What are you currently reading?

Light-hearted discussions, forum games and anything that doesn't fit into the other forums.
Tech Corner - Firewalls, AV etc. - Report Bugs - Board Rules
User avatar
Mytical
Round Table Knight
Round Table Knight
Posts: 3780
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Location: Mytical's Dimension

Unread postby Mytical » 02 Jan 2007, 07:39

99% of all movies are predictable, whatever kind they are. Good vs evil? Good wins (even if the 'hero' is messed up). Romantic Comedy? Nerdy but nice guy gets the girl, while (insert other stereotype) learns a lesson. Action Comedy? Although (insert goofball group, single, or assorted mix) has many crazy happinings it all works out in the end. There are almost no new stories possible. So in a way everything is boring in that context. But if the movie has good acting, interesting plot, and is a type you like...still nice to watch :).
Warning, may cause confusion, blindness, raising of eybrows, and insanity. Image

User avatar
asandir
Round Table Hero
Round Table Hero
Posts: 15481
Joined: 06 Jan 2006
Location: The campfire .... mostly

Unread postby asandir » 02 Jan 2007, 07:50

exactly my point .... there are those few unpredictable movies, but they are rare, and neither does being unpredictable a good movie make

*ends Yoda Voice*
Human madness is the howl of a child with a shattered heart.

User avatar
Elvin
Round Table Hero
Round Table Hero
Posts: 5475
Joined: 27 Aug 2006

Unread postby Elvin » 02 Jan 2007, 11:22

The basic idea is a classic:A young guy sets off to stop the evil empire.Shallow but good enough for me.The thing is you see many familiar things you know from somewhere else or has not so subtle implications about the future.For instance the old man who speaks of the next coming of the dragon age and follows Eragon, shows he knows the dragons inside out and when he finally sais he was a dragon knight both Safira and Eragon are fully surprised 8| He wasn't THAT subtle about it! In a way he resembles Obi Wan and eventually dies like him to save Eragon.In the scene where he comes out of nowhere to save him from the shade you can already feel he will sacrifice himself for Eragon.Such things.Once you see a bit of the film you understand that everything appears in the MOST convenient way so even when it hints that Eragon is not strong enough yet,or should be able to do something with training you can guess he will easily pull it off before the end.And he does.
I, for one, am dying to find out what colour they paint Michael's toenails.
- Metathron

User avatar
Gaidal Cain
Round Table Hero
Round Table Hero
Posts: 6972
Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Location: Solna

Unread postby Gaidal Cain » 02 Jan 2007, 11:24

Elvin wrote:Even thought it might not look like it it is really influenced from lotr(at times the plot is the same with different characters) as well as other fantasy novels.
My friend who saw it said it was kind of like Star Wars in middle-earth, and that I should avoid it at all costs...
You don't want to make enemies in Nuclear Engineering. -- T. Pratchett

User avatar
Elvin
Round Table Hero
Round Table Hero
Posts: 5475
Joined: 27 Aug 2006

Unread postby Elvin » 02 Jan 2007, 11:30

You could say that.But I can't tell you to avoid it as even my friends were divided.I generally liked it but didn't expect much from it so...Has some nice scenes but not a spectacular storyline.
I, for one, am dying to find out what colour they paint Michael's toenails.
- Metathron

User avatar
Mytical
Round Table Knight
Round Table Knight
Posts: 3780
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Location: Mytical's Dimension

Unread postby Mytical » 02 Jan 2007, 11:45

One of the reasons I don't watch many movies anymore too. Every single one (even those that people said were 'a real shock') was totally predictable. (Saw 1 for instance). True I found Scream (1,2, ect) a little hard to predict (who the killer was), though after the first I knew there would always be 2 :). Other then that though, there are no real suprises left. One of the few ways is ... in a horror, sci-fi, action (ect) film the bad guy wins outright (not comes back after being killed or whatever, but you get the idea). I know this would shock me (a little), though it didn't in Saw (the bad guy 'won' but it was done in a rather lame way).

Take for instance a story my brother wrote once. It starts out a spaceship lands, and everybody goes out to greet the aliens, who are very friendly. Then a young boy accidently (because he is nervous) throws up on one of the aliens. It poisons the whole crew of aliens, and they all die. The 'mothership' send more, this time with biosuits, and proceeds to exterminate the whole planet. Now he never finished it but the twist was the 'aliens' were human, and the people exterminated were plant people. However do to the fact that neither were described very well, you did not learn this till the end of the story. It was an ending that caught me totally unaware, the whole time I was rooting for the invaded people to destroy the 'viscious aliens'. It also turned out the 'humans' didn't think the plants satient but that was another matter :)
Warning, may cause confusion, blindness, raising of eybrows, and insanity. Image

User avatar
theLuckyDragon
Round Table Knight
Round Table Knight
Posts: 4883
Joined: 06 Jan 2006

Unread postby theLuckyDragon » 02 Jan 2007, 15:50

Gaidal Cain wrote:
Elvin wrote:Even thought it might not look like it it is really influenced from lotr(at times the plot is the same with different characters) as well as other fantasy novels.
My friend who saw it said it was kind of like Star Wars in middle-earth, and that I should avoid it at all costs...
This reminds me: here.
(hope I haven't already posted it in the links thread)
"Not all those who wander are lost." -- JRRT

User avatar
Akul
Round Table Hero
Round Table Hero
Posts: 1544
Joined: 06 Jan 2006

Unread postby Akul » 02 Jan 2007, 18:52

Thats why I love reading "A Song of Ice and Fire". In most cases you never know what happens

Spoilers for those who didn't finish the third book below:
For instance, killing of King Rob. Everyone was suprised (and shocked) by that. Even tough there was a dozen of things showing that he will die.
I am back and ready to... ready to... post things.

User avatar
Panda Tar
Forum Mascot
Forum Mascot
Posts: 6709
Joined: 21 Feb 2006
Location: Florianópolis - Brasil

Unread postby Panda Tar » 02 Jan 2007, 19:10

Eragon and Eldest.

The Hobbit.

And a bunch of Brazilian books there'll be way to translate them properly. :devious:
"There’s nothing to fear but fear itself and maybe some mild to moderate jellification of bones." Cave Johnson, Portal 2. :panda:

User avatar
winterfate
Round Table Hero
Round Table Hero
Posts: 6191
Joined: 26 Nov 2006
Location: Puerto Rico

Unread postby winterfate » 02 Jan 2007, 20:01

Eragon and Eldest.
Yeah...those books are awesome! ;)

Off-topic:
Panda Tar, do you speak Spanish too (or do you only speak Portuguese?)
The Round Table's birthday list!
Proud creator of Caladont 2.0!
You need to take the pain, learn from it and get back on that bike... - stefan
Sometimes the hearts most troubled make the sweetest melodies... - winterfate

User avatar
asandir
Round Table Hero
Round Table Hero
Posts: 15481
Joined: 06 Jan 2006
Location: The campfire .... mostly

Unread postby asandir » 03 Jan 2007, 00:39

to Sauron .... exactly, it's great to read a book of high fantasy that doesn't consider it's characters, even the main ones, above a good old fashioned killing!
Human madness is the howl of a child with a shattered heart.

User avatar
Panda Tar
Forum Mascot
Forum Mascot
Posts: 6709
Joined: 21 Feb 2006
Location: Florianópolis - Brasil

Unread postby Panda Tar » 03 Jan 2007, 11:03

winterfate wrote: Off-topic:
Panda Tar, do you speak Spanish too (or do you only speak Portuguese?)
I understand written Spanish as if it was Portuguese, but I'm not good at writing stuff in Spanish, if you know what I mean. ;) That's a different conception for me, and I get often confused. It's like trying to read things in French - it's mostly likely to understand the entire phrase at once, although I have no clue of the meaning of each word as they are alone. :D

Are you a neighbor or mine living in South America or that's just curiosity? :)
"There’s nothing to fear but fear itself and maybe some mild to moderate jellification of bones." Cave Johnson, Portal 2. :panda:

User avatar
Akul
Round Table Hero
Round Table Hero
Posts: 1544
Joined: 06 Jan 2006

Unread postby Akul » 03 Jan 2007, 13:26

Also, as someone from Obsidian Entertainment told:
"The importance i s not in general plot, but in how the story is told"

And NWN2 right now has one of best game stories.
I am back and ready to... ready to... post things.

User avatar
Marzhin
Pit Lord
Pit Lord
Posts: 1207
Joined: 06 Jan 2006
Location: Montreuil, France
Contact:

Unread postby Marzhin » 03 Jan 2007, 13:36

I'm reading the whole saga of Elric of Melniboné by Michael Moorcock right now...

User avatar
Elvin
Round Table Hero
Round Table Hero
Posts: 5475
Joined: 27 Aug 2006

Unread postby Elvin » 03 Jan 2007, 14:30

Sauron wrote:Also, as someone from Obsidian Entertainment told:
"The importance i s not in general plot, but in how the story is told"

And NWN2 right now has one of best game stories.
Amen Sauron! When the writer has a sense of humour and a good imagination in both setting and characters the story feels a lot better.As in nwn 2.
I, for one, am dying to find out what colour they paint Michael's toenails.
- Metathron

User avatar
ThunderTitan
Perpetual Poster
Perpetual Poster
Posts: 23270
Joined: 06 Jan 2006
Location: Now/here
Contact:

Unread postby ThunderTitan » 03 Jan 2007, 17:20

Sauron wrote: "The importance is not in general plot, but in how the story is told"
A good plot does elevate the enjoyment factor IMO.
Disclaimer: May contain sarcasm!
I have never faked a sarcasm in my entire life. - ???
"With ABC deleting dynamite gags from cartoons, do you find that your children are using explosives less frequently?" — Mark LoPresti

Alt-0128: €

Image

User avatar
winterfate
Round Table Hero
Round Table Hero
Posts: 6191
Joined: 26 Nov 2006
Location: Puerto Rico

Unread postby winterfate » 03 Jan 2007, 18:51

Are you a neighbor or mine living in South America or that's just curiosity?
Well, if you consider Puerto Rico close, then yes, I'm your neighbor ;). Since I know english and spanish I was wondering if you did too :)).
The Round Table's birthday list!
Proud creator of Caladont 2.0!
You need to take the pain, learn from it and get back on that bike... - stefan
Sometimes the hearts most troubled make the sweetest melodies... - winterfate

User avatar
Akul
Round Table Hero
Round Table Hero
Posts: 1544
Joined: 06 Jan 2006

Unread postby Akul » 03 Jan 2007, 19:16

ThunderTitan wrote:
Sauron wrote: "The importance is not in general plot, but in how the story is told"
A good plot does elevate the enjoyment factor IMO.
General Plot =/= Plot.

General Plot is whats general. For instance:

LotR General Plot:
Sauron wishes to rule the world and heroes need to stop him.

(Good) Plot:
The books and what happens through theme.

Of course, the General Story isn't too much important, but if it is original and good made, it can be superb.
I am back and ready to... ready to... post things.

User avatar
Panda Tar
Forum Mascot
Forum Mascot
Posts: 6709
Joined: 21 Feb 2006
Location: Florianópolis - Brasil

Unread postby Panda Tar » 03 Jan 2007, 19:19

winterfate wrote:
Are you a neighbor or mine living in South America or that's just curiosity?
Well, if you consider Puerto Rico close, then yes, I'm your neighbor ;). Since I know english and spanish I was wondering if you did too :)).
I see. We can manage chatting a bit in the language you prefer on the Foreign Language thread anytime. :D Well, of course, if you want to receive Portuguese replies. :rolleyes:
"There’s nothing to fear but fear itself and maybe some mild to moderate jellification of bones." Cave Johnson, Portal 2. :panda:

User avatar
winterfate
Round Table Hero
Round Table Hero
Posts: 6191
Joined: 26 Nov 2006
Location: Puerto Rico

Unread postby winterfate » 03 Jan 2007, 19:23

It wouldn't hurt to try :).
The Round Table's birthday list!
Proud creator of Caladont 2.0!
You need to take the pain, learn from it and get back on that bike... - stefan
Sometimes the hearts most troubled make the sweetest melodies... - winterfate


Return to “Campfire”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 29 guests