Films...

When I was a senior at Linfield, I managed Videoland. Yes, Videoland. It was awesome. I ran the schedule and deposited the money at the end of the night, and I talked about movies with customers and tried to keep from ripping my hair out over our battles concerning late fees.

God, we are a country of extraordinary excuses.

That's time I can't get back, friends.

We had a Blockbuster on the other side of town, and we hated them (the funny thing was, we were also a chain, whose headquarters were, supposedly, in the Midwest). Our Videoland, at least, was the proverbial anti-corporate joint. I hired a bunch of soccer players from Linfield and a bunch of Mac High kids; we had loads of fun.

Years after I left Mac, Jeanne and I returned for some rolled tacos at Muchas Gracias. I was sad to see that Blockbuster had since taken over the space. No more Videoland mojo.

Now, I'm actually sad that Blockbuster is going under. Seriously, it pains me to think of a world without a physical video store, as much as my rational mind tells me it's the second-most irrational thing that should exist (the first is a book by Snooki).

But I love movies. I really love going to the theater, and I plan on making a movie or two in the near future (more on that as events warrant). We watch a few DVDs each week, and we subscribe to Blockbuster (love the in-house swaps).

But our BB on Monument is closing, so we have to head over to University. Not terrible, but also not cool. I knew where all the movies were in the one on Monument.

At any rate, we looked at a couple of fine rentals recently.

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010) is okay. The critics graded it out as a B-, and that's not unkind. I like it as a 'B' overall. Michael Douglas is very good. He does a fantastic job, and it's worth it to watch him alone. LeBeouf is forgettable as the film's conscience, and the plot is a little skimpy. Oliver Stone does cool stuff with movies. I like his work. He has fun, and you can never miss his signatures.

But the original film had so much more grit and energy. This one, still, carries on...but it lacks the teeth of the original (a film I often show as a solid 1980s offering, as an occasional alternative to Do the Right Thing or Full Metal Jacket). I would have liked a more equivocal skewering of the financial meltdown of 2008 (yes, a contemporary of mine is still floating on the bonus he won when the bubble popped--he loves it). It seems like a hurried film in the first third; couple that with a forced family-reunification theme and it falls a little short.

Still, Stone returns to the split screens (I'm glad he didn't go eight deep, as that would have been old hat) and the occasional flirtations with whimsy (the bubbles).

I liked it more than I thought I would. It's a fine film. Not a great sequel, but certainly a worthy continuation of the Gordon Gekko mythos...

The American (2010) was also pretty good (B).

The film is quiet and plodding. It has tiny bursts of energy and a stylish overall feel. There is some passion and some intrigue. The story's central idea is telegraphed. The ending, as abrupt as it is, is okay. I thought it appropriate.

George Clooney is a suave killer with a brutal quotient of blood on his hands. His next assignment is a tough one--that final kill (my wife called it from two miles away)...

We see where it's going, and yet it's still an enjoyable film. The scenery is pretty. The dialogue is sharp. The conflict is compelling.

Short bursts of action keep the pace pleasantly varied. Solid--not great--but worth the time to take a look at, The American is, ultimately, kind of a sad film.

Battle LA

Nancy Stebbins's "Today's Fish Is a Very Fine Fish"

This hasn't happened to me, fortunately, although the premise isn't too far out there, given some of the...um, creative folks I've met in higher education.

I loved the story: surreal, glib, and energetic. A fine example of how a short story can brighten a day...

Odds and Ends...

We bought a Toyota Prius about ten days ago and promptly backed it into the garage door with the hatchback up. Now that little sucker is getting a new spoiler and Jeanne has my truck this week for work. No worries, though, as I'm starting my off-time at the college. I've had a couple of leisurely mornings with Lyla this week before putting her into the jogging stroller and running her down to her daycare before coming back to work on a pair of writing projects. Both stories are set here in Northeast Florida, and both seem to be unravelling quickly and well.

I edited sixty-four pages of the book I largely wrote in the last six months of 2010 yesterday. It's solid, and I'm excited for where it might go when it's finished later in the year.

True Grit (2010) is a pretty fantastic film (B+). The writing, as is the hallmark of much of the Coen Brothers' typically excellent work, shines here. The characters eschew contractions, using English the way it was originally intended. Peppered with period-appropriate phrases (the scenes with Mattie trading with the pony broker are priceless), this story is just delightful to listen to.

Jeff Bridges is excellent as Rooster Cogburn and Hailee Steinfeld should get an Academy Award nomination for her turn as Mattie Ross. It's beautifully filmed by Roger Deakins, and the pacing is excellent. I love the establishing shot of the town, just prior to the public hanging. They spared no expense on set design.

My only problem with the story is its third act. Mattie's predicament, when coupled with the poorly rendered CGI vipers, just doesn't feel realistic given the more pragmatic hurtles she and Cogburn clear over the first two thirds of the story.

Still, I highly recommend the film. It deserves all the critical praise it's been earning.

And finally, here is a chilling tale of life beyond the grave. Angel Leigh McCoy's "Oral Tradition" is an engaging yarn--a horror story both gruesome and touching in its way. The title is appropriate, as the story has a handed-down, word-of-mouth authenticity that meshes well with the plot. It's about reconciling family history and expunging the atrocities of the past. Oh, and that little bit of inheritance in the final act? Sheesh...

Very good piece, and nicely performed by Ben Phillips (he does a nice Southern accent)...

Ultimate Anthology: "Voluntary Committal"

Joe Hill is one of the best new voices out there right now in dark fiction. His novels have been strong, but his short fiction is almost pitch perfect. Twentieth Century Ghosts is one of those collections that begs to be read yearly, if for no other reason than to inspire.

I think the fourth tale I'll collect for the ultimate anthology is his story "Voluntary Committal." This is a perfect specimen of the American weird tale. The postulate is compelling, the solution is bone-chilling, the relationship between Morris and our narrator is--well, it's a well-rendered sibling relationship. Not quite Howard and Bow-Wow Fornoy, but it'll do. Here's what I wrote in my Amazon review many moons ago:

"Voluntary Committal" goes into my all-time anthology. It's a novella about assuaging the mistakes of our youth. Consider all the things you wish you could take away: all the wrongs you've done others, all the hurt you've instilled upon those who've trusted you, all the chances you passed that you wished you'd taken. Think about all of those things and then ask yourself:

What would you change if you could go back?

For our narrator Nolan, the answer to that question rests in a sealed manila envelope in the lower right drawer of his office desk.

And there you have it: officially put into my all-time anthology. I'm paying professional rates in compliments in exchange for first world wishful-thinking rights.

Here's the Anthology to Date:

"Voluntary Committal" ~ Joe Hill

"The Pear Shaped Man" ~ George R.R. Martin
"The Small Assassin" ~ Ray Bradbury
"Professor Gottesman and the Indian Rhinoceros" ~ Peter S. Beagle

Harmony

Satoshi Ito (Project Itoh) did what most of us writers want to do: he wrote a story that resonates and will exist within the science fiction canon. Harmony is a complex novel--a dystopic analysis of the nanny state in which life is so sacred that it's almost cheap.

The premise is well rendered: most of the world subscribes to a mental adaptation system controlled by the Admedistration. Everything, from nutrition to exercise to emotion and excitement, is regulated and watched by a network of agencies whose goal is to ensure harmony (read: homogeneity).

Itoh's tale surely shines in the first third. Tuan is a protagonist one can relate to. She's smart but flawed; sentimental but cold. The beauty of the story is that we are also drawn to our antagonist, Miach, whose recollections of previous cultures, and her love of history, are simply fantastic. These sections make the narrative work.

WatchMe is the software. Tuan and Miach are the unwilling pawns in its wake. This is a story that hits home on a lot of levels. What would life be like without subversion? How would it be if we were all aware of our situations, 100% of the time?

Ito passed away before he could appreciate the results of this novel. I think this is the rock, thrown into the pond, that leaves waves crashing on the shore. If you are into science fiction, you owe it yourself to read this book.

Happy New Year!

2010 concluded in the finest fashion, with a fantastic week-long visit from my parents. Lyla had a wonderful time sharing her days with Ama and Hoogie. We visited the zoo, the museum of science and history, St. Augustine, and Fort Caroline. We ate some great meals and watched some good movies and enjoyed each other's company immensely. There's nothing like having family close, and we definitely recharged our batteries on that front.

In terms of the year, I spent a lot more time focused on my work and my family than I did my writing. Lyla is doing really well, and if we are fortunate to expand our family in 2011, we'll be putting even more focus on the Powell flock.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

It means I'll have to further focus my writing goals and shift my process a little. I'll be writing a little more late at night, and at odd hours, in order to accomplish my modest goals this year: polish the novel I fleshed out in 2010 and compose twelve strong short stories.

I have four confirmed tales coming out in 2011 so far, and I just received the great news an hour ago that a story that made the short list was picked up for an anthology that I was really hopeful of appearing in. It's a sequel to a well-received anthology, and it's very gratifying to get the good news.

2011 could be a year of great change in our family. I'm hopeful that my professional opportunities at Florida State College will continue to blossom, and it's my goal to at least undertake a few courses in continuing education. There have been positive signs of life in Jacksonville's economy, which gives me a little hope for the investments we've made, not the least of which is our home.

I'm going to run more miles this year and catch more fish. I'm going to spend more time outside and even less on the computer. I'm going to read more books and watch more good movies. I'm going to cook some dishes I've never had before and I'm going to finally bake a decent loaf of bread at home.

This past decade has been a tough one on many fronts. Lots of suspicion, anger, dread, sadness, loss and sorrow in the global community. Struggle is a part of life, and we can't enjoy the sweet without the bitter, but it just seems that the last ten years have particularly challenging.

Here's to a fresh start at not only a new year, but a new era in our world--one of peace and harmony and cooperation. One of respect and camaraderie and progress.

I wish you all the best in the pursuit of any goals you might have set for yourselves. Be kind to each other, and take the time to appreciate the moment. Those are two things I'm certainly going to spend more time on.

Thanks, as always, for dropping by from time to time...