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I finally joined the rest of humanity and saw this yesterday with my sister. We didn't get to see it in the 3D version, because the only local theater showing it that wasn't already sold out only had the normal version. The 3D IMAX screen at the theater up the street from where I live was actually sold out ALL DAY if you can believe it.
As for what I thought of it, it was okay. Good, and definitely worth seeing in the theater, but a bit overhyped in my opinion. I mean, the special effects were great, but while I thought they were impressive, they didn't give me that "oh my God" reaction that breakthrough sci-fi movies of the past have. As an example, when The Matrix first came out? I remember seeing it & watching that opening scene with Trinity with my jaw just *hanging open*. I couldn't look away. You watch that movie now and it's no big deal, but at the time? That shit was amazing. The effects in Avatar for me were more like "Oh yeah, they did a great job with that! Kudos," and not, "HOW DID THEY DO THAT? HOLY SHIT THAT WAS COOL."
Even so, it WAS a gorgeous film to watch, that's for sure. And I bet I would've been much more stunned by the effects if I'd seen it in 3D. But I also think EVERY movie would be more stunning in 3D, so I'm not sure how much that should count. I guess my thing with the "This movie will change film-making!"-claims I've been hearing is that this isn't the first time a movie has used the technology Cameron used here. The same type of effects were done with Lord of the Rings. It's just Avatar did it on a much grander scale. So even though he absolutely did a great job with it (and I don't mean to take away from this, as the effects were consistently detailed & seamless), it's not like he created something groundbreaking & new here. He just took technology that already existed, threw a lot of money at it, and took it to a new level is all. Which I guess you could say is groundbreaking in its own way, just for the sheer financial investment that was made.
As for the plot, I have mixed feelings on that. On one hand, it did what good science fiction is supposed to do: tell us a story about our own world by creating a new one. Using the differences between that world & ours to allow the audience to go to places they might not normally feel comfortable with. For instance, many people would probably prefer not to think too much about what was done to the Native Americans, and what those atrocities say about the dark side of human nature. But you take those events & make them about a fictional race of people living in a fictional world? With pretty special effects & containing no mention of words like "reservation" or "genocide"? Then you've not only got a hit on your hands, but you can also get people who traditionally like to stay away from heavy subjects like that to sit & actually think about them while still being entertained.
On the other hand though, Avatar was a bit on the nose with this. It was COMPLETELY transparent that this is what they were doing. There really wasn't any subtlety there. The horses, the war paint, the "plains" tribes, it was anvil-icious. And the characters themselves were largely one-dimensional & cliched in my opinion as well. There was the perfect, innocent, wise tribe. The gentle "love your Mother Earth; I can see the colors of the wind!" talk about plants & spirits and deities. The evil outsider who has no desire other than to wreak destruction. The money-hungry villian. The scientist who needs to learn to ~feel~. And, finally, the good-hearted hero who crosses sides & "learns a lesson" along with the audience. I mean, if you take away the effects and the acting, those plotlines could've been written by a 15-year old fanfic writer. Which doesn't mean it wasn't good; it just means, once again, it's nothing all that new or groundbreaking.
And wow, I feel like I'm hardcore sippin' on some haterade right now. Ha. But seriously, I LIKED it, I did; I just think it was overhyped is all. I will say though that the scenes surrounding the destruction of hometree & the anguish of the people were extremely well done, as were the battle scenes at the end. The special effects used there *did* make me sit up and take notice, and the tragedy of the whole thing was chilling (literally, I actually got chills). And largely I think that part is the one that moved me the most because as a child one of my favorite things to do was to read & learn about other cultures through historical fiction, and I still remember finishing "Thunder Rolling Down the Mountains" by Scott O'Dell and kneeling on my bedroom floor just crying my eyes out over what happened to the Nez Perce. Reading stories like that, and about slavery etc, left a huge impression on me as a kid. Getting older and taking classes on African history, cultural anthropology, political science & so on, only further cemented those impressions. The sadness of that scene isn't just the portrayal of the violence & the loss of their home; it's knowing what happens next. The death of a culture, the displacement of the people, the loss of identity & pride. The cultural imperialism that will lead them there. In Avatar the Na'vi succeed in kicking out the "aliens," but in real life that's not what usually happens. Not when the "aliens" have the bigger guns. And that's what that scene made me think of, and that's why I think in the end it did succeed with doing what good science fiction is supposed to do: make you think about the world you live in by looking through the eyes of another.
Also, I liked the "you do not thank for this; this is only sad" comment after the dogs were killed. In monotheistic cultures where the God is male, it seems people often tend to view things in a very black & white way, pat themselves on the back for their victories, and constantly seek out conquest & conversion. There are some exceptions to this of course (hi there, Judaism! Hee), but there's certainly a pattern of that which one can witness. In polytheistic cultures that have a reverence for female deities, on the other hand, there is often much more respect for the Earth, much less concern for converting others, and also less of an "all or nothing" mentality in general. Those belief systems don't result in angelic perfect societies either though, so here's where I would've liked the Na'vi to have had more depth & imperfections to balance out their Mary Sue-ness (possibly more of the film showing their patriarchy & how the main female character told Sully he could simply "choose" his mate, i.e. implying the woman would have no choice of her own). That being said though, it still succeeded in at least touching on those things for me, and also drew a parallel in my mind to America's tendency to celebrate our victories in war without remembering one crucial fact of battle: that it is supposed to be sad. Celebrating it should be done in an "I'm glad this is over; thank God we came out of it alive" fashion, not a "let's hang up an obnoxious MISSION ACCOMPLISHED banner & go kick some ass!"-one. *coughI'mtalkingaboutyouhereBushcough*
So, in summation: despite some of the one-note heavyhandedness of the writing and the hype generated by the media, the acting in the film was still great, it was still a beautiful story to watch, and I still definitely enjoyed myself. So, good job, Cameron. You rich bastard. Heh.
Dollhouse: "Getting Closer"
I still haven't watched the finale, because I'm doing that "I don't want it to be over yet and am saving it" thing that I did with BSG. Remember how long it took me to finish that show? Heh. Right. (I'm totes like Adama with his Searider Falcon when it comes to tv, haha) There's also the fact that I'm a few episodes behind on my reviews, so I also sort of wanted to catch up on that a bit more first. I will probably watch the finale tomorrow night though, because I'm kind of dying to know how it ends & am afraid I'll get spoiled if I don't hurry up & just watch it already. I'm also scared to know how it ends though, because Joss might pull an Angel on us here and just go on a mass killing spree with the characters. Hell, even with Buffy--which had a mostly happy finale--he still killed my Anya. He likes to bring the pain, yo. And Dollhouse is definitely one of those shows where it'd be totally appropriate to just kill everyone in the final episode anyway, so God only knows what's gonna go down. As long as he leaves my DeWitt & Topher alone though, I'll be fine. DID YOU HEAR THAT, WHEDON? YOU LEAVE MY BABIES ALONE.
Anyway though, enough set-up, and let's get to it.
First off, my general reaction: LOVED IT. It still sucks that the show didn't get more time, but damn if it isn't going out with a bang. This ep in particular was fucking ace in terms of dialogue, direction, & acting. I think it might actually be my favorite episode so far. I mean really, that whole "it'll make you laugh; it'll make you cry" expression? Totally applicable here.
And now, for the detailed reaction:
-DOMINIC! Everytime I write his name, I'm incapable of using lowercase letters. Haha. How did he make it out of The Attic? Did someone let him escape? I thought the dolls were only able to make it out because they were ~special~? Whatever, I don't care, because DOMINIC!
-ADELLE & DOMINIC REUNITING!<--see? Incapable. Hee. But seriously, I SO SHIP IT. They kind of make my heart hurt though, because they were so like ~partners in crime~ in the first season, and now they're so very much at odds with each other. But that doesn't stop me from the shipping. Oh no. Just adds a lot more potential hatesex to the mix. Heh. And needless to say, I loved getting the flashbacks of them before everything that happened. They're just so take-charge/bad-ass/don't-fuck-with-us when they're together, you know? It's kind of hot. Especially since could she have been more fucking gorgeous & intimidating walking around Rossum with him in those flashbacks? With the long hair and the black coat, and the smirking? aliheaioliahoiehoiahgiaoghagh waaaaant.
-Beeeeennnnneettttt! And Topher! OH MY GOD, THE CUTE. And the funny! And the sad! All in the same ep! MY HEART, YOU GUYS. MY HEART. Seriously though, HOW FUCKING HILARIOUS & ADORABLE WAS TOPHER WHEN BENNETT FIRST CAME BACK? After Adelle ~kidnapped her~? Haha. I almost couldn't even take it. "Is she okay? She still cute? Don't you hurt her!" and his offensive charm-offensive, and his wild hand-motions & striking a pose behind Bennett as Adelle is talking (OMG, THAT MADE ME LAUGH SO HARD), their ~ouch-kiss~ (hahaha, FUCKING CUUUUUTE, Christ), and "I've always had a crush on you, even when I thought you were a dude. . .this is better" and then the epic sad & OMFG NO SHE DIDN'T when Saunders revealed herself as a sleeper agent & SHOT BENNETT IN THE HEAD RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM. I can't even. . .I can't. . .HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DEAL WITH THAT AFTER THE OUCH-KISS? My poor Topher!
-Whiskey/Saunders: Way to make me squee & flail over your return & your shacking up with Boyd, Saunders, and then make me jump off my couch freaking out with your sleeper-agent ways! God. I liked also how Boyd told her he'd come back for her, because it helps explain why she was still there in Epitaph 1. Of course obviously more stuff happens with her (and Boyd, BOY DOES IT EVER) in the next episode, but I bet anything that line from him played a role in her refusing to leave the house. That and of course the fact that she never wanted to leave it before this in the first place. Remember that? Oh Claire, you make me so sad.
Also: Adelle's double-take when she saw her? Hee. I loved how her face was just all "Wait, WTF? Okay, sure. Why not."
-Ballard no longer loving Echo. I'd care about this, but I never really cared about that in the first place. Heh. It is sad though.
-Mellie returning. Aww. I thought that was perfect. I mean, we started the show with Mellie helping Ballard, and I thought it was totally appropriate that she should return to see Echo & the dollhouse for herself. Even though she technically already had as "November", because she was a doll. But *Mellie* hadn't, you know?
-DeWitt (fyi, I've decided that's the correct way to write it afterall) and her HBIC ways. Between her reaction to the guy getting shot in her office (all she cares about is the carpet! Heh) & the "Damn, I just had that replaced" comment when the window was smashed, she just could not be more fucking full of unflappable bad-ass win. Also, she's their general! Aww.
-BOYD. And yes, this one definitely deserves the capslock. I'm sure I'll have more to say about him when I review the next ep, but for now I'll just say this: As much as it hurt my heart to see him turn out to be a bad guy, it absolutely made sense to me. The execution of it felt a little sloppy (kinda came out of left field to a degree), but that's at least partly because they didn't exactly get a lot of time to let it play out, what with not getting a 3rd season and all. Still, even so, looking back I can totally buy it, though I never for a second expected it & I totally had to pause my DVR just to be like "OH MY GOD, WTF WTF WTF, THERE'S NO WAY" when it was revealed. Heh.
-Topher/Adelle crack!pairing: STILL FTW. Loved her comforting him after Bennett was shot. And also loved how that actor played Topher's reaction in general. I couldn't help but notice the director's touch there too, how after DeWitt tells him they can't bring her back & the lights go out? The first shot of the darkness is on his face. Pretty much says it all, you know?
-And lastly, the dialogue in general. I've already quoted a few of my faves, but here's some more:
-"There are a lot of things I'd like to be."<--Hello, irony. I see you there!
-"Love your bag. *barfs*" Hahaha.
-"Damn romantic fools. I'm surrounded by them." Heh, oh Adelle. I heart you.
-"Would it sound OTT if. . ." Of course you'd walk around talking netspeak, Topher. OF COURSE YOU WOULD.
-"That troublesome one-armed creature." Hee! Adeeeeelllllle
-"Give me a hand." "I'll give you both. . .that wasn't a reference." THEY ARE SO CUTE.
-"You've forced me to come to Arizona. I loathe Arizona." Olivia Williams' delivery of that line totally made me laugh out loud. Especially because I've been to Arizona. . .in August. 'Nuff said. Heh.
-"Stay back! I've imprinted myself with many useful skills! You don't even know!" TOPHER, STOP BEING SO ADORABLE. YOU ARE GOING TO KILL ME.
All in all: WAY TO KICK ASS, SHOW. Why you couldn't have been so on point from the beginning, I don't know. But you are going out in style and I appreciate that.
Bones: "The Dentist in the Ditch"
Okay, how super delightful was this episode? It seems a lot of people went all flaily & crazy over the last one and thought this one was just okay, but I personally enjoyed the shit out of it. On pretty much every count too: the case, the character interaction, everything. It was just a solid episode in my opinion, 100%.
-Booth's big brother-y ways. This show TOTALLY gets sibling dynamics, especially when it comes to families where one or both of the parents doesn't act like a normal parent. My sister gets the exact same kind of judgemental, bossy, overprotective attidude whenever something new comes along in my life, like she's suddenly my mother or something. I GUARANTEE that if she were an FBI agent, she'd totally do a background check in that kind of situation. No doubt about it.
-Cam & her fear of spiders. That cracked me up. "Still those gross spider faces & legs though." Hahaha. (((Cam))) Also, I laughed when they were like "I'll get Hodgins!" I mean, I know he'd want to see the spiders because it's his job and all, but the way they said it was hilarious to me. With this "He'll save us!" tone. Like he was going to show up & just lead the spiders away like the ~pied piper of bugs~ or something. Hee.
-Everyone & their cute-ass clothes, especially Cam & Bones. And ESPECIALLY Bones' jackets. SO CUTE. Although, please, wardrobe designers? WILL YOU FREAKING FIND BONES A NEW SHIRT ALREADY? I mean, my God! How many colors does she need that top in? I'm starting to think it's a practical joke being played on us by the show, for real. I still say though that I'd love to see someone write a fanfic about her buying those shirts, because the idea of it just cracks me up. Like, "Sure, five of the same shirt is totally normal, right?" as the cashier rings it up giving her this *you're crazy* look. Hahaha.
-MORE BRENNAN FORENSIC STUFF! And not just more of Brennan being in the lab, but more of her actually showing important things to the intern, more of her finding things while out in the field, and being the one to help find the actual cause of death. In other words, the show allowing her to be useful again for once. And all with the added bonus of a Musical Montage O' Crime-Solvin'! You know I love those!
-Vincent Nigel-Murray. He was fantastically endearing in this ep. With his "Cheers!" everytime Bones gave him a nod of approval. Ha. Aww. Also: I totally hearted him when he cleaned the dentist's teeth first "out of respect." Hee!
-Angela/Brennan BFF moment. I find that I like Angela so much more when she's acting like a friend to Brennan. I still feel distance there between them though, which bothers me. But I liked that they talked about Booth together.
-"Thanks for the gay insights." Heh. That line made me laugh. And as far as the gay-stuff goes in general, I think they did a respectable job. A little too much of the "let's make everything all about how the victim was gay!" thing that shows tend to do, but I loved the fact that he played football, loved the witness who struggled with coming out (that scene was very well-done), and LOVED Brennan's reactions the entire time. I could *not* love her more for how she acted about it & the things she said. And I loved that the case brought back that old-style of Bones where the episode is full of funny moments, but *heart* as well. You know? Even though the reveal of who the killer was was totally anti-climactic & boring. But we'll let that go.
-On a similar note, I also loved Bones' reaction to Jared's girlfriend having been an escort. SO in character, for one. Her open-mindedness when it comes to things like that is one of the things about her that I've always loved the most. And secondly, it was lovely seeing Bones help Booth with something involving emotions for once. This plotline not only felt true to the Bones we knew of the past, but also showed how she'd evolved because of how gracefully she helped Booth move past it. Well, graceful aside from kicking the wrong person under the table that is. Hee. That was cute.
-AND ALSO, CAN WE PLEASE TALK ABOUT HOW BONES TOTALLY BELIEVES IN LOVE NOW? AND HOW THEY'VE MANAGED TO MAKE IT FEEL IN CHARACTER AND NATURAL? Where was this subtle, believable character development last season? I don't know, and guess what? I don't care, because it's here now & IT IS WONDERFUL.
And: While we're at it, can we also talk about how she gets a tummy-ache when she thinks Booth doesn't believe in it anymore? Because he is her emotional compass, and because she needs him to believe in love like Booth needs to believe his government doesn't lie? And how she looked at him at the end when she talked about it BECAUSE SHE'S FUCKING IN LOVE WITH HIM AND IT IS SO, SO OBVIOUS? Seriously, during that scene I was just like "BOOTH, YOU JACKASS. SHE IS SO READY, MAKE A MOVE!" Ha. But I mean, really though! She is SO RIPE for it. She's practically wearing a big "Hi, my name is Temperance Brennan & I'm in love with Seeley Booth. Ask me how!" name-tag on her chest. READ THE NAME-TAG, BOOTH. IT'S RIGHT THERE.
-Jared's introduction of Brennan. "This is my brother's partner-slash-friend." THAT WAS SO WIN, haha. I kind of loved him for that. Plus, you know he totally asked for her to come along so it could be a double-date. WHICH IT TOTALLY WAS, IN CASE YOU GUYS DIDN'T NOTICE.
-"To love." Hey, remember that time when Bones wanted to make a toast, and Booth was all "this is her new thing now" (heeeee), and then she totally toasted to how she's ready to accept his "premise" on love, and they stared at each other all earnestly? And then Rachael melted into a puddle of shippery goo on her couch? Let's do that again sometime!
And that's it for now! Depending on how rambly I get about the Dollhouse finale once I watch it, I may or may not just cover both of the remaining two episodes in my next post. Same goes for Caprica, as I haven't watched Friday's ep yet and still had a few things left to say about the premiere too. But I'm finally almost caught up on tv stuff! Just in time for Dollhouse to end and Bones to go on a long-ass hiatus after next week. Aw. *sadface*
Don't worry though, I'll fill in that void by finishing my BSG season 4.5 commentary, and will probably also take advantage of the tv lull to check out Friday Night Lights, which I've been meaning to watch forever. I promiseddosidella I'd watch season 1 of Dexter too (I didn't dig the episode she had me watch when we were on vacation last summer, but she's agreed to watch BSG in return if I give it another chance, and you know I can't resist a proposal like that. Hee), but I think I will check out FNL first because I've wanted to for a long time anyway. We shall see though. I've already got my Dexter-obsessed coworkers hounding me about it too, so I may not be able to hold out much longer. It's either I watch that or Lost (their other obsession), and I don't know if my brain can deal with Lost's sheer WTFery at the moment. Heh. Plus for some reason there's always something that holds me back from watching that show. I think it's that it just looks too fucking bizarre for me. I haven't heard enough about it being worth watching for the sake of the characters, only its WTF-shenanigans & plot-twists. But if one of you reading this wants to make a case for it, feel free. I'm always down for getting sucked into something new if it's good.
And now, for our Vid of the Day, how about some DeWitt/Dominic action to go with the Dollhouse ramblage above? This one's by ohsoleil and is full of the two of them sauntering around like the sexy, sexy bitches that they are. Enjoy the hotness:
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torigates: Reply to this post, and I'll tell you one reason why I like you. Then repost this and spread the loveAvatar
I finally joined the rest of humanity and saw this yesterday with my sister. We didn't get to see it in the 3D version, because the only local theater showing it that wasn't already sold out only had the normal version. The 3D IMAX screen at the theater up the street from where I live was actually sold out ALL DAY if you can believe it.
As for what I thought of it, it was okay. Good, and definitely worth seeing in the theater, but a bit overhyped in my opinion. I mean, the special effects were great, but while I thought they were impressive, they didn't give me that "oh my God" reaction that breakthrough sci-fi movies of the past have. As an example, when The Matrix first came out? I remember seeing it & watching that opening scene with Trinity with my jaw just *hanging open*. I couldn't look away. You watch that movie now and it's no big deal, but at the time? That shit was amazing. The effects in Avatar for me were more like "Oh yeah, they did a great job with that! Kudos," and not, "HOW DID THEY DO THAT? HOLY SHIT THAT WAS COOL."
Even so, it WAS a gorgeous film to watch, that's for sure. And I bet I would've been much more stunned by the effects if I'd seen it in 3D. But I also think EVERY movie would be more stunning in 3D, so I'm not sure how much that should count. I guess my thing with the "This movie will change film-making!"-claims I've been hearing is that this isn't the first time a movie has used the technology Cameron used here. The same type of effects were done with Lord of the Rings. It's just Avatar did it on a much grander scale. So even though he absolutely did a great job with it (and I don't mean to take away from this, as the effects were consistently detailed & seamless), it's not like he created something groundbreaking & new here. He just took technology that already existed, threw a lot of money at it, and took it to a new level is all. Which I guess you could say is groundbreaking in its own way, just for the sheer financial investment that was made.
As for the plot, I have mixed feelings on that. On one hand, it did what good science fiction is supposed to do: tell us a story about our own world by creating a new one. Using the differences between that world & ours to allow the audience to go to places they might not normally feel comfortable with. For instance, many people would probably prefer not to think too much about what was done to the Native Americans, and what those atrocities say about the dark side of human nature. But you take those events & make them about a fictional race of people living in a fictional world? With pretty special effects & containing no mention of words like "reservation" or "genocide"? Then you've not only got a hit on your hands, but you can also get people who traditionally like to stay away from heavy subjects like that to sit & actually think about them while still being entertained.
On the other hand though, Avatar was a bit on the nose with this. It was COMPLETELY transparent that this is what they were doing. There really wasn't any subtlety there. The horses, the war paint, the "plains" tribes, it was anvil-icious. And the characters themselves were largely one-dimensional & cliched in my opinion as well. There was the perfect, innocent, wise tribe. The gentle "love your Mother Earth; I can see the colors of the wind!" talk about plants & spirits and deities. The evil outsider who has no desire other than to wreak destruction. The money-hungry villian. The scientist who needs to learn to ~feel~. And, finally, the good-hearted hero who crosses sides & "learns a lesson" along with the audience. I mean, if you take away the effects and the acting, those plotlines could've been written by a 15-year old fanfic writer. Which doesn't mean it wasn't good; it just means, once again, it's nothing all that new or groundbreaking.
And wow, I feel like I'm hardcore sippin' on some haterade right now. Ha. But seriously, I LIKED it, I did; I just think it was overhyped is all. I will say though that the scenes surrounding the destruction of hometree & the anguish of the people were extremely well done, as were the battle scenes at the end. The special effects used there *did* make me sit up and take notice, and the tragedy of the whole thing was chilling (literally, I actually got chills). And largely I think that part is the one that moved me the most because as a child one of my favorite things to do was to read & learn about other cultures through historical fiction, and I still remember finishing "Thunder Rolling Down the Mountains" by Scott O'Dell and kneeling on my bedroom floor just crying my eyes out over what happened to the Nez Perce. Reading stories like that, and about slavery etc, left a huge impression on me as a kid. Getting older and taking classes on African history, cultural anthropology, political science & so on, only further cemented those impressions. The sadness of that scene isn't just the portrayal of the violence & the loss of their home; it's knowing what happens next. The death of a culture, the displacement of the people, the loss of identity & pride. The cultural imperialism that will lead them there. In Avatar the Na'vi succeed in kicking out the "aliens," but in real life that's not what usually happens. Not when the "aliens" have the bigger guns. And that's what that scene made me think of, and that's why I think in the end it did succeed with doing what good science fiction is supposed to do: make you think about the world you live in by looking through the eyes of another.
Also, I liked the "you do not thank for this; this is only sad" comment after the dogs were killed. In monotheistic cultures where the God is male, it seems people often tend to view things in a very black & white way, pat themselves on the back for their victories, and constantly seek out conquest & conversion. There are some exceptions to this of course (hi there, Judaism! Hee), but there's certainly a pattern of that which one can witness. In polytheistic cultures that have a reverence for female deities, on the other hand, there is often much more respect for the Earth, much less concern for converting others, and also less of an "all or nothing" mentality in general. Those belief systems don't result in angelic perfect societies either though, so here's where I would've liked the Na'vi to have had more depth & imperfections to balance out their Mary Sue-ness (possibly more of the film showing their patriarchy & how the main female character told Sully he could simply "choose" his mate, i.e. implying the woman would have no choice of her own). That being said though, it still succeeded in at least touching on those things for me, and also drew a parallel in my mind to America's tendency to celebrate our victories in war without remembering one crucial fact of battle: that it is supposed to be sad. Celebrating it should be done in an "I'm glad this is over; thank God we came out of it alive" fashion, not a "let's hang up an obnoxious MISSION ACCOMPLISHED banner & go kick some ass!"-one. *coughI'mtalkingaboutyouhereBushcough*
So, in summation: despite some of the one-note heavyhandedness of the writing and the hype generated by the media, the acting in the film was still great, it was still a beautiful story to watch, and I still definitely enjoyed myself. So, good job, Cameron. You rich bastard. Heh.
Dollhouse: "Getting Closer"
I still haven't watched the finale, because I'm doing that "I don't want it to be over yet and am saving it" thing that I did with BSG. Remember how long it took me to finish that show? Heh. Right. (I'm totes like Adama with his Searider Falcon when it comes to tv, haha) There's also the fact that I'm a few episodes behind on my reviews, so I also sort of wanted to catch up on that a bit more first. I will probably watch the finale tomorrow night though, because I'm kind of dying to know how it ends & am afraid I'll get spoiled if I don't hurry up & just watch it already. I'm also scared to know how it ends though, because Joss might pull an Angel on us here and just go on a mass killing spree with the characters. Hell, even with Buffy--which had a mostly happy finale--he still killed my Anya. He likes to bring the pain, yo. And Dollhouse is definitely one of those shows where it'd be totally appropriate to just kill everyone in the final episode anyway, so God only knows what's gonna go down. As long as he leaves my DeWitt & Topher alone though, I'll be fine. DID YOU HEAR THAT, WHEDON? YOU LEAVE MY BABIES ALONE.
Anyway though, enough set-up, and let's get to it.
First off, my general reaction: LOVED IT. It still sucks that the show didn't get more time, but damn if it isn't going out with a bang. This ep in particular was fucking ace in terms of dialogue, direction, & acting. I think it might actually be my favorite episode so far. I mean really, that whole "it'll make you laugh; it'll make you cry" expression? Totally applicable here.
And now, for the detailed reaction:
-DOMINIC! Everytime I write his name, I'm incapable of using lowercase letters. Haha. How did he make it out of The Attic? Did someone let him escape? I thought the dolls were only able to make it out because they were ~special~? Whatever, I don't care, because DOMINIC!
-ADELLE & DOMINIC REUNITING!<--see? Incapable. Hee. But seriously, I SO SHIP IT. They kind of make my heart hurt though, because they were so like ~partners in crime~ in the first season, and now they're so very much at odds with each other. But that doesn't stop me from the shipping. Oh no. Just adds a lot more potential hatesex to the mix. Heh. And needless to say, I loved getting the flashbacks of them before everything that happened. They're just so take-charge/bad-ass/don't-fuck-with-us when they're together, you know? It's kind of hot. Especially since could she have been more fucking gorgeous & intimidating walking around Rossum with him in those flashbacks? With the long hair and the black coat, and the smirking? aliheaioliahoiehoiahgiaoghagh waaaaant.
-Beeeeennnnneettttt! And Topher! OH MY GOD, THE CUTE. And the funny! And the sad! All in the same ep! MY HEART, YOU GUYS. MY HEART. Seriously though, HOW FUCKING HILARIOUS & ADORABLE WAS TOPHER WHEN BENNETT FIRST CAME BACK? After Adelle ~kidnapped her~? Haha. I almost couldn't even take it. "Is she okay? She still cute? Don't you hurt her!" and his offensive charm-offensive, and his wild hand-motions & striking a pose behind Bennett as Adelle is talking (OMG, THAT MADE ME LAUGH SO HARD), their ~ouch-kiss~ (hahaha, FUCKING CUUUUUTE, Christ), and "I've always had a crush on you, even when I thought you were a dude. . .this is better" and then the epic sad & OMFG NO SHE DIDN'T when Saunders revealed herself as a sleeper agent & SHOT BENNETT IN THE HEAD RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM. I can't even. . .I can't. . .HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DEAL WITH THAT AFTER THE OUCH-KISS? My poor Topher!
-Whiskey/Saunders: Way to make me squee & flail over your return & your shacking up with Boyd, Saunders, and then make me jump off my couch freaking out with your sleeper-agent ways! God. I liked also how Boyd told her he'd come back for her, because it helps explain why she was still there in Epitaph 1. Of course obviously more stuff happens with her (and Boyd, BOY DOES IT EVER) in the next episode, but I bet anything that line from him played a role in her refusing to leave the house. That and of course the fact that she never wanted to leave it before this in the first place. Remember that? Oh Claire, you make me so sad.
Also: Adelle's double-take when she saw her? Hee. I loved how her face was just all "Wait, WTF? Okay, sure. Why not."
-Ballard no longer loving Echo. I'd care about this, but I never really cared about that in the first place. Heh. It is sad though.
-Mellie returning. Aww. I thought that was perfect. I mean, we started the show with Mellie helping Ballard, and I thought it was totally appropriate that she should return to see Echo & the dollhouse for herself. Even though she technically already had as "November", because she was a doll. But *Mellie* hadn't, you know?
-DeWitt (fyi, I've decided that's the correct way to write it afterall) and her HBIC ways. Between her reaction to the guy getting shot in her office (all she cares about is the carpet! Heh) & the "Damn, I just had that replaced" comment when the window was smashed, she just could not be more fucking full of unflappable bad-ass win. Also, she's their general! Aww.
-BOYD. And yes, this one definitely deserves the capslock. I'm sure I'll have more to say about him when I review the next ep, but for now I'll just say this: As much as it hurt my heart to see him turn out to be a bad guy, it absolutely made sense to me. The execution of it felt a little sloppy (kinda came out of left field to a degree), but that's at least partly because they didn't exactly get a lot of time to let it play out, what with not getting a 3rd season and all. Still, even so, looking back I can totally buy it, though I never for a second expected it & I totally had to pause my DVR just to be like "OH MY GOD, WTF WTF WTF, THERE'S NO WAY" when it was revealed. Heh.
-Topher/Adelle crack!pairing: STILL FTW. Loved her comforting him after Bennett was shot. And also loved how that actor played Topher's reaction in general. I couldn't help but notice the director's touch there too, how after DeWitt tells him they can't bring her back & the lights go out? The first shot of the darkness is on his face. Pretty much says it all, you know?
-And lastly, the dialogue in general. I've already quoted a few of my faves, but here's some more:
-"There are a lot of things I'd like to be."<--Hello, irony. I see you there!
-"Love your bag. *barfs*" Hahaha.
-"Damn romantic fools. I'm surrounded by them." Heh, oh Adelle. I heart you.
-"Would it sound OTT if. . ." Of course you'd walk around talking netspeak, Topher. OF COURSE YOU WOULD.
-"That troublesome one-armed creature." Hee! Adeeeeelllllle
-"Give me a hand." "I'll give you both. . .that wasn't a reference." THEY ARE SO CUTE.
-"You've forced me to come to Arizona. I loathe Arizona." Olivia Williams' delivery of that line totally made me laugh out loud. Especially because I've been to Arizona. . .in August. 'Nuff said. Heh.
-"Stay back! I've imprinted myself with many useful skills! You don't even know!" TOPHER, STOP BEING SO ADORABLE. YOU ARE GOING TO KILL ME.
All in all: WAY TO KICK ASS, SHOW. Why you couldn't have been so on point from the beginning, I don't know. But you are going out in style and I appreciate that.
Bones: "The Dentist in the Ditch"
Okay, how super delightful was this episode? It seems a lot of people went all flaily & crazy over the last one and thought this one was just okay, but I personally enjoyed the shit out of it. On pretty much every count too: the case, the character interaction, everything. It was just a solid episode in my opinion, 100%.
-Booth's big brother-y ways. This show TOTALLY gets sibling dynamics, especially when it comes to families where one or both of the parents doesn't act like a normal parent. My sister gets the exact same kind of judgemental, bossy, overprotective attidude whenever something new comes along in my life, like she's suddenly my mother or something. I GUARANTEE that if she were an FBI agent, she'd totally do a background check in that kind of situation. No doubt about it.
-Cam & her fear of spiders. That cracked me up. "Still those gross spider faces & legs though." Hahaha. (((Cam))) Also, I laughed when they were like "I'll get Hodgins!" I mean, I know he'd want to see the spiders because it's his job and all, but the way they said it was hilarious to me. With this "He'll save us!" tone. Like he was going to show up & just lead the spiders away like the ~pied piper of bugs~ or something. Hee.
-Everyone & their cute-ass clothes, especially Cam & Bones. And ESPECIALLY Bones' jackets. SO CUTE. Although, please, wardrobe designers? WILL YOU FREAKING FIND BONES A NEW SHIRT ALREADY? I mean, my God! How many colors does she need that top in? I'm starting to think it's a practical joke being played on us by the show, for real. I still say though that I'd love to see someone write a fanfic about her buying those shirts, because the idea of it just cracks me up. Like, "Sure, five of the same shirt is totally normal, right?" as the cashier rings it up giving her this *you're crazy* look. Hahaha.
-MORE BRENNAN FORENSIC STUFF! And not just more of Brennan being in the lab, but more of her actually showing important things to the intern, more of her finding things while out in the field, and being the one to help find the actual cause of death. In other words, the show allowing her to be useful again for once. And all with the added bonus of a Musical Montage O' Crime-Solvin'! You know I love those!
-Vincent Nigel-Murray. He was fantastically endearing in this ep. With his "Cheers!" everytime Bones gave him a nod of approval. Ha. Aww. Also: I totally hearted him when he cleaned the dentist's teeth first "out of respect." Hee!
-Angela/Brennan BFF moment. I find that I like Angela so much more when she's acting like a friend to Brennan. I still feel distance there between them though, which bothers me. But I liked that they talked about Booth together.
-"Thanks for the gay insights." Heh. That line made me laugh. And as far as the gay-stuff goes in general, I think they did a respectable job. A little too much of the "let's make everything all about how the victim was gay!" thing that shows tend to do, but I loved the fact that he played football, loved the witness who struggled with coming out (that scene was very well-done), and LOVED Brennan's reactions the entire time. I could *not* love her more for how she acted about it & the things she said. And I loved that the case brought back that old-style of Bones where the episode is full of funny moments, but *heart* as well. You know? Even though the reveal of who the killer was was totally anti-climactic & boring. But we'll let that go.
-On a similar note, I also loved Bones' reaction to Jared's girlfriend having been an escort. SO in character, for one. Her open-mindedness when it comes to things like that is one of the things about her that I've always loved the most. And secondly, it was lovely seeing Bones help Booth with something involving emotions for once. This plotline not only felt true to the Bones we knew of the past, but also showed how she'd evolved because of how gracefully she helped Booth move past it. Well, graceful aside from kicking the wrong person under the table that is. Hee. That was cute.
-AND ALSO, CAN WE PLEASE TALK ABOUT HOW BONES TOTALLY BELIEVES IN LOVE NOW? AND HOW THEY'VE MANAGED TO MAKE IT FEEL IN CHARACTER AND NATURAL? Where was this subtle, believable character development last season? I don't know, and guess what? I don't care, because it's here now & IT IS WONDERFUL.
And: While we're at it, can we also talk about how she gets a tummy-ache when she thinks Booth doesn't believe in it anymore? Because he is her emotional compass, and because she needs him to believe in love like Booth needs to believe his government doesn't lie? And how she looked at him at the end when she talked about it BECAUSE SHE'S FUCKING IN LOVE WITH HIM AND IT IS SO, SO OBVIOUS? Seriously, during that scene I was just like "BOOTH, YOU JACKASS. SHE IS SO READY, MAKE A MOVE!" Ha. But I mean, really though! She is SO RIPE for it. She's practically wearing a big "Hi, my name is Temperance Brennan & I'm in love with Seeley Booth. Ask me how!" name-tag on her chest. READ THE NAME-TAG, BOOTH. IT'S RIGHT THERE.
-Jared's introduction of Brennan. "This is my brother's partner-slash-friend." THAT WAS SO WIN, haha. I kind of loved him for that. Plus, you know he totally asked for her to come along so it could be a double-date. WHICH IT TOTALLY WAS, IN CASE YOU GUYS DIDN'T NOTICE.
-"To love." Hey, remember that time when Bones wanted to make a toast, and Booth was all "this is her new thing now" (heeeee), and then she totally toasted to how she's ready to accept his "premise" on love, and they stared at each other all earnestly? And then Rachael melted into a puddle of shippery goo on her couch? Let's do that again sometime!
And that's it for now! Depending on how rambly I get about the Dollhouse finale once I watch it, I may or may not just cover both of the remaining two episodes in my next post. Same goes for Caprica, as I haven't watched Friday's ep yet and still had a few things left to say about the premiere too. But I'm finally almost caught up on tv stuff! Just in time for Dollhouse to end and Bones to go on a long-ass hiatus after next week. Aw. *sadface*
Don't worry though, I'll fill in that void by finishing my BSG season 4.5 commentary, and will probably also take advantage of the tv lull to check out Friday Night Lights, which I've been meaning to watch forever. I promised
dosidella I'd watch season 1 of Dexter too (I didn't dig the episode she had me watch when we were on vacation last summer, but she's agreed to watch BSG in return if I give it another chance, and you know I can't resist a proposal like that. Hee), but I think I will check out FNL first because I've wanted to for a long time anyway. We shall see though. I've already got my Dexter-obsessed coworkers hounding me about it too, so I may not be able to hold out much longer. It's either I watch that or Lost (their other obsession), and I don't know if my brain can deal with Lost's sheer WTFery at the moment. Heh. Plus for some reason there's always something that holds me back from watching that show. I think it's that it just looks too fucking bizarre for me. I haven't heard enough about it being worth watching for the sake of the characters, only its WTF-shenanigans & plot-twists. But if one of you reading this wants to make a case for it, feel free. I'm always down for getting sucked into something new if it's good.And now, for our Vid of the Day, how about some DeWitt/Dominic action to go with the Dollhouse ramblage above? This one's by ohsoleil and is full of the two of them sauntering around like the sexy, sexy bitches that they are. Enjoy the hotness:
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-01 06:34 pm (UTC)I will also let out a very small yay for Friday Night Lights. (I don't want to be that fangirl!)
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-01 08:17 pm (UTC)I don't want to be that fangirl!
Aw, you totally have my permission to be that fangirl. Hee. Feel free to let the capslock & flail loose 'round these parts. It's a Fangirl Free Zone.
Also, I'm gonna watch Dollhouse tonight, so you won't have to hold back much longer. :-)
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-01 08:39 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-01 10:48 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-02 01:44 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-02 01:32 pm (UTC)I thought background checks were SOP for family members who could do that sort of thing! Hee!
It was also Jared's slight pause before "friend" that sold it. "Partner-slash...friend." The "SO THEY KEEP SAYING" was implied.
I also loved Sweets in this episode and Brennan saying Brennan things. "We're all geniuses...except Angela." "I don't expect everyone to be on the same intellectual plane as me because then I'd have no one to assist me." HAHAHAHA.
And Cam's outfits were 100% win last night.
Brenna's clothes don't bother me except I'm over the coats. I keep thinking Emily Deschanel is pregnant in real life because of how they dress her. (And then they cinch the waist and I know she's not, but still.)
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-02 08:17 pm (UTC)Ha, exactly! Like he might as well have done air-quotes with his hands as he said it.
I know what you mean with Brennan's coats! I just happened to like them this week, but I also wish they'd stop making her constantly wear them. It
makes it so much harder for me to perv out over what's underneathcovers up her lovely figure. Hee.And as for Cam, her outfits are always win. And she's just got the most bangin' freaking body in the world, period. I need the number to her personal trainer, stat.
Also, you replied, so you get meme love too. But you get more than one thing, because I've known you forever & you're special like that. :-)
Things I love about keenai:
-you are fantastically supportive
-you give great advice
-you hung in there with me during really difficult times in my life, even when I'm sure you didn't have the time to read my endless rambling
-and, finally, your bones comments are the longest of everyone's on my flist, and that pleases my longwinded, fangirly nature. Hee.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-03 01:23 am (UTC)OMG, I made so many typos in my original post!
I love that icon, btw. And I agree about the coats hiding her figure. They seem to be a more recent development. I wonder why.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-03 08:06 pm (UTC)That, or the wardrobe people on the show are just in love with coats right now. Who knows.