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Movies, books, tv

Dude, If ya gotta explain a joke, it ain’t funny.
Who's laughing?

And now, I'm taking comedy advice from...
samman.jpg


I guess I need to go back to being a serious poster.
 
I am listening to John Green’s Anthropocene Reviewed and I highly recommend. For those not familiar, John Green is an Indy YA author who become a pop culture type of guy after his book Fault in Our Stars, which is lots more than your typical teen book. But this is a collection of essays read by him that hit a huge variety of topics, such as Depression, Indy 50O, Liverpool Soccer, mortification, Hot dog eating contests, CNN, and a whole variety of topics. He obviously does research on each topic and then ties in some personal stories. I enjoy listening and wondering how he is going to make some of these topics relevant, but he does. Reminds me a bit of Malcolm Gladwell’s works. I give Anthropocene 5 stars. ( he rates each of his topics 1-5).
 
This looks intense…

The speculation is running rampant. Was talking to a friend today after we both watched the trailer and we both commented how amazing the opening scene of the original movie was for its time. Go back and rewatch it. The first five minutes or so. Incredible. “Stylized” violence wasn’t new per se (Tarantino comes to mind among others) but the way that whole first movie unfolded was truly game changing.

screw it. I linked it.

 
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OK Ted Lasso fans - how about the new episode that dropped last night/today?!? Loved the scene between Jamie and Roy (don't want to spoil it for those who don't stay up until midnight to watch). I also loved the confessions right before the match. Ted's response to Coach Beard's confession was hilarious.

This show just keeps getting better with each episode.
 
OK Ted Lasso fans - how about the new episode that dropped last night/today?!? Loved the scene between Jamie and Roy (don't want to spoil it for those who don't stay up until midnight to watch). I also loved the confessions right before the match. Ted's response to Coach Beard's confession was hilarious.

This show just keeps getting better with each episode.
Awesome. Going to watch tonight
 
OK Ted Lasso fans - how about the new episode that dropped last night/today?!? Loved the scene between Jamie and Roy (don't want to spoil it for those who don't stay up until midnight to watch). I also loved the confessions right before the match. Ted's response to Coach Beard's confession was hilarious.

This show just keeps getting better with each episode.
This episode must be something, Rainbow was in my mind a great episode so if it is better than it, wow. I thought the Christmas episode was the best Christmas episode I have seen (Roy Kent may be the most interesting character). I watch on Friday nights, looking forward to it.
 
So with Ted Lasso....you're telling me I have to get and pay for yet another streaming service? I just had to pick up Paramount+ for stupid CONCACAF qualifying

Though I think that gets me UEFA Champions League next year too. Oh well. Another charge on my credit card that I'll get concerned about until I realize what it is.
 
So with Ted Lasso....you're telling me I have to get and pay for yet another streaming service? I just had to pick up Paramount+ for stupid CONCACAF qualifying

Though I think that gets me UEFA Champions League next year too. Oh well. Another charge on my credit card that I'll get concerned about until I realize what it is.
yeah but i think it's only $4.99 a month and there's some other stuff on it too. last night my daughter and stoker were watching some musical series on there that cast modern day people in the 1940s musicals or something. i don't know. the keegan michael guy that's in everything is in it. but there's other stuff on there too. the worst is this disney plus we were going to watch the river cruise movie (again because we have disney plus) and even with disney plus it was $30 because now you can have disney plus but that's not premiere. it's all exhausting at this point. oh and a and e and the history channel etc are no longer on youtubetv nor fubotv
 
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yeah but i think it's only $4.99 a month and there's some other stuff on it too. last night my daughter and stoker were watching some musical series on there that cast modern day people in the 1940s musicals or something. i don't know. the keegan michael guy that's in everything is in it.
You are referring to "Schmigadoon", a spoof/homage to big musicals, like..."Brigadoon". Some of the musical numbers are enjoyable due to the humor and the talent.
 
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This episode must be something, Rainbow was in my mind a great episode so if it is better than it, wow. I thought the Christmas episode was the best Christmas episode I have seen (Roy Kent may be the most interesting character). I watch on Friday nights, looking forward to it.
Very interested to hear what you think. One thing I did not realize until I just read a review is that this week's episode is 45 minutes long.
 
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yeah but i think it's only $4.99 a month and there's some other stuff on it too. last night my daughter and stoker were watching some musical series on there that cast modern day people in the 1940s musicals or something. i don't know. the keegan michael guy that's in everything is in it. but there's other stuff on there too. the worst is this disney plus we were going to watch the river cruise movie (again because we have disney plus) and even with disney plus it was $30 because now you can have disney plus but that's not premiere. it's all exhausting at this point. oh and a and e and the history channel etc are no longer on youtubetv nor fubotv
For All Mankind is pretty good. Heck, even the couple of episodes of Dickinson I watched were good (it's nominally about Emily Dickinson). Might try The Morning Show, as it looks interesting.
 
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So with Ted Lasso....you're telling me I have to get and pay for yet another streaming service? I just had to pick up Paramount+ for stupid CONCACAF qualifying

Though I think that gets me UEFA Champions League next year too. Oh well. Another charge on my credit card that I'll get concerned about until I realize what it is.
I think they have a free 7-day trial. You could watch binge 80% of the series that way - at which point you will gladly pay to at least finish watching the remainder of season 2 (4 episodes left, I believe)
 
For All Mankind is pretty good. Heck, even the couple of episodes of Dickinson I watched were good (it's nominally about Emily Dickinson). Might try The Morning Show, as it looks interesting.
Morning Show was good.

Away from Apple, Murders Only in Building is pretty good. Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez. One of the three does not fit, Martin Short's first name does not begin with an S.
 
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I did finally watch the 1st season of American Horror Story. Interesting but not something I'll end up sticking with I suspect. I was left wanting with some of the writing and was left wondering how this house hadn't been torn down if like 100 people had been brutally murdered inside it?
 
Very interested to hear what you think. One thing I did not realize until I just read a review is that this week's episode is 45 minutes long.
Just finished it. It was the best episode of Season 2, to me, and the only one so far that matches Season 1.
 
OK Ted Lasso fans - how about the new episode that dropped last night/today?!? Loved the scene between Jamie and Roy (don't want to spoil it for those who don't stay up until midnight to watch). I also loved the confessions right before the match. Ted's response to Coach Beard's confession was hilarious.

This show just keeps getting better with each episode.

The trip out to the pitch before the game was a brilliant riff on some little known movie.
 
For me, regarding the subject matter and ultimate emotional punch, a lot depends on when I read these books in my life. Never Let Me Go might have resonated more with me if I had read it when I was younger since the characters are kids.

Remains of the Day is the kind of book that would not have resonated at all with me when I was younger, but now hits me hard. The sense of missed opportunities, a missed life, and maybe worse, dedication to an ideal that was an illusion or just plain wrong that was supposed to make up for all those missed opportunities--those are very realistic, very common, and very, very sad.

On this subject (that may or may not apply to you; maybe you are older than me), I'm reminded of my experience with Hemingway--I read most of his books in high school and could ace a test about them, but I didn't really "get" them until I was in my 30s. Similarly, one of the best books I've read in the last 20 years is Gilead, but I could not have identified with it until I was older and a father and had experience consciously trying to be kinder to people.
Did you read The Buried Giant? I wasn't planning on another Ishiguro book, but my hold on Appleseed was taking forever to come through, and it was available, so I picked it up last week. I liked his twist on the Arthurian legend. A classic, abrupt Ishiguro ending probably had a lot of readers held in various states of consternation. I know when I flipped the last page, I was mildly shocked to find there wasn't another chapter, and having read several of his books so recently, I should have known better.

Appleseed finally came through just a few days before I finished, so that's up next.
 
Did you read The Buried Giant? I wasn't planning on another Ishiguro book, but my hold on Appleseed was taking forever to come through, and it was available, so I picked it up last week. I liked his twist on the Arthurian legend. A classic, abrupt Ishiguro ending probably had a lot of readers held in various states of consternation. I know when I flipped the last page, I was mildly shocked to find there wasn't another chapter, and having read several of his books so recently, I should have known better.

Appleseed finally came through just a few days before I finished, so that's up next.
I did. I thought it a bit repetitive on its theme and I didn't go back and research some of his allusions that I missed and knew I was missing. But I don't generally like books that make me work that much. At my age, if I don't have the intellectual and cultural capital to understand an author's point, I figure that's either on them or I just don't want to invest in working through it.

That said, I'd love to read Joyce in a learning environment with others. I've never read him.

I'm reading Graham Greene right now. Finished The Quiet American (excellent) and am now reading what is supposed to be his best work, The Power and the Glory (but liked the Quiet American more). Our Man in Havana is next.
 
@Marvin the Martian

Past week, I've seen a ton of advertisements for Foundation. Really makes me want to dish out for Apple TV. Or whatever they call it.

I have Apple and am so excited. I am taking my Roku on vacation so I can watch it.

The thing is, no way it can be done. I spent too much time in my youth trying to think of how to do it in movie form. Tv has the same, though lesser problem. The scope is too big. And I hope they clean up Asimov's tech issues. The technology descriptions of the ships lack basic technology we have. No offense to Asimov, he just did not know the computer advance.

I am excited but I fear it is going to Game of Thrones, start strong then spectacularly crash and burn.
 
I have Apple and am so excited. I am taking my Roku on vacation so I can watch it.

The thing is, no way it can be done. I spent too much time in my youth trying to think of how to do it in movie form. Tv has the same, though lesser problem. The scope is too big. And I hope they clean up Asimov's tech issues. The technology descriptions of the ships lack basic technology we have. No offense to Asimov, he just did not know the computer advance.

I am excited but I fear it is going to Game of Thrones, start strong then spectacularly crash and burn.
I suspect you are right, but I hope you are wrong. This could be epic if they do it right.
 
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I suspect you are right, but I hope you are wrong. This could be epic if they do it right.
Who knows, 2001 covered a longer timeframe (though fewer worlds) so it is possible.

I love Lasso and Morning Show is pretty good so maybe Apple has the secret sauce.

The concept of trying to save knowledge heading into a dark age is very timely.
 
The thing is, no way it can be done. I spent too much time in my youth trying to think of how to do it in movie form. Tv has the same, though lesser problem. The scope is too big.

I read the Trilogy some thirty years ago and bought and read the fourth volume (Foundation's Edge?) as soon as it hit the shelves at Howard's. I'm ashamed to admit I have retained very very little of it, other than still recalling how it was truly a totally immersive experience that I doubted could ever be equaled. I suspect that the series would confirm that. Besides, I don't have Apple TV and unless we could buy the series without having to sign up for the whole package I doubt I'll get to watch... unless it becomes available on DVD. SWMBO still gets disks through Netflix and has the software and the chops to rip and burn them.
 
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I read the Trilogy some thirty years ago and bought and read the fourth volume (Foundation's Edge?) as soon as it hit the shelves at Howard's. I'm ashamed to admit I have retained very very little of it, other than still recalling how it was truly a totally immersive experience that I doubted could ever be equaled. I suspect that the series would confirm that. Besides, I don't have Apple TV and unless we could buy the series without having to sign up for the whole package I doubt I'll get to watch... unless it becomes available on DVD. SWMBO still gets disks through Netflix and has the software and the chops to rip and burn them.
I was telling my wife this is the Lord of the Rings for sci fi. I loved the first three, my favorite sci fi. But after that, as it started merging, I was less enthralled.

Wait until it is done and get 1 month of apple. Or are you waiting on linuxtv?
 
Who knows, 2001 covered a longer timeframe (though fewer worlds) so it is possible.

I love Lasso and Morning Show is pretty good so maybe Apple has the secret sauce.

The concept of trying to save knowledge heading into a dark age is very timely.
Repeat of a previous thought: Centennial was a hell of a miniseries, and they had to deal with many of the same issues.
 
Wait until it is done and get 1 month of apple.
Yeah, when the time come I'll suggest it to the boss. She's the streaming maven, among other things. (Although I'm on the hook for making sure her kit is in working order.)
Or are you waiting on linuxtv?
I just hate the whole subscription and streaming ecosystem. I still have good ol' cable TV and am getting reamed for it. The thing is, the channels I want to watch (mostly live news and live sports and some oddballs like CSPAN) would require subscribing to several different services so I don't think I'd gain anything. I have had pretty good luck being able to find pirate streams for the handful of IU ball games I can't get from regular cable.
 
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I have Apple and am so excited. I am taking my Roku on vacation so I can watch it.

The thing is, no way it can be done. I spent too much time in my youth trying to think of how to do it in movie form. Tv has the same, though lesser problem. The scope is too big. And I hope they clean up Asimov's tech issues. The technology descriptions of the ships lack basic technology we have. No offense to Asimov, he just did not know the computer advance.

I am excited but I fear it is going to Game of Thrones, start strong then spectacularly crash and burn.
I think the main ingredient in the crashing and burning of GoT was that the show outran the source material, and they had no idea how to tie it all together. At least with this series, that won't happen.

BTW, every time I read that Martin is working on something other than "The Winds of Winter" and/or "A Dream of Spring" (the next/final 2 books in "A Song of Ice and Fire" series), I feel the urge to call him and remind him that he's a fat old fart who better not croak before finishing.
 
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I think the main ingredient in the crashing and burning of GoT was that the show outran the source material, and they had no idea how to tie it all together. At least with this series, that won't happen.

BTW, every time I read that Martin is working on something other than "The Winds of Winter" and/or "A Dream of Spring" (the next/final 2 books in "A Song of Ice and Fire" series), I feel the urge to call him and remind him that he's a fat old fart who better not croak before finishing.
Correct re GOT. I've read that foundation will not stick to the books - primarily for the reasons marv said
 
I think the main ingredient in the crashing and burning of GoT was that the show outran the source material, and they had no idea how to tie it all together. At least with this series, that won't happen.

BTW, every time I read that Martin is working on something other than "The Winds of Winter" and/or "A Dream of Spring" (the next/final 2 books in "A Song of Ice and Fire" series), I feel the urge to call him and remind him that he's a fat old fart who better not croak before finishing.

Yes, but supposedly Martin was feeding Dumb and Dumber the planned details. I guess in that way the series became a trial balloon, Martin knows what not to do. That may explain the break in writing, he is lost on a plan B.

I think they will give Foundation the Peter Jackson overhaul. That worked okay for LoTR, but I really did not like Hobbit. I get why the cannot be slavish to source, but I also expect action to be ramped up.
 
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Yes, but supposedly Martin was feeding Dumb and Dumber the planned details. I guess in that way the series became a trial balloon, Martin knows what not to do. That may explain the break in writing, he is lost on a plan B.

I think they will give Foundation the Peter Jackson overhaul. That worked okay for LoTR, but I really did not like Hobbit. I get why the cannot be slavish to source, but I also expect action to be ramped up.
The Foundation Series was the first science fiction I read as a kid and it was very formative for me. I hope they can do this right.

I recently re read it (within the last year) for the first time and was surprised at just how sparse it is, unlike LoTR and GoT. Most of the trilogy is just two people talking, usually with one doing a lot of exposition about how something is going to work or what has happened (each book is relatively small, too).

So I think the showrunners are going to have to be more creative, but that might be good--I think there is an infinite amount of grey area in developing secondary characters and plots to make this a really interesting series, exploring any number of topics (although, please not AI and the nature of humanity! Between Battlestar Galactica and West World, enough!) while still holding true to the ultimate plot line. Actually, given the source material, comparing this to BSG and WW are probably more apt since those shows had a basic plot structure and took off from there.
 
Yes, but supposedly Martin was feeding Dumb and Dumber the planned details. I guess in that way the series became a trial balloon, Martin knows what not to do. That may explain the break in writing, he is lost on a plan B.

I think they will give Foundation the Peter Jackson overhaul. That worked okay for LoTR, but I really did not like Hobbit. I get why the cannot be slavish to source, but I also expect action to be ramped up.
By the way, I was as disappointed with the final few seasons of GoT as anyone but Benioff is actually a pretty good writer. I think many of you would love his book City of Thieves. It is historical fiction set in Leningrad during WW II and it moves really quickly, like a good movie (it should be made into one).
 
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The Foundation Series was the first science fiction I read as a kid and it was very formative for me. I hope they can do this right.

I recently re read it (within the last year) for the first time and was surprised at just how sparse it is, unlike LoTR and GoT. Most of the trilogy is just two people talking, usually with one doing a lot of exposition about how something is going to work or what has happened (each book is relatively small, too).

So I think the showrunners are going to have to be more creative, but that might be good--I think there is an infinite amount of grey area in developing secondary characters and plots to make this a really interesting series, exploring any number of topics (although, please not AI and the nature of humanity! Between Battlestar Galactica and West World, enough!) while still holding true to the ultimate plot line. Actually, given the source material, comparing this to BSG and WW are probably more apt since those shows had a basic plot structure and took off from there.
Speaking of the abundance of the AI and nature of humanity stuff, I saw that SYFY is getting ready to start a series called Day of the Dead about…

zombies.
Really?
 
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