mmoa_writes

Did a short talk at my old school with the current A2 Physics students. ( Moi turned inspirationalist )

Tuesday evening saw myself and my sisters at the cinema to watch Dorian Gray again, mostly to pick out the things we really hated about it (yes, yes, I know. Does it really surprise you that I should turn out to be one of those annoying people who stay at the end of the credits and start comparing film studies lectures?). ( Just for emphasis, 'Dorian Gray' has problems... )

Other strands of stupidity included the randomly inserted 'abuse by evil grandfather' backstory to Gray (and can I mention how tired I am of the 's/he abused me because I reminded him of her/his dead daughter/son/whatever, who was my mother/father/whatever' thing. It's bloody stupid) and the CGI painting. When I first watched the film, I rather liked it. Now, it just makes the conceit far too absurd to be effective. It's no wonder Wilde considered the book unadaptable for stage (and presumably film if he'd known of it).

( Mother Courage and Her Children )

Hopefully off to see District 9 tomorrow. I know there's been some talk of racism with the portrayal of the Nigerian gangsters, but part of me can't help feel it sounds somewhat realistic. Whilst the rest of the world quakes in terror at the arrival of an alien menace, we would probably be finding which bits increase the virility of the male human and which bits we could sell as suya meat.

That would be before we take over the world, of course. Alien bush meat and Malt Guiness would make for a truly terrifying combination.