***Dave Does the Blog

Media Watch

I record these entries initially on my main page, then transfer them here periodically. They are offered as my recommendation (YMMV) , as well as for your insight into the labyrinthine world of my aesthetic.

Buy it. You'll want to enjoy it over and over.

Worth a single encounter, at least. Borrow it first to see if you really will ever want to read/view/hear it again.

Skip it. Your life will be no poorer for missing this.

Click one of these links to jump immediately to things I'm watching, reading, or listening to, or for some considerate advice on how yo might want to buy any of these.

Watching

	1776 The American History musical for folks who don't like history or musicals. (7/02)
	Bedknobs & Broomsticks Muddled pseudo-Poppins. (5/02)
	Buckaroo Banzai Comic-book goodness and hard-rocking action. A great cult classic. (6/02)
	Galaxy Quest The definitive Trekkie fan-boy movie. (6/02)
	Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone Tolerably charming, successful if uninspired adaptation. (5/02)
	O Brother, Where Art Thou? Clever, amusing; an acquired, quirky taste. (5/02)
	Road to Perdition A Depression Era ronin film. Excellent. (7/02)
	Roughnecks: The Hydora Campaign Starship Troopery goodness. 2nd in the series. (7/02)
	Roughnecks: The Pluto Campaign Starship Troopers done right. (6/02)
	The Shadow Pulpy goodness, with Tim Curry to boot! (7/02)
	Space: 1999, Set 4 Cheesy, pseudo-intellectual British sf, though the second disk has two of the better episodes from the series. (6/02)

Reading

	Boyle, The Sum of Our Discontent Good discussion of how our culture tries to measure everything, and therefore measures little well or of value. Good biographies. Ends, though, in a sort of muddled warm-fuzzy of how we might improve things by measuring even more. (6/02)
	Bujold, L.M., Cordelia's Honor Tolerably entertaining bodice-ripper-as-SF-novel. (6/02)
	Bujold, L.M., The Warrior's Apprentice As long as the action keeps building, it's easy to overlook the improbable string of coincidences and whimsical misjudgments that make that action possible. Bujold stumbles from farce to pathos with the turn of a page. Satisfying reading ... but I hope the series improves quickly. (6/02)
	Cole & Bunch, Empire's End Conclusion of the stellar Sten series. Space opera, spy novel, and paean to freedom. Highly recommended. (5/02)
	David, P., Being Human More New Frontiers goodness, as PAD picks over the ST universe in odd ways. (4/02)
	Miller, F., DK2 Bad art. Bad writing. Bad authorial attitude. And late, to boot. (8/02)
	Rakove, J., Original Meanings I very much wanted to enjoy this Pulitzer-winning study of the writing of the Constitution, but the text, while informative, was turgid as hell. Good reference, not a casual read. (9/02)
	Robinson, S., Callahan's Key Spider is the true inheritor to Heinlein, given the way this feels so much like one of RAH's last few novels, where everyone is fabulously talented and the coincidences, in-jokes, and wittiness threaten to smother as much as entertain. A jolly if occasionally annoying read. (9/02)
	Rucka, G., Batman: No Man's Land Individual scenes glimmer, but the crazyquilt multi-author source material destroys any coherency to the tale. (8/02)
	Rucka, G., Finder More action and angst with bodyguard Atticus Kodiak, in a tale where nearly everyone ends up betraying everyone else. (7/02)
	Rucka, G., Keeper Anyone who longs for the days of the early Spenser novels from Robert Parker must run, not walk, to these tales of professional bodyguard Atticus Kodiak. Powerful, moving, and action-packed. (7/02)
	Rucka, G., Shooting at Midnight Best by far of the Kodiak series, perhaps because it's got some wrenchingly dramatic PoV shifts. Good, solid stuff. (8/02)
	Rucka, G., Smoker Poor Kodiak, having fought anti-abortionists and the SAS, now must face Big Tobacco and a top assassin. That and pick up the tatters of his personal life. Can even a smidgeon of hope shine through? (8/02)
	Tucker, Women in the Maze Interesting attempt to study New Testament treatment of women, but muddled and clumsy in execution. (6/02)

Listening

	Battlefield Band, There's a Buzz Scottish folk music with a modern twist. (5/02)
	Enya, A Day Without Rain Standard slick, lyrical Enya package. No new reasons to love or hate her. (5/02)
	Eurhythmics, Peace This 'reunion' album isn't as hard-bitten as their old stuff, but, then, neither are it's listeners. 'Almost 17' is the highlight of this fine, enjoyable disc. (7/02)
	Yankovic, Bad Hair Day One of Weird Al's best albums, including the classic 'Amish Paradise' and off-beat 'Everything You Know is Wrong.' (6/02)
	Various, Moulin Rouge(Soundtrack) Makes me want to see the movie again. Great remixes and covers from a reinvention of the movie musical. (6/02)
	Various, Moulin Rouge 2 (Soundtrack) Not quite as necessary as the first volume, but still quite listenworthy, at least once. (6/02)
	Various, O Brother, Where Art Thou? (Soundtrack) Some great stuff, some odd stuff. All interesting, but very varied in tone and quality. Listen to someone's copy before you buy.(6/02)
	Various, Playhouse Disney A must for anyone with a toddler. (5/02)

Buying

Note that the above links go to Amazon, and if you buy the item while there, I get a small "referrer" fee, at no charge to you.

What a deal!