Movies movies movies!

[osprey_archer]

It being finals week, my friends and I have been studying constantly, sitting up at all hours of the night staring at our textbooks until - hahahaha, who am I kidding? We've totally been sitting around watching movies. Many movies. Because movies are awesome!

Despicable Me is totally adorable. I WANT A MINION. Or maybe three minions, because one minion would probably get so bored and lonely it would accidentally blow up a small city.

We also watched The Secret of Kells, which has lovely animation, but would probably be better if they had not connected the story to history at all, because as it was I spent most of the movie going "Are they seriously arguing against building fortifications, are they seriously doing that?"

Yes, yes they were. Presumably if you have no fortifications, the invading Vikings will die laughing and therefore leave your beautiful books alone.

Also, the monastery had an inexplicable Chinese brother named Tang. I can deal with the Italian brother (clearly an emissary from Rome) and the black brother (he's from the Ethiopian church, of course) - but. Chinese? How did Tang even get to Ireland? Did Marco Polo kidnap him?

Our third movie: Treasure Planet, which is not good enough to displace The Muppet Treasure Island as the Best Treasure Island Adaptation Ever. Treasure Planet totally has its moments, though, like the cat-woman Captain Smollett voiced by Emma Thompson.

And lastly: Song of Love, in which Katherine Hepburn plays the famous pianist Clara, who marries the considerably less famous composer Schumann. Schumann acquires a student, Brahms, who of course falls madly in love with Clara. Years after Schumann's death Brahms asks Clara to marry him, but she says no, because she plans to devote her life to playing Schumann concerts in all the capitals in Europe so the world will appreciate his genius.

It's so sad! They would have been wonderful together! Personally, I think Brahms just asked too soon: Clara is obviously teetering on the brink of falling for him during that conversation (look at the way they lean in toward each other and laugh together), but he jumped the gun - so she pulled back.

And Clara could still play her Schumann concerts if they married! (Well, maybe Schumann-Brahms concerts.) Brahms is clearly much too secure in his masculinity (he acts as a nanny to Clara and Schumann's children, for goodness sake!) to be bothered that his wife has a career.

But it was not to be. If only Brahms had waited a bit longer to ask!

Comments

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I loved Despicable Me too, and the minions were the best part.

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

The minions were AWESOME. I loved the scene where the minions lined up to get their goodnight kisses - and Gru knows all their names! It's so sweet.

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

Oh, do! It is a lovely movie, although quite sad. Katherine Hepburn is wonderful, and the fellow who plays Brahms is delightful.

I think Treasure Island is an excellent story for adaptation, which is kind of weird, because I'm not too fond of the original book. But in adaptation it can be wonderful!

[novangla.livejournal.com]

I don't know if The Book of Kells was arguing against building fortifications, so much as showing how fear and security can turn a man. And the Abbot was still good -- he just seemed to forget at times what he was protecting, I guess? I think Brother Aidan was saying they should run -- that a wall isn't going to keep the Vikings out. And in the end, it didn't, but it did probably buy some time for those that survived, so I always thought the Abbot was proven right to a degree. They did need the wall, but they also needed to make the book, and to not lose touch of the beauty of the forest outside the wall.

The Chinese monk, I cannot explain.

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

I think the Chinese monk is an attempt at multiculturalism. I think if filmmakers want to be multicultural, they should pick a setting where it actually makes sense.

Also, I think you're right that the filmmakers were trying for a more nuanced view about the necessity of walls and books - but didn't quite pull it off, especially because at the end the abbot is all "Brendan! You and Brother Aiden were totally right!"

[enemyfrigate.livejournal.com]

///How did Tang even get to Ireland? Did Marco Polo kidnap him?///

I want this story.

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

Somebody's probably written Secret of Kells fanfic somewhere.

Although, admittedly, probably not that particular story.

[annabel-312.livejournal.com]

Oh I also watched The Secret of Kells - about half a year ago. I think that the animation is really beautiful! I liked the music, too. But I didn't get your point about the fortifications... could you explain?

[osprey-archer.livejournal.com]

The fortifications: the abbot wants to build a giant wall around the monastery to keep the Northmen out. Brendan and Brother Aiden and all the monks are all, "Why are we building a wall? We should be using our time to make BOOKS!"

I'm all in favor of books, but if the Vikings attack a library and it has no walls, they're going to burn all those beautiful books.

Unless, of course, the Vikings are so astonished that the monastery has no walls that they laugh so hard that they can't attack. This doesn't seem very likely.

Does that clear things up?

And yes, the music was also lovely!

[annabel-312.livejournal.com]

Now I understand, thanks :)