I’ve been a fan of David Mamet’s since I saw Glengarry Glen Ross, one of the most honest movies about the real estate business that you’re ever going to see. Since then, I’ve seen most of Mamet’s plays (or read them) and watched his other movies like The Spanish Prisoner. Mamet can be an effective essayist, too. Check out his thoughts on the movie industry in Bambi vs. Godzilla. Mamet’s latest book, The Secret Knowledge: On the Dismantling of American Culture, tells the story of Mamet’s transition from a Liberal to a Conservative. It’s an interesting story. But what’s more interesting is Mamet’s analysis of American culture, his critique of colleges and universities, his insights into the Arts, reflections on the craft of writing, and his own interactions with his family. This is a deeply personal book. Yes, there are rants about Global Warming being a scam. And, there is a kind of defense of Sarah Palin. But, if you can get past those views, you’ll find a book with insights you’ll be thinking about days and weeks after you finish reading it. GRADE: B+

I’m not a big Will Ferrell fan, but Ferrell displayed serious acting chops in this drama based on a Raymond Carver short story, “Why Don’t You Dance.” Ferrell plays a salesman who loses his job and finds himself locked out of his house by his estranged wife all in the same awful day. All of Ferrell’s possessions are out on the front lawn. One of the strengths of Everything Must Go is its honest treatment of alcoholism. Nothing is sugar-coated here. The supporting cast, Rebecca Hill as a pregnant neighbor, Laura Dern as a High School friend, and Christopher Jordan Wallace as a helpful teenager, all contribute to the texture of the story. Director and script writer, Dan Rush, expands Raymond Carver’s seven-page story into a full-length movie that captures the tragedy and hope of everyday life. Everything Must Go surprised and delighted me. GRADE: A-

Many viewers of J. J. Abrams’ Super 8 will associate it with another “kid” movie, Stand By Me. A group of teenagers in a small Ohio town are making a zombie movie and filming it in Super 8 (it’s the Seventies). During a night filming, the kids witness a train crash where a mysterious creature escapes from one of the train cars. The small Ohio town then gets invaded by Air Force military units. The train had been transporting a creature and bizarre materials from Area 51. Then, of course, plenty of mayhem results: power outages, thefts of copper power wires, microwave ovens, metal of various types, etc. And people and pets start disappearing, too. Most of us who’ve been fans of science fiction movies will be able to predict the various plot twists as the kids figure out what the Air Force plans. Super 8 is entertaining if you ignore all the hype surrounding the film. GRADE: B+

John Brunner, known for his Hugo Award winning SF novel Stand on Zanzibar, contributed an existential, noirish fantasy to the ACE SCIENCE FICTION SPECIALS series. In 1971, the original Traveler in Black appeared and boggled plenty of readers’ minds with the strange adventures of a man who had power over Chaos. Michael Moorcock fans will appreciate the conflict between Order and Chaos. Then, in the mid-1980s, the lamented Bluejay Books brought out The Compleat Traveller in Black that featured a new story added to those in the ACE collection and some rewriting of the original stories. John Brunner’s enigmatic fantasy deserves rediscovery for its originality.

Director’s Cut is Kate Bush’s revising and re-recording tracks from her albums The Sensual World (1989) and The Red Shoes (1993). All the lead vocals and drums on Director’s Cut are new performances. Three songs have been completely re-recorded including the classic “This Woman’s Work.” Kate Bush explains her motivation in this project this way: “For some time I have felt that I wanted to revisit a selection of tracks from the albums The Sensual World and The Red Shoes. Keeping the best original performances from the musicians but stripping out the tracks, adding new scenes and textures before sewing it all back together, it has become something of a director’s cut but in sound–not vision…and that they could benefit from having new life breathed into them. Lots of work had gone into the two original albums and now these songs have another layer of work woven into their fabric. I think of this as a new album.” It sounds great to me! GRADE: A
TRACK LIST:
Disc: 1
1. Flower of the Mountain
2. The Song of Solomon
3. Lily
4. Deeper Understanding
5. The Red Shoes
6. This Woman’s Work
7. Moments of Pleasure
8. Never Be Mine
9. Top of the City
10. And So is Love
11. Rubberband Girl
Disc: 2
1. The Sensual World
2. Love and Anger
3. The Fog
4. Reaching Out
5. Heads We’re Dancing
6. Deeper Understanding
7. Between A Man And A Woman
8. Never Be Mine
9. Rocket’s Tail
10. This Woman’s Work
11. Walk Straight Down the Middle
Disc: 3
1. Rubberband Girl
2. And So is Love
3. Eat the Music
4. Moments of Pleasure
5. The Song of Solomon
6. Lily
7. The Red Shoes
8. Top of the City
9. Constellation of the Heart
10. Big Stripey Lie
11. Why Should I Love You?
12. You’re the One

Season 2 of Covert Affairs starts tonight on the USA Network. I was mildly entertained by Season 1, but Covert Affairs is not must-see TV. However, Piper Perabo as a C.I.A. agent Annie Walker delivers earnest performances and the cast that surrounds her (Peter Gallagher as C.I.A. Chief, Kari Matchett in her cocktail dresses as Annie’s boss, and Christopher Gorham as Annie’s blind colleague) is surprisingly strong for a cable show with a limited budget. Hopefully, the scripts in Season 2 will be stronger than Season 1.

Imagine my surprise when I learned Chris Van Allsburg, master children’s book writer and illustrator, was going to show up at Wegmans’ grocery store to sign books. That would be like LeBron James appearing at a local Mobile gas station to autograph Miami Heat gear. Van Allsburg is promoting his latest book, Queen of the Falls, the true story of Annie Taylor, 62-year-old former teacher, who goes over Niagara Falls in a barrel. Of course, Van Allsburg is best known for his Caldecott Award winning books like The Polar Express and Jumanji. I have a particular fondness for Zathura.

When I showed up at Wegmans, the line had already formed. I was Number 89. Van Allsburg showed up and started signing. It was clear from the beginning of the event, Van Allsburg would be a gracious signer. He posed with fans for photos to be taken. The woman ahead of me had a stack of at least 10 Van Allsburg books. He signed them all without complain. I asked for my copy of Queen of the Falls to be inscribed: TO DIANE. Van Allsburg asked me who Diane was. I said, “She’s my wife. She read all of your books to her students.” “I like her already,” Van Allsburg quipped.

I finally got around to watching Rango, a homage to western movies. Johnny Depp plays Rango, a silly lizard who becomes a western town’s Sheriff. Someone is stealing the town’s water and Rango has to solve the mystery. There are plenty of excellent character actors voicing many of the roles: Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Ned Beatty, Alfred Molina, Bill Nighy, Stephen Root, Harry Dean Stanton, and Timothy Olyphant. Rango uses the tropes from High Noon to spaghetti westerns to tell its story. If you’re a western fan, you’ll enjoy this animated romp. GRADE: B

X-Men: First Class is a prequel to the popular X-Men movie franchise. James McEvoy plays Professor X, Michael Fassbender plays Magneto. And Kevin Bacon plays the Bad Guy, Sebastian Shaw. We see how Magneto, as a young boy, is forced to use his mutant powers by the Nazis. And, we learn how Charles Xavier hopes to build a school for those with “special abilities.” I found January Jones as Emma Frost quite cool. If you’re a fan of Marvel super-heroes, you’ll really love this movie. Director Matthew Vaughn captures the spirit of the X-Men and the hostility of the non-mutant humans. GRADE: A