Stu’s Reviews

Stu’s Reviews- #788- Book – “What You Are Looking For is in the Library”- Michiko Aoyama

Genre: Book

Grade: A-/B+

Notable People: Michiko Aoyama

Title: What You Are Looking For is in the Library

Review: This unusually titled work of Japanese fiction is one of four books I was led to by the Chicago Tribune’s Best of 2023 list. Two were so millennial orientated I could not understand them and gave up, and one I really liked-and this one, I tried to give up on several times in first 50 pages- but stayed with it and am glad I did. Quiet, Zen like book that has five stogies of different age/type people who are linked by s shared mystical experience at a small community library, whose very eccentric librarian provides them books and experiences that change their mundane lives. This is a very un-flashy but meaningful book that touched me in a number of ways, though the adaptation to cultural difference is significant. You gotta like quiet to enjoy this one.

Stu’s Reviews- #787- TV Series – “True Detective”- Max -Season 4

Genre: TV Series

Grade: A-

Notable People: Jodie Foster, Kali Reis, Fiona Shaw, Created by: Nick Pizzolatto, Issa Lopez

Title: True Detective

Review I usually no longer review additional seasons of a show I have already reviewed-but each of this show’s season are so distinctly unalike and individualized that I’m making an exception. This season, developed by original creator of the series, Pizzolatto, and featuring Jodie Foster, was by far the best since the amazing first season with McConaughey and Harrelson. Set in the dark season (no light at all) in remote Alaska it is a riveting tale of obsession, mysticism, friendship and power/greed. Foster has reinvented herself for this role and Reis is a screen staler. The ambience is unlike anything else on television, and although confusing at times, it is hard to look away from. Very unusual, very intense, not for everyone- but film quality television. A whopping 92% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes- which is unheard of for a TV series.

Stu’s Reviews- #786- Film – “Drive Away Dolls”

Genre: Film

Grade: B+

Notable People: Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Directed by: Ethan Coen

Title: Drive Away Dolls

Review: with the Queen on location in Vermont, I hitched up my big boy pants on Sunday and drove up the country to an abandoned mall and $6 first run move theater in quaintly Marion, Ohio- for a bit of a matinee. This is definitely not high art, BUT it definitely the Coen Brothers, the Great Purveyors of Schlock, which makes it a must-see in my book. Not their best work, but still quite an amusing take on a bad girls road trip from hell. Weird villains, strange roadside attractions, lots of inside lesbian jokes (I think I got them all), and a bizarre cast of characters, and Qualley is quite the hoot (is that accent for real?) . And the plot…I won’t even try. If you are a Coen Bros fan- ya gotta go, if not, well, depends on what else you have to distract you that day. Matt Damon cameo is charmingly weird. At the end, the title gets changed to “Drive Away Dykes”.

Stu’s Reviews- #785- Film – “Wonka”

Genre: Film

Grade: A-

Notable People: Timothy Chalamet, Calah Lane, Hugh Grant, Olivia Coleman, Rowan Atkinson, Jim Carter Directed by: Martin Scorsese

Title: Wonka

Review: Nicely done remake of the classic original- Chalamet is excellent, though I can’t not miss the immortal Gene Wilder. Cast is a once in a lifetime grope of great actors and the settings and cinematography wonderful. More of a musical than I remembered but it worked well and was a captivating show for both myself and my five-year-old grandfather, Sloanie, who mostly loved little Hugh Grant as the orange leprechaun type with green hair. This is a great choice for grandparents and their wee ones.

Stu’s Reviews- #784- TV Series – “Funny Woman”- PBS -1 Seasons

Genre: TV Series

Grade: A

Notable People: Gemma Arterton, Arsher Ali, Matthew Beard, Rupert Everett, David Threllfall, Tom Bateman, Created by: Morwenna Banks from the novel by Nick Hornby

Title: Funny Woman

Review Brilliant series set in early 60’s Mod/Canaby street, London. Gemma Arterton Is simply luminous in the title role of a small town girl from rural north of England who wants to be more than Miss Blackpool. Woman’s lib, Gay rights, anti-censorship all in embryonic states and dealt with straight on in this this well set and very funny show with a who’s who cast of British character actors. Fantastic music, costumes, sense of the he times. Just loved this show. Can’t miss watching this one. Renewed for second season without a doubt.

Stu’s Reviews- #783- TV Series – “Fisk”- Netflix -2 Seasons

Genre: TV Series

Grade: A-/B+

Notable People: Kitty Flanagan, Kitty Zemiro, Marty Sheargold, Created by: Kitty Flanagan and Vincent Sheehan

Title: Fisk

Review Flanagan is wonderful as a lost soul lawyer in this Australian show shoe also produced, writes and directs. Lost soul lawyer Helen Tudor- Fisk (often sounds like tuna-fish!) joins a dysfunctional brother-sister Probate law firm. Flanagan is an iconic comedian in Australia and very droll-dry funny, with some tip of the hat to Larry David’s Curb. The half hour comedy is light, airy and quite funny and her de riguer brown pants suit is worth the price of admission. Australians seem to make good TV (check out “Rake”)

Stu’s Reviews- #782- Book – “The Lavender Lane Lothario”- David Handler

Genre: Book

Grade: A-/B+

Notable People: David Handler

Title: The Lavender Lane Lothario

Review: This 2016 edition sadly seems to be the last in the line of Handlers very amusing and surprisingly captivating Berger and Mitry mystery series. The usual shenanigans take pace in the fabled town of Dorset in the Connecticut community on Long Island Sound. Formidably intense African American state trooper Mitry mixes it up with surprising love interest Jewish “Doughboy” transplanted NY film critic Berger and untangle local mysteries that defy belief. This one is more out there than most. Nothing heavy here, but Handler has won awards for this series and I hate to see it discontinued; he writes well and has created characters are quite engaging as is the community he has created in very old blue blood New England style. Bring it back, Dave!

Stu’s Reviews- #781- TV Series – “The Vietnam War by Ken Burns”- PBS -1 Season

Genre: TV Series

Grade: A++

Notable People: Ken Burns and Lynn Novak

Title: The Vietnam War

Review I’ve said before that Burns is the greatest documentarian in film history, and I would place this as his absolute masterpiece. The ten part, 20 plus hour series from 2017 narrates the sad and sordid tale of US involvement in southeast Asia, from the replacement of the French invader-hordes during the Eisenhower years and through the next four presidents. It took us 3 months of dinner watching increments to get through this- partially because of how long it takes, but mostly because of its raw power. It portrays the greatest divide in American history post-civil war- even greater than our current mayhem, and is filled with moral degradation, extraordinary lack of leadership, fear and power based lies that led to the loss of 60 thousand American lives. These were our children sent off by charlatans to fight an ideological power struggle on the other side of the world; one that was never in a million years going to be won. Burns does am amazing job of presenting all sides of this ideological debate, including many perspectives from both South and North Vietnamese warriors, as well las our own. That sense of what this decade of madness did to it warriors/participants becomes absolutely overwhelming to watch in the final episode as they look back, reflect on the impact their, and their family’s lives and ultimately build an astounding remembering wall; we wept for most of those two hours. No American should avoid watching this; if we do not learn from the mistakes of history we are doomed to repeat them. Amazing.

Stu’s Reviews- #780- Book – “The Caretaker”- Ron Rash

Genre: Book

Grade: A-

Notable People: Ron Rash

Title: The Caretaker

Review: This is my first experience with the prolific and award-winning books of Rash, after I found this book on the Chicago Tribune’s “Best of” books for 2023. Great recommendation!!!. This very powerful novel, set during the Koren war in North Carolina and Tennessee, is a brilliant telling of the damage done by possessiveness and control, and ultimately lies strewn like ashes in order to achieve ignoble ends, but also the balancing out of that with love, redemption and forgiveness. Al this is bound in a compelling and very well told tale. Rash, a Penn/Faulkner award winner lives up to the billing. This is a book that is hard to put down. More Rash in store for me.

Stu’s Reviews- #779- Album – “Was “- Bruce Moon

Genre: Album

Grade: NR

Notable People: Bruce Moon

Title: Was

Review: Bruce’s 20^th self-produced and recorded album , available on Spotify and other streaming platforms, is a quiet set of 11 songs that are consistent with the music Bruce has been making for the 40 years we have been friends. Based solidly in the American Folk tradition, with stylistic waves to Dylan and Simon, Bruce’s all original songs are about aging, loss and regret, reflections on life lived, and fine songs of love; many with a bend towards social issues. Bruce is a very polished acoustic guitar player and gifted songwriter. I personally like when his music is filled out a bit more with accompaniment; there were many instances that I could easily imagine the addition of bass, violin or accordion coming in to further flesh out the sound, and though Bruce does make some ensemble music he is mostly an old-style troubadour. Good playing, nice singing, heartfelt songs, well arranged. If you are a folk music fan, check it out. Note- this album is not rated as I don’t rate efforts made by personal friends to avoid bias.