I was a big fan of John Hughes’s movies about teenagers–Pretty in Pink, 16 Candles, The Breakfast Club, etc.–so Booksmart took me back to an era where movies about young people were common. Olivia Wilde’s Booksmart features two High School friends who studied and worked hard for years in order to get into elite colleges. And, they do! Amy gets accepted into Columbia University and Molly gets into Yale University.

Kaitlyn Dever plays Amy–a shy, gay, lonely teen who harbors a secret. Molly (played by Beanie Feldstein) is the Class of 2019 valedictorian. Molly has compulsive grammarian tendencies: she uses a felt-tip pen to correct graffiti on a unisex bathroom wall. Molly’s abrasiveness is both her greatest strength and greatest weakness. Other students dismiss her, while Molly’s intensity produced stellar SAT scores. Both girls speak Mandarin as a private language to communicate while other people surround them.

Booksmart was written by Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, Susanna Fogel, and Katie Silberman. The movie follows Amy and Molly on their frantic search to find a wild party on the night before Graduation. Much comedy and some sadness result. Well worth seeing! GRADE: B+

It’s been 13 years since Thomas Harris’s last book and the rust shows in Cari Mora. Cari is a Columbian refugee living in stealth mode from ICE with Temporary Protected Status. She works several jobs to survive in Miami. The novel opens in Biscayne Bay at a mansion once owned by the late Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. After being rented by playboys, filmmakers, and investors, Escobar’s house now becomes the focal point of two groups: one led by Hans-Peter Schneider–who dabbles in selling human organs–and the other a South American group led by ancient Don Ernesto. And who is the caretaker of Pablo Escobar’s mansion? Cari Mora, of course.

Why all the interest in Escobar’s empty house? Because $25 million in gold is hidden there. The search for the gold is tedious. However, there’s a crocodile to liven things up. Hans-Peter becomes obsessed with taking Cari Mora’s organs and selling them to an eccentric billionaire. You can imagine the final confrontation between Cari and Hans-Peter. I predict Cari Mora will be a wonderful thriller movie in a couple of years. Many copies of Cori Mora will show up on beaches all over the world. It’s a quick read. But don’t expect another Silence of the Lambs. GRADE: B-

In addition to our new Bosch dishwasher, Diane and I also bought a new Frigidaire Above the Range microwave and a new Frigidaire range. Our General Electric stove is 26 years old. One burner on the glass top doesn’t work. Diane worries about the oven because the temperature can suddenly jump from 350 degrees to 500 degrees!

Our Sharp Above the Range microwave is 20 years old. It still works, but there’s a crack in the front near the viewing window that I don’t like the looks of. The appliance store offered a deal if we bought both a range and a microwave of the same brand. Since most of the stoves and microwaves they carried ranked closely in Consumer Reports, it was a no-brainer to buy the combo and save a few hundred dollars. Do you like your stove and microwave? Are you thinking of buying new ones?

With the Recession just around the corner, we decided to purchase a Bosch 800 Series Top Control Tall Tub Pocket Handle Dishwasher in White with Stainless Steel Tub and Easy Glide Rack. Our old Whirlpool dishwasher was 20 years old. It was still working, but Diane noticed the glasses were not as clean as she would like.

I did my research with Consumer Reports. Consumer Reports ranked various Bosch dishwashers for their top five picks. We went to our local appliance store and checked out the Bosch dishwashers. Diane liked the 800 series best so that’s what we bought. Our new Bosch dishwasher arrives on Monday. What brand of dishwasher do you have? Are you thinking about a new dishwasher?

I picked up this thick-as-a-brick anthology at a Library Book Sale for pennies. My favorite stories are “The Dragon Masters” and “The Last Castle” by Jack Vance, but there are plenty of first-rate stories between these covers. Harlan Ellison is well-represented. So is Poul Anderson. I remember reading Clifford Simak’s “The Big Front Yard” in ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION way back in 1958 and loving it. Probably the most famous story included in The Hugo Winners is Daniel Keyes’s “Flowers for Algernon” which was later expanded into a novel and became a movie.

As an impressionable kid, I loved another story from 1958 (when I was a precocious 9-year-old): Robert Bloch’s “That Hell-Bound Train.” That triggered a search for other “Deal With the Devil” stories. I found dozens in various anthologies, but none were quite as good as Robert Bloch’s classic. I read most of the stories in VOLUME TWO in Real Time as I subscribed to GALAXY, IF, WORLDS OF TOMORROW, AMAZING, and FANTASTIC and would buy the occasional issue of Analog and The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction if one of my favorite SF writers was included in an issue on the newsstands.

These stories in The Hugo Winners brought back a lot of fond memories. Do they bring back memories for you? How many of these Hugo Winners have you read? GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
The Hugo Winners, Volume 1 • [The Hugo Winners • 1] • (1962) • anthology by Isaac Asimov
x • Introduction (The Hugo Winners, Volume I) • (1962) • essay by Isaac Asimov
5 • The Darfsteller • (1955) • novella by Walter M. Miller, Jr.
64 • Allamagoosa • (1955) • short story by Eric Frank Russell
80 • Exploration Team • [Colonial Survey] • (1956) • novelette by Murray Leinster
123 • The Star • (1955) • short story by Arthur C. Clarke
132 • Or All the Seas with Oysters • (1958) • short story by Avram Davidson
145 • The Big Front Yard • (1958) • novella by Clifford D. Simak
193 • The Hell-Bound Train • (1958) • short story by Robert Bloch (variant of That Hell-Bound Train)
208 • Flowers for Algernon • (1959) • novelette by Daniel Keyes
236 • The Longest Voyage • (1960) • novelette by Poul Anderson
264 • Postscript (The Hugo Winners) • (1962) • essay by Isaac Asimov
266 • Appendix: The Hugo Awards (The Hugo Winners, Volume I) • (1962) • essay by uncredited
269 • The Hugo Winners, Volume Two • [The Hugo Winners • 2] • (1971) • anthology by Isaac Asimov
273 • Here I Am Again • (1971) • essay by Isaac Asimov
280 • The Dragon Masters • (1962) • novella by Jack Vance
363 • No Truce with Kings • (1963) • novella by Poul Anderson
421 • Soldier, Ask Not • [Childe Cycle] • (1964) • novella by Gordon R. Dickson
477 • “Repent, Harlequin!” Said the Ticktockman • (1965) • short story by Harlan Ellison
492 • The Last Castle • (1966) • novella by Jack Vance
546 • Neutron Star • [Known Space] • (1966) • novelette by Larry Niven
567 • Weyr Search • [Dragonriders of Pern short fiction] • (1967) • novella by Anne McCaffrey
618 • Riders of the Purple Wage • (1967) • novella by Philip José Farmer
681 • Gonna Roll the Bones • (1967) • novelette by Fritz Leiber
702 • I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream • (1967) • short story by Harlan Ellison
721 • Nightwings • [Nightwings] • (1968) • novella by Robert Silverberg
769 • The Sharing of Flesh • [Technic History] • (1968) • novelette by Poul Anderson
800 • The Beast That Shouted Love at the Heart of the World • (1968) • novelette by Harlan Ellison (variant of The Beast That Shouted Love)
813 • Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones • (1968) • novelette by Samuel R. Delany
847 • Appendix: Hugo Awards 1962-1970 (The Hugo Winners, Volume II) • (1972) • essay by uncredited

Back in 2001, Rhino Records issued a series of Rolling Stone Presents CDs. This Rolling Stone Presents Female Singer-Songwriters has two obvious gaps: no Joni Mitchell and no Carole King. However, the choices made for this CD include variety at the very least.

Joan Baez singing “Diamonds and Rust” brought back a lot of memories and a few regrets. I always thought Joan Baez–with her great talent–could have been a bigger star. The same goes for “Poetry Man” by Phoebe Snow, a singer who sacrificed her career to take care of her brain-damaged daughter. Buffy Sainte Marie’s “Until It’s Time For You to Go” displays her strengths. Janis Ian’s “At Seventeen” captures teenage angst. “Wuthering Heights” by Kate Bush may be my favorite track on this CD. Melanie, who is nearly forgotten now, reminds us why she dominated the Top 10 back in 1970. Bonnie Rait, Carly Simon, and the McGarrigle sisters sing heart-felt songs. The big factor in listening to this music is nostalgia. Do you remember these songs and artists? Do you have a favorite female singer-songwriter? GRADE: B+
TRACK LIST:
1. Wedding Bell Blues — Laura Nyro 2:54
2. Poetry Man — Phoebe Snow 4:36
3. Diamonds & Rust — Joan Baez 4:42
4. At Seventeen — Janis Ian 4:43
5. Nothing Seems to Matter — Bonnie Raitt 4:05
6. Heart Like a Wheel — Kate & Anna McGarrigle 3:04
7. Boys in the Trees — Carly Simon 3:14
8. Until It’s Time for You to Go — Buffy Sainte-Marie 2:28
9. Wuthering Heights — Kate Bush 4:29
10. What Have They Done to My Song Ma — Melanie Safka 4:03

Mandatory Credit: Photo by David Buchan/Variety/REX/Shutterstock (10081959k)
Paul Simms, Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, Mark Proksch, Kayvan Novak, Natasia Demetriou, Harvey Guillen and Beanie Feldstein
FX ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ TV Show Panel, TCA Winter Press Tour, Los Angeles, USA – 04 Feb 2019

The FX Network stands above the other cable channels in innovation and risk-taking. I’m impressed with Fosse/Verdon for drama and now What We Do In the Shadows for comedy. What We Do In the Shadows is based on the 2014 movie of the same name conceived by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi. This new incarnation presents a mock-documentary that follows a group of vampires who live together in Staten Island, NY.

The leader of the vampire group is “Nandor The Relentless” (played by Kayvan Novak). Nandor was a great warrior and conqueror from the Ottoman Empire. He leads this group despite the fact that his Old World thinking results in comic situations. British vampire “Laszlo” (played by Matt Berry) is a pretentious rogue. Laszlo loves chaos and generates much of the comedy in What We Do In the Shadows. “Nadja” (played by Natasia Demetriou) is my favorite character. Nadja is a seductive vampire who is smarter than Nandor and Laszlo combined.

Also living in the vampire household is “Guillermo” (played by Harvey Guillén), Nandor’s familiar (a servant/protector of a vampire during the daylight hours). Guillermo yearns to be made a real vampire just like his master. But, Nandor is reluctant to grant that wish. The odd “Colin Robinson” (played by Mark Proksch) is an energy vampire. He can survive in daylight and feasts on human energy–not on their blood like the other vampires. “Jenna” (played by Beanie Feldstein) is a student at a nearby community college. Nadja turns Jenna into a vampire and watching the transformation is both horrifying and humorous!

Yes, there’s plenty of silly stuff in What We Do In the Dark, but I found this 10-episode series refreshingly funny. It’s been renewed for a Second Season. GRADE: A-.

Michele Williams and Sam Rockwell both deserve Emmys for their brilliant work in Fosse/Verdon. Rockwell plays the talented, self-centered, narcissistic, and self-destructive Bob Fosse. Michele Williams plays Gwen Verdon, his loving and long-suffering wife. Their decades-long relationship goes through ups and downs. Fosse sleeps with his dancers who work in productions. When Fosse struggles with filming Caberet in Europe, he begs Gwen Verdon to fly over and help him. When Gwen gets there, she finds Fosse sleeping with his translator.

We discover why Bob Fosse behaves the ways he does in a series of flashbacks to his youth. Gwen Verdon becomes obsessed with bringing Chicago to Broadway. She needs a damaged Bob Fosse to do it. The struggle of both of these characters on the TV screen is both tragic and fascinating. There’s some great dancing, great acting, and a compelling story in this limited series. But some of it is hard to watch…just like Real Life. GRADE: A

It’s astonishing that a play about mental health and teen suicide could use those elements to produce a successful musical. Dear Evan Hansen won six Tony Awards in 2017: Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical (Steven Levenson), Best Original Score (Benj Pasek and Justin Paul), Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (Ben Platt), Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical (Rachel Bay Jones), and Best Orchestrations (Alex Lacamoire).

Evan Hansen is a socially awkward high school student. His mother has sent Evan to a counselor and Evan’s taking anti-anxiety medication. As part of his therapy, Evan is supposed to write to himself emails every day extolling how great his day will be (hence the title: “Dear Evan Hansen”).

Evan has a crush on a girl in the Jazz Band, Zoe, but through a series of unlikely events, one of Evan’s emails gets printed out and falls into the hands of Zoe’s psycho brother, Connor. Connor commits suicide and Evan’s email is found on his body. Zoe’s parents then think Connor and Evan were friends.

Evan decides to makes up a story that he and Connor were Good Friends. This seems to bring some relief to Zoe’s parents so Evan continues to elaborate his fictitious story. You can pretty much guess what’s going to happen in ACT II. Diane liked Dear Evan Hansen more than I did. GRADE: B
SONG LIST:
Act 1
“Anybody Have a Map?” – Heidi, Cynthia
“Waving Through a Window” – Evan
“Waving Through a Window” (Reprise #1)* – Evan
“Waving Through a Window” (Reprise #2)* – Alana
“For Forever” – Evan
“Sincerely, Me” – Connor, Evan, Jared
“Requiem” – Zoe, Cynthia, Larry
“If I Could Tell Her” – Evan, Zoe
“Disappear” – Connor, Evan, Alana, Jared, Larry, Cynthia, Zoe
“You Will Be Found” – Evan, Alana, Jared, Zoe, Company, VC (virtual community)
Act 2
“Sincerely, Me” (Reprise)* – Connor, Jared
“To Break in a Glove” – Larry, Evan
“Only Us” – Zoe, Evan
“Good for You” – Heidi, Alana, Jared, Evan
“For Forever” (Reprise)* – Connor
“You Will Be Found” (Reprise)* – Alana, Jared, VC
“Words Fail” – Evan
“So Big/So Small” – Heidi
“Finale” – Evan, Company