This weekend..and further films
Jan. 10th, 2010 10:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
spooky_missKatie went back to uni on Saturday :( so this weekend I had a very relaxing / lazy couple of days, so I watched quite a few films, whilst at the same time cataloguing / listing all my cds (half way through the rock and pop ones at the moment, i've done all the goth and industrial ones!). Its made me realise that I've actually got quite a few cds that I haven't listened to for a while, I need to get back into some bands. And I've made a big list of all the ones which are copies, so I can get proper copies of them, as I much prefer having the "proper" cds. Need to look on ebay I think, although things on there are never as cheap as they used to be.
The Painted Veil
This film is set in the 1920s about a man (Edward Norton) who marries a woman (Naomi Watts) and they quickly decide that they're not really suited for each other, and she starts to have an affair. He finds out about the affair, and says he's going to divorce her. She doesn't want this, and asks him to let her divorce him (i.e. so he's the bad one). He obviously doesnt like this, and to spite her takes a position in a cholera stricken village in China, as their doctor (even though he's just a bacteriologist, he says he trained as a doctor) and she has to go with him. Then gradually their relationship improves, even though she finds out she is pregnant with the other man's child...and then he dies.
The ending was a bit rushed, it all happened all of a sudden (his death I mean), but apart from that it was a good film. I liked the bits when he was trying to find out what caused the cholera, although there weren't enough bits about that. I think I would have preferred it if there was a bit more about the medical side of it, his investigations etc, instead of about their relationship...thats the funny thing about this film, sometimes its advertised as a romance, sometimes the cholera side is emphasised more. I think i'd only give it 6 / 10, because parts of the story aren't well enough developed, but I would watch it again :)
The Illusionist
Another Edward Norton film, in which he plays an "illusionist" who as a child is best friends with a girl who is way above his social class (she is a duchess, he is just a poor boy), and as they grow up she is prevented from seeing him. Many years pass and he is working in Vienna, and she comes to one of his shows. Then they create a plan to get her out of her proposed marriage to a Prince, and back into her relationship with Edward Norton's character. However the Prince is convinced something dodgy is going on, and keeps demanding to find out what the secret behind the illusions are. I won't go any further though, as I don't want to ruin the story any more for anyone!
This is an entertaining film, especially the bit when the chief constable works out how they did what they did at the end, its a good style. I like Edward Norton as an actor, although he is better at playing just "normal" people (like his character in Fight Club) rather than fascinating or amazing people, so that is something which I think this film is slightly missing, the Illusionist could be a more fascinating person, but he's not, but it doesnt come across too badly. Overall, 6/10 and I would see it again :)
Elizabeth - The Golden Age
I wasn't sure if I would like this, as I've seen the first one and found it a bit boring - which is quite unusual for me as I usually love these sort of historical dramas. Although maybe I just wasnt in the right mood for it. Katie has borrowed the dvd of it at the moment, but I'll have to watch it again when I get it back I think.
This is about the period in Elizabeth I's life when she was dealing with Mary Queen Of Scots, Sir Walter Raleigh, and the Spanish Armada. It shows people coming to court and presenting her with pictures of their lords for her to choose a suitor from them, her falling in love with Walter Raleigh (and realising that he does not love her - he married one of her ladies in waiting) and dealing with the Spanish when they attacked England.
I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would, and of course it all looked lovely, the costumes and sets etc looked great. Clive Owen was Sir Walter, and I like him as an actor, so overall I was pleasently surprised with this film :) 7/10
Doomsday
At first, I thought this film was disgusting and quite scary! but as the film unfolded the story developed and it was better. Its about a highly infectious virus that infects many people in Scotland. They die, and England decides that they should quarantine the whole of Scotland by building a wall between England and Scotland. You see an army helicopter taking off, with a young girl whose mother has had to stay behind - its obvious that she is going to be notable later on. The people who were infected look totally disgusting, and they were all throwing up blood and things, which was horrible! It then goes to 35 years later, and some people in London have the disease. It has seemed that some people in Scotland have survived the disease, so it is decided that someone from England should go to Scotland to try and find out if they have found a cure. Obviously its the girl from earlier, and she meets a group of people who have turned into some kind of savage tribe - as normal in these post apocalyptic type things, they all look pretty alternative, lots of mohicans, piecings, tattoos, boots like new rocks etc. Its funny that thats how people assume that survivors of apocalyptic events will suddenly start to have weird hair and tattoos once the main government authority is gone. Bit like the children's tv series in the 90s, The Tribe, they all had silly hair and New Rocks! :) Again, I won't ruin the story, but it is quite a violent struggle to find the cure etc. But I won't say whether they get it or not!
I did quite like this film, in the end, but it was a bit disgusting and horrible, so I'll just give it 5/10. It's weird, I watch lots of war films and put up with that, but this had bits like people biting people's ears off, and ripping their piercings out and things, it was horrible!
No books yet, as I'm still reading World Without End - its so good! as soon as I start to read it I'm right there with them, in their world. I'm about 1/3 through it so far, but I already don't want it to end :)
Even though I didn't do much, I've felt quite positive, which is weird as usually when Katie goes back to uni I feel a bit sad! I think its because I am going to see her and go to the Wendyhouse next weekend, and we've got a few of cool events coming up soon where I will see her, so I'm positive about the good times I'm going to have with her, instead of just being sad she's gone, I'm looking forward to things we've already organised. Next one after the Wendyhouse is Assemblage 23 and Slimelight on 13th February, which should be great. Plus it seems that I've lost some weight, which is a good start for the year :)
I hope all this positiveness continues, really :)
The Painted Veil
This film is set in the 1920s about a man (Edward Norton) who marries a woman (Naomi Watts) and they quickly decide that they're not really suited for each other, and she starts to have an affair. He finds out about the affair, and says he's going to divorce her. She doesn't want this, and asks him to let her divorce him (i.e. so he's the bad one). He obviously doesnt like this, and to spite her takes a position in a cholera stricken village in China, as their doctor (even though he's just a bacteriologist, he says he trained as a doctor) and she has to go with him. Then gradually their relationship improves, even though she finds out she is pregnant with the other man's child...and then he dies.
The ending was a bit rushed, it all happened all of a sudden (his death I mean), but apart from that it was a good film. I liked the bits when he was trying to find out what caused the cholera, although there weren't enough bits about that. I think I would have preferred it if there was a bit more about the medical side of it, his investigations etc, instead of about their relationship...thats the funny thing about this film, sometimes its advertised as a romance, sometimes the cholera side is emphasised more. I think i'd only give it 6 / 10, because parts of the story aren't well enough developed, but I would watch it again :)
The Illusionist
Another Edward Norton film, in which he plays an "illusionist" who as a child is best friends with a girl who is way above his social class (she is a duchess, he is just a poor boy), and as they grow up she is prevented from seeing him. Many years pass and he is working in Vienna, and she comes to one of his shows. Then they create a plan to get her out of her proposed marriage to a Prince, and back into her relationship with Edward Norton's character. However the Prince is convinced something dodgy is going on, and keeps demanding to find out what the secret behind the illusions are. I won't go any further though, as I don't want to ruin the story any more for anyone!
This is an entertaining film, especially the bit when the chief constable works out how they did what they did at the end, its a good style. I like Edward Norton as an actor, although he is better at playing just "normal" people (like his character in Fight Club) rather than fascinating or amazing people, so that is something which I think this film is slightly missing, the Illusionist could be a more fascinating person, but he's not, but it doesnt come across too badly. Overall, 6/10 and I would see it again :)
Elizabeth - The Golden Age
I wasn't sure if I would like this, as I've seen the first one and found it a bit boring - which is quite unusual for me as I usually love these sort of historical dramas. Although maybe I just wasnt in the right mood for it. Katie has borrowed the dvd of it at the moment, but I'll have to watch it again when I get it back I think.
This is about the period in Elizabeth I's life when she was dealing with Mary Queen Of Scots, Sir Walter Raleigh, and the Spanish Armada. It shows people coming to court and presenting her with pictures of their lords for her to choose a suitor from them, her falling in love with Walter Raleigh (and realising that he does not love her - he married one of her ladies in waiting) and dealing with the Spanish when they attacked England.
I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would, and of course it all looked lovely, the costumes and sets etc looked great. Clive Owen was Sir Walter, and I like him as an actor, so overall I was pleasently surprised with this film :) 7/10
Doomsday
At first, I thought this film was disgusting and quite scary! but as the film unfolded the story developed and it was better. Its about a highly infectious virus that infects many people in Scotland. They die, and England decides that they should quarantine the whole of Scotland by building a wall between England and Scotland. You see an army helicopter taking off, with a young girl whose mother has had to stay behind - its obvious that she is going to be notable later on. The people who were infected look totally disgusting, and they were all throwing up blood and things, which was horrible! It then goes to 35 years later, and some people in London have the disease. It has seemed that some people in Scotland have survived the disease, so it is decided that someone from England should go to Scotland to try and find out if they have found a cure. Obviously its the girl from earlier, and she meets a group of people who have turned into some kind of savage tribe - as normal in these post apocalyptic type things, they all look pretty alternative, lots of mohicans, piecings, tattoos, boots like new rocks etc. Its funny that thats how people assume that survivors of apocalyptic events will suddenly start to have weird hair and tattoos once the main government authority is gone. Bit like the children's tv series in the 90s, The Tribe, they all had silly hair and New Rocks! :) Again, I won't ruin the story, but it is quite a violent struggle to find the cure etc. But I won't say whether they get it or not!
I did quite like this film, in the end, but it was a bit disgusting and horrible, so I'll just give it 5/10. It's weird, I watch lots of war films and put up with that, but this had bits like people biting people's ears off, and ripping their piercings out and things, it was horrible!
No books yet, as I'm still reading World Without End - its so good! as soon as I start to read it I'm right there with them, in their world. I'm about 1/3 through it so far, but I already don't want it to end :)
Even though I didn't do much, I've felt quite positive, which is weird as usually when Katie goes back to uni I feel a bit sad! I think its because I am going to see her and go to the Wendyhouse next weekend, and we've got a few of cool events coming up soon where I will see her, so I'm positive about the good times I'm going to have with her, instead of just being sad she's gone, I'm looking forward to things we've already organised. Next one after the Wendyhouse is Assemblage 23 and Slimelight on 13th February, which should be great. Plus it seems that I've lost some weight, which is a good start for the year :)
I hope all this positiveness continues, really :)
