(no subject)

[chelseagirl]

Haven't been talking about reading lately because it's been so class- and dissertation-focused that I just haven't *done* much pleasure reading. Had a go at a copy of Continental Drift by Russell Banks that's been sitting on the shelf for years, and though it looks to be beautifully written, I found it too relentlessly glum. Apparently blue collar anomie is just not the place my head wants to go presently. Next pulled out a collection of H. P. Lovecraft short stories I'd also acquired awhile back; previously I'd read exactly one story by him in an anthology. And you know, they're kind of silly and they're rather dated and they're kind of oddly good, in a haunting sort of way. Particularly liked In the Mountains of Madness, where he goes so far as to provide a history and comprehensible backstories for the strange creatures, only to have even scarier and more inexplicable creatures show up after. Plus a lovely nod to Poe, who he echoes in some ways. I'm pretty sure that half the sf/horror movies I've seen in the past decade or two have directly or indirectly ripped him off. And damn, what a lovely accident of birth for a writer of the fantastic to have a name like that. (Though not so much so if he'd been, say, a chicklit author.)

Continued my Bollywood viewing (thanks again to linaerys) with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (sp?) I didn't love this one as much as Asoka, which pressed a lot of my Historical Epic buttons, but I enjoyed it. What I thought was most fascinating was the straightforward honesty of the sentimentality. In an American film, even if you could have had the hero, the heroine, and the hero's orphaned daughter all in tears at the heroine's wedding to someone else, you probably wouldn't. (And you wouldn't have the ghost of the little girl's mother give an actual thumbs up at the wedding.) Or it would be labelled an unabashed Lifetime tv movie. But they just did it, and it felt real, and I sniffled quite a bit. Didn't love the college scenes so much, partly because SRK's character seemed a bit of a jerk when he was younger but mostly because the lovely costumes were missing, replaced by the same kind of logo sportswear some of my students wear. Was so happy to see Anjali in saris later on. I have to admit, I kind of loved her fiance and the way he finally intervened to make things right -- plus -- that's Salman Khan? He's beautiful!

24 -- bored now. Last time I stupidly spoiled silme in the UK, so: The one thing that got me excited was seeing that they're bringing President Palmer back. Of course, the last time I got excited was when they brought Michelle back, and before that, Tony. (And Chloe in there somewhere.) This whole tactic of slowly rebuilding last year's cast is getting a bit stale, even while I'm happy to see them back.

Deadwood on the other hand, keeps getting better, if that's possible. menikoff and queenofthorns have said this, and M. and I said the same when watching: we want to see Al and Alma join forces because combined . . . wow. The possibilities.

Oh, and thanks to the kind person who sent us the first episode of Dr. Who! (And who I will email as soon as I sign off here.) We've been able to download the subsequent three (and feel not a whit guilty since the stupid US networks turned it down) and we're really loving it. The occasional cheesiness/silliness from the original rubs up oddly against the higher quality effects, but I do like Eccleston's Doctor. And one thing we both love is that they ask all those questions you always wondered, like: "Uh, someone just ran off in the TARDIS. Did anyone miss them?" and "wouldn't people assume there was something going on between the Doctor and his companion, even though we know there's not?" M. and I both disappointed he decided to do only the one season, but to be frank, many of the previous Doctors were real character actors (Tom Baker anyone? -- who I adored, but . . . only ever gonna get certain kinds of roles) and he seems to have a bit more flexibility in that department so that his concern about getting typecast seems realistic.

Comments

[linaerys.livejournal.com]

Salman Khan? He's beautiful!

Oh, you're going to be one of THOSE *g*. Hee. He's got nice arms, I'll grant you, but my heart is already lost . . . I found Salman Khan very appealing in KKHH, since he got the be a very nice guy, but not un-masculine, but I've found him less appealing in other movies.

There was a lot not to like in KKHH--the annoying kid, the college attire, the idiocy with the camp director--but for me, the tension between Rahul and Anjali in the second half made it all worth it.

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

Nah, not really -- just enjoying the pretty where I find it. ;-) But I really liked it that they set up the rival as an also nice and handsome guy. In an American movie he would either have been a handsome jerk or a nebbish. I think both he and SRK are appealing, but nobody's stolen my heart. I totally get the experience, though. When I first saw a Chow Yun-Fat movie, I was like "*That*'s out there and Hollywood's trying to tell me that Brad Pitt or whoever is someone I should care about?"

[malinaldarose.livejournal.com]

Where did you download the DW episodes?

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

Morpheus. BitTorrent also seems to be a good source. Mostly that kind of thing is M.'s department, though.

[malinaldarose.livejournal.com]

I'll check 'em out; I've never downloaded TV before, so it'll be an adventure....

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

Have you got a high speed connection? If so you'll be fine.

[malinaldarose.livejournal.com]

Yup. Cable modem.

[caras-galadhon.livejournal.com]

I was SO excited when Tony and Michelle came back, but I'm meh on the whole Palmer thing, and I've got to say, I'm gritting my teeth and hoping she's taken out in a sudden flurry of gunfire every time Chloe's onscreen. *sigh* Last night's episode did feel a bit slow, didn't it?

Glad you're able to get Doctor Who. I didn't realize the networks down there had turned it down! That seems unnecessarily stupid. O_o

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

I always liked Palmer, in part bc of the same actor's role on Now and Again, I think. But they keep doing the same thing over and over again and thinking they're giving us this big surprise. . . . boring.

It's amazingly stupid for the US to have turned Dr Who down, and there is accordingly much whining on this side of the border -- and, I suspect, many many downloads, including by people who'd have waited if we were actually getting it. Australia didn't get it either.

[silme.livejournal.com]

Chloe's coming back? Cool. It's amazing how many CTU workers have been fired or killed this year...

Michelle came back two weeks ago here; I was happy. She's been my favourite character the whole time.

If you're wondering, we just had the first full episode with Michelle last Sunday.

Can you play PAL videotapes? We're taping this week's Dr Who since we'll be away anyhow.

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

See, I was trying to not spoil you. ;-)

We can't play British tapes, only DVDs. But we're actually really happy with the quality of the downloads. I can send you the two eps you missed -- there's only one catch. We have to get a larger memory stick. My new laptop has a wifi connection which is much faster than our dialup; but only the desktop has a DVD burner. So after we get a larger memory stick and can transfer all this stuff . . .

[silme.livejournal.com]

BBC3 should re-run them soon, and we will buy the DVDs...

We don't have a recordable DVD machine, alas.

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

Yeah, we were joking that we should buy the in-laws one so that we can get all our shows direct from England. We will buy the DVDs, too, but the British ones. That is our promise to ourselves with anything that we download. (Which, I figure, is the moral equivalent of having someone in Canada send me a tape -- only faster.)

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

Er, not that they'll always be the British DVDs. That if we care enough to download, we'll care enough to buy whenever they become available. In the case of Dr. Who, though, the British ones will clearly come out ages before anyone considers a US release.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

You're into Bollywood? I'm just discovering how very cool it can be. Highest recommendations to Lagaan and Chori Chori (the 2003 one, with Ajay Devgan, Raj of Studmuffins.)

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

Some friends have been loaning me DVDs. Lagaan is one I very much want to see -- I understand the villagers beat the Brits at cricket; the one B'wood movie I plan on tying my husband down and making him watch with me. ;-)

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Lagaan is where I started and the foundation for the rest. Superb stuff, and even though I thought I could guess the ending, I was on the edge of my seat.

I understand the villagers beat the Brits at cricket

It's not that simple, which is why it's so very cool. You expect a blowout simply because it's an Indian movie about Indians putting it to the Brits, but it's not that clear cut and dried. (Suddenly remembering your husband's nationality. It really isn't India=good, Britain=bad.)

On the other hand, I know little about cricket, so doubtless there's stuff he'll get that went right over my head.

Which is one of the things that I love about Bollywood - every possible complication that could arise, *does.*

PS - have you seen The Guru yet? It's not technically Bollywood, but it's funny as heck.

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

We saw the Guru in the theater, before I'd seen any real Bollywood. I think that's where I got my first sense of what the music sequences would be like. Plus it was very funny.

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

I love engaging in wholesale Brit-bashing where M. is concerned. ;-) He gets in enough witty observations about the inhabitants of his current country of residence that I figure it's only fair.

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

You might enjoy reading linaerys's journal -- she's recently discovered B'wood (and Shah Rukh Kahn) and is writing/enthusing/squeeing about it a great deal lately.

Plus you and she have something else in common.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Bollywood, a reader, and we have the same name! Running off to friend and introduce self right away.

[misskittytalks.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the last I don't know how many episodes of "24" have been "filler" episodes for me. Lots of talking, talking, talking - you notice after the fact that only one plot-related thing has happened in each between-commercial chunk. The (non-spoiler version) "most shocking twist ever" (per the FOX promo nitwits) of a couple weeks ago was... just exactly what I was expecting it to be, based on what I had seen in the preceding 2 or 3 episodes. I was really excited by the beginning of the season, the action swept me along to the point where I didn't really even notice or care that we were shedding characters left and right with no resolution... last week it was practically all I could think about.

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure this is my last season watching, unless next year it ends up on M's night off and he insists . . .

[misskittytalks.livejournal.com]

Yeah, for me it depends on who's still left standing and what direction they decide to take things in for next season. It was never the show I "had" to watch, I was always content just watching it on DVD, but this year I guess I was just so happy to find something to watch on Mondays. It will also make a big difference in my interest level if they decide to leave us hanging until January again.

[trav28.livejournal.com]

I was reading some of your entries via linaerys and it looks like we share a few tv passions, mind if I add you to my reading list?

[chelseagirl.livejournal.com]

How can I possibly say no to someone who has a Michel Foucault quote on his userinfo page? ;-)
Will add you back.

[trav28.livejournal.com]

cheers!

Just added you back - you cannot beat a bit of Foucault to brighten up one's day :D