Paper Towns by John Green (Novel)

I’ve wanted to read something by Mr. Green for a while now since he’s become so popular among young adult readership. This book intrigued me right from the first chapter so it’s the one I picked out. It’s certainly an entertaining book and I liked the main character, Quentin or Q to his friends. His friends are also quite a group of zany youths, reminding me of those days hanging out with my high school friends during my senior year. I can see the appeal to Mr. Green. As a mystery, for this is a mystery, it’s well-crafted. Quentin has been in love with the girl next door ever since he was in grade school. Margo Roth Spiegelman is the kind of girl anyone would find fascinating. She’s rebellious, popular and a complete mystery. Then after a night of revengeful pranks with Quentin as her escort she disappears and Quentin spends the rest of his senior year trying to find how where she went. The plot’s pretty good, with some clever clues and historical quirks, but I wouldn’t necessarily say the end result is as satisfying as I had hoped. I’d still recommend it, especially if you like these kind of young adult storylines. For me I just wanted those last few chapters to really uplift me and take me somewhere. Quentin’s coming-of-age journey is rewarding to him; I just wish Green could have transported me to the same emotional awareness his main character seemed to reach. Grade: B+

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (Novel)

Nominated for the National Book Award and others, this is one of those apocalyptic science fiction stories that takes a premise we’ve experienced before and turns it on its head. From various points of view we experience the collapse of our world as we know it when a deadly flu wipes out 90% of the populace. Think Stephen King’s The Stand without the supernatural angle. A better comparison might be George R. Stewart’s Earth Abides with a flavor that reminded me of Margaret Atwood. Bouncing around the timeline, from before the modern world ends and after when the survivors are scattered across Old Canada and Old America in independent townships, where life is like the old west except that the future already happened, we see how various story threads crisscross and influence each other. Mandel’s weaving of these various points of view is pretty magical, although some might say too coincidental. You know you’ve read a good book when the last passage gives you goose bumps, when all the events seem to come to an apex of idea and character evolution. I really enjoyed this thoughtful and strangely hopeful book. Yes, it’s terrifying too, the thought that all we take for granted being suddenly taken from us. But we will still survive. In all the chaos even Shakespeare will keep marching on. Grade: A

It Follows (2015)

With all the praise this film is getting I had to see it. First let me say, this is not a masterpiece and while a good film it’s getting a bit hyped-up by critics. Yet the reason the critics love it, beside it being a well-made independent film, is that it’s deep in metaphor and director David Robert Mitchel uses tension instead of gore and the typical horror tactics most horror films use now a days. You have to praise that kind of intelligence. And as stated, it is a good film. A girl named Jay goes out on a date with her new boyfriend, Hugh. Only after having sex for the first time he chloroforms her. When she awakes he tells her that he passed on a curse to her. An apparition that only she (and others with this curse) can see will out of the blue follow her until it claims her life. This apparition can look like anyone and she will need to have sex with another person to pass the curse on. As long as this curse keeps getting passed on without “it” killing someone, then it will not come back to her. This is a fantastic premise and the scenes of strangers walking toward her, intend on some evil purpose are great. And a star is born in Maika Monroe, who exudes terror and emotional charisma. I also thought Keir Gilchrist was great too, as the younger friend who loves Jay and would do anything to help her. The sound design is also quite unique with its electronica and high pitched squeals. The problem with the film is the premise only holds up for about an hour. Then it starts to feel repetitive. And the climax, which is excellently shot, feels pointless because there is no ground work set up to make you believe this cursed apparition can be killed. What bolsters the quality of this film though isn’t the concept, but the group of Jay’s friends who come across as enduring characters in their own right. Their quirky loyalty and teenage awkwardness makes what could have been a flat film be something wonderful. The metaphor is obviously about sex and the dangers it imposes. It’s a clever way to play off the classic virgin victim cliché. Certainly see this film if you like horror but don’t go in thinking this is the next classic. It’s a good film with some great moments. Grade: B+

The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (Miniseries)

The strange case of Robert Durst: a billionaire that was once young and in love and detached from his real estate mogul father. Then he was pulled back in and things went wrong, really wrong. Has there ever been a story of life being stranger than fiction more than this? From director and writer, Andrew Jareck with Marc Smerling and Zachary Stuart-Pontier assisting, comes this six-part documentary from HBO that will have you mind-boggled that such a person could exist and more importantly could survive all possible investigations. While I don’t know if it needed to be six episodes long (some of the same shots were used) it does build to a great ending, an epic scene of revelation that will have you gasping. If you haven’t read the headlines recently, do check this out. If you have read all the headlines and know what’s currently going on in Dursts’ life, do still check this out. Grade: A

House of Cards (Season 2)

I liked the first season of this political drama but it’s this second season that I love. It starts off right where the last season ended and only gets better with each episode. The first episode alone is jaw-dropping how good it is. Kevin Spacey is in top-form, playing a man with a mission and it’s clear what it is and that’s what makes this series so good. Robin Wright continues to impress playing a woman of complex contradictions. You never know quite what she’s going to do, except be loyal to her husband (maybe). Every episode is great with the last one fulfilling a promise right from the beginning of this saga. The last image left me smiling. What do the producers and writers have in store with the Underwoods? I’m so excited I think I’ll start watching now instead of moving on to a different show. Grade: A

Winter's Heart by Robert Jordan (Novel) [Revisited]

The story is starting to get back on track. What’s interesting about this ninth book in the Wheel of Time is it feels like a different kind of book. Rand al’Thor is on the hunt, trying to track down rogue Asha’man that tried to kill him in book eight. Nynaeve al’Meara leaves with him on a mission where in the end he hopes to cure the Male half of the Source of the Dark Ones’ taint. Mat Cauthon is back, stuck in Seanchan-seized Ebou Dar. His quest to escape and with captured Aes Sedai is a thrilling adventure, reminding me of a WWII French Underground plot. While a somewhat brief novel, or it felt brief to me (it does only have 35 chapters), it’s a solid collection of adventure and a return to Jordan’s skilled powers. What was especially satisfying was to finally have Rand meet with all three women in his life. That scene alone was worth the entire book and was a real game changer. Now it’s time to find out what Perrin is going to do about his wife, who along with QueenMorgase is captured by the Shaido. Then there’s the wild card; the Prophet who you can just tell is going to make things difficult for Rand and company. Cadsuane is also the kind of character you love to not trust. What lesson is she going to teach Rand? It’s a little sad though. There are only three more books left whiich Robert Jordan wrote (books 10 and 11 and the prequel). I’m sure Brandon Sanderson does a terrific job finishing it up (I can’t wait) but we’ll always wonder “what if”. Now I’m at the spot I last stopped reading so long ago. When I read Crossroads of Twilight it will be completely fresh. Bring it on. Grade: A-

Deep Space Nine (Season 1)

As a fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation, I was really excited to see this spin-off. when it first came out. But during that time life was becoming hectic for me and I couldn’t keep up. I saw most of the first season and liked it but I didn’t connect to the characters as much as I did with Next Generation. Only years later did I hear how great this show was and always felt I missed out. So now that I completed re-watching Next Generation I’ve begun my new journey. Boy, what was I thinking back then? These characters are great. Avery Brooks is a wonderful captain, different than any we’ve seen before but still engaging with a blend of authority and coolness that makes him an inviting character. Nana Visitor is a tad hyper but still a strong character with a worthy journey. Rene Auberjonois is perfect as the shape-changing alien, Otto (the one of a kind alien that mimics Data’s purpose). I also love that Colm Meaney came over from Next Generation as Miles O’Brien. The best character is by far the Ferengi bar owner Quark played by Armin Shimerman; I love this guy. He has a good heart but his greedy business practices makes him very untrustworthy. The weakest link is Julian Bashir played by Alexander Siddig. He’s a horny doctor that I find more ignoring than humorous; let’s hope they do more with him or kill him off. Yes, with all first seasons of a show, there are some rough edges but ultimately all the episodes are good. “Q-Less” might be my least favorite (why do we need Q to crossover?) and perhaps “If Wishes Were Horses” was kind of weak as well where everyone’s thoughts come true. The best episodes (and there are a lot) are the pilot “Emissary” where we set everything up, “Captive Pursuit” where an alien finds honor being hunted by others from the Gamma Quandrant, “Dax” where Jadzia Dax is tried for murder, “The Passenger” where Bashir becomes possessed by a criminal mastermind, “Vortex” where Otto tries to meet up with others of his kind, “Duet” where a war criminal is taken on board, and “In The Hands of the Prophets” where religion versus science is debated in a political showdown. From this point on I’ll be literally going where I haven’t gone before. I’m looking forward to continuing this show. Grade: A-