Happy Whatevers

Dear Loyal Reader(s):

Okay, there's lots of you out there but most of you just use RSS so you'll probably skip this. However, to those who do read all the posts I'd like to wish you a Happy -- be it Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus, or some other event.

And I'd like to wish everyone a very happy, healthy, auspicious and prosperous New Year. I certainly hope it's better than the last one. I also look forward to booting our current despots -- Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney -- from the office they hold as the result of fraudulent elections. That is going to be the best part of the new year and it cannot come too soon.

The blog will be silent for about two weeks as I shall be on holiday and am going to sever myself from all computer access during that time. Yeah, a proper holiday.

I'd also like to welcome Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, to YouTube where The Royal Channel contains all sorts of fascinating goodies. I would suggest you start with her 1957 inaugural Christmas television address and then follow it with whatever other videos may amuse you. It's just fascinating. She'll be posting her current message later today but I shall be away by then.

I guess that's about it. Thanks for reading my posts this year, and double thanks to those who actually posted replies. And special gratitude to those of you who link to this blog.

[[my friends]]

Philip Pullman's Golden Compass (Movie Review)

I finally saw Golden Compass, the film based on the His Dark Materials trilogy. Let me get the first bits out of the way. The book is way better. If you loved the book, you will be mostly disappointed in this film because so much is left out, much of it essential. In order to condense the film into the allotted time, they've left out details that make the film a bit disjointed and confusing.

Secondly, the book is an anti-religion tirade that is a thinly disguised diatribe against the Vatican -- a well deserved target. The film loses all the anti-religion bits and that does take away some impact. The Magesterium becomes a political group instead. There are some allusions the die-hard fans will see, but it will be mostly transparent to the typical viewer.

First, Nicole Kidman is awesome as Mrs. Coulter. Chews up here scenes in a good way and pretty much is everything I could hope for in the role. Newcomer Dakota Blue Richards will be famous one day. She's a very good actress in this, her debut as Lyra the slightly churlish rascal, the lead in the film. There is a very quick cameo by Christopher Lee as well. Ian McKellan voices Iorek Byrnison, the polar bear.

The film is paced far too quickly, and many viewers would be confused about how the Golden Compass itself works or even the WHY of it. There was just too much cut out to make this film work and be the hit it should have been. Sure, it's much better than Narnia because there's none of the horribly wooden acting. All the kid actors are tolerable at worst and magnificent at best.

The details omitted also include the complex intertwining of the person and their daemon (soul) which is key to making you even care about anyone in the film. The adults dialogue is often stiff, but a lot of that may be because you don't understand the characters or the nationalities because they just aren't developed at all.

The visual aspect of the film is stupendous, especially the world itself. It shimmers and glows and feels very real. But some key scenes like Bolvangar are rushed to the point of sheer idiocy.

They screwed it up and I'm irritated, yet somehow I encourage you to see it nonetheless.

Peter Jackson Can't Kick the Hobbit: He's Signed On!

Peter Jackson: Middle Earth, A Hard Hobbit to Break

Some bits from various wire reports cut and pasted together:

Relations between Jackson and New Line soured after "Rings" despite a collective worldwide box office gross of nearly $3 billion, decimating records around the globe. After publicly warring for well over a year, "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema have reached and agreement to make Tolkien's "The Hobbit," a planned two-film prequel to the blockbuster trilogy. A director has yet to be named. Production is tentatively set to begin in 2009 with a 2010 release, and the second part following in 2011.

Two "Hobbit" films are scheduled to be shot simultaneously, which is how the three "Lord of the Rings" films were made. New Line said it was Jackson's idea to divide the story, adapted from Tolkien's first book about Middle Earth (which was about half the length of any from the trilogy that followed).

Jackson, who directed "LOTR," will serve as executive producer for two "Hobbit" pictures. Jackson brought Tolkien's Middle-Earth saga a total of 17 Academy Awards.

Late last year, acrimony between the Jackson and New Line became very public, but Jackson's suit, the two sides announced today, has been settled. The terms of the settlement were not announced, though New Line cheerfully added, "One of the key terms was we all shake hands with each other."

In his statement, Jackson thanked Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (MGM) Chairman and CEO Harry Sloan for helping him and New Line "find the common ground necessary to continue that journey." He also said, "We are delighted to continue our journey through Middle Earth."

The film's production schedule is subject to how long the writers strike lasts, which some forecast could continue for many months. There is not a script for either "Hobbit" film, and producers will be unable to even approach writers until the strike is over.

"If the writers strike drags on, then everything can change in terms of the time table," New Line said today.

In addition, Eric Seiden could be heard screaming nearly 100 miles away as he had a paroxysm of unbridled joy. Two films from a true-believer. What more could any fan want besides an accelerated production schedule.

The Rocket -- The Legend Of Rocket Richard

This movie has been released previously in Canada in French. The Rocket -- The Legend Of Rocket Richard
is now out on DVD having just been released 11 December. The DVD contains both English and French versions and I watched both to compare the two. Subtitles are also available -- but not recommended.

The film tells the “The Rocket” Richard (neé Maurice). Growing up a young French Canadian, Maurice Richard had a dream to play in the National Hockey League. In those days, there was an enormous amount of discrimination against French-Canadians, especially those who spoke little English -- and that, was Mr. Richard. Through sheer force of will he broke into the sport, facing down Campbell several times -- and after a particularly biased ruling, Montréal rioted in a historic moment in hockey history.

The Rocket played with a finesse, speed, and the fire that defied all odds and made him a legend, and a man beloved by all hockey fans. This movie is for fans and if you don't have a deep love for hockey, you may not like this film. I have that deep love of hockey.

Some quibbles: I noticed some differences between the spoken French and dubbed English but my French is pretty bad now so I shan't hold it against the film. The dubbed version irritates because you see mouths and voices out-of-synch which is common in all dubbed films and, more importantly, you lose a great deal because you don't realize when he speaks in English and/or in French. I strongly recommend watching in the original French with English subtitles. I know they put it here to widen the appeal, but the English version reduces the impact of the film. Also note that the English version doesn't translate the French text that appears on the screen throughout the film.

The film is rated "PG" for a few bloody hockey scenes and some foul words. Quite honestly, anyone over 10 can watch this film so don't keep the kiddies away if they love hockey. Richard is a role model you don't need to worry about, unlike modern day athletes.

Will the acting win an Oscar™? No. But it's serviceable and the characters are mostly believable. The cinematography is stellar. A journalist friend of mine also received a review copy. She told me the hockey scenes were well done. What an understatement! They were beautiful. Authentic down to the last detail -- skates, ice, uniforms, boards, chain link fences, everything. Even people in the crowd standing and blocking the camera view at times: a tour-de-force, mes amis! Pierre Gill and Michel Proulx deserve an Oscar™ for their work here.

Fans of current players can see cameos by:

• Sean Avery of the New York Rangers
• Pascal Dupuis of the Atlanta Thrashers
• Ian Laperriere of the Colorado Avalanche
• Vincent Lecavalier of the Tampa Bay Lightening
• Stéphane Quintal previously of the Montréal Canadiens
• Mike Ricci previously of the Phoenix Coyotes

The Richard Story must be seen by all true hockey fans. It's available at Amazon.Com.

12-23-07 SPECIAL CONTEST: Win a free copy of The Rocket. You must join our hockey message board to be eligible to win.


Disclaimer: I have been a fan of Maurice Richard for ages and even saw the tribute at the HHOF in his honour, so my review is probably slightly biased. I reviewed a press copy as provided by Palm Pictures.

Bush's religious zealotry

I just need to point something out to my small core of faithful readers. Once again I read where Bush is saying he looks to God for answers. It bothers me on many levels because the Constitution, last I checked, clearly mandates the separation of Church and State. This means, among many things, you can't teach religion, you can't bring it with you to public office. You may certainly believe in whatever God you wish. You may not, however, use it to help you make the decisions. An elected official is to make decision on what is good for the country -- not what some mysterious voice from heaven tells him/her.

Bush is the worst kind of zealot: he's a fascist, dangerous person. He would, given the chance, turn our nation into a theocracy. So would Mitt Romney -- he said as much today when he said Nativity scenes and menorahs should be allowed into places they are currently not permitted.

If you wonder what's wrong with a theocracy, allow me to list some countries that cannot separate their states from their churches: Iran, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the Vatican are all virtual theocracies. Until recently so were Iraq and Afghanistan -- and we all know how well that's worked out.

Somehow, I'm not seeing the slow drift towards a religious state as a good thing.