Flight of the Navigator

Flight of the Navigator is a 1986 science fiction film. Not my cuppa tea. My tolerance for cute kids in movies is fairly low, and this film doesn't have much else to offer. It starts off with a see-the-dogs-catch-the-frisbee contest and the little kids arguing over kid stuff. Then Dad and Son have a heart-to-heart talk about Girls.

Gag. So much cuteness. And time travel is a key plot element. Bummer. It seems to be well-liked by most, though, so maybe it's a you-had-to-be-there "thing".

via youtube:



Moria says, "of all the banal boy-encounters-alien efforts that emerged after E.T., this is one of the most intelligent." Empire Online concludes, "Never brave enough to feel far-reaching (or, ironically, far-fetched, when time-travel and space flight are so popular at the movies), Navigator still fulfills its mission, distracting the family for bang-on an hour and a half." Time Out says it's "One for the none too discerning youngster." DVD Talk calls it "a charming piece of 1980s nostalgia". Rotten Tomatoes has an 80% critics score.

Court Square Fountain

This is in a lovely park in downtown Memphis. You can read its history -tragic in its early days (the death of a child is involved)- and see more pictures here. Vance Lauderdale also tells the story in the Memphis Flyer, including more information in a comment there.

The park has a gazebo and often hosts free musical entertainment. There are benches scattered around and plenty of shade. The Daughter and I had a nice time here recently.

Fantasy Film Recommendations

This list of "Fantasy Movies You Should See" is from SF Site (probably via SF Signal, but I don't honestly remember):

The Thief of Bagdad (1924, d. Raoul Walsh)
King Kong (1933, d. Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack)
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958, d. Nathan H. Juran)
The Exterminating Angel (1962, d. Luis Buñuel)
The Spirit of the Beehive (1973, d. Victor Erice)
A Chinese Ghost Story (1987, d. Ching Siu-tung)
Paperhouse (1988, d. Bernard Rose)
Truly, Madly, Deeply (1990, d. Anthony Minghella)
A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999, d. Michael Hoffman)
Big Fish (2003, d. Tim Burton)

It's intended as a response to the Rotten Tomatoes list, as he says he:

decided to offer my own list of great fantasy movies as a companion piece -- and, in some cases, an antidote to what Rotten Tomatoes cobbled together. I decided against offering my own ten-best, for the simple reason that (a) the truly great selections already have a place on the previous list and (b) are entries you should already be familiar with. (Seriously, haven't you already seen The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Harry Potter series, The Princess Bride, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and Princess Mononoke?) My only real criteria, this time, was to select movies that did not appear on Rotten Tomatoes' list. Hopefully you'll find something of interest in these selections.

I've seen the ones in bold print and have heard of Exterminating Angel and that version of Midsummer Night's Dream. I haven't heard of the others, but his descriptions motivate me to seek them out. Big Fish is one of my favorite movies.

Good Morning, Judge

Good Morning, Judge:



by Furry Lewis, who died in Memphis on this date in 1981 at the age of 88.

lyrics excerpt:

Good morning judge, what may be my fine?
Good morning judge, what may be my fine?
Fifty dollars, eleven twenty-nine

They 'rest me for murder, I ain't harmed a man
'Rest me for murder, I ain't harmed a man
Women hollerin' murderer, Lord I ain't raised my hand

I Vitelloni

I Vitelloni is a 1953 film by director Federico Fellini. It is the story of 5 young men at turning points in their lives in a small Italian town. This is such a simple story. The characters come to life as sympathetic figures on the screen. It always amazes me how much about the human condition is revealed in stories about the everyday lives of everyday people.

It won the Silver Lion for best director at the Venice Film Festival.

trailer:



Senses of Cinema says, "This is a film that crackles with rebellious energy and yet is also shot through with a sort of melancholy for Fellini’s own formation as a young artist: it marks both the central and the end point of his apprenticeship as a great filmmaker." Slant Magazine describes it as a "beautifully photographed and slyly funny drama". DVD Talk says it's "one of Federico Fellini's true masterpieces". MoMA has an interesting article, quoting Fellini as saying, "Telling the story of some people, I try to show some truth". FilmReference.com has a spoiler-filled plot description. It has a score of 100% at Rotten Tomatoes.

Topkapi

Topkapi is a 1964 heist film directed by Jules Dassin and starring Melina Mercouri, Peter Ustinov, Maximilian Schell and Robert Morley. Akim Tamiroff is also in this. This movie is great fun. Definitely re-watchable. It's enjoyable on many levels and the acting is wonderful, but that should be no surprise considering the talent involved.

via youtube:



DVD Talk says, "It's one of the classics of the genre". TCM has an overview. Rotten Tomatoes has a critics score of 89%.

Monyo

Monyo is what's written at the base of this sculpture. Poking around on the web a bit, I discovered this. It's just off Main Street in Downtown Memphis.

The Circus of Dr. Lao

The Circus of Dr. Lao is a 1935 fantasy book written by Charles G. Finney. The film 7 Faces of Dr. Lao starring Tony Randall is based on this book. This is one of the few cases where I like the movie better, although the book is enjoyable. The film was more of a coherent story, weaving the lives of the characters together as part of a common plot. The book is more a series of vignettes.

my favorite quote:

Piety such as theirs exists no more. Such simple, trusting faith is lost to the world. When you folks here in Abalone worship your god, I understand you do it in a church wired for sound, so that every pleasure automobile, radio-equipped, can, even at sixty miles an hour, hear you at your prayers. But does your god?

from the back of the book:

A classic since its first publication in 1935, The Circus of Dr. Lao is irreverent, licentious, insolent and amusing. Here is a circus of legendary creatures -satyrs, werewolves, mermaids, sea serpents- that is scintillating, intriguing, horrifying and delightful. Between the lines of its imaginative orgies is a profound satirical comment on civilization.

"Just as, in a menagerie, some people will pause to marvel before a cage of an exotic creature from another hemisphere, while others haul their children past, scarecely permitting them a glimpse, so, at the circus, some of us gasp at the trapezists' and the tumblers' feats, and other paying customers move restlessly in their seats and check their fingernails. In a circus we see mostly what we are ready to see. There is no script but chance and hope and sponteneity, and thus it is appropriate that this masterpieve of circus literature describes an imaginary circus, not a real one. No circus ought to be too "real"." -from Edward Hoagland's introduction

SF Site concludes, "It's a thought-provoking read and, like Dr. Lao's circus, contains far more depth than its humble surface appears to offer." Strange Horizons closes with this: "The book holds its own today, as it blends in with the exciting changes taking place in imaginative writing. Like Dr. Lao's circus, it is full of magic, and exists outside the boundaries of time." SFF World calls it "Weird, unusual and sadly affecting". Kirkus Reviews says, "just as the absurd circus parade piqued the curiosity of the townsfolk, so page after page, the story piques the curiosity of the reader."

Cooling Off

One day recently, The Daughter and I spent some time together downtown. It was a hot day, and there were some people who decided that this public fountain space was perfect for cooling down a bit. We didn't get in the water ourselves, but it's delightfully refreshing just to be on a nearby bench feeling the spray and doing some people-watching.

You can see the Mississippi River bridge in the background of the photo above, in between the buildings.

Here's another part of the plaza where there are picnic tables:

Those walls you can see in this photo have water cascading down them. Very peaceful.

Django the Bastard

Django the Bastard (aka The Stranger's Gundown) is a 1969 Spaghetti Western about a Confederate soldier who returns to seek revenge for the betrayal of his unit. Former officers begin to die. Anthony Steffen plays the Django character, which has no connection to the character in the original Django film. I find it interesting.

"There ain't no man livin' could ever refuse all that money."

via youtube:

Fistful of Pasta has 2 reviews: This one is mixed, while this one is positive. Spaghetti-Western.net closes with this:

A very creepy film that more appropriatley resembles a horror film than a Spaghetti Western. It relies heavily on atmosphere and suspense and will no doubt fascinate many viewers. It is one of those movies that every Spaghetti Western fan should see to decide for themselves. It does have faults but has many distinguishing aspects that make this a very interesting and enjoyable Spaghetti Western.

The Spinning Image closes by saying,

As an action film, this just about passes muster. It has that familiar mix of grubby sadism, pitch black humour and cynical social commentary ... common to all Django movies, even if they aren’t directly related, and moves briskly through its stalking and shootouts. Sergio Garrone was a solid hand at westerns and war movies...

Rotten Tomatoes has no critics' reviews.

The Age of Doubt

The Age of Doubt by Andrea Camilleri is the 14th book in the Inspector Montalbano mystery series. I enjoy this series. I like the characters and the way they develop, and I find the plots interesting. This series is much better read in order as the characters and their relationships do develop over time. Do not start with this book.

from the back of the book:

The day after a storm floods Vigata, Inspector Montalbano encounters a strange, bedraggled woman who expresses interest in a certain yacht scheduled to dock that afternoon. Not long after she's gone‚ the crew of the yacht reports having found a dinghy in the port, and within it, a disfigured corpse. Also at anchor is an eighty-five-foot luxury boat with a somewhat shady crew. Both boats will have to stay in Vigata until the investigation is over -the unidentified ma was poisoned, it seems. Based on the information -and misinformation- the mysterious woman shared with him‚ Montalbano begins to think the occupants of the yacht just might know a little more about the man’s death than they’re letting on.

Euro Crime concludes with this:

Because of its focus on Montalbano's continual agonising between Livia and other women, I would say that it isn't one of the strongest of the series. Nevertheless, there is plenty of Camilleri's trademark humour and charm to please his fans, and of course the able translation of Stephen Sartarelli enhances the whole.

Kirkus Reviews closes with this: "delves more deeply into the hero's interior life than usual. A droll delight for series fans, maybe not so much for new readers." Reviewing the Evidence calls it "Entertaining summer fare." The Telegraph says, "As is customary with Camilleri's novels, the delight is not in the crime plot - which is just as well, as most of the exposition comes in a rush at the end - but in the character of Montalbano." Publisher's Weekly says, "The awkward humanity and everyday sadness of Camilleri’s characters make them instantly sympathetic, while wry commentary on language, food, and local customs lend color."

I've also read these:
1. The Shape of Water
2. The Terra-Cotta Dog
3. The Snack Thief
4. Voice of the Violin
5. Excursion to Tindari
6. The Smell of Night
7. Rounding the Mark
8. The Patience of the Spider
9. The Paper Moon
10. August Heat
11. The Wings of the Sphinx
12. The Track of Sand
13. The Potter's Field

Just one cup, please

Join the fun at the Mr. Linky that Bleubeard and Elizabeth have set up to share weekly T Stands for Tuesday posts.

Sometimes I just want 1 cup of coffee. The Melitta one-cup coffee brewer is perfect for that. It's listed as a "READY SET JOE POUR-OVER" at their site. You put a little cone filter inside, add enough coffee, place it on top of your cup and pour hot water over it. In no time at all you have the perfect cup of coffee. Of course, if you want another cup, it's just as easy as the first one. It's wonderful to have an option for coffee that tastes great but is just as easy as instant.

We gave this cup to The Grandmother long years ago, and she gave it back a couple of years ago when she started having all her meals provided by her building's dining room. On the bottom is printed, "Vandor Country Collection; Designer: Pelzman Designs". I think this is the first time I've ever used it.

Right now The Grandmother (she's my mother but always seemed to like being a grandmother better) is enjoying the hospitality of a local rehab facility as she recovers from a fall that caused several broken ribs and a couple of spinal fractures. Now that, my friends is painful! They are positive about her chances to return to her home after more therapy, which is a testament to her strength and determination. She may be in her mid-90s, but she's still a fighter!

One and Only BBQ

One and Only BBQ is a fairly new place that moved into the old CKs on Perkins at Southern by the Oak Court Mall. For some reason it has taken us a while to try this place. It smells wonderful as we pass by it, but we just kept putting off actually going. It was time to put a stop to this procrastination!

The Husband had the large BBQ combo with sweet potato fries, The Daughter had the regular BBQ combo with slaw and fries, The Younger Son had the double cheeseburger with fries, and I had the regular BBQ combo with slaw and sweet potato fries:

You can see their menu here. The service was great, the food was very good, and it's located close to us. The Younger Son said the hamburger was average (whereas Tops BBQ hamburgers are among the best), and this is more expensive than Tops. Chances are Tops will remain our go-to spot for BBQ sandwiches, but this place is great for a change of pace now and then.



Our total was over $50, including tax and tip.

Memphis Que gives it a good review. Yelp has 4 out of 5 stars with 20 reviews. Urban Spoon has a score of 88% with 43 votes. One and Only BBQ hase a Facebook page.

Hellraiser

The Elder Son has been encouraging me to watch this film for years, and I'm finally getting around to it. Hellraiser is a 1987 Clive Barker horror film. I'm glad to have seen it and wouldn't mind watching it again. It's not hard to watch, and it's interesting -especially visually. And to think a series was born of this.

trailer:



1000 Misspent Hours likes it. Empire Online concludes, "With Hellraiser, Clive Barker created one of the most genuinely disturbing movies of the last 20 years." Slant Magazine says, "In its original incarnation, Barker's adaptation of his own novella The Hellbound Heart touched upon something genuinely unsettling: not just the pleasure of pain, but also the pain of sex." Roger Ebert gives it a measly 1/2 star, calling it " as dreary a piece of goods as has masqueraded as horror in many a long, cold night." The Rotten Tomatoes critics score is 63%.

10 Best Science Fiction Films of The Last 5 Years

ScreenRant has a list of the "10 Best Sci-Fi Films of The Last 5 Years":

WALL-E
Star Trek
Avatar
Moon
District 9 (I tried to watch it, really I did.)
Inception
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Source Code
Super 8
Looper

4 out of 10. Bummer. I think I have a better track record with "older" movies. Much older movies.

HT: SF Signal

Wasn't That a Mighty Storm

Wasn't That a Mighty Storm:

sung by Tom Rush, with contemporaneous photos by Thomas A. Edison. The song says there was a sea wall, but that wasn't built until later.

Today is the anniversary of the Galveston hurricane in 1900. It is the worst natural disaster in our history, with over 6,000 dead. Some estimates are that up to 12,000 people were killed. NOAA has extensive information, including links to contemporaneous accounts and period photographs. CNN has an in-depth report here, including maps and videos. Weather.com names the Galveston Hurricane "The deadliest hurricane in United States history". EyewitnessHistory.com has an article. Time says it "killed about 8,000 Americans and leveled what had been the largest city in Texas. It was a vicious storm with 130 mph winds." The Wikipedia entry on the storm is here.

Here is a silent video from 1900 of workers looking for bodies in the aftermath of the storm:

Here's a 1994 news report focusing on the beach-side orphanage that was destroyed in the storm:

A ship smashed into the building, the orphanage was lifted off its foundation and the roof caved in, trapping the orphans and Catholic sisters inside. The only survivors were 3 of the children who clung to a tree where they had washed up.

Downtown Memphis Mural

just off South Main Street

Best Fantasy Films

List Challenges asks how many you've seen:

1 - The Wizard of Oz
2 - Pinocchio
3 - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
4 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II
5 - Fantasia
6 - How To Train Your Dragon
7 - Monty Python and the Holy Grail
8 - The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
9 - Beauty and the Beast (1946)
10 - Spirited Away
11 - Kiki's Delivery Service
12 - Pan's Labyrinth
13 - The Witches (1990 film)
14 - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
15 - The Princess Bride
16 - Beauty and the Beast
17 - Orphee
18 - Time Bandits
19 - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
20 - Enchanted
21 - The Secret World of Arrietty
22 - Jason and the Argonauts
23 - Princess Mononoke
24 - Coraline
25 - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
26 - The Secret of NIMH
27 - James and the Giant Peach
28 - ALADDIN
29 - Sleeping Beauty (1959 film)
30 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
31 - The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
32 - Shrek 2
33 - Tangled
34 - The Little Mermaid
35 - Shrek
36 - Kung Fu Panda
37 - Black Orpheus
38 - Hellboy II: The Golden Army
39 - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
40 - Delicatessen
41 - Howl's Moving Castle
42 - Santa Sangre
43 - The Princess and the Frog
44 - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
45 - Bridge to Terabithia
46 - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
47 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1
48 - Brave
49 - Kung Fu Panda 2
50 - Hellboy

37 out of 50, which gives me 2 stars out of 3 in their scoring system. I won't be going back and watching the ones of these I missed except for Orphee and Santa Sangre. I will be looking for those two.

HT: SF Signal

The Truth

The Truth is a 1960 French film starring Brigitte Bardot as a young woman on trial for the murder of her lover. The relationships come into focus as the testimony is given, and the jurors -and the film audience- are asked to decide what the truth is in this case. Will the truth help or hurt her chances in court? This is reportedly Bardot's favorite of her films. It's a bit on the talky side, but that's due to the type of film it is.

It begins with a scene of Bardot's character in prison and moves quickly to the courtroom. Extensive use is made of flashbacks.

via youtube:



Reviews are scarce, which surprises me for a film that was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. I understand Bardot's performance was praised. Rotten Tomatoes doesn't have a critics score, but the audience score is 89%.

The Fall

The Fall is a 2006 fantasy/adventure film. It's a movie filled with beautiful images from the child's vision of the man's imaginative story. The story isn't quite as riveting as the visualization, but the vision is entrancing. I had never heard of this until I came across it on youtube, but it's well worth finding.

via youtube:



This Slant Magazine review says, "The Fall is a bedtime story impeccably designed to flatter its own maker. And chronic masturbators," while another article at that site explains why it's a cult classic:

The resulting experience is unique and thrilling. We are never implicitly told how to feel, when to applaud, or what moments to relish. Consequently, The Fall takes its place among an elite category of cinema: a careful artwork that doesn't advertise its own gravitas. Perhaps that's the definition of a cult classic.

Quiet Earth says, "I would recommend The Fall to people who want to be visually blown away and can be a bit forgiving in the storytelling department." Roger Ebert gives it a full 4 stars and says it "is beautiful for its own sake". The Rotten Tomatoes scores: critics score 59%; audience score 83%.