For the past five seasons The Amazing Race has been the one show that Sandy and I have looked forward to watching each season. It has been fun to watch, and a quality show. I loved seeing all of the places that the teams went to across the globe and see how they interact with different cultures and people. Often enough we see the "Ugly American", but we also saw some grace and humbleness from the contestants.
This season was a breeak from all of that. It is the "Family Edition" and it stinks! This time around we have families of four instead of teams of two and after four weeks the teams are only in Mississippi. That's right, rather than being in Iceland or Chechnya or China, they are in the foreign land of Mississippi. In the second episode they were only just in New Jersey after starting on Manhatten.
Weak!
Sandy has already dropped the show because it is so hard to follow the teams and really figure out who they are and the real thing is that the challenges kind of suck. They had to row across the Delaware river and grab a flag, ooh! They had to ride a weird 4 person bike around a race track. Ooh! They have to drive 12 miles in America to find a building that is shaped like a shoe. Ooh! If that last challenge was on a dirt road in Kenya where there are lions walking by that would be different. It is all about the context, but the challenges are still weak. No walking across a high wire or climbing down a castle or bungie jumping? I know, there is a team with kids along, but c'mon now. The program has built itself a reputation and I applaud the show being daring and trying this new thing but it's messing with something that has won Emmys for a very good reason.
I might make it another episode or two, but I'm really close to cutting this season loose and recording Commander in Chief instead.
In other news: I watched another episode of Firefly last night. Good stuff. That's all I wanted to say. I'm 30 minutes through the episode "Our Mrs Reynolds" and I continued to be impressed by the quality here, how good the writing is, and how much I've already come to care about the characters.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Knife of Dreams
I read a mini-review of this book several weeks ago where the reviewer said how much he loved Knife of Dreams and how it resolved so many little plot points and helped really point the way for the final book 12. Well...maybe. Maybe not.
Here's the thing: I liked this book a whooooole lot more than Crossroads of Twilight which just kind of takes up space since 85% of that book takes place during the final event of Winter's Heart. This book picks up several different storylines. Egwene, the young rebel leader of the Aes Sedai who have splintered from the White Tower, is captured by the existing White Tower. Chapters are spent on how she is slowly changing the minds of those within the walls of the White Tower and how she is waging silent war to bring down the Tower from within. Robert Jordan writes about how she is having this huge effect and it is clear she is being viewed differently. And then I see it is only day 4 of her captivity and by the end I think it is Day 9. Nine days? Say what? The novices are coming to her for advice in only 5 days? Are you kidding me? They'd still being viewing her as the upstart runaway who thinks she rules the White Tower, not as a potential figure for advice and leadership. The Egwene chapters work well to set up more cracks in the White Tower, but it just feels so accelerated.
I swear that I'm going to be complaining and then end with "and I can't wait for the next book", but this is what is coming to mind.
The chapters with Mat were also uneventful until the very end. He is still going around with the Daughter of the Nine Moons, the heir to the throne of the Seanchan invaders and he knows that he is going to marry her (as said by the Aelfinn), and RJ keeps tipping us towards this, but slooooowly. The big reveal of what a bellfounder would be used for in fireworks was kind of a let down. It'll be a big deal in the next book as a weapon, but it's like it was teased as this big thing and then it was just revealed matter of factly.
Rand, the main character of the series, doesn't even show up until chapter 18. Not much happens with him. At least nothing memorable.
Perrin spends too much time mooning over Faile, his captured wife. But his alliance with the Seanchan is solidified as they help him rescue Faile from the Shaido Aiel. That's probably the big thing, that one of the main three characters has just aligned with the Seanchan. Mat, even though he got married to Tuon at the end of the book, has no intention on holding back the war against the Seanchan. He knows the stakes. Perrin doesn't care. Too bad about Aram. Well, I guess this was a big thing...it's been a storyline which has crossed several books and this is resolved, too.
Elayne...finally claims the Lion Throne in Andor. About time! And she's still pregnant with Rand's twins.
Nynaeve sens Lan off to Tarwin's Gap in the Blight to continue the War with the Shadow. Lan doesn't want to have anyone fight with him as it is his personal war alone (he thinks), but she gets him to agree that anyone who asks can come. Then she drops him off as far from Tarwin's Gap as possible and still be in the Borderlands and then spends time Travelling and raising the Golden Crane of Malkier saying that Lan rides for the Gap. This was a pretty moving segment. For some reason I had thought I read an accidental spoiler that Lan dies in this book and I'm glad he didn't.
The big things in my mind are Noal and Moiraine. I wrote earlier about Noal being Jaim Farstrider. I don't know how big this will turn out to be, but it's big to me (mostly because I figured it out several books ago).
Chapter 10. So, midway through the series Moiraine, the Aes Sedai who pulled Rand, Mat, Perrin, Egwene, and Nynaeve out of Emond's Field as the Trollocs came for Rand, she disappeared fighting one of the Forsaken, Lanfear. Because of what she fell into (I'll just shorten the description and call it a magical gate) there is no body and even though it should be death and the archway melted, most fans believed she was coming back (why not, most every other killed character has). But there really hasn't been any hints except that she left Thom, the gleeman/bard a letter before she "died" saying that she knew she might not come back but that was all that was revealed of the letter. Later, when Lanfear came back as Cyndane (though with less power) it meant that Lanfear had died and was resurrected by the Dark One into a new body. If Lanfear died, surely Moiraine did, too.
But the theory went was that she was in the land of the Aelfinn (that was the gateway). Lanfear died because she was of the Shadow and things that even mention the Shadow to the Aelfinn are dangerous. But Moiraine fought the shadow. Somewhen the Tower of Ghenji was mentioned and that somehow she would be rescued from there. But as each book passed it became less and less likely.
Then chapter 10. Mat askes Thom what is in the letter and that is the signal Moiraine gave Thom to reveal it to Mat. See, Moiraine said that everyone would think she is dead, but she isn't. She isn't!! But she must be rescued and three must come for her: Thom, Mat, and one other, and in many of the futures she could see she didn't make it out and neither did the rescuers but it had to be attempted. Mat would know where the Tower is. But he doesn't, until it was described.
And we find out that we actually saw the Tower in book 1 or 2 when the group left Shadar Logoth and Mat was hazy with fever and he and Rand escaped up a river and met Baile Domon and they saw this tower that had no doors and nobody knew much about.
Yeah. That's it.
But the quest to find Moiraine has been left for book 12 and Jordan is convinced he is finishing in 12 books and there is so much left to do and I don't know how Moiraine being rescued fits into the book and having the Final Battle.
Oh, and Semirhage has been captured by Rand. Another of the Forsaken. She makes an interesting point that Rand is quite insane already and he is hearing voices (that of the original Dragon Lews Therin Telamon). The fact that it is a real voice in his head makes it worse and that there isn't much that can be done as he will start to lose his grip...but he is the only hope of the world against the Dark One.
So, overall I am satisfied with the book. RJ gave us consecutive chapters with the same viewpoint so we could follow Egwene or Mat for 4 chapters or so before he switched viewpoints on us again. Good choice. I liked getting some of these details worked out and revealed but there are still so many big things that I think need to be done that I don't know how RJ will finish it in one more book. Glad I read it, Wheel of Time is still a series I love and this was one of the better books in the last 4 or 5, I'd say (except for the ending of book 9). But not without its flaws and it spend a lot of time to get to where it was going that it felt like there was quite a bit of fluff (like this blog entry).
But...the real question remains:
Who killed Asmodean?
Here's the thing: I liked this book a whooooole lot more than Crossroads of Twilight which just kind of takes up space since 85% of that book takes place during the final event of Winter's Heart. This book picks up several different storylines. Egwene, the young rebel leader of the Aes Sedai who have splintered from the White Tower, is captured by the existing White Tower. Chapters are spent on how she is slowly changing the minds of those within the walls of the White Tower and how she is waging silent war to bring down the Tower from within. Robert Jordan writes about how she is having this huge effect and it is clear she is being viewed differently. And then I see it is only day 4 of her captivity and by the end I think it is Day 9. Nine days? Say what? The novices are coming to her for advice in only 5 days? Are you kidding me? They'd still being viewing her as the upstart runaway who thinks she rules the White Tower, not as a potential figure for advice and leadership. The Egwene chapters work well to set up more cracks in the White Tower, but it just feels so accelerated.
I swear that I'm going to be complaining and then end with "and I can't wait for the next book", but this is what is coming to mind.
The chapters with Mat were also uneventful until the very end. He is still going around with the Daughter of the Nine Moons, the heir to the throne of the Seanchan invaders and he knows that he is going to marry her (as said by the Aelfinn), and RJ keeps tipping us towards this, but slooooowly. The big reveal of what a bellfounder would be used for in fireworks was kind of a let down. It'll be a big deal in the next book as a weapon, but it's like it was teased as this big thing and then it was just revealed matter of factly.
Rand, the main character of the series, doesn't even show up until chapter 18. Not much happens with him. At least nothing memorable.
Perrin spends too much time mooning over Faile, his captured wife. But his alliance with the Seanchan is solidified as they help him rescue Faile from the Shaido Aiel. That's probably the big thing, that one of the main three characters has just aligned with the Seanchan. Mat, even though he got married to Tuon at the end of the book, has no intention on holding back the war against the Seanchan. He knows the stakes. Perrin doesn't care. Too bad about Aram. Well, I guess this was a big thing...it's been a storyline which has crossed several books and this is resolved, too.
Elayne...finally claims the Lion Throne in Andor. About time! And she's still pregnant with Rand's twins.
Nynaeve sens Lan off to Tarwin's Gap in the Blight to continue the War with the Shadow. Lan doesn't want to have anyone fight with him as it is his personal war alone (he thinks), but she gets him to agree that anyone who asks can come. Then she drops him off as far from Tarwin's Gap as possible and still be in the Borderlands and then spends time Travelling and raising the Golden Crane of Malkier saying that Lan rides for the Gap. This was a pretty moving segment. For some reason I had thought I read an accidental spoiler that Lan dies in this book and I'm glad he didn't.
The big things in my mind are Noal and Moiraine. I wrote earlier about Noal being Jaim Farstrider. I don't know how big this will turn out to be, but it's big to me (mostly because I figured it out several books ago).
Chapter 10. So, midway through the series Moiraine, the Aes Sedai who pulled Rand, Mat, Perrin, Egwene, and Nynaeve out of Emond's Field as the Trollocs came for Rand, she disappeared fighting one of the Forsaken, Lanfear. Because of what she fell into (I'll just shorten the description and call it a magical gate) there is no body and even though it should be death and the archway melted, most fans believed she was coming back (why not, most every other killed character has). But there really hasn't been any hints except that she left Thom, the gleeman/bard a letter before she "died" saying that she knew she might not come back but that was all that was revealed of the letter. Later, when Lanfear came back as Cyndane (though with less power) it meant that Lanfear had died and was resurrected by the Dark One into a new body. If Lanfear died, surely Moiraine did, too.
But the theory went was that she was in the land of the Aelfinn (that was the gateway). Lanfear died because she was of the Shadow and things that even mention the Shadow to the Aelfinn are dangerous. But Moiraine fought the shadow. Somewhen the Tower of Ghenji was mentioned and that somehow she would be rescued from there. But as each book passed it became less and less likely.
Then chapter 10. Mat askes Thom what is in the letter and that is the signal Moiraine gave Thom to reveal it to Mat. See, Moiraine said that everyone would think she is dead, but she isn't. She isn't!! But she must be rescued and three must come for her: Thom, Mat, and one other, and in many of the futures she could see she didn't make it out and neither did the rescuers but it had to be attempted. Mat would know where the Tower is. But he doesn't, until it was described.
And we find out that we actually saw the Tower in book 1 or 2 when the group left Shadar Logoth and Mat was hazy with fever and he and Rand escaped up a river and met Baile Domon and they saw this tower that had no doors and nobody knew much about.
Yeah. That's it.
But the quest to find Moiraine has been left for book 12 and Jordan is convinced he is finishing in 12 books and there is so much left to do and I don't know how Moiraine being rescued fits into the book and having the Final Battle.
Oh, and Semirhage has been captured by Rand. Another of the Forsaken. She makes an interesting point that Rand is quite insane already and he is hearing voices (that of the original Dragon Lews Therin Telamon). The fact that it is a real voice in his head makes it worse and that there isn't much that can be done as he will start to lose his grip...but he is the only hope of the world against the Dark One.
So, overall I am satisfied with the book. RJ gave us consecutive chapters with the same viewpoint so we could follow Egwene or Mat for 4 chapters or so before he switched viewpoints on us again. Good choice. I liked getting some of these details worked out and revealed but there are still so many big things that I think need to be done that I don't know how RJ will finish it in one more book. Glad I read it, Wheel of Time is still a series I love and this was one of the better books in the last 4 or 5, I'd say (except for the ending of book 9). But not without its flaws and it spend a lot of time to get to where it was going that it felt like there was quite a bit of fluff (like this blog entry).
But...the real question remains:
Who killed Asmodean?
Bushwacked and Shindig
I don't think I can properly express just how much I like Firefly right now. I'm almost pissed off that I missed this show when it was first on television and that it took me this long to get it from Netflix.
I'm now on disc two of Firefly. "Bushwacked" was semi-creepy with the families slaughtered on their ship and only one survivor who has snapped. But I loved "Shindig". We get to see Kaylee dress like a woman rather than the ship's mechanic and she is so childlike in wanting to own a frilly dress, but her initial experience at the party is rough because the "socialite" women look down on her and her dress. The scene where Kaylee is almost holding court with the man at the ball is great. She is the center of attention but talking about engines and ships and all of the men are enraptured and arguing but she is the toast of this little group.
Hopefully I'll get through an episode or two tonight.
I'm now on disc two of Firefly. "Bushwacked" was semi-creepy with the families slaughtered on their ship and only one survivor who has snapped. But I loved "Shindig". We get to see Kaylee dress like a woman rather than the ship's mechanic and she is so childlike in wanting to own a frilly dress, but her initial experience at the party is rough because the "socialite" women look down on her and her dress. The scene where Kaylee is almost holding court with the man at the ball is great. She is the center of attention but talking about engines and ships and all of the men are enraptured and arguing but she is the toast of this little group.
Hopefully I'll get through an episode or two tonight.
Monday, October 17, 2005
tattoo
On my drive home I saw this bumper sticker:
Tattoos: Not just for sailors and whores anymore.
I love it!
Tattoos: Not just for sailors and whores anymore.
I love it!
Sunday, October 16, 2005
a whole lotta television
In the past couple of days I've caught up on a whole lotta television. I watched another episode of Firefly called "The Train Job". Two episodes and three hours in and I am loving this show already. Sandy and I watched this week's episode of America's Next Top Model. We kind of figured that Diane was going to go, and she did. The biggest problem was that she just didn't show any confidence. I'm hoping that Kim can somehow show another facial expression because she has the potential to be a finalist, but she isn't showing that much and Janice Dickinson was very frustrated with her. Janice was the guest photographer this week (her judging spot having been taken over by Twiggy). The Minnesota girl Coryn finally told Lisa that she just doesn't like her. Lisa is a bit of a snit anyways, always trying to give everyone advice so that it will be the toughest competition possible and that Lisa wants to win against the best. Blah blah.
We caught the first four episodes of this season's Lost yesterday. All in a row. Watching like that kind of makes it easier to follow characters and storylines, but I don't think we're going to let the episodes pile up again. This time it was just so that Sandy could get through all of season 1 on DVD. I didn't really think there was going to be some Belgian guy down the hatch, but when he said in the flashback "see you in another life" that was the only reason he could say that. Weird. Very weird. I'm not disappointed, but I am a little confused. The hatch gives clues about the island, that it was this research facility and as much that it was psychological research. I don't think I believe that the island will blow up after 108 minutes. For a moment there, I thought the rest of the survivors were the "Others", but they seem to be having as much trouble with the Others as anyone. It's interesting that they have gone more tribal, but they have also gone from 23 survivors to just a handful. Rose was right about Bernard being alive all this time. Odd. Why does Michelle Rodriguez always play a hardass character. I've seen almost everything that she has done, including a crappy Showtime movie caled 3 A.M. and it is always the same sort of character. So...are the back of the plane survivors suffering from the sickness Desmond was worried about?
Last week's episode of My Name is Earl is the best one yet. Earl had picked up this girl at a bar and they both got drunk and went home together. He thought she was just looking for a one night stand and she had a tatoo on her back saying something like "wanna ride?" So, he did. But when morning comes she wakes up and is all cheerful and bubbly and opens the curtains and her room is very, very girly and innocent and so is she (except for the wild sex, apparently). She turns out to be incredibly clingy and the opposite of Earl. So, to break up with her he fakes his own death. Well, now that Earl is trying to fix his karma he has to make amends here. Best episode yet. Glad I'm watching the show.
And finally (for now), I watched the second part of No Direction Home. This part followed Bob Dylan from the early 60's through his motorcycle crash in '66. What was the most interesting was his switch from acoustic folk to the electric guitar and how the crowds hated it and booed him on stage but continued to buy tickets and sell out his shows...all the while complaining that they bought tickets to a folk show. Well...no. You didn't. If you yell out "Judas" before the man even walks on stage surely you know he's not playing his classic folk and is bringing something new. He'd been doing it for a while so it couldn't be a surprise. Were they thinking that Dylan just might do an acoustic set for them even though his whole tour has been electric?
Anyone, No Direction Home is a good 3.5 hour documentary and is worth watching if you are just a little bit interested in Bob Dylan.
We caught the first four episodes of this season's Lost yesterday. All in a row. Watching like that kind of makes it easier to follow characters and storylines, but I don't think we're going to let the episodes pile up again. This time it was just so that Sandy could get through all of season 1 on DVD. I didn't really think there was going to be some Belgian guy down the hatch, but when he said in the flashback "see you in another life" that was the only reason he could say that. Weird. Very weird. I'm not disappointed, but I am a little confused. The hatch gives clues about the island, that it was this research facility and as much that it was psychological research. I don't think I believe that the island will blow up after 108 minutes. For a moment there, I thought the rest of the survivors were the "Others", but they seem to be having as much trouble with the Others as anyone. It's interesting that they have gone more tribal, but they have also gone from 23 survivors to just a handful. Rose was right about Bernard being alive all this time. Odd. Why does Michelle Rodriguez always play a hardass character. I've seen almost everything that she has done, including a crappy Showtime movie caled 3 A.M. and it is always the same sort of character. So...are the back of the plane survivors suffering from the sickness Desmond was worried about?
Last week's episode of My Name is Earl is the best one yet. Earl had picked up this girl at a bar and they both got drunk and went home together. He thought she was just looking for a one night stand and she had a tatoo on her back saying something like "wanna ride?" So, he did. But when morning comes she wakes up and is all cheerful and bubbly and opens the curtains and her room is very, very girly and innocent and so is she (except for the wild sex, apparently). She turns out to be incredibly clingy and the opposite of Earl. So, to break up with her he fakes his own death. Well, now that Earl is trying to fix his karma he has to make amends here. Best episode yet. Glad I'm watching the show.
And finally (for now), I watched the second part of No Direction Home. This part followed Bob Dylan from the early 60's through his motorcycle crash in '66. What was the most interesting was his switch from acoustic folk to the electric guitar and how the crowds hated it and booed him on stage but continued to buy tickets and sell out his shows...all the while complaining that they bought tickets to a folk show. Well...no. You didn't. If you yell out "Judas" before the man even walks on stage surely you know he's not playing his classic folk and is bringing something new. He'd been doing it for a while so it couldn't be a surprise. Were they thinking that Dylan just might do an acoustic set for them even though his whole tour has been electric?
Anyone, No Direction Home is a good 3.5 hour documentary and is worth watching if you are just a little bit interested in Bob Dylan.
Friday, October 14, 2005
Firefly, Earl, Knife
Last night, for the first time, I watched an episode of Firefly. I don't know what took so long. It is a show created by my television Overlord Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel), so what took so long? Probably whatever took so long for Angel, the show's concept didn't sell me right away and I was late catching on to Buffy. They were just starting season 6 of Buffy when I starting buying the DVDs.
Anyway, I love the feel of Firefly. It's a western set 500 years in the future. So there is that outlaw feel and our leads are outlaws, and there is the whole untamed west (space) and it just works. The characters have heart, the dialogue is excellent and I have no idea how this show didn't last a full season. Oh, yeah, the execs didn't advertise the show well and didn't support it.
The first episode was called "Serenity", which is the name of the ship and just happens to be the title of the Firefly movie which just came out. Hopefully it is still in theatres when I finish the series.
I caught the 10/4 episode of My Name is Earl last night as well. Man, I'm behind on my tv. In this one Earl decides that he has to fix the wrong he did by fixing a high school football game and also denying his brother a chance for a touchdown. His ex-wife is still trying to get his lottery money. You know, this show is really growing on me. I like the combination of Jason Lee and Ethan Suplee. Nothing as classic as the previous ep's scene of Darnell admitting to Earl that he is bringing poisoned cookies from the ex, but still a good show. But...what exactly is the relationship of the Mexican maid to Earl and his brother?
More Wheel of Time goodness here: When Mat first met this man named Noal Charin I wondered who this old guy could be. The man was missing some memories and had been messed with by the Shadow, but I didn't see the importance. Noal Charin is actually Jain Charin. Jain Charin is (and this part is fact) Jain Farstrider, the guy who wrote Rand's favorite book "The Travels of of Jain Farstrider". The book and the author were mentioned so much early on in the series and why throw a Charin in and not have it be Jain? That doesn't make sense. And everything seemed to click, including Noal's age, his memory loss stemming from the Shadow, and how he seemed to be more than he is.
Well, Robert Jordan pretty much handed me the answer in Knife of Dreams and proved me theory.
Noal then proceeds to call Jain a fool for abandoning his wife to die alone in her bed while he was off traveling. Olver protesting, saying some of the good Jain did and Noal admitted that Jain did do some good, but that what sort of man leaves his wife like that and Noal sounded very sad when he said it.
This was a great scene and conversation and all but straight out says that Noal and Jain are the same person. I've been sure of it for several books and I have no doubt it'll be revealed for sure later. I wonder what Rand would think...
Anyway, I love the feel of Firefly. It's a western set 500 years in the future. So there is that outlaw feel and our leads are outlaws, and there is the whole untamed west (space) and it just works. The characters have heart, the dialogue is excellent and I have no idea how this show didn't last a full season. Oh, yeah, the execs didn't advertise the show well and didn't support it.
The first episode was called "Serenity", which is the name of the ship and just happens to be the title of the Firefly movie which just came out. Hopefully it is still in theatres when I finish the series.
I caught the 10/4 episode of My Name is Earl last night as well. Man, I'm behind on my tv. In this one Earl decides that he has to fix the wrong he did by fixing a high school football game and also denying his brother a chance for a touchdown. His ex-wife is still trying to get his lottery money. You know, this show is really growing on me. I like the combination of Jason Lee and Ethan Suplee. Nothing as classic as the previous ep's scene of Darnell admitting to Earl that he is bringing poisoned cookies from the ex, but still a good show. But...what exactly is the relationship of the Mexican maid to Earl and his brother?
More Wheel of Time goodness here: When Mat first met this man named Noal Charin I wondered who this old guy could be. The man was missing some memories and had been messed with by the Shadow, but I didn't see the importance. Noal Charin is actually Jain Charin. Jain Charin is (and this part is fact) Jain Farstrider, the guy who wrote Rand's favorite book "The Travels of of Jain Farstrider". The book and the author were mentioned so much early on in the series and why throw a Charin in and not have it be Jain? That doesn't make sense. And everything seemed to click, including Noal's age, his memory loss stemming from the Shadow, and how he seemed to be more than he is.
Well, Robert Jordan pretty much handed me the answer in Knife of Dreams and proved me theory.
"Are you any relation to Jain Charin, Noal?" (asked by Mat)...
The old man's face went still as stone, and Mat had torn off a piece of bread and eaten that as well before Noal answered. "A cousin," he said at last, grudgingly. "He was my cousin."
"You're related to Jain Farstrider?" Olver said excitedly....
"Who is this man with two names?" Tuon asked. "Only great men are spoken of so, and you speak as if everyone should know him"
Noal then proceeds to call Jain a fool for abandoning his wife to die alone in her bed while he was off traveling. Olver protesting, saying some of the good Jain did and Noal admitted that Jain did do some good, but that what sort of man leaves his wife like that and Noal sounded very sad when he said it.
This was a great scene and conversation and all but straight out says that Noal and Jain are the same person. I've been sure of it for several books and I have no doubt it'll be revealed for sure later. I wonder what Rand would think...
Thursday, October 13, 2005
No Direction Home: Part 1, Knife
After three days I finally finished the first part of the Dylan documentary No Direction Home. I'm not sure how much of the life and career of Bob Dylan this doc will cover, but the first two hours started with his childhood and into the early part of his career before he became big, and then as he was starting to become big. I think it only goes into the 60's (so his Christian albums will probably not be covered). There is a lot of old concert footage and photographs as well as interviews with Dylan today and his contemporaries.
It seems to be a fairly good documentary. I haven't been able to give it my full and undivided attention since I have to keep an eye out for what the puppy is doing, but it was interesting to see how Dylan became so successful. He is a very talented artist and an excellent songwriter...and as much as I like some of Dylan's songs, it is tough to listen to Dylan sometimes. His voice isn't that strong and sometimes it is difficult to understand what he is singing...and yet people bought tickets and he is a legend. Funny how that works. And for that we have Blowing in the Wind, Hurricane, Rainy Day Women, Not Dark Yet, Shelter from the Storm, and many other great songs.
Last night I was able to begin reading Knife of Dreams, the eleventh volume in the long running never ending Wheel of Time series. Thus far I am 140 pages into the book having read the extra long prologue (clocking in at nearly 100 pages), and one or two chapters. The prologue held a nice event with Galad killing the Lord Captain Commander of the Whitecloaks, but the rest of the prologue wasn't that big or special or necessary to be a prologue. Simirhage did make an appearance. We need more Forsaken in the books.
Supposedly this book does resolve quite a few loose ends and sets up the potentially final Book 12, so I'm very interested to see how this goes.
No Moiraine quite yet. I doubt she'll reappear in this book, but I've been hoping since she passed through the doorway with Lanfear (who has since died and been reborn as Cyndane).
It seems to be a fairly good documentary. I haven't been able to give it my full and undivided attention since I have to keep an eye out for what the puppy is doing, but it was interesting to see how Dylan became so successful. He is a very talented artist and an excellent songwriter...and as much as I like some of Dylan's songs, it is tough to listen to Dylan sometimes. His voice isn't that strong and sometimes it is difficult to understand what he is singing...and yet people bought tickets and he is a legend. Funny how that works. And for that we have Blowing in the Wind, Hurricane, Rainy Day Women, Not Dark Yet, Shelter from the Storm, and many other great songs.
Last night I was able to begin reading Knife of Dreams, the eleventh volume in the long running never ending Wheel of Time series. Thus far I am 140 pages into the book having read the extra long prologue (clocking in at nearly 100 pages), and one or two chapters. The prologue held a nice event with Galad killing the Lord Captain Commander of the Whitecloaks, but the rest of the prologue wasn't that big or special or necessary to be a prologue. Simirhage did make an appearance. We need more Forsaken in the books.
Supposedly this book does resolve quite a few loose ends and sets up the potentially final Book 12, so I'm very interested to see how this goes.
No Moiraine quite yet. I doubt she'll reappear in this book, but I've been hoping since she passed through the doorway with Lanfear (who has since died and been reborn as Cyndane).
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
On Beauty
I read Zadie Smith's On Beauty a month ago and I just never got around to blogging about it. But I just read an article on CNN.com about Smith and the novel and I decided to give a brief mention.
This is the book I've been hoping Zadie Smith would write. She was acclaimed for White Teeth which was well written but nothing that I loved. The Autograph Man didn't thrill me, but it had something. On Beauty delivers. It's one of those Literature with a capital L and doesn't necessarily have a plot that goes from point A to B because life goes on after the ending, but it is the journey of experiencing the two families that just works for me. I loved this book.
This is the book I've been hoping Zadie Smith would write. She was acclaimed for White Teeth which was well written but nothing that I loved. The Autograph Man didn't thrill me, but it had something. On Beauty delivers. It's one of those Literature with a capital L and doesn't necessarily have a plot that goes from point A to B because life goes on after the ending, but it is the journey of experiencing the two families that just works for me. I loved this book.
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Peacemaker
“Peacemaker” is the debut novel by author Dan Ronco. Ronco has experience in the software industry so it is with personal knowledge and experience that he crafts the story of artificial intelligence and the future of the technology industry. Ronco presents this novel as what could be a worst case scenario with software terrorism and a future where this could be an issue as serious as nuclear war.
Dianne Morgan is the CEO for VantagePoint Software, the maker of Atlus, the most popular computer operating system in the world and one which is in nearly ninety percent of the world’s computers. This obviously brings to mind a company called Microsoft. Morgan brought to trial by the United States government in an anti-trust lawsuit and her company is broken into smaller companies. This is something that has happened several times in our nation’s history. Her revenge is to unleash a computer virus called Peacemaker. Peacemaker has the capability to infect and shut down nearly every computer on the planet. Her goal: nothing less than global domination. The only man who can stop Peacemaker is Ray Brown, a software developer who helped make Atlus the most popular piece of software on the planet.
The novel becomes something of a cat and mouse game as Ray stumbles across Peacemaker and learns of the scope of this virus which is so sophisticated that it is an artificial intelligence. Dianne Morgan is preparing to unleash Peacemaker on the world and while she needs to stop Ray she also wants to convert Ray to her side since they share a past together.
The concept behind “Peacemaker” with the ideas of software terrorism and the artificial intelligence and just the scope of the issue is fascinating and helps the reader press on through the book because I certainly wanted to know how things played out. The problem is the writing and the characters. The characters seem to be mainly one dimensional and Ray’s inner struggles regarding his alcoholism seem somewhat childish. The other characters are not any better and most are even more one dimensional. Before each chapter there is a one or two quotes from a future newspaper or novel regarding some of the characters. What this does is let the reader know a little bit how the events of this novel will play out and affect the world years down the road. It kind of takes some of the tension out of the book.
Ronco has a good deal of potential as an author because he has one very important gift that can’t be taught: the ability to come up with a very interesting story idea. I have no doubt that his skill as a writer will come as he continues to write. “Peacemaker” was a very fast and easy read, but it is not without some serious flaws in the execution of the novel. It is difficult to recommend “Peacemaker”, but the positive is that the concept behind the novel is a good one.
Dianne Morgan is the CEO for VantagePoint Software, the maker of Atlus, the most popular computer operating system in the world and one which is in nearly ninety percent of the world’s computers. This obviously brings to mind a company called Microsoft. Morgan brought to trial by the United States government in an anti-trust lawsuit and her company is broken into smaller companies. This is something that has happened several times in our nation’s history. Her revenge is to unleash a computer virus called Peacemaker. Peacemaker has the capability to infect and shut down nearly every computer on the planet. Her goal: nothing less than global domination. The only man who can stop Peacemaker is Ray Brown, a software developer who helped make Atlus the most popular piece of software on the planet.
The novel becomes something of a cat and mouse game as Ray stumbles across Peacemaker and learns of the scope of this virus which is so sophisticated that it is an artificial intelligence. Dianne Morgan is preparing to unleash Peacemaker on the world and while she needs to stop Ray she also wants to convert Ray to her side since they share a past together.
The concept behind “Peacemaker” with the ideas of software terrorism and the artificial intelligence and just the scope of the issue is fascinating and helps the reader press on through the book because I certainly wanted to know how things played out. The problem is the writing and the characters. The characters seem to be mainly one dimensional and Ray’s inner struggles regarding his alcoholism seem somewhat childish. The other characters are not any better and most are even more one dimensional. Before each chapter there is a one or two quotes from a future newspaper or novel regarding some of the characters. What this does is let the reader know a little bit how the events of this novel will play out and affect the world years down the road. It kind of takes some of the tension out of the book.
Ronco has a good deal of potential as an author because he has one very important gift that can’t be taught: the ability to come up with a very interesting story idea. I have no doubt that his skill as a writer will come as he continues to write. “Peacemaker” was a very fast and easy read, but it is not without some serious flaws in the execution of the novel. It is difficult to recommend “Peacemaker”, but the positive is that the concept behind the novel is a good one.
Monday, October 10, 2005
The Light Ages, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
I somehow managed to get through two books on my vacation. The first book I read was John LeCarre's The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. This was LeCarre's third book back in the 60's and it is the one which really made him famous. It is the story of a British spy, a former great one who is in the downswing of his career. He had great successes but now everything has been failure. He is brought back to England in supposed disgrace and is put out to pasture. At least that is the story being presented. The real deal is that he is going back in the field one more time trying to be recruited by the East Germans to eliminate one particular man who is causing great trouble for the Brits. But as the rather slim novel progresses (200 pages) things are not quite what they seem.
It's a good book. I was surprised by how much I liked it. I'm going to read more LeCarre in the future and I appreciated how slim a volume this was compared to the 500 page monsters I expect from folks like Tom Clancy. Actually with Clancy I expect an 800 page monster, but that's another point.
The other book I finished was Ian MacLeod's The Light Ages. This one is an urban fantasy with a feel for the Victorian Age of England even though I think the timeline is more modern than that. But three hundred years ago a substance called aether was discovered that allows people to augment machines and tools to make them stronger and better. It is in this Third Age of Industry that our story begins. There has been no real innovation in decades if not a century because with aether, why bother? Robert Borrows is a young man we see grow up from a poor family to be a man seeking some answers about who he is and what some of the secrets of his family's past are.
There are fantasy elements here, but not they are not exceptionally strong. The fantasy imbues the setting, the kind of world this is and how England had changed.
There is no question this book is very well written and is high quality. The only problem is that it wasn't that engaging and that I couldn't get swept up into the world despite blurbs from Tim Powers and Michael Moorcock saying how much they were swept away. The story felt real and natural, but I didn't care what happened or who the characters were. It's a flaw that may be as much me as it is the novel. I tend to not prefer the urban fantasy and would rather read the fantasies set in a more midieval world with swords and magic and stuff like that. There are more modern and urban fantasies that I've loved, but in general...
It's a good book. I was surprised by how much I liked it. I'm going to read more LeCarre in the future and I appreciated how slim a volume this was compared to the 500 page monsters I expect from folks like Tom Clancy. Actually with Clancy I expect an 800 page monster, but that's another point.
The other book I finished was Ian MacLeod's The Light Ages. This one is an urban fantasy with a feel for the Victorian Age of England even though I think the timeline is more modern than that. But three hundred years ago a substance called aether was discovered that allows people to augment machines and tools to make them stronger and better. It is in this Third Age of Industry that our story begins. There has been no real innovation in decades if not a century because with aether, why bother? Robert Borrows is a young man we see grow up from a poor family to be a man seeking some answers about who he is and what some of the secrets of his family's past are.
There are fantasy elements here, but not they are not exceptionally strong. The fantasy imbues the setting, the kind of world this is and how England had changed.
There is no question this book is very well written and is high quality. The only problem is that it wasn't that engaging and that I couldn't get swept up into the world despite blurbs from Tim Powers and Michael Moorcock saying how much they were swept away. The story felt real and natural, but I didn't care what happened or who the characters were. It's a flaw that may be as much me as it is the novel. I tend to not prefer the urban fantasy and would rather read the fantasies set in a more midieval world with swords and magic and stuff like that. There are more modern and urban fantasies that I've loved, but in general...
Friday, September 30, 2005
Amazing Race: Family Edition
Last night Sandy and I watched the first episode of The Amazing Race: Family Edition. This is the 8th season and she's been watching from the beginning, I think I started with Season 3. This season the format is being messed with a little bit as there are families of four rather than simple teams of two. So, we do have a couple of traditional families with a mother father and two young kids, but also a team of four siblings, a dad and his three sons in law, and other familes like that.
They go through the introductions and we then see a black family. There is usually the one token black team on the show (because we can't possibly have an all ethnic show and one token white team), but the family is introduced as the Black Family. Sandy and I pause and look at each other as it starts to dawn on me that the family name is Black. We hope. It better be. Otherwise the show just gave up on hiding its bias. It's just weird to see the family constantly described as the Black family because we keep hearing the "black" family.
The teams are driving around Manhatten and then have to drive to Washington's Crossing over the river then drive to Philly.
I know Phil said that all airfare is paid for, but is it possible that this race isn't leaving the country? Usually the first stage is just to get to an airport and get out of America, but this already has the feeling of a driving tour across the country. I'm not sure I like that, either. I want to see the blond girl eaten by a lion and unless she dropped off at a zoo I don't see that happening.
It's still a good show and worth watching, but I'm not so excited about the format change for this season. I'm already looking past this season to next one. But the other half of the problem is that there are no teams standing out that we like. The black...excuse me, Black family is one, but they were eliminated and the parents didn't show much leadership though the family is cute and we think they are probably good parents.
Oh well, there is always next week which we'll watch the week after.
They go through the introductions and we then see a black family. There is usually the one token black team on the show (because we can't possibly have an all ethnic show and one token white team), but the family is introduced as the Black Family. Sandy and I pause and look at each other as it starts to dawn on me that the family name is Black. We hope. It better be. Otherwise the show just gave up on hiding its bias. It's just weird to see the family constantly described as the Black family because we keep hearing the "black" family.
The teams are driving around Manhatten and then have to drive to Washington's Crossing over the river then drive to Philly.
I know Phil said that all airfare is paid for, but is it possible that this race isn't leaving the country? Usually the first stage is just to get to an airport and get out of America, but this already has the feeling of a driving tour across the country. I'm not sure I like that, either. I want to see the blond girl eaten by a lion and unless she dropped off at a zoo I don't see that happening.
It's still a good show and worth watching, but I'm not so excited about the format change for this season. I'm already looking past this season to next one. But the other half of the problem is that there are no teams standing out that we like. The black...excuse me, Black family is one, but they were eliminated and the parents didn't show much leadership though the family is cute and we think they are probably good parents.
Oh well, there is always next week which we'll watch the week after.
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Invasion 1.5
Well, I watched half of the second episode of Invasion and I have to be honest: I just don't care what happens. I don't care about the characters at all and worse, I don't care about the hook. Not that I'm looking for a War of the Worlds style invasion here, because I'm not, but the mystery of what is really going on just does not compel me to watch the show. It makes me wish that I was caught up on Alias so I could watch the new season (as it stands I've only seen the first two seasons).
No matter. There are other, better shows to watch.
No matter. There are other, better shows to watch.
Models Invade Chris Inside the Studio
I was able to catch up on some television last night.
First I watched the pilot episode of Invasion. This is the show which starts with a hurricane hitting a Florida town and there are some lights over the water and after the hurricane is over things start getting weird. The blond doctor goes missing during the hurricane and is found naked over by the water (lake, swamp, river? I'm calling it a lake). The camera focuses slowly on her new husband the sheriff with some ominous angles and slow motion and music, so he must be the bad guy. Then a priest is found the same as the woman, and then the conspiracy kook is attacked by an "alligator" though he thinks there are space aliens. I have this sneaking suspicion that this show isn't going to be able to hold my interest. In an episode where I would have thought the tension and wonder and mysteries would be held really tightly before any reveal it seems we are finding out quite a bit. So the sheriff is bad, and there might be this little army building with the priest and the doctor. Her daughter thinks she smells different. There are glowing lake creatures which may be aliens or may just be lake creatures.
So?
Yesterday's episode better be better.
Then I watched the pilot of Everybody Hates Chris. This is a half hour comedy narrated by Chris Rock and is (supposedly) about his childhood. The half hour (or twenty minutes by DVR) goes by fairly quickly and it is a decently funny show. I smiled more than laughed out loud, but that is to be expected. The kid who plays Chris, Tyler James Williams, does a very good job. He throws off lines like Rock does and the delivery is remarkable. But I just enjoy Chris Rock's narration more than anything else. I don't know if this show will work after five episodes but I'm willing to give it a shot.
Finally I watched America's Next Top Model with Sandy. That's one of the shows we always watch together. Fairly entertaining. This season, I'm not so sure about. The models are either kind of obnoxious and annoying, or not so pretty and Sandy and I already have an idea of the final five: Kim, Lisa, Nicole, and right now that's all we have. The other two may be surprises. The best part of the show, though, was watching the pageant queen Cassandra get her hair cut off and go blond. The hair still wasn't as short as Tyra wanted because it was supposed to be Mia Farrow from Rosemary's Baby short!!
Oh, and I also watched 5/6th of Inside the Actor's Studio with Jodie Foster. I got really into that show for a while and then got tired of it because it was all the same thing and I didn't care about some of the actors and what they had to say. But when somedbody who interests me, like Jodie Foster, comes along, then I will be right there watching. But why is Elton John going to be on the show next month?
First I watched the pilot episode of Invasion. This is the show which starts with a hurricane hitting a Florida town and there are some lights over the water and after the hurricane is over things start getting weird. The blond doctor goes missing during the hurricane and is found naked over by the water (lake, swamp, river? I'm calling it a lake). The camera focuses slowly on her new husband the sheriff with some ominous angles and slow motion and music, so he must be the bad guy. Then a priest is found the same as the woman, and then the conspiracy kook is attacked by an "alligator" though he thinks there are space aliens. I have this sneaking suspicion that this show isn't going to be able to hold my interest. In an episode where I would have thought the tension and wonder and mysteries would be held really tightly before any reveal it seems we are finding out quite a bit. So the sheriff is bad, and there might be this little army building with the priest and the doctor. Her daughter thinks she smells different. There are glowing lake creatures which may be aliens or may just be lake creatures.
So?
Yesterday's episode better be better.
Then I watched the pilot of Everybody Hates Chris. This is a half hour comedy narrated by Chris Rock and is (supposedly) about his childhood. The half hour (or twenty minutes by DVR) goes by fairly quickly and it is a decently funny show. I smiled more than laughed out loud, but that is to be expected. The kid who plays Chris, Tyler James Williams, does a very good job. He throws off lines like Rock does and the delivery is remarkable. But I just enjoy Chris Rock's narration more than anything else. I don't know if this show will work after five episodes but I'm willing to give it a shot.
Finally I watched America's Next Top Model with Sandy. That's one of the shows we always watch together. Fairly entertaining. This season, I'm not so sure about. The models are either kind of obnoxious and annoying, or not so pretty and Sandy and I already have an idea of the final five: Kim, Lisa, Nicole, and right now that's all we have. The other two may be surprises. The best part of the show, though, was watching the pageant queen Cassandra get her hair cut off and go blond. The hair still wasn't as short as Tyra wanted because it was supposed to be Mia Farrow from Rosemary's Baby short!!
Oh, and I also watched 5/6th of Inside the Actor's Studio with Jodie Foster. I got really into that show for a while and then got tired of it because it was all the same thing and I didn't care about some of the actors and what they had to say. But when somedbody who interests me, like Jodie Foster, comes along, then I will be right there watching. But why is Elton John going to be on the show next month?
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Earl 2
The second episode of My Name is Earl was on last night. Jason Lee may still be a golden god, but the show kind of isn't. It's decent enough and it is only 20 minutes of television on the DVR but it isn't as funny as I thought it could be with Lee in the lead. I know it doesn't fit the character of Earl, but those writers need to let Lee just unload with a monologue. It would be golden.
In other news, I figured out how I can watch Commander in Chief which airs at the same time as Earl and The Amazing Race. Bravo is showing reruns on saturday night (or is it sunday? Either way I set the recording), so I'll be able to keep up with the show until I decide whether or not to drop Earl. My DVR can get two programs at one time, but not three. The website for Chief is interesting, it's like one of those political blogs. I hope this show works. It's done by the guy who did The Contender, so it should.
I should be able to see the first episode of Race sometime this week. Last night was a little busy. Lost will have to wait until after we get back from Disney. Sandy is catching up on Season 1, so I'll hold off until we can watch it together.
I also recorded the two part Scorsese doc on Bob Dylan: No Direction Home. All reports tells me this documentary is a great one. I look forward to having the time to watch it. I'll have a lot of tv to catch up on when I get back on the 11th.
In other news, I figured out how I can watch Commander in Chief which airs at the same time as Earl and The Amazing Race. Bravo is showing reruns on saturday night (or is it sunday? Either way I set the recording), so I'll be able to keep up with the show until I decide whether or not to drop Earl. My DVR can get two programs at one time, but not three. The website for Chief is interesting, it's like one of those political blogs. I hope this show works. It's done by the guy who did The Contender, so it should.
I should be able to see the first episode of Race sometime this week. Last night was a little busy. Lost will have to wait until after we get back from Disney. Sandy is catching up on Season 1, so I'll hold off until we can watch it together.
I also recorded the two part Scorsese doc on Bob Dylan: No Direction Home. All reports tells me this documentary is a great one. I look forward to having the time to watch it. I'll have a lot of tv to catch up on when I get back on the 11th.
Monday, September 26, 2005
Singles
Is it possible? A Cameron Crowe movie that I don't like? There was just no point and nothing happened and the end of the movie could have been the beginning. Set in the early 90's in Seattle there is a group of 20 and 30 something single men and women living their lives and dealing with relationships and bouncing between relationships and it just doesn't amount to much.
I can't relate to the characters and they are not very interesting to watch. It isn't that they aren't likeable, there just isn't a reason to care.
But I like Cameron Crowe. I like his movies. I loved Almost Famous. And yet...Singles. I was waiting patiently for it to end.
From what I understand, Crowe wrote and shot this before Nirvana become huge and before the "grunge" movement really took off. If that is the case than this movie can hardly be accused of poorly ripping off Nirvana and grunge when this film predates much of that and grunge was in its infancy.
Besides that triva and Paul Westerberg singing "Dylexic Heart", I just...don't...care.
I can't relate to the characters and they are not very interesting to watch. It isn't that they aren't likeable, there just isn't a reason to care.
But I like Cameron Crowe. I like his movies. I loved Almost Famous. And yet...Singles. I was waiting patiently for it to end.
From what I understand, Crowe wrote and shot this before Nirvana become huge and before the "grunge" movement really took off. If that is the case than this movie can hardly be accused of poorly ripping off Nirvana and grunge when this film predates much of that and grunge was in its infancy.
Besides that triva and Paul Westerberg singing "Dylexic Heart", I just...don't...care.
Saturday, September 24, 2005
The Longest Yard
Often billed as a football comedy, I'm not sure The Longest Yard really is one. Starring a young Burt Reynolds, The Longest Yard is, simply, a good movie. Reynolds is Paul "Wrecking" Crewe, a former NFL star quarterback who has been out of the game for eight years. He's not a very good man. He is selfish, treats a woman poorly (who is also treating him poorly when we meet her), drives drunk, wrecks her car, assaults a police officer, and doesn't really take anything seriously. Crewe is sentenced to prison where the warden (Eddie Albert) wants Crewe to help coach his semi-pro football team and help with the championship.
To make a long story short Crewe declines, gets put on a nasty work detail and in the end has to put together a football team made up of inmates to give the warden's team a proper warm-up game before their season starts. Crewe has ideas on what exactly he should be doing and how to best protect himself and proceeds to put together a team of the nastiest, toughest inmates in the prison. The joke will be on the warden because some of the guards are on the warden's team and the inmates are out to hurt them.
There are moments of humor as Crewe cracks wise as often as he can and there is some situational comedy with the football, but this is not a terribly funny movie. It's just a well told, well acted story. The backstory of Crewe having shaved points off of a football game comes into play several times in the movie and everyone here does an excellent job making the characters real and raw, and the action believable yet entertaining. It is easy to see why Hollywood wanted to remake this movie, but that is another topic best left for another time.
Despite being a person who loves to watch movies, my experience with Burt Reynolds is rather limited. I loved his performance in Boogie Nights, but otherwise I only know him from The Cannonball Run and Smokey and the Bandit. This is unfortunate because Reynolds certainly can be a good actor and he is quite good here in The Longest Yard. Fans of movies and football movies need to see this one. It is well worth the two hours and it holds up quite well.
Friday, September 23, 2005
Becoming an Ironman
"Becoming an Ironman" is a collection of personal stories of the first experience of many athletes attempting their first Ironman Triathlon. An Ironman Triathlon is a race consisting of a 2.4 mile swim followed by a 112 mile bike ride followed by a marathon (26.2 miles). Some runners may consider the marathon to be the ultimate endurance event and with good reason, the marathon is not to be taken lightly, but Ironman only lets you run a marathon after one has traveled 114.4 miles. Since "Ironman" is actually a trademark of the World Triathlon Corporation, the "Ironman" name can only be used for a race sponsored by the WTC. But any triathlon of 140.6 miles can be considered an "Iron" distance race and the finishers are no less an Ironman as those finishing a sponsored race. 140.6 miles is a long, long way to go, and typically there is a 17 hour time limit. In "Becoming an Ironman" many athletes will tell of their experience in their own words.
The stories contained in this book are broken into a variety of sections. There are stories from those who are middle of the pack athletes and who struggled with the Ironman but still found strength to complete it. There is a section featuring athletes who learned in their first attempt that they were quite good at this distance and turned in excellent times which put them among the leaders. Conversely the stories of those who finished Ironman with only a minute or an hour to spare are no less compelling. Then there are the Did Not Finish (DNF) stories of those who for one reason or another had to drop out of the race or just could not make it to the finish line in time (the one who finished some six minutes after 17 hours was tough to take).
Every one of these stories provides inspiration to push through my pain in a race and furthers my desire to one day attempt and complete an Ironman despite the pain I know it will cause. But these same stories collected in "Becoming an Ironman" suffers from the fact that while reading a handful of these stories is easy and inspiring, reading every story back to back becomes repetitive. Yes, everyone struggled and gutted it out and provides a reason to be inspired, but it is essentially the same story every time with minor variations. The different sections helps as the stories are grouped into similar kinds of experiences, but it is still a lot of take at one time.
My recommendation is that this is an excellent book about the Ironman experience from the perspective of the average (if "average" can describe anyone attempting Ironman) athlete, but the reader should only read a few stories a day. Each story is only a few pages long and this way there will be less of a sense of burnout by the time the end is reached. Inspiring stuff, here.
The stories contained in this book are broken into a variety of sections. There are stories from those who are middle of the pack athletes and who struggled with the Ironman but still found strength to complete it. There is a section featuring athletes who learned in their first attempt that they were quite good at this distance and turned in excellent times which put them among the leaders. Conversely the stories of those who finished Ironman with only a minute or an hour to spare are no less compelling. Then there are the Did Not Finish (DNF) stories of those who for one reason or another had to drop out of the race or just could not make it to the finish line in time (the one who finished some six minutes after 17 hours was tough to take).
Every one of these stories provides inspiration to push through my pain in a race and furthers my desire to one day attempt and complete an Ironman despite the pain I know it will cause. But these same stories collected in "Becoming an Ironman" suffers from the fact that while reading a handful of these stories is easy and inspiring, reading every story back to back becomes repetitive. Yes, everyone struggled and gutted it out and provides a reason to be inspired, but it is essentially the same story every time with minor variations. The different sections helps as the stories are grouped into similar kinds of experiences, but it is still a lot of take at one time.
My recommendation is that this is an excellent book about the Ironman experience from the perspective of the average (if "average" can describe anyone attempting Ironman) athlete, but the reader should only read a few stories a day. Each story is only a few pages long and this way there will be less of a sense of burnout by the time the end is reached. Inspiring stuff, here.
Thursday, September 22, 2005
My Name is Earl and Top Model
I didn't get to watch Lost or Invasion last night because we had some severe storms and the first hour of Lost was supposed to be the season 1 recap and my wife wanted to watch the recap so she could get into this new season. Well, the first hour ended up being interrupted by the news telling us about the storm. Sandy will likely be reading some recaps so we can get into this new season soon. I have it recorded.
I would never have watched My Name is Earl if it didn't star Jason Lee. The premise is that this low life guy (Lee), who has been treating people poorly all his life, wins $100,000 on a scratch off ticket, but then gets hit by a car and loses the ticket. While in the hospital he watches Carson Daly on TRL talk about Karma and how good things have happened to him because he has done good things for others. Earl has never heard about this concept and decides to turn his life around. He makes a list of all of the bad things he has done (the list grows to over 200), and has decided that the only way to reverse all of his bad karma ("This Carson Daly...is he a holy man? A spiritual leader?") is to help all the people he has hurt. Of course, being Earl, things won't go smoothly and hilarity will ensue.
Chuckles ensued and it was an entertaining show. I hope it continues to get better because the premise has some possibility with Jason Lee in the lead. Lee has excellent timing and instincts for comedy (enjoy him in the Kevin Smith movies...) and can make nearly any movie he is in better.
The other show I watched last night was America's Next Top Model. Despite itself, I continue to be entertained by the show. It was the premiere last night (was that a 2 hour episode? It seemed long even with the DVR) and I got a sense of who a few of the girls are. In the first couple of shows you never really know who is going to last because nobody can walk and few have the model poise that they'll need in two months. Still a decent show, though I wonder how long this can really go on since it is essentially the same thing every year and some of the girls start blending together.
I would never have watched My Name is Earl if it didn't star Jason Lee. The premise is that this low life guy (Lee), who has been treating people poorly all his life, wins $100,000 on a scratch off ticket, but then gets hit by a car and loses the ticket. While in the hospital he watches Carson Daly on TRL talk about Karma and how good things have happened to him because he has done good things for others. Earl has never heard about this concept and decides to turn his life around. He makes a list of all of the bad things he has done (the list grows to over 200), and has decided that the only way to reverse all of his bad karma ("This Carson Daly...is he a holy man? A spiritual leader?") is to help all the people he has hurt. Of course, being Earl, things won't go smoothly and hilarity will ensue.
Chuckles ensued and it was an entertaining show. I hope it continues to get better because the premise has some possibility with Jason Lee in the lead. Lee has excellent timing and instincts for comedy (enjoy him in the Kevin Smith movies...) and can make nearly any movie he is in better.
The other show I watched last night was America's Next Top Model. Despite itself, I continue to be entertained by the show. It was the premiere last night (was that a 2 hour episode? It seemed long even with the DVR) and I got a sense of who a few of the girls are. In the first couple of shows you never really know who is going to last because nobody can walk and few have the model poise that they'll need in two months. Still a decent show, though I wonder how long this can really go on since it is essentially the same thing every year and some of the girls start blending together.
Monday, September 19, 2005
talk like a Pirate
Aye, today is Talk Like a Pirate Day. Gar, Where can I find a bottle o'rum?
Translation: Today is Talk Like a Pirate Day. You best do what we says!
I can't imagine that I'm actually going to talk like a pirate all day long, but I love the idea.
Translation: Today is Talk Like a Pirate Day. You best do what we says!
I can't imagine that I'm actually going to talk like a pirate all day long, but I love the idea.
Friday, September 16, 2005
Just Like Heaven radio spots
Has anyone heard the radio spots for the new Reese Witherspoon movie Just Like Heaven? The movie seems pleasant enough. She dies and doesn't know it. He can see her. Blah blah. It may actually be pretty decent because Reese has the "potential" to turn in some good movies. Some of her work has been really good in the past, but the line "Starring Reese Witherspoon" does not yet make me want to run to the theatre.
Anyway, back to the radio spots. The lines Reese has in the spot are all perky and light, but Mark Ruffalo sounds drunk. I know, he's all freaking out because she's dead and she's in front of him, but this doesn't sell me the movie.
We've got this perky dead chick and a guy who is loaded and can't deal with the fact that she walks through stuff in front of him.
Usher! Save me my seat! And get me a jumbo sized popcorn!
With that said, if my wife wants to see it I'll certainly go. It probably is a very pleasant movie and may even be good. Some critics have been saying for a few months now that this could be better than it sounds.
Anyway, back to the radio spots. The lines Reese has in the spot are all perky and light, but Mark Ruffalo sounds drunk. I know, he's all freaking out because she's dead and she's in front of him, but this doesn't sell me the movie.
We've got this perky dead chick and a guy who is loaded and can't deal with the fact that she walks through stuff in front of him.
Usher! Save me my seat! And get me a jumbo sized popcorn!
With that said, if my wife wants to see it I'll certainly go. It probably is a very pleasant movie and may even be good. Some critics have been saying for a few months now that this could be better than it sounds.
Thursday, September 15, 2005
movie lite
I've been fairly movie-lite since we moved and got the dog. It's a little difficult to sit down and watch something for two hours when you have to wonder if the dog is peeing on the carpet just out of your view. But, I was able to watch Beneath the Planet of the Apes and A Very Long Engagement. Unfortunately, I didn't really like either one of them.
Not surprisingly, A Very Long Engagement is the better of the two movies and by a long shot. It just didn't engage me (no pun intended) as much as I'd hoped and I loved Audrey Tautou in Amelie. I even liked her in Happenstance, which is one of the few things of the movie that really worked. Jodie Foster has a nice smaller role in A Very Long Engagement, as well. It is as if everything was in place and many people found the movie to be fantastic, but it just didn't work for me. It didn't reach me on a level that it could have, should have.
Beneath the Planet of the Apes was just crappy.
Not surprisingly, A Very Long Engagement is the better of the two movies and by a long shot. It just didn't engage me (no pun intended) as much as I'd hoped and I loved Audrey Tautou in Amelie. I even liked her in Happenstance, which is one of the few things of the movie that really worked. Jodie Foster has a nice smaller role in A Very Long Engagement, as well. It is as if everything was in place and many people found the movie to be fantastic, but it just didn't work for me. It didn't reach me on a level that it could have, should have.
Beneath the Planet of the Apes was just crappy.
Friday, September 09, 2005
a pretty good weekend for movies
I could spend all weekend at the movies this weekend. I really could.
It's only going to get better in the coming weeks, too.
It's only going to get better in the coming weeks, too.
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Dark Force Rising
“Dark Force Rising” is the second volume of the Thrawn Trilogy written by Timothy Zahn. Han Solo and Lando Calrissian are working to discover the identity of the intelligence leak within the New Republic High Council. As they work on this they learn of the leak they learn of the existence of the legendary Katana fleet which disappeared decades before. Leia Organa Solo is seeking to convince the Noghiri race to stop hunting her and to abandon their servitude to the Empire. Luke Skywalker, on the other hand, feels a call of a long lost Jedi Master named Joruus C’Boath. Joruus is quite insane and also happens to be a clone of the real Jedi Jorus C’Boath who was lost during the Clone Wars. The Grand Admiral Thrawn seeks to claim the Katana Fleet for his own and to crush the Rebellion, as he still sees it.
There is a lot of plot in this book, and while there is a slow start and I felt for at least half of this book that “Heir to the Empire” was far better, “Dark Force Rising” picks up midway through the book and by the end I was just as impressed as I had hoped to be. It is very easy to see why Timothy Zahn’s trilogy provided the spark which led to so many more Star Wars novels. These are well told tales featuring our favorite characters from the movies and they are brand new adventures. In the midst of the hundred or so Star Wars novels it is easy to forget that these books here really set the stage and while there were Star Wars novels written before “Heir to the Empire”, nothing really compares to this series and this is really the standard for all future Star Wars novels.
Not a perfect book, by any means. “Dark Force Rising” is definitely a middle novel with all the flaws therein, but in the realm of Star Wars this remains one of the better novels even a decade later.
There is a lot of plot in this book, and while there is a slow start and I felt for at least half of this book that “Heir to the Empire” was far better, “Dark Force Rising” picks up midway through the book and by the end I was just as impressed as I had hoped to be. It is very easy to see why Timothy Zahn’s trilogy provided the spark which led to so many more Star Wars novels. These are well told tales featuring our favorite characters from the movies and they are brand new adventures. In the midst of the hundred or so Star Wars novels it is easy to forget that these books here really set the stage and while there were Star Wars novels written before “Heir to the Empire”, nothing really compares to this series and this is really the standard for all future Star Wars novels.
Not a perfect book, by any means. “Dark Force Rising” is definitely a middle novel with all the flaws therein, but in the realm of Star Wars this remains one of the better novels even a decade later.
The Ultimate Guide to Marathons
"The Ultimate Guide to Marathons" is an excellent marathon resource for runners. This second edition was published in 1998 with information current up through 2000. A runner using this book as a guide needs to know that in five years a lot can change for a given marathon. A good example of this is the poorly managed Lakeshore Marathon in Chicago which recently had an issue of the course being measured incorrectly and being a mile too long. Information like this would be critical in any new edition of "The Ultimate Guide to Marathons". However, if you are able to accept this potential shortcoming of slightly out of date information and use this book as exactly what the title says, a "guide", then any runner can find a lot of value in this book.
This book ranks 110 marathons from across the United States and bases the rankings on such categories as fan support, race organization, course beauty, course difficulty, and how appropriate the race is for a first time marathon runner. The description of each of the 110 marathons includes sections on the history of the race, the race course itself, what sort of awards and accommodations there are, and other details about the race. This is excellent information. While every major marathon in the country is included in these rankings (as of 1998), there are also quite a few small marathons that make the list. As a Minnesotan I was pleased to see that all four Minnesota Marathons were included (Twin Cities, Grandma's, Med City, Walker North Country) and was surprised by Med City and Walker North Country because these are small marathons. W.N.C. in particular is a trail marathon and trail races are included and ranked right along with the big ones like Boston and New York City.
There is also a listing of approximately another 50 marathons that are typically smaller than the ones included in the ranking, and are "destination marathons", but as one that I recognized (Marathon to Marathon in Iowa) is not really a destination most people would want to go to, my guess is that these are just marathons that the authors were not able to fit into their ranking and that they ran out of time to get them included. I may be wrong about that, though. Either way, it is nice to see such a listing of marathons. I am aware of other regional marathons that were not included, but I do not know when these marathons were founded.
While the information provided in this book is several years out of date, the rankings and descriptions can be used as a guide to see if this is a marathon you are interested in running. If so, I would then recommend looking online at the race's website or perhaps finding another online marathon guide to see if there are any changes or significant drops in runner participation. But this book can be used as an excellent guide to get marathon ideas and if most major marathons are not changing their course or management you can expect that the rankings would stay fairly consistent overall. That makes me happy because Minnesota had the number 2 (Twin Cities, behind only Big Sur) and the number 13 (Grandma's) marathons according to these rankings.
This book ranks 110 marathons from across the United States and bases the rankings on such categories as fan support, race organization, course beauty, course difficulty, and how appropriate the race is for a first time marathon runner. The description of each of the 110 marathons includes sections on the history of the race, the race course itself, what sort of awards and accommodations there are, and other details about the race. This is excellent information. While every major marathon in the country is included in these rankings (as of 1998), there are also quite a few small marathons that make the list. As a Minnesotan I was pleased to see that all four Minnesota Marathons were included (Twin Cities, Grandma's, Med City, Walker North Country) and was surprised by Med City and Walker North Country because these are small marathons. W.N.C. in particular is a trail marathon and trail races are included and ranked right along with the big ones like Boston and New York City.
There is also a listing of approximately another 50 marathons that are typically smaller than the ones included in the ranking, and are "destination marathons", but as one that I recognized (Marathon to Marathon in Iowa) is not really a destination most people would want to go to, my guess is that these are just marathons that the authors were not able to fit into their ranking and that they ran out of time to get them included. I may be wrong about that, though. Either way, it is nice to see such a listing of marathons. I am aware of other regional marathons that were not included, but I do not know when these marathons were founded.
While the information provided in this book is several years out of date, the rankings and descriptions can be used as a guide to see if this is a marathon you are interested in running. If so, I would then recommend looking online at the race's website or perhaps finding another online marathon guide to see if there are any changes or significant drops in runner participation. But this book can be used as an excellent guide to get marathon ideas and if most major marathons are not changing their course or management you can expect that the rankings would stay fairly consistent overall. That makes me happy because Minnesota had the number 2 (Twin Cities, behind only Big Sur) and the number 13 (Grandma's) marathons according to these rankings.
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Eldest, denied
I started Christopher Paolini's Eldest this weekend. I tried. I really tried. I was impressed by Paolini's debut novel Eragon but I suspect so much of the reason for that is because he started writing the book when he was only 15 and it was published when he was 19. It was a little amateurish, but it's by a fifteen year old and with that in mind it was a promising debut.
You get slack for your first book when you write it as a teenager. People will be impressed. But if you're writing a trilogy, the second book better deliver. Maybe it does. I'll never know. I made it 60 pages in and I couldn't read it anymore. It was no better than what I remember from the first book, very childish fantasy with a little bit too much description of things that don't need to be described. It feels like Paolini is still feeling his way.
I'm not willing to invest my time on this anymore. Maybe the last two hundred pages (of 600) were killer and would stand up with the great fantasy literature of our day. But I doubt it and while I know that a reader should often give a book more than 60 pages of chance I lost all interest in the book.
Maybe when Paolini finishes this series and starts on his next one I'll give it another try because he'll be older and will have had a chance to hone his craft. There are so many good books that I want to read that I don't want to spend too much time on the bad ones.
You get slack for your first book when you write it as a teenager. People will be impressed. But if you're writing a trilogy, the second book better deliver. Maybe it does. I'll never know. I made it 60 pages in and I couldn't read it anymore. It was no better than what I remember from the first book, very childish fantasy with a little bit too much description of things that don't need to be described. It feels like Paolini is still feeling his way.
I'm not willing to invest my time on this anymore. Maybe the last two hundred pages (of 600) were killer and would stand up with the great fantasy literature of our day. But I doubt it and while I know that a reader should often give a book more than 60 pages of chance I lost all interest in the book.
Maybe when Paolini finishes this series and starts on his next one I'll give it another try because he'll be older and will have had a chance to hone his craft. There are so many good books that I want to read that I don't want to spend too much time on the bad ones.
Vera Drake
Before I watched "Vera Drake" I had no question in my mind that Hilary Swank was the Best Actress of last year for "Million Dollar Baby". No question. Halfway through "Vera Drake", I wasn't so sure anymore. To really break down "Vera Drake" into its simplest elements for an American audience this is a movie starring actors most of us have never heard of, set in 1950's London, about an older lady who performs illegal abortions. For this movie to sell itself effectively the lead actress really has to be someone special. She is.
Vera Drake (Imelda Staunton) works as a maid for wealthier families. She is exceedingly friendly and everyone seems to like her. Another character calls her a busybody and she is, but she is also the kindest lady anyone is ever going to meet. Her whole life is cheerfully serving other people and she is happy with who she is. We meet her family and there is a certain amount of dysfunction, but the family is very close. This is the first fifteen minutes or so of the film, and then we get the first shot of Vera's other life. She goes down a dark alley and knocks on a door. She is let in by a young woman and led down a dark hallway where Vera reassures that young woman and "helps her out" because she "is in trouble". Free of charge, but with crude (though relatively humane) instruments, Vera helps induce a miscarriage.
To reveal more about the movie's plot would do a disservice to the film. It is a very low-key affair but with each passing minute I was more and more impressed with the work of Imelda Staunton. The character of Vera Drake initially seems to be something of a simpleton, but as we learn more we see that she is a good hearted woman doing something daring and as she sees it, necessary. Staunton is able to tell a story just in the natural facial expressions that Vera has as she reacts to situations, and in several critical scenes her face really does move the film and the viewer. These are instances of acting without moving and it really is impressive to watch. During the first twenty minutes or so I was really struggling to find any sort of interest in this movie, but after that I was completely sold on the story and the performances and bought into what was on screen. Excellent movie, with a standout performance from Staunton.
Vera Drake (Imelda Staunton) works as a maid for wealthier families. She is exceedingly friendly and everyone seems to like her. Another character calls her a busybody and she is, but she is also the kindest lady anyone is ever going to meet. Her whole life is cheerfully serving other people and she is happy with who she is. We meet her family and there is a certain amount of dysfunction, but the family is very close. This is the first fifteen minutes or so of the film, and then we get the first shot of Vera's other life. She goes down a dark alley and knocks on a door. She is let in by a young woman and led down a dark hallway where Vera reassures that young woman and "helps her out" because she "is in trouble". Free of charge, but with crude (though relatively humane) instruments, Vera helps induce a miscarriage.
To reveal more about the movie's plot would do a disservice to the film. It is a very low-key affair but with each passing minute I was more and more impressed with the work of Imelda Staunton. The character of Vera Drake initially seems to be something of a simpleton, but as we learn more we see that she is a good hearted woman doing something daring and as she sees it, necessary. Staunton is able to tell a story just in the natural facial expressions that Vera has as she reacts to situations, and in several critical scenes her face really does move the film and the viewer. These are instances of acting without moving and it really is impressive to watch. During the first twenty minutes or so I was really struggling to find any sort of interest in this movie, but after that I was completely sold on the story and the performances and bought into what was on screen. Excellent movie, with a standout performance from Staunton.
Friday, September 02, 2005
Celebrity Death Match: Malcolm Gladwell vs Steven Levitt
I would like to propose a Celebrity Death Match. I would like Malcolm Gladwell to square off against Steven Levitt. Gladwell has written The Tipping Point and Blink. Levitt is the author of Freakonomics.
Why do I want these two intellectuals to face off in the squared circle? Well, it's because both are very popular authors right now with non-fiction books that have sparked quite a bit of interest and in one instance they disagree with each other.
See, in The Tipping Point Malcolm Gladwell writes about how the big crime wave of the 80's in New York City was turned around by new police tactics focusing on smaller crime which managed to start eliminating larger crime. Like not paying the fares of the subway and letting the subway cars be vandalized. Gladwell explains it better. Read the book, it's good.
But Levitt disagrees and his big theory is that it is abortion that helped reverse the crime wave of the young criminals because when abortion was legalized it was the young, poor women who were more likely to get an abortion and it was those children who came from broken homes and a poor economic future that were more likely to become the criminals of today. Levitt even talks about NYC and how the same reversal of the crime trends were happening in other cities which did not use the new tactics and that the reversal was no greater in New York than it was in other cities.
Well, who is right?
In my view we are going to have to go back to the olden days where to men would fight out a point of contention and the winner is clearly in the right and favored by God.
Seems fair, doesn't it?
Oh, go read the books.
Why do I want these two intellectuals to face off in the squared circle? Well, it's because both are very popular authors right now with non-fiction books that have sparked quite a bit of interest and in one instance they disagree with each other.
See, in The Tipping Point Malcolm Gladwell writes about how the big crime wave of the 80's in New York City was turned around by new police tactics focusing on smaller crime which managed to start eliminating larger crime. Like not paying the fares of the subway and letting the subway cars be vandalized. Gladwell explains it better. Read the book, it's good.
But Levitt disagrees and his big theory is that it is abortion that helped reverse the crime wave of the young criminals because when abortion was legalized it was the young, poor women who were more likely to get an abortion and it was those children who came from broken homes and a poor economic future that were more likely to become the criminals of today. Levitt even talks about NYC and how the same reversal of the crime trends were happening in other cities which did not use the new tactics and that the reversal was no greater in New York than it was in other cities.
Well, who is right?
In my view we are going to have to go back to the olden days where to men would fight out a point of contention and the winner is clearly in the right and favored by God.
Seems fair, doesn't it?
Oh, go read the books.
Thursday, September 01, 2005
The Hard Goodbye
A co-worker lent me his copy of The Hard Goodbye, by Frank Miller. This graphic novel is one of the books that formed the basis of the recent movie Sin City. The Hard Goodbye follows Marv (the Mickey Rourke character) through his storyline to find the killer of Goldie, the prostitute who was "kind" to him.
I thought the movie was decent, but visually stunning. I loved the daring of the director in putting this on screen and the sheer creativity to bring the visuals to life. It is such a dark, stylish, old fashioned pulp hard boiled novel of a film told with three different storylines.
Reading the book I found it amazing how faithful the movie was. Very, very faithful. Much of the film's dialogue was lifted directly from the page and even more surprising, so was many of the images. Directly.
This is the first volume of seven and what I thought was lacking on screen comes off far better on the page. I can see why Robert Rodriguez wanted to make a movie of Sin City and why the actors would be a part of it.
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
The Fall Television Schedule
There are certain shows that I will be watching again this fall. Some are returning, others are new and i hope they don't suck. A couple look really intiguing.
ABC:
Invasion: This is probably the one show I am most interested in. Why? Alien invasion, of course. What else would I be watching? CBS already cancelled Joan of Arcadia. There are lights in the sky and suddenly some people are acting a little weird. Might the aliens have taken over the bodies of citizens? This is the kind of crap that I like. Might this stink? Yep.
Lost: A very well regarded show and one of the "breakouts" from last season. I like the idea of it, and it is often fascinating. I don't love it, though. There is something about the execution that isn't quite clicking inside me. Still, I really want to know what's going on with that damn island.
Alias: I won't be watching this. Not because I don't like the show, but because I have only seen the first two seasons on DVD. This reminds me I should Netflix season 3 pretty soon. I mention it because I really, really like this show.
Commander in Chief: Yeah, I know. Geena Davis as President. Get Joan Allen and I'm sold. On one hand, I don't think this show will be as successful as The West Wing. On the other, I just read yesterday that it was created by Rob Lurie, the guy who also wrote and directed the vastly underrated The Contender. He wrote and directed the pilot episode here. If Lurie has creative control, this show could be a real sleeper. Maybe. I don't even know if I'll really give this one a shot, maybe just the pilot episode.
CBS:
The Amazing Race: Whoa! There are too many people! This season is the one where each team is a family of four rather than a team of two. I had a hard enough time keeping track of who was who on previous seasons (all the models seem to look alike to me), and now I have families to deal with? With kids? Ugh. Points to the Race creators from trying something to keep from getting stale, but I don't know about this. I'm already looking forward to Season 9 when they go back to two person teams.
That's it for CBS. They cancelled Joan of Arcadia and that was the only other show of theirs that I wanted to see. Yes, I'm still slightly bitter about that. The fact that they replaced it with The Ghost Whisperer starring Jennifer "Give me a job, any job" Love Hewitt doesn't help matters. Bring back Amber Tamblyn and the rest of the cast!!
NBC:
My Name is Earl: Two words: Jason Lee. The man has never failed to entertain me and surely he can take such a ridiculous idea as a man trying to right every wrong he has ever done in his life and make it work. The only reason I'm going to give this show a shot, though, is Jason Lee. Bonus: it co-stars Ethan Suplee.
The E-Ring: I'm positive this is going to stink. I'd rather watch Commander in Chief. And yet...a show about conflicts inside the Pentagon seems a little intriguing. You heard it here first, this is still going to stink. Will I watch it? I don't know. Probably not.
Nothing much for NBC. I still haven't seen an episode of The West Wing, though I'm sure I'll hit the point where I fly through every episode on Netflix. The rest? Nah.
Fox:
Reunion: This the one that has the most potential to be something I want to see. Every episode the cast of characters ages a year, so everything is a year later. This could stink, but it could be really good.
Prison Break: Yeah, this could be the big show of the year. I'll probably catch it on DVD because right now I'm not willing to make the commitment for this show.
ABC:
Invasion: This is probably the one show I am most interested in. Why? Alien invasion, of course. What else would I be watching? CBS already cancelled Joan of Arcadia. There are lights in the sky and suddenly some people are acting a little weird. Might the aliens have taken over the bodies of citizens? This is the kind of crap that I like. Might this stink? Yep.
Lost: A very well regarded show and one of the "breakouts" from last season. I like the idea of it, and it is often fascinating. I don't love it, though. There is something about the execution that isn't quite clicking inside me. Still, I really want to know what's going on with that damn island.
Alias: I won't be watching this. Not because I don't like the show, but because I have only seen the first two seasons on DVD. This reminds me I should Netflix season 3 pretty soon. I mention it because I really, really like this show.
Commander in Chief: Yeah, I know. Geena Davis as President. Get Joan Allen and I'm sold. On one hand, I don't think this show will be as successful as The West Wing. On the other, I just read yesterday that it was created by Rob Lurie, the guy who also wrote and directed the vastly underrated The Contender. He wrote and directed the pilot episode here. If Lurie has creative control, this show could be a real sleeper. Maybe. I don't even know if I'll really give this one a shot, maybe just the pilot episode.
CBS:
The Amazing Race: Whoa! There are too many people! This season is the one where each team is a family of four rather than a team of two. I had a hard enough time keeping track of who was who on previous seasons (all the models seem to look alike to me), and now I have families to deal with? With kids? Ugh. Points to the Race creators from trying something to keep from getting stale, but I don't know about this. I'm already looking forward to Season 9 when they go back to two person teams.
That's it for CBS. They cancelled Joan of Arcadia and that was the only other show of theirs that I wanted to see. Yes, I'm still slightly bitter about that. The fact that they replaced it with The Ghost Whisperer starring Jennifer "Give me a job, any job" Love Hewitt doesn't help matters. Bring back Amber Tamblyn and the rest of the cast!!
NBC:
My Name is Earl: Two words: Jason Lee. The man has never failed to entertain me and surely he can take such a ridiculous idea as a man trying to right every wrong he has ever done in his life and make it work. The only reason I'm going to give this show a shot, though, is Jason Lee. Bonus: it co-stars Ethan Suplee.
The E-Ring: I'm positive this is going to stink. I'd rather watch Commander in Chief. And yet...a show about conflicts inside the Pentagon seems a little intriguing. You heard it here first, this is still going to stink. Will I watch it? I don't know. Probably not.
Nothing much for NBC. I still haven't seen an episode of The West Wing, though I'm sure I'll hit the point where I fly through every episode on Netflix. The rest? Nah.
Fox:
Reunion: This the one that has the most potential to be something I want to see. Every episode the cast of characters ages a year, so everything is a year later. This could stink, but it could be really good.
Prison Break: Yeah, this could be the big show of the year. I'll probably catch it on DVD because right now I'm not willing to make the commitment for this show.
Monday, August 29, 2005
why doesn't this show make sense?
The 4400 could be such a good show. All the pieces are in place. The first season was relatively perfect. I'm not saying it was flawless or as good as 24 or the X-Files, but the way the 6 episodes of the first season were executed it worked perfectly.
The first season introduced the idea that over the past century there have been these abductions. There is a white light and everything points to some sort of alien abduction. That is what we are programmed to believe with the lore of alien abduction and Area 51 and everything. But they are all returned at once. All 4400 of them from all across the world. They are all returned in one place. They are returned at the same age they were when they left, even though the world has kept turning. Why? Who took them? Who returned them? When the 4400 are carefully released back into the world it seems that some of them have come back with special powers. We see in each episode as a different returnee is profiled and how there is a ripple effect of that person's life is able to make the world a better place in some way. Then at the end of the season we learn that the 4400 were returned not by aliens but by humans from our own bleak future and the 4400 is to help alter that future. Bang, season ends.
When the second season started I had high hopes. I want to know where do they go from here. There were interesting things going on, like with the 4400 Center, Jordan Collier, some abilities, and the hint that there is something more going on, but the episodes didn't seem to connect to anything. The first third to half of the season was fine as they were building something with Jordan, but after that everything fell apart. It is as if the series lost focus and tried to fit too little into too many episodes.
I think the season would have worked far better as another 6 episode mini and work only with the primary storyline and keep much of the side stuff offscreen. Every now and then there was just enough hint and just enough revelation that I'm riveted to the screen, and then things don't make any sense again and there is no clue where the writers are going with this and no clue that the writers actually know except that they must be watching Passions to get tips on how to execute this.
And then the season ends with another something that makes me want to watch the third season in the hopes that the writers are able to tighten things up. I'm confident the series will be renewed. It's not like USA has anything better to air. Just, please, deliver on the promise of the show. This really could be one of the best things on tv right now. Running it during the summer off-season only helps. But deliver the product that this program could be!
Please. I want good science fiction on my television. And this is told in such a manner that the sci-fi doesn't overwhelm the human element (my wife watches with me, that should say something), so it is accessible to more than the sci-fi fans, but the show really needs to deliver.
The first season introduced the idea that over the past century there have been these abductions. There is a white light and everything points to some sort of alien abduction. That is what we are programmed to believe with the lore of alien abduction and Area 51 and everything. But they are all returned at once. All 4400 of them from all across the world. They are all returned in one place. They are returned at the same age they were when they left, even though the world has kept turning. Why? Who took them? Who returned them? When the 4400 are carefully released back into the world it seems that some of them have come back with special powers. We see in each episode as a different returnee is profiled and how there is a ripple effect of that person's life is able to make the world a better place in some way. Then at the end of the season we learn that the 4400 were returned not by aliens but by humans from our own bleak future and the 4400 is to help alter that future. Bang, season ends.
When the second season started I had high hopes. I want to know where do they go from here. There were interesting things going on, like with the 4400 Center, Jordan Collier, some abilities, and the hint that there is something more going on, but the episodes didn't seem to connect to anything. The first third to half of the season was fine as they were building something with Jordan, but after that everything fell apart. It is as if the series lost focus and tried to fit too little into too many episodes.
I think the season would have worked far better as another 6 episode mini and work only with the primary storyline and keep much of the side stuff offscreen. Every now and then there was just enough hint and just enough revelation that I'm riveted to the screen, and then things don't make any sense again and there is no clue where the writers are going with this and no clue that the writers actually know except that they must be watching Passions to get tips on how to execute this.
And then the season ends with another something that makes me want to watch the third season in the hopes that the writers are able to tighten things up. I'm confident the series will be renewed. It's not like USA has anything better to air. Just, please, deliver on the promise of the show. This really could be one of the best things on tv right now. Running it during the summer off-season only helps. But deliver the product that this program could be!
Please. I want good science fiction on my television. And this is told in such a manner that the sci-fi doesn't overwhelm the human element (my wife watches with me, that should say something), so it is accessible to more than the sci-fi fans, but the show really needs to deliver.
Deadhouse Gates
I don't know exactly what to say about Deadhouse Gates. Steven Erikson is continuing to create an incredibly deep world in his Malazan Book of the Fallen series, and there is such a wealth of history and intrigue and tension just brimming under the surface of the novel that you can feel it. It's there and just waiting to bubble out. 
The odd thing is that it seldom bubbles out.
There is much that is good here. The story is told in several parts, and the one with Duiker the Imperial Historian is probably the best as he follows the Seventh Army and the barbarian Fist commander Coltaine. There are several other storylines in place here, and only two of them directly continue those that were introduced in Gardens of the Moon. The stories are related, and as the series continue I imagine we'll see more and more intertwine as Erikson builds to something really grand.
I like the book. I like the series. I want to read the next volume. I'm just not as enamored of this series as I should be. There is so much under the surface that I wish Erikson would let more out. There are flashes of amazement as Erikson reveals something that changes how you view the characters and the world, and without question, he knows how to end a book. This one left me stunned.
But I really hope that the future revelations will be worth it because as good as Erikson is, I'm concerned the hints will be better than the reveal.
Still, for the potential Erikson is showing: I'm going for book 3.
The odd thing is that it seldom bubbles out. There is much that is good here. The story is told in several parts, and the one with Duiker the Imperial Historian is probably the best as he follows the Seventh Army and the barbarian Fist commander Coltaine. There are several other storylines in place here, and only two of them directly continue those that were introduced in Gardens of the Moon. The stories are related, and as the series continue I imagine we'll see more and more intertwine as Erikson builds to something really grand.
I like the book. I like the series. I want to read the next volume. I'm just not as enamored of this series as I should be. There is so much under the surface that I wish Erikson would let more out. There are flashes of amazement as Erikson reveals something that changes how you view the characters and the world, and without question, he knows how to end a book. This one left me stunned.
But I really hope that the future revelations will be worth it because as good as Erikson is, I'm concerned the hints will be better than the reveal.
Still, for the potential Erikson is showing: I'm going for book 3.
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
I'm excited for the New Robert Jordan novel
I'm a sucker for an extremely positive review. I really am. It's been several years since Jordan released The Crossroads of Twilight, and while I enjoyed it because I like getting to step into that world, it was a let down after the incredibly strong ending of Winter's Heart. That book ended with something that blew me away, but Crossroads spent 3/4 of the book getting every secondary character up to that event. A little frustrating because we know what is happening even if every other character does not.
So, a couple of years later and my excitement for the series has been tempered through time and reflective disappointment. That's gone now and I'm really excited for the new book. Why? The review I linked above. A paragraph like this builds my interest:
Big stuff is happening in the Wheel of Time, and if Jordan can finish of this book and the next (and thus the series) with the bang we're being promised...the faith of many readers will be restored and the series will potentially be elevated as one of the great ones and the weaker middle books will be just that "Well, it slowed down a bit in books 6-8, and 10, but it closed out with a bang!". One can hope.
But...does Jordan answer the Ultimate Question?
Who killed Asmodean?
So, a couple of years later and my excitement for the series has been tempered through time and reflective disappointment. That's gone now and I'm really excited for the new book. Why? The review I linked above. A paragraph like this builds my interest:
I was surprised when the first plot thread was completed. I thought to myself, "Will I ever read about this person again? Could it actually be possible that I've read their entire story now?" I stopped thinking that to myself by the time Jordan wrapped up his 4th or 5th plot line. Then more story lines got wrapped up, at least to the extent where I don't need to hear about a certain character again without feeling cheated. All of the major plot lines advance. Some are completed. (Have fun with that statement on the message boards). Lots of smaller plot lines are resolved or brought near conclusion. I haven't done a full count, but a few days after the book's released I'm sure every website will have a tally going.and these lines
This book contains more death and dying than any other WoT novel. Talk about a body count! Not to mention a lot of answers to questions we've been asking for a while.. What this means for me is that the series is going somewhere. It's going to end and we can see Jordan taking us to the end. There is storyline progression, something that feels lacking in the past several books (except for the major event of Book 9).
Big stuff is happening in the Wheel of Time, and if Jordan can finish of this book and the next (and thus the series) with the bang we're being promised...the faith of many readers will be restored and the series will potentially be elevated as one of the great ones and the weaker middle books will be just that "Well, it slowed down a bit in books 6-8, and 10, but it closed out with a bang!". One can hope.
But...does Jordan answer the Ultimate Question?
Who killed Asmodean?
more fall books to read
With the library system down online this week for new software to be installed it is a little hard to remember what books I was looking forward to because I didn't have them on my "to read" list, I just had them on hold. But reading an article on CNN I was reminded of a couple and also I acquired some new additions. So:
On Beauty - Zadie Smith
Shalimar the Clown - Salman Rushdie
Christ the Lord - Anne Rice (I don't know that this is necessarily going to be good, but I'm very interested to read what she does with this. Assuming Jesus doesn't turn into a Vampire, we might be surprised here)
One Bullet Away - Nathaniel Fick
My War: Killing Time in Iraq - Colby Buzzell
All Rivers Flow to the Sea - Alison McGhee (I wish this was an adult novel, rather than young adult, but McGhee is a favorite author of mine)
On Beauty - Zadie Smith
Shalimar the Clown - Salman Rushdie
Christ the Lord - Anne Rice (I don't know that this is necessarily going to be good, but I'm very interested to read what she does with this. Assuming Jesus doesn't turn into a Vampire, we might be surprised here)
One Bullet Away - Nathaniel Fick
My War: Killing Time in Iraq - Colby Buzzell
All Rivers Flow to the Sea - Alison McGhee (I wish this was an adult novel, rather than young adult, but McGhee is a favorite author of mine)
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
the fall semester
There is only one cd coming out this fall that appears to be interesting enough and good enough that I intend on going to the store and buying it: Fiona Apple's long awaited Extraordinary Machine. The cd will be released on October 4 and it's been six years since she released When the Pawn... Apple has long been a favorite of mine, I've seen her in concert and I really like both of her albums. I've just been so apathetic about buying and listening to music lately that I didn't even buy the new Tori Amos album that came out this summer. At one point that would be unthinkable as she has long been my favorite artist, though I think she's taken a backseat to Jennifer Knapp, and I haven't replaced the stolen copy of A Diamond in the Rough: The Jennifer Knapp Collection, and this is also odd since I have one of the song testimonials in the liner notes.
Books: The only book I actually plan on buying this fall is the new George Martin book: A Feast for Crows. Possibly the new Louise Erdrich novel The Painted Drum, depending on how I'm feeling and how much spare cash I have. Otherwise it will be a lot of library books as usual, which is fine. I still read an absurd amount of books, I just can't buy them all anymore. It's real life.
Robert Jordan is releasing the new Wheel of Time novel: Knife of Dreams. Terry Brooks is releasing Straken, which concludes yet another Shannara trilogy. Christopher Paolini has the new volume Eldest, which is the sequel to his bestselling Eragon. Eragon showed some promise (considering he was 15 when he wrote it), but Eldest has been rather poorly reviewed from what i've seen, so I can only hope it is a couple of bad reviews that I've read. I'm nervous that it really will be kind of bad. I'm geekish enough to admit that I'm looking forward to James Luceno's Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader. There should be some nice Jedi Purge going on in that book plus some Palpatine/Vader interaction. There is, of course, and endless amount of books that are just coming out, have already come out, or are years old that I want to read, so I'll just highlight Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men as another I'd like to read.
There are always a bounty of movies to see, even in a dry season. This fall looks to be no different, if only I can make it back to the theatre.
September: The Constant Gardener, The Exorcism of Emily Rose (this one will either be a horror classic or it was be horrible, I don't know if there is middle ground), An Unfinished Life, Proof, Corpse Bride (this is another feast or famine movie), and I'm only listing this last movie because it stars Jodie Foster and we really need more Jodie Foster movies: Flightplan. I just wish it looked better.
October: In Her Shoes (but only because it is directed by Curtis Hanson), Elizabethtown. Wow. Is that all? Okay, here are a couple that could be good: Domino, North Country, and Goodnight, and Good Luck
November: Jarhead, The New World, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Walk the Line, Syriana, and a big ol "why the hell not?" for Rent. I have no expectations for Rent. Maybe I'll be surprised.
Books: The only book I actually plan on buying this fall is the new George Martin book: A Feast for Crows. Possibly the new Louise Erdrich novel The Painted Drum, depending on how I'm feeling and how much spare cash I have. Otherwise it will be a lot of library books as usual, which is fine. I still read an absurd amount of books, I just can't buy them all anymore. It's real life.
Robert Jordan is releasing the new Wheel of Time novel: Knife of Dreams. Terry Brooks is releasing Straken, which concludes yet another Shannara trilogy. Christopher Paolini has the new volume Eldest, which is the sequel to his bestselling Eragon. Eragon showed some promise (considering he was 15 when he wrote it), but Eldest has been rather poorly reviewed from what i've seen, so I can only hope it is a couple of bad reviews that I've read. I'm nervous that it really will be kind of bad. I'm geekish enough to admit that I'm looking forward to James Luceno's Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader. There should be some nice Jedi Purge going on in that book plus some Palpatine/Vader interaction. There is, of course, and endless amount of books that are just coming out, have already come out, or are years old that I want to read, so I'll just highlight Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men as another I'd like to read.
There are always a bounty of movies to see, even in a dry season. This fall looks to be no different, if only I can make it back to the theatre.
September: The Constant Gardener, The Exorcism of Emily Rose (this one will either be a horror classic or it was be horrible, I don't know if there is middle ground), An Unfinished Life, Proof, Corpse Bride (this is another feast or famine movie), and I'm only listing this last movie because it stars Jodie Foster and we really need more Jodie Foster movies: Flightplan. I just wish it looked better.
October: In Her Shoes (but only because it is directed by Curtis Hanson), Elizabethtown. Wow. Is that all? Okay, here are a couple that could be good: Domino, North Country, and Goodnight, and Good Luck
November: Jarhead, The New World, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Walk the Line, Syriana, and a big ol "why the hell not?" for Rent. I have no expectations for Rent. Maybe I'll be surprised.
Friday, August 19, 2005
The World of Marathons
Sandy Treadwell's book "The World of Marathons" tries to capture exactly what the reader would expect from the title: the emergence of major marathons all across the globe. While there are blurbs on the back cover from elite marathoners and a forward by Fred Lebow (race director of the NYC Marathon), the coverage of each marathon is not necessarily from the elite perspective, but rather a bit from a mid-packers. How exactly a mid-packer is defined is up to interpretation, but the focus of this book is not for a Bill Rodgers (though he did blurb the book), or, to use a more modern example, a Deana Kastor or Paula Radcliffe.
"The World of Marathons" gives a moderately detailed description of worldwide marathons. Each marathon gets its own small chapter, which includes a couple of color photographs, a course map, and race details, as well as text which covers a little bit of the race history and what the particular marathon is like. The text covers details such as crowd support, things eccentric to that marathon (free beer at one), and attempts to give a sense of the marathon. Some marathons included are: NYC, Chicago, London, Paris, Venice, Moscow, and others (including an African marathon, I believe). In general, this book only covers the big, major marathons in various countries and while some of the marathons may be rather small they are important for the country and gives a sense of how other parts of the world are trying to organize a marathon.
The primary drawback to this book is simply its age. Published in 1987, much of the information is out of date. If I was planning a trip to a foreign marathon right now, I could not trust the information included in this book. What is the Stockholm Marathon isn't run anymore? What if the organization is now poor, or that the field has shrunk by several thousand? The book just feels very dated.
On one hand this is a fairly interesting book and it gives a nice overview of some marathons across the world as well as some inside America, but on the other hand the book tries to give the impression that it is topical and has up to date information. At one point it did, but it has been nearly twenty years since publication. An American marathon hopeful will also not likely find this book very helpful because the focus is mostly on foreign marathons.
I can't really recommend this book because while it does give a nice overview of worldwide marathons, the information is twenty years old and many things about any one (or more) of the marathons may have changed and some may even no longer be running. It is a coffee table sized book and in that respect the book is okay. Just don't go into it looking for current information.
"The World of Marathons" gives a moderately detailed description of worldwide marathons. Each marathon gets its own small chapter, which includes a couple of color photographs, a course map, and race details, as well as text which covers a little bit of the race history and what the particular marathon is like. The text covers details such as crowd support, things eccentric to that marathon (free beer at one), and attempts to give a sense of the marathon. Some marathons included are: NYC, Chicago, London, Paris, Venice, Moscow, and others (including an African marathon, I believe). In general, this book only covers the big, major marathons in various countries and while some of the marathons may be rather small they are important for the country and gives a sense of how other parts of the world are trying to organize a marathon.
The primary drawback to this book is simply its age. Published in 1987, much of the information is out of date. If I was planning a trip to a foreign marathon right now, I could not trust the information included in this book. What is the Stockholm Marathon isn't run anymore? What if the organization is now poor, or that the field has shrunk by several thousand? The book just feels very dated.
On one hand this is a fairly interesting book and it gives a nice overview of some marathons across the world as well as some inside America, but on the other hand the book tries to give the impression that it is topical and has up to date information. At one point it did, but it has been nearly twenty years since publication. An American marathon hopeful will also not likely find this book very helpful because the focus is mostly on foreign marathons.
I can't really recommend this book because while it does give a nice overview of worldwide marathons, the information is twenty years old and many things about any one (or more) of the marathons may have changed and some may even no longer be running. It is a coffee table sized book and in that respect the book is okay. Just don't go into it looking for current information.
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Olympos
With "Olympos" Dan Simmons brings to a close the two book epic he began in 2003 with "Ilium". Simmons picks up the various plot threads that he weaved together in "Ilium" and once again pushes them apart in vastly different directions. At the start of the novel we know that the story takes place thousands of years in the future where evolved humans, or "post-humans", have left Earth and set themselves up as Greek Gods on Mars. Mars has been terra-formed to reflect the climate and topography of ancient Greece where the Trojan Wars have been taking place with, for a time, an almost perfect match of Homer's "Iliad". Back on Earth the "old style humans" were discovering who they are and a few have learned that they are about to begin a fight for their very survival. Meanwhile, there are moravecs (robots with a human core) traveling the galaxy to Mars to find out what is going on with the planet. This brings us to the start of "Olympos" where a Thomas Hockenberry, a scholar from the 20th Century has been recreated as an observer to the new Trojan Wars has managed to alter the course of history and the future. Now the gods war amongst themselves.
The story of Olympos is three-fold (at least), but when you boil the plot elements to their most basic form, each storyline is essentially the same. The moravecs are striving to stop the universe from unraveling because of all of the messing with quantum technology to terraform Mars and to make the post-humans into gods. The old-style humans are fighting for their own survival against a race of monsters which have awaken from their slumber. Hockenberry is trying to save the Greeks (the new, old greeks) and himself while helping the moravecs. Achilles is trying to save his love and return her to life. Essentially, everyone is trying to save something and even though the paths split once again in "Olympos", Dan Simmons manages to tie them all together again in the end.
If the brief description here of the plot is confusing, it should be. "Ilium" almost absolutely has to have been read first for "Olympos" to make any kind of sense. Even with "Ilium" read, "Olympos" is a fairly confusing novel. Simmons takes the story to very unexpected places and at times I think that Simmons might be reaching a little too far. He has very interesting ideas about alternative universes, history, and he has created very real characters to inhabit this world (or series of worlds). But there are some pretty wild jumps that Simmons makes here, and at times it is difficult to follow all of the jumps and accept them. My only actual complaint, however, is that the ending felt rushed. Imagine that, after 1200 pages and two books the ending felt rush. "Olympos" was build, build, build and then "oh yeah, we're done, wrap everything up!".
The complaint about the ending is very minor, however. What matters is the journey. What matters is that for nearly 700 pages of "Olympos" I was completely wrapped up in the story and Simmons did a masterful job describing the action and the history and how things connect. Granted, I feel Simmons did a better job of this with "Ilium", but there was no feeling at all of a let-down except for the ending and the rest of the book was so good that it overshadowed the ending.
Reading "Ilium" and "Olympos" is a serious time investment, but for a speculative fiction or fantasy reader, it is one well worth making. These books could use a prequel or a sequel, however, because there are a lot of questions that Simmons did not really explore.
The story of Olympos is three-fold (at least), but when you boil the plot elements to their most basic form, each storyline is essentially the same. The moravecs are striving to stop the universe from unraveling because of all of the messing with quantum technology to terraform Mars and to make the post-humans into gods. The old-style humans are fighting for their own survival against a race of monsters which have awaken from their slumber. Hockenberry is trying to save the Greeks (the new, old greeks) and himself while helping the moravecs. Achilles is trying to save his love and return her to life. Essentially, everyone is trying to save something and even though the paths split once again in "Olympos", Dan Simmons manages to tie them all together again in the end.
If the brief description here of the plot is confusing, it should be. "Ilium" almost absolutely has to have been read first for "Olympos" to make any kind of sense. Even with "Ilium" read, "Olympos" is a fairly confusing novel. Simmons takes the story to very unexpected places and at times I think that Simmons might be reaching a little too far. He has very interesting ideas about alternative universes, history, and he has created very real characters to inhabit this world (or series of worlds). But there are some pretty wild jumps that Simmons makes here, and at times it is difficult to follow all of the jumps and accept them. My only actual complaint, however, is that the ending felt rushed. Imagine that, after 1200 pages and two books the ending felt rush. "Olympos" was build, build, build and then "oh yeah, we're done, wrap everything up!".
The complaint about the ending is very minor, however. What matters is the journey. What matters is that for nearly 700 pages of "Olympos" I was completely wrapped up in the story and Simmons did a masterful job describing the action and the history and how things connect. Granted, I feel Simmons did a better job of this with "Ilium", but there was no feeling at all of a let-down except for the ending and the rest of the book was so good that it overshadowed the ending.
Reading "Ilium" and "Olympos" is a serious time investment, but for a speculative fiction or fantasy reader, it is one well worth making. These books could use a prequel or a sequel, however, because there are a lot of questions that Simmons did not really explore.
Monday, August 15, 2005
Prozac Nation (movie)
I first read Elizabeth Wurtzel's memoir "Prozac Nation" when I was in college and I was transfixed. The force of Wurtzel's personality and the passion in which she wrote honestly jumped off the page as she described her fight with depression and how she acted out and ultimately how Prozac helped her regain control of herself. Since Wurtzel grew up in the 80's, Prozac was not yet the common medication that it currently is, and was only just beginning to be described. I believe I first saw a preview for the film version of "Prozac Nation" when I was in college and I do know that I've been looking for a release of the movie for at least four years now. The film never caught a theatrical release, was only recently shunted off to a cable premiere, and is now out on DVD. Honestly, what took so long?
Elizabeth (Christina Ricci) is about to enroll at Harvard University as a freshman. She has a journalism scholarship. From the start it is clear that she is somewhat depressed and that she doesn't seem to fit in with the crowds. She says as much during her opening narration. It is also quite clear that her mother (Jessica Lange) is somewhat nuts and certainly oblivious to her daughter's pain. Perhaps it is not that her mother is oblivious, but is purposefully trying to ignore the issue in the hopes that it is suddenly "all better" and that it'll go away. Elizabeth finds solace in her friendship with her new roommate Ruby (Michelle Williams) as the initially seem to be a perfect fit. She even meets a guy (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers) whom she falls for.
Everything seems to be perfect, but considering the source material, the title "Prozac Nation", and that there wouldn't be much of a movie if nothing went wrong, something has to change. What changes is that Elizabeth is unable to deal with the pressures of life. The stress of school, her journalism, her relationship, her friendship, her mother, her father, and everything else seems to crash down upon her and Elizabeth more than anyone else starts to unconsciously and unthinkingly sabotage herself.
"Prozac Nation" never did receive very much critical acclaim, so this isn't a story about the little movie that could. The reviews have been mostly negative, scoring a 29% positive on the Tomatometer (at the time of this review). "Prozac Nation" isn't that bad. It lacks the searing performance of Angelina Jolie in "Girl, Interrupted", but it isn't that kind of movie. Ricci is given something to work with in this movie and does a good job with the role of Elizabeth Wurtzel. She seems to nail the depression and alienation quite well, though I think the screenwriter didn't quite round the character off as well making Elizabeth a little shrill and not quite as sympathetic as she could have been. Then again, maybe that really is Wurtzel. The best performance of the film, however, goes to Michelle Williams, as Ruby. Ruby is entirely human and warm and believable as a friend and roommate who becomes frustrated by Elizabeth. It's been several years since she played this role, but I hope it helps to find Williams some quality parts. This film is directed by Erik Skjoldbjaerg (the original "Insomnia", not the American remake).
This isn't the best film you will run across, but it is far from the worst and I found myself enjoying the performances of Christina Ricci, Michelle Williams, and even Jason Biggs (yes, he's in it, too). Biggs is very restrained here and far from his "American Pie" days. If the story itself sounds interesting or Christina Ricci is an actress you would like to see more of, then this is worth seeing.
Grade: C+/B-
Elizabeth (Christina Ricci) is about to enroll at Harvard University as a freshman. She has a journalism scholarship. From the start it is clear that she is somewhat depressed and that she doesn't seem to fit in with the crowds. She says as much during her opening narration. It is also quite clear that her mother (Jessica Lange) is somewhat nuts and certainly oblivious to her daughter's pain. Perhaps it is not that her mother is oblivious, but is purposefully trying to ignore the issue in the hopes that it is suddenly "all better" and that it'll go away. Elizabeth finds solace in her friendship with her new roommate Ruby (Michelle Williams) as the initially seem to be a perfect fit. She even meets a guy (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers) whom she falls for.
Everything seems to be perfect, but considering the source material, the title "Prozac Nation", and that there wouldn't be much of a movie if nothing went wrong, something has to change. What changes is that Elizabeth is unable to deal with the pressures of life. The stress of school, her journalism, her relationship, her friendship, her mother, her father, and everything else seems to crash down upon her and Elizabeth more than anyone else starts to unconsciously and unthinkingly sabotage herself.
"Prozac Nation" never did receive very much critical acclaim, so this isn't a story about the little movie that could. The reviews have been mostly negative, scoring a 29% positive on the Tomatometer (at the time of this review). "Prozac Nation" isn't that bad. It lacks the searing performance of Angelina Jolie in "Girl, Interrupted", but it isn't that kind of movie. Ricci is given something to work with in this movie and does a good job with the role of Elizabeth Wurtzel. She seems to nail the depression and alienation quite well, though I think the screenwriter didn't quite round the character off as well making Elizabeth a little shrill and not quite as sympathetic as she could have been. Then again, maybe that really is Wurtzel. The best performance of the film, however, goes to Michelle Williams, as Ruby. Ruby is entirely human and warm and believable as a friend and roommate who becomes frustrated by Elizabeth. It's been several years since she played this role, but I hope it helps to find Williams some quality parts. This film is directed by Erik Skjoldbjaerg (the original "Insomnia", not the American remake).
This isn't the best film you will run across, but it is far from the worst and I found myself enjoying the performances of Christina Ricci, Michelle Williams, and even Jason Biggs (yes, he's in it, too). Biggs is very restrained here and far from his "American Pie" days. If the story itself sounds interesting or Christina Ricci is an actress you would like to see more of, then this is worth seeing.
Grade: C+/B-
Saturday, August 13, 2005
Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo
You don’t go into theatre to see “Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo” and expect to see a modern classic of American Film. You go into a theatre to see the new “Deuce Bigalow” movie to see a dumb movie that may very well be funny. After all, Adam Sandler’s career was made on such movies, as was Jim Carrey’s. Rob Schneider, however, is neither Adam Sandler nor Jim Carrey. So while the dumb comedy genre has the potential to deliver big laughs, this movie doesn't. To be fair, I have seen “Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo” and it was surprisingly funny and far better than I expected. It offered a fairly ridiculous premise: Rob Schneider becomes a male prostitute. Right. That’s what I thought. And yet because of Schneider’s good nature and the absurd nature of his “clients”, the movie worked more often than it should have. In a place where a little went farther than it should have, Columbia Pictures decided to finance another “Deuce Bigalow” movie.
Here is the story so far: Deuce (Schneider) is still working as a fish expert, having given up the life of a gigolo when he married his wife Kate. Kate, unfortunately, was eaten by a shark two years ago because Deuce did not realize there was meat sauce on the lettuce he was feeding a sea turtle off of the coast of Mexico. Still with me? We open the movie with Deuce getting himself into a little bit of trouble because of two kids who are serious punks and mess with his research which causes a marine accident with some elderly blind people. When Deuce gets a phone call from his friend T.J. (Eddie Griffin) in Amsterdam, Deuce accepts the invitation to join T.J. and visit for a while. T.J. is living large as a pimp but is down on hard times (so to speak) because there is a murderer stalking the gigolos of the city. After stumbling upon a victim and somehow getting his friend implicated, Deuce decides to help T.J. discover who the real killer is by going back into business as a gigolo and investigating the crimes. Honestly, that is probably more than you need to know and it is as much as I can bear to tell about the story.
Like a “Police Academy” movie, the plot really does not matter one bit. It is an excuse to get our hero (hero?) from one situation to another and to drive the humor along. The real question should be: is this movie funny? The answer: No, not really. Much of the movie is rather stupid and parts that I think were supposed to be funny were not actually funny. Again, for the sake of honesty there were several parts that I laughed out loud at and several more that I quietly chuckled too myself. The laughs were few and far between and did not deliver nearly as much dumb humor as one would hope for. “Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo” was neither fun nor funny, and the only recommendation I can give is to stay away from this movie and instead watch nearly anything else, except perhaps, “Boat Trip”.
Grade: D
Here is the story so far: Deuce (Schneider) is still working as a fish expert, having given up the life of a gigolo when he married his wife Kate. Kate, unfortunately, was eaten by a shark two years ago because Deuce did not realize there was meat sauce on the lettuce he was feeding a sea turtle off of the coast of Mexico. Still with me? We open the movie with Deuce getting himself into a little bit of trouble because of two kids who are serious punks and mess with his research which causes a marine accident with some elderly blind people. When Deuce gets a phone call from his friend T.J. (Eddie Griffin) in Amsterdam, Deuce accepts the invitation to join T.J. and visit for a while. T.J. is living large as a pimp but is down on hard times (so to speak) because there is a murderer stalking the gigolos of the city. After stumbling upon a victim and somehow getting his friend implicated, Deuce decides to help T.J. discover who the real killer is by going back into business as a gigolo and investigating the crimes. Honestly, that is probably more than you need to know and it is as much as I can bear to tell about the story.
Like a “Police Academy” movie, the plot really does not matter one bit. It is an excuse to get our hero (hero?) from one situation to another and to drive the humor along. The real question should be: is this movie funny? The answer: No, not really. Much of the movie is rather stupid and parts that I think were supposed to be funny were not actually funny. Again, for the sake of honesty there were several parts that I laughed out loud at and several more that I quietly chuckled too myself. The laughs were few and far between and did not deliver nearly as much dumb humor as one would hope for. “Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo” was neither fun nor funny, and the only recommendation I can give is to stay away from this movie and instead watch nearly anything else, except perhaps, “Boat Trip”.
Grade: D
Friday, August 12, 2005
On Bullshit
On Bullshit is an interesting little volume. Written by Professor Harry G. Frankfurt, this is a 67 page work of philosophy examining what is bullshit and how it is used. This is probably a fairly understandable work of philosophy, but it is well thought out and occasionally funny. Considering the subject matter, the inherent humor should not be a surprise.
It is difficult for me to really absorb what Prof. Frankfurt is saying in this book and I imagine it would take several read throughs to really grasp the concepts. I say this knowing full well that if I was used to working my mind in a meaningful manner this would be much easier for me.
Then again, this is a 67 page book about bullshit.
Prof. Frankfurt has one of the great opening passages that I've read:
Several sentences later he writes
I want to read a book that opens like this.
It is difficult for me to really absorb what Prof. Frankfurt is saying in this book and I imagine it would take several read throughs to really grasp the concepts. I say this knowing full well that if I was used to working my mind in a meaningful manner this would be much easier for me.
Then again, this is a 67 page book about bullshit.
Prof. Frankfurt has one of the great opening passages that I've read:
One of the most salient features of our culture is that there is so much bullshit. Everyone knows this. Each of us contributes his share. But we tend to take the situation for granted.
Several sentences later he writes
In consequence, we have no clear understanding of what bullshit is, why there is so much of it, or what functions it serves. And we lack a conscientiously developed appreciation of what it means to us.
I want to read a book that opens like this.
Monday, August 08, 2005
World Track and Field Championships
While I haven't been to a movie theatre in more than a month I have been enjoying some decent television watching. Right now PAX TV is airing the World Track and Field Championships every day. Overall the coverage is decent, though it is only an hour a day. Sprints still get far too much coverage for my tastes and not enough distance. The 10k finals the other day only got the last three laps so all I knew is that Paula Radcliffe (marathon world record holder), who was trying to double up with the 10k and the marathon to help England, was in the back of the lead pack and struggling. I didn't get to see how she got there. Pooh on poor distance coverage.
I should feel lucky that all four laps of the 1500 were broadcast, but thus far only the heat with Alan Webb. Again, where were the other heats? What about the women's 800 heats (I saw one semifinal heat). I am guessing that I'll only get one heat of the 1500 semi's today, a brief bit of the men's 10k final, and if I'm very lucky some of the women's 3000 meter steeplechase. I question the coverage of the marathon on the 13th and 14th, but we'll see.
Do I complain too much? A little. I get that the sprints are the big deal and that most people don't want to sit and watch 13 minutes of a men's 5000, let alone a half hour of the women's 10k (then again, the Olympic coverage of the marathon was perfect: two complete races from start to finish...it's a thing of beauty). I should be just happy that there is daily coverage of the world championships. And I should be happy that I'll get to see a clip of the marathon this weekend.
But I want more. I want a stupid amount of distance coverage.
I should feel lucky that all four laps of the 1500 were broadcast, but thus far only the heat with Alan Webb. Again, where were the other heats? What about the women's 800 heats (I saw one semifinal heat). I am guessing that I'll only get one heat of the 1500 semi's today, a brief bit of the men's 10k final, and if I'm very lucky some of the women's 3000 meter steeplechase. I question the coverage of the marathon on the 13th and 14th, but we'll see.
Do I complain too much? A little. I get that the sprints are the big deal and that most people don't want to sit and watch 13 minutes of a men's 5000, let alone a half hour of the women's 10k (then again, the Olympic coverage of the marathon was perfect: two complete races from start to finish...it's a thing of beauty). I should be just happy that there is daily coverage of the world championships. And I should be happy that I'll get to see a clip of the marathon this weekend.
But I want more. I want a stupid amount of distance coverage.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
I, Robot: The Movie
I hate to be a book snob when reviewing a movie, but when the title of the movie is "I, Robot" and is said to be "inspired by" the classic science fiction collection by Isaac Asimov, one would have a reasonable assumption that the movie would bear some similarity and passing understanding of the source material. Then, when the director of the movie is Alex Proyas, the director of the excellent "Dark City", there is a level of intelligence that is expected from the film version of "I, Robot".
I don't know what happened.
This is such a disappointment. Without spoiling a single plot detail I can reveal almost exactly how much this movie resembles the book: The Three Laws of Robotics, a couple of character names (most notably Susan Calvin), the title, and that there are, in fact, robots. That just about covers any similarity the astute viewer may find with the book. This is unfortunate because any one of a number of the "I, Robot" stories could have been used as a launching pad for an intelligent science fiction movie. Or, even the later Elijah Bailey Robot novels would have worked. But this? There is the barest framework of a plot, the barest scrapings of Asimov's ideas, and wrapped tightly around this is a silly action movie.
The problem is only half about the movie itself. By calling itself "I, Robot" there is a level of expectation of what sort of movie this will be and what it will be about. Imagine, perhaps if Peter Jackson made Lord of the Rings with Arnold Schwarzenegger as Gandalf and Gandalf ran around hitting the Orcs with moves you might only see in "Conan the Destroyer". That's a moderately fair comparison in making "I, Robot" into nothing more than a flashy action movie and how exactly Alex Proyas did this is completely beyond my understanding.
My guess is that the studio took a lot of control away from Proyas' vision. That's the only thing that makes sense to me. But let's think about "I, Robot" as something other than an offshoot of Asimov's work. How does it work as a mindless action movie? On these terms "I, Robot" isn't that bad. It's nothing special and we've seen it dozens of times. Will Smith does fine as a the wise cracking detective investigating a murder of a human where the only possibly suspect is a robot except a robot couldn't do it because of the three laws. Smith is actually quite a bit more serious in this role than one might expect. He cracks wise often enough, but overall is toned down and has a seething anger towards robots just under the surface. It works. The action probably works better on a larger screen than a smaller television, but for a simple action movie I suppose "I, Robot" can pass muster.
Forget that this movie is science fiction because it really isn't. Forget that this movie is inspired by Asimov's classic work because it really isn't. Forget that this should have been and could have been an excellent, intelligent and still entertaining movie, because it isn't. If you're looking for just a decent action movie with very few claims to be anything else besides some lip service paid to the plot...here you go.
I don't know what happened.
This is such a disappointment. Without spoiling a single plot detail I can reveal almost exactly how much this movie resembles the book: The Three Laws of Robotics, a couple of character names (most notably Susan Calvin), the title, and that there are, in fact, robots. That just about covers any similarity the astute viewer may find with the book. This is unfortunate because any one of a number of the "I, Robot" stories could have been used as a launching pad for an intelligent science fiction movie. Or, even the later Elijah Bailey Robot novels would have worked. But this? There is the barest framework of a plot, the barest scrapings of Asimov's ideas, and wrapped tightly around this is a silly action movie.
The problem is only half about the movie itself. By calling itself "I, Robot" there is a level of expectation of what sort of movie this will be and what it will be about. Imagine, perhaps if Peter Jackson made Lord of the Rings with Arnold Schwarzenegger as Gandalf and Gandalf ran around hitting the Orcs with moves you might only see in "Conan the Destroyer". That's a moderately fair comparison in making "I, Robot" into nothing more than a flashy action movie and how exactly Alex Proyas did this is completely beyond my understanding.
My guess is that the studio took a lot of control away from Proyas' vision. That's the only thing that makes sense to me. But let's think about "I, Robot" as something other than an offshoot of Asimov's work. How does it work as a mindless action movie? On these terms "I, Robot" isn't that bad. It's nothing special and we've seen it dozens of times. Will Smith does fine as a the wise cracking detective investigating a murder of a human where the only possibly suspect is a robot except a robot couldn't do it because of the three laws. Smith is actually quite a bit more serious in this role than one might expect. He cracks wise often enough, but overall is toned down and has a seething anger towards robots just under the surface. It works. The action probably works better on a larger screen than a smaller television, but for a simple action movie I suppose "I, Robot" can pass muster.
Forget that this movie is science fiction because it really isn't. Forget that this movie is inspired by Asimov's classic work because it really isn't. Forget that this should have been and could have been an excellent, intelligent and still entertaining movie, because it isn't. If you're looking for just a decent action movie with very few claims to be anything else besides some lip service paid to the plot...here you go.
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