what to read next
Jul. 25th, 2009 08:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jmc_bks~A while back I bought a copy of Alex Beecroft's False Colors; wasn't sure I wanted to spring for it at first, but was encouraged by Joan/SarahF's review. It's been on the TBR ever since, but I pulled it off the pile the morning. And what do I see this afternoon? Bujold's thoughts (very general) about the book. I'm not sure I agree that the story must've begun life as retooled Hornblower's slashfic, which seems a little dismissive. Or maybe I'm reading that into her comment and being too touchy.
~(500) Days of Summer...as the narrator says, this is not a love story. Well, it is, but it is a love story in the non-genre sense: no HEA. Loved the nature of the narrative, jumping around, and the surreality (is that a word) of certain scenes. Thought Joseph Gordon-Levitt was very good, even singing drunken karaoke. The only drawback for me: the actress cast as Summer reminded me of the actress who played Jennifer Schecter in The L Word. She's the TV character I despise the most, ever. (Which I think Ilene Chaiken intended.) Zoe Deschanel's performance was fine, but I never got past the resemblance.
~Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. SPOILERS FOLLOW. If I had not read the books, I might've thought this was a fairly good summer movie. In terms of the series, it left a great deal to be desired. Where did the opening scene come from? Are we finished with the Dursleys? Burning down the Burrow? Running around the marsh and country surrounding it? No Bill and Fleur? How is the set up of Deathly Hallows going to work: their wedding played a fairly large role in the beginning of the book. No battle at Hogwarts? And that flat announcement at the end that Snape was the half blood prince? And what is up with that bad dye job and weird hair cut for Snape? Ron seems even less likeable in film than on the page, which is saying something because I like him a little less every time I reread the series. But, oh, the Weasley twins as business men...
~I totally want to see Where the Wild Things Are and GIJoe. And Julie & Julia (despite Amy Adams, who is too cute and perky and nasal to live). Fame not so much. And Sherlock Holmes...well, Mark Strong might get me to the theater, but it'll be a very hard sell since Jude Law makes my skin crawl with his smarm.
~The Academy Is... and Gym Class Heroes are at the Pier Six Pavilion on Monday. Forgot to buy tickets, but there are still plenty, including the lawn, so I'm not worried about missing the show.
~(500) Days of Summer...as the narrator says, this is not a love story. Well, it is, but it is a love story in the non-genre sense: no HEA. Loved the nature of the narrative, jumping around, and the surreality (is that a word) of certain scenes. Thought Joseph Gordon-Levitt was very good, even singing drunken karaoke. The only drawback for me: the actress cast as Summer reminded me of the actress who played Jennifer Schecter in The L Word. She's the TV character I despise the most, ever. (Which I think Ilene Chaiken intended.) Zoe Deschanel's performance was fine, but I never got past the resemblance.
~Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. SPOILERS FOLLOW. If I had not read the books, I might've thought this was a fairly good summer movie. In terms of the series, it left a great deal to be desired. Where did the opening scene come from? Are we finished with the Dursleys? Burning down the Burrow? Running around the marsh and country surrounding it? No Bill and Fleur? How is the set up of Deathly Hallows going to work: their wedding played a fairly large role in the beginning of the book. No battle at Hogwarts? And that flat announcement at the end that Snape was the half blood prince? And what is up with that bad dye job and weird hair cut for Snape? Ron seems even less likeable in film than on the page, which is saying something because I like him a little less every time I reread the series. But, oh, the Weasley twins as business men...
~I totally want to see Where the Wild Things Are and GIJoe. And Julie & Julia (despite Amy Adams, who is too cute and perky and nasal to live). Fame not so much. And Sherlock Holmes...well, Mark Strong might get me to the theater, but it'll be a very hard sell since Jude Law makes my skin crawl with his smarm.
~The Academy Is... and Gym Class Heroes are at the Pier Six Pavilion on Monday. Forgot to buy tickets, but there are still plenty, including the lawn, so I'm not worried about missing the show.
