| Ragnar's Reviews 2002 |
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Books Much of my reading effort lately has been going into the Mac OS X The Missing Manual, Jaguar version. One doesn't read such a manual the same as you read other books. I've been spending lots of time browsing through the manual, and getting my computer re-domesticated. I've been re-reading some old favourites to get the taste of a book club selection out of my brain.Sherlock Holmes and the Giant Rat of Sumatra by Alan Vanneman 25 October All we know about this story is the tantalizing clue, "A story for which the world is not yet prepared." This isn't quite vintage Conan Doyle, although Vanneman appears to have studied the canon, and makes a good attempt. The book starts with a faithful portrayal of the setting and characters that Conan Doyle made famous, yet somewhere along the way it goes flat. I had to push myself to finish it, and was disappointed at the ending. I borrowed it from the library, but wouldn't buy it. Put a Lid on it by Donald Westlake 19 October Westlake is one of my favourite authors, and this book was snatched off the library shelf. For a wonder, the politicians remember the last time they tried a burglary with amateurs, and this time they go for a pro. No, it's not Dortmunder, but it's almost as good. We'll be looking for this one on our next trip to the bookstore. Argonaut by Stanley Schmidt 19 October Classic science fiction alien invasion, with a nanotechnology twist. Good to borrow from the library, but I wouldn't buy it. The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins 25 September This is the very first library book I've ever had to renew to be able to finish. This is not a book to read in short snippets here and there, unless you are uncommonly good at holding a complex puzzle plot and a fairly large number of characters in your head from one reading session to the next. To complicate things, the novel is written from several points of view, offering subtly different interpretations of the same event. The book moves at it's own leisurely pace, with all kinds of details that modern writers won't include. But they included them in 1868, and that's part of the charm of this extremely popular book. This is the book that started the "English detective" craze, and it's still one of the best. I very much enjoyed reading it, when I had the time to settle in and do so. It's a book to be savoured and enjoyed, not gulped down whole to see who dunnit. I'd certainly buy this in paperback if I saw it for sale. Rogue States, The Rule of Force in World Affairs by Noam Chomsky 25 August "Rogue States" is a term that can be used as a propaganda tool applied against enemies, or can refer to states that do not regard themselves as bound by international norms. So who are we talking about here? North Korea, Iraq, Libya? No, the book spends much of it's length discussing the United States of America's single minded pursuit of naked self interest, and it's various "interventions" in East Timor, Colombia, Cuba, the Balkans, Guatemala, Vietnam, Korea, Honduras, and various other Latin American states. The book is somewhat repetitive because it is pieced together from various speeches and articles, yet clearly makes the point that the USA is one of the most dangerous and self serving states in existence. Very interesting reading in light of 11 September 2001. Free Speech for Me - But Not for Thee by Nat Hentoff 7 August It's not quite the same, given the "reasonable limits" and
"demonstrably justified" clauses. It works as long as we have
reasonable makers and interpreters of the law. It would be very interesting
to look for a book on the situation in Canada, similar to the one Hentoff
has written for the United States. I purchased this book secondhand last
weekend, and was thoroughly engrossed. Dismantling the State by Walter Stewart 4 August This is a very depressing book. Depressing in that it calmly and clearly shows, using documented sources, how Canada has deteriorated into a shell of its former self, a parody of the United States. Stewart believes that there are many things the government can do better than private industry. He documents how privatization costs taxpayers astronomical amounts of money and has hurt ordinary Canadians. I was disappointed in that he doesn't say what, if anything we can do about it. The closest he comes is to suggest that governments are coming to their senses, and the pendulum is swinging back toward more government involvement. The book was written in 1998, and from the view 4 years later, the rush to privatize hasn't slowed down much, perhaps only because there isn't much left to privatize. Perhaps the voodoo accounting methods of Arthur Anderson, Enron, and Worldcom will drive home that privatization is not the panacea that it was though to be. A Conspiracy of Paper by David Liss 2 August If you like historical fiction or murder mysteries, you're almost certain to like this book. Set in the early 1700's, just before the bursting of the South Sea Bubble, Liss explores the machinations of the transition from gold and silver based currency to a paper promise backed currency. At the same time, he sets up a complex murder investigation in the midst of judicial corruption. Liss has captured the feel of the era through the, to our eyes, deliberate speech of the characters, and the descriptions of the unsanitary conditions. What made this novel even more interesting is the parallels between that time, and watching the volatility of the stock market after the Enron and Worldcom accounting scandals. Some people are only now learning the lessons that investors learned almost 300 years ago. Uncle Tungsten, Memories of a Chemical Boyhood by Oliver Sacks 25 June Sacks had a childhood filled with experiences that no parent today would allow, and access to chemicals that are now impossible for the average person to buy. Most people say "pass", when told about a biography involving lots of chemistry, but they'd be missing a remarkable book. Sacks has a knack for storytelling, and working chemical knowledge into it so that it all seems to belong together. He doesn't just talk about himself, he talks about some other prominent chemists, and points out the occasional link to his own family. This is a must read for anyone with the slightest curiosity about chemistry. Although it isn't written for children, as in "written down" early teens are a natural audience, but don't tell them it's educational. Journeys of the Great Explorers by AA Publishing 15 June This would have been better titled Journeys of the Great White Explorers. It takes a very Euro-centric view of the discovery of our world. Sure there are references to the Polynesians, but only through Heyerdahl. They don't discuss the various Arab and Chinese voyages that discovered much of the shorelines of the Indian Ocean, or the trade routes that existed long before Europeans showed up. They mention that some people think Columbus set the example for genocide, slavery, and oppression, but that most others believe the opposite, so it must be OK. Overall, this is simplistic, grade school history, but it only cost $20, and includes lots of maps. As the Future Catches You by Juan Enriques 10 June A fascinating and thought provoking book. It provides an easy over of some of the implications of breaking the genetic code, nano-technology, filing patents, and wealth. There is enough information here that could fill several books, and Enriques hints that there are more books along the way. It's pretty clear that Enriques believes that education is the key to success in the world, and that we can't undo the world we have now, so we'd better get smarter about learning to live with the changes. After all, "technology is not kind, it does not say 'please', but slams into existing systems and destroys them while creating new ones." At first I was annoyed by the constant font changes, and the half-prose half-poetry writing style, but later realized it helps make the points under discussion. I'm going to have to look for more books by Enriques. Pain Management by Andrew Vachss 4 June This another story about Burke, but it isn't quite as brutal as some have been in the past. If you don't mind knowing that Burke survives to this point, Pain Management would probably be a good introduction to the series. There are some flashbacks to his New York days, and his family, but they don't get in the way of the current story. Vachss's novels have a pace and style all their own. Sometimes I'm wincing while reading, and some of the situations are tough reading, but the simple, direct language and impeccable timing carries me through. Vachss's novels are a stark look at the seamy underside of our world; a world that most of us never see, but all too many have to live. In the Skin of a Lion by Michael Ondaatje 28 May Once I realized I was reading this for the images and the beauty of the language and not the plot, I settled in to enjoy. We learn a little about the characters, but we don't get the full picture. There's more, hidden away from our view. Maybe there really is enough information to figure out why certain things happen, but I didn't pick up on it. We see different people at different times, and some, but not all, of the interaction that has to have happened. Not understanding what was going on sometimes didn't hinder my appreciation of the book. Ondaatje's rich, layered prose brought the sights and sounds of the period to my mind with all the clarity one could wish for. It's clear a good deal of research went into the book, and I suspect that seeing some of the novel's building blocks would be utterly fascinating. I borrowed this from my colleague Susan for a book club reading, and will probably buy it for myself when I get a chance. The Magic Circle by Katherine Neville 26 May I loved The Eight, and was really looking forward to this one. Finding it when I traded in Sula seemed a good omen. However, this is so confusing it's annoying. The family relationship is so complicated, and keeps changing, such that the book is more about this really weird family, than the historical secret that they are all chasing. The individual bits about many historical people are interesting, but they don't tie into the central storyline at all. It ends with a whimper, not a bang. She got it right with The Eight, and hasn't quite done it again. The Grand Complication by Allen Kurzweil 19 May A delightful read. Clever, subtle puns, an elegant solution, and well written to boot. A book as much about book lovers and other obsessives, as it is about the timepiece that is the heartspring of the novel. I borrowed this from the library, and will be looking for it in the bookstores. A Wilderness called Home, Dispatches from the Wild Heart of Canada by Charles Wilkins 16 May Canadians are much more complicated than most other people give them credit for. We have a mysterious relationship with our land, and with each other, yet it isn't something that is easily put into words. Trying seems to descend into anti-Americanism all too often. That isn't happening here. More 6 Steps to $1 Million by Gordon Pape 11 May If you haven't read any financial self-help books before this is a good place to start, but the advice is generic. Nothing special here. I initially looked at it in the bookstore and thought about buying it, but I'm glad I borrowed it from the library. Sula by Toni Morrison 5 May I couldn't read it all. I lost interest before the end of part one, and only skimmed parts of the rest. I bought this for Karmen's book club, and I'm going to be selling to a used book store. Diplomatic Immunity by Lois McMaster Bujold 4 May I've been waiting eagerly for this to arrive at the bookstore. When my friend Deloris who works at that store called to say it had arrived, I danced a happy little jig at work. This is the 12th novel in Bujold's Vorkosigan series, along with several novellas and short stories. Anybody taking a quick look at the covers and blurbs will probably think "space opera" and move on to the next book. They will be missing a treat. Writers don't collect four Hugo and two Nebula awards, plus numerous other nominations by accident. Miles is several years older now, but can still have adventures just as hairy as the ones he had while acquiring a mercenary fleet as a teenager. Bujold's great charm is her character driven stories, seeing them change and grow. This isn't the same story again and again. It isn't the best of the series, but it's probably going to be the best Science Fiction this year. No One Thinks of Greenland by John Griesemer 26 April This is a brilliant first novel right up there with MASH and Catch 22. I got it out of the library because I was hooked as soon as I browsed through it. Griesemer captures the stark beauty of Greenland, the method in the madness of the military, and the lengths people will go to serve what they think is right. It isn't quite a love story, though a pair do fall in love. Nor is a military conspiracy thriller, though there are elements of one. It starts off as a story about a military hospital in Greenland that takes care of badly wounded soldiers from the Korean War, and gradually gets more complicated. Very much worth looking for, and browsing to see if you'd like it. I'll probably get it if I see it in paperback. Tenzing Norgay and the Sherpas of Everest by Tashi Tenzing 21 April Just 50 years ago the world was focussed on conquering Mt. Everest, and it was regarded as a major achievement when it happened in 1953. Now, dozens of people every year climb the "yak track" as it's called. Few, if any of them would reach the summit without the aid of the Sherpas that carry the supplies up to the various camps along the way. This is the fascinating story of those Sherpas, and especially about the most famous Sherpa, Tenzing Norgay. Tashi Tenzing is a grandson of the famous climber. He pays respectful homage, yet doesn't whitewash him. Tenzing Norgay surely falls into the category of people who have greatness thrust upon them. It's clear he wasn't prepared for it, and it was with great difficulty at times that he coped. The book is also a tribute to the many Sherpas that have supported the various expeditions, and lists the 489 Sherpas that have summited, one of them 11 times. I borrowed this from the library, and probably wouldn't buy it, although climbing enthusiasts might. The Colossal Book of Mathematics by Martin Gardner 20 April This is a collection of 50 of Gardner's Mathematical Games columns from Scientific American. Fun, interesting, intriguing, even fascinating, but 50 in a row is a bit much. It goes back to the library today. The Skystone by Jack Whyte 9 April I'm not really big on Arthurian fantasy, but I started this series because I recently started working for a company called Skystone Engineering. (Best place I've ever worked!) My colleague Susan started reading them and was hooked. I found this paperback on sale, and got sort of hooked. Once I started I wanted to keep reading, but once I put the book down I wasn't in any rush to pick it up again. It's competently written, well paced, and interesting, but it simply doesn't draw me in the way other books do. I'm not sure why. None the less, when I saw two of the later books on sale for $6.99 in hardcover, I snapped them up. Fall on Your Knees by Ann Marie MacDonald 3 April Wow! I finished this in two long reading sessions, and just loved it. My colleague Susan had asked me to join a book club she belongs to, and this was the first book. There were way too many holds to get it from the library, so I browsed it at Indigo, in the uncomfortable chairs, and got drawn in right away. The only problem is that you need to keep track of who's who, and the changing relationships, and that means reading a fair bit at a time. In some ways it's depressing, and I wouldn't want to have to live there, but it's utterly fascinating. The Coming Anarchy by Robert D. Kaplan 31 March Required reading if you want to begin to understand the problems the world is up against. Uncomfortable, bracing, Kaplan talks from experience as he describes what is really happening in Africa, Eastern Europe and other hot spots. Oddly, and interestingly, he examines Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, and Conrad's Nostromo in the light of current affairs. This is interesting and readable, if a little depressing. Better to assume the worst and be surprised, than the alternative. How to Use Your Eyes by James Elkins 23 March Our eyes are incredible instruments, yet most people don't take the time to use them to even a fraction of their powers. We want things simple and fast so we get the message and move on to the next thing. Elkins shows us 32 items, some common, some not, that have far more detail than most people know. The book is full of photographs and sketches along with text helping you interpret what you are seeing. This is not a book to read in a hurry. I'm certainly looking at the world in a different way now. Prelude to Foundation by Isaac Asimov 21 March A fast light read. Part of Asimov's deserved fame as a science fiction writer comes from the original Foundation series. This novel ties together several of his future history novels, although this was not intended when they were written. Such novels are usually weaker than the works they join together, and this one is no exception. I enjoy Asimov's writing, but there was no surprises here, and I won't go out of my way to read any of the other recent Foundation novels. Cardinal Richelieu and the Making of France by Anthony Levi. 21 March Armand-Jean du Plessis de Richelieu was at various times a bishop, a cardinal, a duke, and a peer. He was not born great, but had to achieve greatness on his own. Cardinal Richelieu as he is commonly known, does not have a good reputation. Even within his own lifetime he was hated, and lived with the constant threat of assassination. He was a very complex man, subject to migraines, possessing a razor sharp intelligence, and a formidable will to increase the glory and greatness of France. This biography is accessible to those who do not have a graduate degree in French history, but it is not a light read either. I had to struggle a little to get through it. Keeping track of the names and the complex political scene took some effort. None the less, I found it a rewarding read, shedding a great deal of light on on of history's more enigmatic people. The Phoenix A novel about the Hindenburg by Henning Boëtius 16 March The blurb lied. I thought I was getting a combination thriller, historical fiction, and conspiracy theory novel. What I got was two of those three, but with the addition of a love story and a man coping with a change in his identity. All this in a surprisingly literate and well written novel. More The Wapshot Chronicle by John Cheever 4 March This is Cheever's first book, and it won the 1958 Pulitzer Prize. It is very different from anything that I've ever read before. Even summarizing the story is difficult, beyond saying that it's a kind of coming of age story. I'm fairly sure that I didn't get everything out of the book that's there, yet I'm not sure I would read it again. It's very peculiar in some ways. I got it from the Library. If you like complex narrative novels, this is probably worth borrowing, and trying on for size. The Friendly Dictatorship by Jeffrey Simpson 17 February One doesn't normally think of Canada as a dictatorship. We have regular elections where the government of the day respects the will of the electorate, a free society, and a standard of living that is among the best in the world. Yet Simpson shows us the underbelly of the beast, where the Prime Minister controls more levers of power within Canada than any other elected leader does in any other country. Where fewer voters than ever are actually casting a ballot. Where the opposition parties are so splintered it looks like the ruling Liberals will win a fourth consecutive election with, Deity help us, Jean Chretien as Prime Minister. Simpson explores some ways out of this situation, but correctly points out this involves the Prime Minister willingly limiting his powers. Not likely. However, some form of proportional representation would make the situation better, and he explores several of the most popular models. This is quite a good book for anyone wishing to understand Canadian politics in action. I bought it in hardcover. How Hitler could have Won World War II by Bevin Alexander 16 February A surprisingly readable account of where Hitler screwed up. Essentially, if he had invaded Egypt in 1940 Britain would have been driven from the war and the Mediterranean would have become an Axis lake. From there, capturing Iran and Iraq would be easy, gaining all the oil Germany needed. Turkey would have been placed in an impossible position, and the way would be open to invade Russia. Instead, Hitler wanted to capture Gibraltar and the Azores, Canaries and Cape Verde Islands. A subtle point throughout the book is the total stupidity of all the combatants in misreading situations, wasting the lives of civilians and soldiers, to say nothing of expensive equipment. I borrowed this from the library. The Pig and the Python by David Cork with Susan Lightsone 9 February A light read. A knock-off of The Wealthy Barber. The real advice could be contained in a few paragraphs. Buy equity mutual funds, the boomer generation is going to drive the market up until about 2015 or so. Don't buy a house and expect it to fund your retirement, or even to continue to climb in value. Search carefully and consult a competent financial advisor. The rest is window dressing. I bought this in paperback and will be selling it to a used bookstore. Word Freak by Stefan Fatsis 8 February Most of us have played Scrabble, living room Scrabble, that is. The competitive game is something else entirely. I consider myself to have a good vocabulary, but I've never heard of ANGARIES, or ALLANITE, or ALIZARIN, or many others. In his journey from a tile-pusher to an expert, Fatsis talks about the words, and the controversy surrounding them. He also introduces us to the elite Scrabble players, and what a very odd bunch they are. The history of the game is discussed along with the inventor and the various companies that have owned it. This is a fascinating look at a world that most of us have never seen, or ever thought about. I borrowed this from the library. Creating the Innovation Culture by Frances Horibe Leveraging Visionaries, Dissenters and other Useful Troublemakers in Your Organization. 3 February Most organizations want people to conform to the organizational culture, to follow the rules, and perhaps most importantly, to not rock the boat. People are supposed to subordinate their desires, and ideas to those of their superiors. The problem is that this doesn't get the organization anywhere. It will keep on doing the same things over and over. More At the Controls, The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Book of Cockpits. Photography by Eric Long and Mark Avino, edited by Tom Alison and Dana Bell., 20 January I'm not big on coffee table books, but here's one I'll leave out. It has gorgeous, detailed, full colour photographs of 45 aircraft cockpits, starting with the 1903 Wright Flyer and ending with the Space Shuttle Columbia. Some of the aircraft are famous, such as the Spirit of St. Louis. Others are just a specific example of that kind of aircraft. There is a wealth of detail presented about each cockpit, enough to satisfy all but the most rabid of researchers. The photographers have an introduction to talk about the difficulties of photographing cockpits. I couldn't believe the price tag on the book, but it was mine, all mine for $30. Aviation enthusiasts will want to scour local bookstores to see if they can find their own copy. Boston Mills Press ISBN 1-55046-365-9 The World According to Pimm, a scientist audits the Earth by Stuart L. Pimm Ph.D. 20 January Numbers, at last some ecological numbers. Pimm looks at various data, it's provenance, and presents actual numbers concerning the human impact on our planet. One chapter title, "Man Eats Planet! Two-Fifths Already Gone!" is lighthearted, but he has the numbers to back it up. Pimm's approach is readable and convincing. About the only thing I missed was a table summing up all the numbers he presents. There are maps, charts, and extensive notes. Although the subject is obviously of deep concern to Pimm, he never gets hysterical or overwrought. Those interested in ecological issues will want to add it to their bookshelves, and most of the public would find it interesting to borrow from the library just to get more acquainted with the magnitude of the problems facing us. Firebreak by Richard Stark (AKA Donald Westlake). 1 January Parker is at it again. I'm not as familiar with the Parker world as I am with Dortmunder's, but this was a fast enjoyable read. It didn't turn out like I thought it would, and was wonderfully twisty and complicated in a way I like. However, I was a little disappointed that various complications were introduced, but nothing came of them. |
Movies DVD of the YearThe Two Towers December 27 The second part of the set departs a little further from the book than the first one does, and treats the storyline a little differently, yet after 3 hours of watching I didn't want it to end. Being the middle of the story it's a little hard to judge it fairly. Once we can see all three together I think we may understand better some of the director's choices, however much a book loving purist might complain. We have to keep in mind that a movie is a different medium than a book, and what works for one won't necessarily work for the other. The books are treated respectfully, and the only real character violation was a brief bit that seems to treat the elves as a machine-like army. The Ents are wonderfully imagined, and Gollum/Smeagol is stunning. It's going to be hard to wait a year for the conclusion. Year End DVD Movie Binge Minority Report is the winner of the bunch. Clever, well done, another of Philip K. Dick's novels brought to life. There are a ton of extras on the DVD, though I don't much like the way you get to them. The 3 Miss Marple shows, The Body in the Libary, Pocket Full of Rye, and A Murder is Announced arrived under the Christmas tree in DVD. I enjoy all of these, especially since Joan Hickson is the embodiment of Miss Marple. The attention to detail of life in the late 40's in Britian is wonderful to watch. Linda loves to watch Strictly Ballroom, and there are parts of it that I really like, but on repeated viewings the whole thing is a bit much for me. The Whole Nine Yards is reviewed January 2001, and was just as good on the second viewing. Supposedly there is a sequel coming, and I hope it isn't ruined as Hollywood usually does. We watched the Usual Suspects in the theatre when it first came out and haven't seen it since. Even when you know how the movie is going to turn out, it's still fun to watch it unfold. We hadn't seen Ladyhawke for many years, and it was a pleasure to see it again. You've got to love the cloth chainmail, cheesy swords, modern soundtrack, the stunning photography, and Michelle Pfeiffer. Age of Innocence is a more recent movie with Pfeiffer, and while she doesn't have the same impact, she's still a delight to watch. The movie itself is sumptious, making my mouth water at the food that was being served. It took me a while to figure out what was going on, and I'm still not sure that I understand everything that happened. Kate and Leopold was more of an adventure than I like movie watching to be. The DVD froze in one particular spot, and the computer told us that it was scratched or dirty. We eventually took it back and got another DVD, but it crapped out in exactly the same place, which is beyond strange. We ended up watching it on video on our old television, in mostly black and white. A typical Hollywood romance, light and frothy. Trying to think about the paradoxes involved in time travel as portrayed is enough to make your head hurt. Late Marriage was a very strange film set in Israel. People don't really behave like this, do they? Mulholland Drive 11 Dec Stay tuned. I'll have to think about this one. Men in Black II 8 Dec Like most sequels, it isn't as good as the original. Still, if you liked the first one, and are in the right mood, the second is fun, in a campy sort of way. I don't like what happens to the characters. Supposedly, the Smith character is competent and in charge of his cases, until the Jones character gets un-denuralized. Then he turns into an idiot. After all the effort in the first movie to build up the Fiorentino character and bring her into the organization, she gets tossed off with a one-liner. The Importance of being Earnest 29 Nov Light and frothy entertainment, in a competently played version of Wilde's play. Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon and Judi Dench are all perfect for their parts. There are lots of extras on the DVD. Born Romantic 22 Nov It's fun to watch the various couples and singles trying to form a relationship in spite of all the stuff that happens to them. Not a typical romance movie, but it's a fun date movie that sure to inspire lots of discussion about relationships over the after movie snacks. No extras on the DVD. The Affair of the Necklace 22 Nov A sumptious movie to look at, full of pre-revolutionary France costume and architecture. The Versailles hall of mirrors scene is almost worth the price of renting the DVD. It's reasonably witty, cheerfully snarky about politics, and a reasonably elaborate swindle that shouldn't have fooled someone as smart as the Bishop thought he was. Hilary Swank is mis-cast, in that the movie wants us to feel sorry for her, when she is scheming and conniving just like everyone else. Lots of extras on the DVD. Twin Dragons 15 Nov It might not be the worst movie Jackie Chan has ever done, but it must be in contention. Every stupid "twins unknown to each other" gag is done, badly, again and again until the viewer is gagging. Ocean's Eleven (2001) I didn't even have to rent this DVD courtesy of my co-worker Dennis. It's hard to compare this to the original Ocean's Eleven. About all they have in common is that eleven guys are trying to rob Las Vegas casinos. There wasn't even a wink or nod to the original; it's played totally straight, or as straight as any caper movie can be. It's lots of fun to watch, the actors are clearly having a good time, and yet the movie is like so much cotton-candy. Once you swallow, it's all gone. Lots of extras, including two commentary tracks. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 27 October This is a fun date movie, with lots of laughs, and most importantly for me, real people. People you could imagine meeting on the street, or living next door. People that had real conflicts, in a movie that didn't rely on stupid Hollywoodisms to generate interest or advance the plot. I wasn't sure I'd enjoy it at first but it turned out to be well worth seeing in the theatre. Crimson Tide 27 October I love watching Gene Hackman playing the hard-ass, and he's in fine form here. They didn't quite crawl through the air ducts, but they did the submarine equivalent in the back and forth struggle for control of the nuclear keys. The ending was Hollywood fluff, and the outside model shots were cheesy. OK to rent, but I won't be buying it. Nine Queens 20 October Movie of the year so far! If you like movies about elaborate cons, swindles, or stings, go rent this movie. I watched it twice in the same weekend and loved it. Please don't hold the English sub-titles against it. The movie is set in Argentina, and quite rightly, they left the characters their own voices. Even though I understand very little Spanish, you learn about what's going on by the way the characters interact with one another, and how they say what they say. I'll probably buy this DVD, as much for the pleasure of watching again, as to reward the people involved for doing a great movie. 7 Samurai 12 October I've seen this on film at the Plaza, and it was almost impossible to figure out what was going on, what with the poor quality of the print and the white on light gray subtitles. The DVD is nothing like that. The quality of the print is wonderful, and the subtitles clear. Don't like foreign films or subtitles? Too bad, you will miss a masterpiece, the starting point for many of the most popular movies ever made. It's a long movie, but once you get into it, it's almost impossible to tear yourself away. There is a knowledgeable commentary track as well. This is a DVD to buy. Ocean's Eleven (original) 12 October I'd forgotten just how, well, 60's the 60's really were. The plot is fun, but the neat thing about this film is watching the background, and the very style of the film. This is a period piece now, one that almost looks staged, but no, it's filmed in a real place and time, a Vegas that many people still remember. I'll have to rent the new version and see how they compare. The Scorpion King 12 October Fun Saturday afternoon entertainment, nothing more. Tons of bonus tracks. Bodyguard from Beijing 12 October Jet Li's first film. Easily recognizable as a Hong Kong film, but more incomprehensible than most. The funniest part of the whole DVD was the translation issue. Sometimes we heard English with English and Chinese subtitles. The English translations were very strangely worded, so I suspect they didn't pay much for the translation service. His later films are much better. Iron Monkey 27 August Nicely done "wire-fu" but Crouching Tiger was a better, prettier film. This was OK for mindless action. The Time Machine 27 August I remember reading Wells's The Time Machine when I was a child and liking it. I only remember bits of the story, but I was vastly disappointed with this movie. Sure the time machine is flashy, but that's all. The expensive CGI looked like the CGI any video game does these days. The characters make cardboard look good by comparison. However, it suited the brain dead mood I was in after a long work week. Blade II 13 September (or so) Big jaws. Lots of blood. Bad acting. Twisted vampire story. Poor fight scenes. Pretentious extra DVD features. Original Sin 3 August We normally get a kick out of period movies, and from the period point of view, this is sumptuous. The photography portraying a long-past way of life is extraordinary. I'd love to wake up to some of the views. In their own way, Antonio Banderas and Angelina Jolie compliment the setting, and make the most of a poor plot, and overwrought dialogue. The ending was terrible; any reasonable person would have learned. There are no extras on the DVD. Shiri 20 July At first I thought this was another martial arts film, though unusually bloody, and making even less sense than usual. After a while the good guys mostly sorted themselves out from the bad guys, and we began to enjoy a surprisingly good thriller. more (no spoiler) Spider-Man 15 June Nothing of the comic or the TV series came to mind until I saw the publisher's hairdo. Other people tell me that the movie is true to the comic, and that made them happy. I watched it purely as a movie, and as a summer movie it succeeds admirably. No surprises, lots of special effects, good action sequences, what's not to like? Well, the plot is as thin as the film in the projector, and I'm sure any student of mythic structure in parable plays would have a field day with Spider-Man. The dialogue is just this side of corny. Throughout the movie I kept wondering why Peter was always late, yet Spider-Man was always in the nick of time. There I go bringing reality into it again. Ice Age 31 March We had Easter brunch and did a movie with our friends Gord and Gail. It was a warm sunny day when we went in, but cool and blustery when we came out, still chuckling. It isn't as 'real' looking as some recent animated movies, but I was still impressed with the work done on the mammoth. The fur and flesh moving under it was well done. There were lots of kids in the audience and they thoroughly enjoyed it. There wasn't as much between the lines for the adults to enjoy as there was in Shrek, for example, but there were still a few good bits. Everybody knew their role, played their part, and the only surprise was the sheer comic inventiveness along the way. I had seen all the clips and previews, and still had a wonderful time. The little squirrel just about killed me. Memento 9 March I had meant to see this in the theatre, but you know how that works out sometimes. What with one thing or another it turns out to be later than you realize and the opportunity is gone. I very much enjoyed watching Memento for the very same reason that I don't like most of the Hollywood trash that is coming out. I had to think about what was happening in the movie, and put together the pieces just to keep track of where I was. Every time I thought I had a grasp on where the movie was going, I was pleasantly surprised when it went somewhere else. The ending didn't wrap everything up in a neat little bow with all the loose ends taken care of. I like some loose ends in a movie because life mainly consists of loose ends we struggle to keep under control. What's the Worst that could Happen? 16 February Read the book by Donald Westlake and find out what the story really is. I'm sure glad I didn't pay to see this in the theatre. The Bridges of Madison County. 16 February We finally got around to renting this beautiful movie on DVD. Now I have to go find the book. We thoroughly enjoyed watching Eastwood's and Streep's characters fall in love with one another. Even better, their love was realistically presented, complete with doubts and hesitations, yet each person remaining true to themselves. I'm glad that Eastwood as director let the movie take the appropriate time to tell the story. Too often movies feel rushed. I'm not sure why it took so long for us to see this one. Not many extras on the DVD. Gosford Park 9 February Now that I know who is who, I need to go see it again. This is a movie you have to pay attention to because there is a large cast, with many of them related to each other somehow. Some of the comments make no sense until later, when you realize the connection between the people. Set in 1932, the set is an English country house during a shooting party. Most movies only show what the upper crust is doing, but Gosford Park shows what the servants are up to, which is sometimes more interesting. I'm certainly going to rent this on DVD when it comes out, and might well buy it. Monsters Inc. 6 January I still remember watching a Pixar short-short at the Plaza Theatre where one big lamp and a small one play with a ball. I knew then Pixar had a good future. The trailers for Monsters were so well done that I have been wanting to see this film for several months and wasn't the slightest bit disappointed. There is enough there to keep the adults interested while the kids are along for the ride. I particularly liked watching Sully grow and mature, something that is all too rare in animated films. I thought it was a little ironic that the monster world depended on extorting screams from children to survive, and the real world depends on kids buying tickets for films based on extensive advertising.
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Miscellaneous Terminal D, and Jeff DeBoer's artwork 8 Dec Terminal D itself is very nice, as airport terminals go. There's beautiful artwork both on the floor and hanging from the ceiling. Lots of windows give a good view of the aiport, the downtown skyline, and the mountains. Slow Food Festival 29 August We spent a wonderful afternoon down at Prince's Island Park sampling some of the most delicious food it's ever been my pleasure to taste. The Slow Food Movement came to Calgary and reconfirmed my desire to eat as little fast food as possible. A $50 ticket gave us a nice cloth bag with some brochures, browsing rights to 26 food vendors, sipping rights at 7 wineries, and 2 breweries. We certainly ate our way through our money's worth! Both my favourites involved bison; a bison and mushroom stew that was to die for, and a bison rouladin that was so tender it parted with the slightest touch of a plastic fork. I think dessert is an important part of any meal, and it weren't forgotten here. The truffles were exquisite, and the saskatoon berry flat bread thingie was wonderful. I like to think we eat fairly well, but I've had my share of poor restaurant meals. All too often we settle for adequate; fill the tummy and dash off on the next errand. Somehow, our society has lost touch with the idea that there's more to life than the most and the cheapest. We need to enjoy life, and a major part of that is to enjoy what we eat, to actually taste it. The organizers plan on doing it again next year, and we're planning on showing up!
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