkin, of course, takes the cake. It was too bad he had to bow out early for sake of the plot, for I would have liked to see his reaction to the pageant. Overall, this was genuinely funny and sweet at the same time. I'll be sad if i doesn't get the awards that it deserves.
And my last review for today is for The Illusionist. I didn't know what to expect from this movie, but I was pleasantly surprised. Whereas a certain other movie about magicians spent alot of time breaking magic down to its barest elements, this movie doesn't reveal its secrets until the end, so you never know what is real and what's an illusion. Alright, I suppose that I figured out the end early on, but the sets, costumes and cinematography made it all worth watching. The acting was good, too. I mean, we all know that Ed Norton is talented, as is Paul Giamatti, but Rufus Sewell has made some questionable choices in the past and Jessica Biel was unproven. Well, the entire ensemble was remarkable in this one. I appreciated the fact that the romance, rivalry and mystery were balanced in the amout of time they took in the plot. There was no one element that took over, and all three interacted in such a way that the story hinged on it. (I'm trying so hard not to give things away that I'm sounding vague.) There was one moment at the end that I hadn't anticipated, but it worked and made sense given the plot. Overall, a happy ending, one much needed after seeing so many depressing ones. Can't say you should definitely buy this one, but it's definitely worth a rental.
Well, no pictures today because I'm feeling lazy. If anyone else has seen a good mvoie lately, please let me know. I'm on the hunt for films that won't waste my time. Since I only have two classes D term, I'll probably sign up for Blockbuster online again and make it my job to watch movies, so expect lots of reviews in the coming months!
This post begins with some FANTASTIC news. Really, I cried with joy when I heard this the other day.
KATIE HOLMES WILL NOT BE IN THE DARK KNIGHT!
She was the worst part of Batman Begins, so now that she's gone, it can only get better. PLUS, it's rumored that Rachel McAdams will be the new female lead. I can't begin to guess who her part would actually be, but who cares. McAdams can act. (I admit it... I like both The Notebook and Red Eye!)
So, my outlook onlife has been bright today. Don't worry, though. It will have no affect on the following quickie movie reviews. As usual, I've seen alot of movies since I last posted and, actually, most of them were good.
To start, Children of Men rocked my world just like I knew it would. Not only is Clive Owen absolutely amazing, but so is Alfonso Cuaron. This director is an artist. This ain't no shiny version of the future. It is our present. The houses look the same, as do the coffee shops and the cars. The only differences are in the technology, such as the computer models, which would be expected. This is a future you can believe in because it's not outlandish or apocalyptically extreme. The end of the species isn't going to be sudden or biblical. It's coming gradually and no one can stop it and no one is trying to make it easier. The world is just falling apart a little more each day, all because there haven't been any babies born in about 18 years. So, yes, I'm a sucker for realism. I like how Theo wasn't perfect; he made plenty of mistakes and he forgot his shoes. People died, but I never felt cheated or that someone's murder was a cheap way to get me to sympathize. There was no clear right or wrong. The "good" guys were just as bad as the government, leaving Theo and Kee to get out on their own. And, sort of like Leo's character in Blood Diamond, both Theo and Kee go through a believable character transformation. Then you have the cinematography whic was just breathtaking (seriously, I don't remember breathing throughout the entire ghetto escape scene.) And the sets purposely recall movies made about the Holocaust which goes to show you that even the future, history has a way of rearing its ugly head. Most of all, I loved the open-ending, and the fact that you could interpret it any way that you wanted. There was hope within the madness. If you want to get your message across, you can't just ram depressing scenes down your audience's throats. Humans respond to hope and that chance for redemption. Lastly, the tracks picked for the background music were surprisingly perfect. This was one of the best movies I have ever seen and I can't wait for its DVD release.
Babel, on the other hand, was the most depressing movie I have ever seen. Which isn't to say it was bad. In fact, it was outstanding, but it's not something that I will probably ever watch again. It's a movie with an important message, one of the msot triking lines being the newscaster that reports "The Americans got their happy ending" (or something like that). In fact, and I don't know if this was the director's intent, but I found myself feeling way more sympathetic for the Moroccan and Mexican families than for the American one. The jumpy storytelling was slightly jarring, but I like dhow it came full circle in the end, with the phone conversation between the maid, Amelia, and the wealthy American, Richard, being shot from the hospital rather than the house. My favorite scene of all, though, was one when the sound was finally off for the deaf girl in the club, and we sort of got to experience what that was like for her. I was so excited to hear that Rinko Kikuchi and Adriana Barraza were nominated for Oscars because they were awesome. Oh, and the music, which won a Golden Globe, was fascinating- very different from most scores I've ever heard. I'd be more likely to buy the soundtrack than the movie, though.
Speaking of Oscar nominations, I finally got to see Little Miss Sunshine! And I laughed so hard and so loud that I was crying and my throat hurt. It's probably a good thing that I didn't see it in theatres, as I wold have been self-conscious about laughing and laughed less. At home, I could laugh as much as I wanted. Anyways, it was nice to see a dysfunctional family that still to0k care of each other. Abigail Breslin was absolutely adorable and Steve Carrell manages to bring the funny to even small parts. Greg Kinnear and Toni Collette sort of take the back seat to the other four principals, but they have their moments, as well. I didn't know what to expect from Paul Dano, but he was great. Alan Arkin, of course, takes the cake. It was too bad he had to bow out early for sake of the plot, for I would have liked to see his reaction to the pageant. Overall, this was genuinely funny and sweet at the same time. I'll be sad if i doesn't get the awards that it deserves.
And my last review for today is for The Illusionist. I didn't know what to expect from this movie, but I was pleasantly surprised. Whereas a certain other movie about magicians spent alot of time breaking magic down to its barest elements, this movie doesn't reveal its secrets until the end, so you never know what is real and what's an illusion. Alright, I suppose that I figured out the end early on, but the sets, costumes and cinematography made it all worth watching. The acting was good, too. I mean, we all know that Ed Norton is talented, as is Paul Giamatti, but Rufus Sewell has made some questionable choices in the past and Jessica Biel was unproven. Well, the entire ensemble was remarkable in this one. I appreciated the fact that the romance, rivalry and mystery were balanced in the amout of time they took in the plot. There was no one element that took over, and all three interacted in such a way that the story hinged on it. (I'm trying so hard not to give things away that I'm sounding vague.) There was one moment at the end that I hadn't anticipated, but it worked and made sense given the plot. Overall, a happy ending, one much needed after seeing so many depressing ones. Can't say you should definitely buy this one, but it's definitely worth a rental.
Well, no pictures today because I'm feeling lazy. If anyone else has seen a good mvoie lately, please let me know. I'm on the hunt for films that won't waste my time. Since I only have two classes D term, I'll probably sign up for Blockbuster online again and make it my job to watch movies, so expect lots of reviews in the coming months!
Friday, January 12, 2007
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So, I read this post by Reb via Newsarama and found it very interesting for several reasons. It wasn't the first time I had heard a similar frightening story. For a while, I was totally scared to go into any comic book store whatsoever precisely because of other women's experiences like that one... despite the fact that I have been playing D&D and Magic since I was 12 and hung out in a smaller comic book store playing TCGS until I was a sophomore in high school. (The only reason I stopped visiting was because marching band took over my life that year.) In fact, I have been some form of a comic book fan since I was about five years old and got hooked on the X-Men cartoon. So, why was I nevous to step into a CBS after several years absence? Well, because I had grown up and was no longer a "child" comic book fan but an "adult female" fan and, you know, things change when your classification changes.
Eventually, I got over that fear and found out it was completely unfounded. I have never entered a comic book store and felt uncomfortable just because I was a woman. Of course, I'm not a weekly visitor. I usually go in once a month to collect everything from that month that I'm interested in reading (which is usually maybe three books), but over the last year or so, that adds up to a lot of potential awkward situations. I really only visit two stores, New England Comics in Brockton and That's Entertainment in Worcester. (You know, I tried Newbury Comics a few times, but they never have what I want.) Every single one of the people that work there (and they're all guys) have been nothing but nice to me. And when I talk to them, it's always about positive stuff, not to criticize the big two and be all snobby about indie comics.
As for other customers... most of the other customers don't go up to people they don't know and initiate a Geek Challenge. I don't know, maybe it's a New England thing. We're known for bad driving and not being the most outgoing of regions. Even if they did, I've never gotten the feeling that my choices were being appraised or mocked. And, actually, now that I think about it, the people I see shopping in those two stores are not, you know, the stereotypical socially stunted geek. I've seen elderly men come in with their canes, jocks still wearing their practice clothes... I mean, my sisters, my Dad and I are all "geeks" by the standard that we also like LotR, Monty Python and Star Wars, but we can hold conversations like normal people over other stuff, too. Geekiness doesn't define us. Although, I suppose I should note that I have never seen another woman in comic book store that wasn't one of my sisters or friends (or my Mom) that I dragged along with me.
The people at my school, however, are a totally different story. To be fair, not everyone at WPI is a geek. There's a specific subculture of really dedicated geeks who put the rest of us to shame. In many of my interactions with groups of them, I have found myself exceedingly uncomfortable. (Hmm, maybe that's why I developed a fear of comic book stores.) WPI attracts antagonistc, argumentative people anyways, and it just gets worse with people who somehow feel like they need to defend an imaginary claim to geekdom. I don't get it, so I gave up trying. I'm much happier being a "mild" geek than a Geek Queen who's always under pressure to recite lines from Monty Python and the Holy Grail or debate the effing Force. It was at a club meeting that I got the shocked "You own the book for V for Vendetta?" and at a party where I was told "Girls don't read comics."
("Funny, because actually they DO... douche bag.")
And, you know, I could get caught up in the one-up-manship and the snobbery, but I just don't care. I may not have the entirety of the DC and Marvel continuities in my head, but I like what I like and if you want to tell me I'm wrong, go ahead. In the end, you just look like a prick and being able to laugh at you is good enough for me.
But I can definitely understand how such treatment could bother people (it bothers me more, I think, when it's about academic stuff and not comics) and why it would make them angry. Is it really so hard to be polite? Or to be welcoming to another fan rather than derisive? There's a difference between friendly debate and trying to understand another person's point of view. Like, instead of claiming that Batman is better than Superman and refusing to acknowledge that someone else may like Supes, why don't you ask, "Hey, so what is it about Superman that you like so much?" Seriously, it's a sign of maturity.
Well, anyways, I guess I've been lucky with the non-creepiness at the comic book stores. It's too bad that it does happen, because it's either going to drive more people to purchase online, more women to drop comics all together, or both. And CBS are such a ripe place for non-hostile discussion that it makes me sad to hear that people aren't having fun when they pop in to pick up their books.
Ooooo, I know. The next time, I go into a store, I think I'll ask someone if that book they're holding is any good and what they like about it. Who knows, maybe I'll find a reason to try it out myself. So, I challenge you to do the same. Strike up a friendly conversation with someone you don't know about something you are both interested in. I mean, that is how friends get made, right?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Also, happy new year everyone! As soon as i get my pictures uploaded, I'll write about San Diego and how awesome it is. (But not until after the football game on Sunday. I have to be anti-San Diego until then haha.) Oh, and I'm going to see Children of Men tonight and will write a review for it. It will probably be unabashedly gushing with praise, just to warn you ;)
Eventually, I got over that fear and found out it was completely unfounded. I have never entered a comic book store and felt uncomfortable just because I was a woman. Of course, I'm not a weekly visitor. I usually go in once a month to collect everything from that month that I'm interested in reading (which is usually maybe three books), but over the last year or so, that adds up to a lot of potential awkward situations. I really only visit two stores, New England Comics in Brockton and That's Entertainment in Worcester. (You know, I tried Newbury Comics a few times, but they never have what I want.) Every single one of the people that work there (and they're all guys) have been nothing but nice to me. And when I talk to them, it's always about positive stuff, not to criticize the big two and be all snobby about indie comics.
As for other customers... most of the other customers don't go up to people they don't know and initiate a Geek Challenge. I don't know, maybe it's a New England thing. We're known for bad driving and not being the most outgoing of regions. Even if they did, I've never gotten the feeling that my choices were being appraised or mocked. And, actually, now that I think about it, the people I see shopping in those two stores are not, you know, the stereotypical socially stunted geek. I've seen elderly men come in with their canes, jocks still wearing their practice clothes... I mean, my sisters, my Dad and I are all "geeks" by the standard that we also like LotR, Monty Python and Star Wars, but we can hold conversations like normal people over other stuff, too. Geekiness doesn't define us. Although, I suppose I should note that I have never seen another woman in comic book store that wasn't one of my sisters or friends (or my Mom) that I dragged along with me.
The people at my school, however, are a totally different story. To be fair, not everyone at WPI is a geek. There's a specific subculture of really dedicated geeks who put the rest of us to shame. In many of my interactions with groups of them, I have found myself exceedingly uncomfortable. (Hmm, maybe that's why I developed a fear of comic book stores.) WPI attracts antagonistc, argumentative people anyways, and it just gets worse with people who somehow feel like they need to defend an imaginary claim to geekdom. I don't get it, so I gave up trying. I'm much happier being a "mild" geek than a Geek Queen who's always under pressure to recite lines from Monty Python and the Holy Grail or debate the effing Force. It was at a club meeting that I got the shocked "You own the book for V for Vendetta?" and at a party where I was told "Girls don't read comics."
("Funny, because actually they DO... douche bag.")
And, you know, I could get caught up in the one-up-manship and the snobbery, but I just don't care. I may not have the entirety of the DC and Marvel continuities in my head, but I like what I like and if you want to tell me I'm wrong, go ahead. In the end, you just look like a prick and being able to laugh at you is good enough for me.
But I can definitely understand how such treatment could bother people (it bothers me more, I think, when it's about academic stuff and not comics) and why it would make them angry. Is it really so hard to be polite? Or to be welcoming to another fan rather than derisive? There's a difference between friendly debate and trying to understand another person's point of view. Like, instead of claiming that Batman is better than Superman and refusing to acknowledge that someone else may like Supes, why don't you ask, "Hey, so what is it about Superman that you like so much?" Seriously, it's a sign of maturity.
Well, anyways, I guess I've been lucky with the non-creepiness at the comic book stores. It's too bad that it does happen, because it's either going to drive more people to purchase online, more women to drop comics all together, or both. And CBS are such a ripe place for non-hostile discussion that it makes me sad to hear that people aren't having fun when they pop in to pick up their books.
Ooooo, I know. The next time, I go into a store, I think I'll ask someone if that book they're holding is any good and what they like about it. Who knows, maybe I'll find a reason to try it out myself. So, I challenge you to do the same. Strike up a friendly conversation with someone you don't know about something you are both interested in. I mean, that is how friends get made, right?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Also, happy new year everyone! As soon as i get my pictures uploaded, I'll write about San Diego and how awesome it is. (But not until after the football game on Sunday. I have to be anti-San Diego until then haha.) Oh, and I'm going to see Children of Men tonight and will write a review for it. It will probably be unabashedly gushing with praise, just to warn you ;)
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Chick Flick Quickies
I can't help it. I like chick flicks. This fascination is encoded in my DNA. It must be, because no matter how hard I try to resist the cotton candy silly fluffiness that is the chick flick genre, I get pulled in time after time. Furthermore, because my best friends are girls and my family is overwhelmingly female (yes, bestow some pity on my father who would be happy just watching war and sports movies), I find myself watching chick flicks all of the time. Hence, I consider myself to be anexcellent jusdge of what makes a good chick flick. What follows is five short reviews of the chick flicks I watched in the last two weeks.
And if you think five is alot, you're right. I've been in a totally dreamy state of mind with my brain threatening to dribble out of my ears.
The Holiday: What I love about chick flicks is that they don't pretend to be serious or pretentious. They are conscientiously goofy and meant to make you laugh with heir silliness. I'm not sure how this became a stable of the genre, but it works. Just think, most women are not movie stars like Kate Winslet or Cameron Diaz. But we are prone to being goofy and doing irredeemably embarassing things. Oh, and we all want to find that perfect mate but have been known to chase after someone completely wrong for us. In The Holiday, our two main characters are typical women. Amanda is overworked and incapable of emotional intimacy. Iris is a wet rag who still wants her ex-boyfriend. They're easy to relate to despite being drop dead gorgeous, and likeable despite their shortcomings. The key to a good chick flick is a heroine or heroines that the audience will care about. The Holiday delivers in this respect.
Then, of course, the supporting cast must be equally flawed but endearing. Graham (Jude Law) starts off sketchy, but surprises you with his real story. Jack Black's presence as Milo, a film composer, is somewhat jarring, seeing as I'm used to him being slobby characters, but he works here, being so totally goofy that you can't help but want the best for him. And that, of course, means he has to get together with Iris. Likewise with Amanda and Graham.
Yes, you always know how a chick flick is going to end, usually within the first 15 minutes of the movie. So guessing what's going to happen isn't as important as watching how it happens. The surprise should be in the journey, not the destination. The Holiday also follows this golden rule nicely. Myself and my friends laughed along the path by which the women finally get their men. As ridiculous as the whole premise is, it's easy to get lost in this movie and wish it could happen to you. Other narrative techniques, like the "trailers" of Amanda's life, are a nice touch, especially for those of us who love movies amd may, umm, think about our lives in the same way. And, if you're into classic Hollywood, you'll love the character of Arthur Abbott and the friendship he has with Iris. Lastly, the soundtrack is a mix of Christmas and pop songs which fit perfectly. I may have to hunt it down and add it to my collection.
Overall, The Holiday gets 4 out of 4 WarmAnFuzzies.*
The Devil Wears Prada: Remember how we're supposed to like the main character(s) in our chick flicks? Well, the director of The Devil Wears Prada, which just came out on DVD, apparently didn't get the memo. Anne Hathaway was nothing short of fantastic in the Princess Diaries movies and Ella Enchanted. She's done some interesting stuff since then, including roles in Havoc and Brokeback Mountain, but none that I felt were actually believable. She seems destined for a chick flick future, which may be frustrating for her, but fun for the rest of us. Alas, she picked a role with a completely unlikable main character. You can't like Andy Sachs at the beginning because she's a jerk. And you can't like her in the middle because she's still a jerk, just a more fashionable jerk. At the end, you just think she's stupid for having waited so long to quit her job. So heroine... not so heroic.
People were rving about Meryl Streep's performance, but I fail to see what was so great about it. Emily Blunt was funny as Emily (yes, that was her character's name) but she was also unlikable. There was absolutely nothing endearing about any of these characters. Andy's boyfriend was just kind of whiny and the other guy interested in her was a sleaze. Stanly Tucci was probably the only character who made me laugh. And in a chick flick comedy, if only one character is funny, you have a problem.
This one gets 1 out of 4 WarmAnFuzzies. The 1 is for dressing the characters up so nicely and showing middle America of what they can never hope to attain but giving us a reason to dream.
Step Up: This movie, which also just came out on DVD, will inevitably be compared to Save the Last Dance. Step Up is the kid-friendly version of StLD, the former being rated PG and the latter a PG-13. Neither of them are really meant to be comedies, but they're chick flicks in the sense that the target is 13 year old girls who want to be dancers and their mothers who always wanted to be dancers but couldn't and so are living vicariously through said daughters. Ironically enough, everyone in the movie is fairly likable except for the female lead, Nora (played by Jenna Dewar) the dancer, who is annoying, and her mother, who is a one-dimensional prop.
Channing Tatum and Damaine Radcliff do well as best friends on different paths. Actually, the movie is Tatum's. He's wicked cute and his wigga persona was spot on. The other suppprting characters shuffle through their cutesy prancing, and the dancing sequences are fun. There's nothing terrible about Step Up, but there's nothing really that great either.
Step Up gets 2 out of 4 WarmAnFuzzies. It would have gotten 3 if I hadn't already seen the same movie done better in Save the Last Dance and Center Stage.
Bridget Jones's Diary: This one isn't new, but I had to throw it in here because I did watch it. Bridget Jones remains the best chick flick ever even all these years later. I haven't seen the sequel, mostly because I don't want to ruin the original which was so fantastic. Let's see, frumpy, ridiculous heroine who manages to make us cheer despite being hopeless? Check. (Renee Zellweger is practically unrecognizable but amazing). Attractive both "other" guy and true love guy? Check. Happy ending? Check. I could go on, but suffice it to say that this movie is too awesome to ever be topped. If you like chick flicks and haven't seen this one, yet, well then what are you waiting for???
Miss Potter: This is an advance preview seeing as how Miss Potter hasn't come out yet. Yep, I got to see a sneak preview at the AMC Fenway in Boston. It ws kind of cool seeing as I was sitting right behind professional critics who *gasp* get paid for what they write.
This is the story of Beatrix Potter's life, the publishing of her books, and the man she loved. Renee Zellweger is, once again, amazing, as are everyone else in this movie. No wonder she got nominated for a Golden Globe. Ewan MacGregor is perfectly bumbling as Beatrix's love interest, Norman Warne, and her mother, played by Helen Potter, is perfectly meddlesome and haughty. The rest of the supporting cast is nothing short of charming and real.
The film manages to be funny without resorting to slapstick, and sad without being violent. (Yes, I got weepy. It happens.) The melodic theme is gorgeous, as is the complete soundtrack and photography It's a very tender story about a very important life. If your heart doesn't swell and burst after seeing this movie, you should probably go to the doctor because you're dead.
Miss Potter gets 7 out of 4 WarmAnFuzzies. Seriously. I have never seen anything so cute that I actually liked. And I suppose it isn't fair to call this one a Chick Flick. It's more of a biopic that men and women of all ages will enjoy. Of course, some people probably can't stand the cuteness, in which case they should stay away. We wouldn't want you waking up and deciding to move to the England countryside to be a children's author, now would we?
*This scale was invented by me. It's comparable to the usual "stars" given by critics, only more attention was given to how warm and fuzzy I felt when the movie was over.
And if you think five is alot, you're right. I've been in a totally dreamy state of mind with my brain threatening to dribble out of my ears.
The Holiday: What I love about chick flicks is that they don't pretend to be serious or pretentious. They are conscientiously goofy and meant to make you laugh with heir silliness. I'm not sure how this became a stable of the genre, but it works. Just think, most women are not movie stars like Kate Winslet or Cameron Diaz. But we are prone to being goofy and doing irredeemably embarassing things. Oh, and we all want to find that perfect mate but have been known to chase after someone completely wrong for us. In The Holiday, our two main characters are typical women. Amanda is overworked and incapable of emotional intimacy. Iris is a wet rag who still wants her ex-boyfriend. They're easy to relate to despite being drop dead gorgeous, and likeable despite their shortcomings. The key to a good chick flick is a heroine or heroines that the audience will care about. The Holiday delivers in this respect.Then, of course, the supporting cast must be equally flawed but endearing. Graham (Jude Law) starts off sketchy, but surprises you with his real story. Jack Black's presence as Milo, a film composer, is somewhat jarring, seeing as I'm used to him being slobby characters, but he works here, being so totally goofy that you can't help but want the best for him. And that, of course, means he has to get together with Iris. Likewise with Amanda and Graham.
Yes, you always know how a chick flick is going to end, usually within the first 15 minutes of the movie. So guessing what's going to happen isn't as important as watching how it happens. The surprise should be in the journey, not the destination. The Holiday also follows this golden rule nicely. Myself and my friends laughed along the path by which the women finally get their men. As ridiculous as the whole premise is, it's easy to get lost in this movie and wish it could happen to you. Other narrative techniques, like the "trailers" of Amanda's life, are a nice touch, especially for those of us who love movies amd may, umm, think about our lives in the same way. And, if you're into classic Hollywood, you'll love the character of Arthur Abbott and the friendship he has with Iris. Lastly, the soundtrack is a mix of Christmas and pop songs which fit perfectly. I may have to hunt it down and add it to my collection.
Overall, The Holiday gets 4 out of 4 WarmAnFuzzies.*
The Devil Wears Prada: Remember how we're supposed to like the main character(s) in our chick flicks? Well, the director of The Devil Wears Prada, which just came out on DVD, apparently didn't get the memo. Anne Hathaway was nothing short of fantastic in the Princess Diaries movies and Ella Enchanted. She's done some interesting stuff since then, including roles in Havoc and Brokeback Mountain, but none that I felt were actually believable. She seems destined for a chick flick future, which may be frustrating for her, but fun for the rest of us. Alas, she picked a role with a completely unlikable main character. You can't like Andy Sachs at the beginning because she's a jerk. And you can't like her in the middle because she's still a jerk, just a more fashionable jerk. At the end, you just think she's stupid for having waited so long to quit her job. So heroine... not so heroic.
People were rving about Meryl Streep's performance, but I fail to see what was so great about it. Emily Blunt was funny as Emily (yes, that was her character's name) but she was also unlikable. There was absolutely nothing endearing about any of these characters. Andy's boyfriend was just kind of whiny and the other guy interested in her was a sleaze. Stanly Tucci was probably the only character who made me laugh. And in a chick flick comedy, if only one character is funny, you have a problem.
This one gets 1 out of 4 WarmAnFuzzies. The 1 is for dressing the characters up so nicely and showing middle America of what they can never hope to attain but giving us a reason to dream.
Step Up: This movie, which also just came out on DVD, will inevitably be compared to Save the Last Dance. Step Up is the kid-friendly version of StLD, the former being rated PG and the latter a PG-13. Neither of them are really meant to be comedies, but they're chick flicks in the sense that the target is 13 year old girls who want to be dancers and their mothers who always wanted to be dancers but couldn't and so are living vicariously through said daughters. Ironically enough, everyone in the movie is fairly likable except for the female lead, Nora (played by Jenna Dewar) the dancer, who is annoying, and her mother, who is a one-dimensional prop.Channing Tatum and Damaine Radcliff do well as best friends on different paths. Actually, the movie is Tatum's. He's wicked cute and his wigga persona was spot on. The other suppprting characters shuffle through their cutesy prancing, and the dancing sequences are fun. There's nothing terrible about Step Up, but there's nothing really that great either.
Step Up gets 2 out of 4 WarmAnFuzzies. It would have gotten 3 if I hadn't already seen the same movie done better in Save the Last Dance and Center Stage.
Bridget Jones's Diary: This one isn't new, but I had to throw it in here because I did watch it. Bridget Jones remains the best chick flick ever even all these years later. I haven't seen the sequel, mostly because I don't want to ruin the original which was so fantastic. Let's see, frumpy, ridiculous heroine who manages to make us cheer despite being hopeless? Check. (Renee Zellweger is practically unrecognizable but amazing). Attractive both "other" guy and true love guy? Check. Happy ending? Check. I could go on, but suffice it to say that this movie is too awesome to ever be topped. If you like chick flicks and haven't seen this one, yet, well then what are you waiting for???
Miss Potter: This is an advance preview seeing as how Miss Potter hasn't come out yet. Yep, I got to see a sneak preview at the AMC Fenway in Boston. It ws kind of cool seeing as I was sitting right behind professional critics who *gasp* get paid for what they write.This is the story of Beatrix Potter's life, the publishing of her books, and the man she loved. Renee Zellweger is, once again, amazing, as are everyone else in this movie. No wonder she got nominated for a Golden Globe. Ewan MacGregor is perfectly bumbling as Beatrix's love interest, Norman Warne, and her mother, played by Helen Potter, is perfectly meddlesome and haughty. The rest of the supporting cast is nothing short of charming and real.
The film manages to be funny without resorting to slapstick, and sad without being violent. (Yes, I got weepy. It happens.) The melodic theme is gorgeous, as is the complete soundtrack and photography It's a very tender story about a very important life. If your heart doesn't swell and burst after seeing this movie, you should probably go to the doctor because you're dead.
Miss Potter gets 7 out of 4 WarmAnFuzzies. Seriously. I have never seen anything so cute that I actually liked. And I suppose it isn't fair to call this one a Chick Flick. It's more of a biopic that men and women of all ages will enjoy. Of course, some people probably can't stand the cuteness, in which case they should stay away. We wouldn't want you waking up and deciding to move to the England countryside to be a children's author, now would we?
*This scale was invented by me. It's comparable to the usual "stars" given by critics, only more attention was given to how warm and fuzzy I felt when the movie was over.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Movie Review: Blood Diamond
I tried to come up with a clever title for this post, but I just couldn't because...HO.
LY.
SHIT.
Blood Diamond is possibly the best movie I have ever seen. It is by far the best movie I have seen all year. You can trust me on this because I have seen alot of movies and this one surpasses them all in every single aspect.
Somewhere along his way out of teen idolatry, Leonardo DiCaprio became a real actor and his part of Danny Archer in this movie is so freaking impressive that my jaw was dropped in awe throughout the whole movie. Djimon Hounsou and Jennifer Connelly are also pretty brilliant. The entire supporting cast was fascinating and heartbreaking at the same time. Even the young son, played by Kagiso Kuypers, who didnt' have to do much but stare in shock and confusion, really surprised me with his performance at the end of the movie.
Most of all, though, I was impressed by the writing. It treated the subject matter with respect. There was a ghastly amount of violence, but it's the humanity (or lackthereof) of these characters that you remember: the looks on the faces of children as they hide from gunmen and as they become the gunmen, the glow between Danny and Maddy as they finally connect on an emotional level, Captain Poison as he reveals to Solomon that he had protected his son all this time so that he could use him as blackmail when the moment came... and a million more brief details that will catch you off guard and stick with you well after the credits have rolled. As a whole, the story is incredibly moving, and it's the combination of those little pieces that hold it together and give it weight.
According to IMDB, the writers are Charles Leavitt and C. Gaby Mitchell. (Leavitt is credited with the story, as well.) Neither has extensive credits or other movies that I have seen, which goes to show you that there's always room in the film industry for more talented writers.
They are also proof that a plot can be intricate AND lucid all at the same time. How many movies and telelvision shows have I sat through where I felt I had no idea what was going on? The answer is LOTS and I don't consider that a good thing. In BD, the mystery was more than just 'who is going to end up with the diamond?' I found myself wondering what choice Danny was going to make. Furthermore, I thought I had guessed what would be the film-defining moment in the first 20 minutes. Well, this time, I was so completely wrong and I couldn't be happier. I LOVE it when I don't predict the ending, when I'm surprised. This, friends, is AMAZING writing.
To the director's credit, lots of other things were amazing too. The scenery shots were beautiful. I have seen Africa with my own two eyes, and he not only reinforced what I already knew, but took me places I couldn't imagine. When Danny and Solomon are running through the brush and the jungle, you are right there, running with them. When they're being shot at and dodging bullets, every clear moment is a moment where you won't be able to breathe. He gives you Maddy's point of view through the lens of her camera and shows you the chaos of Dia's indoctrination so that you can do nothing but fear for him and feel helpless, which is exactly how his father must have felt.
The romance aspect had the potential to be cheesy and unbelievable. But authentic dialogue and those stolen moment between Maddy and Danny make you believe that these two people, who at first seemed so different and incompatible, could actually fall in love. In the end, it had to be unattainable, and the film delivers. Jennifer Connelly is always so good in whatever she does, but hers is the most memorable female role from anything I've seen in a while. She gives Maddy a personality and a presence and never lets her costars outshine her when it's her turn.
Through it all, though, Leo and Djimon, never let you down, never make you think that they are anyone but Danny and Solomon, the former with his foolish bravery and the latter with his silent strength and determination. Once again, the fact that two people who are so very different can affect each other so profoundly is an honest statement about the potential of human nature.
I won't ruin the ending for you. I will only say that I haven't cried this hard and much since Ladder 49. This film is right up there with Hotel Rwanda and maybe even better. The soundtrack is an interesting mix of prchestral score and hip-hop and fits perfectly. GO SEE THIS MOVIE. Tell Hollywood that we want more movies like this and less like freakin Beerfest (*gag*).
The end will get you, I promise. And that last moment of hope, granted to us after so many other promising people and ideas are killed, will keep you from being depressed for days... or maybe that's just me. Sometimes, I get way too emotionally involved in movies. But, really, I wouldn't have it any other way.
P.S. People have no idea how lucky they are to live in a country where they don't have to live every day fearing that a bunch of men are going to drive into their town and open fire with AK-47s, killing and maiming everyone they see. They really don't.
P.P.S. Don't ever go to the IMDB message boards. It is ruled by immature trolls and other annoying lifeforms. It is literally impossible to have an intelligent conversation there. I haven't actually tried, but it's really depressing observing people try to.
P.P.P.S. This is going to most definitely sound totally horrible, but... in one of the final scenes, I could totally see the staircase at the V&A waterfront where I puked after that horrible boat ride!
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Watch Your Mouth
I'm supposed to be doing like eighty other billion things right now, but I felt the need to post something quick about the most recent version of Supergirl and fan reaction to her.... which hasn't been all that positive.To be honest, this Kara has alot of continuity against her. The original Sueprgirl was sweet, if slightly oppressed by Superman and people were really upset when she was effectively removed from the DC uinverse. People also seem to like the Matrix version and Linda Danvers, both of whom were older than this Kara. They were adults with more adult problems and much less naive about life on Earth.
This new Kara, on the other hand, hasn't had it all that easy since she landed on Earth. (I'm sorry, but if Batman was the fist Earthling I met, I'd be traumatized, too.) People were suspicious of her, villains wanted to use her, and she was expected to be a hero like her cousin without really being able to understand why. Rough stuff for a teenager who's technically an orphan and literally from a different planet.
Does this excuse her behavior? No, not really. Her outfit is still rather skimpy and her behavior in some issues has been rude by anyone's standards. She has been accused of being a Mary-Sue. (This I don't understand seeing as she's suppposed to be very powerful anyways. Is it her image that's too "perfect"? Her attitude certainly isn't in line with the typical MS.) In short, she's not perfect and her attempt to understand life on Earth and life as a hero with responsibilities isn't helped by the fact that she has no real parents to set boundaries. Apparently, she's acknowledged Bats, Supes, and Wonder Woman as her foster parents, but I don't think such an assumption can be psychologically healthy.
Despite all of this, all of her mistakes and her fashion crimes (courtesy of the artists), I do not think it gives anyone the right to use words like the following when describing her: slut, whore, trampy, or skank. I have seen people use such terms to complain about the new Supergirl and I think it's completely out of line. I don't think such words should be used to describe anyone, of course, not just Supergirl, and that's the point I'm trying to make.
Those words are vile and disgusting and just as derogatory as calling someone a bitch. It isn't funny and you aren't "right" just because of her attitude. Why do people think it's okay to use such words in regular conversation to describe people/characters? Is it just that certain people are both very judgmental and lack a filter between their brains and their mouths?
I know this isn't going to stop people from using such language, but if you read this and know you're guilty of it, just think the next time before you say something like that, hmm?
Ok, that is all, back to my regularly scheduled homeworking.
Friday, December 08, 2006
Jingle Bells, Batman Smells...
... I bet that song is totally stuck in your head now. Am I right? Good. Now that we've established my genius borders on evil, let's move on to the reviews!
Much of the past several weeks has been spent doing school work, because I somehow gained a work ethic and sense of motivation my last year of school. It's the complete opposite of senioritis and I'm not sure what it's called but it's scary. I need to go drinking. I'm sure that will kill it. So, the result is I only saw one movie recently, and that was Happy Feet. Don't worry, I have some words for Batman later on, too.
(For the record, it may as well be Antarctica here. It's somehing like 20 degrees outside and I am curled up underneath blankets in my bed because the floor of my apartment is too cold to walk on.)
When I was in 5th grade, my teacher put us into publishing groups. We were each required to write a children's book and illustrate, edit and bind someone else's story, rotating roles for each book. It was the coolest thing I had ever done in school. I remember illustrating a girl's story called the Animal Parade and using my Littlest Pet Shop toys as models for drawing. The kid who illustrated my book sucked, but it's okay because the actual story kicked ass.
It was called Pengin Popsicles or something like that and was about a pengin named Petey who ran a factory that produced popsicles made from Antarctic snow. (Even then, I loved alliteration.) The kids of the world loved these popsicles, but the depletion of the O-Zone layer was melting all of the snow and so the factory had to shut down. Naturally, all of the kids cried about no longer being able to have Petey's popsicles. To get their kids to shut up, parents stopped using CFCs that were harming the O-Zone layer. In the end, the factory opened back up, the environment was at least partially saved, and everyone was happy again.
Strange, I know, but I was like 10 years old and had just watched the IMAX movie about Antarctica at the Omni Theatre in the Boston Science Museum. So, imagine my surprise to discover that whoever wrote Happy Feet totally ripped off my book.
[Spoilers Below]
Okay, I'm kidding. Mostly. What I thought was going to be a cute and fuzzy musical about singing and dancing penguins in love reminiscent of The Penguin and The Pebble with a pop music soundtrack a la Moulin Rouge actually ended up being a hero quest about a dancing penguin saving the Antarctic environment from the destructive forces of man.
Not that I have a problem with that. Kids defnitely need to be exposed to the need for environmental protection and conservation at an early age. I know I was. I read Ranger Rick and adopted a whale when I was in first grade because I wanted to save the animals. So, it's nothing new. It's just that this movie totally wasn't advertised as being such and so I was a little surprised. And that's a good thing! The director foreshadowed the destruction. Throughout the film, the sky just beyond he little penguin village was filled with blackened smoke. I wondered about it and was glad to see the smoke was coming from oil rigs, not because oil drilling makes me happy, but because it means this was the intent of the movie all along. Plus, the happy ending made my night. It was the perfect way to close the movie, with a little bit of hope for the kids to ride out on. And I felt strangely connected to the movie, like it had been written for me, considering my background in fictional penguin protection.
Of course, the conservatives are all up in arms about it, but screw them. They're all a bunch of heartless, self-centered pricks. (I could use harsher language, but I'm trying to cut down on my cursing.) Why shouldn't kids be allowed to watch an animal save his world from evil? Because humans are the evil? Because the evil could potentially, specifically be American companies? Newsflash! Humans have been destroying the environment for a while. The only difference is that someone figured out how to reach a potentially sympathetic audience in an innovative way. The politicians are just jealous because kids would rather watch a penguin dance for a couple of hours than watch freakin CNN or listen to anyone talk about the Iraq war and how "necessary" it was.
I'm mixed about the actual writing: the acts seemed unbalanced and I could have done without the Footloose like religion theme. (Ironically enough, according to Lewis Black on The Daily Show, conservatives are focusing more on the supposed homosexuality of Mumbles, the main penguin and not the criticism of organized, conservative religion. Umm, hello, did you fail to notice that Mumbles had a huge crush on a female penguin? They are so fucking dense.) Overall, though, it was a very good movie, and I'm so glad to see that it's making the money it deserves. And maybe, just maybe, it'll get this next generation to actually care about the environment, because it's going to need all the help it can get in the next few decades.
*sigh*
As for Batman, I figured it was time I try reading the actual comics rather than just watching Christian Bale play him on screen for the gazillionth time and since Batman was starting with a new writer and this whole One Year Later thing, now seemed like a pretty good time to jump on the train. Issues #655-658 comprise the arc Batman & Son, which was written by Grant Morrison and
drawn by Andy Kubert.
What is it with giving progenyless super heroes biological kids lately, hmm? First Superman gets a kid in his new movie, and now Bats has a psycho for a son? I guess it's interesting/ironic considering Clark is the type of guy who wants a normal family but got a drama-filled effed-up one instead, and Bruce has a history of raising capable, (mostly) well adjusted kids and now has to live with knowing his only biological son is a juvenile delinquent... but I can't adjust to the fact that they suddenly have kids. It's like on a soap opera when one day the kids are 5 and the next they're 16 (I'm looking at you, Days of Our Lives). Clark and Bruce are good guys. They deserve to be there for the births of their sons, not be absent through their formative years and suddenly have to deal with the fall out of having kids. They have the brains and the compassion to participate in the raising of their sons, and yet these writers insist of making them miss out on that experience. It just isn't fair, especially after considering what these men have done, the sacrifices they have made for their world. Can't they have just this one good thing? Apparently not.
Another perfectly good opportunity for character advancement down the effing drain. Seriously, I've read fan fic better than Batman & Son. I know Morrison supposed to be like this cool visionary and a really great writer, but I think he bombed this one. In addition to a sucky plot, alot of the storytelling was choppy. Sometimes, I went from one page to the next and was totally dumbfounded by what had happened. I thought I missed an issue because things just weren't making sense. (And don't you dare suggest I must not be smart enough to read Morrison's stuff. I'm not in the mood today.)
So, don't waste your money. X-Factor and even adjectiveless X-Men are way more worth it.
To put myself in a better mood, I will be looking forward to Children of Men. Unfortunately, Eragon looks like it will be crap, just like the book it's based on. Ironically enough, I have hope for the fifth Harry Potter movie, but I won't get it up too high. I'm pretty sure I can't survive another disappointment after the last one. Lastly, I really want to see Perfume: Story of a Murderer and The Painted Veil, but both are limited release, so I may have to wait. Oh, and I'm getting 2 Sisters for my sister for Christmas, so i'll definitely be reading/reviewing that.
Before I forget, there's a new Comics Networking site called ComicSpace! Add me, if you join: ME!
In case, I don't post again, have a great holiday! I'll be in San Diego the week after Christmas, so don't expect anything till the new year.
Much of the past several weeks has been spent doing school work, because I somehow gained a work ethic and sense of motivation my last year of school. It's the complete opposite of senioritis and I'm not sure what it's called but it's scary. I need to go drinking. I'm sure that will kill it. So, the result is I only saw one movie recently, and that was Happy Feet. Don't worry, I have some words for Batman later on, too.
(For the record, it may as well be Antarctica here. It's somehing like 20 degrees outside and I am curled up underneath blankets in my bed because the floor of my apartment is too cold to walk on.)
When I was in 5th grade, my teacher put us into publishing groups. We were each required to write a children's book and illustrate, edit and bind someone else's story, rotating roles for each book. It was the coolest thing I had ever done in school. I remember illustrating a girl's story called the Animal Parade and using my Littlest Pet Shop toys as models for drawing. The kid who illustrated my book sucked, but it's okay because the actual story kicked ass.
It was called Pengin Popsicles or something like that and was about a pengin named Petey who ran a factory that produced popsicles made from Antarctic snow. (Even then, I loved alliteration.) The kids of the world loved these popsicles, but the depletion of the O-Zone layer was melting all of the snow and so the factory had to shut down. Naturally, all of the kids cried about no longer being able to have Petey's popsicles. To get their kids to shut up, parents stopped using CFCs that were harming the O-Zone layer. In the end, the factory opened back up, the environment was at least partially saved, and everyone was happy again.
Strange, I know, but I was like 10 years old and had just watched the IMAX movie about Antarctica at the Omni Theatre in the Boston Science Museum. So, imagine my surprise to discover that whoever wrote Happy Feet totally ripped off my book.
[Spoilers Below]
Okay, I'm kidding. Mostly. What I thought was going to be a cute and fuzzy musical about singing and dancing penguins in love reminiscent of The Penguin and The Pebble with a pop music soundtrack a la Moulin Rouge actually ended up being a hero quest about a dancing penguin saving the Antarctic environment from the destructive forces of man.
Not that I have a problem with that. Kids defnitely need to be exposed to the need for environmental protection and conservation at an early age. I know I was. I read Ranger Rick and adopted a whale when I was in first grade because I wanted to save the animals. So, it's nothing new. It's just that this movie totally wasn't advertised as being such and so I was a little surprised. And that's a good thing! The director foreshadowed the destruction. Throughout the film, the sky just beyond he little penguin village was filled with blackened smoke. I wondered about it and was glad to see the smoke was coming from oil rigs, not because oil drilling makes me happy, but because it means this was the intent of the movie all along. Plus, the happy ending made my night. It was the perfect way to close the movie, with a little bit of hope for the kids to ride out on. And I felt strangely connected to the movie, like it had been written for me, considering my background in fictional penguin protection.
Of course, the conservatives are all up in arms about it, but screw them. They're all a bunch of heartless, self-centered pricks. (I could use harsher language, but I'm trying to cut down on my cursing.) Why shouldn't kids be allowed to watch an animal save his world from evil? Because humans are the evil? Because the evil could potentially, specifically be American companies? Newsflash! Humans have been destroying the environment for a while. The only difference is that someone figured out how to reach a potentially sympathetic audience in an innovative way. The politicians are just jealous because kids would rather watch a penguin dance for a couple of hours than watch freakin CNN or listen to anyone talk about the Iraq war and how "necessary" it was.
I'm mixed about the actual writing: the acts seemed unbalanced and I could have done without the Footloose like religion theme. (Ironically enough, according to Lewis Black on The Daily Show, conservatives are focusing more on the supposed homosexuality of Mumbles, the main penguin and not the criticism of organized, conservative religion. Umm, hello, did you fail to notice that Mumbles had a huge crush on a female penguin? They are so fucking dense.) Overall, though, it was a very good movie, and I'm so glad to see that it's making the money it deserves. And maybe, just maybe, it'll get this next generation to actually care about the environment, because it's going to need all the help it can get in the next few decades.
*sigh*
As for Batman, I figured it was time I try reading the actual comics rather than just watching Christian Bale play him on screen for the gazillionth time and since Batman was starting with a new writer and this whole One Year Later thing, now seemed like a pretty good time to jump on the train. Issues #655-658 comprise the arc Batman & Son, which was written by Grant Morrison and
drawn by Andy Kubert.What is it with giving progenyless super heroes biological kids lately, hmm? First Superman gets a kid in his new movie, and now Bats has a psycho for a son? I guess it's interesting/ironic considering Clark is the type of guy who wants a normal family but got a drama-filled effed-up one instead, and Bruce has a history of raising capable, (mostly) well adjusted kids and now has to live with knowing his only biological son is a juvenile delinquent... but I can't adjust to the fact that they suddenly have kids. It's like on a soap opera when one day the kids are 5 and the next they're 16 (I'm looking at you, Days of Our Lives). Clark and Bruce are good guys. They deserve to be there for the births of their sons, not be absent through their formative years and suddenly have to deal with the fall out of having kids. They have the brains and the compassion to participate in the raising of their sons, and yet these writers insist of making them miss out on that experience. It just isn't fair, especially after considering what these men have done, the sacrifices they have made for their world. Can't they have just this one good thing? Apparently not.
Another perfectly good opportunity for character advancement down the effing drain. Seriously, I've read fan fic better than Batman & Son. I know Morrison supposed to be like this cool visionary and a really great writer, but I think he bombed this one. In addition to a sucky plot, alot of the storytelling was choppy. Sometimes, I went from one page to the next and was totally dumbfounded by what had happened. I thought I missed an issue because things just weren't making sense. (And don't you dare suggest I must not be smart enough to read Morrison's stuff. I'm not in the mood today.)
So, don't waste your money. X-Factor and even adjectiveless X-Men are way more worth it.
To put myself in a better mood, I will be looking forward to Children of Men. Unfortunately, Eragon looks like it will be crap, just like the book it's based on. Ironically enough, I have hope for the fifth Harry Potter movie, but I won't get it up too high. I'm pretty sure I can't survive another disappointment after the last one. Lastly, I really want to see Perfume: Story of a Murderer and The Painted Veil, but both are limited release, so I may have to wait. Oh, and I'm getting 2 Sisters for my sister for Christmas, so i'll definitely be reading/reviewing that.
Before I forget, there's a new Comics Networking site called ComicSpace! Add me, if you join: ME!In case, I don't post again, have a great holiday! I'll be in San Diego the week after Christmas, so don't expect anything till the new year.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Hallelujah!
So, remember that academic project I had mentioned way back last year when I first started this blog? Well, it's finally finished, and it's really 35 pages of pure genius. Of course, I don't know my chances of getting an A, but I'm ridiculously excited that's it's done and wicked amazed that I even managed to finish it. The paper (which does not yet have a title) covers some history of comics and graphic novels, talks about rhetorical theory and discourse in relation to 9/11, and then the bulk of the paper is an analysis of the use of verbal and visual rhetoric in three GNs: In The Shadow of No Towers by Art Spiegelman, The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon, and Pride of Baghdad by Brian K. Vaughan and Niko Henrichon.The 9/11 Report was well done as an academic text, but I have to say that Towers and Pride are absolute genius. Someday, I am going to create a graphic novel (or several) that are as amazing as these two. I totally promise. Until then, though, I leave with some excerpts that will show exactly why these GNs are so amazing in their construction from a rhetorical theory perspective.
On Towers:
Much of the verbal discourse of Towers is directed towards its American and European audience, but the primary audience of this graphic novel is Spiegelman himself, an aspect of the stance revealed by the visual rhetoric. In the comics medium, as McCloud explains, the level of abstraction in pictures, especially characters, tends to make them iconic (30). The more iconic a cartoon or picture is, the more people it describes and the more people who will identify with it (31). When reading a comic, the audience tends to insert themselves into the characters (59). This identification is another form of reader participation. Rather than constructing meaning and adding to the argument, however, the reader becomes more emotionally attached to the characters and is more likely to be affected by the argument set forth by the writer. In Towers, Spiegelman does several things that suggest he is the intended audience of his own response. In many of the comic strips, including “An Upside Down World” (7) and “Marital Blitz” (8), Spiegelman inserts himself into the iconic cartoon forms of other artists like any comics reader would be apt to do. Spiegelman also depicts himself in several strips with a greater level of detail that would make any other reader less likely to insert themselves, but makes it very easy for Spiegelman to do so. Finally, in several sequences, he depicts himself as his Maus counterpart, the mouse cartoon that he used to represent himself in his first graphic novel. He uses this form in particular when reflecting on his parents, a deeply personal experience that perhaps he does not want anyone else to relate to on quite so personal a level as himself. These images suggest that these comics are less about helping others understand 9/11 and, instead, are Spiegelman’s attempt at understanding the attacks himself. Much of the verbal content coincides with this. He refers to himself in the third person as if it were someone else telling his story. Yet, this notion of Spiegelman as both writer and audience is also at odds with the verbal elements. When Spiegelman reads his work, it’s as though he is speaking to himself. When anyone else reads it, they will think Spiegelman is recounting his experience for them and not himself. Therefore, both the verbal and visual elements must be taken into account when determining the stance of this graphic novel. Alone, the verbal suggests that Spiegelman’s only audience is external. It is the visual that reveals that Spiegelman is both writer and audience.
On The 9/11 Report:
Perhaps, however, this is exactly what the artists wanted. Emotional detachment from a narrative will provide no motivation for reading it. An emotional connection is needed in order to make the audience care enough to listen to the full argument and later effect a change. This connection doesn’t necessarily need to be with the main character; it can be with those background characters who were arguably most affected by the WTC attacks. Either way, a rhetorical stance cannot be completely devoid of an emotional appeal to the audience. While the verbal discourse explains the research findings and facts in an objective tone in order to make logical recommendations, the images provide the emotional impact that will capture the audience’s attention and give them a reason to demand that the report’s recommendations be implemented. As the authors of the original report explain in the Foreword, their intent was to encourage a “well-informed public to hold its elected leaders to account” (x). Jacobson and Colón recognized that it is not enough to be informed. It takes emotion to “energize and engage… on behalf of reform and change” (ix). The verbal rhetoric provides the information and the art provides the emotion. Together, the verbal and visual rhetoric of Jacobson’s and Colón’s graphic novel will have an impact on an audience eager to understand a tragedy and make the changes necessary to prevent such an event from occurring again.
On Pride:
On several pages, Henrichon does not close off the panels with the usual box. McCoud refers to this technique as using “bleeds” because the image bleeds off the page and affects the mood or atmosphere of the comic (103). In Pride, this effect suggests freedom. The closed off panels are like the zoo, an absence of freedom. Beyond the thin black lines, there is another world to be seen and experienced. To run out of the panel and off the page would be to grant freedom. The audience is not forced out of the panel, but has the option to allow their imagination to wander if they want it to do so. However, bleeds are often used in this book during scenes of danger. The audience and the lions can have their freedom, but not without consequences.
This role of this freedom motif is made clear by analysis of the characters. Lions are associated with kings, and these zoo lions represent the oppression of noble ideals and courage. Individually, each of the four lions represents an idea. The eldest female, Safa, represents those who have suffered in freedom and now prefer the safety of captivity. The other lioness, Noor, is the symbol of those who want freedom at any cost or risk. They are accompanied by Zill and Ali, both males, the latter only a cub. As soon as they are liberated after the destruction of the zoo, the lions face multiple dangers. Ali represents young innocents who understand little and who are placed in the greatest danger. He is immediately kidnapped and held hostage by a pack of monkeys representing a radical political group. It is Safa, the only lion who has actually experienced freedom, who saves him. The lions go in search of food, but their hunting abilities have been severely diminished by captivity. They are free, but have been abandoned and they are not safe for they have not learned how to fend for themselves.
Still, the leave the zoo for the wider world and are thrust into danger. They encounter a turtle who, while not captive, has nonetheless been hurt by actions of the humans, those who denied the lions their freedom. During the pursuit for food, the lions decide to chase a herd of horses, the symbols for freedom. They would nourish the lions if only they could be caught. The lionesses make for poor hunters; Safa is too old and Noor is untrained. For them, freedom is out of reach, but they continue to chase it.
Eventually, Noor and Safa find themselves in an empty palace. On the wall hangs a painting of a majestic lion with wings, a symbol for the potential strength and courage that these lions have within them. Only a few feet away from this image, however, lies a starving and nearly dead menagerie lion. Its abuse is courtesy of Fajer, a giant bear who is the embodiment of the remnants of the toppled regime. He threatens and then attacks them. The lionesses do their best to defend themselves, but they are weak. It is here that we learn Zill represents those who claim freedom themselves rather than have it given to them. With the help of Ali, he defeats Fajer, leaving him crippled and unlikely to assert control ever again. The lions are rewarded with the view of a horizon at sunset, something they could not see in captivity. Yet, moments later, they have the ultimate freedom thrust upon them when they are shot by soldiers. Once more, they were not given a choice and the only reward was death.
Can freedom be given, or must it be earned? Through the use of an effective metaphor and a realistic art style, we learn that this is Vaughan’s theme in Pride, a clear response to the Iraq War, which was seen as a mission to liberate the Iraqis from a depraved leader. The war, however, was far from an immediate success, and Iraq is now plagued by political chaos. Would things have gone differently if they had successfully campaigned their own revolution, rather than having someone do it for them? What does it mean for a person when they claim their own freedom or choose their own destiny? While Henrichon constructs the atmosphere of the novel, Vaughan presents the questions, but leaves the audience with no explicit answers. It was his intent to make the audience think and reconsider the purpose of the Iraq War without telling them exactly what to believe.
Good stuff, I know :D If you want to read the whole thing, shoot me an e-mail and I'll see what I can do. It's not very long at all (and not as expansive as was originally planned), but I bet you'll find it to be fascinating.
Oh, and I'm blogging my NaNoWriMo progress over here: Genesis. Feel free to check it out!
Monday, October 30, 2006
OMG FUN
This is a short note to say that I'm taking a break from blogging.... because it's NaNoWriMo and I've been wanting to aprticipate for like 3 years and I never have and this time I'm really going to do it.
I have yet to figure out what my novel is going to be about or even what genre it will be. Hell, I may not even finish, but I'm certianly going to try. Who knows what will happen?
So, anyways, with my attention on the prose area of my brain, I will be less apt to blog about other people's stuff. Maybe I'll post a mid-month update though.
Wish me luck!
P.S. The costumes out, but I'll keep it in mind for next year ;)
I have yet to figure out what my novel is going to be about or even what genre it will be. Hell, I may not even finish, but I'm certianly going to try. Who knows what will happen?
So, anyways, with my attention on the prose area of my brain, I will be less apt to blog about other people's stuff. Maybe I'll post a mid-month update though.
Wish me luck!
P.S. The costumes out, but I'll keep it in mind for next year ;)
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Make A Wish... but Not the Foundation
I totally missed it, but better late than never. So, here goes...
Happy One Year Birthday to my Blog!
Wow, I can't believe I'm still posting on this thing. I must have no life.
Hey, stop laughing. It's not funny!
Anyways, here's to many more and... ah, screw it. I don't really care. I was just lookng for a way to procrastinate studying for my Orgo quiz. Oh, look, I succeeded.
Amanda: 1, Orgo: 0
(But we all know that, in the end, Orgo PWNS Amanda every time.)
Hey, does anybody have any cake?
Happy One Year Birthday to my Blog!
Wow, I can't believe I'm still posting on this thing. I must have no life.
Hey, stop laughing. It's not funny!
Anyways, here's to many more and... ah, screw it. I don't really care. I was just lookng for a way to procrastinate studying for my Orgo quiz. Oh, look, I succeeded.
Amanda: 1, Orgo: 0
(But we all know that, in the end, Orgo PWNS Amanda every time.)
Hey, does anybody have any cake?
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