Back in the USA

[osprey_archer]

I am returned home! After a very long day, because after an eight-hour flight from Prague, we spent six hours stuck in JFK waiting for our next flight as it got delayed - and delayed - and delayed. But at last it came, and we went, and I'm home!

And I took advantage of my transatlantic flight to watch all the fannish things I have been vaguely meaning to get around to, although it occurs to me that a tiny seatback screen is not the optimal viewing platform for Pacific Rim. It was enjoyable anyway! Although, as often happens, I am deeply puzzled as to how fandom got from the Raleigh in the movie to the goldenretriever!Raleigh who is apparently endemic in fic. Is it the blond hair? Did that somehow cancel out all his broodingness? He's clearly very fond of Mako, but acres away from puppy-like devotion.

(I was also very fond of Mako, but nonetheless puzzled why so many people in fandom seem to have hailed Pacific Rim as a feminist triumph. She's the only female character with a speaking part, and also unconscious during the critical saving-the-world bit.)

And also I saw the first few episodes of Brooklyn Ninety-Nine, which was moderately amusing, but not enough that I'm likely to continue on with it.

I also saw Thor: The Dark World, and clearly I am alone in this, but I nearly wept during Loki's death scene because I knew it wasn't real. We came so close to getting rid of him! So close! Only for it to be snatched away! In a way that means that Thor is going to wander around mourning Loki's death, when in fact Loki doesn't deserve it at all - not just because he's not dead, but because he arranged his fake death in such a way that he can sit around and enjoy the sweet spectacle of Thor's mourning.

Comments

[goldjadeocean.livejournal.com]

I nearly wept during Loki's death scene because I knew it wasn't real. We came so close to getting rid of him!

You make me laugh so much sometimes. :D

[entwashian.livejournal.com]

I can't speak to the Raleigh thing because I'm not his biggest fan, but I think part of the reason people love Mako is because they've had to defend her from others claiming she's anti-feminist, which is blatantly untrue. I mean, the way her character is framed in the film is pretty feminist...

What really, really blew me away about the movie and has stuck with me is the fact that they had father-figure badass Marshal Pentecost turn to his daughter and say the line, "I need you to protect me." No other sci-fi or action flick would ever. Further, this storyline between Mako & Stacker isn't about Stacker & his emotional growth. It's about hers. Unlike in most action movies, Mako is not relegated to sidekick or love interest to the hero; she has a complete story arc from beginning to end with emotional relevance and plot relevance that is capable of standing on its own, away from whatever the 'hero' is doing.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I was puzzled by Mako too. She was a good, solid, fully realized character, so there's that. But she also nearly destroyed headquarters when she couldn't control the jaeger, and as you say, she lost consciousness there at the end, so... *shrugs*

I guess it must just be the solid-personhood thing, which is a sad commentary on women's characters in action monster movies.