Penguin carnage and Harry Potter

Watched March of the Penguins, courtesy Netflix. I think I cooed or squeed nonstop at the screen for the duration of the movie. Although there was indeed spectacular penguin carnage. fosteronfilm is quite sensitive to the harsh brutality of nature, which often makes it difficult (and sweet) watching animal documentaries with him. He declared that the movie ratings people should have given March of the Penguins an “R” for all the penguin brutality instead of a “G.” This from the man who can watch people being flayed alive in the Hellraiser movies without batting an eye. It is pretty amazing those creatures (penguins, not pinhead refugees) can pull off survival. There’s a certain “evolution in progress” feel to them. Emperor penguins need to be marsupials. A pouch would make procreation so much easier. Platypi pouches are watertight, so it’s obviously possible. I did get the twitches seeing some of the suffering penguins–especially the smaller, non-emperor ones trapped in a crevasse, and the emperor babies being attacked by some large gull-like bird. I wanted to shout at the cameramen and researchers to “go help them, you fools!” Boost a few penguins from an icy grave, shoo the gull away, maybe put out an electric blanket and some fish pate for the hungry penguin dads . . . Yeah, I know, I’m a softhearted sap.

And we caught a matinĂ©e of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Wow, they really darkened the movie up! And I think the film was decidedly improved for it. There was a certain Spartan feel to some of the background settings–like the absence of the ghosts in the Hogwarts halls and the decreased number of portraits, etc.–but overall I thought it was very well done. I’m giving the new director my enthusiastic stamp of approval. And the young actors have really grown into their parts.

   


Writing Stuff

Got an email from sdowens asking for an interview for his new blogging project, bloggasm.com as part of a new theme interview series–this one to be “Writers of Short Speculative Fiction.” Very cool. Of course I agreed.

And that also prompted me to get back to work on the Aberrant Dreams interview questions that were backburnered while I worked on “Rue and Ruin.” It seems that people want to know about me all of a sudden. It’s way flattering and super nifty, but also sort of bewildering.

Received:
26-day so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-fish from Pedestal.

New words: 100, mostly notes and brainstorming, on “Arachne.”
Club 100 For Writers
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5 Responses to Penguin carnage and Harry Potter

  1. dream_wind says:

    A few years ago when I was in Melbourne I went to a place called Phillip Island, which is home to the largest fairy penguin colony in the world (I think). Every night they return from feeding and head back to their nests, and it’s called the “Penguin Parade.”

    They are quite amazing birds, and rather funny. When they come to a hollow or a potentially dangerous patch, they gather in a group and stand squawking. Then one bird will gather courage and go a little way out, before retreating into the safety of the group. Then another will go a little further, and so on, until one gets all the way across, then they all cross.

    They are very cute to look at, but really smelly.

  2. mabfan says:

    When we saw “March of the Penguins” in the theater, I was struck by some of the violence and hoped that no one was bringing their very young children simply to see cute penguins.

  3. ellyssian says:

    The dangers of penguins are not unknown to me, and I have one word: RPLS.

    Okay, so it’s one acronym, but hey, if you’re going to be dealing with penguins, it’s always good to have a rocket propelled leopard seal (and lots of ammunition!) at your disposal.

  4. Wow, I haven’t seen the penguin movie, but maybe I won’t; I’m like your husband in that I can watch tarentino all day and laugh but can’t bear to watch animals be hurt. Thx for the tip!

    And, dude, that club 100 number is getting really high. What’s the highest number you’ve ever reached?

  5. yukinooruoni says:

    *heh* better him than me … I don’t watch animal movies, even the documentaries. Am way too much of a wreck after them. Nature is nature, but that doesn’t mean I have to watch it!

    Glad you liked it and Harry though! đŸ™‚

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