I really dislike plots that weave in deus ex machinas. The movie I watched today, Prince Caspian, had three examples of these deus ex machinas.
*spoiler alert, please do not read if you have not and intend to watch the movie*
The whole movie, especially Lucy, hinted at the demi-god powers of Aslan throughout: how he appeared from nowhere, how he can give premonitions and manipulate magic and still be alive after a thousand and three hundred years. His powers manifested in two other deus ex machinas - a scene reminiscent of Fangorn (from Middle Earth) with the trees 'awakening', the only real difference is that they attack with their roots and bear no resemblance to bipeds. Even worse, I thought, was the creation of some water elemental of sorts by Aslan's roar. The fact that the river forms a water being that can lift up a bridge as though the water has turned solid-like or something, though attributed to magic, is just another manifestation of C.S. Lewis's uncreative maneuvers to bring a happy ending by invoking such indestructible elements - which clearly shows how he is unable to invoke twists in the plot to create the ending.
*spoilers end here*
On the other hand, the movie was not bad, plenty of laughs and all. Particularly liked some battle scenes, though I thought the concept of heroism was over-played and with too little emphasis on the Narnians themselves. On the other hand, I particularly like the strategy the Narnians employed to take out the calvary. Yup, intersting.
Thanks again for the stainless steel flask, dear!