March Madness: Mr. Nobody vs. Shuffle

(Thanks for reading all this month. Here's a comparative review.)

Round 1: Protagonist

Both in Mr. Nobody and Shuffle, the protagonist is trying to find to his own identity by going back and forth across time, like Lovell, or shifting through timelines, like Nemo.

But the difference comes from the perspective. In Shuffle, we have a sense that Lovell is reminiscing the past. That he’s looking throughout his life and come out knowing what is his true identity. But in Mr. Nobody, we see that we are looking towards to the future as the kid decides to make his decision regarding his parent’s divorce. This make the two protagonist diverge in their actions and motives.

Mr. Nobody, we see Nemo never trying to find out why this is happening, but rather just enjoy the flow and let the anomaly be the standard and that’s because he’s exploring his futures, just looking at possibilities. I mean what can you do when you don’t what’s coming?

Shuffle, however, makes Lovell more active in his involvement with him trying to find out why this phenomena is occurring and who do you have to save to break out of this cycle. As he starts to know about his life, he tries to fix it... but to no avail, compare to Mr. Nobody, in which his wanting to fix is always granted but never really factor into the story... instead being the whole motive of Nemo, it’s more like a transition gimmick, quick fixes to jump from one storyline to next.

In fact, Nemo doesn’t seem to have much motive except for finding out his true identity... in every timeline, it seems that Nemo has different priorities in life. From one that is material to one that is about his family to another which is about his love... and so on and so forth. He could be anyone, he could be a good guy one moment and bad guy the next, on the other hand Lovell has a clear motive of finding out who needs to save and getting out of this loop.

Sure, Lovell’s motive were given to him by a little girl but least he has a goal, a destination. Nemo just endlessly drift through possibilities, he doesn’t have a personality because he needs to find one... he doesn’t have conflict, as the timeline whisk the person away from one conflict and into another... and he doesn’t have a defining characteristic other than he doesn’t have one! The audience simply forget to care about him as we know that every obstacle is a farce and that eventually Nemo will settle on his perfect universe.

Overall, Nemo has nothing compared to Lovell, so Lovell is the better character here.

Round 2: The Lovers

In both movies, the protagonist has three lovers. In Mr. Nobody, we have Anna, who represents love and passion, Elise who represent regret and responsibility and Jean, which a example of a loveless marriage. Compared to Shuffle, in which have Grace, the one true love and the angel of the story, Linda who is the helpful second choice and the Nameless, which is also an example loveless relationship...

Now I, for one, are quite angry about the Asian lover being the loveless one, perhaps it’s the inversion of the horrid cliche or the reputation of Asian women being trophy wives but it’s sad to interracial relationship portray this certain way... although two characters are quite different.

Jean, for example, is quite enamoured by Nemo, she’s the only who greets the protagonist, instead of him greeting her. She is undoubtedly excited when Nemo comes up and dance with her, and she is quite upset that Nemo has never truly loved her throughout this marriage.

The Asian girl in Shuffle, on the other hand, was just a one-night stand and probably didn’t knew him very much when they bnaged each other and after respecting his decision to stay off her baby, she retaliates when Lovell wants to be with his son again. Perhaps she was angry at how Lovell just ran away without explanation, but we never truly know her background in the future scenes other that she’s angry at him and now has a husband, who is also white... and mean.

What I’m saying is Jean acts like a real character, one we wish we could see her more in the film than the scenes she got, while the Asian girl in Shuffle is just a badly-patched up character whose only job in the film seem to be the antagonizer for Lovell, and the foil to...

Linda, who Lovell marries after losing Grace. Linda seems like a responsible person, who carried Grace when she was drunk and seem to care for her children and her husband. And, well, that’s really it. Except for blowing the minds of shippers who is shipping Cam and Hodgins... (Camogin? Hodgincam? Hodge-Podge of goodness? I don’t know...)

Elise, however, seems to be the opposite of Linda, who have a serious bipolar disorder when not being exploded by a gas tank. She has a longing for Stefano... which looks like definition of foolish teenage love, and worries constantly about not being a good mother. (Then why you have three children?) Nevertheless, Elise is interesting character and we wait to see if Elise could get any better but she never really does, because Elise is not the right women for Nemo.

Anna is. She’s independent and passionate and have the most screen time and bonding time out of the three lovers. Conflict is one of Romeo and Juliet, where they never seem to get together. Really, it was matter of time before the parents figured out the brother and sister is acting more like lovers. They agree to meet at the lighthouse sometime and they are constantly worries about it... like they don’t have trust or there’s a sudden meteorite that’s going to fall down or something. Also, being never in love so much because you’re waiting for this one guy and when his only love comes back for her, that’s the detriment of the relationship... like if you saved all this time for this one person, why decides to wait? Perhaps it might be foolish but it seems to fit with the headstrong nature I’ve seen before. Anyways, they wait and wait until they finally meet at the end, when Nemo has made his decision.

Grace, however, slightly differs. Like Anna, she is a childhood friend, but Lovell never knew Grace’s love until much later. She seems to affinity for dogs and stands up to Lovell when he needs it... or not, which also similar to Anna. As mentioned before, she’s the angel of the story, one who espouses the meaning of his affliction to Lovell at the end. In all, Grace is seen as a caretaker, who fills up his faults and reinforces his strengths. But, that seems it, really. There’s not conflict between the two. Yes, Grace can’t have a baby and yes, she’s going to die soon, but other than that, they seem to be the perfect couple.

Overall, it looks like the other two lovers of Lovell is just there to complement the perfect relationship of Grace and Lovell, while Nemo’s wives portray contrasting and dynamic structures. It’s the wife that really puts the life in Nemo and all the better for it. Nemo’s lovers handles the complexity while Lovell’s just falters. Mr. Nobody gets a win.

Round 3: Other characters

The parent provide a base for both story, with Mr. Nobody being the central conflict and in Shuffle, a major obstacle. Nemo’s mother is lecherous, clueless woman, in which she doesn’t really realize Anna and Nemo are dating until the father has its suspicion. She tries to do her best ,but fail completely, which make the comparison between Elise and Nemo’s mom that much more potent, their difference being that Mom doesn’t realize how bad of a mother she is and Elise knows it way too well.

Lovell’s contention is with his father, who is a stiff patriarch and the town doctor with a side effect of his narcolepsy, which he ignores for his status when it might... you know, endanger someone like his daughter-in-law. His steadfast behavior is the main conflict in Grace’s love, including her death. In the end, father amends his feelings for Lovell and becomes happy to be a grandfather. He always looks out of Lovell for doesn’t do it the right way, which is what every father goes through at some point.

Nemo’s father doesn’t do much other being a little burden of young Nemo, who escape his misfortune by writing a space story and Lovell’s mother is the counterpart to his father,by supporting Lovell whenever Orson, the father, threatens him.

Other character are quite sparse and only helps to little parts of the story, so it’s really up to the parents and I say, Lovell’s parent are better portrayed.

Lovell’s father is well-imposing and all-too-familiar character and the family scene reminds me of my own family scenes sometimes, while the mother of Nemo is just little be too cartoonish to be any real substance. So, with that Shuffle gets another win.

Round 4: Cinematography

I personally like the cinematography of Shuffle. The color is toned down and muted, therefore giving a photographic effect which fit nicely to the theme of remembering your past. I liked how close much of scene were, which gave me the impression of intimacy as well being inside of a brain of someone. CGI was okay, I mean, it wasn’t spectacular but it wasn’t distracting.

But I have to hand to the massive project of Mr. Nobody. the color are brilliant, the camerawork is amazing and the whole editing give the sense of traveling through timelines very well. Perhaps Shuffle’s cinematography have its purpose, Mr. Nobody takes it one step farther and makes this surreal narrative even more surreal.

Round 5: Story

So, as always, the verdict comes to story. While both story features a gimmick of traveling through your own timeline, the two movie approach in a completely different way. So, let’s do this one by one.

The main story of Shuffle is that one man named Lovell is taken out the chronological burden and starts living in random order... or it seems. Turns out, there’s seemingly guardian who tells Lovell that he’s trying to save someone. Lovell think person to save is Grace, when in fact, it’s himself that needs to be saved as Grace wanted Lovell to look at all his past moment as he has a near death experience. He resolves his life and in the end remembers that he had a fantastic and dies to visit his Grace.

Although having the small town car crash syndrome, the story is quite simple and effective. We visit moments of his life where he had a big impact, and through that plot device, we discover why Lovell is Lovell today. It’s a very novel way to examine a person’s life and the characters fit together quite nicely.

Mr. Nobody is not that simple. Main story here is that Mr. Nobody is 118 years old and people want to know what happened to him, as Nemo tries to recount his story, he realize he’s going to different timelines which split from choosing his mom or dad and finally makes a decision to which life which is he going to live.

This is all good and all but the problem of this story is this. The timelines doesn’t make any sense. There’s some much hanging threads that, for me, tips over from mystery to annoyance. Why does three wives end up in the same city? Why does science segment suddenly switch timelines? Why show drowning in the car as a key feature when it has not much to do with the main plots of the film? The whole thing is a haphazard mess and I know this probably is intentional but for me it’s annoying and quite frankly, quite unnecessary. Sliding Doors and Run Lola Run never had this problem. Yes, some parts of those film were ridiculous but it least made some sense... this movie fail provide that and we end thinking ‘what the heck?’ rather than ‘huh?’

Compare this to Shuffle, which is meant to be a homage to Frank Capra, and manages it very well. Kurt Kuenne have take this fantastical plot device and use the device to create important point about relationship, family and memory. Van Dormael tries to talk about various topics like love and fear but it comes up too didactic and silly. So, it’s Shuffle that takes the cake today.

March Madness: The Bling Ring

Well, we'll round out the trilogy of female auteur in our 'reel scribbles' series with a Sofia Coppola film, that had been compared to Harmony Korine and Seth Rogen... oh boy. It's The Bling Ring, starring Emma Watson. Very excited.

 Very simple intro and an 'in media res' of group of teenagers sneaking off to the house... A 'inside' look at a... loud music...  too loud. Love the title and music is okay... They just stole like everything... I should laugh at a English person doing a American accent, but it supposed to be ridiculous... (Yes, I'm saying it's ridiculous) Awkward flashback. I am going to laugh at Leslie Mann doing the accent. Just doesn't fit her... So a boy, insecure, walks into a foreboding high school. Dipsy... Lala...  Casual bullying. New kid interest... casual talking. So, this is a dropout school... bad mouth... but no gun (not cool) Stop with the 'fast' jump cuts... you're scaring me. Such a stark cut...

The main girl and the new boy, who is fashion consciousness, and parent around the show business. Cuts are unnerving. So dark as well... So the boy just steal stuff. Who just leave... so, Rebecca... okay. The boy is now talking to a lawyer... obvs. Seems like all the teenager are just... evil? Amoral... Why I have the feeling to lock all the doors. There's bare minimum of soundtrack... stark. Like boy has a conscience but he just really ignores it.

First song... and the montage, it doesn't feel... also where's the... Sofia knows timing. Half party + half business... Hi, Dunst? There's no emotion! Nothing... it's uncomfortable. Even when we are at a party dancing... nothing. Just the beat. Emma dance quite aggressively. What is this, Social Network. I can see that? Yeah, love. Sure...

I just want Leslie Mann doing this forever... (Why are you in this house?) Look at that magazine cut... jsut apropos? What is this, Austin Powers? Anyway, Rebecca and the boy go to Paris Hilton's house... it's so freaky to just not comment how illegal it is. Just like we're in a episode of Through the Keyhole or Cribs or the combination of both... so much stuff... thanks, Coppola.

And our security paranoia is not founded. Everything is a background. You're such a good liar... because you have nothing. NOTHING! You are the lie! There's no inside security??? Seriously? There's not much plot in this thing... it's just observation. Little handheld. Why you have money inside? After much leering and (and Watson pole-dancing!) everything has no passion... even the car crash has no passion! Just the profile picture... that sucks out whatever there was.

The angle that emulate different surveillance camera, even though there is none... is interesting. Yes, taking the dog... like as they don't have logic... it's empty but with all the materials.

The movie doesn't say they are bad, because there is no bad... here. Random cutaways... there's been horrible example of this. There are house hunters... also there that security camera(?) shot again? Little zoom in at the end... seems no purpose.

Everything is either actual background or nothing... very little additional sounds. Dog door, beautiful. The boy has that little consciousness that makes it interesting... only real conflict. It's like The Stranger... they don't care about anything... the gun was loaded and they don't care. I know what Mr. Murphy is saying. And we're back to the start... That's too symbolic. Why? It's halfway through the movie... and justice comes in. Halfway!

When you watch Bad Movie Beatdown and seeing the appalling-ness of the current movies. This is the result... or the cause. Straight to the black market... drug and illicit affairs... then the mind-blowing sounds! When there's soundtrack, it's blows the whole brain away... (it doesn't end)

Actual lead-in, what is this movie? Family is either a construct or a formality. Crashing a house... Well, conflict. Her name is a Rebecca. It's not the police. Anger and emotion are now currencies... The main girl is... hooked? I guess. Manipulative... kind of. Are they going to get caught?

Good assessment... Oh god, stop with the loud soundtrack! My eyes... (Emma is a good dancer) A bang cut! Oh my god. Off to Lohan... There's strange moment of slow-motion... it's weird. Here's the camera. The cuts! There's martial strife, never mentioned. Boy tells the truth. Bulglarized? Seriously? That's not a word. The police is non-existent. Here's the police! Look at the soundtrack... it's very interesting.

Police sack the whole crew. It's was so obvious. I love how the nervous one was nonchalant and the cool and collected one was so upset. It's strange. Like the boy knew it.... and just wait for the days and the others didn't. All member at their place... like automatons. What a evil girl.

Of course, she's going to lie... she planned this out. Now that's a catchy title... that was precious. Rebecca blocked him... of, course. Look all the performance. I love the bickering of Mann and Watson. Everything is calculated... which is interesting. It's the culture. Does she have a goal...? I don't even know.

The boy really knows what's the tragedy here and he gives the spirit of the article... Back to normal? Well, the status is always unchanging. Look at the rehearsal... also security. (Very was little British) Good thing I know Korean... also it doesn't really matter. The blandness in compelling... the court just ends like that... with a slow motion walkout. So, the justice prevails. Right? The person behind looks weirdly at him. Look at him despondent... but with a knowing sadness.

Nikki... that's the name... awkward... she's a minor celebrity. What a great liar and omission-er. Great ending... I love the ending.

Final Verdict: A postmodern... piece. The ending was interesting but overall it was dull... purposefully dull. There wasn't a lot going on... well there were ,but there was no excitement. Overall, Coppola blames the events to the society itself. Not just the materialism or the apathy of Hollywood but the fact that our humanity is commoditized. If love or fame or happiness is sold and branded... what is left for humanity? It's a very hollow and dark feeling. A little bit of Stranger. A little bit of absurdist, not in the philosophy but in the outcome... no real motive... or consequences. Law and justice and morality is non-existent to them. It's very strange... very uncomfortable, indeed.

March Madness: Problem with Fiction

Idea Channel recently did two part episode about fiction and the realness of fiction. Mike Rugnetta talks about fictional objects having properties and therefore existence, even without reference, as in there’s no example of this object (as that’s the definition of fiction). But in the end, Mike talks about what I call the Duck Amuck corundum, as in can we change some aspect of the fictional object and still identify as that of the original fictional object, as Chuck Jones put it,

"Who is Daffy Duck anyway? Would you recognize him if I did this to him? What if he didn't live in the woods? Didn't live anywhere? What if he had no voice? No face? What if he wasn't even a duck anymore?"

And if you seen Duck Amuck, answer probably is yes. We have seen Daffy Duck throughout the cartoon, he didn’t just poof out of existence and pop back again in the end. He was really there, present at all the scenes. It’s like a super-amped Ship of Theseus, what if we replace one part of ship with metal or a engine till it turned to a robot or a car or a living being, is that The Ship? Or something else completely? And if so, when did the ship disappear?

Mike goes in a different point-of-view talking about all the possible Harry Potter from all the different writers and artists and actors and saying that all of these depiction of ‘The Boy Who Lived’ exist or is Harry Potter, then we should lose all concept of Potter.... That empty reference, or do we have to manually check it ourselves?

That’s where Kissing in the Rain come in. The series could be appreciated of two actors unwittingly kissing in the rain, over and over again and hijinks that ensues at that fate. But at the background, the creator Yulin Kang is devising an experiment that would the ideas above.

Basically he’s letting the fans fill in the gaps. All that Wild Mass Guessing and conspiracy theory about Lily and James could become true and ‘canon’ as the series progress. There’s a tumblr blog in which the production team collects all fanfics that became... canon, and you can build on this new canon to propel the story.

This harken back to the first part of Mike Rugnetta’s video where he wonders if the London in Wars of The Worlds that was not explained... real? Yulin Kang admits that the episodes in Kissing in the Rain does not tell the whole story. It’s only the part the production team imagined at the time... and that others can imagine the other parts and that would be... real! Well, in a some sense. Mike goes on to talk possibilism and ‘World as Myth’ ideas... which either silly or true (or both)... but let’s get back to the topic.

I talked (it’s deleted) about the corundums of fiction and reality with respect to Lizzie Bennet Diaries and Versus Valerie. Namely, how web brings the pretense of realness to fictional character to the new level and how interaction gives a corundum of what is real, like what we talked above. (I have to go into little more detail since I can find the original post, so the corundum is this. On one side, we have a character who thinks she’s real and that world she’s inhibiting is real and follows the same laws as our world, while on the other side we have people who ‘know’ she’s not ‘real’ and that they basically know how the ‘story’ will progress. Yet they are interacting with each other. On Versus Valerie corundum goes that we had the above pretense, without knowing the ‘future’ part, and then we have a ‘different’ ‘interpretation’ that is more traditional, as in there’s no interaction and yet the interactive series continue! So we have a character in which we can interact and one that peer into her thoughts. Creepy.)

There’s another example that I want to share and that Will Dixon’s Timespawning series which is really confusing, but that’s not the point here. The point is that Will Dixon gave up ‘control’ of the series and let the fans continue the story... But the question goes can you really give up that power... or is the object within the Timespawning multiverse inherently his? Or if all the possibility of the Timespawning by the fans real... then what is real? Isn’t that confusing for you?

Because it sure is for me. All these internet stories crumbling the unwritten rules of fiction and disseminating to unimaginable pieces. At least, the stories are nice.

March Madness: The Art Assignment

A quick and dirty review today.

The Art Assignment is a PBS digital production hosted by Sarah Urist Green. Well, PBS is really only the funder, as The Art Assignment staff are mostly from the 'nerdfighteria' studios, which got their start from a grant by Google in 2011 to start Crash Course and SciShow and soon became a 10+ channel empire.

The 'nerdfighteria' studios consist of two arms which are separated by geography. Indianapolis, or John side, does most of the series by the 'production' and outsource much of their pay, while Missoula, or Hank side, does the merchandise with occasional filming of SciShow and Crash Course.

Which means to say that The Art Assignment aligns more closely with Metal Floss or The Brain Scoop than PBS Idea Channel or Off/Book, which is also a PBS digital production. But still there's that PBS feel that exude from this series, perhaps it's the gentle soothing music and emphasis on art and the media rather than science and facts.

Sarah Urist Green, once known as 'The Yeti' by her husband and occasional co-host, John Green because she avoid the camera on the Vlogbrothers channel, actually does a competent job at running the show and the shyness before actually prevails here as she steps to the background most of the time and let the artist and the art speak for itself.

This gives an ease of causality, that you are not forced to do this assignment, or be pressured into needless perfection, rather you could take a casual stroll or dive in deep without the series losing its atmosphere. The banter of the couple is great with John Green, dutifully playing the clueless 'normal' person, while giving his own insights and the artists not only shows their creative prowess but the humane nature underneath, which is the key difference of seeing things on the web compared to TV or film, the interactive-ness.

Overall, Sarah makes a great foray to the burgeoning web media, with enabled interactivity and humane spirit of the show within. A wonderful show to tune in every week.


 

March Madness: Love's a Bitch, 8 Dates, Meet Zoe and other stuff...

(this was a script for a pilot that never took off. Well, least that's what I like to think of as)

Hello and welcome to YouTube Recommendation. I’m David Kim. And today’s first recommendation comes from Jezebel and it’s a web series about breaking up.

Love’s a Bitch, produced by Jeff Schwartz, you know that guy is who is too nerdy on Collegehumor... and stars Jamie Lee... you know her, is about (as I said earlier) mutual break-up that goes (as always) awry.The series is quick-paced with humor sprinkled throughout and overall it’s a solid web series for those who think it’s over but it’s not... but it actually reminds me of a different romantic love series.

The 8 Date is story of Ava, who is... not good at dating. Matt, her cousin, is a waiter and pressure Ava to date every week for 8 weeks, hence 8 dates. There’s vlogging and dating and all that good stuff, but what I really like about this series is that it’s an independent series created by one my favorite creators , Matt Koval. Like all Koval’s work, the music is superb and humor is nicely subtle. Also I like the sequence of starting with Ava vlogging about the date, which cuts to the actual professionally made segment of the date and comes back to vlogging when the disaster happens, then after the outro, there’s the obligatory responding to comments with funny jokes in between. This really  makes the fictional date sit nicely in the line between “I’m making a video/entertaining an audience” part of vlogging and “Actual showing of real life” part of vlogging and therefore doesn’t stick out as much. And I think all vlog series need to find that balance.

It’s short, it has a nice arc and it ends with a sad book end that is perfect for any valentine’s day. I really like this show when it came out and still like it today, and the guest stars are a plus. So I recommend you watch 8 dates, along with Life’s a Bitch.

My next recommendation come from Michelle Potter, friend of the show, and it’s called Limit Does Not Exist and it features Alivia, yes Alivia with an A... and they are basically asking a bunch questions from their experience together... I really like the fresh approach to questionnaire video and I really like this girl, Alivia... her channel is “MeetZoe” which makes you wonder how Alivia has a channel named MeetZoe? Is her middle name Zoe, or is it the other way around? Alivia, long for Zoe, somehow? Well, it’s a complicated story.

See, MeetZoe was originally hosted by Zoe, who was this weird Australian gal... that did stuff, it’s hard to say... anyway, people liked her then she disappeared, with a notice saying that she is holding a contest to see who’s getting their channel and Alivia was the one. Yeah... that’s that. Pretty weird, isn’t it? Just disappeared, with no info on sight. Wonder where she’s gone...

Wait, you know where Zoe might be? You think you seen her... in this video? Well, let’s roll the tape! (Rewind sound) The 8 Date is story of Ava, who is... huh, let’s go back to Zoe... (Rewind sound) Zoe, who was this weird Australian gal... Well, that is the exact same girl! That’s why I couldn’t make her up... she was acting!

Well, yes. It turns out Zoe was not a Perth-born aspiring actress named Zoe, but Perth-born aspiring actress named Mem. And yes, she’s not a clueless maniac, she just plays one on the Web. Seriously, Ava is just Zoe with an American accent, if you think about it... strange type-casting.

So, basically what I’m saying is... this is weird. So, you have two different fictions. One, which clearly implies it’s fiction and one who does not. 8 Dates, tries make this fiction real, as in communication and mutability with the characters, but there’s always implication that it’s an simulation, that this is a trick... Zoe, on the other hand, doesn’t imply the trick of fictionality. You could go on believing Zoe’s real and... go on with your life. Whether Zoe is real or not... doesn’t really factor into the story. Yes, it’s an conceit but a loose one, one which you could satisfy as a Australian girl taking random stuff and taking on LA or an Australian girl playing a clueless young aspiring actor... the joy is not lost.

These type of stories question the problem of belief in fiction. Is Ava an creation of Matt Koval? Well, not really as she builds on the ideas of the commenters. Is Zoe fiction? What to those who thinks she’s real? Doesn’t that belief justify the realness of Zoe? Whether you think Zoe is real or fake, Zoe is a same person who puts out the same videos. So, how’s that fictionality any important? The content is same... and that’s probably something we need to think about for a long while.

Yes, this was a response to Mike at the Idea Channel. So, watch Mike’s video and what the heck?; watch all the videos I mentioned in the description. I recommend it.

March Madness: Across the Universe

Hello, welcome back to 'reel scribbles' where my thought are recounted and recorded in stimulation of a movie.

Continuing the female director trend, today's movie is Julie Taymor's 2007 movie, Across the Universe.

We start with a man sitting a beach Is this James Blunt? No, this is actually good. Man starts to tell a story about a girl... like Lord of the Rings? Paper and waves and military in collage. The scene coalesces to a disco ball in a 50's dance. Turning to 70's rave Showing the universality of Beatles... I get it Taymor... Two love story... different aesthetic, same story.

Liverpool? Dockyard. A man is getting his last paycheck... because he's going to America! The boy scretly opens a box... mother and father in WWII. The girlfriend is little pissed, but a song makes it better. This is slightly uncomfortable at this moment. Other boy is gone to war... Dayton, a cheerleader starts the next song. It's the other boyfriend, the quarterback... typical. Hey, look out... stop your nonchalant walking here... this is not a... oh, okay carry on. The girl is now hitchhiking... or is it the boy? Boy is in college? Well, a different boy is rushing and a meet that boy hitchhiking. The boy meets... well, his father, it seems.

Jude and Mr. Huebert gets a awkward conversation. Blonde boy brakes a window using a golf ball and runs to the boy again. Blonde boy is Max... after little college Newsies... I like this use of convention of musicals. Also, why is Joe Crocker song on a Beatles musical (little late for that joke, son.)

Who are you (Insert Shuffle line here) and what with adoption. Lucy? Who's Lucy? Oh, that girl... I forgot. After a typical song... we cut to Jude and the Hold Your Hand girl then back to Lucy. Okay... Lucy is Max's... sister? Heartwarming... much like real Thanksgiving. (Joke was lost there.) Good job... anger is awkward... Taymor has a weird arguing scene. Lucy and Jude talk that earlier storyline. Normal... hahaha... it got awkward, again.

Bowling scene song okay... I like the acoustic setting... then this is weird. Bad CGI! New York. Grimy tenant. The house is nicer. Hi, Sadie? Aspiring fox... I guess. Nice subversion!! Is there a alien attack? Well someone's dead... race riots... U2 will crying with joy with this... promo piece? Lucy's boyfriend, I think is dead. Is this Vietnam... Korea, maybe? Black boy is lying in state. This already four storylines, it's too much.

Fade to black boy riding a bus. Always interesting how the singer is always announced and everywhere? Taymor can definitely lead a several people. Jude likes drawing. After introducing 60's New York... black guitarist plays for Sadie. Jude give prints. A husky pimp and a nice work. Jo-Jo and Jude talks music and Prudence pops in to merge the story. Masterful work, Taymor. Lucy wants to flees to New York... true... I can see the Gilligan cut. Sadie is the main singer. That was... weird. Thanks. It's a good enough intro. Free love and stuff... (Michael Aranda non-existence is the term... you need to dig for the reference.) Deli. Max gets the induction. Prudence... thank you. Max burns and... dodges.

He won a medal... thank you for that info. Emotion flees to awkwardness for some reason. Well, Jude is exempt... and painting. Great Unwashed... what a term. Abandoned place and throwing the cop off. Again, the song just popped... like give a transition. So, that's the conflict... that was a haphazard one. You have a weird penchant for jump cuts. So... Max... your sister with your friend? Little pissed. Max goes for inspection. It was imposing then it got funny so that's that. Am I in a Terry Gilliam movie again. That was just too much... Taymor. Learn French or die. Sadie and Joe are together with reprise and Prudence just wants revenge. You should check your psychiatrist with this behavior.

Dear Prudence... funny. Am I in Harry Potter now? Peace march... I see. Washington Square... LBJ is a long way there. Are you Steve Jobs? What with Max? Sadie and the manager gets a meeting. Okay, maybe the manager is more of a executive. The big party for the tenants... pink punch is new? (Also, Prudence just written out... just have to point that out.) Awful... slowly turning. That's your trip sequence... just feels weak. No, no, no... That's the film developed. Summer house? HQ of summer stuff. Stop with the face. Just... oh, he left. Oh, it's Lucy who's talking 'stone'. (Nice twist.) I'm still thinking this is Terry Gilliam. Not you.

Well, this is just silly... with a silly person. Prudence??? Ah, don't... I'm not in the 60's, I'm in the bad part of the 90's... uk. So we found Prudence (what a coincidence) now we're in Louisana. Or in Signs. This is the multiple couple sing the same song trope thing... is this supposed to be renaissance? Get to the chopper... (too apropos?)

Max in Vietnam... Jude still drawing. Lucy serving and working. Something disappeared... Jude sings... well. Lucy's a busy women... destined to death... Sadie and the PO Boys are doing well. Jude worry without Lucy. I really hope this is a stage fight... nope, nope, this is real. Well, Joe can carry on his own. Daniel's supports... I don't know. Hmmm... I hint that this might be setting up for a very classic plot. Sadie hits the road home. Jude has a road block. Oh, there's Steve Jobs... Liverpool got strong over the year... Living-work room, like that combo.

This is really awkward conflict but it feels real, so that's nice. Jude smokes hard... (Ooh, I know what song is coming) Look at that art. Vietnam is Nebraska-y this year.Ah, I see the red. There's a... it's a metaphor. I get it. Don't need to press it... Don't press it. Zoom out washing machine. Lucy zoning out. Jude got a job. Parker or Jobs... Laundromat... I lost my thought. I mean, it's not that kind of war... There is 49 women...  this argument scene is quite nice actually... You never see him... period. You kind of... whatever.

MLK assassination. Now we finally get the timeline. So, it started in '64... It must have been. Joe sing to a empty lounge. Sadie is such a diva... Jude goes to drinking. See the mess... seriously that's the face. does the baby want a lollipop? Least Jude is hanging out with a friend. Well, Lucy left. Look at that mustache... alternate universe... I see. Nice composition. Nihilism and passion. Three POV colliding in a dangerous way. Well, Lucy is going down and Max... still fighting. It looks like a stage. Oh, that's blood. Well, that was a BLAM... yes, the floating heads... nice.

Jude is locked in. (Irony? Coincidence? It's something.) Oh, it's the father, you know from a hour ago. Oh, also Jude is going back, so that thread is going to tie. Liverpool, once again. Hey, girlfriend is married. That's nice. Again, awkward. But needed awkwardness. Liverpool is grimy but so nice. Max is severe shock and Lucy is visiting. That is a shock. Nice. Also, Max didn't really change a bit.  (Oh, that must have hurt.)

Fade to, another demonstration. Hello, mom. You still talking about Daniel... Stay in the box. Just you won't die... I think. Max looks on. Joe is playing somewhere. Lucy return to that fateful room. What is with the original music...? Okay, but yeah bombs... not good. Jude is back working in the docks. Too fast. Is Lucy dead? I don't think... well we're now back to the frame. Lucy and Max look out to the world. Jude look back. What's he going to do...

Down a pint for Jude and Max. Hey Jude ends the story and for a better ending. So, Jude goes back to find the love... least for the last time. Come on, Eileen? Jude and Max finally meet. Sadie is on the chart. ON the rooftop back with Joe. Oh, look at that design. Oh, everything is coming back together. Don't try to drawn out and Jude? Jude? Don't end like this... oh, okay. Please do end like this. Are you ripping off Love Actually... seriously. Okay, I'm fine with that! That is quite a nice touch.

Lucy's song come at the end.

Final thoughts: It's cheesy at some points and stupid at others but overall it's nice. Also, if don't like musicals and someone else just like it and want you change your mind... this might be the one to start. Just saying. Overall, a nice production. (Also... yeah, that's what I thought, also huh.)

March Madness: Cloud Atlas, Past Again

Final Verdict on the bottom.

Letters From Zedelghem
Too much reference and self-reference for my liking. I'm not getting anything here. Maybe I just don't like the narrator... he's stuffy and a... wanker. Least, he does the half reference. Then the story just meanders to a slow and soft halt. It's blaise work... I don't really care for it.

The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing
This part seems like a new start... I like this part better strangely. I guess the description dropped off and the general observation is nice to read. Weird racism. Interesting developments and the ending is at Honolulu... much like the chronological ending. It's yeah...

Final verdict
Strange book. I can't see why so much people were so excited about it. The conceit were shown quite delibrately and it's not hard to write with constraint... like how it's easier to decorated a jungle gym as the structure can handle the ornaments... a flat boring house, however need nails and umpteenth amount of creativity to be any festive. But the story as a whole, I could it's there, but it's not great. Sure, the structure might be revolutionary but as Kyle put it... the story structure have been for centuries. No one wants you create something new... in the end. They just want a good story. Did we get one? Eh. Least that's my take.

March Madness: True Detective, Ep. 8

We start at the house of the killer. Talks to a dead father, whistle... typical killer. Sudden britishness... more villainy. Seriously why with the rough Brit accent? and incest, obviously. Let's move away from that and through the landscape for a interrogation. What is this, Crystal Skull? After some primitive torture, family background and chain of command... that's bureaucracy, right? Well, he still works at a school getting kids or miss. Nice threat and sniper thing... oh yeah, that's real. Tuttle genealogy... and green ears. Then matching picture... we're going for a painter. After talking about Maggie, judgy,after a grandmother give credence and but no clue... Childress did painting for school and stuff... after much... dog-barking. Rust sets the blackmail. Current detective also barks... Marty counters by speaking riddles. Nice car. Seeing and tasting things... we're going to spooky territory here. No signal... good. Little lag and the dog... yes, the dog. A dead dog, to be exact. Why do anybody else do that? Just curious... Okay, we must put all the creepy thing in this house. Big Echo in the... fort? You found the dad... good job. Looks a very secret fort. I thought I was in Fort Boyard...  You are close... to the heart. Random words. Come die with me, come die with me, my dear. Marty is hard time taking this. Look at that set design. That's a nice silo. Well, that's not Neil DeGrasse Tyson. Is Rust dead? Is Marty dead? Well, that guy is dead. That is absolutely disgusting.  See the flare up in the sky... Symbolism!!! That was quite of trip, Marty. Rust... is in a coma? Look, it's Maggie and the daughters... fade to... national news. And Rust slowly watching himself. Looking at the sky above. Two guys bantering... yes, I reference it in the last recap... thanks, Cohle. Oh, there's still mystery... back to the house... and the swamps... the previous case... houses by the river... scene of the crime... and to the hospital. All well for the detectives. Rust can feel her daughter... awwww... and the Rust's heart grew three sizes that day. Well, I gather they had a nice talk or something because my power went out but it's okay... look at them walking together into the night.

Overall verdict: It's a simple story done grand and masterfully. There is this facade that this is going to some deep truths or something, but they did nothing of that sort... least out loud... they just told their story and let the hearers work it out for themselves... whether you go deep inside the bayou or past in route to Florida, the teams here is just happy that you came in and listen to little bit of their story. That's what I got.

March Madness: Cloud Atlas, "Present" Again

You know, I still don't feel electrified by this book.

Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish
Stroke, oh no! Well, back to the original plot. This is too ridiculous. Also, nice job giving a reason for splitting the story in two. Overall, meh.

Half-Lives: The First Luisa Rey Mystery
Little philosophizing, little too much random references... It's little dull, but it's okay... I guess. I like how the second and third is tied up quite a bit. Exciting at moments but overall, dull. Nice conncetion to the previous story, though.

March Madness: True Detective Ep. 7

Close-up of jukebox... song plays. Rust and Marty meet again in the empty bar. Rust feels threatened by the accusation and Marty feels suspicious... Rust feels like something is missing... and Marty doesn't want his... ideas. Marty gets out. Rust pesters and Marty gives in. Rust's storage space... is just a working room. Rust realize Marty is packed but doesn't really mind. Rust throwing up stats... 2010... drag queen and Rust appears. Little sleep paralysis and men taking pictures with animal faces... more men... okay, man with a scar... winter festival in bayou... rampant with the hurricane... Marty thinks it's compelling but too... 'conspiracy'... Rust still interest Marty... Marty visit Maggie and kids are all right? Maggie points her view... Marty talks his dilemma. Rust invades Tuttle's house... nice work. Girls blindfolded with antlers... and a video of some occult stuff, creepy occult stuff. That was very harrowing... at least to Marty and Marty quickly ends his meeting to Maggie. Empty desks line Marty's current job... match.com... seriously? Rust and Marty had some boring lives past few years. Marty sweet-balms a friend to give some cases... Marty goes digging. Who are you... oh. since '85... yikes. Little interrogation begins again... let's follow the third man... little info there... weird song. Background for Tuttle... and Carcossa... Sheriff of Iberia parish gives some clues about a little girl... all lies, though. Maggie visits Rust's place. Rust carefully avoids her questioning... Marty saw the baby microwave and quit, right then and there... Rust came back for same stuff he said earlier. Little sting and more information. The two current detectives finds the lawnmower man from '95... and there's the scar. What's that boat?

March Madness: Cloud Atlas, The Future

Welcome to an extra long section of this note/review. Personally, I think this might be my favorite part.

An Orison of Sonmi~451
This format is perfect for adaptation... it's sadness to see it... ruined? I suppose? I guess this whole thing is interesting. Whole business structure seems eschewed, though. The theme's are more concrete now.

Sloosha's Crossin' An' Ev'rythin' After
I agree on what other say about language, it's different yet not hard to read... it's like how most comedian imitate other language... It's sound Chinese, yet you understand every word they say. Very clever. The story is little interest... but the way that Zachary's son directly linked the stories was brilliant. Perhaps all stories end like this.

An Orison of Somi~451(... again.)
The story is done before and trite... I've seen great animation with the same premise, but now that I realize that all stories end with the beginning of another story... perhaps I'll check.

March Madness: True Detective Ep. 6

Episode takes a break from the frame... Marty finds the perpetrator of Audrey's... fling and give a stern talking and beating. But Marty is sick as well... Marty slowly tries to figure out Rust's plight. Rust interview a father, very worried father. Now the current detective question Maggie, now an ex. Back to the focus on the lead... Maggie has a trust in Rust... Marty goes to T-Mobile and TJ Maxx and that thing called Fox and Hound... there's that T-Mobile girl again... which seems to be a history... it's that flat circle again, isn't it. Rust returns to the Reverend. Tuttle? Littie incidents... and mystic children... this gets interesting. So, Beth is from that place... you know, with that lady and stuff. You know... Don't go, Marty... Nice work, cinematographer. Another interrogation from Rust. This time, a girl who had a child... and there is thing called Munchausen syndrome by proxy. Rust left again... and Rust is getting tired of Marty. At the hospital, Rust goes up to the girl. You know that Rust and Marty 'saved'? Well, that was quiet cheap. Rust following a lead... mass conspiracy. Frayed partners... Tuttle stuff... and Marty can't take the logic anymore. Who's honking? Maggie's doing laundry and clothes seems unfamiliar, at this context at least. Well, that's a smoking gun there. No, Marty... Maggie is doing the stare... 'thank you' that's great... Ah, double-down route... very nice. What's with dirty martinis? Maggie strongly defends Rust. ugh, segway. That's okay... files... flooding, again? Rust does very well... I'll be thinking of you Talking to Beth, Marty, I see... Marty is running away with a... weird girl. Marty is sick, it's look like. Rust is suspended. Antlers are nice touch. Maggie cometh. Rust is consoling and a nice background with... more counseling, it seems. Okay, Rust finds out the trick and... yeah, that was expected. Maggie does the turn-around. Good work from Maggie. Rust takes a beating. Marty goes down. Rust quits. We fade into the scene again... you know, the honking... that was Rust. Such a good camera work. 

March Madness: Cloud Atlas, The "Present"

(It's relatively present, what I mean is.)

Half Lives: The First Luisa Rey Mystery
Even the title feels fake... Now, I like this story better, one I felt was little trapped, but this story is more sprawling... or maybe I just like present stories better. There's still miffs and I have the outline ready... So, this is where all the meta-story really begins... I like it, because all the connection seem too coincidental... Kind of literary Brechtian approach of 'this is fiction...'  You are like, okay, someone just half-put this shooting star birthmark... what is this, Pan's Labyrinth? Anyway, good but doesn't interests me.

Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish
We're going from massive style to massively unreliable narrator... Mitchell tries the six examples of literary error... This chapter is full of reference to the past, the future and every motif that the stories have to coincide with, so the unreliable narrator is good for that. Other than that, really the smallest of events here... I can't really believe the two more stories can spring out from this...

Well, extra long-session day after tomorrow.

March Madness: True Detective Ep. 5

In the industrial wasteland, Rust and Ginger wait for a man. A dealer, specifically. Dealer doesn't like Rust, so the deal ends there. Yeah, that feels 80's... Tied up Ginger to Ladeux... 2012 Rust wants the new file... the detectives goes tracking. After going through booby traps... we see the structures and the house. We see a man coming through... seems like a juxtaposition. This detail seems little off... the detective arrest Reggie... Reggie acts crazy and the flat circle line... well, he's dead. And he's dead. So, what happened... with the story... well, the secret was a woman... very nice ruse. The two brings the kids. After a remark about repetition... everything do return. Marty is with Maggie again, roller skate in a circle, Maggie is uncomfortable, though... Rust now have a relationship... but how many of that is... are we just going to ruminate the rest of the episode? That was weird... time skip 2002 goths, worst kind of goth... did Maggie got younger? Rust still ruminating... with Laurie? Seems the teenager have gone... over her head. Nice slap. M-brane, I know. That's not entirely... Interrogation by Rust... Rust giving tips? So, the case is hot again. Oh, really hot now! Yellow King! Marty's aging and traps of time, that's some Sartre stuff, conspiracy? Suicide.., April 1st? Case returns again. Connection to Francis... Cohle suspect? Rust returns once again... Rust finds some error on the archive... 2013 Rust haven't got much... 2002 Rust, however, is looking deeper. Yeah, that doesn't look like Rust... Rust acts like Moriarty, you're saying... Rust leaves the scene. Current detective pressure Marty... 2002 Rust goes deep and finds the mother-lode... Again, nice cinematography... This series has nice scenes.

March Madness: Cloud Atlas, The Past

So, this is the first two 'halves' of the story... then it will be the next two 'halves' of the story... then we will cover the whole 2 last stories and then two "present" then two past... all right?

The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing
Nellie is an interesting ship name... It's shill to comment on White savages and humanness of the slaves... I mean it just feel ham-fisted. Nice garnish of the scene, Mitchell is known to be good at this. Yeah, I know, I know... jeez. Mixing of the races are nice... Still I feel the ham thrusting at my eyes and I feel like a mother who slightly nods and her son's 'masterpiece.' There's cleverness, but it's not wonderful... Yeah, the story is nice, but eh... it's not getting to me. Lot of details, little plot and that abrupt ending is... I don't know.

Letters from Zedelghem
Weird font... Yes, similarities but also why so many details? I know you need it, but it's a journal, a letter, it doesn't have to be that dense of knowledge. Yes, I know that's the point, but it still feels weird. I feel every fault can be wished away as a theme. Bad writing, oh, it's just fictional. Bad story, but you see it's all connected... I just feel like cheated. Also, it feels the protagonists are deliberately hiding the story... it deflates tension and makes the book boring. It has a pique but no more than that. This story ends cleanly, so that's interesting. Also, nice job bringing up Elgar... doesn't seem needed, but okay.

March Madness: True Detective, Ep. 4

Recap/Review

Charlie is very angry... the detective talk about Reggie... and Charlie is quite exasperated. Charlie believe Reggie is a creep, and rightly so. Devil worship and what not... Carcossa and Yellow King and spirals... well, all the clues are coming through... Tyrone have something... family all disappeared... it's little awkward now isn't it... the secretary is angry... after briefing, the guys try to find Tyrone, mom have no lead, girlfriends tell nothing... Marty feels awkward, but the bartender after haggling... little lead. Maggie goes and separates... by Lisa, no less. So I guess this is the awkward episode. No one wants to give access... Marty goes deep in to the case... after following to the wilderness... a rave is happening. But maybe the rave is not the main concern... because there's Tyrone. Reggie and bike gang... Iron Crusaders... Marty goes the Maggie's workplace... Marty tries profusely, but the deal has gone too far... Rust has some weapons and a drink... Rust brings the work to break up Maggie... Marty blames but Rust brings the truth... Rust says getting close... Rust shows his gun to Marty and his gruesome story... (leave of absence... pop's leukemia...) Marty apparently needs to live at Rust's place now... Rust steals cocaine from the evidence room... Rust talks to Maggie about the relationship... but it doesn't really pan out. Sting is in operation... he got in and after talking (accent is different...) the coke is deployed and the cook's identity is almost there... it's almost when Marty... goes in but it doesn't give suspicion, it looks like. Almost there and plan is starting to set... they lead the black guy to the dealing place... the heist is not done well... so, Plan B... total miss they bring the ginger all around the town, till Marty shows up... so a crime bust and a major lead... the whole scene is such a beauty of camera-work... all the panning and blocking of the street reminds me of David Fincher...

March Madness: The Cloud Atlas, Part 3

The thrilling conclusion to the balloon of EXPLOSION!

Chapter 15
Lot of revelation, lot of thoughts and lot of hmm... yeah.

Chapter 16
What is this madness? The stories are confounding me and I don't understand... huh?

Chapter 17
There's a lot to say about this chapter but really it just comes down to what intricate mess this is... all the character and mysticism and... it's messy and beautiful.

Chapter 18
What a mess, this four people act is making me sweat... It's very tense and I like it!

Chapter 19
Sad and interesting ending... I mean what would you do, other than what he did? Everyone was just... out.

Chapter 20
The story has gone haywire and I can't really read it without squinting... hopely this doesn't last long.

Chapter 21
So, Ronnie's dead and Louis went back to Gurley's place and killed himself as well?? I lost track after Lily's journey... much like Louis, it's only a blur...

This book surprised me, like many reviewers. The characters I read was unique and interesting and stories embedded in tapestry was beautiful and masterful. I think Cloud Atlas is going to more coherent than this story... but probably not as magnificent. I don't know. I'll just have to surprised. Next time.

March Madness: True Detective, Ep. 3

Recap/Review

So after the discovery of the painting, we move to a very passionate sermon and weird clues. Rust mulling about religions and pity? with little atheist arguments... after questioning the pastor, there's some clues but not much... the wife has more information. Rust is slowly thinking... and inquires Byrd. Rust squrmishes the current detectives. After hearing little horror, no lead. Rust seems convinced of the primitive culture. Wordplay later, detective send notice.  Maggie gives some advice to Rust, when Marty comes to home. Marty is very skeptical, typical of someone doing suspicious, and Rust just walks away. Maggie and Marty is concerned about the their child's drawing... looks like red herring. Weird perspective. Maggie is not effective... not that I don't like her or anything. Marty has the Gatsby syndrome... Marty backs down and tries to flounder and... succeeds? Again, I'm not sure what's the effect here... Quickly moving to the case... we move on the advanced interrogation in the 'box' and one confess... Rust starts to pile through the stacks... Rust then tries... dating, I suppose.  Am I in the That 70's Show again? Synthesia and cheater cheats... let's gets some cheater cheating out of the way. And the woman goes away... good thing another is turning back... Marty tries jealousy... Thank you, Rust... Nice Gilligan cut... Marty goes for the scare... Rust just stands still. Maggie calls Rust... perhaps for a companion, perhaps getting a companion. Rust finally found a previous case. At the Pelican Island, Marty ask for forgiveness for Rust doesn't give it nor has the capabilities. Old man gives scant clues... so, the guys move to the school. Mowing the empty school seems... symbolic Look at clues converging to Ladeu (?)... Rust ends with a speech about happiness of death Always look for the bright side of death... And we're moving to the slasher territory. 

March Madness: The Cloud Atlas Part 2

Continuing notes...

Chapter 9
Callahan has nice descriptions, but... how! what! how! It's inconceivable! But it feels so real.

Chapter 10
Each chapter has a nice rise and fall... steadily raising tension and releasing... no, it just keep going up...

Chapter 11
One bad thing: This book is little disjointed, it talks about one thing and delves into another. Also, it's implausible. Also, this is why I love this book. And lastly, I like how Callahan is playing around with the narrative.

Chapter 12
the truth, the horror, the message! What will happen next?

Chapter 13
Well, that was strange.. yet a standard end of second act breakdown. Okay.

Chapter 14
And then we reach the prologue segment. I think it couldn't been done any other way... this way is best for world as a whole... and not because it's a dramatic convenience. No option would have been better.

Mach Madness: True Detective Ep. 2

Recap/review

Strange sculpture makes the mystery more confounding. The detective ask some questions for victim's mother, but mother goes off in weird tangents then massive migraines... or stroke? Rust's parent is a mystery... as always. After talking to victim's friend, Rust questions the religions. Detectives go down south but nothing. Days go on... nice cinematography. Rust tell Marty about the martial problems and goes on talking about the job and the wife and whatever... victory in identity Marty tells his story to his co-workers and calls drunk for 'good of the family' (press 1...) That's a weird surprise. (Daddario looks like Keri Russell today... which makes me more uncomfortable.) Miranda, I presume (That's a joke) does whatever cheaters do... Marty has visions... (seems better than a job...) seemingly drug influenced. He takes depressants. He doesn't take other women... he just interrogates. Apparently, as seen, she's the 'order' part of the law system. Also wants things. Anyway, Rust catches on quickly. Quite literally, he has a death grip. After much souring of the car, the guys talk to the narcotic tips... after much pushing, they lead to the house... the main leader and a friend... again she's going to church... After much interesting talk, we look at the ledger and the King in the Yellow... and Carcosa. Marty still upset... and Rust on a trail. Rust was on a psych hospital before busting down some narcs then undercover... eventually came to Louisiana with PTSD and stuff. After Corinthians, Marty's family come together and Maggie and his wife-in-law has some talk... Dad is suspicious... Maggie is very suspicious. Rust continues his case with fruitless searching and some funding... Marty is frustrated and Maggie doesn't want to take it. Kid playing detective... Rust explore more of Mesopotamian theology. Occult stuff just frustrates them, like they should... (?) People don't like Rust and the case is getting too long... after pleading for little time... they finally go to the church. It's a old, abandon church... typical place for a cult. Rust is reading the clue though... or least the deer painting.

March Madness: The Cloud Atlas Part 1

This is the first impression to a full-blown review I'm going to do one day. This is The Cloud Atlas by Liam Callahan, Part 1.

Chapter 1
Wow, what a opening. The narrative might distracting for some people but it was all right for me. We go through three culture that intersect three times in Alaska's history and does them all effortlessly. It's quite a work.

Chapter 2
Again, a lot of wading through the fact and figures of WWII and Alaska and all of them exhilarating. Like this book so far.

Chapter 3
I don't really war novels but this one isn't really like a war novel, it just goes and back a few times.

Chapter 4
I love the comedic timing in this book. It's very masterful.

Chapter 5
What a interesting villain. It's quite visceral read, as with these books.

Chapter 6
The whole story seems improbable but it feels like the person is so real that it's flawed some how. Therefore, it makes everything just a little bit realer.

Chapter 7
That was beautiful... love how the story just encompasses every facet of... everything.

Chapter 8
Now it seems the plot is going... there's also a nice flash to the present which helps focus that this is a frame story, although not a conventional frame.

March Madness: True Detective Ep. 1

(All right (x3) new-ish schedule. Two concurrent review every two days for 8 iterations. That will cover sixteen days. Rest will be quicker one-shot reviews... hopefully this will work for now.)

Hello, welcome 8-part recap/review of True Detective. Recap will be normal and review like this.

The episode start with a burning of a field by a person. Then we cut to the document of 2012 with Marty. Marty see that Rust was washed up.  Then we see Rust tell his story. So, the year is 1995. Two detective investigate the ritualistic burning/murder. Louisiana. The original fantasy kitchen sink. After some awkward photo taking and the giant ledger... the two reminisce of the two relationship.  Marty is a down-earth guy and Rust is more of a artistic weird type. Rust living the Alex Day principle. Rust spiels his wisdom and Marty responds his wisdom. Marty invites Rust to dinner. Rust feels iffy but comes anyway... drunk. Are you sure you should have given him weed instead? Hopefully metaphorical... Also, very different philosophy to the same conclusion. Marty is predictably freaked out. McConaghy always has that non-chalantness... like, dude I know. Or aloof, yeah, that's a nice word. After a talk with the chief, others feel 'worried' about his stint with Rust... Rust goes out alone to the... you know... truck stop and ask the 'counterpart' some questions. Marty look wistfully at the kids. Rust interrogate with no real outcomes, but we found Rust has experienced with drugs. I kind of like the long silent shot of women looking far away. Rust had some IDs... after some autopsy, we found out that was serious things done to her. Rest is simple stuff, really. Marty is confused by Rust's weird words of literary description. Weird shot. After briefing, Rust and Marty go on to interrogate, with not much. Sheriff have not too much either... least there's more weird stuff. Marty is little demanding. After press report, more interrogation. A little lead here... after seeing the reason for the frame is pretty innocuous... we go back to the dinner. Rust has some breakdown... but he's okay at the table... Rust was once married and then child died and you know the rest... Maggie is interested in Rust, though. Marty and Rust has broken their partnership, but with respect. Marty have charisma... new case and charity drive?? Marty and Rust is quite shocked about anti-christ connotation There's Kathleen Uncle nearby is barely responsive... and the caretaker is wavering. Rust takes focus on the playground. After the discovering the tree thing... the real reason is discovered. There's a very similar case.

March Madness: Review with Myles Barlow, Season 2

(Continuing on to our two part review...)
Following series of ridiculous analogy, we continue on the review.

Episode 1
Myles review Wanderlust, Addiction and Starting Your Own Cult
Going to Athens and seeing the back road... Paris is better experienced that way anyway. Beer and Girls tour... perhaps not my main purpose... especially with me being a teetotaler but one that I would like a taste of... I mean as making friends, you know. (Myles is a polyglot...) India is the place for wanderlust then it starts again... Why see both hangovers when you can see this segment. Weaning to Addiction and Tony returns again! This is a mess... also the lawyer is back and the kids... Chris is here, too. Look at that. (recovering alcoholic) Then there was the Cult segment... actor stab was very funny. I love Myles went over his head over the... favors and 'Didoes' was funny, too. Probably my favorite segment. 5 stars.

Episode 2
Myles review B-Grade Celebrity, Bucks Parties, and Loss
Jeffery Russ question the problem of celebrity. Who knew B Celebrity had a... clique. Well, Josh Lawson cut him to LA... or into a seedy place altogether. More salacious content in our next segment, after Katherine or Nanci with the cock-block and dickhead reference... also (bad CGI) Cory from the last segment... wow, everything comes together, isn't it. After much, much humiliation, all-locale buck's party. (He continues...) Loss of hair or loved one... or not much loved one... after much morbid humor... and the bucket list twist... after twist, after twist... this was great. (sell out...) 5 stars!

Episode 3
Myles review Killing Kyle Sandilands, Fear and Racism.
Tony returns... with a training montage? Wrong Kyle or is he? Porno bites himself and Frequent Flyer Miles reference the travel as well. Fear (he left the fisherman hanging) was amazing with the all the facet of the review segment well-blended. Then Racism finishes off with awkward... but satisfying. Also I like how Catherine is starting get together with Myles again... (Interesting how Racism segment is so different here.)

Episode 4
Myles review Imitation, Hatred and Justice
Counterfeit person in America... was interesting... all six continents report is great. Hatred was very funny. Not the concept obviously, the segment... the segment is funny... I don't condone Hatred... also where was Don before... anyway moving to Justice.. and the cult segment comes back again. David comes back again... Seems like Julia is... still really grabby. Tony Hayes beckons once again... and sells him to prison. Just ice... classic. 4 stars.

Episode 5
Myles review Treechange, Art and Sympathy
Going to the countryside... too hospitable. So SW Tasmania it is. Golf course...? Nice work being crazy. Gangrene and delusion with tree-humping and tree-cheating. It's a tree life? Moving on to Art... conceptual art. Syringe lights... turning into a narcotic empire. But the art changes quickly. So onto... posing for students? Okay... Sympathy starts with Single Dads and then pain... sympathy is hard to get, though. So it gets worse and despicable... (He actually went to Disneyland!) Gary dies and Myles with a worst tangent ever... Myles will never get their sympathy. Well, Katherine is a bonus. 3 and a half stars

Episode 6
Myles review Happiness, Escapism, and Acceptance.
Happiness continues the ending of the last episode and laughter leads to the eventual truth... and slowly failing to discover the facade of the happiness... he lost everything and now is more maniacal than... happy. Myles finally pays his due and Escapism is the job. Tony returns with the running gag intact. Unfortunately prison system in Australia is unlike America... until he pushes all the button then he escapes... like the previous sentence, the segment was little awkward as with the last segment... finding his way, cycling down, burning down houses. So after being accepted, he seems to get a light. All the bad behavior adds up... Brazil reference... this all leads to end in a prison. Seems a little long for a destined ending, but a good episode nevertheless. 4 stars.

Overall, this show doesn't reminds me of the charming banter of Siskel and Ebert or even the gleaming mustache of Gene Shalit but of a more ancient prose, one of Voltaire's, where one man named Candide saddled with unbridled optimism is continually bashed with harsh reality. Myles Barlow, like Candide, believes that he does good for the world by exploring the many facet of life, but ultimately world around them reminds the protagonists that this world is not the best of all possible worlds and the mans are not the simplest, purest, most objective mans that they think they are as they all fall from relative comfort to abject tragedy though many continents and ordeals. The prose ends with Candide and the group tending a garden, a little bit of hope in a very bleak world. Unfortunately Phil Lloyd and Trent O'Donnell is too cynical even for that little hope, as he is destined to the Greek underworld, trampled by all the hubris he had proclaim before, and most importantly, not even learning a little bit about why he had come to this horrible, unnecessary fate. This show had its humor a plenty but in the end gives a bitter after-taste that leads into several moments of diarrhea and regret. Perhaps the concept itself is destined to tread that path, but maybe Andy Daly's American adaptation will prove me wrong. And with that, I will give 4 stars and bid you good-night.

March Madness: Review with Myles Barlow, Season 1

(As with the previous month, the sick absence means a two-part day after, so enjoy!)
In celebration of the Andy Daly's new show, Review, I'll be looking through the Australian original.

Episode 1
Myles review Stealing, Dickheads, and Risk
With the standard "Matt Koval" sound underplaying the black comedy of man slowing diving into crime of theft, the show slowly envelopes myself into world of hilarious laughter. But Dickheads was little weak, though. And Risk continues with random cutoff and tangents but it ends beautifully... 4 stars

Episode 2
Myles review Murder, Self Belief, and Divorce
I love how people are so nonchalant with... person who clearly committed murder. Also, "Yes, briefly." Self-Belief was little uplifting after Murder, also embarrassing and little over people's head... Then comes the divorce. It's very emotional and also first real time the review bites him back. Very nice. Three and a half.

Episode 3
Myles review Voyeurism, Vanity, and Heroism
Going from looking at stars to voyeurism... classy. Also we see how the 'wife' in the end of Divorce became to be... Vanity was strangely trans-formative... then Heroism... yeah... it was okay, well the ending was good. 3 stars? 4? Who knows...

Episode 4
Myles review Criticism, Inter-generational Romance, and Betrayal
The show goes self-referential... this was a nice flash-back to earlier days. Romance goes both ways... and both very funny... you know not that way... (that's a turn) Betrayal was little weird but it was satisfying. 4 stars.

Episode 5
Myles review Paying for Sex, Freeloading, and Destitution
Sex seems very nice at first... but prostitution seems hard. It ends bett... no still bad. Male one went better, it seems. Freeloading seem to be the retread of Stealing... with more disastrous consequences... (More continuity) Last segment, with the comb, was little less than what I expected. Also a nice bookend. 3 stars.

Episode 6
Myles review Stress, Testing Loyalty ,and Reconciliation
Again, a random segway to stress. Callback to custody and the counseling? Well, the segment was quite exhilarating. Loyalty was interesting... also look at all the 'friends' he had made, well he had friends. Then the final segment... wow, that was sad. But it was quite heartbreaking. 4 and a half stars.

March Madness: Nine Planets Without Intelligent Life

Okay, today will be a short review of on of my favorite webcomics...

It's called Nine Planets Without Intelligent Life and it starts two robots in Mercury who start to go have a live a little after realizing that they are their own replacements...

It's a all-out adventure comedy going through all nine, and then eight, planets and each planet has a theme, Venus is obviously Lust and Mars is for Welfare, but other's are not so straight like Uranus with full of analysts... (okay, that was a bad joke.)

I really like how the robot stuff is understated and you're left with one of the best examination of human life I've seen without using any humans. I strongly recommend it, it's short (about a hour) and it has some amazing characters with simple yet expressive drawing style that makes it more palatable then it already is.

So check it out! I want to say more about it, but I've given way too much to read in the last week anyway.

March Madness: A League of Their Own

First of 'reel scribbles' where I try to organize my thoughts while watching a movie.

A League of Their Own is about Women's Baseball during WW2 and I saw a sign that said March is Women's History Month, so I thought I gave it a go.

So, the movie is (also) directed by a woman, so this is an extra in femininity... not that I'm trying to keep score... anyway, the movie starts with a mother and daughter trying to bond or something. After a not-so-subtle underdog appreciation and bad 90's music montage. We see that the two is going to Cooperstown... you know where they start baseball and there's I think Girl's Baseball League Reunion thing going over... which requisites a flashback.

We move to around Portland, because Portland is the first place they think of girls playing baseball. Probably played Arcade Fire in the stands. So, the main girl is too... perky to play baseball and the mentor or coach or whatever is obviously good at it. Oh, turns out it's a sister. Okay, so a sibling rivalry... okay.

(I'm not even doing an actor reference, I'm bad at early 90's) After some horrible 90's soundtrack, we have Jon Lovitz seeing his future career.... (okay, only once) and propose a contract to national league. After a requisite definace, you know to check off the Hero's Journey checklist, (Lovitz's only good at tiny moments. Also, is this a quiet radio?) You know, train in a running speed is not a good idea, also inside baseball. And anyway after beauty placement, we move on to Chicago.

Lovitz is starting to... whatever... he's going away. Great accents... and the sound effect. I thought this was Annie... then I heard the music... and overly long sequence... well, we have the requisite dumb or disabled. and we move 40's women's standard that subverts the whole message by turning into a gag.

Then we have... 90's Tom Hank... he just looks so awkward. Hey, that's nice camerawork and someone didn't notice Tom this isn't Forrest Gump. So, he just act drunk... and that's good for him. (That's a big bladder. Snapchat?) Laughing game exhibition, isn't it? Nice hit. Sure, he knows... (like the last time.)

 (Funny...) This is very awkward. Weird newscast... Greatest Gilligan cut, too young to drive... that's the point??? How he sense that chocolate? A kiss and horror. Nice reference... and the movie turns into vignettes... another staple of sport movie, random scenes of 'culture'.

After 40's dancing (golden age, isn't it?) and rape culture, (she's a singer... I guess.) Hmm, the priest is weak. That was... random... (It's a start...) Dugan always does a crazy performance.

It's a movie... and a random wrench. That's a lead... as the merchandise pile in and little bit of... everything? A lot of conflict and tobacco advertisement? Well, that's... women does make lot of montages... (Is that Will Forte?) Little inconsistencies in the background... (sorry, I notice that)

Well, with the romance said. That's a random black man and the next conflict... seems like they have enough conflicts and they are making new ones. (Least, it's realistic...) It's catching a thing and also, that's weird.

The song is actually the real song. That's weird... what a red herring... Oh, it was Bill Pullman! I get so confused. Also, is Bill Pullman not famous enough to only play a bit part back then?

Beside Tom Hanks has a better career... Car is Illinois... Shouldn't be Oregon? Well it's 3-3 and Seems like Rosie is a... oh well you know. I kind of like the subversion of the tropes... Also, we see the Ann is in Racine. I like how the surprise is dampened. It's like... you know really post-modernistic this movie... Also, I like how the coach eariler is the opposing, so you kind of know him. So another little arc ended. Good uses of Western standoff... even the music got better.

And it is just a hit. It's just something nice that... and it happens again! With a reference to the opening scene!! That's really good writing. All the bases are covered... so to speak. Look at the aversion, look at the subversion and look at the inversion! That is a strangely fresh ending... or not as there's still more to go.

I like how movie is all about the game and yet not about the game... also it's strange how characterization is little understated but nevertheless there's complexity in the relationship. This is a strange ending...

And now we end the frame and a reference. Strange to kind of have a long frame ending, that's another subversion. Nice reference to Kit's remarks.

Bad 90's music and interesting back-and-forth in the background at the credits.

Overall, the movie has all the faults of the early 90's. Little bit intrusive nod to the issues, really really bad music and stupid frame narrative. But all the subversion, inversion and aversion of the sport movie tropes is quite worth it for the whole experience. It's a sport movie that takes a backseat into history and reminds us that Baseball is not just a game, it's a monument to our life. Also no crying in Baseball.

March Madness: Paper Towns, Part 3

First thing to take my eye is that the tense shifts from past to present, and so the story turns from an account to a diary, writing down the feeling right now as opposed to remembering it. Which is strange, because there's lot of thought in the parts before... but okay.

I actually like this part for the most part because I like road trips and there's nothing really silly, except for the cows but I allow that just because of the surreality of the trip, much like the first part.

So after the trip, we find Margo and the conceit is revealed. It's strange that Margo was always like that... and people never never really noticed because they thought of Margo as this other person. Some people feel disgusted by upholding a women to its dizzying height and watching it all fall down... or maybe presence of the book is so high that it eclipse better books... much like YouTube.

Anyway, the breaking down of Margo is interesting. Seems like Margo just set up too much of herself, taking care of the image rather than herself. This is the destruction of MPDG... mostly of a fallen grace who thought and thought and decide to stop and take a... more normal life.

I love how John Green tries structure how to create a life that explains Margo and it works... for some. Other might think that this is just a typical MPDG back-story or girl falling love with a boy and now does crazy things... like Gatsby. But as a girl. I agree with them on some day, but overall I take it as an appreciation of the attempt of making of MPDG, which I say was successfully done in The Fault in Our Stars.

Speaking of Stars... I like Gus's inclusion of the minimall and security officer, which reflect Augustus and Hazel's evolution. Also the crack and how it was referred to as faults... I told you the books were connected thematically.

Overall, the book linger little too long on the end but overall it's a nice experiment. Perhaps, the author didn't succeed in what he was trying to do... burying his old stories and starting anew, but least, it was a nice spectacle. If you John Green, and of course you do, this book is a wonderful book. Those of you who hate it, the point which I started... to see what the fuss was about, it's a great hate-read. I'll probably do a movie tomorrow.

March Madness: Paper Towns Part 2

Like Quentin's father and mother, I philosophize over what is nothing as I forge on to read Part 2 of Paper Towns.

The day after was okay, with more fleshing out of school and the side characters. I get the sense of feeling that people like this 'person talking around his head' type of narrative but it only emphasize how much of a jerk Quentin is to Margo. "me-less adventure", yes because you're not the important point in the excursion.

Anyway, it's really weird how Margo is the 'queen' of the school... It really reminds me of Stargirl and her foray to the sleepy Arizona high school. If Stargirl is the rising sun, then Margo is the setting one, painfully realizing her facade won't hold for very long.

Ben seems like a normal pervy boy that sometime twist in a weird direction, like punching Chuck or doing with Lacey.. Radar seems to have no characteristic except for Black Santa which is worrisome.

#3 is supposed to be the introduction to the other perspective of Margo but it only adds to the false importance of Margo by having a detective on her case... several times? What kid of a woman has a detective following around her...?

Anyway, it seems like Margo has some clues for Quentin, including Woody Guthrie and Walt Whitman, also I suggest the diversity of the record represent the multifaceted nature of Margo? I also like to make clues and I believe Margo is very insecure and fleeting like me... which is important.

Lacey is inserted to the scene, she has broken out of her facade (she needs to, considering how little time she has into her fame) and into the picture... also how her Margo is different than his Margo or any other Margo... kind of obvious as to her diagnosis.

Dude, she broken into your room and you smile? What are you, Quentin? A desperate search for something that isn't even recognizable make you look like Frankenstein. You are actually obsessed, you know. I think Margo counted that and let him the string so that he will rescue her... kind of. Quentin is fully delusional at this point, going inside the mind of a madman, trying to find a lover she only met, like, once (much like Dante) and having weird imagery... I was kind of sucked into this last time I read it, but it feels creepy now.

Word 'paper town' has three meanings I think. One is a simple description but others all refer to 'imaginary' or 'fake' much like the term 'phony' is used by Holden. It makes sense but it doesn't have gravitas as his other metaphors...

I love that the English teacher's name, like some tradition, is a literary character, this time Holden, reflecting on how strange Quentin gets in this book. "God yes. Her smell." Might one of the most creepiest four word I ever seen. He is beyond mad.

Going ahead with the Catcher interpretation, Lacey is analogous to Sally... perhaps this is the story of what if Sally said yes to Holden's delusion... to see how far it will go? Also, agreement of weirdness of ending a school... it's like bringing down a set... we took four years to build this... and only few minutes to take it down. It's a strange feeling. Ben has gone manic... it's a strange turn for that character isn't it?

He's in a state of awoken by the message and severely deluded by the hope of finding Margo... it's quite distressing to see the swing happen randomly. Anyway, it does lead him to find that Margo is in Agloe...

March Madness: Paper Towns Part 1

All right, continuing from yesterday.

The school setting is constantly interrupted by voyeurism of Margo... which doesn't seems to be in the same league as Quentin but he goes on peering in to her life... it's creepy is what I'm trying to say.

There's Ben with weird background and the token black guy Radar and the black Santa and whatever. The whole paragraph is interrupted with stories of Margo, just a neighbor and what seems to be a nice, if quirky, girl and epitomizing her. This voyeurism needs to stop, Quentin. You're a... weird person.

There's also lot of metaphors and non-metaphors that actually continues in the next book... qualities of ever-changing reality and sort... but I don't have the time or energy for that. Besides, this feels like a Norman Mailer novel with the weird hip lingo and a very stereotypical bully. Also, Quentin is a creep.

I really like Ben and Radar's characterization. And I feel like I'm watching How I Met Your Mother, as in all the characters are great except for the protagonist.  Then the main arc happens.

First of all, why? Second of all, huh? Third of all, I give up... It comes out of nowhere and I know it's supposed to be but there's nothing there...

So Margo needs help and... taking people as blurred shapes as to dehumanizing them trick. (As famously done by Heart of Darkness)

Overall, Margo tries her best to be Manci Pixie Dream Girl and Quentin is somehow incontestably in love with her although there's no real reason to be in love with her and whatever, this was intended.

3 whole catfish, wrapped separately, veet. big tub of vaseline, mountain dew six-pack, dozen tulips, bottle of water, tissues, blue spray paint... (this is for reference)

"Generally, the closer people get to me the less hot they find me." Foreshadowing.

Overall, the plan is silly and perhaps something is more for show than her true self... or another, I don't know. Narrator is unreliable and it feels like Margo is... I can't say. It just feels like Margo is doing this without any good reason and probably need to see a therapist or something. (But not Quentin's parents. That'll be weird.)

Then there's the SunTrust Building/SeaWorld sequence. First time I felt like this was designed to slow down and let us know about Margo, but I was surprised or interested at how little reflection there were. Margo never really reflect on anything. Just fluffs of "Winger speech" if you will. Overall, you get the sense of... senselessness. Why did Margo do this? Why do Margo do anything? You get the glimpse of thinking it's fun and she want to find something before we move on... to Part Two.

March Madness: Paper Towns Prologue

For the longest time, I never really knew if I liked John Green's books. I always liked talking about it, but I never really decided if I enjoy reading the books as a whole. After watching the trailer of The Fault in Our Stars, I decided I didn't like the books... but Paper Towns, one I actually read in full, might be the closest to me liking, so I'll try to examine why.

The first passage certainly catch reader's attention but I have to point out that equating Margo as a miracle kind of irks me as he implies a women as an event. This might be well-intentioned but I'll move on.

So this takes in Florida, which implies Florida like things. Like Dr. Jefferson Jefferson, who is not a Doctor but changed his first name to be 'Dr.' This might well as jumped out of a poorly-made Wes Anderson spoof.

There he goes again, most fantastically gorgeous creature that God has ever created. And he's nine! Does he had a early puberty or is this just creepy... it comes up like the author doesn't know children and I know that's not the intention... but eww. Then there's John Green signature style of commenting every little thing that is described which might rub people the wrong way, but that's okay by me.

Anyway, back to Florida and a dead man... okay. I just like how there's no real reaction to a dead man, with Margo just being curious and Quentin going all over his head... it makes death not serious and that's funny... I think? Also "...I am really goddamn well adjusted." just kills me.

So the scene of Margo coming out of the window and looking at him, which becomes the focal part of the book, happens and I think that Quentin is crazy. Maybe this book is like Lolita, you know? I don't know, his description of a normal scene reminds me of Holden and his fixation of Phoebe. Some think this is creepy and perhaps it was intentional.

Okay, That's was just the prologue and I wrote too much... well, I'll keep reading and post the rest on the following days... that's what I'll do. (Why did I even say that?)

March Madness!: Review/Recap

Hello, it's March and it seems like a right time to cross off some of my reading/watch list.

So, that's what I'm gonna do! I'll review or recap something every day this month and hope you can read/experience it with me.

I'll probably start by doing a book review tomorrow. Well, till then...