Mortals
I let myself be lured into watching yet another post-apocalyptic epic, Mortal Engines (2018), courtesy of Netflix. 100 years into the future, London has become a rolling city, moving on treads similar to those used by tanks. In order to survive, it preys upon smaller enclaves, seizing resources and people. There just aren’t enough Twinkies to go around. One of the masterminds is up to even further no-good. He is played by Hugo Weaving, the villain in The Matrix trilogy. As expected, the CGI is spectacular. Unfortunately, other than the premise, the flick is similar to so many of today’s action films, culminating in a battle sequence that is impressive but familiar. There is only one other aspect that captured my fancy — a mummified zombie assassin named Shrike who, like the Tin Man, is tormented at not having a heart. The considerable talents of stage and screen veteran Stephen Lang bring the character to life. I’m not sure he ever got into a suit, but it was cool. I was completely unfamiliar with the heroic leads, Hera Hilmar and Robert Sheehan, despite their impressive credits. They were solid. The only aspect that was annoying was some of the dialogue of a female warrior, which seemed goofy to my ears. The screenplay was adapted from a series of novels by Philip Reeve. Christian Rivers was at the helm, his first full length feature. Whether he gets more work may depend on how brisk DVD sales and rentals and streaming are. The box office take was disappointing, a return of $83 million worldwide on a budget of $100 million. 74,000+ users at IMDb have rated Mortal Engines, forging to a consensus of 6.1 on a scale of ten. It’s strictly for fans of the genre. It runs a shade more than two hours.
This guy made a one-handed catch of the Giants’ Pedro Sandoval’s game-winning homer last night in San Diego. Only the baby seems unimpressed:
The way things are going, those who write medical books may be forced to include “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” The latest to go on a rant is Bette Midler, who excoriated blacks who support the president and doubled down when she drew fire from many who accused her of racism. I know she’s not a racist, but she is in danger of becoming a shrew. This saddens me because I really enjoy some of her work, notably her beautiful vocal on The Rose, an awesome duet with Barry Manilow on Slow Boat to China, and a hilarious send up of Sophie Tucker she did on The Arsenio Hall Show. Here’s the latter:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29dq2TwuWN8
Sasha’s grandma tried to kill me today. Just after eleven she brought about 75 books, a mix of Russian and classics, and asked if she could bring more later. I didn’t have the will to deny her. The second batch was as good as the first. Another will arrive tomorrow. I hauled two shopping bags worth to the building. One was filled with what look like medical pamphlets residents of the co-op might find useful. I brought the other home. Another sits on the floor of the passenger side of the front seat, as the back is crammed. Despite the terrific inventory, business was only so-so. My thanks to the woman who made a three for two swap of novels in Russian, and to the guy who reminds me of Nikita Khrushchev, who bought a thriller in that language; and to Bill, who purchased A Hero of Our Time by Mikhail Lermontov, who influenced Dostoevsky and Tolstoy; and to the gentleman who went home with Farmers of Forty Centuries: Organic Farming in China, Korea, and Japan by F. H. King; and to the woman who chose a bio of Frida Kahlo and sent her husband to pay. He selected The Mystery of Death by Ladislaus Boros and Gregory Bainbridge and two similar works. I love when unusual titles sell.
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