Weblog 247
November 7, 2010~ 12:00 am
The time change has come round again. I always love what appears to be the 'gift' of another hour, and Saturday is the best day to enjoy it. Fall is well into its swing. This week saw a few hard frosts, a few snow flurries, LOTS of gray skies and barer trees. I feel 'in flux'-- like my pieces aren't fitting well together.
(If that makes any sense.) I've been feeling adrift and disoriented all week and have to really work at becoming 'up' enough to do much of anything beyond what is absolutely necessary. It could be the coming down off the high of the 'autumn/Halloween' thing, but whatever it is- it's left me with a sense of feeling...
not quite completely here, like I'm a looker-on ghostie thing.
Saturday Wayne and I watched 'Robinhood'- the new Ridley Scott version. I must say the movie was very often plot-murky and at times, outright corny. Despite a very solid cast, Russell Crowe is just NOT Robin Hood material- he's still Scott's 'Gladiator', and by God, he's just not merry enough!.
His men were. (Friar Tuck was joy itself.) Cate Blanchett beamed lyrically lovely as a Maid Marian with gumption.
But Crowe??? Crowe was too fat, and MUCH too dour. I couldn't see beyond his 'Gladiator' persona- right down to the 'Caesar haircut', even some leathery-looking armor stuff peeking out at his shoulders. I mean, does this look like the cavalier, dashing leader of a band of Merry Men?
HELL no!!
He's seething! Practically snorting with anger all the time, or brooding. Robin doesn't brood. There's only ONE real Robin Hood.
Errol F*cking Flynn! He had that legendary Robin panache down to the ground. Look at those dimples and that sparkle in the eyes, the nonchalance and oh MY, yes......
the JOY! (Usually I love any movie set in the Middle Ages- have since I saw 'Ivanhoe' when I was a kid) and heck, even Kevin Costner with a mullet hairdo so popular in the 90's when HIS version of 'Robin Hood' came out, is preferable to that chubby sourpuss Crowe (who's a very good actor, and not bad in this film) --no, it's Scott's conception of Robin Hood that's at fault here. He's stuck in a time warp between 'Gladiator' and 'Kingdom Of Heaven', which was a TREMENDOUS FILM and one of my favorites, but his dark-shaded lens and choice of tone does not serve this movie well.
It could simply be me and my weird mood currently, but I don't think so. Too often Wayne or I would say- 'Now THAT'S dumb'...... and turn to look at one another. This one gets a 'D'. The villains are 'silent film evil'-- they lack waxed mustaches to twirl is all. In fact no one in the film has any layering or subtlety of character except for Blanchett, who could bring shading to anything she does. Everyone else, including Crowe and even Max Von Sydow, are walking cut-outs in a coloring book of absolute 'right and wrong/black or white'.
What can I say postive about the film? The cinematography is well done-- the look of the medieval villages and castles, the sound of horse hooves pounding and swords clashing-- all those things are the right elements, but this film felt too 'modern' to me. I'm a sucker for the romance of earlier versions with their instinct for light-heartedness when portraying the fella in the green tights: he'd rob you, tip his hat... laugh, spur the horse and ride off. (What's that you say? No green tights in this one?) That's another problem. Those tights are magic. They're like Superman's cape when it comes to my vision of the 'good robber'- and some things you don't mess with. (And why no tights?)
Crowe's built like a pudgy fireplug, that's why. LOL!!!
But worst of all......this film screams 'sequel'. Say it isn't so!!!! --(and sticking Blanchett in that ridiculous armor, I guess next we'll be seeing "St. Joan" by Ridley Scott, starring a too-old and too-botoxed Sigourney Weaver.)
November 10, 2010~ 5:45 pm
When I came home today there was a package from UPS on my back porch, and I was delighted! Guess what I bought myself? (Some spiffy new gadget, something with multiple APPS to STAY IN TOUCH EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY F*CKING DAY- or some such new money maker for Apple or Microsoft? ) NOPE. I happily cut open the tape on the outside box to reveal a Panasonic TAPE PLAY/RECORDER, circa 1980's. I have tons of old tapes and no way to play them in the car -a CD player came with the Focus- and I wanted to hear my old stuff. Nostalgia RULES!!! Tonight I listened and toe-tapped and grinned to 'Talking Heads-'Stop Making Sense'- and LOVED IT! With 4 AA batteries I can listen to whatever time-warp suits me while driving, and feel the decades slip off this aging frame. Best 29.00 bucks I've spent in some time.
And I happened upon a site that had that grin of mine spreading even wider. Want to smile? (I'll give you the address in a minute, but first, let me show you what sits on my mantel.)
My beloved Humpty Dumpty whom I'm mad about. One of my best gifts ever! (But not everyone shares my eccentric tastes) as evidenced by this site- Why Did You Buy Me That? LOL!!! I have to say, MOST of those things I'd ADORE having......(but that's me.) When I wasn't coveting, I was enjoying the comments underneath the 'gifts' written by those who found themselves the puzzled recipients of these treasures. Have a laugh. Go and visit. (And if you're one of those folks who think these items a bit beyond the pale......well.......you probably shop at Nordstom's or Land's End. You're one of the practical ones... God help 'ya.
***
(Return To Weekly Archives)
The time change has come round again. I always love what appears to be the 'gift' of another hour, and Saturday is the best day to enjoy it. Fall is well into its swing. This week saw a few hard frosts, a few snow flurries, LOTS of gray skies and barer trees. I feel 'in flux'-- like my pieces aren't fitting well together.
(If that makes any sense.) I've been feeling adrift and disoriented all week and have to really work at becoming 'up' enough to do much of anything beyond what is absolutely necessary. It could be the coming down off the high of the 'autumn/Halloween' thing, but whatever it is- it's left me with a sense of feeling...
not quite completely here, like I'm a looker-on ghostie thing.
Saturday Wayne and I watched 'Robinhood'- the new Ridley Scott version. I must say the movie was very often plot-murky and at times, outright corny. Despite a very solid cast, Russell Crowe is just NOT Robin Hood material- he's still Scott's 'Gladiator', and by God, he's just not merry enough!.
His men were. (Friar Tuck was joy itself.) Cate Blanchett beamed lyrically lovely as a Maid Marian with gumption.
But Crowe??? Crowe was too fat, and MUCH too dour. I couldn't see beyond his 'Gladiator' persona- right down to the 'Caesar haircut', even some leathery-looking armor stuff peeking out at his shoulders. I mean, does this look like the cavalier, dashing leader of a band of Merry Men?
HELL no!!
He's seething! Practically snorting with anger all the time, or brooding. Robin doesn't brood. There's only ONE real Robin Hood.
the JOY! (Usually I love any movie set in the Middle Ages- have since I saw 'Ivanhoe' when I was a kid) and heck, even Kevin Costner with a mullet hairdo so popular in the 90's when HIS version of 'Robin Hood' came out, is preferable to that chubby sourpuss Crowe (who's a very good actor, and not bad in this film) --no, it's Scott's conception of Robin Hood that's at fault here. He's stuck in a time warp between 'Gladiator' and 'Kingdom Of Heaven', which was a TREMENDOUS FILM and one of my favorites, but his dark-shaded lens and choice of tone does not serve this movie well.
It could simply be me and my weird mood currently, but I don't think so. Too often Wayne or I would say- 'Now THAT'S dumb'...... and turn to look at one another. This one gets a 'D'. The villains are 'silent film evil'-- they lack waxed mustaches to twirl is all. In fact no one in the film has any layering or subtlety of character except for Blanchett, who could bring shading to anything she does. Everyone else, including Crowe and even Max Von Sydow, are walking cut-outs in a coloring book of absolute 'right and wrong/black or white'.
What can I say postive about the film? The cinematography is well done-- the look of the medieval villages and castles, the sound of horse hooves pounding and swords clashing-- all those things are the right elements, but this film felt too 'modern' to me. I'm a sucker for the romance of earlier versions with their instinct for light-heartedness when portraying the fella in the green tights: he'd rob you, tip his hat... laugh, spur the horse and ride off. (What's that you say? No green tights in this one?) That's another problem. Those tights are magic. They're like Superman's cape when it comes to my vision of the 'good robber'- and some things you don't mess with. (And why no tights?)
But worst of all......this film screams 'sequel'. Say it isn't so!!!! --(and sticking Blanchett in that ridiculous armor, I guess next we'll be seeing "St. Joan" by Ridley Scott, starring a too-old and too-botoxed Sigourney Weaver.)
November 10, 2010~ 5:45 pm
When I came home today there was a package from UPS on my back porch, and I was delighted! Guess what I bought myself? (Some spiffy new gadget, something with multiple APPS to STAY IN TOUCH EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY F*CKING DAY- or some such new money maker for Apple or Microsoft? ) NOPE. I happily cut open the tape on the outside box to reveal a Panasonic TAPE PLAY/RECORDER, circa 1980's. I have tons of old tapes and no way to play them in the car -a CD player came with the Focus- and I wanted to hear my old stuff. Nostalgia RULES!!! Tonight I listened and toe-tapped and grinned to 'Talking Heads-'Stop Making Sense'- and LOVED IT! With 4 AA batteries I can listen to whatever time-warp suits me while driving, and feel the decades slip off this aging frame. Best 29.00 bucks I've spent in some time.
And I happened upon a site that had that grin of mine spreading even wider. Want to smile? (I'll give you the address in a minute, but first, let me show you what sits on my mantel.)
My beloved Humpty Dumpty whom I'm mad about. One of my best gifts ever! (But not everyone shares my eccentric tastes) as evidenced by this site- Why Did You Buy Me That? LOL!!! I have to say, MOST of those things I'd ADORE having......(but that's me.) When I wasn't coveting, I was enjoying the comments underneath the 'gifts' written by those who found themselves the puzzled recipients of these treasures. Have a laugh. Go and visit. (And if you're one of those folks who think these items a bit beyond the pale......well.......you probably shop at Nordstom's or Land's End. You're one of the practical ones... God help 'ya.
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