Media report

And now, it is time to report on the fabulous world of unreality!

*Prison Break-- Prison Break is my new love. I would marry Michael Scofield if I weren't such a diehard Sara/Michael shipper. I have just watched Season 1 DVDs in a whirlwind of late-night viewing, and this show is so awesome. I'm completely obsessed. I can't wait for Season 2 DVDs to come out. (This is one of those shows where many of the plot elements are not all that plausible-- requiring liberal suspension of disbelief, particularly when it comes to the wall-drilling cababilities of egg-beaters-- BUT the relationships, characters and emotions are very real and hard-hitting. And there are conspiracy theories, and who doesn't love a good conspiracy? And origami. And a smart, hot, tragic hero with a rescue complex....with beautiful blue-green eyes. :sigh: )

* Children of Men--Luminous, brilliant cinematography. Each scene could be printed and framed. Cuaron is a master of creating mood. I loved that aspect. I found the storyline incredibly depressing, and I felt a little too distant from the characters to make an emotional connection. However, even without the infertility crisis, I could see those situations being realistic. It's just an amplification of the problems we're currently experiencing in the world. That was sobering and thought-provoking. I didn't feel that it offered any real hope, though, and I didn't like the ending. As far as art, I'd give it 4 stars. As far as entertainment/enjoyment, I'd give it 3. I want Cuaron to direct Deathly Hallows.

*Pan's Labyrinth--Loved it, loved it, loved it! I love fairy tales, and this was very well done. It's difficult to mingle fantasy and reality, and the director did a fabulous job. It's ambiguous--did this really happen, or did Sofia only imagine it (classic dissociation in a traumatic situation)? The fantasy frames the story and provides meaning to the "subplot" that seems so desperate and cruel. It reminded me of the The Little Mermaid--not Disney but the real Hans Christen Anderson story. I won't say more because I don't want to spoil the plot. Anyway, I loved this movie. It's rare to find one like this.

*Music and Lyrics--Can you believe I watched this? I know, I generally hate romantic comedies, but I was in a silly mood and wanted something light...at about 1 AM. This fit the bill. Hugh Grant really is rather funny. It's contrived and schmoopy and cheesier than Velveeta...but it's amusing if you're in the right mood (e.g., not ready to watch a dark fairy tale about fascist Spain--see above). I'd suggest watching when half-asleep...or with generous quantities of alcohol....unless you generally like romantic comedies, in which case, you'll love this movie.

*Son of a Preacher Man by Jay Bakker--I wouldn't have chosen this book, but a friend who is not a Christian read it and wanted to get my opinion. In case you didn't catch it from the author, it is written by the son of Jim Bakker (Jay, aka Jamie Charles). I don't really remember much about the whole scandal, but this gives Jay's perspective of what it was like to live through all of that. He is fiercely defensive of both of his parents and feels that the church should have been a haven for them instead of dolling out criticism and contempt. He certainly went through a lot and turned to alcoholism and drugs before returning to Christ. Now he ministers to teens on the "fringes." What I liked: Jay talks about grace and how people change because they realize they are loved even in the midst of their addiction, sin, awfulness....not vice versa. This is the true message of the gospel, but it so often gets lost in rules and pettiness and proper church behavior. What I didn't like: Jay's constant criticism of specific groups and pastors seems a lot like what he condemns. His tone is sometimes a bit whiny. Overall: I think this book would appeal to certain groups, particularly those who know more about the Bakker scandal, as well as those who are in the church struggling with an addiction.

*Pigs in Heaven (Barbara Kingsolver)--I finished this on the trip. I must say, I liked The Bean Trees more. It's good, but I found the multiple viewpoints a bit distracting. The book lagged in parts, and the ending was a bit too convenient. However, it's still better than most contemporary fiction, and it's interesting to pick up with the characters from The Bean Trees.

*Big Love--I really like this tv show. I watched Season 1 on DVDs sometime this year, and I caught the premiere of Season 2 on HBO while I was in San Diego (and now I have to wait for the rest of it to come out on DVD). I don't love this like Prison Break or VM, but I find it interesting. For those of you who are unfamiliar, Big Love is an HBO drama about a fundamentalist, polygamous LDS family living in the suburbs of Utah in the present day. Like Six Feet Under (which is higher on my list of favorites), elements of the show range from completely ridiculous and contrived to spot-on, heart-piercing reality...often within minutes. This is not The Brady Bunch, and this is not a caricature of a polygamous family. This is a "real" family, trying to live what they believe to be God's will. I like the aspects relating to the cult/compound (not where they live but to which they have complicated ties), the power of The Prophet and the difficulty of extricating themselves from those relationships. I really like 17 year old Sara. (I don't know the actress's name, but she played Lilly on Veronica Mars.) I like the new storyline with her going to the ex-LDS support group. She is obviously a talented actress and her range is evident as the two teenage characters mentioned (Sara and Lilly) are truly worlds apart in situation and personality. Sara holds her cards tight to her chest. She manages to be the supportive and dutiful daughter, while at the same time completely disagreeing with her family's lifestyle. In a less skilled actress's hands, Sara could seem petulant or deceptive, but she doesn't. I like the teenage son too and his desperation to be good enough to live The Principle...and his agonizing failures. The wives and Bill are interesting too. I'd like to see Nikki get hit by a bus....but other than that.... :) Anyway, it's a good show. It is on HBO though so be prepared to see more skin than you might on network tv. (Like most HBO shows, this seems to be patchy, i.e., you might have a couple of episodes in a row with a lot of nudity and then that's it. For example, I don't think there was anything in the premiere last week that would go beyond PG-13.)