WHY AM I AWAKE?!
Went to bed at 1:30. Spent two hours half asleep/awake. Woke up at 3:30. Couldn't sleep. Went downstairs around 5ish. I leave in about an hour.
Was going to sleep in the living room, but there are 5 million fucking flies in here. And they all crowd to this one area. Seriously. When Krissy and I first got in, I felt like I stepped into a Stephen King horror, because it was like that first sign of impending doom/death where there's suddenly about 5 million insects of some sort.
Anyways. I go to NY soon. yayayaya.

Here is my critical review for watchmen (WARNING! SPOILER!):

While I have to appreciate Snyder for all the loops he had to get through (knowing that if he quite, they would have gotten someone who would kill the comic), I still find it, in my opinion WEAK.

If you want to enjoy the movie, abandon all hopes of it being like the comic. Consider the freaking condensed power point of the novel, only hitting the big points, and so lacking in the “OOMPF!” without all the background knowledge.

Now, some of this ranting will be out of place because if they wanted to include it all, it would be an extremely long movie.

To begin: they cut out a lot of the character’s background histories. While I have to keep timing in mind, I still have to complain about this because it doesn’t give enough time to develop the characters from just superheroes with screwed lives, into people you relate to and feel sympathy for. They didn’t really give enough background info about Rorschach, for example. And so, it felt like just a guy who was born messed up, instead of a slow creation of his environment. I really felt cheated without the storyline of Rorschach with his psychiatrist. Not to mention, THEY KILLED my favourite speech in the book, the “this world is not shaped by vague metaphysical beings..”. Not to mention, they changed around the kidnapping scene in Rorschach’s history, that was PIVTOL to his character development (you know—when he goes to save the 6 year old who was kidnapped, only to learn he was too late).

They completely dropped Hollis (first Nite Owl) as a character. He was just there, and then he wasn’t.

While I would have liked more in the Juspecyk’s relationship, or Dan’s obsession with going back to the old times, the movie didn’t suffer without it. So, while it’s nice, it’s possible to touch upon it without all the full info.

And don’t get me started on the scene in which Jon is trapped in the field machine, about to become Manhattan. The two actors who played his friend and his girlfriend lacked any emotion when seeing him trapped. All they could muster was an “Oh, Jon, I’m sorry” void of any actual regret. I mean, SERIOUSLY?! You’re about to watch your friend/boyfriend die AND THAT’S ALL?!

There was more gore, more violence. NO. Bad idea, because now people who haven’t read the comic, and who are expecting a serious movie based on what people have said about, are going to be thrown off by that. The movie won’t be taken seriously now, and it will look like a stupid over sexualized, and super gore Hollywood movie. Sorry, but it’s true.

THE ENDING. I hated it. Yes, it got across the same idea of an alien thing, but, in the word’s of Emily “WE DESERVED A SQUID”. I felt that having the squid, it allowed to show just how in depth Veidt’s planning was. It brings it in slowly, whereas in the movie it was like “Pyramid industries”, and then “OH, IT’S VEIDT. HE WAS COLLECTING DR. MANHATTAN’S POWER”. I mean, how? When? When did he do that? At least with the squid you saw all his planning, how badly he wanted this. I can’t quit figure out how to nicely describe that I don’t like the ending---meaning, making all of what I want to say make sense. So that’s what you have right now.


WHAT I LIKED
I did like what they did with the old Juspecyk (Silk Spectre 1). I liked how they made it more obvious in her character that she was in love with glamour and glitz—in the book it was harder to agree with because of her regular appearance.

I liked Dan a lot, he was just so cute!

I did end up like who they chose as Veidt. They went for a younger lookin guy—smooth move because it makes him seem more hip, more believable to be BFF’s with DAVID BOWIE!! And just great acting on his part.
Overall, I liked the casting for the characters.


That’s about it. I think I’ll like the movie the second time I see just because I’ll go in thinking of it as something else from watchmen. IN SHORT: If you want to enjoy the movie, don’t expect the comic. Expect some other Hollywood movie with a better plot than usual.

Oh, and I have to agree with this:
“Snyder's movie contains more than a few deviations from the beloved original, and the alterations and additions straitjacket the film's ostensible purpose -- to honor the comic -- and dumb it down for a modern movie-going audience that seems to have fallen in love with torture porn.”

http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2009/03/review-watchmen.html

This person says it a lot better than I did.


Don’t kill me if you don’t agree. These are MY OWN OPINIONS.

SCHOLARSHIP! I GOT IT! MAX AMOUNT! I AM GOING TO SVA OFFICIALLY! 100%!!

Got my I-20 paperwork today (for student visa). I found out that after a year of being on an F1 visa, I can apply for a type of visa that will allow me to work outside of the school (yes!). That's a relief.

I don't know why, but just getting this cheered me up. Sally talking to me yesterday cheered me up a bit too. I really needed this.

We've got all the document and papers ready to finally take my dad on about paying for school. I can't say it's court, really, because our lawyer is trying to make this is as short and painless as possible. He's really nice.

Oh, and I got my two books (Comics as Philosophy, and Watchmen and Philosophy), so excited to start reading!
And I borrowed Epileptic by David B. from the library, along with one of my favourite T.V shows (and my Mom's): Red Dwarf.

Yes. Here is nice happy update, no? I'm all about the yin/yang.

OH-ho-ho. I have my book, the zombie survival guide AND I have gathered a small group of people who I will save in case of Zombie take over, and we shall begin training soon. Plus, we already have a place to hide out--the second level of Superstore (the bakery).

Messy children are evil, because fixing their blemishes in Photoshop (yearbook assignment) is NOT fun.

I ordered "Comics as Philosophy" and "Watchmen and Philosophy" off of Amazon. So excited to read it. Emily and I are going to see the movie together, opening day. We're getting there an hour before, to assure us a spot. Yup.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SALLY IS COMING TO CANADA! OH MY GOD! YESSSSS! I WAS HAVING A KIND OF CRAPPY DAY, BUT THIS HAS DEFINATELY MADE IT!! OH MY GOD! I START PLANNING NOW!! YES!!
I WON'T BE ABLE TO TAKE YOU FOR THE FULL SIGHT SEEING ONLY BECAUSE MY MOM HAS TO WORK, BUT I CAN TAKE YOU TO TORONTO! AND TCAF WILL MAKE UP FOR THAT!
I LIVE IN OAKVILLE, BORING PLACE, BUT IT'S JUST A TRAIN RIDE INTO T DOT. YESSSSSSSS!

That is all...

Oh, and I hope you're not allergic to cats or dogs (I have a cat and a small dog that does not shed)

SCHOLARSHIP STUFF WENT OUT LAST NIGHT! IS IN NY TODAY!

UGH. Thank God. You have no idea the hell I went through getting the slide film done. First, most places do overnight development, in TORONTO, so I have to take the train in to get it all done.

Originally, I was supposed to take the photos Monday, but I had to fix up some pieces, so I worked from 12:00 until 7:30 on that. Woke up at 9:30 the next morning to have breakfast and then take photos.
Initially, we were supposed to go to burlington camera because they do overnight, but when my mom called they said they only run the machine once a week now and could get it to us on Monday. Uh, no.
Found a place in Toronto, but I had to get in before 2, so I had to catch the 11:30 train to the city (would get in at 12:15) to be safe. But, I have to catch the 11:10 bus to the train station. It was 10 when I figured this out. Had to take the photos quickly (which was a nightmare with only a macro lens and no easel). Dash upstairs to change, run out of the house.
So, I drop off the slide film, and then Wednesday, my mom picks it up, brings it back. SIX of my photos are missing, and I guess I wasn't paying attention and didn't frame the photos properly. I start freaking out, crying because there's not enough time. I'll have to retake everything in the morning, regardless.
We find a place online, in Toronto, that develops in 2 hrs. My mom goes out and buys a nice easel for $30.
Wake up at 8:45. It's a cloudy day. Fuck. The aperature on the camera is broken too. If I move it, as soon as I release it, it goes back to a certain low setting. There's not auto setting. So, I just have to be thankful that all I have to do is keep holding the aperature at the right spot. Just thankful that it's something I can work around.
Get done, dash to make breakfast then out to the bus. Get in, drop off the film, meet Krissy at Tim Horton's near the Eaton.
And as Krissy goes to the washroom/get in line for coffee, this creepy old man starts talking to me about business and tim horton's. I don't understand what he's saying because he mumbles, and since I don't get it, he gets progressively angrier. I'm thinking "shit. shit. shit". Thankfully, a guy called John steps in and distracts the old man, his anger gets turned elsewhere and he starts leaving. Once he's gone, I say thank you to John. Krissy rushes over (having caught the last 30 seconds of what happened) to check that I'm okay. I am.
Pick up the photos, thank god they're alright. Head home, and in the train station I lose my favourite, and warmest hat. This doesn't upset me, I don't have the energy for it anymore. I go home and finish the scholarship application. My sharpie runs out as I'm labelling the slide, my mom had to go out and buy new ones.
Finish up, my mom goes to send it out. I plop down onto my couch and am thankful to FINALLY be able to relax.

Yes, I had a very misfortunate week. I also think my health card go lost in the mail (I was getting a new one).

Her you go, Sally.
A single panel. Still needs some ink washes.
Uh, yeah.

This is when the Messenger (Paola) first comes across "the Walden" or, "the Kingdom. Home to all the misfits of society.". The king (Jenoah), is hesitant to invite this seemingly normal girl, who funtions well and is accepted in society. However, the court jester (name undecided) welcomes her in right away.
This panel he squeezes her cheeks, exclaiming "Oh, God! Look at her! Isn't she adorable?". While Paola attempts "Whuh ish this pwace?" (what is this place?)


Sorry the image is huge.

Yes.
My characters go more in depth, and the story is more than just a bunch of misfits. It delves into the whole notion of whether or not it's right to impose our morals upon another world/society. And all that stuff about how our society is corrupt, blah, blah, blah.

I ache.