![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Book/Comic/Movie Recs, 6/18/09
Thursday, June 18th, 2009 07:21 pmIn books:
The Atrocity Archives, Charles Stross: Spy story meets "The Office" (British edition) meets H.P. Lovecraft meets a math Ph.D., and this is what you get. Entertaining, but a bit deep in the technobabble at times.
Of Human Bondage, W. Somerset Maugham (in progress): It's a bit frustrating reading this at work during lunch because I want to yell things at the main character, but cannot do so without attracting undue attention. Compelling, annoying, and marvelously well-written all at once.
In Comics/Manwha:
Echo, Collected Volumes I & II, by Terry Moore: Simply put, this is better than Strangers in Paradise, because I feel like Moore has planned this out more thoroughly, and his storytelling and artwork are all the better for it. There are none of the unnecessary cutesy asides and in-jokes that turn new-comers away from SIP; there is simply the narrative, and the characters, and that's all a talented writer/artist like Moore needs. Moore's panels showcase action and human emotion simultaneously and effortlessly. His characters are entirely believable even when their motives aren't entirely clear. There are a million directions this story could go in, and each of them would be endlessly fascinating.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
yebisu9 and I both enjoyed this equally, and that's pretty rare for a comic book these days, especially with our divergent reading tastes. If you enjoy beautiful black and white comic art, just-this-side-of-could-be-real science fiction, or a unique take on the superhero genre, this book is well worth checking out.
The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For, by Alison Bechdel: I've been following this comic since my Smithie days (innostrantsa, were you the one who introduced me to this?). I usually pitch it to new readers as "the queer and more political For Better or For Worse". Reading it in such a concerted collected form is a pleasure for many reasons; seeing Bechdel's artistry change and refine over time; watching the cast of characters grow (and in one particularly sad case, die); and tracing the little bits of historical unrest and political swings through our characters' lives. Bechdel's work is very "talky" for the most part, which makes panels without words in them startling and compelling. For example, her wordless story, "Real World", immediately following 9/11/01, is notable for the lack of words and shock the characters all display. Reading it is like holding your breath, waiting for someone to say something--but therein lies the message, that there is really nothing she can say and like us and the characters, she's been struck dumb by what happened. Words or no, this book also showcases my favorite marriage proposal ever, from women's studies professor Sydney to our long-suffering heroine Mo, on the steps of City Hall of San Francisco, "Will you do me the honor of paradoxically re-inscribing and destabilizing hegemonic discourse with me?"
Bride of the Water God, Volume III: Guh, so pretty. And so confusing. I'm still casting around for a good book of Korean mythology so I can understand who's who and what's being retold here. In the meantime, I'm going to luxuriate in the gorgeous artwork.
In Movies:
Up: There were so many reasons I loved this movie, and here are some:
1) Talking dogs! Telling doggy jokes! ("That joke is funny because a squirrel gets dead!")
2) A crazy, multi-colored, gymnastic bird.
3) A large number of alien landscapes--all of them here on earth.
4) The opening montage of Karl and Ellie is one of the most touching love stories I've ever seen, and one of the most smartly told ones, too. Karl's ties changing over time is so simple, yet so effective.
5) An almost Buddhist revelation about cutting your ties to material things that are holding you down.
6) A smart and funny villain.
7) The opening short cartoon--again, short, simple, and well-told.
This movie really isn't for kids--the little boy behind me kept asking his mother if the movie was over yet. I felt rather sorry for him; there was action and excitement, but the storytellers wisely let the story unfold in its own time, laying down layers of pathos first that made the hero's achievements all the sweeter and more profound later on. This movie required patience, but the pay-off was entirely worth it. So highly recommended!
Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder: This is the best Futurama movie yet! All the familiar characters, sight gags, plot craziness, eco-feminists (Best line: "Take your mans off of me!"), mini-golf, insane people with tinfoil hats, and an ending to end all endings.
The Hangover: I expected a lot of misogyny from this, but was pleasantly surprised to find that there's no real misogyny, just contempt for people doing stupid things in the course of a drug-/alcohol-fueled Vegas bachelor party. And it was so sublimely stupid and crazy and I laughed so much. Save this for when you've had a hard day at work and need to laugh at the misfortune of others.
The Atrocity Archives, Charles Stross: Spy story meets "The Office" (British edition) meets H.P. Lovecraft meets a math Ph.D., and this is what you get. Entertaining, but a bit deep in the technobabble at times.
Of Human Bondage, W. Somerset Maugham (in progress): It's a bit frustrating reading this at work during lunch because I want to yell things at the main character, but cannot do so without attracting undue attention. Compelling, annoying, and marvelously well-written all at once.
In Comics/Manwha:
Echo, Collected Volumes I & II, by Terry Moore: Simply put, this is better than Strangers in Paradise, because I feel like Moore has planned this out more thoroughly, and his storytelling and artwork are all the better for it. There are none of the unnecessary cutesy asides and in-jokes that turn new-comers away from SIP; there is simply the narrative, and the characters, and that's all a talented writer/artist like Moore needs. Moore's panels showcase action and human emotion simultaneously and effortlessly. His characters are entirely believable even when their motives aren't entirely clear. There are a million directions this story could go in, and each of them would be endlessly fascinating.
yebisu9 and I both enjoyed this equally, and that's pretty rare for a comic book these days, especially with our divergent reading tastes. If you enjoy beautiful black and white comic art, just-this-side-of-could-be-real science fiction, or a unique take on the superhero genre, this book is well worth checking out.The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For, by Alison Bechdel: I've been following this comic since my Smithie days (
innostrantsa, were you the one who introduced me to this?). I usually pitch it to new readers as "the queer and more political For Better or For Worse". Reading it in such a concerted collected form is a pleasure for many reasons; seeing Bechdel's artistry change and refine over time; watching the cast of characters grow (and in one particularly sad case, die); and tracing the little bits of historical unrest and political swings through our characters' lives. Bechdel's work is very "talky" for the most part, which makes panels without words in them startling and compelling. For example, her wordless story, "Real World", immediately following 9/11/01, is notable for the lack of words and shock the characters all display. Reading it is like holding your breath, waiting for someone to say something--but therein lies the message, that there is really nothing she can say and like us and the characters, she's been struck dumb by what happened. Words or no, this book also showcases my favorite marriage proposal ever, from women's studies professor Sydney to our long-suffering heroine Mo, on the steps of City Hall of San Francisco, "Will you do me the honor of paradoxically re-inscribing and destabilizing hegemonic discourse with me?"Bride of the Water God, Volume III: Guh, so pretty. And so confusing. I'm still casting around for a good book of Korean mythology so I can understand who's who and what's being retold here. In the meantime, I'm going to luxuriate in the gorgeous artwork.
In Movies:
Up: There were so many reasons I loved this movie, and here are some:
1) Talking dogs! Telling doggy jokes! ("That joke is funny because a squirrel gets dead!")
2) A crazy, multi-colored, gymnastic bird.
3) A large number of alien landscapes--all of them here on earth.
4) The opening montage of Karl and Ellie is one of the most touching love stories I've ever seen, and one of the most smartly told ones, too. Karl's ties changing over time is so simple, yet so effective.
5) An almost Buddhist revelation about cutting your ties to material things that are holding you down.
6) A smart and funny villain.
7) The opening short cartoon--again, short, simple, and well-told.
This movie really isn't for kids--the little boy behind me kept asking his mother if the movie was over yet. I felt rather sorry for him; there was action and excitement, but the storytellers wisely let the story unfold in its own time, laying down layers of pathos first that made the hero's achievements all the sweeter and more profound later on. This movie required patience, but the pay-off was entirely worth it. So highly recommended!
Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder: This is the best Futurama movie yet! All the familiar characters, sight gags, plot craziness, eco-feminists (Best line: "Take your mans off of me!"), mini-golf, insane people with tinfoil hats, and an ending to end all endings.
The Hangover: I expected a lot of misogyny from this, but was pleasantly surprised to find that there's no real misogyny, just contempt for people doing stupid things in the course of a drug-/alcohol-fueled Vegas bachelor party. And it was so sublimely stupid and crazy and I laughed so much. Save this for when you've had a hard day at work and need to laugh at the misfortune of others.
