I thought this was accurate. As an introvert I am often amazed, amused and occasionally irritated by just how much extroverts need interaction with and attention from others. It really is their bread and butter.
And I know that at various times extroverts are amazed, amused and irritated by how little introverts need to publicly or frequently interact with other people. I know this because extroverts have routinely told me so.
ShadyGradyOnline: Politics, Film, Books and Music
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Monday, April 13, 2020
Movie Reviews: Derailed
Derailed
directed by Mikael Hafstrom
This older movie had a top shelf cast but a somewhat ridiculous story.
But because of the cast and the fact that the plot moves quickly, it is something that can be fun to watch if you don't want to engage your deeper cognitive abilities all that much.
The story twists were somewhat obvious to my mind, at least after the first third of the film. The film engages in a common and quietly racist trope. When the main character gets into trouble he turns to a Black employee who is WAY down the corporate ladder for advice on how to successfully break the law and deal with violent criminals.
After all everyone knows when you need advice on scaring off thugs, it's best to talk to a Black man, who has probably been to prison and has experience with violence. This isn't a satire. So that left a bad taste in my mouth.
This would as if I went to an Italian-American co-worker and demanded she put me in touch with the local Mafia Family or approached an Arab-American co-worker for tips on how to build effective package bombs. Problems would arise.
Anyway this film is set in Chicago. Charles Schine (Clive Owen) is a put upon advertising executive married to a harried school teacher, Deanna (Melissa George). The couple, although not old, doesn't have a lot of time or interest in making whoopie any more. This is because their daughter has Type One diabetes and has already had two kidney transplants fail.
directed by Mikael Hafstrom
But because of the cast and the fact that the plot moves quickly, it is something that can be fun to watch if you don't want to engage your deeper cognitive abilities all that much.
The story twists were somewhat obvious to my mind, at least after the first third of the film. The film engages in a common and quietly racist trope. When the main character gets into trouble he turns to a Black employee who is WAY down the corporate ladder for advice on how to successfully break the law and deal with violent criminals.
After all everyone knows when you need advice on scaring off thugs, it's best to talk to a Black man, who has probably been to prison and has experience with violence. This isn't a satire. So that left a bad taste in my mouth.
This would as if I went to an Italian-American co-worker and demanded she put me in touch with the local Mafia Family or approached an Arab-American co-worker for tips on how to build effective package bombs. Problems would arise.
Anyway this film is set in Chicago. Charles Schine (Clive Owen) is a put upon advertising executive married to a harried school teacher, Deanna (Melissa George). The couple, although not old, doesn't have a lot of time or interest in making whoopie any more. This is because their daughter has Type One diabetes and has already had two kidney transplants fail.
Friday, April 10, 2020
Bernie Sanders Drops Out
He still intends to carry on a battle for his vision at the Democratic Convention.
Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont ended his presidential candidacy on Wednesday, concluding a quest that elevated him as a standard-bearer of American liberalism and clearing the way for a general election between the presumptive Democratic nominee, Joseph R. Biden Jr., and President Trump at a time of national crisis.
“I cannot in good conscience continue to mount a campaign that cannot win and which would interfere with the important work required of all of us in this difficult hour,” Mr. Sanders said, adding, “While this campaign is coming to an end, our movement is not.”
If Mr. Biden, the former vice president, can now lay claim to the Democratic nomination, he still faces considerable challenges in uniting the party and mobilizing a broad base of voters for the November election. Unlike Mr. Sanders, Mr. Biden inspired little enthusiasm among young voters, nor did he develop signature policy proposals. He triumphed because many voters rejected Mr. Sanders’s policy agenda as too far to the left and prohibitively expansive, and were convinced that Mr. Biden had the best chance to beat Mr. Trump in November.
I don't think Biden is a particularly strong candidate, although Sanders certainly had his issues. I believe that Biden is suffering from some cognitive or verbal declines. I think that Biden and his team underestimate Trump's nastiness and combativeness. About 40-45% of the electorate is devoted to Trump. I don't think there are too many Trump voters who will be amenable to reasoned arguments. Biden still has to give it the old college try though.
Movie Reviews: A Most Violent Year
A Most Violent Year
directed by J.C. Chandor
This is an older film that for some reason I had never watched. Thanks to our friends in Wuhan and our feckless President, between working from home and "sheltering in place", I have oodles more free time. So I checked out this film because it was on sale. I'm glad I did.
Although people who are sensitive to depictions of mayhem might worry that the film's title describes the theme and events I would disagree. There IS violence and threat of same but that's not the film's focus.
This is a character drama that happens to be set in a time and place (1981 New York) when violence, both organized and street, occurred more frequently. But the film's question is not whether the protagonist can use violence more effectively than his enemies. This would of course be the sole point were this film to feature other action hero actors.
This film's protagonist is not going to swear upon all that is holy, righteous bloody vengeance over the body or bodies of his wife/brother/sister/children/mother/father/grandparents/teacher/girlfriend/dog,
survive a rigorous sadistic training program, and finally show up at the Big Bad's Evil Mansion to deliver some much needed viewer catharsis by killing everyone in sight, before he delivers a prolonged painful death to the Big Bad.
This last deed is usually accompanied by a pithy one liner like "See you in Hell!" or "Now you know who I am." or my favorite, "You should have killed ALL the (insert family name)!!". This is not that kind of movie.
directed by J.C. Chandor
Although people who are sensitive to depictions of mayhem might worry that the film's title describes the theme and events I would disagree. There IS violence and threat of same but that's not the film's focus.
This is a character drama that happens to be set in a time and place (1981 New York) when violence, both organized and street, occurred more frequently. But the film's question is not whether the protagonist can use violence more effectively than his enemies. This would of course be the sole point were this film to feature other action hero actors.
This film's protagonist is not going to swear upon all that is holy, righteous bloody vengeance over the body or bodies of his wife/brother/sister/children/mother/father/grandparents/teacher/girlfriend/dog,
survive a rigorous sadistic training program, and finally show up at the Big Bad's Evil Mansion to deliver some much needed viewer catharsis by killing everyone in sight, before he delivers a prolonged painful death to the Big Bad.
This last deed is usually accompanied by a pithy one liner like "See you in Hell!" or "Now you know who I am." or my favorite, "You should have killed ALL the (insert family name)!!". This is not that kind of movie.
Movie Reviews: Vivarium
Vivarium
directed by Lorcan Finnegan
If you know anything at all about the behavior of a certain bird species and/or beings from Celtic mythology then this movie's story was very heavily foreshadowed or possibly even spoiled in the first 30-60 second during opening credits.
I wasn't angered or disappointed by that. I thought it was pretty freaking awesome actually. It was like solving a puzzle and only looking once at the completed picture that was provided.
Vivarium could be an extended metaphor about the pointlessness of modern suburban life but I thought it worked much better as a modern day Twilight Zone episode. It is something that, purely by chance, might resonate with people who are currently being forced to shelter in place. Vivarium definitely would have been more effective with a shorter running time. Because the lead actors dominate the screen time without much dialogue, a 100 minute run time didn't work for me.
Tom (Jesse Eisenberg) and Gemma (Imogen Poots) are a landscaper and school teacher couple who are looking to settle down and purchase a home. The couple visit a realtor named Martin (Jonathan Aris) who is eager to show them a home. Martin is the sort of fellow who walks around all day oblivious to the fact that he's put his shirt on backwards and isn't wearing pants.
Martin laughs at the wrong moments and generally seems to be a few slices short of a full loaf. But with all of their friends finding homes and prices going up Gemma doesn't want to miss out again.
Friday, April 3, 2020
Book Reviews: Dave vs. The Monsters: Emergence
Dave vs The Monsters: Emergence
by John Birmingham
The most important thing in the first book of a series is that the reader is intrigued enough to read the second book in the series. I suppose that's another way of saying that the book must be good. Those aren't always the same thing though.
There are some series where although the first book is good, the reader may not like where the book ends or may have decided that as far as s/he is concerned, the story is complete. So the reader sees no need to read further installments in the story.
I think that this story by John Birmingham hit the spot. It was quality on its own, but also left me interested in reading the next story. This is not a book that has a lot of deep plotting or fascinating characterization.
Both of those things are actually pretty scarce, at least in this book. What makes this book move is the action. This book is ALL about the action. The book is just under 500 pages but I think I completed it in less than a week or so.
Dave Hooper is an engineering supervisor/safety manager on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. He's smarter than he looks but is at heart a bit of an irresponsible jerk. He tries to be better but Dave usually does most of his thinking with his genitals.
A roughneck in every way, Dave is a man who, once he has a bonus of six months pay, will spend it all on high price prostitutes flown in from Nevada instead of his back child support.
by John Birmingham
There are some series where although the first book is good, the reader may not like where the book ends or may have decided that as far as s/he is concerned, the story is complete. So the reader sees no need to read further installments in the story.
I think that this story by John Birmingham hit the spot. It was quality on its own, but also left me interested in reading the next story. This is not a book that has a lot of deep plotting or fascinating characterization.
Both of those things are actually pretty scarce, at least in this book. What makes this book move is the action. This book is ALL about the action. The book is just under 500 pages but I think I completed it in less than a week or so.
Dave Hooper is an engineering supervisor/safety manager on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. He's smarter than he looks but is at heart a bit of an irresponsible jerk. He tries to be better but Dave usually does most of his thinking with his genitals.
A roughneck in every way, Dave is a man who, once he has a bonus of six months pay, will spend it all on high price prostitutes flown in from Nevada instead of his back child support.
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