Quicky and sticky ... couple of movies and books

Saw Serenity the other night. I's been ages in coming to DVD here and when it did arrive it was out for the first 2 weeks, so I guess it is popular. Left me a bit hollow, I'm afraid. It's good, no question about that, and the seeds laid in the original abortive Firefly series are played out well (although I thought I detected some recycled gags, but that could be from the trailer, it's been a while since I saw the series). My main problem with it is that I get left with the feeling that this was the original S1 story arc that never got made due to the cancellation and as such, I want it to be 15 hours long, not 1 1/2. The whole plot moves at such breakneck speed that the characters get left behind and I just can't get over the feeling of wanting it to have been made as a full series in the first place and so resenting the movie somewhat for reminding me of that. Still, I will buy the original series and movie on DVD when I've the cash. Together they form a worthy whole. I'd be interested to hear from someone who hasn't seen the series; were you left thinking "who the fuck are these guys?" This movie really needed to stand alone, but I wonder if it does.

Guy Richie's new movie, Revolver is out here too. I was sceptical about this and really expected more pikey baiting (not that there's anything wrong with that, but it does get a bit old). What we got was a whole lot more sophisticated. This is the story of a con, a very long con. A con that, frankly, I'm not 100% convinced was a con the first place, at least I'm not sure that the con artists were who we are led to believe they are. Ray Liota is god in this movie as the sleazy casino owner. Not sure how much they paid him to put on that fake tan, but it wasn't enough... superb. Ultimately, I think this movie is trying to be the Usual suspects and as such I don't think it quite rises to that level. Bloody good effort though and a close thing; I just think Richie got a little caught up in his own plot twists. Still, well worth a view.

Same lead actor dude, The Transporter 2 is rubbish, but redeems itself by including a gun toting psycho-biatch in basque and stockings as the gun arm of our nemisis. Enjoyable nonsense.

Finished reading The Iron Council (at last). This is the third of the New Crobuzon books by China Meiville. The first, Perdido Street Station, is a mammoth effort and a fanstastic story. The style defines just one of the avenues that the fantasy genre could explore, if it hadn't got all obsessed with dragons and rings of power and dwarves. Second, the Scar, widened the Bas-Lag universe further and introduced possibly my favorite ever weapon; the probability sword. Meiville's refusal to explain the day to day life of Bas-Lag makes reading his books quite a strain, you really need to form your own conclusions about the motives of main characters and I must say that I find this tiring, if ultimately rewarding, which is probably why I read these three books very slowly. With the Iron council, China takes us on a trip across the continent that is home to New Crobuzon to find a near mythical group of renegades, who give the book it's name. Sounds a bit questy and I suppose it is, but we have parallel storylines of only vaguely related characters back in New Crobuzon who also help widen the myhtology of the city, its politics, enemies and underground organisations. We also get much more detail on remaking than in either of the first 2 books. Remaking is the system of punishment in New Crobuzon; on conviction, the judge will hand down a remaking sentence, for example a thief may have his hands bound together (permanently) or a murderer may have the legs and arms of the person he killed grafted on to his body in inconvenient places. Often, remaking will include an industrial refit, adding pistons and a boiler to the human body to make them suitable for heavy labour. Once Remade, you are slave to the city. Hated and despised, and of course feared, you are the lowest of the low. The plight of the remade is a central theme running through all the books.

When I think about it, I suppose that I think the three books are int he wrong order, the Scar shuold come third as it spans the whole planet. And it's better that TIC, I think. I will be watching very carfully for China's next effort. I hope that he leaves New Crobuzon be and builds us another world to marvel at and provides yet more avenues for the fantasy genre to explore. I'm in 2 minds about The Iron Council but if you don't at least read Perdido Street Station, you are denying yourself. Enjoy that and move on to the following 2 but do read it.

Will post more soft pr0n when I receive some...

Bomber out