I didn’t get much writing done over the weekend, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t get work done. My main focus has been on a re-read of a book that I’ve been asked to review. The review is due at the end of the month, so I’ve been plowing through it and taking notes. It’s a 550-page book, so that’s been taking up most of my time.
In this information age, so much data is available to us. If we don’t know the answer to a question, we have ample resources to look it up. Sometimes, though, we are provided with too much information. Here’s a case in point: some family members were traveling, so I subscribed to a flight update on the United mobile app. In general, it lets you know when a plane leaves and when it lands. If there are changes to the itinerary, you find out quickly.
Over the course of about five minutes, I received a series of updates concerning the first flight that I have chosen to render here in the Pythonesque style which best suits it: The flight is going to be 14 minutes late. No, 12 minutes. Wait, only 11 minutes. Sorry, we were right the first time: 14 minutes. Hang on—12 minutes. Definitely 12. Or 11. But probably 14 minutes. I submitted a suggestion to their app page: Suppress any updates within a five-minute period where Δt < 5 minutes. It reminded me very much of a favorite XKCD comic.
I went to World War Z on Saturday morning. I haven’t read the book, but was intrigued by the ant-like scenes I’d seen in the trailers. I had no real idea what to expect except zombies. I quite enjoyed it. It was in 3D, and that was handled well. There were a series of set pieces in Philadelphia, New Jersey, Korea, Jerusalem and Cardiff, all of which worked well for me. I appreciated the leverage that was used to get Brad Pitt’s character to cooperate, even though he had retired from his U.N. position. The lack of entrails and brain matter was a welcome change. I really liked the female Israeli soldier who becomes his sidekick and was happy to see Peter Capaldi (The Hour) show up in the Welsh segment. Other than him, Pitt and Mireille Enos, the cast was mostly unknown to me. I did not spot Matthew Fox—apparently most of his stuff was lost in the reworking of the last half hour. David Morse had a meaty but brief appearance. The fast zombies were super creepy (and, for some reason, I was reminded of Justin Cronin’s leaping vampires). The Jerusalem segment was beautiful to look at. I’ve heard a few complaints about the Welsh segment, but I thought that was one of the tensest parts of the film. My biggest complaint had to do with the survivors of a plane crash, which seemed a bit too convenient. I couldn’t help but think of my short story “Zombies on a Plane,” either. I liked the solution to the problem, though I patted myself on the back when I thought I deduced something from the New Jersey segment that would be crucial later on. It wasn’t. Apparently there’s interest in a sequel. I’d go.
Only one more episode of Zero Hour left. I’ll watch it for completeness, just to see where they decided to go with the story, but I think they were right to cancel it. I’m hanging in with The Killing, but I’m not particularly engaged by the story this season. I did like the way Mad Men wrapped up. Don hit bottom and then showed the first signs of a bounce back up again. He’s free of all encumbrances and is learning to see the value of the truth. The look Sally gave him in the closing shot was fantastic. I thought the Peggy story was a little bit off-key, although she was looking pretty Draperlike at the end. And when did Pete become the show’s comic relief? Bad enough that his mother “jumped the shark” but he also allowed himself to be played right off the Chev account.
Saw the trailer for a movie called R.I.P.D. (Rest In Peace Department) starring Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds as a couple of afterlife cops who bring miscreant dead people to justice. Looks like it could be funny. Also stars Mary Louise Parker and Kevin Bacon. Apparently based on a graphic novel or comic.
I watched The Hobbit for the first time yesterday afternoon. Far too long, and far too much added to it that wasn’t in the book. I wasn’t particularly enthralled by the battle sequences. I like Martin Freeman and he makes an engaging if somewhat Arthur Dent-ish Bilbo. I really think the whole thing would have been better served by a single three-hour film than—what?—over eight hours spread out over several years?
