avengingsybil

Preaching to the Choir

Ever the procrastinator, I waited until the last day of the 3D showing to see Coraline. I'm so glad that I didn't miss out though, it was just breathtaking. I think I need to reread the book, since it's been so long I wasn't entirely clear on what was different from Gaiman's original story line. What a sublime piece of work! Everyone involved should be very proud.

The theater we chose for a mid-afternoon showing was not terribly overrun with young children—and the audience was held at rapt, wonder-struck attention throughout most of the film— but there were enough preschoolers there to give me pause. Having read the book, and being immersed in the children's lit community, I went into the movie knowing what to expect. While I do think that the studio could have done a better job of making clear that this wasn't a suitable movie for younger children, parents should bear the brunt of the responsibility and do some research before choosing a movie. I think many people just figure that it's a cartoon and therefore OK for the whole family from the two-year-olds on up. From some of the hysterical reactions I heard in some of the creepier scenes I'm guessing there will be a fair amount of nightmares to follow. I'm not sure I'll be immune to them myself. Anyway, that's my wee gripe, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who's feeling it.

Here's hoping that the movie's early release date doesn't render it forgotten by next year's Oscars, and, if it does enjoy the according resurgence, that the theater goers will make an effort to educate themselves instead of risking some mighty traumatized little ones.

Speaking of things that are not suitable for all ages, does anyone else watch HBO's Big Love? I am hopelessly addicted, but I am furious at the latest turn in oldest daughter Sarah's plot line. Can you take a wild guess as to why that might be?

Currently reading: Love You, Hate You, Miss You by Elizabeth Scott; Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

Written material copyright 2009 Dawn A. Emerman

Closing the Book On It

Stephenie Meyer's Twilight and its successors were a "thing"  forever before they came to my attention. I was way slow on the uptake, both in the series's incarnation as a phenomenon and in the actual reading of the books. True to my slacker roots, it's only in these past few weeks that I've been chewing on my epic  "Why I strongly dislike Twilight, specifically Bella, but actually all of it" post, with no real time frame in mind for when to post it. Then the incentives kept popping like popcorn: this Stephen King article. Yet another grown up friend succumbing to the franchise. Someone bringing to my attention this brilliant article from Bitch magazine. And then all of a sudden it's Valentine's time, which, if you allow yourself exposure to any media, you can't avoid being confronted with all things True Luuuurrrve. The convergence of all these factors made up my mind, and I decided that it was time to write this bad boy once and for all. Yet, I'm not really going to write it. I'm just going to write about how I'm not going to write about it.

I don't want to talk about how poorly the books are written - that doesn't bother me so much, there are plenty of books I've read and loved that could have used a much more judicious editing hand.

I don't want to talk about how ineffectual of a heroine is Bella, or how Edward is a straw man in place of a character worthy of any affection, or how much it bothers me that the message I get again and again is that female sexuality is dangerous and we all need to be protected from it, especially from what it brings out in men despite their best intentions. I don't even want to talk about how frustrating it is to see fans of the book attack anyone who attempts to engage in critical analysis.

The only thing I really want to say is that, when it comes right down to the very bottom line, I just did not believe in the all-consuming love story. There is nothing authentic to me about it. Just because I am told over and over again that Edward and Bella are meant to be together, that they are fated, that they are in love love love forever love, I just don't buy it. There's nothing that makes it remotely alive for me. I rather enjoy being invested in characters and their story lines, and as for the residents of Forks, I just could not get engaged.

So no more Twilight talk, unless it's absolutely relevant. I think I'm even going to let go of my completeist tendencies this one time and skip Breaking Dawn. I'll consider it my valentine to myself.

And now for my valentine to you. I've always been a bit of a crank about Valentine's Day to tell the truth, but if I do nothing else this year, because I have a great deal of love for you (even if we do disagree about Twilight), I'd like to buck my anti-Val's Day stance and offer a few of my most favorite believable true-love stories, works of art that  do not attempt to hoodwink you or manipulate you, but invite you to invest your whole heart, even if it sometimes breaks by the end. Without further ado, a wee sampling of my most favorite love stories (and not necessarily romantic love) of all time in book, movie and musical form:

Charlotte's Web by E. B. White

Graceling by Kristin Cashore (you should also read its author's transcendent post that partially inspired this one)

Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block (Dirk + Duck for-eva; FLB + LA for-eva)

Once

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Knocked Up (I'm talking about the love story between Paul Rudd and Seth Rogen)

"Your Arms Around Me" by Jens Lekman

"New York I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down" by LCD Sound System

"Candy Girl" by New Edition

Check them out, if you haven't already. There's a lot to love.

Written material copyright 2009 Dawn A. Emerman