As a familial tradition of the end of the year movie, I went with my daughter to watch the second (or eighth) movie in the series. As I had heard and read several highly positive reviews on the originality of the scenario and the sharpness of the photography, I was expecting a lot from the movie. And hence was quite disappointed by the quasi-absence of scenario (never a major strength in the series anyway!) and by the pre-teens dialogues, some situations reminding me of the worst Star Trek episodes, like the very final ludicrous scene in the space shuttle… Some parts are total failures, like the expedition to the casino planet. Or the final battle scene that lasts for evvvvver… Or the initial battle scene that lasts about as long. Or the fight with the lobsters, endless! And do not even think of mentioning the Disneyian pongs. And as usual the utter disdain for any law of physics. Like a moon going from full to crescent on the same night (minor spoiler!). Terrible, all in all, except for the scenery of the Irish island, Skellig Michael, with its very primitive monastery, which reminded me of St Kilda… And a few actors surviving the disaster.
Archive for Ireland
dimmed Star Wars
Posted in Books, Kids, Mountains, pictures, Travel with tags Disney, Ireland, movie review, Skellig Michael, St Kilda, Star Trek, Star Wars, The Last Jedi on December 25, 2017 by xi'anhealthcare not airfare
Posted in Statistics with tags "healthcare not airfare", Ireland, legalisation of abortion, my body my choice, reproductive rights on December 24, 2017 by xi'an
Bacon in the Library [jatp]
Posted in Books, Kids, pictures, Travel, University life with tags books, Dublin, Eire, Francis Bacon, Ireland, jatp, library, Trinity College Dublin on May 23, 2017 by xi'an
The Riddle of the Sands [not a book review]
Posted in Books, Kids, pictures, Travel with tags Dublin, Erskine Childers, Ireland, Irish Civil War, Sinn Féin, The Riddle of the Sands on May 22, 2017 by xi'an
Visiting Dublin last weekend led me to learn of the sad end of the author of The Riddle of the Sands, (Robert) Erskine Childers. To my surprise, I indeed found out when reading about the Irish Civil War of the early 20’s that he was executed by a firing squad as a member of the anti-Treaty Sinn Féin. What could have led the author of the role model of classical spy novels, The Riddle of the Sands, to this tragical ending?! While his book was immensely popular in Britain, to the point of impacting the preparations for war in the years before WWI, and while he served as instructor of pilots towards a possible attack of Germany through the very Frisian islands appearing in the novel, he turned progressively towards Irish nationalism, smuggling weapons on his own boat, and opposing the treaty with Britain to the point of joining the anti-treaty Sinn Féin. When a pistol was found at his home, he was sentenced to death and executed two days later.
dreamed a dream by the old canal [jatp]
Posted in Kids, pictures, Running, Travel with tags Dublin, Eire, Ireland, Irish music, jatp, Liffey, morning run, The Dubliners, The Pogues on May 17, 2017 by xi'an
