tag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204setsuledsetsuledsetsuled2022-01-15T01:09:13Ztag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204:444877The Last Pants2022-01-15T01:09:13Z2022-01-15T01:09:13Z"Suddenly, Seymour" - Little Shop of Horrorsbusypublic0<img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/lastpants1.jpg"><br /><br />Last night's season finale of <i>The Expanse</i> was supposedly the <i>series</i> finale but it clearly wasn't meant to be. There are at least three unresolved subplots from the season, plus the overall series plot about the protomolecule doesn't feel done. Even as a season finale, it didn't have quite the impact of previous seasons.<br /><br />Partly I wonder if it's the absence of actors like Thomas Jane or David Strathairn. And, of course, the absence of Cas Anvar continues to feel wrong, for the absence of his performance but more for the absence of his character, Alex. It's like if Scotty died in the second season of <i>Star Trek</i> and no-one made a big deal about it.<br /><br /><b>Spoilers after the screenshot</b>.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/lastpants2.jpg"> <br /><br />There was a lot of awkward moral clean-up in this season, too, like Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashloo) expressing regret about torturing the Belter in season one or Clarissa (Nadine Nicole) feeling sorry about killing the mechanic she worked with. Maybe they both do feel sorry about these things but their confessions came at awkward times and felt artificially injected.<br /><br />The episode also did that thing Chris Chibnall has garnered criticism for doing on <i>Doctor Who</i>--showing the protagonist about to sacrifice herself only for a minor character to step in and do the sacrifice at the last minute. Drummer (Cara Gee) had that cool line, "Leave the Pella to me!" before she set up her suicide run only for someone else to do it. Bobbie (Frankie Adams) made like she was going to sacrifice herself to take out some gun defenses but her special suit ended up surviving a hail of bullets. That's a little more plausible, at least, but the moment felt deflated anyway.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/lastpants3.jpg"><br /><br />And, of course, Filip managing to sneak off and survive felt like bullshit. The show would've been better off letting Naomi's (Dominique Tipper) grief remain legitimately earned. That's war.<br /><br />Well, the action sequences were nice. But this show is definitely a long way from its heyday and, if this truly was the final episode, it's going out on a weak note.<br /><br /><i>The Expanse</i> is available on Amazon Prime.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=setsuled&ditemid=444877" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204:443317Space Secrets2022-01-08T23:46:34Z2022-01-08T23:46:34Z"Gettin' Hot" - The Runawaysbusypublic0<img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/exwhyfight1.jpg"><br /><br />Friday's nice new <i>Expanse</i>, the penultimate episode of the series, was called "Why We Fight" and a lot of characters do seem to have been asking themselves that question, particularly Amos and Drummer. But the episode might also have been called, "Whose side are you on?"<br /><br /><b>Spoilers after the screenshot</b><br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/exwhyfight2.jpg"><br /><br />I wonder if we're ever going to see Drummer (Cara Gee) with her hair down. Or have we and I just don't remember? I found myself wishing there'd been a few helpful clips of past episodes in this one. Drummer's inner turmoil over her decision to side with Earth would have been more interesting if I could remember how, exactly, Earth had oppressed the Belters. Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashloo) mentioned pinning that Belter to the wall in the first episode, which I do remember, but the torture of one prisoner, however egregious, doesn't illustrate generations of oppression.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/exwhyfight3.jpg"><br /><br />The drama around Drummer's crewmates was better and more immediate. It's interesting seeing the technology for regrowing body parts so vividly at work.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/exwhyfight4.jpg"><br /><br />I also liked the conversation between Amos (Wes Chatham) and Bobbie (Frankie Adams) and I'm glad their sexual tension hasn't resulted in a fight. I'm a little annoyed Amos told Bobbie about Holden (Steven Strait) disarming the warhead, though. Now everyone on the <i>Rocinante</i> crew knows. I've complained about this before but I hate how no secret can ever be kept on <i>The Expanse</i>. It cuts into the sense realism quite a bit.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/exwhyfight5.jpg"><br /><br />I'm liking the scenes between Marco (Keon Alexander) and Rosenfeld (Kathleen Robertson). She's smarter than him and more in control of her emotions but I suspect her confidence in being able to contradict him and instruct him from time to time is going to get her killed pretty soon.<br /><br /><i>The Expanse</i> is available on Amazon Prime.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=setsuled&ditemid=443317" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204:440061Another Bad Day for Belters2021-12-27T05:10:30Z2021-12-27T05:10:30Z"From Sea to Shining Sea" - Johnny Cashbusypublic0<img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/khanspanse1.jpg"><br /><br />I did get some <i>Wrath of Khan</i> vibes from Friday's new episode of <i>The Expanse</i>. I'd be surprised if Keon Alexander isn't basing his performance of Marco Inaros on Ricardo Montalban. But while I can believe Khan as the leader of a group of genetically engineered radicals, I still don't buy Marco Inaros as the leader of the whole Belter civilisation.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/khanspanse2.jpg"><br /><br />Even Filip (Jasai Chase-Owens) stood up to him after his embarrassing failure to destroy the <i>Rocinante</i>. I'll admit, that was pretty satisfying, but I still remember when this show's big selling point was its realism.<br /><br />The whole trap Inaros set up for Ceres station doesn't quite make sense, either. Sure, it is now the responsibility of Earth and Mars to care for the people Inaros abandoned, and this looks again like allegory for occupying U.S. forces in the Middle East. But once again, the analogy doesn't quite work. There's no religion tying the people on the station to Inaros' mission so he's just going to look like what he is, a madman who promised them victory and then scarpered. Even if Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashloo) can't get supplies to the people, the Earthers will have to work extra hard at being assholes for Inaros' PR plan to work.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/khanspanse3.jpg"><br /><br />It felt a little out of place, but I liked Peaches (Nadine Nicole) expressing remorse for the mentor she murdered a few seasons back. And Bobbie (Frankie Adams) and Amos (Wes Chatham) eating together was cute. I still don't want to see them fight. <br /><br /><i>The Expanse</i> is available on Amazon Prime.<br /><br /><b>Twitter Sonnet #1506</b><br /><br /><i>Departing feathers speak of frozen birds.<br />Beyond a veil of static crawled the sky.<br />Assorted lights reflect in liquid words.<br />Distinguished bells adorn the bold and shy.<br />A question formed in strings of Christmas light.<br />To step beyond a sleigh we need a boot.<br />We never ask the snow to win a fight.<br />We never grew a man from twisted root.<br />Our stars engaged the liquid fabric coat.<br />Recalling paint, the model plastic grew.<br />Replacing trees, we built a giant boat.<br />Across the seas, we taught the natives blue.<br />On morning three the puppy played a horn.<br />Beneath the douglas fir a cup was born.</i><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=setsuled&ditemid=440061" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204:438043Super Space2021-12-20T10:50:17Z2021-12-20T10:50:17Z"Cymbeline" - Loreena McKennittbusypublic0<img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/frimorepants1.jpg"><br /><br />Although the absence of Alex continues to be a problem, I mostly enjoyed Friday's new episode of <i>The Expanse</i>.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/frimorepants2.jpg"><br /><br />I like the sub-culture of piracy among the Belters which borrows from romanticised visions of the golden age of piracy. The code of personal freedom extends to Drummer's (Cara Gee) crew being a dysfunctional polygamist family. Friday's episode saw a therefore tearful farewell to one of the members while they meet a pirate captain.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/frimorepants3.jpg"><br /><br />Meanwhile, Peaches (Nadine Nicole) is being slowly accepted among the <i>Rocinante</i>'s crew. Even Holden (Steven Strait) calls her Peaches now. The scene where she and Bobbie (Frankie Adams) worked together was one of those cool, comic-bookish moments when two characters improvise coordinating their superpowers in a creative way. Holden chewing Peaches out for taking initiative didn't really make sense, though, which cut into the intention of the scene, which was to have Peaches glowing over the fact that Holden referred to her as a member of the crew.<br /><br />I'm a little intrigued by the cattiness between Amos (Wes Chatham) and Bobbie. I can't remember if they had any kind of relationship before. I feel like they're being set up as lovers. I hope that doesn't mean they have to have a physical fight because there's no way the writers are going to be able to make it realistic (Bobbie would be required to win).<br /><br /><i>The Expanse</i> is available on Amazon Prime.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=setsuled&ditemid=438043" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204:436707The Shrinking Expanse2021-12-13T20:57:50Z2021-12-13T20:57:50Z"E Preciso Dizer Adeus" - Edu Lobo and Tom Jobimbusypublic0<img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/6expants1.jpg"><br /><br />The first episode of the sixth and final season of <i>The Expanse</i> premiered on Friday and it was certainly the most underwhelming premiere of the series. <br /><br />The two conspicuous problems are the absence of Alex and the presence of Marco. Cas Anvar, who played Alex, was the subject of allegations of sexual misconduct last year. Although he apparently has not been charged with any crime, he was awkwardly written out of the show at the end of last season. Anvar was by far one of the best actors on the show but, if he really did have to go, I would have advised recasting Alex rather than killing him off. His character, as the "heart" of the team who made the effort to make the crew like a family, was too essential to the ensemble dynamic. Now it really just feels like people on a ship who'd all rather be doing something else.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/6expants2.jpg"><br /><br />Meanwhile, the main villain from the previous season, Marco (Keon Alexander), is still up to his dastardly schemes, and is still just as bafflingly cartoonish. He barks his motivational speeches like an orc wearing a hair shirt. He's so over the top on a show that's usually famed for its realism, you wonder why anyone, let alone almost all the Belters, would follow this guy. When you look at video of Osama bin Laden or Adolf Hitler, they don't come off like Snidley Whiplash.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/6expants3.jpg"><br /><br />It is nice to see Shohreh Aghdashloo, Dominique Tipper, and Cara Gee again and I'm happy that Nadine Nicole has joined the crew. But the show is definitely at a low ebb.<br /><br /><i>The Expanse</i> is available on Amazon Prime.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=setsuled&ditemid=436707" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204:356140The Expanse Short a Man2021-02-04T09:40:03Z2021-02-04T09:40:03Z"Living Dead Girl" - Rob Zombiebusypublic0<img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/alexpanse1.jpg"><br /><br />Last night's finale of <i>The Expanse</i>, season five, was mostly disappointing, shifting from bad tonal choices to odd tonal choices. It did have bright spots, though, and even a disappointing episode of <i>The Expanse</i> is still better than the average TV series.<br /><br /><b>Spoilers after the screenshot</b><br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/alexpanse2.jpg"><br /><br />So we finally know how they handled the departure of Cas Anvar--they killed off Alex abruptly. Having a stroke after rescuing Naomi (Dominique Tipper) is a nice way of reminding the audience of the constant danger involved in the crew getting juiced up to handle g forces. Aside from that, though, it really didn't feel like the right time from a storytelling perspective. Alex had some good episodes at the beginning of the season that seemed like they were just the start of a new chapter for him. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/alexpanse3.jpg"><br /><br />In addition to that, the reactions of the rest of the crew, particularly Bobbie (Frankie Adams), who'd been teamed up with him all season, seemed peculiarly bland, which makes sense if the episode was shot before the makers of the show decided to edit Alex out. The banquet scene at the end feels particularly bizarre.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/alexpanse4.jpg"><br /><br />After all the bitterness and struggle of the season, now everyone's kicking back, getting their drunk on, and dressed in red and black. It felt like a dream sequence--part of me seriously expected it to be. Marco isn't even dead. Which is another disappointing thing, considering he was such a weak, uninteresting villain. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/alexpanse5.jpg"><br /><br />The two bright spots of the episode were Drummer (Cara Gee) and Naomi (Dominique Tipper). The drama between Drummer and her crew as they decide to take the painful steps of parting ways with Marco was great and the conclusion of Naomi's already gripping survival story was terrific.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/alexpanse6.jpg"><br /><br />I don't know the exact nature of the allegations against Anvar but I'm inclined to think he shouldn't have been fired unless he'd been convicted of a crime. But, oh, well, it's just a TV show. It kind of feels like the heart's gone out of it, anyway.<br /><br /><i>The Expanse</i> is available on Amazon Prime.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=setsuled&ditemid=356140" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204:354418A Brief Expanse2021-01-28T10:29:14Z2021-01-28T10:29:14Z"I'll Take New York" - Tom Waitsbusypublic0<img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/winnesomething1.jpg"><br /><br />The winning subplot this season on <i>The Expanse</i> is Amos and Clarissa on Earth with Naomi coming in second. I liked Bobbie and Alex early on but they've been stuck in that little ship flying back and forth for a few episodes now. Shohreh Anghdashloo is wonderful as always but her plot is a little too much like a coded message about the U.S. wars with Iraq and Afghanistan. Holden, as always, is a drip, though the stuff about Fred Johnson and the reporter in his subplot was nice. But nothing holds a candle to Amos and Clarissa, especially not after last night.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/winnesomething2.jpg"><br /><br />It began as a story about a former gangster returning home. Then it became a sci fi prison escape film. Then it was a wilderness survival film. And finally, last night, it became a household siege film. Through it all, Amos (Wes Chatham) and Clarissa (Nadine Nicole) are an unlikely duo of murderers, each one complementing the other's strengths and flaws. Amos is the durable tank without empathy, Clarissa is the vulnerable, occasionally super powerful, and overly passionate slasher. It's a classic comic combo.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/winnesomething3.jpg"><br /><br />All in all, though, this hasn't been an especially strong season. I really miss David Strathairn and Thomas Jane. I feel like the first three seasons were the strongest.<br /><br /><i>The Expanse</i> is available on Amazon Prime.<br /><br /><b>Twitter Sonnet #1437</b><br /><br /><i>The absent lemon boosts the wooden car.<br />For coffee spilled the milky air absorbs.<br />The very space was split to make a star.<br />The eyes were white and dark within the orbs.<br />The chipper mouse was lost amid the gloom.<br />A leading thread arrived before the shirt.<br />Construction stopped beside the rusty loom.<br />A gear contracts a case of coffee dirt.<br />The talking blobs were pudding words in mouths.<br />The quiver aced the arrow quizzing gel.<br />The varied norths reflect the waving souths.<br />The brainy sea assumes propellers well.<br />A heap of masts divert avenging ships.<br />The fire sauce absorbs the salty chips.</i><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=setsuled&ditemid=354418" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204:352915Space Politics and Hot Wires2021-01-22T10:46:24Z2021-01-22T10:46:24Z"The Family and the Fishing Net" - Peter Gabrieltiredpublic0<img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/expansesurvive1.jpg"><br /><br />Wednesday's new episode of <i>The Expanse</i> almost felt like it'd become a survival series. With the story about Amos and Clarissa trying to survive on an Earth devastated by massive rocks and Naomi just trying to jury rig a radio on a booby trapped ship it almost felt like <i>The Walking Dead</i>.<br /><br />Avasarala's plot, though, feels a bit more like an Iraq War allegory as she seems to be the only one of the acting leader's advisory team not advocating attacking Belter stations with civilians. Considering the scale of destruction caused by Marco, it's no wonder some Earth brass start thinking "It's us are them." It got me wondering just how big the Belter population is.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/expansesurvive2.jpg"><br /><br />I feel like they should be spending more time figuring out if Marco is capable of another attack like the one he pulled off. The Belters seem so scattered and small that going nuclear on them seems odd.<br /><br />But the episode's centrepiece was really Naomi struggling to warn people against following her phony distress signal.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/expansesurvive3.jpg"><br /><br />We watch her struggle to connect and cut wires properly in oxygen free corridors while still suffering from exposure to a vaccuum is captivating. The show's renowned predilection for exploring science possibilities in a true old fashioned Sci-Fi way is served well by another good performance from Dominique Tipper.<br /><br /><i>The Expanse</i> is available on Amazon Prime.<br /><br /><b>Twitter Sonnet #1435</b><br /><br /><i>The boiled yam was never drawn as fresh.<br />To chop the cabbage brings the green to dine.<br />With steamy metal, food o'rwhelmed the mesh.<br />Connexions caught the taste of Jerez wine.<br />The floating trunk creates the elephant.<br />The drinking nose returned an eyeless stare.<br />The eating man rejects the applicant.<br />But dancing leaves'd yet relinquish care.<br />Selective hands were spider shades at work.<br />The timing clicked before the watches wound.<br />We count the song as Lisa's seventh perk.<br />The falling leaves support the floating ground.<br />There's drifting planet people swimming late.<br />The island name implied a lonesome wait.</i><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=setsuled&ditemid=352915" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204:350762Why Him, Naomi?2021-01-14T11:11:43Z2021-01-14T11:11:43Z"Torture" - Psychedelic Fursbusypublic0<img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/whynaomi1.jpg"><br /><br />Last time I wrote about <i>The Expanse</i>, I wondered why in the Belt Naomi would be attracted to Marco Inaros in the first place. Last night's new episode sort of gave me an answer, or at any rate it had a flashback to when they were young and in love and Filip was just born.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/whynaomi2.jpg"><br /><br />She looks so mature, not fifteen or sixteen, as I guess her age would have to be. I can't find the age of Jasai Chase Owens, who plays Filip most of the time, anywhere on the internet but considering he has a history of aiding in terrorist attacks I figure he has to be at least seventeen by this point. Dominique Tipper, who plays Naomi, is listed as being 32 <i>or</i> 33 (weird seeing such imprecision about someone in a major TV series). I guess Naomi's meant to be older than Tipper or maybe Belters have accelerated pregnancies.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/whynaomi3.jpg"><br /><br />Still, I don't find Marco (Keon Alexander) or Filip very interesting but I like the story of Naomi's struggle. Tipper's performance makes the scenes really work when she's talking about nearly committing suicide. And I liked how the episode came back to that story in the climax.<br /><br />I was sorry not to see Amos or Avasarala this week but an episode focused on Naomi is always a good idea.<br /><br /><i>The Expanse</i> is available on Amazon Prime.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=setsuled&ditemid=350762" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204:343554Expanding, Big and Small2020-12-17T09:51:17Z2020-12-17T09:51:17Z"Downtown Lights" - Annie Lennoxcoldpublic0<img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/expain1.jpg"><br /><br />The new season of <i>The Expanse</i> premiered last night on Amazon Prime with three episodes and I watched the first one. For a season premiere, it has a pretty subdued tone. Most of it involved Amos and Alex as they return home--Amos to Earth and Alex to Mars. It was a good episode with solid writing from Naren Shankar.<br /><br />The new season premieres amid some bad press. Cas Anvar, who plays Alex, won't be back for season six due to an investigation into allegations of sexual assault and harassment. No news story has said he was convicted of anything. One story links to a <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/TheExpanse/comments/k09gxj/designated_discussion_thread_cas_anvar_will_not/">Reddit thread</a> as though it contains all the evidence we need but all the quotes from named cast and crew are very litigation-conscious variations of "We take these allegations seriously" and quotes from accusers come with no direct evidence. Many of the claims of harassment hinge on interpretations of texts and tweets.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/expain2.jpg"><br /><br />Maybe he is guilty, I don't know. I saw him in person a few times at Comic Con and was always surprised by how accessible he was for someone on a currently popular show. I used to see him in an autograph booth upstairs in an area normally occupied by stars of shows that ended at least ten years ago or bit players from a crowd scene in a Conan movie. That kind of accessibility could make him vulnerable to opportunists who could easily provide a context for their allegations but maybe it was a sign he was a predator on the prowl. I won't pretend to know.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/expain3.jpg"><br /><br />He was always one of the best actors on the show, one of the very few decent ones from season one. The new premiere shows it, too. After confronting his estranged wife he gets grilled by Bobbie (Frankie Adams) for his persistently positive attitude. A thread throughout his subplot in this episode are signs of an economic change on Mars, culminating in him pondering a series of vacancy and "Going Out of Business" signs. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/expain4.jpg"><br /><br />This struck a cord with me, as did his wife matter-of-factly telling him how her rent had gotten too high for her to continue living in her previous apartment. That's the California I know. That's how it was when I left, which must have been not long after the fifth season of <i>The Expanse</i> wrapped filming. After so many years of people in the media pretending like it wasn't happening, it's nice to see it acknowledged.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/expain5.jpg"><br /><br />Meanwhile, Amos has a nice fight sequence, beating a few thugs trying to shake down passengers on a transport. Then he shares a scene with Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashloo) in which they have this memorable exchange:<br /><br />AMOS: You and I have very different life experiences, Prissy.<br /><br />AVASARALA: Don't call me that. I'm a Member of Parliament, not your favourite stripper.<br /><br />AMOS: You could be both.<br /><br />Is he really flirting with her? Considering the recap reminded us she's broken up with her husband, could she actually have a relationship with Amos this season? I'd certainly like to see it, despite Avasarala's outfit in the premiere falling well short of her usual standard. Hopefully her wardrobe improves over the course of the season.<br /><br /><b>Twitter Sonnet #</b><br /><br /><i>On storage lists the mammals make a home.<br />Collected seeds deny the soil pines.<br />From verdant needles, cones discreetly roam.<br />The evergreens forever clog the lines.<br />Forgotten albums sound the pocket bell.<br />The speakers broke to fish for diamond gills.<br />We wandered aft to drain the cabin's hell.<br />The varied clams were hiding mollusc wills.<br />The optic ears were shifting round the head.<br />The darkness spot a nose and eyes became.<br />For Mickey's buttons white attached to red.<br />The tiny beast expands as Mouse was named.<br />The bigger show contracts against the mind.<br />The sketchy cloud endorsed the melon rind.</i><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=setsuled&ditemid=343554" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204:212389Comic Con Prelude2019-07-18T13:50:58Z2019-07-18T13:50:58Z"Tengu (A Long Nosed Goblin)" - Osamu Kitajimaawakepublic0<img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/2019ccon1.jpg"><br /><br />Here a giant <i>Picard</i> poster grimly holds vigil across the street from the San Diego Convention Centre as though to say, "So. It begins." By which he'd mean Comic Con. Preview night was last night, Wednesday night, and to-day's the first official day. I feel like I'll probably be wandering the floor a lot this year, there are only a few panels I really want to see--the <i>Farscape</i> panel for certain. I'm going to have to choose between the <i>Expanse</i> panel and the <i>Orville</i> panel--they're both on the same day in different rooms. Both are also competing with the <i>Star Trek</i> panel, which wasn't much competition at all last year. Hardly anyone seemed interested in <i>Disco</i>. This year might be different with <i>Picard</i> since Patrick Stewart will be here.<br /><br />If there's something you would like me to check out and report on and/or take pictures of, let me know.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=setsuled&ditemid=212389" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204:114040More Expansive than Ever Before2018-06-30T18:45:43Z2018-06-30T18:45:43Z"Clowntime is Over" - Elvis Costello and the Attractionstiredpublic0<img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/lastthreespanse1.jpg"><br /><br />I completely forgot what day of the week it was on Wednesday so I didn't get around to watching the season finale of <i>The Expanse</i> until Thursday night. Comprised of two episodes, it certainly was glorious with lots of nice character moments.<br /><br /><b>Spoilers after the screenshot</b><br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/lastthreespanse2.jpg"><br /><br />If there was any doubt about Drummer's (Cara Gee) badass credentials, I think they were put to bed when the woman with a crushed spine rigged herself up a new pair of legs just to make sure Ashford (David Straithairn) didn't get out of hand as captain. She was right to be worried though he is a lot more complex than a two dimensional villain.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/lastthreespanse3.jpg"><br /><br />He has the natural reaction to Holden's (Steven Strait) story--this guy's nuts--but he's open minded enough to remember it when the protomolecule blob reacts to the test bomb. He's smart enough to take in even improbable data, he's experienced enough not to discount anything as impossible. I'm glad Clarissa (Nadine Nicole) didn't succeed in killing him.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/lastthreespanse4.jpg"><br /><br />Her switching sides was plausible and satisfying. Though it's another moment in her life of looking for cues from other people to decide what she needs to do. At least she listened to the right person this time.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/lastthreespanse5.jpg"><br /><br />Meanwhile, looks like Amos (Wes Chatham) has found himself a new idol. I've noticed the teleplays have kept Anna (Elizabeth Mitchell) from mentioning her wife to Amos, but, then again, that didn't affect his fixation on Naomi (Dominique Tipper).<br /><br />Amos had some subtly intriguing development this season. That sort of dead eyed performance Chatham gives actually makes sense now after Amos explained his inability to feel strong emotions a couple episodes back. No wonder he's always looking for a surrogate moral compass. Is he the true "high functioning sociopath" to use the phrase <i>Sherlock</i> made so popular?<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/lastthreespanse6.jpg"><br /><br />Of all the characters, I felt like Anna was the only one really short-changed by the finale. She was wrestling with the fact that she didn't seem to have any compassion for Clarissa so maybe Amos will turn out to be as much a useful model for her as she is for him. Two ships passing in the night. But I miss the line of character development for Anna that seemed to end a couple episodes back. Her mind isn't as much on the meaning of this mission and how her personal life reflects on her involvement in it. Maybe there'll be more of that next season.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/lastthreespanse7.jpg"><br /><br />The travel rings set up by the protomolecules kind of seem like they're pointing the show in a <i>Deep Space Nine</i> direction--it's like the wormhole to the Gamma quadrant. Now all the factions have to come to some kind of agreement about who gets to use the rings and how and when.<br /><br />It was a well put together finale, better than last season's, and I look forward to season four.<br /><br /><b>Twitter Sonnet #1129</b><br /><br /><i>The copper hid between the watching stones.<br />A bristling grass conducts the string aloft.<br />Abandoned warps observe about the bones.<br />For wind a battered hatch discreetly coughed.<br />Computers slip a clicking mortal grip.<br />A final tick confirms the clock in time.<br />A portal's fate consumes the match's tip.<br />An ember holds his pipe in space to climb.<br />In cactus blurs the questions drop the heat.<br />Extending suns replace the blue for sky.<br />The guest became a soft and boiled beet.<br />The solace of a cape secured the pie.<br />A late finale moved to early days.<br />A walking sign creates the newest ways.</i><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=setsuled&ditemid=114040" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204:111676Styrofoam in the Expanse2018-06-21T15:30:46Z2018-06-21T15:30:46Z"The Time Warp" Rocky Horror Picture Show OST - Richard O'Brienrestlesspublic0<img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/stayspanse1.jpg"><br /><br />A decent new episode of <i>The Expanse</i> last night though it mainly felt like filler. Still, even a filler episode of <i>The Expanse</i> is better than a lot of other shows and one or two things did develop. It could've been worse.<br /><br /><b>Spoilers after the screenshot</b><br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/stayspanse2.jpg"><br /><br />Ah, the old Trapped in a Basement Together Telling Stories plot. At least there weren't flashbacks to previous episodes. At least when Ashford (David Strathairn) and Drummer (Cara Gee) swapped stories of narrow escapes neither ever said, "I don't know how we got out of that one!"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/stayspanse3.jpg"><br /><br />The other reason to use this plot device, of course, is to show the characters bonding in ways that won't matter if you missed the episode. But it was nice listening to the two talk. Maybe Drummer is dying but I doubt it. If anyone's going to die I bet it'll be Ashford. The way he was relishing his moment calling himself "Captain" felt like he didn't expect to have the pleasure for long.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/stayspanse4.jpg"><br /><br />Drummer and Ashford became trapped in the cargo bay when the big protomolecule blob put some kind of purple membrane over all the ships, slowing them down. This is Sci-Fi without inertial dampers, it's nice writers can explore the possibilities now. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/stayspanse5.jpg"><br /><br />Anna (Elizabeth Mitchell) was lucky enough to have been strapped down during the incident. She goes to help out because she's a trained nurse--her doctorate is in something else as a commenter pointed out in one of my previous entries. I'm guessing everyone stopped calling her "Reverend Doctor" after her first episode to avoid confusion. You'd think basic nurse training would include basic information about how injuries are different in zero gravity but it provided an opportunity to explain it to the audience.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/stayspanse6.jpg"><br /><br />It felt like Anna almost became a completely different character in this episode. I suppose all the security officers were busy, injured, or dead but it felt weird seeing her rush off with a nightstick to take care of business all on her own. No reference at all in this episode to her internal conflicts. Her sudden appearance at the end to save Naomi (Dominique Tipper) from Melba (Nadine Nichole) was a little cheesy.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/stayspanse7.jpg"><br /><br />It was nice seeing Naomi's reunion with Alex (Cas Anvar) and Amos (Wes Chatham). I liked how no-one even mentioned the fork stuck in Alex's arm.<br /><br /><b>Twitter Sonnet #1126</b><br /><br /><i>Impatience shaves the screws to thickened pipes.<br />On yellow bits the friendly fishes stand.<br />Slowly rain in glimmered torrents wipes.<br />There drifts along the dock an even band.<br />Predicted drums surprised the running car.<br />Redacted rums revealed the drunken moon.<br />The bulletins were ranged along the bar.<br />By glowing, twisted red we read the rune.<br />Say whence have come the spiny beetles red?<br />As heated coals the hardened legs've glowed.<br />In even pace the soldiers slowly tread.<br />The burning pins were steps in rhythmic code. <br />The thin remembered strands have slipped the air.<br />A mirror hall produced an extra pair.</i><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=setsuled&ditemid=111676" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204:108214Getting a Grip in the Confounding Expanse2018-06-07T17:46:03Z2018-06-07T17:46:03Z"Made in France" - France Gallbusypublic0<img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/maospanse1.jpg"><br /><br />Last night's nice new episode of <i>The Expanse</i> ruminated on the nature of family loyalties. It also advanced its continued discussion on how and why people dedicate themselves to something higher.<br /><br /><b>Spoilers after the screenshot</b><br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/maospanse2.jpg"><br /><br />And it turns out that Melba (Nadine Nicole) is another Mao. The episode seems to indicate, somewhat vaguely, that her mission is revenge against Holden. Flashbacks to a posh party allow us a dose of the show's Laura Palmer character, Julie Mao (Florence Faivre), who turns out to be Melba's sister.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/maospanse3.jpg"><br /><br />It also gives Jules-Pierre Mao (Francois Chau) a chance to be the archetypal tough patriarch and display insight--his respect for Julie's passion despite her rebelling against him--in the most dickish way possible--dressing down Melba with impunity. So that's the chip on her shoulder.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/maospanse4.jpg"><br /><br />It's not until the end of the episode we get another visit from Miller (Thomas Jane), who demonstrates to Holden (Steven Strait) that he can't give him the information he needs directly. The technical terms are too far over Holden's head so he reluctantly allows Miller to keep delivering it metaphorically, giving him information via stories of his old life as a detective.<br /><br />Miller and Julie, the detective and the victim, both characters much larger than life. The figures of story and legend now part of some mysterious alien omnipresence. Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck seem to be using an intriguing method of discussing the nature of myth--the protomolecule seems to be an allegory of mythologies.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/maospanse5.jpg"><br /><br />In addition to family and myth, last night's episode provided two more examples of standards people follow--Anna (Elizabeth Mitchell) and her religion and Naomi (Dominique Tipper) and her nation, the Belt.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/maospanse6.jpg"><br /><br />Anna's faith is starting to destabilise, though. She's reminded by one of her colleagues that this "miracle" may turn out to be the devil's work. Anna receives several reminders of how this quest is causing her to neglect her family--her colleague says he can't stay because he has a family to think about, she continues to be tempted by a flirtatious stranger, and she's unable to send a communication to her wife before the UNN ship makes its fateful plunge into the ring.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/maospanse7.jpg"><br /><br />Meanwhile, Naomi is reinterpreting her own motives. Her devotion to the Belt, she decides, was motivated by nostalgia--her true family is on the <i>Rocinante</i>. I guess we'll have to wait until next week to see if this is a family she can go back to.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=setsuled&ditemid=108214" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204:106334Be Holden to the Belt2018-05-31T18:06:25Z2018-05-31T18:06:25Z"Ziggy Stardust" - David Bowiebusypublic0<img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/notholden1.jpg"><br /><br />No Avasarala on last night's new <i>Expanse</i> but it was still pretty good. Lots of good character moments, good performances, and a nice cliffhanger ending.<br /><br /><b>Spoilers after the screenshot</b><br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/notholden2.jpg"><br /><br />We begin with Holden (Steven Strait) trying to get aholden of himself in the blue head of the <i>Rocinante</i>. I feel for anyone trying to do makeup in there. <br /><br />It's no surprise Holden's unsure of his own state of mind because he's started having visions of Miller (Thomas Jane) roaming the ship, rambling things about his old job as a detective.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/notholden3.jpg"><br /><br />It's nice seeing Jane again. I wish he were back as his old self but I do like the idea of his stories about his job as an investigator being clues for dealing with the protomolecule ring. Holden not having seen his hat before now was a nice touch.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/notholden4.jpg"><br /><br />Meanwhile, looks like Anna (Elizabeth Mitchell) is almost flirting with a fun lady at the table with religious dignitaries. I wonder who gets to have the dessert sushi in the centre of the table.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/notholden5.jpg"><br /><br />But Anna's eye is drawn away by another beautiful woman. Can't think why.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/notholden6.jpg"><br /><br />Nice to know some vestiges of fan service live on. But then I'm sure yoga pants are very practical for sleeper assassins.<br /><br />On a completely non-pervy note, I really like Anna's green coat. She almost looks like a gender-swapped Peregrin Took.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/notholden7.jpg"><br /><br />I really like the brief moment between the two characters in the corridor. Nadine Nicole is pretty good as the assassin (looking up her character's name on Wikipedia I see someone has ever so helpfully put a spoiler there. If you, like me, haven't read the books, be warned). Both actresses play the emotions of the moment well, Mitchell with her evident compassion and Nicole with her conflicted emotions clear on her face. Something is definitely up with her. She seemed really freaked out by the murder she'd committed after she'd come out of whatever Hulked out state she went into.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/notholden8.jpg"><br /><br />It also allowed the episode to have some nice "hide the body" Hitchcockian tension. Her desperate solution for getting the corpse to fit in the hiding place she'd chosen was nice and weird while again hinting at the strangeness of what she goes through to get her super strength.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/notholden9.jpg"><br /><br />"Just what do you think you're doing, Dave? Dave, my mind is going. I can feel it."<br /><br />The climax of the episode, with the fake video of Holden, was also filled with some nice Hitchcockian tension--of the "Wrong Man" variety this time. I think I remember a character saying that the video of Errinwright had been examined and confirmed genuine so presumably this footage of Holden will eventually be found to be a forgery. But obviously it didn't need a lot of time to achieve an effect. With concerns to-day about the approaching dangers of video that can be forged, this was a timely plot device.<br /><br />It's only with the ghost of Miller that the <i>Rocinante</i> avoids certain doom but I guess we'll have to wait until next week to find out exactly how. <br /><br /><b>Twitter Sonnet #1119</b><br /><br /><i>Upon a rope the night distributes fobs.<br />Here and there the line'll kink and catch.<br />The waving tips describe a sea that robs.<br />Reflections 'twixt the foam reveal a fetch.<br />The trunks of hair enact the blinding woods.<br />A symbol read aloud obscured a thought.<br />Explosives moulder near the paper goods.<br />A sculpture slowly peels insistent rot.<br />A tennis court retains a pallid foot.<br />Some logic's woven late of silken string.<br />Beside a second box a third is put.<br />A folding number quites a needle's sting.<br />In circuit names for naming loops repair.<br />A copied shot the pixels will impair.</i><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=setsuled&ditemid=106334" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204:104495Expansive Even by Expanse Standards2018-05-24T18:32:03Z2018-05-24T18:32:03Z"The Earl of Rochester" Spider OST - Howard Shore and the Kronos Quartetsleepypublic0<img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/strathspanse1.jpg"><br /><br />Last night's new episode of <i>The Expanse</i> wasn't flawless but it sure felt like it. It seems silly now people were arguing about <i>Discovery</i> versus <i>Orville</i> a few months ago. It seems like arguing Cutty Sark versus Scoresby when we're drinking Glenlivet now.<br /><br /><b>Spoilers after the screenshot</b><br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/strathspanse2.jpg"><br /><br />It felt more like a season première than the seventh of this season's thirteen episodes. There's a jump over several months near the beginning of the episode after which we see most of the chairs have been shuffled around the solar system again. Avasarala (Shohreh Aghashloo) is back on Earth and in charge, Bobbie (Frankie Adams) is back on Mars and a marine again, and Naomi (Dominique Tipper) is on that big crazy Mormon ship the OPA are in the middle of converting.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/strathspanse3.jpg"><br /><br />Those murals are so perfect, it's exactly the kind of art I saw when I had a layover in Salt Lake City once.<br /><br />I love the sense of layering everywhere, how ships and people always have histories. Anna (Elizabeth Mitchell) is on a UNN ship now, apparently studying the big Lovecraftian new protomolecule lifeform and neglecting her wife and clinic. I like the sense of Anna's relationship with her spouse but it's kind of a cliche--the protagonist with the really important job with the spouse who can't understand why they don't spend more time at home.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/strathspanse4.jpg"><br /><br />The daredevil pilot, Maneo (Zach Villa), killing himself in the effort to impress his <i>intensely</i> adorable girlfriend is also a bit of a cliche but I do love how <i>The Expanse</i> zeroes in on someone's very personal issues and shows how it affects the bigger picture. No faction can ever keep track of all the moving parts, people are just too complicated. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/strathspanse5.jpg"><br /><br />I guess if the show wanted to be more topical they could have made him an Incel. Though I guess he sort of is one. Or thinks he is. Really, you could say the 9/11 hijackers were Incels trying to get laid by their heavenly virgins. I suppose you could say the Incels who've turned violent have just streamlined an old thing. I shouldn't generalise and say <i>all</i> Incels are potential murderers, I suppose, maybe that would be like saying all OPA Belters are terrorists.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/strathspanse6.jpg"><br /><br />Some of them are pirates, after all. David Strathaim made his very impressive debut as Klaes Ashford last night, even doing the Belter accent which makes him sound slightly Irish mixed with Japanese. He has great presence anyway, somehow playing against type makes his air of authority all the more convincing.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/strathspanse7.jpg"><br /><br />Back on the ship I think is called <i>Rocinante</i> again, there's an obnoxious documentary crew there to help deliver some exposition, not one of my favourite plot devices. It was cool to learn Amos is apparently a bisexual ganglord, though. I'm starting to warm to Wes Chatham's performance or maybe he's getting better. I like the way he demolished that guy's camera. I wonder if he is in love with Prax. I get the sense that Prax has taken the place Naomi used to occupy for Amos, like he needs someone with firm moral convictions to follow because he doesn't really have any himself. Or thinks he doesn't. He's like the Tin Man thinking he doesn't have a heart.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=setsuled&ditemid=104495" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204:101096The Palette Expanse2018-05-10T17:50:17Z2018-05-10T17:50:17Z"Master Song" - Leonard Cohenbusypublic0<img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/expoints1.jpg"><br /><br />I feel like there's a tug of war between directors on <i>The Expanse</i>--between directors who like coloured lighting and directors who don't. This week's decent episode where tensions came to a head saw the bridge of the <i>Agatha King</i> turn purple.<br /><br /><b>Spoilers after the screenshot</b><br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/expoints2.jpg"><br /><br />I kept thinking Admiral Nguyen (Byron Mann) was kind of an idiot. Why antagonise the crew of the <i>Agatha King</i> by being so obviously secretive? When he started firing at UNN ships I thought we were about to see the last of him. But then he fired off those missiles. I guess superior technology is one way an unlikeable dipshit can take over.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/expoints3.jpg"><br /><br />Meanwhile, most everyone else was thinking about their kids. Even Naomi (Dominique Tipper) has a kid named Filip we've never heard about and apparently he was a big part of her decision to send the protomolecule to Fred Johnson. I don't feel like we needed more motivation from her at this point for that. Maybe he'll become more important later, right now it feels like filler.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/expoints4.jpg"><br /><br />A lot of the stuff on the <i>Pinus</i> felt like filler this week. Alex (Cas Anvar) telling Bobbie (Frankie Adams) about how they killed the protomolecule monster, additional bonding between Amos (Wes Chatham) and Prax (Terry Chen). I think the floating tool disaster pretty well established the friendship between Prax and Amos in addition to Amos always voting to look for Prax's kid. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/expoints5.jpg"><br /><br />The <i>Agatha King</i> stuff was more effective and watching the strands of mutiny slowly come together was nice--Souther (Martin Roach) getting taken out at the end was an effective surprise. The episode certainly left me wondering what's going to happen with Mars and all these rebelling UNN ships.<br /><br /><b>Twitter Sonnet #1112</b><br /><br /><i>Important texts; a set of dotted clouds.<br />A promise turned ignitions past a date.<br />The matte depicts a car in velvet shrouds.<br />This busy image still is young and late.<br />Suspicious faces sound a softened rock.<br />The granite depths deliver dusty tones.<br />The ankle like a fork absorbed a shock.<br />In Morse a madness spoke in sequent stones.<br />The car alarm was herald of the mode.<br />Approaching kings betook to court behind.<br />So Orson Welles predictions blithely strode.<br />What alien and strange may yet remind.<br />A tie provides a plate for mouths to sigh.<br />A hat extends above the tails to sky.</i><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=setsuled&ditemid=101096" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204:99183Expanse to the Smaller Scale2018-05-03T16:57:38Z2018-05-03T16:57:38Z"Cloud on my Tongue" - Tori Amosbusypublic0<img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/respanse1.jpg"><br /><br />It's an old dream, the idea that if just regular folks could take over from the ambitious and soulless politicians, we could end all war. I was happy to indulge in that fantasy again with last night's new episode of <i>The Expanse</i>.<br /><br /><b>Spoilers after the screenshot</b><br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/respanse2.jpg"><br /><br />It's sort of what <i>War and Peace</i> is about--the difference between the friendship and family love among the Rostovs and the cold dreams of Napoleon. But on the other hand, the Rostovs also had their patriotism and hero worship. It strains the imagination a bit that the Martian soldiers the <i>Pinus</i> crew rescued in this episode could be won over so quickly--it took a lot more to convert Bobbie (Frankie Adams) last season. I liked the dialogue between her and Alex (Cas Anvar) in this episode.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/respanse3.jpg"><br /><br />I'd hardly say he has a gut, though. But I liked seeing Bobbie working out and Adams clearly has muscle, something too often lacking from women cast as action heroines.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/respanse4.jpg"><br /><br />I also like how comfortable Bobbie and Avasarala are getting with each other. Every week I'm happy to see Shohreh Aghdashloo again--I love her body language. She's like a ballerina with the voice of Ken Nordine (I mean that as a compliment).<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/respanse5.jpg"><br /><br />A crucial part of this episode is Avasarala becoming aware the fact that Anna (Elizabeth Mitchell) is on the president's team. Religion on <i>The Expanse</i> stands in contrast to <i>Star Trek</i> where the implication seems to be that humanity has evolved past religion. I don't get the sense that <i>The Expanse</i> is showing religion as a sign that humanity is less evolved but rather that religion has, has it always has in reality, evolved. It's fascinating to see a Methodist pastor share a really effective scene with her wife. And I like how Mitchell plays Anna's soul searching--the way she laughs through her tears communicates she's aware of how narcissistic it is to think that God is using the deaths of two million people to humble her--and her wife immediately calls her on it, but Anna still can't help how she feels. The very human love between these two people standing in contrast to the cold ambitions of politicians--Mao's (Francois Chau) moment of conscience is over, too--is echoed again by the relationships on the <i>Pinus</i>.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/respanse6.jpg"><br /><br />It seems Naomi (Dominique Tipper) can't cook. You never know when an anime trope will strike. At least she's not baking Holdon (Steven Strait) cookies for Valentine's Day.<br /><br />In any case, it's a good thing they have Alex. I'll be looking forward to next week again.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=setsuled&ditemid=99183" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204:97389Someone's In the Kitchen with Naomi2018-04-26T16:48:01Z2018-04-26T16:48:01Z"After the Gold Rush" - Neil Youngbusypublic0<img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/naomikitchen1.jpg"><br /><br />There were lots of great character moments in last night's new episode of <i>The Expanse</i>, an episode that used a series of good scenes to show overlapping political, personal, and social issues and the unpredictable ways they play off each other.<br /><br /><b>Spoilers after the screenshot</b><br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/naomikitchen2.jpg"><br /><br />There were two someones in the kitchen with Naomi (Dominique Tipper) in two separate scenes that contrast with each other in a nice way. Both are scenes where someone tries to make peace with her, one more successfully than the other. First Alex (Cas Anvar) offers her some food, this coming after a scene where he finally hears back from his wife on Mars.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/naomikitchen3.jpg"><br /><br />This was a scene that showed why Cas Anvar is one of the standout performers on this show as the rapid sequence of emotions that pass through him after his wife has told him she's left him are completely clear. So his motive for making peace with Naomi is also clear--he's suddenly realised, without Mars and without his wife and kid, his misfit shipmates on the <i>Pinus</i> are the only family he has. I like that he still made it clear that he's still furious about Naomi for giving up the protomolecule, but there's a basic human need that transcends that. It's a very sweet scene.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/naomikitchen4.jpg"><br /><br />The episode began with another Martian, Bobbie (Frankie Adams), in a nice, dialogue-free scene that establishes her own feelings. With a relaxed smile she sits down, happy to be in the familiar Martian surroundings, until she sees the defaced Martian flag and she's furious.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/naomikitchen5.jpg"><br /><br />Despite her own experiences that have cut her off from Mars, the symbols are too personal for her, and it's especially a cruel shock coming when she was feeling a sense of peace at being some place, somewhat like home.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/naomikitchen6.jpg"><br /><br />Feelings of family and loyalty are too deep rooted and complex to be cast aside even for very clear logical reasons. The other person to have a scene with Naomi in the kitchen is Avasarala and it was a pleasure watching Shohreh Aghdashloo and Dominque Tipper doing a scene together. Outside the more restrictive political scenes and voluminous costumes, Aghdashloo seems to be taking the opportunity to give a more physical performance, her poses simultaneously theatrical and reminding me a bit of Marlon Brando.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/naomikitchen7.jpg"> <br /><br />She gives a very political line to Naomi about how she understands that not all Belters support the actions of the OPA--it's a familiar line one might hear from someone talking to an Irish person about the IRA or a Muslim about ISIS. There's insight in it and maybe a real effort at sympathy but of course it's patronising and Naomi demonstrates why with her angry reaction--she might not agree with OPA all the time but there's a history of personal and philosophical dialogue that Avasarala's political speak is tone deaf to.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/naomikitchen8.jpg"><br /><br />The episode also featured some nice moments of nuance with two of its more villainous characters, Mao (Francois Chau) and Errinwright (Shawn Doyle). Even Mao has a moment of conscience after he, like Alex with his shipmates, has a transference of familial connexion, in his case to Prax's daughter. And in his case, he does allow his personal feeling to influence his policy decision.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/naomikitchen9.jpg"><br /><br />Errinwright, meanwhile, shows he really is as conflicted as he seemed last season. He's clearly shaken by the over two million people who died because one Martian missile got past Earth's defence systems. Then he does something really petty with that feeling and goes and tells Anna (Elizabeth Mitchell) that it could've been avoided if the president had had firmer resolve--implying that it was she who swayed him. It's unclear if Errinwright's insinuation is right but we see by the look on her face that Anna knows he <i>could</i> be. And Errinwright walks away with a bitter smile at the knowledge that he's spread some of the misery. So he's not a total psychopath--he does feel bad about people dying--but he's too weak not to abuse others for his own pain management. I think he's an asshole, but then, it's hard to imagine what it would be like feeling responsible for two million deaths.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/naomikitchen10.jpg"><br /><br />There were also some nice scenes on the UNN flagship. I love those classic space opera corridors. I definitely like the more complex lighting after the endless blue of the <i>Pinus</i>/<i>Rocinante</i>.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=setsuled&ditemid=97389" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204:95571Don't Let the Drill Out in the Expanse2018-04-19T20:45:39Z2018-04-19T20:45:39Z"The Man" Once Upon a Time in the West OST - Ennio Morriconetiredpublic0<img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/thehighjeez1.jpg"><br /><br />Last night's new episode was classic <i>Expanse</i>, doing one of the things it's best known for, incorporating relatively realistic physics into the story for very effective suspense. We were also introduced to an interesting new character and familiar characters were shuffled about again. A real nice episode.<br /><br /><b>Spoilers after the screenshot</b><br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/thehighjeez2.jpg"><br /><br />You know, I <i>thought</i> that storage locker thing didn't look secure when Prax (Terry Chen) shut it. I so love the fact that this show, in the middle of a very dramatically effective rescue, indulged in a scene involving power tools flying all over the room just because of one simple little mistake. It's that kind of thing that makes this show feel truly human in a way a lot of other shows don't, let alone Sci-Fi shows.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/thehighjeez3.jpg"><br /><br />And that <i>was</i> a dramatic rescue. I liked how we were left hanging, wondering whether Prax was going to break the tie vote on whether or not to respond to the distress signal. I felt pretty sure were were going to see the <i>Pinus</i> rescue Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashloo) and Bobbie (Frankie Adams) but it was still a great pleasure when they got there just in the nick of time.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/thehighjeez4.jpg"><br /><br />I love those weird gyroscope seats Bobbie and Avasarala are in, they added greatly to the sense of their physical momentum, as did their dialogue about dealing with g force. The shots at the end from Avasarala's point of view were really nice--incidentally beautiful while serving as a cap to a whole sequence that clearly communicated her physical discomfort. I felt bad for her when she said she thought she was getting used to it as blood came out of her nose and Bobbie informed her they'd actually slowed down.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/thehighjeez5.jpg"><br /><br />Meanwhile on Earth, the show brought on another decent actress, Elizabeth Mitchell as someone called Reverend Doctor Anna Volovodov. She's a doctor and a reverend? With the Mormons in space building some kind of temple/ark, I like the tertiary details on this show that suggest just how much old religions have evolved.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/thehighjeez6.jpg"><br /><br />The Reverend Doctor seems like a nice lady, not as colourful as Avasarala, but I don't need everyone to be. Her standing up to the riot cops felt a little awkward and forced but was basically a nice scene. Mostly, though, I wondered at the special effect used to make the crowd size bigger. I'm not knocking them for it--it's a lot better than I expect from a low budget show, but there's something just kind of <i>off</i> about it that made me compulsively go back and look at it. It's not quite like it's the exact same clump of people repeated twenty times but they clearly don't seem to all actually be occupying that space together. Looking at it makes me feel slightly cross-eyed.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/thehighjeez7.jpg"><br /><br />But I wouldn't call it a flaw, this was a good episode all around.<br /><br /><b>Twitter Sonnet #1105</b><br /><br /><i>A useless green, anomalous reclined.<br />Unsought, a coat collects a linty dust.<br />All other hangers thus to fore aligned.<br />Unchosen garment fits a ghostless bust.<br />Upended giant arches smote the land.<br />A thickened soup absorbed the breathing air.<br />The sky rehearsed its movie deal with sand.<br />The secret passage moved the open dare.<br />Beside the bottle pictures placed deny.<br />A portrait put in paths to paint the way.<br />Unending strips in second D retry.<br />Dimensions flattened dressed by light of day.<br />The barking speaker cracks the savage song.<br />The forest floor continues right along.</i><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=setsuled&ditemid=95571" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204:93727Expanding Once More2018-04-12T18:11:05Z2018-04-12T18:11:05Z"Bad Girl" - New York Dollshungrypublic0<img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/threespanse1.jpg"><br /><br /><i>The Expanse</i> returned last night and hit the ground running. The first episode of the third season picks up directly after the events of last season's finale, running with some great tension in the Avasarala and Bobbie scenes while on board the ship we've come to know as the <i>Rocinate</i> there's more of a slow burn as the crew digests changes, surprises, and questionable decisions.<br /><br /><b>Spoilers after the screenshot</b><br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/threespanse2.jpg"><br /><br />While the show's a cut well above the SyFy Channel's usual mediocrity, its biggest flaw is that most of its cast seems to be the usual stock of unimaginative performers, a problem that's not likely to get better now that Steven Strait is a producer. But his character, Holden, didn't have a whole lot of screentime last night, most of the drama centring on Naomi (Dominque Tipper) and Alex (Cas Anvar), both of whom are played by actors giving slightly more interesting performances than the others.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/threespanse3.jpg"><br /><br />We have the irony of Alex emphasising the importance of a sense of family in the crew coming with the revelation (or reminder? I honestly can't remember if we knew this) that he's neglecting a family back home on Mars. This nicely adds to the tension of whether or not this crew of misfits are really doing the right thing, especially now that Naomi has made the highly contentious decision to give the protomolecule to Fred Johnson (Chad L. Coleman), a decision she seems to have made peace with even if no-one else on board likes it.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/threespanse4.jpg"><br /><br />Elsewhere in the solar system, people are engaging in strenuous activity despite abdominal wounds. At Fred Johnson's Tycho station, one of the series' many wonderful hard boiled dames, Drummer (Cara Gee), is doing upside-down crunches with an open wound above her belly. It's too bad her commitment to her abs isn't shared by a commitment to her arms which look as thin as vermicelli noodles. I feel like I'm going to want to see her throw a credible punch at some point, I'm enjoying the energy the actress is putting into the role.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/threespanse5.jpg"><br /><br />The physically much more believably badass Bobbie (Frankie Adams) is meanwhile overseeing the shit still going down on the ship where Avasarala was trapped last season. It's so nice to see Shohreh Aghdashloo again, one of the shining points not just on <i>The Expanse</i> but in television in general. She didn't have much to do in this episode where Bobbie and Cotyar (Nick E. Tarabay) were doing most of the moving and shaking but it's fun watching Avasarala keeping up her moxy well out of her element. I hope we don't have to go too long without seeing one of her trademark gorgeous costumes.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/threespanse6.jpg"><br /><br />I was a little disappointed Cotyar's gut wound hadn't finished him off between seasons, he's definitely vying with Steven Strait for the show's title of dullest actor. Bobbie has a really effective EVA sequence though and the tension in her suit just about running out of power works marvellously.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/threespanse7.jpg"><br /><br />It's good to have this show back and I look forward to next week.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=setsuled&ditemid=93727" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204:27759Comic Con Report, volume 5: Mood Indigo Edition2017-07-28T20:56:18Z2017-07-28T20:56:18ZDas Rheingold, Dritte Szene - Richard Wagnerhungrypublic0<img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/2017ccon30.jpg"><br /><br />It was at least six or seven years ago Comic Con expanded beyond the capacity of the San Diego convention centre to accommodate, panels spilling over into all the ballrooms of all the hotels in the vicinity. But it was only this year I finally got around to seeing the Hilton Indigo Ballroom where there were two panels I wanted to see this year, the classic <i>Doctor Who</i> panel on Friday and the <i>Expanse</i> panel on Saturday.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/2017ccon31.jpg"><br /><br />And it looks like the <i>Expanse</i> panel isn't on YouTube yet so I can actually use some of the footage I took. <br /><br /><iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t69YaNzn-KI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><br /><br />I mainly focused on writers Naren Shankar and Mark Fergus. In my experience, writers generally have the most interesting things to say on panels, but I couldn't resist getting some footage of Shohreh Aghdashloo as well.<br /><br />I was a little sorry I missed getting a story Wes Chatham told about being stuck in a harness for some time during a stunt sequence because people had forgotten about him.<br /><br />Despite the warnings about swearing written on the name cards, the panel previous to the <i>Expanse</i>, for another SyFy channel series called <i>The Magicians</i>, showed a complete lack of restraint with language.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/2017ccon32.jpg"><br /><br />I'd never heard of this show but judging from the crowd it has an extremely enthusiastic fanbase. Among them is moderator Chris Hardwick who seems to be regarded as the moderator of choice for any Comic Con panel. And he is pretty good--I've seen him moderate a lot of panels over the years and after being a bit too focused on himself early on he's really harnessed his talent for hosting to deliver consistently good work, generally finding just the right mix of staying out of the way of panellists and injecting humour and perspective when necessary. He said he'd begged to moderate <i>The Magicians</i> panel, calling it the new <i>Buffy</i>. The panel had a very good rapport so this was all enough to motivate me to check out the series for myself.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/2017ccon33.jpg"><br /><br />It's essentially <i>Harry Potter</i> with grad students. I enjoyed the first episode--I liked how quickly it moved, the references to Narnia were fun, and the use of magic as a metaphor for thinking outside a system was nice. But by the fourth episode I've found myself a bit tired of how whiny the characters are. I feel like this may be my age--it seems like whining is kind of a basic part of how millennials communicate because there's so much focus on nurturing one's own mental health. The fourth episode surprised me by featuring the standard plot of a main character waking up in a mental institution and being led to believe the reality in all the other episodes is his delusion. It seemed like record time for a show to go to a stock plot and, combining this with the whining, I don't feel especially motivated to continue watching it. The actors were pretty entertaining on the panel, though.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/2017ccon34.jpg"><br /><br />Even more entertaining was the panel for <i>Gotham</i> that preceded it, another show I haven't seen, though I have heard of it. My favourite part of the panel was the adorable Camren Bicondova, who plays Selena Kyle on the series, describing the filming of a scene that sounds similar to Selena's transformation in <i>Batman Returns</i>, where Selena is swarmed by cats while lying unconscious in the street. Bicondova described how all the cats but one were too afraid of the rain to actually perform so most of the cats eventually seen on screen were cgi, prompting Bicondova's co-star, Drew Powell, to remark, "Cats are pussies." Which I thought was pretty hilarious but there was a general offended "Oouuuu" from the audience in response. I don't know if it's because kids generally don't know "pussy" originally referred to cats or if they just considered it more important to be offended.<br /><br />It was hard to get into the Indigo Ballroom that day, I think because <i>Gotham</i> and <i>The Magicians</i> were so popular. The room never filled up on the Thursday I saw the Classic <i>Doctor Who</i> panel, it was still too early for the click-bait attack campaign on Peter Davison to draw the torch and pitchfork mob. I saw panels for three shows I'd never heard of before the <i>Doctor Who</i> panel--<i>Shadow Hunters</i>, <i>Z Nation</i>, and a new <i>Van Helsing</i> series on SyFy that stars a female descendant of the famous vampire hunter, Vanessa Van Helsing, played by a lacklustre Kelly Overton, who was not present at the panel.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/2017ccon35.jpg"><br /><br />Rukiya Bernard, on the right above, plays a supporting character called Doc. Someone in the audience gushed to her about her performance which was the only part of the panel that made the show seem in any way interesting. This panel blurred with the similarly dull <i>Z Nation</i> panel.<br /><br />Going to panels at the Hilton was nice, the lobby there being much more comfortable, with more comfortable seats, than the convention centre. There were shorter lines there for the bar and their cafeteria cart, too. Their system for getting people into the room was pretty disorganised, though, being the only line I've ever been in for Comic Con with a security bag check, which I suppose is a good idea, but with multiple bag check people it led to some confusion on Saturday when the line ended and dissolved in one spot and then everyone was supposed to line up again in a waiting area.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=setsuled&ditemid=27759" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204:2305The Fruit of Radiation2017-04-20T18:07:36Z2017-04-20T18:07:36Z"Pilgrimage" - Nine Inch Nailsbusypublic0<img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/calibanse1.jpg"><br /><br />The pendulum swung the other way on the question of justified violence in last night's good new episode of <i>The Expanse</i>. Featuring some nice action, suspense, problem solving, and a cameo from Adam Savage, it also occurred to me that for a show that's not half as popular as <i>The Walking Dead</i> its special effects budget certainly seems a lot better, in that the effects actually support the story really well. I don't know, maybe animating a tiger is a lot more expensive than what we saw last night.<p><br /><br /><b>Spoilers after the screenshot</b><br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/calibanse2.jpg"><br /><br />I only just realised it was the season finale. It really didn't feel like a season finale somehow. I guess that's why Naomi (Dominique Tipper) had that montage narration at the end. I would rather have had Bobbie (Frankie Adams) saving Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashloo) and Cotyar (Nick E. Tarabay) without the distance created between us and the scene by the narration. Still, it was all reasonably satisfying.<br /><br />The episode was written by the writers of the novels the show was based on, Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck (their collaborative pen name is James S.A. Corey), and veteran <i>Star Trek</i> writer Naren Shankar and I liked everyone brainstorming how to deal with the protomolecule soldier, that felt very <i>Star Trek</i> in a very good way. Amos (Wes Chatham) coming up with one solution and Prax (Terry Chen) coming up with another, better one after being inspired by his plants. That was right out of the old <i>Star Trek: The Next Generation</i> playbook.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/calibanse3.jpg"><br /><br />Ever since I saw Samuel L. Jackson, in talking about <i>Get Out</i>, criticise the tendency to cast British actors over American actors under the belief that British actors are better trained, I have to admit . . . generally I've been noticing how the American actors aren't as well trained. This doesn't include exceptional performers like Thomas Jane, who I'm missing more and more, but the rank and file like Wes Chatham and Steven Strait. Aside from Aghdashloo, no-one on the show of any nationality has what might be called star quality but the British, Australian, and New Zealander actors seem to have a greater repertoire of facial expressions and vocal intonations to draw on. I guess with Amos it at least makes sense since he's supposed be emotionally numb. But Nick E. Tarabay was particularly bad last night as Avasarala's injured right hand man, Aghdashloo having to carry almost all the emotional weight of his possible betrayal with her reaction shots. She is equal to the task, though, more so than Steven Strait reacting to Dominque Tipper at the end. I can almost hear the actor thinking, "Do I switch on Good Holden or Evil Holden?"<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/calibanse4.jpg"><br /><br />Evil Holden seems to have more of a southern accent. I wonder if Steven Strait and Andrew Lincoln spent a lot of time watching De Niro in Scorsese's remake of <i>Cape Fear</i>.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/calibanse5.jpg"><br /><br />Before it got diluted by the narration at the end, I was really enjoying Bobbie's segment, though, as much as I do like Frankie Adams, I wish she'd move more like a soldier. But considering all this show does manage to do maybe I shouldn't quibble.</p><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=setsuled&ditemid=2305" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-12:3055204:636The Cucumber Sandwiches of Fate2017-04-13T18:04:45Z2017-04-13T18:04:45Z"Choice in the Matter" - Aimee Mannrushedpublic0<img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/betpants1.jpg"><br /><br />Last night's new episode of <i>The Expanse</i>, "The Monster and the Rocket", was another refreshing example of the show moving away from the trend in the best television shows of the past few years, like <i>Breaking Bad</i> and <i>Game of Thrones</i>, to focus on ruthless protagonists. This was a story about how doing the stone cold, destructive thing is sometimes the wrong choice.<br /><br /><b>Spoilers after the screenshot</b><br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/betpants2.jpg"><br /><br />Holden (Steven Strait) really seems to be losing himself going after that guy without a spacesuit. Meanwhile, Naomi (Dominique Tipper) has to tranquillise Amos (Wes Chatham) so he can't stop her from trying to save half an unruly mob. A more cynical writer would've had Naomi torn to pieces when she opened that door, it was a nice thing to see the group actually calm down and organise so the half of them who could leave, could leave. It's nice to see a show with some faith in human nature.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/betpants3.jpg"><br /><br />That doesn't make Errinwright's (Shawn Doyle) reversion to villainy any less satisfying. I'm looking forward to seeing how the stand off on Mao's ship resolves next week.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/betpants4.jpg"><br /><br />I knew Bobbie (Frankie Adams) was going to accompany Avasarala (Shohreh Aghdashloo) to the meeting with Mao and I wondered how the writers were going to justify it. It shows how much I like the show that I don't mind the explanation that Avarsarala's bringing her along so she can't be a bargaining chip. Bobbie's a little too valuable to be risked on a mission like this but, okay, I liked watching her stuff herself with cucumber sandwiches. Not since <i>The Importance of Being Earnest</i> have cucumber sandwiches been so memorably employed.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.anelnoath.com/betpants5.jpg"><br /><br /><b>Twitter Sonnet #982</b><br /><br /><i>In tangerine the tie invests in sand.<br />The soil swirls about the bones of trees.<br />In faces sipped through needle straws we stand.<br />Electric blue we burned the skies and seas.<br />A quarter claimed accustomed tallies late.<br />Allowed inside the froth, a river loops.<br />No chance the gum in orbs'll yet abate.<br />Between the eyes the beaks align the coops.<br />A paper bird aligned with stars of wind.<br />In tattered canvas gowns the cops relaxed.<br />The guards reviewed the Martian tourists pinned.<br />Additional ink stains were quickly faxed.<br />The dimes between the pennies picked the ace.<br />Exposed in glass the car'll run the race.</i><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=setsuled&ditemid=636" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> comments