Friday Night at the Movies Week 44 - The Girl Who Played With Fire

I can blame/give credit to George Lucas for a great many things in my life.

First, a grown man has no need for a basement full of action figures, despite how incredibly cool they might be.  With the money I spent on them the past 15 years I could have rebuilt Haiti.

Second.  Midichlorians?  Seriously George, that's the best you could do?  Sometimes the Force is just the Force and you shouldn't fuck about trying to explain it in a scientific manner.  Does anyone watch Star Wars for it's believable use of science?  While Qui-Gon blathered on about it I seriously considered abandoning science for organized religion, a feat I thought impossible.  The only thing the Phantom Menace accomplished was placing a friend of mine into a near coma for the two hours immediately following the film.  The lesson, leave well enough alone.

Third, not every middle film in a trilogy is going to be as good as The Empire Strikes Back.  I may lose credit for this, but I consider Empire to be a stronger middle chapter than Godfather II, but only because it wasn't supposed to be building towards a third film.

When I first reviewed the novel, The Girl Who Played With Fire I did share that I considered it to be the equivalent of ESB, and I still stand by that.  It did a fantastic job of building off the first novel, gave us plenty of new information and danger, then left us holding our breath for the final chapter.

The movie did not, and I'm not sure if it's the fault of the filmmaker or me.  Most of the parts were there; great cast, including new and old, solid script, decent directing.  But something felt missing.  Part of the novel had been excised, the investigators especially, and I understand the need to remove them, as they were not essential towards the films plot, but I still missed them.  They were another point of view in the novel.

I feel the main reason the film left me cold was I knew the ending.  Is there any way to change this, other than not to not experience one medium or the other.  Would Empire have floored me had I known that Luke would lose a hand, Han would be frozen in carbonite, and Vader would be revealed as a dead beat dad?

Probably not, but the film to gets to me to this day.  Maybe it's because of how hopeless I felt when I first watched it.  Would Luke save the day?  Would Han survive?  When you are seven years old, it's tough to be sure.  I'm 34 now, and I can think past it.  I'm more aware of story conventions, and the world outside the story.  (I knew there was a third book for example.)  Yes, Lisbeth might have been shot in the head, but I'm not worried that she might not survive.  I know her story isn't done being told.

So, I can't blame the movie because it let me down.

Instead, I will blame George Lucas.

The Long Con Week 44 - Sweetheart

Portland detective Archie Sheridan, the former head of the Beauty Killer Task Force, hunted Gretchen Lowell for years before she kidnapped him, tortured him, and then let him go. Now that she is behind bars, Archie is finally piecing his life back together.  But no matter how hard Archie tries, he just can't stop thinking about Gretchen...


When the body of a young woman is discovered in Forest Park, Archie is reminded of the first corpse he discovered there a decade ago: it turned out to be the Beauty Killer's first victim, and Archie's first case.  Then, the unthinkable happens: Gretchen escapes from prison, and once the news breaks, all of Portland goes on high alert.  Archie knows he's the only one who can capture Gretchen - and now he has a plan.  Even if it means becoming her last victim...

This is my second go round with Chelsea Cain, and I can freely admit that she scares the bejeezus out of me.  Forget Hannibal Lecter, Gretchen Lowell would emasculate him.

But I'm not going to talk only of fear today.  While Gretchen was the "boogyman" in Heartsick, she spent the entire novel safe behind bars.  She could get to him emotionally, but he was more of a danger to himself than she was.  In Sweetheart, the shark is out of her cage, and constantly in motion.

We know her intentions.  It should come as no surprise that once she is out, Archie is going to get a phone call.  We know it, the cops know it, his wife even knows it.  And Archie definitely knows it.  He's dying for it. That brings us to the word of the day.

Obsession.

There are things we want.  A better car.  A better job.  That new Humphrey Bogart box set.  Sex with an impossibly hot mate.  And then there a the things we need.  Air, water, food, shelter, sex with an impossibly hot mate.

One list provides us with the basics of life; what it takes to get us out of bed and make it through the day.  The other makes life worth living.  It's okay to want something, set a goal, achieve, rah rah rah, accomplishment.  But when want turns to need, obsession isn't far behind.

Archie needs Gretchen in his life.  He may be addicted to a multitude of pills, but it's her that he absolutely needs.  He needs to think about her, to talk about her, and more distressingly, be with her.  His obsession has gone beyond the run of the mill school boy crush on the unapproachable beautiful schoolyard multi-murdering sociopath.  Without her, he feels his life might not be worth living.

Which is exactly how she wants it.  She's got unfinished plans for him, and knowing all that she's done to him through two books, it's impossible to figure out what she might have in store for him in the third.  She's tortured him, cut out organs, even had sex with him.  But now that he's tried to kill her, albeit passively, all rules might be thrown out the window.

The worst thing we ever receive might be exactly what we hoped for.

Chelsea Cain understands this, and that's why she terrifies me.

New Comics Wednesday Week 44 - Scarlet

For those of you girls out there who still believe Bella Swan to be an acceptable role model, I ask, no I plead for you to read Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev's Scarlet from Icon.  Keep in mind, I don't hope that after finishing the first few issues you will somehow turn into a sexy female version of Charles Bronson. That would frighten me. I just pray that you will stop debating between an imaginary sexy vampire and a smoldering werewolf.  That frightens me more.

Issue One, which re-teams the Eisner Award winning duo (Daredevil) of Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev, starts off a little shaky.  It's got a rock solid revenge premise, but Scarlet herself talks directly to the reader, and usually fourth wall breaking is a gimmick that runs dry within an issue.  Honestly, it gets on my nerves a bit, but is overshadowed by Bendis's sharp, witty dialogue and a very unique take on an origin story told in a very compressed three pages.    Now here's the meat of the book.  Scarlet is kind of a loser, hanging out in public squares with her hipster boyfriend doing nothing.  When a few cops try to arrest them for drugs (and cop a feel), they make the mistake of bolting.  The officers catch up to them, and in a shocking moment, kill her boyfriend and knock her unconscious.  When she wakes up in a hospital, the story has been sold that her man was a drug kingpin, and the cops who murdered him are heroes.  Scarlet decides to do something with her life, mostly dealing with revenge.

The story wasn't selling me yet, but I enjoy it when these two guys work together, so giving them a chance on a second issue wasn't a concern.

By the time I was finished with Issue Two, it was decided I would follow them wherever they went with the story.  The narration continues with it's usual tricks, but by now I was used to it and it wasn't quite as jarring.  Scarlet herself becomes a more rounded character, and we see the possibilities she has beyond the Death Wish character she could become.  Don't get me wrong, there is some vengeance handed out, but after,she realizes there has to be more to her quest beyond basic revenge.  As the final page closes out, and she begins to talk of revolution, I could practically hear Rage Against the Machine in the background.  Her message was clear.  Stop being so fucking passive and do something.

I have no idea if this has been optioned for a film, but it should be.  It has the chance to be a fairly polarizing story, and on the big screen it could make a lot of people talk, as well as provide an excellent role for some lucky actress.  Until then, I'm going to continue to enjoy it on a monthly (fingers crossed) basis.  There is nothing else like in on the market today.  Despite it's $3.95 price tag, a Bendis title is always worth it, thanks to it's content and consistently entertaining letters column.

As I sat down to write this, my current shipment from DCBS arrived, and there in all it's glory was Issue Three.  I'll be sure to let you know how that was as well.

The Short Con Week 44 - Pillow Talk

I've been a fan of the web site Beat To A Pulp for the better part of a year, and while I don't get frisky over every story published, more often than not it's an enjoyable way to spend a few minutes.

Pillow Talk, by Jodi MacArthur, begins innocently enough, with Henrietta, in bed, whispering sweet nothings to Charlie.  Within a few sentences, I began to realize that Charlie wasn't saying anything back, so it came as no surprise that he was, in fact, dead.  Don't get me wrong though, I don't believe his lack of life was meant to be a shocking twist. The story isn't that long, so there wasn't much suspense built up to torment me.

It might sound like I didn't enjoy the short, but I actually did.  The monologue Henrietta delivers is believable and creepy, yet oddly loving.  I'm reviewing a Chelsea Cain book on Thursday, and this story was a good warm up, a suitable opening act.

Should you want to read the story yourself, click on this link.  You won't be sorry.

Also, Beat To A Pulp recently published a book of their web stories. It can be found here.

It's Ladies Month

I can hear the groans now.  "Another theme month?"  That's right, and I'm not sorry for it.  I've had an amazing time this year surrounding myself with all the hard boiled goodness I can get my hands on, but I noticed something the other day.

I've been overwhelmingly male.

To my doctor, this would be no surprise.  And historically, crime fiction has been a male dominated genre.  So even if I randomly picked stuff, odds are it would be male centered.

Well this November I'm giving thanks for all the ladies making a living in these mediums I adore.  Not every film will be directed by a woman (although most are) and not every book will be written by a woman (there are not many female comic writers specializing in crime) but I promise every story will be female centered.

I thought it would be tough to fill out a months worth of stuff, but I'm happy to say it was surprisingly easy, especially in the realm of television.  Female characters are everywhere thanks to shows such as Bones and The Closer.  And for books, I've got Tara French, Kate Atkinson, and another Chelsea Cain on the docket.

That doesn't mean I'm not open to suggestions.  By all means, if you've got a favorite, let me know.

Enjoy Ladies Month.

Cover of the Week 44 - Freaky Deaky

Only because it looks like an 80's Halloween costume.

To the Mattresses Week 43 - 10 Rules for Writing

I saw this book on the shelf and just couldn't wait to get my hands on it.  I picked it up, almost took it to the register without cracking it open, and for some reason, thought better of it.  It was a nice little hardcover, but a bit on the light side.  Better to be safe than sorry.

It ended up going back to where it came from.

Disappointment might not be a strong enough word.

Don't get me wrong.  The advice offered by Mr. Leonard is rather generic, but good.  If I hadn't already read a million How-To books it might have been helpful.  But after Story, On Writing, Telling Lies for Fun and Profit and a few other gems, it just felt like it wasn't enough to justify the $14.95 price tag. Seriously, I could post the entire content on this site and it would just seem like an overly long post.

However, if you get the chance, read the darn thing.  Like I said, it's helpful, almost like quick reminders instead of a long lecture.  Certainly concise.  And Joe Ciardiello's illustrations are very good.

But not good enough.  To this day I wouldn't own a copy if I hadn't found it in the Dollar Tree.  That's right, a dollar store. It nearly broke my heart to see his work beside copies of unreadable crap, and I ended up purchasing both copies on the shelf.  They just didn't deserve to be there.