Finally saw the first Doctor Who story to star Tom Baker, Robot.
The good part is that Tom Baker is great right from the get-go, and there's no mucking about with how tough regeneration is.
Tha bad part is that this is just a Jon Pertwee story in long-scarf and floppy-hat drag: entirely set on Earth, no shots even of the TARDIS interior much less blasting about in it, all about UNIT, the Brig and Sgt. Benton. There's also unforgivable over-acting from whoever that twat is playing the mad scientist with Einstein hair.
The worst part is that it cops the whole "girl meets monster" thing from King Kong, but instead of a lovable giant gorilla it provides a shaky robot that looks and talks like Robby's alcoholic brother.
Baker's run improved immediately with his second story, The Ark In Space. Robot is pretty arse, but it's lively and Baker is fun enough that I enjoyed it.
Maybe. But for some reason, I don't automatically trust the NZ police these days.
There's nothing better than cursing someone for breaking a date at the last minute, only to find out later that the reason was that her grandmother died.
Gah.
Horror movies aren't as scary as they used to be. The violence and gore no longer has the same effect, and even the spooky stuff is losing its power. Violent action scenes no longer have the power they used to, no matter how many fancy sound & editing tricks are used, or how realistic the CGI explosions are splatter become.
After much consideration, I believe I have worked out why: real life itself is so violent and terrifying, horror movies can barely keep up.
The only way to save horror is to get the violence off the streets and out of the war zones and out of the privacy of the family home, and back in movies and books where it belongs!
So I'm announcing the formation of a new pressure group: Movie Violence Fans Against Real-Life Violence. Who's with me?
Quick summary: A Middle Eastern prince makes a deal to sell oil to China, and a small Texan oil firm makes a deal for all the oil in Kazakhstan. A bigger oil company wants both, and the CIA wants America to get the oil that's going to China. Laid-off oil field workers, economic advisors and lawyers all get involved, and professional and personal agendas clash in a sea of corruption.
Quick review: This movie was called "incomprehensible" by a number of people I know, seemingly because it takes an extremely complex issue and makes an extremely complex story from it. The subject matter would usually be put in service of a thriller, but Syriana is instead a Robert Altman-style ensemble piece with various tenuously connecting threads coming together and moving apart. The only bit I didn't like was towards the end, when it tries to give us a thriller-type ending anyway.
As with Retribution this movie demands that you pay close attention to everything that is said or done, rather than spoon-feeding you like most movies. I appreciate that.
As for the politics of the piece: seemed ok to me.
I found this very interesting lyrical analysis on Wikipedia.
I feel that this is the first time that the full ramifications of this particular artist's unique talents have been thoroughly explored.
...that I'm even gladder than usual that I don't like rugby.
I find the national over-reaction ridiculous to the point of hilarity.
"State of mourning" my ass. If people bothered to get this worked up about actual atrocities, something might be done about the appalling state of the world today.
How about a bit of mourning over genocide in Africa? Couldn't really give a fuck, could you? Doesn't compare in emotional impact to the direction a pig's bladder was thrown in Cardiff, does it?
Robert Anton Wilson once said "The two gravest mental illnesses currently affecting the planet are faith and patriotism." I'd add "sports" to that list - it taps into the same sort of mindless tribalism that helps to divide the people of our world.
According to these studies, domestic violence and Accident & Emergency rates are higher when the local sports team wins than when they lose. This study suggests that levels of aggression rise when expectations are confounded - when you expect the team to win but they lose, and also (interestingly) when you expect the team to lose, but they win.
So fuck you, sports fans. :-P
"I don't have interest in life. Life has an interest in me."
"One day, someone showed me a glass of water that was half full. And he said, "Is it half full or half empty?" So I drank the water. No more problem."
"I think everyone should have their favourite director tattooed on their arm. Wouldn't that make dating easier? If somebody had Henry Jaglom, I wouldn't date 'em! I'd get Joseph Losey tattooed on mine. When I sign my name on people's arms they go away and get it tattooed. I've seen a lot of Divine tattoos too."
SO! Whose name would you get tattooed onto your arm? (It doesn't have to be a director.)