Neil Gaiman and Joss Whedon

It came from nowhere. One minute I was eating chocolate porridge, and the next I was thinking “OMFG! What if Neil Gaiman and Joss Whedon collaborate to make a movie or something?”

Of course I thought this was a golden idea and that I was the first person in the world to think of Neil Gaiman and Joss Whedon in one sentence, but a quick search on the internet told me otherwise. I typed their names in Google and viola! Time Magazine had already done an interview with the two of them at the same time in 2005. See here: Interview: Neil Gaiman and Joss Whedon

No mention of any collaborations, though. And I think the only reason they were interviewed together was because movies that theywere a part of (Mirrormask for Neil Gaiman, Serenity for Joss Whedon) were coming out on the same day. So my idea wasn’t all that bad, right? I mean, Neil Gaiman and Joss Whedon. Why not, right?

Or, before we get to the why not, let me tell you first my thoughts on the why:

1. I’m not saying they should collaborate just because they’re both genre writers. I just think it’s interesting to see what they will come up with, geniuses that they are of the sci-fi/fantasy world.
2. So I love Joss Whedon because he’s funny. One of Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘s best feature was that the dialogue was witty and funny. But Neil Gaiman is really funny, too. (Good Omens, anyone?)
3. They’ve both worked with other writers before. I mean, neither of them have ever been known to be the reclusive author that J.D. Salinger was or J.K. Rowling kind of is, so they’ll probably be able to share their ideas well and not, you know, have a pissing contest over who’s more creative (not that I think J.K. Rowling would argue with anyone that she’s more creative than they are, just that, considering how she’s not fond of giving interviews and that she didn’t agree for Harry Potter to become a movie until the producers promised her that the story would not deviate from the mythology of her novels, well, I just don’t think that makes her a great candidate for collaborative works).
4. Neil Gaiman has an amazing imagination. I mean, there’s a kid who grows up in a graveyard and he is raised by ghosts. How does he come up with this stuff? But Joss Whedon has a great imagination, too. Who else can think of a demon whose power is to make people burst into song and dance, but too much of it will make them spontaneously combust?
5. They both love language, I’m assuming. Because they can both play and manipulate words in the most beautiful ways. Joss changes English words (but in a good way, not in a grammatically incorrect hurts the ears way), using nouns as verbs (“He’s a creature of the night, Buffy. It’s night, so he’s out creaturing.”) and Neil, well he doesn’t make up his own words (at least I haven’t encountered it in his works) but he manipulates them to make them more meaningful (like any great writer should). So, a collaboration between the two of them, I can imagine, would have just the awesomest dialogue ever.
6. Oh, and Joss Whedon should visit the Philippines, too and hear all about our aswangs and tiyanaks and manananggals. Because that would just be great.

Convinced you yet? OK, realistically speaking, it’s probably never going to happen. They move in different circles. Although they’re both writers and well-known in the comic book industry, Neil Gaiman is more known in the literary world, and Joss Whedon is more known in the Hollywood world. And Neil Gaiman is in England and Joss Whedon is in America. And you know, it’s probably too expensive to have both of them on the payroll of one single project, since just one of them can already bring an exceeding amount of brilliance to a project anyway. So, yeah, it would be next to impossible for them to work together. Still, wouldn’t it be kinda cool?

Stop… Just Stop

What have I learned from this life (admittedly, it’s still very short)?

DO NOT CARE ABOUT ANYTHING.

And I mean, anything.

Because the things you care for will just always always always always (times a thousand times) disappoint you, nay, break your heart.

I actually want to write this whole entry using ALL CAPS, but that would make me a hater, if I’m not already.

Why am I so apathetic about the news, even when I know it’s important to find out what’s going on in the country? Because the news here, is always bad. It’s always depressing and it makes me so angry. So, I just don’t think about it. If I think about it too much, I might get to the point that I would want to hang myself. To escape all this reality, I comfort myself with the “entertainment” on TV. And I think, “Wow this is great! I don’t stress myself out and I feel good because TV programs and movies make me laugh!” But it’s a double-edged sword you see, because caring about TV programs, or anything, really, will make you feel strong emotions that will eventually make you angry and stressed out, like the news.

Apparently, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is going to get a reboot. But Joss Whedon, the original creator of Buffy will not be involved. Instead, some young, arrogant “writer” named whats-her-face (I don’t remember her name. I don’t want to remember stupid people’s names.) who pitched an idea to some producers will be the one working on it. Now, what have we learned from Firefly? That some producers are just stupid. So if some producers think that you have a good idea, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you do. Because some producers just can’t tell what a good idea is, even if it was very shiny.

Now I know it’s a stupid Hollywood thing that’s all for “entertainment” and you’re not supposed to care so much, but…

WHAT THE F***?!?!?

In the hopes of not stressing myself out, I made myself care about the mundane things like TV programs and movies. But even they hurt me, too. So now, I’m just clinging to my last shred of hope: Batman and Robin, the worst Batman movie ever (the one with George Clooney–don’t deny it, we all know this is true) was eventually buried deep under Hollywood trash and forgotten. After several great movies, George Clooney now enjoys a fine time in Hollywood, free of his “worst Batman ever” image. So maybe, this “new” Buffy movie will quickly die and be forgotten, too. Like Batman and Robin. It could happen, right?

More information about this news here: http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b212644_joss_whedon_reacts_buffy_movie_news_i.html

7 Part 1

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows SPOILERS are here.
Don’t read if you don’t want to know what happens.

—

Where to begin? I loved it. But then, I’m always a little biased when it comes to Harry Potter. I watched this movie today with my dad and my mom was quick to tell us that we’re such cheaters because we didn’t wait for her, despite knowing that she also wants to see it. But I wanted to watch it right away, and I kind of want to watch it twice on the big screen so I figured it’s good to watch it on the opening day, and then again when everyone’s excitement has waned. I think I’ve watched several Harry Potter movies (not all, though, I’m not crazy) twice in the cinema. Anyway… since I’m not feeling too coherent today, let me just enumerate stuff about the movie:

• I don’t think you’ll understand the story if you don’t know/remember what happened in Books/Movies 1-6. They don’t explain what Horcruxes are at all. You’re expected to already know what they are and why Harry is looking for them.
• Other than that, I think I have nothing but praises for this movie. It’s the best one in terms of translating the words into something visual. The other movies were pretty cool, but they have outdone themselves this time with regard to the special effects and location shooting. The locations are like Lord of the Rings level — all the cliffs and mountains and forests. Absolutely wonderful.
• The scene at Godric’s Hollow — SCARY AS HELL. I mean, it was really one of the scariest parts in the book (if not the scariest (why yes, I still get scared when reading books, so what?)) and the execution here was brilliant. I mean, the actress they got for Bathilda Bagshot (Hazel Douglas) is the quintessential “scary old lady”.
• Dobby’s Death – Didn’t bring as much tears to my eyes as the book did, and it didn’t help that they made Hermione and Ron look helpless during the whole thing, but oh well.
• Ron/Hermione/Harry – Oh, here’s something I really feel strange about: Why are the creators of the Harry Potter movie Harry/Hermione shippers? I mean, they’re supposed to follow the canon pairings (since they’re supposed to be faithful to the books) which are Harry/Ginny, and Hermione/Ron. Are they confused or something? Or is it just bad luck that the actors for Harry and Hermione have more chemistry together than Harry and Ginny and Hermione and Ron? Seriously, the scene where Hermione and Harry are dancing in the tent — it’s way sweeter than the scene where Harry and Ginny kiss. There’s just really something wrong when a dance between two friends is more romantic than a kiss between a couple. Why? Why did they put so many Harry/Hermione scenes, and only one Ron/Hermione shipper scene — when their hands were slightly touching? And that scene was so subtle that nobody would really notice it. Oh, reality. You just have to ruin everything that’s good on paper, don’t you?
• Speaking of that dance between Harry and Hermione, it really is kind of cool when they add scenes like that that aren’t in the book that make you think that it’s really worth it to see the movies even if you already know the story. Another scene I like, which wasn’t in the book, was the one they added to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, with the Gryffindor boys in their room, eating jelly beans that made them roar like a lion or jump around like a monkey. It was such a great way to show how the boys have bonded with each other, but if that were written in the book, it probably would’ve been a boring part.
• It’s so funny that my dad felt sad about Dobby’s death and then said, “‘Di bale, may isa pa namang elf, diba?” referring to Kreacher, not knowing that Kreacher was one of the “bad” elves.
• Was that Cormac McLaggen in the Hogwarts train saying “My father’s going to hear about this!” ? Is he the new Draco Malfoy now that Malfoy’s not in school, anymore?
• Bellatrix Lestrange you scene-stealer. There are a dozen Death Eaters in that room and yet all eyes will still fall on you.

BTW, the TV in Burger King was playing Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone earlier and I was lucky enough to catch my favorite part:

Hermione: Now, if you two don’t mind, I’m going to bed, before either of you gets another idea that gets us killed or worse—expelled.

Ron: She needs to sort out her priorities.

Ah, good times… I’m so going to miss them when Part 2 is over.

P.S. Bread Talk has phased out the Cheese&Corn loaf. How dare they?! Another favorite food of mine phased out. I swear. The world is out to get me.

Let’s Talk Firefly

Mal speaking Chinese.

River and Jayne growling at each other.

A new episode of Firefly? I wish. But nope, it’s just our dear actors showing that after 7 years, they, just like us, still haven’t gotten over how great the show was.

I didn’t even start watching Castle because I was curious about whatever happened to Nathan Fillion after Firefly. After all, I didn’t watch Firefly until after I started watching Castle. And Chuck, too. I wasn’t even planning on ever watching Firefly since I’m not a big fan of the wild west (although I am a fan of sci-fi) but my obsession with Chuck led me to watching ComiCon panels on YouTube and inevitably witnessing the mania for Adam Baldwin, simply because he was, once upon a time, the man they called Jayne.

So there. I have now watched each episode of Firefly at least three times, and the movie Serenity at least four times. There is just something about it. And I can learn all the words in the ‘verse and still not be able to explain it. All I know is that I’m not the only one who feels this way. And you only need to look at any website dedicated to Firefly, and you’ll know, that all of its fans are obsessive like this. And, just like in the introduction of this entry, I guess the actors are, too.

In both shows, Castle and Chuck, Nathan Fillion and Adam Baldwin have been making subtle references to Firefly. They’re so much fun to spot and it’s just so cute to know that they’re still thinking of the show-that-was.

In Season 2 (Episode 6) of Castle, Nathan donned his Captain Mal costume for “Halloween”. In Season 1 of Chuck (Episode 11), Adam’s character John Casey, referred to his car as “shiny”. And I guess there have been other references that I might’ve missed, but I definitely didn’t miss the ones that were in their episodes in this week.

Both in Castle and in Chuck, both last Monday night, both Nathan and Adam and (bonus!) Summer Glau (who played River in Firefly) just reminded me so much of the fun that Firefly was.

In Chuck, Summer Glau guest-stars as one of the Gretas–the CIA agent that changes every week at the Buy More. Although Greta’s played by different actors, he/she doesn’t really have much to do and hardly ever interacts with the main characters. But this week, she does, and with John Casey to boot. Because she’s such a hottie, the non-CIA agents of the Buy More (Lester and Jeff) do some investigating into her life. So as not to blow her cover, Casey tells them that she’s a petty thief stealing head massagers from the Buy More. Afterwards, he and Greta have a conversation wherein she tells him that she’s disappointed in him because he used to be this great agent, and was now just a glorified babysitter of salespeople in retail. But what made that scene was how she growled, indicating frustration, just like how Casey growls, and he growls at her right back. It’s shallow and it’s not even really a Firefly reference, but you know, River did a lot of times mock the crew of Serenity, most especially Jayne (since he’s the easiest to mock). And growling at John Casey, well, isn’t that a way of mocking him as well?

In Castle, the story’s about UFOs and government conspiracies, so it’s really more a shoutout to The X-Files, especially given the Castle-Beckett dynamic, which can be paralleled with Mulder and Scully. But there was still Firefly magic towards the end where Castle (played by Nathan Fillion) ran into some Chinese factory workers and had to speak to them in Chinese so that they’d leave the room. Wondering how he learned to speak Chinese, Beckett asks him, “Semester abroad?” And he replies, “No, a TV show I used to love.”

And didn’t we all used to love that TV show?