rose_griffes (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
rose_griffes) wrote2012-01-16 04:22 pm
rose_griffes) wrote2012-01-16 04:22 pm
Entry tags:
two movie reviews and some TV thoughts
The Count of Monte Cristo (2002) I have vague memories of reading the book (voluntarily) in high school. This movie version was more "inspired by" than a retelling of the story. Which doesn't automatically make it a bad movie. It was very... Hollywood. For good and ill.
Jim Caviezel did a fantastic job as Edmond Dantes. From naive and direct to devious and driven... the title role is a meaty part and he acquited himself well. He also looked gorgeous, whether young and fresh or goateed and angry.
The acting was stellar all around: Richard Harris as Abbé Faria, Dagmara Dominczyk as Mercedes... I wish the plot had been as good as the acting. It was all a bit too easy and the ending was a bit too pat for me. It does pass the Princess Bride standard for storytelling: sword fights, adventures, true love. Even a rodent, though not of unusual size. By the way, I did find the beginning a bit slow; it gets better when Dantes meets Faria.
The summary for those who are curious: Jim Caviezel does in fact have other voice pitches than "whispery" and "monotone." (Thank goodness he finally turned it up a notch on Person of Interest. It was beginning to make me giggle.)
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) This movie was charming. I found Steve sympathetic, and the Steve/Peggy storyline to have some depth (missing with Thor/Jane in Thor). Everything else was completely ridiculous, though that's not necessarily bad. Evil Nazis who are even evil-er! And have their own Evil Plans, separate from fighting for Hitler! A mysterious cube that powers said Evil Nazi's Nefarious Machine! It was all remarkably silly, but amusingly fun.
Once Upon a Time episodes 1.08 and 1.09 It was hard watching the Rumpelstiltskin episode, mostly because I find the character problematic. I get that Storybrooke needs to be 'fixed' by Emma, and the fairy tale land characters released... but it just grates that the only two characters with real agency in either place are the Evil Queen/Regina and Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold. Well, and Emma.
This week's episode was better, but I'm really watching the "Emma and Mary-Margaret hang out" show, with a side order of "Emma and Henry eat at the diner."
I'm a little concerned that the aspects that bother me (most notably the lack of agency) are things that won't be addressed until much later in the show's planned arc. Not planning to give up right now, though. For one thing, I'd miss out on the Evil Queen's amazing outfits.
Parks and Recreation 4.11 This episode tripped over my embarrassment squick early on, and then it tripped and tripped and tripped some more. Slapstick comedy doesn't work well for me, so the last part was almost painful to watch, but even before that... no.
Safe to say that this is an episode I won't rewatch. At least there was progress: Ben is going to work on the campaign. Ann wore that cute "campaign manager" suit. Champion is an adorable three-legged dog. Ron Swanson is still awesome. Etcetera.
Fringe 4.08 It's hard to know what to say now that we're right in the middle of an important plot arc. So my silly observations: Our Lincoln is still cuter, and yay for him not getting beaten up/shot/killed. D'aww, Peter and wrong-timeline mother. Oooh, Brandonate was a shapeshifter! Walternate seems somewhat less evil! But alt!Broyles seems more evil. And SURPRISE! Robert David Jones! Also, Olivia is supposed to die, says the Observer, but clearly HE'S WRONG BECAUSE NO OLIVIAS ARE EVER ALLOWED TO DIE.
Oh, and since I chatted withicepixie about this, I have to mention: Peter Bishop is the pawniest pawn that ever was pawned.
Jim Caviezel did a fantastic job as Edmond Dantes. From naive and direct to devious and driven... the title role is a meaty part and he acquited himself well. He also looked gorgeous, whether young and fresh or goateed and angry.
The acting was stellar all around: Richard Harris as Abbé Faria, Dagmara Dominczyk as Mercedes... I wish the plot had been as good as the acting. It was all a bit too easy and the ending was a bit too pat for me. It does pass the Princess Bride standard for storytelling: sword fights, adventures, true love. Even a rodent, though not of unusual size. By the way, I did find the beginning a bit slow; it gets better when Dantes meets Faria.
The summary for those who are curious: Jim Caviezel does in fact have other voice pitches than "whispery" and "monotone." (Thank goodness he finally turned it up a notch on Person of Interest. It was beginning to make me giggle.)
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) This movie was charming. I found Steve sympathetic, and the Steve/Peggy storyline to have some depth (missing with Thor/Jane in Thor). Everything else was completely ridiculous, though that's not necessarily bad. Evil Nazis who are even evil-er! And have their own Evil Plans, separate from fighting for Hitler! A mysterious cube that powers said Evil Nazi's Nefarious Machine! It was all remarkably silly, but amusingly fun.
Once Upon a Time episodes 1.08 and 1.09 It was hard watching the Rumpelstiltskin episode, mostly because I find the character problematic. I get that Storybrooke needs to be 'fixed' by Emma, and the fairy tale land characters released... but it just grates that the only two characters with real agency in either place are the Evil Queen/Regina and Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold. Well, and Emma.
This week's episode was better, but I'm really watching the "Emma and Mary-Margaret hang out" show, with a side order of "Emma and Henry eat at the diner."
I'm a little concerned that the aspects that bother me (most notably the lack of agency) are things that won't be addressed until much later in the show's planned arc. Not planning to give up right now, though. For one thing, I'd miss out on the Evil Queen's amazing outfits.
Parks and Recreation 4.11 This episode tripped over my embarrassment squick early on, and then it tripped and tripped and tripped some more. Slapstick comedy doesn't work well for me, so the last part was almost painful to watch, but even before that... no.
Safe to say that this is an episode I won't rewatch. At least there was progress: Ben is going to work on the campaign. Ann wore that cute "campaign manager" suit. Champion is an adorable three-legged dog. Ron Swanson is still awesome. Etcetera.
Fringe 4.08 It's hard to know what to say now that we're right in the middle of an important plot arc. So my silly observations: Our Lincoln is still cuter, and yay for him not getting beaten up/shot/killed. D'aww, Peter and wrong-timeline mother. Oooh, Brandonate was a shapeshifter! Walternate seems somewhat less evil! But alt!Broyles seems more evil. And SURPRISE! Robert David Jones! Also, Olivia is supposed to die, says the Observer, but clearly HE'S WRONG BECAUSE NO OLIVIAS ARE EVER ALLOWED TO DIE.
Oh, and since I chatted with
icepixie about this, I have to mention: Peter Bishop is the pawniest pawn that ever was pawned.
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Oh my, yes, me too. Definitely a transition ep or something and the first one in a long while that I don't want to watch again. It's so funny, when I see gifs or quotes on Tumblr or something, I'm like, oh yes that was super cute! But all the good little things got swallowed whole by the cringing. On our Parks & Rec, they'd pull the rally off! But yes, at least progress was made so things can go back to...being less embarrassing. :)
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CofMC was, for all its flaws, one of the prettiest movies ever. The people, the scenery...
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And hooray for the Emma and her family show. ;-)
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This week's episode: fairly slow, but hardly any Rumpelstiltskin. A fair amount of Emma and MM interacting, though, so yay for that.
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eta: Americanized is definitely the right word. Everything has to be perfectly happy with no long-term consequences. It's frustrating, the lack of subtlety in our movies.
Steve Rogers is pretty cute, alright. He's the main reason I'm sort of interested in watching The Avengers.