shadowkat | Entries tagged with television

Spent most of the day watching television, while it rained. It's not that bad where I am? But I know that five miles north of me, there can be flooding. NYC is crazy when it comes to weather? It's a bunch of islands.
And it can be sunny in one place, and high winds and drenching down pours in another. Also the subways really aren't set up for drenching down pours. They are working on fixing the problem - however. They have an emergency response network set up. I know, I listened to a presentation on it.

1. Lanterns - I'm up to date on Lanterns. The problem I'm having with it - is that the only Lantern, I like is Hal Jordan. John Stewart isn't bad - but he annoys me. He's an entitled ass. Guy Gardner, is also an entitled arrogant ass. Hal Jordan on the other hand has a world weary vulnerability and a snarky sense of humor. Plus he's played by Kyle Chandler who I adore.

Why is this a problem? ( spoilers )

Lanterns, Supergirl and Peacemaker underline an on-going issue with DC's films and why they aren't as popular as Marvel's.

Most of their heroes and characters bare a disturbing resemblance to Chris Pratt's Star Lord in behavior, temperament and sense of humor. And let's face it, a little of Star Lord goes a long way? And the only reason Guardians worked is all the other characters in it?

Yes, that may appeal to a few fans, but not a general global audience? Movies have to appeal to a much bigger audience than television shows and well, comics. They are more expensive to make.

Other than that - I am still enjoying it. I like the mystery set up. Even though, it doesn't quite work for me that everyone hates Hal Jordan, when he's the most likable and appealing of the three. Honestly, who could hate Kyle Chandler?

2. The Witch - directed by Robert Eggers, starring Ana Taylor-Joy (her first major film role - her face is fuller in this role and she's a lot younger).

Disturbing film. I'd place it the category of atmospheric psychological thriller? Although more creepy than scary? It is violent in places. Graphically so. But the colors are so muted, it's not clear. And most of the violence is implied off screen. Particularly the violence against children - that's not really shown - but it is implied.

Eggers adapts it from various folktales, historical documents, and legends of New England at the time. It takes place in 1630 New England - and is about a family of Pilgrims who have been outcast from their settlement. The father refused to follow the dictates of the settlement and its teachings. As a result, they were cast out to fend on their own. Things do not go well - to say the least or much chaos ensues.

The cinematography is well done for the most part. Although it is hard to figure out what is happening in some sections - the more horrific sections actually. Eggers is of the less is more school in horror. So he suggests what is happening. Also it's stripped of color for the most part, and is shown in dull color tones. (Thankfully. Since this is a graphically violent movie.)

Trigger Warning? Child death is heavily featured and while it's not exactly shown so much as implied and happens off screen? It's graphic. It's also rather brutal. If you have issues with the death of small children, violence against children, babies, or the molestation a ten year old boy - and that triggers you? Best to avoid.

3. Backrooms - directed by Kate Parsons, and distributed by A24. This is the horror film that A24 found on Youtube and funded the original director to turn into a movie. A24 has helped revitalize the horror film genre. And honestly A24 is turning out some of the more innovative films right now.

This is one mind-fuck of a movie. Eerie, disturbing and creepy on various levels. Takes the concept of psychological thriller to a whole new level.

I kind of went in blind. And I think you almost have to? Because the movie is difficult to describe without massive spoilers.

The setup? An owner of a furniture store - Captain Clark's Furniture Warehouse goes to Mary, a psychologist, to air out his issues. One night, Clark alone, watching television in his warehouse - he discovers something odd and goes to investigate. He probably should have left well enough alone. But curiosity and all that...and discovers well, a series of insane back rooms to the furniture store...rooms that shouldn't exist, and are designed in weird ways that make no sense. Alarmed and terrified, he tells Mary about them, who doesn't believe him. So he decides to go back and get proof...things do not go well and much chaos ensues.

To say this is a weird-ass film is putting it mildly. But it is really hard to talk about without spoiling you? So...leaving it at that.

Did I like it? I don't know? Does one ever really like horror? Is it a good movie? It's different, and interesting, and compelling, and very disturbing, not to mention creepy. But I have seen similar things - in some respects it reminds me a lot of Severance? Except better pacing. (It's a movie not a series. I couldn't get past the third episode of Severance - which kept putting me to sleep - this held my attention. Also it's scarier than Severance.)

4. Kate Moss's Labyrinth - this is the television miniseries adapted from Moss's novel. Not the David Bowie film (which I kind of liked better?). It does however have an interesting cast? Sebastian Stan and Vanessa Kirby star in it - and it is among their earliest roles. As does John Hurt, Tony Curran, John Lynch, Tom Felton...

It jumps back and forth between 2012 and the 13th Century (Medieval Times), following two separate women's searches for the holy grail. But not linked to Arthur. It's a thriller. In both time lines - the women are in danger.
The modern day time line has better pacing and is easier to follow. It's not executed well. I've seen this thing done better elsewhere.

It is okay? But the jumps back and forth are kind of jarring and not set up well or synced. And you can tell it was a made-for-network-television two part mini-series by the act cuts, where commercial breaks were supposed to be? Commercial television tends to be a bit jumpy? With lots of act breaks.

Also the film stock has faded a bit.

That said - Stan and Kirby, who aren't given much to work with, shine, along with John Hurt. I have a girl crush on Vanessa Kirby. That actress is good in everything. This is among her first roles. As it is for Stan. I'm admittedly watching it mainly for them. Other than that, it's kind of disappointing and I'm not sure yet if I'll continue with it.

(I found it on Amazon Prime, although it's also streaming on Roku and Tubi.)

Question a Day Meme - September:

20. Have you, or someone close to you, ever suffered a concussion?

Yes. I personally have suffered a concussion more than once. It's a good thing I have a hard skull. ( Read more... )

21. Have you ever played miniature golf?

Yes. Multiple times. Golf, sigh, all types, are insanely popular in the US. A long time ago, mainly in college. Not a fan. Golf seems kind of pointless to me? And not sustainable to the natural world. I'm not a fan of competitive sports that involve balls.

22. Larry Hagman was born today in 1931 – famous for I Dream of Jeanie and Dallas. What role do you remember him from?

I watched him in both I Dream of Jeanie and in Dallas (although infrequently, since I didn't watch all of Dallas) - I also watched him in the reboot. And I've seen him in a lot of things. He was the son of Mary Martin.

I saw him in the 1979 film Superman, Fail Safe, Desperate Housewives, The Simpsons, Primary Colors, Nixon, the Rockford Files (although I do not remember the Rockford Files - well enough to help anyone writing fanfic on it...vague recollection - I saw over 20 years ago?)..

He was a long-time character actor. You've probably seen him in things and not known it. Most famous for the iconic, love to hate anti-hero, JR Ewing.

23. Have you ever sewn seeds and grown them successfully?

No. I'm not even sure what sewing seeds means? I'm not a gardener. I inherited my father's dislike for gardening and camping. Also, I tend to kill plants. I did manage an air garden during the pandemic, but it was short lived.

In 1957, "Jailhouse Rock" was released by Elvis Presley. Do you have a favourite Elvis song?

I like Suspicious Minds, Suspicious Minds and Heartbreak Hotel and his rendition of Hound Dog is classic.

( Read more... )

***

Reading Meme

Almost done with Dungeon Crawler Carl Book 4: Gate of the Feral Gods.
Soon will move on to Book 5: The Butcher's Masquerade. The books are definitely a cross between horror and sci-fi satire. I don't know why folks put it in the fantasy category? Maybe the whole Lit Role Playing Game bit?

I'm surprised I'm enjoying it. Maybe because I'm not reading it and just listening to the audio books - which are fun. They are among the best audio books that I've listened to date. And work very well as audiobooks - mainly because they are written like scripts? Heavy on dialogue. Description and exposition through dialogue mostly. I like dialogue laden books? Prefer dialogue to descriptive writing, mainly because it is easier for me to read? I can fill in the descriptive elements without much difficulty. I'm very good at visualizing things, and my mind can feel in the blanks. And I'm a minimalist in regards to both reading and writing styles. I don't like flowery or overly descriptive narrative styles. They have a tendency to feel a bit like the mental equivalent of trudging through quicksand to get to the story? I really don't need the writer to describe in explicit detail the smells, sounds, and every nook and cranny of a house.

DCC is thankfully not like that. Plus it has a sense of humor. And is satirizing our current political situation and culture with great aplomb.
Our global toxic society deserves to be satirized. I'm sorry, it does. And he leaves no stone unturned. Nothing is safe. He even satirizes show cats and the people who make money off of that sort of thing.

Plus, the main character has...well the voice of Bruce Campbell. The character seems to be a combination of Brisco County Jr and Ash from Evil Dead.

It's gory. But it's a book. And not overly descriptive, so I don't care.
I kind of need it right now. For reasons. And I'm apparently not alone in that?

Winterblaze - well I'm 55% of the way through the e-book now. It's gotten better? I almost gave up on it twice? It's scaled back on the lusting and brought in more plot and character development and world building, so yay. I like the premise - which is a woman who is running an organization that keeps supernatural creatures secret and from harming normal folks, who is married to an Inspector, who got attacked by an werewolf and almost killed. He found out who she was - when she sent someone to save him. But it was actually Death who tried to take him - for a demon that killed his wife's mother. And we go from there. The top secret MI5 style supernatural spy agency has potential. I wish it had more focus, and the love story had less focus. But alas, wrong genre. I should go back to The Rook for that?

I've also gone back to reading X-men comic books, with the way things are going, I may re-watch Buffy again. [Except every time I rewatch Buffy, I get annoyed that I can't have more Spike or specifically more Spike and Buffy and Willow. They were the only characters I wanted more of. I could have watched a Spike, Buffy, and Willow series. Only rewatched it recently, because Hulu lead me to believe I was getting more of Buffy, Spike and Willow. I haven't quite forgiven them for that.] So X-men it is. Less disappointing, more satisfying. Helps that there's some great character stuff with my favs. X-men has about five of my all time favorite fictional characters gracing it. I actually love all of the characters in that series. It hits my story kinks hard.
( Read more... )

**

Oh almost forgot? Warner Bros and Paramount Merger Settlement - Means Merger Goes Through.

Sigh. Now I have to unsubscribe from HBO in January. Or add it to my boycott. I'll miss The Pitt. But not a helluva lot else. Shame it's cheaper than the other services. Probably because they are afraid of losing subscribers since they are going bankrupt.

Off to bed. Hopefully. I keep waking intermittently at night. I blame digestive issues.

Overslept, mainly due to staying up way too late last night writing and editing the previous post. I also realized that I can't seem to talk about 9/11 without crying. It's the firefighters that get me every time. Also a main take away - was how discombobulated I felt? It was as if the world had suddenly decided out of the blue to go bat-shit crazy on me, and I had no idea why? My Aunts were calling me on the landline at work - out of nowhere. (They never called. And the two Aunts that did - California and Texas, of all places. I have no idea how they tracked down my work number at the time. We didn't have FB back then?) It was bizarre? It is odd the people who reach out during times of crisis, isn't it? It's never who you think its going to be?

***

Pretty day today. I took a long enough walk to grab groceries. A recipe for chickpea cookie dough called for brown sugar, but I couldn't find anything small? I don't tend to keep granulated or any sugar in my cabinets. The only sugar I have is raw honey and maple syrup. So, maybe use that? Or just the Betty Crocker GF (Gluten Free) Cookie Mix I bought (which makes the best GF cookies or the closest to actual cookies).

Caught up on Lanterns - which is really good. It's very character driven, and the mystery is twisty. Someone on threads or twitter stated that Lanterns was what Marvel's Secret Invasion should have been. They aren't wrong? But to be fair to Marvel - the invasion storyline works better with the DC Green Lantern and Manhunter mythos, than Marvels Scrull and Kree mythos. Comics (specifically superhero comics) do a lot of science fiction. More science fiction than much else actually?

It's on HBO Max - if you want to give it try. It may eventually pop elsewhere overseas. It's dark and gritty. The women look alike to me - but it has some really strong female roles within it. And some nice gender flips or twists. I was actually surprised in by the twists in the last two episodes.

Next up, is Supergirl which is finally streaming on HBO. (I'm in a superhero film mood, in case you haven't noticed.)

I'm still following the casting rumors on the X-men reboot with interest, which are entertaining. Many are rumors. ( Read more... )

After dinner and a shower, I watched the new Supergirl film. I figured out if I take a brief cold shower - with cold water on my chest, and back of the neck - I can reset my vagus nerve. It's why people do cold plunges. This is easier and cheaper - considering I don't live near an ocean or river or lake that I can take a cold plunge in, nor do I want to pay someone for it at a spa. (They have cold plunge spas in NYC. God, they have everything in NYC? Also, apparently there is an app now for literally everything? You can keep track of what you are reading/books you've bought on an app, writing prompts, learning to sing, learning a language, recipes, diet, etc.)

Supergirl requires a much lengthier review? But, I'll give a preview? It's okay. I like it a lot better than the series and the previous films, but those set such a low bar, that it's not really a compliment?
Milly Alcock is excellent in the role - and the best Supergirl that I've seen to date. (Again it is admittedly a very low bar?) The main plot is basically the science fiction version of True Grit, except in the role of Rooster Cogburn is...wait for it...( Read more... )

Like I said, it deserves a longer review? But I can see why it flopped at the box office. And I'm glad I didn't pay $20 for it. But if you subscribe to HBO MAX? It's a fun watch, particularly if you've ever seen True Grit (but only have a vague memory of it like I did). Drags a bit in the middle though. And the supporting characters are really annoying. Kara and Krypto are by far the best things in the movie. The dog is clearly CGI, so no animals were injured in the film.

Slept in due to fitful sleep resulting from digestive upset. The digestive upset also resulted in getting to bed later than usual. Solution? Try to eat even less? I don't know. I felt like I'd been glutened - except, I didn't eat anything with glutens in them? (I had soup (broth with celery/carrots and green onion) with a gluten free sour dough grilled cheese sandwhich. Decided to avoid the gluten-free bread for the time being. Even though it is certified gluten free. I could be sensitive to one of its ingredients? Although it usually doesn't happen?

I never know. My digestive situation continues to remain a mystery or puzzle to me? ( Read more... )

I don't know what I'll have tonight. Need to have it soon. I made iced hibiscus tea this afternoon. (It really only works as iced tea, I find hot hibiscus tea disgusting. I am picky about tea - but am also a major tea drinker - since I'm sensitive to the caffeine in coffee, and the acidity level.)

Went to pharmacy - they hadn't completed filling my prescription yet. I didn't want to wait for it - so bought the other meds, and will come back for it after work tomorrow.

I go back to work tomorrow. My Doctor's note specifically stated I was fine to go back to work on Wednesday, September 2. I'll send Breaking Bad my note and the accompanying ~~worker's comp~~ sick leave form required for all represented employees who call in sick regardless of the reason. (It resembles a Worker's Comp form, which is why the doctor's refuse to sign it? It's a workers comp form - not really a sick leave form). The whole thing cost me a $25 copayment to the doctor.

**

I watched Wake Up Dead Man, the latest Benoit Blanc mystery by Rian Johnson, on Netflix. They star Daniel Craig - as a kind of satiric take on Sherlock Holmes. I liked this one slightly better than the last one, although my attention wandered during the beginning of it. It always does. Rian Johnson has yet to hold my attention all the way through anything he does - I don't know why? Maybe it's the convoluted plotting? Johnson's busy and convoluted plotting would give Stephen Moffat, a headache.

I'm sorry fellas? But you do not have the plotting expertise of Agatha Christie and Conan Doyle. Although, the characters can be fun. My difficulty with the ones in the Blanc satires - is they are over the top, so I don't really care what happens to anyone? They are too much like caricatures.

Anyhow, it was okay. I liked Enola Holmes 3 more.

***

Poster: I don't understand why the Americans aren't doing what the French did in 1789 - and went out in a violent mob? And stormed the capital to take it back! These peaceful protests don't appear to be working.

Me: And that worked so well for the French in 1789. (Sarcasm). Also, there's a bit of been there done that, have the battle scars? I mean, consider the American Revolutionary War was in the 1770s, then we had the French Revolution (with all those beheadings and mass killings), which led to the Napoleon War (that was kind of bloody and decimated France, led them right back to the King bit, conservative purging, etc - this was the age of the Count of Monte Cristo and the Three Musketeers?), while the much more successful American Revolutionary War (mainly because it was colonies against a country/King (Great Britain) that was over an ocean away and not located on the mainland and was allied with another country - France was the Revolutionaries Ally) lead to the War of 1812 (also against Britain), then the American Civil War - which was nasty. You are proposing another American Civil War? Really? Let's not do that. That would be very bad.

What happened to our educational system? Do people just not study history or only the bits they see in musicals and movies? And honestly, the Violent French Uprisings didn't end well in Hugo's Les Misreables either? It took France a lot time to get rid of its monarchy.

***

Question a Day Meme: September

1. The first US bank robbery took place on this day in 1798. The Bank of Pennsylvania at Carpenters' Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was robbed of $162,821. Have you ever had anything stolen?

Yes. In 2005. A lap top. ( the gory details )

2.When you were a teenager, what new technology were you most impressed with? Looking back, has that item been updated or become obsolete?

I don't really remember? There's been so much in the intervening years?
If I were to guess? It was either the VHS Tape Deck, the Cassette Tape Recorder, or the Walkman.

None of which I own now. ( Read more... )

Continues to be mild - although my chest feels congested now. The scratchy throat is gone at least. I just feel tired, like someone is sitting on my chest, and the brain fog is back (sigh). Mother keeps checking up on me.
Also I'm irritable - so now is possibly not the best time to disagree with me on well anything. I informed mother of this - after she did her mini-rant about me - not having a signed and notarized will in place yet. (It's not as easy as it looks.)

I finally saw Hamnet by Chloe Zhao, which Jesse Buckley won the academy award for. (Well deserved.) She's riveting in it. ( vague spoilers )

Afterwards, started watching Heartstopper on Netflix, which is a British series about various kids coming out as gay, focusing on a male homesexual relationship between two prep school boys, one a nerdy sort, the other a popular jock on the rugby team. Kit Connor plays the Jock, Nick Nelson, and he's the Heartstopper. Dear god, does that kid have on-screen charisma. I fell in love with him after one episode. The actor is brilliant at emoting. He's athletic, vulnerable, brooding, and charming all at the same time - and not too pretty. He has reddish brown hair, freckles, and brown eyes, and a winning smile.

Pitch perfect casting for Scott Summers, Cyclops, Leader of the X-men. ( Read more... )

Anyhow, Heartstopper is charming. And kind of a positive show - about being different. I found the first two episodes to be incredibly comforting. So will continue with it. [ETA: It is a teen show, the adult barely factor into it - and shown through teen eyes - which is the reason I was initially put off. But I'm finding the teen perspective innovative here - in some respects.]

***

I went grocery shopping today, mask in tow (so no one would get infected - although people were irritating me - so I was sorely tempted). Also took the trash downstairs. ( Read more... )

In the lobby, saw a sign on the window and discovered I have to hunt down a label to put my name on - and transfix to the bottom of my mail box to aid the idiotic postal delivery folks in delivering my junk mail to me. I'm in no hurry? It's mainly junk mail. No one sends anything important by USPS any longer. My mother refuses to send checks by mail - after a disgruntled postal worker stole the birthday cards she sent to us, and threw away the checks.

Got more broth, more celery, more carrots, more fruit, more chocolate (which I don't need), more gluten free bread (don't need), more kleenex, more dishwashing liquid, and more plastic freezer food baggies. I keep flirting with the meal delivery services - but I'm hesitant. I have dietary restrictions galore. And want to know what is in my food?

***

Making headway through a lot of books that I'm reading at the moment.
I've no idea what is happening in Borrower of The Night - which I'm listening at night as a sleep story. Dungeon Crawler Carl doesn't work well as a sleep story. Carl's Anarchist Cookbook - (which is book 3 of the series and not a cookbook) is actually better than the previous two books.
And I'm beginning to wonder if we have an unreliable narrator situation going on here? I can kind of see why a lot of folks find the books to be misogynistic? They aren't - not really? ( ponders whether satire can be misogynistic and whether this is... )

Short answer? I don't know. It's not bothering me at any rate. So it can't be that misogynistic? Supernatural and pretty much anything by Bret Easten Ellis bothered me more in that respect - and both fall heavily in the satire categories.

I love reading. I love listening to audio books. I love all books. Comic books. Digital comic books (which are actually easier to read and save on space). Audio books. Hardcover. Paperback. E-books. I don't discriminate.
If it's a story - I'm there.

Interesting - blood sugar spike makes COVID worse. Good to know. (As in worse - gives me a headache, hot flashes - like burning from within, and increased fatigue (although fatigue could just be on-going).

Every time I get COVID? I feel like I had the wind knocked out of me? Kind of like having someone crash into me at full speed? Or how one might feel after climbing 30 flights of steps or going up a really steep hill? Or having just run a marathon? And the worst part? That feeling often lasts for two months. That and the brain fog, which lasts longer. When I got it in November of 2019 - it didn't go away until March of 2020. So it's gotten better, now it usually lasts two-three months instead of six. But it can't be good for the malaise. Oh well, this too, is temporary.

And I'm grateful that it is a mild case all things considered. I've been sicker with the flu and vertigo. This, so far, has not come with vertigo or a vestibular headache, which is a lot worse.

***

Read a lot today. Also wasted time scrolling through Threads, Twitter, and FB/Instagram - which are so loaded down with ads, I can't see anything but the ads. They keep throwing space saving furniture items and storage items at me from Amazon, which I am trying to resist the urge to buy. (I've lived this long without them...also, the last thing I need is to go on a spending spree. And, I don't want to give Amazon any more money?)

On Threads, we've moved from folks arguing over The Odyssey, to folks arguing over Dungeon Crawler Carl. What are they arguing about? The people who got pressured into reading it by their friends (online or offline or both - not clear on this) - and hate it - are whinging about it to the people/fandom who love it (as if they personally pressured them into reading it - they didn't - they don't know them.). LOL!

Threads is very whiny? And here I am -- whinging about Threads.

Although I was amused by this thread:

( Read more... )

I'm kind of stalled in the middle of Carl's Anarchist Cookbook. Meanwhile people online are begging for it in hardcover? It is in hardcover. I saw it in the bookstore. (I'm not buying it in hardcover - I have it for free with a credit in audio book and Kindle Unlimited...I don't need to own it? I own enough books. I've limited space as it is.)

( why I'm stalled )

Someone on Threads complained that Dungeon Crawler Carl wasn't descriptive enough, or not enough like Tolkien, and too simplistic and they couldn't envision the Dungeon.

And I thought...okaaay... I don't need the writer to describe in gritty detail festering moss ghouls, or a team member molding their flesh, or the dungeon. I'm fine not getting those types of nitty-gritty details? My imagination can picture it all on its own and fill in the gaps. (Do people not have the ability to imagine things without a lot of descriptive detail? Apparently not? Which actually would explain a lot, if I think about it.) Not everyone should write like Stephen King, Charles Dickens and Tolkien.( Read more... )

I would not recommend Dungeon Crawler Carl series to folks who like a more formal writing style or poetic prose style? It's not for people whose preference is Henry James, Marcel Proust, and Tolkien. The style fits more Hemingway, Vonnegut, Heinlein, Doug Adams. Or John Scalzi. Basically it's about a Dude who gets caught in a horrible role playing game with his ex-girlfriend's talking show cat. It's not for everybody - but what is?

***

Two episodes in and Lanterns on HBO is very good. But it is not for everybody? It is a dark sci-fi, mystery, superhero, horror trope. Very adult. With a dark adult sense of humor. The violence at the moment is more off-screen, and implied. So if you can handle the television mystery shows and procedurals on Broadcast TV - you can handle this. Game of Thrones - it's not. One of the writers/producers is Damon Lindoff (sp?) - who spearheaded Watchmen, the Leftovers, and LOST. The cast is excellent. Think True Detective meets DC Comics?

The set up? ( Read more... )

***

I'm enjoying Winterblaze by Kristin Callahan - but, it's too focused on sexy romance for my liking? Yes, yes, I get that the two main characters are lusting after each other and want to have sex, but can we move on please? ( Read more... )

1. Television

* Finished Lucky (on Apple + in the US) - starring Ana Taylor-Joy, Annette Benning, Timothy Olyphant and William Fichtner (as the main villain and minor role). It's well done. Apparently adapted from a novel by Marissa Stapley which - Reese Witherspoon fell in love with and adapted into a television series.

It's short - 7 episodes. Has a satisfying ending. And stellar performances from all concerned. I feel old though? Olyphant is one year younger than I am, he's grey headed, and plays Ana Taylor-Joy's never-do-well con artist father. I remember when he was hot and sexy as Raylan on Justified. (I loved Justified.) Benning is excellent as the main antagonist.

Setup? ( Read more... )

I'm starting to pick up on the new slang? There's a lot of it in this movie. The writer uses a lot of slang.

"I appreciate you", "you're appreciated", "we appreciate you" - appears to be the new customer service catch all.

Also, "what's your damage" (what drink do you want, what is your problem, or what is your issue - depending on context).

[I truly feel sorry for anyone who is trying to learn English as a second language. The slang changes constantly, and often is used in a way that either runs counter to the defined meaning or changes the meaning. Hint to understand what a word means? Figure out the context. And Americans are awful at explaining things or writing clear sentences. They assume you can figure out what they are trying to say in three-four words or less. And get impatient if you can't. Worse? They expect everyone to know American English. No wonder people around the globe want to smack us.]

* Started Lanterns - it has a bit of time skipping? The Pilot or Episode 1 takes place in 1996, 2016, and 2026 - which is kind of an interesting date range, all end in 6. And it's a genre hybrid? Superhero meets Mystery meets Science Fiction meets Noir, with a comedic undertone.
Has a good cast. Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre, Nathan Fillon, Garrett Dillahunt, Jason Ritter, Laura Linney, Kelly MacDonald...

The setup? ( Read more... )

It's good - but I need to wait for more to drop - it's dropping weekly.

I appear to be in an action/mystery/sci-fi/fantasy mood?

2. Books

Making my way through Carl's Doomsday Scenario - Book 2 of the Dungeon Crawler Carl Series (there's currently 6 books, and the writer plans to end the series with 8 - which is admittedly better than some series that seemingly go on forever. Dresden is on it's 18th book now?) and I'm enjoying these books more than expected? I find them oddly relatable? At one point, Carl muses with Donut (she's a talking Persian Cat) about the fact that most people don't end up doing what they love - but what they have to do to get by.

Donut: Didn't you like building boats?
Carl: Not really.
Donut: What did you want to do?
Carl: if I had the opportunity and educational options? I think I'd have liked to be a forest ranger. Out among the trees watching for forest fires.

I thought about this for a bit. My father fell into the work he did - but it wasn't really his dream? He wanted to be a novelist and cartoonist. To paint, draw and write. When he was 40, he took time off work, finished his book, paid someone to proof and type it up for him (this was back in the 1970s before electric type writers). ( Read more... )

I'm also slowly reading the hard cover of This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me, because I love the writing and want to last longer? I'm savoring it like a fine wine or dessert? Like chocolate? (I'm hoping if it takes off, book stores will start caring their other novels - so I can get them in either hard cover or paperback and not just in e-books. I guess I could order them from Amazon in paperback or hardcover or directly from the authors.)

It was asked on another forum - "What Author Can You Re-Read Numerous Times and All Their Books?" ( Read more... )

I was also asked what my favorite types of books are? Science fiction, Fantasy, Mystery, - usually a hybrid of either two of those or all three, with a touch of romance, but the romance isn't the central focus. Also preference for fiction. Non-fiction tends to put me to sleep?

3. Music

I listened to Yo Yo Ma's Bach Cello Concertos - and this put me to sleep like a charm. My brother played the cello and recently took it up again. ( Read more... )

Lately, I've been listening to Lou Reed, who does angry poetry about New York to jazz music. He doesn't sing, and it's not really rap, it's more talking the lyrics to the music. I thought - if I knew you could do that - I'd have done Karaoke like that, instead of trying to sing it. I like some of his stuff, but not all of it.

Also Phoebe Bridges new album Lost Weekend

And I may download more Fiona Apple - because I love the theme song she did for Lucky. She has some of the rawest lyrics. They are like a raised fist against the sky.
Gives me the same goose pimple thrill that Nine Inch Nails does.

Lazy weekend. Spent most of it dozing in my armchair - due to lack of sleep the night before. The weather hasn't necessarily been all that bad? Today it is in the 70sF (20s C) and overcast, with rain in the afternoon. Yesterday in the low 80sF (high 20s C).

I'm always exhausted by the time the weekend hits. I have no idea why. I remember having more energy when I was younger, busier and working a lot harder during the week.

Finished Book 1 of Dungeon Crawler Carl, now onto book 2, Dungeon Crawler Carl's Doomsday Scenario. The nice thing about this series is that I would never write it. So reading it - doesn't necessarily give me ideas or kill the ones that I already have. That's admittedly a mixed bag. I tend to look at books (films and television series) through two lenses? 1) the more "Objective": As a writer and writing critic- what is the writer trying to do here, what is the writer's aims and how does it further the story? What tricks are they employing? Does it work? Does the narrative style work? 2) the more "Subjective" - is this story working for me? On an emotional level? On an entertainment level? Why or why not?

Since I'm more of a macro than micro person, I don't really get that caught up on the fine print or itty bitty details or the logistics/fundamentals of how the world works. For example? I don't care if the world building is feasible or the word syntax is perfect. I skim over a lot of that? Or I handwave it - so there may be things in this book that will drive someone who is highly detail oriented crazy, but I didn't even notice.
( vague spoilers )
The characters are well drawn, I can see them in my head, with next to little description. I also can see the world. And hear the voices. While there's a lot of exposition being dropped constantly - it's told in an interesting enough manner that it doesn't distract or slow down the reading. And it does a good job of making the antagonists as interesting as the protagonists, and providing clues to more world-building and mysteries to keep the reader engaged.

I'd say it's different than just about anything else I've read within this particular subgenre of sci-fi. While it reminds me a lot of John Scalzi's writing style, and some of Stephen King (who is more horror than sci-fi), it isn't really like either? It is similar to Ready Player Now, but I like the book better than that one - and it moves faster. The game is also more interesting with higher stakes. And while the satire and the tone bears some resemblance to Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy, it's far more accessible to a broader audience than Hitchiker is, and less esoteric. Hitchhiker is also dated.

At any rate, the story is working for me, along with the characters and world building. I really like the central characters and want to know what happens to them. And it's a nice fast read that doesn't require a lot of concentration and makes me laugh (which I require right now).

Overall? 4 out of 5 stars.

***

Re-watched Spiderman: No Way Home. Yep, Spiderman: Brand New Day is the better movie - from a purely objective perspective. Why? It unlike No Way Home, can work as a stand a lone. It nicely reboots the series. And it works various Marvel characters into the plot, without over-exposing them, or forcing the audience to watch all the movies to figure out what is going on. Marvel's biggest problem post-Endgame, was that they had all these exposition heavy movies that linked to each other and to television series. You had to watch everything to figure out what was going one with few exceptions, and they all had convoluted plots. No Way Home's plot makes no sense? Even the characters are confused by it. They spend half the movie looking at each other - going "huh?" ( Read more... )

Also tried to watch Loki s2 this weekend and kept dozing off during it. To the point, that it got incorporated into my dreams. I kept hearing Loki saying "And here I am" every once and a while.

This series has the same problems as No Way Home. ( vague spoilers for Loki )

D23 (the Disney Fan Convention) officially announced the cast of the new X-men live action reboot - to be released May 5, 2028.

And, they are definitely moving away from centering the story on Professor X (the actor portraying him is the least famous of the group), and more on the team and other characters. That was the mistake of the last six X-men films - the focus was on either Wolverine or Professor X and Magneto. And the X-men is about old white men? It's about outsiders. So the original six films alienated a lot of the core audience, and got repetitive.

The revealed cast is ( casting spoilers )

Many of the stars have been on Broadway recently according to Playbill

I'm excited about the fact that they've cast breakout star Inde Navarette.
She'll probably be in the Captain Marvel #3 film. That's a good role for her - since the character goes from being a villain to a hero, and has an interesting arc.

Here's the rest of the announcements, including trailers from the event:

Everything Announced at the 2026 D23 Event

( Read more... )

Here's the trailers released at D23 2026.

I've decided Robert Downy Jr is inspired casting for Victor Von Doom - he's most likely the Fantastic 4 Universe's version of Iron Man. The last trailer kind of gets it across. ( Read more... )

And, there's a really funny trailer in that link - in which they do a Lego parody of the Mandalorian and Grogu with Lego Animation. Star Wars kind of begs for parody.

I saw an interview recently - with George Lucas praising the benefits of AI for film making, and how it makes things easier. Not surprising. Lucas preferred working with special effects and designing better ways of doing special effects and filming, with advanced technology and computers - than working with people. He was the first to use computers and digital graphics in film - which is why the special effects in his Star Wars films back in the late 1970s/early 80s were so revolutionary. Also, why they hold up well. Oh by the way? They are re-releasing Star Wars and the Empire Strikes Back for a limited time this fall for their anniversary. (These are two films that I've seen at least twice in movie theaters, and more than 20 times at home, in every variation possible). They hold up well.

I like the metaphors of these films - it's why I loved Greek Myths, and fantasy, and speculative science fiction. One of the things I love about NYC - is I have access to so many of the cultural things that I love. And it's actually a really kind city - it takes care of the people inside it, for the most part. I've been in unkind cities that didn't. But NYC is a kind one with a lot of book stores, theaters, parks, and museums.

Friday Five

1. What is your favorite vegetable?

It varies? Currently raw baby spinach, baby kale (otherwise you can't eat it unless you cook it and eww), protein greens (includes pea shoots) and argula (so basically greens - which I eat three times a day it seems).

2. What is your least favorite (or most disliked) vegetable?

Okra, collard greens, and brussle sprouts.

3. How many half cup (one deciliter) servings of vegetables do you eat on a typical day?

I don't weigh or measure? But I eat greens three times a day, and often add cucumbers and onions, and others to the mix. I eat vegetables at least twice a day. I'm on a plant-based Mediterrean combo diet.

4. What is your favorite fruit?

Raspberries.

5. What is your least favorite (or most disliked) fruit?

Bananas, also green olives (although I don't think of them as a fruit)

***

Disney is doing some big announcements at the D23 Expo. Including the cast for the X-men Reboot (honestly I think it's a tad early - since that is filming in 2027 and being released in 2028, but Disney is building hype for it ahead of schedule). Also Vison Quest, Daredevil Born Again, and more on Doomsday.

Disney/Marvel is doing better with its programming at the moment than DC is. ( Read more... )

Casting rumors abound.

On tap for Television watching this weekend?

Lanterns on HBO Max
My Brilliant Career on Netflix (it's a new adaptation, and since I can't remember the book or the last adaptation...I've read both My Brilliant Career and My Career Goes Bung. Basically how hard it is to become a single female writer - in just about any century without patronage. In this case 1900 Australia.)

Also the last few episodes of X-men '97 S2.

1. Some entertainment links from the San Diego Comic Con - which has become the big one, with all the big studio announcements. Oh? Apparently the Comic Con closes now with An Interactive Viewing of the BTVS episode Once More with Feeling complete with sing-a-long. It has taken the place of Rocky Horror Picture Show interactive sing a longs and cosplaying at comic con. I'm rather amused.

Everything Announced at the Comic Con movie related..

Coyote vs. Acme - the Final Trailer

2. Dungeon Crawler Carl television series for Peacock (they hired the guy who narrates and does the voices on the audio books to voice "Princess Donut" and the fans of the audio books are over the moon about it. I'm on the fence - the book has two lead roles? Carl and Princess Donut (a fluffy show-winning Persian cat). Giving both leads to men - seems kind of....but it's a small thing, and I've admittedly not listened to the audio book yet.)

Do I like Dungeon Crawler Carl? I think it's overrated and very much slanted towards a young RPG video game playing readership? It very much makes me think of John Scalzi writing a Stephen King novel. If Stephen King and John Scalzi were to have a child? It would be Matt Diminnion. It has their sense of humor and writing style. If you don't like those writers? Probably best to skip. If you do - no guarantee you will like this.

That said, I am enjoying it - and was reading it most of the weekend. It's hard to put down. Well the first part of it is at any rate, around the 30% mark, it gets a bit repetitive and reminds me of why I don't stick with video games for very long? ( Read more... )

The writer definitely has something to say about our world. And for the most part I agree with him - at least at this point, that could change. ( spoiler )

3. Someone on Threads queried as to why for the first time in over 20 years, there was no new announcements about Star Trek films or television series in the franchise.

If you know anything about the group that bought Paramount and is currently trying to buy Warner Brothers - you will know why and it won't surprise you. ( why boycotting Paramount is a good idea )

I'm not telling anyone else what to do? But I cancelled Paramount Plus when they bought it, and am actively boycotting CBS. I find it amusing folks cancelled Disney for firing Jimmy Kimmel - then they rapidly rehired him, but did zip about CBS firing and cancelling the Stephen Colbert Show. I think it's because Skydance was clever about it - and did it slowly and insidiously.

4. Also been engrossed in the Elizabeth Peters Vicky Bliss audio books, which dare I say? I like even better than the actual books. Barbara Rosenblatt is an excellent narrator - and can do multiple voices and accents with seemingly ease. The fact she was doing them from 1983-1990s, is exemplary. Apparently they had great audio book readers back then.
I'm on my favorite right now - Night Train to Memphis. Peters employs the unreliable narrator trope quite well - the reader is so engrossed in the narrator's perspective that we don't pick up on things. Even though I've forgotten a bit of it (it's been a while since my last re-read?) - I am picking up on a few things now that the narrator doesn't see. It's also a gothic, and once again the narrator is suspecting her occasional lover/co-detective/crook of nefarious doings. This would have made a great television series - missed opportunity there. (But no...instead we get Dungeon Crawler Carl? The Vicky Bliss mysteries would have been so much easier to do. Ugh. None of the book series I want made into films and television shows are ever adapted, no, it's always the ones that I wish weren't adapted, because I do not want to watch that on screen or don't understand the appeal of either the books or the series.)

***

5. Today's Health Report

I did more exercises today. Also took a walk in the morning for groceries, as opposed to the afternoon - went to Met Fresh as opposed to the more expensive Food Coop and Farmers Market. (Ironic, I know, but there it is.) And some fixing/cooking of meals. I'm doing a good job of healthy eating. Becoming gluten intolerant, and having to do a health cleanse in my forties helped tremendously.

( the fixing of meals )

Around 3pm I went for a brief walk around the block - which took me to a Bengali/Pakistani Halalia Grocery Store, where I bought Kidney Beans, and chocolate (because I'm ceiliac and couldn't buy anything else, also on a plant-based diet).

Then to Lofty Pigeons Book Store - where I browsed and bought three books. (It has a new writer's group meeting there at 6:30pm on 7/20 which is tempting, but I've not had much luck with amateur writer's groups? College writer's groups - yes, worked well. But you really need a professional teacher/writer moderating them in class format or they kind of fall apart.) ( book store antics )

Books that I acquired?

* VE Schwab's Vicious (which I've been eyeing for a while now. Schwab is odd - the author's name is in huge print, the title of the book in small print, you'd think it would be the opposite?)

* "Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett" - (the author of Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries)

* "Dominion : the Silk and Iron Trilogy - Book One" by Jean Kwok" (it's a pretty book and well, rec'd by Illona Andrews...it's Asian folklore/myth featuring Tiger riders.)

I'm wondering about people on social media platforms like Twitter and Book Instagram? They keep asking things like...
( Read more... )
Where do these people live?

**
Today was lovely in comparison to the last five days? It was in the low 80sF, nice breeze, air quality at or around 69/71, no smoke visible in the air, blue sky, some clouds, clear.

Considering yesterday, portions of the city (not my area - I'm in an elevated area with fairly decent and new gutters, and not near rivers, creeks or oceans) got flooded. It rarely gets flooded any longer in my area. But Soho was under water (it kind of deserves it? Should clarify? Soho used to be a cool part of the city, then it got gentrified by real estate developers and turned into franchises, and they didn't clean the gutters and improve the infrastructure around it), Queens was (it is always underwater - it has the worst infrastructure). We had lots of thunderstorms and downpours yesterday - cleared off today. Along with most of the smoke.
***

I did exercises this morning - Tai Chi walking with weights (basically knee lift marching while holding and lifting 8 pound bar bells). Leg lifts with weights (6 pound weights), and yoga moves with knees, arms, and legs.

***

Television

* Lucky has a good cast, only three episodes so far on Apple. Stars Ana Taylor-Joy, Annette Being, Timothy Olphant, and William Fichtner (a favorite character actor as the main villain). ( Read more... )

These things are always convoluted. I'd classify it as violent femme noir.

* Rams - starring Sam Neil and Michael Caton, also Miranda Richardson. ( Read more... )

***

Question a Day Meme - August

17. It’s World Emoji Day! Do you often use them? If you do, what do you use most?

Not really. If I use them - it's usually laughter or a smile. And usually text or FB (which has them readily accessible).

18. Today, World Listening Day was created to draw attention to the way humans need to be listening to the world around us, including environmental awareness, soundscapes and acoustic ecology. What can you hear right now?

The air purifiers, fan, AC, and refrigerator - basically white noise. I barely notice it. There's a soft breeze outside. And in the distance, a jet or airplane. Also my breath. Peaceful sounds. Comforting sounds. I have a peaceful apartment - where for the most part - it's relatively quiet. I can hear birds, crickets and cicadas. This is not easy to find in Brooklyn or New York City, and still be in close walking distance to pharmacy, subway, grocery stores, book stores, library, and parks.

Oh as an aside? People keep saying that audio books count as reading? No. You aren't reading an audio book. You are listening to the book. ( Read more... )

19. 1922 American swimmer Johnny Weissmuller was the first to break the 1-minute barrier for 100m freestyle; swims 58.6s at Alameda, CA. Have you ever seen him acting in the Tarzan films? Do you have a favourite actor who portrayed Tarzan in a film or on TV?

Yes. He was horrible. A great swimmer but a bad actor. This was a trend - they did the same thing with Esther Williams. Neither had any acting talent whatsoever, also I did not find him attractive. (I've seen a lot of old movies on television in my life time - they used to show them a lot in the 20th Century - and honestly, it was all that was on back then.)

Favorite actor as Tarzan? Oh, Alexander Skarsgard. in the Legend of Tarzan - by far the best of the Tarzans. And I've seen all of them.

Alexander Skarsgard is one of those actors that I follow around. I will watch in just about anything.

Another day of Canadian wildfire smoke. A brownish orange haze has descended over the city and yes, the air smells like a campfire. Not bad enough to entail a shower - also I wasn't out in it that long - about ten minutes tops at one time.

According to ABC news this morning, there are more than 839 wild fires in Canada at the moment. And the smoke has flooded into the northern US, specifically the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Delaware, Rhode Island...and parts of Massachusetts.

Here's an interactive map of the wildfire air flow from Canada
( Read more... )

From NYC Center for Emergency Management

*****

Told my brother about how my workplace's "Ethics course" had an odd ethics question.

ME: So, Crazy Org had the following question on it's ethics course: "An employee who loves the arts, has begun selling individually framed AI generated art via TikTock. And has decided to use the agency's shipping labels to ship it. Can she do that?"
Brother: So AI is generating the ethics questions for an ethics course? That tracks. LOL!

That hadn't occurred to me - but it actually explains a lot of the questions and the audio. The irony...

***
My workplace is driving me crazy again with it's ineptitude and stupidity. I'd vent about what it is? But it would be an ethics violation.

***

Twitter aka X had a tweet today that made me pause...when I stumbled upon it:

"There's a literacy crisis! And I don't mean that people can't read words, but they have no ability to see nuance, to comprehend deeper meaning, or remember what actually happened or the details, or understand analogies or metaphors."

Me (after reading one too many idiotic tweets from soap fans, and after a couple of pointless meetings at work with idiots): It's a lot more than a literacy crisis. And it's not just books. It's a critical thinking crisis. And a lack of common sense. They can't think critically, they can't analyze, they can't see themes, or understand consequences.

The Earth, in the words of the all might Rupert Giles, is Doomed.

***

In movie news?

Horror movies are doing really well. ( Read more... )

That said, I think the Odyssey may do very well. ( Read more... )

MCU keeps teasing an X-men film. ( Read more... )

There are a few on streaming..."How to Make a Killing" featuring Glenn Powell (the new hot leading man of the moment - he looks a lot like Bill Pullman) - which is actually a remake of Kind Hearts and Coronets - starring Alec Guiness (where Guiness played all the parts). (I've seen the Guiness film, just can't remember it except vaguely). Also two series, "Ride or Die" starring the female lead from Ted Lasso and Octavia Butler as best friends, the Ted Lasso female lead is an assassin. And "Lucky" starring Ana Taylor-Joy, Annette Being, Timothy Olyphant, among others.

I need to get myself out and to a movie in a movie theater. It's admittedly cheaper than live theater, although pricier than it used to be (also modern audiences are annoying?). Although I need to do that too. Time was I saw at least two-three theater productions a year. But the rising cost of Broadway shows is preventing that (along with annoying audiences). How to Fix the Broadway Financial Crisis. Part of the problem is it is too geared to the tourist crowd and not enough to residents. You can get cheaper tickets, but it requires patience, speed and being resourceful.

****

Books

I picked up a book on Kindle Unlimited and may buy at a later point, depending on whether I like it on KU. The author's published just dropped her after green-lighting a two book deal because she wasn't selling well.
It's a romancefantasy (so I'm on the fence? I prefer fantasy/mystery or sci-fantasy, with a little romance but not as the central focus.)

The author is: Shalini Abeysekara ( Read more... )

Here it is This Monster of Mine.

My difficulty is it is yet another romance fantasy featuring an 18 year old.

It is a hybrid though? A romance/fantasy/mystery about lawyers in ancient Rome.

Anyhow, I'm enjoying The Queen's Thief - mainly because the lead character is crafty and smart, and has a dry wit. The story is told in the perspective of the thief, who is a clever strategist.
It's also an intricate mystery - emphasis on mystery/fantasy not romance.

Also have completed Street of the Five Moons on audio, and moved on to Silhouette in Scarlet - which in some respects is better, but also quite similar. ( Read more... )

***
Question a Day Memage: July

15. Today is Saint Swithin’s Day, which is celebrated for its connection to weather lore. People believe that the weather on this day sets the pattern for the next 40 days. What kind of weather will you be having for the next 40 days, based on today’s weather?

Hmm, yesterday, it was overcast, some sun, some rain, and in the upper eighties, felt like the 90s, with haze from the wild fires.

So I really hope that this is a myth?

16. It’s World Snake Day – do you ever see snakes where you live? Have you ever held one?

No. I live in a residential area within a city, and the only snakes are in museums or pet stores. I did see a yellow python once. Let's see if I can find a picture of it. (And no, I didn't touch or hold it, nor have I nor do I particularly want to? I'm not afraid of them? I just have a healthy respect for not being in close proximity to one of them?)

Found the yellow python - which is the last snake that I've seen up close and personal. Clearly that man's pet and performance art piece.

So, I saw the retina specialist aka ophthalmologist who specializes in retina today (he does other things too of course in ophthalmology. He's the only retina specialist at that location, however, so it took forever. I got there around 3pm, and he saw me at 5:15pm (although there was eye dilatation and testing on three different machines in between, including two that took pictures). ( Read more... )

Some good news? Per the doctor, I'm a very lucky woman. No retina damage, no tears, and no detachments. ( Read more... )

I'm relieved. I was worried. I also like this doctor better than the previous two ophthalmologists. I've seen at least five different ophthalmologists in NYC. ( Read more... )

I had to race out of work. Time got away from me - so I ended up leaving for it later than planned. But I shouldn't have worried - the eye doctor takes forever. It did get me ahead in line though - they had three people scheduled for a 3pm appointment, and I arrived second.

***

Started watching Rooster on HBO Max. It definitely has its moments. I realized I'm old - when Steve Carrel's Dad with the grown forty-something daughter, said he was 57. Also I found Steve Carrel to be more attractive than his daughter's husband, who looked like a kid to me.

Anyhow, Rooster had me laughing hard in its third episode - the episode where he finds out that his British son-in-law had gotten the university student pregnant. He attacks him with a soup ladle while the son-in-law is attempting to do a live discussion of Russian politics for the BBC.
BBC upon witnessing the take down? "You do realize this is live?"

My difficulty with it - is well the difficulty I have with 90% of American comedies? It relies a wee bit too heavily on humiliation/embarrassment humor or slapstick, and that humor tends to make me cringe or want to switch channels. That said? It's more restrained than most, and I was able to ignore most of it? The fourth episode goes a bit overboard with it, but the fifth seems to redeem itself?

My brand of humor is much dryer?

****

R.I.P Sam Neil

New Zealand Actor Sam Neil Dies at 78

I loved Sam Neil. This hurts as much as Anthony Stewart Head, if not more so - since I've been watching Sam Neil films since I was 14 and fell in love with him in My Brilliant Career. He was just lovely. A fantastic actor who could play anything. And a lovely human being. He was into rescuing animals, sustainable farming, environmental causes, and one of my favorite actors. Another actor I followed around. I even followed him on social media from time to time. The man was genuinely kind and caring and an all around wonderful human being. I may have to do a Sam Neil movie binge in homage.

Sam Neil's best movies

Neil's best Roles

And on television? He was in Peaky Blinders, Merlin, the Tudors, among other things.

Everyone he worked with adored him. I shall miss him.

****

Regarding Lindsey Graham, apparently his sister is taking his Congressional Seat until the election. The Governor appointed his sister.

***

Off to bed. And hopefully sleep.

1. Lindsey Graham died at 71 after a short illness. (I don't know he looked a lot older than 71.) I know it's probably wrong to be glad this man is dead and gone, but I am glad he's dead and gone. He hurt a lot of people with his policies and politics, more than he helped. The world will most likely be better without him on it any longer. But I do feel for anyone who is grieving him - that he left behind, knowing full well that people are more than one thing, and life much as I'd like it to be - is never that clear cut.

2. Been battling a migraine headache all weekend long. ( Read more... )

3. I binged the Little House on the Prarie reboot or the new adaptation of it this weekend and was pleasantly surprised by it? It's very close to the books and historical record. And does a decent job of showing (not telling) what happened in the Kansas land trades of the late post-Civil War 1800s.( vague spoilers )

It's not gritty, but it is more realistic than the original television series adaptation, and is much closer to Laura Ingalls Wilder's novels. I'm not sure where the series is going though? This felt like a limited series that was self-contained? ( vague spoilers )

I've not read the reviews or responses online? I went into it blind. I've seen various adaptations, and read the original novels as a child. ( Read more... )

It's well cast, well written, and produced. Slants towards hyper-realism, but comforting, and for a family audience. Worth a look, if you like that sort of thing?

4) Started Steve Carrel's Rooster on HBO MAX, I don't know if I'll stick with it or not? I'm admittedly curious to see what happens next? I don't necessarily find it amusing, and I feel like I've seen it before? It feels very familiar, I have the oddest sense of deja vue. The set-up is a divorced popular author is asked to be a guest speaker at a college and agrees to it - mainly to check up on his daughter who is a professor there, and whose marriage is falling apart. In reality, the Chancellor wants him to become a "writer in residence" and teach. To which he responds? "But I never went to college."

[I looked it up - turns out that I have seen this before?

Notable Films About Authors Becoming Professors:
( yes, it is a popular trope - they made not one, but four films about it )

The small college professor comedy/drama trope is very popular in books, plays (theater), films and television shows. Why? A high percentage of literary writers (or writers in general) who get traditionally published by literary imprints (or publishing companies or University Presses), never did anything other than write, get divorced, have dysfunctional family issues, and teach (something) at small liberal arts colleges in the North East and Midwest (of which there are an insane amount located - the upper Midwest and Northeast have a lot of small town pricey liberal arts schools, you can pretty much find one in any given direction. The entire North Eastern US is littered with them) - so we get a lot of novels and films about this. I've read and seen a few - they are, unfortunately, all alike - usually a man's coming of age story. Occasionally we get a woman's, it's rare, but it happens.

I'm not necessarily criticizing the Rooster? I've only seen one episode. I'm critical of the trope. Which I wish was a little less...repetitive and predictable? I tried the one with Sandra Oh, but it didn't work for me.
I wish they'd do the Secret History - but at the same time, I'm kind of glad they haven't? They'd probably ruin it.

[I'm in the mood for comfort food - low violence, no monsters, no horror, and just kind people trying to help each other. It might be a side-effect of the migraines. I'd wanted to work on my novels and painting this weekend, and walk about more - but alas migraine. So, just doing my best to get sleep and keep it at bay. If you are sick and tired of hearing about my migraines? Think about how I feel? LOL!]

The sun went away around 10 am this morning, it's been gloomy ever since, with spots of rain and downpours. Although we admittedly need rain. And I'm guessing most of the Western US would like to borrow some of it.

[Ah, we get a sunset - a kind of orange glow sunset, but not bad all in all.]

I bought Blink - Lubricant for Contacts and Blink Lubricant for Cleaning Contacts - mainly because I got confused and couldn't figure out which to get. ( Read more... )

It has been cooler at least. So the A/C is working quite well. It doesn't work nearly as well when it is 100 degrees - then it's usually 78-80 degrees in my apartment. But at 80 degrees - it's 75-76 degrees inside.

**

I'm in between television shows now - or have a television show hang-over.
( Read more... )

**

Books, I'm doing better with. Enjoying Street of Five Moons by Elizabeth Peters - which is a comedic romantic gothic mystery. ( the audio book version )

[I got it fairly cheap - since it's an older book and not that popular.]

And The Thief (Queen's Thief Book 1) by Megan Whalen - ( Read more... )

Storygraph describes it as follows: The Thief (The Queen's Thief Series #1) by Megan Whalen Turner might appeal to readers who enjoy cleverly constructed mysteries and the intellectual satisfaction of unraveling a complex, layered deception.

I'd initially had issues getting into it - wasn't in the mood - but having picked it up again, it's rather gripping. There's a lot of mysterious aspects to it. I'd say it's a fantasy/mystery hybrid? I wouldn't put it in the YA genre, but others have. [That's the e-book.]

And still reading This Kingdom Will Not Kill ME in hardback, even though I finished the audio version.

***

Almost forgot - Bonnie Tyler died at 75. She's the singer who immortalized the little 1980s ditty... Total Eclipse of the Heart in 1983 and of course, the quintessential 1980s pop song Holding Out for a Hero - the theme song for Coverup, and in Flashdance.

***

Question a Day Meme - July

6. Today is the beginning of Great British Pea Week in the UK. Do you like eating peas? Have you ever grown them?

No. I don't like peas at all. ( Read more... )

7. It’s the seventh day of the seventh month, and in Japan, it’s the day of the Star Festival (Tanabata). For one day only, wishes, hopes, poetry and dreams are written onto streamers and tied to trees. What would you write on a streamer today?

I think "that everything goes well" - which it did for that day at least?

Re-read it - and thinking this is a broader theme thing? The US gets rid of its current administration, we get a new Supreme Court, the Republicans leave office, and things go back to normal. (I edited it and its still too long - I admittedly want too much.)

Or just World Peace?

8. Artemisia Gentileschi was born today in 1593. She was incredibly famous during her career, but largely forgotten until the 20th century. Have you ever seen any of her paintings?

I have no idea who she is. I had to look her up. Artemisia is the most celebrated female painter of the 17th century.

So probably? ( Read more... )

9. It’s World Misophonia Day. A person with this disorder has decreased tolerance for certain sounds as well as the stimuli that accompany those sounds (for example, loud chewing). Someone with the condition will experience feelings of distress, which may overwhelm them. Are there any sounds that you find irritating, even if you don’t suffer from this condition?

Yes, chalk on a chalk board, high pitched squeaking - like train wheels skidding on a rail, car alarms, barking, and high soprano or a high pitched voice. Also high pitched humming/whistling.

I had a friend who had it. She couldn't deal with movies being too loud, and had to wear ear plugs. She was constantly plugging her ears.

I've been incredibly lazy over this five day weekend. I took Friday and Tuesday off, and I get Monday off for the holiday. (Yes, I know everybody else including most of crazy org got Friday off, but the Railroad got Monday, because we always get the following business day whenever a holiday falls on a relief day or weekend, regardless of the day.)

I did clean part of my bathroom today, swept a bit with a dustbin and brush, and did laundry. In the laundry room - I met a guy who was about 34 years of age, in commercial real estate (independent with a buddy), who was about to move with his fiancee (they are getting married in April of 2027). ( Read more... )

***

My cousin has discovered a new writing program: Living Writer, which is supposed to be more user friendly than Scrivener, but she's struggling with it. And the Youtube videos aren't helping. She's doing a two week trial. I tried Scrivener and ended up back in word. I've also tried Obsidian - but that's geared more towards organizing research notes, than it is a writing or journal program. I was hunting for something to back up this journal, and ...well, can't find it? So gave up. (No, I won't do LJ again, been there done that have the battle scars - that's why I'm here.)

She spent the weekend outlining her novel. I don't outline. I outline in the same way that I keep lists. I do it then forget about it. Also I get lost in the outline. I learned how in grade school. It made no logical sense to me.
( why I don't outline - kind of a mini-rant? )

***

Now that I've finished The Bear, Vox Machina and Mighty Neine - I'm trying to move on and not rewatch all three multiple times, until I've memorized them. I fell in love with all three. Hard. Well done, character driven television series are a rare breed. Particularly series in which I like 90% of the characters and they all have interesting arcs, and are flawed.

I'm watching X-Men '97 - finally got to S2, and have seen the first three episodes that dropped. I'll give it this? The second season of X-men '97, or the first three episodes at any rate, is possibly the best season to date of the X-men series. ( Read more... )

Question a Day Meme: July

3. Do you enjoy picnics? When was the last time you ate out in the open air?

Ambivalent really? They tend to be more trouble than they are worth? But I loved them as a kid. Last time? Last year - I ate outside at a cafe in the neighborhood.

4. Chess is considered the most popular board game in the world, and has been proven to improve cognitive skills and boost empathy. Do you know how to play chess?

Yes. I'm not good at it. And I've not played in over ten years - can't really remember the last time I played? My father used to have several chess sets - and I think I played with him last - which was sometime prior to 2015. He died in 2022.

5. Do you have a smoke and/or carbon monoxide detector in your home?

Yes. It's mandatory. Although carbon monoxide is less of a risk now that the stove/oven is no longer gas and only electric.

***

Finished binging The Mighty Neine - which is in desperate need of a second season and more episodes. I want more content from Critical Role. I may have to watch their campaigns which aren't as entertaining as the animation. Watching a D&D game isn't quite the same thing - although compelling in it's own way, I guess? But a lot of it is spent worrying about the fates of the characters based solely on rolls of dice and what the players come up with on the dime. I prefer the animated series.

The animated series is good. It's an adult series, but with animation along the lines of Avatar and Dragon Prince, so the animation is fairly good.

I'm apparently in the mood for fantasy animation, so I may look up Dragon Prince for the rest of that story - I know they dropped more seasons since I last watched it. And Castelvania. Also X-men '97.

The difficulty with falling in love with a television show or book - is you have a hang over after it? And want more. I could just re-watch I suppose.

Not accomplishing all that much. Did a few exercises. And trying to catch up on sleep. Worrying a bit about my right eye - which has occasional flashes in the corner of my peripheral vision - usually if the lights are out and I'm watching television. It hurt a little last night but is fine today - might have been allergies, my eyes were running a lot yesterday and itchy but not today. Feel fine today.

Was kept up late last night by the idiots setting off fire crackers until 1:30 AM. Sounded like a War zone. We all complained about it on social media, only to have the entitled inconsiderate nitwits tell us all to fuck off and let them enjoy the holiday. The internet makes me aware that some people should have a tree fall on them or be hit by lightening.

Also, people seem to like to use social media to piss on countries not their own (folks? No country is perfect? And that's really parochial of you?), whine, or brag about themselves. It makes me miss the 20th century - when we didn't have social media. [I type this fully aware that I'm whinging at the moment about people. LOL!]

Forgot to mention:

Mathew Lillard's view that casting A-list screen actors over professional voice actors is a mistake
( excerpt )

I agree with him. I've been listening to audio books and have watched a lot of animation - and there are quality and hard working professional voice actors out there that put many of these screen actors to shame. It's a different medium. A good voice actor usually can do accents, shift tone, go high, go deep, and do multiple distinct voices and vocal inflections. Mark Hamil can straddle both disciplines, as can Lillard and a few others. But many can't and shouldn't. I've listened to some of them read audio books - some can, some really can't. It's a difficult medium, not everyone can pull it off.

Celebrated by staying home and watching the "Tall Ships Parade", and then thought, okay, I'm bored now - the ships all look alike, and the commentators keep repeating themselves - off to finish binging the final season of The Bear, which was excellent. [It was a hot day, I didn't want to drag my sorry ass outdoors again. I'll do it when it cools down, thank you very much.]

Interesting song Happy Birthday, America - written years ago by Toby Keith, who died at the age of 62 from stomach cancer in 2024. He was a Vet, I think. It contains some of the mixed feelings many of us, who were born and have always lived in America, are feeling at the moment.

Highlights of the Tall Ships?

French Air Show over NYC Harbor

Sail4th

***

Last night had funky thunderstorms, which slightly broke the heat, in that it is in the 90s today and not the 100s. We had tropical storm forces winds, heavy rain, and an orange sunset all at the same time. Watching a thunderstorm with the sky an red orange, is a freaky sight, to say the least. And I was watching The Bear at the same time - which had a down pour and incessant rain.

NYC was having itself a day on July 3rd. ( Tall ships, heat wave, tropical storm and a shark attack - apparently NYC moved to Florida without informing us? )

No worries, we appear to be moved back to New York today in time for the festivities. But I do find it amusing that the hottest temperature in the US right now is in Washington, DC. It's 100 degrees there. It's hotter than most places around the globe.

Today appears to be somewhat better? I don't really know, I've only been watching the parade off and on. Interesting side-bar on the parade on NBC? ( Read more... )

***

On Television and Book front:

1. In Television: I finished The Bear Final Season - damn, it was good. ( Read more... )

Back to The Mighty Neine, X-men '97, and possibly Dark Winds S4 which is moving to Netflix soon from AMC. (I want to watch the Vampire Lestate - but will wait for it to pop up on Netflix.) I find it ironic that X-men '97 and Vampire Lestate are on TV now - considering back in the 1990s - I'd have been in fannish glee over both, and all over that. Now? I'm ambivalent. I am no longer fannish about either. Sigh. But nostalgic curiosity will - persuade me to check both out eventually. Right now in a fantasy mood.

2. In Books: I finished Withered Hill (an e-book) - it's a British folk horror novel, by a novelist who usually writes rom-com. ( Read more... )

Now, I'm between e-books or subway reads. I don't know what I'll pick next.
I have a lot of e-books - and this is a mistake, because it's hard to find books in a collection of e-books. Which is why I've gone back to buying non-ebooks. I can at least see them.

Flirting with Dungeon Crawler Carl, Quicksilver, Windblast, The Thief (Queen's Thief Book 1) and T. KingFisher Where Moves the Dead or Nettle and Bone. I want something that holds my interest. But I'm no longer in a horror mood. Probably going to pick up "The Thief" again.

In film? Just saw a trailer for "The Odyssey" and I may have to see that after all in IMAX or the theaters. It looks good. Fantasy is having its moment. Netflix is sending The Magician's Nephew to theaters in the fall for 7 weeks only, then to video.

***

In other news? Tom Holland is set to play Fred Astair in untitled Fred Astair biopic. Tom Holland got his start as a dancer for Billy Elliot. ( Read more... )

***

I watched The Macy's Fireworks on NBC - it was the only station covering it. It also had the biggest crowd, the crowd at the nation's capital was notably sparse, Queen Latifa was singing to a half full stadium (everyone is in NYC - because Taylor Swift's wedding and the World Cup were full, as was the Parade route. Nashville didn't have as big a turnout either. NYC is having a moment, apparently - everyone is coming here. I keep seeing tweets from 20 somethings on social media bragging about moving here all by their lonesome and asking to be supported and applauded for it. I think, eh, I moved her at the age of 28 by my lonesome in 1996, without a job, sleeping on a college buddy's floor in Brooklyn, and social media didn't exist. And I managed to make it work somehow - considering I'm still here 30 years later.

The Fireworks was unfortunately yet predictably disappointing. I've seen better displays. I did get it in surround sound, with booms outside my window and some lights in the sky. (Their mistake is they went for the big stuff. And got a lot of duds.)

I wanted them to play This Song - but instead they focused on songs like Halo and Smells Like Teen Spirit and alot of country pop songs. Oh well, at least they sang Carry On, Wayward Son.

Behind me the neighborhood nitwits are setting off some major league fire works, which is highly dangerous - there are lots of trees and roof tops. People are inconsiderate selfish idiots. I want a thunderstorm and lightening strikes. Nature needs to spank them. If you want to set off fireworks? Do it safely - in an empty store parking lot - they exist in Brooklyn, or an empty school parking lot or playground. That's how we did it in the Midwest. Or over the water or on a beach. Although the parking lot is safer for everybody, including the wildlife and the fish. Not as pretty, maybe, but safer.

Oh this is kind of cool, if you can see it? If not? It's the declaration of independence written in Jefferson's handwriting illuminated on the facade of the New York Public Library. It's up through next week, I think.

Took the day off - since practically everyone in my building and in the Financial District has today off. Breaking Bad did too - for the same reason, he didn't want to come into an empty building. We both get Monday off for the holiday - because my agency or union is crazy? And thinks it works better to have a standard rule that if a holiday falls on a relief day, everyone gets the following business day off, except if you work on the relief day, then you get the relief day off. Actually, that makes sense - so never mind. But literally everyone else in the organization gets today off, including transit and headquarters, it's just the railroad employees that don't.

It's noon and already hot - at 97 degrees F/ 36 C, with a heat index of 100 F/ 38 C. I looked it up this go around. It's supposed to get up to 99 F/37 C today, with a heat index of around 110 F/ 43 C.

We got Europe's heat wave - and then some. We also got the Midwest and West Coast's heat wave. And it is hot around the US today. A lot of July 4th celebrations and activities have been cancelled. NyC still gets its Sail4th and Macy's Fireworks - but both on the water, so not an issue. DC is still doing, and this boggles my mind (and apparently I'm not alone)? The Great American State Fair?? Apparently the alt-right hasn't gotten out of the 1890s yet. While the rest of us have moved on to the 21st Century, they are still mentally and emotionally caught up in the 19th. Of course it's hellishly hot during it. The temperatures are supposed to get in the 100s F/ upper 30s/low 40s C over today and over the weekend.There's no air conditioning, it's all outdoors, and they provided hand mist machines and water bottles.

NYC's celebrations are better - they have a lit up Statue of Liberty, a huge fireworks display over the water, and a parade of Tall Ships. Also the NYPL will be lit up with the Declaration of Independence written across it, and the Empire State Building. It also has bigger crowds attending. And is slightly cooler - due to being near the water.

I'm not attending any of the above. I don't care? I just want to stay cool and comfortable, and not overtax my knee. I may watch on TV, but that's it.

***

I've finished watching VOX Machina and am moving on to The Mighty Nein, which is getting a 2nd Season. They are very different?
Vox is a bit lighter in tone. Considering it has character deaths and strong themes, that's saying a lot. Both are epic fantasy adventures. Which are hard to find? Most are either romances (with central focus - the romance), war (with the central focus on the battles, as opposed to the battles and potential war being secondary focus see Game of Thrones, House of Dragon - I get bored watching large battles?), for kids (see Dragon Prince, Avatar, Sailor Moon, etc) or supernatural/sci-fi horror (see Castlevania and League of Legends).

So kudos to Critical Role for bringing back some epic fantasy to the mix.
It's popular - so we'll get more of it. YAY! Good adult animation is having a moment - and trending, finally. We have X-Men 97 on Disney Plus, Vox Machina and Mighty Nein on Amazon, Castlevania and League of Legends on Netflix...

Meanwhile in other news? John Oliver (yes that one) has offered (more like begged) the remaining daytime soap operas (there are five at the moment, not counting web soaps, and two are long-running) to give him a juicy part on their show. He found out that ESPN sports caster and friend Stephen A Smith had gotten a juicy action role on GH - where he takes down a bad guy with a gun and everything. Oliver got jealous - and wanted to do it too. ( his terms and what happened )

Off to get lunch. So far, I've made the bed (I always do that), made breakfast (which didn't spike blood sugar at all, yay! Especially considering it was coconut yogurt, gf granola (mainly almonds, oats, and seeds), pumpkin seeds, and a blueberries. Also a bit later a vegan gf blueberry muffin with tea), did exercises, and well wrote in this.

Profile

shadowkat

Syndicate

Page Summary

Mostly just reviews...
Memes
Saturday - I did nothing of consequence
Tuesday...bumbles along...
This that and the other thingamagig
Make up your own title?
Talking about Television, Books and Music...make me happy
Dungeon Crawler Carl, Spiderman and Loki...(sounds like the start of a joke, doesn't it?)
Film and Television News out of the Disney Fan Convention..
Friday Five among other things..
Sunday attempts to exit with grace and goes to sleep instead, stumbling on the way out
A walk to the bookstore among other things...
Wildfires, Movies, Bookes, Mememage..and Ethics courses written by AI, Oh My.
Eye News, Another lovely actor dies (sigh), and Rooster
Little House, The Rooster, and sigh, migraine headaches...
Catching up on the July Question Memage amongst other things
A hodgepodge of things? Television, Animation, Writing, and Laundry
People can be annoying but we meander on...
Happy Birthday America...
Friday pretends to be Saturday (I took it off), it's hot, and I'm watching telly

Style Credit

Style: Sea and Salt for Nouveau Oleanders by branchandroot
Resources: OpenClipart and Oceanside Twilight

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags

Page generated Sep. 28th, 2026 10:59 am

Spontaneous Musings

from a curious soul

Entries tagged with television

Mostly just reviews...

Memes

Saturday - I did nothing of consequence

Tuesday...bumbles along...

This that and the other thingamagig

Make up your own title?

Talking about Television, Books and Music...make me happy

Dungeon Crawler Carl, Spiderman and Loki...(sounds like the start of a joke, doesn't it?)

Film and Television News out of the Disney Fan Convention..

Friday Five among other things..

Sunday attempts to exit with grace and goes to sleep instead, stumbling on the way out

A walk to the bookstore among other things...

Wildfires, Movies, Bookes, Mememage..and Ethics courses written by AI, Oh My.

Eye News, Another lovely actor dies (sigh), and Rooster

Little House, The Rooster, and sigh, migraine headaches...

Catching up on the July Question Memage amongst other things

A hodgepodge of things? Television, Animation, Writing, and Laundry

People can be annoying but we meander on...

Happy Birthday America...

Friday pretends to be Saturday (I took it off), it's hot, and I'm watching telly

Profile

Syndicate

Page Summary

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags