Movie Review – Alien: Covenant (2017)

Movie Review – Alien: Covenant (2017)

Movie Synopsis:

In this follow-up to the Alien Prometheus movie, still prequel to the original Alien movie, we see the colony ship Covenant heading to a world they plan to terraform. However, the crew is woken from cryo-stasis by their ship’s android when trouble hits the ship. As they deal with the astronomical event that has damaged the ship, the crew realizes there is another planet capable of supporting life close by, and that there is a human signal coming from the planet. They decide to change course and head for that planet. However, when they arrive, they encounter something shocking, which has serious consequences for all of them.

Movie Review:

This film sees Director Ridley Scott return to the Alien universe, with a new crew to terrorize with a couple of different styles and types of aliens.

First things first, looking at the positives of this film. Ridley Scott has done a wonderful job with the visuals and cinematography of the film. The shots in space and on the planet are fantastic, and we are definitely treated to some breathtaking views and scenes. Furthermore, some (not all) of the suspense and action sequences are well executed, and succeed in delivering a thrilling ride to the audience.

That being said, one of the problems with the film was the fact that this did feel somewhat predictable when considering the plots and story lines of prior Alien movies in the franchise. Although the special effects were certainly better and of 2017 quality, the fact was that a lot of the storyline felt predictable, and as such not all of the suspense and drama felt that surprising or frightening.

In addition, the film felt fairly safe and predictable in terms of what it covered as well. Instead of getting into more of the unanswered questions and exploring new content that had been brought up by the Prometheus movie, the film avoided much of these plot lines, in favour of more standard fare. This left many unanswered questions which felt a little bit unsatisfying on the whole.

Although the film was enjoyable as an action movie with great sequences, the film did leave a lot hanging, and wasn’t as broad in scope as it could have been.

 

 

Overall: 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Book Review – On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft – Stephen King

Book Review – On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft – Stephen King

Facts:

Book: On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Memoir
Year of Release: 2000
Read 291-page paperback edition in May 2017.

Book Description:

In this part memoir, part advice book, prolific author Stephen King provides a toolbox of writing tips and advice, as well as reflections on his life as a writer, before and after he made it big.

Book Review:

This book was broken into two main sections, the first half being the memoir, and the second half being the tips and tools on writing.  Although there is some overlap in the two sections, the organization of the book is useful, and provides us first with an overview of King’s life growing up and developing into the successful author he is today. After this, we then get into some of the recommendations King has for any writer.

The memoir section was fascinating, with King filling us in on his biography from childhood. King’s style and knack for humour comes across as well, and we are treated to many amusing anecdotes, often that have connections to the art of writing. He focused on those elements of his life that are connected to being a writer (and reader), which makes sense since developing writers are his audience in this book.

A later section telling us of how King’s life changed when he was hit by a car while walking also provides a lot of nuance to the reader, and King’s observations at this time also provide the prospective writer with things to think about in the context of the importance and cathartic release that writing can provide.

The writing tips section is the meat of the book. There have been many writing tips books, but this one is extremely valuable. King is not afraid to share advice that he thinks works, even if it won’t necessarily work for everyone. King provides great ideas, comments, and justification for why he gives the advice that he does. There is great feedback and thought here which can and will improve the quality of one’s writing, and not just in the horror or sci-fi genres.

The one thing that did detract from this book was the fact that at times, King’s flexible and loose organizational style made the book difficult to follow and collect advice from. For example, a summary of the advice in one small section of pages, or even sub-titles and headers in the large advice section of the book, would have helped from the developing writer’s perspective. This is a small issue of course, as the key is the advice itself, which is useful and practical.

 

Overall, this is an extremely valuable and helpful book for any writer, whether established or just developing their skills for the first time.

Overall: 4.5 stars out of 5 stars

Book Review – Signs Preceding the End of the World – Yuri Herrera

Book Review – Signs Preceding the End of the World – Yuri Herrera

Facts:

Book: Signs Preceding the End of the World
Author: Yuri Herrera
Genre: Fiction
Year of Release: 2009
Read 114-page paperback edition in May 2017.

Book Description:

Mexican novelist Yuri Herrera has written a novel that takes place on both sides of the Mexico-USA border. Traveling from her home in Mexico is Makina, a young woman who has been taught from her family how to survive the macho Mexican culture around her. Makina must travel across the deserts and smuggle herself into the USA, following a very dangerous path, so that she can locate her brother. She needs to bring him a message from her mother, and also deliver something from a Mexican gang as well. Along the way she encounters dangers, violence, racism, sexism, and her own doubts.

Book Review:

This novel was a fascinating tale, told in sparing yet powerful detail by well-known Mexican author Herrera. Although the novel is only 114 pages, it packs a powerful punch. There are numerous themes to explore in the novel, from Mexican culture to the power of the underworld to racism and sexism in America.

Another key theme is the power of the young woman Makina, our protagonist. Makina is described as a strong, unflinching, and confident person, and is able to fortify herself against challenges and face difficulties in Mexico, on the border, and in the USA. Herrera does a great job telling a story that is fast moving and focusing on a character that is interesting. This works, and makes the story enjoyable, easily read in one day.

The only downside was that in some ways, more detail would have been nice for the reader. Of course, the quickness of the novel allows us to ingest this in one meal, and then sit back and ponder the themes for ourselves.

Herrera’s poetic, lyrical style is translated effectively by Lisa Dillman, who received awards for her work.

This is definitely a great novel to read, for those who enjoy Mexican literature, or for those who are just starting out and would like to try something from Mexico.

Overall: 4 stars out of 5 stars

Book Review – Watchmen – Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

Book Review – Watchmen – Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

Facts:

Book: Watchmen
Author: Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
Genre: Graphic Novel / Comic
Year of Release: 1986-1987
Read 384-page hardcover omnibus edition in May 2017.

Book Description:

It is 1985, and crime has increased in New York City, with the risk for WWIII and a nuclear conflict on everyone’s mind.  It is a worrying time in the world.  In this alternate history, Vietnam was won by the American forces, and Nixon retained power. With global forces pushing towards a dangerous war, retired superheroes are considering their role and what should be done. However, someone is out killing and framing these retired legends from the 1950s and 1960s. They must each determine who they reach out to, and how they react, to what is going on around them, and how it fits in with the wider global pressures.

Book Review:

This mid-1980s dark graphic novel was rated a Times top 100 English novel. Reading through the graphic novel, one can definitely see why it became a cult classic, and why it was the recipient of many awards. It is well-deserving of praise and admiration.

The graphic novel Watchmen has numerous themes contained within, many overt and many subtle, which requires re-reading and reflection. Writer Alan Moore has utilized great skill in writing a variety of political themes, and reflecting many of the concerns and issues that were felt leading up to the mid-1980s and date of publication. Moore and artist Dave Gibbons do a fabulous job translating political, cultural, and sexual themes into a world of intrigue, action, and drama.

Characters are developed and fleshed out nicely by Moore and Gibbons. The artwork is amazing and creative, and the structure of the story is unique. The graphic novel was structured in a new way, unlike comics that came before it. Furthermore, the decision to weave in supplementary material in the form of “made up” newspaper clippings, articles, and journals in between the chapters, as well as weaving in another related comic book tale about pirates within the main narrative of the superheroes, was a truly intriguing and complex structure. Although at times the additional comic book tale actually got in the way of following the exciting action and drama of the main story, which was distracting, it was true that it was very much connected in theme to what was going on, and thus was a unique storytelling tool.

The story is fast moving, and this graphic novel is hard to put down, as we see the various characters in this tale all with their own stories, but then all converging together as the plots come together. Even minor characters who aren’t vital to the main story come back as required, and at sometimes interesting times in the background.

The artwork is truly beautiful, with sequences on Mars and in NYC in the final couple of chapters very vivid and intense.

The final sequences in NYC are stark, but the conclusion of the story is very political, complex, and certainly not clear-cut. The fact we are left with a lot of moral ambiguity, and not a “happily ever after” ending, makes for a satisfying end to a strong graphic novel.

Overall: 4.5 stars out of 5 stars

Book Review – Code Name Verity – Elizabeth Wein

Book Review – Code Name Verity – Elizabeth Wein

Facts:

Book: Code Name Verity
Author: Elizabeth Wein
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Year of Release: 2012
Read 343-page hardcover edition in May 2017.

Book Description:

Two best friends, Maddie and Julie, are working for different areas of the Allied forces in World War II.  When their plane goes down in France during a critical moment in time, they are separated, neither one wondering if the other is alive or dead. Julie finds herself held by the Germans, and Maddie is being hidden by Allied sympathizers in a French town under German control.

While the two figure out what to do about their situations, a tale of friendship and courage emerges.

Book Review:

This WWII story marketed at an older teenage audience has gotten rave reviews on Goodreads and similar websites. Although I can definitely see the attraction of the novel, I had mixed thoughts about the work by author Elizabeth Wein.

One element of the novel I enjoyed was the fact that it was told in two parts, by each of the two main characters, based on their points of view, and what happened to them before, during, and after the plane crash. This was an interesting way to tell the story, and reveal what happened. As we read the second part, we learned things that we thought we knew from the first part, but that were wrong after all. Wein did a nice job of misleading the reader in some places, and creating some tension by doing so, as we weren’t sure what might happen.

That being said, there were some obvious “clues” interspersed in the first part of the novel, where specific lines and items were underlined. These were later used by the Allied forces as clues from Julie from her time in prison. There were some logical plot holes with how she was able to keep getting permission to write these clues, long after the value she was providing from her tale was over. There were several additional issues with regard to logic in the  plot and storyline which detracted from the novel.

Wein also did a good job creating some memorable characters, in particular Maggie and Julie. It was enjoyable to read about two female lead characters who did not have romantic relationships with males in the novel. This decision by Wein allowed us to focus on the female leads and their many strong character traits. Furthermore, their friendship was well explored and very interesting.

One additional item which may be detracting from the fast-paced nature of the novel was the scenes, particularly early in the novel, where a lot of dialogue and detail was provided on plane mechanics and operations. Although this would be valuable for someone with that specific set of interests, at times the level of detail was a little much.

The climax of the novel, without giving it away, was truly shocking. Although the scene again had some questionable elements in it that didn’t make a lot of sense (when did Maddie become such a good shot?), the scene itself was definitely intense, emotional, and surprising, and Wein made a strong decision to have this in the novel.

Overall, although this novel did suffer from some problems, it did pull a punch.

Overall: 2.5 stars out of 5 stars

Book Review – How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia – Mohsin Hamid

Book Review – How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia – Mohsin Hamid

Facts:

Book: How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia
Author: Mohsin Hamid
Genre: Fiction
Year of Release: 2013
Read 228-page hardcover edition in April 2017.

Book Description:

In his third novel, Mohsin Hamid uses the unique style of a self help book to tell a fictional tale of a man growing up and living his life in a country very much like Pakistan of today.  The man has a number of experiences, including moving from a rural to urban environment, encountering a beautiful woman from his village who he is emotionally tied to his entire life, and experiencing education, employment, and eventually the development of his own business amongst the dangers and exploitations in the city around him. This is a novel of the rise and fall of a man, and the lessons learned at all stages of life.

Book Review:

This was a truly fascinating novel, with a very unique structure indeed. Told in the guise of a self-help book, and told in the second person, we are being directly addressed throughout the novel, as “you then do this, you then do that.” The author has chosen this style in order to try and teach us lessons through this fictional tale, similar to the lessons we tend to learn in the self help genre of today. This unique structural approach made the novel enjoyable to work through.

The novel was a quick read, with the main character and the characters around him very intriguing indeed. The reader wanted to learn more and wanted to understand what was going on and how the relationships within the novel would evolve over time, and over the life of our main character.

The plot of the novel was also well-crafted, with a pacing that allowed the reader to continue turning the page with interest, and not feeling bored. Overall, the story was a fascinating one, and the lessons that came out every chapter were practical and interesting for the location and time period the main character found himself within.

That being said, the final chapters were a great way for us to break away from the majority of the book and the focus on making money, to see the main character learn more about the real meanings of life, including love, building lasting friendships and relationships, family, and leaving a legacy through people.

The author has succeeded in writing a novel that is creative and thoughtful.

Overall: 4.5 stars out of 5 stars