Bryce Moore's Blog, page 266

Movie Review: The Artist

It took me long enough, but I finally got around to watching The Artist--this year's winner of Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and a whole slew of other awards. I'd intended to see it for a long time, but it didn't all come together until this week.



It's a fine movie. A good movie, even. Three stars out of four. Best picture of the year? Not in my book. Of the other nominees that I've seen so far, The Artist is beaten by Moneyball and The Help, and it's slaughtered by Midnight in Paris. It might duke it out with War Horse some and eventually emerge victorious, but winning the whole thing?



It mainly doesn't work for me at that level because the whole film feels like a gimmick. In Mel Brooks's Silent Movie, that's fine--because it is a gimmick. In this film? It felt like they were trying to make art with one arm tied behind their back. Put false constraints on themselves in some kind of "I wonder if we can make a great movie without sound" sort of way.



This is most noticeable in the first third of the movie. It took a long time for me to really fully engage with the characters, and by the time I started caring, they had a lot of ground to make up. Don't get me wrong--it's well acted, and for what it is, it's certainly well directed. But if you take the gimmick away, you don't have the level of movie that people were claiming this was.



You've got a three star movie. I don't give bonus points for gimmicks, just like I wouldn't expect someone to review one of my books higher because I successfully managed to avoid using the letter "v" for the entire novel. (The Artist wasn't helped by the fact that it's essentially going up against Singing in the Rain in terms of subject matter, and that movie just can't be beat.)



Finally, I think what held the movie back from achieving its full potential was the fact that it never really knew what it wanted to be. It dabbled a bit in comedy, sauntered over to drama for a while, meandered into romance, and then drunkenly wove its way to a sort of bildungsroman fusion of I-don't-know-what. Like the main character, you certainly couldn't accuse the movie of not thinking too much of itself.



Did I enjoy it? Somewhat. It got better, like I said. But it wasn't a wholly pleasurable experience, and so maybe me giving it three stars is already me giving it some bonus points for the gimmick. (Curses!) I found myself wanting to check my email several times in the film, and I wasn't even expecting any important emails, if that says anything.



If you want to check the movie out for the gimmick, go for it. If you want to watch an awesome film, rewatch Midnight in Paris, instead.[image error]

Come on Out and See Me at the Library

This coming Monday (the 27th), I'll be heading over to the New Vineyard Public Library here in Maine to visit their book group. (You can also check out their Facebook page.) What can you expect, if you come? The chance to hear me read--audience's choice! Something from Vodnik or Tarnhelm. I'd put out Get Cupid as an option, but I'm not really sure people want to hear some of a first draft.



I'll also be answering any questions people might have and--the real reason to go--refreshments will be served. For many many years, I had a strict DTDFF policy. (Don't Turn Down Free Food.) I still try to follow the spirit of that policy, even if there have been times when I've been forced to not magically appear wherever food is presented for free. (Although if there were such a thing as a Bryce Summoning Spell, it would likely involve ice cream, brownies, dark chocolate, or all of the above, placed on a buffet table. Hot fudge is optional. Do all this, and send me an email about said buffet table, and I'm likely to appear just about anywhere (within driving distance, at least).



I'd actually like to be doing some more library or school visits. In person is always great (especially with food), but I'm perfectly willing to "attend" via Skype. I have a web cam and a mic--there's no need to bribe me with consumables. I've really enjoyed the visits I've done so far--both in person and on Skype. So if you know of a library or a school class that would be interested in hearing from me, just drop me a line.



In the meantime, come by this Monday and say hello. Rumor has it there will even be prizes . . .



August 27th, 6:30pm at the New Vineyard Public Library[image error]

I Don't Want to Be Your Friend: CD Review

Yeah. I know. A CD review? When's the last time I did one of those? (Answer: never.) However, I just bought my first CD in a very long time, and I listened to it with the fam on the whole drive home to Maine yesterday. (That's a lot of drive, in case you were wondering.) And when you get your paws on something you like, you pay it forward. Share the love.



Even if the love is called "I Don't Want to Be Your Friend."



First off, you need to know a bit about me and my musical tastes. I'm pretty eclectic, when you get right down to it. I like things that are different. Quirky. And Neon and Shy's CD features songs played on the accordion, tuba, and toy piano. Ya don't get much quirkier than that. However, there's such a thing as too quirky (or so I've been told), and I'm thinking some of you are wondering right now if accordion/tuba/toy piano CDs cross that line.



No, my friends. It doesn't.



The album is just flat out fun to listen to. I'd heard some of the songs before, but after listening to the whole thing several times, let me pick out a few of my favorites:




The Dairyland Trilogy--This is something I never "got" until I listened to the album. Neon and Shy's been talking about Dairyland for a long time. Extolling its virtues. Mourning its departure. From what I'd gathered, it was an ice cream place somewhere in Philadelphia, and it was popular with accordion players. So popular that songs were written in its honor. And then, tragically, in its memory. I wasn't prepared to see just how much an ice cream place could mean to a man. The first song (O Dairyland) is a hymn to the store. It was recorded in the store, and you can hear all the store's patrons singing along. In the second (Dairyland So Sweet), we hear all about the store's move, and how great it is. It's peppy, fun, and extremely catchy. In the final song (Nothing Ties Me Anymore to Main Street), we hear of the store's passing. This last song is one of the best ones on the album. It's contemplative, it's got great lyrics and a wonderful melody, and I find myself laughing and feeling sad at the same time. I never thought a song about an ice cream store could be so moving, and I mean that sincerely.
Geriatric Grave Robbers--This is a song that took me a bit to get used to. It's discordant, and kind of disturbing. Based on a single quote overheard in the park, "The whole thing is getting the skull size big enough for the brain to expand." I just didn't "get it." Then TRC and DC listened to it, and they just love the song. I can't wait for the next baby sitter to come over and hear TRC mumbling to himself, "The whole thing is getting the skull size big enough for the brain to expand."
Wedding Day--Synth, moody, with great lyrics and a fantastic duet at the end. This is another song that I find myself singing in my head, days after I last listened to it. I've always been a fan of synth (I grew up in the 80s, after all), and this captures that blend of quirky and accessible I really like.
Ladies--I'd really like to see George Costanza singing this one in a musical Seinfeld episode. In the meantime, I'm perfectly happy to hear it on accordion. An autobiographical song about all the singer's ex-girlfriends, and how they've all switched sides, so to speak. It's really funny, and very catchy. If the CD had a single that would be released for a wide audience, this would likely be it.


I don't want to give away the whole thing. The entire album is available to purchase (or listen to in its entirety) right here. Full disclosure: I'm not just a fan of Neon and Shy, I'm a friend, too. I've known him since high school, but anyone who knows me also knows I wouldn't just plug someone because we were friends. My musical reputation's on the line here, folks. I stand by this one. It's a great album, and I'm really happy to have my own copy. Give it a shot, and pass it on. It's just as hard to get noticed in the music scene as it is to get seen in the publishing industry. As always, word of mouth is king. So if you hear/read/see something you like--make sure to tell other people about it.

Off to Sesame Place

Denisa and I went with the kids (and their cousins and other extended family) to Sesame Place on Friday. They'd been before, but it's been a few years. The park's a lot of fun, though it was crowded (which makes sense, it being a sunny summer day and all that).



The first ride we went on was the Vapor Trail--a small steel roller coaster that DC looked intimidated by. TRC really wanted to go on it, though, so we convinced DC that she wanted to go to. (She didn't need that much convincing--all her cousins were going on it, and it's surprising how much influence that has on a little girl.) Still, I wondered what she'd think about it. Getting in line is one thing, standing in line for thirty minutes, watching the roller coaster is another. (No real steep drops--it's more of a twisty turny ride.) Still, she got on with no complaining.



And loved it.



Her smile was a mile wide the whole time, and she wanted to go on it again right after. It looks like we have a little daredevil on our hands. There wasn't a ride she wouldn't go on. She might only be four, but she's very tall for her age--tall enough to go on any ride in the park by herself. And she did. It was fun to see how much she enjoyed them all, even the ones I thought she'd be scared of.



We went from the Vapor Trail over to the Count's Fount--a gigantic splash zone with a huge bucket that dumps water on everybody every five minutes or so. It . . . wasn't as much fun. We waited in line for one of the small water slides. The thing is, they have all these water fountains set up to spray everywhere. It was a slow line, and for most of it, I was getting sprayed right in the face with water. Not exactly enjoyable. TRC didn't like it one bit. Enough that he was then convinced he didn't like water slides at all.



It took some coaxing, but he eventually changed his mind, and we went on many fun water slides together. (Having cousins going on the slides helped, once again.)



We all ate lunch with the characters (Cookie Monster, Count, Abby, Big Bird, and Elmo). The kids really enjoyed that. (Though I think they might have enjoyed the all you can eat ice cream even more). The only drawback to the day was all the lines. No one got sun burned, and there were only a few bouts of crying here and there.



One of the biggest pluses for me this time was that I didn't have to go on the giant nets. The park has this huge net area, where kids can go and climb all over the place. Last time, I went with TRC, because he was too small to really think he'd be okay in there on his own. It was one of the least enjoyable experiences I've ever had. The nets cut into my skin, it was small and cramped (have I mentioned I'm slightly claustrophobic?) and it was impossible to keep up with him. This time? I sat on the ground and waved. Much easier.



I'll leave off with a pic of TRC, DC, and their cousins. Sorry about the streakiness. It was a tad humid, and I'd just wiped the lens of my iPad.




[image error]

Rasputins and Kung Fu Fighting: Vodnik Chapter Seventeen

Well, maybe not kung fu fighting exactly, but it sounded snappier. Two main pieces to this chapter--one of them came into the book in the first or second draft, the other didn't show up until almost the end.



I found out that Tomas was immune to fire and water about the same time Tomas did in the book. As I recall, the idea came to me in the shower (where most of my ideas come from, if I'm being honest). I'd known Tomas had been injured in the burning/drowning incident when he was little, of course. But then I started wondering what sort of an effect that incident had on him. It was magical--could it have had some ramifications? What would they be like?



I didn't find out exactly what they were until I was writing this chapter. The story of Rasputin came to mind, and everything clicked all at once--the name, the abilities. Everything. I love it when that happens. It makes everything so much tidier.



Of course, the name--as proud as I was of it--wasn't an exact fit. It's a piece of Russian history, not Slovak, and while we Americans may just sort of jumble all of those stories together into one big "Eastern European" category, believe you me when I say that Slovaks do not. When Denisa read the story over in its draft form, this was one of the spots she really wanted changed. The name of the ability. It didn't make any sense to her, to have it named after Rasputin.



And I tried. Really, I did. I tried using various Slovak words, but none of them had the same ring. I tried other combinations of English. (I have notes . . . somewhere.) But nothing really worked and felt as cool to me as Rasputin, so in the end I just went with that. (Sorry, Denisa.) (Side note--Slovaks do *not* like Russians. It all comes from being forced to do a whole bunch of Communist things for so long. Denisa has story about all of them, from having to participate in Communist parades to taking field trips out to Communist memorials. Add to that the persistent fear the populace had of being turned over to the secret police. and . . . that sort of bad memory just doesn't poof away when Communism falls. Enough that Denisa also recommended against naming Tomas's cousin Katarina. It's got a very Russian feel to it, and she didn't think any Slovak at the time Katka was born would have named her Katka. But I really liked the name . . .)



In any case, the Rasputin ability is one of my favorites from the book, and I'm still very pleased with how it turned out, even if I couldn't get the name exactly right. We see a bit of it in action later in the novel, but I've got these ideas of how much it could be used in a sequel . . .



The second point--the element that came in the final draft--is the fighting technique Lubos shows to Tomas. Once the Bigot Gang started being so physically abusive, I needed Tomas to be able to fight back. My first instinct was to have Lubos start straight with sword fighting techniques, but there were some speed bumps with that. First off, it wasn't like Tomas could just start sporting a sword around town. Roma, armed and dangerous? Not going to fly. And even if it could, I didn't really want him dealing with the fallout (emotional and legal) that would happen if he ended up killing a kid in the book. This isn't that kind of novel.



So sword fighting was out.



I talked to my brother-in-law, and we discussed various approaches Tomas might learn. I wanted him to dive straight into real fighting, Karate-Kid style. But my brother in law assured me that the first thing to learn would be how to fall the right way. So . . . that's what I went with. I tried to keep the training sequences as realistic as I could. Tomas doesn't have any special abilities that let him learn how to fight more easily. He has to go the normal route. (And I think it's important--in a fantasy novel--to keep as much "normal" in the book as you can. You can't go running to magic every time you need a solution to something.)



I've always loved training sequences in movies and books--seeing how a character goes from a novice to a full-fledged expert. Of course, having seen a fair number, I've got very strict ideas about how they need to roll out. It really bugs me when a character has two or three lessons, and suddenly they're an expert. I wanted to avoid that in this novel. Even by the end, Tomas isn't particularly good at fighting. Just good enough to surprise bullies who are expecting an easy target. (Give Tomas a few more months  or years of lessons, though . . . )



Still, it was fun writing these training sequences, and I was happy for the opportunity to do it. I think they turned out well, and fit the book.

Night Market Philly

A week or two ago, my friend Neon and Shy (aka Tubadan, aka Dan--because unless you have at least two aliases, you ain't cool) post about a cool street vendor festival that was going to be happening down in Philly, asking who all wanted to go. I read the post with envy, since (as much as I love the nook of Maine I call home) every now and then I wish there were more cool things to do where I live. Or maybe just more cool things to eat. In any case, I reread the post, and then realized that I was actually going to be down in the area at that time. I could go!



So Denisa and I did. Last night. We'd thought about taking the kids, but they ended up staying with their cousins, instead. Probably for the best. Not that it wasn't safe, but I had no idea how many people would show up.



Tons of people. Oodles of people.



Night Market Philly was the name of the game. Probably fifty or so food trucks lined up on the road, representing all sorts of cuisines. Yeah, you had your Italian, your Mexican, your Indian, your . . . vegetarian hoagies? Trinidadian? Korean Tacos? There were lots and lots of choices to be had, that's for sure.



I had gourmet pizza, Indian wraps, spicy taco with pineapple, frozen lemonade, gelato, creme brulee, and a macaroon. It was taste-a-rific.



Did it make me decide to move to the city? No. I think that at heart, I really am more of a country person. I don't like throngs of people. They make me uncomfortable. It's fun to have something different now and then, but I really like being able to go back to my little corner of the world where there's only 5,000 people in town. The city isn't going anywhere, and I'd rather the baseline be quiet and peaceful (and yes, sometimes boring) than non-stop excitement.



Anyway--thanks, Neon, for letting us tag along. 'Twas an awesome night.



And now, I'm off to Sesame Place with the kidlets. Wish me luck. :-)

My First Podcast--Win a Copy of Vodnik!

Last week, I had the chance to take part in my first podcast interview. I know--auspicious occasion, right? I've never done a podcast, period. And I suppose I still haven't. I've just talked into a phone and had someone else take care of the rest. Go check it out--a half hour of me talking. It's over at readnowsleeplater.com.



It was a strange experience, all told. I tend to ramble when I talk, and it gets worse when I know that I'm not supposed to ramble. So I'd be answering the questions, then start thinking about how I was supposed to stay focused, and that would distract me from what I was talking about, which would make me ramble more. A vicious cycle.



Alethea (the interviewer) was nice enough to email the questions ahead of time, which helped a lot. I had time to write down some ideas of what I'd say. I was also happy to see that she'd asked me questions I hadn't gotten before. Not that I've had a ton of experience with interviews (written, at least), but even in the small experience I've had, I've noticed that it's easy to start feeling like you're rehashing your answers all the time. (I don't recycle my old answers for a new interview--I write them fresh each time. But sometimes I forget what I've already said and where.) Not so in this interview.



Also, they're doing a giveaway for Vodnik that runs with the podcast. So if you'd like to win a copy, head over to the podcast, scroll to the bottom, and find out how to enter.



http://www.readnowsleeplater.com/2012/08/interview-with-author-bryce-moore.html



Oh--and I think it goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway. If any of you (you meaning, the entire world) would like to do an interview with me (podcast, written, guest blog post on a topic of your choice, or a topic of my choice, etc.), you have but to say the word. :-)

Rocksmith Bass DLC Review

It's been a while since I raved about it, but I've still been playing Rocksmith steadily. (Honestly, the biggest problem I have with the game is that when I'm playing it, I don't want to stop. It has a tendency to eat up all my time. I still just adore it.) If you weren't aware, yesterday they released a huge update to the game--for $30, you can add bass to your options for everything. New challenges, new versions of all the songs--everything. You can use a guitar to emulate a bass, or (if you own a bass, like I do) you can hook up your bass to the game.



Since I'd been feeling somewhat guilty that my electric guitar was seeing all the action for the past 8 months, leaving my bass to gather dust, I jumped at the opportunity, slapped $30 down, and dove right in last night.


What did I think?



Well, I got blisters on three of my fingers from all the playing yesterday. I didn't pack for my trip like I was supposed to--and I had an awesome time. :-)



Of course, I've always been kind of a bass guy. Bassoon in high school--and bari sax. I love me some bass parts. Rocksmith fills that itch tremendously well. I also discovered that I've gotten tons better at bass in the time since I've been playing Rocksmith. Some of the parts are just plain easier--I was sight reading songs and scoring 115,000 points or more on my first time through. I got double encores with ease. It was really nice to see how far I've come, since when I got Rocksmith back at Christmas, I had to really struggle just to make it through the basic version of "Satisfaction".



Without doubt, Rocksmith has turned me in from a guy who dabbles on the guitar into a guy who can actually play the guitar. I'm by no means a pro yet--I'd still classify me in the novice stage, although maybe I'm getting close to moving up to intermediate. For example, I can play most of "Sunshine of Your Love," but I get lost in the solo still. (Lots of bends.) But when I first got the game, all I could do on the guitar was strum chords--slowly. The game has been a huge boost to my playing skills, and it's hands down the most fun way I've seen of learning the guitar.



I tried out some of the more complex songs, and I'm happy to say that the bass parts are well done in them, too. It's not all just quarter notes, if you know what I mean.



Now I just need to get an extra cable, so I can hook up the guitar and the bass at the same time, and either rope Denisa into playing with me some (she took guitar along with me back in college) or getting TRC in on the action. (Probably in a year or two)



In short, if you've already bought Rocksmith and want to have more fun with the game, you need to buy this downloadable pack. I can't vouch for the guitar emulator, but I know I'm going to be playing both guitar and bass for a long time to come.

Into the Woods is One of the Best Musicals of All Time

You heard me. I don't know if Into the Woods is the best musical of all time--I don't like to get into debates like that--but I have to say that as far as accessibility, entertainment, layered meaning, musical score--all those things go, Into the Woods ranks right up there with the best of them. The fact that it got aced out by Phantom for the Tony for Best Musical in 1988 is just ridiculous. Don't get me wrong. Phantom of the Opera is all fine and good, but let's face it. If there were a musical cage match with Sondheim in one corner, and Weber in the other, Sondheim would take about 3 seconds before he smashed a chair over Weber's head. (I would pay money to see this.)



Denisa and the kids and I watched this Sunday evening, and I was again reminded of just how great this musical is. Some of it is that I've got some sentimental attachment to it, obviously. It was the first musical I ever saw on Broadway, and I saw it in its original run back in '88, with Bernadette Peters and the gang. It was fantastic then, and I'm really happy that version was filmed so I could rewatch it whenever I want to these days. (And it's on Netflix Instantwatch right now? Awesomeness!)



But when I was nine watching it live, it was a fun and funny musical that mashed all sorts of fairy tales together in a bunch of exciting ways. TRC and DC thought the same thing when we were watching it the other night. They enjoyed it (although at 2.5 hours, it was a bit long for them--was I that squirmy when I was eight?)



Watching it now as a parent, I saw all sorts of other subtexts that completely passed over my head when I was nine. It's a really adult musical, but it works perfectly well on both levels.



Then again, I realize that I'm not necessarily the end all be all critic when it comes to musicals. I've seen my fair share, but that share is by no means exhaustive. So my question to you, O readers, would be what your top five musicals would be. Only stage musicals. No film versions, though I realizes this trims down the candidates by quite a bit.



For me personally? (Emphasis on the personal) In no order:




Into the Woods
Les Mis
Sweeney Todd


After those three, you get into a lot of tie breakers in my book. Maybe I'm forgetting some. I'm sure some of you will correct me.




What are my requirements for a musical? It's got to have a great story. It's got to have great music. The production I saw of it has to be fantastic. Characters high up there. I don't know--the same requirements I have for a great anything, I guess.




What do you think?

The Birth of Death in the Modern Day: Vodnik Chapter Sixteen

Ah, Death in the Modern Day at last. The appearance of Death's handy guide to killing in Vodnik came as a surprise to me. I hadn't started writing the book with a plan for it to ever come into play. I didn't even know it existed. So why did it appear?



For a couple of reasons. First off, Tomas and Katka were dealing with things they had absolutely no idea how to really handle. In the original draft, Katka and Tomas consult a whole bunch of different fairy tale books looking for ideas--that's all they could think of to do. So I had them go to a library to look for more information. Once there, Tomas comes across a reference to a book that's held in a branch he doesn't recognize. He asks the librarian about it, and she has no clue what he's talking about.



Long story short, there's a magical library beneath the city center, and Tomas has to find a way in to get the book. And then he has to deal with a dwarf librarian (who has his beard in a bun) . . . As I recall, that's about as far as I took that storyline. I was having to make too much new material up, just so that I could get Tomas in contact with a book that would help him.



So I just had him get the book ex nihilo.



Which of course meant I had to figure out where that book had come from, but that led to other, better answers.



Once I'd decided that what he got was the handbook for death, I had to decide what exactly the handbook for death looked like. One of my favorite musicals is "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying." If you haven't seen it (and you should--I love the Robert Morse version), it's about a window washer who comes across a copy of a book that teaches him how to . . . do what the title of the musical says. The books is authoritative and direct, with a simple tone that implies any nincompoop could handle what it's saying. (And wouldn't you know it? The musical turns out to be based on an actual book--I love research! Just found that out.)



I wanted to capture that feeling, but contrast it with a book that's so convoluted and hard to understand that the tone just becomes infuriating to a new reader. I actually rewatched the musical a few times to get the feel down, and I'd rewatch it whenever I started to lose it. The opening paragraph of DitMD is very much a direct parody of the opening paragraph of HtSiBwRT, but the two books obviously diverge a lot from there.



Another interesting (to me) note: the illustrations of the reaper dude in the book were very much a last minute addition. As Isaac Stewart was designing the book, he came up with the idea to have a little critter as the mascot (so to speak) of the novel. He put the reaper dude in at the front of each chapter and on the t-shirt of Tomas on the cover.



This was a great idea, but I had one problem with it: the reaper guy was nowhere in the novel, so it felt forced to me. However, because I liked the idea, I came up with a simple solution: write him in. And he  was a perfect fit for the illustrations in DitMD (which originally had no illustrations). Win win.



In the end, I'm very pleased with how the book within a book turned out, and it's been fun to see how many people have really liked it, too. It went from being a simple plot device to being one of the main elements of the novel (especially once quotes from it were incorporated as chapter bumps for each chapter).



(This is also one of the reasons why I try to never compare my first drafts of a new book with the last drafts of a book I just completed. So much gets added in during the revision process--at least the way I write. Comparing one to another is like comparing a lump of clay to a finished pot. You just can't do it.)



NOTE--The Karate Kid image at the top was for a piece of medieval fighting I was going to discuss in this chapter's commentary, as well. I ran out of time and space, though. Sorry for getting your hopes up . . . )