Buffy: The school talent show. How ever did you finagle such a primo assignment?
Giles: Our new Führer, Mr. Snyder.
Willow: I think they call ’em ‘principals’ now.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 1: Episode 9 – “The Puppet Show”
Story is made up of much more than plot. I’ve often seen movies with original or unique plots praised for having a great “story,” while other movies get criticized for a dull “story” when in actuality they mean a predictable plot. To me, I envision the term “story” to be the equivalent of everyone sitting around a campfire listening to someone spin a tale. I’d much rather hear a familiar yarn interestingly told, by someone who knows the best way to engage those of us around the fire, read the audience and hit our emotions, rather than someone who tells a completely unique series of events but does so in a flat monotone, convinced that their plot is interesting enough to excuse them from doing the hard work required to make the story engaging. Why do I bring this up? It’s because Guardians of the Galaxy has a plot that is derivative and predictable, but it is so wonderfully, cleverly and creatively told that as a “story” it is one of the most unique and unpredictable I’ve watched in a long time.
In this large and fierce world of ours, there are many, many unpleasant places to be. You can be in a river swarming with angry electric eels, or in a supermarket filled with vicious long-distance runners. You can be in a hotel that has no room service, or you can be lost in a forest that is slowly filling up with water. You can be in a hornet’s nest or in an abandoned airport or in the office of a pediatric surgeon, but one of the most unpleasant things that can happen is to find yourself in a quandary.
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Vile Village – Lemony Snicket
Worf: There are six trials we must face on the path to Kal’Hyah. This is the first – deprivation. We now begin a fast that will continue until the day of the wedding.
Julian Bashir: That’s four days away.
Martok: It is a short time, I know, but we must make the best of it.
Benjamin Sisko: What are the other five trials?
Worf: Blood, pain, sacrifice, anguish, and death.
Julian Bashir: Sounds like marriage alright.
Miles O’Brien: How would you know?
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Season 6: Episode 7 – “You Are Cordially Invited”
“What happened?”
“Cracked skull,” said Madam Pomfrey, bustling up and pushing him back against his pillows. “Nothing to worry about, I mended it at once, but I’m keeping you in overnight. You shouldn’t overexert yourself for a few hours.”“I don’t want to stay here overnight,” said Harry angrily, sitting up and throwing back his covers. “I want to find McLaggen and kill him.”
“I’m afraid that would come under the heading of ‘overexertion,'” said Madam Pomfrey, pushing him firmly back onto the bed and raising her wand in a threatening manner.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – J.K. Rowling
Welcome to “Trailer Tuesday” where I talk about trailers for upcoming movies.
I’ve actually got two new trailers for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 for you today. First up is a followup to the previous teaser, which showed President Snow giving an address to Panem with Peeta surprisingly by his side. He’s once again addressing the nation with Peeta beside him, but this time he has another guest and things have a remarkably different tone even before the surprise at the end of the address. Take a look and read on for my comments and the first full teaser trailer for Mockingjay – Part 1.
Giles: This is very bad.
Xander: Are we overreacting? He’s in a computer! What can he do?
Buffy: You mean besides convince a perfectly nice kid to try and kill me? I don’t know. How about mess up all the medical equipment in the world?
Giles: Randomize traffic signals.
Buffy: Access launch codes for our nuclear missiles.
Giles: Destroy the world’s economy.
Buffy: I think I pretty much capped it with that nuclear missile thing.
Giles: Right, yours was best.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 1: Episode 8 – “I, Robot . . . You, Jane”
One of the Council of Elders shook his head. “It’s too late to burn anyone at the stake today,” he said, and there was a mutter of disappointment from the townspeople. “We will burn Count Olaf at the stake right after breakfast,” he continued. “All uptown residents should bring flaming torches, and all downtown residents should bring wood for kindling and some sort of healthy snack. See you tomorrow.”
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Vile Village – Lemony Snicket
The Love Pirate 