Finally watched Stranger Than Fiction (2006 - Director: Forster, Writer: Helm), a solidly sentimental film that was engaging and moving, yet tainted by 1) the oddly wooden stereotyped characterization of the blocked writer portrayed by Emma Thompson; 2) the familar feeling of token casting brought on by a yet-again-out-of-place Queen Latifa (I always feel as though her parts were shoe-horned in); 3) an increasingly sinking feeling darkened repeatedly by another, and then another, Douglas Adams element that felt less and less like homage, and more like burglary. The comic is self-explanatory, and I ended, while wiping tears, feeling bereft for Adams, particularly - as the strip notes - after his quite clearly expressed having felt cheated out of original ideas via Sonnenfeld's 1997 Men In Black.
Clearly, Hollywood is not a healthy expression of humanity, and I identify with Adam's expressed sense of 'not understanding why I've been left out of the club', though obviously I haven't been robbed in any way remotely similar to Adams.
I don't know where the producers were with this - for all I know, this was a legitimate love note sent out to an old friend. But, you know, it made me uncomfortable.
Of course, it's hard to register that discomfort without once again being called out for having an attitude problem, and the "Maggie & Trudie" reference points out the paranoia aspect that inevitably cripples.
Really disappointed with the arm in the final frame. Generally, unsure how I feel about presenting the strip with continuity in this way ... that's been happening more and more, and it feels lazy.
Looking at this I just think it seems like I had a little tantrum. B-, I guess.
Finally watched Stranger Than Fiction (2006 - Director: Forster, Writer: Helm), a solidly sentimental film that was engaging and moving, yet tainted by 1) the oddly wooden stereotyped characterization of the blocked writer portrayed by Emma Thompson; 2) the familar feeling of token casting brought on by a yet-again-out-of-place Queen Latifa (I always feel as though her parts were shoe-horned in); 3) an increasingly sinking feeling darkened repeatedly by another, and then another, Douglas Adams element that felt less and less like homage, and more like burglary. The comic is self-explanatory, and I ended, while wiping tears, feeling bereft for Adams, particularly - as the strip notes - after his quite clearly expressed having felt cheated out of original ideas via Sonnenfeld's 1997 Men In Black.
ReplyDeleteClearly, Hollywood is not a healthy expression of humanity, and I identify with Adam's expressed sense of 'not understanding why I've been left out of the club', though obviously I haven't been robbed in any way remotely similar to Adams.
I don't know where the producers were with this - for all I know, this was a legitimate love note sent out to an old friend. But, you know, it made me uncomfortable.
Of course, it's hard to register that discomfort without once again being called out for having an attitude problem, and the "Maggie & Trudie" reference points out the paranoia aspect that inevitably cripples.
Really disappointed with the arm in the final frame. Generally, unsure how I feel about presenting the strip with continuity in this way ... that's been happening more and more, and it feels lazy.
Looking at this I just think it seems like I had a little tantrum. B-, I guess.