EXCHANGE INTERFACE

Saw this yesterday morning, quite enjoyed it.

I kind of want to write more than that but...I don't feel like I have the brain.

( admittedly, I checked out of Star Wars fandom back in the 90s after TPM & Ep2 (look, I can't remember any of the movie titles anymore, they all just blur in my head) was such a disappointment; I didn't even finish Ep 3 )

Disclaimer: I'm not hugely invested in the world or worldbuilding of Star Wars - I kind of clocked out of major Star Wars excitement with the prequel trilogy, but I've enjoyed the sequel trilogy enough.And I've never been hugely in the Star Wars fandom, so I haven't followed much beyond the general shape of what's going on.

I posted this article a few days ago: spoiler anxiety is ruining pop culture.

One of the things that I definitely think it ruined is Endgame.

( case in point: second last scene by the lake )

The article makes a good case that we've elevated the plot above all things - including the character interactions. Which may work for the casual viewer, but it's seriously disconcerting for the fans and anyone who looks a mite deeper. And it kind of puts a glossy shine on something that doesn't have that much beneath it - or has something disturbing beneath, like the body at a funeral showing: sure it looks okay on top, but when you think about it, it's actually a rotting corpse.

Making a new friend in the theatre.

And the movie wasn't terrible.

It's good. It's really good and enjoyable.

It has a very different vibe to Wonder Woman, but that's necessary. Another Wonder Woman type movie (or even a Ghostbusters type movie) wouldn't make Carol stand out the way this one does. Diana's story is about her growing up, coming into her own; Carol's story is about finding her roots.

( and yet, she persisted )

Short version: unconventional but good. Highly enjoyed but not emotionally shaken. And definitely worth seeing a second time.

And I'm impressed...

( ...and kind of horrified, too )

I have more things to think about and comment about, but I don't have a lot of brain right now. If you want to discuss spoilers in the comments, then I don't mind at all. I'd love to have conversations with people about different angles.

Also: when's Captain Marvel actually due to come out?

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a Nick POV section to write for sharp Evening stars and bright Morning flame (the sedoretu series).

So, I've never read the book and I've never seen the movie.

A RL friend recently mentioned that she had just read the book prepatory to rewatching the 2002 movie. I mentioned that I'd never watched it. She proposed we get together for a movie night.

She came. We saw. We laughed our asses off.

It was hilarious.

I'm so glad I waited fifteen years to watch this because it would never have been as funny without fifteen years of fanfic, life, the universe, and tropes under my belt.

The overacting is superb, the story a perfect "Scriptwriting 101: the basics", and the complete dwama of it all made for a really good night of entertainment ever with a friend who'd read the book, knows the tropes, and is perfectly okay with me commenting on stuff as it happens, from guessing all the tropes, all the 'twists', commenting on the sheer ridiculousness of some of those choices. (That entrance via hot air balloon - complete with cloak swish - and then "Greetings"? The velvet robes in a sweathouse? The final fight scene in the wheatfield?)

It probably helped that my friend hadn't seen it in about fifteen years herself, and her adolescent self thought it was wonderful (probably like my adolescent self thought Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves was a great movie), while her adult self didn't really remember what had happened. But we had lots of fun watching and guessing and laughing, because half the time I couldn't remember the names and just ended up calling them "Revenge Jesus" and "Guy Pearce".

Anyway, that was a nice way to spend a Friday night...

It was a really, really good movie.

That doesn't make it any less of an insult to a Maria Hill fan: that this was an opportunity for other people to see and admire and appreciate Maria as the Everywoman trying to hold the world together, and it got put aside for more White Hero Guys.

( longer: spoilers, themes, thoughts )

Okay, so that wasn't so much about the plot. But then the plot doesn't really bother me all that much except in terms of history that needs to be included if I'm going to be canon compliant. It's the relationship dynamics, the interconnections between people and how they shift that are interesting.

More political manoeuvring. Sometimes this show reads as much of a political thriller as an action-adventure-drama show.

( Who's playing whom? )

Looking back, that was a lot of ranting about plot points that Didn't Quite Make Sense. But overall, I enjoyed that episode.

( May likes to party, and by 'party' we mean 'fight' )

Still good writing, good character interactions. They're squeezing a lot more in, but they're doing pretty well at it so far.

It still hasn't hooked me. I'm watching because I need to have a grip on the characters for fic purposes, but I'm not so invested in the characters or the storyline. Not yet, anyway.

Okay, you're going to get the blurty version, since I've just gotten back from the movie.

( short version: it was good )

And yes, there is still lots of room for me to move in my corner of the MCU - both in Maria's plot and character development, and in Maria/Steve and this makes me happy.

I'll probably go back and see at least once more. Maybe with friends so I can come out and discuss it.

Oh, and when you get around to seeing it, there's a discussion party on over at endeni's LJ.