What I've Been Reading: January-March 2015

The Disaster Artist by Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell

This bizarre, hilarious behind the scenes look of the making of The Room, a film that is arguably the 21^st century’s answer to Ed Wood’s filmography, is one that needs to be read to be believed.  The book switches between two stories: the friendship formed between aspiring actor Sestero and Tommy Wiseau, a man with all the ambition of a great artist but none of the talent, and the troubled production of The Room, a film Wiseau believed was a masterpiece but has since become a cult favorite among “so bad it’s good” movie fans.  Perhaps seeing the film first would be the best way to enjoy this book, as Wiseau’s eccentricities (refusing to say what country he’s from, confirm his age or divulge the source of his bottomless income) may be too hard to believe without additional context.  While there are a lot of laughs at Wiseau’s odd behavior and cluelessness about how art works, Sestero and Bissell do as good a job as they can at making this guy sympathetic.  The one thing I would’ve liked to have seen is anything that happened after the film’s initial release and the rise of its cult status.

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

Another in the series of books I’m reading while waiting for Game of Thrones season five, this one filled the time rather well.  It certainly gives Martin’s Westeros a run for its money in brutality.  In the city of Camorr (based on medieval Venice, a refreshing change of pace from all the ones based on medieval England), a team of orphans are brought up by a deceptive “priest” who raised them to be master thieves.  The second story involves the title character, an adult now running the group known as The Gentlemen Bastards, as they set up elaborate cons and amass a small fortune.  Things get messy when a mysterious player known as the Gray King makes his move on the underground controlling Barsavi family and eventually on the Bastards themselves.  I was impressed by Scott Lynch’s short story in the Rogues anthology, and this one was another fun read.  Using the heist genre in a fantasy world helps the world building immensely (since to paraphrase Christopher Nolan, in heist films exposition counts as entertainment), but at the heart Lamora and his Bastards were a compelling crew to read about, and I look forward to checking out the rest in the series.

Fire and Rain by David Browne

Basically four mini rock bios in one, Fire and Rain focuses on the year 1970 through what happened to four acts, all of whom put out a major album that year: The Beatles (Let It Be), Simon & Garfunkel (Bridge Over Troubled Water), Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (Déjà vu) and James Taylor (Sweet Baby James).  Within the year two of these acts broke up, one went on hiatus and the final one signaled a new era in popular music.  Their classic albums serve as the launching pad for Browne to talk about what else was happening in 1970 and how that era that defined the ‘60s was coming to an end.  Fans of any of these acts—and I have to imagine anyone reading this likes at least one of them—will find a lot of insight and maybe will be able to enjoy their work in a new, richer context.

Star Wars by Jason Aaron & John Cassaday

For certain readers, 2015 may be boiled down killing time until The Force Awakens’ release.  Obviously we still have a long way to go, so those antsy to return to the galaxy far, far away would serve themselves right to check out this new comic series, the first under Marvel’s banner since Dark Horse lost the rights.  The main title is basically episode 4.5, with the Rebels on a mission that as you can expect, goes awry.  Written by Jason Aaron (Southern Bastards), the Star Wars relaunch is off to a very entertaining start and John Cassaday’s art represents the characters and the world well.  Although Cassaday will be leaving the series after issue six, it seems like Marvel’s going to do what it takes to make sure this series doesn’t miss a step.  They certainly would want to keep this going strong.

The Martian by Andy Weir

If Gravity starred a non-evil version of Walter White, it might look a little something like this exciting debut novel.  Following a massive storm that causes his crewmates to evacuate, astronaut Mark Watley is left alone on Mars.  How he tries to survive the seemingly endless obstacles in his way and figure a way off that rock drive this story.  There is a lot of math and science to take in, but Weir ties it to the high stakes help make it relatable to non-hard sci-fi devotees.  I wonder how this problem solving will look when the film, due later this year, comes out.  If it’s anything like the book, they certainly will have a great popcorn movie on their hands.

What I've Been Reading: November-December 2014

The Wise Man’s Fear and The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss

As I wrote the first time I did one of these reading roundups, I was a big fan of Patrick Rothfuss’ The Name of the Wind.  In his follow up, The Wise Man’s Fear, he expands upon the world of legendary wizard Kvothe.  Told through more flashbacks, Kvothe recalls a series of adventures that take him from The University through the four corners of the world, sowing the seeds of his own legend.  The quality from the first one is maintained, although the one complaint I have is that like the first book, they stand better as parts of a whole rather than as individual books, which a little disappointing with the third book still in the pipeline.

While waiting for the next book I checked out the additional material set in this world.  The Slow Regard of Silent Things, his most recent work, didn’t really satisfy my need for more.  It focuses on Auri, the girl living in the ruins below The University Kvothe attends.  This book features no dialogue, minimal of anything that could be described as plot and only one character: either you’re on board with it or you aren’t.  Even Rothfuss acknowledges it may not be the story fans are looking to occupy the time until the third book’s release.  Unfortunately it didn’t work for me, but I wouldn’t be opposed to giving it another try later.  If you’re curious, I say give it between 20-30 pages.  If it hasn’t gripped you by then, it may not be for you.

Rogues by Various

This anthology edited by Gardner Dozois & George R.R. Martin (the latter of whom contributes a story set in the A Song of Ice and Fire world) offers a great variety of tales about people who follow their own codes.  Dozois and Martin offer tales from some of the best writers working these days, from Neil Gaiman to Patrick Rothfuss (Rothfuss’ offering, about Kvothe’s fae right hand Bast, goes down easier that The Slow Regard of Silent Things).  Like a lot of anthologies, the quality can vary from story to story, but as a whole it is solid, and a good sampler of writers.  The high point is “A Year and a Day in Old Theradane” by Scott Lynch, about a group of retired thieves who are hired by a witch for one last job.  Based on that story, I started Lynch’s Gentlemen Bastards series.

The Good Nurse: a True Story of Medicine, Madness and Murder by Charles Graeber

Full disclosure: I listened to the audiobook for this one.  This meticulously researched true crime story about serial killer Charles Cullen is one compelling read/listen.  Cullen is suspected of being the most prolific serial killer in American history, with upwards of 400 victims—patients he deliberated overdosed—potentially tied to him.  The book jumps from various points of view, from Cullen’s supervisors, the investigators, Cullen himself and one of his work friends who helped bring him to justice.  The story is so crazy and filled with many interesting twists and turns that it will keep the reader on edge throughout.  Darren Aronofsky has been named director of the upcoming film adaptation, and if the film is half as crazy as the book, it should be one compelling film.

Euphoria by Lily King

This novel, loosely based on the life of Margaret Mead, has been getting a lot of acclaim and even has been included on some best of 2014 mentions.  The story is about a suicidal anthropologist named Andrew Bankson who comes between Mead stand in Nell Stone and her sometimes abusive husband Fen as all three study the natives of New Guinea in 1933.  At only 261 pages, King’s melodrama is a quick, but memorable read.  It seems like material Hemmingway would’ve covered.  While the story lacks many surprises, it is still hits those notes in a satisfying way.

Southern Bastards, Volume 1: Here Was a Man by Jason Aaron and Jason Latour

To paraphrase my friend, Jason Aaron and Jason Latour’s Southern Bastards is like the offspring of Justified and Friday Night Lights.  The southern fried noir deals with Earl Tubb, a Clint Eastwood-esque man returning to his hometown to clean out his childhood home.  While there he encounters various small time crooks who now control it, headed by the town’s high school football coach.  The comic quickly establishes a sense of place with its vivid characters and striking color palate.  By the end of the first issue I was hooked, and can’t wait to see what happens next.

We Are the Best! Review

Like a lot of people in the age of the internet, I am fascinated by art that is classified as “so bad it’s good”: the type of art made by people who have the ambition of the greats, but none of their talent.  If a person thinks they’re making a masterpiece, there is something in there even if it isn’t a quality product.  This applies to the music made by the trio of girls in Lukas Moodysson’s latest film We Are the Best!  As the girls start to explore music, two of them are genuinely terrible at it at first, but what they lack in chops they make up for in enthusiasm.  It’s the kind of enthusiasm that is intrinsically tied with youth, and it permeates throughout the film.  Because ultimately youth is a time when people should be making mistakes and pursuing whims since those journeys can yield interesting and unexpected results.

We Are the Best! is set in 1982 Stockholm as Klara and Bobo (Mira Grosin and Mira Barkhammar respectively), two misfit 7^th graders with a passion for punk rock but no musical experience befriend a shy Christian classical guitarist Hedvig (Liv LeMoyne).  They form a punk band and the film tracks their ups and downs.  There is no plot here; most of the film is spending time with the characters as they learn musicianship from Hedvig and Hedvig learns lessons in rebellion from the other girls.  Normally watching kids goof around would get annoying fast but Moodysson, whose Show Me Love also dealt with kids around this age, shows a great aptitude of working with child actors.  The three young leads all turn in great performances as three different types of teen girls trying to find their place in the world.

Thinking about the film, the term “winning” comes up a lot and for good reason.  This is an easy film to like.  We are on these girls’ side the entire time: from when they are a genuinely terrible band to an almost OK band.  When they are almost OK, we’ll still side with the eponymous sentiment because they’re so enthusiastic about it.  These aren’t girls out to be rich and famous rock stars; they’re kids looking to create their own identities and find independence.

Punk at its core is about rebellion and letting the outcasts have their say.  Throughout the film the people in power, their parents and their peers often marginalize the core trio, but through the power of music they persevere and ultimately become stronger.  It’s an idea that’s strong for any outsider who has found comfort and strength in any kind of art, and it’s an idea that’s sincerely delivered in We Are the Best!

Grade: B+

Note:

-I really enjoyed the soundtrack.  I’ve obviously not listened to a lot of punk made outside of the US and UK, but this stuff was pretty good, and “We Hate Sports” turned into a pretty catchy song as they got better playing it.

What I've Been Reading: Late Summer/Early Fall Edition

The Magician’s Land by Lev Grossman

Lev Grossman concludes his Magicians trilogy (preceded by The Magicians and The Magician King) with this highly satisfying novel.  Series protagonist Quentin Coldwater is down and out and is looking for a new purpose with a mysterious heist mission, while his friends in the faraway land of Fillory find themselves locked in another dilemma of cataclysmic proportions.  True to its roots as a mix of Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia, Girls and Scott Pilgrim, The Magician’s Land reads like a novel about how young creators need to leave the proverbial sandboxes of past creators and make their own.  With a possible show on Syfy in the works, now’s a great time to get acquainted with the world Grossman’s created.

History of Rock ‘n’ Roll in Ten Songs by Greil Marcus

Although it got a little pretentious at times and there are traces of snobbery against modern music, the latest from Greil Marcus is a unique take on the countless books written about the history of rock.  It isn’t about the 10 definitive rock songs, but rather 10 songs whose stories serve as microcosm for larger trends in the musical community.  Some are well known classics like “In the Still of the Nite” and “Money (That’s What I Want)”, others are more obscure.  For readers who don’t want to read another piece about “Like a Rolling Stone” or any other picked apart classic, this is a worthwhile alternative history to one of the greatest cultural movements of the 20^th century.

Ex Machina written by Brian K. Vaughan, Artwork by many more

Another one from acclaimed writer Brian K. Vaughan (Y: The Last Man), this one can be summed up as The West Wing with superheroes (I know I’m not the first person to say that).  The series, which ran from 2004 through 2010, follows Mitchell Hundred as he governs a post-9/11 New York City.  Before he was mayor, Hundred gained the ability to speak to machines and used that ability to become a vigilante crime fighter and a hero on 9/11.  Like The West Wing at its best, the politics in Ex Machina are treated smartly.  A variety of hot button issues are discussed throughout the run and there’s never a sense of straw manning whatever side Vaughan disagrees with.  The reveal of why Hundred got his powers comes a little too late and rushes what could’ve been a satisfying payoff (I suspect it may have something to do with the publisher closing), but the run is still a refreshing spin on the superhero genre.

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

For those of us eagerly awaiting the return of Game of Thrones (the show, the next book or both), The Name of the Wind will help pass the time very well.  The first in Rothfuss’ Kingkiller Chronicle, The Name of the Wind focuses on a legendary wizard who has gone into hiding named Kvothe (like “Quothe”).  Upon being discovered by a scribe known as Chronicler, Kvothe allows Chronicler to transcribe his autobiography.  The first book largely focuses on Kvothe’s life from young circus performer to struggling orphan to student at the most prestigious University in the world.  Rothfuss has a great talent at world building, with Kvothe’s Walter White-esque logic of thinking everything out helping us understand how the cultures, the history and the magic system work.  Throughout the book there are hints at trouble down the road, which creates some great ominous foreshadowing.  Like Game of Thrones, this saga is also incomplete, but is another great step for those who’ve been to Westeros and want to see more from the fantasy genre.

Guardians of the Galaxy Review

By this point, Marvel Studios is practically unstoppable.  They’re cranking out two movies a year that kill at the box office and generally get good to great reviews.  Even without its two biggest properties (X-Men and Spider-Man), Marvel’s done very well with taking the second string heroes and kicking them up to the A-list.  At this point they could be content just putting out more Iron Man and Captain America films until they stop making money.  Instead they’re expanding beyond the mostly earthbound Avengers with even deeper cut characters like in the new Guardians of the Galaxy.  Directed by cult favorite James Gunn, Guardians is a true blast; a refreshing change of pace from the bleakness clogging up modern blockbusters.

Guardians focuses on Peter Quill (Parks and Recreation’s Chris Pratt, whose performance here may be his breakthrough), an earthling abducted as a kid and raised by mercenaries.  He’s sent to pick up the MacGuffin in the film, a MacGuffin that can produce devastating effects.  Through his ordeal trying to sell it he comes across Thanos’ adopted daughter & trained assassin named Gamora (Zoe Saldana), a warrior with a Spock-like mindset named Drax the Destroyer (David Bautista), an anthropomorphic tree with a three word vocabulary named Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel) and a wisecracking raccoon/science experiment named Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper).  As Quill finds himself targeted by villain Ronan (Lee Pace), he gathers his gang of antisocial misfits to become the title group.

Director Gunn, who also co-scripted, has created easily the funniest of the Marvel films.  The film plays like an irreverent Star Wars, as if all of the heroes were Han Solo.  There is some fun with language and tropes of actions movies that’s reminiscent of the dialogue in Airplane!  Also part of the genius of the MCU films: this film rewards fans of the series and the comics, but is just as enjoyable for new viewers.  Even people who have never seen a second of any of the MCU films will get a kick out of it.  While this film also has the most world building of any Marvel film since the Thor series, it never becomes burdensome or too hard to follow.

The one big demerit is the villains.  Ronan, as well as his associates Nebula (Karen Gillan) and Korath (Djimon Hounsou), suffer from the trend in Marvel movies having lackluster villains (except for Loki).  They serve their function, but I was left wanting a little more out of them.  There are also certain character moments that seem underdeveloped, like they know they’ll use it in the sequel even if it probably would’ve made more sense to use in this film.

Despite that, Guardians of the Galaxy is a non-stop good time.  It’s the best space adventure since Serenity, and is up there with the original Iron Man and Avengers for the MCU films.  With blockbusters deciding “dark” and “gritty” are synonymous with quality, Guardians states loudly and clearly that that couldn’t be further from the truth.  The film is clever and hilarious with a memorable team of characters at the center of it.  There is something to say about enjoying the swagger of storytellers who are on a roll, and Marvel is on one right now.

Grade: A-

Miscellaneous Notes (SPOILERS):

-Of course I have to mention the music, which is perfectly curated for stuff that sounds straight out of Reservoir Dogs K Billy’s Super Sounds of the ‘70s.  It works so well for a film that refuses to take itself too seriously.

-Much like Black Widow and Captain America in The Winter Soldier, I’m glad they didn’t have Gamora and Quill automatically become a couple at the end.  They clearly have the chemistry, but it’s a good way to show she offers more than just being a potential love interest.

-Between Rocket Raccoon and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, this has been a great year for cinematic mammals handling weapons.

-Man, the bar just rose really high for JJ Abrams.

-At this point, part of me wouldn’t be surprised if they ended up rebooting Howard the Duck.  They are so confident now almost anything is possible.

-I am Groot!

Under the Skin Review

Here’s the thing: I don’t know how to describe my reaction to Under the Skin, the latest effort from Sexy Beast director Jonathan Glazer.  More accurately, I don’t think that I can describe my reaction to it in the liked it or not sense.  It is hard to say for sure what is going on most of the time because there’s very little dialogue or plot to give us insight into what is going on.  Not that that is really the point: it’s clear early on that this is going to be a challenging ride.  I also don’t want to dismiss it with an “I don’t get it” either because I don’t want to be the guy who dismisses stuff that goes outside of the traditional boundaries of narrative film.  Ultimately however much you enjoy or appreciate this film depends on how willing you are to embrace this film’s weirdness.  If you’re ready to turn it off by the time the title flashes on the screen, this film is not for you.

The film stars Scarlett Johansson as a mysterious woman who seduces random men on the streets of Scotland and kills them.  There is also a man on a motorcycle (professional motorcycle racer Jeremy McWilliams) who is trailing her.  The volume of ambiguity in the film makes writing a synopsis a fool’s errand, especially those who aren’t looking up the Wikipedia entry to try and get a purer response.  Johansson, who has done well in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and has a good hot streak with smaller films like Her, deserves a lot of credit for taking on such a daring role.  Obviously she was cast in part because of her sex appeal, but she definitely has the chops.

With the lack of plot or character, the film makes up for it in technique.  It looks amazing.  The film’s use of light and dark imagery helps establish this bizarre, dreamlike world that runs parallel to our own.  Daniel Landin’s camera work could be enjoyed with the film on mute, but the sound is another vital piece.  With the lack of dialogue, the sound design and soundtrack steps up in a big way.  It’s hard not to think of the soundtrack to 2001 with some of the more droning pieces of music, especially in the opening sequence.  I have to imagine this film plays better on the big screen.

Under the Skin has been considered one of the best films of the year, but it is decidedly not for everyone.  There is minimal plot or story and nothing is spoon fed.  It is easy to see how it almost has as many 1/10 reviews as it does 10/10 reviews on IMDB and I definitely am looking forward to reading more of what other people thought about it.  While I often have a hard time with these types of films, top notch filmmaking and Johansson’s performance are what make it worth seeing.  For even true cinephiles, throwing in a challenge like this may seem like a chore, but I believe exercising your brain with a film like this can only benefit a viewer, even the ones who can’t make it to the end credits.

Grade: B?

Snowpiercer Review

Five years ago, roughly the same time Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was poorly received by just about everyone yet made a ton of money, a bit of sci-fi counterprogramming occurred with the release of Duncan Jones’ Moon.  While Moon never came close to transcending its cult status into mainstream success, its reputation has gone on as one of the better cult films of the late 00s.  Now we have an even worse received Transformers filling multiplexes and another small sci-fi film, Bong Joon-Ho’s Snowpiercer, based on the French comic book Le Transperceneige.  Cursed from a major release because Bong wouldn’t agree to the Weinsteins’ cut (I know, the Weinsteins cutting a film from an Asian filmmaker, huge shocker), Snowpiercer has been relegated to limited and VOD releases in the states.  Although it is a shame this great film isn’t available to a wider audience, that treatment may make Snowpiercer the next great cult classic.

Set in 2031, we find humanity has been decimated by a new ice age, the product of an experimental attempt to stop global warming.  It has been 17 years since and the remaining life on earth is stuck on the eponymous train, speeding around the globe in perpetuity.  The society that has emerged in that time is decidedly split between the direst of poor and the rich, the former rebelling against the latter often.  This time they’re lead by Curtis (Chris Evans), who has spent half of his life on the train and wants to speak to the mysterious leader Wilford.  They manage to break out train door builder Namgoong (Song Kang-ho), who helps them open the doors to get them to the front, where the rich and powerful hold court.  Like many dystopias, the idea of how man can survive this ordeal runs throughout, and this film posits the idea that maybe it shouldn’t.  A little less than 24 hours since I’ve seen it and I’m still wrestling with these ideas, and no doubt they’ll be on my mind when I see it again.

The film is quite amazing to look at (I have to imagine it looks even better on the big screen).  Aside from a few brief glimpses outside, cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo places his camera only from within the cars, creating a great claustrophobic effect of only being able to work on sets the width of a train car.  As the rebels make their way further up the train, we are treated to a variety of train cars that serve a variety of different uses from non-stop raves to a school that is a thinly veiled indoctrination center.  Although some of the mythology may be a little fuzzy, the art direction brings this world to life.

Snowpiercer’s cast is filled with some impressive talent: John Hurt co-stars as Gilliam, the amputee mentor of Curtis, Bong Joon-ho mainstay Song offers some color as the eccentric architect and addict Namgoong and the always reliable Tilda Swinton delivers as the jittery mouthpiece Mason.  However, it is star Evans that stands out.  He has to hide the Captain America muscle, but the world weariness is there.  There’s no flashy quirk here.  A monologue towards the end, where he outlines just how bad it can be back there, is some of the best work of his career.  I can only hope he changes his mind about retiring from acting when he finishes his work at Marvel.

For his first English language film, Bong Joon-ho has created a relentlessly grim version of the future.  Despite that, the film never drags and has enough thrills that it could be a decent sized hit if it got a release similar to other summer blockbusters—it’s right at home with other dark summer films like Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Godzilla.  It’s done very well in Bong’s native South Korea, becoming the 10^th highest grossing film there domestically of all time.  Unfortunately, the Weinstein Co. isn’t giving it the push it deserves in the US.  However, maybe that’s OK.  Thinking about this predicament, it’s hard not to think about another dystopian film that flopped at the box office and dealt with similar studio meddling, Brazil (there’s even a character named Gilliam).  Like any great cult film, no matter how much interference gets in the way, it will find its audience.

Grade: A-