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Movie: Civil War

The movie is definitely about journalism - specifically, photojournalism in war. That's the film's primary focus.

Secondarily, I agree that it's a picaresque. In particular, it's part of the venerable tradition of American road movies. Our main characters go on a journey, see scenic parts of America, experience goodness, badness, and development.

The titular subject is only tertiary in importance. The civil war is as empty of content as any… [more]
posted to FanFare by doctornemo at 12:16 PM on April 13, 2024

The Three-Body Problem: Chinese Version

We're around episode 18 now and enjoying it.
We're a good audience. I've read the novel a few times, plus the sequels, while it's new to my wife. She's following it closely, appreciating how it explains ideas and anchors them on good characters going through arcs.
I admire how extensively faithful it is to the novel. Feels like the most assiduous adaptation of a novel in tv that I've ever seen.
posted to FanFare by doctornemo at 7:57 PM on March 10, 2024

Book: Dracula

Breaking the novel into its internal publishing timeline accentuates certain bits of the story. Gaps between postings hit harder, and flurries of content occurring on the same date feel sped up.
posted to FanFare by doctornemo at 5:27 PM on May 4, 2022

Severance: The We We Are

Quick notes on the way:
-town is called Kier. Company town.
-Dylan's epic labor, gazing at the icon of the four of them
-actors are doing amazing work
-show's turned inside out
-love the little Ricken scenes details: the bit about the woman's head sores (?), the fellow claiming the baby discovery as his, "do you understand metaphor?"
-also the little bits in the Lumon party - "my rotation"?… [more]
posted to FanFare by doctornemo at 6:50 PM on April 8, 2022

"where the hell is Dr. Reghabi?"

And Petey. What echoes remain of his life in the show?
posted to FanFare by doctornemo at 11:51 AM on April 9, 2022

Severance: What’s For Dinner?

Thoughts:

-Ah, the black goo Irving sees at Lumon echoes his outie's black paint
-I would not have pegged Irving as a Motorhead fan
-More of Mark S. as a manager trying to do right by his team
-Lumon has cameras inside of the refiners' monitors - a la _Nineteen Eighty-Four_
-love the 8-bit Kier cutscene
-retiring = death ("Mr. Graner has retired")
-the death corridor (down which Ms. Casey… [more]
posted to FanFare by doctornemo at 4:43 PM on April 1, 2022

That bit of medical gear was creepy indeed, Grangousier. Reminded me of some intimate religious relics.
posted to FanFare by doctornemo at 6:54 AM on April 2, 2022

Severance: Defiant Jazz

"The music dance experience is officially canceled."
Another great episode.

So much going on, and so many questions:
-is Reghabi really a former Lumon worker (or contractor), who is now making up for the severance horror?
-I love how Burt's outie's video appearance is very Christopher Walken
-What does "retirement" mean for the severed? The Board has (apparently) insisted reintegration doesn't occur. Do… [more]
posted to FanFare by doctornemo at 2:38 PM on March 26, 2022

And is The Lexington Letter an ebook?
posted to FanFare by doctornemo at 2:39 PM on March 26, 2022

Thank you, Nelson.
posted to FanFare by doctornemo at 3:27 PM on March 26, 2022

Lumon might want the option to be able to flip the switch on people for as long as they live.

That... is a very scary idea.
posted to FanFare by doctornemo at 11:27 AM on March 27, 2022

Good question, mochapickle. We know Lumon goes back to the 19th century. How old is severing?
posted to FanFare by doctornemo at 4:40 PM on March 27, 2022

Book: Severance: The Lexington Letter, by Anonymous

One newspaper article mentions Peggy was a David Niven fan.
That weirdly retro note echoes Ms. Cobel's mention of Clark Gable.
posted to FanFare by doctornemo at 11:40 AM on March 27, 2022

Sadly, I agree with Nelson. This text is disappointing.
The second half simply repeats stuff from the show: how to refine data, no communication with outie, etc.
The first half was a thin story.
posted to FanFare by doctornemo at 11:46 AM on March 27, 2022

Movie: Don't Look Up

*is this a dark backhand reference to 'Earth Abides' (1949)?

Oh, good call. I think so, given the coda.
posted to FanFare by doctornemo at 2:09 PM on December 26, 2021

I'm not sure about it.

It's damned preachy. This is full on satire in its attack mode. The idiots are irredeemable. And it explains itself far too many times.

Which works for me at times. I feel like this when I talk about climate change in many groups, especially academia. I despise celebrity culture. I hate tv "news." I'm not fan of Trump (the US president is clearly at least 1/2 Trump). I like scientists. I hate when people… [more]
posted to FanFare by doctornemo at 2:14 PM on December 26, 2021