Thursday, June 10, 2010
Movie: A Serious Man
I love the Coen Brothers. I didn't love this movie. I was tickled by the jewish references, but overall, forgot this film as soon as I saw it.
Book: Rushing to Paradise by J.G. Ballard
No one has the patience for torturing his characters like Ballard.
This book could be read as a backhanded swat at environmentalists (and in a way it is), but seems to me to be more of a out some bugs in a jar and see what happens kind of thing. Makes me want to read more Ballard.
This book could be read as a backhanded swat at environmentalists (and in a way it is), but seems to me to be more of a out some bugs in a jar and see what happens kind of thing. Makes me want to read more Ballard.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Book: The Steel Remains by Richard Morgan
Morgan is best known for his Takeshi Kovacs series of far-future sci-fi stuff.
I was surprised to realize that this is a fantasy. I was pleasantly surprised to realize that it carries over the grit and cartoony chaos of the Kovacs stuff. It's not often that your (male) main character is not only gay, but actually gets to have sex.
The plot is occasionally confusing, but pretty much comes back together at the end. There's no indication of it on the book itself, but according to Wikipedia, it's the first of a trilogy.
Nomadic horse clans are the new elves.
I was surprised to realize that this is a fantasy. I was pleasantly surprised to realize that it carries over the grit and cartoony chaos of the Kovacs stuff. It's not often that your (male) main character is not only gay, but actually gets to have sex.
The plot is occasionally confusing, but pretty much comes back together at the end. There's no indication of it on the book itself, but according to Wikipedia, it's the first of a trilogy.
Nomadic horse clans are the new elves.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Movie: Zombieland
Enjoyable. No attempt to answer any of the questions of why or how, but an entertaining action-comedy anyway.
These guys are pretty good shots.
These guys are pretty good shots.
Book: First Contact by Evan Mandery
Quirky!
Occasionally amusing. Fundamentally pretty disposable. Chock full of Simpsons references.
Occasionally amusing. Fundamentally pretty disposable. Chock full of Simpsons references.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Movie: Encounters at the End of the World
Werner Herzog's Antarctica documentary. He spends way more time interviewing the strange characters he meets than I expected. Still, he manages to draw out some interesting stories. He does spend a little too much effort trying to raise the emotional significance of the events his interviewees are describing. Still, there is some incredible footage in the film, and he makes liberal but apposite use of the footage from the Shackleton expedition.
The penguin scene is amazing. And the seal calls are mind-boggling.
Overall, more restrained than I expected, but not devoid of Herzogian craziness.
The penguin scene is amazing. And the seal calls are mind-boggling.
Overall, more restrained than I expected, but not devoid of Herzogian craziness.
Book: Feed by Mira Grant
We all know what happens when the zombies attack. But what happens later, after they're beaten back (but not eliminated)?
This book examines that question. Set 20 years after the zombies come, it's the story of George and Shaun Mason, intrepid bloggers and pokers of dead things with sticks. They get selected to be embedded in the presidential campaign of a Wisconsin senator, and find much travails in the process.
The plot is uneven, and the villain (as well as some of the other characters) is not hugely believable, but the world's pretty compelling, and the main characters are great.
There's an interesting parallel in how they learn to live with the zombie infestation (caused by a virus), and how we've learned to live with AIDS. Not the same thing, obviously, but at least one story of a kid born infected rang true.
Recommended.
This book examines that question. Set 20 years after the zombies come, it's the story of George and Shaun Mason, intrepid bloggers and pokers of dead things with sticks. They get selected to be embedded in the presidential campaign of a Wisconsin senator, and find much travails in the process.
The plot is uneven, and the villain (as well as some of the other characters) is not hugely believable, but the world's pretty compelling, and the main characters are great.
There's an interesting parallel in how they learn to live with the zombie infestation (caused by a virus), and how we've learned to live with AIDS. Not the same thing, obviously, but at least one story of a kid born infected rang true.
Recommended.
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