anime_babble

Ok so I own up to the fact that my posts have gotten super random and spotty lately. I think I tend to do better emotionally when I blog regularly so I'm going to try and be more diligent about this.

Random things of interest:
1) The Harvard Lampoon book "Nightlight" is out. It's a parody of Twilight...very interested in reading this one but my library doesn't own a copy. Hopefully someone out there will review this soon.

2) So Emma Thompson says she is taking her name off the Polanski petition? I hope she follows through on it because I'd like to enjoy Much Ado Without Nothing and Love Actually again. Also kudos to the fan who collected signatures and asked her "WTF were you thinking?"

3) Amazon can you ship my Glee soundtrack out to me now? Pretty please?

4) David Tennant is going to be starring in a NBC pilot. I think it's likely it will be picked up since NBC has no hit shows right now and would be more likely to pick up something new.

It's funny how the news hit the web a day after I got his autograph in the mail. (I'm still surprised that he or his people sent me one and relatively quickly since I figure he is really busy being popular). I love it when actors/writers/famous people are nice enough to do things like this. It makes me feel a little less silly fangirling over them.

Went to Italy for a week's vacation, and I am SO SO jetlagged. I did my best catching up with the flist, but I got to last Tuesday and can't go back further. Any big news I missed?

I got:

-SyFy's Alice in Wonderland in the vein of Tin Man coming out
-Elizabeth Bear is going to write a book on the Silk Road (WHY GOD WHY)
-NY Post writing a post on Glee which basically states what my corner of fandom has been saying: the portrayl of the females sucks ass

I have a pounding headache from trying to adjust back to this time zone. BIG GLOMPING HUGS to multiple people on my flist who need them at the moment.

I finally got to finish Darkborn by Alison Sinclair on the plane. I am working on a review post mainly to hash out how I feel about the two love triangles ie why I feel so differently about the two. If nothing else this book is sticking with me more so than any other book that I've read of late. I felt vindicated majorly with it; as I was reading, I thought that the author had to be a doctor (some of the medical stuff was just way too accurate), and she is. She's also a PhD, and working on yet another degree.

OMG OMG HOW IS IT THAT I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS???????????????????????

For those who don't know, the rest of the manga is being animated. Hulu is streaming subbed episodes as they air and the first ep is already up. PLUS the original cast, and majority of the crew are back.

AND DOA is doing the first OP/EP.

I was madly in love with this series over years. I didn't care that it had filler. And given how my newer loves Naruto, and Bleach failed me so spectacularly on all character levels, I for one, am ready to run back to a story about a half-demon, his quest and two awesome OTPs.

So, earlier in the day, I saw this commercial on TV.



Let's face it, you are a LITTLE intrigued right? I mean, it's BARBIE AND THE MUSKETEERS. For those blissfully unaware, the Mattel Machine has been churning out 3D Barbie movies since I think around the year 2000, starting with Barbie and the Nutcracker (yes I know too much about this...I'm well INFORMED OK?) This was followed by I think a string of fairy tale-ish adaptions.

But this. THIS. I was caught between two conflicting emotions. On the one hand, everyone should know my feelings on sword fighting!girls. On the other hand, BARBIE.

Did I mention the whole thing is up on youtube?

Some brain cells and approx an hour or so later here are my thoughts!

( Spoilers. But come on. You aren't going to really watch it anyway right )

Reading this chapter reminded me of a quote of Pratchett's "A Hat Full of Sky"

Tears ran down Awf'ly Wee Billy's face as he played "The Bonny Flowers", the saddest song song in the world. It was about home, and mothers, and good times gone past, and faces no longer there....the forlorn notes wound about them, speaking of betrayl and trechery and the breaking of promises

( So. Spoilers )

Guys. GUYS! IT IS SUCKING ME BACK IN.

( Spoilers. Thoughts )

ETA: Avatar teaser trailer made me SO ANGRY for a moment in the theatre. I just sat there thinking, damn, all this money thrown at a movie that could have been great ruined by racefail.

Went home to see my folks over the long weekend...now back. It feels like I haven't been properly relaxed for SO LONG (and consequently my blogging has been patching to say the least). But now year, new resolution to update more regularly! (I've been in school for so long that even now, for me, the year starts and ends on the school cycle).

Recently I watched the entirety of "The Legend of the Seeker" on Hulu (whole first season free for US IP addresses). By the people who brought us "Hercules" and "Xena", it's another fantasy show set against the gorgeous New Zealand backdrop. While it's not MY NEW BESTEST SHOW EVER, it was a lot of fun, a decent watch if you have the time.

Background: Based upon Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series. Very very loosely based. From a quick google search, it seems like all the darker and more sadistic elements were removed. Normally changes to source material annoy me, but I have looked at what happened to Goodkind's characters and what they changed, and honestly, I think that the show benefitted from the changes.

Story: Basically you have your hero, Richard Cypher, who learns he is the child of prophecy, destined to take down the evil Lord Darken Rahl (no I did not make these names up). Aided by a wizard, Zedd, and a Confessor, Kahlan Amnell, he sets off to right wrongs and defeat evil.

Pretty generic stuff, but the chemistry between Kahlan and Richard is decent and the rules of magic in the world are pretty interesting, even if I can drive a truck through some of the holes. I have issues with the Mord Sith, a group of women who are, let's face it, dominatrixes basically and I honesty don't understand their point beyond fanservice.

It's pretty easy to compare this to the OTHER fantasy series with pretty teens currently running, that being BBC's Merlin. Now, I admit it's been awhile since I last saw Merlin, but I have to say I prefer Seeker to it, because of Seeker's far stronger female lead. Also fight scenes are pretty? Actually really pretty.

Give the first episode a spin...the opening sequence against NZ's background is breathtaking. Also watch for the actor that played Haldir in LOTR to show up as Darken!

No one I know in RL has seen this yet and you really really shouldn't be spoilt for this. So shoo! Members of my flist who haven't seen it and plan to! THE FOLLOWING IS NOT FOR YOU.

( Spoilers! )

This movie and Star Trek are probably going to be the best things out all year.

Hiatus until end of June for exams.

(I'll still probably pop in and out of your comments, but I don't think I'll be able to post much until then.)