State of the Meerkat, Sunday Edition

[lagilman]

Friday's steady sheeting of rain, thanks to TS Andrea, left me pretty much housebound (anyone who didn't have to go out in that mess, didn't.) So by around 3pm I may possibly have been going a bit stir-crazy.

Thankfully, Saturday morning dawned clear and bright, and I hauled myself down to meet up with the usual local suspects at the Inwood farmer's market.


(Abbymonster is reaching for teen years, she's legally bound not to smile for photos)

This week's market haul: another loaf of that dutch apple sourdough, butter lettuce, baby spinach, and mmmmm sorrel. I love finding sorrel at the market, because it adds an amazing snap to salad.  I was sorely tempted by the strawberries - farm market strawberries aren't picture-pretty, but they smell/taste amazing) but I figured there was no way I'd eat them all before they went overripe, and freezing them ruins the moment, somehow.

And then I was good and hauled home (rather than lazing about in the park, as the sun was tempting me to do) and got back to work.  Or, well, an attack-nap and rewatching season 1 of Supernatural, and some solid work into the evening.

Sunday I'd like to say I spent all day working but that... would be a lie.  I did spend several hours early in the morning working, and then I hied myself off with a friend to see MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (the Joss Whedon Iteration).

What follows is my own personal review, of which the shortest version is :  Much Ado: Practically Perfect.

This has always been one of my favorite plays, despite the deeply problematic aspect of the drama resting on a woman being shamed (unto death) for alleged loss of virginity. I was not sure I'd be able to accept a modern treatment of that turn... Kudos to the cast (and director) for making it believable, and and justly painfull for all involved (within the context of that world).  
 
It also suffers more than the stage play from a compression of time, but just go with it.
 
The opening shot puts you square in a modern world, and tells you an amazing deal (with only one actor and no dialogue) about who the players will be. For that packed opening bit alone I would have been eyebrows-up impressed.
 
The moment they speak the first lines, though, modern setting and original language mesh perfectly. You forget you are listening to "antique" language, forget that you are watching a black and white film, and the words and the voices carry you off. And not a motion is wasted, even when the physical comedy becomes broad indeed (AD we are looking at you. And dying)
 
(The final use of tech at the very end was 'off' for me but may not bother others)
 
The music was not subtle but simple enough to underpin the mood rather than introduce it, and there were only two points where the camerawork reminded me that were were watching rather than participating.
 
Clark  Gregg is a god (seriously people) Amy Ackerman impressed, and holy shit Alexis Denisof why do you allow us to forget how damn GOOD you are?  But my heart may have been won by Reed Diamond  playing don Pedro. I couldn't tell you why because it's not a flashy role, but he was solid like a solid thing, ...basically, he was the awesome drummer keeping the band in line? Whatever, I may be in fangirl.
 
I found only one misstep with casting - as much as I love Nathan Fillion and as wonderful as his physical comedy is, his turn as the clown Dogberry called too much Castle to mind and did the role and the movie a disservice - not with his acting but the perception of the viewer familiar with that latter role. (My companion agreed, but many reviewers disagree, so I am willing to entertain counterpoint opinions)

I then took a break to wander the Lincoln Center Crafts Fair before meeting with my folks for a lecture by Barry Lewis at the New York Historical Society.  The title was nominally Greenwich Village in the 1930's, but it..expanded.  Barry may say he's not a social historian, but there's no way to discuss architecture without society, and this lecture covered a lot more ground than expected (leading into a discussion of the Village (and all of NYC) of the 50's and 60's as well).  It also raised some issues that probably need their own post...

And now I am home, refreshed and exhausted, and my desk summons me once again.  By Wednesday I will either have All The Deadlines under control, or... I won't.

Comments

[kradical.livejournal.com]

Heh. As someone who's been an absolute Reed Diamond fangoober from his days on Homicide *mumble mumble* years ago, all I can say is welcome to the club. :)

And I agree that he was brilliant as Don Pedro. Diamond is phenomenally expressive, and the steely "screw you" face he used during the wedding-that-wasn't spoke volumes.

(I also adored the fist-bump...)

I disagree on Fillion, as we established on FB, but I agree on everything else you said. :)