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Weekend Update
Jun. 2nd, 2007 04:28 pmI went and saw Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End last night. At 2 hours 45 minutes, it's a bit of a bladder test, so order the small Coke. The plot is terribly convoluted, with more mythological allusions (mostly invented for the movie from whole cloth) and double-crosses then you can shake a stick at.
But nobody goes to these movies for plot - they're roller coaster rides that are less likely to make you feel dizzy afterwards. You just have to turn off your brain and enjoy the pretty pictures. On that level, the movie works great. Much swash is buckled, Keira Knightley looked good (if a bit sunburnt) and deeds are done daringly. Actually, the movie deliberately avoids a completely happy ending, which is atypical for a big-budget flick like that, so some thought went into the whole thing.
In other news, the new edition of Jim Baen's Universe is up. If you're not reading this online science fiction magazine, you're missing a treat. I know a lot of folks think "Jim Baen" means "all military SF, all the time." Not so. There's quite a variety of SF and fantasy. Mike Resnick has taken over as editor, and he's doing a good job. Subscriptions are $30 a year (six issues, no DRM restrictions) and there are various higher-cost packages with additional features. Like I said, if you're not subscribing, you should be.
Edited to add: Mike Resnick dropped by in the comment thread (hi Mike!) and points out that he's co-editor. He also provides a brief list of coming attractions.
But nobody goes to these movies for plot - they're roller coaster rides that are less likely to make you feel dizzy afterwards. You just have to turn off your brain and enjoy the pretty pictures. On that level, the movie works great. Much swash is buckled, Keira Knightley looked good (if a bit sunburnt) and deeds are done daringly. Actually, the movie deliberately avoids a completely happy ending, which is atypical for a big-budget flick like that, so some thought went into the whole thing.
In other news, the new edition of Jim Baen's Universe is up. If you're not reading this online science fiction magazine, you're missing a treat. I know a lot of folks think "Jim Baen" means "all military SF, all the time." Not so. There's quite a variety of SF and fantasy. Mike Resnick has taken over as editor, and he's doing a good job. Subscriptions are $30 a year (six issues, no DRM restrictions) and there are various higher-cost packages with additional features. Like I said, if you're not subscribing, you should be.
Edited to add: Mike Resnick dropped by in the comment thread (hi Mike!) and points out that he's co-editor. He also provides a brief list of coming attractions.
