TROY!!!! (and other things)

Wasn't sure what I'd think about this one. Heard both good and bad things about it and was going in with a decent knowledge of the overall story and Eric Shandowers interpretations of the characters firmly planted in my mind. Overall, I didn't mind the change. On the whole, they were made so that the modern viewer would leave happy. I wish, though, that they'd left the pact of the king's in, as well as some of the stuff with Agamemnon's family. As I was watching the movie, I realized that Agamemnon is probably my favorite character in Age of Bronze. Which is a touch odd, as I don't particularly care for him.

If they had to make someone who's supposed to die before the end last until the end, I wish they could have made it be Hector. This really was 100% Eric Bana's movie. He conveyed more with his facial expressions at certain times(The attack at the beach, when he realized who he had just killed and as he's going to fight Achilles) than some others managed throughout the entire movie. I've seen some people complain that Andromache was too weepy, but I thought Saffron Burrows did a very good job. And is it just me, or did Diane Kruger(Helen) have more chemistry with Eric Bana than either did with their respective love interests.

Achilles...he's a glory seeking fickle twit in Age of Bronze(but I like him anyway, go figure) and a glory seeker with a stick up his butt in Troy(and I liked him there, too.) I think this is the first time I've thought Brad Pitt was cute(couldn't that fight scene with Hector have lasted just a little bit longer?) You can almost hear him thinking "use deep voice" throughout the movie.

Menelaus and Agamemnon...sigh...my one true disappointment. Complex characters with an absolutely fascinating background reduced to one note villains.

Paris...I think Orlando Bloom did a good job with the character...managed to make him a bit sympathetic without forgetting that he's a self centered brat. I like him better blond, though. And those "romantic" lines they gave him wee absolutely wretched...

Odysseus...Sean Bean was absolutely perfect. He managed to capture what makes Odysseus cool(a noble guy and good king and husband, while still being a charming schemer and trickster)

Priam...Peter O'Toole. The man has a gift for making all his lines sound impromptu. His scene with Achilles was great.

Random other things: Julie Christie as Thetis was great. She managed to make Thetis otherworldly while still keeping her human. I liked Helen more than I thought I would, but I wasn't too sure about Briseis at first. I really don't think her conversation with Achilles was enough to inspire the reaction in him that it caused. Also, I understand that they couldn't make the siege last 20 years and cover everything, but come on...a siege of a few days, funeral hiatus, and on with the horse? Sigh... Normally I love soundtracks like Troy's, but this one fell a touch flat.

Moving on, Diamond has released the April sales #s. I'm happy with Tbolts/Avengers #s...2 issues in April and both in the top fifty. Some other books practically bring tears to my eyes, though. My books:

4 MARVEL 1602 #8 (Of 8)
20 TEEN TITANS #10
34 CONAN #3
40 AVENGERS/THUNDERBOLTS #2 (Of 6)
44 JSA #60
46 AVENGERS/THUNDERBOLTS #3 (Of 6)
64 BIRDS O/PREY #66
68 WONDER WOMAN #203
73 NIGHTWING #92
77 HAWKMAN #27
78 ARROWSMITH ASTRO CITY (RES)
92 FABLES #24 (MR)
101 SUPERMAN SECRET IDENTITY #4 (Of 4)
107 DARKNESS VOL 2 #9
110 DARKNESS VOL 2 #10
112 RUNAWAYS #14
116 STRYKEFORCE #1 (Of 5)
120 WITCHBLADE #74
126 HAWKEYE #7
133 SOJOURN #34
141 ROSE & THORN #5 (Of 6)
143 MONOLITH #3
152 BRATH #13
163 LIGHT BRIGADE #3 (Of 4) (MR)
167 COMMON GROUNDS #4 (Of 6)
169 KISS KISS BANG BANG #4
171 MIDNIGHT MASS HERE THERE BE MONSTERS #4 (Of 6) (MR)
172 ABADAZAD #3
177 WAY O/T RAT #23
188 DRAGONLANCE LEGEND O/HUMA #3
209 PHANTOM JACK #2
214 MYTHSTALKERS #8
216 NEGATION WAR #1
220 PATIENT ZERO #2 (Of 4)
222 GIFT #5 (MR)
225 REAPER ONE-SHOT (MR)
226 AGE O/BRONZE #19
228 DEAD A/17 BLOOD O/SAINTS #1 (Of 4) (MR)
256 DICTATORS HITLER #1 (Of 4)

No new comics for me this week, unless Waldenbooks gets in the 10th Blade of the Immortal book or Empire.

TROY!!!! (and other things)

Wasn't sure what I'd think about this one. Heard both good and bad things about it and was going in with a decent knowledge of the overall story and Eric Shandowers interpretations of the characters firmly planted in my mind. Overall, I didn't mind the change. On the whole, they were made so that the modern viewer would leave happy. I wish, though, that they'd left the pact of the king's in, as well as some of the stuff with Agamemnon's family. As I was watching the movie, I realized that Agamemnon is probably my favorite character in Age of Bronze. Which is a touch odd, as I don't particularly care for him.

If they had to make someone who's supposed to die before the end last until the end, I wish they could have made it be Hector. This really was 100% Eric Bana's movie. He conveyed more with his facial expressions at certain times(The attack at the beach, when he realized who he had just killed and as he's going to fight Achilles) than some others managed throughout the entire movie. I've seen some people complain that Andromache was too weepy, but I thought Saffron Burrows did a very good job. And is it just me, or did Diane Kruger(Helen) have more chemistry with Eric Bana than either did with their respective love interests.

Achilles...he's a glory seeking fickle twit in Age of Bronze(but I like him anyway, go figure) and a glory seeker with a stick up his butt in Troy(and I liked him there, too.) I think this is the first time I've thought Brad Pitt was cute(couldn't that fight scene with Hector have lasted just a little bit longer?) You can almost hear him thinking "use deep voice" throughout the movie.

Menelaus and Agamemnon...sigh...my one true disappointment. Complex characters with an absolutely fascinating background reduced to one note villains.

Paris...I think Orlando Bloom did a good job with the character...managed to make him a bit sympathetic without forgetting that he's a self centered brat. I like him better blond, though. And those "romantic" lines they gave him wee absolutely wretched...

Odysseus...Sean Bean was absolutely perfect. He managed to capture what makes Odysseus cool(a noble guy and good king and husband, while still being a charming schemer and trickster)

Priam...Peter O'Toole. The man has a gift for making all his lines sound impromptu. His scene with Achilles was great.

Random other things: Julie Christie as Thetis was great. She managed to make Thetis otherworldly while still keeping her human. I liked Helen more than I thought I would, but I wasn't too sure about Briseis at first. I really don't think her conversation with Achilles was enough to inspire the reaction in him that it caused. Also, I understand that they couldn't make the siege last 20 years and cover everything, but come on...a siege of a few days, funeral hiatus, and on with the horse? Sigh... Normally I love soundtracks like Troy's, but this one fell a touch flat.

Moving on, Diamond has released the April sales #s. I'm happy with Tbolts/Avengers #s...2 issues in April and both in the top fifty. Some other books practically bring tears to my eyes, though. My books:

4 MARVEL 1602 #8 (Of 8)
20 TEEN TITANS #10
34 CONAN #3
40 AVENGERS/THUNDERBOLTS #2 (Of 6)
44 JSA #60
46 AVENGERS/THUNDERBOLTS #3 (Of 6)
64 BIRDS O/PREY #66
68 WONDER WOMAN #203
73 NIGHTWING #92
77 HAWKMAN #27
78 ARROWSMITH ASTRO CITY (RES)
92 FABLES #24 (MR)
101 SUPERMAN SECRET IDENTITY #4 (Of 4)
107 DARKNESS VOL 2 #9
110 DARKNESS VOL 2 #10
112 RUNAWAYS #14
116 STRYKEFORCE #1 (Of 5)
120 WITCHBLADE #74
126 HAWKEYE #7
133 SOJOURN #34
141 ROSE & THORN #5 (Of 6)
143 MONOLITH #3
152 BRATH #13
163 LIGHT BRIGADE #3 (Of 4) (MR)
167 COMMON GROUNDS #4 (Of 6)
169 KISS KISS BANG BANG #4
171 MIDNIGHT MASS HERE THERE BE MONSTERS #4 (Of 6) (MR)
172 ABADAZAD #3
177 WAY O/T RAT #23
188 DRAGONLANCE LEGEND O/HUMA #3
209 PHANTOM JACK #2
214 MYTHSTALKERS #8
216 NEGATION WAR #1
220 PATIENT ZERO #2 (Of 4)
222 GIFT #5 (MR)
225 REAPER ONE-SHOT (MR)
226 AGE O/BRONZE #19
228 DEAD A/17 BLOOD O/SAINTS #1 (Of 4) (MR)
256 DICTATORS HITLER #1 (Of 4)

No new comics for me this week, unless Waldenbooks gets in the 10th Blade of the Immortal book or Empire.