Month: January 2020

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (2003)

I’d had this novel sitting on my shelf since about January, and finally picked it up to read during my holiday flights. It breezed along quite quickly for a book in which the protagonist dwells on maths and physics. It was interesting to see an autistic character’s point of view and I was glad to read that Haddon had personal experience working with autistic individuals. The mystery aspect was a nice way to bring the reader along on a journey about how difficult it is for some people to fit into the structure we’re all required to be a part of. There were times when I identified with the protagonist’s feeling of being overwhelmed by everything. I dug the book.

“The Geranium” by Flannery O’Connor (1946)

These first few stories from the late forties by O’Connor were hyper-focused on realistic portrayals of the relationships of African-Americans with their communities and with the white people that still held little respect for them in the South, which feels like it might’ve been revolutionary at the time. There’s also liberal use of the word “nigger” which is an extremely loaded word that makes one uncomfortable each time the eye passes over it. We can think it was more common and acceptable at the time, but I don’t particularly care if it was acceptable then, because it shouldn’t have been. This story’s white protagonist doesn’t so much confront his racism as he is gently guided toward it.

“The Barber” by Flannery O’Connor (1947)

If the last story was a rebuke of old Southern white guys, this story is a rebuke of the white guy academics who were in debate club and thought that was enough to learn how to convince people that they’re shitheads. It turns out they don’t really want a rigorous academic debate.

“Wildcat” by Flannery O’Connor (1947)

I took this as a contemplation of old age and its perils, but my gut says there was more there. Like a professor would give me that look right about now, the one that asks, “Okay, but what else is happening? What does the character’s experience tell you about the time and place?” It’d be something like that and I’d give up the floor for someone else to elucidate.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D dev. Grezzo (2015)

I hesitated with considering this as new fiction since I’ve played and loved the game multiple times before, but this re-release on 3DS had so many changes and additions that it was different enough from the past versions. I liked it again and appreciated all the quality-of-life improvements, such as more save points. The notebook used to track quests was also much more informative. I like its implementation of what is essentially an itinerary for every meaningful character in the game, but I can see why it turns off some players. Repeating the same period of time can certainly wear one down.

21 Bridges dir. Brian Kirk (2019)

The mystery becomes evident pretty quickly, so you’re waiting for the protagonist to catch up. Fuck the police for sure.

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale dir. Jalmari Helander (2010)

This was fucking awesome. It’s fun horror and certainly evokes the gritty stuff from the eighties. I mostly remember waiting impatiently for the title to make sense.

Jumanji: The Next Level dir. Jake Kasdan (2019)

Speaking of eighties, Kasdan hit on that same energy with these movies. I’d skipped the first and was surprised at how enjoyable the sequel was. I think the best assessment I read is that these movies succeed because they lean into the body-swap comedy, a type of comedy I hadn’t thought to much about.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle dir. Jake Kasdan (2017)

The first one is also good, but I think watching the sequel first made me like it more than the original. I also dug the nods to the original movie because, you know, cinematic universes.

Richard Jewell dir. Clint Eastwood (2019)

I was sorry to see that this bombed because it’s a good portrayal of the way the government and media can fuck up someone’s life.

Frozen II dir. Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee (2019)

Oh god, so many songs. And my niece sang them every time she was in proximity to people. I know Disney animated stuff is built on music but… ugh. Watch Moana instead.

The Long Kiss Goodnight dir. Renny Harlin (1996)

What a bizarre piece of nineties action cinema. The characters and plot are fine, but the action is so over-the-top and weird that it sits in sharp contrast to the rest.

Fractured dir. Brad Anderson (2019)

I’m glad I can’t see twists coming because I think movies like this wouldn’t be watchable if one could see what’s coming.

The Lake House dir. Alejandro Agresti (2006)

My mom’s love of Keanu Reeves rivals that of the Internet, and so she sat us down to watch this. I dug the supernatural/weird stuff, but the schmaltz was heavy.

Imagine That dir. Karey Kirkpatrick (2009)

I had no idea that Eddie Murphy had taken on these Jim Carrey-esque family comedy vehicles where he’s a dad with a strained relationship to his kids. This one you can skip.

Daddy Daycare dir. Steve Carr (2003)

Farts, farts everywhere! I’d watch this one over the previous listing if you’re curious what Eddie Murphy was up to in the aughts.

Eat Pray Love dir. Ryan Murphy (2010)

I’m into the journey of self-discovery, but she ends up with someone who seems just as shitty as the bad men she left behind.

The Angel dir. Ariel Vromen (2018)

I felt real dumb watching this. The protagonist’s actions are meant to broker peace between Egypt and Israel… but it’s like he’s playing multi-dimensional chess and I was processing it all as a game of checkers. I still don’t quite understand how his actions helped with the peace process but it really happened. I’d be a real terrible spy.

Klaus dir. Sergio Pablos (2019)

Holy shit, this looked amazing. I hope it wins all the awards. It reminded me of “The Backwater Gospel” but, you know, it won’t traumatize kids.

Dolemite Is My Name dir. Craig Brewer (2019)

I watched this in Spanish audio which may have ruined the intended effect, but I liked it. I knew nothing about Moore or his work so it was a good (and maybe more watchable) introduction.

Cats dir. Tom Hooper (2019)

My brain almost broke. And look, it eventually becomes clear what these characters want, but the funky terminology really slows things down. It’s all weird and I think I chose to focus on minutiae. Jennifer Hudson’s the best part.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker dir. J. J. Abrams (2019)

I ranked this fourth out of eleven on my obligatory Star Wars movie list but the more I dwell on the issues that I saw in the theater, the more I dislike it. Their disrespect toward Rose Tico is the more egregious problem. It’s another Return of the Jedi, i.e. a bad conclusion to a trilogy. Time will dull most of it but it feels like it’s gonna fall lower on the list.

Uncut Gems dir. Josh Safdie & Benny Safdie (2019)

Jesus christ, this movie moves so fast and at a pace that definitely made me anxious. It’s great. Watch it.

A Nightmare on Elm Street dir. Samuel Bayer (2010)

The “Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace” parody from The Simpsons now makes more sense. It’s also more enjoyable than this movie. Watch that instead.

Death Becomes Her dir. Robert Zemeckis (1992)

This is so fucking weird. I like it. I should go watch more Goldie Hawn movies.

Casino Royale dir. Martin Campbell (2006)

I should also go watch more Bond movies… but they’re not all like this, right? I feel like the previous ones wink at you constantly. This one just has a real boring take on Bond as a Serious Man. It’s hard to watch when I just saw Daniel Craig goofball it up in Knives Out.

Unbelievable (2019)

I watched this at the end of November and forgot to include it, which is messed up because it’s a great series. Well, like Richard Jewell, it’s based on real people and events, and those events are fucked up. But it’s great as a story worth telling.

Cheers – Seasons 5-11 (1986-1993)

This show somehow gets better after Shelley Long left the show. It takes them a while to figure out Kirstie Alley’s character, but once they do they’re off to the races. The writing gets better, the jokes are funnier, and the episode in the kitchen during a wedding is a comedic masterpiece. They also dare to equip their characters with more flaws. The ending is the gut punch that countless people have described. I’d certainly watch this series again.

The Mandalorian (2019)

It was nice to close out my Star Wars viewing with this after the slog of The Rise of Skywalker. It has the same space western vibe as Firefly, which is one of my favorite shows (in spite of its creator’s exposed shittiness). The universe feels more suited to series anyway, so here’s hoping for more characters getting the episodic treatment.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (2003)

I’d had this novel sitting on my shelf since about January, and finally picked it up to read during my holiday flights. It breezed along quite quickly for a book in which the protagonist dwells on maths and physics. It was interesting to see an autistic character’s point of view and I was glad to read that Haddon had personal experience working with autistic individuals. The mystery aspect was a nice way to bring the reader along on a journey about how difficult it is for some people to fit into the structure we’re all required to be a part of. There were times when I identified with the protagonist’s feeling of being overwhelmed by everything. I dug the book.

“The Geranium” by Flannery O’Connor (1946)

These first few stories from the late forties by O’Connor were hyper-focused on realistic portrayals of the relationships of African-Americans with their communities and with the white people that still held little respect for them in the South, which feels like it might’ve been revolutionary at the time. There’s also liberal use of the word “nigger” which is an extremely loaded word that makes one uncomfortable each time the eye passes over it. We can think it was more common and acceptable at the time, but I don’t particularly care if it was acceptable then, because it shouldn’t have been. This story’s white protagonist doesn’t so much confront his racism as he is gently guided toward it.

“The Barber” by Flannery O’Connor (1947)

If the last story was a rebuke of old Southern white guys, this story is a rebuke of the white guy academics who were in debate club and thought that was enough to learn how to convince people that they’re shitheads. It turns out they don’t really want a rigorous academic debate.

“Wildcat” by Flannery O’Connor (1947)

I took this as a contemplation of old age and its perils, but my gut says there was more there. Like a professor would give me that look right about now, the one that asks, “Okay, but what else is happening? What does the character’s experience tell you about the time and place?” It’d be something like that and I’d give up the floor for someone else to elucidate.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D dev. Grezzo (2015)

I hesitated with considering this as new fiction since I’ve played and loved the game multiple times before, but this re-release on 3DS had so many changes and additions that it was different enough from the past versions. I liked it again and appreciated all the quality-of-life improvements, such as more save points. The notebook used to track quests was also much more informative. I like its implementation of what is essentially an itinerary for every meaningful character in the game, but I can see why it turns off some players. Repeating the same period of time can certainly wear one down.

21 Bridges dir. Brian Kirk (2019)

The mystery becomes evident pretty quickly, so you’re waiting for the protagonist to catch up. Fuck the police for sure.

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale dir. Jalmari Helander (2010)

This was fucking awesome. It’s fun horror and certainly evokes the gritty stuff from the eighties. I mostly remember waiting impatiently for the title to make sense.

Jumanji: The Next Level dir. Jake Kasdan (2017)

Speaking of eighties, Kasdan hit on that same energy with these movies. I’d skipped the first and was surprised at how enjoyable the sequel was. I think the best assessment I read is that these movies succeed because they lean into the body-swap comedy, a type of comedy I hadn’t thought to much about.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle dir. Jake Kasdan (2019)

The first one is also good, but I think watching the sequel first made me like it more than the original. I also dug the nods to the original movie because, you know, cinematic universes.

Richard Jewell dir. Clint Eastwood (2019)

I was sorry to see that this bombed because it’s a good portrayal of the way the government and media can fuck up someone’s life.

Frozen II dir. Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee (2019)

Oh god, so many songs. And my niece sang them every time she was in proximity to people. I know Disney animated stuff is built on music but… ugh. Watch Moana instead.

The Long Kiss Goodnight dir. Renny Harlin (1996)

What a bizarre piece of nineties action cinema. The characters and plot are fine, but the action is so over-the-top and weird that it sits in sharp contrast to the rest.

Fractured dir. Brad Anderson (2019)

I’m glad I can’t see twists coming because I think movies like this wouldn’t be watchable if one could see what’s coming.

The Lake House dir. Alejandro Agresti (2006)

My mom’s love of Keanu Reeves rivals that of the Internet, and so she sat us down to watch this. I dug the supernatural/weird stuff, but the schmaltz was heavy.

Imagine That dir. Karey Kirkpatrick (2009)

I had no idea that Eddie Murphy had taken on these Jim Carrey-esque family comedy vehicles where he’s a dad with a strained relationship to his kids. This one you can skip.

Daddy Daycare dir. Steve Carr (2003)

Farts, farts everywhere! I’d watch this one over the previous listing if you’re curious what Eddie Murphy was up to in the aughts.

Eat Pray Love dir. Ryan Murphy (2010)

I’m into the journey of self-discovery, but she ends up with someone who seems just as shitty as the bad men she left behind.

The Angel dir. Ariel Vromen (2018)

I felt real dumb watching this. The protagonist’s actions are meant to broker peace between Egypt and Israel… but it’s like he’s playing multi-dimensional chess and I was processing it all as a game of checkers. I still don’t quite understand how his actions helped with the peace process but it really happened. I’d be a real terrible spy.

Klaus dir. Sergio Pablos (2019)

Holy shit, this looked amazing. I hope it wins all the awards. It reminded me of “The Backwater Gospel” but, you know, it won’t traumatize kids.

Dolemite Is My Name dir. Craig Brewer (2019)

I watched this in Spanish audio which may have ruined the intended effect, but I liked it. I knew nothing about Moore or his work so it was a good (and maybe more watchable) introduction.

Cats dir. Tom Hooper (2019)

My brain almost broke. And look, it eventually becomes clear what these characters want, but the funky terminology really slows things down. It’s all weird and I think I chose to focus on minutiae. Jennifer Hudson’s the best part.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker dir. J. J. Abrams (2019)

I ranked this fourth out of eleven on my obligatory Star Wars movie list but the more I dwell on the issues that I saw in the theater, the more I dislike it. Their disrespect toward Rose Tico is the more egregious problem. It’s another Return of the Jedi, i.e. a bad conclusion to a trilogy. Time will dull most of it but it feels like it’s gonna fall lower on the list.

Uncut Gems dir. Josh Safdie & Benny Safdie (2019)

Jesus christ, this movie moves so fact and at a pace that definitely made me anxious. It’s great. Watch it.

A Nightmare on Elm Street dir. Samuel Bayer (2010)

The “Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace” parody from The Simpsons now makes more sense. It’s also more enjoyable than this movie. Watch that instead.

Death Becomes Her dir. Robert Zemeckis (1992)

This is so fucking weird. I like it. I should go watch more Goldie Hawn movies.

Casino Royale dir. Martin Campbell (2006)

I should also go watch more Bond movies… but they’re not all like this, right? I feel like the previous ones wink at you constantly. This one just has a real boring take on Bond as a Serious Man. It’s hard to watch when I just saw Daniel Craig goofball it up in Knives Out.

Unbelievable (2019)

I watched this at the end of November and forgot to include it, which is messed up because it’s a great series. Well, like Richard Jewell, it’s based on real people and events, and those events are fucked up. But it’s great as a story worth telling.

Cheers – Seasons 5-11 (1986-1993)

This show somehow gets better after Shelley Long left the show. It takes them a while to figure out Kirstie Alley’s character, but once they do they’re off to the races. The writing gets better, the jokes are funnier, and the episode in the kitchen during a wedding is a comedic masterpiece. They also dare to equip their characters with more flaws. The ending is the gut punch that countless people have described. I’d certainly watch this series again.

The Mandalorian (2019)

It was nice to close out my Star Wars viewing with this after the slog of The Rise of Skywalker. It has the same space western vibe as Firefly, which is one of my favorite shows (in spite of its creator’s exposed shittiness). The universe feels more suited to series anyway, so here’s hoping for more characters getting the episodic treatment.