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1. Took a longer walk than yesterday - walked around the block to the bookstore and back. Did not purchase any books.

The bookstore, which I admittedly frequent a lot due to its close proximity more than anything else, is a small independent book store attempting to cover everything including puzzles and merchandise (mainly of its namesake - Lofty Pigeons) - and as a result doesn't have a broad selection of anything that isn't general fiction or mainstream fiction targeting a twenty-thirty something crowd. It feels more demographic specific than category specific? It appears to be targeting an upwardly mobile well-educated very liberal twenty to thirty-something demographic. I'm the only person that's ever in there that is over the age of 40.

( Read more... )

Lofty Pigeons had one small shelf devoted to both fantasy and science-fiction, with the notable best-sellers with multiple novels. ( it's selection of books )

It's not a bad bookstore - I've bought a lot of stuff from it? But I'm not comfortable in it? Not that I'm much more comfortable in the greatly altered B&N. I actually prefer and feel more comfortable in Taylor & Company on Courtelyou, which is a tiny little hole in the wall book store with may four shelves. Yet, I like it better. Go figure.

2. Dungeon Crawler Carl Book 4: Gate of the Feral Gods (which I'm listening to on audiobook)

Has this great satiric piece on toy merchandising. I can tell the writer had a need to vent about his experiences attempting to do a toy version of Princess Donut for his books. He really satirizes the marketing, advertising, and toy merchandising industry. I giggled throughout it.

I have a feeling it went over a lot of folks heads though. Not sure how? I felt it was obvious. But the online book fandom can be a bit obtuse?

[Now, people who write science fiction and fantasy novels - are into merchandising. They apparently can't sell enough books to survive - so go into merchandise. (ie. action figures, vellum edition book sleeves, art, book marks, pens, recipe books, kits, items mentioned in the book, tea from the book, etc...)]

I miss the good old days when people just wrote and published the book.

3. Supergirl Review

It's not a bad movie, but as previously posted, I can see why it flopped.
For whatever reason, the screen writer decided to use True Grit as a template.
True Grit is a 1968 Western novel by Charles Portis. It's been adapted twice - once by Henry Hathaway (starring John Wayne, Kim Darby, and Glenn Campbell, and then by the Cohen brothers (starring Jeff Bridges, Halee Steinfield, and Matt Damon), who chose to do a much closer adaptation to the novel. Supergirl is VERY loosely based on it - it's using it as a template for a science fiction superhero story. (True Grit is not exactly a happy novel? It's kind of dark and grim? Also it's feminist by 1960s standards? So it's an odd choice for a feminist take on Supergirl.)

What is True Grit about? ( plot spoilers )

Supergirl: ( plot spoilers )

I don't know what the original comic book Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow upon which this was based was about? I haven't read or seen it.

In theory this could work? But it had really poor execution. The script isn't very good. I'd heard the script was bad - which is why I told movie buddy that I was going to pass on it, and wait for streaming. Whichever reviewers (can't remember) stated that the script wasn't very good? Weren't wrong.

Also, True Grit is a dark, violent, and gritty tale. Light hearted superhero flick, it's not. I thought when I heard it was based on True Grit - Supergirl would be the Mattie character, and Lobo would be the Rooster Cogburn character? Because I couldn't envision Supergirl in the role of boozy, world weary, done with the world, grumpy, Rooster Cogburn. I was wrong. Lobo is in the role of LeBeuf, the bounty hunter (a minor supporting role in this film). And in the role of Mattie - is a self-righteous humorless 14 year old that grated on my nerves. (She lacked grit - which is what she's supposed to have in spades. Instead it's a kind of dumb pit bull mentality.) Also, they managed to make the story a lot darker and a lot more violent than it was originally - which, well, kudos? I didn't think that was possible, but they out-did the Cohens.

Milly Alcock (Supergirl) and Momoa (Lobo - who is not having the best luck with DC flicks) do sell their lines, but alas no one else does. ( Read more... )

All in all, it's a shame since this movie could have worked - if the execution had been slightly more on target across the board. Proof that good movies are kind of miracles in a box? Getting a good one made is close to impossible. Too many things have to line up just right.

Spiderman: Brand New Day - everything lined up perfectly, with few flaws.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow - too many things went awry.

Overall? 5/10 or solid B- effort.

And you might want to watch True Grit by the Cohen Brothers instead?