a lame, sort of indifferent post ~

[lookingland]

i went to see The Prestige yesterday. i feel very ambivolent about most of it, so i won't bother trying to articulate my opinion too deeply. no spoilers here (i don't think).

the short impression: it was entertaining. it was predictable. it broke one of the canons of storytelling in a way that i think might have worked in the book, but not on film. it's mostly unmemorable (except for David Bowie, who kicked major butt ~ that man gets cooler all the time). though the two movies are nothing alike, this one begs a comparison with The Illusionist. i think this one can beg all it likes. the former is the superior film. i want to stress that The Prestige is highly entertaining. it just suffers from weak character development and a bend in reality that's both fascinating and disappointing.



science, magic, and illusion are all relative here

afterwards J and i went to B & N because she had coupons and i had a gift certificate and after some green tea chai and a double chocolate cupcake, i was so jacked on sugar, i bought Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle.

the books weigh about 11 pounds. there's over 3,700 pages between them. apparently they clock in around 2 million words. perhaps needless to say, but i dunna expect to finish them for the 50bookchallenge.



part of why i bought them was because i wanted to see how they sustain. the reviews on the second part of the cycle were middling (it suffered, they say, from excessiveness and rambling ~ but then what sequel doesn't?). but apparenty, for those intrepid fans who went on to third installment, everything pays off in spectacular ways ~ and that's what i want to see.

(insert long ramble about this idea i had about how to solve the world's problems through story structure).

and that's about all i have energy for this morning ~ my head is too busy spinning on the axis of ideas.

happy sunday all ~ !

: D

Comments

[ryan-howse.livejournal.com]

I saw The Prestige last weekend. It was absolutely great--for one viewing. Unfortunately, the twists at the end, while logical within the story, (except maybe that last half-second shot) also kind of killed my desire to watch it again. I've got no problem with twist endings, but nine times out of ten, it makes the movie come off as clever instead of good. I'll rewatch good.

[lookingland.livejournal.com]

well put ~ !

i found myself not rooting for anyone by the time it got down to the last set of turns.

i don't think any story can afford to have its audience stop caring about who wins or loses or why before the fat lady sings.

I love neal stephenson!

[la-vita-nuova.livejournal.com]

I think you'll be happy with the Baroque Cycle overall. The middle book was indeed long and rambling but I think you'll enjoy all the historical detail even so. Have you read the Cryptonomicon? It's kind of a quadricle (heh) to these books set in the 20th century, and much faster paced.

Re: I love neal stephenson!

[lookingland.livejournal.com]

i know it's his big book, but the subject matter just doesn't goose me. i zone out on too much science and technology, so i am a wee worried as to whether i shall weather the Baroque Cycle ~ but i guess we will see. i don't plan to even start them until after thanksgiving,

: D

[akirad.livejournal.com]

I've only read one Neal Stephenson and it was Snowcrash which I really didn't like. I'd like to try something else by his though, because much as that book irritated me, it was full of interesting ideas.

[lookingland.livejournal.com]

yeah, his work seems to be thoughtful, if nothing else. i have serious doubts as to whether i have the brain-power to digest this mammoth work, but i thought i would give it a try.

maybe as a precusor to tackling Pyncheon.

: D

[sb77.livejournal.com]

Hm, thnx for reminding me i was actually reading 'Cryptonomicon' but somehow i forgot or something like that. Think i'll get into it again this evening. :)

[lookingland.livejournal.com]

hahahaha ~ i have a few books like that: oh yeah, i was halfway through that ~ maybe i should finish it (and in some cases, maybe not!)

: D