Bryce Moore's Blog, page 285

Broadway Review: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Denisa and I went in to New York and had a chance to see a show while we were there. I love me some Broadway, and I don't get to go nearly as often as I'd like. (That whole "living in Maine" thing tends to make "going to Broadway" more difficult.) One of my all-time favorite musicals is How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying--mainly because of the Robert Morse movie version of the musical, which I grew up watching frequently. It also has a song all about groundhogs. Right up my alley.



So when I saw Daniel "Harry Potter" Radcliffe was starring in the revival, I hoped I'd be able to get in sometime and see it. Then again, I was also more than a little concerned that he'd stink it up and ruin the musical. Harry Potter isn't known for his great vocals, after all. But it was worth a shot. I'd seen him perform on the Tony's after all, and he didn't do an awful job then.



I'm very pleased to be able to report that it's a wonderful production. Radcliffe threw himself into the role with gusto, even nine months into his ten month stint as the star. The musical numbers were tons of fun, and I've never seen the Groundhog number done better. The musical was hilarious. Great choreography (not quite as good as the movie, but then again, the movie reused the Bob Fosse routines, and it's hard to compete against Fosse), I loved the set and costume design--sort of a Broadway Mad Men vibe, with extra color. (Denisa noticed all sort of things with the costume design that I didn't even pick up on at all--how the colors changed based on the tone of the musical at the time. Stuff like that. Clearly I'm not that observant when it comes to costumes. But I noticed they looked nice and were . . . colorful.)



The two stand out numbers were the Groundhog one and the finale. Radcliffe's voice was pretty good. He has a tendency to sing through his nose on some of the words, but I think that might be him doing his American accent. John Larroquette (of Night Court fame) played the boss, and he really hammed it up--in a good way.



There have been times that I've seen live productions of shows that I'm already really familiar with via the film adaptations. Sometimes, the comparison is a harsh one. You can get really used to seeing things done a certain way, and when it's different, it seems worse. Not this time. I really had a blast the whole time through.



On an interesting side note, Radcliffe auctioned off his bow tie at the end of the show (for an annual Broadway charity drive). It went for $2800. (Who said there was a recession on?) It was fun to see him chit chat with the audience as he took bids.



In any case, if you're in the area and want to catch a good show, I encourage you to see this one. I might be biased because I'm a big fan of the musical to begin with, but it's just a light, enjoyable production. Very family-friendly, too.

Movie Review: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Finally got around to watching Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides last night, part of my wait-to-see-blockbusters-until-they're-on-video-so-I'm-not-disappointed routine. Once again, it worked like a charm. Was the movie fantastic? No. Was it an entertaining way to spend an evening? Yes. I've got the Bluray and sound system--why not trot them through their paces now and then?



The movie only got a 33% on Rottentomatoes, a 45 on Metacritic. By all rights, I should have disliked the film. It does nothing original, Jack Sparrow does his shtick, Penelope Cruz plays an unrealistic fighting pirate, and there are mermaids with serious characterization issues. Not to mention the frequent plot holes.



I still had a good time.



Mainly, I enjoyed it just because it was so much fun to watch Jack Sparrow being Jack Sparrow. In many ways, it felt a lot like a James Bond movie. There's a lot that doesn't make a ton of sense, but you're there for the ride and the character.



The effects were extremely well done. Just being able to watch them should account for something on its own. I mean, back in the day when film just came out, people would attend just to be able to see the technology at work. Forget story--the bling is worth it on its own. Same thing here.



Other than that, there's not much to say. Ian McShane did a good job as Blackbeard. The soundtrack was solid. I had a fun time. It didn't change my life, but the fourth movie in a series isn't really trying to, is it?



Three stars for me. What did you think of the movie?

The Cover for Vodnik

That's right, folks. The time has come--I'm allowed to share with you the cover for Vodnik. (No--that's not the cover at the top of this story. That's Twilight. But you knew that, didn't you? Scroll down for my cover. Which is way cooler than apples and hands.) Seeing this and having it announced over on Tu Books' site has made the book seem that much more real to me. It's nice that after all this work, everything's coming together so well. I saw the maps for the book yesterday, and they're looking great, too. This is going to be a really slick looking piece of literature. Very exciting times.



Anyway--here she be. Tomas, Trencin Castle, Lil' Reaper T-Shirt, Hands on Fire, and the Vodnik Statue hiding in the clouds. (That's my son's favorite part--he thought that was really cool once he noticed it, though I'd seen it right away.)









Having had some input on the cover as it went along, I must say I was impressed by how much work goes into it--mock ups, photo shoots, endless debate. In the end, I'm really happy with it. I think it does a great job representing a lot of what the book is about. It's exciting and mysterious, and it catches the eye. At least, I think it does.



What do you all think?



March 2012 keeps getting closer!

Subdivisions

Denisa and I had an unwelcome surprise a bit ago: a letter came in the mail. The landowners around us have decided to subdivide. Again. When we bought the house, it was sort of by itself in the middle of a wide open field. Last year, they put in a house in front of us. We've since planted some evergreens to eventually block out the house.



Now they're selling six more lots.



Sigh. Luckily, these aren't as bad as the other one. They're behind our  house, where we have a nice copes of trees already present. There's one to the side of our house, and I'm thinking about planting some more trees there now--just so we're ready when the house does go in.



I suppose it's inevitable: time marches on, and people just keep making more people, and all those people have to stay somewhere. But one of the reasons we bought the house was because we didn't want neighbors too close.



Still, they're not going to be that close. Some of you in cities are no doubt rolling your eyes at me even as you read this. But I really wish I could just buy a good 100 acres or so and put my house there, just so that I never had to see anybody.



It's not that I don't love you all. I just love my privacy more. Which is ironic, seeing how much I blog about my life. But there's a difference between people reading about it and people watching it, ya know?



Oh well. I'll stop complaining now. But I won't stop grumbling in my head.

Holiday Shopping Guide: Video Game Edition

Every year, it's the same thing: what to get the techno geeks (or growing techno geeks) in your life. (Well, assuming you have techno geeks in your life. If you don't, why don't you find one, and give him or her something this holiday season? Because tech stuff is expensive, man.) Some of you have kids who are in to the whole video game thing. Others of you who have spouses in the same boat. And there you stand in the video game store, looking at hundreds of boxes that all look sort of similar, wondering what to buy.



Wonder no more. I'm here to help you out with that. All you need to know is what video game system your techie of choice loves, and you'll be off and running. (And for you video game geeks out there, remember--this list isn't really for you. It's for people who have no idea where to begin with video games. Sort of like me in a yarn shop.) Ready? Here we go.



3DS Games

Many of you have no doubt heard of the trouble the 3DS has been having. Slow sales, bad games--all that jazz. And so you might be feeling skittish about committing to the system. Let me allay those fears. TRC has one of them, and he adores it. Flat out worships the thing. Interestingly, he doesn't care for the 3D all that much. And that seems to be a thing many people echo. But the thing is, the 3DS is a whole lot more than just being about 3D. It's a much stronger DS game system, and it plays all the DS games. I highly recommend the thing. If your loved one has a 3DS, your life just got a whole lot simpler, because they have a rash of new games coming out, all of which look or are awesome:



This one's a no-brainer. Mario Kart. Comes out December 7. Your loved one will thank you.



The second best reviewed game for the 3DS out there. If your loved one has a 3DS, they like Nintendo games. It's one of the main reasons to have the system. Play to the system's strengths. Buy Nintendo.



 The best reviewed game. A remake of one of the best games of all time. Sure to scratch that portable Zelda itch.



Cheaper than the other ones. TRC has this game and can't get enough of it. I've played it, and I can see why. Good times.



Nintendo DS

Maybe your loved one hasn't branched out into the next Nintendo system yet. Not to worry--there's some love for the DS out there, as well.



The latest iteration of Pokemon. There's a reason this game has lasted as long as it has. Another one that TRC owns and plays often.



A great one if your loved one loves puzzles. The Professor Layton games are well produced, engrossing, and fun to solve. Speaking as a puzzle lover, myself.



Nintendo Wii

No longer the huge Must Have item of the video game world, the Wii still has some solid games coming out for it. That said, the choice is pretty straightforward. The one game you should be getting for a Wii lover in your life this year has got to be:



It's getting fantastic reviews across the board. It comes out on November 20, so you know they don't have it yet. It's Zelda. What more do you need?



This one came out about a year ago, so they might already have it. But it's a great game, and it would be cheaper by now, too. Or get it used--cheaper still. Or--if they don't have the first one--get that one, instead:



$20 new. You can't go wrong. Fun for the whole family.



PS3/360

But perhaps you're not in to the whole Nintendo thing. You've got a PS3 or a 360, and you want to use it for something more than Netflix and Blurays (if you've got a PS3). I haven't played any of these systems in a while, so I can't vouch for any of these personally, but definitely look into the following: (all fairly recent releases, all solid games--though not all for kids)












And finally, maybe one of the games I personally am most interest in:



It's like Guitar Hero, except you play it with a real guitar. Not a fake one. And at the end of the day, you're learning how to play the guitar, except you're playing a game. This is a game I might have to buy. We shall see. You can get it as a standalone game, or get it bundled with a real electric guitar. Note that it will work with any electric guitar--not just the one the bundle comes with. Intriguing . . .



PC

Or maybe your loved one still plays games on an actual computer (gasp!). If that's the case, allow me to suggest one in particular:



A MMO game for Star Wars fans. Note that this is like World of Warcraft--you'll have to pay $15/month to have access to the content, and it's likely going to be wicked addicting. But maybe you're sick of talking to your tech geek, and you'd like some peace and quiet. This'll buy you some for a while. It doesn't come out until December 20th, though--so you might have to wrap it at the last minute.



Got any questions about specific games, or games I haven't mentioned? Ask away. I'm happy to help.



I'll try and do more posts for other topics--whether it's gadgets or movies or board games. We'll see how much time I have.

Writing a Novel: It's Basically Crosswords, All the Way Down

Now that I'm deeper into the second revision of Tarnhelm (46 pages done, 100 to go--but the second half of the book needs quite a bit more work than the first, which had already been revised once), I've just been surprised how each book seems to have a life of its own.



You would think writing one novel would be much like writing any other, but so far I've found that not to be the case. Oh, you still string words together and figure out plots and characterizations--that's not what I mean. What I'm getting at is more a focus on the process itself. Sitting down and solving the problems that come up during the creative process.



In some ways, it's a lot like a crossword. Maybe you're a crossword expert. You've been doing them for years, and you can blaze through easier ones with very little struggle. But those Sunday New York Times crosswords still stump you. You know all sorts of tricks, the method to solving each one is the same, but the actual process varies depending on the crossword. With one, maybe you start in the upper left corner. But then on another, that one's a complete mystery, so you end up focusing on the middle. Or the lower right, or some of the long answers that'll crack the code all at once.



There are revelations as you go. Small clues of no consequence end up being vital, since once they're in place, bigger puzzle-focusing clues come into place, and the picture gets that clearer. In the end, the result is the same: a completed crossword. And when someone asks you after the fact, you can tell them--but the steps seem awfully similar in each case. It's only by actually solving the crossword that it all makes sense.



And now, maybe I've used that analogy too much.



This is all just to say that I tend to have to overcome a good dose of inertia each time I start a new project--whether it's the first draft of a book, or a major revision of a book I've already done. In the case of the first draft, it's that blasted empty page that can scare the socks off me. For a major revision, it's knowing how much work is there and wondering "Where do I begin? How will I keep it all straight?"



But the thing is, there's always a way. You start where you can--where it makes sense--and those empty boxes start getting filled in. It's like magic. I always got a kick out of talking to some of the creative writing majors in college. There were so few of them who actually ever wrote anything (other than when an assignment was due). They'd say, "I have to wait for my muse." And to me, that's sort of like saying, "I can only do that crossword puzzle when the fancy takes me."



I write for the same reason I do crosswords: I enjoy the process. It's not something I just feel like doing now and then. I mean, I like it so much, I write a daily blog. I'm a sick, sick man. What can I say?



(And bonus points to whomever can get the connection between the movie listed and the subject matter. No, it's not that Billy Crystal is a writer in the movie.)

Obscure Movie Review: Jump Tomorrow

As much as I realize that most people prefer to watch the sort of movies that everybody else is watching and reviewing, one of the things I enjoy reviewing most on this blog are movies that most people probably haven't heard of, but which are really great films. They don't have to be Fine Cinema, but they're excellent examples of the genre they represent. Essentially, I take a chance on films that might be bad, all so I can find the ones that are really good.



(This is also one of the reasons I love Netflix. It's very good at recommending movies to me based on my past reviews. (It better be--I now have 1,964 reviewed movies in their database.) Essentially, I don't have to trust a random reviewer at this point. Netflix almost always estimates my review within a star. If it says I'll give a movie 4.1 stars, chances are it'll be 4 or 5. Almost certainly at least a 3. That's really handy, and it makes me able and willing to watch some movies I never would have given the time of day to before. Incidentally, this is a feature I would love GoodReads to develop. It's one thing to know what everyone else thinks of a book, but having a fairly reliable estimation of what I'll think of that book--that would be great.)



I had never heard of Jump Tomorrow. If I were back in the days of Blockbuster, I never would have checked it out. An independent romantic comedy with the following description:

A young Nigerian man on the verge of being in an arranged marriage, suddenly questions his situation after an encounter with a stunning Latin woman, who is also about to be married.

Yeah. Not really my cup of cocoa. But Netflix told me 4.1 stars, and I wanted something light and fluffy for Denisa, so I gave it a shot. We were both glad I did.


It's quirky in a way mainstream romantic comedies only try to be. The film is pretty bare-bones, as it should be for only costing $1 million to make. I really liked it because it kept things up in the air, entertaining, and yet with enough art house vibe to make you think about some of the scenes instead of just mindlessly consuming them.



Better yet--for those of you out there who wish I'd review more family-friendly-fare--this one is PG. It's also available on Netflix Instant, which is a big plus.



Was it the best movie I'd ever seen? No. But it's a solid three star (out of four) movie that you probably have never heard of. Quirky fun. Give it twenty minutes, and I'm pretty sure you'll be hooked, too--assuming you're looking for a romantic comedy, that is.



Anyone else out there seen this one already?

Vodnik Takes a Shot Over Seas

My book has now headed off to test the waters in eight different European countries (sent off to subagents by my wonderful agents). What does that mean? My agents have contacts with other agents in various countries. They send their books to them to see if those agents can/want to try to place the books at publishers in those countries.



This doesn't mean that my book magically gets sold in those countries.



Still, it's exciting to think of the possibilities. More money is always good. :-) But it's also got me thinking about how the book might play over seas. I could see it going either way. On the one hand: "Hey! A book that takes place in present day Europe instead of America. Sweet!" On the other, "Oh. But it's written by an American. Not cool."



The Roma characters and subplots could also go either way. Europe (at least Germany and Slovakia) is far less concerned with being politically correct. Many people are very open with their prejudices. While I feel that makes Vodnik that much more important to come out over there, it might not make for very fertile ground. Then again, most of the younger generation I talked to when I lived in Europe were much more open minded. I would think they'd be much more open to a Rom as a main character than those of the older generation.



But what do I know? I'm American.


Any which way, it's cool to have the book going elsewhere. It's also really cool that it's all happening with no extra effort from me. Very very pleased to have an agent, but that's a topic for a different day. Rest assured that I'll let you know if/when any sales are forthcoming.

Movie Review: Winnie the Pooh (2011)

I just watched the new Winnie the Pooh. I know. I fail as a Winnie the Pooh fan. In my defense, it came out while I was in Slovakia, so I kind of missed the window for seeing it in the theaters. I bumped it straight to the top of my Netflix queue--does that help my Winnie the Pooh Fan Club standing at all?



There are a lot of Pooh fans out there. Tons. Which is why I'm furious--furious--at the way this film was handled. Mind you, I loved the movie. Four stars. Crack for Winnie the Pooh fans. I thought it was spot on throughout. Hilarious, light, fun--enormously entertaining. The worst I can say for it was that it was so short (just over an hour). My kids thought it was fantastic, too. It has a timeless feel to it, and it's one of the first movies in a long time that I'm considering purchasing.



So why am I furious?



Because Disney decided to make this a summer release. Not just any summer release. They had the bright idea to put it up against HARRY POTTER. Harry made $170 million its opening weekend. Winnie made $8 million.



How can anyone tell me they couldn't see that coming? Who thought that was a good idea? If Disney had waited until fall to release Winnie, I think the difference would have been drastic. I mean, Puss in Boots (aka Shrek 5) made $35 million its opening. It's being hailed as a wonder. Families are desperate for good entertainment. Yada yada yada.



Winnie the Pooh should have been that movie, not the also ran against Harry Potter. Instead, it slipped away into quiet oblivion. Disney will look at it as a failure, and we won't get more of that sort of quality film. I love the vintage feel. The throwback to a certain era of Disney. I feel like there's a market for it, but some suit at Disney doesn't want it to succeed, so instead we'll see Hannah Montana Meets the Power Rangers to Fight Justin Bieber (actually--that's not that bad of an idea. Somebody write that right now, and when you sell it, give me 25%.)



In any case, if you missed this one, go watch it with your family. Now.



Bother.

Fed Up with Polls

I'm a little fed up with surveys. Just this morning I was driving to work, and the news came on--something about a survey on how many people agreed or disagreed with the Michael Jackson doctor trial verdict.

People? It doesn't matter. That isn't news. I don't care how many people agreed or disagreed with the verdict. It doesn't change it at all. When did what everybody else thought (after high school) suddenly become such a big deal?

What does it matter how many people would let Kim Kardashian babysit their children? It reminds me of an Animaniacs skit:

Do you eat beans? Would you like to see a new movie starring George Wendt? Do you eat beans with George Wendt? Would you like to see George Wendt eating beans in a movie? Do you eat beans at George Wendt movies? Would you like to see George Wendt in a bean-eating movie? How many beans do you eat in a George Wendt bean-eating movie? How many bean-eating movies have you seen with George Wendt?

I understand how polls can be important to politicians. They kind of care how many people like them, and they're all obsessed with getting more people to like them, so that they can continue sucking money off the system. I get that. But why do we care how many people think Congress is a bunch of spineless leeches? Does that have any impact on anything? What does it matter how many people think Herman Cain sexually harassing someone has no relevance on his ability to lead the nation and serve as an example to the entire country? Yes, it's depressing, but what does it matter?




The more I think about it, the more I begin to think that a big problem we have right now is the 24 hour news cycle. There always needs to be something to report, and so newscasters start making junk up. We can all obsess over did he/did she/are they/aren't they/will he/won't she--until we're blue in the face. CNN even has this stupid iReport "feature" on its website now where normal people can report "news" about whatever the heck they feel like reporting.



I'm going to get off my soapbox now, just because I don't really have anything constructive to offer beyond the observation that it's all just silly. Reporters need to stop making junk up and start just reporting the news. Real news. Not fluff filler.



That is all.