Messages

1

Books & Comics / Re: Whats everyone reading?

« on: 21 June, 2022, 06:21:25 PM »

I finished off Morcocks Kane of Old Mars trilogy.  Peculiar.  It kind of just meanders around the place.  The books were light reading, but I'm not going to say they are good or particularly entertaining.  The charm wore off quick enough and the narrative structure was so fractured and aimless that I wasn't disappointed when I was done.  I'm not expecting much at this stage so I'm happy to move on to the Multiverse trilogy next.

2

Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...

« on: 21 June, 2022, 06:13:40 PM »

Little Monsters 1989

I don't know why I've never seen this film before.  It seems like something I should have seen as a kid.  If I had I would have had fond memories of it.  It's a solid kids film about monsters under the bed and friendship and it was thoroughly enjoyable.

Prisoners of the Ghostland

This is a visual feast.  Some Wild West and feudal Japan mashup that isn't being in anyway direct about what it is wanting to say (if anything).  It still works for me, as I feel there is plenty to take away from it.  I don't think it'll work for a lot of people.  It's very esoteric.  Oh, it has Nicholas Cage in it as well.  He doesn't go full on Cage, but he does embrace the humour of the film.  A performance that makes me more keen to watch that film which he plays himself.

3

Books & Comics / Re: Whats everyone reading?

« on: 10 June, 2022, 02:39:42 PM »

Warriors of Mars/City of Beasts by Michael Morcock

Overall I found it to be silly fun.  I really liked thinking of it as a story told by an unreliable narrator and wondering which parts Michael Kane was exaggerating and where the half truths lay.  This mindset made me giggle when I got to the epilogue.  It will be fantastic if, in the next book, Kane's self-aggrandising catches up with him.  I don't see that happening.  What I expect to be reading is more sword swinging adventures.

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Books & Comics / Re: Whats everyone reading?

« on: 08 June, 2022, 02:13:19 PM »

Soul Music by Terry Pratchett

This is the first Pratchett book I ever read and was the book that got me into reading novels.  That's as far as my nostalgia for the book goes.  On it's own merits it's a solid Discworld novel.  I mean, it's Pratchett so it's hard to go wrong.  I enjoyed the climax.  It built up at a nice pace and had a satisfying pay off.

I started reading Warriors of Mars/City of Beasts by Michael Morcock.  The only other Morcock book I've read is Elric of Melnibone.  I'm assuming Warriors was Morcocks first book.  I am immediately struck by how light and easy it is to read.  Although 'Michael Kane' is taking some getting used to.

5

Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...

« on: 06 June, 2022, 01:52:07 PM »

Twins

What an odd film.  I guess I never realised how little story there is in the film before.  And it has some troubling implications.  The real highlight was the Sainsbury's Hot Salsa I was eating.  Surprisingly tasty salsa.

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Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...

« on: 03 June, 2022, 02:24:00 PM »

MORBIUS

I got a big kick out of this. Its shite, not in a 'oh, this is actually competent monster fare' like the two Venom movies are (which I still maintain are the best cape movies of the last decade) but in a genuine belly busting trash way. Incompetent in almost every way (save for Matt Smith, who clearly knows its rubbish and is just having fun playing a camp vamp) and kind of endearing for it. Will never watch it again but can appreciate why its developing a cult status among trash hounds.

I'm still in two minds about watching Morbius.  I'm not keen on another Suicide Squad (first one) experience where it's pretty much wall to wall incompetence.  On the other hand I'm OK with dumb fun. 

7

Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...

« on: 30 May, 2022, 10:45:03 AM »

Alien Nation

It was indeed worth a rewatch.  It's a pretty standard buddy cop film, just with an interesting conceit.  It doesn't really do a whole lot with it.  I guess that's why it doesn't wow me.  It does have charm.  The juxtaposition between being generic, having an interesting sci-fi premise and being made well.  I have no real complaints.

8

Books & Comics / Re: Whats everyone reading?

« on: 29 May, 2022, 02:26:57 PM »

Men at Arms.  A lovely story about prejudices and... er... making small beginnings in overcoming them?  And murder.  There's murder, too.  I always enjoy the Big Fido stuff in this book.  Men at Arms is a good read but is overshadowed by Guards, Guards and Feet of Clay. 

Next up, Soul Music.  After that I may start my Michael Morcock Marathon.

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Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...

« on: 28 May, 2022, 08:47:41 PM »

I only recently saw The Hidden for the first time.  Certainly a gem.  As are the other two films.  Been a long time since I watched Alien Nation.  I might give it a watch tomorrow.

10

Books & Comics / Re: Whats everyone reading?

« on: 27 May, 2022, 12:19:43 AM »

Maybe I should give it another read again soon.  Perhaps after I finish Berserk.

11

Books & Comics / Re: Whats everyone reading?

« on: 26 May, 2022, 09:51:21 PM »

Is this Tom King's Mister Miracle?  Been a while since I read that one.  I think I took it more at face value that it's about Scott need to escape from developing to his need to escape to.  I dunno, I don't remember much of the story, but I do remember having a blast reading it.

12

Film & TV / Re: Last movie watched...

« on: 23 May, 2022, 02:09:20 PM »

The Green Knight

I liked it.  Vaguely remembered some talk on here about it so I thought I'd give it a go.  I really appreciated it.  Really good presentation and easy to follow.  Very stark and striking visuals.  100% my kinda movie!

13

Books & Comics / Re: Whats everyone reading?

« on: 21 May, 2022, 11:38:20 AM »

I finished Lords and Ladies and I'm currently on Volume 17 of Berserk, so nearly half way through.

To begin with I want to deal with one thing to do with Berserk.  I knew going into it that it had a lot of depictions of sexual assault and I had the understanding that they were predominantly not good depictions.  There is even a rape based fridging.  Too much of it came across as not only being used for cheap shock value and perverse titillation to the point where it was breaking my immersion.  It gets really hard to read something when ones eyes are rolling so much.  It's not good.  But I'm not bringing any new insight into this - it's very self-evident.  Regardless, I wouldn't have felt right if I didn't address it.

It's still very engaging.  There are things I like and there are things I don't like (in addition to the above).  I really want to see where this goes and what shape the narrative ends up taking.  I say to myself "I'll just read a little bit and then go and [insert chore here]" and before I know it I've got through another Volume.  It really is hard to put down (figuratively speaking).  I think it's clear I'm getting something out of it and I am seeing why it's been praised so much.

So.  Lord and Ladies.  It's a Pratchett book.  Not one of the best, certainly, but it's still very solid.  I think it's a good conclusion to Magrat's role as a main character.  The thing that originally left a big impression on me is still the highlight.  These Elves are really sadistic.  I don't recall Discworld ever getting into real horror, but this is the closest it comes to it.  I know there are references to A Midsummer Nights Dream, but I'm not sure how many as I'm not especially familiar with that play.  I also get there are some real folk lore references in here.  But a little part of me thinks there may be a push back against Tolkien's depiction of Elves.  I remember having that impression the first time I read Lords and Ladies.  It's probably just my inference, but I do enjoy the juxtaposition after finishing a Middle-Earth binge.  It was also fun having parallels between Lords and Ladies and the Lost Children chapters of Berserk.  I had a lot of fun reading it.

Next up, Men At Arms.

14

Books & Comics / Re: Whats everyone reading?

« on: 13 May, 2022, 09:14:21 PM »

Hmmm.  Methinks now would be an opportunity for a re-read and comparison.  Having read it numerous times but finding it less memorable than some of Sir TP's work (not often I'd go with the honorific but in this case it is entirely justified to my thinking ...) it will be interesting to see how our views compare.

"... but room good Fairy!  Here comes my master!"

That certainly could be interesting.  I have only read the book once before and all I really remember of it is that I really liked Pratchett's take on Elves.

I do have a reason for picking Lords and Ladies out specifically.  Some time ago I was working through the books I have in chronological order (sans Moving Pictures - I struggle with that book) and I needed a change after Small Gods (one of my favourites).  I'm probably going to carry on up until Soul Music at least, as that was the first Discworld novel I ever read.

It may take some time for before I'm able to give my thoughts on Lords and Ladies.  I'm not a fast reader.

Oh, I also started reading the manga Berserk because I've recently watched two YouTube videos praising it to the high heavens.  Got through the first two volumes, but I don't have much to say about it.  Apparently the first arc is less significant until you read later arcs.

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Books & Comics / Re: Whats everyone reading?

« on: 13 May, 2022, 08:11:36 PM »

Hehe.  Well, I actually enjoyed the rabbit stew and Bombadil parts.  Now those sodding poems on the other hand...