May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor

This week has been interesting. My sleeping pattern has been screwed over beyond belief, Holmes flew over from Aussie for a fortnight and we have some wonderful things planned (for more info see “In Other News” this week), I got back 4/5 of the results I was awaiting and although I’m still (according to some) irrationally annoyed with one grade the others I’m quite happy with. Not bad going for someone who spent the last week of the previous term skirting the edge of a mental breakdown and following the sleeping patterns of the Narrator.

Over the last week I’ve also been getting many blog post ideas from Master Four while the man procrastinated from studying a subject I doubt he’s even interested in. And now I’m spoiled for choice when it comes to writing one this week! And I’m even starting early, knowing that by the time my brain becomes semi-conscious and my eyes blink all the metaphorical sand out of themselves and I return home after a coffee with a friend I might no longer be tempted to write or have a spare moment to.

The title this week comes from The Hunger Games but the book – or upcoming film adaptation – won’t feature in this blog. More it’s an allusion to what I plan to write about. One of the suggestions I got was to have a countdown or general listing of sorts, of either best characters or TV series or ships. Now, I know for a fact that a few readers don’t care much for shipping – even though they ship without even realizing it – be it het and canon or slash and fanfic, so I’ll leave that one sailing this week. That leaves characters or TV series. And tempted as all hell as I am to pimp out my favourite TV series on here, I might go with characters this week.

I’m going to limit the pool from which I pick to only films or series this time, might do a book one if this proves interesting to more than one person or if it’s requested. I’ll also do my utmost to avoid book-to-film adaptation characters here unless I’m completely unaware that a film was based on a book. But in the meantime…

Lenny is a thief serving time (7 years if I recall correctly) for a murder he and a partner committed while stealing something. His partner gets released before he does and he, for perfectly understandable reasons, is less than pleased about this. And that’s about as much as we know about him going into the film. There are few words to describe just how much I adore this character. The guy is rumoured to “walk through walls” and while the exaggeration is obvious, it’s also, in a roundabout way, quite justified. Anyone who can make a saw that cuts through metal in a jail out of pieces of bed, plaster and a diamond imbedded in a guy’s tooth is pretty much my hero. The fact that he’s played by Fiennes and that he says very little beyond finding out specific details and glaring at everyone is just a bonus, really.

Boaz Priestly

From: Ten Inch Hero
Played by: Jensen Ackles

Priestly is just your average guy in his early twenties, with crazy coloured hair and more fake holes in his head than real ones, who works in a funky little sandwich store with a bunch of girls. That… is pretty much all you can say about Priestly really. He’s full of infinite wisdom for everyone about anything and is – in my opinion – one of the most romantic characters I’ve seen on film for a while. Besides the fact that Jensen played him, the character is actually pretty fleshed out for someone who is, in essence, a stereotype of all things non-conformist. I love him, anyway.

Veronica Mars

From: Veronica Mars
Played by: Kristen Bell

Tempted as I was to have this entire list consist of guys, I can’t deny that there are a few female characters that kick so much ass that they deserve a mention. Veronica is one of them. I actually didn’t get into this show for a long time because the idea of a series based on a high school girl solving crimes with her PI dad just sounded, well, dumb. I can honestly eat my words with that one, it’s an incredibly clever show and well acted. Veronica made the list not only because of her brains, but because, as much as I am wont to say it, she’s easy to relate to. At least, for me as a girl, maybe guys like her for her Kristen Bell exterior, I’m not sure.

Keith Zeterstrom

From: Keith
Played by: Jesse McCartney

Like I say in all my reviews and recommendations of this movie to others: do not be put off by Jesse McCartney heading this thing if you’re not a fan of his. I’m not, never have been, but that doesn’t stop me thinking that this is one of those Oscar-worthy performances that never got the attention it deserved. Keith is a smartass. For a while his entire way of carrying himself makes no sense; he just appears to be a kid who likes to play with words and infuriate people by being clever and annoying as hell. It’s a cliche to say there’s more to him than that, but it’s true. And what that particular thing is, is not something I plan to spoil on here.

Clive Cornell

From: The Guard
Played by: Mark Strong

A brilliant example of a minor character stealing every scene he’s in. From memory, he doesn’t have more than a handful of lines in the entire movie, but from all the characters (sometimes including even the mains) he’s the most memorable for me. Maybe I just have a thing for sarcastic smart smooth-talking hitmen. Besides the script for the film being Oscar-level hilarious, Clive’s character isn’t fleshed out at all; everything you know about him you gather as the film goes on. Because of this, his paragraph isn’t quite as detailed as the others, but believe me when I say he’s one of my favourite characters ever.

Nancy Callahan

From: Sin City
Played by: Jessica Alba

A few people might debate my choice of Nancy for this list, but I can justify myself. First off, she’s not from a book, she’s from a graphic novel. Radical difference. Next, of all the women in that particular graphic novel, she and Gail and Miho are the only girls who kick ass without even trying. Sure, the Old Town girls are fierce, but none of them are 19 and self sufficient from age 15 due to a huge legal and political misunderstanding. Nancy was saved from rape and a painful death by John Hartigan when she was 9, and not allowed to testify on his behalf when he was wrongfully accused and jailed. Since then she’d been in love with him and doing everything in her power to make sure she grew up strong for when he was released and she could see him again. Call me an oddity, but I adore their story, and I love how Nancy drives a shitty car only she can keep running and has a revolver that she keeps under the seat… I just love her and since this is my list she’s staying on it.

Robert Lewis

From: A Life Less Ordinary
Played by: Ewan McGregor

Ok Robert makes this list for one reason and one reason only: “Right you asshole, I’ve got your daughter here, and I’m gonna send her back in pieces if… OH! I’m sorry, madam. No, I haven’t got your daughter here, I’ve got someone else’s. No, we’re not married. Yes, I’ve read the same thing, it’s very hard to find suitable young men these days. Well, I’m sure your daughter’s very nice, in principle I’ve got no objection to meeting her…” This film isn’t one that a lot of people like, in fact most people think it’s stupid and refuse to watch it twice which is a shame. Robert Lewis is, in a nutshell, the worst kidnapper ever to kidnap. Maybe it’s McGregor’s acting that got me, or the script, I don’t even know anymore… but when making a list of favourite characters that aren’t from book adaptations, Robert Lewis has to make the cut.

Indiana Jones

From: Indiana Jones
Played by: Harrison Ford

This is probably the most recognizable face in film history and besides Sherlock Holmes (who can’t make the list due to his literary roots) was my hero as a kid. I think it was because of him that I wanted to be an archaeologist, not realizing that I would actually have to study for years and do a lot more boring paperwork and readings than I would shooting bad guys and flailing my whip around. Indy is childhood for me; he’s the ultimate badass. A professor who jumps out the window of his office when fangirls block his doorway, who was named after the dog and has the most annoying and coolest father ever. Ah, Indy… love of my life for so many years…

Eames

From: Inception
Played by: Tom Hardy

I am so proud of myself for holding out long enough on this list before Eames came up… it’s not exactly world’s best kept secret that I am not only head over heels in love with this man but also quite similar to him when the mood presents itself. Now that the hype has worn off, most people don’t remember the movie. Fair call. If it ever hits cult status it will take time, but it doesn’t stop me loving it. Another example, like Clive Cornell above, of a minor character – in this case more minor than the main three but still quite important – taking the spotlight away from the leading man. For me, at least, Eames was the most fascinating character with the most difficult and fascinating job. Also, he pretty much singlehandedly made up the process by which the inception had to be done so he should get a lot more kudos for that than he currently does.

The Black Bandit/Roy Walker

From: The Fall
Played by: Lee Pace

I’m not sure which film, if any, will beat out The Fall for me for my favourite film of all time. There are just no words to describe how brilliant this movie is, and how much I loved Lee Pace in it. Roy is one of the most powerful performances I’ve seen on screen, and even though he’s the last character I plan to post about today he is by far not the only I wish I could mention. Roy is a stunt man lying in a Los Angeles hospital paralyzed from the hips down after a stunt went wrong. He’s upset, he’s in pain and he’s young. Every emotion portrayed by him in reality, as well as all that are projected on to the Bandit in his story, is so humanly genuine it’s painful to watch. He’s a completely unforgettable character; he owns my heart, my soul and I am honored to take his name on this blog weekly.

Sadly, as I just said, I have to stop at 10. There are so many more I want to write about, but I’ve already doubled my word count for the week and fear if I push for 15 I’ll find an excuse to push for 20 and so forth. Might keep this idea around for once-a-month entries when I run out of ideas for anything else. Besides, I still have book ones to do!

My collab with Jack now sits pretty at 249,480 words and counting as we speak (early morning writing sessions, bliss), kids are going to school next door and I’m cackling at them since I don’t have Russian today and can come in later for coffee with a friend and NOTHING ELSE. Love Fridays.

Holmes and I are taking a roadtrip this weekend up north and a little east to the Coromandel Peninsula to see an old car show. Here’s hoping the weather parts for us, it’s been pouring with rain here pretty regularly and we need it to stop. Or, put it this way, we would prefer if it did. We can work with anything, though, we’re just that awesome.

RAOC has some amazing things upcoming, so watch this space and the website for details on that as it happens!!~

I have no new reviews in The Midnight Screening this week. I really need to get my ass into gear with this again…

“1000+1 Books” has a few more books. I add to it when I feel like it, since this isn’t a review page, but it’s always a good place to go if you can’t think of your next book to read. For much better (and very informative) reviews, check out Collecting a Library, she never lets me down.

Incidentally, don’t forget to check out the new entries from Jack (who has promised an entry, finally) and Lochinvar too. Show em the support and love they deserve, guys, these blogs are amazing.

This week’s songs are :

-+- Super Psycho Love – Simon Curtis
-+- Set Fire to the Rain – Adele
-+- Lose Yourself – Eminem

Stay classy guys, till next Castiel day…

Bandit, OUT.