You have all the weapons you need.

[alexsarll]

Not been feeling too lively the past week or so, for no particular reason. I did make it out for the last wedding of the season, of course, and was very glad of it too - I love when the friends massively outnumber the family instead of vice versa, when the day feels like a ritualisation of joy rather than an obligation, and there can be no finer reading than the toast from Frida Kahlo's wedding. And the night before there was gigging - Bevan 17 with light reflecting from the metal on the bass keys to the mirrorball then back, Gyratory System ("This is great! They're so obnoxious!" - xandratheblue) and The Vichy Government playing like they were in the club scene from It Couldn't Happen Here. Otherwise, leisure time has largely been spent catching up with films. Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch got some dreadful reviews, but of the video game-influenced films I saw last week, it was vastly preferable to Zowie Bowie's Source Code. Seriously, if Jake Gyllenhaal's whiny prick of a character in Source Code is any kind of accurate representation of the modern US military, then no wonder they've been getting such underwhelming results lately. Every twist is visible at least ten minutes away, and the overall effect is of a very nicely-shot episode of Quantum sodding Leap, even down to the sciencey-but-wildly-misapplied title. Whereas Sucker Punch exists in the same genre - call it 'video game psychological/combat musical'? - as Scott Pilgrim. It's darker, more flawed, slightly alarming in places, but for all that, it feels personal, *necessary*, more than extruded Hollywood product, in a way that Source Code never does. And tonight it's Attack the Block, although obviously any Adam or Joe-directed take on London's vicious youth is going to have a hard time competing with Speeding on the Needlebliss.

Comments

[davegodfrey.livejournal.com]

I liked Source Code. But it doesn't stand up in comparison to Moon. I've not seen Sucker Punch, and I'm not sure I want to- despite the zombie-chaingun-samurais and biplanes vs dragons shenanigans too much of what I've heard about the rest of the story leaves a nasty taste in my mouth.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

It's uncomfortable viewing, but I think only in the ways it's meant to be. In spite of the headline components, it's very much not sexy, in ways which seem deliberate - and I certainly didn't find it as queasy as eg Dollhouse.

[steve586.livejournal.com]

Every now and again you make me have to fight not to snort tea all over my desk.

"if Jake Gyllenhaal's whiny prick of a character in Source Code is any kind of accurate representation of the modern US military, then no wonder they've been getting such underwhelming results lately."

Caused one such occurence.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Clearly my work here is done. See you tomorrow!

[icecoldinalex.livejournal.com]

Neddlebliss's "i love you too, you silly fucking bitch" has become part of my lexicon to a ridiculous degree. I have to be so careful not to say it out load pretty much ALL THE TIME! Films shouldn't have quotes that stick. It's bullshit, you senile old bastard! BULLSHIT!

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Or at least, films that aren't Ghostbusters or Aliens shouldn't, right?

[icecoldinalex.livejournal.com]

Or Robocop 2, apparently.



(and if you can make out that audio, you're a better man than me)

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

I got 'apologies' and '37 million dollars', but it sounds like it was recorded by someone who thinks the early Mountain Goats are too slick.

You saw this, right? I thought it was pretty good: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2011/oct/27/my-favourite-film-ghostbusters

[icecoldinalex.livejournal.com]

Yeah man, I liked this bit especially:

But my absolute favourite moment in the film is at the end, when a doorman brings Ecto-1 round after the Ghostbusters have saved the world – or at least Central Park West – from destruction. Despite having battled a giant marshmallow man, Aykroyd still has a couple of dollar bills in the pocket of his ghost uniform to tip the doorman. You cannot get more New York than that.

Lovely.