I really didn't enjoy the film much at all, and I think a large part of that was the fact that making the central driving theme of your film "Protagonist is ambivalent about his goals" makes for a reeeeeeeeally uncompelling story. Such as there was a story at all. They should have just called it PotC 2: Trailer for PotC 3.

Didn't she say that Jack's problem with the compass was that he wasn't sure he wanted what he was looking for? It's only slight difference, but I think that distinction is important. My hunch is that he doesn't entirely want the heart for the same reason that Beckett does: whoever has it controls the seas.

Strega, your distinction is correct. I don't think Jack wants to control the seas. He'd prefer they were free of all control.

Jessica, I didn't like it either. I was beginning to think I was the only one. For me, I just didn't care about the characters. I didn't care about what happened to Sparrow, Davy Jones, Will or Elizabeth. It finally got interesting at the end with Eliz. betraying Sparrow, but it didn't get played out.

I didn't like it enough to see the third one.

I saw PotC tonight, and I have to say -- I thought it was a great movie for a scorching hot summer Sunday afternoon. I *didn't* think it was fun, the way the first one was; it was way too dark to be much fun.

And don't get me wrong; I love dark. I just think it could have used a little more fun to balance it out. And it could have used some tighter editing -- I think the entire scene on Cannibal Island could have been cut out. It told us *nothing* and did nothing to advance the plot or character development.

Scruffy!Norrington was so fucking hot, and so much like scruffy!Wes (who I *loved*) that I almost squee-ed when he first appeared.

Davy Jones and his crew grossed me out completely. Which I suppose is a compliment to the makeup/prosthetic crew.

And is it just me, or was the Krakken a giant vagina dentata ???

You're too late Steph. Scruffington is mine. Except when he is vomiting-- then you can have him.

Yes to your last question though.

I squeed at Norrington's voice, before he was ever onscreen. Loves that voice, I do. And all the rest of the scruffiness. Except for the vomit.

And since nobody else has brought it up here, did anybody catch that the people standing in the water around Tia Dalma's holding lit candles and crying were mourning Jack, yes, but that scene was also a tribute to post-Katrina New Orleans?

I think the entire scene [spoiler deleted] could have been cut out. It told us *nothing* and did nothing to advance the plot or character development.

God, yes. There were a few moments worth saving in there, but still.

It told us *nothing* and did nothing to advance the plot or character development.

Well, it was interesting to me that Elizabeth was as willing to sacrifice Jack as the cannibals were. There are some slight parallels. And that Jack was able to free himself both times from the "well meaning" intentions of others. Whereas, his supposedly selfish manipulation of the others ultimately ended up putting them more or less where they needed to be (even if not where they wanted to be): Will with his father and reconciliation, Norrington with Davy Jones's heart and his reputation restored, and Elizabeth, well, I haven't figured her out yet. She obviously did what she did to manipulate Jack, yet earlier the compass kept pointing to him when she held it. Did it mean he was her heart's desire or that he was the means to an end for her to get to Will unencumbered?

Definitely, this movie was quite a bit darker, but I think it should be. Life isn't always shiny, happy and that should be reflected in the story. Good old hero's journey: travel with friends, descent into Hell (alone), return with the magic potion to share with others. PotC1 got the group of travelers together, PotC2 split them up and sent Jack into the gates of Hell, and so PotC3 should see Jack return from Hell with a "magic potion." Similar to the way Buffy returned with the scythe in season 7 and then used it to release all the Slayer power out to the potentials. I, for one, can barely wait for May 2007!

We got a sitter and went to see A Scanner Darkly yesterday, which was freakin' fantastic: chock full of suffocating paranoia, self-alienation, and bongloads of great stoner humor.

The Alamo Drafthouse also had a promo with a guy in a lion suit getting onto a bus. Cut to some dude sitting in the back who suddenly sits up and screams, "There's motherfucking lions on the motherfucking bus!" They're having a SOAP parody contest.