Pocohontas, Lockheed, & Veronica

(or, Recent Viewings in the Life of Me)

My beloved Feisal decided to need considerable work right after I got home. On the positive side, I had graduation money to cover the costs; on the negative, that money was Glen-designated. So I'm not going this year after all. But I really can't complain: I had been ignoring Feisal's engine light for months, and no Glen results in more Dragon-time. Which is always a good thing, and nearly always results in, erm, memorable quotes.

I saw The Last Stand a couple of weeks ago. Honestly, I was quite disappointed. It wasn't wholly bad, but it had two plots (each of which could have been a fascinating movie on its own) and they didn't reinforce each other; each prevented the other from being developed fully. Also, every conversation in the movie felt rushed. But my biggest complaint is the way it threw away set-ups from the previous movie. The Rogue-Bobby storyline virtually ignored their story from X2; nothing came of Storm's comments to Nightcrawler about anger (or of Nightcrawler himself); and that beautiful visual set-up at the end (the Phoenix underwater) was also ignored. I haven't had a chance to go back & watch the end of X2 yet, but I'm pretty sure Xavier's statements about Jean's powers in The Last Stand directly contradicted his statements at the end of X2.

Which brings us to the Phoenix storyline . . . I will resist my urge to rant and only note two things. (1) I hated the effect they used when Phoenix killed someone. It looked like they dissolved into pixels. I wanted to get the full and horrifying sense that she was killing humans, not the sense that the effects department came up with something cool. (2) They made Phoenix--Phoenix!--a passive character. (She never acts, she only reacts). Idiots.

I won't even mention the Phoenix-force, or how Xavier hadn't messed with Jean's mind, or how Scott shouldn't have died, and if he was going to die it should have happened *on screen*--

Which brings me to another point. Two many deaths (or "cures"), and none of them had the emotional impact they should have had. (I'm with Jan Batchler: Xavier's death should have waited until the end of the 2nd act, if it was going to happen.)

I have plenty more thoughts, but I'll restrain myself. On a happier note, I read Joss Whedon's first 6 X-Men comics (the "Gifted" storyline). It does the cure-thing a lot better than the movie (incidentally, this series, or mini-series, or whatever the correct comic terminology is, inspired that part of the movie). And it has a Kitty Pryde who really *is* Kitty Pryde--complete with Colossus and the marvelous Lockheed. It also made me laugh more than once . . . something the movie failed to accomplish. If The Last Stand disappointed you, I heartily recommend this as an antidote.

Other Recent Viewings include The New World, which was joyous and heartbreaking by turns, and gloriously beautiful. It's one of those films that begs to be seen on the big screen . . . I'm deeply sorry that I didn't see it there. The acting, without exception, is excellent, the cinematography amazing, and Q'Orianka Kilcher (the girl who plays Pocohontas) delivers one of the best performances I've seen in a while. It's an enchanting, almost hypnotisingly beautiful film.

I've also finally purchased Veronica Mars season 1, which I've been wanting to see for ages. I've only see the pilot, but I'm liking it so far--sad but not sentimental, clever, tightly written and well-acted. And with lots of noir influence, which is always fun. :-)

And now I need to dash . . . hopefully the next post will not be so long delayed.

Willowmeads!

I'm Buffy!

You Are Buffy the Vampire Slayer

"We saved the world. I say we have to party."

What Superheroine Are You?

Well, not really, but this highly amused me--especially since it was completely unententional. (And, just for the record, that's a misquote of a line from Prophecy Girl, the season 1 finale. The second sentence should read: "I say we party.")

In other news, for anyone who keeps up with this thing, my apologies for not posting in so long--our computer at home won't let me on blogger at present, and I haven't yet figured out how to circumvent its obtuseness. But I am alive, and well, and at home. :-)

I've just finished rereading What We Can't Not Know, and I liked it even better this time through. Budzizewski reminds me of Lewis: he's very thoughtful & extremely well-read (referencing everyone from Augustine & Aquinas to Wordsworth & Yeats), and he writes with great clarity & lucidity. And his discussion of natural law is insightful, challenging, and thought-provoking. If you haven't read it, you should.

Next on the summer reading list are (1) Ideas Have Consequences, one of the books I sort-of-read for Conservative Political Thought last semester, and (2) The Iliad (which I've still never read. I know, shame on me.) After those I want to finish reading through the books from CPT, delve into twentieth century literature, and explore the early church Fathers. If all goes according to plan, I should have plenty to post about. :-)

I plan to continue work on my book as soon as I get a computer (the last four years have completely destroyed my ability to write longhand), and I'm going to see X-Men this weekend--and that pretty much covers the news-in-the-life-of-me.

Much love to all Dragons & Dark Creatures, Friends & Relations--most of whom I should see soon, and the rest of whom I hope to hear from--

The Enchantress of Lyonesse

(once a Dark Creature in Lyonesse. . . .)