Take That - The Flood

New Take That single and video... big production just like the song... it will probably go straight to no. 1, but somehow I can't help feeling bored.

2010 Ice and Fire: Alexei Yagudin - Red Right Hand

Great! :D

Stilbruch - My Name is Life

I think I've mentioned them before, but only now I bothered to look for the video. They sound even better live.

2010 Ice and Fire: Alexei Yagudin - Russian Folk

Meh, I think I would have liked it better if he had skated with a real Barbie doll. :P

Smoke on the Water or Just Smoking Hot

No, I'm not doing another Supernatural recap. I'm just saying that this is where the new season started for me.

Alexei Yagudin - "Die Another Day"

Is this a dance or a fight?

Seriously though, they look good on the dancefloor. I'm curious to see them on the ice now.

Supernatural 6x01: Exile on Main Street - good acting, awful writing

Well, I took my time to digest what happened in Supernatural season 6 premiere. A few thoughts:

The opening montage was probably the best part from the whole thing. I didn’t care much for the music, but the alternated videos were well done.

I liked the new title card, but it feels somehow out of context given the rest of the show. It’s like they wanted something cool and they just tossed it in there without any consideration for how it fit in the rest of the footage.

The first half of the episode was too slow and felt like an alternate universe. I get it, they’ve done it on purpose, but I couldn’t help thinking that they should have chosen a more experience and less prone to experimentation director.

After the first thirty minutes I finally started to warm up to the idea that this is actually a new beginning, and I’m watching a drama and not a fantasy/supernatural/action show. Hey, that would have been actually cool and interesting to see! I’ve never cared for the monster-of-the-week type of thing, I want a real story with an intelligent plot. Not feeling that yet.

And after all that snail crawling, blind man sleepwalking the plot went all over the place. The YED might be a great character, but they ended that story in season 2 and they should have put a lid on it for good. The djinns’ attack was pretty lame. Cool tattoo effects on their arms, but they were neither scary nor creepy. The djinn from “What It Is And What Should Never Be” was gold compared to this. Never repeat a story unless you can make it better. These djinns were just… there.

There was no real hunt. The boys didn’t have much to do to begin with. Dean was taken out instantly and Sam got to swing some golf clubs, meh. One would think that a trip to Hell taught him some new combat tricks, like it did Dean, but I guess not.

Which brings us to the Campbells next. I don’t know where they have come from, but I want them gone. They were terribly annoying, a total waste of film, Papa Samuel included. They obviously have their own agenda and no respect for the Winchester brothers who are one of the most famous hunters out there, for God’s sake! Given that they are so many, one killed per episode will do just fine, thank you very much.

Ah, Dean… the poor guy never gets it easy. If he’s not beaten to a pulp then he’s turned into an emotional wreck. I don’t blame him. I kept expecting him to take at least one swing at Sammy for not letting him know he had been back for a whole year, but I guess he was still in shock.

I blame the writers for other things:

1) After an entire life of hunting and 40 years in hell, one year living in suburbia would have not made him less of a hunter, no way. The Campbells looking down at him, while knowing who he was, was down right insulting.

2) Dean screaming that he’s living with Lisa and the kid only because Sam wanted him to was painful to hear. It implies that he doesn’t really loves Lisa, and it’s very out of character for Dean. He always does the right thing so he wouldn’t have gotten so fully involved into a relationship if he hadn’t felt like part of it. There’s something fishy in Denmark, and that would be the writers’ quarters.

3) It comes in contradiction with Lisa claiming it was the best year of her life, which also felt off since it couldn’t have been, not with Dean grieving after his brother all this time. How could she be so happy when the man she supposedly loved – and she had to love him since she took him in considering the state his was in after the apocalypse – was suffering? On a second thought, I noticed they have moved in a bigger nicer house so maybe they won the lottery and she was referring to that. Yeah, right!

I didn’t care one way or the other about Lisa up until now – we’ve only seen her just what? twice? – but I like the way her character was developed during this episode so this flawed writing when it comes to their relationship bothers me. I know Dean will have to leave and go back to hunting eventually, but I like the idea of him having someone to return to. Hey, Sammy can sleep on the couch if he wants.

Another character written OOC was Bobby. Sam I understand not wanting to tell Dean he was back, he was too messed up in the head by the hell experience and he couldn’t think clearly, but Bobby? Really, the man had witnessed both brothers’ torment while the other was dead and he still chose not to do anything about it when it was this easy to pick up the phone? I’m sorry but I don’t buy it.

I’ve left Sam last because, of course, I have a big problem with him too. I don’t know how he got out of hell or why, but I don’t like this cold, unsympathetic Sam. If it’s a plot device I hope it doesn’t last long. I want sweet, caring Sam back. Even when he was doing horrible things like teaming up with a demon, drinking blood and betraying Dean, I could understand his reasons and felt for him. The way he is now all I want is for him to go get his head examined and get the hell away from Dean. And that isn’t right because I like it best when the brothers are working together.

So in conclusion it was a rather weak episode, with flawed writing and a badly structured plot. Jensen’s acting sold it for me, but this doesn’t work for everyone, and it’s the only reason I’ll give it a C. Not an episode I’ll be tempted to watch again anytime soon. Hope it gets better from now on.

Later edit: Funny how most official reviews sound enthusiastic, while die hard fans complain all over the Internet about how lame this season's premiere was.

Lady Marmelade a la Alexei Yagudin Style

And he said he couldn't dance... :)

The Reader As An Unfaithful Lover

More or less quoting Dreaming Jewel's post, which I found very interesting... She has some questions regarding our behavior as readers when it comes to falling in love with various characters.

1. How often does it happen for you to fall in love with a character from a novel and how does it manifest itself (pure respect, ask him/her out for a coffee, take him/her home, shag him/her to death, follow him/her to the end of the world, etc.)?

Now that I'm thinking about it, I realise that it hasn't happen to me in a long time to fall in love with a character. Maybe my expectations have increased in time, or I'm just getting lazy and refuse to invest in them. I know I'm careful not to fall for my own characters because if I do then I can't torture them properly. LOL I remember as a teenager I used to fall in love with each of Al. Dumas' heroes and a couple of Paul Feval's too. Quite an unfaithful little thing I was, but I would have followed them to the end of the world if given the chance. Now I'm more reasonable, or lazy like I said. I would go out to have a coffee, but I would wait to be asked first and I would expect them to pay the bill too. My sacrifice would be big enough since I don't normally drink coffee, but for them I would make an exception. :P

2. Do you have the same standards for book characters as for real people?

Definitely not. I mean, it takes 300-500 pages to get to know a character and decide whether you like him or not, but it can take a lifetime to really know a person and discover that combination of things that makes you tick and compensates all the other flaws a person might have. It's tricky, but when you fall for an imaginary person the rules change and it's easy to ignore some of the facts that otherwise would drive you mad in real life and possibly put you behind bars. It's also incredibly easy to pretend that the character has *insert long list of* problems, but treated with proper care, and lots of love too, he would change, which in real life rarely happens.

3. Does the sex of the characters matter when you're drawn to them?

It does. Maybe because, being straight, it's normal for me to be attracted to male characters, but also because I don't often find female characters likable enough. They're either annoying, whining, frustrated, depressed, self-righteous, undecided, helpless or, God forbid, Mary Sue-ish. And if the novel happens to be written from the POV of such character, it can make you wanna run up the hills screaming... On the other hand, if it's a male character you know from the start that he can't be perfect, so you strip away the parts you don't like, keep the ones you do, and then dream about living happily ever after.

4. Would you rather identify with the characters or fall in love with them?

I seem to be unable to fully identify with a character - after all we're all unique, right? - so I'll go for the second option. Besides, it's always wonderful to fall in love, isn't it? :)

Dean Winchester (SPN) vs. Damon Salvatore (TVD) – A Character Study

Let’s start with the actors first: Jensen Ackles and Ian Somerhalder. They both have several reoccurring roles in TV series listed in their resume, and only a few movies done for the big screen, none of which was a big household name or at least remotely memorable. It’s not too late, though. They’re still young, have the looks required by the job, can do action scenes, have great comedic timing and the ability to express feeling with their face and eyes. For their sake, I hope they do more work for the big screen, because it would be a shame if they got forever stuck in TV land, no matter how successful they are there. Their real breaks came with the roles played in CW’s horror and fantasy series, Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries. They quickly established a big fanbase and their shows are still running, partially thanks to them. If anyone noticed, they’re listed second and third in the cast list, and still it’s one of those cases when they manage to steal the show. Neither SPN or TVD would be the same without their characters.

But enough about them, let’s talk about the characters. In a way, both Dean and Damon come from a similar background. Sure, the Winchesters weren’t big estate owners like the Salvatores, but the boys were raised in the absence of a mother by an obsessive and controlling father. They suffered a great loss. Dean lost his mother in a fire when he was a kid, while Damon also lost the love of his life, Katherine, in a fire, as we learn at first, and neither was an accident. They also lost their family and friends along the way, and all they have left is their younger brothers, Sam and Stefan. With a strong sense of the family and lifetime experience of doing it, Dean is obsessed with protecting his brother. Things are a little more complicated for Damon, who is not exactly a nice guy, though he has his reason to be the way he is. Even if he swore to cause his brother a lifetime of misery in retaliation, and we get the hint that he stuck to his word in the past, we don’t actually see him hurting Stefan, not to the full extent of his power to do such thing. Instead, he spends a lot of time saving and taking care of Stefan, in his own seemly detached way.

The sense of brotherhood is strong. The Winchesters move from one cheap motel to another, share the same car, and work together hunting demons and stuff basically 24hrs a day. The Salvatores, being wealthier, live in a huge house, where each keep to their own agenda, while still keeping tabs of each other’s moves. In their barely holding together world, their lives are repeatedly disrupted by their own obsessions. Dean wants to stop Lucifer, save his brother, save the world and everybody in it. Damon has a smaller goal, but spread on a longer term, a century and a half, which he can afford being immortal, and that is to bring Katherine back. Their dedication to the cause would be worth admiring, if it wasn’t also so self-destructive. It’s like they’re in the middle of this train wreck and they don’t get off, they don’t want to get off. They’ve been caught up in this nightmare for so long, they don’t remember how a normal life feels like anymore.

So they compensate with violence, women and booze. For Dean, it’s a living. He kills demons and all kinds of evil creatures, he even takes a shot at Lucifer. Favorite weapons of choice are shotguns with salt and knives, but he can get creative if the situation calls for it. In Damon’s case, it’s a matter of lifestyle. When one lives for so long, it’s easy to get bored, and boredom leads to stupid things that tends to blow in his face. The trick is Damon doesn’t get mad, he gets even and usually in the most vicious way. Neck snapping without warning is quite popular, but he’s handy with the stake too. And from there things escalate leading to a lot of dead bodies to dispose of. The difference between them is that Dean wouldn’t hurt innocent people, while Damon treats everyone equally. If he wants them dead, they’re dead. It helps that he can switch off his conscience and feels neither sufferance nor guilt. A good fight is much more fun this way. And yes, they fight and usually win, but that doesn’t stop them from being savagely beaten and tortured. It’s like the powers above have decided to punish them for their sins, and they’re brought back repeatedly or not allowed to die.

Given the circumstances, no wonder they turn to drink. Dean needs the alcohol in order to be able to sleep and forget the misery in his life, the hopeless future, and the forty years spent in hell. He’s often seen with a bottle or glass in hand, though I don’t quite remember seeing him drunk. Having less to fear for his safety, when the scene doesn’t require the glass to contain blood, Damon treats himself with one drink after another, something fancier than the cheap liqueur Dean is able to afford no doubt. It’s a miracle that a vampire can actually get drunk, but he does that successfully on several occasions.

Ah, and then come the women. ‘Cause, you see, they’re both good looking guys and a good catch at first glance. They wear rings or amulets carrying protective spells, and of course then there are the leather jackets, brown for Dean and black for Damon, the cars, and kick ass attitude mixed with a great amount of charm. They are very fun to be around, especially when they pretend not to take anything seriously. They also hit on everything that moves, but, well, no one’s perfect and those eyes and smiles are very hard to resist. In the absence of a higher education – let’s face it, what would he have to talk about with a Harvard graduate other than movies and cars? – Dean has to settle for waitresses and strippers, and when that doesn’t work out he falls back to porn. Over the one century and a half of his existence, Damon has refined his act. When Dean scores with twins, Damon gets four girls naked in his living room. Mind control is a great thing, and memory erasing is even better if he cares for a snack.

But where is love in all this? We know Dean was in love once with a journalist, but of course the relationship couldn’t last because of his day, and mostly night, job. He obviously cares for Lisa, the former and current girlfriend he’s playing house with, but it’s not clear if he is in love with her or just the idea of a family with her and her son. He’s lost so much, so many people in his life, that the ability to open up and let someone in is highly debatable to still exist in him. Illusion or not, Damon loved Katherine and it was real enough for him. He wanted to spend an eternity with her, and then die once she was gone. Now he is starting to open up to Elena, who doesn’t return his feelings since she is in love with his brother. So the question is, in the absence of a real relationship, a true love experience, will they be able to recognize real love when, or if, it comes their way? Maybe. But if they recognize it, will they be able to accept it, deal with it and make it work? Probably not. It would take a very strong, intelligent, patient and understanding female character to achieve that, and chances for someone like this to appear are very slim, close to non-existent, in these particular shows.

So we’re left with a couple of very lost, very messed up, and very hurt boys, so hurt that all we want is to grab them, hug them, and tell them that everything is going to be alright. Awww.

Later edit - Here's an example of how they deliver a line:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VF51gxn0m_c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhtKxuvKMGQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5iNZMMdwq8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVy427lMPuI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvkMgqkbAGc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EboPKVDRQQQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsZjpouPuBM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYUx-1XGYt4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWA1Ar-dJzw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykHW4Wr-RD0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_DZjQo2530
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3rErVD09HI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6zXgposLbE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPHA87qVrjo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCa_mXakesU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RFBXBmFV1k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXgEDh6_CsU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfPk0aluH5g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EEIzCZ2SQo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9OnbkEDmP4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLg1w1jt68k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUl-7Ub8_fU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXk7_lccaRE