What?! Seriously, no spoilers?!

Did they really think that most of the people who went to see it don't already know what the hell happens? Do they think that the novel New Moon was only released yesterday?!

Pfft. EDWARD LEAVES BELLA. BELLA GOES EMO. BELLA/JACOB BECOMES A SHIP WITH MORE CANON EVIDENCE FOR SHIPPERS. WEREWOLVES & SHIRTLESSNESS OMG. BELLA AND EDWARD APE OFF ROMEO AND JULIET BUT NOT ENTIRELY. (PS: ROMEO AND JULIET DIE). BELLA AND EDWARD REUNITE. VOLTURI STUFF AND OTHER PLOT JUNK. LOVE TRIANGLE JACOB->BELLA->EDWARD. THE END.

I had two vouchers for Village cinemas and I decided I wanted to watch some silly fluff. (I'll plunk down $$$ for only really awesome movies, kthnx). I'm planning on using the other ticket for The Time Traveler's Wife. Despite my many, many issues with the Twilight series, since I didn't mind the first movie (in a "okay for quiet Sunday afternoons where I just want to zone out and chillax") I decided to watch the second one, especially since I was hoping to see some Native American actors in contemporary and fairly non-tokenised roles. (Interesting thing about race in Twilight - despite many fail-tastic aspects, Native Americans are not tokenised. Still massively problematic, but kind of interesting. Alas, I don't have that much knowledge about race relations concerning Native Americans in the US so I can't say much more for now.

In comparing movies, I think New Moon was better than Twilight simply because it is a bit more polished. I mean, having a low-budget look isn't a bad thing always but in this case, polishing the film made it better since there were going to be more special effects. The movie is definitely better than the book since they can clean up Meyer's rather crappy writing and fix things up a bit. And personally, the source kinda sucked (lol, cheap shot at a pun) so any crappiness of the movie would just be reflecting that. (Now I'm talking about all of the dodgy crap like everyone but especially Bella marrying the Idiot Plot).

On a different note, I feel rather sorry for Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner. Kristen because even though she's not doing her best acting in these movies, she's hardly the only one. But since she's the lead and everyone would rather blame the girl rather than sexy guys she gets all of the criticism. I think she can do much better because she has done better, like in Speak. She's still in the process of honing her craft but the idiocy of Bella Swan is doing nothing but hampering her development.

I feel for Taylor because before New Moon the only thing people seemed to care about was whether Taylor could be buff enough since Jacob goes through huge physical development over the series. So Taylor later proved that he can do a shirtless scene. While everyone likes it (I do too), I can't help but find it rather depressing. I don't think guys as young as him should have to go through that kind of psychotic body obsession for social validation. Girls already do that crap, and hey, it's not much fun. Bringing guys in it may seem like equalisation but in the end it also tightens the net too. (I thought it was funny how no-one seemed that impressed by Rob's shirtless scene but you know, vampires, not that sexy, people!)

I shamelessly love musicals and like them for many reasons, although their cheesy, toe-tapping cheeriness are a unifying factor.

I consider Singin' in the Rain to be the best movie musical ever, because unlike many other musicals that originated from the theatre, it was explicitly written for the movies about movies. It is an old movie that feels modern with its self-awareness.

The Sound of Music will always be a massive winner for me because of the sheer nostalgia factor, it was the first musical I ever saw and make of it what you will, but I've always been interested in stories about people who dedicate their lives to religion - and what might make them leave.

As much as I hate the brownface and other racial weirdness in West Side Story, I have always appreciated the fact that it at least tried to talk about race relations and immigration fears, not to mention the lives of lower-class teens in the 1950s.

In more modern musicals I adore Hairspray because it was just too much fun. (And yes, I had a crush on Seaweed). Avenue Q is also loved for being funny and life-relevant although the race issues do irk me a little.

What I've noticed though, is that I rarely look too deeply into characterisation, because, well, I like the lightness of musicals - and I'll admit it, most of the characters are very broadly drawn. And since many of these musicals were written in an earlier era, I tend not to consider feminist theory too much. It would most likely make my head hurt.

Until I finally saw Gypsy, the musical about burlesque dancer Gypsy Rose Lee (The movie version and the TV movie).

( Let me entertain you, let me make you smile... )

Yay! I finally went and my God, I am SO glad that I actually put some real effort in saving for the day. What makes things even better was that even though I gave myself a fairly generous budget (that wouldn't leave me destitute for a month), I still managed to spend way below the budget even though I bought a fantastically generous amount of comics - Seriously, my right shoulder still aches. (My one rule was to buy stuff I really wanted that I couldn't find at Minotaur or the two Comics R Us stores).

My one gripe though was that the comics stand I spent the most time at for some reason kept their Avengers and Captain America comics under their full trestle tables so being the Cap fangirl I am I had to spend about two hours going around on my knees in the semi-darkness to find the issues I wanted. Meanwhile, everyone else was tripping over my legs trying to search the Spider-Man titles that were on the tables above me. It was all very silly.

But! Besides finding out the addresses of 3 new comic book shops and their spin-off branches to try one day (I am ashamed of myself really, one was on friggin' Chapel St and the other on Bourke - how the heck did I miss those two?!) I got a hell of a loot. And some of them were so damn hard to find that I had actually given up until today.

( List! )

Besides buying a lot of comics, I also got to listen to Peter David and Greg Rucker (sp?) at a discussion panel, which was pretty interesting. I unfortunately missed any chances of hearing about the recent fabulousness of PAD finally making Rictor/Shatterstar out and canon but it was pretty interesting all the same, especially with the discussion concerning the comic book industry. I tend to have rather mixed fellings about PAD since he has had some moments on his blog where he comes across as slightly egotistical (and in one case concerning race issues damn offensive with the whiff of the "reverse racism!" wail) but I do admit liking his work and that in general I do like what he has to say. (The Liefeld and PAD internet flamewar over Shatterstar kissing Rictor was loltastic).

I also got to see the coolest Deadpool costume ever. Even though there were so many people wearing really awesome Star Wars costumes around, my eye just went straight to Deadpool-wearing person. I think it was the fact that their costume was on one hand a skintight spandex outfit and yet at the same time they seemed to have padded the inside so you don't get too much information. I think there were more cosplayers at Supanova though, I remember seeing a Ms Marvel outfit and quite a few Rorschachs the last time. Aaach, but now I just wish wish wish the powers that be would just hurry up with a Deadpool movie already! Especially since Ryan Reynolds has shown himself to be a great Deadpool. (Sort of - he was great as pre-Weapon X Wade in Wolverine but the movie people just did some really weird shit to him later on in the movie - so I'm hoping for a spin-off that redeems the idiocy, and if they can get Deadpool to make some crack about it that would be awesome). :D

All in all, it was a really good day. I can't wait for Supanova and Armageddon next year! And now I would go back to being restrained in buying stuff - I am so close to hitting certain money-saving goals and milestones that I never thought I could reach before!

Awesome news, after a very long time trying to find and/or wait for collections of the Golden Age 1940s issues of Captain America that were actually affordable (Does Marvel think us comic book fans are made of money? Or just simply insane? - actually don't answer that ;D) I finally managed to find a hardcover collection at a drastically reduced price (and not because it was damaged, haha) by accident when I was at the little Comics R Us store in the city. I mean sure, I would have preferred a paperback and it would have been super awesome to get a compilation of more than the first 4 issues (I like reading in long sessions, after all) but it was still very awesome indeed. Especially since said issues back in the day were pretty damn generous in length and there wasn't any paperback/longer-than-four-issue versions in existence.

I'm now eyeing similar editions of Iron Man and Daredevil* which is a very dangerous slippery slope for me! Especially since I told myself to hold off making huge comic book purchases until Armageddon** which is actually an upcoming expo that would be very comics-friendly, and not you know, the actual Armageddon, although that does bring on a very funny image of me trying to shop during an end of days epic battle between the Messiah and the Antichrist. Would I be that ridiculous? Actually, don't answer that.

P.S: I have already finished an essay about the musical Gypsy which will be posted here soon. It would actually be good for me to practise some touch typing for my work/training. (I can do it but it's a little slow).

*Which would be just a little bit on the silly side since they do have budget editions that would be cheaper and better value than the drastically reduced hardcovers.
**Funnily enough, I've actually been damn good at saving lately, hence the trip to the store to make a fairly conservative purchase.

Yesterday on my way home (once again I'd spent way too much on comics after trying the Comics R Us superstore on Chapel St - bad, Damsel, bad!) I overheard a conversation between two girls (there was another girl with them but she seemed more to be just listening to their conversation) on the tram.

It was about Marvel Comics Internet fandom!

My ears kinda perked up when I heard the phrase "Captain America found by the Avengers" and I quickly realised that they were talking about canon/non-canon shipping and the fanfiction involved with it all, especially concerning stories with happy endings and stories where characters die/not die and its connection to canon. All concerning characters I'm interested in.

I was especially amused by the discussion on Civil War issue "The Confession", and how slashy it was. It's a favourite of mine for a reason!

Since I was a stranger it would have been rude to join in. But I did find it insanely funny how my particular internet fandom interests can sometimes be reflected in random real life events. Now I need to hold onto my goal of waiting a bit before I do another comic buying binge.

The term "Boyfriend Jeans"

Seriously, stop calling them that. I am so over the term. (They're those slightly baggy relaxed fit jeans that girls wear). Do you want to know why I am so damn tired of the term?

Despite my hilariously repetitive wardrobe (The jumper I'm wearing right now is 7 years old and I've been wearing it every day this week) I do actually know some fashion history. (What can I say, even when I'm indulging in my stereotypically girly side I still bring my geekiness into it). And this what I know:

Tight jeans and baggy jeans have been worn on both men and women ever since jeans became a fashion item!!!

Hell, even if you consider the fact that jeans were more of a "guy's item" in it's very early fashion days (1950s), guess what? They were often tight. They were called "drainpipes" for a reason.

It's kind of a breathtakingly obvious fact (and possibly patronising) but fashion goes through trends, and goes through cycles. Guys can go through periods where the jeans trend were either tight or baggy. Same with girls. So what's up with the attitude that relaxed/baggy jeans = men and tight = women?

Because it is this vaguely myopic view that people consider relaxed fit jeans to be masculine. So when girls wear them, it's then considered androgynous. Which then goes through this weird thing of "Oh noes! Androgynous girl! Must confirm her heterosexuality by calling them BOYFRIEND JEANS.

I mean, I do understand why they are given that name. It's the whole idea that they look like you borrowed them off your boyfriend. And I know that I just sound like a complete twit to some people right now, since well, I am admittedly getting peeved by a seemingly innocent and lighthearted term. But while I love the so-called androgynous fashion to death, I am sick of the stereotype that you know, girls wearing suits, pants and anything that isn't covered with ribbons and bows is considered so gender-bending transgressive that zomg, maybe they're not straight enough! Or girly enough! I mean, if you ever read some dreadfully written fashion article on the trend (I say dreadfully because there are some wonderful fashion journalism out there) it's often some thing about "stealing from your boyfriend's closet" or how you're still "all girl".

Bitch, please. Wear what you want (whether it's super-girly or super-not-girly); and you have no need to prove anything about you. There's nothing transgressive about relaxed-fit jeans, and even if they are so apparently shocking, you do not need to prove your heterosexuality.

On that note, last week I bought a really nice new pair (for $30 AUD!) of straight-legged jeans. They do look very gorgeously form-fitting on me, maybe I'll start calling them my "girlfriend jeans".

Feministing (H&M: Tomboy Chic) discussion on what is actually not a dreadful fashion article about the trend but gives a better explanation on what the hell I'm trying to express

P.S:
The reason why my mood is listed as "naughty" is because there is a plan that I will be undertaking next week. Ever heard of the concept of "work-to-rule"? Ah, office politics.

Edit:
I'm not alone!!!
Feministing post: "Keep your "boyfriend jeans" away from my four year old"
Ha!

So I saw the movie on Sunday.

At first I wasn't planning to since I did not really want to put any more money into the franchise after being disappointed by the later books but since the only RL friend (Hi C!) I have who actually gets the whole fandom stuff wanted to see it and I hadn't seen her in months, I thought, "Sure, why not?" After all, since we shared the similar feelings about the later books it wouldn't be so bad, and we could always laugh about it later. And oh hell, I was actually a little bit curious on my part.

Reader, I saw the movie. And I was just simply underwhelmed. It was like being attacked with limp noodles or lukewarm water. While being chased by paralysed dogs and bitten by defanged snakes.

For the first time ever concerning a HP movie I was watching from an outsider view, not from the view of an eager fan, or heck, even a casual fan. It was just meh.

I mean, okay. It wasn't so dreadful. There were some small moments that actually made me laugh because I liked Rupert Grint (He has potential to stretch his comedic repertoire into more than just silly faces). I thought Evanna Lynch as Luna was sweet. Tom Felton as Draco isn't going to win any Oscars soon but he managed to pull off his task in playing a kid who's gotten caught up in some scary shit.

I wanted more Neville, dammit!!! Why the hell is he playing waiter? For that matter, more Rickman/Snape, dammit!

The guy who played Cormac McLaggen wasn't bad looking. He also pulled off the whole arrogant schmuck thing. I had pictured a burly, erm, chavish type (pardon my classism) but this worked.

What I was most interested in was seeing the actor who played Marcus Belby (he died last year from getting knifed by some dickhead). It's only a small role but just seeing him there pigging out and looking goofy made me really sad. What made me even sadder was the fact that were he not in a Harry Potter movie we might never even know about him because this sort of violence is just so damn common and is often just passed off as "stupid teenagers deserve what they get". Oh crap I made myself sad. (That's a quote from somewhere).

So Harry/Ginny and Remus/Tonks. Two ships that I utterly loathe that sprung out from this book. Well, this movie isn't going to make me like them any better. But on the slightly more positive note, it's not going to make me hate them any more either. Basically they've toned all of that shit down so you can kind of passively bypass them.

All in all, meh. But I might consider getting the DVD if it is on super-sale just to satisfy my dorky completist urges.

Hello Kitty merchandise

Aside from those Hello Kitty "personal massagers" *cough*vibrators*cough*, most items are intended for young girls or maybe those who like the loli look.

I can totally see myself still squealing and buying Hello Kitty stuff in my 80s.

Just this year, I had already spent quite a bit buying 2 makeup cases, 2 blushes and 2 eyeshadow quads from the MAC Hello Kitty limited edition series. And I love every item, so much so that it is almost heartbreaking the thought of actually using them.

Hell, if it wasn't for the fact that you can only buy secondhand ones *EW!* since they got pulled off the market, I would have even bought the "massager" just for the lols.

First things first.

Normally I shy away from comics in the general single-issue pamphlet format, except in rare circumstances. I know it's the classic format that has been used for decades but I have this overwhelming fear (involving flash floods and fires) of ruining such delicate comics. Also, since I enjoy reading in long sessions I find such issues to be too scanty. I also worry about the price.

But yesterday after work I decided to give one of the comic book stores in the city a visit, since it had been a couple of months or so since my last visit and I had heard about some fabulous news concerning Rictor and Shatterstar in the recent X-Factor #45 issue.

So I thought to myself, "Okay, I'll just look at that particular issue and since it will be awhile before it comes in a more durable compiled-issue format that I would buy; looking (and maybe buying) this issue won't be such a big deal. It's just a quick look at some titles before I head home for the day."

What ends up happening? I buy not one, but THIRTEEN pamphlet comics!

Well, this does mean that I am most likely to post a quick review of each one and I am now over my fear of buying pamphlet comics. (I also bought a packet of plastic pockets for the comics for safekeeping when I'm not reading them). Pricewise they're not too bad (I mean come on, the work involved in each issue is completely worth it) and are worth a quick thrill or to sample a series. I will still be buying more durable forms when it comes to comics (firm softcover, graphic novels, compilation versions, hardbacks, etc.) but the occasional pamphlet will be okay.

The List (That should eventually be updated here):

Runaways Vol. 3 Issue #5
Runaways Vol. 3 Issue #11
Uncanny X-Men Issue #509
X-Factor Issue #40
X-Factor Issue #43
X-Factor Issue #44
X-Factor Issue #45
DEAD@17: Afterbirth Issue #1
MOUSE GUARD: WINTER 1152 Issue #5
MOUSE GUARD: WINTER 1152 Issue #6
Dead By Thirty Issue #1
KAGEMONO Issue #2
Robots are People Too Issue #2

Today after work I'm planning on having a look at the other smaller comic book store in the city. It has a far smaller range (although they have far more pamphlet comics) but their prices are often a little bit better. I'm hoping that they will have a slightly lower price and a few titles (like John Layman's Chew) that I was looking for.

*The next day*

I couldn't find Chew unfortunately but I did end up finding a Marvel mini-series comic adaptation of Pride and Prejudice (Issues 1-4 out of 5, I'll just have to wait for the final installment) and Captain America Issue #600, so I'll write up something quick about them too when I have finished reading the lot.

Aaargh, last week the I managed to stumble upon a dvd of Phantom Lady, my absolute favourite film noir ever and downright impossible to find. This is because it's only famous for one scene that gets dissected in film classes (the drumming=sexual foreplay or activity scene) but isn't really that well known, since it's not only a B-pic but is also led by an awesome but B-list actress Ella Raines.

Anyway, after squealing in the bookstore at my incredible find, I raced home so I could watch it only to find out that my tv won't play this movie with sound! (My tv is too old to be entirely compatible with dvd players).

Mark my words, when I finally get my own bachelor pad I am most defintely going to save up for a new tv to go with my dvd player, even if it isn't necessarily a brag item.

P.S: Someday I will write about why it is this particular film noir that managed to become my top favourite in the film noir category, when I am normally a very indecisive person concerning favourite general movies and books.

I know that if I don't do something, no matter how small, I'll probably never write! So I'm going easy on myself by writing lists, albeit slightly detailed ones. I must get over writer's block! It's hard to believe but I do actually like writing. I was trying to work on writing little vignettes about Melbourne, since I'm rather fond of it but this list project might actually get me working on something instead of planning but doing nothing. Oh, and by the way, "recent" here doesn't actually only mean recent works, it can also mean stuff that I'm rewatching/rereading and works that I'm recently looking at. That and when we get to the comics section the book numbers I refer to aren't necessarily universal.

( I think this post is most likely going to end up so long that I will need to break it up into another post later but let's just see for now... )

( My LJ gets analyzed! )
I actually have heaps to write about here on all sorts of things but I've been pretty lazy these days.

Wheeeeeeee, I made an icon post featuring Kelly/Toby. I'm rather disappointed by the fact that my favourite character is now gone from the show but at least I found some screencaps featuring two characters I adore having a final farewell moment. I seriously love how the US Office caters to my love of minor characters.

This icon post is dedicated to foodygoody, who is not only a fan of Toby and the Kelly/Toby fanon ship, but is also a prolific writer of The Office fanfic centering on Toby and Kelly/Toby. Consider this my way of saying thanks for the great fanfic!

Preview:


( More icons and some info behind the cut )

I was in a lingerie shop that had a nurse's outfit and this weird thought came to me:

Why is it that a well-paid stripper/prostitute who dresses up as a naughty nurse would probably make more money than an actual nurse who had to spend years studying for their profession?

I don't know whether to cheer for the working girls who have figured this out or feel annoyed at how our society totally dismisses how hard being a nurse is. It's really annoying how people try to justify crappy wages for nurses, teachers, childcare workers etc. by calling it a "vocation"-like career. Very convenient since these professions have huge numbers of female employees and one of the female stereotypes out there is how self-sacrificing and altruistic we bloody are. That and women still make less money than men and a lot of it is seen as "just girl stuff".

Although thinking about it even more these mentioned professions also have to deal with lots of idiots. And sex always sells.

:D
Adam Cadre - Wikipedia Brown and the Case of the Captured Koala

Wikipedia is one of my (many) weaknesses, and one thing I tend to do is to jump all over the place on that site, since I have a short attention span and all.

Anyway, on my crime fiction quest I was looking up on fictional detectives because I just knew that I had once come across a fairly positive book review (it was in some magazine IIRC) about a crime fiction series that had a protagonist detective who was homosexual and I wanted to find out who the author was. (Trust me, it's damn rare to find books on gay detectives since the hardboiled stereotype is often so hyper-masculine and heterosexual, although it is possible to find books featuring lesbian detectives, so I don't really know about that).

Instead, I bounced around on Wikipedia and ended up on an entry about Donald J. Sobol's Encyclopedia Brown, a character and series I came across a little bit too late in my childhood (I was a bit over the general age range of most Encyclopedia Brown readers) but loved nonetheless.

Which was why this parody I found that was written by Adam Cadre was so damn funny. It's not everyday you find a fantastic parody that playfully teases two things you love. :D

There is also this rather silly Onion parody article:
Idaville Detective "Encyclopedia" Brown Found Dead In Library Dumpster

I've kept it inside me for too long, now it's coming out with a bloody vengeance.

I ABSOLUTELY BLOODY FREAKING HATE IT WHEN PEOPLE WRITE "PER SAY" OR "PERSAY" WHEN THEY ACTUALLY MEAN "PER SE"!!!

per se

is a phrase often used in arguments that basically means: By itself; without consideration of extraneous factors.

Eg. "It's not that I'm against bikinis, per se, but I just don't think it's a great idea to wear one at your mother-in-law's funeral service". (I made this example up).

So to anyone who reads this, please remember for the love of all things nice and holy that if you're ever going to use a wank-tosser phrase like "per se" please at least spell it correctly so you don't look like a complete try-hard moron. Italicising because it's a Latin phrase is also a nice thing to do too.

Now that I've got that off my chest, I'll go back to being mild-mannered. ;D

t0ra_chan had an art meme on her LJ so I requested Percy/Marcus and she drew this picture:

Preview:


( The full picture is behind the cut )

Isn't it adorable? :) Percy/Marcus is such a rarepair.

Even though I loved the film The Big Sleep, I have no freaking idea what the bloody hell it was about. I remember murder, blackmail, pornography, guns, gambling, alcohol and that's pretty much it.

The reason why I like it so much was because the dialogue was brilliant, there were some pretty funny/deliciously wicked moments and because Bogart/Bacall simply sizzled on screen as Marlowe and Vivian. I suppose that was the main appeal of this film though; it was an example of when studio interference does wonders for a film rather than ruin it like poor Peckinpah's Major Dundee.

Some quotes from the film and book - Delivery matters!

Marlowe: What's wrong with you?
Vivian: Nothing you can't fix.

Norris: How would you like your brandy?
Marlowe: In a glass.

Vivian: Why did you have to go on?
Marlowe: Too many people told me to stop.

And quotes from the original Raymond Chandler book:

"The blond flicked a short-barrelled gun out and stood pointing it at me. The pug sidled over flatfooted and felt my pockets with care. I turned around for him like a bored beauty modelling an evening gown."

"He looked as inconspicuous as a tarantula on a slice of angel cake."

"It was a blonde. A blonde to make a bishop kick a hole in a stained glass window."

"She looked as if she'd been poured into the dress and someone forgot to say whoa."

I also loved David Lynch's film Lost Highway even though I have no concrete idea on what it was about (although I did come up with a conclusion). In this case though, I tend to accept that since it was meant to be kind of disjointed and confusing. Not to mention it was just so damn cool to watch. It was a case where half of the fun is in having coherence shaken up a bit.

On another note, I've realised that my favourite trashy genre of choice is crime fiction. I need to explore this genre a bit more.

Yoinked from t0ra_chan.

These are the top 106 books most often marked as "unread" by LibraryThing's users. As usual, bold what you have read, italicise what you started but couldn't finish, and strike through what you couldn't stand. Add an asterisk to those you've read more than once. Underline those on your to-read list.

( Book Meme )

*Note: There's stackloads on my to-read list but I only underlined the ones that I can see myself reading in the forseeable future.

What I see is that I have a tendency to read a book and then abandon it, not because the book was boring or bad (some of the ones I haven't finished are actually really good) but because I get distracted by other things really easily. (I have the world's worst attention span).