Hello readers! I seem to be making a habit of awfully long summer breaks in blogging, which I don't particularly like... But now I'm back with the second half of the Ask Me Anything event I hosted in April.
Before I get to that, let me remind you of another, rather more international-scale event that should be of interest to bookworms across the world: the Banned Books Week, 27.9-3.10. It's mostly an American event, initiated by libraries and booksellers, who are often pressured to remove "unsuitable" books from their selections. The Banned Books Week raises awareness of censorship and celebrates people's freedom to read and as these issues are relevant to readers everywhere in the world, I don't think we should let America celebrate all alone! Therefore, I'm inviting you all to pick a book that has been notoriously challenged or even banned and discuss it during the upcoming week in any medium available to you – blog, social media, circle of friends, anything that enables you to introduce this book and reflect on why you should have been prohibited from reading it. The American Library Association keeps lists of frequently challenged books from recent years, but there are plenty of notoriously challenged books all across the history of literature. I'm going to review Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner (2003), it would be great to see all of you fellow book bloggers participate with whatever you choose. Please throw me a link to your posts if you do! Let's really discuss censorship and read whatever the heck we want!
Now, moving on to the actual topic of the day. I'll be answering Hamlette's and Olivia's questions that they asked many... many months ago, and this little celebration for the second anniversary of Music & My Mind comes to an end. Thank you all for participating, I have had tremendous fun thinking up answers to all of these questions!
Hamlette asked:
What animated movie do you wish they would make a live-action version of next? Who would you cast?
As I'm supposed to be honest here, I'll have to tell you all that I'm completely bored and frustrated with this persisting Disney trend of live-action remakes. Not that I resist remakes on the whole or think that all of these Disney films are of bad quality – I'm absolutely open to the suggestion that some of them might be good films in their own right, even if I haven't bothered to see most of them myself.
The real reason why I don't applaud live-action remakes is that for me, the magic and the intrigue of the original Disney films is largely to do with the beautiful work they did with the animation. The older I got, the more awed I was by the fact that people could actually draw things like sunlight, thunderstorms and water – if you really stop to think about it, isn't it quite an achievement to animate even such an ordinary thing as a moving person? So I don't really see what the artistic gain is in telling essentially the same story as a live-action version. I hate to be cynical, but I get the feeling that Disney is after some easy profit in continuing with this trend.
What musical NEEDS a movie version but doesn't have one yet? Again, who would you cast?
I think some stage musicals are better off left on the stage in their awesomeness, but to be honest, I would be quite happy to see a film version of Jekyll & Hyde. The score is wonderful, the themes of addiction and ethics will never get old, and the Victorian setting would look gorgeous on screen – there would be so many things in this film's favour! As for casting, all I would ask for is actors with a strong musical background and at most a minimal amount of stunt casting. I would much prefer an unknown, interesting new talent with a gorgeous singing voice to a big-name Hollywood star who took a singing crash-course just before shooting.
Olivia asked:
What is your opinion on the subject of Ramin Karimloo?
I can tell you that if you were to watch me listening to Ramin Karimloo, you might witness something rather peculiar. There's this half-dreamy, half-zombie look in my eyes, I tend to clasp my hands really tight and perch on the very edge of whatever I'm sitting on. My goodness, what a voice. What a stage presence. Have you seen that look on his face when he plays Enjolras in the Les Misérables 25th anniversary concert and sings "The ABC Café Song"? And how, as the Phantom, he has incredibly expressive hands that more than make up for the fact that the mask hides half of his face? Just... wow.
Have you seen the new Cinderella movie? If so, what did you think?
I haven't, and as you can probably judge by my response to the question about Disney re-makes, I wasn't in a hurry to see it. However, a friend of mine saw it and told me that Cate Blanchett was magnificent, which I can easily believe!
Do you plan to pursue a career in theatre/musical theatre? Are you a soprano or an alto?
I would love to write plays and writing a musical is a crazy, ambitious dream that may or may not come true. I do like to sing though, and I'm definitely more of a soprano than an alto because my lower range is very limited and my belt voice is, quite frankly, pathetic.
What is your favourite version of The Phantom of the Opera? (Meaning any book, movie, or stage adaptation.)
That would be the stage musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber. I was lucky enough to see it at Her Majesty's Theatre in London, and it was one of the most impressive experiences of my life. Not only hearing but feeling the power of the music reminded me why I love musicals so much. I have also read the original novel by Gaston Leroux, which was quite a disappointment, unfortunately.
Showing posts with label Opinions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Opinions. Show all posts
Wednesday, 23 September 2015
Wednesday, 15 April 2015
Ask Me Anything: The Answer Post, Part 1
The blog birthday is here! I'm so excited to share my answers to the Ask Me Anything questions that some of you readers sent me. In fact, there were so many more questions than last year and I ended up giving such lengthy answers to some of them that I thought it might be a good idea to do the Answer Post in two parts. Today's post will include the questions from Hannah and Siiri L. – thank you both, for coming up with such interesting questions and for being such great blog friends all this time!
Hannah asked...
If you could play any character in a musical and/or play, who would it be and why?
I'm going to pick one character from a musical and one from a straight play. My musical character choice would be Éponine, without a doubt. "On My Own" and "A Little Fall of Rain" are among my favourite songs from Les Misérables, and although the character in the musical is often criticized for lacking the complexities of her Victor Hugo counterpart, I think there would be plenty of chances for an actress to explore more of the derangement and instability that characterize Éponine in the novel. Everyone loves a good stage death, and Éponine departs singing a beautiful duet and fills the remaining rebels with new resolution to keep fighting. Plus, I really love that hat.
August: Osage County is my favourite modern play so far, and Ivy – the middle one of Violet Weston's three grown-up daughters – is one of the most interesting characters in it. She makes her sisters uncomfortable with her blunt and apparently cynical comments, but with Little Charles around she becomes a completely different person, which just adds up to the devastation that the romance ultimately brings her way. She shows deliberate indifference to what are often perceived as commonplace feminine values; her mother nags at her for not caring about her looks, and she appears completely fine with the fact that she can't ever have children. Like Éponine, Ivy has a wonderful last scene in the play, involving emotional breakdown and finally breaking away from the mother whose problems she was forced to deal with as her sisters moved away. All the different layers in Ivy's personality and that heart-wrenching character arc would be just wonderful to play.
Can you rank the Dickens novels that you've read so far?
I'll be more than happy to do that! I have only read three and a half of his novels so far, plus A Christmas Carol which I'll also include in the ranking even though it's a novella. I'm seriously working on my Dickens education, though – just look at my Classics Club list! I would like to point out that I have loved every Dickens novel I have read so far, they are all brilliant in different ways. Therefore, even the works that I have placed low on this ranking are not bad – just less amazing than the ones above them.
1. A Tale of Two Cities
This one bounced straight up to my list of "all-time favourite books of literary magic which will affect me for the rest of my life" – as soon as I was finished with despairing over the cruelty of the human race and crying about that bloody guillotine. Dickens does something very different than his usual thing here; the setting is in the late 1700s exploring the devastating effects of the Revolution and the Terror on the French society, there is none of Dickens' trademark satirical humour, and the page count is just over 400. The result is an absolutely heartbreaking account on how humanity's struggle for "justice" leads to tragedy both nation-wide and in the lives of ordinary men and women. I don't think any other book ever has sent my mind reeling so wildly, both during and after reading it.
2. Nicholas Nickleby
This was my first Dickens experience and it will most likely stay high in my esteem no matter how many Dickens novels I will read after it. It is a big book in terms of length and story, covering diverse layers of Victorian society in their various pursuits. However, the focus stays on young Nicholas Nickleby of idealistic values, as he develops one of literature's loveliest bromances with poor Smike, and learns to stand his ground against his miserly uncle Ralph. Nicholas Nickleby is many things, which makes it such an engaging read – it's viciously funny and unflinchingly tragic, a broad social commentary as well as an eventful coming-of-age adventure.
3. A Christmas Carol
I'm a complete junkie for fantasy, character development and the Christmas spirit, so if there exists a story about a sore old miser finding redemption through supernatural intervention at Christmastime, written in brilliant Dickensian prose, is there anything else for me to do but adore it? As always, Dickens' masterful pen creates literary images so awe-inspiring that it is best described as pure magic.
4. Little Dorrit
I'm exactly halfway through this one while I'm writing this blog post so I won't say much right now, but I'm fairly certain that Little Dorrit will rank somewhere hereabouts once I'm finished with it. The book is very slow-paced at times, but the good parts are very good. It explores themes such as the effects of institutionalisation (in this case, in a debtors' prison), the vapid constructions of high society, and the importance of a fulfilling life in great depth. Arthur Clennam is an interestingly atypical literary hero and the reader gets to really delve into how his past experiences have shaped his personality and current views of life.
5. Oliver Twist
As I discussed in my review about a year ago, this book has some structural flaws and Oliver Twist himself is not the most interesting or realistic of child heroes, but there is still more than a fair share of brilliant bits to be found here.
Would you rather J.K. Rowling wrote a series about the Hogwarts Founders, a series about the Marauders or a series about the next generation at Hogwarts?
Each of these ideas holds its own element of intrigue, but being such a history person, I would most like to hear about how Hogwarts came to be. I just happened to do some reading on the Anglo-Saxon period in British history, and how amazing would it be to know what that era was like for witches and wizards? And even compared to all the countless magical people that came from Rowling's imagination, the four who founded Hogwarts must be terrifically interesting characters!
If you could put various Doctor Who Doctors and companions together for a one-off episode, who would you pair up?
Oh, I was hoping Hannah might come up with a Doctor Who question, and this is a wonderfully interesting one! (Hannah, I want your answer on this in the comments.)
First of all, I would pair up the Twelfth Doctor with Donna simply because, as this article points out, it would be hilarious. Donna would first ask what the hell "Caecilius" was doing in the TARDIS and why he was even bothering to do such a lousy impersonation of the Doctor – the accent? being all grumpy? WHAT?!
Now, the Doctor that Donna knows – the Tenth – would have to go with one of the Eleventh's companions, and I would pick post-marriage Amy and Rory – I love them best when they're together, so that's a package deal. I don't really know what we might expect to happen with these three. The Doctor might notice that Amy has succeeded in being ginger, unlike him. He would also, for once, get to meet a pretty young woman who doesn't fall for him, and that young woman's husband whom he can't call an idiot, unlike the "companions' boyfriends" that he met. He would also witness two companions whose lives don't revolve entirely around TARDIS traveling.
Because Martha is my favourite companion right after Amy and Rory, I would definitely want to see her somewhere in this mix-up. She and Nine would make up a very interesting, business-like TARDIS team, wouldn't they? Nine might also appreciate her talents more than Ten did, and I think Martha would lecture the Doctor on how he's not allowed to label all humans as "stupid apes".
Martha and Donna being taken, the only regular companion left for the Eleventh Doctor would be Rose, and I can't really see anything interesting coming out of this. Maybe I'm just biased against Rose. Anyway, I had another idea... Captain Jack Harkness. He's not one of "the" companions, but think about it, seriously! The "Captain of the Innuendo Squad" paired up with the Doctor who doesn't understand why a married couple doesn't want bunk beds – endless hilarity! Also, my favourite Doctor + my favourite supporting character from series 1-4 would mean an extra birthday for me...
What are your top 5 Disney films?
A Disney question, yay! First of all, I did some thinking on what sorts of things make my personal favourite Disney films stand out from all the good Disney films. Here is a list of things that really matter to me regarding this question. All of my Top Five don't have all of these qualities, but mostly they do.
2. The Princess and the Frog
This film carries none of the childhood nostalgia that I get from The Lion King and Pocahontas and the likes, because it came out as late as 2009 and in fact I only saw it a year ago – so I was quite surprised at how high it jumped (frog-like) into my favourites list, I simply loved it straight away! New Orleans makes a wonderfully imaginative setting and I love how the "Disney Princess" concept gets a modern update in Tiana, who is one of my favourite Disney heroines ever. She knows wishing and dreaming won't get her anywhere – she's gonna work for it! She's also got Anika Noni Rose's voice, which is such a perfect fit for a Disney princess. I'm very happy with how her relationship with Naveen develops throughout the film; they go through a lot together and actually make each other better people, so when they (spoilers, sort of) fall in love and start a life together, it feels like they have truly earned it. I really enjoy the music in this film and Charlotte, Louis and Ray (sniffles!) are some of my favourite Disney supporting characters! This is the only film on my list that I haven't heard the Finnish version of, but Tiana's voice actress (including the singing) is Laura Voutilainen, whom I liked very much as Megara in Hercules.
3. Mulan
Mulan is another wonderful heroine! She is such a great role model for anyone out there who feels like they don't fit in. She's smart, selfless and butt-kicking! She might even have actually existed! Again, the film looks beautiful and I really like the Chinese setting. It's possibly one of the funniest Disney films ever and makes me literally roar with laughter, but among the things I love most about it is the lovely relationship Mulan has with her father. "The greatest gift and honour... is having you for a daughter." Almost all of the earlier Disney heroines' relationships with their fathers were built on the fact that their mothers just weren't there, but I don't think any of their Disney Dads can top that line by Mulan's father. The soundtrack is amazing. The singing voices for both the original and the Finnish Mulan (Lea Salonga and Heidi Kyrö respectively) are very good, the scene where Mulan leaves her parents gives me the chills every single time, and this one below is one of my favourite work-out songs! (Shang's Finnish voice actor, Santeri Kinnunen, also voiced John Smith.)
4. Aladdin
Just hearing the first beats of "Arabian Nights" gets me all excited. By the time I finish watching, I think "Wow, this was even more awesome than I remembered", every single time! The setting in Agraba is full of mystery and excitement and Jafar is damn impressive as the villain. Jasmine is definitely on the smarter side of the Disney Princess line-up as she sees right through "Prince Ali's" pretense and fools Jafar into thinking she's suddenly smitten by him (I never stop giggling at that scene). Like Tiana, she gets to have adventures with Aladdin and learn things about him before she decides he's the man. The Finnish voice cast actually received some sort of a Disney award for best dubbing, with special recognition to the Finnish Genie, Vesa-Matti Loiri. He's a long-time household name over here and a man of many talents, and the energy and character that he brings to the Genie is spectacular. I do appreciate Robin Williams' portrayal as well.
5. Pocahontas
I wonder what people might think about me placing Pocahontas in my top favourites, because it seems that nobody particularly likes it. However, for me it was one of the most important films of my childhood. In all honesty, I can say that the importance I place on anti-racist and environmental values originates from how profoundly affected Little Me was by Pocahontas. Years later, when I had to give a presentation of a hero for a school assignment, I chose the real-life Pocahontas. I love the look of the film, the character designs and the colours (of the wind). Watching Pocahontas is also one of those times when being a Finn is a vast advantage, because you get to hear Arja Koriseva and Santeri Kinnunen as the leads. I don't really like Judy Kuhn's singing, whereas Arja Koriseva's voice seems to vibrate with the forces of the wind, the earth and the river that she sings about. I also find John Smith much more believable when he doesn't speak with the voice (and the American accent) of Mel Gibson. Now listen to Arja Koriseva sing like a goddess.
Honourable mentions: Fantasia because of its amazingly imaginative re-interpretation of some of the greatest compositions of classical music, and The Great Mouse Detective because it's such a fun tribute to Sherlock Holmes.
Have you seen any Jane Austen adaptations? If so, which did you like best?
I haven't seen many Jane Austen adaptations and, to be honest, I'm not terribly enthusiastic about them. In my opinion, Jane Austen's strongest asset is her distinctive, sharp and witty narrative voice – when that gets inevitably eliminated in the process of adapting to screen, the result is mostly leisurely-paced relationship dramas with very predictable endings. Therefore, I often get a little bored when watching Austen on screen. I have seen the Pride and Prejudice film from 2005, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries web series, the 1995 film and part of the 2008 miniseries of Sense and Sensibility, and the 2009 miniseries of Emma. My favourite of these would be The Lizzie Bennet Diaries because the modern update is very cleverly done! Out of the actual period dramas, the film version of Sense and Sensibility is my top pick because it has a good cast, a couple of additional scenes that really advance the characters, and beautiful directing by Ang Lee.
You're a polyglot: what's your favourite word in Finnish, Swedish, English, French and Spanish?
What an interesting question – and what a challenge! It's impossible to give definite answers to this one, but I tried to come up with something.
What's your favourite pizza topping?
Pineapple! It's one of the best fruits ever, not just in pizza – when it's fresh, actual pineapple, that is. The sickly-whiteish bits that swim around in tin cans do not deserve to be called pineapple.
Siiri L. wanted to know my Hogwarts house, wand and Patronus.
I am a Ravenclaw according to every single Hogwarts test I've ever found on the Internet, including Pottermore's, and I completely agree with the results. I have always identified with the bookish, knowledge-valuing Ravenclaw crowd, and when Pottermore revealed that the house also values creativity and originality (to the point where others call it being just plain weird), it sounded exactly like my old high school which specializes in performance arts and is locally famous as the "artsy weirdoes' school". (Note that I use the phrase as a term of endearment.)
Hannah asked...
If you could play any character in a musical and/or play, who would it be and why?
I'm going to pick one character from a musical and one from a straight play. My musical character choice would be Éponine, without a doubt. "On My Own" and "A Little Fall of Rain" are among my favourite songs from Les Misérables, and although the character in the musical is often criticized for lacking the complexities of her Victor Hugo counterpart, I think there would be plenty of chances for an actress to explore more of the derangement and instability that characterize Éponine in the novel. Everyone loves a good stage death, and Éponine departs singing a beautiful duet and fills the remaining rebels with new resolution to keep fighting. Plus, I really love that hat.
Can you rank the Dickens novels that you've read so far?
I'll be more than happy to do that! I have only read three and a half of his novels so far, plus A Christmas Carol which I'll also include in the ranking even though it's a novella. I'm seriously working on my Dickens education, though – just look at my Classics Club list! I would like to point out that I have loved every Dickens novel I have read so far, they are all brilliant in different ways. Therefore, even the works that I have placed low on this ranking are not bad – just less amazing than the ones above them.
1. A Tale of Two Cities
This one bounced straight up to my list of "all-time favourite books of literary magic which will affect me for the rest of my life" – as soon as I was finished with despairing over the cruelty of the human race and crying about that bloody guillotine. Dickens does something very different than his usual thing here; the setting is in the late 1700s exploring the devastating effects of the Revolution and the Terror on the French society, there is none of Dickens' trademark satirical humour, and the page count is just over 400. The result is an absolutely heartbreaking account on how humanity's struggle for "justice" leads to tragedy both nation-wide and in the lives of ordinary men and women. I don't think any other book ever has sent my mind reeling so wildly, both during and after reading it.
2. Nicholas Nickleby
This was my first Dickens experience and it will most likely stay high in my esteem no matter how many Dickens novels I will read after it. It is a big book in terms of length and story, covering diverse layers of Victorian society in their various pursuits. However, the focus stays on young Nicholas Nickleby of idealistic values, as he develops one of literature's loveliest bromances with poor Smike, and learns to stand his ground against his miserly uncle Ralph. Nicholas Nickleby is many things, which makes it such an engaging read – it's viciously funny and unflinchingly tragic, a broad social commentary as well as an eventful coming-of-age adventure.
3. A Christmas Carol
I'm a complete junkie for fantasy, character development and the Christmas spirit, so if there exists a story about a sore old miser finding redemption through supernatural intervention at Christmastime, written in brilliant Dickensian prose, is there anything else for me to do but adore it? As always, Dickens' masterful pen creates literary images so awe-inspiring that it is best described as pure magic.
4. Little Dorrit
I'm exactly halfway through this one while I'm writing this blog post so I won't say much right now, but I'm fairly certain that Little Dorrit will rank somewhere hereabouts once I'm finished with it. The book is very slow-paced at times, but the good parts are very good. It explores themes such as the effects of institutionalisation (in this case, in a debtors' prison), the vapid constructions of high society, and the importance of a fulfilling life in great depth. Arthur Clennam is an interestingly atypical literary hero and the reader gets to really delve into how his past experiences have shaped his personality and current views of life.
5. Oliver Twist
As I discussed in my review about a year ago, this book has some structural flaws and Oliver Twist himself is not the most interesting or realistic of child heroes, but there is still more than a fair share of brilliant bits to be found here.
Would you rather J.K. Rowling wrote a series about the Hogwarts Founders, a series about the Marauders or a series about the next generation at Hogwarts?
Each of these ideas holds its own element of intrigue, but being such a history person, I would most like to hear about how Hogwarts came to be. I just happened to do some reading on the Anglo-Saxon period in British history, and how amazing would it be to know what that era was like for witches and wizards? And even compared to all the countless magical people that came from Rowling's imagination, the four who founded Hogwarts must be terrifically interesting characters!
If you could put various Doctor Who Doctors and companions together for a one-off episode, who would you pair up?
Oh, I was hoping Hannah might come up with a Doctor Who question, and this is a wonderfully interesting one! (Hannah, I want your answer on this in the comments.)
First of all, I would pair up the Twelfth Doctor with Donna simply because, as this article points out, it would be hilarious. Donna would first ask what the hell "Caecilius" was doing in the TARDIS and why he was even bothering to do such a lousy impersonation of the Doctor – the accent? being all grumpy? WHAT?!
Now, the Doctor that Donna knows – the Tenth – would have to go with one of the Eleventh's companions, and I would pick post-marriage Amy and Rory – I love them best when they're together, so that's a package deal. I don't really know what we might expect to happen with these three. The Doctor might notice that Amy has succeeded in being ginger, unlike him. He would also, for once, get to meet a pretty young woman who doesn't fall for him, and that young woman's husband whom he can't call an idiot, unlike the "companions' boyfriends" that he met. He would also witness two companions whose lives don't revolve entirely around TARDIS traveling.
Because Martha is my favourite companion right after Amy and Rory, I would definitely want to see her somewhere in this mix-up. She and Nine would make up a very interesting, business-like TARDIS team, wouldn't they? Nine might also appreciate her talents more than Ten did, and I think Martha would lecture the Doctor on how he's not allowed to label all humans as "stupid apes".
Martha and Donna being taken, the only regular companion left for the Eleventh Doctor would be Rose, and I can't really see anything interesting coming out of this. Maybe I'm just biased against Rose. Anyway, I had another idea... Captain Jack Harkness. He's not one of "the" companions, but think about it, seriously! The "Captain of the Innuendo Squad" paired up with the Doctor who doesn't understand why a married couple doesn't want bunk beds – endless hilarity! Also, my favourite Doctor + my favourite supporting character from series 1-4 would mean an extra birthday for me...
What are your top 5 Disney films?
A Disney question, yay! First of all, I did some thinking on what sorts of things make my personal favourite Disney films stand out from all the good Disney films. Here is a list of things that really matter to me regarding this question. All of my Top Five don't have all of these qualities, but mostly they do.
- Well-rounded main characters whose background, motivations and hopes are properly explored
- Great music
- Beautiful animation
- An interesting setting
- A well-paced, eventful story that has equal measures of touching and funny moments
- A good voice cast – I watched most Disney films with Finnish dubbing first, and I still think many of the Finnish voice actors are better than the original ones, no matter how objective I try to be.
So, getting to the point, my Top 5 Disney films are...
1. The Lion King
This was an easy choice to make; there has never been and never will be a competitor to how much I adore just about everything in this film. The music is wonderful, the animation is gorgeous, I love every single character (including that classic, awesome Disney villain Scar) and no matter how many times I watch it, I'm always completely heart-broken about how Mufasa's death affects Simba way into adulthood. No other movie in the world makes me cry three times in one viewing. The story is truly inspiring and I wish I could have Timon and Pumbaa as my best friends – the Finnish voice actor for Timon, Pirkka-Pekka Petelius, really stands out. Let me give all of you non-Finns a piece of him:
2. The Princess and the Frog
This film carries none of the childhood nostalgia that I get from The Lion King and Pocahontas and the likes, because it came out as late as 2009 and in fact I only saw it a year ago – so I was quite surprised at how high it jumped (frog-like) into my favourites list, I simply loved it straight away! New Orleans makes a wonderfully imaginative setting and I love how the "Disney Princess" concept gets a modern update in Tiana, who is one of my favourite Disney heroines ever. She knows wishing and dreaming won't get her anywhere – she's gonna work for it! She's also got Anika Noni Rose's voice, which is such a perfect fit for a Disney princess. I'm very happy with how her relationship with Naveen develops throughout the film; they go through a lot together and actually make each other better people, so when they (spoilers, sort of) fall in love and start a life together, it feels like they have truly earned it. I really enjoy the music in this film and Charlotte, Louis and Ray (sniffles!) are some of my favourite Disney supporting characters! This is the only film on my list that I haven't heard the Finnish version of, but Tiana's voice actress (including the singing) is Laura Voutilainen, whom I liked very much as Megara in Hercules.
3. Mulan
Mulan is another wonderful heroine! She is such a great role model for anyone out there who feels like they don't fit in. She's smart, selfless and butt-kicking! She might even have actually existed! Again, the film looks beautiful and I really like the Chinese setting. It's possibly one of the funniest Disney films ever and makes me literally roar with laughter, but among the things I love most about it is the lovely relationship Mulan has with her father. "The greatest gift and honour... is having you for a daughter." Almost all of the earlier Disney heroines' relationships with their fathers were built on the fact that their mothers just weren't there, but I don't think any of their Disney Dads can top that line by Mulan's father. The soundtrack is amazing. The singing voices for both the original and the Finnish Mulan (Lea Salonga and Heidi Kyrö respectively) are very good, the scene where Mulan leaves her parents gives me the chills every single time, and this one below is one of my favourite work-out songs! (Shang's Finnish voice actor, Santeri Kinnunen, also voiced John Smith.)
4. Aladdin
Just hearing the first beats of "Arabian Nights" gets me all excited. By the time I finish watching, I think "Wow, this was even more awesome than I remembered", every single time! The setting in Agraba is full of mystery and excitement and Jafar is damn impressive as the villain. Jasmine is definitely on the smarter side of the Disney Princess line-up as she sees right through "Prince Ali's" pretense and fools Jafar into thinking she's suddenly smitten by him (I never stop giggling at that scene). Like Tiana, she gets to have adventures with Aladdin and learn things about him before she decides he's the man. The Finnish voice cast actually received some sort of a Disney award for best dubbing, with special recognition to the Finnish Genie, Vesa-Matti Loiri. He's a long-time household name over here and a man of many talents, and the energy and character that he brings to the Genie is spectacular. I do appreciate Robin Williams' portrayal as well.
5. Pocahontas
I wonder what people might think about me placing Pocahontas in my top favourites, because it seems that nobody particularly likes it. However, for me it was one of the most important films of my childhood. In all honesty, I can say that the importance I place on anti-racist and environmental values originates from how profoundly affected Little Me was by Pocahontas. Years later, when I had to give a presentation of a hero for a school assignment, I chose the real-life Pocahontas. I love the look of the film, the character designs and the colours (of the wind). Watching Pocahontas is also one of those times when being a Finn is a vast advantage, because you get to hear Arja Koriseva and Santeri Kinnunen as the leads. I don't really like Judy Kuhn's singing, whereas Arja Koriseva's voice seems to vibrate with the forces of the wind, the earth and the river that she sings about. I also find John Smith much more believable when he doesn't speak with the voice (and the American accent) of Mel Gibson. Now listen to Arja Koriseva sing like a goddess.
Honourable mentions: Fantasia because of its amazingly imaginative re-interpretation of some of the greatest compositions of classical music, and The Great Mouse Detective because it's such a fun tribute to Sherlock Holmes.
Have you seen any Jane Austen adaptations? If so, which did you like best?
I haven't seen many Jane Austen adaptations and, to be honest, I'm not terribly enthusiastic about them. In my opinion, Jane Austen's strongest asset is her distinctive, sharp and witty narrative voice – when that gets inevitably eliminated in the process of adapting to screen, the result is mostly leisurely-paced relationship dramas with very predictable endings. Therefore, I often get a little bored when watching Austen on screen. I have seen the Pride and Prejudice film from 2005, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries web series, the 1995 film and part of the 2008 miniseries of Sense and Sensibility, and the 2009 miniseries of Emma. My favourite of these would be The Lizzie Bennet Diaries because the modern update is very cleverly done! Out of the actual period dramas, the film version of Sense and Sensibility is my top pick because it has a good cast, a couple of additional scenes that really advance the characters, and beautiful directing by Ang Lee.
You're a polyglot: what's your favourite word in Finnish, Swedish, English, French and Spanish?
What an interesting question – and what a challenge! It's impossible to give definite answers to this one, but I tried to come up with something.
- Finnish: possibly valo, which means light (the noun). I'm not even remotely sure about this, though – it's really hard to evaluate my first language in this way! Eino Leino, one of the greatest Finnish poets (1878-1926), liked to use words with the back vowels a, o and u, and I really like the Finnish sound of them as well.
- Swedish: Swedish words are almost always cluttered with sounds like d, j, ä, g, and r (seriously, there are so many r's!) which don't make the pleasantest combinations if you ask my ears. There is also an abundance of weird phonemes which involve s in the front and a variety of other consonants right after it. Himmel is a nice, soft exception, and it means sky.
- English: Damn, this isn't any easier than the two previous ones! English is my favourite language and I'm constantly impressed by the scope and variety of its vocabulary. If I had to pick one, I might go with dramatic. It sounds exactly like what it means – dramatic!
- French: Oh, everything sounds beautiful in French, even vulgarities and words like trash ("Oh là là, this pubelle is rotting!"). Avenir is a particularly nice one, I think – future. It's rather clever too, as it's constructed from à venir, which means upcoming.
- Spanish: On my last visit to Spain, I stayed near to a village that has the word arroyo (brook) in its name, and I realized that even though the rhotic r is one of my least favourite sounds in Finnish and Swedish, in Spanish it sounds passionate and vivacious.
What's your favourite pizza topping?
Pineapple! It's one of the best fruits ever, not just in pizza – when it's fresh, actual pineapple, that is. The sickly-whiteish bits that swim around in tin cans do not deserve to be called pineapple.
Siiri L. wanted to know my Hogwarts house, wand and Patronus.
I am a Ravenclaw according to every single Hogwarts test I've ever found on the Internet, including Pottermore's, and I completely agree with the results. I have always identified with the bookish, knowledge-valuing Ravenclaw crowd, and when Pottermore revealed that the house also values creativity and originality (to the point where others call it being just plain weird), it sounded exactly like my old high school which specializes in performance arts and is locally famous as the "artsy weirdoes' school". (Note that I use the phrase as a term of endearment.)
According to Pottermore, my wand is of maple and unicorn hair, 10 inches and surprisingly swishy. Unicorns are my favourite mythological creatures and maple wands are supposed to fit for travelers and explorers who don't like to stay in one place, so I think it fits pretty well! The Patronus question is a tricky one because I don't think it's something you can choose, but I would love a wolf Patronus. Fear and hate of wolves is a deeply-rooted mindset in the Finnish population, but I've always thought they're beautiful and mysterious (though I do understand how people who live in the heavily wolf-populated areas where children are sometimes afraid to walk to school might find it hard to agree with me). The Starks' direwolves are one of my absolute favourite things in A Song of Ice and Fire!
The Ask Me Anything event finishes tomorrow with my answers to Hamlette's and Olivia's questions! :) Please feel free to share your own thoughts on the questions above!
Saturday, 21 February 2015
The Nominees for Best Original Song Academy Award in 2015
The 87th Academy Awards will be taking place on Sunday, and I'm hugely excited to be once again having an Oscar Party with my best friends – unlike last year, now I've actually seen some of the nominated films: Boyhood, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Theory of Everything, The Imitation Game and the last Hobbit film.
However, none of those films are going to be the real subject of this post. Just like last year, I'm going to rank the nominees for Best Original Song and comment on them – again, without having seen the movies for which these songs were written. All in all, though, I have to say that the competition in this category is appallingly mediocre in my opinion. There is no Let It Go this year. Alright, let's take a look at the five nominees. Or a listen.
However, none of those films are going to be the real subject of this post. Just like last year, I'm going to rank the nominees for Best Original Song and comment on them – again, without having seen the movies for which these songs were written. All in all, though, I have to say that the competition in this category is appallingly mediocre in my opinion. There is no Let It Go this year. Alright, let's take a look at the five nominees. Or a listen.
#5. 'I'm Not Gonna Miss You' from Glen Campbell... I'll Be Me
Music and lyrics by Glen Campbell and Julian Raymond
This melody and the instrumental background bore me so much that I could use this as a lullaby. Except that I've actually made a "go to sleep" playlist for myself and I tend to only include songs that I like in there. I don't like this song at all. I have no patience for the kind of break-up songs where they say "I don't need you in my life" but really they think the opposite and they're just desperate for attention.
#4. 'Everything Is Awesome' from The Lego Movie
Music and lyrics by Shawn Patterson
I still haven't figured out exactly what a song like this – with lyrics about as meaningful as an empty balloon and not even a decent dance beat to save it – is doing on a list of nominees for the Academy Awards. Seriously, try listening to this so that you actually concentrate on the lyrics. Did you? Yep, I know – that's a minute and a half that you'll never get back.
#3. 'Glory' from Selma
Music and lyrics by John Stephens and Lonnie Lynn
I liked how this song started off. The background instruments set the atmosphere very well and the chorus works. Then the rap verses kick in, with lyrics so overwhelmingly preachy that they must have been written while ticking off the "Most Clichéd Phrases for Freedom-fighting Songs" list. If you want to handle a theme like this with beauty and earnestness, try a little subtlety, please.
#2. 'Grateful' from Beyond the Lights
Music and lyrics by Diane Warren
Finally, moving up on the list to songs that do not annoy me in almost every possible way. "Grateful" is very listenable indeed. Too bad that practically every female pop singer does a variation of the "I endured hardships but I'm glad about it because it made me a stronger person" ballad and this song doesn't have anything terribly interesting or creative to say on the subject.
And the Oscar should go to... 'Lost Stars' from Begin Again
Music and lyrics by Gregg Alexander and Danielle Brisebois
I wouldn't say this is a great song, but it's the only one out of these nominees that doesn't feel pretentious, boring or meaningless to me. It has a nice, relaxed feel about it, but if you listen to the lyrics properly it is actually quite thoughtful. I will of course always appreciate a touch of the piano and the guitar on the background, and the chorus has a good beat about it.
Are you going to watch the award show this year? How much do you usually care about the Original Song category? I'm off to do some more Oscar blogging!
Sunday, 29 June 2014
Triumph of cover songs
When a singer covers another one's song, does it mean they are running out of ideas of their own? I think not. Is it an insult to the original version if someone makes a re-imagined cover? Again, I think not – as long as the original artist is credited alongside the new one.
In my opinion, a song has to be great in some respect to begin with, in order to inspire a good cover version. Very often, another artist's take on a song highlights some great quality that you never really paid attention to while listening to the original. So in this way, covers can definitely be regarded as a nod of respect to the original version, rather than a slander.
I've listed here seven cover songs that, in my opinion, are better than their originals. Some of them have become so iconic that they are often associated with the cover artist rather than the original, but others just show my personal preferences. A couple of these songs are popular enough to have been covered by several artists, but I have only listed my favourite ones. Have fun listening and comparing!
Crazy In Love – originally by Beyoncé, covered by Emeli Sandé
I always thought this song was restless to the point that I swear it makes my blood pressure climb up, so the re-imagined background on the Emeli Sandé cover is a very welcome change. Unlike with the other songs on my list, I don't think the cover version really unearthed any hidden qualities about the original song, but it sure is much more listenable.
Make You Feel My Love – originally by Bob Dylan, covered by Adele
Now, this melody was great already when Bob Dylan wrote it. I'm just not at all a fan of his voice, and his version sounds very monotonous to me. It takes Adele to make this song a real emotion-booster that it has the capacity to be. Just listen to that heart-breaking tone that she puts into each and every syllable.
Unchained Melody – originally by Todd Duncan, covered by The Righteous Brothers
Unchained Melody was originally composed for a prison film called, you guessed it, Unchained. The famous Righteous Brothers cover was also used in a film, Ghost. The original Todd Duncan version is quite beautiful in its simplicity, but I happen to be head over heels in love with Bobby Hatfield's voice – how he manages to use his voice like that is subject of constant awe for me. (This song is actually a Bobby Hatfield solo although it's usually credited to The Righteous Brothers duo.) I also love the way the cover version starts off very quiet and mellow, and then soars higher and higher as it goes on.
Yesterday – originally by The Beatles, covered by Ray Charles
Right, supposedly nobody is allowed to say that someone did a Paul McCartney song better than Paul McCartney – but I'm going to say it anyway. I don't mean to say I dislike the Beatles original, but only Ray Charles can really make me feel for this song. This is a most definite case of "a great song making great covers happen".
Run – originally by Snow Patrol, covered by Leona Lewis
I found Leona Lewis' cover before the original and was quite surprised when I discovered where this great, emotional ballad had its roots. Somehow, the Snow Patrol lyrics gain a whole new level of meaning when they have the benefit of Lewis' powerful voice.
Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) – originally by Cher, covered by Nancy Sinatra
I'm sorry, but I think the whole point of this song is lost under the distracting arrangement of the Cher version. Therefore, it baffles me to no end how Nancy Sinatra managed to turn it into such a captivating melody, with its beautiful, toned-down backgrounds. In this case, less is definitely more.
I Will Always Love You – originally by Dolly Parton, covered by Whitney Houston
Last on my list, the epitome of epic covers. I mean, is there anybody out there who doesn't immediately think Whitney Houston when this song is mentioned? Thank you Dolly Parton for writing such a powerful song, and thank you Whitney Houston for making it immortal with her sensational vocal chords. Isn't it intriguing how a country song is transformed into a power ballad by just tweaking the instrumentals a bit and adding some soulful saxophone?
What do you think about my list – do you prefer the originals or the covers? Would you like to mention some other successful cover songs? How do you feel about singers covering each others' songs in general?
In my opinion, a song has to be great in some respect to begin with, in order to inspire a good cover version. Very often, another artist's take on a song highlights some great quality that you never really paid attention to while listening to the original. So in this way, covers can definitely be regarded as a nod of respect to the original version, rather than a slander.
I've listed here seven cover songs that, in my opinion, are better than their originals. Some of them have become so iconic that they are often associated with the cover artist rather than the original, but others just show my personal preferences. A couple of these songs are popular enough to have been covered by several artists, but I have only listed my favourite ones. Have fun listening and comparing!
Crazy In Love – originally by Beyoncé, covered by Emeli Sandé
I always thought this song was restless to the point that I swear it makes my blood pressure climb up, so the re-imagined background on the Emeli Sandé cover is a very welcome change. Unlike with the other songs on my list, I don't think the cover version really unearthed any hidden qualities about the original song, but it sure is much more listenable.
Make You Feel My Love – originally by Bob Dylan, covered by Adele
Now, this melody was great already when Bob Dylan wrote it. I'm just not at all a fan of his voice, and his version sounds very monotonous to me. It takes Adele to make this song a real emotion-booster that it has the capacity to be. Just listen to that heart-breaking tone that she puts into each and every syllable.
Unchained Melody – originally by Todd Duncan, covered by The Righteous Brothers
Unchained Melody was originally composed for a prison film called, you guessed it, Unchained. The famous Righteous Brothers cover was also used in a film, Ghost. The original Todd Duncan version is quite beautiful in its simplicity, but I happen to be head over heels in love with Bobby Hatfield's voice – how he manages to use his voice like that is subject of constant awe for me. (This song is actually a Bobby Hatfield solo although it's usually credited to The Righteous Brothers duo.) I also love the way the cover version starts off very quiet and mellow, and then soars higher and higher as it goes on.
Yesterday – originally by The Beatles, covered by Ray Charles
Right, supposedly nobody is allowed to say that someone did a Paul McCartney song better than Paul McCartney – but I'm going to say it anyway. I don't mean to say I dislike the Beatles original, but only Ray Charles can really make me feel for this song. This is a most definite case of "a great song making great covers happen".
Run – originally by Snow Patrol, covered by Leona Lewis
I found Leona Lewis' cover before the original and was quite surprised when I discovered where this great, emotional ballad had its roots. Somehow, the Snow Patrol lyrics gain a whole new level of meaning when they have the benefit of Lewis' powerful voice.
Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) – originally by Cher, covered by Nancy Sinatra
I'm sorry, but I think the whole point of this song is lost under the distracting arrangement of the Cher version. Therefore, it baffles me to no end how Nancy Sinatra managed to turn it into such a captivating melody, with its beautiful, toned-down backgrounds. In this case, less is definitely more.
I Will Always Love You – originally by Dolly Parton, covered by Whitney Houston
Last on my list, the epitome of epic covers. I mean, is there anybody out there who doesn't immediately think Whitney Houston when this song is mentioned? Thank you Dolly Parton for writing such a powerful song, and thank you Whitney Houston for making it immortal with her sensational vocal chords. Isn't it intriguing how a country song is transformed into a power ballad by just tweaking the instrumentals a bit and adding some soulful saxophone?
What do you think about my list – do you prefer the originals or the covers? Would you like to mention some other successful cover songs? How do you feel about singers covering each others' songs in general?
Saturday, 28 June 2014
My favourite fictional LGBT couples
I was planning this as a celebration post, but as the cause of celebration has been significantly delayed and is facing yet another obstacle, and it happens to be the end of Pride Week, I thought I might as well post this now.
Background for non-Finns: Finland is the only Nordic country that hasn't legalized same-sex marriage and adoption. In 2013, more than 166 000 Finns signed a citizens' initiative for a new marriage law. The bill went on to the Parliament and then to the Legal Affairs Committee. Three days ago, the majority of the Committee voted against the bill, but the final decision will be made by the Parliament, hopefully this Autumn.
While the Legal Affairs Committee's decision does not yet mean a definite "no" to same-sex marriage in Finland, it is still incredibly frustrating for people like me who would love to see our country getting a move on and taking this important step towards equal rights, like so many other European countries have already done. I understand that altering the marriage law is a big enough issue that it has to be seriously discussed, and that people have very strong opinions on these matters, but I can't understand how allowing same-sex couples to get married would ruin anybody's life.
So, finally getting to the point, as this was not meant to be just a political rant post – I would like to celebrate some couples who, though fictional, are beautiful examples of the fact that love between people of the same gender is just as authentic and right as love between a man and a woman.
One last thing before I get on to my list. Like I said, I know that many people feel very strongly for and against gay rights, but I will not have a political war of words on my blog. Civilized conversation is always appreciated at Music & My Mind, but hateful comments will not be tolerated (not that I believe any of those who have regularly make comments here would do such a thing, you all seem such an intellectual bunch). My motivations behind this post are the important values of love and acceptance, and I sincerely hope that anyone who visits here will respect that.
Now let's finally give the spotlight to... my personal favourite LGBT couples from the world of fiction!
Kurt Hummel and Blaine Anderson (Glee)
Since Glee's fourth season the show isn't quite what it used to be, but they still get the credit for creating one of my favourite TV couples ever: Kurt and Blaine. They are both such funny and touching characters by themselves, and when they are together there's a genuine sense that they both give something to each other in their relationship. At least, before the fourth season and the weird writing (in my opinion) came along. Also, they sound great when they sing together, and are always admirably well-dressed. Especially Kurt.
Hiram and LeRoy Berry (Glee)
Hiram: LeRoy! We agreed to sing it straight! No vocal runs – that's how Jennifer Hudson got kicked off American Idol!
LeRoy: I would love to hear you sing something straight.
Misters Berry made their first appearance in the 13th episode of the third season of Glee, finally giving us the chance to meet the parents who raised (and spoiled) Rachel Berry, running their family by the principles of "honesty, respect and dance". It was worth the wait, because their introduction was one of the most entertaining scenes I have ever witnessed on TV. Jeff Goldblum and Brian Stokes Mitchell work together brilliantly, delivering a lovely, quirky version of the "old married couple" relation. (Though it's never mentioned if Hiram and LeRoy are officially married, but that's not really the point.)
Gary and Billy (Sherlock)
Billy: What with the monster and the ruddy prisoner, I don't know how we sleep nights. Do you, Gary?
Gary: Like a baby.
Billy: That's not true. He's a snorer.
These guys don't get a lot of screen time on The Hounds of Baskerville, but they're still a lot of fun to watch. And you have to give them credit for running a vegetarian restaurant in a sleepy Dartmoor village. (Why can't I find a picture of them together anywhere in the whole wide world of the Internet??)
Angel Dumott Schunard and Tom Collins (RENT)
RENT is one of my Top Ten favourite musicals, and these two are the most beautiful thing in it. Angel and Collins know how to appreciate each other, and they set an inspiring example to their friends. I'll Cover You (video above) always makes me smile and believe that there are good things in the world – until it's time for the I'll Cover You Reprise, aka tears and heart ache.
Maureen Johnson and Joanne Jefferson (RENT)
These two get into a lot of petty arguments which really is quite irritating at times. They have to see horrible things happen to their closest friends before they can look past each others' differences. But at least they do get there in the end – and when they have an argument, they do it by singing one of the most awesome female duets in the history of music. If people have to have a row, it's always better if they can sound fabulous while doing that.
Callie Torres and Erica Hahn (Grey's Anatomy)
Something odd happened with this TV romance. Apparently, some high-chair bosses didn't approve of having a lesbian couple on their show, so Erica Hahn was quickly written off the show just as she was getting happy with Callie. But then, a couple of episodes later, Callie ended up in a relationship with Arizona Robbins, who is quite clearly a woman too. Anyway, I liked Callie and Erica a lot more than Callie and Arizona. That's probably because I was a tremendous fan of Dr Hahn to begin with!
Patricia Mollison and Melly (The Casual Vacancy)
'Melly's fine, thanks for asking,' said Patricia.
'Oh, good,' said Shirley.
'I liked the invitation,' said Patricia. 'Pat and guest.'
'I'm sorry, darling, but that's just what you put, you know, when people aren't married -'
'Ah, that's what it says in Debrett's, does it? Well, Melly didn't want to come if she wasn't even named on the invitation, so we had a massive row, and here I am, alone. Result, eh?'
(from The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling)
Listing Patricia and Melly's relationship might be a bit unconventional, as only one half of this couple actually appears in the book. However, I love it how pointedly offended Patricia feels on Melly's behalf about the wording on their invitation. Besides, I wanted to include at least one couple from a literary work, and it turns out there are not an awful lot to choose from!
Background for non-Finns: Finland is the only Nordic country that hasn't legalized same-sex marriage and adoption. In 2013, more than 166 000 Finns signed a citizens' initiative for a new marriage law. The bill went on to the Parliament and then to the Legal Affairs Committee. Three days ago, the majority of the Committee voted against the bill, but the final decision will be made by the Parliament, hopefully this Autumn.
While the Legal Affairs Committee's decision does not yet mean a definite "no" to same-sex marriage in Finland, it is still incredibly frustrating for people like me who would love to see our country getting a move on and taking this important step towards equal rights, like so many other European countries have already done. I understand that altering the marriage law is a big enough issue that it has to be seriously discussed, and that people have very strong opinions on these matters, but I can't understand how allowing same-sex couples to get married would ruin anybody's life.
So, finally getting to the point, as this was not meant to be just a political rant post – I would like to celebrate some couples who, though fictional, are beautiful examples of the fact that love between people of the same gender is just as authentic and right as love between a man and a woman.
One last thing before I get on to my list. Like I said, I know that many people feel very strongly for and against gay rights, but I will not have a political war of words on my blog. Civilized conversation is always appreciated at Music & My Mind, but hateful comments will not be tolerated (not that I believe any of those who have regularly make comments here would do such a thing, you all seem such an intellectual bunch). My motivations behind this post are the important values of love and acceptance, and I sincerely hope that anyone who visits here will respect that.
Now let's finally give the spotlight to... my personal favourite LGBT couples from the world of fiction!
Kurt Hummel and Blaine Anderson (Glee)
Since Glee's fourth season the show isn't quite what it used to be, but they still get the credit for creating one of my favourite TV couples ever: Kurt and Blaine. They are both such funny and touching characters by themselves, and when they are together there's a genuine sense that they both give something to each other in their relationship. At least, before the fourth season and the weird writing (in my opinion) came along. Also, they sound great when they sing together, and are always admirably well-dressed. Especially Kurt.
Hiram and LeRoy Berry (Glee)
Hiram: LeRoy! We agreed to sing it straight! No vocal runs – that's how Jennifer Hudson got kicked off American Idol!
LeRoy: I would love to hear you sing something straight.
Misters Berry made their first appearance in the 13th episode of the third season of Glee, finally giving us the chance to meet the parents who raised (and spoiled) Rachel Berry, running their family by the principles of "honesty, respect and dance". It was worth the wait, because their introduction was one of the most entertaining scenes I have ever witnessed on TV. Jeff Goldblum and Brian Stokes Mitchell work together brilliantly, delivering a lovely, quirky version of the "old married couple" relation. (Though it's never mentioned if Hiram and LeRoy are officially married, but that's not really the point.)
Gary and Billy (Sherlock)
Billy: What with the monster and the ruddy prisoner, I don't know how we sleep nights. Do you, Gary?
Gary: Like a baby.
Billy: That's not true. He's a snorer.
These guys don't get a lot of screen time on The Hounds of Baskerville, but they're still a lot of fun to watch. And you have to give them credit for running a vegetarian restaurant in a sleepy Dartmoor village. (Why can't I find a picture of them together anywhere in the whole wide world of the Internet??)
Angel Dumott Schunard and Tom Collins (RENT)
RENT is one of my Top Ten favourite musicals, and these two are the most beautiful thing in it. Angel and Collins know how to appreciate each other, and they set an inspiring example to their friends. I'll Cover You (video above) always makes me smile and believe that there are good things in the world – until it's time for the I'll Cover You Reprise, aka tears and heart ache.
Maureen Johnson and Joanne Jefferson (RENT)
These two get into a lot of petty arguments which really is quite irritating at times. They have to see horrible things happen to their closest friends before they can look past each others' differences. But at least they do get there in the end – and when they have an argument, they do it by singing one of the most awesome female duets in the history of music. If people have to have a row, it's always better if they can sound fabulous while doing that.
Callie Torres and Erica Hahn (Grey's Anatomy)
Something odd happened with this TV romance. Apparently, some high-chair bosses didn't approve of having a lesbian couple on their show, so Erica Hahn was quickly written off the show just as she was getting happy with Callie. But then, a couple of episodes later, Callie ended up in a relationship with Arizona Robbins, who is quite clearly a woman too. Anyway, I liked Callie and Erica a lot more than Callie and Arizona. That's probably because I was a tremendous fan of Dr Hahn to begin with!
Patricia Mollison and Melly (The Casual Vacancy)
'Melly's fine, thanks for asking,' said Patricia.
'Oh, good,' said Shirley.
'I liked the invitation,' said Patricia. 'Pat and guest.'
'I'm sorry, darling, but that's just what you put, you know, when people aren't married -'
'Ah, that's what it says in Debrett's, does it? Well, Melly didn't want to come if she wasn't even named on the invitation, so we had a massive row, and here I am, alone. Result, eh?'
(from The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling)
Listing Patricia and Melly's relationship might be a bit unconventional, as only one half of this couple actually appears in the book. However, I love it how pointedly offended Patricia feels on Melly's behalf about the wording on their invitation. Besides, I wanted to include at least one couple from a literary work, and it turns out there are not an awful lot to choose from!
++ Edited on 28th Nov 2014 to mark the occasion of the Finnish Parliament voting about the legalization of gay marriage and adoption, an addition to the list:
Freddie Thornhill and Stuart Bixby (Vicious)
There isn't much that could go wrong if you cast Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Derek Jacobi on the same TV show. Having them play a long-time couple that has fallen into the habit of displaying their mutual affection by insulting each other in the most British manner is absolute comedy gold. No matter how much Stuart pokes fun at Freddie's acting career while Freddie insists he's the "looks" in the relationship, the fact that these two have loved each other for almost 50 years is very believable and touching. It's really delightful to see an older couple with such an extensive history on TV! I'm writing this up on a train on my phone so I can't add videos, but you should all go to YouTube right now and look for the "This is Ke$ha" clip on Vicious. It's priceless. Sirs Ian and Derek just rock.
What do you think about my list? Do you know of any other inspiring, well-written LGBT couples that I haven't listed?
Tuesday, 29 April 2014
Books that the world adores but I don't
You finally get your hands on that great, classic book, that masterpiece that has left its mark on the world of literature, and you've decided to read it because a) everyone around you has been urging you to read because it's so amazing, or b) you feel you must acquaint yourself with it in order to respect yourself as a civilized human being. When you turn the first page, you feel so happy, embarking on this great adventure that will surely affect your views of the world...
... but sometimes, it ends with you reaching the last page and then slamming shut the back cover with nothing but... emptiness... on your mind. Then you start to wonder why you feel so empty, and then you get a little (or a little more) annoyed at the book in your hands for not fulfilling its promise of being fantastic. Finally, you try to decide whether the world around you is off its rocker for revering this book so highly, or if it's your brain that's been set wrong. Either way, you simply find yourself feeling completely indifferent, or even downright negative, towards a work of literature that you were "supposed to like".
As you might have guessed already, I'm now going to share my most prominent experiences of being unsatisfied with world-renowned classics. Warning: there will be, obviously, opinions very much against these great works of literature, expressed with shameless honesty (but with only moderate brutality, I hope), and even (Le Gasp!) a suggestion that the film version might be better than the book. And remember, if you happen to like or even love one of these books, it's completely fine with me. That's the point of opinions, it's okay if they are different.
So, let's get on with it – ladies and gentlemen, my list of books that I was supposed to like... but didn't!
Charlotte Brontë: Jane Eyre
Alright, I'm starting with a really tricky one – by which I mean that this book is bound to have kazillions of defenders who are dreadfully appalled that I'm questioning its position as a much-loved classic. Well, let me explain some things. Firstly, I'm actually not saying that any of the books in this list don't deserve to be named as great classics. I can honestly see how Jane Eyre has affected perceptions of literature, and I understand why it is appealing to so many readers. Which brings me to my second point: I really like some things about this book myself. I like to read how Jane and Rochester's relationship develops, and I like to see Jane overcoming her obstacles and finding her happiness. But I'm the wrong kind of person to enjoy this gothic, melodramatic style. I find myself holding back laughter when Mr Rochester makes his dramatic first appearance and rolling my eyes at his mad wife floating around the house at night. Still, I'm a little tempted to maybe give Jane Eyre another try someday.
Louisa May Alcott: Little Women (including the second volume)
Something curious happened with this book. I can't remember how old I was when I read it for the first time, but anyway, I liked it alright. Then I read it again at high school age – and that seemingly innocent little novel almost suffocated me. So, Jo March is supposed to be running the frontier of independent, free-spirited female characters – so why, each time I read her story, is there always this little, smug know-it-all voice in my ear tutting at how very silly and far-fetched Jo's dream of becoming a great author is? It always seems to me that Meg and Beth, the eventual homebody sisters who spend their days sewing and waving dish towels, are what the book actually wants to push forward as the ideal model of a "little woman"! This is the dreaded part where I say the film version of 1994 is more enjoyable to me than the book, because it focuses more on the relationships between the sisters and their mother, and less on preaching what good little women should and shouldn't do.
Paulo Coelho: The Alchemist
This is not a novel, it's a novel-length string of aphorisms. It's the result of a billion-dollar bet on "how many lofty ideas of the meaning of life can you fit into 175 pages?" (Alright, I made that up because I'm in a particularly witty mood today.) There's an Andalusian shepherd boy who has a dream, and after taking advice from some mysterious characters he ends up crossing North Africa. And three-quarters into the book, it becomes painfully obvious how his journey is going to end... Or maybe that was just me. I am aware that The Alchemist was not written to be a thrilling adventure story, but honestly, all those characters sprouting out metaphysical musings just gets on my nerves.
Mika Waltari: The Egyptian (originally Sinuhe egyptiläinen)
This is a work of literature that I should particularly appreciate as a Finn – and I do, in some ways. The writer, Mika Waltari, lived in the early 1900s and belonged to a society of authors who strove to bring more European influence into the Finnish arts, and while he was an incredibly productive writer, The Egyptian is definitely one of his best-known works – it was even made into a Hollywood film in 1954, how often has that happened to a Finnish novel?! The novel is widely praised for its accurate depiction of Ancient Egypt, and that I can agree to – the reader also gets to see more of the Ancient world as the main character, Sinuhe, goes on a road trip of sorts. That part I actually liked. What I didn't like at all was Sinuhe himself. God, how could he be so dumb and annoying? Also, the ending of this book leaves a kind of horrible, empty feeling in my mind which I hate.
Gustave Flaubert: Madame Bovary
So I thought Sinuhe the Egyptian was the most exhausting main character ever... until I met Emma Bovary. I read this one in high school, when we had to pick one out of a list of books that had been considered scandalous at the time they were published. I can definitely see why Madame Bovary was shocking back in 1856 – you see, Emma Bovary marries a dull doctor, realizes that her married life isn't looking like she imagined in her glittering dreams, and finds excitement by making frequent escapes to the attractions of the city and (Le Gasp!) having two different lovers. I have never, never, never wished so badly that the main character could somehow be... got rid of. If this hadn't been a compulsory read for school, I probably wouldn't have bothered to finish it.
Am I a horrible person for not liking these great classics? Have you ever had similar experiences? Tell me about all the well-known books that disappointed you!
... but sometimes, it ends with you reaching the last page and then slamming shut the back cover with nothing but... emptiness... on your mind. Then you start to wonder why you feel so empty, and then you get a little (or a little more) annoyed at the book in your hands for not fulfilling its promise of being fantastic. Finally, you try to decide whether the world around you is off its rocker for revering this book so highly, or if it's your brain that's been set wrong. Either way, you simply find yourself feeling completely indifferent, or even downright negative, towards a work of literature that you were "supposed to like".
As you might have guessed already, I'm now going to share my most prominent experiences of being unsatisfied with world-renowned classics. Warning: there will be, obviously, opinions very much against these great works of literature, expressed with shameless honesty (but with only moderate brutality, I hope), and even (Le Gasp!) a suggestion that the film version might be better than the book. And remember, if you happen to like or even love one of these books, it's completely fine with me. That's the point of opinions, it's okay if they are different.
So, let's get on with it – ladies and gentlemen, my list of books that I was supposed to like... but didn't!
Charlotte Brontë: Jane Eyre
Alright, I'm starting with a really tricky one – by which I mean that this book is bound to have kazillions of defenders who are dreadfully appalled that I'm questioning its position as a much-loved classic. Well, let me explain some things. Firstly, I'm actually not saying that any of the books in this list don't deserve to be named as great classics. I can honestly see how Jane Eyre has affected perceptions of literature, and I understand why it is appealing to so many readers. Which brings me to my second point: I really like some things about this book myself. I like to read how Jane and Rochester's relationship develops, and I like to see Jane overcoming her obstacles and finding her happiness. But I'm the wrong kind of person to enjoy this gothic, melodramatic style. I find myself holding back laughter when Mr Rochester makes his dramatic first appearance and rolling my eyes at his mad wife floating around the house at night. Still, I'm a little tempted to maybe give Jane Eyre another try someday.
Louisa May Alcott: Little Women (including the second volume)Something curious happened with this book. I can't remember how old I was when I read it for the first time, but anyway, I liked it alright. Then I read it again at high school age – and that seemingly innocent little novel almost suffocated me. So, Jo March is supposed to be running the frontier of independent, free-spirited female characters – so why, each time I read her story, is there always this little, smug know-it-all voice in my ear tutting at how very silly and far-fetched Jo's dream of becoming a great author is? It always seems to me that Meg and Beth, the eventual homebody sisters who spend their days sewing and waving dish towels, are what the book actually wants to push forward as the ideal model of a "little woman"! This is the dreaded part where I say the film version of 1994 is more enjoyable to me than the book, because it focuses more on the relationships between the sisters and their mother, and less on preaching what good little women should and shouldn't do.
Paulo Coelho: The Alchemist
This is not a novel, it's a novel-length string of aphorisms. It's the result of a billion-dollar bet on "how many lofty ideas of the meaning of life can you fit into 175 pages?" (Alright, I made that up because I'm in a particularly witty mood today.) There's an Andalusian shepherd boy who has a dream, and after taking advice from some mysterious characters he ends up crossing North Africa. And three-quarters into the book, it becomes painfully obvious how his journey is going to end... Or maybe that was just me. I am aware that The Alchemist was not written to be a thrilling adventure story, but honestly, all those characters sprouting out metaphysical musings just gets on my nerves.
Mika Waltari: The Egyptian (originally Sinuhe egyptiläinen)
This is a work of literature that I should particularly appreciate as a Finn – and I do, in some ways. The writer, Mika Waltari, lived in the early 1900s and belonged to a society of authors who strove to bring more European influence into the Finnish arts, and while he was an incredibly productive writer, The Egyptian is definitely one of his best-known works – it was even made into a Hollywood film in 1954, how often has that happened to a Finnish novel?! The novel is widely praised for its accurate depiction of Ancient Egypt, and that I can agree to – the reader also gets to see more of the Ancient world as the main character, Sinuhe, goes on a road trip of sorts. That part I actually liked. What I didn't like at all was Sinuhe himself. God, how could he be so dumb and annoying? Also, the ending of this book leaves a kind of horrible, empty feeling in my mind which I hate.
Gustave Flaubert: Madame Bovary
So I thought Sinuhe the Egyptian was the most exhausting main character ever... until I met Emma Bovary. I read this one in high school, when we had to pick one out of a list of books that had been considered scandalous at the time they were published. I can definitely see why Madame Bovary was shocking back in 1856 – you see, Emma Bovary marries a dull doctor, realizes that her married life isn't looking like she imagined in her glittering dreams, and finds excitement by making frequent escapes to the attractions of the city and (Le Gasp!) having two different lovers. I have never, never, never wished so badly that the main character could somehow be... got rid of. If this hadn't been a compulsory read for school, I probably wouldn't have bothered to finish it.
Am I a horrible person for not liking these great classics? Have you ever had similar experiences? Tell me about all the well-known books that disappointed you!
Sunday, 19 January 2014
My pick for the 2014 Original Song Oscar winner
I have to say I know very little about the films competing for the Academy Awards this year. Last year was very exciting because Les Misérables was nominated in so many categories, and I even watched the whole awards show for the first time in my life. I haven't seen any of the mega-awards-nominated movies from this year (such as 12 Years A Slave and American Hustle), but I decided to do my research in at least one category: the Best Original Song nominees.
So now I'm going to list all the five Original Song nominees from my least favourite choice to the one I would want to win the award – with comments that justify their placement in that order, of course. I haven't seen any of the films where these songs appear so I will judge their qualities as individual songs only, not taking into account how they function in their respective films. If you've already done your research and made your pick, see if your opinion agrees with mine! And if you haven't I'll embed videos of all the songs so you can choose your favourite now.
Finally this list gets to the songs that make me say "Yeah, this is awesome!" I dare you not to tap your foot to this one. There's never too many happy songs on this planet, and Pharrell Williams has something really cool going on here. The song might be a bit too long and the lyrics get somewhat repetitive, but that instrumental background is just too infectious to resist!
So now I'm going to list all the five Original Song nominees from my least favourite choice to the one I would want to win the award – with comments that justify their placement in that order, of course. I haven't seen any of the films where these songs appear so I will judge their qualities as individual songs only, not taking into account how they function in their respective films. If you've already done your research and made your pick, see if your opinion agrees with mine! And if you haven't I'll embed videos of all the songs so you can choose your favourite now.
#5 The Moon Song from Her
The Moon Song gets the last place in my ranking because that kind of guitar-plucking, wheezy-voiced style of music never resonates with me. I'm surely not the only one who can't make anything out of half of the lyrics because they just get blurred into oblivion? And because of that, I have completely no idea what this song is even supposed to be about!
#4 Alone Yet Not Alone from Alone Yet Not Alone
Every time this song begins, I think "It's actually quite a beautiful melody." But by the time the tune rolls halfway through, I'm bored. I don't know if it's because of the lullaby-esque rendition or the fact that I can't relate to the lyrics at all, but I. Get. Bored. It's by no means a bad song, just not at all Oscar material. (and even though it has nothing to do with the song itself, I just have to wonder who on Earth, in the 21st century, makes a film that has Native American characters without hiring actual Native Americans... Seriously, the black wigs and the feathers don't trick anyone anymore)
EDIT// As of January 29th, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has disqualified "Alone Yet Not Alone" as a nominee. Composer Bruce Broughton personally contacted some members of the Academy music branch (of which he used to be the governor) during the voting period in order to get more attention for his song, which the Academy considered unethical. A replacing nominee has not been chosen.
EDIT// As of January 29th, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has disqualified "Alone Yet Not Alone" as a nominee. Composer Bruce Broughton personally contacted some members of the Academy music branch (of which he used to be the governor) during the voting period in order to get more attention for his song, which the Academy considered unethical. A replacing nominee has not been chosen.
#3 Ordinary Love from Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom
This song, by the U2, doesn't awaken any thoughts in me, either positive or negative, so the middle is a good place for it. Because of this lack of feeling, I find it hard to say anything about it. I just don't quite grasp what the lyrics are trying to say. What is the definition of "ordinary love" and why is it better than "extraordinary love"?
#2 Happy from Despicable Me 2
Finally this list gets to the songs that make me say "Yeah, this is awesome!" I dare you not to tap your foot to this one. There's never too many happy songs on this planet, and Pharrell Williams has something really cool going on here. The song might be a bit too long and the lyrics get somewhat repetitive, but that instrumental background is just too infectious to resist!
And the winner should be... Let It Go from Frozen
Alright, before I say anything else I have to admit that I might have been a little biased in this song's favour from the start. I heard and fell in love with Let It Go weeks before I knew anything about the other ones. Besides, I just happen to be in a situation in my life right now where inspirational songs like this are like chocolate. Oh, and I've been a huge fan of Idina Menzel for years. But well, no matter how many times I listen to all the Oscar nominees in different order, this one always wins. None of the others have those amazing piano runs in the gaps between the verses, and as a Finn who knows everything about the combination of cold and dark I wholeheartedly congratulate Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez (the husband-and-wife team behind this song) on managing to create the winter night atmosphere right in the first few bars of the song. A great song, there's no getting over it, and it should definitely win the award. And they should definitely get Idina Menzel to sing it at the gala, that would be one bullet-proof way to bring some quality into that show. If she doesn't, I'll be sad. If they get Demi Lovato to sing her version of it, I'll roll my eyes.
What's your pick for the award winner? Are you going to watch the gala, and if so what are you most expecting to see? I'm really excited to see Ellen DeGeneres hosting the show! I know she's done it once before, but I didn't watch that year. However, I've come to realize that the clips from her show are one of the best and funniest things on Youtube, which is why I think she'll make a very entertaining hostess.
Monday, 2 December 2013
What Christmas means to me
So, from the fact that I'm prepared to do 24 blog posts devoted to Christmas, you can probably decipher that I'm a pretty big Christmas junkie. Every year, I wait anxiously for the day that I can start playing Christmas music without other people rolling their eyes and shouting "NOT YET!", and I was literally shocked when my mum told me she wasn't going to put up Christmas decorations in her and dad's apartment. Mostly, people regard my Christmas hype as nothing too unusual, but there have been a few who feel the need to ask me either
"Why is Christmas such a big thing to you – doesn't it bother you what a disgustingly commercialized spending spree it has become?"
or
"Why is Christmas such a big thing to you – you're not religious!"
My answer to the first question is pretty simple: I'm so soaked up on the positive things about Christmas that all the consumerism hype kind of passes over my head. Yes, maybe it's a bit early for all the shops and malls to be playing Christmas carols and putting up tinsels in mid-November, but is it such a big deal to fret and complain about? And frankly, I think that people who complain about all the stress and the crowds when they go Christmas shopping mostly bring it on themselves. How about planning things a little in advance and looking at the positive side of things? Can't people look at all the beautiful Christmas lights and feel the joy in their hearts when they're getting gifts for their family and friends?
As for the question about religion, I find it a little ironic. After all, Christmas has been around longer than Christianity, though with slightly different customs and another name. Weren't most Christian holidays (think about Easter and All Hallows' Eve for example) purposefully placed in the calendar to coincide with already existing pagan celebrations? Even today, our Christmas traditions are actually a mixture of Christian elements and those of Winter solstice celebrations. So while I admit I don't celebrate Christmas for the Christian reasons, there's still a lot about the season to be appreciated!
Here follows a list of What Christmas Means To Me:
What do you celebrate about Christmas? (or Yule, or Winter solstice, or Hanukkah, whatever you want to call it.) Give it a thought while listening to this uplifting Christmas tune by my favourite man Stevie Wonder, and leave me a comment!
"Why is Christmas such a big thing to you – doesn't it bother you what a disgustingly commercialized spending spree it has become?"
or
"Why is Christmas such a big thing to you – you're not religious!"
My answer to the first question is pretty simple: I'm so soaked up on the positive things about Christmas that all the consumerism hype kind of passes over my head. Yes, maybe it's a bit early for all the shops and malls to be playing Christmas carols and putting up tinsels in mid-November, but is it such a big deal to fret and complain about? And frankly, I think that people who complain about all the stress and the crowds when they go Christmas shopping mostly bring it on themselves. How about planning things a little in advance and looking at the positive side of things? Can't people look at all the beautiful Christmas lights and feel the joy in their hearts when they're getting gifts for their family and friends?
As for the question about religion, I find it a little ironic. After all, Christmas has been around longer than Christianity, though with slightly different customs and another name. Weren't most Christian holidays (think about Easter and All Hallows' Eve for example) purposefully placed in the calendar to coincide with already existing pagan celebrations? Even today, our Christmas traditions are actually a mixture of Christian elements and those of Winter solstice celebrations. So while I admit I don't celebrate Christmas for the Christian reasons, there's still a lot about the season to be appreciated!
Here follows a list of What Christmas Means To Me:
- Light. As I've mentioned before somewhere in this blog, the days get pretty dark up here when autumn rolls on. Today, the sun rose at quarter past nine and set at quarter past three, and by the time we reach winter solstice, we'll have a whopping amount of about five hours of daylight. So it's really great to have a celebration with candles and Christmas lights – for me, Christmas time has always been like a great big torch in the dark winter season!
- Joy. In addition to bringing actual light, I think Christmas is a time to light up your heart. Forgetting about petty arguments and staying positive.
- Caring and sharing. For some people, the whole gift-giving tradition now only serves to feed the consuming frenzy, but for me it has always been a beautiful representation of how we can get joy out of giving something for others, whether it be something material or not.
- Peace. Christmas should provide a break from everyday obligations and stress. Get some time for yourself and the people who are important to you.
- Beauty. Admittedly, there have been years when the Christmas weather was not like out of those snowy greeting cards, but generally I think everything looks incredibly beautiful at this time of the year. I like sunshine and green trees and all that, but what really moves my heart is a beautiful, easy snowfall. Actually, I think really violent blizzards are nice to look at as well, I just want to be safe indoors when they happen. Not on a bus stop waiting for a bus that is half an hour late. Anyway, landscapes covered in snow never fail to catch my eye, they look stunning both in the dark of night and when the sun shines on them and makes them sparkle.
What do you celebrate about Christmas? (or Yule, or Winter solstice, or Hanukkah, whatever you want to call it.) Give it a thought while listening to this uplifting Christmas tune by my favourite man Stevie Wonder, and leave me a comment!
Sunday, 24 November 2013
Great Movie Expectations
I've been thinking whether I should blog about movies in addition to books, theatre and music. Well, obviously I've reviewed a couple of movie musicals already, but that's because they're, you know, musicals. So far, I've decided that I might at least talk about movies that are based on books! I won't change the sub-heading to "my thoughts on music, theatre, literature & films" though – that would look a bit clumsy, don't you think?
Today, however, I'm going to talk about some trailers instead of actual films. There's two films coming up that I can't wait to see!
More trailers of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug have come up after this first teaser, but it's still my favourite from all of them. I think the main reason for this is King Thranduil, played by Lee Pace! When he appeared in the trailer, I stopped breathing for a while. I promise you I'm not exaggerating one bit when I say that Thranduil in the film looks exactly as I've always imagined him – the presence, the voice, every little detail in his face, and that crown, which is pure awesomeness. Seeing Thranduil like he was picked straight out of my mind has seriously made me wonder if any of my grandmother's ancestors who were burned as witches in the Middle Ages passed some of that witch blood (and the gift of foresight) to me...
Besides Thranduil, Elf-King of Amazingness, it looks like this middle part of the trilogy will include all of my favourite parts from the book: Beorn, Bilbo kicking some giant spider butt, the Silvan Elves, and Lake Town. It would also seem that we get to see Smaug already, and oh my, what a dragon voice! I think they did a seriously good job with that – it's clearly inhuman, but not overdone.
However, one thing which probably will be as overdone in this film as was in the last, is the fight/action sequences. I was always okay with all the battle stuff in the Lord of the Rings films, but frankly, I got bored when in the first Hobbit film, the escape from the goblins under the mountain went on and on and on. And there are some not-in-the-book fight scenes coming up in the new film, which isn't entirely bad – I know I'm going to like all the Gandalf bits that were never shown in the book. However, I'm very suspicious about the scene where he elves are stalking Bilbo and the dwarves who float in open barrels for all the world to see, for goodness' sake! In the book, Bilbo came up with a genius plan that a) got the dwarves out of the dungeons without anyone ever seeing them, and b) made sure nobody would drown in the process. In the film, they don't seem to think any of this matters.
Speaking of changes and additions to the book, I'm actually very open-minded about the Legolas/Tauriel subplot, whatever it's going to be. I don't have a problem at all with Legolas being present since there's no reason to doubt he actually was there (he's Thranduil's son after all), and I'm really liking Evangeline Lilly as an elf. I'm really interested to see what these two characters will be up to. Luckily, the movie will premiere in Finland on December 11th already and not months after the official premiere (which sadly happens here to every movie that isn't expected to be a huge box office seller). I can't wait, there's so much to see!
What about this next new film, who's going to see it?
I'm really interested in this film because of its setting. I'm obviously a fan of the film Mary Poppins, and Saving Mr Banks is about the making of that film – the main focus being, it seems, on how Walt Disney managed to get the film-making rights from P.L. Travers (the author of the Mary Poppins books). I think both Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson will be superb in their roles as Mr Disney and Ms Travers, but the film is in a rather tricky position to tell the story it intends to tell. It is widely known that the working relationship between Disney and Travers was incredibly strained, and Travers was very displeased with the film Mary Poppins. So how is Saving Mr Banks, produced by Walt Disney Pictures (yes, really), featuring the father/hero/god figure behind that very same enterprise, going to handle a story where, in real life, someone (Travers) very vocally expressed how they disapproved of something Walt Disney did? Something tells me the film is not going to show P.L. Travers' negative reaction to Mary Poppins, and I think even people who don't have Medieval witch genes can agree with me. So there are a couple of other options.
1) Portray P.L. Travers as an unreasonably critical kill-joy and Walt Disney as the good guy who makes people's dreams come true. This way, the film can justify the fact that Ms Travers hated the Mary Poppins film by "well, she was just a cranky British lady who couldn't be pleased no matter what you tried to do."
or
2) Just take some artistic liberties and make it so that in the end P.L. Travers loves the outcome of Mary Poppins and Walt Disney gets to be the hero who convinced the cranky British lady.
So yes, I'm a bit skeptical about the accuracy of Saving Mr Banks, but I'm sure it will be fun to watch otherwise. It's got two leading actors that I respect very much, the music in the soundtrack is great, and the bits with the Sherman brothers (the two guys behind the piano who made the songs for Mary Poppins) are very funny. The film is officially released in December, but it looks like the Finnish premiere will be near the end of February (see what I told you about Finnish movie release dates?)
 |
| King Thranduil, brought to material reality by Lee Pace, first imagined by Mizzie-Me |
Besides Thranduil, Elf-King of Amazingness, it looks like this middle part of the trilogy will include all of my favourite parts from the book: Beorn, Bilbo kicking some giant spider butt, the Silvan Elves, and Lake Town. It would also seem that we get to see Smaug already, and oh my, what a dragon voice! I think they did a seriously good job with that – it's clearly inhuman, but not overdone.
However, one thing which probably will be as overdone in this film as was in the last, is the fight/action sequences. I was always okay with all the battle stuff in the Lord of the Rings films, but frankly, I got bored when in the first Hobbit film, the escape from the goblins under the mountain went on and on and on. And there are some not-in-the-book fight scenes coming up in the new film, which isn't entirely bad – I know I'm going to like all the Gandalf bits that were never shown in the book. However, I'm very suspicious about the scene where he elves are stalking Bilbo and the dwarves who float in open barrels for all the world to see, for goodness' sake! In the book, Bilbo came up with a genius plan that a) got the dwarves out of the dungeons without anyone ever seeing them, and b) made sure nobody would drown in the process. In the film, they don't seem to think any of this matters.
Speaking of changes and additions to the book, I'm actually very open-minded about the Legolas/Tauriel subplot, whatever it's going to be. I don't have a problem at all with Legolas being present since there's no reason to doubt he actually was there (he's Thranduil's son after all), and I'm really liking Evangeline Lilly as an elf. I'm really interested to see what these two characters will be up to. Luckily, the movie will premiere in Finland on December 11th already and not months after the official premiere (which sadly happens here to every movie that isn't expected to be a huge box office seller). I can't wait, there's so much to see!
What about this next new film, who's going to see it?
I'm really interested in this film because of its setting. I'm obviously a fan of the film Mary Poppins, and Saving Mr Banks is about the making of that film – the main focus being, it seems, on how Walt Disney managed to get the film-making rights from P.L. Travers (the author of the Mary Poppins books). I think both Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson will be superb in their roles as Mr Disney and Ms Travers, but the film is in a rather tricky position to tell the story it intends to tell. It is widely known that the working relationship between Disney and Travers was incredibly strained, and Travers was very displeased with the film Mary Poppins. So how is Saving Mr Banks, produced by Walt Disney Pictures (yes, really), featuring the father/hero/god figure behind that very same enterprise, going to handle a story where, in real life, someone (Travers) very vocally expressed how they disapproved of something Walt Disney did? Something tells me the film is not going to show P.L. Travers' negative reaction to Mary Poppins, and I think even people who don't have Medieval witch genes can agree with me. So there are a couple of other options.
1) Portray P.L. Travers as an unreasonably critical kill-joy and Walt Disney as the good guy who makes people's dreams come true. This way, the film can justify the fact that Ms Travers hated the Mary Poppins film by "well, she was just a cranky British lady who couldn't be pleased no matter what you tried to do."
or
2) Just take some artistic liberties and make it so that in the end P.L. Travers loves the outcome of Mary Poppins and Walt Disney gets to be the hero who convinced the cranky British lady.
So yes, I'm a bit skeptical about the accuracy of Saving Mr Banks, but I'm sure it will be fun to watch otherwise. It's got two leading actors that I respect very much, the music in the soundtrack is great, and the bits with the Sherman brothers (the two guys behind the piano who made the songs for Mary Poppins) are very funny. The film is officially released in December, but it looks like the Finnish premiere will be near the end of February (see what I told you about Finnish movie release dates?)
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