In Good Omens, the local gang has just had their first Spanish Inquisition (castanets, bullfighting posters). They’re doing a great job of putting together a story that is, at the same time, quite silly *AND* pretty plot driven so you want to see what happens next… not so you can get to the next joke, either. Like, so you can find out what happens to the witch who loses her book. And what happens to the book that she lost, for that matter.
We also went out to catch Good Day To Die Hard at the theater and… well… um… It wasn’t as strong a story as Live Free Or Die Hard or the first Die Hard, for that matter. I mean, I had *FUN*. The script writers didn’t really understand what makes a good Die Hard movie a good Die Hard movie, though. John McClane is a guy who is a guy out of time. His defition of his own masculinity is at odds with where society has moved. He probably would have fit in quite well 20 or 30 years prior. Society, as I said, moved. Now it’s in a place where John McClane’s masculinity no longer fits or is particularly welcome… UNTIL THE BAD GUYS SHOW UP.
And, gender politics aside, John McClane suddenly becomes the guy that you are thrilled that he’s exactly the way he is. This worked well in the first movie when he was dealing with his wife and *PERFECTLY* in the fourth movie when he was dealing with his daughter.
On *TOP* of that, he’s also a guy who is just kind of jerky where he is until stuff comes raining down upon his head at which point he steps up. As such, when you pick him up and put him in Russia, you’ve taken away two essential things from John McClane: the fact that he’s a guy out of time (because, seriously, Russia is pretty regressive on the whole “masculinity” thing) and the fact that he doesn’t go looking for trouble.
With all that said, they did keep the whole “John McClane is capable of screwing up the best laid plans of friggin everybody just by showing up” thing. He screwed up plans that we didn’t even know about. Guns are fired, explosives are blown up, gravity is utilized in interesting ways, physics is tweaked (are tweaked? I can never keep that one straight…). If you are prepared to be passively entertained for a couple of hours, you could do worse…
But just see the first one and the fourth one again. They’re a lot better.
So… what are you reading and/or watching?
I have finally caught up with the veritable antipode of the Die Hard series, Downton Abbey – which I didn’t think I would like, but got hooked about halfway through the first season. Though now, I see why everyone (including me) thinks Julian Fellowes got a frequent buyer’s discount card to the jerk store in the 3rd season.
I was just given tickets to the WBC game tomorrow, It’s the Netherlands (Andruw Jones and a bunch of guys I’ve never heard of) against the Dominican Republic (Santiago Casilla, Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz, Hanley Ramirez, Jose Reyes, Miguel Tejada, Carlos Santana.) I’m rooting for the DR, though I don’t know how they’ll use three shortstops and a lead guitarist.
And, the answer is:
Reyes at short, Tejada at 3rd, Ramirez DH-ing. Santana behind the plate, because he doesn’t play a base.
Just finished Red Shirts (quick fun read), just starting Dreams & Shadows (starting out much the same). In the middle of McPherson’s Battle Cry for Freedom (bit of a slog, but good), and Thomas Keneally’s The Great Shame (because it’s March, after all!).
KnittingNiki left to visit her mother this morning, so we had our big family St. Pats celebration on Friday, and followed it up with the traditional evening-after corn beef hash feast last night. So tonight it looks like Man Night at the Kelly house: grilled T-Bone steaks and a Kung-Fu double feature – most likely The Man with Iron Fists and The Warriors Way.
After that, well, we’ll see. If I can find a hooley in town I may slip out after the the movie for an hour or two.
Battle Cry for Freedom is a bit of a slog. But all those sloggy details are pretty important to get a complete (well, more complete) understanding of those events. I had to be encouraged to keep pushing to the finish line, and I’m glad I did. So … keep reading!
“of” freedom, acourse.
I finished the 3rd season of Republic of Doyle. It is not polite to end a season by fubbgvat zl snibevgr punenpgre. *frowns* Jaybird got me to watch the first episode of Quantum Leap (I’d seen the odd one, but never watched it all the way through)… perhaps I will watch the whole show, perhaps I will stop after the first season, or sooner? I’ll give it a try though.
I finished a bunch of books this week; right now I’m still savoring the latest Marge Piercy collection, and I picked up Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry just this evening – it’s very good.
As some may know, I have been slowly working my way through S1 of Farscape, and having some trouble with it – amazing visual style, interesting ideas, but some uneven writing/direction/acting (Browder in particular hams it up like his 5-year mission is to make Shatner look positively restrained in comparison). I believe it was Jaybird that advised me to try to stick with it until Scorpius showed up.
Scorpius showed up.
Season One struck me as a bunch of disjointed “freak of the week” episodes… until I got to S1, Ep13. At which point they told me “no, this is all one story, kiddo”.
It’s going to get really, really good over the next few seasons, I tell you what.
I think I am pretty hooked in at this point; it feels like the story proper is finally starting. But it was a bit of slog to get here, I put it down for long periods because I just wasn’t that excited to see another episode (to be fair, Fringe S1 is a real slog too IMO).
I hope they (writers and/or actor) figure out what is going on with this Chianna character soon. Cool-looking, cool idea, but the highly-variable accent paired with the stylized movements/”gun moll” dialogue is a bit jarring just now, plus her motivations seem really inconsistent (one minute, she’s totally self-interested, possibly a murderer, and appears to take joy in burning enemies to death! BUT, she also selflessly volunteers to help save Aeryn and the ship and appears relieved when it works!)
I rewatched the first season of Blackadder, and I spent a lot of time laughing. My memory tells me the later seasons are even better, and I hope it is not lying to me.
The first season is entirely different from the others. Most people, including me, would call it inferior.
In the first season, they tried to go for the whole “Black Adder is an idiot, his dogsbody is the brains behind everything” trope. Brian Blessed is the main reason to watch, if I recall correctly.
In the later seasons, they realize that it’s so much funnier to have Black Adder be the only intelligent person in the room. The comedy veins are much richer, there.
The WW2 season isn’t all that great, but the others are awesome.
The last scene of the WW1 season is kind of over the top.
That was a horrible pun.
In any case, I *LOVED* that season until we got to the last episode. The episode with the trial over the pigeon? Stephen Fry had me in tears, I was laughing so hard.
I liked season 4 overall, and think that last scene was one of the best things ever. But honestly, it wasn’t all that funny that the guy’s last name is “Darling”.
History reading: Recently finished “Paris 1919” and “1491.” Widely different styles, but riveting accounts of seminal periods in history.
Fiction: The “Ethan Gage” series by Dietrich. Indiana Jones meets Napoleon and Jefferson. Wild adventures, heaving bosoms, a generous sprinkling of historical fact. Much fun.
Movies: Femrex and I have started going through the DVD collation (rather extensive) alphabetically. If we count on “what do we feel like tonight,” we miss the deeper, less obvious choices. Last night — “The Asphalt Jungle.” Wow, does that one hold up well.
TV: I love the lady dearly. Recently she asked to re-watch some of the better “Buffy” episodes. Nearly broke a wrist grabbing the remote and hitting Play Play Play!
(Also on TV — the new “Dallas” series; and the old British “House of Cards.” Two thumbs up.)
Which do consider the ”’better of the Buffy episodes”? I have my own list — it will be interesting to see if we match…
I was wondering the same.
A second run through the entirety of Buffy is on my to-do list, but I need to finish a few other series first. I am near the end of Season 10 of Smallville (though I only started on Season 8). I am on Series 6 of Dr. Who, if I am not mistaken. I still want to make my way through The X-Files, since I missed a lot of it while it was actually on TV.
So much TV, so little time. Actually, plenty of time, just not time that I am willing to devote to TV.
RefRep — one more comment. I liked “Smallville” quite a bit, but there’s some true brilliance in the first episode. The way they take the Superman mythos and shape it to their own ends is really nicely done. The big red S. Why Clark is all goofy around Lana. The place Lex Luthor holds in the story. Well worth a watch.
I watched the first few episodes when it aired originally, but I did not stick with it. I remembered it being a bit too much “teen soap opera” for my taste, though I did really like the premier.
When I found out about the later seasons having Doomsday, the Legion, the JSA, and Darkseid, I decided to give it a try, but I did not want to commit to 10 seasons. I found myself enjoying it more than I expected, so I might go back and catch up at some point.
Jeff and RefRep — my faves are probably pretty mainstream: “Once More With Feeling” is probably the top, just given all that had to go into it. “Hush” – “The Becoming II” – “Lover’s Walk” – “The Prom” (I weep uncontrollably at both the umbrella and Angel’s entrance *sob*) – “Restless” – “Fool for Love” (I find the whole bit with the shotgun really, really brilliant) – “The Body” – “The Gift” – “Chosen” (series finale).
For the record, I never saw the show first-run, came in on Season 5 when FX was re-running — so I am more of a “Spike” kind of guy than an “Angel” kind of guy. Have watched straight through a couple of times. A really big, total fan. Writing, acting, story, etc. All top-notch.
(spoilers) I’ll give a special shout-out to the series finale. There were only two possible ways to wind up that story — obviously Buffy had to die (for good) or she had to continue the grim task. And damned if the wonderful Mr. W didn’t find a third way. I do some writing myself and my hat is doffed in complete respect for the dude’s continued inspiration.
Oh, one more thing. I sometimes like to think of the whole seven season run as not so much the “Adventures of Buffy,” but also “The Novel of Willow.” O.k. Could go on all day. Signing off.
I was in high school when the show was popular, and I never watched it. I was “too cool.”
Actually, it was Season 5 that got me started as well. I caught a few episodes, and I was really impressed with Glory.
I personally kind of wish the show had ended at season 5’s finale; the whole idea that this is the story of ONE Slayer, and now her story is over, with that perfectly hilarious/heartbreaking shot capping the whole thing (you know the one).
S6 and 7 had some good eps (and I agree, the 3rd-way resolution that Whedon came up with for the finale was both brilliant, and thematically appropriate; I STILL choke up when I think of the shot of the girl playing baseball, and the confident change that comes over her face/stance) but by and large those final two seasons don’t add much to the show’s core for me, and I have some real problems with the Andrew storyline (I like the actor/character, but…)
Next time I watch it (and I’ve seen the whole series several times as well) I may stop at S5’s finale.
Those are pretty much my favorites too. I’d put “Hush” as possibly the top — so eerie and so fun.
I don’t understand when people talk about “Season 6” and “Season 7”. Everyone knows that the show ended with Season 5!
Went to a concert of Bach choral music in The City yesterday. I saw in the program that the wife of someone I used to work with was one of the singers, so I found him afterward, and we caught up for a bit. When she came by, we chatted too, and it came out that I’d gone to high school with her brothers. Tiny little world.