What I’m watching…
The Nice Guys (2016) is an entertaining action-comedy from writer/director Shane Black.
I missed this film when it was first released but I’m glad I finally watched it. Russel Crowe and Ryan Gosling make a great pair of dysfunctional private investigators.
There’s lots of laughs and a plot with plenty of twists and turns in this murder mystery. Angourie Rice, a young Australian actress, rounds out the main cast playing Gosling’s daughter. Set in the late 70’s, the unlikely trio are drawn into a seedy underworld rife with danger.
The scene where Crowe interrupts Gosling on the toilet is one of the funniest scenes I have seen in ages. I was laughing long after the scene ended.
Here’s a short synopsis:
Holland March (Ryan Gosling) is a down-on-his-luck private eye in 1977 Los Angeles. Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe) is a hired enforcer who hurts people for a living. Fate turns them into unlikely partners after a young woman named Amelia (Margaret Qualley) mysteriously disappears. Healy and March soon learn the hard way that some dangerous people are also looking for Amelia. Their investigation takes them to dark places as anyone else who gets involved in the case seems to wind up dead.
Shane Black is well known for writing the first two films in the Lethal Weapon series. Other well-known films include Last Action Hero, The Long Kiss Goodnight, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and Iron Man 3. He also had a role in the original Predator film alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger.
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What I’m listening to…
The incredible Jurassic Park Collection from La-La Land Records. This 4CD set contains the complete scores from Jurassic Park and The Lost World by John Williams.
You may ask who buys CD’s anymore. Well, I do. I like to own a physical copy of the media I really love.
In the age of subscriptions and downloads, it’s easy to forget the fun of flicking through a booklet or admiring the cover art.
There is an avid base of music collectors who still like to own their media. If you’re into soundtracks then La-La Land Records and Intrada are two of the best places to start.
Here’s a snippet from the distributors website of the work involved in this release:
This deluxe edition, meticulously produced, edited and mastered by Mike Matessino, in consultation with the composer, director and producers, finally showcases these master works in a worthy, definitive presentation, with additional music never before released. The set’s 56-page booklet features exclusive, in-depth liner notes by Matessino and elegant art design, packed with amazing images, by Jim Titus.
To give you an idea of how amazing these releases are I’ll compare the track listings. The original Jurassic Park CD release had 16 tracks, compared to the 30 tracks on this edition. The Lost World original CD release had 14 tracks which is expanded to 31 tracks here.
The Steven Spielberg and John Williams collaborations are arguably the most successful in film history. From Jaws to Indiana Jones, they have created some iconic pieces of music. The first two Jurassic Park films are no exception.
Unfortunately, this collection is now out of print and selling on eBay for insane amounts of money. If you’re interested in purchasing this set, then I’d suggest waiting instead of paying inflated scalper prices. La-La Land Records often reprint their most popular titles.
What I’m reading…
As soon as I saw the teaser trailer for Foundation, the new Apple TV+ series, I was hooked.
I have never read Isaac Asimov’s highly regarded Foundation series. But I’ve started, determined to read the first three books before the debut episode this September.
I usually avoid reading a book just before watching the adaptation because it’s often a let-down. Films don’t have the time to cover the breadth and scope of an entire novel. Plots are condensed, characters are merged, and sometimes entire story arcs are removed to accommodate running times and budgetary constraints.
However, we are now in the golden age of long-form storytelling and television series thanks to streaming platforms. Game of Thrones is the perfect example of a book series given the full treatment across multiple seasons. It became a worldwide phenomenon.
I hope that Foundation resonates in the same way. I’ve been impressed with everything Apple TV+ have produced so far. I’m confident they won’t let us down with this one.
For those of you unfamiliar with this epic book series here’s the official synopsis:
For twelve thousand years the Galactic Empire has ruled supreme. Now it is dying. But only Hari Seldon, creator of the revolutionary science of psychohistory, can see into the future–to a dark age of ignorance, barbarism, and warfare that will last thirty thousand years. To preserve knowledge and save humankind, Seldon gathers the best minds in the Empire–both scientists and scholars–and brings them to a bleak planet at the edge of the galaxy to serve as a beacon of hope for future generations. He calls his sanctuary the Foundation.
The Foundation novels of Isaac Asimov are among the most influential in the history of science fiction, celebrated for their unique blend of breathtaking action, daring ideas, and extensive worldbuilding. In Foundation, Asimov has written a timely and timeless novel of the best–and worst–that lies in humanity, and the power of even a few courageous souls to shine a light in a universe of darkness.