Conquest of Everest (1957)

This documentary follows the first expedition to the summit of Mount Everest by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay back in 1953.  It's narrated by Alec Guinness with footage that follows each stage from the preparation and testing of equipment to the ascent up icy cliffs.  While it certainly feels like a '50s documentary, think of those old retro science films you might have watched in elementary school (if you're my age that is) and you get what I mean.  Winner of the Academy for best documentary feature that year for the accomplishment of following men accomplishing the seemingly impossible.  Grade: B+

Iron Man 3 (2013)

Robert Downey Jr. is Iron Man and this third entry makes it clear it will be hard to replace him if Marvel ever wishes to look for another actor.  A superhero film with wit and pleasurable action, I was reminded of the first time this hero showed himself on screen.  What I loved most about this one is that there is some real suspense.  Tony Stark must investigate and fight even without the suit.  At times you really feel like he's in danger.   It helps that the director and writer, Shane Black, selected such an evil villain to spare with.  Pepper Potts even gets in on the fun, being more than just the girl who gets in the way.  While the Iron Man Trilogy will never be as a monumental as the Dark Knight Trilogy by Christopher Nolan this one does help close a loop for a quality trilogy of its own.  Grade: A-

Luminarium by Mark Shaker (Novel) 5/5

A complex book stuffed with so many ideas I felt like Lucy trying to keep up at the Candy factory. Yet it's well worth slowing down and trying to grasp it all because this is a wonderful brain-hurting whirlwind of storytelling. I will certainly need to go back and re-read this uber-intelligent book. The main character is a computer programmer named Fred, a co-founder of a virtual reality company, who receives emails from his twin brother who is in a coma. Mr. Shaker writes a dense prose with gre...more A complicated novel jammed with so many ideas I felt pleasantly overwhelmed.  Yet it's worth slowing down and trying to grapple with it all because even if it will strain your brain you can tell it is a good thing.  I plan to add this to my read-again pile.  It's the story of Fred, a computer programmer, who receives emails from his twin brother who happens to be in a coma. Mr. Shaker is a very strong writer deserving of the praise, one being the  LA Times Book prize for fiction.  Grade: A-

Downton Abbey (Season 2) 5/4

The second season of this British television show about an imaginary country estate and the people who live there, whether as masters or servants ,in the early 1900s is as good as ever.   The Great War pushes on and the Crawleys must rise up and do their part.  This classy soap opera continues to impress with a cast seemingly perfect and a storyline that is as unexpected as life.  Julian Fellows must be extremely proud.  Grade: A

Ariel (1988) 5/3

After Aki Kaurismäki's film Shadows in Paradise, I couldn't wait to watch the next film in his trilogy.  An expertly crafted tale of a coal miner who abandons his life for something different, falls in love only to be sent to prison where he must strive even harder to escape his fate and find a happy ending.  Equally as good as his first film, what I will say is better is that it has a more conventional, albeit old fashion Hollywood-esque, story. which most would find a tad bit more inviting.  Another gem which most out there don't know about, I hope more people check these out.  They're so very entertaining and deceivingly simple.  Grade: A   

Boardwalk Empire (Season 2)

This show is so ambitious and complex that I feel annoyed at myself that I'm not as excited by it as with other shows.  The writing is brilliant and the acting is on par with the best of film and television; why do I feel I only watch it because I should instead of because it's great storytelling?  It doesn't help that the main character Nucky Thompson played by Steve Buscemi is so erratic.  One episode you like him and the next he's so unlikeable.  This can be said about Margaret Schroeder played by Kelly MacDonald too.  I love her character a lot but I found her character quite frustrating this go around.  The big plot of this second season is to see how Nicky Thompson survives a trial and gains back all the power he was set up to lose at the end of season one.  Jimmy Darmody is rising up in the crime world with his father, the Commodore, helping to pull the strings.  I absolutely despise the Irish up-and-comer Owen Sleater played by Charlie Cox and hope he dies in the next season.   This season wasn't really as good as the first one but like I stated before I'll keep watching, hoping for an improvement.   Please writers, it's okay to make Nucky and Margaret bad people just make them the kind of characters I want to root for.  Perhaps Terence Winter can call up Vince Gilligan and ask what he'd do.  Grade: B+

The Walking Dead (Season 3)

Forever this series will be tainted for me.  Ever since AMC cut Frank Darabont from running this show the quality just isn't the same .  It's still good and there's a lot about this third season to praise but it just doesn't have the same depth.  Regardless I'm still watching it and I really enjoyed the introduction of the Governor and seeing Rick's crew continue to thrive in their new home.  It still doesn't answer enough questions about Zombies to completely satisfy me but I'm looking forward to see another season anyway.  Grade: B+