The Arrival (2016)

We have us a contender.  I’m not sure if this will take the spot for the best film of the year (Moonlight) but it’s really close.  This is a new landmark in science fiction film making.  Director Denis Villeneuve just crafted one darkly beautiful and emotionally exquisite drama.  Amy Adams, giving us another powerful performance, plays a linguist brought on board to communicate with an alien species that has arrived to Earth.  Why are they there?  Are they invading or are they here for some other reason?   Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker costar and give equally solid performances.   What I especially loved about this film was the creature design and their circle-pictograph language.  I hope this film gets a lot of love come Oscar time.  Grade: A

Westworld (Season 1)

A re-imagining of the 1973 film by Michael Crichton, this HBO series pulls you in with a great concept and many exciting characters, some of them are human and some of them are not.  What if you could go to the old West and pretend to be an outlaw, gun down innocent bystanders, rob a bank, sleep with a prostitute in an old time saloon and then go home without any retribution?  That’s what this vacation spot provides, an escape if you will (if you can afford it) to go back in time and live a different life.   Yes, they might be robots, but what if they’re alive?  Does pretending to be a villain actually damage your moral being?   And what if you’re the robot?  Are you doomed to follow a program?   Can a robot have free will?   There is a lot to celebrate about this new series.  Creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joey gather a fantastic team.  Anthony Hopkins plays the master mind and “God” like designer of the park and its robots.  Jeffrey Wright is his assistant.  Evan Rachel Wood is a robot heroine programmed to be a victim.  James Marsden is her lover designed to fail.  Thandie Newton runs the brothel, who has memories of another past.    And then there’s Ed Harris in a role that lets him eat up the screen with villainy as the man in black on a mission to uncover the “real” game in the park.  The art design is excellent and the way they build these organic robots is about as cool as it gets.  Sign me up for Season 2, I can’t wait to see where else they plan to go.  Grade: A

Spoilers:  Damn it!  A friend spoiled the twist for me so I’ll never know if I would have figured it out or if I would have been blown away by the last episode.  I hate spoilers!   I have to say that I think the structure of the entire show was great and the reveal that Ed Harris and Jimmi Simpson are the same character is fantastic.  Robots don’t age people!  Duh.  I want to believe I would have figured it out but alas I’ll never know. Can they come up with another cool twist for season 2?  I hope so.

Home (2015)

I loved this fun, zany animated film about the friendship between an alien named Oh and a girl named Tip.  The Boov, purple blob beings, are on the run from a dangerous alien race called the Gorg.  To hide, they invade Earth and succeed at relocating every human into one place.  That’s except for Tip who is left behind with her cat named Pig.   Oh and Tip become outlaws and work together to reunite Tip with her mother.  Along the way, they learn the meaning of friendship.   Jim Parsons and Steve Martin provide their voices and it's fantastic how well they bring their characters to life.  The writing is hilarious and the action clever and exciting.   This is director Tim Johnson’s best film by far.  I say bring on a sequel.  Grade: A-

The Imitation Game (2014)

I finally got around to watching this Best Picture contender from last year.  Benedict Cumberbatch plays Alan Turing, the real life mathematician who works with other cryptologists to break the Nazi’s infamous Enigma machine.  He created the Turing machine to do it and in doing so helped usher in modern computing.  Unfortunately he was homosexual in a time where being so was not safe as this film demonstrates with great dramatic tension.  Cumberbatch is great in this and I loved the actors who played his team.  Overall a solid film that’s deserving a watch.  Grade: A-

Spoilers:  I’ve read that some of this film is just made up.  But films don’t have to be historically accurate they need to be good stories.  Or, one could suggest that writer Graham Moore (winner of the Academy award for Adapted Screenplay, by the way) could have made a story that was just as entertaining while being more accurate than what was produced.  It’s a very subjective concept, and one I’m not willing to delve into until I know more about the true story.   Life is complicated and yes, in film, you have to simplify it to make it fit the parameters of a screenplay.  No one should learn history from fiction, but alas many do. 

Raiders! The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made (2015)

Two friends since childhood get funding to complete their shot-to-shot remake of Raiders of the Lost Ark.  They’ve’ been making it every summer since they were kids (with a long hiatus in there after high school) and they now finally have the money and passion to film the last scene on their bucket list, the famous Nazi bomber fight scene between Indiana and the Nazi boxing mechanic.   Look, I used to make home videos too.  But what these kids did (and what their parents let them do) is unbelievable.  I envy them to be honest.  This documentary tells their story and shares scenes from their fan film.  What it must have been like to be one of their friends, conned into dressing up as a German solider or Egyptian and do what they said.  The best part of the film though for me isn’t really the movie they’re making but the ups and down of their friendship.  Kudos for keeping your flame alive, guys!   May this film inspire a generation of new film makers.  Grade: B+

Aparajito (1956)

The sequel to Pather Panchali, this second film in the Apu Trilogy starts off in the town of Varanasi where Apu’s family had gone to make a new start.  His father is working as a priest and his mother is working as maid.   Again their lives are turned upside down by tragedy and Apu and his mother move back into the country to her uncle.   The film continues to follow Apu all the way through college and his demanding mother wants him to return home.   This story wasn’t as poetic as the first one but it’s still a remarkable achievement in film.  The conflict between mother and son is unforgettable.   It’s hard for me to believe that I’ve watched two films in this trilogy so far.  At one time I thought I’d never see it because of its unavailability. Thank Criterion for making it possible for us to watch such amazing cinema.  Grade: A

Deadpool (2016)

The film all fan boys are praising and dream of seeing get nominated for Best picture:  I finally saw it.  And it was a really fun and raunchy superhero blending of spoof and action.   Ryan Reynolds plays the title character, an assassin set on getting revenge for the underground organization that turned him into a gross looking superhero freak.   Morena Baccarin plays the love of his life, who he abandons because he wants to protect her.  Reynolds is born to play this role and he is on fire with comic timing and anti-hero charm.  I wouldn’t say it’s the greatest superhero film of all time or anything, but it is an enjoyable rated-R experience.   My favorite bit had to do with Dead pool’s old and blind roommate.   With its tongue and cheek humor and explosive action, this is one all Superhero fans should check out.  Grade: B+

Audrie and Daisy (2016)

This depressing but very important documentary tells two similar stories of young teenager girls being raped and how their assault and people’s reactions ruined their lives.  While watching this film, I became enraged and dumbfounded by the meanness of people.  Daisy’s story is probably the most disgusting because an entire town would rather protect the school’s star football player than believe her story.  The fact that said football player was the grandson of a state politician only made me fume more.   Only the victims were punished and the accused rapists never showed an ounce of regret.   No, means no!  This is a film every parent should watch with their kids and have a long discussion about.  We need to hammer into our sons’ heads that a drunken partner can’t give consent and you never pressure anyone into saying yes.   What are we people, cave men!  Grade: A-

Love and Mercy (2014)

I’m not that much of a Beach Boys fan but I love this film.  I had no knowledge of Brian Wilson’s troubles nor did I know how much of a musical genius he was.   This film by Bill Pohlad tells Wilson’s story from two points in time: when he was younger (Paul Dano) and recorded his best album (in my opinion at least) Pet Sounds and when he’s middle-aged (John Cusack) and he falls in love while under the treatment of Dr. Eugene Landy, a scumbag.  Dano’s section is my favorite.  He gives such a bold and wild performance that demonstrates how intense and innovated Wilson was.  I gained a real appreciation of Wilson’s work.   Cusack’s section is equally fascinating but I wouldn’t say his performance is as good.  It’s a good performance and of all Cusack's most recent work it's his best, but Cusack doesn’t share Dano’s range.   The fact that Cusack and Dano look nothing alike doesn’t hurt the film at all.   The love story with Elizabeth Banks is wonderful and the fact it’s true is very inspiring.  A really cool film.  Grade: A-

Pather Panchali (1955)

The first in a trilogy, this is on almost every Greatest Film list I’ve seen.   I’ve been wanting to see it forever but it’s been out of print.  Believe it or not, the original negative burned in a fire.  I could have seen a VHS version of it about six years ago but I decided to hold out for this rumored (and now reality) restored version.  It’s a miracle that Criterion and team were able to bring this film back to form and I applaud their heroic efforts.  Thank god we have such artists out there to keep such monumental works alive.   This is the first film I’ve seen of legendary director Satyajit Ray.  I plan to see everything I can of his from now on.  This is a beautiful and tragic film that I know without a doubt would have found it amazing even if I had not known how revered it is among film scholars around the world.   Based on the novel by Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay, it tells the story of a rural family with three children.  The father wants to become a poet someday and that leaves his wife to take care of their children.   Living with them is an old woman who bickers with the wife all the time.   I fell in love with this family and found each of them so vibrant with life.   The black and white imagery is so stunning that I can’t get the images out of my head.   I have to say it, this is a perfect film.  Grade: A+

I Am Your Father (2014)

This documentary is about David Prowse, the actor who played Darth Vader from the original Star Wars film.  It’s really enjoyable but I think director Marcos Cabota and Toni Bestard shoot themselves in the foot by seemingly promising to show us a reshoot of Darth Vader’s death scene where David is used in Darth Vader’s reveal instead of actor Sebastian Shaw.   Also I don’t find it criminal that Lucas decided to go with another actor to play Anakin in that moment.   Bitter grapes though can be dramatic and help cause many a conspiracy.  Yet getting to know Mr. Prowse and seeing all of his accomplishments is rewarding.   If you’re a Star Wars fan this is a must-see.  And if you’re not, it’s at least a fascinating look at the impact playing such an iconic part can have on a person.  Grade: B+

Spoilers:  I’m on the fence with the whole “let’s reshoot the reveal scene” gimmick.  For one, it sucks we can’t see it.  You feel bamboozled and that’s not cool.  Second, you don’t even need it.  Prowse’s life and personality alone is enough for a documentary without making it a film about the making of a mini-film.  (His work as the Green Cross Code Man for example is really cool.) Lucasfilm, in my opinion, should let Cabota release his little reshoot.  It’s harmless for one.  And second it would make David happy.  Is his ban from Lucasfilm events warranted?   Does Lucasfilm own him anything like an apology?  That’s up to the viewer (although the filmmakers make their opinion quite clear).  I personally think all the attention inflated his ego a bit, but that’s okay, he’s Darth Vader and that’s really awesome.   Let’s leave the man alone and enjoy the rest of his years with his fine family. 

Sicario (2016)

Maybe it’s the setting or the drug cartel topic but I just found this drama to be ho-hum.  Emily Blunt and Benicio del Toro do give excellent performances that help keep the film from going off the rails but if it weren’t for Roger Deakins’ beautiful cinematography I’d probably would have dismissed this as just an average film.  Direct Denis Vileneuve is a fine director; I just wish he’d have had a plot worthy of his talent.  Grade: B

Brooklyn (2015)

Saoirse Ronan gives one of her best performances as an Irish Immigrant in Brooklyn in the 1950s.  Away from home she discovers herself in this new country and falls in love.  Yet will she return home when she is called back?  Adapted from the novel by Colm Toibin by Nick Hornby and directed by John Crowley, this is a winner in a big way.   It would be nominated for best picture and I’m sure will find favor with many looking for a coming-to-age story that really gets to the soul of becoming your own person.  This is a flawless film in many ways.  Grade: A

Spoilers:  Thank god Tony, played by Emory Cohen, didn’t turn out to be a jerk.  I was really worried that she’d fall for Domhnall Gleeson’s Jim.  But I could see why she would. That’s great drama and made what one would think was a mundane story really intense. 

Ugly Americans and Our New President

Oh America.  Today, I am not Proud to be an American.  Today I'm depressed and trying with all my fiber to find hope for the future.  But alas, this country I live in voted for a man so loathsome to be our next President I can't really understand it.  What happened America?  It seems you are as racist and sexist as you were thirty or forty years ago.  It seems nothing really has changed except all the deplorables went into hiding.  Trump hit jackpot with his campaign of fear and hate and lies.  I was really looking forward to have a female president.  I was so excited to look at my son and tell him, "See her, she's our new President."  Now I won't even be able to look my son in the eye without feeling ashamed for our country.   I guess I should write a wonderful rant about how this will not be the end and how we'll fight another day.  But who?  Those who would oppose Trump are as fractured as the Republican party.  The youth didn't come out and vote. Or if they did, they voted for a third party candidate.  I know what that feels like.  I was young once too.  I shouldn't be surprised (and part of me isn't).  I voted Nader 16 years ago because I didn't want to support the guy I didn't like.  I learned my lesson but sadly no one else did.   I'm not saying Hillary would have won if Jill Stein or Gary Johnson wasn't there but they didn't help that's for sure.  And Bernie!  I don't think you'd have defeated Trump either.  As I said, Trump hit an angry nerve.  They want their jobs back, they don't want to be forced to pay for health care, they don't want immigrants, they want our military to go kick butt around the world and protect them and they want the promise that if they make it rich they won't have to pay that much tax.  Talk about voting against your own self interest.  It'll be interesting to see what unfolds in the next four years.  All I know is that Trump is going to hear a lot of noise and he'll not like it.  But until then I'm going to pretend none of this happened and dream of good days gone by.

Finding Dory (2016)

Pixar creates a sequel for one of their most popular films and the result is the kind of continuation a fan of the original can celebrate.  Not surprisingly, it’s very clever and very funny with a lot of surprises along the way.  Dory, the forgetful fish, has a flash of memory about her parents.  Suddenly on a journey of her own, with Marlin and Nemo in tow, she tries to find them.  Many new characters surface (or sub-merge) that combines for a really enjoyable family experience.  The highlight for me and I’m sure for everyone was an octopus name Hank.  Grade: A-

Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain

A sarcastic tale that’s like Flags of our Fathers about a platoon of US soldiers that were involved in a heroic Iraq battle that are invited to participate in the Super Bowl Halftime show to honor them.  Tagging along with them is a Hollywood agent, Albert, who is trying to secure funding for a film about their ordeal and in turn get them paid.  The main character is Billy Lynn and it’s through his point of view we see the world, a tour through American decadence and fake patriotism.  The writing from Fountain is very strong, with clever and insightful observations and metaphors.   I truly appreciated to read a book like this that’s pro-military while at the same time mocking military heroism and in doing so is very much anti-war.   Grade: A

Queen of Katwe (2016)

This is a feel-good film about the true story of Phiona Mutesi from Uganda who becomes a Chess Master and competes with the best of the world.  Directed by Mira Nair and staring Lupita Nyong’o as Phiona’s mother and David Oyelowo as her coach.   It follows the typical format these kind of autobiographical sports films do but what makes this one stand out is how connected you become to the characters.   I really fell in love with everyone in this movie and emotionally went through every up and down they go through.  It’s a highly enjoyable film.  Grade: A-

Moonlight (2016)

This is the best film of the year so far.  I’m so glad I had the opportunity to see it on the big screen where its visual scope and powerful and dramatic intimacy could pull me in.   Told in three acts, we experience the life of a young black man named Chiron from three different periods in his youth (using three different actors).  First we meet him as a boy having to deal with bullying and the isolation that he is different.  Second we meet him as a teenager coming to terms with his sexuality and his drug addict mother.  Lastly we meet him as a young adult and see how a criminal life has changed him.  There are so many fantastic performances in this film.  Naomie Harris who plays Chiron’s drug addict mother is scary good.  Mahershala Ali, with a relaxed approach, gives a deeply moving performance as a drug dealer that takes the little Chiron under his wing.   Both of these artists should get some awards buzz.  Director Barry Jenkins must be proud to have crafted such an amazing work of art.  If this film doesn’t at least get nominated for Best Picture than there really might be a white-only conspiracy at hand.   I personally think it should win.  But of course I haven’t seen all the movies yet so I might change my mind.  There is going to have to be something really good to topple this one though.  Remarkable.  Grade: A

Top Ten Best Re-Watchable Horror Films

There are a lot of great horror films but for a lot of them, you only really need to see it once and never see it again.  The Saw films are fun but I don’t feel the need to revisit them.  Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a masterpiece but I don’t really want to watch it yearly.  Here is my list of horror films that for whatever the reason I can watch again and again.

1. The Thing

2. Evil Dead 2

3. Ghostbusters

4. Into the Mouth of Madness

5. Shaun of the Dead

6. Poltergeist

7. The Frighteners

8. Hellraiser

9. Cabin in the Woods

10. Slither

Dead of Night (1945)

From Ealing Studios comes this collection of stories told in flash backs from guests at a party.  One of the guests named Walter arrives and believes he’s seen all of them before and forewarns of something terrible about to happen.   They try to convince him otherwise (this is where the flash backs come into play).   I’m not surprised that this film is as good as it is; that’s Ealing Studios for you.   All the stories are great; I especially love the one about the mirror.   There’s even a comic tale about two golf buddies that’s really fun.   What makes this all work is an ending that really seems ahead of its time.  Grade: A-

Baskin (2015)

This Turkish horror film is about a bunch of unlikable police officers who deserve to get killed that go to a house after being called in for an emergency, only to find they’ve entered a cult of torture and mutilation.  There’s also a dream-like quality to the film where you question if what is happening is real or if this place is actually hell.   If you like ultra-dark horror with torture and sex and lots of violence than this might be your cup of tea, or more like your mug of malice.   I was kind of bored after a while.  Maybe I’m a weirdo but the theater of it all didn’t hold much meaning for me.   It felt like Can Evrenol was so intent creating a gruesome hell sequence he forgot why we needed to see it.  Grade: B-

Videodrome (1983)

I can’t believe I never saw this one before.  I thought I had until talking with a friend and it became clear I was thinking of Cronenberg’s film Scanners.  I’ve been missing out.  This is a marvelous demented film that’s packed of ideas and surreal images.  It’s frightening as well as thought provoking.  James Woods plays Max Renn, a shock jock looking for pirated material to broadcast on his minor cable channel.   He finds a broadcast called Videodrome that shows torture and rape.  After watching it though he starts to have hallucinations and that’s when he falls into a trap that he must desperately try to break away from or be a puppet to an underground organization.  The Criterion version has a great behind the scene documentary about the make-up effects from Rick Baker.  If you haven’t seen this one, do.  It’s eerily prophetic.  Grade: A

John Dies at the End by David Wong

This book is way too complicated to even try to describe.  It’s a loony, gory, Lovecraftian adventure with two paranormal fighting friends named John and Dave.  They take an alien-demon substance they call Soy sauce to see into the future.  They battle a meat monster.  They travel to another dimension.  They have to help save a girl named Amy Sullivan.  Basically so much happens I can’t remember it all.  What I do know it was a blast to read.  Grade: B+

The Black Cat (1934)

Boris Karloff and Béla Lugosi get top billing on this original film written by Peter Ruric (it has nothing to do with Edgar Allan Poe’s story).   Edgar G. Ulmer directs this, his most memorable film, until Detour that is.  Honeymooners Peter and Joan get stranded in Hungry and a doctor (Lugosi) on his way to see his college (Karloff) at his castle invites them to come along.   It’s clear Karloff is a devilish foe and that the Lugosi is there for revenge.   It’s a convoluted plot but full of many memorable scenes, especially a cat that gives the doctor a scare and the dungeon where many dead women are displayed.  I wouldn’t say this holds up that much, it is old and feels quaint, but it’s a must-see if you want to see the classics.  Grade: B

The Canal (2014)

This Irish ghost story about a film preservationist named David who may or may not have killed his wife who may or may not have been having an affair.  Alone in a house with a violent past, David starts to feel an evil presence is trying to take away his son.  While the cops circle and his family worries about his sanity, he dives deeper into the mystery of his house in a hope to protect his son. Written and directed by Ivan Kavanagh.   Grade: A-

Spoilers:  Another depressing ending.  This is getting upsetting.  Okay, again I don’t mind it if a film has a sad ending.  The hero doesn’t have to live to make it a good film.  But in this one, did the boy have to die?  I mean, come on, the father gave his life so his son would live and then the kid dies anyway.   It’s haunting, that’s for sure, but so damn hopeless. 

Eden Lake (2008)

Here’s another film about a couple that go away to some remote area only to find terror instead of happiness.  What makes this British thriller stand out is the remarkable performances from Kelly Reilly and Michael Fassbender.  James Watkin’s direction is very strong too, creating intense scenes that are brutal and frighteningly real.   I’ll be thinking about this film the next time my wife and I go camping that’s for sure, especially if I run into a group of thuggish teenagers.   Grade: A-

Spoilers:  The end of this one is greatly depressing and had me fuming mad.  That’s two films in a row where I wanted to punch someone’s face.  The difference here, although very cynical and mean-spirited, I felt the storyteller had something to say, an emotional truth that the audience needed to swallow even if it burned going down.   The only knock I had on this one is that Kelly’s character doesn’t just die a horrible death, but she fails so miserably.   I would have found it so much more rewarding if the teenager she had run over was that bastard Brett.   Oh well, that’s theater of cruelty for you. 

13 Cameras (2016)

I hated this movie.  A couple rent a house from a creepy Billy Joel look-a-like who secretly watches them from cameras he has staged around the house.  Obviously things go from bad to worse when the creepy landlord witnesses the husband cheat on his pregnant wife so he decides to kidnap the girl he’s cheating on.  As this far-fetched scenario unfolds it just becomes more preposterous and cruel.  The acting is pretty average but I blame the writing.   The characters these actors play are so badly developed and their decision making is infuriating to watch.  The only memorable aspect to this film is the landlord portrayed by Neville Archambault; a villain so over the top you want to laugh.   I know what kind of film Victor Zarcoff is trying to make but in the end I felt like he sacrificed a lot of believably to get the end he wanted.   Stay away from this one, folks.  It’s just dumb.  Grade: C-

Spoilers:  I don’t mind endings where the villain wins; it’s a result that happens in a lot of horror films, but this one is just mean and silly.  There’s no way this guy is going to get away taking care of a kid on this own.   I think you’re supposed to laugh and find the ending shocking, but I just thought it was unnecessary.

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (2015)

Ana Lily Amirpour’s take on the vampire.   It’s a crime film, it’s a love story, it’s coolness seemingly inspired by Jarmusch.  A young man trying to help his father get off drugs gets involved with a young woman who stalks the night.  It has some slow parts but this is a very satisfying film.  The black and white photography looks great and the performances are all excellent.  Grade: A-

Orange Eats the Creeps by Grace Krilanovich

I’m so pissed.  I was really looking forward to this book.  I thought it was going to be the kind of experimental, slap in the face novel that would forever leave me shaken and wanting more.   Instead I was bored and frustrated by a very gifted writer more interested in rambling on with strong images and poetic details than giving me even a nugget of a story.  I get it.   Books don’t have to be plot centric but they should be coherent.  What is this book about?  It’s about a foster teenage girl in search for her sister in the Pacific northwest.   She hooks up  with a bunch of vagrant teenage junkies (vampires?) and that’s about as much as I got before it became redundant and annoying to keep reading.  I did finish it; I’m proud of that.  I could have and wanted to stop after the first third of the book, but I kept on, taking my time, reading each sentence carefully, hoping for meaning, scrambling for a metaphor, trying to convince myself that I was just not smart enough, that there had to be something there.  Maybe there is, but I couldn’t find it.  Some passages were very powerful in a “look-at-how-amazing-a-writer-I-am” way.   But I never understood who these characters were, I never became emotionally concerned for them, or witnessed some transformation that moved me or got me to think outside my point of view.  Basically I wasted my time.  I hate being so harsh and I actually like the idea of challenging the reader and redefining what a novel can be or should be.   Yet in the end the writer  must keep me engaged and here Krilanovich failed.  Grade: C

Creep (2014)

Mark Duplass plays an oddball who hires a videographer played by Patrick Brice for a personal project.   What starts off as just a little bit of an awkward situation devolves into a nightmare.   Patrick Brice directs the film with Duplass and himself credited as writing it.  I’m assuming there wasn’t much of a script and that they adlibbed much of the film (which is impressive).   It’s a well-crafted found-footage story because it constantly keeps the audience guessing.  At times I laughed and then started to feel that gut-twisting sense that something bad was going to happen.   I highly enjoyed this film and expect it to become a horror genre classic.  Grade: A

We Are Still Here (2015)

Anne and Paul move to the country for a fresh start.  They lost their adult son and are both still in mourning.   Yet the house they move in has a connection to the dead.  Has their son returned to them?   Why does everyone in town seem to distance themselves from them?    And when they’re visited by close friends, May and Jacob, why do people start to disappear?  This unsettling film kept me on edge and second guessing what would happen.  The acting isn’t always great, but the film succeeds at building to a terrifying climax.   Grade: B+

Suicide Club (2001)

Imagine if you will people all of a sudden killing themselves?  And for no reason, almost as if it was just something to do? Japanese director Sion Sono creates such a story, with the police trying to figure out why this was happening and how it relates to packages containing rolls of human skin.   The pacing of this film isn’t always consistent but the mystery is so frightening and entrancingly bizarre you’ll be thinking about it for some time.   There are some really shocking moments in this film that really should be seen if you love the horror genre.  Grade: B+

Amanda Knox (2016)

Okay, this is not really a horror documentary.  At the same time, when you think about being sent to prison for a crime you didn’t do, it’s a very scary ordeal.   This film pretty much debunks the idea that Amanda Knox is a killer.  Yet it demonstrates how the media and the Italian officials crafted a narrative that she and her boyfriend (at the time) killed her roommate.  It’s sad that two people in love had to have their lives stalled over faulty evidence and fabricated stories.  There is no doubt that the murder of Meredith Kercher was a horrible tragedy.  To make it ever worse the police poorly investigated the crime and went after the wrong people.   Grade: B+

Honeymoon (2014)

Maybe don’t go on your honeymoon to some remote cabin in the woods.  Yes, I know your new wife used to come there all the time, but instead go on a fun cruise or resort where you’ll be treated like a king.   And if you do go to some remote cabin in the woods and your wife starts to act “weird” maybe that’s when you get out of there.  And I mean, you run if you have to.   Harry Treadaway and Rose Leslie star in this fantastic science fiction horror film in the vein of Invasion of the Body Snatchers by director Leigh Janiak.   It’s an intense experience that leaves a lasting impression.  Grade: A-

Green Room (2016)

A punk band on the road and needing a gig drives out to a club somewhere in the Pacific Northwest (think Portland, Oregan) to find they’re going to be performing for a gathering of Nazi skinheads.  If that isn’t unnerving enough, things get really intense very quickly when they witness a crime that happens in the green room.  Anton Yelchin stars (I so miss the guy) along with Alia Shawat and Patrick Stewart.   Director Jeremy Saulnier has come a long way from his 2007 indie Murder Party but hey, I could tell he had talent then and boy, has he become a very accomplished director.  This film is very impressive.  It’s one of the most suspenseful films I’ve seen in a while and the horror feels very real.   Mr. Stewart is a fantastic and believable villain; he keeps his sinister qualities low-key and that’s what makes it work so well.   A great modern day horror film that will have a long shelf life I’m certain.  Grade: A

Severance (2006)

We start this year’s 31 days of Horror with this comedic horror film by Christopher Smith (co-written by James Moran).   A bunch of co-workers go on a business team-building holiday in a remote area in Eastern Europe.  Events quickly spirally into the absurdly horrific as they become hunted by crazies.  I really enjoyed this one.  It’s funny, it’s suspenseful and full of surprises.   Grade: B+

The Marrying Kind (1952)

Judy Holliday and Aldo Ray star as a married couple who go to court to get a divorce.  Told in flash backs, they tell their story to the judge who obviously wants them to reconsider.   It’s melodrama at its finest directed by George Cukor.  Still it's melodrama.  Grade: B

Ruggles in Red Gap (1935)

This Leo McCarey western is a treasure of comedy.  Charles Laughton stars as an English butler who becomes traded to an American millionaire over a card game.  A fish-out-of-water plot, he has to adjust to the American west and in doing so discovers himself.   The most magical moment of the film is when Ruggles recites the Gettysburg Address, I literally had goose bumps.   What a terrific film!  Films like these need to be celebrated so they don’t disappear and become footnotes in cinema history text books.   I saw this on TCM and I hope they continue to show it for many years to come.  Grade: A

Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan

First I’ll start on a side note.  I love the cover photograph of this book.  It’s the main reason I picked it up.  The premise on the back got me to purchase it.  The story is from four points of view: Alice, an 80 year old grandmother who decides to donate the family home to the Catholic Church after she dies, Kathleen, Alice’s estranged daughter who lives on a worm farm with her hippie husband out in California, doll house design competitor, Ann Marie (Alice’s daughter-in-law), who assumes the family home along with the beach front property around it will be hers someday, and writer Maggie, Kathleen’s daughter, who broke up with her boyfriend just before vacationing with her grandmother.   This tragicomic novel never really does anything daring but it’s an enjoyable read, enjoyable if you find dysfunctional families confronting each other while on the verge of discovery entertaining.   There were a couple laugh-out-loud moments and while none of these women stand out as very engaging characters I don’t think they were badly formed.  Sullivan is a gifted storyteller and I have a feeling she has many better books in her.  Grade: B

Opposite of Loneliness: Essays and Stories by Marina Keegan

Published after her death, Marina Keegan’s collected work of writings is like being introduced to someone you would have wanted to be friends with, but sadly never will know.  It’s a farewell to a talent cut short, a career undeveloped but seething with potential.  My favorite pieces here are her personal essays, especially the one on about having Coeliac disease.  Her fiction is mostly just average.  But I loved reading this book because you can feel her youthful and fearless enthusiasm.  It’s inspiring that her friends and family had these works published for all to read.  Sad too that we’ll never she how much better she would have become as a writer.  Grade: B+

Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)

It seems a little unfair at times that Laika gets overshadowed by all the computer-generated animated feature films out there, especially when they’re creating some of the most beautifully crafted stop-motion animated of all time.  This film is no exception.  It’s stylistically a masterpiece with visuals that revival most non-animated films.  I’m watching the film wanting to yell at the screen to freeze frame so I can marvel at what I’m seeing.   The story of Kubo’s journey to find his father’s armor before his evil twin aunts and murderous grandfather, the Moon King, can find him and kill him is abundant with dark mystery and magic.  He travels with a protective monkey and later befriends a man cursed into the form of a beetle.  Directed by Travis Knight (CEO of Laika) and voiced by such talent as Charilze Theron, Matthew McConaughey, Ralph Fiennes, Rooney Mara and George Takai.  I can’t stress this enough, go see this amazing film.  I’m hoping it will win the coveted Oscar for Best Animated Feature, but it will be tough with Zootopia predictably being in the same race this year.  Of course it might not even get nominated which would be crime.  Grade: A

Suicide Squad (2016)

For such an awful movie, I must admit to being pretty entertained.  Sadly though, no matter how much fun I had watching the banding of such bad-asses as Deadshot, Harley Quinn, Killer Croc, Katana, Captain Boomerang and Rick Flag this is a cinematic mess.  David Ayer knows how to make a film look great but he might have considered handing over the writing duties to someone else.  Who do you blame for this colorful poop storm?   Everyone really.  Whoever is in charge at Warner Brothers, please, please, please do whatever you must to make better superhero films.  You have so many great characters, they deserve better than this.   What’s especially frustrating about this one is that you have a great cast in Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Viola Davis , Adewale Akinnouye-Agbaje and Joel Kinnaman.   What could have been a fantastic Dirty Dozen-like picture instead turns into a typical end-of-the-world mega-crisis.  This film has it all:  an illogical plot, a cartoony over the top villain, and in your face violence.   Yes, I was entertained.  In fact I was laughing at all the jokes and thought some of the character building was great.  I even like Leto’s take on the Joker and hope he comes back to play the role.   Still in the end this is a bad film and I can only recommend it if you want to have a good time laughing at how bad of a film it is.  Grade: C  (I want to give it a B- because I had fun but I just can’t justify it. Shrug.)

Spoilers:

Suggestion on a sequel: keep the plot simple.   Don’t have them save the world.  Send them out on some top secret mission that not even the Justice League knows about.   Think Mission Impossible, not Avengers with Villains.  Also don’t ruin a great character like the Enchantress.  And whatever you do, don’t have your villain dance around like some weirdo.   No dancing.  Don’t blow up a city.  Keep with what this film does right: wise-ass bad guys having to work together to accomplish a single goal. 

The Fall by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan

The second book in the Strain Trilogy is a fun continuation of del Toro and Hogan’s take on the vampire outbreak story.  Nothing really ground breaking here but it’s a fun read.  There were a couple moments where I questioned the character’s choices but in the end I want to keep following the story.   It seems kind of hopeless as the Vampire pandemic spreads across New York City while the billionaire ldritch Palmer uses his influence and money to make sure no one is taking it seriously.  The Master is spreading his reach and the only hope we have is in Professor Abraham Setrakian, old guy who has dedicated his life to find and kill the Master, and ex-CDC officer Ep Goodweather who is having to help his son deal with the fact his mother is now one of them.   Grade: B+

Spoiler:

Vampires are taking over the world.  As a father I would do everything I could to make sure my son was safe, especially if his vampire mom was coming for him.  Not Ep, nope.  This guy decides to let his girlfriend take care of his son while he goes on a suicide mission to save the world.   I get it; he thinks he can stop it.  But your son needs you, man.  This is the part I had a really hard time buying. 

Mr. Robot (Season 1)

There’s a lot of love going around for this show and I personally don’t feel it’s warranted.  It is a good show but there are many better shows out there.  Rami Malek plays a hacker named Elliot who works for a cyber security firm but on the side works for Mr. Robot, a group of hackers intent on fighting corruption.   None of the characters are really likable and it’s hard to care about their vague conspiracy theory cause.  There’s a twist in the show that I saw coming from the start and I didn’t feel was very clever.   The writing is good though and the cast delivers strong performances.  I just would have liked to have liked this show more.   Instead it’s overrated and hard to embrace.   Grade: B

Spoiler:

Did Sam Esmail read Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk or see Fincher’s film of the same name and decide to make his own version of the story?  I wouldn’t say he stole the idea but his show is very close to being a clone.  They even have the same twist (with a slight variation).   Did Palahniuk consider calling his lawyers and ask, “Do I have a case?”  Yes, they are different but at the core they’re the same.  This isn’t really a knock on the show, more of a head-scratcher.  If I had done the same thing I’m sure I would have gotten a call to stop and cease.  It will be interesting to see what they do for season 2.  Or maybe I should say; it’ll be interesting to see what book or film Esmail is going to borrow from next.

Stranger Things (Season 1)

If ever a project was created solely to entertain me it was this one.  This is now in my top three favorite shows on TV.  Netflix, I don’t know where you found these guys, but the Duffer Brothers are for real.   Here it is a blending of Stephen King, Spielberg, and everything ‘80s to make a horror/science fiction spectacular unlike anything I’ve seen (even though its spawned from everything I’ve seen).   Three middle school friends, Mike, Dustin and Lucas, try to find their friend, Will, who mysteriously disappeared one night after playing a game of Dungeons and Dragons.   Meanwhile a strange young girl without a name escapes a nearby top-secret base where something very bad has been unleashed.  Winoma Ryder returns in full-on- crazy-mom-searching-for-her-son mode and David Harbour plays the police chief trying to get to the bottom of many strange things (hee hee).   There are not that many shows I want to re-watch after seeing them.  This is one of them.  The chemistry with the cast is great.  The monster is actually very scary.   I could see this being the next big show.  It’s wonderful.  Can I just write that over and over again in a blog?  It’s wonderful, it’s wonderful, it’s freaking wonderful!  Grade: A

Star Trek Beyond (2016)

After the last installment to this intergalactic reboot, I was glad to see J.J. Abrams leave so another director could attempt to bring back the magic he created and so promised.  I’m not a fan of the second film and had high hopes this third film would be better.  And it is!  Yeah!   It still has its problems but I’m grateful that they at least got us away from Earth and took us out into space.   Again there are some issues with this film and perhaps that’s because instead of making a Star Trek film, Paramount wanted to make an action-packed Guardians of the Galaxy-type film.  That makes sense.   I don’t know how excited today’s audiences would be to see a pure science fiction drama that explored any “big” ideas.   This is more of a fun movie made for those who like spectacle over substance.   Justin Lin does a mostly serviceable job and you can tell the writers (Simon Pegg and Doug Jung) want to have an explosive good time.   It’s not a film you have to see in the theater but it’s good enough to recommend.  If this is the last we see of this cast, making this the last of a trilogy, I’ll be okay with it.  It’s a good one to end on even if I’d love to see this cast return one more time.   I’d love to see this cast return for a Star Trek film that contained some actual innovation but that’s unlikely with those in charge.   Grade: B+

Spoilers:

They might as well paint the Enterprise red.  In every film the poor thing gets destroyed and crashes.   It’s really getting old.  Can’t you guys think of anything more eventful to have happen then the heroes’ spaceship getting killed?   Very redundant and dilutes the impact every time this happens.   Also it’s getting really tiring to have a villain whose sole goal is revenge against the Federation.  That’s the villain’s goal in all three films.  What happened to the Enterprise running into a threat that doesn’t know who the Federation is?   With the endless plots that can be created in a universe teeming with dangerous obstacles it’s very annoying that they keep using the same old “revenge” plot.   It also cheapens any potential conflict or drama from the crew.   It’s like the producers never watched an episode of any of the shows.  And again poor Idris Elba, the guy can’t get a decent role.  Here he’s under a ton of makeup and made to play a very typical baddy.   It’s Idris Elba, folks.  Will someone in Hollywood give this guy a meaty role he can sink his teeth into?   

Note: Anton Yelchin died before this was released by a freak accident.  His death might make it even more unlikely we’ll see more from this cast.  You can’t recast Chekov, it would be weird.  Still I think he would have liked for this cast to keep making Star Trek movies without him.   We’ll see.  A very talented guy and he’ll be missed by everyone who knew him or those who watched him perform.

Hilary Clinton (Commentary)

I’m with her.  Of course.  Our other option is not even an option.  And I’m not going to vote for her because she’s the lesser of two evils, because she’s not evil at all.  I actually think she’s a good person and will make a terrific president.   How anyone could vote for the other guy, I don’t even want to say his name, is beyond me.  I understand it if you’re Republican . . . no, wait a minute.  I don’t understand it if you’re a Republican.  Do you really want the last Republican president (and let’s be clear, his failure will signal the end of the party) to be the Don?   What’s four more years?  Republicans, you survived just fine with Obama; I think you’ll survive another Clinton.  Regardless of her failings (which are Republican smoke screens) she is the most qualified person for the job.  Sure she won’t be able to do much of anything until there’s a Democratic Congress but at least she’ll represent our country with grace and intelligence.  While it will be nice to finally have a woman in the oval office her gender is irrelevant to me.  She’s worthy of the job and I trust in her completely.  I get it though.  She’s not an entertainer like the Don.  She isn’t a great orator like Obama.  She has some baggage.  I don’t care.  We’re not voting for entertainer of the year, we’re voting for a person who can manage the Executive branch, inspire our children, and be a good spokesperson to our neighboring countries.  Hilary is perfect for this role and any vote not for her is a vote for him.  Again it’s not even a choice, it’s so obvious who to vote for I can’t believe the polls show this race being so close.  But sadly it is and I’m terrified.  Hopefully America will walk up to the ballot box and suddenly find their common sense because this election is too important to let a qualified candidate like Hilary Clinton get away.

Donald Trump (Commentary)

This is a joke, right.  I can’t believe this is happening.  Donald J. Trump is the Republican nominee for president.  President of the United States.  Not the President of the Spoiled-Rich Yacht club.  No, not the President of D-List Celebrities.  President of the United States of America.  Trump.  President of the United States.   They’re like polar opposites.  I can still remember watching Trump jump into the race many months ago and I thought it was his way of getting publicity.  There is no way this man can win this election.  We, as in the People of the United States, cannot allow this to happen.  What does it say about our country if we elect this dumb ass as our Commander-in-Chief?  How embarrassing.  How eye-opening!  Our country really has lost its way.   Please American let’s not be dumb.  We're better than this.  

A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr.

I really wanted to like this classic of Science Fiction.   It takes place in a post-apocalyptic American desert where a Catholic monastery preserves past technology.   It’s one of those great premises that works as a premise but not necessarily as a story.  The characters never really stood out for me and the reading experience felt like homework.   There’s some great themes embedded in this book and I understand why so many hold this book up in reverence but I just found it to be long and emotionally flat.   The plotting didn’t hold my interest and when I finished I felt relief that it was over.  Grade: C

Zootopia (2016)

Disney Animation brings us a modern world populated with animals and it’s fantastic.  Judy is a bunny that wants to be a police officer not a meter maid.  No one takes her seriously especially a con artist fox named Nick.  Yet together they must uncover a conspiracy that threatens the very foundations that keep Zootopia society a great place to co-exist.   The message of this film is so important and very timely.  It’s hilarious and clever and the kind of family-friendly crowd pleaser that will become a classic over time I guarantee.  Grade: A

Memory of Light by Brandon Sanderson and Robert Jordan

I started reading this series in 1999.   What a feeling of accomplishment!  15 huge books.   So many years wondering if I would ever get to complete it, especially when the author dies, and now I can say I’ve done it.  Was it worth it?  Would I tell someone that’s considering to read The Wheel of Time to do so?   Mostly yes, because it is an entertaining read.  Some of the books in this series I’d put up there as the best fantasy books I’ve ever read.  My hesitation is it is a huge commitment (especially if you’re a slow reader like myself) and the ending (while mostly excellent) isn’t as satisfying as I had hoped.  But let’s be honest.  Endings are really hard.  Most writers would fail trying to tie up all the loose ends and have events conclude with a ring of believably.   Brandon Sanderson and Harriet McDougal are heroes for giving us fans an end to a series that would have never seen an end if not for their passion.   I feel silly to nick pick and find fault in any decision that was made, but I will because that’s my right.  I get to have an opinion just like every other reader. 

Tarmon Gai'don has begun.  At the Field of Merrilor team Rand al’Thor plan for the onslaught.   Egwene and Elayne will lead the charge while Rand goes to fight the Dark One at Shayol Ghul.  Perrin will have to join the fight in Tel'aran'rhiod.  Will Mat be able to convince Tuon and her Seanchan army to join the last battle?  Everyone is on hand in a book jammed packed with battles and carnage and victories and defeats.   It’s almost too much at times but when you’re talking about the end of the world and with dozens of character arcs to explore, of course it’s going to be a lot.  It’s all very exciting and well-paced and makes for a solid conclusion.   If you’ve made it this far and don’t keep reading you’d be a fool.   Grade: A-

Spoilers:  I had a bad feeling there wouldn’t be many great deaths when in the opening prologue Sanderson sets up what would have been a fantastic and heroic end to the character of Talmanes as he fights to save the Dragons from Caemlyn’s destruction but alas, just before he dies, an Aes Sadai heals him.  In the end there were some great deaths, Egwene being the best.   Siuan Sanche and Gareth Bryne both getting killed helped make for a believable story.   But of the three Ta'veren, Rand, Perrin and Mat, they all live.  I can see why keeping Perrin alive is a good idea.  I even like Mat living, but Rand should have perished at the end.   I can see how Jordan and Sanderson probably were trying to avoid the whole “messiah” concept but for Rand to fake his death and be able to wander the world free of responsibility (remember he’s a father now) and let his wives take care of the mess he left behind, it’s just some kind of cruel male fantasy.   Yeah, I saved the world and now I get to retire.   I’m not saying more people needed to die (many do of course) but when only one of the main characters perishes (Egwene) it’s just feels too easy.  It was the end of the world, the last battle, people sacrificed their lives so others would live . . . just make sure none of our favorite characters die?   It was a bit of a cope out.  I was hoping for a more inventive end where Rand surrenders himself and becomes the new Dark One, or Perrin loses his wife and vows to never marry.   Maybe the Aes Sadai are tricked by Tuon and have to fight two battles at once.   Maybe have it that Rand fails and Perrin and Mat have to join him to kill the Dark one. Anything to make the end of this story stand out and be different.   In the end we have a satisfying conclusion with no real guts.   It’s the happy ending we were expecting but not really needing.   What starts off as one of the most memorable fantasy epics ever ends as a long drawn out bang that will be forgotten over the next few years. 

Neon Demon (2016)

Nicolas Winding Refn is a brutal filmmaker and here he makes a sardonic statement on the modeling world's obsession with perfection and the youthful ideas of beauty.   Reminiscent of Argento’s Suspiria, Refn spins a horror film that is stylistically techno and vibrant with dread.  It demands to be seen and remembered.  Unfortunately for me it’s also flawed by the weight of its own shocking goofiness.  I can’t tell if you’re supposed to find it over the top funny (which it’s not) or if you’re supposed to be grossed out (which I was).   Elle Fanning is radiant and the perfect victim at hand.  If only the audience was rewarded for following her doomed story.  I do recommend it though for fans of risky film making and applaud Refn for jumping outside the box of normal.   Grade: B+

Spoiler:  That end is just stupid.  I mean, eating the eyeball is cartoony.  What could have been a shocking ending lost its luster with a moment of slapstick gore.  It does kind of resonate with the rest of the film but for the last moment to be so outlandish, I just felt betrayed.  Also couldn’t Fanning’s character have found some victory against her attackers?  I hate it when the villains win without any consequence.  If she could have killed one of them before dying I would have been way more pleased.

Game of Thrones (Season 6)

Television shows are hard to write about without revealing tons of spoilers.  Let’s just state right now, if you haven’t watched or read any of this fantasy saga, don’t read anything below.  Just watch it already.   Okay, first off, this is one of the most satisfying seasons of this HBO series.  This is comforting considering this is the first time David Benioff & D. B. Weiss have gone off script or off book that is.  All of George R.R. Martin’s books have been adapted.  From here on (with George’s input I’m sure) they’re going to give us an end that’s not been written yet, so drawing a line in the sand for devoted fans—which end of this story will be better, the show’s or the as-yet-written (if ever completed) novels.   After six seasons, it’s clear the players are making their way back.  Jon Snow has returned to Winterfell (no one really believed he’d be dead for long) and reunited with a more mature Sansa.  Ayra has completed her training with the Faceless.  Cersei has found her revenge while at the same time losing the last of her children.  And Daenery’s on a ship for home to final take the Iron Throne.  I’m so excited I can’t really contain myself.  This is one of those shows that I’ve always loved but I’ve been nervous to get too attached to because of all the bad that has happened in the past.   A lot of bad can still happen but I have hope after this season that we’ll see more victories than defeats.   The two best episodes this season were “The Door” and “Battle of the Bastards”.   Hopefully the producers bring back the directors of these two fantastic episodes, Jack Bender and Miguel Sapochnik.   Really there was no bad episode, every episode seemed perfectly executed.   If they can continue to stay this consistent this series will go down in history as one of the great television shows of all-time.  Grade: A

Penny Dreadful (Season 2)

This sophomore edition to Showtime’s Victorian Horror series is even better than the first season.  Eva Green anchors this show with her talent and charisma and this time around they have a real villain in Helen McCrory, a witch set to seduce and destroy Sir Malcolm Murray.   There are many great episodes but my favorite is Vanessa Ives back story.  My only complaint is with the development of Lily played by Billie Piper, I just am not sure what they’re doing with her and it makes me nervous for season 3.   Grade: A-

X:Men Apocalypse (2016)

Superhero redundancy continues with the third addition to the latest X-Men incarnation.  While not as thrilling or as skillfully crafted as Days of Future Past, I was entertained seeing Professor Xavier, Magneto and Mystique join forces with the younger versions of Cyclops and Jane Grey to battle the most powerful mutant they have ever faced.  Sophie Turner is a wonderful choice for Jane and I’m hoping we get to see more of her and her younger counterparts later on.  (Maybe they’ll give us a proper Dark Phoenix film, here’s hoping.)  The entire film is just fun and I have to say it’s the most satisfying superhero entry this year (sorry Marvel, but it is.)   That’s not to say it doesn’t have its bad moments but it’s a solid summer blockbuster.   Grade: A-

Spoiler:

I don’t know if this is a spoiler but I decided I’d devote a bit of my rage on the costume designer (monster suit creator) for this film.  Apocalypse might be one of the dumbest looking villains I’ve seen in a big A-quality film.   There’s even a meme out there comparing him to Ivan Ooze from the Mutant Morphing Power Rangers film.  That’s bad.  What’s worse is Oscar Isaac is awesome as Apocalypse.  His voice and his eyes are so intense and foreboding it’s no wonder they cast him.  But the best they could do was to paint him purple and put him in a big suit.  I get it, he’s not a big actor, but there’s no reason Apocalypse had to be big.  It doesn’t ruin the movie but it is hard to take seriously sometimes. 

The Americans (Season 3)

I love this show.  Russian spies, Philip and Elizabeth Jennings continue to go deeper into the abyss of moral dissolution as they not just endanger themselves but also the ones they love.  It’s all a recipe for suspense that makes for great binge watching.  The writing is so good and this season has a lot of great surprises.   This is one of the top shows to watch without a doubt.  Grade: A

Big Driver by Stephen King

One of the novellas from Full Dark, No Stars, it tells the story of a mystery novelist named Tess who gets attacked and left for dead on her way home from a book reading.  Tess decides to take matters in her own hands to avoid the attention such media coverage would put on her life.  It’s a fun revenge story and King proves again that even with a simple and tired plot he can engage his readers.  He’s just so good at spinning a yarn, even one like this that’s pretty routine.  Grade: B+

I'll Give you the Sun by Jandy Nelson

This has got to be one the best YA novels I’ve read in a long time. It’s the story of a twin brother and a sister, Jude and Noah, and how the secrets they keep create misconceptions that ruin their relationship. The writing is excellent and I love the structure of the novel, how it goes back and forth between the two characters but at different points in time.   It’s a wonderful book.  Grade: A

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

I’m really annoyed. DC comes out with a flawed superhero film and it gets blasted by the critics and everyone says it sucks. Here Marvel puts out a flawed superhero film and it gets nothing but praise and everyone says it’s awesome.  This film is not awesome folks. This entry is going to come across as a bitter DC fan.  I get it.  First, I’m not a Marvel hater.  If I was, why would I keep going to see these films?  I love the Marvel movies and I just wish they were better.  Here for example is an exciting Avenger film (it’s not really a Captain America story, sadly) and it contains many fantastic action sequences.  The story is built around a strong premise: what if our heroes become divided over the principle of governmental control?  The promised battle between frenemies Steve Rogers and Tony Stark is the kind of clash that we- comic book fans- dream of seeing.  Yet behind all of this greatness is a glaring plot contrivance that makes Batman Vs. Superman’s issues seem null.  (More on that later.)   And for all the action, I must admit I became numb after while.  When does it get old seeing people fight each other over and over again?   I was exhausted by the time we got to the big battle at the end.  Still there is a lot to cheer in this film.  Spider-man’s introduction is comic gold and I’m so hyped to see him in his solo offering.  Ant-Man almost steals the show.  Black Panther also promises to be an excellent addition to the MCU.   The Russo Brothers are great at action and I’m glad we get to see what they can do with the Infinity War.  But hopefully the writers of the next big Marvel team combo will give us a villain worthy of existing.  Grade: B+

Spoiler:

The villain in this film is okay.  I like his story. I just hate his plan to destroy the Avengers. Why?  Because it’s the kind of plan that relies so heavily on coincidence that it’s impossible to take seriously.  If one thing had gone wrong, and many of them would have in the real world, Tony and Rogers would not have ended up together with Bucky to battle it out.  And couldn’t this Baddy have just released the video that shows Bucky killing Tony’s parents?  Why all the outlandish breakouts and Mac Guffins?   It’s ludicrous and completely taints this film credibility.  So much so, I don’t want to ever see it again.  In the end I think this film will be remembered for the Airport scene and that’s about it.  That’s the only really perfect moment.   It’s too bad.  After Captain America’s Winter Solider, I couldn’t wait to see what Marvel had planned for the Captain.  I guess it’s clear they’re ready to move on from that character, my favorite. 

The Girls at the Kingfisher Club by Genevieve Valentine

Valentine re-imagines the fairy tale about twelve dancing princesses by setting it during the roaring twenties.  It’s a tightly written novel with strong characters and a fine sense of suspense.  While I almost would have enjoyed even more details about each of the sisters, I think Valetine’s instincts are right not to overwrite and potentially ruin a book that does essentially have one main character and that’s the eldest sister, Jo.  One might question if such a father could exist, a man that would coldly shut up his daughters and keep them from the world, but it is a frightening idea and Valentine does a great job making it work.   This is my first experience with Valentine and I will have to pick up another book of hers if I see one.  Grade: B+

The Harder They Come by T.C. Boyle

Take three complex characters add in Boyle’s brilliant writing gifts and what you have is a dramatic and engaging novel that I highly recommend.  You have a vet named Sten dealing with a son going through a mental break, said son, Adam, diving deeper into behavior that’s anti-social and dangerous.   And the older woman named Sarah that becomes romantically entangled with Adam, a rebellious horse trainer who is anti-government and in trouble with the law.  The switch in point of view is insightful and proof there’s many sides to a story.   From my research on Wikipedia, this book was inspired by the real case of Aaron Bassler of Northern California.   Don’t look into this unless you want a major spoiler. Boyle proves again that he’s a master of taking a real story and making it his own.   Grade: A

Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

So much done right.  So much done wrong.   As a fan of the DC Universe it’s hard not to be excited seeing the Holy Trinity of Superheroes up on screen at last.   At the same time it’s very disappointing because the end result is ultimately a mixed bag.  I was certainly entertained and thought Zack Synder did a fantastic job giving us a war between Batman and Superman that looked incredible.   I loved seeing Superman’s continued story unfold after the events of Man of Steel.   Wonder Woman’s introduction was beyond good.  [I must eat crow.  I was one of those that thought Gal Gadot was an awful choice to play the Amazonian warrior.  Boy, was I wrong.  She nailed it.  I thought she’d be too tiny and looked more like a Victoria Secret model than an action hero.  Gadot proves to have the presence to play the part.  We’ll see if she has the acting chops to hold together an entire stand-alone film now.]   I thought the film worked well as a jumping point of more Justice League stories.   At the same time, there was some cringe-worthy moments that even had me (a biased fan) shaking his head.   In the end if you're a fan of DC superheroes, you’ll probably enjoy this film.   But if you’re more of a DC hater (a Marvel lover) you’ll mock it and cheer.   Warner Brothers has some work to do to get this shared universe in check but I have hope they’ll find away.  Grade: B+

Spoilers:

More on what went wrong.  1) Lex Luthor (played by Jesse Eisenberg) did a fine job and I can’t blame him for missing the mark.  For that I have to blame the writers.   Lex starts off great as a scheming and brilliant puppet maker.  Then in the last act his entire sanity and motivation is tossed way and it’s here where the film really unravels.  And they were on the right track: Lex’s reason to create Doomsday should have been to have a Superman replacement, one that he could control.  When Batman doesn’t kills Superman, he sets into motion plan B, commanding Doomsday to kill him.  More on Doomsday below.  2) Ben Affleck, I think, is a great choice to play Batman.  But his character needed more work.    I don’t need Batman joking around or anything, he should be serious, but his transition from angry avenger to inspired hero was not very believable.  Also it’s a bit hard for me to swallow someone as smart as Bruce Wayne so easily being tricked by Lex Luthor.  3) Then there’s Doomsday.   Please DC if you learn anything from this film, hire a new creature designer (of course they didn’t learn from Green Lantern but maybe three’s a charm).   Doomsday is a mess.  Not only is he nothing like the character from the comics (which would be fine) he’s boring.   Instead of giving us an intelligent and menacing villain that wants to kill Superman at all costs, Snyder and company gives us a brainless Frankenstein-hulk.   They could have done better.  They should have done better.  

American Crime Story: OJ Simpson VS the People (2016)

I thought I knew the story.  I thought I remembered all the pieces to this overly-televised tragedy of the justice system but I was wrong.  Ryan Murphy brings together a stellar cast to dramatize an event that seemed destined to be dramatized.  Truth really is stranger than fiction.  I can’t believe that most of this happened.   After every episode I’d research online to find out what really happened.  To my surprise, it all happened pretty much like it is shown in this mini-series.  No wonder OJ was found not-guilty; even though it was obvious he did it.  Race is a major problem in our society and never has a moment in our recent history placed a spot light on it so brightly.  Marica Clark (played brilliantly by Sarah Paulson) never would have succeeded to bring OJ to justice.  It wasn’t in the cards.  Johnnie Cochran (amazingly portrayed by Courtney B. Vance) and his team created the perfect storm of doubt that would have gotten anyone off, especially a famous African American Hero.   That’s how good this show is.  The writing is so good it doesn’t matter if you know how it ends.  The story is so fascinating you can cast well-known actors like John Travolta and Cuba Gooding Jr. and not care; their celebrity actually becomes swallowed up and forgotten.   The impact of his crime and this trial is far-reaching and I’m very impressed how intelligently the producers and writers demonstrate this in such a clear way.  Yes, it might make you a little angry knowing a murderer of two people got away, but it’s important to see why?   Grade: A

Daredevil (Season 2)

Matt Murdock is back to protect Hell’s Kitchen and this time around it’s the Hand that’s come to pay the town a visit, along with a guy known as the Punisher.  Ultra-violent and very much in the same dark style as the first season of this Marvel property, I was very much pleased.  Elektra also appears as Murdocks’ ex-girlfriend and tension between Foggy Nelson and Murdock hits a boiling point.   Before getting a season 3 through it appears I’m going to get to see this crime fighter join up with the Defenders sometime next year.  Bring it.  Grade: A

Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson

The second to last volume to the collusion of the Wheel of Time takes us through a series of events we’ve been waiting to see for some time.  Rand and Egwene reunite, now at the height of their powers.   Perrin accepts his role as a leader of an army and a man connected to wolves.  Mat Cauthon goes on a mission that will challenge his luck.   Sanderson is bringing it all together and the characters seem to have reached the apex of their growth.   They’re all grown up as it were.   Now we get to the BIG battle and I can’t help but feel like it’s going to be spectacular.   I do still miss Jordan’s sense of deliver but Sanderson is very skilled.  There’s no question that the story is in good hands.   What’s especially nice is there are moments (like the battle to undermine Mazrim Taim at the Black Tower) that feel like its his own addition and it all works.   I can’t believe I’m actually going to finish this series after so many years.  Is Rand going to really break the remaining Seals?   Will the Daughter of Nine Moons join the fight or thwart Mat?   It’s all very exciting.  Grade: A

House of Cards (Season 3)

The chronicles of Frank Underwood continues and it’s Clare Underwood that really shines in this season.    Their relationship is the heart and soul of this show and whether they’re fighting or working together to manipulate and stay in power its addictive entertainment.   I’m not sure how long the writers can sustain the drama, especially with nowhere else for Frank to go but down, but the complexities of staying in power is very exciting.  Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright are electric together as always.  Michael Kelly shines with Doug going to places that are truly riveting.  Grade: A-

Emperor Mollusk Versus The Sinister Brain by A. Lee Martinez

I haven’t read a book this funny and kooky in a long time.  What a wacky adventure.  I can’t recommend it enough.  The main character is basically the smartest super villain of all time that just so happens to be a mollusk in a exoskeleton suit and he’s suddenly challenged by a new villain that believes it's even more smart-- a Brain.   A character as egotistical as Mollusk would usually drive me crazy but Martinez finds a way to make him enduring as well as hilarious.  Comedy is hard to do and in the genre of science fiction, in my opinion, even more challenging.  Martinez succeeds in every way.   Grade: A

The Walking Dead (Season 5)

How do you follow up one of the better seasons of this Zombie epic?  Oh, I don’t know, but part of me wishes they had done better than this.  It’s not a great season.  The first half ends with a death that rocked me and not in a good way.  I don’t want to spoil the character they kill off but it felt like such a waste and I have to admit I almost considered not watching the show.  But I believe that good characters do have to die sometimes (even if in a completely dumb way) and kept on.  The second half is a major improvement but there’s still a sense that they’re going back to the well a little bit.  I have hope for the next season; especially with a hinted at an upcoming villain, but you never know with this show.   It’s high anxiety storytelling because I can’t trust the writers completely.  Obviously they have to kill a bunch of characters off, that’s the nature of this animal, but sometimes they do it well and other times they don’t.    It’s just not a consistently well-crafted program.   The one thing that keeps me coming back is certain characters.   The day they die is the day I stop watching.   It’s as simple as that.  Grade: B

New Spring by Robert Jordan

Robert Jordan took a break in writing the ending of the Wheel of Time to write this prequel about how Moiraine Damodred and Siuan Sanche began their clandestine search to find the Dragon Reborn and how Lan Mandragoran became Moiraine’s Warder.   I wonder if Mr. Jordan would have taken the time to write this book if he would have known he’d get sick two years after publishing it and would die a year after that.   I’m not saying it’s a bad book, in fact I loved it.  But it did keep him from moving forward completing his epic story and as a result someone else has had to do that.   While I loved it, I will say it doesn’t really add to the overall story of the Wheel of Time.  It’s mostly stuff we already know.  That’s another reason why I almost wish he had not started it.  But it is a good read and I love the characters so much I can’t condemn it.  If you like the Wheel of Time you should add it to your reading list.  If you’ve never read a book from this series, don’t start here.  Grade: B+

Hail, Caesar! (2016)

The Coen brothers take on the 1950s Hollywood and it’s a delightful experience.   I wouldn’t say this is their best work but it’s certainly a good film that holds true to their film making style.   George Clooney plays one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, Baird Whitlock,who is kidnapped by a secret society of Reds.   Who’s job is it to “fix” this situation but Eddie Mannix (played by Josh Brolin) who sets out to find Whitlock as well as address other problems.  The character that steals the show though is Hobie Doyle (played wonderfully by Alden Ehrenreich).  Hobie is a country bumpkin cowyboy actor that the studio decides to try and make the next big star.   Watching Hobie take direction from Ralph Finnes’ distinguished director is comedy gold.   It’s always a pleasure to see another Coen Brothers film and this is no expectation.   Grade: A-

Imajica by Clive Barker

This ambitious project must be considered Barker’s grand magnum opus.   It’s insanely good and as wild as a story can get.   The main character is John Furie Zacharias also known as “Gentle”.   He’s basically a wizard (or Maestro) that doesn’t realize it because his mind has been wiped.   During the course of the story he learns who he is and it’s his destiny to bring about the Reconciliation of Earth.   Earth is the Fifth dominion of five Dominions or parallel worlds making up the Imajica.   Earth long ago was separated from the others.   Gentle hopes to reconnect Earth and in essence return magic and wonder to its people.  The book is jammed with explorations on Gender, Sex, God, Resurrection and so much more.  It’s fantasy of the highest order.   It’s world building brilliance.  And like most of Barker’s work, it contains fantastic characters with many of the same issues.  The love story is complex and at times you’re not quite sure if even the characters know what they want.   If you like Clive Barker and his brand of storytelling then this is a must read.   If you want your epics to contain lots of battles and you want the worlds to be populated with typical monsters than this might not be for you.   It’s a constantly evolving work of imagination and a rewarding read.   I loved it and would love to see HBO or Netflix bring it to life as a series for adults.   Probably won’t happen but it would be cool.   Grade: A-

Deep Space Nine (Season 2)

It’s pretty much what you’d expect from a returning season of a well-produced Star Trek show.  The producers improve upon what they set up in the first season, expand the character arcs and build on the universe they’ve created.  The best episodes are: Cardassians (with a Cardassian boy who was raised by Bajorans), Second Sight (a Sisko love story), Armageddon Game (an excellent mystery with O’Brien and Bashir being killed for helping rid a dangerous weapon), Paradise (Sisko and O’Brien are prisoners on a planet without technology), Blood Oath (Dax and a trio of Klingons seek out to kill an evil Klingon out of revenge), Crossover (an alternate universe story where the Klingons and Cardassians rule the Universe), and Tribunal (where O’Brien is taken prisoner and must face charges of crimes against Cardassians).  In fact there really aren’t any bad episodes.  My least favorite was probably Melora but that’s only because Bashir the lover boy gets on my nerves.  Overall a good second season for a show I think is on par with Next Generation.  Grade: A-

Tinkers by Paul Harding

There’s a reason this small little book won the Pulitzer.  The writing is fantastic.  Harding explores a dying man’s memory of his father, a poor man with epilepsy who is driven away from his family.  The two narratives are beautifully rendered and to think so much life can be crafted in such a small book.  It really is a remarkable accomplishment.  As a father I couldn’t help but reflect on the themes this story evoke and I can’t recommend this one enough.  Grade: A

Ash Vs. the Evil Dead (Season 1)

Bruce Campbell is back playing his most famous creation, Ash.  Except instead of a two-hour sequel to Army of Darkness we’re treated to an entire television series.  Does it work?  Yes.  And no.   It does have the same comedic gore factor that made the original Evil Dead 2 and 3 work but at the same time when the point of view diverts away from Ash it feels like you’re missing something.  Also what the producers and writers are trying to do with Ash in this show is expand and make him an even more interesting character, which is fine, but I don’t think they succeeded that much.  Maybe Season 2 will work better.  I will say though when it’s working it is great.  When it’s not it does feel forced and not that funny.   You have to see it if you like the films but if you’re not a fan, still give it a go, but you’ll probably not appreciate the style.  Grade: B

The Revenant (2015)

Never has a film felt like it was made just so its star could win an Oscar for acting.  Don’t get me wrong, this is a good film but what’s at its heart is Leo.  The very last moment seems to dare the Academy to refuse him his first Oscar.  Considering that this year seems kind of ho-hum for male performances, I suspect Leonardo DiCaprio will win.  But as for the film itself, it’s a pretty simple story with the kind of remarkable scope that only a director like Alejandro Inarritu and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki can create, breath taking in its capture of the wild and in the rawness of survival.   If it weren’t for the technical aspects of this film it might not be as regarded.  It’s a revenge film and I don’t feel like it really said anything about revenge or gave any new perspectives.  Ultimately the aspect that didn’t work for me is that it lacked story development.  Sure it jolts you into the story right away but when you have flash backs, and a chance to really delve into Hugh Glass’ relationship with his son and those he is tracking, you’re instead met with a vague dream.  I also feel like Mr. DiCaprio might not have been the best choice for this role.  He has the acting chops, certainly, but I never really believed he was a father.   Still the camping-trip-caught-on-film is worth seeing because it is a beautifully made and Leo is very intense.  (Yes, I think he does a good job, I just don’t think a millionaire running around in the freezing cold and using other method acting tricks automatically defines “greatness” in acting.)   You will be thrilled and its cinematography will amaze you.   Will the ending satisfy you?   That depends.  For me, not so much.  Grade: B+

The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson

This is the first book of the Wheel of Time not completely written by Robert Jordan (although from my understanding Mr. Sanderson had a huge support system, chunks of manuscript to work with and lots of detailed notes).  Brandon Sanderson does a pretty terrific job.  He actually compliments Jordan’s style and voice quite well even if you can tell someone else is writing (which is completely fine).  To know that this epic tome will have an end is wonderful and this first part of the conclusion gives me a lot of hope.  First it’s very entertaining.  The best story line deals with Egwene al'Vere as she lives as a prisoner in the White Tower but continues to fight for the right to be the true Amyrlin.  And then there’s Rand’s main plot that grows to a moment that is impressive if a bit of a stretch.  Still this is all very good.  A lot is going to happen and I can’t see how it unfolds.  Grade: A

Jessica Jones (Season 1)

After the success of Daredevil I was really excited about this next series in the Marvel universe on Netflix.   Based on the comic book (obviously) it’s basically what if Veronica Mars didn’t have a strong father figure and was super strong.  Unlike Daredevil, this one took a few more episodes to get me hooked.  It wasn’t really bad it’s just not as engaging at first.   Krysten Ritter is a good choice for the role but the whole anti-hero vibe didn’t work for me until we saw more of her inner workings.  I think it might have been a mistake to keep her so mysterious at first because she’s just not very likable until you understand her past.   That said, once the series gets going and introduces us to its villain, played wonderfully by David Tennant, it gets really good.   This was proof again that the best stuff marvel is doing isn’t in the cinematic world but on Netflix.  I can’t wait to see Luke Cage coming out later this year.  Grade: A-

Outlander (Season 1)

Ronald D. Moore brings to the small screen an adaption of Diana Gabaldon’s book series but so cinematic it feels like you’re watching an epic film of the large screen.  It’s the story of a WWII nurse named Claire from 1945 who gets stuck back in time in Scotland in the mid-1700s.   Separated from her husband she must survive by accompanying a group of Highlanders on their mission to fight the King of England.  Soon she becomes infatuated by a young Scot named Jamie who falls in love with her.   The love story is intoxicating and more sexy than I thought possible.  You can see why this romance series is so popular.  What’s especially fantastic about this show is how well-crafted it is.   The production design is some of the best I’ve seen and the acting is on par with the best as well.   Caitriona Balfe is perfectly cast as Claire; her emotional intensity is so enduring you can’t help but be captivated by her plight.   Will she be able to get back to her husband in the modern world or be forced to stay in the past?  What does her heart want?   Great entertainment.  Grade: A