Ah! Give me back my brain, Firefly!
Aug. 26th, 2005 02:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
trinityvixenI watched some of the special features at the end of disc four after a loverly dinner conversation with ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
ivy03 and roommate Lisa. The CSI stuff from "Our Mrs. Reynolds" made me laugh and want to throw up at the same time. The gag reel was most notable for the actor playing Mal's narrative introduction. Haven't been tempted by anything else because...
Have you ever liked something so much that you didn't want to know how it was done? Like finding out would somehow remind you that it was all smoke and mirrors? Aside from a few space-shots and far-off CGI, Firefly is kind of grounded in the characters and relationships and the, for lack of a better word, real. Whenivy03 used one of the cast names, I honestly was like "Who? Who is that?" Turns out it was the actor playing Simon. Since I have the much Simon-love (as I told feiran and darkling1, I blame his vests--the vest is the single most alluring male garment after the boxer), I should have known that. Didn't, just the same. I don't want to watch the visit to the set or anything because it would make it less real, less fantastic at the same time.
And whoever posted a link to "Mal's Song"--BLESS AND DAMN YOU! It's a beautifully sung adapted version of the Firefly intro that is specifically about Mal's life and experiences, and the chorus, what's actually taken from the show, has eaten my brain. I've been humming it all day. Well, the good news that, having discovered my sister and brother-in-law both are huge Firefly fans, I will be adding "Mal's Song" to her CD sometime in the future. His, too, probably.
I watched some episodes of Batman: The Animated Series last night, too. It's amazing that, of the third DVD box set, I recognize only half the episodes. I don't remember "The Terrible Trio" or the one with Bane. Half the episodes, moreover, are labeled as "The Adventures of Batman and Robin" on the third disc of the collection. Weird, but again, vaguely what I recall from when I saw it on television.
The second collection, the onefeiran and I bought for Lisa is still the best, I think. It has "Harley and Ivy" and "Almost Got Him." "Harley and Ivy" works so well because the rah-rah feminism of Poison Ivy and the demented devotion of Harley Quinn aren't any more praised than denigrated. They are out to get back at the men who've tramped them down, but, in the end, it's not about that; it's about them being criminals, plain and simple, and that's why they deserve jail, not because the 'man' has come down specifically on them for being women (speaking of the ladies, I love Detective Montoya, and adore her more for having crossed over to main DC continuity). "Almost Got Him" is a treat for its showcase of the assorted villains who gather together not out of mutual admiration or respect (indeed, Poison Ivy and Two-Face have a great little interlude about what the two Harveys want to do to the woman who tried to kill him) but about a mutual foe. It gives the psychological exploration in The Dark Knight Returns more weight, even making me like Gordon's last lines in Batman Begins about 'escalation' that much more.
The third collection isn't bad, but, aside from "Trial" and "Harliquinade," I haven't really hit any super-strong episodes. "Trial" addresses the whole Batman-is-the-reason-we're-nuts aspect of the Rogues Gallery of Gotham. I missed it keenly when it wasn't on the second volume of B:TAS because the new DA had a point in her frustrations over Batman. It's never addressed, and my guess is that Gotham law would be adapted to fit Batman within its rubric of law and order (the DC Bat-bible makes considerable allowances for his intervention in criminal apprehension by specifically stating that Batman is a deputized force, though the details on that appointment are, by necessity, sketchy). In "Trial," we see that Batman catches crooks but when not brought to the police in the usual manner, it's hard to prosecute them in the usual fashion. Otherwise, "Harlinquinade" is an amusing study of the give-and-take relationship between the Joker and Harley Quinn, something hinted at by her occasional flipping out at him and his snapping at her. They're both undeniably insane, yet somehow they manage to make it work. After those two eps, nothing else so far has really hit a chord.
I take that back, "House and Garden," the episode with Ivy reforming and the rather unsettling address of her denied maternal instincts is an episode worthy of an Emmy. It's well written, has a good twist, genuinely disturbing both in mood and visuals, and it manages to make Poison Ivy sympathetic without entirely absolving her of responsibility for her actions. When she says she's reformed, you believe her; when she says why, you feel guilty questioning her at the same time you feel obligated to. It's no spoiler to say that you can tell she's behind plant-related crimes and that the 'copycat' idea isn't going to fool the World's Greatest Detective for too long, but she seems sincere enough in her wish to make a clean start that you can't help but wish she'd stuck to it. It's a lot more understandable than Selina Kyle's return to criminality, sparked as it was by contempt for the idle rich she scorned. Pamela Isley goes back to crime to keep a family she has--all right, stole--and loves; Selina becomes Catwoman again to punish and profit. Less than admirable.
Um...uh...let's see...um...
--I like kitties. Lilah was chewing on my finger last night when we were rough-housing, something she doesn't often do. Thankfully, our cats are totally declawed or her constant kicking at my arms with her back legs might really have hurt.ivy03 informed me that that motion was part of a primitive instinct to disembowel captured prey. Delightful.
--Every woman I know loves Pride and Prejudice, the BBC/A&E version from 10 years ago. Fellas, take note: if you ever denigrate this movie, you will be forever unlucky in love. Women really, really love this movie. Perhaps it's all to do with the copper tub bath scene and Colin Firth's even more delectable pond scene, but you have to admire his ability to speak no more than three or four lines and hour for the first three hours of the film and yet still come across as both arrogant and pitiable. Jennifer Ehle is the Eliza Bennet, and no half-assed tart (Keira Knightly, I'm looking in your direction) will ever better her. The entire cast is so convincingly embarrassing or disgusting or snake-oil charming (Mrs. Bennet, Mr. Collins, Mr. Wickham, respectively) that to think of ever filming this again is blasphemy. There will never be a Lady Catherine quiet like this one, never a Mr. Bingley who looks so charming and stupid just the same, no Mary who just makes you cringe when she starts playing the piano, never a Charlotte Lucas who ever confuses or confounds you more.
--For the record, my older siblings and I all love Farscape. Further proof that I was not adopted despite the hints of a certain brother of mine.
--My boss returns Monday. She's called this morning to inform me as such. I'm looking forward to the vacation next week that much more.
ivy03 and roommate Lisa. The CSI stuff from "Our Mrs. Reynolds" made me laugh and want to throw up at the same time. The gag reel was most notable for the actor playing Mal's narrative introduction. Haven't been tempted by anything else because...Have you ever liked something so much that you didn't want to know how it was done? Like finding out would somehow remind you that it was all smoke and mirrors? Aside from a few space-shots and far-off CGI, Firefly is kind of grounded in the characters and relationships and the, for lack of a better word, real. When
ivy03 used one of the cast names, I honestly was like "Who? Who is that?" Turns out it was the actor playing Simon. Since I have the much Simon-love (as I told feiran and darkling1, I blame his vests--the vest is the single most alluring male garment after the boxer), I should have known that. Didn't, just the same. I don't want to watch the visit to the set or anything because it would make it less real, less fantastic at the same time.And whoever posted a link to "Mal's Song"--BLESS AND DAMN YOU! It's a beautifully sung adapted version of the Firefly intro that is specifically about Mal's life and experiences, and the chorus, what's actually taken from the show, has eaten my brain. I've been humming it all day. Well, the good news that, having discovered my sister and brother-in-law both are huge Firefly fans, I will be adding "Mal's Song" to her CD sometime in the future. His, too, probably.
I watched some episodes of Batman: The Animated Series last night, too. It's amazing that, of the third DVD box set, I recognize only half the episodes. I don't remember "The Terrible Trio" or the one with Bane. Half the episodes, moreover, are labeled as "The Adventures of Batman and Robin" on the third disc of the collection. Weird, but again, vaguely what I recall from when I saw it on television.
The second collection, the one
feiran and I bought for Lisa is still the best, I think. It has "Harley and Ivy" and "Almost Got Him." "Harley and Ivy" works so well because the rah-rah feminism of Poison Ivy and the demented devotion of Harley Quinn aren't any more praised than denigrated. They are out to get back at the men who've tramped them down, but, in the end, it's not about that; it's about them being criminals, plain and simple, and that's why they deserve jail, not because the 'man' has come down specifically on them for being women (speaking of the ladies, I love Detective Montoya, and adore her more for having crossed over to main DC continuity). "Almost Got Him" is a treat for its showcase of the assorted villains who gather together not out of mutual admiration or respect (indeed, Poison Ivy and Two-Face have a great little interlude about what the two Harveys want to do to the woman who tried to kill him) but about a mutual foe. It gives the psychological exploration in The Dark Knight Returns more weight, even making me like Gordon's last lines in Batman Begins about 'escalation' that much more.The third collection isn't bad, but, aside from "Trial" and "Harliquinade," I haven't really hit any super-strong episodes. "Trial" addresses the whole Batman-is-the-reason-we're-nuts aspect of the Rogues Gallery of Gotham. I missed it keenly when it wasn't on the second volume of B:TAS because the new DA had a point in her frustrations over Batman. It's never addressed, and my guess is that Gotham law would be adapted to fit Batman within its rubric of law and order (the DC Bat-bible makes considerable allowances for his intervention in criminal apprehension by specifically stating that Batman is a deputized force, though the details on that appointment are, by necessity, sketchy). In "Trial," we see that Batman catches crooks but when not brought to the police in the usual manner, it's hard to prosecute them in the usual fashion. Otherwise, "Harlinquinade" is an amusing study of the give-and-take relationship between the Joker and Harley Quinn, something hinted at by her occasional flipping out at him and his snapping at her. They're both undeniably insane, yet somehow they manage to make it work. After those two eps, nothing else so far has really hit a chord.
I take that back, "House and Garden," the episode with Ivy reforming and the rather unsettling address of her denied maternal instincts is an episode worthy of an Emmy. It's well written, has a good twist, genuinely disturbing both in mood and visuals, and it manages to make Poison Ivy sympathetic without entirely absolving her of responsibility for her actions. When she says she's reformed, you believe her; when she says why, you feel guilty questioning her at the same time you feel obligated to. It's no spoiler to say that you can tell she's behind plant-related crimes and that the 'copycat' idea isn't going to fool the World's Greatest Detective for too long, but she seems sincere enough in her wish to make a clean start that you can't help but wish she'd stuck to it. It's a lot more understandable than Selina Kyle's return to criminality, sparked as it was by contempt for the idle rich she scorned. Pamela Isley goes back to crime to keep a family she has--all right, stole--and loves; Selina becomes Catwoman again to punish and profit. Less than admirable.
Um...uh...let's see...um...
--I like kitties. Lilah was chewing on my finger last night when we were rough-housing, something she doesn't often do. Thankfully, our cats are totally declawed or her constant kicking at my arms with her back legs might really have hurt.
ivy03 informed me that that motion was part of a primitive instinct to disembowel captured prey. Delightful.--Every woman I know loves Pride and Prejudice, the BBC/A&E version from 10 years ago. Fellas, take note: if you ever denigrate this movie, you will be forever unlucky in love. Women really, really love this movie. Perhaps it's all to do with the copper tub bath scene and Colin Firth's even more delectable pond scene, but you have to admire his ability to speak no more than three or four lines and hour for the first three hours of the film and yet still come across as both arrogant and pitiable. Jennifer Ehle is the Eliza Bennet, and no half-assed tart (Keira Knightly, I'm looking in your direction) will ever better her. The entire cast is so convincingly embarrassing or disgusting or snake-oil charming (Mrs. Bennet, Mr. Collins, Mr. Wickham, respectively) that to think of ever filming this again is blasphemy. There will never be a Lady Catherine quiet like this one, never a Mr. Bingley who looks so charming and stupid just the same, no Mary who just makes you cringe when she starts playing the piano, never a Charlotte Lucas who ever confuses or confounds you more.
--For the record, my older siblings and I all love Farscape. Further proof that I was not adopted despite the hints of a certain brother of mine.
--My boss returns Monday. She's called this morning to inform me as such. I'm looking forward to the vacation next week that much more.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2005-08-26 06:37 pm (UTC)Early P&P fanfic (NWS)
no subject
Date: 2005-08-26 09:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-26 10:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-27 03:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-26 09:53 pm (UTC)Um, you're not getting Batman Volume 4, are you? I think that's all Gotham Knights, and probably not worth it. It looks like "World's Finest" has ended up in the Superman DVD set (volume 2) and "Knight Time" will end up on a later set.
no subject
Date: 2005-08-26 10:18 pm (UTC)I wouldn't touch the New Batman/Superman adventures collection with a ten-foot pole. I don't like the art, don't like the stories, don't like the characterization of just about anyone. The crossover eps amuse me to no end, but otherwise, gah. I'll save my money for the first two volumes I don't have yet.