Who Watches the Watchmen? I do.

So, I saw Watchmen. And...I really liked it. I mean I REALLY liked it. The movie was visually stunning, well scripted, and accurate to the graphic novel.

In fact, I think it's the last point, it's accuracy, that sealed it for me. It wasn't completely identical, but what was changed/left out (aside from the ending - more later) would likely have been awkward and superfluous in the film version. Of course, this has been the major criticism of the critics that disliked the film. The movie, at times, is a film comic book: the actor dialoging while centered in the screen type things. To be honest, I liked this. It allowed the words to come through, and Watchmen has some powerful words.

The acting was also well done. By and large, all the characters were portrayed as I envisioned them while reading the comic. Best of all was Rorschach, who was sublimely portrayed by Moocher. Although, they left out the big bike race in Rorschach's back story.

The element that I was most pleasantly surprised with was the soundtrack. All the greatest hits of the early 80's in one 3 hour movie. Of course, what made the soundtrack work was the fact that it helped to ground the viewer in the fact that it was the 80s. So much of what's going on doesn't feel 80's. It's not campy. There's an alternative history going on. But the whole point of the story is this is supposed to be real. Outside of Dr. Manhattan, all the superheros are humans. They aren't really supposed to possess powers. Ozymandias has the whole "smartest man alive with more money than everyone else combined 5 times over" thing going on. But that's as 'super power' as it gets. The soundtrack dragged the audience back into this. When you expect some rock song to start playing, you get a pop hit. The soundtrack felt more like it belonged in an 80's version of "The Big Chill," and it worked.

As for the ending, and I recognize Alan Moore may hunt me down and kill me for saying this, but I liked it better in the movie than in the film. Yes, I said it. There's one basic reason for this, it didn't involve fake aliens. I love the conundrum created at the end of the comic. I love Veidt's line about the only success the Watchmen created was in succeeding in not preventing peace from happening. But the whole abducting a bunch of artists, having them create some fake alien, and sending that alien to New York thing felt overly cheesy. It felt lazy. Using Dr. Manhattan as the scapegoat felt more appealing for me.

In the end, I was very surprised with how much I enjoyed the movie. I went in with low expectations. Watchmen met them and kept going. I am happy.

Yo.

To whom it may concern:

(specifically, zack snyder, david hayter, alex tse, and the entire cast of watchmen)

thank you for not killing a story i love so much.  visually, the film seemed as though it came straight from the pages of the book.  the casting was dead on, as was the acting and emotions that the cast was able to portray.  the characters are complex and often not all that likeable, but i cared about their fates nonetheless.  the screenplay left out only parts of the book that would not transfer well from literature to screen (like the comic within the comic).  and yes, the ending was different.  i will not say it was better.  of course the book was better.  but it was a good strong ending.  the screenwriters should be proud.

and to alan moore, who is so resistent to his books being made into movies.  this was a good one.  get off of your crazy high horse and be proud of it.

again, thank you for giving life to something i love.  and for making it accessible to people who would otherwise have known nothing about it.  

i will watch the watchmen

i really don't think i can explain how excited i am about watchmen. i have been looking forward to this movie since it was announced something like 2 years ago. i have loved the book every time i have read it. i know that alan moore is a little more than crazy and maybe that's why i love his incredible body of work so much.  i appreciate his genius as well as his strange hermit-like tendencies.  as much as long movies are daunting to me, i am glad this one is nearly 3 hours. the book is so dense and full of incredible visual shots as well as fascinating character development and interaction that i hope and cross my fingers and knock on wood that none of that is lost in the process of translating this incredible piece of literature to film. i know that a lot of care and time went into making this film. there are too many fans, too many people completely devoted to the quality of such an important piece of art from our time to have it be a devastating embarrassment. i trust the director, zack snyder, based on his previous work.  i trust the amazingly put together cast.  but until i see the film, this fan of action will be holding her breath with fingers on both hands crossed.

please don't kill something i care about so much.

reasons why...

i love me some james bond.

1. unnecessary explosions


2. unnecessary sexism


3. lots of man-thigh


4. q


5. m


6. moneypenny


7. ninjas


8. rockets


9. fake space


10. unnecessary sexism

a mutha effin' promise

i will admit i have been bad about keeping on track with amt lately. i know how hard it is for everyone with work and life and other commitments. so i am promising to get back on track so that amt doesn't dissolve completely. i hope that if you are all free on any tuesdays, you'll participate, and if you can't, that's ok, but don't forget about the greatest club in the world.

The List

Here is a link to the list of James Bond movies in chronological order:
James Bond Films