Double Feature!

Continuing the A-Z Challenge from Arlee at Tossing it Out. Today is D and it's a double feature at the movies - I have two reviews for you!

Clash of the Titans

Here is yet another example of how Hollywood takes a good (albeit: corny) older film and updates with crazy, cool special effects. To be honest, I enjoyed the original film with the great stop-motion effects by Mr. Ray Harryhausen and although the film is dated (naturally), I really saw no need for a remake. However, once I saw the previews for the new COTT with the giant scorpions and massive Kraken, I had to check it out. My overall feeling after I left the theater....it was OK. The true problem with the movie is that the production team was so busy infusing the film with state-of-the-art effects that they forgot to put in the one ingredient that the original had in spades....heart. This movie has no heart or soul at all. The plot is designed to take you from one set piece to the next. I'm also starting to wonder about Sam Worthington. He seems to play the same character in his three latest films. He doesn't infuse the character of Perseus with any character or charisma. The effects are great, some of the action sequences are exciting but it all matters for naught because I just didn't care.

Up In The Air - I was curious to check out this Oscar contender. I really had no in-depth knowledge of what the film was about or the major plot points , so I watched the movie with no pre-conceived ideas. The movie tells the simple story of a man (George Clooney) who works for a firm that pays him to fly from city to city and serve as an axe man for companies that are too gutless to fire or lay off their employees. His way of life is threatened by a young up-and-comer (Anna Kendrick) with ideas of taking him out of the sky and landing him behind a desk. In the midst of this turmoil, he falls for the beautiful Vera Farminga who shares his jet-set lifestyle. The film is funny and sad, complex yet simple. It has many layers but the heart of the film is a sentimental story of love and disillusionment. On the downside, I have to say that I saw the ending coming a mile away. And if you are looking for a satisfying end to your date-night movie, I would look elsewhere. But all in all, I enjoyed "Up in the Air". The performances were rock solid and the film strikes a chord about the impersonal nature of love and business and how it can be so personal.

CassaStar

Continuing with Arlee Bird's A-Z Challenge - today is C.

I've spent the past week fixing my manuscript. I think I've made all the changes the editor requested, but I'll go through it one more time, just in case. My publisher had made suggestions, which involved several rewrites and the addition of a prologue. It was recently returned again and the editor made even more corrections and suggestions. I was pleasantly surprised the entire manuscript wasn't in red, too. At least the words "This sucks!" wasn't in bold red letters across the top!

When I completed CassaStar, I thought that was it. After all, I had to find a publisher first, and then the book would need to do well enough for them to want another one.

But when I originally conceived this idea, there was more to the story. I'm considering writing the next book, but I wonder if the new direction will appeal to those who like the first book. I've been working on the outline and the story would begin twenty-odd years after the other one ended. There's even more action and conflict, plus another main character. My only concern is that character is female.

What do you guys think? CassaStar is predominantly men - would the addition of a female character be too strong of a change? Her mere presence complicates the story even further, adding some serious issues, but she's also female for a reason. I think I can handle writing that aspect and keep it in the background, but would that shift gears too much?

Or does any of that make sense since you haven't read CassaStar...?

Boy Blog

Technically, this is a man blog, but I'm doing Tossing it Out's A-Z Challenge, and today is B.

It has come to my attention that I am in the minority. Most of the bloggers I encounter are women. A couple I thought were men turned out to be women. (Sorry B. Miller and Hampshire Alex!)

Why is that? Do women just have more to say? Do men have better things to do with their time? Are more women drawn to the social aspect of blogging than men? Does anyone have an answer for this?

Fortunately, I have found some fellow male bloggers out there:

Stephen at Breakthrough Blogs
David J. Williams at Autumn Rain 2110
Galen at Imagineering Fiction
Jamie at Mithril Wisdom
John at Sci Fi Songs
Marvin at The Old Silly
Arlee at Tossing It Out


And by the way - thanks to everyone who reads my blog - I hit 50 followers last night!

Avatar

I am participating in Tossing it Out's A-Z Blog Post Challenge. So I must post a minimum of 26 times this month from A-Z

Today is A - Avatar!

Why? Because last month I set up a poll - how much money would it make world-wide?

The majority selected $2.7 billion dollars. Guess what? If that was you, then it looks as if that will be the correct answer! (Give or take a couple million.) Right now Avatar is hovering at $2,690,916,066.

Avatar is more than just the biggest money-maker. It's changed the way we look at movies. It will change how movies are made, too. It will open up the doors for a lot of movies that were just never possible before. Sometimes science fiction and fantasy is limited by the level of special effects available, but now I forsee no barriers to those studios with enough cash.

Any books you'd like to see on the big screen that were impossible before? I wonder if they will ever adapt any of Terry Brooks' books... or Preston & Child? ( I don't count The Relic - they left out the main character!)