Last week felt a bit light in terms of what I had to report for things watched/played. This week? Quite a bit more movement. Some of that is because I had time to watch things on the bus ride to and from Boston. Some of that is because I actually finished the fifth book of the Stormlight Archive, which meant I started having a lot more time to do things other than read. Anyway, without further ado:
Books:
Wind and Truth–As I said, I finished book 5 of the Stormlight Archive, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. As an author, I was blown away by just how complex the storytelling and plotting of the book was. It really did feel like the culmination of not just the series to date, but the launch of the next phase of the bigger Cosmere picture. You don’t need to have read the non-SA books for this to make sense, though of course it’s a plus. I’m glad I’d taken the time to reread the rest of the series, because I really would have felt a bit lost otherwise. That said, I’m not sure I’m going to be able to do that next time. Thankfully, there are great summaries of all of Sanderson’s books over at coppermind.net. I think next time I might just read those to prepare.
One more comment about the book. After I was done, I glanced over some of the reviews on Goodreads, and I was really disappointed to see the reaction to one particular plot line. Some of the book (maybe . . . 5%?) is focused on a budding relationship between two men, and there were quite a few “I stopped reading” posts by people who were upset about that, accusing Sanderson of “going woke” and “promoting sin.” While I understand the complexity of the debate around homosexuality, one of the things I’ve always loved about reading is the ability for me to see into someone else’s point of view and try to understand them better. I wonder how many of the readers outraged by the plot line see absolutely nothing wrong reading a book where someone’s murdered or abused. Where people steal or lie or have affairs or do any number of things that many would argue are sinful. There’s a serious discrepancy there. Anytime someone brings up “the woke agenda,” I have to wonder how much of their time they’ve actually tried to think of anything other than their own opinion or worldview. When you never consider how other people might live, I suppose it’s much easier to dismiss all other opinions as evil or wrong. But I guess that’s a topic for another day.
How to Solve Your Own Murder–Hey! Look at this. Two books in one week! It actually only took me three days to finish this one. I was amazed how much easier it is to read 358 pages compared to 1,330. (And Brandon, if you’re reading this, you really couldn’t make that book 1,337 pages, instead? Talk about a missed opportunity.) Anyway, this was a quick read. Very well written and well plotted. A woman needs to solve the murder of her great aunt, who was convinced ahead of time that she’d be murdered, and so had investigated all the suspects before she died. That sounds a bit confusing, but the book wasn’t, and I definitely recommend it.
Movies:
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off–Daniela wanted to watch this for her birthday, and I happily agreed. The fact that I’ve raised a daughter with this good of taste makes me happy. 🙂 On Paramount+
The Professor and the Madman–Mel Gibson plays the part of the professor, the man who began work on the Oxford English Dictionary. Sean Penn plays the part of the madman, who murdered a man, was sent to a mental institution, tried to make amends, and also helped the OED become a reality. The movie was good, if a bit heavy-handed at times. On Amazon Prime
Sound of Metal–A drummer for a heavy metal band becomes almost completely deaf, and the movie focuses on the fallout from that. A very well done character study that was hard to watch at times, but very believable. I can see why it was nominated for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Original Screenplay, and why it won for Best Sound and Best Editing. Definitely recommended. Currently on Amazon Prime.
Murder Most Fowl–We decided to watch all the nominees for best animated feature this year as a family. We’d already seen Inside Out 2 a bit ago. The latest Wallace & Gromit was the next up. The duo go up against the infamous thieving penguin from earlier in their history. It’s full of great humor, and I always love the style. Lots of fun, and on Netflix right now.
The Wild Robot–I hadn’t heard about this one. A Dreamworks production directed by Chris Sanders (who did Lilo & Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon. It focuses on a robot who ends up stranded on a remote island and has to learn how to live with the wildlife. That description doesn’t do the film nearly enough justice. It was absolutely fantastic. Heartwarming in all the ways classic Pixar movies were. I’d be stunned if it doesn’t win the Oscar. 10/10, and on Peacock.
Flow–A Latvian entry for Best Animated Film. It’s completely dialogue free, focusing on the efforts of a cat to survive an enormous flood. It was very good, and definitely felt like the most artistic of the entries we watched. Intriguing and at times a bit bewildering. Still worth a watch, and on Hulu.
Television:
Squid Game Season 1–We finished this so we could start the second season. I’d forgotten a lot about it, so I’m glad I did. Still as . . . disturbing as ever. Very well done, though.
Abbott Elementary Season 2–Just watched a couple of episodes. I enjoy the series, though more as a time filler than something I set aside time to watch.
Board Games:
7 Wonders–An old favorite. Basically a card drafting game. It was MC’s first time playing, and she felt daunted at first, but quickly caught on and even won. I especially like that it can play up to 7 people, but also handles 3 well. This should be a staple in anyone’s game library.
7 Wonders Duel–The normal game doesn’t handle 2 people at all. Thankfully, there’s this version, which is one of the best 2 player games I know of. It has all the same feel of the original, but it’s very well balanced for 2 people. Another highly recommended game.
Carcassonne–And then there’s this one, which is another old favorite. Plays 2-5 people, though I think it works better with more. I played this one (and Duel) with Tomas on Boardgamearena. Still love that service.