Reading/Watching habits +Thor (2011)

[alexandral]

Finally! I found a way to read more! Audiobooks! I used to read an awful lot when I was younger and my vision was better (my vision used to be perfect once). Now my vision is not perfect anymore and I find that reading anything after a day spent on computer (I work as a software programmer) makes my eyes terribly tired. I can only read in big volumes during holidays, when my eyes aren't strained as much.

I was unhappy with the fact that I don't read as much as I used to, and I think I finally found a solution - AUDIOBOOKS. I started listening to them when I drive (at least 1.5-2 hours a day), before going to bed and even sometimes when I work as I can easily multitask if I am not doing anything too difficult. I finished "A Dance with Dragons" and now I am quickly sailing through one of the series I liked when I was younger, "Black Company" (Glen Cook). I am almost at the end of the book 2, "Shadows Linger". Once I finish "Black Company", or at least get bored with it as I am told that the later books aren't all that good, I am going to properly listen to The Vorkosigan Saga. I have read several books from these series, but never the whole thing.

I FEEL SO LIBERATED.

I have also decided that I should watch at least 1 film per week, and won't allow myself to rely on TV series only. :D I started this week but I didn't have a particular good start:

Thor (2011)

Films like this are better watched in a movies theater, where any thoughts in your brain can be successfully blown away by fabulousness of CGI special effects. When watching at home, on your TV set, it is unlikely that you will be able to reach the stunned enough state to not notice the lack of everything else. Well, apart from the gratuitous shiftlessness and the extreme length of Chris Hemsworth's eyelashes. So, in short: Thor is made of : 3/4 of special effects, 1/12 of shirtlessness, 1/12 of Chris Hemsworth's eyelashes, and 1/12 of strange horned helmets that definitely must get in the way of lighting-striking as their horns are long enough to act as lightning rods.
Or, I have almost forgotten, the dialogue is really deep. Thor says "I will return" at least once.

Just because any post should include some positivity: Idris Elba in the strange horned helmet.



Not for the first time, IMDB's ratings are making me me raise my eyebrows (7.2 for Thor). The site is obviously populated by large numbers of people I don't see eye-to-eye with.

Comments

[themirrorofsin.livejournal.com]

I fully understand what you mean about films like that ^^ I haven't seen Thor yet but want to. Alot of the time I do go like "wow that film was great" then upon second watch I'm like "eh, just the CGI".

[kem-viva.livejournal.com]

LOL this is so funny because I just watched Thor last night. I had seen it in theaters over the summer but my sister who I watched with hadn't.

Overall I like the movie, its not one I would watch again unless it showed up on tv some rainy afternoon, but it is entertaining, so I guess it does enough. Usually I am not a huge movie fan because you only have 2 hours about to develop characters and you have a less expansive plot, but I do like the superhero movies because of all the Hollywood *flash* they get. I don't watch them because they are a great movie, I watch because they are fun.

In Thor I do feel like the development with Thor and Natalie Portman's character (i dont even remember her name lol) was awful, I don't even know how they are in love, they have known each other for like 4 days lol. I did like Thor enough even though he didn't have any standout characteristics and is your stereotypical superhero. I LOLd that you mentioned the helmets because I kept commenting to my sister they looked like antennae.

My favorite character was Idris Elba because I love him XD and I loved the Jeremy Renner cameo. I also liked Loki a lot too even though he is the 'bad guy'. And the special effects are just so amazing they need a mention too lol.

[geeklee.livejournal.com]

ok when i first saw the image, i was like "what? idris elba is playing thor?" silly girl that i am :) still, cool image.

i love love love audiobooks. i have about an hour commute one way and most of it is stop and go, stop and go so it was a very boring time. but now i look forward to me drive and don't mind the traffic as much anymore. i "read" all of asoiaf that way. and then got the actual books and will read them again.

i'm currently "reading" atonement and the voice is really pleasing. that's the thing though, if the voice isn't right, it really messes up the story for me.

sadly, i'm having a hard time finding the non-fiction books i want to read on audio. so i'm reading much slower.

btw, did you hear? GoT won an emmy for best opening title. small wonder. the score and animation is amazing.

[maryxmas.livejournal.com]

а я работаю дома и у меня нет повода слушать аудиокниги, потому что переводить под них нельзя, и уж тем более нельзя писать тексты. а с экрана читать я не могу -- отвлекаюсь всё время :(

[roboticduck.livejournal.com]

I've slowed down on the reading since my youth-- I do hear audiobooks are a good alternative, except my commute is on trains that can be very loud (and thus I don't even listen to new music because I wouldn't be able to really listen). I do think it seems really cool when they have talented actors reading the books aloud :)

I regret not seeing Thor in theatres, not only because of the CGI effects and details, but IDRIS!! I didn't know he was in it! And I didn't realize Thor was tied into the whole Avengers universe, WHOOPS, I am a bad comics nerd!

[nutmeg3.livejournal.com]

I wish I could listen to audiobooks, but I just zone out and then realize I've missed all kinds of crucial stuff. I can't wait to hear what you think of the whole Vorkosigan saga. I just love them.

[ancarett]

Thor was my favourite movie of the year. Admittedly, I don't get to see many movies. I hated the darkness levels (damned 3D!) but loved the music and, of course, it is stuffed with many of my favourite actors.

[dianora77.livejournal.com]

Awww, Thor was lots of fun. I left the theatre in a happier state of mind than after the final Potter movie, for example. Plus it had Cat Dennings's character who was all sorts of adorable, and should have been the one Thor got with in the first place. Natalie was so bland. And then there was Loki! <3

[vierran45.livejournal.com]

I don't really listen to audiobooks, but I've started buying more e-books after I got an iPad. Even though like you I spend my workdays in front of the computer screen. However, I like to listen to podcasts during my commute (usually 30-45 min one way), since the ones I like are the perfect length for the trip. I'd hate to have to stop at some really good point.

BTW, I'm seeing Headhunters at the Helsinki International Film Festival next Monday thanks to all your posts about the movie :). The showing is also going to have some of the actors (Aksel Hennie & Synnøve Macody Lund) and the producer Asle Vatn present in it, so it should be very interesting!! I also see that Colm Meaney is going to be present for his movie Parked on Sunday when I'm going to see it.

[trailer-spot.livejournal.com]

I have also decided that I should watch at least 1 film per week, and won't allow myself to rely on TV series only.

Bad start notwithstanding, an excellent resolution! ;)