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shadowkatBeen thinking about the things looking forward to in culture this upcoming year, now that 2009 has finally been put to rest. Note I sort of skipped over the whole best of lists.
Not sure why. May go back and do it, when I have time. May not. Moving on.
On the reading front? I've discovered the Kindle. My favorite Xmas gift in forever. Lovely device the Amazon Kindle - especially for fanfic reading. Why? Because it is a wireless device which enables you to google fanfic, and then read it without printing it out, without downloading it, and in a style that does not kill your eyes - plus in book form. Also great for blog reading, onlinzines, newspapers, magazines and books. Books are really cheap for the Kindle - 0$-1.99 for items like Little Women, and 8-9 dollars for regular books. The only thing I have not figured out how to read on it - is my livejournal - methinks I need to change my password - that may be the problem. I also can't for the life of me figure out how to read fic that is only available on fanfic.net...because of the scrolling thing, but am working on it. That said, am rather enjoying lj user rarihah's Parliament of Monsters - it starts out with Giles visting Crowley to discuss Spike's murder of Nikki Wood, then shifts to a vampire Spike and a newly vamped/ensouled Willow (long story) discovering Cain attempting to defang a vamp whore. Well written and the writer has Spike's voice and character pre-soul down. She's also exploring the ambiguities of the character...while at the same time doing something the writers didn't do which is build and explore the intricacies of that universe and mythology. Reading this has made me see some of the flaws in Whedon's writing approach - particularly in comparison to the Buffy comics and Dollhouse. Whedon sucks at intricate plotting and is not into details. While rarhihah cares a great deal about plots and detail. Of course this is a lot easier to do in fanfic or novel writing than it is in tv or comic writing...but still.
Am I enthused about the Buffy comics this year? Yes and no. I'm...how to phrase this? Cautious? No not the right word. Curious but at the same time wary. I know there's a word for that but I'm drawing a blank - it's late and I'm braindead. Anyhow, I reading the damn things for three reasons:
1. I'm curious to see how Whedon decides to resolve these storylines, assuming of course he does resolve them. So far he's resolved at least two. (Dawn/Xander and Willow/Tara, Willow/OZ).
2. Want to know how he resolves the plot thread that has been hanging in mid-air since Chosen, ie. Buffy and Spike. It's the only relationship that I don't believe has been resolved. (I actually thought all the other ones that keep getting referenced ad naseuam were, silly me. At first I wondered if the writer was underestimating his audience, but from the reports I've seen regarding the fanboards, apparently not. The audience truly is THAT dense. They are like a dog with a bone, they will not let it go. Granted it, you could accuse me of the same thing - but that really isn't resolved. He lived. To date we don't know if she knows. And if so, what the heck she feels regarding it. And if they did see each other again, what would happen. )
3. How and if he plans on linking this story to Fray. (ie. how Buffy ends the age of magic, assuming she does.)
If he doesn't do anything regarding these three items, or if he does something I think is really lame? I won't be that upset - because it means I can stop spending money on the comics, they will stop taking up space on my shelf, and I can get rid of the blasted things.
Damn, Whedon, for getting me interested in comics again. I'd given up the habit, entirely, in
2001. With any luck - he'll kick me of it yet...just need to be patient. (Note I know this is controversial, but I sort of look at the comics as Whedon's fanon or how Whedon would conclude all this if he could do whatever he damn well pleased, no restraints.)
If he does do something cool regarding those three items? Cool beans. But it also means I'm stuck buying comics...damn him.
Will admit my interest like everyone else's online went up a couple of notches after the spoilers came out. I was admittedly getting to the point of giving up on the things. Last issue was a lot more interesting, after you knew the spoiler, than it was before. Just saying.
Regarding Spike comics? Equally ambivalent. If I like them, I'll continue, if not, hasta la vista baby. And I'm admittedly picky regarding how the character is depicted. Fluffy Spike annoys me. Demon/nasty/crude Spike annoys me. I don't like extremes. Unrealistic. And boring to boot. Right now, Lynch's Spike entertains me a great deal. Lynch himself - is a bit too big for his breaches and needs to be slapped upside the head, but luckily for me I have no intention of ever meeting the guy, or interacting with him, so does not matter. I can be entertained by people I dislike - as long as the attributes I dislike don't make it into their art ...we're hunkey-dorey. (Oh I definitely look at Lynch's comics as fanfic, Lynch's version of what would happen to Spike and who Spike is. ie. Lynch's fanon.)
On TV front - looking forward to:
Caprica, the New Doctor Who - run by Stephen Moffet, actually considering getting HBO for George RR Martin mini-series (but may just wait for netflix to pick it up), Tru Blood S2 and Dexter S4 to come out on netflix, Lost, The Good Wife, Supernatural, In Plain Sight and a couple of others that I can't think of at the moment. Too many tv shows, too little time.
Movies? eh. I'm losing track of them. Apparently AVATAR won the Golden Globe. I don't think it deserved it, although hardly surprised. Amused. But not surprised. It's an overly long pretty movie with poor writing and underdeveloped characters, which apparently push buttons on both sides of the political aisle. That said, I still adore Neytari - she's fierce. I want to be her. Love that character. Best CGI character ever! Zoe Saladana really did a good job in that role - it was acted CGI and hard to do. Kudos. But my flist (with three exceptions) apparently hates the movie...so, nevermind. So did Hangover - which my mother hates. Yes, my mother saw Hangover. A fact that I get no end of enjoyment out of ...because ahem, it's not a movie I can picture her watching. She states it has got to be the worste and most offensive thing she has seen in her life. Hee. Could have told her that before she paid 8 bucks for it.
I avoided it. Let's face it - you either find grown men teaching babies to masturbate funny or you don't. My mother can't get over the fact that they actually showed someone trying to have sex with a tiger. (apparently she never saw Bachelor Party - the Tom Hanks film, where sex with a Donkey is heavily implied). I'd say American taste is poor, and it probably is - just look at the Neilsen ratings and NY Times Best Seller list and hello, Twilight (Meyer's not Whedon's) except the Golden Globes are decided by the Hollywood FOREIGN Press. Not the Americans. We just import the stuff.
Not sure why. May go back and do it, when I have time. May not. Moving on.
On the reading front? I've discovered the Kindle. My favorite Xmas gift in forever. Lovely device the Amazon Kindle - especially for fanfic reading. Why? Because it is a wireless device which enables you to google fanfic, and then read it without printing it out, without downloading it, and in a style that does not kill your eyes - plus in book form. Also great for blog reading, onlinzines, newspapers, magazines and books. Books are really cheap for the Kindle - 0$-1.99 for items like Little Women, and 8-9 dollars for regular books. The only thing I have not figured out how to read on it - is my livejournal - methinks I need to change my password - that may be the problem. I also can't for the life of me figure out how to read fic that is only available on fanfic.net...because of the scrolling thing, but am working on it. That said, am rather enjoying lj user rarihah's Parliament of Monsters - it starts out with Giles visting Crowley to discuss Spike's murder of Nikki Wood, then shifts to a vampire Spike and a newly vamped/ensouled Willow (long story) discovering Cain attempting to defang a vamp whore. Well written and the writer has Spike's voice and character pre-soul down. She's also exploring the ambiguities of the character...while at the same time doing something the writers didn't do which is build and explore the intricacies of that universe and mythology. Reading this has made me see some of the flaws in Whedon's writing approach - particularly in comparison to the Buffy comics and Dollhouse. Whedon sucks at intricate plotting and is not into details. While rarhihah cares a great deal about plots and detail. Of course this is a lot easier to do in fanfic or novel writing than it is in tv or comic writing...but still.
Am I enthused about the Buffy comics this year? Yes and no. I'm...how to phrase this? Cautious? No not the right word. Curious but at the same time wary. I know there's a word for that but I'm drawing a blank - it's late and I'm braindead. Anyhow, I reading the damn things for three reasons:
1. I'm curious to see how Whedon decides to resolve these storylines, assuming of course he does resolve them. So far he's resolved at least two. (Dawn/Xander and Willow/Tara, Willow/OZ).
2. Want to know how he resolves the plot thread that has been hanging in mid-air since Chosen, ie. Buffy and Spike. It's the only relationship that I don't believe has been resolved. (I actually thought all the other ones that keep getting referenced ad naseuam were, silly me. At first I wondered if the writer was underestimating his audience, but from the reports I've seen regarding the fanboards, apparently not. The audience truly is THAT dense. They are like a dog with a bone, they will not let it go. Granted it, you could accuse me of the same thing - but that really isn't resolved. He lived. To date we don't know if she knows. And if so, what the heck she feels regarding it. And if they did see each other again, what would happen. )
3. How and if he plans on linking this story to Fray. (ie. how Buffy ends the age of magic, assuming she does.)
If he doesn't do anything regarding these three items, or if he does something I think is really lame? I won't be that upset - because it means I can stop spending money on the comics, they will stop taking up space on my shelf, and I can get rid of the blasted things.
Damn, Whedon, for getting me interested in comics again. I'd given up the habit, entirely, in
2001. With any luck - he'll kick me of it yet...just need to be patient. (Note I know this is controversial, but I sort of look at the comics as Whedon's fanon or how Whedon would conclude all this if he could do whatever he damn well pleased, no restraints.)
If he does do something cool regarding those three items? Cool beans. But it also means I'm stuck buying comics...damn him.
Will admit my interest like everyone else's online went up a couple of notches after the spoilers came out. I was admittedly getting to the point of giving up on the things. Last issue was a lot more interesting, after you knew the spoiler, than it was before. Just saying.
Regarding Spike comics? Equally ambivalent. If I like them, I'll continue, if not, hasta la vista baby. And I'm admittedly picky regarding how the character is depicted. Fluffy Spike annoys me. Demon/nasty/crude Spike annoys me. I don't like extremes. Unrealistic. And boring to boot. Right now, Lynch's Spike entertains me a great deal. Lynch himself - is a bit too big for his breaches and needs to be slapped upside the head, but luckily for me I have no intention of ever meeting the guy, or interacting with him, so does not matter. I can be entertained by people I dislike - as long as the attributes I dislike don't make it into their art ...we're hunkey-dorey. (Oh I definitely look at Lynch's comics as fanfic, Lynch's version of what would happen to Spike and who Spike is. ie. Lynch's fanon.)
On TV front - looking forward to:
Caprica, the New Doctor Who - run by Stephen Moffet, actually considering getting HBO for George RR Martin mini-series (but may just wait for netflix to pick it up), Tru Blood S2 and Dexter S4 to come out on netflix, Lost, The Good Wife, Supernatural, In Plain Sight and a couple of others that I can't think of at the moment. Too many tv shows, too little time.
Movies? eh. I'm losing track of them. Apparently AVATAR won the Golden Globe. I don't think it deserved it, although hardly surprised. Amused. But not surprised. It's an overly long pretty movie with poor writing and underdeveloped characters, which apparently push buttons on both sides of the political aisle. That said, I still adore Neytari - she's fierce. I want to be her. Love that character. Best CGI character ever! Zoe Saladana really did a good job in that role - it was acted CGI and hard to do. Kudos. But my flist (with three exceptions) apparently hates the movie...so, nevermind. So did Hangover - which my mother hates. Yes, my mother saw Hangover. A fact that I get no end of enjoyment out of ...because ahem, it's not a movie I can picture her watching. She states it has got to be the worste and most offensive thing she has seen in her life. Hee. Could have told her that before she paid 8 bucks for it.
I avoided it. Let's face it - you either find grown men teaching babies to masturbate funny or you don't. My mother can't get over the fact that they actually showed someone trying to have sex with a tiger. (apparently she never saw Bachelor Party - the Tom Hanks film, where sex with a Donkey is heavily implied). I'd say American taste is poor, and it probably is - just look at the Neilsen ratings and NY Times Best Seller list and hello, Twilight (Meyer's not Whedon's) except the Golden Globes are decided by the Hollywood FOREIGN Press. Not the Americans. We just import the stuff.
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no subject
Date: 2010-01-20 07:46 am (UTC)I also agree that Spike was never truly resolved, though he might have been if SMG would have been willing to show up in Angel.
On tv: Is game of thrones going to be a mini series? I thougt they're shooting the pilot now and are going for a normal series with 13 eps per season, roughly one season per book.
I'm immensely looking forward to it. No other network could film those books, but with HBO and Martin's own involvement it looks like it'll be amazing. So far I love the casting (though Heady seems an odd choice for Cersei).
no subject
Date: 2010-01-20 05:33 pm (UTC)I think they tried to do it through Girl in Question, but it was focused more on Angel. And if You're Welcome had featured Buffy instead of Cordy, I'm not sure I would have liked it? The intent was to have Damage be a two-parter. But SMG had a family crisis, then a major conflict - and had to opt out, as did Trachenburg for Girl in Question (the original choice over Andrew).
In hindsight? I'm glad she couldn't show for much the same reasons I'm glad Amber Benson said no in S7 - I'm not sure I'd have liked the resolutions.
Now, I think they'll be different than they would have been back then, for much the same reason that the Willow/Tara resolution was different. Whedon isn't catering to the audience in quite the same way or answering to networks. So we may actually get a more honest reaction from the writer...and one more in tune with how he sees the characters now - then what the Angel writing team would have put forth.
I'm not saying I'll like it, but in some ways I prefer this outcome.
agree, if the resolve doesn't pay off it will drag down the whole series, we'll see
Yep. I'm trying to keep in mind that this is someone else's story...and I'm most likely not going to be thrilled with where they go. It's rare that I am.
But at this point, I just want a resolution. I want Buffy to finally put these relationships to rest. So far the only one she has is Xander, they've apparently accepted the fact that they will only be friends and that's enough. But, of the four-five men she's been with, only Xander has for the most part, been someone she can count on and trust no matter what - who has not left and remained supportive of her cause. And I think there's a huge theme going on here about women trusting men to guide, protect, and take care of them which echoes Dollhouse. Giles - Twilight indicates is Buffy's trust. Yet, Giles has betrayed Buffy's trust more than once. And abandoned her more than once, cutting her off.
We have a character who is having major trust issues, who doesn't feel she can share who she is with anyone and it is cutting her off. I think Whedon is addressing the root cause of that, head on. So, I think the resolution will be, if it is done in the way I'm hoping, addressing the problem at the center of Buffy/Riley and Buffy/Angel - and why Spike was and continues to be so important to her arc.
Game of Thrones..
Date: 2010-01-22 02:01 am (UTC)I have yet to read Storm of Swords and the last one he published, before...taking what appears to be an extended break. Has Dance of Dragons ever been published?
I may read that...after I finish my current crop of books.
Re: Game of Thrones..
Date: 2010-01-22 07:12 am (UTC)Jamie is played by Nicolai Coster-Waldau, I didn't know him, but he looks the part.
Sean Bean is going to be Ned Stark and Lizzie from P&P is going to be Catelynn
I posted some pictures of the less known actors after grrm released the casting spoilers on his LJ:
http://flake-sake.livejournal.com/47511.html#cutid1
http://flake-sake.livejournal.com/44863.html#cutid1
I can't wait for this series to start :)
The last book is "A feast for crows", it's so to speak the first half of Dance. Martin seems to have a bit of writers block and takes forever to put it out. I'd wait for Dance to read them together. He split the book, so the first one doesn't have all the characters and Tyrion and Dany are missing :(.
Re: Game of Thrones..
Date: 2010-01-22 01:46 pm (UTC)He's an interesting choice. Danish actor. But a good actor. (I liked New Amsterdam better than Moonlight.)
Is it Glenn Heady or Lena Heady as Ceresi? Guessing Glenn, which is odd.
The others are well cast.
The last book is "A feast for crows", it's so to speak the first half of Dance. Martin seems to have a bit of writers block and takes forever to put it out. I'd wait for Dance to read them together. He split the book, so the first one doesn't have all the characters and Tyrion and Dany are missing :(.
He may have been better off if he did the two as one book, as originally intended instead of splitting them as his publisher encouraged - possibly because he was taking too long.
Since I haven't read Storm yet...it will most likely come out before I've even gotten to Feast. (Got Feast in hardback, oddly enough). From what I've read, Storm is the best of the three books...since it really does a number on Jamie Lannister - swinging him from sadistic villian to tragic hero. Buffy fans told me that he has an arc that is similar to Spike's.
no subject
Date: 2010-01-20 10:56 am (UTC)Otherwise, I'm currently enjoying the 2nd series of Being Human enormously and Mad Men season 3 starts over here next week. Then there's True Blood season 2, which I hope to see later this year, and of course the final series of Dollhouse.
no subject
Date: 2010-01-20 04:02 pm (UTC)Mad Men S3 starts off slow, picks up speed, slows down again, but really delivers in the last three episodes. Really enjoyed the third season, in some respects more than the 2nd, which is odd.
Tru Blood S2 - I hear is a lot better than S1 (which makes sense - since it's loosely based on the only book that I found entertaining - Living Dead in Dallas). So really looking forward to when it comes out in August...via netflix. Guessing you're seeing it on an actual channel??
Dollhouse - Be interested to see what you think of the last several episodes.
For me - the biggies from UK - are Doctor Who (I'm a Stephen Moffat fan) and Torchwood from BBC, hopefully S2 of Merlin, and hopefully S2 of Being Human (guessing we will get it since it got amazing ratings over the summer).
Showtime/HBO - Dexter and True Blood and George RR Martin series.
US TV: Lost and Caprica
On the comics? I think I figured out what Whedon is doing, but I'm not sure he can pull it off - he hasn't built up to it very well. Reminds me a little of the sloppy plotting of the Onslaught Arc in the X-men (which you may or may not have read).