Watching Stuff.

Pirates II:

• First, and maybe most importantly, I continue to love Johnny Depp.  He's just a joy to watch -- there are quite a few long shots of him running all the way across the screen, and I howled every single time. 
• Also, Bill Nighy should be in every movie.  I'm even starting to "get it" about Orlando Bloom.  And I was so, so happy that Gareth showed up again. 
• I think I'm at the point where I could do without Keira Knightley, though.  (This didn't help.)
• The fight scenes were AWESOME.  They were campy and funny and I loved the waterwheel part, as well as the Princess Bride-y sword fight on the battlements.
• Overall, not as good as the first one, but still fun. 

Superman Returns:

It was a good movie.  Any issues I have are my own and not the fault of Bryan Singer et al.  (Except maybe the casting of LL's man-friend.  But that's just my problem.  And I think it's more about not liking Cyclops-the-character than it is about not liking James-Marsden-the-actor.  Anyway.) 

But here's the thing:  I've realized that I just don't like Superman.  He's boring.  Too perfect.  He never seems to have any sort of inner struggle -- when he has to choose between going back for Lois or saving Metropolis, he doesn't even pause.  He goes straight for Metropolis.  I never thought I'd say this about any character, but couldn't he be just a tad tortured or angry?

Eccleston as the Doctor:

I'm halfway through the first season of the new Doctor Who, and I'm loving it.  I was a huge fan as a kid -- I watched it religiously.  It's different and updated, but still true to the original.  It's got CGI effects, but is still campy and emotionally overwrought and wonderful.  I'd NEVER felt bad for a Dalek until this go-round.  The episode where Rose went back in time to see her father's death made me cry, even.  Eccleston is a good Doctor -- a huge improvement over Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy -- he's angrier than any other Doctor, but also quick to forgive and funny and I like his costume.  Hooray!  I can't wait for the second season to finish up in the UK and be available here!