( Korean drama ratings list )

These are the dramas I have watched in full (there are quite few dramas I gave up on but I don't think it is quite fair for me to judge a drama without finishing it). I will appreciate any new drama recommendations.

I am still trying to stay away from computers (well, as much as I can because my job IS all about them): my back (sacroiliac joint) is still not well and sitting is not very comfortable. This all said about sitting, I was tempted by free tickets (my friend’s son works in a cinema so he got some free tickets for himself, his mother and me) and went to see "Hunger Games" . Even though my back is feeling worse after sitting for 3 hours in an uncomfortable chair yesterday, I am glad I was tempted because I loved the film.



There were few little things, but overall the film blew me away. You know I wasn’t the biggest fan of the books, but the film managed to improve on the main problem with the book series: fill the gaps in the worldbuilding. The film’s camera work, costumes and designs, new introduced little scenes in the background and the magical (yes, magical!) music score draw you in and give you an impression of reality. As my friend said "the film is just beautiful".

Quite unexpectedly, I adored Jennifer Lawrence to bits. She made me feel for and understand Katniss the way the first-person narrative in the books never did. She was wonderful. I didn’t like the guy that plays Peeta at first (gosh, his blond hair was so visibly fake) , but he grew up on me. Amandla Stenberg was amazing as Rue and I absolutely loved all the older cast: President Snow, Effie Trinket, Haymitch, Caesar and especially the guy who played Seneca Crane (whom I didn’t even notice in the books but on whom I am having an actor-crush now).

As to little niggles: as much as I love Jennifer, I still wish someone younger was cast for her role and (if it is possible in Hollywood) someone who better fits the physical description of a girl with non-White-American ethnicity. Jennifer is 21 which is so NOT 16, and so are many other actors. Yes, I am a sticker for details like this, mainly because in my opinion the shift in age makes the story different. But this is a subjective opinion, of course.

Among less subjective flaws, I thought the second part of the film (The Games themselves) was scrambled up a bit. The first part of the film (pre-games) feels much longer than the second. Many scenes were removed, especially the ones with Peeta and Katniss. Some of the hit-you-where-it-hurts scenes like Cato’s death were seriously underplayed. I see what the film creators were trying to do here (get into the 12 rating category) but in my opinion, this was not necessary.

But still, overall I loved it.

( Seneca Crane (Wes Bentley) and his beard: a huge beard appreciation moment: )

I am still listening to Harry Potter, although I have almost stopped in the book 5 “Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix” to wait for my daughter to finish her reading. “The Order of Phoenix” is my least favourite book and the least favourite film: too long, nothing happens, etc..

My daughter and I were talking the other day about the theme of bullying in Harry Potter series. I like how constant the author is in showing all aspects of bullying in schools and at home. The only niggle I have is the reveal of James Potter being a bully in the past but “growing out of it”. I always feel disappointed here. I want to know how a person “grows out of bullying”, in as much detail as possible because as far as I am concerned, I have never seen a person to grow out of it and I want to know how James Potter managed to. Otherwise I always feel cheated: the author had been very realistic and disapproving with her descriptions of bullies, until the saintly father of saintly Harry Potter came along. It seems that it is not fine for Dudley to bully Harry and Dudley never grows out of it, but it is perfectly fine for James Potter to bully Snape. It is just “youthful indiscretions”.

Also I "have to" mention my favourite characters:



My two main favourites are Sirius Black and Severus Snape, in both cases my preferences are most likely formed by the actors that play them. Both Alan Rickman and Gary Oldman are beyond fabulous. I don’t really find Snape attractive (but I do find Black VERY attractive, in a hippy-like way) , I just think Snape is the most complex and interesting character in the series.

Other favourites:

- I love Dumbledore, although I only found my love for him in the later books, where his character becomes more complex.

- Out of the young uns, I adore Ron. Just because Ron is RON. And I adore Hermione in the books, but less so in the films.

- My love for Weasley Twins and all Weasleys knows no bounds

- Ginny is lovely, and during the last re-read I noticed how the author started the setting up for Harry/Ginny romance very early in the series. I don’t understand where the popularity of Harry/Hermione ship is coming from. If anything, there is more chemistry between Hermione and Draco Malfoy than between Hermione and Harry!

- Out of all evil characters, my favourite (as everyone else's) is Bellatrix Lestrange. Even my daughter thinks she is a fantastic character.

--------------------------------------

But the saintly Harry Potter and his saintly father are not my cup of tea at all. If there is anything I do dislike in any fiction it is a character that is so "great" that no rules, or laws apply. There are so many of Harry’s "lucky escapes" in the books that it feels like cheating. My probably very unpopular opinion is ( Read more... )

Hi! Having missed few days, I want to seize the chance and wish you all Happy International Women’s day and Happy Mothers Day !

I am not doing anything much, apart from walking. I am taking chances to have short and long walks wherever I can. :D My back is still dodgy, so I tend to do things that make it feel better, namely walking and sleeping. The doctor says that coccyx is one of the hardest places to heal.

The Walking Dead
In the TV news (I don’t have too many), OH MY POOR HEART! The 2 season’s ending of "the Walking Dead" was dramatic. This is a very curious show for me: I love to watch it, but I don't really like any of the characters, apart from Daryl. Rick has always been such a goody-two-shoes that it was obvious that ( ”spoilers” ). As to female characters, I don’t think this show is too kind to any of them. But at the same time? I love to watch the show. And I still adore Daryl.

The River


The only new show I like, although mostly in a manner of "OMPH! This is so scary!" is "The River". Not much to say apart from two things. One: I really appreciate when a show manages to be so frightening. Not many current shows are scary enough. And two: the guy that plays Lincoln is somehow very attractive, and his character is rather fabulous in "he is the guy to find a solution to this week's problem" way. ANd I love Lena, the wonderful blond Amazon.

Gloomy Salad Days

In Asian TV news, I am quite fond of the recent Taiwanese drama "Gloomy Salad Days" which is great but is not something to be taken in large doses (sadness galore).

Books

I must finally start re-reading of "A Clash of Kings"! I must! I promise to myself: TODAY.

Doctors:

Thank you so much for all your well-wishes! I really treasure all your comments, but currently I can't comment back as I am trying to spend as less time at the PC as possible, trying to sort out my back.

RL: as according to the doctor, my "feminine systems" are .. okey. May be there are some smaller issues, but in general, nothing to worry about. The problem is.. I don't trust the doctors in Britain. I don't like NHS (National Health System), I never feel as if any of the doctors I visit "care" for me (rather than try to fob me off) and I don't like their patronising attitude. And don't really go there too often, but things do happen. I grew up in USSR thinking everything is better "in Western world", and to my surprise not everything is better, at least not NHS, especially where gynecology is concerned.

And don't even start me on the way NHS doctor appointments are distributed: you have to ring "on the day" to get an appointment, meaning you have to spend an hour between 8.00 -9.00 hanging on the phone (in the queue), without any guarantee of getting an appointment, especially an appointment to the doctor you like. You can't ring on Monday and get an appointment for Wednesday, and why not - I have no idea. Internet bookings also don't exist, of course!

Anyways, I will not rant long, but when everyone is so proud here saying "NHS! We have NHS! Don't take away NHS" I usually keep my mind to myself. (But I will tell you my mind :D) I think NHS needs to go. I personally would have preferred to pay less tax and have a health insurance instead with which I can go to the doctor I like.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Also -I have finished Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire re-read (4 books down, 3 to go)!
At the end of the book I have "stumbled" upon the thing that is probably my least favourite thing about Harry Potter series, namely, the specialness of Harry. As soon as you are told that there is this Avada Kedavra Curse, a curse without any counter curse that causes an instant death? You can be sure that the special Harry Potter will not be killed by it, there will be some exception or something.

Also - I really don't like it when evil characters in fiction give those long speeches before trying to kill the protagonist. There is a whole chapter of Voldemort going on and on and on about his evil plans to Harry Potter , instead of .. trying to kill him.

PS: This is a ranty post. Sorry.

My daughter is in the process of reading the Harry Potter books so she was asking and asking for me to re-read them too so that we can .. discuss. I have finally gave up, started listening the audio books version read by Stephen Fry and accidentally found myself falling in love with this audio version.



To preface, I have ranted written about the Harry Potter books at length previously, and I am still of the same opinion: the series are not by any stretch of imagination original and use many "borrowed" ideas. The style and writing is also nothing to write home about. But strangely enough, I am loving the series this time round. May be everything is just better with Stephen Fry?

Stephen Fry aside, I think I have solved the mystery of the universal appeal of Harry Potter for myself. When I have read the books the first time my daughter was only little, but now she is a teen and reading the books is just like immersing into my daughter's day-to-day high school life, the life that is full of drama, homework, confrontations, friendships, alliances, and romances, only in a world where magic exists and where everything is much more interesting. The series are very sharp and hit all the right buttons as far as representation of the teen life in Britain is concerned.. This might be not anything new to many of you, but I just wanted to say - NOW I UNDERSTAND.

I am now up to Goblet of Fire with the re-read (or re-listen), although I might slow down with the speed of the re-read as I am going to continue with the speed my daughter reading the books. Just a couple of things to mention:

- Why oh why did they remove all the best bits in the films, like Hermione's "The house elf liberation front".

- Reading The Goblet of Fire, I am again not very pleased with the whole representation of the foreign schools and Bulgarian Quidditch team. I am used to Slavic stereotypes, but some of the French stereotypes are also cringe-worthy and it is not something I am particular used to.

In RL news, I seem to be falling to bits health-wise. In addition to low back pain there is something strange going on with my "feminine" systems. Or most likely, the back pain is the result of this. I am actually scared out of my wits and am going to doctors again today.

I have been listening to quite few audiobooks lately, including "The Woman in Black" which I rather enjoyed. My daughter wanted to watch the film (her wish to do so is somehow connected with her interest in Harry Potter movies) so we went to see the film yesterday.





The most positive thing about the film is that it is scary. I am not an easily scared person as I rarely seem to be able to get immersed in a film deep enough to forget everything isn't real, and I was scared and jumped out of my skin few times during the cause of the film. So overall, "Thw Woman in Black" is really good Ghost horror story: dark, atmospheric and creepy (where did they get all those creepifying toys from?) .
The film was much more Over The Top than the book was. The book is much more mellow.

Out of small dislikes, ( Spoilers )

Spring is almost here! And with spring comes the season 2 of "Game of Thrones"! I feel differently this year - last year I was "not very interested" up to the show's start date and even well into the season 1. Although A Song Of Ice And Fire is overall one of my favourite fantasy book series, I felt the series might never finish, so some sort of emotional detachment overcame me last year. Plus, it took me a while to get used to and accept some of the actors as characters I had in my head.

But this year, everything seems different. Every time I see new promotional material I feel a great sense of anticipation.. and returning home. "Game of Thrones" might not be objectively the best show I have ever seen, but it is my show. There are so many things I am anticipating in the season 2: Stannis, Melisandre, Davos and hopefully more Sansa and Sandor. Also, the pictures from the filming set in Iceland look AMAZING. This is definitely something to look forward to (Snow and ice, I like it!):



( More pictures from Iceland )

I even feel differently about the probability of the series completion. To start with, the TV show's popularity has made the books much more popular, which means more pressure on Martin to complete the series. Take me right, I belong to "the writer should write with the pace his muse is telling him/her" school of thought, but at the same time I am selfish.

Besides, even if Martin for some reason won't be able to complete the book series (I am a realist/pragmatist and the author is over 60 and he plans to write 2 more books with 6-7 years gaps in between) , I have heard that the show's creators will be able to complete the TV series (this might not be true, but I live to hope) the way they seem fit. This will mean some sort of closure, at least.



( More pictures of armour )

My apologies for not updating for a week! I am still alive and well, just Real life-ed a little.

Lois McMaster Bujold : Shards of Honor
My reading habits are finally in order, thank you to the audiobooks. I have already finished the re-read of the two first books in "Vorkosigan saga": "Falling Free" and "Shards of Honor". I loved "Shards of Honor". Cordelia Naismith is my current favourite lady in fiction: a lady of incredible inner strength.

The way Lois McMaster Bujold wrote Cordelia's character came across as a particular contrast to the way the character of Katniss was written by Suzanne Collins in "Hunger Games", the last series with a female protagonist I have read. Both authors explored the themes of war, survival, post-traumatic stress, shock, endurance, and mental illness, but Bujold made my little feminist heart happy and Collins did not. Cordelia's character is just a proof that a female character doesn't have to be a gorgeous looking boy-magnet with a special ability to shoot arrows from a bow.

I have always valued intelligence over physical capabilities and inner strength over physical strength, this is just my personal preference. But I also think there are objectively too many "feminist" female characters that are written as copies of males characters, or as male fantasies. It has been a while (long while) since I have read a book with a female character whose strength lies in honour (hence, the title "Shards of Honor"), intelligence and .. what is the better word.. full control over her emotions ? I am so sick and tired of the way female characters are often portrayed as overly emotional, and it was so great to read about Cordelia who had control over her emotions in most horrific situations.

Oh, and what I find particular endearing is that Cordelia rescues her man, at least three times in one book.

Dear friends-listers ! Please recommend your favourite book series to me. I seem to be going through books so fast nowdays, I will finish "Vorkosigan saga" in no time, it seems! Dear queenofthorns , if it is possible, can you remind me the book you were mentioning the other day, the one set in Siberia?

Ben Aaronovitch: Rivers of London and Moon over Soho
Also I wanted to tell you about Rivers of London/Moon over Soho: this series is such a delight: funny, witty, fast, and fresh. I liked the first book more because I thought that the second one was a bit predictable, but still, I loved the second book too. If you like London (the series is basically a long love letter to this city) or if you like "Dresden Files" series (I thought there were some similarities) or if you just need cheering up: "Rivers of London" and "Moon over Soho" is the series for you. The third book "Whispers Under Ground" will be out very soon. The series isn't flawless, but I was giggling so much I couldn't dwell on the flaws.

On a tangential note - what is it with the renaming of British book titles when publishing them in USA? I still can't understand why "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" had to become "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" or why "Northern Lights" had to be published as "The Golden Compass". I don't have any better explanation than : the aim must have been to confuse the readers. :D But in the case of "Rivers of London" I despair. I hear it was published as "MIDNIGHT RIOT" in USA? WHAT A TERRIBLE TITLE. Whoever invented it most definitely hated the book and wished it evil.

And I despair even more when I see the USA version of the cover (on the right). Why don't we see the guy's face? Because the protagonist is a person of colour and the publishing company is trying to hide this fact from the readers? Also - I know we shouldn't judge the book by the cover, but does this cover look like something suitable for a book full of humour?



"Rivers of London" series also has the most fabulous narrator I have listened to up to date, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith. He was JUST FANTASTIC and I loved his every word. I Googled him, and he appears to be also incredibly hot (and doing a lot of theatre acting):

( Kobna Holdbrook-Smith , pictures )

LJ: I am really pleased with the speed LJ is working. EVERYTHING IS FLYING. I can't stop commenting and writing because finally LJ IS WORKING FAST FOR ME. I might take all my annoyed ranting back and wait for LJ to fix the issues with default comment title and other things because my main problem with it (speed and reliability) is fixed. EEEEEEEEEEEEEE! I still can't believe it and almost want to pinch myself: "Is this real? LJ is working so fast! And I haven't had an error in the last 48 hours, not even one!"

I did log a support request re: default comment title and spellchecker, though. I saw a LJ news post saying these things will be fixed. We will see.

Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia: I loved the episode until the ending happened. ( spoiler ) I am still not pleased.

Walking Dead: I have finished all available episodes of the season 2 and I am having a terrible imaginary crush on Daryl. He is like a version of Sandor Clegane with a crossbow. My open plea to the creators of the show: "Dear creators of Walking Dead! Please do not kill off Daryl anytime soon".

Anime: I am watching tons of anime at the moment. I would appreciate any recommendations!
My anime favourites, just few of them:

Monster (I haven't expected so much depth in anime)
Shiki (so scary it is good)
Ergo proxy (mind-bending and gorgeous)
Hellsing (really REALLY loved it)
Blood+
Trinity Blood (my favourite anime song)
Trigun and Cowboy beebob - great old-school anime.

Suits: I have finished 12 episodes of "Suits" in one day. I am still off on holidays. I enjoyed watching, but I didn't feel any depth to be honest and the love triangle part (and the way the character of Rachel was developed in the show) didn't feel right for me at all ..

Warehouse 13 is still lovely. Now they even have a DOG (I love dogs).

Ojakgyo Brothers: I have also watched 38 episodes of "Ojakgyo Brothers" in two days and I am crushing so much on Joo Won it hurts. Also - Uee is such a surprise, I really like her character.

I should stop commenting and posting excessively and do something else. :D