Jack Black.... either you love him or hate him. Maybe his appeal to the younger generation is what turns me off. Maybe we should call him Jack "thingy" Black.
I did, however, really enjoy the story. Not to pick on Mr. Black, but I felt he brought way too much American flavor into what is essentially a very Chinese/Buddhist story. The ancient turtle (Oogway) was the quintessential eastern mystic, and Tai Lung was great as the really pissed off, uber bad guy. Did this story remind anyone of Karate Kid? =)
We brought our daughter, and I think the film was a bit too dark, too violent and too serious for her age-group. I did appreciate the wit and some of the more adult themes, but wish I would have not exposed my little girl to this film at this point in her life. I am glad we saw it together, instead of her seeing this piece without me.
The whole thing with the noodle shot was quite good. There were quite a few knowing laughs when the father (a duck) attempts to tell his son (a panda) something about their relationship he has not told him before. I enjoyed the voice acting (with the one noted exception); I almost felt bad for Jackie Chan when I found out he did the monkey.
08 November 2008
Fireproof, 2008
It is hard to believe that such an obviously Christian film is receiving mainstream time on the silver screen. And it is a very well-done film; the cinematography is very tasteful and shot with high quality, the plot is well-written with a good amount of believable and unbelievable. I was not crazy about all the actors, but for the most part, they did not hinder too much. The bits with Mr. Rudolph are simultaneously humorous and tactful.
Personally, I think this film addresses one of the biggest problems in America today. And I am told that other nations are also struggling with this problem as well. Giving up on your sacred vows is just too easy; worst, the Church is more or less demonstrating that this is ok. I thought the film did a great job showing how an average (a rather upper-middle-class suburbia white kind of average, though) marriage might start to fall apart. My wife and I thought that most of the screenplay was true to life in that regards. Unfortunately so. And even though the main character was tasked with a challenged of winning back his wife, the script writers did an excellent job showing that just going through the steps isn't quite enough. Marriage is hard work. Good marriages are even harder.
I am very curious what the atheistic/agnostic/pantheistic crowd thinks of this film. I can see how it would have a hard time impacting those "outside the church". It may even have a hard time reaching those inside. I could not agree more with the central message, and I am glad it is being told. Obviously, this film will not change America by itself. But at least it is a step in the right diretion.
Personally, I think this film addresses one of the biggest problems in America today. And I am told that other nations are also struggling with this problem as well. Giving up on your sacred vows is just too easy; worst, the Church is more or less demonstrating that this is ok. I thought the film did a great job showing how an average (a rather upper-middle-class suburbia white kind of average, though) marriage might start to fall apart. My wife and I thought that most of the screenplay was true to life in that regards. Unfortunately so. And even though the main character was tasked with a challenged of winning back his wife, the script writers did an excellent job showing that just going through the steps isn't quite enough. Marriage is hard work. Good marriages are even harder.
I am very curious what the atheistic/agnostic/pantheistic crowd thinks of this film. I can see how it would have a hard time impacting those "outside the church". It may even have a hard time reaching those inside. I could not agree more with the central message, and I am glad it is being told. Obviously, this film will not change America by itself. But at least it is a step in the right diretion.
Mistborn: the final empire, by Brandon Sanderson
Another recommendation by Patrick Rothfuss, and a great one at that! The magic system is very different (using metals in one way or another), and I like it.
There is a very interesting, although rather simplistic, dichotomy between the upper- and lower-class, the haves and the have-nots, the masters and the slaves. First, no middle-class. The slaves are called "skaa", although I am not really sure why. And I am not sure why, after centuries of coexisting (barely), the "nobility" even questions whether or not the "skaa" are more or less human. Sanderson went to lengths to show how self-important and ego-centric the privileged class was, but they are ostentaticiously missing some common sense. The skaa on the other hand, are rather ultra-obsequious; even the rebellions do not really amount to much. If there was one thing I did not like about this world, it was that the white-collar folks were too over-the-top.
The overlord character, a tyrant ruler some call a god, has a very respectable shroud of mystery wrapped around him. The author pulled a very clever trick with the journal, and I have a lot of respect for those kind of tricks. And his little army of zealots (obligators and Steel Inquisitors, not unlike the infamous Crusaders in a lot of respects) enforces the trynanical oppression rather well; the Inquisitors are really interesting, both in their background and their abilities.
The terrismen are also very intriguing, and it will be satisfying to learn more about them in other books. I guess one could say that there are technically two different magic systems employed by different races (or perhaps a third if you count the mistwraiths/kandra). So even though this story did a fairly good job at exploring this little pocket of reality, it left a good number of doors open for other lines of possibilities.
Perhaps one of the better things about this book was that I was drawn in right away, and the author kept me going. I like that kind of book. The character developement proceeded at a very satisfactory pace, as well as the action and tension, not to mention several appreciable twists throughout the story. I get the impression that "book 2" is more of a prequel, based on the title. We will see.
There is a very interesting, although rather simplistic, dichotomy between the upper- and lower-class, the haves and the have-nots, the masters and the slaves. First, no middle-class. The slaves are called "skaa", although I am not really sure why. And I am not sure why, after centuries of coexisting (barely), the "nobility" even questions whether or not the "skaa" are more or less human. Sanderson went to lengths to show how self-important and ego-centric the privileged class was, but they are ostentaticiously missing some common sense. The skaa on the other hand, are rather ultra-obsequious; even the rebellions do not really amount to much. If there was one thing I did not like about this world, it was that the white-collar folks were too over-the-top.
The overlord character, a tyrant ruler some call a god, has a very respectable shroud of mystery wrapped around him. The author pulled a very clever trick with the journal, and I have a lot of respect for those kind of tricks. And his little army of zealots (obligators and Steel Inquisitors, not unlike the infamous Crusaders in a lot of respects) enforces the trynanical oppression rather well; the Inquisitors are really interesting, both in their background and their abilities.
The terrismen are also very intriguing, and it will be satisfying to learn more about them in other books. I guess one could say that there are technically two different magic systems employed by different races (or perhaps a third if you count the mistwraiths/kandra). So even though this story did a fairly good job at exploring this little pocket of reality, it left a good number of doors open for other lines of possibilities.
Perhaps one of the better things about this book was that I was drawn in right away, and the author kept me going. I like that kind of book. The character developement proceeded at a very satisfactory pace, as well as the action and tension, not to mention several appreciable twists throughout the story. I get the impression that "book 2" is more of a prequel, based on the title. We will see.
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