"Accomplishments"
DVDs: On the strength of Source Code, I immediately got Duncan Jones' previous film, Moon, another sci fi puzzle movie in the style of Silent Running, Outland, etc. Going into specifics will surely ruin some of the many surprises the story has in store for audiences, so I won't. I will say that though it has a hard SF premise, it's really a very actor-y and sensitive film, a great vehicle for Sam Rockwell (with Kevin Spacey's voice in the role of the computer), never goes where you think it will, and looks really good. You won't believe this flick cost only 5 million dollars, but it gets there through old school tricks like miniatures, string-assist and forced perspective sets. You won't be able to tell. And the DVD is a great value. There are two commentary tracks (one where the crew take the piss, so while entertaining, the director still made one that's more informative), a making of, a separate feature on effects, and two Q&As (one at the Houston Space Center screening, and one at Sundance - both are a bit light). In addition, the DVD includes Jones' half-hour short film, Whistle from 2002. It's a nice short story about a high tech assassin trying to juggle work, family and conscience. Worth the viewing.
Also flipped Castle Season 3, which may be the strongest season yet. That's in large part due to the characters. Beckett and Castle are the focus of the show, but the supporting cast is finally getting to do more. Ryan and Esposito are especially well served, getting to handle some cases and subplots of their own. As for the two stars, we've invested so much in them that the show can go much further, emotionally, and does. The episodes feel more personal, whether that leads to comedy (as in the Laura Prepon ep) or drama (the terrorist two-parter). I thought the arc about Beckett's mom started going in the right direction (i.e. down to street level), but it went all conspiracy at the end there. Time will tell if this a better direction for it, but it looks like Beckett's world is sliding into Nikki Heat's, or at least that of Castle's other literary hero, Derek Frost. The DVD features commentary on a couple of episodes, deleted scenes, outtakes, a round table discussion between mystery writers (two from the show, and two from the real world - if you count Bendis), a featurette on the episode that takes place in L.A., another on the murder boards and a rap music video from one of the eps.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 6 - 12 more episodes of the world's most awful sitcom cast. What can I say, I find them endearing. This year, the gang gets a number of quality guest stars - including Tom Sizemore, Rene Aubergenois and Dave Foley - and a sort of arc in the mystery of Dee's baby, which acts as a kind of celebration of the show's history. Good stuff. The DVD includes commentaries on a number of episodes, outtakes, deleted scenes, some ridiculous podcasts from Dennis and Dee (filmed), a lawyer show sketch, and the full extended cut of the gang's Lethal Weapon 5 (also with commentary!). FX has also included the pilot episode of Wilfred on this, the Elijah Wood vehicle that features a dog played by a guy in a suit. It wasn't too bad, but I'm not sure how the premise can sustain a series.
Mad Monkey Kung Fu is an early Lau Kar-Leung picture that built up his reputation as a director (though he also stars), and pretty much made Hsiao Ho's career and while he will be forever known as "Little Monkey". A gangster (Lo Lieh) frames an opera performer (Lau) to take his sister (Kara Hui) as his mistress, cripples his hands and sends him out on the street where his pet monkey is brutally murdered by underlings. Naturally, his student (Hsiao) must take revenge. It's a story as old as time itself. While mostly a comedy, it also has a couple of intense moments, and of course, the fights are incredible, memorable and highly acrobatic (even more so than usual to go with the monkey theme), the mark of any Lau Kar-Leung film. He made this the same year as 36th Chamber of Shaolin, one of the genre's greatest classics. 1979 was a great year for Shaw Brothers studios.
Books: This week, I finished the Elric Saga with Book 6, Stormbringer (the first Elric story of all, but expanded from the novella). It's a fairly strong finish, very much in the mold of Shakespearean tragedy, with a similar "voice" and lots of death indeed. It may be the most apocalyptic novel I've ever read (and that's saying something). The story is told against the background of erupting Chaos, represented by war, natural disaster, and evil magics. Elric's world dies, but it is inferred our world may rise from it. In essence, it does the same thing as The Lord of the Rings, creating a past history and myth we might all share in, but by going in the opposite direction. Victory in Elric's world feels like failure. It is at best Pyrrhic, philosophical, and requires a handle on the big picture to make sense of There are other Elric stories, of course, and I might occasion to read them sometime (or those of other Eternal Champions). Though Books 2 through 4 seemed a little workmanlike to me, the rest of the books reawakened my teenager's love affair with fantasy. The door's open now, if only a crack.
Hyperion to a Satyr posts this week:
III.i. To Be or Not to Be - Zeffirelli '90
III.i. To Be or Not to Be - Kline '90
DVDs: On the strength of Source Code, I immediately got Duncan Jones' previous film, Moon, another sci fi puzzle movie in the style of Silent Running, Outland, etc. Going into specifics will surely ruin some of the many surprises the story has in store for audiences, so I won't. I will say that though it has a hard SF premise, it's really a very actor-y and sensitive film, a great vehicle for Sam Rockwell (with Kevin Spacey's voice in the role of the computer), never goes where you think it will, and looks really good. You won't believe this flick cost only 5 million dollars, but it gets there through old school tricks like miniatures, string-assist and forced perspective sets. You won't be able to tell. And the DVD is a great value. There are two commentary tracks (one where the crew take the piss, so while entertaining, the director still made one that's more informative), a making of, a separate feature on effects, and two Q&As (one at the Houston Space Center screening, and one at Sundance - both are a bit light). In addition, the DVD includes Jones' half-hour short film, Whistle from 2002. It's a nice short story about a high tech assassin trying to juggle work, family and conscience. Worth the viewing.
Also flipped Castle Season 3, which may be the strongest season yet. That's in large part due to the characters. Beckett and Castle are the focus of the show, but the supporting cast is finally getting to do more. Ryan and Esposito are especially well served, getting to handle some cases and subplots of their own. As for the two stars, we've invested so much in them that the show can go much further, emotionally, and does. The episodes feel more personal, whether that leads to comedy (as in the Laura Prepon ep) or drama (the terrorist two-parter). I thought the arc about Beckett's mom started going in the right direction (i.e. down to street level), but it went all conspiracy at the end there. Time will tell if this a better direction for it, but it looks like Beckett's world is sliding into Nikki Heat's, or at least that of Castle's other literary hero, Derek Frost. The DVD features commentary on a couple of episodes, deleted scenes, outtakes, a round table discussion between mystery writers (two from the show, and two from the real world - if you count Bendis), a featurette on the episode that takes place in L.A., another on the murder boards and a rap music video from one of the eps.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 6 - 12 more episodes of the world's most awful sitcom cast. What can I say, I find them endearing. This year, the gang gets a number of quality guest stars - including Tom Sizemore, Rene Aubergenois and Dave Foley - and a sort of arc in the mystery of Dee's baby, which acts as a kind of celebration of the show's history. Good stuff. The DVD includes commentaries on a number of episodes, outtakes, deleted scenes, some ridiculous podcasts from Dennis and Dee (filmed), a lawyer show sketch, and the full extended cut of the gang's Lethal Weapon 5 (also with commentary!). FX has also included the pilot episode of Wilfred on this, the Elijah Wood vehicle that features a dog played by a guy in a suit. It wasn't too bad, but I'm not sure how the premise can sustain a series.
Mad Monkey Kung Fu is an early Lau Kar-Leung picture that built up his reputation as a director (though he also stars), and pretty much made Hsiao Ho's career and while he will be forever known as "Little Monkey". A gangster (Lo Lieh) frames an opera performer (Lau) to take his sister (Kara Hui) as his mistress, cripples his hands and sends him out on the street where his pet monkey is brutally murdered by underlings. Naturally, his student (Hsiao) must take revenge. It's a story as old as time itself. While mostly a comedy, it also has a couple of intense moments, and of course, the fights are incredible, memorable and highly acrobatic (even more so than usual to go with the monkey theme), the mark of any Lau Kar-Leung film. He made this the same year as 36th Chamber of Shaolin, one of the genre's greatest classics. 1979 was a great year for Shaw Brothers studios.
Books: This week, I finished the Elric Saga with Book 6, Stormbringer (the first Elric story of all, but expanded from the novella). It's a fairly strong finish, very much in the mold of Shakespearean tragedy, with a similar "voice" and lots of death indeed. It may be the most apocalyptic novel I've ever read (and that's saying something). The story is told against the background of erupting Chaos, represented by war, natural disaster, and evil magics. Elric's world dies, but it is inferred our world may rise from it. In essence, it does the same thing as The Lord of the Rings, creating a past history and myth we might all share in, but by going in the opposite direction. Victory in Elric's world feels like failure. It is at best Pyrrhic, philosophical, and requires a handle on the big picture to make sense of There are other Elric stories, of course, and I might occasion to read them sometime (or those of other Eternal Champions). Though Books 2 through 4 seemed a little workmanlike to me, the rest of the books reawakened my teenager's love affair with fantasy. The door's open now, if only a crack.Hyperion to a Satyr posts this week:
III.i. To Be or Not to Be - Zeffirelli '90
III.i. To Be or Not to Be - Kline '90
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