None the Wiser

Well, another $70 down and my eye is still no better. And I shall have to fork out more $ for a specialist at the hospital, and further treatment no doubt. I guess I got a new, acidy eyedrop thing and a referral for my $.

Sigh.

I am looking forward to seeing my family! Debbie and I are headed north this weekend to see my folks, brother, sister and new niece. Should be a lot of fun. It feels like a while since we went on a road trip too, so I'm kinda looking forward to that too.

The holidays have been good so far - a little work (including going in to school for 3 hours yesterday), but mostly relaxing with Debz. We bought a shiny new camera, which we will use to snap holiday photos. We did some gardening (killing plants), went on several walks (including one that took over an hour), and I've helped some students edit their documentary for the CUT! Competition. All in all a good start to the holidays!

I fear that these holidays are likely to slip by very quickly, but then so will Term 4, and it'll be holidays again before I know it. 

Serenity - days after everone else...

 I guess it is typical of my current slackness* but it has taken until Wednesday** for me to actually post about seeing Serenity on Monday. Many others have already expressed some of views on the film. Firstly, it was 'teh awesome' and left me with all sorts of contradicting yet balanced feelings at the end - sad for some charaters/happy for others, satisifised with some stories being resolved or explained/desperately wanting more, inspired and hopeful/subdued. I guess it was the typical feeling I get at the end of a Joss Whedon series (after I move on from the "wah! There's no more!") - any happiness at characters defeating the big bad or achieving their goal is always tinged with the sadness from what or who they have lost along the way. As in life, nothing is 100% pure joy or misery. The humour comes through even at the times when characters are in their worse possible place or have suffered a terrible loss, and the grief permeates into even their proudest or happiest moments. His finales are always emotional - and the movie really was like a season finale. Firstly, the background of the Reavers was a good story and boy did they creep me out. I didn't find them that scary or interesting in the series but they were skin-crawlingly creepy and responsible for making me jump and spill popcorn more than once. Visually I loved the film. Some beautiful shots and fantastic sets that really showed off some of the different worlds. Only one visual criticism and that would be of the set of Serenity itself. It just didn't have the same feel as a space as it did in the TV series - it felt more cold and less lived in. I'm not sure if it had the same level of detail as in the show, all the little features that personalised areas and made the ship itself a character. Possibly I was just too focused on the action and story. I need to watch the movie again. I thought the characters all translated to the big screen well and I LOVED Captain's storyline and arc in the movie. Mal is so cool, so very, very cool. River's story was dealt with well, lots explained but still I want to know more about Blue Sun. Many of the other characters (all of whom are interesting enough to justify having a movie focused on their stories - especially backstories) have great character lines/moments rather than any real development which is fair enough. They had an ensemble show and because of the nature of a movie you do have to focuson some characters more than others. I feel like there was at least one scene-stealing line or moment for each of the characters so I don't feel cheated. While they were peripheral to the main story they still came across as cool, interesting characters rather than the usual stereotype that secondary characters often are. It would be interesting to see what a person watching the film without having seen the series would think and how clearly the characters and relationships would come across to them. I loved the opening - it perfectly conveyed the background world-building information but also had some of the most effective transitions ever in the first 5-10 minutes. It hit you between the eyes and had me sitting bolt upright in my seat. Deftly set up main storyline and themes of the movie whilst still creating strong, palpable tension and suspense. Some Plot spoilers might follow... It was extremely moving both with the sadness of the deaths but really inspiring because they finally had a mission that was about something they could believe in. The whole theme of heroism and being prepared to make sacrifices was more poignant to me in this film than in many others. Often action film are about heroes risking their lives to save the world. In this they weren't trying to save the world but trying to stand up for the truth and to bring awareness to an atrocity. What they did wouldn't drastically change the world or bring down the Alliance but if they hadn't exposed the truth no-one would have ever known and the cover-up of thousands of deaths would have continued. I guess it seems more interesting to me because they weren't saving lives directly. Not that it is unheroic to carry people out of burning buildings or throw yourself on grenades but the idea of being prepared to risk everything so that the deaths of a planet worth of people wouldn't just be kept hidden seems less obvious decision. * Actually typical of my current slackness would be to post nothing at all... ** Why is it only Wednesday? I have at least a Friday morning's worth of wanting the weekend!!

Holiday Matt!

 Holiday Matt!

Huzzah! I get to sleep in tomorrow! And the next day!

And a few days more in the next two weeks. I am oh so terribly happy.

In fact, I'm tempted to go have a nap right now...

Firefly fever!

I am very, very excited about seeing Serenity tonight! I shall be racing home as soon as my colleague finishes crossmarking his research projects (not the most convenient timing given my need to be in Welly tonight), having a quick snack and a shower, then driving down with my good lady wife and enjoying some filmy goodness.

Debbie and I have been watching bits and pieces of Firefly the past couple of days, and are very much in the mood for some movie-going.

We also received a very cool present from Jenni and Lee - loads of awesome 48 hour photos and some Family Guy on CD, some pens (from Jenni's trip, I suspect), and a FANTASTIC SCRAPBOOK OF THE 48! It's gorgeous. Totally lovely. It made us both very happy campers, and has spread the birthday joy across many months of the year! Hooray.

Serenity

Was good. Very good. I am very tired today (we got home around 11.45pm), but it was worth it. I won't say too much, as I don't want to give away any spoilers, but:

It follows quite a movie-formula structure

Tonally it's a little less warm than the TV show as a whole

The stakes are raised quite high, and the tension that goes with it is very well executed

It's very, very pretty. Nicely done sfx

It felt a lot more SF than Western (not that the TV show was all that Western really, but the film is quite SF).

I think non-Firefly fans will be able to follow and enjoy the story, and Firefly fans will be very satisfied.

Two thumbs up - but I say no more.