What I Watched: The two seasons of the new Perry Mason (it has not been renewed). It is totally noir; it is not the Perry Mason of your childhood. It is gritty, gnarly, and occasionally gruesome. I liked it quite a bit; if you want to watch it while playing a drinking game, everybody drinks every time Perry gets punched, beat up, cold-cocked, or punches or beats up someone else. You’ll be sloshed after any two episodes.
As per The Guardian, from their review of season one in 2020:
This is no reboot-replica of the Raymond Burr 50s/60s series – rather, it’s an origin story that grimly dwells in the darkest corners of post-Depression Los Angeles. Here, pre-legal career, Mason is a dour, burned-out PI, with a broken marriage and a drinking habit (aren’t they all?) investigating a horrifying crime that becomes a media sensation.
As a series, it takes itself desperately seriously. The episodes are called chapters. Men glower from beneath their brimmed hats, and there is a lot of intense TV smoking, characters furrowing their brows and dragging on cigarettes as if breathing their last breath. When a missing child case takes a grisly turn, Mason and his loose collection of sort-of-colleagues step in to defend the parents against any unseemly accusations. The LAPD are not to be trusted. The population of the city is “starving, scared, hopeless”, according to one studio boss, who sees the movies as their dollar’s worth of escapism., courtesy of a dear friend.
What I Read: The next arc in the author Delemhach’s super-good House Witch Series, The Princess of Potential: A Humorous Romantic Fantasy. Seriously – at the risk of being bossy, the entire series is a delight, with a little magic, and little romance, and superior world-building and character development. They do not have a website, but you can find them on Discord.
Here is the Amazon blurb:
A headstrong princess is entangled in intrigue, politics, magic, and romance in this coming-of-age tale set in the world of the beloved House Witch trilogy. It’s been twenty years since Finlay Ashowan, the fabled house witch of Daxaria, first cooked up supernatural hi-jinks in the castle at Austice. Since then, much has changed: the royal family now resides elsewhere, a tentative peace has been established with Troivack, and the crown princess, Alina, is ready to pick the perfect nobleman to be her husband.
But Alina’s quest for her ideal consort is proving rather difficult. For one, between her father’s nerves and her own health issues, relations within the family are tense at best. For another, Fin and his wife, Annika, have returned to the castle to celebrate Alina’s momentous choice, bringing with them their fiery daughter, Katarina; mysterious son, Tamlin; and mischievous familiar, Kraken—all of whom have a penchant for finding trouble that somehow surpasses that of the house witch himself. And finally, the most politically promising suitor, the king of Troivack, is nothing less than completely intolerable.
Now, Alina must manage filial expectations, flirtatious miscues, magical misadventures, and dangerous plots, all as she struggles to find her own place within her kingdom—and understand the blossoming desires of her own heart . . .
What I Listened To: a bangin’ new version of Do You Believe Her by the Ravonettes and the Brian Jonestown Massacre; Plague Dogs by The Rural Alberta Advantage; and On Pain by Lloyd Cole (his lyrics resonate with me, “You can trust me with your sorrow, you can trust me with your pain, we’ll bury them deep down and never speak of them again.”)
Thank you for playing Brain Drain! How are you, darling ones? Dearest DeadSplinterites, what’s going on? Please do share with us!
Saw Nobody on Netflix. It is an action movie written by middle aged men who thinks they can beat the shit out of tough guys on a bus. I didn’t expect to laugh through a lot of it, mostly because it is a middle aged man (being one myself) fantasy. I know a couple of people who would take it seriously because they wish they could beat the shit out of yout’. As if I could survive getting the living shit beat out of me by 4 much younger men… LOL. Time killer.
Re-read an 80s SF classic. Armor by John Steakley. In a similar vein as The Forever War, about a broken man who is fighting a pointless stupid war led by idiots. No glory for the infantry, just their guts.
Saw comedy specials by Amy Wong and Taylor Tomlinson. Amy’s three specials could be the stages of marriage… naivety/nativity, reality,and see-yah. I found both of comedians funny just in different aspects of life.
I liked Nobody, although it took a turn I really was not expecting.
There is something delightful about subversive laughter.
Her latest routine is all about that sweet post divorce life (if you are a famous millionaire). Sheng Wang has been Ali Wong’s opener the past three times that I’ve seen her. She produced and directed his Netflix special.
I watched the final season of Derry Girls on Netflix. I was saving it but Netflix seems to be going through a phase of culling stuff so I figured I should finish it.
It’s a great show. The last season is about the kids senior year in high school and it works really well as a wrap up for the series. Tons of very imaginative cursing and illicit booze.
I always enjoy hearing a bit of imaginative cursing.
I watched episode 4 of Secret Invasion because at this point I’m just crabby and want to see where it ends.
Using the same “cliffhanger” to end 3 of 4 episodes so far is lazy plot planning. I don’t know what was written. Some of the scenes are great in this series. But I don’t understand why the order they are placed in the episodes. Which makes me wonder who is going “no no, this scene needs to be here.”
Also this version of Nick Fury is a dick to his friends with no sense of loyalty. At this point, I’m expecting him to be a fucking skrull.
I don’t know that the writer’s strike will impact the MCU stuff because I’m not sure they’re using actual writers for some of these recent shows and movies.
“Nick Fury is a dick to his friends”, this, in general. I am good with an anti-hero (Luther, Amos, Billy Bob Thornton in Goliath, etc.), but I have a hard time being on team jerk hero, super-bro hero, or too-impressed-with-himself hero. I finished a series this week that is expected to have spin offs, with just such a hero. He has the tragic back story, but OMG he is not a person I would want to be within six feet of. (Series is unnamed as I need future Brain Drain fodder.)
It really doesn’t make sense give all the other depictions of his character, either. I’d like some good character development, dammit!
I am not a big fan of Bucky Barnes or Sam Wilson as characters, they’re okay but were somewhat one-dimensional in the earlier movies. That being said, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was really interesting because it had a lot of character development for them both and that held my attention more than flashy action scenes.
I finally started Ted Lasso. My wife’s new iPhone came with a three-month Apple TV subscription, so we dived in. It’s really good. Strange New Worlds continues to be pretty wonderful for us old Star Trek fans. Secret Invasion is … I dunno. I don’t hate it like most of the online crowd seems to, but it’s a bit meandering. I’m like, could we get to a point here?
I keep watching Secret Invasion in the hopes that suddenly it all comes together and gets really good. Like I was very much underwhelmed with WandaVision until the 3rd or 4th episode and then I was like oh fuck this got interesting.
I had hoped episode 4 would do that as there’s only 6 episodes. Agreed about the pacing, it’s just off for a series.
TED LASSO! And do not let the haters steer you away from season three – it is perfect (red strings, wait till you see it.)
Oh, no, we’re in for the full ride. I’m not stopping now. We are doing 2-3 episodes nightly and we just started season 2.
Love hearing the new Ravonettes tune!
I watched The Clearing. I had high hopes for it as it was loosely based on the Australian cult, The Family. It was kind of boring, not terrible, but there are better things to watch.
I read Augustina Bazterrica’s dystopian novel, Tender is the Flesh. A virus has made animal meat inedible and cannibalism legal under a government that rules by misinformation and fear. There are graphic but clinical descriptions of the slaughtering process and barbaric breeding practices of humans designated as special meat. As well as brutal animal deaths. So it is not for the squeamish. But I recommend it for those of you who are not.
I also read Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina. This is a beautiful but heartbreaking look at the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women. Medina is a member of the Tunica-Biloxi tribe and weaves elements of indigenous mythology into the story. I recommend it to everyone.
I’m playing Figment. The artwork is nice, and the puzzles are simple. It’s okay, but I’m glad I only paid a couple of bucks for it.
A gazillion thanks for the warning about Tender is the Flesh – not for me. I tend to appreciate websites like Does the Dog Die.
There was one part where I literally had to skip ahead. I can take human deaths but not dogs.
OK DeadSplinterites, please carry on amongst yourselves. I am leaving the house for the first time two weeks, and will be having a delicious plate of Scamorza (seared smoked mozzarella, arugula, and Italian wildflower honey). TTYL!
I watched John Wick 4 and the action was awesome! I appreciate that they diversified the cannon fodder this time but still no women. Instead of just killing Asian dudes, John Wick destroys a whole bunch of white European dudes too.
My one complaint is that the film more than fails the Bechdel test, it fetishizes women by banishing them to the background or keeping them anonymous and faceless. They are mostly ignored by the main characters and serve only to add to the extravagant opulence of the setting much like the art and architecture. In one scene the big important menz are making big important dealz while a dozen women are performing a dressage battle with swords and dancing horses behind them. In another scene the hit/bounty call center is operated solely by women filmed from behind. Its leader gets a speaking role as she broadcasts John Wick’s whereabouts via FM radio. But only her mouth and hands are cut and framed by the camera. There are two woman side characters with a very minor rolls (Spoiler:
they are daughters of big important menz and ask John Wick to avenge their fathers’ deaths for them). So minor that Mr. Nobody’s dog actually gets more screen time and lines (if barking counts). Since the John Wick series is not based on a comic book or video game, it has no excuse for its obvious disdain for women (not that adhering to a source material would be a valid excuse but it is often used in the film industry to shield and deflect from accusations of misogyny).TLDR: Great action. Men are warriors. Women are daughters or window dressing.
Sigh. Like the dogs, roll my eyes at the women as window dressing. TMI, I work for a woman-owned/founded business.
When I got home just now from town I found that someone left a baby on our back doorstep.
She looks perfectly healthy and got up and ran right through the bars on the fence around the porch.
I hope you were prepared to go in and out by the window until it grew up.
I can use the front door.
🥰
Babies!
im on holiday…. nothing but time on my hands
so obviously ive not really watched anything…or read anything….havent even listened to all that much….by my standards
seent a lot of wild bun buns tho…and doggos splashing about in shallow water… read a sign that said do not enter which i figured didnt apply to me….then further along read a sign that said caution live fire range which was somewhat more compelling than the do not enter
welp anyways
Live firing range . . . Exit asap, take good care and our Farcy please!
unguarded no entry signs are my favourite thing….coz…ooo…something interesting this way lies….i’ll go see….and if caught i dont know what the sign said..im just a tourist…i dont speak dutch….and if they check my passport they will come to the same conclusion…send me on my way with a slap on the wrist and some mutterings behind my back about stupid fucking british tourists aand that’ll be that
live fire signs tho….i dont fuck with those….it wasnt in use when i got there..as i dont have a habbit of walking towards gunfire
doesnt mean it couldnt become in use whilst im there tho
neh i saw that sign and went
decided to translate an old song into english
East Berlin, Unter Den Linden
Oost Berlijn, Unter Den LindenPeople walk past flags and banners
Er wandelen mensen langs vlaggen en vaandelsWhere Lenin and Marx are still on a pedestal
Waar Lenin en Marx nog steeds op een voetstuk staan
And everyone works, hammers and sickles
En iedereen werkt, hamers en sikkelsWhile the guard is being changed in parade step
Terwijl in paradepas de wacht wordt gewisseldForty years of socialism, a lot has been achieved in that time
Veertig jaar socialisme, er is in die tijd veel bereikt
But what is that utopia if there are walls around it
Maar wat is nou die heilstaat als er muren omheen staanIf you have to be afraid and careful with your opinion
Als je bang en voorzichtig met je mening moet omgaanOh what is this utopia, tell me what is it worth
Ach wat is nou die heilstaat, zeg mij wat is hij waardWhen someone who deviates is considered crazy
Wanneer iemand die afwijkt voor gek wordt verklaard
And only the birds fly from East to West Berlin
En alleen de vogels vliegen van Oost naar West BerlijnWill not be whistled back, not even shot
Worden niet teruggefloten, ook niet neergeschotenOver the wall, over the iron curtain
Over de muur, over het ijzeren gordijnBecause sometimes they want to be in the west, sometimes also in the eastOmdat ze soms in het westen, soms ook in het oosten willen zijnBecause sometimes they want to be in the west, sometimes also in the eastOmdat ze soms in het westen, soms ook in het oosten willen zijn
West Berlin, the Kurfurstendam
West Berlijn, de KurfurstendamThere are people walking past porn and peep showEr wandelen mensen langs porno- en peepshowWhere Mercedes and Cola are still on a pedestalWaar Mercedes en Cola nog steeds op een voetstuk staan
And the neon signs that lure with glitter
En de neonreclames die glitterend lokkenCome dance, come eat, come drink, come gamble
Kom dansen, kom eten, kom zuipen, kom gokkenThat is now forty years of freedom, a lot has been achieved in that time
Dat is nou veertig jaar vrijheid, er is in die tijd veel bereikt
But what is freedom without a home without a job?
Maar wat is nou die vrijheid zonder huis zonder baanSo many Turks in Kreuzberg who can barely exist
Zoveel Turken in Kreuzberg die amper kunnen bestaanOkay, you can demonstrate, but with your back against the wallGoed, je mag demonstreren, maar met je rug tegen de muurAnd only if you have money, then freedom is not expensiveEn alleen als je geld hebt, dan is de vrijheid niet duur
And the birds fly from West to East BerlinEn de vogels vliegen van West naar Oost BerlijnWill not be whistled back, not even shotWorden niet teruggefloten, ook niet neergeschotenOver the wall, over the iron curtainOver de muur, over het ijzeren gordijnBecause sometimes they want to be in the east, sometimes also in the westOmdat ze soms in het oosten, soms ook in het westen willen zijnBecause there is bread sometimes at the GedächtniskircheOmdat er brood ligt soms bij de GedächtniskircheSometimes on AlexanderpleinSoms op het Alexanderplein
you know..in the grand scheme of things….i’d say not much has changed….theres just a wall less
i tried my best to get that shit in order….but soon as i post….well…shits gets wierd
coz when i hit enter i had a neat und tidy order of english and original lines
with an enter between them to seperate them
and that glorious mess above is actually an improvement of what happened when i just straight copied the translated lyrics…
i will not be trying that shit again
here have the song