| Ragnar's Reviews 2004 |
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Books The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger 25 March If Americans talk about banning a book, it's probably this one. Now I wonder what all the fuss is about. Sure it's a message the white bread middle class don't want their children reading, but this is hardly the only source of suburban angst for them. Caulfield doesn't even get into very much trouble, by today's standards, and at his worst could only be accused of behaving like a lout. There were times in my teens I felt much like Caulfield, not knowing where I was going or why, not being able to make up my mind about anything, and changing it soon after I had made a decision. Master of None by N. Lee Wood 19 March Reading this aloud would be very difficult because of the amount of dialogue presented in a foreign language. I was reminded of Dune several times for various reasons which isn't necessarily a compliment. The intrigue was better done in Dune, and we had interstellar Worms dominating a key plot point. In some ways this is a Horatio Alger story, and as such gets a little implausible at points. It's well written, though there were several places that should have been tightened up by an editor, so it reads a bit long. Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear 9 March For a novel set in early 1930, there was a surprising amount of New Age Bullshit, which is something that tends to push my buttons a little. The protagonist takes the time to be alone in various rooms to feel the vibes or whatever. Other than that minor quibble, this novel succeeds brilliantly on all other grounds. The whodunit is well crafted. I hadn't known of a series of actions referred to in the book that is the starting point for the various events. The period setting is perfect. I'll be looking for the first book in this series. The America's Test Kitchen Cookbook 8 January I found this cookbook at a friends house, and was fascinated. It ended up arriving here as an anniversary present. They start off with a meal plan, and tell you how they want things to come out. Then they talk about the various things they tried to make it come out that way. What I like is that they give the reasons why things are done a certain way, and how that affects the results. They also discuss various kinds of equipment, and give their opinion about what's best. Then they give the actual recipe. Since there's a lot of food in here that we actually eat, I think we'll be using this book often. Hegemony or Survival America's Quest for Global Dominance by Noam Chomsky 5 January I wish now I hadn't bought it. The book reads like a series of articles or papers merged together, and the result is incoherence. Within several paragraphs he flips back and forth in time, and from place to place in pursuit of his thesis; that America is trying to run the world. Well, duh. Any sentient on the planet that hasn't been under a rock for the last 100 years knows this. The examples are there, but Chomsky doesn't make it easy or clear. I'll be selling it. Seduced by Moonlight by Laurell K. Hamilton 3 January This is the third book in the series, and if you liked the others, you'll like this one. I kind of chugged through it. The Gentry character interests me somewhat, as does the world she lives in, but the book has the same flaws as the Hamilton's other books. The characters talk too damn much. They'll be in a tearing hurry, and settle in for a long conversation. And it all mushy touchie feelie stuff. I don't mind a bit of that, but this is way too much. Linda bought it in hardcover because she likes them, but I wouldn't have. Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde 2 January This is the fourth in the series, and proves that the author knows exactly what he's doing with all the details of his intricate, weird and wonderful worlds. I love the sense of humour in these books because it matches my own. The writing is witty and well done. The situations might be thought absurd, but there's an internal logic to them that's hard to explain. While it helps to have read widely to catch at least some of the literary allusions, it isn't necessary to enjoy the book. |
Movies Not for everyone, most particularly not for kids or the squeamish, but a brilliant addition to the noir film school. It may become a classic, but is certainly destined for cult status. I loved it. The stark images, brutal storylines, raspy voice-over narration all add up to a totally different cinematic experience than anything else. The movie is full of name stars, some of whom are nearly unrecognizable. This will be a certain addition to the DVD collection. Vanity Fair 8 April A well enough done period piece about a scramble from the gutter in a society where birth and breeding are an overwhelming consideration. Lavish sets and costumes make this a delight to watch. Robots 13 March I laughed out loud several times, and probably had a goofy smile on my face the entire time. I already know I'm going to have to see it again, because there's so much to see on screen. The story itself is simplistic, and Robin Williams is almost annoying, but everything else is pure charm. Well, the fart jokes didn't need to be there, but that's it. The several roller coaster rides are inventive beyond anything ever seen on screen. The various references to other movies or current culture are sometimes subtle, sometimes not. For things like that you usually need a short time to think about it. You'll recognize there is a reference, but need to grasp to name it. Meanwhile, things have moved on. I'm pretty sure I didn't get all the references. This is a beautiful, fun movie to watch. No deep message, just fun. This will be a certain addition to the DVD collection. Megalodon 11 March Sometimes you get in the mood for a bad movie, and this delivered in spades. Much of it looks like a computer game, including several of the actors in various sets. There are certainly computer games with more of a story to them. Suddenly Naked 27 February About half way through I had a clever thought that would clearly and succinctly describe the movie and my reaction to it. Unfortunately, the flood of drivel during the rest of the movie drowned it. Tempo 27 February (The 2003 one with Melanie Griffiths.) So mindless that after watching one other movie, the only way I could remember this one was to go back and pick up the DVD container to read the title. Once reminded, I remembered thinking that all the people in the movie were the stupidest characters I had seen in a long time, well, barely 10 days ago, in Scorched. The Professional 21 February Both of us have seen several of Besson's films, and liked them, but we somehow hadn't got around to seeing this one. Anyone seeing Portman playing Queen whoever in the recent Star Wars dreck is going to wonder if she was lobotomized sometime after her acting debut. No, wait, she's a Harvard grad, so that can't be it. Maybe she needs more material to work with. Whatever it was, she had it in Professional, as did Reno, and Oldman. Well done action scenes, a plot competent enough to serve the needs of the film, and interesting interactions between the characters make this a must rent. The Last Samurai 20 February I was fairly impressed with this movie, until the credits didn't roll up after the final battlefield scene. What followed was Hollywood schlock that ruined the movie. Up till then it had been a well done depiction of life in 19th Century Japan, excepting having the story being told from the viewpoint of a westerner. It would have been better without the Cruise character, but then Hollywood wouldn't have funded it. I didn't watch all the extras, because the History vs Hollywood feature pissed me off so badly. The real historian got about a minute of screen time, and the rest was typical Cruise self-love. The other extras weren't much better. Scorched 19 February A silly little time waster, sort of like spun cotton candy. Dead Like Me February 2004 We started with the pilot, and have been working our way through the episodes. There's a few annoying things, like the lack of a play all features, and few extras, but this TV series suits our sense of humour. If one wants to, one could read in much philosophy about the meaning of life, and whatever happens next. What's interesting is watching the star of the show become more alive than she ever was in life. Since watching it I find myself wondering more about the rules that govern the 'Dead' world, and what happens to the characters. That only happens with stories and characters I really like. I can't wait for the season 2 DVD to come out. Aliens 28 January It's amazing how well this film holds up. The first in the series is pretty good. The third and fourth are unspeakably bad, but the second redeems them all. The extended version isn't as good as the theatrical version. There are hours of extras on the second disc, and much of it is very watchable. The Women 27 January A total chick-flick; one that nearly had me up and doing something else several times. However, I'm glad I didn't. Although the film is limited by Hollywood's insistence on a happy ending, and the peculiar customs attached to divorce in those days, the dialogue is sharp, the sets sumptuous, and the plot moves along briskly. There should be no doubt in your mind that you are looking at the social customs of the extremely rich, and the people that cater to them. Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman 22 January Another in a long series. This one is not nearly as good as Zatoichi meets Yojimbo. Then again, it doesn't have Toshiro Mifune or Shintaro Katsu. The plot is poorer, and there's lots of gratuitous blood splatter that looks very fake. I'm not sure what the point of the song and dance number at the end of the movie is. Others in the series must be better. Code 46 22 January This obscure semi-science fiction movie deserves to remain obscure. I could never figure out if it was set in a future, or a slightly sideways today. The main "what if" is some pretty big brother-ish genetic laws that sounded quite a bit like double talk as far as accuracy is concerned. The world the characters live in has odd weather. One minute it's clear and sunny, and the next it's cloudy and polluted. A lot of setup for not much payoff. Triggermen 21 January This reminded me both of Snatch, and Pulp Fiction, but wasn't as good as either of them. It's cute and the right people live at the end, but it isn't particularly clever or well done. House of Flying Daggers January 16 This isn't a movie you go to see for it's story, because the story only serves to deliver a stunning visual treat to the audience. Although you can probably only see it in the art house cinemas now, it's worth the trip to find. The wire effects aren't overdone like in some other recent movies. The fight scenes are as elegant and beautiful as anything ever put on film. Well worth the price of admission to the big screen, and we'll be buying it when it comes out on DVD. Charade 9 January I had never seen or even heard of this film until I found it in the sale bin for $9.99. It's hard to go wrong at that price, and when the stars are Cary Grant, and Audrey Hepburn it seems a safe buy. The title credits are technicolour 60's awful, but the movie is charming and funny. It's a bit of a comedy, and a bit of a thriller. While it doesn't entirely succeed, it isn't the slightest bit hard to watch. Grant and Hepburn have an interesting chemistry between them that is fun to watch. Circus 8 January I like these intricately plotted con artist movies where you're wonder who's really doing what to, for whom, and why. This is a well done example, providing you're willing to suspend your disbelief about the real world. This would be a fun group movie, where you stop any time anyone has a "but wait a sec, how/who/why" question. Shadow of the Vampire 8 January Movies about making movies have this peculiar charm. Movies present an illusion to the watcher, but once you see what's outside the frame you wonder how you were taken in. Shadow flips between colour and B&W, and between the movie and the about the movie. However the modern movie can't get away from the 1920's, and that detracts from the overall experience. Many watchers will find it slow and outdated. Ruthless People 7 January We had seen this a long time ago and enjoyed it. On a second viewing DeVito is as much fun as ever, and the 80's big hair is even more awful. 3 Way 2 January On the surface this is a slick film with a daylight noir feel to it. I particularly liked the time lapse photography effects. However, all the characters are putzes. Nobody says or does anything smart in the whole film. It suffers further in comparison to The Maltese Falcon, which we watched right afterward. Oh well. Ed Wood 1 January Once again Depp is fascinating to watch as he plays Ed Wood, well known as the creator of some of the worst movies ever made. I suppose worst should be in quotation marks, because some of them are so bad they're almost fun. We get to watch as Wood starts his career (another word that should be in quotes), making the movies he would become best known for. If you're a fan of Bela Lugosi, you cannot miss this. Martin Landau is absolutely perfect. Collateral 1 January We had been seeing trailers for this movie for some time now, and finally overcame our objections to Tom Cruise movies. They're usually so pretentious. This was a treat. The ending was a little commonplace, and I was hoping for a few more twists in the plot. The two main stars do an excellent job, and the movie is put together well. Fans of LA will love the backgrounds going by.
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