Swords, Specters, & Stuff
Welcome to My World
I started this blog in January 2012 for one simple reason: I love to write. I named it “Swords, Specters, & Stuff” because I especially love to write about writing, about books and movies in my favorite genres, about authors that mean a great deal to me. But there’s more to it than that, which is why I included “Stuff” in the title. It is “Stuff” that gives me carte blanche to write about anything, which is why you’ll see stories about special trips to Cooperstown, Sedona, and other places; about getting older; about baseball; about the otherworldly way in which I met my soul mate; about the loss of good friends, and so much more. Enjoy! And feel free to leave a comment.
Manilow Wasn’t Singing About THIS Mandy
I could have written about the 2018 “psychedelic drama action horror” film, MANDY, as a Guilty Pleasure, given its almost non-existent box office. But “pleasure” is not a word I would use after watching it, though I did find it fascinating in an oddly disturbing sort of way. And critics loved it, as indicated by its 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, especially the compelling performance of its star, Nicolas Cage.
Chewie, We’re Home: Lines From The Star Wars Universe—Part Three
Unlike its predecessors—especially Episodes IV, V, and VI—the more recent Episodes VII and VIII in the Star Wars universe did not provide us with a plethora of memorable quotes. Still, if you look hard enough you’ll find quite a few fun/entertaining/poignant lines in these long-awaited sequels. Here are some of my favorites.
There Is No Try: Lines From The Star Wars Universe—Part Two
So at the end of EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH (2005), Darth Vader is put back together from Anakin Skywalker’s spare parts, newborns Luke and Leia are sent to Tatooine and Alderaan respectively, and Obi Wan Kenobi and Yoda go into exile. We have a seamless transition into Episode IV—which had already hit the big screen twenty-eight years earlier!
A Disturbance In The Force: Lines From The Star Wars Universe—Part One
This coming December the highly anticipated EPISODE IX: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER, will give us the final installment (really?) in the Star Wars universe, a place that so many of us have visited for over four decades now. This “space opera” series is one of my personal favorites, so I thought it might be fun to recall some quotes, memorable and otherwise, from the first eight films, as well as offer some observations about each one.
One More Inspirational Sports Movie That You Probably Missed
Inspired by a true story, CHASING 3000 (2010) is, of course, a baseball movie that highlights the legendary Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder, Roberto Clemente. But transcending that, it is a moving testimonial to the powerful bond that exists between brothers, especially when those siblings undertake a seemingly impossible feat: traveling cross-country during the final week of the 1972 season with the hope of seeing Clemente achieve hit number 3,000, a great milestone in baseball.
Blimey, Those Wacky Brits—They Sure Love Their Murders!
There are not many TV series that survive for two decades. But England’s detective drama, MIDSOMER MURDERS, has been aired on ITV for twenty seasons, and a twenty-first installment is already in the works. Wow, that’s impressive!
Mortal Engines: A Guilty Pleasure? No, A Genuine One!
By all accounts the 2018 dystopian/science fiction film, MORTAL ENGINES, should have appeared in one of my Guilty Pleasure posts. It rated no higher than 27% on Rotten Tomatoes, and it was considered the biggest box-office bomb of the year.
“Enough Is Enough!” Lines From A Snake-Centric Movie
Last week, when I wrote about the horror/comedy/thriller/creature feature, SNAKES ON A PLANE, I mentioned that there are enough outrageous quotes in this film to warrant its own post. Time to justify that comment.
“Sir, You Need To Fasten Your…Seat Belt? No, It’s A Snake!”
When Samuel L. Jackson was asked to star in the 2006 horror/thriller/comedy film, SNAKES ON A PLANE, he readily accepted. As filming began, the producers thought that a better title would be PACIFIC AIR FLIGHT 121. Jackson told them that the main reason he took the role was because he loved the original working title. Guess what, it was not changed.
Endgame: How Do You Top This?
If you are a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), you have more than likely seen the eagerly awaited AVENGERS: ENDGAME. But in case you haven’t, you need not worry that there are any spoilers in this brief homage. All I want to say is that this twenty-second film in the MCU offers three memorable hours of a riveting story to its viewers.
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