[oh Edmund....]
Dec. 16th, 2005 01:40 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
reenkaI saw Lion, Witch & the Wardrobe! Yee! Though I had to wait for the bus in the cold for half an hour & I didn't eat until 3 hours later even though I hadn't eaten all day, I mean-- all those things mean nothing 'cause-- it was as if the movie was made with me in mind as the ideal (type of) viewer. *happy sigh*
I sighed at all the remotely touching parts, oohed and aahhed and basically acted like a 9 year-old (basically, I mirrored Lucy's reactions most of the way through, without the pouting and wibbling-- you know how stoic I am, hahaha), even though I only read it last year. I know, it is sad. I've actually read a couple of reviews on lj before seeing it, and was expecting amazing amounts of UST between Susan and Peter, but-- er-- no. It was a bit 'odd' sometimes, but I wouldn't say it's blatant or the only possible explanation or something. I also heard the Queen's dresses were utterly awful, and this much was true. They -were- utterly awful. I wonder if it was so she'd seem more evil or something. o_0
The thing I really loved about this movie was that it preserved and transmitted a true sense of wonder, not only in Lucy, but also in Edmund-- whom I adored. I really really loved both Lucy and Edmund in this, as they seemed very true to the books both in spirit and attitude. I don't think Peter was really hard to capture, but it was a good Peter nonetheless-- all valiant and protective and basically your all around good chap. I liked his moment with the wolf and how his sword stances looked so pathetic and childish, though he tried to put up a front. He never really seemed full of himself so much as trying too hard, mostly, and finally realizing he had to be King (just like Lion King!!)
Edmund... in the book, initially I disliked Edmund because he was just such a little -twerp-, I mean, wasn't he. But now that I've read it and I -know- Edmund, I can't help but love him muchly <3333333 I loved his utter prattishness which oh-so-thinly covered his insecurity and how he was never really -mean- except in the overbearing shadow of Peter, his prissy older sister and his oversensitive baby of a younger sister. I mean, I could empathize with him the whole way, how he tried and failed and-- how his jokes fell flat & no one appreciated them-- and how he really did, always, have a sense of justice he wasn't always even aware of or willing to act upon. And he was just such a -boy-, such a vulnerable confused little boy. ♥♥♥ Oh Edmund. So much love.
I actually liked Susan more here than in the book! I think she'll be even better in the second movie (where she has more of a role, I think), but here too, she was just such an interesting mixture of down-to-earth and prickly-prissy to the point of nastiness. That constantly pursed mouth, omg! She reminded me of a younger version of the housekeeper. And-- well, it's just that Narnia isn't really her scene, and yet she adapted, and was as sensitive as Lucy when it came to Aslan's death. She really was a good sister, and the movie made me feel for her as I hadn't in the book, where I think she seemed less sympathetic to me most of the time, I dunno.
Oh Lucy. She was a great Lucy, with all her big-heartedness and dreaminess and earnestness, as well as the runaway curiosity and mischief-- and she has a mouth on her too! She's so obviously spoiled by all of them, even Edmund (though really, he tries not to I think)-- it was so cute! But mostly, yeah, I identified with Lucy just like in the book, especially at her amazement and joy when she first found Narnia. I think, though, Edmund actually has a similar innocence of mindset, just not as clearly expressed because he's always on the defensive. I mean, honestly, the boy wanted Turkish Delight and always said what was on his mind even to the Queen! I kept thinking how very brave he was, much moreso than Peter! Pfft! Plus, he's brave and just without being a self-important sourpuss like Peter, so.
Several times, I thought Lucy was actually a bit mean to Susan or Edmund, but when she hugged Edmund when he returned and he hugged her back so easily, I really felt they were especially close. I think Edmund wants approval from Peter and from dad, but of all his siblings, he teases Lucy because of normal older-brother prattishness and not any hidden resentment or distance. I think as soon as Lucy got some more defenses against him, they could be as close if not closer than Peter and Susan.
All of them had great snarky lines, too, except for Peter (poor Peter, really, but that's how I felt reading the books, too). Oh, and I loved Lucy with Tumnus (and I loved Tumnus! unexpectedly hawt, with nipples & random bodyhair! yet dorky! omg, that was definitely an improvement or a greater realization of the book!)
I really liked the look of the movie, too-- the landscapes and the cgi, all the creatures and such (except for the fox, that was just badly done). The Queen seemed most interesting and believable (human?) in the very first scene where she meets Edmund and talks normally-- I could see why he'd be drawn in, since he clearly always wanted a mother-figure to pay attention just to him. I know I really sound like I'm such a fool for Edmund (but then, I really am). Anyway, the rest of the time, the Queen seemed too over-the-top, the more 'evil' she got. I thought the -wolves- were more 'evil' taunting Peter at the ice. I really thought all the actors were pretty good at showing their inner struggle, but Peter was especially transparent and sort of-- simple. Like Ivan the Simple (Ivan the Idiot??) as in the fairy-tales.
Trying seriously to compare movie!Edmund and book!Edmund with my swiss-cheese memory, I'd say book!Edmund was a lot less sympathetic and deeply whiny/resentful/mean, but then we got to hear his thoughts. Movie!Edmund was always sort of picked on, I guess, y'know, from the very first scene, which basically served to establish him as a sympathetic character, I thought-- the vulnerable one, really. I think(?) Lewis' Edmund was somewhat more genuinely nasty and had to learn humility just to become a more decent sort-- whereas I really don't think movie!Edmund ever seemed -indecent- so much as petulant and defensive and maybe desperate. And Lucy was always easy to tears and easy to laughter, which is an option Edmund didn't have and probably resented and envied both. Susan, on the other hand, might or might not have been more nasty than in the book-- she really was quite annoying to me in the book, especially in that scene (not in the movie) with the dryads, but I'm not even sure if that's first book (I think so, though).
I really loved the Professor (he was delightful!!) and it made me happy 'cause perhaps you could still say The Magician's Nephew is my favorite of the books. He had that devilish twinkle that both the movie!Dumbledores tried for and never actually achieved. Actually, I thought the acting overall was quite good, the children especially. And Mr. Tumnus. Can't forget Mr. Tumnus.
...though a part of me kept expecting Aslan to be more... shining. Even though he was already tall(!) and had that sexy voice. I guess it really is hard to be King. :>
I sighed at all the remotely touching parts, oohed and aahhed and basically acted like a 9 year-old (basically, I mirrored Lucy's reactions most of the way through, without the pouting and wibbling-- you know how stoic I am, hahaha), even though I only read it last year. I know, it is sad. I've actually read a couple of reviews on lj before seeing it, and was expecting amazing amounts of UST between Susan and Peter, but-- er-- no. It was a bit 'odd' sometimes, but I wouldn't say it's blatant or the only possible explanation or something. I also heard the Queen's dresses were utterly awful, and this much was true. They -were- utterly awful. I wonder if it was so she'd seem more evil or something. o_0
The thing I really loved about this movie was that it preserved and transmitted a true sense of wonder, not only in Lucy, but also in Edmund-- whom I adored. I really really loved both Lucy and Edmund in this, as they seemed very true to the books both in spirit and attitude. I don't think Peter was really hard to capture, but it was a good Peter nonetheless-- all valiant and protective and basically your all around good chap. I liked his moment with the wolf and how his sword stances looked so pathetic and childish, though he tried to put up a front. He never really seemed full of himself so much as trying too hard, mostly, and finally realizing he had to be King (just like Lion King!!)
Edmund... in the book, initially I disliked Edmund because he was just such a little -twerp-, I mean, wasn't he. But now that I've read it and I -know- Edmund, I can't help but love him muchly <3333333 I loved his utter prattishness which oh-so-thinly covered his insecurity and how he was never really -mean- except in the overbearing shadow of Peter, his prissy older sister and his oversensitive baby of a younger sister. I mean, I could empathize with him the whole way, how he tried and failed and-- how his jokes fell flat & no one appreciated them-- and how he really did, always, have a sense of justice he wasn't always even aware of or willing to act upon. And he was just such a -boy-, such a vulnerable confused little boy. ♥♥♥ Oh Edmund. So much love.
I actually liked Susan more here than in the book! I think she'll be even better in the second movie (where she has more of a role, I think), but here too, she was just such an interesting mixture of down-to-earth and prickly-prissy to the point of nastiness. That constantly pursed mouth, omg! She reminded me of a younger version of the housekeeper. And-- well, it's just that Narnia isn't really her scene, and yet she adapted, and was as sensitive as Lucy when it came to Aslan's death. She really was a good sister, and the movie made me feel for her as I hadn't in the book, where I think she seemed less sympathetic to me most of the time, I dunno.
Oh Lucy. She was a great Lucy, with all her big-heartedness and dreaminess and earnestness, as well as the runaway curiosity and mischief-- and she has a mouth on her too! She's so obviously spoiled by all of them, even Edmund (though really, he tries not to I think)-- it was so cute! But mostly, yeah, I identified with Lucy just like in the book, especially at her amazement and joy when she first found Narnia. I think, though, Edmund actually has a similar innocence of mindset, just not as clearly expressed because he's always on the defensive. I mean, honestly, the boy wanted Turkish Delight and always said what was on his mind even to the Queen! I kept thinking how very brave he was, much moreso than Peter! Pfft! Plus, he's brave and just without being a self-important sourpuss like Peter, so.
Several times, I thought Lucy was actually a bit mean to Susan or Edmund, but when she hugged Edmund when he returned and he hugged her back so easily, I really felt they were especially close. I think Edmund wants approval from Peter and from dad, but of all his siblings, he teases Lucy because of normal older-brother prattishness and not any hidden resentment or distance. I think as soon as Lucy got some more defenses against him, they could be as close if not closer than Peter and Susan.
All of them had great snarky lines, too, except for Peter (poor Peter, really, but that's how I felt reading the books, too). Oh, and I loved Lucy with Tumnus (and I loved Tumnus! unexpectedly hawt, with nipples & random bodyhair! yet dorky! omg, that was definitely an improvement or a greater realization of the book!)
I really liked the look of the movie, too-- the landscapes and the cgi, all the creatures and such (except for the fox, that was just badly done). The Queen seemed most interesting and believable (human?) in the very first scene where she meets Edmund and talks normally-- I could see why he'd be drawn in, since he clearly always wanted a mother-figure to pay attention just to him. I know I really sound like I'm such a fool for Edmund (but then, I really am). Anyway, the rest of the time, the Queen seemed too over-the-top, the more 'evil' she got. I thought the -wolves- were more 'evil' taunting Peter at the ice. I really thought all the actors were pretty good at showing their inner struggle, but Peter was especially transparent and sort of-- simple. Like Ivan the Simple (Ivan the Idiot??) as in the fairy-tales.
Trying seriously to compare movie!Edmund and book!Edmund with my swiss-cheese memory, I'd say book!Edmund was a lot less sympathetic and deeply whiny/resentful/mean, but then we got to hear his thoughts. Movie!Edmund was always sort of picked on, I guess, y'know, from the very first scene, which basically served to establish him as a sympathetic character, I thought-- the vulnerable one, really. I think(?) Lewis' Edmund was somewhat more genuinely nasty and had to learn humility just to become a more decent sort-- whereas I really don't think movie!Edmund ever seemed -indecent- so much as petulant and defensive and maybe desperate. And Lucy was always easy to tears and easy to laughter, which is an option Edmund didn't have and probably resented and envied both. Susan, on the other hand, might or might not have been more nasty than in the book-- she really was quite annoying to me in the book, especially in that scene (not in the movie) with the dryads, but I'm not even sure if that's first book (I think so, though).
I really loved the Professor (he was delightful!!) and it made me happy 'cause perhaps you could still say The Magician's Nephew is my favorite of the books. He had that devilish twinkle that both the movie!Dumbledores tried for and never actually achieved. Actually, I thought the acting overall was quite good, the children especially. And Mr. Tumnus. Can't forget Mr. Tumnus.
...though a part of me kept expecting Aslan to be more... shining. Even though he was already tall(!) and had that sexy voice. I guess it really is hard to be King. :>
