Movies
Weekly Roundup 4.19.24
I know. You don’t have to say anything. It’s been way more than a week since my last post here. I feel bad but I can’t really do much about it now except move forward.
Also, this will be the last time I apologize for not posting more. Yes, I should post more. I want to post more. But shit happens, right?
I am going to try harder, but I can’t promise anything. Because, you know, that whole “shit happens” thing? But I will try. Okay? Okay.
So, with that in mind, let’s get going . . . Here’s some of the things I’m watching, reading or, dare I say it, consuming these days.
Watching
Dune Part 2 - Heck yeah. What a great way to continue the story and wrap things up (almost). Loved it. I’ve already watched it several times and I expect I’ll watch it many more. Can’t wait to see what Denis Villeneuve does with Dune Messiah. That’s gonna be interesting, to say the least.
Shogun - I watched almost of of this but now I’m waiting for all the episodes to drop so I can watch them as one complete story. Yeah, I used to wait a week between episodes too. Maybe we should go back to that exclusively? Might help shows that come out all at once, people talk about them for a few minutes, then it’s done. Which brings me to . . .
3 Body Problem - I liked the book so I thought I’d give the show a try. For the most part, I enjoyed it . . . especially the Game of Thrones mini-reunion. But sadly, the show hasn’t really stuck with me now that it’s been a few weeks. Not sure why, exactly. It wasn’t all that memorable, I guess. It’s not bad. It’s good. It’s just not great. Alas.
Highlander - I know, I’m waiting for the Henry Cavill remake too. Until then, I decided to go back and watch the Christopher Lambert original. Still fun. Still so many great things about it. Sure, some of it is a bit dated at this point, but the movie still rocks and even though I’ve seen it many times, I’m never bored watching it again. Can’t say that about a lot of stuff these days.
Plus, terrific actors like Sean Connery and one of the nicest guys still working in the business, Clancy Brown. He’s one of the good ones and deserves all of his success. Remind me to tell you my Clancy Brown story sometime.
Reading
Dune Messiah - After watching Dune part 1 and 2, naturally I was curious about what comes next. I haven’t read the sequel to Dune since College so it seemed a good time to get back into it. So far, I’m really enjoying it. Frank Herbert really wants you to know Paul is not the good guy. Like really. He’s not. Still, great book.
Children of Dune - I’m basically almost done with the second book so it’s onto the the third. So far, so good. At least some other main characters that seemed kinda important have shown up after being absent from book 2, which is nice.
Listening To
Dune Messiah Audio Book - I get a lot out of reading but I also get a lot out of being read to. I also have a lot of Audible credits, so there’s that.
Lots of Radiohead - I never get tired of this band. One of my all-time favorites and I listen to their music frequently.
Scriptnotes Podcast - If you want to know anything about being a screenwriter in Hollywood, John August and Craig Mazin have you covered. Great podcast with two wonderfully informative hosts
The Recipe podcast with Kenji and Deb - I’ve been a big fan of J. Kenji Lopez-Alt (aka Kenji) for a long time. Love his YouTube Channel and his books. Naturally, I really enjoy this podcast too. And Deb is great as well. They really seem to like each other and their styles complement.
Finally, just for fun, here’s the trailers for both Dune and Dune Part 2. Amazing stuff, especially for a sci-fi nerd like me from way back.
Weekly Roundup 11.10.23
Another week, another weekly roundup. I like how that sounds. This week I’ve got another bunch of things I’m interested in, watching, reading or whatever. In other words, If I like it, it’s probably something I’m going to talk about this week or in the near future.
What can I say? I like to share.
But before I get to the (more) interesting stuff I just wanted to mention I’m currently writing this post at a library. I’ve sat down at a table and I’m typing away on my Apple MacBook Pro. While doing this I’ve discovered a few things.
One, this MacBook Pro keyboard isn’t all that “magic.” Sorry, Apple, but it isn’t. It’s just okay. Personally, I prefer a bit more mechanical feel and a bit more key travel. The keyboard on my Linux/Windows laptop (from Lenovo) is way better than the one on this MacBook Pro.
I would sacrifice a bit of girth in order to get a better keyboard on an Apple laptop. Apparently, Apple doesn’t agree or care. Alas.
They used to care. In fact, the best laptop keyboard Apple ever made was the Powerbook 1400c and that’s from 1998. Maybe one of these days I’ll get my wish for a better keyboard. Probably not.
I’ve also realized the table I’m sitting at is slightly too high for me to type comfortably. I tend to be a lazy typer and rest my wrists on the laptop while typing. The height of the table makes it feel like I’m typing up hill a bit. It’s not a big deal, I’m just used to my desk at home and this just feels different.
Finally, this library is really quiet. I’m impressed so many people can shut up for so long. The section I’m in does seem like the more serious “study” area, so that might have something to do with it. But still, it’s really quiet. Almost too quiet.
Okay, enough of that. Let’s get to the good stuff.
Regardless of what I said above, I’m still very interested in the new M3 MacBook Pros Apple announced recently. No, I don’t absolutely need a new laptop, but they do look cool and are, apparently, blazing fast. So, maybe.
The reality is I’ll probably end up getting a new iMac instead. They’ve also been bumped to the M3 chipset and I’ve been thinking about my current setup lately and how, or if, it needs improvement. At the moment, I’m laptop only and have been for a few years.
I intended to get an external monitor for the MacBook Pro but never got around to it, mostly because it worked well enough and I was able to get stuff done without it. But now? I’m thinking.
Picking up an iMac would solve a few problems. I’d get a larger screen. It would be more powerful than my current Mac. I could still use the MacBook Pro when I’m not in the office. I kinda miss having a desktop computer. All true. The question is are they all true enough to make me spend the money when things work pretty well now? I guess that’s why I’m still thinking about it. More on this later.
As you may know (or not) the WGA strike was concluded with an agreement ratified by membership and the writers went back to work. This week, SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP reached a tentative agreement and SAG officials called an end to their strike, which has lasted over 100 days. I’m glad it’s over. I know people were suffering, but they held the line. Great job to all and congratulations.
I just wish my union, the DGA, had held firm in support of our fellow union members. Alas, they did not and signed a deal earlier this year. Although, they did issue a really nice press release once the SAG-AFTRA tentative agreement was announced. I guess that’s something.
I’m currently on an Aaron Sorkin bender and have watched The Social Network, Molly’s Game and the first two season of his HBO show The Newsroom. Why? Mostly it’s because I like the way he writes dialog. It’s pretty great. I don’t think I’m alone in that assessment. Plus, those movies and the series are excellent.
I’ve also watched the films in the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy: Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World’s End. I love them all, with particular love for Hot Fuzz, which is a favorite among favorites. Great stuff.
As you probably know, I love notebooks. And pencils, pens and all that other “analog” stuff. My friend Dave Caolo gave me the heads up on notebooks from Dapper Notes and I’m hooked. They are awesome and whenever they’ve got new ones, I grab ‘em ‘cause they go fast. The latest one just arrived at my door and, as usual, I love it.
I’m just about done reading Chuck Wendig’s Black River Orchard and holy crap, it’s a good one. I will never look at Apples the same way again.
Next on the reading list is Nine Princes In Amber, the first book in the Chronicles of Amber series by Roger Zelazny. I love these books but haven’t read them in years. It’s time to read them again.
Finally, I should mention that I continue to produce a podcast with my co-host Joe Dilworth. It’s called The Flickcast and it’s quite fun. We get into all sorts of nerd stuff that nerds love. We used to have a new episode every week but have transitioned to every other week for the time being. We’ll get back to every week soon enough.
That’s it for now. Until next time, be kind to each other.
Image: Focus Features
Further Updates for 2021
So far, I’m enjoying 2021 much more than 2020. Sure, this new year isn’t without its share of issues. But things are still looking up and still moving in the right direction . . . in my humble opinion at least.
Which brings me to the update promised in the title of this post. Here goes: we’ve started posting new content at The Flickcast. Not just podcasts, mind you, other content too. Fun!
Starting to post content again serves several purposes, not the least of which is getting me into the habit of writing every day. That’s a good thing.
Plus, who knows, maybe some people will go to the site and it will generate a few bucks of income? It could happen. It’s happened before. We have pretty small overhead so almost anything would be good.
That said, if you feel so inclined, head over and read some articles and maybe click on one of the ads? I’d appreciate it.
Speaking of websites, there’s another one you should check out for sure: Hapa Grey. I’m probably biased (I am) but it’s one of my favorites. If you love bargains and deals and knowing about the latest trends, Hapa Grey is the site for you. Check it out.
Other than that, I’m playing a fuckton of D&D (in private and on Twitch), we’re not frozen anymore, don’t have to boil our water, my son hates doing school online, it’s basically been a year since we started quarantine and I almost got my first dose of the COVID vaccine.
Maybe I’ll get it tomorrow? Maybe. Hope you get yours soon too.
Until then, stay safe, wear your mask, social distance and try not to be a dick.
Image: Adobe Stock
Some Favorite SDCC18 Trailers
As has been the case for the last few years, I wasn’t at Comic-Con in San Diego this week. The reasons I don’t go are varied, but the main one is after going pretty much every year for the last 30 years or so, I’m kinda burned out.
Also, I’m waiting for my son to get a wee bit older before I scar him for life by taking him to the con. I’m not sure he’d be able to handle it right now. There’s just too much of it and it’s all happening at the same time. If you’ve ever been you know what I’m talking about.
Heck, I’m an adult with decades of con experience and I’m not sure I could handle it right now either. Well, I probably could. Probably.
Even though I didn’t go this year I did keep tabs on most of the things happening during the week, especially the trailers for new movies and TV shows. Here’s some of my favorites.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters
As a huge fan of OG Godzilla movies, and especially Destroy All Monsters, this made me very happy. I’ll be seeing this as soon as I can.
Star Trek: Discovery Season 2
Say what you will about this latest Star Trek series (and about CBS All Access which, let’s face it, kinda sucks) this trailer looks great and I’m very interested in the new season.
And the one I’m most excited about: Glass. Been waiting a long time for an Unbreakable sequel, and now it’s here. Looks great. And yes, I realize Split was a sorta sequel, but this is more what I had in mind all along.
There were, of course, a lot more trailers, news, announcements and whatnot from the show. It is Comic-Con after all. But these were the highlights for me.
'Blade Runner: 2049' May Not Be Terrible
I was against the idea of a Blade Runner sequel when I first heard about it. It’s one of those movies that stands on its own and I never really felt like I needed more of the story. They didn’t know how long they had. But then again, who does?
For me, that ending worked. And that was it.
However, as I’ve heard more about the sequel and what elements are involved (writer, director, stars), I became more interested. And now with the first trailer released today, that interest has turned to actual desire to see the movie.
Yes, I’m as surprised as you are.
Here’s the trailer if you haven’t already watched it a bunch of times. Gotta say, it looks pretty darn good. And no, I don’t think it will be terrible now. In fact, I’m glad it doesn’t seem so. I don’t want things to fail. Really I don’t.
Enjoy.
'The Silence of the Lambs' As a Romantic Comedy
Sure, The Silence of the Lambs is a creepy, psychological thriller/horror movie about women’s empowerment, cannibalism and the search for a serial killer. It also won a lot of awards (including the Oscar for Best Picture) and is, at least to me, an exceptionally well done film.
But what if it was a romantic comedy? This trailer shows you how that just might work.
Enjoy.
The First 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' Teaser Has Arrived
I’m sure you’ve already watched the teaser for The Last Jedi a hundred times, but I just wanted to make sure. I’ve watched it quite a few times myself. In short, I like it.
It’s a Star Wars movie. Of course I like it. That said, it didn’t have quite the same impact as the first teaser for The Force Awakens did, at least for me. The Force Awakens was the first real Star Wars movie in a long time. A long time.
So, it was more of a big deal to me. And no, I didn’t have the same feelings about Rogue One either. The move itself was okay, but it was hard to make much of a connection to any of the characters and the story was, well, lacking in some areas. I still enjoyed it, but in my mind it’s more of a whimsical diversion and will never be a real Star Wars movie. Fight me.
But The Force Awakens had Han Solo, Luke Skywalker and Princess/General Leia in it and looked, felt and smelled like a real Star Wars movie. So naturally, as those are the characters and story I grew up with and loved since that first dark Valley Circle, CA theater in 1977, those were the characters and story I was, and am, most interested and excited about. I don’t see that changing any time soon.
Don’t get me wrong, I like the new characters, especially Rey and Poe. And perhaps if I was seeing these movies for the first time as that kid who saw the first Star Wars, I might feel differently. I’m pretty sure I would. But it’s just not the same. It can’t be.
And that’s not to say The Last Jedi won’t be great. I’m sure it will. Once the movie hits and I get a chance to see it, I have no doubt I’ll love it. Will I love it as much as the original trilogy?
Not on your life. And that’s okay. I’ve always got my copies of the original, un-altered trilogy to watch. In fact, I think it’s about time for a rewatch.
The 'Thor: Ragnarok' Trailer Looks Awesome
I realize this has been out for a bit, but I just watched it again and, gotta say, I still love it. The whole vibe seems just right as does the look, the tone and pretty much everything else. Of course, you can’t tell everything from a trailer.
Still, if the movie ends up being close to this, I’ll be very happy indeed. Plus, who doesn’t love Led Zeppelin?
Anyway, if you haven’t watched it yet, what are you waiting for? Here it is.
'Star Wars' 'Suicide Squad' Trailer
As I’m a huge fan of Star Wars (of course) and also looking forward to Suicide Squad, this mashup trailer by The Usual Suspect amused me quite a bit.
Enjoy.
The History of Cinema in 100 Shots
This video, put together by Editor Jacob T. Swinney, is very impressive. It chronicles the history of cinema, starting with the 1915 film Birth of a Nation, by highlighting iconic shots from 100 films of the past 100 years.
Very impressive indeed. Enjoy this bit of history.
(h/t to the a.v. club)
The 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Supercut Trailer Is Pretty Great
I love Star Wars. You love Star Wars. Pretty much everyone loves Star Wars. And, what’s even better, we live in a world where we can expect more Star Wars movies and will get the first of the new ones this December. Yes, I have tickets. Would you expect otherwise?
No, of course not. Attendance is mandatory.
Seeing as you love Star Wars, I’m sure you’ve watched the new trailer a hundred times already, right? But have you watched the Supercut trailer? The one where all the available footage from the move that’s in the wild has been cut together to make one big, well, super trailer? Maybe not.
So, in the interest of helping you get all the Star Wars you can (at least until December 18th), here it is below. I’ve also included the un-Supercut version (aka the “official” trailer) as well.
'Mad Max: Fury Road' Behind-the-Scenes
Gotta say it, the new Mad Max movie is pretty great. It’s got a lot of things going for it. One of the most impressive is the fact that almost all of the stunts were done live and were not CG.
Sure, CG was used for wire removal and other safety-related reasons, to enhance shots and other tricks, but when you see those cars flip or guys attack Max and Furiosa by swinging down on poles, that’s all live and in-camera.
If you want to know more about how they did it, this video shows you. It’s been around the Interwebs for several days, but just in case, here it is for those of you who haven’t watched it or just want to watch it again because it’s so cool. Kudos to director George Miller and his stunt team for making this one of the best action movies in recent memory.
And if you’re interested in what role CG did play in the film, there’s an excellent article over at FX Guide that shows you everything you want to know.
'Star Wars', Comics and More
I haven’t been reading very many comic books lately. In fact, I almost never buy single issues of any comic title. I only get trades of titles I’m interested in.
And that list is pretty short these days. In fact, I think it’s pretty much just The Walking Dead on the list right now. Like I said, short.
The reasons for this are several, but the most important of them is the time involved in reading and keeping up with monthly titles and the storage of same. I already have quite a few long boxes of comics in the house (more than quite a few) and am not really looking forward to adding an additional room to accommodate more.
And yes, I know the majority of the titles are available in digital form which would allow me to read them on the iPad or some other tablet. That wouldn’t take up much space at all. But for whatever reason, call me a purist, I prefer my comics in floppy form. I also like reading a newspaper too.
Of course, as is often the case, an exception comes along. Said exception du jour is the new Star Wars comic from Marvel. It started in January with two issues out so far. They are scheduled to come out monthly, at least until the new movie (Star Wars: The Force Awakens if your keeping score at home) is released in December. But I would imagine, if it continues to be such a big success, the comic could go on indefinitely. That would be fine with me.
My one word review of the first two issues is this: awesome. I’m really enjoying it so far and I have no reason to think I won’t continue to do so. The writing by Jason Aaron and art by John Cassaday are both outstanding with Aaron really nailing the mannerisms and speech of the major (and minor) characters.
I won’t get into the story or anything but if you’re not currently reading the Star Wars comic, I highly suggest you do so – especially if you’re a Star Wars fan. I like it so much it was even my pick on a recent episode of The Flickcast. A ringing endorsement to be sure.
I’ve lived a fair amount of time on this planet and have probably become a bit jaded over the years. It’s refreshing when something like a comic book comes along and reminds me me how fun things can be. It’s helped change my attitude for the better, to be sure.
Of course, I can’t forget another reason for my improved attitude: there’s a new Star Wars movie coming out this year. This. Year.
I was pretty sure that was never going to happen. I’m very happy to be wrong.
Yeah, life is pretty good.
Mondo's 'Alien' Posters Are Pretty Awesome
I’m sure some of you have seen these Alien posters already. I used to keep up with all the posters Mondo released (even though I could never seem to buy any), but lately I’ve lost track. As usual, I was too late to get one of these posters from one of the greatest sci-fi movies of all time.
But I’m not bitter. They’re still pretty fun to look at right here. Tyler Stout did a great job. Maybe next time I’ll have more luck and get a poster of my very own. And maybe next time I can even get to the Alamo Drafthouse to actually see the movie. I think it’s good to have dreams.
So, which do you prefer? Red or green?
I’m kinda partial to the red myself.
Happy Christmas and Merry New Year
For most of you, today is Christmas. For some others, it’s just a Thursday. For that first group, I hope you get everything you asked for this year, and one or two things you didn’t.
After all, what fun would it be if you just got everything you asked for. You gotta have a few surprises in life. Christmas is a great time for surprises.
I didn’t ask for too much this year and I was lucky enough to get everything on my list. The truth is, though, all I really wanted was for my family to be healthy and happy, especially our youngest member. His health and happiness is my first priority. I guess I must have been pretty good in 2014 because I’m happy to report he’s doing great.
Sure, 2014 had a few rough spots (very rough, let’s face it) but those times haven’t dampened my enthusiasm, or my optimism, for 2015. In short, I’m looking forward to the new year and all it will bring.
Until the new year, though, I’m going to pass the time enjoying a few of my favorite holiday movies. I’ll give you a couple guesses what some of those might be. You can also hear Joe and I discuss our favorite holiday movies, and whatnot, on the latest episode of The Flickcast.
Happy Christmas and best wishes for a spectacular 2015!
Don’t worry, I’m not only watching action movies during the holidays. This one has almost no action at all, except the bedroom kind. Plus, it has Rick from The Walking Dead and Hans Gruber from Die Hard. That’s gotta count for something.
'Mad Max: Fury Road' Is Looking Good
I’ll admit I was a bit skeptical when Mad Max: Fury Road was first announced. I’m not entirely sure why, really. Maybe it’s just that I’m skeptical about everything these days?
Perhaps. But that doesn’t mean I’m wrong about many of the crap movies and TV shows that seem to come out rather frequently. Those still suck.
Fortunately, it appears Mad Max: Fury Road won’t be one of the ones that suck and my concerns about it have pretty much been put to rest by the new trailer for it that’s come out today. In short, it looks pretty amazing. I won’t even try to find things wrong with it, although I’m sure I could if I really wanted to. But where’s the fun it that? Right?
No, I’m not going to look for problems. I’m just going to enjoy it for what is is: action-packed fun.
I think I’m growing.
The Saga Continues
It amuses me when people post to their personal websites/blogs that they are not, in fact, dead. I’ve even done it myself. Probably more than once. Hey, here it is again: I’m not dead.
See, that wasn’t so bad.
The truth it I’ve been in a bit of a funk and haven’t had the motivation to write anything. I’ve been a bit down. A little on the low side. Bummed out. Sad, even. Why, you ask?
Well, I’ll tell you. It’s not my death that’s the problem, it’s my mom’s. Yes, you read that right, my mom passed away. It’s actually been a couple months now and I’ve had a bit of time to try to get used to it.
But if I’m being completely honest, I’m really not used to it . . . and I don’t think I ever will be. I think that’s okay though. I don’t think you’re supposed to get used to it or get over it.
You just learn to live with it.
On that note I’ve been trying to think of a fitting tribute to my mom and, perhaps, write something here that will do her justice. So far, I’ve pretty much failed.
What I can do is tell a story.
It was 1979 and the movie version of one of my favorite TV series, Star Trek, was finally coming to the big screen. It was called Star Trek: The Motion Picture and it would open on that Friday in December to mediocre reviews and somewhat disappointing box office.
But STtMP’s relative success is not really the point of this particular trip into the past.
The point is my mom let me skip school on that Friday, drove me to the theater and waited in line with me from the early morning until we were finally seated and where, in spite of the reviews, I had a great movie-going experience.
That’s the kind of mom she was.
Sure, some could argue allowing your child to skip school to see a movie isn’t the best example of parenting. But that doesn’t really matter. What matters is she encouraged me … in whatever direction I wanted to go.
Even if she didn’t exactly understand, or share, my passions, she helped me figure out ways to indulge and pursue them. She was always there for me whenever I needed her and whenever I wanted to try something new. No judgements, few questions, just support and love.
Even when I made mistakes, she was there for me. That happened quite a bit, as it does when you’re growing up. But with her help I learned from those mistakes and became better for it.
These are the things a parent does. It’s what my mom did. I would not be who I am today without her. I only hope I end up being half the parent she was.
It’s a lot to live up to.
David Lynch's Ice Bucket Challenge Is Just What It Should Be
What can you say about this? It’s David Lynch. It’s the Ice Bucket Challenge. It goes as you would hope and expect.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uvkqr-S-1Ac&w=560&h=315]
BTW, here’s a link to donate to ALS research. Save yourself some time and trouble … and also from being wet and cold.
I Want to See Christopher Nolan's 'Interstellar' Right Now
I have what could be described by some as “patience issues.” For the layman (or woman) that means I don’t like waiting … for anything.
Of course, in life you often have to wait for things, so over the years I’ve developed my skills and refined my technique. These days I can pretty much do it – if I have too. But occasionally, it’s really, really difficult.
The source of my difficulty at the moment is the movie Interstellar, directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain and Michael Caine. I’m really having a hard time waiting for this one to come out. It has all the things I love in a movie: space, spaceships, cool science, drama, action, mystery and more.
You can see what I mean if you watch this new trailer, which arrived a few days ago. In a word, the movie looks amazing. November can’t come soon enough.
Michael Keaton As 'Birdman' Is Something I Want to See
For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved movies. Good ones, bad ones and everything in between. There’s just something about a movie that does it for me.
Truth be told, I’ve seen a lot of movies over the years. I’m not really sure how many. And when I see one that looks as entertaining, as interesting and, let’s face it, as crazy as Birdman, I feel I should point it out so others can hopefully enjoy it too.
So, with that in mind, here’s the new trailer for Birdman, featuring the somewhat underrated (IMHO) Michael Keaton.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJfLoE6hanc?rel=0&w=560&h=315]