Watchmen

Save for the slightly different ending, I have never seen a comic book adaptation as accurate as Watchmen--- at least visually speaking. Every single frame seemed to be lifted from the graphic novel. In terms of being loyal to the source material, most fans would be pleased. Yet, it just doesn't seem the same. Whereas the graphic novel was a multilayered masterpiece, the movie adaptation seems like a cheap and hollow reproduction, devoid of its original essence. Yes, the film is a spectacle, but the whole story seemed to have lost its soul. I hate to sound like the typical fanboy. Obviously, the original literature will always be better than the adaptation. A lot of scenes were cut out--- that's to be expected; it's impossible to fit everything in just 2-3 hours. But as a consequence, the whole adaptation seemed very incomplete. Some sequences in the graphic novel that aren't really part of the main narrative proved to be essential, and all these were not included in the movie. The excerpts from Hollis Mason's book, the newspaper clippings, the medical files--- pages that were inserted in between chapters expounded the whole mythology. Those pages made the readers know the characters more. Even The Tales of the Black Freighter story within a story enhanced the whole experience. Individual aspects from the comic book made it great. Apparently, when even the seemingly insignificant parts are taken out, it creates a less than fulfilling experience.

Now I'm sounding like a fanboy who keeps on complaining about movie adaptations of their favorite books. I can't help it! It's difficult to really enjoy the movie when you've read the original graphic novel. I just can't help but compare it to the source material. It's not a bad movie, it's just not exceptional either. Maybe Alan Moore was right when he said that it was impossible to make a movie adaptation of Watchmen. But what about those people who have never read the graphic novel--- would they enjoy watching this movie? I guess all that eye candy would impress some folks, and some of the themes and dialogues are indeed thought provoking--- that could impress those looking for some depth. But judging from the reaction of the other people inside the movie theater, the film makers failed to make the movie mainstream enough. Some would get lost in the narrative. Some would find the whole alternate America too campy. Those people expecting another 300 will be really disappointed.

This movie won't please most Watchmen fans. I don't think it will turn the average moviegoer into a Watchmen fan either.

Priorities

So my mom's at the hospital. I was supposed to keep her company because my sisters were about to go home before midnight. One has to go to school at 7 AM tomorrow, the other has to go to work at 6 AM. My dad was still at a meeting. I was about to leave the house when my grandmother told me she was finding it hard to breath. When her condition stabilized, she told me not to leave because her condition might worsen again. My sisters live with my parents, while me and my brother live at our grandparent's house. So if I left, only my grandfather and our helper would be left with my grandmother, neither of whom are able to drive a car, in case she needs to be brought to the hospital--- again. And yet, my mother was alone at the hospital, because my sisters already left. They thought I was already on my way because I told them I was about to leave. Someone needs to be with my mom, to attend to some of her needs. I know for a fact that nurses aren't always readily available, especially when you're confined in a private room. And it's gets incredibly lonely being confined in a huge room all by yourself! Man, it was one of those instances that I wished I could be in two places at the same time.

Oh yeah! There's one person who's still not in the picture, right? Where was my brother??? Truth is, I have no idea. I sent him a text messages regarding the situation, and I tried calling him but he did not even reply. He didn't go home for the weekend... heck, he hasn't been home for the past few weekends. During weekdays he's at work in the province, so that's understandable. Usually he's home during weekends. But since the start of the new year, he's been going around the country with his new girlfriend and a few friends, not for business, but for plain leisure.... because he's so stressed out from work, that he needs to take a break and have fun every weekend--- that's what he says. When my grandmother was confined at the ICU for almost a month last January, he only visited on Friday nights, and he only stays for less than an hour before he goes to another one of his mini vacations. He brings a lot of stuff during his visits, as if material things would suffice or even compensate. I heard from him yesterday, asking for medications and first aid treatment. Apparently he got into a minor skateboarding accident. I wondered why the heck was he skateboarding when our mother's at the hospital. Even my dad's upset, and this is one of the few situations when I understand where he's coming from. This time, I agree with him. But hey, my brother is living his own life. The choices he makes are his, no one but himself can decide which actions he should take. He's old enough to determine which are right and wrong, even when his perceptions seem distorted to others. We all have different quirks, some of which others may find hard to understand. If he thinks that skateboarding with his friends while our mom's at the hospital is perfectly okay, then that's his prerogative. It's his life. It's his world.

Talk about your fucked up priorities.