The Flick: Hugo
The Peeps: Asa Butterfield, Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Chloe Grace Moretz, Ray Winstone, Emily Mortimer, Christopher Lee, Jude Law, etc.
The Dealio: When Hugo's (Butterfield) dad- a very innovative and diligent clock-maker, dies, Uncle Claude (Winstone), an alcoholic con-man with a grudging sense of duty, takes the orphan in. 'In' meaning into the clock tower in a metro station, where he is the duty clock watcher. It is for him to wind and maintain the various clocks, including the huge one at the centre of the action in the little station. Once Uncle Claude has taught Hugo all he knows about the duties of clock-watcher, it is actually Hugo who learns all the ins and out, the hidden passageways- and equally hidden lives- of all the denizens of the station. Hugo is, increasingly, left to his own devices- and gradually assumes all the responsibilities for the clock tower. In the meantime, he occupies his spare time with working on a project his father had poured endless hours into- and crushing on a girl who shows up every day at a confections and games/toys stall. All of this occurs under the grim, merciless eye of the chief security officer of the station- a man who has made it his life's work to round up and incarcerate orphans. Can it be long before our Hugo catches his eye?
The Grading Session: 4.71 pengies out of 5. The opening shot- and many others, besides- features the signature Scorsese elongated pan, moving about in spaces not meant to hold a human- even a small one- bird's eye and trains' eye views, sweeps and long beats of uninterrupted 'who's doing what' moments. Beautiful. Gorgeous. Wish You Were Here! There is also the tang of regret, grief, temptation and the sweet realisation of love, found in the most unexpected places.
Lessons Learned: Paris, seen at night, from above, is a gorgeous, breath-taking almost heartbreakingly moving sight. Also, this: there truly is someone for everyone. Finally, this: film-makers, folks of vision, endless creativity and insight are fighting an uphill battle. But, when they win out over their obstacles, oh, my, what inspirational art results. I am humbled by such inventiveness.
Notable Quotables: Hugo Cabret : I'd imagine the whole world was one big machine. Machines never come with any extra parts, you know. They always come with the exact amount they need. So I figured, if the entire world was one big machine, I couldn't be an extra part. I had to be here for some reason.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
The Descendants
The Flick: The Descendants
The Peeps: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller, Nick Kraus, Beau Bridges, Michael Ontkean, Matthew Lillard, etc.
The Dealio: Clooney's Matt King, reeling from the jet-ski accident that rendered his wife comatose and likely to never recover, discovers that she was having an affair. In turns hurt, stunned, and angry, at heart, he is simply scrambling to hold his family together, minimise the damage and help his daughters heal. But fate is not done with Matt King. Another one-two punch connects when land his family has owned for over a century becomes a bone of contention in his expansive and acquisitive family. Here's the dealio: he - as executor of the estate- must either give into the pleas of most of his family and sell the land to developers, or let it revert back to the Hawaiian people in seven years. Most of the family is pulling for the sale because, well, they are almost out of money. Matt doesn't really need the money and a minority of his family wants the land to be returned to Hawaii. Alternately flummoxed and desperate, King struggles to be the rock- the optimistic rock- to his youngest daughter (Amara's passive Scotty) and encouraging, bracing and disciplining to his rebellious older daughter- the subtly evocative Woodley's Alex- who is , at 16, already in a 'school' for teens with substance abuse problems. Into this mix comes the obliviously upbeat Sid (a fresh-faced, don't-quite-get-it-but-OK Kraus), Alex's side-kick. No filter here, folks. He is of the gumball-machine theory of thought: it's in his mind, then rolls down to his lips, and out shoots the thought. Everyone quick!...duck and cover.
The Grading Session: 4.83 pengies out of 5. Clooney is comedic, touchingly gruff, bewildered, then as ferocious and territorial as a griz. He is able, in other words, to play a fully fleshed out and realised character. Never better. But the real revelations are the three young actors who play his daughters and the goofball with a heart of gold, Sid. They are either naturals or really quick studies. Maybe both. And, Clooney has a natural easiness with them that is generous- letting them shine when they take the foreground, and supporting them when he shares the screen with them.
Lessons Learned: Hawaii is beautiful. But it is not Paradise. Also this: never judge a book by its cover (or a seemingly clueless teen by his chirpy, dramatically not-with-it affect). There can be unplumbed depths to such. Or not. Lastly: who says blood is thicker than water? Certainly not the King family when gazillions of bux lie in the balance.
Notable Quotable: "Paradise? Paradise can go eff itself. "
The Peeps: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller, Nick Kraus, Beau Bridges, Michael Ontkean, Matthew Lillard, etc.
The Dealio: Clooney's Matt King, reeling from the jet-ski accident that rendered his wife comatose and likely to never recover, discovers that she was having an affair. In turns hurt, stunned, and angry, at heart, he is simply scrambling to hold his family together, minimise the damage and help his daughters heal. But fate is not done with Matt King. Another one-two punch connects when land his family has owned for over a century becomes a bone of contention in his expansive and acquisitive family. Here's the dealio: he - as executor of the estate- must either give into the pleas of most of his family and sell the land to developers, or let it revert back to the Hawaiian people in seven years. Most of the family is pulling for the sale because, well, they are almost out of money. Matt doesn't really need the money and a minority of his family wants the land to be returned to Hawaii. Alternately flummoxed and desperate, King struggles to be the rock- the optimistic rock- to his youngest daughter (Amara's passive Scotty) and encouraging, bracing and disciplining to his rebellious older daughter- the subtly evocative Woodley's Alex- who is , at 16, already in a 'school' for teens with substance abuse problems. Into this mix comes the obliviously upbeat Sid (a fresh-faced, don't-quite-get-it-but-OK Kraus), Alex's side-kick. No filter here, folks. He is of the gumball-machine theory of thought: it's in his mind, then rolls down to his lips, and out shoots the thought. Everyone quick!...duck and cover.
The Grading Session: 4.83 pengies out of 5. Clooney is comedic, touchingly gruff, bewildered, then as ferocious and territorial as a griz. He is able, in other words, to play a fully fleshed out and realised character. Never better. But the real revelations are the three young actors who play his daughters and the goofball with a heart of gold, Sid. They are either naturals or really quick studies. Maybe both. And, Clooney has a natural easiness with them that is generous- letting them shine when they take the foreground, and supporting them when he shares the screen with them.
Lessons Learned: Hawaii is beautiful. But it is not Paradise. Also this: never judge a book by its cover (or a seemingly clueless teen by his chirpy, dramatically not-with-it affect). There can be unplumbed depths to such. Or not. Lastly: who says blood is thicker than water? Certainly not the King family when gazillions of bux lie in the balance.
Notable Quotable: "Paradise? Paradise can go eff itself. "
Saturday, November 19, 2011
When All Else Fails, Lie Your Butts Off and Make The Public Pick Up The Slack
The Flick: Margin Call
The Peeps: Zachary Quinto, Stanley Tucci, Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Simpn Baker, Demi Moore, Mary McDonnell, etc, etc.
The Dealio: Over the course of one night, lots can happen. Including what transpires in this movie: in the midst of a thorough cleansing of a large brokerage firm (read 1 out of 10 will survive this 'maintenance'), an outgoing, high level employee (Tucci), who has just learned some alarming info, passes his suspicions about the actual state of the firm's assets along to a young coworker (Quinto), who will be spared the purge. At least, for now. Being the basic, nose-to-the-grindstone-genius type, Quinto's Peter Sullivan works out the deets of the sitch passed on to him and comes to a shocking conclusion. Next step? Rally the troops and figure out how to paper over the damage before the firm loses its collective shirt. Lots of late night return-to-work calls, lots of helos landing on the roof, lots of pots of coffee being made. It is a thriller without a drop of blood being shed. Compelling...but scarily real.
The Grading Session: 4.71 pengies out of 5. There are so many tiny performance gems from so many big names, willing to do their tiny bit. Moore, not among them, sadly. Whether you like these characters or think they are jerks, you will not be able to look away. Sort of like a train-wreck. But the only bleeding here is the money of ignorant investors. Scary thing, that.
Lessons Learned: How do I know an investment counsellor is lying? Easy. His/her lips are moving.
The Peeps: Zachary Quinto, Stanley Tucci, Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Simpn Baker, Demi Moore, Mary McDonnell, etc, etc.
The Dealio: Over the course of one night, lots can happen. Including what transpires in this movie: in the midst of a thorough cleansing of a large brokerage firm (read 1 out of 10 will survive this 'maintenance'), an outgoing, high level employee (Tucci), who has just learned some alarming info, passes his suspicions about the actual state of the firm's assets along to a young coworker (Quinto), who will be spared the purge. At least, for now. Being the basic, nose-to-the-grindstone-genius type, Quinto's Peter Sullivan works out the deets of the sitch passed on to him and comes to a shocking conclusion. Next step? Rally the troops and figure out how to paper over the damage before the firm loses its collective shirt. Lots of late night return-to-work calls, lots of helos landing on the roof, lots of pots of coffee being made. It is a thriller without a drop of blood being shed. Compelling...but scarily real.
The Grading Session: 4.71 pengies out of 5. There are so many tiny performance gems from so many big names, willing to do their tiny bit. Moore, not among them, sadly. Whether you like these characters or think they are jerks, you will not be able to look away. Sort of like a train-wreck. But the only bleeding here is the money of ignorant investors. Scary thing, that.
Lessons Learned: How do I know an investment counsellor is lying? Easy. His/her lips are moving.
Standing in for Robert B. Parker
The Book: Killing The Blues
The Author: Michael Brandman (for Robert B. Parker)
The Dealio: Well, as any follower of this blog knows-and many who don't- one of our all-time faves (Parker) died last year. The talented author of several diverse 'lines', his characters have been picked up and taken on by others. And, I couldn't help wondering whether this would work or not. True fans of RBP know that he, himself, completed a Phillip Marlowe mystery, and even wrote one entirely on his own- Poodle Springs. But, I must admit to feeling some...concern about whether this transfer would, um, stick. The answer is, of course, yes and no. Brandman has picked up the storyline of Jesse Stone, late of LA, now the sheriff of tiny Paradise, MA. He receives word from an old boss that a criminal with whom he had brangled - and whom he had grievously injured while under the influence- is now out of jail and out for revenge. As if Jesse doesn't have enough to deal with, he then begins to experience a series of unsettling car-thefts, one of which devolved into murder. This, as the resort town gears up for the big summer season. Then weird things begin to happen that just shouldn't in a town that depends on tourism for its livelihood. Re-assuming his best LA approach to criminal behavior, Jesse sets out to establish himself as a force for law and order to be reckoned with- as well as dealing with the blow-back from the earlier incident, for which he feels great guilt and remorse.
The Grading Session: 4.03 pengies out of 5. This was not the best Jesse Stone novel ever, nor the worst. A coupla remarks: why did Brandman feel duty-bound to turn Jesse (in the RBP books, he cohabits with an orphaned Golden Retriever) into a 'cat man'? Also-ly, I clean do not understand why Molly had to be turned from a gentle, good-natured but able-to-hold-her-own in the law enforcement biz type into a humorless and angry individual who seems determined to put Stone in his place. These two always enjoyed a great relationship. That, unfortunately, did not survive the transition. That said, I was so happy to have Jesse back that I do not consider this a deterrent to those who love the series. And, I will buy and read the next.
Lessons Learned: It is possible to make the transfer from one author's take of a beloved character to another. But there are always the distinguishing fingerprints left behind. They may be good, they may be bad. But, in this case, they just are. And I am okay with that.
The Author: Michael Brandman (for Robert B. Parker)
The Dealio: Well, as any follower of this blog knows-and many who don't- one of our all-time faves (Parker) died last year. The talented author of several diverse 'lines', his characters have been picked up and taken on by others. And, I couldn't help wondering whether this would work or not. True fans of RBP know that he, himself, completed a Phillip Marlowe mystery, and even wrote one entirely on his own- Poodle Springs. But, I must admit to feeling some...concern about whether this transfer would, um, stick. The answer is, of course, yes and no. Brandman has picked up the storyline of Jesse Stone, late of LA, now the sheriff of tiny Paradise, MA. He receives word from an old boss that a criminal with whom he had brangled - and whom he had grievously injured while under the influence- is now out of jail and out for revenge. As if Jesse doesn't have enough to deal with, he then begins to experience a series of unsettling car-thefts, one of which devolved into murder. This, as the resort town gears up for the big summer season. Then weird things begin to happen that just shouldn't in a town that depends on tourism for its livelihood. Re-assuming his best LA approach to criminal behavior, Jesse sets out to establish himself as a force for law and order to be reckoned with- as well as dealing with the blow-back from the earlier incident, for which he feels great guilt and remorse.
The Grading Session: 4.03 pengies out of 5. This was not the best Jesse Stone novel ever, nor the worst. A coupla remarks: why did Brandman feel duty-bound to turn Jesse (in the RBP books, he cohabits with an orphaned Golden Retriever) into a 'cat man'? Also-ly, I clean do not understand why Molly had to be turned from a gentle, good-natured but able-to-hold-her-own in the law enforcement biz type into a humorless and angry individual who seems determined to put Stone in his place. These two always enjoyed a great relationship. That, unfortunately, did not survive the transition. That said, I was so happy to have Jesse back that I do not consider this a deterrent to those who love the series. And, I will buy and read the next.
Lessons Learned: It is possible to make the transfer from one author's take of a beloved character to another. But there are always the distinguishing fingerprints left behind. They may be good, they may be bad. But, in this case, they just are. And I am okay with that.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Tower Heist
The Flick: Tower Heist
The Peeps: Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Alan Alda (does he ever play a good guy anymore?), Tea Leoni, Casey Affleck, Matthew Broderick, Gabourey Sidibe, Michael Pena, etc.
The Dealio: Wall Street bigwig/investor Arthur Shaw (Alda) is indicted for fraud on a grand level. He is put under house arrest in his sumptuous penthouse in The Tower until his trial (flight risk like a Topgun grad). Along the way, and prompted by manager Kovacs (Stiller) to invest on behalf of the supremely coddling staff, Shaw has managed to 'lose' 100% of their retirement. When Kovacs discovers that Shaw continued to play and spend hearty- even when he knew he was bankrupt- using their investment capital...it's so ON. Although lacking the skills, knowledge, devious nature and even the ability to lie convincingly, the staff-organised by Kovacs- decides to pull a heist. First step, recruit a known felon with experience in this particular area. Enter 'Slide' (Murphy). Subsequent steps involve recreations of the heist locale using building blocks and tapping into arcane knowledge about movies, elevators and surveillance. Equal parts slapstick and hubris (Alda's Shaw slitheringly slices Kovacs to ribbons with a bland smile on his face and nary a regret or show of emotion), cutesy planning sessions and unique opportunities for each player to have his/her moment in the limelight, this is a textbook example of voluntary suspension of belief because the audience actually likes the characters and is willing to grant them some space to make their cases.
The Grading Session: 4.57 pengies out of 5. And it sure is nice to see Leoni back in action...literally. This is a far from perfect movie- I wanted a slightly different ending- maybe along the lines of Ocean's 11 (I dunno. Something like) ? But it sure was satisfying on a light and airy level. As stinging social commentary? Not so much.
Lessons Learned: Crime may not pay, but for a while, it provides, in influence and power-brokering, a pretty good ride. Also- never under-estimate the force and vector of wronged peeps seeking restitution and revenge. Lastly this: great to see Murphy back doing what he does best.
Notable Quotables: Kovacs: 'I did this because I was promised a threefold return over traditional investments.' Odessa:'Did I ask for three times as much return?' And this one: 'You passed the bar only 3 days ago?!' 'Yes. Sharks are born swimming, sir.'
The Peeps: Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Alan Alda (does he ever play a good guy anymore?), Tea Leoni, Casey Affleck, Matthew Broderick, Gabourey Sidibe, Michael Pena, etc.
The Dealio: Wall Street bigwig/investor Arthur Shaw (Alda) is indicted for fraud on a grand level. He is put under house arrest in his sumptuous penthouse in The Tower until his trial (flight risk like a Topgun grad). Along the way, and prompted by manager Kovacs (Stiller) to invest on behalf of the supremely coddling staff, Shaw has managed to 'lose' 100% of their retirement. When Kovacs discovers that Shaw continued to play and spend hearty- even when he knew he was bankrupt- using their investment capital...it's so ON. Although lacking the skills, knowledge, devious nature and even the ability to lie convincingly, the staff-organised by Kovacs- decides to pull a heist. First step, recruit a known felon with experience in this particular area. Enter 'Slide' (Murphy). Subsequent steps involve recreations of the heist locale using building blocks and tapping into arcane knowledge about movies, elevators and surveillance. Equal parts slapstick and hubris (Alda's Shaw slitheringly slices Kovacs to ribbons with a bland smile on his face and nary a regret or show of emotion), cutesy planning sessions and unique opportunities for each player to have his/her moment in the limelight, this is a textbook example of voluntary suspension of belief because the audience actually likes the characters and is willing to grant them some space to make their cases.
The Grading Session: 4.57 pengies out of 5. And it sure is nice to see Leoni back in action...literally. This is a far from perfect movie- I wanted a slightly different ending- maybe along the lines of Ocean's 11 (I dunno. Something like) ? But it sure was satisfying on a light and airy level. As stinging social commentary? Not so much.
Lessons Learned: Crime may not pay, but for a while, it provides, in influence and power-brokering, a pretty good ride. Also- never under-estimate the force and vector of wronged peeps seeking restitution and revenge. Lastly this: great to see Murphy back doing what he does best.
Notable Quotables: Kovacs: 'I did this because I was promised a threefold return over traditional investments.' Odessa:'Did I ask for three times as much return?' And this one: 'You passed the bar only 3 days ago?!' 'Yes. Sharks are born swimming, sir.'
Saturday, November 12, 2011
J. Edgar
The Flick: J. Edgar
The Peeps: Leonardo DiCaprio, Naomi Watts (great mouth make-up!), Judi Densch, Armie Hammer, Jeffrey Donovan, Josh Lucas, Dermot Mulroney, etc, etc, etc.
The Dealio: Quite simply, this is Clint Eastwood's take on the J. Edgar Hoover mythology, with a script by Dustin Lance Black (Milk). Told in exhaustive detail, the saga is told with a cross-cut of scenes from Hoover's way-back sack that sprint to catch up with the progress of man at the current stage of the tale. This can be maddening, in a way, because we spend huge gobs of time on one era, then leapfrog through several presidents - not necessarily in order- then slip back to Hoover's childhood, to finally jet ahead to his current place in the tale. The film ends with a catch-up statement or two about the major players. Which I always appreciate. But (SPOILER ALERT!), I think I knew that Hoover was dead.
The Grading Session: 4.19 pengies out of 5. DiCaprio was outstanding in every scene, capturing, perfectly, the warring divisions within the man: the steely-eyed determination to be of service to the country he loved, as well as the mean-spirited egotist who can not bear for someone else to get the credit, or love and devotion of the public. It is important to note that he was responsible for some great innovations- bringing science, forsensics and fingerprints into the fray between law and justice and the accused. But he was also responsible for the paranoia and wholesale blurring of legal and moral lines during pivotal periods in our country's history. When asked by a friend, 'Isn't that illegal?', he puffs up like a fugu and stoutly intones, 'Sometimes it is necessary to bend the margins of legal and illegal to protect the country's best interests', thereby establishing a place for himself as a self-elected dictator and the only one who apparently knows what is the country's best interest.
Plus- stop me if you've heard this before- but a little bit of editing would have made the movie more endurable. When I asked Prendie to catch me up while I had myself a lil ol' powder room parade, he whispered back, 'Don't worry, we're telling this story in real time. You'll only miss what he ordered for lunch.' This is two hours and seventeen minutes that felt like years.
Notable Quotables: 'This is Agent---, from Dallas. The President's been shot.' 'Does anyone else know?' 'No one. I'll keep a lid on it.' ( OH? Reeeeeeeaaaaaallllllyyyyyy?! How'd that work out for ya?)
Lessons Learned: Didn't need to learn this one, but it bears repeating anyway: absolute power corrupts absolutely. Also: if a tiny, little person with a tiny, little spirit, wants to make something great out of themselves, there are two ways. But really, being a tiny, little person with a tiny little spirit, the method of choice is, inevitably, to tear down everyone else around them and stand on their wrecked remains. It is simply too hard and unappealing to do any actual work at building themselves into an actual better, bigger-hearted and greater-spirited person. Lastly this: even Clint, as talented a movie maker as he is, occasionally needs the services of a fearless, public-spirited editor. Your mileage may differ.
The Peeps: Leonardo DiCaprio, Naomi Watts (great mouth make-up!), Judi Densch, Armie Hammer, Jeffrey Donovan, Josh Lucas, Dermot Mulroney, etc, etc, etc.
The Dealio: Quite simply, this is Clint Eastwood's take on the J. Edgar Hoover mythology, with a script by Dustin Lance Black (Milk). Told in exhaustive detail, the saga is told with a cross-cut of scenes from Hoover's way-back sack that sprint to catch up with the progress of man at the current stage of the tale. This can be maddening, in a way, because we spend huge gobs of time on one era, then leapfrog through several presidents - not necessarily in order- then slip back to Hoover's childhood, to finally jet ahead to his current place in the tale. The film ends with a catch-up statement or two about the major players. Which I always appreciate. But (SPOILER ALERT!), I think I knew that Hoover was dead.
The Grading Session: 4.19 pengies out of 5. DiCaprio was outstanding in every scene, capturing, perfectly, the warring divisions within the man: the steely-eyed determination to be of service to the country he loved, as well as the mean-spirited egotist who can not bear for someone else to get the credit, or love and devotion of the public. It is important to note that he was responsible for some great innovations- bringing science, forsensics and fingerprints into the fray between law and justice and the accused. But he was also responsible for the paranoia and wholesale blurring of legal and moral lines during pivotal periods in our country's history. When asked by a friend, 'Isn't that illegal?', he puffs up like a fugu and stoutly intones, 'Sometimes it is necessary to bend the margins of legal and illegal to protect the country's best interests', thereby establishing a place for himself as a self-elected dictator and the only one who apparently knows what is the country's best interest.
Plus- stop me if you've heard this before- but a little bit of editing would have made the movie more endurable. When I asked Prendie to catch me up while I had myself a lil ol' powder room parade, he whispered back, 'Don't worry, we're telling this story in real time. You'll only miss what he ordered for lunch.' This is two hours and seventeen minutes that felt like years.
Notable Quotables: 'This is Agent---, from Dallas. The President's been shot.' 'Does anyone else know?' 'No one. I'll keep a lid on it.' ( OH? Reeeeeeeaaaaaallllllyyyyyy?! How'd that work out for ya?)
Lessons Learned: Didn't need to learn this one, but it bears repeating anyway: absolute power corrupts absolutely. Also: if a tiny, little person with a tiny, little spirit, wants to make something great out of themselves, there are two ways. But really, being a tiny, little person with a tiny little spirit, the method of choice is, inevitably, to tear down everyone else around them and stand on their wrecked remains. It is simply too hard and unappealing to do any actual work at building themselves into an actual better, bigger-hearted and greater-spirited person. Lastly this: even Clint, as talented a movie maker as he is, occasionally needs the services of a fearless, public-spirited editor. Your mileage may differ.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Scandinavian Thrillers/Mysteries:'Sup With Them?
The Books/Their Authors: Stieg Larsson's Millennium Series, Henning Mankell's Kurt Wallander series, Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole series.
The Dealio: There is a very basic template to all of these, with slight departures in each. This whole, dark thaang started with The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Initially, I was too chicken to read this one. Peeps immediately began weighing in on what they felt was a strong anti-woman vibe. Then there were the movies to contend with: first the reality of the Swedish movies, then the promise of an American remake (of, at least, the first). Just couldn't stand it any more. I had to see what all the chatter was about.
And, I liked them. Mostly. And with reservations. I have seen the original movies and now plan to see TGWTDT. When I finished the Millennium Trilogy, I began casting about for something similar. When someone recommended Kurt Wallander, I started off on a new pathway, through a coupla Henning Mankell's novels, propelled, no doubt, by both the sheer number of them, and the fact that the Beeb had produced some movies based upon- and starring Kenneth Branaugh as Wallander. Liked those pretty well, too.
When an article ran in EW or Newsweek or some such, about Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole mysteries, I selected one, and steamed on, full speed ahead.
Being not the quickest study in the fantiverse, a pattern slowly began to emerge. And, even as I continue to intersperse my other reading/listening with selections from this bounty thriller exotica, I realised that I had fallen into a rut...a very dark, icy, broody, malicious rut. Mental palate cleanser, if you please! (Enter Just My Tyoe, on which, more in a later entry).
The Grading Sessions: All of these fall within 4.0 to 4.6 pengies territory. They are involving, they are full to the bursting with side plots and complexities that take years and years (and years) to unwind. There is also a thick and barbed strand of 'the lost girls' in each. The violence is uncommon and explicit. Women are placed in high position - either within law enforcement and/or the law, itself. In the case of Larsson's trilogy, as anyone who takes a news or entertainment mag, owns a TV or has been to a movie in the past ninety days knows, his Salander is both an outlaw and a computer genius. In every case, there is great attention to back story and details. And, at bottom, there is a miasma of distrust of those assigned- in one capacity or another- to protect and serve the interests of public safety. These are exciting and onvolving to read/listen to, but, at heart, they- like their heroes, are also deeply flawed and semi-tragic. Sometimes, ya just wanna put on sandals and run into the sunny beauty of a San Diego summer. So, you do.
Lessons Learned: Every hero of each of these series has got a drinking problem, marital problems, commitment problems and anger management problems. Each represents the side of truth and justice and finds both by bending- or hacking to bits- the law to their purposes. All are bitter and depressed- must be the winters, because, even when the story is set in summer, it is painted in dark and stormy and cold and threatening strokes. None of these heroes are good-looking (in fact, most of them, their creators go out of their way to emphasise, are downright homely). They are huge, muscle and/or fat bound creations, and yet...are absolutely irresistible to any/all women with whom they come in contact. Incredible. And then, there is the graphic, high-grade violence. Usually, this is focused on the females in the books, but our heroes also come in for their own extended kabuki with the staffs of many ERs.
So, what is my lesson? Well, it's very basic, actually: if you pen the story, you get to make even the least likely folk come out champion of all they survey and possessing all the perks/qualities you wish you, yourself, had. But do not.
Also this- do not listen to this stuff via audio book, in your car, alone, while driving home from a distant place. Especially when you are enjoying your very own dark and stormy night. That's a killer.
The Dealio: There is a very basic template to all of these, with slight departures in each. This whole, dark thaang started with The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Initially, I was too chicken to read this one. Peeps immediately began weighing in on what they felt was a strong anti-woman vibe. Then there were the movies to contend with: first the reality of the Swedish movies, then the promise of an American remake (of, at least, the first). Just couldn't stand it any more. I had to see what all the chatter was about.
And, I liked them. Mostly. And with reservations. I have seen the original movies and now plan to see TGWTDT. When I finished the Millennium Trilogy, I began casting about for something similar. When someone recommended Kurt Wallander, I started off on a new pathway, through a coupla Henning Mankell's novels, propelled, no doubt, by both the sheer number of them, and the fact that the Beeb had produced some movies based upon- and starring Kenneth Branaugh as Wallander. Liked those pretty well, too.
When an article ran in EW or Newsweek or some such, about Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole mysteries, I selected one, and steamed on, full speed ahead.
Being not the quickest study in the fantiverse, a pattern slowly began to emerge. And, even as I continue to intersperse my other reading/listening with selections from this bounty thriller exotica, I realised that I had fallen into a rut...a very dark, icy, broody, malicious rut. Mental palate cleanser, if you please! (Enter Just My Tyoe, on which, more in a later entry).
The Grading Sessions: All of these fall within 4.0 to 4.6 pengies territory. They are involving, they are full to the bursting with side plots and complexities that take years and years (and years) to unwind. There is also a thick and barbed strand of 'the lost girls' in each. The violence is uncommon and explicit. Women are placed in high position - either within law enforcement and/or the law, itself. In the case of Larsson's trilogy, as anyone who takes a news or entertainment mag, owns a TV or has been to a movie in the past ninety days knows, his Salander is both an outlaw and a computer genius. In every case, there is great attention to back story and details. And, at bottom, there is a miasma of distrust of those assigned- in one capacity or another- to protect and serve the interests of public safety. These are exciting and onvolving to read/listen to, but, at heart, they- like their heroes, are also deeply flawed and semi-tragic. Sometimes, ya just wanna put on sandals and run into the sunny beauty of a San Diego summer. So, you do.
Lessons Learned: Every hero of each of these series has got a drinking problem, marital problems, commitment problems and anger management problems. Each represents the side of truth and justice and finds both by bending- or hacking to bits- the law to their purposes. All are bitter and depressed- must be the winters, because, even when the story is set in summer, it is painted in dark and stormy and cold and threatening strokes. None of these heroes are good-looking (in fact, most of them, their creators go out of their way to emphasise, are downright homely). They are huge, muscle and/or fat bound creations, and yet...are absolutely irresistible to any/all women with whom they come in contact. Incredible. And then, there is the graphic, high-grade violence. Usually, this is focused on the females in the books, but our heroes also come in for their own extended kabuki with the staffs of many ERs.
So, what is my lesson? Well, it's very basic, actually: if you pen the story, you get to make even the least likely folk come out champion of all they survey and possessing all the perks/qualities you wish you, yourself, had. But do not.
Also this- do not listen to this stuff via audio book, in your car, alone, while driving home from a distant place. Especially when you are enjoying your very own dark and stormy night. That's a killer.
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