Review time!

I saw Pitch Black in the theater.

And I fell in LOVE.
( What I loved about Pitch Black. Now with free spoilers!! )

So when I saw that they had made a sequel... I saw the preview and they flashed across Vin Diesel with the reflective contacts in...

And I made a big fangirl SQUEEEE! I jumped up and down in my seat!

YAY! MORE RIDDICK!
And then I noticed what he was attached to. And I decided then what my expectations were going to be;
This is going to suck, and I am going to fail to be bothered by it sucking. I get to see More Riddick!!!

So, on Sunday, while my SO took the kids home, I got together with friends and family to go see "The Chronicles of Riddick."
( Spoiler-laden review )

Did I hate it? Not really. Did I absolutely love seeing Riddick again? Yes, although they spent way too much time and money putting "effects" into his eyes. They did this with reflective contacts the last time, and it was sufficient. Will I see it again? Maybe, on DVD, for free.

Should YOU go see it? Sure. Did you like Riddick the first time? Go on, enjoy. Haven't seen Pitch Black? See it anyway. First. Then go watch the original masterpiece.

PITCH BLACK= Alien (in its own way.)
THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK is NOT Aliens. More like Alien Resurrection, but without Joss Wheaton helping out with the script.

But I would give it 3 out of 5 stars for the consistency, and the use of the previous characters (save one.)



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Edit: I am not going to cut this, so if you haven't seen Pitch Black, read no further.

Did some research. The actress who turned out that stellar performance as "Jack/Jackie" in Pitch Black is named Rhiana Griffith. She's grown up to be a lovely lady, and looks really BAD-ASSED, too. Why on EARTH didn't they cast her in the sequel?

I don't have anything against Alexa Davalos, but she simply wasn't believable as Jack. She didn't have the right intensity, she didn't look a THING like the androgynous young "fellow" from the first movie, and she didn't seem up to the task of playing a female convict who had been "slaved out" and murdered a "bunch of people."
Snort. Hardly.

I don't think it's her fault, really. But I was left to wonder, "Did she even SEE the original film?"

Oh, and during my research, I stumbled across information about an animated film called "Dark Fury", that takes place between the end of "Pitch Black" and the beginning of "The Chronicles of Riddick." It's supposed to be out on DVD June 15th. It looks fantastic, and includes all the original voices.

I shall look for it tomorrow...

Follow-up

Champagne Bubble Bath day was somewhat interrupted by my going to see The Chronicles of Riddick.

But I did fill the tub, with bubble bath and water that was entirely too hot. I did light a boatload of candles. I did make myself a drink.

As my paycheck did not arrive on Friday, I couldn't buy a bottle of champagne.
(My new job apparently pays on the 15th and the 30-31st, not "every other friday. grumble.)

So I made the following drink:

1/2 shot Amaretto
1/2 shot Triple Sec
Squirt Soda
Dash of aromatic bitters.

Pour into chilled champagne flute. Enjoy!

It's sweet; cloying even. But it was approximately the right color and was delightful in a warm bath. Tasty!

I got a chance to lounge around on the bed and finish reading The Red Tent on Saturday. I seriously abridged the "Champagne Bubble Bath" experience so that I could go watch 'Riddick. Eh, it was worth it.
I compared it to Alien Resurrection (as opposed to Aliens, a far superior sequel) which seems apt, since I hated 'Resurrection the first time I saw it... but the damn thing grew on me. I now seek to own it on DVD, along with the first and second Alien movies. (Alien-3 can be circular-filed along with many of the other sequels out there. I am simply going to pretend that it was never made.)

Mmm.

So, I think I have my crap together, finally. As soon as I can get Shakespeare in the Garden's date set, I can plan out the rest of my summer.
And besides a random trip to Michigan, I am not adding anything to the summer platter, unless it pays me obscene amounts of money.

Yay!