(no subject)
First entry of the new year! I may be a newly-minted 22-year-old, but I still get exceedingly bored talking about my personal life at any length, so I'll continue my trend of not doing that and putting nothing of consequence here. This year, the plan is for short, spoiler-free reviews of every single new movie I see, since it will give me a reason to actually update and jam opinions in everyone's faces, and also actually remember what I all watch. Content!
Tron: Legacy: Blurg, what a disappointment. There were things I liked about it (mostly that it was pretty to look at in parts and the actors all seemed to be having a lot of fun with it), but overall I just thought it was a mess. The parts that looked good were all offset by the super dark bits and I know it was kind of the point, but I was distractingly reminded of this article the entire time. Basically, it left me wanting to just go home and watch the first one, which I then did, and was much more satisfied by. I think I would have liked it a lot more if it was about half an hour shorter. Arbitrary Final Grade: D
True Grit: Loved it, loved it, loved it. Sort of the exact opposite of Tron in that it left me wanting to never bother watching the original ever again, and I liked the original. I don't even know what to say about it, it's just a perfect example of what happens when you throw a bunch of great actors and directors together and give them some half-decent material to run around with. From the striking speech patterns (Rooster's mumbling, everyone's lack of contractions) making it feel kind of fantastic to how harshly realistic the ending was, it just felt like a very unique movie, which is maybe an odd thing to say about a remake, but that's my story and I'm sticking with it. Just... gah. Loved it. Arbitrary Final Grade: A
Black Swan: Weirdly conflicted on this one. I had trouble getting into it at first, but I was totally engrossed for the last hour, but it really started to lose me a bit with some of the transformation stuff at the end, but I was still totally into it? I don't know, it confused me, but Portman was great, the directing was great, the loads of pretty ballet dancing that I know nothing about was great, so overall, I liked it. I actually think Mila Kunis was my favourite part of it, she was fantastic and I adored every single scene she was in, which is also something I feel very strange about. Arbitrary Final Grade: B-
The Social Network: I haven't actually seen much Sorkin stuff, but this was basically exactly what I've always imagined it to be like: well-written, but nothing I particularly care about. A couple of fantastic performances from Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield got me into it, though, and the sharp writing kept me into it, so I can't complain about much. The plot meandered weirdly, though, and didn't really go anywhere? Or rather, it did, but it got there... oddly. It's like a normal movie, but shaped funny. I don't know what the hell I'm trying to say, but whatever, I liked it. Arbitrary Final Grade: B
So that's that. Let's see how long I actually remember to keep this up. And now, I'm going to C&P last month's SotP because I keep forgetting where I posted it and it's driving me absolutely crazy.
Wanda: Hasn't been getting out much, but her voice is still really strong, so it's just a matter of getting my act together and actually playing. NEEDS FRIENDS. LIKE, REALLY BADLY. She forms connections really easily (and moves on quickly enough when they get severed), so this shouldn't be difficult, I just have to get her out more. Pretty sure she's going to be on the ground crew for space plot, so that'll be a nice return to scienc-y form for her.
NYE: She'll have a top level. Everyone should tag her! :D
NDPD: No freaking clue, as usual. Ideas welcome, since it's pretty down to the wire, here.
Sean: Stupidly busy as ever, still in a really bad place, though. Tried proposing to Meredith but it... didn't take and I honestly have no idea when he's going to be able to work up the nerve and get over his issues enough to try again, so that's fun! The new year's going to see him finally trying to turn his life around, but January plot is going to make that difficult because nothing is allowed to go right for him, ever. XD He's going to be on the ship for space plot, being all studly and protective of Meredith, and the plan is for him to net himself a horrible throat injury in the process because that's just how Cassidys roll. I still need to work out the specifics and logistics of that, but the goal is for him to be unable to speak for... some amount of time (I will probably need help figuring out those specifics).
ADDITIONALLY (oh my god, I need another paragraph, stfu Sean), there's something I've been wavering on since summer and I still haven't come to a satisfactory decision so I guess I should throw it out there, but I've been considering going the straight-up alcoholism route with him (as opposed to where he is now, which is just... drinking a whole lot). The only reason he never fully went that way in canon is because he had ill-advised projects to throw himself into, which he does not have here, and that was older, wiser Sean anyway, so it's something I'd really like to do, but I have this massive fear that I'll screw it up somehow and wind up painting myself into a corner with him. It's something I can't go back on if I commit to it since, at this point in his life, he's not the type to ever go and get help. At best, he'd try to cut back for Meredith's sake. The last thing I want to do is go and make him unplayable by bringing this up, but I think there's a lot of potential for good stories there and it just makes sense given everything else he's going through, so... I don't know. Thoughts? Please?
NYE: He'll be there, but just until the countdown and I probably won't top level, so let me know if you want him!
NDPD: A nice flask.
Felix: Is Felix. There's never really much else to say about him. XD He's been pretty quiet for the last little while, but not worryingly so. I just need to tag him around more, really.
NYE: Will absolutely be there, but whether or not he gets a top level will depend on how I'm feeling at the time.
NDPD: Photography equipment! He misses his calliiiiiiiing. I just need to sit down and figure out exactly what this will all entail. Whatever he gets, he needs some way to print out his photos for his ~~seekrit Valentine's Day plans~~. Stef, you said Veronica is getting photography stuff, right? Maybe we can coordinate gifts.
The Future: With Gambit finally dropped after dragging my heels on it for ages, I'm feeling a lot more comfortable with my roster, so after a couple of months to make sure I've got a solid grip on things, Madelyne Pryor's app will be going in. Probably around March or so? And I've finally started re-reading the Earth X trilogy like I've been meaning to for ages, so assuming everything goes well with Maddie, May Parker shouldn't be too far behind.
Tron: Legacy: Blurg, what a disappointment. There were things I liked about it (mostly that it was pretty to look at in parts and the actors all seemed to be having a lot of fun with it), but overall I just thought it was a mess. The parts that looked good were all offset by the super dark bits and I know it was kind of the point, but I was distractingly reminded of this article the entire time. Basically, it left me wanting to just go home and watch the first one, which I then did, and was much more satisfied by. I think I would have liked it a lot more if it was about half an hour shorter. Arbitrary Final Grade: D
True Grit: Loved it, loved it, loved it. Sort of the exact opposite of Tron in that it left me wanting to never bother watching the original ever again, and I liked the original. I don't even know what to say about it, it's just a perfect example of what happens when you throw a bunch of great actors and directors together and give them some half-decent material to run around with. From the striking speech patterns (Rooster's mumbling, everyone's lack of contractions) making it feel kind of fantastic to how harshly realistic the ending was, it just felt like a very unique movie, which is maybe an odd thing to say about a remake, but that's my story and I'm sticking with it. Just... gah. Loved it. Arbitrary Final Grade: A
Black Swan: Weirdly conflicted on this one. I had trouble getting into it at first, but I was totally engrossed for the last hour, but it really started to lose me a bit with some of the transformation stuff at the end, but I was still totally into it? I don't know, it confused me, but Portman was great, the directing was great, the loads of pretty ballet dancing that I know nothing about was great, so overall, I liked it. I actually think Mila Kunis was my favourite part of it, she was fantastic and I adored every single scene she was in, which is also something I feel very strange about. Arbitrary Final Grade: B-
The Social Network: I haven't actually seen much Sorkin stuff, but this was basically exactly what I've always imagined it to be like: well-written, but nothing I particularly care about. A couple of fantastic performances from Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield got me into it, though, and the sharp writing kept me into it, so I can't complain about much. The plot meandered weirdly, though, and didn't really go anywhere? Or rather, it did, but it got there... oddly. It's like a normal movie, but shaped funny. I don't know what the hell I'm trying to say, but whatever, I liked it. Arbitrary Final Grade: B
So that's that. Let's see how long I actually remember to keep this up. And now, I'm going to C&P last month's SotP because I keep forgetting where I posted it and it's driving me absolutely crazy.
Wanda: Hasn't been getting out much, but her voice is still really strong, so it's just a matter of getting my act together and actually playing. NEEDS FRIENDS. LIKE, REALLY BADLY. She forms connections really easily (and moves on quickly enough when they get severed), so this shouldn't be difficult, I just have to get her out more. Pretty sure she's going to be on the ground crew for space plot, so that'll be a nice return to scienc-y form for her.
NYE: She'll have a top level. Everyone should tag her! :D
NDPD: No freaking clue, as usual. Ideas welcome, since it's pretty down to the wire, here.
Sean: Stupidly busy as ever, still in a really bad place, though. Tried proposing to Meredith but it... didn't take and I honestly have no idea when he's going to be able to work up the nerve and get over his issues enough to try again, so that's fun! The new year's going to see him finally trying to turn his life around, but January plot is going to make that difficult because nothing is allowed to go right for him, ever. XD He's going to be on the ship for space plot, being all studly and protective of Meredith, and the plan is for him to net himself a horrible throat injury in the process because that's just how Cassidys roll. I still need to work out the specifics and logistics of that, but the goal is for him to be unable to speak for... some amount of time (I will probably need help figuring out those specifics).
ADDITIONALLY (oh my god, I need another paragraph, stfu Sean), there's something I've been wavering on since summer and I still haven't come to a satisfactory decision so I guess I should throw it out there, but I've been considering going the straight-up alcoholism route with him (as opposed to where he is now, which is just... drinking a whole lot). The only reason he never fully went that way in canon is because he had ill-advised projects to throw himself into, which he does not have here, and that was older, wiser Sean anyway, so it's something I'd really like to do, but I have this massive fear that I'll screw it up somehow and wind up painting myself into a corner with him. It's something I can't go back on if I commit to it since, at this point in his life, he's not the type to ever go and get help. At best, he'd try to cut back for Meredith's sake. The last thing I want to do is go and make him unplayable by bringing this up, but I think there's a lot of potential for good stories there and it just makes sense given everything else he's going through, so... I don't know. Thoughts? Please?
NYE: He'll be there, but just until the countdown and I probably won't top level, so let me know if you want him!
NDPD: A nice flask.
Felix: Is Felix. There's never really much else to say about him. XD He's been pretty quiet for the last little while, but not worryingly so. I just need to tag him around more, really.
NYE: Will absolutely be there, but whether or not he gets a top level will depend on how I'm feeling at the time.
NDPD: Photography equipment! He misses his calliiiiiiiing. I just need to sit down and figure out exactly what this will all entail. Whatever he gets, he needs some way to print out his photos for his ~~seekrit Valentine's Day plans~~. Stef, you said Veronica is getting photography stuff, right? Maybe we can coordinate gifts.
The Future: With Gambit finally dropped after dragging my heels on it for ages, I'm feeling a lot more comfortable with my roster, so after a couple of months to make sure I've got a solid grip on things, Madelyne Pryor's app will be going in. Probably around March or so? And I've finally started re-reading the Earth X trilogy like I've been meaning to for ages, so assuming everything goes well with Maddie, May Parker shouldn't be too far behind.