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.
Native American Film Gems: Hostiles
The 2017 Western drama, HOSTILES, will take most viewers out of their “comfort zone.” At times it is difficult to watch, but its overall message of tolerance and inclusion is evident. The excellent performances by its stars, Christian Bale, Rosamund Pike, and Wes Studi, make this an exceptional and necessary film.
Exploring The Planet Of The Apes: Part Five
If you read this blog, you may recall that Part Four in this series appeared a little over a year ago. At that time WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES, the ninth film in the franchise and the third in the latest reboot, had not yet been released. It came out later that summer, and I saw it then but chose not to write about it until I watched it at least one more time, which I did last week.
Whole Lotta Shaking Goin’ On
We had an earthquake here in Southern California last week. Like, what else is new? The 4.5 temblor—its epicenter in Riverside County near the San Andreas fault—occurred just before 5 a.m., which means I sure as heck did not feel it. Two subsequent aftershocks also went unnoticed. This quake was not even close to the long-prophesized Big One.
Dreadlocked Rodents And Elephant-Flies
I have just reissued the second book in my comedy/sci-fi trilogy, THE ULTIMATE BIKE PATH. (A Retro Ride: Book Two.) Along with all his strange adventures on the other side of the numerous gates along the Path, cosmic bike rider Jack Miller encounters some weird riders on the mhuva lun gallee itself. Here are two of them.
Films About Writers: Year By The Sea
In this, the era of #MeToo, when women are making it clear that they’re fed up with the bullshit to which they’ve been subjected from men since the days of the “goodwife,” the 2016 comedy-drama, YEAR BY THE SEA, is most timely.
Guilty Pleasures: Season Of The Witch
The first time I watched the 2011 historical fantasy/adventure film, SEASON OF THE WITCH—starring Nicolas Cage and Ron Perlman—I did so with no preconceived notions. The verdict: okay, I’d seen better movies, and for sure a whole lot worse, but I found it watchable. Subsequent research revealed that the film, while doing fairly well at the box office, was reviled by critics and moviegoers alike. Yes, that definitely made it a Guilty Pleasure.
Yosemite: What Took Us So Long?
I arrived in California to stay about forty-five years ago. Jacqueline, my bride, did the same over three decades past. Yet neither of us, during all that time, set foot in Yosemite National Park, one of this country’s most memorable landmarks, and for sure the gem of the Golden State. Fortunately, that all changed earlier this month.
The Pretty Flowers Can Float
Of all Jack’s crazy adventures, one of my favorites (naturally) fills up the seven chapters in THE ULTIMATE BIKE PATH where he rides into a “world” of old horror and science fiction movies. Yes, I had a ball writing this. A sample is forthcoming.
I’ll Be Back: Movie Quotes From The Governator
I’ve hardly let a single post about movie lines go by without at least one from Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose many action movies are among my favorites. (Yeah, I’m easily entertained.) This time around, the Governator gets the entire post.
Films About Writers: The Magic Of Belle Isle
It is hard to imagine any film starring Morgan Freeman, one of my favorite performers, bombing big-time. But if you go by the box office receipts of the 2012 comedy-drama, THE MAGIC OF BELLE ISLE, you’d have to wonder if anyone saw it. Add to that the film reviewers that wrote negatively about it (how jaded they must be), and you’d pretty much have a Guilty Pleasure.
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