Mission: Impossible Theme Song
The original TV-show
The Tom Cruise films
Let's Go Dancing by Tina Dico and Teitur
Play this while you read the chapter
Read Chapter Twelve here
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Saturday, November 19, 2011
I saw Breaking Dawn last night. Here's my humble opinion of it.
Review of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, part 1
I saw a late showing of the movie on its release day.
I'm a twihard, twimom, fanfic-writing movie-geek. And I was disappointed. Of all the four so far, this one is the weakest in my opinion.
Ditte and I went to see it together and I warned her, that the official reviews are bad. And I was curious to see why the reviews were so harsh.
The theater was almost full - people of all ages and about one guy per two girls. There were laughs and gasps and shrieks in all the right places, and in quite a few of the wrong places. I myself was guilty of laughing at the wrong things. Both Ditte and I applauded, though, when Taylor (poor Taylor) went running topless within the first seven seconds of the movie.
So, why was it such a disappointment?
I went to bed still trying to figure it out. And, since the kids kept me up all night and I had lots of time to think, I have a theory. It's full of spoilers, so don't read on, if you have yet to see it and make your own judgement.
The things I like:
The main-character actors. They all did good. Taylor Lautner was moving and believable in most of his scenes. Kristen did all the mind-numbingly major life-changing scenes with grace and under-acting, that had me convinced all the way. Robert gave such life to the happy, then broken, then desperate husband. And given the premise, that is no small feat! Well done! There were plenty of comic releif-moments from the talented lot of supporting actors and that was good, too! Nice to see Emmett let loose. Loved that!
The story-line and the choice of focus points from the book. The screenwriter, Melissa Rosenberg did an okay job of putting the book onto screen. She took some short-cuts, I think, that maybe underestimated the audience, but I can't really give you an example. Maybe when I've seen it again? If I see it again before the DVD-release...
The set-design. The sets and locations were beautiful. Hands down.
So, with pre-production and actual production (filming) being okay, we must look to post-production to find out why it failed.
And here we go with the things I do NOT like:
The music: The soundtrack is good. I have it, listen to it often and like most songs. I DON'T like the original score composed for this movie! It's appalling. The themes (the main melodies) are okay but bland, and the execution is just WAY below par! An example: The 'love'-theme that we hear in the teaser from the honeymoon is played by a guitar and a flute. If the conductor had chosen different instruments, the mood might have been different. Maybe an oboe would have given a more clean, clear and innocent sound? I don't know, but the original score was not good enough.
And it was generally too loud. When Condon (director) chose to use other songs to set some mood, they again were played too loud. Choosing original songs from different artists is a good twilight tradition. Condon keeps the tradition, but out of the four directors of the four films, so far, he does this with the least convincing result. Too bad.
The foley: You know, the sound effects that are linked to the less action packed parts of the movies - footsteps, rustling clothes, doors closing ect. Yeah, that. It was abysmal! Too loud, off time and just really poorly done. WAY too loud! It's supposed to be something that you don't really notice except if it's not there. I do not want to hear vampires - supposedly soundless - clomping up and down stairs. Could someone please just do that over? Maybe use someone from the LOTR-films and then get someone with hearing at the mixing table to put it back in the film. Thank you!
Sound effects: Again, not good enough. This is supposed to assist the CGI and all effects to make them believable. In the sequence where Jacob breaks from the pack, we are supposed to hear a telepathic conversation between the wolves - Jacob and Sam in particular - which is really essential to the whole plot. The voice-alterations that were done made it hard to figure out who was who. They altered the voices too much. Now, I get why they chose not to just put reverb on the voices, but making them so very deep instead, made it confusing.
Visual effects and CGI: This part of a movie is often like house work. When done well, you don't notice it. When done poorly, it stinks. You can quote me on that.
So, in big chunks of the movie, I didn't see any visual effects. Which means they worked and were well done. Sometimes I noticed, but only because I was thinking 'No way, is Kristen Stewart that emaciated' or 'It really looks like Edward is doing CPR on Bella!". Good job on those scenes!
And then there were the scenes where it crashed and burned and where almost painfull to look at. - Jacob running through the woods as a wolf was hilarious to look at. It looked like bad puppeteering in an eighties movie. Bizarre and weird and so very destructive for the plot. Jacob is supposed to be shocked, despaired and afraid for Bella's life, and the audience is laughing because it is filmed in a ridiculous way and the music is loud and much, much too dramatic. Burn. The CGI wolves were okay in many of the scenes, so the running Jacob wolf-puppet was a mystery to me.
Editing: When done right, editing is the making of the art. (See the love-scene in Out of Sight by Steven Soderbergh to see superb editing) In some parts of the movie it is working. The whole honeymoon sequence is well timed and cute and funny as a result (just close your ears when the poor 'love'-score is playing). The birthing scene is also well-cut. The rest of the movie is edited in a way that is good for action, but bad for the more relationship setting parts of the storyline. Condon cuts away from faces way too soon on some occasion and the general beat of the cutting - the musicality - was uneven and made it hard to focus. Now, I know that the main editing is never done by the director, but he has a major say in the finished product, so I'm holding Condon respondible.
Mixing: It is when everything is supposed to come together into a beautiful, complete movie. Sound effects, Foley, ADR (additional dialogue recording) and music is added to the finished footage and recorded dialogue. This is where I believe most of the mistakes were made. Just not tight enough and misjudged levels of sound. It is clumsy.
The final score. (** )
In most of the official movie reviews Breaking Dawn has received one star out of four, one star out of five or one star out of six. In my review Breaking Dawn receives - two stars out of five. And those stars are for the actors and for the set design. The rest... not good enough.
Twimom is not angry - she's disappointed.
I saw a late showing of the movie on its release day.
I'm a twihard, twimom, fanfic-writing movie-geek. And I was disappointed. Of all the four so far, this one is the weakest in my opinion.
Ditte and I went to see it together and I warned her, that the official reviews are bad. And I was curious to see why the reviews were so harsh.
The theater was almost full - people of all ages and about one guy per two girls. There were laughs and gasps and shrieks in all the right places, and in quite a few of the wrong places. I myself was guilty of laughing at the wrong things. Both Ditte and I applauded, though, when Taylor (poor Taylor) went running topless within the first seven seconds of the movie.
So, why was it such a disappointment?
I went to bed still trying to figure it out. And, since the kids kept me up all night and I had lots of time to think, I have a theory. It's full of spoilers, so don't read on, if you have yet to see it and make your own judgement.
The things I like:
The main-character actors. They all did good. Taylor Lautner was moving and believable in most of his scenes. Kristen did all the mind-numbingly major life-changing scenes with grace and under-acting, that had me convinced all the way. Robert gave such life to the happy, then broken, then desperate husband. And given the premise, that is no small feat! Well done! There were plenty of comic releif-moments from the talented lot of supporting actors and that was good, too! Nice to see Emmett let loose. Loved that!
The story-line and the choice of focus points from the book. The screenwriter, Melissa Rosenberg did an okay job of putting the book onto screen. She took some short-cuts, I think, that maybe underestimated the audience, but I can't really give you an example. Maybe when I've seen it again? If I see it again before the DVD-release...
The set-design. The sets and locations were beautiful. Hands down.
So, with pre-production and actual production (filming) being okay, we must look to post-production to find out why it failed.
And here we go with the things I do NOT like:
The music: The soundtrack is good. I have it, listen to it often and like most songs. I DON'T like the original score composed for this movie! It's appalling. The themes (the main melodies) are okay but bland, and the execution is just WAY below par! An example: The 'love'-theme that we hear in the teaser from the honeymoon is played by a guitar and a flute. If the conductor had chosen different instruments, the mood might have been different. Maybe an oboe would have given a more clean, clear and innocent sound? I don't know, but the original score was not good enough.
And it was generally too loud. When Condon (director) chose to use other songs to set some mood, they again were played too loud. Choosing original songs from different artists is a good twilight tradition. Condon keeps the tradition, but out of the four directors of the four films, so far, he does this with the least convincing result. Too bad.
The foley: You know, the sound effects that are linked to the less action packed parts of the movies - footsteps, rustling clothes, doors closing ect. Yeah, that. It was abysmal! Too loud, off time and just really poorly done. WAY too loud! It's supposed to be something that you don't really notice except if it's not there. I do not want to hear vampires - supposedly soundless - clomping up and down stairs. Could someone please just do that over? Maybe use someone from the LOTR-films and then get someone with hearing at the mixing table to put it back in the film. Thank you!
Sound effects: Again, not good enough. This is supposed to assist the CGI and all effects to make them believable. In the sequence where Jacob breaks from the pack, we are supposed to hear a telepathic conversation between the wolves - Jacob and Sam in particular - which is really essential to the whole plot. The voice-alterations that were done made it hard to figure out who was who. They altered the voices too much. Now, I get why they chose not to just put reverb on the voices, but making them so very deep instead, made it confusing.
Visual effects and CGI: This part of a movie is often like house work. When done well, you don't notice it. When done poorly, it stinks. You can quote me on that.
So, in big chunks of the movie, I didn't see any visual effects. Which means they worked and were well done. Sometimes I noticed, but only because I was thinking 'No way, is Kristen Stewart that emaciated' or 'It really looks like Edward is doing CPR on Bella!". Good job on those scenes!
And then there were the scenes where it crashed and burned and where almost painfull to look at. - Jacob running through the woods as a wolf was hilarious to look at. It looked like bad puppeteering in an eighties movie. Bizarre and weird and so very destructive for the plot. Jacob is supposed to be shocked, despaired and afraid for Bella's life, and the audience is laughing because it is filmed in a ridiculous way and the music is loud and much, much too dramatic. Burn. The CGI wolves were okay in many of the scenes, so the running Jacob wolf-puppet was a mystery to me.
Editing: When done right, editing is the making of the art. (See the love-scene in Out of Sight by Steven Soderbergh to see superb editing) In some parts of the movie it is working. The whole honeymoon sequence is well timed and cute and funny as a result (just close your ears when the poor 'love'-score is playing). The birthing scene is also well-cut. The rest of the movie is edited in a way that is good for action, but bad for the more relationship setting parts of the storyline. Condon cuts away from faces way too soon on some occasion and the general beat of the cutting - the musicality - was uneven and made it hard to focus. Now, I know that the main editing is never done by the director, but he has a major say in the finished product, so I'm holding Condon respondible.
Mixing: It is when everything is supposed to come together into a beautiful, complete movie. Sound effects, Foley, ADR (additional dialogue recording) and music is added to the finished footage and recorded dialogue. This is where I believe most of the mistakes were made. Just not tight enough and misjudged levels of sound. It is clumsy.
The final score. (** )
In most of the official movie reviews Breaking Dawn has received one star out of four, one star out of five or one star out of six. In my review Breaking Dawn receives - two stars out of five. And those stars are for the actors and for the set design. The rest... not good enough.
Twimom is not angry - she's disappointed.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
A song teaser for chapter twelve
Chapter twelve is being beta'ed as I type. Then some prereading and then we should be ready to publish.
It'll be the longest chapter yet!
A song to listen to, as you wait:
Tina Dico and Teitur: Let's go dancing
It'll be the longest chapter yet!
A song to listen to, as you wait:
Tina Dico and Teitur: Let's go dancing
Monday, October 24, 2011
Teaser chapter twelve
Dancing with the Starlighter
Teaser: Chapter twelve. Slow dancing
~oOo~
When someone want to say something, but don't, you can hear it. It begins with the great inhale of air, but then they stop. No exhale, no words. Then the quiet, tense exhale and a little while later another great inhale.
After three encores of these sounds coming from my date beside me in the car, I crack.
"Just say it, Bella. Something's on your mind and it wants to come out." I smile encouraging and hope that she trusts me. I studiously keep my eyes on the road. No need to make her even more hesitant. My peripheral vision, on the other hand, tells me that she is looking straight at me, trying to see - I don't know what.
After another great inhale and another silence that almost has me laughing out loud, she says, "Well, here's my dilemma.." There's a very quiet curse directed at the passenger door window. Maybe a way to gather some courage? I'm intrigued now. So I tell her.
"This is fascinating! Why are you so nervous all of a sudden, Bella?"
There's a gasp. Her nerves are making me feel three kinds of cocky.
This spurs on a reaction. No more pauses. She quickly replies in a sharp voice, "I don't do - uhm - anything on a first date. This is a first date and considering our history, there's been very little groping. Not any, actually. And besides the kiss in the doorway, there's not been any of that either." She's talking really fast, but loses some of her steam at the end of this little rant. Right after the word 'kiss', actually. After 'kiss' her words get really breathy.
So, she's thinking about what's going to happen, now that the date is winding down.
Teaser: Chapter twelve. Slow dancing
~oOo~
When someone want to say something, but don't, you can hear it. It begins with the great inhale of air, but then they stop. No exhale, no words. Then the quiet, tense exhale and a little while later another great inhale.
After three encores of these sounds coming from my date beside me in the car, I crack.
"Just say it, Bella. Something's on your mind and it wants to come out." I smile encouraging and hope that she trusts me. I studiously keep my eyes on the road. No need to make her even more hesitant. My peripheral vision, on the other hand, tells me that she is looking straight at me, trying to see - I don't know what.
After another great inhale and another silence that almost has me laughing out loud, she says, "Well, here's my dilemma.." There's a very quiet curse directed at the passenger door window. Maybe a way to gather some courage? I'm intrigued now. So I tell her.
"This is fascinating! Why are you so nervous all of a sudden, Bella?"
There's a gasp. Her nerves are making me feel three kinds of cocky.
This spurs on a reaction. No more pauses. She quickly replies in a sharp voice, "I don't do - uhm - anything on a first date. This is a first date and considering our history, there's been very little groping. Not any, actually. And besides the kiss in the doorway, there's not been any of that either." She's talking really fast, but loses some of her steam at the end of this little rant. Right after the word 'kiss', actually. After 'kiss' her words get really breathy.
So, she's thinking about what's going to happen, now that the date is winding down.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Teaser coming.
Writing on Chapter Twelve - Slow Dancing. There's definitely a teaser on the way. Two or three songs for the playlist and a ton of movie-references.
How do you like the banner? My husband made it after watching me attempt to make something moderately presentable with Photoshop. Of course it was an epic fail.
Expect a teaser before Wednesday.
How do you like the banner? My husband made it after watching me attempt to make something moderately presentable with Photoshop. Of course it was an epic fail.
Expect a teaser before Wednesday.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Stuff for Chapter Eleven
Chapter Eleven. Natural Turn
Natural turn: A turn to the right.
"Hedwig's Theme" the Harry Potter Theme by John Williams
Bella says "Frak!" a few times in this chapter. It's from the TV-series Battlestar Galactica (Universal 2004-09) - in case you were confused. If you were, you're less of a geek than me and Bella.
Read the chapter here
This is the first chapter that felt the love of both my beta and now also LiLi82, who offered to preread for me. Maybe you can tell the difference from earlier chapters?
Natural turn: A turn to the right.
"Hedwig's Theme" the Harry Potter Theme by John Williams
Bella says "Frak!" a few times in this chapter. It's from the TV-series Battlestar Galactica (Universal 2004-09) - in case you were confused. If you were, you're less of a geek than me and Bella.
Read the chapter here
This is the first chapter that felt the love of both my beta and now also LiLi82, who offered to preread for me. Maybe you can tell the difference from earlier chapters?
Monday, October 10, 2011
Stuff for Chapter Ten. Following
Chapter ten. Following
Following: Correctly reacting to the movements and signals given by the leader, through one or more connections (visual and/or physical).
I Got You Babe by Cher feat. Beavis & Butthead
Read the chapter here
Following: Correctly reacting to the movements and signals given by the leader, through one or more connections (visual and/or physical).
I Got You Babe by Cher feat. Beavis & Butthead
Read the chapter here
Stuff for Chapter Nine. Musicality
Chapter 9. Musicality
Musicality: The ability to hear and interpret music in a way that is both mechanically correct and artistically expressive.
True Love Ways by Buddy Holly
Love is Strange by Mickey and Sylvia as performed by Buddy Holly.
American Pie (The Day the Music Died) by Don MacLean
Beautiful Stranger by Madonna
American Pie by Don MacLean covered by Madonna
Read the chapter here
Musicality: The ability to hear and interpret music in a way that is both mechanically correct and artistically expressive.
True Love Ways by Buddy Holly
Love is Strange by Mickey and Sylvia as performed by Buddy Holly.
American Pie (The Day the Music Died) by Don MacLean
Beautiful Stranger by Madonna
American Pie by Don MacLean covered by Madonna
Read the chapter here
Stuff for Chapter Eight. Leading
Chapter 8. Leading.
Leading: Effective communication of intended actions on the part of the man, through the use of his own body movements, and through one or more connections to his partner (physical and/or visual).
Nursery rhyme song
Min kat den danser tango as performed by Monique
The Tango
Big Time Sensuality by Björk
Read the chapter here
A translation to the Danish nyrsery rhyme song
My Cat Can Do the Tango
My cat has pointy ears
and whiskers and a tail
She licks her paw that is
so lovely and so soft
She’s cuddly and she purrs
and never shows a claw
and then she has abilities
not seen before
My cat can do the tango
tango, tango
She’s very, very skilled
Yes, just to think that
My cat can do the tango
Tango, tango
And she’s the World’s sweetest
little pussykat.
Tra la la la la la, miaow!
Annette has two dogs
And Birgit has two songbirds
Mike’s got a guinea pig and
Kim has a little mouse
All animals are nice, but
I always will prefer
my little pussycat
for all the reasons here:
My cat can do the tango (etc.)
She should’ve joined the circus
to show, that she could do it
but I would never let her
because she’s only mine
And if you think I’m lying
Perhaps you think I am
then come home to my house
and see all that she can
My cat can do the tango (etc.)
In Danish (if you want to sing along):
Min Kat den Danser Tango
Min kat har spidse ører
og knurhår og hale
den slikker sig på poten
som er så fin og blød
Den kæler og den spinder
og viser aldrig klø’r
Og så kan den no’ed som ingen mis
har kunnet før
Min kat den danser tango
Tango, tango
For den er meget dygtig
Ja, tænk dig bare at
Min kat den danser tango
Tango, tango
Og så’ den verdens sødeste
Lille missekat
Tralalalalala, Miav!
Annette har to hunde
og Birgit har to fugle
og Michael har et marsvin
og Kim han har en mus
Og alle dyr er søde
men jeg kan nu bedst li’
min lille missekat
og det er jo fordi:
Min kat den danser tango (osv.)
Den skulle I et cirkus
og vise, den ku’ danse
men jeg vil ikke ha’ det
for den er nemlig min
Og hvis du tror jeg lyver
og det gør du måske
så kan du bare komme
hjem til mig og se
Min kat den danser tango (osv.)
Leading: Effective communication of intended actions on the part of the man, through the use of his own body movements, and through one or more connections to his partner (physical and/or visual).
Nursery rhyme song
Min kat den danser tango as performed by Monique
The Tango
Big Time Sensuality by Björk
Read the chapter here
A translation to the Danish nyrsery rhyme song
My Cat Can Do the Tango
My cat has pointy ears
and whiskers and a tail
She licks her paw that is
so lovely and so soft
She’s cuddly and she purrs
and never shows a claw
and then she has abilities
not seen before
My cat can do the tango
tango, tango
She’s very, very skilled
Yes, just to think that
My cat can do the tango
Tango, tango
And she’s the World’s sweetest
little pussykat.
Tra la la la la la, miaow!
Annette has two dogs
And Birgit has two songbirds
Mike’s got a guinea pig and
Kim has a little mouse
All animals are nice, but
I always will prefer
my little pussycat
for all the reasons here:
My cat can do the tango (etc.)
She should’ve joined the circus
to show, that she could do it
but I would never let her
because she’s only mine
And if you think I’m lying
Perhaps you think I am
then come home to my house
and see all that she can
My cat can do the tango (etc.)
In Danish (if you want to sing along):
Min Kat den Danser Tango
Min kat har spidse ører
og knurhår og hale
den slikker sig på poten
som er så fin og blød
Den kæler og den spinder
og viser aldrig klø’r
Og så kan den no’ed som ingen mis
har kunnet før
Min kat den danser tango
Tango, tango
For den er meget dygtig
Ja, tænk dig bare at
Min kat den danser tango
Tango, tango
Og så’ den verdens sødeste
Lille missekat
Tralalalalala, Miav!
Annette har to hunde
og Birgit har to fugle
og Michael har et marsvin
og Kim han har en mus
Og alle dyr er søde
men jeg kan nu bedst li’
min lille missekat
og det er jo fordi:
Min kat den danser tango (osv.)
Den skulle I et cirkus
og vise, den ku’ danse
men jeg vil ikke ha’ det
for den er nemlig min
Og hvis du tror jeg lyver
og det gør du måske
så kan du bare komme
hjem til mig og se
Min kat den danser tango (osv.)
Stuff for Chapter Seven an a half. Ridin' the Waves
Chapter 7½ Ridin' the Waves
is a lemony Jasper & Alice out-take.
No song references.
Read the outtake here
is a lemony Jasper & Alice out-take.
No song references.
Read the outtake here
Stuff for Chapter Seven. Flirtation Position
Chapter seven. Flirtation Position
Flirtation Position: A variation of the Shadow Position where the man and lady are in very close contact. Usually, the hands are connected in the following way: Man's LH to Lady's RH, and Man's RH to Lady's LH. Also known as Cuddle Position.
No song references this chapter.
Read the chapter here
Flirtation Position: A variation of the Shadow Position where the man and lady are in very close contact. Usually, the hands are connected in the following way: Man's LH to Lady's RH, and Man's RH to Lady's LH. Also known as Cuddle Position.
No song references this chapter.
Read the chapter here
Stuff for Chapter Six. Expression.
Chapter 6. Expression
Expression: Effective communication of feeling, character, and emotion felt by the dancer.
Listen to the songs from chapters 3 and 5.
The post show song
Fly Me To the Moon by Bart Howard as sung by Frank Sinatra
Read the chapter here
Expression: Effective communication of feeling, character, and emotion felt by the dancer.
Listen to the songs from chapters 3 and 5.
The post show song
Fly Me To the Moon by Bart Howard as sung by Frank Sinatra
Read the chapter here
Stuff for Chapter Five. Dynamics
Stuff for Chapter Four. Connection
Chapter 4. Connection
Connection: A means of communication between partners, either visually, or as an actual physical point of contact.
Connection: Tension applied to a physical point of contact through the manipulation of body weight toward or away from it.
No song references this chapter.
Read the chapter here
Connection: A means of communication between partners, either visually, or as an actual physical point of contact.
Connection: Tension applied to a physical point of contact through the manipulation of body weight toward or away from it.
No song references this chapter.
Read the chapter here
Stuff for Chapter Three. Downbeat.
Chapter 3. Downbeat
Downbeat: Refers to the very beginning of each beat.
Downbeat: Refers to the strongest beats in each measure. In 4/4 music the downbeats are the 1 and the 3. (The upbeats are 2 and 4).
The Slow Fox
Nothin’ on You by BoB/Bruno Mars
A little Tina Dickow/Dico teaser
Room With a View by Tina Dickow/Tina Dico
Read the chapter here
I loved writing this chapter. It was the first completed chapter and chapters one and two then came into being and I started contemplating (and Ditte, my fantabulous beta encouraged me) publishing it on ffn...
Downbeat: Refers to the very beginning of each beat.
Downbeat: Refers to the strongest beats in each measure. In 4/4 music the downbeats are the 1 and the 3. (The upbeats are 2 and 4).
The Slow Fox
Nothin’ on You by BoB/Bruno Mars
A little Tina Dickow/Dico teaser
Room With a View by Tina Dickow/Tina Dico
Read the chapter here
I loved writing this chapter. It was the first completed chapter and chapters one and two then came into being and I started contemplating (and Ditte, my fantabulous beta encouraged me) publishing it on ffn...
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