I don’t want you to think I make a habit of seeing movies based on 1980s Japanese children’s toys. It’s just that A. had already ordered it up on pay-per-view. Anyway, how bad could it be? I remember my nephew J. loved those things when he was little and now …
As opposed to 28 Days Later, which was better. Spoiler alert!
Finished Naomi Klein’s “The Shock Doctrine: The Rise Of Disaster Capitalism” the other week. It’s a scary take on what the neo-con future of economics looks like.
Much more after the jump. Updated: shockdoctrine.org is another good source.
That wacky duo Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez. If you liked “Sin City” you’ll love this one. The first part of the “Grindhouse” double-feature, it’s a way-over-the-top hommage to a certain kind of splattery horror-science-fiction-zombie genre that was coming soon to a drive-in near you back in the ’70s, Planet …
I’m not even done reading Arsenals of Folly: The Making of the Nuclear Arms Race yet, but it looks like Richard Rhodes has hit another home run. I was totally blown away, so to speak, by the chapter “Looking Over The Horizon” last night. It’s a minute-by-minute account of the …
I caught the third of this trio of films last night, and I can’t recommend the series enough.
Old friend Anthony Cartouche, wise in all matters rock ‘n’ roll, recommended this compilation of Dylan covers by Bryan Ferry. I was at the local books-and-music megastore this evening when I heard it playing and drifted over to purchase my copy. I want to say, “show me a CD with …
These movies really don’t have anything in common other than the fact that I’ve seen them in the last week or so. First is “The Untouchables,” which was airing on AMC under the rubric of a “20th Anniversary.” I loved this movie when it came out, and rented it a …
I finally got around to watching this tonight. Probably the worst great movie I’ve ever seen. Or the best terrible movie. The first two-thirds were brilliant, but that last section — WTF? I could have really done without that alternate-persona twist. It’s an OK idea, but did it have to …
Just got through Bob Woodward’s latest, State of Denial, part three of what looks to be ultimately a four-part series on Bush and the post-9/11 war program. The book covers the period up to about July of this year. So if you read it soon, and then pick up the …
I just finished John le Carre’s latest, The Mission Song. Let’s say, three stars, shall we? The tale of an African/British man gifted at interpeting. He’s expert at a wide range of central African dialects and enlisted by the British spy service. Even though a British subject, and pretty well …
Post-apocalyptic fiction in its postwar versions has at least two common threads. One is, they tend to be cautionary tales. The most common of course being the threat of nuclear annihilation. There are too many examples of that to even list. But others themes include, “it’s not nice to mess …
If you haven’t seen this movie, get up, go to the video store and rent it.
Edward Norton plays a very unusual magician in fin de siècle Vienna. His childhood friend (and adult crush) Sophie, played by Jessica “sexiest woman alive” Biel, is about to be engaged to the Crown Prince Leopold, the heir to the throne. She’s unfortunately out of his league, at least as …