Of fantasy angst

[dangermousie]

Still reading Eragon. It's quite enjoyable even if it does have a heavy Tolkien hangover and the sentence structure is ocassionally too simple. Still oodles better than Terry Goodkind, trying to read whom literally gave me a headache.

Also, when I was in Blockbuster's yesterday, returning the hilarious "Team America: World Police" (puppet sex, people!), I saw that they had one of the Rurouni Kenshin movies and checked it out (don't worry katranna not the prequel ones. I am a woman of my word and will watch those with you :) This was called "Requiem for somebody or other"). Watched it yesterday with husband.

Verdict: It's nice enough that if I didn't have anything to do on an evening and it was playing I could watch and enjoy, but it's not like it grabbed me. And it was in another Universe (for me) compared to Howl's. With this one I just thought "I can't get too involved, because it's a cartoon," (which is my traditional animation reaction and which is why I was so surprised by my reaction to Howl's). I really think Howl's really is a one-off for me, because of such amazing gorgeousness of artwork (and a bit because it's a take-off on a fairy tale). But yeah, I am still interested in watching the prequel stuff with katranna I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it, after all. And yeah, Kenshin IS cartoon-cute. Though his neck must be killing him, having to bear the weight of all that hair.

Also, IMDB, you make me happy: Christian Bale, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman have signed to star in a second Batman movie, but love interest Katie Holmes has been dropped. Movie bosses are thrilled with the response to Batman Begins - it took $46.9 million in its first weekend at the US box office - and have snapped up the film's stars for a sequel. Bale as Batman was the first to put pen to paper, followed by Caine as butler Alfred and Freeman as Bruce Wayne's business associate Lucius Fox. But Holmes won't reprise her role as district attorney Rachel Dawes - reportedly because Warner Bros is angry her engagement to Tom Cruise has stolen media attention away from the movie. A source tells Pagesix.Com, "Everyone is in agreement that the movie's strength is with Christian Bale, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman." Adding of Holmes, "She won't be in the sequel... the next romantic interest will be a much stronger actress. Warner is happy that people are now focusing on who'll be playing the Joker rather than Katie and Tom." Wooooooooooooooooooo!

Comments

[katranna.livejournal.com]

You got me scared with the Requiem bit there, because I thought maybe it WAS one of the "prequels" (I don't remember their titles)--but then I realized that probably every Kenshin movie could be a Requiem, considering the amount of people they go through. :-P

Well, at least now you're familiar with Kenshin's character and the Ishin Shishi, so that oughta be helpful.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Nah, trust me, it wasn't a prequel as he was already "retired" and it involved somebody from the past blah blah blah...angst angst angst (unfortunately not enough angst for me until the end, yay!). I bet if he ever smiled, his facial muscles would fall apart :D

[katranna.livejournal.com]

Okay, these reviews make me optimistic that you'll like the prequels more:

http://amr.nextstudio.net/html/rurouni_kenshin_a2.html

http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=337

Supposedly, this movie is not rated all that highly by Kenshin fans. So if you didn't care for it all that much, you're not supposed to. :-P

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

OK :) As long as there is more angst, I will be happier. Smoochies optional :)

[katranna.livejournal.com]

>>I bet if he ever smiled, his facial muscles would fall apart :D

hahah, watch one of the TV series episodes!

He's all smiley and childlike when he's not killing people.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Awwwww. "Let me get you milk and cookies so you won't kill me. 'Kay? And then I will tuck you and your katana in and tel you some fairytales" :D

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

P.S. I went to ff.net page on RK and was severely amused. True, I was greatly hampered by not knowing RK plot or most of the characters, but the one that (according to the summary) was a RK take on "The Wedding Planner" would be hard to miss regardless. :P

[katranna.livejournal.com]

... wow.

You take a well-written historical tale of guilt and redemption in 19th century Japan at the turn of a revolutionary era, and turn it into... A Jennifer Lopez romantic comedy. Brilliant.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

He looks like a FortuneCity icon? :)

[linaerys.livejournal.com]

I'll see your "Wooooooooooooooooooo!" and raise you a "Whoooooo-hooooo!". Excellent news.

Also, "hear, hear" on the trashing of Terry Goodkind. Half way thru his first book, I was reminded very strongly of all the drama queens I went to college with who spent all their time saying: "We're in love and meant to be together but it can never happen because of X,Y,Z OMG, isn't our love so star-crossed and tragic." To which I would usually say: "the fact that he already has a girlfriend but wants to hook up with you too does not a tragic romance make, but thanks for playing anyway."

So yeah, long story short Terry Goodkind == Headache Inducing.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I bought a TG book because it was on sale, and boy, was that a wasted $2. The sentence structure was atrocious, the plot nigh-incomprehensible, and the author was waaaaay too into sexual torture. I wanted to read a fantasy, but not a severe S&M one. Ugh.

[linaerys.livejournal.com]

Huh, I missed the S&M one. Mine was all junior-high caliber Romeo and Juliet speechifying with some magic thrown in. Ah well, either way, it was enough to put me off his books for life.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

It was pretty bad. The hero was sexually tortured, and by that I don't mean "tie you up with satin ropes" but more like "wounded severely, beaten within an inch of his life, knives driven through him etc," by this villain chickie and it was all in great detail. *shudder* And he kinda learned to like it. *double shudder*

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

P.S. I am almost as happy about Holmes being dropped as I am about Bale, Caine and Freeman. It's like someone listened to what I'd want :)

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

She's gone! HURRAH! *does cartwheels* Perhaps this romance thing is going to backfire on Katie Holmes. Of course there's also the issue that she's not a strong enough actress to make a female character in the Batman world likable (women in the Batman universe are always going to play second fiddle to Bruce's angst and issues, but there's an issue that you can be a likable second fiddle). And no one but Christian can be Batman for me anymore. He got it perfect in a way I've never seen before (I probably think that because in his talking, his analysis of the character coincides with mine most of the time).

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

eeeeeee....icon!

I hope hope hope the romance thing backfires. She can't act to save her life. If there was ever a candidate for stay-at-home Mom it's her.

an issue that you can be a likable second fiddle

Exactly. As opposed to "oh no. Back to her, again?" reaction Holmes evoked in me.

no one but Christian can be Batman for me anymore

I didn't care for Batman at all prior to this incarnation. But this? Wonderful.

[ewanspotter.livejournal.com]

So the IMDB stuff?

WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Mark Hamill if they do the Joker though. ;D

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Heeee...I loved that comic (in your icon)