Fables
I read the newest volume of Fables, and I must say that the series has jumped the shark for me. The writing has turned to parodying comics rather than good storytelling, and it is getting quite boring. The resolution of the story with the Dark Man was highly unsatisfying: 10 issues or more to end with a quick resolution? Argh.
Tiassa
I keep reading Stephen Brust's books like a habit: they come out every few years, I read them. I can remember the fun I had reading the first one: the most recent almost seemed like a chore, because I couldn't remember anything from the previous books, given the interminable wait between books. Oh well, this one a fun story, at least. I read it some weeks ago, but forgot to blog it.
Downton Abbey
Netflix streaming is good, no matter what all of the people who dropped the service say. Downton Abbey was worth the price of admission: a fantastic series set around the start of World War I about the fortunes of an aristocratic family. Watch this show!
The Smartest Guys in the Room
This movie is worth watching, just to see the excesses of the 1990's and the bubble that popped in the early part of the 21st century.
Lost in Austen
Haven't written anything in a while. Just remembered while taking a break at work that I should post about this cute little TV series before I forget. I liked it: a science-fiction-like take on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Surprisingly, Ming didn't like it: I think it spoiled the purity of the original novel for her.
Hurricane Irene leaves us in the dark
Well, the lights went out around 3am Sunday morning, and hasn't come back yet. Pitch blackness except for the neighbors who have generators (and there seem to be a good number of them). We're fortunate that the weather post-hurricane has been quite good. No damage at all to our house: just a few major branches down (one in our yard, one in a neighbor's yard) that hit our fence. Phew! Although the lack of electricity is annoying, it is good that we have nice neighbors with power.
The King's Speech
We watched this film on Blu-Ray. Excellent! Colin Firth did a great job, and the cinematography was interesting: everything was just slightly askew/off-center. Richly costumed, and well acted. Boy, my reviews are getting terse. Well, two thumbs up!
Captain America!
We took a break from unpacking our house to see another Marvel-superhero blockbuster movie, Captain America. He was never one of my favorite characters, but the movie was really well done. Another Marvel movie with serious actors: Stanley Tucci and Tommy Lee Jones being the most obvious ones. Hugo Weaving is making a career out of comic/sci-fi/fantasy movies!
This movie and the prior well-done release of Thor bode well for next year's Avengers movie...
This movie and the prior well-done release of Thor bode well for next year's Avengers movie...
A Magic Flute
We saw this performance of a minimalist version of Mozart's The Magic Flute. Titled "A Magic Flute", this version by Peter Brook was stunning: I really enjoyed watching it. It was adapted for piano and singers, with a minimal bamboo stage set: I could swear that the opening notes echoed the music from Lost (is it possible that it's vice versa?).
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
We saw this energetic, happy musical today! Act I was so-so at best, but Act II had some great numbers. I was a bit taken aback that most of the score consisted of non-original music (a lot of Madonna songs) in Act I: but it worked better in Act II. The cast was clearly into it, and Nick Adams (the character of Adam/Felicia) was a total blast!
Worcester Art Museum
We stopped at the small (but nice) Worcester Art Museum over the long weekend. They have this gorgeous Roman mosaic, which is better than some we've seen in Italy. They have a couple of lovely Matisse paintings as well. I'm sure I'm not doing the museum justice: if you're ever in the area, it's worth stopping for a few hours.
True Grit
Jeff Bridges delivers another great performance as a crusty old guy. This time with a gun, and with Matt Damon too. The young actress who drives the plot forward was fantastic too!
Gnomeo and Juliet
Fun movie! Lots of great British actors, including the new Charles Xavier, James McAvoy, and a hilarious script. Elton John score too!
X-Men
A really good telling of the origin story: hard to beat with James McAvoy as the young, charismatic Charles Xavier. Kevin Bacon was quite entertaining too!
Midnight in Paris
This film about Paris as a center for artistic expression is a lovely tribute to the city: I wonder what made Woody Allen fall in such love with Paris? All of his earlier movies are all about the beauty of Manhattan, but Paris now seems like his true love. Owen Wilson does surprisingly well as the lead actor, although he isn't required to do much except act befuddled and stunned by meeting such historical figures as Hemingway and Gertrude Stein. Overall, the film is worth watching, but there isn't a lot of substance in it.
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
Wow, what a great film: the last one by Sydney Lumet. Great cast, fantastic writing, compellingly disturbing plot. What's not to like?
Sherlock Holmes
The original Irene Adler story, told well in this adaptation. Not much to say otherwise: Netflix is wonderful for making all of these old TV shows available!
Thor
I took a day off work, and watched this movie as part of enjoying the beautiful weather; or, at least, to avoid my allergies.
Book of Mormon
Wow. Hard to know exactly what to say about this sometimes profane, always irreverent, profoundly hilarious, and wonderfully written and performed musical. It had its South Park moments (especially in the Cartman-esque voiceovers that explain the life of Joseph Smith), of course. And the profanity was extreme enough that it startled me: maybe because when I grew up it would have been unimaginable for such profanity to have been on Broadway. Overall, though, a fantastic production with a great cast.
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