Film Review: Some Goodbyes Do Not Come Quick Enough

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

The Long Goodbye is a detective film featuring Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe, and this version was less than impressive. It was released in 1973 under the direction of Robert Altman. Leigh Brackett adapted the screenplay from the original Chandler novel. Elliot Gould stars as the iconic L.A. private eye. Other cast members include Nina van Pallandt, Sterling Hayden, Mark Rydell, David Arkin, and Henry Gibson. There is an unexpected and uncredited appearance by Arnold Schwarzenegger as a henchman.

Marlowe gets a visit from an old friend who he ends up giving a ride to Mexio. Upon his return, he is greeted by police officers who arrest him as a possible accomplice to a murder. The friend who visited him seems to have killed his wife. News is sent that the friend committed suicide. Once Marlowe is released, he is then hired to find a wayward husband who is rather eccentric in the vein of Ernest Hemingway. Marlowe then is also having to contend with some gangsters that the dead friend had apparently swindled. Marlowe finds that little is how it seems.

Gould is a fine actor, but I struggled with his interpretation of Marlowe. He does not come across as tough as I had seen Marlowe presented before. There are a lot of times where characters talk over each other which makes it hard to follow. There is a very long introduction in which Marlowe just goes grocery shopping for his cat. I found this film to be a bit boring, which is disappointing to say about a Philip Marlowe movie.

The ending was pretty good, but it took too long for me to really care about the resolution.

I thought Mark Rydell kind of stood out as the ruthless Augustine. He was one of those charming psychos that could react violently with startling suddenness.

I am not exactly sure how Altman stayed to the source material, but it sure felt like a lot of liberties were taken. I sure didn’t find Gould’s depiction of Philip Marlowe to be all that familiar. Obviously, he is no Humphrey Bogart.

Anyway, the film fell a little below average as a viewing experience. There are worse movies out there, but this particular adaptation is not something where I would call a must-see.

Book Review: Even Doctors Can Hear Confessions

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

Confessions of a Yakuza is a compelling memoir of one of the last traditional members of the Yakuza, a Japanese version of the Mafia, written by Junichi Saga. John Bester is the one who penned the translation into English.

Saga apparently was a doctor treating Ijichi Eiji, who had been a leader in the criminal syndicate known as the Yakuza. Eiji decides to reveal his life story to this doctor, who apparently decided to record the account and write it up for publication.

The story moves along quite well and provides some insight into some aspects of Japanese culture in the early twentieth century through the end of the Second World War. Eiji gives his account from a turbulent childhood through his rise to be one of the bosses in the criminal organization, and it is laid out quite plainly.

Saga is not too bad when it comes to bringing the reader to the “present day” scenes. It was prudent to give a reminder of how these confessions unfolded and who was recording these reminiscences.

I think much of the credit is due to John Bester’s translation which opened the window for those not terribly familiar with Japanese culture.

Sometimes the exposition can seem to slow things a little, but it wasn’t too egregious. Although there are many works that detail criminal organizations, this one did feel like a unique reading experience in many ways.

Saga seems to be a pretty efficient storyteller, and I would have likely found the company of Eiji to be absolutely fascinating as well.

A friend finds this to be a good campfire read, and I think I know what he means. It was a good recommendation that I am more than pleased to pass on.

Next up, I have decided to check into Cate Quinn’s The Clinic.

Book Review: The Great War Brings A Great Detective Out Of Retirement

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

Sherlock Holmes and the Telegram of War by Nicholas Meyer may not be the best of the pastiche novels featuring the most renowned fictional detective, but there is still some enjoyment to be discovered as a reading experience.

Dr. John Watson is quite a bit older, but he is able to still use his medical skills to care for the soldiers wounded in the First World War. His old friend, Sherlock Holmes, suddenly appears looking as if he was on the wrong end of a fight and explains that he is about to undertake a rather important mission on behalf of the British government. A telegram has been sent to Mexico, and the two elderly adventurers are still able to track it down, but it will take a lengthy trip to the United States during wartime where German U-boats prowl the seas, and an assassin apparently has them in their sights. It may be their most important case, and they are not young anymore, but it is often still a mistake to count out the tenacity and ingenuity of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.

Meyer is unquestionably a talented writer, but I had some trouble staying all that interested in the plot because it does not entirely feel like something Arthur Conan Doyle would actually delve into in spite of the views presented in the review excerpts. Some of the photos of the real historical figures encountered by Holmes and Watson and Meyer’s enthusiastic depictions of the research he has obviously done sometimes gets a littl distracting from the plot.

I did find the Watson’s reflections and doubts about his ability to continue living in this manner at his age to be a bit more interesting than the actual plot. There are some concerns that Holmes’ deductive abilities have waned as well, but they still press on.

Meyer does explore some aspects of the First World War that do not seem widely known. Watson’s narration is still interesting enough when he reveals thoughts and fears that appear rarely in previous exploits. Meyer is good at keeping such well-known characters recognizable. Although I doubt that Doyle would have had such a convoluted plot, the characters still appear consistent with how he would have written them.

I still consider Meyer to be one of the better writers who have contributed to the Sherlock Holmes literature not written by the original creator. This particular novel didn’t have as many highlights as I would have preferred, but it was still a worthwhile read.

I think it’s time to make a slight variance in my usual reading indulgences. I will gain some insight into the Japanese underworld with Junichi Saga’s Confessions of a Yakuza.

Book Review: Strike In Parliament

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

Lethal White is the rather lengthy, convoluted fourth novel featuring Cormoran Strike by Robert Galbraith, who is really J.K. Rowling. It is still quite good, but some of the more personal dynamics between Strike and his partner, Robin Ellacott, tends to grab my interest more than the actual murder mystery.

It has been a year since Robin has entered what appears to be a troubled marriage. She has been elevated to partner in Strike’s detective agency. Strike has been gaining some notoriety due his involvement in some high-profile murders occurring in London. He is also the illegitimate son of a popular rock star. He also lost a leg when he served king and country in the military. Needless to say, he is a guy with a colorful past.

Well, this caper starts off with a very troubled young man bursting into Strike’s office and claiming to have witnessed a strangulation when he was a child. When he and Robin start to take a look at this claim, a minister in Parliament shows up and hires the agency to assist in a blackmail situation which sends Robin undercover, much to the frustration of her new husband.

Anyway, a connection between the aforementioned strange visit and this minister’s problem becomes apparent. Once again, Strike and Robin have to risk their lives as they also navigate the complications in their friendship.

Galbraith is unquestionably a talented, interesting writer on the whole, but this novel felt a little more dense than necessary at times. Strike and Robin’s banter certainly helps one navigate this unwieldy plot.

Robin’s situation with her husband feels a bit cliche at times, but it was still interesting. There is an obvious “will they or won’t they” vibe going on between Strike and Robin, which is a little trite but still engaging.

As I work my way through the series, I doubt Lethal White will rank as a favorite, but it’s still worth the time. Galbraith still manages to be compelling enough to keep me returning to the series.

As usual, I will get the next installment a few books down the road. For now, it is time to revisit the living room of 221B Baker Street as Nicholas Meyer unveils the story of Sherlock Holmes and the Telegram From Hell.

Film Review: Even A Pawn Can Take Down A King

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

Young Washington is a pretty well-put together film depicting the early failures and successes of the first President of the United States with William Franklyn-Miller in the lead role as George Washington. Jon Erwin sits in the director’s seat of this film which he co-wrote alongside Tom Provost and Diederik Hoogstraten.

Other familiar talents such as Kelsey Grammar, Andy Serkis, Mary-Louise Parker, and Ben Kingsley are part of well-chosen cast.

Much the film delves a bit into Washington’s childhood and reveals that his father died when he was quite young. Washington had an older half-brother who took charge of his education and was apparently an important inspiration to the boy. Of course, older brother Lawrence teaches George the rules governing the game of chess. Washington initially wanted to serve in the British Army but was denied because of his colonial roots. He was given a position in the Virginia Militia where he started making a name for himself. The film then starts to hone on the French and Indian Wars, and Washington’s experiences there, including a rather humbling loss. It takes the love and wisdom of George’s mother to reignite that spark of inspiration that propels him to build on the purpose that will eventually help form a nation from the ground up.

It’s not the greatest historical film I have seen, but it holds up quite nicely and is certainly one of the better projects to hit the screens this year. Franklyn-Miller does a decent job portraying a very young George Washington, although I don’t know there is anything that unique about his performance.

The film seems to not stray too far from historical record, although I am sure there were some flights of fancies utilized.

It was also a pretty straight-forward film in a lot of ways without a lot of strange surprises thrown in for effect. It was a little odd to see Washington portrayed at such a young age during a period of his life that doesn’t seem to have much of lore that most have come to associate with him.

The film is certainly intended to celebrate who would become the United States’ first president, but it also brings out his human frailty and reminds the audience what he had to overcome to be seen as one of the Founding Fathers.

The set design and wardrobe seemed well crafted.

There are times that the film likely exaggerates the accomplishments a bit, but it’s nothing too outrageous. The film does have moments where it could have used a quicker pace, but it’s no worse than many other releases in that regard.

The film still delivers a good time, and I did actually feel like that I learned something new about a period in Washington’s life that is likely overlooked in the schools.

As I write this, I am thinking I should add a more comprehensive biography of the man to the reading queue.

Big Finish Audio Review: Missy Meets Seven

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

Dark Gallifrey: Missy: Part Two continues Michelle Gomez’s reprisal of her role as Missy, who cannot go on being called the Master in her current incarnation. This audio drama was written by Rochana Patel and directed by John Ainsworth.

Sylvester McCoy also returns as the Seventh Doctor and surprisingly is able to deduce quite quickly the identity of the peculiar woman dressed as a Victorian governess.

Other cast members lending their vocal abilities are Bruce Alexander, Jonathan Case, Amerjit Deu, Jon Edgley Bond, and Paksie Vernon.

Missy and her new companion, known as Slyboots, encounter the Seventh Doctor on a planet that is being invaded by something known as the Malevolence. Even Missy has concerns since there are supposed to be safeguards that keep Time Lords from meeting each other out of sequence. Anyway, Missy has to get her oldest opponent to trust her so she can maybe for once do something good that could save the universe.

This is a fun little addition to a pretty fascinating range on the whole. Gomez exhibits her usual gusto behind the mic. Missy is a character I am finding to like more now that Big Finish Productions has been able to develop her more. She does get some wickedly funny lines throughout the script.

The banter between Missy and the Doctor was also worth the price of admission. The ending is a bit of a shocker, but I will be getting the third part of this particular trilogy soon enough.

It’s a pretty good time with this release, but the zany character Missy can be is going to almost guarantee a rollicking adventure. Throwing in any of the Doctors is certainly going to help as well.

Doctor Who Audio Review: Once the Doctor, Now The Wild Card

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

The War Doctor Rises: Unknown Soldiers continues the intriguing set of adventures in which the incarnation known as the War Doctor continues his participation in the all-encompassing Time War in this range of Doctor Who audio plays presented by Big Finish Productions. Timothy X. Atack is the scriptwriter with Helen Goldwyn returning to the director’s chair.

Jonathon Carley resumes his efforts to portray this darker version of the Doctor and continues to perfect his impression of the late John Hurt, who originally portrayed the part onscreen and did his own set of audio plays not long before his death.

The Daleks are once again voiced by the incomparable Nicholas Briggs. Isla Pars, Andrew James Spooner, Phillipe Bosher, Simon Kane, Amanda Shodeko, and Adam Martyn make up the talented guest cast.

The War Doctor gains a new moniker, Wild Card, as he is recruited by fellow Time Lords and a ragtag group of fighters as they hunt for someone known as the Blind Bomb Maker. For once, the War Doctor isn’t calling the shots, but he is instrumental in this latest stage in the Time War. He was not renamed Wild Card without reason.

The story is a bit long and somewhat complicated for audio format; however, it is still a worthwhile experience because of Carley’s continued excellence in this role. The war Doctor being part of a somewhat strange unit that includes a talking squirrel-like creature seems kind of unusual. Now that I write this, it sort of gives off Guardians of the Galaxy vibes.

There is also an exiled Time Lord who is known as a traitor, but her memories have been partially erased where she cannot explain why she committed a supposedly treasonous act. There is a dying Movellan with a cheeky attitude, which is rather strange since that is an android race.

Atack provides a pretty intriguing group of companions for the War Doctor. The War Doctor not quite in the lead is rather unusual, but I found that it gives the expectations a needed shake-up. Fans shouldn’t worry because he still gets plenty to do and does help drive the story considerably.

Anyway, it’s another solid addition to the range and a nice feather in Big Finish’s cap.

Supergirl Sputters Into Flight

~ Peter Kanelis ~ 2 Comments

Supergirl is another recent comic book movie that delivers another mediocre cinematic experience that comes closer to being utter garbage than much of what I have seen in a while. DC Studios may have gotten a few elements right, but I found those to be quite sparse as I subjected myself to this surprisingly, but mercifully short release. Ana Nogueira is the script writer with Craig Gillispie serving as director.

Milly Alcock is in the lead role as Superman’s somewhat dysfunctional yet formidable Kryptonian cousin. Jason Momoa has taken on the role of some intergalactic bounty hunter known as Lobo. Other cast members include Eve Ridley, Matthias Schoenaerts, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham. David Corenswet makes a couple of unnecessary appearances as Superman

At this point, Supergirl is goofing off throughout space as some party girl accompanied by her Kryptonian dog with the not so ingenious name of Krypto. Supergirl encounters a young girl on a mission of vengeance hunting for a space marauder named Krem of the Yellow Hills, played by Schoenaerts. After helping the girl retrieve a handmade sword that was crafted by her deceased father. The girl’s family had been killed by this Krem character, which is why she is rather hellbent on settling the score. Supergirl’s spaceship gets hijacked, and Krypto gets poisoned, which draws her into this mess. Lobo has his own agenda, but he becomes a somewhat unreliable ally. A chase ensues across several planets until a final confrontation takes place that solidifies what kind of hero Supergirl is going to be.

I understand that comic books require a lot of grace and suspension of disbelief, but the writing here gets pretty atrocious at times. Some flashback scenes are done with characters speaking in the fabricated Kryptonian language, but the translation in English has no sense of eloquence or originality. It was full of familiar colloquialisms and expressions. Then, we learn that Superman doesn’t know anything of his native language, which doesn’t make sense since he has some relics from his destroyed home planet and probably would have learned something of his own people’s language.

The casting of Milly Alcock isn’t a bad decision, but she was not served well by this script. There are some moments where I found her genuinely amusing and charismatic, but it wasn’t enough for me to forgive the more clunky production decisions in this thing. I know the actress has taken some heat for some comments made in interviews during the promotion, and it’s deserved. She still may have some talent that can be better utilized with a better writer.

Momoa’s performance was actually the more interesting one in this film. Lobo is a dangerous dude, but he has something of a code that can be respected. He did come in handy at some important moments, but there again even he wasn’t enough to improve the viewing experience by much.

The main villain with the stupid name was just another unhygienic, unhinged, brutish weirdo who got away with his misdeeds more by luck than judgment.

The performance of the cast was fine. The problems really are more from the editing and writing.

The action sequences and visual effects what one would expect. The fight scenes and moments of superpower display were not all that creative or interesting, but it wasn’t completely unimpressive.

On the whole, the film manages to not be a complete dumpster fire, but it does deserve the disappointing box office returns. It’s not one that is going to be remembered with any real fondness among the nerds and cinephiles who will show up hoping it is better than its reputation. Those hopes are likely to be dashed for many. It’s just another barely adequate release from Hollywood that is unlikely to improve with age.

Book Review: Even Robots Should Follow The Laws

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

I, Robot is probably the most well-known literary contribution from Isaac Asimov

It’s really more of an anthology than a novel, although some characters appear more than once. In fact, it is framed by a robopsychologist named Susan Calvin being interviewed and relating these stories to a reporter.

There is a variety of stories that examine the potential relationship between robots and humans should the technology become more prevalent. There is a progression in the malfunctions and difficulties, and recurring characters such Powell and Donovan are the window into these developments.

It was a bit of an endurance test to get through this one. There is a lot of exposition and meetings in almost every story.

Asimov is a pretty good writer, and the ideas he presents may have seemed revolutionary at the time. The book was released in 1950; however, the stories were published throughout the previous decade.

I am still glad to have given this a whirl, and I am likely to revisit the works of Asimov. It was hard to stay enthusiastic about this particular selection, but I can still see how Asimov is held un such high regard.

I have now returned to my preferred genre of the murder mystery. Robert Galbraith’s Lethal White has made it off the stack of intended reads.

Doctor Who Audio Review: Turlough Rejoins The TARDIS With A Different Doctor At The Console

~ Peter Kanelis ~ Leave a comment

Doctor Who-Expulsion is another audio boxset released by Big Finish Productions featuring Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant picking up another one of the Doctor’s more intriguing former companions. Samuel Clemens and Scott Handcock share directing duties for this trilogy of episodes in which Mark Strickson reprises his role of Turlough.

I often get weary of the tendency to the practice of mixing up Doctors and their traditional companions, but I make exceptions when Turlough makes an unexpected appearance. How he reacts to this particular version of the Doctor is quite a treat, although they do find some equilibrium in their relationship as the stories unfold.

Nev Fountain begins this collection with The Reckoning which has Eve Winters and Nigel Fairs lending their voices as the guest cast. The TARDIS is forced to materialize in seventeenth century France where they encounter the famed playwright, Christopher Marlowe. Kit Marlowe has somehow lived well beyond the point where history records his death. A deal has been made, and Turlough seems poised to betray the Doctor.

It’s a pretty strong opening, but the return of Turlough seems to almost guarantee a promising bit of entertainment. The situation is not quite what it seems, and the solution is a sort of anti-climactic. Still, the performances make up for the flaws. Winters’ performance of the mysterious Tess is actually pretty memorable.

Turlough seems to be back to keeping secrets, but it seems understandable since he has to reestablish some trust with a Doctor that seems unrecognizable to him.

It’s still an enjoyable episode and offers a promising start to this collection.

A Crucible of Queens has the TARDIS crew in fifteenth century France during the conflicts between the French and England. The Doctor is asked to examine a king who has apparently lost his mind. Turlough has befriended a French heir to the crown. Two empires at odds are about to make history, and the Doctor has to make sure that it runs as it should while trying to reunite his friends.

Debbier Chazen, Julie Dray, Narayan David Hector, and Laurent Lafuma are included in this production as the guest cast.

This story served well enough as what fans call the “purely historical” addition. I liked that Big Finish actually cast French actors for this one as opposed to using those who try to emulate the accent. It does give some insight into some likely overlooked historical events.

Baker, Bryant, and Strickson continue to hit the right marks when it comes to the continued portrayals of well-known characters.

I didn’t find the story itself all that memorable, but it was by no means a terrible addition.

Finally, we get a return to Viking lore with Julian Richards serving up The Curse of the Duergar. An accursed sword is at the center with a malignant entity able to control minds, even the Doctor’s.

Lara Lemons and Daniel Hawksford are included in the guest cast.

There is an interesting performance from as there is an audio glimpse of a previous Doctor. Turlough still has secrets but seems to have finally come around to accepting this Doctor as an ally.

Overall, the return of Turlough is what makes this set a treat. The stories are fine but exactly ones that are expected to be considered classics, in my opinion.

It looks like we have Turlough around for a bit more in a future release, and I am still up for that ride..