What made me happy today? The desolation of Smaug.
The boyfriend and I went to see 'the hobbit: the desolation of Smaug' yesterday. Neither of us particularly like the first movie, as it's tormentingly slow at times. But the reviews for the second one were really good, so we decided to go ahead and see how this one shaped up.
*Warning: spoilers ahead*
I have to say, we weren't disappointed. The movie has it's flaws, true. There's some questionable science in the movie, it could have done without the romance angle and should have ended 20 seconds earlier. I mean, Peter Jackson could have ended the movie with Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch) saying 'I am fire. I am death.' Instead, he ended the movie with Bilbo (Martin Freeman) saying 'What have we done?'
But the movie has a much better pace. The characters are portrayed much more coherently, and the awesomeness is just everywhere. Except for Thranduil, whom I wanted to slap in his face more than once.
Visually, the movie is simply stunning. And there were some nice casting surprises as well! Stephen Fry as master of Lake Town to name just one.
I also had a small nerd moment at the start of the movie. 2 white mice near Martin Freeman :-) if you don't get that, go watch the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy ;-)
Enjoy your weekend !
Showing posts with label movie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movie. Show all posts
Saturday, December 28, 2013
The desolation of Smaug
Monday, December 16, 2013
K-On! The movie!
What made me happy today? K-On! The movie!
A while ago, I talked about how K-On! is one of my favorite anime series. I'm sick at the moment, and needed some serious cheering up. After taking a nap, I felt slightly better and decided to curl up on the couch with my laptop.
It's days like these where I love to watch fluffy, feel-good, happy stuff. K-On! falls right in that category. In the movie, the girls take a trip to London. Hilarity, shenanigans and some mix ups ensue :-)
If you haven't seen the series, make sure to watch it first. Otherwise, the movie may not make much sense ;-)
A while ago, I talked about how K-On! is one of my favorite anime series. I'm sick at the moment, and needed some serious cheering up. After taking a nap, I felt slightly better and decided to curl up on the couch with my laptop.
It's days like these where I love to watch fluffy, feel-good, happy stuff. K-On! falls right in that category. In the movie, the girls take a trip to London. Hilarity, shenanigans and some mix ups ensue :-)
If you haven't seen the series, make sure to watch it first. Otherwise, the movie may not make much sense ;-)
Thursday, October 31, 2013
This is Halloween!
What made me happy today? This is Halloween!
Happy Halloween or God Samhain, depending on what you celebrate! I'll be spending the evening watching 'the nightmare before Christmas', a bunch of Vincent Price movies and some other scary ones on my couch with my BF.
Stay safe everyone, have a great day, and enjoy your long weekend if you're having one!
Happy Halloween or God Samhain, depending on what you celebrate! I'll be spending the evening watching 'the nightmare before Christmas', a bunch of Vincent Price movies and some other scary ones on my couch with my BF.
Stay safe everyone, have a great day, and enjoy your long weekend if you're having one!
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Gedo Senki
What made me happy today? Gedo Senki!
This morning, I watched Gedo Senki (it's Japanese, literally it means Ged's war chronicles), also known as Tales from Earthsea. It's a 2006 fantasy anime, produced by studio Ghibli. So far I've not disliked anything I've seen from studio Ghibli.
And Gedo Senki is no exception. It's another visually stunning piece of work, along with a gripping story line and some great character development. However, Gedo Senki does not have the fluffiness of some of the other studio Ghibli movies (like Kiki's flying delivery service, or Laputa: castle in the sky). This movie gave me goosebumps on more than one occasion, and even had me gripping my BFs hand at one point. Plus, this movie has dragons! Yay, dragons!
The movie is based on the Earthsea series, by Ursula K. Le Guin. I've yet to read these books, but the movie is just based on them and I've been reliably informed there are some major differences between the two.
As for the plot, I'm not going to give much away. There's dragons, wizards, murder and a plot to destroy the 'Balance'. So pick up a copy of this movie, along with some popcorn and enjoy!
This morning, I watched Gedo Senki (it's Japanese, literally it means Ged's war chronicles), also known as Tales from Earthsea. It's a 2006 fantasy anime, produced by studio Ghibli. So far I've not disliked anything I've seen from studio Ghibli.
And Gedo Senki is no exception. It's another visually stunning piece of work, along with a gripping story line and some great character development. However, Gedo Senki does not have the fluffiness of some of the other studio Ghibli movies (like Kiki's flying delivery service, or Laputa: castle in the sky). This movie gave me goosebumps on more than one occasion, and even had me gripping my BFs hand at one point. Plus, this movie has dragons! Yay, dragons!
The movie is based on the Earthsea series, by Ursula K. Le Guin. I've yet to read these books, but the movie is just based on them and I've been reliably informed there are some major differences between the two.
As for the plot, I'm not going to give much away. There's dragons, wizards, murder and a plot to destroy the 'Balance'. So pick up a copy of this movie, along with some popcorn and enjoy!
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Into darkness
What made me happy today? Into darkness.
Yesterday evening, I finally got around to watching Star Trek: into darkness. And I have to say: what a movie!
It's an emotional roller coaster. Yes, I cried (uhm, du-uh). I absolutely love the way Simon Pegg portrays Scotty! Karl Urban as Bones is an amazing casting choice too, he even manages to deliver the 'Damn it man! I'm a doctor, not an *insert what Bones is not here*' line.
But the award for best character in the movie goes to Benedict Cumberbatch. He plays the bad guy and he just nails it. Best casting decision ever! And he just has the voice to make you pay attention, without having to raise it. A bit like Alan Rickman.
The one negative thing I have to say about the movie is this: the lens-flares. I know that J.J. Abrams says it's a 'stylistic decision' but I find them annoying. He might as well have called this movie Star Trek: into the lens-flare.
but if you haven't seen it, I really suggest that you do! You might want to wear sunglasses ;-) Enjoy :-)
Yesterday evening, I finally got around to watching Star Trek: into darkness. And I have to say: what a movie!
It's an emotional roller coaster. Yes, I cried (uhm, du-uh). I absolutely love the way Simon Pegg portrays Scotty! Karl Urban as Bones is an amazing casting choice too, he even manages to deliver the 'Damn it man! I'm a doctor, not an *insert what Bones is not here*' line.
But the award for best character in the movie goes to Benedict Cumberbatch. He plays the bad guy and he just nails it. Best casting decision ever! And he just has the voice to make you pay attention, without having to raise it. A bit like Alan Rickman.
The one negative thing I have to say about the movie is this: the lens-flares. I know that J.J. Abrams says it's a 'stylistic decision' but I find them annoying. He might as well have called this movie Star Trek: into the lens-flare.
but if you haven't seen it, I really suggest that you do! You might want to wear sunglasses ;-) Enjoy :-)
Friday, October 4, 2013
To boldly go...
What made me happy today? To boldly go...
Where no man has gone before.
A friend gave me a gift-card for a culture and entertainment store. I decided to stop by that store after work today, in the hopes of getting 'Darth Vader and son'. But they didn't have it :-( So, slightly disappointed, I decided to take a look around the store. That's when I saw it.
Star Trek: into darkness. Which I didn't manage to see in the theater. As I loved the previous movie, I decided to pick up a copy. Now all that's left to do is grab some popcorn and I'll be off to have a Star Trek marathon.
Yes, with tea. Earl Grey. Hot. ;-)
Where no man has gone before.
A friend gave me a gift-card for a culture and entertainment store. I decided to stop by that store after work today, in the hopes of getting 'Darth Vader and son'. But they didn't have it :-( So, slightly disappointed, I decided to take a look around the store. That's when I saw it.
Star Trek: into darkness. Which I didn't manage to see in the theater. As I loved the previous movie, I decided to pick up a copy. Now all that's left to do is grab some popcorn and I'll be off to have a Star Trek marathon.
Yes, with tea. Earl Grey. Hot. ;-)
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Indie Game
What made me happy today? Indie Game: the movie.
I finally got around to watching Indie Game: the movie. As the title says, it's a documentary about indie game developers. In this case: Edmund McMillen and Tommy Refenes developing and releasing Super Meat Boy, Phil Fish during the development of Fez, and Jonathan Blow, who reflects on the success of Braid.
At the time of the film, Braid had already been released. Super Meat Boy was released during the documentary, and Fez seemed to be stuck in development hell. I found it very interesting to see what goes on behind the scenes; what it takes to make an indie game, and how this effects everyone working on it or related to those who are working in it.
It's a documentary that really drags you along. You see everything. The joy, the anger, the doubts, the tears and smiles. I strongly recommend you watch this if you're interested in gaming. It really makes you appreciate the small gaming companies and independent developers more. I immediately went to Steam and got me all the games mentioned in the documentary :-)
So grab some popcorn, pick up a copy of Indie Game: the movie, watch it and get the games! You'll love it :-)
I finally got around to watching Indie Game: the movie. As the title says, it's a documentary about indie game developers. In this case: Edmund McMillen and Tommy Refenes developing and releasing Super Meat Boy, Phil Fish during the development of Fez, and Jonathan Blow, who reflects on the success of Braid.
At the time of the film, Braid had already been released. Super Meat Boy was released during the documentary, and Fez seemed to be stuck in development hell. I found it very interesting to see what goes on behind the scenes; what it takes to make an indie game, and how this effects everyone working on it or related to those who are working in it.
It's a documentary that really drags you along. You see everything. The joy, the anger, the doubts, the tears and smiles. I strongly recommend you watch this if you're interested in gaming. It really makes you appreciate the small gaming companies and independent developers more. I immediately went to Steam and got me all the games mentioned in the documentary :-)
So grab some popcorn, pick up a copy of Indie Game: the movie, watch it and get the games! You'll love it :-)
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Redline
What made me happy today? Redline!
Today, I finally got around to watching Redline completely. I had seen the first 15 or 20 minutes before, but never got around to watching the full movie.
Just to clarify: I'm talking about the 2009 anime. There seems to be another movie called Redline, made in 2007, starring Eddie Griffin.
Redline is a science fiction auto racing anime film. The plot is kept to a minimum but the graphics are absolutely stunning. There's a lot of color and eye for detail. And even though the plot is minimal, for some reason this movie still manages to drag you along and get you exited. So this movie is great to watch after a long day at work, where you don't want to watch complicated stuff.
So grab a drink, a slice of pizza, put your feet up and enjoy the wild ride that Redline is!
Today, I finally got around to watching Redline completely. I had seen the first 15 or 20 minutes before, but never got around to watching the full movie.
Just to clarify: I'm talking about the 2009 anime. There seems to be another movie called Redline, made in 2007, starring Eddie Griffin.
Redline is a science fiction auto racing anime film. The plot is kept to a minimum but the graphics are absolutely stunning. There's a lot of color and eye for detail. And even though the plot is minimal, for some reason this movie still manages to drag you along and get you exited. So this movie is great to watch after a long day at work, where you don't want to watch complicated stuff.
So grab a drink, a slice of pizza, put your feet up and enjoy the wild ride that Redline is!
Sunday, August 25, 2013
The Princess diaries
What made me happy today? The Princess diaries.
After a long night out yesterday (went to Gent with another couple to eat something and have some drinks), and a nightly battle with insomnia, I didn't feel like doing much today. I did all housework yesterday, so I decided to relax a bit. Wondering what to do, I was scrolling through my Facebook feed. And then I came across this picture:
I decided it was time to indulge in a guilty pleasure of mine, aka watching Disney movies! In this case, the Princess diaries.
What girl hasn't dreamt of being a princess? Castles, dresses, tiaras etc. Well, that's what happens to 15 year old Mia when she finds out that she's a princess. But Mia isn't the most coordinated girl, so she needs 'princess lessons'. Hilarity ensues. Perfect movie for a gloomy Sunday afternoon :)
After a long night out yesterday (went to Gent with another couple to eat something and have some drinks), and a nightly battle with insomnia, I didn't feel like doing much today. I did all housework yesterday, so I decided to relax a bit. Wondering what to do, I was scrolling through my Facebook feed. And then I came across this picture:
I decided it was time to indulge in a guilty pleasure of mine, aka watching Disney movies! In this case, the Princess diaries.
What girl hasn't dreamt of being a princess? Castles, dresses, tiaras etc. Well, that's what happens to 15 year old Mia when she finds out that she's a princess. But Mia isn't the most coordinated girl, so she needs 'princess lessons'. Hilarity ensues. Perfect movie for a gloomy Sunday afternoon :)
Monday, August 12, 2013
Brave books
What made me happy today? Having an awesome weekend in London!
Okay, technically, it was in Watford. But it was fun!
We (that is the BF and I) took the Eurostar on Friday. All went well, and soon I was reunited with my brain-twin! Underground we went, to take the underground! (see what I did there?) One stop later we hopped onto a train, and soon we got to our destination. Went to Tesco the next morning, huzzah for cheap, healthy cookies! We also wend book-shopping on Saturday, as both the BF and myself are avid readers. I scored a grand total of 12 books, at some really awesome low prices (yay for charity shops!)! And to top it off, we had supper at the local pub. I had the all-day breakfast :-) Yum!
That evening it was time for my brain-twin's Brave themed birthday party. As she is a dead ringer for princes Merida, we all dressed up! No pics yet, they will follow once I get them. It was a blast! I discovered cider, we played darts and pool and had loads of laughs. There was a moment in which we thought I might be secretly British, I love cider and my favorite flavour of crisps is salt & vinegar. But as I don't like queuing, and have no sentiment regarding talking about the weather it was unanimously decided I am in fact not British after all. Last call came too fast, so we relocated to my brain-twins house. Talked, laughed some more, discovered you can order booze online and watched some Black Books :-) I went to bed around 2, happy but totally tired.
Sunday, we woke up around noon. Had some breakfast, I dyed my brain-twin's hair, talked a lot more, went back to Tesco (jam-filled donuts for 65p? No wonder there's an obesity problem) and bought some food. Back home pancakes and jam-filled donuts were served for afternoon tea, after which we went for a walk, and sat in a park. A perfect way to end a perfect weekend!
Today we came home, which was totally uneventful. So now I'm off to bed, to have fun-filled dreams :-)
Okay, technically, it was in Watford. But it was fun!
We (that is the BF and I) took the Eurostar on Friday. All went well, and soon I was reunited with my brain-twin! Underground we went, to take the underground! (see what I did there?) One stop later we hopped onto a train, and soon we got to our destination. Went to Tesco the next morning, huzzah for cheap, healthy cookies! We also wend book-shopping on Saturday, as both the BF and myself are avid readers. I scored a grand total of 12 books, at some really awesome low prices (yay for charity shops!)! And to top it off, we had supper at the local pub. I had the all-day breakfast :-) Yum!
That evening it was time for my brain-twin's Brave themed birthday party. As she is a dead ringer for princes Merida, we all dressed up! No pics yet, they will follow once I get them. It was a blast! I discovered cider, we played darts and pool and had loads of laughs. There was a moment in which we thought I might be secretly British, I love cider and my favorite flavour of crisps is salt & vinegar. But as I don't like queuing, and have no sentiment regarding talking about the weather it was unanimously decided I am in fact not British after all. Last call came too fast, so we relocated to my brain-twins house. Talked, laughed some more, discovered you can order booze online and watched some Black Books :-) I went to bed around 2, happy but totally tired.
Sunday, we woke up around noon. Had some breakfast, I dyed my brain-twin's hair, talked a lot more, went back to Tesco (jam-filled donuts for 65p? No wonder there's an obesity problem) and bought some food. Back home pancakes and jam-filled donuts were served for afternoon tea, after which we went for a walk, and sat in a park. A perfect way to end a perfect weekend!
Today we came home, which was totally uneventful. So now I'm off to bed, to have fun-filled dreams :-)
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Despicable me 2
What made me happy today? Despicable me 2!
Yesterday evening I decided to treat myself to a movie. I went and saw Despicable me 2. I liked the first one and had heard good things about the second one. Besides, it was warm and the movie theater has air-conditioning. One ticket, a popcorn and drink later I was ready for the fun.
And I wasn't disappointed :-) It's a funny movie. I'm not going to spoil anything for those of you who haven't seen it yet, but it's great fun for the whole family.
Afterwards I decided to grab some sushi for dinner. But it was way to much, so I had the rest of the sushi for breakfast today. And in the afternoon a friend called to invite me for a swim and BBQ. Now that was an offer I couldn't refuse!
I hope you had a great weekend too!
Yesterday evening I decided to treat myself to a movie. I went and saw Despicable me 2. I liked the first one and had heard good things about the second one. Besides, it was warm and the movie theater has air-conditioning. One ticket, a popcorn and drink later I was ready for the fun.
And I wasn't disappointed :-) It's a funny movie. I'm not going to spoil anything for those of you who haven't seen it yet, but it's great fun for the whole family.
Afterwards I decided to grab some sushi for dinner. But it was way to much, so I had the rest of the sushi for breakfast today. And in the afternoon a friend called to invite me for a swim and BBQ. Now that was an offer I couldn't refuse!
I hope you had a great weekend too!
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Django
What made me happy today? Django unchained.
I finally got around to see Django unchained. And man, what a movie! It's epic, and a must see!
Quentin Tarantino directed this one, and of course he even played a part in it. Spoiler: he dies a rather violent and bloody death. Same goes for Hollywood's go-to bad ass Samuel L. Jackson. The cast is an assembly of acting talent, and even though this is a rather long movie, it never gets boring.
Fair warning: the films contains a lot of violence and blood, so don't watch it if you're sensitive to that stuff. And be prepared, this movie is 2 hrs and 45 minutes long. So make sure you have plenty of snacks and drinks close by :-)
I finally got around to see Django unchained. And man, what a movie! It's epic, and a must see!
Quentin Tarantino directed this one, and of course he even played a part in it. Spoiler: he dies a rather violent and bloody death. Same goes for Hollywood's go-to bad ass Samuel L. Jackson. The cast is an assembly of acting talent, and even though this is a rather long movie, it never gets boring.
Fair warning: the films contains a lot of violence and blood, so don't watch it if you're sensitive to that stuff. And be prepared, this movie is 2 hrs and 45 minutes long. So make sure you have plenty of snacks and drinks close by :-)
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Na na nanana
What made me happy today? Iron Man!
Well, iron Man 3 to be precise. I finally got around to watching it yesterday.
And boy, I must say that it's a really great movie. I had my doubts at the start of the movie, because it opened with 'I'm blue' by Eiffel 65. But it really fits in!
I must admit this: I never liked watching movies with Robert Downey Junior. He comes across as being a bit condescending or snooty or something like that. But when he plays Tony Stark it works, because that's a part of who Tony Stark is. And who doesn't like Tony Stark?
I'm not going to tell you what happens in the movie, just watch it yourself. It's worth it! But I will tell you my favorite joke from the movie. Woman: 'Is that all you've got? A cheap trick and a cheesy one-liner?' Tony: 'Baby, that could be the title of my autobiography.' Lol.
So make sure to catch this one in the theater!
Well, iron Man 3 to be precise. I finally got around to watching it yesterday.
And boy, I must say that it's a really great movie. I had my doubts at the start of the movie, because it opened with 'I'm blue' by Eiffel 65. But it really fits in!
I must admit this: I never liked watching movies with Robert Downey Junior. He comes across as being a bit condescending or snooty or something like that. But when he plays Tony Stark it works, because that's a part of who Tony Stark is. And who doesn't like Tony Stark?
I'm not going to tell you what happens in the movie, just watch it yourself. It's worth it! But I will tell you my favorite joke from the movie. Woman: 'Is that all you've got? A cheap trick and a cheesy one-liner?' Tony: 'Baby, that could be the title of my autobiography.' Lol.
So make sure to catch this one in the theater!
Monday, May 20, 2013
Night Fury!
What made me happy today? How to train your dragon!
Yesterday evening my parents, BF and I went out for dinner. After going back to my place my BF started rummaging through my DVD collection. The choice of the evening was 'how to train your dragon'. I'd seen it a few times, but he hadn't. So we decided on watching it together.
His face during the movie was priceless! He really liked it, and I can't blame him. It's a great movie, and it had dragons. The coolest dragon? The Night Fury of course! Best quote? 'We're Vikings. It's an occupational hazard.'
If you haven't seen it yet, head over to your local DVD rental place or store, pick up a copy and enjoy it with the family.
*roar* (that's dragon for: have a great week!)
Yesterday evening my parents, BF and I went out for dinner. After going back to my place my BF started rummaging through my DVD collection. The choice of the evening was 'how to train your dragon'. I'd seen it a few times, but he hadn't. So we decided on watching it together.
His face during the movie was priceless! He really liked it, and I can't blame him. It's a great movie, and it had dragons. The coolest dragon? The Night Fury of course! Best quote? 'We're Vikings. It's an occupational hazard.'
If you haven't seen it yet, head over to your local DVD rental place or store, pick up a copy and enjoy it with the family.
*roar* (that's dragon for: have a great week!)
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Bank holiday
What made me happy today? Having a perfect day off!
Today's a Bank holiday in Belgium, which means no work! Having a day off during the week is always nice, but it's even nicer when you can have fun :-)
Last night I went to the BF, who cooked dinner for me. Nothing fancy, but still very tasty pasta with cheese sauce. After that we watched Laputa: castle in the sky, another must-see anime movie from Studio Ghibli. This 1986 movie is directed by Hayao Miyazaki, who made a ton of amazing anime and manga.
I woke up pretty early this morning, I'm not always a great sleeper and decided to finally start reading Philip K. Dick's 'the man in the high castle'. It's a shame I never got around to reading this sooner, as this 1962 book is a classic. It portrays a world in which Germany defeated Russia and Japan defeated the USA in the second World War. I got half-way through before it was time to get some chores done. Ah, the joys of adult life ;-)
And to finish off this day I'm going to have my new favorite food for dinner, followed by some episodes of Castle.
Hope your day was as great as mine!
Today's a Bank holiday in Belgium, which means no work! Having a day off during the week is always nice, but it's even nicer when you can have fun :-)
Last night I went to the BF, who cooked dinner for me. Nothing fancy, but still very tasty pasta with cheese sauce. After that we watched Laputa: castle in the sky, another must-see anime movie from Studio Ghibli. This 1986 movie is directed by Hayao Miyazaki, who made a ton of amazing anime and manga.
I woke up pretty early this morning, I'm not always a great sleeper and decided to finally start reading Philip K. Dick's 'the man in the high castle'. It's a shame I never got around to reading this sooner, as this 1962 book is a classic. It portrays a world in which Germany defeated Russia and Japan defeated the USA in the second World War. I got half-way through before it was time to get some chores done. Ah, the joys of adult life ;-)
And to finish off this day I'm going to have my new favorite food for dinner, followed by some episodes of Castle.
Hope your day was as great as mine!
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Time waits for no one
What made me happy today? The girl who lept through time.
The girl who lept through time is one of my all-time favorite anime movies. It has a great story, is visually very pleasing and plays on your emotions. A lot.
The most famous quote from the movie is probably 'time waits for no one'. And it's true. Our time here on earth is short. You never know what will happen the next day. It could all be gone in the blink of an eye. So tell the people that matter to you that they matter. Tell the people you love that you love them. Don't ever leave anything unsaid. Life is beautiful, but frail as well. So make sure you said everything you wanted to say to the people you care about. You never know when it's the last time you'll see them. You don't want to go through life thinking about what could have happenend if you had only said this or that.
Okay, enough sappy stuff :-) There's a lot of AMVs based on this movie as well. Almost all of them are very sad or dramatic. But a friend once sent me this one. It's more of a slapstick one, and the song used is one about sheep. Cheers me up every time!
So enjoy the clip, be sure to watch the movie if you have the time (keep a tissue close) and have fun!
The girl who lept through time is one of my all-time favorite anime movies. It has a great story, is visually very pleasing and plays on your emotions. A lot.
The most famous quote from the movie is probably 'time waits for no one'. And it's true. Our time here on earth is short. You never know what will happen the next day. It could all be gone in the blink of an eye. So tell the people that matter to you that they matter. Tell the people you love that you love them. Don't ever leave anything unsaid. Life is beautiful, but frail as well. So make sure you said everything you wanted to say to the people you care about. You never know when it's the last time you'll see them. You don't want to go through life thinking about what could have happenend if you had only said this or that.
Okay, enough sappy stuff :-) There's a lot of AMVs based on this movie as well. Almost all of them are very sad or dramatic. But a friend once sent me this one. It's more of a slapstick one, and the song used is one about sheep. Cheers me up every time!
So enjoy the clip, be sure to watch the movie if you have the time (keep a tissue close) and have fun!
Monday, March 18, 2013
Mechanic poultry
What made me happy today? Robot chicken's Star Wars.
Little back-story here: as a little girl I was a member of the local youth astronomer's society. This is where I saw Star Wars (the original trilogy) for the first time, at age 8. I fell in love immediately. Over the years I have seen 'A New Hope', 'The Empire Strikes Back' and 'Return of the Jedi' countless times. So many times actually that I know the movies by heart.
Of course, there are a lot of Star Wars parodies out there. Most of them I won't watch. Or I just don't like them. Space Balls for example. Sjeesj... But on occasion there is a parody out there that I can appreciate. The Family Guy ones weren't half bad. But today I came across the Robot Chicken ones.
They made me laugh. It's not completely a parody, they don't re-do the movies. They take a look at what happened after some of the iconic scenes, what happened to some of the minor characters etc. But what's really cool is that some of the actors from the original Star Wars trilogy did some voice acting for this parody :-)
So if you get a chance to catch these episodes of Robot Chicken, be sure to watch them. I liked them a lot, and maybe you will too!
Little back-story here: as a little girl I was a member of the local youth astronomer's society. This is where I saw Star Wars (the original trilogy) for the first time, at age 8. I fell in love immediately. Over the years I have seen 'A New Hope', 'The Empire Strikes Back' and 'Return of the Jedi' countless times. So many times actually that I know the movies by heart.
Of course, there are a lot of Star Wars parodies out there. Most of them I won't watch. Or I just don't like them. Space Balls for example. Sjeesj... But on occasion there is a parody out there that I can appreciate. The Family Guy ones weren't half bad. But today I came across the Robot Chicken ones.
They made me laugh. It's not completely a parody, they don't re-do the movies. They take a look at what happened after some of the iconic scenes, what happened to some of the minor characters etc. But what's really cool is that some of the actors from the original Star Wars trilogy did some voice acting for this parody :-)
So if you get a chance to catch these episodes of Robot Chicken, be sure to watch them. I liked them a lot, and maybe you will too!
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Avengers for kids
What made me happy today? Watching 'Rise of the guardians'!
It's kind of like the Avengers, but for kids. Even though adults will like it too :-)
This 2012 Dreamworks movie wasn't a big box office success, even though it got good reviews. A shame if you ask me, because I totally love it!
It's a movie about how the Guardians (Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Sandman, the Toothfairy and Jack Frost) have to defend the children of the world against the Boogeyman aka 'Pitch'. The graphics are absolutely stunning. The story follows the regular path a bit, but is still very entertaining mostly because of the awesome characters! Yes, we all know them, but Dreamworks gave them a little twist.
Santa Claus: heavily tattooed, with a thick Russian accent.
The Easter Bunny: Australian accent, carries boomerangs which he can use as weapons.
The Sandman: can't speak so he communicates with images in (of course) sand above his head.
The Toothfaire: more of a manager in this movie, plus she's a fairy covered in feathers.
Jack Frost: chip on his shoulder, but loves to have fun.
The Boogeyman: pretty much as you'd expect him to be, but Jude Law's voice really adds something here.
So if you don't know what to do this weekend, I suggest you get a copy of this movie at your local video store / dvd rental place; put the kids on the couch and enjoy this one together. Of course, you don't need kids to enjoy this one :-)
Just make sure to watch the movie all the way through, as there are some extras in the credits!
(I know this is up really early; I have a driving lesson this afternoon followed by some social obligations)
It's kind of like the Avengers, but for kids. Even though adults will like it too :-)
This 2012 Dreamworks movie wasn't a big box office success, even though it got good reviews. A shame if you ask me, because I totally love it!
It's a movie about how the Guardians (Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Sandman, the Toothfairy and Jack Frost) have to defend the children of the world against the Boogeyman aka 'Pitch'. The graphics are absolutely stunning. The story follows the regular path a bit, but is still very entertaining mostly because of the awesome characters! Yes, we all know them, but Dreamworks gave them a little twist.
Santa Claus: heavily tattooed, with a thick Russian accent.
The Easter Bunny: Australian accent, carries boomerangs which he can use as weapons.
The Sandman: can't speak so he communicates with images in (of course) sand above his head.
The Toothfaire: more of a manager in this movie, plus she's a fairy covered in feathers.
Jack Frost: chip on his shoulder, but loves to have fun.
The Boogeyman: pretty much as you'd expect him to be, but Jude Law's voice really adds something here.
So if you don't know what to do this weekend, I suggest you get a copy of this movie at your local video store / dvd rental place; put the kids on the couch and enjoy this one together. Of course, you don't need kids to enjoy this one :-)
Just make sure to watch the movie all the way through, as there are some extras in the credits!
(I know this is up really early; I have a driving lesson this afternoon followed by some social obligations)
Sunday, January 27, 2013
La Belle et la Bête
What made me happy today? Seeing the Philip Glass ensemble perform the filmopera 'La Belle et la Bête' (the Beauty and the Beast).
In early December 2012 a friend sent me and some other friends an email to see if anyone would be interested in going to see this. I didn't need to give it much thought. This would be the first time in seven (!) years the Philip Glass ensemble would do a performance of this piece, live none the less!
I absolutely love Philip Glass! I play my favorite Philip Glass cd at least twice a week. For those of you wondering which one of his vast body of work it is, it's Solo Piano. I'm not going to do a bio on him here, the Wikipedia page does a pretty good job. I came across Philip Glass' music a long time ago, through my piano classes. He has a very specific sound, and is often used in tv shows, movies and so many other things.
I actually lost track of him until I was watching the 'Valley of Darkness' episode from Battlestar Galactica (re-imagined series, very good tv!). In the scene where Starbuck and Helo sit in Starbuck's appartment she plays some music. It's a piece from Philip Glass' Solo Piano. And I was hooked once more :-) Long story short: I love music, I love Philip Glass.
So yesterday I finally got to see and hear 'la Belle et la Bête' live. Philip Glass himself did a 25 minute introduction, explaining how and why he composed this opera, using Jean Cocteau's 1946 film. Impressive process to say the least. He even had to get the rights not to use the original soundtrack and dialogue. Cue general laughing by everyone in the audience. But after his little talk he finished by saying: ' Just forget everything I told you and enjoy it'.
I have to say, there is something in the whole concept of re-doing a movie's spoken parts and soundtrack with an opera. Blew me away. It was amazing! The music was so very recognizable as Philip Glass. If you're familiar with his work, you'll know what I mean.
Granted, the movie is from 1946, so one scene in particular made me cringe. Belle sees la Bête for the first time and promptly faints. I know, old movie, but still.
But oh, the music, the singing. The vocals were spot on, I got goosebumps on more than one occasion. The singers and musicians of the Philip Glass ensemble put so much feeling into it. And a big tip of my hat to the conductor, Michael Riesman. Keeping an entire ensemble in sync with a movie is a tough job. He regularly had to adjust the pace a little bit to make sure everything and everyone was in sync. How I loved every minute of it! And before I knew it, it was over. Minute long applause ensued, well deserved!
One minor point though: the opera singing technique sometimes made it hard to understand what was being sung, but I always have that problem wjhe listening to opera. And apparently, so do the friends I went with.
So I'm going to leave you with this for today: if you ever get the chance to see this perfomance, buy a ticket and go see it. Mind you though, the whole thing is sung in French. But even if you don't understand French, you'll get what's going on.
In early December 2012 a friend sent me and some other friends an email to see if anyone would be interested in going to see this. I didn't need to give it much thought. This would be the first time in seven (!) years the Philip Glass ensemble would do a performance of this piece, live none the less!
I absolutely love Philip Glass! I play my favorite Philip Glass cd at least twice a week. For those of you wondering which one of his vast body of work it is, it's Solo Piano. I'm not going to do a bio on him here, the Wikipedia page does a pretty good job. I came across Philip Glass' music a long time ago, through my piano classes. He has a very specific sound, and is often used in tv shows, movies and so many other things.
I actually lost track of him until I was watching the 'Valley of Darkness' episode from Battlestar Galactica (re-imagined series, very good tv!). In the scene where Starbuck and Helo sit in Starbuck's appartment she plays some music. It's a piece from Philip Glass' Solo Piano. And I was hooked once more :-) Long story short: I love music, I love Philip Glass.
So yesterday I finally got to see and hear 'la Belle et la Bête' live. Philip Glass himself did a 25 minute introduction, explaining how and why he composed this opera, using Jean Cocteau's 1946 film. Impressive process to say the least. He even had to get the rights not to use the original soundtrack and dialogue. Cue general laughing by everyone in the audience. But after his little talk he finished by saying: ' Just forget everything I told you and enjoy it'.
I have to say, there is something in the whole concept of re-doing a movie's spoken parts and soundtrack with an opera. Blew me away. It was amazing! The music was so very recognizable as Philip Glass. If you're familiar with his work, you'll know what I mean.
Granted, the movie is from 1946, so one scene in particular made me cringe. Belle sees la Bête for the first time and promptly faints. I know, old movie, but still.
But oh, the music, the singing. The vocals were spot on, I got goosebumps on more than one occasion. The singers and musicians of the Philip Glass ensemble put so much feeling into it. And a big tip of my hat to the conductor, Michael Riesman. Keeping an entire ensemble in sync with a movie is a tough job. He regularly had to adjust the pace a little bit to make sure everything and everyone was in sync. How I loved every minute of it! And before I knew it, it was over. Minute long applause ensued, well deserved!
One minor point though: the opera singing technique sometimes made it hard to understand what was being sung, but I always have that problem wjhe listening to opera. And apparently, so do the friends I went with.
So I'm going to leave you with this for today: if you ever get the chance to see this perfomance, buy a ticket and go see it. Mind you though, the whole thing is sung in French. But even if you don't understand French, you'll get what's going on.
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