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patentdragon- 16th June 2011 -
An 0600 start, and a big, busy day. Barely enough time to think, let alone relax!
0942 - a big moment, the formal Transfer Of The Banner; all of a sudden, what's been pretty much only talked about becomes FACT. Before long, however, it becomes one of those days when you COULD just sleep, but you're too damn tired!
About 1600, it becomes apparent that I may have "dropped the ball", by not properly supervising the movers on the inward route. One room is an absolute disaster, causing additional stress all round - okay, I admit it; I may just have failed my first Mission 101 Task
- 17th June 2011 -
No rest for the wicked. Awake an hour before I needed to be, then back to "WIB" (Where I Began) for an all-out assault on the attic, where things - and memories - have been sequestered for decades. Big Bro needs to relocate his collection...
The less said about that, the better.
At least our phone line has been switched, and the process of regaining my net connection can begin. Also tomorrow - Green Lantern! Aaaah, I can almost taste normality - I'm coming perilously close to looking forward to going in to work on Monday...
Another early night. Again, just utterly thrashed!
- 18th June 2011 -
Oh (insert stream of particularly vivid profanity here).
Woodworm. What a joy. "Worm-sign" in the woodwork has got me checking every wall for the little bastards - and I know that's almost to be expected in an older house, but that doesn't mean I have to like it, or even put up with it. I did actually have a rant of sorts written, but what's the point...?
Our response is set in motion on Monday.
Back to more pleasing matters... For ages, I've been meaning to get myself a new TV - something a good deal more state of the art than the reliable but cumbersome "cube" I inherited from my Granny. I've been able to "upgrade" it with videos, DVD players, Freeview digital boxes, but my limited office space now requires me to forge ahead, and grab something entirely new. What better time to do that than today's visit to the local electrical shop, where a fairly hefty order has now been placed.
Attempts to get online again have seen mixed results. Yes, the broadband is now in the process of being switched over, but my first attempt to make use of the Uni's facilities ground to an abrupt halt when I discovered that the Uni library is closed for refurbishment. Joy (not).
Work seems to be my best option. For high-sensitivity matters, I may have to rely on slightly different arrangements - if they'll let me.
Movie Review - GREEN LANTERN... Marvel have been dominating the superhero movie stakes these last few years, with only The Dark Knight appearing for "The Distinguished Competition" (as Stan Lee would put it). On Friday, DC went along the THOR route, and launched a property the general public might not be familiar with: Green Lantern...
The movie starts in perhaps the only way it can: an info-dump on the Green Lantern Corps - their masters, their origins, their purpose - and a couple of important, more personal introductions, as two key players Abin Sur, Green Lantern of Sector 2814, and fear entity Parallax take the stage. This conflict then leads into the recruitment of our hero, his training, his apparent failure in that, and his eventual realisation that he has to step up and do what needs to be done, for the sake of Earth and the universe.
Fans were afraid that star Ryan Reynolds would screw things up, and play the part for laughs. There are comedy elements, but they're appropriate for someone learning to adjust to great power, and the turning on its head of his entire universal view, and when he needs to be serious, that's just what he does, and does well. Blake Lively as Carol Ferris was no car-crash either, for all that she gets to do in the movie, but the real stand-out is definitely Mark Strong as GL veteran Sinestro. He truly brings the comic page to life whenever he's on screen, and commands serious respect when he addresses the Corps, and has an audience with The Guardians of The Universe.
What about the story? There is an awful lot to tell in two hours, but the origin material is dealt with fairly swiftly and effectively, even though almost every reviewer not in touch with the comic community bitches on whenever an origin story is told. Sorry guys - these are characters whose origins have been chronicled in detail, unlike Dracula or Sherlock Holmes, and there's no point in making a movie about an existing character if you're just going to mess around with them. Sherlock Holmes - the groovy space pilot who travels back in time to fight crime in "Olde London Towne"? Doesn't work, does it...?
Back to this movie. The rest of the plot doesn't linger on anything "trivial" for long. Once Hal learns about the Green Lanterns, there's little in the way of slow-up. In general, there's little to complain about, BUT there are one or two niggles...
Query 1: If ONE Green Lantern (Abin Sur) is able to take down Parallax, then why does Parallax head to Oa, where there are hundreds of them?
A Possible Answer: At the end, Sinestro describes Hal in such terms as "argumentative", "rash" and "impulsive" - "just like Abin Sur, my mentor" - so maybe that combination of characteristics made Abin Sur, and his replacement, better suited to handle Parallax? That could perhaps have been expanded upon - it would certainly have made the ring's choice more logical sense for the uninitiated members of the audience.
Query 2: The Guardians seem just a little bit too willing to create a yellow power ring, expecially after they have just revealed that one of their own was the catalyst for the release of Parallax in the beginning, and they subsequently prohibited the use of the yellow light in their pursuit of justice. This seems particularly out of step with the Guardians as shown in the comics - they've almost plunged the universe into chaos by attempting to purge all emotion from the universe...
The Effects... This film was always going to depend on quality effects, and generally, that all goes according to plan. Purely CGI creations Tomar-Re, Kilowog, The Guardians and Parallax all come across very well, and don't enjoy too much screen-time, and CG is the only way to go to make the ring constructs work. However, they don't always succeed - Hal's "race track" rescue of the helicopter during his first public appearance doesn't quite cut it, unless it was the film-makers' intent to make them cartoony - what would you expect from an Earthman, after all?
One fairly unexcuseable shortcoming - and a pretty big one - was Oa, home of The Guardians and base of the Corps. It just didn't seem... majestic enough, and even came across as just a bit too chaotic for the logical, order-centred Guardians. I was expecting something as cool as Asgard in THOR, but we just didn't get it...
I'm starting to see 3D as a bit of a problem. This movie could have been the one to revitalise interest in the technology - the whole concept seems made for it - but polarised lenses made some scenes hard to make out, and probably cost us some detail in several scenes, and in general, 3D just didn't make this movie *POP*. It hardly seemed worth the effort just for pretty title sequences. As casual reviewers have already said, Transformers - Dark Of The Moon, the next big show in town, will save the technology, or seal its fate.
I wanted this movie to blow my mind. In truth, it didn't quite achieve that, but it was still a very strong effort in trying to bring something very "Silver Age" to the attention of a modern audience. There's some way to go yet, and hopefully sequels will grab people more effectively. I'm not disappointed, as my final score will indicate...
The Final Word... A solid beginning for a character with franchise potential. Maybe not as awe-inspiring as THOR, and the effects aren't always entirely up to the task, but a brave effort by DC to try and catch up in the superhero movie stakes. 8/10
- 19th June 2011 -
Yesterday was the "day of rest". Today, reducing and rationalising the attic contents, and the last few things from "WIB". Plenty to do, some of it done - and more to come, but not tomorrow. Monday, I go back to work (for a day), and see what's happening - and maybe even get a 'net connection!
Highlight of the day - a proper cooked meal, and not the crap I've been eating the last few days. Even so, I'm certain I've lost some weight in the past week or so...
An 0600 start, and a big, busy day. Barely enough time to think, let alone relax!
0942 - a big moment, the formal Transfer Of The Banner; all of a sudden, what's been pretty much only talked about becomes FACT. Before long, however, it becomes one of those days when you COULD just sleep, but you're too damn tired!
About 1600, it becomes apparent that I may have "dropped the ball", by not properly supervising the movers on the inward route. One room is an absolute disaster, causing additional stress all round - okay, I admit it; I may just have failed my first Mission 101 Task
64 Complete The Move without excess stress and griefFinally went to bed at 0000, or thereabouts. Early for me, but the office hasn't been set up yet, and I simply don't have the energy.
-o0o-
- 17th June 2011 -
No rest for the wicked. Awake an hour before I needed to be, then back to "WIB" (Where I Began) for an all-out assault on the attic, where things - and memories - have been sequestered for decades. Big Bro needs to relocate his collection...
The less said about that, the better.
At least our phone line has been switched, and the process of regaining my net connection can begin. Also tomorrow - Green Lantern! Aaaah, I can almost taste normality - I'm coming perilously close to looking forward to going in to work on Monday...
Another early night. Again, just utterly thrashed!
-o0o-
- 18th June 2011 -
Oh (insert stream of particularly vivid profanity here).
Woodworm. What a joy. "Worm-sign" in the woodwork has got me checking every wall for the little bastards - and I know that's almost to be expected in an older house, but that doesn't mean I have to like it, or even put up with it. I did actually have a rant of sorts written, but what's the point...?
Our response is set in motion on Monday.
Back to more pleasing matters... For ages, I've been meaning to get myself a new TV - something a good deal more state of the art than the reliable but cumbersome "cube" I inherited from my Granny. I've been able to "upgrade" it with videos, DVD players, Freeview digital boxes, but my limited office space now requires me to forge ahead, and grab something entirely new. What better time to do that than today's visit to the local electrical shop, where a fairly hefty order has now been placed.
Attempts to get online again have seen mixed results. Yes, the broadband is now in the process of being switched over, but my first attempt to make use of the Uni's facilities ground to an abrupt halt when I discovered that the Uni library is closed for refurbishment. Joy (not).
Work seems to be my best option. For high-sensitivity matters, I may have to rely on slightly different arrangements - if they'll let me.
Movie Review - GREEN LANTERN... Marvel have been dominating the superhero movie stakes these last few years, with only The Dark Knight appearing for "The Distinguished Competition" (as Stan Lee would put it). On Friday, DC went along the THOR route, and launched a property the general public might not be familiar with: Green Lantern...
The movie starts in perhaps the only way it can: an info-dump on the Green Lantern Corps - their masters, their origins, their purpose - and a couple of important, more personal introductions, as two key players Abin Sur, Green Lantern of Sector 2814, and fear entity Parallax take the stage. This conflict then leads into the recruitment of our hero, his training, his apparent failure in that, and his eventual realisation that he has to step up and do what needs to be done, for the sake of Earth and the universe.
Fans were afraid that star Ryan Reynolds would screw things up, and play the part for laughs. There are comedy elements, but they're appropriate for someone learning to adjust to great power, and the turning on its head of his entire universal view, and when he needs to be serious, that's just what he does, and does well. Blake Lively as Carol Ferris was no car-crash either, for all that she gets to do in the movie, but the real stand-out is definitely Mark Strong as GL veteran Sinestro. He truly brings the comic page to life whenever he's on screen, and commands serious respect when he addresses the Corps, and has an audience with The Guardians of The Universe.
What about the story? There is an awful lot to tell in two hours, but the origin material is dealt with fairly swiftly and effectively, even though almost every reviewer not in touch with the comic community bitches on whenever an origin story is told. Sorry guys - these are characters whose origins have been chronicled in detail, unlike Dracula or Sherlock Holmes, and there's no point in making a movie about an existing character if you're just going to mess around with them. Sherlock Holmes - the groovy space pilot who travels back in time to fight crime in "Olde London Towne"? Doesn't work, does it...?
Back to this movie. The rest of the plot doesn't linger on anything "trivial" for long. Once Hal learns about the Green Lanterns, there's little in the way of slow-up. In general, there's little to complain about, BUT there are one or two niggles...
Query 1: If ONE Green Lantern (Abin Sur) is able to take down Parallax, then why does Parallax head to Oa, where there are hundreds of them?
A Possible Answer: At the end, Sinestro describes Hal in such terms as "argumentative", "rash" and "impulsive" - "just like Abin Sur, my mentor" - so maybe that combination of characteristics made Abin Sur, and his replacement, better suited to handle Parallax? That could perhaps have been expanded upon - it would certainly have made the ring's choice more logical sense for the uninitiated members of the audience.
Query 2: The Guardians seem just a little bit too willing to create a yellow power ring, expecially after they have just revealed that one of their own was the catalyst for the release of Parallax in the beginning, and they subsequently prohibited the use of the yellow light in their pursuit of justice. This seems particularly out of step with the Guardians as shown in the comics - they've almost plunged the universe into chaos by attempting to purge all emotion from the universe...
The Effects... This film was always going to depend on quality effects, and generally, that all goes according to plan. Purely CGI creations Tomar-Re, Kilowog, The Guardians and Parallax all come across very well, and don't enjoy too much screen-time, and CG is the only way to go to make the ring constructs work. However, they don't always succeed - Hal's "race track" rescue of the helicopter during his first public appearance doesn't quite cut it, unless it was the film-makers' intent to make them cartoony - what would you expect from an Earthman, after all?
One fairly unexcuseable shortcoming - and a pretty big one - was Oa, home of The Guardians and base of the Corps. It just didn't seem... majestic enough, and even came across as just a bit too chaotic for the logical, order-centred Guardians. I was expecting something as cool as Asgard in THOR, but we just didn't get it...
I'm starting to see 3D as a bit of a problem. This movie could have been the one to revitalise interest in the technology - the whole concept seems made for it - but polarised lenses made some scenes hard to make out, and probably cost us some detail in several scenes, and in general, 3D just didn't make this movie *POP*. It hardly seemed worth the effort just for pretty title sequences. As casual reviewers have already said, Transformers - Dark Of The Moon, the next big show in town, will save the technology, or seal its fate.
I wanted this movie to blow my mind. In truth, it didn't quite achieve that, but it was still a very strong effort in trying to bring something very "Silver Age" to the attention of a modern audience. There's some way to go yet, and hopefully sequels will grab people more effectively. I'm not disappointed, as my final score will indicate...
The Final Word... A solid beginning for a character with franchise potential. Maybe not as awe-inspiring as THOR, and the effects aren't always entirely up to the task, but a brave effort by DC to try and catch up in the superhero movie stakes. 8/10
-o0o-
- 19th June 2011 -
Yesterday was the "day of rest". Today, reducing and rationalising the attic contents, and the last few things from "WIB". Plenty to do, some of it done - and more to come, but not tomorrow. Monday, I go back to work (for a day), and see what's happening - and maybe even get a 'net connection!
Highlight of the day - a proper cooked meal, and not the crap I've been eating the last few days. Even so, I'm certain I've lost some weight in the past week or so...
