Bad drivers. I talk about them a lot. Of course I read about crime and unsavory individuals who have no concept of love for their fellow man, but bad drivers. and I'm not talking about someone who causes a near miss when they pull out in front of you simply because they made a mistake; it happens, I get it. I'm talking about people who become aggressive behind the wheel, demand your respect, but then gleefully cut you off or blow diesel smoke when they pass you because in their not so humble opinion you were driving too slow. It's like they drive up your butt, abjectly insisting you exceed the speed limit. It's funny how the same people who command your respect are so quick to disrespect you. Our local police sit in parking lots and sidestreets of our town eyeing motorists in the midnight hour. (I work nights. I see them all of the time.) But in the early morning hours when I see most of these shenanigans occur, they are nowhere to be seen. If it's all about generating revenue and writing tickets, well, they are leaving money on the table. Okay rant over. It's far more important I temper my patience and display God's love to God's children rather than pass angry judgement on them. Or perhaps even stay off the roads and stay inside with my books, my movies, my music and my games!
Family Plot on 4K Blu-Ray: Released during America’s bicentennial, this black comedy thriller turned out to be Alfred Hitchcock’s last film. Hitchcock exuded his usual flair and microscopic attention to detail, but his health was deteriorating and in spite of its dual plotline and initial convolution in the film’s first half (which does all come together neatly as would any other Alfred Hitchcock vehicle) the movie has a sense of haste to it. I was taken aback by all of the religious profanity in the film which is unfortunate. I can’t say there is a sense of innocence to Hitchcock’s movies (Psycho or The Birds, anyone?) But it seems a line was crossed here, and I hate to have seen that. I’m not saying Hitchcock’s movies are Sunday matinees that the whole family should grace the living room with a big bowl of popcorn to enjoy them in their entirety. It just seems Hitch had this wonderful ability to distance himself from all of the typical Hollywood gratuitous ilk, and in this movie he sort of jumped on the wagon. Despite that, it’s a fun movie to watch, perhaps a bit dated but if you’re a fan I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. According to blu-ray.com this 4k treatment far surpasses the blu-ray release from some years back. The colors are pristine and the grain only adds to the aesthetic. Kudos to John Williams for his particular sinister and delightful score.
No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy: There are rules for language usage and grammar. It's been said good writers know when to break those rules. Cormac McCarthy seemingly didn't get the memo because he breaks the rules, for no apparent reason. He doesn't use quotations when characters converse, nor does he use punctuation, save for periods. And he creates compound words out of words that aren't compound words (coffeetable, shavingkit, coatrack.) He colors outside the lines as if to make a simple statement that he doesn't care about convention. And yet it works, brilliantly. You can almost see the rise and fall of characters' chests on each page. And the vernacular spewing from their mouths makes you as a fly on the wall. McCarthy's word pictures of south Texas can make one taste the dust and feel the shimmering heat. And with an antagonist like Anton Chigurh inhabiting this book, who needs the likes of Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers?
Beautiful Assassin by Michael White: This is a fascinating novel and perhaps one of the best I've read this year. It struck me with the same accord as a Michael Chricton novel, the kind where what you're reading is fictional but it reads like fact. This novel concerns the overwhelming adventures that overtake a female Russian soldier staving off the Germans invading Ukraine who becomes celebrated because of her high level of kills. She tours the United States along with Eleanor Roosevelt in an attempt to solicit funds and manpower to assist in the Russian effort against the Germans. She is accompanied by Russian agents who coerce her into spy activities and she falls for an American officer who serves as her interpreter. When I enjoy a book this much, I typically slow my reading down because I don't want the book to end. This book impelled me to race to the end.
We Were Soldiers Once. . . And Young: Narration was a bit heavy, it was like a running commentary of each and every flying bullet, but I understand. It's a minute by minute account of what happened in three days at Ia Drang, our first major battle in Vietnam. Still, the book changed the way I look back at the Vietnam War (yes, it WAS a war) and it made me realize what a hero the Bell Huey helicopter was. I've probably never been so emotional over a book this year. I spent the last quarter of the book in which the book talks about the aftermath and what became of the soldiers who participated in the battle, reaching for Kleenexes and wiping my eyes.
For The Flag by Jules Verne: Jules Verne, ever the visionary, expounded on submarine technology and "created" perhaps the world's first rendition of a nuclear implanted cruise missile in this adventurous tale containing elements of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and The Mysterious Island. I could easily have seen this book made into a 1950s technicolor movie. Well written, highly entertaining and fun to read.
Ray Lynch: The Best of Ray Lynch Volume 1 on CD: I first started listening to Ray Lynch way back in the last century on New Mexico’s famous “Musical Starsteams” broadcast late Sunday nights when I lived in Austin. It was great writing music and it introduced me to a genre of music I was truly born to listen to. I have numerous of Lynch’s recordings now, but this is a nice compilation of several of his “hits.” (I can’t see any of this type of music being considered a “hit,” seems like something you’d unbutton the top button for and take to the dance floor.) Lynch’s music is all electronic, winsome, dream inspiring and just inspiring, period. If you need to study, crunch numbers for the monthly budget, or lie in the dark with a good set of cans on and just lose yourself in relaxing music, this is a good go to. Much of this is his early stuff. “The Temple” is almost reminiscent of something you’d hear on an 8 bit Nintendo NES game, but that doesn’t retract from how good the song sounds. And “Tiny Geometries” is almost fitting for Wing Commander, the venerable old PC game from 1991. If you want to scope him out, I’d suggest giving “Tiny Geometries” a listen.
Wardogs on PC: Still in early access, this game took me by surprise when it launched in early September. I’m not keen on EA games, well, not typically, anyway, but so many guys at work were talking about it I had to check it out. And boy howdy, am I glad I did! Imagine if they made Battlefield 2 today but only instead of having two teams fighting each other, you have three. And instead of giving your bestest to earn ranks, you’re earning cash instead for every little thing you do. Fly a bunch of guys into a hot zone in a chopper, earn some serious taxi fares (and tips!) Resurrect a guy who dies in battle, earn a cool $800 (plus tips, depending on how grateful the guy is.) I said it earlier, Star Wars: Zero Company is probably my GOTY this year, but Wardogs is the most fun I’ve had this year playing a game.
System Shock on PC: Turns out, this is one of the worst games I’ve ever played on PC. Yes, indeed, I sang its high praises last month, but this game is garbage. Back in the 90s PC games were seriously difficult. At best, there were “hint books” you could buy, but there were no cheats or Internet walk throughs. This game is that all over again. I’ve had to use cheats through the whole thing. And at this point, I don’t care. It’s a 30 hour game and I’ve got 105 hours in it already. I’m always 19 bullets short of 20, one health point of twenty going into a boss fight. I finally “beat” the game, that is, accomplished all of the objectives, but now I have to complete the final boss fight, and it’s a complete joke. The mechanics of it don’t even fit into anything I’ve done these past 100 hours. I am absolutely sick of the game, but I have so many hours into it I feel compelled to finish it. I love playing computer games, there’s nothing else I’d rather do, but this game is making me reconsider that. Maybe I really do need to go outside and touch grass.
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