I don’t normally read contemporary or literary fiction, in the same way I like to avoid getting a nasty skin rash — through avoidance. But after reading a couple of reviews, and seeing it listed on a couple of blogs as a book to read I found myself staring at the cover in my local bookstore and thinking, okay, maybe this won’t be so bad. Maybe I won’t get a skin rash, vomit, swoon or faint from cracking open its pages.
The Woo-Woo by Lindsay Wong is a darkly humorous memoir that talks about her parents, her childhood upbringing—or, lack thereof—and just what the hell the Woo-Woo are—Ghosts and demons that her parents are convinced are trying to take over their bodies and possess them at any sign of weakness. As a result, Lindsay’s upbringing is one long nightmare. Not that she’s fully aware of that, at the time, as she acts out just as her parents do.
Joe Lansdale’s western, THE THICKET, is wickedly smart, funny, vulgar, violent, philosophical and yes, even at times, a little whimsical. All in part due to the wonderful, quirky cast of characters and, of course, Lansdale’s own voluble prose. Prose prickling with acute observations, jibes, laconic wit, and snappy dialogue that reflect the era and characters, perfectly. Lansdale also manages to sketch out an opening scene that’s akin to free-crack to a drug-addict: irresistible.
Watched: Bandits (Netflix)
This English-dubbed Mexican show about a group of desperate friends and frenemies coming together to find lost Spanish treasure, turned out to be a comedy gem. Full of action and fun, this one had me laughing at the group’s antics as they try to outwit the bad guys and get to the treasure first.
All-in-all, a thoroughly enjoyable romp through the Mexican countryside.
Watched: Remarkably Bright Creatures (Netflix)
Sweet, sad, funny and very poignant, Sally Fields bonds with one smart octopus in a movie that had me smiling from ear to ear one minute, and almost sobbing the next. Remarkably touching.
Watched: Altered Carbon (Netflix)
Scifi at it’s worst, we’re presented with yet another dreary dystopian, futuristic, ultra-violent show where everyone feels like a video-game character. The A.I. hotel character, Edgar Alan Poe, was the best part and that’s saying something.