norwich36: (Default)
norwich36 ([personal profile] norwich36) wrote2009-06-25 11:24 am
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I took myself to see Up last weekend, and it was every bit as good as people say it is.

In fact, though I went in expecting it to like it (since I've had a little bit of a crush on Ed Asner ever since I was a wee little thing and my father's favorite show was "Lou Grant"), it was even better than I was anticipating. The previews made his character seem a lot more crotchety than he actually was in the movie, I thought, and also made it seem like his balloon-house thing was more of a reckless choice than it actually turned out to be in the film. That was refreshing.

The sequences with his wife were so beautiful I was crying the whole time, I swear. It's true, as some people have said, that the last 30 minutes of the film or so are pretty formula, but it was a formula that worked for me so I was fine with that. (And of course everyone knew that he was going to end up Russell that adorable bottlecap merit badge Ellie had made him--but that didn't make that moment any less sweet, imho.) This is definitely my all-time favorite Pixar film.

And it became clear to me that I am truly a slasher at heart when I couldn't help thinking that the stork and the cloud-creator-thing in the short preceding Up were meant-to-be-together.

On the other hand, slash goggles only got me so far when I finally got to see Merlin last weekend. (I was surprised more people on my flist weren't talking about the U.S. premiere, but I guess everybody else is not on dialup and therefore downloaded it months ago?)

It's not that I didn't like it. I really like Merlin and Arthur and Gwen, and I can definitely see the Merlin/Arthur chemistry--but the plot just really wasn't doing it for me. I managed to watch the Pilot all the way through, but I could only bring myself to watch the first and last ten minutes of the second episode, so I just don't know. I will give it a try again this Sunday, but I'm guessing this is not going to be a new fandom for me. All of you Merlin fans out there--is there some upcoming episode I should really definitely watch that will totally hook me?
bradygirl_12: (autumn leaves (red))

[personal profile] bradygirl_12 2009-06-25 06:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Is this on cable or free TV? I didn't realize that it had started airing on U.S. television. :)

[identity profile] norwich36.livejournal.com 2009-06-25 06:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Free TV. I'm pretty sure it was NBC? It airs at 8 & 9 p.m. Eastern time (they seem to be showing 2 episodes a week) on Sunday nights. Yeah, I just went to check the website and it's NBC for sure, and it looks like they're also posting the episodes online if you missed last week.

[identity profile] miss-saigon.livejournal.com 2009-06-25 07:37 pm (UTC)(link)
It took 3-4 episodes for me to really get into Merlin but once they started trading life saving favors every week it got a lot better. Also even if you don't end up sticking with the whole show, I recommend watching the fifth episode with Lancelot, because Santiago Cabrera is hot and everyone is in love with him and it awesome :D
Edited 2009-06-25 19:38 (UTC)

[identity profile] norwich36.livejournal.com 2009-06-25 11:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, I'll be travelling when they air that episode, but I'll try to get ahold of it.
ext_1453: (morgana)

[identity profile] elandrialore.livejournal.com 2009-06-25 08:27 pm (UTC)(link)
If you can hold out to about the fourth episode of Merlin because that's when I really got hooked.

[identity profile] norwich36.livejournal.com 2009-06-25 11:35 pm (UTC)(link)
NBC seems to be airing 2 episodes every Sunday, so I guess I'll watch this Sunday, at least.

[identity profile] theclexfactor.livejournal.com 2009-06-25 08:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Like everyone else, the fourth episode is where it really gets going. I actually saw episode 10 before I saw the others because that was the first one up for download and I was instantly hooked. And then I saw 11, and went back and saw episode 4( after finally being about to get all the downloads) and saw what everyone was talking about.

[identity profile] norwich36.livejournal.com 2009-06-25 11:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Interesting! That one airs this Sunday, so I guess I'll know then if I'm going to be hooked or not.
ext_12155: (Default)

[identity profile] schneestern.livejournal.com 2009-06-25 09:07 pm (UTC)(link)
I watched all of Merlin but it never quite managed to hook me to the point where I felt like I wanted fic. I think I only actually watched it because I was waiting for that OMG YAY moment. However, I think that may mainly be because I'm so deeply into bandom right now.

[identity profile] norwich36.livejournal.com 2009-06-25 11:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah, when you're already really absorbed in a fandom it's hard to take on new ones.
ext_7408: (Merlin/Arthur - armour me by beeej)

[identity profile] yavannauk.livejournal.com 2009-06-25 09:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Episode four was the one that hooked me on Merlin; it's a slash girl's dream. But the very best episodes are in the latter half of the season (nine, ten and eleven especially). The scripts do get darker in tone, while still retaining the comic touch between Merlin and Arthur that I enjoy.

[identity profile] norwich36.livejournal.com 2009-06-25 11:37 pm (UTC)(link)
The consensus does seem to be that episode 4 is the one to watch, so I am looking forward to this Sunday.
ender24: (Default)

[personal profile] ender24 2009-06-26 02:32 pm (UTC)(link)
i have no clue, which number it is, but the one with the unicorn :DD
coz that was so sweet!

[identity profile] serenography.livejournal.com 2009-06-26 02:58 pm (UTC)(link)
I felt exactly the same about UP. What a special movie.

And agreeing again on Merlin. I watched the first ep, and it was fine, but did not grab me and make me have to watch any more. I do want to try a few more eps though. Thanks for the heads-up about Sunday airings.
ext_35071: (Default)

[identity profile] shardsofblu.livejournal.com 2009-07-09 11:10 am (UTC)(link)
I think that had I started watching Merlin from the first episode itself, I'd have troubles getting into the story as well. But I started with ep. 8 (The Beginning of the End) and it totally sucked me in. Come to think of it -- it was A LOT better in the 2nd half, there were five solid episodes straight.