rebness | (no subject)

I didn't get a chance to update my journal regarding the weekend before the operation came along, but it was indeed a fantabulous affair. I met up with jaffacakequeen in Manchester for festive goodness. We went to the European markets which were in town, and had that gluhwein and Dutch waffles and lo, they were good. It's so wonderful to hear the different dialects and accents about (and that's just the other Brits). There was a real sense of community and festiveness about as we rubbed shoulders with Germans, Spaniards, Italians, French, Dutch... I think Manchester is brilliant for hosting the markets. I also learned it's probably best not to trawl the market after that potent German wine because it makes a person make stupid and costly decisions.

At the French market:

Becky: (sees some nice pate) Ooh... c'est combien?
Man: Douze.
Becky: *Hands over £20, starts walking away* Wait... I... seem to have paid my life savings for that pate.
And then, somewhere in my drink-befuddled brain, I realise that douze is twelve. Twelve quid for pate! Uh-oh.

I think that'll be going towards my aunt's Christmas present.

We also went on the Manchester wheel, pics of which I'll post later. It was great to catch up with jaffacakequeen and just relax before this week came about. We also went to the Manchester Natural History museum or whatever it's called, and I picked up a gorgeous amethyst stone and some Egyptian ornaments before being struck by how impossible massive a T-rex was. And now, I shall talk about Narnia, which we went to see and which she knew I'd rant about.

I am a Roman Catholic, and feel comfortable enough in my faith not to care about the blitherings about OMGZ teh evul people who want to say “Season’s Greetings” instead of Merry Christmas, and I also feel confident enough to denounce something as Christian propaganda shite if I so feel moved.

Narnia, you’re Christian propaganda shite. I hate how Susan was lambasted by the others for thinking instead of just acting, even told she should stop “being clever” at one point. What kind of example is that to modern children? The Christian messages were more overt than covert, I thought, but the problem was it focusing on mainly aggressive takes on religion rather than a conciliatory Christianity.

The most cringe-worthy, annoying, stupid part was when Father Christmas appeared. Not the appearance itself, as fromage-laden as that invariably is, but when he hands Susan a present of a bow and arrow.

Susan: But I thought… war was bad?

Father Christmas: *Smiles condescendingly*

Now, yes. Narnia is a product of a different time, but when the world is awash with blood and the war on terror leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of so many nations, this was an insensitive and stupid take.

There were good things about Narnia. I can see why Tolkien hated the series, but I can also see why children would like it (though I despised the books as a child, ha!) There was the witch, for one. Scary and demure. Edmund was quite good. Nice special effects. I don’t think it will be gracing my films of 2005, though.

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I could never get beyond 50 pages of the first book as a kid and the old TV movie scared me, but I really liked the movie. I did catch on to the very obvious Christian allusions, but it didn't spoil a think for me. Really enjoyed the movie. What I esp. liked was that the movie was quite complicated and not dumbed-down at all for kids, Americans, or whatever. Most people won't understand it, IMO.

It just seemed so right-wing to me, but I might just be looking at that from a jaded European perspective. I think it's a great adventure for children, but I have to disagree about it being complicated. As a child, I found the storyline and the morals of the story too simplistic, and the film didn't dispel those feelings but merely amplified them for me. There wasn't really enough layering for me (I don't mind that so much; it is, after all, for children). I think it was the cavalier attitude towards conflict and death, most of all. In the end, children were spared the reality of war because all their favourite characters had life breathed back into them; I found that rather trite and dishonest.

Still, I did enjoy some things about it and yeah, it's a worthy film. I can see why so many people have enjoyed it and why it's successful, but something about it just grates with me. I'm not really sure why, to be honest.

Well, we all know I hate the IwtV movie, grates on me like HELL, even though I can see why people would like it :)

Ha! Yeah, that's a point. I adore parts of that movie, but some I have to skip because they make me cringe. :p