It’s no exaggeration to say I was the most loyal viewer AMC network ever had. I watched literally every scripted original series they ever made (have you ever even heard of “Low Winter Sun?”) and at least some of their unscripted series like the great “The Pitch” and the more guilty-pleasure “Small Town Security.” When…
Category: Entertainment Editorial
Book Reviews: The “Red Rising” Trilogy, “Golden Son,” and “Morning Star”
I’ve covered these books extensively before, but the final part of the trilogy came out recently, and it’s time to once again tell you about the best book series you’ve never heard of. I’m not sure why “Red Rising” hasn’t gotten the attention of “Hunger Games,” “Divergent,” “5th Wave,” “Legend,” or any of the other…
The Best Books of 2015…
What were the best books of 2015? Keep reading, and feel free to mention any you think I might’ve forgotten… Honorable Mentions: The Explorer’s Guild…I wouldn’t call it a particularly great book (I only gave it a “B” grade) but it is one of the most unusual and oddly old-fashioned books of last year, and…
Book Reviews: Under Tiberius, The Cartel, and The Winter Family
Three historical novels (well, kind-of in The Cartel’s case) that also happen to be among the very best novels of 2015. The periods depicted: the history of the drug war, the history of America’s war (Civil, Indian, and for Civilization itself), and the creation of the Jesus myth no less. Under Tiberius by Nick Tosches…Tosches…
Book Reviews: Explorer’s Guild, Zebulon Finch, Sword of Honor, Laurus, Man Who Spoke Snakish
I’ve got a certain soft spot for old-fashioned, epic adventure novels, although not all of them are created equal–as you’ll soon see… The Explorer’s Guild: Vol. 1 by John Baird and Kevin Costner…[Although who knows how much of it Costner actually wrote as this might be too long even for the director of notoriously overlong films.]…
Book Reviews: “Armada,” “Day Four,” “Slade House,” and “Two Years, Eight Months, and 28 Nights”
We now step firmly into genre work with two spooooky ghost stories, a rousing sci-fi adventure, and Salman Rushdie’s excellent meditation on Jinn as an allegory for terrorism. Two Years, Eight Months, and Twenty Eight Nights by Salman Rushdie…Terrific novel that starts a little slow, but builds up to a terrific conclusion as it becomes clear…
Book Reviews: Rogue Lawyer, Marauders, House of Wolfe, Other Son, and The Swimmer
It’s been way too long since I’ve done any book reviews, and—in keeping with a proud Alabama Liberal tradition of overkill—I’ve decided to do 24 of them in 24 hours. [Hey, why not clear 2015’s books out all in one day with a special promotion?] We begin with five “thrillers” (everything from spy to legal)…
Book Reviews: The Kind Worth Killing, The Hand That Feeds You, The Daylight Marriage
These are all domestic thrillers that had various tactics in exploring the age-old theme (well…since “Gone Girl” scored Harry Potter level sales anyway) of relationships gone bad. I’ll admit that some strategies work better than others. The Hand That Feeds You by A.J. Rich…Whereas “The Daylight Marriage” went for realism and “The Kind Worth Killing”…
Hollywood Can Absolutely Do Something About Georgia’s Anti-LGBT Law
Since The Supreme Court has decided that marriage equality can be the law of the land, and anti-gay voices also lost their biggest advocate when Antonin Scalia died, it was only a matter of time before the Southeast decided to give up a losing battle and allow gay people to live equally right? Hell no!…
All My Predictions Were Correct, but Telecast Was Still Ho-Hum
A few days back I posted a “Movie Talk” video (to YouTube and under the YouTube tab of the homepage) saying that DiCaprio, Larsen, Alejandro (director of “The Revenant”) and Vikander were locks. I expressed serious doubts that Sylvester Stallone—the favorite for Best Supporting Actor in “Creed”—would win, and even lamented that I was afraid…
Announcing a “Movie Talk” YouTube Channel…
I’ll be promoting myself more heavily on YouTube once we get everything up and running, but for now I’d like to announce the creation of “Move Talk.” I was hoping to put it on ITunes right beside “A Year Long Conversation” but they don’t allow multiple podcasts for the same account. There’s been about four…
Follow-Up: How Did I Do On My “Most Anticipated (and Least Anticipated) Fall Movies” List?
A few months back I posted a list of Most Anticipated and Least Anticipated Fall Movies, and it’s time to see exactly how well I predicted which movies were worth anticipating… The Ten Least Anticipated Movies… 10. I Saw the Light…Right or Wrong? Wellllllll…the movie was bumped from an Oscar-prime slot in late Fall until…
Every Movie I’ve Seen in 2015 From Worst to Best
To be honest, 2015 wasn’t a great year for movies. Yes, the box office broke records but that doesn’t necessarily mean people were really leaving the theater satisfied. And I could see where a new “Jurassic,” “Avengers,” James Bond, “Star Wars,” “Terminator,” and two separate Pixar films may look like an embarassment of riches. But I kept…