What I watched: Enola Holmes, a nice little movie starring and produced by Millie Bobby Brown (you may know her from Stranger Things). The cast includes Helena Bonham Carter as her mother Eudoria Holmes, Henry Cavill as her brother Sherlock Holmes, and Sam Claflin as her brother Mycroft Holmes. It is based on the Nancy Springer book series, The Enola Holmes Mysteries, geared to young adults. But as an old adult, I liked it, and you may like it too; it is easy, escapist fare, and we could all use an escape from reality, eh?
I also got up to date on The Boys season two; the final episode airs this weekend. As discussed in last week’s Brain Drain, this isn’t a bad show. Season two is a bit more blatant in allusions to current events. There are Scientology-like churches, rising white (and superhero) supremacy, and nods to the political-industrial complex. Hot tip: apparently there is going to be a spin-off “set at America’s only college exclusively for young adult superheroes (or “supes”) that is run by Vought International”.
And I am still watching The Great British Baking Show, which is being parceled out each Friday. I love this show. Where else could you see bakers asked to create cake busts of famous people?
What I read: Murder on Cold Street (The Lady Sherlock Series Book 5) by Sherry Thomas, a twist on the Sherlock Holmes genre. Charlotte Holmes, a lady chaffing at the limitations of upper-class Victorian England, assumes the name of Sherlock Holmes as a front for her own investigations. She is fond of sweets and has an “acceptable number of chins”; when they verge toward three, diet restrictions are in order. Also, there is a landlady serving as her Watson, an autistic sister, unrequited love, and games galore afoot.
Should you read these books? Do you like Sherlock Holmesian mysteries? Then you should give them a try (perhaps starting with the first book in the series, A Study In Scarlet Women.
What I listened to this week: Sloan – Silence Trumps Lies
Frankie and the Witch Fingers – Cavehead
Michael Kiwanuka – Solid Ground (Virgil Abloh Remix)
So, darling DeadSplintertarians, how are you? What was your week like? Did you leave the house? Did you watch, read, or listen to anything good (or bad)? Please fill us in on how things are in your world!
Just watched The Edge of Tomorrow aka All You Need Is Kill.
It’s six years old and I haven’t seen it till now. Not because I didn’t want to but due to my personal situation, financial situation and work situation at the time didn’t grant me the luxury of enjoying things (darkest time I’ve had personally.)
So Apple TV had a sale and I bought it for 14.99 CDN which isn’t bad.
Enjoyed it. More light hearted and entertaining. Better than Terminator Dark Fate-which was shit but not as shit as Terminator Genishit as far as time travel movies go.
Reading the history Holding The Line written by my friend (Tom Cleaver) about the Korean air war based on interviews of the actual survivors involved which he had hoped to turn into a screenplay.
Included is the story of Jesse Brown, the first black naval aviator who died in a tragic Bridges At Toko Ri style scenario.
The Bridges At Toko Ri was one of those movies that made a huge personal impact about the price even heroes pay in war. I remember watching it on a Sunday morning as a kid and hoping that Brubaker and Gambridge (played by William Holden and Mickey Rooney) would live. They didn’t and I sat there with my mouth on the floor and asking “WHY????”
Other movies that made a jarring impression on me included “A Bridge Too Far”, “Bambi” and “The Empire Strikes Back.”
“Bambi” is the only movie that made me ball… to be fair, I was 35, kidding, I was 5. So traumatic I won’t watch it again.
I am glad that you are better able to enjoy things these days. Time travel is iffy for me as a genre, because it is easy to do it poorly. (Written yourself into a deadend? Pull out the time travel trope!) Good to have your recommendation on this movie. I try to avoid films with gut wrenching endings, I lean toward escapist fare. But Bambi is on my list of sad movies too, as is Love Story. Happy weekend to you!
…I have a fondness for sci fi & I remember being pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the edge of tomorrow…& not just because of how tom cruise’s groundhog day routine worked?
…he also had another sci fi movie out around the same time (elysium, I think it was called) which while different (less bloody demises involved) was also worth a watch?
…not sure why but thinking about them reminds me that ex machina is also a pretty good film
I, too, have a fondness for sci fi. Should any of those come to Netflix I will give them a try. Your BSB 103 whiskey (whisky? bourbon?) recommendation from the other week is still not in at the state store. I called today, but no joy. Sigh.
…that is tragic news…I hope it makes its way to you soon, though
…lord knows we could all use a drop of the good stuff these days
i love/hate edge of tomorow
i mean…it really is a good movie
on the other hand….i just wanted to see tom cruise get brutally dismembered
follow the source material you fucking pansies
I’m watching the new season of Fargo on FX, and so far it has not disappointed me. It’s got a great cast – Chris Rock, Jason Schwartzman, Jessie Buckley, Ben Whishaw, Jack Huston, Andrew Bird, and my celebrity boyfriend, Timothy Olyphant. It’s funny and murderous.
I’m reading White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi. I really liked her last couple. It’s sort of a slow starter but good. A haunted house story on the surface but really a look at some very complicated issues.
My listen this week is a bit departure for me(safe to play in front of doggies!) Justin Wells is a local guy and I always like to support local talent. He has a new LP out, The United States.
After the Fall
No Time For a Broken Heart
I love that you support local talent. He sounds good!
I agree about Fargo. I think the mix of characters from serious to ridiculous is really snapping. I’ve seen critics complaining that it’s not cohering, but as far as Fargo goes, it actually seems as tight as season two and more than seasons one and three.
Funny I’m sitting here watching Enola Holmes and decided to check the brain drain!
Seems cute so far; I’ll attempt not to take a nap.
I watched Enola Holmes and enjoyed it. It’s fun and basically pleasant. I’ll settle for that.
Ah, great minds and like thinking… I made Irish coffees this morning. A little coffee, a bit of half and half, a dollop of whiskey, and a heavy pour of Bailey’s. You might like that, too!
…I haven’t seen it yet…but a friend who’s big on holmes stuff thought they did mycroft kind of a disservice, which is a shame if true
…he hardly turns up in the books but as a kid he was sort of my favorite character all the same
…then again, the friend in question basically doesn’t think anyone’s done a better job than the basil-rathbone-as-sherlock stuff…so they may be more than a little biased against the newer stuff
…I wasn’t a fan of the benedict cumberbatch ones but I liked the johnny lee miller/lucy liu one a fair bit?
Mycroft is played as as a supercilious, misogynistic, prig…so yup, a disservice to the character. But it is still a fun little movie. He fares much better in the book I mentioned. For me, the Holmes books, movies, etc. pay homage to intellect as the heroic quality, rather than brawn, and that is my cup of tea.
I used to get worked up about treatments of characters that essentially disagreed with my interpretations of those characters. Eventually I came to believe that archetypal characters like Holmes (and Mycroft), or Batman, or Doctor Who, or even the original Star Trek cast, were bigger than any individual interpretation of that character. I enjoy the things I like about any given interpretation and don’t let the rest bother me. I don’t want those characters locked into a single point in time like flies in amber, because eventually they’ll just fade away. Nobody tries to do movies about C. Auguste Dupin any more, for example. It will be a shame when howling fanboys scare everyone away from doing stories about the original Star Trek cast, leaving only the old series, because as someone who has tried to get his teen to watch it, it doesn’t work. Just like I don’t watch the Stooges or Abbott and Costello.
Funny story — I was teaching SAT prep about 25 years ago and one of the questions in a learning exercise was about the names of the original Star Trek characters (it was to illustrate a point not convey knowledge on the test). I got 20 blank stares and one kid said “I think my dad used to watch that.” So when they started making new movies I was glad.
Reader, she fell asleep for 2 hours. I will attempt to watch this again later!
Elliecoo, that Frankie song is great! I need to revisit their stuff. I’ve been going down memory lane w/ a buddy about some old concerts we went to. One of the most fun outdoor days of the yearly Seattle Bumbershoot festival we saw the Posies. It was raining but the crowd was still having a good time. The lead singer came out in just his tighty-whities with a clear plastic bag over his body. They put on a great show, I think it was the first time they had played in years and being local heroes, they got quite the reception. Anyways, that sent me down a Posies rabbit hole.
Posies!!!! I haven’t thought of them in a while. That sounds like a great concert. Happy weekend to you.
waaaaa….i sorta kinda fell asleep at the desk and forgot to post
anyhoo..reading nada
watching nada
listening to locals
I really like listening to your locals, and without you I would not have that opportunity! Thank you and happy weekend!
welp…..tonites gonna be messy
Finished my birding book(s) and started “Wag: the Science of Making Your Dog Happy” by Zazie Todd.
Our April adoptee, Huck, is a skittish, anxious mess (since birth). Possible brain damage during birth. Regardless, he is making great progress with us. He will never be the unafraid, gregarious lab, but he will be a great dog. I’m reading books like “Wag” to make sure we give him the best support that we can.
Props to @loveshaq for “Dream All Day”, my favorite from the Posies.
I sent my birder boss the bad birdwatcher book – she is thrilled! Thank you for the tip.