Serenity

Well, that was interesting.

Proof that sci-fi films don't need a big budget, gadgets, aliens and state-of-the-art starships. No getting past it; whatever the genre, however grand the toys, words do help. There's more vivacity here in the first 10 minutes than in all the ponderous hours of latter-day Star Bores. It doesn't even have a complex story, but it has light fast dialogue, and excellent little touches; dinosaurs on the dashboard, ordinary guns, funky gravestones. It also has teenage ninja waifs (Joss, you're so not over it) but at least she isn't Buffy.

It was cute though I don't need to see it again. Haven't watched Firefly, and this prompts me to give it a go. Next: Howl's Moving Castle, if I can find anywhere in the area screening it.

And now. Work. Ugh.

[later amended to add] the problem with work is that nothing does.

H&M or How You Know I Like You

Because I am not trying to add a link here to the worst advert ever seen in a cinema. I recall Pearl and Dean adverts, bikini'd ladies suggestively licking cornets and hotdogs (never, unfortunately, at the same time) adverts for The Ring of Fire curry house less than 200 yards away (Why don't you go there after the show?) and, for those who find themselves trapped in weekend orbit around the Trafford Centre near Manchester, that bizarre papier-mache elephant head that comes up when they are telling you not to forget something (no, I don't remember; yes, I know...)

No, this is far worse. H&M may have panicked after La Moss got spanked up for her talc habit; if so, this was not the way out.

This commercial is directed by David La Chappelle, and is about 10 minutes long. But by all the angels in heaven above, and the demons down under the sea, it feels like hours. It's Romeo, it's Juliet, it starts at the end and is comprised of flashbacks. He wears his denims, he's shot shecomesoutscreaminginherdenimsandflashbackitstheballandtheyreallinmasksandsomeone
issingingasongwithnoendandflashforwardhesinherbedroomallpinkandlingeringshotandthesongwont stopandtheyreflashwhofuckingknowsorcarespeelingoffatransfertattoowithjulietandaroseonitand
fingeringsilverlocketsandflashforwardhesstilldeadshestillwontstopsingingmaybethepolicewill
comeandenditmaybethankgodsheholdshimthepolicearecomingitsendingandSTOP.

Over, it's over, final swelling chorus, it's over, it's over. Breathe.
Flashback,and it starts up all over again! But this time she gets shot too, so at least the noise stops.

This is meant to make you want to buy H&M denims.

I am never going in that shop again.