I was not expecting great things from this movie, but it was surprisingly better than I hoped for. My biggest problem with it was the same problem I had with Lion, With, Wardrobe and that was that Narnia seems to have lost some of its innocent magic and whimsy from the translation. I almost wonder if less realistic special effects would have helped create a more fantastical tone befitting the Narnia stories.

With that said, even though Caspian and the Telmarines were nothing like what Imagine them to be, it didn’t bother me that much and Caspian was not as bad of an actor as I gathered he would be from the trailers. The kid playing Peter is another story though, he just couldn’t figure out how to deliver all of those dramatic lines he had.

The plot moved rather well, yet in the hands of a better director this could have been almost a masterpiece. Certain relationships like Lucy and Trumpkin were not well-developed, yet at the end we were expected to get some pay off from it. With a better director we may have actually gotten this pay off.
I didn’t even mind the (very) subtle romance between Caspian and Susan, even though it was completely fabricated. Yet that would have worked better had it been a little less subtle, even just one more scene of them actually having a conversation, or something.
The man, or mouse rather, who stole the show was Reepicheep. I wondered it they could pull him off, and they certainly did. All in all, enjoyable and not the disaster I expected, yet would have been great in the hands of a better director.
7/10

Har helt glömt bort att jag hade denna kategorin kvar, men här är den i alla fall. “Nyheter i DVD Hyllan”, en kategori där jag listar det senaste jag köpt & samtidigt ger lite köptips. Denna veckan blev det 4 nya filmer.

Monsters vs. Aliens

Pris: 149.-

Lite synd eg att det inte blev 3d versionen vi såg på 3d bion i våras, istället blev det den vanliga utgåvan och det funkar lika bra eg. Kul film med bra animering, kul att Pixar äntligen har fått en fullvärdig utmanare i form av Dreamworks.

FN BETYG: 6/10

Filmen (trots mitt lite låga betyg) är en perfekt familjefilm och rekommenderas varmt. Jag har redan lagt betyg på denna i ett tidigare inlägg där jag pratade lite om 3d bio, läs mer här

Narnia – Prince Caspian

Pris 99.-

Nu orkade jag inte vänta längre, hade förväntat mig en lika fin utgåva som första filmen och en sådan kanske kommer tillslut. Första filmen kom i ett flertal utgåvor med allt från 2 till 4 disc och förlängda versioner och giftset editions, men men. Någon sådan har inte dykt upp än vad jag har kunnat hitta så det fick bli köp tillslut och jag ångrar mig eg inte. Tanken är väl att man skall gå över till BluRay nån dag längre fram och det är nog till just detta de lite roligare utgåvorna kommer komma till när det väl är dags.

FN BETYG 8/10

Prince Caspian är eg mer eller mindre motsatsen till vad just första Narnia var, detta är inte en barnfilm utan mer en film för ungdomar i tidiga tonår, mer än 6-7 åringar som den första filmen kanske mer var riktad mot? Den funkar självklart för hela familjen och man bör ha sett första filmen innan man ser denna.

Jet Li´s “Fearless”

Pris 59.-

Ja vad skall man säga mer än att det en av Jet Li´s bättre filmer. När den dessutom var billig så var det inte så mycket att fundera på, direktköp på den med andra ord. För er som är lite småkänsliga mot onaturliga sparkar och flygande ninjor så behöver ni inte vara allt för oroliga, visst det förkommer lite väl sånt i denna filmen. Men långt ifrån vad som anses vara “normal” mängden i andra asiatiska filmer. Filmen är dessutom baserad på en verklig händelse och person, så det är väl därför de har hållt nere det till ett minimum.

FN BETYG 7/10

Filmen “Fearless” har jag inte recenserat tidigare, det var dessutom ganska länge sedan jag såg den nu så betyget är baserat på hur och vad jag minns av filmen. Den är helt klart sevärd, för dig som gillar Asiatisk Action är denna ett måste, håll dig dock borta om du är allergisk mot sådant.

Jaws – 2 Disc Steelbook

Pris: 79.-

Ja hur skall man inte kunna motivera denna egentligen? Klassiker i en härlig förpackning som alla filmälskare bör ha hemma i någon form. VHS, DVD, BD eller varför inte VCD eller LaserDisc? hehe, skämt åsido, detta är en av de filmer man skall ha sett. Att den dessutom kom i plåtbox gör det hela inte sämre.

FN BETYG 10/10

Visst, kanske inte värd 10 sett med dagens ögon. Men med tanke på all historik, hur den påverkade filmvärlden när den kom osv. gör att den får ett givet toppbetyg. Att den fortfarande håller som film än i dag bevisar bara storheten runt filmen och dess skapare. Detta är som sagt ett måsteköp för alla som älskar film. Varför inte passa på då och få den i en najs plåtbox samtidigt?

Då var inköpslistan redovisad för denna gång. För en relativ komplett lista över vad som står i hyllan just nu, ta en titt här

I was watching The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian recently. The scene that got me thinking was when Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Caspian were doing the attack on the Telmarine castle. I realized that me and my closest friends were just like the Pevensies in that scene. The oldest friend, who I’m going to call John, is a guy who is currently serving in the Middle East. John, I would say, is like Peter. He could probably kick butt if he were Peter’s shoes. Next would be me. I would be Susan’s counterpart. I’m the oldest girl, the second oldest overall, and I have a background in martial arts. Then comes Bob. Bob is third in age and would be Edmund’s counterpart. He also has a background in martial arts, albeit a different type of martial art from my background. Last, but not least, would be B-Shawty. She’s the youngest from the four of us, and most like Lucy. I say that because she has absolutely no background in any combat training, martial arts, or self-defense training. Because of that, I would put her in charge of helping the sick and wounded. Anyway, but when it comes to me, John, and Bob, I can also imagine us with different weapons and or having extra weapon skills. That’s assuming that we don’t have any type of guns, tanks, etc. With John, I can imagine him being able to use two swords. With Bob, I can imagine him with a sword, of course, and a bow & arrows. And with me, I imagine myself with a pair of sais and a bo, like how Gabrielle did in Xena: Warrior Princess. Anyway, I just found it interesting as to the parallels between the Pevensies and me and my friends.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (“Dawn Treader”) is filming according to Walden Media on July 27, 2009. There is a new director, Michael Apted, and the former  director, Andrew Adamson will be one of the three producers. It is set to release in December 2010.

Disney does not appear to be supporting this film. I cannot find an official statement from Walden Media or Disney about this, or I would reference it.

Prince Caspian (“Caspian”) did not fare as well as The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe.  According to Box Office Mojo, the opening weekend earnings for Caspian were $55,034,805 compared to $65,556,312 for The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Personally, I was disappointed by Caspian because it was not as magical as the first movie and it veered from the book by adding the first failed battle scene, friction between Caspian and Peter, and a love interest between Caspian and Susan.  I did not purchase Caspian when it came out on DVD. 

Are you looking forward to movie The Voyage of the Dawn Treader? Have you read the book? What is your favorite part?

I know this post took forever for me to write, and I know I said I’d put it up a week ago. Well, it was practically ready a week ago. But I wasn’t.  Reason why?  It deals with my issues at home. And the readers who live there. (*cough* <Mom> *cough* <Don’t hate me> *sniffle*).

So, after some careful editing and some prayer, here it goes.

I keep coming back to the book of Ruth, not because it’s the title inspiration for this blog, but because it’s one of those precious, tiny, self-contained books in the Old Testament that tells a personal story, and tells it with as much humanity and honesty as ancient Hasidic storytelling will allow.  It doesn’t just report events; it reports life-altering shifts and personal upsets that happened to its characters.  Since my life is in transition right now, the realism just speaks to me.  Especially as it pertains to the process of grief, and how it affects the grieving as they move into a new territory of living.

In Ruth’s tale, the big life-change for Ruth’s mother-in-law, Naomi, is described briefly, but not subtly, through a series of notations made by Naomi herself and others regarding her altered state as a new widow.  I see so much of my mother here, and it helps me to understand her as we walk through this process together. I’ll show you what I mean.

Take, for example, what Naomi says to Orpah and Ruth (her daughters-in-law, who are also newly widowed), and what it reveals about Naomi’s sudden loss of self-worth, and her resignation to her fate. It’s truly sad.

 ”Return home, my daughters. Why would you come with me? Am I going to have any more sons, who could become your husbands? Return home, my daughters; I am too old to have another husband. Even if I thought there was still hope for me—even if I had a husband tonight and then gave birth to sons-  would you wait until they grew up? Would you remain unmarried for them? No, my daughters. It is more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD’s hand has gone out against me!” (Ruth 1:11-13)

Naomi insists here that she’s essentially worthless to her daughters-in-law now, since  she has nothing more to offer in terms of children, husbands, or relationships, and, therefore, in this time period, no way to provide for the young women through these connections.  In my own era, my mother isn’t so much concerned about the fact that she can’t provide for me; it’s simply that she knows that, now that I’m grown, she doesn’t need to—and so she feels useless.  I know this only because she says things to me like, “You don’t need me anymore,” and I know it bothers her.  She’s looking for a role. It’s almost as if she’s asking, wondering, If I’m not needed as a mother, and I’m no longer a wife, what am I now?

Now, I’ve read a lot of works on widowhood, most sent to me by kindly-meaning people who wanted me to pass the book, pamphlet, or article onto my mother, who frankly has little desire to read more depressing material about other women who share her situation.  But all of those works deal in a united fashion with one big issue, and it’s the hardest one a widow ever faces: the loss of identity that comes with losing one’s husband–the other half of the “item” presented to the world.  My mom’s trying to figure out her identity now, and I’m trying to figure out mine in relation to hers.  And it’s rough, confusing work.  I feel like a teenager all over again in some ways, because I miss being mothered but I can’t stand being hovered over.  And I’ve also done some mothering lately myself, and feel like I’m ready to take on the role soon (God, husband, and uterus willing).  Mom doesn’t know how to manage my weird moods and standoffishness, and I don’t know how to act differently.  So we’re both in a weird place, identity-wise.

In the Book of Ruth, Naomi deals with her loss of identity by adopting another one.  The identity she adopts baffles today’s commentators who would wish to encourage Naomi to adopt a cheerfully desperate, youthful identity—to get her “groove back,” or re-enter the marriage market.  But rather than get a Benjamite boob-job and some kosher collagen filler, Naomi does what most widows of a certain age tend to do: she takes on an identity that is actually older than her years.

How the heck do I glean this from a few short sentences in the Good Book?  Easy.  It’s obvious that Naomi lets herself go a little—understandably—just by the way that people respond to her. We can tell that her appearance is markedly haggard when she and Ruth finally re-enter Naomi’s home town of Bethlehem since the author of Ruth reports, “the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, ‘Can this be Naomi”’(Ruth 1: 19)?

Apparently, Naomi really looked awful.  No one can blame her for this, though, really.  I’ve seen first-hand in my own mirror the way that grieving can swiftly age your appearance (drops in weight can create prominent bone structure under the skin, or in older women, exacerbates sagging skin; lack of sleep deepens dark circles and gives a hollow look to the eyes, and constant despair carves a drawn look around the mouth, etc.).  People always notice, and, in sympathy, remark on the changes.  When I returned to campus after my dad died this winter, a dear friend told me sweetly, “Honey, you look like hell.”  My mom’s friends have been kinder, but she’s noticed the changes in herself clearly enough without the comments.

Naomi’s response to her neighbors’ commentary is almost caustic, and it is also as dramatic as Jewish culture allows.  Rather than acknowledge her previous identity, she practices name-swapping, which was a huge deal in Old Testament times:

 ”Don’t call me Naomi (my sweet, pleasant one),” she told them. “Call me Mara (bitter), because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.” (v. 20-21)

This name-swap reflects Naomi’s altered attitude, and it’s one that I understand completely.  After a great tragedy befalls you, there is almost a natural, instinctive tendency to adapt not only a bitter, hardened outlook on life, but also a terrible sense of fatalism.

There is a natural kind of logic that flows from the way that the helpless feelings that come out of the experience of loss inevitably become the habitual attitude of the mind.  Fatalism becomes one’s instinct; victim-status, one’s mindset.  The world seems wrong, hostile, and inevitably out-to-get-you.  God seems either to be wanton in his malice or simply uncaring. Either way, a grieving person will feel helpless against powers greater than himself that seem to conspire to create misery.  Simply put, when it rains, it pours, and there is nary an umbrella in sight. The griever finds ample evidence that “the LORD has afflicted [her]” and there is nothing to be done about it.  Naomi represents this death-spiral of thought very well in her own words. The idea she essentially expresses is, I’ll live afflicted, and I’ll die afflicted. It’s a truly fatal way of thinking, hence the attached -ism.

In Turn Mourning into Dancing, the remarkable theologian Henri Nouwen (yes, I know I already made literary-love to him in my post on the nature of time; just deal with my new author-crush, okay?) pays close attention the way that fatalism affects the bereaved.¹  In his typical spot-on realism, Nouwen explains how fatalism can bury those who are grieving inside their own coffins of pain and disappointment:

One of the most insidious aspects of fatalism has to do with how it leads us to resist healing. We become hostage to a discouragement that insists that nothing more can be done. Fatalism reinforces our tenacious grasp on the old. We become stubbornly unwilling to consider anything outside our narrow experience. Fatalism can lead to depression, despair, even suicide. (50)

I’m lucky that it’s not a normal part of my nature to be a pessimist, because fatalism is something I have to fight every day as a result of my grief.  I can usually beat it, put on a brave face, and meet the world and its challenges.  But for my mom, my Naomi, the task is more challenging.

“God must hate me,” I’ve heard her say, regarding our recent loss, financial burdens, or sudden need for home repairs.  “I’ve never been strong,” she’ll say, by way of argument or explanation whenever I challenge her to challenge herself to get past a new stage of grief or to fight a symptom of it.  I won’t lie and say it doesn’t bother me and worry me.  But I know it’s ultimately an attitude that she’ll either move away from, or that God will help her alter.  Either way, I have to hope—no, to be certain—that it will change.  How do I know that?

Because in the Christian spirit, faith always wins. And faith is the opposite of fatalism.  Or so says Nouwen, anyway.  I’d like to post Nouwen’s spiel on faith versus fatalism here, just because it explains in simple terms exactly how the two attitudes work in opposite directions in the life of a grieving person:

[F]aith looks very different from fatalism. It is its radical opposite. Rather than displaying passive resignation, faith leads us to hopeful willingness. A person of faith is willing to let new things happen and shoulder responsibilities that arise from unheard of possibilities. Trust in God allows us to live with active expectation, not cynicisim. When we view life as a gift . . . given to us by a loving God, and not wrestled by us from an impersonal fate [or, I would add, an uncaring god-figure], we remember that at the heart of reality rests the love of God itself. This mean that faith creates in us a willingness to let God’s will be done. (51)

Faith therefore means that a grieving person can feel free to trust God and can therefore take on an attitude of hopefulness.  And hope—the best anti-depressant in the world—restores our feeling of rightness in the world, gives us back a childlike sense of provision and protectedness, revives our youthful verve, and yes, even allows us to be vulnerable when we once were terrified of our unbearable and all-encompassing weakness.  But that’s just my experience. Nouwen describes hope’s gifts more beautifully when he writes, “Hope is willing to leave unanswered questions unanswered and unknown futures unknown. Hope makes you see God’s guiding hand not only in the gentle and pleasant moments but also in the shadows of disappointment and darkness” (60).

As you can imagine, hope like this is wildly liberating. It offers honey when the world hands you vinegar. It makes you feel like you could handle anything, and it reassures you that you’re not alone.  It even gives you back your old identity, with a newer, sweeter assurance, and it returns you to the land of your birth, to the roots of your faith, and to the passion you once had for your faith when it was new.  Best of all, hope, the child of faith, is unstoppable once it’s been given birth.

I think the inevitability of faith’s (and hope’s) victory is the reason why the author of Ruth perspicaciously refuses to use Naomi’s self-proclaimed new name as a reference to her character in the book.  Right after Naomi introduces herself as Mara in verse 21 (in the quote from Ruth 1 posted above), we read in verse 22, “So Naomi returned . . . (NIV)”

Yes. Yes, eventually, she did. 

And Ruth got married, and they all lived happily ever after . . . .until the next invading tribe swept through Israel while it was half-hazardly protected by its judges (because it wouldn’t have a king until Saul came along and sucked and tried to kill Ruth’s great-grandson, David, who was a better warrior and king—until he got himself into trouble with a chick named Bathsheba, and…)

Yeah. We just gotta have faith, people. That’s all I’m saying.

Let God fix the mess.

Annddd (cue the clear forewarning of a ham-handed segue here) . . . speaking of signs of God’s faithfulness:

Oscar Wilde’s work never looked so fine.  Ever.

Do you remember Wilde’s gothic novella-parable, The Picture of Dorian Gray (often mistitled The Portrait of Dorian Gray), the story about the young man whose beautiful face is captured by a mysterious painter, who from that moment on never ages, despite the dissipation and wickedness of his lifestyle? You don’t?  That’s because you don’t read (quality literature, I mean. It’s clear that you read this blog).  That’s why I am so excited that a film of this story is finally being introduced to this generation of moviegoers.  It’s a story that can’t be told enough in our times: a dire warning of the price of the selfish consumption we indulge in within our culture.

So here comes the movie to warn us all. And, lo, behold! The beautiful face of Mr. Gray now belongs to Ben Barnes, of Prince Caspian fame, the English-major/singer-turned-freakin’gorgeous-actor whom I admire very much, and not just for his dark good looks.  I cannot wait to see this movie.  Bonus feature: it co-stars the unforgettable Colin Firth (That’s right, girls: it’s Mr. Darcy!!!).  

Behold, ze trailer of picture perfection. 

I am sad, though. The IMDB.com infopage on this movie says it’s not slotted to come to the USA theatres, but will only become available to us folks across the “Pond” when it’s released on DVD sometime next fall.

Whaaaa? That’s.  So.  Sad.

What can we do? Ruth’s got an idea.  She’ll write a letter where it’s got its best chance of being read.  This being Ruth’s only blog, here it goes:

My Dear  and Darling Mr. Ben Barnes,

I’ve read that you occasionally google yourself. And so I’m hoping that, if you should ever find this blog, you might—please, please, please—campaign to bring your Dorian Gray to theatres here in the US.  Pull whatever strings you have to, even if it means supplicat-texting your old neighbor, who is the simultaneous-bitch-and-master of Summit Entertainment Group.² If he’s able to hook you up to Summit’s U.S. distributor, I will certainly do some word-of-mouth advertising, Facebooking, blogging, and book-dropping in my English major circles to raise the ticket sales for your film.  And I’ll be very, very grateful to you for the gift of seeing you in period costume on a twenty-foot screen. Very, very, very grateful.  So grateful that I might just . . .well . . . mmm . . . Nevermind. I wouldn’t want to sully my portrait, or yours. Much.  I’m sure you know what I mean by that.

Affectionately and much affectedly yours,

Ruth

I can already see some readers rolling their eyes at me for writing that. But you should already know that I’m shameless, silly, and joking (sort of; I’m kidding in that you-know- it-could-never-happen kind of way).

But I’m also an eternal optimist.   Thank God.

Notes:

1. Nouwen, Henri. Turn My Mourning into Dancing: Finding Hope in Hard Times. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2001.
2. Weird biographical side-note of cosmos-twisting kismet proportions:  Ben Barnes was apparently raised down the street from Robert Pattinson in Barnes, London, and they crossed paths pretty often when they were kids (well, when Rob was a kid, and Ben was a tweenager. Whatevah. The coincidence is awesome). Both Ben and Rob were in the “final four” in Summit’s lineup to play Edward Cullen in Twilight, but Ben was dubbed “too old” for the part (at 26, he was, sadly), so Rob (then barely 21) cradle-robbed the role.  But, oh, the smallness of the world and the pool which spawned these beautiful male leads! I almost want to buy a house in that neighborhood and partake of its magical properties/property by drinking the local water from Barn Elms, breathing the air (fog? It’s western London…), walking barefoot on the grass and rolling in the dirt on the Commons, and then seeing if I have unrealistically gorgeous babies as a result. The place really must be magical, even if it’s unhealthily close to one of the bends of the polluted Thames.

Narnia was a magical, enchanted land. It was populated by talking beasts of all kinds: foxes and beavers, lions, and fantastical creatures like centaurs and fauns, trolls and dwarfs. Even the trees and the rivers were alive. Once, long ago, four children appeared in Narnia and saved it from perpetual winter by defeating the White Witch. Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, who entered Narnia through a magical wardrobe, became the kings and queens of Narnia, and the land prospered. But since those rulers disappeared over a century ago, things have changed quite drastically. The Telmarines have conquered the land, which was left without a ruler. The talking beasts have disappeared, becoming nothing but legends that very few believe in.

The book opens with the four Pevensie children, the once saviors and rulers of Narnia, on their way back to school. Sitting on the station platform, they await the trains that will take the boys and girls to separate boarding schools. Suddenly, they all begin to have the feeling of being pinched and pulled. The platform disappears from beneath their feet, and they appear in the middle of a heavily wooded area. They have returned to Narnia!

The Pevensies return to Narnia

]]> http://dlrp.wordpress.com/2009/10/08/2nd-november-disney-blu-ray-dvd-combi-re-release-day/ Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:37:07 +0000 Steve http://dlrp.wordpress.com/2009/10/08/2nd-november-disney-blu-ray-dvd-combi-re-release-day/

First came the DVD, then the extended version, then the Blu-ray and now Disney are re-releasing some of their catalogue in Blu-ray/DVD Combi Packs, presumably to keep them in line with their recent releases…oh, and to make a heap of money as well!

Blu-ray / DVD Combi Pack

The titles being released as Blu-ray / DVD Combi packs on November 2nd are as follow:

Pirates Of The Caribbean – The Curse Of The Black Pearl Combi Pack (Blu-ray + DVD)
Enchanted Combi Pack (Blu-ray + DVD)
The Nightmare Before Christmas Combi Pack (Blu-ray + DVD)
The Chronicles Of Narnia – The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe Combi Pack (Blu-ray + DVD)
The Chronicles Of Narnia – Prince Caspian Combi Pack (Blu-ray + DVD)
Cars Combi Pack (Blu-ray + DVD)
Tinker Bell Combi Pack (Blu-ray + DVD)
High School Musical Combi Pack (Blu-ray + DVD)
Ratatouille Combi Pack (Blu-ray + DVD)

Of those we have Pirates of the Caribbean on both DVD and Blu-ray, Enchanted on Blu-ray, The Nightmare Before Christmas on DVD, The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe on DVD, Cars on Blu-ray and DVD, High School Musical on DVD and Ratatouille on Blu-ray. These Combi Packs are all priced at £12.98 ($20.87) which is a pretty damn good price and less than I paid for any of the Blu-rays, and probably the DVDs at the time. As an avid Disney collector, am I tempted to re-buy any of those that I have? In a word, no. That said I’m probably not the target consumer for these deals, more likely they are for people who don’t already have these titles. I don’t have Prince Caspian and am very tempted to get this Combi Pack at just £12.98 as I like to play Blu-ray in the lounge and DVDs elsewhere in the house.

It’ll be interesting to see if other companies follow suit, but as usual Disney are the front runners in the way Blu-rays are released.

I’m reliving this little ‘99 Texas run for a few reasons… One, I was thinking a lot about how it’s been ten years since my grandma passed, and as I mentioned earler these shows were a big release for me to have just a week after. Two, I’m trying to entice El Jefe to get off his ass and come see phish with me for the first time in TEN YEARS… Third, this night was one of my favorite times ever with our good friend D-Bird, who is no longer with us.

We woke up, and I’m not sure why D-bird didn’t go to Austin with us (since he and I were roomates at college together, this is even more baffling)… but he didn’t. But Jeff and I had plans to meet up with D-bird, Dana B and Little Stu early on in the day at D-bird’s mom’s house (which was vacant, as she was moving in with her new husband if i remember correctly). With the crew rounded up, we cruised over to the lot of Cynthia Woods.

The amphitheater itself is not bad, but the area its in is so weird. It’s like they dropped it in the middle of a shopping/office center and you park literally in the office parks (thiings may have changed, i haven’t been here in a while). The walk up to the place is kinda cool, and you are in these huge woods which makes it pretty spooky after shows… anyway, we got in early and set up shop on the front of the lawn (at the rail). Dana, Jefe, D-bird and I were all enjoying our fake-id’s working when we realized Little Stu (a sophomore in high school, mind you) was missing. AFter freaking out for a bit, the kid returns with a wicked grin on his face… we ask him what’s up and he sticks out his tounge which is covered in paper. D-bird freaking out over the thought of babysitting Stu all night was classic, even though Stu held it down like a pro (which is yet another reason why he is now my attorney).

as for the show… it’s yet another overall well played show with no real low points.

tube opener was cool after the first tube opener the night before, limb by limb is very well played, and Page KILLS IT covering On Your Way Down.

special treat near the end of the first set when the girl screaming for sleeping monkey gets her request with the promise that Fish will “sing it extra pretty for you”.

bowie is very drawn out and spacey, as is the Coil that follows it. The real heat of the show is the Rock and Roll -> 2001 > Frankenstein > Julius. I remember my head nearly exploding as they went into Frankenstein.

after the show we all cruised back to d-bird’s house where, for some reason, there was a keg… I remember Stu getting a call from his parents at 4:20 in the morning asking him where he was and if D-bird could please drive him home.

good times.

phish
09/25/99
The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion
Houston, TX

Set I: Tube, Runaway Jim, Ya Mar, Horn, Limb By Limb, On Your Way Down, Sleeping Monkey, Wilson

Set II: NICU, David Bowie, Squirming Coil, Prince Caspian, Rock and Roll, Also Sprach Zarathustra, Frankenstein, Julius

Encore: Character Zero

DOWNLOADS
SET ONE: http://www.sendspace.com/file/s4jyxu
SET TWO: http://www.sendspace.com/file/3gps4f

ENJOY!

Katrina at Callapidder Days is once again hosting Fall Into Reading.

It’s a no-pressure, no-stress way to get people to put down the remote, step away from the screen, and open up a book.

I plan on participating this time around, and hopefully I will have a bit more success than I did with the Spring Reading Thing.

Fall Into Reading starts today and ends on December 20th, which gives me 13 weeks to fit some books in.  Considering Emma and Jake are both in school now, I think  even I can manage to read a few pages in that time.

Now for my list (The fact that I used to read WAY more than this is astounding to me).

1. The Horse and His Boy – C.S. Lewis (one of my Bucket List books)
2. Prince Caspian – C.S. Lewis (another Bucket List book)
3. Wicked – Gregory Maguire
4. Twilight – Stephanie Meyer
5. You’re a Good Mom (and You’re Kids Aren’t So Bad Either) – Jen Singer

Hopefully, I’ll be able to add some more books to the list, but we’ll start with this.  Wouldn’t want to be an overachiever and set my sights too high now.

Wanna play along?  Visit Fall Reading Thing 2009 at Callapidder Days!

Welcome to the first review of FilmWipe365. Unfortunately we start on a sour note with a review of the woeful Dorian Gray. I will begin by breaking every single rule in the book on how to write a good review, by telling you how terrible I think this film is in the first paragraph.  However, I would be doing anyone reading this a disservice if I did not mention that Dorian Gray is the one of the worst films I have ever seen in my life and makes a night of rubbing my genitals repeatedly with barbed wire seem tempting.

The film is based on Oscar Wilde’s; The Picture of Dorian Gray and follows Dorian’s introduction to the London social scene, where he develops a hedonistic lifestyle fuelled by his wealth and beauty.  After admiring a painting of himself he decides he would rather give up his soul in order to stay eternally young.  As his life descends in to greater debauchery the painting he once admired shows the disintegration of Dorian’s soul.

Dorian Gray is played by Ben Barnes (Prince Caspian in the Narnia films).   His performance in the first half of the film is possibly one of the poorest in contemporary British cinema.  He turns a charming and complex character into an automaton, appearing too real off lines as if they were from an autocue.  This is largely caused by Barnes’ limited ability to portray emotions other than youthful naivety (his time in middling family fantasy films has obviously blunted any natural ability).  This severely inhibits the development of the character and causes the audience to lose any interest in the story.  A prime example of this is Dorian’s transformation from a simple country youth to an urban bisexual drug addict who seeks only pleasure.   The smell of rotting pork during this is so strong (if you haven’t got my analogy to hammy acting please insert here) that it is like walking into a butchers shop which only serves meat retrieved from bins.  Barnes’s is so awful that he deserves a knighthood for his services to the Razzie Awards, for if he does not steal away the Golden Raspberry for worst actor from Mike Myers then a travesty comparable to OJ Simpson’s “Not Guilty” verdict will have been committed.

However, Barnes is not alone in his quest to have the worst cinematic performance of the year.  Rachel Hurd-Wood surely has put herself in contention to be on the dole for the next six years with her portrayal of Sybil Vane, a woman who falls in love with Dorian Gray but later commits suicide after his transformation.   Whilst Johnny Harris’ performance as Sybils’ brother James Vane, is straight out of the Oliver Twist book of creepy Victorian gentleman and does nothing to excite the imagination.

Although all of those previously mentioned are guilty as charged, and deserve a lifetime restraining order to keep them away from any future film productions, the worst offender has to be director Oliver Parker.  A man who has previously exhibited his directorial ability in Oscar worthy epics such as St Trinians and the equally terrible 2002 version of The Importance of Being Earnest.  How this man ever managed to continue to have a career after making those two awful films is a miracle comparable to the feeding of the five thousand.  However I think he will have to perform an even greater miracle if he hopes to survive his latest attempt to destroy his career.  Obviously his influences are low grade Mexican telenovellas mixed with The Muppets Christmas Carol.  His inability to create any type of drama, suspense, comedy, fear or if we’re being honest entertainment is second to none.  He has obviously read the screenplay (which is not at fault for the huge disappointment of this film) and thought; “I can make an absolutely awful film out of this.”  His vision for the project is clearly so poor that I must seriously question whether he should ever be let loose behind the lens of a family home video let alone a feature film.  All that we can hope is that Ealing Studios (the makers of his next film St Trinian’s: The Legend of Fritton’s Gold) realise their mistake and drop him before he can dirty his fingers on another British film.

It is worth mentioning that there are some good moments in the film, namely the performances of Colin Firth and Rebecca Hall.  Together they manage to raise the second half of the film out of its squalor into a position of mediocrity.  That is not a slight on either of their performances as both are excellent.  It is purely a reflection on the severity of the problems with Dorian Gray as a whole.

Overall this is a terrible film that should be avoided at all costs.  I am loathed to tear apart a British Film to such an extent, particularly when the industry is in such difficult times.  However, this is an awful film and deserves widespread condemnation.  Do not watch in the cinema.  And only borrow on DVD (a place where the film should have been released straight away) if you are thinking of committing suicide and need something to tip you over the edge.

1/10 – Only avoiding a zero due to my desire not to give it infamy.

I’m ashamed to say I’ve never read this series, though I know lots of people who had The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe as required reading in school.  Not in mine, which is really a shame because I missed out on an amazing story. But, that’s what movie adaptations are for! *gets pelted by books and booklovers worldwide* Ok, ok. I love a good book as much as the next person, but come on- Jurassic Park?! Still amazingly awesome on screen, I don’t care how good the book is, it doesn’t match seeing that T-Rex for the first time in theatres.

Anyway, I digress. This post is going to talk a bit about both Narnia movies, so we’re doing a double whammy.

Throughout the first ten minutes or so of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, I was worried I wouldn’t really like the movie. The characters all seemed a bit cutout and immature and I didn’t sympathize as much as I probably should have with them going off on their own and being victims of the war. This all quickly changed as they were taken to stay with the professor.

That’s when I feel their growth as characters really began. I took a liking to Susan because of her maternal nature and Peter’s although Peter’s acting was kind of dreadful, I understood that he was stepping into big shoes and didn’t quite know what to do with them. The one person I was confused about was Edmund. Initially he was so irritating and whiny that it bordered on comical. But that made his growth into a warrior that much more impressive. In truth, when the day was said and done, Edmund was the true hero in my eyes, more so than Peter, because he fought the greatest battle – a battle with his own mistakes and his own regrets. By the end I cheered him on with gusto.

One of the most magical and memorable scenes was when Lucy first stumbles onto Narnia and spends time with Mr. Tumnus. Visually it was spectacular. Actually, a lot of the movie had some really stellar special effects. The Queen, the Lion, they all really made Narnia come alive. And that not-so-innocent cup of tea with Mr. Tumnus (who I was heartbroken to discover wasn’t as harmless as he appeared to be) quickly became a favorite supporting character. His arc was short but fulfilling and I absolutely sympathized with his moral dilemma. Ok, I’ll admit – I fell in love with him (could it have been because it was James McAvoy? ha ha). The White Witch felt a bit over the top at times, but she portrayed the perfect kind of evil, praying on poor Edmund and his feelings.

The movie got progressively better and Lucy was a hopeful and positive heroine. Her innocence and faith were beautiful strengths and I felt they really captured the spirit of the people they were fighting for. And I’ll admit, I was surprised by the ending, when the four rode through the forest. If you’ve seen the movie, you know what I mean. I truly didn’t expect it, which made it that much greater in my eyes. Overall, a fun movie that I’d give a solid: B+.

I found Prince Caspian much more action packed and much more adult. Not just because the children are older but because the magical world they left behind has changed drastically. Centuries later, their palace is in ruins and their friends are long gone. Narnia is not the thriving kingdom it once was, which lends a darker undertone to the film. And the story’s new plot is not so much based on magic and faith but delves deep into the complex political unrest of a neighboring nation.

Our four main characters almost feel like background players for a while, as we focus on Prince Caspian and the battle with his uncle for power. And that’s not even a bad thing. I was taken by his character immediately, and enjoyed watching him learn how far he would and should go for the sake of his kingdom. When he fights side by side with the remaining Narnians we see it as a real step forward for him, and we can already imagine that he would be a much more compassionate and fair ruler than his uncle. I also thought his little romance with Susan was a great and endearing addition to the story. All in all, this movie was more violent and intense but it hit all the right notes. Add in the fact that the train station scene is just pure movie magic, and I have to give this movie an: A.

Free Printable Chronicles of Narnia Coloring Pages and Activities
Links to free printable Chronicles of Narnia and Prince Caspian coloring pages. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the Pevensie children, dwarves, centaurs, minotaur, fauns, nyads, dryads, fairies, pegasus, giants, stags, unicorns, mythical creatures coloring pages and activities.
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C: I wish we could have had more time together.
S: We never would have worked, anyway.
C: Why not?
S: Well, I am 1300 years older than you.

L: I’m sure when I’m older, I’ll understand.
E: I’m older and I don’t think I want to understand…

Filmography:

• · Rage:
  Release Date: 2009
  Released by: Babelgum (Online/Mobile) Cinetic Rights Management
• · Valkyrie:
  MPAA Rating: PG13
  Release Date: December 25, 2008 (USA)
  Released by: MGM United Artists
• · The Chronicles of Narnia, Prince Caspian:
  MPAA Rating: PG
  Release Date: May 16, 2008 (USA)
  Released by: Buena Vista Walt Disney Studios
• · Igor:
  MPAA Rating: PG
  Release Date: September 19, 2008 (USA)
  Released by: MGM
• · Across the Universe:
  MPAA Rating: PG13
  Release Date: September 28, 2007 (USA)
  Released by: Revolution Studios Sony Pictures Entertainment
• · Ocean’s Thirteen:
  MPAA Rating: PG13
  Release Date: June 08, 2007 (USA)
  Released by: Warner Brothers
• · The Wild:
  MPAA Rating: G
  Release Date: April 14, 2006 (USA)
  Released by: Buena Vista Pictures Walt Disney Pictures
• · My Super Ex-Girlfriend:
  MPAA Rating: PG13
  Release Date: July 21, 2006 (USA)
  Released by: 20th Century Fox Regency Enterprises
• · Romance & Cigarettes:
  MPAA Rating: R
  Release Date: September 07, 2007 (USA
  Released by: Humperdink Productions United Artists
• · The Aristocrats:
  MPAA Rating: NR
  Release Date: July 29, 2005 (USA
  Released by: THINKFilm
• · Ocean’s Twelve:
  MPAA Rating: PG13
  Release Date: December 10, 2004 (USA)
  Released by: Warner Brothers
• · 5 Children & It:
  Released by: Pathe
  Director: John Stephenson
• · Revengers Tragedy:
  Director: Alex Cox
• · The Cat’s Meow:
  MPAA Rating: PG13
  Release Date: April 12, 2002 (USA
  Released by: Lions Gate Films
• · All The Queen’s Men:
  MPAA Rating: PG13
  Release Date: October 25, 2002 (USA
  Released by: Atlantic Streamline Strand Releasing
• · Eddie Izzard: Circle:
  Director: Frank Garritano
• · Shadow of the Vampire:
  MPAA Rating: R
  Release Date: December 29, 2000 (USA
  Released by: Lions Gate Films
• · The Criminal:
  MPAA Rating: R
  Release Date: 2004
  Released by: Downtown Pictures
• · Circus:
  MPAA Rating: R
  Release Date: May 05, 2000 (UK)
  Released by: Columbia TriStar Sony Pictures Entertainment
• · Mystery Men:
  MPAA Rating: PG13
  Release Date: August 06, 1999 (USA)
  Released by: Universal
• · Dress to Kill:
  Director: Lawrence Jordan
• · The Avengers:
  MPAA Rating: PG13
  Released by: Warner Brothers
• · Velvet Goldmine:
  MPAA Rating: R
  Release Date: November 06, 1998 (USA)
  Released by: Miramax
• · Glorious:
  Director: Peter Richardson
• · The Secret Agent:
  MPAA Rating: R

King Caspian IX has died. His son, Prince Caspian X, is the next in line for the throne of Narnia. However, being that the prince is still quite young, his uncle, King Caspian’s brother Miraz, has taken the throne until such time as Prince Caspian is fit to rule. Before Prince Caspian has a chance to take the throne, King Miraz has a son. Wanting his son to rule after himself, King Miraz sets out to kill Prince Caspian. Now the Prince must run for his life and find a way to stay alive, regain the throne, and bring back the days of Old Narnia.

King Miraz refuses to let Prince Caspian entertain thoughts about “Old Narnia” — talking beasts and Aslan, the great kings and queens of “Old Narnia,” Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. Miraz is trying to stifle all memories of “Old Narnia.” This is preventing Prince Caspian from discovering the truth behind the stories he adores. King Miraz is also keeping Prince Caspian from taking his rightful place as King of Narnia.

There is a theme of belief throughout the story of Prince Caspian. Prince Caspian is fascinated by the stories of “Old Narnia” that his tutor tells him. He believes in those stories, and he wants to discover the amazing talking creatures from the stories. He wishes that he had lived in those days. When his tutor tells him that talking beasts still exist, Prince Caspian is excited. His uncle, King Miraz, believes that those stories are for babies.

Trumpkin the Red Dwarf doesn’t believe in Aslan, the Great Lion. He thinks that Aslan is just a fairy tale. Aslan is the talking lion that saved Narnia from the White Witch 1300 years before, with help from the Pevensie children. He, along with the children, have become myths that very few believe have any truth to them.

When the army of Narnia goes to do battle with Miraz’s army, very few believe that Susan’s magical horn will bring help — the great kings and queens from out of the past (the Pevensie children), Aslan the Great Lion, or otherwise.

When the Pevensie children, along with Trumpkin the Red Dwarf, are headed to join the rest of the Narnian army, no one believes Lucy when she says she’s seen Aslan. Their disbelief leads them on a much rougher path than they would have taken had they trusted Lucy.

The Telmarines are afraid of the woods because they believe they are full of ghosts. Those who have read previous books and those in the story who know and believe in “Old Narnia” know that the trees are really alive — they are tree spirits called dryads. The recognition comes when the trees are finally awakened and joined the battle. The already enfeebled Telmarine army was greatly frightened at the sight of the trees moving at them. They were chased down to the water where they surrendered.

Beware the moving forest

King Miraz doesn’t know that his two Lords, Glozelle and Sopespian, are plotting to kill him. They are upset that, although they helped Miraz take the throne, they have received no reward. They believe that they can do a better job ruling Narnia than he can. They trick Miraz into accepting an invitation to duel Peter, and when Miraz is wounded, they stab him (literally) in the back and cry out that the Narnian army has played foul. There is no true recognition because both Glozelle and Sopespian are killed shortly after.

After the battle between the Narnian and Telmarine armies, a procession of mice approach Aslan and Lucy. They come carrying a heap of fur that is the severely wounded body of Reepicheep, the head mouse. Lucy quickly uses her magic cordial to heal Reepicheep’s wounds. Reepicheep, fully healed, stands, but he notices that something is amiss. He turns in circles trying to catch sight of his tail. Unfortunately, it was lost in the battle and Lucy’s cordial was not able to restore it. Distraught, Reepicheep asks Aslan if anything can be done to restore his tail.

“Sir, I can eat and sleep and die for my King without one. But a tail is the honor and glory of a Mouse,” Reepicheep said to the Great Lion.

The tail being the greatest honor of a mouse, the rest of the company of mice stand ready to cut of their tails, not wanting to bear the honor of a tail if their leader cannot. This devotion and loyalty deeply touches Aslan, and Reepicheep’s tail is speedily restored.