It has to be tough for an author to see their work on the big screen. The chance of the film hitting all the right points even if the author is actively involved is pretty slim. That’s why Sue Grafton hasn’t sold out, because she knows Hollywood will “savage” her work and she can’t bear to do that to her main character Kinsey Millhone.
Beware, there’s a good chance my take could be clouded by the bad reviews this thing got when it came out. This is an ex-criminal gets pulled in for one last job to save his family story. Gail and stumbled upon it on hotel HBO while on vacation. That’s gratuitous TV watching, I know.
This is wild stuff. This comedienne named Tig Notaro did a comedy show a few days after finding out she was diagnosed with breast cancer. I heard about it via an email from Louis C.K. (I’m on the list because I purchased his self-produced comedy show about a year ago). I paid $5 for Notaro’s 30+ minute audio file at Louis C.K.’s website, but now I think she’s selling it on iTunes.
We caved and purchased Downton Abbey on iTunes so we could get season two behind us and watch season three real-time in January. It’s something Gail and I share. Cute, huh? That’s part of the attraction – watching it with Gail.
In my view, Denzel is the most reliable actor going and he’s in top form here. This movie is not what I expected, it’s darker and more depressing than I gathered from the previews and it comes with a healthy dose of family carnage. I mean that in a good way – you know my obsession with family carnage.
Oh good lord, drop everything right now and rent this if you care about humanity. This story transcends food. It’s about craftsmanship and perfection and it’s beautiful. It’s called Jiro Dreams of Sushi and it’s a documentary that will expand your mind and entertain you.
You know my wife and I have diverged in our intake of books and screened entertainment, but there’s hope that this part of our relationship has a chance to blossom, especially since it forms the bedrock of how we met. Heck, one of the first conversations I had with her was sparked when I spied a Robert Ludlum book in her possession back in 1986. Ah, memories.
At some point after Schindler’s List, Liam Neeson decided to go straight up action, full blast, man. Full friggin’ blast! So here we are, The Grey, as in the grey wolf. This is dark, ominous, borderline horror-style action.
There was a five month gap between when I finished season three of The Wire and when I started season four. I had a lot of stuff going on so I put off watching it. It’s a great show but I’ve never been the type to “stay up all night because I had to” with TV shows. Not my thing. I usually spread things out, although I have been compressing things with books this year with all of the serialized fiction I’ve been banging through.
You know who can spin a yarn? Raymond Carver can. I’ve heard his name basically once on my life but it stuck with me because it was attached to something memorable. About 20 years ago my wife and I saw Short Cuts at Piper’s Alley (North and Wells) and I liked it so much that I’ve harbored a notion ever since to explore some more Raymond Carver.