My interview with Maurizio Ragusa went live at Stephen King Only yesterday. The interview is also available in Italian. I speak it amazingly well.
I posted my review of The Fifth Heart by Dan Simmons, and I submitted a longer piece that attacks the book from a different angle to Dead Reckonings. Even though we’ve corresponded off and on over the years, since about 2000 I think, I’ve never had the chance to meet him. I thought that would change when he was named Grandmaster of the World Horror Convention in New Orleans, but he was unable to attend. I had the chance to present him in absentia, though, which was nice. He’s coming to Murder by the Book in Houston later this month to promote The Fifth Heart, so I hope to get to meet him then.
I can’t help but wonder how much fun the kid plays Oscar in St. Vincent had with Bill Murray for all those weeks of filming. We watched it the other night—how could we not with that as a title? It’s about a single mother (Melissa McCarthy) who moves in next door to the neighborhood grumpy old man, Vincent, and has to rely on him to look after her 12-year-old son after school. The relationship gets off to a rocky start when her movers knock a big branch from a tree onto his car, but he’d already done a number on the vehicle the night before when he was drunk. Oscar is the epitome of politeness and he worms his way into the crusty old guy’s heart a bit at a time. It’s a feel good movie that flirts with schmaltz, but we liked it. I usually can’t stand McCarthy, but she is restrained in this film. The director must have had a firm hand, because he kept the actors from excesses. Naomi Watts if funny as hell as a pregnant Russian prostitute who has a soft spot for Murray’s character. We learn more about Vincent as the film goes on, casting him in a more sympathetic light. The finale is high saccharine, but, as I said, we enjoyed the adventure. Chris O’Dowd is amusing as the Oscar’s teacher at Catholic school. The closing credits are mystifying genius, featuring Murray singing along to Dylan’s “Shelter from the Storm” while he plays with a water hose and a dead plant.
