3+1 Short Paragraphs: Ready Player One

2018, Steven Spielberg (Jurassic Park, AI) -- cinema

I didn't know this book was so divisive until they announced Spielberg was adapting. Suddenly, a book that I saw as a fun and inventive romp focused on an obsession with 80s pop culture, primarily geek culture became the source of derision and controversy. Sure it's empty, sure its pandering and maybe the characters are not exactly paragons of virtue, but when are they? Anywayz, I am the exact demographic for this kind of story, as I grew up in the 80s and geek culture was my culture. And that also makes me the demographic for the movie, and also, who better to do it than an icon of that era himself -- Spielberg!

Wade Watts is growing up in The Stacks, the 2040s American version of tower blocks made up from mobile homes stacked on top of each other in precarious frames. This is pure dystopia, where people survive a horrible world set against them and escape into an ultimate VR experience called The Oasis. In case you are wondering how poor people can access a wonder of technology, remember even homeless people have smart phones today. The founder of The Oasis has died, and he has left behind the ultimate game -- a hunt for an in-game Easter Egg where the finder gets control of  his company. Of course, an Evil Corporation (IOI) wants that control so they can make even more money off it, and they are not afraid to hurt Wade and his friends as they hunt for the egg.

Despite The Oasis being created by a man who was obsessed only with his own childhood, Spielberg's is littered with other references to geek culture reaching out past the 80s. Identifying those references in the book was the fun part, and catching all the (expanded) references in the movie is again the fun bit. And that's all there is here -- a fun adventure romp for those who like geek infused adventure. And there is nothing wrong with that. You cannot make me feel bad about that.

If I was disappointed in anything about the movie, it was that it dispensed with the D&D heavy elements from the novel to add in more straightly familiar video game and movie references. The Tomb of Horrors is replaced by a racing game, War Games by an impressive recreation of The Shining and the rest all leading to an old Atari game at the centre of a FPS battle world. But again, I remind I am the demographic, so I loved it even with the straight forward plot and execution.

And yes, I saw the sticker on the back of Aech's postal truck.

Breaking Hiatus: The Commuter

2018, Jaume Collet-Serra (Run All Night) -- download

The other day, I was thinking I want to get back into writing about movies; again not explicitly reviewing movies, but returning to whatever I was doing here. Then, the other morning, Jason K blogged about blogging and THAT was what I wanted to return to. But no, I cannot resurrect thisboyistoast.nu again, as I already did (as a photoblog) and it is already on hiatus itself. BUT, I can return to blogging about movies, as I watch them, with no requirement of format or length or requirement.

That should make it easier, right? So says my lazy lizard brain.

The Commuter is the latest Liam Neeson movie from French director Jaume Collet-Serra. Without trying to, I have seen all of his movies, so I guess that puts him in my wheelhouse. My favourites were The Shallows and Run All Night. But including this new one, his three Neeson movies are of a certain style, where a man is forced by plot circumstances to become involved in something more violent than he ever intended.

This movie begins with a commentary on aging, particularly the aging action star, that cannot be anything but intentional. Michael MacCauley 62, laid off from his insurance job after 10 faithful years. That means he started that job at 52, and hoped to ride it out till retirement. He had his kids in his mid 40s, and chose a life commuting to and from the suburbs over whatever he was doing before. In a great opening sequence, we are given a collage of what makes the title of the movie, his commute to NYC and back each day on a crowded train where he is one of the regulars.

On the day he is laid off, he has had a few beers with an old friend, and we find out MacCauley is an ex-cop. He is returning to his home, where he will have to tell his wife (and their college age kids) that life is about to collapse. But he is approached by a lovely young woman (Vera Farmiga) with an offer. Use his cop skills to find someone on the train who doesn't belong, tag them, and make $100k.

Of course, its never that simple. Things escalate towards a conspiracy of murder and corruption and a desire to kill the person he is supposed to tag. But he is a man of principle and does his best to derail their plan. Despite the danger to himself and his family, he has to do what is right.

Its fun to watch Neeson in the gray years of his life play the leading action hero, but not in the cocky, shout into the future way that someone like Bruce Willis or Sylvester Stallone does. Liam bears his age well, but it shows on him. The visceral fight scenes have him pummeled and bounced about in a dance of violence, where it is not his strength that wins, but wisdom (skill learned through time) and willpower winning out. While the movie does do a bit of spiraling out into ridiculous (big action needs big sequences), I cannot help but like the movie.

The finale shows an interest in making this movie into a series. Not Taken style where he repeats the same plot over and over, but one where an aged cop foils the plots of the bad guys. I doubt it will go that way, but its fun to think of such while Liam is around to foster it.