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fan_eluneNot much with the updating lately. I've been busy growing a new obsession (and getting a BMB mood theme ready), but more on that in a minute. First off, news from me. I'm slowly catching up on some sleep, that is to say I feel less lethargic and can actually function through most of the day, and I don't need as much caffeine as I used to a couple weeks ago. Am getting tattooed at last on Friday! *insert a sound that expresses both intense joy and the dread of upcoming agony* I've wanted a tat - or rather, that particular tattoo - for six years now, and I'm finally getting it. It's that of the tribal-like pendant I always wear and I'll have it done on my ankle, hence the expectation of much, much pain. But it'll look wicked!
We still haven't gone out properly yet, but I have hopes for this weekend. I miss Canal Street (yeah, I know, not everybody's case). Oh, and unrelated but wheee! I got the video of Kissing Jessica Stein! It was brought in for the bring-and-buy sale for the disaster in Asia on Friday except it was in a box that did not make it to the sale, so it's only getting sold now. It's not the best movie ever, but itsure is a hell of a lot better than But I'm a Cheerleader isn't too bad either.
Also, I've started up a writing RPG with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
greenie_breizh, all around original characters this time. Not such an original premise, but oh well. *grin* It's going to be excruciatingly slow to write, with only being able to respond to each other once a day due to our hardly ever being online at the same time, but I'm sure it'll be worth it, if only for the fun had writing it. It's also a nice exercise for me to practice using external point of view, which is trickier than it seems. (The writers of WaTchers really do rock. Which makes me think, they're well into S2 by now and still being extremely good! And there's a spin-off, too.
And now, learn all about my latest obsession if you're not afraid to get spoiled for the whole of Nip/Tuck S2.
Adrian. Adrian Adrian Adrian. How absolutely fascinating was the storyline of Ava and Adrian? I have to send kudos to Seth Gabel who plays him, for managing right from the start, from the very first scenes with him, Matt and Ava, to convey exactly what was going on. That scene where he walks in on them in the morning? The same part of me that picks up on possible slashiness picked up on everything that was going on, in so far as his particular Oedipus complex went. The swimming pool scene only made it more obvious, especially re the transfer he was going to do onto Matt. Very genuine reaction of Matt when Adrian moved in to kiss him. Brilliant.
(Warning: in case you hadn't noticed, this is a real rant. Very ranty. With no structure whatsoever, just me gushing about that storyline. It is still time to walk away.)
The episode culminating in the kiss was brilliant as well. I had seen his attraction for her, yes, but when they actually showed that she returned it I could hardly believe it. As if, I don't know, suddenly in an episode of Angel all the slashy subtext between either Angel and Spike or Spike and Lindsey had been concretised in an actual kiss or declaration, as if Faith and Buffy had actually been seen to end a night out to patrol with a good ol' tumble. That is one of Nip/Tuck's (many) strengths, not being afraid to follow right through with the hints they drop.
After watching that episode, I have to admit I was deeply troubled. I don't know why because, as I said, I'd seen it coming. But there probably was something about the way they acted it out - or maybe just the knowledge that for once it wasn't just something lurking about in the character's psyche, but that it had been acted out. That Ava had slept with her son, that it wasn't just him wanting it. The force of a piece of art shows in the impact it had on you, and did this have an impact on me... Emotionally, but also intellectually, in so far as it really made me think about things, question them.
I'm ever so sad at not having managed to download the episode where they confront Ava about it, especially since the preview makes me die to see it. Seth Gabel can actually break my heart. There is something so tragic in his character. He was just a kid with a beautiful mother (beautiful indeed... I've never found Famke Jansen more beautiful than in this role), and one day she took him to bed. And look at the mess that he's become. It is a tragedy and Adrian is one of the victims.
Ava is another one of them. The final episode was brilliant, with quite an unexpected twist. I can believe that she's the best job Baldwin's character has ever done. It was so unexpected, and it might be seen as a relief that she is not truly Adrian's mother, but that would be a premature, irrational reaction: whether she is his biological mother or not is ultimately irrelevant. To him, she was - is - his mother. What else matters? And yes, she is a victim as well, a victim of who she loved and of her own gender. Previous gender. Brilliant. We see what has led her to become this predator woman.
I was very sceptical about where they were going when they showed Adrian buying that knife, not unlike the doubts (understatement here, more like complete denial bordering on anger) I had that it would really have been Spike in AtS's S5 episode Damaged, but I should know better than to think N/T would disappoint. The conclusion of his arc was beautiful and again, tragic, but without any of the pettiness or cheapness that would have accompanied it had he killed her. It was, mostly, logical. There was no other way out.
I very much liked Ava's last scene, such an echo of the last scene with what's-his-name, the Latino "baddie", in S1? Again, an airport and passports, only she gets away with it and she can start all over again somewhere else. I can't dismiss the image of her holding his corpse, just lying there, staring off into space, her leg on one of his, a mother and her son, two lovers entwined...
And as a footnote that has nothing to do with Adrian or Ava, the conclusion of the season re the Carver was another formidable thing. Again I underestimated them and felt the whole thing with Sean was getting a bit old. But having him be ready for it and the Carver going for Christian? Brilliant.
I just wanna end this N/T-related rant by sending kudos to all the actors on the show, but most especially Seth Gabel and Famke Jansen. They put up nuanced, touching, revolting, but over all real performances and exploited such an amazing script to the fullest by bringing to life those fascinating characters. And believe you me, I was very much not a fan of Famke before, not with the Mary-Sue-age qualities of Jean Grey (think X-Men).
I went and saw Closer with Julia this weekend. I'd been in love with that trailer ever since I first saw it, and I still am to be truthful. However, the film did not meet my expectations. It is adapted from a play and what I can say after having seen it is that it is probably better as a play. The film is a great trailer for the play, now I want nothing more than to see it on stage. But there was something missing in it, maybe just the magic of live drama?
The performances were really not at fault, in any case. All four characters you start by really liking, and you end up disliking, almost despising, which I think is brilliant. I walked out with this lump of angst lodged in my chest because those portrayals were real in a way that we don't like to think about. The pettiness, the reasons we choose what we choose, the loneliness, the void... I'd been told the film was thought-provoking, but I have to disagree. To me, it was emotion-provoking.
But really, those performances. Like each time I watched the trailer, when Clive said "Did you ever love me?" my heart broke - that actor is incredibly talented and doing King Arthur is not helping your credibility, pallie! I really liked the way his character talked, very natural, very lower class. But I can only mourn the loss, probably on the editing table, of some of my favourite lines from the trailer.
Very good point, too: it made Julia discover Damien Rice. *plotting smirk* Everybody should go see Closer, if only for that reason. (If the amazing cast is not enough...)
However, Julia absolutely adored it, so don't take what I say too seriously. Tous les goûts sont dans la nature....
We still haven't gone out properly yet, but I have hopes for this weekend. I miss Canal Street (yeah, I know, not everybody's case). Oh, and unrelated but wheee! I got the video of Kissing Jessica Stein! It was brought in for the bring-and-buy sale for the disaster in Asia on Friday except it was in a box that did not make it to the sale, so it's only getting sold now. It's not the best movie ever, but it
Also, I've started up a writing RPG with
greenie_breizh, all around original characters this time. Not such an original premise, but oh well. *grin* It's going to be excruciatingly slow to write, with only being able to respond to each other once a day due to our hardly ever being online at the same time, but I'm sure it'll be worth it, if only for the fun had writing it. It's also a nice exercise for me to practice using external point of view, which is trickier than it seems. (The writers of WaTchers really do rock. Which makes me think, they're well into S2 by now and still being extremely good! And there's a spin-off, too.And now, learn all about my latest obsession if you're not afraid to get spoiled for the whole of Nip/Tuck S2.
Adrian. Adrian Adrian Adrian. How absolutely fascinating was the storyline of Ava and Adrian? I have to send kudos to Seth Gabel who plays him, for managing right from the start, from the very first scenes with him, Matt and Ava, to convey exactly what was going on. That scene where he walks in on them in the morning? The same part of me that picks up on possible slashiness picked up on everything that was going on, in so far as his particular Oedipus complex went. The swimming pool scene only made it more obvious, especially re the transfer he was going to do onto Matt. Very genuine reaction of Matt when Adrian moved in to kiss him. Brilliant.
(Warning: in case you hadn't noticed, this is a real rant. Very ranty. With no structure whatsoever, just me gushing about that storyline. It is still time to walk away.)
The episode culminating in the kiss was brilliant as well. I had seen his attraction for her, yes, but when they actually showed that she returned it I could hardly believe it. As if, I don't know, suddenly in an episode of Angel all the slashy subtext between either Angel and Spike or Spike and Lindsey had been concretised in an actual kiss or declaration, as if Faith and Buffy had actually been seen to end a night out to patrol with a good ol' tumble. That is one of Nip/Tuck's (many) strengths, not being afraid to follow right through with the hints they drop.
After watching that episode, I have to admit I was deeply troubled. I don't know why because, as I said, I'd seen it coming. But there probably was something about the way they acted it out - or maybe just the knowledge that for once it wasn't just something lurking about in the character's psyche, but that it had been acted out. That Ava had slept with her son, that it wasn't just him wanting it. The force of a piece of art shows in the impact it had on you, and did this have an impact on me... Emotionally, but also intellectually, in so far as it really made me think about things, question them.
I'm ever so sad at not having managed to download the episode where they confront Ava about it, especially since the preview makes me die to see it. Seth Gabel can actually break my heart. There is something so tragic in his character. He was just a kid with a beautiful mother (beautiful indeed... I've never found Famke Jansen more beautiful than in this role), and one day she took him to bed. And look at the mess that he's become. It is a tragedy and Adrian is one of the victims.
Ava is another one of them. The final episode was brilliant, with quite an unexpected twist. I can believe that she's the best job Baldwin's character has ever done. It was so unexpected, and it might be seen as a relief that she is not truly Adrian's mother, but that would be a premature, irrational reaction: whether she is his biological mother or not is ultimately irrelevant. To him, she was - is - his mother. What else matters? And yes, she is a victim as well, a victim of who she loved and of her own gender. Previous gender. Brilliant. We see what has led her to become this predator woman.
I was very sceptical about where they were going when they showed Adrian buying that knife, not unlike the doubts (understatement here, more like complete denial bordering on anger) I had that it would really have been Spike in AtS's S5 episode Damaged, but I should know better than to think N/T would disappoint. The conclusion of his arc was beautiful and again, tragic, but without any of the pettiness or cheapness that would have accompanied it had he killed her. It was, mostly, logical. There was no other way out.
I very much liked Ava's last scene, such an echo of the last scene with what's-his-name, the Latino "baddie", in S1? Again, an airport and passports, only she gets away with it and she can start all over again somewhere else. I can't dismiss the image of her holding his corpse, just lying there, staring off into space, her leg on one of his, a mother and her son, two lovers entwined...
And as a footnote that has nothing to do with Adrian or Ava, the conclusion of the season re the Carver was another formidable thing. Again I underestimated them and felt the whole thing with Sean was getting a bit old. But having him be ready for it and the Carver going for Christian? Brilliant.
I just wanna end this N/T-related rant by sending kudos to all the actors on the show, but most especially Seth Gabel and Famke Jansen. They put up nuanced, touching, revolting, but over all real performances and exploited such an amazing script to the fullest by bringing to life those fascinating characters. And believe you me, I was very much not a fan of Famke before, not with the Mary-Sue-age qualities of Jean Grey (think X-Men).
I went and saw Closer with Julia this weekend. I'd been in love with that trailer ever since I first saw it, and I still am to be truthful. However, the film did not meet my expectations. It is adapted from a play and what I can say after having seen it is that it is probably better as a play. The film is a great trailer for the play, now I want nothing more than to see it on stage. But there was something missing in it, maybe just the magic of live drama?
The performances were really not at fault, in any case. All four characters you start by really liking, and you end up disliking, almost despising, which I think is brilliant. I walked out with this lump of angst lodged in my chest because those portrayals were real in a way that we don't like to think about. The pettiness, the reasons we choose what we choose, the loneliness, the void... I'd been told the film was thought-provoking, but I have to disagree. To me, it was emotion-provoking.
But really, those performances. Like each time I watched the trailer, when Clive said "Did you ever love me?" my heart broke - that actor is incredibly talented and doing King Arthur is not helping your credibility, pallie! I really liked the way his character talked, very natural, very lower class. But I can only mourn the loss, probably on the editing table, of some of my favourite lines from the trailer.
Very good point, too: it made Julia discover Damien Rice. *plotting smirk* Everybody should go see Closer, if only for that reason. (If the amazing cast is not enough...)
However, Julia absolutely adored it, so don't take what I say too seriously. Tous les goûts sont dans la nature....
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Date: 2005-01-19 03:23 pm (UTC)Hey, I did like "Arthur", it wasn't that bad.
::: ponders about that :::
Er, ok, I mean, I like the two scenes I do remember.
The opening scene, telling about an historical fact (I hope it's genuine) that offers so many stories possibilities that I had to struggle not to start making up a story instead of paying attention to the rest.
And the scene where the frelling narrator died a while before the end of the movie, cos I was so not expecting it. How can the *narrator* f*cking die before the end??? How can he tell the story if he died? So, yeah, didn't really saw it coming.
How can they kill the cutest guy of the cast???I do remember leaving the room thinking it wasn't as bad as I feared it would, so I guess I really did somehow like it.