Sunday, January 10, 2010

A Sunday Review

TV this week:

  • Ghost Lab: "If Walls Could Talk" - The Lemp mansion was a nice little place, if depressing with depressing stories. The second place was even more depressing. Nothing quite so sad as a decaying old grand house. And that's what I call a dangerous ghost hunt. The place is literally falling apart.
  • Robin Hood: "Bad Blood" - A stranger reveals that Robin and Guy have a brother in danger. Well, this episode gave us quite a bit about the history of those two. More than I expected to see. This show is close to wrapping up, and I want to finish watching it soon.
  • Ghost Hunters International: "Ghost of Hitler" - The team go to the Hotel Vienna in Miramar Argentina to investigate reports that Hitler survived the bunker and eventually ended up in Argentina, where his ghost now haunts a half-destroyed hotel. The story was interesting, if unlikely, and the location was a nice place for a ghost hunt. I love Dustin and Joe getting a shock on the roof. But other than a lot of thumps, no ghosties.
  • Heroes: "Upon This Rock" - I like Hiro's delusions. I don't like triplicate guy much, so I was happy to see Claire outwit him. I hate that Samuel has found Emma.
  • Heroes: "Let It Bleed" - Poor Edgar getting taken down so easily. And Sylar's reappearance was nicely dramatic. I really like when Peter and Claire hang out together.
  • Numb3rs: "Scratch" - Why did this episode make me want to go out and get a lottery ticket? The lotto is only for fools, but I sometimes feel like a fool and get a ticket. This was a pretty good episode, but we figured out the guilty party pretty quickly.
  • Batman: The Brave and the Bold: "Aquaman's Outrageous Adventure" - YES! MORE AQUAMAN! Ok, this isn't my favorite version of Aquaman, but it was a funny episode with Aquaman, Mera, and Artie Jr on an RV trip across America. I loved Artie Jr's outfit and his clamshell accessory (similar to the accessories that *all* modern teenagers seem to have). Mera's hair was... outrageous.



This week's movie was Avatar. Hubby-Eric and I actually went to a theatre while on the Seattle-side and saw it in 3D. We went to a matinee, but it was still surprisingly (to me) crowded. The movie itself was breathtakingly beautiful. The clever and understated use of 3D managed to make the world an immersive experience instead of just another movie. Technologically, this movie ROCKED. Plotwise... well. I'm an English grad, I have a decently honed sense of plot, and I'm sorry, but this plot was well-trodden and obvious. Within the plot itself there were no surprises. Not one twist worthy of the name. I'm not saying it was bad, per se. Just a little too trite. Amazingly, the visuals overcame the plot enough that I really enjoyed the movie. I think that I would see it again if the opportunity arose, just to see more of the world. And I'd probably enjoy it every time. Definitely worth seeing, just don't expect anything exceptional from the story itself.



Here are reviews of a couple of comic books I got while over in Seattle and finally managed to read:
  • Beasts of Burden #3 - A story focusing on Orphan, the cat, and a little rescue he embarks on. I love this series. I can hardly wait for the last issue, which I think will be in my next DCBS shipment.
  • Origins of Siege #1 - This was free. Nice little recap origins of the characters of Marvel's universe. And I think that I could go in and pick up this Siege series and understand what was happening. The only glitch is that I haven't got a clue who Parker Robbins is and why he's perfect for this job. But since I'm not getting the series, it doesn't really bother me.



My library book this week was The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell. Wow. This was an interesting read. Vowell has a very readable writing style, and includes lots of documentation and supporting information for everything she reports on. And if you think Puritans are boring, well... I didn't find this the slightest bit boring. Deep at times, and deeply disturbing at other times, but never boring. And I've come away with a new Puritan "hero", Roger Williams. Like Vowell, I don't think I like the guy at all, but I surely can't help but love him for his ideas and ideals. It almost makes me want to visit Rhode Island. In any case, well worth reading if you have a taste for history and want another piece of the puzzle of why America is the way it is.



Still on hiatus from Agatha Christie, but I'll get back to her works very soon, promise.



1 comments:

Garrett said...

Heh. I grew up in Rhode Island, so if you need any vacation tips, let me know. :-)