Tin Man

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I've started watching Tin Man, the Sci-Fi miniseries based on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. I've only seen the first part so far, but just a few observations:

• The special effects are way better than you usually see in a Sci-Fi Channel original movie. Or maybe they've gotten better since the last time I watched the Sci-Fi Channel (which was before they changed the stupyd spellyng).
• I generally can't stand Zooey Deschanel. She always seems kind of stoned, with the spaced-out expression and the bizarre, flat speech patterns. Her acting is actually rather similar to her sister's, but at least Emily plays a character who's supposed to be totally out of touch.
• And what kind of a name is DG anyway? They really, seriously couldn't come up with a better play on "Dorothy" than that? Her sister's name is fucking Azkadelia and the best they could do for her was initials (which, as far as I can tell, don't even seem to stand for anything)?
• Callum Keith Rennie! Who must be called by all three names at all times!
• The guy who plays Cain seems annoyingly familiar, but I looked him up on IMDB and he hasn't been in anything I've seen. He has pretty eyes, though.
• I feel like this movie is to The Wizard of Oz what all-human fic is to BtVS. You know what I mean? Like, most of the characters are there and are vaguely recognizable in the sense that they've taken their one distinguishing trait and then made them completely different. There's some tenuous connection to the source material as a way to draw in fans of the original work, but it really might as well be original fiction for all the liberties they've taken with everything.

Oh, and for those who are curious, I'm almost finished with season 3 of Dexter - just one more episode to go, so I'll probably have a reaction post on Tuesday.

Comments

[dragonflylady77.livejournal.com]

I think I've seen that miniseries. And yes, what you said about Zooey's acting.

Callum Keith Rennie is EVERYWHERE!!
I remember him from eXistenZ first I have to say. That's when I learned his name.

I started back on Season 3 of Dexter yesterday afternoon. And I finished watching Reaper and I wanna cry because there is no more of it. *sigh*

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Haha, I only know him from BSG. I mostly just like saying his name. Callum Keith Rennie! Callum Keith Rennie!

I used to watch Reaper - in fact, when it first premiered, I posted with the prediction that it would be the next BtVS *winces* - but then I lost interest midway through season 1 (was there a season 2? I kind of vaguely recall that there was).

[dragonflylady77.livejournal.com]

I like saying his name when I see him in something too. Oh and now that you mention it I DO remember him in BSG (only ever saw the mini series though). But yes, eXistenZ was the first thing I saw him in.

Yes, there was a season 2, which I just finished watching and though it was cancelled, I'm glad it wasn't on a giant evil cliffhanger.

[silverusagi]

I think their effects are just better on miniseries. I just watched a Scifi original movie and it was BAD.

And season 3 Dexter, yay! I like the dynamics of season 3.

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I am not as impressed with season 3. I do enjoy the Dexter/Miguel interactions, but overall it's not gelling for me as well as previous seasons.

[gg-83.livejournal.com]

I so very totally agree about ZD's acting. There's a scene, and I don't know if you've gotten to this yet so I'll try to be vague, but something where people would normally be like "OH HOLY &#*%ING $#!^!" or in terror or enraged or filled with intense grief or, you know, having some sort of reaction, she just kind of looks like she's thinking, "Oh. Dang." I suppose it could be shock or something, but the issue never gets addressed later at all, so it just seems to be terrible acting (or, I suppose, terrible direction and/or writing). There were some parts of Tin Man that I enjoyed, but not her role.

I recognized Cain from commercials I'd seen for Desperate Housewives. Possibly that's where you saw him?

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Haha, I've finished it now, so don't worry about spoiling. But yeah, she is remarkably zen about, y'know, the ENTIRE THING. Most people would've flipped the heck out at a few points during her adventure.

And I think I've figured out that I recognize him from the movie Traitor, which I forgot I saw, lol.

[lostboy-lj.livejournal.com]

I generally can't stand Zooey Deschanel. She always seems kind of stoned, with the spaced-out expression and the bizarre, flat speech patterns.

Yeah, this. It's annoying and almost distracting, like trying to talk to someone who actually is stoned and spaced-out. She's just plain ruined a few things she's been in (like "500 Days of Summer") and almost-ruined many other things she's been in ("The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford," "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"). She's just another case of "My Mommy/Daddy/Sibling/Dog" is famous, so I therefore get to score leading roles all the time while speaking in a robotic monotone beep beep beep. When I think of how many women Deschanel's age had to do nude scenes to have the anything close to the same career as her, it makes me a little sick to my stomach. I mean - sure - a little turned-on, too. But mainly sick!

On the other hand I guess I can't really blame her for stuff like "The Tin Man" and "The Happening," which I don't think an army of Meryl Streeps could have saved.

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Ugh, yes, she totally ruined (500) Days of Summer. I generally tend to avoid her altogether, but I did enjoy Tin Man despite her.