But Enough About Me!

On the night of the Oscars, which I'm not watching for no reason except that I generally never do, I do think about film.

First, oursin flagged this article in the Guardian about romantic comedy: Where have all the good women gone?.

Romantic comedies have, of course, long been formulaic, and often palpably dumb, but recently they actually seem to have become contemptuous of women.

I was going to write up approving commentary on the article, and my reaction to the portrayal of women in film in these days (and will still likely write up something on the portrayal of women in epic fantasy), and so on, but then Justine Larbalestier went ahead and kindly wrote up a rant for me. I mean, she probably didn't know that's why she was doing it, but I really appreciated her going to all that trouble just to spare me from having to say pretty much the same thing. Thanks, Justine!

She begins:

Lately I’ve been talking with many of my film-obsessed friends about romantic comedies. Specifically we’ve been trying to come up with one made by Hollywood in the last five years which wasn’t misogynist rubbish.


But now for something almost kind of different.

Tonight, the Oscars gave awards for best film, but what about the really bad stuff you had the misfortune to see?

What were the worst films you saw in 2008 (preferably released in 2008, but I'm willing to go easy if there's a bit of date slippage and it's more of a 'worst film seen in 2008) in the categories of

1) Just Plain Bad

2) Hated It Even Though It Received Critical or Popular Acclaim


I'll go first, even though I saw very few 2008 release films, alas.

1) The Mummy: China edition
Brendan Fraser and Jet Li and Michelle Yeow and Russell Wong and even poor John Hannah TOTALLY WASTED. Idiot plot, terrible writing, mediocre CGI. So, so sad.

2) Haha. You knew this was coming if you read my blog last year. Mongol.

First, via Making Light, Frozen Grand Central Station. No, really, you want to see this. It just makes me happy.


My nephew and his assistant: Pay Attention: "Sit Down"


On a more personal note, continuing with reviews:


A review of Spirit Gate on Library Thing by our very own wyvernfriend.


AND

The first review (that I've seen) of Shadow Gate in Publishers Weekly: scroll down to the sff section toward the end. Courtesy of rosefox

There are actually two kinds of people in the world, I know from observation: those who after five to ten minutes interaction with my twins can tell said twins apart always and forever, and those who always and ever after get them confused even with repeated interaction.*

However, in the wake of yesterday’s post about reactions to one’s books, I’m talking about a different kind of two kinds of people.

I have in my life run into those kind of people who have made of the world in their own minds such that if you do not admire and like what they admire and like, therefore you are not highbrow (or lowbrow, for that matter) enough. I might even argue that there are two kinds of people in the world: those who think that others must have the same tastes-standards-aesthetics as they do to be legitimate, and those who don’t.

So if someone really hates a novel I’ve written, it doesn’t bug me, because I figure it just wasn’t a fit for them or that their expectation so did not match what was offered that they were for some reason personally offended by this lack.


What does bother or upset me in this line?

#1
Ridicule and/or belittling and/or condescension (I’m a youngest child; draw your own conclusions).

#2
Damning with faint praise, a la “this tedious novel shows occasional signs of life but . . .” not so much because such things get up my nose but because I then fall into the Abyss of Doubt, a la oh-god-they’re-probably-right- AND-I’m-a-useless-mediocre-writer-and-always-will-be- AND-might-as-well-give-up-now-and-let-some-more worthy-aspirant-have-my-publishing-slot.

However, if you’re reading that last bit and nodding your head in agreement, don’t hold your breath. As I mentioned before, I’m not just a youngest child, accustomed to being bossed around, but I’m a stubborn one who learned early on to nod my head in tacit agreement and then just go do what I wanted.

The world of publishing is nasty, brutish, and often short, and many a fine writer is struggling on its fringes, so while I am well aware that my career could be dead in six months, or spiking to heights unexpected in six years, all I can really do at this end is keep plugging along trying to get it right.

Is there something that gets to you (I’m speaking of writing/reading responses here specifically, but I’m open to other venues) despite you knowing that it’s at least partly an irrational reaction on your part?



*for those who don't know me personally, this is what passes for dry wit in my house. I'm not serious, although the observation is often true - maybe it's a processing issue. In fact, whenever I make comments about "two kinds of people" or so on, I'm speaking, always, with a grain of salt.