(no subject)

[stoney321]

Happy birthday to tgray and maegunnbatt! And on Friday! Best day to have a b-day. Don't forget to pin a dollar to your shirt! (Do people out of the south do that? And random people see it's your birthday and staple a dollar to the dollar and you end up with a corsage of money? No? WELL YOU SHOULD.)

Fic pimp: For those interested in pretty, dreamy, short and painful and promising Sparrington, go here. By traveller (Cee? Winter? This is your Cee?) Confidential to Anne and Ru: the Sparrington I'm writing currently is becoming multi-chaptered. I haven't written anything multi-chaptered in MONTHS. And I need a beta that is NOT one of you two. Offers, anyone? And Anne, it's based on "The Mariner's Revenge Song" by The Decemberists. Whee! (tell me if that runs out and you want a copy - one of my most favorite songs EVER.)

The past few nights I've been catching up on movies I "should have seen by now." Hmmm.

1. Farewell, My Concubine. Good god, I ached for days after this. Gorgeous, beautiful, rich, PAINFUL... Warning for those who haven't seen it (and seriously, I feel AWFUL for taking this long to get to this movie), the beginning is ROUGH. I have a thing about innocent creatures being tormented - that's my one potential boundary. The little boy who plays the courtesan is so absolutely beautiful, it's heartbreaking. It's interesting to go to the movie boards and see Westerners impose their concept of suicide and devotion and nationalism to this movie - which absolutely take away the ultimate meaning, IMO. I won't say anything further on that, in case someone here hasn't seen it. And again, cherusha was right: the Chinese are leagues ahead of us when it comes to gender bending. Leslie Cheung is magnificent. Was... *sniff*

2. A Knight's Tale. Okay, you know what? I know what they were going for. I do. But... the quickest way to ruin a GUY movie is to slap together a crappy romantic interest sub-plot, make it the A plot, and then hope for the best. You know what's great about this movie? Everything NOT related to the stupid romance. Okay, maybe not "great" but Alan Tudyk is pretty damn funny in it. He's a goofy man, and it pleases me. Bettany's Chaucer is entertaining, but I want the man to have broader shoulders or thicker hair or... something. Overall: meh.

3. Persuasion. I laughed out loud last night when I realized I was alone in the house, cup of cocoa, two cats, a blanket and friggin' Jane Austen. This is one of her more painful stories, IMO, and honestly... Well, I like other adaptions *cough*missing Colin Firth or Jack Davenport for the appropriate hair necessary for an Austen piece*cough*. Nice, pretty, and almost forgettable. There are better adaptions of other stories that tell the same tale. Although, I'd wager this is one of the most accurate tellings, sets, costumes, etc.

4. Taxi Driver. Yes, I'm supposed to love this because it's Scorsese, but you know what? HE NEEDS TO MAKE HIS MOVIES MOVE FASTER. He loves imagery and big, wide shots, and meandering shots and long stills and BECOME A PHOTOGRAPHER already, because you need to pick up the pace! I have to say that I fell asleep just when it starts GETTING somewhere. Thanks. This was back when Cybil Shepherd was still admirable, too. Her best work is "The Last Picture Show," hands down. And Moonlighting. What?

5. A Room With A View. Well, I remember seeing this when it came out, being very young, and remembering that there was a scene with three men naked and running around. And that's still all that is memorable in this movie. Number one: HOLY GAY MAN she's in love with. Anyone remember him from Naked Lunch? Where he's a giant locust fucking that man from behind in a cage or something? I pretty much watched this on FF. And could someone PLEASE tell Helena Bonham Carter to CLOSE HER MOUTH. Friggin' MOUTH breather. I wanted to pop a pebble in there every time she wandered about the grounds, slack-jawed. Yes, yes, Merchant and Ivory makes beautiful films to look at, but it was so BOOOORRRRRING. And her love interest is GAY. For her BROTHER. Who is also GAY.

I finally turned on the commentary track to Pirates of the Carribean to listen to Jack's dulcet, velvety voice so I could fall asleep. PROBLEM: KIERA KNIGHTLY NEVER SHUTS UP. Okay, I know there are a few of you who like her, but I want to pop her in the mouth. Cannot STAND her. Hated her since Bend it Like Beckham with her skeletal body paraded about like she's a real piece of sexual meat. Um, I'll take Parminder over her ANY day. Kiera is SO pleased with herself, and Jack is very pleasant about constantly being cut-off mid-speech by her constant yammering about her "cleavage" and her pouting. And how she isn't really acting. YES, HONEY, WE KNOW. UGH. Shut. UP. But it ends with his voice and it is the most gorgeous thing EVER.

Finally, did anyone out there realize that Jack Davenport has done over 15 audio books in the UK?!?! One of them being "A Clockwork Orange?" Which was done for BBC Radio, but STILL. Have ordered, is coming, will rip and upload for those who care.

Now, dear flist, please tell me the movie you were told to watch, the one that was Important, and you just "... huh? This one?" Tell me, please! I go back to writing and await your input.

Comments

[tx-cronopio.livejournal.com]

OK, here is my girly badge of shame. I've tried to watch The English Patient. I've really tried. Cannot get thru it, even once.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

I. CANNOT. STAND. That movie. I am SOOOO Elaine on that one, too. Flat, flat, flat characterization. Never made it past the first 10 minutes.

*raises fist in solidarity*

(It's one of Mr. S's favorite movies! The hell??)

[chantal87.livejournal.com]

I'm jumping on The English Patient train as well.
I was bored to tears.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

GAH. YES!!!

The BIG one for me, the holy grail of ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME WITH THIS is hands down: The Piano.

*RAGE,STOMP,CHEW*

I like how that one is a feminist statement. Having sex to get her way. Prostituting herself out to reach a higher plane. Riiiiiight.

AND THAT IS NOT A GODDAMNED 9 FT STEINWAY PIANO WHY DID THEY DUB THAT SOUND IN? AND IT SAT ON A BEACH FOR TWO MONTHS AND WAS STILL IN TUNE. Yes, my dad IS a piano tuner/rebuilder, what?

*breathes deep* Sorry. :D

[floweringjudas.livejournal.com]

BETA. I WILL BETA. I CAN BETA LIKE YOU CAN'T BELIEVE.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_willferrell/]

OMG YAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!!

I will send you what I have later this day, or Saturday, if you are available? And I want it coming back BLEEDING with your corrections, for I am tough!

*is filled with GLEEEE!!!!*

[cherusha.livejournal.com]

Ack! Leslie! Leslie Cheung is who you're thinking of.

the Chinese are leagues ahead of us when it comes to gender bending.

Heh, well I just meant longer history.... of it.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

SHIT. I suck. I was typing and multi-tasking and I APOLOGIZE and am correcting, BAH. (Well, yeah. But still. It's embedded in the culture, in a way, and here it isn't, you know?)

[anelith.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Room With a View is a gorgeous movie (I'll never forget the scene where they kiss in the field with flowers), but I did get impatient with the emotional slowness of the main character. Just make up your mind! I wanted to yell at her. (I liked Maurice much, much better.)

"From Hell" was a movie I'd looked forward to with anticipation because it was an adaptation of an Alan Moore graphic novel. I don't know whether you have any interest at all in the comics world, but Alan Moore, along with Neil Gaiman, is a GOD of graphic novels/comics. I had drifted away from reading them when he wrote From Hell, so I didn't read that, but heard it was very good -- and about Jack the Ripper, in which I have a moderate amount of interest. SOOOO, long story short, I wanted to see the movie. Not to mention the fact that Johnny Depp played the lead (and he's NOT the Ripper, BTW). That's not a spoiler, he's never meant to be leading the viewer on as a suspect. But it was a very disappointing movie, Ron and I both guessed the identity of the Ripper about halfway through. I think partly because I've read several theories about the Ripper before, and Moore based his graphic novel on *huge* amounts of research so his theory of the identity of the Ripper was not a complete surprise to me. But really the movie telegraphs what should be surprises in the plot too much; they could have made it more suspenseful. HOWEVER, that being said, if you want to see Johnny looking as beautiful as I have *ever* seen him -- rent this movie. He is utterly gorgeous.

I downloaded that song, I'm so excited about your story! But the one you recommended, the first link -- I can't get to it. Link not working, for some reason.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Derp, added an extra "http://" in the coding, it should work now. Thanks for pointing that out. You will LOVE that song, Anne. It's one of our faves in my house. The kids sing along and it's hilarious.

I've seen "From Hell," but wasn't familiar with the graphic novel (I want to learn more about that medium, I've been impressed with the few I have read). I thought it was an okay movie, and was definitely sticking around for the pretty, pretty Depp. Heather Graham leaves me cold - I only liked her as Rollergirl. SHe's never worked for me since.

I kept hollering out during "Room with a View" that it was like reading Henry James who I want to trip. UGH. I friggin' LOATHE Henry James. Not as much as Nathaniel Hawthorne, and the fact that he is required reading for American Lit is ATROCIOUS. Like walking through hot jello while carrying pigs in sacks.

[lostakasha.livejournal.com]

My trustworthy movie-god Scott insisted that we rent I Heart Huckabees. His take on it? "You'll die laughing!" "It's so amazingly clever!" "You've got to see it!"

Dee's take on it: Christ would tear himself from the cross just to rip that fucker out of the VCR. I thought it was OK, but not a real winner.

Color Purple was the biggest "must see" that I hated. Who knew poverty and abuse looked so pretty? Razzerfrassnspielbergassholefrazznpfft.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Yeaaaah. I don't really have any interest in I ♥ Huckabees, either.

(But The Color Purple?? OMG, that movie STILL makes me cry with the ending? And the beginning with her baby being taken away? And "Oh, Miss Cealie, you gots a beautiful smile!" although they took out the lesbian relationship in the movie, and "Beat her." and Miss Sophia getting hit and cornered and.... *wails*) :D

[marlo.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I wasn't too thrilled about Taxi Driver either. I hate slow movies, too!

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

UGH. It's like "Eraserhead." Okay, the first minute of him walking, sure. BUT JEESUZ, I gotta sit through HOW MUCH MORE??

I don't mind QUIET movies, but the pacing needs to make me not ITCH.

[lennongirl.livejournal.com]

I was so bored with King Arthur. Gah.

[lettered.livejournal.com]

2. Agreed. But I love Paul Bettany. I didn't know AT when I saw it so I almost want to see it again. Almost.

3. I assume this was the one with Amanda Root and Cirian Hinds? As it is the only modern adaptation of Persuasion? Anyway, it's famous for the main characters not being "pretty", and for the clothes etc looking more like they would've done back then. But I prefer BBC/A&E's Pride and Prejudice too. Or Emma Thompson's Sense and Sensibility.

4. Love this movie. Like Lawrence of Arabia it could've been 30 minutes long and a much better movie, but I still love it.

5. Love this movie, too. Then again I love the book and I'm period gal so hey. And it had Daniel Day Lewis!

Kiera Knightley--I actually like her as an actress but agree on a. painful skeletonness, and b. Parminder is prettier, more charismatic, and possibly a better actress.

Agree on English Patient and Piano. I also couldn't see the big deal about 16 Candles, The Thin Red Line, Chinatown, and Fatal Attraction.

[julia-here.livejournal.com]

What spoiled Persuasion for me was the smooching in the street final ending, which fucks up the fine period detail and consistently fine touch of the rest of the movie; I agree that the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice is the best Austen ever. Sense and Sensibility I wanted to like much more than I did, and parts of it- notably the reed cutting scene- are as fine pieces of pure filmmaking as I've ever seen. But Hugh Grant annoys me in this film, he's too floppy for his character, who needs some fatal rigidity to be convincing.

I wish they'd used Keira Knightly and the atmospherics that went into this year's P&P to film Northanger Abbey, is what I wish.

Julia, that would have been fun

[wickedgrdn.livejournal.com]

I had to respond to this post as I consider myself a big movie buff. My wtf movies: I'd have to jump on the American Beauty train as well. HATED that movie! Didn't understand it and didn't know why it won all those Oscars..cuz Kevin Spacey? Creeped me out waaaay too much in that one. And the floating plastic bag scene? Uh did I miss the subliminal meaning in that? Just made feel stupid and left out, like it was some cosmic joke that I missed the punchline on. Another wtf movie: The Hours. Ugh, I hate Meryl Streep and what was up with Nicole Kidman's prosthetic NOSE? I didn't get it, was in a world of not-getting-it with that movie. Anyone else with me on that one?

[winterlive.livejournal.com]

that is TOTALLY MY CEE.

[crazydiamondsue.livejournal.com]

I cannot comment on the movies right now other than to say that "A Knight's Tale" was the reason I didn't want HL to be in BBM (he got me over it) though I loved Paul Bettany and Alan Tudyk.

Word on the English Patient. I'm sick. Head hurts, neck hurts, HEAD REALLY HURTS. Did the Herald. Rec'd all the great Xander writers at White Knight Awards - going to sleep now. Will play with later. Promise. Oh, you don't need me? You have OTHERS? Stop OTHERING me Laura! Sorry. Going to sleep. Night. Love you.

[julissak01.livejournal.com]

HI STONEY HI. ♥

[crayonbreakygal.livejournal.com]

"A Knight's Tale" was funny, but not memorable. Wouldn't be something that I'd plop down $8 to see at the movies.

The movie that I've never been able to watch is "Titanic". Too much Leonardo and water. Couldn't bring myself to watch it, even though I rented it. The hubby watched it and said it was OK. I'm not a big fan of either, so there.

"The English Patient" wasn't bad. It was slowwwwww. It had its good parts, but was still so slowwww.

Since I haven't seen a movie in so long, I can't think of anything else.

[darkhavens.livejournal.com]

I watched Titanic even though yes, there was way too much Leo, but he drowns in the end and that makes it all worth it.

Honestly, that's how a friend got me to watch it. I loathe Leo and I'm not a Winslet fan either, so it came down to 'Billy Zane is a bastard and Leo dies!' And I was promised alcohol, so I watched. :D

[spacedoutlooney.livejournal.com]

I loved the English Patient. But I also loved Elaine's reaction in that Seinfeld episode. I guess I can see why some people don't like it.

Movies that have been highly recommended that I've been highly disappointed in?

Laurence Olivier's Hamlet. I absolutely *loved* the Kenneth Brannagh version, and all these reviews said that Laurence Olivier's was so much better. Eh? And I like Laurence Olivier.

Same with the Katherine Hepburn Little Woman. Give me the 90s version any day.

Being There. I love Peter Sellers, but I really didn't like this movie.

Dog Day Afternoon

The Conversation

Taxi Driver

Hope you don't mind me butting in like this...

[classics-lover.livejournal.com]

I quite liked A Knight's Tale. Okay, it's hardly a movie that's going to change the world, but it's fun. And James Purefoy is in it, and he's just gorgeous. "Lance!" is quite possibly my favourite line out of it, and that's saying something given the number of speeches Chaucer gives.

And for me, there have been two major cinematic disappointments: Troy, and Alexander.
The Amstel ads do Troy better than Wolfgang Peterson and his big budget and Brad Pitt. AJAX DIDN'T DIE IN BATTLE YOU LOON! Seriously, why the Hell was he allowed to F**k with the legends like that?
And Oliver Stone - if I was writing a report card, I'd say Could do better. Pick more of Alexander's better moments, not the moments that make us question his greatness. Mick Lally's cameo was fantastic, though. Gotta love Mick.

And I just learned recently about JackDav doing the audiobooks - I bought Mr Commitment by Mike Gayle and adored! It's just like Coupling, with JD doing all the roles. Fantastic.

Hi!

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm very picky with comedies, and A Knight's Tale just fell flat overall. I wish they had left the romance out of it, as it guy-banter was fun.

I didn't expect much from Troy or Alexander, rented them, couldn't get past the first few minutes, so no big disappointment for me, there. Oliver Stone is clearly losing his sanity as the years go on. :D

I've not heard of Mr. Commitment, so thanks for that! I knwo JackDav does a lot of crime novels - his voice is so perfectly suited for that genre. I'll check into the new one!