I usually enjoy fantasy in pretty much any form — I think that the real base and mode of human existence is fantasy, but more about that another time — and this weekend I have been also trying to get my fix in that area. In the ludic frontier, we finally started playing Super Mario Galaxy in co-op mode. This is the latest major release from the Nintendo’s major Mario franchise to their Wii console, and even as a fan of more adult or dark fantasy, I must say I have enjoyed this game. There is particular, surrealist pleasure in flying among stars, conversing with mushroom, and navigating through puzzle-style platform planets where the laws of physics and forms of space are used in endlessly imaginative, original ways. A real treat, great trip!
In this evening, we will also watch a modern fantasy movie, called Bridge to Terabithia. It is coming from Walden Media/Disney consortium, so I am not sure what to expect, but at least playing a fantasy game and seeing a fantasy movie, one after the other, will again highlight how the different mode of engagement affects the experience of fantasy. Links:
- Super Mario Galaxy official site: http://wii.nintendo.com/site/supermariogalaxy/
- Bridge to Terabithia official site: http://disney.go.com/terabithia/ / IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0398808/
frans goes blog 
Bridge to Terabithia actually managed to surprise: it was not a fantasy movie, it was a movie about fantasy — a rare member of perhaps equally important species. I definitely need to check out the original book some day.