Often while watching the History Channel and/or assorted history specials, I wonder how much the producers of the show (and, indeed, the scientists and historians) have right versus how much is guesswork and speculation. History, without clear written/recorded accounts (preferably from multiple sources), can be dodgy. Which is why this clip is so amusing. It imagines what a documentary about the Beatles might be like 1000 years in the future, provided many of the historical notes were lost in the mists of time...
I have never seen a full episode of Smallville. This is not a knock on the show...I've a) never had the time to sit down and watch a full episode and b) when I have caught a few minutes of it here and there, what I saw was OK but not good enough to get me watching much more than I have. That being said, I'm curious about the Justice Society-centric upcoming movie/episode. These photos, provided by Entertainment Weekly, give us a good glimpse of Hawkman, Dr. Fate, and Stargirl ( Green Arrow has appeared previously). For a TV show, it doesn't look bad at all! http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/11/27/smallville-doctor-fate-stargirl-hawkman/
I previously posted about Time Magazine's belief that this decade has been one of the, if not THE, worst decade ever. Here are ten examples of why, according to them: http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1942749,00.htmlHard to argue with their examples, although several of the items presented share one very interesting direct and indirect common denominator... As I don't like to get too political, I'll keep that opinion to myself!
This amusing link offers a list of 10 movies whom msnbc.com readers consider "real turkeys": http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34133368/ns/entertainment-movies/Some may disagree with some of the choices, particularly Pulp Fiction. For the most part, I'm in the camp that enjoyed the film, though I know there are those who think its crap. In fact, the only sequence I felt wasn't all that good in the film was the one involving Bruce Willis...it started out well (I especially liked the way he "meets" John Travolta's character...this clearly shows us the film's non-linear storytelling and adds a certain gravity to Travolta's character's subsequent appearances). However, that particular sequence, which started very strong with a mapcap Christopher Walken bit of dialogue (arguably the movie's high point!), rapidly descended into waaaay too much coincidence and silly humor for my taste. However, I certainly wouldn't put this film into the hall of shame. One on the list that certainly fits for me is Eyes Wide Shut, master director Stanley Kubrick's final film. While it may not be one of the all time worst films I've ever seen, it certainly is one of the biggest disappointments I've ever had. I'm a HUGE Stanley Kubrick fan, but for the life of me I can't understand why he chose to make this film. The fact that it wound up being his swan song further disappoints. I wish he had ended his fantastic career with something...anything...more worthwhile. When I think about all the movies I've seen (and there have been a bunch), the one that I most recall as a terrible experience has to be the little remembered 1991 Gene Hackman- Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio film Class Action. I've seen plenty of bad, bad films, but this one falls in the rare category of being so thoroughly boring to the point that I had to walk out. Trust me, that's a rare event. Hell, I sat through the atrocious Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (also featuring Gene Hackman...coincidence...or not?!), and as truly terrible as that film was, it at least had me laughing at times at the sheer silliness presented (my favorite: the hitherto unknown "rebuild the Great Wall of China with a glare" superpower). Class Action, on the other hand, was humorless, uninteresting, and (I repeat) BORING. The plot was silly and incredibly unlikely to happen in the real world: Father and daughter lawyers take opposite sides in a case. Worse, WE DON'T CARE. Stay clear.
A provocative thought from Time magazine, that the decade that's about to end has been one of the worst in recent times. Frankly, I couldn't agree more, at least with regard to recent years, say, post 1970's. See for yourself:
Curious article from CNN concerning the couple who crashed the state dinner: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/11/25/state.dinner.crashers/index.htmlI don't know who one should be angrier at: The Secret Service whose job it is to avoid such breaches (thankfully, their bodies were fully screened before entering the dinner, therefore at the very least they weren't armed) or the couple themselves. According to the article, they are socialites and their publicist claims they had "full clearance to attend the state dinner." Given what the secret service says, however, that appears doubtful. Assuming their actions were what they appeared to be, crashing the state dinner, what would motivate people to do such a reckless thing? At the very least they risked liberty (they could have been arrested on the spot) and possibly injury (I doubt the secret service would have treated them kindly had they been discovered while hovering close to high level diplomats) just for the thrill of being in this place at this time. All in all, a silly thing to do! QUICK UPDATE: According to msnbc.com, the couple are "aspiring reality TV stars": http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34157390/ns/politics-washington_post/Suddenly, it all makes sense! 
I think I made the journey to stores on Black Friday only two times (ie, waking up very, very early and departing to a store seeking something that likely would be sold out quickly). After the second such excursion, it felt like too much effort for a relatively little reward (and savings). However, others obviously disagree and the whole Black Friday phenomenon lives on. This article offers some advice on what to get and, even more so, what you should avoid: http://www.slate.com/id/2235996/
I've mentioned it before ( here) that the 3rd season Blu Ray release of the original Star Trek series (in stores mid-December) will feature an alternative version of the second Star Trek pilot (the one that featured the first appearance of William Shatner's Captain Kirk). The alternative version's most intriguing element appears to be the alternate opening, which does not feature the now familiar "Space...the final frontier" monologue from Mr. Shatner. Entertainment Weekly offers some information and a clip of this opening, if you're curious: http://popwatch.ew.com/2009/11/24/star-trek-alternate-opening/The full opening was presented in my previous posting along with some of the other differences between the never officially released early version of the pilot (however, the quality of the video isn't nearly as good as what EW gives). I'll embed it below:
A little while back I noted that Michael Connelly's novel The Lincoln Lawyer was being made into a film (posted here). At the time, Tommy Lee Jones was listed as the director while Matthew McConaughey was to play the lead role. Tommy Lee Jones, however, was to play a smaller, undisclosed role in the film, and I was very curious who he would play. My guess was that he would play Vietnam veteran and LAPD detective Harry Bosch, Mr. Connelly's primary hero throughout most of his novels (his appearance in The Lincoln Lawyer amounted to a cameo, which made sense when Mr. Jones' role was listed as a small one). However, you can now scratch all that: Tommy Lee Jones is off the project... http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118011757.html?categoryId=13&cs=1Creative differences. I can't help but wonder if the tone of the book was lightened for Mr. McConaughey, whose most successful films tended to be romantic comedies (I know he has delved into more serious works. I'm only noting that his biggest money makers were in that genre, and I can see the script adaptation of The Lincoln Lawyer possibly being worked to that end. However, this is all speculation on my part). Btw, Mr. McConaughey recently starred as Dirk Pitt in Sahara, a movie based on the novel by Clive Cussler. I only mention this because its an example of a movie adapted to the personality of its lead actor (Compare him to Richard Jordan in the 1980 movie Raise the Titanic. They played the same character).
I've been curious about this film since first hearing about it, but began worrying after repeated delays in its release that perhaps the producers and or studio backing it were having second thoughts about its viability in the market. This article, from msnbc.com, offers a look behind the scenes of marketing the film, noting that because of its dark subject matter it presents a challenge to try to get people to see it: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34096601/ns/entertainment-movies/I'm still interested in seeing the movie, however, because of the delays I'm rather leery of the ultimate quality of the film. I can accept that the film is depressing and/or downbeat, but I worry that the film may not be all that good, either. However, note that in the article they state that the film has received an acceptable 78% (now, as I write these comments, its at a still respectable 74%) from Rotten Tomatoes.
It's always intriguing to read about plans for future space missions...at least to me! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34116126/ns/technology_and_science-space/Between this, finding water on the moon, and the new rockets set to replace the space shuttle, it would appear there is an effort (slow but steady) toward both figuring out and formalizing the next phase in NASA's space exploration. I'll be very curious to see where we go next.
Enjoyable one and all, although if there is one minor point worth making its that the show seems to be comfortable in...uh... appropriating comic book concepts. Episode 6, Earthling, featured a "shadow" monster that was pretty much a rip off of the Negative Man from the comic book series The Doom Patrol. In the comic book, the character was good, in the Fringe, he was quite bad. Episode 8, August, featured a more in depth look at the so-called Observers, a group of bald men who seem to be...observing...what's happening around the world and at key historical events. Kinda like...no, almost exactly like Marvel comic's Watcher character originally introduced in the Fantastic Four, with a little of DC Comic's Metron (another Jack Kirby creation) thrown into the mix. But, lest I sound too down on the people behind the show, it remains enjoyable.
One of the very earliest childhood memories I have is of the TV show UFO. Specifically, two thing: 1) An alien with an environmental suit gets his mask cracked, and rather than air a dark liquid flows out of it, sending the alien running into the woods, holding the mask (if this memory is from another show, then forgive me for the mix up...but I think this was from it). 2) I also recall Ed Bishop as the stoic, almost bizarre Cmd. Ed Straker. I specifically recalled his almost new wave look and strange blond hair (Being so young when I saw the show first, I had no idea about things like...wigs). I have the first DVD set of the show and have managed to work my way through most of it and other, hazy recollections come back now and again. The odd headquarters buried under a movie studio, the moon base (later reworked into Space: 1999). The show was fun and weird, a great combination, even though I'd be the first it also shows its age (the original series debuted in 1970 and took place in the far flung future of...1980). Now, Joshua Jackson of Fringe is on board a movie remake of the show. I'm curious: http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/11/22/joshua-jackson-sticking-with-the-supernatural-starring-in-adaptation-of-british-tv-series-ufo/
First off, its been a busy couple of days and I've had to leave the internet to take care of other things. However, on the plus side, there hasn't been all that much interesting news/items to post about, and I feel rather refreshed. So, without further ado... Entertainment Weekly's Kate Ward offers a mini-commentary and interesting question: What TV or movie death scenes have left you disappointed? http://popwatch.ew.com/2009/11/21/disappointing-death-scenes-2012/There are two I can think of right off the bat (and there may be others, given time). However, considering that revealing the death scenes of these two particulars is major SPOILER material, I'll warn you right now: Read no further if you don't want to hear some major SPOILERS regarding To Live and Die In L.A. and The Departed. SPOILERS FOLLOW You've been warned! To Live and Die In L.A.: Before actor William Peterson achieved considerable success in C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation, he starred in a couple of pretty good police films in the 1980's. My favorite is Manhunter, the first film to feature Hannibal Lector (although Brian Cox, not Anthony Hopkins, played the character). Runner up is To Live and Die In L.A., director William Friedkin's return to one of the two genres (the other being horror) that really made him a star. TL&DILA is, alas, not up to the director's The French Connection, but it is a decent enough (though sleazy as hell) journey into the world of the secret service, focusing on two agents tracking down a big time counterfeiter. Now, if you've seen the film before, it comes as no surprise whose death I'm referring to as "disappointing". For most of the film, William Peterson's Richard Chance is presented as the "hero" of the film. His partner experiences the just-about-to-retire-from-the-force-and-is-killed-by-the-big-baddie movie cliche, so Richard Chance and his new partner are out to get the bad guy, whatever the cost. We're drawn to Peterson's Richard Chance because he is groomed as the movie's central character. It is shocking, then, when he suddenly is killed, leaving the more inexperienced partner to clean up the mess and prove he can play with the big boys. Now, I don't mind that Mr. Friedkin was trying to shock us with Peterson's character's death. Indeed, it shook the film up. However, the way it was done was so...lame. They had the jump on the bad guys and it seemed so silly the way he died. Almost like the people behind the camera wanted us to be shocked. Alas, that left the audience without a true lead to root for (no offense to actor John Pankow, but his character was a mess, IMHO, and hard to root for in the movie's final act...also, note the trailer for the film, embedded below...any mention of John Pankow's character there? Nope. It's all about Richard Chance). Still, if you're in the mood for a police drama that is a little off the beaten path, I can't condemn TL&DILA. It's worth your while, although if you have a choice in the matter, give The French Connection a whirl first. The Departed: When this movie, director Martin Scorsese's remake of the Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs, premiered, I was intrigued. The talent behind and in front of the camera, plus the fact that it was a crime drama (one of my favorite genres) made it a must see. I was so disappointed. Don't get me wrong: The film wasn't a disaster. But considering the plot, I felt this should have been a film that had you biting your fingernails with the buildup in tension. Instead, I found the movie curiously directionless, like a boat without a rudder. The plot? Two youths grow up and become infiltrators in, respectively, the Boston Mob and the Boston P.D. One works for the police, the other for the mob. Their "jobs" and "real jobs" force them to slowly circle each other, feeling their way closer and closer to the realization of who is who. Only that's not the way the movie went. For one, Leonardo DiCaprio's mob infiltrator character was a flawed, tormented character who we expected to...I don't know, grow up and take command of his job, his life...whatever. Meanwhile, Matt Damon's Boston P.D. infiltrator was infinitely more interesting (and no less conflicted) but, unfortunately, his time on screen is minor compared to DiCaprio. So we're expecting DiCaprio's character to do something, to go somewhere, and then, when he finally confronts Damon...he's shot dead. Like Richard Chance in TL&DILA, so much time is invested in DiCaprio's character that when he was gone, we're left wondering who exactly we're supposed to root for now. Unlike Richard Chance, however, DiCaprio's character is not quite as engaging to begin with and all the unfulfilled potential is left...unfulfilled.
The link to the article is here: http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/17/hollywoods-most-overpaid-stars-business-entertainment-overpaid-stars.htmlHowever, for some reason when you click on the link to see the complete list, you're escorted elsewhere and not given the list. Thankfully, someone in the comments was kind enough to provide the full list, although I'm curious, based on the article above, just how much bang for their buck the others make (or rather, given this dubious listing, how little they subsequently make for their salaries). No. 1 (Worst) Will Ferrell No. 2 Ewan McGregor No. 3 Billy Bob Thornton No. 4 Eddie Murphy No. 5 Ice Cube No. 6 Tom Cruise No. 7 Drew Barrymore No. 8 Leonardo DiCaprio No. 9 Samuel L. Jackson No. 10 Jim Carrey
Quick note: I haven't given up on FlashForward. But I'm getting close. Irritating plot point #1: Exactly how much longer will Dylan Simcoe be kept in the hospital? He was brought in immediately after the flashforward (waaay back in episode 1 of the series) and has, since at least the second or third episode, looked like he was fine. Yet, according to the show's time line, 2 months have passed and yet he remains there. Compare this to FBI agent Janis Hawk, who was shot, in critical condition, had to go through 2 operations, and yet was treated and released from the hospital in a matter of two episodes and, to add insult to injury, is back on the job! And yet little autistic Dylan remains imprisoned. Seriously, what comes next? Does the hospital seek an eviction notice to rid themselves of the child or does his father, the sinister (?) Lloyd Simcoe, finally call the cops and reports the hospital has effectively kidnapped his son? Irritating plot point #2: This one directly relates to episode 8. The episode ends with our hero, Mark Benford, apparently murdering someone he fears may be involved in coming after him in the flashforward time. The reason? The murder victim has a tattoo on his arm of three stars, which Benford's future assaulter also has. Only too obvious question: What if he's not the only one carrying said tattoo on his arm? Sure enough, the episode concludes with a military group who all have the same tattoos on their arms. Way to think that one through, Agent Benford. I'm thinking more and more that this is a show that should have been a limited mini-series. As such, the producers/writers could have focused on delivering a tight product with a solid beginning, middle, and end. The initial premise remains strong, but the episodes that have followed have meandered and it feels the writers are killing time and/or losing their way. But who am I to critique too strongly...I'm still watching the show, after all.
Interesting little EW list of John Woo's thoughts on ten of his films, noting what made some successful and others not so much: http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20320487,00.htmlMr. Woo's Hong Kong films were quite terrific, particularly Hard Boiled and, especially to me, The Killer. I wish some of his American films approached that level of action and quality. I hope one day The Killer makes its way to Blu-Ray...(I suspect if someone wanted to present "every single death" in this film, a la Total Recall, you'd get something closely approaching the original film's running time!
Now, granted, the decade isn't quite over yet, but here's what they thought: http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/11/17/britain.nme.strokes.album/index.htmlYou know you're getting old when not only do you not know the album/band that's given the number one spot, but similarly can't recognize the album/bands that were runners up! On the other hand, the band with the best album of the decade has a sound that is supposedly inspired by The Velvet Underground. That's a band I do know!
...and the world gets stranger and stranger: http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/11/17/teacher.hit.man/index.htmlA cursory glance at the article makes you wonder just what it was about the student/teacher dynamic that things got so screwy, and especially given some of the weird things the teacher is reported to have said/done.
I originally linked to the Time magazine article here. It was a pretty wild concept, that the Hadron collider's "product" might be so abhorrent to nature that the particles travel back in time to sabotage the machine. Time magazine noted the latest misfortune to fall on the collider was the result of a piece of bread likely dropped by a bird that shorted some electrical equipment, hence the idea that a "time-traveling bird" had "sabotaged" the collider. Or something like that. Anyway, CNN has picked up on the story, their report follows!
There was a part of me intrigued with the new movie The Box (no, I haven't seen it...I think the last movie I saw in theaters was Star Trek, and before that...who knows). The reason was simple: It was based on a short story "Button Button" by Richard Matheson. Looking through Mr. Matheson's resume is impressive enough, but if he were only responsible for the short story "Duel", which became the basis for Steven Spielberg's first big movie success of the same name, then that alone would make me a fan of his for life. So when I heard director Richard Kelly (best known for Donnie Darko) was making a film version of the Matheson story, I was intrigued, even more so because Mr. Kelly's Donnie Darko was a very pleasant surprise of a film. Even with its downbeat and oddball ending, the characters and situations were original and enjoyable. However, there was a part of me that was ambivalent, for before The Box, Mr. Kelly followed up Donnie Darko with... Southland Tales. Those few who have seen Southland Tales from start to end...I salute you. It represents (despite the talent before the camera) one of those very few films that I simply can't make it through, despite at least four attempts (to date, its been showing up on cable) to do so. The most I've made it is some twenty or so minutes before giving up, despite the fact that the film seems like it should be up my alley. In some ways, Southland Tales reminds me of a very dense comic book along the lines of American Flagg! It presents a satirical futuristic U.S. reality but, unlike American Flagg!, is simply too dense and strange without being engaging or interesting enough. The poor box office and critical reaction to Southland Tales appeared to have a sobering effect on Mr. Kelly. He noted in interviews he wanted to take a step back and try making a "smaller" film with The Box, one with a tighter focus and less extravagant/lofty plot overreach. And yet, it appears his latest film has receiving at least one distinctly unappealing record, scoring an "F" across all demographics in the Cinemascore ratings: http://www.worldofkj.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=54579&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=aNot to kick Mr. Kelly while he's down, but the film's opening box office for the movie was also decidedly weak, which bodes badly for its eventual monetary take (and subsequent faith investors will have on future Richard Kelly movies). On the plus side, several critics were kind, and on Rotten Tomatoes it's hovering near 50% approval ( http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10009151-box/). So, despite the bad taste Southland Tales has left, I'm still intrigued enough to see The Box. Looks like I'll wait for the eventual cable showings...
Seriously, they hit the nail on the head here: http://www.newsweek.com/id/222503Just about every individual mentioned in this list may have had their humorous moments now and again, but their overall, continued draw after many years has me scratching my head.
This is the type of news that makes me scratch my head: http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/11/14/william-friedkin-and-william-peter-blatty-reteaming-for-an-exorcist-remake/I suppose, based on the quotes from author William Peter Blatty, that there might be something to re-doing The Exorcist as a mini-series, and I suppose producers might get excited about having director William Friedkin take another run at one of the two properties (the other being The French Connection) that really put him on the map. But, as with the rumored remake of The Fly by the original remake director David Cronenberg, I'm terribly ambivalent about such a project. At least with Mr. Cronenberg, his recent output has been quite good. Sadly, the same cannot be said about Mr. Friedkin, whose work following The French Connection and The Exorcist has been up and down (note in the article linked to above the comments the /Film people have regarding the Blu Ray release of The French Connection, too). So, a part of me is intrigued at the thought of adding sequences and a "better" ending. Another part of me is very worried...the TV mini-series remake of The Shining proved very inferior to Kubrick's film, despite the fact that it was made, one supposes, to make a version of The Shining that was closer to the novel. On the other hand, if the same director and author are supposedly involved, can lighting strike twice?
Seems that there should be a whole new category in the news section devoted to inappropriate uses of the 911 emergency system. In this case, the man was looking for...sex?! See/hear for yourself:
Not to beat a dead horse (though no doubt that's exactly what I'm doing), but one other thing occurs to me regarding the works of Michael Connelly, and this may in some part explain my general disappointment with 9 Dragons. When you've read a certain author's works for a long time, as I have with Mr. Connelly, you begin to pick up on certain elements, whether they be familiar characterizations or plot retreads. Author Clive Cussler may be the ultimate plot repeater: All his books seem to revolve around a) showing us an ancient tragedy involving real or imagined vessels, whether they be trains, planes, or ships and b) in the "modern" times, our hero (Dirk Pitt) is in a race to find the sunken train/plane/ship etc. because it has within its cargo hold something vitally important or dangerous that may destroy/save the world. With Mr. Connelly, I've come to realize that one aspect of his novels that repeats is that he likes to give the readers multiple plot twists at the tail end of his novels. He tends to reveal in his book's final pages that characters within had hidden motivations or were somehow involved in whatever mystery is played out in ways designed to surprise us. To me, though, the only big surprise in 9 Dragons is the unpleasant one I dealt with in my previous notes about the book (just scroll down). However, when focusing on the book's central mystery(s), I had the suspects of the original crime pretty much pegged from the start. Please understand: I'm not trying to boast. I only fear that my familiarity with Mr. Connelly's writing style may be getting in the way of my enjoyment of the same. Further, I found myself anticipating the novel's second big plot twist, the one delivered on the final pages of the book and involving Bosch's daughter. Before those revelations were made, at least twenty some pages before getting there, I knew where Mr. Connelly was heading. Again, the reason for this insight may well be my familiarity with Mr. Connelly's writing style. Regardless, I point this out because these elements ultimately detracted from my enjoyment of the novel (that along with the unpleasant surprise mentioned before and the fact that the central mystery wasn't all that great, IMHO, to begin with). However, someone who may not be as familiar with Mr. Connelly's work may find the plot twists both engaging and surprising. As I said before, according to Amazon's reviews (and a looks around other reviews of the book) my negative opinion of the novel seems to be in the minority. So please take that into account should you find yourself interested in picking up this book.
I have yet to read a positive review of AMC's new Prisoner mini-series. Here's USA Today's Robert Bianco's take: http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/reviews/2009-11-12-prisoner13_ST_N.htmWhile I was somewhat optimistic at one point that I could find something to like in the show (it is The Prisoner, after all...a remake of my favorite TV show...they had such a great template to follow...what could go wrong?!), it appears that as more and more critics offer their opinions, the less I'm looking forward to the mini-series. Looks like its shaping up to be a big missed opportunity.
A while back (You can check here and here) I noted I was a fan of author Michael Connelly. In the later link, I stated I was very curious to read his latest novel, 9 Dragons, which was just recently released in hardback. It is, incredibly, his third novel released in a span of one year, and the reviews of the work seemed more divergent than other novels he's released. As a fan of his work, of course I was curious, so instead of waiting for the softcover (which I usually do...space around here is tight enough as it is!) I went ahead and picked up the hardcover and, eventually, read it. I'll be getting into SPOILERS, so be forewarned: If you want to read the book and don't want certain aspects of it revealed, READ NO FURTHER!!! SPOILERS BELOW... ....YOU'VE BEEN WARNED! There are times I've wondered what a popular writer or filmmaker or singer might think about themselves if, somehow, they could examine their later work while still young and in the prime of their career. For example, what would David Bowie, fresh off of making The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders of Mars, think of himself if he were given the opportunity to spend a day with all the albums he created from that point on? Would the younger David Bowie be confused by all the different directions he eventually followed? Would he find certain albums perplexing, and wonder how he could have released them? Or would he be proud of the work, knowing that life has its ups and downs, and that at the very least there was a consistency to the work? Similarly, what would a Jaws era Steven Spielberg think if he were allowed to sit through all the films that followed, both good and bad. Would the younger Spielberg, like the younger David Bowie, also wonder how it is this older version of himself got to where he was? Would he take certain films and recognize their genius, but feel he could do better...or at least differently, than the man he would become? I ask these questions for a reason, because I wonder what the Michael Connelly who introduced the world to LAPD detective Hieronymous "Harry" Bosch in Black Echo back in 1993 would think of the Michael Connelly who just released Bosch's latest mystery, 9 Dragons. I ask this because Black Echo not only introduced readers to Bosch, but also to Eleanor Wish, a fascinating female FBI agent who was the second lead in the the story and who subsequently appeared in several other Bosch novels, including this one. I ask these questions because apart from Harry Bosch, Eleanor Wish has been one of the most interesting characters in the series, and her progression from that first novel on has been well crafted and interesting. So interesting that there have been times I've found myself as interested in what is happening in her life as I was with Bosch's. Which makes what happens to her character in 9 Dragons so incredibly appalling. Once again I ask: Did the Michael Connelly of 1993 envision this was the way her character would eventually go? Doubly sad is the fact that the plot in this novel isn't one of Mr. Connelly's stronger efforts. The central mystery is rather weak and the author resorts to the cliched idea of the bad guys "going after my family". Eleanor Wish's character in 9 Dragons is there, it seems, to be alternately hysterical and angry before being killed off. She isn't so much the character I've grown to enjoy seeing in the books as a plot device: Reader, you must now be sad that she's gone. And that, at least to me, is a terrific shame. As Jennifer Reese, the reviewer for Entertainment Weekly put it (you can read her full review here): Connelly dispatches an important
character so randomly that you wonder whom he
wouldn't kill to energize a fundamentally inert narrative.Now, if you haven't read the other Connelly books as I have, you may find enjoyment out of 9 Dragons. Indeed, going by many of the reviews in the Amazon listing, my opinion is in the minority. However, I reiterate what I've said before: It's a shame such a dynamic character had to be dispatched in what is ultimately a minor work of an otherwise great author. Here's hoping the next one is better.
Made it half-way through watching the Blu-Ray edition of Alfred Hitchcock's North By Northwest (1959) and boy is this film a beauty to finally see in high definition (I've seen it many times before, but this is the way it should be seen). A warning to those who haven't seen it: The plot remains completely silly (I can't help imagining what would happen if I were to submit such a story to publishers or agents unfamiliar with this great film's mostly tongue in cheek storyline), but the dialogue is so damn crisp and alternately laugh out loud funny and sexy and tense and...look, its a great film, even if the plot itself is pretty loopy. It is also my understanding is that it was a big inspiration for the James Bond films that first appeared only a few years later ( From Russia With Love, the second of the Bond films, features Bond on foot being pursued by a helicopter in a sequence that is suspiciously similar to NBN's most famous sequence, involving a cropduster). Mr. Hitchcock's career was filled with one brilliant film after another. Some were better than others, of course, but the films he released immediately before and immediately after NBN indicate this was his last great creative hurrah ( Vertigo came before, Psycho and The Birds afterwards). After The Birds, it appeared the great director's career never quite reached the same dizzying heights. He would make five more films after The Birds, and while none of them were terrible, neither were they quite as memorable as what came before. Regardless, the Blu-Ray version of North By Northwest is well worth checking out, if you're so inclined.
Not the most surprising news to hit the waves, but there you have it: Dollhouse is finished. Fox will air the last few episodes and its done: http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/11/11/this-just-in-dollhouse-axed/Of all the shows I've watched recently, Dollhouse is probably the one I've given the most number of chances. The first season began pretty badly, got a little better somewhere midway through, only to slip again toward the end. Season 2 began OK, but then, for me, it slipped. I heard the last aired episode was one of the best of the lot but I couldn't get past the first segment and wound up deleting it from my DVR and finally giving up on the show for good. Oh well...I was truly hoping for something to intrigue and entertain me, but it just didn't work out. Here's hoping the next Joss Whedon project is worth following.
This might just be, hands down, the strangest, most bizarre article I've run into in a very, very long time. See for yourself: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1937370,00.htmlWhat can I say? The future (or perhaps "nature" or "God") is essentially stopping what scientists in the present are trying to achieve with the Hadron collider?! Wow. Who says fact isn't stranger than fiction!
Here's a pretty thorough one. It goes over both the good and the not so good about this highly anticipated game...
Movie producer Joel Silver has had the Sgt. Rock property for like...forever. I recall many years ago there was talk that Arnold Schwarzenegger was being pursued to play the role (I could imagine as the movie progressed all the nervous men in his charge would constantly ask him who pitches for the Yankees or what's the capital of New York or what part of Kansas did he really come from). Anyway, it appears that Mr. Silver is still at it, and according to this article, they may move Sgt. Rock from the front lines of WWII into the...FUTURE!!! http://www.aintitcool.com/node/43018I don't know about that...
These types of stories are not only fascinating, but also quite thrilling (at least to me!) to read. This one concerns a lost Persian army that contemporaneous Greek records indicated drowned in the sands
of the western Egyptian desert 2,500 years ago. It is one of archaeology's "biggest outstanding mysteries", according to the article, and there were those who thought the story a myth. However, as this article indicates, the army's remains may well have been discovered: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33791672/ns/technology_and_science-science/As I said before, fascinating!
I suppose this is THE big video game release of the week. I'm curious about it, although according to this video from msnbc.com, there is some controversy swirling around it...
I mentioned before that a film that isn't available on DVD (that I'm aware of) that I'd like to get is The House By The Lake (aka Death Weekend). However, another film, this one from 1975, is also very high on the list of films I'd love to get my hands on: The Reincarnation of Peter Proud. Adapted from the novel by Max Ehrlich (who also wrote the movie's screenplay) and featuring Michael Sarrazin, Jennifer O'Neil, and Margot Kidder, the movie focuses on Peter Proud (Sarrazin) a man who has nightmares of being murdered while on a row boat in a lake. This leads to his finding the place where he "died", and the possibility that he may well be the reincarnation of another man, the man in his dreams. Will history repeat itself? I've only seen this movie twice, the last time over a decade ago, and both times it got to me. Now, it appears that director David Fincher ( Seven, Fight Club) has his eyes set on making a new version of the film: http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/11/08/david-fincher-directing-adaptation-of-the-reincarnation-of-peter-proud/I'm ambivalent about a remake of this film, but if it means we'll see the DVD (or Blu Ray) release of the original, I'm all in favor! Rooting around YouTube, I found this, the opening couple of minutes of the original film...
Very scary stuff, this article, from msnbc.com: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33778733/ns/technology_and_science-security/As if we don't have enough to worry about with regard to viruses or other malicious code on the net. Now one must be very careful that their computers don't pick up viruses whose function is to make it appear you're visiting and downloading child porn from the internet. The end result can be, as it was for Michael and Robin Fiola (they're mentioned in the article) quite devastating.
Interesting article regarding a phenomena I hadn't heard of before, that of the so-called "third man" (and in no way related to the Orson Welles' movie): http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/wayoflife/11/08/third.man/index.htmlAfter reading the article, my feeling is that an explanation to this phenomena is pretty close to this line, offered by the author of the book " The Third Man Factor: Surviving the Impossible," John Geiger: Maybe the Third Man is a coping mechanism, Geiger suggests. The brain
creates a companion to help a person survive a terrible situation. Or
perhaps there is an "angel switch" in the brain that's activated in
life-or-death struggles.
As of today (November 11th), the answer is obvious. Of course, the season officially ends November 30th, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised... For those in the potential path, stay safe. To date I've survived five or six of these beasts, the worst being Andrew (although the worst of it hit a little south of where I was). The others were category 1's, but even that can be harrowing.  
|