In Review

We haven't been so very lucky with movies lately, but we seem to be doing better with books.

Inception

Just last week, we headed to the theater to see the at-least-somewhat acclaimed Inception. I had read some great comments about this flick, but with all apologies and due respect to Lorna who is at least ten times smarter than me, to put it mildly I didn't care for it. To me and my tiny, it was nothing but endless rounds of chases and shootouts camouflaged in an esoteric scifi sort of plot. Did I mention that I hate chases and shootouts?

Verdict = Epic Fail

A Single Man

Then we watched A Single Man on video (yes, I know they're DVDs now, but please give me a break because I still also call any sort of video recording a tape, even though tape died a slow and agonizing death a longtime ago). Single Man starring Colin Firth, whom I like very much, centers around a gay professor in the early sixties before gay meant what it does now and before consciousnesses were raised (except for the rabid evangelical who stopped following me when I posted a slideshow of my gay daughter's wedding. The nerve of a father not to stone his gay offspring. ) In Single Man, George Falconer played by Firth, an English professor tragically lost his partner and contemplated ending his own life.

Without the plot overdoing social commentary, I was able to empathize with the frustration of being gay in the closetted sixties, at least in the early part of the decade. With its subdued, somewhat reticent script, it seems to be the type of film that critics would love. Indeed, Firth garnered a spot in the race for best actor.

Although I don't dislike all slow-paced films, this one was a little too halting for my taste. Nevertheless, I didn't hate it. I think it's worth watching.

Verdict = A Somewhat Grudging Pass

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Here's where I can begin to raise both my thumbs. First, Thesha read the book and recommended it to Cuppa who in turn read it couldn't stop raving about it. I confess that this mystery set in Sweden in 2002 by the now deceased Steig Larsson also grabbed this old curmudgeon and forced him to read in a way that he seldom does anymore. What fun to delve so happily into a book again.

The plot centers around a financial reporter and a young female computer whiz and hacker. They are brought together in a most interesting way to solve an odd and longtime unsolved case. This is not your run-of-the-mill detective novel (although I am quite happy with lots of those), and I think it would appeal to all sorts of readers.

My only nitpickerish complaints might be that (i) it does begin a bit slowly, and (ii) does tend to get a little Ludlumesesque or even worse Grishamesque towards the end. But don't let that stop you because I was quite eager to pick up the second in the trilogy and Cuppa was just as eager to move on to book three. Please don't let the trilogy aspect throw you off because each volume stands on its own. If there had never been a second Girl With novel, I would have been quite chuffed just have read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

Verdict = Six Thumbs Up
(two each from AC, Cuppa and Thesha)