Watched Aeon Flux last night, courtesy Netflix, the MTV series, not the Charlize Theron movie. I haven’t seen the movie yet, being more than a little dubious about it.
I remember seeing the shorts on MTV’s Liquid TV, and then some of the series episodes, and wondering whether they would make more sense if I saw all of them in order. The answer to that is “no.” Viewing them in proper sequence, first to last, does not in any way make them an iota more coherent.
However, I really like them, despite or perhaps because of the extreme weirdness. Although “weird” doesn’t do justice to the profoundly freaky-bizarre experience that is Aeon Flux–beautiful and strangely disjointed, with ultra-bizarre technology and unnaturally graceful characters a la anime, but without the usual anime trappings.
I’m still ruminating on the episodes, replaying some of the (disturbing) imagery in my mind, and luxuriating/speculating on the subtext and dialogue. Lines like: “I’m not in the habit of arguing about the color of red herrings!”; “We won. We must have been right”; “Learn from your mistakes, so that one day you can repeat them precisely”; and “That which does not kill us, makes us stranger” left me glassy-eyed and awed.
Although I do wonder what it says about my sensibilities on romance that I find Aeon Flux’s and Trevor Goodchild’s love/hate, quasi-BDSM, obsessive-dysfunctional, manipulative-merciful-murderous relationship incredibly sexy. Eh, then again, I already knew I was a bit twisted.
“You’re hurting my hand! …Normally, I like that. But this time I can’t reciprocate your feelings.”
Writing Stuff
Got a note from Chris McKitterick inviting me to participate in the nomination process of the 2005 Sturgeon Awards. I’m honored and flattered, but now I have to scrunch my brain up and somehow come up with a Top 5 list from all the amazing short SF that was published last year.
Also got an email from Jason Rennie of The Sci Phi Show, letting me know that he’s going to use the Escape Pod podcast of “The Life and Times of Penguin” in a forthcoming episode. The focus topic will be an examination of “The Problem of Evil,” which I am absolutely tickled by. I hope Voltaire would have been proud of, or at least amused by, my homage to Candide.
don’t bother seeing the movie. or if you do, don’t expect much from it and you should be okay.
seriously. the movie lacked every bit of charm of the series. i was grossly disappointed.
the casting was terrible. the story was way too simplified and linear. and it had some bullshit uplifting ending.
I love Aeon Flux the series, and I’m not going to see the movie because of that. Hollywood has a nasty habit of appropriating and corrupting all the things I like (the worst offender being Disney. I still can’t get over that pukefest they made out of Little Mermaid.) *shakes fist at sky* Is nothing sacred anymore?
Havent done movie yet and prob wont…when I heard the director say that the movie “would not be as hardcore and edgy” as a cartoon that ran on MTV over 10 years ago, that told me all I needed to know…not to mention Charlize demanding that she wear tights in the movie(and I doubt it’s because her mom told her that modesty works best in being sexy…where was mom when she did The Devil’s Advocate?)
The episode with the eggs and the multi-armed aliens is probably my favorite Flux short. After they started talking and she quit dying at the end of each episode, I lost a lot of interest in the show — though it was still fun to watch.
~rl
I thought the relationship between Aeon/Trevor (in the animated pieces, not in the movie, I haven’t seen the movie and don’t want to) was the most perfect representation of romance in modern fiction.
But then, I’m kinda twisted too. 😉
M
maybe it was because I only ever saw one episode of the TV show, which is now like some little-remembered trip in my mind, but I thought the movie was enjoyable, in a going-into-it-with-no-expectations way.
I mean, I thought the movie and the show were both nifty as Very seperate art forms–which I think is probably the best that adaptations can be.
and I think weird romance in general is incredibly sexy. maybe that’s just me, but I really do.
the original Aeon Flux on Liquid TV and later it’s own series made very very little sense. I loved it though, and have seen every episode myself.
I loved Aeon Flux. You can get it through NetFlix? I will ask my roommates (who have a membership) to put it on their list if they haven’t already.
Congratulations on getting to nominate the best stories of the year!
I guess I have the same urge to watch them all in sequence to try and figure them out. The only good thing I can say about the movie is AT LEAST it was simple enough to finally know what the plot line was (assuming it’s the same for the series and the movie).
I still see images of the demi-urge…
…haunting, haunting images.
how funny…..
I thought I was one of few who actually loved the series so much. I have not seen the movie yet because I fear it may ruin it all for me. Hey, when you watch it…let me know what you think. LOL