back from the grave

So to speak! That was a relaxing 4-day stay in humid Bulacan, which would have been more relaxing if it wasn’t so humid. Gluttony! I don’t have any pictures from the birthday weekend, but if I had, it would have been nothing but pictures of food.

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I read a bit of Area 51 and re-read A Secret History. Also saw:

Brave

This is a visual feast, from the green lands of Scotland to Merida’s luscious red hair. But to quote Roger Ebert, “‘The good news is that the kids will probably love it, and the bad news is that parents will be disappointed if they’re hoping for another Pixar groundbreaker. Unlike such brightly original films as Toy Story, Finding Nemo, WALL-E and Up, this one finds Pixar poaching on traditional territory of Disney, its corporate partner. We get a spunky princess; her mum, the queen; her dad, the gruff king, an old witch who lives in the woods, and so on.”

That’s about it. The film is important for being the first Pixar film with a female protagonist, and not just any female protagonist – Merida is a princess who is not a damsel in distress. She can be an empowering role model for little girls who have seen this film, but the film itself pales in comparison to other Pixar tales. I just think they could have done more with the characters.

The Fourth Kind – The film opens with Milla Jovovich walking toward the camera and saying, “My name is Milla Jovovich, and I will be playing blah blah blah.” The film, which deals with alien abduction (known as the fourth kind, in the scale of alien encounters) is disturbing enough, but the filmmakers try too hard to make us believe that what we’re seeing is actual footage. Please.

Plus something from IMDB: The real Nome is 51% native Alaskan, but there are no indigenous characters in the film (at least none stated to be). 

Now that just makes me angry.

Man On A Ledge – Has an unbelievable premise, but sure, it’s a fun watch.

The Thing  (1982) – It’s an alien monster story with an actual formidable monster. (Shame on Cloverfield.) The characters’ paranoia spills out of every snow-covered scene. Very well done.

Star Wars IV, V, and VI (Remastered versions)

You and I have heard all the spoilers and have seen all the memes – “Luke, I am your father” (though in the film Darth Vader only actually says “I am your father”), Yoda, Chewie, Han Solo in carbonite, “You are my only hope” from Princess Leia, R2-D2 and C-3PO, and the Ewoks that take down an empire – but this was the first time I saw the original trilogy. I know! Took me long enough. Years ago I saw Episode IV but might have been too young to appreciate the story. I tried seeing Episode V last year I think, but got confused and got incredibly drunk (no connection to one another).

I love it. The franchise deserves it’s crazy fandom. Princess Leia is badass. Episodes IV and V are really good, but I think Episode VI is a misstep. Ewoks? Really? Here’s the two films building up the rebellion (and Ep. V seems to be a promise of greater things to come) and then – ewoks? Is George Lucas a furry?

But my criticism comes decades too late.

Also, I saw the remastered versions (thanks to J), so when the Jedi ghosts appeared to Luke Skywalker in the last scene, I was greeted by the visage of Hayden Christensen! I thought I was hallucinating.

Christ.