Friday, October 28, 2005

Choose Life.


Which Trainspotting Character Are You?

movies! movies movies movies!

Christ, now I feel weird writing in here knowing that a few people actually read this and I never knew. Officially trying to block your existence from my brain while I type. I feel like you're all looking over my shoulder as I write. Very strange.

So yes. I do now have a flickr account which I have probably forgotten the password to by now, but I've been a little busy to do anything about photos. I turned 19 last week and was feeling majorly bummed by the fact that I still don't know what the hell I'd like to do with my life, got a new job waitressing again and have exams coming up.

However, I have seen three films over the past three weeks which I will now review in my own unique way (which is vaguely, considering I never bothered to write anything down in the first place).

In Her Shoes: Romantic comedy/drama with Toni Collette and Cameron Diaz. Cameron can actually act, which was a pleasant surprise, and Toni Collette was pretty good. Kind of sappy stuff but perfectly enjoyable for seeing with my mum, if not actually very memorable. I didn't *not* like it though (man, double negatives at this time of night! must be crazy) so it must be okay.

Pride and Prejudice: I admit, I'm a purist. I've read the book God knows how many times and I think that the 1995 BBC version with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle is the quintessential adaptation. Seeing the new feature-length movie version has only strengthened my view. This new version looks like it's trying to be 'gritty and realistic' with the result that the Bennets are living in a flaking-paint dump and the girls are never dressed appropriately (I nearly had a heart attack when Miss Bingley appears in a sleeveless dress at the Netherfield ball, but that's just me). Overall I didn't like the look of the film - It was all dark moors, dramatic bronte sisters type stuff, instead of a light social satire (which is how I see it). The acting was ok, Keira Knightley was quite good although her Lizzy was a bit more flightly and excitable than the one in the book I thought. I didn't really warm to Matthew MacFadyen as Darcy - he seemed quite disconnected and cold throughout. and I couldn't stand how Bingley was made into a foppish blundering Hugh Grant type of character. Obviously, being feature film length instead of 6 hours long, bits of the story were also lost as well as a few minor characters, but it was adapted to film-length rather well. Maybe I would've liked it more if I wasn't already so familiar with the story (and didn't have such a huge sentimental attachment to the Firth/Ehle version!).

Serenity: This one is from Joss Whedon, who wrote Buffy and Angel. It follows on from the TV series Firefly (which I'd never seen or heard of before I saw the movie) but (obviously) works equally as well as a stand alone movie. Being from Joss Whedon, there was some good sarcastic humour and one-liners. The plot basically is that a girl called River, whose mind has been altered or psychologically disturbed or something freaky, is saved by her brother, and both are taken onboard the space craft Serenity, which is made up of an eclectic crew who make their living through smalltime crime. River knows a dangerous secret and the Alliance (the government) is keen to get her back. Or something like that. It's a highly entertaining movie with great action sequences, from the chases to the fantastic fight scenes with River (who I reckon could kick Neo's ass any day). There are also some suspenseful moments and the 'secret' is fascinating and kind of creepy, and fits in really well with the plot.

Anyway I hardly know what I'm typing about now. I have work tomorrow, hurrah. Good night.

-R

PS for someone who's trying to cut down on blaspheming, I think I may have a little way to go.