Wednesday

[nightdog_barks]

Yesterday the temperature was in the 80s, today it's 40, with a windchill of 30. (Celsius translations: 26.7, 4.4, -1.1.) Lots of rain early this morning, with thunder and lightning.

Watched Prometheus last night on one of the movie channels, and I ... really liked it.

The cinematography was absolutely stunning. I could totally believe they were in a starship, on an alien moon, in an alien station. Noomi Rapace (Shaw) made a terrific hero, Charlize Theron (Vickers) was a great ice queen, Idris Elba (Janek) a bad-ass captain, and damn, Michael Fassbender (David) was a fantastic ... whatever he was. I know he was supposed to be an android/robot, but can an android be such a jerk? And then be at least partially redeemed by the end?

Really enjoyed the story, despite the complete unbelievability of Shaw running around being a BAMF after having had a baby squid removed from her uterus. Also, wtf was up with the Super Speshul Surgery Machine only being calibrated for MEN? Plus I didn't get the meaning behind the attempted broadcasts of the little girl playing the violin back to Earth. I must've missed a line of dialogue or something, but it didn't make sense to me. And I'm sorry, Guy Pearce, but you were so plastered in Old Guy makeup that I didn't recognize you at first.

I know it's supposed to be a prequel to Alien, but I thought I also saw hints of Contact and The Fifth Element.

The Big Questions that didn't get answered -- who were the Engineers, was the station really an interstellar bio-weapons lab, why did the Engineers want to wipe out Earth -- I'm willing to wait for, since apparently there's a sequel coming. If the sequel doesn't get made ... IDK that I'd change that, just because I don't mind some questions not having answers. And I did love the ending of Prometheus -- I'd follow the story of Shaw and David anywhere.

Two big thumbs up from me -- same as Roger Ebert, ha.



What else? Also finished Colum McCann's Let the Great World Spin and loved it. Reminded me very much of Jennifer Egan's A Visit from the Goon Squad. Highly recommend both books.

Comments

[blackmare]

I'm at my friend's place today and need to get to work. Interesting movie review; all I had read about it was "gorgeous but THE STUPID, IT BURNS," so I hadn't been up for watching it. May need to reconsider.

In other news, the snow hasn't begun here yet, but it will. *SIGH*

[nightdog_barks]

I know! I had heard that too -- that the storyline was stupid, that it was all a lot of sound and pretty but no heart and/or point, and I ... totally didn't see that. I thought it was fairly straightforward storytelling. I did think there were TOO MANY CHARACTERS, but the director (Ridley Scott) sensibly didn't try to tell all their stories, so that was okay. I would definitely watch it again.

Heh, pertinent icon is VERY pertinent for this movie.

[pwcorgigirl]

It's 84 F. here right now. Tomorrow is supposed to be cooler, with rain all day. I came home from work, peeled off my office clothes and put on a sundress.

[nightdog_barks]

Yesterday I was thinking about putting on shorts. Today I'm glad I hadn't put away my warm fleecy stuff yet. :D

[pwcorgigirl]

I did fold up the sweaters and put them away in the dresser, but it'll be easy to get them back out if we have a cold snap. I'd love to have a nice spring. The trees on the mountains were just gorgeous this morning, with all the pink redbuds blooming amid a dozen shades of pale green leaves.

[taiga13]

You're mocking me with your warm temperatures! It's overcast and 3'C here right now, and we're having fierce wind gusts.
I haven't seen Prometheus, but drool at the mention of Idris Elba ;)

[nightdog_barks]

Let's see, 3 Celsius is ... 37.4 degrees Fahrenheit. THAT'S NOT THAT BAD. It's supposed to be 34 here tomorrow morning. :D

Idris Elba was great! I am giving nothing away by saying that he is a Big Damn Hero in this movie. I liked Prometheus and would watch it again.

[taiga13]

That's not that bad?? It's grey and snowing big fluffy wet clumps right now and I WANT TO DIE.

[nightdog_barks]

Now snow in April is WRONG. (The weird thing is, I almost typed "August," which would have been even more wrong.)

*HUGS YOU* ♥ ♥ ♥

[jerico_cacaw]

It's been a while since I saw Prometheus, but as far as I remember they were broadcasting to the destination planet, trying to make contact, not back to Earth. As for David, as you caught it on TV I assume you didn't see the trailers; there was one about how special the mass-produced David was. How he had more feelings or something like that (it was a faux commercial introducing a brand new type of robot). I assume that his programming plus the way Old Guy (whose character's name I don't remember) fucked up with said 'feelings' was what made him more special ... AKA a jerk.

[nightdog_barks]

Ah, yes! I read about those trailers in the Wikipedia entry for Prometheus! And yeah, the Old Guy was named Weyland (which actually totally reminded me of Wayland the Smith), and he was played by Guy Pearce. He ALSO reminded me of S.R. Hadden, the reclusive zillionaire played by John Hurt in Contact.

Thanks for the explanation about where the broadcast was aimed! That makes a lot more sense. :D