onomatoblog

First, it should be said that it is a wonder that anna managed to see this movie at all. On the bus on the way to the theater, I rather zoinked out, and wasn’t myself for the next hour or so. Luckily, the movie (or the sugar in my snacks) woke me up to sufficiently enjoy the whole thing (including the extra, some French short animated thing called La Dernière Minute.)

Second, I should say: “Mr. Gaiman! You stole that joke straight (well, almost straight) from Roger Zelanzny! Not cool.”

So. It was a really good movie. Personally, I think that the introduction was a little long; shorter had been better. The story was very Gaiman, and yet surprisingly un-Gaiman. That might be me not having met him any other than the paper from, though. And McKean… aww. Imagine one the Sandman covers brought to life. It is completely impossible to call this movie anything but stunningly beautiful. There wasn’t a moment of if that wasn’t completely aesthetically pleasant, and there wasn’t a moment of aesthetic pleasure that didn’t play a significant part of the story; this is where its strength lies. It is relatively easy to make a pretty movie, but Gaiman has a way with symbolism that renders no images empty. It sounds a little pretentious, and it probably is (it’s past midnight) but the imagery and the story are woven together beautifully.

Aside from the young-girl-on-quest theme, I have a hard time seeing the connections to Alice in Wonderland that keep popping up. There is a certain surrealism, yes, but Helena is no Alice. She is more motivated, intelligent and fun that Alice ever was, and much less of a child. If anything, the comparison to Labyrinth is fairer. The themes and the humour are similar, and the Henson influence is quite visible at times -and that is not at all a minus. Overall, MirrorMask is a great movie; a kids’ adventure that will bore no adult.

So I am not entirely sure what it is I find it wanting. It might be the beginning. It dragged on several minutes too long. But aside from that, an excellent move.

Four starts out of five: ****

I am still alive! Who’d have thunk, eh?

I would like to once again point out that no, I didn’t design this. I have a design, but I haven’t applied it yet.

I have a place to live! I am currently living in a house in Bjärred, outside of Lund. There are six of (OK, I scared Mr. German Dude, but at least he got the point when I told him not to open the window. It’s freezing!) us living here, three swedes and three Germans. It’s alright, 20 minutes by bus from Lund, nice house, all that. Internet just started working. But I am about *this* close to getting a corridor room in Lund, and I might take it. The move will be awkward, but it’d be closer and I’d save a few hundred bucks by the end of the year. We’ll see.

Today is Joker Day! It’s the special day! It’s the annalucas day! Today, three years ago, Lucas and I got together (kind of.) Today, two years ago we got engaged. Which, yes, is a little soon. But this -being far away from each other for a prolonged amount of time- is why.

… which leads me to: I am coming back. In a year. When I’ve finished my year here, I will work through the summer and go back to the US in the fall. And Lucas and Anna will get married and live happily ever after, or at least after having acquired a cat. No one’s life is complete without a cat.

I am writing a paper. It’s the equiv of a Master’s thesis (yes, already. But it’s not due until February)… I already said this, didn’t I? Sucks to be me. Anyway, today was the first day of the Higher Seminar in Applied Philosophy, which is mainly for PhD students and profs, but where Master’s student are somewhat expected to participate. I was nervous, but it was as expected. A bunch of guys (literally. There were 15 of us, and I was the only female) discussing and nitpicking semi-interesting things. Today’s paper was on meta-ethics, so I was moderately amused. Next week, however, is on speciesism. Mmm, interesting.

It is hard to get used to the not-Erinness of Lund. I am used to gender and philosophy being closely connected, and here, it’s… not. I still haven’t been at the centre for gender studies, but it’s generally looked down on a little by the guys up at Kungshuset (the philosophy building. Or so it seems anyway. It’s a little… “Fem… what? postmodern French people, eh? Lit is over there, begone!” over it. I miss Erin. I ought to email her. I ought to email a lot of people now that I can.

But the HBT group has a thing I am going to tomorrow! Yay!

It’s late. There is another book on pragmatism waiting for me in my room. I ought to get to bed,

Alright. Here I am. I am currently still living in Malmö with my friends, but am frantically trying to find somewhere to live. Grad school has started. The current topic of paper is Pragmatism and Ethics as P is mainly applied to epistemology and metaphysics here.

I found one of my PLU professor’s works in the library catalogue. It’s apprently the second best library in the country. I haven’t been there yet.

I’ll update properly once there is something to update on. And I promise to start working on applying the layout I made.