Insanely busy — I have three major projects which all have to be completed before the end of the month, so I apologize for not posting as often as I normally would.
Figured that I’d devote this post to brief reviews:
We went to see Public Enemies this weekend — I enjoyed it quite a bit. Michael Mann is one of my favorite directors, and I’m a sucker for the 1930s. I was already pretty well-versed in the story of “Public Enemy Number One”, John Dillinger, but even so, the film didn’t drag for me at all — which is saying something, as it clocks in at 2 1/2 hours. Depp turns in his usual effortless excellence — although for me, the film was made by the supporting actors (especially Jason Clarke as Red Hamilton and Stephen Graham as Baby Face Nelson).
I finally read Theodore Roszak’s novel Flicker, years after having it recommended by
Less loved was Space Captain Smith by Toby Frost. Part of the problem here was my own expectations — I was hoping for something that took itself more seriously, even while being light-hearted: something more along the lines of Fraser’s Flashman, but in a steampunk setting. Sadly, what I got was a book written in an unbearably smug pastiche of Douglas Adams’ style — but without Adams’ ability. The whole thing had a wink-to-the-audience, “aren’t I clever?” feel which so turned me off, I put the book down unfinished and haven’t looked back.
Anyway — there you have it. Some things which have wedged their way into my brain recently, squeezing into the narrow gaps between the brainspace demanded by work projects.