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.
“B” Movies: Burial Grounds For Old Actors?
The 2008 made-for-TV (SyFy Channel) horror/sci-fi film, BONE EATER, which appears on many “Worst” lists, is notable for one thing. Its cast consists of a bunch of long-in-tooth actors that we knew from long-ago television shows. I guess it’s good to know that they’re still picking up a paycheck.
“The Obsolete Man”—A Warning
I recently got the chills—not in a good way, either—watching a nearly six decades-old episode of the original “Twilight Zone” titled, “The Obsolete Man.” Given the current disturbing state of politics in this country, if not the world, I think you’ll understand why.
Slowing Down: Must Be An Age Thing
In recent years I took on the persona of the Walking Dude. I kept track of my daily miles, reported it monthly on social media, and set a yearly goal that I always surpassed with plenty to spare, consistently logging about 900 miles.
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.
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