I stopped into the mall today and went to the Hallmark store to pick up some cards, and they've already got their ornament wish book out for this year. When I commented on it, the girl behind the counter, with the biggest grin possible, also told me, "Sure it's out. The ornaments are being released in July, after all."
I'm glad I still have about a month before the Christmas retail season starts up. I'd hate to have to wait until November for that...
Feel free to insert some sarcasm anywhere you want to in this post.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Monday, May 19, 2008
Movie thoughts - Prince Caspian
B and I went to see the film version of Prince Caspian on Friday night, and quite frankly, I was disappointed. It seems to be lacking the charm and the magic that the first film has. It was a very dark film, both literally (it seemed most of the scenes were either shot at night or in a cave) and figuratively (it is definitely a film about war). I realized when I left the theater that I couldn't remember any of the book (it has been probably 20 years since I last read any of the books except for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) so thought I'd at least pull Caspian down off the shelf and give it a read. I'm shocked by how much they changed from the book to the movie. I'm sure they changed quite a bit in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe when they made that film (I would have to go back and reread the book and watch the movie again to remember it all), but there were some significant changes made to the film version of Caspian; entire scenes added, the focus of character motivations changed, scenes rearranged. I'm not in Hollywood, so maybe they felt that these changes needed to be made to make the film "better," but in that, I think they failed.
**some spoilers abound - beware**
I think the Narnia books are the type that depending on who reads them depends on how the book will be interpreted. After reading Prince Caspian, I felt the book was about faith; about how faith can grow when you least expect it, and it may not always be easy at first, but if you believe and trust that faith, it will make itself known. I think the movie touched on that a little, but as I said before, the movie was really a war film. The prevalent themes of the movie were racism (instead of thinking the Old Narnians had simply faded into memory, the Telmarines looked on them as an inferior race and tried to exterminate them), revenge (a whole new scene was added to the movie just to show the depths of Caspian's hatred towards Miraz) and egos (much of Caspian's and Peter's interactions at first seemed to be about proving who was the better leader, instead of working together from the first like they do in the book). There was also an entire scene added for the simple purpose of letting Tilda Swinton have a little screen time in this movie, too (the White Witch is only ever mentioned in the book, she is never actually seen). However, in retrospect and after reading the book, this scene actually made sense in the context of the movie version, but it wouldn't have seemed right in the book version.
Needless to say, I don't think they made a better movie; I think they made a Hollywood version of the book, and took it a little too far.
**some spoilers abound - beware**
I think the Narnia books are the type that depending on who reads them depends on how the book will be interpreted. After reading Prince Caspian, I felt the book was about faith; about how faith can grow when you least expect it, and it may not always be easy at first, but if you believe and trust that faith, it will make itself known. I think the movie touched on that a little, but as I said before, the movie was really a war film. The prevalent themes of the movie were racism (instead of thinking the Old Narnians had simply faded into memory, the Telmarines looked on them as an inferior race and tried to exterminate them), revenge (a whole new scene was added to the movie just to show the depths of Caspian's hatred towards Miraz) and egos (much of Caspian's and Peter's interactions at first seemed to be about proving who was the better leader, instead of working together from the first like they do in the book). There was also an entire scene added for the simple purpose of letting Tilda Swinton have a little screen time in this movie, too (the White Witch is only ever mentioned in the book, she is never actually seen). However, in retrospect and after reading the book, this scene actually made sense in the context of the movie version, but it wouldn't have seemed right in the book version.
Needless to say, I don't think they made a better movie; I think they made a Hollywood version of the book, and took it a little too far.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Madonna!
I got tickets today to see Madonna in Chicago. I wasn't able to get the tickets that I wanted, but at least I'm going to see her!
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Jeff Dunham
So, I forgot entirely about posting these, but I got to go see Jeff Dunham at DeVos Hall in Grand Rapids last month. He was absolutely hysterical! He will doing a Comedy Central Holiday special at the end of the year, so he did a couple of holiday bits as sort of a dress rehearsal (hence Achmed in a Santa hat). Quite a bit of the material was new, but there was some stuff held over from the Spark of Insanity DVD. Here are a couple of pics from his show.
The Diva Goddess is Going on Tour!
Disappointed as I am in Hard Candy, Madonna announced the Sticky and Sweet tour today and I'm already getting ready for the presale on Tuesday. I am going to get tickets for M to see her in Boston as her birthday present this year, and if I can make it out there then we'll go see her together, otherwise she can take whomever she wants. I'm also going to get myself a ticket to the Chicago show, so I may get to see her twice this tour!
**swoon**
**swoon**
Monday, May 5, 2008
I'm going to Hell, and now I know where!
The Dante's Inferno Test has banished you to the Seventh Level of Hell!
Here is how you matched up against all the levels:
Take the Dante's Divine Comedy Inferno Test
This is the level for the angry folks. I don't know that I exactly agree with this, as I don't consider myself to be very angry or violent.
**shrugs**
What tickles me most about this is every time I look at it, all I can think of is the line from Toy Story 2, when Mrs. Potatohead is getting Mr. Potatohead ready to head out into the world, "I'm packing your angry eyes, just in case."
Here is how you matched up against all the levels:
| Level | Score |
|---|---|
| Purgatory (Repenting Believers) | Very Low |
| Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers) | Low |
| Level 2 (Lustful) | High |
| Level 3 (Gluttonous) | High |
| Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious) | Moderate |
| Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy) | High |
| Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics) | High |
| Level 7 (Violent) | Very High |
| Level 8- the Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers) | High |
| Level 9 - Cocytus (Treacherous) | Low |
Take the Dante's Divine Comedy Inferno Test
This is the level for the angry folks. I don't know that I exactly agree with this, as I don't consider myself to be very angry or violent.
**shrugs**
What tickles me most about this is every time I look at it, all I can think of is the line from Toy Story 2, when Mrs. Potatohead is getting Mr. Potatohead ready to head out into the world, "I'm packing your angry eyes, just in case."
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Movie thoughts - Iron Man
Just got back from seeing the new Iron Man film, and really, it was just a plain fun film. I think that it may top my list of superhero movies (sorry Spider-Man 2 and X-Men 2).
I wasn't so sure about Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark, but he really pulled it off. Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts was a good choice too. The special effects were great. I have to say that the armor looked like somebody grabbed one of the drawings from the comic book and stuck it in real life. I'd be happy to see more of these made!
Oh, I won't give anything away, but if you go see it, sit through the credits. For Marvel geeks, you won't be disappointed.
I wasn't so sure about Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark, but he really pulled it off. Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts was a good choice too. The special effects were great. I have to say that the armor looked like somebody grabbed one of the drawings from the comic book and stuck it in real life. I'd be happy to see more of these made!
Oh, I won't give anything away, but if you go see it, sit through the credits. For Marvel geeks, you won't be disappointed.
Book Reviews
Check out my book blog for some of my recent reviews. Among the books I've been reading: Agatha Christie's The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream as adapted by Brooke McEldowney, Superman for All Seasons by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, A Dog About Town by J.F. Englert and more.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Cincinnati Pics
These are some of pics that I took while I was in Cincinnati while entertaining my Inner Child at Botcon this year.
Box of Memories
H sent M and me a surprise this week. She boxed up some of Dearie's things and sent them off to each of us. She sent me an owl print that had been hanging in her bedroom, and a set of VHS Charlie Chaplin movies, a blown-glass Charlie Chaplin ornament that I had sent her for Christmas one year and a Betty Boop pillbox that she had on her dresser in her bedroom. It was a delightful little trip down memory lane.
Thanks, cuz!
Thanks, cuz!
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