Musings

As you all know, I like action movies. So, I had this secret desire to see TRANSFORMERS. Fortunately (or unfortunately) my friend Ian had the same guilty desire. So we went off to see the movie last night. Now, the whole idea of robots that can turn into cars or jet planes is just cool. And the first action sequence in Qatar was fine. The CGI had the camera set well back so you got the full effect of the helicopter transforming and the robot rampaging through the parked jets, and tiny little people running, shooting and screaming. I rolled my eyes over the racism played for a laugh, but then we cut to California and our young hero.

Shia LaBeouf has enormous charisma and I can see why he was cast for the new Indiana Jones movie. He’ll be a great foil for Harrison Ford. But back to TRANSFORMERS I liked the themes of teenage male sexuality personified by cars. The idea of a car as a place where fathers and sons bond. The American obsession with cars. Then the other robots arrived and the whole thing went right off the rails.

Look, I know it’s about big fighting robots, but at least make a nod toward it making sense. Ian and I were going “now what was on great-grandad’s glasses? It’s supposed to show the location of the cube, but they had moved the cube so the glasses are useless. And why didn’t the good guy robots just buy the glasses off of ebay instead of sneaking around in the backyard? (a truly ludicrous scene and not in a good way). There were small nits that made me crazy in the continuity. When the robots take out the electrical lines all the lights in the neighborhood go off except the decorative Christmas lights in the backyard were still on.

The CGI robot battles looked like an auto junk yard in a blender. Why, or why didn’t they keep the same distance for the big battles? Too expensive? Too hard? Because it’s the fashion for an action sequence now? Also, I so would have changed the names of the robot factions. As Ian said, “when you’re called the Decepticons it’s a pretty good bet they shouldn’t be trusted.

And then there was the asshole federal agent. This has got to have been a studio note. “Let’s see, there isn’t enough jeopardy to our hero and heroine (other then the giant robots), so let’s create this bad guy Fed. He can also be comic relief. Yeah, yeah, that’s a good idea!”. Oh, and the comedic fat African-American kid which made me cringe. And what about the NSA analyst who appeared to be Australian. I so want to see that security clearance.

So, okay, Ty, you were right. But we had some good laughs and I at least got to see one neat robot kicking the sh** out of jet planes.

At least I’m reading a good book right now. More on that once I’ve finished.

Melinda

Hey, All,

My friend Daniel Abraham’s incredibly wonderful book A SHADOW IN SUMMER is now out in paperback. A BETRAYAL IN WINTER should also be on the stands within the week. I urge folks to pick up this series. Daniel is almost done with the final book of the quartet so you don’t have to worry that you’re investing in a series that will never actually finish.

Daniel is one of the best writers I know (and I know a lot of them). I wish I could be Daniel when I grow up.

Melinda

I thought I would give folks a review of the latest book I just finished reading. THE LIES OF LOCKE LAMORA by Scott Lynch was a delightful romp, and I’m so impressed with this author because this is his first novel. Damn, I wish I had been this talented and artful back when I first started writing.

I found no big surprises in this book despite it being a fantasy Ocean’s 11, but then I’m Structure Girl so I tend to see the twists and turns coming and know where they are going. It didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the read. I loved the Gentlemen Bastards, but the wonderfully overpowering character is the city of Camorr. The Elderglass was an amazing creation, and I wish I had thought of it.

It’s a gift that some writers possess to turn landscape and cities into full characters. Tolkien did it brilliantly with Middle Earth. When I reread the LOTR I always think of it as going back to Middle Earth rather than any particular character or event. (Not that I don’t love those, but there is something about the world he created.) A far less accomplished writer, Marion Zimmer Bradley,accomplished it with Darkover. Marion’s prose was plodding at best, but I just loved that world.

It’s not something I’ve managed to master as a writer. I tend to write in present day because it’s so much easier than creating a well realized world. I’d like to get people’s opinions on how you create memorable places.

Melinda