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Oct. 27th, 2006
mainly Flags of Our Fathers -- argh!
Oct. 27th, 2006 04:37 pmTonight's agenda is housecleaning. After I go buy Fall of the Kings and risk McDonalds french fries thanks to the results of their being ELISA tested and seeming to be a reasonable risk. I know, terrible, but I have so many disciplines these days, I deserve my fries.
I saw Flags of Our Fathers, which is irritating. First of all, what exactly is Eastwood trying to convey? Does he want us to accept that in times of war one must tow the party line even if the party line sucks? Does he want us to see that war is bad and chaotic? That all us losers who watch war movies are lame because we can't understand war? What the message is wouldn't matter so much if the film weren't so heavy-handed (and this is a weird thing, feeling like you're being bludgeoned with something, but being unable to tell what the fuck it is). There's a framing device of a son writing a book, but that's unclear until very late in the film (hi, framing devices go ALL THE WAY AROUND) and the film is sloppy about clearly linking the younger versions of the characters to the older ones. None of this would be remotely as irritating as it is if Clint Eastwood weren't a really solid director -- so there are great shots, striking moments, odd humour, etc -- but it never adds up to anything other than "This is a war movie. War is bad. This is a war movie. War is bad. You don't understand, I mean, REALLY, REALLY BAD. Cry now." Really frustrating. Also, really fine performances that emphasize the degree to which Eastwood should have narrowed and focused the story. The disjointed script is totally going to cost an actor an Oscar.
I am also really excited to start discussing Swordspoint on![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
themollyhouse because really, mostly, none of you all want to hear it.
Finally, in my further media adventures today, I was interviewed by The Wall Street Journal for a piece they are doing about cell phone text message spam.
I saw Flags of Our Fathers, which is irritating. First of all, what exactly is Eastwood trying to convey? Does he want us to accept that in times of war one must tow the party line even if the party line sucks? Does he want us to see that war is bad and chaotic? That all us losers who watch war movies are lame because we can't understand war? What the message is wouldn't matter so much if the film weren't so heavy-handed (and this is a weird thing, feeling like you're being bludgeoned with something, but being unable to tell what the fuck it is). There's a framing device of a son writing a book, but that's unclear until very late in the film (hi, framing devices go ALL THE WAY AROUND) and the film is sloppy about clearly linking the younger versions of the characters to the older ones. None of this would be remotely as irritating as it is if Clint Eastwood weren't a really solid director -- so there are great shots, striking moments, odd humour, etc -- but it never adds up to anything other than "This is a war movie. War is bad. This is a war movie. War is bad. You don't understand, I mean, REALLY, REALLY BAD. Cry now." Really frustrating. Also, really fine performances that emphasize the degree to which Eastwood should have narrowed and focused the story. The disjointed script is totally going to cost an actor an Oscar.
I am also really excited to start discussing Swordspoint on
themollyhouse because really, mostly, none of you all want to hear it.Finally, in my further media adventures today, I was interviewed by The Wall Street Journal for a piece they are doing about cell phone text message spam.
The french fries were a very bad idea.
The fall of the Kings was in no bookstore I could find (so I'll order online and wait).
I forgot to buy gluten-free mayo.
The fall of the Kings was in no bookstore I could find (so I'll order online and wait).
I forgot to buy gluten-free mayo.
New Swordspoint fic! Here: http://community.livejournal.com/_riverside/7533.html or below.
Still smutty but not as graphic as the last one.
TITLE: Flight
AUTHOR:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
rm
PAIRING: Richard/Alec
RATING: R
NOTES: Following on immediately from the end of The Privilege of the Sword. I don’t think I’ve said anything that could be contradicted by Fall of the Kings, but I’ve not read it yet.
DISCLAIMER: These lovely characters belong, of course, to Ellen Kushner
( Read more... )
Still smutty but not as graphic as the last one.
TITLE: Flight
AUTHOR:
rmPAIRING: Richard/Alec
RATING: R
NOTES: Following on immediately from the end of The Privilege of the Sword. I don’t think I’ve said anything that could be contradicted by Fall of the Kings, but I’ve not read it yet.
DISCLAIMER: These lovely characters belong, of course, to Ellen Kushner
( Read more... )