State of the Media Consumer
Nov. 16th, 2007 07:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sub_dividedBooks: I’m between books at the moment. Any recommendations?
Movies: Over the weekend I saw Backstage, M, and The Pursuit of Happyness
Backstage
Note to everyone LOLing over the rumored Tattoo movie: YOUR FILM HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE. ^^; But it is called Backstage and it is a French movie about a provincial fan obsessed with a megastar pop vocalist who looks like Blondie and sings like Mylene Farmer. Lucie (the fan) is already way into Lauren (the singer/songwriter) when the movie begins, but her obsession is cemented when Lauren comes to sing in her bedroom as part of a publicity stunt. Lucie immediately decides to drop everything to head to Paris and see Lauren at her hotel, where -- surprise! -- she receives a warm welcome. It seems that Lauren is as into being adored as Lucie is willing to adore.
There’s no lesbian subtext here, there’s text written in glowing fiery letters across the sky. XD
Is it a good movie? …My thoughts are mixed. On the one hand, neither Lucie nor Lauren is particularly likable. Lucie is childishly simple and Lauren is childishly self-absorbed. Their personalities are fixed and what you see in the first ten minutes is basically what you’re going to get for the next two hours. On the other hand, the actress who plays Lucie is very good at standing around wide-eyed, vulnerable and dumb until the other characters bend to her whims. I enjoyed watching the dialog go flying -- whoosh! -- over her head, making hardly any impression. Lauren's character is probably an oversimplification, but she’s a believable enough diva I guess. *not inclined towards celebrity fandom*
I have to say though, between Lucie and Lauren, my sympathy is firmly with Lauren, who at least shows signs of OCCASIONAL THOUGHT as well as NOT BEING INSANE.
M
…uh. Well, at least now I’ve seen it. ^^; Seriously, what’s up with this movie’s reputation? It’s a straightforward (well, mostly) story about the efforts of police and organized criminals to catch a child molester. It’s slow, and there LONG conversations that could easily have been reduced by half or more...I suppose I should be taking the time period into account. ^^; From 1931 Germany, this was one of the first talking movies ever I believe, so it makes sense for the director to film...people talking. There were a few shots I recognized that might have been groundbreaking: quick cuts between two men involved in an argument, perspective shots looking down on an short man and up on a tall man (also a perspective shot looking up at the crotch of a police offer -- why?!), in-through-the-window transitions, a shot where the police open the door to a dark room and are silhouetted. I also liked the opening, where the camera follows children playing in the street, then a woman looking out of her window, then the laundress who comes to her door, then the murderer.
And it was kind neat how the scenes with the criminals echoed the scenes with the police -- like when the criminals are set up behind some tables processing volunteers, or the "court". I’m still not entirely sure what was up with the (non) ending, but I guess the question the audience is supposed to ask is: will the justice of a "real" court be any more just?
Still. IT'S SLOW. I don't think it stands up outside of historical considerations.
The Pursuit of Happyness
Will Smith playing a self-made millionaire during his dead-broke phase. Smart narration (taken directly from the memoirs) and great acting -- Smith has this intense, on-the-verge-of-angry-tears-but-refusing-to-give-you-the-satisfaction expression that is really effective. It’s not a happy movie but it has a happy ending. What’s really interesting is the way it shows how easy it is for someone walking a tightrope to fall off -- the smallest things, like lending a co-worker five dollars, or having to pay a cab fare, snowball into huge problems and nearly spell disaster.
At the end of the movie there was a short interview with the real Chris Gardner . He’s…a little odd. Like some other self-made millionaires I could mention. ^^; Well, you do sort of wonder during the movie as well, about things like his confidence, and his insistence on bringing up his son (as if the mother had no rights). So at the very least, you know the movie was faithful.
Television/Anime: Still haven’t seen the second episode of Nobuta no Produce (but I will!) or the end of Darker than Black. Watched to episode 8 of the third season of Avatar and cheered to see two genuinely awesome episodes after a series of slightly overburdened ones. Thinking about watching Boccano! (or whatever it's called). Caught a couple episodes of Bleach (Soul Society Arc) and was shocked by how well the comic relief translates to screen. Caught a few episodes of Hitman Tutor Reborn! and: it’s less stupid than the manga, but still EXTREMELY STUPID. Up to episode 15 of Higurashi, more on this later.
Manga: Read the first eight volumes of Kekkaishi on![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
lacewood’s glowing recommendation and I, I think I’m in love. ^____^ MORE ON THIS LATER ALSO. For now I’m off to emblem‘s for some long-overdue socialization.
Movies: Over the weekend I saw Backstage, M, and The Pursuit of Happyness
Backstage
Note to everyone LOLing over the rumored Tattoo movie: YOUR FILM HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE. ^^; But it is called Backstage and it is a French movie about a provincial fan obsessed with a megastar pop vocalist who looks like Blondie and sings like Mylene Farmer. Lucie (the fan) is already way into Lauren (the singer/songwriter) when the movie begins, but her obsession is cemented when Lauren comes to sing in her bedroom as part of a publicity stunt. Lucie immediately decides to drop everything to head to Paris and see Lauren at her hotel, where -- surprise! -- she receives a warm welcome. It seems that Lauren is as into being adored as Lucie is willing to adore.
There’s no lesbian subtext here, there’s text written in glowing fiery letters across the sky. XD
Is it a good movie? …My thoughts are mixed. On the one hand, neither Lucie nor Lauren is particularly likable. Lucie is childishly simple and Lauren is childishly self-absorbed. Their personalities are fixed and what you see in the first ten minutes is basically what you’re going to get for the next two hours. On the other hand, the actress who plays Lucie is very good at standing around wide-eyed, vulnerable and dumb until the other characters bend to her whims. I enjoyed watching the dialog go flying -- whoosh! -- over her head, making hardly any impression. Lauren's character is probably an oversimplification, but she’s a believable enough diva I guess. *not inclined towards celebrity fandom*
I have to say though, between Lucie and Lauren, my sympathy is firmly with Lauren, who at least shows signs of OCCASIONAL THOUGHT as well as NOT BEING INSANE.
M
…uh. Well, at least now I’ve seen it. ^^; Seriously, what’s up with this movie’s reputation? It’s a straightforward (well, mostly) story about the efforts of police and organized criminals to catch a child molester. It’s slow, and there LONG conversations that could easily have been reduced by half or more...I suppose I should be taking the time period into account. ^^; From 1931 Germany, this was one of the first talking movies ever I believe, so it makes sense for the director to film...people talking. There were a few shots I recognized that might have been groundbreaking: quick cuts between two men involved in an argument, perspective shots looking down on an short man and up on a tall man (also a perspective shot looking up at the crotch of a police offer -- why?!), in-through-the-window transitions, a shot where the police open the door to a dark room and are silhouetted. I also liked the opening, where the camera follows children playing in the street, then a woman looking out of her window, then the laundress who comes to her door, then the murderer.
And it was kind neat how the scenes with the criminals echoed the scenes with the police -- like when the criminals are set up behind some tables processing volunteers, or the "court". I’m still not entirely sure what was up with the (non) ending, but I guess the question the audience is supposed to ask is: will the justice of a "real" court be any more just?
Still. IT'S SLOW. I don't think it stands up outside of historical considerations.
The Pursuit of Happyness
Will Smith playing a self-made millionaire during his dead-broke phase. Smart narration (taken directly from the memoirs) and great acting -- Smith has this intense, on-the-verge-of-angry-tears-but-refusing-to-give-you-the-satisfaction expression that is really effective. It’s not a happy movie but it has a happy ending. What’s really interesting is the way it shows how easy it is for someone walking a tightrope to fall off -- the smallest things, like lending a co-worker five dollars, or having to pay a cab fare, snowball into huge problems and nearly spell disaster.
At the end of the movie there was a short interview with the real Chris Gardner . He’s…a little odd. Like some other self-made millionaires I could mention. ^^; Well, you do sort of wonder during the movie as well, about things like his confidence, and his insistence on bringing up his son (as if the mother had no rights). So at the very least, you know the movie was faithful.
Television/Anime: Still haven’t seen the second episode of Nobuta no Produce (but I will!) or the end of Darker than Black. Watched to episode 8 of the third season of Avatar and cheered to see two genuinely awesome episodes after a series of slightly overburdened ones. Thinking about watching Boccano! (or whatever it's called). Caught a couple episodes of Bleach (Soul Society Arc) and was shocked by how well the comic relief translates to screen. Caught a few episodes of Hitman Tutor Reborn! and: it’s less stupid than the manga, but still EXTREMELY STUPID. Up to episode 15 of Higurashi, more on this later.
Manga: Read the first eight volumes of Kekkaishi on
lacewood’s glowing recommendation and I, I think I’m in love. ^____^ MORE ON THIS LATER ALSO. For now I’m off to emblem‘s for some long-overdue socialization.