Substitute DE for a New Decade

[sdelmonte]

Everyone knows about Sherlock Holmes and Avatar and Doctor Who and Supernatural and Harry Potter. But what about the things that you love and that everyone else hasn't read or seen (or even heard of), but should?

I'll start off with Marvel Comics' Nova, the story of a space-faring super-hero who is the last member of the storied Nova Corps (Marvel's surprisingly interesting version of the Green Lantern Corps). It's a little continuity-heavy at times - it grew out of one crossover event and gets sucked into several others - but the stories seem to work on their own, the writing by Abnett and Lanning is crisp and witty, the art is very good, and the hero himself is likeable and about as heroic as anyone I've encountered in a super-hero comic in ages.

ETA: I should probably also mention that DC Comics has reprinted the first 30 issues of The Question in five trade paperbacks, with the last coming this year. It's not just prime canon for my pup, but it's also one of the most influential and highly regarded comics of the 80s, written by Denny O'Neil at his peak.

Your turn.

Comments

[aisforamy]

Movies I love that haven't gotten a lot of notice:

Dear Frankie, a bittersweet tale about a mother to tells her deaf son that his father is a merchant marine to explain his absence. The mother authors letters from his 'father' telling of his adventures at sea, but runs into a snag when the boy learns that the ship his father is supposedly sailing on is going to be docking at their town.

Millions A clever story of a motherless boy who finds a sack full of money. The money was supposed to be destroyed as the country converts to the Euro, and he must find a way to spend it all or convert it before the deadline without anyone finding out. Unfortunately, this is not the kind of secret you can keep, especially from the man who went to the trouble of stealing it in the first place.



Mary & Max is a claymation film in the style of Wallace and Gromit. It's a quirky tale of a lonely Austrailian girl who chooses a name from an American phone book at random, and strikes up a friendship via mail by sending a letter asking where babies come from in America. (They are found at the bottom of beer mugs where she is from.) Max Horowitz is a 47 year old severely obese man with Aspergers Syndrome and chronic anxiety issues. The unlikely friendship is strangely charming and engaging.

The Brothers Bloom is a strange movie about two brothers who live their lives as con men. The older brother convinces the younger to help him with one last job, conning an eccentric heiress and having an adventure that will take them all over the world. I enjoyed the diversity of the characters and the odd moments that seem to make no sense, but add to the overall experience.

I also want to recommend The Hunger Games books by Suzanne Rollins and and by Kristin Cashore.

[aisforamy]

Huh. My last two recs didn't come through Graceling and Fire by Kristin Cashore! Reeeeeeead them!

[wakeupnew]

The first half of Graceling is SO GOOD! I'm slightly more ambivalent to the second half, but the first part charms me so strongly that I love the book overall! I need to pick up Fire.

[aisforamy]

Agreed. The first half of the book carries the second, but it's still good. Fire is a bit stranger, and I definitely like Graceling better, but it tells the story of where King Leck came from, though he isn't the main character. There were some major elements that I felt were a little hard to suspend my belief on, but it's still an enjoyable read.

[sdelmonte]

As it happens, Mary and Max will be screening at the New York Jewish Film Festival, which is co-presented by The Jewish Museum and The Film Society of Lincoln Center. It's our first claymation offering, and it's also the film we used for the cover image on the brochure.

[aisforamy]

Nice! Max was Jewish, but then decided he was Atheist, but he still wore his yarmulke because it kept his head warm. I hope the attendees enjoy it!