Seanan McGuire (seanan_mcguire) wrote,
Seanan McGuire
seanan_mcguire
  • Mood: happy
  • Music: War of the Worlds, "Ulla!"

Monday, Monday...

...can't trust that day.

Getting out of bed this morning was complicated by the fact that I was so thoroughly covered by cats that I had to practically do sit-ups to recover the use of one arm. This is the true danger of having large cats. When they want to, they win.

Still, the weekend was good, despite back issues which kept me abed a bit longer than I wanted them to on Sunday (as in, "they kept me abed on Sunday"). The new episode of Doctor Who, "The Girl Who Waited," was stellar. The season premiere of iCarly was excellent. I managed to package two-thirds of the pending poster orders for shipping. I made Chris watch War of the Worlds: Live, which was the big concert of selections from the War of the Worlds musical (complete with giant floating Richard Burton head). And Contagion...

...seriously, this movie was designed to be porn for Seanans. It could not have made me happier if it had come with the first theatrical trailer for the upcoming prequel to The Thing.

OH WAIT. IT DID.

Now, I want to note, firmly, that this is not a movie for people who are looking for plot, detailed characterization, clear enemies, happy endings, or absolutely absolute endings. It's a story about a virus. Viruses don't have secondary motivations. They don't have desires. They just have biological imperatives, and when they start exercising those imperatives, it's the job of people like the CDC, EIS, and WHO to step in and try to make them stop. Characters don't get detailed back stories or motivations, because there isn't time.

And yes, lots and lots and lots of people die. That's what happens when this sort of thing occurs. It's a good movie. It's smart, it's solid, and while the science is extremely rushed (and several layers of medical care are missing), it's rushed in the way that says "we needed a two-hour narrative, not a twenty-hour miniseries," rather than being rushed in the way that says "honey badger didn't give a fuck."

If you're not a germaphobe, I recommend this movie hugely. If you are, I recommend you stay home and watch iCarly. Or War of the Worlds: Live.

Ulla!
Tags: at the movies, chris, geekiness, social life, too much tv, wild adventures
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  • 74 comments
...go 1 level up... Expand

seanan_mcguire

September 12 2011, 21:33:54 UTC 5 years ago

That would be AWESOME.

keristor

September 13 2011, 13:11:28 UTC 5 years ago

If I were to run an Eastercon with that sort of theme, who else would be good as guests? I remember you talking about geeking viruses etc. with another author at a Worldcon a couple of years back but don't remember who...

(I am not running an Eastercon. No way. Definitely not. This is a thought experiment, do not adjust your set...)

seanan_mcguire

September 13 2011, 14:36:43 UTC 5 years ago

Michael Swanwick, whose wife is with the CDC. Keri Sparling, who is a medievalist; give the two of us a bottle of port and a panel called "Seanan and Kari get drunk and argue about the Black Death," we'll treble your membership.

keristor

September 13 2011, 15:27:36 UTC 5 years ago

That was the name, thanks. Kari Sperring (author of "Living With Ghosts"), by any chance?

(Not that I'm running an Eastercon. Egyptian river. But ideas for other people to run them...)

seanan_mcguire

September 13 2011, 15:54:05 UTC 5 years ago

That's what I meant, sorry!

keristor

September 14 2011, 08:37:40 UTC 5 years ago

No problem, just wondered if there might be another one (I've never met another with that spelling of Kari but you never know) *g*. (I've known Kari for years, although under her other name as an academic and in fandom.)